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Desperate Haitians told not to gamble with perilous voyage

By KHRISNA RUSSELL Deputy Chief Reporter krussell@tribunemedia.net IMMIGRATION Minister Brent Symonette has appealed to migrants contemplating the treacherous journey from Haiti to consider applying for work permits before risking their lives to enter The Bahamas illegally.

In the aftermath of the worst migrant boating tragedy since 2013, the minister offered this as an alternative, but noted that even if non-Bahamians successfully enter the country undocumented they will most likely be apprehended and

repatriated. Foreign Affairs Minister Darren Henfield further urged would-be undocumented migrants to “think twice”, adding that as a former Royal Bahamas Defence Force official he’d seen this unfortunate kind of situation too many times.

The Cabinet ministers spoke as a pathologist and coroner were sent to Abaco to process the bodies of 27 Haitians who died after the boat they were on hit a reef and sunk Friday night.

Eighteen people have been rescued so far, according to officials. Initial numbers from law enforcement had SEE PAGE THREE

MINNIS UNVEILS GB PORT REVOLUTION

By DENISE MAYCOCK Tribune Freeport Reporter dmaycock@tribunemedia.net PRIME Minister Dr Hubert Minnis and members of his Cabinet attended an information meeting in Grand Bahama last night for Carnival’s proposed “Grand Port” which is expected to create 1,000 direct and indirect jobs during development.

Hundreds of residents attended the event last night at the Foster B Pestaina Centre to hear of the available opportunities for the project which is being touted as an economic engine that will jumpstart the island’s

economy. Carnival Cruise Lines has purchased over 300 acres in East Grand Bahama in an area known as Sharp Rock for the cruise port, which will be the largest in the world of any of their ports now.

Dr Minnis said the port will serve as a significant catalyst for Grand Bahama’s flagging economy, adding the port will make the island the largest in the cruise destination in the Caribbean region.

Officials are in the process of starting an environmental impact assessment on the project.

Of the 329 acres that will be SEE PAGE SIX

SEVERAL Haitians, including the only woman believed to be on board (right), who survived the capsize after their ordeal.

COURT DATE SET ON ROMI URGED TO ACT ‘MISSING MARVIN’ OVER FERRY ROW

By AVA TURNQUEST Tribune Chief Reporter aturnquest@tribunemedia.net

A MOTHER desperate for answers over the disappearance of her son will get her day in court later this month.

It follows a habeas corpus application filed by rights group Rights Bahamas, seeking to compel the Royal Bahamas Police Force to produce Marvin

Pratt, 40, a Gambier Village resident police deny having in custody.

Mr Pratt’s family insists Drug Enforcement Unit (DEU) officers arrested him on December 5, 2018, a claim Police Commissioner Anthony Ferguson has denied.

The matter will be heard before Supreme Court Justice Andrew Forbes on SEE PAGE NINE

By NEIL HARTNELL Tribune Business Editor nhartnell@tribunemedia.net

The Abaco Chamber of Commerce yesterday urged environment minister Romi Ferreira to intervene amid fears Bahamas Ferries’ new service is endangering the island’s “boating capital” status.

Ken Hutton, its president, says the inter-island transportation provider was

placing Abaco’s boatingreliant tourism economy “in jeopardy” by stirring up tremendous amounts of silt and mud when it arrives and departs Marsh Harbour to serve the Baker’s Bay project.

An e-mailed letter calls for “immediate assistance” in addressing the “absolute ruin” to Marsh Harbour’s “pristine waters”.

FULL STORY - SEE BUSINESS

NYGARD & KEOD - IT’S TIME TO PAY

By NICO SCAVELLA Tribune Staff Reporter nscavella@tribunemedia.net

THE Court of Appeal’s president has suggested that Lyford Cay mogul Peter Nygard’s appeal of two of his three contempt of court convictions may not be heard until or unless he purges his contempt before a Supreme Court judge.

Sir Hartman Longley, during proceedings yesterday, voiced his concerns as

FASHION mogul Peter Nygard to whether the appellate court should entertain Mr Nygard’s appeal given that

he has three times been convicted of contempt and has yet to appear in court to atone for his latter two convictions.

However, that would mean Mr Nygard has to come back to The Bahamas to do so, and the minute he sets foot in the jurisdiction, he will be immediately apprehended pursuant to the arrest warrant Justice Cheryl Grant-Thompson issued last month.

Nassau & Bahama Islands’ Leading Newspaper

SEE PAGE FIVE

FACE-TO-FACE WORKING FOR GOD IS TANYA’S CAREER NOW

SEE PAGE EIGHT

PAGE 2, Tuesday, February 5, 2019

THE TRIBUNE

TRAGEDY IN ABACO

Now the work turns to identifying the bodies

By RASHAD ROLLE Tribune Staff Reporter rrolle@tribunemedia.net OFFICIALS in Abaco turned their attention yesterday to identifying bodies recovered from the weekend shipwreck that killed more than two dozen Haitian migrants even as one body escaped the grasp of Royal Bahamas Defence Force officers and was consumed by sharks instead.

A RBDF officer said officers tried to recover the body near Man-O-War Cay but it was taken away by sharks before they could retrieve it.

Because of this, the death toll from the tragedy remains unchanged as the organisation only records in the death toll the bodies that have been recovered, The Tribune was told. Last night, the RBDF and immigration officials said the official death toll stands at 27 and the survivors’ count is 18, contrary to initial reports from law enforcement, which pegged the numbers at 28 and 17 respectively.

The number of survivors of the shipwreck increased by one yesterday as officials added a person who was airlifted to New Providence on Saturday, an immigration official said.

Tiger sharks began circling the shipwreck site

and eating human remains within hours after the sloop struck a reef sometime between Friday night and early Saturday morning.

On the island, officials from the RBDF and the Department of Immigration told The Tribune they had been tipped off to an incoming vessel as early as last week Monday and began searching for it.

However, they said determining the veracity of tips is a challenge as people sometimes give deliberately false coordinates to throw off authorities.

Asked about this, RBDF Commodore Tellis Bethel said yesterday: “We don’t have anything verified, intelligence of that nature but there is always talks about things happening around town. You have to try and decipher, and even that’s a difficult task.”

Maxine Duncombe, island administrator for Central Abaco, said officials are now working with the Haitian embassy to ensure the dead are given a dignified burial.

Initially, people expected the bodies would be buried en masse at a grave site on the island. While this has not been ruled out entirely, Bahamian officials are working with Haitian representatives to find an alternative, more dignified solution.

MAXINE DUNCOMBE, island administrator for Central Abaco, at work yesterday.

Photo: Shawn Hanna/Tribune Staff “We know that this is perhaps one of the worst tragedies, of monumental proportions we have suffered in Abaco,” Ms Duncombe said. “We had a similar incident before, but I don’t think we’ve had so many lives lost in one incident (in Abaco). Today we met the coroner, Mrs Jeanine Weech-Gomez and she had with her two pathologists and a photographer and we want to determine

going forward the plans for the victims. The first thing is this, no bodies will be released until they have been properly identified or an autopsy done and that is why all of the relevant persons are here on the ground. Once they have been ID’d, everything will be done right here in Abaco.

“We are working closely with the Haitian embassy to reach out to the

survivors and also to see if they had any loved ones on the ship. This is a sad situation, it’s very difficult to contemplate that that many people died right here in Abaco. We’re working with the embassy, local Haitian leaders on the ground to see if we can have them properly identified. The next thing would be that with the pathologist, we would make a facility available to upload some of the

photos and see whether they would be able to identify some of their loved ones. If they are able to then that would put closure with respect to some cases because once they have been identified they would go through the proper procedure to be released. We will have a place set up for them with photographs to allow people in dignity to identify persons they may know or loved ones.”

