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OVER-65s WON’T HAVE UK VACCINE Govt follows other countries in holding off rollout to elderly

By RASHAD ROLLE Tribune Senior Reporter rrolle@tribunemedia.net OXFORD-ASTRAZENECA’S COVID-19 vaccine will only be given to people between 18 and 65, though this may change as scientific studies about the effectiveness of the vaccine in the over-65 population are reviewed.

The announcement was made by Dr Merceline Dahl-Regis, head of the COVID-19 Vaccine National Consultative Committee, yesterday.

With this plan, The Bahamas joins a number of European countries that have not made the vaccine available to people older than 65 – the age grouping most vulnerable to COVID-19’s risks.

Speaking during a press conference, Dr Dahl-Regis said: “We have a choice.

At this time, prior to this afternoon’s release of additional data, we had decided that we will vaccinate 18 to 65-year-olds and older than 65, that’s 28,000, such SEE PAGE FOUR

The video, which purports to have been sponsored by the human rights advocacy group, was yesterday reported to the Royal Bahamas Police Force’s Cyber Crimes Unit.

Additionally, HRB said a full report on this incident will be submitted to the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights.

SEE PAGE THREE

By LEANDRA ROLLE Tribune Staff Reporter lrolle@tribunemedia.net AFTER protesting several times this week over overtime pay concerns, Bahamas Nurses Union President Amancha Williams said nurses were finally able to meet with Prime Minister Dr Hubert Minnis yesterday, who she says promised to ensure the payments are made even if it comes out of “his own salary”.

SEE PAGE TWO

WHILE WE GO SLOW, WORLD IS MOVING ON

SEE PAGE EIGHT

TWO BTVI STAFFERS DISMISSED FOR THEFT

FAKE NYGARD VIDEO REPORTED TO POLICE

By KHRISNA RUSSELL Tribune Chief Reporter krussell@tribunemedia.net

HUMAN Rights Bahamas yesterday insisted it did not sponsor a “sham” video that “maliciously and heartlessly exploits” the victims of embattled Canadian fashion mogul Peter Nygard’s alleged sex trafficking ring.

PM PROMISES NURSES: I’LL SORT MONEY

I QUIT

By KHRISNA RUSSELL Tribune Chief Reporter krussell@tribunemedia.net

HOUSE Speaker Halson Moultrie resigned from the Free National Movement yesterday in a shock move, insisting his personal convictions collided with continued affiliation with the organisation.

The Nassau Village MP, pictured, has been at odds with his party for some time

amid complaints from him about the state of his office and frequent calls for Parliament to be autonomous.

“My patriotic and not-tobe compromised conviction on fundamental essentials of democracy and good governance, such as the separation of powers, autonomy and independence of the legislature and judiciary, accountability and transparency, freedom of information and respect

for the constitution makes my continued affiliation and association divergent and untenable,” the Speaker wrote in a letter yesterday addressed to the FNM’s Secretary General Serfent Rolle.

The letter, dated February 4, solidified with immediate effect a formal end to what Mr Moultrie called his “seven-month

Nassau & Bahama Islands’ Leading Newspaper

SEE PAGE THREE

By TANYA SMITHCARTWRIGHT tsmith-cartwright@ tribunemedia.net

TWO Bahamas Technical and Vocational Institute staff members have been fired for stealing following an independent investigation by its board of directors.

According to a statement yesterday the thefts were restricted to the two employees and were not part of a larger criminal operation.

SEE PAGE FIVE

ANOTHER SLICE OF HISTORY LOST TO OUR APATHY

SEE PAGE NINE

PAGE 2, Friday, February 5, 2021

THE TRIBUNE

NURSES holding a protest outside the Office of the Prime Minister yesterday.

Photos: Donovan McIntosh/Tribune Staff

PM promises nurses: I’ll sort money from page one Nurses’ protests come as the country is preparing to receive COVID-19 vaccines and begin its vaccination process, with the essential workers needed to carry out the jabs.

Yesterday, Ms Williams told The Tribune that if the money is not paid as promised, it may negatively affect the vaccination process.

“We went in the meeting and the Prime Minister met with us, him and his entourage, and the Prime Minister said if he has to pay with his own salary,

he will make sure that nurses are paid,” said Ms Williams.

“He has directed a finance officer to pay the nurses in the Commonwealth of The Bahamas. Whatever he promised from July that would’ve been done must be done. It’s being orchestrated right now. (Today) we will confirm the date but me, my team and the rest of the nurses, we are hoping that that will be able to go through next week Thursday.

“I don’t want to say a timeframe soon but definitely we will know when that money is coming by (today).”

This comes after nurses in the Department of Public Health continued their protests at the Office of the Prime Minister (OPM) demanding to speak with Dr Minnis after he evaded the nurses as they demonstrated outside Parliament on Wednesday.

Workers in the department say they have not received overtime pay for time worked during Hurricane Dorian and now, during the COVID19 pandemic. They are also claiming to be owed financial increments and honorary gifts promised to them during the pandemic.

Before the meetings with government officials yesterday, the BNU president told reporters that nurses will “do whatever it takes” to ensure that their cries do not fall on deaf ears and their concerns are addressed.

“We are going to stand together. If we shut down A and E (Accident and Emergency) today, what happens? Everything closes down in Nassau and the clinic closes. That’s why we tell the public, call on your representatives and tell them ‘whatever y’all doing, wherever y’all at, make

sure the nurses get paid,’” she said as nurses gathered around her, standing in solidarity.

This is the third demonstration the nurses have held this week. They gathered in protest at the Ministry of Health on Monday and again on Wednesday in Rawson Square.

The group continued their demonstration at the OPM yesterday morning.

They were later escorted off the property by police officers – forcing workers to protest outside the building’s entrance.

On the issues of pay and vaccines, Ms Williams told The Tribune: “It must be paid this pay period because they won’t have nobody to be campaigning no vaccine and … you won’t have no one to look to.

“That’s their specialty. To your understanding, vaccines and any immunisation falls under the community nurse so if you ask the PMH nurse (to do it ), they’ll say ‘yes, we know it, we can do the injections’ but then we have to familiarise yourself because we don’t deal with that aspect. That’s (the nurses at Department of Public Health) specialty.”

Addressing nurses’

BAHAMAS Nurses Union President Amancha Williams. concerns on Wednesday, (Public Hospitals) AuthorHealth Minister Renward ity. The authority has their Wells explained that most bank and you know what nurses had already been paid. happens with the authority He told the House of but we’re saying that these Assembly that the Public nurses come underneath Hospitals Authority nurses your umbrella – you and have received their over- the public service and the time. However, he said, Ministry of Health. there is some overtime “So, why didn’t you make paperwork issue regarding sure that your nurses get some nurses in the Depart- sorted out? We’re not talkment of Public Health. ing about Ms (Catherine In an earlier interview Weech at PHA). Ms Weech with The Tribune, he said made sure her nurses and officials are in the process her operation was in proof paying those individuals. gress. She made sure that However, yesterday, the she knows that she needs BNU president criticised to pay the overtime and she the minister’s remarks, speaks with her financial saying the issue should’ve controllers and they make already been rectified. sure to let her know how to She told reporters: “Like manage the hospitals propwe said, we realise that the erly so that they will have minister is playing with workers. words to sympathise the “You know that you have public like he did some a shortage, you know that payments.

If anyone you were accrued overtime knows that PMH is differ- so that should be fitting in ent from DPH. These are your budget... They knew the Department of Health they had a shortage and nurses.

That’s totally they know they need these different. nurses. They know that “So, what the minister is they would’ve had oversaying — we’re not saying time accrued so what you that PMH nurses didn’t get should’ve done is make pay. PMH nurses work in a sure your budget reflected hospital. They are under the the overtime.”

THE TRIBUNE

Friday, February 5, 2021, PAGE 3

Halson Moultrie quits FNM from page one constructive withdrawal” from the FNM. “As a member of Parliament for the Nassau Village Constituency and 54th Speaker of the House of Assembly, it is my intent to continue to serve, to the best of my abilities as an independent member, until the House is either prorogued for the purpose of electing a new speaker or dissolved for general elections,” he continued.

He thanked his constituents, saying he was grateful for the overwhelming confidence reposed in him and asked for their continued cooperation in “these troubled times”.

“Be reassured that our hope is built on nothing less than Jesus’ blood and righteousness,” the MP continued, adding he would consult his wife and constituents before making a determination on the way forward.

The resignation did not come as a surprise to some observers who said they had seen the writing on the wall for months.

Former House Speaker Dr Kendal Major is among those not surprised by the move.

He said the situation puts the government in an “interesting conundrum” and maintained that in The Bahamas, a majority governing party cannot remove the Speaker. The holder of such a post must resign or

a new one appointed after the House is dissolved, he said.

“I am not surprised because he was becoming more and more frustrated and more dogged and determined that it was becoming untenable,” Dr Major said.

“He made demands and was pushing to get those demands met and I think he feels like there is nothing much to lose now because he has lost the confidence and the cozy relationship with the hierarchy of the party and the House and so he is challenging it. He’s actually challenging the status quo. It’s actually very interesting.

“The Speaker has them in vice-grip. They can’t do anything with him,” Dr Major said. “The Speaker doesn’t have to come from a party at all and that’s why the House has to be prorogued.

“He’s a member of Parliament, period. They are in a vice-grip. They definitely have a problem.

They either have to accept it, which there are egos all over the place, or go to (a) general election.”

In November, while at an event in his constituency, Mr Moultrie said there was a deliberate attempt to undermine his authority and suggested to reporters that Prime Minister Dr Hubert Minnis acted like a “demigod” in the face of pushback on matters of principle that challenge the executive branch of government.

Earlier that same month, he turned in the keys to his office to the government because he was not satisfied with the state of his office and bathroom facilities.

He refused to set foot in that area again unless the situation was corrected.

And earlier this week, he referred a complaint Progressive Liberal Party Leader Philip “Brave” Davis made against Attorney General Carl Bethel to the Committee of Privilege, despite opposition from the governing side.

Last night, FNM insiders said there was more friction behind the scenes.

“No prime minister has returned the autonomy of the House of Assembly since Sir Lynden Pindling removed it,” an FNM source said. “But he wants this prime minister to put it back. He also got upset when it was announced that they were building a new Supreme Court because he wants a new House of Assembly.

“But, the icing on the

cake was when he was told by the party that the people no longer wanted him.

“Disregard all he said about this no longer being untenable. This is him being upset because constituents no longer want his representation. He was told that to run again for Nassau Village would be a win for the PLP.” In a statement issued last night, the Progressive Liberal Party said the resig

nation is evidence that the FNM is “imploding”.

“The sudden resignation of House Speaker Halson Moultrie presents increasing evidence that the FNM is imploding as the wheels are falling off one by one under the weight of what appears to be increasing division in the party’s leadership ranks,” PLP Chairman Fred Mitchell said.

“The latest resignation follows the departure of House members Reece Chipman and Vaughn Miller. We remind all Bahamians that the Speaker of the House cannot be removed by the government majority.

“In our country the Speaker remains in place either until he either resigns or the House is dissolved for a general election.”

EQUINOR SITE CLEAN-UP CONTINUING

THE EQUINOR facility after the spill.

FAKE NYGARD VIDEO REPORTED TO POLICE from page one In a press statement yesterday, HRB accused political “operatives” of producing the video in the hopes of exploiting victims to try and score crass political points.

The video, seen by The Tribune, accuses a woman, whose testimony against Nygard is contained in official court documents, of perpetrating crimes against other victims.

Her name and image are shown in the video.

HRB said seeking to hijack and impersonate human rights organisations, whose mission is to uphold and defend the fundamental rights and freedoms of all individuals in The Bahamas, is the tactic better suited to banana republics and failed states.

“The bogus video. . .seeks to shamelessly and heartlessly exploit the victims of Peter Nygard’s alleged sex trafficking ring to try and score crass political points,” HRB said. “It pretends to acknowledge the incredible sacrifice of these heroic young women, who found the courage to stand up and speak truth to power when no one else would. In reality, it is nothing more than a cheap political stunt that trivialises and takes advantage of the unspeakable trauma and suffering these victims have endured.

“The victims, and the victims alone, deserve the

credit for their remarkable bravery in coming forward.

“Such cynical and quite frankly disgusting tactics, pursued at the expense of survivors of (alleged) horrific sexual crimes, mark a new low in the political discourse of this country.

Those responsible should be utterly ashamed and deserve to be universally condemned by all rightthinking people.”

It continued: “For the record, Human Rights Bahamas had nothing to do with this fraudulent video. We could not disagree more with its barbaric message, and we strongly condemn the reprehensible individuals responsible for perpetrating this fraud.

“Our organisation fully supports and applauds the bravery of all the victims of Peter Nygard’s alleged crimes, including those courageous whistleblowers that this vile video seeks to scapegoat and victimise for political ends.”

HRB said it intends to pursue this matter to the fullest extent of the law and is committed to exposing the “shameless” individuals responsible for what it called a “travesty”.

“We also intend to offer a reward for information concerning the individuals who created and distributed this vile material.”

The Royal Bahamas Police Force did not respond to inquiries on the complaint up to press time.

By DENISE MAYCOCK Tribune Freeport Reporter dmaycock@tribunemedia.net

EQUINOR’S clean-up work at South Riding Point in East Grand Bahama continues, with a target completion of forest cleaning early this year, according to a consultant who works closely with the multinational energy company.

“All clean-up efforts at the facility have not stopped and all appropriate regulatory oversight of such has been maintained for thorough and on schedule completion targets,” the consultant noted.

According to information provided to The Tribune, “the pine forest has shown strong regrowth in treated areas”. It was further noted that teams using manual remedial techniques to carry out treatment in impacted areas, and that of the surveyed 350.8 acres recommended for treatment, 84.6 percent have been recommended for

no further treatment since September 2019.

The Tribune, however, was informed by a wellplaced source with an environmental group that only an estimated 30 percent of the affected forest area was cleaned up since last March following the coronavirus pandemic shutdown.

Last July when environmentalists at Save the Bays and Waterkeepers Bahamas visited the site to conduct an assessment, they reported that work had not resumed and that thick vegetation had grown back and covered a lot of the oil that was still sitting on the ground.

During an eco-risk assessment, they collected samples for review by an expert assessor. The results of those samples are still pending.

When asked about the cleanup operation at Equinor, the consultant noted that “all cleanup efforts at South Riding Point have not stopped and all appropriate regulatory oversight

of such has been maintained for thorough and on schedule completion targets.”

He stated: “Prior to the present pandemic, periodic face to face presentations and updates were made with stakeholders inclusive of environmental groups.

Equinor’s commitment to transparency, the environment and wellbeing of our communities have not changed. The clean up work continues. Equinor is about productive results that continue to protect our environment,” he said.

Ground water monitoring has also been conducted by an independent consulting and engineering firm approved by Bahamas government regulators, to ensure that no impact resulting from the oil spill was present and full reports have been communicated to the regulatory agency.

It has been reported that “all sampling events are consistent and indicate no impact to the aquifer from

crude oil constituents.”

