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VOLUME:116 No.33, FEBRUARY 11TH, 2019

HO US E & 16 THE PEOPLE’S PAPER: $1

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Together in grief THE ENOCH Beckford Auditorium on Carmichael Road was packed for the funeral of 22 Haitian migrants who died when their sloop shipwrecked in Abaco.

Mass turnout for funeral of Abaco tragedy victims Words: RASHAD ROLLE Pictures: TERREL W CAREY Sr THEIR coffins draped in the Haitian flag and a bouquet of flowers, 22 Haitian migrants who were killed when their sloop shipwrecked in Abaco more than a week ago were mourned yesterday by hundreds who did not know them but who came to show empathy for

the plight that brought them to their demise. The sombre ceremony was punctuated by loud cries that occasionally rang from every part of the Enoch Beckford Auditorium on Carmichael Road.

From the pulpit, speakers pleaded for the deaths to serve as a turning point that

discourages future treacherous voyages and leads the Haitian government to embrace policies that uplift its people.

“The death of these

individuals desperately seeking a better way of life and trying to help their families brings into focus that we need to look regionally and internationally at

ourselves in the Haitian community,” said noted preacher Bishop Simeon Hall. “This tragedy brings into focus the urgent need for the political and economic leaders of the island republic of Haiti to take a deep look at themselves.”

“We are all one,” said Rev Dr William Thompson. “We all came from the same place. We were deposited on different islands but we’re all one. We come to ask the Haitian government to put in place measures that would stop these kind of voyages.

“There’s no question you know of the persons that are doing this ungodly action.

They must be weed out and made an example of. These

are human beings and our hearts feel for them.”

Herns Mesamours, a consular officer from the Haitian Embassy, said similarly: “This is not a good moment. We want to ask you to serve as an ambassador to discourage, discourage, discourage the people from coming illegally in The Bahamas.”

Some of the heaviest applause was for Bahamas Christian Council president Delton Fernander who highlighted Haiti’s fight against slavery and colonialism during the Haitian revolution and the role that played in the country’s later struggles.

SEE PAGE FIVE

‘HE HASN’T DONE A DAY’S WORK IN YEARS’ FOUR PEOPLE MURDERED IN 48 HOURS

By NICO SCAVELLA Tribune Staff Reporter nscavella@tribunemedia.net

BAHAMAS Utilities Services and Allied Workers Union president Dwayne Woods “has not performed a day’s work” for the Water and Sewerage Corporation in years, according to its executive chairman, who said the man stills gets paid approximately $60,000 a year despite being on “administrative leave”.

UNION boss Dwayne Woods WSC executive chairman Adrian Gibson said “unlike any other union president in

The Bahamas”, Mr Woods draws an annual salary of some $60,000, accrues vacation time and sick leave, the latter of which adds up and rolls over, and “enjoys all the benefits” without ever coming to work.

That, Mr Gibson said, is notwithstanding the $2,000 or so Mr Woods “pays himself” as the union’s president, and the other “perks” he enjoys such as the union paying for his cellphone, SEE PAGE SIX

Nassau & Bahama Islands’ Leading Newspaper

By NICO SCAVELLA Tribune Staff Reporter nscavella@tribunemedia.net

FOUR men were killed in separate incidents over the weekend with two of the killings taking place roughly an hour apart and just streets apart.

SEE PAGE THREE

PAGE 2, Monday, February 11, 2019

THE TRIBUNE

BAHAMAS Minister of Tourism Dionisio D’Aguilar, left, with Bahamian-American musician Lenny Kravitz.

FLY AWAY TO THE BAHAMAS, KRAVITZ TELLS TOURISTS A NEW, multi-channel creative campaign featuring Bahamian-American rock legend Lenny Kravitz reveals the authentic spirit of The Bahamas as a destination of adventure and discovery. Set to the lyrics of Mr Kravitz’s hit song “Fly Away”, the television commercial and supporting marketing campaign capture his deep personal connection to The Bahamas, as well as the pure adrenaline rush of exploring the archipelago’s 100,000 square miles by boat and plane.

Written in The Bahamas, “Fly Away” was inspired by the islands’ white sand beaches, crystalclear waters and countless summers the singer spent with his grandparents and mother, the BahamianAmerican actress Roxie Roker. Behind-the-scenes video follows Mr Kravitz around his home base of Eleuthera, where he records music, embraces island time and appreciates “this gift we were given.

‘Take your time’ is our call to arms,” he said.

The commercial underscores The Bahamas’ powerful appeal as a destination that inspires adventure and exudes a rock ‘n roll vibe. “The music represents not only the edgy independence of the Bahamian people, but also speaks to those who travel here for deep-sea fishing, shark diving and opportunities to embrace new discoveries,” said Mia Weech-Lange, senior director of global communications for the Ministry of Tourism & Aviation.

The campaign was created by Tambourine, a communications firm with specialisation in destinations and hotel e-commerce.

The 60 second spot, 30 second spot and behind-the-scenes interview with Mr Kravitz on Eleuthera can be viewed on YouTube.com/ VisitTheBahamas.

In January, out-of-home advertising began with billboards in New York City, Atlanta, Miami, Fort Lauderdale, Orlando and Houston. The tactics also include a subway station domination of Columbus Circle in New York City and a presence at Sawgrass Mall in Florida, as well as aboard Brightline passenger trains in South Florida.

The media buy includes a mix of television, search, social, programmatic and display targeting prospective visitors where they consume news, entertainment and information.

“We are excited by this campaign and honoured to partner with Lenny Kravitz.

Our islands and his song fit perfectly together, allowing us to reach a broad new audience, especially digital content consumers, through authentic storytelling,” said Minster of Tourism Dionisio D’Aguilar.

“The Bahamas is absolutely inspirational. We believe this campaign demonstrates that to consumers in a true, direct way by sharing many of our people, their islands and their stories with the world,” said Director General Joy Jibrilu.

Jamaal’s View - Page 4

PAGE 2, Monday, February 11, 2019

THE TRIBUNE

BAHAMAS Minister of Tourism Dionisio D’Aguilar, left, with Bahamian-American musician Lenny Kravitz.

FLY AWAY TO THE BAHAMAS, KRAVITZ TELLS TOURISTS A NEW, multi-channel creative campaign featuring Bahamian-American rock legend Lenny Kravitz reveals the authentic spirit of The Bahamas as a destination of adventure and discovery. Set to the lyrics of Mr Kravitz’s hit song “Fly Away”, the television commercial and supporting marketing campaign capture his deep personal connection to The Bahamas, as well as the pure adrenaline rush of exploring the archipelago’s 100,000 square miles by boat and plane.

Written in The Bahamas, “Fly Away” was inspired by the islands’ white sand beaches, crystalclear waters and countless summers the singer spent with his grandparents and mother, the BahamianAmerican actress Roxie Roker. Behind-the-scenes video follows Mr Kravitz around his home base of Eleuthera, where he records music, embraces island time and appreciates “this gift we were given.

‘Take your time’ is our call to arms,” he said.

The commercial underscores The Bahamas’ powerful appeal as a destination that inspires adventure and exudes a rock ‘n roll vibe. “The music represents not only the edgy independence of the Bahamian people, but also speaks to those who travel here for deep-sea fishing, shark diving and opportunities to embrace new discoveries,” said Mia Weech-Lange, senior director of global communications for the Ministry of Tourism & Aviation.

The campaign was created by Tambourine, a communications firm with specialisation in destinations and hotel e-commerce.

The 60 second spot, 30 second spot and behind-the-scenes interview with Mr Kravitz on Eleuthera can be viewed on YouTube.com/ VisitTheBahamas.

In January, out-of-home advertising began with billboards in New York City, Atlanta, Miami, Fort Lauderdale, Orlando and Houston. The tactics also include a subway station domination of Columbus Circle in New York City and a presence at Sawgrass Mall in Florida, as well as aboard Brightline passenger trains in South Florida.

The media buy includes a mix of television, search, social, programmatic and display targeting prospective visitors where they consume news, entertainment and information.

“We are excited by this campaign and honoured to partner with Lenny Kravitz.

Our islands and his song fit perfectly together, allowing us to reach a broad new audience, especially digital content consumers, through authentic storytelling,” said Minster of Tourism Dionisio D’Aguilar.

“The Bahamas is absolutely inspirational. We believe this campaign demonstrates that to consumers in a true, direct way by sharing many of our people, their islands and their stories with the world,” said Director General Joy Jibrilu.

Jamaal’s View - Page 4

THE TRIBUNE

Monday, February 11, 2019, PAGE 3

Four dead in another weekend of murder

THE SCENE at Potter’s Cay last night.

Photos: Terrel W Carey Sr/Tribune Staff from page one The first of Sunday’s three murders took place shortly after 9am on Washington Street and Balfour Avenue. The second took place around 10am on Miami Street and Robinson Road. The third happened when a man was shot and killed at Potter’s Cay Dock.

The three murders came a day after one man was killed and another was injured following a shooting off Cowpen Road in the early hours of Saturday.

According to police, in the first incident on Sunday, a man was sitting in front of a business on Washington Street and Balfour Avenue, when he was approached and shot by a male armed with a firearm.

