02282023 NEWS AND SPORT

‘I WANT ANSWERS ON KENISE’S DEATH’ Hospital probe leaves family with questions

By LETRE SWEETING lsweeting@tribunemedia.net

THE husband of Kenise Darville said he is left with more questions than answers following the completion of a probe by the Public Hospitals Authority into the death of his wife at Princess Margaret Hospital (PMH) last month.

On January 19, the mother-of-three died after being admitted to the PMH

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.

In the video, Mrs Darville was appealing for blood. She had a dangerously low platelet count and doctors, who had initially said they would order the platelets for her, reportedly came back and told her they had

SEE PAGE THREE

PM: NO CHANGE OF TONE ON SHANTY TOWN ISSUE

By JADE RUSSELL Tribune Staff Reporter jrussell@tribunemedia.net

PRIME Minister Philip “Brave” Davis insisted yesterday his tone has never changed in addressing the shanty town issue, adding demolition in these unregulated communities will begin once “preliminary” steps are completed.

Mr Davis spoke to reporters in Abaco yesterday

when asked about a timeline for the demolition of the shanty towns.

“Demolition will come. That will come after some preliminary steps have been taken. As I indicated before, you don’t want to solve one problem and then create another. You don’t want to demolish places where people are living, and they have no place to stay,” Mr Davis said.

SEE PAGE FOUR

FATHER IS JAILED FOR 25 YEARS FOR INCEST

By PAVEL BAILEY Tribune Court Reporter pbailey@tribunemedia.net

A FATHER was yesterday sentenced to 25 years in prison on two counts of incest for forcing his now adult daughter to have sex when she was still a teenager.

The 48-year-old man, whose name is being withheld to protect the identity of the victim, was represented by Murrio Ducille, KC. He appeared before Justice Guillimina Archer-Minns.

CARICOM DELEGATION HEADS TO HAITI

By LEANDRA ROLLE Tribune Staff Reporter lrolle@tribunemedia.net

A CARICOM delegation, consisting of representatives from The Bahamas and other countries in the region, left for Haiti yesterday to meet with politicians and other officials there to discuss security issues facing the crisis-torn nation.

NATIONAL Security Minister Wayne Munroe.

National Security Minister Wayne Munroe and Immigration Minister Keith Bell were reportedly among

the delegation that left The Bahamas yesterday for Haiti. Their travel comes weeks after the Bahamas hosted the 44th CARICOM Heads of Government meeting where regional leaders gathered to discuss the crisis in Haiti.

At the end of three-day high-level talks, member states of CARICOM agreed to provide direct support to the Haitian National Police

SEE PAGE FOUR

YOUTH ENVIRONMENTAL INITIATIVE

KING CHARLES III: ‘THE BAHAMAS ARE MUCHLOVED... MEMBERS OF THE COMMONWEALTH’

Lombard Odier Bahamas is pleased launch its inaugural youth environmental initiative geared towards helping students consider how today’s actions impact future generations. The initiative will target junior and high school students living in The Bahamas.

Submission Guidelines: In 250-500 words, applicants are asked to describe a specific program launched by a local, environmentally-focused organization or by the individual applicant and provide details on how the specific program is contributing to an environmentally sustainable future for The Bahamas.

Submission Deadline: Friday March 31st, 2023

Email responses to: NAS-Sustainability@lombardodier.com

Please include your name, age, grade, island and school in your submission.

Selection Process: A green ribbon panel including partners from Lombard Odier and other partner organizations will review submissions and select four (4) successful candidates.

Prizes:

Group 1: Grades 7-9th

1st place winner will receive a tablet or laptop and access to a summer program with a local environmental organization.

2nd place winner will receive a camera and access to a summer program with a local environmental organization.

Group 2: Grades 10-12th

1st place winner will receive a 4-week paid summer internship with a local organization focused on environmental sustainability in The Bahamas.

2nd place winner will receive a 2- week paid summer internship with a local organization focused on environmental sustainability in The Bahamas.

PRINCE EDWARD, Earl of Wessex and Forfar, and Sophie, Countess of Wessex and Forfar, alongside Governor General CA Smith and Gold Award recipients at the Governor General’s Youth Award (GGYA) programme at Breezes Resort Bahamas on Thursday.

A MESSAGE from King Charles III was delivered during last week’s visit by The Earl and Countess of Wessex and Forfar.

Prince Edward and Sophie, Countess of Wessex, delivered the message to Governor General CA Smith.

In the message, the King recalls his own visit to The Bahamas in a timely reminder as the 50th anniversary of Independence draws near. He also hailed Bahamian efforts to press for action on climate change.

Photo: Bahamas Information Services

The King wrote: “I recall with great fondness my visit to The Bahamas in 1973 to attend the National Independence celebrations. Since that time, I have followed with particular interest and affection as The Bahamas have grown in strength and responded to a multitude of challenges with resilience and fortitude. Bahamians have impressively advocated on the global stage for muchneeded change, including most admirably at COP26, inspiring others to be courageous in addressing the

devastating impacts of global warming and climate change.”

He added: “As we look toward the 50th anniversary of Independence later this year, I would like to reiterate the sentiment I conveyed on behalf of The late Queen Elizabeth, in 1973, that The Bahamas are much-loved and valued members of the Commonwealth Family. I look forward to strengthening our close and special relationship in the years ahead.”

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‘I want answers on Kenise’s death’

not been ordered, asking her to organise people to donate blood instead.

The video of her plea went viral, sparking public outrage while prompting other persons to share their alleged bad experiences at the hospital. In the wake of the controversy, Health and Wellness Minister Dr Michael Darville announced that an investigation was underway. This followed calls for answers from Mrs Darville’s family surrounding the circumstances of her death.

Yesterday, Jerard Darville told The Tribune that following the close of the investigation and a meeting with hospital officials last Thursday, PHA had taken responsibility for the negligence shown in the case of his wife.

However, Mr Darville said when he asked for the names of specific individuals responsible for his wife’s care at the time and any repercussions for those individuals, nothing could be provided for him.

“I hope to make proper use of the media, and just begin to dig further so that the proper questions could be asked and to the right persons so that this information could be made public. The only thing that we can do is to agitate for justice to be applied,” Mr Darville said.

“When would somebody be named? When will persons be held accountable, because what they have told me, they have reached the end of their investigations.

And at the end of the investigations there was no names named to be held responsible and that brings no justice for my family. “Now my family cannot go after the persons who are ultimately responsible for it, instead of it being the PHA (Public Hospitals Authority), because we know if we go after the PHA, we’re actually going after taxpayers and not the persons who are

actually responsible for the negligence.

“The point being is that the PHA knows exactly who it is, and for them not to say who it was, because I asked specifically, who was the chief medical consultant in charge of my wife’s case,” Mr Darville said.

“There (also) has to be a nursing manager who assists the doctor in the reading of notes and the upkeep of medicine. There

GOVERNMENT APPROVES HIRING OF TWO PSYCHOLOGISTS FOR PRISON

By LETRE SWEETING lsweeting@tribunemedia.net

ACTING Corrections

Commissioner Doan Cleare said he is “happy” with recent progress made for the care of mentally ill inmates at the Bahamas Department of Correctional Services (BDCS), following approval from Cabinet for the hiring of psychiatrists.

Mr Cleare told The Tribune yesterday: “Currently, the Cabinet of The Bahamas has approved two psychologists and two psychiatrists. We are now having the paperwork, in terms of getting them contracts to sign, that should be ready in about two weeks.”

Mr Cleare added: “But we still have them coming in and seeing patients prior to (that) because of the great need. So we have the two psychologists come here frequently. They are now coming in on their own, even without the contract to assist us, because of great need.”

He said representatives from the Sandilands Rehabilitation Centre also come to the prison once a week to treat inmates.

He continued: “One of the greatest changes so far is we are now seeing the inmates on a daily basis and it is quite a number of them who are here. I’m just happy that finally some progress is being made now on the mental health front.”

Mr Cleare said the hiring of the new therapists is currently being processed by the Ministry of Public Service.

“So what’s going on now is that we have persons now full time on staff, but

it’s just they are now being processed by the public service, for them to actually start. So once we get their contracts ready. They will be good to go,” Mr Cleare said.

“What is being done is we are now trying to ascertain office space for the four new doctors. We have completed two of them thus far and we are trying to get the other areas outfitted for their use,” he said.

“They came in and they actually told us what they wanted, it’s different from the ordinary centres, so we have to build it to their specifications. They have given quite a number of recommendations and we are now following through on what was requested from them,” Mr Cleare said.

Last month, a mentally ill prisoner died after complaining of chest pains following a fight at the BDCS.

Following a fight with another mentally ill inmate in a shared cell, the 44-yearold complained of chest pains and breathing issues and was later taken to the hospital where he died, police reported.

Following the incident, Mr Cleare said that while he is concerned about the incident, he expected fewer altercations pending government approval for psychiatrists to work at BDCS.

“I am very much concerned and that is why the government has acceded to my request in hiring four psychiatrists. Cabinet has to approve it and we hope to have them start working in a few days,” Mr Cleare said at the time.

“You know, Sandilands is not taking anyone from us

has to be a medical officer as well in charge of my wife’s file, in charge of my wife’s case. Who is the pathologist that didn’t look at my wife’s bone marrow biopsy for two months. There has to be an administrator who has oversight. These persons have to be named,” Mr Darville said. “If we are not doing these things, then we are not doing these things right. This is how you see gross negligence in the care (of patients) and in health care overall,” he said.

About how his children are coping, Mr Darville said: “Nobody is doing alright. They’re just trying to find their different way of coping.”

Following Mrs Darville’s death last month, her husband made an emotional appeal for the public healthcare system to be changed.

“You should never have to be dying and trying to find blood,” 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?”

In the wake of her death, Minister Darville had previously admitted to there being “elements of possible malpractice” at the hospital and said it was up to officials to minimise such incidents.

PHA officials and Dr Darville were not available for comment up to the time of going to press.

pretty much and we have close to over 150 mental inmates and due to the lack of spacing we have to put them in cells with each other. So hence is the problem,” he said.

“So now that we’ll have four full-time psychiatrists, they (mentally ill inmates) could now start to be treated, with the proper medication, because before that we were only a warehouse for Sandilands,” Mr Cleare said.

“Additionally, the government has also approved for eight of the correctional officers to be trained in mental observation to assess the inmates, because you know we were not trained,” he said.

“So hopefully within a few months, all should settle down in terms of trying to lessen the amount of altercations between these inmates,” Mr Cleare said at the time.

KENISE Darville pictured here, passed away at Princess Margaret Hospital last month while waiting for blood. The family is appealing for answers to her untimely death.

PM: No change of tone on shanty town issue

He highlighted that the relocation of documented Haitians in shanty towns will be made at the expense of their employers.

In terms of undocumented migrants, he said those persons will be repatriated, adding Bahamians living in shanty towns will be asked to evacuate.

“Documented Haitians who are in shanty towns, we’re going to find who their employers are and (obligate) those employers to find a place for them to stay.

“Undocumented persons living in these shanty towns,

we will process them and repatriate them. Bahamians who are living in those shanty towns, we will speak to them and ask them to move out.”

Mr Davis continued:

“That is ongoing as I speak. We’ve had some operations here in Abaco recently, that is ongoing as we speak. And once all those are settled, then you will see the shanty towns being demolished.” Meanwhile, former Prime Minister Dr Hubert Minnis last week said the government is pandering in its handling of the unregulated communities.

Dr Minnis called the government “mixed and confused” on the shanty

town, suggesting there have been mixed messages on the issue.

When asked about Dr Minnis’ criticism that the government is pandering towards addressing the unregulated communities, Mr Davis dismissed those claims.

“I don’t understand what he means by pandering. The overarching principle is that the rule of law must prevail, and that we will be enforcing the law. I’ve always said that there’s no pandering or shift of my tone. That’s what I’ve said, and I continue to say that.”

Mr Davis stressed that the “application” of the law will be taken but it needs to

be done “compassionately” and “humanely.”

