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VOLUME:115 No.57, FEBRUARY 13TH, 2018

THE PEOPLE’S PAPER: $1

FACE TO FACE: LENORA TURNS HER ADVERSITY INTO MUSIC

Fighting fire

• OFFICERS SHOOT DEAD ‘KNIFEMAN’ BY PLAYGROUND • POLICE RESPONDING ‘IN KIND’ TO CRIMINAL VIOLENCE

By RICARDO WELLS Tribune Staff Reporter rwells@tribunemedia.net

about a week and a half ago, officers responded after receiving calls that an individual was on POLICE shot and killed Homestead Street firing another armed assailant shots. Officers responded near a school playground and gathered some yesterday, marking the information.”

11th fatal police-involved He added: “An indishooting since November vidual also made 2017. a complaint that There have some unknown been six fatal male fired a shot police shootings at him. Based so far this year. on that informaAccording tion officers went to Assistant to Peach Street Commissioner which is just off of Police ClayMackey Street ton Fernander, where they found the suspect was the individual sought by police who was responin connecsible that time for tion with several ASSISTANT Commisthe shooting. recent shootings, sioner Clayton Fer“The individincluding an nander. ual, the suspect, exchange with was able to officers near Peach Street elude the police and he earlier this month. dropped the firearm.”

ACP Fernander said: SEE PAGE THREE “What we have here is,

with fire

JEAN RONY SEEKS $1M DAMAGES

By NICO SCAVELLA Tribune Staff Reporter nscavella@tribunemedia.net

BAHAMAS-born Jean Rony Jean-Charles will seek over $1m in damages from the government over his unlawful arrest, detainment and subsequent deportation to Haiti last year, his lead attorney said yesterday.

Fred Smith, QC, told Supreme Court Justice Gregory Hilton his client would be seeking “more than $1m” in restitution for what happened to him between September and November of last year, and that such a substantive figure would teach the government to act in accordance with the law.

However, Mr Smith

stressed to reporters that in making the figure known, he was not seeking to interfere with Justice Hilton’s assessment on damages for his client.

To justify the rationale for seeking the hefty sum, Mr Smith referred to the previous court decisions on the unlawful arrests and detention of both Harvey Tynes, QC, and Tamara Merson, which he said saw both individuals receive over a quarter of a million dollars in damages.

However, Mr Smith said Mr Tynes was in jail for some 17 hours, while Ms Merson was imprisoned for three days, as opposed to Mr Jean-Charles who was detained at the Carmichael SEE PAGE TWO

JEAN Rony Jean-Charles on his way to appear before Supreme Court Justice Gregory Hilton yesterday.

Photo: Shawn Hanna/Tribune Staff

HOSPITAL RATS’ $30K REPAIR BILL

MOULTRIE PROMISES: I’LL BE IMPARTIAL

MORE than $30,000 in repairs were ordered on mobile X-ray machines at the Princess Margaret Hospital due to damage caused by rodents last year.

Urgent concerns of an “extensive” rodent infestation were documented in an email sent by technicians to hospital officials in May last year, which detailed repairs cost more than $27,500 for just parts.

WITH the Official Opposition expected to move a motion of no confidence in the chair tomorrow, House Speaker Halson Moultrie said he is prepared to live with whatever the outcome of the vote at Parliament brings as he vowed to be “impartial” in overseeing proceedings in the lower house.

Insisting yesterday he did not want to comment on the events of last week where he launched personal attacks at members of the Progressive Liberal Party (PLP), Mr Moultrie said the opposition was well within its right to move the no confidence

By AVA TURNQUEST Tribune Chief Reporter aturnquest@tribunemedia.net

“The replacement cost of each of these Philips Mobile Diagnost is $185,000 and each of the Affinity Ultrasounds is $80,000,” an email sent on May 8 just days before the PLP were thrown out of office, and obtained by The Tribune noted.

“The infestation of these rodents seems quite extensive and is continuing in that our engineers have found new and different evidence every time they remove the covers on either SEE PAGE FIVE

By KHRISNA RUSSELL Deputy Chief Reporter krussell@tribunemedia.net

Nassau & Bahama Islands’ Leading Newspaper

vote. He said the rules of the House provided for this mechanism when members of Parliament or a political party are aggrieved or disagree with decisions made by the Speaker.

Speaking to the issue yesterday, Prime Minister Dr Hubert Minnis said he was not concerned by the no confidence vote.

“Check the PLP’s record.

This is normal for them.

Every time they get beat they move a no confidence vote,” Dr Minnis told reporters.

“I followed the rules of the House, I was suspended. I am a man of law and order,” the prime minister also said, adding that SEE PAGE SIX

PAGE 2, Tuesday, February 13, 2018

Jean Rony seeks $1m damages from page one Road Detention Centre (CDRC) for over two months.

“So whilst I am not seeking to influence the judge’s assessment on damages, I was simply in that article referring to the other cases which would be in comparison, he would be entitled to substantial damages,” the senior attorney said, referring to a previous article in The Nassau Guardian which quoted him as saying his client would be seeking “substantial damages” because of the whole ordeal.

Mr Smith’s comments

came after a hearing over the government’s application to stay Justice Hilton’s landmark ruling on January 30, in which the judge found that Mr Jean-Charles was “unlawfully expelled” from The Bahamas after having been detained at the CRDC from September 18 to November 24, 2017 in breach of his rights guaranteed under Article 25(1) of the Constitution.

Justice Hilton also ordered the government to immediately issue a travel document to allow Mr Jean-Charles to return from Haiti to The Bahamas at the government’s expense and to grant him “such status” that would “permit him to

remain in The Bahamas and to legally seek gainful employment” no later than 60 days after his return.

The government subsequently appealed that decision, and an emergency stay was subsequently issued by Justice Hilton while Mr Jean-Charles was in the air travelling back to the Bahamas from Haiti. Attorney General Carl Bethel said at the time he requested the stay upon learning that Mr Jean-Charles’ landing was imminent. Upon his return to the country, Mr JeanCharles was apprehended by immigration officials and carted off to the CRDC. He has since been released.

Yesterday, attorney for the Crown Loren Klein submitted in his side’s support of the stay application that the government would suffer a “substantial prejudice” if the stay is not granted, and that the Crown would be further prejudiced if Justice Hilton’s judgment is not allowed to be scrutinised by the Court of Appeal.

Conversely, Mr Klein submitted that Mr JeanCharles would suffer no real prejudice from the stay application, particularly as the Crown has promised not to arrest, charge, detain, or expel or interfere with Mr Jean-Charles pending the appeal.

Mr Klein also indicated that the Crown would be objecting to the affidavits filed on Mr Jean-Charles’ behalf by his sister Clotilde Jean-Charles, attorney Crispin Hall and another individual on the grounds that they contain “scandalous” information and that one or more of them is irrelevant.

In response, Mr Smith said the Crown failed to address the merits of Justice Hilton’s judgment, and that his submissions were filled with “technical” and “procedural” arguments. Mr Smith further charged that Mr Klein did not address the “wholesale breach” of his client’s rights.

Mr Smith also dismissed suggestions that Mr JeanCharles’ matter will open the “floodgates” for future court actions concerning similar immigration issues, stating that while it does set a precedent, it would not have any bearing on any future and/or potential actions of a similar nature, as potential claimants would still have to launch and present their own cases.

