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‘PLEASE BEHAVE’

Minnis pleads for public to follow rules at Easter and help avoid new clampdown

By RASHAD ROLLE Tribune Senior Reporter rrolle@tribunemedia.net PRIME Minister Dr Hubert Minnis urged people to avoid large gatherings this holiday weekend, saying not doing so could set the country back as health officials warn of a possible third wave of COVID-19.

Asked about a possible third wave on Grand Bahama, Dr Minnis said this could be averted if there is effective contact tracing, isolation exercises and accelerated vaccinations on that island.

He spoke on the matter after 33,600 doses

A 74-YEAR-OLD fisherman who complained of shortness of breath died in Bimini early Tuesday morning after he was not evacuated to New Providence because he reportedly weighed too much.

The family of Louis Edward Rolle, who said he was diagnosed with COVID-19, said officials believed they could not safely transport him in the special chamber used to move COVID-19 patients because he did not meet

SEE PAGE EIGHT

IT’S ARRIVED... AND THEY WANT IT

of the AstraZeneca vaccine arrived in the country yesterday and after Dr Nikkiah Forbes, a local infectious disease expert, said Grand Bahama appears to be in the early stages of a third wave of a COVID-19 outbreak.

Dr Minnis did not rule out introducing new restrictions for that island but said health officials will analyse data they collect and advise him on what to do.

“I think we have a very efficient and effective medical staff assisted by our PAHO representative and they have monitored the situation and both I and they SEE PAGE THREE

FISHERMAN DIED AFTER AIRLIFT WAS ‘REFUSED’

By RASHAD ROLLE Tribune Senior Reporter rrolle@tribunemedia.net

GENDER BIAS IS ALL AROUND US

weight specifications.

The episode could reignite questions about the country’s capacity to airlift Family Island residents who experience medical distress during the pandemic.

Rolle’s death came exactly one year after Kim Johnson-Rolle, the country’s first COVID-19 death, died after officials were also unable to evacuate her off of Bimini.

Health officials either did not respond to inquiries about the matter yesterday or they directed The Tribune to officials who were not available.

SEE PAGE FIVE

PRIME Minister Dr Hubert Minnis looking on during the arrival of the new vaccine shipment yesterday, left, as long lines of seniors wait to get their jabs, right.

Photos: Donovan McIntosh and Racardo Thomas

LORETTA - NATION NEEDS FAMILY’S DESPERATE HOPE WOMEN IN LEADERSHIP FOR PLANE STILL MISSING

By KHRISNA RUSSELL Tribune Chief Reporter krussell@tribunemedia.net FORMER parliamentarian Loretta Butler-Turner has made an appeal for greater gender balance in the political representation of Bahamians in the lead up to the next general election.

In an interview with The Tribune yesterday, the former official opposition leader contended the nation

“is weak” in this aspect, noting it has been more than 20 years since there was considerable female leadership in government.

Currently there is only one woman Cabinet minister.

Mrs Butler-Turner, who has stressed she is not reentering politics and wishes to shy away from criticising any political party, reemerged vocally in public SEE PAGE SEVEN

By KHRISNA RUSSELL Tribune Chief Reporter krussell@tribunemedia.net A RELATIVE of missing passenger Stephen Sawyer says the family will continue to search for him as they “believe wholly and solely” that he’s alive, more than three weeks after the plane he was on crashed in waters near Salina Point.

The family member spoke after a preliminary report

ROLLE ACTS OVER ‘SPURIOUS’ CLAIMS

By EARYEL BOWLEG Tribune Staff Reporter Ebowleg@tribunemedia.net

POLICE Commissioner Paul Rolle has reported a video circulating on social media that makes “spurious allegations” against him to the Criminal Investigation Department.

A statement released by the Royal Bahamas Police Force yesterday said the police chief “takes these attacks on his reputation

POLICE Commissioner Paul Rolle. seriously” and has reported the matter to the CID for an investigation.

“He stresses that although

persons have a right to free speech in this country, they do not have an exclusive right to make malicious and defamatory statements about anyone, so as to cause hurt or unnecessary pain,” the police statement said.

