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VOLUME:114 No.79, MARCH 15th, 2017

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OFFICIAL PUBLICATIO N CONSUMER PROTECTIO N COMMISSIO N, MINISTRY OF LABOUR & NATIONAL INSURANCE

MARCH/APRIL/MAY

2017

WOR LD CONS UMER RIGH TS DAY 2017

B U IL D IN G A DIG ITA L WO RLD

CO NSUM ERS CA N

CONSUMER VOICE: BUILDING A DIGITAL WORLD CONSUMERS CAN TRUST TRUST

1,200 receive aid after fire

CONSUMER VOICE ITS FOURTH ANNIVECELEBRATES RSARY CPC CONSUMER BANKING SURVEY FULL RESULTS PRODUCED BY

THE TRIBUNE

HALKITIS CAMPAIGNERS CLASH WITH FNM GROUP

A CAMPAIGN team for Minister of State for Finance Michael Halkitis, the member of Parliament for Golden Isles, clashed with a group of Free National Movement (FNM) supporters who were canvassing the area.

In a video posted to Facebook yesterday, a team of FNM members, including party Leader Dr Hubert Minnis, was seen campaigning in the Golden Isles SEE PAGE SIX

Schools closed as PLANE AND CARS DAMAGED BY TORNADO AT AIRPORT smoke continues to affect island

By RASHAD ROLLE Tribune staff Reporter rrolle@tribunemedia.net MORE than 1,200 people have received some form of assistance from the Ministry of Social Services in the wake of the ongoing fire at the city dump.

According to officials, as of Sunday, about 300 heads of households from Jubilee Gardens and surrounding areas had sought assistance and participated in the ministry’s registration process. There are an estimated 600 homes in the area.

In all, 875 adults and 393 children were able to receive assistance as a result of the registration process as of Sunday, according to

a release from Bahamas Information Services yesterday.

As residents around New Providence continue to complain about lingering, toxic smoke emanating from the burning New Providence Landfill, where a massive blaze broke out nine days ago, several schools closed early yesterday and inclement weather forced a delay in the air drops of fire extinguishing material on the fire.

While residents in the nearby Tall Pines constituency bore the brunt of the smoke initially, in recent days those across eastern and central areas of New Providence have SEE PAGE THREE

PM ORDERED TO PAY LEGAL COSTS FOR SAVE THE BAYS PRIME Minister Christie has been ordered to pay the full legal costs incurred

by Save The Bays (STB) after his recusal application was rejected by the Supreme Court.

The Prime Minister, in his capacity as Minister for Crown Lands - appears with several other senior officials and controversial

developer Peter Nygard as a respondent in three Judicial Review cases brought by STB to challenge the environmentally destructive construction works that were allowed to take place at Nygard Cay over the past three decades.

SEE PAGE SIX

THE scene at Lynden Pindling International Airport early yesterday as a Bahamasair plane was damaged by a tornado.

By SANCHESKA DORSETT Tribune Staff Reporter sdorsett@tribunemedia.net

A TORNADO at the Lynden Pindling International Airport early yesterday morning caused significant damage to a Bahamasair plane and minor damage to several cars at a nearby car rental agency.

According to Basil Dean, Deputy Director at the Department of Meteorology, the tornado formed from an isolated cumulonimbus cloud in the vicinity of LPIA around 5am.

Mr Dean said pre-frontal

showers and thunderstorms moved across the northwest Bahamas during the early hours resulting in light rains and strong gusty winds at LPIA. When asked why the Met Office did not send a severe weather warning prior to the storm, Mr Dean said the tornado formed “rather quickly” and was not detectable beforehand.

“This happened in an isolated area of the airport,” Mr Dean told The Tribune, “a small, confined area. If you notice, other parts of the airport were untouched.

So this storm formed rather

quickly and was not detectable at the time.”

He said the rain started around 4.10am and lasted for about 50 minutes. The tornadic activity was limited to the LPIA and caused minor damage.

“The following damage was observed; rental vehicles were completely moved from their designed parking slot resulting in damage to the doors, fenders and light casing. There was also wind damage to the roof of a ticket booth in the eastern car parking lot,” Mr Dean said.

“A Bahamasair aircraft was also rocked off its land-

ing gear and there were some broken tree branches.

The wind damage observed are more consistent with an F0 tornado, which could have formed from an isolated cumulonimbus cloud in the vicinity of LPIA. “A typical F0 Tornado is associated with wind speeds between 40 to 70mph, an average damage path of 10 to 50 metres, damage to tree branches, trees broken off and sign board damage, which are consistent with the damage observed at LPIA.” SEE PAGE TWO

BANK HAS NOT AUTHORISED PAY SYMONETTE DEFENDS MINNIS FOR BAHA MAR EXPAT WORKERS FROM CRITICS OVER BAHA MAR

By RASHAD ROLLE Tribune Staff Reporter rrolle@tribunemedia.net

THE Export-Import Bank of China (EXIM) has not authorised Baha Mar’s Claims Committee to pay former expatriate workers of Baha Mar what is owed to them, former State Minister for Finance James Smith said yesterday.

Although last year the Christie administration directed the Claims Commit-

tee to prioritise paying former Bahamian employees of Baha Mar above everyone else, Mr Smith’s revelation yesterday goes against the widespread expectation that former expatriate employees of the resort would be paid from what was left after the money given to former Bahamian employees, Bahamian creditors and foreign creditors is subtracted.

SEE PAGE SIX

By RICARDO WELLS Tribune Staff Reporter rwells@tribunemedia.net

AS fallout continues over that declaration to “execute a real sale” of Baha Mar by Free National Movement Leader Dr Hubert Minnis, former Deputy Prime Minister Brent Symonette yesterday defended his leader, insisting that “fault” sits with the “untruths and half facts” produced by the Christie administration in

Nassau & Bahama Islands’ Leading Newspaper

recent months.

In an interview with The Tribune on Tuesday, the FNM’s newly ratified candidate for St Anne’s stressed that the lack of clarity over what role the government has played in the Baha Mar negotiations since the resort declared bankruptcy in 2015 has left far too many questions and even more assumptions.

SEE PAGE SIX

PAGE 2, Wednesday, March 15, 2017

THE TRIBUNE

THE BAHAMASAIR plane tipped over by the tornado at the Lynden Pindling International Airport early yesterday morning.

Plane and cars damaged by tornado at airport from page one

The strong winds, according to Bahamasair Chairman Valentine Grimes, knocked a $20m ATR 70seat plane off its landing gear, causing the plane to nose dive into the ground.

He said Bahamasair contacted the manufacturer and technicians and engineers are on their way to The Bahamas to access the damage.

He said while flights will have to be shifted, things are relatively slow meaning there will be no significant delays.

“We are not in a high demand period but we will see what happens once we get into the Easter season,” Mr Grimes said.

“It is only one of two

70-seaters we have and we did discuss adding a third plane to the fleet because the size of the airplane is a tremendous help to us. It will affect our services but we will be able to manage it without any hiccups.”

The tornado also caused cosmetic damage to the airport. However, officials from the Nassau Airport Development Company (NAD) said operations were not affected and passengers were able to check in and leave as normal.

Parts of the LPIA also experienced brief power outages.

“There was damage to several vehicles in LPIA’s parking facility, vegetation and the roof of the domestic parking lot pay booth suffered some damage,” an NAD statement said.

CARS shunted into one another by the tornado at Lynden Pindling International Airport.

WEATHER CONDITIONS BLAMED FOR EARLY MORNING POWER OUTAGE BAHAMAS Power and Light (BPL) has blamed yesterday’s early morning power outage on “adverse” weather.

According to BPL, residents in western New Providence as well as some in southwestern communi-

ties were affected around 4.38am when severe weather disrupted one of the electricity provider’s feeds.

However, the company said by midday all affected areas except Royal Palm Gardens were restored.

“Bahamas Power and

Light Company Ltd advises customers in New Providence that crews completed repairs to several areas as adverse weather impacted its distribution network on the island,” the company said in a press statement.

“At 4.38 am on Tuesday

morning severe weather disrupted one of BPL’s feeds and was responsible for outages in a number of areas including: Tropical Gardens, West Winds, Old Fort Bay, Westridge (north and south), Killarney Shores, Orange Hill, Love Beach,

Compass Point, Bahamia West, Tusculum, Maycock Street, Yamacraw Shores, Golden Isles Road, Golden Meadows, Cowpen Road, Royal Palm Gardens and South Ocean Boulevard.

“By midday all affected areas were restored with the

exception of Royal Palm Gardens where BPL crews are presently working to restore power by 6pm.”

BPL advised customers who may experience a loss of power to contact its emergency number at 3021800.

THE TRIBUNE

Wednesday, March 15, 2017, PAGE 3

AN EMPLOYEES at Rubis gas station wearing a mask for protection due to the heavy amount of smoke in the area yesterday.

1,200 receive aid after fire from page one complained of unbearable conditions and acrid smoke caused by the ongoing blaze. Yesterday, St John’s College and Eva Hilton Primary School in the Stapleton area, and others, closed early because of the smoke.

Lillian Quant-Forbes, senior deputy director at the Department of Social Services, said that many of the residents who had sought assistance would have received an emergency food coupon. “(It) would have assisted them with purchasing some personal items, because many of the food items would have been affected in the homes because of the smoke - in addition to other forms of assistance,” she said.

