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Fallout from Nygard rape and corruption allegations
Fact or fiction? ‘We have a duty to investigate these claims’ SECURITY MINISTER MARVIN DAMES
‘It’s a salacious story against PLP. There’s no truth’ PARTY CHAIRMAN FRED MITCHELL By RASHAD ROLLE Tribune Senior Reporter rrolle@tribunemedia.net
NATIONAL Security Minister Marvin Dames said police will investigate claims that Peter Nygard concealed his alleged sexual crimes by bribing local law enforcement officials, saying the country’s reputation is at risk. His comment came as sources told The Tribune police are still probing complaints women made in July about Mr Nygard. The fashion mogul made headlines around the world last week after it was alleged in a US lawsuit that he raped ten women, including nine Bahamians, and covered
it up through payoffs and intimidation tactics. The lawsuit portrays The Bahamas as a country where corruption is so pervasive and sexual crimes treated so lightly that the former Lyford Cay resident successfully evaded accountability for his alleged acts. Mr Dames told The Tribune: “Those are some serious allegations being made and I am certain the police would want to follow up on them to determine exactly whether there is any validity to them. We have an obligation to do so. Anytime you have allegations of that nature being SEE PAGE THREE
MAGIC MAN DAVID COPPERFIELD IN DEAD BODY FIGHT OVER $2M PROPERTY TAX BILL FOUND IN
RUBBISH BIN
By NEIL HARTNELL Tribune Business Editor nhartnell@tribunemedia.net MAGICIAN David Copperfield has defeated the government’s bid to obtain a summary judgment in its $2m-plus real property tax dispute involving his private Exuma resort destination. Justice Ian Winder ruled that Mr Copperfield, described by Forbes magazine as the most commercially successful magician in history, faces a “hard road” but said the Treasurer’s claim for nine years’ worth of allegedly outstanding taxes was not impregnable “in the circumstances of this case”. The government, through the Treasurer, had sought a summary judgment on the basis that Mr Copperfield’s Imagine Nation Company had no viable defence to its claim. The magician, though, alleged he received “oral” assurances from the “then-prime minister” that real property tax breaks and other concessions would be extended to additional islands he acquired if certain conditions were fulfilled. The
By DENISE MAYCOCK Tribune Freeport Reporter dmaycock@tribunemedia.net
MAGICIAN David Copperfield identity of the “then-prime minister” is not revealed in the Supreme Court judgment, but it can only be one of Perry Christie or Hubert Ingraham. Given that Mr Copperfield acquired the two islands at the centre of the dispute on July 13, 2006, the same date as he bought his principal property of Musha Cay, it is likely to be a reference to Mr Christie. Mr Copperfield and the government eventually agreed an amended Hotels Encouragement Act agreement on February 26, 2016, which extended the real property tax breaks to the two islands. However, the Treasurer is claiming that this exemption was not
made retroactive by the government’s National Economic Council, and that taxes from early 2016 back to 2007 remain due and owing. However, rejecting the Treasurer’s bid for a quick victory, Justice Winder ruled: “While I think the road ahead for the defendant is a hard one, I am not prepared to conclude there is no defence to the claim. The defendant’s case is that representations were made by the executive, specifically the then-Prime Minister, that the exemptions would be extended on certain terms which it says has been fulfilled.” FULL STORY - SEE BUSINESS
Nassau & Bahama Islands’ Leading Newspaper
GRAND Bahama police made a gruesome discovery on Friday when the body of a missing man was discovered stuffed inside a bin at a home in the Lewis Yard area. The discovery was made shortly after 6pm on Friday. Meanwhile police in New Providence are investigating another homicide, after a man was fatally stabbed early yesterday. SEE PAGE TWO
INSIGHT MINNIS NEEDS SOME OTHER SECRET DEALS TO PULL THIS OFF SEE PAGE NINE
PAGE 2, Monday, February 17, 2020
THE TRIBUNE
ARMED ROBBERS HOLD UP JEWELLERY STORE ON PARADISE ISLAND By NICO SCAVELLA Tribune Staff Reporter nscavella@tribunemedia.net
POLICE are searching for the suspects who held up and robbed a jewellery store on Paradise Island of a number of Rolex watches over the weekend. According to reports, shortly before 11pm on Saturday, two men entered a jewellery store on Paradise Island. One of the suspects produced a firearm, causing the store’s employees to flee to the back of the store. The two suspects subsequently smashed two showcases in the store and stole an assortment of Rolex watches before escaping. Police are also looking for the suspects who robbed two people at gunpoint of
a car in the Nassau Village community on Friday. According to reports, shortly after 11pm on that day, a man and a woman were outside a residence at Esmerlea Avenue off Taylor Street when they were approached by two men, one of whom was armed with a firearm. The suspects subsequently robbed the pair of cash and a silver coloured Nissan Note. Several armed robberies also occurred on Thursday. Police said in the first incident, a man was outside a residence on Stevenson Subdivision off Mackey Street shortly before 9pm when he was approached by an armed man who robbed him of cash, a watch, and a ring before fleeing on foot.
In the second incident, a woman was outside a residence on Crepe Myrtle Road, Garden Hills shortly before 10pm Thursday when she was approached by a man armed with a firearm who demanded the keys to her vehicle, a Nissan Note LP #AU4437. After handing the man the keys, the woman ran into the home, activating the kill switch that disabled the vehicle and caused the suspect to flee the scene on foot. In the third incident, a man was outside a residence on Sandilands Village, off Fox Hill Road shortly after 11pm when he was approached by two men, one armed with a firearm who robbed him of a champagne coloured 2004 Buick Regal.
THE SCENE in Grand Bahama where the body of a man was found stuffed into a bin Photos: Vandyke Hepburn
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DEAD BODY FOUND STUFFED INTO BIN
from page one
In relation to the Grand Bahama incident, Supt Brian Rolle,
the officer-in-charge of the island’s Central Detective Unit, said a woman came to CDU and reported that a male relative had been missing since Wednesday.
He said officers accompanied the woman to a residence in Lewis Yard. “Officers entered the residence and found a male stuffed into a bin,” Supt Rolle told reporters at the scene Friday evening. The deceased is believed to be in his early forties, he added. “As a result, we have an investigation underway into what is suspected to be a murder,” Supt Rolle said. The man’s body was taken to Rand Memorial Hospital where he was pronounced dead. While police said foul play is suspected in the matter, an autopsy will be carried out to determine the man’s official cause of death. Police in New Providence, meanwhile, are questioning a man about the stabbing death of another man in an innercity community early yesterday. According to reports, shortly after 2am a man’s body was discovered on Ross Corner off East Street with stab wounds. Paramedics were called and attempted to revive the man, however he died at the scene. A short time later, police, acting on intelligence, went to a residence on Ross Corner where they arrested a man in connection with the incident. The homicides marked the seventh and eighth for the year, according to The Tribune’s records.
THE TRIBUNE
Monday, February 17, 2020, PAGE 3
THE NYGARD FALLOUT By RASHAD ROLLE Tribune Senior Reporter rrolle@tribunemedia.net THE Progressive Liberal Party has urged supporters to treat a report connecting allegations about Peter Nygard to the party with “several grains of salt”. PLP chairman Fred Mitchell said in a statement yesterday: “PLP members are asked to read with caution and several grains of salt the article published in The Tribune about a lawsuit in the United States against Peter Nygard, a resident of Lyford Cay, which seeks to connect the alleged tortious acts with the PLP. It is propaganda.” Mr Mitchell’s comment came after the Free National Movement released a statement saying the PLP “cannot remain silent with these explosive allegations being reported on by media from around the world.” A class action lawsuit filed in New York last week alleged Mr Nygard raped ten women, including nine Bahamians. The lawsuit claims he bought police protection and political cover by paying law enforcement and government officials.
Mitchell urges PLP to treat reports with ‘several grains of salt’ It highlighted his financial donations to the PLP. Mr Mitchell said: “We have examined the statement in its entirety and it appears to contain a mis-mashed concoction of everything and the kitchen sink to make a salacious and biased story against the PLP without any evidential foundation. “From our analysis of the writ, there is no connection between the references to the PLP and the acts complained of. In fact, one of the captions of a photograph in the writ makes a false identification as a
PLP chairman Fred Mitchell
We have a duty to investigate all these allegations, The Tribune Weekend says Dames
former parliamentarian of the PLP. The statement is loose with the truth. “Our educated guess and suspicion is that these allegations in the writ are, as far as it concerns the conduct of PLP members, well worn and discredited untruths about the party and its members. These date back to the general election when people connected to funding a group called Save the Bays spread disinformation during the campaign which have been shown to be untruths and falsehoods. If the writ were filed in Bahamian
courts, the information about anyone connected to the PLP would have been struck out as an abuse of process and irrelevant.” In response to a Tribune editorial calling for a commission of inquiry into the claims, Mr Mitchell said the matter does not require such a probe. However, he said his party is determined to use a commission to uncover the “collusion between the FNM, The Tribune and Save the Bays and other media interests to use funds by foreign interests to destabilise the last government of the Bahamas.”
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from page one reported to law enforcement within or outside of the country, we have that obligation especially when the allegations are being made against public officials and law enforcement officials. “As a country, if we fail to look into them, certainly it will have an adverse impact on our reputation and our ability to work along with other countries around the world.” The lawsuit alleges Mr Nygard bought police protection and offered corrupt officers children and young women with whom to engage in commercial sex acts. It claims he gave money to officers on his payroll to help him bury reports of sexual abuse and to intimidate and harass his victims. It alleged that when Mr Nygard learned of the police investigation into him, “he engaged lawyers to facilitate bribery payments to top Bahamian police officials to get more information that would enable him to attempt to bribe victims or intimidate them into silence.” It further alleges that when Mr Nygard’s “girlfriends” tried to leave him, they were harassed and threatened by Bahamian police on his payroll. The class action lawsuit, filed in New York, also claims that Mr Nygard bribed Bahamian officials with US currency from his companies to prevent customs officers from searching his plane, from checking the passports of young women onboard and from inspecting passengers’ luggage. This was to let him
THE PEOPLE’S PAPER: $1
WEEKEND: SECRETS OF ‘BLACK FOOD’ FOR THE SOUL
Nygard hit with new US sex lawsuit
A CLASS action lawsuit was filed against Peter Nygard in New York yesterday
THE ALLEGATIONS
‘Bribed Bahamian politicians & police for protection’ ‘Trafficked girls to US from Nassau’
‘Engaged in disgusting sex acts with underage girls’ ‘Had secret file of 7,500 potential victims’
RASHAD ROLLE REPORTS - PAGES 2&3
ANDROS EVICTION THREAT FOR 1,800 By KHRISNA RUSSELL Tribune Chief Reporter krussell@tribunemedia.net
HOW The Tribune broke the story last week RESIDENTS living in structures illegally erected on government land in North Andros have been issued eviction notices, a move that could possibly displace an estimated 1,800 people. “In all cases we are going to follow the law,” Agriculture and Marine Resources Minister Michael Pintard said yesterday.
