03142024 NEWS AND SPORT

By LEANDRA ROLLE

By LYNAIRE MUNNINGS Tribune Staff Reporter

ACTING Immigration Director William Pratt said

yesterday

said on Tuesday that deploying officers to Haiti had been put on hold.

came after the Royal Bahamas Defence Force apprehended at least 247 people in recent days, first in waters off Turks and Caicos Islands, then near Inagua. “We are working on a contingency plan to deal with it, so hopefully, if everything comes through,

Reid says new monitor company’s ankle bracelet is ‘tamper-proof’ AG: ‘POTENTIAL $900M PER

THE potential revenue from carbon credits for The Bahamas could reach as much as $900m a year, according to Attorney General Ryan Pinder at yesterday’s RF Outlook 2024.

The projections are based on hoped-for estimates of what the sale price of a carbon credit would be,

RF Economic Outlook conference

THE RF Business Outlook was held at the Grand Hyatt Convention Centre at Baha Mar yesterday, with business leaders speaking on a range of subjects from the potential of artificial intelligence, developing the blue and green economies, to a dicussion on carbon credits opportunities. The event, for which The Tribune is a partner, serves as a platform for predicting business trends for the year ahead.

AG: ‘Potential $900m per year in carbon credits’

“We’re the most vulnerable country in the world right now, sitting here in The Bahamas.”

- AG Ryan Pinder

from page one

He noted the expected dependability on Bahamian credits, and also the anticipated increased demand in the market as a number of countries and companies near deadlines for becoming net zero – where they would have zero carbon emissions, or have offset the emissions they do have with the purchase of carbon credits, such as those to be offered by The Bahamas.

Mr Pinder was speaking at a panel discussion at yesterday’s RF Outlook event alongside Dr James Fletcher, former minister for the public service, information, broadcasting, sustainable development, energy, science and technology in St Lucia, and Chris Heider, head of blue carbon at Invert World.

Mr Pinder said: “We are in the middle of the scrutiny phase … we have done 600 core samples with the appropriate testing and scientific backing … we have now collected that data, analysed that data.”

The data from three sites has been collected – with a total of 30 sites identified, and must now be independently verified before the credit for those sites can be sold.

Mr Pinder also noted that the verification process must be carried out again every five years – and said the government was working with the Unversity of The Bahamas to help to train “a full suite of

scientists” to do so.

When the current estimate price of $35 was mentioned, Mr Pinder responded: “We think it will be more than $35. We think based upon our science and the integrity of our carbon credits … that we can generate higher pricing. We’re hoping that in our first year of our verification credits we can verify upward of two million credits, by year six or seven we’re going to be verifying nine to ten million credits a year. We think that price gets up to $100 per credit, right, that’s $900m a year... assuming the trends and the science continues in the direction it’s going in, you’re talking about real money.”

The funds would be directed towards sustainable government goals in The Bahamas, he said, including eradicating poverty and improving financial mechanisms in the country. It was also noted during the forum that such funding would help to compensate for the damage from storms such as Hurricane Dorian, which cost the country an estimated $3.4bn and pay for protection from future storms.

Mr Pinder added: “We’re the most vulnerable country in the world right now, sitting here in The Bahamas.”

He pointed out the low lying nature of our country and the likely adverse effects from rising sea levels.

PINDER

RYAN

Pinder ‘appreciates the frustration’, but buy-in from ‘the collective’ is critical on Nationality Act

By JADE RUSSELL Tribune Staff Reporter jrussell@tribunemedia.net

ATTORNEY General

Ryan Pinder said he understands the frustration some feel waiting for the government to address citizenship inequalities, but that buy-in from “the collective” is critical.

“It’s a difficult process,” he told The Tribune yesterday. “And this has been a process that has been ongoing since I was in Cabinet before, so 10 years, even longer.”

Last year, the Privy Council affirmed that people born out of wedlock to Bahamian men are Bahamians at birth regardless of their mother’s nationality. However, children born outside the country to a Bahamian woman

and a foreign father are not automatically granted Bahamian citizenship. Bahamian women also do not have the same rights as men in getting citizenship for their foreign spouse.

Mr Pinder noted that some in the executive have been personally affected by the inequalities.

“Many of us who sit in Cabinet also experienced the challenges of it,” he said. “I’ll give you an example. My mother would be entitled to citizenship as a spouse of a Bahamian automatically, whereas my brother-in-law would have to go through a naturalisation process and be selectively determined for citizenship even though he’s married to a Bahamian. But only because he’s a male and my mother is a female the process in obtaining the

citizenship as a spouse of a Bahamian is different.”

“This touches all of us, and I appreciate the frustration of the time that women and men –– because it cuts both ways –– may be experiencing. But there is a responsibility that we have to do a full review to get it right. We don’t operate on our own in this regard.”

Mr Pinder said the administration will engage the Official Opposition, letting it review the options available and provide views.

“It’s not a unilateral rush or decision that is made by the Cabinet of The Bahamas that are 21 members,” he said. “This has got to be a collective buy-in amongst the collective all in order to be able to address something that’s so fundamental to being a Bahamian.”

ATTORNEY GENERAL

Reid says new monitor company’s ankle bracelet is ‘tamper-proof’

from page one

Metro Security Solutions, said the shift is a step in the right direction.

“Not only that you can’t cut it, if you mess with it and tamper with it, the signal goes off,” he said yesterday.

“Not only that, this company right now, even if a person doesn’t have a cell phone, they could communicate to the person that’s wearing the monitor because there’s a call

system on the monitor itself.

“It is tamper-proof so you can’t move it off, so you going to have to be where the monitor says that you are.” Mr Reid said officials believe bail could be better controlled. “Where we can control the movement of persons and then when we look at the amount of persons that is being killed while out on bail for murder, persons that are killing people

while on bail for murder, we believe that this is a tool that the government could use,” he said. As the murder rate soared in late December and January, attention centred on the frequency with which people accused of serious crimes get bail and the ease with which some broke their bail conditions.

Police Commissioner Clayton Fernander said some people easily removed their bracelets with just a paper clip.

from page one

•

Will be required to undertake work both inside and outside of the property which will include pool maintenance, gardening, painting and ensuring the property is in e cellent condition at all times.

•

A 27-YEAR-OLD Florida woman was found dead in her cabin on a cruise to Grand Bahama on Monday evening. Grand Bahama Police have taken a 32-year-old Florida man in custody for questioning after finding suspected cocaine in the cabin.

According to initial reports, police were contacted sometime around 5.30pm about an American female passenger who was found unresponsive in her cabin onboard a cruise line en route to The Bahamas.

Medical personnel on the ship assisted and performed

CPR, but no vital signs of life were detected, and she was declared deceased.

During initial investigations, officers confiscated a quantity of suspected cocaine from the cabin and arrested a 32-year-old American passenger. An autopsy will be conducted to determine the woman’s cause of death. Investigations are continuing into the matter.

Due to a production error, part of this story was not printed in yesterday’s Tribune. We here reprint the full story. Our apologies for the error.

Troops to Haiti plan on hold amid chaos

from page one

“There has been a fundamental change in circumstances in Haiti as a result of the complete breakdown of law and order,” he added. “There has to be an authority that can be the basis for a police deployment –– that enjoys constitutional authority in Haiti.”

Adding to the confusion, Kenya’s president, William Ruto, reaffirmed his country’s commitment to lead the mission yesterday, but said it would only do so when a transitional presidential council is formed in the Caribbean. That body will select an interim prime minister and a council of ministers to chart Haiti’s new course. Some political parties in Haiti have reportedly already rejected the plan.

The Davis administration has committed to sending 150 Defence Force officers to a multinational team to stabilise Haiti.

Mr Munroe noted yesterday that The Bahamas would not send officers to help with maritime security as planned “if there is no mission on land”.

Acknowledging that the future of the Haitian mission is uncertain, he said: “It would also be fair to say, if and when the leader of this mission steps up, that does not mean that if they say we’re going today, that we say oh, we’re coming today. You still have to work out what are going to be the parameters of it, what is expected of us, the details that the professional persons would have to work out before we can say, yes, this is acceptable to us.”

“Their position is if Prime Minister Henry is gone, there’s no recognisable government until the transitional government is put in place, and their police will have no one to answer to. That may end up being a short-time issue or longer-term issue.”

“For the moment, I got the impression that it was meant to be a shorter-term issue, and they were moving to have their transitional council consider the appointment of a replacement.”

Govt forming contingency plan to repatriate Haitians

from page one

we’ll see what happens,”

Mr Pratt said yesterday.

Last week, Mr Pratt said Bahamasair planes usually carry 50 to 70 people to Haiti per trip. He said other planes the government charters can have a maximum of 25 people.

However, according to international reports, the majority of commercial flights at Haitian airports have been suspended amidst the surge in gang violence.

Mr Pratt said the airport in Cap-Haitien may reopen on Friday, potentially allowing repatriation exercises to

resume with charter planes. RBDF Commodore Raymond King told The Nassau Guardian on Tuesday that defence force vessels may be used to transport migrants. “We are taking steps to repatriate this most recent group, which may occur by virtue of one of our vessels, possibly repatriating them to Cap-Haitien,” he said. Mr Pratt said the country’s capacity to adequately house Haitians in Inagua has improved. His comment came after a photo published on X, the website formerly known as Twitter, sparked uproar and a debate about how

migrants are treated in the country. The photo showed dozens of migrants sleeping outside.

Mr Pratt said the photo is old.

“That must have been around years ago when we had the overflow in the detention centre years ago,” he said. “That’s before even some additional dorms were built.”

“That is not what is happening.”

“We have sufficient space. We are not to our capacity.”

He said when facilities have too many migrants, tents are erected to provide shelter.

NATIONAL SECURITY MINISTER WAYNE MUNROE

TWITTER & FACEBOOK

www.tribune242.com @tribune242 tribune news network

Questions on Sears amd NIB confusion

NATIONAL Insurance Board

Minister Alfred Sears stood up in Parliament and announced a plan to save NIB that within hours his own Prime Minister’s office had disowned.

