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$14M SPENT ‘WITHOUT DUE DILIGENCE’ AT DRA

Laroda claim adds to allegations about Minnis administration

By RASHAD ROLLE Tribune Senior Reporter rrolle@tribunemedia.net

THE Disaster Reconstruction Authority spent $14m “without due diligence” under the Minnis administration for debris management, a government official said.

Myles Laroda, the state minister with responsibility for the DRA, made the revelation as he highlighted various irregularities and

concerns about how the authority was managed, saying a former director of the institution acknowledged this failure.

Mr Laroda also raised an issue about the proposed Abaco Hurricane Centre, first announced by the Minnis administration, saying hundreds of thousands of dollars have been spent on the project to date but the foundation has not yet been poured.

SEE PAGE THREE

ARE ANY OF THOSE FREEPORT BOOM ‘TO SPEECHES ABOUT ME? BRING 1,500 JOBS’

By NEIL HARTNELL Tribune Business Editor nhartnell@tribunemedia.net FREEPORT is poised for a two-year construction boom that will create 1,500 total jobs if major investment projects come to fruition, said Deputy Prime Minister Chester Cooper yesterday.

Mr Cooper said in a recorded address to the Grand Bahama Business Outlook conference that Carnival’s proposed cruise port, the Grand Lucayan’s

sale and revitalisation, and the planned airport transformation will each create 500 construction jobs.

Disclosing that the search for a Grand Lucayan purchaser has been narrowed to five bidders, each of whom will present their plans for the resort on Sunday, he said the government had set an April date to close negotiations on a sale with the selected buyer.

FULL STORY - SEE BUSINESS

FORMER Prime Minister Hubert Ingraham presents a signed copy of his book of speeches to his long-time political rival, former Prime Minister Perry Christie, yesterday. Mr Christie also weighed in on gender equality legislation. See PAGE TWO for the full story.

Photo: Donavan McIntosh/Tribune Staff

COVID CASES REDUCED - BUT BAHAMAS TO FOOT THE BILL VACCINATION RATE STILL LOW FOR ROYAL COUPLE’S VISIT

By KHRISNA RUSSELL Tribune Chief Reporter krussell@tribunemedia.net

DESPITE a COVID-19 positivity rate of two percent signalling the country is headed in the right direction, caution cannot be thrown to

the wind, Health and Wellness Minister Dr Michael Darville said yesterday.

During his contribution to the mid-year budget debate, the minister said a decrease in new infections

SEE PAGE FOUR

By RASHAD ROLLE Tribune Senior Reporter rrolle@tribunemedia.net

TAXPAYERS will pay fully for the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge’s visit to The Bahamas next week, an official said

yesterday.

Jack Thompson, the permanent secretary in the Office of the Governor General, said such trips customarily come at the expense of the host nation.

SEE PAGE EIGHT

NO ‘WILLFUL WRONGDOING’ SAYS CARTWRIGHT

By KHRISNA RUSSELL Tribune Chief Reporter krussell@tribunemedia.net

SHANENDON Cartwright has said that as former chairman of the Bahamas Public Parks and Public Beaches Authority, he took directives “from higher authorities” while denying that he ever took part in any willful wrongdoing.

While the two-time St Barnabas MP stopped short of revealing who he

SHANENDON Cartwright MP in Parliament yesterday.

Photo: Donavan McIntosh/ Tribune Staff took instructions from, he again defended his tenure at the BPPPBA the day after Prime Minister Philip

“Brave” Davis rehashed concerns that there had been no internal controls, adding management there have claimed they had no specimen signature of Mr Cartwright.

Mr Cartwright maintained yesterday that the Authority’s excess spending and over budgeting had resided under both the Christie administration and under former Prime Minister Dr Hubert Minnis.

Nassau & Bahama Islands’ Leading Newspaper

SEE PAGE THREE

DIANE PHILLIPS: AFTER MONTAGU, WHAT ABOUT DOWNTOWN?

SEE PAGE NINE

PAGE 2, Friday, March 18, 2022

THE TRIBUNE

FORMER Prime Ministers Perry Christie and Hubert Ingraham shaking hands yesterday as Mr Ingraham presented a signed copy of his book of speeches to Mr Christie.

Photo: Donavan McIntosh/Tribune Staff

Christie: Right move to avoid referendum

By EARYEL BOWLEG Tribune Staff Reporter ebowleg@tribunemedia.net

PERRY Christie thinks Prime Minister Philip “Brave” Davis is correct to try to avoid a referendum on gender and human rights issues and instead focus on legislative changes.

Mr Christie, a former prime minister, was asked about the move yesterday after Hubert Ingraham, another former prime minister, presented him with a copy of a book of his speeches. The Ingraham book in entitled: “I say what I mean and I mean what I say.”

This week, Attorney

General Ryan Pinder said his ministry has compiled “a suite of legislation” to meet the country’s international human rights obligations, which includes laws addressing gender-based violence and marital rape. He said the laws would also address matters relating to citizenship, asylum and good governance.

The former Centreville MP showed support for the initiatives being brought forth.

“We are now enjoying the experience of a lot of new people in public life for the first time,” he told reporters at his West Bay Street home. “They reflect the thinking of the new

Bahamian, so to speak.

No matter how new or old we are, there’s a right way to do things and there’s a right way for public policy. Many of the issues that can be classified as social issues or issues that affect the person, marital rape, many of those issues become important because of a class of people who are victims.

“The government is obliged to have under constant review the social situation in our country with a view to always ensuring that it is able to remediate, it’s able to fix some of the problems.

It’s able to boldly address problems. When there is a major division in the

country, the government has to make a decision on that.

“The government has to make a decision and be prepared to stand or fall on that decision and so I’m very supportive of them in these major social initiatives that Mr Ryan Pinder is bringing forth for his colleagues or the colleagues bring forth for themselves to look at. I’m hoping, therefore, that they simply continue to demonstrate the courage of their conviction, the courage of their belief in that.”

This comes amid heated public conversations about marital rape. Asked this week if he thought

the Davis administration would finally criminalise marital rape, Mr Ingraham said he had no doubts it would.

Mr Christie said his administration held a constitutional referendum on gender equality based on advice. It was thought that the people ought to make a decision on important issues of that kind. The majority of people who voted in that exercise rejected all four questions.

A referendum which also sought to address gender inequality, among other issues, failed during a previous Ingraham administration.

Mr Christie applauded Mr Davis’ path to making

the changes.

“It is extraordinary to see the thinking of the people as it turned out in the referendum that we had - both gaming and the one on citizenship and then changing the constitution. So I think Mr Davis is right. There is a principle involved and that once we (enter) with taking a decision that is safe, in other words we’re not going to be taking a kind of difficult approach to changes.

By that I mean we’re going to have it well thought out and clearly articulated to the people as to what we’re doing and I think Mr Davis is right in trying to avoid a referendum and going directly to the law,” Mr Christie said.

By EARYEL BOWLEG Tribune Staff Reporter ebowleg@tribunemedia.net

The comments elicited criticism from members of the Progressive Liberal Party.

Mr Christie noted the challenge for Dr Minnis is that he wants to remain relevant at a time when his party has a new leader.

“Obviously that’s going to be a major challenge for him. It’s going to be a major challenge for Mr Pintard because Dr Minnis is not going to be easy in his posturing in Parliament … evident of it, him saying what he said to attract attention, to attract in the most graphic way, and to big himself up. It’s things like that you just don’t say in public life.”

Mr Christie, however, said everyone makes mistakes, referring to the time when he “flipped the bird” on stage at a branch meeting in 2017 when he was prime minister. He said he didn’t expect the gesture would attract the attention it did. At the time, he was responding in anger to people who were making allegations about him.

Asked if he regretted the obscene gesture, he said: “What I regret is that the fella who said I owned that building over there (referring to a condo development near his home),

nobody came back and said that was a lie or my daughter got $20m in a bank in Panama, all those things that was said and then the FNM came and gave him a job afterwards.

“What really disturbs me is when they are attacking women as women. It’s a very sad thing to do that because there are mothers and we have to be careful in our public life now because what goes round comes round. And vulgarity and obscenity we should minimise the extent to which we use those things to influence public opinion,” Mr Christie said.

Still, Mr Christie spoke highly of Dr Minnis.

“Dr Minnis is someone who should not be underestimated. He’s a very, very successful Bahamian man who has the means to finance himself in public life and has the means to do things beyond, to cushion himself in public life. So, I don’t think for one moment Dr Minnis has given up his aspirations to be beyond where he is now.”

He also said a mistake he thought Dr Minnis made in office was not inviting him and Mr Ingraham to partner with the government on Hurricane Dorian restoration in Abaco.

‘IT WAS A MISTAKE FOR MINNIS TO USE EXPLETIVES’ FORMER Prime Minister Perry Christie said Killarnary MP Dr Hubert Minnis made a “mistake” when using expletives in a Tribune interview, saying it appeared the former Free National Movement leader was trying to attract attention in the “most graphic way”.

“Clearly, he must be very careful,” the former Centreville MP told the press yesterday.

“He’s a current member of Parliament. He’s a former prime minister. He must know what’s happening outside in our country and he has a responsibility of being able to maintain the standards in our country and that was a mistake that I’m sure he recognises.”

Last Thursday, Dr Minnis used strong words when rebutting allegations made against his administration

by Prime Minister Philip “Brave” Davis.

Dr Minnis told The Tribune: “It’s a stupid and immature statement, an irresponsible statement to be made by any prime minister and I can’t wait to get in Parliament to buss his a-- and their a-- for talking stupidness.”

THE TRIBUNE

Friday, March 18, 2022, PAGE 3

$14m spent ‘without due diligence’ at DRA from page one He also said National Insurance Board contributions had not been paid on behalf of DRA employees, an issue the authority is now correcting.

He told Parliament that the DRA’s debris management arm spent $9.5m for two sites in Abaco and $3.5m in just four months for sites in Grand Bahama.

He reiterated that a forensic audit is underway into the DRA and said he did not want to preempt that investigation.

He told the House of Assembly: “During the management of these sites there was a gap, and I’m quoting one of the former directors, that there was a gap where the government paid $14m without due diligence. There was a gap where the government paid $14m without due diligence.”

He also said: “(In) Elbow Cay we had a situation with debris removal of which there was no contract. There was a notice to proceed. I’m advised

MYLES LARODA, the state minister with responsibility for the DRA. that the scope of works that facility along with $900,000 has been spent on that were not laid out were some government homes that project and when I last somehow underestimated of which $400,000 was visited the site in Abaco I and that takes us to the dispersed. could tell you that the foun“Two hundred and fifteen dation has not been poured Abaco Hurricane Centre of which again, I’m gonna thousand was dispersed be very guarded, but I will to an entity that attempts yet.

“Nine hundred thousand say this, that there was a had to be made to try (to) joint venture between a recover those funds. A fur- on a project that was schedBahamian and a foreign ther $185,000 was paid for uled from $1.8m that has entity for the plans and the plans of this at the time ballooned to $2.7m and all also the construction of $1.8m structure. To date, we have is a structure with a

foundation not poured but still coming out the ground and a few blocks. I’m not a construction man, but I do know that that don’t sound right, and when we have a situation with the $215k that was spent and I’m advised to the foreign partner who would have justified when we tried to recover those funds –– and this recovery started under the FNM, so this ain’ just the PLP trying to recover these funds –– we were advised that the funds paid related to pre-procurement costs of which there were three days of per diem at $22k per day.”

Regarding the Small Homes Repair programme in the wake of Hurricane Dorian, he said more than 3,700 homeowners sought assistance. He said 1,200 people in Grand Bahama got assistance at a price tag of $1.5m and $585,000 went to Abaco residents.

In terms of home rebuilding, he said the Minnis administration had five houses under construction in Central Pines of which $600,000 had already been spent.

“By comparison, Sweetings Cay had the Rotary build a total of 17 homes for $1.5m.

I let the Bahamian people judge that. With regards to the domes, we had 38 erected in Abaco of the proposed 213.

Approximately $4.9m was spent and less than 20 percent of those domes erected even though 75 percent of the funds was given out.”

He said another $800,000 was paid to a secondary contractor to erect domes after the initial contractor left the project.

Speaking of the DRA’s unpaid contributions to NIB, Mr Laroda said: “What is also concerning, that at December 2021 the DRA owed the National Insurance Board the sum of $168,793.89. There were no payments made to NIB on behalf of the staff of DRA from its inception. I want to ensure the public and those employees former and present that we are presently addressing those matters.”

Last month, the DRA said UHY Bain & Associates will forensically audit the authority after an operational review found many signs of mismanagement.

NO ‘WILLFUL WRONGDOING’ SAYS MP CARTWRIGHT from page one

He also noted that there were “primitive” systems there, but this did not mean sinister or self-serving intentions were at play.

“I embraced early in my life the importance and impact of words particularly those we speak,” Mr Cartwright told Parliament yesterday. “For as we know words have the ability to inspire or destroy to uplift or denigrate.

“That’s why during my time in public life I have always been mindful of how and when they apply to proposals, policies and especially people. I found too that context urges perspective and lack of context will give way at times to conjecture, misinformation and a suggestion of ill intent.

“I wish to talk directly to the Bahamian people who know me and those that have come to know me. Let me state upfront once again in the strongest possible terms.”

He continued: “I deny any suggestion that I participated in any willful wrongdoing or knew of any wrongdoing. There has been lacking sufficient context to address the issues stemming from the Bahamas Public Parks and Public Beaches Authority that have come up in the public domain.

“Context in understanding that will illustrate the number of processes

of consistent issues that existed from the inception of the authority started by the PLP started in 2014.

“I’m making a point that the issues that emanated from the Bahamas Public Parks, many of the issues have bridged both administrations. That’s the point that I am making.

“Many improvements were made during both, but some (issues) still remained and this government will have the opportunity to address them.”

Mr Cartwright referred to previous comments by Works Minister Alfred Sears who noted that excess spending and over budgeting persisted at the entity for years. The comments were affirmed yesterday in comments by a seated Mr Sears.

“As a matter of fact, from its inception from year one to date, the Authority has never stayed within budget.

Secondly on the decision to exceed the budgeted amount in the 2021/2022 budget and, as I stated, I made no unilateral decision and as the honourable member stated in this honourable House ‘I know the member for St Barnabas has been put in a difficult spot but for those of us who know how government runs it could not be you alone, sir.’

“In addition, the honourable member for Ft Charlotte said the honourable member for St Barnabas has taken a blow beyond his authority.

“On both scores he was right. I got instructions and directives from high authorities and I will leave that right there.”

Mr Cartwright said much of the issues at the authority existed as the system had not yet reached its maturation.

“We made a lot of headway and progress when I was chairman. Were there a number of things left on the treacle board? Absolutely and the new chairman of this administration will have the ability to fix some of these primitive systems and processes that came up as a result, as I said of the corporate governance process being slow to reach exactly the level that it needed to be.

“As I said my predecessor who I know personally achieved many great things and deserves credit for them and then there were things that needed improvements and we fixed them being careful not to cite them in tenor and in language as sanctioned by ill intent. I’m not suggesting that anybody is doing that, I am making a point.”

He also said: “I have never shied away from constructive criticism and accept it as a means to become better. That’s what leaders do. I accept it, but what I don’t accept is the presumption that inefficiencies of the current system or gaps in the system meant that there was a sinister, self-enriching, fraudulent or intentional plot at hand.”

SHANENDON Cartwright MP. Photo: Donavan McIntosh/ Tribune Staff

ARMED ROBBERY AT LYNDEN PINDLING AIRPORT

By PAVEL BAILEY

POLICE are investigating an armed robbery that occurred at Lynden Pindling International Airport yesterday morning when a man stole a bag of cash that reportedly belonged to a web shop.

A statement from the Royal Bahamas Police Force confirmed that around 9am Thursday a man was robbed of a bag of cash by a male suspect at LPIA’s domestic section.

While the exact amount of cash stolen has not been disclosed, a Tribune source said the cash belonged to a local web shop and that it was in the possession of a hired carrier at the time of the robbery.

Police said a male suspect was arrested and an

undetermined amount of cash was recovered. Police said they are still searching for two other male suspects involved in this matter.

This latest incident comes after Acting Commissioner of Police Clayton Fernander noted on Monday how web shops are being targeted more frequently for robberies lately.

“We’ve had success with some matters with respect to web shops,” Mr Fernander said, adding that five web shops in the eastern area of New Providence were robbed just last week.

“They were robbed and good work by detectives, a team, they were able to arrest an individual,” he said. “We eventually arrested three others. These matters are closed. We also recovered two handguns

that were used in the commission of those offences.

They are in custody and they will appear before the

courts (soon).”

An investigation into yesterday’s incident is ongoing.

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PAGE 4, Friday, March 18, 2022

THE TRIBUNE

Covid cases reduced - but vaccination rate still low from page one

MINISTER of Health and Wellness Dr Michael Darville delivering his mid-year budget contribution in Parliament yesterday.

Photo: Donavan McIntosh/Tribune Staff

NINE MORE COVID DEATHS

and hospitalisations had NINE more COVIDearned The Bahamas a 19 deaths have been lowered travel advisory recorded, pushing the rating from Level 4 - “very nation’s virus death toll to high” to Level 3 - “high” by 786. the United States Centres According to a report for Disease Control and issued by the MinPrevention. istry of Health and The new rating was Wellness, dated March announced by his ministry 16, the deaths took place last week. between January 31-FebHowever, there continruary 24. ued to be vaccine hesitancy, The deceased are a mix the Tall Pines MP said. of male and female whose Government launched ages range from 41 to 87. the vaccination campaign on March 14, 2021, with the “So, we have a way to go first doses administered.

“Since that time, 332,549 to reach the levels achieved doses have been admin- in the USA and by a few of istered in The Bahamas our Caribbean neighbours.

When we which includes examine vacfirst, second, ‘So, we have cination rates extended pri- a way to go to in our country mary series reach the levels by age bands, and booster we see the doses,” Dr achieved in the lowest vacDarville said. USA and by a few cination rates “While our of our Caribbean among percountry’s vacsons under the cination rate neighbours. When age of 30 and has been we examine is not surincreasvaccination rates in this prising since ing, we have noticed that our country by age at the start of the pandemic as COVID- bands, we see the this group 19 infection lowest vaccination was thought rates decline in (the) coun- rates among persons to be less vulnerable to try, the rate of under the age of infection.” uptake of vac- 30 and this is not Regardcinations has ing the CDC’s also slowed. surprising since Level 3 rating “As of at the start of the The BahaMarch 9, 40 pandemic this group of mas, he said: percent of our “The Centres total popula- was thought to for Disease tion is fully be less vulnerable Control in the vaccinated.

United States But when to infection.’ we compare vaccinated has also responded positively persons to the population to our improved COVID-19 eligible to be vaccinated, experience by moving our our percentage increases to Travel Risk Advisory Rating from Level 4 which is ‘very just over 50 percent. high’ to Level 3 which is simply ‘high’.

“As these trends are sustained over the next month, we believe we will qualify for a further decrease in our risk rating down to a Level 2. As we have seen

They are from New Providence, Abaco and Grand Bahama.

Meanwhile, new COVID-19 cases remain low, with only two reported in the latest data.

COVID cases stand at 33,211 since the start of the pandemic.

Eight people are in hospital with the virus, with one of them in intensive care. from past experience, these reductions in our rating have a positive impact on our tourism sector and by extension the wider economy.

“We all must remember, we are in this together and with each of us doing our part we can together impact our tourism sector, our economy and by extension our own pocketbooks in a very positive way.”

Dr Darville further announced Cabinet’s approval of hiring 512 healthcare professionals.

“During my visits at our hospitals and clinics throughout the country it was evident that the human resource component of healthcare is in a critical state. My ministry is moving to correct these deficiencies and I am pleased to announce that the Cabinet of The Bahamas approved the hiring of some 512 healthcare professionals to be deployed throughout The Bahamas to fill many of the gaps that currently exist.

“With this increase in human resources we are excited about where we are heading in the delivery of primary, secondary and tertiary healthcare services across the country. Some of these gaps have been filled in the short-term by health care professionals from the Republic of Cuba,” he said.

TEMPLE CHRISTIAN HIGH SCHOOL ENTRANCE EXAMINATION 2020-2021 Temple Christian High School will hold its Entrance Examination on Saturday, March 19, 2022 at the school on Shirley Street from 8:30 a.m. to 12 noon for students wishing to enter grades 7, 8, 9 and 10.

Application forms are available at the High School Office. The application fee is twenty-five dollars ($25). Application forms should be completed and returned to the school by Friday, March 18, 2022.

For further information, please call telephone number: 394-4481/394-4484

To Publish your Financials and

Legal Notices Call: 502-2394

THE TRIBUNE

Friday, March 18, 2022, PAGE 5

Carnival port project to bring 500 construction jobs

By DENISE MAYCOCK Tribune Freeport Reporter dmaycock@tribunemedia.net THE Carnival Grand Port Project is targeted for groundbreaking in May with the potential to create 500 new construction jobs for Bahamians in Grand Bahama.

The announcement came at the 23rd Grand Bahama Business Outlook ‘Beyond Recovery into Growth’ conference yesterday during opening remarks given by Grand Bahama Minister Ginger Moxey, followed

by Deputy Prime Minister Chester Cooper.

Ms Moxey said the new mega-port will be developed over two-and-ahalf-years and is expected to open in November 2024.

She indicated that the

government is now finalising all required permits and approvals to start the project.

She said Carnival is committed to developing a Bahamian experience at the new cruise port.

“This project will provide opportunities for many entrepreneurs and employment for the Bahamian people during the construction period, which is expected to last for twoand-a-half years and during the operation of the port once opened, which is now scheduled for November 2024,” she said.

In 2019, Carnival Corporation signed a $100m deal with the Minnis administration for a mega cruise port in East Grand Bahama. It was announced then that the project would create at

least 1,000 construction jobs for Bahamians. Following the devastation caused

by Hurricane Dorian and the COVID-19 pandemic, the cruise line postponed its plans. But, in 2020, it announced it would double its investment.

More than 300 acres of land have been identified at Sharp Rock, EGB. The port would be the largest Carnival cruise port in the world, with two berths capable of accommodating the largest cruise ships, its Mardi Gras brand of ships.

During his keynote address, Mr Cooper reconfirmed the government’s support for the Carnival Grand Port.

“We expect during the construction phase there will be an additional 500 jobs at the peak of

THE GRAND Lucayan Resort.

GRAND LUCAYAN BIDDERS TO PRESENT PLANS TO BOARD THIS WEEKEND

By KHRISNA RUSSELL Tribune Chief Reporter krussell@tribunemedia.net

FIVE bidders have been invited to present plans to the board of Lucayan Renewal Holdings Ltd regarding the Grand Lucayan Resort on Sunday, Tourism, Investments and Aviation Minister Chester Cooper said yesterday.

The Deputy Prime Minister said the government is seeking an investor who will, in a public private partnership, create a world-class airport and stunning entryway for Grand Bahama.

The request for proposals for this project will open on March 28.

Mr Cooper also told Parliament yesterday that plans were underway to address the “disgraceful and embarrassing” state of downtown Nassau.

In December the Davis administration announced that the agreement between the government and Royal Caribbean Cruise International/ITM Group for the acquisition of the Grand Lucayan had been cancelled.

