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VOLUME:117 No.67, FEBRUARY 27TH, 2020

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CLASSIFIED TRADER: CARS, CARS, CARS & MORE CARS

OBITS OFFICIA

INSIDE

KEEP IT ILLEGAL

Christian Council key official rejects opening door to legal cannabis

By RASHAD ROLLE Tribune Senior Reporter rrolle@tribunemedia.net A LEADING Christian Council official advising the body on its position on marijuana has come out against legalising the recreational use of the drug.

Pastor Dave Burrows is heading the Bahamas Christian Council’s committee examining the substance and its legal status in the country.

He gave insight yesterday into the possible position the council could take on the matter, telling The Tribune he supports reducing penalties but believes eliminating deterrents even for small amounts of marijuana would harm the country.

He is expected to submit his committee’s report to

the Christian Council on March 10 before releasing it to the public. “I believe we have more than enough intoxication and impairment in our society so any increase in the level of consumption I cannot see producing a net benefit to our country,” he wrote in a discussion paper shared with this newspaper.

“As one who has worked in the field for years and seen the damage of drugs to personal well being and professional development, I cannot in good conscience support increased levels of intoxication.”

He cited research showing that after Colorado legalised marijuana, the state ranked number one in the US for youth marijuana use. Studies have linked SEE PAGE SIX

AN internal investigation is underway at the National Insurance Board after an employee was terminated for allegedly wrongly signing contribution forms and accepting “tips” for tasks he was not authorised to do, The Tribune was told yesterday.

According to Public Service and NIB Minister Brensil Rolle, officials there also believe his contribution calculations on the forms were incorrect and could have resulted in inflated payouts.

As the probe is continuing, Mr Rolle said he was unsure how many people were involved in the act, how many companies or people were affected and how long this may have been taking place.

However, he said, the matter could end up in the hands of police once management completes its investigation.

NIB director Nicola Virgil Rolle has refused comment, while the Royal Bahamas Police Force Anti-Corruption Unit told The Tribune the issue had not yet been reported to its investigators.

SEE PAGE TWO

L SOUR CE

CRUISE LINE CONFIRMS LAND BUYS ON P ISLAND

By NEIL HARTNELL Tribune Business Editor nhartnell@tribunemedia.net

ROYAL Caribbean’s Bahamian attorney has confirmed it has acquired multiple real estate parcels on Paradise Island’s western end, but declined to specify whether it is also seeking crown land.

Campbell Cleare, partner at McKinney, Bancroft and Hughes, instead directed Tribune Business to speak to the Prime Minister’s Office after multiple sources suggested the Department of Lands and Surveys has been given instructions to draw up plans to address the cruise line’s request.

Mr Cleare said that the cruise line giant has been steadily acquiring real estate parcels from their private high-end owners.

FULL STORY - SEE BUSINESS

‘BAHAMIANS FIRST POLICY JUST A PLAY FOR VOTES’

NIB WORKER SACKED AFTER PAYOUT AUDIT

By KHRISNA RUSSELL Tribune Chief Reporter krussell@tribunemedia.net

$1

By DENISE MAYCOCK Tribune Freeport Reporter dmaycock@tribunemedia.net

CARNIVAL UNCOVERED WITH the carnival season only two months away, groups like the Bahamas Masqueraders are unveiling their costumes for 2020. This year, the Masqueraders are celebrating grand empires of the past with their designs.

For the full story, see tomorrow’s Weekend section

A GRAND Bahama union official believes the “Bahamian-first” mantra is just a political card pulled out around election season by both major political parties. “I have a concern with ministers and politicians speaking these things when it comes close to election time,” Dave Barr, president of the Grand Bahama Workers Union said this week.

He stressed that the union is in full support of “Bahamianisation”, particularly at one industrial company in Freeport where there is a high number of foreign labour.

SEE PAGE NINE

POLICE PROBE INTO GUN-TOTING OFFICER history

By LEANDRA ROLLE lrolle@tribunemedia.net

AN investigation has been launched after a police officer was caught on video displaying aggressive conduct to several residents on Abaco, officials said.

In the minute-long video, which surfaced online earlier this week, the officer, who appears to be offduty and is not wearing a uniform, is seen walking around with a gun in his

THE POLICE officer on video hand, shouting at bystanders. Several seconds into the video, the officer is

seen putting the gun away and is heard saying, “Y’all think this Abaco police, eh? Record bro, record.

This (expletive) Nassau police bey. Don’t play with me bey (sic).”

The footage also shows two men attempting to lure him away from the area. As the officer then proceeds to walk away, a bystander is heard saying, “Twice, he done shoot that gun off, twice.”

SEE PAGE SEVEN

Nassau & Bahama Islands’ Leading Newspaper

CARRYING THE TORCH AFTER LOSING DR KING

SEE PAGE TEN

PAGE 2, Thursday, February 27, 2020

THE TRIBUNE

CHEF JOSE AND HIS TEAM THANKED FOR MAKING 3.2M MEALS FOR DORIAN VICTIMS THE Ministry of Tourism used the international stage of the recent Food Network & Cooking Channel South Beach Wine & Food Festival to say thank you to Chef José Andrés.

The legendary chef and his team were responsible for providing some 3.2 million meals to victims of Hurricane Dorian, which struck in September of 2019 and caused massive destruction and devastation to Abaco and Grand Bahama.

The Ministry of Tourism and Aviation presented the humanitarian with a portrait of himself by world renowned Bahamian

artist Jamaal Rolle at the event, presented by Open Table and hosted

by Chef Andrés.

“Our country is forever in your debt for your limitless love, kindness, thoughtfulness and support demonstrated in the massive outreach you organized to feed thousands affected by the storm,” the ministry’s Executive Director of Marketing Bridgette King, said while presenting the gift to Chef Andrés.

In the aftermath of the deadly storm, Chef Andres’ World Central Kitchen feeding centres on Abaco and Grand Bahama were providing three hot meals per day to storm victims.

BAHAMAS team at presentation of portrait to Chef Andrés. L-R Sanique Culmer, Marketing Manager, Bahamas Tourist Office (BTO) Florida; Adrian Kemp, Sr. Marketing Representative BTO FLorida; Chef José Andrés; Bridgette King, Executive Director Marketing, Bahamas Ministry of Tourism and Aviation (BMOTA) and DeAnne Gibson, Manager Culinary Department, BMOTA. Photo: WorldRedEye.com

NIB WORKER SACKED AFTER PAYOUT AUDIT from page one

“It was confirmed,” Mr Rolle told this newspaper yesterday. “He was not in the Compliance Division, but he was signing up company contributions, that is signing the C-10 forms and those are contributions that come from a company on behalf of itself or its employees.

“He was found to be writing those things up and he was not authorised to do that. I also understand that his calculations were not correct and he was receiving tips and he could not and should not be doing that.

He was not in that unit to do what he was doing. I understand that calculations that he was giving to the company did not add up and he was receiving tips and as a consequence he was separated from the board.

“I don’t know how many (companies are affected) at the moment. They are still doing some investigations.”

Asked if NIB intended to report the situation to police, Mr Rolle said: “I think they are still investigating internally, but I think if necessary they may do that if they think it is serious enough of a violation or that he conducted some criminal conduct.”

TWO THIEVES STEAL MAN’S WATCH & CASH TWO thieves stole a man’s watch and cash on Tuesday morning, police said. Police were told that shortly before 6am, a man was standing near a vehicle on Taylor Street, Nassau Village, when he was approached by two men, one armed with a gun.

He was robbed of a watch, cash and other personal effects, before the thieves escaped.

Police also recovered two illegal firearms from the streets of New Providence in separate incidents on Tuesday. In the first

incident, shortly before 7pm, Mobile Division officers acting on information searched the rear of an abandoned building at Apache Alley off Kemp Road, and discovered an air rifle along with 27 packages of marijuana.

In the second incident, shortly after 11pm, Central Detective Unit officers acting on information, conducted a search of a bushy area at Romer Street, Fox Hill, where they recovered a .380 pistol. No one was arrested in either incident.

THE TRIBUNE

Thursday, February 27, 2020, PAGE 3

WE NEED $1M TO DEAL WITH CORONAVIRUS, SAYS SANDS

By EARYEL BOWLEG ebowleg@tribunemedia.net HEALTH Minister Dr Duane Sands has revealed the Ministry of Health has requested a million dollars to combat the novel coronavirus.

The United States is starting to increase its funding for virus preparedness. American media reported the Trump administration was seeking $2.5 billion from Congress to prepare for a possible nationwide outbreak, while the Senate Democrats

have made a request for $8.5bn. When asked about local funding to fight the virus, Dr Sands said: “I think we’ve asked for a million dollars.”

However, the Bahamas National Reference Laboratory’s new coronavirus testing capacity is at no cost to secure the kits, as the minister noted the testing kits were given

by Pan American Health Organisation.