There are two alternatives here –either he was right in what he said and the government backtracked after his speech, or he was wrong in what he said.

The uncertainty centres around the announcement that there would be not just the 1.5 percent rise to come in July 1 this year, but equal subsequent raises every two years afterwards.

The Office of the Prime Minister hastened to say that no decision had been made about future years – although yesterday a release from Bahamas Information Services on the speech promptly reiterated the stated plan.

The FNM has said Mr Sears should resign or be fired – although that really only applies if Mr Sears misled Parliament.

If what he said was true at the time, then frankly the blame lies elsewhere, and further up the chain.

If indeed he did mislead Parliament as to the nature of the plan to rescue NIB – and it should be noted that a one-off rise this year will raise nowhere near the amount needed to do that – then Mr Sears needs to raise the record.

Under our Westminster traditions, a falsehood uttered in Parliament should not be allowed to stand. The minister should correct that, in Parliament.

If Mr Sears does not do that – and if he spoke without authority when committing the country to 20 years of NIB contribution increases – then yes, he

should be fired or asked to resign.

That “if” is a big one, though.

If he did nothing wrong, and was speaking to what he understood the plan for NIB was, then it would not be surprising if Mr Sears was expected to carry the can for government indecision.

So far, Mr Sears has kept his silence on the matter. He should not. He should give an explanation. If he is not being required to, it raises questions as to why not.

Either way, we have been left with a plan to rescue NIB that will not rescue NIB if we only take the first step.

What is the real plan, if not the one announced by Mr Sears?

There has been some talk of trying to ensure there are future cost savings to avoid the decision to increase every two years – but it seems unlikely that cost savings will be found of such significance as to substantially reduce the increase required.

Indeed, this announcement has been such a long time coming – to the extent that businesses have been calling on the government for clarity on what the rise would be – that surely some of those cost savings would have been identified already if that was the government’s focus.

Mr Sears seems to find himself in the middle of a maelstrom, one that may or may not be of his own making.

This NIB announcement has been delayed, further delayed and now bungled, and we still do not know what the real outcome will be.

The government may be leaving the blame to Mr Sears – but this is a mess every way up.

EDITOR, The Tribune.

ACCESS to adequate housing is a human right.

When The Bahamas joined the United Nations (UN) in September 1973, it pledged to uphold that right. The right to adequate housing is outlined in the 1948 Universal Declaration of Human Rights, an international document adopted by the UN General Assembly, of which The Bahamas is a member. The declaration affirms, in article 25, that access to adequate housing plays a key role in guaranteeing the right to an adequate standard of living for all.

At present, there are well over 1000 active Airbnb listings in New Providence alone. The website does not provide a precise figure. These listings range from roughly $30 a night to hundreds and even thousands of dollars for a single night stay. These properties are primarily marketed to international tourists, which is a conscious, economically-driven decision being made daily on the part of both Bahamians and foreigners.

The problem with the proliferation of short term rentals via platforms like Airbnb is that it drives up surrounding rent prices, eliminates otherwise viable housing opportunities (experienced first-hand),

and contributes to gentrification and displacement. The “Airbnb effect”, as it is dubbed in a 2020 Forbes article, refers to the tendency for rises in Airbnb listings to augment the value of an area to the detriment of local residents, who are evicted by virtue of both economic and cultural disenfranchisement.

Successive governments have cited the need for greater access to housing and homeownership. While new housing projects have been undertaken, they have been completed at great cost to the government and, arguably, to the environment. Stricter regulation of short term rentals would reduce the need to construct entirely new communities by providing property owners incentive to exercise a new kind of nationalism - one which prioritises morality and respect for human rights over profit.

The Department of Inland revenue is currently requiring that all short term vacation rental properties be registered by the end of April at no cost. The ultimate goal, the site states, is “to ensure that all owners

EDITOR, The Tribune.

PRIME Minister Philip

Brave Davis is the leader of the Progressive Liberal Party government and will undoubtedly make decisions which he believes are in the best interests of The Bahamas. One of those decisions, apparently, was the appointment of HaitianBahamian activist Louby Georges in the Ministry of Immigration. Admittedly, Georges’ role as consultant in this PLP administration came as a complete surprise to many Bahamians, when it was cavalierly mentioned on the Our News Bahamas broadcast, posted on its Facebook page on March 5. Unfortunately, many Bahamians went on Facebook to post uncharitable, xenophobic comments regarding Mr Georges and his appointment. Judging from the comments, it would appear that they were in the dark regarding the Georges gig.

At this point I am beginning to question the financial feasibility of all these consultancy jobs, especially when you already have a large Cabinet to go along with well-paid Permanent

Secretaries and other government technocrats. The gist of the Our News Bahamas story was Georges’ concerns about the abrupt cancellation of Bahamasair flights from Haiti, which is currently in a state of rebellion, with a government that is on the verge of collapsing. Just this past Friday gang members attacked the Presidential Palace in Port-au-Prince. Days prior to the attack gang members freed four thousand inmates from various prisons in the country. Haitian Prime Minister Dr Ariel Henry, as far as I’m aware, remains in Puerto Rico after the Dominican Republic closed its airspace to Haitian flights. Meanwhile, Martine Moïse, widow of assassinated Haitian President Jovenel Moïse, along with former Prime Minister Claude Joseph and former chief of the National Police, Léon Charles, were all indicted by a judge for their alleged involvement in the murder of Moïse in July 2021. In light of these disturbing developments in Haiti, it is understandable why Bahamasair canceled its flights from the politically unstable Caribbean island.

This raises the question as to why Georges felt the pressing need to go to the press to voice his concerns, when even he admitted that the situation in Haiti remains volatile. The entire ordeal, which looks like another opportunity for Georges to grace the cameras, was unnecessary in my opinion. Also worth questioning is when was Georges appointed to his position? What consultation is he offering and how much Bahamian tax dollars, if any, is he being paid? Moreover, if given a choice between Haiti and The Bahamas, will Louby Georges choose the former or the latter? Bahamians need to know that a Haitian activist who has gone out on a limb for Haiti would be willing to do the same for their country. The Bahamas, notwithstanding its flaws, has provided for Georges and other Haitian migrants, be they illegal or otherwise, a safe, stable homeland where they can earn an honest living -something that Haiti has not been able to offer.

KEVIN EVANS Freeport, Grand Bahama March 10, 2024.

Housing not in favour of Bahamians PM lacking

EDITOR, The Tribune

IT never ceases to amaze me how politicians so quickly change their media postures immediately after attaining the office they are shooting for, in this instance prime minister! For one, in a seeming chorus they all shout from the roof tops the need for transparency and accountability while in opposition but once in office very few want any real association with those two words. Lip service maybe, but actual delivery? Not! I hope the present leader of the opposition, Michael Pintard, who seems a real honorable man and not just a holder of a title bestowed in Parliament, will stand out remaining true to these ideals.

First, Dr Hubert Minnis who avoided the media like the plague when he became prime minister, though some would argue not enough and certainly not at enough of the right times as he was the local embodiment of Shakespeare’s Miss Malaprop, which helped to contribute to his election loss in 2021. He became a deer in the

headlights when he saw a microphone coming, a far cry from how he acts today once again in opposition. As prime minister Dr Minnis refused to answer simple, reasonable questions from the media when he was not throwing out some head scratching response that had most people asking what in the world he was talking about. He is now once again the best friend of the media. Now, here comes Prime Minister Philip Davis with his well documented amnesia and refusal to answer questions he finds inconvenient. The most recent incident involves questions about spending the people’s money to campaign in Bimini and Grand Bahama. He says some answers will be given during the mid year budget debate but the questions are misguided. For asking for accountability and transparency when spending the people’s money?

I cannot overlook what is happening with BPL, a particular albatross that has haunted the prime minister since his days as deputy

within the short-term vacation rental market are maintaining a high standard of service and meeting all tax obligations.” Remarkably, there is no allusion to the fact that short term rentals are actively contributing to a housing shortage, in conjunction with climate change and the very insular nature of our geography. Aruba has already sounded the alarm. It is not unreasonable to suggest that unregulated short term rentals are worsening economic inequalities in The Bahamas, while simultaneously exacerbating the housing crisis. In my own community in western New Providence, many of the properties being offered as short-term rentals are owned by foreigners and managed by foreigners. Many of the property owners do not even have to maintain full-time employment, because their profits are so lucrative. Every day, I see wealthy visitors, with no relationship to this land, enjoying their overpriced short term vacation rentals. Tourism has never been this blatantly neocolonial. Its profits have never been this pernicious - its economics never this disenfranchising for unhoused Bahamians.

RHYS KNOWLES March 12, 2024

prime minister. Half truths and outright lies have been the hallmark of his communications regarding the power company. The unions are now calling him on his lack of transparency by telling them one thing as opposition leader, including signing a MOU, but apparently disregarding that document in his efforts to “deal” with BPL and the “high energy” costs on the Bahamian people.

I am among the many Bahamians who take no comfort in anything the prime minister promises about BPL given his track record. I am also among the many Bahamians who want him to apologise for putting up those offensive billboards and saying something so unbelievable like, “that was then, this is now.” Really Mr Prime Minister?

Our last two prime ministers have one thing in common that no one should be proud of. Believe what they tell you at your own risk!

PEOPLE pray before breaking their fast during the Muslim’s holy fasting month of Ramadan, at a free meal distribution point run by a charity group, in Karachi, Pakistan yesterday.

Photo: Fareed Khan/AP

Skydive The Bahamas still waiting on govt approval for new venture in Grand Bahama

By DENISE MAYCOCK Tribune Freeport Reporter dmaycock@tribunemedia.net

SKYDIVE The Baha-

mas, a new commercial venture in Grand Bahama, is still seeking the government’s approval to operate skydiving excursions in The Bahamas.

A safety demonstration jump will occur from March 18 through 19 under the close supervision of the Civil Aviation Authority Bahamas (CAA-B).