Ms Duncombe could not say if this is the typical process for such matters, but said it will be done moving forward. “If the embassy wishes to assume responsibility for the bodies there is a process involved there as well that would allow them to do so.”

Officials were challenged with finding a place to keep the bodies when the island’s morgue became full.

According to a RBDF officer, many of the bodies are now being kept in a freezer-container. Ms Duncombe credited Tropical Shipping for the arrangement. “Tropical Shipping really came through for the Department of Public Health,” she said.

Director of Immigration Clarence Russell has expressed sadness over the tragedy, noting an investigation is underway and those found culpable for the deaths will face the law.

THE TRIBUNE

Tuesday, February 5, 2019, PAGE 3

TRAGEDY IN ABACO

from page one the death toll at 28 with 17 survivors, however these numbers were incorrect, officials said yesterday.

Mr Henfield also confirmed a request was made yesterday by the Haitian Embassy in New Providence for the bodies to be turned over to them for burial.

Some survivors told rescuers they had been at sea for seven days when all hell broke loose near the Abaco cays on Friday, The Tribune reported on Monday.

The survivors were being interviewed yesterday as officials try to understand the circumstances of their travel here, Mr Symonette told this newspaper.

“I wish they would not contemplate the trip,” he told The Tribune yesterday, “putting their lives at risk and we’ve seen what has regrettably happened in the last couple of days.

“If they had applied for work permits or that type of thing we’d try and process them, but not to put their lives at risk because once they are apprehended then we’ll send them back to Haiti in any event.”

For his part, Mr Henfield said the journey is just not safe.

He said: “With my background coming from the defence force, I’ve seen these incidences one too many times and so a part of our effort is to communicate to Haitians those who are thinking about migrating to the Bahamas about some of the dangers because sometimes these trips can go horribly bad.

Apart from being possibly apprehended and repatriated, you can actually die as we are witnessing now.

“This is a very dangerous journey to take across the Windward Passage and enter into the Atlantic and begin to move on these vessels that are unsafe,” Mr Henfield also said. “There are no life vests, no saving apparatus on them. Most of the people who come on these boats can’t swim. So if something goes wrong, as they often do, then we end up with these kinds of unfortunate events and tragic outcomes. So I would hope that people think twice before embarking on these journeys to come to the Bahamas.

“It’s not as safe as it seems.”

The migrants’ vessel struck a reef well-known to be dangerous and the boat disintegrated into two halves, volunteer rescuers told this newspaper on Sunday. The dead were first spotted by tourists in a 55ft chartered catamaran early on Saturday morning. The tourists saw two floating

Desperate Haitians told not to gamble with perilous voyage

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bodies and sent a mayday signal, according to Troy Albury, head of Bahamas Air Sea Rescue Association on Guana Cay and the first rescuer on the scene.

Mr Albury said more than four hours likely passed before anyone knew what had happened. Rigor mortis had set in by the time he neared Scotland Cay shortly after 9 o’clock that morning, he said.

Of the dead, 23 were

28 DEAD

• Horror as Haitian vessel capsizes • Boat splits in two after hitting reef • 17 saved as sharks hamper HOW The Tribune covered the story yesterday. rescue efforts WORDS: RASHAD ROLLE PICTURES: SHAWN HANNA IN MARSH HARBOUR, ABACO

IN THE worst migrant boating tragedy in Bahamian waters since 2013, officials said 28 Haitians are dead and 17 survived after their boat hit a reef on Friday night and sunk.

Haitian survivors of the shipwreck told rescuers they were at sea for seven days when all hell broke loose near the Abaco cays.

The vessel struck a reef well-known to be dangerous and the boat disintegrated into two halves, volunteer rescuers told this newspaper.

The dead were first spotted by tourists in a 55ft chartered catamaran early on Saturday morning. The tourists saw two floating bodies and sent a mayday signal, according to Troy Albury, 48, SEE PAGE THREE

RESCUERS included officials from the United States Coast Guard, volunteers from Hope Town Fire and Rescue and officers from the RBDF.

BACON RANCH GOVT TO APPEAL MURDER LULL ENDS SMITH ACQUITTAL IN THREE KILLINGS

By AVA TURNQUEST Tribune Chief Reporter aturnquest@tribunemedia.net

NATIONAL Security Minister Marvin Dames yesterday defended his role in the bribery and extortion trial against former PLP Senator Frank Smith, telling The Tribune he did not play political games.

Mr Dames and Health

Minister Dr Duane Sands are both facing calls from the opposition for their resignations, after the two were criticised by Chief Magistrate Joyann Ferguson-Pratt for the “egregious” way in which they interacted with chief prosecution witness in the case, Barbara Hanna.

SEE PAGE SIX

By MORGAN ADDERLEY Tribune Staff Reporter madderley@tribunemedia.net

THREE murders occurred within less than 24 hours this weekend, marking a bloody start to February and a trend that has left police concerned, Superintendent Joy Bosfield told The Tribune yesterday. There were also

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SURVIVORS recovering after their ordeal.

three non-fatal shooting incidents this weekend. All three are in hospital with two listed in serious condition.

When asked if police are concerned about this recent spate of murder, Supt Bosfield said: “Yes, it will be a concern. It’s a concern that we only had three in total SEE PAGE FIVE

reportedly recovered near Fowl Cay where their vessel was shipwrecked six miles off the coast of Marsh Harbour.

On Sunday, the Department of Immigration said 87 people were allegedly on the vessel, according to unconfirmed reports from survivors. However, volunteers told The Tribune multiple survivors told them about 45 people were on board.

Rescue operations on Sunday were hindered by tiger sharks that circled the wreckage and ate human remains.

The incident was the deadliest migrant shipwreck in Bahamian waters since 2013 when at least 30 Haitians perished on an overloaded boat headed for the United States. At the time, 110 people were rescued, including 19 women, according to previous reports.

PAGE 4, Tuesday, February 5, 2019

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The Great Game continues as Venezuela continues to suffer WHAT are we to make of the deteriorating and regionally increasingly perilous situation in Venezuela?

Residents of this oil-rich nation are starving, fearful of government retribution if they speak out in protest and, in desperation, millions are fleeing to neighbouring Colombia and elsewhere.

The beleaguered regime of President Nicolas Maduro clings to power in the face of a self-proclaimed alternative government headed by Juan Guiado and recently recognised by the United States and other nations. In fact, American President Donald Trump and both of his Secretaries of State have been harshly critical of Maduro for the past 18 months.

The Americans have taken aggressive action to undermine Maduro, who as the allegedly populist chief of state and has overseen economic and social chaos in a nation that should, because of its oil riches, be a rampart of relative political stability in northeast South America.

While much of the world is siding with the American position, including a strong majority in the Organization of American States, Maduro retains the support of Russia, China and Cuba.

Is this regional crisis likely to lead to regional or wider conflict? There have been rumours of 5.000 American troops being prepared for deployment to the Venezuelan border with Colombia. These apparently originated from marginal notes on US National Security Adviser John Bolton’s notepad that a reporter thinks he saw. Likely more significant is a comment made by the influential Bolton to another reporter’s question about why the US is rattling its sabre so vigorously with Venezuela while at the same time appearing to pull back from Syria, Afghanistan and elsewhere.

Bolton’s reply was quick and to the point: “Because Venezuela is in the Western Hemisphere,” he said. In doing so, Bolton reminded us of one of the most durable tenets of American foreign policy for the past 200 years. That tenet is the Monroe Doctrine.

Enunciated by US President James Monroe in 1823 at a State of the Union address and at a time of widespread hemispheric resistance to the colonial yoke of Spain and Portugal especially, this policy decried attempts by nonhemispheric nations to impose control over parts of North, Central or South America. Such attempts, Monroe stated,

would “be viewed as the manifestation of an unfriendly disposition toward the United States.”

