03202023 NEWS AND SPORT

Hanna Martin must support RCI decision or leave, says Pintard

By JADE RUSSELL Tribune Staff Reporter jrussell@tribunemedia.net

PRIME Minister Philip

“Brave” Davis last night said Education Minister Glenys Hanna Martin did not violate the Ministerial Code when she expressed opposing views to the Royal Caribbean project approved by the government. His comments came as the FNM said that Mrs Hanna Martin had to resign under Cabinet rules if she

was unwilling to stand united with her colleagues.

Mrs Hanna Martin said on Friday her views have not changed on the $110m beach club project on Paradise Island, saying she did not support it during the Minnis administration and her opinion remains the same.

In a statement from the Office of the Prime Minister, Mr Davis said:

“In recent days, there

CHRISTIE: BE CAREFUL ON FAVOURING CRUISE LINES

By EARYEL BOWLEG Tribune Staff Reporter ebowleg@tribunemedia.net

FORMER Prime Minister Perry Christie said there should be a “New Providence experience” – and that “we have to exercise the greatest care” in being partial to a cruise line.

Mr Christie answered a series of questions from The Tribune on Friday in relation to the approval by

the government of Royal Caribbean’s $110m beach club resort project for Paradise Island.

Education Minister Glenys Hanna Martin recently said her views have not changed on Royal Caribbean International’s $110m project for Paradise Island. She said she did not support it during the Minnis administration and her

By JADE RUSSELL Tribune Staff Reporter jrussell@tribunemedia.net

THREE men were shot and killed in separate incidents over the weekend, pushing the country’s murder count to 21 for the year, according to the Tribune’s record.

The three incidents happened less than 24 hours apart on Saturday, with the last two incidents both taking place around 9.30pm in different locations.

This country’s latest murder occurred shortly after 9.37pm when a man sitting outside his friend’s residence was shot dead in Samson Street, Nassau

Village.

Many bystanders crowded in the streets anxiously watching, with some holding back tears as police entered the scene.

“The victim was sitting on a scooter on the outside of a friend’s residence. It was during this time, that he was approached by a male who produced a handgun and opened fire on him. This resulted in the

PM: MINISTER DID NOT BREACH CODE WEEKEND SCARRED BY THREE MURDERS

By NEIL HARTNELL Tribune Business Editor nhartnell@tribunemedia.net

THE PRINCIPAL behind the controversial $5.5bn Oban Energies oil refinery deal, Peter Krieger, has agreed to be sanctioned and pay fines after being accused of defrauding investors in the project of some $5.2m without admitting or denying the allegations.

OBAN EXEC FINED IN $5.2M FRAUD CLAIM AGREEMENT OVER

$3M PAID OUT TO CHINESE RESORT COMPANY

By NEIL HARTNELL Tribune Business Editor nhartnell@tribunemedia.net

THE CHINA Construction America (CCA) owned entity that developed The Pointe in downtown Nassau purportedly received $3.362m in “gifts or charitable contributions” from Sam Bankman-Fried’s private trading arm in a series of payments between January 14, 2022, and July 29, 2022.

‘Bahamas refused entry to my girlfriend and her sister thinking they were sex workers’

AFTER two Moldovan women were refused entry to The Bahamas at Lynden Pindling International Airport, the boyfriend of one has turned to the international media to complain that officials here assumed the pair were sex workers.

Miami-based real estate developer Hal “Nuby” Sears, 64, told the New York Post that he had planned to propose to girlfriend Darina

Pinzaru, 25, during a voyage on his yacht last month – but she was refused entry to The Bahamas, along with her sister, Ina, 36.

He said they had been refused entry by a female immigration official, who reportedly told them: “I know why you’re here.”

The sisters reportedly had all necessary requirements for entry to The Bahamas, including hotel reservations

and future itineraries.

The older sister was reportedly initially granted entry but then the younger sister was stopped. Both were then reportedly taken to the airport’s immigration office for questioning.

Darina told the New York Post: “We were treated like criminals. They even threatened to put us in jail.”

Mr Sears said the Four Seasons’ Ocean Club head of

security joined him at the airport and spoke to the head immigration officer but he said they were told: “They’re not in, they are out… I have information, they’re not coming in.”

Older sister Ina said to the New York Post: “This lady, the head of immigration,

came out and she said ‘Yeah, I know your culture. I know why you’re here. We don’t want you here, and you’ll never set foot on Bahamian land.”

Ina said she could only assume that the head of immigration thought they were sex workers. Both

sisters were put on a flight back to London. A complaint has reportedly been filed with the Bahamas embassy in London. Mr Sears told the New York Post that he wanted an apology from the Bahamas government, “but we’re never going to get it”.

HAL SEARS Yacht, ‘Amici’ | SISTERS Darina and Ina Pinzaru

HAL Sears and girlfriend Darina Pinzaru

PM: Minister did not breach code

has been anxious and mischievous commentary, concerning comments made by the Minister of Education, Hon Glenys Hanna Martin in relation to the draft deal with the Royal Caribbean Cruise Line (RCCL).”

The statement continued: “All Bahamians will have shared my experience of Minister Hanna Martin that, in her long and valued career in politics, she has always advocated powerfully, passionately and with integrity, on behalf of the Bahamian people. In this instance, she has behaved no differently, when she reiterated her previously publicly expressed views regarding the pending RCCL application.”

Mr Davis in the statement noted the project’s deal is still under review, pending the outcome of the Environmental Impact Assessment. “This is an important

component of the final decision, as we remain committed to ensuring that any decision we make is in the best interests of our country and its people, while also protecting our natural resources for future generations.”

“As such, it is my clear view that she has not violated the Ministerial Code.” Mrs Davis added the Education Minister continues to make contributions to the national development and has his full confidence to continue doing so.

While in opposition in 2021, Mrs Hanna-Martin called the proposal “harebrained”. She hit out at the Minnis administration for “kicking a Bahamian developer to the curb” in favour of the cruise line.

It was recently announced that the revised proposal was approved by the Davis administration, and the Prime Minister said developers are expected to break ground “almost immediately”.

Hours earlier, Free

National Movement leader Michael Pintard called for the resignation of Mrs Hanna Martin, arguing her public opposing position on the project exposed the dysfunction of Davis’s Cabinet.

He said: “Minister Glenys Hanna Martin’s public comments regarding her personal position on the Royal Caribbean Paradise Island project matter once again exposes the dysfunction of Davis’s Cabinet.

“It is a well-known and

universally acceptable principle of Westminster governance that Cabinet shares collective responsibility for all decisions of the Cabinet. Regardless of the personal position of a Minister, he or she must publicly support the decisions of Cabinet or leave the Cabinet.”

The FNM leader argued a minister must publicly support the decisions of Cabinet regardless of their own position on the matter or leave the Cabinet.

Essentially, Cabinet ministers are expected to have a united front on all decisions to the public based on the Manuel of Cabinet and Ministry Procedure.

Mr Pintard said Mrs Hanna Martin is well aware of this principle, and also pointed out two key clauses of the manual.

It reads: “A fundamental principle of ‘Cabinet Government’ is unity. It is important to present a united front to the public; if any Minister feels conscientiously unable to support a

decision taken by Cabinet, he has one course open to him and that is to resign his office.”

The statement continued: “So long as a Minister remains a Minister, he may not speak in public or in private against a decision of Cabinet or against an individual decision of another Minister. As he is a member of the Government Bench in the House of Assembly or in the Senate, he must not speak or vote on any measure debated in either House otherwise. than on the lines agreed by Cabinet.”

Mr Pintard said Mrs Hanna Martin is not prepared to live up to the terms of her employment, “and believes the prime minister based on his handling of the Alfred Sears and Jobeth Coleby-Davis matters does not have the courage to fire her,” he noted.

In 2020, while in opposition, it was reported that Prime Minister Philip “Brave” Davis declared that a PLP government would cancel any lease granted

to RCI for Crown land to develop its beach club project. However, after the Progressive Liberal Party won the 2021 general election, officials said Mr Davis was seeking a compromise in the Crown land row.

Recently, Mr Davis said his administration has ensured that Bahamians have more involvement in the controversial project and said it was approved so that visitors have more activities. Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Tourism Chester Cooper has said regarding the Crown land being leased to RCI, the government plans to also convert this asset into an ownership stake in the development that would be held by the country’s sovereign wealth fund. According to Mr Cooper “the project will cover 17 acres – of which 13 acres represent privately held land and some four acres of Crown land that was included in the lease to RCI by the former administration”.

CHRISTIE: THERE NEEDS TO BE A ‘NEW PROVIDENCE EXPERIENCE’

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opinion remains the same.

The former Prime Minister admitted he has shared his views on the subject with Prime Minister Philip “Brave” Davis.

He said: “One of the challenges I’ve always had with cruise lines is that I accepted their argument that they needed a destination within The Bahamas where they could put a special experience in place. In the case of Royal Caribbean, that was done in the Berry Islands. I think they put a major investment there. I never saw that as important for New Providence.

“What was important for New Providence to me was not to be victim of the argument that people have very little to do because huge numbers are now coming through cruise ships but to improve the experience so that the greatest number of people are able to access the revenue that is available from cruise passengers as opposed to having a limited experience, peculiar to Royal Caribbean or any other cruise ship.”

He added: “So quite frankly, I’ve always been an advocate for widening the amount of people who people are exposed to. New Providence is a place where we have to do a much better job developing the experience of Bay Street. I mean, we tried and governments have tried and we’ve never somehow been able to put together a sustained approach to rehabilitating the environs of Bay Street and making it in itself a destination.”

He added: “We have places like Clifton that we have not integrated into the tourism mainstay, even

though it is some distance. And I think the country has to continue to recognise that if we’re going to get the real value from cruise passengers that we must expose them as best we can to many more people than they are now exposed to, enabling therefore the revenue that comes from them to benefit more.”

“I’ve discussed the matter pf Royal Caribbean with the Prime Minister, I shared my views with him and I’m going to continue to look carefully at that, with a view to seeing whether my views are change.”

Asked if the prime minister was receptive, he answered: “I’m sure he listens to what I have to say on the matter but … he argues very strongly and persuasively that they have made many changes to the original position that led him to change his original position and what not.”

“As I said before we have to, with respect to New Providence, recognise that New Providence is a very special destination and we should have a New Providence experience, as opposed to a Carnival or Royal

Caribbean experience.”

However, he appeared to be understanding when asked if he was disappointed that the Royal Caribbean project was continued.

“No, I have to leave governments to whatever they think is right for themselves. If I have the opportunity to express a view I will express a view and take it from there.”

While in opposition in 2021, Mrs Hanna Martin called the proposal “harebrained”. She hit out at the Minnis administration for “kicking a Bahamian developer to the curb” in favour of the cruise line.

It was recently announced that the revised proposal was approved by the Davis administration, and Mr Davis said developers are expected to break ground “almost immediately”.

Mrs Hanna Martin did not pivot with her opinions when The Tribune pressed on her past objection.

When her comments were brought up, Mr Christie said she knows his views on these matters and that they were in government together.

He added: “The Prime

Minister has a somewhat different job and difficulty - he has to balance a little bit more things than those of us who are outside now but having been Prime Minister let me just say again that we have to exercise the greatest care in having any policy that is partial to cruise line.”

Minister of Tourism Chester Cooper said regarding the Crown land being leased to RCI, the government plans to also convert this asset into an ownership stake in the development that would be held by the country’s sovereign wealth fund.

According to Mr Cooper, “the project will cover 17 acres – of which 13 acres represent privately held land and some four acres of Crown land that was included in the lease

to RCI by the former administration”.

Last week, Mr Davis addressed criticism of the government’s approval. He spoke to concerns such as ones from Save the Bays chairman Joseph Darville.

Mr Darville questioned the environmental effects of the project. He had previously told The Tribune it is “undoubtable” the massive project will have a serious impact on marine life, coral reefs, and native animals that nest in the area.

The chairman reflected on the fond memories of his youth which he experienced on the western end of Paradise Island, as it had a large population of wild hogfish, hence the name “Hog Island”.

However, he questioned the intentions of the project, referring to “Hog

Island” as a development solely situated around “big profits” and “cheaply won-votes”.

But Mr Davis assured: “He has to understand what a deal is like. I mean, we ought to speak when we know all the facts. I will not be presiding over a decision that would lead to the consequences that he’s suggesting.

“What he has to appreciate that RCL Royal Caribbean they already own several acres there –they’re developing on their own land. They’re asking for us to partner with them, with our land, to make the experience for the visitors more palatable and in that partnering the people of The Bahamas will not be left out.”

FORMER Prime Minister Perry Christie said that there needs to be a ‘New Providence experience’ for cruise passengers.

Photo: Austin Fernander

PRIME Minister Philip ‘Brave’ Davis said yesterday that Minister of Education Glenys Hanna Martin did not violate the Ministerial Code by sharing her opinion on the RCI deal.

Photo: OPM

Ford Police Interceptor Hybrid SUVs from US

By JADE RUSSELL Tribune Staff Reporter jrussell@tribunemedia.net

A FLEET of 10 new SUVs was given to the Royal Bahamas Police Force on Friday, outfitted with the latest technology to aid in the fight against crime.

Chief Superintendent Chrislyn Skippings spoke to reporters at the Police Headquarters, saying the vehicles will be utilised in the Operation Ceasefire Department.

She explained the new fleet of police SUVs will allow officers to have a more “aggressive” style of policing.

“The Operation Ceasefire unit alone has actually recovered 30 plus firearms from the streets of New Providence yet to date,” CSP Skipping said. “And with these vehicles we’re going to see more of an aggressive style of policing, we’re going to be intentional in our approach to criminals.

“And so, to criminals, I want you to know that we are coming to get you because we are going to ensure that this Bahamas will remain safe for everyone who lives in this country,”

The 10 SUVs are a part of the 20 vehicles donated by the United States in February. CSP Skippings said the

additional donated vehicles are expected to be released at a later date.

The SUVs have been equipped with the latest technological communications to assist officers in their saturation patrols and crime-tackling efforts.

Each vehicle is estimated to be worth $150,000, said CSP Skippings.

In terms of the Ceasefire operations, officers have seen an uptick in highpower rifles on the streets of New Providence.

“We always see an assortment of firearms being taken off the streets by Ceasefire. But we’ve also seen a significant amount of the high-powered rifles being taken off the streets of New Providence by Ceasefire,” CSP Skippings explained.

CSP Skippings added: “And I also want to say even though we’re talking about the vehicles going to Ceasefire. We have all officers throughout the length and breadth of this country who are on a constant basis removing weapons from the streets.”

One reporter asked if police are concerned about the recent series of shooting incidents in the country.

CSP Skippings said that officers are “always concerned” about shooting incidents. However, she appealed to parents to contact the police if their

children are in possession of illegal weapons.

“I’m asking you to ensure that you communicate and collaborate with your police department so that we can remove these weapons from the streets in New Providence.

“Failure to actually turn these weapons into us can actually result in these weapons being turned on you or a family member as we’ve seen previously. And so we’re very concerned, crime-fighting is just not for the police alone, crime fighting is a collaborative effort,” she said.