The government appointed a National Oil Spill Contingency Advisory Committee to monitor the spill at Equinor. The committee, which consists of a cross-section of industry stakeholders, has made visits to assess the scope of the spill site.

The Equinor facility has a storage capacity of 6.5 million barrels of oil.

In September 2019 when Hurricane Dorian made landfall in Grand Bahama, experts suspect tornadic activity propelled the oil spill. There was 1.8 million barrels of crude oil stored at the plant. Of that, 55,000 barrels were dispersed at the plant and nearby forest.

It was noted that “all free phased oil has been removed post Dorian, and that inside terminal debris removal are all on target for completion in 2021, and all cleanup efforts are reported to appropriate government regulatory agencies as required.”

PAGE 4, Friday, February 5, 2021

THE TRIBUNE

AIRBNB INDUSTRY SUFFERING SHORTAGE OF BOOKINGS

By TANYA SMITHCARTWRIGHT tsmith-cartwright@ tribunemedia.net

AS the COVID-19 virus continues to wreak havoc around the world many stakeholders in the Airbnb industry here are feeling the pinch having little to no bookings.

The UK is on lockdown, Canada has imposed new travel restrictions and the US has put in place testing requirements for those entering the country to slow the spread of the disease.

The country’s tourism industry has felt the punch from the travel slowdown.

While mega resorts and boutique properties have reported low bookings, the

Airbnb market is also feeling the negative effects of the pandemic.

Madge Brown owns condos in western New Providence. She had a healthy vacation rental business until COVID-19 entered the picture.

“Things are really bad right now,” she told The Tribune. “For us, Airbnb is a new industry here in The Bahamas which took off in a blaze and then the pandemic came. Naturally, everyone had the idea of vacation at home when the borders were closed. So a few of us who own the rentals said to make ends meet, we would just rent out the places to locals for the weekends, etc. Bad idea.”

She said her foray in

renting to locals was not a good experience.

“We thought they were tired of being at home so to change the scenery they would use the rentals for long weekends, etc. Instead they were renting our places for wild parties, destroying the foliage, wrecking the place and worst of all, causing the police to come and shut them down and complaints were filed with neighbours.”

Ms Brown when her business took a negative dive, tried to tap into the European market to see if she could capitalise on the closure of a resort in The Bahamas that catered to Europeans. That did not work out.

She explained, “When we

heard Club Med was closing, I contacted my cousin who lives in Europe. She has a travel agency there so I asked her to try to attract those guests who would have been interested in or booked to go to Club Med. She tried, but the virus is now on a rampage over there in Europe again so there are so many restrictions, we could not get anyone to book.

“So the struggle continues. So until this pandemic is over, we have to contend with the trickle we are now getting from a failing tourist product. We will be happy to see the back of COVID-19’s head, believe you me. So now, it’s a rental every once in a while.”

Cathy Kemp owns

Airbnb properties in Eleuthera. Her properties are currently occupied, she is also looking forward to the end of the pandemic so that business can be booming again.

“I’m not being affected right at this time because I have guests in now. It’s a little slow, overall. Usually around this time we already have lots of guests coming in, but nothing big is happening as yet. So hopefully the pandemic will slow down so that people can travel. And, the stipulations now make it even more difficult,” she said.

Asked if she has thought of renting it to locals on a monthly basis to get income, she said she would rather hold out for tourist

rentals.

She continued, “You rent it and you end up getting all sorts of damage so you might as well just hold out for the tourists.”

Jean Newry, proprietor of Earldora’s in The Bluff, Eleuthera, said although tourists would be welcomed, her guests are mainly locals.

Ms. Newry said, “I am retired. God has blessed me. I do get rentals. I have been blessed like that. I don’t want for anything.

The rentals are not like before the pandemic, but enough for me to live, I suppose. I’ve never had too many tourists as guests. My guests mostly are natives.

So the absence of tourists is not affecting me too much.”

Over-65s won’t have UK vaccine from page one a small population, that we will hold (off on) that group. Given the new literature, we will have to review that data and we really need rather than rely on press releases of scientific data to have an opportunity to look at the published data that has gone under peer-review.

“A group of scientists, including our national representatives, will have active discussion on this and then such recommendations will be taken to the committee and then we will decide. But the plan is, from this morning’s plan, was to limit our grouping to 18-65.”

Dr Dahl-Regis could not say exactly when the vaccine will arrive in the country, noting that the promised 100,000 doses could come in two tranches as opposed to all at once.

“We don’t know,” she said. “We are expecting that it may come in two tranches, but those tranches will be close together. We

will know more in a week’s time when they tell us but we’re just in a holding pattern right now.”

She said officials will follow the scientific recommendation that a two-dose regimen be administered, meaning 50,000 people will be eligible to receive the first 100,000 doses. Officials said the second dose will be administered 12 weeks later.

Health officials have formed three “priority groups”, a characterisation that will dictate who gets the vaccine and when.

Group one includes healthcare workers, uniform branch workers and elder care providers.

Group two includes people with disabilities, people living in congregate settings, critical workers in high-risk settings, other essential service workers, people with co-morbidities and underlying chronic conditions and sea, air and ground persons.

Group three will include all other people.

Dr Dahl-Regis said

officials anticipate that the vaccination process for the first batch of vaccines will be completed over six weeks.

The proposed distribution sequence includes the first four weeks for New Providence, Grand Bahama and Bimini, weeks two to five for Abaco, the Abaco cays and Exuma, and weeks four through six for Andros, the Berry Islands and Eleuthera.

“At the outset, healthcare workers at public health facilities, vaccinators and frontline workers will be targeted early in the administration process. On islands with small populations, health teams will immunise all eligible residents, they will not follow the priority groups. They are small populations,” Dr Dahl-Regis said.

“The vaccines will be administered at accessible locations in communities throughout The Bahamas to increase access to all Bahamians and residents and ensure equitable distribution of vaccines to

DR Merceline Dahl-Regis speaking yesterday. those who choose to take it. There will be a focus on high-risk populations where COVID-19 has occurred.”

The vaccination process will involve registration for the vaccine, vaccine receipt, monitoring for adverse effects and then certification.

Pre-registration available online and at registration centres across the country.

Dr Dahl Regis noted that some people should not get the vaccine.

“Extra precautions must be taken to determine if there are significant

Photo: Ulric Woodside/BIS

allergies or if the immune system is compromised to the point that significantly reduces the effect of the vaccine. This is the reason why we must protect those who cannot receive the vaccine. “Getting the vaccine protects not only you but those around you,” she said.

The Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine, which was coinvented by the University of Oxford, will be provided through the World Health Organisation’s COVAX facility.

Although the government

did not have a choice in which vaccine it would get from the WHO, Dr DahlRegis said among the three most prominent vaccines worldwide – Oxford-AstraZeneca, Pfizer and Moderna – the OxfordAstraZeneca vaccine is the one that officials preferred.

“We were quite amenable to receiving Moderna but because of the ultracold requirements of Pfizer we recognise that would have been a challenge for portability, particularly throughout the archipelago,” she said.

TOTAL CASES TOTAL DEATHS

8,247 176 NEWLY CONFIRMED CASES WEDNESDAY 16 CASES NEW PROVIDENCE 13 GRAND BAHAMA 1 ELEUTHERA 1 ANDROS 1

TOTAL TESTS

61,201

HOSPITALISED

16

CASES IN ICU

0

RECOVERED

6,818

NYGARD ATTORNEYS TO TAKE APPEAL BID TO PRIVY COUNCIL ATTORNEYS for Peter Nygard are seeking conditional leave to appeal to the Privy Council over the Court of Appeal’s rejection of his appeal of a contempt conviction.

The application, filed yesterday, notes several grounds for appeal.

Earlier this week, the Court of Appeal refused Nygard’s application for leave to appeal a contempt conviction for breaching an injunction that banned him from publishing stolen emails from environmental group Save The Bays.

In November 2019, a judge sentenced the Canadian fashion mogul to 90 days in prison and fined him $150,000 - plus $5,000 a day if he failed to comply with the court’s judgement. That means Nygard’s attempts to avoid paying have potentially cost him an extra

$2,225,000 under the terms of the judgement.

Nygard was found to be in contempt of an order restricting him from interacting with the environmental advocacy group’s emails, which he was accused of obtaining through unlawful means.

Last year, Nygard appealed his contempt conviction on the grounds the fine and sentence handed down to him was too harsh.

Recently, he sought to attain an extension of time within which to appeal the contempt order.

This week Justices Jon Isaacs, Maureen CraneScott and Roy Jones refused the appellant’s application for leave to appeal out of time, dismissed the appeal and affirmed the conviction and sentence handed down to Nygard with costs to the respondents.

THE TRIBUNE

TWO BTVI STAFFERS DISMISSED FOR THEFT from page one

The BTVI confirmation of the sackings failed to say if criminal charges were being filed against the employees.

The investigation also exonerated a senior staff member who was subject to claims circulated in a flyer that accused that person of being the leader of a theft ring. The flyer said two employees were fired, but the senior staff member remained without consequence.

“An investigation was recently launched into allegations of a theft ring at the Bahamas Technical and Vocational Institute (BTVI),” BTVI’s statement noted.

“While two employees were terminated for theft, no evidence of a theft ring was found.

“As a result of the independent investigations, the board has also confirmed that the allegations of a theft ring and impropriety involving a senior executive, are totally without merit. In particular, the senior executive was fully exonerated.”

In an interview with The Tribune last week, BTVI chairman Kevin Basden, did not confirm if the employees were fired, but advised that an investigation into malfeasance at the institution was ongoing.

When contacted yesterday to find out if anyone would face criminal charges, Mr Basden said he was not willing to comment beyond the statement.

“Right now we just want to stand by the press release as it’s written,” he said. “Some things were unfounded and we don’t want to continue on with this. So basically we just want to stand by the press release that is issued. I don’t want to create a back and forth, particularly when persons’ names have been slandered without any merit, etcetera.”

BTVI’s statement said once management was aware of theft claims, the board moved swiftly to have independent investigations carried out. It said the inquiry was authorised at the board level and the board took responsibility for the matter and is satisfied that the investigation was thorough and conducted without bias.

Meanwhile the Union of Tertiary Educators of The Bahamas, which is seeking to represent workers at BTVI, is angered about another investigation at the institution.

According to the union, BTVI’s executive management carried out an investigation to find out who made and circulated the flyer announcing the

axing of the two employees and the allegations about the senior staff member.

In a statement UTEB said, “On Wednesday, February 3, 2021, a member of the Bahamas Technical and Vocational Institute (BTVI) faculty was summoned by the president, Robert Robertson to be interviewed by the institution’s private investigator.

“Firstly, UTEB takes exception to the faculty being directed to attend a meeting with an unknown private investigator without being advised as to the purpose of the meeting. This is indicative of the disdain of administration to faculty.”

UTEB President Daniel Thompson accompanied the staff member to the meeting. The UTEB statement continued, “The private investigator provided written documents that contained allegations of gross irregularities and inappropriate behaviour of a senior administrator at BTVI. Rather than investigate the veracity of the allegations, the investigator engaged in actions akin to a ‘holy inquisition’, attempting to identify and extricate the whistleblower.

“This should be illegal. The said investigator engaged in a ‘witch hunt’, threatening and attempting to intimidate the faculty with speculations and unsubstantiated claims that had to be quickly withdrawn. What we experienced today was not an inquiry, but an inquisition and a blatant and overt attempt by BTVI and its board of directors to intimidate and silence the voice of the faculty and aggrieved staff.”

The UTEB statement said the documents provided by the BTVI private investigator contained allegations against a senior official, however the person continues to be engaged in the day-to-day operations at the school.

“These same workers are now being pursued to identify the whistleblower or whistle blowers, to extricate or ‘fire’ them from the academy. I cry shame on those who have brought the situation at our national technical and vocational tertiary level academy into disdain. The board seems more occupied in covering up this situation, than addressing the myriad of labour issues at the institute,” the UTEB leader said.

The statement also called on BTVI to investigate all allegations and let the chips fall where they may.

A BTVI source told The Tribune there should be a police investigation carried out at the institution as theft by employees is reportedly only the tip of the iceberg.

Friday, February 5, 2021, PAGE 5

Talks are held on school reopening

By EARYEL BOWLEG Tribune Staff Reporter ebowleg@tribunemedia.net

EDUCATION Minister Jeffrey Lloyd said officials held meetings with education unions this week on the way forward for schools on certain islands that will return to face-to-face learning under a hybrid model.

He previously said public schools in New Providence, Abaco, Exuma and Eleuthera would not meet the February 1 target to resume face-to-face instruction as talks were still continuing with health officials.

Speaking to reporters at the Ministry of Education yesterday, Mr Lloyd said he met with Bahamas Union of Teachers, Bahamas Educators Managers Union, and the Bahamas Public Service Union on Wednesday.

“Yesterday we had a meeting with two unions… and we think we are on track for a time in February when schools in those four islands will return to the hybrid model, the blended model, because as we indicated the schools on those islands are not able to accommodate all

EDUCATION Minister Jeff Lloyd. of the students at the same time and still maintain the required health protocols,” he said.

“The protocols, remember those are established by health, and they are mandated by the emergency

orders as promulgated by the competent authority, so that’s established. Nothing that we or the union or anybody else can do about that.

“What we are talking about in our discussion is how that is going to be

applied in the Ministry of Education specifically and how that application is going to impact the teachers or the educators and (administrators) or, in the case the janitors or the other workers that form that part of the union – the Bahamas Public Services Union.”

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

As for questions concerning teachers receiving the vaccine, the minister made it clear that the government’s position is that vaccines are not mandatory but voluntary.

“It is now a discussion with Cabinet as to which workers would be priority and I certainly know that teachers are among that category of workers that we consider to be frontline. We’re dealing with a host of students, so Cabinet is in the process of making that decision right at this moment,” Mr Lloyd said.

LLOYD: UP TO VOTERS IF I AM RE-ELECTED

By EARYEL BOWLEG Tribune Staff Reporter ebowleg@tribunemedia.net

INCUMBENT South Beach MP Jeffrey Lloyd said that while he is satisfied with his personal record as the area’s representative, it is up to voters to decide if he is re-elected.

Election season kicked into gear this week as both of the country’s major parties, the Free National Movement (FNM) and the Progressive Liberal Party (PLP), put out partial lists

of ratified candidates. Mr Lloyd was one of the 17 ratified candidates the FNM announced while the PLP has nominated Bacchus Rolle to be its standard bearer for South Beach.

When he was asked if he was confident about being re-elected, the MP and Education Minister told reporters he will continue to serve Bahamians inside or outside of the political arena.

He said: “I am satisfied with the record of Free National Movement and

my personal record as the representative for the South Beach constituency but as always that decision about who represents the particular constituency resides in the exclusive portfolio of the residents and the voters of that particular constituency. It’s up to them.

“I have… committed myself and I have done so all my life to be a servant of our people. I believe that I have done. I have done so appropriately and I will continue to do so whether in or out of politics.”