On Tuesday, the Ministry of Health said four Bahamians are now in quarantine for monitoring. Yesterday,

Dr Sands confirmed that the four people were exposed to the virus on an Air Canada domestic flight from Montreal to Vancouver on February 14 with a passenger who tested positive for COVID-19. Those individuals later returned to The Bahamas on February 21 but they were quarantine as of Monday. Dr Sands said they were quarantined less than 24 hours after officials were notified of their exposure.

“Because we had to find them,” the minister explained. “We were

notified on the evening of the 23rd and we had to find them, identify them. We had no idea who they were, where they were, etc. So, we managed to do all that within 12 to 18 hours.”

When asked if there were any concerns of the four people already spreading the virus before their quarantine, Dr Sands said: “I mean none of them are symptomatic. None them have any evidence of coronavirus. So, we don’t believe that that risk is significant.”

Earlier this month, Dr

MINISTER Dr Duane Sands Sands pegged the cost of the coronavirus quarantine process at $75,000-$85,000,

adding he expected that number to increase.

Several people were placed in quarantine beginning in late January after the government said nonresidents who have visited China in the last 20 days will be denied entry to this country regardless of their nationality and returning residents will be quarantined and monitored for symptoms during an incubation period of 14 days. Those people were later released after not showing symptoms of the virus.

By FARRAH JOHNSON fjohnson@tribunemedia.net LOCAL electronic retail companies say they fear the global novel coronavirus outbreak will have a devastating impact on their companies in the long-term.

In an effort to manage the spread of the deadly virus, Chinese authorities last month mandated factory closures in the majority of its provinces.

A number of Bahamian tech businesses that rely on products manufactured in China told The Tribune they are worried the issue will have a major toll on their inventory shipments.

Craig Pyfrom, managing director at DC Technology, said the virus’ impact on China has affected his company significantly.

“We’re finding that a lot of our electronics that we would bring in for people we cannot find and they’re saying they are in back order because of China,” he said.

“Some of our products are not available and they don’t know when they’ll be available because a lot of things are made over there so we’re finding that to be a problem.”

Asked whether his company had a back-up plan given the uncertainty surrounding the management of the virus, he added: “Well we’re looking for different products because we don’t have a clue when this is going to end.

“It don’t have an end in sight or how big it’s going to grow. Is it going to impact all the countries soon? It looks like it’s spreading all over the world so I don’t know. It’s scary for business right now.”

Mr Pyfrom said his company has found it increasingly difficult to find handheld devices. He also said his company has not been able to get manufacturer support because some of the factories in China are empty. “We bought some time clocks and couldn’t get any support because no one answering the emails,” he said. “They weren’t giving the support that they were supposed to give.”

Carlos Gomez, the logistics supervisor at Micronet Technology Superstore, added that his company has experienced a number of delays with getting their orders in.

“We do have a longer wait for a few items, especially the ones that come from China,” he said.

“I know one of the companies in California who we have shipments from on a regular basis, they did mention that one of the ships was in quarantine.”

Mr Gomez explained that one of the containers the company was shipping on a vessel had to be quarantined because they “detected an infection in one of the crew members”.

“It’s not drastically impacting business yet,” he said. “But (with) some parts they take longer than usual. If you had like a turn around by two to three weeks, it’s (now) taking like four to five weeks.”

Randy Major, owner of Mangrove Network, told

Electronic retailers fear impact of virus could be devastating this newspaper he plans to stock up on accessories and parts because he expects a delay in shipments until Chinese officials get a handle on the epidemic in the country.

“I know that there’s going to be a decrease in supplies in terms of my computer equipment so I’m trying to prepare for that by ordering surplus supplies now to prepare for that shortfall,” he explained. “I know it’s coming because most of the factories in China basically are in that city that is affected. So I know that in the future it’s going to be difficult to get your hands on most equipment.”

Mr Major said he has already encountered some issues regarding “long turnaround times” when ordering equipment.

He added that he believed a number of tech companies would be impacted because most of the major electronic companies have their products manufactured in Chinese factories.

“I do not deal directly with China. My distributors are US based companies,

but companies like Lenovo, Dell (and) HP, they are global companies.

“Most of them do not manufacture or make those parts in the United States or other parts of the world, they make them in China because of cheap labour.

“So really it almost doesn’t matter where you purchase it from because you’re not purchasing the item directly from the factory.”

The coronavirus outbreak, which originated in Wuhan, China, has killed more than 2,700 people

and infected over 80,000 so far. This week, health officials urged the public to prepare for a possible pandemic outbreak in the United States. Up to press time, there have been no confirmed or suspected cases of the virus locally.

However, four Bahamians are in quarantine after travelling on a Canadian domestic flight with a passenger earlier this month who later tested positive for the virus.

Latest news - Page 12

PAGE 4, Thursday, February 27, 2020

THE TRIBUNE

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Weigh all sides in the marijuana debate THE Christian Council is starting to outline its position in the debate on the legalisation of marijuana – and while their report won’t be made public until next month, the head of the committee preparing that report hinted yesterday at opposition to making the drug legal.

It is early in the debate of course and the point of having a debate is to hear different viewpoints, but it does feel as if Pastor Dave Burrows’ comments weigh heavily on the negative side of the consequences without considering the positive.

Let us be clear, there can of course be negative consequences. People with a marijuana habit can find their lives affected in negative ways the same as someone with a drinking habit.

But it’s worth asking whether those consequences mean that people – often young men – find themselves locked away in prison for small amounts of the drug or with a criminal record following them around forever, making it hard for them to find work and trapping them in a life of poverty or pushing them further toward more serious crime.

Pastor Burrows also dismisses the view of many people who want medical marijuana, saying “their motive is not medicine” and dismissing a friend of his in California who has a prescription, saying “we all know he doesn’t have any medical condition”.

There has been study of medical marijuana around the world – and many users say they find it of great benefit. In the US, the Federal Drug Agency has

approved it for use in dealing with two forms of epilepsy – albeit rare forms.

However, many users have said it helps them, especially in dealing with chronic pain, Alzheimer’s, and more. That’s not to say it doesn’t have risks. It is a drug, and many drugs have their problems – just listen to all those rattled off lists of dangers of medication on US television adverts. As for whether people’s motive is medicine, well, that’s between them and their doctor.

But if things stay the same, what will the Christian Council’s report say should be done with those sitting in prison or who get hauled before the courts for a small amount of the drug?

What are the social consequences of continuing to criminalise a section of our community in this way? Are we doing the right thing if we say well, if those young men do break the law, they must face the consequences?

Pastor Burrows also opposes granting Rastafarians the right to use cannabis as a sacrament, saying “it is kinda hard to create a separate category of citizens”.

It’s actually rather straightforward, as tax exemptions for churches show, or allowing churches to provide communion wine to those under 18.

If this is where the Christian Council report is at, it feels like it’s falling a little short right now. The final report may have more, but we’d like to see more consideration of the other side of the equation – the cost to society. Because right now it’s costing young men dearly.

Above the law?

“NO one is above the law whether you are in uniform or whether you are in public life. Nobody is above the law and where it is found out at the end of the day that persons whether they are law enforcement officers or public officials are in breach of the law, they will be treated like anyone else and I can assure you of that.”

The above words are not ours; they came from National Security Marvin Dames. They are on our mind today as we report a police officer being caught on camera out of uniform, walking around with a gun in his hand and yelling at bystanders in Abaco. “Y’all think this Abaco police, eh?” he shouts. “Record, bro, record. This (expletive) Nassau police bey. Don’t play with me bey.”

One of the bystanders says the officer fired his gun twice. According to the police complaints unit, the incident is being investigated. No arrest has been reported.

We wonder about other cases of police exceeding their authority that The Tribune has reported. We wonder about the officer who unlawfully killed Osworth Rolle more than three years

ago yet has not faced any prosecution.

We wonder about the officers said to have tortured three people in Eleuthera in 2018 only to be told time had run out on their complaint a year later. We wonder what happened to the officers shown in another video, clubbing civilians with nightsticks during Junkanoo.

Or the officer slamming a teenager to the ground at Kendal GL Isaacs Gymnasium. Or the officers alleged to have assaulted two young women in Exuma in August. Or the officer seen in a video last April slapping a man on a beach. Or the probe into a man being taken to an ambulance from the Central Detective Unit in March last year. We could go on.

In January, we called for an accounting for those investigations. That has not come. Will we be writing again about this in future with still no accounting? Will this latest officer’s actions be accounted for? Or will he be one more on the list that we keep returning to?

Public safety is at risk from officers behaving badly. Allowing such actions to continue without being checked makes one wonder how much our leaders care about our safety.

Stop the cruise ships coming EDITOR, The Tribune PERHAPS with the very real threat of the corona virus spreading we should start now cutting back on the cruise ships entering the Bahamas.

I believe that by getting rid of the five million non contributing tourists on cruise ships we would increase our chances of weathering this threat. Can you imagine eight to ten cruise ships

quarantined at our ports.

Just consider the pollution, it is unthinkable. By getting rid of the non performing mobs we would also have time to rebrand our product.

People might start coming here again out of choice and not simply because of our proximity to the USA which makes it cheap. This would be an opportunity to upgrade what we have to offer, and again have guests who

enjoy themselves and spend money. We could also save Bahamian lives.