“The Commissioner is proud of his accomplishments and gives thanks to God as he celebrates his first year as Commissioner of Police today.

Nassau & Bahama Islands’ Leading Newspaper

SEE PAGE SEVEN

by the Air Accident Investigation Authority into the plane crash off Acklins earlier this month said there has been no recovery of the aircraft or its occupants.

The report released yesterday, noted that since March 5 when Sawyer and pilot Cliff Dean went missing, there has been no recovery of the aircraft or its occupants.

SEE PAGE FIVE

TECHNOLOGY

VIRGIN GALACTIC REVEALS NEW SPACESHIP

SEE PAGE NINE

PAGE 2, Wednesday, March 31, 2021

THE TRIBUNE

LONG lines of seniors waiting to get the vaccine yesterday.

Photo: Racardo Thomas

Seniors queue for vaccines

By EARYEL BOWLEG Tribune Staff Reporter ebowleg@tribunemedia.net SCORES of senior citizens queued yesterday to receive their COVID-19 vaccine at the Church of God of Prophecy on East Street.

While The Tribune visited the church, the parking lot had a line that was steadily moving allowing individuals to then sit under a tent while waiting to go in the building.

According to 78-year-old Lillian Smith, “From the beginning straight to the end, everybody was so nice and so pleasant.”

She said she heard about the vaccination centre on Monday and was told people could

walk in without making appointments. Mrs Smith came with her husband, who has Alzheimer’s, to the church.

The grandmother was hesitant at first about getting the vaccine.

“At first... I really wasn’t going to do it,” she said. “I say I need to know a little bit more about it or wait until (an) amount of people have gotten it and then but when I thought about it, I said, no, I think I should go ahead and just do it and let my husband do it.

“I really wanted to give it a little bit more time and after I hear all of my colleagues and some of my family in Freeport especially they told me that they went ahead and get it so I said well I will go, but

I really wasn’t going – I was scared.”

She added she is planning to travel soon, another reason why the vaccine was needed.

“I am supposed to be going to the Cayman Islands when they open – having a knee surgery.”

Randy Curtis, 73, is a funeral director. He said his establishment had a couple of a deceased clients who had died from the virus.

Mr Curtis admitted these deaths motivated him to get the vaccine.

“As a funeral director, I’m almost like a first responder and I would wish to see the country open back up and I believe that vaccination (is) the best way to beat COVID-19,” he said.

Still he said the vaccination process could use “some tweaking”.

“Well they try to help everybody. Persons with appointments don’t feel comfortable with nonappointees going in, but I guess they’re trying to help everybody.”

Meanwhile, Reverend Frederick Kelly, 75, said he tried to get an appointment online but was unable to do so. So he came to see if he could walk-up and register.

He explained: “Well the virus is still with us and it’s safe. You know I pastor a church and you know a lot of the people in my congregation are not yet vaccinated, so I thought it was safe at my age to come and be vaccinated.

“You know there’s so many rumours circulating on social media and often the rumours put people off, but I think it’s safe to be vaccinated. From what we have heard all around the world you know there’s no adverse affects from it.

So I think it would be sensible and wise to become vaccinated.”

When asked if she was shocked that there was a huge turnout of senior citizens at the site, Nurse Darrell Strachan admitted she was surprised because there was a lot of scepticism in relation to people taking the vaccine.

She noted the process was smooth, said the appointment system was down.

“That’s what really I think caused a little bit of a

back-up,” Nurse Strachan added.

But it was important for her to get vaccinated.

“I’m a nurse and I’m frequently exposed to COVID-19 patients, so wanna make sure that I’m protected.

“I’m just trying to make sure, follow all the necessary precautions, but, of course, we know of healthcare workers who followed those and you know still became sick with the COVID-19. So I just want to make sure whatever I could do to protect myself and family that I do.”

For persons who maybe on the fence or considering getting the vaccine, the nurse said they should make their decision based on facts.