The landing will be on Taino Beach in front of the Stoned Crab Restaurant between 9am and 5pm.

Brian Strong and Jon Hartley, co-owners, started the business two years ago and have been working over the last

ten months to obtain approvals.

In December, the company’s principals were told to stop advertising its jumps until CAA-B approved conducting skydiving operations in The Bahamas.

Mr Strong said they expect to be fully operational in Grand Bahama once the demonstration jump is completed and approval is given. Skydive The Bahamas has been working with the Grand Bahama Port Authority, Bahamas Air Navigation Services Authority, The Federal Aviation Authority Miami Division, and The United States Parachute Association to bring tandem skydiving to The Bahamas.

According to Mr Strong,

MAN ON SECOND ACCUSATION OF HAVING AMMO DENIED BAIL

By PAVEL BAILEY Tribune Staff Reporter pbailey@tribunemedia.net

A MAN was denied bail yesterday after he was accused of having ammunition on Windsor Lane last week.

Magistrate Lennox Coleby charged Julian James, 20, with possession of ammunition.

James was allegedly

found with six rounds of .38 ammunition around 9pm on March 8. After he entered a notguilty plea, the prosecutor, Inspector Lincoln McKenzie, objected to him getting bail, saying he was already on bail for a firearm charge. James will be remanded to the Bahamas Department of Correctional Services until his trial begins on May 5.

MAN ACCUSED OF INJURING GIRLFRIEND GETS $1,500 BAIL

By PAVEL BAILEY Tribune Staff Reporter pbailey@tribunemedia.net

A MAN who allegedly injured his girlfriend last week was charged and then granted $1,500 bail yesterday.

Magistrate Kendra Kelly charged Mitchell Stuart, 37, with causing harm.

Stuart allegedly caused physical harm to Kalisa Knowles during an argument on March 8 in New Providence. Stuart pleaded not guilty to the charge and must sign in to the Carmichael Road Police Station every Thursday by 6pm. He must return to court for a report on March 18.

TWO MEN REMANDED ON CHARGE OF CARJACKING

By PAVEL BAILEY Tribune Staff Reporter pbailey@tribunemedia.net

TWO men were remanded in custody yesterday after they were accused of a carjacking last week.

Magistrate Raquel

Whyms charged Tray Forbes, 27, and Lenin Poitier, 29, with stealing and receiving.

The duo allegedly stole a grey 2013 Nissan

Note from Jonathon Smith on March 9 in New Providence. After the defendant pleaded not guilty to the charges, the prosecutor, Sergeant Wilkinson, objected to them getting bail, saying they had pending matters of a similar nature before the court. The men were remanded to the Bahamas Department of Correctional Services until their trial begins on June 5.

MAN FINED $12,000 AFTER ADMITTING TO HAVING HEMP

By PAVEL BAILEY Tribune Staff Reporter pbailey@tribunemedia.net

A MAN was fined $12,000 after admitting to having 6.5lb of marijuana in his Chippingham residence.

Magistrate Raquel

Whyms yesterday charged Luis-Wye Francis, 44, with possession of dangerous drugs with intent to supply.

Francis was found with 6.5 lbs of marijuana in his home on Poitier Avenue on March 8. The drugs

have an estimated street value of $6,500. After entering a guilty plea for the charge, Francis was fined $12,000 or risked four years in prison. He was also placed on two years probation for which, if found in default, would also incur prison time. Francis must pay $4,000 of his fine before his release and then make $1,000 monthly payments until his debt is settled. Mark Penn represented him.

the initial investment of about $400,000 to $500,000 pertained to two aircraft and equipment. The team is searching for a facility near or on the airport from which to operate.

Mr Strong said the approval granted by CAA-B for Monday’s

safety jump requires only two people to jump. He said the event is free of charge to all spectators. “The Stoned Crab Restaurant will be taking donations from the tandem skydiving participants, and all proceeds will be donated to

a children’s charity they currently work with,” his company said. The company expects to hire three to five local residents to handle the aircraft, take phone calls and make reservations, drive, pack parachutes, and prepare

the plane. Three foreigners from the United States also will be brought in, including a commercial pilot and rigger licensed to pack parachutes and two tandem instructors, Jon Hartley and Chris Dunbar, to conduct skydives.

Attitudes towards the disabled must change

WE live in a highly materialistic society in which many of us measure our self-worth by our possessions, ranging from the vehicles we drive to the brand name clothes which adorn our perfumed accents, bodies and privileges.

We often measure supposed sophistication and social standing by the possessions we accumulate instead of the possessions of mind and heart and spirit, such as the books we read, the quality of our community service, and our commitment to fairness and equality, including for people with disabilities.

Despite appearances of sophistication and pseudo civility, supposedly exemplified by our material trappings, we are a much less refined and hospitable society than many of us imagine.

True civility is not marked by external trappings. True civility is marked by habits of the heart and behavioral norms, which respond to the needs and rights of fellow citizens, out of natural empathy and mutual self-interest.

There appears to be little correlation between the preponderance of luxury and new vehicles on our roads, and the degree to which quite a number of motorists adhere to various traffic laws, including refraining from parking in spaces reserved for people with the disabilities.

A friend whose car was backed into by a jitney driver, recalls the incident with exasperation. The

latter lied to the police about the accident. He got away with the matter because the amount of court time it would take to pursue basic justice was not worth the friend’s time. This slack and dishonest mindset is pervasive among motorists. Moreover, many traffic accidents go unprosecuted or unresolved because many have little desire to wade through a system clogged with interminable delays.

A police officer told this columnist that those who cause accidents routinely lie about their infraction.

Forget any semblance of an honour system, especially if an accident occurs on private property. The officer said it has got worse over the years,

with an increasing number of motorists lying in order to avoid paying damages.

From time to time, government officials attempt to crack down on outstanding traffic fines. Some who owed a fine forgot, and happily paid the fine when reminded.

Quite a number of others, who are now forced to pay outstanding fines, readily admit that they never intended to pay. They were happy to rely on a lack of enforcement and the slack order that often pervades our society.

A prevailing ethical norm throughout our society is only admit fault if absolutely necessary. These are often the very same “Christians” who view God as a combination of Santa Claus and a gaming house operator who should dispense whatever our latest material needs are.

Even as the government is

enforcing other traffic and vehicular laws, laws on parking in spaces reserved for people with disabilities are sometimes ignored. There are rarely fines and penalties for those who disregard such laws.

Surprisingly, despite legislation passed to improve access to services and buildings for people with disabilities, many private businesses and entities have not even provided basic amenities such as reserved spaces. This is glaring and relatively easy to remedy for many institutions.

Some institutions actively ensure that reserved spaces are closely monitored by security personnel. Indeed, some stores, including various grocery stores vigorously adhere to various disability laws.

Unfortunately, other institutions take a more lax, and sometimes indifferent approach.

We enhance the civility and humanity of our society by a greater commitment to how we treat our fellow citizens with respect for their human dignity.

As they have done for some time, disability advocates should continue to push high-profile and highly-trafficked businesses to better monitor reserved spaces. The activism and advocacy of people with disabilities and disability advocates is essential. At some stores, the monitoring of spaces for people with disabilities depends on the security on duty. Some security guards carefully monitor reserved spaces, going so far as to place cones

in the spaces to prohibit individuals without disabilities from parking in the reserved spaces.

Some security personnel ignore people without disabilities who cavalierly pull into these spaces because they are too slack or too lazy to park elsewhere.

The argument of many of these entitled drivers is, “I’ll only be a minute,” which, of course, is nonsense. It is an excuse for slackness, typically used by drivers who block in or inconvenience other drivers.

The underlying mindset: My time and needs are more important than yours. You will just have to wait until I’m done.

Were the roles reversed, those who often inconvenience others, would go ballistic and become indignant and righteous were they inconvenienced.

Like many Bahamians, this columnist has witnessed the anger and annoyance of such self-absorbed and selfish drivers when they are asked to park elsewhere. It is as if such spaces are reserved for them: “To hell with those with disabilities. My needs and convenience take preference.”

Some drivers appear not to even realise that the reserved spaces are strictly for people with disabilities. A friend recalls a driver pulling into a space reserved for people with disabilities despite there being an adjacent unreserved spot.

The self-absorbed driver did not want to be inconvenienced by being two spots away from the store door. He wanted to be just one spot away. Institutions with reserved spaces should ensure that their security personnel operate in a uniform manner.

In the US, motorists are usually self-governing in terms of not parking in spaces reserved for people with disabilities. This has become a strong social norm, reinforced by the high probability of a stiff fine or other penalties for parking in a reserved space without a disability sticker.

While this column is primarily concerned with ensuring access to parking spaces for people with disabilities, there are obviously other pressing concerns for people with disabilities.

On its website, the National Commission for Persons with Disabilities outlines the rights of people with disabilities.

The website notes: “As a person with a disability you have rights that are protected under the law. If you are a caregiver of a person with a disability, your

dependent has these same rights which include:

“The right to be treated with dignity and respect, free from discrimination; The right to equal access to opportunities for suitable employment, as well as equal access to training, education and health care services; The right to a barrier-free and disabled-friendly environment enabling you to access buildings, social amenities, transportation and services; and the right, upon request, to be assisted by a person of your choice in voting in parliamentary elections or referendums.”

A brochure by the Secretariat of the National Commission for Persons with Disabilities, entitled, “Tips for Businesses and other places accessed by the public” notes the “Obligations of Business Owners and Operators of other places which the public is permitted to access:”

The brochure states: “The Persons with Disabilities (Equal Opportunities) Act, 2014, prohibits places to which the public is permitted access from discriminating against persons with disabilities.

“Persons with Disabilities’ means persons with a long-term disability including physical, mental, intellectual, developmental or sensory impairments and other health related illnesses which, in interaction with various barriers, may hinder full and effective participation in society on an equal basis with others.”

