02132023 NEWS AND SPORT

PM: SHANTY TOWNS WILL BE DEALT WITH

Chiefs win epic duel

PRIME Minister Philip “Brave” Davis said the recent shantytown court outcome allows officials to employ the process to correct those issues within those communities.

He was responding to Friday’s event that found the demolition of shantytown properties and evictions of residents can resume after a Supreme Court Justice

lifted a previous injunction when residents failed to prove such actions would be unlawful.

Justice Cheryl GrantThompson ruled on the “matter of national importance” at the conclusion of a legal battle filed in 2018, with 177 shanty town residents represented by Fred Smith, KC, in a bid to stop government intervention and demolition.

Asked what the implications mean moving forward

SEE PAGE THREE

By PAVEL BAILEY Tribune Court Reporter pbailey@tribunemedia.net

DEMOLITION of shanty town properties and evictions of residents can resume after a Supreme Court Justice lifted a previous injunction on Friday when residents failed to prove such actions would be unlawful.

Justice Cheryl GrantThompson ruled on the “matter of national importance” at the conclusion of a legal battle filed in 2018, with 177 shanty town residents represented by Fred Smith, KC, in a bid to stop

government intervention and demolition.

The ruling means that the injunction is lifted and demolition of shanty town properties by the government may resume.

The applicants, under the auspices of non-profit Respect Our Homes Ltd, filed suit against then Prime Minister Hubert Minnis, Minister of Public Works Desmond Bannister, and Minister of Labour Dion Foulkes as well as Attorney General (AG) Carl Bethel.

One of the applicants, Timothy Rolle, claimed he was barred from his

SEE PAGE THREE

THREE DEAD ON WEEKEND IN SEPARATE INCIDENTS

A MAN, believed to be a Dominican national, was shot dead on Friday morning as he got into his vehicle - one of two murders on Friday, with a third man yesterday dying from wounds suffered in an incident last Monday.

Police press liaison Chief Superintendent Chrislyn Skippings said that shortly after 8am police were notified of a shooting at West Bay Street and Eton Avenue. The victim is believed to live in the area and is in his mid-20s.

FTX’S US CHIEF PRAISES LOCAL LIQUADATORS’ SWIFT ACTION

FTX’s US chief has admitted to the Delaware Bankruptcy Court that clients and creditors were “fortunate” The Bahamas acted to safeguard assets from theft by hackers in a total reversal of his previous attacks.

John Ray performed his latest u-turn during a February 6, 2023, hearing during which he recalled the “chaos” surrounding efforts by both his team, the Securities Commission of The Bahamas and Bahamian provisional liquidators to protect digital assets held by the failed crypto exchange from being stolen or lost.

He blamed the vulnerability to hackers on “a lack of integrity” in FTX’s systems.

PRIME Minister Phillip “Brave” Davis refused to reveal whether the government intends to increase National Insurance Board contribution rates.

Last week, Myles Lardoa, the State Minister responsible for NIB, told reporters the government will soon announce its decision on whether or

not NIB contribution rates will be increased. However, a local daily reported that Cabinet had greenlit a rate

increase which is believed to take effect on July 1.

While tight-lipped on the matter, Mr Davis repeated he does not intend to further burden society’s poor working class.

He said a rate increase is

“As

Davis says they ‘have a plan moving forward’

KANSAS City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes (15) holds the trophy after their win against the Philadelphia Eagles in the NFL Super Bowl 57 football game, Sunday, Feb. 12, 2023, in Glendale, Ariz. The Kansas City Chiefs defeated the Philadelphia Eagles 3835. See SPORTS for full story.

Photo: Matt Slocum/AP

‘NATIONAL IMPORTANCE’ IS CITED AS INJUNCTION LIFTED

Honouring the memory of Kenise

KENISE Earla Symonette-Darville’s funeral was held yesterday at Mount Tabor Church, officiated by Bishop Neil Ellis. The 33-year-old mother of three passed away on January 19, after an illness while at Princess Margaret Hospital (PMH).

Her passing brought to the forefront serious issues at PMH after she posted a video live on Facebook in an isolation room located at the Women’s Medical Ward detailing her experience at the hospital.

Her husband, Jerad Darville, after her passing urged people to support the cause for which his wife was fighting.

“Continue to support her and the cause she died fighting for bringing awareness to issues inside the healthcare system,” he said.

Several members of parliament attended, and Minister of education Glenys Hanna-Martin spoke to the mourners at the funeral.

Photos: Austin Fernander

PM Davis: Shanty towns will be dealt with

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for the government, Mr Davis explained: “What it means is it now allows us to employ the process to correct those issues within the shantytown. There’s a process for removal of any erection of buildings we intend to engage in those and then deal with those issues that impact us in respect to that issue.”

The Prime Minister was also pressed on the justice’s rejection of a judicial review application.

He stated: “It means that the case is now through on that level, I don’t know whether they appeal. I

know the other side can appeal. We hope that doesn’t happen and we just sit down and work out these issues.”

The Bahamas has been recently battling with an influx of illegal migration from Haiti and Cuba. There have been calls for the government to do more on the immigration matter with the prime minister arguing again that his administration has been doing the best it can.

“First of all, we do have a plan moving forward. The issue of migration, Haitian migration, is nothing new. It ebbs and flows from pre-emancipation

and the challenges with the migration has always been topical. Right, it ebbs and flows,” he said.

“Governments are engaged as best they can in dealing with it. We are dealing with as best we can. We are sending people back home by the thousands and we are intercepting attempts to get into our country and turning them back home. That’s what we need to look at. What are we doing.

“Last year, near 3,500 migrants have returned to Haiti. This year, we all that were intercepted we have returned back to Haiti.

Right now, I think we have

less than 100 in our detention centre. So we are returning them home as quickly as we can.”

He noted interceptions are continuing.

“They are intercepting - there’s a border wall that’s been almost erected between those three agencies. And it’s very difficult to get by them and it’s been proven very successful over the last year.”

Mr Davis has spoken on an international level about the problems in Haiti, a country facing political instability. The Prime Minister previously stated the crisis in that country poses a substantial threat to The

Bahamas due to an increase in irregular migration. He told a summit in Argentina that with the support and leadership of Haiti, regional counterparts can help Haitians build a path out of the crisis. He said: “As I said, that’s very topical. Right now, I have to leave because a very important call with the prime minister from Canada who is coming. We’re looking at how we can intervene with their leadership. The Caribbean community itself don’t have the capacity to deal with issue that’s occurring in Haiti at this time, so do we need international help.

“When I was at the OAS, I met with the French ambassador who has indicated their willingness to come and assist. So it’s just a question of crafting the plan for that assistance and getting the legal and moral authority to move in the way that we wish.”

In June 2021, the government was banned from further demolishing shanty town structures across Abaco after a Supreme Court judge rejected its bid to have the island’s shanty towns removed as beneficiaries of a standing injunction centred on demolition of unregulated communities.

‘NATIONAL IMPORTANCE’ IS CITED AS INJUNCTION LIFTED

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residence in the Mudd after Hurricane Dorian as the community was fenced off and guarded by armed Defence Force officers.

The applicants further had issue with the decision for BPL and WSC to disconnect their utilities, claiming a lack of proper consultation, and the blanket eviction notices of these individuals.

An injunction was originally granted in 2018, but in 2021 it was extended to all of Abaco, following the devastation of Hurricane Dorian in 2019, which prevented the government from tearing down structures in the shanty towns. The initial injunction was applied to Abaco then extended to New Providence.

On Friday, Justice GrantThompson ruled against the applicants with regard to a judicial review and a constitutional motion. She said: “This was a crucial matter of national importance, accordingly I make no order as to costs.”

She found that the applicants did not come up with sufficient evidence that any move to seize their property was in breach of the law.

With regard to land possession, the Justice

acknowledged that Hurricane Dorian was “one of the worst natural disasters in the history of The Bahamas”, but viewed government efforts to tear down buildings in those areas deemed hazardous as not being proof of government intention to possess the land.

She said: “The court is mindful of the duty of the government of the Commonwealth of The Bahamas to remove and even in some instances destroy buildings which the government may view as hazardous to the citizens, inhabitants, or to good public health and safety or otherwise in breach of law. There was no evidence to show acts of factual possession of the aforesaid land on the part of the government.”

She went on to say that shanty towns were not spared the “wrath” of Dorian, but she found nothing “sinister” in efforts by the Minnis administration in regulating reconstruction efforts.

“It [Hurricane Dorian] appeared to have escalated the plans of the government to seek to clean up, assist the indigent, provide aid and ensure that structures were properly built, rebuilt and regulated. The court finds nothing sinister

in this government policy to restore public health subsequent to this disastrous hurricane,” Justice GrantThompson said.

She also found that the relevant corporations were within their rights to disconnect applicants. She said “the relevant utility corporations are statutorily empowered to disconnect utilities for non-payment of outstanding bills, to conserve supply during periods where it is limited, for the purposes of upgrading their systems, or any other reasonable circumstance that may require a disconnection. The court found this allegation of the applicants to be unfounded.”

She ruled that the statutory process was “duly observed and adhered to”, adding: “In the circumstances the court has ruled that there was not an unlawful policy in place by the government’s decision to disconnect the utilities on the lands in question.”

Justice Grant-Thompson was also satisfied that the decision to issue notices was in compliance with the buildings regulations act.

The applicants had argued that while residences in the Over the Hill community have similar densely populated residences, with derelict

vehicles and similar public health risks (ie poor sanitation/water quality), only they face eviction while other areas are the subject of rejuvenation.

Although the Justice found the issue of notice the strongest case for the applicants, she only found three of the nine accusations against the respondents were substantial – those of a decision not taken by an authorised individual, acting under dictation and notices invalid on their face.

For these allegations, the Justice found the notices were duly issued by the Ministry of Public Works and that the relevant Minister only “bordered the line of irregularity”. She said: “I am of the view that actions of then Ministers Bannister and Foulkes may have bordered the line of irregularity, however I do not accept that the line was crossed.”

She further found these policy decisions and actions were sensitive to the plight of the relevant populations as to minimally affect schooling of children or provide alternative housing within the limits of available resources.

It was also said such moves were in accordance with the International Covenant on Economic,

Social and Cultural Rights (ICESCR) and the Convention on the Rights of the Child.

Speaking directly to the demolition of houses that did not meet building codes, the Justice said the policy was applied with due notice and consideration.

“As early as 2013, there was evidence of efforts made by the government to compile data regarding conditions in the shanty towns with the stated objective of forming a working committee of all relevant government agencies to formulate a plan to ensure compliance with minimum standards. The resulting studies revealed substandard housing, sanitation (disposal of human waste and access to potable water) and disposal of solid waste and/or access to the aforementioned. The court is satisfied that the minister has the authority to remove or require the removal of dangerous or dilapidated buildings even to the point of demolishing them. Such structures would obviously pose a risk to the health and safety of the public.

“As a result of this ruling, the injunction which was in place covering the ‘shanty towns’ is hereby discharged. The respondents are no

longer restrained directly or through their agents, appointees or employees from taking possession of, demolishing any building on, or otherwise interfering with the 177 applicants’ and other residents’ and occupiers’ enjoyment of land in ‘shanty towns’ in New Providence or elsewhere in The Bahamas, including by disconnecting any utilities in accordance with the relevant enabling legislation.”

Despite the removal of the injunction, the Justice advised the government to consult with the court as to what buildings pose a threat to public health and safety. She also refused to impose a conservatory order in court – an order to preserve areas as they are. The justice informed the relevant parties of their right to appeal.

In closing, Justice Grant Thompson thanked her judicial research assistant Kevin Armbrister for his research and assistance in the matter. The justice also commended Fred Smith, KC, for his work, saying he is a “brilliant trailblazer in our country who continuously fights to ensure the rights of persons within The Bahamas are not infringed and our country is better for it”.

HAITIAN BARBERS ‘SLAPPED’ AND ‘BEATEN’ B MEN DRESSED AS IMMIGRATION OFFICERS

By LETRE SWEETING Tribune Staff Reporter lsweeting@tribunemedia.net

TWO Haitian barbers with legal work permits say they are traumatised after being “slapped” and “beaten” by men dressed as immigration officers at their workplace this weekend.

Yesterday, The Tribune spoke with Gary Philius and Wilfort Senatés, two Haitian nationals who have legal work permits and have been working at Adam’s Barbershop in the Bacardi Road area.

Following the incident, Mr Philius said he and Mr Senatés went for a medical check-up and filed a complaint with the police.

“The business is still running, but we are not working. Because we had to go to the hospital and one of my eyes is bruised and I went today and did a police report. My head is hurting, one of my eyes is bruised and I cannot hear straight. At the hospital, the doctors gave me medicine,” Mr Philius said.

“How I feel about the situation, because I came from home and I am here in The Bahamas and I am legal, I have a work permit to work and I identified myself,” he said.

“They did not identify a second time when they came inside. They just came in and beat us for no reason. We didn’t talk to them bad, we didn’t insult them. We are not gangsters. We are not criminals. We have work permits and this was not fair, what happened yesterday,” Mr Philius said.

“Even if we weren’t living here legally, I don’t see what the reason is for us to get beaten. Then they put masks over their faces we couldn’t even identify who they were,” he said.

The men, said that on Saturday, around 11am, two men wearing immigration officer uniforms came into the barber shop to check the status of their work permits.

“This happened yesterday (Saturday) at 11am. We were outside at 11am yesterday and the immigration officers came to the barber shop and asked us (Mr Philius and Mr Senatés) for our documents. We gave them our documents and then they let us go. Then, we walked into the barber shop,” Mr Philius said.

He said the situation became physical after they all entered the barber shop.

Mr Philius said that as he was fixing something by one of the barber shop doors, the immigration officers walked in and then shortly after that one of the officers slapped Mr Senatés.

“The immigration officers walked in and called me and when they called me they gave Wilfort a slap and the next officer gave me a slap.

Mr Philius said the officers then asked the customers that were still in the barber shop to leave.

“They went back to the door and locked the door. I felt like if they wanted to kill us they could have killed us inside. He gave me another slap and I was tossed toward the wood in the barber shop,” Mr Philius said.

“I fly toward the chair and the wall and then they took us into the bus and carried us to the detention centre. When we got to the detention centre they made us get out of the bus and they still wanted to beat us there,” he said.

“They took Wilfort and tried to carry him to beat him again, but another officer saw and stopped it and after not being charged, we were let go,”

Mr Philius said.

This incident comes after videos circulating on social media showing two men dressed as immigration officers entering a business establishment, asking the patrons to leave, locking the door and beating two of the men in the establishment, before unlocking the door for another alleged officer and going back outside.

In response to this, the Department of Immigration released a statement, saying: “The Department

of Immigration is aware of a video circulating in the media depicting alleged immigration officers at a business establishment. We are actively investigating this matter and will provide you with information as soon as possible.”

Rudolph Ferguson, assistant director of Immigration, told The Tribune yesterday that while investigations into this incident are being done, the Department of Immigration holds a high standard for its officers to uphold when dealing

with people.

“Right now, there is an ongoing investigation concerning the video that has been circulating. We cannot say conclusively yet,” Mr Ferguson said.

“I haven’t gotten any reports on it yet to determine whether in fact they are Immigration officials.

So hopefully, by tomorrow, thereabouts we’ll have a better understanding on exactly what has happened and what transpired,” he said. He added that

immigration officers are held at a higher standard and should demonstrate respect to all persons, according to protocols when dealing with any person that may or may not be undocumented.