NO TESTING CHANGE PLANNED TOTAL CASES TOTAL DEATHS

9,119 188

NEWLY CONFIRMED CASES MONDAY 28 CASES GRAND BAHAMA 17 NEW PROVIDENCE 5 ABACO 5 ELEUTHERA 1

TOTAL TESTS

75,729

HOSPITALISED

31

CASES IN ICU

2

RECOVERED

8,597

By LEANDRA ROLLE Tribune Staff Reporter lrolle@tribunemedia.net

TOURISM Minister Dionisio D’Aguilar suggested yesterday the government does not currently plan to move away from its RT-PCR testing requirement for domestic travel and utilise rapid antigen testing instead, despite increasing calls over the issue.

He spoke after nine people, including a 17-yearold girl, were charged on Monday with possessing and uttering forged documents after they attempted to travel domestically using falsified COVID-19 test results.

The incident has reignited debate over whether the government should revisit its current RT-PCR testing protocol for domestic trips and instead require rapid antigen test results, which are less costly and also said to be equally as effective.

Yesterday, Mr D’Aguilar said while he understands the frustrations of Bahamians concerning the high costs of the RT-PCR tests, locals must also understand the protocols in place are designed to protect and prevent further COVID spread – especially to the Family Islands.

“It’s very important and neither you nor I are in a position to know or to opine on what is the best test or not and the health professionals have decided that

if you travel to New Providence or Grand Bahama, you need a PCR test,” he told reporters before going into a Cabinet meeting.

“It is absolutely critical that we prevent as best as we can any growth in COVID cases in the Family Islands because the health facilities just do not exist to provide adequate care and so the government is taking the advice of their providers in order to prevent it. I know it’s costly. I know it’s annoying. I know everybody is fatigued but we just cannot allow for an uptick to happen.”

Former Health Minister Dr Duane Sands has previously expressed support for the use of rapid antigen test as a requirement for travelling locally, saying it makes no sense to still be requiring PCR tests for domestic trips.

He told The Tribune on Sunday: “The question is whether or not as a country we ought to be requiring RT-PCRs for people to travel back and forth within the country. I don’t think that that is necessary, but that’s my personal opinion and an antigen test done by a competent lab is an adequate tool for determining (infection) and contagion.

As a matter of fact, it’s probably a better tool for determining who’s contagious than the RT-PCR. So, definitely you need to have some tool. The antigen test appropriately done is probably as good if not a better

test than the RT-PCR…” Asked if the government is minded to revisit the travel protocol as more and more people become vaccinated, Mr D’Aguilar replied yesterday: “So, the studies are beginning to show although the science is not yet complete that when you get vaccinated it prevents you from getting sick and it significantly diminishes your ability to spread the virus if you’re infected. So, if you have been infected and you get vaccinated, A you won’t get sick and B you are less likely to spread the virus on to someone else.”

In the meantime, Mr D’Aguilar is urging Bahamians to follow all the health protocols, insisting that being fined or jailed for not adhering to COVID19 orders is “not worth the risk.”

“So, when you look at these tests every day we begin to know which are and which are not fakes and the penalties are so substantial. I think it’s three years in jail or two years in jail and a $4,000 fine. To me, it is not worth the risk and not only that, it’s irresponsible and I said before disappointing if you take those measures,” he said.

“They are in for a reason to prevent community spread.

Please, abide by the rules and not try to deviate from them and that is why we are probably to a certain degree having some uptick in our COVID numbers.”

THE TRIBUNE

Wednesday, March 31, 2021, PAGE 3

‘Get your jabs without delay’

By RASHAD ROLLE Tribune Senior Reporter rrolle@tribunemedia.net PRIME Minister Dr Hubert Minnis urged Bahamians to get the COVID-19 vaccine without delay after 33,600 doses of the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine arrived in the country yesterday.

The vaccines add to the 20,000 doses the Indian government donated earlier this month and are among the 100,800 doses pre-paid through the Pan-American Health Organization Revolving Fund.

“As more people become vaccinated, we will be able to relax restrictions and see more of our family and friends,” Dr Minnis said.

“We will be able to open up our economy and to get back to work. Health officials have informed me that they are pleased with the number of people who have taken a vaccine so far.”