During his contribution to the mid-year budget debate, Mr Cooper said the resort had seen a great deal of progress over the past few months.

“As I also told the Grand Bahama Business Outlook, we have invited five bidders to present to the board of Lucayan Renewal Holdings Limited this coming Sunday,” Mr Cooper said.

“After which we intend to enter into exclusive negotiations for the sale and redevelopment of the resort.

“Vision, financial capacity and speed of mobilising along with a commitment to the shared vision for the Grand Bahama International Airport will be the

overarching factors that inform our selection of the bidder with whom we will enter exclusive negotiation.

“We expect to update the public further by the end of March. I have assured the people of Grand Bahama that we would not tarry.

“We are keen to see the construction phase of this resort proceed in order to create what we anticipate will be hundreds of jobs and much more opportunity for Grand Bahama.”

Regarding GBIA, the Exuma and Ragged Island MP said officials planned for the RFP process to last 30 days. “..The request for proposals for the redevelopment of the Grand Bahama International Airport will open before the end of this month - March 28 to be precise.

“We are looking for an investor who will in a PPP create a world class airport and the stunning entryway into Grand Bahama, which the people of Grand Bahama deserve.

“We are encouraging all of the Bahamian groups who have been approaching me to actively engage in this process. I have indicated to the Department of Aviation that this must not be a protracted exercise. The people of Grand Bahama have suffered long enough at the hands of the previous administration.

“This process will close in 30 days. We want to attract big investors to the island of Grand Bahama and see the second city return to its glory days.”

Mr Cooper also said: “Redeveloping, maintaining and operating the Grand Bahama International Airport is top priority, and we are proud today to do just that. This public private partnership

programme is not just to bring in investors, but also to bring hope and financial stability back to the people of Grand Bahama.”

Meanwhile, the minister said he planned to work with the Ministry of Works, Royal Bahamas Police Force, Office of the Attorney General and Office of the Prime Minister to tackle the apparent issues in downtown Nassau.

He said it was imperative to address the issue as it was directly linked to the Nassau Cruise Port, the single busiest port of entry into the country.

“We will apply existing laws to manage downtown and introduce new ones where necessary to have it restored, kept clean and provide a unique experience for our visitors and Bahamians.

“Downtown should be one of our proudest achievements, not a place we continue to make excuses for.

“The state of this historic thoroughfare is disgraceful and embarrassing. Downtown is unfortunately littered with too many derelict buildings that have become havens for vagrancy that is a constant complaint of Bahamians and our guests.

“I plan to work with the Ministry of Works, the police, the Office of the Attorney General and the Office of the Prime Minister to tackle these issues head on.”

He said the Downtown Nassau Partnership had done a tremendous job in seeking to correct the “incredibly difficult issue.”

Mr Cooper also said he was in discussions with artists to create a mini art design district that also has unique culinary offerings.

construction,” he said.

“And, this is why we will not tarry in ensuring that we work with this developer to get a shovel in the ground.”

He said as the minister responsible for investment, he is committed to ensuring a smoother process from the investor interest to the government and Port’s approval.

He noted that they are working to revamp the Bahamas Investment Authority.

“We often hear frustration from those who have to deal with both the Port (Authority) and central government. With that in mind, we are looking now at a model for revamping BIA as it relates to GB, and we will do so generally.

“As it currently stands,

we already reformed the National Economic Council. We set regular weekly meetings so that the process does not continue to bog down as it has been under the former administration,” Mr Cooper said.

He said: “We recognise there is overlap, and different approvals are needed at each step of the process that has been impediments in bringing investment to fruition.”

He expressed a commitment toward a one-stop-shop for investments and a continued push towards doing business, and a continued push towards the ease of doing business, swift approval through the revamp of Bahama Investment Authority, with sensible immigration policies.

Regarding the island’s

airport, Ms Moxey stated that the redevelopment of the Grand Bahama International Airport is “priority number one” in the administration’s plan for airports throughout the country.

She said that generators have been ordered for the existing facilities, an elevator for the control tower, and funds allocated for provisional repairs.

She also said they are working with GBPA on environmental by-laws that will give “teeth” to the vexing issue of dilapidated structures.

She also announced the implementation of the “Empower Grand Bahama“ – a $5,000 microgrant programme focused on creative entrepreneurs and tourism product enhancement.

PAGE 6, Friday, March 18, 2022

THE TRIBUNE

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COVID is not gone and we should stay ready THE news of nine more deaths from COVID-19 is a sobering moment.

The announcement comes just as the numbers of new cases have been dropping. The deaths took place between January 31 and February 24, so they reflect cases during a different stage of the pandemic here, but are no less to be mourned for that. The most recent death is less than a month ago – which shows how quickly things can change.

So when Health Minister Dr Michael Darville cautions that we should not throw caution to the wind, he’s right.

More to the point, when he urges people to continue to get their vaccinations, he is also right.

We should not just take for granted that the reducing numbers mean that COVID is going away. Far from it.

Indeed, while we face our own local battle with COVID, there is plenty of evidence from around the world to draw upon.

In recent days, the UK and Germany have both started to reduce restrictions – even as the number of cases has been going up.

And perhaps more pertinently when it comes to vaccination, Hong Kong has gone from a ‘zero-COVID’ strategy to having the world’s highest death rate.

There are some suggestions that this is partly because vaccinations plus prior infections have minimised the effect of the Omicron variant that spread so widely but was deemed to be mild elsewhere – only for it to have a more deadly effect in Hong Kong where there had been little infection previously.

There are also suggestions that it is because Hong Kong, while having a vaccination rate of around 70 percent, didn’t target the elderly and vulnerable for vaccination – so those most at risk

from the virus are feeling the deadly effects.

What does that mean for us? It means we should keep taking COVID seriously, and if we’re due for a booster, we should go and get it. Those who haven’t had the first jab should go and get it too.

It’s there to protect you, there’s copious evidence of how it minimises the risk of hospitalisation if you do catch the virus – and it’s right there waiting.

There are some that speculate we are nearing the end of COVID, but equally we could simply be between waves. Like so much in this pandemic, it is too early to tell.

But in the meantime, if it does return, we have the means to help protect ourselves. Why not use it?

Grand Bahama Good news coming from Grand Bahama is always welcome – and we cheer the words of Deputy Prime Minister Chester Cooper when he says 1,500 construction jobs could be on the way.

The jobs are due to come at three locations – Carnival’s proposed cruise port, the Grand Lucayan, and the airport transformation. Each will bring 500 jobs.

There have been false dawns in Grand Bahama before, of course, but there seems to be substance behind these plans.

There has been a lot of political sniping back and forth in recent times – but this is what people want to see. Jobs.

Money in their pocket.

The Carnival project could break ground in April. That first spade going into the soil will be a welcome sight indeed.

The trying times that face us all EDITOR, The Tribune.

DO YOU ever feel like the darkness is winning?

The designated shepherd has abandoned their flock.

The sanctuary is closed and shuttered six days a week.

Opened only two hours on the Sabbath.

Trying time is what the world is talking about.

You got confusion all over the land.

Sexuality is confused, misused, and abused.

Unwed mothers seek abortion.

Mother against daughter.

Father against son, you know the whole thing is getting out of hand.

Folks wouldn’t have to suffer if there was more love for your brother. But these are trying times.

Wars and rumours of wars lead our newscasts.

COVID is no longer the most important news.

Russia attacking Ukraine is the front page today, but soon as more titillating news comes along, it will be relegated to the second page.

These are trying times.

LETTERS letters@tribunemedia.net You got riots in the ghetto; it’s all around.

Just read the newspaper, turn on your TV you see a lot of demonstrations about equality. But maybe folks wouldn’t have to suffer if there was more love for your brother.

Respect for leadership seems to be the exception, not the norm, as corruption resonates in high places.

But these are trying times.

Addiction has filtered into every segment of society.

It is no longer just the inner city, but on almost every street, you can see persons struggling with substance abuse.

These are trying times, but what are you doing to make this a better land?

Terror threatens and holds the country hostage.

Just last weekend, five young men were shot dead in the streets. Man always,

talking about humanity to man, but what is he doing to make it a better land?

These are trying times.

The cries of those in need seem to be increasing.

Food lines and soup kitchen are the only means of support for many families.

Where’s my God and where’s my money?

Cries of despondency ring out day and night.

But are we listening? Do we hear them?

Because if we were, that suicidal person might still be alive.

That young man might not be dead or in prison.

These are trying times a whole lot of wrong things are going down, and from my point of view, you should do unto others as you want to be done to you.

Then maybe folks wouldn’t have to suffer if there were more love for your brother. But these are trying times.

ANTHONY PRATT Nassau, March 15, 2022.

No sign of normal EDITOR, The Tribune.

YOUR Tourism Minister has cheerily declared that tourism will be back to normal very soon. As a travel agent who has sent visitors to The Bahamas for decades I am waiting for some evidence of those remarks. Lost in all his statements and those of other tourism “experts” is the fact that it remains difficult to enter your country.

Your requirements are too cumbersome and now with the COVID-19 declining do not make much sense. Why has the Health Visa not been abolished?

That is the greatest difficulty in securing bookings when visitors can go nearly

everywhere else without such a requirement.

Why is a rapid antigen test no older than three days old still required for entry? Has the Minister and staff not realised that they are hard to come by here with massive shortages and where even available cost $200 or more and a written result often not for two days. How do they expect visitors to await that result, scan for the Visa and be on the ground by the third day? Whoever designed such unworkable rules?

We understand the Visa has actually just become an expensive tax. What is wrong with visitors just presenting a double vaccination certificate at airport

check in counters?

Your added problem is your low vaccination rates and our government’s rather high risk category for visitors making it difficult for visitors to purchase travel health insurance and feel safe in The Bahamas.

Unless you change things soon I cannot see any recovery in bookings. In my agencies,quite sadly, The Bahamas has gone from the most popular of our southern resort destinations to down at the bottom of interest. Certainly nothing for your Tourism Minister to show any cheer or optimism.

JOHN W ROBSON New Jersey, USA March 17, 2022.

THE TRIBUNE

Friday, March 18, 2022, PAGE 7

MAN ACCUSED OF MOLESTING DAUGHTER

By LEANDRA ROLLE Tribune Staff Reporter lrolle@tribunemedia.net

GEORGIAN MIGRANTS RESCUED FROM SEA A GROUP of seven migrants from the Eastern European nation of Georgia were rescued from an overturned vessel at sea and taken to Grand Bahama yesterday.

A statement from Minister of Labour and Immigration Keith Bell said the migrants initially told officials they were from war-torn Ukraine, however a check of their passports showed they are from Georgia. Mr Bell said the migrants admitted they were trying to get to the United States.

“A vessel en route to Grand Bahama from Florida encountered an overturned vessel 10 miles off West End,” Mr Bell’s statement said. “A total of

seven persons were encountered at sea who have since been confirmed to be Georgian nationals: two adult males, three adult females, and two children.

“At this point, we have them in our custody and they appear to be in good health. Initially, the individuals all claimed that their passports were lost at sea. I’m told, however, that the individuals have since admitted that they were trying to smuggle into the United States.

“They also reportedly initially told the rescuers that they were from Ukraine. However, the passports which they showed to our officers were from Georgia,” Mr Bell said.

An investigation is continuing.

A 28-YEAR-OLD man accused of sexually molesting his six-year-old daughter was denied bail yesterday.

The man, whose name has been withheld to protect the identity of the child, was not required to enter a plea to charges of incest, indecent assault and child cruelty during his appearance before Magistrate Kara Turnquest-Deveaux.

However, prosecutors claim he had sex with the child on March 12 among other alleged acts.

During yesterday’s hearing, bail was denied and the case was adjourned to May 30 for service of a voluntary bill of indictment. He was remanded to the Bahamas Department of Correctional Services until that time.

However, the accused has a right to apply to the Supreme Court for bail.

In a separate matter, 30-year-old Ian Rolle was also charged in court.

Rolle was arrested after he allegedly touched an

American tourist’s breast and vagina on March 7.

Police say the woman reported she was at Sandyport Beach last Monday when Rolle approached her, asking to lay on the hammock beside her, to which she replied “No.” The woman said Rolle then asked her if he could shake her hand, to which she agreed. However, as she extended her hand, the woman said Rolle grabbed her breast and then told her “this is how we greet in The Bahamas”. The woman said moments later, Rolle also touched her vagina and then left.

It was at that point when she went to find her husband, who then followed Rolle and took a picture of him.

As a result, police action was requested and Rolle was subsequently arrested.

During yesterday’s hearing, the 30-year-old admitted to the offence when he appeared before Chief Magistrate Joyann Ferguson-Pratt.

Rolle told the court he had apologised to the woman and her husband

after committing the offence and claimed he told them that he sometimes experienced mental issues.

Asked by the magistrate yesterday if he was in his right mind on the day in question, Rolle replied that he was.

He said he is sorry for his actions and even asked the court for leniency.

“I was hoping if I could get community service or a fine because I acknowledged my mistake,” he said.

However, Magistrate Ferguson-Pratt told the accused that he deserved a custodial sentence given the seriousness of the offence.

She said his actions were inexcusable and unacceptable and could lead to repercussions for the country’s leading tourism industry.

“You crossed the line… and your actions affected our tourism industry,” the chief magistrate said, adding that she had to send a stern message to wouldbe offenders who might be considering similar acts.

As a result, he was sentenced to 28 months in prison.

Funeral Service For

Lovenia Ann Bain-Coakley, 74 affectionately called “Miss Vinnie”

of Love Hill, Andros will be held on Saturday, March 19th, 2022, 10:00 a.m. at Saint Paul’s Anglican Church, Calabash Bay, Andros Island. Officiating will be Rev’d Fr. Richard A. Wood-B.Th, Dip. Ed. J.P. assisted by The Rev’d. Fr. John Kabiga, B.A., B.Th., M.Ed. Interment will follow in Fresh Creek Cemetery, Andros.

31-YEAR-OLD ACCUSED OF STABBING MURDER

By LEANDRA ROLLE Tribune Staff Reporter lrolle@tribunemedia.net

A 31-YEAR-OLD man was remanded to prison yesterday on murder charges.

Police arrested and charged Cyran Russell after he was accused of killing Camario Miller on March 6.

The charges stem from a stabbing incident that occurred on Fritz Lane, according to the Crown prosecutor.

During his appearance before Chief Magistrate Joyann Ferguson-Pratt yesterday, Russell was not required to enter a plea to the offence.

He was told that his

matter will proceed to the Supreme Court by a voluntary bill of indictment and was ordered to return to court on July 25 for presentation of the VBI. In the meantime, he will be remanded to prison.

However, Russell has a right to apply to the Supreme Court for bail in relation to the charge.

MEN JAILED FOR SIX WEEKS FOR VAGRANCY

By LEANDRA ROLLE Tribune Staff Reporter lrolle@tribunemedia.net

TWO men were sentenced to six weeks behind bars yesterday for vagrancy.

Ronald Albrice, 45, and Dewitt Hall, 47, were both arrested after officers found

them in the East Street area on separate occasions earlier this month.

Police said the men were unable to give a satisfactory account of themselves on the day of their arrest.

During their separate hearings before Chief Magistrate Joyann

Ferguson-Pratt yesterday, both men pleaded guilty and were sentenced to six weeks at the Bahamas Department of Correctional Services. However, Hall was further ordered to undergo psychiatric evaluation after he kept talking to himself during his arraignment.

Death Notice For Romalia Demeritte, 72

of Step Street died at Princess Margaret Hospital on Saturday, March 12th, 2022.

She is survived by her special friend: Frederick Saunders; son: Deon Demeritte; daughters: Kim White, Alma Demeritte, Mataya Curry; sisters: Olivia Mackey, Fredericka Pierre, Pamela, Clothilda, Eliozabeth and Dora; brother: Michael Demeritte and a host of other relatives and friends.

Arrangements for the funeral service are being finalized and details will be announced at a future date.

Left to cherish her memories are her husband: Rudolph Henry Coakley; children: Lorenda Coakley-Woodside, Kirkwood (Paulette) Campbell, Dr. Deborah Campbell (Nelson Cartwright, Sr.), Kirvin (Michelle) Campbell and Kendrick (Shanique) Campbell; adopted-children: Sharon, Alvin & Vanria Coakley, Yvonne Ferguson, Evelyn Brown & Martha Coakley, Sarah (Dr. Reginald) Carey, Diane (Benry) Smith, Kendal & Dwight (Elizabeth) Brown, Jerry (Shakira) Trott, and Sherman Turner; grandchildren: Kristoff (Aneita) Campbell, Kirvinique Campbell, Deandra & Keithra Coakley, P’Ashe Jones, Lauren Woodside, Antoine Coakley, Krystal Campbell, Kedar, Erin Woodside, Kendrick Jr., Kirvin Jr., Jaden & Kriston Campbell, Michelle Campbell, KeShawn Campbell, Kirkwood Jr. & K’Lisha Campbell, Shakeva, Bernard & Brian Ferguson, Samantha, Devonya & Alvonya Coakley, Shawn (Errolyn), Shantell & Shawnell Hinsey, Shaneria & Phylisha McKenzie, J’Von Coakley, Jade Hinsey, Clintario & Angel Kemp, April, Zebulon, Travis, Gabriel & Evan Hanna and grandchildren of Loni Wilson; siblings: Corrine Bain-McKenzie, Charles Bain, Roseanna Bain-McKenzie, Leonard, Lionel & Kenneth Bain, Mertlean Bain-King, Doreen McKenzie and their respective families; nieces: Evangelist Sabrina Johnson, Deloris, Cynthia & Melanie McKenzie, Florence Bain, Carmetta, Shirley, Eloise, Princess, Vernita & Elizabeth Canter, Theresa McKenzie, Melvern Sands, Magnolia Rolle, Bettymae Ferguson, Pearalee Bain, Corafey Whylly, Linda Bullard, Kim Muthra, Linda Campbell, Patrice Miller and Phyllis Whitfield; nephews: Tyrone Pinder, Derrick, Arthur Jr., Glenroy Sr. and Eddison McKenzie, Charles Bain, Jr., Sherman & Charles Canter, Gary, Tyrone, Lionel, Norman & Carwell Bain, Donald (Victoria), Philip (Patricia) & William (Valarie) Duncombe, Burton Miller and Basil Roxbury; sister-in-law: Myterrine Coakley, Queenie McKenzie-Bain & Renora Bridgett; other relatives & family including but not limited to: Rev. Fr. Richard Wood & Family, Rev. Fr. Kabiga & Family, Aaron Woodside & Family, Rosemary Joseph, Elizabeth & Wenzel Hanna & Family, Minister Olive Curtis, Nurse Arisa Fernander, Gigi Austin, Beatrice Culmer, Nurse Jackie Bodie, Nurse Kaytora Lightbourne-Saunders, Dr. Susana Campbell, Coleajean Butler, Cheryl Grant, Dianne Burrows, Sonia Miller, Sha King, Patricia Coakley, Beigie Jones, Florena Ferguson, Everette Mackey, David Bastian, Antionette Russell, Peter Douglas & Family, Donna Stubbs, Playdell Gale, Mable Stubbs, Mr. & Mrs. Bodie, Merton Thompson, Glen White & Family, Makel Neely-Seymour (god-daughter), Pearl & Freddie Hinsey, Andre & Sharon Smith & Family, Rev. Dr. Apostle Dorinda Dean, Theresa Duncombe-Minnis & Family, Ivy & Patrick Goodridge, Rosilee & Carl Thompson, Doranda & Rev. Tyrone Knowles, Pastor Betty Hanna, Min. Mary Rolle, Merrille Rolle & Family, Donald & Elizabeth Evans, Ismae Braynen, Mr. Norris Pinder, Rev. Henry & Betty Hinsey & Family, Christopher Hinsey & Family, Rev. Nick & Annamae Hinsey & Family, Pastor Thomas & Cinderella Hinsey & Family, Nelson & Shirley Gaitor & Family, Gloria Johnson & Family, Arnold & Joy Nesbitt, Mr. Richard Clarke & Family, Mrs. Heidi McKenzie-Russell & Family, Mrs. Valerie Hanna & Family, Mr. Henry Bain & Family, Pastor Mark & Emma Scott & Family, Jeanette Coakley & Family, Ms. Emily Miller & Family, Helen Thompson & Family, Gloria Johnson & Family, Jeffrey Birch & Family, Margo Blackwell & Family, Theresa Newton & Family, Violet & Leroy Minnis & Family, Rev. Hamilton & Family, the Bain, Coakley, Hanna, Hinsey, Cleare, Farrington, Mackey, Pinder, Gaitor, Braynen, Curtis, Anderson, Adderley, Knowles, Stevens, Chipman, Hield, Gay, Seymour, Neymour, Smith, Henriquez, Mackey, Miller, Oliver, Bell, Leadon, Frazier, Dean, Porters, Riley, McKenzie, Rolle, Mackey, Edgecombe, Brown, Moxey, Stubbs, Walkes, Russell, McQueen, Scott, Duncombe and Fowler Families, Alternative Learning Institute, St. Stephen’s Parish, The Most Holy Trinity Anglican Church, Miracle Revival International Ministries, COGOP (Solider Road), Staff of Fresh Creek Clinic, staff of Bahamas Power & Light & Bahamas Telecommunications Co. and the entire Central Andros Community.

Viewing will be held in the “Serenity Suite” at Restview Memorial Mortuary and Crematorium Ltd., Robinson and Soldier Road on (TODAY) Friday from 10:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. and again at Saint Paul’s Anglican Church, Calabash Bay, Andros on Friday from 6:30 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.

PAGE 8, Friday, March 18, 2022

THE TRIBUNE

Bahamas to foot the bill for Royal couple’s visit from page one “It is customary for the host country to absorb the costs, accommodations, meals for the couple and the staff,” he said during a press conference at the Office of the Prime Minister yesterday.

Press secretary Clint Watson said he sought to find out how much the royal visit will cost, but could not obtain that information.

“They’re still waiting on a number of figures to come in so they don’t have that figure for us,” he said.

This comes after Jamaican news outlets reported last month that Jamaica’s government will not be paying for the royals’ visit there, but would be absorbing some costs.

Prince William and Kate Middleton will visit The Bahamas from March 24-26 to mark the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee celebrations.

Leslie Miller-Brice, the ambassador to CARICOM, said The Bahamas will seize the visit “to showcase the country as more than sun, sand and sea with a key focus on our people, culture, present challenges and a hope for the future.”

She said the royals will see the impact Hurricane Dorian has had by visiting Abaco and engaging residents there about the recovery efforts.

“We want them to appreciate firsthand the impact climate change is having on our country and the need for carbon producing countries to support us,” she said.

The royals will also

PRINCE William and Kate, Duchess of Cambridge at the first ever Earthshot Prize Awards Ceremony at Alexandra Palace in London in October last year. Created by Prince William and The Royal Foundation, The Earthshot Prize has led a global search for the most inspiring and innovative solutions to the greatest environmental challenges facing the planet - and during the couple’s visit to The Bahamas they are expected to visit Coral Vita, a winner of a $1m prize in the awards.