“We must always identify ourselves showing our immigration identification badge and we must treat people with the utmost respect. Certainly not abusing individuals for any reason, we’re held at a higher standard,” Mr Ferguson said.

TWO migrant barbers, Gary Philius and Wilfort Senatés, pictured above in red shirts outside the barber shop where they work. Inset is a screenshot from a video showing the incident.

Photo: Moise Aimsial

Dialogue ongoing for ‘language that’s acceptable to all’ on marital rape bill

By JADE RUSSELL Tribune Staff Reporter jrussell@tribunemedia.net

SOCIAL Services Minister Obie Wilchcombe said on Friday he could not confirm a timeline for when consultations for marital rape legislation will be done, adding discussions are still continuing

Mr Wilchcombe spoke to reporters on the sidelines of the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against

Women Forum.

“I can’t really give a date like that. I have been talking with some of the church leaders and some of the NGOs to see how best a time and we are waiting for some schedules and some dates,” he said. He said dialogue is still ongoing, adding it would be wrong for the government to move hastily and not allow all voices of the people to be heard.

“We’re still in dialogue,” the minister said.

“You have to appreciate there are those who support it and those who don’t. There’s an argument about the language being used. So let’s see how we can get to a language that’s acceptable to all. And as we talk to the church leaders, as we talked to the stakeholders, and to NGOs.”

He added: “We want to be able to walk away knowing that we’ve allowed for the dialogue. No matter how long it takes, no matter how long it takes, we will

allow for the dialogue.

“And the dialogue then gets us to the point where all Bahamians will be acceptable of where we are. Even if you don’t agree, or you agree it doesn’t matter. You would know that I participated. I was able to state my views, I got all the positions.”

In September, the Ministry of Social Services and Department of Gender and Family Affairs’ hosted a one-day symposium at Superclubs Breezes on

WILCHCOMBE CALLS FNM’S PROTEST IN PARLIAMENT THEATRE AND ‘JUST A SHOW TO GET MEDIA ATTENTION’

By JADE RUSSELL Tribune Staff Reporter jrussell@tribunemedia.net

OBIE WILCHCOMBE, the leader of government business, on Friday blasted the Free National Movement’s protest in parliament, describing it as just a “show” and a misuse of the media.

“It was more theatre, it was just (them) trying to cut (a) movie, it wasn’t real. That was just a show and it was a show just to get some media attention,”

Mr Wilchcombe said.

Mr Wilchcombe, the Minister of Social Services, spoke to reporters on Friday days after the House of Assembly was suspended to February 20. However, the suspension was criticised by the opposition as they lambasted the government for avoiding the question and answer period in Parliament.

He claimed the FNM aimed to get the media’s intention through their “theatre”-like behaviour in Parliament last Wednesday.

Mr Wilchcombe assured reporters the opposition will get a period to ask all of their questions once the House reconvenes, adding there is an ongoing feud within the opposition that is resulting in their “unnecessary” course of actions.

“We will give them the whole day to answer questions and to deal with a select committee that they’re asking for, for them to debate.

“Now, tell me in the last 20-30 years when that’s happened, it’s not happening with anyone, so we did it. And I was surprised at the behaviour.”

He continued: “So you walk away understanding

that we’re in the middle of an ongoing feud within their party the FNM. And I believe that everyone wants to show that I’m the better one to lead. I think that’s why you’re seeing that kind of performance, it was unnecessary.”

During the uproar in Parliament’s last session, House Speaker Patricia Deveaux intervened and eventually rose to her feet to try to bring order to the House.

However, parliamentarians seated on both sides ignored her and continued to argue. This prompted Speaker Deveaux to

suspend the House for about ten minutes.

But, when House resumed, members of the opposition continued their attacks, chanting “answer the questions” while standing on their feet.

As their chants rang out, some opposition members banged on the table.

Mr Wilchcombe chastised the behaviour of the opposition towards the House Speaker.

“And more still the Speaker of the House is the leader of the House. If the Speaker of the House makes a ruling, you’re supposed to accept the ruling.

If the Speaker stands, you sit.

“If she sits and says that we return to order, you’re not supposed to demonstrate unruly behavior,” he stressed.

In recent times, the FNM has called the Davis administration “undemocratic”.

The opposition has also claimed the government has ignored answering questions of the public’s interest.

However, Mr Wilchcombe pointed out the former administration’s failure to have a question and answer period during their term in office.

“Check the record, you’ll see that in the last term, under the Hubert Minnis administration, 30-plus questions were left on the table and never answered.”

He argued the opposition is looking for ways to “misuse” the media.

The minister added: “I think the opposition just trying to find ways to, in fact, in my view, misuse the media because I don’t think that’s genuine. Because at the end of the day, Where were your voices before? You weren’t concerned about democracy before when you sat in cabinet? You said nothing.”

Currently, the FNM has placed more than 30 questions on the House of Assemly’s agenda for the Davis administration to answer.

Some of the questions are related to the rollout of Freedom of Information Act, the affairs of Bahamas Power and Light, projects in the Ministry of Housing, among other things.

The FNM also held a special meeting last night, updating their supporters on what happened.

They also continued their criticisms, saying the government has failed to consult with the opposition.

sexual offences legislation.

A draft amendment to the Sexual Offences Act that seeks to criminalise marital rape and redefine what consent is and discussed at the forum and there was some pushback from a few religious leaders to the proposed changes.

Mr Wilchcombe previously said the government hoped consultations on the drafted Sexual Offences (Amendment) Bill, 2022 would be completed before early this year.

Asked how long the consultative period will last, the minister had said the government was hoping to complete it ahead of the attorney general’s meeting with the United Nations representatives in early 2023.

Meanwhile, some women’s rights activists have accused the government of “dragging its feet” on marital rape legislation, suggesting the Davis administration is stalling with ongoing consultations.

DAVIS WILL ‘RESIST’ FURTHER BURDEN ON POOR

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to try to resist putting more burden on our poor working class,” he told reporters on the sidelines of the commissioning ceremony of the Russell Island water supply project on Friday.

“Yes, we have looked at the matter.

He continued: “We understand that we have to do something, and we are trying to identify exactly what to do, and increasing the rate is one of the options that we are looking at.”

The Tribune had previously reported about the dire straits of the fund over the years.

On Thursday, press secretary Clint Watson was also unable to confirm reports of whether the government has approved an increase for NIB, however, he said the government was mindful of increasing costs facing Bahamians.

“I can’t say much on the increase because it’s not been announced as yet from Cabinet other than what you would’ve heard the minister talking about –the fact that a decision has been made,” he said at the time.

“We don’t know what decision has been made as

far as what it will be. What I can tell you though is as far as all of these increases, the Cabinet is mindful of that and that’s why programmes and designs are being implemented to try and soften the blow upon the Bahamian people.” He continued: “But I cannot say whether or not there has been an agreed increase because it hasn’t come to my desk yet.”

There have been ongoing discussions as to whether the government will decide to increase NIB contributions, especially in view of reports that the agency’s board had recommended that they should move quickly to affect the increase in time for January 1, 2023.

Most recently, this newspaper exclusively reported in April that the 11th actuarial review of the National Insurance Board predicted the fund could be depleted by 2028. That report had reduced the fund’s potential depletion timeline by one year, as the 10th review had made a prediction of 2029.

It also recommended NIB increase the contribution rate by two percent and continue increases every two years until 2036.

THIRTY-FIVE RESCUED BY US COAST GUARD NEAR CAY SAL

THIRTY-FIVE people have been rescued off Cay Sal Bank by the US Coast Guard.

The crew of the USCG Cutter Manowar took part in the rescue and interdiction of a suspected human smuggling venture off Jupiter Inlet.

The US Coast Guard said on Friday that the 35 people had been transferred to the Royal Bahamas Defence Force.

A video was also released by the Coast Guard showing efforts by the USCG Tampa last Friday to rescue migrants stranded off Cay Sal Bank.

In a statement on Twitter, the Coast Guard said: “Paying smugglers and taking to the sea in dangerous weather increases the risk of loss of life. Use safe, legal means of coming to the US.”

LEADER of government business in the house of assembly, Obie Wilchcombe, blasted the FNM’s protest in the house last Wednesday as just a ‘show’. The FNM parliamentarians, lead by Michael Pintard, refused to sit down chanting “answer the questions” leading to the speaker of the house to suspend parliament that day.

Opposition leader’s actions ‘despicable behaviour’ says Davis

By LYNAIRE MUNNINGS Tribune Staff Reporter lmunnings@tribunemedia.net

PRIME Minister Philip ‘Brave’ Davis on Friday berated the actions of the opposition leader in the House of Assembly, calling it “despicable behaviour”.

His comments follow the House of Assembly being suspended after a screaming match erupted when Opposition Leader Michael Pintard chastised the government for avoiding the question and answer period in Parliament on Wednesday.

Mr Davis blasted the Free National Movement protest, saying their behaviour failed to set an example for young people in the country.

He said the opposition must learn to appreciate the processes of parliamentary democracy.

“We continue to hear about how we behave and conduct ourselves and I mean, that sets no example for our young people as to how to behave,” Mr Davis said on Friday.

“There’s always a process. You want them to appreciate is that in our parliamentary democracy, the majority will always have their way and the majority will have their say.

He continued: “Have your say but you don’t have to have your say by the despicable behaviour displayed last Wednesday.”

Mr Davis told reporters on Friday at the

commissioning ceremony of the Russell Island water supply project that the government’s commitment to allow question time was removed due to other things on the agenda.

In recent times, the FNM has called the Davis administration “undemocratic”, claiming the government has ignored questions.

Obie Wilchcombe, leader of government business, on Friday said the opposition will get a period to ask all of their questions once the House reconvenes on February 20.

Currently, the FNM has placed more than 30 questions on the House of Assembly’s agenda for the Davis administration to answer.

Some of the questions are related to the rollout

of the Freedom of Information Act, the affairs of Bahamas Power and Light, projects in the Ministry of Housing, among other things.

With the opposition leader threatening to “up the heat” on the Davis administration, Mr Davis remains unbothered.

He said: “I don’t know what he means by up the heat because I’m not in his kitchen.

“If I was in his kitchen, then I could see heat meaning something to me but I’m not in this kitchen.”

Mr Pintard has said as of this week, the opposition will summon senior civil servants before the Public Accounts Committee to answer questions raised by the Bahamian people.

THREE DEAD ON WEEKEND IN SEPARATE INCIDENTS

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“Police responded and information thus far suggests that the victim was entering his vehicle when a silver Juke that was parked adjacent to his vehicle, a male [exited] that vehicle and opened fire on the victim, hitting him multiple times,” said CSP Skippings.

“The victim in his quest to evade the suspect ran onto West Bay Street where he collapsed and succumbed as a result of the injuries received. I want to say that the due diligence of the officers and members of the public have assisted in us recovering that vehicle thus far. It was recovered on Munnings Drive.”

Two people were in the vehicle parked next to the victim’s car, with one getting out and opening fire. Officers appealed to members of the public who might have seen something, including the Juke, which was later found on Munnings Drive, to get in touch with the police.

Asked if there was heightened concerns with the murder taking place near hotels, CSP Skippings said the police are doing their job and had a warning for culprits.

She said: “We’re always concerned where homicides happen - always concern. Of course it is a

touristic destination and in a touristic area and so there is some concerns for us, but again, as I mentioned earlier, we’re going to ensure that we beef up patrols in this particular area again to ensure this doesn’t happen. I also want to say to those persons who committed this heinous act this morning. We will get you and we will get to you in the shortest possible time.”

In the second incident on Friday, a 27-year-old man known to police is dead following a shooting incident in the Pinewood Gardens area.

Shortly before 9pm, police were alerted to gunshots being discharged in the Pinewood Gardens area, via police ShotSpotter technology, according to initial police reports.

A man known to police was “sitting outside a residence on Wild Guava Street, when a dark coloured Nissan March pulled up in the front of the home”, said police.

“It is reported that a male exited the vehicle, fired gunshots in the direction of the victim, which resulted in the victim being shot multiple times.”

The Wild Guava Street resident died of his injuries while being taken to hospital in a private vehicle.

In addition, police also reported that on Sunday, a man died after having been

attacked and stabbed on Monday last week.

Officers said that at about 2am on Monday, February 6, the victim was in the area of Zion Boulevard when he was attacked and stabbed by an unknown man.

The victim was taken to hospital by EMS personal, but died at about 3am on

TWO MEN ACCUSED IN NASSAU MURDER CASES

By PAVEL BAILEY Tribune Court Reporter pbailey@tribunemedia.net

TWO MEN were remanded to prison on Friday after being accused in two separate deadly shootings in the nation’s capital last month.

Nehemiah Culmer, 26, represented by attorney Donna Major, faced Senior Magistrate Carolyn Vogt-Evans on a charge of murder.

It is alleged that on January 6 in Nassau Village, shortly after 1pm, the accused with another male got out of a small Japanese vehicle outside the residence of Ishmael Forbes on Lawson Street. There, it is said, the suspects shot and killed the 26-year-old victim.

Due to the severity of the offence, Culmer was not required to enter a plea in court at that time. He was informed that the matter would be transferred to the Supreme Court by way of a Voluntary Bill of Indictment (VBI).

The accused was further told that as the magistrate lacked the jurisdiction to grant him bail he had the right to apply for it through the higher court.

Until bail is granted Culmer will be remanded to the Bahamas Department of Correctional Services (BDCS).

Culmer is expected to be served his VBI on April 14.

The second man, Lawrence Russell, 47, faced Magistrate Shaka Serville on a separate murder charge.

It is alleged that around noon on January 26, Russell approached 43-year-old Theophilus Nairn, Jr, in the area of his residence on Johnson Road. There, it is said, the suspect shot Nairn multiple times resulting in his death. According

to police, the suspect in this incident was known by the victim.

As this is an indictable offence Russell was also not required to enter a plea in court at this time and was told his matter would proceed to the higher court by way of a VBI.

The accused was also sent to BDCS until he is granted bail by the Supreme Court.

Russell’s VBI is due for service on May 17.

Sunday.

At the time of going to press, police reported another shooting of a man in the Gambier area. No further details were available.

Anyone with information on these crimes is asked to contact CID at 5029991/2 or Crime Stoppers

at 328-(TIPS)-8477.

Asked on Friday about The Bahamas ranking eighth in the InSight Crime 2022 Homicide Round-up, with 32 murders per 100,000 people, CSP Skippings said: “I think we’re doing an excellent job. As a police department and as a

community. Yes, we’re concerned about where we are in the rankings, but let’s talk about our success rate. The good job that the men and women of the criminal investigations department are doing in resolving these particular incidents.”

THE BODY of a Dominican man is removed from the scene where he collapsed in the road, fleeing the man who opened fire on him outside a numbers house on West Bay Street on Friday morning.

Photo: Earyel Bowleg/Tribune Staff

PRIME Minister Phili ‘Brave’ Davis calls last Wednesday’s protest by the opposition in parliament ‘dispicable behviour’.

The Tribune Limited

Has a decision been made or not?

SOMETIMES watching Bahamian politics is like a game of smoke and mirrors – you’re never entirely sure what is being said will come true.

Take, for example, the latest to-andfro about the National Insurance Board (NIB).

Last week, the Minister of State with responsibility for NIB, Myles Laroda, told reports that a decision had been made on what the government would do about the fund – which has been headed towards depletion by 2028 if nothing is done about it.

Mr Laroda has been quite forthright about the need for action about NIB, and last week he was again saying that the fund is “on pace to lose around $70m plus this year, that’s about $6m a month”.