In February, the US handed over 20 new Ford Police Interceptor Hybrid

SUVs at a value of nearly $1.4m at a ceremony at RBPF headquarters.

“This is what neighbours do for each other,” Prime Minister Philip

‘Brave’ Davis, referring to the US government at that handing over ceremony for the fleet of vehicles.

“These definitely will have some impact,

because they’re in dire need. This is what neighbours do for each other and I am grateful for them for this gift of the 20 cars,” Mr Davis said.

FORMER PM SHARED HISTORY AND ENCOURAGING WORDS AT GENESIS ACADEMY’S NATIONAL PRIDE CELEBRATION

By EARYEL BOWLEG Tribune Staff Reporter ebowleg@tribunemedia.net

FORMER Prime Minister

Perry Christie urged students to learn about the history of the nation as he spoke at a national pride celebration at Genesis Academy on Friday.

Speaking on the second day of the academy’s celebrations, Mr Christie answered questions from senior students and gave a look at the country’s history as well as the ups and down of his political life.

He said: “I was asked to have a conversation with you with respect to the 50 years of governance in our country since independence.

The Prime Minister recently appointed a committee to look back and Bahamians who were overlooked in their honours, with a view to seeing whether they should be lifted up out of history, and given some honours for what they did and what they have not yet been recognised as having done.”

“Which brings me to a point that when I was a student I was taught English history. I knew Sir Francis Drake, I knew Sir John Hopkins, I knew all of these historical figures out of Britain, but I knew nothing about The Bahamas because

nothing was (taught) about The Bahamas,” he said. He highlighted moments in history such as Majority Rule Day, the first man of colour being elected to Parliament, and even a Bahamian slave case used for the abolition of slavery in 1844 in England. He said: “All of these things, we must find a way to get to know our history because it didn’t start 50 years ago when we were independent.”

Dr Lyric Knowles, director of academic affairs at Genesis Academy, said it was a wonderful opportunity

for their senior students to have a conversation with Mr Christie as “he is a part of our living history”.

Dr Knowles said: “This is the first time that we’ve had national pride in a while due to COVID and because our national pride celebrations are coinciding with The Bahamas 50th year of independence, we really wanted to do national pride in a grand style. “

“It was important for us to educate students on our national heroes in various categories like education, medicine, politics, music, drama, and so on.”

Mr Christie also left encouraging words for the students. He said: “You have to help the school to make its name a major brand name in our country. The work you do with the school, your success

in the classes that helps to define the school. And years and years and years from now, when you are adults and you have a family, you can decide willingly to send your child to where you had your schooling and that’s what it’s

all about, taking advantage of opportunities that present themselves, recognising that no matter how good your parents are to you, how good your friends are to you, it depends on you, to make it work.”

THE RBPF received 10 of the 20 donated Ford Police Interceptor hybrid SUVs to aid The Bahamas’ fight against crime. Chief Supt Chrislyn Skippings [bottom left photo] said yesterday that the SUVs will be used in a more ‘aggressive’ style of policing.

Photos: Austin Fernander

FORMER Prime Minister Perry Christie spoke at the second day at Genesis Academy’s national pride celebration on Friday. Christie is pictured below withGenesis academy principal Melody Hanna (left) and Dr Lyric Knowles (right).

Photos: Austin Fernander

CALL FOR GOVT INTERVENTION IN ALLEGED ABUSE OF HAITIANS

By LEANDRA ROLLE Tribune Staff Reporter lrolle@tribunemedia.net

SEVERAL Abaco residents are decrying the alleged abuse of documented and undocumented Haitian migrants on the island by immigration officers, telling The Tribune government intervention is needed to ensure migrants are being treated more humanely.

The concerned Abaconians contacted The Tribune to express their frustration over what’s been happening on the island, particularly in Hope Town.

Yesterday, Abaco resident and local activist Frankie Fleurider told this newspaper several legal Haitian workers had reached out to him, complaining about “abusive” and “bullying” practices by immigration officers stationed there.

Some of them have complained about being hit by officers or having their money taken from them, he added.

But the Abaco resident said many are afraid to file a complaint with authorities because they had nothing to prove the alleged abuse happened.

Another resident, who asked to remain anonymous, expressed similar claims to this newspaper yesterday, saying there needs to be a stricter vetting process by the department when recruiting officers.

“One guy was legal and had a work permit when the officers surprisingly showed up, they caught him off guard and his phone was still in his hand and they started talking to him and the person who he was talking to on the phone thought the call dropped but because his phone rang, they slapped him telling him you need to cut this phone off,” he claimed.

The resident said while he agrees with government’s efforts to crack down on the country’s illegal migration problem, which he says is a major issue in Hope Town, the process needs to be carried out more humanely.

“Unfortunately, it’s not being carried out that way,” he added. “We have young new immigration officers to the department that have a very rough mentality.”

“Now the government is well within their rights to have these people rounded up, arrested humanely and repatriated, but I don’t think it’s right to (abuse) them ... I think the government of The Bahamas

Weekend scarred by three murders

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multiple gunshot injuries.

needs to put more emphasis on vetting people that are joining our armed forces.

“They can’t just pick up any willy-nilly person off the street because their uncle is the commissioner or deputy commissioner. You need to mentally vet these people to see where they’re at.”

Another Abaconian, who works at a business establishment in Hope Town, recalled an incident when plain-clothed immigration officers entered the shop, behaving rather “aggressively” towards Haitian customers.

“We had a few Haitians who was there who they asked for ID and I had a friend who did that but not everybody could do it but they (the officers) were so aggressive. They were drinking and they were not professional at all.

“You could do the job, but it’s how you do it because at the end of the day, they are still human, and they have this (perception) that every Haitian is illegal.”

She added that there are Haitians in Abaco legally, and who contribute to NIB.

When contacted by The Tribune yesterday, Rudolph Ferguson, assistant director of immigration, said he was not aware of the allegations as no complaints had been filed to the department to his knowledge.

“I would say this, there is an ongoing continuous investigation in the Abaco district,” he added, “and we do intend to continue these investigations and where we find undocumented persons in any area, then the full extent of the law will be applied.”

Notwithstanding this, he agreed that every human being had rights and advised concerned Abaco residents to make an official complaint to the immigration department, assuring them that the matter will be investigated.

Over the years, there have been multiple claims of abuse by immigration officers, with this newspaper reporting several stories on the matter.

Just last month, a video circulated on social media, showing two immigration officers slapping and hitting two Haitian barbers several times.

An investigation into the incident was launched shortly after the video went viral, but it is not clear if those investigations have been completed.

WEEKEND POLICE BRIEF:

HOUSE FIRE IN ANDROS AND MEN CAUGHT WITH DRUGS AND GUN

A HOUSE fire in

Andros has left a family of seven homeless.

Officers attached to the Nicholls Town Police Station were alerted to the blaze at 1.40am yesterday, in the settlement of South Mastic Point. On arrival, officers discovered a three-bedroom wooden home engulfed in flames.

Fire services responded and tried to extinguish the fire, but were unsuccessful.

The home was completely destroyed. There were no fatalities in the blaze.

• In Nassau a man is in custody on suspicion of possession of dangerous drugs with intent to supply.

The 49-year-old, of Sampson Street, Nassau Village, was detained yesterday when, shortly after 11.40am, officers attached to Operation Ceasefire who were conducting saturation patrols, responded to reports of gunshots being fired in the area.

Officers reported that they saw a man with a

victim being shot multiple times about the body. The suspect then fled in a southern direction, making good his escape,” according to police.

Emergency medical technicians were summoned and confirmed the victim had no signs of life.

Chief Superintendent Chrislyn Skippings spoke to reporters on the scene and said the incident was one of the two shooting incidents that happened Saturday night.

She added police were also following significant leads of the Nassau Village murder, noting that the incident may be connected to another murder that took place in Faith Avenue South on Saturday morning.

“We believe and were following some information that the matter this morning and this particular incident may be related. But we’re not definitive about that,” CSP Skippings said.

The second incident on Saturday evening happened shortly after 9.30pm in Akel Close, Montel Heights, where two men were shot. One died who is believed to be in his late teens and the other was taken to the hospital. According to police, they found two males lying at the front of a residence suffering from

“The victims were standing at the front of a residence, when they were accosted by two armed males who emerged from a track road off the EastWest Highway. These males then opened fire on the victims, who were both shot multiple times about the body.”

The victim, believed to be in his late teens, died on the scene. The other victim was taken to the hospital via EMS, where his condition is unknown.

Family members were heard screaming in the background, one relative cried: “Lord please no, no Lord, please.”

Meanwhile, shortly after 4am on Saturday morning, the body of a man burned beyond recognition with gunshot injuries was found in Faith Avenue South.

“Police were alerted to a dirt road in the area of Bone Fish Pond. Upon the officers’ arrival, they observed the body of a male who was burnt beyond recognition. Further examinations revealed that the male had gunshot injuries and lacerations about the body.”

EMS confirmed the man had no signs of life.

Police did not officially identify the victim, however, a relative of the deceased identified him as 24-year-old Wilton Andrews.

Earlier this month,

Police Commissioner Clayton Fernander said he intends to reduce the country’s murder count below 100.

Commissioner Fernander revealed his 2023 policing plan at a press conference where he outlined six key priorities to impact crime trends.

He reiterated that police are focused on maintaining law and

order, preserving the peace, preventing and detecting crime, apprehending offenders, and enforcing the law. The commissioner noted that this year, and specifically the month of March, police will “flood the streets” in an effort to upset crime trends and tackle gun violence in the country.

black backpack acting in a suspicious manner, who fled. Officers pursued and apprehended the man. On searching the backpack, officers reported that a large quantity of suspected marijuana was found. The man was arrested and taken into custody.

The suspected drugs weighted 4lb 1oz, with an estimated street value of $4,100.

• Police arrested a 48-yearold man, of Darling Lane, for possession of an unlicensed firearm and ammunition and assault with a dangerous weapon on Saturday.

At about 11pm, an argument took place in the area of Darling Lane, off Wulff Road, which escalated into a fight, during which a man produced a handgun, but was disarmed by his victim, said police. The man then reportedly fled the scene, and the victim contacted police and handed over the firearm.

Officers proceeded to the residence of the suspect, and arrested him.

TOP: Chief Superintendent Chrislyn Skippings speaks to reporters at the murder scene in Nassau Village Staurday night. BOTTOM: The body of the Saturday night shooting victim at Nassau Village being loaded into the vehicle.

Photos: Moise Amisial

The Tribune Limited

The problem facing the Prime Minister

IN backing Education Minister

Glenys Hanna Martin, Prime Minister Philip “Brave” Davis” has given himself a problem.

The principle of Cabinet unity means that after a decision is made in Cabinet, all members speak as one.

It prevents a free-for-all where the government announces a new policy or a new agreement and one member or another of the Cabinet comes out and says oh well, I am against it, you know.

After all, how can a government hope to convince the electorate of a policy if it cannot even convince its own Cabinet members?

So when Mrs Hanna Martin says that she was against the Royal Caribbean deal for a beach club project on Paradise Island when she was in opposition, and she remains so now – that is one problem for Mr Davis.

But the problem he has given himself by saying that she did not breach the Ministerial Code is that other members of the Cabinet may feel that if she can speak up in opposition to a government policy, then why can’t they?

More particularly on the issue of the Royal Caribbean project, if they do not speak out now, we can take it that each member tacitly supports the proposal – even in the face of criticism that the government is favouring a foreign investor over a Bahamian one. That Bahamian investor would be Toby Smith, whose neighbouring lighthouse restoration project has faced contesting claims over who has been promised the Crown land needed for each scheme.

If public opinion is dubious over the elbowing aside of a Bahamian entrepreneur to make way for a cruise line to set up a resort, other members of the Cabinet may wish to distance themselves from such a decision. And with the green light on Mrs Hanna Martin expressing her doubts, why not?

And if other potentially unpopular policies are approved, will others feel they can say they did not support them even if they were part of the Cabinet that gave them the nod?

There are plenty of controversial topics ahead – will a Cabinet member speak out against the final proposal for marital rape legislation? Will a Minister of State oppose the decision on NIB? How about marijuana laws – will there be a united front there? With regard to the changing stance on VAT on healthcare have a representative

express doubts? Then there is the push towards a global corporation tax – that is not likely to be a vote winner, will an MP in a tight constituency find they need to speak out for their own electoral interests?

The other difficulty is that people may well say that they think Mrs Hanna Martin is right – and that makes it all the harder for the Prime Minister to convince the Bahamian people that this project is indeed sufficiently different from the one he himself opposed before the election.

In saying that Mrs Hanna Martin has not crossed the line on this issue, Mr Davis is telling every other member of the Cabinet that they can go at least as far as the Education Minister when it comes to expressing a lack of support for any given issue.

As we say, it is a problem for Mr Davis. How big a problem will depend on how many others now choose to speak out.

Traffic laws

There is an increasing trend on the streets of New Providence, it seems.

A reader alerted The Tribune to the increasing numbers of tour parties zipping around the streets on all-terrain vehicles or scooters. These have been seen before, of course, but there seems to be a regular occurrence now where some of the guides leading these tour parties are taking the law into their own hands.

Time and again recently, our reader says, those guides have blocked off the route at traffic lights, ushering tourists through a red light while drivers who have been given the green light find they cannot get past the guide.

Is the tour guide going to pay the fines the tourists face if they get arrested for running a red light? What happens if a car goes through a green light only to accidentally strike an ATV doing what the tour guide says instead of the light?

The police should deal with any cases they see before someone gets hurt. But even more, the tour companies operating these trips should clamp down on such behaviour. And if they get caught doing it, then they should risk losing their licence for such businesses. If they can’t follow the law, they shouldn’t be allowed to do business.

Concerns over Royal Caribbean beach club

EDITOR, The Tribune.

THE following is an open letter from Eric Carey, former executive director of The Bahamas National Trust (BNT), a non-profit, non-government, membership organisation focused on conserving and protecting the Bahamian environment. Mr Carey now leads ONE Consultants, an independent environmental consultancy that has been engaged by Atlantis to review the environmental impact of the proposed Royal Caribbean beach club project.

I have followed with great interest the discussions about Royal Caribbean’s proposed beach club project for the western end of Paradise Island. I want to be very clear in stating that I do not support the project and have serious misgivings about its value to The Bahamas. Ever since the project was introduced years ago, I felt this was not a project that should get government approval because of significant environmental risks and considerations. I have since reviewed the initial Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) for this proposed project, which has in no way lessened my concerns.

Firstly, the site contains the last remnant pockets of native coastal forests on Paradise Island. And as this is Crown land, we should be looking to protect this last vestige of native plants on Paradise Island, rather than replace it with nonnative vegetation. I also have concerns about the proposed development’s carrying capacity to service thousands of cruise passengers at the site every day. The quantity of solid waste to be added to the landfill will be significant. Who will bear the environmental cost of these impacts? The Bahamian consumer whose taxes fund the management of the landfill?