Of course we would lose the oh! so important bragging rights of having seven million tourists annually.

My choice would be a healthy Bahamian population with a future which would have real potential LEONARD SMITH Nassau February 26, 2020

This airport is just a bad joke EDITOR, The Tribune AS legendary tennis star John McEnroe said more than once to an umpire “you cannot be serious”.

That seems like a good analogy to global giant Hutchinson Wampoa’s efforts to provide a temporary airport terminal for Grand Bahama. A building that received a handful of private flights each day is now our combined domestic and international terminal. In short, it is woefully inadequate and a complete embarrassment.

Even more pathetic, it took them four months after ‘Dorian’ to come up with this bad joke.

Now that American Airlines has returned, we can now be treated once again to round trip fares to Miami that compare with transatlantic travel prices on an assortment of other carriers. In case you have not had the experience of arriving in Freeport, I will let you know what to expect.

Once having disembarked you are herded toward a tent on the outside of the terminal. There you wait like displaced refugees while the bags are unloaded from the aircraft – good luck if it’s raining – the tent has no sides and holds two dozen people at best under cover. You then pull your bags up the ramp to enter the terminal. This is a narrow corridor at the end of which Immigration has four desks. There are rest rooms on the right – but a sign on the door says ‘out of order’. In the old terminal the arrival hall rest rooms were out of order for almost a year – clearly a signature Hutchinson welcome.

obvious, but Hutchinson’s record of not having any brains is well documented.

The bigger picture is letters@tribunemedia.net how long will we have to contend with this embarThe Immigration offi- rassment. We all know of cials are welcoming despite Hutchinson’s track record working in virtually of taking the insurance unworkable conditions. money and doing nothTurn the corner pushing ing. It’s seems we are going your baggage and you are down that path again. The in Customs. This is also airport, of course, should be a postage stamp space as owned by the Government most passengers are trip- and we are led to believe ping over their own bags. discussions are underway You will eventually make for that to happen. The it to the exit and will be silence for weeks now is correct in thinking what deafening and any sense of a sad experience this is, urgency would seem virtuespecially for our first-time ally non-existent. It would visitors who have taken also be useful to hear from the time and effort and the GB Port Authority as expense to come to see the to their views/plans on their many delights that Grand participation of the rebuildBahama has to offer. Our ing process. baggage porter told us we Hutchinson’s philosophy were lucky to arrive ahead of squeezing the very life of two Sunwing flights out of Grand Bahama will when the chaos was ampli- be the only thing they will fied tenfold. be remembered for. They With domestic and inter- should first, however, not national flights potentially be allowed to walk away arriving on top of each from any financial contribuother, it simply adds to the tion toward rebuilding the frustration of passengers airport. If we can get past who have to wait their this hurdle, and the hotels turn to collect bags and/or are sold, then that only pass through the authori- leaves Hutchinson with ties. Leaving the island 50 % ownership of Devco also has its challenges with and the harbour. Making domestic and international those acquisitions would passengers crammed into be cause for a celebration a tiny departure lounge. the likes of which Grand Bottom line – the current Bahama has never seen. facilities are totally unac- This giant global conglomceptable and expanded erate has shown it colours facilities should be built over the years. They have as quickly as possible. demonstrated on too many Domestic and international occasions that they have departures and arrivals neither a conscience nor should be separated and any sense of corporate ‘modern inventions’ like responsibility. conveyer belts (instead of trucks) should be installed CHRIS PAINE to process baggage. No Grand Bahama apologies for stating the February 25, 2020

LETTERS

Don’t lose another generation EDITOR, The Tribune I WROTE concerning the Marijuana Committee and mentioned in my letter which you published that recent surveys, for or against legalising indicated 70% seventy were against legalising.

It is not an issue of whether use of marijuana causes death or sickness it was simple…Do you agree

to legalising marijuana?

Of course Government can do like Christie and them did on Gaming, but surely we have learned a little since that episode?

The policy of the FNM is totally a political move to garnish the vote and try to cause the FNM re-election in 2022 or earlier nothing more or less.

Read medical study after study the regular

use of marijuana by a young person damages the development of their brain – proven study after study that a user has difficulties learning and that is not just when in their teens, but when they pass 20-25.

We must not lose another generation.

PAULA SMITH Nassau February 3, 2020

THE TRIBUNE

Thursday, February 27, 2020, PAGE 5

BPL: MARCH DATE FOR BILL INCREASE MAY CHANGE

By KHRISNA RUSSELL Tribune Chief Reporter krussell@tribunemedia.net

BAHAMAS Power and Light’s March implementation for the National Utility Investment Bond fee is “subject to change”, according to the power provider’s head of communications Quincy Parker yesterday.

BPL had planned to introduce the fee on customers’ bills next month, but several factors could impact this.

Mr Parker was asked

yesterday whether the fee was still set to come on stream in March.

“We and our partners are still completing necessary work, which includes finalising marketing dates around the bond and other details,” Mr Parker said yesterday. “Our target for implementing the NUIC still remains the month of March. That date is subject to change based on market conditions and issues beyond our control.”

It is unclear when the marketing campaign will begin.

In December, BPL Chairman Donovan Moxey said the extra charge will likely be about 15 percent of consumers’ bills.

He clarified that the rate reduction bond fee, which will service BPL’s new $650m debt, will be calculated as a percentage of every business and household’s energy consumption.

At the time he told Tribune Business: “We’re still in the midst of the bond, so I can’t say much beyond what we posted out there. What we have posted out there was the rate for the average

consumer. That rate itself is based on a calculated, or estimated, price per kilowatt hour (KWh).

“Just look at it this way.

If you look at how that is calculated, the average Bahamian pays $180 per month, so that rate is a percentage of that $180 per month. So you can extrapolate that through to see what everybody else may pay given that estimated total.”

The $27 figure quoted in a previous BPL’s advertisement therefore represents 15 percent of the $180 “average bill” referred to

by Dr Moxey. “Everybody is going to pay the rate reduction bond rate,” the BPL chairman asserted.

“The calculation you saw was a percentage based on the average bill that Bahamian households pay.

The average bill is $180 a month. So, just based on what I just told you, you can extrapolate some calculations there.

“Everybody is paying the same percentage on their bill, and that percentage that we gave you is an estimate because I can’t come out and tell you what it’s

going to be because we’re still going through the rating agency process. That percentage will apply across the board to everybody’s bill.”

Many observers are likely to view BPL and the government as having been less than forthcoming on how much extra the private sector, especially, and many residential consumers will now have to pay to bail-out the state-owned utility monopoly from years of mismanagement, waste, inefficiency and corruption that brought it to near-collapse.

Don’t link us with Nygard, says STB

By RASHAD ROLLE Tribune Senior Reporter rrolle@tribunemedia.net

PETER Nygard has been accused of raping ten women

SAVE the Bays has again defended itself from claims tying it to a US class action lawsuit accusing Peter Nygard of raping ten women.

The lawsuit, filed on February 13 in New York, alleges Mr Nygard raped women, paid them hush money and helped cover-up his alleged crimes with bribes to law enforcement and Progressive Liberal Party officials.

PLP chairman Fred Mitchell has repeatedly said Save the Bays (STB), an environmental group, must be investigated along with attorney Fred Smith to see if they have acted within the confines of the body’s charitable mandate.

The New York Times reported

over the weekend that Louis Bacon, Mr Nygard’s Lyford Cay neighbour, helped form STB, bringing Mr Smith on.

The Times described how Mr Bacon and his associates spent millions to push sexual assault allegations against Mr Nygard, introducing a potential vulnerability to the case.

Nonetheless, Save the Bays said in a statement yesterday: “…

Our organisation has nothing to do with the current legal woes of PLP benefactor Peter Nygard.

We are an environmental conservation and good governance NGO which has only ever clashed with the fashion designer over his illegal dredging and other unauthorised construction activities at Nygard Cay which damaged the environment.

“We might remind Mr Mitchell

that Save the Bays has won each and every lawsuit against Nygard.

The coward that is Nygard has failed so often to respect our laws or even show up in court, that the Bahamian courts currently have issued a warrant for his arrest.

Where has the PLP been during this battle? Have they stood up for the rule of law in the Bahamas? Have they called upon Nygard to comply with the court’s orders?

“We have no comment on these new allegations and our organisation is not involved in the matter in any way.

As usual, Mitchell is obsessed with money. He claims, without offering any proof whatsoever, that donations to STB funded a ‘set-up’ of their special friend Mr Nygard, all in an effort to tarnish the reputation of the PLP.”

20 years for man haunted by decision to go back and kill

By NICO SCAVELLA Tribune Staff Reporter nscavella@tribunemedia.net A MAN was sentenced to two decades in prison yesterday for killing a man because the deceased threatened him and accused him of seeing his girlfriend three years ago.

Justice Cheryl GrantThompson sentenced Christopher McQueen to 20 years and two months in prison for killing Martin Nixon in August 2016.

McQueen walked away from a verbal altercation with Nixon, but allowed his “ego and anger” to cause him to return and confront the man, ultimately leading to his death.