But he was clear that the “matter has been dealt with at Cabinet. We are at a decision. We have a little bit of cleaning up to do with regards to the decision that was made”.

Note, the past tense there – the decision that was made. Not still to be made.

Later in the week, press secretary Clint Watson was pressed for details amid reports that an increase in rates had been agreed. Mr Watson, it seemed, didn’t have the approval to talk about it yet but again noted that “a decision has been made”, referencing Mr Laroda’s comments.

Which brings us to Friday of last week, when Prime Minister Philip “Brave” Davis was asked during a visit to Eleuthera about the government decision.

He said that increasing the rate is “one of the options that we are looking at”. Mr Davis continued: “We understand that we have to do something, and we are trying to identify exactly what to do, and increasing the rate is one of the options that we are looking at.”

If options are still being looked at, it does not sound like a decision has been made.

So has Mr Laroda gone too far in saying so? Has Mr Watson aired Mr Laroda’s comments further when they might not be accurate? Or is Mr Davis simply hesitant to confirm the decision, while keeping the ball in the air a little longer?

Looking at how the increase in rates

for Bahamas Power & Light was handled, that too was something that was long delayed before Mr Davis made the announcement. Is that the same case here too? The decision made, but knowing its unpopularity, putting off the announcement as long as possible?

Time, of course, will tell – but time continues to tick for NIB, at the rate of $6m a month.

Government figures have talked of trying to find a creative solution before now, with a rate increase having been described as a “lazy” way of solving the problem.

The NIB can has been kicked down the road for too many years now, and now it is time to do something about it.

If a decision has been made, let’s hear what it is.

Good Samaritan

In this world where too often we hear of terrible stories, of crimes and murders, it can be easy to despair.

So when a positive story comes around, it is good to recognise those involved.

In the darkness of Eastern Road last week, a woman and her mother got a flat tyre. They called a mechanic but were left waiting, and waiting… and waiting.

Then came a Good Samaritan, a young man who pulled up and asked if they were ok. He offered to loan them a spare tyre – but no one had a jack. They thanked him and he went on his way.

Half an hour later and no mechanic –but then, the young man returned, jack in hand, and got them back on their way.

Posting on Facebook, the driver said: “You went out of your way to help us in a time when so many people don’t go out of their way to help others any more.”

One last note too – that Facebook post not only caught the heart of many who read it, but it also caught the attention of the young man who came to help.

Errol Knowles was that man – and the stranded motorists met him again to return the spare tyre, and to show him the gratitude and love prompted by his actions.

The world could use more Errols, but we’re glad he was in the right place when he was needed.

Why can’t Finance collect property tax?

EDITOR, The Tribune.

PM SAYS we are collecting 40 percent of the whole due from Real Property Tax - the FNM and then the PLP governments reassessed New Providence and found, so they say, and it is reported that thousands are not registered and hundreds with enormous arrears… didn’t they say $600m?

Pre-FNM government PLP had a revenue enhancement section… FNM got rid of that and seemingly tax delinquency increased by leaps and bounds… PLP back in office reinstated enhancement,

Haiti must f nd own solution

EDITOR, The Tribune, NO SENSIBLE person is able to deny that the Republic of Haiti is a ‘failed’ state. This is a sad indictment and is fast becoming a geopolitical problem and a source of dislocation for her people and a bane on the wider Caribbean, inclusive of The Bahamas and Turks & Caicos. The resources of these two nations have been stretched to the limits and the seams could rapidly burst in short order.

It would seem that ever since Haiti was able, against all odds, to defeat the then armed forces of Napoleon and declared Independence in 1804 that that nation has remained on its knees and has never had a cohesive national economy or a democratically sustainable government.

Indeed, shortly after the Haitian revolution, France and many other European nations demanded repatriations and/compensation for the loss of slaves and real estate in Haiti.

but even that has not been successful.

Finance… take a full page advertisement in Tribune and Guardian and list the persons who you wish to speak to with regards to tax arrears… simply list names and ask those listed to contact Finance within ten days.

You will be shocked by what a positive reaction you will have… talk about collecting?

Whilst on taxes… PM - Minister of Health be sensible and don’t push for the collection of VAT on more aspects of health… obvious public reaction will be to seek medical services in

Florida… we already spend over $1 billion can the reserves withstand further erosion and impact?

We should be doing the opposite, support our excellent medical sector and retaining at least 50 percent of that billion we give to Florida medical services… this VAT on insurances is a fool thought anyway… the cost savings to government is enormous… it is not only the middle-class that will be hot those in group Plus from the receptions up will be.

JEROME SMITH Nassau, February 7, 2023.

To advertise in The Tribune, contact 502-2394

The resulting massive and crippling figures demanded have yet to be paid off and despite all efforts by “friendly nations”, so far, Haiti continues to lurch from pillar to post. That unfortunate country and her people have been subjected, almost like clockwork, to military dictatorships and mob rule. Political assassinations occur with regularity.

The most recently elected President Jovenel Moisie was brutally attacked and killed within the confines of his private home a few years ago. The case remains “unsolved”.

Following his slaying, a technocrat, Ariel Henry, was appointed and

elections were supposed to be held in short order.

To date, those elections have not been able to be scheduled and Haiti has no semblance of democracy. The Senate and the Lower House of Deputies, where they have ‘members’, are in political limbo.

With the break down on the economic and political fronts tens of thousands of the lower classes of Haitians have taken to rickety ‘boats’ and fled their country for what they expect to be greener pastures. Most wish to get to the USA and Canada. A majority tend to migrate through the Turks & Caicos and, of course, the Bahamas. Other Caricom nations are also impacted negatively.

Here at home, we have seen, before our very eyes, the development and proliferation of what are commonly referred to as shanty towns. Last year the Davis administration deported over 5,000 illegal immigrants and migrants at tremendous cost. From time immemorial our natural resources and scarce national funds have been depleted due, partially, to the unknown numbers of illegal nationals in The Bahamas. Once they land here and are “integrated” into our communities, we are obliged by international protocols to educate them and to provide health care. The bulk of these people, unfortunately, are fleeing Haiti.

This week, Caricom will be hosted in The Bahamas by Philip ‘Brave’ Davis, KC, MP, our hard working

and brilliant Prime Minister in his capacity as rotational head of that block. Hopefully, the issue of Haiti and the strain which is placed on Caricom nations will be discussed and workable solutions offered. My hopes, however, are not high. There will be more talk and little concrete action. Haiti, like it or not, is the ‘elephant’ in the room. Within The Bahamas, alas, there is little that we are able to do to eradicate the questions of illegal immigration; shanty towns and the vexing issue of citizenship and residency until the Privy Council makes final rulings. Compounding these points is the fact that many persons, inclusive of Bahamians and Haitianbased human smugglers are alleged to be raking in big money trafficking all and sundry illegal migrants.

The United Nations, a useless organisation and a mere social club, has been talking for a few years now about collating and deploying a security contingent of international police and soldiers, on the ground, in Haiti to stabilise and pacify it. The Bahamas has said that it would be willing to participate. While I love the people of Haiti and other Caricom nationals, I urge the Bahamian Prime Minister not to touch any sort of military intervention down there. The elephant must not be abandoned, but any sustainable solution to the Haitian crisis must be arrived at by her people. It is, I submit, as simple as that.

ORTLAND H. BODIE, JR.

Nassau, February 11, 2023.

AN EMBRACE at the funeral service for Kenise Symonette-Darville. See PAGE TWO for more.

Photo: Austin Fernander

Water improvement project for Eleuthera

THE RUSSELL

Davis

By LYNAIRE MUNNINGS Tribune Staff Reporter lmunnings@tribunemedia.net

A WATER project aiming to improve supply in Eleuthera was commissioned on Friday, with Prime Minister Philip “Brave” Davis in attendance.

The Russell Island water supply project includes the installation of nearly 10,000ft of pipes to serve more than 100 homes on the islands at a cost of approximately $600,000.

Also present at the commissioning ceremony were Minister of Agriculture, Marine Resources, and Family Island Affair Clay Sweeting, Minister of Works and Utilities Alfred Sears, and WSC chairman and North Eleuthera MP Sylvanus Petty.

Mr Davis said the provision of high-quality piped potable water was “long overdue”, saying many administrations failed to deliver a solution.

With respect to Eleuthera specifically, WSC has developed an action plan to improve the reliability of its services, with residents facing water supply issues for the past three months.

A delegation visited the island on Friday to view and inspect the North Eleuthera naval desalination plant, and WSC general manager Robert Deal said a half-million gallon tank has been installed.

“You’ll see that we have installed the half a million tank. What that will do is assist us with increasing the amount of water we have stored on site,” Mr Deal said on Friday.

He said the company also expects to build a

one-million gallon storage tank.

The added tank will help to increase storage capacity and production capacity on the island, after which Water and Sewerage can then focus on any other “weak points” it may have on the island.

WSC is also aiming to partner with Bahamas Power and Light and Ministry of Works and Utilities to address the power and supply and demand issues of the desalination facilities, including alternative energy supply solutions.

M/V LEGACY BACK IN NASSAU AFTER EGG ISLAND STRANDING NEARB REEF ‘BATTERED’

By LYNAIRE MUNNINGS Tribune Staff Reporter lmunnings@tribunemedia.net

CENTRAL and South Eleuthera MP Clay Sweeting suggested the coral reef surrounding the m/v Legacy was “battered”, following the mailboat running aground in waters near Egg Island off Spanish Wells, Eleuthera, on Wednesday morning.

The boat is now off the reef and is tied up at Arawak Cay in Nassau. It did not take on any water during its grounding.

It is reported the vessel was en route to Marsh Harbour, Abaco, from New Providence with heavy cargo on board when the incident occurred.

Mr Sweeting acknowledged the possible damage due to the incident, however, he noted the vessel was floating with no water inside, describing it as “odd”.

“I’m aware, we had two small 26 vessels go out this morning (Friday) to assess the situation,” Mr Sweeting said on the sidelines of the commissioning ceremony of Russell Island Water Supply Project.

“It seems as if she (the boat) is still floating somewhat, but she’s (the boat) continuously hitting the reef on the port side.”

When asked by this newspaper if any natural

resources were damaged, Mr Sweeting said the coral reefs seems battered, adding that a team will later conduct a “proper assessment”.

The Ministry of Transport and Housing said in a statement on Thursday that reports indicated the vessel lost generation power while en route. An emergency plan was activated after officials were alerted to the incident.

“The ministry is advised that the cargo on board includes 4,500 gallons of diesel fuel, five vehicles, a tar truck, and other miscellaneous cargo items,” the ministry had said.

“At present, there is no threat to the environment and all crew members and

passengers have been safely disembarked.”

In an interview with this newspaper on Thursday, Spanish Wells councillor Robert Roberts said seven passengers, one of whom was an elderly lady, had to be taken off the mailboat on Wednesday after it ran aground.

He noted the ship was loaded with vehicles and containers on board, causing concern about its potential impact on the environment.

This latest incident follows the recent sinking of cargo ship Onega Traveller in waters off Abaco and last summer’s spill of more than 30,000 gallons of fuel in Exuma waters.

‘SE ERE WATER CRISIS’ IN SWEETINGS CA

FORMER State Minister for Finance Kwasi Thompson MP has called for action over a “severe water crisis” in Sweetings Cay. He said in a statement last night: “The Sweetings Cay residents have for the past few weeks been dealing with a severe water crisis.”

He called on the Water and Sewerage Corporation and the Ministry of Works to act, saying:

“The water plant is in urgent need of repair and is unable to produce

sufficient water for the cay. Residents have been dealing with having access to water for only one hour over the last few weeks.

“Water is essential for life. Residents need it to drink, cook, bathe, and flush toilets. It is completely unacceptable that residents only have access to running water for one hour per day. The Sweetings Cay residents deserve better. I call upon the executives of the Water and Sewage Corporation and the Ministry of Works to immediately do all they

can to remedy this situation. It is unbearable for the residents.”

He added: “I am advised that the water plant needs extensive repairs, however there is a reverse osmosis plant that was provided by an NGO that can be connected. Governments are responsible for essential services and no Bahamian should be forced to live under these circumstances.

“The residents of Sweetings Cay have suffered long enough and they need relief now.”

THE M/V Legacy of Dean’s Shipping Company was stranded near Egg Island of northern Eleuthera. Central and South Eleuthera MP Clay Sweeting said the vessel may have left the surrounding reef ‘battered’.

Island water supply project commissioned on Friday by Prime Minister bPhili ‘Brave’

includes the installation of nearly 10,000ft of pipes to serve more than 100 homes on the islands at a cost of approximately $600,000

Photo: Moise Aimsial

ATTENDING the commisioning of the Russell Island water supply project were Central and South Eleuthera MP Clay Sweeting, Alfred Sears, mi nister of Works and utilities, Prime Minister Philip ‘Brave’ Davis, and Water and Sewerage Corporation Chariman, Sylvanus Petty.

Photo: Moise Aimsial

Climate change and Haiti in the CARICOM spotlight

By MALCOLM STRACHAN

THE great and the good are coming to The Bahamas this week - with a CARICOM meeting due to be held from February 15—17.

Among the guests will be a high-powered delegation from the US, including John Kerry, the former presidential candidate who now serves as the US special presidential envoy for climate, while Canada’s Prime Minister, Justin Trudeau, will be here in The Bahamas too for the event.

There is both a celebratory note to the occasion – both CARICOM and The Bahamas turn 50 this year so there is a sense of marking the moment – and an urgency.

The two biggest items on the agenda are at opposite extremes – one very much a global issue, the other of a far more local impact. The first is climate change, the second is Haiti.

There has not been much of a public build-up yet from our own leaders for the meeting. The Bahamas High Commissioner to CARICOM, Leslia MillerBrice MP, last week spoke in very general terms about the event, saying they would “underscore the urgency of regional cooperation on key issues of national and regional importance, such as energy security, climate change and food security, particularly in light of inflation and cost of living crisis at home and regionally”.

She said the country aimed to leave the meeting “more united, more connected and more focused on sound solutions that strengthen our region, uplift our communities and empower our people”.

All nice words, but no mention of specific goals there. That’s not unusual for diplomatic talk, of course.

Prime Minister Philip “Brave” Davis has made much of his efforts to make progress on the issue of climate change – particularly the issue of compensation for nations affected by the

likes of hurricanes and rising water levels.

For him, you would imagine, climate change will be at the top of the agenda. After the last United Nations Climate Change Conference in Egypt in November, one of the most notable changes was the establishment of a loss and damage fund to help vulnerable nations.

After that event, Mr Davis hailed the “great news”, saying: “We were able to succeed in getting that on the agenda.”

This CARICOM meeting represents an opportunity – alongside many other nations from our region who are affected – to reinforce our claims for both help, and for continued action to drive down emissions in larger nations.

As much as that might be the item on the agenda that people might find the most attractive to make progress on, the growing problems faced by Haiti may well eclipse that discussion.

At a meeting of the Organization of American States (OAS) on Friday, Haiti’s Foreign Minister, Jean Victor Geneus, pleaded for assistance, highlighting the state of the nation.

He said: “Prime Minister Ariel Henry had earlier stated our nation is at a turning point in history and we must show the rest of the world who we are, we Haitians, that we are determined to turn the situation around and see us engaged

in the right direction.”

He added: “Armed gangs continue to maraud the streets of our capital and indeed of our country and quite frankly are blocking any hope of regular order or normal functioning in the country. Heinous criminal acts have been committed against the Haitian national police.