After hearing submissions from both sides, Justice Hilton indicated

THE TRIBUNE

ATTORNEY General Carl Bethel outside court yesterday.

Photos: Shawn Hanna/Tribune Staff that he would make a determination on the matter by Friday at 10am, subsequent to him reviewing the oral and written submissions by counsel as well as the transcripts for the various proceedings on the matter.

After yesterday’s hearing, Mr Bethel who was present in the courtroom, told reporters that the Crown is “satisfied” that the stay it applied for ought to be granted.

However, when asked what the government would do if the stay is not granted, Mr Bethel said: “I don’t do speculative law. I deal with everything as it comes. We have, as I’ve indicated, made our application for the full stay for which we applied Friday, and we will continue to press on regardless. When the court makes its ruling, we’ll see what happens then. I’m not going to guess. But we will be resolved to pursue a clean appeal to the Court of Appeal where these issues will be properly ventilated.”

Meanwhile, Mr Smith said when questioned that if the stay is granted, his legal team will take the matter up in the appellate court.

“If the stay is granted we quickly move to the Court of Appeal and get the appeal heard,” he said.

“The government has given an undertaking not to trifle with Jean Rony, that is not to arrest him, not to detain him, not to expel him unlawfully. So that is a major one of his constitutional rights we wanted protected. So we’ll just wait and see.”

THE TRIBUNE

Tuesday, February 13, 2018, PAGE 3

Fighting fire with fire from page one

“The weapon was recovered. The officers, from then to now, were on the look-out to try and find this suspect.”

ACP Fernander said police, acting on general information, went to the Wulff Road area

around 6.30am, in the vicinity of Columbus Primary School, where they met the deceased.

“He appeared to have been trying to dodge the police . . . he turned and attacked the officers with a knife,” he told reporters.

Subsequently, he said officers in fear for their lives opened fire and fatally

shot the suspect.

ACP Fernander also confirmed that the deceased was known by police and may have been on bail for some other offence. A knife was recovered from the scene yesterday, he said.

Coroner Jeanine WeechGomez will investigate the matter.

The incident came less

than 24 hours after police shot and killed a man suspected of perpetrating a drug deal at Cedar Way, off Carmichael Road.

Officers said the deceased, upon noticing them, opened fire and was fatally shot in return. Upon examination of the suspect’s vehicle, police said they recovered a weapon and a

kilo of suspected cocaine.

Last month, a man who residents say was blind, was shot and killed by police, prompting an angry confrontation between residents and police in the Plantol Street and East Street area where the shooting occurred.

Police said they responded to reports of gunshots in the

area, and when they arrived they saw two men on a motorbike – one of them aimed a firearm in the direction of officers.

However, police could not say whether the man who was shot and killed was the one who brandished the weapon. There was no report that a weapon was recovered from the scene.

MINISTER of National Security Marvin Dames. to me as well, everybody And we will not stand by or sit down and allow for that wants transparency.

“Anytime an officer takes to happen.”

Mr Dames furthered: a life, and I can speak from past experiences with the “But one thing must be recofficers I have had to deal ognised, in the early hours with, it is not a good feel- of the morning or late at ing because that officer too night when we are all at goes through a certain level home and the streets are of stress and trauma. And busy, and individuals are out so we have to take that into there armed and an officer is called to a scene, he or consideration as well.

“But I want to make it she has to make a decision very clear that we are not based on that moment.

“We cannot decide for in the business, the Royal Bahamas Police Force is them. We can provide the not in the business of arbi- training and the education trarily taking people’s lives. to equip them, and we have

done so, to equip them to make better decisions.

“But at the end of the day they recognise that whatever happens, there is a certain level of accountability. We have provided for the police automated equipment to assist them with decision-making. They have used it extensively.

“We will continue to build that level of capacity.

We will continue to grow training because a part of our government’s mandate and focus is to professionalise the police force.”

Police are responding ‘in kind’ NATIONAL Security Minister Marvin Dames dismissed concerns yesterday over a spate of fatal police-involved shootings just hours after another suspect was gunned down.

Mr Dames insisted officers are responding in-kind to what they encounter on the streets.

On the streets that has meant six fatal policeinvolved shootings this year, with the two most recent occurring in just 24 hours.

Since the beginning of November 2017, there have been 11 fatal police shootings, according to The Tribune’s records.

Yesterday, Mr Dames said the process has always been and continues to be transparent.

He insisted police are not in the business of “arbitrarily taking people’s lives,” and that whenever someone is wounded or killed by police, it must be justified.

Mr Dames called on Bahamians to recognise that modern-day officers are no longer operating in the Bahamas of the “70s and the 60s,” stressing that police now encounter more assailants who are inclined to engage them with firearms.

Mr Dames, a former senior police officer, said the public should avoid getting lost in statistics of police-involved shootings and take a critical look at the circumstances in which they occur.

In the two most recent incidents, police shot and killed men said to have a criminal history. Police said a man killed on Sunday was engaged in a drug deal and opened fire on officers, while the man fatally shot yesterday produced a knife and advanced towards them.

In response, Mr Dames said yesterday: “…. What we must recognise too is that this is the world that we are living in today. Many of these incidents, and not passing judgement because we have to see what happens at the end of the day, many of these encounters involve persons armed with weapons.

“We are not living in the Bahamas of the ‘70s and the ‘60s, so the focus on counts shouldn’t be the issue. What should be the issue is what is that officer, or those officers, encountering when they face that threat?”

According to Mr Dames, well over 80 per cent of serious crimes committed in

The Bahamas are done so with the use of firearms.

He added: “That is what you are faced with. And so, if an officer encounters someone on the streets, and he or she feels threatened, I can’t make that decision for them. They have to make that for themselves.

“I don’t think that you would expect for me to stand here and accuse every officer of a shooting. This is the world that we are living in today. The only thing that we want to ensure, is that when a life is taken or someone is shot, that there is justifiable reason for it.”

Mr Dames said the record would show that police have been forthcoming with information in these cases.

“This administration, and I know I speak for the commissioner and his officers, that they are not in the business of covering up for officers who do wrong and there is no justifiable reason for it.”

Mr Dames said he has already held conversations with the attorney general, with the hopes of fast tracking all matters before the Coroner’s Court.

“Because we want, and I am certain the police as well, because they speak

INQUEST INTO OSWALD ROLLE SHOOTING ADJOURNED

By RASHAD ROLLE Tribune Staff Reporter rrolle@tribunemedia.net

A CORONER’S Court inquest into the policeshooting death of Oswald Rolle has been adjourned to February 26.

Rolle was killed on February 12, 2015.

Coroner Jeanine WeechGomez announced the adjournment yesterday, reading a letter from a lawyer in the Office of the Attorney General who requested it.

Though four witnesses have already testified in the case, the family of Rolle

have now hired Romona Farquharson-Seymour to represent their interests, replacing attorney Craig Butler. Mrs FarquharsonSeymour said she intends to call people who were on the scene of the shooting as witnesses.

The inquest comes as the government aims to ensure that such in-depth investigations, required by law, take place with greater predictability.

The Coroner’s Court is said to be inadequately resourced. The court has no stenographer, for example, therefore Coroner Weech-Gomez has to

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take her own notes.