“And so, if he considers that the law ought to be enforced in a way that is not compassionate which is, that he is prone to do. I have to appreciate that we are still dealing with humans.” He added: “And that’s not pandering; it’s acknowledging who we are as a people without compromising our own sovereignty. And protecting the interests of our people in our jurisdiction.”

Mr Davis said yesterday the government is willing to accept migration will be a part of the country’s history, however he said it will be

CARICOM DELEGATION HEADS TO HAITI

(HNP) to help bolster security in the troubled country.

Prime Minister and CARICOM Chairman Phillip Davis spoke to reporters yesterday about the purpose of the mission, which he said will prepare them for an upcoming meeting that will be held in Jamaica concerning issues in Haiti.

He said Canadian officials also will be accompanying the group, adding that together, they will be developing a plan as to how they can support the HNP.

“The purposes of meeting with stakeholders in Haiti and the main purpose of that mission is to ensure that we have stakeholders prepared for another meeting that is to be held in Jamaica next week and to advise them of that meeting and at the same time, talk to them about security of Haiti and how best to secure Haiti so that we can create the space to allow for freedom of movement without fear or intimidation or violence,”

Mr Davis, who spoke to reporters on the sideline of an event in Abaco, added.

“And in that regard, the principle role would be to empower and resource the Haitian National Police. The mission there, along with Canada, is a CanadaCARICOM commission that I put together during the course of CARICOM meetings.

“The Canadian government is providing the security for all of our persons that have gone down there. They are leading it and we’ll be crafting a measure whereby we could empower the Haitian National Police to ensure that they are able to compete with the gangs who seem to be better resourced, better organised than the police at the moment.”

When asked if The Bahamas was prepared to send security forces to Haiti, Prime Minister Davis repeated that putting boots on the ground was not an option at the moment but stressed that “we are

prepared to do our part to ensure that we achieve the ultimate goal,” which is Haiti’s stabilisation.

He noted that the country will continue to see increased levels of irregular migration from Haiti until the country is stabilised.

Yesterday, Foreign Affairs Minister Fred Mitchell wished the delegation “well” in their mission. He also advised Bahamians to lower their expectations in terms of what CARICOM countries can do to solve the issues in Haiti, explaining that no one wants a foreign entity to come into their country telling them what to do.

“The best we can do is help facilitate, help to nurture or manage what is a very difficult situation. In the first place,no one wants someone else to come into their country to tell them what to do,” Mr Mitchell said in a voice note sent to this newspaper yesterday.

“Secondly, the public

officials in Haiti are embarrassed and they’ve apologised about the fact that they have been described as a failed state or seen as a refugee country. These are very proud people with a legacy of being the first independent black republic in the modern era.

“They defeated Napoleon’s mighty army. Thirdly, there are some 200 political parties in Haiti. At one point, there were 136 candidates for president. The rivalries are intense, often personal, and we all know the history of violence and foreign interventions and foreign abuse. It is also the poorest country in the hemisphere. “

He said the present administration in Haiti is seeking to move toward free and fair elections, but noted that “all sides are deeply suspicious.”

“Our facilitators have a tough job so let us pray for the safety of the party, for

the success of the limited mission, and that the process today will lead toward the meeting with all stakeholders in Jamaica within several weeks,” he added.

Earlier this month, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau committed Canada to sending navy vessels to conduct surveillance, gather intelligence and maintain a maritime presence off the Haitian coast in the coming weeks.

He said the vessels will not be used to intercept migrants trying to flee the troubled country. This follows reports of mass exits of Haitian officers from the police force there.

Many of them have reportedly been left angered by the killings of their colleagues by armed gang members and even took to the streets in January to protest the Haitian government that they blamed for not taking action.

done by means of the country’s laws. During a recent CARICOM’s closing press conference, Mr Davis suggested that the government will not immediately move to demolish shanty towns in the country despite the recent lifting of an injunction. He told reporters that it makes no sense “responding to a crisis to create another crisis”.

Days later, Mr Davis gave a national address where he pledged to take decisive action against shanty towns and announced Operation Secure, an initiative that will aid in tackling unregulated communities.

In the face of criticism over what some believe to be “mixed messages”, press secretary Clint Watson said while his tone may be different on the issue, Mr Davis’ message has never changed. He said Mr Davis’ tone shifted based on the audience, suggesting Mr Davis had a different tone at CARICOM compared to his national address. His message has never changed in both. The tones are different which signals the tribute of a good leader,” Mr Watson said during the weekly press briefing at the Office of the Prime Minister.

UKRAINE SUPPORT FROM PM

By JADE RUSSELL Tribune Staff Reporter jrussell@tribunemedia.net

PRIME Minister Philip “Brave” Davis yesterday committed his support to Ukraine following the one-year mark of Russia’s violent invasion.

Friday marked one year since Russian attacks on Ukraine started in such major cities as Berdyansk, Chernihiv, Kharkiv, Odesa, Sumy, and the capital, Kyiv.

These violent attacks have left a trail of devastation and the country in an unstable state. Thousands of innocent lives have been lost since then while Russian troops continue to seize Ukraine territory. When asked about the anniversary of the war, Mr Davis condemned the invasion of Ukraine.

He explained that other countries should not be invaded, or their sovereignty be insulted.

“That is something that is apparent to all international standards, and apparent to the UN Charter of Rights of Nations that we’ve all signed on to so we have to support and condemn the invasion of Ukraine,” Mr Davis said.

Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy addressed CARICOM delegates during the last day of CARICOM meetings by video where he explained the ongoing battle with Russia.

Mr Davis continued: “And he urged us to continue to support him in his efforts against what is happening, and that’s what we have done. There’s a resolution that is before the UN that we have committed our support to.”

This is the second time this month Mr Davis has condemned the war.

On February 17, Mr Davis applauded President Zelenskyy for his “dignity” and steely determination throughout the war.

President Zelenskyy addressed CARICOM delegates by video when he explained the ongoing battle with Russia. Russia is not just burning down cities, killing people, and stealing property. It is also destroying the environment, Mr Zelenskyy said.

The president added: “Its aggression brings about destruction and flooding of coal mines. Mines and hostilities in the Black Sea resulted in the death of tens of thousands of living creatures.”

At the time, Mr Davis on behalf of the Caribbean Community, also pledged his solidarity with the people of Ukraine in their ongoing fight for liberation.

“We have watched in admiration as you and your people have defended yourselves against formidable odds, and with unimaginable bravery. And even as we have watched in horror, the bombs and missiles attacking your towns and villages, we have marvelled at your dignity and steely determination,” Mr Davis said earlier this month.

“We condemn the actions taken by Russia in violating the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine. And we stand firmly with you and the international community in seeking a just and secure diplomatic solution to this terrible crisis,” Mr Davis said.

But according to Prime Minister Davis, CARICOM

THE ENTRANCE at the Fontaine Hospital Center in Cité Soleil area of the Port-au-Prince, Haiti. As gangs tighten their grip on Haiti, many medical facilities in the Caribbean nation’s most violent areas have closed, leaving Fontaine as one of the last hospitals and social institutions in one of the world’s most lawless places.

Photo: Odelyn Joseph/AP

AGAINST HAITIANS’

By EARYEL BOWLEG Tribune Staff Reporter ebowleg@tribunemedia.net

A LOCAL activist said the ongoing harassment and “inciting of violence” against Haitians in The Bahamas needs to be addressed.

Equality Bahamas director Alicia Wallace said the Haitian migrant community is “systematically targeted, scapegoated and blamed” for a range of issues that result from white supremacy, capitalism, and colonialism.

‘Golden Yolk’ scheme to make us self-sufficient

THE launch of the Ministry of Agriculture’s “Golden Yolk” initiative was hailed yesterday by Prime Minister Philip “Brave” Davis as “one of the first steps in a marathon toward a more resilient, self-reliant Bahamas”.

The $15m project aims to increase local egg production.

Mr Davis said the nation imports too much food — 90 percent — adding that despite past administrations lamenting the issue, the number has not decreased.

“My friends, that all changes now. Today, I declare that figure destined to fall faster than the walls of Jericho,” he said at the project’s groundbreaking at the Gladstone Road Agricultural Centre yesterday.

“We are ushering in a new age of agriculture. An age of promise and prosperity, an age where we make the most of what we have, in the most sustainable manner possible. This is especially important for low and middle-income families, who are disproportionately affected by ballooning inflation on

imported foodstuffs.”

He said his administration has made headway in the race for greater food security.

The government is allocating $500,000 in grants to farmers and an additional $1m in funding to secure broilers and to support livestock farming, he said.

“The Golden Yolk project builds on this commitment to ramping up

local food production. Indeed, it goes hand in hand with our pledge to ensure every Bahamian has sufficient access to affordable and nutritious food,” he said. “With a vision to slash our import bill by $12.5m and secure 100 percent local egg production, the Golden Yolk project is an urgent and crucial undertaking – one that promises

to move the needle toward greater food security for our country.”

He said the project’s three-phase implementation will create about 90 jobs, over half of which will be based in the Family Islands.

The initiative falls under the purview of the Bahamas Agricultural and Industrial Corporation. Thirty-eight poultry houses are slated for construction across 12 Family Islands, with a further eight earmarked for New Providence. These sites will increase local egg production 30-fold, injecting an additional $2.3m into the domestic economy, Mr Davis said. They will also employ numerous grow house workers, all of whom will be guaranteed a liveable wage, he added.

On Sunday, Clay Sweeting, minister of agriculture, marine resources and Family Island Affairs, revealed to Tribune Business that the initiative is aiming to take domestic Bahamian egg production from 700,000 per year to 28m when complete and fully operational.

Ms Wallace’s comments come after Lincoln Bain and several of his supporters were stopped by police on Saturday when they went to a shanty town off Bacardi Road and tried to tear down illegal structures in the unregulated community.

Mr Bain documented the incident in a live Facebook video from the shanty town on Saturday.

In the video, Mr Bain and his supporters could be seen walking from home to home through the community, knocking on doors and instructing residents to leave the property.

Many have accused the Coalition of Independents leader of xenophobia, particularly towards the Haitian community. Ms Wallace showed great concern about Mr Bain’s actions when contacted to respond to the event.

“Mr Bain and his followers are using what has been called xenophobia, but is certainly internalised racism and specifically antiHaitian sentiments, to shift attention from the failed systems to the people who are made most vulnerable by those systems,” she said.

She added: “The immigration crisis we face is that white migrants, called expats, are treated much differently than black migrants, from work permit applications and paths to permanent residency

to wages and working conditions. It is that the Department of Immigration is confusing, hostile, and inefficient, and those involved in the policing of borders are inept or corrupt.

“The greater crises we face today are the cult of personality and the disregard for human rights. It has become too easy for wrongheaded individuals to deceive and mislead others by targeting an already atrisk group to be blamed for shared circumstances.

“Human rights are not understood, insufficiently promoted, and regularly trampled upon by people in positions of power and by citizens who are emboldened by the lack of conviction of the government in upholding and promoting them.”

She added that everyone needs a place to live and has the right to legal protection.

“There are processes, and the considerations beyond the letter of the law, and one group circumventing these processes without significant consequence does not bode well for us,” she said.

In an interview with The Tribune on Sunday, Mr Bain insisted the group’s actions were lawful and police had no right to stop them.

He claimed the shanty town dwellers were squatting on Crown land given to a retired civil servant named Justina Curry for farming. He said Ms Curry had pleaded with the government to help her reclaim the land, adding they had papers to prove she had the legal right to the property.

This incident comes as the Davis administration has reconvened a shanty town task force following the lifting of a Supreme Court injunction that had previously banned government from demolishing shanty town homes.

‘ONE OR TWO’ WANT DISCLOSURE EXTENSION

from page one

many parliamentarians had made the filings ahead of the deadline. He was unable to say and only told this newspaper that it was “a lot”.

“I can say this because I just spoke with my office recently and I can report that a lot of people have filed and are trying to stay on time with their filing and so that’s an excellent sign for us,” he said.

“I have not gotten any major reports about extensions. There may be one or two or thereabout but generally, people are filing and happily, they are doing it in time prior to the deadline.”

Bishop Cooper said he was going to the office later this week to find out how many had filed their

financial disclosures.