“Increasingly there is a deepening crisis in the country that cries out for humanitarian aid particularly in aid of the poorest and the most affected of our population.

The recent report of UNICEF for instance is pointing out that even schools at whatever level are the targets of these gangs. A child ten years old was killed in his classroom and I cannot begin to identify or describe the horror that these kids are subjected to.”

He repeated Haiti’s call for intervention, saying: “We have reached out … to ask that a specialised multinational force be allowed to stand with us and to buttress our own law and order.

“This is a request that is greatly supported by organised sectors of this country. The signers of the agreement on December 21, 2022, stated and I refer to that earlier statement that it has been unanimously recognised that security is the core of the problem here and elections must be held.”

He warned ominously: “Haiti is becoming a danger for the Caribbean and the region.”

In response, the OAS is creating a working group to report by February 22 on issues such as gun trafficking and that request for a multinational force to help police restore order.

What seems lacking, however, is a willingness to lead the way on that force. Various countries have suggested they would participate, but none has pressed for the action.

Politically, that’s hardly surprising – putting troops in harm’s way for an uncertain length of time and an ill-defined goal is difficult enough, but Haiti also

currently lacks any form of democratically elected government after the terms of the last remaining senators expired.

The situation is dangerous – at one stage in January, 15 police officers were killed in 15 days. Protests by police saw security at the airport breached on a day when Bahamasair staff were unable to leave the confines of the airport and when Bahamian diplomatic staff were stopped and relieved of their vehicle and weapons by the police –prompting their withdrawal from the country.

But as Sir Ronald Sanders, the ambassador to the OAS from Antigua and Barbuda and columnist for The Tribune, said at Friday’s meeting: “They must not feel alone and abandoned. To the extent that each of our countries has the resources and the capacity to help, so must we act and act urgently.”

The Bahamian permanent representative to the OAS, Donovan Neymour, responded by saying: “Haiti is on fire and needs more than just buckets of water that the international community has provided to date.”

He cautioned: “What is not an option is for the OAS to do nothing … we reiterate the need for ensuring our efforts also to target the trafficking in guns, persons, contraband that continues to fuel the misery in Haiti and within the wider region.”

So as the CARICOM nations gather this week, there may be high purposes on a global level – but there will be an ongoing discussion of: “What do we do about Haiti?”

Failing to help Haiti will only see a further breakdown of society there – and some might shrug and say well that isn’t our problem, but it is. We need to help Haiti for the sake of people there, but also because those problems won’t stop at the Haitian border.

This week’s CARICOM meeting is very timely for other issues – but it is urgent for Haiti.

GUESTS at the CARICOM event include John Kerry, above, and Canada Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.

THE BAHAMIAN permanent representative to the OAS, Donovan Neymour, who said: “Haiti is on fire and needs more than just buckets of water that the international community has provided to date.”

POLICE patrol Port-au-Prince, Haiti, on January 31, after the funeral for three officers who were killed in the line of duty. The officers were killed in an ambush by gang members in the capital on January 20.

Photo: Odelyn Joseph/AP

Haiti at the tipping point of becoming fully hostage to criminals

HAITI continues to occupy the concerns of nations around the world, especially its closest neighbouring states.

Those in charge of the Haitian government have called for “effective support” from international partners “in the form of the immediate deployment of a specialised armed force of sufficient strength to stop, throughout the country, the humanitarian crisis that has been caused by, among other things, the breakdown in security resulting from the criminal actions of armed gangs and their sponsors”.

But others in the Haitian community insist that the Haitian authorities share the blame for the country’s rapid deterioration. They are not convinced that, even if it were possible, an intervening military force is the answer to Haiti’s deep seated and long-lasting woes.

Everyone is united in the view that more than 200 gangs now effectively control 60 per cent of the Capital, Port-au-Prince and about 80 per cent of the entire country, and that action is required to end their reign of terror. However, how to end the rule of the gangs remains an issue within Haiti and among its very large diaspora community. Some favour armed intervention by external forces but without any clear definition of the terms under which this would be accomplished. Others resist the notion of any intervention by external forces.

Among the latter is The National Human Rights Defence (RNDDH) group, which states that the “request for military intervention was produced by the de facto government (of Prime Minister, Ariel

World View

By SIR RONALD SANDERS

Henry) without any form of legitimacy (and) with its own objectives which seem to be to keep the PHTK (Henry’s political party) in power until the completion of the elections which they will organize with, in addition, the ability to manipulate the biometric data of citizens, that is, the electoral data”.

Prime Minister Henry has managed to garner support for a “National Consensus for an inclusive transition and transparent election”. On December 21, Henry’s government and some representatives of the private sector, other political parties and civil society organisations signed a document, committing to this transition. But participation was not fully inclusionary and key stakeholders were either omitted or omitted themselves. Therefore, while Haiti’s international partners acknowledge the benefit of the commitment and the formation of a High Council for the Transition (HCT), they are concerned that the body is not inclusionary enough to represent a national consensus. Further, the past record in Haiti of abandoning agreed positions, resulting in even wider discord, does not encourage confidence that a limited HCT will survive or that its decisions will be respected.

In a letter to the President of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) on October 8, 2022, the UN

Secretary-General, António Guterres, recognising that the five permanent members would not agree to UN military intervention in Haiti, proposed two approaches. First, “A group of Member States, acting bilaterally at the invitation of the government of Haiti, could establish a special force to support the Haitian National Police in tackling gangs, including through joint strike, isolation and containment operations across the country”; and second, “The Security Council could welcome such a special force, the viability of which would be strengthened by the existence of broad political and social support for its deployment and a meaningful agreement between the Government and the opposition on a political way forward for Haiti”.

Neither of these proposals were pursued. No country, including the US is anxious to commit forces to Haiti, outside of an agreed multi-national expedition. Further, there is still not in Haiti the kind of “broad political and social support” for the deployment of an external force. And despite the accord of December 21, 2022, and the creation of a limited HTC, there is, as yet, no “meaningful agreement between the government and the opposition on a political way forward”.

This situation in Haiti is made even more complex

by the overarching power of the criminal gangs. One academic, César Niño, an associate professor and researcher at Universidad de la Salle in Colombia, writes that “the criminal gangs managed to make alliances with the police and security, thus enabling kidnapping, human trafficking, the flow of weapons, and other crimes while minimising the consequences”.

The Haitian Human Rights Group (RNDDH) goes even further, pointing to “ongoing and repeated connections between state authorities and armed gangs”.

Added to this are the following undisputed facts. The country has no legislature and no body overseeing the government; the Supreme Court is dysfunctional (its members must be approved by the parliament which does not exist) and it has lost a third of its members.

Amid all of this, the people of the country are suffering. Research shows that five million people currently experience food insecurity across the country; reported kidnappings

soared to more than 1,200 last year, more than double the number in 2021, according to the UN; and there were 2,200 homicides in 2022, a dramatic increase over 2021.

The issue that confronts the international community in its desire to be helpful to Haiti is both the lack of meaningful, inclusionary dialogue and a genuine national consensus on the way forward within Haiti, as well as no clear terms under which external forces would be invited into Haiti and by whom; how would such a force be organised and financed; under whose authority would it function and with what mandate and immunity.

In the meantime, it should be acknowledged that the US and Canada are deploying logistical assistance to the Haitian National Police. In the circumstances, it is better than doing nothing.

However, no one should lose sight of the fact that, apart from dictatorships in Haiti, two countries bear the greatest responsibility for that country’s

condition – France and the US. Outside of an agreed multinational military intervention, they should use their considerable influence within Haiti to encourage national consensus on their path forward, including how to deal with the criminal power of the gangs.

CARICOM Heads of Government meet in their regular session in The Bahamas from February 15 to 17. Undoubtedly, Haiti will be on their agenda. They will have to consider the ways in which they can act to be helpful to the people of Haiti within the limits of their capacity.

• Responses and previous commentaries: www. sirronaldsanders.com

(The writer is Antigua and Barbuda’s Ambassador to the United States of America and the Organization of American States. He is also a senior fellow at the Institute of Commonwealth Studies, University of London and Massey College in the University of Toronto. The views expressed are entirely his own).

SIR Ronald Sanders speaking to the Organization of American States on Friday.

A long way down part 2

IN an effort to combat illicit drug use amongst minors, US First lady Nancy Reagan created the slogan ‘Just say no’ in the mid-1980s, just as the war on drugs ramped up in the United States. The campaign was international and throughout her husband’s presidency, it became her mission to educate children about the danger of peerpressure and the physical and social ramifications of drug addiction.

Her emotional pleas, unfortunately, never found their way to The Berry Islands where my patient’s father was born. Last week, I shared the story of Ashley and her father Henry, whose crippling cocaine addiction led him to a life on the streets for over four decades. Where we last left off, Henry suddenly fell 15ft out of a tree and broke his back. This is the conclusion of their remarkable story.

Screaming in agony, Henry was wheeled into the emergency room by the paramedics who transported him to the hospital. Because of his life-long addiction, even

four bags of morphine, a strong opioid analgesic and schedule-2 narcotic, weren’t enough to subdue his pain. So, he oscillated in and out of consciousness.

With Ashley’s consent, he underwent emergency surgery which allowed him to maintain mobility in his upper extremity but Henry was permanently paralysed from the waist down. Upon hearing the news, he became distraught and inconsolable.

Life on the streets is hard enough without being crippled. Beyond that, he needed his legs to get drugs so to him this was an absolute death sentence. He remained in hospital until he was stable enough to be discharged at which point Ashley assumed responsibility for his care.

By the time she moved Henry into her two-bedroom apartment, she had two children of her own.

Henry was discharged wearing diapers and Ashley had to change them when soiled, bathe him and cook his food, while taking care of her children and working full time.

It was a humbling experience and the role was extremely taxing. Many nights Ashley cried herself to sleep, afraid that she was failing and disappointing everyone in her life, never herself realising that she was the only thing keeping them going.

Friends and family members abandoned Ashley early on, one by one, frustrated by her requests for assistance. So, she managed alone. Henry wasn’t eligible to be placed in a nursing facility because he couldn’t use the restroom without assistance.

Once a week she took him to a geriatric clinic for a check-up and had to physically lift him out of bed to do so. Whenever his physicians ordered tests and diagnostic scans, she knew she’d struggle to eat for the month because of their associated costs.

Once, after having to take out a loan to pay for his MRI, she lived without electricity for eight months but every day she got up and went to work with a smile on her face.

Henry refused to attend

physical therapy and he became so depressed that he cried every day. He endured two long years of withdrawal symptoms with extreme mood swings. He didn’t want to live with anyone, confessing that he’d be better off dead or on the streets.

As much as it pained her, Ashley realised that she wasn’t equipped to give her father what he needed, so once again she searched for an alternative. Fortunately, with the help of social services, she was able to get Henry into Sandilands rehabilitative centre and that changed his life forever.

source of consolation and happiness. To them, she wasn’t a failure.

Ashley visited Henry every single day, so that he’d never doubt her love or feel like she abandoned him.

‘Others finally saw what she always did, that her father wasn’t a bad man, he was just broken. And now this broken, drug-addicted man, once scorned and discarded by society, had become a patient advocate.’

The night that Ashley left Henry at Sandilands, she cried. He’d occupied so much of her time that she felt empty in his absence. Her children were her only

Eventually, a group of women who worked at Sandilands pulled her aside and told her to stop worrying. “We have him,” they said and in such a reassuring tone that Ashley felt more relief in that one moment that she had in ten years. It was under their supervision that Henry blossomed. They were Henry’s cheer squad and constantly laughed with him, treating him like a friend and encouraging him daily.

Soon enough, Ashley got a call to bring Henry some boxers because he no longer needed to wear diapers.

Others finally saw what she always did, that her father wasn’t a bad man, he was just broken. And now this broken, drug-addicted man, once scorned and discarded by society, had become a patient advocate.

Henry was put in charge of directing visitors where to go and escorting other patients down to the chapel. He even joined the choir and loved to sing but nothing made him light up more than seeing his daughter and being with animals.

Henry loved dogs because they, like Ashley, always saw him as human and loved him unconditionally no matter his appearance. When he learned how to use a cell phone, he’d video call Ashley at all hours of the night just to see her and ask how her day was.

For the seven years following his fall, Ashley had a father and her children had a grandfather. Her father and son even bonded over

a wheelchair competition that they won three years in a row at Sandilands.

After a lifetime of yearning, Ashley had her own Mrs Doubtfire and it was worth the struggle.

Sadly, a little over a year ago, Henry died alone in the hospital at the age of 73 from pneumonia, one month after he contracted COVID-19. He had no medical ailments and was not on any medication at the time of his death.

Ashley misses him every day but she reminds herself to laugh and consistently celebrates his memory.

The lesson from her story that Ashley wanted to share with readers is the importance of having compassion and empathy for your fellow man.

Love must be unconditional she adds, noting that you never truly know what people are going through.

A lot of people would have walked away but she couldn’t because she chose to honour her father as the Bible commands, and love him unconditionally.

Since Henry’s death, Ashley has fostered many children because as a single mother who struggled for so long, she has a passion for helping others.

This report reminds us all that when we lose our way, stumble and fall, what’s truly important isn’t where you start but how you finish. And while it might seem like you’ve fallen a long way down, that just makes the journey to the top sweeter when you rise and climb back up. It also teaches us to look beyond the cover and instead focus deeply on the pages of those we repeatedly interact with.

Christians throughout the world understand that life on Earth is not supposed to be perfect, because that comfort is reserved for a heavenly afterlife should you deserve it. Instead, life on Earth is our opportunity to learn, to love, to protect, to forgive and to teach. Imagine how different Henry, and by extension Ashley’s, life would have been if someone had been there for him at a young age to show him a better path.

Today, more than ever, children need parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles and mentors to teach these principles. The power of presence is profound and showing up will always matter. This is the KDK Report.

‘For the seven years following his fall, Ashley had a father and her children had a grandfather... After a lifetime of yearning, Ashley had her own Mrs Doubtfire and it was worth the struggle.’

NIB to rise? Prices up?

‘They’re robbing us now’

By LETRE SWEETING lsweeting@tribunemedia.net

“THEY’RE robbing us now,” was the view of some Bahamians as they voiced their opinion on the National Insurance Board’s recommendations to increase the contribution rate - on top of other financial pressures such as rising prices on sugar and salt.

Recently, the NIB’s board of directors recommended to the Cabinet that the contribution rate be increased by between three-quarters of a percentage point and 1.5 percent. The board urged this to be implemented from January 1, 2023, and is now hoping for July 2023 after this deadline was missed.

Kimyllie Forbes, a Bahamian procurement manager, told on Friday that while she does not mind paying for her own faults, the gov ernment’s issues should be “their problem”.

“We always knew National Insur ance was going to be increased because the national budget has been getting dissolved by government for a long time. With that, I knew that National Insur ance was going to go up, because now they are having the insight to put back the rev enue,” she said.

“But it shouldn’t have come back on our backs, because that was their problem. Because now when I retire there’s no money there for me. When my children retire, there is no money there for them,” Ms Forbes said.

“They’re robbing us now,” she claimed.

“Now salt and sugar is increased because of the pandemic and because our things are imported and we don’t have any factories, like other countries. Those things are going to go up. It isn’t going up because of our government, it’s going up, because it’s nationwide,” Ms Forbes said.

“So we as Bahamians need to buckle down on our spending to economize on what is going on nationwide, we can’t blame the government over that,” she said.