The gunman subsequently got into a silver vehicle and sped out of the area. Emergency Medical Services (EMS) personnel were called to the scene and transported the victim to hospital, where he died about half an hour later.

Then shortly after 10am, a male was standing in front of local establishment on the corner of Robinson Road and Miami Street, when he was approached by a male brandishing a firearm, who shot him before running away.

Paramedics were called to the scene and attempted to revive the victim, but

were unsuccessful. He was pronounced dead on the scene.

Chief Superintendent Solomon Cash, the officerin-charge of the Central Detective Unit (CDU), said investigators have noted the close proximity of yesterday’s incidents, but said they do not “want to go out on a limb” and prematurely declare that the two were related.

However, he said police will investigate both matters to determine if they were in fact connected.

Chief Supt Cash also said it was too early in the investigation to say whether yesterday’s victims were known to police, however, he said officers have noted several shootings in that same area in “recent times”, and have since “doubled” their efforts to hopefully prevent any future incidents from occurring.

As regards yesterday’s third murder, police were called to Potter’s Cay Dock shortly after 8pm after receiving reports that a man had been shot.

At the scene, Superintendent Shanta Knowles said: “This man was patronising a business establishment here at Potter’s Cay Dock when he was approached by another man armed with a firearm who shot him before running away. We are appealing to members of the public, especially those who were here during

the time of this incident who may have seen what happened or who may have information that can identify the person responsible to please give us a call on our Crimestoppers line, 328-8477.”

On Saturday, a man was killed and another was injured following a shooting at a Haitian village off Cowpen Road.

According to police reports, shortly before 1am, a group of Haitian nationals were hosting a party when two armed men emerged from bushes and opened fire, shooting two men.

Paramedics were called to the scene and pronounced one of the men dead.

The other man was transported to PMH, where he is listed in serious condition.

Yesterday, Chief Supt Cash said investigators are still looking for more information concerning that matter.

“That investigation is ongoing,” he said. “We are probing the entire community on Cowpen Road with hopes that eventually we’d be able to identify who the perpetrator of that incident is.”

This marks the second bloody weekend in February. Three men were killed in separate incidents that occurred between Friday, February 1 and Saturday February 2.

POLICE IN ANDROS DESTROY 90,000 MARIJUANA PLANTS POLICE destroyed more than 90,000 marijuana plants found in eight fields in Andros in two separate incidents last week.

The drugs were discovered as a result of a joint operation involving the Drug Enforcement Unit, the US Drug Enforcement Agency and officers from the North Andros district.

In the first incident, police said shortly before 7am on Thursday, OPBAT (Operation Bahamas, Turks and Caicos) officers, while on air patrol over San Andros, North Andros, uncovered four marijuana fields.

With the assistance of Andros Division officers, they uprooted a total of 9,700 marijuana plants ranging from 6” to 3’ in

height, before destroying the fields with fire.

Hours later, shortly after 8am on Friday, officers from Andros, the DEU and DEA, went to a bushy area in San Andros, North Andros where they uncovered four more marijuana fields and uprooted a total of 84,810 marijuana plants.

These fields were later also destroyed by fire.

Police also seized 100 lbs of suspected marijuana off a boat which arrived at Potter’s Cay Dock from Exuma on Friday.

Shortly before 10am, Central Division officers, acting on information, went to a vessel at Potter’s Cay Dock and recovered two boxes which contained 17 packages of suspected

marijuana.

The drugs weighed 100 lbs.

Investigations into these incidents are ongoing.

Ten people have been murdered so far this year, according to The Tribune’s records, and Supt Knowles went on to reassure the public over the spate of homicides this month.

She said: “We are still out there on the streets, we will not stop our operations. We will continue to work the streets so we can bring calm to what has happened over the past few hours.

“It is always a concern when anyone loses their life. We have been in situations like this before, we came out of those.

“Patrols have been increased. We have not stopped our operations since last year, we have flooded the streets with all available vehicles and manpower and those will continue. We are still working the 2018 plan, it worked for us, we saw our numbers decrease and we will continue to work until the commissioner give us new directions.”

PAGE 4, Monday, February 11, 2019

THE TRIBUNE

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We need a Marshall Plan for Haiti THEY came in their hundreds to mourn the dead.

Twenty-two caskets stood in the hall, holding the bodies of victims of the Abaco boat tragedy.

Few were there to speak in their name, to remember who they were, what made them risk a journey that turned so deadly.

They were strangers to many of those who crowded into the hall – and yet still, the mourners came.

Some had to be supported by their friends, held up as they cried for the fallen. Some came to show solidarity with their countryfolk.

They came to offer comfort, they came to hear the speakers try to say something meaningful in response to so many meaningless deaths.

“We are all one… we were deposited on different islands but we’re all one,” said Rev Dr William Thompson to the congregation.

We still do not know how many died when that boat struck a reef off Abaco and tore apart in the dark.

Thirty-one bodies have been found so far – but so many more remain missing.

It’s said that 83 people may have been aboard that vessel when it sank. Eighteen were rescued, leaving the fate of so many still a mystery.

We hope they found a way to shore and safety. We fear the truth is far worse, however.

The atmosphere at the Enoch Beckford Auditorium was sombre. There were tears, there were shouts of disbelief, and there were speeches that could not come close to facing up to the horror of the moment.

There was too a sense of powerlessness. So many speeches urged people not to come, not to risk that deadly

journey by sea – but how many people do we think make that journey without realising it is a gamble? Who among us thinks that boarding a crowded sloop, leaving our belongings, our families and our life behind, is an easy option? Who boards that boat, with drinking water short in supply because it would take up room where another person could fit, with only the eyes of the crowd to stop one becoming a victim of crime on the journey, and doesn’t understand the danger involved?

We know the solution isn’t as simple as saying “Don’t come”, but we say it because the solution needed is so much bigger than that. The solution needs a more prosperous Haiti, a place where one does not want to leave, where a family’s future can be secured without having to resort to the danger of that sea voyage through the dark.

Elsewhere in the world, when nations have needed rebuilding, there have been global efforts to help them. Germany and France were aided by the Marshall Plan after the Second World War, Vietnam has received huge assistance following the war there and China has gone from receiving substantial aid to being one of the world’s most dominant economic forces. Where is the Marshall Plan for Haiti?

But that solution eludes us for now – whether impossible to achieve or through an inability to attempt – and so we say “Don’t come”.

For now, we mourn. We join with those who held hands and cried yesterday, who said prayers for those they never knew, who longed for a way to undo this tragedy that took so many lives.

In the end, Dr Thompson’s words are true. We are all one.

If we don’t act soon, none of us will be able to go out and eat conch EDITOR, The Tribune NOT that Richard Lightbourn, nor the topic of conch depletion in The Bahamas, needs any endorsement at all, but I would simply like to add my own voice to the discussion.

A Google search of “Bahamas Conch Depletion Tribune” provides 15,600 results and untold pages of articles and reports.

On March 20, 2013, Larry Smith in Tough Call heralded a warning of the conch population collapsing, and before that,

in April 2005, the Nassau Institute raised the entire issue of fisheries in The Bahamas becoming extinct.

Yet today in 2019, nothing much has happened and I am not sure that the word “much” is relevant, as the likelihood is that nothing has happened at all.

Someone in government, and in fact everyone in government and the opposition, need to get behind this issue, and at a minimum, begin what may be a trial and error process of steps to see exactly what is needed to end the downhill run

that we are currently on.

Yes, first step is to end exports of conch. Every tourist that eats a conch salad, or scorched or cracked conch, is already an export of it.

Government of course are always concerned about the next election, but as Mr. Lightbourn says, the end result, if we do nothing, is that no one currently working in that industry, will have a job. And none of us will ever eat conch again.

BRUCE RAINE Nassau February 7, 2019

How we maintain our public spaces tells a lot about how we think EDITOR, The Tribune ARISING from the National address Cleanliness and totally unattractiveness of Bay Street…have to suggest the full House of Assembly, have to be blind as to the state of disrepair and ugliness. They pass through that area at least once a week. Certain Ministers daily, going to work and they do not see?

Too many billboards, not permitted under the special

Town Planning rules, of historic Nassau.

East of Rawson Square… derelict-ville, surely the property owners can be required to wash down these buildings, paint them up and disguise their dirty shop windows!

Too many taxi reserved slots on Bay…potential local shoppers cannot find anywhere to park and spend downtown. Put the taxis on the side streets, with proper signage, nothing lost anyway some park

there from sunrise to sunset and never move! On that public parking restricted to 2-hours, then you have to move or be moved.

Government - Adderley Building to the side of Churchill Building, that urgently needs a clean and paint...Cabinet sees that weekly.

How we keep our public spaces, tells a lot of how we think.

W THOMPSON Nassau February 1, 2019

This time we should boycott Buju Banton EDITOR, The Tribune BUJU Banton was three years old when the late Bob Marley lived in Nassau and spent hours on end, enthralled with chasing a soccer ball around Fort Charlotte in blissful solitude. He was recuperating from being shot at his home in Jamaica.

Marley was a high priest of non-violence and a disciple of Rastafarianism, a religion homegrown in Jamaica that preaches social justice, human dignity and a non-negotiable belief in God whom they call Jah. Banton was six when Marley gave a concert here in Nassau in 1979 to celebrate the International Year of the Child. He was invited by none other than the late Beryl Hanna, wife of former Governor General Arthur Hanna, and retired Justice Ruby Nottage, former Chancellor of the Anglican Church, and others.