“The process is that this is a very taxing thing for members of Parliament and senior government officials, so they have to make sure that the documents that they are sending us have the necessary verifications of what they’re saying because if it’s not completed, we have got to send it back out to them and tell them ‘look, these documents are not accompanied by the necessary verified documents’ so it’s a very tax process,” he added.

“So, I’ll be able to speak to you more specifically once I go into the office, but I have gotten reports that generally, a number of them are sending in and I’m very pleased with that.”

Parliamentarians and senators, along with senior public officers, are required

MAN HURT IN DOG ATTACK

A MAN is receiving medical care after he was attacked by a friend’s pit bull yesterday.

Police were told that the man was visiting a friend’s home off Carmichael Road shortly before 1pm when he was attacked by the friend’s two-year-old dog. He suffered injuries to his face, arms and legs. He was taken to hospital by EMS personnel for further medical care.

“Presently, the dog has been removed from the residence by Animal Control personnel,” police said.

“Members of the public are reminded that all dogs should be licensed and can visit the Department of Agriculture, Gladstone Road to pay the requisite fee of $6.72. Failure to licence your animal will result in the owner/s being fined in the amount of $250,” police said.

Police are encouraging members of the public, particularly dog owners to ensure their animals are properly secured and

enclosed to prevent any incidents from occurring: this may include dogs that are overly aggressive or uncontrollable that cannot be restrained in aggressive situations, consistently bark, are always agitated, fight, create disturbances with other animals, or try to attack people.

Last August, a homeless man was mauled to death by four dogs — three pit bulls and one potcake — in the area of East Street.

Two months later, three men and a woman were charged with manslaughter in connection with the incident.

The four are accused of neglecting to properly contain the dogs on their premises.

For more information regarding breaches of the Animal Control Act residents are encouraged to contact the Royal Bahamas Police Force K-9 Unit at 397-9600, or 397-9635, or Animal Control Unit at 325 -1178.

to submit their disclosures to the PDC by March each year. The Public Disclosure Act empowers only two people to act on delinquent filings: the prime minister and the leader of the opposition.

Either of them can publish the information through a communication in the House of Assembly or cause for it to be laid in the Senate. Either can authorise that the information be presented to the attorney general or

commissioner of police so those who failed to disclose could face a penalty.

The penalty for not disclosing is a $10,000 fine and/ or up to two years in prison.

Last year, Bishop Cooper told a local daily that some first-time MPs missed the

deadline because they were not aware that there was a legal requirement for them to file financial disclosures under the Public Disclosures Act. Press secretary Clint Watson later blamed it as a “simple oversight”.

THE GROUNDBREAKING ceremony at the Gladstone Road Agricultural Centre.

Photos: Moise Amisial

PRIME Minister Philip “Brave” Davis yesterday.

The Tribune Limited

Govt should be applauded for egg project

FOR many years, some farmers have felt that governments have only paid them lip service when it comes to giving the industry a solid footing.

Some of that doubt seems to be lifting – and projects such as the “Golden Yolk” initiative seem to be playing a part in that.

The government is committing $15m with a laudable goal of trying to make our nation self-sufficient when it comes to egg production.

If it works, egg production in our nation will climb from 700,000 a year to 28 million. And we will be able, if we wish, to cease importing eggs entirely.

For all the talk about trying to reduce food imports, there has often been a lack of significant progress in doing so.

The good thing about this project is that it is an attainable goal – and the results will be very visible.

Once we see we no longer need to import eggs, then what next? If we can do it with eggs, what other areas can we make ourselves self-sufficient in?

So credit where it is due for picking a target and backing up the talk with investment.

There will be grants for farmers and $1m in funding for equipment and to support livestock farming.

In return, we will be able to cut our food import bill – by $12.5m, the government anticipates – and support local producers.

There should be about 90 jobs created by the project, with half of those in the Family Islands.

As well as the tangible benefits, there is the sense of encouragement the project brings to farmers.

Prime Minister Philip “Brave” Davis talked yesterday about how previous administrations have lamented the

amount of food being imported at about 90 percent – but that despite those complaints, that number has not changed.

Well, this project at least puts money where our mouths are. Will that push the needle away from that 90 percent figure? We shall see – but if we are shopping for eggs from Eleuthera or Long Island, at least we know we are supporting our fellow Bahamians. We look forward to the outcome of the project.

Prison support

While we are applauding laudable actions, we must credit the Bahamas Department of Correctional Services for the addition of four new psychologists.

The issue of crime is one that never seems to go away, but increasing the opportunity for prisoners to find ways to become rehabilitated may just prevent them from offending again once they return to society.

There are those among the prison population who if perhaps they had been afforded help earlier might not have committed the crimes that saw them behind bars. There are those preparing for release who if given guidance before emerging from the prison gates might find it a helping hand to stay on the straight and narrow.

And there are those who need that help just to get through the day-to-day of prison life.

Beyond a doubt there are those who are in prison to serve the punishment they deserve for the crimes they commit. If our goal is to prevent a repeat of crimes as prisoners are released, however, then this may be a useful step.

Shanty town action is needed now

EDITOR, The Tribune.

PLEASE allow me space in your daily to touch on a vexing national concern, illegal and irregular communities aka shanty towns.

The former administration was forced to stop demolition of these communities by a court injunction issued by a judge, who has since changed her mind and lifted the injunction for this present administration. The enforced injunction stipulated that no further demolition must take place but no new structure must be erected. Then along comes Dorian and the communities were wiped out. It was a natural disaster like none ever seen in our Bahamas for decades.

With an active court injunction specifically stating that no new structures be built, why were so many new communities allowed to materialise without interference from our National Security Agencies, namely Royal Bahamas Police Force, Defence Force and Immigration? As these new structures were being built, and we became aware of them, why were they allowed to continue construction? The same injunction that forced the cessation of demolition should have forced the cessation of construction.

Now a change of heart by the same judge, which in actuality vindicates the former administration, states that these illegal and irregular communities are indeed a threat and should be demolished.

Not withstanding this new ruling, we have the Prime Minister still dodging the issue and sending mixed messages, the Minister of Foreign Affairs indicating that Haiti has a crisis, not The Bahamas and the

Minister of National Security says everything is under control.

Bahamas, wake up. This vexing situation of illegal migrants developing irregular and illegal communities has festered for many, many years and is now like a volcano ready to erupt. These people have no regard or respect for the laws of The Bahamas. They come here and clear down land and build substandard structures that create threats to our environmental safety. They are fire risks and health risks. Some of these communities pop up in the backyards of regulated subdivisions and no one calls the relevant agency until it is out of hand. These structures should not be allowed to be completed. Why is it that they seem to be granted liberties that are not granted to Bahamians? Then these migrants, for the most part, reproduce frequently, sometimes twice in a year, thus putting a strain on our health system. These children then put a strain on our education system and our social services. They are benefitting from us and not giving anything substantial back to our economy.

It is said that there are about 150,000 immigrants in The Bahamas, that is all nationalities, but the greater portion are Haitians. These are the registered immigrants. Now take into consideration the illegal ones that are not registered. We are said to be a population of about 400,000. Do the math. We will soon be outnumbered and second class citizens

in our own country. Our culture is slowly diminishing and being replaced by others. Some of us are selling our birthrights for the mean green and not looking beyond our hands. These illegal and irregular communities must be demolished and the land reclaimed by Bahamians. We are not responsible for taking in the whole region nor are we capable of taking care of and supplying their needs. While there is nothing wrong with assisting our neighbours in the region in their time of troubles, we cannot afford to support them for a lifetime. It drains our already uncertain economy. There is an old saying that “Charity begins at home and ends abroad.” In other words our people, Bahamians, must come first. We must not cut off our nose to suit someone else’s face. We are celebrating 50 years of nationhood but what do we have besides sun, sand and sea? If others can come and see the value of our land, we must wake up and work this land for ourselves. If there is no demand for them, there will be no need for supply. Let us take responsibility for our destiny. This is not being xenophobic, this is being real.

Where is the national pride? Politicians where is the loyalty to country first? I beg you to enforce the laws of the land to ensure that this land is secured and protected for Bahamians now and yet unborn lest we too become “boat people” one day.

May God bless the Commonwealth of The Bahamas.

VANESSA SCOTT, JP

Nassau

February 27th, 2023

FNM wikipedia

EDITOR, The Tribune.

I WAS surprised at how inaccurate a Wikipedia article is on the Free National Movement leadership.

The article, which was last edited in December 2022, asserts that Peter Turnquest serves as deputy leader to Michael Pintard. The readership would know that the FNM deputy leader is St Barnabas MP Shanendon Cartwright. Turnquest

isn’t even an MP, which the writer of the Wikipedia article seems to assume.

Turnquest resigned as Finance Minister in November 2020 under the Minnis administration, and didn’t offer himself for renomination in East Grand Bahama in early 2021, after it became apparent that the FNM leadership was looking in a different direction for that constituency.

Kwasi Thompson would

receive the nomination and would subsequently win the seat in September 2021. All of this political information is fully documented on the Internet. Wikipedia really needs to do its homework on the FNM before posting poorly researched articles about the party.

KEVIN EVANS Freeport, Grand Bahama. February 27, 2023.

A PERSON drags a sled through the snow at Frazier Park yesterday in California. A winter storm warning is in effect for the area through Wednesday. Photo: David Crane/The Orange County Register via AP

Father is jailed for 25 years for incest

There, he faced sentencing for two counts of incest after being convicted last October of sexually abusing his daughter in 2015 and again in 2016 when she was 15 and 16 years old.

During the complainant’s earlier testimony, she said that in 2015 after her father had picked her up from band practice,

he took her to his upscale condominium instead of to her mother’s house.

Once there, he guided her to an area near the condo’s pool bathroom where he rubbed her breasts and thighs as well as kissed her neck.

While the victim tried to resist him and leave the area, the father undressed her and forcefully had sex with her while she was pinned to the floor.

In the second incident a year later, after the complainant tried to give her father a second chance after he started paying child support, he took advantage of her once more in his home after they got pizza. It was there after putting on pornography that the convict made sexual advances towards his daughter that she refused, only for him to forcefully

have sex with her once again. Charges were officially filed against him in 2017 and he was arrested later that same year.

In an earlier trial appearance, an audio recording was played in court of the accused begging his daughter not to tell anyone of the incidents because he was afraid of going to jail. While the accused vehemently denied the charges

against him throughout the trial, he was visibly shaken after a jury of eight unanimously found him guilty of both counts of incest.

During the reading of the convict’s probation report, Basil Cumberbatch, assistant director of public prosecutions and prosecutor in this case, called the incest charges rape. Mr Cumberbatch further said the convict refusing to plead guilty,

forcing his daughter to relive the incidents.

He told the justice that a 20 to 30-year sentence would be appropriate.

In his latest court appearance Justice Archer-Minns sentenced the accused to 25 years at the Bahamas Department of Correctional Services for each charge, to be served concurrently.

POLICE INVESTIGATE MAN ACCUSED OF RAPING DAUGHTER

By EARYEL BOWLEG Tribune Staff Reporter ebowleg@tribunemedia.net

POLICE have confirmed they are investigating allegations that a man allegedly raped his daughter.

He is not in custody as yet, but investigations are ongoing, a police official said. The age of the alleged

victim could not be confirmed up to press time.

Reports circulating online allege the man is a police officer on active duty, however a representative from the Royal Bahamas Police Force said they could not confirm this until they have sufficient information.

Police Commissioner

Clayton Fernander last month revealed a 14 percent overall increase in sex crimes last year, with 204 cases reported. The year before 179 incidents were recorded.

Specifically for rape, there were 55 incidents reported in 2022, representing a 15 percent increase over 2021.

TEEN NOT GRANTED BAIL ON KEY WEST STREET SHOOTING DEATH

By PAVEL BAILEY Tribune Court Reporter pbailey@tribunemedia.net

AN 18-year-old was charged yesterday in connection with a fatal shooting on Key West Street earlier this month.

Antwan Adderley stood before Chief Magistrate Joyann Ferguson-Pratt on charges of murder and and attempted murder while being concerned with others.