One of my greatest concerns is how the proposed project will deal with the management of their sewage for so many people on such a small site. It is my understanding that there are three options available to the developer.

• First, is the use of a pressurised line that would pump the raw sewage across the harbour to a facility on Nassau. This option is fraught with issues. It would require strict controls, daily comparative metering readings at each end of the line along with full-time line pressure and differential pressure remote monitoring. This is the only way to ensure that the line

has not been compromised. A breach would result in a serious environmental issue of raw sewage entering the harbour and spreading to nearby businesses and recreational areas. Junkanoo Beach, The Pointe Marina, Arawak Cay vendors, Potters Cay vendors, Bay Street Hurricane Hole and Atlantis Marinas, and all other waterfront businesses including restaurants, could find themselves impacted by raw sewage.

• The second option is a wastewater treatment plant. The great concern of this option is what happens if the plant fails and then cannot safely treat the sewage. Sewage disposal presents a huge challenge, pumping and hauling by truck will not be an option because there is no road access to the site.

• The third option is the use of a septic system with a deep disposal well. This is perhaps the easiest and most cost-effective way of disposing of the property’s sewage. The typical use of these deep disposal wells in New Providence is to dispose of raw, untreated sewage by injecting it directly into the ground. This option also presents significant environmental risk because limestone is porous. The fact that the island is very narrow at the proposed project site means that injection wells would be immediately adjacent to the ocean and sewage will find its way into the ocean. Significant negative impacts would soon be noticed in both the harbour as well as offshore along the northern coast. Heading east, the first to be impacted would be the beaches of Atlantis and RIU, followed shortly by the Ocean Club. Heading west, colonial beach, colonial reef and the seven-mile reef that is part of the Southwest Marine Managed MPA are all vulnerable to effluent outflow.

To date, Royal Caribbean has not presented its plans to manage sewage at its proposed beach club. So, it is impossible for us to analyse the ultimate environmental impact of the proposed project. To move forward without this required due diligence would be reckless, putting the future of Paradise Island at risk.

In addition, the EIA notes numerous small beaches that they reference as “pocket” beaches occurring on the North Shore. There is a recommendation

to modify some of these beaches to enhance the visitor experience. This rocky shore is an important feature of the natural coastline of that part of the island. It is my view that any attempt to alter it, especially if it includes engineered structures, could have significant negative impacts. Such interventions could impact the natural flow of sand along the beach, and negatively impact other beaches in the area. This includes Colonial Beach to the west, and the healthy colonial reef located just offshore there. Easterly, Cabbage beach, and all the resort properties there that depend on this worldclass healthy beach system could see significant negative changes in their beach profiles. There are numerous examples around The Bahamas of how beaches have been destroyed by altering the coastline. One need not look any further than Cable Beach to see where interference with the beach profile has resulted in significant and nearly irreparable damage to the natural beach profile there. In sharing my perspective, I want to make it clear that I am not opposed to all aspects of the cruise industry, and that despite its large carbon footprint, the industry is an important part of our tourism landscape. Many Bahamians depend on the industry to make a living. Notwithstanding this, I believe that as a country, we need to do a better job of negotiating more favourable terms of engagement with the cruise industry. We need to better leverage the natural capital that is provided by the Bahamian environment. Cruise lines use our environment to make billions of dollars, therefore we should strive for a more equitable, sustainable business arrangement.

I am watching this project with great interest to see how it progresses through the approval process. If it does proceed, I trust the environmental concerns raised by myself and others are effectively addressed by the relevant environmental regulatory agencies. The Deputy Prime Minister in his statements has promised broad public consultation. I encourage all Bahamians who have environmental concerns about this project to take advantage of the opportunity to have your views included in the Government’s consideration of this project.

PRIME Minister Philip “Brave” Davis playing chess against a pupil at SC McPherson school on Friday during a visit there.

Photo: OPM

Lucaya Solar Power breaks ground on first utility scale solar farm in The Bahamas

By DENISE MAYCOCK Tribune Freeport Reporter dmaycock@tribunemedia.net

LUCAYA Solar Power Ltd. officially broke ground on its $15m solar farm project in Freeport on Friday.

The site, located on land adjacent to the YMCA, is one of two that LSP has acquired for their project, which is being supported by the Inter-American Development Bank.

The work is expected to take nine to 10 months to complete and will employ a total of 80 Bahamians during the construction.

Social Services Minister Obie Wilchcombe was among several invited guests who attended the ceremony.

Jorge Marquez, CEO and President of Lucaya Solar Power Ltd; Dave McGregor, President of Grand Bahama Power Company; Daniela Carrera Marquis, IDB Country Representative for the Bahamas; and Sarah St George, vice chairman of Grand Bahama Port Authority, brought brief remarks.

On Thursday, Mr Marquez signed the licensing agreement with the Grand

Bahama Port Authority, and a Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) with the Grand Bahama Power Company.

He believes the solar farm project is something Bahamians should have been enjoying a long time ago.

“From the investor side, we saw the need for this type of solution for the country,” he said. “I think that what we are doing here

GRANTEE EXCELLENCE AWARD FOR WATERKEEPERS BAHAMAS

must be replicated in the country.”

LSP is the first PPA signed by GBPC. It will generate 9.5 megawatts of energy. There are plans for other PPAs to soon follow.

LSP is 65 percent Bahamian owned. When construction is completed, the company will employ a small staff of four for the operation and maintenance of the project.

In her remarks, Sarah

St George, vice chairman of the Grand Bahama Port Authority, said LSP’s project “is an incredible service for the Bahamas and Grand Bahama.”

“This is the first utilityscale solar farm not only in Grand Bahama, but the entire Bahamas,” she said. “The Bahamas has a green mandate to move toward 30 percent of renewables by 2030, and we are on the way. We are currently

on a path to 22 megawatts out of roughly a total of 90 megawatts.”

“This project represents 9.5 megawatts or 6 percent of the island’s generation. So, you at LSP are blazing a trail.”

Ms St George also recognised Grand Bahama Power President Dave McGregor who came to Grand Bahama six years ago to initiate the renewable transformation in the island, before Hurricane Dorian halted their solar plant construction.

She said that in the coming months, Grand Bahamians will hear news of other projects to complement LSP’s project.

Dave McGregor said one of the reasons the journey was so long as they developed the PPA was that GBPC was keen to get well priced electricity.

“That is not always the case across the Caribbean, but I am proud to say the cost of electricity we procured from this project over the next 25 years is being procured at a very competitive price.

“So, that will help ensure price stability for

customers, not necessarily reduction,” he said.

Mr McGregor said that Grand Bahama has enjoyed price stability on the island for the last six years. He noted that the fuel cost had been frozen at 10 cents, and is now just under 12 cents.

“What the solar plant will do is allow us to spend less in fuel, but we do have to pay Lucaya Solar for their energy. So, you will see that stability as soon as the plant is switched on in a few months.

“As more and more firms come on, it allows us to focus on the poles and wires and distribution side, and allows others the opportunity to fulfill the generation side,” he explained.

Daniela Carrera Marquis, of IDB, believes more solar farms should be built in the Family Islands.

“This pioneer event is an important contribution to the agenda on climate change and the reduction of CO2 for the Bahamas,” she said.

In addition to being a financially sound project, Ms Marquis said it meets four of the United Nation’s Sustainable Development Goals.

By DENISE MAYCOCK Tribune Freeport Reporter dmaycock@tribunemedia.net

WATERKEEPERS

Bahamas (WKB) received a ‘Grantee Excellence

Award’ for its outstanding contribution to community engagement through its Dover Sound mangrove restoration work.

Rupert Hayward, Vice Chair of Bahamas Protected Areas Fund (BPAF), and Karen Panton, executive director of BPAF, presented the award to the organisation on Thursday. Ms Panton praised WKB for their excellent work at Dover Sound.

“I am really pleased to present this excellence award to Waterkeeper Bahamas because of the work they have been doing over and beyond just securing the project objective, which was to restore mangroves at Dover Sound, but also to activate and motivate the community to become involved in conservation in the Bahamas,” she said.

“As NGOs, we struggle sometimes with getting communities involved, and we saw WKB not only engaged in the government level, but also engaged with local families. And we saw the many gardens, many mangrove sites that contributed to Waterkeepers securing over and above the $30,000 objective they had

for the project. We are really pleased.”

Ms Panton said BPAF has had lots of investments with other organisations, including the University of the Bahamas, Bahamas National Trust and Restoration of National Parks.

“All our grantees have done well, but WKB has demonstrated excellence and we are pleased to be here to give them this award today,” she said.

Rashema Ingraham, executive director at WKB, said: “It is a great day for the organisation and its partners who were involved in the mangrove restoration work at Dover Sound.

“We are happy that the Bahamas Protected Areas Fund recognised the work and effort that all of us, the GB community, put into executing this project,” she said. She commended BPAF for providing support to organisations through funding.

Ms Ingraham said that Waterkeepers is focused on swimmable, fishable, and drinkable water. She noted that the water at Dover Sound was a spot for kayaking, bonefishing, and where fishers gained access to their traps.

She explained that it was important to rebuild the mangrove forest there that was devastated by Hurricane Dorian.

MINISTER of Social Services Obie Wilchcombe was on hand for the Lucaya Solar Power ground breaking ceremony, along with Jorge Marquez, CEO and President of Lucaya Solar Power Ltd; Dave McGregor, President of Grand Bahama Power Company; Daniela Carrera Marquis, IDB Country Representative for the Bahamas; and Sarah St George, vice chairman of Grand Bahama Port Authority.

THE BAHAMAS Protective Areas Fund presented the Grantee Excellence Award to Waterkeepers Bahamas on Friday. From left to are Karen Panton, executive director of BPAF; Joseph Darville, chairman of Waterkeepers Bahamas; Andurah Daxon, Waterkeepers Bahamas; Rupert Hayward, vice chair of BPAF; Rashema Ingraham, executive director of Waterkeepers Bahamas; Javon Hunt and Liyah Forbes, of Waterkeepers Bahamas.

Photo: Taylor Ferguson, Waterkeepers Bahamas.

Minister points finger at PM’s New Plan

By TYLER MCKENZIE

THERE is a story many of us are familiar with from children’s books growing up – the tale of the Emperor’s New Clothes. I’ve been reminded of it in this past week in Bahamian politics.

As a reminder, it tells the story of an emperor who is convinced by two swindlers that he is putting on magnificent new clothes which are invisible to anyone who is a fool. Out he marches, wearing nothing at all, only for a child to point and shout that the emperor is wearing nothing at all, leaving the emperor as the one who has been a fool.

Let us then turn to the Prime Minister’s New Plan – the Royal Caribbean project on Paradise Island, which he objected to while in opposition, but now supports in office.

Prime Minister Philip “Brave” Davis now supports what he says is a new plan that overcomes the objections he had while sitting on the opposing side of the chamber.

Mr Davis was not the only one to oppose the plan, however, a number of other PLPs followed their leader in speaking up against the project.

One of those was Glenys Hanna Martin, and it was the Minister of Education who pointed and spoke up against the project last week. She did not call anyone a fool – but in opposition, she called the project “hare-brained”, and last week she said: “My views have not changed.”

Much will be said about the political side of whether or not Mrs Hanna Martin should have said what she did – the Cabinet manual says that a Minister may not speak in public or private against a decision of Cabinet or against an individual decision of another Minister.

But on the matter itself – is Mrs Hanna Martin wrong?

This $110m beach club project will gather up visitors as they get off the cruise ship, load them onto a water taxi and whisk them away to Royal Caribbean’s

private resort. Not a dollar, not a quarter, not a cent will escape those visitors’ wallets to be spent Downtown or beyond.

Who is this going to benefit? Not the straw vendors at the market, unless some kind of deal is cut to benefit a select few to sell items over at Royal Caribbean’s club. Not the taxi driver union, unless the water taxi is part of their membership. Not the restaurants, not the stores, not the Downtown attractions such as the pirate museum or the Pompey Museum. It won’t benefit the likes of Arawak Cay, it won’t bring money to places such as the fort heritage sites, it won’t bring people to Baha Mar or Atlantis. Not one of these visitors will head off to tour the rum cake factory, or the distillery, or the chocolate factory. The beneficiaries of this will be Royal Caribbean

– and let’s face it, they can’t be blamed for asking.

Also left out in the cold from this so far is Toby Smith, whose adjacent plan to develop the lighthouse at the end of Paradise Island has already been entangled with his neighbours’ plans, and who finds himself being told to apply again for a project he’s already jumped through many hoops over.

Mrs Hanna Martin said last week, and I agree, that “the cruise industry does not require an island on New Providence. I mean, what we should be developing … is the cultural and entrepreneurial opportunities for the cruise ship visitors when they disembark. They keep saying there’s nothing to do, well let’s get something done”.

She said of the deal: “This is a deal that we inherited from the Free National Movement administration – I did not support it then,

my views have not changed on it.”

Since she spoke, I have heard privately from people on both sides of the political divide, the overwhelming impression from which is that they are in full agreement with Mrs Hanna Martin.

Some have said she may have gone against the rules to say it, but she’s not wrong in what she is saying.

For his part, Mr Davis says that Bahamian participation has been “maximised”, while Deputy Prime Minister Chester Cooper says that four acres of Crown land are included in the project. Royal Caribbean has paid the full annual rent for seven Crown land acres rather than four, for two years, in accordance with the terms in the lease set out with the Minnis administration. Two of those acres were subject to dispute with Mr Smith

claiming he had a valid lease for the same land. He has since lost his case over that lease in a court ruling.

If the benefits to Bahamians from this new deal are so plentiful, then one wonders why the government doesn’t spell them out. A few contracts here, a water taxi contract there, doesn’t seem so overwhelmingly different that it ought to have changed minds so thoroughly.

One simple question – how will this benefit Downtown?

Over at the cruise port, there seems little anxiety, with talk of there being more than enough visitors for everyone. Over at the taxi union, leader Wesley Ferguson sent out a voice note in favour of a project that won’t benefit his members.

But the day after this project opens, and a procession of visitors bypass

the rest of the island to board a water taxi and take their money off to a walled garden resort that gives nothing to anywhere else, we’ll soon see how many of us point our fingers in protest at the Prime Minister’s New Plan.

Mr Davis has missed the public mood on this – people see this as benefitting a foreign investor over a Bahamian, of giving advantage to a cruise line over the businesses and attractions that we already have. We should be looking for ways to boost the areas that are already in place rather than taking more money out of their pockets.

Some of those opposed to the project are already saying so privately – Mrs Hanna Martin, no matter the political consequences she might face, is right to speak out and hold to her beliefs.

AN ARTIST’s impression of the Royal Caribbean beach club plan - how many of those visitors will spend their money in Downtown?

PRIME Minister Philip “Brave” Davis shaking hands with Education Minister Glenys Hanna Martin on Friday during a visit to SC McPherson school. Photos: OPM

Always listen to your body and never give up on yourself

PEOPLE rarely ask ‘how are you?’ any more. Perhaps it’s a consequence of this new era in a postpandemic world, one where unmasked individuals, flanked by their own problems, no longer feel the need to make small talk with strangers.

Or maybe it’s not that we don’t care, but we don’t want to open the conversation for fear of hearing about yet another person who’s died from COVID or cancer.

For those who miss the connection generated by this traditional opening line of conversation, it can feel like the warmth of humanity has unceremoniously seeped away with tacit consent and minimal chance for resurgence.

But, for the wild and reckless who dare to dream, pockets of resistors march forward unphased by the events of the past two years. Charging ahead, they recall the importance of community and remain willing to not only ask how are you, but also offer a proper handshake or a hug, friendly advice and a hot meal for any and all in need.

Today, whenever Summer wants to feel that human connection, she thinks of life on Long Island, one of the many breathtaking islands in The Commonwealth of The Bahamas.

Situated just 165 miles southeast of Nassau, Long Island was Summer’s home for many years before she was offered a higher salary and relocated to the United States for work. There, people still say good morning and smile. They wave at strangers and stop to enjoy a hot meal of seafood caught earlier that morning, seasoned and boiled and served with buttered grits and a sweet bread locally referred to as Johnny cake. For the rest of the day, they dine on fruits and vegetables harvested in their backyard with meat from livestock born and killed at their own hands, but laden with the respect that their life sacrifice deserves.

On Long Island, where the ocean glistens a majestic turquoise blue and the air is so fresh it melts the stress off your shoulders, Summer learned the true meaning of life, honesty, hard-work, family and a deep respect for food.

Even at a young age, she knew that this was as good as life gets. She believes that those values which were instilled in her from childhood by a village of loving aunts and uncles, cousins and neighbours is what ultimately saved her life as an adult. My patient chose the alias Summer because it represented an incredibly happy and peaceful time during her formative years.

It wasn’t until she had her only child, a son, at the age of 20 that Summer began to struggle with her weight. Despite only eating three healthy meals a day and exercising regularly, her weight ballooned from 185 to 257 pounds in a few months. She went from wearing a size 12 to a size 20 and at 5ft 2in, she was nearly as wide as she was tall despite her healthy lifestyle. Summer tried multiple diets over several years but nothing helped. She could not drop below 215 pounds no matter how hard she tried.

When Summer finally sought the assistance of a medical professional to discuss her irregular periods, he dispassionately told her that she was obese and simply needed to stop eating. She tried to explain that she doesn’t overeat and the weight gain only started after her pregnancy but he wasn’t interested.

Summer’s family alternatively felt that she was worrying over something silly and didn’t see her weight gain as a problem. In fact, they encouraged her to stop dieting since it was causing constant anxiety

without producing results. It took seven years before Summer’s concerns were justified and following blood tests and an ultrasound, she was finally diagnosed with Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS) by a doctor who cared enough to listen. With this incurable condition, her ovaries produce an abnormally high amount of a male hormone called androgen. This hormone imbalance caused her to develop diabetes. Left untreated it could have also caused other health complications like high blood pressure and uterine cancer. So, she was prescribed birth control pills and Diabetes medication by an endocrinologist.

At the time of her diagnosis, Summer was suffering with truncal obesity where an excessive amount of visceral fat was housed around her stomach and abdomen. This then predisposed her to developing insulin resistance where the cells in her body stopped responding to insulin and couldn’t absorb glucose as effectively as they once did.

As a result, Summer’s blood sugar levels rose unabated to critical levels, coming dangerously close to sending her body into shock on more than one occasion.

When her weight increased further, Summer sought a second opinion from another endocrinologist in the US. It was then that she was diagnosed with Grave’s disease, an autoimmune disorder that causes your thyroid to become overactive thereby leading to an irregular heartbeat, sweating, muscle problems, changes with vision and complications with fertility. Summer was devastated but was determined to stay as healthy as possible for her son.

But in 2010, at the age of 30, Summer nearly lost her life and the chance to watch her son grow up after she contracted the H1N1 swine flu. The influenza virus ravaged her body with symptoms of diarrhea, vomiting, fever, fatigue and body aches so severe that minute by minute she felt herself slipping closer and closer to death.

Pale with scabbed lips and no energy to speak or walk, Summer was given IV drips constantly to replenish her electrolytes. Her situation was dire and doctors had essentially measured her for her coffin, with little hope or belief that she’d survive. Barely able to sleep, nightmares of her impending death also robbed her of a justified slumber. But survive she did and after a few weeks, Summer was released from the hospital weighing 165lb.

A year later, Summer’s weight was back up to 215 pounds and she was referred to a weight management team where gastric bypass surgery was recommended. Summer jumped at the opportunity to forego taking medication for the rest of her life. For the next six months, she met regularly with a psychiatrist, started a food journal and underwent an endoscopy to assess her upper gastrointestinal tract for any abnormal findings.

For the first three months following her surgery, she only drank liquids and she dropped down to 145 pounds, the smallest she’d ever been in her entire life. Once she began consuming solid foods, her weight increased to 155 pounds and a size six where she remains to this day.

multivitamin and calcium supplement. Summer says that it takes a lot of effort to maintain her weight and she has an alternative for every food option available at the food court where she eats lunch at work. But she doesn’t deprive herself and practices balance by satiating her cravings once and a while and never over-indulging.

Summer’s take home message to readers is to always listen to your body because no one knows your body better than you do. She adds never giving up on yourself even if the first doctor you see seems to

have done so. Doctors make mistakes or miss a diagnosis that a second medical professional might find. Summer also stresses that our bodies were made for movement and a sedentary lifestyle straps a tombstone around your ankles. But what you eat is so much more important than what you do so she also encourages everyone to seek the assistance of a nutritionist or weight management professional to get advice specific to their own needs.

A teacher by trade, Summer willingly shares her experience with anyone

By DR KENNETH D KEMP

who’s interested in learning more about what she’s endured and how she overcame it, hopeful that her journey can smooth a path for others facing similar trials. She does it because embracing others is a trait passed down by her mother and generations of hardworking and caring Long Islanders. And, since distance is not a counter to memory, this characteristic remains fervently on display in her classroom thousands of miles from where she grew up in The Bahamas.

Bariatric surgery isn’t for everyone and for many

people it’s caused more harm than good. In Summer’s case, however, it was a life-line that transported her from a past littered by struggle and self-doubt to a day where she feels healthier and more energetic than ever before. One where she can find wonder in the mundane and excitement just dancing with her son, music blaring, no matter the genre, because life in all honesty doesn’t get much better than that.

This is the KDK Report.

• Nicknamed ‘The Prince of Podiatry’, Dr Kenneth D Kemp is the founder and medical director of Bahamas Foot and Ankle located in Caves Village, Western New Providence. He served as the deputy chairman for the Health Council for five years and he currently sits on the board of directors for the Princess Margaret Hospital Foundation in his role as co-vice-chairman.

VOICE DEEPFAKES - WHAT ARE THEY AND HOW CAN YOU AVOID GETTING SCAMMED?

By MATTHEW WRIGHT and CHRISTOPHER SCHWARTZ Rochester Institute of Technology

YOU have just returned home after a long day at work and are about to sit

down for dinner when suddenly your phone starts buzzing. On the other end is a loved one, perhaps a parent, a child or a childhood friend, begging you to send them money immediately. You ask them questions,

attempting to understand. There is something off about their answers, which are either vague or out of character, and sometimes there is a peculiar delay, almost as though they were thinking a little too slowly. Yet, you are certain that it

is definitely your loved one speaking: That is their voice you hear, and the caller ID is showing their number. Chalking up the strangeness to their panic, you dutifully send the money to the bank account they provide you. The next day, you call

them back to make sure everything is all right. Your loved one has no idea what you are talking about. That is because they never called you – you have been tricked by technology: a voice deepfake. Thousands of people were scammed this way in 2022. As computer security researchers, we see that ongoing advancements in deep-learning algorithms, audio editing andengineering, and synthetic voice generation have meant that it is increasingly possible to convincingly simulate a person’s voice.

Even worse, chatbots like ChatGPT are starting to generate realistic scripts with adaptive real-time responses. By combining these technologies with voice generation, a deepfake goes from being a static recording to a live, lifelike avatar that can convincingly have a phone conversation.

in everyday life, both at work and at home.

In 2019, an energy firm was scammed out of US$243,000 when criminals simulated the voice of its parent company’s boss to order an employee to transfer funds to a supplier.

In 2022, people were swindled out of an estimated $11m by simulated voices, including of close, personal connections.

‘The next day, you call them back to make sure everything is all right. Your loved one has no idea what you are talking about. That is because they never called you – you have been tricked by technology: a voice deepfake. Thousands of people were scammed this way in 2022.’

CLONING A VOICE

Crafting a compelling high-quality deepfake, whether video or audio, is not the easiest thing to do. It requires a wealth of artistic and technical skills, powerful hardware and a fairly hefty sample of the target voice.

There are a growing number of services offering to produce moderate- to high-quality voice clones for a fee, and some voice deepfake tools need a sample of only a minute long, or even just a few seconds, to produce a voice clone that could be convincing enough to fool someone. However, to convince a loved one –for example, to use in an impersonation scam – it would likely take a significantly larger sample.

PROTECTING AGAINST SCAMS AND DISINFORMATION

With all that said, we at the DeFake Project of the Rochester Institute of Technology, the University of Mississippi and Michigan State University, and other researchers are working hard to be able to detect video and audio deepfakes and limit the harm they cause. There are also straightforward and everyday actions that you can take to protect yourself.

For starters, voice phishing, or “vishing,” scams like the one described above are the most likely voice deepfakes you might encounter

WHAT CAN YOU DO?

Be mindful of unexpected calls, even from people you know well. This is not to say you need to schedule every call, but it helps to at least email or text message ahead. Also, do not rely on caller ID, since that can be faked, too. For example, if you receive a call from someone claiming to represent your bank, hang up and call the bank directly to confirm the call’s legitimacy. Be sure to use the number you have written down, saved in your contacts list or that you can find on Google.

Additionally, be careful with your personal identifying information, like your Social Security number, home address, birth date, phone number, middle name and even the names of your children and pets. Scammers can use this information to impersonate you to banks, realtors and others, enriching themselves while bankrupting you or destroying your credit.

Here is another piece of advice: know yourself. Specifically, know your intellectual and emotional biases and vulnerabilities. This is good life advice in general, but it is key to protect yourself from being manipulated. Scammers typically seek to suss out and then prey on your financial anxieties, your political attachments or other inclinations, whatever those may be.

This alertness is also a decent defense against disinformation using voice deepfakes. Deepfakes can be used to take advantage of your confirmation bias, or what you are inclined to believe about someone.

If you hear an important person, whether from your community or the government, saying something that either seems very uncharacteristic for them or confirms your worst suspicions of them, you would be wise to be wary.

Can political parties agree social contract for national progress?

AUTHORITATIVE

international bodies – among them, the respected Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance (IDEA) – have concluded that “democracy is under both literal and figurative assault around the world.” The countries of the Caribbean have not been exempted from this judgement which is based on more than a decade of studies.

In the Americas (Canada and US, Central and South America and the Caribbean), there has been a rise in undemocratic governance as in Haiti and Nicaragua – both of which are teetering on the brink of disaster.

In other countries in Latin America, there have been setbacks, particularly in Peru. Established democracies have also experienced decline. These were particularly severe in Brazil and the US, where current administrations are battling to overcome the legacies of the previous administrations.

Against this background, indications, from the governing and opposition representatives in the elected national assembly of Antigua and Barbuda, that the fundamental principles of democracy remain strong and respected, are welcomed.

On January 18, general elections, which were judged to be free and fair by several international observer groups, were held in Antigua and Barbuda.

There was a vigorous campaign that resulted in the ruling Antigua and Barbuda Labour Party (ABLP) sliding from a 15-2 majority in the National Assembly to a one-seat majority. The ABLP won nine of the 17 parliamentary seats; the main opposition party, the United Progressive Party (UPP) won six seats; the separatist Barbuda Peoples’ Movement won one;

By SIR RONALD SANDERS

and for the first time in Antigua’s history, an independent candidate, who was a former member of the ABLP, was elected.

The forceful nature of the election campaign and the resultant one-seat majority in the National Assembly, led to the view by commentators, in and out of Antigua and Barbuda, that the stage had been set for a possible disruption of the democratic process, including civil disorder.

However, any such expectation was dispelled when the National Assembly convened from March 9 to 14 to debate the national budget that the Antigua and Barbuda Prime Minister, Gaston Browne, presented on March 2. The elected representatives of the UPP, while five of them were new, put forward their arguments firmly, but with respect for parliamentary rules. For their part, the government representatives, especially the young, lone woman elected member, Maria Browne, laid out their detailed plans and responded in a mature manner to the heckling of the opposition representatives.

The result was a pellucid articulation of the differences on how issues should be addressed; proposals on areas that require priority attention; and evidence that the National Assembly will be a forum for forceful debate on the policies and programmes that the governing party intends to pursue.

These circumstances are good for democracy in Antigua and Barbuda at a time when global challenges are impacting every country in the world, calling for an inclusionary approach to governance.

The political campaign, for general elections in Antigua and Barbuda, was held amid global political and economic instability, including the escalation of prices for food and energy, increasing inflation, high interest rates for borrowing, and decreased access to financing. These phenomena occurred – and are persisting – alongside enduring effects of climate change, attempts to recover from the economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, and the continuing global uncertainty caused by the Russian war of aggression on Ukraine.

All this holds consequences for democratic governance. Popular dissatisfaction over high prices, low employment, and non-inclusionary decisionmaking, in any country, could result in protests and other acts of civil strife.

In Antigua and Barbuda’s case, the country is benefitting from a continuous growth of the economy (8.5 per cent in 2022, and a projected 9.4 percent for 2023); increasing employment; and significant private sector investment in tourism, construction and physical infrastructure, hefty outlays by the government

in health and education, and an abiding respect for democracy, including freedom of speech, free and fair elections, and a strict separation of powers between the government, the legislature and the courts.

But while sound economic performance and respect for democratic principles and values have contributed to stability in Antigua and Barbuda, in many countries around the globe, “the ability to provide key public goods to their citizens and to close the gap between social expectations and institutional performance is increasingly at risk”, as IDEA points out in its 2022 report on democracy in the world.

The world is at a critical crossroad. Given the current global uncertainties, which include a possible recession, governments in democratic countries are under pressure to deliver the goods and services

their people expect. Unlike authoritarian regimes, which are backed by military might to enforce their will, governments in democratic states have to form a new social contract with their populations, including their representative bodies in every sector.

Any who choose an authoritarian path, have to be conscious that, in countries where authoritarian regimes rule, there has been an exodus of talented and trained persons, economic decline, and a high dependence on the military to repress dissatisfied people.

Authoritarianism, therefore, ought not to be an option for any nation that wants peaceful progress.

As part of a social contract to preserve democracy as a platform for progress of the individual, the society and the economy, international bodies strongly suggest that governments, political parties, private sector, civil society, media,

expert groups, and academics have a role to play.

The hardest part of all this is how to encourage political parties to regard constructive participation in a national dialogue as an acknowledgment of their roles as representatives of the people, rather than as agencies for discrediting each other.

Yet, it is in constructive and inclusionary dialogue that national plans for peace, progress and prosperity can be best fashioned. Unreasoned division and brinksmanship to promote party political advantage is a certain prescription for national failure and the erosion of democracy.

Hopefully, political parties throughout the Americas, including the Caribbean, can agree to fashion with other partners in civil society, a relevant social contract for national progress that can carry countries successfully through the present global turmoil and beyond.

• Responses and previous commentaries: www. sirronaldsanders.com

(The writer is Antigua and Barbuda’s Ambassador to the United States and the Organization of American States. He is also a senior fellow at the Institute of Commonwealth Studies at the University of London and Massey College in the University of Toronto. The views expressed are entirely his own).

COMMONWEALTH observers reported that the election in Antigua and Barbuda “reflects the will of the voters”.

Mother Pratt Foundation

donates cleaning supplies to MoH

By LETRE SWEETING Tribune Staff Reporter lsweeting@tribunemedia.net

“HUNDREDS” of cleaning supplies and utensils were donated to The Ministry of Health for clinics and other facilities throughout The Bahamas on Friday, from the Cynthia Mother Pratt Foundation, with help from supporters and sponsors in the United States.

Former Deputy Prime Minister Cynthia “Mother” Pratt, through her foundation, donated hundreds of hand sanitisers, gloves, facial masks and Clorox disinfectant cleaners, housed in a 40 feet container trailer.

The presentation was made at the foundation’s current base outside of Mother Pratt’s church, Prayer and Praise Assembly, on Ragged Island Street.

Mother Pratt presented the donation to Health Minister Michael Darville, and expressed her appreciation for the donations.

“We are grateful to present these donations,” she said. “We do care. And we are concerned. Every day when you speak about health care in our country. And some of the challenges that we’re facing? We stop and think what can I do instead of complaining?

What can I do to help my country? And so that’s why I’m delighted to be a part of this.”

Mother Pratt added: “And, of course, I want to thank those donors who have sent this from the United States. And these have been sponsors for us now for many years. It is

because of giving people, who want to give. We don’t look for anything in return. But we want to see our country move forward in a healthy way.

“We are proud to be able to present them to the Ministry of Health. We have masks. We also have gloves. We have hand sanitisers, all

of those things can be distributed to the clinics and to different areas, the schools and all of that and that’s what we are about. And so we are trying our best to see how we can help in a small way,” she said. Health Minister Dr Darville expressed his gratitude to Mother Pratt and her

foundation, adding that the items donated will go where they are supposed to go.

“Today, I’m pleased to be here with Mother Pratt to accept this gift on behalf of the Bahamian people in the government of the Commonwealth of the Bahamas that will be earmarked for our clinics, not only in New

Providence but throughout the Family Islands,” he said.

“These supplies will go where they’re supposed to go. Today, it’s the Ministry of Health. And we are so pleased to be a part of this great gift. And I’m certain that it will go a long way,” he said.

Dr Darville said the supplies “are absolutely vital, for sanitisation of our clinics”.

“These supplies will be distributed throughout the Family Islands in order for us to be able to ensure that those individuals who come to our clinic come to an environment that is completely sanitised. Mother Pratt did say something, that COVID is still with us. But there’s also lots of upper respiratory tract infections this time of the year. The same sanitisation mechanisms for COVID exist for upper respiratory tract infections,” Dr Darville said.

Last year, the Cynthia Mother Pratt Foundation with help from supporters also donated more than 35,000 pairs of footwear to the Ministry of Social Services and Urban Development for both New Providence and Grand Bahama.

By LEANDRA ROLLE Tribune Staff Reporter lrolle@tribunemedia.net

THE new Nassau Cruise Port is more than 90 percent completed, according to its chief executive officer Michael Maura who said the port’s opening remains on schedule for the last week of May.

Mr Maura on Friday led Transport and Housing Minister JoBeth ColebyDavis, other government officials and members of the media on a tour of the development.

Following the tour, Mr Maura told reporters: “We’re 100 per cent (completed) on the marine works, which obviously is the most important part. That’s in effect the cash register for the court, because that’s for the ships and the passengers and then we are about 90 percent (completed) in terms of our upland works.”

“Now, it’s a partnership with our tenants, obviously, because what we’re providing on the commercial areas is shelling for and so

the tenants have to do their own fit out but everyone’s walking and rolling… so we’re excited.”

He said while the construction phase was not a walk in the park, it probably was the easiest part of the entire process.

“The challenging part of operating a facility of this size is, you know, dealing with the operational challenges, dealing with people and so forth and so from that perspective, we wanted to make sure we had clearly defined policies and procedures,” he added.

“And we also wanted to make sure that we had independent audit of those policies and procedures and so we embarked on five different ISOs - everything from health and safety, to event management because obviously, having this amphitheater, and having all of these events, fun events that are happening, we want to make sure that they are managed appropriately, and that experience is positive.”

Key features of the port include the arrivals

terminal, the Junkanoo museum and the amphitheater among others, with more than $300m invested in the project to date.

For her part, Mrs ColebyDavis hailed the port’s transformation, telling reporters “I think it’s going to be an awesome experience for our tourists and I’m excited.”

She also assured that when the port opens, transport operators will also be able to benefit.

“It’s important for me to make sure that every Bahamian gets a little piece (of the pie) and feels a little bit of entrepreneurial joy when this port opens. Our surrey drivers, they’re so dedicated to giving that horse and carriage experience and so I just wanted to just get reassured that there are some informational guidelines for tourists that may be interested, because they are going to be outside of the port.”

She added: “And for the taxi drivers, I just wanted to speak more so in everyone having a piece of the pie and so that we have a

properly run and manage call up system and I’ve been assured that it is going to be in place.”

Asked yesterday if the port department planned to implement fees for vendors in the area, she replied: “Well, the port department has been doing a review of first our legislation, second our policy and then our partnership and our collaborative efforts.”

“And so, where we go from there would depend on what that review brings back to me. it’s a research process internally and they are producing a report for me ahead of the June/July budget period.”

“And so, I can’t say for sure that any increases are at the top of our mind right now. I just know that we want to make sure that we are doing our checks and balances properly so that the experience is a safe one and that many persons return to support the persons that are licenced and registered by the port department.”

THE MINISTRY of Transport and Housing and the National Maritime Policy Implementation Committee (NMPIC) hosted a National Maritime Exhibition and Career Fair, March 14-16, 2023 at The Mall at Marathon.

Its mission: Combining Preservation, Conservation, Education, Tourism, Enforcement and Economic Development... ‘For Empowerment That Leaves No One Behind.’ Prime Minister and Minister of Finance, Philip ‘Brave’ Davis is pictured chatting with persons at the exhibition, March 16, along with Minister of Transport and Housing JoBeth Coleby-Davis, and Minister of State in the Office of

the Prime Minister Myles LaRoda.

Present was Chair of the NMPIC, Reverend Angela Palacious, other committee officials and maritime industry stakeholders.

In the above photo: Prime Minister Davis is pictured centre; with Minister Coleby-Davis, centre right; Chair of NMPIC Rev. Angela Palacious, centre left; President of LJM Maritime Academy Dr. Brendamae Cleare, and other maritime industry executives.

The fair plays an important part in exposing the public, young and old, to aspects and opportunities of the maritime sector.

Thompson

Photo: Anthon

CRUISE PORT 90 PERCENT COMPLETED AND EXPECTED TO BE READY FOR MAY COMPLETION

CYNTHIA ‘Mother’ Pratt’s foundation made a donation to the Ministry of Health and Wellness of cleaning supplies and other utensils.

Pictured above (l-r) are Permanent Secretary of the Ministery of Health and Wellness Colin Higgs, ‘Mother’ Pratt, and Minister of health and Wellness Dr Michael Darville. Below are pictures showing the supplies that were donated.

Photos: Kathryn Campbell/BIS

Russia’s Putin makes surprise trip to occupied Mariupol

UKRAINE Associated Press

RUSSIAN President Vladimir Putin visited the occupied port city of Mariupol, his first trip to Ukrainian territory that Moscow illegally annexed in September and a show of defiance after the International Criminal Court issued a warrant for his arrest on war crimes charges.

Putin arrived in Mariupol late Saturday after visiting Crimea, southwest of Mariupol, to mark the ninth anniversary of the Black Sea peninsula’s annexation from Ukraine, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Sunday. He was shown chatting with Mariupol residents and visiting an art school and a children’s centre in Sevastopol, Crimea.

Mariupol became a worldwide symbol of resistance after outgunned and outmanned Ukrainian forces held out in a steel mill there for nearly three months before Moscow finally took control of it in May. Much of the city was pounded to rubble by Russian shelling. Putin has not commented on the arrest warrant, which deepened his international isolation despite the unlikelihood of him facing trial anytime soon. The Kremlin, which does not recognize the authority of the ICC, has rejected its move as “legally null and void.”

The surprise trip also came ahead of a planned visit to Moscow by Chinese President Xi Jinping this week, expected to provide a major diplomatic boost to Putin in his confrontation with the West.

In an essay published Monday in the People’s Daily, the newspaper of the Chinese Communist Party’s Central Committee, Putin said: “We are grateful for the balanced line (of China) in connection with the events taking place in Ukraine, for understanding their background and true causes. We welcome China’s willingness to play a constructive role in resolving the crisis.”

China in February released a position paper calling for an end to fighting in Ukraine and for upholding all countries’ sovereignty and territorial integrity. It did not address how to resolve Russia’s illegal claim to have annexed four regions of Ukraine.

White House National Security Council spokesman John Kirby told “Fox News Sunday” that any call for a cease-fire in Ukraine coming out of the Putin-Xi meeting would be unacceptable to the US because it would only “ratify Russian’s conquest to date,”

and give Moscow “time to refit, retrain, re-man and try to plan for a renewed offensive.”

Putin arrived in Mariupol by helicopter and then drove himself around the city’s “memorial sites,” concert hall and coastline, Russian news reports said.

The state Rossiya 24 channel on Sunday showed Putin chatting with locals outside what looked like a newly built residential complex, and being shown around one of the apartments.

Following his trip to Mariupol, Putin met with Russian military leaders and troops at a command post in Rostov-on-Don, a southern Russian city some 180 kilometres (about 112 miles) farther east, and conferred with Gen. Valery Gerasimov, who is in charge of the Russian military operations in Ukraine. Peskov said.

Peskov said the trip had been unannounced, and that Putin intended to “inspect the work of the (command) post

NATIONS APPROVE KEY UN SCIENCE REPORT ON CLIMATE CHANGE

BERLIN Associated Press

GOVERNMENTS gave their blessing on Sunday to a major new UN report on climate change, after approval was held up by a battle between rich and developing countries over emissions targets and financial aid to vulnerable nations.

The report by hundreds of the world’s top scientists was supposed to be approved by government delegations on Friday at the end of a weeklong meeting in the Swiss town of Interlaken.

The closing gavel was repeatedly pushed back as officials from big nations such as China, Brazil, Saudi Arabia, the United States and the European Union haggled through the weekend over the wording of key phrases in the text.

The report by the UN Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change caps a series that digests vast amounts of research on global warming compiled since the Paris climate accord was agreed in 2015.

A summary of the report was approved early Sunday but agreement on the main text dragged on for several more hours, with some observers fearing it might need to be postponed.

The UN plans to publish the report at a news conference early Monday afternoon.

The unusual process of having countries sign off on a scientific report is intended to ensure that governments accept its findings as authoritative advice on which to base their actions.

At the start of the meeting, UN Secretary-General António Guterres called on delegates to provide “ cold, hard facts “ to drive home the message that there’s little time left for the world to limit global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius (2.7 Fahrenheit) compared with preindustrial times. While average global temperatures have already increased by 1.1 Celsius

since the 19th century, Guterrres insisted that the 1.5-degree target limit remains possible “with rapid and deep emissions reductions across all sectors of the global economy.”

Observers said the IPCC meetings have increasingly become politicized as the stakes for curbing global warming increase, mirroring the annual UN climate talks that usually take place at the end of the year.

Among the thorniest issues at the current meeting were how to define which nations count as vulnerable developing countries, making them eligible for cash from a “loss

in its ordinary mode of operation.”

Speaking to the state RIA-Novosti agency, Deputy Prime Minister Marat Khusnullin made clear that Russia was in Mariupol to stay. He said the government hoped to finish the reconstruction of its blasted downtown by the end of the year.

“People have started to return. When they saw that reconstruction is underway, people started actively returning,” Khusnullin told RIA.

Mykhailo Podolyak, chief of staff for Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, heaped scorn on Putin’s trip to Mariupol.

“The criminal is always drawn to the crime scene,” he said. “While the countries of the civilized world are announcing the arrest of the ‘war director’ in the event of crossing the border, the organizer of the murders of thousands of Mariupol families came to admire the ruins of the city and mass graves.”

When Moscow fully captured the city in May, an estimated 100,000 people remained, out of a prewar population of 450,000. Many were trapped without food, water, heat or electricity. Relentless bombardment left rows of shattered or hollowed-out buildings.

Mariupol’s plight first came into international focus with a Russian air strike on a maternity hospital on March 9, 2022, less than two weeks after the invasion of Ukraine began. A week later, about 300 people were reported killed in the bombing of a theatre being used as the city’s largest bomb shelter. Evidence obtained by The Associated Press suggested the real death toll could be closer to 600.

A small group of Ukrainian fighters held out for 83 days in the sprawling Azovstal steel works in eastern Mariupol before surrendering, their dogged defence tying down Russian forces and coming to symbolize Ukrainian tenacity in the face of Moscow’s aggression.

Russia annexed Crimea from Ukraine in 2014, a move that most of the world denounced as illegal, and moved in September to officially claim four regions in Ukraine’s south and east as Russian territory, following referendums that Kyiv and the West described as a sham.

The ICC on Friday accused Putin of bearing personal responsibility for the abductions of children from Ukraine. UN investigators also said there was evidence for the forced transfer of “hundreds” of Ukrainian children to Russia. According to

Ukrainian government figures, over 16,000 children have been deported to Russian-controlled territories or Russia itself, many of them from Mariupol.

While the ICC’s move was welcomed by Kyiv, the chances of Putin facing trial are slim because Moscow does not recognize the court’s jurisdiction or extradite its nationals.

Ukrainian officials reported Sunday that at least three civilians had been killed and 19 wounded by Russian shelling in the previous 24 hours. The deaths were in the eastern Donetsk region, amid fierce battles for control of the city of Bakhmut, according to Gov. Pavlo Kyrylenko on Ukrainian TV.

Kharkiv regional Gov. Oleh Syniehubov said in a Telegram update that a 51-year-old woman was “fighting for her life” after being hit by shrapnel as Russian troops fired on the border town of Dvorichna.

Top Ukrainian presidential aide Andriy Yermak said Ukrainian troops were holding the line near Bakhmut, a key target of a long, grinding Russian offensive, adding that the enemy’s plan to occupy the city “are now foundering.”