Maxwell Cartwright, who is over 65 years old and unemployed, said he believes following the pandemic food prices should go down, allowing Bahamians to be able to pay additional money to NIB.

“The pandemic is over, right? I feel as if everything should go down. Now, if everything stays the way it stays then the NIB should go up, because how you expect for people to live in these times?” Mr Cartwright asked.

“Every time you go in the food store now, something goes up,” he said.

“I don’t think the price of salt needs to be raised because we have salt right here and we have more than enough of it to sell it dirt cheep in The Bahamas,” Mr Cartwright said.

“(Prime Minister Philip) Davis, he needs to know that people in this town are suffering, they are hurting and they need help in more than one way, because things are really just rising everywhere you turn,” he said.

“What’s happening to the people, we’re not getting any more money and you got to live,” Mr Cartwright said.

Betty Dames, the owner of a local clothing store, shared similar sentiments, calling the rise in NIB contributions “ridiculous” while the price of food is high.

“I think raising NIB, with the rise now of salt and

things, is You can’t cook without salt, you need sugar and honey for everything, and that’s an everyday thing and some people just can’t afford it,” Ms Dames said.

“I mean the VAT (value added tax) is already high, everything is high. What about the people who aren’t working? Clothes don’t sell everyday, so when you don’t make anything, how are you going to eat?” she asked.

However, other locals believe that the rise in NIB is justified to help take care of senior citizens, who may be suffering later due to the rise in food costs.

Dr Kent Bazard, a medical physician and sports medicine specialist, said NIB should be increased to support those who will require health assistance due to bad eating habits and the rise in food prices.

“Of course there’s an increase in food costs all over the world. I always thought salt was overpriced and it’s crazy that is the case since it’s made here, there definitely should be some reconsideration on that,” Dr Bazard said.

“At the same time, as a health professional, we need to increase our salt and sugar intake. So, maybe this is a chance for us to start to change our

palette just a little bit, and try to decrease the instances of these noncommunicable diseases that are ravaging our country,” he said.

“That’s the real reason why NIB contributions need to increase, is because of the health cost in the country and the health cost in the country is directly due to the food that we eat,” Dr Bazard said.

Renville McQuay also supports the possible rise in NIB contributions, but questions why the price of items from bauxite industry are so pricy when most of the items can be found naturally in The Bahamas.

“Now, I don’t have a problem with NIB being raised, because at the end

of the day, we retire and the senior citizens need help and that is a form of taking care of the elders,” Mr McQuay said.

“As citizens of this country, we rely on the government for everything. So, this is like going in the salt water, but not wanting to be salty,” he said.

When asked if he thought there should be a rise in the price of salt, he said:

“No, but anything from the bauxite industry, which is anything from the earth, or from the ground, what the country harnesses, the citizens never benefit from it. It’s like it’s off limits,” Mr McQuay said.

Last year NIB’s 11th actuarial review recommended

the contribution rate be increased with further hikes implemented every two years through to July 1, 2036, to “restore the short and medium-term financial sustainability of the scheme”.

At the time, Mr Davis held off from enacting such an increase to allow businesses and households more time to recover from the pandemic. After COVID hit in 2020, NIB paid out more than $100m in unemployment benefits to support thousands of Bahamians who were laid off during the health crisis. The number of benefits paid out over the years has left NIB reserves in a state of decline.

FROM top, Kimyllie Forbes, Renville McQuay, and Dr Kent Bazard. Photos: Austin Fernander

HLB Bahamas celebrates 25 years with addition of two partners

PRIME Minister Philip “Brave” Davis has praised accounting firm HLB Bahamas for “electrifying the financial sector” as it celebrates its 25th anniversary with the addition of two new partners.

Mr Davis said HLB Bahamas was “a firm that has electrified the financial sector with its striking agility, expertise and ability to deliver” as hundreds gathered to celebrate the firm’s quarter of a century.

New partners Shoneva Abraham and Rae Turnquest were introduced during the anniversary celebration at Balmoral.

Former attorney general Sean McWeeney recalled the days and nights going back over three decades when he and HLB Bahamas founding partner, Philip Galanis, drafted and refined legislation

governing the Bahamian accounting profession.

Mr Galanis praised Mr Bain, the partner he first took on in 2006 when the company was known as HLB Galanis Bain & Co, a year before it became HLB Galanis & Company.

Three years later, Mr Bain left to pursue other interests and later joined London-based UHY, bringing that accounting brand to The Bahamas.

Following the COVID19 pandemic, the duo - who had maintained a mutual respect - merged, forming HLB Bahamas in May 2022.

Among attendees were several Cabinet ministers, Christina Rolle, the Securities Commission’s executive director; auditor general Terrance Bastian; and CFAL chairman Anthony Ferguson.

BUSINESSMAN

CHANGE OF LOCATION FOR CASH FOR BOTTLES

CUSTOMERS of Bahamian Brewery and Beverage Company (BBB) are being given the opportunity to earn cash back on their beer purchases all while doing their part to protect the environment.

BBB recently reintroduced its bottle buy-back program: ‘Cash for Bottles’ which encourages beer drinkers to save their bottles for repurchase and recycling by the company.

The bottle buyback program was paused in late 2019 after Hurricane Dorian decimated the brewery’s Grand Bahama headquarters, however, when the Sands Beer brand relaunched in September 2020, the program was relaunched making BBB the only company in the country to buy back its reusable beer bottles.

In Grand Bahama, the location at the brewery’s headquarters to turn in bottles has not changed since the programmed began, however, the options for residents in New Providence have changed.

“We recently closed our old bulk return location on Nassau Street, and those returns can now be made at our Warehouse at the Airport Industrial Park (AIP) on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays between 10am and 2pm,” said Diane de Cardenas, assistant general manager for Nassau and the Family Islands. She said that each returned bottle is subject to stringent cleaning and disinfection protocols which are facilitated by

high-powered bottle-washing equipment which effectively removes old labels and glue in the cleaning process.

For the sake of convenience, customers may also return bottles during regular store hours at any of the Jimmy’s Wines & Spirits locations in Nassau; East Bay Street, Wulff Road, Cable Beach, and Carmichael Road. The retail stores accept up to ten cases at a time and pay $2.50 for each case returned.

The return of the Cash for Bottles programme is part of a wider plan by the company to not only reduce costs but to encourage a strong culture of recycling amongst its customers.

“Elsewhere in the world, companies with similar bottle return policies have managed to reduce

GB JUNIOR JUNKANOO POSTPONED

THE Ministry of Youth, Sports, and Culture has announced that the 2023 Grand Bahama Junior Junkanoo Parade has been postponed due to inclement weather.

The parade - which was scheduled for Saturday - has been set for Thursday, February 16, at 5.30pm in downtown Freeport.

Monique Leary, cultural affairs officer, advised that all tickets sold will be honoured on the new date.

She said there are some 24 schools participating, from preschool to primary, junior high and senior high schools.

“They have been preparing and working extremely hard to put a wonderful presentation for the community of GB,” Ms Leary said.

She is asking the merchants and businesses in the downtown area to bear with the schools as they prepare for the parade.

the amount of waste going into landfills,” said Ms de Cardenas.

“Some countries have reported bottle return rates in the 90% range, which is our goal. That is how we will rate the success of our program, and so our focus now is regaining the momentum we experienced before having to pause the program post-Hurricane Dorian” she explained.

Claudia Decius, of Jimmy’s Wines, and Spirits, said that all Bahamian Brewery beer bottles can be recycled. “Cash for bottles is for every single person, whether you consume our products or if this is just a side hustle, where you go around collecting bottles – we are happy to accept your bottles here at Sands.”

“We want the business community to have a patience with the schools setting up and preparing themselves as this is the first time it is happening on a Thursday on a regular business day.

“People may ask why on a Thursday, but we have students in our school system that are Seventh-Day Adventist, and we want to respect their religion,” she explained.

She also noted that Friday was not good either because it is a busy day for banking and most businesses operate late in the evening, rather than on Thursday.

Chief Superintendent Brian Rolle, second in charge of the GB district, said the Royal Bahamas Police Force will be out in full force covering all areas of the

parade.

“The RBPF wishes to welcome the community of GB back to Junior Junkanoo,” he said. “Our responsibility is to ensure this parade is safe from criminal activities and that participants and spectators have a wonderful parade.”

He warned that persons with “nefarious motives” should stay away. “(The parade) has been designated a ‘zero tolerance crime zone’, so if you commit an offence, you will be arrested and prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.

Chief Supt Rolle also said the entire parade has been deemed a no alcohol zone.

The police command centre will be located in the Kipling Building on McKenzie Street.

Supt Alphonso Pinder, officer in charge of the Traffic Division in Grand Bahama, said road closures will take effect from 3pm on Thursday until midnight.

The roads that will be closed are East Mall Drive between Adventurers Way and Explorers Way; Pioneers Way between East Atlantic and West Atlantic Drives; Kipling Lane between McKenzie Street and East Mall Drive; McKenzie Street between Adventurers Ways and Pioneers Way; and West Mall Drive between Adventurers Way and Pioneers Way.

Mr Pinder advised motorists travelling in these areas to drive with extreme caution and care.

“A number of our children will be participating and we would like for this event to go smoothly without any incident,” he said.

PRIME Minister Philip Davis and wife, Ann-Marie Davis, centre, congratulate Shoneva Abraham, second from left, and Rae Turnquest, Second from right. Both women were named partners in HLB Bahamas with the announcement coming during the festive 25-year anniversary of the firm founded by Phil Galanis, far left, in 1998 when few accounting firms were headed by Bahamians. Far right is partner and forensic audit specialist John Bain, PhD, the man believed to hold the highest certification in the industry.

Photos: Cay Focus Photography

Craig Flowers with new HLB Bahamas partners, Audit Partner Shoneva Abraham, left, and Accounting and Tax Partner Rae Turnquest.

HLB partners with regional team celebrate the company’s 25th Anniversary. Pictured (l-r): Top row: HLB Bahamas, Advisory Partner, John Bain; HLB International Director, Brendan Quirk; HLB Bahamas, Managing Partner, Philip Galanis; Prime Minister and Minister of Finance Philip Davis; Minister of Economic Affairs, Sen. the Hon. Michael Halkitis, Auditor General, Terrance Bastian, and Quincy Sands. Bottom row: Anita Bain; HLB Paris Audit Partner, Bettina Cassegrain; HLB Bahamas, Audit Partner, Shoneva Abraham; Tonya Bastian Galanis; wife of the Prime Minister, Ann-Marie Davis; HLB Bahamas, Accounting and Tax Partner, Rae Turnquest; HLB Cayman Islands Audit Partner, Angela Pretorius.

PRIME Minister and Minister of Finance Philip ‘Brave’ Davis commends HLB Bahamas saying the firm ‘electrified the financial sector with its striking agility, expertise and ability to deliver.’

BAHAMAS Brewery and Beverage Company has changed drop off locations for their ‘Cash for Bottles’ programme in New Providence.

Turkey probes contractors as earthquake deaths pass 33,000

TURKEY Associated Press

TURKISH authorities are targeting contractors allegedly linked with buildings that collapsed in the powerful February 6 earthquakes as rescuers found more survivors in the rubble Sunday, including a pregnant woman and two children, in the disaster that killed over 33,000 people.

The death toll from the magnitude 7.8 and 7.5 quakes that struck nine hours apart in southeastern Turkey and northern Syria rose to 33,185 and was certain to increase as search teams find more bodies.

As despair bred rage at the agonizingly slow rescues, the focus turned to assigning blame.

Turkish Justice Minister Bekir Bozdag said 131 people were under investigation for their alleged responsibility in the construction of buildings that failed to withstand the quakes. While the quakes were powerful, many in Turkey blame faulty construction for multiplying

the devastation. Turkey’s construction codes meet current earthquake-engineering standards, at least on paper, but they are rarely enforced, explaining why thousands of buildings toppled over or pancaked down onto the people inside.

Among those facing scrutiny were two people arrested in Gaziantep province on suspicion of cutting down columns to make extra room in a building that collapsed, the state-run Anadolu Agency said. The justice ministry said three people were under arrest pending trial, seven were detained and another seven were barred from leaving Turkey.

Two contractors held responsible for the destruction of several buildings in Adiyaman were arrested Sunday at Istanbul Airport while trying to leave the country, the private DHA news agency and other media reported.

One detained contractor, Yavuz Karakus, told DHA: “My conscience is clear. I

RIHANNA’S SURPRISE GUEST BABY

By GLENN GAMBOA Associated Press

RIHANNA threw out all the conventions of the typical Super Bowl halftime show and turned entertainment’s largest platform into something all her own.

And she did it while also revealing that she is pregnant with her second child.

More an avant garde dance piece than a concert, the Barbadian superstar, dressed in a bright red jumpsuit, plowed through 12 of her hits in 13 minutes surrounded by dozens of androgynous dancers dressed in white who mirrored nearly every move she made on and off the giant stage at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona.

In case anyone was confused, this was all about Rihanna. No special guests. No breaks. No momentum shifts. From her start on a platform suspended above the stage, to powerfully belting

built 44 buildings. Four of them were demolished. I did everything according to the rules.”

Rescuers reported finding more survivors amid increasingly long odds. Thermal cameras were used on piles of concrete and metal as crews demanded silence so they could hear those trapped. In hard-hit Hatay province, a 50-year-old woman who appeared badly injured was carried out by crews in the town of Iskenderun. Similar rescues in the province saved two other women, one of them pregnant, according to broadcasters TRT and HaberTurk.

HaberTurk showed a 6-year-old boy rescued from his wrecked home in Adiyaman. An exhausted rescuer removed his surgical mask and took deep breaths as a group of women cried in joy.

Health Minister Fahrettin Koca posted a video of a young girl in a navy blue jumper who was found alive. “There is always hope!” he tweeted.

Rescuers in Antakya,

elsewhere in Hatay province, pulled a man in his late 20s or 30s from the rubble, saying he was one of nine still trapped in the building. But when asked if he knew of any others, he said he hadn’t heard anyone for three days. He waved weakly as he was removed on a stretcher as workers applauded and chanted, “God is great!”

German and Turkish workers rescued an 88-yearold in Kirikhan, German news agency dpa reported. Italian and Turkish rescuers found a 35-year-old man in Antakya who appeared unscathed, private NTV television reported. A child was freed overnight in the town of Nizip, in Gaziantep, state-run Anadolu Agency said, while a 32-year woman was found in the ruins of an eight-story building in Antakya and asked for tea when she emerged, according to NTV.

Those were the rare exceptions.

Backhoes and bulldozers prepared a large cemetery in

Antakya’s outskirts as trucks and ambulances arrived continuously with black body bags. Hundreds of graves, no more than 3 feet apart, were marked with simple wooden planks.

Hatay’s airport reopened Sunday after its runway was repaired, and military and commercial planes

ferried in supplies for the region and will take away evacuees. There are 34,717 Turkish search-and-rescue personnel involved in rescue efforts. On Sunday, Turkey’s Foreign Ministry said they’ve been joined by 9,595 personnel from 74 countries, with more on the way.

CARIBBEAN LEADERS TO TAC LE HAITI’S WOES AMID MIGRATION

out the inspirational “Diamonds,” she kept a tight grip on everyone’s attention by performing one smash hit after another, from “Work” to “Umbrella”.

It was fully her vision -- polished, yet playful – and completely selfassured. She didn’t throw in any ballads to show off the power of her voice because she doesn’t need to prove herself to anyone. And she didn’t need to say anything beyond, “Thank you, Arizona” to make her points.