Photo: Alberto Pezzali/AP visit Coral Vita in Grand climate crisis. celebrating frontline work- expect road closures and Bahama which won the Mrs Miller-Brice said ers who helped during the diversions as the royals Duke’s inaugural Earthshot in New Providence, a COVID-19 pandemic. make their way around the prize. The prize is awarded focus will be on highlightAssistant Commissioner islands. to those who support inno- ing education loss during of Police Kendal Stra“Security will no doubt vative solutions to the the pandemic and on chan said residents should be enforced,” he said.

MEETING TO DISCUSS FREEPORT ISSUES SAID TO BE ‘FRUITFUL AND PRODUCTIVE’

By DENISE MAYCOCK Tribune Freeport Reporter dmaycock@tribunemedia.net

A GROUP, led by businessman Darren Cooper and former Pineridge MP Frederick McAlpine delivering a letter to the GBPA president Ian Rolle outlining concerns regarding the lack of investment and other issues in Freeport.

BUSINESSMAN Darren Cooper, who organised a recent march in Freeport, said a four-hour meeting this week with Grand Bahama Port Authority executives was “fruitful and productive”.

Although he admits that there is still more work ahead, the outspoken business licensee reported that the GBPA has recommitted to be more involved in the community and sensitive to the plight of business people in Freeport.

Mr Cooper led a group of concerned residents and business people to the Grand Bahama Port Authority headquarters Freeport earlier this month.

He delivered a letter to GBPA president Ian Rolle, outlining their concerns about the state of Freeport and its economy, and requested a meeting with executives to address some ten issues.

Minister for Grand Bahama Ginger Moxey told reporters this week that she too shares the same concerns as the Freeport marchers.

Mr Cooper said he reached out to Ms Moxey on Wednesday to seek support and involvement of the government.

“As it relates to the Port, yes, we met yesterday. A meeting that was set for two hours went four hours; it was a very productive conversation - fruitful,” he said.

“I think… Port understands seriously where we are now as a people and they have recommitted themselves to be more involved and be able to have more dialogue, to be more touchable and visible in the community.”

Former Pineridge MP Fred McAlpine, who also marched, had said the GBPA is not living up to its responsibility under the Hawksbill Creek Agreement.

Mr Cooper said they agreed and disagreed on some things at the meeting, but did not say what those were.

“I called it fruitful, not successful because we still have plenty of work to do.

And so, we will see where it goes from there,” he said.

Mr Cooper pledged to continue to fight for the betterment of Freeport.

“We are going to continue to keep their feet to the fire, continue to push until we get the government, the Port, and business community in a meeting so we could put to rest the passing of the buck and responsibility by those who sit in positions of power,” he said.

When asked about yesterday’s Grand Bahama Business Outlook conference and anticipation of announcements for Grand Bahama, the businessman said residents want more than announcements.

“As it relates to Business Outlook, I would be grateful for any announcement the Minister (for Grand Bahama) would announce, but Grand Bahama is more interested in production rather than announcements.

“And so, we will see how that goes and wait to see the progress and the outcome of the announcements,” Mr Cooper said.

The GBPA president, Ian Rolle, later issued a statement.

He said: “Highly sensitive to the tremendous challenges and issues faced by many residents and businesses in this post-hurricane economy of Grand Bahama, GBPA recognized the need to respond expeditiously in a person-to-person meeting with Darren Cooper and others on March 15th.

The meeting lasted some three and a half hours and all principal executives and shareholders of the GBPA attended. GBPA felt that the pandemic had caused a disconnect in face-to-face communication and we were sorry that persons felt the need to march to the building to express their concerns. We wish to be accessible to all members of the community.

“We shared in healthy and meaningful discussions, exchanged ideas and information, and made positive steps in the right direction.

We resolved to continue the dialogue on a regular basis and are very sympathetic to the need for change.

“Our team will be at the Port Community Talks Business Expo on March 28, 2022, at 6pm and we look forward to speaking with even more concerned residents, addressing specific issues, and finding ways to help, and spur growth.

“We were also very reassured and encouraged today to hear the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Grand Bahama confirm execution of key dynamic projects in the pipeline including, but not limited to the new cruiseport, and sale of the hotel for which he promised imminent groundbreaking. And we thank you him. I believe we are finally moving from recovery to a new era of robust growth, employment, and success for one and all in Grand Bahama.

And we certainly heard that message repeated throughout the Grand Bahama Business Outlook conference today. We undertake to do our part in every way, shape and form.”

THE TRIBUNE

Friday, March 18, 2022, PAGE 9

I never knew you cared so much, now what about Downtown?

MUCH to my shock, the March 4 column ‘Montagu Madness’ criticizing the explosion of signage cluttering and disrupting a view so many worked so hard to create set off a maelstrom of response I could never have predicted. The column which was even picked up by World News sparked a petition – though aimed at the wrong target, but wellmeaning – and numerous others since that column appeared have been calling for the removal of signs.

Of course, up to this writing at 5 am on March 17, not a single sign has budged.

So, two lessons learnt.

One, swimming pigs get more attention than a population begging for a little respect for what makes a difference in a daily life and drive. Who cares if just as your spirit is being lifted by the view of Montagu Bay it gets dashed by the already partially crushed sign about a school that hasn’t even opened yet? Or a swim programme from a few years ago? Or interest rates for some financial promise or another?

Nothing happens just because it is the right thing to do. You have to make a stink.

THE TRIBUNE

A9MAIN Friday, March

Do you have any idea how much I hate saying that? After decades of hand-holding, working in partnership, making friends through gaining community support for one project after another, I realize how powerless I am, or we are, when it comes to effecting change unless and until we make headlines.

How very sad.

That is the first lesson.

The other is something I have long known. If you want to get something done, you have to find the right person or group to champion the cause.

Signage has been assigned to the Parks and Beaches Authority. It is not the fault of the people erecting signs. They have something to sell. Some of the signs are selling products made by companies or agencies we respect – BAIC, Tourism Development Corporation, Commonwealth Brewery

– they are simply in the wrong place as approved

by Parks and Beaches.

Correct the corrosion for William and Kate if not THOUGH I I am alone in don’t think not for us. cluttered Mo icing how ntag shore is looking, u forerights to my ang I do claim Parks and Beaches I dedicated the er. In 2010, of a year chairin better part Authority has the perfect committee for g a steering the redevelopment of Mo ntagu. It was reason to correct this cora role reques ted by thenMontagu con stitu rosion immediately. Is it Loretta Butler- ency MP Turner.

I called that intro ‘MonI, along with mittee member a few com- tagu Moments, A Short upon the catch made their not their national duty to Diary.’ It was living. Health the hard-work s, including ing Richard nied by appallin accompa- tion be damned and sanitaAdderley and . g photos of help prepare for the royal the dead fish covered The Montag Saunders, spe late Clay u report with flies deta bein nt g sold to an uns iled endless hours at the uspect- mittee background, coming task visit of the Duke and formation, mem including my hus . Others, thes public and I offered bers, summary find ings of physiand Larry Rob band Larry a e words: “It is 2:45 on cal erts Duchess of Cam-bridge? the roadside cou , stood by manSunday afternoon. A meeobserver teams, public ntin ting stan g s, ds cars que ank , stio taping traffic sna le deep in resu nnaire and a pud If it is true that William then-existing systrls that the abo dle of brown water, reco lts, goals and options, with trailers reveem caused withut the colour of coffee add mmendations and an enda that a hint of crea East Bay Stre rsing onto is m. and Kate will be driven He coa et bending over, stal engineeringincluded ing back-ups that and caus- con ch. I watch in cleaning that I had negotia reports And that it is. beyond Harbou extended he horror as cha ted right along the beach dips his bare rge to the gov free of r Bay. What you see han ernment, I personally ds in includin the filth g an EDSA now is a fish every fisherm interviewed conch y water lifting one and study an on the a she mar rep decorated with billll ort afte ket spread r another, Sow

by Currie ramp and thei breakin r ard over and those assi ‘assistants’ hammerg it with a conch It incl s Aguila Architects. out a stants’ assisuded a , pulling paved boards to watch children tants, documenting away from the the muscle the Bahamas proposal for rest area with rooms and Olympic Sailall ping shell, dip- ing sub-levels of Association. the the running water, ised, organised disorgan- brown meat back into the sail on Montagu Bay. The expanded strata of eco multi-level it. I knewater as he skinned to vari report was presented an nomic activous ministers w what was in beach ity squeezed with I don’t think they will into an area puddle he stood in… that ernment and then of gov- protected far too small to the full Cabinet There was mor ” to contain it. swim ming and to Pare and it liam We held packed was just as ent that area tow be taking selfies with signs mee and tings where we n hall old Montag revolting. The once asked year. I never jett s u ramp had no needed for ies security. I face to running water. or appreciatio recognition encour d n – I was just age to remind them of their fish ermen fearedstrife as squished toge Tables were so grateful that most of the aggregation ther. being flar removed. ed, knives flas Tempers recommendatio of san expansive beach, the conch and sparkling water, that ns hed d, , plus tras were h acce special moments in The wasWhdon was en all the rese arch ator everywhere, boat oper- foo pted and that Atlantis a popular e and the stud s hung on to the ted the bill of abo fish, crawfish ies a boa hull of Ito ut $1m. of collecte and fish vendors market slo-mo the Duke and d and the am t Bahamas. they not sure and wer goa e laun they ever got ls and or conch recommendatio hauling so as not ching the credit they deserved. It salad marketto slide was I drafted a 40-pns agreed, down the a politica slimy ram Sailing the Royal Nassau Duchess rolling age But imagine the back- that lly hot season plac e that has past could was as thorou report yet no one wanted p. And and because become I stay as gh as this to leave from not any report that narrow ramp partisan politics far only conon sultantsthe east of pos ground clear of those wou regular imagine a avideo snapshot, as where east, ld Club have been paid sible andbecome the curr stop for.

And I did it all lies, despite howent market progress and just focus on but for locals for free. poli dan a cy, gerovideo favourite seconds of I stay us clear of ed and unfi signs, the vista all the waythatThe that on slow motion an iconic few introductio t for neg bus Inst otia ines agra tions n s it was. the mmable to This was report told the scene to take behind moment Montag tale. and tho how the fishermen from for visise who depend from Fort Montagu on the with dum to des in ua tors the children sailing fantasy land. on tours irable ed destination p life . the island. All of of it is a result of west, past the park with in the background going We cannot over estimate MP’s determi an tion and the naall the greenery and mani- viral. If captured on a clear its reach, work a dream for the and fun ding that ON MARCH followed.

8, International Wo cured seagrape hedge, the two men ’s Day, bright blue skies ay, Tourism. with of there is shares intimat MinistryTod -timday e Olympi have fallen e details of adequate c gold

By Diane Phillips

SO PROUD OF PAULIN E

medallist and incidents and wor moments pion sprinter ld chamthat would make your Pauline Davis, will be spine crawl and others at Goo dman’s Bay, that shout joy.

Nassau, to personally sign She’s been mis copies of her high a terrorist with taken for pated memoir,ly anticibanged against her head a wall as Sideways, The Running she was detained on her Champion Wh Olympic way to a mee t Track and Fiel o made She’s been the in France. d His victim of a The book, as tory. racial slur spe PAULINE DAVIS lled told out to author Jeff in rose petals Todd, and and grit at a global with a forewor gathering and in the face d Athletics Pre by World diversity that incl of celebrated in she’s been sident Lord a nin ude a way d that e-ye Sebastian Coe is still unfoldi ng and shall , is a com- awardin ar wait for the pelling tale of heroism Olymp g of a rightful last a lifetime. ic gold. Pau Pauline will be line man at ’s Bay from 3 to Good6 pm.

4, 2022, PAGE

9

MONTAGU MADNESS, YES, I HAVE A RIGHT TO BE ANGRY And remember that Kate is one heck of a photographer.

While I thank all those who cared so much about the madness at Montagu, please reach out to Parks and Beaches Authorities Fort for correction. bea ch the Bay or Albany whe re people

apa parking (except The ben take pride in their ches need to rt. surroun on holidays or dings and in be case cial events) for during spe- repaired. But the worst is someone doesn’t, there are to enjoy the bea the public the smorgasbord of signage rule s to remind them .

When I see a they tagu and exc ch at Monmus t. bunch ept skis get too clos when jet signs cluttering Montagof Maybe folks who u manage and lengthy stre e, the wide foreshore, changing those commun ities underand sea is accetch of sand uninterrupted view of the stand wha t safe for all. ssible and waters of Montagu the allow the spra those who Bay Com wlin , paring doggone righ g what exists with t I have a across Nassau do notsignage – that mare that preced the night- right to be angry.

At last unwanted and uncontroll ed it is like count ed comparing a manual type- eigh this week, there were signage is pollution as t obtrusive, com writer with a sure ly as is PC. You can sign s, not includin mercial out the car throwing trash produce words window. Trash g those on bot h but iden only one mak es sense in a com tifying the site or the at least can be collecte d fast-paced wor panies that without imp ld. to maintaining contribute value or the acting property But Montagu’s it. right to a view desirability in its new You won’t see that revives incarnation is tion and land eye pollu- reminds you the spirit and being slowly ero desecration why you love sand fences that ded. The like that in Ocean Club living in a place where you protect the Est see ates, Lyford Cay, Old the the water every day of year.

Empty shelves, high hopes for those growing their own THE continuing sight of empty supermarket shelves is a frightening wake-up call.

This photo, taken on March 14, looked frighteningly like what a wartime supply problem might look like but if you talk with business owners of all types, everyone is feeling the pinch of production shortage and shipping delays. Empty grocery shelves, though, are different from a crying need for more raw materials required for light manufacturing or goods needed for other consumer goods and retail sales.

The lack of ability to buy what you want in store for what you want on the table reinforces the need to grow more of what we consume.

That makes Minister of Agriculture and Marine Resources Clay Sweeting’s task potentially one of the most important portfolios in Cabinet with a somewhat measurable component of making a real difference.

Sights like shelves with little or nothing on them should prompt more to turn to a life of farming.

Now with serious support from government along with the private sector’s new Agricultural Development Organization we should expect to see a growing

NASSAU Cruise Port getting it right.

TEMPORARY Customs office at Nassau Cruise Port. A little decoration goes a long way toward showing national pride and making visitors feel they are in a happy place. Kudos to the team at Nassau Cruise Port.

From the new Pier 5 to the simple act of decorating the front of repurposed 40-foot containers being used as temporary bathroom facilities on Prince George Wharf, kudos to Mike Maura and the entire team at Nassau

JOB OPPORTU

NITY

EMPTY shelves show the continuing supply chain issue.

interest in farming.

Supporting all levels of farmers from backyard to schoolyard, from community vegetable gardens to agribusiness can kickstart The Bahamas on a renewed path making farming a desirable way of life and lead to greater

food security.

No one said farming was easy. Just ask Daphne and Nick Maioulis who have been doing it in Abaco for 20 years or the folks in Eleuthera or Andros who have given their lives to it. But if you ask them if they’d trade the

Hats off to Nassau Cruise Port Cruise Port.

Nassau Cruise Port is doing for those who cruise and stop in Nassau what NAD did for LPIA, raising the standard to world class.

Maura and his team had to do much of it during the pandemic, including raising nearly $300 million, and trying to meet deadlines and budgets.

So kudos to all of you.

long days and calloused hands for a desk job in a posh, air-conditioned suite, they’d look at you with a satisfied smile, probably thinking your head is as empty as the shelves in the store, and nod, “That’s ok. I’m good where I am.”

Here’s what I would do if I were running the campaign to create a love-to-farm the land culture.

I’d use those same folks who are doing it now and saying they wouldn’t trade it for the world.

PAGE 10, Friday, March 18, 2022

THE TRIBUNE

NO DECISION ON COLUMBUS STATUE

By RASHAD ROLLE Tribune Senior Reporter rrolle@tribunemedia.net

THE SHATTERED Columbus state at Government House.

PRESS secretary Clint Watson said the Davis administration has not decided what to do about the Christopher Columbus statue at Government House which was defaced last year.

Prime Minister Philip “Brave” Davis had said Cabinet will decide what will happen to the statue, the presence of which has been condemned because of Columbus’ legacy of murder and slavery.

Although a man is on trial for damaging the

statue with a sledgehammer last year, nothing has been heard about the government’s plans since the act occurred five months ago.

“What I do know is that Prime Minister Davis is really big on consultation with his colleagues and so even if there is a position that he personally shares, it does not bear the end reward if his Cabinet colleagues differ and that’s why he wants to carry it to them to see what the general consensus is on that and so I’m sure whatever his personal views are, whatever Cabinet decides will stand in the end,” Mr

Watson said.

Asked if addressing the issue is important to the administration, Mr Watson said other issues have been prioritised to date.

In 2020, Mr Davis’ Director of Communications Latrae Rahming joined a group of people who called for the Columbus statue to be removed from Government House. Reverend Sebastian Campbell was among those who urged the public to march to force the removal of the statue.

Mr Rahming said at the time he was in talks with parliamentarians who were prepared to table a petition

calling for the statue’s removal in Parliament.

“If we aren’t successful (at getting the document tabled), we would’ve done one thing, at least have a conversation as to who we are and where we are so this petition has sparked a vigorous debate as to who we are and it also sheds light on the history of Christopher Columbus,” he said.

He added that while the statue should be removed, it should not be destroyed.

“I leave it in the hands of the historians and government officials to find what is the rightful place of Columbus,” he said.

Frequently Asked Questions 1. Q: Why did the Central Bank make the decision to discontinue brokerage services to the public?

A: The Central Bank is aligning its securities market operations with best international practices and to accommodate recent reforms that allow government debt securities to actively trade over BISX. Underlying costs to the financial market around these services will be more transparent, and encourage further customer-oriented improvement in services and pricing efficiency.

PROSPECTUS

PROSPECTUS THE GOVERNMENT OF THE COMMONWEALTH OF THE BAHAMAS THE GOVERNMENT OF THE THE BAHAMAS BAHAMAS REGISTERED STOCK 2023 ISSUECOMMONWEALTH OF B$87,410,000OF ISSUED UNDER THE PUBLIC DEBT BAHAMAS REGISTERED STOCK 2023 ISSUE OF B$87,410,000 ISSUED UNDER THE PUBLIC DEBT MANAGEMENT ACT, 2021 th MANAGEMENT 2021 2022 March, Prospectus Date: 17ACT, Prospectus Date: 17th March, 2022 Issuer: Bahamas Government Open Date: 22nd March, 2022 (9:30 a.m.) nd March, th Issuer: Central Bahamas Open Date: 2224 20222022 (9:30(3:00 a.m.)p.m.)

Registrar: Bank Government of The Bahamas Close Date: March, th th Registrar:Central Central of The Bahamas Close Date: 2430 March, 20222022 (3:00 p.m.)

Organizer: BankBank of The Bahamas Settlement: March, th th March, Minimum: First Int. Pmt: 3030 September, Organizer:$100Central Bank of The Bahamas Settlement: 2022 2022 th Increment: $100 Calendar: Actual/365 Minimum: $100 First Int. Pmt: 30 September, 2022 Increment: $100 Calendar: Actual/365 Central Bank of The Bahamas must be in receipt of all applications and funds before 3 p.m. on 24th March 2022.

UnitofShare Tenor Interest Interest Canmust Grow/ Central of The Bahamas be in receipt all applications and funds before 3 p.m.Maturity on 24th March 2022.

Security ID Bank Issue Size Shrink?

(B$) (Years) Fixed Payment Interest Can Grow/ Unit Share Tenor Interest Security ID Issue Size BGR151023 87,410,000 Yes 100 1 3.15% Maturity 30-Mar-23 Payment Semi-annual Shrink?

(B$) (Years) Fixed 87,410,000 BGR151023 87,410,000 Yes 100 1 3.15% 30-Mar-23 Semi-annual 87,410,000 Instructions for participation in this Initial Public Offering are outlined below for: Existing Investors: Instructions for participation in this Initial Public Offering are outlined below for: pplication: Complete the electronic application form. Sign and submit the application form to the Existing Investors: Markets Unit IPO email address domesticofferings@centralbankbahamas.com with the Application: subject Complete the electronic+ “Client application form.(e.g.

SignBRS andApplication submit the for application formApplicants to the will “BRS Application” Name” John Doe).

Markets Unit IPO email address domesticofferings@centralbankbahamas.com with thehours. receive an acknowledgement within four hours of submission, during normal business subject “BRS Application” + “Client Name” (e.g. BRS Application for John Doe). Applicants will receive anE-Passport; acknowledgement YC/ID: (1) Bahamian or within four hours of submission, during normal business hours.

KYC/ID:

yment:

Payment:

(2) NIB Smart Card paired with one of the following: Bahamian Driver’s License, National (1) Bahamian E-Passport;Residence or Identity Card, Permanent Permit, other National Passport, or Spousal Permit.

(2) NIB Smart Card paired with one of the following: Bahamian Driver’s License, National Identity Card, Permanent other National Passport, or bank Spousal Subscription payments mayResidence be madePermit, electronically via commercial orPermit. digitally via Sand Dollar in accordance with the user’s wallet limit.

Settlement instructions asbe follows: Subscription paymentsare may made electronically via commercial bank or digitally via Sand Dollar in accordance with the user’s walletWire limit.Information: i) Bank Settlement instructions are as follows:Central Bank of The Bahamas Beneficiary Bank: Wire Information: BIC:i) Bank CBBHBSNS(XXX) Account: Account 1315010051 Beneficiary Bank: CBOB CentralGeneral Bank of The Bahamas Branch Code: (if applicable) BIC: 10000 CBBHBSNS(XXX) Details: Name + NIB1315010051 Number + BRS Application Account: Applicant CBOB General Account (e.g. John Doe NIB#12345 BRS Application) Branch Code: 10000 (if applicable) Details: Applicant NameSand + NIBDollar NumberInformation: + BRS Application ii) Central Bank Digital Currency (e.g.Receiver’s John Doe NIB#12345 BRS Application) Direct payments to Custom Name (alias): CBOBBanking@sanddollar.bs

ii) Central Bank Digital Currency Sand Dollar Information: Securities will be awarded in accordance with the Central Bank’s priority-based auction Direct payments to Receiver’s Custom Name (alias): allocation method, with first priority given to individuals applying for $250,000 or less. All CBOBBanking@sanddollar.bs other applicants—individuals greater than $250,000 and institutions—will be classified as Allocation: Priority Securities will be awarded in accordance withastheneeded, Central depending Bank’s priority-based auction Level 2. Allotments may be prorated, on the total value of allocation method, with first priority given to individuals applying for $250,000 or less.

All subscriptions. other applicants—individuals greater than $250,000 and institutions—will be classified as Level 2. Allotments maythe be capacity prorated, to as grow needed, on the total value of Grow/Shrink: EachPriority security in this offering has or depending shrink based on total subscriptions subscriptions. received for each tenor. The entire offer also has the capacity to grow or shrink, commensurate with overall demand. The issuer maintains the right to cap the offer, at its sole Grow/Shrink:discretion.

Each security in this offering has the capacity to grow or shrink based on total subscriptions received for each tenor. The entire offer also has the capacity to grow or shrink, commensurate with overallwithin demand.

The issuer maintains the right tothe cap settlement the offer, at its sole efunds: All refunds will be disbursed three business days following date. discretion. ertificates: Successful applicants will receive an electronic copy of their allotments, via email, within three days following settlement.