“Of the 301 heads of household registering at the Command Centre, we were able to accommodate 41 families consisting of 162 persons at nine hotel/motel establishments here in New Providence. The Church of God of Prophecy also made their facilities available for use for persons needing temporary housing accommodations,” Mrs QuantForbes added.

She said information gathered at the Command Centre also allowed Social Services officials to collaborate with public health officials in securing medical assistance for those residents in need of medical attention.

“There were a number of residents who live in the areas who would have indicated that they were experiencing some challenges with upper respiratory issues, and so those were the persons we tried to not only seek medical attention for right away, but to also seek – in the initial stages – to

SMOKE in the Fire Trail Road area yesterday. relocate to other temporary accommodations,” Mrs Quant-Forbes said.

On March 5, a massive blaze broke out at the Harrold Road landfill site, blanketing nearby communities, and in particular Jubilee Gardens, in thick, black hazardous smoke and forcing residents in that community to evacuate their homes.

On Monday, Environment Minister Kenred Dorsett said GelTech Solutions, a company that specialises in fighting fires while protecting the environment, has been contracted by the government to assist in ex-

tinguishing the massive blaze. He told The Tribune the US-based company, along with Fletcher Air, began dropping FireIce - a firefighting gel - on the sites at the landfill on Sunday, that were either too dangerous or unreachable by firefighters.

Yesterday morning, Mr Dorsett said the inclement weather had not done much to help tackle the fire but did contribute to rising smoke.

“Whether or not (the rainy weather) helped I’d prefer to say yes and no,” he told reporters. “It didn’t come in sufficient quanti-

Photos: Shawn Hanna/Tribune Staff ties and for a length of time to make a significant impact. But what it did do is cause a lot of steam to rise, so now smoke. It has put it out in some pockets, but the smoke is now very high so when the sun comes out the smoke which you now see shifting toward the north should dissipate and we should be able to make an assessment.

“As a result of the rain and the smoke, we have not been able to begin our air drops for the aircraft to date because visibility at the landfill is a challenge,” he said yesterday morning.

Mr Dorsett also said “80

per cent of the ridge that was still burning is now out” because of air drops.

“A small pocket on the ridge was still lit. They were going to put it out last night (Monday) but air traffic control told us to discontinue the last take off because we were nearing sunset. We had hoped to complete that early this morning but with the rain it seems as though it’s out, so the air drops should be able to focus on different areas today to be able to cool the ground so the team on the ground moving the fill to cover would be able to move at a faster pace,” Mr Dorsett

said.

The airborne exercise will cost the government under $80,000 and is expected to continue over the next few days.

Last Wednesday, Mr Dorsett said there is no definite date set for when Jubilee Gardens residents will be able to return to their homes. Initially, officials said residents would have to wait five to seven days. Social workers will remain at the Kendal GL Isaacs Gym until 6pm daily until officials give the “all clear” for residents of Jubilee Gardens to return to their homes.

‘50 YEARS OF CRIMINAL NEGLIGENCE’ BLAMED FOR STATE OF DUMP A NOTED Queen’s Counsel attorney and head of the legal team for environmental advocacy group Save The Bays has blamed what he called “50 years of criminal negligence” for the fires at the Nassau dump and urged victims to exercise their right to legal action.

“I cry shame on every member of Parliament and every executive in each of the administrations be it the FNM or the PLP that they should have allowed a state of affairs to exist at the city dump affecting thou-

sands of people month after month after month for decades,” said Fred Smith, QC. “I want to emphasise that, in my opinion, it is criminally neglectful, criminally negligent of government after government to have allowed a situation to exist where this dump just continues to pose such a toxic and hazardous threat to the people of New Providence.”

Mr Smith made his comments during the radio show Voice of the Bays, The Environment Speaks. The show airs on Love 97 FM on Wednesdays from 5- 6pm.

“The show this week picks up where Fred Smith laid off,” said host, Save The Bays Chairman Joe Darville. “Dr Arlington Lightbourne, founder of The Wellness Clinic on Collins Avenue, will talk about specific health concerns, long-term impact and how individuals can best mitigate against the impact of toxins and carcinogens that will remain in the air, permeate the soil and affect the water lens for years to come.”

Mr Smith’s call to action and the two radio shows

dedicated to the subject of the Nassau dump follow in the aftermath of the latest blaze which erupted Sunday, March 5, forcing residents of nearby Jubilee Gardens to evacuate their homes.

According to officials, 27 of those residents were treated at the Flamingo Gardens Clinic that same day and four of those admitted to emergency care at Princess Margaret Hospital.

“You all need to sue,” Mr Smith advised. “You’ve got over 1,500 lawyers in Nassau. How is it that a group

HUNT FOR MAN AFTER ACCIDENT POLICE want to speak with 25-year-old Jason Cleare of Faith Gardens who they think can help with an investigation into a fatal hit and run accident.

According to police reports, on Saturday February 18, the driver of a blue Honda car failed to stop

at the scene of a traffic accident that left a man dead.

Police said a man was riding his motorcycle shortly before 7pm on Hibiscus Road off Farrington Road, when a blue Honda vehicle collided with him and failed to stop.

The victim was rushed to hospital where he died the next day.

Police also asked anyone with any information on any crime to contact 919, or Crime Stoppers at 328TIPS in New Providence of 1-242-300-8476 in the Family Islands.

JASON CLEARE

of lawyers has not yet come together to act for free for a group of people to bring an action for criminal negligence against the people responsible? It’s insane that in a place like New Providence a situation like this can exist.

“Our government should treat this as a national disaster. Use taxpayer money to help. I want to see my government in a generous, kind, gracious manner, treating those people in a way they deserve. They have been displaced from their homes. Their lives

have been disrupted. They are subjecting themselves to hazards that years from now will affect their health.

The doctor said that years down the road, we could have hundreds who will die from carcinogens that the body cannot metabolise.

“Ordinary masks cannot keep those chemicals out.

This is a national disaster and a national disgrace and I call upon the citizens to stand up for their rights and for the government to do right by the citizens it is charged with representing,” Mr Smith said.

PAGE 4, Wednesday, March 15, 2017

THE TRIBUNE

The Tribune Limited NULLIUS ADDICTUS JURARE IN VERBA MAGISTRI “Being Bound to Swear to The Dogmas of No Master”

LEON E. H. DUPUCH,

SIR ETIENNE DUPUCH,

jrolle@tribunemedia.net

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Scottish leader: Don’t block independence vote LONDON (AP) — The British and Scottish leaders traded barbs Tuesday over Scotland’s desire to hold a vote on independence just as the UK is negotiating its exit from the European Union.

Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon says she intends to ask voters in late 2018 or early 2019 whether they want to leave the United Kingdom.

Britain decided in a 2016 referendum to quit the European Union after four decades of membership, but Scots voted strongly to remain. Sturgeon says Scotland must not be “taken down a path that we do not want to go down without a choice”.

The British government must agree before Scotland can hold a legally binding referendum, and May condemned Sturgeon’s push for an independence vote, accusing the Scottish leader of sowing uncertainty and division.

“This is not a moment to play politics or create uncertainty,” May told lawmakers in the House of Commons. “It is a moment to bring our country together, to honour the will of the British people and to shape for them a better, brighter future and a better Britain.”

Sturgeon warned May against trying to block a referendum. The first minister said “the referendum must be for Scotland’s national legislature to shape.”

“It should be up to the Scottish Parliament to determine the referendum’s timing, franchise and the question,” Sturgeon said. She plans to ask the Edinburgh-based legislature next week for the authority to seek a new referendum.

In a dig at May, Sturgeon tweeted that she had been elected “on a clear manifesto commitment” by her Scottish National Party to hold a referendum. She added: “The PM is not yet elected by anyone.”

May took office through an internal Conservative Party process when pre-

decessor David Cameron resigned after failing to convince voters to back remaining in the EU. Critics accuse May of lacking a strong popular mandate because she has not won an election as prime minister.

In a 2014 referendum, Scottish voters rejected independence by a margin of 55 per cent to 45 per cent. But Sturgeon said the UK’s decision to leave the EU had brought about a “material change of circumstances.”

Sturgeon wants to put the independence question to Scottish voters before Britain completes its withdrawal from the EU, which will likely be in the first half of 2019.

She said it should be held “when the terms of Brexit are clear but before the U.K. leaves the European Union or shortly afterwards” so that Scottish voters have “a clear choice”.

Late Monday, Parliament passed a bill authorizing May to start two years of exit negotiations with the other 27 members of the bloc.

Once the bill receives the formality of royal assent from Queen Elizabeth II in the next few days, May will be free to ask for a divorce by invoking Article 50 of the EU’s key treaty.

May told lawmakers she intended to do that by her previously announced deadline of March 31.

She said it would be a “defining moment” for Britain. But May said she does not like describing the departure from the EU as a divorce, because “very often when people get divorced they don’t have a very good relationship afterwards”.

Brexit and Sturgeon’s independence push weighed on the pound, which fell against the dollar to its lowest level in two months, dropping 0.5 per cent on the day to $1.2155.

By JILL LAWLESS of the Associated Press

Failures of the government EDITOR, The Tribune.

OH that Junkanoo Carnival .... This time political motivation expected twothree days prior to when we go to vote.

Coincidence? Hell no.