It was all an unconventional extension of what was an unconventional decision to perform at

this particular time.

While most artists use a Super Bowl halftime appearance to launch a new album, Rihanna has been adamant that her follow-up to 2016’s “Anti-” is not finished.

She didn’t even perform “Lift Me Up,” her contribution to the “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever” soundtrack, which is currently nominated for an Oscar.

Before the revelation that Rihanna was pregnant, there were rumors of a potential tour, but that seems unlikely now, with a new child to join her son who turns nine months old on Monday.

‘UNIDENTIFIED OBJECT’ DOWNED OVER LA E HURON RD THIS WEE

WASHINGTON Associated Press

US OFFICIALS on Sunday were trying to precisely identify the latest two objects blown from the sky by F-22 fighter jets during a week of unprecedented incursions over the United States and Canada, carefully working to determine whether China was responsible as concerns escalate about what Washington says is Beijing’s large-scale aerial surveillance program.

The object shot down Saturday over the Yukon was described by US officials as a balloon significantly smaller than the three school bus-size balloon hit by a missile Feb. 4 while drifting off the South Carolina coast after traversing the country. A flying object brought down over the remote northern coast of Alaska on Friday was more cylindrical and described as a type of airship.

Both were believed to have a payload, either attached or suspended from them, according to the officials who spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity to discuss the ongoing investigation.

Officials were not able to say who launched the objects and were seeking to figure out their origin.

US officials said the two more recent objects were much smaller in size, different in appearance and flew at lower altitudes than the suspected Chinese spy balloon that fell into the Atlantic Ocean after the US missile strike. They said the Alaska and Canada objects were not consistent

with the fleet of Chinese aerial surveillance balloons that targeted more than 40 countries, stretching back at least into the Trump administration.

That large white orb first appeared over the US in late January, and since then Americans have been fixated on the sky above them. US authorities made clear that they constantly monitor for unknown radar blips, and it is not unusual to shut down airspace as a precaution to evaluate them.

On Sunday, the US briefly closed the airspace over Lake Michigan; on Saturday night, that was done over rural Montana. Officials Sunday said they were no longer tracking any objects over those locations.

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer told ABC’s “This Week” that US officials were working quickly to recover debris from all the sites. Using shorthand to describe the objects as balloons, he said the Us military and intelligence officials were “focused like a laser” on gathering and

accumulating the information, then compiling a comprehensive analysis.

“The bottom line is until a few months ago we didn’t know about these balloons,” Schumer, D-N.Y., Said of spy program that the administration has linked to the People’s Liberation Army, China’s military. “It is wild that we didn’t know.”

Eight days ago, F-22 jets downed the large white balloon that had wafted over the US for days at an altitude of about 60,000 feet. US officials immediately blamed China, saying the balloon was equipped to detect and collect intelligence signals and could manoeuvre itself. White House officials said improved surveillance capabilities helped detect it.

Chinese Foreign Ministry’s said the unmanned balloon was a civilian meteorological airship that had blown off course. Beijing said the US had “overreacted” by shooting it down.

Then, on Friday, North American Aerospace Defence Command, the combined

US-Canada organization that provides shared defence of airspace over the two nations, detected and shot down an object near sparsely populated Deadhorse, Alaska.

Later that evening, NORAD detected a second object, flying at a high altitude over Alaska, US officials said. It crossed into Canadian airspace on Saturday near the Yukon, a remote province, and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau ordered it shot down.

In both of those incidents, the objects were flying at roughly 40,000 feet, posing a potential threat to civilian aircraft that fly at that height.

The three cases have increased diplomatic tensions between the United States and China, raised questions about the extent of Beijing’s American surveillance, and prompted days of criticism from Republican lawmakers about the administration’s handling.

Rep. Mike Turner, chairman of the House Intelligence Committee, said the administration was looking “somewhat trigger-happy.”

“Although that is certainly preferable to the permissive environment they showed when the Chinese spy balloon was coming over some of most sensitive sites,” Turner, R-Ohio, told CNN’s “State of the Union.”

After shoot down last weekend, Chinese officials said they reserved the right to “take further actions” and criticized the US for “an obvious overreaction and a serious violation of international practice.”

GUYANA Associated Press

TOP Caribbean leaders are expected to debate Haiti’s spiralling chaos and its impact on the region during a biannual meeting this week, with some complaining bitterly about a constant stream of migrants arriving on their shores as they flee poverty and worsening violence.

The three-day meeting of the Caribbean trade block known as Caricom starts Wednesday in the Bahamas.

Some of the group’s 15 members are pushing to get key Haitian stakeholders to a neutral nation in the region to reach a consensus agreement on holding elections in the impoverished country that has been stripped of all democratically elected institutions.

However, the international community and local officials have noted that elections cannot be held in Haiti until violence is quelled.

Haiti’s foreign minister, Jean Victor Généus, warned during an Organization of American States meeting Friday that insecurity has risen and will spill over into neighbouring countries.

“We must absolutely tackle this problem in Haiti because no one else in the Caribbean will be spared,” he said.

The Caricom meeting will be hosted by Bahamian Prime Minister Philip Davis, who has persistently complained about the cost of repatriating thousands of Haitians as well as hundreds of Cubans in the past year. He says Caricom needs to help find a solution to Haiti’s security, political and economic crisis.

Violence has soared in Haiti as poverty and hunger deepens, with gangs growing more powerful since the July 2021 assassination of President Jovenel Moïse.

The number of reported kidnappings rose to more than 1,200 last year, more than double what was reported the previous year.

Meanwhile, 1,200 killings were reported last year, an increase of 35% compared with the previous year, according to the UN.

The violence, coupled with double-digit inflation, has prompted thousands to flee Haiti to neighbouring Caribbean islands, with many

seeking to eventually reach the US Dozens have died in such attempts as they cram into rickety boats captained by human smugglers.

The International Organization for Migration announced last month that it documented at least 321 migrant deaths and disappearances in the Caribbean last year, the highest number recorded since 2014 and a spike compared with the 180 deaths registered in 2021.

Last year, the Bahamas repatriated nearly 5,000 migrants, the majority of them Haitians. In January, the government sent home 570 migrants, of whom 368 were Haitians. The government of the Turks & Caicos Islands intercepted more than 3,000 such migrants last year.

In late January, the Bahamian government announced that no new work permit applications for Haitians would be processed until authorities could better authenticate documents issued by Haiti’s government. Also that month, the Turks & Caicos government approved a six-month moratorium on visitor visas for Haitians.

Both governments have complained about an increase in migrant shantytowns and on spending related to patrolling waters surrounding both archipelagos.

“There is no question as to whether Haiti will be discussed” at this week’s meeting, Caricom spokesman Leonard Robertson said. “Haiti has been at the front and centre of the community’s interest and agenda.”

Critics say Caricom has failed to produce a more managed approach to Haiti’s situation.

“We are either all brothers on one ship or not,” said Mark Kirton, an author and former professor at the University of the West Indies. “We need a strong, sustained intervention from Caricom as Haiti is a member. … This has been severely lacking.”

Earlier this month, Jamaica’s prime minister said he was willing to send soldiers and police officers to Haiti as part of a proposed multinational security assistance deployment. Last year, the Bahamas said it would send troops or police if asked to do so.

PEOPLE stand by a collapsed building in Kahramanmaras, southern Turkey, yesterday. Six days after earthquakes in Syria and Turkey killed tens of thousands, sorrow and disbelief are turning to anger and tension over a sense that there has been an ineffective, unfair and disproportionate response to the historic disaster.

Photo: Emrah Gurel/AP

SENATE Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., said the United States believes the unidentified objects shot down by American fighter jets over Canada and Alaska were balloons, though smaller than the China balloon downed over the Atlantic Ocean last weekend.

Photo: Jose Luis Magana/AP

RESIDENTS move about as police patrol in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, Friday.

Photo: Odelyn Joseph/AP

RIHANNA performs during the halftime show at the NFL Super Bowl 57 football game between the Kansas City Chiefs and the Philadelphia Eagles yesterday.

Photo: Ross D Franklin/AP

Land Acquisition for a New Grand Bahama Hospital

BLTA ‘saddened’ by death of Wesley Rolle

THE Bahamas Lawn Tennis Association (BLTA)

is saddened by the passing of Wesley Rolle.

Past president Rolle has made numerous contributions to the growth and development of tennis in The Bahamas over the years. He served as president of the BLTA during the period 2007 to 2009 and remained actively involved in the sport.

He assumed the role as facility manager of the National Tennis Centre under two administrations.

Rolle not only focused his attention on making a difference in New Providence, but also on the Family Islands.

From time to time, Rolle would hip-hop to Eleuthera and then “catch” the ferry to Harbour Island to conduct coaching sessions.

Besides serving as an executive and being a trailblazer for the association, he has served as a coach for many years, a Senior Nationals tournament director, and tournament director for a few ITF junior tournaments held in New Providence. Rolle was always willing to give wise

counsel and lend a helping hand wherever needed.

When asked in September 2019 to represent the BLTA by promoting the sport of tennis at a sports educational fair, he gladly accepted. He also possessed the skill of racquet stringing. Wes engaged in provocative dialogue and was considered a Davis Cup (Bahamas) historian.

As a coach, in 2020, Rolle participated in BLTA’s outreach programme in the form of a free tennis clinic hosted for some of the children at the Ranfurly Home. He imparted much knowledge to the kids and they walked away armed with the necessary tools to play the game.

President Perry Newton and the executive team of the BLTA was pleased to name the 2022 Senior Nationals in Rolle’s honour.

The entire tennis community mourns the loss of this great tennis contributor.

The BLTA extends deepest condolences to Leo Rolle, Larry Rolle, Marvin Rolle and the entire Rolle family during this most difficult time. Our thoughts and prayers are with you.

TITLE-CHASING ARSENAL FACES DOUBLE THREAT FROM MANCHESTER

By JAMES ROBSON AP Soccer Writer

MANCHESTER, England (AP) — If Arsenal is to win its first Premier League title in 19 years, it will have to hold off a growing double threat from Manchester.

The battle to be crowned English champions looks set to come down to just three clubs after wins for Manchester City and Manchester United on Sunday tightened the gap at the top of the table.

Defending champion City beat Aston Villa 3-1 and has the chance to move above leader Arsenal on goal difference with a win when the sides meet on Wednesday.

United is now five points off the top after beating Leeds 2-0 at Elland Road.

But the immediate threat to Arsenal, which has led the standings since August, is a City team that has the chance to wipe out an eightpoint deficit that existed less than a month ago, even if it has played a game more.

“We will see after all the games when the Premier League is finished. But we are going to London to try to get a win,” City manager Pep Guardiola said.

“When one team has made 50 points in the first leg (half of the season) it is because they are very good. We closed the gap today because the performance

from the team was really, really good.”

The wins for City and United will increase the sense of injustice felt by Arsenal at Ivan Toney’s equaliser against Mikel Arteta’s team in a 1-1 draw with Brentford on Saturday.

Referees chief Howard Webb contacted the club to explain “significant” and “human” error after VAR failed to rule Toney’s goal out for offside, but that is likely to be of little comfort to a team whose title challenge is beginning to show signs of faltering.

Rodri, Ilkay Gundogan and Riyad Mahrez all scored in the first half as City issued a defiant

response on the field following accusations this week of breaching financial regulations.

While City is primed to challenge, United has also emerged as a serious contender — even if manager Erik ten Hag may yet rue the dropped points in a 2-2 draw with Leeds midweek.

His team at least got the better of its rival from Yorkshire when meeting for a second time in the space of four days. Even then United left it late, with Marcus Rashford opening the scoring in the 80th minute and substitute Alejandro Garnacho adding a second goal in the 85th. It was Rashford’s 21st

goal of the season and his 13th in his last 15 games. And with Cristiano Ronaldo departed and Anthony Martial enduring ongoing fitness issues, the England forward is vital to United’s ambitions.

Ten Hag said Rashford was now “definitely one of” the best in Europe.

“He has the skills. I was convinced from the first moment. I was really excited to work with him. I thought I could get more out of him,” he said. “But he has so many skills, such high potential and I think there can be even more. When he works well, he will even score more goals because he can score with his left, right and his head.”

HAALAND PENALTY MYSTERY

Erling Haaland has scored 31 goals in 28 appearances for City, but was denied No. 32 when overlooked for penalty duty against Villa.

The Norway international is City’s first choice from the spot, but had to make way for Riyadh Mahrez when his team was awarded a penalty late in the first half, which even caught Guardiola by surprise. “I need to talk to them,” Guardiola said.

“Normally Erling is the first taker and Riyad is the second one. Rodri was involved so we will see what they say tomorrow.”

Haaland was substituted at halftime after taking a kick, with Guardiola unsure if he will be available against Arsenal.

Ollie Watkins pulled one back for Villa in the 61st.

DE GEA’S

LANDMARK

David de Gea made his 400th Premier League appearance in Manchester United’s win against Leeds. For the goalkeeper,

however, the victory was more important than his personal landmark.

“Today wasn’t about that, it was about winning the game and we did it so now I can enjoy the 400 Premier League games,” he explained.

“It’s great to come here, play like we did today. Clean sheet, three massive points and 400 games, perfect day.”

WESLEY Rolle assumed the role as facility manager of the National Tennis Centre under two administrations.

MANCHESTER United’s head coach Erik ten Hag congratulates Marcus Rashford as he leaves the pitch during the English Premier League soccer matchm against Leeds United at Elland Road, Leeds, England, yesterday. (AP Photo/Jon Super)

WESLEY ROLLE, far right, served as a coach for many years,

WESLEY ROLLE, above centre, served as president of the BLTA from 2007 to 2009 and was actively involved in the sport.

Baha Mar resurfaces the tennis courts in Yellow Elder Gardens

ON Saturday The Baha Mar Foundation held a ribbon cutting ceremony at the tennis courts in Yellow Elder at the Tom “The Bird” Grant park.

The Foundation graciously resurfaced two courts for the residents of Yellow Elder and the surrounding communities.

Performing the ribbon cutting were Graeme Davis, chairman of Baha Mar, Mckell Bonaby, Member of Parliament for Mt Moriah and executive chairman of the Bahamas Public Parks and Beaches Authority and Perry Newton, Bahamas Lawn Tennis (BLTA) president, along with Robert Sands, senior vice president at Baha Mar, Shena Bowleg, Harold Road club president and Baha Mar representatives.

Coach Cory Francis, Devlin Fisher (Baha Mar),

adult players and the kids from the community and from the BLTA Play Tennis programme were a part

of this grand reopening. After the ribbon cutting there was a kid’s tennis clinic that opened up play

SCHEFFLER REPEATS AT PHOENIX OPEN TO REGAIN NO. 1 RANKING

By JOHN NICHOLSON AP Sports Writer

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz.

(AP) — Scottie Scheffler successfully defended his WM Phoenix Open title yesterday at TPC Scottsdale to regain the No. 1 spot in the world.

Scheffler closed with a 6-under 65 to beat Nick Taylor by two strokes in breezy conditions on the firm and fast Stadium Course.

The 26-year-old Texan will jump from second to first in the rankings, taking the top spot from Rory McIlroy with his fifth PGA Tour victory.

Scheffler made a 22-foot eagle putt on the par-5 13th to break a tie with Taylor, then took a twoshot lead on the par-3 16th with a 15-footer for par

after hitting his tee shot far left on the stadium hole.

“I was just trying to hit a solid putt,” Scheffler said about the putt on 16.

