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Volume: 118 No.48, FEBRUARY 3, 2021

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AT LAST - HELP IS ON THE WAY

DESPERATE FAMILIES CUT INSURANCE

By NEIL HARTNELL Tribune Business Editor nhartnell@tribunemedia.net

BAHAMIAN life and health insurers are hoping the “noticeable increase” in policy lapses inflicted by the COVID-19 pandemic “bottomed out” in 2020’s final quarter, it was revealed yesterday.

The sector is said to be “in uncharted territory” due to the economic impace of the pandemic.

FULL STORY - SEE BUSINESS

Up to 100,000 doses of COVID vaccine to arrive within weeks

By KHRISNA RUSSELL Tribune Chief Reporter krussell@tribunemedia.net

THE country is expected to receive up to 100,000 doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine beginning the second half of this month through the second quarter of 2021, the Office of the Prime Minister has announced.

In a press statement yesterday, OPM said the government received notification from COVAX of the estimated COVID-19 vaccine dose allocation for the

first phase of delivery.

“COVAX, a coalition led by the World Health Organisation and Gavi (Vaccine Alliance), informed Bahamian health authorities that The Bahamas could receive 100,000 doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine, starting the second half of February through the second quarter of 2021.

“The AstraZeneca vaccine has received emergency use Listing approval from WHO.” SEE PAGE FOUR

FOCUS ON NYGARD NOT ON THE POLICE

By EARYEL BOWLEG Tribune Staff Reporter ebowleg@tribunemedia.net

POLICE Commissioner Paul Rolle said yesterday people should focus on sex crime allegations against fashion mogul Peter Nygard and not claims that link

him to corruption by members of the Royal Bahamas Police Force.

He also said he is “extremely pleased” with RBPF officers despite allegations of bribery against some officers SEE PAGE SEVEN

STABBED TO DEATH

A BODY is removed from the scene of a murder last night after an argument following a car accident at the junction of Fifth Street and Palm Tree Avenue led to a man being stabbed to death. See page two for the full story.

Photo: Donovan McIntosh/Tribune Staff

SIX NEWCOMERS JOIN FNM’S CANDIDATE LIST

By KHRISNA RUSSELL Tribune Chief Reporter krussell@tribunemedia.net

THE Free National Movement has ratified 17 candidates, including some newcomers and 11 incumbents, to contest the next general election.

FNM chairman Carl Culmer told The Tribune yesterday that he’s been “surprised” by the number of prospective candidates interested in running on the party’s ticket.

SEE PAGE THREE

PLP OLD GUARD SIGNED ON FOR FIGHT IN 2022

By RASHAD ROLLE Tribune Senior Reporter rrolle@tribunemedia.net

THE National General Council of the Progressive Liberal Party ratified 18 candidates for the next general election last night.

The candidates include

party chairman and former Foreign Affairs Minister Fred Mitchell in Fox Hill, former Attorney General Alfred Sears in Fort Charlotte, former State Minister for National Security Keith SEE PAGE THREE

BEATING CARE HOME KIDS TO BE BANNED

By LEANDRA ROLLE Tribune Staff Reporter lrolle@tribunemedia.net SOCIAL Services Minister Frankie Campbell said yesterday his ministry plans to eliminate corporal punishment in all children’s homes following recommendations from the National Child Protection

FRANKIE CAMPBELL Council that the practice be “ceased” immediately.

This comes amid an ongoing police investigation into the Children’s Emergency Hostel after shocking surveillance footage at the care home went viral last month, showing numerous children being severely beaten.

Four female staff members at the home have since

Nassau & Bahama Islands’ Leading Newspaper

SEE PAGE FIVE

IT’S OUR JOB TO PROTECT YOUNG GIRLS

SEE PAGE EIGHT

PAGE 2, Wednesday, February 3, 2021

THE TRIBUNE

THE SCENE of last night’s incident in which a man was stabbed to death.

Photos: Donovan McIntosh/Tribune Staff

Stabbed to death after car accident AN argument after a car accident at the junction of Fifth Street and Palm Tree Avenue yesterday led to a man being stabbed to death, police said.

Police received reports of the incident shortly after 6pm. Responding officers met a man lying on the ground unresponsive. Paramedics pronounced him dead at the scene.

Police were told there was a car accident at the intersection involving two vehicles. The occupants of those vehicles got into an altercation that resulted in one man being stabbed multiple times, Assistant Superintendent Audley Peters said at the scene.

The suspects abandoned their car in the area and fled the scene on foot.

ASP Peters appealed to motorists to exercise courtesy on the road and follow the rules they learned in driving school when it comes to accidents.

“An accident is simply

an accident,” he said.

“There is no need to be involved in physical altercations with anyone. Once you have all your required documents, permission to be on the road, to use the road, those things are (sufficient). Things can be replaced, but not lives and your freedom can be taken from you for decisions that are made without rationale.”

No one was in custody up to press time but police said

they are following promising leads and looking for “multiple suspects”.

The coroner also visited the scene last night.

Anyone with information on this incident is asked to call police at 502-9991.

This is the 12th homicide for the year, according to The Tribune’s records.

The previous victim, Anwar Tucker, was shot dead on the morning of February 1 on Deveaux Street.

PASSPORT OFFICES PLAN FOR FAMILY ISLANDS

By LEANDRA ROLLE Tribune Staff Reporter lrolle@tribunemedia.net

FOREIGN Affairs Minister Darren Henfield said yesterday the government hopes to establish passport offices on several Family Islands that will make it more accessible for residents in those communities to collect the important documents.

“Next week Friday, it is anticipated that the Prime Minister and I, in furtherance of our policy to establish passport offices and make it more accessible for Bahamians all

across the country to be able to access and get their passports, we’re going to open an office in George Town, Exuma, which would allow Bahamians or people in Exuma the same amenities as you have in New Providence or as we have in Abaco,” he announced.

“It is also envisioned that in the very near future, we’re going to do the same thing in Mathew Town, Inagua, and somewhere in Long Island. We’re also going to do the same thing in Governor’s Harbour, Eleuthera.

“We think this is very

important. Me, as an island boy, believe it extremely important and as the minister of foreign affairs responsible for passports that I be able to make passports accessible to Family Islanders.”

In 2019, the Passport Office launched the first phase of its electronic services allowing for the renewal of adult e-passports to be done online.

At the time, officials called the move a major milestone for the country as the government seeks to modernise its services to better serve the Bahamian people.

THE TRIBUNE

Wednesday, February 3, 2021, PAGE 3

Six newcomers join FNM’s candidate list from page one

The candidates were ratified at a special meeting on Monday night of the FNM’s Central Council where applications of interest were considered.

The ratification confirms that neither Brensil Rolle, Garden Hills MP, nor St Anne’s MP Brent Symonette will contest the constituencies they currently represent.

“There is a lot of interest,” Mr Culmer said yesterday, ahead of the release of a press statement announcing the ratification.

“I am surprised with the numbers.

“For example, there were six people interested in the South Andros constituency and we had six people express interest for Garden Hills.”

The ratified candidates include the following incumbents: Marathon MP Romauld Ferreira,

OUT: Brent Symonette and Brensil Rolle will not contest their current constituencies.

Free Town MP Dioni- Miriam Emmanuel, Golden and Ragged Island and sio D’Aguilar, Tall Pines Gates MP Michael Foulkes, Stephen Greenslade MP Donald Saunders, North Abaco MP Darren for the Garden Hills South Beach MP Jeffrey Henfield and Bain and constituency.

Lloyd, Mount Moriah Grants Town MP Travis Mr Greenslade, a busiMP Marvin Dames and Robinson. nessman and former Royal Bamboo Town MP RenThe FNM also named Bahamas Police Force ward Wells. well-known trade union- officer, was the Democratic Other incumbents are ist and Senator Jennifer National Alliance’s candiYamacraw MP Elsworth Isaacs-Dotson as a rati- date for Golden Isles in the Johnson, MICAL MP fied candidate for Exuma 2017 election.

Newcomers to the FNM’s ticket include Felicia Knowles for Cat Island, Rum Cay and San Salvador, Kenneth Smith for Mangrove Cay and South Andros, Brian Brown for Golden Isles and Adrian White for the St Anne’s constituency.

“On Monday, 1 February 2021, the Central Council of the Free National Movement convened a special called meeting to consider applications for the party’s standard bearers in 17 constituencies in advance of the next general election,” the party said yesterday.

“The democratic and engaging process followed the party’s constitution, which provides that the executive committee of the party be apprised of all applicants and thereafter advance its suggestions to the Central Council for consideration for ratification.

“The ratified group includes incumbent

candidates and new entries to the party’s election ticket. All were ratified with exuberant consensus.

“All applicants were thanked for their commitment and dedication to the party, and their pledges to continue their support in assisting the ratified candidates in their respective constituencies.

“The party congratulates all those ratified. They take the party’s message forward as we continue our work for the Bahamian people in rebuilding our economy, tackling unemployment, encouraging entrepreneurship, developing our Family Islands, and protecting our people from the deadly global pandemic of COVID-19.

“The group of newly ratified candidates has experience, youth, professionalism, and gifted ability,” the FNM said.

There are currently 39 seats in the House of Assembly.

PLP OLD GUARD SIGNED ON FOR FIGHT IN 2022 from page one

Bell in Carmichael, and former State Minister for Finance Michael Halkitis in St Barnabas.

Others candidates include Senator Clay Sweeting in South Eleuthera, Senator Jobeth Coleby-Davis in Elizabeth, Leslia Brice in Seabreeze, Jomo Campbell in Centreville, Wayde Watson in Bain and Grants Town, Jamahl Strachan in Nassau Village, Mario Bowleg in Garden Hills, Zane Lightbourne in Yamacraw, Bacchus Rolle in South Beach, Wayne Munroe in Freetown, Ronald Duncombe in Killarney, Tyrell Grave Young in Long Island, Basil McIntosh in MICAL, Mckell De’Angelo Bonaby in Mt Mariah and Leonardo Lightbourne in North Andros & the Berry Islands.

The candidates who won an election under the PLP’s banner in 2017 party leader Philip Davis, Deputy Leader Chester Cooper, Glenys HannaMartin and Picewell Forbes - have been guaranteed a nomination.

This leaves at least 17 seats for the party to fill.

One constituency likely to garner attention is the Tall Pines seat.

Senator Michael Darville, the former Minister of Grand Bahama, is canvassing that constituency as the establishment favourite to secure the seat.

His bid sets up a potential clash with Leslie Miller, the longtime representative of the area who has threatened to run as an independent

candidate if he does not get his party’s nomination.

Both Dr Darville and Mr Miller declined to comment when contacted yesterday.

Some in the party fear that a bitter fight between the two and an independent candidacy from Mr Miller could cannibalise votes, leading to a loss for both.