According to police reports, on February 14 at around 2.30pm it is alleged that Adderley, with another male, armed with a high-powered rifle and a handgun, got out of a vehicle on Key West Street. There, it is said, the pair opened fire on Gordon McKenzie and Ingramson Toussaint as they sat outside in the yard.

While both victims in this matter were taken to hospital for gunshot injuries, McKenzie died later the

Eight of the victims were tourists, while 39 percent of the victims knew the assailant.

Additionally, police reported that there were 139 unlawful sexual intercourse cases - an 11 percent increase over the 2021 numbers.

Commissioner Fernander called the sex crime

same day.

Due to the gravity of the offence, Adderley was not required to enter a plea. The judge did not have the jurisdiction to grant bail, however the accused can apply for it in the Supreme Court. He was sent to the Bahamas Department of Correctional Services until then.

He is expected to be presented with a voluntary bill of indictment to fast track the case to the Supreme Court on April 18.

MAN HELD WITHOUT BAIL ON SEXUAL ASSAULT CHARGE

By PAVEL BAILEY Tribune Court Reporter pbailey@tribunemedia.net

A 59-year-old man was remanded to prison after being accused of attempting to sexually assault a 33-year-old woman in Nassau earlier this month.

Timothy Hall faced Chief Magistrate Joyann Ferguson-Pratt on a charge of

By PAVEL BAILEY Tribune Court Reporter pbailey@tribunemedia.net

A 17-year-old has been accused of robbing a laundromat earlier this month.

The juvenile stood before Magistrate Kara TurnquestDeveaux in the presence of his guardian on a charge of armed robbery.

It is alleged that on February 19 in New Providence at the Jet Wash laundromat,

attempted rape. On February 3 in New Providence, it is alleged that Hall tried to force a woman to have sex with him. Due to the nature of the offence, the accused was not required to enter a plea before the magistrate. He was informed that his matter would be transferred to the Supreme Court by way of a voluntary bill of indictment (VBI).

the accused, while being concerned with another and armed with a handgun, robbed Pamela Taylor of $500 cash belonging to the business. As the charge is an indictable offence, the teenage defendant was not required to enter a plea in court. He was told his matter would be transferred to the Supreme Court by a voluntary bill of indictment (VBI).

The chief magistrate did not have the jurisdiction to grant bail, however the accused was told that he can apply for it in the Supreme Court.

He was sent to the Bahamas Department of Correctional Services in the interim.

He is expected to have his VBI presented on April 18.

The accused was also told that as the magistrate lacked the jurisdiction to grant bail for this offence, the accused had the right to apply for it through the higher court.

Until bail is granted, the accused will be sent to the Simpson Penn Centre for Boys.

Service of the VBI in this matter is slated for June 1.

numbers alarming and pleaded with parents to keep a close eye on their children.

“The unlawful sexual intercourse (victims) are young ladies under the age of 16. We want to send a message to the parents –please try to monitor your children on social media.

Watch their habits on

social media,” he said last month.

“I want to send a strong message to the men out there who continue to prey on our little darlings, our young people, to stop now because if you don’t, we will find you and you will be prosecuted to the full extent of the law.”

Photo: Vandyke Hepburn

Elaine Hinsey - a woman who lets her work speak for itself

A WOMAN who lets her work speak for itself, looks for no praise, and humbly goes about her day with a deep reverence for God and a love and respect for others, gets her flowers today.

In this edition of Face to Face with Felicity, Elaine Hinsey is not sharing her own personal story, as is the norm with my weekly insights into the lives of ordinary people doing extraordinary things. Her work colleagues are singing her praises as she prepares to retire after giving some 27 dedicated years to the Public Service.

She spent most of those years - twenty to be exact - in the Department of Gender and Family Affairs, formerly the Bureau of Women’s Affairs, which was established as a Women’s Desk in 1981.

As International Women’s Day approaches, the Department of Gender and Family Affairs (DGFA), which falls under the portfolio of the Ministry of Social Services and Urban Development, thought it fitting to hail one of the unsung heroes in women’s advocacy and empowerment in the Commonwealth of The Bahamas.

The mandate of the DGFA includes Gender-Based Violence Prevention and Intervention and Empowerment of women, men, girls and boys. The department works tirelessly towards policy formation, partnering with NGOs, and hosting events that support gender and family goals.

On this occasion, the Department turns inward to focus on a woman who has provided tremendous support to making all these goals possible. When one meets Elaine, it becomes immediately apparent why she is admired and respected by many, including myself. She is unbiased and responsive to the needs of all within her care. She lives

Face to Face

By FELICITY DARVILLE

selflessly and embodies the kind of woman changing the world, one person at a time, as we are called to celebrate on this International Women’s Day.

International Women’s Day (IWD), celebrated on March 8, commemorates the social, economic, cultural, and political achievements of women all around the world. The United Nations IWD theme for 2023 is ‘DigitALL: Innovation and technology for gender equality’.

Elaine has performed in various positions in reception and administrative duties for the Public Service through a myriad of changes in technology. She was engaged in the Unemployment Work Assistant Programme for ten years before being appointed to the Public Service with effect from January 2, 2006.

During her professional tenure, Elaine assisted with the growth of the Bureau of Women’s Affairs. It was pushing steadily towards providing a fair and equal society for the women of The Bahamas. Eventually, the entire family was included in this important work, and the Department of Gender and Family Affairs was formed.

Elaine held the position of receptionist under the leadership of the then Officer-in-Charge of the Bureau, Phedra Rahming-Turnquest. Elaine played a fundamental role in the operation of the Department.

She was the first person you met whether it was by

telephone or an office visit, and she made a lasting impression on the hearts and minds of those with whom she came into contact.

“Elaine, you have been a consummate professional; your dedication was unquestionable and your exuberant personality complemented your work,” said Mrs Rahming-Turnquest, who is still in the public service as a permanent secretary.

“You were a welcome addition to the small staff of the Bureau in the early 2000s. Today, you are recognised for the many files you kept which ensured that the history of the section and its work were duly recorded; for the calls you made to representatives of NGOs to ensure that they attended the Women’s Monthly Forum, National Women’s Advisory Council Meetings and any event hosted by the Bureau and, generally, for all the work you did in support of our efforts to provide awareness of and advocacy for the rights of women in The Bahamas. You worked behind the scenes, never wanting or expecting recognition for the stellar job. You are the unsung heroine!”

Elaine is like an “engine” that has kept the department going for the past two decades, says first assistant secretary Melvelyn Symonette. “She knows where to look for every document and does not stop until she finds what is needed!

Elaine is definitely a treasure,” she said.

“She takes pride in her work and does it as the Late Martin Luther King Jr. alluded to in his speech regarding the street sweeper, that he should be the best street sweeper he can be,” she added.

“Ms Hinsey has played countless roles in the lives of her co-workers, such as a colleague, friend, counsellor, advisor, confidant - to name a few. It isn’t by size that you win or you fail. Be the best of whatever you are. By doing this, in his words, Elaine has mastered the length of life.”

She has put God first in all she has done, as DGFA consultant Dr Deborah Bartlett alludes: “She is a God-fearing woman who is a consummate professional. Her demeanour

towards her colleagues, people and her responsibilities is consistently expressions of kindness, love and excellence.”

“Her passion for mentoring men is exceptional,” Dr Bartlett added.

“One day, she introduced me to two young men whom she was preparing for home ownership. In fact, it is because of her advocacy, that an Empowerment Seminar was held last November, and which will be developed into a programme. Ms Hinsey inspires and coaches them to save towards making their dream a reality. Her influence on inspiring and transforming lives will undoubtedly impact generations. It is highly likely that those two young men would have changed, through her mentorshipmen who are not afraid to dream, wake up and work their dream into a reality!”

Former DGFA director Dr Jacinta Higgs made great strides in the office during her tenure, with Elaine at her side. Elaine’s passion in pouring into the lives of her fellow Bahamians was a commendable and laudable trait that Dr Higgs treasured.

Christine Campbell, former officer-in-charge of the Bureau of Women’s Affairs and retired deputy permanent secretary, also thought it fitting to commemorate Elaine and extend well wishes for her retirement.

“Like the Northern Star, Ms Elaine Hinsey has been the one constant at the DGFA, formerly the Bureau of Women’s Affairs,” she said.

“Ms Hinsey’s job title of clerk does not adequately describe the many roles she fulfills at the department daily. She is the records manager, librarian and historian. She is a mentor, adviser and a dependable staff member. She is the link that connects the department with non-government organisations (NGOs). Affable, empathetic and mannerly, she is able to encourage many of them to regularly attend the monthly meetings, thus ensuring there is full attendance.

“Ms Hinsey has a very strong sense of self, which does not waiver despite the ever changing seasons of life or the ‘slings and arrows’ it may bring. She remains constant and true to her God and her beliefs. Ms Hinsey will be retiring shortly from the Department of Gender and Family Affairs, Ministry of Social Services. I thank her

for her contribution to the growth and development of the department. I wish her continued success and blessings in the future.”

Elaine is also praised by Gender Expert Elaine Sands, who called her a “woman of honour and commitment”.

“She is one of vision and compassion who gives wise counsel to all she comes into contact with. She knows her job and executes it with perfection. She will surely be missed,” she said.

“Here’s to the lady so worthy of praise,” adds education officer VeChenda Roberts.

“Ms Hinsey is a very dedicated and dependable lady. I am proud of the genuine love and commitment she has for the DGFA. We are a very small staff, so we are like a family. We are all going to miss her constant encouraging words, her inspiration and her great support.”

Ms Roberts added these words of advice: “Please remember, it is now time for you to do the things you love to do.”

“She is one of vision and compassion who gives wise counsel to all she comes into contact with. She knows her job and executes it with perfection.”

ELAINE HINSEY, above, and, right, standing from left, Elaine Hinsey, Sheryl Knowles, VeChenda Roberts, Markayla Major, Shelby Beneby and Altenia Edwards, (sitting) Elaine Sands, Bishop Chadwick James and Melvely Symonette.

FROM left, Elaine Hinsey, clerk at the Department of Gender and Family Affairs; former director Gaynel Curry; former administrative assistant Aneesah Abdullah, and current first assistant secretary Melvylyn Symonette.

Too soon to judge if China’s involvement is positive or not

THE world headlines said it all on Friday. On February 24, one year ago, life for millions of people changed in an instant when Russia launched its fullscale invasion of Ukraine, expecting to take over the country in a matter of days. But, despite big advances at first, its assault on Kyiv itself was successfully repulsed and local Ukrainian forces later beat back attacks in other areas.

Such is the extent of the sympathy around the globe for Ukraine and the sense of outrage at the Russian action that many other countries far afield -- from Sydney to Stockholm -took pains to mark this first anniversary with sombre memorial ceremonies and a one-minute silence.

Other gestures of support, like footballers in Britain wearing armbands in the Ukrainian national colours, also abounded. On the anniversary, President Zelensky held a marathon news conference in Kyiv for the world’s media and there were many harrowing firsthand accounts of the terrible experiences of the huge numbers who were displaced or affected in many different ways by the conflict. One of the most poignant of these was at the press conference when Zelensky himself – surely the embodiment of commitment, courage, resilience and strength - revealed, in answer to a question, that his own worst moment was the massacre of civilians at Bucha, a small town outside Kyiv – what I saw, he said, was horrible.

The words being used time and again about the

war are not only loss and suffering amidst death, destruction and displacement of millions but also resistance, bravery and resolve on the Ukrainian side. Despite the refusal by a small number of countries to vote in favour of the latest UN resolution and condemn the invasion – not least China and India who abstained -- the main worldwide reaction to this sad anniversary has been almost unprecedented. It reflects the horror of the conflict that has affected people on an unimaginable scale. Given the massive publicity and the endless assessment of the current situation, there is no need to dwell on details today. But, according to all reports, the largest conflict in Europe since the Second World War has become a grinding and protracted war of attrition while Russia still occupies about one-fifth of Ukrainian territory. Nonetheless, there appears to be a new optimism in Kyiv about the likely future course of the war because of fresh commitments by the West about the speed and delivery of continuing supplies of weapons and other military support, including the arrival of tanks. With more promised, it is said they could be a game-changer on the battlefield. Moreover, new rounds of sanctions have been announced by the US and the EU.