During the centuries since that proclamation, both the British (for reasons of solidarity and expediency) and the Canadians (for reasons of pragmatic necessity) have probably been the most consistent outside supporters.

It is interesting and relevant that despite the tumult of early 19th century resistance to colonial powers Spain and Portugal, both the proximate cause of the original Monroe Doctrine and the greatest challenge to it arose from the same non-colonial power. That power is Russia.

Monroe was exercised in 1823 over a Russian declaration of territorial sovereignty over much of northwestern North America, attached to a warning excluding all non-Russian shipping or fishing vessels from the seas around the area.

And in 1962, the world faced perhaps its most dire existential threat since Hitler’s Nazism from the potentially nuclear standoff between the United States and the then-Soviet Union over installation of Soviet offensive weapons systems in Fidel Castro’s Cuba.

So maybe the more things change, the more they stay the same. Russia and Cuba have been central to the exercise of the Monroe Doctrine before, and here they are again. And they are joined

by China, whose maritime behaviour in the South China Sea and elsewhere is reminiscent of the Russian declaration of territorial maritime sovereignty in 1821.

In ratcheting up the pressure on the Maduro regime, the Trump administration has imposed tighter sanctions, including freezing oil imports from Venezuela and moving against the state-run Citgo oil company. The OAS has for months condemned Maduro’s deplorable human rights record, disastrous stewardship of his nation’s economy and authoritarian attempts to crush dissent.

While military action against the Venezuelan government does not seem imminent, neither does a settlement.

Russia and or China would be expected to veto strong UN Security Council actions against their client, and several analysts believe Maduro still commands the loyalty of sufficient elements of the Venezuelan military to hang on, at least for a while longer.

Meanwhile, the Venezuelan people will continue to suffer.

Over confident by half EDITOR, The Tribune IS THERE any process let alone progress on the flipping of Our Lucaya which the government purchased for $65 million?

Months ago now the Hotel Corporation asked for interested parties to register interests – they also asked for proposals, but silence since.

Again we hear there are ten interested parties, but at what stage are they to purchase or is there any stage?

Recent published RFP’s

for the property indicate Hotel Corp have decided to invest millions to bring the property to grade which causes the observer to ask why is this necessary if you have ten parties interested to purchase?

Historically it has to be recalled that Hutchinson-Whampoa the original developers and owners had this property on the world market for three to four years with Hutchinson’s contacts and links they could not find a purchaser but the Bahamas government

was over confident that to purchase at $65 million was a sensible business/ investment?

Hutchinson is alleged to have claimed $80 million in storm damage plus $65 million from government to purchase so a grand total of $145 million - Hutchinson had no liabilities to redundancies, etc - boy Hutchinson certainly found it is better in The Bahamas!

ABRAHAM MOSS Nassau January 17, 2019

Time to cancel refinery EDITOR, The Tribune

REAL cost ex-solar panel, commercial installation, to grid of solar electricity – there have been reports that the Saudis have pushed the price to 3-4 cents a KW. Just back from Riyadh and can assure you the Saudis admit they are losing big money at that price.

What is the administration costs of BP&L? This is

going to be key what solar can really bring. I fear high!

It has been a breathe of fresh air, that Prime Minister Minnis seems finally to understand, that solar is the sole way we will rid ourselves of a fuel surcharge, and bring electricity to a level that we all can again enjoy, using rather than the opposite.

Whilst on Energy - is the Attorney General going

to charge the principals of OBAN Energy who took part in that total charade of their agreement?

By the way, The People do not want the refinery, the world is moving far away from fossil fuels so why build a refinery? Please us all by cancelling.

W THOMPSON Nassau January 28, 2019

Time for a stripper tax EDITOR, The Tribune AN objective examination of the issue of adult entertainment in the Bahamas cannot but lead to one conclusion: it resides within the bailiwick of publicly sanctioned activity that adults should be free to engage in or patronise, if they so desire.

For that reason, The Guardian was spot on the mark when it endorsed a call to update some of our Victorian era laws and regulations that put the state in the position of always knowing what’s best for us.

The industry should be allowed to come out of the shadows and into the (red) light. This would afford them the protection of the police instead of their current business model which is to take drastic steps to mitigate harassment from the police.

Our collective position on so-called “vice” or “sin” activities continue to evolve. Happily, there is much more tolerance in this society than some in the religious sector would have us believe.

Permit strip clubs and we would collect business licence fees, VAT on the hefty drinks prices that these establishments charge, and we would reap the economic spin-off that would redound to the

LETTERS letters@tribunemedia.net supporting cast of entrepreneurs who make a living from this industry.

Respectfully, however, the Guardian’s call for tolerance on this business fell way short of what the real irksome issue is and is wide of the mark of why this industry finds itself before the courts from time to time. Patrons appear to have a predilection for imported talent and therein lies the rub.

It is usually on suspicion of violation of immigration rules that the police raid these strip clubs. And it’s the foreign exotic dancers who must prove that they have leave to enter the country for the purpose of engaging in short-term gainful employment. The old canard that the promoters and owners of the clubs don’t pay their dancers a fee will not hold water.

Strippers typically work for tips and this haul can be extensive on occasions such as a wild bachelor party.

The immigration statutes do permit the importation of temporary labour on payment of a small fee, likely in the neighbourhood of $500 to $1,000 per dancer.

In one year, this “stripper tax” would produce a tidy sum to the exchequer.

The promoters should be made to post bonds and prove to the satisfaction of the Immigration Department that the dancers are not being sex trafficked or, worse, are not a part of the global slave trade for young vulnerable people.

The correct noun is in fact “people” because we must acknowledge that right alongside strip clubs featuring female dancers, we also import a fair share of men to entertain different audiences.

Strip club patrons are not exclusively men with too much time on their hands and dollar bills in their pockets. Women up and down the Commonwealth have so-called “lingerie parties” featuring only male strippers.

And in keeping with Newton’s third law of motion, for every action there is going to be an equal and opposite reaction. If we legalize strip clubs here, we would save a great chunk of the millions of dollars that flow to strip clubs in Florida where countless Bahamians regularly go to “make it rain”.

THE GRADUATE Nassau February 3, 2019

Is the police force someone’s toy?

EDITOR, The Tribune

THE ladies charged with working without a work permit and one for overstaying.

1. How did the media get hold of the police line-up photographs?

2. The media implied that the women were “stripping” as in taking their clothes off...far from the truth and they were NOT charged with indecent exposure. Reports

indicated that they were dancing, wearing as much as ‘000’s wear to the beach, probably less there!

Surely there is a charge against the operators of these night places, for employing persons without an immigration work permit. I recall the PM making such a statement and also the Minister of Immigration, Mr Brent Symonette, that in future breaches of Immigration laws will see the employer

also charged. Waiting to see if they meant what they said?

All these highfalutin police named operations...is the police force a toy of someone?

Operation this and that - I would call all of them Operation Law Enforcement - dummy! And about time!

R ROLLE Nassau January 31. 2019

THE TRIBUNE

Tuesday, February 5, 2019, PAGE 5

ATTORNEY SMITH WITHDRAWS APPEALS ON JUDGEMENTS AGAINST HIM

By NICO SCAVELLA Tribune Staff Reporter nscavella@tribunemedia.net

ATTORNEY and former PLP member of Parliament Keod Smith yesterday withdrew his appeal of a retired Supreme Court judge’s order that he be committed to prison for 14 days for accusing her of bias in a series of affidavits over five years ago.

Mr Smith also withdrew his appeal concerning him having to pay approximately $500,000 in legal costs and fees to environmental advocacy group Save The Bays (STB) pursuant to former Justice Rhonda Bain’s December 2014 ruling.

And in both instances, Mr Smith was ordered by the appellate court to pay legal costs to STB. Both orders by the former judge stand as a result of his withdrawing, and the Court of Appeal consequently dismissing the two appeals.