The spokesman for Ukraine’s eastern forces said Russian troops are “tactically unable to complete” Bakhmut’s capture.

“Yes, there are very active battles, (the Russians) continue to carry out several dozen attacks by inertia, but they suffer huge losses,” Serhii Cherevaty said on Ukrainian TV, adding that Ukrainian defences are “bleeding the enemy, breaking his fighting spirit.”

MIAMI BEACH SETS SPRING BREAK CURFEW AFTER 2 FATAL SHOOTINGS

and damage” fund agreed on at the last UN climate talks in Egypt. Delegates have also battled over figures stating how much greenhouse gas emissions need to be cut by over the coming years, and how to include artificial or natural carbon removal efforts in the equations. As the country that has released the biggest amount of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere since industrialization, the United States has pushed back strongly against the notion of historic responsibility for climate change.

FLORIDA Associated Press

BEACH officials imposed a curfew beginning Sunday night during spring break after two fatal shootings and rowdy, chaotic crowds that police have had difficulty controlling.

The city said in a news release the curfew would be from 11:59 pm Sunday until 6 am Monday, with an additional curfew likely to be put in place Thursday through next Monday, March 27. The curfew mainly affects South Beach, the most popular party location for spring breakers.

The release said the two separate shootings Friday night and early Sunday that left two people dead and “excessively large and unruly crowds” led to the decision. The city commission plans a meeting Monday to discuss potential further restrictions next week.

Miami Beach Mayor Dan

Gelber said in a video message posted Sunday that the crowds and presence of numerous firearms has “created a peril that cannot go unchecked” despite massive police presence and many city-sponsored activities meant to keep people busy.

“We don’t ask for spring break in our city. We don’t want spring break in our city. It’s too rowdy, it’s too much disorder and it’s too difficult to police,” Gelber said.

The latest shooting happened about 3:30 am Sunday on Ocean Drive in South Beach, according to Miami Beach police. A male was shot and died later at a hospital, and officers chased down a suspect on foot, police said on Twitter. Their identities were not released, nor were any possible charges.

In the Friday night shooting, one male victim was killed and another seriously injured, sending crowds scrambling in fear from restaurants and clubs into the

streets as gunshots rang out. Police detained one person at the scene and found four firearms, but no other details have been made available.

Under the curfew, people must leave businesses before midnight, although hotels can operate later only in service to their guests. The city release said restaurants can stay open only for delivery and the curfew won’t apply to residents, people going to and from work, emergency services and hotel guests. Some roads will be closed off and arriving hotel guests may have to show proof of their reservations.

Last year, the city imposed a midnight curfew following two shootings, also on Ocean Drive. The year before that, there were about 1,000 arrests and dozens of guns confiscated during a rowdy spring break that led Miami Beach officials to take steps aimed at calming the situation.

IN this photo taken from video released by Russian TV Pool on Sunday, March 19, 2023, Russian President Vladimir Putin talks with local residents during his visit to Mariupol in Russian-controlled Donetsk region, Ukraine. Putin has traveled to Crimea to mark the ninth anniversary of the Black Sea peninsula’s annexation from Ukraine.

Photo: Pool Photo via AP

PEOPLE walk through floodwaters after heavy rainfall in Hadeja, Nigeria, Sept 19, 2022. Publication of a major new United Nations report on climate change is being held up by a battle between rich and developing countries over emissions targets and financial aid to vulnerable nations.

Photo: AP Photo

CROWDS gather during spring break on Saturday, March 18, 2023, in Miami Beach, Fla. Miami Beach officials imposed a curfew beginning Sunday night, March 19, after two fatal shootings and rowdy, chaotic crowds that police have had difficulty controlling.

Photo: D.A. Varela/AP

Texas A&M Aggies capture inaugural Island Relays

By BRENT STUBBS Senior Sports Reporter bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

GRAND Bahama — Veteran coach Pat Henry remembers his last trip to The Bahamas in October to participate in the homegoing service for his former Olympic sprinter Shavez Hart. This time, he was in a more celebratory mood as his Texas A&M Aggies captured the inaugural Island Relays over the weekend.

Henry, now in his 18th season as the head coach at Texas A&M, watched as his Aggies dominated the men’s division with a 58-point advantage over the Arizona Wildcats and trailed the Oklahoma Sooners by 36 in the twoday meet that concluded on Saturday at the Grand Bahama Sports Complex.

“It’s a great place to come. I think my team had a great time. We’ve been here since Monday and the people have been so kind to us,” Henry said. “It’s the week after our NCAA appearance and for some people, we hit it hard and for others, we took it easy.

“But for the most part, what we tried to get done here this weekend is we just wanted to take it easy and get through this week without any injuries.”

Henry, who has coached at Texas A&M for the past 18 years after spending 19 years at Louisiana State University where he coached strongwoman Laverne Eve, said it was hard to come here for the funeral of the 29-yearold Hart in January, but because they enjoyed their time here this weekend, he’s looking forward to bringing the Aggies back in the future.

Texas A&M took the men’s crown with 198 points over Arizona, who had 140. Oklahoma was third with 132, the South Carolina Gamecocks were fourth with 125 and the University of the Bahamas Mingoes rounded out the field with 19.

On the ladies’ side, the Sooners took the title with 193 with the Aggies following with 157. The Wildcats got third with 152, the Gamecocks were fourth with 99, the Vanderbilt Commodores were fifth with 54 and the Mingoes completed the table with just one.

The Aggies got something to celebrate on the ladies’ side as Camryn Dickson took the title of the fastest woman at the meet in the 100m in 11.81, holding Arizona’s Neysia Howard, who was second in 11.96 with Mikayla Hayes of Oklahoma getting third in 12.14.

“I just really wanted to get out and save my drive phase for as long as I could,” Dickson said. “It was a little windy today, so I just let the momentum carry me through to the line since I was tired going through the line since I was a little tired from the last 60-40 metres.”

Coming off what she felt was a pretty good indoor season, Dickson said she is looking forward to the rest of her outdoor season, especially getting it started here in the Bahamas where “it’s amazing and I’m so blessed that track has brought me all the way here.”

In the men’s 100m, it came down to a photo finish as Anthony Greenhow of South Carolina nipped Trayvion WhiteAustin of Arizona, in times of 10.66 and 10.67 respectively. Demarius Smith, unattached, clocked 10.76.

“I was just coming off the 4x1 and so I had to rest my legs, so I just tried to stay strong,” Greenhow said. “I don’t have the best start, so I knew the guy who came second had a really good start, so I had to stay to my race, which is my finish.”

Greenhow said he couldn’t ask for a better place to be in than in the Bahamas.

Portugal native Rogerio Amaral, representing

SAND DOLLAR HIGH FLYERS EVEN THE SERIES 1-1

By TENAJH SWEETING tsweeting@tribunemedia.net

AFTER a tough loss to the Leno Regulators last week Thursday, the Sand Dollar Imports High Flyers evened the series 1-1 in a 86-63 blowout win.

The High Flyers were locked in from the game’s opening tip as they jumped out to a seven-point lead early on and never looked back. At the end of the second quarter, the High Flyers wrapped up the first half with the score 42-28.

The Sand Dollar lead only got bigger in the second half as the team’s leading scorer Enrico Bethel splashed five threepointers on the night while shooting a perfect 5/5 from the field.

Bethel talked about how it felt to come out and tie the series 1-1.

“It was a must win so I have mixed feelings, we have to win one more so I cannot really be emotional right now,” Bethel said.

Despite his reluctance to celebrate prematurely, Bethel added that in game three they have to win it all by playing together, and playing good defence.

He was not the only High Flyer that made great impacts in the game.

Dave Davis and Van Hutchinson both came out the night’s matchup with double doubles. Davis scored 16 points to go with 15 boards and Hutchinson poured in 15 points to pair with 16 rebounds in the game. The two combined for half (31) of the team’s 62-rebound total.

South Carolina, won the men’s 1,500m in 3:54.80 ahead of Arizona’s Iker Sanchez Lopez and Cooper Quigley, who had to settle for second and third respectively in 3:55,15 and 3:56.97.

“I love it. I love the culture and the music. It made me feel like I was home,” said Amaral, who noted that his trip here was wonderful.

“With this crowd cheering all of us on, I just wanted to go out there and put on a show for them. None of the guys wanted to make a move, so I waited for the final stretch, which is something I like to do in Arizona.”

And all the way from Germany, another South Carolina representative Svenja Sommer took the women’s 1,500m in a sprint as well in 4:35.25, well ahead of Sailor Hutton of Arizona, who did 4:36.81 for second. Gabi Barrara of Oklahoma was third in 4:40.38. “I love it. It was always my dream to come here. I love the weather, I love the beach and everything here,” said Sommer, who had to display a little bit of tactics to win her

race. “Nobody wanted to take the lead in my race, but after my team-mate did, I was glad that I had a little bit of power left. Now that I am finished, I can enjoy the rest of my time here.”

And while there was a clean sweep by Arizona in the women’s high jump, Tallie Bonds and Alexa Porpaczy Arizona matched the same height of 5-feet, 10 ½ -inches or 1.79m to share the victory with Emma Gates take third with 5-7, 1.70m.

Bonds said they all have had “so much fun here with their beach day and training” that she “never wants to leave.”

But she said despite all of the distractions, she performed as best as she could, but she will never “forget this experience. This was one of my best ones, so I’m sure I will be back.”

Marvin Henfield, who helped organise the meet, called it an “amazingly successful event.”

While the meet was originally scheduled for 2021 to help bring some economy to Grand Bahama in the aftermath of Hurricane Dorian, he said he’s glad

that they finally got it off the ground two years after the shutdown by COVID19. “There’s so much I’ve learnt this weekend,” said Henfield, one of the country’s top basketball trainers. “Track and field is new to me, but there’s so much that I learned in the planning of this event over the past four years.”

Henfield said they already have 12 verbal commitments for next year with the numbers expecting to double, but he’s not sure if he’s ready to take on that many. He just wants to see where it goes because Grand Bahama pulled out all the stops to make it happen. “If there’s one word I can describe this experience here, it’s ‘hungry.’ The people here are hungry and ready to get back to work and to be gainfully employed. So we’re happy that we were able to bring a little of that to the economy here.”

Not only did the fans, who showed up in great numbers, get to watch the visiting athletes compete against some of the members of the University of the Bahamas, they also got to see their own local high

school athletes in action as many of them are preparing to travel to New Providence this weekend for the joint National High School Championships and final CARIFTA trials.

• Here’s a look at the top three finishers in the events contested during the meet:

100m – Camryn Dickson, Texas A&M, 11.81; Neysia Howard, Arizona, 11.96; Mikayla Hayes, Oklahoma, 12.14.

Women’s 200m – JaylaJa Jamison, South Carolina, 23.28; Jermaisha Arnold, Texas A&M, 23.38; Charokee Young, Unat-Texas A&M, 23.57.

Women’s 400m – Jania Martin, Texas A&M, 52.56; Jahnile Registre, South Carolina, 53.28; Aallliyah Francis, South Carolina, 53.29.

800m – Sylvia Chelangat, South Carolina, 2:05.99; Alisa Lyesina, Arizona, 2:06.02; Yazmine Wright, Oklahoma, 2:08.12.

Women’s 1,500m –Svenja Sommer, South Carolina, 4:35.25; Sailor Hutton, Arizona, 4:36.81; Gabi Barrara, Oklahoma, 4:40.38.

The High Flyers dominated the Regulators in the paint 48 to 32. They also had 17 points off turnovers compared to the 11 from the other team. The team also got out and ran as they were able to notch 14 quick points on the fast break.

Meanwhile, the Regulators only had eight in the night’s matchup.

During the game, the High Flyers were up by as much as 25 points in efforts to fight another night in the NPBA playoffs.

Donnie Culmer, head coach of the Sand Dollar Imports High Flyers, talked about what helped his team to come out with a win.

“We have been here before, we are battle tested and the first game our shots didn’t drop and we didn’t execute but the guys are more focused now,” Culmer said.

Although Culmer did not reveal the specific game plan of his team, he said his team executed their game plan perfectly on the night and will look to come out and do the same thing today.

The Leno Regulators will look to make things difficult for their opponents as the two face off 8:30pm tonight at the A.F. Adderley Gymnasium in a win-or-go-home game.

FAST TRACK: Athletes compete in the inaugural Island Relays at the Grand Bahama Sports Complex on Saturday. The Texas A&M Aggies won the title.

Photos: Vandyke Hepburn/BIS

NP SPORTS COUNCIL SEEKS FUNDING AND SUPPORT AHEAD OF THE BAHAMAS GAMES

By TENAJH SWEETING tsweeting@tribunemedia.net

THE New Providence Sports Council is seeking funding urgently as sports associations make preparations for the sixth edition of the Bahamas Golden Jubilee Games.

WIth the games being only four months after a 21-year hiatus, sports officials are beginning to have some concerns with the lack of funding so far as the country looks to host the multi-sport event.

According to members of the different sports associations at a press conference on Saturday, they have not

RELAYS

FROM PAGE 15

Women’s 3,000m –Julia Abell, Texas A&M, 9:59.58; Abbey Santoro, Texas A&M, 10:00.23; Grace Plain, Texas A&M, 10:00.41.

Women’s 100m hurdles – Jaiya Covington, Texas A&M, 13.74; Talle Bonds, Arizona, 13.80; Taylor McKinnon, Vanderbilt, 14.76.

Women’s 400m hurdles – Ashonti Warner, Oklahoma, 57.38; Daneeshaa Davidson, Oklahoma, 57.91; Elena Kelety, South Carolina, 58.19.

Women’s 4 x 100m relay –Texas A&M (Jania Martin, Leeah Burr, Camryn Dickson and Jaiya Covington) 44.33; Oklahoma (Kennedy Blackmon, Eva Kubickova, Amanda Obijaku and Mikayla Haynes) 44.50; Arizona (Neysia Howard, Jenica Bosko, Lauryn Ford and Taylen Wise) 44.85.

Women’s 4 x 400m relay – Texas A&M (Leeah Burr, Sanu Jallow, Kennedy Wade and Joniar Thomas) 3:34.10; Oklahoma (Ashonti Warner, Jenna James, Alyia Green and Jade Arkinson) 3:39.72; Vanderbilt (Nicole Anderson, Taiya Shelby, Kaira Brown and Allyria McBride) 3:54.23.

Women’s 4 x 800m relay - South Carolina (Elena Kelety, Sylvia Chelangat, Kieley Gayle and Grace Zamrowski)

8:56.91; Vanderbilt (Taiya Shelby, Nicole Anderson, Kaira Brown and Allyria McBride) 9:01.03; Vanderbilt (Lainey Phelps, Julia Rosenberg, Emma Curry and Mackenzie Culpepper)

9:20.15.

Women’s hammer throw – Ava David, Arizona, 58.83m; Abby Moore, Oklahoma, 57.93m; Geraldine Udo, Oklahoma, 55.53m.