In December, Attorney General Carl Bethel said the lack of inquests into police-involved killings and in-custody deaths over a number of

years is “distressing” and “unacceptable” and his administration will deal with the matter aggressively.

At the time, he said he would meet officials of his office and Coroner

Weech-Gomez to determine whether administrative or legislative fixes are necessary to address the problem.

He revealed last year there are about 28 policerelated deaths that require

an inquest, most of which are “just there,” languishing in the system.

Six men have been killed in police involved shootings so far this year, according to The Tribune’s records.

PAGE 4, Tuesday, February 13, 2018

THE TRIBUNE

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Our beautiful spaces need funding FOR years, Bahamians have used parks throughout the country without paying a penny. We took it for granted the government would cover the expense of keeping our inland and beachfront parks and adjoining parking lots paved, landscaped and cleaned or would lean on corporate benefactors. That is the case with Montagu foreshore, for instance, which before the Public Parks and Public Beaches Authority came into being in 2014, was shared by Ministry of Works and a number of corporate sponsors, including Atlantis, Atlantic Medical, Bahamas Realty, Coca-Cola, Ernst & Young, Higgs & Johnson, KPMG and the Chinese Embassy. Those sponsors still pay a monthly fee, helping to cover the costs.

Most of the national parks are operated, managed and maintained by the Bahamas National Trust (BNT) which, despite a $1.4m allotment from government in 2016, finished the year with a slight loss because the costs to manage and maintain 32 parks across 11 islands plus other programmes is so great.

BNT’s programmes touch on every part of our natural and manmade environment from protecting fisheries to preparing for climate change. While the Trust does a yeoman’s job with the parks, we think it needs to increase visibility and information, telling its story better to non-members. Every one of the Trust’s parks has a distinct identity tying it to the local culture or a feature unique to the area. But messaging takes money and for far too long, organisations like the BNT have depended upon patrons, legacy donations, major fundraisers that take energy to organize.

They have begged their way to survival and that just is not right.

And what should be the greatest national park of all, Clifton Heritage, is instead a national disgrace, a dumping ground for abandoned equipment, as pointed out in former Tribune News Editor Athena Damianos’ excellent, if heartbreaking, piece in yesterday’s Tribune. An ice machine, tossed on its side, now a resting place for empty beer bottles. A gate, once a proud entry, now rusted and fallen, its mission disbanded to serve as the entrance to artist Antonius Roberts’ Sacred Space’ with statues painstakingly carved from local trees depicting slave women facing Africa, longing to return to the land of their birth. Slave kitchens and plantation buildings dating back hundreds of years, a find considered so monumental it was

put into the hands of the specially created Clifton Heritage Authority, now awash in weeds and bush.

We underuse and over abuse our parks and park privileges. Part of our lack of respect comes with getting the right to stomp on the ground free. The thought of paying to enter a park seems anathema to Bahamians who believe the land, trees, birds and flamingoes or forests are our natural birthright and to suggest paying for the right to be where we already belong is heresy. We do not like the thought of having to pay any more than you do, but we have to be realistic.

We are sure Americans and Canadians feel the same that parks like the Grand Canyon in the US and Banff in Canada are their land, why should they pay? But if there was reluctance at first, they have adjusted and they understand the need to provide park revenue. The fee to enter Grand Canyon National Park is $15 for an individual, $25 for a motorcycle and $30 for a vehicle. In Banff, where fees go toward “maintaining historic sites for your visit and for future preservation so that our next generation can enjoy and experience their natural beauties” just went to $9.80 per adult in January, $8.30 for seniors or $19.60 per family. Both parks allow children in for free and Grand Canyon designates certain holidays as free days.

Jonathan Dickinson State Park in Florida charges $6 per car. County parks vary but there are few places you can go without paying something.

Maybe it is time for our free ride to end. It is at least time to begin the national conversation about paying to open an access gate. Even a small amount, $1 per person or $2 per car, would help cover costs and allow those responsible to create more beautiful green spaces and interesting exhibits or wildlife.

It is a bitter pill, hard to swallow, but may be the only medicine that stops disregard and abuse and provides for the kind of beauty that requires effort and expense.

We see the possible and admire it every time we pass the roundabouts on Baha Mar Blvd. Our parks could be just as stunning though each in a different way if only we had the funds to operate them as they should be. And those funds are in the hands and pockets of users.

Small change, a $1 entry fee forgiven on Boxing Day, Easter and Independence, could make a large difference.

Electric supply holding us back EDITOR, The Tribune.

THE World Bank Ease of Doing Business Report, 2017, for the Latin American and Caribbean Division shows certain rankings.

According to this report, overall, in terms of doing business, in 2017 The Bahamas ranked 119 out of 190.

When one considers just the Latin American And Caribbean Division, it appears from the rankings on “getting Electricity” we rank no 30.

There are only 32 countries on the list of Latin American and Caribbean countries.

That is, we rank below everyone except St Kitts & Nevis, and Haiti.

Perhaps the BEC list of requirements for changing the name on a meter account back to the name of the Company, is a factor in our ranking.

In addition to the list of up to ten requirements, customers are also told the company has to

produce proof of title to the property.

Excepting the first three requirements, requirements 4, 6, and 7 appear to be another cross - tax compliance exercise, as if BEC/BPL were a tax enforcement arm of the Government.

Requirement 7: Obtaining a Certificate of Good standing: another “rent taking” exercise: each certificate of Good Standing costs another $50.00 Registry Fee (assuming no professional fees are charged for obtaining this certificate or any other of the paper work).

The effort involved in complying with items 5,7, 8, 9, and 10, increases the cost of doing business, without any value added for the cost incurred.

Would BEC/ BPL be able to amend this list so it is reasonably incidental to its mandate to provide electrical service?

So that persons who could otherwise be pursing

activities to generate the cash-flow their business and this country needs, are not overburdened chasing irrelevant papers?

In Mexico, where I lived between 1980-85, it had become too difficult (read: corruption opportunity exercise) to transfer a telephone number from one person to the other.

So people ceased making the effort, and the Telephone Directory of Mexico City, was known as “El Directorio de los Muertos” - the Directory of the Dead, because the persons who had those telephone numbers listed with their names, had long since died.

BPL/ BEC might want to reconsider its list of requirements, before its list of account holders, likewise becomes a Directory of the Dead.

LEANDRA ESFAKIS Nassau, February 12, 2018.

Say VAT? It’s voodoo economics EDITOR, The Tribune.

I AM becoming increasingly disillusioned with the path this country is on. Our leaders seem to have no clue about how to run a country or more simply, how to prioritise their responsibilities. They are failing at managing the economy, crime, health and immigration, just to name a few.

The lack of understanding of the human condition and economics was abundantly clear to me in Prime Minister Hubert Minnis’s pledge to remove VAT from breadbasket items and create tax exempt zones “over the hill”.

The Prime Minister says “we in the FNM will attack poverty aggressively and the underprivileged aggressively to ensure we uplift as many as possible.” There are two simple things he does not seem to understand from his statements, firstly, poverty is subjective and is usually a result of poor decisions and the wrong mindset. Giving a person money or opportunities that they cannot appreciate will result in the squandering of both.

Secondly, if people are not properly educated and

LETTERS letters@tribunemedia.net coached to change how they think about managing resources and learn to make better decisions then, barring an act of God, they will remain poor. Spending money instead of investing or saving it will make you poor.