Whatever the budget is we have to stop being stupid - if in 2017 the event cannot attract a reasonable level of visitors it has failed.

How much more money are we going to throw at this?

Failure after failure. Millions chasing more millions.

No discounting at the hotels like last time - even Atlantis was selling rooms at

50% discount.

Same goes for IAAF relays - no financial return cancel stop wasting everyone’s tax money. Athletes do not drink - do not indulge. Hotels Atlantis was discounting 50% last year.

Different issue - H O Nash and the bus BTC donated - surely the Principal could have rented a bus and achieved precisely same results got the students down to the Yacht Club?

BTC has been turned into the National Charity — the owners must be making a very high level of profit to be giving away and sponsoring like BTC does.

Any dividends Mr Prime Minister-Minister of Finance?

Where is the share offering, another 2012 promise spoken and forgotten like so many others.

Will Christie give a contract for the landfill without a tender or RFP? My bet is he will and will if so, break the law.

Wind changed Saturday now central and eastern Nassau getting smoked out + Baha Mar (oh now watch PC rush to correct everything). Tender please, Mr Minister of Finance.

R WALLACE Nassau, March 11, 2017.

Praise for the FNM leader EDITOR, The Tribune.

I WANT to publicly congratulate Dr Hubert Minnis for having the testicular fortitude to do what must be done to bring back the good name of this country.

No government coming to office should allow this bad deal that Christie and crew of Chinese carpetbaggers to go through.

They have sold out the interests of the Bahamian people, and in all likelihood

have cut a few sides for their friends, family and lovers.

From the days of Pindling we all know that the Prime Minister and the Cabinet of the Bahamas controls all the work permits, all crown land, and any licensees that any investor would need, so the Government can and should use that power, especially with this Baha Mar madness.

I stand with Dr Minnis and the FNM, and I can’t wait for Dr Minnis to ex-

pose the corruption in this PLP Government and get a real deal that the Bahamian people could be proud of, not one that has to be hidden away before the courts for no reason like Dame Joan Sawyer said!

We have let this foolishness with Christie carry on for too long. The PLP has to go!

VELMA ROLLE Nassau March 14, 2017.

Minnis against Bahamians EDITOR, The Tribune.

IN a calculated effort to destroy the reputation of the Bahamian people, Hubert Alexander Minnis will sell a hotel that he does not own. The last time I checked, and I stand to be corrected, Baha Mar is privately owned.

The present government has said that the hotel will open in late April. Well how can a hotel open if it has no owner according to Minnis again? A question that I have is why is Minnis trying so hard and wishing for Bahamians not to have an avenue to find gainful employment? Why is he against Bahamians working is beyond reasoning.

How could an FNM government arbitrarily sell a private entity just because they did not like the investor. Is this the Kremlin, is Minnis Putin’s friend? The suggestion that the state is going to seize a private business and have a fire sale is asinine to the highest degree.

This kind of behaviour has all the trappings of killing the Bahamas’ reputation as it relates to “direct foreign investment”.

But what is disturbing, is that sensible FNM will repeat the ignorance that is being said, know that is is void of intelligent thought.

My serious concern is that the FNM who are opposed to this gutter style of leadership is sitting in the corner with their mouth “duct taped”.

LETTERS letters@tribunemedia.net Someone in the party must want the best for the country. Is Minnis a good representation of your ideals? Is he a good role model for our youth? Can he look in the mirror and say that his hands are clean, before he accuses anyone of being otherwise? Has there been any questions that he has not yet answered truthfully?

Can Minnis say without fear of contradiction that “he is without sin”? Would he be honest to say that his closet is empty of bones?

I daresay to the FNM supporters who have some integrity, please insist on your leader to “come clean”, otherwise, he be made to suffer the fate he is orchestrating on others. The Bahamas is very small and every knows everybody. Nothing is a secret in this country.

The FNM is not a camp for sainthood. Many of the things they complain about today they are guilty of also. But it seems like no one in the party is honest to admit them. “Confess your sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us all our sins and cleans us from all unrighteousness”.

There is one thing that Bahamians must do in this upcoming election, that is to insist that mental state of all who are offering themselves for leadership are stable. Not because your party,

that was coerced selected you, means that you have the smarts, the courage, the compassion for people and the common sense to lead this great country. A wise man would know that if they are not qualified to lead to just simply “step aside”.

Oh by the way, the story about you selling newspapers, sowing pants or shining shoes, “please, don’t make me sneeze”. You are a wealthy man, and congratulations for achieving, but under normal circumstances you would not be caught dead having the people around that have now. But I guess if everyone has been promised to be the Ambassador to Washington or chairman of the highest paying board, that would be incentive enough.

Mr Minnis, I know that my advice to you means nothing, but I offer it anyway, Michael Jackson said, “If you want to make this world a better place, take a look at the man in the mirror.

Anger will never disappear so long as thoughts of resentment are cherished in the mind. Anger will disappear just as soon as thoughts of resentment are forgotten. Buddha.

Ain’t nothin’ gonna break-a my stride, Nobody gonna slow me down, oh no, I got to keep on movin’.

Remaining laser focused.

IVOINE W. INGRAHAM Nassau, March 13, 2017.

Too many foreigners EDITOR, The Tribune.

I AM not xenophobic. I understand that countries need foreign labour to help get some jobs done.

We do not have all types of expertise in our small population of 350,000.

When walking in the centre of Nassau lately, I’m always shocked at the high number of foreigners working in the stores in our downtown.

Can’t Bahamians sell jewellery? Can’t Bahami-

ans put make-up on customers?

Can’t Bahamians be salespersons who sell clothes?

I have to ask: Is our Department of Immigration giving out work permits for foreigners to do these simple things in shops downtown?

It must be, as these foreigners are there every day. And truth be told, there are more and more of them every time you go downtown.

The Department of Immigration needs to revisit its policies. I see no need for the large number of foreign workers in retail stores on Bay Street.

If you believe in Bahamians, end this practice.

There are scores of Bahamian men and women who are looking for work and are well qualified to take these posts.

MARTHA S GREENE Nassau, March 13, 2017.

THE TRIBUNE

Wednesday, March 15, 2017, PAGE 5

PLP chairman says Free Town selection was free and fair

By KHRISNA VIRGIL Deputy Chief Reporter kvirgil@tribunemedia.net

DESPITE controversy surrounding the nomination of the Progressive Liberal Party’s Free Town candidate, Chairman Bradley Roberts yesterday said at all times the party’s internal electoral process was “free,” “fair” and “democratic”.

At all times compliant with the provisions of the PLP’s constitution, Mr Roberts said this was proof that the governing party remained the most united and stable political organisation in The Bahamas with one undisputed leader – Prime Minister Perry Christie.

However, the issue of unity in the PLP is arguable with continuous rumblings that there was a great divide behind the scenes over whether attorney Wayne Munroe, QC, or Senator Frank Smith should be the party’s pick for Free Town.

While the party ultimately chose Mr Munroe on Monday night, it was widely publicised that the matter was contentious as supporters of both men faced off at party events and led to the PLP’s Montagu Branch writing to Mr Christie asking for a meeting the National General Council (NGC) in a last ditch effort to have Senator Smith ratified.

“With the overwhelming support of the National

PLP Chairman Bradley Roberts.

General Council for noted attorney Wayne Munroe, QC, at its special call meeting on Monday evening, the candidate’s ratification process came to an exciting end with the election of Mr Munroe as the party’s candidate in the newly named Free Town constituency, Mr Roberts said. “The party continues its preparation for the 2017 general election where it fully expects to be returned to office.

“By all accounts, the internal electoral process was free, fair, transparent, robust and democratic – at all times compliant with the provisions of our party’s

constitution. The PLP remains the most united and stable political organisation in The Bahamas with one undisputed leader, Perry G Christie, who enjoys the full support of his parliamentary caucus, party delegates and the National General Council.”

Former PLP member of Parliament Philip Galanis, told The Tribune yesterday that while he was a keen supporter of Mr Smith, he agreed that the process was democratic.

“I think it was a democratic process as the candidate was ultimately determined by the NGC. It

was an overwhelming decision and it was determined that Mr Munroe would be the standard bearer,” Mr Galanis said when he was contacted yesterday.

“There are some people who object and some people who say he doesn’t have the kind of political pedigree that Senator Smith has and that is a legitimate claim. I was one of those who fully supported his nomination.

I felt he has more political pedigree than Mr Munroe,” Mr Galanis said.

“But in politics you win some you lose some. At the end of the day what you have was the consensus of

the council. There was no split and no division as a result of what transpired.

“We came together and supported the nominee who came through the process.”

He continued: “It says to Bahamians that the PLP clearly is not divided but unified and not letting disputes to tear the organisation apart.

“This shows that the PLP is the best choice.”

Now that the Free Town nomination is behind the party, Mr Roberts said the PLP looks forward to sharing its “big plans” for the future of the country. These plans, he said, bring big progressive changes for the betterment of Bahamians.

“We cannot turn back the clock on our achievements and solid foundation by introducing regressive and backward policies such as samesex schooling, placing metal detectors in public schools and seizing private property to give to friends as part of some smoke filled back room sick deal; this would destroy our international reputation, disrupt our economy and turn the lives of literally hundreds of entrepreneurs and thousands of Bahamian families upside down.

“Dr Minnis and his divided FNM represent a dangerous risk the Bahamian people will and must not take. The PLP pledges to the Bahamian people to move this country forward together,” Mr Roberts said.