In January 2014, Mr Smith was found guilty of contempt of court for impugning Justice from page one Additionally, Mr Nygard’s motion for a stay of the sentencing hearings concerning his second and third contempt of court convictions were withdrawn by his attorney Keod Smith, who said the “factual matrix” that compelled him to apply for the stay has since changed.

Meanwhile, one of Mr Nygard’s Canadian lawyers Jay Prober said Justice Grant-Thompson’s decision to issue the arrest warrant was “grossly unfair” to his client and “totally unnecessary”.

Mr Prober also noted that the judge’s order “showed little compassion” despite Mr Nygard offering to appear by “video conference” in light of his inability to appear before her in person for “medical reasons”.

“He’s not acting above the law,” Mr Prober said.

“He’s acting on a basis of doctor’s recommendations that it could be fatal for him to travel.” The Canadian attorney further stated Mr Nygard’s team has appealed the warrant, and “expects it to be quashed”.

Meanwhile, he said his client’s health treatments are still underway, and that despite this latest civil action, his company, Nygard Fashions, and its worldwide operations “continues with business as usual.”

The matter resumes on March 13.

Last week, Justice Grant-Thompson ordered Nygard’s “immediate arrest” for his failure to appear on three occasions to be sentenced for breaching a court order prohibiting him from engaging in any illegal dredging near his Lyford Cay home.

Bain’s professional reputation through a series of affidavits he created in support of a recusal application from an ongoing judicial review to which he is a party.

Mr Smith, attorney for Canadian fashion designer Peter Nygard, had filed a series of affidavits claiming that Justice Bain should recuse herself from a judicial review proceeding, with him alleging she made a series of decisions based on her affiliation with the Free National Movement (FNM).

Mr Smith also alleged that Justice Bain had made several rulings in favour of STB’s lead attorney Fred Smith, QC, who in the past had been affiliated with the FNM, and “can only be explained as coming about as a result of her bias.”

According to Justice Bain’s ruling, Keod Smith admitted to the court that he prepared and filed the affidavits himself and that even though the affidavits were endorsed with the firm name of Ryan & Co, Smith’s former attorney Derek Ryan did

ATTORNEY Keod Smith not assist with the preparation of the affidavits.

On March 1, 2017, more than three years after filing the affidavits, Smith offered an apology and explanation to Justice Bain that he never intended to impugn her professional reputation, and attempted to show cause why he and Mr Ryan should not be committed to prison.

However, Justice Bain ultimately ruled that a custodial sentence is “appropriate” given the circumstances surrounding the

matter, and further that Mr Smith “is a counsel and attorney at law with upwards of 19 years at the Bahamas Bar” and as such “has an obligation to respect and maintain the administration of justice and to comply with the Bahamas Bar (Code of Professional Conduct) Regulations.”

In June 2017, Justice Bain ordered Mr Smith to be committed to prison for 14 days for his actions, but said the order committal would be suspended on the condition that he pay a $20,000 fine before June 28 of that year.

In April of 2016, however, Mr Smith was ordered to pay $375,000 to STB, which was accumulated by the environmental group in court costs and fees during the legal battle.

According to documents that were filed in court and obtained

by The Tribune at the time, it was ruled that Mr Smith must pay two separate fees – one in the amount of $263,500 and the other totalling $111,500.

In late 2017, STB filed a bankruptcy petition against Mr Smith

in the Supreme Court over some $300,000 in unpaid legal debts.

STB, formally named the Coalition to Protect Clifton Bay, had requested a receiving order be placed on Mr Smith’s estate.

In an affidavit supporting the petition, STB Chairman Joseph Darville alleged Mr Smith committed an act of bankruptcy by failing to pay his legal debts within the last six months of December 2017.

Mr Darville further claimed Mr Smith failed to secure or compound the debt after he was served three separate summonses on September 21, 2016; June 13, 2017, and by substituted service on June 20, 2017.

According to Mr Darville’s affidavit, the first sum owed totals $111,500, with a 6.75 percent annual interest from October 7, 2014, until fully paid. The second sum is $263,500, with an annual interest from December 16, 2014, until fully paid.

The total figure now stands at approximately $500,000, Mr Fred Smith, QC, told The Tribune yesterday.

Nygard and Keod told it’s time to pay

MY client is acting on a basis of doctor’s recommendations that it could be fatal for him to travel, says Peter Nygard’s legal adviser.

Justice Grant-Thompson issued the bench warrant after saying she has “zero tolerance” for the Lyford Cay resident failing to honour her orders for him

to appear in court for his own sentencing hearings.

She also ordered that Mr Nygard will have to show cause for why he should not be committed

to prison for failing to show in court on those occasions, as she said the fashion designer was “duly informed” of the orders she made last week.

And that order came a week after Justice GrantThompson ordered the 77-year-old to appear in court and explain why he failed to appear on those

two previous occasions to be sentenced for dredging the sea bed near Nygard Cay between March and April 2015, and again in October of 2016, despite a June 2013 injunction prohibiting him from doing so.

Mr Nygard, via his attorneys Carlton Martin and Rashad Martin, subsequently appealed Justice Grant-Thompson’s order, and is further seeking an order from the appellate court that all matters in the Supreme Court proceed without him “being required or compelled by the court to be present,” and in “due consideration” to an order made in 2018 which he asserts brought the matter to an end.

Mr Nygard is also seeking to have all further proceedings in the action stayed pending the hearing of his constitutional motion, which was filed a week ago, concerning the infringement of his fundamental rights to both freedom of movement and detention.

He further asserts that the judge erred in both fact and law in treating the contempt proceedings as criminal contempt proceedings, and that she erred in ordering the issuance of a warrant for his arrest, in spite of or at the same time as ordering him to show cause why he shouldn’t be committed to prison.

PAGE 6, Tuesday, February 5, 2019

THE TRIBUNE

FOULKES SWORN IN TO OFFICE

By RIEL MAJOR

NEWLY appointed Parliamentary Secretary in the Ministry of Social Services and Urban Development Michael Foulkes said yesterday he is looking forward to using his new role to assisting “our brothers and sisters who are (facing) serious challenges” .

Mr Foulkes, whose appointment took effect on January 30, was sworn

PRIME Minister Dr Hubert Minnis and members of his Cabinet attended an information meeting in Grand Bahama last night.

MINNIS UNVEILS GB PORT REVOLUTION from page one

used for the development, 110 will remain untouched and preserved as a wetland, officials said. “The economic revival of Grand Bahama

is critical in the economic revival, growth and expansion of the Bahamian economy,” Dr Minnis said last night, adding the government is close to selling the Grand Lucayan resort, which was acquired temporarily by his administration last

year to help save the island’s economy. “We are also determined to transform Grand Bahama into a technology hub,” he said, adding the port will be state of the art and have opportunities for those in the tech industry.

Officials will meet Grand Bahama environmental groups, the island’s Chamber of Commerce and religious leaders this week to discuss the project.

Cabinet will also meet in Grand Bahama today.

MICHAEL Foulkes with Governor General Dame Marguerite Pindling at Government House yesterday. in at Government House yesterday. He said: “I look forward to joining the Honourable Frankie Campbell and him doing the best he can to assist (those in need) and I’ll be joining him in doing that. I will do my best to ensure we meet the needs of the most challenged in our community.”

Culmer dismisses calls for ministers to resign

By KHRISNA RUSSELL Deputy Chief Reporter krussell@tribunemedia.net

FREE National Movement chairman Carl Culmer said calls from Progressive Liberal Party leader Philip “Brave” Davis for two Cabinet ministers to resign over their actions related to Frank Smith’s bribery case are “laughable”.

Mr Culmer told The Tribune he viewed Mr Davis’ demand as an attempt at gaining political mileage from just about anything that sparks public interest. He said Mr Davis

and PLP chairman Fred Mitchell need to realise it was time for them to retire from politics and allow the FNM to dig the country out of the rut the former Christie administration left behind.