Women’s javelin throw – Katelyn Fairchild, Texas A&M, 53.40m; Lianna Davidson, Texas A&M, 52.25m; Erin Tack, Texas A&M, 44.86m.

Women’s shot put – Payden Montana, Oklahoma University, 56-4 (17.17m); Paige Low, Oklahoma University, 53-101/2 (16.42m); Mackenna Orie, Arizona, 52-9 (16.08m).

Women’s pole vault – Cassidy Bradshaw, Oklahoma, 13-1 ½ (4.60m); Ava Riche, Texas A&M,

received any funding as yet despite the draft for the Bahamas Games expected to be held in early April.

James Price, president of the New Providence Basketball Association, talked about some of the financial concerns the council has discussed up to this point.

“We are faced with too much situations over the Bahamas Games, we have players they are overseas, they want to know if you are gonna pay for them to come in [if] you have accommodations for them to stay we need to know where these funds are supposed to come from,” Price said.

Price added that he does not see where the NPBA can fund the tickets for athletes when they are costing between $1,200 to $1,500. He also had concerns over ordering uniforms for July’s games because if they are ordered too late they won’t arrive in time for the New Providence sports teams.

The president of the NPBA was not the only one who had concerns about funding for his sport.

Sam Rodgers Sr, president of the Bahamas Baseball Association, said the association was looking at bringing in top baseball athletes but first they would need to import baseballs

from Puerto Rico which will take 7-8 weeks. However, they have not received any funds as yet to do so.

“Funds really should have been dished out a few months ago, it’s very important right now for us to make sure, if the Bahamas Games will go on funds have to be issued in short order in order for us to be ready and prepared,”

Rodgers Sr added.

Shirley Mireault, of the cycling association, said they put in their budget on time due to requests from the islands to help in preparing their local athletes for cycling as well as providing them with helmets

but to no avail because they have not received funding up to this point either.

Among the urgent needs for funding to proceed with preparations for the games, the New Providence Sports Council is seeking accommodations, transportation, and that the New Providence sports team receive the same rights and privileges as athletes from the other islands.

At February’s conclave held by the Ministry of Youth, Sports and Culture, the financial committee had not yet decided whether or not the New Providence Sports Council team would be allowed to live in the

Games Village. The committee said that they would make a decision on the living accommodations for the New Providence teams by the next conclave.

The different sports associations in The Bahamas are hoping to receive funding for the sixth edition of the Bahamas Games soon as the games are expected to commence July 7-15.

The games will include softball, basketball, track and field, lawn tennis, swimming, soccer, volleyball, beach volleyball, bodybuilding and powerlifting, boxing, cycling, baseball, youth Olympic sailing, regatta sailing and golf.

12-1 ¾ (3.70m); Heather Abadia, Texas A&M, 12-1 ¾ (3.70m).

Women’s long jump – Symone Washington, Oklahoma, 20-4 (6.20m); Jenica Bosko, Arizona, 19-11 ¾ (6.09m); Joniar Thomas, Texas A&M, 13-81/2 (6.01m).

Women’s high jump – Alexa Porpaczy, Aruizona, 5-10 ½ (1.79m); Talie Bonds, Arizona, 5-10 ¾ (1.79mm); Emma Gates, Arizona, 5-7, 1.70m.

Women’s triple jump -

Men’s 100m – Anthony Greenhow, South Carolina, 10.66; Trayvion WhiteAustin, Arizona, 10.67; Demarius Smith, unattached, 10.76.

Men’s 200m – Zarik Brown, Oklahoma, 21.02; Jordan Chopane, Texas A&M, 21.02; Muzuri Mattar, Oklahoma, 21.05.

Men’s 400m – Edward Richardson, South Carolina, 47.01; Carl Hicks, Arinoza, 47.14; Isaac Davis, Arinoza, 47.37.

Men’s 800m – Isaac Barrera, Oklahoma, 1:54.27; Aidan Hatton, South Carolina, 1:54.32; Cade Russo, Arizona, 1:54.76.

Men’s 1,500m – Rogerio Amaral, South Carolina, 3:54.80; Iker Sanchez Lopez, Arizona, 3:55.15; Cooper Quigley, Arizona, 3:56.97.

Men’s 3,0000m – Gavin Hoffpauir, Texas A&M, 8:40.49; Cooper Cawthra, 8:40.55; Eric Casarez, Texas A&M, 8:41.38.

Men’s 110m hurdles – Filip Demsar, South Carolina, 14.15; David Warmington, Oklahoma, 14.73; Zachary Extine, Arizona, 14.77.

Men’s 400m hurdles –Felipe Medrado, Texas A&M, 58.03.

Men’s 3,000m steeplechase – Colin Caso, Oklahoma, 9:50.29.

Men’s 4 x 100m relay – Oklahoma (Josh Bour, Carter Cukerstein, Zarik Brown and Muzuri Martar) 39.40; Arizona (Trayvion White-Austin, Brian Limage, Carl Hicks and James Onanubosi) 39.81; South Carolina (Blair Brooks, Filip Demsar, Emory Floyd and Anthony Greenhow) 40.11.

Men’s 4 x 400m relay –Texas (Sam Presnal, Cutler Zamzow, Omajuwa Etiwe and Christian Rosales)

3:11.58; South Carolina (Filip Demsar, Anthony Greenhow, Jackson Junkins and Gatlin Lawson) 3:11.58;

Arizona (Carl Hicks, Isaacs Davis, Trayvion WhiteAustin and Lynicc Lopez) 3:13.34.

Men’s 4 x 800m relay – Texas A&M (Cooper Cawthra, Chandon Chhikara, Gavin Hoffpauir and Victor Zuniga) 7:47.35; South Carolina (Rogerio Amaral, Aidan Hatton, Jack Mensch and William Spencer) 7:53.21.

Men’s hammer throw – Jordan Geist, Arizona, 73.94m; Ben Ryer, Oklahoma, 59.16m; Alessio Pirruccio, Texas A&M, 54.93m.

Men’s javelin throw – Sam Hankins, Texas A&M, 70.59; Jared O’Riley, Arizona, 69.15m; Julian Stoicoviclu, Texas A&M, 63.04m.

Men’s shot put – Bryce Foster, Texas A&M, 62-83/4 (19.12m); Youssef Koudssi, Arizona, 61-113/4 (18.89m); Dylan Targgart, South Carolina, 60-11 (18.57m).

Men’s discus throw –Youssef Kopudssi, Arizona, (55.18m); Zach Landa, Arizona, (52.56m); Ethan Sanders, Texas A&M, 52.20m.

Men’s high jump – Carter Bajoit, Texas A&M, 6-11 ½ (2.12m); Kobe Franklin, South Carolina, 6-6 ¾ (2.00m); Jaidyn Brown, University of the Bahamas, 6-0 ¾ (1.85m).

Men’s long jump – Reinaldo Rodrigues, Arizona, 24-9 ¾ (7.56m); Ricky Smith, Oklahoma, 24-5 (7.44m); Blair Brooks, South Carolina, 23-11 ¾ (7.31m).

Men’s triple jump –Brandon Green, Oklahoma, 51-6 (15.70m); Blair Brooks, South Carolina, 47-10 1/ 2 (14.59m); Kunle Akinlosolu, Oklahoma, 45-7 ¼ (13.90m).

Men’s pole vault – Zach Davis, Texas A&M, 15-11 (5.85m); Gregston Connor, Texas A&M, 15-11 (4.85m); Jack Mann II, Texas A&M, 15-5 (4.70m).

Age Group Division

Girls 100m – Shatalya Dorsett, 12.57; Phebe Thompon, 13.05; Kianna Henchell, 13.27.

Boys 100m – Tervon Clarke, 11.43; Michael Riley, 11.44; Aiden Kelly, 11.65.

Girls 400m – Quincy Penn, 57,33; Shaniyah Addwerkey, 1:00.80; Janiyah Rolle, 1:01.71.

Boys 400m – Akerman Bowleg, 49.79; Javano Bridhgewater, 50.03; Jayden McGregor, 50.77.

ON THE FAST TRACK: Athletes compete in the inaugural Island Relays at the Grand Bahama Sports Complex on Saturday. The Texas A&M Aggies won the title. Photos: Vandyke Hepburn/BIS

A VIEW of the crowd at the inaugural Island Relays at the Grand Bahama Sports Complex on Saturday.

March Madness: Sweet 16 matchups shape up after wild weekend

MARCH Madness is heading to the Sweet 16 without a handful of top teams. Two No. 1 seeds, Kansas and Purdue, No. 2 seed Arizona and No. 4 seed Virginia are all gone — and gone with them are millions of busted brackets.

Tough sledding for the bluebloods, too: Besides Kansas, Kentucky and Duke are heading home. But UCLA and Indiana were still alive!

• Here is what to know with the regional semifinals up next at the NCAA Tournament:

TOP SEEDS

The top four seeds in the tournament were given to Alabama, Houston, Kansas and Purdue. Each had its share of headaches to set up what is already proving to be a chaotic tournament.

The Boilermakers were the first to fall, ousted in a first-round stunner, and the Jayhawks followed the very next day.

EAST REGION: The Boilermakers got a No. 1 seed for the fourth time, but Purdue was dumped by Fairleigh Dickinson in a near-historic upset. The region appeared to be wide open for the likes of No. 2 seed Marquette, Kansas State, Tennessee, Michigan State and more. No. 5 seed Duke was ousted by the Volunteers. FDU or FAU will advance to the Sweet 16 if you like underdogs!

SOUTH REGION:

Alabama, led by coach Nate Oats in a challenging season, is a No. 1 seed for the first time behind SEC player of the year Brandon Miller, who has armed security on hand after being the subject of threats. The Crimson Tide opened the tourney with an easy win. Potential hurdles could include Baylor or Creighton. Or ... Princeton, which is heading to the Sweet 16 out of the South.

MIDWEST REGION:

Houston got a top seed and won its opener before a rugged victory over Auburn even with All-American Marcus Sasser hobbled by a groin injury. Potential hurdles could include No. 2 seed Texas, No. 3 seed Xavier or the winner of a tasty 4-5 matchup between Indiana and Miami.

WEST REGION: Kansas, the defending national champion that was without coach Bill Self in the tournament following a heart procedure, blew an 8-point halftime lead and lost to 8-seed Arkansas.

Like the East, the West is now open for the likes of No. 2 seed UCLA, No. 3 Gonzaga and No. 4 seed UConn.

SHINING MOMENTS

The unforgettable plays are piling up.

Princeton used a late run to earn its first NCAA Tournament win in 25 years by ousting No. 2 seed Arizona and then answered any sceptics by rolling Missouri to lock in its regional semifinal spot. Furman celebrated its first tourney appearance since 1980 with a win over No. 4 seed Virginia on a deep 3-pointer by JP Pegues with 2.4 seconds left.

Then came 16-seed Fairleigh Dickinson’s win over Purdue as the 22 1/2-point underdog stifled 7-4 centre Zach Edey to advance and join UMBC in the record books.

All that happened before the Razorbacks and shirtless coach Eric Musselman celebrated their win over top-seeded Kansas.

GAMES TO WATCH

No. 4 seed Connecticut (27-8) vs. No. 8 Arkansas (22-13), Thursday.

The Huskies are returning to the Sweet 16 for the first time in nine years, and hoping to avoid being the next victim of Arkansas, which ousted defending champion Kansas. UConn outclassed Saint Mary’s 70-55 behind 24 points by Adama Sanogo and timely 3-point shooting.

No. 2 Kansas State (25-9) vs. No. 7 Michigan State (21-12), Thursday

Tom Izzo is taking Michigan State to the Sweet 16 for the 15th time and first in four years after a 69-60 victory against No. 2 seed Marquette. The victory was the 16th for Izzo in the tournament against a higher seed, breaking the record he shared with recently retired Syracuse coach Jim Boeheim. At Madison Square Garden, the Spartans will face a Kansas State team that was picked to finish last in the Big 12 with a remade roster and firstyear coach in Jerome Tang. The Wildcats outlasted Kentucky 75-69 behind 27 points by Markquis Nowell.

No. 5 seed San Diego State (29-6) vs. No. 1 seed Alabama (31-5), Friday

The Aztecs are heading to the Sweet 16 for the first time since 2004 and have won 11 of their last 13. Balanced scoring carried them to a second-round victory against Furman and they’ll need more of the same against the Crimson Tide, who handily dispatched Maryland in the second round. All-America freshman Brandon Miller, who is nursing an injury, had 19 after going scoreless in the first round. No. 3 seed Xavier (27-9) vs. No. 2 seed Texas (28-8), Friday

The Musketeers are heading to the Sweet 16 for the first time since 2017 and will face a Longhorns team that hasn’t been there in 15 years. Xavier put on a clinic on unselfishness in the first half of its 84-73 victory against Pittsburgh, totaling 17 assists on 19 made field goals. The Longhorns made just one 3-pointer in 13 tries in their 71-66 victory against Penn State, but Dylan Disu had seasonhigh 28-point performance.

GO DEEPER

Gun violence has cost lives and disrupted college sports all season,

touching some of the top programmes in college basketball, including Alabama. Coaches have been thrust into uncertain and unwelcome roles in trying to navigate the topic — as well as the fallout from the Supreme Court decision to overturn Roe vs. Wade.

On a lighter note, if you feel you know March Madness pretty well, try this 25-question trivia quiz put together by AP.

PLAYERS TO WATCH

The NCAA Tournament is filled with great players and the AP All-America team is a good place to get familiar with the names. It’s also an event where guys you’ve never heard of can take a star turn. Guard play is always going to be important (see: Baylor, 2021 title winner) and there are some NBA prospects in the mix.

Bet on this, too: Some player — maybe more than one — will have a chance to join the mustachioed Doug Edert (remember

Saint Peters’ inspiring run last year?) and find a way to cash in on their celebrity.

HOW TO WATCH

Every game of the men’s tournament will be aired — here is a schedule — either on CBS, TBS, TNT or TruTV and their digital platforms. CBS, which also has a handy schedule that includes announcing teams, will handle the Final Four and national title game this year. The NCAA is streaming games via its March Madness Live option and CBS games are being streamed on Paramount+.

Fans of longtime playby-play announcer Jim Nantz should soak up every moment: It’s his final NCAA Tournament.

BETTING GUIDE

Who’s going to win the national championship? The betting favorites Sunday to reach the Final Four are (in order) Houston, Alabama, UCLA, Texas, UConn and

REESE, LSU TOP MICHIGAN IN 2ND ROUND OF MARCH MADNESS

By BRETT MARTEL AP Sports Writer

BATON ROUGE, La.

(AP) — Angel Reese dismantled Michigan on both ends of the court with 25 points, 24 rebounds, six blocks and three steals to help thirdseeded LSU beat the No. 6 seed Wolverines 66-42 last night in the second round of the women’s NCAA Tournament. Reese, a 6-foot-3 AllAmerica forward, did most of her damage with gauze wedged under her upper lip after a shot to her mouth drew blood in the opening minutes of the game.

Gonzaga, according to FanDuel Sportsbook.