Before party members

displayed a show of unity on Monday night, there was confusion on how the night would end.

Supporters of Mr Munroe came out in large numbers to support their preferred candidate. At one point, they formed a barrier to the entrance of the PLP headquarters in an attempt to block Mr Smith’s smaller group of supporters from entering the building, although no confrontation took place.

Not long after, Mr Roberts, issued a statement to the press announcing that the ratification would not take place as expected because of a letter the PLP’s Montagu branch wrote to Mr Christie in a final attempt to give the nomination to Mr Smith.

In the speech that was sent to the media, Mr Roberts said a 10-member committee would be set up to “amicably resolve the matter and report to the leader its findings.”

The speech also said that he expected this committee to meet by next week Wednesday, and submit a report thereafter, and then the party’s ratification process would conclude.

In a subsequent emailed statement to the media about two hours later, Mr Roberts said: “Further update. NGC rather than any further delays overwhelmingly voted to endorse Wayne Munroe to carry the PLP banner in Free Town.”

SENTENCING DELAYED FOR MAN CONVICTED OF MANSLAUGHTER

By LAMECH JOHNSON Tribune Staff Reporter ljohnson@tribunemedia.net

A JUDGE yesterday deferred a sentencing hearing by ten weeks for a man convicted of manslaughter by provocation concerning the 33 stab wounds he inflicted on a banker he claimed had made a sexual pass at him.

Lamar Albury, 26, appeared before Senior Justice Vera Watkins for the penalty phase of his trial after a jury last Wednesday found he was not guilty of the 2015 murder of Devince Smith, but was criminally liable on the lesser charge of manslaughter.

The hearing had been set for yesterday at 11am after his lawyer Michael Hanna waived an initial request for a probation report to be considered by the court.

Mr Hanna had requested a psychiatric report but the request was dismissed by Senior Justice Vera Watkins, who noted that such requests are only made in cases where the death penalty or life imprisonment arises upon a conviction for murder.

When the matter was called yesterday, however, the judge said she did not want Albury, who seemed to want the reports prepared, to feel cheated of having both reports prepared for the court’s consideration.

Following a 15-minute recess to consult with his client, Mr Hanna confirmed

to the judge that they would wish to have both reports produced.

Cordell Frazier, who prosecuted Albury’s case with Anya Allen, did not object to the request.

The matter was further adjourned to May 31 to allow the Department of Rehabilitative Welfare Services and Sandilands Rehabilitation Centre sufficient time to produce the reports.

Albury had denied the murder charge against him during his trial, which began on February 20 and concluded on March 8.

Smith’s partially decomposed body was found shortly after 2.30pm on December 21, 2015 at his St Alban’s Drive apartment.

Smith was a sports coach and was employed at Pictet Bank & Trust Ltd. He was also a former president of the New Providence Volleyball Association.

On the first day of trial, the jury heard that Albury allegedly confessed to his relatives that he fatally stabbed the banker, who had hired him to do a paint job at his apartment for an upcoming holiday gathering, when the victim allegedly made a sexual advance at him.

The second day of trial, Smith’s housekeeper testified that in the three months she had known Albury, the accused had been to Smith’s apartment on three occasions and on two other occasions, the accused and Smith were seen in the vic-

tim’s Jeep drinking.

The prosecution’s final witness was forensic pathologist Dr Caryn Sands, who testified that the wounds, which included a slit throat, were unlikely to have been caused by a painting knife as Albury had told police when interviewed in custody 14 days after the incident.

At the close of the prosecution’s case, Albury was asked by Senior Justice Watkins to indicate whether he would remain silent at his trial or elect to given testimony under oath.

Albury elected to take the stand and spoke of how his accepting a “compliments to the season” Hennessey drink from Smith when he arrived at the apartment before he started the job, spiralled into a scuffle and stabbing after the banker allegedly made a sexual advance at him.

When cross-examined, it was suggested to Albury that in his voluntary record of interview in police custody, he made no claim that Smith made a pass at him.

Albury said it was shameful to speak about the alleged action, so he withheld the information.

The accused also denied that Smith was running away from him. However, he conceded that Smith had no weapon.

Albury was asked why the chairs in the living room were overturned if the scuffle occurred upstairs and Smith collapsed at the base

CONSTITUTIONAL CHALLENGE AGAINST CRIMINAL LIBEL CHARGES IN TRIAL

By LAMECH JOHNSON Tribune Staff Reporter ljohnson@tribunemedia.net

A MAGISTRATE yesterday adjourned a lawyer’s criminal libel trial pending a motion to determine whether the charges brought against her are a breach of her constitutional rights.

Maria Daxon, a former police constable and vocal defender for the rights of police officers, appeared before Magistrate Andrew Forbes for the expected start of her summary trial concerning two counts of intentional libel concerning alleged statements written about Commissioner of Police Ellison Greenslade and Assistant Commissioner of Police Leon Bethell.

When the matter was

called, however, police prosecutor Supt Ercell Dorsett sought an adjournment of the proceedings due to the unavailability of the complainants.

Magistrate Forbes granted the request but said it would be the final adjournment of the matter as it was unfair to the accused.

This was the second adjournment in the matter.

When the case was called in December 2016, there was confusion as to whether police prosecution or the Office of the Attorney General would handle prosecution of the case.

Fred Smith, QC, who appeared on Daxon’s behalf yesterday, said he intended to file a motion in the Supreme Court challenging the intentional libel charge against his client.

As a result, the matter was adjourned to November 29.

It is alleged that Daxon, between August 26 and August 30, 2016 wrote defamatory statements about Commissioner Greenslade and ACP Bethell, which were likely “to injure and expose” the officers to “general hatred, contempt or ridicule.”

In her initial arraignment last September, Daxon elected to have the matter heard in Magistrate’s Court and pleaded not guilty to the allegations.

She was initially denied bail but a day later her lawyers, Glendon Rolle and Wilver Deleveaux successfully applied for bail in the Supreme Court.

Daxon remains on $100 bail.

of the stairs.

The accused said when he left Smith there, he could not say that he was still alive and that Smith might have overturned the chairs.

Albury conceded that he turned himself in with

a lawyer 14 days after the incident.

However, he claimed that he hold his relatives what happened the day after and not December 29/30 as the jury heard.

Albury also conceded that he burned the clothes

he wore on that day.

Albury, who was remanded to the Department of Correctional Services until his next Supreme Court appearance, could face as much as 35 years in prison.

PAGE 6, Wednesday, March 15, 2017

THE TRIBUNE

Symonette defends Minnis from critics over Baha Mar from page one

Mr Symonette said that in the absence of tangible facts throughout this ordeal, the Christie administration has stood as “the major voice” in ongoing discussions.

“The prime minister and his team have not made it clear what the deal is with Baha Mar,” Mr Symonette told The Tribune.

“The deal is sealed, correct? But everything we hear and see about that resort is through or at the behest of the government.

What is their role?

“Tell Mr Christie to come clean and clear all of this up for us, then we can be sure on who owns what, if the property is sold, if there is just an agreement; whatever is going on there. Because until that is done everything mentioned is pure speculation.”

Mr Symonette said that Dr Minnis’ pledge to “execute a real sale” of the property if the FNM wins the next election was based more on the belief that

FORMER Deputy Prime Minister Brent Symonette. the government can either cause the sale of Baha Mar or be prominently involved in the process.

He insisted that the government’s intimate involvement in the signing and sealing of the agreement to get the resort remobilised, shows that the government is “intimately involved at

every level.”

“Look at it like this, who signed the heads of agreement? The Chinese company and the government. That means at some high level, the government is involved or intimately involved,” Mr Symonette said.

“That is what (Dr) Min-

nis was referring to. Sitting in that position, if you are there then you would have some high level of involvement.”

He said this is why the Baha Mar court documents need to be unsealed, so that the public can be more aware of what is going on. “(Mr) Christie made a

point when he was in opposition to demand that all heads of agreements be made public. I was a part of that government and whenever we did something we brought it to the public to avoid these kinds of situations,” he said.

On Sunday, in a statement posted to his Facebook page, Dr Minnis said his party would “engage and execute a real sale of Baha Mar to a qualified and respectable purchaser who believes in Bahamians; a purchaser who will utilise only Bahamian labour to complete the resort, and will put Bahamians back to work with real jobs as quickly as possible.”

The next day he added that if the Baha Mar deal does not stand up to public scrutiny, his party reserves the right “to not approve any sale that is not in the best interest of the Bahamian people.”

His words prompted criticism from members of the Progressive Liberal Party (PLP).

Deputy Prime Minister Philip Davis accused Dr

Minnis of plotting for the resort’s demise for political benefit while spouting untruths.

Mr Davis said it was unfortunate that the country has come to a point where some would “bet against the interests of their fellow Bahamians to better their own political lot.”

Mr Davis added that the Killarney MP “appears to be crossing his fingers and praying” the resort does not open for his own political benefit, despite the thousands of Bahamians who would suffer.

Last December, Prime Minister Perry Christie announced the official sale of Baha Mar to CTF BM Holdings, a subsidiary of Chow Tai Fook Enterprises, at the time stating the resort was set for a phased opening beginning in April 2017, and a full completion by this fall. It has since been revealed that the sale has not been finalised and that the opening date for the Rosewood hotel brand, owned by the Baha Mar buyer, has been delayed to Spring 2018.