Justice Grant-Thompson said she originally contemplated sentencing McQueen to 30 years in prison, but shaved off onethird of the time because he saved precious judicial time by admitting to the offence of manslaughter.

She also said the sentence takes into account the 38 months McQueen spent on remand awaiting trial.

Thus, McQueen will serve a “continued term” of 17 years from June 5, 2018, the date of his conviction.

Justice Grant-Thompson further recommended that McQueen receive anger management classes, and also ordered that he be allowed to attend classes in his chosen field while incarcerated to improve his skills upon his return to society.

The judge also scolded McQueen for committing such a “brazen” crime in “broad daylight”, and asserted that “a calmer head should have prevailed” instead of him “re-engaging” the deceased.

McQueen’s sentence came roughly two months after he apologised to Nixon’s family and asserted that he wishes he was the one who was killed because he has been tormented by his actions ever since.

In reading a handwritten apology addressed to Nixon’s loved ones in court, McQueen said he has been haunted “day and night” ever since he made the

“terrible” decision to shoot the deceased.

McQueen said he is “very sorry and remorseful” for Nixon’s death, insisting that while he and the other man had their “differences”, he was still wrong for “taking matters into my own hands” and snuffing out the 27-year-old’s life.

Further acknowledging that his actions left a “scar” in the hearts and minds of Nixon’s family that “cannot be removed”, McQueen pleaded for the family, as well as God, to “have mercy” on him “for the wrong I’ve done”.

However, he said he would understand if Nixon’s family members do not want to forgive him.

According to the facts, McQueen was hanging out at S&Y Sporting Lounge on Blue Hill Road south on the date in question. He left the lounge and walked towards a nearby store to purchase a cigar.

While walking towards the store, he saw Nixon and his girlfriend in the road arguing. As McQueen approached the pair, Nixon accused his girlfriend of “seeing other people” and turned to look in McQueen’s direction.

When McQueen asked Nixon who he was referring to, Nixon said he meant him and stated, “You know we get all the guns.”

McQueen said he felt threatened, and consequently returned to the lounge.

While there, he told his friend, Kyle Newbold, his former coaccused, about what had happened.

McQueen said Newbold suggested that they go back to where Nixon and his girlfriend were, and said he agreed with the plan.

McQueen said as they were walking towards the area where Nixon was, the deceased walked towards them with his hand under his shirt. Newbold subsequently pulled out a gun from his trousers. McQueen then took the gun from Newbold and shot Nixon once in the leg; however, three bullets came out of the gun.

McQueen and Newbold subsequently left the scene and returned to the lounge, where McQueen said he called for an ambulance. He did not remain in the area, however, and was arrested several days later.

Nixon, meanwhile, was rushed to hospital but died of his injuries early the next morning.

Both McQueen and another man, Kyle Newbold, were charged with Nixon’s death. However, On May 3, 2019, the Crown discontinued the case against Newbold via a nolle prosequi, as that man had agreed to testify against McQueen.

McQueen, meanwhile, eventually ended up pleading guilty to the lesser charge of manslaughter by provocation. The Crown subsequently petitioned the court to impose a sentence between 18 to 35 years, while his attorney Bjorn Ferguson asked for a tenyear sentence.

During one of the sentencing hearings, McQueen expressed his desire to apologise to Nixon’s family, stemming from his previous intimations to a probation officer that he wished he could apologise because he “did not intend” to kill Nixon.

When he finally got the opportunity to apologise in court, McQueen read an apology letter he wrote himself to Martin’s family.

“Dear mother and father of Martin, with (all) respect due, I would like to tell all the family that I am very sorry and remorseful for your loss,” McQueen said. “And I, Christopher McQueen, with deepest apologies, know I am wrong for what I have done to the Nixon family; I made a scar that cannot be removed.

“I wish it was me instead of Martin. Even though we had our differences, I am still wrong for taking maters into my own hands and took away the life of Martin. It haunts me day and night for all of the terrible things I’ve done.

“I, Christopher McQueen ask for your mercy, and

dear Lord to have mercy upon me for the wrong I’ve done. And if the family of Martin could find it in their hearts to forgive me—and that’s okay if you cannot. I understand. But I am very sorry about what happened to Martin.”

Yesterday, Justice GrantThompson said she noted that McQueen’s contrition was “evident” during all of his court hearings. Additionally, she said the young man appeared “pained” at the “distress” he caused Nixon’s family as he listened to them giving evidence during his sentencing hearings.

Justice Grant-Thompson further stated that although McQueen didn’t admit to killing Nixon until a jury had already been empaneled and his previous co-defendant was slated

to testify against him, “it is never too late to do good”.

Justice Grant-Thompson also said she considered McQueen’s personal history when deciding on a sentence. According to a probation officer, McQueen was reared in a nuclear family until the age of six, when his parents separated.

As a result, his relationship with his father, after whom he is named, was fractured until his teenage years.

McQueen matriculated through both the public and private school systems until the 10th grade, when he became a teen father and dropped out of school. However, he pursued higher education a few years later at the Bahamas Technical and Vocational Institute (BTVI), and earned a certificate in auto mechanics.

McQueen then sought employment and worked at various places until approximately a few months before his incarceration for the offence.

According to the probation officer, the people she interviewed spoke favourably of McQueen’s character.

He was described as a quiet, mannerly, supportive and attentive father.

One former employer described the young man as a great employee and someone who stayed to himself, the probation officer said.

She also said the people she interviewed expressed shock at McQueen’s criminal actions. According to the probation officer, McQueen’s mother even stated that “his actions is not the person that she knows”.

PAGE 6, Thursday, February 27, 2020

THE TRIBUNE

Christian Council official rejects opening door to legal cannabis from page one marijuana use among children and adolescents to cognitive deficits.

“Interestingly, the law (in Colorado) states that marijuana is only legal for those over 21 years old but usage among teenagers and children increased exponentially,” Pastor Burrows wrote. “So the first question of whether it will help our people particularly our youth seems to reflect that it will not help because we

are likely to see increased level of consumption among youth and children.”

He also cited Colorado studies showing traffic deaths rose after recreational marijuana use was legalised. However, some experts say evidence is inconclusive about whether legalising marijuana leads to increased traffic incidents long-term.

Pastor Burrows cautioned about potential abuse of using marijuana for medical purposes. “A lot of people are for medicinal marijuana

ASH WEDNESDAY SERVICE

but their motive is not medicine,” he said yesterday.

“People want to be free to get high and use medical marijuana as an excuse.

I have several friends in California, one a former member of the Crips, and he has this medical marijuana prescription and we all know he doesn’t have any medical condition.”

Prime Minister Dr Hubert Minnis reiterated his support for marijuana reform during a Free National Movement rally on Tuesday night. The

Bahamas National Commission on Marijuana has recommended decriminalising possession of up to ounce of the substance for people 21 years or older. The commission also recommends granting Rastafarians the right to use cannabis as a sacrament, a position Pastor Burrows opposes.

“It is kinda hard to create a separate category of citizens,” he said. “I understand and respect everyone’s religious beliefs but from my own previous

research with marijuana, it is a mind altering drug and whatever purpose people use it for, you get (messed) up. I definitely would not want to knock anyone’s religion or say anything negative from that perspective, but it’s hard to see that you would create a privilege for a special class when it’s a mind-altering substance.”

Mr Burrows said he was surprised the Bahamas National Committee on Marijuana’s consultation exercises did not encompass him.

“There could’ve been better consultation,” he said, “particularly I was surprised no one had contacted me because I am an expert in marijuana and I have several perspectives on it so I would have expected someone to contact me.

I’m a graduate of Harlem in Nassau (McQuay Street) and University of Warren Street, a famous spot back in the day so I’m a street graduate, I know about these things.”

Editorial View - Page 4

ASH Wednesday service at St Gregory’s Anglican Church yesterday Photos: Terrel W Carey Sr/Tribune Staff

THE TRIBUNE

Thursday, February 27, 2020, PAGE 7

POLICE INVESTIGATION INTO GUN-TOTING OFFICER from page one

A VIDEO-grab of the officer in Abaco

The video has since been shared hundreds of times on Facebook, sparking public outrage. One Facebook user said: “This man is endangering the lives of people around him. He needs to be fired immediately. Intoxicated and has a weapon.”

Another person wrote: “So, he’s off-duty extremely intoxicated and volatile with a loaded firearm… is this a police force or is this country playing cops and robber?

Obviously, this is a game.”

When contacted by The Tribune yesterday, head of the Royal Bahamas Police Force’s Complaints and Corruptions Unit, Supt Marlon Fulford said the incident was being investigated. The Tribune understands that the officer in question is no longer on Abaco.

After Hurricane Dorian in early September, the government deployed a number of law enforcement

officers to Abaco to address safety concerns on the island.

However, in recent weeks, many residents there have been complaining about the officers, claiming some have been abusing their rights and using harsh tactics to intimidate locals.

Asked by The Tribune recently on the measures being taken to address these concerns, Minister of National Security Marvin Dames said: “We’re living in a social media era. Everything we do has the potential of being placed on social media as it’s happening or the minute after it would have taken place.