On Sunday, Mr Davis said there were also grounds for a civil suit to be considered in the aftermath of the acquittal of the former PLP senator, although he added Mr Smith cannot be “compensated monetarily” for the ordeal he and his family have experienced.

The Official Opposition has repeatedly called for

Health Minister Dr Duane Sands and National Security Minister Marvin Dames to resign or for Prime Minister Dr Hubert Minnis to fire them since Mr Smith was acquitted last Friday.

In her judgment, Chief Magistrate Ferguson-Pratt criticised both ministers for the “egregious” way in which they interacted with Mr Smith’s accuser Barbara Hanna prior to a police investigation into her claims, charging that their conduct gave the appearance of a “political flavour to a curious bystander.”

Mr Culmer said: “It’s very

laughable that the leader of the Progressive Liberal Party would make such a call of resignation of persons who are performing such as Sands and Dames.

“The Bahamian people are waiting for reports on the Bahamas Agricultural and Marine Science Institute (BAMSI). Reports on him giving contracts to persons who were not qualified to perform work at BAMSI, and that sort of thing. So it’s amazing that he would make such a call.

“Brave Davis and the PLP hierarchy have served their time and they should just go and allow the FNM government to try and move this country to where it needs to be.”

Mr Culmer added: “It’s about time that he realise that his time of doing service to the country at the political level is finished and he needs to go and retire and allow the persons running the country to run the country. The PLP needs to look for new leadership because Fred and Davis they have put the country in the position that it is in today. The government has to reach

FNM chairman Carl Culmer. back and bring the country out of the mess it is in.”

However, Mr Culmer would not comment definitively on whether the details which emerged during the trial could be damaging to his party, saying he is waiting on the outcome of the government’s planned appeal. “It’s being appealed so I would like to see the facts that will come out from what happened as to why such a ruling was made. Listening to some of the reasons why, you fear that the two ministers created the problem, but it’s at the appeal level so let’s see what happened.”

Meanwhile, Mr Dames defended himself again yesterday while Dr Sands

on the other hand declined comment when he was contacted. “Well, I can’t talk about the case, the case is still before the court and I want to respect the process,” Mr Dames said yesterday. “Obviously, it will be up to the director of public prosecutions to look and determine whether he feels it necessary to appeal, and that is in their hands, so I don’t wish to speak to that. “. . .Now, we can address the political side of it and yes, calls were made for my resignation, but for what? It is ridiculous, you know. It is nonsense and I don’t wish to spend a considerable amount of my time addressing it. We’re in a place in this country where Bahamians are sick and tired about the level of crime.

“They are sick and tired about corruption, right, and corruption in high places as well. This is not politics.

This is me speaking to the real issues that impact the people of this nation. I am not going to get into this business of playing the old political games that some people are so accustomed to playing. “

PRESSURE GROUP CBB REVEALS THREAT TO ONE OF ITS MEMBERS

By KHRISNA RUSSELL Deputy Chief Reporter krussell@tribunemedia.net

CITIZENS for a Better Bahamas confirmed yesterday the Royal Bahamas Police Force was contacted about a recent threat of harm against a member of the organisation.

In a press statement released yesterday, CBB did not name the member, but said the threat was received on Sunday morning.

Despite the incident, CBB said its membership will remain resolute in educating the community on issues of transparency and accountability.

“CBB calls on our civil society partners and members of the wider community for their strong support in order to show a few cowardly individuals, that a new day has dawned in The Bahamas and we will stand united in courage for the values of transparency, integrity and accountability in all areas of our society,” CBB said yesterday.

Most recently the group lobbied for changes to the proposed Non-Profit Organisations Bill, which is now stalled in the Senate, and also criticised the country’s “stagnant” fight against corruption.

THE TRIBUNE

Tuesday, February 5, 2019, PAGE 7

WE CAN’T STOP EVERY MURDER, SAYS DAMES

By RICARDO WELLS Tribune Staff Reporter rwells@tribunemedia.net

AFTER three men were killed within less than 24 hours over the weekend, National Security Minister Marvin Dames said while police cannot stop every murder, law enforcement is on track to continue lowering murder statistics.

“If you compare the numbers today with yesterday, last year in January alone we had 12 homicides, we had three in January (this year) and I believe in February we had something like ten (last year),” the Mount Moriah MP said.He continued: “And so, our law enforcement officers are very, very in tune with what is happening. We are not going to stop every murder… that is the

reality, but we are well on track to ensure that we continue to pull those numbers down.”

Mr Dames said law enforcement officials are working to ensure communities around the country remain safe, allowing residents to move about without any fear or concerns about becoming victims of crime. “That is our objective and it is being executed through our law enforcement agencies and they are very much in touch.”

Mr Dames also said police are near to completing their investigations into two of the three homicides that occurred over the weekend. “As I have said before, as a government, we have taken this holistic approach that we are focusing on,” he added.

“We are focusing on education, we are focusing on employment

Canadian deal ‘part of penal reform’

By RICARDO WELLS Tribune Staff Reporter rwells@tribunemedia.net

THE Ministry of National Security has signed a memorandum of understanding with Correctional Services Canada, a move to aid the shift of the Bahamas Department of Correctional Services from a penal institution to correctional organisation.

During a signing ceremony held at the Paul Farquharson Conference Centre yesterday morning, National Security Minister Marvin Dames called the

signing an “earnest” effort by the government to complete the long-touted transformation of the Fox Hill facility.

He said the move signals the Minnis administration’s commitment and focus to increased public safety.

The government is seeking to mirror aspects of CSC’s ‘risk needs responsivity model’ at BDCS. “The Correctional Services Act 2014 that moved the prison service into a Department of Corrections is a milestone in building the department into a leader of treatment programmes to ensure that

and the development of our youth and will continue to look at ways and continue to introduce measures that will assist us in improving the situation as it relates to crime in this country.

“And so I am confident that we are on track, and there will be days when you are faced with situations like this, but you have to find a way to get over it and they have been doing that. So in those incidents, they are essentially at a point where they know who may have been responsible, and so we just have to get those individuals off of the streets and continue our work of keeping our country safe.”

He continued: “I have had crime reports some days already for this year where there has been nothing reported. I haven’t seen that in a while. And so, it points to the fact that the police

are beginning to reap results. But we are not going to resolve every homicide. We are not going to stop every homicide, unfortunately. And it is up to each and every one of us, especially parents. When you look at the profile of these persons who are engaging in these activities, they are kids. “. . .So we have to come to that place where we understand that it is all of our responsibility if we are going to keep our country safe.”

Last week, the government signed a contract with an American company to utilise ShotSpotter gunfire detection technology. The government also plans to roll out a drone programme to aid crime fighting and expand CCTV. “I can tell you today, as far as ShotSpotter is concerned, the company is now working,” Mr

Dames said yesterday. “They now have persons in town working with the various stakeholders to begin the process of implementation.

“As far as the drones programmes is concerned . . .hopefully within the next few weeks we should know who that company is. That was a very, very involved process and I want to commend the team that was responsible for actually going through the elimination process.

“They did a tremendous job.

You know, we end up with the right company, the company that will serve our needs here in the Bahamas and the company that will allow us to continue to do what we need to do and assist us in executing to bring crime down to make our people safer.”

MINISTER of National Security Marvin Dames and Correctional Service Canada Comissioner Anne Kelly.

Photo: Terrel W Carey Sr/ Tribune Staff

inmates upon release from our system, have the necessary interventions to address their needs,” Mr Dames said.

“Through the continued partnership between the Bahamas Department of Correctional Services and Correctional Services Canada which has been ongoing for a few years, we are on our way to seeing this tradition realised.”