Other FNM ratified incumbent candidates included: Marathon MP Romauld Ferreira, Free Town MP Dionisio D’Aguilar, Tall Pines MP Donald Saunders, Mount Moriah MP Marvin Dames and Bamboo Town MP Renward Wells, Yamacraw MP Elsworth Johnson, MICAL MP Miriam Emmanuel, Golden Gates MP Michael Foulkes, North Abaco MP Darren Henfield and Bain and Grants Town MP Travis Robinson.

PAGE 6, Friday, February 5, 2021

THE TRIBUNE

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Speaker’s departure a sign of election times THE ever-disgruntled House Speaker, Halson Moultrie, has quit the Free National Movement.

There is of course the temptation to read into this what it might mean for the FNM, particularly at a time when the election countdown is underway.

PLP chairman Fred Mitchell was quick to peer at the tea leaves and conclude it meant the FNM was “imploding as the wheels are falling off one by one”.

Mr Moultrie is the third member of the FNM to resign, in the wake of Reece Chipman and Vaughn Miller, the latter of which has joined the PLP. Mr Moultrie himself says it is the end of a “seven-month constructive withdrawal” from the FNM. It coincides with the announcement of a number of candidates for the FNM for the upcoming election – and one wonders whether Mr Moultrie was likely to be selected again if indeed he has been separating himself from the party for several months.

The Speaker himself had long complained about the independence of the legislative branch from the executive branch of government. He also complained about the state of his offices – going so far as to turn in his keys in November because he was not satisfied with the office and bathroom facilities.

He also attracted attention for the wrong reasons at times – such as the backlash he received when he said that

spiritually a husband cannot rape his wife. He also lashed out at “fake” stories in the press without making clear what he was talking about, and clashed with a reporter for taking photographs in the House of Assembly.

It is fair to say that Mr Moultrie’s time in his role as Speaker has been a turbulent one – and the rift between him and his party over issues in the House seems to have grown over time.

Insiders in the FNM told The Tribune that constituents no longer wanted his representation. One said: “He was told that to run again for Nassau Village would be a win for the PLP.” So the PLP will say this shows the FNM is falling apart. The FNM will say he was no longer wanted. And Mr Moultrie says that his continued association was “divergent and untenable”.

Perhaps he is retiring from the battlefield before he suffers defeat. Whatever the combination of reasons, one thing is clear – we are on the path to the next election, and behind the scenes candidates are being locked down. That might upset some – whether it’s Mr Moultrie in the FNM or Leslie Miller over in the PLP as he vies for a seat there.

It will be interesting indeed to see how Mr Moultrie proceeds in his duties as Speaker. That is a role where independence is undoubtedly welcome – and Mr Moultrie will no longer have any ties to hold him back.

How many more, Jah, must carry this load?

EDITOR, The Tribune.

IT IS with an acute sense of pain that I write to express my deep concern as a Bahamian father/grandfather/brother/uncle, against the barbaric acts being perpetrated on our young Bahamian men, by other young Bahamian men. My pain, although not resulting from some physical trauma on my being, is no less painful, for it originates from deep within my soul.

My heart aches at the almost daily news reports of another young man’s life being violently snuffed out.

And even as it quakes at the oft-time insensitive, callous and extremely graphic videos making the rounds on social media of yet another young Bahamian son falling to the ground under a fusillade of bullets, in the deep recesses of my mind, the words of John King in his song “How Many More Jah”, bubble up.

Please permit me to share if only a bit of it: “Hear my plea, oh Jah. A song for my land (Bahamaland).

Rose up early this morning, to the sound of crying.

Another mother shedding her tear, oh Jah. Why all the pain and suffering, why all the senseless killing Could it be that nobody cares.

So many sons lost in the slaughter Blood running in the streets like water A gun in hand knows no friend.

Warmongers selling death in my land Getting rich off the souls of we children.

Can you tell me when will it end?

How many more, Jah, must carry this load

jamaaltheartist@gmail.com

How many more, Jah, before we track down Zion Road?

Like John King, I ask my Creator even as the carnage continues unabated on our street... How many more mothers and fathers and sisters and brothers must carry this load of saying goodbye to young men whose potentials will never be realized.

How many more deaths do we as a nation have to go through before each of us walks the path that must be travelled by all men.

I reflect on my time (20072012) as the first Director of the National Anti-Drug Secretariat (NADS) situated within the Ministry of National Security. I can vividly recall receiving a call from Dr. Debbie Bartlett who had had a history of working in the inner city.

Dr. Bartlett shared with me that she was in contact with a number of gang leaders operating in communities throughout New Providence.

These men wanted to meet with the Minister of National Security and the top brass of our Law Enforcement Agencies, to share their concerns about a new breed of gang bangers coming up in their organisations.

The first meeting was organised and held at the East Street Gospel Chapel, and it was chilling to hear these gang leaders who candidly admitted to sometime trying to “take each other out”, express their deep concerns about the new crop of young men rising in the various organisations.

To a man, they described this group of youngsters as “men without souls”.

The leaders identified as incubating factors for the growth of gangs: 1. Lack of education; 2. Poverty

3. Lack of opportunities 4. Incarceration with hardened criminals They felt that the lack of opportunities for gainful employment, especially for those who might have run afoul of the law and served time in prison, was perhaps the most important factor in keeping young men in the gangs.

These gang leaders themselves offered as a first-step suggestion to mitigate against the rise of these “soulless young men”, the awarding of contracts and other assistance from the Government and Corporate citizens, which would empower each leader in his respective community to utilise the young men of that community to keep the area clean. They spoke of sporting competitions between communities, and increasing social activities between communities.

Sadly in my view, this warning and plea for help was ignored, and again in my view, the country is now seeing the full manifestation of the fears of those gang leaders. We have indeed seen the rise of “the soulless young men”.

Whether it is too late now to follow-up on and implement those early suggestions proffered, I do not know.

What I do know though is that our beloved country cannot just continue to mourn over and to bury our future, our potential.

“How many more, Jah, must carry this load. How many more, Jah, before we trot down Zion’s road”.

CAPT GODFREY G ROLLE RBDF (Rtrd) Former Ambassador to The Republic of Haiti.

Nassau, February 4, 2021.

Jamaal Rolle is on holiday

An archaic judicial system EDITOR, The Tribune.

THE entire nation knows that I am a disbarred lawyer acting now as a socalled media personality and radio talk show host.

This illustrates that when one door is closed in one’s face one must adapt and recalibrate one’s career path. In many ways I thank the Lord Jesus Christ for the experience and knowledge which I would have gained after disbarment.

They could not have been learned or imparted from an Ivy League College or university. They came with the licks and knocks of life itself.

Having said that, however, the law and procedure which I would have “forgotten” since my long enforced sojourn in the legal wilderness most of the current members of The Bar will never ever get to know. At the outset allow me to make it quite clear. I have no animosity towards anyone who is connected to the legal profession or the judiciary. My gripe, if any, is towards the archaic judicial and legal systems.

Each year during the opening of the traditional legal year, the eminent jurists and members of the legal profession are to be making a spectacle as they march/parade from the Supreme Court to a prominent church (usually Christ Church Cathedral) dressed in full regalia…inclusive of full bottomed horse hair wigs and garters of old.

Once seated in church, a large percentage of the attendees who I am certain do not know God, much less fear Him, lustily sing hymns; utter some unintelligible prayers; listen to boring recitations by the Learned Chief Justice, de jure; the Attorney General and then the President of the Bar Association. The presiding celebrant will then go on to give a half dead sermon and the crowd will then retire back to the sanctuary of the Supreme Court for a taxpayer’s subsidised lunch. There is nothing inherently wrong with this.

What is wrong and has been wrong for decades is that little or nothing is redressed or addressed after the pomp and ceremony. Our judicial system long before the pandemic was disjointed and in a bad

LETTERS letters@tribunemedia.net state of disrepair. We do not have a publicly owned Supreme Court complex where all of the supreme courts could/should be located with an adequately stocked and maintained law library.

Some courts are in the Ansbacher House at East and Shirley Streets.

Others are still housed in the old Supreme Court Building at Bank Lane.

Some are on Bank Lane.

Others are on Marlborough Street. If there are any more I do not know where they are. Robing rooms for practitioners are nonexistent. Decent bathroom accommodations for practitioners and the public are in a terrible state of repair and maintenance. Who cares?

I have long been a partisan of the current Chief Justice, Sir Brian Moree, QC. Probably long before he even thought about seeking/accepting that post, I was a voice crying in the legal wilderness for his elevation. When he was sworn in there could not have been anyone more proud of that other than perhaps his immediate family, Lady Angela and the boys. I am still proud of Sir Brian and wish him all that is best as he seeks to modernise the judiciary and its public services.

The government of the day controls the budget for the judiciary and the maintenance of court complexes.

There have been debates and proposals about modernising the Civil Procedure Rules for at least 20 years and counting. There is now loose talk about ‘forcing’ litigants into enforced and possibly unwanted mediation. This prima facie seems unconstitutional.

Long before the pandemic the court and judicial systems were and remain to this very day in absolute shambles. Litigants are unable to access the filing stations in the Magistrates Courts. One to put it simply would have great difficulty in filing a Magistrate’s Court Summons much less obtaining a timely trial date, if at all. In the Supreme Court one is still able to file a Summons (usually at B$300 a pop)

and if you are lucky you may get the original back in a week or two.

To access a file in the Registry of the Supreme Court one (inclusive of lawyers) must submit an electronic request if you have access to a computer and wait for staff members to inform you when to come in. All of this theatrics is damaging the economy and hindering the judicial system big time.

Yet, no one appears to care.

Why? Dates for civil hearings; divorces; probates and the list goes on and are sadly capricious, in my considered view. In short the courts are constipated and when the sewerage pipes burst the legendary accumulated shaving cream, for want of a better word, will hit the fan. And so, yet another legal year has been ushered in with great pomp and ceremony.

The legal system is just as bad if not worse than the judiciary. There are scores of complaints before Bar Council which never seem to get addressed. The lawyers who are complained about are able to continue to practice, willy-nilly, until a decision is made by Bar Council. Even if an adverse ruling the disciplined attorney is still in practice until a final ruling by a higher court. This could go on for decades while the public is denied justice and/ compensation.

Who cares? Compensation for land compulsorily acquired, years and years ago cannot or will not be disposed of by the AG, de jure and to get a timely mediation hearing is impossible. There was loose talk about digitalising the records of all courts from Sir Lynden’s hey days.

Physical files have long been suspected of walking out of the various court registries.

Yes, there is much work that Sir Brian and his political counterparts have to do but, as a man of the system and former practitioner, I will not hold my breath as I would be long deceased and gone before there is light at the end of the judicial and legal systems. To God then, the greatest Jurist, in all things, be the glory.

ORTLAND H BODIE Jr Nassau, January 31, 2021.

Readers have their say READERS have been posting their reactions to the stories making the news this week on tribune242. com.

After Tourism Minister Dionisio d’Aguilar said he expects “things will begin to improve” in the country’s tourism industry by the third quarter of the year, ThisIsOurs said: “Here’s the kicker, all we need is one unvaccinated positive person to get on a cruise ship, turn up positive either enroute or while here and it’s over. Again.

“At this point I believe planning for a tourist influx before 2023 is more than overly optimistic.

“What we should be doing is planning for the other than tourism. Unfortunately we wasted the most valuable year talking about when we open in November 2020. Now we talking about when we open in November 2021.”

Anton Saunders, RoyalStar Assurance’s managing

director. challenged how The Bahamas could enforce the IMF’s “mandatory property insurance” proposal when it is currently failing to do this with existing laws.

That prompted this response from Bobsyeruncle: “If you can afford to buy a property, surely you can afford the insurance?

One way to enforce this would be by the mortgage lender requiring proof of insurance on an annual basis and/or making the monthly insurance premiums part of their monthly mortgage payments.

“Renters, obviously should have the option to have their own renters insurance for their own personal property that they keep on the property.

Some landlords require renters to carry their own renters insurance as part of the lease agreement, and have to provide proof before they can actually move in.”

To which Rodentos responded with: “Now guess what happens with the rental prices, if all landlords are forced to buy a $3000-4000-5000 insurance?

Are the rental prices going to go up or down for the tenants?”

And after Health Minister Renward Wells said while his ministry considers all recommendations made by medical experts to help in the fight against COVID19, it will only follow those that are “salient” and “valuable”, Jonlucaya had this to say: “The best investment to make right now is to vaccinate 100% of the population immediately.

Borrow the money if necessary. With proper planning this can be completed in one month. Then our country may get back to ‘normal’ as long as we are mindful of our borders.”

• Don’t miss your chance to join the debate on tribune242.com

THE TRIBUNE

Friday, February 5, 2021, PAGE 7

Dispute resolution ‘can help to deal with case backlog’

By DENISE MAYCOCK Tribune Freeport Reporter dmaycock@tribunemedia.net

CLESO Rolle outside court yesterday.

Photo: Donovan McIntosh/Tribune Staff

MAN CHARGED WITH MURDER

By FARRAH JOHNSON Tribune Staff Reporter fjohnson@tribunemedia.net

A 27-YEAR-OLD man was charged with murder in the Magistrate’s Court yesterday.

Cleso Rolle appeared before Magistrate Samuel McKinney charged with the death of Deandre Thompson on January 3.

According to initial police reports, shortly after

8 o’clock that night, police were alerted to a shooting incident at the intersection of Sapodilla and Willow Tree Streets, Pinewood Gardens.

When officers arrived at the scene, they found the body of a man slumped over in a white bus with apparent gunshot wounds.

He was pronounced dead at the scene.

Due to the nature of the charge, the accused was not

FINED FOR CURFEW BREACH

By FARRAH JOHNSON Tribune Staff Reporter fjohnson@tribunemedia.net

A MAN who claimed he violated the nightly curfew because he went to drop off his children at home was fined $600 yesterday.

Police arrested Travis Andrews, 34, after they spotted him driving around 11pm on February 2.

The prosecution alleged Andrews was also unable to produce a form of ID when asked and accused him of resisting arrest when they tried to detain him.

He pleaded guilty to breaching the curfew, violating the requirement to carry a government-issued ID and resisting the lawful arrest of a police sergeant when he appeared before Magistrate Samuel McKinney.

The court was told officers stopped Andrew’s vehicle.

When officers asked to see his ID, he was unable to produce it. He

was asked to get out of his vehicle and was informed he was being arrested. The prosecution said as Sgt 2603 Wilson attempted to apprehend Rolle, he started to resist. He was detained and taken to the East Street South station where he denied the allegations.

Yesterday, Andrews told the magistrate he was on the road because he went to “drop his kids off” at their mother’s home. He saud when officers asked him to come out of his car, he asked what he did wrong and the next thing he knew, he was being handcuffed.

Magistrate McKinney fined him $500 or three months in prison for breaking curfew and another $100 or one month in custody for travelling without a government issued ID. Andrews was also bound over to keep the peace for one year. If he fails to do so, he could risk being fined $500 or spending three months behind bars.

HAITIAN PAIR FINED

By FARRAH JOHNSON Tribune Staff Reporter fjohnson@tribunemedia.net

TWO Haitian men who were found living on two different islands without the required legal documents were each fined $300 yesterday.

