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Volume: 119 No.63, February 22, 2022

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SACRILEGE Graves left broken and open despite efforts to prevent desecrations

By LEANDRA ROLLE Tribune Staff Reporter lrolle@tribunemedia.net A LOCAL funeral official is calling for better maintenance of public cemeteries in the country, noting cases where graves are being desecrated due to construction works and “witchcraft” among other things.

Head of the Bahamas Funeral Directors Association Kirsch Ferguson said the situation has left some grave sites in total ruin.

His comments came after The Tribune visited the Spikenard Graveyard off Cowpen Road over the weekend after receiving photographs of alleged desecrated graves.

While most grave sites appeared to be intact and in good condition there were a few open graves spotted. In one instance, a coffin was seen covered under a pile of rubble and other debris.

Ministry of Works officials with responsibility for SEE PAGE TWO

QUICK action by parliament might be needed to address the consequences of a new Privy Council ruling that says conveyances of land without subdivision approval since January 2011 are null and void, according to attorney Christina Galanos.

Hundreds could be affected by the new ruling she said after representing the respondent in the case.

She said: “From what I

CAR DEALERS SEEK END TO PRICE CONTROL THE Bahamas Motor Dealers Association’s president says the industry plans to address “the very outdated policy” of price controls with the Government, adding: “We need to let it go.”

Ben Albury said price controls on new and used vehicles, as well as auto parts, were unnecessary given the level of domestic and foreign competition in a sector that has to work with “very slim margins”.

FULL STORY - SEE BUSINESS

NEW TALKS ON MOTHBALLED STAR ACADEMY

understand there are some subdivisions that were not granted subdivision approval and many, many persons bought properties in those subdivisions from 2011 and on without subdivision approval. All of those conveyances are null and void. It also affects banking transactions because every bank that is holding land as collateral or those conveyances as collateral, all of that is null and void.”

The case emerged when Malik Momin took legal SEE PAGE FIVE

- SEE PAGE NINE

By NEIL HARTNELL Tribune Business Editor nhartnell@tribunemedia.net

COURT RULING POINTS TO MAJOR LAND ISSUE

By RASHAD ROLLE Tribune Senior Reporter rrolle@tribunemedia.net

PETER YOUNG: SIR GODFREY A MAN FOR ALL SEASONS

By KHRISNA RUSSELL Tribune Chief Reporter krussell@tribunemedia.net

A COFFIN exposed after damage to a grave in the Spikenard Cemetery.

Photo: Racardo Thomas/Tribune Staff

“I’M YOUR MAN - NO, IT’S ME’

EDUCATION Minister Glenys Hanna Martin says officials are in discussions with the Seventh-Day Adventist Church over the future of STAR Academy on the church’s property at Wulff Road.

The former Christie administration invested $25.7m into the Students Transitioning Achieving and Refocusing Enrichment (STAR) Academy, a centre for at-risk youth.

SEE PAGE THREE

By KHRISNA RUSSELL Tribune Chief Reporter krussell@tribunemedia.net

SHANENDON CARTWRIGHT

ST ANNE’S MP Adrian White says while he’s been underestimated within the Free National Movement, he expects to be elected the new deputy leader and return stability to the party.

Both Mr White and St Barnabas MP Shanendon Cartwright are vying for the post.

SEE PAGE THREE

Nassau & Bahama Islands’ Leading Newspaper

FACE TO FACE: A JOB OFFER WE CAN BE THANKFUL WAS DECLINED ADRIAN WHITE

- SEE PAGE EIGHT

PAGE 2, Tuesday, February 22, 2022

THE TRIBUNE

Graves left broken and open despite efforts to prevent desecrations from page one public cemeteries could not be reached for comment yesterday despite numerous calls from this newspaper.

Yesterday, Mr Ferguson said while he believes the upkeep of public cemeteries has improved over the years, more work can be done to better maintain the sites.

“From an overall perspective, as you know, the management of the cemeteries are under the carriage of the Ministry of Public Works. I know in the past few years, there has been much revamping of their operation procedures where they’ve been more meticulous to maintain these cemeteries,” Mr Ferguson told The Tribune.

“You can have a general understanding that these cemeteries are open to the general public. However, measures have been taken to keep the gates locked

when the cemeteries are not in use.”

In cases where graves are desecrated, Mr Ferguson said several factors are to blame.

“One of the vandalisms that you see happening is persons going into the cemetery however means they can and doing what they wish to do,” he said.

“Some of the graves that you would’ve noticed that appears to be open, those are graves that persons who, while attending funeral services, perhaps were standing on flabs and graves actually caved in or machinery coming to the cemetery to dig graves, they’ve been trampled upon that caused damage to other graves so that is perhaps what you see happening at the cemetery.

“Second to that, we still have a large population in this country who still believe or practice witchcraft and some of their sites of practice are in public

cemeteries so these are some of things that you would notice on a current basis. But by and large it’s just that the cemetery or the graves are being desecrated by persons who are walking on graves and/or carrying out services.”

Asked for his recommendations on restoring public cemeteries, Mr Ferguson said consistent cleaning exercises are needed.

“Obviously, we see that improvements can be made,” he added. “We are encouraged by the efforts being undertaken now with this new team of persons who have control of the cemeteries, but again a consistent cleaning of the cemeteries is a must and when I say consistent, I mean by not allowing them to become overgrown and tend to every six months or once a quarter. It has to be an ongoing thing because of the vast area these cemeteries cover.”

SOME of the damage at the Spikenard Graveyard.

Photo: Racardo Thomas/Tribune Staff

NATIONAL Security Minister Wayne Munroe during his visit to Grand Bahama yesterday.

Photos: Andrew Miller/BIS

MUNROE PLEDGE ON GB POLICE RESOURCES

By DENISE MAYCOCK Tribune Freeport Reporter dmaycock@tribunemedia.net

DURING his first official visit to Grand Bahama yesterday, National Security Minister Wayne Munroe pledged to seek resources to improve the conditions of police facilities and for proper working equipment for police on the island.

“The Commissioner has invited me to tour Grand Bahama and Abaco, and I think it is for the purpose to show me the condition of the facilities here,” Mr Munroe said. “We toured the police headquarters, Port Lucaya, Eight Mile Rock, Peel Street, and the

West End stations.”

He also visited the Police Training College and the dilapidated former police housing compound at Tripp Circle, where plans are to renovate the area in partnership with the Ministry of Grand Bahama to provide temporary housing for displaced families.

In touring the Lucaya Station, Mr Munroe indicated equipment at the stations is old and must be replaced.

“It is unacceptable that things continuously break down, and if that is because of age then we need to replace it,” he said.

“The Commissioner knows he can call on us (at

the ministry) for resources he needs, and it is my job as the minister to advocate (for) my colleagues to make sure we get what is needed for Grand Bahama, in this instance what we are addressing.

“We did learn there is going to be a new fire truck… and that Grand Bahama will be getting the fire apparatus it needs that the ministry for Grand Bahama has been rowing for, for some time.”

Police Commissioner Rolle says a 130ft ladder truck is in Nassau and should arrive in Grand Bahama in a couple of weeks.

“I am pleased to inform

NATIONAL Security Minister Wayne Munroe visiting the Police Training College.

you that I have coming to you, a fire truck. I am excited, it is a nice ladder truck that is on its way from Nassau,” he told Minister Moxey.

Mr Munroe is excited about the plans of a “dynamic collaboration” between the Ministry of Grand Bahama and the police at Tripp Circle.

“I am pleased to see they are going to revitalise that area, and hopefully provide employment for young people in the process. I look forward to seeing that develop,” he said.

He then commended officers for carrying out repairs at Peel Street, where the K9 Unit and kennels, and the police garage are located.

“The Police Force is to be commended for the work they have done in renovating their stations,” Mr Munroe added.

At the Eight Mile Rock station repairs were also undertaken by officers, he said.

“At a time when there wasn’t the budget for it, they used police labour and pinched where they had to.

That is commendable, but the facilities have to be put in proper order,” he said.

“And so, that would be a push for us going into the new budget year to have that station be brought up to where it should be so the men and women will have proper conditions to work in.”

SHOTSPOTTER ‘NOT NECESSARY’ IN FREEPORT

By DENISE MAYCOCK Tribune Freeport Reporter dmaycock@tribunemedia.net

NATIONAL Security Minister Wayne Munroe said the ShotSpotter technology could come to Grand Bahama if there is a consistent occurrence of gun violence on the island.

However, he says as it stands, the technology is not necessary in Freeport.

“The issue is always a resource issue,” he said.

“Fortunately, Grand Bahama has not had the consistency of gun violence that has happened in New Providence, and so you saw ShotSpotter rolled out in New Providence first.

“We are having issues here (in Grand Bahama) and, hopefully, it would not be consistent that it is necessary. But if it continues, then, of course, we would have to consider priorities for this technology.”

However, Mr Munroe said that Grand Bahama does not have the level

of crime as seen in New Providence.

“I would just like to exhort the people of Grand Bahama, please don’t become exactly like New Providence. Y’all have it over us now that you don’t have the same level of lawlessness as we have in New Providence. There is no reason to follow fashion with New Providence in lawlessness. You can follow fashion in a lot of other things, but not in that,” he said.

When asked about the issue of migrant smuggling in the northern Bahamas, Mr Munroe said it is being addressed “aggressively”.

“We are concerned about any aspect of lawlessness in the country,” he said.

“Between the (Royal Bahamas) Defence Force, Police Force and the US Coast Guard, and the intelligence used, we will be aggressively addressing that as we aggressively address migrant interdiction in the southern Bahamas as well,” he said.

THE TRIBUNE

Tuesday, February 22, 2022, PAGE 3

“I’m your man - no, it’s me’ from page one Mr Cartwright, who is the former Bahamas Public Parks and Public Beaches Authority chairman, was also confident yesterday that despite recent controversy over the administration of contracts under his tenure he would become deputy of the FNM. He said his character spoke for itself.

The party’s threeday convention - set for Wednesday to Friday - will elect all posts from deputy leader to deputy protocol officer. The event is expected to cost the party more than $200,000.

Mr White said: “I expect that with my election will

bring stability back into the party not only on an administrative side but from a membership perspective where there’s persons that have continued to feel as though they are not being heard in addition to the great work and efforts that our current leader Michael C Pintard is doing, that’s even expanded and strengthened. So, stability and strength will be the first priority for me.”

He added: “The response from the delegates has been truly overwhelming for a number of persons that I’ve had an opportunity to reach out and touch and speak to.

I’ve been underestimated I think coming into this, but persons are realising the genuine individual that

I am, my compassion for others and my purpose to serve this party and most importantly to serve this nation and whenever I go about right now I think that I’m seeing a change in attitude from supporters and from delegates because they’re realising that they are FNM and they’re feeling good.”

Asked what the party needed to restore confidence among Bahamians, Mr White said: “The party needs energy back in it. The party needs all of our members to come back on board and then what we need to return to victory in 2026 will be change in policy reforms, mandates that our leader Michael C Pintard will hopefully develop that will

be well received by the general public that are going to ignite, not only the young voter base, but that huge FNM base that didn’t turn out to the polls in 2021.”

For his part, Mr Cartwright said he is equipped with the tools that proved he had the ability to transcend party lines.

“I believe that we need persons who will have the ability to transcend political lines,” Mr Cartwright said. “I’ve proven that in St Barnabas, particularly in a seat in the Over-the-Hill area that has a mixture of support, we’ve been able to stand there electorally and be victorious.

“I believe this is about bringing people together. I believe humbly that I have

the skill set to do that and the ability to organise and to join with Michael Pintard in this generational leadership... we will be able to bring.”

The two-time St Barnabas MP said he was of the view the FNM needed to recapture the confidence of the body politic of the members of the FNM to strengthen constituency associations, among other things. This, he said, would not only transform the FNM, but the country.

As for the reception he’s received from delegates, Mr Cartwright said: “I’m confident and one of the good things - and I have been humbled by this -I’ve come up through the organisation and so I have a very unique

perspective that I believe we need right now.

“I know the cries and the concern of the soldiers if you will. I know how constituency associations are put together, how they should work and their needs...

“People know what I’ve been about all my life,” Mr Cartwright also said in response to a question about controversy surrounding the parks and beaches authority.

“Again, we are very, very proud of the thousands of Bahamians who have taken advantage of the opportunities there and the authority where they were able to take care of light bills and school fees and mortgages and so we’re very proud of my tenure there.”

NEW TALKS ON MOTHBALLED STAR ACADEMY from page one

It remained unfinished throughout the Minnis administration’s term in office and in 2019 former Works Minister Desmond Bannister said it would need $10m more to complete.

Mrs Hanna Martin said: “The former Christie administration has negotiated with the Seventh-Day Adventist Church for the utilisation of that location for the creation of this school, Star Academy, which I think envisaged troubled children or young people to attend that school.

“The administration changed; it became controversial. I don’t know why because you are dealing with an established church and the government of The Bahamas and there was a lot of innuendo that surrounded it and the project was stopped for all those years.

“We’ve entered into discussions with the Seventh-Day Adventist Church for the utilisation of that location but it might be for a different purpose and

they’re discussing another educational purpose for young people. So, that’s where it is right now. Nothing has been confirmed but it’s actively under discussion.”

In 2017, then Education Minister Jeff Lloyd told the House of Assembly the Christie administration invested $25.7m into the premises.

In June of that year - a few weeks after the general election - a Ministry of Education press release noted that despite a lease agreement being drawn up and two years of work being done, church officials had not been paid any rent or received any money.

When asked if the government was planning to buy the property for STAR Academy, Mr Lloyd told The Tribune at the time: “I can’t say we’re planning to buy. I can say that we have considered several options that we have presented to the Seventh-Day Adventists’ new leadership team, very important for us to emphasise new leadership team.

“And they are considering, obviously, those options. And they want to

MAN KILLED IN CRASH POLICE in Abaco are investigating a traffic accident on the island that left a man dead.

Details surrounding the incident remained unclear up to press time. However, police confirmed the traffic fatality when contacted yesterday. While the victim’s identity has not been officially released, sources say he is Links Adderley from Sandy Point. They also claim the accident happened on Earnest Dean Highway in the community sometime between Sunday night and Monday morning.

The incident marks the island’s first traffic fatality for the year.

Abaco police are also

investigating a boating accident that took place on Sunday.

Shortly before 8pm, officers from the Marsh Harbour Police Station received a report of a boating accident in the area of Foot’s Cay. Initial reports are that a white 18-ft Boston Whaler vessel, which was occupied by two Caucasian men, hit rocks on Foot’s Cay. They were both ejected from the vessel. The captain, who was seriously injured, was taken to the Marsh Harbour Clinic and later airlifted to New Providence for medical treatment. The other male on the vessel was not injured.

have, when they have considered them, they want to have talks as to how we can best address a resolution of this matter, because now it’s longstanding.

“It’s already cost us about $20m plus dollars and probably another $10m will have to be spent to complete the project.”

He also previously said: “I only had one meeting so far with the new leadership team; I met with the secretary general…last week, Wednesday. So, I expect to meet with the full team, meaning their full team, shortly. And then we can see where we go from there.

But this will be exploratory, because they are brand new.

“I don’t anticipate them being uncooperative. They have expressed to me, very sincerely and very firmly, and I believe them, that they are committed, not just intend to be cooperative, but are committed to having this matter resolved.

They have expressed that, the previous administration, this administration, even more enthusiastically, even in my estimation more sincerely … they are committed. So let me take them at their word, they are

MINISTER of Education Glenys Hanna Martin yesterday. committed to resolving it, we are obviously committed. As a matter of fact, we are mandated to resolve it.”

Photo: Donavan McIntosh/Tribune Staff

When asked if more funds could be pumped into the project, Mr Lloyd said at the time “yes”, in order

for the facility to be complete. This would bring the total cost to $30m, according to Mr Lloyd in 2017.

PAGE 4, Tuesday, February 22, 2022

THE TRIBUNE

FROM left, Director of Education Marcellus Taylor; deputy director of NEMA Gail Outten; Lorraine Armbrister, of the Ministry of Education; Zane Lightbourne, Minister of State for Education; Minister of Education Glenys Hanna Martin; Captain Stephen Russell, director of NEMA; Minister of Health and Wellness Dr Michael Darville; and Phillip Swann, of the Ministery of Health.

Photos: Donavan McIntosh/Tribune Staff

‘Mechanisms are in place’ for 72 hour antigen tests HEALTH Minister Dr Michael Darville said mechanisms are in place to ensure people take a rapid antigen test 72 hours after travelling from abroad or from New Providence or Grand Bahama as required by new rules.

The Davis administration relaxed restrictions so that people entering the country or travelling inter-island from Grand Bahama or New Providence are required to obtain a COVID test within 72 hours of travel and a

negative rapid antigen test on the fifth day of arrival.

“Coming into the country the Ministry of Immigration and other digital platforms are able to determine those individuals who have arrived,” Dr Darville told reporters yesterday.

“Notices will be given so that those individuals will be reminded of the need to have the test done and once the test is done we are putting in place additional parameters in order to capture, if not 90 percent, the entire amount of

individuals who have travelled back into the country.

But to say that, we’re noticing the trends, there are some additional amendments that will come that will be able to give even more freedom and abilities for Bahamians to travel back into the country.

“The travel health visa was not removed for everyone. It was removed for Bahamians and so every foreign national who comes to our country must do a 72-hour test … That information is embedded

into the parameters of the travel visa and Bahamians who fall into that category coming into the country, we do instruct Bahamians to have the test done and that information is brought to us as well via labs.”

Dr Darville said health officials will continue to recommend relaxed restrictions as the need arises.

“We’ve been watching the numbers and over the last couple weeks, we’ve predicted a trend and we’re seeing the numbers going down but what is even more important is our hospital cases,” he said. “The two together make the determination where the EOC will go and Saturday we loosened some of the rules as it relates to restaurants, funerals and weddings and even the issue of testing, travelling back into the country. We’re noticing that the trends are continuing

and as they continue you’ll notice more coming from the Ministry of Health to get us back to a degree of normalcy.”

The relaxed COVID-19 rules state that church services in New Providence and Grand Bahama can now have a maximum seating capacity of 50 percent as opposed to the previous 25 percent occupancy limit.

Weddings and funeral services may also be held in a religious facility provided that all guidelines issued by the Ministry of Health are followed. A casket or urn can also be present during funeral services, the ministry added.

For social gatherings, people may attend or host events indoors at a private residence with no more than 40 persons who are either fully vaccinated or have a negative COVID test.

The same rule applies for gatherings held outdoors where up to 100 people are now allowed to attend.

However, the ministry has warned that large events still remain prohibited at this time.

“Anyone who hosts or attends a social gathering contrary to the above rules commits an offence and is liable upon summary conviction in the case of a host, to a fine not exceeding $2,000 and to a fine not exceeding $300 for each person in attendance, and in the case of an attendee, to a fine not exceeding $300,” the statement added.

The rule also said that restaurants can operate indoors with a seating capacity of 75 percent provided that all customers are either fully vaccinated or have a negative COVID test.

‘ONE OR TWO CASES’ OF COVID IN SCHOOLS

By EARYEL BOWLEG Tribune Staff Reporter ebowleg@tribunemedia.net

EDUCATION Director Marcellus Taylor revealed that there have been “one or two cases” of COVID19 in schools recently which were “largely contained”.

He said officials detected a case in New Providence.

“We had one or two cases but they were largely contained. We have in all of our schools in New Providence a nurse on staff who was able to give advice and guidance as to how these matters should be addressed and we are confident that to date we haven’t had any problems in terms of spread on the campus,” he told reporters yesterday.

“The two cases that I could recall, I think they were both adults who presented with symptoms.”

He would not say if the people in question were teachers.

“They were largely dealt with right there at the schools,” he said, However, he did not identify the schools.

For her part, Education, Technical and Vocational Training Minister Glenys Hanna Martin said these cases pale in comparison to the number of students currently in school.

“These children are back in school and if you could consider you have… we have 42,000 children and two cases among adults on the campus. This is amazing and I pray it continues the way they are managing the processes.”

DIRECTOR of Education Marcellus Taylor.

The officials spoke amid plans for the resumption of full face-to-face instruction in schools.

Mrs Hanna-Martin said that in “most of the islands” schools are “almost at 100 percent” face-to-face.

“Abaco is challenged for a number of reasons postDorian, etc, and the schools in New Providence there’s also space challenges and human resource challenges.

The regulation requires a certain amount of feet between each student so that’s not normal in a classroom,” she said.

“So while we would love

100 percent to get every child in the classroom because of the curtain regime and other issues that we’re facing, we’ve not been able in every instance to get 100 percent, but what we’re seeking to do is to get every child in the classroom - hopefully within any given week - to ensure that there is face-to-face just in that process.”

Yesterday, the ministry received a donation of 172,500 children’s masks for distribution to public schools throughout the country. The donation came from cryptocurrency company FTX.

THE TRIBUNE

Tuesday, February 22, 2022, PAGE 5

Court ruling points to major land issue from page one action against February Point Resort Estates Ltd. Mr Momin entered into an agreement with February Point Resort Estates on February 18, 2009 to buy a lot in a subdivision in Exuma for $895,000.

Mr Momin, a US citizen, paid the full price by February 2013, but a dispute broke out between the parties. Mr Momin argued he was entitled to get his money back because he did not receive a valid conveyance because the defendant did not obtain the subdivision approval required by the Planning and Subdivision Act 2010.

The defendant, on the other hand, argued that according to section 62(2) of that law, its conveyance was not null and void even though the necessary approval for the subdivision had not been obtained.

Section 62(1) of the Act says: “Any conveyance made after the Act comes into effect regarding lots not granted prior Subdivision Approval shall be null and void.”

Section 62(2) says: “Notwithstanding subsection (1), where the beneficial owner of a lot in a subdivision prior to the commencement of this Act, conveyed or agreed to convey land within the subdivision but failed to obtain - (a) the approval of the Town Planning Committee in accordance with section 8 of the Private Roads and Subdivision Act; or (b) the approval of the minister in accordance with section 4 of the Private Roads and Subdivision Act; and section 4 of the Private Roads and Subdivision (Out Islands) Act), such agreement to convey or conveyance shall not be null and void due to the failure to obtain the approval under subparagraph (a) or (b) and any person who obtained title to a lot within the subdivision shall not be prejudiced by the failure of the owner of the subdivision to obtain the necessary approval under sub-paragraph (a) or (b).”

At the Supreme Court, Justice Indra Charles ruled in favour of the defendant and its interpretation of the above clauses. The Court of Appeal, however, unanimously overturned her verdict.

According to the Privy Council’s judgement, the

Court of Appeal found that Section “62(1) of the Act makes it clear that post-Act conveyances of lots, where there has been no subdivision approval, are null and void.” Section 62(2) of the Act, meanwhile, “makes clear that pre-Act conveyances and agreements to convey lots, where there has been no subdivision approval, are valid and not void.” The Privy Council accepted this interpretation.

Ms Galanos admitted that most conveyances where subdivision approval had not been granted are unlikely to be challenged as in the Exuma matter.

However, she said: “What’s gonna happen is when those purchasers now move to sell their land, the new purchaser will be looking to them and say listen, we need subdivision approval. We can’t buy from you and really the purchaser is going to say to them, what you have is null and void, that conveyance that you’re holding on to say you own the land and can sell it to people, that’s like a blank sheet of paper.”

Ms Galanos said the government might have to pass a law to deal with the ramifications of the ruling.

“Another way around it,” she said, “is that developers might get subdivision approval. They might not be so inclined to do that because subdivision approval is extremely expensive because you have to put all of that infrastructure in. You have to put the infrastructure in for light, for phone, for water, all of that, and that can run you into millions of dollars depending on how big the subdivision is.

“But another fix is for those developers to get subdivision approval and then do re-conveyances now that subdivision approval is had. Let’s say a developer gets subdivision approval today and tomorrow he does a reconveyance to those people he conveyed to when he didn’t have subdivision approval. Either parliament will have to fix it, or the developer will have to get subdivision approval.”

Ms Galanos says attorneys called her yesterday confused about the ramifications of the new ruling because they were dealing with conveyances that passed “in 2012, 2013, 2014” with no subdivision approval.

“They’re like what we’re

MID-YEAR BUDGET TO MISS DEADLINE AFTER HOUSE SUSPENSION THE mid-year budget review - required by law to be tabled in Parliament by the last Wednesday in February each year — will not be tabled on time due to a “mutually agreed suspension” of the House of Assembly.

According to a statement from the government, this suspension was agreed to in view of the Free National Movement’s convention and internal elections this week.

The document will be tabled when the House meets again on March 9, the statement said.

“In accordance with the Public Financial Management Act, 2021 and the Fiscal Responsibility Act, 2018, the Minister of Finance is required to table in Parliament a mid-year review by the last Wednesday in February each year — this year being 23 February 2022,” the government said.

“The report and associated communication provide an update to creditors, investors and

the Bahamian public on progress towards the fiscal strategy and annual budget targets at the halfway point in the fiscal year.

“As a result of the pending convention of the Free National Movement, the government and Her Majesty’s Loyal Opposition have mutually agreed to the suspension of the House of Assembly until Wednesday, 9 March 2022 to allow for party elections. When the House again meets, the government intends to present its mid-year review for debate.

“Simultaneous with the mid-year debate, the government intends to table its 2021 Fiscal Strategy Report, 2021 Medium-Term Debt Management Strategy and outline its plans for the remainder of the fiscal year.”

For the latest news and updates on the annual budget, follow the Ministry of Finance on social media @FinanceBAH or visit the budget website www.bahamasbudget.gov.bs

ATTORNEY CHRISTINA GALANOS supposed to do and I’m like I ain know,” she said. “This is major. I predict parliament is going to have to act because every lending institution that would’ve lent out money on certain conveyances, all of that is null and void, the entire transaction is null and void

according to the ruling so I imagine that this is something that parliament is gonna want to fix and they’re gonna want to fix it quickly.”

Ms Galanos tied the ruling to the challenges Olympian Ramon Miller is facing after being given

land by the government and not having the necessary infrastructure.

“That’s the problem Ramon is having,” she said. “That’s the Olympian who they sold the property to and they ain put the infrastructure in yet, you see he has to use

his generator to power his building.

“That’s the essence of not having subdivision approval. When you don’t have subdivision approval, people purchase the land but there is no way to get them phone, there’s no way to get them water, there’s no way to get them electricity.

That is what makes subdivision approval so important and the problem was happening so much until parliament said listen, it’s against the law to convey property without subdivision approval because it was too much of a headache. People were buying land and then coming back and saying I don’t have a way to get things and that’s why parliament made it a criminal offence and the Privy Council has come along now and said it’s actually null and void too.”

Attorney General Ryan Pinder said his office is reviewing the ruling.

“We are reviewing the ruling broadly to understand its implications on conveyancing in The Bahamas,” he said.

PAGE 6, Tuesday, February 22, 2022

The Tribune Limited

THE TRIBUNE

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Repair these broken graves STAR Academy THE scenes at the Spikenard Graveyard are horrific.

Graves standing open, a coffin on view in debris and rubble.

Some of the graves have been damaged, it seems, by construction work.

Others have reportedly been targeted by witchcraft.

As we say, absolutely horrific.

This wasn’t hard to spot. When the Tribune photographer attended the scene, it was easy to find the damaged graves, so there’s no reason why the authorities should not be aware.

Indeed, the head of the Bahamas Funeral Directors Association, Kirsch Ferguson, said that some grave sites have been left in total ruin.

According to Mr Ferguson, some of the damage is from vandalism, some from people attending funeral services and graves caving in under their feet or being trampled to cause damage.

He added: “We still have a large population in this country who still believe or practice witchcraft and some of their sites of practice are in public cemeteries so these are some of things that you would notice on a current basis.

“But by and large it’s just that the cemetery or the graves are being desecrated by persons who are walking on graves and/or carrying out services.”

Whatever happened to the respect one would show in a graveyard by avoiding walking on graves?

Still, however the graves are being damaged, there is a clear need to improve their upkeep, maintenance and repair when necessary.

On that, it is the duty of the Ministry of Public Works to manage the cemeteries. According to Mr Ferguson, the Ministry has improved over the years – but clearly by the state of Spikenard, not enough.

The Tribune tried to get answers on what was being done to remedy the damage seen at the cemetery – but despite numerous calls, there was no comment from officials.

These graves are filled with our family members – mothers, fathers, brothers, sisters and more – and they deserve to be treated with respect.

We have invited the Ministry of Works to give answers on what will be done.

We await their response.

Is pouring more public money into the STAR Academy really a good idea?

The academy, on the property of the Seventh Day Adventist Church at Wulff Road, already had $25.7m invested into the centre for at-risk youth under the administration of Perry Christie. Under the Minnis administration, then Works Minister Desmond Bannister said it would need another $10m to complete – and it went unfinished.

But up it pops again under the new PLP administration, and talks are on the go again, with Education Minister Glenys Hanna Martin saying the government is in discussions over the use of the location, possibly for different purposes than originally intended.

Under the Minnis administration, a press release stated that despite a lease agreement being drawn up and two years of work being done, church officials had not paid any rent or received any money.

It doesn’t sound the most enticing way to invest our money, does it? In the wake of the news about more money having to be poured into the baseball stadium as well, it begs the question of whether we’re investing wisely or throwing good money after bad. Will we get any financial return from the STAR Academy if there isn’t even rent being paid? Or will we just be handing a multi-million property over for nothing?

Before any money is thrown into the project, there ought to be clarity about what rent has been paid, what income has been returned, and what exactly the final purpose of the centre would be – and whether the money to achieve that could be better spent on already existing facilities.

Indeed, why can the church itself not complete the project if it is so important to its goals? Churches across the country fundraise all the time for new facilities.

It’s very tiring to see projects started under one administration, abandoned under another and then dusted off again when the first party gets back in power – and it begs many questions about the process of getting these projects off the ground in the first place.

Star Academy may well be worth the investment – but there’s no indication of that given the information available publicly right now. If we’re going to throw more money at it, then make the case – but explain it to us all.

Cable Beach Post Office EDITOR, The Tribune.

I AM driven to write to you in light of the utter chaos and madness that affects the post office boxrenting public at the Cable Beach Post Office.

That post office has had a a history of the parking lot being overrun by cars belonging to staff at the Sandals resort directly across the street. Sandals seems unwilling or incapable of providing parking for its car-driving employees.

Consequently, for many years customers of the Cable Beach Post Office have had little to no parking available to them and have been badly inconvenienced by the abundance of non-customer cars in the parking lot whenever they come to the post office to collect mail, purchase stamps, register mail or any of the other things that one does at a post office.

From March 2019 until recently, we had a reprieve thanks to COVID from this nonsense. The exception was during the run-up to the recent general election when the Cable Beach Post Office became a voter registration centre. The building is not made for that purpose and does not have the room or public facilities to accommodate such crowds.

During the voter registration period, persons like me who rent a post office box at this location were inconvenienced as all the parking spaces for post office patrons were taken over by parliamentary registration personnel and potential voters looking to register.

Now that Sandals has reopened, the post office has reverted to the preCOVID situation where Sandals employees have once again taken over the post office parking lot,

virtually to the exclusion of post office customers.

Things are so bad that Sandals even has a security guard on duty in the parking lot directing Sandals employees and post office customers alike on where to park, assuming there is a space available.

My question is: why is the Post Office and/or the Government allowing this to occur?

Who is looking out for the box-renting customers who pay to collect their mail at that post office but are highly inconvenienced whenever they go there in order to do so?

The post office has a sign in the yard saying half-hour parking, but clearly that does not apply to Sandals employees.

VINCENT WALLACE WHITFIELD Nassau, February 21 2022.

PEOPLE hold a large Ukrainian national flag as they gather for a vigil in solidarity with Ukraine on Sunday at the Lincoln Memorial in Washington.

Photo: Patrick Semansky/AP

Researchers need to do GB prices homework EDITOR, The Tribune.

OUR News Bahamas recently interviewed a University of The Bahamas (UB) official who conducted a research study on the cost of living in New Providence and Grand Bahama.

The matter pertained to minimum wage versus livable wage. This is a subject that has come to the fore with rising inflation on food, medicine and fuel and the addition of VAT to breadbasket items and medicine in recent months by the Progressive Liberal Party government.

Based on what the UB official told Our News, one was left with the impression that it is costlier to live in Grand Bahama than in New Providence.

Grand Bahamians would undoubtedly question the findings of this study, especially after the official started off the interview with the claim that peanuts cost $2 in Grand Bahama, while they cost just $1 in New Providence.

For her information, this is untrue. Peanuts in Freeport range between the price of $1 and $1.50. In fact, I purchased a bag of peanuts on February 20 for $1 -- under 24 hours after Our News posted the UB livable wage report on its Facebook page.

If UB cannot get this simple matter regarding the cost of peanuts in Freeport right, what other aspects of its livable wage research can you take at face value?

LETTERS letters@tribunemedia.net Another thing, did the research factor in the cost of real estate in Grand Bahama and New Providence, as this greatly impacts one’s standard of living?

One can purchase a plot of land in the safe areas of Freeport and the rest of Grand Bahama for under $10,000.

In upscale areas such as South Bahama, you can find land for under $20,000.

In the western and eastern ends of New Providence, property prices can go as high as $250,000 and more -- more than the average mortgage in Freeport.

I saw a property in Bain Town going for $70,000 in one of the dailies. For the majority of Nassauvians, owning a home is a pipe dream.

A Grand Bahamian lady told me that her close relative is paying $1,200 a month for a small one-bedroom efficiency apartment in a safe area of Nassau.

This is not an unusual case.

Landlords know that many single women dread the thought of living in the Over-the-Hill communities of Nassau. This coupled with the limited amount of available land is why rent and mortgage prices are inflated in the capital.

In Freeport, people are paying less than $800 monthly for apartments in influential areas of

Freeport.

In upscale areas of Nassau, one would be hardpressed to find apartments for under $1,000.

Regarding food prices, a Nassauvian relative of my wife was shocked after visiting a local grocery store in Freeport.

What shocked her was that the price of a gallon of generic milk and a tenpound bag of leg quarters was going for less than $5 in this particular store. She told my wife that in Nassau a gallon of milk was going for close to $7. And this was several years ago before the inflation crisis and VAT being added to breadbasket food items.

Over the past weekend, the store in question was selling a gallon of milk for $4.79.

While the milk isn’t a name brand like McArthur Dairy, it is still a quality milk.

Admittedly, prices in this store have risen sharply due to the two aforementioned reasons. But compared to what I am seeing in Nassau, they’re still lower than the prices Nassauvians are paying in the food stores.

Consequently, I think it’s a stretch to claim that it is more affordable to live in Nassau than in Grand Bahama. I wish the UB researchers had done their homework on the cost-ofliving situation in Grand Bahama in a thorough manner before putting pen to paper.

KEVIN EVANS Freeport, Grand Bahama.

February 21, 2022.

Ending clause on contract?

EDITOR, The Tribune.

GAZETTED a RFP for a proposed New General Post Office – me hopes AG office has advised if there are early ending clauses for Town Centre Mall (Brent Symonette) because we don’t want to be paying millions of penalty money for breaching the lease early?

If Town Centre Mall lease is like the employment contract for Dorian Relief Authority, God help us.

Where is the intention of building this new Post Office?

Recall we have standing a past PLP new Post Office proposal for the old City Markets - Independence Drive site which the owners

took Minnis and them to Court for breaching the lease.

So hopefully we are not dipping our heads into to too deep buckets which will cost us millions?

Need re-assurances, please.

M THOMPSON Nassau, February 9, 2022.

THE TRIBUNE

Tuesday, February 22, 2022, PAGE 7

Mother in tears as son is jailed for weapons charges

By PAVEL BAILEY A MOTHER broke down in tears in court yesterday when her son was sentenced to five years in prison on weapon charges.

Two accused, Keith Higgs, 25, and Abigail Nelson, 21, appeared before Senior Magistrate Samuel McKinney on several arms charges.

This comes after they were arrested on February 7 when officers from the Firearms Tracing Unit, acting on information, conducted an investigation on Dash Express where they

identified Higgs and Nelson collecting suspicious boxes and followed them back to their residence at Cape Street.

Once there the officers produced a search warrant and upon entering the premises, a search of the bathroom revealed a number of boxes containing eight firearms and several rounds of ammunition of varying calibres. These consisted of several firearms with the serial numbers erased, including Austria Glock .40mm, a Smith & Wesson pistol, a Taurus G3 9mm pistol, three Taurus

G2C 9mm pistols and a prohibited Black JMT 7.62mm rifle. Only one of the firearms had an intact serial number.

All the ammunition seized at the property were unfired and consisted of 47 rounds of .22m bullets, 18 rounds of 7.62 mm bullets and 20 rounds of WMA 21 bullets.

After his arrest Higgs admitted in a subsequent interview he had received the guns from a female cousin in the United States through a courier service.

In court, Higgs faced the charges of possession of a

prohibited weapon for the JMT rifle, possession of firearms with intent to supply, possession of ammunition with intent to supply, two counts of importation of dangerous weapons and two counts of conspiracy of importation of dangerous weapons.

Nelson faced two counts: one for the possession of firearms and the other for possession of ammunition as the other charges against her were withdrawn.

Both accused pleaded guilty to all the various charges against them, and their counsel asked the

court for leniency. The lawyer cited their early plea of guilt as well as the fact that both accused were gainfully employed with no prior antecedents.

She told the court that Higgs was the father of a four-year-old son and that both her clients were remorseful for their actions.

Magistrate McKinney took these factors into account and spared both suspects the maximum sentence of ten years. As such Nelson was sentenced to two years in prison for both counts, to be served concurrently.

However, Higgs faced a steeper sentence as he was sentenced to five years for all the counts against him to be served concurrently, in addition to a fine of $20,000 or an additional year in prison for the prohibited weapon charge.

Higgs’ mother, who was present in court throughout her son’s trial, broke down in tears upon hearing the verdict. She left court visibly distressed as her son was taken back into custody by authorities to serve out his five-year sentence.

The two accused have the right to appeal.

CONDITIONAL DISCHARGE FOR MAN IN DRUGS CASE

By PAVEL BAILEY

A MAN who appeared in court on drug charges was given a conditional discharge yesterday.

Shakeel Rolle, 27, of United Christian Way, appeared before Senior Magistrate Samuel McKinney charged with possession of dangerous drugs with intent to supply.

The court was told that officers went to Rolle’s home on February 17 with a

MINISTER of Health and Wellness Dr Michael Darville pictured yesterday.

Photo: Donavan McIntosh/Tribune Staff

NO APPROVAL FROM MINISTRY FOR CONCERT

BY SHENSEEA

By EARYEL BOWLEG Tribune Staff Reporter ebowleg@tribunemedia.net

HEALTH officials are not aware of plans for an upcoming advertised concert and have not given any approval, Health and Wellness Minister Dr Michael Darville said yesterday.

A flyer promoting a concert for Jamaican singer Shenseea lists the event’s date as March 19.

This situation comes after promoters of a Dexta Daps concert failed to secure approval from the Ministry of Health. Organisers wanted the Reggae Valentine event to be held Friday, February 11, at the Thomas A Robinson Stadium carnival grounds, but Dr Darville said in a previous interview that officials first rejected their application on January 17 and then rejected it a second time later.

Asked yesterday if the Ministry of Health was considering giving an approval for an event like the latest advertised concert, the minister answered: “Not at this time. We’ve made some adjustments to our rules and we believe the adjustments that we made are fair. It helps to open up the economy.

“As we begin to monitor the pandemic, we’ll make determination whether we’ll relax even further rules, but as it stands right now events of this proportion (are) not allowed

under our rules and this particular event we are unaware of it and we encourage every Bahamian who (is) planning an event to avoid embarrassment and to avoid incurring additional expenses to notify the Ministry of Health to see if you can get approval.”

Attempts by The Tribune to contact the event’s promoter were unsuccessful yesterday.

However, the event organiser addressed the issue on social media over the weekend, suggesting that although advertisements were being circulated for the concert to take place in March, it could happen at a later date when events are approved “at some point”.

“Listen.. It’s simple. We would appreciate if you guys share the flyer. Keep the negativity to y’all selves.

At some point events will happen. We’re just hoping it’s this time, however, we request that you save the date. We didn’t give a ticket price for a reason.”

The organiser also responded to a post stating Dr Darville was unaware of the concert scheduled to take place “next month”.

“This is really how you figure out the enemies. . .That thing only (the flyer) have March 19th. . We know it’s a possibility that The Bahamas is one year behind. Who even told y’all that was next month? Y’all really fast (sic),” the organiser said.

To advertise in The Tribune, contact 502-2394

search warrant. Once inside the home, they discovered a locked door with the suspect inside who resisted officers’ request to enter.

After officers forced their way into Rolle’s bedroom, a search uncovered one and a quarter ounces of Indian hemp in a ziplock bag in a dresser as well as $43, suspected to be the proceeds of drug sales. Both items were seized by the police and the suspect was arrested, later admitting to his offence. In

court, Rolle pleaded guilty to the charges against him.

As the accused had no prior antecedents and due to the relatively small amount of drugs found in his possession, the magistrate granted Rolle a conditional discharge of six months’ probation.

If Rolle commits any offence in that time he will be fined $500 or spend three months in prison.

Another man, Glenroy Oliver, 56, of Windsor

Place, was also charged with possession of dangerous drugs with intent to supply.

On November 22, 2021 he was arrested by police after allegedly being found in possession of 5 lbs of Indian hemp.

In court, Oliver pleaded not guilty to the charges against him.

The magistrate set his bail at $3,500 with one surety.

His case was adjourned to April 11.

PAGE 8, Tuesday, February 22, 2022

THE TRIBUNE

A job offer we can be thankful wasn’t declined Face to Face

HE HELD on to a letter from the Bahamas Government for nearly three weeks before responding. His response would ultimately change the course of his life forever. The young, bright attorney was headed to the country to do circuit court By FELICITY DARVILLE in Montego Bay, Jamaica when he got the invitation extradition cases between to work for the Bahamas the United States and Government.

Jamaica.

Murrio Ducille was His talent did not go facing a bright future. He unnoticed. By 1978, he graduated with honours was attached to the United and a Bachelor of Law Nations legal offices, workdegree from the University ing in the Treaty Section of the West Indies in Cave and the Law of the Sea SecHill, Barbados. He went retariat. But the Jamaica on to gain his Certificate Government needed his in Legal Education from expertise and in 1982, he the Norman was called Manley to serve ‘I would say to kids Law School as Deputy in Mona, – be disciplined in Director of Jamaica. whatever you do.

Public ProsHe had ecutions in also earned Engage in extraa United curricular activities. Kingston Jamaica.

Nations Cer- Don’t only think Two years tificate in the International about the books. Be later, letter Law. quite well-rounded. offer from ofa Straight Do whatever you neighbouring out of law country came school in can to enhance in. The Baha1975, he your career path. mas was still worked as Play chess, play newly-indea Clerk in pendent and the Magis- sports - that’s all a was recruittrate’s Court part of it… being ing expertise in Portland, well rounded, and from the Jamaica, region in areas in charge being disciplined.’ such as law of criminal prosecutions. He was also enforcement and education.

“At first when I came to a Trustee in bankruptcy and an administrator for all The Bahamas, I came to be civil litigation in the Parish interviewed for a position of Portland. He went on to as a Magistrate,” Mr Duciserve as Crown Counsel in lle recalls.

“But with my type of the office of the Director of Public Prosecutions in background, the CommisKingston, Jamaica. There, sion felt I would be better he represented the State in suited as a Prosecutor in the the Court of Appeal. He Office of the Attorney Genwas also responsible for eral. I enjoyed the sojourn preparing and presenting and I enjoyed doing some

very good cases in the AG’s office.”

A number of those cases stood out in his mind as he recalled that sojourn.

Among them, the case of the rape and murder of 19-year-old Sherise Small.

Dwight Henfield, a police officer at the time, Garnet Jones and Dereck Rolle were accused of the deadly assault, and then dumping her body in the Sea Breeze canal. The year was 1987.

Mr Ducille prosecuted. The trio received the death penalty at the time but since then, the Privy Council’s ruling that struck down death sentences led to many convicts receiving a life sentence instead.

Mr Ducille worked as a Chief Prosecutor in the Office of the Attorney General until 1993. He was called to serve as Director of Public Prosecutions in Dominica. He went on to serve as a Chief Magistrate in Antigua and Barbuda, where he remained until 1997.

He returned to the shores of The Bahamas in 1997 to set up a private practice, Murrio Ducille & Co in the Bayparl Building on Parliament Street. He still leads the firm as principal and senior counsel today. Many bright legal minds have flourished under his wing.

Among them is Krysta Mason-Smith, senior associate. She has been referred to as “little pitbull” in court and even “mini Ducille”

MURRIO DUCILLE QC, above, and pictured speaking to the media, right. in homage to her mentor. She is always determined to ensure that no matter the end result, the interests of her clients are not ignored.

Today, she applauds Mr Ducille as he is set to be officially appointed as Queen’s Counsel during this week’s Call to the Bar at the Supreme Court on February 24.

“There is no dispute that Mr Ducille is well known for his continuous development of our jurisprudence,” Mason-Smith said.

“His work has and continues to shape the laws of our land. Described as a man for all manner of people; genuine, stern but caring; brilliant and a force to be reckoned with by those under his employ, I am directed to express their love, excitement and heartfelt congratulations to him for obtaining this title which they respectfully state is long overdue.”

In addition to his law practice Mr Ducille is the President of the Criminal Bar Association, which is a committee of the Bahamas Bar Association.

He is also known as Justice Ducille. He is currently a Justice in the Court of Appeal in Belize – a position he has held since 2015.

This court sits three times a year in March, June and October. Presently, each session lasts three weeks with the first two weeks dedicated primarily to hearing criminal appeals. A panel of three judges presides at any one time upon the hearing of any civil or criminal matter. Justice Ducille currently sits with other judges including: Justice Samuel Awich and Justice Minnet Hafiz, President of the Court of Appeal and a native of Belize.

Mr Ducille has represented both his country of birth, Jamaica and his home country, The Bahamas internationally. He has been the main facilitator at numerous conferences and workshops in the region and in the United States.

These events, often sponsored by the University of the West indies in collaboration with the United Nations International Drug Control Programme, served police and prosecutors in carrying out their duties. He also facilitated workshops for US/AID and the Inter-American Development Bank, as well as the Commonwealth Secretariat.

He has served the Bahamian legal community and the community at large as a lecturer at the College

of the Bahamas, now the University of the Bahamas from 1984 to 1992.

For young people with aspirations of being a lawyer and even becoming a judge, Mr Ducille’s path is an inspiration and one to follow. He was born in Spanish Town, Jamaica, where his parents raised him along with his two brothers and his sister. He attended St Catherine’s Primary School.

While in primary school, we had a trip to visit the Supreme Court,” he shared.

The courtroom that I went into, I saw the judge, and the prosecutor, and I was impressed by what I saw. It helped to shape my path from a very young age.

It so happened that later in life I would become a prosecutor in that very same court.”

The young Murrio showed prowess in education, and effortlessly passed his national examinations.

He ended up enrolling in the Jamaica Combined Cadet Force, which was a paramilitary academy.

There, he learned to fly at an early age, and earned his Private Pilot’s Licence while he was still in high school. The students had access to a Cessna 150, which he enjoyed flying immensely. Even as a young prosecutor, Mr Ducille would still find time to make his way to the airfield and see Jamaica from the sky.

In addition to being an Army and Air Cadet, Mr Ducille enjoyed track and field and cricket, and he learned to speak Spanish.

His path as an attorney began with a Jamaica Government High School Scholarship. He went on to earn a Jamaica Government Law Scholarship, followed by a United Nations/Unitar International Law Fellowship.

“I would say to kids – be disciplined in whatever you do,” he advised, adding his paramilitary training

helped him in that regard.

“Engage in extra-curricular activities. Don’t only think about the books.

Be quite well-rounded.

Do whatever you can to enhance your career path.

Play chess, play sports that’s all a part of it… being well rounded, and being disciplined.”

His title as Queen’s Counsel comes after a lengthy career, contributing to the region and The Bahamas, where he was called to the Bar in 1984. The title of Queen’s Counsel is bestowed upon counsel and attorneys who have made valuable and outstanding contributions to the legal system.

Queen’s Counsel - during the reign of a queen, or King’s Counsel - during the reign of a king, is a lawyer who is a senior counsel in court cases. Technically, they are appointed by the monarch of the country to be one of ‘Her Majesty’s Counsel learned in the law’.

The position originated in England. A Queen’s Counsel (“QC”) or Silk or KC, is a highly respected role within the profession as it entitles those awarded the title to charge higher fees to clients and work on more specialist cases. Once bestowed such a title a QC is now considered a member of the inner Bar and their ceremonial dress inclusive of wig, silk robe and special collars, can be differentiated from attorneys who practice at the outer Bar. QC’s also have the privilege of sitting at the inner bench tables in a court room when presenting, and they are expected to be accompanied by junior counsel at all times during court appearances.

“As Queen’s Counsel I don’t think my life will change much,” Mr Ducille said.

“I will just continue to do what I was always doing - getting up early, going to the office do what I have to do… serving my clients the best way I know how.”

THE TRIBUNE

Tuesday, February 22, 2022, PAGE 9

HUNGARY AND POLAND AT ODDS WITH EU A

THE FUNERAL service for Sir Godfrey Kelly in Christ Church Cathedral on Friday.

A man for all seasons D

ESPITE the sadness of the occasion, how inspiring it was to be present at the funeral service for Sir Godfrey Kelly in Christ Church Cathedral on Friday. A large congregation remembered and paid solemn tribute to a great Bahamian who had touched the lives of so many of his compatriots over the period of his own long life and who will be so widely missed.

The service was attended by the Governor General, the Chief Justice, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, the Leader of the Opposition and three former Prime Ministers together with his extended family and a host of friends and colleagues – all observing coronavirus social distancing rules in a packed Cathedral.

So much has been written this past week about the life and times of Sir Godfrey that there is no need to repeat once again the full list of his impressive accomplishments which are well known.

But what does bear reiterating, I think, is the extraordinary breadth of his interests and activities and the diversity of his achievements and contribution to the success of his country -- including its commercial development and the wellbeing of his fellow citizens, not least as Minister of Education. The evidence is well documented of his

commitment to helping others, not just in his capacity as a politician but in so many other ways as well, including his involvement in charity.

He excelled in so many different fields during his long and productive life. He was a scholar and renowned lawyer with a brilliant probing mind, a politician and statesman, a four-time Olympian representing The Bahamas in sailing, a philanthropist, a mentor, adviser and friend to many and a loving family man. We learnt at his service – if I heard correctly – that his mantra was to “gather and scatter”.

How well he obviously succeeded in doing just that as a legendary person of such vast accomplishment and

with his customary gentlemanly demeanour.

On a personal note, it was interesting to learn stories of his famous travels around Europe in his student days with a group of friends of whom only Hubert Hauck now survives. Godfrey conscientiously kept a diary of their derring-do as impecunious students.

A few years ago he allowed me to read his daily notations which are now a precious document for the families of those close and faithful friends to preserve.

They make a splendidly enjoyable read!

Over the past week, there have been reports and letters in the local press about the supposed lack of public recognition of Godfrey Kelly’s massive contribution to his country and his place in Bahamian history. So I have taken an opportunity to re-read that interesting book entitled “A Modern Perspective of The UBP” by award-winning journalist Fred Sturrup which was published in 2008.

In it, the author states clearly and unequivocally that the purpose of his book was “primarily to balance the political history in the Commonwealth of The Bahamas. For the benefit of a nation and generations to come it is imperative that our history is accurately recorded. The United Bahamian Party had its failings but there was much that was good about its

Warning of the worst conflict in Europe since 1945

A

s the danger of a Russian invasion of Ukraine increases by the day, the situation has become so serious that it is hard to ignore the latest developments even at the cost of repetition after writing about the issue in last week’s column. It seems that President Biden is alone in saying he is convinced that Russian leader Vladimir Putin has already made up his mind to invade. But, while uncertainty persists in the worsening crisis and the warnings to Putin of a strong NATO reaction are becoming starker, how interesting and fortuitous it is that in the midst of it all the annual Munich Security Conference should have taken place from 18 to 20 February. Not since the Cold War has this conference been convened in such dire circumstances at a time of heightened risk, with international relations in a more complex and dangerous state than ever.

Founded in 1963, the Munich Security Conference has for the past five decades become the world’s leading forum for discussion of international security policy – and it is claimed to have made a major contribution over the years to global dialogue on the issue. In February each year, it brings together senior decision-makers from around the world and is an important venue for policy-makers, experts and transAtlantic leaders to participate in tackling the most pressing security problems of the day. This year it is being held against a backdrop of an ongoing pandemic and increasingly sophisticated cyberattacks as well as the hideous tensions over Ukraine.

In a stellar line-up last week, the Munich conference was attended by more than thirty heads of state or government and top representatives of international organisations like the UN and NATO secretaries-general. But one notable absentee was the Russian Foreign Minister, Sergey Lavrov, who declined to come.

The US delegation was led by Vice President Harris. She was accompanied by a notably large number of bipartisan members of the US Congress who, reportedly, were speaking with one voice about the US’s commitment to support its allies in respecting the territorial integrity of countries and rejecting any notion that existing borders should be allowed to be changed by force. So the determination of the US and its allies to uphold international rules

and norms is clear, with the Vice President in her keynote speech giving an assurance that the US would stand together with its NATO allies, thus demonstrating strength and unity in face of Russian aggression over Ukraine.

As a fellow countryman, I admit to vicarious pleasure in watching the powerful and inspiring address at the Munich conference over the weekend by British Prime Minister Boris Johnson. It was a bravura performance on the world stage by a political leader who is, of course, beset currently by domestic political problems.

He spoke tellingly about the need for collective security and unity of purpose by Western leaders to stand up for freedom and democracy in the world and not allow aggression to pay. Ukraine’s sovereignty and independence should not be allowed to be imperilled and it must be defended.

Mr Johnson went on to say that, even if attacked, this nation of more than 40 million could not be subjugated for ever -- except perhaps in the east of the country where Russian-backed rebels already held sway over large areas. Britain was in this for the long haul, he added, as a part of NATO which had an obligation to protect its member states but was a peaceful and defensive alliance from which Russia had nothing to fear. But, ironically, its aggressive actions had put NATO on high alert with increased numbers of troops and armaments in the region, and presumably this was an outcome Putin was trying to avoid. He therefore urged the Russian leader to focus on the likely huge loss of life on both sides – including those of young Russian soldiers -- as a result of an invasion which would be fiercely opposed.

He should de-escalate the crisis by pulling back his forces and pursuing a peaceful diplomatic solution while that was still possible even at such a late hour. Pretexts to justify an invasion like setting off a series of explosions and evacuating those in the east of the country because of a threatened NATO attack were ludicrous.

Meanwhile, British Foreign Secretary, Liz Truss, has warned separately that, if Putin gets away with attacking Ukraine, there is a danger that he will then go after the Baltic states of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania. But, at the time of writing, there is hopeful news of a possible Biden/Putin summit meeting to address the crisis.

SIR Godfrey Kelly

governance”. He concludes that the UBP “engineered great prosperity in the land” and “ushered in a powerful tourist thrust that became a landmark industry in the country and in the region” and that today’s economic stability of the country arose largely from that.

I found this book revealing and fascinating. It seems to reinforce indirectly the importance and effectiveness of the enlightened work of people like Sir Godfrey Kelly at a time when the country was still socially divided. Many surely owe him a considerable debt. He was clearly an exceptional man of great distinction and achievement – truly “A Man for All Seasons.”

significant development last week which could affect the long-term future of the European Union has received little international media attention. This was a ruling by the European Court of Justice against Hungary and Poland who had challenged an EU law that makes funding from Brussels to EU member states conditional on the maintenance of democratic standards. The ECJ determined that complying with the rule of law was a condition of enjoying membership of the EU and that funding could be slashed to countries which flouted the required standards.

Reportedly, both Hungary and Poland have been accused by the EU of breaches of the rule of law in their countries while backsliding on democratic standards in recent years and failing to meet the values they signed up to when they acceded to EU membership.

Specifically, both have faced criticism over allegations of eroding judicial and media independence.

They have been investigated for undermining the independence of the courts and media – with Poland being ordered to shut down a “disciplinary chamber” for judges and Hungary also being accused of curbing the rights of minorities.

These issues have become a running sore between Brussels and both Hungary and Poland who see the EU’s actions as unwarranted interference; as Hungary claims, too, that the bloc is seeking to influence the left-wing in

the country’s upcoming elections.

Poland has been under fire from the EU after its Constitutional Tribunal ruled last year that some parts of the EU Treaties and elements of EU law were incompatible with the Polish constitution and that they were subordinate to it.

This is, of course, serious because it challenges one of the key principles of European integration -- the supremacy of EU law which overrides national legislation throughout the 27-member bloc.

The dispute seems to go to the heart of EU values and the extent to which member states can be forced to follow them and obey EU law while still protecting their sovereignty and capacity for independent policymaking consistent with their membership of the bloc. Poland’s deputy justice minister is quoted as saying that the ECJ decision is “blackmail aimed to deprive us of our right to self-determination” – and that “this is the end of the EU as we know it.

We must protect Polish sovereignty”.

The issue of the primacy of EU laws over its member states’ domestic statutes remains controversial. But rules agreed in Brussels are applied equally across the bloc and it will be interesting to watch how this challenge to a core principle develops. Some say it could even lead to both countries withdrawing from the EU – and that would be a severe blow to the bloc’s policy of continuing progress to “an ever closer union among the peoples of Europe”.

PAGE 10, Tuesday, February 22, 2022

REMAINING COVID LIMITS SCRAPPED IN ENGLAND

BRITISH Prime Minister Boris Johnson is scrapping the last domestic coronavirus restrictions in England, including the requirement for people with COVID-19 to self-isolate, even as he acknowledged Monday the potential for new and more deadly variants of the virus.

Johnson told lawmakers in the House of Commons the country was “moving from government restrictions to personal responsibility” as part of a plan for treating COVID19 like other transmissible illnesses such as flu.

He said it marked an end to “two of the darkest, grimmest years in our peacetime history”.

“Today is not the day we can declare victory over COVID, because this virus is not going away,” Johnson said at a televised news conference. “But it is the day when all the efforts of the last two years finally enabled us to protect ourselves whilst restoring our liberties in full.”

Johnson confirmed that mandatory self-isolation for people with COVID-19 will end starting on Thursday and the routine tracing of infected people’s contacts will stop. People will still be advised to stay home if they are sick — but will no longer get extra financial support.

THE TRIBUNE

War fears grow as Putin orders troops into Ukraine MOSCOW Associated Press A LONG-FEARED Russian invasion of Ukraine appeared to be imminent yesterday, if not already underway, with Russian President Vladimir Putin ordering forces into separatist regions of eastern Ukraine.

A vaguely worded decree signed

by Putin did not say if troops were on the move, and it cast the order as an effort to “maintain peace”.

But it appeared to dash the slim remaining hopes of averting a major conflict in Europe that could cause massive casualties, energy shortages on the continent and economic chaos around the globe.

Putin’s directive came hours after he recognised the separatist areas in a rambling, fact-bending discourse on European history. The move paved the way to provide them military support, antagonizing Western leaders who regard such a move as a breach of world order, and set off a frenzied scramble by the US and others to respond.

Underscoring the urgency, the UN Security Council set a rare nighttime emergency meeting on Monday at the request of Ukraine, the US and other countries.

Ukraine’s president, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, sought to project calm, telling the country: “We are not afraid of anyone or anything. We don’t owe anyone anything. And we won’t give anything to anyone.”

The White House issued an executive order to prohibit US investment and trade in the

RUSSIAN President Vladimir Putin speaks during a Security Council meeting in the Kremlin in Moscow, Russia, yesterday. separatist regions, and additional an existential threat to Russia. measures — likely sanctions — Sweeping through more than a cenwere to be announced today. tury of history, he painted today’s Those sanctions are independent Ukraine as a modern construct that of what Washington has prepared is inextricably linked to Russia. He in the event of a Russian invasion, charged that Ukraine had inherited according to a senior administra- Russia’s historic lands and after tion official who briefed reporters the Soviet collapse was used by the on the condition of anonymity. The West to contain Russia. developments came amid a spike “I consider it necessary to take a in skirmishes in the eastern regions long-overdue decision: To immedithat Western powers believe Russia ately recognise the independence could use as a pretext for an attack and sovereignty of Donetsk Peoon the western-looking democracy ple’s Republic and Luhansk that has defied Moscow’s attempts People’s Republic,” Putin said. to pull it back into its orbit.

Afterward he signed decrees recPutin justified his decision in a ognising the Donetsk and Luhansk far-reaching, pre-recorded speech regions’ independence, eight years blaming NATO for the current after fighting erupted between crisis and calling the US-led alliance Russia-backed separatists and

Ukrainian forces, and called on lawmakers to approve measures paving the way for military support.

Until now, Ukraine and the West have accused Russia of supporting the separatists, but Moscow has denied that, saying that Russians who fought there were volunteers.

At an earlier meeting of Putin’s Security Council, a stream of top officials argued for recognizing the regions’ independence. At one point, one slipped up and said he favored including them as part of Russian territory — but Putin quickly corrected him.

Recognising the separatist regions’ independence is likely to be popular in Russia, where many share Putin’s worldview. Russian state media released images of people in Donetsk launching fireworks, waving large Russian flags and playing Russia’s national anthem.

Ukrainians in Kyiv, meanwhile, bristled at the move.

“Why should Russia recognise (the rebel-held regions)? If neighbors come to you and say, ‘This room will be ours,’ would you care about their opinion or not?

It’s your flat, and it will be always your flat,” said Maria Levchyshchyna, a 48-year-old painter in the Ukrainian capital. “Let them recognise whatever they want. But in my view, it can also provoke a war, because normal people will fight for their country.”

With an estimated 150,000 Russian troops massed on three sides of Ukraine, the US has warned that Moscow has already decided to invade.

GOLD MINE SITE BLAST KILLS 59 OUAGADOUGOU, Burkina Faso Associated Press

Service of Thanksgiving for LEADER ELIZA JANE JOHNSON, 93 a resident of Charles Vincent Street & Homestead Avenue & formerly of Chester’s Bay, Acklins, will be held at St. John’s Native Baptist Cathedral, Meeting Street, on Thursday, February 24, 2022 at 10:00 a.m. Officiating will be Rev. Dr. Richard Hanna, assisted by Rev. Wellington Collie & Rev. C. B. Moss. Interment follows in St. James Native Baptist Church Cemetery, St. James Road.

Left to cherish her memories are, Daughters: Nurse Charlotte Johnson, Corene Curry, Sandra Johnson, Woman Reserve Inspector Eleanor Johnson and Dorinda Hanna; Sons: Dr. Eldon Johnson, J.P. and Glen Johnson; Son-In-Law: Vernal Johnson; Daughter-In-Law: Dr. Lydia Johnson, J.P.; Grand Children & their Spouses: Pandora Brown, & (Steve McCray) of Miramar, Fla., Yvette & (Clarence) Williams, Jarvis & (Olivia) Deleveaux, Kenrick Curry, Demitri, Jacquia, Lydera, Lakeisha, Antonio, Glenderia, Kimanie, Ryan Johnson & Jeremy Pople, Lisa & (Barron) Musgrove; Great Grand Children: Anfernee, LeBron, Clarence Jr., Victoria Williams, Jervin, Jada and Jayden Deleveaux, Robert Gomez, Tatiana Musgrove, Trae’ Smith, Randolph Newry, Baron Musgrove Jr., Tabori Dean Jr., Tristan Dean and Dami Curry; Travaeh Ferguson; Brothers-In-Law: Bishop Sherwin Smith, Ret. Sgt. Evans Moss J.P.; Sisters-InLaw: Icilda Moss, Sis. Dorothy Smith, Louise Bowleg, and Janet Daley; Nieces and Nephews: Natalie, Jarvis, Alvida Daley (Coco Beach, Florida), Melvern Smith, Genevieve Collie, Karen and James Knowles, Bernard & Francis Collie, Admiral & Cara Collie, Janet & Stanley Deveaux, Tracy Charlow, Monique, Tanya, Pheron & Suzette and Dino Moss, Eugene Collie, Ricardo & Williamae Smith, Floyd & Marilyn Smith, Winnifred & David Longley, Vandette Smith, Shanricka & Clyde Rolle, Dedrick Smith, Brucelee and Ronald Darling, Katrin, Dellerese, Rosie Darling, Ruthlyn Hall, Beltina & Simeon Anderson, Delores and Carl Stubbs, Glen & Gwendolyn Sands, Joseph Butler, Jennifer Johnson, Michael Darling, Jeffery Daley, Pedro Collie, Andrew Russell, Francio Collie, Jacquelin Rose, Cynthia, Valarie, Christine, Joe Johnson, Nurse Fredamae Mills, Maxwell, Vernice, Veronica, Dellerese Johnson, and Iveraine Cooper.

Cousins: Amos Johnson, Rev Daniel and Beverly Beneby & family, Wendal Deveaux & Family; Althea Moss & Beryl Ferguson & Family; Celcia Perotti & Family; Admiral Ferguson Jr. Fredrick, Katurah Ferguson, Valderine Gardiner, Min. Jacqueline Frazer, Bishop Nelson & Juliamae Johnson, Dudley, Leona, Maureen, Reno & Parmala Taylor, Roberta Deveaux and Doretha Smith, Betty & Val Daley, the family of the late Eneas Deveaux, Coco, Fl., Brenda Virgil, Alvita Black, Bell, Jackie, Adrian, George Jr., and Jason Collie and Family, Rev. Newton Williamson & Family, Goldie Miller & Family, Florie Bain & Family, David and Ivis Moss, Vermal & Verelmae Black and the entire Moss and Black Family, Loreen Burg, Linsay and Leslie Williamson and Family, Errol Johnson and Family (Lowe Sound Andros). God Children: Rev. C.B. Moss; Attorney-At-Law Obie Ferguson; Prince Jr. Johnson, Rev. Claudimae Hepburn and Beverly Collie. Other Relatives and friends: Myrtle Deveaux and Family, Sylvannus Curry, Beckley Williamson, Jackie, Leonette Ferguson, the Zonicles, The Chisholm’s, The Collie’s, Cox’s, Ferguson’s, Lenard Johnson and Family, Jeffery Deleveaux & Family, Berkley Williamson & Family, Gracey Ferguson and Family, The Hon V. Alfred Gray and Family, The Hon Glenys Hanna-Martin, M.P. for MACAL The Hon. Basil McIntosh, Keith Lockhart & Family, the Family of the late Ivadelle Strachan (deceased), Carmen Jones, The St. John’s Native Baptist Church, Dr. Michael C. Symonette & Family, The Ebenezer Mission Baptist Church and Sister Inez Symonette and Family, Rev. Dr. Richard Hanna and family, Pastor Sylvia Collie, Rev. Julius Chisholm and The Pilgrim Baptist Church Chester’s Bay, Acklins, Jubilee Singers, The Community of Charles Vincent Street, The entire Acklins Community, The Commissioner of Police, Mr. Paul Rolle and the entire Royal Bahamas Police Force, The Marshall Family of Andros, Bahamas Faith Ministries family, Filipino Association of the Bahamas, Christian Boaters Association (CBA) of America, The Bahamas Postal Service, The Permanent Secretary- Luther Smith & Sharon Pratt-Rolle (Ministry of Works & Utilities) The Hon. Alfred Sears, M.P. Ministry of Works & Utilities. A host of other relatives and friends, all of whom we love and appreciate but are far too numerous to mention.

We apologize to any family, relatives and friends, who were not mentioned. We are truly grateful for your support and appreciate all that you have done for us during this time of bereavement.

Friends may pay their last respects at Demeritte’s Funeral Home, Market Street, from 10-5:00 p.m. on Wednesday & at the church from 9:00 a.m. until service time.

A STRONG explosion near a gold mining site in southwestern Burkina Faso killed 59 people and injured more than 100 others yesterday, the national broadcaster and witnesses reported.

The provisional toll was provided by regional authorities following the blast in the village of Gbomblora, RTB reported. The explosion was believed to have been caused by chemicals used to treat gold that were stocked at the site.

“I saw bodies everywhere. It was horrible,” said Sansan Kambou, a forest

ranger who was at the site during the explosion.

The first blast happened around 2pm, with more explosions following as people ran for their lives, he said.

Burkina Faso is the fastest-growing gold producer in Africa and currently the fifth largest on the continent.

SPORTS PAGE 15

Sailing, Page 17

TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 22, 2022

Junior national team off to great start in pre-qualifier

By BRENT STUBBS Senior Sports Reporter bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

T

he Bahamas Lawn Tennis Association’s junior national team got off to a great start on day one of the North Central American and Caribbean PreQualifying World Junior Tennis Tournament yesterday in Santa Tecla, El Salvador.

While a boys and girls team is representing the country in the week-long event, only the boys were in action in the under-14 tournament that is played with two singles and a doubles match to determine the winner.

The boys’ team, coached by Bradley Bain, pulled off a 3-0 decision over Honduras in their opening match. They are the top seeded team in Group C, but fourth overall behind the Dominican Republic, El Salvador and Guatemala.

In their matches, William McCartney got past Julio Gom 6-1, 6-4 in a match that lasted one hour and 20 minutes. The other singles saw Jackson Mactaggart going 1:25 before he prevailed with a 7-6 (6), 7-0 win over Adrian Mateo Bustamante. And in the doubles competition, Mactaggart teamed up with Jerald Carrol for a 6-2, 6-1 win over Gom and Eduardo Matute in 57 minutes.

“It was a good start,” Bain said.

“William McCartney played well in the first set, but struggled a little bit in the middle of the second set, but was able to close it

GO TEAM BAHAMAS: Coaches Bradley Bain and Paula Whitfield with boys’ team members - Jerald Carroll, William McCartney and Jackson Mactaggart - and girls’ team of Rachel Thompdon, Sarai Clarke and Breann Ferguson. out. Jackson Mactaggart, our top player, played a tight match. He was down 5-3, but came back and tied it and forced a tie breaker. He had a pretty good finish and in the second set, he stuck to the plan and just rolled out his opponent.”

As for the doubles, the Bahamian team took control of the match at the net and made it look so easy.

The team will be off today, but will return to the court on Wednesday to face Barbados, who will take on Honduras today.

“I like our chances,” Bain said. “I always like our chances against the Caribbean team, always because I find the Central

American countries and the Spanish-speaking countries in the Caribbean are pretty tough. They always have good programmes.”

As the fourth seeds in the tournament, Bain said the least he expects the team to reach is the quarterfinals.

“With the group of boys I have, if they play up to their potential, we should have an opportunity to get to the final, but it’s not going to be easy,” he said.

Meanwhile, the girls’ team had the day off yesterday and will begin competition today when they take on Costa Rica, who blanked Honduras 3-0 in their initial match yesterday.

The Bahamas team, coached

by Paula Whitfield, consists of Rachel Thompson, Sarai Clarke and Breann Ferguson. They are also playing out of Group C as the No.2 seeds behind Costa Rica.

BLTA president Perry Newton has high expectations for the team this week.

“Both the boys and girls teams are talented with a mix of first time players representing on the national level as well as a few players that have represented the country,” Newton said. “I am especially excited for the new players as COVID-19 has stolen two years of international representation from them. We

anticipate a very strong showing from both teams.”

Newton said the boys’ team set the tone for the tournament with their sweep over Honduras and he’s looking forward to similar results tomorrow as the girls take the court.

“It’s my prayer that the team will stay focused, play hard, have some fun and return home safely and advance to the next event,” Newton summed up.

The winner of the tournament will advance to the next round in Mexico in May where they get a chance to play against the United States, Mexico and Canada for two qualifying spots to play in the World Championships for Under14s in Europe.

“We have yet to get a team to go that far, but this team has the potential to do it,” Bain said.

“These players have a lot of experience. Jackson Mactaggart has played all over the world and William McCartney and Jerald Carrol are now training in the US, so they are getting lots of match play. So if they play up to their potential, we have the opportunity to go very deep into this tournament,” It’s the first national team that the BLTA has sent off so far this year.

The BLTA is now preparing for the ladies and men’s teams to compete in the Billie Jean King Fed Cup and the Davis Cup competition. The dates and venues have not yet been released, nor the final selection for Team Bahamas.

NCAA Division I Baseball: Daunte Stuart delivers go ahead RBI

By RENALDO DORSETT Tribune Sports Reporter rdorsett@tribunemedia.net THE NCAA Division I baseball season is officially underway and All-Southland Conference selection Daunte Stuart got off to a promising start on opening weekend.

Stuart and his Northwestern State Demons emerged with a 2-1 series win over the Stephen F Austin Lumberjacks and thanks to his late game heroics in the series finale.

Stuart delivered the go ahead RBI double in the eighth inning of the Demons’ 5-4 win over the Lumberjacks Sunday at Brown-Stroud Field in Natchitoches, Louisiana.

The preseason All-Southland Conference first team selection finished 3-5 with two RBI. “The guy was a really good pitcher so I was just doing the best I could to stay in the at bat. The stolen base just kind of happened on its own. I was just trying to stay in there, battle, and

see what I could do to score a run because I knew we needed it,” Stuart said.

“I was just looking for a fastball there and do my best to adjust. He had some really good stuff, I knew I couldn’t make any mistakes while he was up there.”

The Lumberjacks took the series opener 7-3 on Friday before the Demons rebounded with a 6-2 win on Saturday and the win in the series finale.

For the second straight year and the third time since 2019, the Demons were in

DAUNTE Stuart the “receiving votes” category of Collegiate Baseball

magazine’s Fabulous 50 preseason poll.

Stuart is one of 22 lettermen set to return to the Demons’ roster this season and was named a preseason All-Southland Conference first team selection.

Stuart, a 5’11, 180-pound infielder, played last season predominantly at second base and was named a Freshman All-American by Collegiate Baseball magazine. He became the first position player in school history to win the award.He was also previously named

to the Southland Conference second team when the league announced its annual awards.

Stuart was the Demons leader in batting average (.278), doubles (13), home runs (7), RBIs (30) and total bases (84). He drew more walks than any other player in the Southland Conference and ranked 16th in the nation with 44.

His walk total ranks sixth in school single-season history, one away from moving him into a three-way tie for fourth place.

Coach Yo and Ole Miss Rebels win second straight game

By RENALDO DORSETT Tribune Sports Reporter rdorsett@tribunemedia.net YOLETT McPheeMcCuin’s Ole Miss Rebels will conclude a busy regular season schedule with three games over the course of the next seven days.

The final week includes home matchups against Arkansas and a rematch with No. 1 South Carolina.

The Rebels won their second consecutive game with a 74-54 win over the Vanderbilt Commodores on Sunday at Memorial Gymnasium in Nashville, Tennessee.

Ole Miss improved to 20-6, 8-5 in the Southeastern Conference. With the win, the Rebels won on the road in Nashville for the first time since 1987 and earned their first 20-win season since 2007.

McPhee-McCuin earned the 50th win of her Ole Miss tenure on February 17 when she completed a season sweep over the Texas A and M Aggies with a 74-54 win.

“This is why I came here.

And I told my team just a couple of days ago, I said, ‘I want to win a national championship at Ole Miss.’

MCPHEE-McCuin But we can’t skip steps,” McPhee-McCuin said.

“Fifty wins. Wow. It’s been a long journey. It’s been tough. There have been trying times where I felt like maybe I wasn’t the one for the job. There have been highs and there’ve been lows. And I’m just thankful for people like Maddie [Madison Scott], [Lashonda] Monk, Kira (Shakira Austin) … all my coaches for believing in my vision.”

The win over the Aggies ended a losing streak which included losses to No.15 LSU and Mississippi State.

“No doubt. Absolutely (we needed that game to get back on track). The last few games haven’t felt good.

It didn’t feel like our kind of team, and we wanted to get back to that,” McPheeMcCuin said.

“I think one (team) that doesn’t know who they are, they’re like a leaf in the wind. And a leaf in the wind, you can end up on a sandy beach, or you can end up on the lip of a volcano.

So, you have to know who you are. And we’re a defensive team.”

McPhee-McCuin joined the Rebels in 2018 with expectations to rebuild a programme that struggled in recent years and was in the cellar of the SEC. In her first year at the helm the team finished 9-22, 3-13 in conference play and the season concluded with a first round loss in the SEC Tournament.

In year two, The Rebels finished the season at 7-23 and suffered another opening round loss in the tournament. Last year, the Rebels finished the season 15-12, for their first winning season since 2016-17. After an 11-11 regular season, 4-10 in the SEC, they

advanced to the first SEC Quarterfinal since 2004.

Their résumé included three wins against ranked

teams and four Top-50 NET wins. They eventually fell to Rice in the WNIT title game. Ole Miss recently

signed McPhee-McCuin to a new four-year contract extension that runs through 2025.

PAGE 16, Tuesday, February 22, 2022

THE TRIBUNE

When the All-Star break ends, the NBA’s stretch run begins

By BRIAN MAHONEY AP Basketball Writer CLEVELAND (AP) — When the All-Star break ends, the stretch run begins.

There isn’t much time left in the NBA season. The All-Star weekend came at about the 60-game mark for teams, far beyond the midpoint of the 82-game schedule. It’s a sprint to the finish now, and the Brooklyn Nets and Los Angeles Lakers have to prove they have the legs to make a run.

The Nets could have Kevin Durant and Ben Simmons on the floor soon to spark a surge. But the Lakers might be without Anthony Davis for more than a month because of a foot injury, putting a heavy burden on LeBron James.

Injured and inconsistent, neither team is a sure thing to even make the postseason. Both have performed far below expectations, with the Lakers only 27-31.

But poor play in the winter is quickly forgotten if a team warms up come springtime, just as the Milwaukee Bucks did last year.

“As a team, we started playing good basketball towards the end,” Giannis Antetokounmpo said.

“Maybe we can do it again.

Who knows? We’re in a good place. We have a hell of a team.”

The Bucks are actually only in fifth place, but that means little in the tightly packed Eastern Conference. Miami and Chicago are tied at the top, surprising Cleveland and Philadelphia are 2 1/2 games back and Milwaukee is just percentage points behind them.

There’s more separation out West, where Phoenix has pulled away to a 6 1/2game lead over Golden State by winning seven straight to run its record to 48-10.

Even those teams have concerns, with Phoenix bracing for a lengthy absence for Chris Paul and

BUCKS forward Giannis Antetokounmpo (34) guards Lakers forward Anthony Davis (3) in the first half on February 8 in Los Angeles.

(AP Photo/John McCoy) Golden State still going without Draymond Green because of a back injury.

The Nets hope their injury issues are almost over. Durant is nearing a return after missing a month with a sprained left knee ligament, though coach Steve Nash said he isn’t expecting the All-Star forward to be ready when they resume their season Thursday against Boston.

Injuries are a part of every season, but the usual problems this season were compounded for some teams by the coronavirus. An outbreak within the Nets contributed to them deciding to bring the unvaccinated Kyrie Irving back part time even though he still can’t play in home games. The Atlanta Hawks lost nine of 12 games during one rough stretch in December, having to sign multiple players just to field a team while their regulars were out.

They have been trying to climb out of that hole and are 10th in the East a year after reaching the Eastern Conference finals.

“At one point it was crazy. Like, just going out there and not knowing any of your teammates besides two of them,” All-Star Trae

NETS forward Ben Simmons, left, sits with forward Kevin Durant, right, on the bench during the first half against the New York Knicks in New York.

(AP Photo/John Minchillo) PAUL’S PAIN Young said. “It was difThe All-Star point guard ferent, but like the world might not always, always injured his right thumb in see that and see the strug- the Suns’ final game before gle early on and understand the break and had a soft that’s the reason. So now cast covering it this weekthat we’re here, we’re start- end. He could miss the rest ing to pick things up and of the regular season.

“We have to figure it guys are getting healthy.

It’s going to be good for us out,” fellow All-Star Devin Booker said. “Everybody if we keep it going.”

The play-in helps them. has to give a little bit more.

For the second straight I look at the beauty in it. year, the teams in the Nos. He gets to rest his legs.

7-10 spots will play for He gets to get ready for a the final two postseason long postseason that we’re spots in each conference. trying to make happen.

Right now, both the eighth- So we got to hold it down place Nets and ninth-place without him. We got to Lakers would find them- hold the fort down.”

MVP RACE selves there.

Denver’s Nikola Jokic There’s still time to has a strong case to win a climb, but not much.

Some other things to second straight MVP award and Antetokounmpo could watch down the stretch:

win his third. They both might be chasing 76ers centre Joel Embiid, the league’s leading scorer with 29.6 points per game who gets an All-Star sidekick this week when James Harden debuts after being swapped for Simmons.

“Well, I don’t really want to push for the whole thing, but the way I’ve been playing speaks for itself,” Embiid said, “especially with everything we went through, the drama this whole year, and obviously missing a big piece, and everything we added to our team and the way our team is set up.”

SURPRISES OF THE SEASON All-Star Ja Morant has fuelled Memphis to a 41-19 record and third place in the West, while Cleveland is an unexpected 35-23.

They don’t have any postseason polish, but Green doesn’t think that will hurt the young teams.

“We won a championship my third year,” he said, referring to the Warriors’ 2015 title. “The majority of us were going into that playoffs 15 to 20 playoff games in our career and we were able it win a championship. So I don’t view the inexperience as a problem.”

IN THE EAST Miami made a run to four straight NBA titles from 2011-14 when James was there, but the conference wasn’t nearly as deep as it appears this season.

“It’s compelling in the East right now. If you have real competitors, that’s what you want,” Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said.

“You want to be challenged, you want to be pushed and see how your team stacks up against the other best teams. That’s what it’s all about and there’s some great teams in the East.”

AND IN THE WEST Is it as wide open in the other conference?

“No, we’re going to win it,” Green said. “Seriously.”

NCAA, New Orleans gearing up for a more normal Final Four

By BRETT MARTEL AP Sports Writer NEW ORLEANS (AP) — Expect the NCAA Men’s Final Four to have a more familiar look and feel to it this spring — and not just because it’ll be in New Orleans for a record sixth time.

An anticipated capacity crowd of about 70,000 in the Superdome for the games themselves is just the beginning.

Remember the free, open Friday practices and the college All-Star game?

They’re on again for the first time since the COVID19 pandemic wiped out the 2020 NCAA tournament.

The Fan Fest? It’s slated to be back in the city’s sprawling convention centre along the Mississippi River.

The March Madness Music Festival will be held in a riverside park.

And the National Association of Basketball Coaches convention, which traditionally takes place in conjunction with the NCAA Final Four, remains on track to take place as an in-person event for the first time since 2019.

The whole experience will be “quite dramatically different” from the NCAA Final Four a year ago, when the entire tournament was held in the Indianapolis area amid far more stringent COVID19 restrictions, said Dan Gavitt, the NCAA’s senior vice president of basketball.

Gavitt was in New Orleans yesterday to discuss planning for the 2022 Final Four with local

government and organising committee officials.

Louisiana Gov. John Bel Edwards, New Orleans Mayor Latoya Cantrell were among those who spoke at the meeting, hailing the needed economic boost a more normalised Final Four will provide to tourist-dependent New Orleans on the heels of both the COVID-19 pandemic and Hurricane Ida, which struck last August 29.

“Obviously, this is a huge deal for our economy,” Edwards said, noting that the Final Four not only will come shortly after the resumption of traditional Mardi Gras celebrations, which were largely cancelled in 2021, but shortly before the return of two major music festivals that also were called off during the pandemic — the French Quarter Festival and the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival.

“It’s coming at exactly the right time,” Edwards said.

Cantrell said New Orleans’ relatively high vaccination rate among residents — listed on the city’s website at more than 82% of adults and more than 66% of all residents — also should give Final Four participants and fans confidence in New Orleans’ readiness to host the event.

In Indianapolis, fan attendance was kept below 10,000 for the Final Four.

There was no Fan Fest or open practices, and the NABC convention was a virtual event.

All participants had to go through daily testing last year “because there were

KENTUCKY and Kansas play in the NCAA college basketball Final Four championship game at the Superdome in New Orleans, Monday, April 2, 2012. Expect the NCAA Men’s Final Four to have a more familiar look and feel to it this spring — and not just because it’ll be in New Orleans for a record sixth time. A capacity crowd of about 70,000 in the Superdome for the games themselves is only the beginning.

(AP Photo/David J Phillip) so few ... players, coaches, support staff that were vaccinated or boosted,” Gavitt recalled. “That was just a necessity in order to keep the event safe and make sure we were playing responsibly. “That will not be the case this year because that population is highly vaccinated and boosted,” Gavitt added.

There will still be some testing for teams before they travel to New Orleans and for any participants who develop symptoms.

When the national semifinals are played on April 2, fans will have to provide proof of vaccination or a recent negative test to enter the Superdome — but they might not have to wear masks. Also, there is expected to be rapid

testing available outside the stadium.

Greater New Orleans Sports Foundation President Jay Cicero, who helped lead the New Orleans bid for this year’s Final Four, said local government officials have indicated to him that mask mandates in New Orleans could be dropped by late March, as long as there is not a significant surge in COVID-19 cases after Mardi Gras, which this year is March 1.

Gavitt said that if indoor mask mandates are lifted locally, the NCAA might still require masks just for people working immediately around the court.

“We haven’t settled on that yet, but out of an abundance of caution we

may consider that,” Gavitt said.

The ability to host a relatively standard Final Four is expected to add tens of millions of dollars to the New Orleans-area economy, which not only lost out on business from major cancelled annual festivals in recent years, but also from the cancellation of the 2020 NCAA women’s Final Four.

Cicero said that when the men’s Final Four last took place in New Orleans in 2012, economists estimated it helped spur $168 million in spending in the area and produced more than $13 million in state and regional tax revenues.

A decade later, Cicero said, that number should be considerably higher.

GORAN Dragic (AP)

VETERAN GUARD GORAN DRAGIC TO SIGN WITH BROOKLYN NETS

By BRIAN MAHONEY AP Basketball Writer GORAN Dragic plans to sign with Brooklyn, giving the Nets a veteran boost in the backcourt.

Agent Bill Duffy said yesterday that Dragic was going to Brooklyn, where the Nets need guard help after trading James Harden to Philadelphia.

Ben Simmons, acquired in that deal, isn’t ready to play after sitting out all season, and Kyrie Irving still can’t play in home games because he hasn’t met New York City’s vaccine requirement.

Dragic played in just five games this season in Toronto, where he was traded from Miami in the offseason in the deal for Kyle Lowry. The Raptors dealt him to San Antonio at the trade deadline. Dragic then agreed to a buyout and became a free agent.

His plans to sign with the Nets were first reported by The Athletic.

Dragic was an All-Star in Miami in 2018 and helped the Heat reach the NBA Finals two years later. The native of Slovenia began his NBA career in 2008 in Phoenix as a teammate of current Nets coach Steve Nash.

Dragic has averaged 13.9 points for his career.

GINOBILI HEADS BASKETBALL HALL OF FAME FINALISTS CLEVELAND (AP) — Manu Ginobili, a four-time NBA champion who spent his entire career with the San Antonio Spurs, headlines this year’s group of finalists for induction into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame.

Ginobili was one of 11 finalists announced at a press conference Friday as part of All-Star Weekend events.

Former All-Star players Michael Cooper, Tim Hardaway and Marques Johnson will also be voted on for possible induction along with NBA coach George Karl and WNBA stars Swin Cash and Lindsay Whalen.

West Virginia coach Bob Huggins also is up for induction along with Old Dominion and WNBA coach Marianne Staley, longtime NBA referee Hugh Evans and Texas high school coach Leta Andrews.

The finalists will be voted on by a panel to determine this year’s class of inductees.

The 44-year-old Ginobili retired from the league following the 2017-18 season.

Along with fellow Hall of Fame forward Tim Duncan and guard Tony Parker, the Argentine forward was a key member of the Spurs teams that won titles in 2003, 2005, 2006 and 2014.

He also helped Argentina win an Olympic gold medal in 2004.

The Hall of Fame also announced New York Knicks Hall of Famer Walt Frazier, writer Mechelle Voepel and NBC executive Dick Ebersol are the 2022 Curt Gowdy Media Award recipients.

THE TRIBUNE

Tuesday, February 22, 2022, PAGE 17

DJOKOVIC WINS HIS FIRST MATCH OF 2022 IN DUBAI DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — Novak Djokovic won his first match of the year when he beat Lorenzo Musetti 6-3, 6-3 to open the Dubai Championships yesterday.

Djokovic couldn’t defend his Australian Open title last month because he was deported from the country for being unvaccinated.

The United Arab Emirates allowed him entry, and Djokovic cashed in at a tournament he’s won five times.

Musetti took two sets off Djokovic at the French Open last year but, on a breezy Dubai evening, the Italian wild card couldn’t convert bags of break chances while trailing 3-1 in the first set and 4-2 in the second.

“I have to be satisfied with my tennis, especially after not playing for two and-a-half, three months,” Djokovic said on court. “Of course, there were moments when I played great, there were moments when I made a couple of unforced errors in a row uncharacteristically. But it’s normal to expect that (in my) first match after a while.”

He next faces Karen Khachanov or Alex de Minaur.

Andy Murray won his first match in Dubai since his title run in 2017. He beat Australian qualifier Christopher O’Connell 6-7 (4), 6-3, 7-5 after nearly three hours.

JOHANNES MARITZ, left, of The Royal Nassau Sailing Club, and Dai Major, from Exuma Sailing Club.

Annual KPMG Youth Winter Championship rocks Montagu

CRAIG F Ferguson II, KPMG winner, is presented with his award by KPMG representative Nico Maritz.

THE annual K.P.M.G Youth Winter Championship was hosted

by The Nassau Yacht Club and Bahamas National Sailing School (B.N.S.S.) with sailing in Montagu Bay February 19-20.

Running since 2015, this is one of the major junior events held each year. Fifty sailors from New Providence, Harbour Island, Exuma and Eleuthera, ranging in age from 8 to 17 years old, sailed in fleets of Laser, Sunfish and Optimist boats.

It is an important championship for the Optimist sailors, as the results for the best placed finishers work towards qualification to represent The Bahamas on the national race team at major international events such as the North American and World Championships.

Usually held in February or March each year, this event often

completion of a total of 6 races in the other fleets over the two-day event.

The Optimist Green fleet was closely fought with only two points separating the top three finishers.

Casey Dean of Harbour Island Sailing Club took first place with Skyler Parker from Eleuthera Sailing Academy in second and Amy Dickson of The Royal Nassau Sailing Club in third.

In the 25 strong Optimist Championship fleet, Craig Ferguson of The Bahamas National Sailing School was the triumphant recipient of 1st place with Zane Munroe (Lyford Cay) in second and Norman Cartwright (Nassau Yacht Club) in third.

The Sunfish fleet was won

by Petrus Maritz of The Royal Nassau Sailing Club with Enzo Godoy, also of R.N.S.C, in

presents challenging weather conditions and this year was no exception.

On Saturday there was very little wind, offering an advantage to the smaller, lightweight sailors, but slow and sluggish sailing for the majority.

The Optimist Green Fleet, which comprises the younger and less experienced sailors, managed to complete four races.

The Laser and Sunfish fleets managed two races and the Optimist Championship fleet just one.

In contrast, Sunday brought high winds of around 20 knots, which subsided in the afternoon to a brisk, but more comfortable 15 knots.

The conditions were decided unsuitable for the Green Fleet, who didn’t sail.

The race committee coordinated the other courses giving

second and Vincent Knowles of The Bahamas National Sailing School in third.

With 13 participants, the Laser class winner was Joshua Weech of The Nassau Yacht Club, with Johnny Mindorf of Lyford Cay and Ellie Higgs of The Royal Nassau Sailing Club in second and third respectively.

The top three finishers in each fleet received trophies which were presented by Mr Nico Maritz of K.P.M.G. The Bahamas National Sailing School wishes to extend their appreciation to K.P.M.G for their continued support in sponsoring this popular event, now in its eighth year. Thank you also to the numerous parents and volunteers for their assistance in coordinating the event and to The Nassau Yacht Club for their ongoing hospitality.

Transgender swimmer Thomas ends Ivy meet with 3rd title

By KYLE HIGHTOWER AP Sports Writer CAMBRIDGE, Mass. (AP) — Lia Thomas ended an intense week of scrutiny with a hug.

Seconds after edging Yale’s Iszac Henig to win the 100-meter freestyle title at the Ivy League championships Saturday, Thomas stepped out of the pool and walked to the back of the deck.

After taking a moment to towel off, the transgender swimmer for Penn turned to her right and embraced Henig, a transgender man who swims for Yale’s women’s team.

The matchup was the culmination of strong championship performances by both athletes, who’ve dealt this week with increased media coverage of their personal stories as part of an ongoing national conversation about the rules that govern the participation of transgender athletes in college athletics.

Thomas’ win was a school- and meet-record time of 47.63, and marked her third individual title at the Ivy championships following a dominating season. Henig placed second in 47.82, followed

by Princeton’s Nikki Venema in 48.81 But Thomas’ success this season has prompted some — even purportedly on her own team — to question whether she has an advantage since she was born as a biological male. Thomas has followed NCAA and Ivy League rules since she began her transition in 2019 by starting hormone replacement therapy.

Henig beat Thomas in the 100 freestyle at a meet last month, and was the top qualifier heading into Saturday’s final after winning her heat in the morning preliminaries in a meet-record time of 47.80.

Thomas qualified second.

They were side-by-side in Saturday night’s final, Henig in Lane 4 and Thomas in Lane 5. But Thomas had a faster reaction time at the start to take an early advantage. Henig came back to briefly at the halfway point, but was outtouched by Thomas at the finish.

Neither Thomas nor Henig were available for interviews afterward, but they had lots of support inside the Harvard University Blodgett Pool complex.

Swimmers from multiple schools wore “8 Against

PENNSYLVANIA’s Lia Thomas. (AP) Hate” t-shirts, a conferencewide initiative aimed and

denouncing all forms for hatred and discrimination.

Schuyler Bailar, who swam against Thomas when he competed for Harvard as one of the first openly transgender swimmers in the NCAA, was also in the stands. He said watching both Thomas and Henig in the pool this week was special.

“It means a lot to me,” he said.

“When I was competing, I was the only openly trans person as far as I knew in NCAA swimming. …

It felt very lonely at times. The last time I competed was here at this pool and the last time I was here was at that meet. So to come in and to to watch Lia and Iszac, both transgender swimmers in the Ivy League and in my home pool has been really powerful.”

Thomas won the 200 freestyle final Friday in a pool- and meetrecord time of 1 minute, 43.12 seconds, eclipsing the marks set

by Harvard’s Miki Dahlke in 2018 (1:45.00) and 2020 (1:43.78).

Thomas had entered the championship with the top time in the nation this year in the 200 freestyle (1:41.93).

Friday’s victory was closer than her win Thursday in the 500

freestyle, in which she set a pool record in a time of 4:37.32 and finished a half a pool length ahead.

Henig took Thursday’s 50 freestyle final in a pool-record time of 21.93 and entered this week as the conference’s fifth-fastest qualifier in the 200 freestyle. But he opted not to compete in that event on Friday against Thomas, the top qualifier. Instead, Henig swam in the 100 butterfly and finished third.

While Thomas’ success has been met with some criticism, Bailar said the discussions are important for the future of athletics as a whole.

“The fear is trans people are going to dominate sports. Cis people dominate sports. We have two here,” Bailar said. “I think it’s incredibly important people know trans people exist. To hear our testimonies as humans. … I think a lot of people are missing the human part of this. Lia, me, Iszac — we are all real people. I think that part is really important that we all get to be seen as whole humans.

“It’s so important for us to just talk about ourselves and be ourselves.”

Medina Spirit stripped of Kentucky Derby win

By GARY B GRAVES AP Sports Writer MEDINA Spirit was stripped of the victory in last year’s Kentucky Derby and Mandaloun was declared the winner after a ruling by state racing stewards yesterday.

The since-deceased Medina Spirit tested positive after the race last May for a steroid, betamethasone, that is legal in Kentucky but banned on race day. The positive test threw the world’s best-known horse race into turmoil and cast an unflattering spotlight on trainer Bob Baffert, considered the face of horse racing after he guided horses to the Triple Crown in 2015 and 2018.

Medina Spirit finished half a length ahead of Mandaloun in the race, giving Baffert what was then his seventh Kentucky Derby title. Baffert was subsequently banned for two years by Churchill Downs following the positive test.

Monday’s decision by the Kentucky Horse Racing Commission makes Medina

Spirit the second horse in the 147-year history of the race to be disqualified for a banned substance; the first was Dancer’s Image in 1968, a decision that gave Forward Pass the victory.

The only other disqualification was in 2019 when Maximum Security was penalized because of interference, giving Country House the win.

Following the announcement by the racing stewards, Churchill Downs issued a statement declaring Mandaloun the Kentucky Derby winner and congratulating owner and breeder Juddmonte Farms, trainer Brad Cox and jockey Florent Geroux. Cox becomes the first Louisville native to win the Derby, and Mandaloun’s owners will receive the $1.8 million winner’s purse.

“We look forward to celebrating Mandaloun on a future date in a way that is fitting of this rare distinction,” the statement said.

The track plans to replace Medina Spirit with Mandaloun on the paddock sign honoring the Derby winner

BOB BAFFERT, trainer for Kentucky Derby hopeful Medina Spirit.

(AP Photo/ Charlie Riedel) on Tuesday. Mandaloun is set to run in the $20 million Saudi Cup in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, on Saturday. The winner receives $10 million.

The racing commission also suspended Baffert for 90 days and fined the Hall of Fame trainer $7,500 on Monday. The decision followed a Feb. 14 hearing that was closed to the public and media.

Clark Brewster, an attorney for Baffert, said he would appeal the ruling.

“This ruling represents an egregious departure

from both the facts and the law,” Brewster said, “but the numerous public statements by KHRC officials over the last several months have made perfectly clear that Bob Baffert’s fate was decided before we ever sat down for a hearing before the three stewards, one of whom is directly employed

by Churchill Downs as the racing director at Turfway Park.”

The California Horse Racing Board said it will honor Baffert’s suspension at its tracks. He is based at

Santa Anita, where he has already won some of this season’s 3-year-old prep races for the Kentucky Derby.

The CHRB also said it will honor any stay or preliminary injunction if granted by Kentucky racing officials or a court.

Medina Spirit collapsed and died on Dec. 6 of a heart attack following a training run at Santa Anita less than a month after finishing second in the Breeders’ Cup Classic at Del Mar. A necropsy found no definitive cause of the horse’s death.

Baffert initially denied wrongdoing after a postrace drug test revealed 21 picograms of betamethasone in the horse’s system. Baffert later acknowledged treating the horse with a topical ointment containing the corticosteroid for a skin inflammation.

Churchill Downs subsequently suspended Baffert, citing a recent spate of failed drug tests by his horses. Baffert sued the racing commission last June, seeking custody of

remnant samples of Medina Spirit’s blood and urine for subsequent testing to prove that the steroid did not come from an injection.

Another Baffert attorney, Craig Robertson, said in December that a urine test from a split sample showed the steroid came from an ointment.

Animal Wellness Action executive director Marty Irby applauded the stewards in a statement for taking action against Baffert, whom he called “American horse racing’s most infamous violator.”

“Baffert continues to drag horse racing through the mud in scandal after scandal,” Irby said, “and we call on every racing jurisdiction in the nation to hold him accountable by reciprocating the Kentucky Horse Racing Commission’s suspension in their own state.

We’re elated that Baffert won’t be participating in the upcoming 2022 Kentucky Derby and believe the horses will be better off, and the event will have more credibility, without him.”

PAGE 18, Tuesday, February 22, 2022

THE TRIBUNE

Champions League matchups as Chelsea resumes title defence

MICHIGAN’S HOWARD SUSPENDED 5 GAMES FOR WISCONSIN MELEE

By ROB HARRIS AP Global Soccer Writer

ANN ARBOR, Mich.

(AP) — Michigan basketball coach Juwan Howard has been suspended the final five games of the regular season and fined $40,000 for hitting a Wisconsin assistant in the head, triggering a postgame melee.

The Big Ten Conference also yesterday suspended three players one game for the altercation following the Badgers’ 77-63 win on Sunday: Michigan’s Moussa Diabate and Terrance Williams II, and Jahcobi Neath of Wisconsin.

Wisconsin coach Greg Gard was fined $10,000 for violating the conference’s sportsmanship policy, but was not suspended. Howard is expected to be back for the Big Ten tournament, which begins March 9 in Indianapolis.

“After taking time to reflect on all that happened, I realise how unacceptable both my actions and words were, and how they affected so many,” Howard said yesterday in a statement released by the university.

“I am truly sorry.”

Phil Martelli will serve as Michigan’s interim coach in Howard’s absence.

Michigan’s final five regular-season games are home contests with Rutgers on Wednesday, No. 15 Illinois on Sunday, Michigan State on March 1 and No. 25 Iowa on March 3 plus a visit to No. 22 Ohio State on March 6. “Big Ten Conference coaches and student-athletes are expected to display the highest level of sportsmanship conduct,” Big Ten Commissioner Kevin Warren said in a statement.

“I am grateful for the partnership with Michigan Athletics Director, Warde Manuel and Wisconsin Athletics Director, Chris McIntosh. Our expectation is that the incident yesterday will provide our coaches and student-athletes with the opportunity to reflect, learn and move forward in a manner that demonstrates decorum and leadership on and off of the court.”

Howard, a former NBA player and the reigning Associated Press men’s coach of the year, was upset after Gard called a timeout with 15 seconds left and his team leading by 15 on Sunday.

A LOOK at the last16 first-leg games being played in the Champions League this week: TUESDAY CHELSEA VS. LILLE It’s the only matchup that stayed the same after the Champions League draw had to be redone after a glitch. Chelsea will be even more delighted now.

The European champions can still host a side that has endured an alarming collapse, with Lille going from French champions least season to midtable now, 23 points behind Paris Saint-Germain at the top.

Chelsea, by contrast, has recovered from a wobble to win back-to-back Premier League games to make its hold on third place more secure.

Chelsea manager Thomas Tuchel just needs to get record-signing Romelu Lukaku to be more prolific. Aside from two goals in this month’s run to the Club World Cup title, the striker hasn’t scored a goal against top-tier opposition since December in England. He only managed seven touches of the ball in Saturday’s 1-0 win at Crystal Palace — the fewest by any Premier League player in 90 minutes since Opta started logging the data over the last two decades.

Tuchel blamed the lack of overall fluency on his players looking “a bit drained, a bit exhausted” after the Abu Dhabi trip.

Lille is also encountering frustration in attack with striker Jonathan David’s goals drying up.

The Canada forward had a bright first half of the season with three Champions League goals in the group stage and 12 goals in the French league this season. But he is experiencing a drought and has not scored in his last six league games. Lille coach Jocelyn Gourvennec does at least seem to have stabilized the defense and heads to London on the back of two clean sheets.

VILLARREAL VS. JUVENTUS Juventus hopes to return to the quarterfinals after

By LARRY LAGE AP Sports Writer

CHELSEA players celebrate after scoring their side’s first goal during the English Premier League soccer match between Crystal Palace and Chelsea at Selhurst Park, London, on Saturday.

(AP Photo/Alberto Pezzali) being eliminated by Porto and Lyon at this stage in the last two seasons on an away-goals rule that has now been scrapped. It had advanced past the round of 16 three straight times before that. Massimiliano Allegri’s team is coming off two straight draws in the Italian league and has only one win in its last four games in the competition.

Villarreal, playing in the last 16 for the first time in 13 years, enters the match with forward Arnaut Danjuma in top form after he was sidelined for nearly two months because of an injury. Making only his third appearance with the Spanish club since returning, the Dutchman scored a hat trick in Villarreal’s 4-1 win at Granada in the Spanish league on Saturday. That extended the team’s unbeaten streak to four matches in all competitions and left Unai Emery’s reigning Europa League winners near the Champions League qualification places.

WEDNESDAY ATLÉTICO MADRID VS. MAN UNITED If Ralf Rangnick is to win a trophy during his interim reign as Manchester United manager, it can

only be by delivering the club’s fourth European Cup. The German’s team has already exited the FA Cup, but he has overseen a recovery in the Premier League since Ole Gunnar Solskjær’s firing, taking 25 points from 12 games to take United from sixth to fourth.

A sign of the 63-year-old Rangnick’s top-level coaching inexperience is that the game at Atlético is the first time he’s managed a team in the Champions League knockout phase since his Schalke side was beaten in the semifinals in 2011 — by Alex Ferguson’s United.

Rangnick has been beset by reports about the challenges coaching United and it was significant that he referenced the “unity” on display in Sunday’s 4-2 win at Leeds in the Premier League. He said the result was “the best reply that they could give to some articles last week that there was some disruption in the locker room.”

Atlético is led by the longest-serving coach remaining in this season’s Champions League.

But fresh from marking a decade in charge in December, Atlético is enduring one of its most turbulent moments under

Diego Simeone. The team is inconsistent — much like United — and Simeone is feeling the heat. There was an encouraging 3-0 win at Osasuna in the Spanish league but Atlético had lost four of its last six games in all competitions before Saturday, including eliminations from the Spanish Super Cup and the Copa del Rey. Like United in England, Atlético is currently chasing the fourth and final Champions League qualification place in Spain.

Simeone is likely to face Man United without Daniel Wass and Matheus Cunha because of injuries, while Thomas Lemar remained in isolation with the coronavirus.

While Atlético is the defending Spanish champion, United hasn’t won a trophy since the 2017 Europa League under Jose Mourinho.

BENFICA VS. AJAX Ajax sparkled in the group stage, winning all six games as Sébastien Haller became the first man to score 10 goals in his first six games in the competition. The Dutch leaders are as dominant domestically, winning the last seven matches to establish

a five-point lead at the top of the Eredivisie.

Benfica reached the last 16 by helping to eliminate Barcelona with a win and draw against the five-time European champions. But Benfica’s confidence isn’t so high now after winning only twice in five games in all competitions. The latest setback was a 2-2 draw at relegation-threatened Boavista in the Portuguese league after leading 2-0 until the 74th minute.

The result was another blow for the Portuguese powerhouse that is only third in the league standings, behind rivals Sporting Lisbon and leader Porto.

It’s a slump overseen by Nélson Veríssimo, the “B” team coach who took over after Jorge Jesus was fired at the end of last year despite the results against Barcelona.

ALREADY PLAYED Only one matchup looks a done deal after last week’s first batch of first legs with Manchester City winning 5-0 at Sporting in Lisbon.

Liverpool is well placed to advance after winning 2-0 at Inter Milan. But Paris Saint-Germain only edged Real Madrid 1-0 at home and Bayern Munich drew 1-1 at Salzburg.

ANALYSIS: A ROUGH SUNDAY FOR NORMAN AS RIVAL TOUR REJECTED

By DOUG FERGUSON AP Golf Writer LOS ANGELES (AP) — Greg Norman has had his share of major disappointments on Sunday.

This one might rival any loss on golf’s biggest stages, whether it was Augusta National or Shinnecock Hills, Inverness or Royal Troon. At least then he had a club in his hand.

All he could do on this Sunday was listen as his hopes for a Saudifinanced “Super Golf League” took one body blow after another as top players left him behind.

“I am fully committed to the PGA Tour,” Dustin Johnson said.

“I want to make it very clear that as long as the best players in the world are playing the PGA Tour, so will I,” said Bryson DeChambeau on Twitter a few hours later.

That was followed by four words — “Dead in the water” — from Rory McIlroy, who two years ago became the first of golf’s biggest stars to reject the idea of a rival league funded primarily by Saudi Arabia’s sovereign wealth fund.

The week began with rumblings that Norman and his LIV Golf Investments were closing in on the target of 20 players before announcing — finally — firm details of what they had had and where the league was going. By Sunday afternoon, it was hard to imagine anyone joining a league that McIlroy had described as “pre-Champions Tour.”

“Who’s left. Who’s left to go?”

McIlroy said, and the numbers

RORY MCILROY, of Northern Ireland, tees off on the second hole during the final round of the Genesis Invitational golf tournament on Sunday.

(AP Photos/Ryan Kang)

JOAQUIN NIEMANN, right, of Chile, poses with his trophy next to Tiger Woods on the 18th green after winning the Genesis Invitational golf tournament at Riviera Country Club on Sunday in the Pacific Palisades area of Los Angeles.

supported him. None of the top 12 players in the world ranking has indicated any interest.

“Greg Norman would have to tee it up to fill the field,” McIlroy said. “I mean, seriously, who else is going to do it? I don’t think they could get 48 guys.”

To call it dead might be premature because that would assume it ever had life, when for months all it produced was rumor and speculation.

Still, the threat was real — and considering the source of funding, perhaps it still is — even though Norman’s group only announced who was filling up the C-Suite, not the tee sheet.

The purported plan was said to be 12 four-man teams competing in 54-hole events. Players would be offered huge contracts for joining — one report had DeChambeau being offered $130 million, which he said was

“wrong” — and purses would be in the $20 million range.

No one seemed to have any answers. “I feel like the two organizations, the PGA Tour and the league, are playing some kind of chess game and we’re sort of pawns in it,” Xander Schauffele said. “I feel like we’re just waiting for someone to make a move.”

And that wasn’t just players.

Among the biggest unknowns was whether Augusta National would still invite players to the Masters if they were part of this rival league.

The PGA Tour made it clear players couldn’t be part of both. There were serious Ryder Cup implications, which explains why Europe has yet to select a captain.

Even without anyone taking a shot or cashing a check, this was disruptive. So was Phil Mickelson.

His words were among the most powerful of the week from an interview last fall with Alan

Shipnuck, formerly of Sports Illustrated and now part of a group called Fire Pit Collective.

He is writing a biography on Mickelson due in May. Mickelson bashed the Saudis and the PGA Tour with equal doses of venom and then said he didn’t care if the Super Golf League even succeeded as long it allowed him leverage to make the changes he wants to see on the PGA Tour. “We know they killed (Washington Post reporter Jamal) Khashoggi and have a horrible record on human rights.

They execute people over there for being gay. Knowing all of this, why would I even consider it?

Because this is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to reshape how the PGA Tour operates.”

Justin Thomas described the comments as “egotistical.”

McIlroy used that word and more.

“I don’t want to kick someone while he’s down, obviously, but I thought they were naive, selfish, egotistical, ignorant,” he said.

“It was just very surprising and disappointing. Sad. I’m sure he’s sitting at home sort of rethinking his position and where he goes from here.”

The broader question is where Norman goes from here.

The PGA Tour has a previously scheduled players meeting Tuesday at the Honda Classic.

Mickelson has not played since the Saudi International two weeks ago, and he’s not in the field for the Honda Classic or the PGA Tour Champions event in Arizona that he played a year ago.

There was talk at the start of the week Norman would announce his roster of players during the Florida Swing, which then was said to be after the Masters, and then after the PGA Championship. He promised a “new beginning” when he revealed his involvement four months ago, and now it’s starting to feel like the end.

Joaquin Niemann twice chose not to say anything about the Saudi league, prompting speculation he was considering it. He sounded a different tune after his two-shot victory against a field that featured all of the top 10 players in the world.

“There’s nothing better like what I’m feeling right now,” Niemann said.

“Winning a PGA Tour event, getting a trophy, having Tiger there, all the history behind it, there’s nothing that can compete with this.”

PAGE 20, Tuesday, February 22, 2022

HOTELS CHIEF CALLS FOR COVID MASK RETHINK

FROM PAGE 24

tourism peak and the Easter run-up.

Speaking after the Government agreed to a key request by the industry in eliminating the requirement for visitors to take a rapid antigen test 48 hours after arrival in The Bahamas, he added that “further relaxations over a period of time are warranted” given the country’s progress in suppressing the fourth COVID wave.

With the Davis administration reverting to the pre-Omicron policy of testing visitors “on the fifth day after arrival” in The Bahamas, Mr Sands told this newspaper: “I think the removal of these impediments are a step in the right direction, and it’s important we continue to address some of these protocols that are acting as inhibitors to travel, but this is a very

positive move on the part of the Government.”

Asked what “inhibitors” he was referring to, Mr Sands replied: “I believe that as the COVID numbers continue to fall, we’re looking forward to an upgrade by the CDC (US Centres for Disease Control and Prevention) of The Bahamas’ position. That’s very important.

“Secondly, any additional testing requirements, and third, for the Government to address the issue is mask wearing in certain places.

Certainly in restaurants, certainly in hotels, where people have been vaccinated and fully vaccinated, they should give some consideration to easing some of these restrictions where persons are fully vaccinated.”

The BHTA president confirmed that 90 percent and upwards of hotel guests are now arriving in The Bahamas fully vaccinated. The

Bahamas has been under a mandatory mask mandate since the COVID-19 pandemic began for citizens, residents and tourists, and Mr Sands’ comments mark the first time the suggestion of an ease has been voiced.

Mask mandates have been eliminated in many US states as well as the UK, as countries seek to return to some semblance of normality amid hopes that COVID may soon transition from a pandemic to endemic, and there is growing opinion and pressure for The Bahamas to follow suit with recorded cases on Sunday dropping to 16.

Some 42 persons are still in hospital, of whom three are in intensive care.

Hinting at such thinking, Mr Sands told Tribune Business: “I believe that if the US removes their requirements for entry, then that may be an opportunity for The Bahamas

PUBLIC NOTICE

INTENT TO CHANGE NAME BY DEED POLL

to then consider removing that requirement. Every removal of some impediment helps.

“Notwithstanding that there’s still one or two remaining, there’s significant pent-up demand for The Bahamas, and the more we remove impediments the greater the demand for the destination will increase.

“And also it eliminates, from a perception point of view, inhibitors in the minds of the travelling public, and the satisfaction level increases exponentially.

They see these things, notwithstanding there are still some safety issues, as a nuisance,” he continued.

“Most people respect safety protocols, but the way we’re moving, further relaxation over a period of time is welcome and warranted. I think that every time we see an impediment removed, we see a boost in business levels.”

PUBLIC NOTICE

INTENT TO CHANGE NAME BY DEED POLL

The Public is hereby advised that I, CRYSTAL CLAUDETTE MARTHA TURNQUEST of #8 Cuckoo Drive, Nassau, Bahamas, intend to change my name to CRYSTAL CLAUDETTE MARTHA ROBERT. If there are any objections to this change of name by Deed Poll, you may write such objections to the Chief Passport Officer, P.O.Box N-742, Nassau, Bahamas no later than thirty (30) days after the date of publication of this notice.

The public is hereby advised that I, ASHLEY JADE McCARDY of South Beach, New Providence, Bahamas, intend to change my name to ASHLEY JADE McHARDY. If there are any objections to this change of name by Deed Poll, you may write such objections to the Chief Passport Officer, P.O. Box N-741, Nassau, Bahamas no later than thirty (30) days after the date of the publication of this notice.

NOTICE

NOTICE

NOTICE is hereby given that DAJAH ANN HIGGS of Stapleton Gardens, P.O. Box CB-13614, New Providence, The Bahamas is applying to the Minister responsible for Nationality and Citizenship, for Registration Naturalization as a citizen of The Bahamas, and that any person who knows any reason why registration/ naturalization should not be granted, should send a written and signed statement of the facts within twentyeight days from the 22nd day of February, 2022 to the Minister responsible for nationality and Citizenship, P.O. Box N-7147, Nassau, New Providence, The Bahamas.

NOTICE is hereby given that MICHELANGE EXGENOR of Bowe Avenue, Montell Heights, New Providence, The Bahamas is applying to the Minister responsible for Nationality and Citizenship, for Registration Naturalization as a citizen of The Bahamas, and that any person who knows any reason why registration/naturalization should not be granted, should send a written and signed statement of the facts within twenty-eight days from the 15th day of February, 2022 to the Minister responsible for nationality and Citizenship, P.O. Box N-7147, Nassau, New Providence, The Bahamas.

www.bisxbahamas.com

MONDAY, 21 FEBRUARY 2022

BISX ALL SHARE INDEX: 52WK HI 6.70 40.05 2.05 2.90 2.60 6.05 10.05 3.60 9.02 3.10 7.01 13.00 2.71 10.10 11.06 10.75 15.00 4.00 10.00 16.50

52WK LOW 4.50 32.12 1.46 2.20 1.30 5.50 6.00 2.82 4.25 2.27 5.00 9.75 1.99 6.50 9.50 8.40 13.10 3.42 8.00 15.50

SECURITY AML Foods Limited APD Limited Benchmark Bahamas First Holdings Limited Bank of Bahamas Bahamas Property Fund Bahamas Waste Cable Bahamas Commonwealth Brewery Commonwealth Bank Colina Holdings CIBC FirstCaribbean Bank Consolidated Water BDRs Doctor's Hospital Emera Incorporated Famguard Fidelity Bank (Bahamas) Limited Focol Finco J. S. Johnson

PREFERENCE SHARES 1.00

1.00

1000.00 1000.00 1000.00 1000.00

1000.00 1000.00 1000.00 1000.00

1.00 10.00 1.00

1.00 10.00 1.00

Bahamas First Holdings Preference Cable Bahamas Series 6 Cable Bahamas Series 8 Cable Bahamas Series 9 Cable Bahamas Series 10 Colina Holdings Class A Fidelity Bank Bahamas Class A Focol Class B

CORPORATE DEBT - (percentage pricing) 52WK HI 100.00 100.00

52WK LOW 100.00 100.00

SECURITY Fidelity Bank (Note 22 Series B+) Bahamas First Holdings Limited

CLOSE

CHANGE

%CHANGE

YTD

YTD%

2245.97

0.00

0.00

17.73

0.80

SYMBOL AML APD BBL BFH BOB BPF BWL CAB CBB CBL CHL CIB CWCB DHS EMAB FAM FBB FCL FIN JSJ BFHP CAB6 CAB8 CAB9 CAB10 CHLA FBBA FCLB SYMBOL FBB22 BFHB

BAHAMAS GOVERNMENT STOCK - (percentage pricing) 115.92 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 102.00 100.80 100.00 100.00 100.00 90.73 96.72 95.40 95.40 98.65 100.71

104.79 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 91.00 89.00 90.76 90.73 96.10 95.40 95.40 98.65 100.44

MUTUAL FUNDS 52WK HI 2.48 4.59 2.19 207.86 207.68 1.72 1.83 1.81 1.05 8.92 10.81 7.44 16.64 12.76 10.57 10.00 10.43 14.89

52WK LOW 2.11 3.30 1.68 164.74 116.70 1.68 1.73 1.75 1.01 6.41 7.62 5.66 8.65 10.54 9.57 9.88 8.45 11.20

Bahamas Note 6.95 (2029) BGS: 2014-12-7Y BGS: 2015-1-7Y BGS: 2014-12-30Y BGS: 2015-1-30Y BGS: 2015-6-7Y BGS: 2015-6-30Y BGS: 2015-10-7Y BGRS FL BGRS69024 BGRS FX BGR125238 BGRS FX BGR131249 BGRS FX BGR134150 BGRS FX BGR136150 BGRS FX BGR138240 BGRS FX BGR138250 BGRS FX BGR139150 BGRS FX BGR141350 BGRS FL BGRS77026

BAH29 BG0107 BG0207 BG0130 BG0230 BG0307 BG0330 BG0407 BSBGRS690249 BSBGR1252380 BSBGR1312499 BSBGR1341506 BSBGR1361504 BSBGR1380405 BSBGR1381502 BSBGR1391501 BSBGR1412505 BSBGRS770264

LAST CLOSE 5.30 39.95 2.04 2.39 2.49 6.05 9.50 3.30 7.99 2.82 7.00 13.00 1.94 10.06 11.28 10.75 15.00 3.93 9.85 15.51 1.00 1000.00 1000.00 1000.00 1000.00 1.00 10.00 1.00 LAST SALE 100.00 100.00 107.31 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 91.10 100.00 100.00 90.73 96.10 95.40 95.40 98.65 100.71

CLOSE 5.30 39.95 2.04 2.39 2.49 6.05 9.50 3.30 7.99 2.82 7.00 13.00 1.94 10.06 11.28 10.75 15.00 3.93 9.85 15.51 1.00 1000.00 1000.00 1000.00 1000.00 1.00 10.00 1.00

BISX ALL SHARE INDEX - 19 Dec 02 = 1,000.00 52wk-Hi - Highest closing price in last 52 weeks 52wk-Low - Lowest closing price in last 52 weeks Previous Close - Previous day's weighted price for daily volume Today's Close - Current day's weighted price for daily volume Change - Change in closing price from day to day Daily Vol. - Number of total shares traded today DIV $ - Dividends per share paid in the last 12 months P/E - Closing price divided by the last 12 month earnings

CHANGE 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00

VOLUME

100

0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00

CLOSE 100.00 100.00

CHANGE 0.00 0.00

107.31 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 91.10 100.00 100.00 90.73 96.10 95.40 95.40 98.65 100.71

0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00

FUND CFAL Bond Fund CFAL Balanced Fund CFAL Money Market Fund CFAL Global Bond Fund CFAL Global Equity Fund Leno Financial Conservative Fund Leno Financial Aggressive Fund Leno Financial Balanced Fund Leno Financial Global Bond Fund RF Bahamas Opportunities Fund - Secured Balanced Fund RF Bahamas Opportunities Fund - Targeted Equity Fund RF Bahamas Opportunities Fund - Prime Income Fund RF Bahamas International Investment Fund Limited - Equities Sub Fund RF Bahamas International Investment Fund Limited - High Yield Income Fund RF Bahamas International Investment Fund Limited - Alternative Strategies Fund Colonial Bahamas Fund Class D Colonial Bahamas Fund Class E Colonial Bahamas Fund Class F

MARKET TERMS

the 48-hour testing we’ll see a similar improvement.