The brochure offers advice to businesses and institutions, including: “Become familiar with the Act and know what is expected of you; Help educate your employees on your company’s responsibilities to ensure the rights of persons with disabilities; Treat your customers with disabilities with the same courtesy, respect and fairness that you would treat your other customers;

“Ensure that persons with disabilities can access your premises (including your restrooms), and easily use your services; Ensure that parking spaces for disabled drivers are closest to your entrances, and that they are clearly marked and monitored.”

We enhance the civility and humanity of our society by a greater commitment to how we treat our fellow citizens with respect for their human dignity. This includes fellow motorists, as well as people with disabilities, all of whom deserve the same treatment we expect and desire for ourselves and our loved ones.

Biden’s bid for second term hinges on perception of his mental acuity

US president Joe Biden’s momentous State of the Union address last Thursday is stale news now in this age of the 24-hour news cycle and little if any popular memory of what happened even a week ago. Correct?

Maybe it is accurate.

Maybe it isn’t. While television commentators and various hired experts pontificated on whether or not Biden showed he is still alert and awake enough to serve another four-year term as the American chief executive, much more important things were happening.

First of all, both in his speech and in the days immediately following when he embarked on a tour of several key “battleground” states, Biden did not hesitate to remind his national and local audiences of the stark choice they face in November.

While his opponent Donald Trump was amusing himself by mocking a stutter that Biden has long acknowledged and assiduously worked to overcome, the US president highlighted several themes that he expects to carry him to victory this Fall.

It looks like the Democrats feel the US Supreme Court’s decision to overturn the 1974 Roe v Wade decision and remove federal guarantees from a woman’s right to an abortion will continue to be a winner for them in national and state elections across the

STATESIDE

with Charlie Harper

country. A large, visible number of female Democratic House members wore white and sat together for Biden’s address,

drawing attention to their solidarity behind women’s ‘reproductive rights’ and, they hope, to the broad, galvanising effect the high

court’s decision has had on elections since the its June 2022 issuance. Looking directly at members of the Supreme Court

who in their 6-3 decision permitted states to virtually outlaw abortion, Biden pointed a virtual finger at them and warned of the consequences of what he and most Americans see as ideological overreach.

Biden nodded to the whiteclad women sitting behind the justices. It was apparent even to television viewers that everyone involved in these non-verbal exchanges understood what was going on. Biden encouraged the justices to “watch” the consequences of their action in the months to come.

While the status of abortion limits, as well as the status of in vitro fertilization, is being adjudicated in the American court system, there seems little doubt that a majority of US voters don’t agree with outlawing abortion.

The Republican who has from the start seen best the potential negative consequences of the abortion decision for his party is of course its nominee for president. Subtlety is ordinarily a virtue neither expected nor demanded of Trump by his supporters. But in this case, he is attempting to appear both reasonable on the issue and zealous on the issue – sometimes in the same speech. He will likely get away with it, too, because for evangelical Christians and other inspired supporters, Trump will always remain far more attractive than any present or potential alternative candidate. Mike Pence, for example, is a confirmed, longtime Bible-thumping true believer on a whole array of socio-religious issues, and look where he now stands in his party’s hierarchy. He is at best an afterthought, much better recalled as the foil in Trump’s illegitimate attempt to cheat his way into a second term than for his religious fervor. A second theme Biden hopes will energise the electorate and facilitate his re-election is foreign affairs. In particular, he pounded Trump on his still largely inexplicable fascination with Russian president Vladimir Putin and a motley, miscellaneous collection of other real or wannabe autocrats including the chief executives of Hungary, North Korea and, to a lesser extent, China. (Trump avowedly aims to renew his trade wars with China if he wins, so he can ill afford to cozy up to the Chinese president at this stage of the campaign).

It is a minor irony that the autocrats overseas who mostly closely align with Trump’s base of support are probably the theocrats running things in Iran, inasmuch as many religious zealots in the US are unabashed about their desire to merge

church (theirs) and state to the extent possible within the limits of an American constitution that goes to considerable lengths to enforce a sturdy distinction between those very institutions of church and state.

But Iran’s leadership is not Christian. It is Muslim. So there’s no path to any kind of religious, political or any other kind of ideological alliance there.

Elsewhere abroad, most Americans appear to favour a stout effort to continue assisting Ukraine to expel its Russian invaders and restore some semblance of peace favourable to US and Western European interests in Eastern Europe. Interestingly, Sweden has now finally joined NATO, reinforcing the practical edge of today’s Iron Curtain to the eastern frontiers of Norway, Finland, the three Baltic states of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania, Poland, Slovakia and Romania. All are NATO members.

While Russian leaders in the Kremlin should not feel that they are encircled by foes on all aides as they had previously done in the last century, they nevertheless confront a Western alliance more united against their expansionist ambitions than at any time in the past 80 years.

Thus, in addition to hammering home Trump’s basic incivility, these are likely to be the main themes of Biden’s campaign: Support for women’s reproductive rights and resistance to autocracy overseas.

Challenges include grocery prices and the immigration leak along the US-Mexican border. Also, there are vexing problems like the US role in resolving the horrific Israeli-Hamas war that is decimating Gaza, and overcoming Biden’s increasing signs of advanced age.

Biden can both debunk the notion of his own senescence and energize supporters with an active, feisty, free-wheeling stance on the campaign trail. It also looks like this is the course he intends to pursue. It’s a big part of his nature and who he is as a politician.

In appearing to reinvent himself as an aggressive campaigner with issues that have broad public support, Biden can win by an even bigger margin than his seven million vote advantage four years ago.

And even with a Republican party unprecedentedly compelled to unite behind his MAGA brand, Trump faces an uphill battle from a minority position.

It remains by no means clear than the GOP can recapture the White House with a base of little more than one-third of the electorate and few incentives for those outside that base to join.

LEGAL DELAYS HELPING TRUMP

BIDEN’S decision to directly confront the Supreme Court justices at his State of the Union address highlights the impact the American judiciary is certain to play in this election. That’s a development that has only rarely occurred in US history, but it’s a reality this time around.

There are many opinions about the effect on public opinion in the US of Trump’s legal travails. While he has already been found guilty in the assault and defamation cases brought against him by a writer in New York City and has also been found guilty of criminally misleading financiers and regulators in the conduct of his businesses, the big cases against him remain unresolved.

Those relate directly to his conduct as president.

Those cases and any appeals of decisions rendered will not be resolved before November. It’s possible that Trump will be convicted in Washington, New York City or Atlanta before the election, however. If so, he will, of course, appeal. But polling shows

that those potential convictions will be significantly influential for critical voters.

Recent surveys and studies of recent elections cited in the New York Times point to a relevant reality: When events and legal decisions compel voters to focus on the anti-democratic behaviour of Trump and his allies, a small but critical group becomes less willing to vote for them.

Legal delays have almost certainly helped Trump’s presidential campaign. He has made clear that delay is his primary strategy for fighting the cases against him. It’s easy to see why. If he becomes president again, he can order the Justice Department to end any federal case against him.

The legal delays also make it superficially more likely that he is re-elected. The public will be less focused on his attempts to overturn the 2020 election if he isn’t on trial for them on or near Election Day. But polls have also shown that a significant share of Trump’s current supporters will not vote for him if he is convicted.

THIS combo image shows Republican presidential candidate former President Donald Trump, left, March 9, 2024 and President Joe Biden, right, Jan. 27, 2024.

Photo: AP

WSC: Sewerage upgrades at Arawak Cay expected to be completed in four weeks

By LEANDRA ROLLE Tribune Chief Reporter lrolle@tribunemedia.net

SEWERAGE upgrades at Arawak Cay should be completed within four weeks, according to the project’s operations manager.

Leyvon Miller said his team is doing all it can to meet the deadline despite encountering several challenges.

“The team at WSC has been actively engaged in the upgrade,” he told reporters. “Of course, like we informed the public earlier, we ran into a small unforeseen challenge with the tide.”

“But as far as our plan, it is still on target. Our dates

are still set. What we had said to the public is that we will take somewhere between six to eight weeks. That still looks like a good mark to meet.”

The lack of a proper sewerage system has impacted Arawak Cay for years, giving the destination an unattractive look and smell. The $130,000 upgrade will allow increased water flow to meet peak demand times at the site.

Mr Miller previously said the clogged pipes were caused by an accumulation of grease and debris over the past five to seven years. He said the pipe size has been increased from eight to ten inches, and the Water

and Sewerage Corporation will be jetting the new lines to ensure that high blockage does not reoccur.

“What I want the Bahamian people to appreciate is firstly, sewer belongs nowhere except for the inside of a pipe,” Mr Miller said. “Sewer anywhere outside of a pipe is a massive problem. We are taking the steps necessary to correct that.”

“What you will find with regards to the aesthetics, having the sewer challenge addressed will instantly deal with things like the stray animal population, with the odour control population, with just food safety issues etc.”

Ranfurly Home for Children asking for volunteers as their young residents prepare for adulthood

By KEILE CAMPBELL kcampbell@tribunemedia.net

THE Ranfurly Homes for Children is appealing for volunteers as the orphanage prepares to transition some of its adolescent residents into adulthood.

The home’s administrator, Ingrid Deveaux, said six residents are preparing for adult life, a process handled by the home’s transitioning committee.

The home accepts volunteers of any age group and is keen on finding peer mentors, peer volunteers, and adults.

“We have a greenhouse committee where we’re trying to keep our grounds beautified, pretty much go green, recycle, plant and feed ourselves through our produce garden back in the yard,” Ms Deveaux said. “Then we have our education committee where we’re seeking persons to come in and assist us with homework, tutoring – that type of stuff.”

Ms Deveaux said the Ministry of Social Services has been “very supportive” of its efforts but could do

more.

“I don’t know if we’ll ever have enough monies or funds to do what we do, so I would definitely say we see the need where there is a need for an increase in funding,” she said. “However, we do our best to work with what we have and try to provide the best, consistent care we can for the children that are in our care.”

