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GOVT PAYS UP IN GIBSON LAWSUIT

Size of settlement with ex-minister is not disclosed

By RASHAD ROLLE Tribune Senior Reporter rrolle@tribunemedia.net

the settlement of the case.

In our view we reached a settlement that was fair to both sides.”

SHANE Gibson has It took jurors less than reached a settlement with two hours to acquit Mr the government after Gibson of making claims 13 bribery of malicious charges. prosecution Afterwards, and false the former imprisonment Cabinet minfollowing his ister’s lawyers acquittal in a argued his bribery trial in case was 2019. tainted with One of his “wickedness” lawyers, Owen and “injusWells, said tice” from the the amount start.

They of the setpointed to tlement was the Minnis benchmarked administraagainst simition’s 2017 lar cases but FORMER MP Shane Gibson campaign declined to pictured outside court previ- promise to say how much ously. jail corrupt was agreed. government He said: officials and to the actions “The settlement sum was of a senior police investigaa figure due to Mr Gibson tor who met key witnesses for his malicious prosecu- to align their stories. tion claim. It includes costs Mr Gibson was accused awarded to all his counsels of soliciting and acceptand disbursements made by ing more than $200,000 in him from 2017 when he was SEE PAGE TWO charged until 2022 upon

OUT ON BAIL AND SHOT DEAD A BODY is removed from the scene at Stew Fish Drive off Carmichael Road yesterday after a man out on bail was shot dead in the country’s third homicide this week. See PAGE THREE for the full story.

Photo: Donavan McIntosh/Tribune Staff

MUNROE READY TO PUT POLICE INTO SCHOOLS

By RASHAD ROLLE and EARYEL BOWLEG Tribune Staff Reporters

NATIONAL Security Minister Wayne Munroe said he is prepared to station police officers within

schools to strengthen safety.

His comment in the House of Assembly came after a stabbing incident at AF Adderley Junior High School left a male student in hospital and two other SEE PAGE FIVE

UNION ‘SICK AND TIRED’ OF TEACHER SHORTAGES THE Bahamas Union of Teachers said it is “sick and tired” of the rhetoric from the Ministry of Education, calling on officials to rectify the long-standing issue of teacher shortages.

In a voice note released

yesterday, BUT President Belinda Wilson said the excuses about the issue have become intolerable.

“The problem of teacher shortages is highlighted every year by the Bahamas SEE PAGE FOUR

THREE PERCENT RISE FOR ATLANTIS UNION STAFF

By NEIL HARTNELL Tribune Business Editor nhartnell@tribunemedia.net

ATLANTIS is awarding its unionised employees a three percent “across-theboard” pay increase with effect from April 25, its top executive saying: “Our team members need an increase now”.

Audrey Oswell, the Paradise Island mega resort’s president and managing director, in a videotaped message to staff confirmed

THE ATLANTIS RESORT that non-union members will not be left out. She revealed they will receive a performance-based pay increase ranging from zero to five percent to take effect

at the same time as their unionised colleagues.

Disclosing that the pay increase is being implemented even though guest volumes have yet to return to pre-pandemic levels, Ms Oswell said the three percent wage hike for unionised staff is separate from ongoing negotiations with the Bahamas Hotel, Catering and Allied Workers over a new industry-wide industrial agreement.

FULL STORY - SEE BUSINESS

Nassau & Bahama Islands’ Leading Newspaper

FRONT PORCH: COVID - MAGICAL THINKING IS KILLING US

- SEE PAGE EIGHT

PAGE 2, Thursday, March 24, 2022

THE TRIBUNE

Govt pays up in Gibson lawsuit

FORMER Minister of Labour Shane Gibson. from page one bribes from Jonathan Ash for expediting payments the contractor was owed for work done after Hurricane Matthew in 2016.

Neither Attorney General Ryan Pinder nor Mr Gibson responded to messages before press time last night.

A government official, requesting anonymity, said Mr Gibson requested confidentiality for his settlement award. It is not clear if his settlement has a confidentiality provision.

In 2018, National Security Minister Wayne Munroe, who was in private practice at the time, said the government’s lack of transparency about settlement awards potentially exposes the public to abuse.

“The reason (to disclose settlement agreements),” he told The Tribune at the time, “is it permits scrutiny

to see if there has been an even-handed application of a policy. It also prevents politicians talking tough in public about somebody, then settling quietly behind the scenes.

Disclosure will also tend to expose if a government or a politician is using public funds improperly either to benefit persons of a particular class, to give money to your boys or to discriminate against other persons and to make other people go through a lot of challenges.”

Mr Gibson was one of several high-profile Progressive Liberal Party figures who were charged with crimes after the Minnis administration won the 2017 general election.

Among the others, former Public Hospitals Authority Chairman Frank Smith was also acquitted of bribery charges and Kenred Dorsett, the former minister of environment, recently had his case dropped.

THE TRIBUNE

Thursday, March 24, 2022, PAGE 3

A BODY is removed from the scene at Stew Fish Drive off Carmichael Road yesterday.

Photos: Donavan McIntosh/Tribune Staff

Out on bail and shot dead

By EARYEL BOWLEG Tribune Staff Reporter ebowleg@tribunemedia.net

A MAN on bail was fatally shot yesterday in the country’s third homicide for the week.

Police press liaison officer, Superintendent Audley Peters told the media at the scene that sometime after 8am police received reports of gunshots on Stew Fish Drive off Carmichael Road.

Officers responded and went to an apartment complex where in the parking lot they found a man lying next to a vehicle with gunshot wounds to his head.

EMS technicians were

called in and he was pronounced dead at the scene.

“Our preliminary facts in this instance is that the victim was leaving his residence to go to his vehicle when four males armed with the firearms approached him and shot him fatally wounding him,” Supt Peters said.

“We have very promising leads in this instance, but, however, we ask any of the persons who may have any information that would lead us or assist us in the investigation to come forth. Call the Criminal Investigations Unit Department at 5029991 or 2.”

The incident

THE SCENE of yesterday’s shooting at Stew Fish Drive.

BUILDING COLLAPSES IN BLAZE AN early morning fire destroyed the Bahamas Liquidation Centre building on East West Highway yesterday.

Superintendent Audley Peters said the police fire department was called to the scene of the structural fire around 2am and found the building engulfed in flames.

He said officers found the northwestern of the building smouldering. Officers attempted to access the building, but the manager decided to have them not go into the building, but fight the fire

from the west side, he said.

“As they were fighting the fire, the building collapsed like a domino and so they had to change their strategy. Eventually the fire was put out and the officers scoured the building - there was no one inside, so there were no injuries or fatal incidents,” Supt Peters said.

He said there is nothing that suggests arson at this time, however, an investigation is ongoing to determine the cause of the blaze.

Anyone with information is asked to call police.

happened about 12 hours after a man believed to be in his early 30s was shot dead on Wright’s Lane.

Supt Peters said a man is in custody helping police with that investigation.

“The facts in that instance look very promising and in due course it’s a possibility that we could wrap that matter up,” he said.

This latest incident brings the country’s murder count to 33 for the first three months of the year, according to this newspaper’s records.

A woman who identified herself as a relative of the deceased said the victim was Edison McQueen, 34.

She said he was accused of

murder, in prison for four years, and was released on bail in December 2021.

She said McQueen’s son and girlfriend were present during the shooting yesterday, but are doing okay.

However, she said that she herself was “not doing good.”

According to an August 2017 Tribune article, McQueen faced one count of murder and one count of attempted murder in connection with an incident that occurred on August 5 of that year.

It was alleged that he, being concerned with another, murdered Terrence Darling, also known as Terrence Rolle. It is also alleged that McQueen, being concerned with another, attempted to murder Cameo Bain.

Before the closure of his arraignment, McQueen’s attorney told the magistrate that his client was beaten while in custody at the Central Detective Unit and suffered bodily bruises, which required him to see a doctor.

The relative said this was the second time McQueen was threatened recently.

“This was their second attempt, but they succeeded,” the relative, who asked to remain anonymous, said. “The first attempt he was able to get away.”

She said the other attempt on his life happened about two to three weeks ago; McQueen’s four-year-old child was

in the backseat of the car when the incident occurred.

“They had a little clip out on the media where. . .three fellas was running behind this car. Shooting up behind this car - bram into the wall.

That was him.”

She feels more protection should have been given to McQueen after that incident.

“He should’ve (had protection) because he went to them (police) and they

know that and… they did nothing about it,” she claimed.

“The police did nothing about it. All they did was came, snatch him in that same day when the incident happened. Carry him down there, question him, and release him.

“They will come on the media and say something different. ‘He’s known to the police. He’s this. He’s that.’”

PAGE 4, Thursday, March 24, 2022

THE TRIBUNE

Restrictions on churches eased to allow 75 percent capacity

By LEANDRA ROLLE Tribune Staff Reporter lrolle@tribunemedia.net THE Ministry of Health yesterday announced that restrictions on churches have been further relaxed, allowing them to operate at 75 percent seating capacity.

Bahamas Christian Council President Bishop Delton Fernander praised the government’s decision.

He also said in view of the relaxed restrictions, officials are now hopeful that churches will be able operate in full capacity by Easter once virus cases remain low.

Earlier in the pandemic,

churches were operating at a maximum seating capacity of 25 percent with services limited to one hour. The government later increased churches’ occupancy limit to 50 percent in February in response to declining COVID cases.

Yesterday, Bishop Fernander said the move came after several meetings were held between the BCC and health officials on the issue and added that the council is now petitioning to have the church restrictions entirely removed by Easter.

“The church is particularly thankful that we’re able to negotiate the transition of 50 percent (capacity)

to 75 percent with a view that if all hold, we will be 100 percent by Easter. We would like to thank the minister of health and his team for working with us so that we can transition safely, cautiously and worship God during this Lent season,” he said.

“That’s how we got 75 percent because we (are) working on a schedule and the time we all decided on.”

Last year, the BCC president told The Tribune the council felt certain restrictions on churches made no sense and added that some churches were ignoring them, especially considering the many political events

that were being held with only minimal constraints.

Asked yesterday if he felt that many churches were following their own rules and operating at full capacity despite the restrictions, Bishop Fernander told The Tribune: “I don’t think so.”

Concerns that church services could be super spreader events for COVID-19 were renewed last year after it was revealed multiple members of the Church of God either died or had to be hospitalised with COVID19 after attending a youth convention.

However, church officials said they did not believe the

event was to blame.

Yesterday, Bishop Fernander also commented on the escalating crime rates in the country which he noted as a concern.

This comes after three men were killed in separate shooting incidents this week.

“We are preparing a symposium on crime, and we have asked Pastor Dave Burrows to give us an update on the gang activity happening in our cities and we are heading the initiative in that regard and so the council is already on the ground working and we have churches in the communities where the

shootings take place,” the religious leader said.

“After our symposium, we will have a white paper and what we plan to do is empower pastors to really change the focus of our young people through the proper training to those that are specialists in the area and we are working on our white paper in collaboration with the state to figure out what the church can do in collaboration of the state. We were the ones who put forward the gun amnesty (programme), some ministers accept it and some don’t, but we wait to see what the government of the day will do.”

UNION ‘SICK AND TIRED’ OF TEACHER SHORTAGES from page one Union of Teachers,” she said yesterday.

“There are teacher shortages that exist throughout The Bahamas and the Ministry of Education is full of excuses that (are) now intolerable. Students are expected to sit examinations in a number of weeks. Patrick J Bethel High School in Abaco, they are still awaiting sufficient teachers for them to be able to go fully face-to-face and for students to be provided and able to have all of their subjects taught.

“Huntley Christie in North Andros, they had a teacher shortage for a while. We are just tired of the talk, talk, talk from politicians without policy changes, without changes to bureaucracy, the teacher shortage will continue to exist.

“We have graduates from the University of The Bahamas who are still awaiting placement from last year, May 2021. We have teacher’s aides who we have currently in our schools, who have attained degrees and who have been certified and are still awaiting reclassification.”

She added: “We need the teachers and we need them now.”

Education officials have promised to address the issue.

Last week, Education Minister Glenys Hanna Martin said her ministry has recruited a number of trained and retired teachers to assist with staff shortages on Abaco. She spoke days after teachers on the island demonstrated over the situation.

According to Mrs Hanna Martin, the ministry will

only be engaging retired educators until more teachers can be permanently hired by the government.

While she was unable to say how many teachers will be engaged, Mrs Hanna Martin said it was her hope that this new “injection” of workers will help reduce some of the strain many teachers at Patrick J Bethel High School were facing.

“As you know, we’ve been experiencing teacher shortages at that school,” the minister told reporters before going to Cabinet last week. “That’s a legacy issue and we’ve been seeking to address it and the engagement of teachers is underway through the public service system, but in the interim, we have recruited what we call supply teachers who are trained, experienced teachers - some of whom are already retired and have agreed to come back.

“And we expect that during the course of that week, that school will begin for the first time face-toface instruction in a phased basis starting with grade 12 on, I think, Wednesday and Thursday and building with the other grades so this is a great breakthrough for the children, teachers and the community that surrounds that school – Patrick J Bethel.”

Teachers, parents and students gathered outside the PJB High School about two weeks ago with picket signs protesting the lack of sufficient teachers at a school of more than 500 students.

Weeks earlier, a group of parents in South Abaco held a similar demonstration in protest of the lack of teachers at James A Pinder Primary School.

GINGER MOXEY, MP for Pineridge.

Photo: Donavan McIntosh/Tribune Staff

MOXEY SAYS ‘ROBUST PLANS’ FOR INTERNATIONAL BAZAAR

By DENISE MAYCOCK Tribune Freeport Reporter dmaycock@tribunemedia.net

GRAND Bahama Minister Ginger Moxey has revealed that “robust plans” for the International

Bazaar area are expected with the reopening of the road at the Royal Oasis Resort.

She recently announced that there are plans to reopen the portion of West Sunrise Highway that has been closed off for more than a decade. It is unclear when the road will be reopened, however.

Asked why this was important for residents, the minister said recently: “Many of us know what… it meant to the community of Grand Bahama. When it was closed off it really diverted traffic a long way and caused commerce that went through the International Bazaar to go away with it, and when Royal Oasis closed

as well. And so, the road opening means so much to so many people.”

She also said: “With the opening of the road, we also look to do a lot with the International Bazaar. It’s just, I think, a good step in the right direction for that area of Grand Bahama that has so much history.”

The International Bazaar was the premier tourist attraction in Freeport in the early 80’s. There were nearly 100 shops and stores there, employing hundreds of Bahamians.

It occupied the largest and oldest straw market on the island.

The area used to be bustling with visitors, and it was the venue for many Bahamian festivals and events.

After the Royal Oasis hotel

closed in 2004 due to hurricane damage, the area declined significantly, and the shops closed.

The buildings are dilapidated and there have been fires at the site.

Ms Moxey hopes that the road opening will allow for the return of such events.

“We know that the road at the time allowed us to have road races, and Junkanoo took place around the International Bazaar. And we have a very robust plan for that area that would bring a new day for tourist attraction. And so, I am excited about it.