BANK HAS NOT AUTHORISED PAY FOR BAHA MAR EXPAT WORKERS from page one

Mr Smith heads the committee that was established to administer the $100m or so that the EXIM Bank provided on an ex-gratia basis.

He told this newspaper in December that former expatriate employees of Baha Mar would be paid a “high figure” by the committee.

His statement yesterday, however, came as more Baha Mar’s former expatriate employees have reached out to The Tribune, seeking answers on why they have not been paid what’s owed to them.

The former employees said they were told to expect payment weeks ago but have since seen their emails and phone calls ignored.

One woman, who requested anonymity, said: “We have no recourse but to keep this in the media as no one has contacted us or returned our emails. I have to wonder why the government - and all Bahamians - thinks this unfairness is okay. Is it that no one really cares?”

David Gross, another former expat employee, said in an email last week: “I am another one of those 200 plus expat employees

who are patiently waiting for compensation. The lack of communication is particularly frustrating. I believe we are being stonewalled.”

A woman who also requested anonymity to express her views emailed The Tribune yesterday, saying: “I am also in the group of expatriates that is owed salary, living expenses, earned vacation, reimbursable expenses and severance. The lack of communication from the committee and Baha Mar to date is beyond disheartening considering we all transplanted ourselves to the island and upheld

the utmost level of commitment to the project in support of its success, provided the skill sets needed and held active employment contracts which have been breached in the process.

“Is this due process? If all claims have been settled as reported, share the reconciliation report that breaks down how the $100m in funds provided to the committee by EXIM bank were utilised,” the foreign worker said.

“The manner in which this process has been handled to date is clearly a result of the Bahamian government issuing a sanction

PM ORDERED TO PAY LEGAL COSTS FOR SAVE THE BAYS from page one

In January, attorneys for Mr Christie filed a motion to have Justice Rhonda Bain recuse herself from these cases, and from a fourth Judicial Review brought by 103 of Mr Nygard’s Lyford Cay neighbours, on the ba-

sis that she is set to reach the legal age for retirement in April. Justice Bain has filed an application for extension that would have to be authorised by the Governor General on the advice of the Prime Minister in consultation with the leader of the Official Opposition.

On February 7, Justice

Bain ruled that Mr Christie’s application had “no merit” and reminded him of the independence of the judiciary, stressing that the Chief Justice’s role in deciding which judge hears a given case cannot be “usurped by the Prime Minister”.

Yesterday, Dawson Malone, attorney for STB,

successfully argued that the environmental non-governmental organisation should be awarded full costs for the failed recusal hearing, which has since been appealed. It was also ruled that the Prime Minister will also have to pay the legal costs of Mr Nygard’s 103 neighbours.

to specifically discriminate against paying expats what is owed to them,” the expatriate worker claimed.

After making inquiries following questions from this newspaper about the matter yesterday, Mr Smith said payment to expats is “under review” by EXIM Bank.

He could not say when that review would be complete or why committee representatives have not informed expatriate workers about this.

He seemed surprised that the EXIM Bank has not authorised the committee to make payments to those former employees even

though money remains.

“I was thinking that the (expatriates) would be paid out of the residual amount but it’s a wait and see at this point,” Mr Smith told The Tribune. “We’re not making the rules. We can’t go beyond the instructions given to us. The deal was for Bahamian employees to be paid. If we get the okay, we will move on.”

Nonetheless, officials have stressed that no one is entitled to payment given that the money being given was provided as a gift from the EXIM Bank and the process for administering the money falls outside the courts’ jurisdiction.

HALKITIS CAMPAIGNERS CLASH WITH FNM GROUP from page one

constituency when they were taunted by PLP supporters.

Some in the group also verbally attacked Dr Minnis, telling him he could not control his own party so how could he run the country, while shouting obscenities.

The video starts with a group of FNMs walking through the constituency when a truck carrying people clad in yellow shirts emblazoned with Mr Halkitis’ face drives past.

“Y’all ain’t get no money, go home,” one man who was campaigning for Mr Halkitis is heard screaming on the video “We want money.”

A member of the FNM then says: “Let the world see how the PLP is pro-

voke people. Ain’t no one bothering them, they come bothering us.”

The truck then stops and the PLPs, some who waved Halkitis banners, continued shouting at their rivals.

“How much money y’all get? Get y’all ass from round here ‘bey,’” one man shouted as the group walked past.

The PLP group also shouted that the FNM members, who were campaigning for candidate Vaughn Miller, did not live in the area.

A member of the FNM team said the walkabout in Golden Isles was advertised, adding that he felt members of the PLP planned to interrupt them.

It was also said on the video that Mr Halkitis was present, however he was not seen in the clip. The incident did not turn violent.

THE TRIBUNE

Wednesday, March 15, 2017, PAGE 7

THE PARLIAMENTARY Registration Department is currently issuing voter’s cards. Pictured are proceedings at the Thomas A. Robinson National Stadium on Monday. Photos: Raymond A. Bethel, Sr/BIS

REDIRECTION OF EVENING VOTER REGISTRATION CENTRES

DUE to a redistribution exercise, evening voter registration centres have been affected and are now as listed below.

These centres are open daily, Mon-Fri, 5pm to 9pm and on Saturdays, 10am to 4pm.

STATIONS

• Gerald Cash & Enoch Beckford directed to Carmichael Post Office • Carmichael Primary di-

rected to S C McPherson • Palmdale Primary directed to Centreville Primary/or Uriah McPhee Primary • CI Gibson – directed to Mall at Marathon • Thelma Gibson – directed to Elizabeth Estates Post Office • CC Sweeting & HO Nash directed to University of The Bahamas • CV Bethel directed to South Beach Post Office

• N EMA directed to Garvin Tynes In addition to the above, the following registration centres remain open daily as listed, from 10am to 8pm Mon-Fri and 10am to 4pm on Saturdays.

• Mall at Marathon • Town Centre Mall • Cable Beach Post Office • Elizabeth Estates Post Office • Carmichael Post Office

LINES queuing to pick up voter cards on Monday.

SMILES at the national stadium as voter cards are distributed.

BRYAN RUSSELL, general manager, Consolidated Water (CWCO); Deno Campbell, CWCO store inventory manager; CV Bethel students Simeon Farquharson, Jasper King and Raquille Sands; Welliya Cargill, CWCO administrative assistant; and Jeffrey Burrows CWCO operations supervisor at the C V Bethel science and technology seminar.

Photo: Samone Davis/SW PR.

Discovering science A SEMINAR designed to help students taking biology, chemistry and physics in the Bahamas General Certificate of Secondary Education (BGCSE) exams attracted 150 pupils to C V Bethel Senior High School recently.

Under the theme “Enlightening Minds to Make Sense of Science” the science and technology seminar - sponsored in part by Consolidated Water Co Ltd (CWCO) - saw the students take mock exams to prepare them to get the best results possible. In-house competitions for prizes kept the day fun and challenging.

Bryan Russell, CWCO’s General Manager, said the company decided to sponsor the school’s seminar because they understand the importance of science and technology in society. “This seminar is a great initiative and we want to continue to support and encourage students in these scientific fields; there are a lot of benefits to being scientifically

educated and we want to ensure that students who want to learn more about it are exposed to as much information as possible,” he said.

Raquille Sands, a 12th grade student at C V Bethel, said he now feels more confident in his ability to do well in his science BGCSE exams. “The tips I’ve learned during the seminar have been very helpful as I was able to improve in the areas where I needed it the most in preparation for my BGCSE exams in a few months,” he said.

Simeon Farquharson, another graduating student at C V Bethel, said he found the broad aspects of the seminar enlightening, although his major is not science-based. “Even as a business major I found the seminar enlightening and very useful as it also covered aspects of taking the exam correctly regardless of the subject matter; we learned about the point systems, grading scales, how to

properly answer questions in different sections of the paper and so much more, so I am now more confident that I am going to pass my biology exam,” he said.

Subject Co-ordinator for the Science Department at C V Bethel, Katina Ferguson, thanked CWCO for their donation and said it helped them facilitate their largest seminar to date. She said this was the first year that the school had organised a seminar for so many students and that it was important for them to be trained properly for every aspect of exam taking before sitting them.

“We are so grateful for this donation from Consolidated Water because this seminar is very important to us and our students; it makes a big difference in their exam scores and we definitely want to keep the momentum going to ensure that our students get the best training to help them pass their exams,” she said.

PAGE 8, Wednesday, March 15, 2017

A RESIDENT at the scene in Jubilee Gardens last week after a fire at the New Providence landfill led to many residents being evacuated from their homes.

THE TRIBUNE

Photo: Shawn Hanna/Tribune Staff

Another dump fire, another crisis - and nothing is ever done A

STUNNING photo appeared on Facebook over the weekend. Taken from the stern of a small boat speeding away from New Providence, it showed the island entirely shrouded in toxic smoke from the exploding dump.

Other photos taken at night showed a still-raging dump fire when politicians and others were claiming the crisis was all but over.

And there were images of new bush fires burning unimpeded around the dump site, even as the government said it was calling in foreign experts to deal with the problem.

The path to the present crisis at the dump (it is one of many that have occurred over the years), began in the late 1970s, when the government phased out the Big Pond dump on Blue Hill Road and carved out a more remote site in the pine

barren off Harrold Road.