“In those situations that’s really all you can do. So, when I’m standing over that ball all I’m thinking about is the speed. I had my line.”

Scheffler birdied the short par-4 17th and closed with a par to finish at 19-under 265.

“I hit some wild shots off the tee that were pretty uncharacteristic for how I usually shape the ball,” Scheffler said. “I was just able to grind it out, make a lot of putts. I think I only had two bogeys this week, which is really, really good around this golf course.”

He earned $3.6 million from the $20 million purse in the second of the PGA

Tour’s new designated events, created in response to LIV Golf to bring the top tour players together more often.

“There were a lot of guys up there,” Scheffler said. “I knew it was going to take a great round. Nobody was going to give this golf tournament to me. I had to go out and earn it.”

Last year, Scheffler beat Patrick Cantlay in a playoff for his first tour title. He added victories in the Arnold Palmer Invitational, the WGC-Match Play and the Masters and was the PGA Tour’s player of the year. “I love the environment here,” Scheffler said. “It’s a lot of fun to play. I think the firmness of the golf course really suits me. Having the ability to play a lot of different shots — hit it high, hit it low.”

on the newly resurfaced courts. This session was led by coach Francis. Baha Mar also treated the kids

to snacks. The BLTA was pleased to be on hand to support Baha Mar as they continue to make a positive

impact in tennis. The Baha Mar Foundation recently hosted the third annual Baha Mar Tennis Cup in conjunction with the Mark Knowles Foundation. Many kids were able to meet and play with top international tennis professionals.

This was followed up with the recent upgrades to the tennis courts by Baha Mar, another successful giveback event. The kids thoroughly enjoyed this wonderful opportunity, courtesy of Baha Mar. The impact on the community through sports is long lasting and the work undertaken by Baha Mar is expected to reap some good rewards in the local community.

“We congratulate Baha Mar on their commitment and investment in the community, the kids and the sport of tennis in The Bahamas,” the BLTA said.

WU YIBING TOPS ISNER, IS 1ST FROM CHINA WITH ATP TOUR TITLE

DALLAS (AP) — Wu

Yibing became the first Chinese player to win an ATP Tour title, rallying in a three-set, all-tiebreaker thriller to beat John Isner in the Dallas Open yesterday. Wu overcame 44 aces from the big-serving Isner — one shy of tying a threeset record — and four match points in the 6-7 (4), 7-6 (3), 7-6 (12) victory. The 23-year-old was the first Chinese player in an ATP final.

Wu also came back from a set down to beat topseeded American Taylor Fritz in the semifinals. There were no service breaks in Wu’s victory over the fifth-seeded Isner, who was playing in his hometown tournament.

“It’s not only about winning the title, I think it’s more about me personally making history and also for the country,” said Wu, who was the first Chinese man

to reach the third round of the U.S. Open when he did it as a qualifier last year.

“That’s huge for the next generation,” Wu said.

“For me, I need to keep going, keep my body healthy. I’m sure there’s more to come.”

Leading 8-7 in the thirdset tiebreaker, Isner came to the net for an easy volley that hit the top of the net and stayed on Isner’s side.

The 6-foot-10 American sensed the opportunity lost, sitting for a few moments and fiddling with the strings on his racket.

Wu saved another match point at 10-9 and had four match points of his own in the final tiebreaker before finally converting on Isner’s serve when Isner sent a forehand long off Wu’s return. Wu fell on his back in disbelief, staying down long enough for Isner to come across the net to

congratulate him. It was the first tiebreaker in a decisive set in Wu’s career, who climbed into the top 60 of the rankings for the first time.

Battling injuries that kept him out for most of 2019-20 before the pandemic sidelined him even longer, Wu was No. 1,121 a year ago.

“I’ve been through a lot of things,” Wu said.

“I think the reason now I’m relaxed on tennis courts is I trust myself. If you want to beat me, you have to work hard.”

Since his return, Wu has a 50-10 match record and had won three ATP Challenger titles before his Dallas breakthrough. Isner was trying for his 17th career title in his 31st final. He made the semifinals in the inaugural Dallas Open last year before losing to eventual champion Reilly Opelka in the semifinals.

YIBING WU, of China, in action at the US Open tennis championships in New York on Friday, September 2. Yibing Wu became the first Chinese player to reach an ATP Tour final, rallying for a threeset victory over top-seeded American Taylor Fritz in the Dallas Open on Saturday night.

(AP Photo/Charles Krupa)

PERFORMING the ribbon cutting were Graeme Davis, chairman of Baha Mar, Mckell Bonaby, Member of Parliament for Mt Moriah and executive chairman of the Bahamas Public Parks and Beaches Authority and Perry Newton, Bahamas Lawn Tennis (BLTA) president, along with Robert Sands, senior vice president at Baha Mar, Shena Bowleg, Harold Road club president and Baha Mar representatives.

COACH Cory Francis and the children.

Celtics top Grizzlies 119-109

By KEN POWTAK Associated Press

BOSTON (AP) — Derrick White scored 23 points to help a shorthanded Boston team hold off Ja Morant and the Memphis Grizzlies 119-109 yesterday.

Sam Hauser added 20 points, tying his careerhigh with six 3-pointers, Al Horford had 16 points and Payton Pritchard 12 for Boston, which won its fourth straight.

Celtics star Jayson Tatum didn’t have his sharpest game, finishing with 16 points but making 3 of 16 shots and missing 7 of 8 3-point attempts.

Morant led the Grizzlies with 25 points, seven assists and six rebounds, while Desmond Bane scored 18 and Jaren Jackson Jr. had 15 points and seven rebounds. Boston was without starting point guard Marcus Smart, who missed his 10th straight with a bone bruise in his right ankle, as well as forward Jaylen Brown (facial fracture he suffered from an inadvertent elbow by Tatum( and reserve guard Malcolm Brogdon (sore Achilles).

The Celtics were clinging to a one-point lead early in the final quarter before White scored six points — with a conventional three-point play and 3-pointer from the right wing — during a 16-7 spurt that moved them ahead 104-94 with just over four minutes to play.

Horford nailed three 3-pointers in the final five minutes. Trailing by 13 at halftime, the Grizzlies used a 13-point third quarter by Morant that featured onehanded driving baskets,

LEAD SUNS PAST PACERS A DAY AFTER DURANT TRADE

By CHRIS GOFF Associated Press

INDIANAPOLIS

(AP) — Deandre Ayton had 22 points and 11 rebounds, Devin Booker scored 21 points and Chris Paul chipped in 19 as the Phoenix Suns cruised past the Indiana Pacers 117-104 on Friday night.

Playing one day after their blockbuster trade for four-time NBA scoring champion Kevin Durant, the Suns led by as many as 26 and never trailed in a game they outrebounded the Pacers 64-45.

“It’s exciting times for the Phoenix Suns,” Booker said. “You have one of the best players to ever touch a basketball coming. He’s going to fit right in.”

flips in the lane and twisting shots to wipe out the deficit, taking the lead briefly late in the third,

TIP-INS

Grizzlies: Centre Steven Adams missed his 10th consecutive game with a knee injury. … Morant missed his first three free-throw attempts. … They held a two-point lead after one quarter despite hitting only 2 of 9 3s while Boston was

6 of 13. They finished just 12-for-34 from beyond the arc.

Celtics: Pritchard hit his first three shots from the floor — all 3s. ... Boston went 21 of 51 on 3s.

OFF WHEN AWAY

The Grizzlies’ road struggles continued, dropping them to 11-17 away from home.

“How do you correct that?” coach Taylor Jenkins

said before the game. “It’s got to be a mentality, for sure, obviously you trust all the work you’re putting in. … Guys have to be even more confident together on the road. We know what our standard is and that’s what it’s about and we don’t live up to that standard on the road.”

NICE MOMENT

Jeannine Russell, wife of late Celtics legend

Bill Russell, was seated courtside. She got a standing ovation when the PA announcer welcomed her as she was shown on the videoboard.

UP NEXT Grizzlies: Host the Utah Jazz on Wednesday, starting a stretch of three of four at home.

Celtics: At Bucks Tuesday in a matchup of the league’s top two teams.

Jokic’s NBA-leading 20th tripledouble leads Nuggets to win

CHARLOTTE, N.C.

(AP) — Nikola Jokic had 30 points, 16 rebounds and 10 assists for his league-leading 20th triple-double and the short-handed Denver Nuggets handed the Charlotte Hornets their seventh straight defeat, 119-105 on Saturday night.

Kentavious CaldwellPope added 15 points and Bruce Brown and Michael Porter Jr each had 14 for the Nuggets, who snapped a string of four straight road losses.

Denver played without Aaron Gordon (rib contusion) and Jamaal Murray (knee inflammation), but outscored the Hornets 62-45 in the second half.

P.J. Washington had 22 points and Gordon Hayward added 21 for Charlotte. LaMelo Ball finished with 18 points, 12 assists and nine rebounds. The Hornets endured another rough night from the foul line, converting just 17 of 29 attempts. Charlotte is 28 of 52 from the stripe in its last two home games.

KNICKS 126, JAZZ 120

NEW YORK (AP) —

Jalen Brunson scored 22 of his 38 points in the first half, Josh Hart had 11 points off the bench in his Knicks debut and New York outlasted Utah.

Julius Randle added 31 for New York, which has won three of four to improve to 31-27. R.J. Barrett scored 20 points before fouling out, and Immanuel Quickley finished with 15.

Hart, acquired Wednesday night from Portland, made a quick impact on his new team while adding seven rebounds and four assists.

Lauri Markkanen scored 29 points to lead the Jazz, who lost for the fourth time in five games. Jordan Clarkson had 24 and Talen Horton-Tucker added 23 off the bench.

76ERS 101, NETS 98

NEW YORK (AP) —

Joel Embiid had 37 points and 13 rebounds, James Harden scored 29 points in his first game in Brooklyn

since being traded a year ago to begin a Big Three breakup, and Philadelphia beat the Nets.

The 76ers got a victory instead of overtime when Spencer Dinwiddie’s 3-pointer was ruled too late after a video review.

Harden added six rebounds and six assists after being booed in introductions and then early in the game. He arrived in January 2021 to play with Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving, then asked out and was gone just 13 months later, swapped in a deal for Ben Simmons at last year’s trade deadline.

Mikal Bridges scored 23 points in his first game with the Nets, but missed a layup that would have given the Nets the lead with about 2 seconds left. Harden then made two free throws with 0.9 seconds to go, and Dinwiddie’s shot after a timeout was too late.

LAKERS 109, WARRIORS 103 SAN FRANCISCO (AP)

— D’Angelo Russell had 15 points, six assists and five rebounds in his Lakers return after being acquired from Minnesota at the trade deadline, Dennis Schroder scored 26 points, and Los Angeles beat Golden State.

The Lakers’ LeBron James sat out his second straight game with a left foot injury since becoming the NBA’s all-time scoring leader Tuesday against Oklahoma City. Reigning NBA Finals MVP Stephen Curry of the Warriors was sidelined for a third game in a row with an injured left leg.

Jordan Poole had 29 points and six assists with a key go-ahead three-point play with 6:23 remaining, but the Warriors floundered down the stretch of the fourth quarter again.

KINGS 133, MAVERICKS 128 (Overtime) SACRAMENTO, Calif.

(AP) — De’Aaron Fox scored 36 points, including six free throws in the final 18.4 seconds of overtime, leading Sacramento over Dallas.

Fox shot 12 of 23 from the field and scored 26 of his points in the fourth quarter and overtime. Domantas Sabonis had 22 points and 14 rebounds for his NBAleading 44th double-double of the season before fouling out with 1:27 remaining in overtime. Terence Davis also had 22 off the bench for the Kings.

Kyrie Irving scored 28 points and Luka Doncic had 25 points and nine rebounds in the stars’ first game as Mavericks teammates. Irving was acquired by Dallas from Brooklyn on Monday before the trade deadline. Josh Green added 23 points.

CAVALIERS 97, BULLS 89 CLEVELAND (AP) — All-Star Donovan Mitchell scored 19 of his 29 points in the second half and Jarrett Allen had 23 points and 10 rebounds, rallying Cleveland past Chicago.

Mitchell added 10 rebounds and Darius Garland scored 19 for Cleveland, which trailed 61-48 in the third quarter before unleashing a 43-17 run to go up by 13. The Cavaliers won their sixth straight and are 24-6 at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse.

Zach LaVine scored 23 points, Nikola Vucevic had 14 points and 14 rebounds, and All-Star DeMar DeRozan had 16 points and six assists for the Bulls. Chicago was outscored 20-4

to start the fourth and dropped its third in a row.

WIZARDS 127, PACERS 113

WASHINGTON (AP)

— Bradley Beal scored 32 points, Kristaps Porzingis and Monte Morris added 17 apiece and Washington shot 70% from the field through the first three quarters of their rout of Indiana.

Washington led 80-57 after its highest-scoring half of the season. The Wizards gave up the first 10 points of the third quarter, bringing back memories of a couple recent games in which they blew 20-point leads, but they steadied themselves quickly and led 104-88 heading into the fourth.

Tyrese Haliburton scored 21 points and Myles Turner had 20 for Indiana, which has lost 15 of its last 17.

HEAT 107,

MAGIC 103, OT

ORLANDO, Fla. (AP)

— Tyler Herro scored 23 points, Jimmy Butler added 22, Gabe Vincent had 20 as Miami rallied to beat Orlando in overtime.

Vincent opened the overtime period with a 3-pointer, Herro scored twice from the lane and the Magic never caught up.

Maarkelle Fultz led the Magic with 17 points. Paolo Banchero had 16 points and 13 rebounds and missed a driving layup in the final seconds of the fourth quarter that was altered by Miami center Bam Adebayo.

Adebayo finished with 13 points, 17 rebounds and six assists for Miami, which overcame a nine-point deficit in the final 2:22 of the fourth quarter to force overtime.

HAWKS 125, SPURS 106

ATLANTA (AP) — Trae Young had 24 points and a season-high 17 assists, De’Andre Hunter added 24 points and Atlanta beat reeling San Antonio.

The Spurs (14-43), losers of a season-high 12 straight, are a half-game ahead of last-place Houston (13-43) in the Western Conference.

Atlanta (29-28) has won two straight and four of six.

The Hawks began the game in eighth place in the East.

Atlanta never trailed after Young’s layup early in the third made it 65-64.

Keldon Johnson, San Antonio’s leading scorer this season, was back in the lineup after missing Friday’s double overtime loss at Detroit with left ankle soreness and finished with 25 points. Jeremy Sochan added 18.

Durant, acquired from Brooklyn on Thursday, hasn’t played since January 8 when he sustained a knee injury in a game against Miami. Durant, who was not with the Suns in Indiana, is expected to be healthy enough to play at some point after the All-Star break.

Bennedict Mathurin posted 22 points for the Pacers, while All-Star Tyrese Haliburton finished with 18 points and five assists. Indiana, which has lost 14 of its past 16 games, shot 42% from the field and committed 15 turnovers.

“Rebounding has been a challenge for us all year long,” Indiana coach Rick Carlisle said. “They had 19 offensive rebounds. Rebounding is an attention-to-detail and effort area.”

Phoenix shot 46% and capitalised on ball movement with 25 assists on its 43 baskets. Paul had nine assists and Booker five. Josh Okogie finished with 17 points and six boards, while former Pacer Torrey Craig started at power forward and racked up 11 points and 12 rebounds.