He said the collaborative exchanges between the two facilities have already resulted in the development of an automated system to ensure the application of resources to treat inmates

are effective and efficient, and the extensive training of case management staff for assessments of new inmates.

Central to these initiatives will be a specific concentration to the establishment of new parole system, which Mr Dames said is still being developed.

“Training for parole and programme officers began in the fall of 2018,” Mr Dames added. “The Inter-American Development Bank through its Citizen Security and Justice Programme (CSJP), conducted a training seminar for representatives of all

branches of law enforcement stakeholders. During the seminar the parole legislation as expressed in the 2016 Conditional Release of Offenders Bill was analysed and recommendations for adjustment were made.”

He added: “With the charter signing today, we are highlighting what has been accomplished and the work that lies ahead.”

CSC Commissioner Anne Kelly, who was on hand for yesterday’s signing, said the charter between the two organisations provides a framework for the advancement of engagement activities between

the two sides, inclusive of the efficient and effective assessment and treatment of inmates in their care.

Mrs Kelly said to date, CSC has hosted numerous staff from BDCS to ensure the seamless transfer of its model.

“The previous six months has seen extensive training provided to designated staff at BDCS,” she said.

Case management staff have been trained to conduct extensive assessments for new sentenced inmates; in interviewing techniques and producing and analysing information from various sources in order to address the inmates needs.

Mrs Kelly said CSC has only provided this level of training to Bahamian staff.

She said officials have also developed an automated risk assessment system that will assist the case management staff to accurately assess inmates’ needs and ensure that they are being provided with programming they require.

PAGE 8, Tuesday, February 5, 2019

Face to Face

By FELICITY INGRAHAM

M

ANY young women today are into a glitz and glamour lifestyle.

Hair, nails, outfits and expensive jewellery and accessories seem to be the main focus, their appearance gets a high rate of investment, sometimes to the point where their bank balances suffer for the superficial “must haves”. They may be focused on education and career as well, and some are even active in their church. But how many would take up the mantle of being called to become a minister of the Gospel, putting others lives before their own and making their spiritual life their top priority?

This is what makes Minister Tanya Duncombe stand out. She is young, beautiful and multi-talented. She had many other vocational options. She was actually successfully climbing the corporate ladder in the financial industry when she made a big leap of faith. She decided to leave her lucrative job at one of the top financial institutions in the Caribbean in December, 2016 to pursue full time ministry. Today, she travels around the world doing humanitarian mission trips as a member of the I Am Hope Foundation. As well as empowering, preaching, teaching and facilitating workshops on a variety of subjects and age groups, she is known for prayer, exuding a unique anointing amid her generation.

Today, Tanya is confident she made the right choice. She was recognised by one of the leading international religious publications in America, Kish Magazine, as one of the Top 30 World Changers in its September 2018 issue. She was featured on a cover special including the dynamic and powerful Dr Sonnie Badu, motivational guru Les Brown and others. This year has already started out on a high note for Tanya, as she has been nominated for the “Most Outstanding Women in Ministry” award in the area of Prayer by the Esther’s Ball Network.

Tanya is a powerful speaker and I had the opportunity to hear her deliver one of her soul-stirring addresses at a recent Fabulous Wives Club event, where she appeared at the invitation of its president, Sharron Neely. Although Tanya is not yet married, she was able to give great advice to the group of wives gathered to listen, while appealing to the group to pray that the blessing of marriage would come her way, too. She spoke to them about utilising their influence, in whatever sphere of society they may be, to do the good work the world needs.

“As a wife, as a mother, as a leader, as a spiritual mother, God is raising you up with a great mandate,” she said. “When we look at society today, it has changed. It has shifted in such a great way. Women are now just concerned with their homes. What about the neighbour’s children? What about your co-worker’s children? What about the children that have no mother? What about those that have no spiritual person to look up to, no-one that they can pattern their lives after? I believe that God is rearranging things again. We are going back to the old landmarks. We have to realise that each one of us has a call on our lives – you could be young or old – there is something God has anointed you to do. Something on the inside you have been anointed to give birth to. Women, we have been anointed as midwives to birth our husbands, our children, our society, our employees… we have been anointed to birth them into purpose and destiny. If our lives are going to take on the

THE TRIBUNE

Tanya’s found a new career working for God

TANYA Duncombe left her job at one of the top financial institutions in the Caribbean in December, 2016 to pursue full time ministry.

Above, Tanya with Sharron Neely, President of the Fabulous Wives Club.

shape of what we expect God to do it has to first start in our minds” “For so many women… you look good, but what’s up here (gesturing to the head)?

Your mind is still bad; your attitude is still bad; everything about you does not reflect how good you look on the outside. God wants to get the ‘inner us’ together, but we are so concerned with the ‘outer us’. We just want to dress up the outside, dress up our appearance. But the Bible says God searches the heart and he is looking for women, looking for mothers with a good heart, with a good spirit and with a good

and things were rough for the family. I remember my mom giving us bread, butter and tea - just hot water and sugar and cream without the teabag. Mom prayed that the Lord would bless it and that we would satisfy with it, but that He would allow us to eat what we wanted the next day. We believed that prayer. I told my siblings, ‘You all probably want Fruit Loops and other things to eat’. I encouraged them to have faith. The following morning there was a knock at the door. I ran to door and opened the door and there were bags of groceries at the door. I said ‘Mommy. look!’

I saw the joy on her face and she said ‘I told you, God will provide’. At that moment I grew spiritually. I said to myself that this God my mom is serving is real and He comes through! I wanted to go to church more and all I desired to be with were the people of God. God is real and miracles can happen!”

Tanya admits that throughout her life she has made mistakes, but she always picks herself up, dusts herself off and gets back to attitude. Nothing is more repelling than her purpose: “I know how to inspire people a woman with a stink attitude. As beauti- to find their purpose – what they are called ful as you are – as nice, as shapely as you on this earth to do so that they can walk out are - if your attitude is poor, if you don’t and do it.”

Tanya graduated from CV Bethel Senior care about others, something is wrong with you! By nature as women, we have been High School where she was known an anointed to be nurturers and caregivers. actively involved student. Before graduating We have been through so much in life, we in 2001, she served in many capacities and have passed through so many experiences obtained special recognition and awards. until we have taken on the shape of hurt. She entered the Miss Gospel Bahamas We have taken on the shape of our circum- Pageant in 2003 and won the 1st runner stances and upbringing. But, God wants to up title. She then went on to pursue higher get the clutter out of us so His true image learning at Gilead International College, can shine through us. You are that great where she completed courses in psychology and family counselling. She then enrolled influencer!”

From as far back as she can remember in Atlantic College, where she graduated with an Associate’s in her life, Tanya Degree in Business says she was a part Management. She is of the church, and presently completshe gave her life to ing her Bachelor’s Christ at the age of Degree in Chriseight. She sang in tian Leadership the church choir and and Organizational was active in youth Management at group. But things New Covenant were not always University in Jackeasy for her growing sonville, Fl. up. Her mother was Tanya is a foundmarried, but her ing member of the stepfather was “in SHIRTS from Tanya’s “Jesus Girl Speaks” line Word of Life Kingand out”, so for the most part, she grew up in a single parent dom Ministries Church on Carter Street, home. She considers her mother her pillar Oakes Field in Nassau, where she serves of strength throughout her life. Her mother under the leadership of Pastor Rickeno R. is a devout Christian who raised her five Moncur as Minister of Prayer and Interchildren, Tanya being the eldest, with the cession. She is the Founder and CEO of church as their backbone. Her mother TRD Ministries; Proprietress at “Jesus Girl insisted on family devotions every single Speaks” Collection (A Faith Apparel Line); day and even now, at the age of 34, Tanya a part of the Generation Pursuing God says her mother still holds daily devotions Through Prayer Network; and active in the Hadassah Girls Inc., a non-profit mentorin their home.