Marley would have celebrated his 74th birthday on Wednesday, February 6.

Many have tried to follow in his footsteps. Most have fallen short.

Buju Banton is no Bob Marley. Marley was a reggae phenomenon.

Banton peddles a reggae clone called dancehall.

Where reggae is calming and soothing and points out societal injustice, dancehall puts the darker elements of society right in your face and recommends on the spot revenge solutions to eradicate ills, perceived slights or phobias.

One thing Mr Banton hopes to have in common with Mr Marley is that he too wants to play at the sports centre here and is booked to do that next month.

This is a free country and we should all be appalled at censorship of art and artists. Some art is deliberately offensive and so what?

But we do have a public safety obligation to ensure that artists do not use our public fora to incite others to cause harm, to incite violence, harassment or to threaten others.

LETTERS letters@tribunemedia.net Banton says he was just 14 years old when he penned a ballad that was reflective of life as he saw it growing up in a rough patch of Jamaica. So incensed was he by the sexual violation of a minor by a paedophile he alleged to be gay that the only thing his mind could conjure up was to get a gun and rain down bullets on gay people for no other reason than because they were gay.

But the lyrics of his song is a virtual recitation of why he hates homosexuality and thinks that all gays, or “batty bwoys” in his parlance, must die.

Banton is a businessman and so his bank account suffered when promoters in the US and Europe started cancelling concerts in which he was featured.

His lyrics were offensive and too third world for the first world.

The compromise was that Banton would stop singing songs with homophobic lyrics but only while performing at select venues.

He never disavowed his own abhorrence towards gays.

Banton is now an exconvict having spent time in federal prison in the US on drugs charges. He is set to embark on his own redemption tour which, not surprisingly so far, doesn’t include travel to countries, entry to which might require him to first obtain a visa. Countries that the Jamaican vernacular refer to as “Big Foreign”.

His initial tour schedule is limited to the Caribbean – Jamaica, Bahamas, Trinidad and Tobago and Barbados. This will produce a boon for tourism as the metaphorical foreign mountain will undoubtedly travel to hear the Jamaican Mohammed. Banton remains wildly popular and there is a public relations buzz and a marketing curiosity over whether the time he spent in the pokey stoked his creative juices.

The government ought to defer only to the Commissioner of Police as to whether a permit should be issued for the concert here, but if the Commissioner gives the green light then right-minded Bahamians should be motivated to boycott this homophobe, even if he pledges not to sing about killing gays.

It was most interesting that human rights campaigner Erin Greene has endorsed the Banton concert even while using a very weak and naïve argument to support doing so.

Her qualification to the endorsement was that he not sing one particular song about killing gay people.

Other than that, she reasons, he is a fine upstanding Caribbean cultural icon who could presumably moonlight as a Sunday school teacher.

This is patently absurd.

Mr Banton’s opinion on sexuality hasn’t evolved and nor has he tried to use his music to change hardened homophobic positions in his legions of fans. In a statement issued years ago he attempted to make nice but made things worse.

Said Mr Banton: “There is no end to the war between me and faggots.” Perhaps he got sensitivity training in prison.

Ms Greene is clearly prepared to give Banton the benefit of the doubt. The rest of The Bahamas should not. Only a direct hit to his pocketbook will bring about any softening of the hardened position by this man who uses the facade of a religion of peace to glorify intolerance.

Mr Banton needs a redemption tour, to be sure, but it should start with acknowledging his role in fostering hate through lyrics.

Banton pleads to be accepted for who he is in his song “Wanna Be Loved”, but then denies that same consideration to gays who probably only wanna be left alone.

THE GRADUATE Nassau February 7, 2019

THE TRIBUNE

Monday, February 11, 2019, PAGE 5

Mass turnout for funeral of Abaco tragedy victims

from page one “We cannot and should not judge anyone harshly who would take a drastic measure to try make it better for their families and for those they leave behind,” he said.

In a rare moment of humour, Francois J Michel, Haiti’s charge d’affaires, boasted of his country’s blessings, saying: “The culture of Haiti is rich and valuable, good food, good beaches and there is something else: beautiful women.”

Official Opposition leader Philip “Brave” Davis and the Bahamas High Commissioner to CARICOM Reuben Rahming also brought remarks.

The funeral was a culmination of a week of search and rescue efforts after a sloop reportedly carrying 83 people shipwrecked in the Abaco cays while navigating a dangerous reef on February 1. Authorities have recovered 31 bodies thus far, nine of which were too badly decomposed to make yesterday’s closed-casket ceremony.

Haitian government

representatives said all funeral expenses were covered by their government.

The funeral was organised by the League of Haitian Pastors, a local group.

A 19-year-old woman, Gina Francis, was one of many mourners who told The Tribune she did not know the victims.

Explaining why she attended the funeral, she said: “I have the same nationality as them and I would need people to support me as well if I’m in the same situation so I feel I need to support them too.”

She said some Haitians are warned about the treacherous journey by sea to The Bahamas but they come because they believe Haitians living here are “lying to them.”

“If someone living over here with family over there, they does say ‘you living a better life, you just don’t want us come over there,’” she said. “I does fear for my family but I wouldn’t advise them to do something like this. I worry they would try.”

Another woman, Sadilia Simeone, said she has been in The Bahamas since the

1970s and does not know if she still has family in Haiti.

“I come Bahamas in 1979,” she said. “I know nothing about Haiti.”

Still, asked why she attended yesterday’s funeral, she said: “Because I am Haitian and these are Haitians who died. I hate it, because that’s my country.”

The bodies were buried at the Southern Cemetery on Cowpen and Spikenard Roads.

Editorial Comment - Page 4

THE ENOCH Beckford Auditorium was filled with mourners yesterday.

PAGE 6, Monday, February 11, 2019 from page one airfare “whenever and wherever he travels”, and allegedly gasoline for his vehicles.

Mr Gibson said Mr Woods has also requested yearly increments and additional benefits, promotions and/or upward mobility, despite not having a job description and therefore being “unable to have his performance evaluated in the absence of any WSC job-related performance/ activities”.

The Long Island MP said due to the “simply unjust and unfair” practice of Mr Woods being paid $60,000 plus perks without performing any work for WSC, the corporation decided as of last year May not to renew his administrative leave, and to order Mr Woods back to work.

Mr Woods, in turn, has filed a Supreme Court action against the corporation, the crux of which, according to Mr Gibson, is that he feels he should not return to work and continue being paid by WSC. However, Mr Gibson said the corporation has instructed its attorneys to seek to strike out the BUSAWU’s writ of summons as the matters stated therein are personal to Mr Woods and consequently, the union has no capacity to bring that action before the courts.

The revelations were made during a press conference at WSC headquarters in which Mr Gibson responded to Mr

THE TRIBUNE

Woods hasn’t done a day’s work for us in years, says WSC chairman Gibson Woods’ statements on Friday concerning, amongst other things, WSC’s alleged denial of his administrative leave and the free usage of office space for union meetings.

At the time, Mr Woods further announced that line staff at the corporation are eyeing a strike vote, charging that “all we have to do is withdraw our enthusiasm and it’ll take care of itself.”

Yesterday, Mr Gibson conceded that WSC did in fact refuse to renew Mr Woods’ administrative leave with pay, but said it did so in light of the “realities on the ground” and the fact that “no other union leader enjoyed such a free-ride on the taxpayers.”

As an illustration, Mr Gibson noted that the president of the Water and Sewerage Management Union (WSMU), Ednel Rolle, who is also Mr Woods’ supervising manager, reports to work daily.

The same is true for Bahamas Electrical Workers Union (BEWU) President Paul Maynard as well as

BAHAMAS Utilities Services and Allied Workers Union president Dwayne Woods; below, WSC executive chairman and Long Island MP Adrian Gibson. the president of the Bahamas Electrical Managerial Union (BEMU).

Additionally, Mr Gibson noted that the president of BTC’s non-management union is on administrative leave without pay from BTC. He noted that the administrative leave in question is not a facet of the union’s industrial agreement, nor an automatic right afforded to the president of the union. Rather, it is something that, based on years of practice, has been requested annually by the union’s president, and is something WSC’s board has the discretion to either cancel or renew.

Mr Gibson said to date, Mr Woods “remains off the job” and has not reported for duty, but said the union president came onto WSC’s Thompson Boulevard compound last week “seeking to incite the employees to move a strike vote in support of him.”

However, Mr Gibson said if Mr Woods really felt so strongly about not wanting to work, he could retain his administrative leave, just “not at any cost to the Bahamian taxpayers.” Or, Mr Gibson said, the union could instead foot the bill.

“WSC would suspend all

salary, vacation and sick leave accrual given that he would be on leave,” Mr Gibson said. “And, the union can continue to pay his salary and whatever other expenses accrue as a result of his leadership duties.”

Mr Gibson added: “Mr Woods—much like Paul Maynard and other utility union leaders—would not be impeded in his duties.

He would just be working for the high salary he earns.”