“We would have recognised that. We’re moving to a place now where we already signed a contract for body and dash cams so we’re saying, we’re a government of transparency (and) our police officers, our law enforcement officers are servants of the public.

“It’s very important to us as a government to

ensure that whatever they do is as transparent as possible. That’s why we’re taking the steps to do that.

We’re taking the steps to create a higher level of transparency.”

Still, Mr Dames maintained that “no-one is above the law”, especially police officers.

“And we continue to say that, and we have independent group looking at every police complaint alright and that group consists of human rights individuals. It consists of persons from the civil society,” he continued.

“We want people to see that this is not, we’re not in the business of protecting wrong and I want to make that clear. Not because you wear a uniform that every action that you undertake is protected.

“That’s not how it works.

All of us are governed by the laws of this land. Every one of us, no matter where we sit, we’re governed by it.”

Editorial View - Page 4

A VIDEO-grab of the officer in Abaco

‘I tried to evade a hail of bullets but was shot twice’

By NICO SCAVELLA Tribune Staff Reporter nscavella@tribunemedia.net

A MAN told a court yesterday how he tried to evade a hail of bullets only to be shot twice during the 2013 Fox Hill mass shooting.

Leroy Taylor said he first thought the gunfire was the sound of firecrackers, and only realised the sounds were bullets when he heard people screaming. The mayhem took place while he was enjoying his birthday at Freedom Park on December 27, 2013.

Mr Taylor said he only had time to duck behind the wall he was sitting on to evade the gunfire, but ended up getting shot twice in the process.

“I was scared and didn’t know what to expect. In pain, confused,” he said, adding that he had “no idea” why he was shot at.

Mr Taylor’s testimony came during the trial of

Peter Rolle, Jermaine Curry and Justin Williams concerning the 2013 shooting at Freedom Park before Justice Deborah Fraser.

Williams, Rolle and Curry are accused of murdering four people - Claudezino Davis, Shaquille Demeritte, Eric Morrison and Shenique Sands on that date.

They are also charged with attempting to murder Mr Taylor, Janet Davis, Samuel Ferguson, Chino Davis, John Davis, and Jermaine Pratt.

According to reports, around 6pm, occupants of a small, dark vehicle opened fire in the area just behind the basketball court where several people were gathered.

Davis was pronounced dead on the scene while 10 others were taken to hospital. Demeritte, Morrison and Sands later died in hospital of their injuries.

Taking the witness stand yesterday, Mr Taylor said around 4.30pm on the

date in question, he went to Freedom Park to hear Junkanoo results and have drinks with family and friends.

According to Mr Taylor, he ended up sitting on a wall just opposite the Junkanoo shack of the Original Congos. People were listening to a car radio for the Junkanoo results, he said.

Sometime around 6pm, he heard what sounded like “firecrackers”. He saw people running and screaming and ducked behind a wall for cover.

Mr Davis said he got shot in the right leg, as well as his hip. Blood started running down his leg, he said.

Mr Taylor said shortly afterwards, he heard someone say “they gone, they gone”. People were crying and screaming at the time, he said.

Mr Taylor said he was assisted to a truck, and was taken to the hospital with about five other people.

About 15 to 20 minutes

after arriving at the hospital, Mr Taylor said he passed out and didn’t regain consciousness until he was admitted into surgery.

Mr Taylor said he was discharged the following day.

While being cross-examined by defense attorney Sonia Timothy, who represents Peter Rolle, Mr Taylor said he did not see anyone with a firearm, nor did he see a car traveling on the nearby Reeves Street during the incident.

While being cross examined by defence attorney Geoffrey Farquharson, Mr Taylor was asked if he told police that the shooting might have had something to do with a previous incident. Mr Farquharson said his question was based on Mr Taylor’s assertion that he did not know why he was shot.

In response to the attorney’s question, Mr Taylor said he remembered hearing other people saying that

the shooting had something to do with an incident the night before. However, Mr Taylor told Mr Farquharson that he never found out who had been shot the night prior.

Mr Farquharson, who represents Justin Williams, asked Mr Taylor if he knew a man by the name of “Kitty” Morrison. Mr Taylor said the name didn’t ring a bell, but said if he saw that person’s face he may be able to recognise him.

Mr Farquharson then asked Mr Taylor if he knows a person named Jacoby Brown. Mr Taylor’s response suggested he did not. However, Mr Farquharson asserted that Mr Taylor knew Mr Brown was Morrison’s younger brother and that the entire Fox Hill community knew when he was killed.

Then, Mr Farquharson asked Mr Taylor if he knew a man by the name of Deslin Nichols aka “Limbo” who was shot

and killed in 2011. However, when Mr Taylor said he does not know Nichols, Mr Farquharson insisted that and “everybody in Fox Hill” heard and knew of when he was killed.

Mr Farquharson further asserted that Mr Taylor knew there was a “turf war” or “dope war” being waged between two groups of drug dealers in Fox Hill.

When Mr Taylor denied the assertion, Mr Farquharson questioned how he could be “the only man in Fox Hill” who didn’t know that when the newspapers reported every time someone was killed in the community.

Mr Farquharson asked Mr Taylor if he knew people by the name of “China”, “Emperor”, and the “Ferguson boys”, namely “Tank Dog” and others. Mr Taylor said he knew the name “Emperor”, but denied knowing the others.

The matter continues.

PAGE 8, Thursday, February 27, 2020

THE TRIBUNE

J

UST when it looked like things couldn’t get any worse for the Democrats playing bumper cars in an increasingly futile food fight to oppose President Donald Trump in November, things got quite a bit worse.

First, there was the debate on Tuesday night.

If you missed it – and it’s completely understandable if you did – there were some real fireworks. Elizabeth Warren may have hit Mike Bloomberg below the belt. The rest of the debaters tried to really get after so-far front runner Bernie Sanders. Joe Biden finally turned in a competitive performance. But most pundits felt there was too much internecine warfare and not enough attention paid to the man they all want to beat. Maybe we have to get through this stage before President Trump takes his proper place in Democratic crosshairs.

But there is real concern among Democratic leaders. Their concern is Bernie Sanders, the irascible, independent Vermont maverick senator whom colleagues dislike but who over the past five years has become the darling of a younger generation of activists and voters whose disenchantment with current American life and politics has driven them to embrace his fantastic remedies.

In connecting with such profound youthful discontent, Sanders is reminiscent of two key American political figures from the last century.

One of these, Minnesota senator Eugene McCarthy, staged a renegade run for the 1968 Democratic presidential nomination, precipitating bloody riots at the Democratic convention in Chicago that summer.

Mainstream Minnesota senator Hubert Humphrey eventually prevailed at that Chicago convention and faced Richard Nixon for the presidency.

Nixon won fairly easily, and then in 1972 Nixon

FROM left, Democratic presidential candidates, Elizabeth Warren, Pete Buttigieg, Mike Bloomberg, Bernie Sanders, Amy Klobuchar and Tom Steyer

Democrats disarray playing straight into Trump’s hands - and they’ve done it before STATESIDE with Charlie Harper faced George McGovern.

The South Dakota Democrat was a war veteran and heir to much of the enthusiasm that McCarthy had generated with his strong opposition to the hugely unpopular Vietnam War. The Democrats, having rejected McCarthy in 1968 but still lost, nominated McGovern in 1972. He was crushed. Nixon coasted to re-election by a huge margin.

That was the great irony

of Watergate: Nixon was so far ahead of his opponent that the Watergate burglars’ dirty tricks were almost laughably unnecessary. But the scandal their activity sparked drove Nixon from office.

So, five decades ago, facing a deeply flawed Republican presidential candidate in Nixon, the Democrats twice allowed themselves to be undone by the power and noise of their own left wing.

Just like it looks like they are about to do all over again this year. They are facing a boorish buffoon who obscures his own not inconsiderable accomplishments with astonishing rudeness and insensitivity.

This President’s disregard for comity and precedent offends most American voters, according to polls, and even his most ardent supporters spend much of their time explaining, justifying and rationalizing his bizarre behaviour.

The spreading coronavirus and Trump’s inept response to its growing danger look like the Dems’ most promising current chance to knock him off his perch: Maybe the stock market will tank and knock the props from under

Trump’s major claim to worthiness for re-election.

But if you’re the Democrats and that’s your best political shot, you may be in some serious political trouble.

On the other hand, it’s never over ‘til it’s over, Yogi Berra supposedly said.

Michael Bloomberg certainly hopes so. The former New York City mayor and business billionaire is advancing up the presidential primary popularity polls by self-financing a series of clever ads directed at Trump, his main target.

Bloomberg hasn’t distinguished himself yet in the Democrats’ debates, but with Sanders starting to draw fire away from him, Bloomberg may not suffer too much damage.

In fact, it looks like

if relative centrists like Bloomberg, Amy Klobuchar and almost forgotten but not yet gone Joe Biden can just stay in the race for a while, all the Sanders socialist sentiments and statements of admiration for Cuba under the Fidel Castro, etc., etc. may well up to cripple his candidacy.

If that happens before July and the Democrats manage to nominate a moderate without shedding too much blood at their convention in Milwaukee, they might have a chance at pushing out Trump, after all.

But their historical track record doesn’t lead anyone to feel particularly optimistic about their chances of doing so.

WHEN YOU ARE FRIENDS WITH THE COOLEST MEN ON THE PLANET DO YOU ever fantasise about being best friends with someone famous?

What would it be like to be a confidante to Denzel Washington, Michael Jordan or Meryl Streep?

How about Beyonce, Halle Berry, Sir Sidney Poitier or Tom Cruise?

Imagine that someone like that trusted you, respected you and sought you out for advice or just hanging out. How cool would that be?

A E Hotchner knew

exactly how cool that would be. This not-quite-famous author and screenwriter, who passed on recently at the age of 102, could credibly claim to have been the best friend of both Nobel Prize winning American author Ernest Hemingway and Oscar winning actor Paul Newman.

Hemingway and Newman were certainly among the American males most envied and admired during the last half of the 20th Century.

Hemingway was married several times and lived for stretches of his life on his wives’ money. He lived in places like Paris, Havana, Key West and Sun Valley, Idaho – and spent lengthy periods of time in Bimini.

The man led a legendary lifestyle, and his spare prose and storytelling prowess fostered a cult-like devotion among his millions of fans.

He was at times the world’s most popular author.

An action junkie, Hemingway personally

experienced World Wars I and II and the Spanish Civil War, and wrote about each.

He also lived in Bimini from 1935-7 and wrote The Old Man and the Sea and Islands in the Stream based partly on his experiences there. This significant local connection with Hemingway promises lucrative results for a future Ministry of Tourism campaign when the inevitable “Papa” Hemingway revival blooms months or years from now.

Piercingly blue-eyed

Newman won his long overdue Oscar in 1986 after six earlier nominations, playing against his own cool, laconic, stoical type in The Color of Money. He had by then been for 30 years the epitome of cool. Men envied him and women swooned for him.

In the 1960s and 1970s and beyond, Paul Newman was an actor who could carry a movie. He did so dozens of times, perhaps most notably in dissolute roles opposite Patricia Neal in Hud and Elizabeth Taylor in Cat on a Hot Tin Roof. He partnered several times with Robert Redford, another Hollywood star unfairly criticised for being too good looking as he grew into powerful and sophisticated roles.

With Redford in The Sting and Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, Newman crafted memorable performances that will long endure in movie lore.

He was also married for 50 years to beautiful and perhaps even more talented actor Joanne Woodward.

Of their long, faithful relationship in a business hardly known for lengthy marriages, Newman once quipped “Why go out for hamburger when you have steak at home?”

Back to Hotchner, who met Hemingway in Havana in 1948 on a writing assignment for a magazine.

Hotchner was 31 at the time. Hemingway was 48.

The two men formed a fast friendship as Papa wrote Across the River and Into the Trees. It was to be the first of several books Hotchner edited for the prolific Hemingway.

“I knew him better than I knew my own father,” Hotchner said years later. “He was certainly my best friend and my co-adventurer.

“I thought, when I met him, this is the way to live, the way he (Hemingway) lived,” Hotchner told an interviewer. “So, I quit my job to be near him. That’s why I was always available.

ADMIRED: Hemingway “I’d say the most vital thing I learned from him was this: Don’t fear failure, and don’t overestimate success.”

The two remained close until an increasingly paranoid and depressed Hemingway killed himself with a shotgun in 1961 in Sun Valley.

Six years earlier, Hotchner had met Newman when the actor replaced legendary rebel James Dean in a TV production of a Hemingway short story. The two men discovered they were near neighbours in the New York bedroom community of Westport, Connecticut.

They also liked to drink and hang out.

Around Christmas in 1980, after a few drinks, they decided to bottle their own concocted salad dressing as a gift for friends.

The result was a $500 million food operation under the name Newman’s Own, which still operates and produces various foods in addition to the signature salad dressing. All profits are distributed to charities.

Hotchner, among his various publications, wrote biographies of his two great friends. He also studied playwriting with Tennessee Williams and enjoyed long friendships with legendary American writers Dorothy Parker and George Plimpton, as well as with actress Doris Day, who for many years was known as America’s sweetheart.

If someone is indeed known by his or her friends, Hotchner may be the alltime champion.

THE TRIBUNE

Thursday, February 27, 2020, PAGE 9

OWNER OF PIT BULLS THAT ATTACKED WOMAN IS RELEASED

By LEANDRA ROLLE lrolle@tribunemedia.net

THE owner of the dogs that attacked a woman in Pinewood Gardens last week has been released from custody, officials have said. His release came days after the incident occurred.

Still, police said an investigation into the matter are still ongoing. from page one However, he said the union was told by both successive administrations that it could not happen.

In the House of Assembly on Monday, Prime Minister Dr Hubert Minnis voiced strong concern over the number of foreigners working in The Bahamas, both legally and illegally.

He stressed that it is time to take the country back and announced that a strike force would be established to aggressively pursue illegal migrants.

Dr Minnis also suggested that foreigners granted work permits would be replaced where it was found Bahamian understudies had not been trained to take over those roles, when there was a commitment to do so. Dr Minnis said immigration officials would also ensure non-Bahamians did not capitalise on jobs locals were equipped to do.

“Mr Speaker, I find it very difficult, and I still cannot understand [when] investors, bankers, etc bring individuals on our shores for a contract for three or four years with the commitment that they would train Bahamians to take over such jobs. And then six years, they are still here. Eight years they are still here. Nine years they are applying for residency, displacing Bahamians,” he said.

The GBPAWU president said the union has been

According to reports, shortly after 3pm on Saturday, the woman was walking to her vehicle on Sequoia Street when she was attacked and bitten about the body by three pit bulls in the area.

Officials said an ambulance later transported her to the hospital, where she was listed in stable but serious condition. The Tribune

understands that she has since been released from the hospital.

Meanwhile, the dogs who attacked her still remain in the custody of Animal Control.

The incident came four years after another woman was left in critical condition after she was mauled by two pit bulls she owned.

That attack occurred

in early 2016 on Paradise Island. A man who was also injured during the attack was taken to the hospital but treated and released a day later.

At the time, thenAssistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) Stephen Dean said the male victim was walking around 4pm when he passed the woman walking her two

pit bulls. One of the pit bulls lunged at the man and attacked him. When the dog’s owner tried to intervene, both animals turned on her, The Tribune was told.

ACP Dean, now retired from the RBPF, said bystanders attempted to get the dogs off the woman to no avail. When officers arrived on the scene, one of

the dogs was still on top of her. ACP Dean said one of the dogs even lunged at the police officers and was shot and killed on the scene.

The other dog was put to sleep that day. The man was taken to the hospital where he was treated for injuries to his arms and legs. The woman suffered injuries to her face, neck, arms and legs.

‘Bahamians first policy is just a play for votes’ calling for ‘Bahamianisation’ at the Grand Bahama Shipyard for many years now.

“The union has always been in support of Bahamianisation; everyone else is first in their country, why can’t we be first in ours?” he said.

“When it comes to Bahamianisation we have been fighting for that in every sector, including the GB Shipyard. We as a union are in favour of Bahamianisation and training of Bahamians to replace foreign workers.”

Mr Barr explained that Bahamians should be hired for jobs they are qualified to do.

He said: “However, I have had the opportunity to speak with both parties, the PLP and FNM, and I was told by each that the shipyard is the number one shipyard in the world because it is competitive in terms of labour.

“I was told that the cost for a Bahamian worker in the shipyard is much more than an expatriate, and in order for the shipyard to remain competitive in that market they have to bring

in a certain amount of ‘less expensive’ labour.

“This does not mean we agree with it, but we were told this. At this point and in the near future, I do not see us being fully Bahamianised at the shipyard.

“There is nothing we can do as far as forcing the government’s hand to bring in Bahamian workers, but we are trying to get Bahamians in jobs (there) that we think are for them. But the reality is the government as far as I am told will never fully Bahamianise that industry in order for them to stay competitive in the market.

“My feeling is that I don’t agree with it. But in order to remain competitive, the shipyard has to employ a certain complement of expatriate workers,” Barr said.

During his address, Dr Minnis said the government would “aggressively ensure that succession planning is first and foremost.”

He said: “I find it difficult that my nationals cannot obtain the knowledge to take over the job.

And since I know that my nationals can and do have the knowledge to take over

IN the House of Assembly on Monday, Prime Minister Dr Hubert Minnis voiced strong concern over the number of foreigners working in The Bahamas. the jobs, the fault must be with the trainer.And we are to aggressively ensure that succession planning is first and foremost, and in the [case] of individuals not properly being trained, that trainer has failed and must be replaced by a new trainer, so that they do not establish foundations within our country and take further jobs away from our citizens.”