Refunds: business All refunds will be disbursed within three business days following the settlement date.

llocation:

(The Central Bank discontinued the provision of physical bond certificates effective July 2020.)

Certificates: Successful applicants will receive anInvestors: electronic copy of their allotments, via email, within three New business days following settlement.

Broker dealers: New investors may participate through a BISX registered broker dealer, a list of which may (The Central Bank discontinued the provision of physical bond certificates effective July 2020.) be found at: https://bisxbahamas.com/broker-dealers/.

New Investors: Broker dealers: New investors may participate through a BISX registered broker dealer, a list of which may 10th February, 2022 be found at: https://bisxbahamas.com/broker-dealers/.

Market Notice

Discontinuation of Public Brokerage Services Historically, the Central Bank of The Bahamas (Central Bank), in its capacity as Registrar and Transfer Agent for Bahamas Registered Stock (BRS) and Treasury Bills (TB), facilitated primary and secondary market access to these securities to the general public. In an effort to better align its activities with international good practices, effective 1 January, 2023, the Central Bank will cease to offer such services to the general public. The scope of services offered to the general public will unwind throughout 2022, with the following key dates: 1. Effective 1st March, 2022: The Central Bank will cease to onboard new investors for Bahamas Government securities. This means that new entrants into the Bahamas Registered Stock or Treasury Bill market will be required to do so through a BISX-registered broker-dealer, a list of which can be found at: https://bisxbahamas.com/broker-dealers/.

2. 1st April, 2022 through 31st December, 2022: All existing Central Bank Bahamas Government security clients will be required to transfer administration of their portfolios to a BISX-registered brokerdealer. The Central Bank will contact existing clients directly to advance this initiative.

3. Effective 1st January, 2023: The Central Bank will cease to provide securities trading services on behalf of security holders, as these services will be available through BISX-registered broker-dealers with direct access to BISX and the Bahamas Government Securities Depository.

The Central Bank will engage with broker-dealers throughout the process to coordinate a smooth transition for investors.

2. Q: How does this policy change affect me as an investor?

A: Investors will benefit from a more transparent and mature financial market process. However, the impact on individual investors will depend on whether or not he or she intends to buy and sell (trade) securities on a recurring basis. If you have already purchased government securities and intend to hold those securities to maturity, generally this change may not affect you.

3. Q: I already own government securities purchased through the Central Bank and do not plan to sell them or purchase more. Do I need a broker?

A: No. You only need to engage a broker if you plan to sell all or part of your holdings, buy more securities, or make changes—such as your name, address, or bank account number—to your custody profile after 31st December, 2022. Otherwise, your holdings may remain in the Central Bank’s custody and you will continue to receive your interest and principal payments, as usual.

4. Q: I already own government securities purchased through the Central Bank and intend to purchase more over time. Do I need a broker?

A: Yes, beginning 1st January, 2023.

5. Q: Who are the broker-dealers?

A: A list of BISX-registered broker-dealers may be found at: https://bisxbahamas.com/brokerdealers/ 6. Q: Can I trade over BISX without a broker-dealer?

A: No. All trades over BISX must be executed by registered broker-dealers.

7. Q: Will I need to open a brokerage account with a broker-dealer?

A: This depends on the scope of services offered by your selected broker-dealer. We encourage investors to contact the registered broker-dealers to determine which services best suit their needs.

8. Q: If I transferred my holdings to a broker-dealer, will the investment details (Security ID, interest rates, maturity date, etc.) change?

A: You will not transfer securities to a broker-dealer. Under no scenario do broker-dealers hold securities. Government securities are custodied by the Central Bank in the Bahamas Government Securities Depository (BGSD), which it owns. Engaging a broker is needed only to buy and sell securities or to make changes to your customer profile in BGSD. 9. Q: Is there a form for investors to complete to transfer all holdings to the broker-dealer?

A: You will not transfer securities to a broker-dealer. However, if you need to change your “broker of record” from the Central Bank to one of the BISX-registered broker dealers, the selected broker will provide the relevant documents.

10. Q: Will I receive full face value for my holdings if I do not wish to change my broker of record and redeem my total position before 1st January, 2023?

A: Beginning 1st January, 2023, the only change to the redemption process relates to where an existing Central Bank customer goes to redeem his or her holdings. An existing Central Bank customer wishing to redeem securities before 1st January, 2023 may continue to approach the Central Bank. After that date, all customers must redeem securities through a BISX-registered broker-dealer. Securities are traded over the secondary market on a best price basis plus accrued interest.

11. Q: What will happen to my holdings if I do not change my broker of record by 31 st December, 2022?

A: Nothing. The securities will remain in the Central Bank’s custody in the BGSD. You will receive your interest and principal payments, as usual. However, if you ever need to redeem all or part of your holdings or make changes to your customer profile before maturity, you will be required to do so through a BISX-registered broker-dealer.

12. Q: Will interest and principal payments come directly from the Central Bank or indirectly through the broker-dealer if I engaged a broker?

A: It depends on the arrangement you make with the selected broker. If you open a brokerage account with the selected broker-dealer, interest and principal payments may be transferred to the broker-dealer, which will make those funds available to you, in accordance with the brokerage agreement. Alternatively, you may arrange with the broker-dealer to have interest and principal payments transferred directly to your bank account by the BGSD. 13. Q: Will interest and principal payments be impacted?

A: No. There will be no changes to the terms of the issued securities. Interest and principal payment frequency and amounts will remain unchanged.

14. Q: Should I be expected to pay fees on transactions such as subscriptions, redemptions, and transfers?

A: You should refer to the fee schedule of the selected broker-dealer.

15. Q: Will Central Bank remain the Registrar and Transfer Agent of Government issued securities?

A: Yes. Central Bank owns the Bahamas Government Securities Depository (BGSD), which is where all Government securities are recorded.

16. Q: Does the broker-dealer have a minimum investment amount?

A: The minimum investment amount to open a brokerage account with a broker-dealer may range from $0 to B$5,000. However, please refer to your selected broker-dealer for details.

17. Q: Can an investor have multiple broker-dealer relationships?

A: Yes. Investors may have more than one broker-dealer relationship.

18. Q: Can existing investors continue to purchase government-issued securities through the Central Bank?

A: Investors may continue to purchase government-issued securities through the Central Bank until 31st December, 2022. Following this date, he or she will be required to conduct such transactions through a BISX-registered broker-dealer.

19. Q: What is the difference between the Bahamas International Securities Exchange (BISX), the Bahamas Central Securities Depository (BCSD), and the Bahamas Government Securities Depository (BGSD)?

A: BISX is a domestic securities exchange where local public companies and governmentregistered securities are listed, and traded by registered broker-dealer members.

For assistance, please contact us at domesticdebt@centralbankbahamas.com Tel. (242) 302-2620 or (242) 357-4881 (WhatsApp)

BCSD is a private centralised security depository, registrar, and transfer agent for securities issued by organisations other than the Bahamas Government. It assists client companies by managing relationships with their investors.

To escalate customer service issues, please contact bankingmanager@centralbankbahamas.com or dg@centralbankbahamas.com.

BGSD is the centralised security depository, registrar, and transfer agent for Bahamas Government-issued securities only, and is wholly owned and operated by the Central Bank of The Bahamas.

THE TRIBUNE

Friday, March 18, 2022, PAGE 11

UKRAINIAN firefighters extinguish a blaze at a warehouse after a bombing in Kyiv, Ukraine, yesterday.

Photo: Vadim Ghirda/AP

Search for survivors at theatre KYIV, Ukraine Associated Press

RESCUE workers searched for survivors yesterday in the ruins of a theatre blown apart by a Russian airstrike in the besieged city of Mariupol, while scores of Ukrainians across the country were killed in ferocious urban attacks on a school, a hostel and other sites.

Hundreds of civilians had been taking shelter in the grand, columned theater in central Mariupol after their homes were destroyed in three weeks of fighting in the southern port city of 430,000.

More than a day after the airstrike, there were no reports of deaths. With communications disrupted across the city and movement difficult because of shelling and other fighting, there were conflicting reports on whether anyone had emerged from the rubble.

“We hope and we think that some people who stayed in the shelter under the theatre could survive,” Petro Andrushchenko, an official with the mayor’s office, told The Associated Press. He said the building had a relatively modern basement bomb shelter designed to withstand airstrikes.

Other officials had said earlier that some people had gotten out. Ukraine’s ombudswoman, Ludmyla

A SATELLITE image of the Mariupol Drama Theatre in Mariupol, Ukraine, on Monday, with the word “children” written in large white letters in Russian in front of and behind the building.

Photo: Maxar Technologies via AP Denisova, said on the Telegram messaging app that the shelter had held up.

Satellite imagery on Monday from Maxar technology showed huge white letters on the pavement in front of and behind the theater spelling out “CHILDREN” in Russian — “DETI” — to alert warplanes to those inside.

Across the city, snow flurries fell around the skeletons of burned, windowless and shrapnelscarred apartment buildings as smoke rose above the skyline.

“We are trying to survive somehow,” said one Mariupol resident, who gave only her first name, Elena.

“My child is hungry. I don’t know what to give him to eat.”

She had been trying to call her mother, who was in a town 50 miles away.

“I can’t tell her I am alive, you understand. There is no connection, just nothing,” she said.

Cars, some with the “Z” symbol of the Russian invasion force in their windows, drove past stacks of ammunition boxes and artillery

FBI EYES SIX SUSPECTS AFTER BOMB THREATS AS THE nation’s historically Black colleges remain on edge after receiving dozens of bomb threats in recent weeks, federal law enforcement officials said they have identified six suspects who they believe are responsible for most of the racially motivated crimes.

More than a third of America’s 101 historically Black colleges and universities have been targeted by calls or emails threatening to set off bombs on their campuses since early January, with the vast majority arriving during the celebration of Black History Month in February.

The threats are being investigated as hate crimes.

At a congressional hearing yesterday, federal law enforcement agencies said they are working aggressively to make arrests in the 59 cases, calling the case their “highest priority”. All six suspects are juveniles, according to the FBI. Ryan Young, executive assistant director of the FBI intelligence branch, said investigators have identified “one person and a small group”, although some of the threats may have been copycat crimes.

“Our intention is to bring these individuals to justice,” Young told the House Oversight Committee.

The Biden administration this week announced a series of actions in response to the threats. The Education Department on Wednesday issued guidance to help colleges navigate threats and get help from federal agencies.

Vice President Kamala Harris,

the nation’s first Black vice president and an alumna of Howard University, a historically Black institution in Washington, also notified colleges they are eligible for grants meant to help schools recover from violence.

No explosives have been found in connection with the threats, but students say the prospect of violence has loomed over their lives.

The threats have prompted lockdowns and evacuations, sometimes late at night, leaving students anxious and uneasy.

Emmanuel Ukot, president of the student government at Xavier University of Louisiana, said tensions have been high in the wake of two threats at the school of more than 3,000 students. Some students have been afraid to return to classes, he said, and some have sought mental health services.

“The triple impact of COVID-19, the ongoing racial reckoning in the country and the bomb threats on HBCU campuses is having a real and lasting impact on our students,” he told lawmakers.

Howard University has received at least four threats since January 4.

After the second one, officials gave students a day off for their mental health.

“The added stress and in some cases paranoia that students, faculty and staff have subsequently experienced cannot be overstated,” said Kylie Burke, president of Howard’s student government.

The threats began in early January but picked up

on February 1, the first day of Black History Month, when 18 colleges were threatened on the same day.

Some have come as recently as Monday, when Morehouse College in Atlanta locked down its campus in response to a bomb threat.

The vast majority of the threats have been made by phone, with a small number coming in emails or other online messages, said Young, of the FBI. Investigators have had trouble tracing some threats that were made using encryption technology, he added.

Young declined to provide further details on the six juveniles, but he said they “know they are under the scope of an investigation”.

The investigation is spread across 31 FBI field offices along with other units including its cyber crimes division.

The threats evoke a history of bombings and other acts of violence against Black Americans.

Lawmakers on the Oversight Committee recalled the 1963 bombing of an Alabama church that killed four young Black girls. Others noted a 1999 bombing at Florida A&M University, a historically Black school. Two pipe bombs exploded in that case, although no one was injured.

“These reprehensible threats against Black institutions echo the tactics employed by the Ku Klux Klan and others decades ago as they tried to instill terror in the Black community,” said Democratic Rep Carolyn Maloney, chair of the committee.

shells in a neighborhood controlled by Russianbacked separatists.

Russia’s military denied bombing the theatre or anyplace else in Mariupol on Wednesday.

The strike against the theatre was part of a furious bombardment of civilian sites in multiple cities over the past few days.

In the northern city of Chernihiv, at least 53 people had been brought to morgues over the past 24 hours, killed amid heavy Russian air attacks and ground fire, the local

governor, Viacheslav Chaus, told Ukrainian TV yesterday.

Ukraine’s emergency services said a mother, father and three of their children, including three-year-old twins, were killed when a Chernihiv hostel was shelled.

Civilians were hiding in basements and shelters across the embattled city of 280,000. “The city has never known such nightmarish, colossal losses and destruction,” Chaus said.

At least 21 people were killed when Russian artillery destroyed a school and a community center before dawn in Merefa, near the northeast city of Kharkiv, according to Mayor Veniamin Sitov. The region has seen heavy bombardment in a bid by stalled Russian forces to advance.

In eastern Ukraine, a municipal pool complex where pregnant women and women with children were taking shelter was also hit Wednesday, according to Pavlo Kyrylenko, head of the Donetsk regional administration. There was no word on casualties in that strike.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy called for more help for his country in a video address to German lawmakers, saying thousands of people have been killed, including 108 children. He also referred to the dire situation in Mariupol, saying:

“Everything is a target for them.”

The address began with a delay because of a technical problem caused by an attack close to where Zelenskyy was speaking, Bundestag deputy speaker Katrin Goering-Eckardt said.

Zelenskyy’s office said Russian airstrikes hit the Kalynivka and Brovary suburbs of the capital, Kyiv.

Emergency authorities in Kyiv said a fire broke out in a 16-story apartment building hit by remnants of a downed Russian rocket, and one person was killed.

The UN Security Council planned to meet yesterday on the crisis.

In a joint statement, the foreign ministers of the Group of Seven leading economies accused Putin of conducting an “unprovoked and shameful war”, and called on Russia to comply with the International Court of Justice’s order to stop its attack and withdraw its forces.

Russian President Vladimir Putin went on television on Wednesday to excoriate Russians who don’t back him.

Russians “will always be able to distinguish true patriots from scum and traitors and will simply spit them out like a gnat that accidentally flew into their mouths,” said Putin, using language reminiscent of the Stalinist era.

Small/Medium Resort is searching for a

Head Chef

The ideal candidate must be knowledgeable in culinary arts, detail-oriented and self-motivated with excellent interpersonal and communication skills.

Core Competencies: • Ability to execute duties with accuracy and proficiency • Demonstrate a keen eye for details • Manage small food and beverage operations within budget guidelines and to the highest standards • Lead F&B team by attracting, recruiting and training talented personnel • Design F&B menu, purchase inventory and manage food cost while providing exceptional customer satisfaction.

• Must be hands on, very practical and must be able to work well with others • Must be knowledgeable in culinary and bartending.

• Must comply with all health and safety guidelines of the Resort.

• Oversee the day-to-day operations of all food outlets on property.

• Overseeing the maintenance of all kitchen and restaurant equipment, organizing repairs when needed.

• Must be able to prepare local and international cuisines.

Required Qualifications: • 5+ years’ experience • Salary commensurate with experience • Must have own transportation

email: info@sandyport.com P.O. Box SP-63162 Nassau, Bahamas

SPORTS PAGE 12

FRIDAY, MARCH 18, 2022

Miller-Uibo, Moss and Strachan in action today

x 400m relay team at the delayed 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo, Japan, last August. The team included Strachan, who ran on the anchor leg, but

SEE PAGE 14

SEE PAGE 15

T

jump. Strachan, who was also afforded an invite by World Athletics based on her world ranking, will get the ball rolling for the Bahamas when she makes her World Indoor debut in the heats of the women’s 60m.

Serbia is six hours ahead of the Bahamas so, by the time this is printed, the preliminaries would have been completed.

The 28-year-old Strachan, still training with MVP Track Club in Jamaica, will take her personal and season’s best of 7.17 seconds into lane six in the fourth of six heats in today’s opening session.

BAHAMAS team officials and athletes together in Belgrade, Serbia, before the start of the World Athletics Indoor Track and Field Championships. Missing are sprinter Anthonique Strachan and high jumper Donald Thomas.

The first three in each heat and the next six fastest qualifiers advance to the semi-finals, set for the evening session with the final to follow later in the night. Moss, on the other hand, will open up in the

third of five heats of the women’s 400m in lane two.

The 19-year-old sophomore at the University of Kentucky is making her senior individual debut in a global event, although she ran on the women’s 4

CNF, MINISTRY HOST CONCUSSION SYMPOSIUM

By RENALDO DORSETT Tribune Sports Reporter rdorsett@tribunemedia.net IN an effort to bring awareness to concussion education, Dr Myron Rolle and the Caribbean Neurosurgery Foundation (CNF) hosted a Concussion Symposium in conjunction with the Ministry of Youth, Sports and Culture (MYSC).

Under the theme, “The Awakening Power of Sports”, Rolle and the panelists yesterday discussed some of the most important issues in the industry at the Thomas A Robinson Stadium.

Topics presented included an overview of sports concussion history, mechanism and assessment tools, long-term effects, risk and mitigations, cultural stigma and self-reporting, treatment recovery and return to play, and finally, the future of concussion safety and protocols in The Bahamas.

Rolle and his panel addressed the group of local sporting leaders on the cultural shift and holistic approach that must be

taken for concussion education in The Bahamas to progress.

“As far as the culture is concerned, it starts with promotion awareness, advocacy, it starts with the people that have capital and influence, it starts with leadership, implementing it early to our young individuals in primary school so they grow up with the understanding that getting an ACL tear is less severe but it should be carried with the same level of value and importance as having a concussion or brain injury.

“You can recover from your limp, you can go on to become a phenomenal educator, law enforcement officer, physician, businessperson, or whatever you want to be, but if your brain is affected at an early age you have limited options to progress to the goals, dreams and ambitions you have set for yourself,” Rolle said.

“It will take a holistic approach, it’s multi-dimensional, it has to come from everywhere. There has to be collective buy-in and until that occurs then we

DR MYRON ROLLE, left, and Mario Bowleg, Minister of Youth, Sports and Culture. may still have the antiquated approach that we still often see when it comes to concussions, brain injury and how we think about it as loosely as ‘it’s not real, toughen up, get back on the field, get back on the court, get back on the pitch’, those days are over. We can’t operate like that anymore and I’m looking forward to helping in that fight.”

The CNF and MYSC established both recovery and return-to-play protocols for athletes

that have suffered head trauma. Throughout both protocols, medical professionals will monitor for development of signs and symptoms.

The organisations also established a National Sports Concussion Committee to oversee, govern and pay close attention to concussions and head traumas that happen in the country.

The group will include executive, health and science, research and operating divisions.

FIDELITYSPONSORED BAISS TRACK & FIELD MEET ENDS TODAY DESPITE the lack of traditional rivalries and scoring systems, the Bahamas Association of Independent Secondary Schools returned to sports with its 32 Track and Field Meet, sponsored by Fidelity Bank and Trust.

Just eight of the 14 BAISS schools are in competition as the two-day meet concludes today at the Thomas A Robinson stadium.

Day one began on the track with sprint hurdles contested across all divisions.

St Augustine’s College and Temple Christian comprised the bulk of the field with the Suns’ Angelique Dean taking the girls’ 75mH in 14.52 seconds and Ryan McKinny winning the boys 80mH in 15.19 while Tayshaun Robinson of St John’s won the U20 boys race in 15.23.

SAC athletes took first place in the U17 girls

By BRENT STUBBS Senior Sports Reporter bstubbs@tribunemedia.net eam Bahamas is expected to begin competition today at the World Athletics’ World Indoor Championships in Belgrade, Serbia, with three of the five members in action.

Sprinter Anthonique Strachan will be the lone competitor in the women’s 60 metres, while collegian Megan Moss and two-time Olympic gold medallist Shaunae Miller-Uibo will begin competition in the women’s 400 metres.

Olympic finalist Devynne Charlton will compete in the women’s 60m hurdles on day two on Saturday and Donald Thomas, the only other member of Team Bahamas, will not see action until the final day of competition on Sunday when he contests the final of the men’s high

Bey, Page 14

BAHA MAR ANNOUNCES EXCLUSIVE PARTNERSHIP WITH PXG

“We need to have a robust conversation about some of the particular nuances and details that go into our Bahamian athletes. We need to understand that if anyone steps outside or moves away from the recovery protocol or other things we are trying to put in place that they cannot do it with impunity and that it needs to be addressed,” Rolle said. “We need to take it as seriously as someone using performance enhancing drugs, or someone betting on the sport, or just doing anything nefarious our outside of the rules of what we expect our athletes and coaches and federations to do.”

Other members of the panel included Dr Magnus Ekede, professor and chairman of the Department of Neurosurgery at Princess Margaret Hospital and CNF member; Niyi Odewade, cardiothoracic medical student; Mike Norvel, Florida State Seminoles head coach, and Jim Whalden, New England Patriots athletic trainer.

BAHA Mar, the leading integrated resort destination in The Bahamas, is excited to announce an exclusive partnership between PXG, Parsons Xtreme Golf, and its celebrated golf course, Royal Blue.

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The creative partnership will enable the course and its professional staff to further elevate a golfer’s experience with the delivery of carefully curated PXG Golf Clubs.

SEE PAGE 15

SEE PAGE 14

Russian media: Detention Bauer leave extended of WNBA’s Griner extended through April 16 by MLB, players’ union

By DOUG FEINBERG AP Basketball Writer

RUSSIAN media reported that the detention of WNBA star Brittney Griner was extended until May 19, a development that could see the twotime Olympic champion being held for at least three months before her case is resolved.

The case of the 31-yearold Griner, one of the most recognisable players in women’s basketball, comes amid heightened tensions between Washington and Moscow over Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

Griner was detained at a Moscow airport, reportedly in mid-February, after Russian authorities said a search of her luggage revealed vape cartridges allegedly containing oil derived from cannabis,

BRITTNEY Griner. (AP) which could carry a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison.

“The court granted the request of the investigation and extended the period of detention of the US citizen Griner until May 19,” the court said, according to the state news agency Tass.

The US Embassy in Moscow did not

immediately return calls from The Associated Press seeking comment.

The US State Department has been “doing everything we can to support Brittney Griner to support her family, and to work with them to do everything we can, to see that she is treated appropriately and to seek her release,” spokesman Ned Price said Tuesday at a briefing. He cited privacy considerations in not giving out more details.

Ekaterina Kalugina of the regional Public Monitoring Commission, a state-backed panel in Russia that monitors prisoners’ conditions, told Tass that Griner was sharing a cell with two other female detainees accused of narcotics offences. Griner’s cellmates spoke English

SEE PAGE 14

NEW YORK (AP) — Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Trevor Bauer will miss the start of the season after his administrative leave was extended through April 16 yesterday by Major League Baseball and the players’ association.