If not for this, insiders see the constituency as a “PLP seat” that would swing to its column in the next election.

Don Saunders is the current MP for the area. The Free National Movement announced in a statement yesterday that he is among 17 people ratified for the next election.

Mr Miller’s public plea for a Tall Pines nomination has not gone unnoticed in the party. Mr Cooper said in 2019 that the PLP’s leadership team “will not be bullied” when it comes to its candidate selection process.

A former parliamentarian in the Pineridge constituency, Dr Darville has established a temporary office in Tall Pines to aid his efforts.

In a statement last night announcing its candidate selections, Mr Mitchell touted the efforts his party has made towards reform, pointing to a new constitution, among other things.

“Our candidates committee had the difficult task of selecting candidates from a very talented applicant pool,” he said.

“With our country facing multiple, very serious crises they have been focused on picking a team that can hit the ground running, ready to make a difference on day one.”

Jamahl Strachan Nassau Village

Wayde Watson

Keith Bell

Jomo Campbell

Jobeth Coleby-Davis

Bain and Grants Town

Carmichael

Centreville

Elizabeth

Fred Mitchell

Wayne Munroe

Alfred Sears

Mario Bowleg

Fox Hill

Freetown

Fort Charlotte

Garden Hills

Ronald Duncombe

Tyrel Young

Basil McIntosh

McKell Bonaby

Killarney

Long Island

MICAL

Mt Moriah

Leonardo Lightbourne

Leslia Miller-Brice

Bacchus Rolle

Michael Halkitis

Zane E Lighbourne

N Andros & Berry Islands

Seabreeze

South Beach

St Barnabas

Yamacraw

PAGE 4, Wednesday, February 3, 2021

THE TRIBUNE

‘ADEQUATE’ POLICING TO DEAL WITH FISH FRY CROWDS

By EARYEL BOWLEG Tribune Staff Reporter ebowleg@tribunemedia.net

AMID complaints of large crowds gathering at the popular Fish Fry at Arawak Cay, Commissioner of Police Paul Rolle said he thinks there is adequate police presence at the site.

Arawak Cay Association President Rodney Russell recently told local media that crowds at the site cannot be controlled. He appealed to Prime Minister Dr Hubert Minnis to impose a 6pm Sunday curfew for the site.

“Some of these people

are belligerent, we have vendors who are belligerent,” Mr Russell said.

“We just cannot only concentrate on making money.

“We don’t want Arawak Cay to be a police state nor do we want Arawak Cay to appear as a lawless group of persons. We’re not lawless;

this is why we’re asking before the government decides to close us down completely,” Mr Russell told reporters.

He said police cannot handle the large crowds.

However, Commissioner Rolle disagreed.

“I think we are adequately policed on

Arawak Cay. I don’t know if there’s a need for more,” said the Commissioner yesterday.

“I mean you could always put more but if you (had) been out there on Sunday you would’ve seen we responded to that and the numbers are where I’m happy.

“The persons for the most part are well behaved unless we so need... there’s no need to expand on that.”

This is not the first time the popular spot has seen large crowds of patrons. In June last year photos and videos showed customers not social distancing or wearing masks.

At last - help is on the way from page one OPM said the National COVID-19 Consultative Committee will hold a press conference tomorrow at 5pm where details of the vaccine distribution plan will be released.

Yesterday, several top doctors, who did not want to go on record about the decision ahead of the committee’s press conference, told The Tribune “this is good news” for the country, which has managed to slow new cases of the virus.

Some countries have placed limits so far on the AstraZeneca vaccine. Germany has said it will not recommend the OxfordAstraZeneca coronavirus vaccine for people aged 65 and over.

According to multiple news outlets, Germany will only offer the vaccine to 18–64-year-olds because there has not been enough data on how it affected the over-65 age category.

Drug maker AstraZeneca, however, has been open about the fact that in the early stages of study,

TOTAL CASES

only about 10 percent of the people recruited to test the effectiveness of the vaccine were 65 or older.

However, trials on this age group are currently running in several different countries.

The vaccine, scientists have found, has been shown to be safe and older people appear to have a strong immune response to the vaccine. After receiving the shots, their blood has a good deal of the required antibodies that can fight coronavirus.

The company says its

TOTAL DEATHS

clinical trial data “supports efficacy in the over-65s age group”.

This vaccine is made from a weakened version of a common cold virus known as an adenovirus from chimpanzees, according to the BBC. It has been modified to look more like coronavirus - although it can’t cause illness.

When the vaccine is injected into a patient, it prompts the immune system to start making antibodies and primes it to attack any coronavirus infection.

Research has shown it is highly effective and no one given the vaccine in trials developed severe COVID or needed hospital treatment.

Unlike Pfizer’s jab which has to be kept at an extremely cold temperature (-70C) - the Oxford vaccine can be stored in a normal fridge.

This makes it much easier to distribute, which may have been a key deciding factor for Bahamian health officials.

Deputy Chief Medical Officer Dr Delon Brennen has said recently that it is likely that the government will use more than one COVID-19 to vaccinate Bahamians.

While speaking at a forum hosted by the Bahamian American Association of the Washington, DC, & Mid-Atlantic Region (BAAWMAR), Dr

Brennen said Bahamian officials were designing a vaccine strategy centred on being able to ensure that vaccines brought into the country can be used as efficiently as possible.

“But it’s not going to be one vaccine for the entire country,” he said. “We are preparing such that if we receive aliquots of one that can’t fulfill the entire requirement, that we’ll be able to use that one first and then as we get another one, we’ll still be able to deliver that other one as well.”

He said the government also plans to track who gets which vaccine to ensure they receive a follow-up shot, if needed, of the same vaccine.

8,225 176 NEWLY CONFIRMED CASES MONDAY 2 CASES NEW PROVIDENCE

TOTAL TESTS

60,686

2

HOSPITALISED

13

CASES IN ICU

0

RECOVERED

6,790

A Private Graveside Service for

Olivia Marie McLean, 67 of Gaol Alley, will be held on Thursday, 4th February 2021 at St. Agnes Cemetery, Nassau Street. Officiating will be Archdeacon Keith Cartwright assisted by other ministers of the Clergy.

Due to current Government regulations in respect of Covid-19, attendance is limited to twenty (20) persons.

Left to cherish her memories are her Son: Mikhail McLean (Arrion); Grandsons: Mikhail Jr. and Amarri Jude McLean; Mother: Lillian Gibson; Sisters: Esther Blair (Carleton) and Louise Russell; Brother: Harris Gibson (Carolyn); Uncle: Gladstone Gay and the family of the late Louise Gay; Nieces: Myiesha Gibson, Adrienne Hannah Blair, Tracey Gibson, Remona Russell, Rosemarie Higgs, Renita Russell; Nephews: Michael, Jason and Harris Christopher Gibson, Recardo & Rodrigo Russell; Other Relatives and friends: The families of the late Roy and Mavis Gay; The Families of the late Richard and Ruth Johnson; The families of the late Archie and Eloise Caroll; The families of Peter and the late Mildred Bowe; The families of the late Bernard and Merle Bostwick; The families of the late Percy and Leona Hanna; The Gaol Alley neighbours, Anderson Street and Lewis Street communities; QC Class of 1972, St. Agnes Church Senior Choir, and all its other ministries.

May Her Soul Rest in Peace!

Friends may pay their last respects at Bethel Brothers Morticians & Crematorium, #44 Nassau Street on Wednesday 3rd February 2021 from 11:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

GROCERY items being distributed for free to those in need at Mt Olive Baptist Church yesterday.

Photo: Donovan McIntosh/Tribune Staff

D’AGUILAR: THINGS WILL IMPROVE BY THIRD QUARTER

By LEANDRA ROLLE Tribune Staff Reporter lrolle@tribunemedia.net

WITH the continued rollout of several COVID-19 vaccines abroad, Tourism Minister Dionisio d’Aguilar said yesterday he expects “things will begin to improve” in the country’s tourism industry by the third quarter of the year.

His comments came when asked for an update on the Grand Lucayan resort’s reopening date.

“The government is, of course, deciding when it should reopen,” he said. “I think that the government is very close to deciding that it should reopen. I mean obviously conditions on the ground are not ideal.”

Acknowledging the country’s leading industry has suffered blow after blow from the pandemic, he said while the country’s road to recovery will likely be “a bit bumpy” in the weeks ahead, it is expected things will get better by the third quarter.

He suggested this will be dependent on countries — particularly the US — mass vaccination efforts.

He said: “So, tourism is seemingly at the moment getting a lot of body blows.

However, I’m encouraged to see that the vaccine is rolling out with a certain level of robustness in the United States. They’re up to 1.2 million jabs a day.

“So, obviously as that gets rolled out quicker and they get up to about two million a day in the next four to five to six months, the United States should by-and-large have vaccinated a lot of their population which bodes well for tourism because people will consider to travel again.

“So, the short term is probably going to be a little bit bumpy (but) as we get to the middle of the year and the third quarter of the year, I envision that things will begin to improve so that’s my projection moving forward for the rest of 2021.”

Last month, newly swornin US President Joe Biden signed an executive order requiring travellers to produce a negative COVID-19 test before arrival in the US as well as then having to go into quarantine.

The new COVID-19 testing policy was previously announced by US officials but was later enforced on January 26.

Although the US quarantine requirement will now not be mandatory, the minister admitted that the US president’s comments on the policy had a significant impact on travel to The Bahamas.

“I spoke to a number of the operators of the major hotels in New Providence and they said that as soon as President Joe Biden

floated the idea of a possible mandatory quarantine, a lot of people called up and cancelled,” he said.

“So, when the president of the United States speaks, he has an impact even though after further review and looking at it closely and probably realising that that wasn’t in his remit and that’s something that’s dealt by the state and local level and it was walked back upon.

“The impact of the comment caused confusion and so visitors were not minded to take the risk of going away and having to come back and quarantine and to be safe, they just cancelled.”

With the new impediments to travel, some observers have said the Minnis administration should capitalise on the domestic travel market, calling for current interisland travel restrictions to be eased.

However, the minister told reporters yesterday that the government is not considering relaxing restrictions on domestic travel right now as a result of the new, more infectious strains spreading worldwide.

He also said officials are trying to limit the risk of imported cases to other Family Islands – where COVID infections are low.

THE TRIBUNE

Wednesday, February 3, 2021, PAGE 5

Beating care home kids to be banned from page one

been “relieved of their duties” pending the outcome of the investigation.

Asked yesterday if more staff had been placed on leave, Mr Campbell said he believed one more worker faced action, but could not confirm at the time.

“I believe there may have been one more additional person, but I’m not sure of that, but I can tell you that I would’ve indicated in the first instance that whoever is responsible and whoever is found culpable will have to answer to some authority,” he told reporters before going to Cabinet.

Since the video’s release, discussions on corporal punishment have been reignited, with many calling for an end to the archaic practice in both schools and care homes.