Borrowing for your wants and begging for your needs will keep you poor. Getting a loan to buy a car that is more than your annual salary while still living at home with your parents or renting will help you to stay poor. Having little to no education while single with children ensures that you remain poor with your highest priority being survival. People in survival mode seldom seek to prepare themselves for the future as they are too preoccupied with the present, that keeps them poor.

If the Prime Minster is serious about addressing poverty in this country then he and those he desires to help must understand one thing, the government cannot do it alone, people must want and be prepared to work at getting themselves out of poverty. It

takes information, effort and time combined with opportunity. People need to know the cold truth about how to better their lives, for this they need education, not pipe dreams!

In order to pay for his VAT breaks the government has to generate revenue from somewhere else or borrow more money. That cost will be passed to the middle class and businesses in the form of new or increased taxes.

Property taxes will become a penalty, the price one pays for home ownership.

Does he not see this plan will increase unemployment as businesses seek to control costs and will drive up the cost of living for everyone? Does he not see that the gambling houses will continue to siphon wealth from the inner cities to the detriment of those who live there?

Voodoo economics has this country in the economic state it is in at this time. Sensible, rational visionary leadership is needed but lacking.

I have buyer’s remorse in a big way!

JB Nassau, February 9, 2018.

Clifton correction EDITOR, The Tribune.

IN an article “Ruining Our Heritage,” I incorrectly referenced the historic steps of Clifton to the plantation era.

Thanks to Paul Aranha for providing the following information.

In 1916, J Ernest Williamson came to Nassau, to film Jules Verne’s 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea, the world’s first underwater full-length feature movie.

Williamson wanted to film scenes inside the wellknown cave.

Access to the cave was very difficult, so Williams had the steps cut - in 1916.

The cave became known as Jane Gale’s Cave, who acted in the film.

ATHENA DAMIANOS Nassau, February 12, 2018

Wulff Road query EDITOR, The Tribune.

CAN you (or a member of the public) shed some light on the following:-

When was Wulff Road established and what was the initial boundaries? Also who was the road named after and why is it spelled Wulff

Road instead of Wolff Road?

MICHAEL DUGGAN Nassau, January 22, 2018.

THE TRIBUNE

Tuesday, February 13, 2018, PAGE 5

‘Smith’s comments could lead to civil disobedience’

By AVA TURNQUEST Tribune Chief Reporter aturnquest@tribunemedia.net FORMER Royal Bahamas Police Force Assistant Commissioner Paul Thompson believes recent public statements made by attorney and human rights activist Fred Smith on civil liberties and the boundaries of law enforcement will promote civil disobedience and clashes with authorities.

Mr Thompson was referring to an opinion piece by Mr Smith, QC, included in a newsletter produced by human rights organisation Rights Bahamas (formerly the Grand Bahama Human Rights Association), which gave a simplistic overview of constitutional rights.

The newsletter was included as a paid insert in Thursday’s Tribune, and circulated widely last week.

Mr Thompson told The Tribune he felt some of the advice was incorrect and misleading, adding that he thought an intervention was necessary from the minister of national security and the attorney general.

The former officer took issue largely with advice on interactions with law enforcement, in terms of

their powers over an individual in custody, and when conducting a property search.

Mr Smith’s article states: “It is illegal for immigration and the defence force to hunt people like vicious dogs…You have a right to remain silent if you are questioned, you do not have to answer any questions, you have a right to a lawyer…no one has a right to search your home without a search warrant…no one has the right to demand that you produce ‘papers’ or evidence of ‘status.’

It continued: “…If you are born in The Bahamas, whether you have a certificate of citizenship or not, it is illegal for immigration to deport and expel you from The Bahamas.”

In Mr Thompson’s opinion Mr Smith’s advice will affect law enforcement in their duties as officers “because now you’re going to meet someone who is going to say, ‘I don’t have to tell you anything.’

“These statements will cause confrontation with police and law enforcement when they try to do their job, which is crime prevention, crime detection, and keeping the peace.

“There is nothing illegal about law enforcement trying to find illegal immigrants. You have to hunt them, you have to try to find them because they’re in the country illegally, not like dogs, but you have to find them.

“There is a proviso in the Constitution,” Mr Thompson said, “it’s true you have a right to see a lawyer, but a police officer investigating a crime there is a proviso if he believes by seeing your lawyer it will interfere with investigations, at the time he can refuse.

“If it is suspected you have firearms in your home, the officer getting the information has to move swiftly.

He can call any ACP and get permission from that person who can authorise him to search your house without a warrant. In addition to that, if a police officer in pursuit of a felon and sees him run into your house he can follow.”

Yesterday, Mr Smith rejected the assertion on the projected impact of his efforts, underscoring his “Know Your Rights” section was underpinned by rulings of the Supreme Court, and appellate courts.

“The RB publication is

ATTORNEY Fred Smith. designed to be a layman’s bible on human rights,” Mr Smith said, “and teaching people about their rights in simple terms does not promote revolution or disorder, it actually helps the government and people to live in a more civilised society.

“I have always promoted respect for the law and the rule of law and always urge that law enforcement officers act according to law. All of my public

Photo: Terrel W. Carey/Tribune Staff pronouncements and position taken in court have all been vindicated by the Supreme Court, Court of Appeal and the Privy Council, particularly on police cases like Tamara Merson.”

Mr Smith continued: “Those judgments and the many judgments we have on immigration, Smith vs the Commissioner of Police in roadblocks, continue to repeat the boundaries of police powers. It is regrettable

that the police academy and immigration training does not study the many cases in which the Supreme Court and others have clearly defined police powers.

“As the recent habeas corpus rulings reflect, immigration keeps putting people in illegally and we keep getting people out legally. So, Fred Smith and Rights Bahamas are all about promoting respect for the law,” Mr Smith said,

CONCERNS RAISED OVER ACTING CHIEF JUSTICE ROLE

By RASHAD ROLLE Tribune Staff Reporter rrolle@tribunemedia.net

RATHER than appoint someone to the substantive chief justice post, Prime Minister Dr Hubert Minnis appointed Justice Stephen Isaacs as acting chief justice in December, sparking concerns among some senior lawyers that he has undermined the independence of the judiciary.

Yesterday, attorney Maurice Glinton, QC, said the move is without precedent.

In addition, Wayne Munroe, QC, revealed he plans to raise concerns about this during the corruption trial of former Labour Minister Shane Gibson which is being heard in front of Justice Isaacs and is expected to resume tomorrow.

Hearing a case with such “political overtures” in front of an acting chief justice creates problematic appearances, Mr Munroe said.

“It’s something we will have to bring to (Justice Isaacs’) attention immediately,” he added. “In fairness to him, to the public and to our client, the political directorate should give him an answer on whether they will appoint him to the substantive position or whether they are not going to do so. If we say there is some political dynamic to these prosecutions and this is an appointment only the

prime minister could make, why would it not be fair to be concerned that this case is being heard by someone who is merely performing in an acting role?”

The most senior Supreme Court judge on the bench, Justice Isaacs was appointed acting chief justice last December after the retirement of Justice Hartman Longley.

Last year, the president of the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ), Sir Dennis Byron, criticised Guyana’s history of filling top positions in the judiciary with people in “acting” roles, arguing such circumstances are beyond “what ought to be acceptable in a modern democracy where respect for the rule of law is maintained.”