A homeowner who has lived near the Harrold Road site since 1976 recalls how the surrounding area developed into a dense residential suburb over the years. Some of these communities had to be evacu-

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ated wholesale when the fire. The smoke bothered current fire began earlier me mostly when the wind this month. And it is still was shifting or when there not known when they will was none at all. I always had be able to return. “At the a perverse sense of satisfactime, I wrote to the news- tion when it blew over by papers suggesting it was Sanford Drive. And more absurd to build government recently Cable Beach. I housing next to the land- figured this could not last fill,” the resident told me. as many VIPs were obvi“Sometime in the early 80s ously being affected by the the fires began. I certainly smoke. I eventually realised observed them and suffered that nobody cared.” through many smokey days Despite their failure to and nights, implement although and sustain ‘The smoke bothered the area inthe IDB’s volved was me mostly when the fully funded not very big wind was shifting or plans, sucat first.” cessive Bawhen there was none In those hamian govearly days, at all. I always had ernments equipment a perverse sense of have largely was inignored satisfaction when it stalled (at numerous great cost) blew over by Sanford integrated to sepa- Drive. And more waste manrate metal agement and shred recently Cable Beach. proposals everything I figured this could from Bahaelse.

But not last as many VIPs mian and the machinforeign exery quickly were obviously being perts over broke down affected by the smoke. the past 20and was I eventually realised odd years. never fixed.

An official The mate- that nobody cared.’ request for rial that was - resident living near waste-tosupposed to the dump energy progo through posals was the shredissued as der simply went into the early as 2008, but neither dump. Then came the effort the Ingraham nor Christie to create a proper sanitary administrations would enlandfill. In the 1990s, the gage seriously with any of Canadian engineering firm, the several investor groups Stantec (which also guided who responded. the recent redevelopment So every year, like clockof Nassau’s airport), was work, the Harrold Road hired to study the island’s landfill erupts in enormous solid waste problem. toxic conflagrations that Stantec designed a mod- pose serious threats to pubern, fully-engineered land- lic health, are a disaster for fill for New Providence and tourism and absorb huge 10 Family Islands. And in amounts of public funds.

1999, the Inter-American During these times, poiDevelopment Bank (IDB) sonous fumes blanket the provided $23 million in fi- Cable Beach resort district nancing while the govern- and infiltrate the homes ment kicked in another $10 of Bahamians of all backmillion. At Harrold Road, grounds, while the governthe money paid for a ma- ment scrambles for resourcchine shop, administration es to extinguish the flames building, hazardous waste and manage the public relastorage and laboratory, a tions fallout. building for fire-fighting Right after the 2012 elecequipment, weighbridges tion, the Deputy Prime and a gatehouse, a diesel Minister’s former law firm pumping station and a com- - Davis & Co - formed a pacting machine. company called Renew BaThe landfill site was de- hamas, whose principal had signed to accommodate six been one of Brave Davis’ excavated cells - lined to clients, Swiss financier Gerprevent pollution of the wa- hard Beukes. Within a year ter table - but only the first the government was finaliswas completed to specifica- ing a contract for Beukes to tion. A leachate control sys- set up a recycling operation tem was included to protect at the dump. the water table. Stantec left The details of this gova comprehensive blueprint ernment contract over a on how to manage the land- public asset were never refill, as well as plans for land- vealed, despite numerous fills on other islands. demands. Renew built a “I recall the liners being plant to sort and pack cardinstalled and the basin be- board, plastics and metals ing created,” the resident for export to recyclers, but told me, “and feeling that at it was not held responsible last something was happen- for fixing the landfill. Last ing. For a few years there year, this operation came were no serious fires. But to a grinding halt when Rethe landfill soon degener- new walked off the job after ated into an ordinary dump, the government ignored its with spurts of spending on requests for more money. fill to cover followed by long The dump is still - as it has periods of exposed garbage. always been - under the Then came the large fires. control of the Department By my calculation, more of Environmental Health, a than a million dollars was misnomer if ever there was spent following one major one.

In the wake of the latest fires there has been much uninformed comment about the need for recycling as the ultimate solution. But the facts are that our recyclate volumes are so small, our geography so fragmented and our culture so indifferent that the investment and effort required to make a significant dent is simply not viable.

Limited recycling does take place, but just about everything has to be shipped out, except for the bottles produced by the two local breweries and green waste that is shredded into mulch.

For example, both Bahamas Waste and Renew Bahamas had been collecting and shipping cardboard to China and India, but those operations have ceased.

Hundreds of thousands of car tyres are discarded every year on New Providence and disposal fees are paid to government at the port of entry.

Under the previous administration, a Bahamian group made a bid to shred the tyres into a crumb for use in road paving and was offered 25 cents per unit, which proved uneconomical. Tyres were segregated on a 10-acre site at the dump, where they have been consumed by fire several times over the years.

The government has not responded to more recent offers to shred the growing pile of tyres (using equipment that is already here), but Environment Minister Ken Dorsett talked recently about shipping them out of the country.

People like me have written reams about these issues. Others have invested hundreds of thousands of dollars and tons of manhours developing proposal to fix the problems. But nothing ever happens. And this is despite the fact that ordinary Bahamians have to flee their homes. Not to mention the fact that the dump is an environmental disaster of major proportions that affects our number one industry as well as every Bahamian’s health and quality of life.

Perhaps there is a silver lining to the fact that the current fire has started only weeks before a critical general election. As the Prime Minister recently said: there is now “a compelling urgency” to deal with the problem.

Renew Bahamas, which had a crony contract for recycling at the dump, went out of business. The solution is to recycle where feasible and divert the remaining waste to produce electricity, which can help fund landfill remediation and ongoing management.

But unfortunately, no government has ever pursued this, despite numerous proposals over the past decade from both local and foreign groups.

• What do you think?

Send comments to lsmith@ tribunemedia.net or visit www.bahamapundit.com

THETRIBUNE TRIBUNE THE

Wednesday, March 15th,15, 2017, PAGE A99 Wednesday, March 2017, PAGE

TECHTALK • COMPUTER chip maker Intel paid handsomely for a piece of the next big thing Monday as it offered more than $15 billion for Mobileye, an Israeli company at the forefront of autonomous vehicle technology.

The purchase, scheduled to close by year’s end, creates another major player in self-driving technology as traditional automakers and tech companies vie to put the cars into public use. Most companies have predicted autonomous vehicles will be carrying people in the next threeto-five years.

The big investment by Intel validates predictions that autonomous cars will someday come in large numbers, signifying a sea change in the way we all get around, said Timothy Carone, a Notre Dame University professor who has written about the future of automation. “Major players are finding ways finding ways to position themselves for a change as seminal as the personal computer revolution,” he said.

LE ARNING fundame nta mechanical and aeros ls of pace engineering with Ais ha Bowe, Bahamian-Ame rican and former NASA en gineer.

STUDENTS from Grand Cayman learning about solar panels with Hack IT instructor Dr Wayne Archibold.

HACK IT SUMMER CAMP TO HOST BUDDING TECH ENTREPRENEURS

APPLICATIONS are being accepted for Hack IT Bahamas 2017, a six-day summer camp focusing on technology entrepreneurship scheduled for July 24 to 29 at St Andrew’s School in eastern New Providence.

Hack IT Bahamas 2017 will provide free, hands-on STEM instruction for public and private Bahamian students in grades nine to 12. Each student will have an opportunity to select an engineering track, apply their knowledge to an issue of social impact within the Bahamas and compete for prizes.

Since its inception four years

ago, more than 300 students throughout the Caribbean have participated in programmes designed and executed by STEM Board and its partners. Past keynote speakers have included Barrington Irving, the first Jamaican and the first black man to fly around the world by himself, as well as astronaut Dr Bernard Harris Jr, the first AfricanAmerican to walk in space.

“We are honoured to continue bringing world-class opportunities to the youth of the Bahamas,” said Aisha Bowe, Bahamian-American aerospace engineer and co-founder of

JOHN MARTELLARO and Aisha Bowe, co-founders of STEM Board, with 2016 Hack IT winners Clement Butler, Charisma Clarke and Nia Cambridge, and Darvin Russell, of DHL Express Bahamas.

STEM Board, a technology solutions company that creates smart systems and software solutions for government and large-scale private-sector clients. “Focused on providing hands-on computer hardware and software engineering skills, this year’s camp will be the largest yet. We are committed to inspiring the next-generation Bahamian entrepreneurs and technologists.”

‘POKEMON GO’ OR NO? FANS GLAD COMPLAINTS ARE BEING ADDRESSED

FEW games have enjoyed both the meteoric rise — and subsequent fall — in popularity as “Pokemon Go.” But the game remains profitable, and people are still playing even if they aren’t the same masses that roamed parks last summer with eyes glued to smartphones, looking for elusive virtual monsters from their childhood to appear right in front of them.

“It kind of brings people together to have a conversation about these little cartoon characters that we’re all in love with,” said Brian Swain, a sales representative for Rockstar energy drink who has stuck with “Pokemon Go” since it launched last July.

While past its heyday last summer, when some small businesses and landmarks had complained of disruptive crowds, the game has seen renewed interest after last month’s addition of 80 Pokemon and in-game events set around holidays like Halloween and soon, Easter. The updates addressed complaints about a lack of updates that contributed to a drop in monthly active users, according to app market analyst Apptopia.

“Over time, the enthusiasm has waned, but there’s still quite a bit of people playing it,” said Joost van Dreunen, the CEO and founder of SuperData Research in New York. “It raises the question: Was it a fad, a thing we only did one time for one game, or is it going to hold people’s attention longer?”

The game had generated $1 billion

in revenue as of January, and Niantic CEO John Hanke insists “Pokemon Go” is no passing fad.

The game — whose servers had difficulty handling traffic last summer — will fulfill long-promised additions of sought-after “legendary” Pokemon and the ability for players to battle and trade with each other, he said.

“What happened last summer was really kind of strange, where ‘Pokemon Go’ spiraled out of control to this level of cultural awareness that nobody expected, certainly not us,” Hanke said. The “extremely successful” game now has usage “at a more normal level,” he said.

The hard-to-replicate game still has an enviable following in Japan, China, Korea as well as North America, Dreunen said. Since the game’s release, Dreunen said, the $40.6 billion worldwide mobile game industry has become flooded, and investment may shift to mobile games that rely on well-loved characters and provide frequent updates. As spring approaches, there are signs of new life. Milwaukee County has prepared for “Pokemon Go” and future augmented-reality games by requiring game developers to obtain a permit to get players into parks.

In Maine, members of the “Pokemon Go” 207 Facebook group have noticed more screenshots from players taking up the game again.

Associated Press

To apply to Hack IT Bahamas 2017, visit www.bahamascamp. com.

With proven government subcontracting experience, STEM Board provides high-quality, cost-efficient and strategically innovative solutions. It is committed to closing the achievement gap by “empowering historically underrepresented youth build transformational technologies”.

FACEBOOK SAYS ITS DATA CAN’T BE USED FOR ‘SURVEILLANCE’ FACEBOOK is prohibiting developers from using the massive amount of data it collects on users for surveillance.

This includes using such data to monitor activists and protesters.

The company said Monday that it is making an existing policy “explicit.” Facebook says it has already taken action against developers who created or marketed tools meant to be used for surveillance. It says it wants to “be sure everyone understands the underlying policy and how to comply.”

Last fall, the American Civil Liberties Union obtained records that Facebook and its Instagram service provided user data access to Geofeedia, which develops a monitoring product marketed to law enforcement.

The ACLU said at the time that while both Instagram and Facebook cut off access after finding out about this, Facebook did not have a “public policy specifically prohibiting developers” from taking user data for surveillance.

The new prohibition states that developers — who get access to user data from Facebook to create apps — should protect “the information you receive

from us against unauthorised access, use, or disclosure. For example, don’t use data obtained from us to provide tools that are used for surveillance.”

The ACLU report says the data the companies provided to Geofeedia included only public posts, not those that users restricted to just friends or in some other way. But such access to Facebook data is still valuable to third parties because it would be very difficult to collect and comb through all the stuff on their own.

According to the ACLU, Facebook had provided Geofeedia with access to a data feed called the “Topic Feed API,” which is supposed to be a tool for advertisers. But Geofeedia could use it to obtain a feed of public Facebook posts that mentioned a specific topic, place or event — for example, “monitor hashtags used by activists and allies, or target activist groups as ‘overt threats,’” Matt Cagle, attorney for the ACLU of Northern California, wrote last October.

Facebook terminated this access nearly a month earlier after being notified about it by the ACLU. Associated Press

• INTERNET radio company Pandora is launching an on-demand music service for $10 a month.

Pandora’s existing service works more like radio.

People listen to music on customisable stations. The premium service launching this month will let users choose specific songs or albums and will personalise recommendations based on people’s listening habits.

There is also an “offline mode.”

The new Pandora Premium offering will compete with Apple Music and Spotify, both of which have given the music-streaming pioneer a run for its money. Spotify has 50 million subscribers, while Pandora had about 4.4 million as of the end of 2016. That’s because most people listen to Pandora without paying; the company has 81 million total “active listeners.”

Until now, the Pandora subscription mostly stripped out ads — for $5 a month.

• ONCE again, internet gambling has made the difference between an up month and a down one for Atlantic City casinos.

Figures released Monday by the New Jersey Division of Gaming Enforcement show the seven casinos won $205.3 million from gamblers in February. That’s an increase of 0.3 percent from February 2016.

But without the extra money won from online gamblers, the casinos would have posted a decrease of nearly 2 percent.

Resorts Digital (up 131 percent compared with a year ago) and the Golden Nugget (up 66 percent) had particularly good months online.

PAGE 10, Wednesday, March 15, 2017

THE TRIBUNE

HMBS - Her Majesty’s Bush Ship EDITOR, The Tribune.

LET me begin by calling several names right at the onset. Amos Rolle, Edon Greene and Whitfield Neely. That said, it must be a sad day in the life of many marines when their commanders and their political masters, see it as a proper and fitting thing, to dress soldiers in their finest ceremonial rig, fully regalia, with all of their medals attached and their boots shining, only to stand them at attention and give the Royal Salute to the naming of a Bush Tea Ship.

My heart weighs heavy as someone who was once in the uniform; trying to be all that I could be in the Queen’s Navy we call the Royal Bahamas Defence Force. It appears though that the only way to have an honour in this country, is to be a Commander Defence Force, who lives long enough to retire, or to get shot up on a ship and be lost at sea in the Ragged Island chain.

Oh and please do not mistake it, even if you were a crew member on that same fatal voyage now known as the Flamingo incident, it doesn’t mean that you will ever have the slightest chance of being honoured by the institution many have pledged to give their lives for.

What should one take away as the message, when we commission a military ship in the name of an unpopular bush tea? What marker is there for the bearing of men that served and gave of their lives, their time and their talents?

You may remember that at the onset I called several names; and may have been hard pressed to wonder what their significance would be. Well it is simple; Amos Rolle, one of the most forgotten national heroes in this country, is a man who risked life and limb in Her Majesty’s name; still there is no ship named in his honour, no money with his face on it (yes we know the rule), no road named in his honour, no statue to memorialise his sacrifice; hell, quite frankly we have never even named a Junkanoo Parade after the man. Who is he? Well he happened to be the Captain aboard the ship HMBS Flamingo on May

10th 1980.

To date, that remains the only battle tested ship of the Commonwealth of The Bahamas. One would imagine that as lost in history as the name Amos Rolle is, certainly he could not still be around. Well it might shock you, but Mr Rolle is still very much alive. It was then Lieutenant Commander Amos Rolle, that made the call to sail into Ragged Island aboard the Cuban vessel and to darken ship, while entering into safe harbour under cigarette light; a call he made after all communications had been lost with Operations Command Centre at HMBS Coral Harbour.

Yet, we as a young nation seem quite unbothered about naming a Bahamian military ship, after a bush tea! We dressed Her Majesty’s marines, stood them at attention in the sun, served expensive finger food and drove Her Excellency down to snip the ribbon, on a ship, named after a bush!

I am flabbergasted and near outraged at the thought of this act of seeming blatant disregard for the service of men and women rendered throughout the Force’s history.

Stay with me, though tiring, as I enlighten as many that care to be, about the others mentioned.

Mister Edon Greene. A man who entered into service as a mechanic/engineer, yet at the end of his career was possibly one of the greatest administrative senior enlisted of his time.

He was a man massive in stature and commanding in figure. He ascended to the rank of Force Chief Petty Officer and was appointed Master at Arms, which at the time was the highest post any enlisted could have aboard HMBS Coral Harbour. Force Chief Petty Officer Greene in my estimation, single-handedly represented the Force’s standard and bearing during an all-time morale low at the closing of Commodore Rolle’s tenure as Commander Defence Force.

His love, commitment and dedication to the service spanned more than three decades and caused the then newly appointed Commander Defence Force, Commodore Clifford Scavella, to ap-

THE ROYAL Bahamas Defence Force commissioning ceremony of Her Majesty’s Bahamian Ship (HMBS) Kamalamee. The ship is named after the kamalamee tree that can found on the RBDF Base.

Photo: Terrel W. Carey/Tribune Staff point him to a position seen in our sister military organisations, but only seen one time here in this Force’s history.

Mr Greene became the Royal Bahamas Defence Force’s first and only Fleet Chief. Not a rank that even exists, but an appointment; bestowed on him simply for his seniority and excellence in service. He was allowed to be the one senior enlisted that spoke directly into the ear of the Commander Defence Force and attended every event on the Commander’s calendar as a senior policy and strategy advisor.

He accompanied the Commander to every top brass meeting and was allowed to give strategic input as an enlisted in every major decision made, representing the concerns of all serving enlisted men; from the lowest Marine Seaman to the most senior Force Chief Petty Officer. Sadly, it would appear that all of his military accomplishments, amount to about the equivalence of a street walker pissing against a wall to his former commanders and his political masters; many of

whom he served or served under diligently.

We dressed Her Majesty’s Loyal Royal Marines up, march them through the city streets, sounded the bugle and played the national anthem for what? A bush tea? It is so pathetic in my estimation, that we see nothing wrong with this in this slowly developing nation.

The question then arises, when will we begin cementing national heroes and contributors into the history books of our nation?

We have jumped over hurdles, to name every single thing in this nation after a fist full of politicians, as if this country doesn’t exist beyond this merry band of men; but I digress.