“Working with young people, you know, they eat a lot, they’re growing, so there’s always a need for food donations, clothing

donations and always a need for monetary donations because that pretty much helps keep our doors open and we always have a need to put some money on the BPL bill or the Bahamas Food Services bill.”

Ms Deveaux spoke to reporters after IT firm Micronet announced its donation of $8k in new hardware for the Home, a complete network overhaul that provided WiFi access throughout the compound and fixed equipment failures. There are 23 children in the Home’s care.

WSC PROJECT OPERATIONS MANAGER LEYVON MILLER

MICRONET donates $8,000 in new computer hardware to the Ranfurly Home. Photos: Moise Amisial

THE RANFURLY Home for Children’s administrator Ingrid Deveaux shakes hands with Ryan Cartwright CE of Micronet after his company $8,000 in new cmputer hardware to the orphanage.

Senior legal figures take part in distinguished lecture series

THE Eugene Dupuch Law School (EDLS) has announced Justices In Dialogue: Distinguished Conversations, the latest in its Distinguished Lecture Series.

The presenters are the current and former Chief Justices; Sir Ian Winder, Chief Justice; Sir Michael Barnett, President of the Court of Appeal of The Bahamas and former Chief

Justice; Sir Burton Hall, former Chief Justice, and Sir Brian Moree, former Chief Justice. Hosted by veteran journalist and broadcaster Jerome Sawyer, the event is slated for today at the Grand Hyatt Convention Centre, Baha Mar, at 6.30pm. Organisers say this event will be complimentary and accessible to all. “An important part of

our mission as an institution is the advancement of legal knowledge,” said EDLS Principal Tonya Bastian Galanis.

“Our ultimate goal is to provide a forum where leading legal minds and the public can engage on pertinent legal issues that impact our society in tangible ways.”

This year’s event also represents a major shift in the

way the public can engage with the Distinguished lecture.

“This is a bit of a departure from the traditional lecture style we used in the past.” said Principal Bastian Galanis, “We’ve instead decided to embrace a fireside chat format, offering attendees a more relaxed experience.”

The panelists will explore themes like the right to

bail, the effectiveness of jury trials, the ethical implications of Artificial Intelligence, human rights issues, and more.

As the Eugene Dupuch Law School prepares to host this landmark event, organisers say they’re anticipating an evening of enlightenment and legal exploration.

“We are very excited about the potential for real dialogue during this event”

said Nicole Sutherland King, director of the EDLS Legal Aid Clinic.

“The event is free to the general public. This pivotal gathering promises to not only deepen the public’s understanding of the law but also to forge stronger connections within the community, embodying the EDLS’s commitment to accessibility and inclusive learning.

COMMONWEALTH COUNTRIES AGREE JUSTICE MEASURES

COMMONWEALTH

countries, including The Bahamas, endorsed a new set of measures at the Commonwealth law ministers meeting in Zanzibar last Friday, designed to improve people’s access to justice.

The measures were the result of four-day deliberations among law ministers at their biennial meeting in Tanzania.

They were also guided by input from diverse stakeholders, including people with disabilities, civil society representatives and leading innovators in the legal sector.

Under these measures,

ministers resolved to ramp up efforts to remove barriers to access to justice and address the legal needs of all citizens. Key provisions include improved access to justice for people with disabilities, a model law on virtual assets, a new action plan to protect women from online violence and a proposal to eliminate gender-discriminatory legislation. Ministers also welcomed an array of new Commonwealth legal resources, including a mediation guide, a small claims court app for dispute resolution and a database for cooperation

on criminal matters.

Additionally, they adopted the Commonwealth guidelines on the treatment of electronic evidence in criminal proceedings, designed to offer member countries a framework to craft national legislation.

To support the implementation, ministers requested the Commonwealth Law Ministers Action Group to report progress at the next meeting.

The package summarises the outcome statement issued by ministers, representing one-third of humanity, at the end of their meeting

on February 8.

Speaking after the meeting, the Commonwealth Secretary-General, Patricia Scotland KC, said the measures were “absolutely critical” because two-thirds of the world’s population lack meaningful access to justice.

In their statement, ministers recognised the secretariat’s tech-driven justice solutions and its work on artificial intelligence as important

interventions in improving access to legal information and transforming justice delivery in today’s complex world.

The secretariat also presented several papers in the field of energy and extractives, including a carbon tax model law and an oil and gas decommissioning guide.

Hosted by the United Republic of Tanzania from March 4-8, the meeting was chaired

by Ambassador Dr Pindi H. Chana, the country’s Minister of Constitutional and Legal Affairs.

The outcomes from the meeting will shape the agenda for the upcoming Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) in Samoa later this year.

The next meeting will be hosted by the government of Fiji in February 2026.

ADMINISTRATORS and staff members of various government agencies gathered on Friday morning at the National Insurance Board building in Freeport, Grand Bahama, in recognition of Local Government Month. Alexander Williams, former administrator, made a presentation to school students on Tuesday at a civics class at Mary Star of the Sea Catholic Academy. Photo: Lisa Davis/BIS

Campaign cracks down on underage drinking

THE Bahamas National Drug Council is partnering with Arawak Cay vendors to expand its ‘One Choice’ campaign, an initiative to prevent underage drinking.

Yesterday, the BNDC and police representatives gathered at the popular local hub to erect stickers on business structures warning against the illegal sale of alcohol to anyone under 18.

Lilian Larimore Smith, vice president of Arawak Cay Conch, Fish and Food Vendors Association, said she believes the initiative will be a great tool to discourage underage drinking, noting that vendors have seen an uptick in youth presence in the area since the pandemic.

Dr Novia Carter-Lookie, deputy permanent secretary in the Ministry of Health and Wellness, said the council hopes to increase awareness about the dangers of underage drinking.

She said officials have erected signs in over 100 businesses over the past three years. Assistant Police Commissioner Roberto Goodman said: “We’re seeing now in our society, plenty of our young persons being

destroyed by the consumption of alcohol or persons out there being able to sell them alcohol.

“The commissioner of police, even in his policing plan, we admonish those persons who continue to break the law.”

DEMERITTE PUBLISHES LIFE STORY

FORMER Auditor

General and High Commissioner to Great Britain Dr Richard C Demeritte has published his biography, “This Is My Story: The Life and Journey of Dr. Richard C. Demeritte”.

Dr Demeritte’s biography traces his ascent through life, encompassing civic and sports interests, national service, and a distinguished career in accountancy and diplomacy.

Dr Demeritte was the only male child and the youngest of four siblings. His mother came from Kemps Bay, Andros, while his father’s tailor shop would become the gathering ground for many in the St James Road community. He wa able to travel extensively to the USA with their parents as a child, and in 1958, he had the opportunity to travel to London to attend the Boys Brigade Jamboree.

He said: “This gave me a global exposure and experience that removed the constraints of community perspective to a world

DR RICHARD C DEMERITTE

perspective of knowledge that would transcend in numerous sectors of my life experience that consciously rewired my thought process. “This was in the late 1950’s when the average young black boy lived within his state as a crutch that says ‘my environment is what I am’. I later understood that my father and mother were molding me to say, ‘I am what I make myself’. It is an indwelling philosophy that kept my feet moving and wanting to become more positive of what my environment was not showing me.”

“This is My Story” was published by Author’s Tranquility Press. It is available on Amazon.

OUTREACH Officer at The Bahamas National Drug Council Mandel Miller and ACP Roberto Goodman apply a sticker, which warns that selling alcohol to minors is a criminal offense, to an establishment during a press call about the One Choice Campaign at Arawak Cay on March 13, 2024.

LILLIAN LARIMORE-SMITH, VP of the Conch, Fish and Fruit Vendors Association, speaks to reporters during a press call about the One Choice Campaign at Arawak Cay on March 13, 2024.

A STICKER, above, warning that selling alcohol to minors is a criminal offence and, left, ACP Roberto Goodman speaking to reporters yesterday.

Photos: Dante Carrer

Plan to install new leaders in Haiti appears to crumble after political parties reject it

PORT-AU-PRINCE

Associated Press

A PROPOSAL to install new leadership in Haiti appeared to be crumbling Wednesday as some political parties rejected the plan to create a presidential council that would manage the transition.

The panel would be responsible for selecting an interim prime minister and a council of ministers that would attempt to chart a new path for the Caribbean country that has been overrun by gangs. The violence has closed schools and businesses and disrupted daily life across Haiti.

Jean Charles Moïse, an ex-senator and presidential candidate who has teamed up with former rebel leader Guy Philippe, held a news conference Wednesday to announce his rejection of the proposed council backed by the international community. Moïse insisted that a three-person presidential council he recently created with Philippe and a Haitian judge should be implemented.

“We are not going to negotiate it,” he said in a loud voice as he wiped his forehead with a handkerchief. “We have to make them understand.”

His ally Philippe, who helped lead a successful revolt in 2004 against former President JeanBertrand Aristide and was recently released from a U.S. prison after pleading guilty to money laundering, said no Haitian should accept any proposal from the

international community. In a video posted Tuesday on social media, Philippe accused the community of being complicit with Haiti’s elite and corrupt politicians and urged Haitians to take to the streets.

“The decision of Caricom is not our decision,” he said, referring to the regional trade bloc whose leaders presented the plan to create a transitional council. “Haitians will decide who will govern Haiti.”

Other high-profile Haitian politicians declined to participate in the proposed transitional council. Among them were Himmler Rébu, former colonel of Haiti’s army and president of the Grand Rally for the Evolution of Haiti, a party that is part of a coalition awarded a spot on the transitional council. He said in a statement that the party prefers that a judge from Haiti’s Supreme Court assume the reins of power.

Rébu added that the party is “ashamed and angry” upon seeing “the search for positions of power that do not take into account the responsibilities attached to them.”

Meanwhile, a former senator, Sorel Jacinthe, and a young politician, Jorchemy Jean Baptiste, both supporters of Prime Minister Ariel Henry and the Dec. 21 coalition that backs him, called Radio Caraïbes separately Wednesday to argue why their choice for the transitional council was the best one.