General’s Office issued the notices that gave the residents 30 days to move out. Officials began posting the notices on the shanty town structures and handing them out about one week ago. Joseph Ferguson, North Andros administrator, told The Tribune it was estimated that about 1,800 people live in two shanty towns in that portion of the island, adding it was time the “law took its course”.
A COMIC’S VIEW
DAY OF LOVE premier traffic his alleged victims to court. This is our THE WILL GO BETTER and WITH HUMOUR and from the country, trans- investigative agency port drugs for them and we have to have faith and transport other supplies trust that the agency as a for “pamper parties” in his whole is capable and they plane, the lawsuit alleges. prove it every day. OfficEvidence to substantiate ers are placed before the courts and are being interthe claims was not included Nassau & Bahama Islands’ Leading Newspaper dicted when they do wrong in the documents. Asked if the Royal so I have the utmost conBahamas Police Force will fidence that they are more investigate the claims given than capable of doing this. the frequent references to the organisation in the lawsuit, Mr Dames said: “I have no doubt the police force is capable of investigating their own. “The vast majority of officers in these agencies are trustworthy and take very seriously their oath and often times get very upset when allegations are made against their agencies and when individuals in their agencies are arrested and placed before the MINISTER Michael Pintard
He confirmed that teams under his purview and on the advice of the Attorney
SEE PAGE FIVE
SEE PAGE EIGHT
NYGARD Cay where the parties were alleged to have been held We have a great responsibility and obligation to ensure we do whatever is humanly possible if it’s within the scope of our country to protect our reputation and expose those who continue to engage in corrupt practices wherever they sit.” While he was careful to say the lawsuit’s allegations are unproven, Mr Dames reiterated Prime Minister Dr Hubert Minnis’ frequent pledge to fight corruption. “Our government and prime minister would have been beaten up before when he spoke to this whole issue of corruption,” he said. “Constantly he is beaten up when he goes in international circles and says the Bahamas is not for sale. Those opposite would say he is painting a bad light of the Bahamas. But with things like this it ain’t the prime minister painting a bad light of the country and we have to see if there is any validity here. I’m certain persons would want to know, if they are innocent, that someone is doing something to clear their name. We are obligated to make sure our country’s reputation has not been dragged through
the mud unchecked. If it is found that there is validity, I’m sure the police would know what to do. If it’s not valid, we have to make the public aware that we have exhausted all avenues in relation to these allegations and we’re satisfied that it wasn’t as reported.” Meanwhile Mr Nygard’s lawyer, Jay Prober, has dismissed the allegations as false, according to the
Global News, a Canadian news outlet. “(The allegations) are completely false. I’ve seen a lot of false allegations… but I’ve never seen such false allegations that are so nasty,” he said, adding that the complaints have been paid for by people involved in a criminal conspiracy against Mr Nygard. Editorial View - Page 4
PAGE 4, Monday, February 17, 2020
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Find answers - not offer distractions IMAGINE if you will that a serious allegation is made. Two sides look at the allegation, one nods soberly and says yes, we’d better investigate. The other side says that’s crazy and look over there, that other thing over there is what we really need to investigate. Which brings us to the latest allegations of sex attacks and bribery against billionaire Peter Nygard. The Tribune reported on Friday about a lawsuit filed in New York in which Mr Nygard is alleged to have raped ten women, nine of them Bahamians and many of them underage at the time of the attack. The lawsuit also alleges that Mr Nygard concealed his crimes by bribing local law enforcement officials and that he was also making payments to senior PLP politicians at the time. It even claims that Mr Nygard offered children and young women to corrupt police officials and PLP party members for sex. Regardless of how much truth there is to the allegations – and they remain to be tested in court – it cannot be denied that they are serious claims. Reading through the court papers, the claims alone of the women who say they were raped make for harrowing reading. It is claimed that the alleged attacks took place over years, and reportedly with the complicity of workers at Nygard Cay. If it is true that sex attacks took place over years and nothing was done to stop it, there are obvious questions as to how and why there were not numerous investigations. Which brings us to the two sides in today’s Tribune, commenting on the allegations. On one side, there is National Security Minister Marvin Dames who says police will investigate. Mr Dames goes on to say that the country’s reputation is at risk. Meanwhile, PLP chairman Fred Mitchell brushes off the allegations as “propaganda” and instead points the finger elsewhere. Look over there, he says, at “collusion between the FNM, The Tribune and Save The Bays”. He then makes vague claims of funds from foreign interests being used to “destabilise the last government of The Bahamas”.
The Tribune called on Friday for a Commission of Inquiry into the farreaching allegations of bribery and corruption surrounding Mr Nygard. There was no commitment to such from Mr Dames, but Mr Mitchell gave an outright no – and instead wants a commission to investigate the so-called collusion he imagines. We’re flattered that he thinks we wield such power as to be responsible for his party being collectively kicked from office by the voters of The Bahamas at the last election, but we think he’ll find voters knew their own minds when they made their choice in 2017. No, Mr Mitchell is simply going on the attack – that’s what he does, of course. He’s pointing away from the women who say they were raped and that the police helped cover it up to say look over there, we need to investigate that instead. It’s deflection - after all, there would be no reason not to have two investigations if that was what was needed. When ten women come forward and say they were raped, the very least they are owed is that their claims are taken seriously. To that end, we would also note to Mr Dames that The Tribune reported in November that six women had made allegations of rape against Mr Nygard, so we are a little perplexed as to why he is only saying that an investigation will take place now rather than having started months ago. But to try to brush off all these claims of rape and corruption completely? We leave it to our readers to decide the merits of that. There are simple questions of fact that need to be made clear to the Bahamian public. Was money given to police officers and senior politicians by Mr Nygard? What was that money given for? What was provided to Mr Nygard in return? Were any laws broken in the process? And what laws should be in place to prevent a repeat of any such occurrence in the future? The answer to some of these questions may well be no, nothing untoward occurred, once the evidence is properly examined. But now that the claims have been made, they cannot be brushed under the carpet. This is why we call for a commission to probe the accusations. Because the Bahamian people deserve nothing less than the truth.
The real war on crime EDITOR, The Tribune I THANK the Lord Jesus Christ that He, obviously, protected Sir Arthur Foulkes, our beloved senior statesman and former Governor General, and his wife, Lady Joan, from bodily harm or worse during a recent invasion at their home. One shudders at the very thought of what could have happened to them both. As a former Governor General and senior cabinet minister military/police security should be immediately provided to him and his wife. This is a serious indictment on the Minister of National Security; the Commissioner of Police and the acting Commodore of The Royal Bahamas Defence Force. A head or two, politically, must roll. I do not wish to get into semantics in this contribution at this time but it is clear that this event occurred under the regime of Commissioner Anthony
Ferguson. This would never have happened under the watch of the incoming Commissioner, my fellow Androsian, Paul Rolle. The morale on the entire police force is almost zero according to my information following the purging of the higher circles within the force. It did not help when the current commissioner, a very good and decent officer, blamed the escalation of homicides, et al, on home training and the deployment of a huge number of police officers over to Abaco and Grand Bahama without any know empirical data. Sir Arthur is a living political and social icon. He is in short a national treasure. As such we owe him and his household, inclusive of Lady Foulkes, full protection around the clock seven days per week, no ands and buts about this. The Most Honourable must be aware that ordinary Bahamians are fearful of crime and the consequences. In
recent times at least two females have been sexually assaulted during alleged home invasions. I wonder how many more such events are not even reported to the police due to the sensitive nature and the fear of societal judgment, which can be harsh. I am old enough to recall the horrific and brutal murder of my brother Chuck Virgill decades ago. He was a politician/ community organiser par excellence. It is believed that robbery may have been the sole motive but who knows? I look forward to Paul Rolle’s much anticipated arrival at Police Headquarters to commence the real war on crime and the criminal scum bags. To God then, in all things, especially protecting Sir Arthur and his lovely wife, in all things, be the glory. ORTLAND H BODIE, Jr Nassau February 10, 2020
CLIMATE activists dressed as Wonder Woman and other movie superheroes interrupted an international cricket match between England and South Africa yesterday by invading the field, and protesters also climbed a floodlight pylon to display a banner.
Don’t just blame Mrs Deveaux for having her views EDITOR, The Tribune PLP National vice-chairman Patricia Deveaux’s racist remarks — for which she later had to apologise — brought back many childhood memories. At the PLP’s rally Monday night Mrs Deveaux meant no harm, she just did what comes naturally in her introduction of Senator Dr Michael Darville to party supporters. “We have a real doctor coming down tonight,” she chortled. “He’s another light skin, handsome, curlyhaired fella – you see we have plenty nice looking people here in this party. We don’t have a bunch of darkies all over the place heating up the place.” Obviously in growing up she was very much at home with these kind of remarks. However, the next day she had to quickly walk back this language as she said: “During our PLP rally at Columbus Primary last night, I introduced Senator Dr Michael Darville using language that I regret, adding ‘I meant to suggest that the PLP is a party that embraces all, but I ultimately made comments that alienated and offended some members of my own race.’” Immediately I had a flashback to my own childhood. Those were the days that black or “coloured” Bahamians could
LETTERS letters@tribunemedia.net not go to a movie at Bay Street’s Savoy theatre — all whites, it was said. All hotels were closed to what Mrs Deveaux described as a “bunch of darkies” heating up the place. “Over the Hill” little boys played in their singlets that were not long enough to hide their private parts, but they were happy and no one seemed to notice. You could hear a mother shout for them to come inside so she could comb their “nappy head.” It was from our maid at home that I learned about the degrees of colour in the black race – grades from black, right up to the “bright” – the category into which Dr Darville would have fitted. It was from the maid’s young daughter — who was an ebony colour – that I learned of the unhappiness of members of the family who had the misfortune of being “black as ebony” rather than “bright”, which I can assure you was no reference to their intelligence, but rather to the colour of their skin! All the best things went to the member of the family who made them the proudest — only because they were “bright.” It was really a sad tale she told – no wonder
the darker race has so many complexes, instilled in them by their own black parents. I remember telling my own parents that I didn’t like going to certain homes, because all they talked about was colour — “bright” this, “bright” that – it was truly very depressing. I preferred to be with my white friends when the colour of one’s skin was never mentioned, and seemingly not even noticed. To me they were normal, around the others I truly felt uncomfortable. Thank God those days are just unpleasant memories. I understand them, because I went through them. Today they are just memories that help me to better understand what is happening today – unfortunately, as we saw at the PLP rally colour still does matter and the “brighter” you are in colour still suggests that doors open more easily for you. And then Lynden Pindling came along and used all of these inferiority complexes to further divide this nation. It is indeed a tragedy. Don’t blame Mrs Deveaux— she’s only doing what comes naturally — this is probably all she heard growing up – it’s not a new normal. TRUE BAHAMIAN Nassau, February 12, 2020.