The situation has also

forced the social services agency to review protocols and disciplinary practices in children’s homes.

Yesterday, Mr Campbell told reporters the ministry has made the decision to stamp out the practice in care homes nationally after the NCPC recommended that corporal punishment no longer be used to discipline children until further discussion is had.

Noting that all staff members will be fully informed of the ministry’s decision, he said that workers will have to sign a document to ensure that everyone is fully aware of the new protocol.

“I met (Monday) with the National Child Protection Council and they gave a further update on their findings with some recommendations,” Mr Campbell said.

“Among the recommendations that we cease any form of corporal punishment immediately until

APPOINTMENT OF FORMER POLICEMAN AT IMMIGRATION ‘NOT A SLIGHT’

By LEANDRA ROLLE Tribune Staff Reporter lrolle@tribunemedia.net

IMMIGRATION Minister Elsworth Johnson has defended the appointment of a former police officer to assistant director at the Department of Immigration, saying officials wanted to bring in someone not connected to the agency who had the expertise to help crack down on internal illegal operations.

He also insisted the move was not meant “to slight” anyone.

This comes after the Bahamas Customs, Immigration and Allied Workers Union filed a trade dispute over the issue. The new appointee is Stuart Curtis.

The union is upset that the appointment came from outside the organisation and that no immigration officers had been tapped for the position.

Speaking on the matter to reporters yesterday, Mr Johnson said there have been too many instances where people have entered the country without proper authorisation and legal documentation, among other irregularities at the department.

“I can tell you of files that have been missing, people who’ve entered The Bahamas and documents aren’t stamped, people who’ve served time in other countries, deported from The Bahamas and miraculously end back up into this country,” he said.

“And so, the conventional wisdom in terms of complaints and corruption is that the institution – that is to conduct (the complaints) – is to be external to the organisation. When I was in a different place before coming into government, I always said I thought the complaints and corruption section should be external and so the gentleman that we’ve brought in is very efficient.”

He added: “I’m not saying this to denigrate anybody under the department because they’re going to leave the department and he has the respect of the law enforcement agencies here and our foreign counterparts that he’s been working with.”

He also said: “We have to be efficient, and you have to do the business of the Bahamian people. The hiring of Mr Stuart was not to slight anybody. I think it went a distance in accordance with the secret

shopper programme – to bring somebody in who can take that and who doesn’t know anybody and he can take the files and he can deal with them.

“I am very concerned when people come into The Bahamas and their documents aren’t stamped.

I’m very concerned when I meet hundreds if not thousands of files that are not scanned in and I know that we are finding Bahamians who are married and don’t know that they are married.

“Bahamians who don’t know that they have people in their employment.”

He said as staff comb through the system to digitise records it is becoming clear that “we’re going to have to revoke certain designations” that were given to people.

According to the union president, Sloane Smith, the last promotional exercise at the agency was done in 2015 but was retroactive to 2013.

Yesterday, Mr Johnson said officials are currently in the process of promoting several more people to high-ranking positions at the agency.

“That process is almost completed and unofficially I’ve told the president of the union where that is,” he said. “We’re in the process of appointing two deputy directors, a number of assistant directors. There are persons who’ve gone home but before that can be done, there’s some young officers who have been trainee officers for years.

“There’s some young officers who don’t have their confirmation letters and they’ve been approaching me on the sidelines to say listen, ‘we’re entitled to be promoted’. . .And, so just like senior officers want to be promoted, the junior officers want to be promoted and there are a number of things that we’ve done in the agency to respond to the community so that the level of efficiency that we have in the agency can be increased.”

He added the organisation is one that believes in succession, saying workers can expect to see new changes very soon.

“Succession is occurring.

Very shortly, some persons would even supersede some people at the department and so we’re going to send out supersession letters for persons who would take charge of that organisation,” he said.

further discussion and so we agreed and accepted that recommendation and we will notify all employees, all staff members of the children’s homes in writing and have them signed to show that they are aware of the missive, that there will be no corporal punishment in any form at this time and to make sure that we’re clear on what is corporal punishment, we will adopt the definition that is given by the Ministry of Education so that there is a standardized understanding.”

According to Mr Campbell, other recommendations by the body include additional training for future staff, the implementation of a behaviour modification programme and regular visitation from officials at the homes “to ensure that logs are being properly kept”, among other things.

He said: “There is also a

recommendation for what I would term top brass visitation meaning some person of a higher rank from the Ministry of Social Services, the Department of Social Services who’s attached at the home, will visit on a regular basis to ensure that logs are being properly kept and maintained.

“We’ve also accepted a recommendation from the council that some members of the council will visit randomly to ensure that there is oversight. Another recommendation that we, in addition to the in-house training that we’ve given to staff, that we have an external accredited training programme as part of the requirement for employment at the homes and we have accepted that recommendation.

“We’ve also accepted a recommendation to come up with a behaviour modification programme for the

children. It is important that while we won’t administer corporal punishment that the behaviour of the children are such that it is acceptable in any social environment.”

He added: “…I’ve spoken with the chairman of the board of the children’s homes, of that particular children’s home and I would share the report with him before it is shared with the media that the recommendation that we accepted will be across the board for all of our children’s homes throughout the Commonwealth of the Bahamas as we await the results of the investigation from the police. Those are our immediate decisions and we will keep you apprised of any further decisions we make.”

The investigation was turned over to police after preliminary findings by the NCPC revealed that there was sufficient information

to involve the law enforcement agency.

Some 24 children are currently receiving counselling as a result of the incident, which is believed to have transpired sometime late last year.

Asked for an update into the investigation, Police Commissioner Paul Rolle told reporters yesterday that officials will provide one once the probe is complete.

“I’ll provide you with an update on that later,” the police chief said on the sidelines of a RBPF event.

“That matter is being investigated by CID (Criminal Investigations Department) and I have no intentions of discussing the blow-by-blow investigations of that. When we are completed with it, we will advise you accordingly.

But it is safe to say that I received the report and the matter is being addressed.”

‘TACKLING DOMESTIC VIOLENCE PART OF POLICE PLAN’

By EARYEL BOWLEG Tribune Staff Reporter ebowleg@tribunemedia.net

POLICE Commissioner Paul Rolle said yesterday that domestic violence and protection of people at risk is one of the priorities of his policing plan.

His comments came as Royal Bahamas Police began a seminar that covers the Domestic Violence Act, gender equality and the domestic violence policy.

In his opening address, the police chief admitted there is “still much work to be done” despite a 39 percent decrease in domestic matters with 2,432 reported incidents in 2020 compared to 2019 when 3,902 incidents were recorded.

“I understand the value of training and its direct correlation to public perception which can positively or negatively affect our community relations,” he said.

POLICE Commissioner Paul Rolle speaking yesterday.

“Over the course of the next three days, police officers and police reserves from every division in the force along with officers from the Family Islands will be participating in this type of training.”

He further acknowledged that although the official numbers are down, there may have been incidents not reported to police.

“What we report are those matters that are reported to us, but it can be

reasonably assumed it could be more but to make sure that our officers are sensitised in dealing with the members of the public so that more persons would be willing to come forward and get help (police are holding this seminar),” he said.

Dr Jacinta Higgs from the Women’s Affairs Unit at the Department of Gender and Family Affairs revealed the research highlights increases in some offences globally during the

COVID-19 lockdown.

She said: “Across the planet research coming into The Bahamas from the United Nations from the Commonwealth and also from CARICOM all indicate that domestic violence, abuse in the family, sexual offences would have increased during the COVID lockdown because you provide opportunity in the home.

“So, there is a concern.

The Department of Gender and Family Affairs did a study with University of the Bahamas (UB) and again we saw a two percent increase.”

Dr Novia Carter-Lookie from the Bahamas Crisis Centre stated a major concern is once domestic violence increases child abuse also does.

“So our intention is to continue to educate the general public on how we can safeguard our children,” she stated.

PAGE 6, Wednesday, February 3, 2021

THE TRIBUNE

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The right move to protect children - but don’t stop now WHEN a video circulated on social media showing staff beating children in a children’s home, there was understandable anger.

In this column, we argued that it was not enough to deal with this one incident in isolation – but rather that our nation had to deal with the circumstances that allowed it to happen in the first place.

To that end, we would applaud Minister of Social Services Frankie Campbell for the swift action that has followed.

First, members of staff were relieved of their duties – and now comes the move that will hopefully prevent such an incident from happening again.

Corporal punishment is to be eliminated in all children’s homes. The National Child Protection Council has recommended that the practice be ceased immediately – but even without that, the reaction to the video has surely played a part in ensuring this practice is stamped out.

An end to corporal punishment is not the only measure – with other improvements to care home regimes being brought in, such as extra training, regular visits by officials and so on. The children involved in the incident itself are also receiving counselling.

These are all welcome measures – and perhaps it is not the end of changes yet.

Minister of Education Jeff Lloyd said previously that officials are having a “vigorous conversation” about whether corporal punishment should still be allowed in schools, and we would urge officials to see that discussion through.

Don’t let this be the end of the matter.

If corporal punishment is deemed unacceptable in children’s homes, then why should it be any different in schools?

Indeed – shouldn’t we go one step further? The place children are most likely to face violence from adults isn’t in children’s homes, it isn’t in schools – it’s in their own homes.

Should we not be doing all we can to remove that risk – so that brutal beatings of the type seen in the video from the children’s homes are not being replicated inside private homes across the country?

For too long, we have resisted legislating to protect people inside a home – from the debate over marital rape to

failing to protect children being beaten by adults.

Let’s take the violence out of childhood, as much as we are able. Let’s even look at amending the law as necessary to give children the protection they need – the protection they deserve.

When we send our children off to school, we shouldn’t have to worry about them being assaulted in the classroom by staff. It’s time to put such days behind us.

This has been an excellent start. Let’s see it through.

Economic danger Time and again in this column, we have highlighted the signs indicating the depth of the economic difficulty we face.

Sometimes those are bigger signs – such as the lengthy lines at food giveaways as people desperate to get through the week seek help.

Sometimes they are smaller signs – such as the report in today’s Tribune showing the increase in people allowing their health and life insurance policies to lapse.

It’s a simple equation – when you’ve only got so much money to go around, you can’t pay for everything, and some families are choosing to stop paying for the rainy day in the future when they find themselves standing in a storm right now.

Some are using the money to pay for a roof over their head. Some are using it to buy food. Some don’t even have the money to do that.

The scale of it is disturbing. Sandy Morley, of the Bahamas Insurance Association, said that by comparison to the economic crash of 2008, “we did see some level of lapses but not to the extent we’re seeing today”.

This is less of an issue of the insurance companies themselves – as Mr Morley notes, the industry will survive though profits will take a hit. This is a sign of the depths from which our economy itself will have to recover.