“There is a lot that is going to be going on there; I can’t say too much on it, but residents I find are excited about the road opening as well,” she said.

THE TRIBUNE

Police ‘needs 900 more constables’

By RASHAD ROLLE Tribune Senior Reporter rrolle@tribunemedia.net

NATIONAL Security Minister Wayne Munroe said the Royal Bahamas Police Force is 900 constables short.

He said a recruitment exercise will see the force hire 190 new officers at a cost of $3.42m.

His comments came during a communication in the House of Assembly yesterday after he tabled Police Commissioner Paul Rolle’s 2022 police plan.

Mr Munroe said the plan has nine priority areas. They include transformational training, which is “the ability of the force to achieve its goals and objectives in creating safer communities by transforming into a learning organisation where training on best practices in policing is continuously integrated into the curriculum and implemented in processes”.

The plan also includes heightened police operations, which is the ability of the force to allay fears of crime and/or prevent crime by increasing police operations throughout communities.

Mr Munroe said they also include areas relating to transformative human rights standards recognition and implementation,

Thursday, March 24, 2022, PAGE 5

NATIONAL Security Minister Wayne Munroe yesterday.

Photo: Donavan McIntosh/ Tribune Staff

transformative community policing services, criminal investigations, intelligence and prosecution, heightened police operations, transformational information and communications technology, public road safety, protection of at risk groups and youth engagement.

He said: “While 2021 was challenging for the force, particularly with quality of life offences, the officers remained resolute in the fight against crime, which resulted in a decrease in property crimes. Overall, the force was, in my judgement, successful in fulfilling its seven areas of priority as outlined in the 2021 commissioner’s policing plan.

“All seven priorities received significant attention and resources, and the outcomes were positive. A preliminary review of crime indicates that the deliverables targeted were achieved, as evidenced by the overall rate of crime remained comparatively unchanged by the end of 2021 with 4,081 cases, compared to 4,064 in 2020 having regard to the substantial periods of lockdowns in 2020. The force was able to achieve its objective in that the overall rate or percentage of serious crime did not increase. Albeit, there is room for improvement as various categories of quality-of-life offences did increase.

MUNROE READY TO PUT POLICE INTO SCHOOLS from page one

students in police custody.

Mr Munroe said the incident may be gang-related.

He was responding to Marco City MP Michael Pintard who criticised the Davis administration for not involving the Free National Movement in matters of national significance.

Mr Pintard said the government has demonstrated a lack of urgency in dealing with rising violent crime rates.

Mr Munroe said: “At the relevant time, the urgency of what is happening in this country caused me to be out of this chamber, addressing a stabbing in a government maintained school. And so any talk of lack of urgency on the part of this government is just simply disingenuous and is the sort of comment and behaviour that gives one pause for permitting the other side to be intimately involved in the inner workings of your government.

“It’s one thing to talk about we’re going to work together and then in your words and actions do quite the opposite. And, yes, there was a stabbing at the A F Adderley School involving two young men

who police intelligence say may be involved in a gang other than a good gang … but certainly the commissioner, deputy commissioner and I stand ready to put police into the school and obviate the debate we used to have about whether police should be in the school. I trust that that is urgent enough for Marco City and St Barnabas.”

He said these types of problems are the result of years of festering issues.

“We got here as we have said continuously. From my 30 years at the Bar I’ve continuously, having spoken to these people, said that they are products of our society. I do not change on that,” he said.

Mr Munroe said there are easy avenues available for the opposition to access him and discuss important issues.

“Many people have had courtesy calls on me as minister, a whole heap of them,” he said. “I’ve not had one request for a courtesy call from the opposition and so for them to say that they are willing to help, my brother, it’s a government building. All sorts of people have courtesy calls on me where you can discuss anything you wish. Whenever you get serious, you can call me, not

my PA and arrange a time where you can come.”

The student who was stabbed was in stable condition up to press time.

Director of Education Marcellus Taylor said the student was stabbed in the back and was taken to hospital.

“As far as we know, he left fully conscious and so we don’t think the stab (wound) was life threatening,” Mr Taylor told this newspaper. “The police were on the scene immediately after it occurred and they apprehended the other two students involved and they were conducting their investigation. That’s all I can tell you at this time.”

Last May, a stabbing incident at Government High School left an 11th grader dead and another student in serious condition in hospital.

At the time, police could not say if the matter was gang-related or not.

Asked if officials were concerned about gang activities on campus, Mr Taylor said this is a concern whether it involves students or members of the wider community.

“As a citizen, we are concerned about gang activities wherever it is — whether it is in the school or in (the)

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community.”

He added: “The school campus is our jurisdiction and so we pay particular attention to it on the school campus, but I’m just making the greater point that this is a problem that is all throughout our country and all of us as Bahamians should be concerned about

it and what it is that (could) be done to mitigate it.”

He said there are existing initiatives to help students, including after school activities.

“We have various programmes in our schools, including the formal curriculum that includes subjects like religious education.

Subjects like health and family life. We have assemblies and all these are designed to teach children about the values and attitudes that they must have.

A lot of our content (has) critical thinking, you try to help people to understand how to resolve conflict, how to act intelligently.”

PAGE 6, Thursday, March 24, 2022

THE TRIBUNE

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Atlantis pay rise a promising sign FOR much of the pandemic so far, many businesses have been hanging on and waiting for better days.

So it is with considerable delight that we see Atlantis has not only survived through the dark days of flights being shut down and lockdowns across the country, but it has reached a point where it can give staff a pay rise as well.

The rise, starting from April 25, will be three percent across the board for its unionised staff, and between zero and five percent for non-union staff.

The workers understandably will be pleased to have the extra pay in their pockets, but it is what this indicates for the economy at large that should give the rest of us comfort.

If there were doubts about the days to come, the company would not be risking extra cost on its bottom line, so this is a sign that Atlantis sees the worst days behind us.

Indeed, the president of the resort, Audrey Oswell, paid tribute to the workers of the resort, saying: “Despite the many challenges that COVID has sent our way, our team has remained focused and your hard work has produced tangible results. We could not have gotten through this time without your commitment.”

Despite that, Ms Oswell noted that the resort is not yet back to 2019 volumes – but it is promising nonetheless.

Put that alongside the rise in cruise ship traffic at the port and it shows that, while the recovery from COVID is far from over – indeed, COVID itself is not yet a thing of the past – we are certainly on the right path.

The chief executive of the port, Michael Maura, revealed in fact that vessel occupancy hit a post-pandemic record on Friday of 91 percent.

There has been a change for cruise visitors too, he said – with cruise passengers now no longer needing to wear their masks outdoors when visiting.

That may well bring some concerns over different treatment for tourists and Bahamians – but that there are visitors here to be talking about shows that the recovery continues.

It’s too early to fully breathe a sigh of relief, but it is good to see such positive signs.

Shane Gibson The former Minister of Labour under the PLP government of Perry Christie, Shane Gibson, was acquitted of 13 bribery charges in 2019.

He had been accused of soliciting and accepting more than $200,000 in bribes from Jonathan Ash for expediting payments the contractor was owed for work done after Hurricane Matthew in 2016. Mr Gibson’s lawyers said his case was tainted with “wickedness” and “injustice”.

Yesterday, the current government reached a settlement with him in his lawsuit claiming malicious prosecution and false imprisonment.

We do not know how much Mr Gibson received in his settlement, which has a confidentiality provision.

Such a provision was criticised by current National Security Minister Wayne Munroe in 2018, when he was in private practice, when he said that the reason to disclose such settlements was “it permits scrutiny to see if there has been an even-handed application of a policy. It also prevents politicians talking tough in public about somebody, then settling quietly behind the scenes. Disclosure will also tend to expose if a government or a politician is using public funds improperly either to benefit persons of a particular class, to give money to your boys or to discriminate against other persons and to make other people go through a lot of challenges.”

We would agree with Mr Munroe, and we would add that it is public money being used for the settlement.

Failure to disclose will only lead to wild speculation as to the amount and the process used to reach that agreement. Mr Gibson was acquitted swiftly by his jurors, reportedly widely by all.

The same openness would benefit the resolution of the lawsuit.

Are we out of the woods yet?

EDITOR, The Tribune.

POTENTIALLY the US and EU maybe experiencing another wave of COVID-19 this spring. In the US cases are at an eight month low, but the exponential growth in infections seen in The EU is the latest evidence that COVID-19 remains a persistent threat with the potential to upend our hopes for moving past this pandemic.

Dr Anthony Fauci exclaimed “you need to be prepared that something similar (what’s happening in EU) will happen here in North America. We cannot ignore it and we need to monitor it carefully”.

American authorities Centres for Disease Control and Prevention are gaming out how they will be able to respond if cases get much worse. They have discussed the possible reinstitution of mask using indoors, and are concerned how hospitals and their staff will respond to this potential spike in

patients seeking care.

The heightened concern among government officials comes as $15 billion in COVID-19 funding has stalled in the Congress.

America can run out of funds to provide necessary life saving drugs. In anticipation of what may come, American, Canadian and Global Official’s are reaching out to EU Health Authorities inquiring about the levels of spread of the sub-variant and how hospitals are handling the influx of patients. How will such a wave impact North American and Global populations?

American authorities believe the virus surge in The UK can be attributed to many factors such as decreasing immunity among the vaccinated, the easy transmission of Omicron and its sub-variant, and the easing of public health restrictions such as indoor mask mandates.

China and Asia regions have had multiple surges, showing that China’s

vaccines do not have the potency that Western vaccines have. The BA.2 variant will spread rapidly, showing that a 4th vaccination may be required to boost immunity. While Omicron and its variant spreads throughout the globe, the possibility of new variants becomes more likely. Ultimately various governments are trying their best to cool the public‘s reactions to this potential spread, with public health authorities allowing for laxing of the multiple community safety mandates. People want to return to their daily lives, and usher out the pandemic in every way. This may well not happen. Public silence, with a gamblers attitude toward health and safety of their population will not do.

Lives are at risk, and deaths due to this pandemic continue to rise in numbers.

STEVEN KASZAB Bradford, Ontario March 20, 2022.

Cartwright the future for FNM EDITOR, The Tribune.

THIS year of 2022 is the second year of the arrival of our long lost and not missed cousin, COVID-19. The last two years were devastating and problematic for thousands of Bahamians, especially for those who were unemployed at that time or disabled. The inordinate curfews and lock downs did not help. In fact, the economy was on life support and mental and personal frustrations were the order of the day. Following the fateful general elections last September which saw the election of Philip “Brave” Davis and his team to high office.

I have been rightfully accused of being a partisan of the Prime Minister.

This support goes back more than 30 years. Of the three prime ministers we have had so far since the untimely death of the late great and deeply lamented Sir Lynden Oscar Pindling, Brave, in my considered view, is more like him than all of the others combined.

In fact, Brave is a prototype and natural successor of Sir Lynden.

Brave ‘trained’ to become Prime Minister.

He did so and studied all of the play books. He has been able to live and see all of the good, the bad and the ugly of the antics and tactics of his predecessors in high office. Brother Ingraham, God bless his soul, started out well and continued his best to do so

LETTERS letters@tribunemedia.net while PM for three nonconsecutive terms. He did what he could have done, but he often appeared abrasive and uncouth... a Bahamian Donald J Trump.

Brother Christie, God bless him also, appeared to be more attracted to the pomp and pageantry of the office. He did what he could have done, but apart from Urban Renewal and the National Training Institute, his legacy will be elusive. Doctor Minnis, God bless him too, was draconian, even if he meant well. His public persona did little to assist his personal political likability.

Christie was likable but he was widely seen as vacillating and, of course, with all due respect, lazy in the extreme.

Under their assorted regimes, the national debt of The Bahamas ballooned over ten billion dollars while productivity went down big time. The slow economic death of Grand Bahama generally and Freeport in particular, still in progress, was ushered in by a dismal international economy and many of the cockeyed fiscal initiatives or lack of them by successive leadership across the board. The road ahead for that island and other areas of our nation will not be

an easy one or a joy ride.

Brave appears and acts as a nationalist who will carry All Bahamians across the finish line regardless of politics; race or creed.

I venture to suggest that all will be well at the end of the day. 2022 is poised to be the best year in The Bahamas for a long time.

The opposition, sadly, is still shell shocked and it may take them years to rebuild. Pintard is a default leader, just like how Minnis was. Sands harbours ambitions of becoming leader of the rump FNM as soon as possible and by extension Prime Minister, God forbid, of this wonderful nation. Pintard can and should expect a political back stab at the earliest opportunity.

Shanendon Cartwright (FNM-St Barnabas), clearly, is the future of the FNM. The ignoble Minnis era is over. Pintard is likable, but comes across, in my view, as too strident and loquacious. Sands is like a possible Brutus.

The alternative? Only one...Cartwright. It will not really matter, however, at the end of the day.

For any of them to ‘beat’ Brave in the near future or at all is dismal at best and improbable in real life. The road ahead is promising and the nation is back Big time.

Jr

ORTLAND H BODIE, Nassau, March 23, 2022.

To Publish your Financials and

Legal Notices Call: 502-2394

THE TRIBUNE

Thursday, March 24, 2022, PAGE 7

Truancy issue likely worse in pandemic

By EARYEL BOWLEG Tribune Staff Reporter ebowleg@tribunemedia.net EDUCATION director Marcellus Taylor revealed discussions are ongoing to deal with the issue of truancy in view of the COVID-19 pandemic.

He acknowledged that this was an issue even before the pandemic, but said he suspects this has become more of a problem due to the current climate.

“I would suspect during COVID because of the situation you have more cases of it (truancy),” he told reporters this week.

“Teachers, school administrators, they make these calls when those (issues) present themselves. I can’t tell you the number of cases because it’s normally dealt with at the level of the school. It’s kind of a routine thing when students are not showing up that teachers, school administrators, reach out to find out why they are not attending the school and then try to make whatever intervention they can.

“So, what we have done with the task force is to take it at a slightly higher level to say to the Department of Social Services and others that we know that this

problem is more than what was normally pertaining before COVID and so we want more or less like everyone to be looking out at this issue with particularly keen eyes,” he explained.

“We are continuing to try to see how we could address it and you know call on the public to support in that activity you see because we only have a certain reach and certain ability to bring people in. We open the doors. We make out the call. Sometimes we go out and intervene - our primary work is to teach.

“But there are a lot of people in communities who know these children. That’s part of the reason why the task force reached out also to church leaders who are in communities who have parishioners and who are able also to engage and motivate them to return to school.”

Asked what he meant by “higher level”, he explained: “The higher level is sensitisation at the policy level - minister to minister. The higher level is from the leaders of the technical level - the director of social services, the director of education. Higher level than that would ordinarily pertain - that is to say

the teacher just calling into the school welfare section.

“So when it moves to the higher level, then the whole issue of resources... if some particular strategy is needed then those issues are now addressed because you’re talking about doing something that would not normally happen. You’re talking about a problem that was bigger than it was historically and so you may need more resources. You may need to create more of a prioritising of that issue and so therefore that’s why it was evaluated to that higher level.”