Phoenix, which has won six of its past eight, led 30-24 after the first quarter, 60-47 at halftime and 95-77 entering the final period. The Suns bounced back from Thursday night’s loss in Atlanta. “We had a trade, emotions, travel,” Suns coach Monty Williams said. “(Thursday night) on the bus, plane, gave us a chance to get back to normal. Sometimes it takes you a minute to process whatever is going on.”

UP NEXT

Suns: Return home to face the Sacramento Kings on Tuesday night.

Pacers: Play at the Washington Wizards on Saturday night.

SCAN ON LEBRON JAMES’ SORE LEFT FOOT SHOWS NO SERIOUS DAMAGE

By JANIE MCCAULEY AP Sports Writer

SAN FRANCISCO

(AP) — A scan done on LeBron James’ troublesome left ankle and foot showed no serious issue, but the newly crowned NBA career scoring leader sat out a second straight game Saturday night since breaking Kareem AbdulJabbar’s mark earlier in the week.

Still, coach Darvin Ham expects to see James back on the floor before the AllStar break. When asked whether James might need to be sidelined through the break, Ham offered, “No, I don’t think he’ll allow us to do that.” General manager Rob Pelinka said earlier

Saturday that nothing was seriously wrong for James, who topped former Lakers star Abdul-Jabbar during Tuesday’s 133-130 home loss to Oklahoma City.

“LeBron did have some imaging on his foot injury, and we’re grateful that things came back clean and good,” according to Pelinka.

The game with Golden State — missing reigning NBA Finals MVP Stephen Curry because of a left leg injury — marked James’ seventh sidelined by soreness in the left ankle. He also missed one game with left foot soreness and another because of a nonCOVID illness. James also sat out five games with a strained left inner thigh muscle.

DENVER Nuggets centre Nikola Jokic (15) takes in a pass as Charlotte Hornets centre Mark Williams (5) defends during the first half on Saturday. (AP Photo/Nell Redmond)

POSTER BOY: Boston Celtics forward Jayson Tatum (0) dunks on Memphis Grizzlies forward Brandon Clarke, left, in the first half yesterday in Boston. (AP Photo/Steven Senne)

Jasmine Mackey misses CARIFTA-qualifying time

By BRENT STUBBS Senior Sports Reporter bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

IN a gutsy performance on Saturday at the Road Runners’ Dianna Lynn Thompson’s Memorial Track Classic, middle distance runner Jasmine Mackey came so close to eclipsing the qualifying standard for the girls under20 1,500 metres for the 50th CARIFTA Games.

Mackey, competing for the 3 PA Stallions, pulled away from the pack early in the 3 ½ laps race in the Thomas A Robinson Track and Field Stadium and maintained her lead to go through the finish line in five minutes and 09.63 seconds. However, she needed to run 5:00.36 to qualify for the games, scheduled for April 7-11.

Despite falling short, the 16-year-old Mackey said she was still pleased with the run, but she admitted that she still has some work to do on her finish.

“It was not too hard. I had a little of wind on the backstretch, but it was an easy win,” said Mackey, who contested her first 1,500m for the year. “My previous best was 5:37, but I got a lot lighter than I was last season. I’m looking forward to qualifying for CARIFTA, making the team and going for a medal here at home.”

There were some qualifiers, starting on the track with Panthers’ Track Club’s Kenny Moxey Jr sailing over the bars to clock 15.60 to surpass the standard of 15.65 in the under-17 boys 110m hurdles. Second place went to SunBlazers’ Kerch Mackey in 18.45.

Koi Adderley of Fast Forward was the lone competitor in the under-20 girls’ high jump, but that didn’t discourage her from

attaining her goal as she duplicated the standard to qualify. She also took the long jump with a leap of 5.31m, but just missed the standard of 5.51m.

In the under-17 girls high jump, Andros Heats’ Tylah Pratt scored 1.57m to match the standard. Alexandria Komolafe of Xtreme Athletics was second with 1.55m and Paris Rolle of Leap of Faith got third with 1.49m.

Demian Brice II of Xtreme Athletics leapt, hopped and jumped 13.06m to win the under-17 boys triple jump to surpass the standard of 12.94m. Jayden Cooper, of Speed Capacity, was second with 12.88m and Davon Davis of the T-Bird Flyers was third with 12.10m.

Triple Threat’s Terrell McCoy, already qualified, dipped under the standard of 12.56m with her winning heave of 13.26m in the under-17 girls shot put. Her closest rival was Danielle Nixon of Blue Chips, who got second with 11.43. Her team-mate Anthonece Papageorge was third with 9.34m.

In other events of note, Air Assaults’ Nathaniel Zervos won the under-20/ open men’s javelin with a heave of 51.27m, just missing the standard of 51.78m. Samson Colebrooke, unattached, won the men’s 100m in 10.78.

Andrew Styles of 90 Degrees, who was second in 10.80, won the 200m in 21.81, Kaiya Cambridge of Power Athletics took the women’s 400m hurdles in 1:10.12, Berkley Munnings was the winner of the men’s 400m hurdles in 58.39, Deedro Clarke of RK Athletics won the men’s 400m in 47.21, Quinton Ellis of Phoenix Track took the men’s 800m in 1:56.49, Christopher Saintus

of Swift Athletics won the 5,000m in 16:48.34.

Road Runners’ head coach Dexter Bodie thanked God for the wonderful weather they experienced to complete the meet on time,

“Today was a nice, hot sunny day,” he pointed out.

“We had a few qualifiers today as well, so I want to give thanks to our sponsors, Y Buy, We Sell, Summit Insurance and Family Medical Center, Blake Road. They made this meet a success.

“We had a record breaking number of over 800 athletes. It was not expected, but we want to thank God for smooth sailing. Our meet director Bernard Newbold did a wonderful one getting the races lined up one after the other in a timely fashion. We just give God thanks and pray for another successful year.”

In some of the other events contested, here’s a look at the age group divisional winners:

Girls under 7

100m – Erin Strachan of Kids Athletics in 19.69 with team-mates Kaiyah Romer (20.10) and Amila Munnings (24.37) in second and third respectively.

150m – Strachan got the win in 30.80 with Romer second in 32.17 and Munnings third in 39.27.

Boys under-7

100m - Kaden Bullard of Swift Athletics won in 18.55 with Leslie Munnings Jr of Kids Athletics second in 18.84 over his team-mate Jace Merus in 19.88.

150m – Bullard also won in 28.44 with Munnings Jr second in 30.51 nd Merus third in 30.66.

Girls under-9 100m – Christovia Moss of Beginners Track Club won in 15.53 with RedLine Athletics’ Jazmyn

Demeritte second in 15.57 and Kasey Rolle of Beginners Track third in 17.50.

800m – Monae Miller of Unique Athletics won in 3:17.15 with Beginners Track’s Melody Thompson (3:20.23) and Christovia Moss (3:22.48) second and third respectively.

Boys under-9 boys

100m – Nathan Smith of 3 PA Stallions won in 15.51 with Daython Ingraham of Swift Athletics second with 15.75 and A’Ky Wilson of Kids Athletics third in 16.59.

800m – Caiden Bain of Hurry Murray won in 3:10.18 with Nathan Smith of 3 PA Stallions second in 3:15.55.

Girls under-11

100m – Jaelyn Munroe of DTSP Wolkpack won in 15.56 with Kids Athletics’ Christyn Gibson second in 16.02 and Shayne Hutchinson of Unique Athletics third in 16.34.

400m – Elexia Strachan of Kids Athletics won in 1:18.81 over team-mate Dazariah Bullard (1:25.18).

800m - Strachan also took the tape in 2:58.43 over Hurry Murray’s Mikhala Strachan (3:13.26).

Boys under-11 100m – Jayden Jones of Unique Athletics won in 15.00 with George Brown of Swift Athletics second in 15.03 and Avery Johnson Jr of Unique Athletics third in 15.38.

400m – Stafford Sweeting of Hurry Murray won in 1:11.78 with Jayden Allen of Red-Line Athletics second in 1:11.85 and Jade Ferguson of Swift Athletics third in 1:15.47.

Girls under-13

400m – Rocelis Moxey of Swift Athletics was the winner in 1:06.05. Taree Forbes of Boost Athletics was second in 1:07.28 and Cierra Delancy of Red-Line Athletics third in 1:07.47.

800m – Victoria Sandi-Aguilar of Unique Athletics won in 2:35.33 with Delancy second in 2:35.41 and Imani Collie of Striders third in 2:46.63.

Boys under-13 100m – Justin Shepherd of Swift Athletics was the winner in 13.55 with Tyrone Johnson of Spirit of Excellence second in 13.60 and Jacob Pickstock of Swift Athletics third in 13.76.

400m – Ayden Russell of Unique Athletics won in 1:03.05 with Fast Forward’s Demih-Devaj Cash second in 1:05.70 and Johnson third in 1:07.67.

800m – Adrian Woodside of T-Bird Flyers won in 2:43.03. Ramonick McLennon of Hurry Murray was second in 2:45.41 and Ayden Rolle of Striders was third in 2:48.60.

Girls under-15

100m – Vanessa Mackey of Alliance Athletics took the win in 13.18 with Zara Fraser of Fast Forward second in 13.28. Brion Ward of DTSP Wolfpack placed third in 13.34.

200m – Sarsha Wright of Team Velocity won in 25.80 with Jasmine Thompson of the Roadrunners second in 26.29. Ward was third again in 26.35.

400m – Thompson won again in 59.32 with Wright second in 1:02.20 and An Butler of Bahamas Speed Dynamics third in 1:03.21.

800m – Ramonique McLennon was the winner in 2:31.86 with Denika

Gitten of Roadrunners second in 2:39.89.

Long jump – Kelly Deveaux of T-Bird Flyers won with 4.70m. Johnell Marshall of Kingsway Academy was the runnerup with 4.40m. Shot put – Quick Step’s Keila McPhee won with a heave of 8.83m and T-Bird’s Alexis Wright was second with 8.21m.

Discus – McPhee got another win with 24.88m, while her team-mate Paris Leonice was second with 17.38m.

Boys under-15 100m - Red-Line Athletica’ Eagan Neely won in 1.569 with Fast forward’s Rohman Role second in 12.05. 200m – Neely again won in 22.81 with his team-mate Shevano Nixon second in 23.07. 400m – Nixon was the winner this time in 53.52 with Noble Preparatory’s Dario Butterfield second in 56.89.

800m – Butterfield took the win in 2:21.95 with Rion Larrimore of Hurry Murray second in 2:23.82.

Long jump – Quick Step’s Terrin Beckles won a leap of 5.12m with Jachario Wilson of Noble Preparatory second with 4.90m. Shot put – Dayaje Brown of Triple Threat was the lone competitor, winning with 6.07m.

Discus – T-Bird Flyers’ Davis Douglas won with 30.08m and Brown got second with 15.60m.

took just three years to get another Lombardi.

Chiefs fans were outnumbered in the stadium, but they did their part to silence the boisterous Philly fans with the tomahawk chop chant.

Down 24-14 with a limping Mahomes, the Chiefs (17-3) followed up Rihanna’s electrifying halftime performance with a sensational offensive outburst.

“Everybody had that determination, that look in their eye,” Kelce said.

Mahomes, who suffered a high ankle sprain in the divisional round, hurt it again on a 3-yard scramble

late in the second quarter. He limped off the field but showed no ill effects on Kansas City’s next possession.

Mahomes slipped — several players lost their footing on the natural grass surface — in the pocket yet somehow regained his balance and scrambled 14 yards to the Eagles 4, setting up Isiah Pacheco’s 1-yard TD run that cut the deficit to 24-21.

After Jake Elliott’s 33-yard field goal extended Philadelphia’s lead to 27-21, the Chiefs struck again.

Mahomes tossed a 5-yard TD pass to a wide-open Kadarius Toney to give Kansas City its first lead, 28-27, early in the fourth quarter.

The Chiefs tightened up their defence, forcing Philly to punt.

Then Toney returned a line-drive kick 65 yards to the Eagles 5 for the longest punt return in Super Bowl history.

from the

Mahomes connected with

Skyy Moore to extend their lead to 35-27. Moore also was wide open on the play. But the Eagles wouldn’t go away. Hurts hit DeVonta Smith for a 46-yard gain to the Chiefs and ran in for his third score of the game. He also ran in for the 2-point conversion to tie it at 35-35 with 5:15 to go. As “Fly! Eagles! Fly!” reverberated throughout the stadium, Mahomes and the Chiefs went back to work.

The 27-year-old Mahomes became the third player to win his second NFL MVP award before age 28. He also became the youngest QB to start three Super Bowls.

Then, Mahomes became the first player to win the Super Bowl the same season he was MVP after nine straight players lost.

Just five years after winning the first Super Bowl in franchise history, the Eagles (16-4) came close with a different coach and new

quarterback. Nick Sirianni replaced Doug Pederson in 2021 and Hurts took over for Carson Wentz in late 2020.

Hurts set a Super Bowl record with 70 yards rushing and tied a record with three rushing scores. He also threw for 304 yards and one TD.

The Eagles marched 75 yards down the field with Hurts scoring from the 1 for a 7-0 lead, and controlled the ball for almost 22 minutes in the first half.

Hurts, who missed two games late in the season with a shoulder injury, had no trouble throwing a perfect deep ball to A.J. Brown, giving the Eagles a 14-7 lead with a 45-yard connection on the first play of the second quarter.

But Hurts then made a rare mistake on the next drive when he fumbled without being hit while scrambling away from pressure.

Nick Bolton picked it up and raced 36 yards for a score that made it 14-14.

Hurts had just eight turnovers this season, six picks and two fumbles.

Undeterred, Hurts kept running.

He took off for 14 yards on the first play after the fumble. On fourth-and-5 from Chiefs 44, Hurts ran 28 yards. He finished off the drive with a 4-yard TD run to put Philadelphia ahead 21-14.

Elliott kicked a 35-yard field goal to send the Eagles into halftime leading 24-14.

Mahomes finished 21 of 27 for 182 yards with three TDs and no turnovers. He ran for 44 yards.

Mahomes connected with Kelce on an 18-yard TD pass in the right corner to tie it at 7-7 in the first quarter. The Chiefs’ AllPro tight end and Eagles All-Pro centre Jason Kelce became the first set of brothers to play against each other in the Super Bowl.

Their mom, Donna Kelce, wore a half-red, halfgreen jersey with No. 87 on the front for Travis and No.

62 on the back for Jason. She sat in a suite between NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell and Damar Hamlin.

Eagles fans turned State Farm Stadium into a sea of green, chanting “E-AG-L-E-S!” and singing the team’s fight song after each score. But they left disappointed.

Reid won more games than any coach in team history during 14 seasons with the Eagles but the one knock against him was that he couldn’t win the big one. Reid finally earned his ring with the Chiefs when they beat San Francisco in the Super Bowl following the 2019 season. They went back the next year and lost to Brady and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

The first Super Bowl involving both No. 1 seeds since the Eagles beat the Patriots 41-33 in February 2018 lived up to its hype.

It was the third-highest scoring Super Bowl and the Eagles scored the most points by a losing team.

JASMINE MACKEY

CHIEFS defensive end Carlos Dunlap (8) celebrates with the trophy after Super Bowl 57. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum)

TERRY BRADSHAW, left, interviews Chiefs owner Clark Hunt after the NFL Super Bowl 57 football game last night. (AP Photo/Brynn Anderson)

CHIEFS punter Tommy Townsend (5) celebrates with the trophy last night after the NFL Super Bowl 57 football game. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum)