02222023 NEWS, SPORT AND BUSINESS

Triple Breakfast Stacks

WHY THE NO-SHOW AT PAC?

Pintard wants answers as Attorney General advises PS to stay away

FREE National Movement leader Michael Pintard is “concerned” that Permanent Secretary Luther Smith was a “no show” before the Public Accounts Committee yesterday.

He said Mr Smith’s non-appearance was on the instructions of Attorney General Ryan Pinder, adding that the committee will review the matter and soon advise what next steps it will take.

When contacted last night, Mr Pinder said: “The scope of the request was not compliant with the parliamentary rules governing the PAC.”

Mr Pinder said he was

also advised that Mr Smith was only made aware of the request to appear before the committee on Monday. The PAC met yesterday with Mr Pintard, East Grand Bahama MP Kwasi Thompson and Central Grand Bahama MP Iram Lewis present.

According to a press release from Mr Pintard yesterday, he received a letter from the clerk of the House of Assembly which suggested that “the Attorney General (Ryan Pinder) instructed the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Public Works Mr Luther Smith not to attend the scheduled Public

SEE PAGE THREE

FOULKES CALLS PM CLAIM ‘UNTRUTH’

By JADE RUSSELL Tribune Staff Reporter jrussell@tribunemedia.net

FORMER Governor General Sir Arthur Foulkes yesterday dismissed Prime Minister Philip “Brave” Davis’ claims that the opposition left the 1972 independence conference in London, saying it’s a “persistent” untruth.

Sir Arthur in an interview with The Tribune responded to comments made on Monday about the 1972 independence conference.

FNM CHAIRMAN: ELEUTHERA WATER WOES DUE TO NEGLECT

By LYNAIRE MUNNINGS Tribune Staff Reporter lmunnings@tribunemedia.net

AFTER reports of days of water disruption in South and Central Eleuthera, Free National Movement Chairman Dr Duane Sands called out the government for “neglecting” residents. The Water and Sewerage Corporation previously said a “major failure” on Friday at the Tarpum Bay desalination plant contributed to the disruption within the communities.

In a statement posted to its Facebook page yesterday, WSC said water supply restoration for customers in Rock Sound and Tarpum Bay commenced at 7.30am on Tuesday.

SEE PAGE FOUR

MAN IN CUBAN PRISON PLEADS FOR BAHAMIAN JAIL TRANSFER

By LETRE SWEETING lsweeting@tribunemedia.net

A BAHAMIAN man being held in a Cuban prison on drug charges is pleading for the families of the Bahamian prisoners in detention there to peacefully protest outside the Cuban Embassy in an effort to get transferred to The Bahamas to serve their sentences.

Omar Chisolm, who has been incarcerated in the maximum security El Combinado del Este Prison in Havana, Cuba, since April 2021 is seeking to be transferred to the Bahamas Department of Correctional Services near

SEE PAGE SEVEN

Mr Davis during a debate in the House of Assembly said that the opposition left quickly on the completion of the conference.

In a 2014 Tribune editorial, it was reported that Foreign Affairs Minister Fred Mitchell also described the FNM members’ hurried departure from London on the completion of the 1972 independence conference at Marlborough House. The inference in this

SEE PAGE THREE

ALICIA WALLACE: HUMAN RIGHTS NEED TO BE HONOURED OVER VOTES AND POWER

- SEE PAGE EIGHT

Photo: Moise Amisial

FORMER Governor General Sir Arthur Foulkes

Minnis says PM Davis is ‘mixed and confused’ on shanty towns

By LYNAIRE MUNNINGS Tribune Staff Reporter lmunnings@tribunemedia.net

FORMER Prime Minister Dr Hubert Minnis expressed his disappointment at Prime Minister Philip “Brave” Davis’ national address on immigration, calling the government “mixed and confused” on the shanty town issue.

Mr Davis gave a national address on Sunday night, during which he spoke about the issues of irregular migrants, shanty towns and introduced “Operation Secure” to aid in tackling the unregulated communities. However, he gave no timeline for when the government will take action on the shanty towns.

He said undocumented migrants will continue to be processed and repatriated, adding this effort will expand in the coming days as well as weeks.

In terms of documented migrants living in unregulated communities, he said they will be required to relocate at their expense or their employer’s expense, or face repatriation.

Dr Minnis chastised the

government, saying that the prime minister failed to mention solutions to the country’s immigration crisis. He said this week: “I was very disappointed, I, and the Bahamian people, were looking for solutions. What was he (Prime Minister Davis) going to do with shanty towns since the injunction has been lifted? The injunction has been lifted, we wanted to hear timelines, you can now go in, you can proceed as or continue as we have done.”

On Friday, Mr Davis said that the government will not immediately move to demolish shanty towns in the country despite the recent lifting of an injunction prohibiting demolition of these areas, saying it makes no sense “responding to a crisis to create another crisis”.

However, during his national address on Sunday, he noted it is a priority that “decisive action” must be taken, which is based on laws of “our land”.

In response to the mixed messages, Dr Minnis said: “They’re (the government) mixed and they’re confused.”

He continued: “They give the impression that they don’t want to touch it, but the Bahamian people want a solution. They want that matter to be resolved, and, therefore, they’re pandering on one hand and at the same time, they’re somewhat slow on the other hand.”

With respect to irregular migrants, the former prime minister insisted that “free movement” of people is not supported within the country, saying that “they must go” and the shanty towns likewise be demolished. He supports people who meet the requirements for citizenship, saying that irregular migrants “must be dealt with”.

Immigration Minister Keith Bell has repeatedly defended the government’s efforts in addressing irregular migrants in the country, saying that he was satisfied that this administration was doing “as much as it possibly can” at this point. The immigration minister has previously said that as a developing country The Bahamas cannot afford to accommodate the large influx of irregular migrants coming here.

EMS CREW IS SUSPENDED AS AMBULANCE INCIDENT PROBED

By EARYEL BOWLEG Tribune Staff Reporter ebowleg@tribunemedia.net

THE Public Hospitals Authority has launched an official inquiry into an alleged incident reported to have occurred in an ambulance involving a pregnant woman.

According to a press release, two National Emergency Medical Services crew members have been suspended pending the outcome of the inquiry.

“The PHA remains committed to providing quality care in all pre-hospital emergency services and

hospital-based services.

Patients and their loved ones are encouraged to call client feedback lines to report any concerns or questions they may have,” according to the PHA’s press release.

The press release did not specify the incident in question. However, it was claimed on social media that a woman who came into Nassau on an emergency flight with pregnancy complications had a bad experience during an ambulance ride. It was alleged that an EMS worker made the woman sit up in the ambulance while he

stretched off in the bed and fell asleep on the ride to the hospital. This latest inquiry comes in the wake of the death of Kenise Darville in January. Before her death, she went live on Facebook claiming she experienced negligence and poor healthcare at Princess Margaret Hospital. Dr Darville announced last month that he had instructed the hospital and the PHA to investigate. PMH’s client care line can be reached at 242-825-3438 and the Rand Memorial Hospital’s client feedback line is 242-350-6700 ext. 2079.

BEACH CLEAN-UP AT FORT MONTAGU

A BEACH clean-up is being held on Saturday by the Bahamas Agriculture and Marine Science Institute.

The clean-up will be held at Fort Montagu, with all welcome to join in. The event will be held from 7am-9m.

For more details, follow @BAMSIBahamas on social media, call 397-6580 or email climatejusticebahamas@gmail.com.

FORMER Prime Minister Dr Hubert Minnis.

Why the no-show at PAC?

Accounts Committee meeting although he was duly served with a summons”.

Mr Pintard said the attorney general advised that he would receive a formal communication on the matter.

“We are very serious about holding the government accountable and will take all the necessary steps to do so,” Mr Pintard said. “We later received the correspondence from Attorney General Ryan Pinder and will review and advise our next steps.”

The Tribune has seen a copy of Mr Pinder’s letter to the PAC chairman, sent in care of the House of Assembly’s clerk. The document was in response to PAC’s letters to various ministries and departments requesting copies of contracts entered into or on behalf of the ministries since September 21, 2021.

Mr Pinder’s February 21 letter said the PAC “made a general request” which went beyond the powers granted to the committee by the House of Assembly’s rules.

“You have made a general request which is beyond the powers granted to the PAC by the rules, specifically section 17 and therefore the request by the chairman of the PAC is denied. Furthermore, the request of interviews of public (servants) on the same grounds is likewise denied for the same reasons,” Mr Pinder wrote.

According to Mr Pinder’s letter, Section 17 of the Rules of Procedure of the House of Assembly states that the PAC has the duty to examine and report on the accounts showing the appropriation of sums granted by Parliament to meet public expenditure; other reports, accounts or financial statements of ministries, departments and

public corporations before the House as the committee may see fit; such other accounts as may be referred to the committee by the House or any other law; or the report of the auditor general.

This comes after Mr Pintard told Tribune Business on Monday he would “leave no stone unturned” in holding the government accountable, saying the PAC is now “rolling” into action.

The PAC was expected to question Mr Smith at 10am yesterday.

“Things are rolling with the Public Accounts Committee,” Mr Pintard said. “We’re going to be putting questions to Luther Smith [Tuesday]. Some of them revolve around not just the Water &

FOULKES CALLS PM CLAIM ‘UNTRUTH’

late Kendal Isaacs.

remark is that the FNM did not wait for the end of the talks, but rushed to the airport, leaving the government to dot the “i’s” and cross the “t’s” on The Bahamas’ most important document.

“The FNM was on the side and they were arguing, no to independence. That’s the point he made now, after the people rejected the view of the FNM.

“Right, and then the issue of the constitutional conference came up. It was only right for the opposition to have their say in the crafting of the Constitution,” Mr Davis said on Monday.

Mr Davis added: “They left; Christmas was coming. They signed off and said Sir Lynden whatever y’all say... And they came back home, that’s all part of the record.”

However, when The Tribune contacted Sir Arthur, he said the claims are false.

“It’s (false), it’s unfortunate I don’t know who told him that. But obviously, somebody told him that and he repeated it,” Sir Arthur said.

Sir Arthur said the comments made by the Prime Minister were a discredit to him and his fellow colleagues such as former leader of the opposition the

“It’s a discredit to us. Some of my colleagues, like Kendal Isaacs, who is now passed, it’s unfair to him.

“If you knew Kendal Isaacs, he was one of the most honourable men I’ve ever met in my life. To suggest he would have abandoned his duty like that it’s just utterly unspeakable; it’s really wrong.”

Sir Arthur explained that the British government decided when he and his colleagues were set to leave, noting they left after the conference was completely done.

He added: “From what other reporters told me, he repeated the same thing that Fred Mitchell said that we left before the conference finished. That is not true. We left the same day, but it was hours after the conference finished. We were there for the end of the conference.”

Sir Arthur said Mr Davis should be making comments that celebrate unity as opposed to false statements.

A Tribune 2014 editorial also sought to clarify those events. The editorial said there was a November 30, 1972, letter informing Opposition Leader Kendal Isaacs, QC, of his party’s travel dates, hotel accommodations, the B$553 per

Sewerage Corporation but Bahamas Power & Light (BPL). We’re not going to leave any stone unturned with trying to get them [the government] to be accountable and transparent. We’re going to come at them from multiple angles.”

The PAC’s main function is to scrutinise government spending. It is the only parliamentary select committee on which the official opposition holds a majority and can thus seek to set the agenda.

Mr Pintard has promised to make as many PAC hearings as possible open to attendance by the public.

“We are going to look at opening things up going forward. Our goal is to make this as open as possible for the public to observe the work that is taking place.”

diem allowance for each member of the delegation, which represented “10 days allowance”.

In the same letter, the Secretary to the Cabinet instructed them that the government had booked Opposition delegates at

the Carlton Towers Hotel from December 8-19, 1972. The Opposition party had no say in the time that they either arrived or left London.

However, on January 4, 1973, Sir Kendal Isaacs in a short note to Prime

Minister Pindling wrote:

“You will recall that the Opposition delegation to the recent Constitutional Conference in London departed only a matter of hours after the conclusion of the conference. As a result, we did not collect

those papers which were presumably prepared as a result of the final session.

I would be most grateful if you would therefore use your good offices to secure the delivery of these papers to us from the Commonwealth Office.”

FNM leader Michael Pintard outside the House of Assembly on Monday.

Photo: Moise Amisial

ATTORNEY General Ryan Pinder.

Photo: Austin Fernander

SIR Arthur Foulkes pictured in 2018.

FNM chairman: Eleuthera water woes due to government neglect

from page one

The statement said it would “take a few hours to fully pressurise the system” and to return to normal water supply. In the interim, WSC said it would continue to distribute water by tanker truck to customers.

In a statement posted to WSC’s Facebook page on Monday, the corporation explained why the water had not been restored earlier. It said the plant in question had “experienced severe damage to its electrical and mechanical systems, including two high pressure pumps”.

“One pump has been rebuilt and is being mounted and the other pump rebuilding and mounting should be completed by noon today (Monday),” according to the statement posted on Monday.

WSC executive chairman Sylvanus Petty, at the request of the government, visited the plant on Monday to assess the work

in progress. In the interim, the corporation had distributed bottled water and water via tanker truck to assist customers with their potable water and

sanitation needs.

With respect to Eleuthera specifically, Dr Sands said the government has failed to plan to improve the reliability of

its services, with residents facing water supply issues for the past three months.

In a video message, Dr Sands emphasised that “the new day is not

a better day,” urging the government to realign its priorities to reflect that in the interest of the people.

“This year, the government of The Bahamas has budgeted to spend more money than it has ever spent in our history.

“Just let that sink in.

Recently, we have watched paving of roads and the expenditure of untold thousands of dollars. The creation of phenomenal pomp and circumstance for the recent CARICOM meeting, the purchase of new cars for Cabinet ministers, the travel of dignitaries and ministers around the world first class, you see, these expenditures of tax dollars reflect Cabinet priorities.

“But on one of the largest islands of The Bahamas, in South and Central Eleuthera, citizens, residents and visitors don’t have access to clean water. For days, weeks on end, a basic human need has been neglected by this administration and this has been

an issue for many months.

“The problem has not been solved, because the political will to solve it is non-existent. And the people of Eleuthera should take this to mean that they know nor their human dignity, are priorities.”

He scolded the Davis administration for allowing residents to “suffer”, saying that they must spend money to assist the “basic needs of human beings”.

“Clearly the new day is not a better day,” said Dr Sands. “So, to this government, for the love of God stop talking and make some decisions in the interest of our people.”

He added: “Spend some money not on travel, or pet projects, or posturing but on basic needs of human beings. Stop the talk and false indignation by your MPs who represent Eleuthera or who are cabinet ministers. You are the government, for God’s sake, fix it.”

DR DARVILLE DENIES DR SANDS INFECTION SURGE CLAIM

By LEANDRA ROLLE Tribune Staff Reporter lrolle@tribunemedia.net

HEALTH and Wellness

Minister Dr Michael Darville has denied reports about there being a surge in upper respiratory tract and gastrointestinal cases in the country, insisting that current infection numbers are “below the normal value.”

He was responding to a recent voice note sent from Free National Movement Chairman Dr Duane Sands who said that over the last few weeks, healthcare workers have seen a huge uptick in respiratory illnesses affecting adults, infants and children.

A number of those children, Dr Sands claimed, have required hospitalisation, some of whom had to be admitted to the ICU.

But despite this, Dr Sands said very little information had been provided by the government on the severity of the situation and added that no advice has been given to parents and guardians as to how they can protect their children.

“We expect (and) we demand an urgent update from the Ministry of Health because someone is clearly asleep at the wheel,” Dr Sands said.

Yesterday, Dr Darville

responded to the FNM chairman and categorically denied that there was an uptick in upper respiratory tract and gastrointestinal infections.

He also called the former health minister’s comments inappropriate

and asked for Dr Sands to report to his ministry if he knew something that officials didn’t rather than causing panic.

“I’d like to make it very clear that the Ministry of Health is responsible for surveillance and reporting

diseases or infectious diseases as indicated in the community,” Dr Darville told reporters yesterday.

“When we look at the reported cases and the data that is in front of us, there is no need to create panic. Our numbers for upper

respiratory tract infection and gastrointestinal infections, at this particular time, (are) below the normal value, but we are constantly watching and so these voice notes to create concern and panic, I don’t think it’s appropriate.

“If Dr Sands has something or some information that he knows about that our ministry is unaware of, he needs to bring it to my attention rather than create panic in the community.”

When asked what is usually considered the normal value, Dr Darville could not say.

However, he admitted that “at this particular time in the year, we do see spikes of upper respiratory tract infections and some indications of gastrointestinal.”

Of the latter, he said most of them are viral cases which happen every year. He also reminded the public that the country has just emerged from the COVID-19 pandemic which required people to wear masks, among other things.

However, he said, “we are now being exposed” considering that the COVID restrictions have been lifted.

“But I want to report to the community that the numbers are below the normal value as we experience during this time of year, but we are watching the situation very closely and there is no need for panic in the community at this time,” the health minister added.

MINISTER OF HEALTH SA S E UMA COVID CASES ‘SEEMS TO BE UNDER CONTROL’

By LEANDRA ROLLE Tribune Staff Reporter lrolle@tribunemedia.net

A WEEK after confirming a cluster of COVID-19 cases in Exuma, Health and Wellness Minister Dr Michael Darville said yesterday that officials are still monitoring the situation, but noted that “everything seems to be under control” on the island.

Speaking to reporters before heading to

yesterday’s Cabinet meeting, Dr Darville said the island has about 14 positive virus cases in total, with some 30 people currently still in quarantine.

“At LN Coakley (High School), we are monitoring the situation. When we first started out, there (were) about six, possibly eight cases of COVID. Today, there (are) only two reported cases,” the health minister said.

“As far as Exuma is

concerned, we have a total of 14 cases. Like I said, two at the schools and the balance is in the community. We have about 26 to 30 people in quarantine and it’s going on a downward trend. So I’m pleased to report that to the community.” He said cases were trending downwards because of the protocols put in place by the ministry’s surveillance unit. Asked about the cause behind the outbreak, the

minister did not say.

However, Dr Darville told reporters that he believed information had been compiled to determine where the infections started.

“As you can recall, our health services rules, we have pretty much removed everything,” Dr Darville added. “There’s no more mask mandate. We always encourage the community to practise safety measures if you have a respiratory

infection, you can keep the mask on. They are regular protocols that remain, and we encourage the community to do it,” he said.

“If you know that you have an upper respiratory infection, you’re sneezing and you’re coughing and you have a runny nose, it is probably in your best interest to wear a mask to protect those around you but as far as we’re concerned at the ministry of health, the mask

mandate is removed and that means now we have the community operating as it was in the past.

“It’s very important for businesses and very important to get our economy moving, but of course, the situation is fluid and if we see signs where it needs to be brought back into play, we will do it but at this particular time, we have no intention of doing so.”

FNM chairman Dr Duane Sands yesterday called out the government for eglecting residents of Eleuthera as their water troubles left them without water once again. Water and Sewerage executive chairman Syvanus Petty said that while repairs are under way the corporation distributed bottled water.

MINISTER of Health and Wellness, Dr Michael Darville, yesterday denied claim from Free National Movement chairman Dr Duane Sands that there is a surge in upper resparitory tract and gastrointestinal caes in the country

Photo: Moise Amisial

Kenise Darville’s death at PMH investigation ‘nearly complete’

By LEANDRA ROLLE Tribune Staff Reporter lrolle@tribunemedia.net

AN INVESTIGATION into the death of Kenise Darville, the mother of three who died last month after posting a heart wrenching video about the alleged negligence she experienced at Princess Margaret Hospital, is nearly complete.

This is according to Health and Wellness Minister Dr Michael Darville. He was asked for an update on those investigations by The Tribune before yesterday’s Cabinet meeting.

“We made it very clear (in the) initial statements that the PHA (Public Hospitals Authority) and Princess Margaret Hospital should move expeditiously to ensure that the case is investigated,” Dr Darville told reporters.

two weeks earlier.

A week before her death, Mrs Darville went live on Facebook in an isolation room located at the Women’s Medical Ward of PMH, appealing for blood donations while detailing her “bad” experience at the hospital.

In that video, she claimed that doctors at PMH had told her that her blood platelet count was low and that they would be ordering platelets for her treatment.

However, she said doctors later told her that they had not been ordered, and then “nonchalantly” asked her to organise people to donate blood instead.

The video went viral, sparking public outrage while prompting other persons to share their alleged bad experiences at the hospital.

In the wake of the controversy, Dr Darville announced that an investigation was underway.

husband, Jerad Darville, said at a press conference held after her death. “On her dying bed, you ask her to find blood. Where was she to go? Oh, my Lord, be fair. Where was she to go for help?”

Dr Darville has previously admitted to there being “elements of possible malpractice” at the hospital and said it was up to officials to minimise such incidents.

“Well, you know, allegations for the delivery of healthcare services is something that is age old. Every facility throughout the world, there’s elements of possible malpractice and the legal parameters associated with it,” he told reporters last month.

KENISE Darville

“I have been informed that we are near completion of that investigation and very soon, the family will be contacted by the managing director and the team at the Public Hospitals Authority.” The mother of three died on January 19 after being admitted to PMH

This followed calls for answers from Mrs Darville’s family surrounding the circumstances of her death.

Loved ones have also called for changes in the public healthcare system.

“You should never have to be dying and trying to find blood,” Mrs Darville’s

“But while that’s happening, it is our responsibility to minimise those allegations by improving our customer service relations by putting advocates in place so that loved ones can constantly be in contact with their loved ones on the ward and any aspect as it relates to malpractice can be brought to the forefront.”

SMALL HOME REPAIR PROGRAMME TO START WITH HOMES ON GRAND BAHAMA

By DENISE MAYCOCK Tribune Freeport Reporter dmaycock@tribunemedia.net

REPAIRS are underway on about 20 homes in Grand Bahama and work should start soon on Abaco, according to Executive Chairman of the Disaster Reconstruction Authority Alex Storr.

He reported that an assessment and scope of works for every single home on the islands of Grand Bahama and Abaco have been completed by the DRA.

“Repairs are now ongoing in Grand Bahama. I am not sure about the exact number (of homes), but it is around 20,” he said yesterday when contacted by The Tribune.

In January, Mr Storr indicated the next phase of the Small Homes Repair Programme would begin with

200 homes: 100 on Grand Bahama and 100 on Abaco at a cost of $1.6 million.

“We are also getting ready to start in Abaco and once we start doing some things there, we are going to start reviewing both islands, and even increase what we are doing now,” he explained.

“We have completed by our records, everybody who has applied for assistance with the DRA. We have seen them and conducted an assessment of their houses, and we have the scope of works prepared for every single house on both islands that need repairs.”

The DRA executive said there may be a handful of people who have reached out to them concerning repairs that they have not gotten to yet.

“We are actively trying to get those persons (sorted out). But we are ready

HEALTH CONFERENCE TO BE HOSTED IN BAHAMAS

THE Caribbean Public Health Agency will host its 67th annual research conference in The Bahamas, in collaboration with the Ministry of Health and Wellness.

The conference theme this year is Caribbean Health and Tourism: Pathways to Recovery and Resilience. The conference is scheduled for April 27-29 and will be held at Atlantis, Paradise Island.

Health and Wellness

Minister Dr Michael Darville expressed excitement about the conference.

He said The Bahamas has shown resilience and recovery, as he noted the aftermath of Hurricane Dorian that affected the lives of many Bahamians.

He said organisations such as CARPHA have aided in providing public health strategies, adding the conference is beneficial for ongoing information on health tourism.

The collaboration between CARPHA and the Ministry of Health seeks to bring research to disseminate and to discuss public health in the Caribbean region.

“The Bahamas remains committed to addressing the issues of health tourism, to promote healthy and safer tourism products, both locally and regionally.

As part of a pathway for recovery and resilience,” Dr Darville said. He continued: “This conference brings together

to go with some internal things we must finish with the Ministry of Finance. As soon as all is in order, it is going to be an even wider roll out of the programme,” said Mr Storr.

Mr Storr said that a total of under 2,000 homes were identified for repairs under the programme.

He noted that because of two partnerships with NGOs, many people that had originally applied had received some assistance from NGOs.

The goal now, he stressed, is to get all the homes completed before the next hurricane season.

“If things work out the way we envision them, we want by the time hurricane season comes around we would have repaired every house and have them properly secured,” he said.

The DRA chairman indicated that the budget has

increased, and that some changes were made to the programme. “It may be more than ($1.6m) because we are going to change some things in the programme. We are going to buy all the building supplies and are going to be using contractors. And building materials have seen sharp increases, as well as shipping costs.”

Mr Storr also provided an update on other matters that are being addressed by the DRA.

He noted that work is now ongoing and coming along at the hurricane shelter in Central Pines, Abaco.

The debris management site in Treasure Cay, he said, is also now being secured.

“We had gotten reports that people may have been using some of the debris from there to feed some of the shanty towns. So, that

site is now secured, and we hope that it has put an end to that,” Mr Storr said.

In Sweeting’s Cay, he said there has been some delay with the septic tank installation work due to logistical challenges.

“We hope to begin there shortly. There were some logistical challenges, but all the septic tanks have been purchased and just need to be transported there. The contractor is transporting them and will begin the work immediately,” Mr Storr said.

As for Elbow Cay, he has received reports that the contractor has cleared that debris site “ahead of schedule.”

“It is debris free and

hopefully the investor will be able to start his project shortly,” Mr Storr stated.

He stated that a private investor who was starting a project there had allowed the then DRA under the former administration to store all debris on that island on the site. He claimed that the investor wanted to start his project there, but there was some delay. “We met a contract ongoing in place and we had to cancel that. We issued a new contract, and that site is now being cleared a month ahead of schedule,” he said.

experts from across the region to our shores to share their experiences, their successes, solutions, challenges and strengths that they experienced.

“We are excited that this year’s conference will be held in The Bahamas and I assure you that we will do all in our power to ensure it will be successful.”

Dr Joy St John, executive director of CARPHA, said throughout the conference they hope to have research papers that deal with tourism and health.

She added the organisation has learned from situations such as COVID19 which has led to officials researching and having ongoing efforts in the public health sector to create efficient strategies.

The conference will also analyse research that will assist in protecting health tourism.

“The Bahamas is one of the most sought-after spots, and the Caribbean is one of the most tourism dependent regions in this world. CARPHA therefore sees the partnership with the Ministry of Health and Wellness in hosting the appropriately themed Caribbean Health and Tourism Pathway to Recovery and Resilience,” Dr John said.

The conference will also cover issues such as child health, maternal health, infectious disease, and public health topics of interest.

YOUTH, Sports and Culture Minister Mario Bowleg said yesterday that renovation works at the Thomas A Robinson National Stadium should be completed next month before the upcoming 50th CARIFTA games.

The project has a price tag of $2.8m, he added.

“What we have done is obtain a contractor for the cost of some $2.8m to do the cosmetic works as it relates to the structure of the stadium and that is expected to be finished by mid-March at the latest, the end of March which will have us prepared and ready to go for CARIFTA which will be in the second week of April during the Easter celebration,” Mr Bowleg told reporters before going to a Cabinet meeting Tuesday.

In the meantime, he said, repairs to the track remain underway and added that plans to install a new track are expected to take place before 2024.

“The old track surface should be completed by the end of this month and we expect the new track which is getting some minor repairs which we intend

to replace for the World Relays in 2024 so with that being said the old track will be completed first so that we can have some events on the old track while the new track with the physical structure being repaired at the same time.”

He said repairs to old and new tracks will cost the government somewhere around $800,000.

In terms of ticket sales for CARIFTA, Mr Bowleg noted that they are selling out fast and advised Bahamians to purchase them as soon as possible.

“We want the Bahamian people to come out and support the Bahamian athletes,” he added, while describing the ticket costs as being very cheap.

“Ten dollars for the ticket in the general area and I think you know that’s a little we can spend to show the support to our athletes and give them that support they need to have that extra boost to cross that finish line.”

The CARIFTA Games will be held in The Bahamas from April 7-10.

The Tribune Limited

A clever solution to a long-time problem

THERE always seems to be more problems in public life than solutions –so when an imaginative way to resolve an issue is suggested, it is well worth taking a moment to applaud it.

In yesterday’s Tribune , the chief executive of Fidelity Bank (Bahamas), Gowon Bowe, shared his idea for resolving problems that have vexed the country for some time – the issues of housing and distressed mortgage woes.

There is a frustrating combination of issues – where there is a shortage of affordable housing on one hand, and a number of properties left empty as owners are unable to pay mortgages and they get stuck in limbo with the matter unresolved.

A number of delinquent properties have been left on the books of commercial banks, doing nothing but lose their value over time.

Mr Bowe wants to do something about that.

He suggests creating an investment trust or some other financing mechanism to take those properties off the books of banks at a reduced value, so that they can be repurposed for those who need them.

As he said: “Banks don’t really want to be property owners; that’s not our mandate.”

He pointed out that people come to the bank to get a mortgage to buy a home, not to ask what the bank has for them to look at.

He added: “The bank doesn’t want persons coming in to inquire: ‘Can you sell me a home?’ They want to loan them money to buy a home. A nonperforming loan has effectively been converted into a physical asset because you’re now in a state of saying you can only realise a recovery through the sale of the house. You’ve effectively become a property owner trying to sell a home.”

The suggestion would free up some of that balance sheet, and get the property back doing what it’s supposed to do –giving people a home.

The suggested trust would buy the property for cents on the dollar, invest to upgrade them and sell at a profit while still giving the buyer a discounted price overall. Alternatively, the properties can keep sitting there. Unused. Falling into disrepair. All while people need a roof over their heads.

There is already a shortage of affordable housing in this country – a situation that has resulted in the shanty towns we see that have sprung up on different islands.

This idea won’t solve the whole problem – but it will get more properties back on the market.

Fidelity is willing to put money behind the scheme too, with the possibility of buying bonds or mortgage-backed securities any such trust could offer to help generate financing.

It’s a clever idea, and we hope that others will explore it further. And credit to Mr Bowe for trying to come up with an imaginative solution to a problem that seems to have been going nowhere fast.

Confidential or not?

The Tribune received a curious email yesterday – though we’re not sure if we can talk about it.

The email seemed simple enough –headlined “Bahamas Public Forecast” and running through the weather for the next day.

However, at the bottom the email signature insisted the contents of the email were confidential, denying permission to copy or distribute it in any unauthorised manner without the express permission of the sender.

So we cannot tell you it forecast pleasant and warm conditions – oops, oh dear, we just did.

One other forecast we shall mention – that the forecasters will amend their automated email signature very soon indeed.

Children’s learning disorders

EDITOR, The Tribune.

PLEASE allow the publishing of this open letter to the Minister of Education &

Dear Minister,

I write to you in two capacities – as a mental health professional/advocate and as a parent of a recently discovered special needs child who has a learning disability, visual-spatial disorder to be precise. Visual-spatial disability is a non-verbal learning disorder (NVLD). It is a processing deficit whereby a child struggles to organise and process visual information. It creates a challenge to appropriately conceptualise space and can present with a struggle with concepts in math and complex verbal instructions. They are not dumb. They have a learning disorder(LD). More accurately, they learn differently from a normal neurotypical child. As such, unless the traditional way of teaching is adapted to maximise his learning experience, he and other children suffering from similar disabilities will be left behind. And that is wrong. NVLD is much more common than what is reported according to experts in the field. Further, the prevalence of learning disability is estimated at 5% (that’s one in every 20 students) making it quite common.

The Bahamas is a signatory of the Conventions on Rights of Persons with Physical Disabilities (CRPD). As written in the

document, Article 7 states that “Parties shall take all necessary measures to ensure the full enjoyment by children with disabilities of all human rights and fundamental freedoms on an equal basis with other children.”

Further, The Child Protection Act 2007 Section 8 states “(2) The Minister responsible for education shall take appropriate steps to ensure that children with disabilities are afforded equal opportunities to education.”

There is a policy/practice of the Bahamas government to provide subventions to private educational institutions to support those entities in teaching our children. My son recently enrolled into a private secondary institution. But he is struggling. Like most private secondary schools, the school that he attends does not have an individualised educational programme commonly known as an IEP. Programmes like IEP are proven interventions for children with LDs. Adapting such programmes in all schools allows for all children of various academic ability to strive and grow at their individual pace. This does not change the school’s curriculum, but expands the educational environment to be more inclusive which is the aspirations of CRPD and Human Rights. It does not mean added

cost to education. It means investing in specialised teachers and developing programmes for children with special ways of learning. The solution is not to have separate schools, as that approach goes against the CRPD right of equality, and also the spirit of the Child Protection Act mandating “equal opportunities to education.” Further, as argued in Brown v. Board of Education (1954), although related to race, the essence of the argument holds firm: separation could never be equal. If a private school is receiving government funds, and those funds are mostly derived from taxpayers, then those institutions are receiving taxpayers’ money. Receiving taxpayer’s money should mean that those institutions provide appropriate education for all taxpayers’ children. ALL. In other words, they should expand their programme to accommodate students with special needs. If they are not doing so, then they should not receive taxpayers’ money. We are sacrificing too many children and excusing away the desire not to change and embrace a better way. Education is a fundamental right to all children. Subsidising private schools that do not embrace inclusion is unfair to all Bahamian children with any disability.

DR THOMAS SMITH MRCPsych,DM, MBBS, BSc. Nassau, January 25, 2023.

Hear all sides

AFTER Transport Minister JoBeth Coleby-Davis did not confirm the total number of taxi plates issued since assuming office, readers of www.tribune242.com joined the conversation on the issue.

AnObserver said: “There should be as many taxi plates as people want. There is no limit on the number of grocery stores that can open up. No limit on the number of electricians, no limit on the number of plumbers. Why should taxi drivers get special treatment? Competition is good for everyone.”

Sickened said: “The FNM’s need to ask better and more accurate questions. For example... How many taxi plates have been issued and in circulation as at September 30, 2022. And then a separate question being as at December 31, 2023. This will either force them to give the number or go on record saying that their records are not yet up to date as at a given time.”

M0J0 said: “No side gives a record. I don’t know why

we allow one side to act as if their hands are clean.”

FlyingFish added: “The same people who talk about inflation don’t realize if the supply of taxi drivers is higher than the demand many will not survive. They’ll have to give up their business and lose the investment of that vehicle if they can’t find a replacement of employment. Yet we are trusting them with the economic governance, geez

“You can only have so much taxi plates in this small economy, perhaps there should be a limit on how much individuals can have to hire out. Moreover, in this touristic economy there should be higher focus on Public Transit with Taxis acting as supplementary

transit but we have it backwards. In 10 years at this rate, the the rush hour commute will 2hrs because all of the taxis on the road.”

Mandela said: “FOIA is the only way to go; hopefully, the public will one day have access to the information that the people require.”

Bonefish said: “Why can’t politicians in this country be transparent and answer questions? Some of those plates were given as political patronage. The FNM did it also. Despite all of those taxis on the road, service is generally not provided to local residents. They mainly ply their trade in the tourism market. That is why there are so many vehicles on this small island. Neither the PLP nor FNM while in power has any interest in creating a modern public transit system on this island. The result is that quality of life on this island suffers from the lack of it.”

A PERFORMER from the Viradouro samba school parades on a float during Carnival celebrations at the Sambadrome in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, yesterday.

Photo: Bruna Prado/AP

Man in Cuban prison pleads for Bahamian jail transfer

from page one

his family to serve out the rest of his 19-year sentence.

According to his wife, Anya Chisolm, Mr Chisolm was travelling in international waters off the Cuban coast in possession of a small amount of marijuana when he was arrested by Cuban officials, charged with drug trafficking and illegal entry and sentenced to serve his time in the Cuban prison.

Mr Chisolm, in a voice note circulating social media, pleaded for his loved ones and the loved ones of others in a similar situation in the prison to help them get repatriated.

“Talking to most of the people that have families locked up in Cuba, we deserve a second chance. Now we are calling on the family members, the loved ones, the kids, whoever, it’s a joint effort, to just do a peaceful demonstration in the front of the Cuban Embassy,” he said.

Mr Chisolm said the protest would be “asking for us to be transferred to our homeland to do the duration of our sentences home, requesting answers or requesting some type of clarity as to why there has not been one single person transferred home on a treaty transfer from 2015, or why isn’t it guys who’ve already served their sentence not yet been released?”

He added: “You have men over here that have lost mothers, fathers due to COVID. Some guys have maintained good conduct over here and at the end of the day, when it’s time for their freedom, they are just being denied for frivolous reasons.

“We’re not asking them to cloak us, because we did wrong, but the

marijuana that we were alleged to have in our possession is being used for medicine throughout the world. Some family members cannot even afford to come to Cuba because the money is so much money,”

Mr Chisolm said.

He claimed: “Cuba right now is changing laws constantly. Cuba says you could do half of your sentence or you can receive four months rebar, but most guys have completed half of their sentence or four months rebar and maintained good discipline but nobody seems to be going home.”

Mr Chisolm pointed to the prisoner exchange agreement between The Bahamas and Cuba as grounds for him and other Bahamian prisoners with similar situations to be repatriated.

In 1998, the then Minister of Foreign Affairs Janet Bostwick signed the agreement with Cuba, which applies to all offences except capital offences.

The agreement allows for Bahamians imprisoned in Cuba to apply for a transfer to be able to serve the remainder of their sentence at home.

Mr Chisolm said: “Now you have Bahamians that are in Cuba suffering on the grounds of being away from their families with these long excessive sentences. We are just asking that the two governments come together and at least find a solution.

“Adhere to the treaty transfer that both governments have signed an agreement that we could be transferred to our country to do the duration of our sentence. Cubans are constantly receiving benefits, but we all are just constantly being told that we are non-citizens,” Mr Chisolm claimed.

Mr Chisolm’s wife said

she is concerned for her husband’s health, describing the conditions of the prison as “harsh” and “saddening”, prompting her to visit him every six weeks to deliver food, medicine and other supplies.

“He’s about approaching two years that he’s been incarcerated there. Cuba is of course, you know, is a communist country and the entire time that he’s been there, we’ve gotten very little information from them,” Mrs Chisolm said.

“My husband has applied for the treaty transfer and been denied... So we just don’t understand what is going on,” she said.

“The conditions in Cuba’s prisons are harsh. And they’re not fed a lot, you know very little. The water is different, different from what we’re used to, so for my husband has been there he’s already developed kidney stones.

So, of course, I’m in a position where I’m able to go often to make sure that he gets the medication that he needs and the water and the food, but there are others whose families aren’t able to do that. And it’s very hard and it’s very saddening to see how they are,” Mrs Chisolm said.

Mrs Chisolm said in addition to caring for their five children, the financial burden of having to make a trip to Cuba from Exuma every six weeks is challenging.

Mr Chisolm is currently out on bail as he awaits trial for similar drug-related charges in The Bahamas in connection with a $3m drug seizure in the Exuma cays in 2020.

Sometime between September 17 and 21, 2020, Mr Chisolm and two others were accused of conspiring to possess a quantity of Indian hemp.

US WOMAN CHARGED OVER ATV DEATH

By PAVEL BAILEY Tribune Court Reporter pbailey@tribunemedia.net

AN American woman was granted $18,000 cash bail yesterday after being charged with vehicular manslaughter in connection with the death of a male tourist in an ATV accident at Arawak Cay on Saturday.

Carol Garcia, 42, of Miami, Florida, appeared in court with visible bruises and marks to her forehead and nose before Chief Magistrate Joyann Ferguson-Pratt.

According to initial reports, there was a fatal traffic incident around 3.30pm on Saturday.

Police said while at Heritage Park at Arawak Cay, Garcia lost control of a

green 2019 four-wheeler which resulted in the vehicle being overturned. The passenger, Wilber Jorge, was thrown from the fourwheeler and suffered serious injuries.

Jorge, a father of four from Miami, was taken to hospital where he later died. The victim’s family currently has a GoFundMe page in his name asking for donations to cover funeral expenses. Due to the gravity of the offence, Garcia was not required to enter a plea in court. She was informed that her matter would proceed to the Supreme Court by way of a voluntary bill of indictment (VBI).

During his bail application, her attorney Ian Cargill said his client is also a tourist from

MAN ON PROBATION OVER $1,800 THEFT

By PAVEL BAILEY Tribune Court Reporter pbailey@tribunemedia.net

A MAN was placed on probation yesterday after admitting to stealing $1,800 worth of another man’s property.

Dwayne Harris, 29, stood before Magistrate Kendra Kelly on a charge of stealing.

On November 18, 2022, on Johnson Road, it is said that Harris stole three white hurricane impact windows valued at $1,800. These items belonged to Bjon Ferguson. He pleaded guilty to the offence and was ordered to fully compensate the

complainant for the stolen goods. He was further placed on a year’s probation.

In a separate case, a man was ordered to attend drug counselling after admitting to having three ounces of Indian hemp.

Ricardo Rolle, 25, faced Magistrate Shaka Serville on a charge of possession of dangerous drugs with intent to supply.

On February 20 in New Providence, Rolle was arrested on being found with three ounces of marijuana, which has a street value of $300. He pleaded guilty to the offence in court. Although Rolle said that before his

arrest he was only buying weed to smoke from someone in his neighbourhood before the others present fled the scene, he accepted the facts stated in his case. Rolle asked the magistrate for leniency in his sentencing. Magistrate Serville granted the accused a conditional discharge when he will be placed on probation for a year. During this time Rolle is to attend drug counselling. Should the accused be found in default during this period he will be convicted for the present offence and also face a fine of $1,500. Rolle is expected to return to court for a report on September 13.

Miami and that she has no prior offences in this jurisdiction. He said the defendant is entitled to apply for bail through the Road Traffic Act and that she would return for her trial if it is granted.

While the prosecution had no objection to pretrial release, they asked that it be granted in the form of a cash bail as the accused is an American.

The chief magistrate granted Garcia $18,000 in cash bail. She further informed the defence that should Garcia’s VBI not be ready for service on May 24, she would be excused from attending that hearing.

After her arraignment Garcia was allowed a short time with relatives in court where she broke down in tears.

MARINE ACCUSED OF ATTACK ON POLICE OFFICER AT BETTING SHOP

By PAVEL BAILEY Tribune Court Reporter pbailey@tribunemedia.net

A ROYAL Bahamas Defense Force marine was granted bail yesterday after being accused of assaulting a police officer at a betting shop earlier this year.

RBDF officer Charles Smith, 29, represented by attorney Bjorn Ferguson, appeared before Chief Magistrate Joyann Ferguson-Pratt on charges of aggravated assault, resisting

arrest, disorderly behaviour, disorderly behaviour in a police station and obscene language. The defendant was accused of acting in a disorderly manner around 2am on January 15 at AsureWin web shop on Prince Charles Drive. It is further alleged that Smith assaulted and resisted arrest from PC 2956 Frances while Frances was executing his duties. At the time of his arrest, Smith is accused of cursing

his arresting officer to the latter’s annoyance.

Police maintain the accused was disorderly at the Fox Hill Police Station on the same day.

After electing to continue his matter before the magistrate, Smith pleaded not guilty to all charges.

As there was no objection to bail by the prosecution it was granted to the accused at $5,000 with one or two sureties. Smith’s trial is set for September 7.

OMAR CHISHOLM, pictured in 2020.

People and human rights need to honoured over votes and power

INTERNATIONAL

Women’s Day is two weeks away, and the celebration of The Bahamas’ 50th year of independence is 20 weeks away. Whenever there is talk about independence, I think about women’s rights.

I look for the progress that has been made and all that we still need to do, for the people of The Bahamas and, in particular, women.

It is sobering to think about the meaning of independence, the effects of colonisation, and the continued refusal to free ourselves of the discriminatory and violent laws - largely inflicted upon us by Britain - that continue to limit us in many ways.

Colonisation has longlasting effects. In The Bahamas, we can see the influence it has had on every facet of life.

We drive on the left side of the road. Ideas about professional attire are inappropriate for our climate. There is still considerable distance between the government and the people, and little opportunity for people to actively engage in governance. Christianity is the dominant religion, whether or not the people who claim it actually practice it. The economy is prioritized over people. Racism and colorism are rampant, and people are still afraid to name them. Laws discriminate against women. Human rights are not valued. Positive changes, to increase access to human rights, are debated and few people are interested in, much less equipped to, advocate in the face of an opposition that has gained power through colonial means.

The criminalisation of marital rape has been discussed for years. In 2018, the then government drafted a bill to amend the Sexual Offences Act to criminalise marital rape without acknowledging it as rape. There were many unacceptable flaws in that bill, and it was rejected.

It was not until 2022 that we saw another amendment bill - the one that is currently being discussed to what seems to be no end.

The government refuses to do what it knows must be done, pandering to the loud and wrong voices of church leaders who are, frankly, misogynists.

The church leaders who support the criminalisation of marital rape are not nearly as vocal or consistent as those who oppose the rights of women.

The Minister of Social Services and Urban Development, who has responsibility for the Department of Gender and Family Affairs, has said, without shame, that the government is waiting to hear for a meeting date from a particular church.

What? The bill is being held up because one church wants to have its say and has yet to even propose a meeting date? And this is after the government held a “symposium” that was specifically for church leaders?

Would the government wait to get a meeting date from a non-governmental organisation that promotes women’s rights? Would it stall on legislation regarding finance when the International Monetary Fund or Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development are making their demands? Who could delay its decision-making on such issues, and by calling for a meeting and offering no date?

The truth is that the

By Alicia Wallace

Bahamas is a “Christian nation”, that this was the intent of the framers of the constitution, and that this is the way it must be.

Among our tasks, 50 years into independence, is to gain a clear understanding of the constitution.

It has been, for far too long, a mysterious document whose actual contents are deemed irrelevant or unimportant. It has been treated as though it can only be read and understood by a particular class of people.

One of the only things most people ever hear about the constitution is a lie — that it states that The Bahamas is a “Christian nation”.

Let’s be clear. The Bahamas is not a Christian nation. Not constitutionally, and certainly not in practice. The violence and corruption that people actively participate in every day is evidence of that this is not a Christian nation, unless Christianity is violent and supports corruption.

First, we need to know that the part of the constitution that people reference when they declare that The Bahamas is a “Christian nation” is the preamble.

The prefix “pre” means before, or prior to. The root word “amble” means to walk at a slow pace. A preamble “walks before”. It leads to something else. It is an introductory statement that precedes, or comes before, a law. The preamble, then, is not the constitution.

The preamble, which is not an Article of the constitution, says, “founded on Spiritual Values”. It does not say “Christian nation.” It states “the preservation of [our] Freedom will be guaranteed by a national commitment to Self-discipline, Industry, Loyalty, Unity and an abiding respect for Christian values and the Rule of Law.”

Interestingly, when the preamble is brought up, reference is not often made to the rule of law, despite its proximity to the misquoted term “Christian values.” The rule of law means that everyone is accountable under the law, that the law which ensures human rights, is applied evenly, that laws are adopted and administered in a fair process, and that adequate resources allow for timely access to justice.

This, obviously needs more attention. We know that the rule of law is severely lacking in The Bahamas. Say “human rights” and see what happens. Look at the way laws are written and who is protected by them. Pay attention to the ways laws are passed, and which laws are put to the public for “discussion” which may as well call what it really is - delay. Read and watch the news to find out how the court system (dys) functions.

based upon any religion?

Individuals have freedom of religion in The Bahamas. Declaring it to be a Christian nation would be incongruent with that right, so this did not happen in the constitution. The Bahamas is not bound to any religious text or interpretations thereof. It is a secular nation.

Chapter three of the constitution is titled “Protection of fundamental rights and freedoms of the individual. Importantly, Article 15 entitles everyone, regardless of race, place of origin, political opinions, colour, creed, or sex, to a set of freedoms including life, liberty, security of person, protection of the law, and freedom of expression. How has the right to security of person been made accessible to women? How has the right to protection of the law been made accessible to women? In what ways have these rights been denied?

We can start, of course, with gender-based violence against women which includes marital rape. If the definition of rape in the Sexual Offences Act excludes spouses, what does that mean for women who are raped by their husbands? They are denied, by Section 3 of the Sexual Offences Act, the right to security of person which includes the right to be free from all forms of violence.

They are also denied the right to protection of the law. The Sexual Offences Act does not protect married women from sexual violence inflicted by their spouses. It must be amended. Marital rape must be criminalised. We need to understand our laws and how they impact people. We need to know what the constitution actually says, and not rely on what people say about the constitution. We need civic education, and not limited to school-age children.

Far too many of us left school with little or no knowledge about the role of the government, the constitution and legislation, and citizens of the country. A public civic education campaign is desperately needed in this country. Without it, independence means very little.

We can have a flag and other symbols, sing a national anthem, and put the faces of Bahamians on the national currency, but none of that makes us free. None of that secures our rights. None of that makes this country a better place.

Independence ought to be about the people - our rights and freedoms, our ability to set and progress toward national goals, and our realisation of this place as a home that we would and could actively choose for ourselves.

position of the church should not matter when it comes to human rights and governance. The church may be important to its members. It may be a useful network through which to reach people. It may be a guide for the people in it. It is not, however, the government and should not

control the government.

We, of course, know that the church wields its power regularly and is able to do this because political parties depend on them for votes. It is no secret that religious leaders use their pulpits politically, and in partisan ways.

This is the only reason the government panders to

it while undervaluing and, in many cases, ignoring the positions of and evidence provided by people who represent - not controlpeople, especially those in situations of vulnerability.

The government has allowed the church to cement the narrative, easily disproven by reading the constitution, that The

The preamble states that the nation is “founded on Spiritual Values” and “spiritual” is not specific to any religion. The constitution itself, in fact, entitles every person to freedom of religion and to “propagate his religion or belief in worship, teaching, practice and observance.” It even states no person attending any place of education shall be required to receive religious instruction or to take part in or attend any religious ceremony or observance[…].” Why, then, would our laws be

Independence has little meaning for most of us, not because we do not understand it, but because we do not feel it or access the freedom and pride it promises. We will not get there without gender equality.

Ending gender-based violence against women and girls must be a national priority, and one that is aggressively actioned, even in the face of opposition.

People and their human rights have to be more important than votes, concentrated power, and the lure of money from corruption and collusion. The colonisers did not see it that way before 1973. Does the government of today?

We need to know what the constitution actually says, and not rely on what people say about the constitution.

JAPANESE STARTUP UNVEILS BALLOON FLIGHT SPACE VIEWING TOURS

By MARI YAMAGUCHI Associated Press

TOKYO (AP) — A Japanese startup announced plans Tuesday to launch commercial space viewing balloon flights that it hopes will bring an otherwise astronomically expensive experience down to Earth.

Company CEO Keisuke Iwaya said passengers do not need to be billionaires, go through intense training or have the language skills needed to fly in a rocket.

“It’s safe, economical and gentle for people,” Iwaya told reporters. “The idea is to make space tourism for everyone.” He said he wants to “democratise space.”

The company, Iwaya Giken, based in Sapporo in northern Japan, has been working on the project since 2012 and says it has developed an airtight two-seat cabin and a balloon capable of rising up to an altitude of 25 kilometres (15 miles), where the curve of the Earth can be clearly viewed. While passengers won’t be in outer space — the balloon only goes up to roughly the middle of the stratosphere — they’ll be higher than a jet plane flies and have an unobstructed view of outer space. The company teamed up with major Japanese travel agency JTB Corp., which announced plans to collaborate on the project when the company is ready for a commercial trip. Initially, a flight would cost about 24 million yen ($180,000), but Iwaya said he aims to eventually bring it down to several million yen (tens of thousands of dollars).

While Japanese space ventures have fallen behind U.S. companies like SpaceX, Iwaya said his aim is to make space more reachable.

SpaceX launched three rich businessmen and their astronaut escort to the International Space Station in April for $55 million each — the company’s first private charter flight to the orbiting lab after two years of carrying astronauts there for NASA.

But unlike a rocket or a hot air balloon, the Iwaya Giken vessel will be lifted by helium that can be largely reused, company officials

THIS photo provided by Zoox, Inc. shows a Zoox, a self-driving vehicle in Foster City, California. The selfdriving vehicle company owned by Amazon says it has successfully carried passengers on public roads. Zoox said the company conducted the first run of its four-person “robotaxi” on Feb. 11 with employees on board. (Zoox, Inc. via AP)

said, and flights will safely stay above Japanese territory or airspace. The first trip is planned as early as later this year.

The balloon, which can carry a pilot and a passenger, would take off from a balloon port in Hokkaido, rise for two hours to as high as 25 kilometres (15 miles) and stay there for one hour before a one-hour descent.

The drum-shaped plastic cabin is

in diameter and has several large windows to allow a view of space above or the Earth below, the company said. Applications for a space viewing ride opened Tuesday

and will continue through the end of August. The first five passengers selected will be announced in October, company officials said, and flights will be approximately a week apart, depending on the weather.

WHITE HOUSE: TESLA TO MAKE SOME EV CHARGERS AVAILABLE TO ALL

By MATTHEW DALY Associated Press

WASHINGTON (AP)

— Electric car giant Tesla will, for the first time, make some of its charging stations available to all U.S. electric vehicles by the end of next year, under a new plan announced last week by the White House. The plan will make at least 7,500 chargers from Tesla’s Supercharger and Destination Charger network available to nonTesla EVs by the end of 2024, the White House said.

The plan to open the nation’s largest and most reliable charging network to all drivers is a potential game-changer in promoting EV use, a key component of President Joe Biden’s pledge to fight climate change.

Biden has set a goal that 50% of new U.S. car sales be electric by 2030, and he has promised to install 500,000 chargers across America and build a network of fast-charging stations across 53,000 miles of freeways from coast to coast.

“As President Biden said, the great American road trip will be electrified,” said Mitch Landrieu, a White House aide who oversees implementation of the 2021 infrastructure law signed by Biden.

Soon, charging an EV “will be as easy as filling up at a gas station,’’ Landrieu told reporters last Tuesday ahead of the White House announcement.

The plan to open up Tesla’s charging network was among a series of developments announced Wednesday by the White House, including new standards to make EV charging networks convenient and reliable for all Americans and made-inAmerica requirements for EV components.

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AMA ON UNIT OO TESTS ROBOTA I ON CALIFORNIA CIT ’S STREETS

By

vehicle to the general public.

The company conducted the first run of its four-person “robotaxi” with employees on board on Saturday, February 11, the Amazon subsidiary said last week. The vehicle, which doesn’t have a steering wheel or pedals, ran a mile-long (1.6-kilometre) route between two Zoox buildings at the company’s headquarters in Foster City, California.

The carriage-style interior of the vehicle has two benches that face each other. It measures just under 12 feet (3.7 metres) long, about a foot (a third of a metre) shorter than a standard Mini Cooper and can travel up to 35 miles per hour (56 kph).

Zoox, which was founded in 2014 and bought by Seattle-based Amazon six years later, says its

vehicle can navigate roads and avoid collisions. Before the test, the company said it completed testing on private roads and got necessary approvals from California’s Department of Motor Vehicles. With the test now completed, Zoox says its planning to launch a shuttle service exclusively for its employees.

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ABOVE: A two-seater cabin that a startup company says is capable of rising to an altitude of 15 miles, which is roughly the middle of the stratosphere, is displayed during a news conference in Tokyo, Tuesday.

RIGHT: Keisuke Iwaya, left, CEO of a Japanese space development company, Iwaya Giken, and Takayuki Hanasaka, JTB Senior Managing Executive Officer. (AP Photos/Eugene Hoshiko)

HALELUYA HADERO AP Business Writer NEW YORK (AP) — Zoox, a self-driving vehicle company owned by Amazon, says it has successfully carried passengers on public roads — a development that helps the California company inch closer to bringing the

Girl Guides celebrate Bahamas 50th year of independence

MORE than 400 people gathered at Xavier’s Lower School to launch celebrations by the Bahamas Girl Guides Association for the 50th anniversary of Independence of The Bahamas.

Those taking part included Sunflowers, Brownies, Guides, parents, council members and guests - and the afternoon began on Saturday with an extensive exhibition of photographs detailing the contributions of Guiding to the growth and development of the nation.

Significant among the displays were photographs of women who were girl guides, including Dame Ivy Dumont, Dame Janet Bostwick, Dr Keva Bethel, Marjorie Davis, Dr Merceline Dahl-Regis, Dr D Gail Saunders, Dr Nikkia Forbes, Melony Roach, Joy Jibrilu, Stephanie Unwala, Rev Angela Palacious, Debra Symonette, Denise Turnquest, and Clarice Sands Granger. The girls also saw past presidents and patrons, the Queen’s Guides recipients, the chief commissioners, pioneers of guiding, outstanding leaders and leaders of tomorrow.

Hundreds of excited girls heard details of the

contribution of the BGGA over the last 50 years through a skit, songs, dance and choral verse. The introduction of GiGi, a doll who will accompany the Girl Guides Trefoil around The Bahamas on a Jubilee tour was another highlight.

Leslia Miller-Brice, chairperson of the Independence celebrations, commended the Association for its work and encouraged the girls to continue to be great Sunflowers, Brownies, Guides and Rangers.

The evening ended with a reception and fireworks. Music was provided by the Royal Bahamas Defence Force Band and DJ Slick Rick. Commendations were extended to Leja Burrows, chief commissioner, who chaired the planning committee; Gillian Wilson, division commissioner who coordinated the exhibition; Tamiko Hanna and Nicolette Fountain–Archer for the rally; and Julia Burnside, Ursula Pratt and Dejia Burrows for the reception.

Other events include a church service at Christ Church Cathedral and a Thinking Day at Stapledon School today.

By DENISE MAYCOCK Tribune Freeport Reporter dmaycock@tribunemedia.net

AS ONE of the fastest growing economies in the Caribbean, Turks and Caicos Islands Premier Charles Washington Misick says there is still a lot they can learn from The Bahamas through further assistance in training.

“We are still a very young country, there is a lot we can learn from The Bahamas,” he said during his official visit to Freeport on the weekend.

“We have been talking of looking at how we can benefit from training from the Protocol Office in Nassau, communications, and how the police officers are trained in Grand Bahama and Nassau.”

Mr Misick noted that The Bahamas is assisting them with some training. The assistance of Bahamian Police in TCI has already helped to address a crime spike on that island, he recalled.

“When I made the call to Prime Minister Brave, we were experiencing an unprecedented spike in crime, something that is quite alien to us. He did not hesitate, and we are grateful for the assistance because it has done a tremendous amount of good for us. The island is once again experiencing some degree of peace,” he said.

Mr Misick indicated that they are also collaborating

on sharing database and other information with TCI and the Bahamas security and police force to prevent the ease of fugitives hiding out in both countries.

“Those are issues we are collaborating on as we speak because in the last case an individual, I understand, had been wanted here for something. I know of situations where people have skipped bail and come to The Bahamas as well. So, these are areas we can collaborate on as we move towards fixing the security gaps that we have.”

Mr Misick believes that ties between the sister nations will become stronger through continued ongoing collaborations and training assistance.

“I think as I see the future for TCI and The Bahamas, I can see where that relationship will become stronger and stronger, and the flow of talented skills will be facilitated because our friendship agreement we hope to enter into,” he added.

Mr Misick noted that they are planning to establish a physical presence in The Bahamas by opening Diaspora Offices in GB and New Providence sometime this year.

“My budget/fiscal year runs from April 1 to March 31, and we are in the process of preparing our budget for the next fiscal year. So, it will be something after the beginning of April before we can actually provide the

funding to set that up,” he said.

Mr Misick also noted that there had been interest expressed by Foreign Affairs Minister Fred Mitchell about opening a Consulate Office in TCI.

“To be honest, some time ago I had a conversation with Minister (of Foreign Affairs) Fred Mitchell who indicated they may want to set up a Consulate office in TC as well. That will help to cement the relationship and facilitate the exchange,” he said. He noted that TI Bahamians who are status holders can return home.

The Premier reported that the hospitality sector is growing, and significant numbers of TI Bahamians and Bahamians are already working in the sector.

“Two years ago, Beaches came down and recruited 46 people. And there is a constant flow of TI Bahamians and Bahamians that have come to TCI who are operating at all levels in the hospitality sector from middle management all the way down to the waiter and waitresses,” he said.

“That movement is happening already. But as the economy expands, there is a need for more and more people to come and we want to give our own bloodlines the first (chance) on job opportunities. But not only jobs, investments and small businesses,” he said.

POLICE WARN: STAY VIGILANT AFTER SERIES OF ARMED ROBBERIES

By EARYEL BOWLEG Tribune Staff Reporter ebowleg@tribunemedia.net

POLICE are advising people to continue to be vigilant after a number of recent armed robberies, with a fast-food restaurant and a bank recently falling victim to theft.

Police said they were searching for two male suspects believed to be responsible for robbing a bank located on JFK Drive on Monday.

“According to initial reports, sometime around 2.45pm two males, one who was allegedly armed with a firearm entered and robbed the establishment of an undetermined amount of debit cards and transaction receipts, before fleeing the scene in a silver coloured Japanese vehicle,” according to a police news release.

This comes after a video circulating online shows footage of an employee at a fast-food drive-through window before an assailant with a gun climbed through and took money from the cash register.

The armed culprit left when another employee at the restaurant swatted at him with what appeared to be a rod. Later, the footage

showed a worker locking the drive-through window.

The Tribune contacted the eatery, but representatives declined to comment.

Police reported an armed assailant climbed through the drive-through window and stole cash from a business on Madeira Street on Sunday morning.

It was reported that one of the occupants climbed into the drive-through window and pointed a firearm at the cashier, who fled on seeing the suspect.

Inspector Makelle Pinder said people and businesses need to be aware of potential threats in view of these incidents.

“Those circumstances are isolated and so we just ask employees, I’m sure that they weren’t expecting that to happen, but we just ask persons in general to be vigilant and aware of their surroundings and never to keep an amount of cash in the cash register. Limit the amount of funds that are kept in the cash register at all times and the only thing we can honestly say is to continue to be vigilant,” she said.

Police said another robbery occurred sometime around 1.20 pm Sunday

in the area of Carmichael Road.

“According to initial reports, two masked males entered the business establishment allegedly armed with firearms and demanded cash. The manager, complied and the suspects were given an undisclosed amount of cash before fleeing the area in a dark coloured Nissan Cube,” police stated.

Another business was robbed sometime around 4.30pm Sunday in the Bernard Road area.

Police added: “According to initial reports, a lone male who was reportedly masked and armed with a firearm entered the business establishment and demanded cash. The manager complied and gave the assailant an undisclosed amount of cash before he fled the area on a motorcycle making good his escape.”

Police are actively investigating and are appealing to members of the public with information regarding this or any other matters to contact the Criminal Investigations Department at 502-9991/2/3 or Crime Stoppers at 328-TIPS (8477.

THE BAHAMAS Girl Guides Association has launched its celebrations of the 50th anniversary of the nation’s independence - with an exhibition on Saturday at Xavier’s Lower School, plus a church service at Christ Church Cathedral and a Thinking Day among events.

TCI PREMIER: THERE’S STILL A LOT WE CAN LEARN FROM THE BAHAMAS

Putin raises tension on Ukraine, suspends START nuclear pact

Associated Press

RUSSIAN President

Vladimir Putin suspended Moscow’s participation in the last remaining nuclear arms control pact with the United States, announcing the move Tuesday in a bitter speech in which he made clear he would not change his strategy in the war in Ukraine.

Putin emphasized, however, that Russia isn’t withdrawing from the pact yet, and hours after his address the Foreign Ministry said Moscow would respect the treaty’s caps on nuclear weapons. It also said Russia would continue to exchange information about test launches of ballistic missiles per earlier agreements with the United States.

In his long-delayed stateof-the-nation address, Putin cast his country - and Ukraine - as victims of Western double-dealing and said it was Russia, not Ukraine, fighting for its very existence.

“We aren’t fighting the Ukrainian people,” Putin said ahead of the war’s first anniversary Friday. “The Ukrainian people have become hostages of the Kyiv regime and its Western masters, which have effectively occupied the country.”

The speech reiterated a litany of grievances he has frequently offered as justification for the widely condemned military campaign, while vowing no military letup.

Along with limits on the number of nuclear weapons, the 2010 New START envisages broad inspections of nuclear sites. Putin said Russia should stand ready to resume nuclear weapons tests if the US does so, a move that would end a global ban on such tests in place since the Cold War era.

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres

responded by calling for Russia and the United States to return to dialogue immediately because “a world without nuclear arms control is a far more dangerous and unstable one.”

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken described Moscow’s decision to suspend participation in the treaty as “really unfortunate and very irresponsible.”

“We’ll be watching carefully to see what Russia actually does,” he said while visiting Greece.

US President Joe Biden, speaking in Poland a day after his surprise visit to Ukraine, did not mention the START suspension but blasted Putin for the invasion. He pledged continued support for Ukraine despite “hard and bitter days

ahead.”

“Democracies of the world will stand guard over freedom today, tomorrow and forever,” Biden said at Warsaw’s landmark Royal Castle before a cheering crowd of Poles and Ukrainian refugees. Putin’s announcement was the second time in recent days the Ukraine war showed it could spread into perilous new terrain, after Blinken told China over the weekend that it would be a “serious problem” if Beijing provided arms and ammunition to Russia.

China and Russia have aligned their foreign policies to oppose Washington. Beijing has refused to condemn Russia’s invasion or atrocities against civilians in Ukraine, while strongly

criticizing Western economic sanctions on Moscow. Late last year, Russia and China held joint naval drills.

The deputy head of Ukraine’s intelligence service, Vadym Skibitskyi, told The Associated Press his agency hasn’t seen any signs so far that China is providing weapons to Moscow. Russia invaded Ukraine on Feb. 24, 2022, and made a dash toward Kyiv, apparently expecting to overrun the capital quickly. But stiff resistance from Ukrainian forces — supported by Western weapons — turned back Moscow’s troops. While Ukraine has reclaimed many areas initially seized by Russia, the sides have become bogged down elsewhere.

The war has revived the

divide between Russia and the West, reinvigorated the NATO alliance, and created the biggest threat to Putin’s rule of more than two decades.

In Tuesday’s speech, Putin again offered his own version of recent history, discounting Ukraine’s arguments that it needed Western help to thwart a Russian military takeover. He has repeatedly depicted NATO’s expansion to include countries close to Russia as an existential threat to his country.

“It’s they who have started the war. And we are using force to end it,” he said before an audience of lawmakers, officials and soldiers, and broadcast on all state TV channels.

Italian Premier Giorgia Meloni, who was in Ukraine on Tuesday, said she wished Putin had taken a different approach.

“What we heard this morning was propaganda that we already know,” Meloni said in English.

“He says (Russia) worked on diplomacy to avoid the conflict, but the truth is that there is somebody who is the invader and somebody who is defending itself.”

Also meeting with Zelenskyy was the newly appointed chairman of the US House Foreign Affairs Committee, who led a delegation for the first time since the start of the war and since Republicans won control of the House of Representatives.

Chairman Mike McCaul and a handful of other GOP lawmakers said they had a productive meeting about what Zelenskyy needs for winning the war. He provided them with a list of weapons, including longer-range artillery and air-to-surface systems.

The meeting comes as some hard-right Republicans are vowing to block future US aid to Ukraine.

“We have seen time and again the majority of

Republicans and Democrats support our assistance to Ukraine,” McCaul said in a statement. “But the Biden administration needs to lay out their long-term strategy.”

Putin denied any wrongdoing in Ukraine, even after Kremlin forces struck civilian targets, including hospitals, and are widely accused of war crimes.

Zelenskyy cited fresh attacks on Ukrainian civilians Tuesday, and down played Putin’s speech.

“I have not watched it, because during this time there were missile strikes on Kherson. Twenty-one people were wounded and six were killed,” he said.

Putin also accused the West of taking aim at Russian culture, religion and values. He fired another broadside at Western gender policies that he described as efforts to destroy “traditional” values.

And he said Western sanctions hadn’t “achieved anything and will not achieve anything.” He blasted Russian tycoons who kept their assets in the West and saw them confiscated or frozen as part of the sanctions.

“Believe me, ordinary people had no sympathy for those who lost their yachts, palaces and other assets abroad,” Putin said.

While Russia’s Constitution mandates that the president deliver the state-of-the-nation speech annually, Putin never gave one in 2022. Last year, the Kremlin also cancelled two other big annual events — Putin’s news conference and a highly scripted phone-in marathon taking questions from the public.

Reflecting the Kremlin’s clampdown on free speech and press, it barred in-person coverage of the address by media from “unfriendly” countries, including the US, the UK and those in the European Union.

FEARS UESTIONS ABOUT N KOREA’S GROWING NUCLEAR ARSENAL

SOUTH KOREA

Associated Press

NORTH Korea’s latest missile launches are a demonstration of the country’s avowed ability to use nuclear force against South Korea and the mainland US How immediate is that threat?

North Korea claims its nuclear forces are capable of destroying its rivals, and often follows its provocative weapons tests with launch details. But many foreign experts call the North’s claims propaganda and suggest that the country is not yet capable of hitting the United States or its allies with a nuclear weapon.

There’s no question that North Korea has nuclear bombs, and that it has missiles that place the US mainland, South Korea and Japan within striking distance. What’s not yet clear is whether the country has mastered the tricky engineering required to join the bombs and the missiles.

ICBMs

North Korea has demonstrated that it has missiles that could fly far enough to reach deep into the continental US, but it’s not clear whether they can survive re-entering the Earth’s atmosphere on arrival.

North Korea said it launched a Hwasong-15 intercontinental ballistic missile on Saturday to verify the weapon’s reliability and the combat readiness of the country’s nuclear forces. It’s one of three kinds of ICBMs the country has developed, along with the Hwasong-14 and Hwasong-17. All three are liquid-fueled, and North Korea has portrayed them all as nuclear-capable.

Launched almost straight up to avoid the territories of neighbours, the weapon reached a maximum altitude of about 3,585 miles and flew 615 miles, according to North Korean state media. The reported flight details suggest the missile could travel 8,080 miles or beyond if launched

on a normal trajectory.

“These days, North Korea has been disclosing information about its launches in a very detailed manner to try to let others believe what they’ve done is genuine,” analyst Shin Jong-woo at South Korea’s Defence and Security Forum said. “But I think that’s part of their propaganda.”

There are questions on whether North Korea has acquired the technology to shield warheads from the high-temperature, high-stress environment of atmospheric re-entry.

A South Korean biennial defence document released last week said it’s not clear whether the missiles can survive re-entry, because all of North Korea’s ICBM tests have so far been made on high angles.

Lee Choon Geun, an honorary research fellow at South Korea’s Science and Technology Policy Institute, said a normal trajectory would cause greater stress, as a warhead would spend a longer time passing through altitudes with high air density.

North Korean state media said the launch was made “suddenly” after a surprise order from leader Kim Jong Un.

“The Kim regime’s claims of short-notice launches are thus intended to demonstrate not only the development of strategic and tactical nuclear forces but also the operational capability to use them,” Leif-Eric Easley, a professor at Ewha University in Seoul, said.

In a military parade earlier this month, North Korea showcased around a dozen ICBMs, an unprecedented number that suggested progress in its efforts to massproduce powerful weapons.

Among them were huge canister-sealed missiles that experts say were likely a version of a solid-fuel ICBM that North Korea has been trying to develop in recent years. Solid-fueled systems allow missiles to be mobile on the ground and make

them faster to launch.

WARHEADS

North Korea likely has dozens of nuclear warheads. The question is whether they are small enough to fit on a missile.

North Korea has so far performed six underground nuclear test explosions to manufacture warheads that it can place on missiles. Outside estimates of the number of North Korean nuclear warheads vary widely, ranging from 20-60 to up to about 115.

In a 2021 interview with 38 North, a North Koreafocused website, renowned nuclear physicist Siegfried Hecker, who has visited North Korea’s main Yongbyon nuclear complex numerous times, said that “20 to 60 is possible, with the most likely number being 45.”

Some experts argue that North Korea has likely already built miniaturized nuclear warheads to be mounted on missiles, citing the number of years the country has spent on its nuclear and missile programs. But others say North Korea is still years away from producing such warheads.

“After its sixth nuclear test, people accepted that North Korea really will have nuclear weapons. But they are still debating whether it has warhead miniaturization technology,” Shin, the analyst, said.

The North described its sixth nuclear test in 2017 as a detonation of a thermonuclear bomb built for ICBMs. It created a tremor that measured magnitude 6.3, and some studies put its estimated explosive yield at about 50 to 140 kilotons of TNT. In comparison, the pair of atomic bombs dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki during World War II — which killed a total of more than 210,000 people — yielded explosions equivalent to about 15 and 20 kilotons of TNT, respectively.

The biennial South Korean defence document said North Korea is estimated to have 154 pounds of weapons-grade plutonium. Some observers say that’s enough for about 9-18 bombs. The document estimated that North Korea has “a considerable amount of” highly enriched uranium as well.

North Korea’s Yongbyon complex has facilities to produce both plutonium and

highly enriched uranium, the two main ingredients to build nuclear weapons.

Plutonium plants are generally large and generate a lot of heat, making them easier to detect. But a uranium enrichment plant is more compact and can be easily hidden from satellite cameras. North Korea is believed to be running at least one additional covert uranium enrichment facility, in addition to one at its Yongbyon complex.

SHORT-RANGE WEAPONS

Following the collapse of diplomacy with then-US President Donald Trump in 2019, Kim sped up the development of short-range solid-fuel, nuclear-capable missiles designed to strike key targets in South Korea, including US military bases there.

The so-called “tactical” nuclear weapons include what North Korea calls “super-large” 600-millimeter multiple rocket launchers that it tested Monday. South Korea describes the weapon as a short-range missile system.

North Korean state media said its new artillery system

can carry nuclear warheads, and that four rockets would be enough to wipe out an enemy airfield. The statement drew quick outside doubts about whether the weapons are indeed nuclear-capable.

“The North Korean claim doesn’t make sense to some extent. ... Why do they need four tactical nuclear weapons to destroy just one airfield?” Shin, the analyst, said. “Also, which country would disclose such attack scenarios via state media?”

Other new North Korean short-range systems include missiles that were apparently modelled after the Russian Iskander mobile ballistic system or outwardly resemble the US MGM140 Army Tactical Missile System. Launched from land vehicles, these missiles are designed to be manoeuvrable and fly at low altitudes, theoretically giving them a better chance of defeating South Korean and US missile defence systems.

Whether North Korea has an ability to arm shortrange missiles with nuclear warheads has not been independently confirmed.

While North Korea may be able to place simple nuclear warheads on some of its older missiles, including Scuds or Rodong missiles, it would likely require further technology advancements and nuclear tests to build smaller and more advanced warheads that can be installed on its newer tactical systems, said Lee, the expert.

North Korea also has an intermediate-range, nuclearcapable Hwasong-12 missile capable of reaching Guam, a major US military hub in the Pacific. It has been developing a family of mid-range, solid-fuel Pukguksong missiles which are designed to be fired from submarines or land vehicles.

RUSSIAN President Vladimir Putin gives his annual state of the nation address in Moscow, Russia, yesterday.

Photo: Pavel Bednyakov/AP

FILE - This photo provided by the North Korean government, shows what it says is Hwasong-17 intercontinental ballistic missiles during a military parade to mark the 75th founding anniversary of the Korean People’s Army on Kim Il Sung Square in Pyongyang, North Korea, Wednesday, Feb. 8, 2023. The content of this image is as provided and cannot be independently verified.

Photo: by Korean Central News Agency/AP

Soccer, page 16

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 22, 2023

$2.8m to fix stadiums for CARIFTA

By BRENT STUBBS Senior Sports Reporter bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

WITH the Local Organising Committee getting all of the logistics in place, the Ministry of Youth, Sports and Culture has embarked on a renovation plan that will cost close to three million dollars to ensure that both Thomas A Robinson Track & Field National Stadiums are ready for the 50th CARIFTA Games.

During his session with the press yesterday prior to going into the Cabinet meeting, Minister Mario Bowleg said work has already commenced on the new stadium.

“We have obtained a contractor to the cosmetic works at a cost of $2.8 million to do the cosmetics works as it relates to the structure of the stadium,”

Bowleg said. “That is expected to be finished by mid-April, the latest by the end of March.

“That would get us ready to go for CARIFTA, which is the second week of April during the Easter celebrations. The track, itself, we are also in the process of repairing both the old and the new track. The old track surface should be completed by the end of this month and the new track, which is getting some minor repairs, which we intend to replace for the World Relays in 2024.”

Bowleg said the plans are to complete the repairs to the old track first so that they can still have some events while the repairs to the new track are being completed. To repair both track surfaces, Bowleg said the government will spend about $800,000, in addition

to the $2.8 million for the cosmetics work on the outside of the new stadium.

The games return to the Bahamas for the ninth time in its existence April 7-11 as part of the 50th celebrations of the country’s independence. Bowleg is encouraging the Bahamian public to come out and view the biggest junior track and field competition in the region.

“We want the Bahamian people to come out and support the Bahamian athletes,” said Bowleg, who noted that he doesn’t have any complimentary tickets to give away. “Ten dollars for the tickets in the general area.”

“I think that’s very little that we can spend to show our support for the athletes and give them that support they need to give them that extra boost to get over the finish line. I experienced

this during the last CARIFTA in Jamaica when we were running the relays and it appeared as if we would not medal.

“But the last leg, just hearing the junkanoo music and the Bahamians cheering on the sidelines, we were able to cross the finish line and got the bronze medal. So I know what extra boost that can give us. So I’m asking all Bahamians, fans to please come out, support your Bahamian athletes and make sure we perform very well in this CARIFTA and give Jamaica the best beating that we can give them.” Jamaica has had a stranglehold of the games, winning more gold medals than total medals of most countries, including the Bahamas, for more than decade. It will be interesting to see the virgin of victory this time around.

Men’s national basketball team in Venezuela

By BRENT STUBBS Senior Sports Reporter bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

WITH the unavailability of some of the players to travel, head coach Moses Johnson said he’s still pleased with the makeup of the men’s national basketball team that will represent the Bahamas in the next two games in the FIBA Americas World Cup Qualifiers.

The team is currently in Venezuela ahead of their match-up on Thursday.

They will then travel to Panama to play on Sunday.

The team is currently sitting in fifth place in Group E with a 3-7 win-loss record.

In putting the team together at the last minute for the Bahamas Basketball Federation, headed by Eugene Horton, Johnson said he’s still confident that the Bahamas will perform very well in these two games this weekend, despite the fact that the Bahamas won’t qualify for the World Cup.

“We’re here and I always stay my guns and say that the team we have here is the team that should be here,” Moses said. “So we’re going to prepare these guys for Thursday and I’m sure we will give a great effort.”

After going through their first day of practice

yesterday, Johnson said he and his assistant coaches James ‘Jimmy’ Clarke and John Marc Nutt were impressed with the level of cohesiveness displayed by all of the players on the team.

“They seem to be getting along really well. The coaching staff is pleased with what we have seen so far,” he stated. “With the

SEE PAGE 15

Nuggets’ Jokic has a chance to join some exclusive clubs

By TIM REYNOLDS AP Basketball Writer

SALT LAKE CITY

(AP) — The clubs that Nikola Jokic might be on the cusp of entering are highly exclusive.

There’s the three-consecutive-MVP club, with only Bill Russell, Wilt Chamberlain and Larry Bird as its current members. Then there’s the averaged-a-triple-double club, which includes only Oscar Robertson and Russell Westbrook. Jokic doesn’t care about being added to either of those lists. It might happen anyway.

The best team in the Western Conference so far has been the Denver Nuggets, and the biggest reason why they’re atop the standings coming out of the All-Star break is

the 28-year-old Serbian big man who was the league’s best player two years ago, was the league’s best player last year and very well might be the best again this year.

“I can’t lie,” Cleveland guard Donovan Mitchell

Tiger Woods sightings are rare as he enters semi-retirement

By DOUG FERGUSON AP Golf Writer

said. “I don’t know if you all have been watching what Jokic has been doing. It’s ... outrageous, to be honest. I don’t know how many people have won it three times in a row. I definitely feel like I’m in that conversation as well, but he’s otherworldly right now.”

Jokic’s numbers: 24.7 points, 11.5 rebounds and 10.1 assists per game, on 63% shooting from the field, 39% from 3-point range. Such a collection of stats is unprecedented; others have scored more, assisted more, rebounded more and shot better, but nobody has ever had all those averages and percentages in one season — especially not a big man. Westbrook is a guard. Robertson was a SEE PAGE 15

LOS ANGELES (AP) —

The vantage point was as good as any at Riviera for a clear view of Tiger Woods, and considering how little he plays, Tiger sightings are rare these days.

The man positioned himself behind a stationary TV camera in a tower behind the 12th green as Woods made his way to the 13th tee. He was talking. He was loud. He wouldn’t stop. At one point, Christiaan Bezuidenhout had to back off his shot.

Turns out this wasn’t a cameraman. When asked to show his credential, the man leaned over and slowly raised a can of beer. He came down from the tower, went back outside the ropes and two Los Angeles County sheriff’s deputies escorted him off the course.

That probably — no, definitely — will not happen at Augusta National, which may very well be the next time golf gets to see its biggest star. Then again, Woods might make his way to the TPC Sawgrass in three weeks for The Players Championship.

Woods said he wants to play the four majors and a few other events. What those tournaments are, no one knows. And if Woods does, he isn’t saying.

“Here’s the deal,” Woods said Sunday after finishing his first tournament since the Masters last year. “I’m not going to play any more than probably the majors and maybe a couple more. That’s it. That’s all my body will allow me to do. My back the way it is, all the surgeries I had on my back, my leg the way it is, I just can’t. “That’s just going to be my future.”

The schedule is not based on a score. It’s what happens after he signs his card, and what he does before he is announced in between, and what sounds like plenty of ice and other treatment.

As for his golf? Some of it was great, some of it was

SEE PAGE 17

NIKOLA Jokic. (AP)

TIGER Woods. (AP)

TEAM WORK: The men’s national basketball team that will represent the Bahamas in the next two games in the FIBA Americas World Cup Qualifiers is currently in Venezuela ahead of their match-up on Thursday. They got together for their first day of practice yesterday. They will then travel to Panama to play on Sunday. The team is currently sitting in fifth place in Group E with a 3-7 win-loss record.

COACH Moses Johnson.

UB Mingoes look to build off experience at Skinner Classic

NORTH MIAMI, Florida -

The rebuilding University of The Bahamas men’s basketball team picked up valuable experience at The Skinner Classic over the weekend in North Miami, Florida.

The Mingoes dropped three games - to Florida Palms 77-71, Atlantis University 93-61 and Fort Lauderdale University 101-45over the weekend tournament at The Scott Galvin Community Center in North Miami.

Mingoes assistant head coach Lavar Johnson said despite the losses the team picked up some much-needed experience.

He added the team showed one quality throughout the tour, a willingness to fight.

“All three teams pressured us and pressed us hard straight through the game and for all 40 minutes we played,” he said. “They are bigger and in some cases stronger than us but the guys never gave up. They continued to play and they continued to dig deep and execute everything we asked them to do.”

Johnson chalks it up to the youthfulness of the team.

“This is how it is with such a young team,” he said.

“We are going to see some games like this where they are down and they have to keep on fighting and keep on clawing. This is how we build and grow. We are going to see a lot from them in the future.”

Dave Lindsey showed out though, averaging 20 points per game over the tournament with a game high 25 points against Florida Palms University.

He had 14 points against Atlantis University and 13 points against Fort Lauderdale University.

Theodore Grant averaged 10 points a game with his highest production in the Florida Palms game with 15 points. He also led the team with an average 4.3

FIBA

FROM PAGE 14

addition of the next guys who should arrive in the morning (today), we will grow even better tomorrow and then we will hone in and really prepare for what we have to do for Venezuela on Thursday.”

The team will consist of the following players: Kadeem Coleby, Domnick Bridgewater, Godfrey Rolle III, Ahmad Pratt, Robert Northmann, Kentwan Smith, Livingstone Munnings Jr, Roosevelt Whylly, Quemah Gibson, Bradley Nairn and Jean Rony Cadot.

Johnson said his only message to the players is to stay resolute, stay connected, stay together and remain focused.

“Don’t mind the noise in the market,” he said.

“This place is going to be rocking.

“We are going to have people screaming, we are going to have people being negative, but we have to stick together.

“All we told them is to stick together as a team, stay resolute, let’s worry about what we can control

JOKIC

FROM PAGE 14

guard. In their average-atriple-double years — four for Westbrook, one for Robertson — they didn’t shoot better than 48%.

Jokic is making almost two of every three shots he takes, and that’s with him as the top priority for every defense Denver faces.

“I just think that he just plays at his own pace,” Toronto’s Pascal Siakam said. “You can’t really disrupt what he does. He just plays at his own pace. He does what he wants. His passing ability, the scoring, how smart he is on the basketball court. Yeah, it’s dope to watch.”

The Nuggets are five games ahead of Memphis — Denver has 23 games left, the Grizzlies have 25 — for the top spot in the Western Conference. They’re well on their way to securing the No. 1 seed and home-court advantage throughout at least the first three rounds of the playoffs. And that would be huge, given that Denver’s 27-4

assists a game to go along with 3.3 steals a game.

Erquantae Edgecombe was close to double-digit scoring as he averaged 9.67 points a game.

Delano Armbrister contributed an average 2.7 steals a game as well.

The Mingoes are next expected to play Sand Dollar in New Providence Basketball Association action at 8pm on Saturday at The A.F. Adderley Gym.

They sit in third place of the Vince Ferguson Division of Division One with a 4-5 record.

UB 71, Florida Palms 71

Dave Lindsey led The Mingoes with 25 points in the 77-71 loss to the Florida Palms University Owls. Guard Theodore Grant put up 15 points to go along with five assists and five steals. Timothy Grant contributed 10 points for The Mingoes.

The Mingoes and The Owls tied the game five times, including halftime at 42-42, and the game had 11 lead changes.

The Mingoes were close in the final minutes but a late surge by The Owls stopped The Mingoes from picking up a win in the tournament with the 77-71 loss.

UB 66, Atlantis University 93

Dave Lindsey and Erquantae Edgecombe each put up 14 points for The Mingoes but it was not enough for the fast break play of Atlantis University. The Atlanteans defeated The Mingoes 93-66 despite The Mingoes leading at one point by 11 points.

Theodore Grant added 11 points and four assists in the loss.

UB 45, Fort Lauderdale University 101

The Mingoes never led in the matchup against Fort Lauderdale University and were taken down 101-45 to close out the tournament.

Dave Lindsey was the only Mingoe with double-digit scoring as he put up 13 points.

BRITTNEY GRINER RE-SIGNS WITH PHOENIX MERCURY

By DOUG FEINBERG AP Basketball Writer

BRITTNEY Griner will be back in the WNBA this season, once again playing with the Phoenix Mercury.

Griner, who was a free agent, re-signed with the team yesterday.

The 32-year-old Griner had said she would return to Phoenix in a social media post in December, after she returned home from her 10-month detainment in Russia. Griner had been arrested at an airport just outside of Moscow on drug possession charges a year ago and was brought home in a dramatic highlevel prisoner exchange in December.

“We missed BG every day that she was gone and, while basketball was not our primary concern, her presence on the floor, in our locker room, around our organisation, and within our community was greatly missed,” Mercury GM Jim Pitman said.

“We will continue to use the resources of our organisation to support her, on and off the floor, and we are thrilled for her that she gets to return to basketball, which she loves so dearly. This is a special signing and today is a special day for all of us.”

The 6-foot-9 centre last played for the Mercury in 2021 and helped the team reach the WNBA Finals. She averaged 20.5 points and 9.5 rebounds that season.

Griner, who was drafted No. 1 in 2013 by the Mercury, was listed Saturday on Phoenix’s roster on the WNBA website.

Since returning home from Russia, Griner has been out of the public spotlight, with the exception of appearances at the Super Bowl, the Phoenix Open and an MLK Day event in Phoenix, where she lives.

TEAM WORK: the men’s national basketball team that will represent the Bahamas in the next two games in the FIBA Americas World Cup Qualifiers is currently in Venezuela ahead of their match-up on Thursday. They got together for their first day of practice yesterday. They will then travel to Panama to play on Sunday.

and don’t worry about the rest.”

The team is going in as a “spoiler” as they try to claim a top 10 ranking in the Americas, something that has never

home record is the best in the NBA. Evidently, teams don’t like playing at 5,280 feet above sea level. And they can’t match the way Jokic thinks, with his brain in home games at 5,287 feet above sea level. He’s played in 51 games; the Nuggets are 38-13 in those contests, 3-5 when he doesn’t play.

Denver coach Michael Malone was asked how he would create a pie chart to show the components that make Jokic great.

“Athleticism, 1%. I’ll start there,” Malone said.

“Then I would say the big pieces of that Serbian pie would be IQ and unselfishness, the ability to make every one of his teammates better. What I marvel at, having coached Nikola for eight years now, the thing that I’m just blown away by is the consistency to being great. I mean, there are a lot of great players in this league. But for Nikola to win the MVP, to win it again, and now he’s putting together an even better season ... it just speaks to the fact that he is so damn consistent.”

been accomplished before in the past.

“We don’t have the ability to qualify, but Venezuela is on the cusp of qualifying. They are tied with the Dominican Republic and

Conventional wisdom would have been that Jokic’s numbers, good enough to win him the last two MVP awards, would take a dip this season simply because the Nuggets were getting two of their best players — Jamal Murray and Michael Porter Jr. — back from injury.

It hasn’t happened, or at least, not much. His scoring is down slightly. Rebounds, down slightly. Assists, up slightly. Murray and Porter are getting their numbers — largely because Jokic looks for them every chance he gets — and he’s still finding the way to fill all the columns next to his name on the stat sheet as well.

“That, and the ability to make everyone around him better, is what allows Nikola to be a historically great player in this league,” Malone said.

And it should be noted that the player who is least impressed by Jokic is, well, Jokic.

If he had his way, he’d show up, play games, hop on YouTube to watch horse racing — he owns harness

Argentina, so we can come in here in a hostile home environment and send them home packing. “So this is very important for us against teams like Venezuela and Panama, who are

horses, and was even driving one when the Nuggets’ brain trust showed up in Serbia to surprise him with last year’s MVP award — and live very quietly.

The West should be an absurd race down the stretch. Phoenix just got Kevin Durant.

The Los Angeles Lakers have LeBron James trying to make a playoff push.

The defending champion Golden State Warriors could have Stephen Curry back from his injury before too long.

Dallas got Kyrie Irving to play with Luka Doncic.

The Los Angeles Clippers will be adding Westbrook. Sacramento is poised to end its long playoff drought.

If nobody is talking about the Nuggets, Jokic won’t complain.

“We don’t need it,” Jokic said. “We know what we’re doing. We know what we’re trying to do.

“We believe in the basketball system that we have built over the years, so it works. It’s still working. Nothing can affect us from

like tiers in the Americas, so this is very important for us to put out a best effort, go out here and try to win both of these games and help ourselves in the world rankings.”

outside. We are thinking about ourselves and just how to get better.”

“I do not think any of us will forget where we were on December 8 when we heard BG was coming home or on December 15 when she announced she intended not only to play basketball in 2023 but that it would be for the Mercury,” Mercury President of Business Operations Vince Kozar said.

“And I know none of us will ever forget what it will feel like to welcome her back onto her home floor on May 21. To know BG is to love and appreciate BG, and we can’t wait to show her that in person with thousands and thousands of her biggest supporters exactly three months from today at our Welcome Home Opener.”

HEADER BULLS RULE BALL OUT FOR SEASON BECAUSE OF KNEE TROUBLE

CHICAGO (AP) —

The Chicago Bulls ruled point guard Lonzo Ball out for the season yesterday because of lingering discomfort in his surgically repaired left knee.

The team said the focus now will be on resolving the discomfort he feels performing “high level basketball-related activities” and making “a full return” for next season.

Ball hasn’t played since Jan. 14, 2022. He had surgery for a torn meniscus a few weeks later and experienced setbacks when he tried to ramp up basketball activities.

The Bulls had him rest for 10 days at one point, hoping it would resolve the issue and allow him to return. But he felt pain

again when he started preparing to play. Ball was still unable to run at full speed or even walk up stairs without experiencing discomfort when he had another operation in late September. He said at the time he expected to play this season. Ball has been able to do some on-court work. He posted a video on Instagram last month of him dunking. But it became more and more clear that probably wouldn’t happen. Ball averaged 13 points and 5.1 assists while shooting 42.3% on 3-pointers over 35 games last season — his first in Chicago. He helped set up stars Zach LaVine and DeMar DeRozan and gave the Bulls an elite perimeter defender.

UB Mingoes guard Erquantae Edgecombe (2) dribbles the ball against Fort Lauderdale University guard Christon Dejean (13) on February 17 at The Scott Galvin Community Center in North Miami. The Mingoes lost 101-45.

UB Mingoes guard Dave Lindsey (23) drives to the basket against a Fort Lauderdale University player.

Photos: UB ATHLETICS

Real Madrid routs Liverpool 5-2 in CL stunner at Anfield

By JAMES ROBSON AP Soccer Writer

LIVERPOOL, England

(AP) — While both Real Madrid and Liverpool are rightly considered Champions League royalty, there can only be one king.

Down by two goals after 14 minutes at Anfield, defending champion Madrid came back to win 5-2 yesterday and take a commanding lead into the second leg of the round of 16 matchup. Vinicius Jr and Karim Benzema scored two goals each to stun the hosts — Liverpool conceded four goals in a home European match for the first time — and confirm the Spanish giant will take some stopping in its defence of the trophy.

“We played with personality, we produced goals.

We want this Champions League again,” Benzema said. “And that produced a match which was lovely to play in and for those who were watching.”

If anything, this Madrid team looks more complete than the one that beat Jurgen Klopp’s team in last year’s Paris final.

Yet this win echoed the memorable comebacks that led to that recordextending 14th Champions League title.

There was the chaotic defending that allowed Liverpool to race into a 2-0 lead as Darwin Nunez struck with a backheel in the fourth minute and Mohamed Salah doubled the advantage thanks to Madrid goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois’ blunder.

Then came the rousing fightback, led by one of European soccer’s emerging stars in Vinicius and sealed by an aging icon in Benzema.

Eder Militao was also on the scoresheet when he headed Madrid into a 3-2 lead just after halftime.

The 22-year-old Vinicius became the youngest player to score two goals against Liverpool at Anfield since Johan Cruyff for Ajax in 1966 when the Dutch great was 19.

The Brazil international is establishing himself as Madrid’s star player and, in the face of a typically daunting Anfield atmosphere, he rose to the occasion.

“Vinicius right now in my opinion is the most decisive player in world football, the man who can make the biggest difference and if he can keep this consistency let’s hope he can continue in this vein,” Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti said.

Just as the visitors looked in danger of

buckling under the pressure, Vinicius produced a moment of magic with his first goal in the 21st.

Exchanging passes with Benzema just inside the box, there didn’t look to be any obvious danger until he flashed a low shot through a crowd of legs and into the bottom corner.

Vinicius evened the score in the 36th when Alisson’s attempted kick rebounded straight off him and looped into an empty net.

While the goal was a moment of good fortune, it was also a measure of the panic he sparked in Liverpool’s defence that Alisson was rushed into making the mistake. Two minutes after halftime, Madrid took the lead when Militao headed

in Luka Modric’s free kick from the left. It went from bad to worse for Liverpool as the 35-year-old Benzema, the inspiration for Madrid’s triumph last year, got in on the act.

His shot was deflected off Joe Gomez in the 55th to make 4-2 and he added and fifth when rounding Alisson in the 67th.

It had all started so well for Liverpool, which went into the game with confidence after back-to-back wins against Everton and Newcastle in the Premier League. Those victories had sparked hope of an unlikely run in Europe and came just in time for the ultimate test of trying to halt Madrid.

LULA BACK WITH GOALS AS INTER MILAN PREPARES TO FACE PORTO

By DANIELLA MATAR AP Sports Writer

Nunez struck early to shock the visitors before Salah capitalised on Courtois’ mis-control to tap in from close range in the 14th.

The home fans were rocking until Vinicius sparked a comeback that looks likely to propel Madrid to the quarterfinals.

“I think Carlo thinks the tie is over and I think it as well in the moment,” Klopp said afterward. “But the closer you get to the game, the bigger our chances become.

“Tonight 5-2 they are pretty good in counter attacking and we have to go there and take some risks to score three goals. We go there to try and win the game.”

Grealish’s impact growing at Man City ahead of Leipzig match

By STEVE DOUGLAS AP Sports Writer

JACK Grealish might never put up the kind of cold, hard numbers that justify his status as English soccer’s first 100-millionpound player.

For Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola, weighing up the impact of Grealish goes far beyond simply counting up his goals and assists — though they are obviously welcome.

It’s the control and balance Grealish brings to the City team which really stand out and it’s why, at the moment, the England winger is Guardiola’s go-to guy amid a turbulent period on and off the field for the club.

City resumes its bid for a first Champions League title with a round-of-16 matchup with Leipzig, which hosts the first leg today.

Grealish was never a lock to play in these kind of big matches in his first season at City following that 100 million pound (then $139 million) move from Aston Villa in the offseason of 2021. Indeed, in the team’s run to an agonising elimination by Real Madrid in the semifinals, Grealish played in just two of City’s six knockout-stage matches — both times as a second-half substitute.

Now, he appears to be one of the first names on Guardiola’s team sheet.

Grealish has started in City’s last seven games in the Premier League and the last nine games in all competitions, having cemented his place on the left wing. His goal output remains modest — three in

28 games, all in the league — but two of them have come in the past month and in big games against Manchester United and Arsenal.

It was notable last season how tentative Grealish was at times, maybe afraid of making a mistake and primarily concerned with retaining team shape out on the left.

Now he is attacking the opponent’s area more, being more bold with his dribbling and making late runs into the box off the ball.

And it’s not been lost on Guardiola, who has been impressed by Grealish’s improved “ambition and aggression.”

“His commitment to take a risk and important decisions right now makes the difference,” Guardiola said. “He has to continue (doing this).”

His ability to retain and recycle the ball has always been strong and, according to teammate Bernardo Silva, “helps us breathe.”

For City playmaker Kevin De Bruyne, it has been important for Grealish to forget about the critics and focus on adapting to City’s way of playing under Guardiola. Grealish was the main man at Villa, but is just one of many top players at City.

“People look at the stats all the time but he does very important things for us,” De Bruyne said. “We’re winning a lot of games and he’s a big part of that.”

Grealish might have some more competition on the left, however, as Phil Foden is back in favour after missing matches since the World Cup because of

concerns about his fitness and form.

Foden made his first start in a month in the 1-1 draw with Nottingham Forest, a match that saw Grealish set up the goal by Silva.

Still, Guardiola’s front three of Grealish, Erling Haaland and Riyad Mahrez looks set in stone for the big games.

Grealish said a big part of his decision to move to City was so he could play in the Champions League and he is finally getting that opportunity.

NKUNKU’S RETURN

Christopher Nkunku made an appearance as a second-half substitute against Wolfsburg in the

German league on Saturday, for his first game since sustaining a left knee injury in training just before flying out to the World Cup with France.

The forward is expected to be on the bench again against City, though fellow attacker Dani Olmo remains out with a hamstring problem. LITTLE PEP

It’ll be Pep vs. Little Pep in Red Bull Arena.

Leipzig centre back Joško Gvardiol is nicknamed “Little Pep” because of the similarities of his last name with that of City’s manager. Gvardiol, a Croatia international, was one of the best defenders at the

World Cup and might be treating the Champions League as something of a shop window ahead of a potential move at the end of the season.

PEDIGREE

Leipzig, which is fifth in the German league and has lost only once in its last 20 games in all competitions, has pedigree in the Champions League after reaching the semifinals in 2020.

Last year, the team lost at City 6-3 in the group stage and won the return match 2-1 when City was already sure of advancing. City lost in the Champions League final to Chelsea in 2021 in the team’s best run in the competition.

MILAN (AP)

—

The LuLa attack is back for Inter Milan, just in time.

Both Romelu Lukaku and Lautaro Martínez scored for Inter in a 3-1 win over Udinese in Serie A, four days before the team faces Porto today in the first leg of the round of 16 of the Champions League.

That was the first time both players had scored in the same match since the final game of the 202021 season — also against Udinese. Those goals that season drove Inter to the title and earned the partnership the nickname LuLa, from the first letters of Lukaku’s surname and Martínez’s first name.

Martínez scored 17 league goals in that titlewinning season, while Lukaku had 24. And the duo frequently set up each other’s goals.

Lukaku’s scoring streak earned him a big-money move to Chelsea, only to return to Inter on loan the following year. But the Belgium forward has seemed a shadow of his former self this season as he struggled with poor form and injury. The goal against Udinese on Saturday was his first league goal since August. His only other goal this season had come in a Champions League match in October, against Viktoria Plzen.

Lukaku almost didn’t break his drought as his first attempt at a penalty was weak and easily saved by Udinese goalkeeper Marco Silvestri. But it had to be retaken for encroachment and the Inter forward drove his second attempt home much more powerfully.

“Romelu is improving on a daily basis, training session after training session, game after game,” Inter coach Simone Inzaghi said. “We have real confidence in him. “He’s giving all that he can and his condition is already good, but he can still make strides forward. He had an injury that caused him problems for four months, so he’ll only improve the more he plays.”

There have been no such concerns about Martínez, who helped Argentina win the World Cup in December. He has scored eight goals in 11 matches in all competitions since the Italian league resumed in January. He is second in the Serie A scoring chart, with 13 goals. “He always gives his all and is one of our leaders,” Inzaghi said. “He needs to continue to work like he’s doing because he’s been excellent since returning from the World Cup.”

Lukaku and Martínez will have to be good to get past a strong Porto defence that has only let in two goals in its 11 matches this year.

Inter and Inzaghi faltered at the same stage last season, eliminated by Liverpool 2-1 on aggregate, despite an impressive 1-0 win at Anfield. Porto failed to make it past the group stage last season but reached the quarterfinals the year before, losing to eventual champion Chelsea. The team got past Juventus in that season’s round of 16.

“We’re facing a team of quality that we respect a lot because it almost always reaches the round of 16 and sometimes goes further,” said Inzaghi, who was teammates with Porto coach Sérgio Conceição at Lazio during their playing days.

REAL Madrid’s Vinicius Junior celebrates after scoring his side’s opening goal during the Champions League, round of 16, first leg soccer match against Liverpool at the Anfield stadium in Liverpool, England, yesterday.

(AP Photo/Jon Super)

MANCHESTER City’s Jack Grealish celebrates after scoring his side’s second goal during the English Premier League soccer match between Arsenal and Manchester City at the Emirates stadium in London, England. last week Wednesday.

(AP Photo/Kin Cheung)

HUGH CAMPBELL BASKETBALL CLASSIC @ KENDAL ISAACS GYMNASIUM

Day 2: Timberwolves beat Cougars 42-35

By BRENT STUBBS Senior Sports Reporter bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

IT was the tale of the two ends of the tape as the Government Secondary Schools Sports Association senior boys’ basketball runners-up Anatol Rodgers Timberwolves and the Bahamas Association of Independent Secondary Schools champions Charles W Saunders Cougars faced off.

The two teams clashed in the marquee matchup of the abbreviated day two of the 36th edition of the prestigious Hugh Campbell Basketball Classic yesterday at the Kendal Isaacs Gymnasium.

The Timberwolves, who fell short against the GSSSA champions CI Gibson Rattlers, took down the Cougars, who won the BAISS title over their Baptist arch-rivals Jordan

TIGER

FROM PAGE 14

pedestrian, none of it was boring. That explains why thousands were waiting for him around the first tee on Thursday morning for his first tournament in seven months, and chanted his name when he finished on Sunday.

“Been in front of large crowds before, but not 10,000 people that’s rooting for one guy in the group,”

Bezuidenhout said Saturday after watching Woods post a 67, his lowest score on the PGA Tour since October 2020, which was only five tournaments ago.

Matthias Schwab of Austria also was in the group. He said he has played with

Prince Williams Falcons. Anatol Rodgers won the game 42-35.

In a close encounter, the CR Walker Knights nipped the CV Bethel Stingrays 57-55 and the CC Sweeting Cobras out-battled Doris Johnson Mystic Marlins 41-32 in the nightcap.

the three matches played:

Timberwolves 45, Falcons 35:

Jefferson Bethel had an explosive night with a game high 17 points, nine rebounds, four assists and a pair of steals to pace Anatol Rodgers, coached by Denycko Bowles. Their next best scorer was Kirkwood Rolle with five points, seven rebounds and two assists, steals and block shots.

Charles W Saunders, coached by Darius Burrows, didn’t have a player scoring in double digits.

COME ON DOWN: The 36th edition of the prestigious Hugh Campbell Basketball Classic is underway at the Kendal Isaacs Gymnasium.

Nakero Brown and Romial Strachan both scored eight with 10 rebounds and eight blocks, Raymone Woods chipped in with seven points, Marcian Pickstock had five points and they

both added three rebounds and three assists.

Knights 57, Stingrays 55: McKell Feaste canned a jumper with about 11 seconds left on the clock to seal the deal for CR

Walker, coached by Trevor Grant. Feaste finished with 14 points, seven rebounds and four steals.

Omar Pierre had a game high 21 points with seven rebounds and four steals and Stephen Rahming had 10 points, four steals and three rebounds.

Carlton Johnson had five points and two assists.

Jumeo Miller had four points and four rebounds.

In a losing effort for CV Bethel, Derrick Edgecombe had 18 points and six rebounds. Jahmial Minnis had nine points, four rebounds and three blocks.

Marvince Doreley also had nine points with five rebounds. Prescott Stubbs added eight points with 14 rebounds and three blocks.

Cobras 41, Mystic Marlins 32: Jamerolston Vil scored a game high 16 points with six rebounds to lead CC Sweeting, coached

by Dastyn Baker, to victory. Jaheim Armbrister and Emmanuel Adams both chipped in with six points. Mauricio Davis had four points.

For Doris Johnson, coach Kevon Spence got 10 points from Torrien Marshall, who also had seven rebounds. Their next best scorer was Bredon Williams with eight points.

Today’s schedule

Noon - Study Hall vs SC Bootle

1pm - Louise McDonald vs Agape

2pm - Gateway vs Bishop Michael Eldon

3pm - St George’s vs Winner of game one

5pm - W2 vs Sunland

6pm - W4 vs Patrick Bethel

7pm - Sir Jack Hayward vs W5

8pm - W6 vs CI Gibson. 9pm - W2 vs Tabernacle Baptist Academy

FELIX Neely and Kami Roach were crowned champions of the New Providence Cycling Association’s King and Queen of the Hill cycling race that was held on Sunday.

The results are as follows:

Overall Queen - Kami Roach, 1 minute, 49.78 seconds, total time for 2 climbs. Second female: Ilaria Gervasini, 2:06.28. 3rd. Anjaleah Knowles, 2:15.87.

King of the Hill - Felix Neely: 1 minute, 22.09 seconds; second was Barron Musgrove Jr., 1:30.81 and third was Jeff Tynes: 1:41.97..

Age category results:

9 to 11 Girls: Trenae Smith: 3:12.64, 9 to 11 boys: 1st.- Fraser Menzies: 2:32.22, 2nd.: Anthony Knowles : 2:45.11.

12 to 14 girls: 1st : Taylor Knowles: 2:25.28.

12 to 14 boys- 1st. Lachlan Menzies, 1:55.88, 2nd., Tristan Johnson: 2:10.92, 3rd., Kendrick Cargill: 2:49.47, 4th.,Mirko

Rory McIlroy a few times on the European tour and experienced big crowds.

“This was another level,” Schwab said.

That’s to be expected no matter where he goes because Woods plays so infrequently. Part of the pandemonium is that he is playing at all.

It was two years ago when his SUV went off the road in the Los Angeles suburbs going nearly 87 mph and tumbled down a hill. He spent the summer in a makeshift hospital bed in his Florida home. He was swinging a club in November, playing a 36-hole event with his son while riding a cart in December and playing the Masters five months later.

Woods is an eight-time winner at Bay Hill, but

the last of those was 10 years ago. It’s easy to lean on past history, except for Woods that means surgeries on his back and right leg dating to 2014, the left knee the decade prior.

Riviera — which Woods has played the most times (12 as a pro) without winning — made sense because he is the tournament host. The other tournament that benefits his foundation is the Hero World Challenge in the Bahamas. He’ll likely play there.

Otherwise, the focus is on the majors, and the hope he can recapture a little magic and make a lot of putts and at least go into the weekend with a fighting chance. He was five behind after the first round, and the deficit grew to 11 shots

and 12 shots until he finished 16 shots behind Jon Rahm. That was his first competition in seven months. It could be seven weeks before he plays again at the Masters, and he hopes to be in the other majors. Nothing is guaranteed. There is golf and there is tournament golf, and they are not the same. “I can do carts at home,” he said. “I can hit balls, chip and putt. But as I said, it’s time or attention and getting your eight to 10 miles of walking in and the concentration that it takes. Yeah, it’s hard. I’ve done it for a long time. “The body is,” he continued, “sometimes it says no even though the mind says yes.”

Catch him while you can.

FELIX NEELY, KAMI ROACH CROWNED KING AND QUEEN OF THE

DISNEY TO HOST ELEUTHERA CONSTRUCTION SAFETY FAIR

DISNEY Cruise Line (DCL) yesterday said it is teaming with its main contractor to host a construction safety fair on Eleuthera this Saturday from 10am to 3pm.

The Lighthouse Point developer, in a statement, said the event at the Eleuthera Business Hub is targeted at Bahamians wanting to learn more about the construction industry and job safety. It is partnering with its main

contractor, American Bridge (Bahamas), as well as the Eleuthera Chamber of Commerce and Bahamian Contractors Association, in staging the workshop.

Representatives from Walt Disney Imagineering and American Bridge, the design-builder for Lighthouse Point project, will share construction industry best practices as well as provide free training on ways to

JUST 10-15% OF BAHAMIAN FRAUD CASES PROSECUTED

FROM PAGE A24

Noting that many fraudrelated cases are not properly recorded, Mr Christie said: “A lot of the cases are not reported because companies don’t want to lose the respect of, or panic, the public. That’s what executives look at.”

He recalled a case involving a Family Island business, which he did not name, which had lost $100,000 to fraud. The co-owner, after being informed of the amount, said “we can tolerate that” and questioned how the loss should be treated in the firm’s accounts. Mr Christie highlighted this as an example of how Bahamian companies typically weigh-up “the fall-out, the cost and chances if they’re

prosecuted. Sometimes police officers don’t have the incentive to prosecute it.”

However, he also recalled the other co-owner being concerned that, if there was more than one perpetrator, the company needed to prosecute the matter to send a zero tolerance message to others. “I left them to decide what to do,” Mr Christie said.

He subsequently told Tribune Business that his advice to Bahamian companies was to at least pursue vigorous fraud investigations internally so as to deter other staff from such behaviour. “That demonstrates to employees that you will prosecute,” Mr Christie explained. “A lot of executives prosecute it because it demonstrates

NOTICE is hereby given that SHEZELLE ELIZABETH

KNOWLES of Gum Tree Street, Pinewood Gardens, 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 22nd day of February, 2023 to the Minister responsible for nationality and Citizenship, P.O. Box N-7147, Nassau, Bahamas.

help keep employees safe at work.

“Safety is top of mind for everything we do at Disney,” said Steve Norton, senior construction manager, Walt Disney Imagineering. “As we build a new experience at Lighthouse Point, we’re looking forward to bringing this group together so we can share best safety practices with the community and connect with local contractors.”

to employees and future employees, and then even to hold managers accountable.

“Some of these cases are as a result of lack of proper supervision by executives, which increases the risk that someone will take advantage of the opportunity. In The Bahamas sense, a lot of entities, while they investigate it and prosecute it based on the evidence, they hope it doesn’t come into the public sphere because they feel it will be a negative for them and their clients.

“It’s a mixed bag, but we say at least internally investigate it and demonstrate to employees that you don’t tolerate it. It can invite another incident if it is tolerated.” With court cases taking up to five years or longer, “sentences tending to be light” and recoveries hard to obtain, victims were choosing to take their complaints to professional bodies if the perpetrators were members.

Bahamian vendors will be available at several stations throughout the fair, offering training on personal protection equipment (PPE), fall protection demonstrations, first aid training, fire safety instruction, and small tool and ladder safety training as well as environmental training related to the recycling of construction materials. Free blood pressure screenings will also be available.

“The Bahamas has some issues in the legal system,” Mr Christie added. “These fraud cases can be complex investigations with a lot of numbers and accounting estimates. Numbers can be manipulated. It’s not as clear cut.”

Warning that most persons will fall victim to fraud “at some point” in their lives, he warned that there were multiple scams that present dangers to Bahamians. Besides so-called “romance schemes”, where culprits convince persons via social media and online that they are in love with them, and persuade them to send money or hand over bank account details, Mr Christie also pointed to the “itune gift cards” scheme.

Perpetrators persuade persons to acquire these gift cards and pass these to them in return for a fee, which is never paid. Along with ‘phishing’ attacks that seek to lull unsuspecting victims into handing over their bank account details,

NOTICE

NOTICE is hereby given that YOLETTE FRANCOIS of Rock Crusher Road off Farrington Road, 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, 2023 to the Minister responsible for nationality and Citizenship, P.O. Box N-7147, Nassau, Bahamas.

www.bisxbahamas.com

“It’s important for us to be part of the communities where American Bridge operates, and The Bahamas has welcomed us here for many years,” said Rob Conroy, of American Bridge Bahamas. “This event is an opportunity for us to share our expertise in workplace safety and provide Bahamians with valuable information they can use at work and at home.”

Mr Christie said “denial of service” attacks were becoming more common where cyber attacks took down the websites of Bahamian companies and blocked access to them or their wider computer systems.

“We don’t want to be scaremongers. Trust and verify, and don’t put your eggs in one basket so that if you fall victim to a scam you don’t lose all your investment,” Mr Christie said. “What we are finding in today’s world with technology is that it’s becoming easier to hide your tracks.

Romance schemes are on the rise, and are pretty much the result of the times we live in where persons

In addition to free safety training, attendees will have the opportunity to apply for contractor positions and learn more about local construction jobs. Other event partners include the Bahamas Technical and Vocational Institute (BTVI), Small Business Development Centre/Access Accelerator, Family Medical Centre and the Royal Bahamas Police Force.

meet online rather than in the physical world. Who do you complain to?

“We’ve seen the situation with some entities in The Bahamas where the whole website has gone down and, sometimes it’s not done for monetary purposes.” Burke Files, an international investigator specialising in asset recovery, due diligence, anti-money laundering and intellectual property matters, told the same seminar that “the number one way to prevent fraud is to screen your employees no less than every three years or when they get a promotion”.

NOTICE

NOTICE is hereby given that ROSELANDE JOSUE of Sandilands Village Road, 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 22nd day of February, 2023 to the Minister responsible for nationality and Citizenship, P.O. Box N-7147, Nassau, Bahamas.

PUBLIC NOTICE

INTENT TO CHANGE NAME BY DEED POLL

The Public is hereby advised that I, SIOBHAN DEREKA THOMPSON of Freeport Grand Bahama, Parent of TRAESHAWN DENIKO BURROWS A minor intend to change my child’s name to SHAWN SEYMOUR If there are any objections to this change of name by Deed Poll, you may write such objections to the Deputy Chief Passport Offcer, 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 ASHONTE HART of Church Hill Road, 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 22nd day of February, 2023 to the Minister responsible for nationality and Citizenship, P.O. Box N-7147, Nassau, Bahamas.

NOTICE

NOTICE is hereby given that DENO MERONE of Hospital Lane, Bain Town, 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 22nd day of February, 2023 to the Minister responsible for nationality and Citizenship, P.O. Box N-7147, Nassau, Bahamas.

NOTICE

NOTICE is hereby given that YVE BLANC of General Delivery, Wilton Street, Town Centre Mall, Nassau, 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 January, 2023 to the Minister responsible for nationality and Citizenship, P.O. Box N-7147, Nassau, Bahamas.

Former FNM candidate facing legal strike-off

The purchase price was fixed at $180,000, and Mr Rolle acted for both the buyer and Rum Cay Ventures with the permission of both sides. A total

$192,870 was transferred by Mr Preuss to Mr Rolle and his law firm, Raymond A. Rolle & Co, to cover both the purchase price and an additional $12,870 in closing costs such as Stamp Tax and legal fees.

The Bar’s Disciplinary Tribunal, in its ruling, found that the funds “were paid by various wire transfers between February and March 2007 to the attorney’s firm to allow the completion of the transaction to take place. The closing costs are as reflected in the completion statement issued from the attorney dated January 25, 2007. No item of the closing costs is in dispute. The attorney does not deny that all of the requisite funds were received by the firm.

“The complainant (Mr Preuss) avers that the attorney (Mr Rolle) failed to complete a real estate transaction, failed to properly advise on title and failed to return funds to the complainant. The attorney counters that the transaction closed and the seller received the proceeds of sale,” the ruling added.

“However, there is alleged to have been misconduct in the nature of fraud within the attorney’s firm, resulting in the forgery of signatures on conveyance documents, resulting in the title being questioned by the complainant. The

Attorney does not deny this and offered to ‘redo’ the conveyance, but the vendor company (Rum Cay Ventures) no longer exists and cannot be therefore redone.”

Mr Preuss alleged that he never received a copy of the sales contract, or final conveyance, from Mr Rolle’s office despite making multiple requests. It was only three years after the deal was completed, in 2010, that he received the relevant documents from John Demming, who claimed to have acquired Rum Cay Ventures and the rights to the company, “and immediately became aware of certain irregularities”.

“The complainant avers that the signature below his on the conveyance document is not anyone known to him, nor was that person present when he signed it. In making further inquiries he was made aware that the secretary of the vendor company, one Mike Fothergill, stated that he never signed the sales contract and that the signature on same was not his,” the disciplinary tribunal recorded.

“The Tribunal’s attention was drawn to the e-mail dated June 11, 2011, from Mike Fothergill to the complainant which contains information germane to this matter. Among other things, including that he was erroneously named as the president of the vendor company, Mr Fothergill confirms that ‘the signature purported to be Mike Fothergill’s on the conveyance from Rum Cay Ventures to you is not mine; it is a forgery’.

“He goes on to attribute the forgery to Akera Stubbs, and observes that she is being pursued legally, and that it appears that she ‘removed your original conveyance from Raymond Rolle’s office when she was terminated’.” The end result was that Mr Preuss did not have secure, proper title to his Rum Cay property due to the absence of a valid conveyance despite the purchase price and closing costs being paid. The vendor’s dissolution made obtaining a new conveyance impossible.

Mr Preuss lodged his formal complaint against Mr Rolle to the Bar Council’s secretary on July 18, 2011 - more than 11-anda-half years ago. He began Supreme Court proceedings against Mr Rolle the following year, eventually obtaining a default judgment, and the attorney’s failure to pay ultimately saw him “ajudged a bankrupt” in 2021, just over four years after he stood for election to Parliament as an FNM candidate.

Tribune Business sought to contact Mr Rolle for comment via the phone numbers provided on the Bar Association’s website, but these just rang out and were not answered. An e-mail sent to the address provided was not responded to. Multiple sources, some close to the FNM, confirmed he was the party’s former Englerston candidate. However, the length of time it has taken to resolve Mr Preuss’ complaint has caused concern for some.

“How ridiculous can it get?” one attorney, speaking on condition of anonymity, of the 11-plus years taken to address the matter. “It’s taken more than ten years to deal with it. They’re going to appeal, and until the appeal is heard it’s an ‘innocent until proven guilty’ type of thing that will drag on forever.”

Mr Rolle, in responding to Mr Preuss’ complaint, said “it appears that the executed agreement for sale between the parties may have been doctored by my former employee, Akera Stubbs”. He added that the funds received from Mr Preuss were applied correctly, and that Rum Cay Ventures stood ready to “correct any deficiencies” with the conveyance.

The attorney also sought to blame Mr Preuss for any delay in completing the deal because he purportedly never supplied the documents needed to obtain the necessary International Persons Landholding Act permits from the Investments Board. Without those permits, Mr Rolle said the buyer’s title would not be secured.

The Tribunal, in its verdict, found “it is clear that there were some irregular dealings by [Ms Stubbs] which affected the efficacy of the closing and may have impacted the validity of the documents”. And, while Mr Rolle had asserted that the conveyance was “redone”, the document produced in evidence was not stamped and raised questions as to whether the required Stamp Duty had been paid.

“The second noteworthy point is that the conveyance is purportedly executed by Mike Fothergill as president - something Mr Fothergill already indicated to the complainant in an e-mail he not only did not sign but erroneously is titled thereon as president when in fact he is not and never was. This is clearly a copy of the conveyance which was the subject of forgery and misconduct by the attorney’s employee,” the Tribunal added.

“The Tribunal does not accept the position of the attorney [Mr Rolle] that the failure to produce the conveyance is the result of wrongdoings of his employee. The duty of every attorney is to check and oversee any legal or paralegal work promulgated by an employee.

“The conveyance erroneously names someone as president who is not. This alone can affect the validity of a document. That the attorney would not have checked and confirmed the signatures as belonging to Mike Fothergill is an indication that the attorney was not conducting the necessary oversight to satisfy the standard of care required by him or imposed by the rules.”

As for the failure to provide the permit information, the Tribunal said there was no evidence that a properly executed conveyance existed at that point or that Mr Rolle had informed Mr Preuss of the documents required. And it found that Mr Rolle would have been aware in late June 2011 that Rum Cay Ventures no

Agriculture ‘status quo’ of Gov’t control must change

FROM PAGE A24

want to be in control of it.

That’s where the problem came in, and the fact they intended to hire more staff and people to deal with it. It was a turn-off.

“The farmers wanted to control it because of the mere fact it was their industry.... That’s basically what we had discussed and then it was pulled off the table.” An improved packing house and feed mill system, Ms Shepherd added, will enable Bahamian farmers “to do a lot more than they’re doing now.

“If we’re able to do a PPP that includes the Government, the Government will not be solely responsible for that and, as a result of

that, we should be able to get more productivity and produce,” she told Tribune Business. “If the PPP takes place, that allows us to be able to do what we need to do, and will help us raise capital.

“If the Government wants to remain in control.... if we keep doing the same thing we’ve been doing for the past 40 years then we’ll be in the same position for the next 20 years; doing the same thing and not getting much further progress than we have now.

“It’s time to change the system. It’s time to put in place a system that works for the farmers and works for the Bahamian people.

NOTICE

BOREA VALLEY INC. In Voluntary Liquidation

Notice is hereby given that in accordance with Section 138(4) of the International Business Companies Act. 2000, BOREA VALLEY INC. is in dissolution as of February 15, 2023

International Liquidator Services Ltd. situated at 3rd Floor Whitfield Tower, 4792 Coney Drive, Belize City, Belize is the Liquidator.

The status quo needs to change. The status quo needs to change to the point where it’s more inclusive for the farmers.”

Mr Sweeting, in his answer to Opposition questions over why the Government had halted the bid process initiated by the former administration, told the House of Assembly that the Government had been reluctant to grant “a controlling interest” in the feed mill to private sector investors.

“The rationale for discontinuing the Public-Private Partnership on the packing houses, feed mill and abattoir is based on several factors, including concerns about the project’s viability, the level of private sector interest and the potential costs to the Government,” he said. “With regard to the feed mill, it should be noted that under the previous administration, the ministry received four responses to the Expression of Interest.

“However, only three entities met the criteria after review and were invited to present a proposal. After this process was concluded, only one entity was under consideration. This entity proposed a minimum investment and wanted controlling interest, which was not deemed feasible by the Government and was not pursued.

“Therefore, the Government remains committed to exploring opportunities for public-private partnerships where they are viable and appropriate. It will continue to assess all potential

projects on a case-by-case basis.”

Michael Pintard, the Opposition’s leader, who as minister responsible for agriculture and fisheries in the Minnis Cabinet, oversaw the bid process launch, yesterday described the outcome as “very disappointing”. He told Tribune Business that, if re-elected to office, the FNM would again pursue outsourcing and PPP’s as a means to empower Bahamian entrepreneurs. “I believe that the PPP opens up tremendous opportunities for the agriculture sector, and it is a win-win situation once we find the correct partnerboth for the farmers we serve and a government strapped for resources,” Mr Pintard said, arguing that the latter was “better served functioning in a regulatory capacity”.

Suggesting that management and labour would be better served under private sector control, he added that one of the feed mill’s issues was that it only provides one type of food.

longer existed, thus making it extremely hard to redo the conveyance.

“This matter has been outstanding from 2007. The evidence of the purchaser is that the attorney did not communicate with him and has never directly provided the information sought, and that he only obtained a copy of the counter executed agreement and the conveyance documents from Mr. Demming in 2010. An attorney’s duty to his client is to communicate, provide information and accounting etc, and the attorney’s failure in this regard is a stark one,” the Tribunal said. With no evidence that Mr Rolle has sought to make good the loss, or account for the funds, the Tribunal ruled that “the fact that the attorney allowed documents to be promulgated which contained errors and forged signatures, failed to procure his client’s consent before remitting closing funds, failed to account for the payment of Stamp taxes placed in his care, compounded by the length of time that has elapsed with the complete failure to mitigate by the attorney and/or allowing himself to have a judgment against him and allowing himself to become adjudged a bankrupt, constitute breaches...... of the most serious and egregious sort”.

Besides Justice McKay, the other disciplinary tribunal members were Stephanie Unwala, Alexander Maillis and James Bain. The Bar’s marshalls were Sean Moree, of McKinney, Bancroft & Hughes, and Peteche Bethell.

This, the Opposition leader explained, is inadequate for meeting the dietary needs of birds and chicks who, at different stages in their life cycle, need different varieties of feed.

Asserting that the PPPs would gave suited either a group of farmers, operating as a consortium, or an investor with the necessary financing and expertise, Mr Pintard said: “The packing houses in large measure have outlived their usefulness under the control of the Government where there have been annual significant losses to both farmers and the Government in terms of produce.

“We should help the farmers develop the ability to go direct to market, to the retailers and wholesalers. We are putting them in difficulties in terms of inadequate refrigeration, sorting and grading equipment for produce. The Government should concentrate on building the regulatory environment and helping the farmers get to market.”

Mr Pintard suggested that packing houses could be outsourced in “bunches” or individually to private sector partners using the PPP model. And he added that there were opportunities to transform them into produce and processing facilities by turning some of the food handled into the likes of jams and jellies.

“We have a wonderful opportunity to create a number of entrepreneurs who could have been running distribution and processing centres,” the

LEGAL NOTICE

International Business Companies Act (No. 45 of 2000)

SPA REAL ESTATE FUND LTD., SAC (the “Company”)

Notice is hereby given that, in accordance with Section 138 (8) of the International Business Companies Act, No.45 of 2000, the Dissolution of SPA REAL ESTATE FUND LTD., SAC (IBC No. B SA has been completed a ertifcate of Dissolution has been issued and the Company has therefore been struck off the Register. The date of completion of the Dissolution was the 22nd day of December, 2022.

Ely Hakim Liquidator

Opposition leader said.

“In terms of the abattoir, the Government should really making sure they have an internationally certified operation where livestock are killed appropriately. You could do that with a farming association or entrepreneur with deep enough pockets to set up a slaughterhouse certified by international agencies.”

Suggesting that the Small Business Development Centre (SBDC) had been interested in some of these facilities subject to the PPPs, Mr Pintard suggested that the PLP’s political “philosophy” had deterred it from pursuing the bidding process left “on the drawing board which we are fairly certain would have produced results”. He did not explain what he meant by “philosophy”, although this likely refers to a reluctance to outsource state-owned enterprises (SOEs).

Pointing out that the Minnis administration had created a market for Bahamian produce, by mandating that government departments and major resorts allocate 75 percent and 40 percent of their food purchases, respectively, to local sources, Mr Pintard argued that the Government has “missed an opportunity” by not proceeding with the PPP process.

“If given the chance to govern again, we will return to a model of empowering producers to take over a component of the value chain that makes their businesses more successful,” he said.

THE

In the Estate of AUDLEY C. KEMP SENIOR late of Waterloo Road in the Eastern District of the Island of New Providence one of the Islands of The Commonwealth of the Bahamas, deceased.

NOTICE is hereby given that the Judicial Trustee Report as of December 2022 is available for review. All Benefciaries are asked to contact Ms. Sydnease Rolle for arrangements to be made to obtain a copy of the report. Identifcation must be provided.

Telephone: 603-1022/805-3976

CLAY SWEETING

PM meets leading corporate chiefs

PHILIP Davis KC, the Prime Minister, met with corporate leaders from major industries in a Business Round Table that was held at Baha Mar’s Rosewood resort on Monday. Also addressing the forum were Chester Cooper, deputy prime minister and minister of tourism, investments and aviation, and Senator Michael Halkitis, minister of economic affairs.

Among those attending was David Davis, permanent secretary in the Office of the Prime Minister; Simon Wilson, the Ministry of Finance’s financial secretary; Wayde Watson, parliamentary secretary in the Ministry of Economic Affairs; John Rolle, Central Bank governor; Nathaniel Beneby, Office of the Prime Minister; Sir Franklyn Wilson, chairman of Sunshine

Holdings; David Kosoy, executive chairman and founder of Sterling Global Financial; Anthony Ferguson, CFAL’s president; Robert Sands, senior vice-president, government and external affairs, Baha Mar; LaSonya Missick, Royal Bank of Canada’s (RBC) managing director, and other stakeholders.

TR T U RT N

FROM PAGE A24

$81m, increase against the comparative period in 2021, and a more pronounced near-$226m or 28 percent jump compared to the 2022 second quarter.

No explanation was provided for the import surge, although it was likely aided by the economy’s continued post-COVID reflation and the start of businesses stocking up on inventories ahead of the peak Christmas shopping season. A rise in the value of oil imports to $166.921m in the 2022 third quarter, compared to the second quarter’s $111.023m, was partially responsible

FROM PAGE A24

for the quarter-over-quarter surge. The trade, or merchandise, deficit measures by how much The Bahamas’ physical goods imports exceed the value of its exports. Given that this nation imports virtually all it consumes, a significant deficit is no surprise. It reached $882.177m for the three months to endSeptember 2022 compared to $799.807m during the same period in 2021. The trade deficit is typically balanced by the surplus generated by The Bahamas’ services exports, the main ones of which are tourism and financial services. However, higher merchandise

deficits impose greater strain on The Bahamas’ major foreign currency earners to generate sufficient funds to pay for these imports.

“Data on the merchandise trade for the 2022 third quarter shows that the value of commodities imported into The Bahamas totalled $1.036bn, resulting in an increase of 8 percent when compared with the same period last year,” the Bahamas National Statistical Institute report said.

“The major groups of merchandise, were ‘machinery and transport equipment’, which totalled $197m, ‘food and live animals’ at $184m

and ‘mineral fuels, lubricants and related materials’ which totalled $167m. The combined value of these categories represented 53 percent of total imports.

“Other categories that contributed to total imports were ‘manufactured goods classified chiefly by materials’, which accounted for $153m, ‘miscellaneous manufactured articles’ valued at $135m and ‘chemicals’, at $95m (these groups together represented 37 percent of total imports),” the report continued.

“Categories that showed significant increases when compared to the same quarter last year were

T’‘ T U ’ T H TH UT

VAT treatment change. “On particular matter, I think it’s fair to say the way for defusing it appears to have been laid,” Sir Franklyn told this newspaper, later confirming he was referring to the claims payouts situation.

“Nothing was concretised, but direction was given that something may be possible. I think it was a constructive dialogue. There’s a sense that following the conversation that it is possible, probable, that some form of mutual understanding appears to be a possibility.”

Presently, persons with private medical insurance only pay VAT on the co-pay or deductible, which is typically 20 percent of the care or medication costs. However, the Ministry of Finance and Department of Inland Revenue are altering the VAT treatment of health insurance claims payouts such that insurers will no longer be able to recover the 10 percent levy by claiming it as an ‘input’, which presently allows them to net it off against the output VAT paid on the premium.

In practice, patients - as the end-consumer - will from April 1, 2023, also become responsible for paying VAT

on the 80 percent share of medical costs paid by insurers. The latter will almost certainly pass this sum on to consumers, with the end result being that the proportion of medical costs borne by patients will now increase as they will be obligated to pay 100 percent of the VAT incurred.

The Ministry of Finance, though, says the change is necessary because allowing insurers to reclaim VAT on claims payouts breaches the law and is depriving the Public Treasury of millions in vital revenues. It is arguing that it is “clearly against the VAT Act” for insurers to claim back the 10 percent levy on medical claims payouts, with one audit of an unnamed health insurance provider in 2021 showing it had “received over $20m illegally” through this mechanism.

The ministry, and the Department of Inland Revenue’s, position is that VAT is payable on medical insurance claims payouts because these are being made on behalf of the end-user - the consuming patient - and thus should attract the tax.

Health insurers are currently claiming this as ‘input’ VAT, offsetting it against their ‘output’ tax on premiums

and effectively allowing the likes of Colina, Family Guardian and CG Atlantic to claim it back from the Government.

However, insurers arguing that the Ministry of Finance is wrong to treat the payment of clients’ medical expenses and the care received from providers as two separate services. Its case is that since health insurance and medical services are both VAT-able, health insurance claims should continue to be tax-deductible for health underwriters, otherwise the Government would be knowingly applying two layers of VAT.

The ease of doing business in The Bahamas was the other major topic that arose at the Business Round Table. Sir Franklyn said it had been especially useful to have John Rolle, the Central Bank’s governor, present along with four of the six commercial bank headsGowon Bowe from Fidelity Bank (Bahamas); LaSonya Missick from Royal Bank of Canada (RBC); Roger Archer from Scotiabank (Bahamas); and Kenrick Brathwaite of Bank of The Bahamas.

“This provided an opportunity to get past the finger-pointing as to whether

The Public is advised that the Environmental Impact Assessment for Venetian Village located on the island of New Providence has been fled with the Department of Environmental Planning and Protection (DEPP). Venetian Village is a mixed-use commercial, retail, and residential development.

A PUBLIC MEETING WILL BE HELD

Thursday, March 2nd AT 6:00PM

The New Providence Community Church New Providence, The Bahamas Virtual Meeting

Zoom: https://us05web.zoom.us/j/87152552992?pwd= bFEzbTlmdW1aalJjcjV5aWQwaVVvQT09

Passcode: 873681

The EIA can be reviewed online https://venetianvillagebahamas.com/environmental or in person at DEPP located at Charlotte House. The public can send written comments to inquiries@depp.gov.bs or environment@venetianvillagebahamas.com.

or not the Central Bank is the problem, or the banks are the problem, on the ease of doing business with reference to banking,” the Arawak Homes chair said.

Summing up the meeting, he added: “It appears as if the audience were pleased and satisfied that there was a genuine effort to engage. I think it was generally received as a genuine effort to engage. I think most people were satisfied that nothing was off the table in terms of what can be discussed and raised. I would say overall that there’s a sense that open, cordial and

‘miscellaneous manufactured articles’,‘ machinery and transport equipment’ and ‘beverages and tobacco’ which increased by 33 percent, 27 percent and 21 percent, respectively.”

On the export side, the Bahamas National Statistical Institute report found:

“Data shows that the value of commodities exported (domestic and re-export) from The Bahamas totaled $154m, resulting in an decrease of 1 percent when compared with the same period last year.

“The categories that contributed the largest proportion to the exports were ‘manufactured goods classified chiefly by materials’, which totalled $38m, ‘mineral fuels, lubricants and

frank dialogue was welcome between significant participants and elements of the business community.

“It was a meaningful conversation. The point is we had an opportunity. At least there’s an understanding. There are people in the room the Government knows. It’s talking to the right people in terms of coming to an understanding on what is important or not important.”

Bank of The Bahamas’ Mr Brathwaite, meanwhile, confirmed: “The issue of the VAT and ease of doing business were the two main topics that came up..... A lot of things were said but everything is in the execution to move the country.”

related materials’ at $37m and ‘miscellaneous manufactured articles’ at $21m representing 63 percent of total exports.”

The report added: “Categories that showed significant increases were ‘machinery and transport equipment’, and ‘manufactured goods classified chiefly by materials’, which increased by 59 percent and 41 percent, respectively, when compared to the same quarter last year.

“The groups that decreased in value when compared to the same period last year were ‘mineral fuels, lubricants and related materials’, and ‘food and live animals’, which declined by 30 percent and 25 percent, respectively.”

He added that the talks took place in a bi-partisan way, with no political influences, and were focused on what is best for The Bahamas and its economy. Besides the banking industry’s strong presence, other attendees included realtors, David Morley and Mario Carey; David Kosoy, Sterling Global Financial’s executive chairman; Tony Ferguson, the CFAL president; Pedro Rolle, the Exuma Chamber of Commerce president and Bahamas Power & Light (BPL) chair; and Robert Sands, the Bahamas Hotel and Tourism Association (BHTA) president.

BUSINESS ROUND TABLE

PRIME MINISTER PHILIP DAVIS

Photos:Kemuel Stubbs/BIS

ABACO FARM EYES RESORT EXPANSION

AN ABACO farm yesterday unveiled ambitions to develop a full-scale resort attraction within the next five months as it seeks to exploit growing worldwide interest in eco-tourism and agro-tourism.

Daphne DegregoryMiaoulis, principal of Abaco Neem, told Tribune Business the resort component will aid her promotion of organic farming and link tourism directly to agriculture. “Basically we want

to create an agro-eco tourism experience,” she said. “So we also want to have a strong focus on education, to promote organic farming, a sustainable lifestyle and just basically the value of living a healthy lifestyle.”

Nick Maioulis, her fellow principal at Abaco Neem, added: “We’re hoping to break ground within the next four to five months on our first cottage. And this is all out-of-pocket. Anything we make on the farm is saved into infrastructure, and it’s all reinvested back into the farm. So our current goal right now is to build cottages on our farm. So if you needed a long

weekend, when you can have some adult time with your significant other, you

can be incognito and be on the farm.”

Abaco Neem already attracts tourists for bird watching opportunities in addition to the “farm to table” experience, where guests are fed with produce directly from the farm. There are also visitors who “practice holistic healing”. Besides the Neem plant production, the business also has groves of traditional Bahamian fruit trees along with coconut trees. All produce is made available to guests and people looking to purchase.

Mrs Degregory-Miaoulis said: “We also want to cultivate the local corporate

citizen who doesn’t have a connection with their family. We want to encourage them to put their electronic devices away, tune out and tune in. In other words, disconnect to reconnect with nature, with your family and with yourself. Disconnect from all of the chaos and reconnect through nature.”

Abaco Neem’s “neem forest” was described as a location where “walking through it is akin to bathing yourself in it”, Mrs Degregory-Miaoulis added. “I think that with this new millennium visitor, and actually coming out of COVID-19, people have become a lot

more health conscious and lifestyle conscious. People don’t even go to offices any more. They work out at home, they travel and they can work anywhere their laptop goes,” she said.

“So I think that’s a perfect opportunity for The Bahamas, because we’re close to the North American market, which is looking for this ‘get out of the rat race’ kind of experience and’ also, they’re looking for more opportunities for families to spend time together.”

DPM: Bahamas poised for ‘accelerated tourism growth’

By Fay Simmons jsimmons@tribunemedia.net

THE deputy prime minister yesterday said “all signs indicate The Bahamas is about to enter a period of accelerated growth” in tourism with some $2bn worth of investment projects “in the pipeline”.

Chester Cooper, also minister of tourism, investments and aviation, told the Tourism and Hospitality Forum 2023 that “a career in tourism is one of excitement, rich experiences, attractive salaries, career growth and a deep rewarding sense of fulfillment”.

He called for the development of “feeder” tourism courses at the high school level to help provide the University of The Bahamas (UoB) with consistent student intakes, going so far as to suggest that this nation create “an elite magnet high school” to ready a workforce for its main industry.

Addressing an event hosted by the University of The Bahamas’ College of Tourism, Hospitality, Culinary Arts and Leisure Management, he argued that tourism offers a wider range of careers than almost any other industry. “It’s a great business to be in, and business is booming,” Mr Cooper added.

“More than any field, tourism and hospitality offer the widest range of careers possible – all levels of hotel operations, from front office to senior management; the transportation sector; entertainment and recreation; the whole scope of technical jobs; tour operations; and the list goes on.

“Mr Cooper, reaffirming that tourism is the driving force behind the Bahamian economy, said it was vital that this nation remains a major player in the industry. He added: “The reality is that our country runs off tourism. It powers our national economy and provides over 60 percent of the jobs in our country. It is critical that The Bahamas positions itself to continue increasing its market share of global tourism.”

The deputy prime minister touted that The Bahamas is poised for tourism growth due to projections of increased visitor arrivals coupled with greater investment in the

industry. He said: “All signs indicate that The Bahamas is about to enter an exciting new period of accelerated growth in tourism.

“Investor confidence in our economy is exceptionally high, as evidenced by the large number of elite international hotel brands in operation in our destination, and the over $2bn worth of investment projects in the pipeline.”

Reiterating the Government’s ambition to increase Bahamian ownership within the tourism industry, Mr Cooper added: “One of the goals of this government is to increase the number of Bahamian owners of businesses in the tourism and hospitality sector. The Government has several agencies that will provide you with the support you need to get your business started - technical and marketing support, and loans to provide start-up capital.”

Mr Cooper called for the development of high school-level tourism training courses, in conjunction with the University of The Bahamas, so as to incentivise students and aid in resolving low enrollment at the university. He said:

“The time has come to put in place, at the high school level, a tourism and hospitality programme that will serve as a direct feeder

programme into UoB’s College of Tourism and Hospitality.

“A more practical approach would be to have this programme established as an elite magnet high school, specialising in tourism and hospitality. Upon graduation, students will automatically enroll in UoB’s College of Tourism and Hospitality, incentivised with tuition scholarships, stipend and the guarantee of employment upon graduation.”

The recruitment of foreign students into the hospitality programme was also discussed as The Bahamas can use its long-standing tourism reputation to attract students from countries that are now entering the industry. Mr Cooper said: “UoB’s College of Tourism and Hospitality should also look into leveraging the integrity of The Bahamas brand by recruiting foreign students.

“The Bahamas is recognised as a leader in tourism management, and many destinations such as the United Arab Emirates and other countries that are in the process of building their tourism industry would be willing to partner with The Bahamas for the training of their students in the science and art of tourism and hospitality.”

CORRECTION

DAPHNE DEGREGORY-MIAOULIS

Medical insurers: Tax burden increase is ‘unconscionable’

BAHAMIAN insurers have denied they broke the law on the VAT treatment of health insurance claims payouts while reiterating that imminent changes will impose “an unconscionable increase in the tax burden” faced by patients.

The Bahamas Insurance Association (BIA), in its latest salvo over the Government’s decision to stop health insurers reclaiming the VAT on claims payouts with effect from April 1, 2023, said both sides agreed that the proportion of medical, dental and vision costs borne by patients will now rise as a result.

However, the industry body argued that itself and the Government were drawing “very different conclusions” about the impact. While the BIA and its members view the move as imposing an increased taxation burden on patients, who must now pay 100 percent of the VAT on bills associated with their medical care, the Association said the Government clearly believed those with

private health insurance should pay more in taxes.

And the BIA also urged the Government to explain its assertion that the impact from the changed VAT treatment will be “insignificant” for patients given that the Department of Inland Revenue/Ministry of Finance had revealed just one insurer was able to reclaim $20m under the current application.

“Both the BIA and the Ministry of Finance agree that health insurance policies are taxable, and that the Department of Inland Revenue will soon implement a rule change that will prohibit insurance companies from recovering VAT paid on health insurance claims,” the BIA said in a statement.

“We also both agree that this increased tax burden will be borne by our industry’s clients and that, in addition to continuing to pay VAT on their premiums, clients will now also be fully responsible for the VAT on the underlying medical service. While the BIA and the Ministry of

Finance agree on the above facts, we draw very different conclusions from it.

“For the BIA, the Department of Inland Revenue’s new VAT rule is an unconscionable increase in the tax burden that our clients will face. Based on their decision to proceed with this rule change, the Government disagrees and believes that health insurance clients should pay more taxes than they currently do. This is the heart of the disagreement and it is important that the public does not lose sight of that.”

Presently, persons with private medical insurance only pay VAT on the co-pay or deductible, which is typically 20 percent of the care or medication costs. However, the Ministry of Finance and Department of Inland Revenue are altering the VAT treatment of health insurance claims payouts such that insurers will no longer be able to recover the 10 percent levy by claiming it as an ‘input’, which presently allows them to net it off against

the output VAT paid on the premium.

In practice, patients - as the end-consumer - will now also become responsible for paying VAT on the 80 percent share of medical costs paid by insurers. The latter will almost certainly pass this sum on to consumers, with the end result being that the proportion of medical costs borne by patients will now increase as they will be obligated to pay 100 percent of the VAT incurred.

“The Ministry of Finance’s press statement went on to reveal how significant the increase in VAT will be. They indicated that they audited one company who was found to have deducted over $20m in VAT that, under their new rule, would be paid by that company’s clients. The press statement goes on to claim that the impact of this change would be ‘insignificant’ and that ‘there would be no double layering of taxes’,” the BIA said.

“The BIA disagrees. In our view, the $20m increase in VAT is a significant

increase in our clients’ tax obligations and clearly represents an additional layer of VAT which they will now be obliged to pay. We do not understand how the Ministry of Finance has concluded that this significant sum is ‘insignificant’, and we hope that they will explain their view to the public.” In practice, that $20m was probably incurred over several years rather than just one.

“The BIA rejects the assertion that health insurers were operating in contravention of the law,” the Association added.

“The Department of Inland Revenue’s upcoming rule change is new and differs from the rules that the Government implemented when VAT was initiated. The industry cannot be faulted for having relied on directives given to us by the Ministry of Finance, and it is not purely coincidental that all insurers operated in the same manner.

“Even if the Government believes that its new rule should have been in effect from the inception of

THE WEATHER REPORT

VAT, the fault lies with the Ministry of Finance which gave contrary guidance at the time. It is inappropriate that the health insurance industry is being smeared for having relied on those directives in good faith.

“The BIA accepts that the law permits the Ministry of Finance to change its VAT rules from time to time. However, we maintain that consultation with the medical providers would have allowed them to be better informed when making this decision,” the BIA continued.

“Finally, we are pleased that the Prime Minister and minister of finance reportedly stated that ‘we would do anything to avoid causing further costs to the consumer’ and that ‘the conversation is continuing’. While the industry is currently preparing to implement the new VAT rule, we would gladly maintain the status quo should the Government wish to delay or discard its proposed amendment to the VAT rules on health insurance.”

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

Former FNM candidate facing legal strike-off

By NEIL HARTNELL Tribune Business Editor nhartnell@tribunemedia.net

A FORMER FNM election candidate, already ruled a bankrupt, now faces being disbarred from the legal profession over a $192,870 Rum Cay land deal that was plagued by claims of fraud and forgery.

Raymond Rolle, who failed in both attempts to become Englerston’s MP in 2007 and 2017, was found by the Bahamas Bar Association’s Disciplinary Tribunal to have committed “a stark failure” in not providing the information and accounting sought by his client over a transaction that took place 16 years ago.

The Tribunal, headed by Supreme Court justice, Renae McKay, in a February 15, 2023, ruling ordered that Mr Rolle “be struck from the roll” despite his assertion that

the transaction’s sales agreement had been “doctored” by a former employee without his involvement or knowledge. The seller’s secretary also alleged that he never signed the sales contract, and claimed his signature was forged.

Agriculture ‘status quo’ of Gov’t control must change

The dispute has its roots in the land speculation orgy that enveloped much of Rum Cay in the early part of this century as various parties, claiming that their ownership rights could be traced to the late Effie Knowles estate, divided up the island’s real estate and sold off lots to foreign buyers who were unaware that the title was questionable.

Michael Preuss, an expatriate investor, was one of these buyers who agreed to acquire Lot 8A from Rum Cay Ventures, one of the entities engaged in this land speculation. Reports from the time identified the company’s owners as American citizens, Michael Fothergill and Steve Sweitzer, the former having been convicted of money laundering and bank fraud in Florida in 2002.

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Just 10-15% of Bahamian fraud cases prosecuted

By NEIL HARTNELL Tribune Business Editor nhartnell@tribunemedia.net

A BAHAMIAN fraud investigator yesterday said just 10-15 percent of such cases are subjected to extensive probes and prosecution in this nation due to corporate victims fearing their reputations will be damaged.

Kendrick Christie, president of the Association of Certified Fraud Examiners Bahamas Chapter, told a seminar hosted by local security firm, Preventative Measures, that many businesses fear it will “panic the public” if it becomes known they had fallen victim to fraud-related scams as a result of prosecuting the culprits.

And he added that the judicial system’s “limitations”, with those found guilty often receiving relatively light sentences, coupled with a lack of “incentive” for the police to vigorously prosecute such cases, further dissuaded companies from pursuing culprits beyond reaching settlement agreements to reimburse missing monies and terminating them if they were employees.

PM meet’s ‘way to defuse’ VAT health claims dispute

By NEIL HARTNELL Tribune Business Editor nhartnell@tribunemedia.net

THE Prime Minister’s Business Round Table with senior corporate executives may have created a pathway for “defusing” the row over the VAT treatment of health insurance claims, one attendee said last night.

Sir Franklyn Wilson, the Arawak Homes and Sunshine Holdings chairman, told Tribune Business that while the discussions yielded no firm resolution there was a sense that the

Trade deficit jumps 10% as imports exceed $1bn

By NEIL HARTNELL Tribune Business Editor nhartnell@tribunemedia.net

THE BAHAMAS’ trade deficit increased by $82.37m or 10.3 percent year-over-year for the 2022 third quarter as goods imports spiked to over $1bn for the period, it was revealed yesterday.

The Bahamas National Statistical Institute, unveiling its quarterly trade bulletin for the three months to-end September 2022, disclosed that the total value of goods imports hit $1.036bn for the period. This represented an 8.5 percent, or more than

differences between the Government and health insurers may be heading in a “direction” where the two sides could yet strike “a mutual understanding”.

Other persons present at the meeting confirmed that the Government’s plans to change the VAT treatment of health insurance claims payouts was among “the main topics” discussed with Philip Davis KC and other ministers and officials present. They included Chester Cooper, deputy prime minister and minister of tourism, investments and aviation; Michael Halkitis,

“There’s been a positive trend in The Bahamas just from an anecdotal sense,” Mr Christie said when it came to pursuing suspected fraudsters. “From my experience, a lot of entities are now pushing to investigate the fraud and assess the prosecution of it because of the limitations of the court system. Certainly, the sentences are very light” compared to the offence. He added that just 10-15 percent of suspected fraud cases are vigorously pursued, confirming subsequently to Tribune Business that this number “refers to the percentage of cases that are investigated, that are brought forward for prosecution and fraud examination”.

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By NEIL HARTNELL Tribune Business Editor nhartnell@tribunemedia.net

THE Bahamas “needs a system that works for the farmers and its people”, an agriculture entrepreneur argued yesterday, after the Government rejected outsourcing key industry assets due to concerns over who controls them.

Caron Shepherd, the Bahamas Agro Entrepreneurs Group’s president, told Tribune Business that her group had bid to take over the Government-run packing houses and animal feed mill but the effort foundered because the state wanted to retain the controlling interest.

Voicing disappointment that the Request for Proposal (RFP) process initiated under the former Minnis administration had proven unsuccessful, she added that transferring these facilities - as well as the abattoir - to private sector management and control would have improved productivity and output, enhanced efficiency and reduced costs for the Government.

Speaking after Clay Sweeting, minister of agriculture, fisheries and Family Island affairs, confirmed that the publicprivate partnership (PPP) search had ended, Ms Shepherd told this newspaper that The Bahamas desperately needs to break “the status quo” in agriculture or otherwise the industry will make little progress over the next two decades.

“From our perspective, we were looking at it as allowing the farmer to be in control of the packing houses and the feed mill,” she explained of the RFP. “I think the Government is still saying they

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minister of economic affairs; and Simon Wilson, the Ministry of Finance’s financial secretary.

The private sector attendees included Julian Rolle, BAF Financial’s managing director, and a key player in the health insurance industry’s push back against the

SEE PAGE A21

CARON SHEPHERD

KENDRICK CHRISTIE

SIR FRANKLYN WILSON

$5.76 $5.76 $5.46 $5.92