Controversy has also erupted in Jamaica where critics recently warned that Jamaican Prime Minister Andrew Holness’ appointment of an acting chief justice impinges on the independence of the judiciary as it creates the appearance that a probationary period has been imposed on someone who is awaiting appointment to the substantive post.

“It is just not the thing that you do,” Mr Munroe said. “When you have a Supreme Court judge, you may have someone act in that role for a while because it’s the first time they are doing it and you

don’t know how they will perform. But with a judge who is a senior justice, you have seen him for some time. What else does he have to demonstrate to you? Do you want him to demonstrate loyalty to you? Because if so, that’s not appropriate given the separation of the judiciary from the executive.”

A number of persons have served as acting chief justices in The Bahamas in the past but it is irregular for such an appointment to be made while the substantive post is vacant, both Mr Munroe and Mr Glinton said.

“You’ve always had an acting chief justice but it’s been like having an acting prime minister when the prime minister is away,” said Mr Munroe. “When the substantive office holder has been out of the jurisdiction, an acting person is appointed, but never have we had as far as I can recall someone appointed acting chief justice when there is a vacancy in the substantive post. It shows poor planning because unless a chief justice dies, you have advanced notice of him leaving his post. There really is no excuse. Just as in Jamaica and Guyana, everyone believes this is something that shouldn’t happen.”

For his part, Mr Glinton said: “The minute

HOSPITAL RATS’ $30K REPAIR BILL from page one

system. From a service perspective and also in an effort to preserve your very expensive assets, I cannot stress enough the urgency of eliminating this problem from the hospital.”

The Tribune reached out to hospital administration yesterday but did not receive a response up to press time.

“As you are aware, our engineers have been working with both Mobile Diagnost (digital mobile x-ray systems) in Princess Margaret Hospital that were damaged by rodents (presumed to be rats),” the email continued.

“So far, we have ordered parts in excess of $27,500 and the costs of labour and travelling exceeds $10,800.

As I mentioned to you earlier, we are trying to have as much of these costs covered under warranty as Phillips will allow in an attempt to minimise costs to the hospital.”

The email added: “However please be advised no warranty or service contract will ever cover damage by rodents or pests. This

means the client is responsible for all costs related to failures like this, including parts, shipping, labour, travel expenses, etc.”

Justice Isaacs’ acting chief justice role was announced, I called another senior lawyer, in fact a former chief justice, and I said to him this was something which ought not to have been done because one does not have an acting chief judge unless there is at the time someone who is holding

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the substantive office. It was all right when Justice Longley was chief justice and he was out the country on business or in the country and for health reasons could not perform the duties of his office. But it’s not all right in this case.

My concern is the prime minister is really not being properly advised and it

raises some really serious questions. “. . . One is that the independence of the judiciary is being undermined and the other is this issue of security of tenure.”

The Minnis administration did not respond to The Tribune’s request for comment on this matter before press time yesterday.

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PAGE 6, Tuesday, February 13, 2018

THE TRIBUNE

Moultrie promises: I’ll be impartial from page one nothing surprises him when it comes to the PLP. Asked whether he supported Speaker Moultrie, Dr Minnis did not say outright but insisted this among other issues related to this ongoing stand-off between the governing side and the opposition will be addressed when the House convenes its next sitting tomorrow.

When he spoke to reporters following yesterday’s brief sitting, Mr Moultrie said: “The rules provide that whenever a member or a political party is aggrieved or in disagreement with the Speaker’s decision that a motion can be moved by that party and so the Official Opposition is well within the rules as it relates to that.

“And so the only thing that I would want to say about that is that the rules are working themselves out in that from the beginning I indicated that I would function according to the rules and the exercise on Wednesday will be an exercise within the rules and we’ll see what the outcome is and I am prepared to live with the outcome.”

His attention was then drawn to his remarks last week, with questions on whether in hindsight he believed he took it too far.

To this he said: “I don’t want to comment on that to

prejudice any issue particularly for Wednesday. I prefer to allow the opposition to proceed based on what they will present to Parliament and of course I expect the government to proceed accordingly and we’ll see what the outcome is.

“In any event if I am returning, I intend to continue to enforce the rules and to be impartial in doing so and I will continue.”

Asked whether he would apologise as those in the PLP have demanded, Mr Moultrie said: “We’ll discuss that on Wednesday. If and when I am returned on Wednesday I will deal with all those matters.”

Yesterday, the House of Assembly met briefly with Leader of Government Business Renward Wells explaining to parliamentarians the intent of meeting was to ensure all MPs attended when the House reconvenes.

He said: “Given the gravity of what the leader of the opposition intends to do Wednesday, the government is obliged to see to it that all members are here Wednesday and that motion is going to take precedence over the entire House agenda as state the House rules and so we saw it fitting that we would have this Parliament today so that all members will have a right to be here Wednesday and we could get on with the business of this House.”

Mr Moultrie later

explained that Englerston MP Glenys Hanna Martin would have been allowed to enter the House yesterday, while all other opposition MPs would be eligible to attend the lower house Wednesday.

Mr Moultrie suspended Mrs Hanna Martin nearly two weeks ago, while Cat Island, Rum Cay and San Salvador MP Philip “Brave” Davis, Exuma and Ragged Island MP Chester Cooper and South Andros MP Picewell Forbes were suspended last week for two sittings.

She explained in a press statement yesterday her decision not to attend the House was a symbol of solidarity with her colleagues.

The sitting yesterday also saw the parliamentary chaplain lead MPs in a special prayer for peace.

Yesterday, Mr Moultrie also said he is not concerned about Senator Fred Mitchell’s threats to seek compensation for what Mitchell called a “blood libel” against him.

“When Jesus walked the face of the earth even as the saviour, people said things about him,” said Mr Moultrie. “So I have no problem.

“I am reminded of my grandmother’s statement: sticks and stones may break your bones, but words can never hurt you. So I am not concerned. All is forgiven.

I understand the spirit of which it was done.”

By KHRISNA RUSSELL Deputy Chief Reporter krussell@tribunemedia.net

HOUSE Speaker Halson Moultrie is not concerned about Senator Fred Mitchell’s threats to seek compensation for what Mitchell called a “blood libel” against him.

“When Jesus walked

the face of the earth even as the saviour, people said things about him,” Mr Moultrie said in response to questions from the media when the House adjourned yesterday. “So I have no problem.

“I am reminded of my grandmother’s statement: sticks and stones may break your bones, but words can

never hurt you. So I am not concerned. All is forgiven.

I understand the spirit of which it was done.”

Last week in an apparent swipe at Mr Mitchell, Mr Moultrie accused Progressive Liberal Party Leader Philip Davis of taking advice from “reprobates” and “perverts” with a track record of denying and

SPEAKER of the House Halson Moultrie.

Photo: Terrel W. Carey/Tribune Staff

SPEAKER DISMISSES THREATS BY MITCHELL hating women. His comments came as he addressed Parliament about his decision to suspend Englerston MP Glenys Hanna Martin from the House.

“My name might begin with ‘M’ but the first three letters are Mou and not Mit. Don’t mix me up. I am not a soft powder puff man. I am a real man,” he continued.

These words, Mr Mitchell said during a rally in Nassau Village last Thursday, put enmity between his and Mr Moultrie’s house, adding he would use all his energy to pursue the matter.