PAGE 10, Thursday, February 27, 2020

By Corey D B Walker Visiting Professor, University of Richmond

F

OUR years after the assassination of Martin Luther King, Jr., the novelist James Baldwin would write on the pages of Esquire magazine, “Since Martin’s death, in Memphis, and that tremendous day in Atlanta, something has altered in me, something has gone away.”

Baldwin wrote about how “the act of faith” – that is, his belief that the movement would change white Americans and ultimately America – maintained him through the years of the black freedom movement, through marches and petitions and torturous setbacks.

After King’s death, Baldwin found it hard to keep that faith.

Nearly two weeks after King’s funeral, in April of 1968, King’s confidant and former strategist Wyatt Tee Walker tried to renew this faith. Drawing on a tradition of black faith, Walker encouraged a grieving community to embrace hope even in the face of despair.

As a scholar of religion and American public life, I recognize the important lessons Walker offers for current times when America is deeply divided.

THE TRIBUNE

How civil rights leader Wyatt Tee Walker revived hope after Dr King’s death despair, Walker based his message on the response of the Hebrew prophet Elisha in the Book of Kings who faced crisis and despair with an invading Syrian army, widespread famine and people ready to give up.

Drawing inspiration from the faith of the community, Elisha encouraged the community to keep faith in their nation.

Horizon of hope

Faith in action Black public faith has a storied place in American life. The black church has been a place of fellowship and affirmation from colonial America to modern day, empowering individuals to undertake public acts to transform politics and society.

The 19th-century National Negro Convention movement, which ran from 1831 to 1864, demonstrated this black faith in action.

Its leaders advocated for the abolition of slavery and full citizenship for African Americans. One activist reflected years later that the “coloured conventions” were “almost as frequent as church meetings”.

WYATT TEE WALKER, left, with Martin Luther King, Jr The civil rights movement carried this faith in action forward. Theologian Dwight Hopkins has written how the sermons and songs of black faith empowered and sustained African Americans, even in bleak times.

These practices on Sunday morning, he noted served to “recharge the worshipers’ energy” so they could deal with the “rigours and racism of ‘a cruel, cruel world’ from Monday though Saturday.”

It was this faith that empowered many African

Americans to maintain their faith in the possibilities of democracy while facing entrenched white opposition to their civil rights. Marches, sit-ins, demonstrations and mass meetings were all public displays of black faith.

The risk of faith In the wake of King’s assassination, the words of his last published book, “Where Do We Go From Here? Chaos or Community,” reverberated throughout the nation.

Urban rebellions erupted in the wake of King’s death.

With parts of over 100 cities smouldering or in ruins, chaos seemed a more likely future in 1968 America than community.

In a sermon called “Faith as Taking the Risk,” delivered at Princeton Theological Seminary, Walker sought to address a question posed by a young theologian James H. Cone after King’s death: “Without King, where was the hope?”

Deftly navigating the tension between hope and

Elisha’s example powered Walker’s message. At Princeton, Walker encouraged the black seminarians not to countenance a nostalgia for the past. In moments of deep discouragement, Walker said, distressed people tend to retreat into a romanticized past.

“In the jargon of the street,” Walker said, “it sounds like this: ‘Child, don’t you wish it was like it was back in the good old days… .”

“And yet,” he declared, “not by any wishing or hoping or praying or anything else can we find any day when things were better. There was no such day!”

Walker proceeded to caution his audience against maintaining the status quo.

Walker proclaimed, “Whatever dream of life it is we envision for our children, ourselves, our community, our church, we will never bring it to our fingertips unless it begins first with some initial risk.”

For Walker, challenging the status quo was a fundamental aspect of existence.

“The elemental character of life is one that is moving and dynamic,” he said.

Walker closed his sermon

by urging the audience to embrace hope-filled struggle. But he did not deny the desperate reality.

Instead, in the face of despair, he urged the young seminarians to take a risk of faith and build a future that has not been. For Walker, that meant “doing, trying, moving toward things which have never been tried before.”

Hope in democracy Wyatt Tee Walker in Montgomery, Alabama on April 3, 1962. Afro American Newspapers/Gado/ Getty Images The lasting testament of black public faith is its affirmation of new possibilities during moments of deep doubt. Rather than relying on a myth of the past or upholding the status quo, Walker offered the seminarians at Princeton a new vision of a political community.

“What I’m saying to you,” Walker declared, “is that I have the ultimate faith that we are going to find a tranquility with justice in this nation, in this world. We must! And it is conceivable it could happen in our time.”

Many Americans are angry with the state of the political system. And acts of racial bigotry and religious intolerance have become far too ordinary.

In such times, Wyatt Tee Walker’s words can remind people to muster hope and keep faith with the possibilities of American democracy while continuing the struggle for a just society.

theconversation.com

‘MOTIVATION THE KEY DIFFERENCE’ READERS have been posting their responses to the stories making the news this week.

Former Immigration Minister Branville McCartney said that many Bahamians simply fail to take advantage of available employment opportunities because “their work ethic is bad”.

That prompted this post from Millennial242: “SMH . . . that statement really should not be used to generalise ALL Bahamians. I think this depends on the industry and HOW the employer is advertising.

I know of several young Bahamians that are parttime in school and looking for landscaping and other side hustles. If you come with the mindset that ‘ain’t no Bahamians want to do this anyways’ then of course you won’t even go looking in their direction. Put one of those job advertisements on Instagram for a part-time gardener/handyman and I bet they will find young and idle Bahamians willing to do it. Half the time, the employers are advertising in such an archaic way that they are not even connecting with the viable job seeker in the first place.”

But Sheeprunner12 said: “I watch Bahamians work alongside foreigners every day . . . the foreigners generally have goals and dreams . . . the Bahamian generally lives day to day. Motivation is the key difference.”

Louise Munroe, owner of Plastic Property Ltd, said pleas for government assistance have not been answered as her company prepares to terminate more staff following a 50 percent sales slump.

John had this to say: “Minnis says the decisions on plastics are irreversible. So at the end of June, millions in plastic property that could easily be utilised over the next four months will have to be destroyed or you risk paying a $2,000 fine or going to jail for it.

Most Bahamians don’t resist the ban, but they oppose the senseless and harsh manner in which the plastic bag ban is being imposed.”

THE TRIBUNE

Thursday, February 27, 2020, PAGE 11

DNA evidence helps overturn rape conviction

By NICO SCAVELLA Tribune Staff Reporter nscavella@tribunemedia.net

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DEFICIENCIES in the DNA evidence against a man previously convicted of raping a woman at gunpoint after burglarising her West Bay Street home led to his conviction being overturned, the Court of Appeal has said.

The appellate court said the reason why Oscar Ingraham was acquitted of the October 2011 crime was because the DNA report the Crown used in support of its case contained no evidence that linked him to the crime.

In fact, the appellate tribunal of Justices Stella Crane-Scott, Roy Jones and Milton Evans said Ingraham’s trial should have ended before the case was even turned over to the jury, as there was no other evidence that gave the DNA evidence any “significance”.

The reasons from the

appellate court came seven months after Ingraham successfully argued his own appeal against his 25-year sentence for raping a woman at gunpoint and robbing her of almost $200 after breaking into her home on October 28, 2011.

During his appeal, Ingraham maintained the DNA report the Crown used in support of its case was inconclusive and contained no evidence that linked him to the crime. And for that reason, he successfully asserted the case should have never gone to a jury but ended at the no-case submission stage.

According to the Court of Appeal ruling on the matter, Ingraham’s alleged connection to the offence was made by the presence of Y-STR DNA found on the woman’s vaginal swab.

The results of the Y-STR DNA testing revealed that Ingraham could not be excluded as a contributor and all patrilineal male relatives also could not be

excluded as a contributor of the DNA profile obtained.

The appellate judges noted that as the Crown’s case relied solely on the DNA evidence, there was no other evidence presented during the trial that could have given the DNA evidence any significance— for example, motive or opportunity, the trial judge ought to have directed an acquittal at the no-case submission stage.

That marked the third time Ingraham was successful in having his rape convictions overturned.

In February 2017, the appellate court quashed Ingraham’s conviction for raping a woman after burglarising her home and robbing her at gunpoint in February 2012. However, the court ordered a retrial after determining the trial judge misdirected the jury during summation in that if they had reasonable doubt, they should convict him.

In August 2017, Ingraham had his 30-year sentence

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And in similar fashion, the appellate judges said it was not in the interests of justice to order a retrial over the October 2011 incident.

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THE TRIBUNE

GUNMAN KILLS FIVE AT BREWERY BEFORE TAKING OWN LIFE MILWAUKEE Associated Press

An employee yesterdayopened fire at one of the largest breweries in Milwaukee, killing five fellow workers before taking his own life, police said. The assailant who attacked the Molson Coors complex was identified as a 51-year-old Milwaukee man who died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound, police said.

“There were five individuals who went to work today, just like everybody goes to work, and they thought they were going to go to work, finish their day and return

to their families. They didn’t — and tragically they never will,” Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett said.

Authorities offered no immediate motive for the attack and did not release details about the shooter or how the shooting unfolded.

None of the victims was identified. Police said they were still contacting relatives as of early evening. No one was wounded beyond those who were killed, authorities said.