Esaie Dorival, 40, and Lejiste Wilgens, 21, were arrested after they were found in New Providence and Governor’s Harbour, Eleuthera, having landed in the country without leave of an immigration officer.

The court was told a team of immigration officers approached Dorival in the Cowpen Road area on January 20. When they asked him to show proof of his status, he was unable to comply with their request.

As a result he was cautioned and arrested. When he was questioned at the

Detention Centre, Dorival said he had entered the country illegally in 2016.

The prosecution also said Wilgens was turned over to immigration officials in Governor’s Harbour on January 29. When he was questioned by a senior immigration officer on the settlement, he could not say when he came to the country. The prosecution said checks of the immigration system also revealed that Wilgens had never made any attempts to apply for legal status.

After pleading guilty to illegal landing, Dorival and Wilgens were each fined $300 or one month in prison. Magistrate Samuel McKinney said once the fines were paid or sentences were served, the men would be turned over to the director of immigration for deportation.

TEENAGER ON SEX CHARGE

By FARRAH JOHNSON Tribune Staff Reporter fjohnson@tribunemedia.net

A TEENAGER who is accused of having sex with a minor was yesterday remanded in custody.

Sanchez Delva, 19, appeared before Senior Magistrate Derence Rolle Davis after he was accused of having unlawful sexual intercourse with a

13-year-old girl on November 5 last year.

During the hearing, Delva was not required to enter a plea and his case was adjourned to April 8 for service of a voluntary bill of indictment (VBI).

In the meantime, Delva was denied bail and remanded to prison.

He has a right to apply to the Supreme Court for bail.

required to enter a plea and the case was adjourned to April 1 for service of a voluntary bill of indictment (VBI).

Rolle, who is represented by attorney Ian Cargill, was denied bail and remanded to the Bahamas Department of Correctional Services until that time.

He has a right to apply to the Supreme Court for bail.

ALTERNATIVE dispute resolution can bring resolve to the “burgeoning backlog of cases” in the court system, according to Michael Diggiss, chair of the Bahamas branch of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators (CIArb).

He indicated that court systems are overwhelmed and inundated with cases that require legal expediency of resolve.

“The global pandemic further creates an increased backlog of cases to be adjudicated in a timely, proficient manner – our court systems need relief,” Mr Diggiss said.

Reducing the backlog, he said, could happen through the alternative dispute resolution (ADR) techniques.

Mr Diggiss explained that ADR utilises techniques that can be applied when resolving disputes, depending on the nature of the dispute, thus eliminating the court process and reducing the legal backlogs of filings.

Also, he noted that where an ADR clause is stipulated into a contract, the courts could be obliged to support it.

ADR facilitates various options of resolution, including negotiation, international or domestic arbitration, mediation, conciliation, where

adjudication through the court becomes the final option when cases cannot be resolved through ADR methodology.

“The ADR option provides an alternative methodology of resolution where the likely restitution of relationships between litigious parties can be restored in a less stressful, contentious way. Parties can decide to have their cases held in a highly confidential manner rather than through an open public system. Additionally, ADR affords pragmatic, professional resolve to the burgeoning backlog of cases in our court system in a cost-efficient way,” said Mr Diggiss.

“Globally, certain jurisdictions in the judicial systems have made it possible for the courts to refer matters to ADR, which will mean that there is a sharing of the disputes between the parties as well as the courts. This eliminates the overload of work where matters can be heard swiftly, in both institutions and the courts. Hopefully, very shortly, the same practice will take place in The Bahamas, where the ADR system, as well as the judicial system, will work together to give better service both locally and internationally. The result, too, will foster better relationships between parties,” he stated.

He said that our laws need to be on par with the rest of the world where there are vetted arbitration alternatives available.

“Proper arbitration included in our legal processes would also attract international investors to our shores, thus enhancing our economic growth and stability,” he said.

CIArb Bahamas Branch was started in 2010 and approved by the CIArb headquarters in London in 2012.

In addition to education and training, CIArb Bahamas aims to further sensitise the public and bring further awareness to ADR on the importance and effectiveness of resolving issues as they arise.

Mr Diggiss, an architect, said any professional can join and become an arbitrator to act or represent parties in a dispute.

“In my case, I am an architect and project manager, and I came into this as a novice not knowing if I actually had a place,” he said.

“But, through the understanding and appreciation of those already a part of the organisation, and as disputes are becoming far more complex, those with specialised knowledge are ideally suited to become arbitrators of specific disputes in areas such as construction, and maritime, among others.”

PAGE 8, Friday, February 5, 2021

THE TRIBUNE

BAHAMAS Marijuana Commission Co-Chairs Quinn McCartney and Bishop Simeon Hall giving an update on the commission’s efforts back in June 2019.

While we go slow, the world is moving on AS WE continue to wait patiently as a nation, on the final word from the Marijuana Commission on the legalisation and decriminalisation of medicinal and recreational marijuana use in The Bahamas, the world continues to push forward in this regard both on the medical and legislative forefronts.

KOSHER CANNABIS A new Israeli cannabis trial offered several positive signs for the use of cannabis extracts on children with autism.

The clinical trial, the results of which were published this month in the journal Molecular Autism, sought to assess the effects of “whole-plant cannabis extract” containing both CBD and THC at a 20:1 ratio and a placebo on a group of young children with autism.

For 12 weeks, 150 participants received either the extract or the placebo,

A Comic’s View

functioning, on decreasing seizures, on increasing cognitive function, and in reducing compulsive or repetitive. So for that reason, we wanted to apply that to autism,” Holder said.

By INIGO ‘NAUGHTY’ ZENICAZELAYA The trial was labeled as the first large clinical study in the United States to test which was then “followed community. by a 4-week washout and In 2019, Dr Eric Hol- the effectiveness of medipredetermined cross-over lander, director of the cal marijuana on certain for another 12 weeks to fur- Autism and Obsessive behaviours in children with autism spectrum ther assess tolerability”.

Compulsive disorder.

In their conclusions, the Spectrum Pro- ‘Here at home In states teams of Israeli researchers gramme and the marijuana where medical said that they had “demon- Anxiety and debate remains cannabis has strated for the first time in a Depression been legalised placebo-controlled trial that Programme on slow for treatment, cannabinoid treatment has at Monte- burn, with policymakthe potential to decrease fiore Hospital ers have gone many positive disruptive behaviours in the Bronx, back and forth associated with [autism announced alternate about adding spectrum disorder], with a new clinicannabis related autism to the acceptable tolerability.” cal trial that medicinal list of qualifying would examine conditions. the effects of a options for Ohio, is a cannabis com- Bahamians good early pound or oils hanging in example, on patients with having already the balance.’ autism. added autism “In some of Despite major inroads as a qualifying and groundbreaking discov- the animal models that condition. eries medicinal marijuana are similar to autism, it However, a state is still being frowned upon was found that CBDV had appointed board heard a by some in the medical important effects on social number of public comments

CANNABIS AND AUTISM

Funeral Services For

Jean Willio Jean-Pierre, 64

a resident of Wulff Road, New Providence, The Bahamas and formerly of Cap- Haitien died at the Princess Margaret Hospital on Wednesday, January 6th, 2021. Graveside celebration will be held at 11:00am on Saturday, 6th February, 2021 at Old Trail Cemetery, Old Trail Road, New Providence, The Bahamas.

Officiating will be Bishop Cherelus Exante.

Wenderson Simon, 17 a resident of Second Street, Coconut Grove, New Providence, The Bahamas, died at his residence on Wednesday, December 30th, 2020. Graveside celebration will be held at 2:00pm on Saturday, 6th February, 2021 at Southern Cemetery, Cowpen & Spikenard Roads. Officiating will be Pastor Cranston Evans.

Left to tearfully cherish his memories are his mother: He is pre-deceased by his late mother: Clavenice Roseline Simon; father: Wisley Juste; step-fathers: Quenand Joseph, Prospere Docteur; sisters: Wislene Francoir; father: Dorneus Dorminvil.

Juste, Aleisha Joseph; grandmothers: Exantia Andre, Left to tearfully cherish his memories are his sons: Octeyanna Petit-Homme; brothers: Wisley Juste, Marc Pierre, Clarance Stubbs, Jean Denis Dorminville; Nelson John Simon; uncles: Ideja Simon, Saintalien daughters: Johnicka, Barbra, Lovely Dorminville; Simon, Edmond Saintalien, Benson Juste, Bisanye grandchildren: Marc Pierre Jr., Ashton, Amaya, Aliria; Juste, Sony Juste; aunts: Charlotine Simon, Penicia nieces: Claudine Saintilien, Erica Jean, Erica, Shelly Simon, Edith Pierre, Jumo Juste, Ketia Justes, Mireille Pierre, Marilene Dorminville, Vanette Breni-Aime; Juste, Bebe Juste, Diana Juste; cousins: Louisjena nephews: Patrick Saintilien, Jean Rico, Justin, Evans Simon, Rodely Simon, Devitzson Simon, Djinaisha Pierre, Boliva, Shawn, Tamiko Dorminville, Sylvester, Simon, Vob Luidji Simon, Bryens-Adam Simon, James Jean Charles; sisters: Adrianna Saintilien, Stacy Bedjina, Norah Jean Pierre, Reynad Juste, Francoise Charles; friends and other relatives including: Sindy Juste, Flo Juste, Edline Juste; other relatives Taylor Shop Family, Luke, Pierre, Fritz, Mrs. Bernard, and friends including: Jean Pierre Jeffrey, Iphonise Ferline, Adine, Edmonds Family, The Brotherhood Mervil, Jefferson Mervil, Wilky Elusma, Mr. and Mrs. Family, Son, Marc, Peter, Linda and numerous more to Gardener, Mr. and Mrs. Frader Alexandre and others to numerous to mention. many to mention.

Friends may pay their last respects at REST ON FUNERAL CHAPEL LTD., #19 Kenwood Street and Mount Royal Avenue from 12:00 noon to 5:00 p.m. on Friday, 6th February, 2021 and at the graveyard on Saturday from 10:00 a.m. until service time.

Friends may pay their last respects at REST ON FUNERAL CHAPEL LTD., #19 Kenwood Street and Mount Royal Avenue from 12:00 noon to 5:00 p.m. on Friday, 5th February, 2021 and at the graveyard on Saturday from 1:00 p.m. until service time.

both in favour and against and opposed to the idea.

A group of children’s healthcare providers in Ohio strongly opposed the treatment for patients with autism.

“The inclusion of autism and anxiety as conditions has the potential to negatively impact the health and well being of thousands of children in Ohio,” said Sarah Kincaid of the Ohio Children’s Hospital Association.

While the battle rages on in Ohio, it’s another reason for the Bahamas and the Marijuana Commission to contemplate as we await a final decision on the legalization and decriminalization of medicinal and recreational marijuana.

SWEET HOME ALABAMA Alabama Senator Tim Melson put up a bill that won easy passage out of the Senate Judiciary Committee on Wednesday by an 8-3 margin.

Many of its (the bill) components if applied in The Bahamas would be beneficial to Bahamians on multiple levels.

Melson sought to establish the Alabama Medical Cannabis Commission, last year.

It would serve as a regulatory panel that would have overseen a patient registry system, while also issuing medical marijuana cards for patients and licenses for prospective dispensaries, among other duties.

Under Melson’s bill, qualifying conditions for a medical cannabis prescription would have included anxiety, panic disorder, autism, cancer-related cachexia, nausea or vomiting, weight loss or chronic pain, Crohn’s disease, epilepsy, and HIV/AIDS. Melson, who is also a doctor, had proposed a similar medical marijuana bill

in 2019 as well.

The proposed legislation passed out of the Judiciary Committee last year, before gaining approval by the full state Senate.

“There could have been more of an organised effort to slow it down, and I appreciate the body not doing that.”

“We tried to address some very serious things.

I’m not taking this bill lightly. It’s a big step for Alabama, and there’s still a long way to go,” Melson said following the vote in the senate.

Sadly for Melson and other advocates, the bill ultimately went up in smoke, (pun intended) when the legislation was interrupted by the global COVID-19 pandemic.

RE-LIT In January, Melson stated that this year’s proposal would be the same as last year’s.

“I’m not planning to change it.”

“I’m looking forward to getting it introduced and seeing what happens.”

Other recommendations by the panel included : Ensuring that law enforcement agencies can continue to enforce the state’s drug laws.

To increase diversity in the ownership of medical cannabis businesses.

To ensure women, minorities, and veteran-owned businesses are not discriminated against and have equal access to business opportunities. The commission voted to recommend by a margin of 12-6.

Here at home the marijuana debate remains on slow burn, with many positive alternate cannabis related medicinal options for Bahamians hanging in the balance.

Hey Marijuana Commission hurry the heck up would ya! Puff, puff, pass... the bill already!

To advertise in The Tribune, contact 502-2394

THE TRIBUNE

Friday, February 5, 2021, PAGE 9

Another slice of history lost to our cultural apathy O

N January 29, another historic building on Bay Street burned.

Long before it was known as the Cotton Ginny building - named for the popular clothing store it housed the striking stone structure had been the art studio of the late Elyse Wasile whose hand-painted small ceramics found their way into homes, embassies and great estates around the world.

Whether in her famed watercolours or acrylics, Wasile’s depiction of native sloop sails or delicate pink flamingoes captured the colour and culture of The Bahamas and though some part of the functional canvas included a leap of imagination along with reality, overall imagery conveyed a sense of a happy place.

The New York-born and California-educated Wasile spent most of her working life in The Bahamas and became an ambassador for the country through her affordable art, creating a body of recognizable work which the average household could afford to own; a serving platter for less than $75, a small soap dish for under $20. Wasile’s pieces, often purchased for gifts, are still widely available online on sites like eBay and Etsy in addition to art sites.

Wasile died in 2013 and the building had been long abandoned. So it is not that the fire destroyed her upstairs studio where visitors were always welcome to watch her work.

What the fire destroyed was another opportunity

to memorialize a contributor to Bahamian culture, preserve a stately structure, celebrate a piece of history and monetize an architectural treasure.

Our lack of reverence for our history is a death warrant guaranteeing its slow demise. The 20-something who knows every word to rapper Eminem’s latest hot chant has no idea who Norman Solomon was or that Etienne Dupuch, the founder of this newspaper, had the courage to pen the argument for majority rule when the then-ruling party, with few exceptions like Mr. Solomon, thought it would be the death knell of The Bahamas.

It is not the fault of the young person who does not appreciate the kind of courage that stance would have taken. It’s all our faults for failing to preserve, protect and embrace the full picture of life before and after Independence, including the built environment.

Although Mr. Solomon instigated the investigation against the Colombian cartel that used The Bahamas as its own private highway for the trans-shipment of cocaine under the nose of the arguably complicit government of the day, even flying its foreign flag on Norman’s Cay

in the Exumas where Mr. Solomon dared to tread and face down machine guns, it was he who held Sir Lynden Pindling’s hand as he lay dying in his bed, both men crying for the country they loved. They knew what it meant to love their Bahamas in its infancy, a feeling so intense words cannot do it justice.