This comes as vaccinations expanded to islands outside New Providence and Grand Bahama, with shots being administered on Eleuthera yesterday.

“Vaccinations start today (Tuesday) on Eleuthera and will continue through April 1, starting with healthcare workers, residents over 60 and staff of the uniformed branches,” he said. “Vaccinations on Abaco and

PRIME Minister Dr Hubert Minnis speaking yesterday and, right, the vaccine arriving. Photos: Donovan McIntosh/Tribune Staff Bimini are expected to start programme resumes.

Dr Minnis said additional after the Easter holidays.”

The vaccination vaccine centres will be programme in New Provi- opened on New Providence dence, Grand Bahama and and provisions will be made Eleuthera will pause during for students and athletes the Easter holiday period who require vaccinations to and restart next week travel abroad.

“This will include coaches Wednesday.

In New Providence and and other support staff,” he Grand Bahama, people said.

More than 7,000 vaccine with disabilities, teachers and hospitality workers doses have been adminiswill be eligible to receive tered since the programme the vaccine when the began on March 14. He

POLICE ON HIGH ALERT TO BREAK UP CROWDS

By LEANDRA ROLLE Tribune News Reporter lrolle@tribunemedia.net

OFFICIALS from the COVID-19 Enforcement Unit are urging Bahamians to avoid large gatherings at beaches and other public places over the Easter holiday, saying officers will be on high alert for those found in breach of emergency orders.

Yesterday, The Tribune published photographs showing scores of people packed at Cabbage Beach on Paradise Island on Sunday, with many beachgoers not wearing a mask or following social distancing rules.

This comes as the country is seeing a sustained uptick of positive COVID cases on several islands, including New Providence and Grand Bahama.

Director of the National HIV/AIDS and Infectious Disease Programme at the Ministry of Health, Dr Nikkiah Forbes recently told The Tribune it was “fully possible” cases could skyrocket following the Easter holiday weekend with increased social interaction.

When contacted by The Tribune yesterday to see if officials will be beefing up security for the holiday period, officer-in-charge of the COVID Enforcement Unit, Chief Superintendent Zhivago Dames said police and COVID ambassadors will be on high alert for any large social gatherings.

He said: “We will be doing what we have done over the past weeks and months and that’s patrolling the beach

and of course the public places and cultural places to ensure that persons are adhering to the emergency protocols and so yes, definitely we will have persons patrolling our beaches.

“You can expect the COVID ambassadors along with our officers from the Cable Beach Division especially in the Goodman’s Bay and Saunders Beach and those doing their duties out there to ensure that persons are following all of the health protocols.”

According to the COVID-19 Emergency Powers Orders, large social gatherings are not permitted in New Providence.

Yesterday, CSP Dames said current COVID19 rules do not permit more than five people in a group at a beach and added officers will not hesitate to enforce the law for those found in contravention of protocols.

“The emergency order is quite clear on persons who go to the beaches,” he added. “They should be in groups of five and not over that. If you are to be in groups more than five, you would definitely be in breach of the orders and we will have our officers and as I’ve said already, our COVID ambassadors, patrolling the beaches to ensure that persons are adhering to the Emergency Powers Orders.”

Tourism Minister Minister Dionisio D’Aguilar also made reference to the beach gathering yesterday, noting there will always be one or two people “who congregate

and create possibilities for community spread.”

He said it’s critical for Bahamians to not let their guards down in order to prevent a third COVID wave and to avoid further economic downfall in the country.

He told reporters outside Cabinet: “It’s absolutely vitally critical that we all take whatever measures are necessary to ensure that we don’t have this third wave and while I understand to a certain degree that a number of Bahamians are clamouring for enforcement, but we also need to as a people ensure that we abide by the rules.

“There’s always going to be one or two people, as was shown in this morning’s paper, one or two people who congregate and create possibilities for community spread.

We’re going to double down and make sure that we don’t bring about a third wave.”

Mr D’Aguilar added: “It would be extremely troubling to the rebounding and restarting of our tourism economy if that were to happen so all I can do is appeal to Bahamians to abide by the health protocols and obviously, the enforcers of the health protocols are doing the best they can but if there’s widespread disregard for the protocols no matter how many police you put on the ground it’s going to be too difficult to keep it under control so, there has to be a will and a want and some enforcement, but the will and the want is what we have to do to ensure that we don’t bring about this third wave.”