He said the Ministry of Education is working with attendance officers, people whose job it is to find and identify children who are not in school.

“We are working with them now. They’re being connected to the LMS. They’re using tablets to be able to trace students as they go out on the streets so they could know exactly who’s missing. Where to go and look for them. Which areas to look when they find them to be able to say they’ve identified that child to make sure. These kinds of strategies are what we are looking at,” he told reporters.

MAN ACCUSED OF STRING OF ANDROS ROBBERIES

By PAVEL BAILEY

A MAN suffering from mental illness was charged in the Magistrate’s Court for a string of robberies in Andros.

Deon Green, 24, of Central Andros, appeared before Senior Magistrate Samuel McKinney on charges of causing damage, shop breaking, stealing, damage and assault.

Green, who suffers from schizophrenia, is also alleged to have assaulted Raquel Barr in her home at Blanket Sound, Andros, at 3.45pm on March 10.

He is also accused of causing $300 worth of damage to the rear windshield of Glenroy Newton’s 2002 Honda Accord at 10.49pm that day in Staniard Creek, Andros.

He was also charged in connection with a break in

MAN HELD OVER KNIFE DISCOVERY

By PAVEL BAILEY

A MAN was charged in Magistrate’s Court yesterday for unlawfully carrying arms.

Rashad Moss, 21, appeared before Senior Magistrate Derence Rolle Davis after he was arrested on March 21 for carrying a knife on him while on Windsor Place Road without lawful cause.

In court Moss pleaded not guilty to the charge.

While he tried to give an explanation for the situation in court, Magistrate Rolle Davis told him not to as that would be evidence brought at trial.

Moss’s bail was set at $150 with one surety and his case was adjourned to March 29.

at Infiniti Liquors at Fresh Creek Dock, the property of Henry Gay. The prosecution maintains that on March 17, Green stole four Seagram cooler beers at a total value of $16 and caused $1,480 worth of damage to four hurricane proof windows.

In court, Green pleaded not guilty to all five charges against him.

His attorney V Alfred Gray requested a mental report be submitted to the court before trial to evaluate Green’s mental condition. Mr Gray also noted that Green had to see a doctor twice weekly for his condition.

Green was also charged with another man from Andros, Jamal Neely, 26, for shopbreaking and stealing.

Both accused are alleged to have broken into San Andros Rental & Tools on

Queen’s Highway on March 17, stealing $1,724.52 worth of power tools and vehicular equipment.

Both Green and Neely pleaded not guilty to these charges.

Although prosecutor Inspector Timothy Bain raised no objections to Neely’s bail, he did, however, raise a question of Green’s bail on the basis that he has other pending cases before the court.

Neely was granted bail

by Magistrate McKinney at $5,000 on condition that he report into the Fresh Creek Police Station weekly, every Wednesday and Friday.

However, the issue of Green’s bail will not be settled until his next court appearance on March 31 for Magistrate McKinney’s submission on the matter.

Neely and Green’s trials were adjourned to July 14 and 16.

DIRECTOR of Education Marcellus Taylor.

Photo: Donavan McIntosh/Tribune Staff

PAGE 8, Thursday, March 24, 2022

SINCE December, a steady flow of Bahamians have continued to die from COVID-19. The great majority of these were unvaccinated. More will continue to die, especially with a new wave likely on the horizon in the weeks ahead. Some estimate a new wave may begin within six to eight weeks.

Four weeks ago, Doctor’s Hospital CEO, Dr Charles Diggiss, warned: “Regardless of what number you give it, if there is a problem somewhere in the world that’s seeing a significant number of infections hospitalisations and death, then it’s really important for us to continue to pay attention to that because we don’t have any closed borders.”

The trajectory has been during various waves, an uptick in cases in Western Europe followed by an increase in cases in North America, followed by increased cases in The Bahamas and the Caribbean.

This is the course which BA.2, a strain of the highly contagious Omicron variant, may follow in the coming weeks.

We do not know how many people will die or become ill. But we do know there is likely to be needless and preventable suffering, ill-health and death, with funeral homes and obituary pages sadly profiting.

Yet given our recent past experiences of various waves, we should begin preparing more deliberately and act with greater caution.

Those at greater risk, who will live, are vaccinated and boosted. This includes older people and those with immunocompromised systems. Those who are at greater risk from dying are

THE TRIBUNE

the obese, the unhealthy and the unvaccinated, many of whom are, sadly, selfsatisfactorily and willfully resisting getting vaccinated.

The Bahamas government must do more to boost vaccination rates. There needs to be increased and more vigorous messaging at every level of government.

Still, this is largely a cultural problem, a mix of religious superstition and lack of understanding of basic science hyper fueled by social media conspiracy theories.

PANDEMIC

An edition of The Economist last year described the state of the pandemic in the Pacific archipelago of Papua New Guinea, “one of the least vaccinated countries in the world”.

The news magazine reported: “A tradition of superstition and a belief in sorcery worsen the problem, and add a local twist to the online humbug. Health workers deployed to vaccinate vulnerable people in the near-inaccessible interior of the country report being met with naked hostility.

“Locals told them they had heard that the vaccine would cause them to drop dead in three years.

Others said the jab would turn their arms magnetic.

Some believed they were immune because COVID was a ‘white man’s disease’.

Many said that the disease was made up.”

COVID-19 remains one of our leading health care threats. Magical thinking, superstition, putting our head in the sand and giddily thinking the pandemic is over, will not make it go away.

Faith and superstition are not the same. Genuine faith

embraces reason, facts and The Institute for Health truth. Superstition indulges Metrics and Evaluation in magical thinking and (IHME) recently reported bizarre conspiracies. Faith on the results of a finding brings together intellect published in the eminent and emotions. Supersti- peer-reviewed British medition is anti-intellectual and cal journal The Lancet. typically charged with The IHME website emotionalism. noted: “More than three We remain in significant times as many people may ways a pre-modern, pre- have died worldwide as a scientific and result of the pre-Enlighten- ‘We should be pandemic ment people, prepared that than official with deadly COVID-19 and often COVID hasn’t death records tragic conse- gone away. suggest, quences, which There may be according to an is not God’s analysis pubwill. Instead it rises and falls lished in The is willful igno- in the months Lancet. rance and a ahead, but here’s “While sort of lack of the official the key: Our genuine faith.

COVID-19 The Baha- goal is to keep death toll was mas has had a people out of the 5.9 million terrible expebetween Januhospital, it’s to rience with ary 1, 2020, and Omicron, as save their lives.’

December 31, have many 2021, the new other countries, despite study estimates 18.2 million the self-soothing mantra excess deaths occurred over that the variant was less the same period, suggesting severe. Its transmissibil- the full impact of the panity, especially among the demic may have been far unvaccinated, made it a greater. very deadly threat.

“Excess deaths – the difference between the number of recorded deaths from all causes and the Reuters reported at the number expected based end of January on Omicron on past trends – are a key in the United States: “The measure of the true death Omicron death toll has toll of the pandemic.”

COVID remains a deadly now surpassed the height of deaths caused by the disease, mostly and espemore severe Delta variant cially for the unvaccinated, when the seven-day aver- many of whom only become age peaked at 2,078 on Sept more serious about its con23 last year. An average of sequences after contracting 2,200 people a day, mostly the disease or seeing a unvaccinated, are now loved one or colleague sucdying due to Omicron. cumb to the virus.

“That is still below the Weary of restrictions peak of 3,300 lives lost a and with our penchant for day during the surge in Jan- slackness in the best of uary 2021 as vaccines were times, many are acting and just being rolled out.” cavorting as if the pandemic

DEATH TOLL

COVID-19: MAGICAL THINKING IS KILLING US

has nearly permanently disappeared.

We are again congregating in large groups, often indoors and with poor ventilation, including at weddings, funerals and other social events, often avoiding social distancing in enclosed spaces.

This past Sunday, Politico reported: “Our focus should be on preparation, not on panic,” Surgeon General Vivek Murthy said … in discussing the latest rising wave of COVID-19 cases in Europe.

BE PREPARED

He observed: “We should be prepared that COVID hasn’t gone away. There may be rises and falls in the months ahead, but here’s the key: Our goal is to keep people out of the hospital, it’s to save their lives. We have more tools to do that than ever before.

“If we get people these tools – vaccines, boosters, treatments – then we can actually get through waves that may come and go.”

Barbados has a vaccination rate of approximately 55 percent. Our rate is 40-plus percent. If one goes to a gathering, approximately six out of 10 people at such an event are unvaccinated.

While we should not panic, how prepared is The Bahamas, with many fewer taking vaccines followed by boosters?

Because our positive health and vaccination profiles are considerably below that of Europe, we cannot take our cues on opening and relaxation of measures from that continent.

A US travel agent in a letter to this journal stressed: “Your added problem is your low vaccination rates and our government’s rather high risk category for visitors making it difficult for visitors to purchase travel health insurance and feel safe in The Bahamas.”

With approximately 66 percent of Americans vaccinated we cannot take our cues from our northern neighbour. If the coming version of Omicron

warrants, there may be a need for a tightening of various restrictions, including the numbers allowed at public events, especially indoors.

Many medical experts continue to warn of the longterm effects of COVID-19, including effects which may not be known by medical science or individuals for years to come.

The Mayo Clinic warns: “COVID-19 symptoms can sometimes persist for months. The virus can damage the lungs, heart and brain, which increases the risk of long-term health problems.

“Most people who have coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) recover completely within a few weeks.

But some people – even those who had mild versions of the disease – continue to experience symptoms after their initial recovery...

“In some people, lasting health effects may include long-term breathing problems, heart complications, chronic kidney impairment, stroke and Guillain-Barre syndrome – a condition that causes temporary paralysis. Some adults and children experience multisystem inflammatory syndrome after they have had COVID-19.”

Despite these warnings, it is likely, given various cultural and nonscientific mindsets, that The Bahamas will only reach a certain vaccination rate.

But if more people can be encouraged to get vaccinated and boosted more lives can be saved and suffering avoided.

CNN medical analyst Dr Leana Wen stated succinctly: “In general, it is not a good strategy to try to contract an illness. Omicron is less likely to result in severe disease compared with Delta, but it still causes severe illness in some people. In addition, even mild illness may be very unpleasant and result in feeling unwell, missing work and being unable to care for family members for days.

“You could also infect other people, and there is the possibility of long-haul symptoms as well. A better strategy is to make sure to get the vaccine and booster so that if you were to encounter BA.2 (or another variant of COVID-19), you are as well protected as possible.”

A magical thinking mindset about COVID-19 is like a medieval castle with ramparts and other premodern defences such as drawbridges and surrounding moats.

Still, such an impenetrable fortress of superstition is no match for an enemy cum virus that is much cleverer, more determined and more lethal than such an immoveable and outdated mindset.

THE TRIBUNE

Thursday, March 24, 2022, PAGE 9

The geopolitical competition between the US and Russia W

HEN considering what’s been going on in Eastern Europe for the past four weeks, an old saying comes to mind. “You’re not paranoid if they’re really out to get you.”

Russian president Vladimir Putin has for thirty years made no secret of the fact that he believes the West in general and the United States in particular is out to “get” Russia. And since he has long since fallen into the trap of completely conflating Russia’s interests with his own as the saviour and resurrector of Mother Russia, he takes this existential threat very personally.

Is Putin wrong? Is the West really out to get him and Russia? Absolutely.

Ever since some well-known American generals and politicians publicly lamented the Allied failure to push further into Eastern Europe after the collapse of the German army in 1945, it’s been no secret that the US in particular doesn’t trust Russia. Once peace was achieved in 1945 after the Second World War, America turned its attention to an unprecedented rebuilding reconstruction effort in Germany and Japan, culminating in those two nations reaching economic superstar status within 30 years. Against whom might that policy have principally been directed?

Mostly against Russia. And while the USSR hewed to a strictly communist ideology for over 70 years, the ideological dialectic between the US and the USSR was at times only a convenient veneer for a bare-knuckled international geopolitical competition.

Much of the 1950s featured a Republican-led sideshow led by demagogic Wisconsin senator Joe McCarthy to hunt down communists and their sympathizers in the US. This resulted, naturally, in a notable reduction of warm and fuzzy feelings in Russia toward the US. Communist Party first secretary Joseph Stalin quickly replaced Adolph Hitler as the greatest American bogeyman, and his successors did little to warm the bilateral chill between the USSR and the US, who quickly emerged as the world’s leading protagonists in the Cold War. A venerable professor friend once reminded his class of a simple lesson regarding the Russians and their foreign policy. “For some reason, perhaps originating from their historical and geographic insularity, Americans persist in their belief that other nations should align their foreign policy with America’s national interest, rather than recognize their own. The superior economic and military power of the US and its resulting preponderant position in the world since World War II have led many nations to align with America, for reasons at least as practical as ideological. They are allied with the US not because of

an uncritical perspective on the American democracy, but from an altogether different concept – their own national self-interest.”

“Americans generally take this for granted, since polls consistently expose their inattention to the rest of the world – except for Russia.

Americans do tend to notice the Russians, who have for over a century mostly seen their own national self-interest as independent from and often opposed to the selfinterest of the United States.

And this competition goes well beyond politics.”

The record supports this theory. Take for example two of the most famous Olympic contests of all time, which have come to epitomize the rivalry between these transcontinental giants. In 1972 at Munich, the US men’s team carried a 71-0 cumulative Olympic record into the title game with the Soviet men.

The final three seconds were replayed by the officials three different times and the Soviets eventually prevailed by a single point, making a shot at the final buzzer. There were numerous unsubstantiated allegations that the officials had been bribed.

Turnabout arrived at the Winter Games eight years later, when the huge

Dollar domination

N

ow that Putin’s month-long invasion of Ukraine has exposed and exacerbated current great power rivalries, and how the resulting Western sanctions against Putin, his associates and Russia have underscored the economic power granted to the US by virtue of its dollar being effectively the world’s currency, speculation is again rising about the possibility of another currency threatening or replacing the dollar as the basic unit of international trade, finance and economics.

In the past, when these stories emerged, they were quickly quashed. The Chinese, whose own renminbi currency and yuan denominational unit could replace the dollar, have for nearly 15 years pushed against dollar-denominated world commerce and finance, and in 2008 famously called for “a new international financial order.” No sale.

Only two percent of world foreignexchange reserves are today held in Chinese renminbi. The Russian ruble comes in at much less than one percent.

The US dollar’s share in foreign-exchange reserves held by foreign central banks is around 60 percent today; the EU, Japan and the UK account for another 32 percent. The reason, aside from residual mutual political affinity, is simply that any responsible central banker would wish to hold foreign currency reserves in the most widely and reliably traded currency. That is still the dollar.

Furthermore, a similar sixty percent of private foreign currency bank deposits and foreign currency corporate borrowing is also done in dollars.

The Russians and Putin are feeling the sting of this dollar domination as the Western sanctions take ever firmer hold and threaten to squeeze the life out of the teetering Russian economy.