T

his lack of interest in and respect for our history was brought into sharp relief this week during a stop in Savannah, Ga., during a trip necessitated by an unexpected family matter that took me off the island for the first time in well over a year.

In Savannah, history was celebrated everywhere, in beautiful fountains and aging statues in parks and green spaces, in plaques on elegant historic buildings that had been lovingly restored and were now serving as home to professionals and families. You could hear the living sound of history in church bells ringing throughout the day from steeples built more than 100 years before.

How many more irreplaceable buildings will we lose before we understand that history pays? How

A RESTORED building in Savannah, Georgia. many more structures that could have been converted into luxury condominiums or restaurants on the waterfront will go before we declare we have to save that which is uniquely ours and demolition by neglect will come with a penalty?

How long can it take us to do what we have known for years is the right thing to do and preserve historic Nassau?

It’s a simple question that needs an answer before we lose another building like the late Elyse Wasile’s Nassau Art Studio. Antonius Roberts did it.

The versatile artist proved preservation can be profitable.

He could have let Hillside House fall into further disrepair when it became his. Instead, he restored it, created a cultural happening experience and quietly showed us what to do. Making preservation and restoration a greater priority will make every Bahamian walk a little taller and if Savannah can do it, and Charleston, and

so many others, why can not the original Charles Towne, Nassau, do it? Historic Charles Towne on West Hill Street and beyond has given it a start. It’s time to take the next steps before we lose the riches that are before our eyes if only we could see.

And while we are at it, how about a hero’s walk?

Let’s be honest. Who has ever looked at the bust of Sir Lynden Pindling at the airport named after him and thought it was large enough?

And why was the bust of Norman Solomon, created by the great bronze artist Pete Johnston, never erected where it was supposed to go at One Bay Street?

And why do we only celebrate the founding fathers or important women around Independence or Majority Rule Day? We need a National Heroes and History Walk.

Such a walk could be spread throughout the islands, starting with the Lucayan Indians in the

southern Bahama islands, moving north to tell the full story, staggering some statuary underwater in the Lucayan Sea. Everyone who comes through the busiest airport in the country, LPIA, sees the Sports Hall of Fame, an excellent tribute, but who sees images of our architects of tremendous talent who helped shape our settlements and our cities, the likenesses of Jackson Burnside or Henry Melich, both deceased, or historic preservationist architect Anthony Jervis whose work includes the National Art Gallery of The Bahamas, or artists like the late Brent Malone, or musicians like Ronnie Butler, Fred Ferguson, Isiah Taylor, Rik Carey, Dyson Knight, Wendy Williams, Abigail Charlow, Freddie Munnings Sr. and Jr., Marvin Henfield, or a legend in the transportation field like Romeo Farrington.

There is no shortage of stories worth telling, only the imagination needed to bring them to life.

CARIBBEAN NEWS

HAITI OPENS DEBATE ON PROPOSED CONSTITUTIONAL CHANGES

By EVENS SANON and DÁNICA COTO Associated Press PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti (AP) — Haiti has unveiled multiple proposed changes to overhaul the country’s Constitution that officials plan to present to voters starting this week for an upcoming referendum that looms amid growing unrest.

The public meetings are scheduled to be held across Haiti for the next three weeks, ahead of the April 25 constitutional referendum, which would be the first one held in more than 30 years.

One of the biggest changes is an omission in the draft issued by an independent commission tasked with creating the constitutional changes that have generated heated debates. Haiti’s current Constitution bars presidents from serving two consecutive terms, but the draft only states that a president cannot serve for more than two terms; it says nothing about whether they can be served consecutively.

Human rights attorney Bill O’Neill told The Associated Press that his interpretation is that the omission would allow a president to serve two terms consecutively. He noted that those who drafted the 1987 Constitution currently in use were emerging from a 29-year dictatorship under two so-called “presidents for life”: François Duvalier and Jean-Claude Duvalier.

“The drafters were very wary of allowing anyone having too much unbroken time in the Presidency,” he said.

The new draft also drops the requirement that to be president of Haiti, one needs to have lived in the country for five consecutive years prior to the date of general elections. All it says is that one “must have habitual residence in Haiti,” a change that could allow the diaspora to run for the highest offices in Haiti, which is currently banned. The proposed change also would apply to the position of vice president.

Other proposed changes include compulsory military service for those age 18, creating the position of a vice president to replace that of prime minister and establishing a unicameral legislature to be elected every five years to replace the current Senate and Chamber of Deputies, which was largely dissolved more than a year ago when President Jovenel Moïse began to rule by decree following a lack of legislative elections.

Another change also calls for legislators to be elected every five years to match the presidential term since some senators are currently elected every two to six years.

“This requires elections every 18 months on average,” states the document issued by the independent commission.

“The difficulty of respecting this binding

Graveside Funeral Service for VERNITA “Nita” INEZ WILLIAMSON INGRAHAM, 54

IN this 2019 photo, entrepreneur and youth leader Pascéus Juvensky St. Fleur, 26, holds up his copy of the Haitian constitution during an interview in Port-au-Prince, Haiti. Haiti has unveiled multiple proposed changes to overhaul the country’s Constitution that officials plan to present to voters starting this month for an upcoming referendum that looms amid growing unrest. (AP Photo/Rebecca Blackwell, File)

electoral agenda plunges the country into a chronic institutional crisis.”

Critics of the proposed changes say they see it as a power grab by Moïse, who says he will step down in February 2022 when his five-year term ends. The opposition, however, argues that his term began when that of former President Michel Martelly ended in February 2016, even though Moïse wasn’t sworn in until February 2017 following a chaotic election process that led to the appointment of a provisional president for one year.

Alfredo Antoine, a former legislator, said the changes are simply a proposal at this point and that people have the right to study them. He also said opposition leaders should seek to create a dialogue with Moïse instead of organising protests as they insist he leave office by Sunday.

“They should not put oil on the fire,” he said.

Opposition leaders could not be immediately reached for comment.

Meanwhile, Brian Concannon, an adviser for the Institute for Justice and Democracy in Haiti, said the proposed referendum itself is unconstitutional, according to the current Constitution. It also notes that an amendment can only go into effect when the next president is installed, and that the current president under the government that approved the amendment cannot benefit from it.

“Moïse is clearly ignoring this important limitation,” he said.

As officials meet with certain sectors of society to discuss the proposed constitutional changes, some are demanding more inclusion. Ulrich Louisma, a 40-year-old air conditioning repairman, said people and officials other than the president should provide input on a potentially new Constitution.

“It can’t be a one-man show,” he said.

• Danica Coto reported from San Juan, Puerto Rico.

a resident of Mytron Avenue, will be held at Woodlawn Gardens, Soldier Road, on Saturday, February 6, 2021 at 11:00 a.m. Officiating will be Pastor Charles Johnson.

Left to cherish her memories are her husband: Nelson Ingraham; three daughters: Erica Corneille, Donna Daxon of Inverness, Fl. and ShaFara Lewis; two sons: Eric J. Lewis of Broward County, Fl. and Alexander Ingraham; two stepsons: Nelson Ingraham Jr. and Dinario Ferguson; father: Johnny Joseph; six sisters: Crystal Williamson, Margretta Hanna, Denise Moss Mackey Sandra Glass of Coral Springs, Fl., Deborah Sands and Francine Smith of Raleigh, North Carolina; two brothers: Alphonso Williamson and Ralph Gibson; twelve grandchildren: Keranik Daxon, Jamal Brown, Sidney Corneille Jr., Anika Daxon, Erinika and Ariel Lewis, Jordan Gray, Eric Lewis Jr., Anela Corneille, Kaylee and Keron Daxon Jr., Ariana Lewis; two sons-in-law: Sidney Corneille and Keron Daxon of Inverness Fl.; one daughter-in-law: Micah Newbold; one godchild: Elizabeth Martin; best friend: Emma Cole; seven aunts: Shirley Wallace, Carolea Thomas of West Palm Beach, Fl., Willamae Kemp of Inverness, Fl., Deloris Mounts, Marina Smith, Mavis Williams and Omeses Lightbourne; four uncles: Roger Moss of Inverness, Fl., Von Bethel, Paul and Caswell Lockhart; six brothers-in-law: Robert Williamson, Minister Shervin Hanna, Minister Thomas Glass of Coral Springs, Fl., Vincent Smith of Raleigh, North Carolina, Ruben Gray and Keith Seymour; four sisters-in-law: Rosemarie Williamson, Ulalee Gibson, Judy Murray and Michelle Hanna; numerous nieces: Christy McGregor Harriet Miller, Rashandra Williams, Tanya Rolle, Natasha Major, Monillissa Culmer, Dawn Moss Kemp, Alrena Dantzler of Virginia, Fl., Shivonne Taylor, Kay Hanna-Roxbury and Tiffany Demeritte; numerous nephews: Wesley McGregor, Robert Jr. and Reginald Williamson, Henry Butler, Franklyn McKenzie, Herdon Sands, Peter, Vic, Tony and Ron Smith, Jamaal Moss, Desmond Mackey, Brian Hanna, Joshua and Jonathan Williamson, and Zachery Gibson; numerous other nieces, nephews-in-law, relatives & friends including: Eric J. Lewis, Rashnae Evans, Gray Russell, Garet and Claudisha Rolle, Adesha, Elvis, Eltisha and Kiashlyn, Antonique Sullivan, William McKinney, Shanea Butler, Henry, Shamor and Shamero Taylor, Zchavargo, Jacob and Kaithlyn Roxbury, Paulette Sands, James Pascal, Henry Taylor, Bobby Jane Smith, Edvardo Corey, Telsa, Wilma Paul-Louisdor, Tasha Paul, Sandra, Starman, Prime, Robbie, Justin Ramen, Louise Munroe, Ernestine Rigby and family, Denver Hanna the Charles family, Carla Saunders, the Martin family, the Lewis family, Believers Faith Outreach Ministries Int’l family, Apostle Edison and Prophetess Dr. Mattie Nottage, Dr. Charles Rahming, Pastor Charles Johnson and the Church of God New Solid Rock.

Friends may pay their last respects at Demeritte’s Funeral Home, Market Street, from 10-5:00 p.m. on Friday.

PAGE 10, Friday, February 5, 2021

THE TRIBUNE

Myanmar blocks Facebook as coup resistance grows YANGON, Myanmar Associated Press MYANMAR’S new military government blocked access to Facebook as resistance to Monday’s coup surged amid calls for civil disobedience to protest the ousting of the elected government and its leader, Aung San Suu Kyi. Facebook is especially popular in Myanmar and is how most people access the internet.

The military seized power shortly before a new session of Parliament was to convene on Monday and detained Suu Kyi and other top politicians.

It said it acted because the government had refused to address its complaints that last November’s general election, in which Suu Kyi’s party won a landslide victory, was marred by widespread voting irregularities. The state Election Commission has refuted the allegations.

About 70 recently elected lawmakers defied the new

MEN flash a three-finger salute of protest against military coup in Yangon, Myanmar, on Tuesday. military government on Thursday by convening a symbolic meeting of the Parliament that was prevented from opening. They signed their oaths of office at a government guesthouse

in the capital, Naypyitaw, where about 400 of them were detained in the aftermath of the takeover. They have since been told they can return to their home districts.

The unofficial convening was a symbolic gesture to assert that they, not the military, are the country’s legitimate lawmakers.

Some expressed their anger and their

determination to resist the coup as they left the guesthouse.

“This violates the human rights of the whole citizenry. This is not a coup.

This is a treason against the government. I will have to say that this is state treason,” said Khin Soe Soe Kyi, a member of Suu Kyi’s National League for Democracy party.

The military declared a one-year state of emergency and put all state powers into the hands of the junta, including legislative functions. It said that at the end of that period it will call an election and turn over power to the winner.

Anti-coup graffiti appeared in Yangon, the country’s biggest city, with the slogan “Don’t want dictatorship”’ scrawled on a wall on a busy street.

In Mandalay, a city known for its activist politics, a spirited protest by about 20 people in front of the University of Medicine was broken up by police.

Three were arrested.

Medical personnel have declared they won’t work for the military government. Health workers are highly respected for their work during the coronavirus pandemic that is taxing the country’s dangerously inadequate health system.

For a second night Wednesday, residents of Yangon conducted noise protests, banging pots and pans and honking car horns.

The protests have revived a song associated with a failed 1988 uprising against military dictatorship. Myanmar was under military rule for five decades after a 1962 coup, and Suu Kyi’s five years as leader have been its most democratic period since then, despite continued repressive colonial-era laws.

Videos posted on social media showed medical personnel and others singing “Kabar Makyay Bu” — or “We Won’t Be Satisfied Until the End of the World” — sung to the tune of “Dust in the Wind,” a 1977 song by the US rock group Kansas.

VOTING COMPANY SUES FOX AND TRUMP LAWYERS MIAMI Associated Press

A voting technology company is suing Fox News, three of its hosts and two former lawyers for former President Donald Trump — Rudy Giuliani and Sidney Powell — for $2.7 billion, charging that the defendants conspired to spread false claims that the company helped “steal” the US presidential election.

The 285-page complaint filed Thursday in New York state court by Florida-based Smartmatic USA is one of the largest libel suits ever undertaken. On Jan. 25, a rival election-technology company — Dominion Voting Systems, which was also ensnared in Trump’s baseless effort to overturn the election — sued Guiliani and Powell for $1.3 billion.

Unlike Dominion, whose technology was used in 24 states, Smartmatic’s participation in the 2020 election was restricted to Los Angeles County, which votes heavily Democratic.

Smartmatic’s limited role notwithstanding, Fox aired at least 13 reports falsely stating or implying the company had stolen

the 2020 vote in cahoots with Venezuela’s socialist government, according to the complaint. This alleged “disinformation campaign” continued even after thenAttorney General William Barr said the Department of Justice could find no evidence of widespread voter fraud.

For instance, a December 10 segment by Lou Dobbs accused Smartmatic and its CEO, Antonio Mugica, of working to flip votes through a non-existent backdoor in its voting software to carry out a “massive cyber Pearl Harbor”, the complaint alleged.

“Defendants’ story was a lie,” the complaint stated.

“But, it was a story that sold.”

The complaint also alleges that Fox hosts Dobbs, Maria Bartiromo and Jeanine Pirro also directly benefitted from their involvement in the conspiracy. The lawsuit alleges that Fox went along with the “wellorchestrated dance” due to pressure from newcomer outlets such as Newsmax and One America News, which were stealing away conservative, pro-Trump viewers.

BIDEN TOUGH TONE IN RUSSIA DIPLOMACY WASHINGTON Associated Press PRESIDENT Joe Biden on Thursday said the days of the US “rolling over” to Russian President Vladimir Putin are gone as he called for the immediate release of Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny.

During his first visit to the State Department as president, Biden issued his strongest condemnation of Putin as large protests have broken out throughout Russia following the jailing of Navalny. Thousands of protesters have been arrested.

The new American president was also seeking to make clear to the world that he’s making a dramatic turn away from Putin following the presidency of Republican Donald Trump, who avoided direct confrontation and often sought to downplay the Russian leader’s malign actions.