Concerning the issue of a strike vote, Mr Gibson said WSC’s management is “unaware of any willingness of staff to strike,” adding employees have indicated to management that they cannot, in “good conscience” support “such an action given the fact that they too must attend to work daily.”

He added: “WSC does not intend to impede Woods in performing his union duties. However, our view is that Woods returns to the job. I encourage the maintaining of an opendoor policy here at WSC. If Mr Woods truly wishes to be conciliatory, he should follow Article 25 which fully sets out the agreed upon grievance procedure.

With this, and nearly every other small union matter, he has been documented over the years—even before our appointment— as skipping critical stages in the process. “...Rather than resolving issues, Mr Woods ought not (to) blow them up. His conduct is not conducive to fostering harmony and a satisfactory environment, which is a necessary facet of his relationship with WSC.” Mr Gibson also refuted Mr Woods’ previous claims that there has been “little to no communication” from WSC’s management on a proposed voluntary separation (VSEP) exercise in the absence of a new industrial agreement.

Mr Gibson referred to a

letter Mr Woods wrote to former WSC General Manager Glen Laville dated December 12, 2018 in which Mr Woods referenced some 15 persons interested in taking early retirement packages.

“So Mr Woods is being duplicitous when he says, or when he comes as if he doesn’t know about the voluntary separation packages when he himself has been requesting them,” Mr Gibson said.

He added: “No one is forcing anyone out the door. If no employees decide to accept the voluntary separation packages, what can we do? But we know that several employees have asked us for the same.”

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THE TRIBUNE

Monday, February 11, 2019, PAGE 7

By NICO SCAVELLA Tribune Staff Reporter nscavella@tribunemedia.net A MAN testified on Friday of using Facebook as a last resort to counteract the allegations made out in a statement he said he was forced to give to police that implicated his cousin and two other men of carrying out a murder plot almost three years ago.

Carlderon Brown said he posted a video of himself in Facebook group 242 in the Know in order to “tell the world the truth” about what caused him to turn on his cousin Jahmaro Edgecombe and Daran Neely concerning Kenyari Lightbourne’s death in 2016.

That video was played in court, in which Brown said he was “forced” to “lie and frame” his cousin and Neely with “some stuff that I don’t know nothing about”. He further stated that when he later went to the Supreme Court to withdraw his statement, he was arrested and “taken away from my family”.

Brown said he recorded the video some months after the deceased was killed in June of that year, and while in protective custody, somewhere he would ultimately spend the next year or so.

And he said the statement he sought to recant via the video, was given after he was suffocated and beaten by two officers in the homicide section of the Central Detective Unit (CDU) and threatened to be prosecuted for armed robbery and home invasion, shortly after Lightbourne was killed.

The revelations were made during Edgecombe’s, Neely’s, and a third individual, Sean Brown’s trial concerning Lightbourne’s death near Woods Alley.

On the date in question, Lightbourne was shot multiple times while walking through his neighbourhood off Market Street. He died at the scene.

Neely and Edgecombe aka “Bingy”, the alleged gunman, were arraigned

Witness tells murder trial that he used social media site to ‘tell the world the truth’ about why he turned on his cousin within months of each other in 2016 in connection with Lightbourne’s death.

Sean Brown aka “Fire”, is charged with accessory after the fact.

During previous proceedings, the Crown asserted that Brown, in a July 8, 2016 statement, told police that Edgecombe killed Lightbourne at Neely’s request for some $5,000, then used $3,000 of that sum to buy a silver Nissan Primera.

The Crown also asserted that in a December 20, 2016 statement, Brown told police that after Neely found out he gave a statement incriminating them, Neely, while in prison, subsequently initiated a series of events to have Brown withdraw himself as a

witness in the matter.

On Friday however, Brown indicated that in July of 2016, he was arrested at his Pinewood Gardens home and taken to the South Beach Police Station before being taken to CDU. He said his two sisters, younger brother, and stepfather were at home when he was arrested.

Brown said when he got to CDU, he was led to the homicide section, where he was suffocated and beaten about the abdomen. He also said he was threatened to be prosecuted for armed robbery and home invasion – a threat he said was never carried out.

Nonetheless, he said that as a result of the officers’ actions, he signed documents, the contents of

CANADIAN JAILED FOR SMUGGLING HEROIN WORTH NEARLY $10,000

By NICO SCAVELLA Tribune Staff Reporter nscavella@tribunemedia.net A 54-year-old Canadian man was sentenced to prison on Friday for smuggling almost $10,000 worth of heroin into The Bahamas from London late last year with the hope of getting more than $3m in exchange.

Magistrate Samuel McKinney sentenced Reginald Merritt to three years for smuggling the $90,000 worth of drugs into the country on December 27 with plans of being paid some $3.5m for his efforts.

Merritt was fined an additional $50,000 for his actions or face an additional year in prison.

Merritt’s sentencing came a day after he pleaded guilty to one count each of possession of dangerous drugs with intent to supply and importation of dangerous drugs.

According to reports, around 2pm on December 27, 2018, two Drug Enforcement Unit (DEU) officers were on duty at the Lynden Pindling International Airport (LPIA) when they received certain information pertaining to British Airways flight number 253 inbound from London.

As a result, the two officers observed Merritt, who had arrived on that flight with two pieces of luggage.

The officers approached and informed him that he was suspected of being in possession of dangerous drugs. He was then taken into an area in the airport where a body search was conducted.

Nothing suspicious was found on Merritt’s person, however, when the officers searched his luggage, all of which had hidden compartments, they discovered six packages of heroin. The drugs weighed nine and a

half pounds with an estimated value of $90,000.

Merritt was consequently cautioned and arrested and taken to DEU. When interviewed by officers the following day, Merritt said he was in communication by email with a male he only knows as Mr Hickman from Nigeria, with whom he made an agreement to collect some $3.5m. As a result, he said, arrangements were made for him to travel from Canada to Paris, France, and then to South Africa, where he collected the bags.

From there, Merritt said he was supposed to travel to London and ultimately The Bahamas where he was supposed to collect the $3.5m after handing over the suitcases and packages to someone else.

Ian Cargill represented Merritt. Inspector Philip Davis prosecuted the matter.

COAST GUARD SUSPENDS SEARCH FOR CAPTAIN THE United States Coast Guard suspended its search on Saturday for the captain of a cargo plane that crashed about 13 miles east of Bay Harbor Islands off Florida after departing from the Bahamas a day earlier.

A crew member was rescued by the US Coast Guard on Friday.

The missing man is 68-year-old Captain Robert Hopkins, who was flying a plane owned by Conquest Air Cargo, a Florida-based company that provides daily trips to Nassau and regular service to the Caribbean.

The Coast Guard searched for about 21 hours in an area of 364 square nautical miles before calling the search off, it was reported.

“Our thoughts remain with the family of Captain Robert Hopkins at this difficult time,” Conquest Air Cargo said in a statement posted to its Facebook page. “This is a tremendous loss for our company; Captain Hopkins’ selfless leadership was and will always remain an example for us all.”

The US Federal Aviation Administration said

the Convair 131-B aircraft took off from Lynden Pindling International Airport in Nassau to Miami-Opa Locka Executive Airport on Conquest Air Flight 504.

Conquest Air Cargo said the airplane declared an emergency and attempted a water landing when it crashed 13 miles offshore after noon on Friday. The plane was returning from a cargo delivery in Nassau at the time.

“Our concern is with our flight crew and we will continue to coordinate with the relevant authorities,” Conquest Air Cargo said.

which he had no knowledge of.

Brown, while under cross examination, further stated that he later went to Office of the Attorney General, where he spoke with a woman by the name of Ms Christie to explain to her what happened to him while he was in custody.

Brown said after consulting with Ms Christie, he went to the Supreme Court in a bid to withdraw his statement in the matter, but said he was arrested and taken into protective custody.

Brown said he was held at a residence where he didn’t have access to any cellphones or communication to the outside world, and which was secured by police officers who

monitored traffic in and out of the home. He said he was there for about a year or so,

beginning from December 2016.

Nonetheless, he said was able to somehow get a small, black smartphone from a neighbour in the area which he used to record the video he posted to social media.

In that video, Brown identified himself as Carlderon Brown, and subsequently said: “I was forced, beaten by police to lie and frame my cousin Jahmaro Taylor and Daran Neely on some stuff that I don’t know nothing about. So I went to the AG’s Office and I met a woman named Ms Christie, and I told her that I was beaten and forced to lie on some people about some stuff that I don’t know nothing about.

So she asked me the name, I told her the names.

“She told me that I will have to go to court and say what I have to say. And so I went to the court and I was arrested by police, and I was taken away from my family.”

The case continues.

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PAGE 8, Monday, February 11, 2019

THE TRIBUNE

MAN QUIZZED AFTER WOMAN REPORTS RAPE

By KHRISNA RUSSELL Deputy Chief Reporter krussell@tribunemedia.net

A WOMAN was raped in her home on Thursday afternoon, police said.

According to reports, at around 5pm the victim was at her residence in the East Street area when a man entered and sexually assaulted her. Police said a man is being questioned in connection with this incident.

This incident comes about two months after an elderly woman was sexually assaulted. That incident happened last December during an an armed robbery attack at the woman’s home in the eastern district of New Providence.