And it is a sure thing that as Beijing watches from the sidelines as its rivals square off in Eastern Europe, the Chinese will be mindful of the dollar’s dominance as they consider actions that could generate sanctions against their own economy if they assist Russia to a degree unacceptable to Washington.

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underdog American men’s ice hockey team somehow managed to beat the Soviets in the semi-final and then brushed aside the Finns to win the first American hockey gold medal. “Do you believe in miracles?” was Al Michaels’ famous call after the US team beat the USSR. This central Cold War rivalry was underscored in the movies. In 1984’s Red Dawn, American high school students lead a desperate guerilla warfare counterattack against occupying Soviet forces. (This script is in some ways prescient: There are aspects of the current struggle by the Ukrainians for their homeland that are similar).

The enduringly famous James Bond series of international thrillers often introduced Russian or Russian-affiliated villains for our hero to successfully overcome.

Best-selling author David Baldacci told The Washington Post that “I grew up thinking the USSR wanted to destroy America. I saw that through books, television and movies.” Baldacci said “it was a clear decision back then: It was good versus evil, like Hitler versus the Allies.”

The recent cable TV hit “The Americans” told the story of Soviet spies imbedded in US society in the 1960s. It had an impressively long run from 2013-18, and didn’t really seem to many viewers like the residue of some forgotten era. It felt oddly current. Putin’s cynical decision to invade Ukraine harkens back to and reinforces perhaps the most enduring nickname coined

RUSSIAN President Vladimir Putin.

(Mikhail Klimentyev, Sputnik, Kremlin Pool Photo via AP)

UKRAINIAN President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

(Ukrainian Presidential Press Office via AP)

by US President Ronald Reagan. In a 1983 speech to a mostly white Christian evangelistic group that otherwise sounded many of the same anti-abortion and blurred church-state lines that remain GOP trademarks to this day, Reagan called the USSR “the Evil Empire.” The nickname stuck, and Putin is reviving the worst of the Cold War with his murderous behaviour in Ukraine.

Nevertheless, the compromise leading to the end of hostilities in Ukraine has been right in front of the world since well before this needless, scary conflict began.

The Russians and Putin, because they remain paranoid about the US and the West, want Ukraine to be at least neutral and to foreswear any future Western alliance.

This has been rebuffed – so far. But now there are signs that Ukrainian President

Volodymyr Zelensky may be changing his mind.

In an interview with Ukrainian television earlier this week, Zelenskyy said he would be willing to discuss a commitment from Ukraine to not seek NATO membership in exchange for a cease-fire, the withdrawal of Russian troops, and a guarantee from Russia of Ukraine’s security and independence.

Zelensky called for what he described as “a compromise for everyone: for the West, which doesn’t know what to do with us with regard to NATO; for Ukraine, which wants security guarantees, and for Russia, which doesn’t want further NATO expansion.”

This actor-turned-politician, derided at first as an amateur playing a sophisticated game he couldn’t understand, continues to defiantly and courageously speak the truth.

PAGE 10, Thursday, March 24, 2022

THE TRIBUNE

DUKE AND DUCHESS GOING GREEN FOR BAHAMAS VISIT WHEN Prince William and Kate, Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, arrive in The Bahamas today, you might spot them chauffeured around the streets of Nassau in an electric vehicle.

There will be no stops for gas during this Royal visit, symbolising this country’s commitment to a more environmentally friendly future.

The fully electric luxury

vehicles were provided by Easy Car Sales, the first and only 100 percent electric vehicle distributor in The Bahamas.

“We wanted to make this gesture to reflect our nation’s commitment to cleaner, more sustainable transportation, and we are confident the Royal couple will enjoy the luxurious features and smooth powerful ride,” said managing director of Easy Car Sales Pia Farmer. “They

really are beautiful vehicles fit for royalty.”

It will not be the first time that the Royal couple will ride a climate conscious car. After their wedding in 2011, Prince William and his bride Kate drove away from Buckingham Palace in Prince Charles’ 51-yearold Aston Martin - gifted to him by the Queen for his 21st birthday in 1969 – which had been converted to run on biofuels, swapping

out petrol for a renewable energy source. Last year, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge arrived at the first Earthshot Prize awards ceremony in a fully electric vehicle which uses electric battery powered motors to drive without harmful carbon dioxide emissions.

The Earthshot competition was launched last year to search for ways to tackle the problems facing the planet. Five winners each

year are awarded £1m for an idea to protect the planet.

The first award to be handed out went to Gator Halpern and Sam Teicher of Coral Vita - a project which grows coral on land to replenish life in dying ocean ecosystems. The Royal couple will visit the Coral Vita project in Freeport, Grand Bahama as part of their tour.

In what the Express newspaper calls the “Royal transport revolution”, it was

revealed that Prince William has installed a charging point at Kensington Palace and a source said it was “the first phase of a project to install charging points across the entire Royal estate”.

Unlike petrol or diesel-powered engines, the eco-friendly electric motor can be recharged at home from the electricity grid, or from renewable sources like solar power, at a fraction of the cost of gasoline.

POLICE GIVE HELPING HAND TO MONTEL HEIGHTS RESIDENTS

POLICE hand out donations to residents at Montel Heights Park yesterday as part of efforts to help members of the community in need.

Photos: Racardo Thomas/Tribune Staff

THE TRIBUNE

Thursday, March 24, 2022, PAGE 11

WHY THE FUTURE OF THE WORLD’S LARGEST RELIGION IS FEMALE – AND AFRICAN

By GINA ZURLO, Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary

their leadership or their service. Nor are there comprehensive analyses of Christians’ attitudes around the world about women’s and men’s roles in churches.

“Women, according to an old saying in the Black church, are the backbone of the church,” notes religion and gender scholar Ann Braude. “The double meaning of this saying is that while the churches would collapse without women, their place is in the background,” behind male leaders.

But there’s not much actual data, and without good data, it’s harder to make good decisions.

AT THE start of 2019, Bill and Melinda Gates released a list of facts that had surprised them the previous year. Number four on their list: “Data can be sexist.”

“There are huge gaps in the global data about women and girls,” they explained.

My interest was piqued – not only as a demographer, but as a woman and mother of girls.

I research women in global Christianity and am frequently asked what percentage of the religion is female. The short answer is 52 percent. But the long answer is more complicated – women make up a My current research is much more substantial part illustrating that women are of Christianity than that the majority of the church number makes it seem. nearly everywhere in the The goal of my research world, and that its future is to put the spotlight on is poised to Christian be shaped women’s con- ‘Women, according by African tributions to to an old saying in women, in church and the Black church, particular. society and fill Christianity in gaps in our are the backbone continues its data.

Head- of the church. The demographic lines about double meaning of shift to the religion may global south. be focused this saying is that In 1900, 18 on the words while the churches percent of the and actions of would collapse world’s Christians lived in Western male Asia, Africa, leaders, but without women, Latin America the reality of their place is in and Oceania, the worldwide the background.’ according to church is quite my research. different.

More and more Christians Today that figure is 67 live outside Europe and percent, and by 2050, it North America, especially is projected to be 77 perin Africa – and women are cent. Africa is home to 27 percent of the world’s central to that story.

Christians, the largest share in the world, and by 2050, that figure will likely be Social scientists have 39 percent. For comparishown for decades that son, the United States and women are more religious Canada were home to just than men by a variety of 11 percent of all Christians measures – everything in the world in 2020 and from frequency of private will likely drop to 8 percent prayer to worship service by 2050. Furthermore, the attendance.

Christianity, median age of Christians in the world’s largest religion, sub-Saharan Africa is just is no exception. Data from 19.

One of the most common the Pew Research Center refrains about the church show that, compared to Christian men, Christian in Africa is that it is majorwomen are more likely to ity female. “The church attend weekly church ser- in Africa has a feminine vices (53 percent versus 46 face and owes much of its percent), pray daily (61 per- tremendous growth to the cent versus 51 percent), and agency of women,” writes Kenyan theologian Philomsay religion is important ena Mwaura. in their lives (68 percent Or as a Nigerian Angliversus 61 percent). can bishop recently told It’s not a new trend. In me, “If anyone tells you a the Gospels, women were church in Nigeria is majorthe last at the foot of Jesus’s ity male, he’s lying.” cross, the first at his tomb.

It’s clear that women Research has shown they have been a crucial part of were critical to the growth Christianity’s seismic shift of the early church, being south. For example, conmore likely to convert to sider Catholic sisters, who Christianity than men, and outnumber priests and relimost of the early Christian gious brothers in Africa communities were majority – and on every continent, female. Throughout history, in fact. Mothers’ Union, women were exemplars an Anglican nonprofit of the faith as mystics and that aims to support marmartyrs, royal women con- riages and families, has 30 verting their husbands and branches in Africa, includsupporting convents, and ing at least 60,000 members founders of denominations in Nigeria alone. In Congo, and churches that are now women have advocated all over the world. Women for peacebuilding, includmake up the majority of ing through groups like Christians today. the National Federation of What researchers don’t Protestant Women. Next have is comprehensive data door, in the Republic of on women’s activities in the Congo, Catholic sisters churches, their influence, were at the forefront of

AT THE CENTRE OF THE STORY

MEASURING FAITH

providing shelter, education and aid in postwar recovery efforts.

Yet here, too, more precise data about African women’s contributions and religious identities is lacking. And beyond quantitative data, African women’s narratives have often been ignored, to the detriment of public understanding. As African theologians Mercy Amba Oduyoye and Rachel Angogo Kanyoro have stated, “African women theologians have come to realize that as long as men and foreign researchers remain the authorities on culture, rituals, and religion, African women will continue to be spoken of as if they were dead.”

Far from dead, African women live at the center of the story – and will continue to do so as healers, evangelists, mothers and the heartbeat of their churches.

• Originally published on theconversation.com

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PAGE 12, Thursday, March 24, 2022

THE TRIBUNE

A SERVICEMAN carries the photo of Capt Andrei Paliy, a deputy commander of Russia’s Black Sea Fleet, during a farewell ceremony in Sevastopol, Crimea, yesterday. Paliy was killed in action during fighting with Ukrainian forces in the Sea of Azov port of Mariupol.

NATO: 7,000 to 15,000 Russians dead in Ukraine KYIV, Ukraine Associated Press

NATO estimated yesterday that 7,000 to 15,000 Russian soldiers have been killed in four weeks of war in Ukraine, where fierce resistance from the country’s defenders has denied Moscow the lightning victory it sought.

By way of comparison, Russia lost about 15,000 troops over ten years in Afghanistan.

A senior NATO military official said the alliance’s estimate was based on information from Ukrainian authorities, what Russia has released — intentionally or not — and intelligence gathered from open sources. The official spoke on condition of anonymity under ground rules set by NATO. Ukraine has released little information about its own military losses, and the West has not given an estimate, but President Volodymr Zelenskyy said nearly two weeks ago that about 1,300 Ukrainian servicemen had been killed.

When Russia unleashed its invasion on February 24 in Europe’s biggest offensive since World War II, a swift toppling of Ukraine’s government seemed likely.

But with yesterday marking four full weeks of fighting, Moscow is bogged down in a grinding military campaign.

With its ground forces slowed or stopped by hitand-run Ukrainian units armed with Western-supplied weapons, Russian President Vladimir Putin’s troops are bombarding targets from afar, falling back on the tactics they used in

reducing cities to rubble in Syria and Chechnya.

In an ominous sign that Moscow might consider using nuclear weapons, a senior Russian official said the country’s nuclear arsenal would help deter the West from intervening in Ukraine.

“The Russian Federation is capable of physically destroying any aggressor or any aggressor group within minutes at any distance,” Dmitry Rogozin, the head of the state aerospace corporation, Roscosmos, said in televised remarks.

He noted that Moscow’s nuclear stockpiles include tactical nuclear weapons, designed for use on battlefields, along with far more powerful nuclear-tipped intercontinental ballistic missiles. Roscosmos oversees missile-building facilities.

US officials long have warned that Russia’s military doctrine envisages an “escalate to deescalate” option of using battlefield nuclear weapons to force the enemy to back down in a situation when Russian forces face imminent defeat. Moscow has denied having such plans.

Rogozin is known for his bluster, and he did not make clear what actions by the West would be seen as meddling, but his comments almost certainly reflect thinking inside the Kremlin. Putin has warned the West that an attempt to introduce a no-fly zone over Ukraine would draw it into a conflict with Russia. Western nations have said they would not create a no-fly zone to protect Ukraine.

As US President Joe Biden left for Europe to

meet with key allies about new sanctions against Moscow and more military aid to Ukraine, he warned there is a “real threat” Russia could use chemical weapons.

On the eve of a meeting with Biden, European Union nations signed off on another 500 million euros ($550m) in military aid for Ukraine.

The US has also determined that Russian troops have committed war crimes in Ukraine, and it will work to prosecute the offenders, Secretary of State Antony Blinken said. He cited evidence of indiscriminate or deliberate attacks against civilians and the destruction of apartment buildings, schools, hospitals, shopping centers and other sites.

Addressing Japan’s parliament, Zelenskyy said thousands of his people have been killed, including at least 121 children.

“Our people cannot even adequately bury their murdered relatives, friends and neighbours. They have to be buried right in the yards of destroyed buildings, next to the roads,” he said.

Still, major Russian objectives remain unfulfilled. The capital, Kyiv, has been bombarded repeatedly but is not even encircled.

Near-constant shelling and gunfire shook the city Wednesday, with air raid sirens wailing and plumes of black smoke rising from the western outskirts, where the two sides battled for control of multiple suburbs. Mayor Vitali Klitschko said at least 264 civilians have been killed in the capital since the war broke out.

MADELEINE ALBRIGHT DIES, AGE 84 WASHINGTON Associated Press

MADELEINE Albright, a child refugee from Naziand then Soviet-dominated Eastern Europe who rose to become the first female secretary of state and a mentor to many current and former American statesmen and women, died yesterday of cancer, her family said. She was 84.

A lifelong Democrat who nonetheless worked to bring Republicans into her orbit, Albright was chosen in 1996 by President Bill Clinton to be America’s top diplomat, elevating her from US ambassador to the United Nations, where she had been only the second woman to hold that job.

As secretary of state, Albright was the highestranking woman in the history of the US government. She was not in the line of succession to the presidency, however, because she was born in what was then Czechoslovakia. The glass ceiling that she broke was universally admired, even by her political detractors.

“We have lost a loving mother, grandmother, sister,

aunt and friend,” her family said in a statement.

Outpourings of condolences came quickly.

Clinton called her “one of the finest Secretaries of State, an outstanding UN Ambassador, a brilliant professor, and an extraordinary human being”.

“Because she knew firsthand that America’s policy decisions had the power to make a difference in people’s lives around the world, she saw her jobs as both an obligation and an opportunity,” Clinton wrote. “And through it all, even until our last conversation just two weeks ago, she never lost her great sense of humor or her determination to go out with her boots on, supporting Ukraine in its fight to preserve freedom and democracy.”

Former President George W Bush said Albright “lived out the American dream and helped others realise it. ... She served with distinction as a foreignborn foreign minister who understood firsthand the importance of free societies for peace in our world”.