THE Canadian government has announced it will contribute nearly a million dollars to support the efforts of the Pan American Health Organisation against COVID-19 in six Caribbean countries, including The Bahamas.

Several countries in the Caribbean are reporting a rise in COVID-related deaths – including a doubling of COVID-19 deaths in some islands, PAHO said. Many countries have begun or will soon begin, rolling out vaccines to protect their populations.

According to a statement from PAHO, the donation by the Canadian government will be used to acquire essential personal protection equipment, laboratory and medical equipment, as well as supplies to be used by health care workers and hospitals in The Bahamas, Belize, Guyana, Jamaica, Suriname and Trinidad and Tobago, as part of PAHO’s technical cooperation in the fight against the pandemic.

It will also help strengthen communication efforts around public health risks, continued promotion of

protective measures and community engagement.

“The pandemic is putting health care workers and systems of the countries in the Caribbean under great strain, which is why we are grateful to the government of Canada for supporting COVID-19 treatment for countries in the Caribbean that are struggling due to the pandemic. Their contribution will help save lives and shows how we can all join forces in solidarity to defeat this virus,” said PAHO director Carissa Etienne.

This contribution is part

“The only way out of this pandemic is through vaccinations,” he said. “Anyone who tells you otherwise is providing you with false information.

“Here at home we are in a race. We must get as many people vaccinated as soon

as possible before there is spread of one of these problematic variants to our country.

“Thousands of Bahamians have taken this vaccine, along with approximately 400 million people around the world. I have taken the vaccine. My wife Patricia has taken the vaccine. We are fine.

“In order for us to prevent additional bad waves of this virus, we need Bahamians to quickly come forward to get vaccinated when eligible. It is dangerous to delay taking a safe and effective vaccine during a global public health crisis.”

Sixty-seven thousand vaccines are expected to reach the country by the end of May through the COVAX facility, according to PAHO country rep for the Bahamas, Dr Eldonna Boisson.

Asked if the government has a contingency plan in place if that batch is delayed, Dr Minnis said: “Before the vaccines came in, we were able to conquer the COVID disease by just following the mitigation protocols and just following the laws and enforcing the laws. The vaccines are to rescue us but we still have to follow the protocols and we would still pursue obtaining more vaccines and, yes, there may be a delay...”

that I’ve seen just recently and I’ve seen in the press, as that simple gathering can are convinced that once we cause our entire country and aggressively continue our economy to go into a tailspin contract tracing, aggres- and backward from whence sively isolate those who are we came, especially at a time infected and aggressively that we’re now growing, and vaccinate the population as I would advise that for those much as possible, I think we that are in groupings, allow can avert that,” he said. that group to be only houseSome hold members, observers have ‘Large gatherings family memquestioned over this weekend bers, do not if the govallow strangers ernment will could set the or those who enforce stricter country back. If you don’t know measures within that we continue to on Grand grouping.”

Bahama, New exercise discipline During his Providence and for a little longer address, Dr other islands we will reap Minnis noted in view of the that Grand spike in cases. the benefits.’

Bahama and Asked about Eleuthera have this in relation to Grand seen an increase in cases.

Bahama, Dr Minnis said: “At this time, health offi“Your other question was cials are managing outbreaks whether I would introduce in Eleuthera and Grand any curfews, any stringent Bahama,” he said. “The vacmeasures, I am advised by cination programme will be the health professionals accelerated to address the and they would do their increase in cases.” data collection, they will do Dr Minnis urged Bahatheir analysis and they are mians to follow social guided by the science and distancing protocols, espethey would advise me as cially during the upcoming to the way forward. What Easter holiday period.

I can tell you at this point “Easter weekend is train time, this is Easter and ditionally a time of family Bahamians love beaches. gatherings and fellowship, “We do not want to dis- including beach picnics. courage (people) from going But we are still in the midst on the beach but I would of the pandemic. These encourage them to avoid are not normal times. The the large mass gatherings COVID-19 case numbers

in the Bahamas and around the world make it clear that the pandemic is not over,” he said.