Caribbean leaders who announced the plan for

the transitional council did not respond to messages for comment.

The plan emerged late Monday following an urgent meeting involving Caribbean leaders, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken and others who were searching for a solution to halt Haiti’s crisis of violence.

Hours after the meeting, Henry announced Tuesday that he would resign once the council was in place, saying that his government “cannot remain insensitive to this situation.”

Henry remains locked out of Haiti because gang attacks have shuttered the country’s airports. He is currently in Puerto Rico.

The gang attacks began Feb. 29, when Henry was in Kenya to push for the U.N.-backed deployment of a Kenyan police force. The deployment has been temporarily suspended.

“My concern is that the longer there is a power vacuum and an effort to figure out a way forward on the political side, every day that delays resolutions, many, many people are dying,” said William O’Neill, the U.N.’s independent expert on human rights in Haiti.

Armed men in the capital of Port-au-Prince have set fire to police stations and stormed the country’s two biggest prisons, releasing more than 4,000 inmates. Among those who fled are gang leaders of at least seven communities, according to a new report by the United Nations Integrated Office in Haiti, known as BINUH.

As of March 10,

gunmen attacked, looted or torched at least 30 state institutions, more than 600 homes and private businesses and nearly 500 public and private vehicles, BINUH said.

Gangs also have attacked neighborhoods in a rampage that has left scores dead and more than 15,000 homeless. More than 130 people were killed between Feb. 27 and March 8. Meanwhile, at least 40 gang members were killed between Feb. 29 and March 10, according to BINUH.

“This is absolutely catastrophic,” O’Neill said. “I describe Port-au-Prince now as an open-air prison. There is no way to get out: land, air or sea. The airport is still not functioning.”

By Tuesday, the attacks

were subsiding, with some businesses and banks reopening, although schools and gas stations remained closed. Public transportation restarted, and more Haitians could be seen Wednesday going about their business. While some activity has resumed, many people are still concerned that gangs might resume their attacks.

Caricom gave the organizations that were offered positions on the council until Wednesday to submit the names of people who would represent them. As of midday Wednesday, no list had been submitted.

The nine-member council has seven positions with voting powers. Votes were offered

to Pitit Desalin, JeanCharles’ party; EDE/ RED, a party led by former Prime Minister Claude Joseph; the Montana Accord, a group of civil society leaders, political parties and others; Fanmi Lavalas, Aristide’s party; the Jan. 30 Collective, which represents parties including that of former President Michel Martelly; the Dec. 21 Agreement, a group that backed Henry; and members of the private sector.

The remaining two nonvoting positions would go to a member from Haiti’s civil society and its religious sector.

It was not immediately clear who be awarded a position on the council if it was rejected by certain political parties.

CHILDREN look through a fence at a shelter for families displaced by gang violence, in Port-auPrince, Haiti, yesterday.

Photo: Odelyn Joseph/AP

SPORTS

THURSDAY,

BBF names national team head coaches

By TENAJH SWEETING Tribune Sports Reporter tsweeting@tribunemedia.net

Following a coach selection process which lasted nearly a year, the Bahamas Basketball Federation (BBF) has officially announced the national team head coaches for the junior men and women’s and senior women’s team to serve for the next three years.

Grand Bahama native Yolett “Coach Yo” McPhee-McCuin will serve at the helm for the senior women’s national basketball team.

Leading the charge for the junior women’s team will be Anton Francis, who formerly served as an assistant coach of the respective team.

Sunland Baptist head coach Jay Phillipe and Tabernacle Baptist Academy head coach Kevin Clarke will be in charge of the U15 and U17 junior men’s national teams respectively. The announcement was made yesterday at the

Andre Rodgers Baseball Stadium.

The four coaches were selected by a nine-member coaches’ selection committee which included Dr Linda Davis, Kimberley Rolle, John Todd, Anthony Swaby, Felix Musgrove, James Clarke Sr, Shantell Penn, Natasha Miller and Randy Cunningham.

The coaches had to meet a specific criteria and went through a series of channels over the last few months before being ratified yesterday.

Dr Davis, who served as the chair of the coaches’ selection committee, expressed her confidence in the four coaches chosen to lead the respective national teams.

“We are pleased and I think confident that the recommendations that we would have forwarded to the federation will all go well.

“We are excited about the possibility that this is not just one year and then

Eva Hilton’s ‘clean sweep’ in golf

By TENAJH SWEETING Tribune Sports Reporter

THE Eva Hilton Shockers brought out the broom at the 2024 Interschool Golf Championships yesterday to sweep all four team divisions at the Bahamas Golf Federation’s (BGF) NineHole Golf Facility for the fourth year in a row.

The championships will now be played today with competitors from the private primary schools facing off against the public primary schools, starting at 8am.

Zindora Munnings, head coach of the Shockers, was grateful to seal the deal in all four team divisions for the fourth consecutive year.

“It is very exciting. The students came out and they played very well. We had some newcomers like Dwanae Rahming and Ta’aj Curry and we had some younger boys as well in our lower primary division like Kamal Daley. They played

SHOCKERS WIN TEAM DIVISIONS FOR 4TH YEAR IN A ROW

AS the eagerly anticipated CARIFTA Aquatics Championships 2024 draws near, the event has already made waves thanks to the generous backing of sponsors, showcasing the Bahamian community’s corporate commitment to nurturing young sports talent.

At the forefront, Sun Oil Limited has made a contribution of $25,000, underscoring the event’s promise of athletic excellence and community upliftment.

Joining Sun Oil Limited in championing this cause are silver sponsors RBC Royal Bank, Dunkin Donuts, Arawak Port Development, and The Grand Bahama Port Authority, alongside dedicated bronze sponsors Bahamas Hot Mix, CFAL and Subway.

Together, these sponsors form a formidable alliance, each bringing significant financial support to the table, and enhancing the championship’s stature and the athletes’ experience.

“Each sponsor, with their distinct brand of commitment, significantly elevates the championship’s potential,” said Jurelle Mullings, chairman of the CARIFTA Aquatics Local Organising Committee. “Their contributions go beyond the financial as they’re investing in our youth’s future, paving the way for the next wave of Caribbean aquatic champions.” Sun Oil Limited, taking the lead with its substantial support, exemplifies the profound impact corporate sponsorship can have on regional sports.

“Our gold sponsorship for the CARIFTA Swimming Championships is a continuation of this proud tradition, offering a platform for our young swimmers to shine brightly on the national and regional stage. We are not just fuelling their journeys, we are investing in the dreams of our future CARIFTA and Olympic champions,” said Fabian Fernander, Sun Oil sales and marketing manager.

The CARIFTA Aquatics Championships, set to take place in Nassau from March 28 to April 3, is not just a competition.

It’s a platform for showcasing the Caribbean’s brightest young swimming and open water talents.

With The Bahamas aiming for a sixth consecutive win, the championships promise to be a thrilling

display of skill, determination and sportsmanship.

Algernon Cargill, president of Bahamas Aquatics, extends heartfelt gratitude to all sponsors for their pivotal roles in shaping the event’s success.

“The collective support from our sponsors is instrumental in bringing this international-standard event to life. It underscores

the importance of investing in our athletes and reinforces our commitment to fostering a brighter future in Caribbean aquatics.”

As preparations for the CARIFTA Aquatics Championships continue, there’s a rallying call for more organisations to join this esteemed group of sponsors. “Your involvement can make a significant

difference,” urges Algernon Cargill.

He invites more companies to support this cornerstone event and the young athletes striving for excellence.

For sponsorship opportunities and to learn more about supporting the CARIFTA Aquatics Championships and Team Bahamas, contact Lynne Fraino at lynne@bahamasaquatics.com or 242-824-7465.

Visit www.cariftaaquatics. com for further information about the championships and how you can contribute to the success of this celebrated event.

The CARIFTA Aquatics Championships is a premier international age-group competition that unites athletes from across the Caribbean in a celebration of aquatic sports.

As a pillar of the Caribbean’s rich sporting culture, the event exemplifies the region’s dedication to fostering athletic talent, sportsmanship, and unity among its youth.

CLINTON ROLLE, managing director and general manager of FOCOL Sun Oil and Fabian Fernander, Sun Oil sales and marketing manager are pictured with members of the CARIFTA Aquatics 2024 marketing team.

THE Bahamas Basketball Federation (officials shown above) has officially announced the national team head coaches for the junior men and women’s and senior women’s team to serve for the next three years.

SWEEPING FASHION: The Eva Hilton Shockers swept the four divisions of the public school segment of the 2024 Interschool Golf Championships for the fourth consecutive year.

Bahamas fields 20-member team for World Cup qualifier

By TENAJH SWEETING Tribune Sports Reporter tsweeting@tribunemedia.net

THE Bahamas Baseball Association (BBA) has fielded a 20-member 15-and-under (15U) team to represent the country at the World Baseball Softball Confederation’s (WBSC) 15U Pan American Championship in Boca Chica, Dominican Republic, March 16-21.

The moment is an historic one as it’s the first time The Bahamas has competed at a qualifier of this calibre with the potential of advancing to WBSC 15U World Cup scheduled for later in the year.

The announcement was made yesterday by officials at the Andre Rodgers Baseball Stadium.

The 20-member national team has a mix of players from New Providence and Grand Bahama with nine hailing from the latter.

Albert Cartwright, head coach of the team, is looking forward to seeing the group in action starting this Saturday.

“These guys get to go out and they get to play a game of baseball. I think after the first inning those butterflies end up going away and it just turns into a baseball game.

“We are not expected to win so it makes it a little easier for me to just watch these guys perform and try to give them something to lean on.

“I think it’ll be fun to watch these guys perform for The Bahamas and I am excited,” Cartwright said.