President Joe Biden was informed of Albright’s death as he was flying to Brussels.

SPORTS PAGE 14

THURSDAY, MARCH 24, 2022

Golf, Page 15

Top athletes awarded at welcome home reception

ZANE KNOWLES: ‘I’M BEYOND THANKFUL FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY’

By RENALDO DORSETT Tribune Sports Reporter rdorsett@tribunemedia.net

By RENALDO DORSETT Tribune Sports Reporter rdorsett@tribunemedia.net

W

orld Athletics Indoor Championship medallists Shaunae Miller-Uibo and Devynne Charlton were treated to a hero’s welcome in their return home following their historic achievements last week in Belgrade, Serbia.

Miller-Uibo, the twotime Olympic champion, added a World Indoor title to her acclaimed 400m résumé in 50.31 seconds while Charlton won the 60m hurdles silver medal and set a new Bahamian national record in the event with her time of 7.81.

The duo arrived yesterday afternoon and after being greeted by dignitaries at Lynden Pindling International Airport, they paid courtesy calls on the Office of the Prime Minister and the House of Assembly. The evening concluded with a junkanoo rushout along Mychal Thompson Boulevard and a welcome reception at the Thomas A Robinson National Stadium.

Miller-Uibo’s time was just 0.10 shy of the North American, Central American and Caribbean area record she set last year and was her second World Indoors medal after she won bronze in her debut at the 2014 championships in Sopot, Poland.

Her sights are now set on the World Outdoor Championships this July in Portland, Oregon - the lone major championship that has eluded her thus far in her career.

“The goal is to get the two [World Championships] this year and to be done with the entire cycle, she said.

David Charlton served as the head coach of the five-member team and while he celebrated the efforts of the entire contingent, he singled out the perseverance of the two

see her cry again at these World Indoors this year in Serbia, these were a

ZANE Knowles suffered a possible life-threatening injury last season but the former national basketball team standout is set to return to the court in Bulgaria.

Knowles signed with a former club of Levski Sofia of Bulgaria’s NBL. “I’m beyond thankful for this opportunity. My old team giving me an opportunity to step on the court again and finish the season out with them,” Knowles posted to his Instagram account. “We won a Cup in 2020 and shortly after, the season was cancelled due to COVID. Looking forward to helping to get that trophy that was taken from us.”

Last season while preparing for the season in Hungary with Zalakerámia ZTE KK, Knowles sought treatment for what he described as a minor hamstring injury when doctors discovered a rare Arteriovenous Fistula (AVF) that would require surgery.

SEE PAGE 18

SEE PAGE 18

A HERO’S WELCOME: World Athletics Indoor Championship medallists Shaunae Miller-Uibo, (400m gold), far right, and Devynne Charlton (60mH silver), show off their awards with Deputy Prime Minister I Chester Cooper, Minister of Tourism, Investments & Aviation.

Photo by Racardo Thomas/Tribune Staff medal winners and the personal story of his daughter Devynne.

“I was with Devynne when she took part in her

first World Indoors in Birmingham. She was excited to make the finals, but she wanted to win so badly that I watched my child cry. To

Baseball prospects move up MLB Pipeline

By RENALDO DORSETT Tribune Sports Reporter rdorsett@tribunemedia.net BAHAMIAN baseball players continue to progress in their respective organisations as Major League Baseball Pipeline began its annual practice of revealing its top 30 prospects for each franchise.

Ian Lewis made the biggest surge in the rankings among the group, and is now listed as the Miami Marlins no.12 ranked prospect after concluding last season at no.23.

The 19-year-old middle infielder is also currently slotted as a second baseman.

After the pandemic delayed his debut on the diamond by a year, Lewis had an immediate impact this season and was recognised by the Marlins’ organisation as one of the top performers in its farm system.

Lewis was named the Florida Complex League MVP when the Marlins named their Minor League Award winners for the 2021 season.

In his first season of professional baseball, he played 43 games, predominantly at second base in the FCL. He hit .302, with a .354 OBP, slugging .497 and an .851 OBP. He had an FCL leading five triples, three home runs, 10 doubles, nine stolen bases, 45 hits, 27 RBI and 24 runs scored. He began his season with a brief assignment in the Dominican Summer League before the team eventually reassigned him to the Florida Complex League six days later on June 28. I hit a two-run home run homer his pro debut on June 29 against the FCL Mets.

“A switch-hitter with a quick swing from both sides of the plate, he has gotten stronger since signing and

IAN LEWIS

LUCIUS FOX

TAHNAJ THOMAS

opened eyes by displaying at least average power in his debut. His hand-eye coordination and patient approach allow him to make consistent contact, though he’ll have to prove he can handle quality breaking balls at higher levels,” Lewis’ MLB Pipeline analysis said.

“With his well aboveaverage speed, Lewis is a base-stealing threat and covers ground in the middle

infield. The Marlins believe he has the actions and solid arm strength to handle shortstop, though he probably won’t get much of a chance as he rises through the Minors alongside Kahlil Watson and Jose Salas.

Lewis spent most of last summer at second base, where his quick hands help him turn double plays, and can become an average or better defender as he develops more consistency.”

Lucius Fox has risen several spots in his brief time with the Washington Nationals and is now ranked no.23 in the organisation. He was ranked no.25 when he was claimed off waivers by the Nationals in December and joined the fifth franchise of his MLB career.

Fox, 24, hit the Nationals’ first home run of Spring Training with his solo shot in the ninth inning of

Saturday’s 6-2 loss to the New York Mets at The Ballpark of Palm Beaches.

He followed with a gametying double in the eighth inning of Sunday’s 3-2 win over the Houston Astros.

The versatile Fox is listed as a shortstop, second baseman and outfielder.

“Fox’s best offensive assets remain his willingness to take a walk (13.1 percent in 2021) and his plus-plus speed that allows him to earn infield hits and be a 20-plus stolen-base threat,” Fox’s MLB Pipeline analysis said.

“An impressive defender at shortstop, Fox saw more time at second base in deference to Bobby Witt Jr in Omaha and even played centre field for the first time over the season’s final month.

“His athleticism will allow him to play up the middle, and that’s what so

SEE PAGE 18

Duke vs Texas Tech On the verge of a World Cup berth, Canada on the rise matchup features in coaching paths

By ANNE M PETERSON AP Sports Writer

By JOSH DUBOW AP Sports Writer SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — When Texas Tech coach Mark Adams got his first head coaching job back in 1981, Mike Krzyzewski was getting ready for his second season at Duke.

While Krzyzewski was winning five NCAA titles, three Olympic gold medals and setting records for most wins by a men’s coach in Division I, Adams was slogging his way through junior college, NAIA, Division II and low-level Division I with a brief hiatus running a minor league hockey team.

Now the coaches get a chance to square off in Adams’ first season as a major college coach when his third-seeded Texas Tech team faces second-seeded Duke (30-6) in the

SEE PAGE 16

DUKE head coach Mike Krzyzewski speaks at a news conference for the NCAA men’s college basketball tournament in San Francisco, Wednesday, March 23, 2022. Duke faces Texas Tech in a Sweet 16 game on Thursday. (AP

THE Canadian soccer association made a surprising move in 2018 when it made women’s national team coach John Herdman the new head coach of the men’s team.

Herdman had guided the women’s team to a pair of back-to-back Olympic bronze medals, while also navigating the pressure on Canada as host of the 2015 Women’s World Cup. Christine Sinclair, Canada’s veteran captain who has since become the highest international scorer of all time among men or women, went to Twitter with her stunned reaction to the move: “Speechless right now.”

Herdman’s leap between teams turned out to be a winning decision. Canada’s

men are on the verge of going to the World Cup for the first time in 36 years.

Canada sits atop the CONCACAF standings for World Cup qualification, ahead of the United States and Mexico. Canada is undefeated in the final round with seven wins and four draws.

Along the way, the team has dramatically risen in the FIFA rankings, from No. 94 when Herdman took over in 2018 to No. 33 today. “This team, this programme, we’ve gone through a lot.

We’ve had a lot of rough times and heartbreaking results,” captain Atiba Hutchinson said. “And for it to be going the way that it’s going now, we’re a fearless team and we’ve got a lot of confidence. We’re just expressing ourselves now.”

Canada was a perfect 3-0 over the previous qualifying

window, with a trio of 2-0 wins over Honduras, the United States and El Salvador.

Today, Canada visits Costa Rica for the first of three final qualification matches. Win, and they’ll secure a spot in Qatar. The team then hosts Jamaica in Toronto on Sunday before the last match at Panama next Wednesday.

The top three CONCACAF finishers secure World Cup berths. The fourth-place team will face a team from Oceania in an intercontinental playoff.

Herdman has labelled the team’s quest “New Canada.”

“With that mission, that there’s a number of goals that sit underneath it.

You’re not New Canada unless you really do pioneer

SEE PAGE 15

THE TRIBUNE

Thursday, March 24, 2022, PAGE 15

Ayton scores career high 35, Suns rally past Timberwolves MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Deandre Ayton scored a career-high 35 points and had 14 rebounds, Devin Booker had 22 of his 28 points in the second half and the Phoenix Suns surged past the trash-talking Minnesota Timberwolves 125-116 last night.

Landry Shamet scored 10 of his 19 points in the fourth quarter to help fuel the rally and bring the NBA-leading Suns within one win — or Memphis loss — of wrapping up homecourt advantage for the entire playoffs.

The Suns a have a ninegame lead with nine games left. They have won six straight, 18 of 22 and are 59-14 overall and 29-6 on the Road, Anthony Edwards scored 19 points for Minnesota, and Karl-Anthony Towns had 15 points and 11 rebounds — but only three points and three rebounds in the second half after he woke up the Suns with his trash-talking late the first.

The Timberwolves dropped 1 1/2 games behind Denver for the No. 6 seed that avoids the playin tournament. Minnesota has its first two-game losing streak since February 9-11.

Phoenix, playing without All-Star guard Chris Paul and sixth-man Cam Johnson, completed its first sweep of three or more games against Minnesota in 11 seasons.

The Timberwolves had a 15-point lead in the third quarter and were still up 88-83 at the start of the fourth.

WARRIORS 118, HEAT 104 MIAMI (AP) — Jordan Poole scored 30 points and short-handed Golden State scored the first 19 points of the second half and beat Miami.

Damion Lee, Jonathan Kuminga and Andrew Wiggins each scored 22 points for the Warriors. The Warriors were already without Stephen Curry because of a sprained left foot and Andre Iguodala with low back tightness, plus gave Draymond Green, Otto Porter Jr and Klay Thompson the night off for injury management.

Kyle Lowry scored 26 points, Bam Adebayo had 25, Jimmy Butler finished with 20 and Duncan Robinson had 13 for the Heat.

CELTICS 125, JAZZ 97 BOSTON (AP) — Jayson Tatum scored 11 of his 26 points during Boston’s nearly perfect first quarter to help the Celtics roll past Utah.

Jaylen Brown also had 26 points, and Marcus Smart had a career-high 13 assists. Boston won its fifth straight victory to improve its chances for one of the Eastern Conference’s top four seeds.

Donovan Mitchell scored 37 points for the Jazz. Utah has lost consecutive games for the first time since the end of January, a span of 21 games.

KNICKS 121, HORNETS 105 CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — RJ Barrett scored 30 points and New York made 20 3-pointers to beat Charlotte, snapping the Hornets’ five-game winning streak.

Obi Toppin had 18 points and 11 rebounds, and Alec Bunks added 17 points for the Knicks, They have won three of five. Playing without Julius Randle, who sat out with right quadriceps tendon soreness, the Knicks shot 20 of 45 from beyond the arc.

LaMelo Ball had 32 points and nine rebounds for Charlotte.

PHOENIX Suns center Deandre Ayton dunks against the Minnesota Timberwolves during the second half of an NBA basketball game Wednesday, March 23, 2022, in Minneapolis.

(AP Photo/Andy Clayton-King) MAVERICKS 110, Davion Mitchell scored worst teams.

Chuma ROCKETS 91 25 points, and Chimezie Okeke scored 19 points for DALLAS (AP) — Jalen Metu had a career-high 22 Orlando.

Brunson scored 28 points, for the Kings.

GRIZZLIES 132, Spencer Dinwiddie added Buddy Hield led the NETS 120 26 with Luka Doncic rest- Pacers with 25 points.

MEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP) ing a sore right ankle and PISTONS 122, — Desmond Bane scored Dallas overwhelmed HouHAWKS 101 23 points, including nine ston in the second half.

DETROIT (AP) — straight as Memphis rebuilt Dallas pulled even with Jeremi Grant scored its lead in the fourth quarUtah at 45-28 for the 21 points and slumping ter, and the Grizzlies beat fourth seed and home- Detroit routed Atlanta in Kyrie Irving and Brooklyn. court advantage in the first its biggest margin of vicIrving scored 43 points round of the Western Con- tory of the season. and Kevin Durant had 35 ference playoffs. The Jazz, Cade Cunningham points and 11 rebounds. who lost 125-97 at Boston, added 17 points and eight Still banned from playing hold the tiebreaker over assists for Detroit. The Pis- home games because of the Mavericks. They play tons led by 29 points while a New York City vaccine Sunday in Dallas. winning for the second mandate, Irving was on Rookie Alperen Sengun time in eight games. Trae the court for the first time had 14 points and 11 Young had 21 points and since scoring 60 points at rebounds for Rockets. nine assists for Atlanta.

Orlando eight days earThey are an NBA-worst THUNDER 119, lier. But that arrangement 18-55.

MAGIC 102 for Irving, who is unvacciKINGS 110, OKLAHOMA CITY nated against COVID-19, PACERS 109 (AP) — Theo Maledon is coming to an end.

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) scored 17 of his seasonNew York City Mayor — Damian Jones’ tip-in high 25 points in the fourth Eric Adams is set to lift the with less than a second quarter and Oklahoma mandate for athletes and left lifted Sacramento past City beat Orlando to snap performers.

Indiana. a 10-game skid.

Memphis was the shortTrey Lyles missed a Tre Mann and Isaiah handed home team this 3-pointer and Jones tipped Roby each scored 21 for time with leading scorer Ja in the rebound with 0.2 sec- the Thunder in a matchup Morant sidelined because onds remaining. between two of the NBA’s of right knee soreness.

WCUP

Olympics, playing under Herdman protégé Bev Priestman.

Known as more of a hockey nation, Canada’s rise on the international soccer stage has been building for two decades.

It really started in 2002, when the nation hosted the FIFA U-19 Women’s World Championship (later the FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup).

A young Sinclair scored five goals in a quarterfinal match against England.

She generated such buzz that attendance jumped,

with more than 47,000 fans at the final against the United States, still a record for the tournament.

Canada went on to host the 2007 Men’s U-20 World Cup, which generated $259 million in economic impact. That helped pave the way for Canada’s successful bid for the 2015 Women’s World Cup. The women’s team is now ranked sixth in the world as it prepares to qualify for the 2023 Women’s World Cup. The foundation was laid by Herdman, who was named coach in 2011.