We’ve said it before – there’s a long road ahead, and this continues to affect people who might have been thriving otherwise. Helping our neighbour has never been more important.

Trying to lose next election?

EDITOR, The Tribune.

WHILE driving to work this morning and being made aware of the protests by the Nurses Union, the dissatisfactions of the Customs Union and disappointments of the Hotel Union, along with the actions/non-actions by the FNM government with regards to Abaco and Grand Bahama, following hurricane Dorian and mostly the general feeling amongst Bahamians on the whole, a thought/realisation

suddenly hit me, “are the FNM intentionally trying to lose the next election”?

As incredible as this may seem initially, the following realities hit home.

1) The Town Centre Mall has already been leased; 2) The Arawak Cay Port contract has already been assigned; 3) The Prince George Port contract has already been assigned; 4) The Bay Street Development contract has already been assigned; 5) Some others, but I

am sure the point has been made.

It just may be, if you heed the popular beliefs/assumptions, that there may not be any more “gravy trains” to bestow to the “special interest people”. So now that the goals have now been accomplished, why not just get out and live in luxury for the next half century or so.

Just my thoughts, ARNOLD F BAIN Jr Nassau, February 2, 2021.

Tribute to Zelma Dean EDITOR, The Tribune.

I RECEIVED news recently about the sad demise of Zelma Dean.

I was a colleague of Mrs Dean’s in the late 60s, when she was a maths teacher at Robinson Road School, through to the late 70s when the school became C

jamaaltheartist@gmail.com

H Reeves Junior High and Mrs Dean was the principal.

I would like to pay tribute to her as a person, whom I held in high regard and who had my utmost respect. The photograph shows me sitting on Mrs Dean’s right in the school staff room. Now living in Somerset, UK, we have very fond memories of

our family time in Nassau where both our sons were born.

I thought Mr Ingraham’s article summed up what a great Bahamian citizen Zelma Dean was.

MARY HARDING Somerset, U.K. January 19, 2021.

Jamaal Rolle is on holiday

Nygard distraction EDITOR, The Tribune.

IT IS with great and predictable fanfare that the FNM and its allies have suddenly begun to promote the sordid tales emerging about Lyford Cay resident Peter Nygard and his legal travails abroad.

Sensing well-earned defeat at the polls, the party of special interests has no real electoral hope other than to shift the discussion away from policy and into the territory of scandal, gossip and sleaze, where untested allegations and historic prejudices hopefully favour it.

In 2007, it was the Anna Nicole affair, when a photo of the late starlet lying in a bed next to Shane Gibson nearly even jolted this letter writer (then a recovering FNM) into relapse.

It clearly did the trick with enough wavering Bahamians to tip the scales in favour of a narrow FNM victory.

In the ensuing term, Ingraham’s FNM sold BTC and gave a conglomerate dominated by a few families a monopoly on international freight traffic into Nassau. These were no doubt among the reasons the electorate rejected Ingraham in 2012. Not scandal, but policy.

In 2017, the leader and chairman of the FNM were caught red-handed scheming with two purported

LETTERS letters@tribunemedia.net “gangsters” about how to cook up scandal against the PLP. Again, despite all the warnings, the electorate took the bait.

The ensuing Minnis government wasted no time in nearly doubling VAT (while reassuring Lyford Cay it won’t raise taxes on their luxury homes), slashing social spending, giving Minister Symonnette’s company the tenancy of the general post office and conveying the Nassau cruise port into a few privileged hands.

This time, it is clear that the Nygard affair will be the primary weapon of distraction away from large issues of policy and onto petty issues of sleaze and scandal – issues that have not been proved in a court, one might add.

Meanwhile, on the same day that tongues were wagging about Peter Nygard and PLP politicians, minister Kwasi Thompson was confirming that, with a 280 percent deficit increase and armed police on the streets hunting down jobless Bahamians to ticket and thence make up the shortfall, his government is not even considering income tax, the mechanism that is accepted internationally as

the standard of progressive taxation (i.e. shifting the burden from the poor to the rich).

In a hundred years, Peter Nygard, this writer and everyone reading this letter will long have been swept into the tide of history.

New actors will be on the scene and new scandals will regale all and sundry.

But the results of FNM policy will still linger. The sole port through which the residents of the busiest island in The Bahamas are fed, clothed and provided the materials of life will likely still be overwhelmingly owned by a small group of families.

BTC (if it even still exists) will have likely enriched many people outside The Bahamas but long since ceased to serve the needs of this country – slashed investment in technology, infrastructure and human resources have characterised it since privatisation.

Regressive taxes, privileged healthcare and a criminally low minimum wage may very well still be the order of the day, prolonging the angry, maladjusted and economically sluggish society that we have today.

Who then will remember the sordid tales of Peter Nygard?

ANDREW ALLEN Nassau, February 2, 2021.

Freeport economy EDITOR, The Tribune.

PERHAPS in a move to get under the skin of the Free National Movement administration that sacked him from the Hotel Corporation in 2018, the outspoken Pineridge MP Frederick McAlpine tabled a private Bill for an Act to repeal the Ocean Industries Incorporated (Aragonite Mining Encouragement) 1971 in the House of Assembly in early December 2020.

The readership would recall that, much to the annoyance of Bamboo Town MP Renward Wells, House Speaker Halson Moultrie allowed the Bill, drafted

by Bahamian Evolution, to be read in Parliament. If I am interpreting Bahamian Evolution correctly, the lobby group seems to be suggesting that if the Bahamian government, and by extension its people, wrest control of the aragonite and mining industries, the state would then be in the position to create a lucrative sovereign wealth fund mirroring the ones in Norway and the United Arab Emirates, in which Bahamians would be collecting upwards of $100,000 annually. With his Pineridge constituency located on Grand Bahama, McAlpine should’ve been cognizant of the potential dire implications of the Ocean Industries Incorporated Bill for that northern island, which has been in a protracted recession since 2001.

The reason I say this is because Grand Bahama just happens to be the home of Bahama Rock Ltd, a mining company owned by the American based S&P Index conglomerate Martin Marietta, that has 400 locations in 32 US states, Canada and the Caribbean. With approximately 80 full time jobs, Bahama Rock’s importance to Grand Bahama’s economy cannot be overstated, especially with the challenges at the Grand Bahama Shipyard Ltd and Polymers International and the abysmal tourism industry.

The 80 employees at Bahama Rock are Bahamians, whose dependents probably number in the hundreds. Bahamians working at Bahama Rock don’t just have jobs, but solid careers that pays lucrative salaries that rivals those of white-collar professionals in Nassau, and without a college degree. And I am not even talking about those in management. What’s more, Bahama Rock routinely trains its staff, taking Bahamians throughout the US to its 32 locations for extensive training. In addition to attractive salaries, the Bahamian staff is covered under the company’s catastrophic health insurance, up to $1m, I was informed.

Bahama Rock treats its Bahamian staff way better than 99.9 percent of Bahamian companies, many of whom circumvent government labour laws in order to maximize the profits of their Bahamian bosses.

Moreover, Bahama Rock is one of the most outstanding corporate citizens in Freeport that always extends a helping hand towards worthy causes in Grand Bahama. Bahama Rock is managed and run by Bahamians. This isn’t a situation like what is allegedly occurring in Abaco at Baker’s Bay. Bahamian Evolution’s Bill, if green-lighted, has the potential to destroy a corporate entity that has been a member of the Grand Bahamian family for decades, placing scores of Grand Bahamians on the already overcrowded unemployment line at a time when jobs are few and far between on that northern island, even before the advent of COVID-19.

McAlpine, being a Grand Bahamian, MP and pastor, should be acutely aware of the economic plight facing that island. He has probably seen the long lines at Social Services, with hundreds of destitute Grand Bahamians looking for handouts.

The hierarchy of Bahamian Evolution, to the best

of my knowledge, resides in New Providence. The fact that they are pushing this Bill, with Bahamian investor Cameron Symonette of Bahamas Materials Company Limited in their crosshairs, underscores their ignorance of what is going on in Freeport. My question to Bahamian Evolution and the Pineridge MP is this: if Bahama Rock, owing to your Bill, is shuttered, what then is the next move? Will the lobby group then shift its focus on the oil giants BORCO and Equinor South Riding Point?

What’s more, the day ordinary Bahamians are given $100,000 by any Bahamian government will be the day pigs grow wings and fly. I’m afraid Bahamian Evolution, despite its seemingly good intentions, is needlessly raising the hopes of ordinary Bahamians who are financially challenged.

Remember, we are talking about Bahamian politicians in charge of the political system, whose financial tentacles are ubiquitous, extending even into the transportation and fishing industries, competing with ordinary people trying to make ends meet. Based on my layman’s observations, wealthy Bahamian investors tend to piggyback off of multimillion dollar foreign investments, taking very little risks in the process. With an economy so heavily reliant on foreigners (eg, tourists), it is difficult to understand why so many Bahamians are xenophobic.

In closing, I am willing to give Bahamian Evolution the benefit of the doubt regarding its potentially harmful Bill, despite the fact that in the group’s quest to frustrate the wealthy Symonette family in its proposed North Andros venture, they will hurt ordinary Grand Bahamian families in the process.

KEVIN EVANS Freeport, Grand Bahama.

January 21, 2021.

THE TRIBUNE

MAN FALSELY ACCUSED UNCLE OF ASSAULT

By FARRAH JOHNSON Tribune Staff Reporter fjohnson@tribunemedia.net

A MAN who went to a police station and falsely accused his uncle of assaulting him with a gun in an attempt to get him arrested was yesterday fined $500.

Rashard Moss was charged with making a false report after he admitted causing the wasteful employment of police resources and time on January 28.

The court was told Moss told officers his uncle and another man had come to his residence to start a verbal argument. The accused claimed his uncle pulled out a black handgun and threatened him with it.

The prosecution said while the accused was still at the Criminal Investigation Department, he changed his story and admitted his uncle never pulled a firearm on him.

He was subsequently cautioned for making a false report. When questioned

in custody, Moss admitted the offence and said he knew his initial statement was not true. He said he lied because his uncle had told an officer he tried to stab him. He explained this caused the police to become aggressive with him, so he decided to file a complaint against his uncle to get back at him.

During the hearing, Moss pleaded guilty. He also told Magistrate Derence Rolle Davis after he and his uncle had an argument that day, the man jumped in his car and went to the police station. Moss said when he followed him there, he saw his uncle tell a police officer who was standing outside that he had “jicked him up (sic)”. He said after his uncle lied on him, he decided to go into the station and file a formal complaint against him.

In response, the magistrate told Moss the police force did not have time to waste. As a result, he fined him $500, which he paid that same day.

CAR IMPORTER FINED

By FARRAH JOHNSON Tribune Staff Reporter fjohnson@tribunemedia.net

A CAR importer who tried to sell fraudulent dock receipts he made in the name of a local shipping company was yesterday fined $5,000.