At the beginning of another year of this war, there are two aspects that perhaps now merit further separate analysis; namely, the background to Putin’s decision-making and the

The Peter Young column

recent intervention by China.

In the past, I have mentioned the excellent reporting by Steve Rosenberg, the BBC’s Russia Editor in Moscow. In his latest assessment, he draws attention to Putin being at Russia’s helm for more than twenty years and portrays him as a sea captain steering the good ship Russia through the stormy waters of global unrest.

He has been seen by his own people as an oasis of stability and a safe harbour. But then the Kremlin captain set sail in a storm of his own making and headed straight for an iceberg. So why did he do this?

Rosenberg suggests that, with presidential elections on the horizon in 2024, he wanted a victory to show the captain was successfully steering the ship. He was intent on restoring Russia’s “historical frontiers” and genuinely regarded

BOYCOTT THREAT LOOMS OVER PARIS OLYMPICS

IN A troubled world, yet another international crisis is quietly brewing almost unnoticed – hardly to be compared with the horrors of war but nonetheless linked to Ukraine and potentially damaging. It relates to the next Olympic Games due to be held in Paris in 2024.

Some people may be surprised that the Olympics seem to have come around again so quickly after the Tokyo Games in 2021. But, of course, these had to be postponed from the year before because of the pandemic.

Earlier this month, the Polish foreign minister summed up the issue by saying that allowing athletes from Russia and Belarus (Russia’s close ally) to compete at the Paris Olympics could lead to a large-scale boycott and render the Games “pointless”.

President Zelensky has said that there is “no place” for these athletes at the Paris Games as long as Russia’s invasion of Ukraine continues.

He has won support from, among others, Poland, the Baltic states of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania as well as Denmark. They have called for a total ban on Russia and Belarus and have threatened a boycott of the Games if athletes from those countries are allowed to participate, since that would enable sport “to be used to legitimize and distract attention from Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine”.

They have also pushed back against an International Olympic Committee(IOC) plan to allow such athletes to compete in Paris as “neutrals” without flags or anthems.

The IOC has said it is working on a pathway towards this end and under certain other conditions. But that seems to represent a change of policy since, following the invasion, athletes from both countries have been excluded from many international sporting events after a previous

recommendation from the IOC.

This change seems to have been at the beginning of this year. Last week, the IOC president, Thomas Bach, said that the IOC stood in solidarity with Ukraine’s athletes but at the same time sport had to respect the human rights of all athletes who should not be discriminated against because of the passports they hold.

The IOC has also said that threatening a boycott goes against the fundamentals of the Olympic Movement and the principles it stands for and is a violation of the Olympic Charter. It adds that history has shown that previous boycotts have not achieved their political ends and have served only to punish the athletes concerned – although such a contention remains debatable.

As far as I can see, the current situation rests on a statement dated February 20 released by the governments of thirty-four nations who have pledged their support for the ban on Russian and Belarusian athletes to stay in place while the war continues. They are calling on the IOC to clarify its definition of “neutrality” as it seeks a way to allow these athletes back into international sports and, ultimately, next year’s Paris Olympics.

The statement said that the quickest way for Russia to get back into

Ukraine to be part of Russia. De-Nazification meant “de-Ukrainianisation”, and in his early years in office he apparently did not view NATO as a threat. He expected his “special military operation” to be lightning fast and that within weeks Ukraine would be back in the Russian orbit. But that turned out to be a grave miscalculation and fatal mistake. Now, the fact that Putin is blaming the West for the crisis – and portraying Russia as the victim of NATO aggression rather than even recognizing that Russia itself is the aggressor towards Ukraine - shows he is living in some sort of “alternative reality”; particularly, since it has been reported that before the war Ukraine had agreed a provisional deal with Russia to stay out of NATO.

Meanwhile, Zelensky said at his press conference that he hoped China could be part of any peace process. He said that he intends to meet President Xi Jinping to discuss Beijing’s proposals to end the war

- proposals which, he suggested, signalled that China was genuinely involved in the search for peace. These mention respect for “national sovereignty” but do not specifically call for withdrawal of Russian troops though they speak of “protection of national security interests” (meaning Russia) while opposing use of “unilateral sanctions” (meaning the West). The proposals followed the recent visit to Moscow by China’s top diplomat and his meetings with Putin and foreign minister Lavrov.

So far, it is reported that, since China still refuses to condemn the Russian invasion, the West doubts China’s motives and remains unimpressed. As a major adversary, it opposes what it regards as US hegemony in the world, and many now consider that its aim is to position itself as a global peacemaker and preach an alternative vision to a US-led world order. The immediate concern in the West is that China may send lethal weapons to Russia. This would be a

WELCOME TO ANOTHER SPRING

PERHAPS it is a shade early to write about the joys of spring. But I wonder whether others will have noticed recently that the days are getting noticeably longer – and what a pleasant thought it is that this year clocks in The Bahamas change from standard time to daylight saving time as soon as March 12.

“red line” for the US and its allies. But most analysts think it is unlikely – not least because it would lead to sanctions and the disruption of trade with the US and EU which are among China’s top trading partners. As the only possible hope at present of bringing this terrible war to a close, many will anxiously await further developments. But it is too soon to judge whether China’s involvement could be a positive step forward after all. As well as annexing Crimea, Russia has occupied parts of eastern Ukraine since 2014. Unless he is forced out through defeat on the battlefield, it seems that some sort of face-saving formula will have to be found for Putin. The evil he has perpetrated is beyond comprehension. Whatever justification he claims for continuing this unprovoked and unnecessary conflict, which has caused death and destruction on an enormous scale and has inflicted so much misery on so many, this war has to end.

international sports would be to end the war it started. Signatories included the US, Britain, France, Canada and Germany. Those five countries brought nearly one-fifth of all athletes to the Tokyo Games. Poland, the Baltic states and Denmark also signed the statement though, reportedly, it did not mention a boycott.

Interestingly, last week EU lawmakers condemned the IOC’s efforts to reintegrate Russia into world sports.

As for Britain’s stance, the Culture Secretary has told the IOC that the UK government will continue to support the ban and have urged it to reconsider its position while taking account of the seriousness of the situation on the ground in Ukraine.

According to UK press reports, the British government believes that the IOC’s plans are “not credible” and has serious concerns that these could see a route back into elite sports for the athletes of Russia and Belarus.

Boycotts of sporting events for political reasons have always been controversial even though it is generally accepted that sport and politics are to an extent intertwined. There is a continuing debate about their justification and effectiveness -- and it will be interesting to see how the dispute surrounding this potential boycott pans out

Here, of course, winter is the high season for tourism, with fine and stable warm weather and cool nights – and many consider it is the best and most comfortable time of year. But it is a very different story for people living further north who have had to endure the rigours of an invariably long and hard winter. For them, the onset of spring is

a blessed relief, with more daylight to enjoy and the prospect of summer on the horizon. Spring also heralds hope and new beginnings – and, of course, it brings with it the resurgence of Nature as wildlife emerges from its winter hibernation.

A friend of mine has just sent me evidence in England of the arrival of this most welcome of seasons from watching the renewed activity of birds and animals in his garden together with spring flowers heralding the start of warmer weather.

For people in England this means, in particular, daffodils. So I take the liberty of repeating what I wrote a year ago about the description of these

flowers by William Wordsworth, one of England’s best loved poets, in his work “I wandered lonely as a cloud”. This poem is also commonly known as “Daffodils” and it is loved by so many because of the picture it paints of the beauty of Nature together with its encouraging message of fresh beginnings and hope for the future.

Wordsworth’s famous line in his autobiographical work, The Prelude, that “Bliss it was in that dawn to be alive, but to be young was very heaven” was written in the context of the French Revolution. But some suggest that it could equally reflect his love of Nature in all its springtime glory.

A well-established Law Firm in New Providence seeks a Research Assistant.

Major Duties:

• Conduct research on regulations, laws, and legal articles (i.e. company, asset, cause list etc.)

• Manage and document research information and prepare reports relevant to cases.

• Prepare draft and proofread correspondence and legal documents for billing (Title, cause List, Company, Probate Searches)

• Manage, organize, and maintain documents

in a paper or electronic filing system.

Candidate must be hardworking, independent, and reliable.

Interested persons should submit resumes to employment@bahamaslaw.com by Friday March 13th, 2023.

CHINESE President Xi Jinping, right, and Russian President Vladimir Putin pose for a photo prior to their talks in Beijing, China, February 4, 2022. One year into Russia’s war against Ukraine, China is offering a 12-point proposal to end the fighting.

Photo: Alexei Druzhinin/AP

RUSSIAN Kamila Valieva competes in the women’s free skate program during the figure skating competition at the Russian Figure Skating Grand Prix, on October 23, 2022. The international Olympic Committee is weighing whether Russian athletes should be allowed to compete in the 2024 Summer Olympics.

Photo: Alexander Zemlianichenko/AP

Italy migrant tragedy death toll over 60; dozens missing

ITALY Associated Press

THE DEATH toll rose to at least 64 in the migrant tragedy off Italy’s southern coast after rescue crews recovered several more bodies Monday, driving home once again the desperate and dangerous boat crossings of people seeking to reach Europe. Dozens more were believed to be missing.

At least eight of the dead were children who perished after a wooden boat broke up in stormy seas on the shoals off the Calabrian coast Sunday. Eighty people survived.

“Many of them didn’t know how to swim and they saw people disappear in the waves; they saw them die,” said Giovanna Di Benedetto of Doctors Without Borders, which sent psychologists to help survivors.

More were feared dead given survivor accounts that the boat, which set off from Turkey last week, was carrying about 170 people. State TV quoted Carabinieri paramilitary police as saying Monday night that the death toll had risen to 64 after two more bodies were recovered, including that of a 14-year-old boy.

Authorities in the southern city of Crotone asked relatives to provide descriptions and photos of loved ones to help identify the dead in a makeshift morgue at a sports arena.

Fazal Amin, himself a migrant from Pakistan, waited outside the stadium in Crotone for information about a friend’s brother

in Turkey whose phone stopped working.

“He just wants to know if he is dead or alive,” Amin said.

Italian authorities rejected criticism of a delayed rescue, noting they had dispatched two rescue boats shortly after the European Union’s border agency spotted the 20-foot boat Saturday night as it headed toward shore. The rescuers had to turn back because of the rough seas, the authorities said.

The beach at Steccato di Cutro, on Calabria’s Ionian coast, was littered Monday with the splintered remains of the migrant vessel as well as with passengers’ belongs: a toddler’s tiny pink sneaker, Mickey Mouse pajama pants and a yellow plastic pencil case decorated with pandas. A few life jackets were scattered amid the debris.

The United Nations and Doctors Without Borders said many of the victims were Afghans, including members of large families, as well as Pakistanis, Syrians and Iraqis. Afghans were the second top nationality to seek asylum in the EU last year, and have increasingly fled the spiralling security, humanitarian and economic troubles that followed the Taliban takeover in August 2021.

Sixteen Pakistanis survived the shipwreck, Pakistani Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif said Monday on Twitter. Sharif said the survivors told authorities that 20 people from the country had boarded the vessel.

On Monday, two coast guard vessels searched the seas north to south off Steccato di Cutro while a helicopter flew overhead and a four-wheel vehicle patrolled the beach. A strong wind whipping the seas churned up splinters of the boat, gas tanks, food containers and shoes.

Firefighters were not optimistic about finding additional survivors.

“I think no, because the sea conditions are too difficult,” said provincial fire Cmdr. Roberto Fasano. “But we can never abandon this hope.”

Italy’s Sky TG24 said at least three people had been detained on suspicion they helped organize the trip from Izmir, Turkey.

Italy is a prime destination for migrant smugglers, especially for traffickers launching boats from Libyan shores, but also from Turkey. According to

UN figures, arrivals from the Turkish route accounted for 15% of the 105,000 migrants who arrived on Italian shores last year, with nearly half of those fleeing from Afghanistan.