Navalny, an anti-corruption campaigner and Putin’s most determined political foe, was arrested January 17 upon returning from a five-month convalescence in Germany from a nerve agent poisoning, which he has blamed on the Kremlin.

“I made it clear to President Putin, in a manner

very different from my predecessor, that the days of the United States rolling over in the face of Russia’s aggressive actions — interfering with our election, cyber attacks, poisoning its citizens — are over,” said Biden, who last week spoke to Putin in what White House officials called a tense first exchange. “We will not hesitate to raise the cost on Russia and defend our vital interests and our people.”

Biden’s comments on Russia came as he asserted a broad reset of American foreign policy, including reversing Trump’s order to withdraw US troops stationed in Germany, ending support for Saudi Arabia’s military offensive in Yemen and promising to support LBGTQ rights as a cornerstone of diplomacy.

Using the visit to outline how his foreign policy would differ from that of his predecessor, Biden called for a return to the “grounding wire of our global power”.

He sought to buck up the diplomatic corps, many of whom were discouraged

by Trump’s policies and tone.

“America is back. Diplomacy is back,” Biden told State Department staff.

THE TRIBUNE

THE HOLE THAT JUST KEEPS GROWING

Friday, February 5, 2021, PAGE 11

DRIVERS on Eastern Road have had to put up with an ever-growing pothole in recent days. The pothole initially only covered part of one lane but has grown in the bad weather to extend into the opposite lane, with the only sign of possible repair being someone marking the ground with blue paint. Any chance of a repair before someone breaks an axle, Ministry of Works?

Photo: Donovan McIntosh/Tribune Staff

MAKING improvements to the BAIC facility to ensure protection of produce.

MODERN TECHNOLOGY FOR BAIC UPGRADE MODERN technology is being introduced to upgrade the Bahamas Agricultural and Industrial Corporation (BAIC).

BAIC is introducing software and programmes to improve the distribution network.

A major change has already been made at Packing Houses on the Family Islands where a verification system has been implemented to give more efficiency to grading, weighing and quality assurance of fruits and vegetables accepted from registered farmers to be sold to the Bahamian public.

Since the pandemic began, BAIC has introduced protective measures including reducing the eight-hour shift to four hours (with full pay); implementing morning and afternoon shifts to ensure social distancing of staff; installing plexi-glass at the front desk and at work stations and cashiers desks for the protection of staff and customers; installing hand sanitising machines and deep cleaning as a precautionary measure.

The corporation also paid for staff members who needed COVID-19 tests

ROCKY NESBITT and made it mandatory that all staff who tested positive did not return to work unless they had a clean bill of health.

General Manager Rocky Nesbitt said there are 41 objectives in the strategic plan to ensure the continued productivity of the operations of the corporation.

The installation of new software and programmes also includes introducing a credit card service and establishing an e-commerce platform. A new website will also be launched.

The Soldier Road Industrial Park and the Gladstone Road AgroIndustrial Park are also going to be modernised.

NEW produce exchange at BAIC headquarters, Old Trail Road, with touchscreens and a point of sale computer system.

SPORTS

PAGE 12, Friday, February 5, 2021

THE TRIBUNE

REVIVED UNDER TUCHEL, CHELSEA HANDS SPURS 3RD STRAIGHT LOSS

By ROB HARRIS AP Global Soccer Writer LONDON (AP) — Chelsea’s revival under Thomas Tuchel continued as Jorginho’s penalty sealed a 1-0 win at Tottenham yesterday, handing Jose Mourinho’s side a third consecutive loss.

Tottenham’s poor form was punctuated by the way Eric Dier recklessly tripped Timo Werner to concede the penalty, which Jorginho converted in the 24th minute.

While Chelsea’s pursuit of the Champions League places was given a lift, Tottenham is slipping away from the top four in a disappointing second season in charge for Mourinho.

Tottenham was also beaten at its stadium last Thursday by Liverpool — before collapsing at Brighton — meaning Mourinho has now experienced back-to-back home league defeats for the first time in his managerial career.

How different from the glory days of his two spells at Chelsea when he lifted

the Premier League trophy three times and turned Stamford Bridge into a fortress.

Given the team’s current slump, Mourinho will be hoping Tottenham chairman Daniel Levy is more patient than Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich.

It was Abramovich’s restlessness that saw Mourinho fired twice, part of a managerial carousel at Chelsea that also led to Frank Lampard being dismissed last month.

Tuchel is unbeaten in three matches since taking over, with two wins and draw moving Chelsea up to sixth, four points from Liverpool in fourth place.

Tottenham is three points adrift in eighth place having played a game less, and is sorely missing the injured Harry Kane.

However, Kane could return from ankle injuries next week.

Not since 2012 has Tottenham lost three league matches in a row and the hosts rarely looked like equalising on a night when Gareth Bale was left on the bench.

AP EXCLUSIVE: MLB AVERAGE SALARY FELL FOR 3RD STRAIGHT YEAR

By RONALD BLUM AP Baseball Writer

CHELSEA’s Jorginho scores a penalty shot during the English Premier League soccer match between Tottenham and Chelsea at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London, England, yesterday.

(Clive Rose/Pool via AP)

CONCACAF Champions League expanding from 16 teams to 50 MIAMI (AP) — The CONCACAF Champions League will expand from 16 teams to 50 in 2023-24, restore its group stage, switch to a regionalised first-round alignment and fill 11 of 16 berths in the knockout stage from North America.

The championship match will switch to a single knockout from a two-leg, home-and-home format.

The Confederation of North American and Caribbean Association Football launched the Champions League, modelled after Europe’s Champions League, for the 2008-09 season to replace the CONCACAF Champions Cup. CONCACAF announced in January 2017 that it was trimming the competition from 24 teams to 16 for the 2017-18 season. It eliminated the group stage, shortened the length from eight months to

four and delayed the start from August to February. That format will remain in place for 2021, 2022 and 2023, and the draw for this year’s tournament is scheduled for February 10.

Under changes announced yesterday, the regionalised group stage will take place each fall with 20 teams from the United States, Mexico and Canada split among four North American groups of five teams each; 20 teams from Costa Rica, Honduras, Panama, El Salvador, Guatemala, Nicaragua and Belize split among four Central American groups of five teams each; and 10 teams split into two Caribbean groups of five teams each.

Each team will play four first-round games in a single round-robin format: two home and two on the road. That is up from four first-round games for each

team in the double round-robin format through 2016-17, when there were three teams in each of eight groups.

The knockout stage starting in the spring will include 11 North American teams: the first- and second-place teams from each group and three other teams that advance from a play-in round.

There will be four Central American teams: the winners of a play-in round involving the firstand second-place teams from each group. The two Caribbean group winners will meet for a berth in the knockout stage.

CONCACAF said it will work to launch new Central American and Caribbean cups that will include qualifying spots for the Champions League. The Champions League winner will continue to qualify for the FIFA Club World Cup. European and South American teams

have split all world titles since that competition launched in 2000.

Mexico has won 15 consecutive CONCACAF Champions League titles, the last by Tigres in a 2020 format altered by the coronavirus pandemic. The last US team to win was the LA Galaxy in 2000.

Qualification for the North American group stage will be determined by domestic league and cup competitions, with one spot for the winner of the Leagues Cup between Major League Soccer and Mexico’s Liga MX that started in 2019.

Qualification for the Central American group stage will be determined by domestic leagues and a new Central American cup.

Qualification for the Caribbean group stage will include eight teams determined by domestic leagues and two determined by a new Caribbean cup.

TYLER PINDER FROM PAGE 16

MCFALL FROM PAGE 16

week with 14 points in a 61-50 victory over No. 10 Jenks to bring an end to a seven-game winning streak.

“Scored 54 points to help the Tigers sweep three games, including two against higher-ranked teams, both in Class 6A’s top 10,” the publication said.

“He helped the Tigers, who entered last week ranked No. 15, post an 8-2 record in January.”

He continues to pay immediate dividends for his new programme after he transferred from Redemption Life Tabernacle Christian Prep in Tulsa, Oklahoma.

In December, Pinder scored a season high 34 points in an 81-55 win for the Tigers over Cassidy at the 13th annual Edmond Open basketball tournament in Edmond, Oklahoma.

He made eight three pointers and also added seven assists and two steals. His 2019-20 season was

GREGORY MCKAY JR FROM PAGE 16 hard work does pay off. I just want to be an inspiration to the players back home that anything is possible, once they put their mind to it and trust in God.” After leaving Mt Carmel in 2016 where he starred on their basketball team, McKay enrolled at Piper High School in Sunrise, Florida, where he played both basketball and volleyball, graduating last year.

After returning from the Bahamas over the Christmas break where he enjoyed some good old home cooking of conch salad, conch fritters, souse and Johnny Cake, McKay Jr went on an

TYLER PINDER in action for team Bahamas. highlighted by being named one of the top performers at the Stars and Stripes High School Basketball Showcase in Houston, Texas.

Pinder finished with 46 points, 10 assists, six rebounds and three steals for Redemption Life Tabernacle Christian Prep in their 101-60 win over JL Academy. At the national

offensive tear in Durham, North Carolina.

The 19-year-old 6-foot, 5-inch forward, known for his 360 degree dunks and windmills, helped the Warbirds to go onto a four-game winning streak, including their 73-70 triumph over Chowan University on February 1.

“I feel pretty good. I feel as time goes on, we will get better,” McKay Jr said.

“We’re much better than we were at the beginning of the season, so things could only get better as time goes on. We’re in the gym every day putting in the time and the effort, so we can only get better from here.”

As for his own personal game, McKay Jr admits that there’s always room for improvement.

“Every time I step on the court, I always try to be the smartest player on the court,” he said.

team level, Pinder was a member of Team Bahamas as they won the bronze medal at last summer’s FIBA Centrobasket Under-17 Championship for Men in Puerto Rico.

He averaged 11.2 points per game and was the tournament’s top threepoint shooter at 48.3 percent from beyond the arc.

“But I feel there’s always room for improvement. That is why I’m always working on every aspect of my game every day.”

For the Warbirds, on the other hand, McKay says if they can stay locked in for the full game, rather than just a half or three quarters, they can play much better than they can and won’t have to wait down the stretch to pull it off.

“We just hope to get better every day and to win more basketball games,” McKay Jr stressed. “That’s why we’re in the gym every day, putting in the work, trying to get better.”

The prep college league, according to McKay, is extremely tough, but they are holding their own as they try to make a name for themselves, just as he’s trying to do as an individual player.

“The league is tough, but we’re making a name for ourselves,

In the second game of the season, McFall scored a season high 23 points in the first game of a back-to-back against Greenville. He had 15 points and a season high six assists against Mount Olive and also had a season high eight rebounds in two games - 16 points and eight boards in the season opener against Barton and 20 points with eight boards in their most recent outing - a January 30 matchup against Emmanuel.

Chowan was initially scheduled to play at Southern Wesleyan on Friday and Saturday. However, for Southern Wesleyan to meet the minimum NCAA and Conference Carolinas COVID testing and quarantining standards outlined in the Conference Carolinas Return to Play Protocol

having pulled off a couple of upsets,” he pointed out.

“There were a couple of college teams we played. We were the underdogs going in, but we came out victorious. So we enjoyed those upsets.”

With the rise of the coronavirus pandemic, which has forced some sporting leagues to cancel or postpone games, McKay Jr said Hosanna College is doing all they can to ensure that their players stay safe.

“We want to allow our season to continue, so we are staying isolated and taking all of the necessary precautions, wearing our masks and keeping our distance,” he stated.

“That is all we can do and just pray to God that everything goes well.”

At some games, there are some fans in the stands, but McKay Jr

NEW YORK (AP) — The average Major League Baseball salary dropped for an unprecedented third straight year, even before the shortened season caused by the coronavirus pandemic.

The Major League Baseball Players Association said yesterday the 2020 average would have been $3.89 million if a full season had been played. That was down 4.2% from the 2019 average of $4.05 million and represented a 5.2% decrease from the record average of just under $4.1 million in 2017.

The average started to slip in 2018, falling by $1,436.

Because the pandemic caused players to receive roughly 37% of pay last year, the actual average plunged to $1.59 million, its lowest since 1998.

“We have been consistent in our position that the current trends in our game need to be addressed regarding the lack of incentive to compete and the need for the system to better reflect the value created by players throughout the service time spectrum,” union head Tony Clark said in an email to The Associated Press.

“While there are other forces at play, and concerns that we have in addition to the above, we look forward to discussing each of the issues I just highlighted as a way to move our industry forward.”

Before 2018 and 2019, the average had not dropped in consecutive years since the union started tracking it at $19,000 in 1967.

Before the last three years, the only decreases had been in 1987, when clubs were found guilty by an arbitrator of collusion against free agents; in 1995, after the end of a 7 1/2-month strike; and in 2004.

Last year’s drop showed the widening imbalance between top stars and other players. The average fell despite Gerrit Cole, Stephen Strasburg, Anthony Rendon and Christian Yelich all starting long-term contracts guaranteeing $215 million or more.

for Basketball, the game has been postponed.

The 2-4 Hawks’ next scheduled contest is February 12 at home against King.

McFall transferred to Chowan after a two-year stint with Catawba Valley Community College Red Hawks. He played in 27 games as a freshman for the Red Hawks, and averaged 6.4 points per game.

In his sophomore season, those numbers increased across the board to 17.5 points, 4.9 rebounds and two assists per game.

Locally, McFall was a member of the St Augustine’s Big Red Machine before he transitioned to Rabun Gap-Nacoochee School in Georgia where he was a two-sport star in basketball and baseball. As a senior, he averaged 17 points, five rebounds, 1.7 steals and 1.8 assists per game.

said it’s in no way near capacity, but it hasn’t hindered their progress during the season.

“As a Bahamian, I have to adjust to the situation regardless,” he summed up.

“I would prefer having more people in the stands, but we know we have to be concerned about the restrictions, so we have to deal with it.”

Although they are not there, McKay Jr expressed his gratitude to his family, the Marshalls, in the Bahamas, who have been rooting for him and staying in contact with him just about every day.

He said their support, along with his friends, have been an inspiration to him as he takes care of business with Hosanna College.

Another Player of the Week honours will certainly push his confidence level higher.

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WIMBLEDON EYEING REDUCEDCAPACITY CROWD IN JUNE WIMBLEDON, England (AP) — Wimbledon organisers are planning for a reduced-capacity crowd at this year’s Grand Slam tournament, though other options remain, the All England Club said yesterday.

The club previously announced that the tournament, cancelled in 2020 because of the coronavirus pandemic, would go ahead with or without fans. The three options are full capacity, reduced capacity or no fans. “The majority of our planning focus is currently centered on the option of a reduced capacity Championships and how that would affect each stakeholder group, but we are not yet in a position to rule out any of the other scenarios,” the club said in a statement.

Wimbledon, called off last year for the first time since 1945, is scheduled to run from June 28-July 11.