He was placed on seven days’ paid leave last July 2 under the union and MLB’s joint domestic violence and sexual assault policy after a Southern California woman said he choked her into unconsciousness, punched her repeatedly and had anal sex with her without her consent during two sexual encounters earlier last year.

MLB and the union have since agreed to several extensions.

“Mr Bauer is cooperating with the MLB investigation and looks forward to resolving this matter. He continues to prepare for the 2022 MLB season,”

SEE PAGE 13

DODGERS starting pitcher Trevor Bauer looks toward home during the fourth inning against the San Francisco Giants on May 21, 2021.

(AP Photo/D Ross Cameron)

THE TRIBUNE

Friday, March 18, 2022, PAGE 13

Abaco youth baseball gets ‘home run’

16 Texas Southern 76

12 Wyoming 58

16 Texas A&M-CC 67

12 Indiana 66

8 Boise St. (27-7) Thurs., 1:45 p.m.

9 Memphis (21-10)

NCAA TOURNAMENT

Sweet 16

Sweet 16

March 24-25

March 24-25

Elite 8

Elite 8

March 26-27

March 26-27

Buffalo San Diego

Fri., 7:27 p.m.

16 Wright St. (22-13) 8 Seton Hall (21-10) Fri., 9:57 p.m.

9 TCU (20-12) Fri., 9:20 p.m.

FINAL FOUR

4 Arkansas (25-8)

4 Illinois (22-9)

New Orleans

Thurs., 9:20 p.m.

Fri., 6:50 p.m.

April 2

WEST

13 Chattanooga (27-7)

SOUTH

6 Colorado St. (25-5) Thurs., 12:15 p.m.

11 Notre Dame (23-10)

11 Michigan (17-14)

3 Texas Tech (25-9)

3 Tennessee (26-7)

14 Montana St. (27-7)

14 Longwood (26-6)

7 Michigan St. (22-12)

7 Ohio St. (19-11)

Thurs., 2:45 p.m.

Fri., 1:45 p.m.

Fri., 9:40 p.m.

Greenville

1 Arizona (31-3)

12 UAB (27-7)

Fri., 4:15 p.m.

Fort Worth

March 17-18

12 New Mexico St. (26-6)

6 Alabama (19-13)

Fri., 12:15 p.m.

NATIONAL All times EDT CHAMPIONSHIP

10 Davidson (27-6) 2 Duke (28-6)

10 Loyola Chicago (25-7) 2 Villanova (26-7)

April 4

Fri., 7:10 p.m.

15 Cal St. Fullerton (21-10)

Fri., 2:45 p.m.

15 Delaware (22-12)

1 Baylor (26-6)

1 Kansas (28-6)

16 Norfolk St. (24-6)

16 Texas Southern (19-12)

8 North Carolina (24-9)

8 San Diego St. (23-8)

Thurs., 2 p.m.

Thurs., 9:57 p.m.

Thurs., 7:27 p.m.

Thurs., 4:30 p.m.

9 Marquette (19-12)

9 Creighton (22-11)

5 Saint Mary’s (25-7)

5 Iowa (26-9)

12 Indiana (21-13)

12 Richmond (23-12)

4 UCLA (25-7)

4 Providence (25-5)

13 Akron (24-9)

13 South Dakota St. (30-4)

Thurs., 7:20 p.m.

Portland

March 19-20

First Round

5 Houston (29-5)

13 Vermont (28-5)

Thurs., 3:10 p.m.

Thurs., 12:40 p.m.

Thurs., 9:50 p.m.

6 Texas (21-11) Milwaukee

Second Round

5 UConn (23-9)

Thurs., 6:50 p.m.

Indianapolis

W

EAST

MIDWEST

6 LSU (22-11) Fri., 7:20 p.m.

Fri., 4:30 p.m.

11 Virginia Tech (23-12)

11 Iowa St. (20-12)

3 Purdue (27-7)

3 Wisconsin (24-7)

14 Yale (19-11)

14 Colgate (23-11)

7 Murray St. (30-2)

7 USC (26-7)

10 San Francisco (24-9)

10 Miami (23-10)

Fri., 9:50 p.m.

Fri., 2 p.m.

Fri., 3:10 p.m.

Thurs., 9:40 p.m.

2 Kentucky (26-7)

All times EDT

15 Saint Peter’s (19-11)

FROM PAGE 12 Bauer’s agents, Jon Fetterolf and Rachel Luba, said in an emailed statement. “Administrative leave is not a disciplinary action nor does it in any way reflect a finding in the league’s investigation.”

Bauer did not pitch after June 29. He had a record of 8-2 and a

2 Auburn (27-5) Fri., 12:40 p.m.

Thurs., 7:10 p.m.

BAUER

Pittsburgh

16 Georgia St. (18-10)

11 Notre Dame 89 (2OT)

S

Indianapolis

Portland

Thurs., 4:15 p.m.

16 Bryant 82

15 Jacksonville St. (21-10)

2.59 ERA in 17 appearances in his first season with the Dodgers. He was paid his $28 million salary last year.

Los Angeles prosecutors last month decided not to charge Bauer for allegedly beating and sexually abusing the San Diego woman he met through social media.

Prosecutors were unable to prove the woman’s accusations

beyond a reasonable doubt, the Los Angeles County district attorney’s office said in a document concluding their investigation.

After the prosecutors’ decision, Bauer vehemently denied in a seven-minute video posted on YouTube that he abused the woman.

He said the two engaged in rough sex at her suggestion and followed guidelines they agreed to

WITH a lot of the COVID-19 restrictions being relaxed, the Bahamas Events and Sports management team has announced that the Panorama Softball Tournament is all set for Saturday.

The tournament is all set to be held at the Banker’s Field in the Baillou Hills Sporting Complex.

• The schedule for the event is as follows: 9am – Saxons Frontline vs Saxons Bellers Game 10am – Saxons Brass vs Saxons Drummers 11am – Brass vs Frontline Exhibition Noon – Genesis Warhawks vs Valley Boys Exhibition 1pm – A Sure Win Gamers vs Saxons Legends 2pm – Drummers vs Bellers Exhibition 3pm - Saxons All-Stars vs Valley Boys 4pm – Brass vs Bellers 5pm – Frontline vs Drummers Exhibition 6pm – Saxons All-Stars vs Genesis Warhawks.

7pm – Ceremonies & Home Run Derby competition 7:30pm - Saxons Championship (2 top Saxons teams) 8:30pm “Standoff” Junkanoo Groups Music Competition Drums * Brass * Cowbells *Awards Presentation* COVID-19 protocols will be strictly adhered to during the event.

YOUTH TIME TRIALS ‘CLASH OF THE TITANS’

Pittsburgh

1 Gonzaga (26-3)

March 19-20

11 Rutgers 87

Fort Worth

Second Round

First Four

16 Wright St. 93

Buffalo

March 17-18

Dayton, Ohio March 15-16

passionate about developing the youth of Abaco in the game of baseball.”

Dr Charite and his team from Integrated Medical Services conducted free health screenings at the park.

“We need everyone’s help with developing the children in our community,” says Feaste. “Please consider partnering with us as we proactively invest in the youth in Abaco. Sports is the antidote for crime.”

“The baseball clinic in Abaco was a great success,” said Rodgers. “The children were very interested with big smiles across their faces. For me, that felt great. Mario, Andy and Tommy did a magnificent job in getting the attention quickly of about 70 boys and girls. It was a great weekend in Abaco.”

BBA president Rodgers was pleased to announce that the BBA had some of its executives in Cooper’s

Milwaukee

First Round

secretary general Teddy Sweeting, and Terran Rodgers, director and acting commissioner of the Junior Baseball League of Nassau (JBLN) for their donations and support.

“As we begin this new year, we have significant plans to continue our journey of youth development through sports building on our league’s mantra of ‘No Child Left Behind,’” added Feaste. “We plan to grow more than we are right now, developing the youth throughout Abaco giving them more hope and possibilities.”

To start the day of activities, the AYBL hosted the 1st annual Kevin Murray Fun, Run Walk. Murray passed away in 2021.

“Coach Murray was born in Nassau and lived in Abaco for over 40 years,” said Feaste. “He was one of the original and dedicated coaches of our league. He was very

E

2022

MW

TROY FEASTE, president of the AYBL, accepts donated baseball equipment from Bahamas Baseball Association president Sam Rodgers Sr, who also presented baseballs to Tracey Albury of the youth baseball at Big Nige Park in Cooper’s Town, Abaco.

Town, Abaco, at the Big Nige Park to conduct a baseball clinic, led by BBA assistant treasurer Sonia Knowles and BBA assistant secretary general Tracey Albury, assisted by “Ping” Richardson, one of Grand Bahama’s former baseball and softball players.

“This past weekend, my ministry assisted a team of highly-skilled and trained professionals to host a baseball skills camp in Abaco,” said Mario Bowleg, Minister of Youth, Sports & Culture.

“The expertise offered by these individuals, including Mario Ford, who now works within my ministry, was well received by the Abaco Youth Baseball League,” said Minister Bowleg. “It gives me great joy to know that our youth are getting the proper training and assistance needed. This is the starting foundation for our next professional baseball players. This event was a home run.”

“Study shows that when a child is involved in sports their social interaction, confidence, motor skills and overall health improves,” said Bowleg. “One of the primary objectives of the sports department within the Ministry of Youth, Sports & Culture is to provide opportunities for Bahamians to compete in the various sporting disciplines.”

“This means ensuring that the needs on every island, especially in the Family Islands, are met, whether through facility upgrades, sporting and educational courses, training and equipment through partnership with all federations, public and private organizations.”

San Diego

“We, in the AYBL, can only take our kids so far until the experts, like these men, find it necessary to come out and help programmes like ours. I was in absolute awe of how valuable they are to the growth and development of sports in our country. They taught the game of baseball and explained how to prepare the playing field for games.”

With the continued support and assistance from coaches, parents and sponsors, Feaste believes the AYBL will mold the children of Abaco into better productive citizens who will make a valuable impact on the world.

“This programme is a youth development programme that is designed to teach the children the game of baseball,” the AYBL president said. “It will enable their eligibility to receive scholarships in and around the sport.”

Feaste was elated to receive from the BBA an assortment of baseball bats, helmets, catcher’s gear, gloves and baseballs; and a batting/pitching screen, ball bags and batting-T from Tommy Stubbs of Bahamas Events & Sports who initiated and organised the trip.

“This trip to Abaco was long overdue, mainly because of hurricane Dorian and then the COVID-19 pandemic,” says Stubbs. “The children and young men and women in Abaco have endured more than their share of tragedies and inconveniences. They need our assistance more than most.

We were glad to offer assistance and we’ll continue to offer more help where possible.”

Feaste extends gratitude to Western Air, BBA

Greenville

TROY Feaste got exactly what he waited for since he established the Abaco Youth Baseball League in 2019, just before the pandemic. He got all hands on deck.

Feaste welcomed some of the most prominent makers and shakers in baseball and softball in the Bahamas in Abaco who came to offer support, encouragement and conduct training clinics or donate equipment to assist the youth programmes on the island, still recovering from hurricane Dorian and the pandemic.

Under the ABYL’s motto “No Child Left Behind,” Feaste proved this point by assembling over 70 boys and girls – ranging in ages 7-18 - for the two-day baseball and softball training clinic at Murphy Park in Murphy Town, near Marsh Harbour in Abaco.

“I want to personally thank Bahamas Baseball Association president Mr Sam Rodgers Sr, Mr Tommy Stubbs of Bahamas Events & Sports, Mr Andy Ford of the Ministry of Sports and National Sports Authority, and Mario Ford of Mario Ford Baseball Camp (based in Nassau) for taking time to come over to Abaco and work with our children in the AYBL.” “These gentlemen made a significant impact on our organisation, every child and adult,” Feaste said.

“I tip my hat to them for their experience and knowledge in the game of baseball and softball. Our country needs men like them to assist throughout our islands.

“The children were very attentive to the instructions and we’re eager to learn more.”

PANORAMA SOFTBALL TOURNAMENT ALL SET FOR SATURDAY AT BANKER’S FIELD

in advance. Each encounter ended with them joking and her spending the night.

The Associated Press does not typically identify people who say they have been victims of sexual assault.

After winning his first Cy Young Award with the Cincinnati Reds in 2020, Bauer agreed to a $102 million, three-year contract to join his hometown Dodgers.

FOLLOWING the completion of both the Bahamas Association of Independent Secondary Schools and Government Secondary Schools Sports Association’s Inter-School Track and Field Championships this weekend, the Red-Line Athletic Track Club will host the Youth Time Trials.

According to club president Tito Moss, the time trials will take place on Sunday starting at 2pm at the original Thomas A Robinson Track and Field Stadium and will be dubbed the “Clash of the Titans.”

Two of the exciting clashes on tap will be the under-17 boys’ 200 metres between Tumani Skinner, Andrew Brown and Philip Gray, along with the under20 boys’ 200m featuring Zion Campbell, Carlos Brown and Shimar Bain.

While those are the marquee events on the schedule, Moss said they anticipate that a number of showdowns will be staged as athletes come off competing in either of the two events that was staged from Thursday to Friday for the BAISS and on Saturday for the GSSSA, both at the TAR National Stadium.

Competition will take place in the under-7, under9, under-11, under-13, under-15, under-17 and under-20 and open divisions for boys and girls.

The meet will also serve as a qualifier for the return of the CARIFTA Games that will be held in Kingston, Jamaica, over the Easter holiday weekend.

The Bahamas Association of Athletic Associations will hold its final trials before the team is selected from April 1-2.

TO ADVERTISE TODAY IN THE TRIBUNE CALL @ 502-2394

PAGE 14, Friday, March 18, 2022

THE TRIBUNE

Bey scores career-high 51 points, Pistons shut down Magic 134-120

By DICK SCANLON Associated Press ORLANDO, Florida (AP) — Saddiq Bey scored a career-high 51 points and the Detroit Pistons beat the Orlando Magic 134-120 last night to end a four-game losing streak.

Bey tied the franchise record with 10 3-pointers in 14 attempts. He was 17 for 27 overall.

Two nights after being torched for 16 points in the first quarter by Brooklyn’s Kyrie Irving on his way to a 60-point game, the Magic gave up 21 points in the first quarter to Bey. “I saw those highlights and it was just very efficient. It was within the flow of the game,” Bey said. “That was a great performance to watch, and I think just throughout the NBA there’s been a lot of great performances in the past two weeks. I’m just grateful to be in this league to have the opportunity.”

Marvin Bagley III added 20 points and 11 rebounds for Detroit in the matchup of the bottom two teams in the Eastern Conference.

Franz Wagner led Orlando with 26 points.

“Rebuilding is always ugly,” Detroit coach Dwane Casey said, “but there’s a lot of beautiful moments like tonight.”

Bey finished the first half in spectacular fashion, scoring five points in less than five seconds. He hit a 20-footer while falling out of bounds with 8.8 seconds left, came up with a backcourt steal and made a 3-pointer with 3.9 seconds left, leaving the Pistons with a 73-62 lead.

“He had 30 points at half so we were definitely expecting 50,” said Pistons centre Isaiah Stewart, who had 16 points and 10 rebounds.

The Magic scored the first nine points of the game, but that lead was quickly erased by Bey. The

PISTONS forward Saddiq Bey (41) is fouled by Magic guard Cole Anthony, left, while driving to the basket as Magic guard R.J. Hampton (13) watches during the first half yesterday.

(AP Photo/Phelan M Ebenhack) Pistons moved ahead for keeps on a dunk by Stewart that broke a 50-50 tie midway through the second quarter.

“I think it was just the flow of the game,” Bey said. “I didn’t come into the game saying this is what I’m going to do, but you

catch a rhythm and you get in a zone. My teammates did a great job of finding me and just encouraging me to stay aggressive.”

The Pistons shot 50 percent and their 134 points was also a season high. “(Bey) got going early and he hit some really

tough shots, but we’ve got to do a better job — I’ve got to do a better job — of not letting him do what he wants to do,” Wagner said. “He shot 14 3s and we knew before the game we didn’t want him shooting 3s.”

TIP-INS Pistons: G Cade Cunningham missed his second straight game because of a non-COVID illness. F Jerami Grant sat out the game because of right knee inflammation. All 10 Pistons who played had at least one assist, and Bey had four of the team’s 34.

Detroit won the season series 3-1.

Magic: Cole Anthony missed his first 10 shots. F Wendell Carter Jr did not play due to a sprained left ankle.

G Jalen Suggs missed his fourth game with a bruised right ankle. F Chuma Okeke missed his first game since January 3 with a left knee contusion.

Penn’s Thomas becomes the first transgender woman to win NCAAs

By CHARLES ODUM AP Sports Writer ATLANTA (AP) — Lia Thomas took control in the final 100 yards of the 500-yard freestyle to make history yesterday as the first transgender woman to win an NCAA swimming championship.

Thomas, the University of Pennsylvania senior who entered the NCAA women’s swimming and diving championships as the top seed, had a season-best time of 4 minutes, 33.24 seconds.

“I didn’t have a whole lot of expectation for this meet,” said Thomas, a former male swimmer for Penn State. “I was just happy to be here and race and compete the best I could.”

PXG

FROM PAGE 12

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“We are thrilled to offer PXG as our exclusive rental club partner,” says Graeme Davis, president of Baha Mar. “PXG is the most sought-after brand when it comes to golf equipment, and we couldn’t think of a better partner for our highly acclaimed golf course. Not to mention the ease for golfers to travel to Baha Mar with no worry about packing their clubs,

WORLDS FROM PAGE 12

she suffered a slight injury and opted not to complete the race.

Miller-Uibo, who turned out to be one of the key stars at the games as she repeated as the Olympic champion from Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, in 2016, will compete in the preliminaries of the 400m in lane two in the fifth and final heat.

Although she didn’t compete in any indoor event this year, Miller-Uibo comes in with the fastest PBs of the field, having posted a North and Central American and Caribbean record of 50.21 indoors and 48.36 outdoors.

The 27-year-old MillerUibo expected to have a

Virginia’s Emma Weyant was second at 4:34.99.

The race was close until the final 100 yards, with Weyant and Erica Sullivan of Texas pushing Thomas for the lead.

The three swam in lanes three through five, adding to the drama, with Thomas in the middle.

As was the case yesterday morning in a preliminary win, Thomas was stronger at the end.

She won the preliminary race at 4:33.82.

Sullivan was third at 4:35.92. Stanford’s Brooke Forde was fourth at 4:36.18.

Thomas also is the top seed in the 200 freestyle today and is the 10th seed in the 100 freestyle Saturday.

Thomas has followed NCAA and Ivy League

rules since she began her transition in 2019 by starting hormone replacement therapy.

The inclusion of the transgender swimmer created controversy, even within the sport. There were fewer than 10 protesters outside the Georgia Tech facility, and some carried banners which read “Save Women’s Sports” in the stands.

“I try to ignore it as much as I can,” Thomas said.

“I try to focus on my swimming .. and just try to block out everything else.”

Thomas spoke with ESPN immediately after the race but would not participate in the official news conference, as required by the NCAA. Since participation is required, possible action

as the rentals we have here will be even better than their own.”

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showdown with Dutchwoman Femke Bol, the Olympic 400m hurdles bronze medallist, who has been undefeated indoors for the past two years, in what is being billed as one of the marquee events this weekend.

The duo, along with Moss, will have to negotiate through the field as the first two in each heat and the next two fastest qualifiers to advance to the semi-finals in the evening session. The final will not be staged until the evening session of day two on Saturday.

Fresh off earning the World Athletics’ 2022 Indoor Tour Gold series for the women’s 60m hurdles, Charlton will have to wait until Saturday’s morning session to begin competition in that event when she

competes in the fifth of six heats in lane six. The first three in each heat and the next six fastest finishers will advance to the semi-finals in the evening session to determine who will line-up in the final that will follow later that night.

Charlton, a graduate assistant at the University of Kentucky, has produced a season’s best of 7.90, just one tenth of a second off her PR of 7.89m, which stands as the Bahamian national record. She’s listed as a potential to not only make the final, but win a medal. At 26, Charlton will be appearing in her second World Indoors. She made her initial appearance in 2018 in Birmingham, England, where she placed eighth in the final. She’s coming off her sixth place

PENNSYLVANIA’s Lia Thomas gestures as she holds the trophy after winning the 500-yard freestyle at the NCAA swimming and diving championships Thursday, March 17, 2022, at Georgia Tech in Atlanta. Thomas is the first known transgender woman to win an NCAA swimming championship.

(AP Photo/John Bazemore) could come following evaluation by the NCAA’s swimming and diving championships committee.

Tennessee’s Julia

Mrozinski won the consolation final with a time of 4:37.35.

Northwestern’s Lola Mull was second.

clubs will be available for an additional fee upon check-in. For more information about Royal Blue,

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GRINER

FROM PAGE 12 and were helping her to communicate with staff at the pre-trial detention facility and to obtain books, Kalugina said.

“The only objective problem has turned out to be the basketball player’s height,” Tass quoted Kalugina as saying of the 6-foot-9 Griner. “The beds in the cell are clearly intended for a person of lesser height.”

Griner has won two Olympic gold medals with the US, a WNBA championship with the Phoenix Mercury and a national championship at Baylor.

She is a seven-time AllStar. The WNBA season opens May 6.

She was one of a dozen WNBA players who played in Russia or Ukraine this past season.

All except Griner have left since Russia invaded Ukraine.

Griner has played in Russia for the last seven years in the winter, earning over $1 million per season — more than quadruple her WNBA salary.

She last played for her Russian team UMMC Ekaterinburg on January 29 before the league in the final of the Olympics in the 100m hurdles last August in Tokyo.

Thomas, the lone Bahamian male competitor on the team, also earned an invite from World Athletics

took a two-week break in early February for the FIBA World Cup qualifying tournaments. She was arrested in Moscow upon returning to Russia.

Former US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton joined a growing contingent of family, friends and officials calling for her release with a “Free Brittney” tweet Wednesday.

It’s unclear how much progress was being made in the case because Griner’s group has been trying to work quietly for her release and declining to talk publicly since her arrest was made public earlier this month.

Griner’s wife, Cherelle, thanked everyone for their support but also has said little else on social media.

“Everyone’s getting the strategy of say less and push more privately behind the scenes,” WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert told the AP on Wednesday. “It’s the strategy you get from the State Department and administration. It’s our No. 1 priority in talking with her agent and strategists.”

The State Department has cited privacy considerations for not releasing more information about based on his world rankings. He will be the fifth of 12 competitors in the lineup for the men’s high jump final on Sunday.

The 37-year-old Grand Bahamian comes in with a

UNBEATEN REDS, BRUMBIES GO HEAD TO HEAD IN SUPER RUGBY

By STEVE MCMORRAN AP Sports Writer WELLINGTON, New Zealand (AP) — The Queensland Reds and ACT Brumbies meet today in a contest between the only unbeaten teams after four rounds of Super Rugby Pacific, extending a rivalry which has become one of the strongest among Australian teams.

The Reds beat the Brumbies 19-16 in last season’s final of Super Rugby Australia with a try four minutes into stoppage time, ending a season in which the teams met three times and couldn’t be separated by more than three points.