Would-be refugees departing from Turkey have increasingly taken the far longer and more dangerous Mediterranean journey to Italy to avoid Greece, where authorities have been repeatedly accused of pushing back migrant boats to Turkey. Overcrowded refugee camps in Greece and the increasing difficulty to join family in Western and Northern Europe have also led more people to pay smugglers thousands of euros to get to Italy instead.

The dynamic of the disaster was still coming into focus Monday. The EU’s Frontex border agency confirmed it had spotted the ship heading toward the Calabrian coast on

Saturday at 10:26 p.m. and alerted Italian authorities. It said the ship, while “heavily overcrowded,” showed no signs of distress.

The Frontex plane left the scene at 11:11 pm because of a fuel shortage, according to the agency, which also confirmed to The Associated Press that the Italian patrol boats had to turn back because of rough weather conditions.

The rescue operation was declared early Sunday after the remains of the boat were discovered on the shore near Crotone, Frontex said.

Interior Minister Matteo Piantedosi defended the rescue. A placard outside the makeshift morgue in Crotone on Monday read:

“People at risk at sea must be rescued. Assassins!”

“It was impossible to conduct any possible manoeuvre to get close (to the migrant ship) or to carry

out a rescue due to the sea conditions,” Piantedosi told reporters late Sunday. “We always have to consider that rescues ... must avoid putting at risk the lives of the rescuers.”

The minister also angered opposition politicians and humanitarian groups with his reply to a question about the motivations that drive migrants to undertake such perilous journeys.

“Desperation can never justify conditions of voyage that put your own children’s lives in danger,” he said.

The first rescue crews to arrive were devastated by how many children had drowned, said Firefighter Inspector Giuseppe Larosa, who was on the beach Monday morning. He said the rescuers noticed that the bodies of the dead had scratches all over them, as if they had tried to hang onto the boat.

“It was a spine-chilling scene,” Larosa said.

He said the reaction of the survivors also haunted him.

“The terror in their eyes and the fact that they were mute,” he said. “Silent.”

Such silence is evidence of the trauma the migrants endured, said Sergio Di Dato, project leader of the Doctors Without Borders psychological team. He said he spoke to a Syrian survivor in his 20s who watched his 6-year-old brother slowly die from the cold after drifting for hours in the waves on a piece of wood. The two had been hoping to reach Germany.

GOV RON DESANTIS TAKES OVER DISNEY DISTRICT, PUNISHING COMPANY

FLORIDA Associated Press

FLORIDA Gov. Ron DeSantis on Monday signed a bill that gives him control of Walt Disney World’s self-governing district, punishing the company over its opposition to the so-called “Don’t Say Gay” law.

The bill requires DeSantis, a Republican, to appoint a five-member board to oversee the government services that the Disney district provides in its sprawling theme park properties in Florida.

“Today the corporate kingdom finally comes to an end,” he said at a bill signing ceremony in Lake Buena Vista. “There’s a new sheriff in town, and accountability will be the order of the day.”

PUERTO RICO

Associated Press

GÉRARD Latortue, a former interim prime minister of Haiti who helped rebuild and unite the country after a violent coup in the mid-2000s, has died. He was 88.

Prime Minister Ariel Henry announced Latortue’s death Monday, saying it was a tremendous loss for the nation. He described Latortue as “a reformer, a convinced patriot, an eminent technocrat, a voice of change, of development (and) a supporter of democracy.”

Latortue was a former exile who was sworn in as interim prime minister in March 2004 following months of bloodshed and political strife that left more than 300 dead and culminated in the ouster of former President Jean-Bertrand Aristide. The turmoil at the time prompted the US military to escalate its mission in Haiti.

In a July 2004 interview with The Associated Press in Washington, Latortue vowed to fight corruption and disarm powerful gangs as he requested $1.3 billion from the international community to help rebuild Haiti after the violent revolt.

In September 2005, he welcomed former US State Secretary Condoleezza Rice

to Haiti, where she stressed the need for local officials to accelerate the process to hold general elections.

Latortue said at the time that his administration shared the same concerns as the US government and the international community, and that the administration would honour the results of the upcoming elections.

“This government has no concerns whatsoever as to who will be the next president. Whoever that is, we will greet that person with open arms and pass power on to him or her,” Latortue said at the time.

In February 2006, Haiti held general elections to replace the interim government of Latortue, who was succeeded by former Prime Minister Jacques-Édouard Alexis. The provisional president, Boniface Alexandre, was succeeded by former President René Préval.

On Tuesday, former Prime Minister Jack Guy Lafontant tweeted that Latortue was “a pragmatic politician who knew how, in a very difficult context, to lead the country to free and democratic elections.”

Latortue had previously served as Haiti’s foreign minister, as a business consultant in Miami and as an official with the UN Industrial Development Organization in Africa.

The signing came as DeSantis gears up for an expected presidential run and marks a highprofile legislative victory for a governor whose leveraging of cultural and political divides has pushed him to the fore of national Republican politics.

The takeover of the Disney district began last year when the entertainment giant, facing intense pressure, publicly opposed “Don’t Say Gay,” which bars instruction on sexual orientation and gender identity in kindergarten through third grade and lessons deemed not age-appropriate.

DeSantis moved quickly to penalize the company, directing lawmakers in the GOP-dominated Legislature to dissolve Disney’s self-governing district during a special legislative session, beginning a closely watched restructuring process. DeSantis and other Republican critics of Disney slammed the company for coming out against the education law, calling it a purveyor of “woke” ideology that inject inappropriate subjects into children’s entertainment.

This month, the governor called on lawmakers to return to the Capitol for another special session

to finalize state control of the district, as well as approve legislation around some of his other key legislative priorities on immigration and voter fraud.

In taking on Disney, DeSantis furthered his reputation as a culture warrior willing to battle perceived political enemies and wield the power of state government to accomplish political goals, a strategy that is expected to continue ahead of his potential White House run. The feud also reinforced the governor’s brash, go-it-alone leadership style, penalizing a massive employer, tourism driver and political donor in the state over the company’s stance on a piece of legislative policy.

DeSantis, whose book, “The Courage to be Free,” is coming out Tuesday, has moved in recent weeks to expand his political network through fundraisers and meetings with donors, elected officials and conservative influencers, adding to the speculation around his larger political aspirations.

The coming months will be critical to DeSantis as he builds his profile out beyond Florida. He is expected to utilize the coming regular legislative session, which begins next week, to bolster his conservative agenda before he announces his candidacy for president.

The new law changes the district’s name from the Reedy Creek Improvement District to the Central Florida

Tourism Oversight District and subjects it to various layers of state oversight. Board members were previously named through entities controlled by Disney.

It leaves the district and its financial abilities and debt obligations intact, addressing a chief concern of surrounding governments. It also prevents people who have worked with or contracted with a theme park in the past three years from serving on the district’s new governing board.

At his news conference, DeSantis said he would appoint Tampa attorney Martin Garcia as the chairman of the district’s new governing board, along with new board members Bridget Ziegler, a conservative school board member and wife of the Florida Republican party chairman Christian Ziegler; Brian Aungst Jr, an attorney and son of a former two-term Republican mayor of Clearwater; Mike Sasso, an attorney; and Ron Peri, head of The Gathering USA ministry.

Having a separate government allows the district to issue bonds and provide zoning, fire protection, utilities and infrastructure services on its land. Republican critics of the district argue it gives Disney a commercial advantage unavailable to others.

Disney did not immediately return an emailed request for comment.

The creation of the selfgoverning district was instrumental in Disney’s decision to build near Orlando in the 1960s. The company had told the state it planned to build a futuristic city that would include a transit system and urban planning innovations, so the company needed autonomy in building and deciding how to use the land. The futuristic city never

materialized and instead morphed into a second theme park that opened in 1982.

GÉRARD LATORTUE, FORMER INTERIM HAITIAN PREMIER, DIES AT 88

THE WRECKAGE from a capsized boat washes ashore at a beach near Cutro, southern Italy, Sunday. Rescue officials say an undetermined number of migrants have died and dozens have been rescued after their boat broke apart off southern Italy.

Photo: Antonino Durso/AP

GOVERNOR Ron DeSantis has signed a bill to give himself control of Walt Disney World’s self-governing district, punishing the company over its opposition to the so-called “Don’t Say Gay” law. The bill requires DeSantis, a Republican, to appoint a five-member board to oversee the government services that the Disney district provides in its sprawling theme park properties in Florida. The governor signed the legislation on yesterday.

Photo: Wilfredo Lee/AP

HAITIAN interim Prime Minister Gerard Latortue attending the 11th general conference of the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) at the Austria Center in Vienna, November 28, 2005. Latortue, also a former UN official, has died at age 88, according to Haiti’s Prime Minister Ariel Henry yesterday.

Photo: Rudi Blaha/AP

ST AUGUSTINE’S COLLEGE BIG RED MACHINE, EIGHT MILE ROCK BLUEJAYS ARE CHAMPIONS

ST Augustine’s College Big Red Machine and the Eight Mile Rock Bluejays emerged as the respective senior and junior girls’ champions of the HOYTES/Geneva Rutherford Basketball Tournament that was held over the weekend in Grand Bahama.

The Big Red Machine knocked off the St John’s Giants 38-15 behind the most valuable player (MVP) performance from Antonicia Moultrie, who led their attack.

Reyannah Green scored five points in the loss. The CR Walker Knights were the runners-up after they nipped the St George’s Jaguars 9-8. Shenell Stewart scored seven in the win and Demetria Rolle had five in the loss. In the junior girls’ series, Eight Mile Rock won the title with a 38-15 decision over the DW Davis Royals. Skyler Curry was named the MVP. Kenisha Capron scored six in the loss.

CR Walker Knights senior girls’ team.

ANTONICIA Moultrie receives her MVP award alongside her mother and coach Annie Sands-Moultrie as they collect the championship trophy.

EIGHT Mile Rock junior girls’ basketball team.

ST John’s Lady Giants girls’ basketball team.

ST John’s Lady Giants girls’ team.

LaMelo Ball breaks ankle in Hornets’ 117-106 win over Pistons

By STEVE REED AP Sports Writer

CHARLOTTE, N.C.

(AP) — LaMelo Ball made six 3-pointers before breaking his right ankle in the third quarter, and the Charlotte Hornets held on to beat the Detroit Pistons 117-106 last night for their fifth straight victory.

Terry Rozier scored 22 points, Gordon Hayward had 19 points and rookie Mark Williams added 15 points and 11 rebounds for Charlotte, which is still second-to-last in the Eastern Conference standings — ahead of only Detroit.

Ball finished with 18 points on 6-of-7 shooting from 3-point range, his fifth straight game making at least five 3s. He was hurt on a non-contact play in the third, and the Hornets announced after the game that X-rays revealed a fracture to his right ankle.

Hayward said Charlotte’s players didn’t find out about the severity of the injury until after the game, with most of them figuring Ball had just tweaked something.

“It’s certainly disappointing because he’s a major part of our team and we felt like we were rounding the corner,” Hayward said.

Ball’s other ankle has been bothersome this season — he’s sprained his left ankle three ties, limiting him to 36 games.

This time, he hurt his right ankle as he was he was dribbling and attempting to make a move near half court.

Ball fell down, but managed to prevent the ball from going out of bounds. He left the game and did not return.

Hornets coach Steve Clifford didn’t say how long Ball would be out.

Charlotte has 19 games left and isn’t in playoff contention, so it would be hard to imagine the team rushing him back.

“It’s just a basketball ankle and there is nothing that you can do about that,” Clifford said.

Hamidou Diallo scored 23 points, and James Wiseman had his best game since coming to Detroit from Golden State as part of a four-team trade,

finishing with 23 points on 9-of-11 shooting.

Marvin Bagley added 21 points and 12 rebounds off the bench for Detroit, which has lost five straight.

The Pistons trailed by 24 in the second half before cutting the lead to five on a driving left-handed layup by Killian Hayes with five minutes remaining.

But Rozier answered with a short jumper and Kelly Oubre Jr canned a 3-pointer from the corner to push the lead back to double digits. Rozier put the game away when he

drove the right side of the lane and scored and drew a foul for a 3-point play, putting the Hornets up 10 with 46 seconds left. Ball had an interesting start to the game.