Jeron Russell, 21, was charged with one count of possession of a forged document after he was caught advertising fake Betty K Agency dock receipts for $5 on Facebook.

He was arrested after officers found four of the fraudulent receipt stickers – which all bore the same serial number – in his home on January 29.

Russell admitted the offence when he appeared before Senior Magistrate Derence Rolle Davis.

The court was told that the general manager for Betty K Agency Ltd received information regarding a Facebook post advertising forged receipt labels in the company’s name. When she ran the serial number of the receipt label through their system, a black Honda Civic that was ordered in Russell’s name came up. The general manager told police she did not give anyone permission to give or sell the dock

labels on behalf of her company and filed an official complaint.

That same day, officers executed a search warrant on Russell’s home. During their investigation, they found the fake receipts in a van parked outside his residence. He was subsequently arrested and taken to the Financial Crimes Unit. In an interview with police there, Russell said he imported cars for a living and created the fake dock receipts because his customers asked him to do so.

He also said he was not aware that his actions were illegal and insisted he had no intention of defrauding the Betty K Agency.

Yesterday, Russell begged the magistrate for a “next chance”. He also said he made the labels for his clients who would stick them onto their cars for “prettiness”. He insisted if he had known his actions would have landed him in court, he would have never committed the offence.

In response, Magistrate Rolle Davis said he considered the accused’s early guilty plea and the fact he had no previous convictions and ordered him to pay a $5,000 fine. Russell risks spending one year in prison if he fails to pay.

MAN SAYS HE BOUGHT MARIJUANA FOR PAIN

By FARRAH JOHNSON Tribune Staff Reporter fjohnson@tribunemedia.net

A 58-YEAR-OLD man who was found with seven grams of marijuana that he claimed he bought to help alleviate his chronic pain was yesterday placed on probation for nine months.

Ricardo McHardy was arrested after officers found $35 worth of Indian hemp in his home on January 28.

He pleaded guilty to one count of possession during his arraignment before Senior Magistrate Derence Rolle Davis.

The prosecution said officers, acting on information, went to McHardy’s residence.

Upon their arrival, they showed the accused their warrant and informed him they would be searching the

building.

During their investigation, officers found two clear plastic wraps and a homemade cigarette, which all contained marijuana, in McHardy’s bedroom. He was subsequently arrested and taken to the Drug Enforcement Unit. In an interview there, he said he smoked the drugs to help ease his back pain.

During the hearing, McHardy also said he had steel in his leg after getting injured in a serious accident and explained that he would smoke marijuana to help ease his pain.

As a result, Magistrate Rolle Davis placed McHardy on nine months’ probation.

He warned him if he failed to comply with the conditions of his release, he would be fined $500 or risk spending three months behind bars.

TEEN ACCUSED OF MURDER

By FARRAH JOHNSON Tribune Staff Reporter fjohnson@tribunemedia.net

A TEENAGER was charged in the Magistrate’s Court yesterday with attempted murder.

Jonathan Duvalier, 19, appeared before Senior Magistrate Derence Rolle Davis after he was accused of trying to kill a woman

and a man on December 12 last year.

Due to the nature of the charges, Duvalier was not required to enter a plea and his case was adjourned to April 14 for service of a voluntary bill of indictment.

He was denied bail and remanded to the Bahamas Department of Correctional Services until that time.

Wednesday, February 3, 2021, PAGE 7

Focus on Nygard - not the police from page one highlighted in a Canadian television programme about Nygard’s alleged sex crimes.

The TV programme repeated many of the claims made by Nygard’s alleged victims in civil and criminal lawsuits lodged overseas, which have been previously reported by The Tribune.

Commissioner Rolle admitted to reporters that he had not seen the TV programme.

The piece by the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC) programme “The Fifth Estate” took a closer look at the fashion mogul’s “pamper parties” at Lyford Cay where it is claimed women and underage girls were drugged and raped.

Allegations of local politicians and senior police officers receiving money to help conceal the 79-yearold’s alleged offences were brought up.

Asked if he had any concerns the programme would damage his force’s image internationally, Commissioner Rolle expressed confidence in the force and said the spotlight needed to be on Nygard’s alleged offences and not the alleged behaviour of any member of his force.

“I have not seen the documentary and I am extremely pleased with the men and women of

PETER NYGARD the Royal Bahamas Police Bahamas Police Force Force (RBPF),” he said. being investigated. Let’s “None of those officers stick with the facts.” have been indicted and I National Security Mindon’t have any complaint ister Marvin Dames has against any of them and I said he is confident RBPF believe that as Bahamians officers will investigate allewe ought to respect the fact gations made locally against that these young men and Nygard. Yesterday, Comwomen who give their lives missioner Rolle did not to keep all of us safe are give many details about this doing a tremendous job. probe.

“And I’ve spoken to the A reporter told the police persons from the CBC and chief that Mr Dames said I believe that the mem- there was supposed to be bers of the Royal Bahamas an internal investigation Police Force are some of into some officers who were the best in the world and I named in a recent lawsuit in don’t know that the image relation to Nygard. or reputation of the Royal Asked for an update, he Bahamas Police Force is said, “You need to speak to damaged.

Minister Dames”.

“There’s some allegations When the reporter made against Peter Nygard pointed out that Mr Dames and I think we should focus had mentioned that the on that. Let us try and deal Commissioner was conwith that. Peter Nygard is ducting it, Commissioner alleged to have molested Rolle answered: “I said he a number of women. made the comments and Those matters are being you can get the update from investigated. him.” “ I don’t hear the Royal A civil lawsuit filed in

New York last year claimed certain senior police officers, both past and present, were on Nygard’s payroll and frequented Nygard Cay. Asked in January whether an officer named in the civil lawsuit is involved in the local investigation into Nygard’s actions, Mr Dames said he has confidence in Commissioner Rolle.

“That is a question for the Commissioner,” he said last month.

“I have the highest confidence in the Commissioner and his ability and his integrity to ensure that every matter – not only to which you speak – that every matter that is reported to the police is investigated with the highest degree of transparency and the highest degree of integrity and there are checks and balances within the system and there are checks and balances outside of the system.

“Again, I have no concerns about this matter or any other serious matter being compromised because of someone internally. I’m certain the Commissioner knows exactly what he has to do and to ensure that he is being accountable to those who would’ve made the complaints and he is being accountable to the Bahamian people at large.

At the end of the day this is a matter that is constantly out there in the public sphere and time will tell.”

PAGE 8, Wednesday, February 3, 2021

THE TRIBUNE

It’s our job to protect young girls by recognising the reality facing us

By Alicia Wallace

THE issue of sexual violence against women and girls is in the media too often for us to pretend the incidents are isolated or separate from systemic issues. We struggle to recognise and address some of those issues, such as capitalism and misogyny, while others are universal enough to receive widespread acknowledgement. Most of us agree, for example, that the current economic structure does not work for most of us and it is obvious that the distribution of wealth is disproportionate and not tied to merit or skill.

Connections, however, are not immediately made between economic conditions and violence against women. Coercion is often downplayed and there is a lack of analysis of circumstances under which women and girls are sexually violated.

We are all used to seeing photos of missing girls.

Many people ignore them or make dismissive, presumptive comments about the girls without knowing anything about their situations. There is a disturbing willingness to ignore the predatory behaviour of men who take advantage of the vulnerability of girls.

Adults make judgments about the characters of 13, 14, and 15-year-old girls. They label them as “bad” and decide they are undeserving of the resources it would take to not only find them, but protect them from the criminals who specifically,

consistently prey upon them.

There are sexual predators who spend time developing relationships with girls. They find out about their lives at home.

They get details about the other people living in the home, when they are present and what they can and cannot provide. They find the gaps and make promises to fill them. They do some or all of what they promise.

They earn the girls’ trust.

During this time, these predators groom the girls.

They set expectations of the girls. Those expectations tend to include the secrecy of their relationship, the dynamics within the relationship like the requirement that they are obedient and deferential to the predator and the nature of the exchange. The girls do not always know what they will be expected to give, but they are made to understand the “love” they receive has to be reciprocated in some way. All along, the predators create an image of themselves that is authoritative. This image may already exist due to their jobs, or it may be impressed upon girls through their interactions.

By the time a girl goes missing, if she is, indeed, “with man,” there has likely been a grooming period. A relationship has been established and the predator is the authority figure and the source of something the girl needs and has not been able to otherwise acquire.

Maybe they promise a

A CAUSE for all to support - Patricia Minnis and Ann Marie Davis, the wives of party leaders Dr Hubert Minnis and Philip Davis, along with Kim Moultrie, left, wife of the House Speaker, at a Zonta event in November calling for an end to violence against women. better life. Maybe they suggest a payment of debt.

Maybe it is supposed to be a treat. Maybe it is by force.

Maybe an event at home prompts the girl to seek refuge somewhere else. By whatever means, predatory men steal girls away from their homes. Whether or not the girls resist, this is a crime.

The girls’ family members report their absence and

the police seek assistance from the public. Members of the public decide they know the story and assign blame to the girl and her guardians. Maybe there are a few offhanded comments about “big, rusty men,” but the girls are found guilty: of being too fast, of wanting to be women, of being duped by men.

They are, essentially, judged for not being the “right” kind of children — those who have what they need, know the right things to do and say, and are, by their material conditions, protected. The parents are found guilty of not knowing enough about where their children are when they are not with them, of not disciplining them enough, of not paying enough attention, and of being focused on other things. They are guilty, in many cases, of having to be away from home to work for long periods of time.

Children are not responsible for themselves.

Girls are children. Before a teacher can take children — in their care at school — on a field trip, the parents or guardians of those children need to give their written consent.

Children do not attend doctors appointments without parents or guardians. They cannot drive. They cannot legally purchase or consume alcohol. Girls cannot consent to sex.

When cases of sexual violence against minors are reported, the language used — given by the police — does not make it clear they cannot consent.

Phrases like “unlawful sex with a minor” are used.

This certainly does not help. People continue to read it as girls choosing to have sex with men rather than men preying upon girls who cannot legally

consent to sexual activity.

We all know of stories of religious leaders, teachers and family members taking advantage of children, whether by use of force, threat or manipulation.

These adults are criminals and need to be held accountable. The children are in need of our support and protection.

As with many other issues, ending grooming, manipulation and sexual violence against girls requires a multi-tier and multi-pronged approach.

While some children get the “Good Touch, Bad Touch” lesson early in primary school and some get a version of sexuality education in high school, there is a large gap in time and information between the two.

They are constantly warned about eating too much candy and spending too much time on screens, but what about the predatory behaviour of adults they may already know and trust? They need to be taught to assess situations, determine when an interaction is or is not safe, and how predators may try to get information from them and use it to manipulate them. They need tools to deal with strange situations, not only with strangers or new contacts, but with people familiar to them.