With all but one match in the New Zealand section of the tournament postponed this weekend because of outbreaks of COVID-19 among the teams, the match in Australia’s capital today will be the fitting focus of all attention in the tournament’s fifth round.

The Brumbies, who host the match, are coming off a comfortable 36-17 win over the Melbourne Rebels. The Reds held on last weekend for a narrow win over the Fijian Drua and are strengthened by the return of co-captain Liam Wright, who will start on the bench after recovering from a shoulder injury. Centre Isaac Henry returns from a foot injury, also on the bench.

“We’ve developed a good rivalry with the Brumbies,” Reds coach Brad Thorn said. “They’re on top of the table and playing good rugby.

“It’s great to have Liam Wright and Isaac Henry both available for selection. They’ve worked hard to overcome their injuries and they”ll do their job as finishers this week.”

Brumbies coach Dan McKellar has made four changes to his lineup, including three in the tight five.

Wallabies veteran James Slipper returns at loosehead prop and Folau Fainga’a at hooker, while Darcy Swain joins Nick Frost in the second row.

Swain has vivid memories of the loss to the Reds in last year’s final, sealed by James O’Connor’s injurytime try.

Griner’s situation despite the intense public interest in the case. Indeed, federal law prohibits US officials from providing personal information about any American citizen arrested or otherwise detained overseas without their express written consent.

There are very limited exceptions to the rules in the 1974 Privacy Act that also forbids the public release of passport records of US citizens.

One exception is when the subject of an inquiry has signed a document known as a Privacy Act Waiver that allows the State Department in Washington and diplomats at US embassies and consulates abroad to discuss specific information.

Griner is not the only American currently detained in Russia.

Marine veteran Trevor Reed was sentenced to nine years in prison in 2020 on charges he assaulted police officers in Moscow, and Michigan corporate security executive Paul Whelan is serving a 16-year sentence on espionage charges that his family and the US government have said are false. US officials have publicly called for Moscow to release them.

PR of 7-feet, 9 ¼-inches or 2.37 metres and a season best 7-4 ½ (2.25m), but the World Indoors, along with the Olympics, are the only two global events where he hasn’t won a medal.

THE TRIBUNE

Friday, March 18, 2022, PAGE 15

STOKES LASHES TON AS ENGLAND DECLARE AT 507-9 IN BARBADOS

BEN Stokes plays a shot for six runs during day two ENGLAND’s Ben Stokes celebrates after he scored a century against West Indies during day two of their second of the second cricket Test match against West In- cricket Test match yesterday in Bridgetown, Barbados. dies at the Kensington Oval.

(AP Photos/Ricardo Mazalan)

South Africa edges NZ to stay unbeaten at Women’s WCup

By STEVE MCMORRAN AP Sports Writer MARIZANNE Kapp made a nerveless 36 not out from 35 balls as South Africa beat New Zealand by two wickets with three balls remaining yesterday to stay unbeaten after four matches at the Women’s Cricket World Cup. At Hamilton, New Zealand, half centuries to Laura Wolvaardt and captain Sune Luus put South Africa on the road to victory as it chased down New Zealand’s total of 228 and rejoined Australia atop the points table in the tournament.

But it was the veteran Kapp, who had taken 2-44 during the New Zealand innings, who was left to steer her team home in an increasingly nervous run chase.

BAISS

FROM PAGE 12

(Aydin-Bethany Bullard in 17.32), U20 girls (Shanai Sweeting in 16.93) and U17 boys (Quinton Rolle in 16.00). In the 1500m, Yulianis Castaneda of CW Saunders won the U15 girls in 5:33.51 and Jaxon Bethel of St Andrews won the U15 boys in 5:33.42.

Kingsway’s Jayda Ramhing won the U17 girls race in 5:25.03 while St Anne’s Kevannio Smith won the U17 boys in 4:49.00.

SAC’s Sara Willimas took the U20 girls in 5:42.28 while the Giants’ Paulindo Boyer won the U20 boys in 4:29.72.

A tightly contested 400m series opened with a win for TC’s Breteisha Kemp in the U13 Girls in 1:04.94 while St John’s Giant Aiden Musgrove won the U13 boys in 1:02.20.

SAC’s Eagan Neely dominated the field in the U15 boys and won by nearly four seconds in 54.54. Jasmine Thompson of TC won the U15 girls in 1:01.98.

“I think these games have to stop now, I’m tired,” the 32-year-old Kapp said. “Again it was a team effort, again we weren’t at our best but I believe the perfect game is just around the corner.

“I’m always nervous, I’m not going to lie. (Wolvaardt and Luus) batted well today but you can’t get too relaxed because, as you saw, the game can change like that.

“Luckily today we got away with the win and I’m happy to be standing on the winning side.”

South Africa needed 72 to win from 95 balls when Wolvaardt was out for 67 after her third consecutive half century at the tournament.

It needed 59 from 59 balls when Luus was out for 51, with five wickets still intact in the 41st over.

Philip Gray of St Anne’s won the U17 boys in 49.69 and Tamia Taylor of St John’s won the U17 girls in 58.29 and was the only member of the field to break the oneminute barrier.

In the U20 division, Caleb Major of St. John’s won the boys race in 49.09 secs and Nya Wright of SAC won the U20 girls in 1:01.08.

Antoine Andrews of St Johns headlined the 100m with an U20 boys win in 11.10 while another Giant, Ishmael Rolle, won the U17 boys in 11.43.

Marcia Hall of Kingsway won the U13 girls in 14.07.

The remainder of the races went to Big Red Machine athletes.

SAC’s Amari Pratt won the girls U20 in 12.67, Shayann Demeritte won the U17 girls in 12.98, Kion Burrows won the U15 boys in 12.27 and Madison Moss won the U15 girls in 13.22.

• Full meet results are available at www. tekresults.net

There was an eerie symmetry between the New Zealand and South Africa innings as both captains played leading roles and as the teams scored at almost the same rate and endured late order collapses.

New Zealand captain Sophie Devine made 93 to set the platform for her team’s batting effort.

She was out in the 41st over when New Zealand was well set up at 198-5 but

saw her team lose its last five wickets for 30 runs.

Luus also was out in the 41s over but in Kapp, South Africa still had a player to manage its run chase.

South Africa needed 39 runs off its last six overs with five wickets in hand, 31 off its last five.

Chloe Tryon made 14 from 17 balls and began to play a useful hand but she was out when South Africa needed 31 from 29 balls.

Kapp hit two consecutive fours from the bowling of Lea Tahuhu in the 47th over which turned the match a little in South Africa’s favour, leaving it with 18 runs to score from 21 balls.

Wicketkeeper Trisha Chetty came and went quickly, falling to spinner Frankie Mackay when South Africa needed 18 from 17 balls.

With two overs remaining it came down to 14 off 12 balls and Devine bravely stepped up to bowl the penultimate over.

She immediately dismissed Shabnim Ismael for 4 to leave South Africa needing 12 runs from 10 balls. But Kapp gained the strike, hit a four and South Africa came to the last over needing six runs from six balls with Klaas on strike.

Mackay bowled the final over and Kapp struck the first ball for four, took a single from the second.

Ayabonga Khaka was left on strike and she managed to turn the ball into a gap in the field for the winning single. New Zealand’s future in the tournament now is tenuous with only two wins from five games.

South Africa almost is assured of a place in the semifinals.

MINISTER of Youth, Sports & Culture Mario Bowleg speaks during the Concussion Symposium at Thomas A Robinson National Stadium. Dr Myron Rolle, far right, looks on.

CNF

FROM PAGE 12

Rolle’s accolade-filled résumé first came into public view as an All-American football player at Florida State University. He went on to become a CoSIDA All-Academic Hall of Fame member, member of President Clinton’s Global Initiative Lead Team, one of three Bahamian Rhodes

Scholars and a Paul Farmer Global Surgery Research Fellow at Harvard Medical School. Through his foundation, Rolle previously established his “Play-4-Progress” programme in the Bahamas and aimed to introduce three basic principles to its participants – the fundamentals of American football, education and personal development. Rolle played three seasons with the

Seminoles and was selected by the Tennessee Titans in the 2010 NFL Draft.

In 2012, he signed with the Pittsburgh Steelers and announced his retirement from the NFL in 2013. He went on to graduate from FSU’s College of Medicine in 2017 and was matched to a neurosurgery residency at Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School.

BRIDGETOWN, Barbados (AP) — Ben Stokes followed captain Joe Root with a century to allow England to declare against the West Indies on 507-9 on the second day yesterday of the second test at Kensington Oval.

West Indies was 71-1 in reply, John Campbell giving Matthew Fisher a wicket with the second ball of his test career.

Root improved from 119 overnight to 153, but played second fiddle to Stokes, who dominated their stand of 129 as he made a belligerent 120 from 128 balls.

The West Indies looked equally adept at handling the second slow and flat pitch in two tests, as captain Kraigg Brathwaite and Shamarh Brooks comfortably handled the new ball from an England battery with two debutants, pacer Saqib Mahmood and medium-pacer Fisher.

England’s Dan Lawrence was out for 91 to the last delivery on Wednesday, so Stokes walked to the middle without runs beside Root, who resumed on 119 and the team on 244-3.

Root hardly seemed to face a ball as Stokes warmed up quickly then lashed out, particularly at spinner Veerasammy Permaul.

His second six off Permaul got him to a halfcentury, followed by a third six over midwicket. In the next over, Stokes smacked Alzarri Joseph for three straight boundaries then a six back over the fast bowler’s head.

By lunch at 369-3, Stokes had 89 off 92 balls and was the fifth men’s allrounder to at least 5,000 runs and 150 wickets, in company with Garfield Sobers, Ian Botham, Kapil Dev and Jacques Kallis.

In the second over after lunch, Root was out, lbw on the front pad to Kemar Roach on 153 from 316 balls. West Indies overturned the not out decision on review, and Roach passed Sobers on the West Indies wicket-takers list to seventh.

Stokes reached his 11th test hundred off 114 balls.

A single into the off side got him to his first test ton since 2020.

But he was out for 120 off 128 after taking two sixes off Brathwaite and trying a third slog. His brilliant innings included six sixes and 11 boundaries.

He was out at 424-6 after Jonny Bairstow was claimed by Joseph for 20.

Chris Woakes and Ben Foakes took England to tea on 482-6 but when they departed in quick succession with Jack Leach, England declared.

Permaul led West Indies with three wickets.

Braithwaite launched their reply with two boundaries off Woakes in the first over.

Campbell hit Fisher’s first ball in test cricket to the fence, but nicked behind the second ball.

Brathwaite overturned being given out on 16 and was on 28 at stumps, with Brooks on 31.

BARCA REACHES EL QUARTERS, SEVILLA KNOCKED OUT BY WEST HAM

By KAREL JANICEK Associated Press PIERRE-Emerick Aubameyang scored the winning goal for Barcelona to secure a 2-1 victory over Galatasaray yesterday and send the struggling European powerhouse into the quarterfinals of the Europa League.

Fellow Spanish team Sevilla was knocked out of the competition it has won a record six times, losing to West Ham after Ukraine forward Andriy Yarmolenko scored the decisive goal in extra time. West Ham won 2-0 to advance 2-1 on aggregate, reaching

the quarterfinals of a European competition for the first time since 1981.

Aubameyang netted from close range four minutes into the second half as Barcelona came from a goal down to maintain its chances of ending the season with a trophy.

The Spanish giant, which is playing Europe’s second-tier competition after failing to advance to the Champions League knockout stages for the first time since 2004, was held to a 0-0 draw at home by the Turkish club in the first leg last week.

Rangers reached the quarterfinals on a 4-2

aggregate score despite losing 2-1 to Red Star at Belgrade. Atalanta also advanced 4-2 on aggregate after winning 1-0 at Bayer Leverkusen while Portuguese club Braga progressed after holding Monaco 1-1.

Sevilla’s cross-city rival Betis was also eliminated

by Eintracht Frankfurt in extra time. Lyon beat Porto 2-1 on aggregate after a 1-1 draw at home.

In the inaugural Europa Conference League, Leicester advanced 3-2 on aggregate despite a 2-1 away loss to Rennes. Jose Mourinho’s Roma needed an injury-time equaliser by

England forward Tammy Abraham to salvage a 1-1 home draw against Vitesse and secure a spot in the quarterfinals.

Of the four Dutch teams in the last 16, PSV Eindhoven and Feyenoord cruised into the quarterfinals while AZ Alkmaar and Vitesse were knocked out.

Marseille, PAOK, Bodø/ Glimt and Slavia Prague also advanced.

EUROPA LEAGUE Barcelona, which also needed an away win at Napoli just to reach the round of 16, looked to be in trouble when Marcão headed in the opener for Galatasaray off Alexandru

Cicâldau’s corner in the 28th minute.

But 19-year-old Pedri went past two defenders both lunging to stop an expected shot before equalising with a composed low finish past goalkeeper Iñaki Peña nine minutes later.

Aubameyang’s header hit the crossbar in the firsthalf injury time but was in the right place to turn in a squared pass from Frenkie de Jong, who had collected the rebound after a good save by Peña.

US defender Sergiño Dest limped off in the 56th minute after grabbing a hamstring.

Yarmolenko netted his second goal in

five days after also scoring for West Ham in the Premier League on Sunday in his first appearance since Russia’s invasion of his homeland. The substitute was on hand to tap in a rebound after Pablo Fornals’ shot was parried into his path.

Czech Republic midfielder Tomáš Soucek headed in the opening goal for West Ham. Borja Iglesias scored in the final minute for Real Betis to force extra time at Frankfurt but Martin Hinteregger netted for Eintracht in the final seconds of extra time to send the German club through 3-2 on aggregate.

THE TRIBUNE

Friday, March 18, 2022, PAGE 17

ASSET MANAGER IN $200M GB AIRPORT CARGO HUB OFFER

By YOURI KEMP Tribune Business Reporter ykemp@tribunemedia.net

A BAHAMIAN financier yesterday revealed a $150bn asset management firm last year offered to invest $200m in rebuilding Grand Bahama International Airport (GBIA) and developing a cargo hub at the site.

Robert Pantry, Simplifie Lending’s founder and chief executive, told the Grand Bahama Business Outlook conference: “There’s a lot of interest out there to acquire the Grand Bahama

International Airport. This will be a key factor to help heat things up on the island.

“I also think that starting off with a clean slate presents the successful bidder with an opportunity to work with key stakeholders to help lower the costs of flying into Grand Bahama and bring more tourists to help scale up. Secondly, it’s not a matter of if, but when, the Grand Lucayan hotel will be sold. It will happen and, when it does, in combination with the airport being rebuilt, you will make nothing but an upward trajectory.”

Mr Pantry continued: “I will also share with you

some other facts that my company, Simplified Lending, has been a part of facilitating with respect to the island. First, there’s an American global asset management firm that specialises in alternative investments with in excess of $150bn in assets under management who, by way of joint venture partnership, would have sent in an unsolicited proposal about a year ago to invest over $200m to acquire the Grand Bahama International Airport and build a cargo facility on Grand Bahama.”

“This level of confidence by such a major firm speaks to how people and

institutions, once exposed to Grand Bahama, turn around and seek to invest. I can also tell you that interest remained strong.” The cargo facility plan was influenced by the availability of land which would facilitate expansion over a 20-year period.

Mr Pantry added: “There’s a Grand Bahama company that is relatively new, but received two term sheets in the past few months in excess of $3m each, to fund their growth in Grand Bahama. One term sheet was issued by one of our regional partners who made one of those trips with me. I can tell you that

they were excited about the prospects of investing in Grand Bahama.”

Gowon Bowe, Fidelity Bank (Bahamas) chief executive, added that Grand Bahama needs to have a “rolling prospectus document” on the opportunities on the island in terms of its “revenue and potential”.

He said: “We need to eliminate the ambiguity with Freeport in terms of whether it is a free trade zone with clear government regulation, or it’s a private city. I would vote for it being a free trade zone with government regulation.”

Mr Bowe added that Freeport needs to look at

THE WEATHER REPORT

5-Day Forecast

TODAY

ORLANDO

High: 88° F/31° C Low: 68° F/20° C

TAMPA

SATURDAY

SUNDAY

MONDAY

TUESDAY

Mostly sunny and nice

Clear to partly cloudy and humid

Partly sunny and humid

Mostly sunny

Partly sunny with winds subsiding

Mostly sunny, breezy and pleasant

High: 83°

Low: 74°

High: 83° Low: 74°

High: 82° Low: 70°

High: 81° Low: 69°

High: 82° Low: 70°

AccuWeather RealFeel

AccuWeather RealFeel

AccuWeather RealFeel

AccuWeather RealFeel

AccuWeather RealFeel

AccuWeather RealFeel

90° F

78° F

90°-75° F

91°-74° F

84°-68° F

84°-72° F

The exclusive AccuWeather RealFeel Temperature® is an index that combines the effects of temperature, wind, humidity, sunshine intensity, cloudiness, precipitation, pressure and elevation on the human body—everything that affects how warm or cold a person feels. Temperatures reflect the high and the low for the day.

N

almanac

E

W

ABACO

S

N

High: 80° F/27° C Low: 74° F/23° C

7-14 knots

S

High: 84° F/29° C Low: 73° F/23° C

6-12 knots

FT. LAUDERDALE

FREEPORT

High: 83° F/28° C Low: 74° F/23° C

E

W S

E

W

WEST PALM BEACH

N

| Go to AccuWeather.com

TONIGHT

High: 86° F/30° C Low: 71° F/22° C

High: 83° F/28° C Low: 73° F/23° C

MIAMI

High: 84° F/29° C Low: 74° F/23° C

7-14 knots

KEY WEST

High: 83° F/28° C Low: 76° F/24° C

ELEUTHERA

NASSAU

High: 83° F/28° C Low: 74° F/23° C

Forecasts and graphics provided by AccuWeather, Inc. ©2022

N

uV inDex toDay

The higher the AccuWeather UV IndexTM number, the greater the need for eye and skin protection.

tiDes For nassau High

Ht.(ft.)

Low

Ht.(ft.)

Today

8:41 a.m.

9:03 p.m.

2.9 2.9

2:34 a.m. -0.3 2:58 p.m. -0.3

Saturday

9:21 a.m.

9:44 p.m.

2.8 3.0

3:18 a.m. -0.3 3:35 p.m. -0.4

Sunday

10:02 a.m.

10:28 p.m.

2.8 3.1

4:02 a.m. -0.4 4:14 p.m. -0.5

Monday

10:45 a.m.

11:15 p.m.

2.6 3.1

4:49 a.m. -0.3 4:56 p.m. -0.5

Tuesday

11:32 a.m.

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2.5 -----

5:40 a.m. -0.2 5:42 p.m. -0.4

Wednesday 12:07 a.m.

12:25 p.m.

3.0 2.3

6:35 a.m. 0.0 6:35 p.m. -0.2

Thursday

2.9 2.2

7:37 a.m. 0.1 7:35 p.m. -0.1

1:04 a.m.

1:25 p.m.

sun anD moon Sunrise Sunset

7:16 a.m. Moonrise 7:20 p.m. Moonset

7:56 p.m.

7:40 a.m.

Full

Last

New

First

Mar. 18

Mar. 25

Apr. 1

Apr. 9

CAT ISLAND

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High: 82° F/28° C Low: 75° F/24° C

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7-14 knots

S

7-14 knots Shown is today’s weather. Temperatures are today’s highs and tonight’s lows.

Statistics are for Nassau through 2 p.m. yesterday Temperature High ................................................... 86° F/30° C Low .................................................... 73° F/23° C Normal high ....................................... 79° F/26° C Normal low ........................................ 65° F/18° C Last year’s high ................................. 85° F/29° C Last year’s low ................................... 67° F/20° C Precipitation As of 2 p.m. yesterday ................................. 0.01” Year to date ................................................. 4.39” Normal year to date ..................................... 3.82”

High: 81° F/27° C Low: 74° F/23° C

replacing its “concessions regime”, and further said there must be an examination of the costs and benefits as to whether these incentives would be beneficial to opening up other opportunities on Grand Bahama.

He said: “Grand Bahama has always had natural infrastructure, and certainly is the industrial capital of The Bahamas. We need to be thinking about ownership, and not just employment, with Grand Bahama. But we need to put all of these down in writing so that we have the very clear plans of what it is we’re going to do.”

ANDROS

SAN SALVADOR

GREAT EXUMA

High: 82° F/28° C Low: 74° F/23° C

High: 82° F/28° C Low: 75° F/24° C

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High: 81° F/27° C Low: 74° F/23° C

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LONG ISLAND

tracking map

High: 82° F/28° C Low: 74° F/23° C

7-14 knots

MAYAGUANA High: 83° F/28° C Low: 76° F/24° C

Shown is today’s weather. Temperatures

CROOKED ISLAND / ACKLINS

are today’s highs and tonight’s lows.

RAGGED ISLAND High: 82° F/28° C Low: 77° F/25° C

High: 82° F/28° C Low: 75° F/24° C

GREAT INAGUA High: 84° F/29° C Low: 77° F/25° C

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8-16 knots

8-16 knots

marine Forecast ABACO ANDROS CAT ISLAND CROOKED ISLAND ELEUTHERA FREEPORT GREAT EXUMA GREAT INAGUA LONG ISLAND MAYAGUANA NASSAU RAGGED ISLAND SAN SALVADOR

Today: Saturday: Today: Saturday: Today: Saturday: Today: Saturday: Today: Saturday: Today: Saturday: Today: Saturday: Today: Saturday: Today: Saturday: Today: Saturday: Today: Saturday: Today: Saturday: Today: Saturday:

WINDS SE at 6-12 Knots SE at 8-16 Knots SE at 7-14 Knots ESE at 7-14 Knots ESE at 7-14 Knots ESE at 8-16 Knots ESE at 8-16 Knots E at 10-20 Knots ESE at 7-14 Knots ESE at 7-14 Knots SE at 6-12 Knots SSE at 7-14 Knots SE at 7-14 Knots ESE at 8-16 Knots SE at 8-16 Knots E at 10-20 Knots ESE at 8-16 Knots ESE at 8-16 Knots ESE at 8-16 Knots E at 8-16 Knots ESE at 7-14 Knots ESE at 7-14 Knots SE at 8-16 Knots E at 8-16 Knots SE at 7-14 Knots ESE at 8-16 Knots

WAVES 3-5 Feet 3-5 Feet 1-2 Feet 1-2 Feet 3-5 Feet 3-5 Feet 3-6 Feet 3-6 Feet 3-5 Feet 3-5 Feet 1-2 Feet 1-2 Feet 1-2 Feet 1-2 Feet 2-4 Feet 3-5 Feet 2-4 Feet 3-5 Feet 4-7 Feet 4-8 Feet 1-2 Feet 1-3 Feet 2-4 Feet 3-5 Feet 1-3 Feet 1-3 Feet

VISIBILITY 10 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles 5 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles

WATER TEMPS. 77° F 78° F 79° F 80° F 79° F 80° F 80° F 80° F 78° F 78° F 78° F 79° F 80° F 81° F 80° F 80° F 79° F 79° F 78° F 79° F 80° F 80° F 80° F 80° F 79° F 79° F

PAGE 18, Friday, March 18, 2022

THE TRIBUNE

NOTICE

NOTICE

NOTICE

LNG EBISU SHIPPING CORPORATION In Voluntary Liquidation

TROPICAL KINGBIRD LIMITED In Voluntary Liquidation

PAIZ FAMILY COUNCIL INC. In Voluntary Liquidation

Notice is hereby given that in accordance with Section 138(4) of the International Business Companies Act. 2000, TROPICAL KINGBIRD LIMITED is in dissolution as of March 17, 2022

Notice is hereby given that in accordance with Section 138(4) of the International Business Companies Act. 2000, LNG EBISU SHIPPING CORPORATION is in dissolution as of March 15, 2022

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

Mr. Yasuhiko Murata with address at 3-6-16, Nakanoshima, Kita-ku, Osaka, Japan is the Liquidator.