The 20-member team includes Jordan Archer, Chrishad Thompson, Malique Israel, Khyale Watkins, Antwon Bain, Javan Smith, Jensynn Albury, Kaizen Dorsett, Nathan Fernander, Thaddeus Russell, Amari

Knowles, Pedro Baillou, Aaron Taylor, Mario Dean, Caiden Martin, Ryan Wood, Liam Eneas, Tyler Knowles, Sean Forbes and Kamdynn Miller.

Cartwright will serve as the team’s head coach and will be assisted by Geron Sands, Pedro Dean Jr and Donovan Cox. Avard Hart is the team’s manager.

The Bahamas will play in the tournament alongside the Dominican Republic, Venezuela, Cuba, Puerto Rico, Mexico, Panama, Brasil, Argentina, Cuba, Nicaragua and Peru. The team will make their debut in the qualifier against Mexico on Saturday morning.

Coach Cartwright gave a snippet of the team’s strategy heading into this weekend’s competition.

“I think each baseball team from The Bahamas has one strength which is speed. Every time we go away as Team Bahamas we gotta play to our strength which is speed.

“We have to be good on the base paths, we have to take the extra bases, we have to steal bases and that is how we are gonna win games,” he said.

BSAA BASKETBALL CHAMPIONSHIP RESULTS

GENESIS Academy defeated Freedom Baptist Academy 2-0 in a best-of-three championship series to win the primary boys’ title.

Caz Bethel had 17 points and Christopher Strachan scored 14 points.

The Temple Christian School defeated Teleos Christian School 13-12 in the final game of the championship series to claim the primary school girls’ title.

The Teleos Christian School Cherubims took home the junior girls’ championship after knocking off the St John’s College Giants 2-1 in the championship series.

The International School of Business, Entrepreneurship and Technology (ISBET) were crowned the super mini BSSA and junior boys champions for 2024.

Team Bahamas will play out of Group A with Brasil, Argentina, Panama, Mexico, the Dominican Republic and Argentina.

A goal of the BBA is to improve the country’s ranking from 59th on the WBSC World Rankings and coach Cartwright believes that this is a step in the right direction.

“We have been in the works to try and get into these tournaments to be able to pull up our rankings nationally so we could play in some of those big tournaments and eventually go to the Olympics. This tournament is a start to put us in the right direction for that and I think even though it took two weeks to put it together, I think you can see that the BBA is committed to this goal to get baseball internationally on a higher ranking,” he said.

BBA secretary general Theodore Sweeting acknowledged that the 15U team faces a difficult task but he believes that they are capable of getting the job done.

“This is going to be the first event in international baseball where this country

is going to compete to qualify for a world tournament in any age bracket. This is going to be a very difficult task, but I think that we are up to it. We can compete and we are going to see just how well we can transition on the international stage,” Sweeting said.

Minister of Youth, Sports and Culture Mario Bowleg gave the team his best regards before their journey to the Dominican Republic on Friday.

“When the vision was placed in the Prime Minister’s mind to build this stadium it was because we saw what baseball was doing in the country for our young men. When we look at the amount of young men that are signing professional deals it tells me that when I look at Albert, Geron and Avard and most of those in the Bahamas Baseball Federation, that they are doing their job and their part in developing our young men and using baseball as a vehicle to take them to the next level in life. I am so honoured and happy to be here because I know that these three young men will take these young men to

the next level and we will compete and we will compete well,” Bowleg said.

Taylor, who plays outfielder, is ready to take on the newest opportunity for The Bahamas.

“I think this is a very good opportunity to have. I have no nerves but since we are from The Bahamas they are gonna think that we are the underdogs but we just gotta go out there and prove them wrong. We have been working on our batting because we know there is going to be some hard pitching out there but we will do good, ” he said.

Albury, who is a pitcher and outfielder, is excited and thinks the team is very equipped for the challenge ahead.

“I am very excited. There are a lot of players for The Bahamas and I was selected to be one of the many so I am very excited for us. It has been a lot of preparation, hard work, lots of games, a lot of defence situations, batting practices, but I think that we are well prepared,” he said. Competition begins on Saturday and wraps up on March 21.

EVA

HILTON SHOCKERS

FROM PAGE 15

great and they executed. It was a little scary for them at first but they did well. Coming back to win again for the fourth straight Interschool Golf Championship is very exciting and I am very proud of my students,” Munnings said. The Shockers took care of business in the lower primary girls and boys’ divisions. Additionally, they reigned supreme in the upper primary girls and boys’ divisions as well.

Eva Hilton, TG Glover and Claridge Primary were the top three teams in the upper primary boys division. The victors had a score of 132. TG Glover managed to place second with a total of 156. Meanwhile, Claridge Primary put together a score of 179 for third place.

Deandrey Poitier, of TG Glover, had the best performance in the individual round. He had a score of 36. Antonio Hernandez, of Eva Hilton, came second with 39 and fellow schoolmate Zhavargo McKenzie ended third with 46.

Eva Hilton’s team of Riannah Hanna, Dwanae Rahming, Janai Miller, Ta’aj Curry and Martinique Perry led all competitors with a score 151. TG Glover’s team of Kayah Munnings, Valanthia Williams, Naveah Ramsey, Aria Wells and Caranique Marshall trailed for second with a total of 197. Claridge Primary’s Noami Neely, Davia Pennerman, Christian Geores, Ashernayah Clarke and Simone Gustav helped the school to a third place spot with a score of 199.

Hanna was the top solo performer in the upper primary girls division with a total of 42. Rahming was one spot shy of her schoolmate with 54. Curry rounded out the top three with a score of 55 to fill the podium spots with all Eva Hilton students.

Eva Hilton was the only school to finish the competition in the lower primary boys division. The team of K’ron Smith, Andrew Roberts, Noah Edgecombe, Tristan Dean and Kamaal Daley totaled 192. Smith, Roberts and Edgecombe took all three podium spots for the Shockers in the individual round with identical scores of 64.

The Shockers were the only school to complete the lower primary girls division as well. Jamiah Miller, Amelia Frazer, Kendia Dames and Maddison Taylor teamed up for Eva Hilton and got a score of 152.

Miller was atop the leaderboard for the individual round after totalling 43. Frazer placed second with 54 and Dames ended with 55 for third. The fourth Interschool Golf Championships powered by Capital Union Bank will wrap up with champions crowned today.

BBF names national team head coaches

FROM PAGE 15

you come through it again — but it is for a three year period. It lends well for continuity. It allows the coaches to really get their systems in place and they have the opportunity to select a team of professionals who will work with them, their assistant coaches, managers et cetera.” she said.

The coaches selection committee was put in place in May 2023 and the application process began shortly thereafter leading up to yesterday’s big announcement.

Dr Davis said the process, which included advertising, interviews and background checks, was extensive to ensure that all qualified candidates were given a fair chance.

“We wanted to be intentional and deliberate. We didn’t want to rush it, we wanted to ensure that each of the persons who were nominated or who submitted an application had a

fair chance to demonstrate what they had to bring to the game. Even those who were not selected, we wanted to make sure as we have spoken to them subsequently that this is just the beginning. We want to encourage them to continue to support and be good investors and who knows what will happen in another three years or even within this year they may even be selected as one of the assistant coaches by the head coach,” she said. National team head coaches will be afforded the opportunity to recommend potential assistant coaches and other staff members to the coaches selection committee for approval in upcoming weeks ahead of the preparations for summer basketball tournaments.

“Coach Yo” will return to her previous role as senior women’s national team head coach. McPheeMcCuin led the team from

2014-2017 and during this period The Bahamas won the CBC Basketball Championship in 2015. She is excited to make her mark on the team once again.

“It is an honour to return back to my duties with the senior women’s national team as head coach. I think this is the perfect time to revitalise women’s basketball in the Bahamas and start our journey to the 2028 Olympics. I am asking all that are able to, support our women’s programmes. There is no doubt in my mind that we too can represent the 242 in an outstanding way on the national scene,” she said. Francis echoed the sentiments of the senior women’s national team head coach as he wants to put out a respectable brand of junior women’s basketball for The Bahamas.

“It is indeed a pleasure and privilege to be selected as the head coach for the

junior women’s national basketball teams. It is an honour to continue to have such an amazing opportunity to be a part of the development and promotion of women’s sports while simultaneously representing our great country. I’ve had an opportunity to work and coach with many great Bahamian coaches. I look forward to returning our junior women’s programme to the dominance and winning ways of the past,” he said.

Phillipe will be making his national team coaching debut with the U17 junior men’s team. He said it is a privilege to have the opportunity.

“It is with great pleasure and excitement that I embark on this journey as the head coach of the U17 junior men’s national team. I consider this as the ultimate privilege to represent my country. I’ve been working toward this opportunity for the last 10 years,

through development of players and myself.

“I am excited to begin working with our national programme to help continue to build a better brand of basketball as the previous coaches at the national level have done,” he said.

Clarke, who has served as an assistant coach of the U15 and U17 Centrobasket basketball teams, was grateful to be selected and laid out some of his goals for the national team.

“It’s always an honour to represent and wear Bahamas across your chest, whether as a coach or a player. In the next three years, I aim to mentor, develop, and coach these young men to become better athletes and better men, who will go on to represent their country with Bahamian pride,” he said.

Moses Johnson, first vice president of the BBF, along with other BBF executives are excited about the selection of head coaches and

are now looking forward to them putting together formidable teams.

“They have to now also go out and aggressively start to communicate with these players. We would have contacts for certain players through the federation but it is now the mandate of these coaches to ensure that they garner the support of the athletes that are out there.

“We have many spread out across the United States, Canada and playing in Europe. They have to now garner the contacts and stay aggressively contacting these persons so that when they are called upon we have already built that relationship and rapport with them that they are able to come home and represent the country,” he said.

The BBF is appealing to corporate Bahamas to lend their support to the junior and senior programmes as they compete in different tournaments in the future.

A FIRST OF MANY: A 20-member (15U) team will represent The Bahamas at the World Baseball Softball Confederation’s (WBSC) 15U Pan American Championship in the Dominican Republic for the first time this weekend.

GENESIS Academy beat Freedom Baptist Academy 2-0 in a best-of-3 championship series to win the primary boys’ title.

NEW YORK (AP) —

Josh Hart had 20 points, 19 rebounds and 10 assists in his fourth triple-double of the season, OG Anunoby scored 14 points in his return from an 18-game absence and the New York Knicks beat the Philadelphia 76ers 106-79 on Tuesday night.

Jalen Brunson added 20 points and nine assists for the Knicks, who finally got one of their injured starters back and looked nothing like the team that was held to an NBA season-low 73 points in a loss to the 76ers on Sunday.

“I think we played to our strengths,” Hart said. “I think we played faster. We took care of the ball. We rebounded the ball. We cut, we moved, we got good shots.”

Anunoby hadn’t played since Jan. 27 because of a right elbow injury that required surgery. New York is still playing without AllStar Julius Randle and Mitchell Robinson because of injuries, but has held its opponent below 80 points in three straight games for the first time since the 200001 season.

The Knicks improved to 13-2 in games that Anunoby has played in after acquiring him from Toronto in a Dec. 30 trade.

The Madison Square Garden crowd greeted him with a rousing ovation after he was introduced

with the starting lineup and Anunoby drew louder cheers when he threw down a thunderous dunk after stealing the ball from Chavano “Buddy” Hield late in the third quarter.

“It felt great. It’s been a while,” Anunoby said. “Missed playing here, missed the fans, missed my teammates.”

Kelly Oubre Jr. scored 19 points and Tyrese Maxey had 17 after missing the previous four games because of a concussion.

Hield helped out with nine points, four rebounds, four assists and a block in 24 minutes of playing time.

“I felt pretty good. I was definitely tired when I came out the first time, my wind,” said Maxey, who played 27 minutes. “It’s kind of difficult because only so much you can do while you’re in the protocol. But overall, it was all right.” The 76ers beat the Knicks 79-73 on Sunday in a game that had the

lowest-combined score in the NBA this season. This time, the Knicks shot 50.6% from the field and 35% from long distance after shooting 32.5% from the field and 22.5% from 3-point range.

right ankle, Thompson returned to the starting lineup. Thompson was 8 for 21 from the field, including 4 for 10 on 3-pointers.

Golden State (34-30) has won nine of its past 10 road games and prevented San Antonio from completing a road-and-home sweep.

After beating the Warriors 126-113 on Saturday without Wembanyama and

Devin Vassell, the Spurs could not sustain a balanced effort with their top two scorers back. Vassell had 17 points and Keldon Johnson added 16 for San Antonio. “They made 51% of their 3s last game,” Golden State guard Brandin Podziemski said.

“Tonight, holding them to 38% was definitely a big key for us, but also just showing what we’re about and not letting anybody punk us.”

San Antonio had 27 assists after collecting 34 on Saturday.

The Warriors limited the Spurs’ scoring opportunities in the second half with a greater intensity defensively.

San Antonio had built a 36-25 lead on a 3-pointer by Johnson with 37 seconds remaining in the first quarter. Paul scored

Philadelphia, still without NBA scoring leader Joel Embiid, continued to struggle offensively. The 76ers shot 37.5% from the field and 24.2% beyond the 3-point line. On Sunday, the 76ers shot

38.8% from the field and 30% from long distance. Philadelphia coach Nick Nurse was upset with the effort his team showed to start the game and called his first timeout after the 76ers fell behind 6-0 with

10:21 remaining in the first quarter.

The 76ers were held to 14 points in the first quarter Tuesday after scoring 15 Sunday.

“Their speed, they were moving faster than we were,” Nurse said.

“Their physicality, I thought on the ball, was a big difference on both ends.”

New York had an 18-point lead to start the third quarter before the Sixers went on a 9-2 spurt and made it 61-51 on Maxey’s 3-pointer that forced a Knicks timeout with 8:33 left in the quarter.

The Knicks answered with a 15-2 run capped by Donte DiVincenzo’s 3 with 4:34 remaining in the period to extend the lead 79-53. Philadelphia shot just 1 for 6 and turned the ball over twice during that stretch.

BAAA: FINAL CARIFTA TRIALS

THE Bahamas Association of Athletic Associations is scheduled to hold its final CARIFTA trials at the original Thomas A Robinson National Stadium March 15-17.

The BAAA will be looking at athletes who qualify in both the under-17 and under-20 divisions for boys and girls to represent the country at CARIFTA in Grenada over the Easter holiday weekend. A number of athletes have already attained the qualifying standards set by the BAAA. However, that does not guarantee a spot on the team unless nobody betters their performances at the trials.

BASKETBALL:

NPWBA ACTION

THE New Providence Women’s Basketball Association is now back in full swing with their regular season games being played at the DW Davis Gymnasium.

rest of the week:

TODAY 7pm - Elite Ballers vs Foxxy Defenders

8pm - Sand Dollar Lady Flyers vs Shift Lady Eagles

Saturday 7pm - Lady Sparks vs Elite Ballers

8pm - Foxxy Defenders vs Sand Dollar Lady Flyers

SOFTBALL: BGDSA OPENING

THE Bahamas Government Departmental Softball Association, under the leadership of Dwayne Stevens, will open its new season at the Baillou Hills Sporting Complex this weekend.

The opening ceremonies and awards presentation for the 2023 season will take place at noon on Saturday, followed by a pair of exciting games.

At 1pm, Electro Invaders will take on the Police Interceptors. At 3pm, the RBGF Floaters will meet the BDOCS Reformers. Three games will also be played on Sunday. They are follows: 1:30pm - RBDF Waves will play the BDOCS Keepers. 3pm - Police Enforcers vs RBDF Cannons. 4:30pm - Police Interceptors vs BTC Lasers.

Mar. 2024

VOLLEYBALL: BBSF TOURNEY

THE Bahamas Baptist Sports Federation will hold a meeting at 6pm on Tuesday, March 26 at the Convention Office in the William Thompson Auditorium on Jean Street.

All churches interested in participating in the volleyball tournament, scheduled for April 25-27, are urged to attend as the rules and regulations will be discussed.

SPARTANS TRACK CLASSIC

THE Noble Preparatory Academy Spartans will hold their annual Track and Field Classic on Saturday, March 16 at the original Thomas A. Robinson Track and Field Stadium.

The event will run from 9am to 2pm. The registration fee is $15 per athlete. The entry fee will be $15 for adults in the VIP stand and $8 for children. The general admission will be $10 for adults and $6 for children.

FAST TRACK INVITATIONAL

FAST Track Athletics announced that its third annual

NEW York Knicks forward OG Anunoby (8) drives against Philadelphia 76ers guard Buddy Hield, left, during the first half of an NBA basketball game on Tuesday at Madison Square Garden in New York. (AP Photos/Mary Altaffer)

76ERS guard Buddy Hield (17) and forward Paul Reed (44) and New York Knicks forward Precious

try to

control of the ball.

Julmis’ last-second goal gives Mingoes win over Bears

THE University of The Bahamas men’s soccer team waited literally until the last minute of play to pull off the 3-2 win over Bears FC in Bahamas Football Association action at The Roscow A.L. Davies Field.

The match did not start all that positively for The Mingoes. In the 21st minute, The Bears struck first with a goal to go up 1-0.

The referee awarded The Mingoes a penalty kick after midfielder Stanley Grand Pierre was taken down by a Bears player in the penalty box in the 25th minute.

Midfielder Peter Julmis connected on the penalty to tie the match at one goal each. The Bears scored a go-ahead goal in the 43rd minute and that score 2-1 carried over to halftime. After the break, the match became very physical with

several yellow cards and hard tackles. It wasn’t until the 73rd minute that Grand Pierre was able to even the match at two goals each on a brilliant score. The next 15 minutes of play was nerve-racking for The Mingoes as The Bears started playing very conservatively and seemed content with the tie. The Mingoes on the other hand were determined to pick up the win with several strikes in their attacking third - one seemed to be a score but was called back because of an offside. With literally seconds left in the

match, UB midfielder Ronaldo Green took a free kick near midfield that was as perfect a pass for Julmis to head into the net for the 3-2 lead.

The Mingoes celebrated and 28 seconds later the referee ended the match.

“We fought to the last second and gave it our all to get that win,” Julmis said. “This is a big win for us. The first time this season we drew with them but this time we had a game plan for this team and it paid off.”

The Mingoes next play Cavalier FC Wednesday at The Roscow A.L. Davies Field.

UB Mingoes midfielder Kevin Thomas (blue 17) moves the ball against Bears FC.

UNIVERSITY of The Bahamas Mingoes midfielder Nathan Well (blue 19) moves the ball against Bears FC Sunday in Bahamas Football Association action.

UB Mingoes winger Junior Kelly (blue 15) moves the ball against Bears FC.

UB Mingoes midfielder Peter Julmis and a Bears FC player go after a ball during their game on Sunday in Bahamas Football Association action. The Mingoes won 3-2.

UNIVERSITY of The Bahamas Mingoes midfielder Stanley Grand Pierre (blue 10) moves the ball against Bears FC Sunday in Bahamas Football Association action.

UB Mingoes midfielder Nathan Well (blue 19) moves the ball against Bears FC.

THREE Bahamian Optimist sailors competed at the 2024 Optimist Sunshine State Championship hosted by the United States Optimist Dinghy Association (USODA) in Jensen Beach, Florida, over the weekend.

Patrick Tomlinson, Finley McKinney-Lambert and Callum Pritchard were all in action in the championship fleet. Tomlinson managed to sail away with six top 10 finishes which also included a bullet in the last race. He ended his experience with a trophy for 8th overall out of 212 sailors that competed from the USA, Canada and US Virgin Islands.

McKinney-Lambert wrapped up 29th overall with three finishes in the top 10.

PATRICK Tomlinson managed to sail away with six top 10 finishes.

Meanwhile, Pritchard concluded in the top half of the rankings with an 85th overall position after two top 20 finishes. The sailors had a great weekend of racing with their competitors and enjoyed the weather conditions.