All quiet on Oban EDITOR, The Tribune HAVE you noticed the OPM-FNM is not talking about that OBAN deal whilst Freeport is so desperately looking for employment and investment? Strange I hope not as the AG should be looking at prosecutions and Ministerial resignations but you know how we go. OBAN is an immediate rejection for the obvious reasons. Bahamas Petroleum and their licensed first drill coming folks very soon and
so little is being talked. Will they? Look at Guyana and Surname but Cuba right close to where Bahamas Petroleum plan to drill failed and failed. What if? What is going to be the FNM policy… they inherited the MOU so what do they establish if oil is found and found in a commercial supply is going to be the FNM’s decision. Least we forget from the day the well is a find it takes approx…six - seven years to go commercial that is pumping and earning so that is way beyond the 2022
election and into another. BP&L…was there 100% compliance with the Regulations concerning the RFP of September, 2017 for the 80MW standbys? 80MW grew to 115MW with no further RFP…who cares. Why in the BP&L plan there is no reusable for New Providence the only commercial approach to lower our bills? We need to know? BPL hiding something? W THOMPSON Nassau, February 12, 2020.
THE TRIBUNE
Monday, February 17, 2020, PAGE 5
BANNISTER PRAISES THE MUDD CLEAN-UP
By RASHAD ROLLE Tribune Senior Reporter rrolle@tribunemedia.net
CARIBBEAN Pavement Solutions has completed its clean-up of The Mudd shanty town in Abaco, transforming an area that was a labyrinth of structures later decimated by Hurricane Dorian. Works Minister Desmond Bannister said he toured the site on Friday to assess its completion,
ensure it was protected from entry by unauthorised people and determine what further steps must be taken. “The clean up of that site was outstanding, and shows the high quality work that young Bahamian professionals can do,” he said yesterday. Drone photos capture the new reality of the area, one that is now free of structures after being the site of the country’s most complex
AFTER touring The Mudd, Works Minister Desmond Bannister said: “The clean up of that site was outstanding, and shows the high quality work young Bahamian professionals can do.” Above:How it looks now; Left: How it looked immediately post-Dorian.
and populated shanty town for years. In a statement, CPS said it took four months to clear, sort and discard tons of waste from the area, “white, e-waste, green waste and construction debris.” “Eagle-eyed workers had to remain alert for human remains. They discovered 12 hurricane scattered bodies at the site and provided those lost souls with dignity in death by turning them over to authorities for identification,”
a press release from the company said. “Another challenging aspect CPS faced was navigating the swampy terrain from which the community took its name. Aside from the mud, the site featured sinkholes and poorly constructed cesspits, not built to code, which could wreck costly heavy-duty machinery if traversed.” CPS said the project employed 100 men at its peak and it transformed Friendship Tabernacle in
Central Pines into a man camp to house and feed its workers while outfitting the church with a new generator, additional air conditioning units, airbeds, washers, dryers, outdoor showers and installed recreational amenities. CPS is a subsidiary of Bahamas Striping Group of Companies that specializes in heavy-duty cleanup, maintenance and pavement preservation.
We’ve been forgotten, say the Queen’s Cove residents By DENISE MAYCOCK Tribune Freeport Reporter dmaycock@tribunemedia.net QUEEN’S Cove is “a forgotten community” that is still in shambles five months after Hurricane Dorian. The subdivision is vulnerable as incidents of stealing are a continuing problem for the few returning residents who are trying to rebuild. According to some residents, the area is not getting as much attention from the government as the devastated East Grand Bahama settlements. “None of the MPs or the prime minister have been here to see us. Everything is about High Rock,” claimed one resident, who asked not to be identified. “They don’t understand we were affected too; they always speaking about High Rock and West End. It seems like Queen’s Cove is a forgotten community,” the resident complained. “I would love to see the prime minister, deputy prime minister, and all these MPs come here and show us they care about us,” she said. Queen’s Cove – a private subdivision in Freeport located on the north shore — experienced a 15ft to 20ft surge during Dorian. All of the 86 homes there were severely damaged, and many of the residents have been displaced. A couple who are rebuilding their home in Queen’s Cove expressed frustration over the lack of assistance and support by those in government, including their MP. They claim that relief efforts organised by the government are being handled poorly on Grand Bahama. When contacted for comment, Pineridge MP Fred McAlpine said that he has been into Queen’s Cove
BOBBY ROSE, left, said thieves tried to steal an electric dryer from his property in Queen’s Cove. Above and below: other scenes in the area.
and understands their plight and frustration. “I have gone into Queen’s Cove, but I have not been door-to-door knocking to speak with anyone, but they are in my heart and mind and I understand their plight,” he said. Rev McAlpine said he too is frustrated over the slow pace at which the government is proceeding with recovery and relief efforts. “I don’t think the government has forgotten them, but I feel their frustration because the government is moving at a snail’s pace, and there is too much red tape associated with the process,” he said. A resident who has lived in Queen’s Cove since 1989 claimed no government official has come there. “I have not seen anyone come to assist us in any way,” she said. The elderly resident said moving out of the area is not an option for her. “I have no other choice but to return and rebuild because
at my age I won’t be able to find a job, so I have no other choice. I went and signed up with (Department of) Social Services, and I signed up with the Red Cross, and nothing happening. We went through many storms, but it wasn’t like this,” she said. Electricity has not been fully restored to the area, and residents are being hit frequently by looters. Police presence has been virtually non-existent in the area, they claim. Resident Bobby Rose, who this newspaper found checking on his property on Wednesday, discovered that someone was there trying to steal an electric dryer from his home. “They have already taken the fridge. I called the police and they said they are so busy and can’t come down here,” he said. Mr Rose’s home suffered significant property damage. The entire rear section of the two-storey
house had collapsed as a result of the surge. “I built up, and the stilts were on the inside, but the walls fell down and the water was up in my house. I been living here 21 years, been through Floyd, and Frances and Jeanne, and was okay. But this one was really big and stayed too long,” he said. When asked about rebuilding, Mr Rose said: “I doubt it, maybe if I had insurance. But I couldn’t get insurance after Frances and Jeanne.” Because Queen’s Cove is designated as a flood-prone area, insurers do not provide insurance coverage for homes there. Elderly resident Adrian Johnson, a retired police sergeant, said that he is tired of waiting on the government for help. He showed The Tribune the repairs he has already made to his house. “I have been going to the government but have gotten no help. I have not gotten
anything from the government to rebuild, I am doing what I can with the help of my daughter,” he said. The Tribune later caught up with a husband and wife who were very critical about the government’s handling of relief efforts. The couple said that going to government agencies for help is a waste of time. “Our house was completely destroyed, and we lost everything,” said the wife, who did not want to be named. “We have been going up and down to apply to various government agencies, and they giving you the run-around. We went to Social Services and it’s been five months we have been to these places, and nothing.” The couple are not staying at their home in Queen’s Cove, but have been visiting for the past five months cleaning and clearing out the debris. Power was restored to their home last week and they have shelled
out some $15,000 in repairs —with more work to be done. The husband complained that relief efforts organised by the government are being handled poorly. He said that on several occasions, he went to NEMA for assistance, only to be told after standing in a long line that their cut off time is 2pm. The resident recalled that after previous storms, under the former PLP government, a relief centre was set up at the airport taxi stand for residents of Queen’s Cove. “It is really depressing,” he said. “Things were tough before the storm and a lot of families down here were trying to make ends meet,” his wife added. “A lot of supplies are going to High Rock, but a lot of areas in Freeport were affected too, like Arden Forest, and the Back of Town and other communities.” Deputy Prime Minister Peter Turnquest, MP for East Grand Bahama, said the frustrations felt by residents in Queen’s Cove are the same for residents in East Grand Bahama. “If you asked the same question in Pine Bay or High Rock or West End, they would say the same thing. There is no doubt we can do better but hopefully, they will go to the Disaster Recovery Authority and register,” Mr Turnquest said. On Monday, Prime Minister Dr Hubert Minnis officially launched the Small Homes Repair Programme on Grand Bahama to assist Bahamians with rebuilding their homes. Purchase orders, ranging from $2,500 and $10,000, are being granted to persons who qualify. Applicants can visit the DRA’s office in the Office of the Prime Minister or register online at www.drabahamas.org.