Even when children have the warnings, information and tools to safely respond to situations, it is not a replacement for specific needs that may be met by going a different route. Economic factors often complicate situations for people who cannot see another way. We have seen, over a long period time, but especially following Hurricane Dorian and now during the COVID-19 pandemic, that we do not have a proper social safety net.

The assistance available to people who are unemployed or underemployed is not sufficient. People have always struggled to pay rent, keep food in the home and purchase medication.

For many, it is now much more difficult.

It is not unusual for the those who have to take advantage of those who need. Financial institutions do it. Businesses do it. Individuals do it. Some of them are able to make it look like they are helping people, but they are usually helping themselves to much more.

When will we create systems to support the people who cannot support themselves? When will we make the changes necessary for a fair distribution of resources? When will we stop blaming people for their own vulnerability?

To end hunger, we have to recognise the need to develop food security, then learn to grow our own food.

To prevent the disappearance of this country, we have to acknowledge the issue of climate change, then build, consume, develop, and fund differently. To end sexual violence, we have to — among other actions — actively reject victim blaming, connect the issue to gender inequality, and understand how it is directly related to socioeconomic conditions.

Sexual violence against children, missing girls and sexual harassment are far too common, casually dismissed and, as a result, underreported. It is never caused by “bad” girls or less than constant supervision, but by the attitude that girls are disposable— one area sexual predators and victim-blaming people seem to agree. The safety and protection of girls is on us, from our attitudes to our actions.

ry ia d e h t r o f e t a D ednesdays: Redefin sting Women’s W SDG Focal Point, ho is as m ha Ba y Equalit oderator 6pm with guest m ullah. Ms. ing Leadership at ational Partnerships Aneesah Abd various rn in te ng In di d lea an Regional th women in conversation wi vernmental organizations be ll wi lah ul bd A go business and nontraits and sectors including dership beyond the stereotypical lea po the im rtance of about women’s sation will focus on in various sectors, er nv co e Th . ns m leaders expectatio advance , what we need fro feminist leadership ders who are willing and prepared to will be on lea ssi of se e e lu actice. Th and the va law, policy, and pr ok.com/equality242. women’s rights in bo ce Fa at ed m strea held on Zoom and

THE TRIBUNE

Wednesday, February 3, 2021, PAGE 9

GENERAL MOTORS SETS GOAL OF GOING LARGELY ELECTRIC BY 2035

By MICHELLE CHAPMAN AP Business Writer

GENERAL Motors has set a goal of making the vast majority of the vehicles it produces electric by 2035, and the entire company carbon neutral, including operations, five years after that.

The Detroit automaker’s push into electric vehicles has gone into overdrive this year.

GM has already announced that it will invest $27 billion in electric and autonomous vehicles in the next five years, a 35% increase over plans made

before the pandemic. It will offer 30 all-electric models worldwide by the middle of the decade. By the end of 2025, 40% of its U.S. models will be battery electric vehicles.

The company plans to include crossovers, SUVs, sedans and trucks in its electric vehicle lineup.

GM said last week that it will source 100% renewable energy to power its U.S. sites by 2030 and global sites by 2035. That’s five years faster than its previously announced global goal.

And it has a goal of making all new light-duty vehicles, the vast majority

TECHTALK

IN this 2019 file photo, Cruise AV, General Motor’s autonomous electric Bolt EV is displayed in Detroit. (AP Photo/Paul Sancya, File) of its fleet, fully electric within 14 years. The company will concentrate on offering zero-emissions vehicles in different prices ranges.

It’s also working with others, including the Environmental Defense Fund, to build out the necessary infrastructure to power its electric vehicles and to promote their use.

To account for carbon emissions that it cannot eliminate, GM expects to invest in carbon credits or offsets The 112-year-old auto giant unveiled a new

corporate logo this month to signify its new direction as it openly pivots to electric vehicles.

It wants to be seen as a clean vehicle company, rather than a builder of cloud-spewing gas-powered pickups and SUVs. GM scrapped its old square blue logo for a lower case gm surrounded by rounded corners and an ‘m’ that looks like an electrical plug.

It also announced a new partnership with Microsoft this month with hopes of accelerating its rollout of electric, self-driving cars.

GM’s push for carbon neutrality came a day after President Joe Biden signed executive orders that include moving to an allelectric federal vehicle fleet.

His goal is to transform the nation’s heavily fossilfuel powered economy into a clean-burning one.

So far, Wall Street has cheered the shift by GM which says the industry has reached a history-changing inflection point for mass adoption of electric vehicles.

Its shares this year have outpaced even high-flying Tesla.

SPACEWALKERS COMPLETE FOUR YEARS OF POWER UPGRADES FOR STATION

By MARCIA DUNN AP Aerospace Writer

A WOMAN walks by posters of Nintendo in Tokyo, Monday.

(AP Photo/Koji Sasahara)

NINTENDO PROFITS SOAR AS PEOPLE PLAY GAMES DURING PANDEMIC

By YURI KAGEYAMA AP Business Writer

TOKYO (AP) — Nintendo Co. reported Monday that its profit for the first three fiscal quarters nearly doubled as people around the world stayed home for the pandemic and turned to playing games.

The Japanese video-game maker behind the Super Mario and Pokemon franchises said its AprilDecember profit surged to 376.6 billion yen ($3.6 billion) from 196 billion yen the previous year.

Its nine-month sales jumped 37% to 1.4 trillion yen ($13 billion).

Kyoto-based Nintendo’s success has come on the back of the popularity of its Switch console, as well as game software like “Animal Crossing: New Horizons.”

Other Switch software enjoying healthy demand included “Mario Kart 8 Deluxe” and “Super Mario 3D All-Stars,” according to the company.

The October-December quarter is always crucial for Nintendo because of year-end holiday shopping.

Nintendo sold 24 million Switch consoles during the three quarters through December. It had sold 12.5 million Switch devices during the first two quarters of the fiscal year,

and so sales nearly doubled in the latest quarter. The total numbers include the smaller Switch Lite console, as well as the regular Switch.

The latest numbers show Switch sales are still going strong, compared to the same period a year earlier, at 17.7 million units.

After this fourth year of holiday season Switch sales, cumulative sales total 74 million consoles, Nintendo said.

Nintendo expects a 400 billion yen ($3.8 billion) profit for the fiscal year through March 2021, up from 258.6 billion yen the previous fiscal year. It had earlier forecast a profit of 300 billion yen ($2.9 billion).

One COVID-19-related setback for Nintendo has been the delayed opening of its theme park in Japan called Super Nintendo World, built with Universal Studios.

It had been set to open Feb. 4, but Osaka, where it is located, is one of the urban areas under a state of emergency over the coronavirus pandemic, as cases surge in Japan this year.

Although the spread of COVID19 infections has slammed many businesses, the game sector has, from the start, been a beneficiary, offering home entertainment and ways for people to connect remotely through online games.

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. (AP) — A pair of spacewalking astronauts completed a four-year effort to modernise the International Space Station’s power grid on Monday, installing one last battery.

Over the weekend, flight controllers in Houston used the space station’s big robot arm to replace the last pair of old-style batteries with a single better-quality one. NASA’s Mike Hopkins and Victor Glover put the finishing touches on this newest lithiumion battery to complete a series of spacewalks that began in 2017.

Although the spacewalk got started late, Hopkins and Glover hustled through the battery work in under an hour. They also made quick work of camera installations and squeezed in some extra chores.

The astronauts gazed down at Earth and soaked in one last sunset before reentering the space station.

“Yeah, enjoy the view. You guys did a great job today.

You guys rocked it,” Mission Control said as the five-hour spacewalk concluded well ahead of schedule.

The space station is now equipped with 24 lithium-ion batteries to store power collected by

the solar panels. The big, boxy batteries, surpassing 400 pounds (180 kilogrammes) each, provide electricity for the orbiting lab when it’s on the night side of Earth. They’re so powerful that only half as many are needed as the old nickel-hydrogen batteries they replaced.

The upgrade took longer than expected after one of the new batteries failed after it was installed two years ago and had to be replaced.

In all, 14 spacewalks were needed to complete the battery work.

NASA expects these batteries to last the rest of the space station’s operating life.

Besides battery work, Hopkins and Glover installed a new camera on the U.S. Destiny lab and replaced parts in the camera system outside the station’s Japanese lab, named Kibo, or Hope in English.

During a spacewalk last Wednesday, the two astronauts made improvements to the European lab, Columbus.

Two more spacewalks will be conducted in about a month to get ready for additional solar panels set for delivery later this year.

Seven astronauts currently live on the space station: four Americans, two Russians and one Japanese.

IN this image taken from NASA video, NASA astronauts Mike Hopkins, left, and Victor Glover work outside the International Space Station on Monday.

(NASA via AP)

• ORONO, Maine (AP) — The University of Maine will receive more than $2.8 million to use a 3D printer to manufacture wind turbine blades, Maine’s senators said.

The grant is from the U.S. Department of Energy’s Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, and it represents an investment in “cutting-edge research that helps to support our forest products industry, create good-paying jobs, and strengthen our clean energy economy,” Republican Sen. Susan Collins and independent Sen. Angus King said.

The grant can help advance new manufacturing research at UMaine, the senators said. UMaine Advanced Structures and Composites Center executive director Habib Dagher said the blades can be developed faster and at less cost by combining innovative manufacturing with recyclable materials.

The announcement came as the state is partnering with industry to work toward the creation of the first floating offshore wind research farm in U.S. history.

UMaine’s 3D printer is the world’s largest polymer 3D printer.

• NEW YORK (AP) — Walmart is enlisting the help of robots to keep up with a surge in online orders.

The company said last week that it plans to build warehouses at its stores where self-driving robots will fetch groceries and have them ready for shoppers to pick up in an hour or less.

Walmart declined to say how many of the warehouses it will build, but construction has started at stores in Lewisville, Texas; Plano, Texas; American Fork, Utah; and Bentonville, Arkansas, where Walmart’s corporate offices are based. A test site was opened more than a year ago at a store in Salem, New Hampshire.

Walmart hopes the warehouses will speed up curbside pickups, where orders are brought outside to shoppers’ cars. The option, along with deliveries, became increasingly popular as virus-weary shoppers avoid going inside stores.

At the start of the pandemic last year, Walmart said delivery and pickup sales grew 300%.

The company said the robots won’t roam store aisles. Instead, they’ll stay inside warehouses built in separate areas, either within a store or next to it. Windows will be placed at some locations so shoppers can watch the robots work.

The wheeled robots carry crates of apple juice, cereal and other small goods to Walmart workers, who then bag them for shoppers.