“While the rollout of the vaccination program in the UK is a very heartening development,” the club said, “it naturally remains too soon to know how this will impact public attendance at major events in the UK.” With five months to go, “we are continuing to develop our detailed scenario planning” and working with public heath authorities to stay informed about developments. “Our approach will be to remain as agile as possible and leave enough flexibility in our planning to adapt as required to the prevailing conditions in the summer,” the club said.

Britain has recorded more than 108,000 coronavirus-related deaths — highest in Europe.

HORSEY SHOOTS 1STROUND 61, UPSTAGES STRONG FIELD IN SAUDI KING ABDULLAH ECONOMIC CITY, Saudi Arabia (AP) — At a low ebb after missing cuts in Abu Dhabi and Dubai to start his season, David Horsey phoned a friend for some help on the eve of his first round at the Saudi International.

The advice worked wonders for the 282nd-ranked golfer yesterday.

Horsey upstaged what will likely be the strongest field in a European Tour event all year, shooting a course record-tying 9-under 61 in a round featuring seven birdies in an eighthole stretch on the back nine.

The Englishman got to the par-5 18th hole needing an eagle for only the second ever 59 in the tour’s history but couldn’t reach the green in two, and wound up with a par to tie Dustin Johnson’s leading score from 2019.

“It’s a shock, actually,” Horsey said. “I’ve been playing rubbish the last couple weeks.

“Sort of had a conversation with a pal back home last night, talking a few things through, and (he) suggested something that I work on away from the tournament. I thought, ‘Well, can’t get any worse, so I may as well try it,’ and here we are.”

The advice — given by a 22-year-old club pro whom Horsey has been mentoring back in England — was “about how my body is moving,” Horsey said.

“It’s nice to have a feel you can wake up and pick it up straight away,” said Horsey, who is seeking his fifth win on the European Tour and first since 2015.

Friday, February 5, 2021, PAGE 13

LEBRON’S TRIPLE-DOUBLE POWERS LAKERS PAST NUGGETS OUBRE,

By GREG BEACHAM AP Sports Writer LOS ANGELES (AP) — LeBron James had 27 points, 10 rebounds and 10 assists, Dennis Schröder added 21 points and the Los Angeles Lakers roared away in the second half for a 114-93 victory over the Denver Nuggets on Thursday night.

Talen Horton-Tucker scored 12 of his 17 points during that inspired second-half effort by the defending NBA champions, who returned from a strong seven-game road trip and improved their surprisingly unimpressive home record to 5-4 by winning this rematch of the Western Conference finals in the bubble.

James moved into third place on the NBA’s career field goals list while recording his 96th career triple-double and his second of the season, helping the Lakers open a five-game homestand with their 11th win in 14 games.

Jamal Murray scored 20 points and Monte Morris added 16 for the Nuggets, who struggled down the stretch of their second loss in eight games. Nikola Jokic managed just 13 points and 10 rebounds after getting 47 points and 12 boards Sunday in the Nuggets’ most recent outing against Utah.

The Lakers took control with a 19-0 run spanning the final two quarters propelled by James and Horton-Tucker, who drove

impressively into the paint to make four straight shots along with two steals and a block.

Denver took a 12-point lead into halftime with a 29-16 rebounding edge, but the Lakers closed the third quarter with a 15-0 run to take an eight-point lead.

VAULTING THE STILT James made a finger-roll layup midway through the first quarter for his 12,682nd career field goal, pushing him past Wilt Chamberlain for third place in NBA history. Only Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (15,837) and Karl Malone (13,528) have made more shots in league history. James became the third-leading scorer in NBA history a year ago, trailing only Abdul-Jabbar and Malone.

Testing times: Organisers say the Australian Open will start on time

By JOHN PYE AP Sports Writer MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) — There were 160 players back in isolation because a hotel quarantine worker tested positive for COVID-19.

Six tuneup tournaments were suspended for a day so that 507 people connected with the Australian Open could be tested for the virus.

Apparently, no worries.

Australian Open organisers weren’t deterred at all, vowing that the year’s first Grand Slam tournament would start as planned next Monday, with all the tuneup tournaments completed — somehow, tweaks are expected — between today and Sunday.

The one-day shutdown was triggered — the Victoria state premier, a leading health official and Australian Open tournament director Craig Tiley all said — out of “an abundance of caution.”

“We are absolutely confident the Australian Open is going to go ahead,” Tiley told a news conference yesterday against the backdrop of an almost deserted Melbourne Park. “We will be starting on Monday and we have no intention of changing times.”

Preparations have already been disruptive and chaotic for the socalled Happy Slam, even compared with some recent troubles.

Organizers and players have dealt with searing heatwaves some years.

In 2020, acrid smoke from deadly bushfires overshadowed the leadup to the tournament.

Everyone adapted, the show went on. Novak Djokovic won his eighth Australian Open title in late January 2020, and Sofia Kenin won her first major.

Two months later, the Formula One season had a false start when the Australian Grand Prix was called off before an official practice session could be staged. Drivers and teams had flown in from Europe.

There were thousands of fans queuing up to enter Melbourne’s Albert Park circuit. Still, the government shut it down.

Tiley was confident tennis wouldn’t be sidetracked like the F1 GP. “The event that we have planned and the lead-in events — we’re absolutely confident it’s going to go ahead,” Tiley said. “The probability is very low that there’s going to be an issue.”

He said he’d expected all 160 players involved to have been tested by 5 p.m. and an order of play for Friday released sometime later. The draw for the Australian was pushed back almost 24 hours to Friday, sometime in the mid-afternoon.

Uncertainty is the only certainty for players and the tennis tours.

THE GRAND Hyatt hotel seen from Melbourne Park, venue for the Australian Open tennis championships in Melbourne, Australia, yesterday.

(AP Photo/Hamish Blair) The Australian Open chartered 17 flights and used three hotels in Melbourne for the bulk of the players to quarantine for 14 days and had other secure accommodation and facilities in Adelaide, South Australia state, for some of the biggest stars, including Serena Williams, Naomi Osaka, Djokovic and Rafael Nadal.

Of those, 72 players were forced into hard lockdown after passengers on their flights later returned positive tests for the virus. Unlike the bulk of the players, they weren’t allowed out for five hours of supervised daily practice during quarantine.

All players were tested daily during quarantine and all were cleared before the tuneup tournaments began this week.

Some got a surprise notification before midnight.

Organizers were in touch with 507 people quickly asking them to isolate and giving instructions on how to undergo testing soon after Victoria state premier Daniel Andrews held a news conference at 10:30 p.m. Wednesday to announce the new case and some new restrictions for Melbourne.

Anyone who quarantined at the Grand Hyatt hotel in Melbourne was deemed to be casual contacts of the 26-year-old infected quarantine worker.

“Players and their teams in there between Jan. 16-29 were immediately notified that when they got up at 9 a.m. we’d start testing, then stay in isolation until they got permission from the health authorities to leave,” Tiley said.

The other players, he said, were allowed into Melbourne Park for practice or to receive treatment.

Some took up the option. Among them, John Millman had an afternoon hit on Court 16.

He used up all his time, giving those waiting for the court some

regular, friendly updates, “Five more minutes. One more game.

One more point!”

He finished in a blustery breeze strong enough to knock over some potted trees dotted around for decoration.

And that also could be a problem.

The forecast is for wind and rain, possibly a thunderstorm on Friday for Melbourne. That could play havoc with an already overcrowded schedule.

Not even that kind of forecast concerned Tiley.

“We are full steam ahead on planning what we’ve planning all along for this event,” he said.

Earlier, the state’s deputy chief health officer, Allen Cheng, had explained the rationale for the sudden testing.

“We think the risk to other guests at the hotel, so tennis players and their accompanying staff, is relatively low because they were in the rooms at the time as opposed to staff who were outside the rooms,” Cheng told a news conference. ““So we’re testing them to be sure, and it’s precautionary.”

Cheng said six people in the Grand Hyatt during the quarantine period for the Australian Open had tested positive and were transferred to a medical facility, and it was likely the man — a resident support officer — was infected there.

“We are aware that he was on a floor where there were cases,” Cheng said.

Under the current plans, up to 30,000 spectators are expected daily at Melbourne Park for the twoweek Grand Slam event. So far, there’s no plans to change that.

Australia has 909 deaths attributed to COVID-19, including 820 in Victoria state. Most of those were during a second deadly wave last year when a hard lockdown and overnight curfews were put in place in Melbourne.

BABAR AND ALAM REVIVE PAKISTAN TO 145-3 ON RAIN-HIT DAY 1 RAWALPINDI, Pakistan (AP) — Captain Babar Azam and Fawad Alam revived Pakistan with a century stand to be 145-3 against South Africa on a rain-hit first day of the second cricket test on Thursday.

Babar raised his 16th test halfcentury and was unbeaten on 77 with a dozen boundaries while lefthanded Alam continued his rich batting form to be 42 off 138 balls at tea. They did not resume as rain washed out the last session.

Pakistan was in trouble early after left-arm spinner Keshav Maharaj

took two wickets in 10 balls and fast bowler Andrich Nortje had Abid Ali caught at forward short leg.

But Babar and Alam put the innings back on track with an unbroken 123-run stand as the ball got older in the middle session on a dry pitch which eased out for batting.

Babar caressed the offside field through some crisp cover drives, and was equally good off his back foot against the three fast bowlers.

Maharaj bowled the bulk of the overs, his 25 conceding 51 runs for two wickets.

The Pakistan skipper completed his fifty with a flicked boundary off Wiaan Mulder -- the only change the Proteas made from the team which lost the first test by seven wickets at Karachi last week.

“Credit to Babar and Fawad Alam, they absorbed the pressure nicely,” Maharaj said. “Äfter lunch it seems to be easier to bat on the wicket, so fair play to them.”

Alam scored a gritty century in the first test and continued to frustrate South Africa with his open chested batting stance.

MEHIDY CENTURY PUTS BANGLADESH ON TOP OF WINDIES ON 2ND DAY CHATTOGRAM, Bangladesh (AP) — Mehidy Hasan’s maiden hundred lifted Bangladesh to 430 and on top of the West Indies after two days of the first cricket test on Thursday.

The West Indies was 75-2 in reply, captain Kraigg Brathwaite on 49 at stumps and newcomer Nkrumah Bonner on 17 in an unbroken 51-run partnership. Batting at No. 8, the allrounder Mehidy scored 103 off 168 balls, and included 13

boundaries. Mehidy formed three important partnerships to help Bangladesh establish full control on a slow pitch.

He shared a 67-run stand with Shakib Al Hasan for the seventh wicket, 45 runs with Taijul Islam (18) for the eighth wicket, and 67 with Nayeem Hasan (24) for the ninth wicket.

“I was bit nervous initially,” Mehidy said. “But Shakib Al Hasan encouraged me. He told me to back

my ability and play my natural game.”

His partnership with Shakib was the most important after Bangladesh resumed the day on 242-5.

Bangladesh lost Liton Das early in the morning after he added just four runs to his overnight 34.

At 248-6, Bangladesh could have slumped, but Shakib resisted and brought up his 25th half-century, dealing with the West Indies’ disciplined spinners patiently.

UNDERSIZED WARRIORS BEAT THE MAVERICKS 147-116 DALLAS (AP) — Kelly Oubre Jr. scored a careerhigh 40 points, Stephen Curry had 28 and the Golden State Warriors went small in a runaway win, beating the Dallas Mavericks 147-116 last night.

Draymond Green had 11 points and a season-high 15 assists as a makeshift center, helping Golden State get by without using any player taller than 6-foot-7 forward Andrew Wiggins due to injuries. The Warriors outscored Dallas 54-36 in the paint and outrebounded the Mavs 45-42.

Golden State took control late in the third quarter after a floater by Tim Hardaway Jr. pulled the Mavericks within 93-91 with 5:52 left in the period. The Warriors went on a 17-4 run mixing outside shooting and attacks on the rim and led 110-96 after three.

Luka Doncic led the Mavericks with 27 points.

Kristaps Porzingis had 25, Hardaway added 19 and Jalen Brunson 18 off the bench.

JAZZ 112, HAWKS 91 ATLANTA (AP) — Jordan Clarkson sank five 3-pointers while scoring 23 points and Utah protected the NBA’s best record with a runaway win over Atlanta.

Bojan Bogdanovic had 21 points and Donovan Mitchell added 18 for Utah (17-5).

Atlanta point guard Trae Young was held out with a bruised right calf. Rajon Rondo made his second start of the season and did not score. Another starter, forward De’Andre Hunter (right knee), missed his third consecutive game.

John Collins led Atlanta with 17 points. The Hawks suffered their third consecutive loss.

TRAIL BLAZERS 121, 76ERS 105 PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Gary Trent Jr. scored 24 points and Enes Kanter had 17 points and 18 rebounds to lead undermanned Portland over Philadelphia.

Carmelo Anthony had 22 points for the Trail Blazers. Joel Embiid scored 37 points for the Sixers. Tobias Harris added 12 points and 11 boards.

Embiid puffed-up his AllStar game credentials in a game that otherwise lacked star power. Sixers guard Ben Simmons sat out with tightness in his left calf.

Portland played without Damian Lillard (abdominal strain) and Derrick Jones Jr. (left foot sprain). Throw in four players already out with injuries -- including CJ McCollum (left foot) -- and the Trail Blazers were down to nine players.

Without Lillard or McCollum, Trent hit two 3s and Portland outscored the 76ers 40-19 in the third.

ROCKETS 115, GRIZZLIES 103 MEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP) — John Wall scored 22 points, Eric Gordon added 20 and Houston beat Memphis.

Jae’Sean Tate had a season-high 19 points for Houston, while Christian Wood scored 17 points on 7-of-10 shooting before rolling his right ankle in the third quarter. He did not return.

Rookie Desmond Bane led the Grizzlies with 16 points, while Ja Morant added 15. Tyus Jones and Brandon Clarke finished with 13 each as Memphis lost its second straight.

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Storylines galore as Brady and Mahomes hook up in big dance

By BARRY WILNER AP Pro Football Writer SOMEONE will make history Sunday in a Super Bowl so filled with storylines it would fill a season of TV programming.

Tom Brady, already the true Game of Thrones king, going for a seventh ring. Patrick Mahomes, the apparent heir to the quarterbacking summit, seeking a second in a row with Kansas City — something no team has done since Brady led New England to the double in the 2003 and ‘04 seasons.

Brady, 43 is in his 10th NFL title game, but with a new outfit, the Buccaneers — who happen to call Tampa home. Yes, Tampa, Florida, where the Super Bowl is being played this year. Pirates of the Caribbean make port: No host team has ever played in the big one in its home stadium.

“There’s a lot that comes along with the Super Bowl,” says Rob Gronkowski, the three-time champion tight end who came out of retirement to reunite with Brady. “There’s a lot that comes along with this week. I’ve been there before. I’ve experienced it

all before. But just having it at home, cutting out the travel, knowing where you can stay, where your friends can stay, where you family can stay, it just makes it a lot easier to have it at your home stadium, big time.”

Add in two sixty-something head coaches, K ansas City’s Andy Reid and Tampa Bay’s Bruce Arians, both offensive masterminds as comfortable with today’s high-scoring, creative NFL attacks as all those kid coaches who are all the rage.