PAGE 6, Monday, February 17, 2020 By NICO SCAVELLA Tribune Staff Reporter nscavella@tribunemedia.net A MAN told a court on Friday of how he heard what sounded like “firecrackers” going off at the nearby Freedom Park, only to end up finding his stepson lying in a pool of blood at the Fox Hill recreation grounds seven years ago. Carl Kemp testified how unbeknownst to him, the “firecrackers” he heard were actually a hailstorm of bullets the prosecution says claimed the life of 19-yearold Shaquille Demeritte during the December 2013 drive-by shooting. Mr Kemp said when he managed to make it to the park, his stepson was still responsive, but lying in a “pool of blood” from injuries to the front and back of his head. Having died sometime after the shooting, Mr Kemp said of his stepson: “He’s awaiting the resurrection,” referring to the Christian belief that at the second coming of Jesus Christ, those who died with their souls devoted to Him will be resurrected. The evidence was led before Justice Deborah Fraser. Justin Williams, Peter Rolle, and Jermaine Curry are accused of carrying out the December 27, 2013 mass shooting. It
THE TRIBUNE
Man tells court how he found his stepson in ‘a pool of blood’ is alleged that the three murdered four people – Demeritte, Claudezino Davis, Eric Morrison and Shenique Sands. They are also charged with the attempted murder of Chino Davis, Janet Davis, John Davis, Samuel Ferguson, Jermaine Pratt and Leroy Taylor. According to initial reports, around 6pm on the date in question, occupants of a small, dark vehicle opened fire in the area just behind the basketball court where several people were gathered awaiting Junkanoo results. Davis was pronounced dead at the scene while ten others were taken to hospital in private vehicles and
an ambulance. Demeritte, Morrison and Sands later died in hospital of their injuries. Taking the witness stand on Friday, Mr Kemp testified that after going to his house sometime between 4pm and 6pm on the date in question, he found his 19-year-old stepson closing up the barbershop he operated, which was located in their yard. As Demeritte was doing that, Mr Kemp said he hailed him, and anticipated that his stepson would go directly inside their house after closing shop as usual. Mr Kemp said he eventually went inside to his wife, who gave him certain information pertaining to
Demeritte. Then, a short while later, sometime between 5pm and 6pm, he heard “a lot of noise” coming from the nearby park. Mr Kemp said he told his wife that the noise sounded like firecrackers, but he said she said it sounded like something else. Shortly afterwards, he heard a sudden knock at the door. Mr Kemp said both he and his wife answered the door to a young man he knows. The young man told him something that prompted him and his wife to go to the park. Mr Kemp said upon arriving at the park, which he said was five minutes away if “walking fast”, it
was “filled with people” and “a lot of noise”. Mr Kemp said a few people directed him to a certain area of the park, which he said was directly underneath the basketball rim on the eastern side of the park. “And there lying—what I witnessed—in a pool of blood, was my stepson,” Mr Kemp said. Mr Kemp said blood was coming from Demeritte’s forehead and more blood was coming from the back of his head, but he was responsive. He said he saw other people lying down and people gathered around them, but did not know the “severity” of the situation at the time.
Days later on the 30th of that month, Mr Kemp said he, along with Demeritte’s biological father, Michael Kelly, and other family members, visited the morgue. Mr Kemp said he had his stepson’s passport with him at the time. Once there, he said only he and Mr Kelly were led into a room where a doctor spoke to them alone. The other family members stayed in the foyer area. Mr Kemp said he and Mr Kelly viewed Demeritte’s body through a glass, which was when he positively identified the body as that of his stepson. The case continues this week.
Rape conviction dismissed after STD tests are different THE Court of Appeal has freed a man previously convicted of raping an underage girl primarily because she
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tested positive for a sexually transmitted disease while he did not. The appellate court quashed Rukeithso Richardson’s 14-year sentence for having sex with the minor because him testing negative for gonorrhoea ran contrary to her testing positive for the disease. The appellate court further noted that the prosecution’s case against him was based “solely” on the girl’s testimony, and that there was no “corroborating” witnesses to support her evidence or any forensic evidence to implicate him. Coupled with the fact that Richardson denied the girl’s allegations against him, the appellate court said his trial was in essence “a contest of who was telling the truth, who was the more credible of the two”. However, the Court of Appeal said Richardson’s chances of convincing the jury that he was telling the truth was “severely” hampered by the trial judge’s failure to neutralise the mention of both his alleged abuse of the girl’s relative by giving the jury a “good character direction” on the man’s behalf. “By so doing, the judge would ensure that the trial
was fair,” the appellate court said. According to the ruling, the Crown previously asserted that Richardson raped the girl on two occasions: once between October 9 and October 12, 2015 and again between August 16 and 31 of that year. On June 2017, Richardson was convicted of two counts of unlawful sexual intercourse and was sentenced to seven years on each count, to run consecutively. The ruling said the girl’s accusations against Richardson arose out of an incident at school on October 14, 2015 when she was asked about her homework. On that day, the girl’s relative had gone to Nassau for medical reasons, and Richardson ended up taking her to school. Once there, her teacher asked the students to hand in their homework—however, she didn’t have her homework. The girl said she didn’t want to lie, so she said she “had to come up with an excuse”. She couldn’t come up with one, however, so she simply told the teacher that Richardson had been abusing her relative. As a result, the girl was taken to the vice principal of the school, who asked her questions like “when did it start”; how old was she when it happened. The vice principal asked her if Richardson hurt anyone else, to which she replied in the affirmative and
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By NICO SCAVELLA Tribune Staff Reporter nscavella@tribunemedia.net
said he also hurt her.The ruling also noted that the girl “expressly testified” that she hated Richardson because of what he allegedly did to her and for allegedly abusing her relative. Additionally, the child’s relative testified that she hated Richardson because of what the girl told her he had done to her. However, the appellate judges noted that Richardson’s case was not one where the complainant “spontaneously” volunteered information about her abuse; but rather one “where it was proffered by her as an excuse for not handing in her homework”. “Hence, there was a need for the judge to direct the jury that before convicting (Richardson) on the evidence of (the girl) alone in the absence of any corroborating evidence, they must proceed with caution,” the appellate judges said. The appellate judges further noted that as Richardson gave evidence on his behalf during the trial, he was “therefore ‘entitled to the benefit of a good character direction from the judge when summing up to the jury’”. “In fact, this was a case where the invidious mention of (Richardson’s) purported abuse of (the girl’s relative) and his alleged infidelity required the judge to bring some semblance of balance to the trial by giving the good character direction to the jury. By so doing the
judge would ensure that the trial was fair.” The appellate court further noted that the good character direction was necessary to neutralise the “extraneous evidence” that was led before the jury, such as the alleged domestic abuse, Richardson’s infidelity and alleged incidents of sexual contact with the girl that “fell outside the charges laid against him”. The appellate judges ultimately quashed both Richardson’s conviction and sentence, and did not order a retrial. Their reason for not doing so, according to the ruling, was because the evidence against Richardson was “weak and tenuous”. Specifically, the appellate judges said the trial judge ought to have highlighted the “implausibility” of the girl’s complaint in view of the fact that Richardson did not have gonorrhoea despite allegations he had unprotected sex with the girl, who was suffering from that disease. “That, combined with the animosity (the girl) held against (Richardson) for abuse of her (relative) and (the relative’s) hatred for (Richardson), albeit she said it was for what he had done to (the girl), we were of the view that it would not be in the interest of justice to order a new trial and we declined to do so,” the appellate judges said. Marianne Cadet and Brendalee Rae represented Richardson on appeal.
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THE TRIBUNE
Monday, February 17, 2020, PAGE 7
DAVIS DISMISSES PM’S 6% JOBLESS PREDICTION
By FARRAH JOHNSON fjohnson@tribunemedia.net
OPPOSITION leader Philip “Brave” Davis said he does not believe the government will reduce the unemployment rate to six percent, accusing the prime minister of making the statement as a political strategy. Mr Davis spoke a day after Prime Minister Dr Hubert Minnis predicted the national unemployment rate would drop to
six percent or less by the end of 2021, at a Heads of Agreement signing for a $300m residential resort and marina in South Abaco. Speaking to reporters while visiting union members on strike at Water and Sewerage Corporation headquarters on Friday, Mr Davis scoffed at the idea. “Who listens to the prime minister?” he asked. “Just think about what he has said, look at where unemployment is at this time, look at how the economies
of Grand Bahama and Abaco have been sidelined and look at how the economy is today. “Where in the world could you expect such a drastic reduction to unemployment to six percent within the next several months as he’s putting it?” Insisting Dr Minnis’ assertions were inaccurate and unrealistic, he added: “Again he is starting to campaign and as he campaigns as I indicated earlier, he’s suffering from this
virus. . .and I think we don’t listen to him anymore. “I don’t think people ever listen to what he is saying and that’s what we take it for – the grain of salt for what it is.” Dr Minnis made the prediction on Thursday as he spoke to reporters about the response he received from Abaco and Grand Bahama residents following his recent announcements regarding projects for both islands. “...Of course, you know
the devastation we have experienced and any type of ventures or developments (that) will help to redevelop those areas that have been devastated and to create employment with what we see on the ground in both Abaco and Grand Bahama and what is happening in terms of rebuilding I think our unemployment rate would come down dramatically,” Dr Minnis said. “No politicians like to make such statements, but I can make a bold statement
and state that I think by the end of 2021, the unemployment rate, I’m certain will be around six percent if not less.” Last August, labour force officials revealed that the national unemployment rate had decreased from 10.7 percent in November 2018 to 9.5 percent, showing an overall improvement. However, these figures were released before Hurricane Dorian hit Abaco and Grand Bahama last September.
WSC staff told to go back to work By NICO SCAVELLA Tribune Staff Reporter nscavella@tribunemedia.net
DWAYNE WOODS, president of the Bahamas Utilities and Allied Workers Union
POLICE FIRE GUNSHOTS AS MOB GATHERS AT NIB IN GB By DENISE MAYCOCK Tribune Freeport Reporter dmaycock@tribunemedia.net
POLICE were called to a disturbance at the National Insurance Building in Grand Bahama where a man and woman were involved in an argument on Valentine’s Day. When police arrived, they found a large unruly mob gathered in the parking lot, and fired several
shots in the air to disperse the crowd. It is believed that the woman, who was hit in the head by the man, was employed at NIB, and that a co-worker came to her assistance and tried to break up the fight. A video of the drama went viral on social media. The Tribune tried to confirm the incident with police officials, but did not receive a response up to press time.
MINNIS GOES TO BARBADOS FOR CARICOM CONFERENCE PRIME Minister Dr Hubert Minnis will travel to Bridgetown, Barbados today to attend the 31st Inter-Sessional Meeting of the Conference of Heads of Government of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM). Dr Minnis will lead a delegation of senior government officials to the two-day meeting, including Minister of Foreign Affairs Darren Henfield; Reuben Rahming, Bahamas ambassador to CARICOM States; and Travis Robinson, Bain and Grants Town MP. Discussions on the meeting’s agenda include security, blacklisting and border issues. Inter-Sessional meetings allow
conference heads and other stakeholders to discuss progress made and challenges faced on matters of mutual interest related to CARICOM, and serve as an opportunity to engage representatives from the international community and civil society. The meeting will be chaired by Prime Minister of Barbados Mia Mottley, who assumed chairmanship of the conference for the six-month period commencing January 1. Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance K Peter Turnquest will act as prime minister in Dr Minnis’ absence. Dr Minnis returns to the country on Thursday.