Mr Moultrie, Mr Mitchell also said, was too “dumb and thin skinned” to understand that public figures are often subject to attacks.

“So we are in the belly of the beast,” Mr Mitchell said as he addressed PLP supporters at a rally in the Speaker’s constituency – Nassau Village – on Thursday night.

“I am saying here tonight in his constituency that he owes all of us the leader, the leader’s wife me, (former parliamentary clerk) Mr Maurice Tynes and the staff of the House of Assembly a complete and unqualified withdrawal and apology of all those hateful remarks without conditions, no conditions. This is not subject to negotiation, a complete

and unqualified apology and withdrawal.

“I am not joking. The attack was personal on me.

I have told everyone that I reserve the right when someone attacks me personally to go at you, ya ma, ya wife and ya children.

“I am not joking. This is the second time I have had to say this in my public life and I said this to another public figure in the Free National Movement who serves in the government today and he may think I forgot it, but I haven’t forgotten it.

“And I say this to the Speaker, you have committed a blood libel against me.

You put enmity between my house and your house to the end of my days, I want you to know it,” Mr Mitchell continued.

“I will not relent and I will use all of my energies to seek adequate compensation for this libel. And when I am gone I promise you my nephews, my nieces, my brothers, my sisters, my family, all of them will be pursuing the redress in my name for this grave injustice. You can take that to the bank and cash it.”

Mr Mitchell said what transpired in the House of Assembly last Wednesday was proof the FNM and its leadership were unfit to govern the country.

“Who asked him whether he was a powder puff or whether he was soft? Who asked him that? No one as far as I was aware. He put his own character into question when he put that information into the public domain. Presumably a man who claims he is a text book husband and a lover for 30 years presumably his wife is aware that he is not soft or a powder puff.

“You, Mr Speaker, fail to remember that amongst your FNM colleagues there are many of them who would be offended because in their own lives when they were growing up people called them powder puffs and soft. I saw some of them banging on the tables in the House of Assembly and laughing, I could call the names.

Someone sent me a list and I don’t know the origins of the list and I am sure I’m not the only one who has the list, but I am not going to go there tonight. But I got the list and I can call the names. Dig one grave and dig two.

“And then, Mr Speaker, you claim that you are a real man, I don’t care who asked you to declare that either, that is a sure sign of mental instability when you question your own gender identity,” Mr Mitchell also said on Thursday night.

THE TRIBUNE

Tuesday, February 13, 2018, PAGE 7

COMMODORE Tellis Bethel.

Photo: Terrel W. Carey/Tribune Staff

Commodore denies tabloid reports of sloop collision

By MORGAN ADDERLEY Tribune Staff Reporter madderley@tribunemedia.net ROYAL Bahamas Defence Force Commodore Tellis Bethel has vehemently denied a tabloid report that a Haitian sloop crashed into a RBDF ship last Friday.

He also dismissed the tabloid claim that over 100 illegal immigrants managed to escape ashore New Providence.

Commodore Bethel told The Tribune yesterday the only report of a Haitian sloop that was reported to the RBDF turned out to be a visiting yacht.

Commodore Bethel warned against the spread of “misinformation” and “exaggeration”.

Yesterday, a local tabloid reported that early Friday morning a Haitian sloop crashed into a RBDF ship anchored near the Coral Harbour base. The paper alleged marines on duty were asleep, giving the immigrants time to wade to shore.

According to the tabloid,

only 45 of the 150 Haitians aboard were caught. The others escaped into New Providence.

When asked about this claim, Commodore Bethel said: “(This is) my firsttime hearing of that report.

We’ve had no such report.

“We have had reports (Sunday) of the citing of a Haitian sloop off of New Providence. And after we investigated, it turned out to be some visitors sailing through our waters.”

Commodore Bethel confirmed these visitors were not illegal immigrants.

He said: “What happens is people, when they see these sails now, they get the impression that it’s a Haitian sloop.

“And sometimes they’re so difficult to distinguish.

But when we investigated by use of our aircraft and our patrol craft, we found out that it was a visiting yacht. That’s the only report that we’ve had.”

In response to claims that approximately 105 Haitian immigrants escaped into New Providence, Commodore Bethel said: “Not

at all (true). And I guess you probably have a lot of misinformation, a lot of exaggeration taking place as well.”

Commodore Bethel made no connection between the tabloid report and the 25 Haitian nationals who were apprehended last Friday.

A RBDF press release said early Friday morning “police patrolling the Marshall Road area… discovered three undocumented Haitian nationals.

“They informed the (RBDF) marines stationed in southern New Providence who also combed the area, locating a wooden sailing sloop just after 4am.

“A subsequent search by officials from the defence force, police and immigration has resulted in the apprehension of 25 more Haitian nationals.”

Last Friday, Commander Bethel also took part in his first Commander Defence Force’s Divisions.

According to another RBDF press release, the ceremony “provided Commodore Bethel the

opportunity to inform his officers and marines of his intent for the year, and to address challenges and concerns of the force with solutions to overcome them.

“The timely address came on the heels of three wooden Haitian sloops landing on the southern coast of New Providence over a threemonth stretch.”

It continued: “Notwithstanding these landings the defence force had apprehended or assisted with the apprehensions of some 1,300 migrants last year, including the disruption of a suspected international migrant smuggling operation two months ago, which resulted in the apprehension of 14 people from five nations aboard an unsuspecting motor yacht. The defence force also apprehended a Haitian sloop earlier this year.”

The commodore also addressed the RBDF’s plans for the future.

According to the press release: “During the sectioned meetings prior to

his divisions, Commodore Bethel reminded members that the defence force was at a critical stage of transition where it recently entered a new era of modernisation to resolve problems of inadequate bases, port facilities, maritime assets (including ships and aircraft) and personnel, while simultaneously dealing with the constantly changing tactics of poachers, as well as migrant and drug smugglers.”

This includes the expansion and construction of bases in Inagua and Ragged Island.

“Though limited in capacity, the (RBDF) has already began reconnaissance flight operations

out of the southern Bahamas. The defence force is also moving forward with plans to enhance its communications, detection, tracking and interdiction capabilities. Initial work has commenced on the installation of a coastal radar system.”

The RBDF added: “Additionally, plans are already underway for the acquisition of an island-wide ‘Motorbro’ radio communication system, along with an automated identification system for identifying vessels in Bahamian waters.

These programmes are being funded by the US State Department under its Foreign Military Sales programme.”

$16,000 OF HASH OIL FOUND POLICE in Abaco are investigating the discovery of $16,000 worth of suspected hash oil found on a beach.

Shortly after 6pm Sunday, police received information of the discovery of a suspicious package along

the beach area on Crossing Rock.

Officers responded and discovered five packages, weighing eight pounds, of suspected hash oil valued at $16,000.

No arrest was made in this matter.

PAGE 8, Tuesday, February 13, 2018 LENORA Taylor singing and, below, with Dame Marguerite Pindlig and Althea Davis receiving an award at Golden Gates World Outreach Ministries and, far right, in her younger days during the time her husband was in prison.

S

HE is a Gospel recording artist who shares her gift at churches and events throughout The Bahamas and the world. She was a school administrator for 32 years, helping to nurture the lives of Bahamian children. Yet Lenora Taylor was treated with such disrespect by police, even in her senior years, that she felt obliged to share her story and call on the leaders of the Royal Bahamas Police Force to

THE TRIBUNE

The singer with words to say about the law

Face to Face

By FELICITY INGRAHAM

ensure the officers who deal with the public act with more professionalism.

If police officers do not show more respect to individuals, she believes they will be losing instead of

BISHOP Ross Davis (centre) with his long standing church members including Lenora.

gaining the support of the public in the fight against crime. As a reporter, I heard countless similar stories of the disrespect shown to members of the public by police officers. People have been distraught and some traumatised by these experiences, and these events are happening on a consistent basis. It is not a reflection of the entire RBPF, but it is enough for the leaders to take note and consider implementing more professional ways of dealing with citizens who are not suspects.

In Lenora’s case, a recent incident in which she was shouted at unnecessarily by a police officer reminded her of a situation in the

past, and showed her there is still much work to be done in training officers.

She was on Bank Lane; her attorney asked for a ride to court and she obliged. Lenora recalls the driver in front of her blew their horn to signal the person in front of them. As they drove off, she heard an officer shouting at her in what she considered a belligerent manner, fussing her for honking her horn.

She is a woman petite in structure, always wearing a big smile and she is in her senior years. Looking at her, it would be hard to imagine someone shouted at this gentle person at all.

She tells me she attempted to speak to the officer to explain it wasn’t her who made the noise on Bank Lane, however the officer shut her down and continued to shout at her in what she felt was a most disrespectful manner.

“I could have been his mother,” she said, adding the incident still has her shaken.

For 32 years, Lenora was the backbone of the administration office of Temple Christian Schools.

Children, including myself, were greatly impacted by this kind woman with a passion for seeing children succeed. She went far beyond her administrative duties and helped make the school a most welcoming place for so many children. She noted many of those children went on to join the RBPF, and therefore calls on them to remember their oath to protect and serve and not abuse their powers.

It was about 20 years ago when she first experienced mistreatment from police officers. She was married at the time. Her husband, who had been trapped in substance abuse as many young Bahamian men did in the 1980s, had just been sentenced to seven years in prison. He called her and asked her to come and see him at the station before the prison bus arrived and to bring him some food.

“I went down to the police station and I saw an officer sitting at the desk with his head down, writing,” she recalls.

“I said, ‘good afternoon, sir!’ He did not respond, so I repeated myself a second time. He looked up at me very angrily. In a trembling voice, I said, “My name is Lenora Taylor, and I’m here to bring some food for my husband’. He shouted at me saying ‘Who?’ He said to me, ‘He is not allowed to have any food; as a matter of fact, we are getting ready to put him on the bus and send him to prison!”

Not only did the officer shout at her although she had done nothing wrong, his words were chilling and cutting.

“As soon as he said that,” she said, “I turned around and walked out of the situation feeling distraught, embarrassed, ashamed and broken. My body was trembling. When I made the last step coming out of

the police station, I literally felt as if my feet lifted.

I was able to drive on to Frederick Street and I called my sister with tears in my eyes. (My feet were so weak) only God gave me the strength to drive safely there.”

This experience impacted Lenora so much so that it became one of the featured tracks on her album: Walk in My Anointing. The song My Feet Lifted is designed to inspire others who may feel dejected or disrespected and could use words of encouragement to help them stand strong.

It’s what she has been doing all her life. She was

is called upon to sing this song often, even today. Her soul-stirring version of this song is infectious and seems to make everyone in earshot feel good. She is ever thankful for the encouragement of Evangelist Shirley Burrows, who encouraged her to not only sing in the church, but record her voice in studio.

“She inspired me so much and spoke words of prophecy over my life,” Lenora said.

Evangelist Burrows assisted her in her first production, which resulted in an audio cassette, with music by Trent Davis and production by Neil Symonette.

She also commends Pastor Gary Curry, patriarch of the Temple Christian family for guiding her on her Christian journey, calling him “a man of wisdom and integrity”.

Lenora loves making others feel her warmth and compassion, which is evident in her ever-present, beaming smile. It’s a smile I remember as a student of Temple Christian Primary School. She was LENORA with always encouraging Bobby Jones, us and we would international often come and hug Gospel reher all at once and cording artist. bring her little sprigs we picked from the yard. She is a gem born in Lower Bogue, to this nation. a country she Eleuthera, where she spent still wants to help. her first 23 years. Her father She ministers at Her MajGeorge Mulgrave Cash esty’s Prisons in song, with was a citrus farmer and lay the hope that some of the pastor in the church, her criminals who hear her tesmother a homemaker and timony will have a change devout Christian. She is the of heart. third of their nine children “To see the expression the shy and quiet one. on the faces of the people Her parents found a way – nothing inspires me so of breaking her out of that much,” she said. through song. Her mother “The Lord is using encouraged her to sing at a me to touch the lives of concert at the age of eight, men, women and chiland she had to memorise dren, including prominent the lengthy song: There people.”

Were Ninety and Nine that Her testimony of the Safely Lay. On her first disrespect she experienced attempt, she sang the first when she came face to line and then ran off of face with the police is one the stage in fright. Her the upper echelon of the mother spanked her, she RBPF should take note said, because she knew all of and address. She is an the words of the song. On outstanding member of her second attempt, Lenora society, and was recently shone. Church members awarded by her church, and her parents’ friends Golden Gates Assembly were so impressed they told World Outreach Ministries. her parents she would be a Bishop Ross Davis chose star someday.

45 long-serving, devoted As the years went by, members of the church to Lenora would travel honour on his 45th pastothroughout Eleuthera ral anniversary. She serves with her father who would as an Evangelist in the attend various churches church and was also preand events sharing the sented the Distinguished Good News. Lenora would Covenant Leader Award accompany her father and by Governor General Lady offer a song of praise before Marguerite Pindling. or after his address. In this Now retired, Lenora way, she became comfort- isn’t really slowing down. able with the stage and It seems more and more became better and better churches and schools are at signing. As she grew, she calling on her to sing, and was also inspired to write most often, she offers this songs related to incidents service without a monetary in her life in order to offer reward. However, she says comfort to others. she will be ministering in Lenora is most well- song and hopefully blessing known for her rendition others’ lives for as long as of The Lighthouse. She she has breath.

THE TRIBUNE

Tuesday, February 13, 2018, PAGE 9

CHIMEKA GIBBS

Missing transcripts delays COB trial

By NICO SCAVELLA Tribune Staff Reporter nscavella@tribunemedia.net

FORMER College of the Bahamas employee MEKA Gibbs at a previous court appearance.

Chimeka Gibbs’ trial over allegations she stole more than $500,000 from the college was adjourned by a week due to the lawyer for the accused not being in possession of the transcripts of a previous sitting.

Justice Cheryl GrantThompson adjourned the Mr Wells again ed.” matterassociation, to next Monday ntinued: refused to comment. after Roger Gomez Jr Chief Superintendent get anyJohnson e informed went Patrick her thatis presently he was met with out of office and could not still not possession of offerin comment. tendent for the trial’s Superintendent ndthe wastranscripts in his s December would Edward18,Demerit, 2017 sitting, y it is so place, confirmed that sevwhich he would need in , these eral meetings did take with members of the ower to place order to draft his closing Conch, Fish, daddress noth- Arawak to theCay jury. em and Vegetable & Food Vendors Justice Grant-Thompson Association last year. fix the However, he could also noted that she was not not we did give any details on what inthis possession the meettrantranspired of in those top scripts forand that day. if any changes were The US ings made at the site. the jury instead In addressing On Sunday, the prime we now on the matter, minister told the Justice Nassau erious,’ Guardian securitysaid wouldshe be around Grant-Thompson

HID FROM ISH FRY’

hat this improved at the cultural site.