MARCH MADNESS

CALENDAR

Selection Sunday set the bracket matchups for the First Four and first- and second-round games that stretch from Florida to California.

Sweet 16 weekend will see games in New York City (East Region), Las Vegas (West), Kansas City, Missouri (Midwest), and Louisville, Kentucky (South).

Where is the Final Four?

In Houston, on April 1, with the championship game on April 3. Basketball aficionados, take note: The women’s NCAA Tournament will hold its Final Four in Dallas, a four-hour drive up the road from Houston.

Can’t get enough March Madness? Well, there is talk about expanding the tournament despite a host of challenges. Enjoy the 68-team version for now!

Alexis Morris scored 11 and LaDazhia Williams had 10 points and 10 rebounds for LSU (302), which never trailed and held Michigan (2310) to its lowest point total of the season.

In just their second season under coach Kim Mulkey, the Tigers advanced past the second round of the tournament for the first time since 2014 and will meet second seed Utah in the Greenville 2 regional semifinal.

Laila Phelia scored 20 points for Michigan, which opened the second half with a 7-0 run to pull as close as eight points, but quickly went back down by double-digits for good after Reese’s layup and Kateri Poole’s 3.

Reese played with relentless determination, three times chasing driving Michigan players down the lane to swat their shots away from behind.

She was a menace to Michigan rebounders on both ends of the court.

MISSOURI forward Mohamed Diarra (0) blocks a shot by Princeton forward Tosan Evbuomwan during the second half of a second-round college basketball game in the men’s NCAA Tournament in Sacramento, California, on Saturday, March 18. Princeton won 78-63. (AP Photo/Randall Benton) SEE

CYCLISTS USE TIME TRIALS TO GET IN GEAR FOR BAHAMAS GAMES

By BRENT STUBBS Senior Sports Reporter bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

GRAND Bahama — In preparing their team for the Bahamas Games in July, the Grand Bahama Cycling Association hosted its time trials on Saturday.

Veteran Leebert Gibbs emerged as the fastest finisher of the 12-mile event, while Sylvia Bateman was the top female competitor and triathlete Launy Duncombe clinched the crown as the junior champion, albeit, he was the lone competitor in that category.

Gibbs, the eighth competitor out on the course, accumulated the fastest time of eight minutes and 46 seconds to out-duel the field of 12.

He noted that it was good to get the competition from the other competitors as they start to prepare for the Bahamas Games with the view of dethroning New Providence.

“Today, I didn’t have the opportunity to use my time trials gear, but I was still able to hold my pace, averaging about 26 miles per hour,” Bateman said.

“Coming back, I tried to tune it down a bit and I caught a couple people before I got to the finish line.”

Bateman, the fifth competitor on the course, did 29.34 for second place overall. She noted that she’s even more encouraged when she lines up to compete against the guys because her aim is to beat them.

“It was easy going into the wind, but when we turned around, it was a struggle, but I just wanted to get to the end,” Bateman said.

“I had to push myself because I have a speed that I don’t want to go below and so I just kept pushing.”

And Duncombe, coming off his victory in the Powerade Potcakeman

Triathlon at Jaws Beach on March 5, led the field out and came back in with the fourth fastest time of 30:46, just ahead of Bahamas Cycling Federation’s vice president Kenton Roker, who was third in 29:46.

“I felt my performance was decent, but not my best,” said the 16-year-old Duncombe.

“Normally when I ride my time trials, it’s more smooth and I pace myself so that I can come back strong. So it wasn’t my best performance, but I’m glad I kept my pace and was able to still finish off strong.”

The other competitors in order of finish were Curtis Fowler in fifth in 31:35; Celia Dubey, sixth in 32:00; Volvique ‘5-0’ Moreau, seventh in 33:56; Ricardo Bishop, eighth in 34:20; Smonia ‘Nono’ Moreau, ninth in 34:32; Michel Laroda, 10th in 37:10 and Heather Burey, 11th in 38:02. Rnadu Cooper didn’t complete the course.

MARCH MADNESS REESE, LSU

FROM PAGE 17

She grabbed 14 offensive rebounds. And after one, Emily Kiser was called for an intentional foul when she knocked Reese to the floor on a putback attempt. LSU had 18 secondchance points to Michigan’s 2, and although both teams shot 35%, LSU got off 68 shots to Michigan’s 46.

Leading by only a few points early on, the Tigers took over in the second quarter. Jasmine Carson hit three 3s for LSU, which had missed its first eight from deep. Her third put LSU up 23-9, prompting Michigan coach Kim Barnes Arico to call timeout.

That stunted LSU’s momentum only briefly before Reese scored LSU’s next seven points on a short jumper, a putback, an explosive drive to the hoop and a free throw to put the Tigers up 30-15 at halftime.

ROUGH

START

The first quarter was a defensive struggle in which both teams looked prepared to exert as much physical force as official would permit. Reese took an inadvertent shot to the mouth under the basket. She continued intermittently rubbing her lip and looking at her finger tips to check for blood for much the quarter. Later, she lost one of her eyelash extensions while tangled up inside with Kiser and Leigha Brown.

Reese delivered punishment, too, flattening Kiser on a drive down the lane. Kiser drew the charge, but stayed down for several moments, placing her hand on the part of her upper body that apparently took the blow, before teammates helped her up.

SHOWN, from left to right, are Grand Bahama time trial winners Leebert Gibbs, Sylvia Bateman and Launy Duncombe.

Jokic triple-double leads the Nuggets to 108-102 win over Nets

NEW YORK (AP) —

Nikola Jokic had 22 points, 17 rebounds and 10 assists in his 28th triple-double of the season, Michael Porter Jr. had 28 points and nine rebounds, and the Denver Nuggets beat the Brooklyn Nets 108-102 yesterday.

Jamal Murray scored 20 of his 25 points in the first quarter for the Nuggets, who looked nothing like the slumping team that had dropped five of six.

Denver shot 62.5% in the first half and led comfortably most of the game while playing for the second straight afternoon.

Mikal Bridges scored 23 points and Nic Claxton had 19 for the Nets, who have lost three straight as they try to hold onto a top-six seed and a guaranteed postseason spot in the Eastern Conference.

BUCKS 118, RAPTORS 111

MILWAUKEE (AP) —

Giannis Antetokounmpo had 22 points, 13 rebounds and 10 assists, Brook Lopez scored 17 of his 26 points in the fourth quarter, and Milwaukee improved to an NBA-best 51-20.

Khris Middleton added 20 points and Bobby Portis had 14 for the Bucks. Antetokounmpo had his 33rd career triple-double.

Fred VanVleet had 23 points and O.G. Anunoby added 22 for the Raptors, who had won their three previous games.

Toronto missed a chance to move into eighth in the East Conference ahead of Atlanta, which lost to San Antonio 126-118.

CLIPPERS 117, TRAIL BLAZERS 102

PORTLAND, Ore. (AP)

— Paul George had 29 points and the Los Angeles Clippers handed Portland its sixth straight loss.

Kawhi Leonard added 24 for the Clippers as they fight for home-court advantage in the playoffs. Los Angeles was sitting at fifth in the Western Conference standings just behind the Phoenix Suns.

Jusuf Nurkic finished with 23 points and 11 rebounds for the Blazers, who were in 13th in the West, well

NPBA

FROM PAGE 20

led the team with 18 points in the victory.

The team’s second highest scorer William Rigby poured in 14 points on the night along with 18 big rebounds and five assists.

Teammates Jackson Dalmond and Rameno King also notched double doubles en route to the five-point win. Dalmond finished with 10 points to pair with 10 boards and King had 11 points with 10 boards as well.

In a tightly matched game, offensive rebounds and second chance points proved to be the difference between the division one teams. The CCS grabbed 27 offensive rebounds in this weekend’s match up to go with 22 second-chance

outside of playoff contention. Damian Lillard had 21 points and nine assists.

Assistant coach Dan Craig was the acting head coach for the Clippers because Tyronn Lue had a non-COVID illness and did not travel with the team.

HEAT 112, PISTONS 100

DETROIT (AP) — Tyler Herro scored 10 of his 19 points in the final 3:20 and Miami won for the third time in four games.

Jimmy Butler had 26 points and 10 assists and Bam Adebayo added 22 points and 10 rebounds for the Heat.

James Wiseman led the Pistons with 22 points and 13 rebounds. Killian Hayes put up 13 points and 11 assists. Detroit has lost 14 of its last 15 games.

Detroit’s Jalen Duren and Miami’s Kevin Love left the game in the third quarter after banging heads under the basket. Love received four stitches and could have returned, but Duren was being evaluated for a brain injury after feeling “woozy.”

SPURS 126, HAWKS 118 SAN ANTONIO (AP)

— Keldon Johnson and Devin Vassell had 29 points each and San Antonio rallied from a 24-point deficit to spoil Dejounte Murray’s homecoming.

Murray had 22 points, eight assists and six rebounds in his first game in San Antonio since being traded to Atlanta in the offseason. Zach Collins added 19 points for the Spurs, who snapped a two-game skid.

Onyeka Okongwu had 17 points and Clint Capela had 15 points and 12 rebounds for the Hawks.

PELICANS 117, ROCKETS 107

HOUSTON (AP) — Brandon Ingram and CJ McCollum each scored 26 points and New Orleans closed the gap to a halfgame behind Utah for the final spot in the play in tournament with 11 games left.

Jonas Valanciunas had 21 points and 11 rebounds, Trey Murphy III had 14

points. Meanwhile, UB grabbed 13 to go with only eight second-chance points on the night.

Lavar Johnson, assistant coach for the Mingoes, said he credited the experience and big shots at the end of the game for the Shockers’ win. But overall, despite the inexperience of this new Mingoes team, he is proud of the progress they have made from the beginning of this season to this point.

Johnson added the team will continue to work on their system and developing the players for next time around.

The Shockers will look to carry some of this firstround momentum into the second round as they will face the undefeated Discount Distributors Liquors Rockets 8:30pm Tuesday at the A.F. Adderley Gymnasium.

points and Herbert Jones scored 13 for the Pelicans, which shot 49%, including 13 of 31 on 3’s.

Jalen Green scored 40 points, his fourth game scoring at least 40 points this season, Kevin Porter Jr. added 25 and Tari Eason had 10 points for Houston, which saw its season-high three-game winning streak snapped.

THUNDER 124, SUNS 120

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — Shai GilgeousAlexander scored 40 points, and Oklahoma City has won four of five as they try to earn at least a play-in spot.

Luguentz Dort added 20 points for the Thunder, which has missed the playoffs the past two years.

Devin Booker scored 46 points and Chris Paul added 14 points and 13 assists for the Suns.

BROOKLYN Nets’ Dorian Finney-Smith, left, and Spencer Dinwiddie, right, defend Denver Nuggets’ Nikola Jokic during the first half last night in New York. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig)

SPORTS

MONDAY, MARCH 20, 2023

Gardiner opens outdoor season with a win

By BRENT STUBBS Senior Sports Reporter bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

It was a big outdoor season opener for World and Olympic champion Steven Gardiner at the 17th Annual Spring Break Classic in Carolina, Puerto Rico.

In his continued comeback this year from injury, Gardiner won the men’s 300 metres on Friday at the 2023 World Athletic Continental Tour – Challenger

meeting in a quick time of 31.59 seconds, which was just shy of his Bahamian national record of 31.52.

The 27-year-old native of Abaco is now ranked at number eight on the world’s 300m all-time list outdoors as he prepares to regain his 400m title at the World Athletics’ 2023 World Championships in Athletics in July in Budapest, Hungary.

Gardiner, who missed the defence of his title at the 2019 World Championships in Eugene, Oregon

due to tendon inflammation last summer, came off a pair of victories in the 300m indoors with a season’s best of 33.03.

Trailing Gardiner in Puerto Rico was British Virgin Islands Olympic 500m hurdles fourth-place finisher Kyron McMaster, who ran 32.96 for second place, while Ian Gutiérrez Almedina completed the top three spots in 33.10.

Charlton leads way in Orlando Fresh off her first National Collegiate Athletic Association’s Indoor Championships, Anthaya Charlton opened her outdoor campaign for the University of Kentucky at the Black & Gold Invite at the University of South Florida with a double dose of victory.

On Friday, she leapt a personal best of 21-feet,

81/4-inches or 6.61 metres on her third attempt to break Sha’Keela Saunders’ UK freshman outdoor long jump record of 21-1 ¼ (6.43m) that she had previously established in 2014. Charlton came back on Saturday and had another spectacular showing in the women’s 100m where she ran a lifetime best of 11.38 for her second victory in a time that has placed her at

number seven in the NCAA rankings so far this year.

Paige Archer, a freshman at the University of Central Florida, ended up 10th in 11.88. On Friday, Archer, a graduate of Queen’s College, came through in 6th place in the women’s 200m in 24.52.

Megan Moss, now in her junior year, picked up a fifth place in the women’s 400m in 54.35 right behind her

team-mate Karimah Davis, who ran 53.74. Moss also ran the third leg on her Kentucky team of Karimah Davis, Dajour Miles and Tamila Fuller for the win in 3:36.37 for the fourth fastest NCAA time. Charlton also competed on the third leg of the other Kentucky team, including Mahogany Mobley, Reynei Wallace and Colleen Branch for fourth place in 3:44.32 for 12th in the rankings. Also at the meet, Stephan Farquharson, competing for Albany, was seventh in the men’s long jump on Friday with a leap of 23-10 (7.26m). Farquharson also anchored Albany men’s 4x100m relay team to fourth place in 40.85. And in the men’s 200m, Joel Johnson, representing SPIA Athletics, was 19th in 21.55.

NPBA PLAYOFFS: SHOCKERS ADVANCE, SAND DOLLAR TIE SERIES

By TENAJH SWEETING tsweeting@tribunemedia.net

IN this past weekend’s New Providence Basketball Association (NPBA) playoff action, the Caro Contractors Shockers swept the University of The Bahamas (UB) Mingoes 2-0 to wrap up the first-round series.

In a matchup that was highly competitive from the opening tip, UB looked to even things up with the Shockers trading timely

buckets and leads throughout the game.

For every big basket by the Shockers, UB had a response to keep things close going into the final period.

Things turned in the final quarter as the Shockers jumped out to a surprising nine-point lead on the Mingoes which looked to seal things as it was their biggest lead of the night.

However, UB responded and closed in 70-69, making it a tight finish as time

seemed to run away from both teams.

The Shockers ultimately closed out the Mingoes 74-69 to advance to round two of the NPBA Playoffs.

Garret Bullard, head coach of the Caro Contractors Shockers, talked about how it felt to knock out the Mingoes.

“Well, it’s a feel good win, they threw us out the last time we played in the playoffs, but credit to UB, they played well,” according to Bullard.

Bullard added that the Mingoes played a wellfought game and you could tell that they were not ready to go home. However, he credits his team’s ability to hold their composure, and overall experience for guiding them to the big win. The Shockers’ team left it all on the court in a total team effort as they had five players that scored double digits. Spurgeon Johnson

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STEVEN GARDINER ANTHAYA CHARLTON