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STAFF at the Water and Sewerage Corporation have been ordered to return to work until the country’s top judge rules on whether union members have a right to strike. Dwayne Woods, president of the Bahamas Utilities and Allied Workers Union (BUSAWU), said Chief Justice Brian Moree has granted a “temporary injunction” until the last week of this month, at which time he will “hear both sides” on the issue of whether the union’s strike is permissible. It is the latest in the BUSAWU’s, as well as the Water and Sewerage Management Union’s (WSMU), ongoing stand-off with WSC Executive Chairman Adrian Gibson and corporation executives over the latter’s alleged failure to address the unions’ outstanding issues. Last Tuesday, BUSAWU and WSMU conducted a joint strike, as they called from Mr Gibson’s removal and for the corporation’s executives to meet with both unions to address their grievances. At the time, Mr Woods
said both unions would engage in a “full strike from Bimini to Inagua” until their issues have been addressed. WSMU president Ednel Rolle, meanwhile, added that the unions were forced to exercise a strike certificate after allegedly being bullied by Mr Gibson. WSMU also outlined recent experiences which “affirm” complaints made by the line staff concerning a lack of due process. Those include WSC’s alleged “refusal to recognise the WSMU executive team; due process as it relates to termination; allegations of wastage and abuse of WSC financial resources; staffing and the impact on the public.” Mr Rolle is in a legal dispute over whether he is the true president of the union. According to Mr Woods, BUSAWU did not meet with the chairman last week. He said instead, corporation executives “put a false meeting out,” where they sent in the deputy general manager and two other employees who could not “answer any questions” or “resolve any issues.” Mr Woods said last week that both unions are calling on Prime Minister Dr Hubert Minnis to do the
“honourable thing” and remove Mr Gibson so that the unions can be taken “out of Egypt.” BUSAWU was notified by Labour Minister Dion Foulkes last week that he had referred the matter to the Industrial Tribunal in a move to end the strike. WSC subsequently said that workers participating in the “illegal strike” would have their pay docked. According to the Industrial Relations Act, workers must cease participation in a strike or lock-out within 24 hours of being notified of a referral to the tribunal in writing. If not, they can be guilty of an offence and face penalties such as a $200 fine or three months in jail time. Mr Woods consequently said his members, along with WSMU, were “appalled” at Mr Foulkes’ behaviour and viewed the action as a “blatant attack” on their civic rights as workers. BUSAWU sought legal advice from attorney and trade unionist Obie Ferguson to deal with the matter. Yesterday, Mr Woods said BUSAWU “refuses” to go to the Industrial Tribunal for relief. Instead, he said the union filed a judicial review in the Supreme Court on Thursday. He said the corporation, in turn,
went and sought an ex parte injunction against the union. Mr Woods said BUSAWU and Mr Ferguson appeared before Chief Justice Moree on Friday, who refused to grant WSC the ex parte injunction it sought. However, Mr Woods said the top judge called both sides in court to hear their respective skeleton arguments. After having heard those submissions, Chief Justice Moree adjourned the matter to February 24, at which time he will hear both sides and rule on whether the union has the right to remain on strike and whether it is a threat to the public interest. If not, Mr Woods said, BUSAWU will “continue the strike”. “The temporary injunction is that we return to work until such time as the Supreme Court could (deliberate) on whether we have a right to strike or whether we are indeed a threat to the public,” Mr Woods told The Tribune. “So I have no doubts in my mind that the voices of the people will be heard and against that backdrop we will return to work until justice is able to rule in our favour. And I speak with authority because I speak in the name of Jesus.”
PAGE 8, Monday, February 17, 2020 By RASHAD ROLLE Tribune Senior Reporter rrolle@tribunemedia.net SIR Michael Barnett, the acting Court of Appeal president and former chief justice, has criticised the dearth of legal aid services in this country and revealed how the Office of the Public Defender is “overworked and under resourced”. He has also questioned the decades-long policy of Bahamianisation in the legal profession, proposing the system could gain from foreign expertise as it has for many years. His commentary came as he delivered the Eugene Dupuch Distinguished Lecture at the law school last week. The Office of the Public Defender was opened in 2017 to eliminate trial delays and provide people with access to legal aid in criminal trials. However, in a 2018 human rights report on The Bahamas, the United States remained critical of the
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Sir Michael calls for more legal aid legal representation made available. Now Sir Michael has said despite growth in the size of the Bahamian Bar, “it is clear that we have not fulfilled our obligations to provide a system of legal aid to meet the needs of a criminal justice system.” He noted the Office of the Public Defender, which has five lawyers and a staff of four, must serve the Court of Appeal and the Supreme Court, which has ten courts dealing with criminal matters.
“It is not able to provide assistance to persons before their trial or appeals,” he said. “More specifically, it does not provide assistance to persons in custody before they are charged. In the year 2019, there were 37 matters in the Court of Appeal alone that required the services of the Office of the Public Defender or a Crown Brief. Of these matters nine were decided in which three appeals were allowed and six appeals were dismissed.
Many were adjourned for hearings to be completed this year. In the month of January 2020 alone, nine matters in which the appellants were represented by the Office of the Public Defender were scheduled for a substantive hearing but had to be adjourned because that office was not ready to proceed. Clearly this is inadequate and unsatisfactory. That office is overworked and under-resourced.” Sir Michael cited the United Nations’ call for
countries to ensure access to legal aid, which it views as “an essential element of a fair, humane and efficient criminal justice system that is based on the rule of law…” In 2013, former Court of Appeal President Dame Anita Allen suggested amending laws to ensure legal representation is provided at the expense of the state for those charged with serious criminal offences. She said there was a need for a system that delivers “effective, efficient, and quality representation from the time of arrest.” “The call by Dame Anita remains unfulfilled,” Sir Michael said on Thursday. “I recognise the competing demands of the Public Treasury and the need for the country to prioritise the competing demands. But the need of an effective legal system cannot be minimised on the basis that we would only be spending money to help criminals escape their wicked deeds…the failure to provide a well-funded legal aid system compromises the rule of law. An unrepresented accused person may not understand his or her rights, present a viable defence or make sound legal argument. This could easily result in a trials that are unfair and convictions that are wrong. That is not an acceptable risk we as a society should be prepared to a permit.” In addition, Sir Michael tackled the decades-old nationalist policy, saying a part of the debate about improving this country’s
legal system is reflecting on “the wisdom of maintaining the quest for the ‘Bahamianisation’ of the judiciary and the legal profession.” “At the end of the day, litigants and the society want to know that the judges get it right. Nationality is of less importance to them,” he said. “Would the liberalisation of the Bar allow Bahamian litigants great benefit from specialised expertise in areas of law? Should Bar Council be permitted to act as the final entity deciding whether you can bring in desired expertise to act on your behalf in a matter? I suggest that there continues to be a need to retain experts from outside the Bahamas to act in matters in the courts. “This is not limited to the areas related to the financial services industry but also in civil and criminal areas where there are real or perceived client concerns about representation conflicts. In an adversarial system of litigation, we are seeking the best results which must necessarily come through the best advocacy. With this goal in mind, I ask is it prudent to exclude persons from assisting us in developing our jurisprudence on the basis of their place of origin? “We cannot ignore that fact that in a recent high-profile criminal case involving former (members of Parliament), both the prosecution and the defence saw the need to retain nonBahamian lawyers. No doubt other litigants may benefit from that expertise and experience.”
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ALICIA WALLACE: AVOID GOING THROUGH THE MOTIONS
PM SIGNS OFF ON ABACO PROJECT
Development tabled pre-Dorian is given come down dramatically,” by Malcolm Strachan full cabinet go-aheadhe said. “No politicians like
TWORIGHT: MOREPrime Minister Dr Hubert Minnis GUILTY OFwho last week made anBREANNA nouncements of MURDER deals in Abaco
and Grand Bahama and left, A YOUNG mother burst into tears and fellThe to the Tribune how floor in court in despair yesterday after she and her reported friend were unanimously the story By NICO SCAVELLA Tribune Staff Reporter nscavella@tribunemedia.net
convicted of murdering teenage mother Breanna Mackey two years ago. Zaria Burrows wept loudly and crumbled to the floor of the dock moments after a 12-member jury found both her and Dervinique Edwards guilty of the 19-year-old’s death in January 2018. Edwards, meanwhile, sat stoney faced when the verdict was announced by the foreman. When the judge asked her if she had anything to say, Edwards
factoring in the thousands of young people who will be looking for jobs after graduations this year and in 2021 and it sounds a tough bet. PAGE FIVE What is most SEElikely the case is the government must have more announcements to make and this past week was just the tip of the iceberg. Simply put, there is no possible way the prime minister could By FARRAH JOHNSON realfjohnson@tribunemedia.net istically think employment A PLP official has issued will decrease to six a public apology percent after coming under fire for controversial about by the end“darkies” of remarks 2021 withshe made at a PLPwheeling rally on Monday and out massive night. While introducing dealing being done on the PLP Senator Dr Michael Darville at the party’s camgovernment’s paign part. launch on Monday night, PLP National ViceChair Patricia Deveauxcase, And if that isaboutthe bragged the party having attractive how much of an impact members, rather than a will
By KHRISNA RUSSELL announce that the National LAST week’s Tribune Chief Reporter announceEconomic Council hasto make such statements, approved the project for mentkrussell@tribunemedia.net of deals in Abaco and the construction of a five-but I can make a bold stateA HEADS of Agree- star residential, resort and marina Prime development inment and state that by the Grand ment Bahama for a $300m by residential resort and South Abaco,” Dr Minnis his first televisedend of 2021, the unemploymarina inDr South Hubert Abaco is said in Minister Minnis to be signed today, Prime national address for the Minister Dr Hubert Minnis year. “The capital investmay revealed have provided ment is resiapproximatelyment rate I’m certain will last night. as a project $300m and will help in the dentsthatViewed there after the and revivalbe around six percent or will aid the hope economic reconstruction revival of Abaco, the con- of Abaco.” A full size golf course isless.” struction phase of alone Hurricane devastation also a feature of the new promises to create 600 jobs, resort. the primeSurely minister said. It some is residentialcomDorian. Many have scoffed at “The project is expected expected to open the door entrepreneurial oppor- to employ approximately fort for was provided idea that unemploypeople the during thethe tunities for Abaco residents 600 by other Bahamians in construction phase and thereafter. The project willment, primeand minister’s 9.5 percent before agriculture, fisheries, herit- announceage tourism and many other to mentareas.of“I am thepleasedsigning of a THREEHurricane Dorian, could SEE PAGE Heads of CARNIVAL Agreement for GB a drop so far, and one must ...AS SAYS $580m resort and marina wonder if this display by PROPOSAL HAS DOUBLED development onpromised South our prime minister is too to boost Grand By RASHAD ROLLE Bahama’s ailing economy.huge a gamble. With 2022 Tribune Senior Reporter Abaco. This, alongNowwith the the investment is rrolle@tribunemedia.net worth at least $200m after signingCARNIVAL of theCorporalong-awaited around the corner, Carnival added additionalright tion’s investment in Grand features, including an Bahama, already its largest Heads of Agreement the Minister Minnis is inlandfor waterway, SeniorPrime in the region, has doubled Vice President of Global in sizethe and mayGrand grow even Port and Destinationessentially betting on himsale of Lucayan more by the time the details Development Giora Israel finalised, an official said. said yesterday. offer areWhen reassurance our self. And as farfetched as Prime Minister His comments came Dr Hubert Minnis hosted to Bahamian reporters at second andof third a dramatic decrease the heads agreement economies the company’s headquarterssuch signing for the project last in Miami yesterday. POLICE shot a suspected armed robber yesterday, moments after he and another man held September, the investment will be rebuilt in the hopein two the people up unemployment in a photo studio at a Carmichael Road rate plaza Full story - Page 2 was worth over $100m and SEE PAGE TEN fully not too distant future. may seem, would that be Notwithstanding the enough to SIGNAL secure ‘ILLEGALS an elec- EXTRACTION’ CLOSURES By LEANDRA ROLLE circumvent the law,” he told absence of definitive time- tion victory? lrolle@tribunemedia.net reporters outside Cabinet lines, residents can look It is quiteMin-possible. How- yesterday. IMMIGRATION “We now know who is in ister Elsworth Johnson the shelters. We now know forward to thousands of ever, is it doable? said yesterday immigrawho is documented. We tion officials will “extract” now know who are undocundocumented migrants leader Philip umented and so as those jobs being available once Opposition living in shelters throughshelters are closing, we in out New Providence once a humane, courteous and these projects are under- “Brave” Davis made no those facilities have been legal way, we will extract deactivated. those persons.” way. In addition to $2.2m bones against However, about he insistedbetting MINISTER Elsworth Johnson His comments came operations carried out by after Minister of Social the Department of Immiin funding approved for the prime minister in this a “humane” manner. “All Services Frankie gration in dealing with the I’ll say about the shelters is issue will be conducted in that they will not be used to SEE PAGE SEVEN Abaco and Grand Bahama, regard. When given the the government has kicked opportunity to comment off the year the right way – on the prime minister’s with a focus on rebooting announcement, Davis had these economies. some questions of his own. As for when these pro“Who listens to the Prime jects will manifest into real Minister?” he asked. “Just jobs for Bahamians, based think about what he has Nassau & Bahama Islands’ Leading Newspaper on the prime minister’s bold said, look at where unemproclamation of slashing ployment is at this time, unemployment to six per- look at how the economies cent by the end of 2021, we of Grand Bahama and can assume that between Abaco have been sidelined now and the end of next and look at how the econyear there will be a lot of omy is today. movement taking place “Where in the world on that front. Indications could you expect such a made by Prime Minister drastic reduction to unemMinnis imply that much is ployment to six percent in store. within the next several “What we see on the months as he’s putting it?” ground in both Abaco and Definitely, what has been Grand Bahama and what announced thus far ceris happening in terms of tainly doesn’t amount to rebuilding, I think our a dent in our unemployunemployment rate would ment woes. On top of that,
SHOOTOUT SUSPECTS
‘DARKIES’ REMARK FORCES APOLOGY
“bunch of darkies.”