LIQUIDATOR

LIQUIDATOR

______________________

Notice is hereby given that in accordance with Section 138(4) of the InternationalBusiness Companies Act. 2000, PAIZ FAMILY COUNCIL INC. is in dissolution as of March 15th, 2022.

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

Luciane Ribeiro Moreno Liquidator

______________________

NOTICE NOTICE is hereby given that SADCHA WILMIDE JOSEPH of Mckinney Drive, Nassau, Bahamas is applying to the Minister responsible for Nationality and Citizenship, for Registration Naturalization as a citizen of The Bahamas, and that any person who knows any reason why registration/naturalization should not be granted, should send a written and signed statement of the facts within twenty-eight days from the 18th day of March, 2022 to the Minister responsible for nationality and Citizenship, P.O. Box N-7147, Nassau, New Providence, The Bahamas.

NOTICE NOTICE is hereby given that ANSELT CURRY of Broom Street Nassau, Bahamas is applying to the Minister responsible for Nationality and Citizenship, for Registration Naturalization as a citizen of The Bahamas, and that any person who knows any reason why registration/ naturalization should not be granted, should send a written and signed statement of the facts within twenty-eight days from the 18th day of March, 2022 to the Minister responsible for nationality and Citizenship, P.O. Box N-7147, Nassau, New Providence, The Bahamas.

MARKET REPORT www.bisxbahamas.com

THURSDAY, 17 MARCH 2022

BISX ALL SHARE INDEX: BISX LISTED & TRADED SECURITIES 52WK HI 6.70 40.15 2.05 2.90 2.60 6.05 10.05 2.56 9.02 3.10 7.20 13.00 2.71 10.10 11.25 10.75 15.00 4.00 10.00 16.50

52WK LOW 4.55 32.12 1.46 2.20 1.30 5.50 6.00 2.82 4.25 2.27 5.50 9.75 1.99 6.50 10.02 8.40 13.10 3.42 8.00 15.50

SECURITY AML Foods Limited APD Limited Benchmark Bahamas First Holdings Limited Bank of Bahamas Bahamas Property Fund Bahamas Waste Cable Bahamas Commonwealth Brewery Commonwealth Bank Colina Holdings CIBC FirstCaribbean Bank Consolidated Water BDRs Doctor's Hospital Emera Incorporated Famguard Fidelity Bank (Bahamas) Limited Focol Finco J. S. Johnson

PREFERENCE SHARES 1.00

1.00

1000.00 1000.00 1000.00 1000.00

1000.00 1000.00 1000.00 1000.00

1.00 10.00 1.00

1.00 10.00 1.00

Bahamas First Holdings Preference Cable Bahamas Series 6 Cable Bahamas Series 8 Cable Bahamas Series 9 Cable Bahamas Series 10 Colina Holdings Class A Fidelity Bank Bahamas Class A Focol Class B

CORPORATE DEBT - (percentage pricing) 52WK HI 100.00 100.00

52WK LOW 100.00 100.00

SECURITY Fidelity Bank (Note 22 Series B+) Bahamas First Holdings Limited

CLOSE

CHANGE

%CHANGE

YTD

YTD%

2251.31

0.09

0.00

23.07

1.04

SYMBOL AML APD BBL BFH BOB BPF BWL CAB CBB CBL CHL CIB CWCB DHS EMAB FAM FBB FCL FIN JSJ BFHP CAB6 CAB8 CAB9 CAB10 CHLA FBBA FCLB SYMBOL FBB22 BFHB

BAHAMAS GOVERNMENT STOCK - (percentage pricing) 115.92 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.98 100.00

104.79 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 96.71 93.97 94.12 91.00 90.95 89.02 89.62 89.00 90.24 90.73

MUTUAL FUNDS 52WK HI 2.50 4.67 2.20 207.86 207.68 1.72 1.83 1.81 1.05 9.37 11.83 7.54 16.64 12.84 10.77 10.00 10.43 14.89

52WK LOW 2.11 3.30 1.68 164.74 116.70 1.68 1.73 1.75 1.01 6.41 7.62 5.66 8.65 10.54 9.57 9.88 8.45 11.20

Bahamas Note 6.95 (2029) BGS: 2014-12-7Y BGS: 2015-1-7Y BGS: 2014-12-30Y BGS: 2015-1-30Y BGS: 2015-6-7Y BGS: 2015-6-30Y BGS: 2015-10-7Y BGRS FX BGR106036 BGRS FX BGR117037 BGRS FX BGR118037 BGRS FX BGR125238 BGRS FX BGR127139 BGRS FX BGR127149 BGRS FX BGR129249 BGRS FX BGR131249 BGRS FX BGR132249 BGRS FX BGR136150

BAH29 BG0107 BG0207 BG0130 BG0230 BG0307 BG0330 BG0407 BSBGR1060361 BSBGR1170376 BSBGR1180375 BSBGR1252380 BSBGR1271398 BSBGR1271497 BSBGR1292493 BSBGR1312499 BSBGR1322498 BSBGR1361504

LAST CLOSE 5.30 39.95 2.04 2.31 2.50 6.05 9.50 3.30 7.99 2.82 7.16 13.00 2.03 10.06 11.57 10.75 15.00 3.99 10.00 15.50 1.00 1000.00 1000.00 1000.00 1000.00 1.00 10.00 1.00 LAST SALE 100.00 100.00 107.31 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 89.62 100.00 100.00 100.00

CLOSE 5.30 39.95 2.04 2.31 2.50 6.05 9.50 3.30 7.99 2.82 7.16 13.00 2.06 10.06 11.65 10.75 15.00 3.99 10.00 15.50 1.00 1000.00 1000.00 1000.00 1000.00 1.00 10.00 1.00

BISX ALL SHARE INDEX - 19 Dec 02 = 1,000.00 52wk-Hi - Highest closing price in last 52 weeks 52wk-Low - Lowest closing price in last 52 weeks Previous Close - Previous day's weighted price for daily volume Today's Close - Current day's weighted price for daily volume Change - Change in closing price from day to day Daily Vol. - Number of total shares traded today DIV $ - Dividends per share paid in the last 12 months P/E - Closing price divided by the last 12 month earnings

VOLUME

3,125

0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00

CLOSE 100.00 100.00

CHANGE 0.00 0.00

107.31 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 89.62 100.00 100.00 100.00

0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00

FUND CFAL Bond Fund CFAL Balanced Fund CFAL Money Market Fund CFAL Global Bond Fund CFAL Global Equity Fund Leno Financial Conservative Fund Leno Financial Aggressive Fund Leno Financial Balanced Fund Leno Financial Global Bond Fund RF Bahamas Opportunities Fund - Secured Balanced Fund RF Bahamas Opportunities Fund - Targeted Equity Fund RF Bahamas Opportunities Fund - Prime Income Fund RF Bahamas International Investment Fund Limited - Equities Sub Fund RF Bahamas International Investment Fund Limited - High Yield Income Fund RF Bahamas International Investment Fund Limited - Alternative Strategies Fund Colonial Bahamas Fund Class D Colonial Bahamas Fund Class E Colonial Bahamas Fund Class F

MARKET TERMS

CHANGE 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.03 0.00 0.08 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00

(242) 323‐2330 (242) 323‐2320 EPS$ 0.239 0.932 0.000 0.140 0.070 1.760 0.369 -0.438 0.140 0.184 0.449 0.722 0.102 0.467 0.646 0.728 0.816 0.203 0.939 0.631 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000

VOLUME

DIV$ 0.170 1.260 0.020 0.080 0.000 0.000 0.260 0.000 0.000 0.120 0.220 0.720 0.434 0.060 0.328 0.240 0.540 0.120 0.200 0.610 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000

INTEREST Prime + 1.75% 6.25% 6.95% 4.50% 4.50% 6.25% 6.25% 4.50% 6.25% 4.25% 5.40% 5.20% 5.22% 5.00% 5.00% 5.50% 5.55% 5.60% 5.65% 5.69%

NAV 2.50 4.67 2.20 204.67 199.97 1.72 1.83 1.81 1.01 9.37 11.79 7.54 15.94 12.47 10.74 N/A 10.43 14.89

YTD% 12 MTH% 0.34% 4.30% -0.06% 5.21% 0.21% 2.72% 1.37% 3.18% 8.18% 14.94% 0.26% 2.76% 0.36% 2.37% 0.28% 2.51% -1.31% -3.43% -0.02% 10.36% -0.33% 18.23% 0.22% 3.05% -3.89% 14.76% -1.04% -2.57% 0.81% 4.20% N/A N/A 3.00% 25.60% 7.90% 48.70%

P/E 22.2 42.9 N/M 16.5 N/M N/M 25.7 -7.5 57.1 15.3 15.9 18.0 20.2 21.5 18.0 14.8 18.4 19.7 10.6 24.6 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000

YIELD 3.21% 3.15% 0.98% 3.46% 0.00% 0.00% 2.74% 0.00% 0.00% 4.26% 3.07% 5.54% 21.07% 0.60% 2.82% 2.23% 3.60% 3.01% 2.00% 3.94% 0.00% 0.00% 0.00% 0.00% 0.00% 6.25% 7.00% 6.50%

MATURITY 19-Oct-2022 30-Sep-2025 20-Nov-2029 15-Dec-2021 30-Jul-2022 15-Dec-2044 30-Jul-2045 26-Jun-2022 26-Jun-2045 15-Oct-2022 4-Aug-2036 14-Jul-2037 13-Oct-2037 15-Oct-2038 15-Jan-2039 15-Jan-2049 15-Apr-2049 15-Jul-2049 15-Oct-2049 21-Apr-2050

NAV Date 31-Jan-2022 31-Jan-2022 28-Jan-2022 30-Sep-2021 30-Sep-2021 31-Jan-2022 31-Jan-2022 31-Jan-2022 31-Jan-2022 31-Jan-2022 31-Jan-2022 31-Jan-2022 31-Jan-2022 31-Jan-2022 31-Jan-2022 31-Mar-2021 31-Mar-2021 31-Mar-2021

YIELD - last 12 month dividends divided by closing price Bid $ - Buying price of Colina and Fidelity Ask $ - Selling price of Colina and fidelity Last Price - Last traded over-the-counter price Weekly Vol. - Trading volume of the prior week EPS $ - A company's reported earnings per share for the last 12 mths NAV - Net Asset Value N/M - Not Meaningful

TO TRADE CALL: CFAL 242-502-7010 | ROYALFIDELITY 242-356-7764 | CORALISLE 242-502-7525 | LENO 242-396-3225 | BENCHMARK 242-326-7333

NOTICE NOTICE is hereby given that MAGALIE FRANCOIS HUMES of #2 Golden Gates, P.O. Box RC 54802 Nassau, Bahamas is applying to the Minister responsible for Nationality and Citizenship, for Registration Naturalization as a citizen of The Bahamas, and that any person who knows any reason why registration/naturalization should not be granted, should send a written and signed statement of the facts within twenty-eight days from the 18th day of March, 2022 to the Minister responsible for nationality and Citizenship, P.O. Box N-7147, Nassau, New Providence, The Bahamas.

NOTICE

NOTICE is hereby given that MARGO RICHARDS of Carmichael Road, New Providence, The Bahamas is applying to the Minister responsible for Nationality and Citizenship, for Registration Naturalization as a citizen of The Bahamas, and that any person who knows any reason why registration/ naturalization should not be granted, should send a written and signed statement of the facts within twentyeight days from the 10th day of March, 2022 to the Minister responsible for nationality and Citizenship, P.O. Box N-7147, Nassau, New Providence, The Bahamas.

LEGAL NOTICE International Business Companies Act (No. 45 of 2000) JLAP INVESTMENT LTD (the “Company”) In Voluntary Liquidation Notice is hereby given that, in accordance with Section 138 (4) of the International Business Companies Act, (No.45 of 2000), JLAP INVESTMENT LTD (the “Company”) is in Dissolution. The date of commencement of the Dissolution is the 16th March, 2022. Luciane Ribeiro Moreno is the Liquidator and can be contacted at Rua Afonso Braz, 747, AP 41D, Vila Nova Conceição, CEP 04511-011, São Paulo – SP, Brazil. All persons having claims against the above-named Company are required to send their names, addresses and particulars of their debts or claims to the Liquidator before the 15th April, 2022.

Luciane Ribeiro Moreno Liquidator

THE TRIBUNE

Friday, March 18, 2022, PAGE 19

PORT TOUTS ‘20% RISE IN LICENSEE NUMBERS’ FROM PAGE 22 “Two, we had a global pandemic to back that, which significantly decimated the business sector, especially the small business sector, and three, there’s been over-saturation in certain business categories in terms of certain business operations.

“When we conducted a survey of licensees in the aftermath of Dorian, 70 percent of licensees disclosed they did not have insurance or sufficient insurance. That will have led to a number of those having to close their doors as a result of not having coverage to cover costs associated with the damage from Dorian,” Mr Newbold continued.

“On the heels of that we were faced with a pandemic. For the first 16 months of the pandemic,

most businesses in terms of operations came to a standstill and a number of business owners were faced with the burden of having to fund ongoing expenses.

“We live in a free market system, and that system has led to over-saturation in certain categories.

That saturation has been unsustainable for certain businesses. We don’t want to stifle the entrepreneurial spirit of Bahamians, so to encourage diversification we introduced a business licence diversity waiver,” he said.

“A first year licence is discounted by up to 70 percent if they fall outside such categories. Grand Bahamians are the most resilient people, I think, and we’re getting a number of licence applications for new innovative and creative businesses.

“Going into Hurricane Dorian, we had 2,872 licensees. Today, our total licensee count stands at 3,400. That’s an increase of 20 percent [18 percent, sic] in new businesses over the past three years, so we’ll simply let the facts speak for themselves.”

Such statistics are likely to be greeted with scepticism by some observers given that Freeport’s economy has largely been viewed as shrinking for the past 18 years - a trend thought to have been made worse by the devastating blows inflicted on the island

by Hurricane Dorian and COVID-19.

“After Dorian hit, investor confidence was not where anyone would like it to be, but that was understandable given the circumstances,” Mr Newbold said. “To rebuild confidence we spent a great

deal of time speaking to investors, communicating with investors on a regular basis.

“Investors in an advanced stage of the project cycle were having second thoughts about moving forward. Where are we now? Far different from where we were in 2019. As the deputy prime minister said, there’s now evidence of renewed interest in Freeport from investors and we certainly expect that trend to continue.”

Recalling the hurricane’s aftermath, Mr Newbold added: “Immediately following Dorian we conducted an assessment of the business community, dispatching teams to do site visits and meet with business owners. What we discovered was heartwrenching. Seventy percent of businesses surveyed did not have insurance or

sufficient insurance to cover their losses.

“One of the immediate needs was access to capital. We were stirred into action to develop funding and grant programmes in conjunction with our local and international partners.”

This, the GBPA executive added, produced a collective 400 grants worth $3m to Grand Bahama businesses in the storm’s immediate aftermath.

Mr Newbold said Royal Caribbean’s negotiations with Freeport Harbour Company (the GBPA and Hutchison Whampoa) for a cruise berth expansion and adventure-based water theme park were “at the final completion stage”. He also touted investments by Bahama Minerals, a PVC pipe manufacturer, and wealth management and oil and gas firms with Grand Bahama expansion plans.

DPM UNVEILS 1,500 JOB GB CONSTRUCTION BOOM FROM PAGE 22 that Carnival’s potential $200m investment is currently expected to “break ground” this April as the Government works with the cruise line to finalise the necessary construction and environmental approvals.

She added that construction would likely take two-anda-half years, with the project becoming operational in November 2024.

Freeport and Grand Bahama residents, weary of many false dawns and proposed investments that have failed to come through, will likely only believe these projects are for real - and the entrepreneurial and job opportunities that come with them - when they see it. Alluding to this, Mr Cooper yesterday said it was vital to “get shovels in the ground as quickly as possible”.

“I’m happy I have some good news for you this morning. I know you don’t get good news often,” Mr Cooper told attendees.

“Firstly, after much effort on the part of the Davis administration and my ministry, we are nearing the end of the process to sell the Grand Lucayan. Five bidders are to present to the Grand Lucayan Board this coming Sunday, after which we intend to enter exclusive negotiations with one of them for the sale of the resort.

“Vision, financing capacity, the speed of mobilisation, and the commitment to a shared vision for Grand Bahama will be the over-arching factors that will inform our selection of the bidder with whom we will partner. We have set a deadline for the conclusion of the negotiations. We have a firm date in early April to seal the agreement and for the conclusion of discussions to be over. I assure you, ladies and gentlemen, we will not tarry.”

Such tight timelines for selling what is a complex asset, with a long history of loss-making, will likely be regarded as ambitious and difficult to achieve by some given that it is now mid-March and the end of April is just six to seven

weeks away with Easter in the middle.

However, Mr Cooper added: “We anticipate during the construction phase of redevelopment there will be up to 500 new jobs, and this is why we must expedite these discussions to the point where we get shovels in the ground as quickly as possible.

“We anticipate that, once the sale closes quickly, we believe the Grand Lucayan will be fully on stream by 2024. We anticipate some aspects of the property will come on stream before that, adding additional jobs and expediting the tourism rebound for Grand Bahama.” No figures were provided for the likely number of full-time jobs that will created given that this will be determined by the winning bidder once the deal closes.

Acknowledging that the Grand Lucayan’s sale and Grand Bahama International Airport’s revitalisation are inextricably linked, Mr Cooper said: “For Freeport to fully take advantage of a redeveloped Grand Lucayan resort, and some significant projects like it, we need a worldclass airport that makes flying into Grand Bahama easy and affordable.”

The deputy prime minister added that there was “no reason” why it was cheaper to fly to Nassau from Florida than it was to travel to Grand Bahama, given that the time and distance to the latter is shorter.

Similarly, he asserted that “there’s no good reason there’s few direct flights to Grand Bahama”.

And, in a swipe at the former Minnis administration, Mr Cooper said: “By now we ought to have seen repairs that preserved our pre-clearance facility.”

With generators and a new elevator for the airport’s control tower on order, and additional funding set to be released by the Government to effect further repairs, he added that the planned transformation - via PPP - should help persuade US Customs and Border Patrol to return preclearance to Freeport.

Confirming that the RFP tender, which will solicit private sector bids to transform the Government-owned Grand Bahama International Airport, “begins on March 28”, the deputy prime minister said the Government is seeking a partner “to create a world-class airport and strong entry way into Grand Bahama”.

“We’re encouraging all Bahamians groups who have been approaching me over the last several months to engage in this process directly,” Mr Cooper said. “I have indicated to the Department of Aviation this must not be a protracted exercise. The people of Grand Bahama have suffered long enough, and I expect this process to close in 30 days. We expect there to be 500 jobs in the construction phase.”

Similarly, Mr Cooper said of Carnival’s cruise port: “We expect there will be 500 jobs at the peak of construction. We will not tarry to ensure we work with these developers to get shovels in the

NOTICE

NOTICE is hereby given that ULTIDE DOCTEUR-JOHNSON of #42E Hearn Lane, Freeport, Grand Bahama, The Bahamas is applying to the Minister responsible for Nationality and Citizenship, for Registration Naturalization as a citizen of The Bahamas, and that any person who knows any reason why registration/ naturalization should not be granted, should send a written and signed statement of the facts within twentyeight days from the 11th day of March, 2022 to the Minister responsible for nationality and Citizenship, P.O. Box N-7147, Nassau, New Providence, The Bahamas.

ASSOCIATE ATTORNEY NEEDED

ground.” He left further details to Mrs Moxey, who described Grand Bahama International Airport as “priority number one” for the Government amid all the Family Island airports it inherited from the Minnis administration.

Turning to Carnival, the minister for Grand Bahama said: “Today, I am also pleased to announce that we have been working in partnership with Carnival Corporation on finalising all permits and approvals to start the Grand Bahama port project.

“Carnival has shared that they are committed to developing a Bahamian experience at this port, at this project, which will provide opportunities for many entrepreneurs and employment for the Bahamian people, both during the construction period - which is expected to last two-anda-half years and during the operations of the port once open, which is now scheduled for November 2024.

“We have made significant headway in our discussions and are close to finalising all that is needed

“We have just approved terms for a multi-purpose business centre to be established downtown,” Mr Newbold said. “We have just agreed terms on a critical piece of the Port Lucaya Marina and Resort deal.

This project will be transformational for Port Lucaya and Freeport in general.”

Approvals for Weller Development’s mixeduse resort and residential project at Discovery Bay are also being processed, while the full build-out for Western Atlantic University School of Medicine’s campus is pegged at $200m.

Elsewhere, Ginger Moxey, minister for Grand Bahama, referred to a $450m investment by Grand Agri-Haven that had been approved for eastern Lucaya although no details were provided at yesterday’s conference. to start the project and, with that said, I am happy to say we are now targeting a ground-breaking ceremony this coming May 2022. Yes, this is a major milestone.”

Carnival previously said its proposed Grand Port will be able to accommodate two 6,000-passenger cruise vessels at the same time, with 1,200 full-time jobs created between the cruise line, local concession holders and spin-off opportunities.

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PAGE 20, Friday, March 18, 2022

THE TRIBUNE

EX-DPM: LUCAYAN DEAL NOT HUTCHISON ‘BAIL OUT’ FROM PAGE 22 top”, he argued that the Government “did not have the luxury of sitting on the sidelines” when confronted with a resort owner that was “playing hardball” in summer 2018 over the hotel’s future.

Affirming that “the threat to mothball the entire property was real”, Mr Turnquest said the Government’s intervention was critical to prevent a second Royal Oasis-type situation where Freeport’s two largest resort properties closed indefinitely and took much of Grand Bahama’s tourism economy with it.

Appearing in a panel discussion with other former Grand Bahama Chamber of Commerce presidents, he hit back after one of his successors, moderator Kevin Seymour, questioned whether Hutchison Whampoa should continue to enjoy “significant” tax breaks and incentives on its remaining Freeport assets despite walking away from its responsibilities at the Grand Lucayan and airport by effectively dumping these assets on the Bahamian taxpayer.

Suggesting that the Hong Kong-based conglomerate had “abandoned” these ventures, Mr Seymour

challenged: “Do you believe the Government of The Bahamas should have bailed out this private investor who continues to enjoy significant concessions under the Hawksbill Creek Agreement regarding its investments in Grand Bahama Development Company (DevCo), Freeport Container Port and the Freeport Harbour Company.”