FROM PAGE 14 in this period of time.

For us, internally, we’ve got some really clear goals that we’re laser-focused on and we’re on track,” he said.

“We’re on track to really set ourselves up as New Canada and as the players have said, put the world on notice.”

It’s not just Canada’s men that have seen recent success.

The women’s team won the gold medal last summer at the Tokyo

BROWNS ANXIOUS TO MEET WATSON FOLLOWING STUNNING TRADE

By TOM WITHERS AP Sports Writer

“If you ever hear those Canadian men talk, they talk about passion and legacy and playing for the brotherhood, for one another.

“And that’s something that I truly believe in as well, because I was fortunate enough to play for a coach like John Herdman, who emphasize team first in all things.

“And now you’re seeing that success on the men’s side,” said former defender Rhian Wilkinson.

He is now a coach of the Portland Thorns in the

National Women’s Soccer League.

For the men, simply making the field in Qatar isn’t the final goal.

“I’ve said this all along, but these guys are fighting for something way beyond just a three-point game and qualification for Qatar, and we have been since I took over the team,” Herdman said. “There’s been a real clarity. It took time for the players to really burn it into their minds and connect around that shared purpose. And it’s there now. It’s so clear.”

CLEVELAND (AP) — Deshaun Watson hasn’t met his new teammates, and once he arrives there will time for conversations, maybe even tough ones.

That’s for another day.

Until then, the controversial quarterback isn’t being judged or questioned about his leadership.

“We’ve kind of just got to get a feel for him,” Browns cornerback Greg Newsome II said last night at the Greater Cleveland Sports Awards. “We don’t know him as anything as of right now, so we’ve just got to get to know him.”

Watson’s on his way.

The three-time Pro Bowl quarterback, who is still facing 22 civil lawsuits from women accusing him of sexual misconduct during massage therapy sessions, was acquired last week by Cleveland in a stunning trade from Texans.

The blockbuster deal, which included the Browns sending three first-round draft picks to the Texans, only happened after Watson initially turned the Browns down.

It caught Newsome off guard. “It definitely came as a surprise as soon as you saw that he kind of declined us at first,” Newsome said.

“We kind of thought that it was over, so definitely it was a surprise.’’

While Watson’s acquisition — and his $230 million guaranteed contract — have been hotly discussed topics around town for several days, his name wasn’t mentioned once from the stage in Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse during the two-hour ceremony hosted by NBC’s Maria Taylor.

Watson is expected to be in Cleveland this week for a physical and introductory news conference.

As of yesterday, plans were still being finalised by the Browns, who were as stunned as anyone when Watson changed his mind and picked them over the Panthers, Falcons and Saints.

Newsome doesn’t know Watson but said he’s “super excited” about meeting a player he’s watched from afar. “I love his game,” said Newsome, who attended the event with Browns linebacker Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah.

Red hazard line, pillow fights highlight Match Play start

By DOUG FERGUSON AP Golf Writer AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — Golf’s most fickle tournament delivered its usual dose of oddities yesterday in the Dell Technologies Match Play, including the fortunes of Maverick McNealy.

The last man to get in the 64-man field, he was the first to close out his match.

McNealy, who only got into his first World Golf Championship when Sam Burns decided to withdraw after his victory Sunday at Innisbrook, tied for the third-shortest match in tournament history with an 8-and-6 rout over Riviera winner Joaquin Niemann.

“I was home last week, really hoping I’d get the chance to play, preparing like I was going to get a chance to play,” McNealy said. “And had a nice round today, for sure.”

He was 4 under through seven holes and already 5 up against Niemann, and McNealy closed him out on the 12th hole when the Chilean conceded his 18-foot birdie putt.

It technically wasn’t the shortest match of the day. No one had an easier time than Corey Conners,

who played only two holes when Paul Casey had back spasms and conceded the match. Casey remained in the Match Play, hopeful of playing his next two matches.

Six of the top eight seeds won their first match, while Patrick Cantlay earned a halve against Keith Mitchell when both missed birdie putts in the 10-foot range on the final hole. The exception was Justin Thomas, who made only one birdie after the opening hole and lost, 3 and 2, to Luke List, who had a 1-5 record in this tournament.

Wins and losses were secondary to the bizarre circumstances of a sprinkler head.

Thomas Pieters of Belgium hit a long pitch that ran down the slope of the 13th green and was headed for the water when it settled in a sprinkler head. That looked like a good break except that his ball was touching the red paint of the hazard line, so no relief was given.

All he could do was whack at with a sand wedge in frustration — Tom Hoge already had made a birdie — though it had a happy ending when Pieters won the match.

An hour later, Bryson DeChambeau was in the spot — and he was given a free drop.

A change in the ruling can only happen in this format because it’s not players against the entire field, rather players going headto-head. Each match is its own tournament.

Chief referee Gary Young said the red paint is supposed to go around the sprinklers. In this case, it touched the side. Once officials realised the problem, they went to redo the paint.

He said the crew was on its way when DeChambeau’s chip landed in the same sprinkler hole.

The official was instructed to provide relief.

“Two wrongs don’t make a right. To make the correction before Bryson’s match got there was important,” Young said.

DeChambeau, playing for the first time since February 4 at the Saudi International because of injuries to his left hand and left hip, wound up halving his match with Richard Bland. It was hardly a thing of beauty. Five holes were halved with bogeys.

“I know I can play golf.

That’s first and foremost,” DeChambeau said to Golf

Channel. “I don’t have to one-hand it all day.

Although I was very cautious. There was a lot of drives out there I felt really bad because it’s not going the places I want it to go just because I’m not confident with how my wrist will go through it. That will get ironed out over time.”

His match wasn’t the only pillow fight.

Jordan Spieth halved a hole after hitting his tee shot into the water on the 13th, only because Keegan Bradley’s chip from behind the green went into the water.

Spieth took his first lead on the par-5 16th when Bradley’s second shot caromed off a hill and went out-of-bounds.

But it was a win for Spieth, just as it was for Collin Morikawa and Viktor Hovland, neither of whom were thrilled with how they played except for the outcome.

Scottie Scheffler, the No. 5 seed, had reason to be happy for getting past Ian Poulter, a match play wizard, for the second time in as many years.

He took down Poulter in 14 holes in the fourth round a year ago on his way to reaching the championship

JORDAN Spieth hits from a bunker during practice for the Dell Technologies Match Play Championship golf tournament on Tuesday in Austin, Texas.

(AP Photo/Eric Gay) match. This one went to the Europeans. Including the 17th, a match in which only Ryder Cup, Scheffler now three holes were halved. has beaten Poulter twice “I was the technically and Jon Rahm twice in the the highest seed versus the last year. lowest seed in my group Kevin Kisner, who has today, but if you looked won the Match Play and at like gambling odds I’m been runner-up, had no sure they probably weren’t trouble against Marc Leisha crazy disparity on who man win winning his 17th was supposed to win that match at Austin Country match,” Scheffler said. Club, the most of anyone.

“You never really know The round-robin format what’s going to happen in among the 16 four-man this tournament so I don’t groups resumes today and think the seeding is too Friday, with the winner important.” from each group advancing But he’s getting a repu- to the knockout stage on tation, especially against the weekend.

PAGE 16, Thursday, March 24, 2022

THE TRIBUNE

BLTA family mourns death of Kevin ‘Sandy’ Reid THE Bahamas Lawn Tennis Association and the community, especially in Grand Bahama, mourns the unexpected passing of Kevin “Sandy” Reid, a former tennis player and coach.

Sandy grew up on the tennis courts in Grand Bahama learning to play tennis from his mother, Olga Althea Reid, herself an avid tennis player. Sandy played in the era of Mark Knowles and Roger Smith, also of Grand Bahama.

Sandy spent more than 20 years in the US teaching and playing tennis in the Orlando, Florida, area, before his return home in 2013 to contribute to the

game and in particular the youths. Sandy had a passion for the game.

Speaking on behalf of the Tennis Bahamas community, BLTA presidential hopeful candidate Ken Kerr expressed deep shock and sadness on hearing the news. “The country has lost a great Bahamian, Grand Bahama has lost a son, our tennis community has lost a great friend, player, coach and tennis enthusiast who only wanted to see the proper development of the game, especially among our junior tennis players who have so much potential,” Kerr said.

He was a fixture at the National Tennis Centre.

BLTA president and Grand Bahamian, added that Sandy’s passing is a tremendous loss to the sport of tennis. “Sandy lived and breathed tennis being a player and coach. Sandy was famously known for the American twist serve and his hard mouth on and off the court,” Donaldson said.

“Sandy was like family to me and as a teenager I was able to go up to him and train from time to time.

“I remember him calling me whilst I was president of the BLTA to say he was coming home and would like to coach and that he did. He coached several former top players. In recent years, Sandy lost his

KEVIN “Sandy” Reid Derron Donaldson, Bahamas Olympic Committee secretary and former

mum and gravitated back to Grand Bahama where he was originally born and raised and was able to put on a tournament in his mom’s honour and was really planning on doing so much more for Grand Bahamas Tennis.

“Sandy will be missed and hopefully his passion for the game lives on. May he rest in peace.”

Said Bjorn Ferguson, a former top junior and vicepresidential candidate in the upcoming elections: “Sandy was a very instrumental player and coach in the development of the game in this country.

“He worked tirelessly in the sport and became a

fixture on the local tennis scene. From the coaching perspective, Sandy was the go-to guy if you wanted to learn and develop a kick serve,” Ferguson said.

“He was a specialist in that regard. We have lost a giant. I join with my colleagues and fellow players in paying homage to this great soul, Mr Kevin Sandy Reid. On behalf of myself and family we wish Sandy’s family God’s peace during this time.”

Kerr concluded that hopefully some of the changes that Sandy envisioned can be realised with “the much-needed changes in the tennis leadership in the Bahamas.”

WINTERBOTHAM IC JUNIOR DEVELOPMENT TENNIS SERIES BACK ON STREAM

16 Texas A&M-CC 67

12 Indiana 66

First Round March 17-18

Portland

1 Gonzaga 93 16 Georgia St. 72 8 Boise St. 53 9 Memphis 64

Buffalo

5 UConn 63 12 New Mexico St. 70 4 Arkansas 75 13 Vermont 71

San Diego

6 Alabama 64 11 Notre Dame 78 3 Texas Tech 97 14 Montana St. 62

Greenville

7 Michigan St. 74 10 Davidson 73 2 Duke 78 15 Cal St. Fullerton 61

Fort Worth

1 Baylor 85 16 Norfolk St. 49 8 North Carolina 95 9 Marquette 63

Portland

5 Saint Mary’s 82 12 Indiana 53 4 UCLA 57 13 Akron 53

Milwaukee

6 Texas 81 11 Virginia Tech 73 3 Purdue 78 14 Yale 56

Indianapolis

7 Murray St. 92 (OT) 10 San Francisco 87 2 Kentucky 79 15 Saint Peter’s 85

First Four

16 Wright St. 93

11 Rutgers 87

16 Bryant 82

11 Notre Dame 89 (2OT)

E

2022

MW

Dayton, Ohio March 15-16

Second Round March 19-20

S

NCAA TOURNAMENT

Sweet 16

1 Gonzaga 82

March 24-25

Elite 8

9 Memphis 78

Second Round

Sweet 16

March 24-25 1 Gonzaga

W

Elite 8

March 26-27

March 19-20

1 Arizona 85 (OT)

1 Arizona 9 TCU 80

March 26-27

Thurs., 7 p.m.

After end of game 2 Thurs.

5 Houston 68

12 N. Mexico St. 48

FINAL FOUR

4 Arkansas

New Orleans

4 Arkansas 53

5 Houston 4 Illinois 53

April 2

WEST

SOUTH

11 Notre Dame 53 11 Michigan

3 Texas Tech

3 Tennessee 68

3 Texas Tech 59 After end of game 1 Thurs.

Thurs., 7:15 p.m.

7 Michigan St. 76

NATIONAL All times EDT CHAMPIONSHIP

2 Duke

7 Ohio St. 61 2 Villanova

April 4

2 Duke 85

2 Villanova 71

1 Baylor 86

1 Kansas 79 8 UNC

1 Kansas 9 Creighton 72

8 UNC 93 (OT) Fri., 7.15 p.m.

After end of game 1 Fri.

5 Saint Mary’s 56

12 Richmond 51 4 UCLA

4 Providence

4 UCLA 72

4 Providence 79

EAST

MIDWEST

6 Texas 71

11 Iowa St. 54 11 Iowa St.

3 Purdue 3 Purdue 81

After end of game 2 Fri.

7 Murray St. 60

10 Miami 79 15 St. Peter’s

All times EDT

March 17-18

1 Arizona 87 16 Wright St. 70 8 Seton Hall 42 9 TCU 69 5 Houston 82 12 UAB 68 4 Illinois 54 13 Chattanooga 53 6 Colorado St. 63 11 Michigan 75 3 Tennessee 88 14 Longwood 56 7 Ohio St. 54 10 Loyola Chicago 41 2 Villanova 80 15 Delaware 60 1 Kansas 83 16 Texas Southern 56 8 San Diego St. 69 9 Creighton 72 5 Iowa 63 12 Richmond 67 4 Providence 66 13 South Dakota St. 57 6 LSU 54 11 Iowa St. 59 3 Wisconsin 67

3 Wisconsin 49 Fri., 7 p.m.

15 St. Peter’s 70

11 Michigan 76

First Round

10 Miami 2 Auburn 61

San Diego

12 Wyoming 58

Pittsburgh

16 Texas Southern 76

Indianapolis

West Region semifinal tonight in what could be Krzyzewski’s final game before retirement.

“He has learned the game, like a lot of us have plane stops that we’ve gone, he has learned it with bus stops, the different levels that he has been at,” Krzyzewski said.

“I respect the heck out of that. ...

When you are at the bus stops, you don’t make a lot of money.

You better love what you do. It’s obvious that that’s what he has

to end his coaching career as a champion. “I know there’s a lot of press and media about this game, but we’re just not letting that get to us,” forward Marcus SantosSilva said. “We know what’s the outcome if we come out with this win, and we would be lying if we didn’t know, yeah, if we win this, we send Coach K home.”

That’s the burden a young Duke team has been carrying ever since Krzyzewski announced last spring that this would be his last season.

“We want to send him out the right way, and that’s been the motivation since the beginning

Pittsburgh

FROM PAGE 14

was doing,” Adams joked. “It was a special moment for me.”

Krzyzewski brings the more acclaimed roster into this game with several top NBA prospects led by star freshmen Paolo Banchero, A.J. Griffin and Trevor Keels, along with big man Mark Williams and forward Wendell Moore Jr. Texas Tech has the more experienced team with several transfers on a roster that lacks the heralded recruits that the Blue Devils have. But they relish the opportunity to play spoiler and deny Krzyzewski the chance

Fort Worth

done, and he has taken it to a really high level.”

Top-seeded Gonzaga (28-3) faces fourth-seeded Arkansas (27-8) in the other matchup.