By NICO SCAVELLA Tribune Staff Reporter nscavella@tribunemedia.net A MAN’S conviction for having an illegal firearm has been overturned because of the appellate court’s uncertainty over whether the serial number of the firearm police said they found him with contained the number “5” or a capital “S”.

Police said the serial number of the firearm recovered from Sean Wright’s car in 2011 was TD572610, but a subsequent forensic firearms expert’s report noted the receipt of a firearm bearing the serial number TDS72610.

And it was that “inconsistency” combined with unexplained gaps in the firearm’s chain of custody, and an unexplained hole in the exhibit bag, that prompted appellate Justices Jon Isaacs and Milton Evans to set aside Wright’s 18-month sentence and $5,000 fine. Court of Appeal President Sir Hartman Longley dissented.

According to the ruling, at about 10.40pm on November 4, 2011, Corporal Deon Moss was having dinner at Indigo Café on West Bay Street and Skyline Drive when he observed Wright enter the restaurant and sit at a table

Police said she was held at bay, robbed of cash and sexually assaulted before the assailant fled the house.

At the time police believed the incident was random and not connected to any other instance of sexual assault at the time.

According to police statistics released in January, incidents of reported rapes rose six percent in 2018, from 52 cases in 2017 to 55 last year.

When contacted in December about the reported rise in rapes, attorney Marion Bethel said at the time it was not only alarming, but was evidence the Bahamas had not given enough attention to “very serious” gender inequality issues.

Ms Bethel currently serves

on the United Nations Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW).

“It’s not just a question of the police force doing its work, it’s an overall government social problem that needs to be addressed in a multi-sectorial level and the government is obligated under the CEDAW convention to prevent rape,” Ms Bethel told The Tribune at the time.

“The government was supposed to set up a gender-based violence authority at least two years ago. I don’t think that has happened as yet to provide an overall strategy as to how to address the issue of rape, which is really a serious problem for women and girls and so we really

need to take this seriously. The government needs to take its state obligation seriously; we as a society really need to address this problem because it affects women’s productivity in the work place, it affects our homes, it affects women in the streets and it affects us at the employment level.

“It is a very serious problem that keeps getting skirted over when we talk about overall crime down.”

She continued: “So I am really saddened by this because it really speaks to the questions about what the government is doing under its obligation and what we as a society are doing to prevent and stop rape. There should be a zero tolerance to

rape and this speaks to gender inequality. Rape and sexual assault against women are linked to gender inequality and the lack of empowerment economic and social empowerment of women.

So if we move towards rectifying the issue of gender inequality we also begin to address this issue of sexual violence and sexual assault.

“Predominantly women are raped. Predominantly women are assaulted and that is because of the imbalance of power with men and women.

“This needs to be really addressed and the root causes of gender based violence against women needs to be addressed in this country. We need to do it now,” she said.

‘5’ or ‘S’: Firearm conviction overturned on technicality where another man and woman were having dinner.

A few minutes later the appellant got up from the table and fixed his clothing, and while doing so, Cpl Moss observed what appeared to be the handle of a firearm in the appellant’s right front pocket.

Wright subsequently exited the restaurant, and the officer followed him.

In doing so, Cpl Moss observed Wright getting into a silver Range Rover, licence plate number 238197. The vehicle then reversed onto Skyline Drive and proceeded around the roundabout in a western direction. Cpl Moss subsequently contacted the Cable Beach Police Station and gave Corporal 73 Mackey certain instructions.

Another officer, Corporal Charles Anthon, testified that about 11.15pm on the same night, he was on mobile patrol in a marked police vehicle in uniform along

with Reserve Corporal Symonette when acting on information received, they went to Olive’s restaurant.

While there he observed a silver Range Rover fitting the description given.

Cpl Anthon said he located the driver of the vehicle who identified himself as Wright. Cpl Anthon said he told Wright he had information that he was in possession of an unlicenced firearm, at which point Wright admitted that he was in possession of an unlicensed weapon and it was in the vehicle.

Cpl Anthon said Wright gave him a key to the vehicle, and after searching the car in Wright’s presence, he discovered a black handgun, serial number TD572610 in the centre console . Upon examining the weapon, it was found to contain seven live rounds of ammunition. Cpl Anthon said he arrested and cautioned Wright, who said, “Officer, I’m not that kind of people.

I live in the ‘White Grove’ area where persons attempt to rob us occasionally.” Cpl Anthon further stated that he marked the black handgun for future identification purposes.

A forensic firearms report prepared by firearms examiner Charles Bain was entered into evidence. In his report, Mr Bain said on December 15, 2011, he received one Taurus 9mm Luger caliber model PT-709 auto loading pistol, serial number TDS76210 and seven 9mm Luger caliber unfired cartridges from P/C 3098 Gray.

At the close of the Crown’s case, Wright’s attorney made a no-case submission on his behalf.

After the court did not accede to the no-case submission, Wright exercised his right to remain silent.

Chief Magistrate Joyann Ferguson-Pratt convicted and sentenced Wright to 18 months in prison together with a fine of $5,000 for being in possession of both the firearm and the ammunition. She ordered that if he didn’t pay the fine, he would face an additional 18 months in prison.

At the time, the chief magistrate said she was “satisfied” that based on the Crown’s case, the firearm found in the vehicle was the firearm exhibited during the trial notwithstanding the issue over whether the gun’s serial number bore a “5” or a “S”. She concluded that “it was the benefit of the expert eyes that could distinguish between the letter and the figure, ‘S’ and ‘5’”.

She further ruled that she did not find there to be a broken chain of custody, and neither did she find any

WAYNE MUNROE, QC “material evidence” to substantiate the claim that the integrity of the exhibits was compromised from the time the firearm was discovered to its production in court.

However, Justices Isaacs and Evans disagreed with the chief magistrate’s ruling for the most part, asserting that her explanation of how she resolved the issue with the serial number was “based on speculation and not evidence led before her.”

Firstly, the appellate judges noted that Cpl Anthon never identified the items as being the same ones he found in Wright’s car. The record showed that Cpl Anthon’s evidence was that he marked the firearm he took from Wright with his police number. However, the record did not reflect him being shown the firearm in court and his identifying the mark on the gun as being the one made by him.

Additionally, the appellate judges said the Crown provided no evidence to account for the difference between Cpl Anthon’s and Mr Bain’s evidence

concerning the serial number.

“In the circumstances which pertained it was of the utmost importance that the Crown be able to trace the items from the hands of (Cpl Anthon) to that of Mr. Bain,” Justice Evans said. “If this was done the difference in the serial numbers would be of less significance. As noted earlier the evidence is that Charles Bain received the purported firearm and ammunition from (Officer Gray). However, there is no evidence as to who (Cpl Anthon) passed the items to which were found by him. Likewise there is no evidence as to from whom (Officer Gray) received the items which he passed to Bain to be examined.

It follows then that in my view the prosecution failed to establish that the items tested by Bain were the same ones found by (Cpl Anthon).”

He added: “In my view the learned magistrate on the state of the evidence erred in admitting into evidence a firearm and ammunition that was not shown to be the firearm and ammunition allegedly recovered. Further that on the state of the evidence the firearm and the ammunition allegedly recovered was not shown to be the firearm and ammunition that was examined. In these circumstances, it follows that she should have accepted the no case submission as without the nexus between the items found and those tested an essential element of the prosecution’s case was missing.”

Wayne Munroe, QC and Christina Galanos represented Wright on appeal.

THE TRIBUNE

Monday, February 11, 2019, PAGE 9

MONDAY, FEBRUARY 11, 2019

THE STORIES BEHIND THE NEWS

COFFINS line up in the Enoch Beckford Auditorium yesterday.

by MALCOLM STRACHAN TRAGEDY struck as a vessel carrying more than 80 Haitian immigrants attempting to illegally enter The Bahamas shipwrecked in waters off Abaco. With the death toll up to 31 and only 18 of the migrants on this journey reported rescued, the number of fatalities seems certain to increase as search and rescue efforts continue for another 34 passengers still missing.

With these journeys not slowing, one must ponder if it is at all worth it? Also, we must consider if the method our government is using to curtail illegal migration is tough enough to deter such dangerous attempts.

Certainly, if we consider the state of Haiti and the model being used to build a better country by those in the diaspora, then the answer to the first question would be the affirmative. A study by the International Organisation For Migration concluded that of the two million migrants in the diaspora, remittances of $2.4bn were sent back to Haiti in 2016.

In the context of The Bahamas, we can make rough estimates that, on average, about $120m is being removed from circulation in The Bahamian economy to essentially buoy a failed state.

As some of us awkwardly try to walk the fine line between nationalism and humanism, it is indeed a difficult realisation that we do not have the size, capacity, resources or economic strength to be a lifeline to Haiti’s economy. What’s worse is we are seeing the Haitian government begin to rely on these money transfers as a form of development.

A businessman and former candidate in Haiti’s presidential election, Michael Nestor, has even gone so far as to suggest they introduce a law that promotes the use of funds from the diaspora to invest in Haiti.

“It is our opinion that the diaspora can contribute significantly to Haiti’s development beyond the sending of remittances or the construction of housing for their enjoyment. We propose a law that promotes the diaspora’s investment in infrastructure projects that Haiti so badly needs. Joint ventures or private capital could advance aqueducts, electrical systems, and roads to improve the quality of public services,” he said.