Rival Amazon uses similar technology in its warehouses, with robots bringing books, vitamins and other small items to workers to box and ship. Walmart said the robots save time since employees don’t have to walk store aisles to find items. Workers will, however, have to go into the store to pick out fresh groceries, such as meat, fish and vegetables. They’ll also have to grab TVs, vacuum cleaners and other large items that are too large for the robots to carry.

PAGE 10, Wednesday, February 3, 2021

THE TRIBUNE

KREMLIN FOE NAVALNY SENT TO PRISON MOSCOW Associated Press

A MOSCOW court yesterday ordered Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny to prison for more than two years, finding that he violated the terms of his probation while recuperating in Germany from nerve-agent poisoning. The ruling ignited protests in Moscow and St Petersburg.

Navalny, who is the most prominent critic of President Vladimir Putin, had denounced the proceedings as a vain attempt by the Kremlin to scare millions of Russians into submission.

After the verdict, protesters converged on areas of central Moscow and gathered on St Petersburg’s main avenue, Nevsky Prospekt.

Helmeted riot police grabbed demonstrators without obvious provocation and put them in police vehicles. The Meduza website showed video of police roughly pulling a passenger and driver out of a taxi.

SAVED BY THE BELL STAR DIES “SAVED by the Bell” star Dustin Diamond died on Monday after a threeweek fight with cancer, according to his representative. He was 44.

“Dustin did not suffer.

He did not have to lie submerged in pain. For that, we are grateful,” the actor’s spokesman, Roger Paul, said in a statement.

Diamond, best known for playing the quirky, nerdy Screech on the hit 90s sitcom, was hospitalised last month in Florida and his team disclosed later that he had cancer. Diamond had carcinoma.

DISTRIBUTORS go door-to-door giving out home testing kits for COVID-19 from Britain’s Department of Health, in Woking, England, yesterday.

Photo: Matt Dunham/Associated Press

Going door-to-door to fight variant LONDON Associated Press ENGLAND has begun houseby-house COVID-19 testing in some communities as authorities try to snuff out a new variant of the coronavirus before it spreads widely and undermines a nationwide vaccination programme.

Authorities want to reach the 80,000 residents of eight areas where the variant, first identified in South Africa, is known to be spreading because a handful of cases have been detected among people who have had no contact with the country or anyone who travelled there.

Officials are dispatching home testing kits and mobile testing units in an effort to reach every resident of those communities. It is “critical” for everyone in these areas to stay at home unless travel is absolutely essential, Health Secretary Matt Hancock said.

“Our mission must be to stop its spread altogether and break those chains of transmission,” Hancock told the House of Commons yesterday.

Public health officials are concerned about the variant first identified in South Africa because it contains a mutation of the virus’ characteristic spike protein that existing vaccines target. The mutation may mean the vaccines offer less protection against the variant.

As the door-to-door testing drive got underway, Public Health England also said scientists had discovered the same spike protein mutation in 11 cases involving another variant that is now the most prevalent form of the virus in England. The mutation had not previously been detected in the socalled Kent variant, named for the English county where it was first identified.

Britain’s government announced in December that the country had

to introduce tougher restrictions to control the rapid spread of the Kent variant, which first was discovered a few months earlier in southeast England. Authorities were alarmed by how fast it spread, saying it was more contagious than existing coronavirus variants.

No conclusive evidence has emerged to show the Kent variant causes more serious COVID-19 cases or deaths. Dozens of nations around the world imposed bans on travel from the UK as cases multiplied in England, but the variant nevertheless has turned up in numerous countries.

While viruses mutate constantly, most of the changes cause little concern. But scientists are closely tracking mutations in the virus that causes COVID-19 to make sure they quickly identify variants of concern.

Dr Julian Tang, a clinical virologist at the University of Leicester, said recent discovery of the spike

protein mutation in the Kent variant was a “worrying development, though not entirely unexpected”.

“Closing borders/restricting travel may help a little with this, but there is now probably already a sufficient critical mass of virusinfected people within the endemic UK population to allow this natural selection/evolution to proceed — as this report suggests — so we really need to stick to the COVID19 lockdown restrictions as much as possible,” Tang said in a written statement.

In recent weeks, scientists also identified new, more contagious variants in South Africa and Brazil, both of which contained the spike protein mutation.

In hopes of preventing those variants from becoming widespread in Britain, the government has barred travel from South Africa, South America and Portugal, a popular European transit point for travellers from South America.

WAR VETERAN WHO RAISED $35M DIES OF CORONAVIRUS LONDON Associated Press

CAPTAIN Tom Moore, the World War II veteran who walked into the hearts of a nation in lockdown as he shuffled up and down his garden to raise money for health care workers, has died after testing positive for COVID-19. He was 100.

His family announced his death on Twitter, posting a picture of him behind his walker in a happy moment, ready for an adventure.

“The last year of our father’s life was nothing short of remarkable. He was rejuvenated and experienced things he’d only ever dreamed of,’’ the family’s statement said. “Whilst he’d been in so many hearts for just a short time, he was an incredible father and grandfather, and he will stay alive in our hearts forever.’’

Captain Tom, as he became known in newspaper headlines and TV interviews, set out to raise 1,000 pounds for Britain’s National Health Service by walking 100 laps of his backyard. But his quest went viral and caught the imagination of millions stuck at home during the first wave of the pandemic.

Donations poured in from

CAPTAIN Tom Moore at the end of his 100 laps. across Britain and as far away as the United States and Japan, raising some $40m.

For three weeks in April, fans were greeted with daily videos of Captain Tom, stooped with age, doggedly pushing his walker in the garden. But it was his sunny attitude during a dark moment that inspired people to look beyond illness and loss.

“Please always remember, tomorrow will be a good day,” Moore said in an interview during his walk, uttering the words that became his trademark.

FBI AGENTS SHOT DEAD IN FLORIDA SUNRISE, Florida Associated Press TWO FBI agents were killed and three wounded in a shooting that erupted yesterday when they arrived to search an apartment in a child pornography case, a confrontation that marked one of the bloodiest days in FBI history. The suspect is believed to have killed himself.

The violence forced residents in the Fort Lauderdale suburb of Sunrise to huddle inside their homes as a SWAT team stormed the apartment building and police helicopters circled overhead.

FBI director Christopher A Wray identified the two slain agents as Daniel Alfin

and Laura Schwartzenberger, both of whom specialised in investigating crimes against children.

Two of the wounded agents were taken to hospitals to be treated and were in stable condition, said Miami FBI Agent Michael D Leverock. The third did not require hospitalization, Wray said.

The shooting happened around 6am in a middleclass neighborhood of Fort Lauderdale, near the Everglades.

The gunfire erupted with about four shots — “Boom, boom, boom, boom!” said Julius McLymont, whose house borders the Water Terrace apartment complex where the suspect was barricaded.

SPORTS

PAGE 12, Wednesday, February 3, 2021

THE TRIBUNE

Nadal sidelined, team Djokovic wins to open ATP Cup defence

By JOHN PYE AP Sports Writer MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) — Rafael Nadal didn’t make it for Spain’s ATP Cup opener because of a sore back, deciding it wasn’t worth the risk a week ahead of the Australian Open.

Novak Djokovic did double-time for defending champion Serbia, meanwhile, winning singles and doubles matches yesterday to ensure a 2-1 comeback win over Canada.

The top two players in men’s tennis took different approaches to their fine-tuning at the start of a hectic week of preparation for the season’s first major.

Both spent 14 days in hotel quarantine — as did all incoming players — because of Australia’s strict border regulations amid the COVID-19 pandemic, and both played in an exhibition event last Friday.

Nadal played more of a hand in that, with Djokovic limiting his time on court because of a blister.

Djokovic was in his element on Rod Laver Arena while Serbia fans chanted and waved their national flag as he beat Denis Shapovalov 7-5, 7-5 to force a deciding doubles match, then combined with Filip Krajinovic for a 7-5, 7-6 (4) win over the Canadian pair.

Last week in Adelaide, Djokovic spoke about feeding off the energy of the crowds.

Back at Melbourne Park, where he has won a record eight Australian Open titles, he had plenty of energy to consume.

The large and loud band of Serbia supporters was a feature of Djokovic and his team’s win in the inaugural ATP Cup last year, which

culminated with a victory over Nadal and Spain.

“It’s a pleasure to see them in such big numbers.

Whenever they can, they show up,” Djokovic said.

“Last year it was amazing.

That was probably the best support outside of Belgrade that we ever had.

“We need that. In this kind of competition, it’s necessary.”

The second-ranked Nadal posted a statement on Twitter before his scheduled night match against Australia’s Alex de Minaur saying he had a stiff lower back and “hopefully I’ll be better for Thursday.”

Spain didn’t miss a beat, with Pablo Carreno Busta and Roberto Bautista Agut winning their singles matches to secure a win over Australia in Group B. The ATP Cup, a 12-team competition in 2021, is one of the six tournaments crammed into the schedule this week to give players as much chance as possible to prepare for the Australian Open, which has been delayed three weeks from its usual January time slot.

With coronavirus cases under control, the government is allowing crowds of up to 25 percent capacity for the tune-up events for the season’s first tennis major, rising to 50 percent from the start of the Australian Open on Monday.

That’s something the players haven’t experienced since the pandemic started to change the international sports landscape.

Matteo Berrettini said having the crowd back helped during his 6-2, 6-4 upset win over the US Open champion Dominic Thiem in Italy’s 2-1 victory over Austria in Group C. Russia opened Group D with a victory over Argentina.

CHASE NEWBOLD, Under-12 boys’ runner-up.

PATRICK MACTAGGART, U-12 boys’ winner.

SERBIA’s Novak Djokovic celebrates yesterday after defeating Canada’s Denis Shapovalov in their ATP Cup match in Melbourne, Australia.

(AP Photo/Hamish Blair) KENIN BACK Sofia Kenin had a sprinkling of fans in the stands to watch her first match back at Melbourne Park since her Grand Slam breakthrough at last year’s Australian Open.

She loved it, saying she really missed her fans, although she would have enjoyed a longer stint on the court at Margaret Court Arena. Kenin had just won the first set 7-5 when Camila Giorgi retired from their match at the Yarra Valley Classic because of injury.

Kenin had only one match win in previous trips to Melbourne Park in 2018 and ‘19 before winning her first major title last year, when she beat Ash Barty in the semifinals and Garbine Muguruza in the final.

Kenin also reached the final at the delayed French Open, losing to first-time winner Iga Swiatek.

“Obviously, it’s really special. Super glad to be here,” Kenin said of her

return to Australia. “Trying to somehow handle the emotions on court. I feel like it’s going to be a little bit of a rollercoaster next Monday or Tuesday, whenever I play. I feel like you guys, the fans, will see a little bit more emotion.”

Barty needed four match points to finish off her 6-3, 6-3 win over Ana Bogdan in a night match, her first in competition in almost a year. “I had so much fun out there today. I missed you guys so much,” the top-ranked Australian told the crowd in an on-court interview. “This is one of my favourite places to play in the entire world.”