“I heard the vendors,” Dr ng, and they’re Minnis told the newspaper.

“I’ve listened to what they ow. er. They said, and the mere fact that, ed us. that is one of our tourist THEdestinations Ministry Public andof attractions, ’re now and the mere fact that, that eWorks fact. will begin a road to (Mr) had been listed in isolation, paving exercise today he was we will ensure the improved safety and security at the e on dark.Willow Tree Avenue, Fish Fry and other touristic heincase the area of Pinewood minister, destinations.

“And not only tourisbe, but they’re tic destinations, but the rs and entire Bahamas. The entire Russell citizenry must be safe and must feel safe. That is our about responsibility.”

The US Embassy in We told bberies. Nassau issued a warning out the about Arawak Cay in late es. We 2016, when the Christie g. Only administration was in office.

“Think prudently about ed was nviron- after dark travel. Inform ices. So someone of your travel his just plans and when to expect . Those you. At night, park in lit hat this areas when possible. Avoid me time unlit areas where persons could hide and ambush. For ntacted example, Nassau’s Arawak refused Cay area on Sunday evensisting nings is a popular hangout Minister and the scene of recent already crimes of opportunity such deal in as muggings and assaults, resulting in an increased clarify police presence,” that warnith the ing noted.

would give Mr Gomez reason of her employment the rest of the week to at the institution. It is also “properly assimilate” the alleged she falsified numerinformation contained in ous COB direct deposit those transcripts once he files, the result of which receives them, while also purported to show she was stressing to the jury how entitled to over $200,000 in extensive reviewing all of salary payments. the trial information could According to court docube. ments, Gibbs served as both Thus, she asked the nine a senior clerk and a human Sterlingjury Global Limited seeks to hire experienced member to Development prepare for resources assistant at the professionals the Monday, following positions: a “long day”foron college. She was arraigned which she suggested would in June 2016. COB tranDevelopment Manager consist of closing addresses sitioned into a university The successful candidate will: from • both the Crown and latervertical that year.

Be responsible for one or several and horizontal real Gibbs’ lawyer, as well asprojects. her Roger Gomez Jr repestate development summing up of the trial, and Gibbs, while • Manage all consultants from resents concept plan through construction the jury’sdrawings subsequent delibDelancey and work with the Al-Leecia Construction Manager through toand eration on a verdict. completion of each project. Antania Rolle-Taylor are Gibbs is charged with the& Marketing other team attorneys • Coordinate closely with the Sales throughout on stealing all hundreds ofproject thourecord, representing the phases of the to ensure sales success. sands • ofCoordinate dollars closely between with the Crown.

Accounting team and will be March 2008 andforOctober responsible the bottom-line performance of his/her projects 2015 while overall. employed at COB.• Report directly to the President of Sterling Global Development She is Limited. facing eight counts of stealing by reason of Qualificationsand should16 include: employment counts • Undergraduate and/or graduate degree(s) in engineering, of falsification of accounts. architecture or business It is alleged Gibbs stole • Significant experience in running all aspects of a real estate over $500,000 from COB by

CAREER OPPORTUNITIES

project • A strong understanding of design, construction and pro formas • An instinct for marketing and sales • Proven management ability to lead a team of consultants and Gardens.work within a development team

ROAD PAVING NEAR PINEWOOD GARDENS

The successful candidate Road works will run formust be based in Nassau, Bahamas.

Occasional travel will be required. a week beginning today until Friday, between the Development Analyst hours of 9am to 2.30pm.

The successful candidate will: • Be responsible for preparing, monitoring and updating financial models for projects under development and for prospective acquisitions. As the Analyst increases in skill level, he/she will be involved in strategic reviews of potential acquisitions and their capital structure.

• Have two two/three years’ experience related to financial analysis and will already have a high skill level related to spreadsheet preparation and analysis.

• Have significant growth potential. The Analyst position can lead to a career path for more senior roles in general real estate development and operations, or in finance and M&A. • Report directly to the President of Sterling Global Development Limited.

Salary and incentive compensation will be commensurate with experience and a proven record of performance.

Qualified individuals should submit complete applications to: bahamascareers@gmail.com.

Only those shortlisted will be contacted.

Please no phone calls.

THE TRIBUNE

Tuesday, February 13, 2018, PAGE 13

JUNIOR JUNKANOO WINNERS REVEALED

By DENISE MAYCOCK Tribune Freeport Reporter dmaycock@tribunemedia.net

THE City of Freeport Council’s 19th Junior Junkanoo Parade was a huge success and officials are looking forward to even more schools participating next year.

Monique Leary, cultural affairs officer at the Ministry of Youth, Sports and Culture, said the ministry is committed to making the Junior Junkanoo programme thrive in Grand Bahama.

“We had a total of 29 schools participating in this year’s event. Next year we are looking to grow to about 34 to 35 schools,” Ms Leary said on Monday, as the unofficial results of the parade were announced.

The winners in the various divisions were announced at 4.30pm.

Growing Years Preschool was the unofficial winner in the pre-school division with a total of 2,078 points.

The pre-school took first place in all categories - best banner, costume, music, dance, originality, and general impression.

Some eight pre-schools participated this year. In second place is Letty’s Paradise Preschool with 1,730 points; Kindercare Learning Centre was third with 1,683 points; fourth place was Hampton Academy Preschool with 1,418 points; Rising Stars Christian Academy was fifth with 1,254 points; National Academy was sixth with 1,230 points; Martin Town Preschool was seventh with 1,138 points, and St John’s Christian Academy was eighth with 896 points.

In the primary division, Martin Town Primary took first place with 3,911 points; West End Primary was second with 3,745 points; Mary Star of the Sea was third with 3,294 points; and Holmes Rock Primary was fourth with 2,982 points.

In the all-age division, Bishop Michael Eldon is the unofficial winner with 3,970 points. The school won in all five categories originality, costume, music, dance, and general impression. The Beacon School took second place with 3,248 points; third place was Hampton Academy with 1,746 points; and fourth

was Lucaya International School with 1,133 points.

In the junior division, Sister Mary Patricia Russell Jr High School won with 3,675 points and second was Jack Hayward High with 3,335 points.

In the secondary division, St Georges High was the unofficial winner with 4,242 points; Eight Mile Rock High was second with 4,117 points, and Total Education Centre was third with 1,270 points.

SCENES from Junior Junkanoo in Grand Bahama.

On behalf of the Minister of Youth, Sports, and Culture, Mrs Leary thanked all the schools, coordinators, support staff and other stakeholders, including the Grand Bahama Junkanoo Committee, and the Royal Bahamas Police Force.

City of Freeport Chief Councillor Kendal Culmer commended all of the schools for putting on a great show for fans.

“It was one of the best parades I have seen in a very long time, and all of the schools are winners,” he said.

Mr Culmer said the council would look at getting the budget increased for Junior Junkanoo in anticipation of greater participation from schools.

Photos: Derek Carroll