SEE PAGE SIX
TECHNOLOGY
THE FOLDABLE PHONE HAS US ALL TALKING
SEE PAGE NINE
it make heading into an election year? If we are listening to our guts, it makes a lot of sense that this is what is at play. Prime Minister Minnis’ brassy declaration and recommitment to government communications may not have come at a better time. Still, we have seen this movie before – strategies that can otherwise be effective but falling short of successful implementation. Prime Minister Minnis’ must know how pivotal this time is and the opportunity that lies before him and his administration – as much of a gamble as it is. It is certainly a “go big or
go home” mentality on display. And why not? With the government falling out of favour with so many Bahamians over the course of the first half of its term, a radical approach would have to be taken to regain their support. The truth of the matter is that everyone loves a good story where the unlikely hero saves the day. As much as Dr Minnis was thought to be a longshot at ever becoming prime minister, he outlasted those within his party trying to remove him. And although, the election was a referendum on Perry Christie’s leadership, many
Bahamians were confident in Minnis to be an agent of change. Now, as we sit two and a half years out from the next election, is the prime minister trying to create pressure on himself to deliver what would be his greatest accomplishment, or that of any other prime minister? It won’t take us long to find out. And for Minnis and the entire FNM’s sake, we hope our gut is right. With the stakes this high, he has to know what he’s doing by making such a promise to the many Abaconians and Grand Bahamians who’ve already lost so much.
PAGE 10 MONDAY, FEBRUARY 17, 2020
by Charlie Harper
D
ONALD Trump is many things. Modest and unassuming are not two of them. When the American President boasts about how stupendously, unprecedentedly wonderful and successful his administration has been, the first thing he lists among his achievements has been the performance of the American economy during his tenure in the White House. The US economy, still the biggest in the world but looking over its shoulder at the onrushing train that is China, has indeed done well so far during the Trump era. We have all heard that unemployment is down in the US, that inflation continues to confound economists by remaining low and the stock market continues to advance. But considering how often Trump brags about “his” economy, it’s worth taking a closer look at America’s performance so far under his leadership, and what, if any, warning signs await us down the road. The Dow Jones Industrial Average has surged since Trump’s inaugural three years ago from 20,000 to nearly 30,000, and the arrow still seems to be pointing upwards. The DJIA is a weighted average of the valuation of 30 big US corporations, whose federal tax rates were slashed by the Republican US Congress three years ago. It’s not a huge surprise that this index has risen. It’s not ideal, of course, that more of these massive corporate gains have not been passed on either to consumers nor to workers. Stockholders and executives, on the other hand, have profited very nicely. And the Standard and Poors and NASDAQ indices have soared to record or near-record heights, too. Lest anyone be tempted to grab a pitchfork and head to the barricades, it is worth recalling that an estimated 50 percent of Americans participate in the US stock market in some fashion or another. It is not just fat cats with their huge estates – like the president, come to think of it – who are profiting. There are a lot of Americans whose IRAs and portfolios and other investment and pension plans are moving briskly ahead. At the same time, all those American consumers are continuing to do what they do best. They are consuming. That is what is driving the US economy forward, despite some dark warning clouds on this presently sunny horizon. Let’s focus on two of the more ominous of those clouds. Cloud One. The Congressional Budget Office has just released a projection that the US federal budget deficit will reach $1.02 trillion – yes, that’s trillion – this year. That is a flood of red ink that has not been equaled since the Obama administration’s last big attempt to pull the US economy out of the Great Recession nearly a decade ago. As most Republican politicians and affiliated conservative economists
INSIGHT
EMAIL: insight@tribunemedia.net
There are clouds on the horizon - but is it going to rain? have been telling American voters since at least the end of the Second World War, US federal deficits should and usually do diminish in good economic times. The Republicans have also steadfastly stood for balanced budgets, less government spending and lowering taxes. Under Trump, as he constantly reminds us, some taxes have been cut. But he is using his control of the federal budget to drive government spending to bloated levels, especially on defence. Hence the trillion-dollar deficit this year. And as we see, the budget is light years from being balanced. Some readers may recall the American budget was last actually balanced some 20 years ago under Bill Clinton when the dot.com boom impelled the US economy to great heights. But the 2017 Republican tax cuts have, by definition, starved the US government of considerable tax revenue. Trump and his Congressional followers - and Democrats - have passed a federal budget for this year that will total $4.6 trillion. That government spending will naturally juice up overall employment and
jobs figures should remain healthy. All of which is good for Trump’s re-election prospects. But what about for the country? The Congressional Budget Office, whose statutory impartiality is mandated by law, and whose analysis is a kind of gold standard in Washington, forecasts the US economy will grow this year by 2.2 percent, not bad but less than the 3 percent figure predicted by Trump. This figure is also less than GOP legislators anticipated when boasting about their big tax cut in 2017. If the US government doesn’t redress the massive imbalance between revenues (taxes) and expenses, the CBO says the federal budget debt will rise from $18 trillion this year to $30 trillion by the end of the decade. Imagine the interest the US will have to pay on that kind of debt. Not so long ago, Republicans would be wailing and crying that such policies would drive the country’s economy into the ditch. But not under this president, whose control of his party is awesomely complete. All this profligacy makes you wonder if the world’s
trade is going to be denominated in Chinese yuan, cryptocurrency or who knows what else by 2030. And if that happens, the world might look at staggering American budget deficits in a much different light. But Trump would have finished his second term by then. Here’s what the chief economist at big consultants KPMG told reporters recently: “You can see that the sugar high in 2018 in consumption and business investment has gone away in 2019. We don’t see a corporate investment rebound in 2020. It’s going to be very sluggish year.” American business investment shrank for the last three quarters of last year. And then there is Cloud Two. Fasten your seatbelts. This cloud is called the yield curve inversion. Information about this comes from America’s central bank, the Federal Reserve Bank. That’s the organization whose chairman, Jerome Powell, gave a pretty rosy economic forecast to a Congressional committee recently. Powell is frequently a target of Trump for not using monetary policy
levers to further stimulate the American economy and thereby enhance the president’s re-election prospects. A yield curve inversion occurs when the return on long-term bonds is less than the yield on shortterm bonds. Right now, the return on 10-year US treasury bonds is less than what is available for three-month notes. If you think about it, a yield curve inversion also indicates that institutions and investors are more pessimistic about the future than they are about the near term. At some point, that pessimism will lead to selling off of stocks and bonds, which will depress their price. A slide toward recession might follow. We now have a yield curve inversion, which has preceded every major US recession. But that’s not necessarily a reason to panic, at least not for now. Because a yield curve inversion has also occurred at times when no major recession has followed. An example of no recession following a yield curve inversion occurred as recently as six months ago. Overall, conditions indicate investment caution is
advisable, but not panic selling. Some Wall Street analysts, influenced by economic data coming from the American central bank, are estimating there is a 37 percent chance of a recession in the US during the next six months. Trump’s trade war with China, which may or may not be abating, and the coronavirus outbreak, which may or may not be abating, are roiling markets and causing rises and drops in market indices right now. It’s unfortunately still hard to overstate the potential implications of a downturn in the American economy for prospects in The Bahamas. With luck and perhaps some serendipity, the US will continue surging along economically and the American consumer will continue to feel confident about traveling to and maybe even investing in paradise here in The Bahamas. No trustworthy economic forecast is without its potential dark clouds. Just because there may be clouds doesn’t mean there will be rain or worse. But we would all be well advised to pay attention to those clouds just the same.