In response, Mr Turnquest said: “The reality is to term it a bail-out is a bit over-the-top. The fact is there was an asset sitting there that had the potential to stimulate Grand Bahama but, by its closure, had the potential to sink Grand Bahama. The Government of the day decided to take a chance and acquire that asset, and we negotiated with respect to that.

“Hutchison Whampoa, whatever you may think of them, had invested many millions of dollars in the property, both human resources support and physical infrastructure. They had lost a lot of money on that property. In a dynamic free market they ought to suffer that loss on the chin.”

Successive governments, though, had for years propped up the Grand Lucayan through a combination of subsidies and

tax breaks amounting to between $15m-$20m per year. This, though, merely narrowed - but did not stop - the financial bleeding incurred by the conglomerate and its Cheung Kong Holdings affiliate, which holds its resort and real estate investments.

Mr Turnquest, meanwhile, argued that the Grand Lucayan’s wider economic significance meant that Grand Bahama could not afford for the resort to be shut indefinitely given the negative impact on employment and the likes of Port Lucaya Marketplace vendors.

“The Government did not have the luxury of sitting on the sidelines, particularly when the entity involved is playing hardball,” he asserted. “It was never the intent to hold the property long-term. We’ve held it a little longer than we’d like to, but the pandemic came along and gummed up the works on this and other developments.

“Them taking the insurance was all part of the negotiations. They had suffered a loss, we needed the asset. There’s a happy medium there.” Citing the trade-off the then-government elected to make, Mr Turnquest added that he would “leave it to history”

to judge “whether a good deal was made”. However, he reiterated that the move enabled The Bahamas to “take control of assets” including a critical piece of infrastructure - that are vital to Grand Bahama’s economic future.

The Minnis administration signed the Grand Lucayan sales agreement with the ITM Group/Royal Caribbean joint venture just weeks before The Bahamas, cruise industry and rest of the world were placed into COVID19 lockdown. Without the pandemic’s intervention, the Government’s strategy gamble of acquiring the resort and quickly turning it over to a new buyer may have succeeded.

However, ITM/Royal Caribbean used COVID’s devastating economic fallout to water down the terms of the deal in its favour. The Grand Lucayan became secondary to efforts to redevelop Freeport Harbour, while the timelines for redeveloping the hotel were pushed back to such an extent that the benefits to the Bahamian people were heavily diluted.

The ITM/Royal Caribbean deal was subsequently terminated by mutual agreement shortly after the Davis administration was

elected to office. A new sales process was initiated which, this Sunday, will see five selected bidders present their visions for the property’s redevelopment to the Government-appointed Board. Including the $65m purchase price, taxpayers have pumped in over $150m to keep the Grand Lucayan afloat, including covering the monthly $1m$2m operating losses.

Reiterating that the arguments over Hutchison Whampoa being allowed to pocket insurance payouts from hurricanes Matthew and Dorian were “a very slippery slope”, Mr Turnquest said: “Again, the value of the asset acquired is certainly more than the insurance recovery on that.

“I don’t intend to get into the details of the negotiations. At the end of the day, the intent was to get control of the asset because the threat to close down the resort and mothball it was real. Putting those persons out of work and mothballing the entire property was akin to the Royal Oasis, and everyone knows the result of that.

“We couldn’t allow that to happen. We negotiated accordingly to acquire the asset. A number was settled on, and it was done.”

The Royal Oasis was closed

in 2004 in the aftermath of hurricanes Frances and Jeanne, and has remained shuttered ever since, deteriorating into its present dilapidated state despite being acquired by Irish property developer, Harcourt Developments, in 2007.

Mick Holding, who was Grand Bahama Chamber of Commerce president between 2017-2019, backed the Minnis administration’s move to acquire the Grand Lucayan. He told the Outlook conference: “I was very supportive of that move. They made the right decision at the right time. The fact the ultimate sale has not happened yet is irrelevant. At the time they bought it, it was the right thing to do.”

Barry Malcolm, who held the presidency from 2012-2014, said he “fully understands the logic and rationale” behind the former government’s decision to act. He added that terms such as “Hutchison played hardball” and its threatened “abandonment of the property” perfectly illustrated the “dilemma” that The Bahamas faced as a small country dealing with powerful, deep-pocketed investors from the world’s most developed economies.

MINISTER TO GIVE DERELICT BUILDING FIGHT EXTRA ‘TEETH’ FROM PAGE 22 are seeing the value of their assets undermined while the dilapidated structures themselves can be used to facilitate drugs and crime.

Nakira Wilchcombe, the GBPA’s vice-president of building and development services, in addressing the same conference, described dilapidated and derelict properties as “a sore topic” given the obstacles

encountered in trying to tackle the issue.

Besides legal challenges launched by property owners to prevent their structures from being demolished, the Port Authority was also struggling to recoup its costs if it was forced to remove them itself. “Derelict buildings around the city have been a sore topic for us at the GBPA,” she said.

The GBPA executive said it first gives derelict

PUBLIC NOTICE

INTENT TO CHANGE NAME BY DEED POLL The Public is hereby advised that I, Lashanda Riley of Carmichael Road, New Providence, Bahamas, mother of MAHIO BLANC RILEY a minor, intends to change her name to LOGAN RILEY. If there are any objections to this change of name by Deed Poll, you may write such objections to the Deputy Chief Passport Officer, P.O. Box N-742, Nassau, Bahamas no later than thirty (30) days after the date of publication of this notice.

property owners the chance to effect the necessary repairs, restoration and upgrades. When that fails to produce the desired results, it then does its own assessments as well as seeking opinions from the likes of external structural engineers to determine if such properties need to be torn down.

“If they suggest it should be demolished, we issue a notice to the owner,” Ms Wilchcombe said. “It is often subject to legal challenge, which adds an extra layer to the challenge we have to deal with these derelict structures.” She added that court actions by owners/landlords ensure potential demolitions “quickly become a lengthy process because it is embroiled in litigation”.

Taking encouragement from Mrs Moxey’s pledge to work with the GBPA on changing Freeport’s

Bye-Laws Act, Ms Wilchcombe added that the quasi-governmental authority’s struggle to recoup demolition costs from derelict property owners was further frustrating efforts to clean-up the city. “Our hands are tied in many cases,” she said. “The key is amending legislation that allows us to do demolitions quicker.”

Mick Holding, the Grand Bahama Chamber of Commerce’s president between 2017-2019, backed the GBPA over the barriers it faces to combating derelict buildings. Besides often having difficulty in identifying a property’s true owner, he acknowledged the challenge such persons have in accepting the need for their buildings to be torn down.

“They’ve had a great deal of difficulty with that,” Mr Holding said, agreeing that the GBPA also faces problems when “it goes to the expense of demolishing buildings and not being able to recover that from the owner or anyone else.

“They’ve been trying to get the bye-laws amended, and have been working with the Attorney General’s Office for years now, literally years, to get the bye-laws changed to give

them more freedom to demolish buildings,” he added.

Ms Wilchcombe, though, indicated that the GBPA - and Grand Bahama had enjoyed more success in tackling the estimated 14,000 derelict vehicles left by Hurricane Dorian’s 20-foot storm surges.

“We have never seen the unprecedented amount of cars we saw after Dorian.

There were at least 14,000 cars around the island,” she said.

“It’s an enormous task that will not be done overnight. Two companies, budding entrepreneurs involved in the recycling business for derelict vehicles, contracted to collect, process and flatten these vehicles for export. One of the companies has been able to export close to 3,000 vehicles. Of the 14,000, there’s 3,000 less on the island.

“We want to promote efforts like that. We’re on our way to tackling this derelict vehicle issue. We need people to have patience with us. The large number on the island, it’s creating not a sprint but a marathon to deal with these issues.”

Philcher Grant, Grand Bahama Utility Company’s

GINGER MOXEY (GBUC) chief operating officer, and head of public affairs for the GBPA, said Dorian’s 20-foot storm surge and flooding had contaminated the wellfield that produced some 60-70 percent of the island’s potable water supply prior to the Category Five storm.

Asserting that Grand Bahama had one of the most “abundant water systems in the world” prior to Dorian, she added that the wellfields would likely take at least a generation to recover from their mauling.

This drove Grand Bahama Utility Company to make the $5m reverse osmosis investment and ensure the water supplier has sufficient resilience to keep operating should a similar disaster strike in future.

THE TRIBUNE

Friday, March 18, 2022, PAGE 21

PROPER BUDGETING KEY TO BUSINESS GROWTH T

he month of March usually signals the start of budget hearings and defences throughout the government sector. Proper justification for monies required, and how they will be spent, is crucial if a business is going to succeed and grow.

A budget is a tool to track when and how you earn or spend money. Creating a budget is an important pillar of your overall success and security. It allows you to oversee, and better understand, whether your business has enough revenue (incoming money) to pay its expenses. Using a budget can help you make more informed financial decisions.

For example, if you know how much money you earned and spent every week for the last several months, you will know how much you can afford to spend if you want to hire a new employee.

Budgeting is an ongoing process rather than a one-time exercise because your business revenue and expenses could change at any time. Revisit and rework your budget monthly, quarterly or after changes to your business, such as big expenses, occur.

This will help you stay on track to achieve your goals.

Here are some of the ways your company’s budget can help: * Set short and long-term goals for business growth * Track revenue, expenses and cash flow * Trim costs to avoid overspending * Prepare for busy seasons and slowdowns * Maintain a record of finances This week, our column focuses on tips for creating and utilising a well-prepared budget. Here are the top seven: 1. Examine the reasons why you need a budget

This is not just a vain exercise. Are you trying to reduce unnecessary spending, save money or seeking to pay off outstanding debts? Your motive will help lay for the foundation for the process.

2. Know exactly how much money you make before planning your budget Before planning a budget, you need to know exactly how much money you can spend each month.

3. Create your budget around your longer-term financial goals Although the decision to implement a budget may be based on short-term requirements, a budget must also factor in longer term goals such as saving up for an emergency fund, buying property, paying off debt, saving for vacations, saving for retirement or other similar goals.

4. Find ways to track all of your expenses

One of the most important things to do when planning a budget is to know exactly how much you are spending each month and on what.

5. Decide how much you want to save each month If your budget plans include saving up for various future goals, you need to clearly determine how much of your monthly income goes into each goal.

You can do this by first determining how much of your income you want to save each month, and then dividing that amount according to your priorities.

6. Create a buffer for emergencies When you are planning your budget, it is a good idea to create an extra category for emergency expenses. While you cannot plan for these unexpected expenses, you can still prepare for them by setting aside some extra cash for emergencies. You could call this category

“miscellaneous” and use it only when necessary without having to take money away from a different part of your budget.

7.

Have realistic expectations In order to implement your plan successfully, it is important to create a budget that is not too tight or challenging to stick to.

It is best to carefully assess your expectations and create a budget that will give you enough freedom to live without worrying about your expenses.

8. Constantly review your budget If you managed to create and implement a budget, the hard work is already done. However, the budget you created based on past habits likely needs adjustments over time as you gradually discover ways to make it more efficient.

Your income and expenses are also likely to change periodically, so it is best to review your budget at least

NEW DISTILLERY’S BOSS URGES WATER, POWER IMPROVEMENT

By YOURI KEMP Tribune Business Reporter ykemp@tribunemedia.net A GRAND Bahama businessman said yesterday water quality and electricity services need improving if the island is to attract further investment.

Alan Bassett, the newly-launched Bahamas Distilling Company’s chairman and chief executive, told the Grand Bahama Business Outlook conference that of the challenges

he has encountered: “One of them would be power and water. I think that the water quality has absolutely improved in the last year since we’ve been coming to The Bahamas and working on this, but there’s still some room for improvement.

“I feel like the cost of electricity is a challenge for businesses moving forward and, in Grand Bahama and in Freeport, I think that’s something that our leadership really needs to pay close attention to.”

EX-CHAMBER CHIEF PEGS GB JOBLESS RATE AT 35% FROM PAGE 22 Meanwhile, David Skentelbery, the Grand Bahama Shipyard’s chief executive, voiced concerns that the influx of ship’s crew and technicians when the business gets back to full operational capacity could place further strain on the island’s already stressed fresh water system.

Identifying challenges with the island’s supporting infrastructure, especially Grand Bahama International Airport and hospital facilities, he said: “Because of the hurricanes, we have difficulties with the airport.

It’s the way to get customers and technicians in and out in a timely manner.

While that has improved a little, we’ve got a long way to go.”

While the Grand Bahama Shipyard is operating at reduced capacity due to the loss of two docks in 2019, via a combination of accident and Hurricane Dorian, Mr Skentelbery warned the “airport at the moment is a barrier” with the need for “airlift capacity” set to potentially ramp up significantly once its cruise ship business returns in earnest.

He also voiced concern about the capacity of Grand Bahama’s hospital facilities, adding: “God forbid there should be a major incident.”

While the imminent arrival of Doctors Hospital’s “flagship” facility at the First Commercial Centre may help ease these fears, and the Government this year plans to break ground on a replacement for the Rand, the Shipyard chief said the state of the island’s medical assets was “worrying and concerning”.

And, once Grand Bahama Shipyard’s two new docks arrive, and it is restored to 100 percent operational capacity, Mr Skentelbery said the influx of crew and contractors could place unbearable strain on Grand Bahama’s potable water infrastructure. He added that a new vessel’s arrival, and crew change, could swell Grand Bahama’s population temporarily by 8,000 - a number equivalent to possibly 20 percent of its 40,000-50,000 strong population.

“We are planning on getting new docks. These will be among the biggest in the world, and will take the largest cruise ships in the world,” he explained.

“One of the big issues we are seeing...is fresh water.

That’s a considerable burden on the island’s potable water system, so that’s a big challenge in the future.”

Mr Skentelbery said the Grand Bahama Shipyard had managed the COVID19 pandemic such that only three employees were off work with the virus at any one time despite the nature of the business involving “people working on top of each other”.

However, he also warned that the dry dock investment was “not signed in stone yet”. Both the Davis and Minnis administrations have already touted this $350m expansion of the Shipyard, while Tribune Business reported that up to $80m of the required capital could be raised in the Bahamian capital markets, with the proceeds used to prepare the site to receive the docks that are being constructed in Asia

IAN FERGUSON once every month or two.

This will make it more efficient and realistic, allowing you to put your money to better use.

• NB: Ian R Ferguson is a talent management and organisational development consultant, having completed graduate studies with regional and international universities. He has served organsations, both locally and globally, providing relevant solutions to their business growth and development issues. He may be contacted at tcconsultants@coralwave.com.

Acknowledging that electricity is a “fairly big part” of any business, especially manufacturing, Mr Bassett said: “For the cost of power, I’m not really sure what the solutions to that are. I think that solar power is one area where advancements and technology are improving such that it’s probably a good, viable option for businesses on Freeport or in Grand Bahama.

“Moving forward, I think it would be a really good idea for local authorities there to look at that and see

how they can incentivise that...... perhaps some way of subsidising that. I know here in the US there are different options for financing those with governmentbacked low interest loans, and making it sensible and viable for businesses to look at solar power as a long-term strategy. I think that that could really be in Grand Bahama’s interest to pursue those sorts of avenues.”

Mr Bassett continued: “People often talk about Grand Bahama as if there’s

a challenge with labour.

My own view is that that isn’t a challenge. I think that our goal in the distillery is to hire people at the ground level. We’re going to be doing five to 10 hires here in the next couple of weeks, and we’re looking to engage people at ground level rather than bringing in marketing specialists.”

While there may not be sufficient Bahamian distillers available, he added: “If we could engage people on the ground level, and promote and grow those people

into those roles, I think that if we bring in 10 people and identify their skills and aptitudes and talents, and really focus on what they’re good at and grow and promote those people, in those areas and strengths, I think that’s the way any business anywhere would like to grow.

“There seems to be a lot of things in the pipeline, a lot of possibilities.

So I’m anticipating with excitement the redevelopment of the airport and the [Grand] Lucayan, and I think that those are going to be two key things for us moving forward. Our goal as a distillery is to become a destination distillery.”

and will arrive in the 2022 second half.

Giora Israel, Carnival Corporation’s senior vicepresident for port and destination development, last year told this newspaper that Grand Bahama Shipyard will become “the biggest industrial concern in the Caribbean by far” if it proceeds with the investment to build the world’s largest floating dock.

He added that the Shipyard and its owners were currently exploring the “options and opportunities” to build such a dock in China to replace the one that was lost in April 2019’s accident.

Acknowledging that the COVID-19 pandemic’s devastating fall-out has impacted the ability of the Shipyard’s cruise line shareholders to fund this investment directly, he added that some financing may be raised in The Bahamas to help cover the costs of associated land-based infrastructure work that would accompany the new dock.

Mr Israel, who sits on the Shipyard’s Board representing Carnival as a 40 percent shareholder, with the remaining ownership split 40/20 between Royal Caribbean and the Grand Bahama Port Authority’s Port Group Ltd, said investing in a larger dock was under consideration prior to the April 2019 accident involving the Oasis of the Seas cruise liner.

He added that shareholders had been anticipating “building a larger dock” in response to the increasing size of cruise ships that would have been “the biggest floating dock in the Americas”.

Subsequent inquiries confirmed that such a dock has to be built in Asia rather than Europe, but the cruise industry’s enforced COVID-19 closure and billions of

dollars in losses has disrupted financing plans.

“We are looking at our options and opportunities to build such a dock in China,” Mr Israel said at the time. “The COVID-19 situation put a strain on the

ability of the shareholders to directly fund it. We’re looking at various options and opportunities as to how to build it and fund it. We’re looking at this process.

“We have to talk to the Government in due course

as we get more advanced in this process. It [the dock] will definitely be the biggest in the world; by far the biggest in the world. We have a lot of engineers working on it. We have to bring it over from China.”

business@tribunemedia.net

FRIDAY, MARCH 18, 2022

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DPM unveils 1,500 job GB construction boom

By NEIL HARTNELL Tribune Business Editor nhartnell@tribunemedia.net

• Grand Lucayan, Carnival and airport to each generate 500 • Five bidders to present on resort; sale close target of April • Thirty-day airport RFP issued March 28; May for port start

FREEPORT is poised for a two-year construction boom that will create 1,500 total jobs at peak build-out if major investment projects come to fruition, the deputy prime minister revealed yesterday.

Chester Cooper, also minister of tourism, investments and aviation, disclosed in a recorded address to the Grand Bahama Business Outlook conference that Carnival’s proposed cruise port, the Grand Lucayan’s sale and revitalisation, and the planned airport transformation will each create 500 construction jobs once they get going.

Disclosing that the search for a Grand Lucayan purchaser has been narrowed to five bidders, each of whom will present their plans for the resort to its

government-appointed Board on Sunday, he said the Government had set an April date to close negotiations on a sale with the selected buyer.

Mr Cooper, suggesting that the resort will be “fully on stream by 2024”, with parts of the redeveloped property open sooner, pledged that the Davis administration would be just swift in moving to repair Grand Bahama International given that its status as the island’s leading

stopover gateway is vital to the Grand Lucayan’s success.

The Request for Proposal (RFP) process, seeking an investor to transform the key infrastructure asset via a design, finance build and manage private-public partnership (PPP), will launch on March 28 with bids to be submitted within a tight 30-day deadline.

Promising that the Davis administration “will not tarry” or delay in efforts to revive Grand Bahama’s

A FORMER Grand Bahama Chamber of Commerce president yesterday estimated that the island’s post-COVID jobless rate is “hovering” around 35 percent given the absence of official data.

Kevin Seymour, who moderated two panel discussions at the Grand Bahama Business Outlook conference, suggested that more than one in three Grand Bahamians seeking work is unable to find it after his attempts to obtain figures from the National Statistical Institute (former Department of Statistics) failed to yield results.

economy, Mr Cooper said he had also reiterated the Government’s support for Carnival’s Grand Port project at Sharp Rock to the cruise line.

Ginger Moxey, minister for Grand Bahama, in an earlier address to the same conference, revealed

SEE PAGE 19

“If I had to conservatively guess, I would imagine the unemployment rate hovers around 35 percent; somewhere in that area,” he said during both debates, one of which involved fellow former Chamber heads, and the other representatives of key industrial players on Grand Bahama.

SEE PAGE 21

KEVIN SEYMOUR

Port touts ‘20% rise in licensee numbers’

By NEIL HARTNELL Tribune Business Editor nhartnell@tribunemedia.net A GRAND Bahama Port Authority (GBPA) executive yesterday sought to refute assertions that “hundreds of businesses are closing every year in Freeport” by pointing to a near-20 percent increase in licensees since Hurricane Dorian.

Derek Newbold, the quasi-governmental authority’s chief investment officer, told the Grand Bahama Business Outlook conference that business licensees registered with the GBPA had increased from 2,872 pre-Dorian to some 3,400 today.

While not providing details on the increase, he added that the GBPA is trying to diversify the economy away from “over saturated” industries by giving entrepreneurs up to a 70 percent discount on their first-year licence fee if they start a business outside these markets.

Responding to the claims of mass business closures in Freeport’s already-troubled economy, Mr Newbold said: “There are three major factors that have negatively impacted the business community over the past six years. One is that we didn’t expect the catastrophic hurricanes we’ve had over that period.

SEE PAGE 19

Minister to give derelict building fight extra ‘teeth’

By NEIL HARTNELL Tribune Business Editor nhartnell@tribunemedia.net A CABINET minister yesterday pledged to “give teeth” to efforts to tackle Freeport’s derelict building woes, with Grand Bahama Port Authority (GBPA) executives complaining: “Our hands are tied.”

Ginger Moxey, minister for Grand Bahama, told the island’s Business Outlook conference that the Davis administration was working with Freeport’s quasi-governmental regulator to amend the city’s environmental bye-laws so that such eyesores can be dealt with much more rapidly.

“Since coming to office, this administration has had numerous meetings with the GBPA with respect to issues impacting the island of Grand Bahama,” she said. “We are also working with the GBPA on environmental bye-laws, and giving teeth to the vexing issue of dilapidated structures.”

Freeport’s derelict building problems, which have been worsened by the impact of catastrophic hurricanes such as Dorian and Matthew, have left parts of the city looking extremely rundown. Besides being a potential turn-off for investors, other property owners

SEE PAGE 20

GRAND LUCAYAN RESORT

Ex-DPM: Lucayan deal not Hutchison ‘bail out’

CHESTER COOPER

Ex-Chamber chief pegs GB jobless rate at 35%

By NEIL HARTNELL Tribune Business Editor nhartnell@tribunemedia.net

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• Then-Gov’t acted as closure would ‘sink GB’ • Threat by investor ‘playing hardball’ was real • ‘Should ex-owner still enjoy HCA tax breaks?’

By NEIL HARTNELL Tribune Business Editor nhartnell@tribunemedia.net THE Government had no choice but to acquire the Grand Lucayan resort because its threatened closure “had the potential to sink Grand Bahama”, the former deputy prime minister argued yesterday.

K P Turnquest, in an impassioned defence at the Grand Bahama Business Outlook conference, pushed back at suggestions that the former Minnis administration had “bailed out” Hutchison Whampoa by relieving it of two loss-making assets - the resort and Grand Bahama International Airport - while letting the multi-billion conglomerate walk away with millions of dollars in Hurricane Dorian insurance proceeds over the latter deal.

Branding such a description of the $65m Grand Lucayan purchase as “a bit over the

SEE PAGE 20