Barty opted against travelling during the pandemic, and skipped the US Open and her title defence at Roland Garros.

“I missed it a lot. I wrestled with the decision I my head for quite a while,” she said, ““but my health had to be prioritised.”

In later matches, fourthseeded Petra Kvitova beat

40-year-old Venus Williams 7-6 (6), 7-5 and the sixthseeded Muguruza beat Alison Van Uytvanck 6-2, 6-0.

OSAKA CRUISING Third-ranked Naomi Osaka won her opening match in the Gippsland Trophy, beating Alize Cornet 6-2, 6-2.

Osaka, who won the US Open last year and the Australian Open in 2019, will next face No. 371ranked Katie Boulter, who upset No. 14 Coco Gauff 3-6, 7-5, 6-2.

Kaia Kanepi beat No. 4 Aryna Sabalenka 6-1, 2-6, 6-1, while fifth-seeded Johanna Konta and No. 7 Elise Mertens also advanced.

ANDREESCU’S ABSENCE Bianca Andreescu’s absence from competitive tennis will continue for another week after the 2019 US Open champion withdrew from the Grampians Trophy.

The 20-year-old Canadian hasn’t played since the 2019 WTA Trophy because of knee and foot injuries, and is coming off a hard lockdown in Melbourne.

“After discussing it with my team, we have decided to focus this week on training,” Andreescu said. “See you all at the Australian Open!”

KYRGIOS, SANDGREN WIN In the other ATP tournaments, Nick Kyrgios returned after almost 12 months off to beat Alexandre Muller 3-6, 6-4, 7-6 (4) in the first round of the Murray River Open, and two-time Australian Open quarterfinalist Tennys Sandgren won his first match since coming out of the hard lockdown at the Great Ocean Road event.

ROGER FEDERER

FEDERER TARGETS TOURNAMENT COMEBACK IN QATAR NEXT MONTH BASEL, Switzerland (AP) — Roger Federer is aiming to play his first tournament after two knee surgeries and more than one year out in Qatar next month.

Federer told Swiss radio station SRF yesterday he has targeted the Doha Open from March 8-13.

The 20-time Grand Slam champion said he preferred a smaller tournament where he “wouldn’t be in the spotlight too much and the stress is also a little less.”

Now 39, Federer last played in January 2020 at the Australian Open, losing in the semifinals to Novak Djokovic while clearly struggling with injury.

Federer said he could play one more event after Doha — the following week at his offseason base in Dubai is an option — and then focus on the clay-court season.

His main targets are Wimbledon, the Tokyo Olympics and, after he turns 40, the US Open.

SARAI CLARKE, U-12 girls’ winner.

MARLEE MARTIN, far right, and Srae’ Rodgers, far left.

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IC BAHAMAS JUNIOR SERIES HOSTS ITS FIRST TENNIS TOURNAMENT OF THE YEAR OVER the weekend, the IC Bahamas Junior Series hosted its first tournament of 2021 for players in the under-10 and under-12 categories at the National Tennis Centre (NTC).

The tournament sponsor was Winterbotham Trust.

Finalists in the various categories are: Boys 10 - Winner: Lucas Zoebelein.

Runner-up: Cameron Ferguson.

Girls U10 - Winner: Marlee Martin. Runner-up: Srae’ Rodgers.

Boys U12 - Winner: Patrick Mactaggart.

Runner-up Chase Newbold.

Girls U12 - Winner: Sarai Clarke. Runner-up: Claudia Drgon.

The tournament was the first BLTA sanctioned junior tournament since the pandemic. Juniors were excited to get on the courts with the safety and health protocols in place.

“We are very pleased to host the first tennis tournament,” said IC Bahamas president Kit Spencer.

LUCAS ZOEBELEIN, far left, and Cameron Ferguson, far right.

“This is the third year for the IC Tennis Junior Series in the Bahamas. This initial tournament should open the way for tennis tournaments to be staged with the proper safety protocols and procedures.”

Spencer extended thanks to Mickey Williams, the tournament supervisor and Tara Mactaggart, the tournament organiser. In addition, Spencer thanked the NTC, BLTA and the

officials at the tournament, who recently received training at the BLTA’s officiating course.

The BLTA congratulated IC Bahamas for organising this tournament and ensuring a safe, smooth and seamless process. The successful tournament has paved the way for more competitive tennis tournaments in the future in a safe environment and in adherence to strict protocols.

SPORTS PAGE 16

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 3, 2021

NBA,PAGE 14

GB schools bracing for return of sporting activities

By BRENT STUBBS Senior Sports Reporter bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

W

ith classroom sessions back in rotation since November, schools in Grand Bahama are now bracing for the return of their sporting activities.

Grand Bahama sporting guru and high school executive Ozzie ‘the Insider’ Simmons said they are only waiting on the approval from the Ministry of Health to resume their activities.

“We know that we will be able to do track and field because the BAAA (Bahamas Association of Athletic Associations) clubs have been able to do track meets,” Simmons said. “But we wrote to the Ministry of Health because we

want to do volleyball “We are following before we do track. the safety protocols We will play without with persons wearing fans and we will cut their masks, sanitisthe rosters from 12 to ing and spacing out,” nine players so that Simmons said. they can spread out.”

“Plus, we have Simmons serves as the protocol officthe president of the ers to ensure that we Grand Bahama Pricarry out the safety mary Schools Sports measures.”

Athletic Association If they get permisand is responsible for sion, Simmons said the scheduling of all the GBSSAA would SIMMONS games in the Grand like to stage its volBahama Secondary leyball competition Schools Athletic Association. around February 19 with a jamboAs for the track meet, Simmons ree rather than a regular season. said they are proposing to host The track meet is being planned a meet separate for the juniors for around March 12-14. and the seniors so that they can Derek Wells, a physical educaaccommodate a smaller crowd of tion teacher at St George’s High participation.

School, serves as the interim

president of the GBSSAA after Kenton Rolle, the duly elected president, was transferred to LN Coakley High in Exuma.

Rolle, who served as president for the past 12 years, is expected to be honoured when the GBSSAA stages the Kenton Rolle Day February 19 at the Sir Jack Hayward High Gymnasium when they hope to play the volleyball tournament.

Simmons said the GBSSAA is also looking at the possibility of playing golf in the school this year.

He said the association is working closely with the Bahamas Golf Federation and the Ministry of Education to make it happen.

The GBPSAA and the GBSSAA also released the winners of the Sandra Edgecombe/ Cecil Thompson Sports Schools

of the Year competition for the past two years.

2019 WINNERS Primary Schools Big schools - Walter Parker Pacers Small schools - SBA Stingers High Schools Junior high - Tabernacle Baptist Falcons Senior high - Tabernacle Baptist Falcons 2020 WINNERS Primary Schools No champions decided due to the lack of competition as a result of COVID-19 High schools Junior high - Tabernacle Baptist Falcons Senior division - St George’s Jaguars

Fenton in 2nd straight Super Bowl

By BRENT STUBBS Senior Sports Reporter bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

IT’S very rare that a professional athlete gets to play for two consecutive titles in any sport in the same state that he was born in.

Rashad Fenton, of Bahamian descent, will be one of those exceptions when his Kansas City Chiefs defend their National Football League Super Bowl title against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

Last year, the Chiefs won the Super Bowl with a 31-20 rout of the San Francisco 49ers at the Hard Rock Stadium in Miami, Florida, the same stadium where he used to serve food and drinks as a teenager.

The Chiefs, coached by Andy Reid, will be back in Florida with an impressive 16-2 win-loss record against the 14-5 Buccaneers, coached by Bruce Arians, when the game is played 6:30pm Sunday at the Raymond James Stadium in Tampa.

All of the pre-game talk is centred around whether or not Patrick Mahomes will establish himself as the quarterback of the future with his back-to-back title for the Chiefs, or Buccaneers’ Tom Brady, at 43, will build on his legacy as the greatest QB ever with his seventh crown and possible fifth MVP crown.

This is Brady’s second season in Tampa Bay after he played previously with the New England Patriots from 2000-2019.

The 25-year-old Mahomes has been in Kansas City since 2017 after he was the No. 10 pick in the first round of the NFL Draft out of Texas Tech.

Fenton, 23, made his contribution to the Chiefs’ success last year and he hopes to do the same again this year as a cornerback.

He was the 201st pick in the sixth round of the NFL draft in 2019 out of South Carolina.

He is the son of Bahamian born Laurie Fenton, a graduate of RM Bailey High School who went on to attend St Thomas and Barry University where she met his father, Rohan Fenton Sr. While living in Miami, Fenton went on to play for Miami Carol City.

His mother, who will be attending the game, which is expected to have limited fan participation because of the COVID-19 restrictions, said she’s very proud of her son’s accomplishments.

“That is thrilling within itself. Only God could have predicted this,” she said.

“Only God could have led him to this destiny. He’s in great shock that he’s actually living this dream out.

“To add to it he’s playing twice in his home state. So for him, that is God’s gift that he is actually living this, especially with all of the hurdles and obstacles that athletes go through.

This is God sent.”

As a humble individual, she said when she spoke to him, he was so thrilled to be so young to go through

RASHAD FENTON, of Bahamian descent, and his Kansas City Chiefs are all set to defend their NFL Super Bowl title against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Sunday, February 7. another Super Bowl experience.

She said she and her son, Rohan Jr, will be attending the game.

They were hoping that some of the family

members from the Bahamas would also be there, but they opted out because of the COVID-19 restrictions that they would have to go through leaving and returning home.

As a result of the restrictions imposed for the safety of everyone involved, the Chiefs won’t arrive in Florida until Saturday and they will leave immediately following the game.

So the Fentons won’t have much time to do any family bonding in any pre or post-game activities.

This past season, Fenton recorded 27 sacks with an interception. For his career, Fenton had a total of 50 tackles, one forced fumble, 11 pass deflections and two interceptions.

He is the second Bahamian to play for the Chiefs, following in the footsteps of wide receiver Devard Darling, who played for two seasons with the Chiefs from 2008-09.

Prior to playing for Kansas City, Darling spent his four seasons in the NFL with the Baltimore Ravens from 2004-2007 after being drafted in the third round in 2004 out of Washington State.

Darling, 38, lost his identical twin brother Devaughn in 2001 after he collapsed during football practice at Florida State University. They are the younger brothers of Bahamian Olympic quarter-miler Dennis Darling and nephews of Olympic triple jump bronze medallist Frank Rutherford.

Fenton would join Bahamian pro basketball players Mychal ‘Sweet Bells’ Thompson and Rick Fox, who won two or more titles in the National Basketball Association (NBA).

Thompson, now 66, emerged as repeat champions with the Los Angeles Lakers in 1987 and ‘88, while Fox, 51, earned three straight crowns with the Lakers from 2000-2002.