Officers were working to clear the more than 20 buildings in the complex where more than

1,000 people work. Police Chief Alfonso Morales said authorities believe the shooter operated alone and that the threat was over.

The attack occurred at a sprawling complex that includes a mix of corporate offices and brewing facilities. The complex is widely known in the Milwaukee area as “Miller Valley,” a reference to the Miller Brewing Co. that is now part of Molson Coors.

Molson Coors CEO Gavin Hattersley called the shooter “an active brewery employee.”

“Unfortunately, I am devastated to share that we lost five other members of our family in

POLICE work outside the brewery

this tragic incident,” he said in an email sent to employees. “There are no words to express the deep sadness many of us are feeling.”

He said the office would be closed the rest of the week and the brewery shuttered “for the time being” to give people time to cope.

A group of brewery employees gathered at a nearby bar to talk about what had happened. “We are all a family. We work a lot of hours together, so we’re all very sad,” said Selena Curka, a brewery employee who was about to start her shift when the complex went on lockdown.

JUST CALL ME HARRY, SAYS PRINCE

POPE HOLDS USUAL ASH WEDNESDAY CUSTOMS

LONDON Associated Press

VATICAN CITY Associated Press

Pope Francis celebrated the Ash Wednesday ritual that marks the opening of the Catholic Church’s Lenten season in traditional fashion while greeting the public in Rome as other Masses were cancelled in northern Italy over fears of the coronavirus outbreak.

Francis and a long line of priests, bishops and cardinals walked in a procession through Rome’s Aventine hill into the 5th-century Santa Sabina basilica for a late-afternoon Mass.

Neither the priests nor the faithful wore face masks, but Rome has largely been spared the virus as Italy’s national case count grew to more than 440.

POPE Francis kisses a young girl in St Peter’s Square at the Vatican yesterday

US case may be first from unknown origin NEW YORK Associated Press A NEW coronavirus case in California could be the first in the US that has no known connection to travel abroad or another known case, a possible sign the virus is spreading in a US community, health officials said.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported the case yesterday. It is a person in California who had no known travel to a country where a virus outbreak has been taking place, or connection to a known patient.

California officials said the person is a resident of Solano County and is getting medical care in Sacramento County. They said they have begun the process of tracking down people who the patient has been in contact with, a process known as contact tracing.

All of the 59 other cases in the US had travelled from abroad or had been in close contact with those who traveled. Health officials have

PRESIDENT Donald Trump with Vice President Mike Pence and members of the president’s coronavirus task force yesterday been on high alert for so-called community spread.

Earlier US cases included 14 in people who travelled back from outbreak areas in China, or their spouses; three people who were

evacuated from the central China city of Wuhan; and 42 American passengers on the Diamond Princess cruise ship who were evacuated by the federal government to the US from where the ship was docked

in Japan. Some of those evacuated were taken to Travis Air Force Base, which in Solano County. A number of the earlier cases have been in California, including among some of the people taken to Travis and one in which a traveler who returned to San Benito County spread it to a spouse.

California officials have been preparing for the possibility that community spread of the virus might first surface there.

“We have been anticipating the potential for such a case in the U.S., and given our close familial, social and business relationships with China, it is not unexpected that the first case in the U.S. would be in California,” said Dr Sonia Angell, Director of the California Department of Public Health and State Public Health Officer, in a statement.

The outbreak, which began in China, has infected tends of thousands of people in more than three dozen countries, with the vast majority in mainland China.

THE British prince who is preparing to step back from royal duties would normally be referred to as sir or his royal highness.

But as he was introduced to speak about sustainable tourism at an event in Scotland yesterday, the Duke of Sussex said the formality no longer was necessary.

“He’s made it clear that we are all just to call him Harry,’’ conference host Ayesha Hazarika said.

“So ladies and gentlemen, please give a big, warm Scottish welcome to Harry.”

The request reflected the seismic shift underway in the British monarchy.

Prince Harry and his wife, Meghan, say they will walk away from most royal duties starting March 31, give up public funding and try to become financially independent. Harry spoke at an event for Travalyst, a coalition he founded along with companies such as Booking.com, Skyscanner, Tripadvisor, Trip.com and Visa. The conference in Scotland was a discussion of sustainability in travel.

Harry warned that the growth of tourism is damaging some of the world’s most cherished sites.

“If we do not act and in a large part get ahead of the inevitable surge, this massive increase will mean risking more of the world’s most beautiful destinations closed or destroyed, more communities becoming overwhelmed, more beaches shut because of pollution, and animals and wildlife driven from their natural habitat - which has a huge impact on communities and reduces tourism opportunities,” he said.

DEATH TOLL RISES TO 24 FROM PELOSI URGES DEMOCRATIC UNITY DELHI RIOTS DURING TRUMP TRIP AMID SANDERS’ CAMPAIGN SURGE NEW DELHI Associated Press

WASHINGTON Associated Press

AT least 24 people were killed and 189 injured in three days of clashes in New Delhi that coincided with US President Donald Trump’s first state visit to India, with the death toll expected to rise as hospitals continue to take in the wounded, authorities said yesterday.

Shops, Muslim shrines and public vehicles were left smoldering from violence between Hindu mobs and Muslims protesting a new citizenship law that fast-tracks naturalization for foreign-born religious minorities of all major faiths in South Asia except Islam.

Twenty-four deaths were reported at two hospitals in New Delhi, officials said.

The clashes were the worst communal riots in the Indian capital in decades. The law’s passage in December earlier spurred massive protests across India that left 23 dead,

SPEAKER Nancy Pelosi yesterday urged party unity amid Bernie Sanders’ surge in the presidential race, even as House Democrats worry about a volatile election season that could put a self-described democratic socialist atop the ticket and threaten their majority.

“I would hope that everyone would say, no matter who the nominee is for president, we wholeheartedly embrace that person,” Pelosi, told the House Democratic caucus at a closed-door meeting, “‘We cannot show any division.

This has to be about unity, unity, unity,” she said, according to a Democratic aide who attended the session. The aide was not authorized to discuss the private meeting and spoke on condition of anonymity.

Down-ballot jitters are apparent as the Vermont senator takes an increasingly commanding lead in early voting and withstands

SHOPS were set on fire by mobs in New Delhi many of them killed by police. The dead in this week’s violence included a policeman and an intelligence bureau officer, and the government has banned public assembly in the affected areas.

Police spokesman M.S. Randhawa said 106 people were arrested for alleged involvement in the rioting.

Officials reported no new violence yesterday as large police reinforcements patrolled the areas, where an uneasy calm prevailed.

National Security Adviser

Ajit Doval toured the northeastern neighborhoods of Delhi where the rioting occurred, seeking to assure residents including a female student who complained police had not protected them from mobs who vandalized the area and set shops and vehicles on fire.

While clashes wracked parts of the capital, Prime Minister Narendra Modi hosted a lavish reception for Trump, including a rally in his home state of Gujarat attended by more than 100,000 people.

SPEAKER: Nancy Pelosi the constant pummeling by rival s who have been unable to slow his rise.

With South Carolina’s primary on Saturday, followed by the Super Tuesday contests on March 2, House Democrats are navigating how best to hold onto their seats while opponents try to lasso them to Sanders’ socialist label.

Many first-term Democrats are counting on their own well-crafted brands, not the party’s eventual presidential nominee to see them to reelection. The House majority was built by lawmakers who come from districts where President Donald Trump is popular,

and his campaign operation will be turning out voters in fall. But in a campaign cycle full of unknowns as the party tries to unseat Trump, they are relying on the backgrounds that pushed them to office in the first place to do it again.

“I will go into my race with the same degree of confidence, no matter who is at the top of the ticket,” said Rep. Tom Malinowski, a freshman Democrat from who supports former Vice President Joe Biden in the primary.

Malinowski, said he will “absolutely” support Sanders if the senator becomes the party’s nominee. But the congressman said Democrats need to simplify their message and seize the moment with a candidate who can topple Trump.

“Why we would risk this extraordinary opportunity by nominating somebody who has a tendency to divide our own side is is beyond me,” he said.

Stateside - Page 8

THE TRIBUNE

PAHO LINKS UP WITH EXPERTS FOR MENTAL HEALTH FORUM THE Pan American Health Organisation (PAHO) partnered with the Ministry of Health, the Bahamas Psychological Association (BPA) and the Healthy Bahamas Coalition (HBC) to host a media forum on mental health.

The forum was held on Monday at the University of The Bahamas.

The purpose of the forum was to provide journalists

with the background on mental health psychosocial support (MHPSS), its application in disaster situations and the national MHPSS response before, during and after Hurricane Dorian.

The background should inform the media’s development of stories about mental health services that were provided, and continue to be available, to help affected persons

better cope with the psychological impact of the disaster. Additionally, the forum endeavoured to raise awareness, and reduce stigma in seeking mental health assistance.

The main guest speaker was Dr Emmanuel Streel, PAHO mental health expert. There was also a panel discussion led by local mental health professionals.

Thursday, February 27, 2020, PAGE 13