“All I know is having a strong Christian ship organization for girls ages 11-17.

Look for: Tanya R. Duncombe on Facemother who would be there to encourage us, inspire us and lead us in the right way book or @TanyaRDuncombe on Twitter.

You can also find the Fabulous Wives Club - teaching us the right things,” Tanya said.

She recalls a tough point in life grow- on Facebook under the name: Bahama ing up, one that strengthened her belief in Wives or email thefabulouswivesclub@ prayer: “I was about nine or ten-years-old gmail.com.

I know how to inspire people to find their purpose, says Tanya.

THE TRIBUNE

Tuesday, February 5, 2019, PAGE 9

Accused denied having sex with boy, police tell court

By DENISE MAYCOCK Tribune Freeport Reporter dmaycock@tribunemedia.net A LEAD detective in an unlawful sex investigation told the Supreme Court that Fred Williams denied having a consensual sexual relationship with a 14-yearold boy who he claimed had got his cellular phone number from his older brother and began calling him regularly.

He said the accused had also denied forcing the boy to perform oral sex on him on three separate occasions in 2016 and 2017.

Detective Inspector Jamique Campbell, of the Central Detective Unit, took the witness stand on Monday to give evidence in the unlawful sex trial of Williams, 45, of West End, Grand Bahama.

Williams is charged with three counts of unlawful sexual intercourse with a minor of the same sex, which is alleged to have occurred from October 2016 to November 2016 through February 2017 to November 2017. He was arrested and charged in December 2017.

Inspector Campbell conducted a record of interview with Williams on December 10, 2017 after he had interviewed and received certain information from the complainant and his mother.

The complainant, he said, was 15 years old at the time and gave a statement of a sexual nature with the

incidents occurring from October 2016 to November 2016, and February 2017 to November 24, 2017.

The detective said that after receiving information from additional witnesses, Williams became a suspect in the matter.

During an interview with police in December 2017, Williams, he said, declined to have a lawyer present when advised of his right to legal representation.

Insp Campbell said the accused admitted to knowing the boy but denied ever having sexual interaction with the minor.

The record of interview was recorded on a DVD. A search warrant was executed at Williams’ home, but police found no evidence at his residence, the detective said.

The detective also received from Williams while in custody two cellular phones - an iPhone and another cell phone with his permission. Police also received Samsung cellular phone from the complainant.

According to the detective, Williams said he was a carpenter and painter by trade, but that he was now employed as a manager at the A&B Convenient Store in West End, where he had been employed for five years.

Williams told police that he used to be a member of the Classic Dancers Junkanoo group for about eight to nine years and that he knew the complainant’s

FRED WILLIAMS brother because he was also a member of the group.

He knew where he lived in Eight Mile Rock.

The officer said Williams said he had known the complainant for about one year.

Williams told police that on one occasion he had pulled up to their house to speak with the complainant’s brother, but the complainant came out.

He told police he asked the complainant if his brother was at home, and told him to tell his brother to call him when he got home and left.

Williams told police that the one day he saw the complainant in West End walking down a street, but “did not pay him any mind”. He said the complainant asked to catch a ride.

According to Insp Campbell, Williams dropped the boy off at his home in Eight Mile Rock

COURT DATE SET ON ‘MISSING MARVIN’ from page one

February 28, when government defendants in the matter will be expected to submit a response to the claims. In her affidavit Mr Pratt’s mother, Barbara Saunders, alleges an officer told the family her son was taken into custody. Police have been investigating the matter as a missing person case and have suggested it is irresponsible for media to report the family’s claims.

Ms Saunders previously said this is the longest she has gone without knowing her son’s whereabouts, claiming he was in police custody for about seven days

in February. She claimed officers repeatedly told her he was not there before a senior police officer intervened and allowed her to see him. She said Mr Pratt has served time in prison on drug related matters.

In December a neighbour told The Tribune she saw police put Mr Pratt into a vehicle. She claimed: “I was cleaning a man’s bathroom and when I was going home I saw the police coming and I saw Marvin, so I said ‘Marvin run, run, run, the man, the man,’ and they ran behind him, put him in a Jeep, and the officer told me if I open my (expletive) mouth he gon’ kill me.”

and did not hear from him for a couple of months.

The detective said that Williams claimed that the complainant later called him, and the accused asked him how he got his cell phone number. He claimed that the complainant told him he got it from his brother’s phone.

The lead investigator said Williams claimed that the complainant started to WhatsApp him on his cell phone, saying that he was hungry and asking for money for food.

Williams stated in a record of the interview that he told the complainant to get the money from his mother, but the complainant said that she was broke.

On another occasion, Williams said the boy messaged him on his phone and asked for a ride to a function in Freeport, which he did.

Williams claimed that the teen contacted him again on another occasion about needing some dog food. He told the boy that they had some damaged dog food at the store that he could give him, but the complainant said he had no money.

The detective stated that Williams said the complainant told him he could not to come to his home right away because his mother and brother were still at home, but the accused later dropped off the dog food to the complainant.

Asked about the accusations of forcing the minor

to perform oral sex on him, Williams denied this.

When asked if the teen had offered to do it, Williams response was, according to the officer: “No, we did not have sexual intercourse. If I force him then why he let it go on so far to February? No, I have people who could do that.”

When asked if he and the teen had a consensual

sexual relationship by Inspector Campbell, Williams response was: “No, he (the boy) said he had a girlfriend.”

Williams told police that he never gave the complainant any money, that he only brought him fried chicken and some dog food.

He also told police he discouraged the boy from calling him frequently.

PAGE 10, Tuesday, February 5, 2019

THE TRIBUNE

EU NATIONS ENDORSE VENEZUELA OPPOSITION LEADER OVER MADURO CARACAS, Venezuela Associated Press MORE than a dozen European Union countries endorsed Venezuelan opposition leader Juan Guaido as the country’s interim president yesterday, piling the pressure on embattled President Nicolas Maduro to resign and clear the way for a new presidential election.

Maduro, for his part, stood defiant, rejecting a US offer of humanitarian aid that has shifted attention to Venezuela’s western border with Colombia, where opponents were gearing up to try to bring emergency food and medicine into the country. “We are not beggars,” Maduro said in a speech to troops.

Spain, Germany, France and Britain delivered diplomatic blows to Maduro’s rule by publicly supporting Guaido after a Sunday deadline for Maduro to call a presidential election passed without action. Sweden, Denmark, Austria, the Netherlands, Lithuania, Finland, Estonia, Latvia, the Czech Republic, Luxembourg, Poland and Portugal also lined up behind Guaido, who last month declared himself interim president with the support of the United States and many South American nations.

Meanwhile, in Canada, foreign ministers from Western hemisphere nations belonging to the Lima Group, which includes 13 countries that took the lead in recognizing Guaido as Venezuela’s

rightful leader, gathered in Ottawa to discuss additional steps to pressure Maduro.

Before the closed-door meeting got under way, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau condemned a “dictatorship willing to use force and fear” to maintain its power. He also announced $53 million in humanitarian aid to support the Venezuelan people. “We know that the people of Venezuela are facing tremendous hardship and they need our help, as do the countries that have taken in those fleeing violence,” Trudeau said.

Maduro showed no signs of caving in and lashed out at the EU, accusing it of taking orders from the Trump administration, who he has repeatedly accused of trying to carry out a coup to get its

hands on Venezuela’s oil reserves, the world’s largest.

But he stopped short of breaking off diplomatic relations with the 16 European countries that recognized his rival Monday, unlike his swift move to cut off ties with the US after it threw its support behind Guaido last month.

A growing list of 38 countries has now recognized Guaido, including non-EU European nations Kosovo, Iceland and Albania.

Long-time backers Russia and China are among at least nine nations that have declared their support for Maduro.

Amid the rising pressure, Maduro has shown signs he’s willing to negotiate.