With the $2.4bn in remittances pouring in, it is perhaps not a bad idea – especially when that totals accounts for a quarter of their GDP and is the country’s main source of revenue.

As ambitious as it may be, it is simply something we, as a country, cannot sustain or be party

The Abaco tragedy tells us it’s time for the gloves to come off

THE SCENES at Abaco last weekend. to. We have enough of our own problems.

Conversely, the United States is home to the largest Haitian diaspora, totalling 700,000 migrants.

In its current position as world superpower and a GDP of $20 trillion, compared with a developing nation with a GDP of $12bn, it is safe to say they can afford it and we cannot.

Other developed nations, like Canada, have also incorporated immigration into their economic model as a beneficial means of growth. Currently, Canada intends to extend invitations to a million immigrants who fit the requisite criteria to work in

Photo: Shawn Hanna/Tribune Staff Canada and eventually become permanent residents – all part of a well thought-out policy.

The Bahamas, on the other hand, is running around like a chicken with its head cut off, trying to fight a losing battle against illegal migration with laws that are failing as deterrents.

Meanwhile, successive Haitian governments are not doing much to help to help their situation either. Although the Moise government is a far cry away from the Duvalier administrations, Haiti still sits among the top of the list of the most corrupt nations in the world. And despite what are purported to be positive discussions

between Prime Minister Minnis and President Moise, we still see migrants attempting to illegally enter the country in droves every year.

Further, while there are many among us who may wish that the tragedies continue if more migrants come, it does not fix the situation. Firstly, as human beings, it is terrible to see people die, especially given the obvious desperation that drives them to attempt such a method of escape.

Secondly, we still end up deploying resources by way of search and rescue and medical aid which is an additional drain on the system.

In 2016, the International Organisation For Migration estimated 7,495 migrants died or were reported to be missing across five continents. In the Caribbean, there were 72 migrants reported either dead or missing in that same year– most, if not all, were likely to be Haitian.

This is a problem that will not be solved by xenophobia, but rather cooperation. It make take many nations and organisations to come together to figure out the best way to lend aid to Haiti without sacrificing any particular country. And of course, each model will have to be adapted based on what each country can sustain.

For The Bahamas, we can see that what is happening is not currently working.

In 2017, Prime Minister Minnis boldly challenged his government to humanely tackle illegal migration. It is still a question of how sustainable any of the policies implemented thus far will be. Surely, the number of sloops already intercepted for the year show many migrants are still willing to attempt the journey and seek what they view to be a better life in The Bahamas.

It is our hope the Royal Bahamas Defence Force continues to act on its intelligence and intercept these vessels as they come in. But now, what the populace is demanding is the aggressive search, apprehension and prosecution of those coordinating the human trafficking.

They are perhaps the biggest criminals.

We ardently hope the ministries of national security, immigration and foreign affairs look at this issue with great focus. Likewise, the Bahamian people must know that success, in this regard, will not take place today. However, we hope this administration continues to make steps forward and understand that the electorate can be patient, but will not accept inaction.

It is time for the gloves to come off.

PAGE 10 MONDAY, FEBRUARY 11, 2019

INSIGHT

EMAIL: insight@tribunemedia.net

A ‘Venezuelan owned’ solution: too much to hope?

COMMENTATORS in Western media - who dominate international news distribution - characterise any government, entity or person who speaks out against meddling in the internal affairs of Venezuela as “supporters of the Maduro regime”.

Implicit in the characterisation is that all these governments, entities or persons are “in the pocket” of the Venezuelan government, and, therefore, have no concern about conditions in Venezuela which includes shortages of food and medicines.

The reason for this characterisation is simply to discredit efforts to approach the Venezuelan situation in any way other than that which has been decided by some governments in the Western hemisphere. That way is to declare the Maduro government as illegitimate; recognise the leader of one of the opposition parties, Juan Guaidó, as the President of Venezuela and do everything possible to topple the Maduro government in Guaido’s favour.

OPPOSITION National Assembly leader Juan Guaido, who declared himself interim president, greets supporters after attending Mass at a church in Caracas, Venezuela, yesterday.

The unstated reasons for wishing to dislodge Maduro’s government are many. They include a dislike for the “socialist” policy in Venezuela pursued by Maduro and before him, Hugo Chavez; the Chavez/Maduro attempt to promote an area of Latin American and Caribbean independent cooperation that excluded the United States and Canada (even though it got no traction); Venezuelan economic support for Cuba which is once again being targeted as a bogey man in the hemisphere; placing Venezuelan oil and its reserves under the control of major Western oil companies.

These reasons to change the regime in Venezuela were already in place before more recent developments gave rise to additional ones, such as the humanitarian crisis in the country; the steady flow of refugees into neighbouring states; and the clashes between opposition crowds and law enforcement agencies that result in deaths and injuries.

But, it should be made clear that Caribbean governments, which have sought a course to resolve the conflict in Venezuela through the promotion of a meaningful dialogue by the Venezuelan parties, leading to a “Venezuelan” agreement on the way forward, are not acting because they are “in Maduro’s pocket”, or are attempting to protect his government.

They are acting to protect themselves.

These governments and their representatives at the United Nations (UN), the Organisation of American States (OAS) and in other hemispheric and international bodies, are working to preserve international law, settled international rules, Charters and Treaties to which they are parties.

They are doing so because, as small and powerless states, they rely for their protection and defence on international law and rules. When those laws and rules are ignored, discarded or manipulated, the vulnerability of small countries to the might of larger ones enlarges in every area. Therefore, they are compelled to stand up against the violation of international rules by any country or group of countries whatever their motivation. Accepting suzerainty is the only alternative, but they could not have sought freedom from European colonialism to surrender it to any other.

In this connection, it is a shame that aid to Venezuela’s needy is being politicised. As the UN spokesman, Stephan Dujarrie, said: “Humanitarian action needs to be independent of political, military or other objectives”. The UN guiding principles, established by the General Assembly, in December 1991, are clear in stating: “humanitarian assistance should be provided with the consent of the affected country and in principle on the basis of an appeal by the affected country”. The involvement of the Maduro government is, therefore, essential and to disregard it does not serve the interests of needy people in Venezuela.

Caribbean governments are concerned about conditions in Venezuela and equally concerned about the opportunities they present for adventurism that is not in the long-term interests of Venezuela or others in Latin America and the Caribbean.

That is why they have strongly made, and supported, efforts to promote dialogue between the

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parties in Venezuela. They know that picking sides will not end conflict. If one side or the other is emboldened by external forces, it will see no good reason to go to the table of dialogue.

Instead, it will continue to promote discord, division and disarray.

To reach an accord, both sides have to be urged and encouraged into negotiation with the full understanding that the real international community, not just a handful of countries that so describe themselves, expect them to do no less and will help neither side until they negotiate a plan for peace and prosperity to which they all say they are committed.

The de-escalation of the conflict requires several immediate confidence building measures which might include: release of all political prisoners; a commitment by all parties not to organise marches and protests that could lead to violence; a free media; and no agenda that makes demands as a condition of the bargaining between the parties.

The negotiations should be accompanied by the international community through the United Nations. The UN SecretaryGeneral could be asked by all parties in Venezuela to appoint a small group of mediators to help the negotiations along, including by ferrying between the parties to sort-out thorny issues and to do some frank talking when necessary.

In any such negotiations, neither side can expect to win everything it wants.

But it should be obvious to all that what is ultimately required is a free and fair election, executed by an independent and credible body, and overseen by an invited UN mechanism, that leads to a President and a government elected by the majority of the Venezuelan electorate.

Once elected the government should be assured of support from the global community and its institutions to help to deliver the social programmes the country needs, and to restore its economy.

The Montevideo Declaration made on February 6 by representatives of Mexico, Uruguay and CARICOM countries, and the separate statement made on February 7 by Uruguay, Costa Rica, Ecuador and eight European countries have laid down a framework for action by the global community.

Essentially the two groups argue for an international approach to support a “Venezuelan-owned” resolution to the crisis that excludes “the use of force”.

The Venezuelan parties on all sides – and all members of the international community – should support these efforts. But, alas, it may be too much for which to hope.

The writer is Antigua and Barbuda’s Ambassador to the United States and the Organisation of American States. He is also a Senior Fellow at the Institute of Commonwealth Studies at the University of London and Massey College in the University of Toronto. The views expressed are entirely his own. Responses and previous commentaries: www. sirronaldsanders.com

EMAIL: insight@tribunemedia.net

INSIGHT

MONDAY, FEBRUARY 11, 2019 PAGE 11

How to lose weight L and keep it off according to science

By KEVIN DEIGHTON Reader in Nutrition and Metabolism Leeds Beckett University

OSING weight is often at the forefront of many people’s minds at the start of the year. But if weight loss was your goal for 2019, chances are that by now, you’ve probably already experienced some challenges.

That’s because sticking to a strict calorie controlled diet is not an easy task in modern environments – where tasty and high energy foods are attractive and easily available. Dieting is also made particularly difficult by our body’s rapid response to decreases in food intake but opposing lack of response to overeating. This will be a familiar experience for many who have experienced almost immediate increases in hunger when dieting.