After knocking down an early 3, he turned the ball over on three straight possessions, slapping his hands together in a moment of frustration after the third miscue. But the former All-Star point guard bounced right back, connecting on three 3s on Charlotte’s next four possessions to spark a 34-8

LILLARD SETS BLAZERS RECORDS WITH 71 POINTS, 13 3S IN WIN

run to end the first quarter and give the Hornets a 20-point lead.

The Hornets were 7 of 7 from 3-point range in the first quarter and 13 of 26 for the game.

The Pistons shot 11.5% (3 of 26) from long range.

“We did not have a good shooting night,” Pistons coach Dwane Casey said. “For us to be successful, we’ve got to have a balance between interior scoring and also 3-point shooting, and we did not have that from the outside for whatever reason.”

Serbia grabs the last spot in Basketball World Cup field

By TIM REYNOLDS AP Basketball Writer

THE Basketball World Cup field is now filled, with Serbia grabbing the last spot in this summer’s 32-team tournament.

Serbia clinched the berth with a 101-83 win over Great Britain yesterday.

The win means two-time reigning NBA MVP Nikola Jokic of the Denver Nuggets will have the chance to play for a World Cup this summer, when the tournament gets held in the Philippines, Japan and Indonesia.

Serbia’s win in Belgrade eliminated Belgium, the last team that still had a chance to qualify.

Most teams at the World Cup will use NBA players when they can. The U.S. used G League and internationally based players almost exclusively in its qualifying games, but it will go to a roster of NBA players for the tournament this summer. “We’re looking forward to competing for another gold medal,” USA Basketball men’s coach Steve Kerr said in a video released by the federation last night. Kerr also lauded the work of US qualifying team coach Jim Boylen, who led the Americans in all 12 of their games in those cycles.

Spain is the defending champion. The U.S. finished seventh at the last World Cup in 2019.

THE FIELD

Serbia qualifying means 10 of the top 11 teams in

FROM PAGE 16

prestigious Ballon d’Or in October ahead of the World Cup. The France forward missed the tournament because of injury. Messi was not on the long list of Ballon d’Or candidates announced in August.

Robert Lewandowski won the FIFA award the last two years, and Cristiano Ronaldo was left off the 14-player shortlist for the award this year for the first time.

Messi broke a record he shared with Ronaldo by making the men’s world best XI for the 16th time.

The team included Belgium’s Thibaut Courtois, Morocco’s Achraf Hakimi, Portugal’s João Cancelo,

the world rankings reached the World Cup. The exception was No. 4 Argentina, the silver medalist in 2019. No. 1 Spain, No. 2 United States, No. 3 Australia, No. 5 France, No. 6 Serbia, No. 7 Slovenia, No. 8 Lithuania, No. 9 Greece, No. 10 Italy and No. 11 Germany have qualified.

There will be two firstround groups that include two of those teams. And none of the four teams involved in that scenario will be thrilled when they see that draw.

The lowest-ranked teams in the field are four of the five African qualifiers: No. 43 Ivory Coast, No. 55 Egypt, No. 63 South Sudan and No. 66 Cape Verde.

HELLO

Cape Verde, South Sudan, Georgia and Latvia are in the tournament for the first time.

THEY’RE BACK

There are 23 teams that were in the 2019 World Cup and have qualified again for this year’s event, a list led by the United States and Brazil — the only nations to appear in all 19 editions of the tournament.

Spain has been to each of the last 11 World Cups.

Puerto Rico has been to each of the last 10.

The other 19 nations that are back from 2019: Angola, New Zealand, France, Greece, Australia, Lithuania, Serbia, Iran, Dominican Republic, Philippines, Montenegro, Jordan, Venezuela, Japan, Ivory Coast, Germany, China, Italy and Canada.

Dutchman Virgil van Dijk, Belgium’s Kevin de Bruyne, Croatia’s Luka Modric, Brazil’s Casemiro, Norway’s Erling Haaland and France’s Mbappé and Benzema.

Earlier Monday, French prosecutors opened a preliminary investigation into a rape accusation against Hakimi, a defender at Paris Saint-Germain.

Messi voted for former Barcelona teammate Neymar as his choice for best player.

Only Brazil captain Thiago Silva also voted on Neymar. Russia’s coach and captain were not banned from voting in the award.

Putellas won her award from Alex Morgan of the United States and Beth Mead, who led England to

Finland, Slovenia, Egypt and Mexico are back in the field after last reaching the World Cup in 2014. Lebanon is back, after its most recent appearance was in 2010.

THEY’RE NOT BACK

These nine nations appeared in the 2019 tournament and won’t be back this summer: Argentina, South Korea, Turkey, Senegal, Nigeria, Tunisia, Poland, the Czech Republic and Russia.

FIBA banned Russia’s teams and officials from its competitions last year in response to that country’s invasion of Ukraine.

THE TOURNAMENT

The group phase — eight groups of four teams — runs from Aug. 25 through

the European Championship title in 2022.

Barcelona playmaker Putellas made the top three again despite being injured days before the Euro and missing the tournament. She scored 34 goals across all competitions last season.

Mead was the joint top scorer at the Euro, and was named the tournament’s best player.

She sustained a serious knee injury in November while playing for Arsenal and could miss the Women’s World Cup in July in Australia and New Zealand.

Morgan, who was second in the 2019 vote to teammate Megan Rapinoe, was player of the tournament when the U.S. won the CONCACAF W

Aug. 30. The second round is Aug. 31 through Sept. 4. Quarterfinal games will be played on Sept. 5 and 6. The semifinals are Sept. 8, and the championship and third-place game in Manila are Sept. 10. That’s about two weeks before NBA training camps are scheduled to open, barring a lockout this summer.

THE DRAW

Each nation will be assigned to a four-team opening-round group on April 29. The top two teams from each of those groups will make the second round.

The U.S. will play its group-stage games in the Philippines, and will stay there for the entirety of its

Championship last year. She was also the joint top scorer.

Earlier, Argentina coach Lionel Scaloni was voted FIFA men’s coach of the year after leading his team to the World Cup title in December. The women’s coach award went to Sarina Wiegman, who led the England to the title at the Women’s European Championship. Scaloni took over Argentina at the end of 2018 on an interim basis, and was widely criticized for lacking experience as he had never coached a professional team. Earlier Monday, his contract as the national team coach was extended to the end of the 2026 World Cup. The other coaches on the shortlist

stay in the tournament — as will the Philippines.

Slovenia and Japan will play group-stage games in Okinawa, Japan. Canada will play its group-stage games in Jakarta, Indonesia. All teams will find out their opponents, and all the other teams that don’t already know their groupstage destinations, at the April 29 draw.

AT STAKE

The World Cup will be a way for seven teams to qualify for the 2024 Paris Olympics. Of those, two will come from the Americas Region, two from Europe, one from Africa, one from Asia and one from Oceania.

The other five Olympic berths will be decided by qualifying tournaments this summer, with 40 nations set to be invited to play for those spots.

There are 39 nations that now have confirmed invitations: Argentina, Bahamas, Bahrain, Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Cameroon, Chile, Chinese Taipei, Colombia, Congo, Cuba, Czech Republic, Estonia, Great Britain, Guinea, Hungary, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Israel, Kazakhstan, Korea, Mali, Netherlands, Nigeria, North Macedonia, Panama, Poland, Portugal, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Sweden, Syria, Tunisia, Turkey, Uganda, Ukraine, Uruguay and the Virgin Islands.

The 40th spot is likely to go to Croatia, a decision that FIBA is set to finalise on April 28.

were Real Madrid’s Carlo Ancelotti and Manchester City’s Pep Guardiola.

The women’s goalkeeper award was given to Euro winner Mary Earps of England, and the best men’s goalkeeper was Argentina’s World Cup winner Emiliano Martínez.

The event in Paris was marked by tributes to Pelé, who died late last year at age 82 following a battle with colon cancer.

Pelé’s wife, Marcia Aoki, received a trophy honoring the soccer great from the hands of former Brazil striker Ronaldo.

“I have three words to say to God, who gave us Edson; to Edson, who gave us Pelé; and to the world, who received them so well: Grateful, grateful and grateful,” she said.

PORTLAND,

Ore. (AP) — Damian Lillard set franchise and career highs with 71 points — tied for the most in the NBA this season — and 13 3-pointers and the Portland Trail Blazers snapped a two-game skid with a 131-114 victory over the Houston Rockets on Sunday night.

Lillard tied Cleveland’s Donovan Mitchell for the most points in a game this season after Mitchell also scored 71 in a win over Chicago Jan. 2. Lillard broke his own franchise mark of 61 points, which he’d done twice, on a 3-pointer with 4:42 left that also topped his career record for 3s in a game with 11.

Lillard’s 13 3-pointers were one shy of the NBA record set by Golden State’s Klay Thompson in 2018. Thompson’s Warriors teammate Stephen Curry (2016) and Chicago’s Zach LaVine (2019) also made 13 3s.

Lillard left the game with 44 seconds left, tied with Mitchell, Elgin Baylor (1960) and David Robinson (1994) for the eighth-most points scored in a game in NBA history. Wilt Chamberlain has the league record with 100 for Philadelphia against New York on March 2, 1962, at Hershey, Pennsylvania.

KNICKS WIN 6TH STRAIGHT, DROP CELTICS FROM TOP SPOT IN NBA

NEW YORK (AP)

— Julius Randle and Immanuel Quickley each scored 23 points, and the surging New York Knicks knocked the Boston Celtics out of the top spot in the NBA with their sixth straight victory, 109-94, last night. Celtics All-Star Jayson Tatum struggled through a 6-for-18 shooting performance and was ejected in the fourth quarter after picking up his second technical foul. He finished with 14 points, nine assists and seven rebounds. Jalen Brunson added 17 points for the Knicks (3627), who inched ahead of Brooklyn into fifth place in the Eastern Conference.

DJOKOVIC FROM PAGE 16

equalling Rafael Nadal for the most by a man in tennis history. Djokovic is 12-0 so far in 2023, heading into this week’s tournament in Dubai.

He managed to get back to the top of the rankings despite not being able to enter a handful of big tournaments in 2022, including the Australian Open and U.S. Open, because is not vaccinated against COVID-19. Djokovic was able to compete at Melbourne Park this year after Australia relaxed its pandemic-era rules; his status for two key events in the United States that begin in March — at Indian Wells and Miami — is still in doubt, and he’s asked for permission to be allowed to travel to the country.

Djokovic also did not get any boost from his championship at Wimbledon in 2022, because no rankings points were awarded there. The ATP and WTA both withheld points in response to the All England Club’s decision to bar players from Russia and Belarus from competing as a result of the invasion of Ukraine. It is still not known whether those athletes will be allowed to play at Wimbledon this year.

Alcaraz, the 19-year-old from Spain who won last year’s U.S. Open, remained at No. 2 yesterday, followed by Australian Open runner-up Stefanos Tsitsipas and two-time major finalist Casper Ruud.

NUGGETS centre Nikola Jokic holds on to the ball as time runs out in overtime of an NBA basketball game against the Clippers on Sunday in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)

HORNETS guard LaMelo Ball holds his ankle after being shaken up on a play during the second half against the Detroit Pistons in Charlotte, N.C. last night. (AP Photo/Jacob Kupferman)

36TH HUGH CAMPBELL BASKETBALL CLASSIC @ KENDAL ISAACS GYM

MINISTER EXPECTS TO ‘HAVE 32 TEAMS INSTEAD OF 24’

By Tenajh Sweeting BOWLEG

IN the final game of the 39th Hugh Campbell Basketball Classic, the Sunland Baptist Academy Stingers defeated the GSSSA champions C.I. Gibson Rattlers. The Stingers led the entire game and beat the Rattlers 64-52. The 39th edition of the basketball classic was an exciting one after a two-year hiatus due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Minister of Youth, Sports and Culture Mario Bowleg talked about what he enjoyed about the competition.

“I think the competition was very keen with all the pools.

I think the pools were balanced

and as you can see I think the two better teams later to the finals put on a show and an exciting game for the fans and likes to see,” Bowleg said. The game between the teams was very fast paced as the Stingers had 15 fast break points and the Rattlers had 17. Bowleg congratulated both teams and talked about the future of the Hugh Campbell Basketball Classic.