OPPOSITION leader Juan Guaido

Editorial Comment - Page 4

US PREPARES TO START BUILDING PORTION OF TEXAS BORDER

ACTOR NEESON ADMITS HE WANTED TO KILL AFTER FRIEND WAS RAPED

HOUSTON Associated Press

LONDON Associated Press LIAM Neeson has said he is ashamed to admit he had violent thoughts about killing a black person after learning that someone close to him had been raped.

In an interview published yesterday, Neeson said that after being told the attacker was black, he “went up and down areas with a cosh (stick or truncheon)” hoping a black person “would come out of a pub and have a go at me about something, you know? So that I could kill him.”

“It took me a week, maybe a week and a half, to go through that,” Neeson said.

Many social media users expressed shock at his admission, accusing Neeson of racism.

The Northern Ireland-born actor recounted the story in an interview with The Independent while promoting his new thriller Cold Pursuit, about a father who seeks violent revenge for his son’s death. He said the incident happened some time ago.

Neeson, 66, called his reaction “horrible,” saying it taught him a lesson about the “primal need” for revenge.

Neeson, who grew up in Northern Ireland during the decades of violence known as the Troubles, said: “I understand that need for revenge, but it just leads to more revenge, to more killing and more killing, and Northern Ireland’s proof of that.”

LIAM Neeson says he had violent thoughts some time ago about killing a black person after learning that someone close to him had been raped.

Who will buy Trump’s call for unity tonight?

WASHINGTON Associated Press

THE White House says President Donald Trump will call for optimism and unity in today’s State of the Union address, using the moment to attempt a reset after two years of bitter partisanship and deeply personal attacks.

But will anyone buy it?

Skepticism will emanate from both sides of the aisle when Trump enters the House chamber for the primetime address to lawmakers and the nation. Democrats, emboldened after the midterm elections and the recent shutdown fight, see little evidence of a president willing to compromise. And even the president’s staunchest allies know that bipartisan rhetoric read off a teleprompter is usually undermined by scorching tweets and unpredictable policy maneuvers.

Still, the fact that Trump’s advisers feel a need to try a different approach is a tacit acknowledgement that the president’s standing is weakened as he begins his third year in office.

The shutdown left some Republicans frustrated over his insistence on a border wall, something they

warned him the new Democratic House majority would not bend on. Trump’s approval rating during the shutdown dipped to 34 percent, down from 42 percent a month earlier, according to a recent survey conducted by The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research.

White House counsellor Kellyanne Conway said the president would use his address “to call for an end to the politics of resistance, retribution.”

“He’s calling for cooperation,” she said, adding that Trump will point to examples of where this has happened on his watch. Officials said the president is also expected to highlight infrastructure, trade and prescription drug pricing as areas in which the parties could work together.

But Washington’s most recent debate offered few signs of cooperation between Trump and Democrats. Under pressure from conservative backers, Trump refused to sign a government funding bill that did not include money for his long-sought border wall.

With hundreds of thousands of Americans missing paychecks, Trump ultimately agreed to reopen

OPTIMISTIC: President Trump the government for three weeks to allow negotiations on border security to continue.

With the new February 15 funding deadline looming, Trump is expected to use his address to outline his demands, which still include funding for a wall along the USMexico border. He’s teased the possibility of declaring a national emergency to secure wall funding if Congress doesn’t act, though it appeared unlikely he would take that step Tuesday night. Advisers have also been reviewing options to secure some funding without making such a declaration.

“You’ll hear the State of the Union, and then you’ll see what happens right after the State of the Union,” Trump told reporters.

The president’s address marks the first time he is speaking before a Congress that is not fully under Republican control.

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, who won plaudits from Democrats for her hard-line negotiating tactics during the shutdown, will be seated behind the president — a visual reminder of Trump’s political opposition.

In the audience will be several Democrats running to challenge Trump in 2020, including Sens.

Kamala Harris of California, Cory Booker of New Jersey, Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts and Kirsten Gillibrand of New York. Another Democratic star, Stacey Abrams, will deliver the party’s response to Trump. Abrams narrowly lost her bid in November to become Georgia’s first black governor, and party leaders are aggressively recruiting her to run for Senate.

Trump and his top aides have also hinted that he is likely to use the address to announce a major milestone in the fight against the Islamic State group in Syria.

The US government is preparing to begin construction of more border walls and fencing in South Texas’ Rio Grande Valley, likely on federally owned land set aside as wildlife refuge property.

Heavy construction equipment was expected to arrive yesterday, U.S. Customs and Border Protection said.

Congress has approved more than $600 million for 33 miles of new barriers in the Rio Grande Valley.

While President Donald Trump and top Democrats remain in a standoff over Trump’s demand for $5.7 billion in border wall funding, US Customs and Border Protection has pushed ahead with building what’s already funded.

That construction was often described as fencing, and the government funding bill that included construction was supported by some Democrats in the House and Senate. CBP refers to what it plans to build as a “border wall system.”

According to designs it released in September, CBP intends to build 25 miles of concrete walls to the height of the existing flood-control levee in Hidalgo County.

MAGNETIC NORTH IS ON THE MOVE WASHINGTON Associated Press

TRUE north isn’t quite where it used to be. Earth’s north magnetic pole has been drifting so fast in the last few decades that scientists think that past estimates are no longer accurate enough for precise navigation. Yesterday, they released an update of where true north really was, nearly a year ahead of schedule.

The magnetic north pole is wandering about 34 miles a year. It crossed the international date line in 2017, and is leaving the Canadian Arctic on its way to Siberia.

The constant shift is a problem for compasses in smartphones and some consumer electronics.

Airplanes and boats also rely on magnetic north, usually as backup navigation, said University of Colorado geophysicist Arnaud Chulliat, lead author of the newly issued World Magnetic Model.

GPS isn’t affected because it’s satellite-based.

The military depends on where magnetic north is for navigation and parachute drops, while NASA, the Federal Aviation Administration and US Forest Service also use it.

FATE OF MEXICAN DRUG LORD EL CHAPO NOW RESTS WITH US JURY

NEW YORK Associated Press

AFTER nearly three months of testimony about a vast drug-smuggling conspiracy steeped in violence, a jury began deliberations Monday at the US trial of the infamous Mexican drug lord Joaquin “El Chapo” Guzman.

The day ended without jurors reaching a verdict for Guzman, who faces life in prison if convicted. They were to resume deliberations this morning. The jury has heard

months of testimony about Guzman’s rise to power as the head of the Sinaloa cartel.

Prosecutors say he is responsible for smuggling at least 200 tons of cocaine into the United States and for a wave of killings in turf wars with other cartels.

Guzman, 61, is notorious for escaping from prison twice in Mexico. In closing arguments, prosecutor Andrea Goldbarg said he was plotting yet another breakout when was he was sent in 2017 to the US, where he has been in solitary confinement ever since. The defendant wanted to escape

“because he is guilty and he never wanted to be in a position where he would have to answer for his crimes,” Goldbarg told the jury. “He wanted to avoid sitting right there. In front of you.”

The defence claims Guzman’s role has been exaggerated by cooperating witnesses who are seeking leniency in their own cases.

In his closing, defense attorney Jeffrey Lichtman assailed the case as a “fantasy” and urged the jury not to believe cooperators who “lie, steal, cheat, deal drugs and kill people” for a living. Last week, newly

unsealed court papers revealed disturbing allegations not heard by the jury — that Guzman had sex with girls as young as 13.

A Colombian drug trafficker told investigators that the kingpin paid $5,000 to have the girls brought to him, and that he sometimes drugged them, the papers say.

The start of the proceedings yesterday was briefly delayed after two jurors indicated to the judge they were aware of reports about the alleged sex crimes.

He questioned both behind closed doors before allowing them to remain on the jury.