“There’s nobody that would ever say a bad thing about B.A., he’s just so endearing to everybody and I think everyone wants to win for him,” Brady says of Arians, the kind of praise the quarterback rarely used about his previous head coach.

“He’s got almost like a father figure kind of role in the building and it’s because everyone loves him so much,” Chiefs unanimous All-Pro tight end Travis Kelce says of Reid.

“He’s got an unbelievable way of getting the best out of everybody that is relating to all different aspects and all different forms of life,” he added.

IN this still image from video provided by the NFL, Chiefs QB Patrick Mahomes, left, and Buccaneers QB Tom Brady speak during Opening Night for the NFL Super Bowl 55 football game.

(NFL via AP) Don’t forget the defences, say that for sure with coach which could easily be Spags. His intentions are ignored with all the dyna- not negative or anything mism on both offences. like that.

Tampa has probably the “His intentions are solely best set of linebackers in to have the best defence on the NFL with Shaq Barrett, that field.”

Lavonte David and Devin All of this at the end of White, studs up front in a season played during a Ndamukong Suh and Jason pandemic, yet not delayed, Pierre-Paul, and an ever- with no games cancelled, improving secondary. and each of the Super Bowl KC has All-Pro safety participants experiencing Tyrann Mathieu, linemen relatively few COVID-19 Frank Clark and Chris setbacks.

Jones — and a coordina“I think with the pantor, Steve Spagnuolo, who demic and the sacrifices doesn’t back off. they have all made for each “I’ve played for a lot of other, they go to work and coaches in high school and go home,” Arians says. college,” Clark notes, “and “They don’t get to sit I’m not saying they were and eat together, don’t bad, but I’m not saying their get to have conversations, intentions were to bring out it is amazing to me how the best in players. I can close they are. It is the

commitment they made to each other to beat the virus.”

The NFL and Florida health officials have approved about 22,000 fans and all will be required to wear masks. Raymond James Stadium normally has a capacity of 75,000 fans.

Playing before real people rather than just cardboard cutouts — oh, there will be plenty of those, too, with proceeds donated to local charities — has been rare in the NFL all season. But both the Chiefs and Buccaneers were among the few teams to have fans on hand for some games.

Their paths to the championship game have been divergent, though. The Bucs (14-5) finished second in the NFC South to the Saints, sending them on the wild-card route.

That meant trips to Washington, New Orleans and Green Bay. And now, staying home.

The Chiefs (16-2) had the top seed and lone bye in the AFC, then outlasted Cleveland with Mahomes sidelined for nearly half the game before routing Buffalo.

Of course, with the week off between the conference title matches and the Super Bowl, each side should be well rested. The only perceivable edge might be the Chiefs needing a plane ride to the game site while the Bucs could drive over to RJS.

By Sunday, they will be as eager as possible to get back on the field and write the final chapter to an unfathomably atypical season.

“You don’t get these opportunities every year in the NFL to be in the Super Bowl and to be in these games,” Mahomes says, thought it sure seems as if Brady has a Super Bowl habit, and Mahomes is developing one.

“So you don’t want to look back and have regrets on how you played or how you went about the week before preparing to go out there to play your best football.

“When the end of your career is done, then you can kind of look and see where those moments were in your career where you could’ve had something or that you executed and you did go out there and achieve your dreams.”

GOODELL: MANY LESSONS NFL LEARNED IN 2020 WILL CARRY FORWARD

By ROB MAADDI and BARRY WILNER AP Pro Football Writers TAMPA, Florida (AP) — The many lessons learned from 2020 will be needed as the NFL moves forward, Commissioner Roger Goodell noted yesterday in his annual state of the league news conference ahead of the Super Bowl.

Held before both in-person and virtual audiences and staged outside of the arena that is home to the NHL’s Tampa Bay Lightning, Goodell said developments ranging from dealing with the coronavirus pandemic to minority coaching hires to scheduling to the NFL’s working relationship with the players’ union all will carry forward as major topics.

“I don’t know when normal will occur again or if normal will occur

again,” he said. “I know we have learned to work in a very difficult environment, and we will do it again.

“That is one of the things we learned ... hearing clubs and the NFLPA saying our relationship has never been stronger. I interpret that as a trust that has been built here that will take us forward and will be the long-lasting legacy of this season.”

That legacy, on the positive side, includes something the other major sports leagues and organisations couldn’t manage: playing a full season, uninterrupted, with the championship game on time despite COVID-19 issues.

“This was an extraordinary collective effort,” Goodell said.

“There’s so many people that had to work together to get this done. There were doubters, people that didn’t believe

we could do it, we had a lot of unknowns ourselves.

“We believed that staying on schedule and working to try to get 256 games done as we try to say, ‘avoid the asterisk,’ I think we were able to do that.”

But the negative part of the legacy, one that has plagued a league made up of 70 percent minority players, has been the head coach hiring cycle.

Goodell said the league is not satisfied with only two minorities hired for seven head coach openings: The New York Jets hired Robert Saleh, the first NFL coach who is known to be Muslim and the son of Lebanese immigrants, and Houston hired David Culley, making him only the league’s third Black current head coach.

“We had two minority coaches hired and it was not what we expected,” the commissioner said,

“and not what we expect going forward.”

Goodell noted three AfricanAmerican general managers were hired in 2020 and early 2021, with more diversity also seen among coordinators, something the NFL can build on.

Asked if a hiring freeze on head coaches until after the Super Bowl would be discussed, Goodell said everything that could enhance diversity would be explored.

The offseason structure for the league is so uncertain that Goodell preferred not to be specific about training camps and preseason games, though he did say the NFL plans to hold international games next season.

There’s no timeline for when the league has to decide whether to go ahead with international games in 2021, however. “We hope to get to be there,” he said.

“We’re planning for it. We’ll make that decision whenever we have enough information to do so.”

NFL Players Association President JC Tretter of the Cleveland Browns has suggested there is no need for required minicamps and other workouts at team facilities, given how the NFL got through 2020 without them.

But Goodell mentioned the opportunities younger players have to improve or just to make teams through preseason matches and offseason availabilities.

He added the NFL will look into what changes from the pandemic season are worth keeping in a post-COVID-19 world.

“The virtuals are going to be a part of our life for a long time,” he said, because coaches and players were able to remotely work through the playbooks in 2020.

NFL: CONCUSSIONS DOWN ABOUT FIVE PERCENT, MASKS LIMITED FLU CASES (AP) — PLAYING a season through a pandemic did not take the NFL’s attention off other health issues, specifically concussions, with the league finding those dropped about five percent in 2020.

Jeff Miller, NFL executive vice president of communications, public affairs and policy, said Wednesday that 2020 is the third consecutive year when the NFL has had a reduction in concussions, or about 25 percent down from previous years.

“This is progress. This is not a success,” Miller said. “We will continue to implement our concussion reduction strategy again, focused on rules, the implementation of those rules and changes as necessary,

refining how our players practice.”

The NFL is a game away from playing an entire season through the coronavirus pandemic, though Miller cautioned this season is not over until the Super Bowl is played Sunday in Tampa, Florida.

League officials gave an update on efforts to reach this game, including how the NFL found just how effective masks have been at protecting against more than just COVID-19.

“One of the side benefits, if you want to call it, is we had almost no influenza cases this year,” said Dr Allen Sills, the NFL’s chief medical officer. “And that’s not true just in the NFL. That’s in medicine in general.”

HEAD OF TOKYO GAMES WON’T RESIGN

By STEPHEN WADE AP Sports Writer TOKYO (AP) — The president of the Tokyo Olympic organising committee said yesterday he would not resign despite pressure on him to do so after making derogatory comments earlier in the week about women.

The controversy surrounding Yoshiro Mori, the gaffe-prone former Japanese prime minister, is one more problem the postponed Tokyo Olympics really didn’t need as organisers and the IOC try to pull off the games in the midst of a pandemic. They are scheduled to open on July 23. “I am not thinking to resign,” Mori said. “I have been working hard and helped devotedly for seven years. I will not be stepping down.”

The International Olympic Committee said it will not urge Mori to resign, saying his apology was enough.

In an online meeting of the Japanese Olympic Committee board of directors earlier in the week, Mori was reported by the daily newspaper Asahi Shimbun as saying women talk too much in meetings.

His comments have created a storm in Japan, where women are grossly underrepresented in politics and in board rooms.

“The statement made at the Japan Olympic Committee was an inappropriate expression, contrary to the spirit of the Olympics and Paralympics,” Mori said.

“I am deeply remorseful. I would like to withdraw the statement. I would like to apologise for any unpleasant feelings.”

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Friday, February 5, 2021, PAGE 15

SPORTS PAGE 16

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 5, 2021

Knowles and Saints eye championship repeat

By BRENT STUBBS Senior Sports Reporter bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

A

lthough they have a slightly different team this year, Theo Knowles is still confident that his Pasadena Faith Saints men’s basketball team can repeat as the 2021 Texas A1 State champions.

The No.10 ranked Saints dropped to 5-6 yesterday on their Faith Christian Academy home court as they suffered a 45-39 loss at the hands of the Angleton Christian Academy Warriors, an opponent out of the 2A Division.

Despite the loss, Knowles said they still performed very well.

“We had a very good team performance today. We did much

MCKAY JR NAMED PLAYER OF THE WEEK

By BRENT STUBBS Senior Sports Reporter bstubbs@tribunemedia.net HE is only in his freshman year, but already Bahamian Gregory McKay Jr is making a name for himself with the Hosanna College Warbirds men’s basketball team in the New South Athletic Conference.

Last week, McKay was named the Conference Player of the Week, having posted 27 points in a 111-69 victory over MCKAY JR Virginia Prep on January 23. He followed that with 25 points as the Warbirds defeated Winston-Salem Christian Post-Grad 65-59 on January 26. His final performance was 13 points as Hosanna College came from behind to nip Carolina University 66-65 on January 30.

McKay said when he found out that he was nominated, he trusted God to deliver him to the achievement because he knew he had put in the work.

“Winning an award like that, I was more grateful than anything when I found out I had won,” said McKay, who credited his success to his faith in God. “I’m just so happy to have achieved the award.

“It means a lot, not just to me, but to my family that

SEE PAGE 12

better than we did some days you are in our last game. We off,” said Knowles, gelled nicely. I think who is averaging it was good team 18 points per game. chemistry, consid“I just fell short for ering that we have my team today. I some new players,” came through, but I Knowles said. didn’t come through Knowles, who enough.” celebrated his 19th Claiming that it birthday on Januwas an off day for ary 21, had a sub-par him, Knowles said performance with he just needs to work just 15 points, conon his mid-range necting on six in the jump shot, isolating first quarter, two in the floor more and the second and seven seeing his teammates in the third. He didn’t much better and he THEO KNOWLES score in the fourth. will be okay.

“My perforThe Saints, mance could have been better, coached by Phillip Dela Rosa, but some days you are on and won’t be back in action until

Tuesday and hopefully they will turn things around before they get ready for the State Championship at the end of the month.

“I think we can still win the state championship,” he said. “We have already qualified for the tournament in San Antonio, so we have a shot at going all the way. It’s a competitive league. There are a lot of talented players. There are a lot of players who impact their team defensively and offensively, but I think we have a team that is capable of winning it again this year.”

Knowles, the son of Charlene and Harvey Knowles Sr, left Temple Christian where he starred for the Suns basketball team in grade 11 for Houston, Texas, to continue his high school career at the Faith Christian Academy.

BLTA extends best wishes to female college players THE Bahamas Lawn Tennis Association congratulates Grand Bahamian Abigail Simms on her historic ranking in the national polls for Indiana Tech. At the same time, the BLTA extends best wishes to all of their college players, who are well in the tennis season.

Simms, playing for Indiana Tech Warriors in the tennis spring season, went 4-5 in singles at first flight and 7-4 in doubles. Her season, like many others, was cut short due to COVID-19. However, Abigail made history for women’s tennis at her school, being one of three Warriors who earned national rankings in the Oracle ITA NAIA Women’s Rankings. Simms, now a sophomore, was ranked 38th (highest for Warriors) in the nation in singles.

Warriors Coach Orlowski stated how big this was for the college and how meaningful it was considering the focus and mental aptitude that was needed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

In January the Warriors were picked second in the Wolverine-Hoosier Athletic Conference (WHAC) Preseason Poll.

Tech Warriors were able to get two matches in the fall and won both to start 2021 with a 2-0 record.

The Warriors are scheduled to compete 15 times this spring with their first match being on the road at Bowling Green today.

Lauryn Daxon, now a senior at Missouri Valley Vikings, is expected to start her season on February 19 against Missouri Western.

The Vikings season was also cut short last year due to the pandemic where they were unbeaten at 3-0.

The Missouri Valley College women’s tennis team will start its spring 2021 season by being ranked No.

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MCFALL HAVING STANDOUT JUNIOR SEASON

By RENALDO DORSETT Tribune Sports Reporter rdorsett@tribunemedia.net JONATHAN McFall is having a standout junior season for the Chowan Hawks in NCAA Division II basketball.

Chowan had three consecutive contests this week postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but McFall has emerged as a team leader in his first year with the programme in Murfreesboro, North Carolina.

The 6’5” junior guard leads in nearly every statistical category - scoring, rebounds, steals, blocks and free throw shooting.

McFall currently averages 17 points, 5.7 rebounds, 1.5 steals and 1.3 blocks per game. He is also shooting 50 percent from the field and 88 percent from the free throw line.

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PINDER SURPASSES 200 THREE POINTERS MADE

By RENALDO DORSETT Tribune Sports Reporter rdorsett@tribunemedia.net

23 in the NAIA Women’s Tennis Coaches’ Preseason Top 25 Poll.

Sierra Donaldson and the Lee University Flames kicked off the year with a match against Tennessee Wesleyan University yesterday.

Hannah-Joy Simms and Brescia Bearcats are also scheduled to kick off their spring play on February 20 against Asbury University.

Iesha Shepherd is now a senior with Jackson State Jaguars.

The team experienced two tough opening losses against Jacksonville State and Stephen Austin and is hoping to put a win in their column when they matchup against Southeastern Louisiana on February 11.

Afrika Smith is with the BethuneCookman Wildcats women’s tennis team, but no season schedule has been released.

New to the college scene, Sydney Clarke is making her mark with the University of Alabama Blazers with a singles win in two straight sets as singles flight four in their last showing.

The Blazers have experienced two spring season opener losses and are hoping for a win in their next match lineup scheduled for Saturday, February 6 at Mississippi State.

Last season, the Blazers ended the year on an eight-match winning streak.

TYLER Pinder continues to deliver standout performances during his senior season and notched another career milestone.

Pinder surpassed 200 three pointers made in his high school career and also won the Tulsa World’s Player of the Week award as he led his Broken Arrow Tigers to a 3-0 record.

The 6’2” sharpshooting guard is in his first season with the Class 6A programme in Broken Arrow, Oklahoma.

He began the week with 22 points, four rebounds and three assists in an 86-51 win over Bartlesville.

He followed with 18 points and 10 assists in an 80-58 win over No. 9 ranked Bixby and concluded the

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