“The tournament is still at a level that we could appreciate and as time goes on with it in its 39th year, again we’ll continue to go back to the days where we would have 32 teams instead of 24,” Bowleg said.

Minister Bowleg expressed the importance of having the Family Island basketball teams involved to make the tournament more exciting. “I expect the tournament to go back to that amount

of teams played which also makes it much more competitive which includes much more of the Family Islands being involved and give us that flavour of what it’s like to see basketball at all levels in the country,” Bowleg added. The Hugh Campbell Basketball Classic was played at the Kendal G.L. Isaacs Gymnasium due to renovations currently taking place over at the A.F. Adderley Gymnasium.

WE ARE THE CHAMPIONS: Most Valuable Player Donell

STINGERS

FROM PAGE 16

Vil added six points with four steals and a pair of rebounds and assists. “We can’t have 20 turnovers and cannot miss over 40 lay-ups and still win the game,” said Rattlers’ coach Kevin ‘KJ’ Johnson, who was out to win his first tournament title since 2014.

“Sunland are true champions. They made all of their shots, they took care of the ball and we didn’t do anything to compete. Hats off to them. They are the champions.”

Sunland applied the defensive pressure early in the fourth and caused CI Gibson to make a couple costly turnovers. But the Stingers didn’t help their own cause as they missed a couple of jumpers.

With two mìnutes to go, Kelly hit a jumper, the Stingers paid for it as Saunders went down with an injury. After he got up with some help from the team, Kelly canned another jumper for a 58-43 lead.

The Stingers tightened up their defence and the celebrations started in the final minute. Butler hit a tbreepointer for a 60-50 Rattlers deficit, but it was a little too late.

The Rattlers continued to press on and Joseph was the recipient of five consecutive points, including a threepoint play, to bring the Rattlers to a 35-29 deficit with about 4:40 on the clock on the third.

With 3:24 left, Roberts drove to the baseline for a one-handed slam dunk that pushed the Stingers ahead 39-29, much to the delight of the fans. One minute later, he canned a threepointer to extend their lead to 42-29. Roberts contributed eight in the period for Sunland as they enjoyed a 45-35 margin at tbe end of the final break. Delia had six for CI Gibson in the period.

In the second quarter, Sunland surged ahead 17-8, but CI Gibson stormed back 17-12 with 4:00 on Jude Vil’s lay-up.

One minute later, Delia got a steal and raced to the other end for a lay-up and a 19-16 deficit.

Great outside shooting led by Basden and Roberts enabled the Stingers to build their biggest lead of the game at 28-18.

But at the buzzer, Dieunel Joseph got an

offensive rebound and put back to bring CI Gibson within six, 28-22, at the half.

Basden collected nine points and Roberts had six up to that point for the Stingers. Delia had 10 and Joseph added nine at that point for the Rattlers.

As the two teams headed to the locker rooms for half-time, the Royal Bahamas Defence Force band entertained the crowd.

After falling behind, Delia converted a pair of free throws with 2:22 to put the Rattlers on the scoreboard for a 5-2 deficit. Dieunel Joseph hit two more for a 5-4 deficit. But with 1:00 left, Delia committed a three-point play for a 6-6 tie. With 47 seconds to go, Basden’s

Stingers,

three-pointer put the Stingers up 11-6 at the end of the quarter.

Basden and Jordan Saunders both had three in the period for Sunland. Delia had four for CI Gibson.

Prime Minister Philip ‘Brave’ Davis, Minister of Education Glenys HannaMartin and Minister of State, Zane Lightbourne, Minister of Youth, Sports and Culture Mario Bowleg, Minister of Social Services Obie Wilchcombe, Minister Keith Bell, Leonardo Lightbourne, Bacchus Rolle, Opposition Leader Michael Pintard and former Prime Minister Dr Hubert Minnis, were among the dignitaries on hand to view the nationally televised game at Kendal Isaacs Gym.

Basden, of the Sunland Baptist

shows off the nets last night after the Stingers stunned the CI Gibson Rattlers 64-52 to capture the

2023 Hugh Campbell Basketball Classic title at the Kendal Isaacs Gymnasium.

Photos: Austin Fernander/Tribune Staff

SUNLAND Baptist Stingers players celebrate last night after beating the CI Gibson Rattlers 64-52 to capture the 2023 Hugh Campbell Basketball Classic title.

MINISTER of Education Glenys Hanna-Martin shares a special moment with Most Valuable Player Donell Basden, of the Sunland Baptist Stingers.

Team Bahamas in the win column

BLTA’S NATIONAL TEAM WINS FIRST MATCH OF THE ITF JUNIOR DAVIS CUP TIE VS. JAMAICA

THE Bahamas Lawn Tennis Association’s national team won their first match of the International Tennis Federation’s Junior Davis Cup tie against Jamaica in Guatemala yesterday.

Jackson Mactaggart and Jerald Carroll pulled off a 6-2, 6-4 decision in doubles action to seal the victory.

The Bahamas split their singles matches. William McCartney lost 6-2, 6-4, but Carroll won 6-3, 6-2

to set the stage for the doubles. Bradley Bain is coaching the boys’ team.

The girls’ team, which is being coached by Marion Bain, is playing in the Junior Billie Jean King Cup.

The players on the team are Jalisa Clarke, BreAnn Ferguson and Sapphire Ferguson.

The week-long tournament, featuring 12 nations in the Jr BJK Cup and 27 in the Jr Davis Cup, will run through Saturday.

JACKSON MACTAGGART, Jerald and William McCartney.

BAHAMAS doubles team of Jackson Mactaggart and Jerald Carroll pose at left with their opponents.

BAHAMAS girls and boys teams at the Jr Billie Jean King and Davis Cup in Guatemala with coaches Marion Bain and Bradley Bain.

SPORTS

36TH HUGH CAMPBELL BASKETBALL CLASSIC @ KENDAL ISAACS GYM

Stingers stun Rattlers to win Hugh Campbell crown

By BRENT STUBBS Senior Sports Reporter bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

With a very well executed defensive plan from start to finish, the Sunland Baptist Stingers stunned the CI Gibson Rattlers 64-52 to capture the 2023 Hugh Campbell Basketball Classic last night at the Kendal Isaacs Gymnasium.

It was the second straight title for the Stingers, whose head coach Jay Philippe said it was sweeter than when they won it in 2020, the last time the tournament was staged due to the COVID-19 pandemic that forced the cancellation of the past two years.

“A lot of people said 2020 was a fluke because CI Gibson didn’t participate that year and Tabernacle didn’t participate, so we had a point to prove,” Philippe said.

“We wanted to come out there to show the country that we have an elite basketball programme and we will be around for a long time.”

Philippe said they wanted to add this title to their ledger after going through the regular season in Grand Bahama, only to lose out

to the Tabernacle Baptist Falcons in the final. He said they were delighted to be the last men standing from the three teams from Grand Bahama, who made it to the final four of the weeklong tournament.

Tianno Roberts ignited their attack with a game high 19 points with six rebounds and four steals. Donell Basden, named the most valuable player, had 12 points, 17 rebounds and six block shots, Jordan

Saunders had 11 points, seven rebounds, five assists, De’Nage Kelly added eight points with six rebounds and three assists and both Judah Rolle and Jermaine Woodside connected on six points.

For the Rattlers, James Delia powered inside for 19 points with eight rebounds, three steals and two assists, Tashon Butler had 12 points and four rebounds and Jude

SEE PAGE 14

BAISS’ ANNUAL TRACK & FIELD MEET STARTS WEDNESDAY AT TAR STADIUM

By Tenajh Sweeting

THE Bahamas Association of Independent Secondary Schools is set to host the annual track and field meet at the Thomas A Robinson Stadium this week Wednesday through Friday.

The Saint Augustine’s College Big Red Machine won the last BAISS, but the competition did not include their long-time rivals, the Queen’s College Comets. Head coach of the Big Red Machine Jason

Edwards talked about the defending champions’ expectations for this year’s track meet.

“It is simply the expectations we have every year we go in there with the mindset of winning and achieving the goal,” Edwards said.

Coach Edwards discussed the preparation for this year’s track meet as the school seeks to win its 28th track and field championship. “The process has been one of hard work, strategising [and] strategically putting the right people

Messi and Putellas voted best players at FIFA awards again

PARIS (AP) — World Cup champion Lionel Messi edged Kylian Mbappé again, this time to take FIFA’s best men’s player award yesterday.

The best women’s player was Spain’s Alexia Putellas for a second straight year.

After steering Argentina to World Cup glory in an epic final against Mbappé’s France last year in Qatar, Messi won the best player vote against Mbappé and Karim Benzema and secured the FIFA prize for the seventh time in 14 years. He won the World Cup at his record-equalling fifth attempt.

“It was a crazy year for me,” Messi said. “I could fulfil my (World Cup) dream after fighting for it for so long. And in the end it happened, and it was the

most beautiful thing of my career. It’s the dream of every player, but very few can achieve it, so I’m thankful to God for being able to do it.”

The three players made the final shortlist in voting by a global panel of national team captains and coaches, selected journalists in each of FIFA’s 211 member countries, plus fans online.

The 35-year-old Messi also beat Mbappé — who was seeking his first best player award from FIFA — to the Golden Ball trophy awarded by FIFA for the World Cup’s best player.

Mbappé earned the Golden Boot as top scorer.

In the FIFA Awards vote, Messi had 52 points, Mbappé 44, and Benzema 34.

Mbappé, 11 years younger than Messi at 24

and considered Messi’s heir apparent on the world stage, made the three-man shortlist for the first time.

He was fourth in voting for the 2018 award, the year

he led France to the World Cup title. Real Madrid star Benzema won the more

in the right places on the field,” Edwards said.

Despite the difficult process of preparing for the inter-school competition, the head coach acknowledges the joys of the journey.

“We find a joy during the process and that’s when you get to know kids and get to see what they’re made of and how much they want to excel in certain areas,” Edwards added.

As the QC Comets prepare to rejoin the annual meet, the defending

champions are not worried about the competition. The Comets won the meet in 2017 and 2018 but the Big Red Machine won the last. “Queen’s College Comets will be trying to contend for the title as always in the past three years they have been contending for the title, so I expect no less from them and I expect them to make it a good track meet,” Edwards said. The BAISS Track and Field Championships are scheduled to start at 9am on Wednesday.

Novak Djokovic breaks record for most weeks ranked No. 1

By HOWARD FENDRICH AP Tennis Writer

NOVAK Djokovic broke the record for the most time spent at No. 1 in the professional tennis rankings by a man or woman, beginning his 378th week in the ATP’s top spot on Monday to surpass Steffi Graf’s 377 leading the WTA.

He already held the men’s mark, eclipsing Roger Federer’s old ATP standard of 310 weeks in March 2021.

“I’m flattered, obviously. Extremely, extremely proud and happy for this achievement,” Djokovic said in a video posted on social media, in which he

referred to Graf as “one of the greatest, most legendary, tennis players.”

After Djokovic and Graf on the all-time No. 1 weeks list are Martina Navratilova, with 332, and Serena Williams, with 319, followed by Federer. The computerized rankings began in the 1970s. Djokovic has finished seven years atop the ATP, another men’s record.

The 35-year-old from Serbia returned to No. 1 this time by winning the Australian Open in January, jumping up from No. 5 to overtake Carlos Alcaraz. That title was Djokovic’s 22nd at a Grand Slam tournament,

TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 28, 2023

ARGENTINA’s Lionel Messi smiles after receiving the Best FIFA Men’s player award during the ceremony of the Best FIFA Football Awards in Paris, France, yesterday. (AP Photo/Michel Euler)

WE ARE THE CHAMPIONS: Most Valuable Player Donell Basden, of the Sunland Baptist Stingers, cuts down the nets last night after the Stingers stunned the CI Gibson Rattlers 64-52 to capture the 2023 Hugh Campbell Basketball Classic title at the Kendal Isaacs Gymnasium.

Photo: Austin Fernander/Tribune Staff