Krzyzewski and Adams haven’t crossed paths often over the years but Coach K did have Adams on his radio show earlier this season as Texas Tech (27-9) put together an impressive season in his first year as head coach.

Adams said he got a thank you card from Krzyzewski just a few days ago.

“I think he probably knew, he was scouting me out is what he

Freeport and Artie Johnson from Eleuthera who have developed these young players and brought them into this competition.

It was especially noted what good attitudes and friendliness the young players exhibited which is something the coaches have built in to their development programmes and are to be commended for.

Kit Spencer, president of The Bahamas IC, said the International Tennis Clubs (IC) are made up of 40 countries with players who have played to a high standard such as Davis Cup and want to keep the international camaraderie and competition going as they get older.

In addition to older age events for its members, the worldwide IC organisation has a philanthropic arm that works to develop tennis and personal development for kids in many poor areas of the world.

Additionally, it runs a number of junior competitions such as The IC Rod Laver Junior

Buffalo

DUKE

The winner of the girls 12s was Brianna Houlgrave and Alec Hooper, the winner of the boys 12s. It was good to see how they have progressed from the earlier series.

In the 10s age group all the competitors were new to The Winterbotham IC Junior Series and the winners were Cory Conyers for the boys and and Victoria Sandi-Aguilar for the girls.

The main IC organisers were Tara and Neil Mactaggart with Mickey Williams, together with tournament referee Everette Bannister.

After the event they commented on the excellent atmosphere at the event from players, parents, coaches and supporters.

It was clear that the young players had both benefitted and enjoyed the experience and will be back again next time when it is confident the number of participants will grow.

The IC thanks the coaches from many areas of New Providence,

14 Colgate 60

Milwaukee

the ocean” encourages good sportsmanship among those competing.

They also ask parents and coaches present not to get involved in the matches but to be appreciative and supportive of all players. This way it creates an enjoyable experience for those who may be competing for the first time in a competitive environment and it is found that many friendships are created.

The players are given a light lunch which also encourages them to stay around after their matches and make friends.

An important part of the event are “Sportsmanship Awards” given to a player who demonstrates good attitude on and off court.

The boys’ winner of this was Ayai Bethel who was competing in this competition for the first time. Congratulations also to Jasleen Salkey winner of the girls award. The IC looks forward to seeing them both as they develop in future competitions.

7 USC 66 10 Miami 68 2 Auburn 80 15 Jacksonville St. 61

Greenville

AFTER an almost two-year break because of COVID-19, the popular Winterbotham IC Junior Development Tennis Series got underway again on the weekend at The National Tennis Centre.

The series, designed to get young under 10s and under 12s into competitive tennis in a friendly and enjoyable way, has been a great success.

Over 30 juniors competed in this initial start-back competition.

In order to give maximum interest to players, they do not have a knockout competition but on Saturday they play in round robin groups by age and sex.

Then on Sunday the winners of groups play another round robin against each other as do the other opposite numbers from each Saturday group. That way on Sunday most players are competing with others of a similar level and all players are guaranteed several matches.

The IC (International Tennis Club), whose motto is “hands across the net, friendship across

Challenge which is a team competition for two boys and two girls 16 & under who play as one team.

This is held on every continent one year with the winning teams going to The Worldwide Finals the next year.

The Bahamas will host the North American Continent Event later this year.

The last three Worldwide Finals have been held at Wimbledon, Monte Carlo and Tokyo - an outstanding experience for the juniors at world-class venues.

IC member and “Tennis Great” Rod Laver has lent his name to this competition.

The IC sponsors the juniors in these events at no expense to them.

In this respect, Winterbotham Trust is thanked for its continued support of IC Bahamas activities that helps make such things possible.

For more information on the International Clubs (IC) visit: www.ictennis.net

was to send him out on top,” Banchero said. “I wouldn’t say it’s something we talk about before every game. That’s just a given.”

HEALTH REPORT Griffin is set to play for the Blue Devils after missing the end of the second-round win over Michigan State with a sprained ankle.

He was able to practice Tuesday and had only a little soreness Wednesday. Griffin is Duke’s top outside shooter with a team-high 66 made 3-pointers this season.

“He’ll be ready to go,” Krzyzewski said.

CALIFORNIA NIGHTMARE California and the West Coast have not been kind to Coach K in the NCAA Tournament.

The Blue Devils have lost all three tournament games they have played in the state and are 0-5 overall on the West Coast during Krzyzewski’s career.

Duke lost in the Sweet 16 in Anaheim to Kansas in 2003, Arizona in 2011 and Oregon in 2016.

Their only other games out West came in 1984 when the Blue Devils lost in the second round to Washington in Pullman, Washington, after getting a first-round bye and in the Final Four to Seton Hall in Seattle in 1989.

RESPECT Gonzaga star forward Drew Timme won’t hear of it: Arkansas as an underdog.

“They are a really good freaking team,” Timme said. “They’re in the Sweet 16, and just to win a game in the NCAA Tournament is just hard enough as is.”

That’s why 23rd-year Zags coach Mark Few wants his players to cherish this opportunity even if Gonzaga has reached the Sweet 16 for a seventh straight time.

“We’re not just taking that for granted, and we definitely enjoyed every part of it and every aspect of it, and I think the guys have done a great job with that,” Few said.

DREAMIN’ BIG On the practice floor at the Golden State Warriors’ sparkling Chase Center, Arkansas big man Jaylin Williams and guard J.D. Notae imagined themselves for a minute being Stephen Curry and letting it fly from midcourt.

“Me and J.D. were talking and laughing like we were 10 feet behind the 3-point line, and we were like, ‘Curry be pulling up from here,’” Williams said, smiling. “We’re talking and laughing about stuff like that, but it’s really awesome to be in this arena.”

It’s a homecoming for coach Eric Musselman, who spent plenty of time in Northern California during his time as coach for the Warriors and the Sacramento Kings.

“First of all, I’m surprised my picture is not up on the wall anywhere in here,” he joked.

THE TRIBUNE

Thursday, March 24, 2022, PAGE 17

Osaka has little trouble, tops Sharma at Miami Open

By TIM REYNOLDS AP Sports Writer MIAMI GARDENS, Florida (AP) — Naomi Osaka was greeted by some cheers when she walked onto the court, then got significantly louder ones when her work for the day was done.

Maybe the comforts of home helped.

Flashing the level of play that vaulted her to No. 1 in the world not too long ago, Osaka had little trouble in defeating Astra Sharma of Australia 6-3, 6-4 yesterday — the first full day of play at the Miami Open.

Osaka is Japanese-born, calls California home now, but spent much of her youth in South Florida, basically just a few miles north of where the Miami Open is now held.

“I kind of consider this like my home tournament,” Osaka said, before her words got drowned out by more cheers and applause from fans. “This is the tournament that I loved coming to once a year. I’m just really happy to be back out here.”

It was Osaka’s first match since a March 12 loss at Indian Wells, when she was rattled by a derogatory shout from a spectator.

If any similar thoughts were expressed by the fans who were watching yesterday in a largely empty stadium court built over

COFFEE TALK: AT MIAMI OPEN, BUTLER IS IN THE DRINK BUSINESS

By TIM REYNOLDS AP Basketball Writer

NAOMI OSAKA, of Japan, returns a ball against Astra Sharma of Australia in their first round match at the Miami Open tennis tournament yesterday.

(AP Photo/Rebecca Blackwell) the field where the NFL’s Miami Dolphins play football, they either were ignored or unnoticed.

“Honestly, for me, I just didn’t want to let anything bother me today no matter what happened,” Osaka said.

“The last match that I played was not the greatest memory for me.”

That’s when someone decided to yell from the stands: “We love you.”

Osaka surely appreciated that sentiment.

Osaka will next face No. 13 seed Angelique Kerber

of Germany — like Osaka, another former world No. 1 — in the second round.

Kerber, like all 32 seeds in the 96-player singles field, had a bye out of the first round.

Kerber is 4-1 head-tohead against Osaka.

Osaka improved to 7-2 this year, not counting a walkover loss at Melbourne in early January when she withdrew from an Australian Open warmup event with an abdominal injury.

She’s ranked No. 77 in the world largely because

she hasn’t entered many events in the last year, though among active players — if Ashleigh Barty is no longer considered one after her surprising retirement announcement — Osaka is the most recent to hold the No. 1 ranking.

Barty supplanted her in the top spot on September 9, 2019, and has held that ranking since.

Osaka has openly talked about struggling with depression and working on her mental health since winning the 2018 US Open over Serena Williams.

She withdrew from last year’s French Open to tend to her mental health, left last year’s US Open in tears and was brought to tears again by the comment from a spectator at Indian Wells earlier this month.

“I just wanted to prove that I could come back out here and compete,” Osaka said.

Sharma entered ranked 96th in the world and fell to 3-8 in singles matches this year, with two of those wins coming in qualifying rounds.

Top-ranked Barty retires at 25, goes out on her own terms

By DENNIS PASSA AP Sports Writer BRISBANE, Australia (AP) — Ash Barty did things on her own terms as she won three Grand Slam singles titles and spent more than two consecutive years at No. 1 in the women’s tennis rankings.

She retired on her own terms, too. At the age of 25, just two months after winning the Australian Open title.

The announcement stunned the tennis world yesterday.

“I just know at the moment, in my heart, for me as a person, this is right,” Barty said, her voice shaky at times, during a six-minute video posted on her Instagram account yesterday in Australia.

Saying it was time to “chase other dreams,” Barty, who announced her engagement to trainee golf professional Garry Kissick in November, said she no longer feels compelled to do what she knows is required to be the best she can be at tennis.

“It’s the first time I’ve actually said it out loud and, yeah, it’s hard to say,” Barty said during an informal interview with her former doubles partner, Casey Dellacqua. “I don’t have the physical drive, the emotional want and everything it takes to challenge yourself at the very top level any more. I am spent.”

This is not the first time Barty walked away from tennis: She was the Wimbledon junior champion at age 15 in 2011, presaging a promising professional career, but left the tour entirely for nearly two years in 2014 because of burnout, overwhelmed by the pressure and travel required.

She played professional cricket back home in Australia, then eventually picked up a racket once again and returned to her other sport.

Barty went on to win singles major championships on three different surfaces — on clay at the 2019 French Open, on grass at Wimbledon last year and on the hard courts of Melbourne Park in January, becoming the first Australian player in 44 years to triumph at the nation’s Grand Slam tournament.

But she hasn’t played a tournament since being presented with

ASH BARTY, of Australia, waves as she holds the Daphne Akhurst Memorial Cup after defeating Danielle Collins of the US, in the women’s singles final at the Australian Open tennis championships in Melbourne, Australia on January 29.

In a shock announcement yesterday, No. 1-ranked Barty announced her retirement from tennis.

(AP Photo/Andy Brownbill) her Australian Open trophy by seven-time Grand Slam singles champion Evonne Goolagong Cawley, her mentor and Indigenous and Australian tennis icon, after a straight-sets final victory over Danielle Collins.

“I am so supportive of Ash that she does what makes her happy,” Goolagong Cawley told The Associated Press.

“I can’t wait to see what happens in the next chapter of Ash’s life, and what helps her achieve her dreams.”

Barty won 15 tour-level titles in singles and 12 in doubles since first turning pro in 2010. She spent 121 weeks at No. 1 in the rankings, including the last 114 in a row.

Her announcement was all the more stunning from an on-court perspective given her recent run of success: Barty had won 25 of her last 26 matches and three of her past four events.

Only one other woman has walked away from the sport while atop the WTA rankings: Justine Henin was No. 1 when she retired in May 2008.

In a statement released by the WTA, CEO Steve Simon called Barty “the ultimate competitor.”

During her 21-month sabbatical from tennis as a teen, Barty played cricket with the Brisbane Heat of the Women’s Big Bash League. She returned to tennis in May 2016, playing a $50,000 ITF event in Eastbourne.

One year later, she was ranked No. 88; by the end of 2017, Barty was an established member of the top 20.

“I know I’ve done this before,” Barty said with a laugh in the retirement video, “but in a very different feeling. I’m so grateful to everything that tennis has given me. It’s given me all of my dreams, plus more, but I know that the time is right now for me to step away and chase other dreams and to, yeah, put the rackets down.”

A semifinal loss to Petra Kvitova in Doha in February was the last match she played in 2020; Barty stayed home in Australia for the balance of the season when the global pandemic emerged.

After six months on the road in 2021 and after winning five titles, including at Wimbledon, Barty ended her season abruptly after a loss to Shelby Rogers at the US Open.

“Wimbledon last year changed a lot for me as a person and for me as an athlete,” Barty said. “When you work so hard your whole life for one goal — to be able to win Wimbledon, which was my dream, the one true dream that I wanted in tennis, that really changed my perspective.”

She described what she termed a “gut feeling” after Wimbledon about maybe being ready to move on, but she also described herself then as not “quite

fulfilled.” Her victory at the Australian Open satisfied another gap, and Barty said she was completely aware that “my happiness wasn’t dependent on the results.”

Barty was one of the most popular players on tour, and many praised her in retirement yesterday. “Ash, what can I say, you know I have tears right?” tweeted Simona Halep. “My friend, I will miss you on tour. You were different, and special, and we shared some amazing moments . . . Be happy and enjoy your life to the max.”

Madision Keys posted: “An incredible tennis player but more importantly one of the nicest people on tour.”

Alicia Molik, coach of Australia’s Billie Jean King Cup team, said Barty’s decision was “unusual, retiring at the top.”

“It’s pretty gutsy, it’s pretty noble,” Molik said. “What an athlete, what a trailblazer and what a role model.”

Andy Murray tweeted: “Happy for (at) ashbarty, gutted for tennis, what a player.”

Barty’s closing words, at least for now — she plans a media conference in Brisbane today — came at the end of the video.

“I’ll never, ever, ever stop loving tennis,” she said. “It will always be a massive part of my life but now I think it’s important I get to enjoy the next phase of my life as Ash Barty the person, not Ash Barty the athlete.”

MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. (AP) — Jimmy Butler was standing a few feet away from the stadium court at the Miami Open and surveyed the shelves that were built for his latest obsession.

Rows of coffee mugs were lined up, some black, some white, some with big logos, some with smaller ones. He looked everything over for a couple of minutes, then grinned and deemed everything was exactly to his liking.

“You’re good,” he said to those awaiting his approval.

If tennis players want a shot of espresso or a latte or a cappuccino at the Miami Open, chances are it’ll be Butler providing it for them. The All-Star forward for the Miami Heat — whose obsession with coffee started as a joke of sorts at the NBA’s restart bubble inside Walt Disney World two years ago and has become an actual company since — is bringing his BigFace brand to the player-dining and some VIP areas at the tournament, his largest activation yet.

It made sense on many levels, the least of which is that Butler also just happens to be an enormous tennis fan.

“I think when it’s coming from one professional athlete to another and they see me constantly drinking BigFace coffee, they know I wouldn’t put any B.S. in my body,” Butler said in an interview with The Associated Press. “And I know everybody’s so cognizant of what they put in their body as a professional athlete in whatever sport. I just want to help put the best in front of you and you take it and run with it if you choose.”