EMAIL: insight@tribunemedia.net
INSIGHT
MONDAY, FEBRUARY 17, 2020 PAGE 11
Hypocrisy unmasked as OAS stands at crossroads IF candidates were to get a prize for making the best case for why they are best suited to be Secretary-General of the OAS, María Fernanda Espinosa would have easily walked away with it when the three contenders for the post appeared before the Permanent Council of the Organization on February 12. Showing all the competence, knowledge and experience that come from holding high ministerial offices and the Presidency of the UN General Assembly, Ms Espinosa handled, with remarkable grace and aptitude, difficult interrogations from the representatives of the US and governments supporting the re-election of the incumbent, Luis Almagro. The objective of the interrogations from this group of countries, which included Bolivia, Brazil and Colombia, was to try to paint Ms. Espinosa as an ideologue who would act against decisions and declarations of the OAS, engineered by a majority of 18 delegations, against the Maduro and Ortega governments of Venezuela and Nicaragua and the Presidency of Evo Morales of Bolivia which was ended by a coup d’état, however else it is portrayed. This group of governments strongly support Mr. Almagro because, in the abuse of his office, he has been their most enthusiastic standard bearer against the Maduro and Ortega governments. So preoccupied is this group of governments with trying to ensure Mr. Almagro remains in position, that they have, so far, refused to recognize that Ms. Espinosa is not an ideologue and is, in fact, a realist; a pragmatic leader who fully understands the success of any organisation depends on its capacity to build consensus among all its stakeholders. Incidentally, the regime in Bolivia is still to hold credible elections to legitimize the government it seized. Only the deaf, or those who deliberately blocked their ears, would not have heard her say with passion and commitment that she will “strengthen human rights bodies” and “promote an initiative for the universalization of interAmerican human rights instruments”. If they were listening, they would also have heard her say that, as Secretary-General, she would be more “Secretary” than “General” (a failing of Mr. Almagro’s), and that she would carry out the mandate and instructions given to her by Ministers. And, it would only be the malicious who would deliberately misrepresent Ms. Espinosa’s undertakings. Yet, the Brazilian Ambassador, in a later public session treating with the candidate for the post of Assistant Secretary General, and with Ms Espinosa unable to respond, completely misrepresented her remarks, saying she had stated she would not be guided by decisions of Ministers and the Permanent Council of the OAS. It took, another woman, Lou-Ann Gilchrist, the Ambassador of St. Vincent and the Grenadines, with great diplomatic restraint, to point out the Brazilian Ambassador’s misrepresentation. If, those who are so desperate to retain Mr. Almagro as their attack dog, would acknowledge that it is that posture which has led to the polarisation and ineffectiveness of the OAS, they might see in Ms. Espinosa an experienced and capable diplomat who,
as she herself has publicly declared, “will not promote personal ideologies or the interest of any group”. It is precisely because Mr. Almagro has been so ready to be partisan that the OAS is now a fractured and weak organisation, recognised not for its achievements but for its contentious divisions. It was accepted by most delegates at the February 12 presentations that Mr. Almagro was the worst performer. He should have been the best. The debate was taking place on his ground – inside the headquarters of the OAS – and on his agenda, the role of the Secretary-General which post he has held for nearly five years. Yet, he was clearly not in control of his brief; he answered questions badly; and in some cases, did not know answers that should have come to him easily. Perhaps, this is because he has been a oneitem Secretary-General, focussed on events in Venezuela to the near exclusion of everything else. No one could have derived any pleasure from Mr. Almagro’s poor performance. As I have written repeatedly, he is a very bright and able man. Somehow, he has lost his way, and was hoisted by his own petard. Not least, because he could not give to questioners a valid reason for seeking re-election when, in his first campaign to be elected and for most of his term, he had categorically stated that he would not run again. The other contender for the OAS stewardship is Hugo de Zela of Peru. On the general view, he achieved second place, after Ms. Espinosa, in the effectiveness of his presentation and the content of the answers he gave to questions. His Achilles heel is his central and pivotal role in the creation and operation of the Lima Group, a gathering of a few countries dedicated to regime change in Venezuela. Mr. de Zela’s smooth veneer was dented by the Ambassador of Grenada, Yolande Smith, who inquired how he planned to build consensus in the OAS when he was the planter of the seeds of division by creating the Lima Group (not an official or recognised group of the Organisation) that ignored the official regional groups and operated in an exclusive process. The OAS is at the crossroads. It can continue the business of the last five years, in which case countries will withdraw and the Organization will become an unrepresentative body with no hemispheric legitimacy, or it can choose sound management, transparency and greater effectiveness through the inclusion of all in genuine dialogue that takes account of every view. The latter would not be seeking a lowest common denominator consensus; it would be based on guidance by established rules, principles and international law. Of the candidates who spoke on February 12, María Fernanda Espinosa offered the best course for every member state to achieve the latter objective – and that was the general belief.
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The writer is the Ambassador of Antigua and Barbuda to the United States and the Organization of American States. He is also a Senior Fellow at the Institute of Commonwealth Studies at the University of London and at Massey College in the University of Toronto. The views expressed are entirely his own. Responses and previous commentaries: www. sirronaldsanders.com
MARÍA Fernanda Espinosa would be well suited to be the next Secretary-General of the OAS
PAGE 12 MONDAY, FEBRUARY 17, 2020
INSIGHT
EMAIL: insight@tribunemedia.net RACE in our Bahamas has more to do with economics than to do with colour, says Bishop Hall.
A DREAM UNFULFILLED by Bishop Simeon B. Hall Pastor Emeritus New Covenant Baptist Church SOME may call it happenstance; I call it Providence. I began this article about two weeks ago and was uncertain as to whether it would be erroneously seen as unnecessarily “digging up the past”. Then I picked up a copy of the January 28 Tribune and in it was an interesting, intriguing feature story of the invaluable personal contributions of the late Sir Etienne Dupuch. Sir Etienne was obviously bold and courageous. The article credited him with raising and leading the fight against the established, structured inequality and racism in our Bahamaland. The specific point that
motivated me to raise the issue of interracial marriages was that the article cited the fact that Sir Etienne, a man with African heritage, married a Caucasian woman by the name of Marie Plause. Clearly, racial integration for Sir Etienne was not an esoteric philosophy, but a way of life. My mother, Nola the Baked Crab Lady, and Sir Etienne were friends; so, I witnessed firsthand his contributions to the country. However, the efforts of Sir Etienne and other social and political giants are being diminished by the racial reality of our present day. Let Us Face The Issue To speak of race in the “Christian Bahamas” is sometimes deemed sacrilegious. Yet even a cursory
view of our society reveals racism still exists on almost every level in our country. The complex tension of race relations is exacerbated by dismissing it as “the past”. The Jews, Greeks, Italians and Chinese reference their past – both the historic atrocities and their triumphs – to help them to shape and reshape their present state in the world. More than 25 million Africans were savagely uprooted from their homeland and brought to the “New World”. Yet every time, any reference to that horrific historical event is scorned or diminished. Imprisoned Minds To control any social group or race, you must first control what they think of themselves and how the world regards their history
and their culture. When those who “discovered us” made us ashamed of our past; our culture and even our skin colour then they do not need a prison to hold you. Racial superiority and racial inferiority are both insidious and demonic. Race in our Bahamas has more to do with economics than to do with colour. If a white person marries a black person, the white person has married “down” and the black married “up”. Such conclusions are puerile, but still a part of the general Bahamian thinking. The racial divide in our Bahamas is most pronounced at national events, but it is even more pronounced by the socioeconomics in our society. Our white brothers and sisters can socialise their children better than Blacks do. Even our sins are the same, but we respond to
them differently because of economics. Some believe this is due in part because of the prevailing economic reality that existed in our Bahamas during the United Bahamian Party (UBP) and the Progressive Liberal Party (PLP) regimes. All of the island nations of the Caribbean - less developed than The Bahamas - are very heterogeneous. I have concluded these nations have not merely prayed over the vexing issue of race relations but have dealt with them directly by openly encouraging and affirming the human worth of each human person, regardless of race, gender, religion or economic status. I believe we in our beloved Bahamas must be more intentional in making our Christian faith more practical and relevant by affirming the human worth of all persons. White-Black Future The Bahamas which Sir Etienne, Sir Lynden and Sir Milo dreamed of has not yet been fully realised. However, when we take
note of our children we see glaring and pronounced possibilities. Notice their innocence and freedom from naked prejudices among the children in our society today. Our grandchildren interact freely with persons of other races. They only danger is race prejudice is a learned response that children acquire from their racist parents. We should teach our children to follow their heart, rather than certain asinine, preconceived racial absurdities. Our Christian faith affirms the intrinsic worth of each person – red, yellow, black or white. After proper guidance we should accept and bless all people who come to us to be married. Male and female and all things being considered and let them live happily ever after. It is up to us as believers to help to establish reflections of what His Kingdom will be like. If we do not work to lift ourselves and our country above the race problem and other issues, then some of us will be uncomfortable in heaven.
THE TRIBUNE
Monday, February 17, 2020, PAGE 13
TEN YEARS ON AND STILL ROCKING BAARK! – The Bahamas Alliance For Animal Rights and Kindness - and their volunteers recently held a fundraiser at the Old Fort Bay Club. A fun-filled evening at their “Dance Through The Decades Party” was a hit with the ‘70’s era proving to be the most popular of the six showcased. Since their start in The Bahamas in 2009 – Baark! has completed more than 11,000 spays and neuters and saved more than one million animals born into a life of suffering. Spay and neuter leads to a happier and healthier animal population and a significant drop of stray dogs roaming the streets. Baark! works with local and international non-profits and volunteers and are grateful for the support and contributions from the organisations and communities. Chairperson Laura Kindle said: “We cannot operate without the amazing support and the donations we receive. A massive thank you to our corporate sponsors for this event - Jack Pot Joy, Graham Real Estate, Odyssey Aviation, Think Simple and International Animal Care.” The work of Baark! is notable throughout The Bahamas including a recent focus on Abaco. When Hurricane Dorian struck the Abacos and Grand Bahamas, hundreds of animals were affected. Baark! sprang into action with an initial rescue and relief
effort in the Abaco where it was needed. In November and December Baark! hosted five 1-day spay/ neuter clinics and fixed 189 dogs and cats. Five months later, Baark! is still assisting with food distribution into Marsh Harbour. “The last ten years of Baark! has been a journey for animal welfare and a rewarding experience for the people who are able to assist,” said Vice-President, Lissa McCombe, who has been with the non-profit since its inception. “We started as a small team of naive citizens looking to help the animals who couldn’t help themselves. However, the Hurricane Dorian experience was one none of us could imagine and there were so many emotional moments since we were the first responders for the animals. And, more so when we were able to reunite families with their pets.” Through the assistance of international partners and continuous local support, Baark! was able to help evacuate over 320 animals from a devastated Abaco, shelter them in PUP Tents in Nassau, and later able to bring together many animals with their families. Today, Baark! continues to assist animals in Abaco with a coordinated a food distribution program to ensure animals that remained have access to food as this helps to assist their owners as well who are also recovering from their hurricane situation.