“The message is out. We immediately circulated the information, and many different hotel websites have been updated and corrected to reflect the same.

Our position is that we will continue to work with and support the Government in removing all these obstacles that may hinder travel to our destination, but cognisant of the fact we want to operate in a safe and healthy environment.”

Share your news The Tribune wants to hear from people who are making news in their neighbourhoods.

Perhaps you are raising funds for a good cause, campaigning for improvements in the area or have won an award. If so, call us on 322-1986 and share your story.

PUBLIC NOTICE

INTENT TO CHANGE NAME BY DEED POLL The Public is hereby advised that I, WILNER ONESSE of Bacardi Road, Nassau, The Bahamas, Parent of CIANNA HARMONY DIEUVEVIL A minor intend to change my child’s name to CIANNA HARMONY ONESSE If there are any objections to this change of name by Deed Poll, you may write such objections to the Deputy Chief Passport Officer, P.O. Box N-742, Nassau, Bahamas no later than thirty (30) days after the date of publication of this notice.

NOTICE

NOTICE is hereby given that KETLY LOUIS JEAN of Pinewood Drive, New Providence, Bahamas, is applying to the Minister responsible for Nationality and Citizenship, for registration/ naturalization as a citizen of The Bahamas, and that any person who knows any reason why registration/naturalization should not be granted, should send a written and signed statement of the facts within twenty-eight days from the 15th February, 2022 to the Minister responsible for nationality and Citizenship, P.O. Box N-7147, Nassau, New Providence, The Bahamas.

NOTICE

MARKET REPORT

BISX LISTED & TRADED SECURITIES

Mr Sands said this was witnessed just prior to Christmas 2021, when the Government announced that RT-PCR COVID tests would be mandatory from early January onwards as a response to the Omicroninduced case surge.

That resulted in a “contraction” of business, and the BHTA president said: “The minute the Government made the decision to go to a rapid antigen test, we saw that manifest itself in an upward surge in business. Now we’ve removed

THE TRIBUNE

(242) 323‐2330 (242) 323‐2320 EPS$ 0.239 0.932 0.000 0.070 0.070 1.760 0.369 -0.438 0.140 0.184 0.449 0.722 0.102 0.467 0.646 0.728 0.816 0.203 0.939 0.631 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000

VOLUME

DIV$ 0.170 1.260 0.020 0.110 0.000 0.000 0.260 0.000 0.000 0.120 0.220 0.720 0.434 0.060 0.328 0.240 0.540 0.120 0.200 0.610 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000

INTEREST Prime + 1.75% 6.25% 6.95% 4.50% 4.50% 6.25% 6.25% 4.50% 6.25% 4.25% 4.62% 5.00% 5.60% 5.69% 5.69% 5.60% 6.05% 6.10% 6.35% 4.56%

NAV 2.48 4.59 2.19 204.67 199.97 1.72 1.83 1.81 1.01 8.92 10.81 7.44 16.64 12.73 10.57 N/A 10.43 14.89

YTD% 12 MTH% 3.60% 4.38% 3.43% 3.47% 2.22% 2.69% 1.37% 3.18% 8.18% 14.94% 0.26% 2.76% 0.36% 2.37% 0.28% 2.51% -1.31% -3.43% 5.11% 6.98% 7.77% 9.88% 2.28% 3.71% 19.64% 29.95% -0.81% -0.62% 5.19% 2.28% N/A N/A 3.00% 25.60% 7.90% 48.70%

P/E 22.2 42.9 N/M 34.1 N/M N/M 25.7 -7.5 57.1 15.3 15.6 18.0 19.0 21.5 17.5 14.8 18.4 19.4 10.5 24.6 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000

YIELD 3.21% 3.15% 0.98% 4.60% 0.00% 0.00% 2.74% 0.00% 0.00% 4.26% 3.14% 5.54% 22.37% 0.60% 2.91% 2.23% 3.60% 3.05% 2.03% 3.93% 0.00% 0.00% 0.00% 0.00% 0.00% 6.25% 7.00% 6.50%

MATURITY 19-Oct-2022 30-Sep-2025 20-Nov-2029 15-Dec-2021 30-Jul-2022 15-Dec-2044 30-Jul-2045 26-Jun-2022 26-Jun-2045 15-Oct-2022 9-Feb-2024 15-Oct-2038 15-Jul-2049 17-Jan-1950 21-Apr-2050 15-Jun-2040 15-Jun-1950 15-Sep-2050 17-Nov-2050 4-May-2026

NAV Date 31-Oct-2021 31-Oct-2021 29-Oct-2021 30-Sep-2021 30-Sep-2021 31-Jan-2022 31-Jan-2022 31-Jan-2022 31-Jan-2022 31-Aug-2021 31-Aug-2021 31-Aug-2021 31-Aug-2021 31-Aug-2021 31-Aug-2021 31-Mar-2021 31-Mar-2021 31-Mar-2021

YIELD - last 12 month dividends divided by closing price Bid $ - Buying price of Colina and Fidelity Ask $ - Selling price of Colina and fidelity Last Price - Last traded over-the-counter price Weekly Vol. - Trading volume of the prior week EPS $ - A company's reported earnings per share for the last 12 mths NAV - Net Asset Value N/M - Not Meaningful

TO TRADE CALL: CFAL 242-502-7010 | ROYALFIDELITY 242-356-7764 | CORALISLE 242-502-7525 | LENO 242-396-3225 | BENCHMARK 242-326-7333

NOTICE is hereby given that DEMRIE DARYL CHARLTON of #4 Spoonbicc Loop, Freeport, Grand Bahama, Bahamas, is applying to the Minister responsible for Nationality and Citizenship, for Registration Naturalization as a citizen of The Bahamas, and that any person who knows any reason why registration/naturalization should not be granted, should send a written and signed statement of the facts within twenty-eight days from the 15th day of February, 2022 to the Minister responsible for nationality and Citizenship, P.O. Box N-7147, Nassau, New Providence, The Bahamas.

NOTICE

NOTICE is hereby given that DEVON ANDERSON of P. O. Box N-1935, Joe Farrington Road, New Providence, Bahamas, is applying to the Minister responsible for Nationality and Citizenship, for registration/naturalization as a citizen of The Bahamas, and that any person who knows any reason why registration/ naturalization should not be granted, should send a written and signed statement of the facts within twenty-eight days from the 15th February, 2022 to the Minister responsible for nationality and Citizenship, P.O. Box N-7147, Nassau, New Providence, The Bahamas.

THE TRIBUNE

Tuesday, February 22, 2022, PAGE 21

AUTO DEALERS TO SEEK PRICE CONTROL FREEDOM

FROM PAGE 24

margins, that dealers are permitted on new and used cars currently stand at 25 percent and 15 percent, respectively. Auto parts are higher at 75 percent.

“I think the BMDA may have a few other things to discuss [with the Government], but I think price controls will definitely be one of them,” he added.

“When it comes to cars, it’s just a very outdated policy.”

Rick Lowe, Nassau Motor Company’s (NMC) director/operations manager, added: “Name the country that has price controls. Cuba? When prices increase, the Government gets more duty. They don’t reduce taxes to get prices lower, yet they control the margins of dealers. It’s like gasoline. When the price goes up the Government makes more than the retailer and wholesaler.”

While Mr Albury called for price controls to be lifted on his sector, he agreed that they need to be maintained on industries such as food and gasoline as a means of protection for lower-income Bahamian consumers. However, he is far from the only private sector representative to argue that such measures should be removed.

Sir Franklyn Wilson, the Arawak Homes and Sunshine Holdings chairman, recently argued that price controls will “do nothing”

and prove useless in protecting Bahamians against “staggering” cost increases after US inflation recently surged to a 40-year high.

He cited the Rent Control Act as an example of price regulation that had created unintended consequences. “A major impediment to the construction of rental homes in this country has been rent control,” the Arawak Homes chairman argued recently. “The Government will do well to abolish it.

“Rent control has the effect of discouraging investors to go into rental properties. There was a time in this country when high-profile investors were significant players in rental properties and they’re gone. People like Gerald Cash were significant investors involved in properties and rent control helped kill it.”

The Rent Control Act limits the annual rent charged for a leased “dwelling house” to 20 per of its assessed value. Merchants,

TO ADVERTISE TODAY IN THE TRIBUNE CALL @ 502-2394

PUBLIC NOTICE

CHANGE NAME BY DEED POLL The public is hereby advised that I, DAMIAN LOVELL KING of 69 Collins Drive, Faith Gardens Subdivision, Bahamas, have changed my name to DAVIAN NIKOLAI KING through the Court of the State of Georgia. If there are any comments on the name change, you may write to the Chief Passport Officer, P.O. Box N-742, Nassau, Bahamas no later than thirty (30) days after the date of the publication of this notice.

February Point Resort Estates in picturesque Great Exuma is seeking applications for the following positions: -Experienced Landscaping Manager -Irrigation Technician Qualified persons are asked to send their resumes to the following email address:

teneeshia@februarypoint.com

Abaco only.

too, have frequently hit out at what they view as an antiquated regulatory mechanism, but cost of living increases will likely create growing public pressure for price controls to be extended beyond “breadbasket” foods and other items in their existing remit.

Price controls were initially imposed by the Government to prevent what it viewed as a unscrupulous merchant class from exploiting lower income Bahamians by unreasonably hiking the price of food staples and other products, thus placing them out of reach while undermining living standards.

However, opponents argue they are an out-dated and distortionary mechanism that create more unintended consequences than problems they solve.

They can result in product shortages, while retailers and wholesalers have to increase prices and margins on non-price controlled items to compensate for selling these goods as effective “loss leaders”.

Mr Albury, meanwhile, acknowledged that inflation was “eating away” at Bahamian incomes and living standards through price increases on multiple items ranging from construction materials and luxury goods to every-day necessities such as food and gasoline.

“It’s a tough time to do business, and it’s a tough time for the consumer,” he added. “Everything is kind of piling down all at once.

Gas is up, food is up, the housing market is up but salaries remain flat.”

With the supply of new automobiles to The Bahamas and wider world having slowed to a trickle due to a combination of microchip shortages, production backlogs and supply chain woes stemming from the COVID-19 pandemic, the BMDA chief said growing pressure was being placed on used car prices due to rising demand for their use as a substitute product.

Used car prices in the US rose 40 percent year-overyear in January 2022, and Mr Albury added: “Even

the Japanese used prices have skyrocketed, and what this all comes down to is new car production is severely behind to say the least, and that is driving up demand for used vehicles.

“You couple that with all the shipping increases, and it’s just causing a chain reaction. Japanese vehicles are not up to the extent US used vehicles are. I would say it’s probably 10-15 percent. Some of that is because shipping prices have gone up. Japanese vehicles are generally very expensive but, while delayed, I can get them. US vehicles are extremely far behind.

“I have some vehicles that I ordered last February [2021] and I have not got a production date as yet. It’s causing havoc in the market everywhere because people are not able to acquire new vehicles, so it’s driving up the price of used vehicles.

When you add in shipping costs, it’s throwing everything out of whack. Most of the production managers

tell us it will last for the rest of this year.”

Mr Albury said a friend in the US auto retail and wholesale market had informed him that he can get higher prices for used vehicles now than what he paid to acquire them two years ago. “In the used car market that’s unheard of,” he added. “You’d expect some depreciation yearover-year, but now they’re saying the same vehicle two years later gets a higher price. It’s a crazy, crazy market right now.”

The auto industry is likely one of the most heavily regulated and taxed sectors in The Bahamas.

While electric and hybrid vehicles face a 10 percent Excise Tax; and gasoline autos with an engine size of up to 1.5 litres, a 25 percent tax rate; those with engines of between 1.5 to 2 litres and over 2 litres are taxed at 45 percent and 65 percent, respectively. Commercial vehicles, too, face a 65 percent tax rate.

PAGE 22, Tuesday, February 22, 2022

THE TRIBUNE

PLANNING LAW REFORM URGED FOR BETTER BUYER PROTECTION

FROM PAGE 24 The $895,000 price was to be paid in installments, with an initial $350,000 deposit to be followed by a further $125,000 on August 1, 2008, and another $120,000 on February 1, 2009. The remaining balance was to be paid in monthly installments from March 1, 2008, carrying interest at 7 percent.

February Point was “to retain rights and interest in the lot until all payments had been made”. The Privy Council added: “The full price had been paid as of February 2013. A dispute then arose between the parties.

“The plaintiff purchaser argued that he was entitled to the return of the money he had paid because the defendant vendor [February Point] had not obtained the subdivision approval required by the 2010 Act and, by reason of section 62(1), there could be no valid conveyance to him.

“The defendant argued that it was able and willing to convey the property to the plaintiff and that, applying section 62(2), that conveyance would not be null and void even though there had been a failure to obtain the necessary approval for the subdivision. The plaintiff was therefore not entitled to the return of the purchase price paid.”

The transaction between Mr Momin was caught in the transition to the Planning and Subdivisions Act. While the sales agreement had been executed prior to the Act coming into force, the conveyance - the legal instrument recording the transfer of title - did not occur until after the Act came into law.

The Planning and Subdivisions Act’s section 62(1)

treats all conveyances made after the Act came into effect as “null and void” if they involve lots in subdivisions where the latter have not been approved by the relevant government authorities.

Given that the Act took effect for Exuma on December 1, 2011, Mr Malik argued that this provision meant February Point could not convey good title to lot 36 as the Elizabeth Harbour Estates subdivision had not been approved. Therefore he demanded his purchase price be returned.

However, February Point argued that section 62(2) created a ‘carve out’. This, it asserted, said the failure to obtain subdivision approval did not make the conveyance to Mr Malik “null and void” because it upheld the validity of conveyances or sales agreements made before the Act came into effect - just as had occurred here.

Justice Indra Charles, in the initial Supreme Court ruling, found for February Point on the basis that section 62(2) “was enacted to preserve the validity of the agreement for sale [made prior to the Act] and prohibits any party from cancelling the said agreement due to its enactment”.

She found this section was enacted by Parliament to protect persons “already in a contractual relationship for the sale of any property” prior to the Planning and Subdivisions Act taking effect, and added: “It would have been nonsensical or illogical for Parliament to preserve an agreement for sale under the Act but to thereafter consider a conveyance made pursuant to that agreement null and void.”

However, this was subsequently reversed by the Court of Appeal, which ruled that such an interpretation of section 62(2) meant developers would be protected from what was a criminal offence selling lots in unapproved subdivisions.

“It would be nonsensical to think that Parliament would make provision for a vendor who acts in breach of legislation, and is thereby guilty of a criminal offence,” Appeal justice Milton Evans found in the Court of Appeal’s ruling.

“The learned judge seems to have been beguiled by [counsel for the defendant’s] submission that it would have been illogical for Parliament to preserve an agreement for sale under the Act but to thereafter consider a conveyance made pursuant to that agreement null and void.

“However, it must be noted that Parliament’s primary intent is to ensure compliance with the law and to preserve regulatory control over the development of subdivisions. The validating of the agreements preserves the parties’ rights while, at the same time, ensuring that both parties comply with the law.

There is nothing illogical about requiring persons to obey the laws enacted by Parliament where they still have an opportunity to do so.”

Candice Hepburn, February Point’s attorney, argued in favour of Justice Charles’ interpretation. She argued that, given the sales agreement with Mr Malik was entered into prior to the Planning and Subdivisions Act, it was still valid and “there is no need, as a matter of contract law or property law, for the

conveyance to have the necessary approval.

“The purchaser is therefore bound to accept, and is in breach of contract if he does not do so, a conveyance from the vendor even though the subdivision does not have the necessary approval,” the Privy Council recorded as her argument.

However, it rejected her contention “that it is illogical to treat the agreement made prior to the Act as valid, and then to argue that the conveyance made pursuant to that agreement is null and void”.

“As regards a postAct conveyance, it does not matter whether the agreement to convey was made before or after the Act because any post-Act conveyance without the necessary approval is invalid,” the Privy Council found.

“A pre-Act agreement to convey is a valid contract so that (subject to any express term to the contrary) the purchaser may recover damages for breach against the vendor for not having obtained the necessary approval.., and the purchaser may be able to terminate the contract for breach and to be granted restitution of the purchase price paid for a total failure of consideration.”

This is what Mr Momin was seeking. The Privy Council also rejected Ms Hepburn’s argument that equitable title had been obtained by purchasers through conveyances made prior to the Act even though legal title may not have been.

The Privy Council ruling has potentially significant ramifications for lot purchasers who may have possessed sales agreements prior to the Planning and

Subdivisions Act’s implementation in 2011, and then went through with their acquisitions in the belief like Justice Charles - that the later conveyance cannot be deemed “null and void” even if there is no subdivision approval.

This situation, which would likely have the greatest potential impact for such transactions that took place around 2011, 2012 and 2013, would mean that buyers caught up in such circumstances - owning properties in unapproved subdivisions - will not hold good title to their land as the conveyances are “null and void”. This, in turn could impact mortgage security for banks and other lenders.

Mr LaRoda, meanwhile, said the Privy Council’s ruling was in effect “good in theory, not in practice”.

He added that its upholding of the clause rendering all post-2011 conveyances in unapproved subdivisions as “null and void” effectively allows an unscrupulous developer to retain land ownership, while lot buyers may now struggle to recover their purchase prices from the same.

Persons who may have by now built a home on such lots “get nothing”, and he added: “In the best of times we have struggles with land ownership, particularly in the Family Islands, and now we are adding this extra layer..... At some point land ownership has to crystallise into something. The most vulnerable among us bear the brunt of these decisions.”

The only recourse for buyers who find themselves in such situations, if they are unable to persuade the developer to obtain subdivision approval or return their funds, is to either

BAHAMAS URGED: BE ‘MORE LIKE’ FLORIDA IN COVID EASE FROM PAGE 24 because there are a lot of other indoor restaurants that are going to come back on stream,” Mr Maury said of the relaxation. “But the biggest thing is we need more tourists. I can’t fill it with all locals. If you have gone to Florida everything is operating at 100 percent.

We have to try to be more like that and get rid of all of these protocols.”

Lamenting the “pain” that tourists must endure in visiting The Bahamas, due to the pre-arrival,

in-country and pre-departure COVID tests they must take, as well as the Health Travel Visa and other protocols in effect, Mr Maury said: “We are definitely 100 percent past the worst of it.

“People are still dying from COVID-19, but they are dying from all kinds of other issues as well, and actual COVID-19 is a small percentage of the deaths these days. People have a lot of other things going on in the normal course of life.

It just seems that with the

vaccinations and the treatments, we are better able to manage it. It’s no mystery any more; people know what to do to take care of themselves.”

With COVID-19 case numbers having decreased significantly, Mr Maury said persons must take personal responsibility for their own health and safety. “If they don’t want to be in an environment that is conducive to stopping the spread, then maybe they can just stay outside,” he added.

“But they can wear a mask or get a vaccination, or whatever they want to do..... it is their personal choice. We just can’t keep closing any more; it is hurting the country. There’s still a lot of people that are unemployed.”

Mario Cash, general manager of Restaurants Bahamas, operator of the Kentucky Fried Chicken (KFC) and Burger King franchises, said the greater relaxation for indoor dining will likely have little impact for

the business given that most customers rely on takeout and drive-through services.

Another restaurateur, speaking under condition of anonymity, said: “I’m happy we can get back to serving customers inside now. It has really crippled our business. All we have to do now is make sure everyone is safe, wears a mask when they can and sanitises their hands. We can only hope for the best.”

take them to court or sue their attorneys who conducted the pre-acquisition title search for negligence - a process that could take years in the court system and be cost prohibitive.

As a result, Mr LaRoda suggested that Parliament may have to reform the Planning and Subdivisions Act by inserting a clause - similar to that found in the International Persons Landholding Act - that mandates the purchase price be refunded if no subdivision approval is forthcoming.

“There’s no such provision in the Planning and Subdivisions Act. It declares it void without saying what happens next,” he added. “Many attorneys thought there would be a finding, at a minimum, that you get some sort of equitable interest. The court made clear you get nothing.

“The only redress is to get funds back from the vendor or sue the attorney for negligence and, in the context of The Bahamas, you’re talking about years easily...It cannot be equitable for persons who did the wrong to be in a position to get the benefit of the land without any interest to the purchaser, and get funds for a purchase that is void.

“The purchaser is put in a position where they have to fight to get their money back.... It protects the vendor because they have nothing to lose, but they did the wrong. That would be my suggestion; that the legislation speaks to how we redress these issues when they happen, and having simple solutions,” Mr LaRoda said.

“The way it is written the vendor continues to own the land, the purchaser gets nothing and has to sue for their money.”

THE TRIBUNE

Tuesday, February 22, 2022, PAGE 23

BAHAMAS FIRST PROFITING IN YEAR-END TURNAROUND FROM PAGE 24 them as “significant proprietary information at this point”. However, the health segment with its $964,602 net loss was primarily responsible for dragging down the BISX-listed insurer’s overall results.

For The Bahamas and Cayman property and casualty underwriting businesses produced profits for the 2021 full-year of $4.795m and $1.79m, respectively.

And Mr Ward said the benefits from the expansion of its insurance portfolio will be fully felt in 2022.

“We saw some of the motor portfolio return to

levels that are getting close to pre-pandemic in terms of number of vehicles insured,” he told Tribune Business. “Second, the rate increases on the property book for both The Bahamas and Cayman continued in 2021, so we saw the benefit of that as well.”

The Bahamas First chief added that the carrier’s motor insurance business had suffered a “double digit reduction” due to the pandemic’s impact, with persons using the Government’s relaxation of vehicle licensing to delay insuring their vehicles. Some, especially those on furlough,

may not have opted to renew at all.

“If you look at 2019 compared to 2020 it’s pretty clear there was a big drop-off in the number of vehicles insured,” Mr Ward said. In his message to shareholders, he added that the continued economic reopening in The Bahamas and Cayman Islands had enabled Bahamas First to expand its business during the final quarter of 2021.

“We achieved growth in almost every line of business in both jurisdictions, and we were particularly pleased to see meaningful growth in our main lines of property, motor and

As a result of targeted action to improve the performance of the health segment, we were able to achieve a meaningful reduction in claims during the 2021 fourth quarter, resulting in a lowering of the full year’s loss ratio for this line of business.

We expect to see further improvements in subsequent periods.”

Mr Ward added that Bahamas First was continuing to deal with 147 claims from the Cayman Islands relating to Tropical Storm Grace, but added that the $2m total gross sum involved was lower than initial loss estimates of $2.3m.

With the fourth quarter restoring Bahamas First to 2021 full-year profitability, Mr Ward said the insurer’s

health. This outcome was the result of a combination of rate increases, strong retention and new business acquisition. We will see the full benefit of this robust growth in subsequent quarters during 2022,” Mr Ward said.

“In previous quarterly reports for 2021, we highlighted the fact that the performance of the property and casualty segment of our business was trending ahead of 2020, and this certainly continued into the last quarter of the year. As a consequence of this, we benefited from increased profit commissions in the 2021 fourth quarter.

THE WEATHER REPORT

5-Day Forecast

TODAY

ORLANDO

High: 84° F/29° C Low: 63° F/17° C

TAMPA

WEDNESDAY

THURSDAY

FRIDAY

SATURDAY

Mostly sunny with winds subsiding

Mainly clear

Breezy in the morning; sunshine

Partly sunny with winds subsiding

Breezy in the morning; partly sunny

Partly sunny with a shower possible

High: 80°

Low: 69°

High: 81° Low: 68°

High: 80° Low: 69°

High: 81° Low: 69°

High: 82° Low: 70°

AccuWeather RealFeel

AccuWeather RealFeel

AccuWeather RealFeel

AccuWeather RealFeel

AccuWeather RealFeel

AccuWeather RealFeel

82° F

68° F

83°-67° F

80°-66° F

83°-68° F

87°-70° F

The exclusive AccuWeather RealFeel Temperature® is an index that combines the effects of temperature, wind, humidity, sunshine intensity, cloudiness, precipitation, pressure and elevation on the human body—everything that affects how warm or cold a person feels. Temperatures reflect the high and the low for the day.

N

almanac

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ABACO

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High: 77° F/25° C Low: 70° F/21° C

8-16 knots

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High: 80° F/27° C Low: 72° F/22° C

10-20 knots

FT. LAUDERDALE

FREEPORT

High: 80° F/27° C Low: 72° F/22° C

E

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E

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WEST PALM BEACH

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| Go to AccuWeather.com

TONIGHT

High: 85° F/29° C Low: 67° F/19° C

High: 78° F/26° C Low: 68° F/20° C

MIAMI

High: 80° F/27° C Low: 72° F/22° C

6-12 knots

Statistics are for Nassau through 1 p.m. yesterday Temperature High ................................................... 79° F/26° C Low .................................................... 73° F/23° C Normal high ....................................... 78° F/25° C Normal low ........................................ 64° F/18° C Last year’s high ................................. 75° F/24° C Last year’s low ................................... 68° F/20° C Precipitation As of 1 p.m. yesterday ................................. 0.00” Year to date ................................................. 4.31” Normal year to date ..................................... 2.48”

ELEUTHERA

NASSAU

High: 80° F/27° C Low: 69° F/21° C

Forecasts and graphics provided by AccuWeather, Inc. ©2022

High: 78° F/26° C Low: 72° F/22° C

N

KEY WEST

High: 80° F/27° C Low: 73° F/23° C

The higher the AccuWeather UV IndexTM number, the greater the need for eye and skin protection.

tiDes For nassau High Today

E

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8-16 knots

S

8-16 knots

Low

Ht.(ft.)

2.3 -----

5:46 a.m. 0.0 5:55 p.m. -0.3

Wednesday 12:21 a.m.

12:36 p.m.

2.7 2.2

6:47 a.m. 0.2 6:51 p.m. -0.2

Thursday

1:24 a.m.

1:40 p.m.

2.7 2.1

7:55 a.m. 0.3 7:54 p.m. -0.2

Friday

2:31 a.m.

2:51 p.m.

2.8 2.0

9:06 a.m. 0.2 9:03 p.m. -0.2

Saturday

3:40 a.m.

4:02 p.m.

2.9 2.1

10:15 a.m. 0.1 10:11 p.m. -0.3

Sunday

4:44 a.m.

5:06 p.m.

3.0 2.3

11:17 a.m. 0.0 11:15 p.m. -0.4

Monday

5:43 a.m.

6:05 p.m.

3.1 2.5

12:12 p.m. -0.2 ---------

sun anD moon Sunrise Sunset

6:39 a.m. Moonrise 6:08 p.m. Moonset

none 10:28 a.m.

Last

New

First

Full

Feb. 23

Mar. 2

Mar. 10

Mar. 18

ANDROS

SAN SALVADOR

GREAT EXUMA

High: 79° F/26° C Low: 72° F/22° C

High: 80° F/27° C Low: 74° F/23° C

N

High: 79° F/26° C Low: 70° F/21° C

E

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LONG ISLAND

tracking map

High: 80° F/27° C Low: 73° F/23° C

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Ht.(ft.)

11:39 a.m.

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High: 79° F/26° C Low: 72° F/22° C

N

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Shown is today’s weather. Temperatures are today’s highs and tonight’s lows.

uV inDex toDay

CAT ISLAND

E

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Board had approved a final $0.04 per share dividend.

This will double the year’s capital return to shareholders to $2.9m or $0.08 per share.

“Our efforts to develop a digital customer service platform for the group continued in the fourth quarter, and we were able to launch the First Online Customer Portal at the beginning of January 2022 in The Bahamas. The launch for the Cayman market took place in February 2022,” the Bahamas First chief added.

“Navigating through the various challenges of 2021 has been both a difficult and rewarding process, as we were able to achieve many important milestones.”

8-16 knots

MAYAGUANA High: 80° F/27° C Low: 75° F/24° C

Shown is today’s weather. Temperatures

CROOKED ISLAND / ACKLINS

are today’s highs and tonight’s lows.

RAGGED ISLAND High: 80° F/27° C Low: 74° F/23° C

GREAT INAGUA High: 83° F/28° C Low: 74° F/23° C

N

N E

W

E

W

L

High: 80° F/27° C Low: 74° F/23° C

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10-20 knots

10-20 knots

marine Forecast ABACO ANDROS CAT ISLAND CROOKED ISLAND ELEUTHERA FREEPORT GREAT EXUMA GREAT INAGUA LONG ISLAND MAYAGUANA NASSAU RAGGED ISLAND SAN SALVADOR

Today: Wednesday: Today: Wednesday: Today: Wednesday: Today: Wednesday: Today: Wednesday: Today: Wednesday: Today: Wednesday: Today: Wednesday: Today: Wednesday: Today: Wednesday: Today: Wednesday: Today: Wednesday: Today: Wednesday:

WINDS E at 10-20 Knots ENE at 7-14 Knots E at 8-16 Knots ENE at 8-16 Knots ENE at 10-20 Knots E at 8-16 Knots ENE at 10-20 Knots ENE at 10-20 Knots ENE at 8-16 Knots ENE at 8-16 Knots E at 10-20 Knots E at 7-14 Knots E at 8-16 Knots ENE at 8-16 Knots NE at 10-20 Knots ENE at 12-25 Knots ENE at 10-20 Knots ENE at 10-20 Knots ENE at 8-16 Knots ENE at 10-20 Knots E at 8-16 Knots ENE at 7-14 Knots NE at 10-20 Knots ENE at 10-20 Knots NE at 8-16 Knots ENE at 8-16 Knots

WAVES 4-8 Feet 3-6 Feet 1-2 Feet 1-2 Feet 4-8 Feet 4-7 Feet 3-6 Feet 4-7 Feet 5-9 Feet 4-7 Feet 1-3 Feet 1-3 Feet 1-2 Feet 1-2 Feet 3-6 Feet 3-6 Feet 3-5 Feet 3-6 Feet 5-9 Feet 5-9 Feet 2-4 Feet 1-3 Feet 3-6 Feet 3-6 Feet 2-4 Feet 1-3 Feet

VISIBILITY 10 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles 7 Miles 8 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles 9 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles 9 Miles 8 Miles 10 Miles

WATER TEMPS. 76° F 76° F 77° F 77° F 78° F 78° F 79° F 79° F 77° F 77° F 79° F 80° F 79° F 78° F 80° F 80° F 80° F 80° F 77° F 77° F 78° F 78° F 80° F 80° F 78° F 78° F

business@tribunemedia.net

TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 22, 2022

$5.37

$5.09

$5.37

$5.16

Auto dealers to seek price control freedom • BMDA chief says ‘very outdated policy’ • To meet with Gov’t: ‘We need to let it go’ • As competition ‘right at the finger tips’

By NEIL HARTNELL Tribune Business Editor nhartnell@tribunemedia.net THE Bahamas Motor Dealers Association’s (BMDA) president says the industry plans to address “the very outdated policy” of price controls with the Government, adding: “We need to let it go.”

Ben Albury told Tribune Business in a recent interview that price controls on new and used vehicles, as well as auto parts, were unnecessary given the level of domestic and foreign competition in a sector that has to work with “very slim margins”.

Confirming that the issue has been a long-standing concern for

auto dealers, he added that price controls were becoming increasingly obsolete “in a capitalist market” where alternatives were “right at the finger tips” of the consumer via Amazon and other online sites through which they can order car parts and search out vehicle purchases.

“I’m hoping that at some point we can meet with the Government and try and discuss that,” Mr Albury told this newspaper. “It’s been a point for a long time. I understand monopolies in food need to be price controlled, but in parts and cars we work on very slim margins with numerous competition.

“People can jump on the plane to Miami; it’s not like we’re the

only show in town. Consumers can go down the road and purchase from a competitor. I think price controls on vehicles and car parts are a little outdated. I think we’re in a capitalist market and need to let it go.

“There’s so many options nowadays...Amazon, and things right at the finger tips and, if my prices are not competitive, consumers will not come to me. The market will dictate that.” Mr Albury’s argument is that there is morethan-sufficient competition in the vehicle and auto parts market to prevent price gouging by dealers and suppliers.

Industry sources confirmed that the maximum mark-ups, or

Planning law reform urged for better buyer protection

By NEIL HARTNELL Tribune Business Editor nhartnell@tribunemedia.net ATTORNEYS yesterday argued that The Bahamas’ most important planning law should be reformed to provide greater protection for buyers of lots in unapproved subdivisions.

Tavares LaRoda, Sunshine Holdings’ general legal counsel, said the Privy Council’s upholding of the Planning and Subdivision Act’s meaning “puts too much” of a burden on Bahamians to obtain redress for land purchases deemed “null and

void” because they lie in subdivisions not approved by the Government.

He spoke out after the highest court in the Bahamian judicial system ruled that an Exuma developer should not be granted “any further indulgence” when it came to returning almost $900,000 to a US citizen who had sought to purchase a lot in its project.

February Point Resort Estates had previously been given “one final chance” by the Court of Appeal to produce the subdivision approval necessary to resolve its dispute with investor Malik Momin, but the

London-based Privy Council ruled that the developer was now out of time and should return the $895,000 purchase price plus interest to him.

The dispute, which revolved around the interpretation of the Planning and Subdivisions Act and the transition provisions for when it became law in 2011, was sparked when Mr Momin agreed to acquire lot 36 in Elizabeth Harbour Estates via a sales agreement that was executed on February 18, 2008.

SEE PAGE 22

Bahamas First profiting in year-end turnaround

By NEIL HARTNELL Tribune Business Editor nhartnell@tribunemedia.net BAHAMAS First yesterday revealed it overturned a near-$1m loss for the first nine months of 2021 with a strong finish that left annual profits just 10 percent down on prior year levels.

Patrick Ward, the BISXlisted insurer’s president and chief executive, told Tribune Business that “accelerated growth” across all its main business lines during the three months to end-December helped drive $5.763m in total comprehensive income for that period.

That represented a near-$7.3m year-over-year turnaround from the year before period’s $1.536m loss, and also reversed the $996,173 loss for the first nine months of 2021 into an annual profit of $4.766m.

The latter figure is some 10.1 percent below 2020’s $5.306m bottom line.

Boosted by the continued economic revival in

PATRICK WARD both The Bahamas and Cayman Islands, Mr Ward said the number of vehicles insured by Bahamas First had returned to “levels that are getting close to pre-pandemic” after suffering what he termed as a “double digit” decline at COVID-19’s peak.

With Bahamas First also getting to grips with the “escalating” health insurance claims in Cayman that had impacted its performance through the first nine months of 2021, he added that the fourth quarter turnaround was

driven by a combination of factors.

“We saw a trend in the growth of our main lines of business- property, motor and even in the health segment to some extent - that accelerated in the fourth quarter, so the additional growth in premium provided some extra bottom line benefits,” Mr Ward told this newspaper.

“Because a significant portion of the growth occurred in the 2021 second half, we will not see the full benefit of that until 2022 because the premiums are earned over the year-long life of the property [insurance] contract.

“We arrested some of the issues with the health account and saw the benefits of that in the last quarter of 2021, and as a consequence of that saw an improvement in the overall loss ratio of the health business. And the performance of the property and casualty segment for The Bahamas and Cayman was very strong because of excellent claims results.”

Bahamas urged: Be ‘more like’ Florida in COVID ease

By YOURI KEMP Tribune Business Reporter ykemp@tribunemedia.net A BAHAMIAN restaurant proprietor yesterday argued that this nation needs to be “more like”

Florida and eliminate all COVID-19 protocols if the sector is to fully recover from the pandemic.

Peter Maury, owner of the Green Parrot and Margaritaville restaurants, told Tribune Business he was now

considering reopening both his restaurants to indoor dining after the Government raised seating capacity limits to 75 percent as the Omicron variant’s surge tapers off.

This represents an increase from the previous

Mr Ward said Bahamas First also saw some reversal of the “unrealised loss” on the value of its Commonwealth Bank equity stake in the 2021 fourth quarter, the worth of its shareholding rising by $981,589 over those three months. As a result, the total unrealised loss for the 2021 full-year was narrowed to $1.742m compared to $2.881m the year before.

Meanwhile, Bahamas First’s total underwriting expenses soared by almost $8m or 13.3 percent yearover-year, jumping from $57.477m to $65.129m.

Mr Ward said the increase reflected “the cost of additional reinsurance we had to acquire because of the increase in property exposure, and the claims experience on the health account probably drove the underwriting expenses”.

He declined to provide details on how Bahamas First had stemmed the bleeding from its Cayman health business, describing

SEE PAGE 23 50 percent limit, and although the Government also stipulated that all patrons are either fully vaccinated or have a “valid” rapid antigen COVID test result. No timeframe was given for when that test must be taken, but the Ministry of Health and Wellness added that the mask wearing mandate remains in effect.

“This probably won’t give us a bump in sales

SEE PAGE 22

SEE PAGE 21

BEN ALBURY

Hotels chief calls for COVID mask rethink • Suggests relaxation for resorts, tourist amenities • Hails 48-hour test end as boost for winter business • Says ‘further ease warranted over period of time’

By NEIL HARTNELL Tribune Business Editor nhartnell@tribunemedia.net A prominent hotelier yesterday urged the Government to consider relaxing COVID mask mandates in resorts and other tourist amenities where the majority of persons are fully vaccinated.

Robert Sands, the Bahamas Hotel and Tourism Association’s (BHTA) president, told Tribune Business that easing pandemic-related restrictions as The Bahamas’ COVID

ROBERT SANDS case numbers continue to decline will further spur visitor demand just as this nation heads into its winter

SEE PAGE 20