He’s serious about this, too.

The story of BigFace started inside the bubble as a cash grab for Butler.

Players inside the bubble couldn’t leave, and cash was basically useless inside the Disney property — which was empty except for NBA players, personnel and a few reporters during that period of pandemic basketball. Most purchases were paid for using a wristband equipped with a sensor, which then billed an account linked to a credit card.

But NBA per diem rules still applied, and players, coaches and staffers got envelopes filled with cash like they would to cover meals and incidentals on a regular road trip. Butler noticed that he had exactly $1,020, with one $20 bill in there. So he started out seeking how many coffees he could sell for $20, knowing most players would have a twenty on them.

Word spread quickly.

“As much as the offer was appealing to me, he still was a potential enemy, so I didn’t want to go there,” Los Angeles Lakers coach Frank Vogel said during that season’s NBA Finals, when his team faced Butler and the Heat.

“But $20 is a lot for a cup of coffee. I don’t know if I would have spent that much, anyway.”

Butler’s bubble coffee rules were simple: Cash only, exact change required.

Hence, the term BigFace — lingo for the $100 bill, since Ben Franklin’s image on that denomination is larger than the image of others on smaller bills.

Butler knew when he got the $20’s, the $100’s would follow.

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PAGE 18, Thursday, March 24, 2022

THE TRIBUNE

ZANE

WELCOME HOME TEAM BAHAMAS!

FROM PAGE 14

An AVF, is an abnormal connection of vessels in the tissues around the brain or spinal cord in which one or more arteries are directly connected to one or more veins or venous spaces.

In a busy 2019-20 season, Knowles played in three leagues and two countries before the COVID-19 pandemic brought basketball to an end globally. He concluded the campaign with Levaki of the Bulgarian NBL League. In just two games with the club, he averaged 13 points, seven rebounds, and 1.5 steals per game.

A 6’9’ centre, Knowles was one of three international signees for Zalakerámia in Hungary’s Nemzeti Bajnokság I/A, the top tiered league in country.

Knowles spent much of the summer at home giving back to the local basketball community as an instructor at the 33rd annual Jeff Rodgers Summer Basketball Camp. He spent last season with Baikesir Buyuksehir Belediyespor of the Turkish Basketball League. In 31 games, he averaged 15.1 points and 8.4 rebounds per game.

Prior to Bulgaria, he began the season with PAOK Thessaloniki in the Greek Champions League where through 12 games he averaged 6.3 points and 6.3 rebounds per game.

In Greece, he also played 16 games in the Greek A1 League where he averaged 9.3 points and 7.8 rebounds per game.

In 2018-19 Knowles was in the French ProB League with Etoile CharlevilleMezieres. In 27 games with the club, he recorded 9.3 points and 6.7 rebounds per game. Knowles spent his first professional season with Siarka Tarnobrzeg and King Wilki Morskie Szczecin of the Polish Basketball League or Tauron Basket Liga, the highest level of pro basketball in the country. He has also played professionally in Japan (Tokyo Cinq Reves and Wakayama Trians) where he averaged 9.2 points, 8.3 rebounds, and 1.1 blocks in 24 total appearances before making the move to France.

WORLD Athletics Indoor Championship medallists Shaunae Miller-Uibo, (400m gold), and Devynne Charlton (60mH silver), were treated to a hero’s welcome in their return home following their historic achievements last week in Belgrade, Serbia. Miller-Uibo, the two-time Olympic champion, added a World Indoor title to her acclaimed 400m résumé in 50.31 seconds while Charlton won the 60m hurdles silver medal and set a new Bahamian national record in the event with her time of 7.81.

The duo arrived yesterday afternoon and after being greeted by dignitaries at Lynden Pindling International Airport, they paid courtesy calls on the Office of the Prime Minister and the House of Assembly. The evening concluded with a junkanoo rushout along Mychal Thompson Boulevard and a welcome reception at the Thomas A Robinson National Stadium.

Photos by Racardo Thomas/Tribune Staff

WELCOME RECEPTION FROM PAGE 14

different kind of tears,” he said. “She should have been on the Olympic team in Brazil, but what a lot of people did not know is that Devynne had a broken back. She had to wear a cast around her for almost a year and she fought her way back to the top of her game. Maybe I don’t say it enough, but we are so proud of you. A lot of our athletes, not just Devynne, have been through turmoil, but you cannot let those downs keep you down, you have to get up. The world has so much to offer but it is not going to give it to you, you have to go out there and take it.”

Charlton said younger athletes should look to the medal winners for inspiration based on their journey through the sport and their development.

“When they were younger they had times where they did not make the finals, they used to come up short, but look at them now, they are at the top of the world,” he said.

“That is a lesson to all of our young athletes, you do not have to be a winner at primary and junior high school levels, but if you continue to work hard it will all come together.”

The younger Charlton said her first individual success of this magnitude will set the tone moving forward to an eagerly anticipated outdoor season.

“I’m expecting to build on this experience. A lot of the improvements I made indoors can only help with my outdoor hurdles and so I think it will be that much better,” she said.

“One of the things my weight coach said when I started making my way back is that it could be a career-ending injury for some people so I wouldn’t say I had the best outlook but through the support of my family and coaches I was able to rehab and come back stronger. It was hard work coming back but they made it possible.”

With the pair of medals, the Bahamas finished in a six-way tie in the standings with Brazil, Spain, France, Portugal and Ukraine.

Ethiopia topped the list with four gold in their total

WORLD Athletics Indoor Championship 60 metre hurdles silver medallist Devynne Charlton is presented with her award by Deputy Prime Minister I Chester Cooper, Minister of Tourism, Investments & Aviation.

Photos by Racardo Thomas/Tribune Staff of nine medals. Grand 7.17 for 13th overall. Stra- five professional athletes,” Bahamian Donald Thomas chan, 28, advanced out of coach Charlton said. “We went into a straight final in the preliminaries with the went up against the world the men’s high jump on the 14th best time of 7.22 for and finished sixth against final day of competition on third in her heat. Collegian the world.

Sunday.

Megan Moss, making her “We beat countries that The 37-year-old 2007 initial appearance on the pump hundreds of millions World Outdoor champion global stage in an individ- of dollars into their athletic placed 11th out of a field of ual event, was 26th overall programme and we were 12 competitors with a leap in the preliminaries of the able to take those countries of (2.20m). women’s 400m in 54.03. on. Suffice to say, a little Anthonique Strachan, in The 19-year-old University more funding and we could her World Indoors debut, of Kentucky sophomore have come first, I’m just reached the semi-final of was fifth in her heat. putting it out there. I think the women’s 60m where “Being the head coach of some even bigger things she placed fourth in her this team was a very easy are going to happen in this heat in a personal best of task because I was given country.”

MLB

FROM PAGE 14

many teams have bet on in the last seven years.

Without a significant offensive adjustment, Fox, who was called up by the Royals briefly but was never given his official MLB debut, remains a bench piece at best, albeit one that is ready now.”

Pittsburgh Pirates pitcher, Tahnaj Thomas, fell from no.13 to no.29 in the organisation.

Thomas, a 22-year-old 6’4” right hander, spent last season at the High A level for the first time with the Greensboro Grasshoppers.

In 16 appearances, all starts, he finished with a 3-3 record in 60.2 innings, with 62 strikeouts, an ERA of 5.19 and a 1.58 WHIP. “He’ll easily sit in the mid-90s and regularly touch the upper-90s and has hit triple digits in the past, with his four-seamer showing very good life up in the zone. He has not made much progress with his secondary stuff. He does show a solid slider that can miss bats, but it can lose its shape, and while he has a changeup, it hasn’t developed much,” MLB Pipeline said, “His best track at this point is probably as a reliever, though the Pirates might let him keep going out as a starter so he can work on his complete repertoire.”

UEFA COULD THWART RUSSIA’S BID TO HOST SOCCER’S EUROS

By ROB HARRIS AP Global Soccer Writer

LONDON (AP) — UEFA is exploring fresh sanctions to thwart Russia’s attempt to host soccer’s European Championship after the country launched a surprising bid yesterday, one month after invading its neighbour and seeing its teams suspended from international competitions over the war in Ukraine.

A meeting of the Russian Football Union executive committee decided to submit an initial bid to UEFA for the 2028 and 2032 tournaments ahead of the deadline for

expressions of interest. The late declaration of interest by Russia is a challenge to the joint UK-Ireland entry, which expected to be unchallenged to host the UEFA showpiece in 2028 until Turkey also entered the contest yesterday. Italy also faces competition from Russia and Turkey as the expected favourite in bidding for Euro 2032.

Russia’s federation was not suspended by UEFA despite the ban on its teams from playing, although its bid for the Euros seemed doomed to fail.

UEFA said its executive committee can “reassess the legal and

factual situation as it evolves and adopt further decisions as necessary, including in light of the declaration of interest expressed by the Football Union of Russia for hosting the UEFA EURO.” The RFU president, Alexander Dyukov, also still sits on the UEFA executive committee and is CEO of an oil subsidiary of state-owned Gazprom, which was dropped as a Champions League and Euro 2024 sponsor over the war. “We must take the opportunity to host the Euro,” Dyukov told Russia’s Match TV. “It will be at the World Cup stadiums and we have developed infrastructure.”

Russia hosted the 2018 World Cup and the venue for the final — Luzhniki Stadium — was used last week for a rally supporting President Vladimir Putin.

“We are sending the declaration today,” Dyukov said. “We assume that Russia is already prepared to to host large-scale competitions.

We have the experience.”

Russia’s unlikely plan is sure to face fierce opposition. Poland, Sweden and the Czech Republic had independently announced they would refuse to play Russia in World Cup qualifying even on neutral territory — ahead of FIFA’s decision to suspend Russia.

UEFA will provide the tournament requirements to bidders next Wednesday and then confirm their candidacies on April 5.

The deadline to submit final bid dossiers is not until April 2023 with a decision by the UEFA executive committee in September 2023.

“We reserve the right to enter a bid,” Dyukov said. “This option doesn’t cost anything.

And you can’t refuse it, if it isn’t expensive.”

The British Isles bid is being led by England and also features Ireland, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.

THE TRIBUNE

Thursday, March 24, 2022, PAGE 19

Lawrie likes what he sees at nine-hole golf, driving range

By BRENT STUBBS Senior Sports Reporter bstubbs@tribunemedia.net AS he glanced over the nine-hole golf and driving range facilities at the Baillou Hills Sporting Complex, Mark Lawrie said the Bahamas Golf Federation has all of the ingredients to being one of the top destinations to visit in the region.

Lawrie, the president of the Latin American and Caribbean region of the Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St Andrews (R&A), was in town for a few days to meet with the BGF after visiting Exuma where he watched their youth development programme under the supervision of Nelson Ranger.

Lawrie, who first got started in golf in Argentina over 30 years ago, said after he was promoted to the Chief Executive of the Argentina Golf Association for 15 years, he was invited to become a member of R&A in 2001.

But in 2014, the Chief Executive of the R&A wanted to set up a branch in the region and Lawrie was given the task of becoming the first director of the R&A Latin American and the Caribbean with the task of growing the sport in all of its 35 affiliates in the region.

“Basically our idea is to help. How do we help?

We help through various mechanics like the Latin American Championships, the Women’s Latin American Championships, the Women’s Amateur, the Latin American Amateur and we help out with regional events,” Lawrie said.

“We try to create platforms and to work with the regional bodies to bring a better awareness of the sport to those in the region.

We know that golf is not a readily accessible sport, but we know with facilities like the Balliou Hills Driving Range, we can allow more people to play golf and so we will try to help in whatever we can to help governments in the countries to realise the need for them to assist.”

After watching the programme in Exuma and once he’s done consulting with the BGF, Lawrie said a decision will be made on how best R&A will be able to assist the Bahamas with its programmes moving forward.

Anthony Hinsey, the first vice president of the BGF, welcomed Lawrie back to the Bahamas.

“There’s like coming down and seeing for yourself what is going on,” Hinsey said. “So we’re glad that he can come here and get a first hand glimpse of what we are doing and how we can access the funding that is available to assist us in the development of our programmes.”

Over the past two years since the coronavirus pandemic broke, he was meeting via Zoom with the BGF, including its president Lynford Miller and Hinsey, but it’s good that with the protocol restrictions eased up a bit, he can finally come to the Bahamas and get a first hand view of what they discussed.

From what he’s seen so far, Lawrie said he’s been rather impressed. “I think you have a phenomenal opportunity with this facility here,” Lawrie pointed out.

MARK Lawrie “If the Bahamas Golf Federation can continue to develop this programme, looking 25-30 years ahead, there is a good chance for golf to continue to grow in the Bahamas.”

He commended former president and businessman Craig Flowers, who invested countless amounts of money into developing the property from scratch to where it is today.

“It’s good to see how this has evolved,” Lawrie said.

“Hopefully the federation can take it to greater heights, bring more people in, publicise this more and even create an academy where they can allow people from the islands to stay.

“We would certainly like to help in whatever capacity we can. You don’t have many places like this in the Caribbean where land is scarce, to be given a piece of land and to be able to create a golf facility. This epitomises what we are trying to tell all of the golf affiliates in the region.”

Like other islands around the rest of the region, Lawrie said golf associations are finding it more and more difficult to be able to utilise the private clubs or high end resorts to practice and stage their events.

So the Bahamas finds itself in an unique position in that they have a public nine-hole and driving range that the local players can take advantage of at a much cheaper rate than they would at the private clubs and resorts.

“If we can eventually get more kids to play, like they are doing now in the National High School Tournament, I think the Bahamas has a great opportunity to expand the game at this facility,” he pointed out.

“You have a great location for flights coming in and out of the USA and so this is a huge opportunity because the Bahamas also has a lot of talent. When you look at the success you have achieved in cricket, basketball, track and field, swimming and boxing, the same could be done in golf.”

With all these tools at their disposal, Lawrie said he doesn’t see why the BGF can’t be a role model in the region for golf.

“For a country to grow, you need to create depth and a wide base so you can select the cream of the crop,” he said. “But the beauty of this game is that you can play from the age of five and even if you have an impediment, you can still play.

“I think this is the only sport that is designed for more family intervention.

A father could go out and spend about five hours a day on the golf course with his kids. There’s not that many walks in life that can present that opportunity like golf does.”

Lawrie said it’s hoped that when they wrap up their decision with the BGF, they will devise more opportunities to get more families and more women involved in the sport as they make it user friendly and encourage more people to come out and participate.

Once he’s done in the Bahamas, Lawrie said he intends to visit some of the other associations in the region to see how best he can assist them in the development of the sport on their respective islands.

Lawrie is expected to be on hand to view some of the action in the BGF’s National High School Golf Championships that will continue today with the private high schools competition at the Balliou Hills Sports Complex.

Then the nine-hole golf club and driving range will come alive on Friday when both the finals of the primary and high school segments of the weeklong tournament will conclude.