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PAGE 14, Monday, February 17, 2020
THE TRIBUNE
RIVAL DEMOCRATS ACCUSE BLOOMBERG OF TRYING TO ‘BUY’ ELECTION NEVADA Associated Press WITH the Nevada caucuses less than a week away, Democratic presidential candidates campaigning were yesterday fixated on a rival who wasn’t contesting the state. Bernie Sanders, Joe Biden, Amy Klobuchar, Elizabeth Warren and Pete Buttigieg all targeted billionaire Mike Bloomberg, accusing him of buying his way into the election and making clear they were eager to take him on in a debate. “He thinks he can buy this election,” Sanders said of the former
New York mayor at a rally in Carson City, Nevada. “Well, I’ve got news for Mr Bloomberg — the American people are sick and tired of billionaires buying elections!” Their attacks are a sign of how seriously the field is starting to take Bloomberg as he gains traction in the race and is on the cusp of qualifying for Wednesday’s Democratic debate in Las Vegas. Bloomberg has bypassed the traditional early voting states including Nevada, focusing instead on the 14 states that vote in the Super Tuesday primary on March 3. He has spent more than
$417 million of his own multibillion-dollar fortune on advertising nationwide, an unprecedented sum for any candidate in a primary. The focus on Bloomberg comes amid anxiety among many establishment-aligned Democrats over the early strength of Sanders, who won last week’s New Hampshire primary and essentially tied for first place in Iowa with Pete Buttigieg, the former mayor of South Bend, Indiana. Sanders is hoping to notch a victory in Nevada on Saturday as moderates struggle to unite behind a candidate who could serve as a counter to
BILLIONAIRE Mike Bloomberg
the Vermont senator, who has long identified as a democratic socialist. The hundreds of millions of dollars that Bloomberg has pumped into the Super Tuesday states has only heightened the sense of uncertainty surrounding the Democratic race. At Sanders’ rally, the crowded cheered as the Vermont senator joked that Bloomberg is “struggling, he’s down to his last $60 billion” and derided him for skipping the early primary states. It marked an escalation of the salvo Sanders launched on Saturday against the former mayor.
BRITAIN HIT BY STORM DENNIS
KOBE TRIBUTE AT ALL-STAR WEEKEND CHICAGO Associated Press
LONDON Associated Press
IT HAS become one of the NBA’s most revered traditions: On the morning of the NBA All-Star Game, the league pays tribute to retired players with what is called the Legends Brunch. When the game was in Los Angeles two years ago, the NBA wanted to honour Kobe Bryant. He declined. He couldn’t attend. His reason: his daughter Gianna Bryant had a game that morning. “That said, to us, everything about his priorities,” NBA Commissioner Adam Silver said last night. Yesterday, each player wore a patch with nine stars, one for each victim of the crash. Match report - Sport
JENNIFER Hudson sings a tribute to former NBA All-Star Kobe Bryant before the NBA All-Star basketball game last night
China sees a rise in virus cases, death toll up by 105 BEIJING Associated Press CHINESE authorities yesterday reported a slight upturn in new virus cases and 105 more deaths for a total of 1,770 since the outbreak began two months ago. The 2,048 new cases followed three days of declines but was up by just 39 cases from the previous day’s figure. Another 10,844 people have recovered from COVID-19, a disease caused by the new coronavirus, and have been discharged from hospitals, according to Monday’s figures. The update followed the publication late on Saturday in China’s official media of a recent speech by President Xi Jinping in which he indicated for the first time that he had led the response to the outbreak from early in the crisis. While the reports were an apparent attempt to demonstrate the Communist Party leadership acted decisively from the start, it also opened Xi up to criticism over why the public was not alerted sooner. In his speech, Xi said he gave instructions on fighting the virus on Jan. 7 and ordered the shutdown of the most-affected cities that began on Jan. 23.
BUSES carrying US passengers who were aboard the quarantined cruise ship the Diamond Princess leaving Yokohama port earlier today The disclosure of his speech indicates top leaders knew about the outbreak’s potential severity at least two weeks before such dangers were made known to the public. It was not until late January that officials said the virus can spread between humans and public alarm began to rise. New cases in other countries are raising growing concerns about containment of the virus. Taiwan yesterday reported its first death from COVID-19, the fifth fatality outside of mainland
China. Taiwan’s Central News Agency, citing health minister Chen Shih-chung, said the man who died was in his 60s and had not traveled overseas recently and had no known contact with virus patients. Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe convened an experts meeting to discuss containment measures in his country, where more than a dozen cases have emerged in the past few days without any obvious link to China. “The situation surrounding this virus is changing by the minute,” Abe said. Japanese Health Minister Katsunobu Kato said the country is “entering into a phase that is different from before,” requiring new steps to stop the spread of the virus. Japan now has 413 confirmed cases, including 355 from a quarantined cruise ship, and one death from the virus. Its total is the highest number of cases among about two dozen countries outside of China where the illness has spread. Hundreds of Americans from the cruise ship took charter flights home, as Japan announced another 70 infections had been confirmed on the Diamond Princess. Canada, Hong Kong and Italy were planning similar flights. The 300 or so Americans flying
on U.S.-government chartered aircraft back to the U.S. will face another 14-day quarantine at Travis Air Force Base in California and Lackland Air Force Base in Texas. The U.S. Embassy said the departure was offered because people on the ship were at a high risk of exposure to the virus. People with symptoms were banned from the flights. About 255 Canadians and 330 Hong Kong residents are on board the ship or undergoing treatment in Japanese hospitals. There are also 35 Italians, of which 25 are crew members, including the captain. In China’s Hubei province, where the outbreak began in December, all vehicle traffic will be banned in another containment measure. It expands a vehicle ban in the provincial capital, Wuhan, where public transportation, trains and planes have been halted for weeks. Exceptions were being made for vehicles involved in epidemic prevention and transporting daily necessities. Hubei has built new hospitals with thousands of patient beds and China has sent thousands of military medical personnel to staff the new facilities and help the overburdened health care system.
STORM Dennis hammered Britain yesterday, bringing a month’s worth of rain in just 48 hours to parts of South Wales, which bore the brunt of the country’s second severe storm inside a week. Rivers across Britain burst their banks and a number of severe flood warnings remained in place as authorities strove to get people to safety and to protect homes and businesses. The Met Office, Britain’s meteorological service. said the disruption is set to carry through today. Major incidents have been declared in a number of areas in England and Wales as authorities mobilised resources to deal with the impact of the overflowing rivers that have cut off some communities. A man in his 60s died after falling into the River Tawe in South Wales midmorning and his body was found further along the river, Dyfed-Powys Police said on social media. Police said his death was not being treated as suspicious or being linked to the bad weather.
ELTON JOHN CUTS SHORT CONCERT AUCKLAND, NZ Associated Press An emotional Elton John had to cut short a performance in New Zealand last night after he lost his voice due to walking pneumonia and had to be assisted off stage. He said: “I want to thank everyone who attended tonight’s gig in Auckland. I was diagnosed with walking pneumonia earlier today, but I was determined to give you the best show humanly possible,” he wrote. “I played and sang my heart out, until my voice could sing no more. I’m disappointed, deeply upset and sorry. I gave it all I had. Thank-you so much for your extraordinary support and all the love you showed me during tonight’s performance. I am eternally grateful. Love, Elton xx”
FLOODS PUT MISSISSIPPI IN PRECARIOUS SITUATION BOYFRIEND OF TV PRESENTER JACKSON, Mississippi Associated Press
WITH the waters in the Pearl River continuing to rise in and around Mississippi’s capital city and more rain on the way this week, the governor warned residents that it would be days before flood waters start to recede. Gov. Tate Reeves said yesterday morning that the Pearl would continue to rise throughout the day, and he warned that the state faces a “precarious situation that can turn at any moment.” In one Jackson neighborhood, residents paddled canoes, kayaks and small fishing boats to check on their houses, giving lifts to other neighbours. Some were able to get inside while others peeked into the windows to see what, if any damage, had been done inside. Outside floodwaters lapped at mailboxes, street
PEOPLE using shovels to paddle around the Pearl River signs and cars that had been left in driveways. In a bit of good news, officials at a reservoir upriver of the capitol said Sunday that water levels in the reservoir had stabilized, allowing them to send less water downriver. The National Weather Service, which had been anticipating
the river would crest at 38 feet, yesterday slightly reduced that to 37.5 feet. The river is now anticipated to crest today. But even with that development, officials urged residents to pay attention to evacuation orders, check on road closures before traveling and stay
out of floodwaters, warning that even seemingly placid waters could mask fast-moving currents and pollution. Law enforcement officials went door to door in affected areas, telling people to evacuate, Reeves said. Rescuers performed four assisted evacuations Saturday, although they said none were needed overnight. “We expect the river to continue to rise over the next 24 hours or so, “ Reeves said at a news conference in Jackson. “We are not out of the woods yet.” Jackson Mayor Chokwe Lumumba said power had been shut off to 504 residences as a safety precaution. He said some city homes had been flooded but officials do not yet know how many. About 30 people are at a shelter that has been set up in Jackson, he said.
HEARTBROKEN BY HER DEATH LONDON Associated Press THE boyfriend of Caroline Flack, the former British TV host for the controversial reality show “Love Island,” said yesterday that his “heart is broken” at her death as criticism mounted over her treatment by some British media. British commercial television network ITV said it would not air yesterday’s edition of the show but that it would return today with a tribute to its former host. Flack (pictured) 40, was found dead on Saturday at her home in east London after taking her own life,
according to a family lawyer. Flack hosted “Love Island” from its launch in 2015 before stepping down in December after being charged with assaulting her 27-year-old boyfriend, Lewis Burton. Flack denied the charge and was to stand trial next month. She was also not allowed to have any contact with Burton, a bail restriction he objected to. Burton also did not want Britain’s Crown Prosecution Service to go ahead with the trial. Over the past few months, Flack had been the focus of several negative articles and was trolled across social media for the assault charge.