My personal favourite of the over looked men and a man that I hold dear to my heart is Lieutenant Commander Whitfield Neely.

Commander Neely a man that was enlisted as a Marine Seaman, served onboard HMBS Flamingo and was present during the fatal voyage. He is a Gallantry medal holder and the holder of a purple heart. He is one of the few to adorn such

heavy decorations and is arguably the most decorated person in this arm of the Queen’s navy today. Commander Neely is presently a commissioned senior officer who has held several commands very integral to the operational capacity of the force.

It is mind blowing then, to believe that this one man, made it all the way to the rank of Chief Petty Officer, then crossed over to the officer corp. and still made it to the rank of Lieutenant Commander; after almost being killed for country only one year after his signing up for the force. I know by now you may be thinking that this part of my letter sounds like a love fest and you may possibly be right.

Pray tell me then, how in the name of all things great, did we overlook an opportunity to honour this man; A man that after almost being killed in his first year, still accomplished all of the aforementioned. I am not even sure if it is necessary to mention, that this same Commander Neely happens to be the last surviving member of the Flamingo, still active duty in the force.

Let me make this clear, in any military anywhere else in the world, commanders and politicians would fall on their faces before such a man. There would be book companies trying to seal an exclusive book deal and there would possibly be some top advisory job, mapped out for a man like this; surely he would have ascended to the highest pinnacles of every national honour available.

Regrettably, however, here in The Bahamas after 34 years and a resumé as massive as the smoke presently billowing from the city dump, we see it not fit to name one of the ships in the plethora of ships in his honour. We named a whole military ship under Her Majesty’s authority, after a bush tea! Adding insult to injury, it wasn’t even one of the really good ones. We named it after possibly one of the most unpopular, irrelevant bush teas ever; since according to The Obeah man, (another forgotten hero in our country), the only use for Kamalame, is to give the tea to a woman that wouldn’t love you; then, apparently the tea would get this the woman to love you faithfully.

I think we are moments away from becoming the laughing stock of the region. In a time when naval strength is obviously an international accomplishment, as newly elected President Trump has exemplified by the purchase of the USS Gerald Ford at the tune of some 17 billion dollars.

Meanwhile, here in The Bahamas just 50 nautical miles away we are doing no such sensible thing; we my friends are naming ships in

Her Majesty’s Navy after local bush medicine. It is a sad day in The Bahamas when the many men who have passed through this organisation, in so many capacities have no hope of ever being honoured by having their names painted on one of Her Majesty’s ships, whether in life or in death.

Even if we were not minded to use any of the names mentioned, one must ask, what about the eight UK Trained Green Berets we have had in the forces history; two of which are still active duty.

Surely Her Majesty would be pleased with these men, their contributions and the history that they added to this Commonwealth. Now, these days most of them with the most elite level of combat and warfare training in their heads are aimlessly walking around, turning into “little old ladies,” sleeping in late, making pancakes from scratch and enjoying reading pictureless books in the park.

Highly trained men, some would even venture to call them trained killers gave sweat and blood to represent country and what honour have we given them?

I will end here as I leave you to ponder this. If our soldiers are going to be ordered to dress in their finest and we are going to march them through the streets, if we are going to blare sirens, speed Her Excellency to a commissioning ceremony, then bring out the nicest table wine from our cellars; let us please be intentional about adding some dignity to all this pageantry.

I protest the naming of one of Her Majesty’s ships after a bush tea and I hope we see a re- commissioning and name change possibly because this my friends, is pathetic. Again I guess the only way to ever get your name on a ship in the Commonwealth of The Bahamas, is to make it to the rank of commodore and retire, to be someone politicians can get some political collateral off of or to be shot up and lost at sea.

Regrettably, the latter seems most likely, since after three years there has been no appointment of a substantive Commander Defence Force, after the most egregiously flagrant exit by Mr Roderick.

Maybe it seems fair to assume that the Royal Bahamas Defence Force will never have another Commodore again and that we will continue naming ships silly things like HMBS Fever Grass or worse.

Nonetheless I wish them a sailor’s delight of calm seas and soft winds.

Three cheers for Her Majesty’s Bush Ship.

LEYVON MILLER Nassau, March 8, 2017.

THE TRIBUNE

Wednesday, March 15, 2017, PAGE 11

DR BERNARD NOTTAGE, Minister of National Security, with the top six winners of the Urban Renewal poetry competition, ASP Ricardo Richardson and other officers attached to Centerville Urban Renewal.

Photos: Shawn Hanna/Tribune Staff

YOUNG POETS HONOURED BY URBAN RENEWAL

YUNABY CLARKE, second place winner in the Urban Renewal Poetry Competition.

TAMIA CLEARE, first place winner in the Urban Renewal Poetry Competition, pictured receiving her awards from Minister of National Security Dr Bernard Nottage and ASP Ricardo Richardson, Officer In Charge, Centerville Urban Renewal.

LENGRIKA JUSTIN, third place winner in The Urban Renewal Poetry Competition.

NIKELL FRASER, fourth place winner in the Urban Renewal Poetry Competition.

DONASIA ROBERTS, fifth place winner in the Urban Renewal Poetry Competition.

GODFREY GRAY, sixth place winner in the Urban Renewal Poetry Competition.

YOGA EVENT PROVES A SUCCESS

RUBIS SUPPORT FOR AUTO CLUB

CORPORATE clients of Atlantic Medical Insurance participated in ‘Yoga in the Park’, a free wellness event at Goodman’s Bay earlier this month hosted by the company’s Wellness Department.

The event - which consisted of an hour of yoga - was geared towards all ages, genders and fitness types and offered beginner, intermediate and advanced sessions based on a person’s capabilities.

Yoga is proven to assist with joint pains and also provides a form of exercise that stretches the muscle and encourages bone health.

“As Bahamians, we are

experiencing major health concerns because of the increase in stress and our lack of exercise,” Atlantic Medical Insurance’s Wellness Co-ordinator, Donovan Ingraham said: “We hosted this event to give our clients a better understanding of how effortless it is to commit to at least one hour exercise per week.”

Based on World Health Organisation recommendations, normal healthy individuals should exercise for 30 minutes five days a week or 60 minutes three days a week.

Those with chronic illnesses or at risk of any of these disease should

maintain a regular exercise regimen of no less than 60 minutes per day, five days a week.

“This is the first in a series of ‘Wellness in the Park’ events planned for our clients this year which will be aimed at educating on a wide range of wellness topics,” Mr Ingraham said. “The only way that the Bahamas can ensure a healthier society is to make ourselves more aware, which is the basis of our Wellness Programme at Atlantic Medical Insurance.”

The Atlantic Medical Fun Walk in Nassau and Freeport is scheduled for April 29.

THE Antique Auto Club of the Bahamas has received backing from Rubis Bahamas Ltd for its 30th Anniversary Show at Arawak Cay on Saturday, when another large turnout of vintage cars and interested spectators for the annual show and steak out is expected.

The popular art competition for five to 15-year-olds will be held again, there will be raffles held during the afternoon offering various auto-related prizes and the show will close at 6pm with the traditional Valley Boys Junkanoo Rush-out. Steak or chicken dinners will be available from the grills.

Tickets are $15, available

at the show entrance. All proceeds go to charity, with the Zion Children’s Home in Eleuthera selected as this year’s beneficiary.

President Adrian Hanna (left) and assistant Secre-

tary Shawn Thomas are pictured receiving sponsorship funds from Latia Duncombe, Sales and Marketing Manager of Rubis Bahamas Ltd. Photo: Mark Gillespie

PAGE 12, Wednesday, March 15, 2017

A RESIDENT in Englerston on Saturday amid the remnants of cars in the area.

THE TRIBUNE

Photos: Aaron Davis

DNA CANDIDATE FOCUES ON CLEANING UP THE COMMUNITY

STEPHANIE Lightbourne talks to residents about helping to improve the state of their property in Englerston on Saturday.

THE Democratic National Alliance (DNA) candidate for Englerston, Stephanie Lightbourne, began her community cleanup effort to enhance several homes and properties in the area on Saturday.

With an estimated $20,000 value, the campaign has sought to renovate three specific homes and several vacant properties reported to be in states of disrepair.

According to Ms Lightbourne, ratified as the DNA’s standard bearer in Englerston last month, areas of focus include the Cordeaux Avenue, Washington Street and Podoleo Street neighbourhoods.

Ms Lightbourne indicated that her team identified one property in particular while

canvassing the community as a part of their campaign exercise. She said the property, on the corner of Podoleo Street and Cordeaux Avenue, was supposedly used as a dump site following the passage of Hurricane Matthew last year.

She added that her team had planned to clean and restore the property to its original state but were preempted by actions by the area’s current MP, Minister of Transport and Aviation Glenys Hanna Martin. Subsequently, the team decided to redirect resources and manpower to other properties in the community identified as “locations needing help”.

“We pushed forward and turned our energy to other sites that needed attention

and got those on the roster to be addressed,” Ms Lightbourne said. “The team identified three homes that were in a serious state, belonging to persons that can not address the problems themselves. We started the first this weekend and intend to continue until we complete all three homes and clean-up the various properties we have identified.”

Ms Lightbourne told The Tribune that her team is being assisted by several business in the Englerston area with building supplies and by skilled workers from the community.

“This isn’t a effort for notoriety or political gain, we are just trying to step into a gap that exist and help where we can,” she added.