Most people will also have experienced how easy it is to overeat during holiday periods or other occasions. A main course meal at a full service restaurant, for example, is likely to contain more than half of the calories required for an entire day.

Our recent research has shown that overeating is poorly detected in humans, even when energy intake is increased to provide an excess of more than 1,000 calories per day. In this study, overeating with 150 percent of the required daily calories did not change the appetite of participants.

We tested for this by looking at appetite ratings and levels of specific hormones known to regulate appetite, as well as checking the food intake of participants during the next day.

Our findings showed how the body fails to adjust to account for these additional calories. This makes sense from an evolutionary perspective because in environments with limited access to food, overeating when food was available to our ancestors would increase their chances of survival by keeping them fuelled until food was available again.

This shows that being aware of calorie intakes is important because short periods of accidental overeating can be sufficient to cause weight gain or impair weight loss. Indeed, some evidence suggests that increases in body weight during the festive period are maintained throughout the rest of the year.

And may also be responsible for incremental annual increases in body weight.

Similarly, overeating on a weekend can easily cancel out a strict diet that is maintained on weekdays.

But understanding how easy it is to overeat does not mean that weight loss can’t be achieved. In fact, knowing this can help with weight loss – by being more aware of dietary choices.

Despite our body’s bias for weight gain, correct diet and lifestyle changes will produce and maintain weight loss if this is the desired aim.

Exercise may often be overlooked as people seek “the best diet for weight loss”. But getting active still remains important if you want to lose weight – and especially for maintaining weight loss over prolonged periods of time.

Exercise can complement dietary changes and help to minimise the increases in hunger experienced from dieting alone. This is because exercise does not cause an increase in hunger to the same extent

To advertise in The Tribune, contact 502-2394

SWEATING it out in the gym can support changes in eating habits while research shows many restaurant dishes contain more calories than fast-food meals.

as dieting, despite also creating an energy deficit for weight loss.

In fact, hunger is reduced when exercising intensely, which may help to stave off hunger pangs while increasing the energy deficit.

The importance of exercise for maintaining weight loss was also recently highlighted with participants from the US televised weight loss competition, The Biggest Loser. The tracking of participants for six years after the show revealed that the people who maintained their weight loss had increased their physical activity by 160 percent. Whereas those who regained their lost weight had only increased physical activity by 34 percent.

Regardless of which dieting approach you choose, it is likely you will need a degree of flexibility – as most diets will require some compromise.

Perhaps, for example, you are invited to attend

a meal at a restaurant for a special occasion or there is a holiday celebration involving additional eating. Being aware that your body is not likely to respond to the increased calorie intake means that you can adjust your behaviour to avoid or compensate for any overeating, for example by being more mindful of food choices in the days before or after an occasion, or increasing your exercise levels to counter any excesses.

What all this shows is that ultimately we should not rely on feedback signals from our body to detect levels of calorie intakes.

Instead, conscious monitoring of diet and lifestyle behaviours is more than sufficient to counter our body’s natural bias for weight gain.

And by appreciating this need for conscious monitoring, it may help you to achieve any desired weight loss goals over the year ahead.

PAGE 12, Monday, February 11, 2019

THE TRIBUNE

WE SHOULD SEE BODYCAMS SOON, SAYS DAMES

By REIL MAJOR

IN THE wake of last Tuesday’s fatal police-involved shooting, the first of the year, National Security Minister Marvin Dames said Cabinet is set to soon review a proposal for body cameras for law enforcement.

However, he did not give a definitive timeline on when officers responding to crimes will be equipped with the cameras.

Mr Dames was asked about body cam implementation Friday after he spoke to AF Adderley Junior High School students during an awards ceremony on the campus.

He said: “We have our Cabinet paper. (It) has been prepared and that should be going before Cabinet any day now. As soon as we get the green light for Cabinet,

I’m hoping sometime maybe within the next week or two that we will be sending that RFP out and hopefully we can expect to see the body cams.”

The minister highlighted the importance of body cams moving forward in the fight against crime.

“We move to bring a greater level of transparency so that both the police and the public will certainly have a greater appreciation what we are trying to achieve as we introduce body cams,” said Mr Dames.

His comments come after police shot and killed a man on Tuesday after he allegedly attempted to attack an officer with a silver knife in a shanty town located in the Joe Farrington Road area.

According to Chief Superintendent Solomon Cash, after 1.25pm the police launched a manhunt

CHIEF Superintendent Solomon Cash speaking after police shot and killed a man after he allegedly attempted to attack an officer with a knife. operation in the area to locate the wanted suspect.

At the time CSP Cash said: “As

a result of that, the officers went in separate directions behind the houses in this shanty town when they encountered the suspect.

CSP Cash said an officer approached the suspect and identified himself as law enforcement when the deceased pulled out a silver knife with a long blade, attempting to attack the officer.

He said: “The officer struggled with the suspect, trying to disarm the suspect, however the officer being in fear of his life at the time produced his service revolver and shot the suspect several times which resulted in him succumbing to those injuries.”

CSP Cash also confirmed the suspect was a Bahamian of Haitian decent, between the ages of 20 to 24 and was not a stranger to police.

He added: “This was something

specific as usual, once the suspect comes to the police’s attention, we send our men out in search of those suspects with an effort to try and bring him into custody to try question them on all the allegations that they are suspected of committing.

“If it is brought to the police’s attention that a suspect is wanted for any crime and the police have reasons to go and arrest these suspects, if these suspects are violently attacking the police or producing weapons resulting in the death of officers – officers knowing their training if they are in fear of their life, they will use their revolver or pistol to protect themselves from any harm or death.”

The incident has been turned over to the Coroner’s Court for investigation.

1,500 job seekers turn up to apply for 80 positions

By RICARDO WELLS Tribune Staff Reporter rwells@tribunemedia.net

NEARLY 1,500 job seekers turned up to the Fusion Superplex entertainment venue on Friday, as the company seeks to fill up to 80 part-time and full-time openings.

This came weeks after the Department of Statistics announced the unemployment rate jumped from 10 percent in May 2018 to 10.7 percent in November 2018.

Trevare Sherman, Fusion’s chief human resources officer, called the turnout “unexpectedly tremendous,” insisting the numbers surprised many of the company’s senior personnel.

According to Ms Sherman, the planned introduction of Fusion’s new banquets and events service and the expansion of its cinema operation, raised a need for more workers.

She said an overview of the company’s metrics and past hiring schemes suggested that a mass hiring exercise would best deliver the cross section of potential employees being sought.

“We knew we needed to fill several specific roles, as well as screen as many general workers as possible,” she told The Tribune, “that is what led to everything you see here today.”

Ms Sherman added: “Fusion is set to, in the coming months, role out our new banquet and events programme, so we are going to need a lot of service workers; so waiters, servers, bartenders and the like. We are also looking to fill our standard customer service roles, concierge and front of the house theatre attendants now.

“So we knew whatever route we took, it would have most effect if we opened ourselves up to the idea of having as many persons interested in these

TREVARE SHERMAN, Fusion’s chief human resources officer, called the turnout “unexpectedly tremendous”.

Photos: Terrel W Carey Sr/ Tribune Staff posts, come in, and be screened virtually at the same time.

“The idea of a job fair was settled on and we knew our past hiring exercises went well when we got the Department of Labour and its ‘Labour on the Blocks’ team involved, so we decided to keep it going.”

Spearheading efforts for the Department of Labour was Christopher Farrington, public employment services officer.

He told The Tribune the fair marked the Department of Labour’s latest scheme to pair job seekers with employment opportunities.

He said the department has, in recent months, opened talks with dozens of businesses across the country to develop a “constant database of openings” to

work in conjunction with its worker database.

“The Department of Labour understands that the job market doesn’t take breaks, therefore we had to build a system that operated identical to that. We needed to develop databases on both sides that detailed job openings, as well as qualified job seekers.

“Events like the one you see here today are working in line with that idea of bringing the two sides together. We have persons here today that would have, either before today or at some point this morning, visited our website and submit their qualifications and resumés. We would then go through them and work to pair them with companies in need of their services,” Mr Farrington said.

“Some time it is immediate, and sometime it takes a long time, but the idea is if there is an opening out there, we want to pair persons that are unemployed or underemployed to that vacancy,” he added.

A large percentage of the job seekers interviewed

by The Tribune on Friday ranged between the ages of 17 and 28. In the Caribbean Development Bank’s (CDB) most recent report, youth unemployment in the Caribbean is among the highest in the world, with the unemployment rate for those aged 15 to 24 reaching 42.7 percent in the region.

The most recent Labour Force Survey showed the unemployment rate for young women reached 24.1 percent, compared with 22.4 percent for young men;

and 23.1 percent for both sexes. In May 2018, overall youth unemployment was higher at 24.1 percent.

One young mother who spoke to The Tribune on Friday applauded the company for the initiative.

Asking not to be pictured and identified only by her surname, Ms Lewis, a 23-year-old mother of one, said she encouraged many of her friends and family to attend the fair, stressing that job opportunities in the Bahamas were now few and far between. “(The government) is saying things are getting better now, I don’t know if that’s the case. What I do know is these events are the best chance for people like me to get something to do.

You know, for most people, it’s only a few places hiring; the hotels, Super Value and

the number house. Fusion on the list now, so you have to come and see what you could get. I told all my friends and sisters to come out with me today because it’s a struggle for all of us.

I tell them come try their luck.”

Shortly after speaking with The Tribune, Ms Lewis was called into a holding area. Once seated, a general announcement was made to inform improperly dressed job seekers that their attire could result in them being turned away.

The announcement, made by Mr Farrington, dashed the hopes of four of the six persons who came to the fair with Ms Lewis.

Two men, one dressed t-shirt and jeans, the other a pair of cargo shorts and a hoodie, said they came dressed in the most “presentable clothes” they had.

Another young woman in the group who refused to speak directly with The Tribune, but could be overheard, said her short skirt was the only black clothing she owned.

She could be heard shouting over to Ms Lewis: “I don’t think they’d let me in (like) this. This man done saying if you ain’t dressed right, it don’t make sense wasting time.”

The comment resulted in a shrug by Ms Lewis who, despite being visibly bothered by the process of her friends being turned away, continued on.

Just before moving into a pre-interview room, she said: “It’s frustrating, but what can you do? We need work so we have to do what we can.”

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PAGE 14, Monday, February 11, 2019

THE TRIBUNE

PUSH TO HONOUR ARTHUR ASHE COMES AMID BLACKFACE SCANDAL RICHMOND, Virginia Associated Press A MOVEMENT to rename a Richmond, Virginia, thoroughfare for groundbreaking black tennis player Arthur Ashe is cresting just as the state finds itself in turmoil over a blackface scandal involving the governor and attorney general.

The man behind the street renaming says the confluence of the two unrelated developments involving race and history could become an opportunity to start a conversation about race at a pivotal time.

“If we can rename the Boulevard after him, it would be a huge cultural step forward.

This is where we can start with

reconciliation and we can start talking about the issues,” says Ashe’s nephew, David Harris Jr. “It would be an opportunity for the City Council to be leaders on this. We know what’s going on down the street at the state Capitol. This would be a way for the City Council to say, ‘We want to show you the way.’”

Ashe’s once-segregated hometown boasts an athletic centre named after him, and a bronze sculpture of Ashe sits among Richmond’s many Confederate statues. But a proposal to rename a historic street for Ashe has been defeated twice since his death in 1993. A third proposal comes before the City Council for a vote today amid the blackface scandal.

Leaders throughout Virginia’s political structure have called on Gov. Ralph Northam to resign after a racist photo on his 1984 medical school yearbook page surfaced recently.

Northam apologised, initially saying he appeared in a photo showing one man in blackface and another wearing a Ku Klux Klan hood and robe. Northam did not say which costume he wore. The next day he said he no longer believed he was in the photo but acknowledged wearing blackface the same year to look like Michael Jackson in a dance contest.

Days after Northam’s admission, Attorney General Mark Herring was forced to acknowledge that he, too, wore blackface in the 1980s while trying to look

TENNIS great Arthur Ashe

like a rapper at a college party.

Meanwhile, for all of Richmond’s hometown pride in Ashe, repeated attempts to rename a city street after him have failed.

Harris initially resurrected the idea of renaming the street after his uncle last year.

Called simply “Boulevard,” it’s a busy 2.4-mile stretch dotted with restaurants, museums and stately homes. Modeled after grand European boulevards in the late 19th century, Boulevard was designated as a state and national historic landmark in 1986.

At one end sits Byrd Park, with tennis courts where Ashe was denied access during his childhood because of segregation. The athletic centre named for Ashe is also on Boulevard.

New hurdle emerges in border security talks

TRUMP DEFENDS WORK ETHIC AFTER PRIVATE SCHEDULES LEAK

WASHINGTON Associated Press

PRESIDENT Donald Trump is pushing back against criticisms that a leak of his private schedule suggests he is not working hard. Trump tweeted that it “should have been reported as a positive, not a negative.” He also suggested that when the term “executive time” appears on his schedule, it means he is “generally working, not relaxing.”

The president’s work ethic has been a topic of Washington conversation after Axios obtained three months of his private schedules. They revealed that he spent 60 percent of his time in executive time, a term coined by former chief of staff John Kelly for unstructured time in Trump’s day. That time often coincides with when Trump is on Twitter.

Acting chief of staff Mick Mulvaney said the leaker’s identity should be known this week.

BARGAINERS clashed yesterday over whether to limit the number of migrants authorities can detain, tossing a new hurdle before negotiators hoping to strike a border security compromise for Congress to pass this coming week.

The White House wouldn’t rule out a renewed partial government shutdown if an agreement isn’t reached.

With the Friday deadline approaching, the two sides remained separated by hundreds of millions of dollars over how much to spend to construct President Donald Trump’s promised border wall. But rising to the fore was a related dispute over curbing Customs and Immigration Enforcement, or ICE, the federal agency that Republicans see as an emblem of tough immigration policies and Democrats accuse of often going too far.

Acting White House chief of staff Mick Mulvaney said “you absolutely cannot” eliminate the possibility of another shutdown if a deal is not reached over the

ACTING White House chief of staff Mick Mulvaney, wall and other border matters.

The White House had asked for $5.7 billion, a figure rejected by the Democratic-controlled House of Representatives, and the mood among bargainers has soured, according to people familiar with the negotiations not authorized to speak publicly about private talks.

“You cannot take a shutdown off the table, and you cannot take $5.7 (billion) off the table,” Mulvaney told NBC, “but if you end up someplace in the middle, yeah, then

what you probably see is the president say, ‘Yeah, OK, and I’ll go find the money someplace else.’”

A congressional deal seemed to stall even after Mulvaney convened a bipartisan group of lawmakers at Camp David, the presidential retreat in northern Maryland. While the two sides seemed close to clinching a deal late last week, significant gaps remain and momentum appears to have slowed. Though congressional Democratic aides asserted that the dispute had caused the talks to break off, it was initially unclear how damaging the rift was. Both sides are eager to resolve the longrunning battle and avert a fresh closure of dozens of federal agencies that would begin next weekend if Congress doesn’t act by Friday.

“I think talks are stalled right now,” Sen. Richard Shelby, R-Ala., said. ‘’I’m not confident we’re going to get there.”

But Mulvaney did signal that the White House would prefer not to have a repeat of the last shutdown, which stretched more than a month, left more than 800,000 government workers without paychecks, forced

a postponement of the State of the Union address and sent Trump’s poll numbers tumbling. As support in his own party began to splinter, Trump surrendered after the shutdown hit 35 days without getting money for the wall.

This time, Mulvaney signaled that the White House may be willing to take whatever congressional money comes — even if less than Trump’s goal — and then supplement that with other government funds.

“The president is going to build the wall. That’s our attitude at this point,” Mulvaney said on Fox. “We’ll take as much money as you can give us, and we’ll go find the money somewhere else, legally, and build that wall on the southern border, with or without Congress.”

The president’s supporters have suggested that Trump could use executive powers to divert money from the federal budget for wall construction, though it was unclear if he would face challenges in Congress or the courts. One provision of the law lets the Defense Department provide support for counterdrug activities.

The Duke of Edinburgh’s Emerging Leaders’ Dialogues Canada presents

CARIBBEAN-CANADA EMERGING LEADERS’ DIALOGUES

T

WASHINGTON Associated Press

ONE W EE LEFT T K R EG I ST O ER

MARCH 24-30/2019

he Duke of Edinburgh’s Emerging Leaders’ Dialogues Canada (ELD) has developed a highly regarded leadership program that focuses on real world experiences, creates dialogue and builds the emotional and intellectual capacity of leaders.

The Caribbean-Canada Emerging Leaders Dialogues (CCELD) will engage 60 emerging leaders from 15 Commonwealth countries with our academic partners the University of West Indies and the Institute for the Study of International Development, McGill University. The program themes are

• Green and Blue Economies • Technology and Innovation • Culture and Tourism

p r o g r a m i m pa c t o n pa r t i c i pa n t s

The Commonwealth Study Conferences were founded in 1956 by HRH The Duke of Edinburgh, Prince Philip. The President of the Emerging Leaders’ Dialogues is HRH The Princess Royal, Princess Anne.

application details: COST: $2,500 USD. Includes: Meals, program sessions, study tour travel, course materials and accommodation.

Not included: Travel to/from Kingston, Jamaica.

DEEPEN your understanding of cross-sector organizational leadership practices; ACQUIRE innovative skills to implement sustainable development techniques within your own organization; DISSEMINATE leadership best practices to your organizations, colleagues and peers throughout your industries; FOSTER increased economic opportunities and partnerships between Caribbean and Canadian leaders and organizations; and BECOME part of a global inter-generational leaders alumni network spanning business, government, labour and civil society.

location and accommodation: The Jamaica Pegasus Hotel, Kingston, Jamaica. to apply / more information: eldcanada.org/cceldparticipant-application.html application deadline: February 15th. contact: for further information please contact Ms. Shauyagaye Panton spanton@eximbankja.com | 876 630-1478 or Joanne Hughes, Executive Director, ELD Canada | director@eldcanada.org | +1-613-882-0888

eldcanada.org/cceld-2019 • apply by feb 15