He noted that groups at beaches and parks are, by law, still limited to five on New Providence and Grand Bahama.

“Large gatherings over this weekend could set the country back,” he said. “If we continue to exercise discipline for a little longer we will reap the benefits.”

Dr Minnis was asked to respond to critics who note that his call for small gatherings and groupings come as political groups continue to congregate and campaign.

He said: “You would’ve seen them still spacing out somewhat and each and everyone, regardless of the political organisation, each and everyone was wearing a mask.”

Despite his comments, people campaigning with political parties have not always strictly adhered to COVID-19 protocols.

Some people at both Free National Movement and Progressive Liberal Party events have clearly congregated less than six feet apart.

During a PLP ratification event this month, hundreds assembled and were at times tightly bunched together with many not wearing masks.

said the highest number of COVID-19 vaccinations administered in one day was more than 1,000.

Dr Minnis said 63 percent of vaccine recipients have been over 60 and 58 percent of recipients have been women.

MINNIS PLEADS FOR PUBLIC TO FOLLOW RULES AT EASTER from page one

CANADA TO GIVE AN EXTRA $1M TO HELP COUNTRIES IN REGION of a five-year subregional programme between PAHO and Canada, which aims to reduce the heath consequence of emergencies and disasters in the Caribbean, through better preparedness and a more resilient health sector. It builds on the longstanding relationship between the organisation and the Canadian government to strengthen health emergency risk management in the region of the Americas.

For over 30 years, Canada has supported PAHO’s efforts to improve emergency preparedness,

mitigation and response across Latin America and the Caribbean region. It also played a key role in the establishment of the comprehensive disaster management (CDM) framework adopted by CARICOM member states, together with PAHO. Since the beginning of the pandemic, Canada has donated over $8m to support PAHO’s technical cooperation to tackle the COVID-19 pandemic in the Americas.

Canada’s acting senior director for the Caribbean

Regional Development Programme, Jennifer Heys, said: “Even one year later, COVID-19 continues to challenge health systems across the Caribbean, and we continue to see the stark health and socio-economic impacts this crisis is having on the Caribbean people.

Canada is proud to partner with PAHO once again to provide additional muchneeded medical equipment, supplies, and training to support the Caribbean countries that are facing the greatest health sector crisis from COVID-19.”

PAGE 4, Wednesday, March 31, 2021

THE TRIBUNE

15 months of helping after Hurricane Dorian IT has been 18 months since the passage of Hurricane Dorian and 15 months since the Restoring Industries, Sustaining Employment (RISE) initiative journey began.

While evidence of the catastrophic Category Five storm is still apparent, so too is the reemergence of more resilient pockets of economic activity throughout Grand Bahama – a re-emergence hundreds of business owners believe would have been considerably more challenging without the RISE programme’s support.

According to a press release from the Grand Bahama Port Authority, the RISE initiative is a collaboration with implementing partners Mercy Corps, a global humanitarian organisation, the GBPA, with the generous financial support of the American Red Cross and Bacardi Limited. As the initiative officially comes to a close, its impact can be seen and felt in the day-to-day operations of the businesses it has empowered and helped, GBPA said.

Mercy Corps Bahamas’ country director, Paula Miller, attributes the accomplishments of RISE to the generous financial support of its donors, GBPA as the implementing partner, and the adaptability and incredible resourcefulness of business owners.

“This initiative would not have been possible for any single agency to do alone,” said Ms Miller. “We have really enjoyed working together with GBPA, and it is inspiring to see Grand Bahama businesses reopening despite a pandemic on top of a natural disaster.

While this particular initiative is closing, we stand ready to support Grand Bahama in future initiatives if needed.”

The RISE pilot launched in December 2019, supporting local merchants in the run up to the business year’s most profitable shopping season. The programme’s initial goal was to assist 100 local businesses that were impacted

by Dorian with grants of up to $10,000 to support their recovery efforts. As the pilot programme was monitored and its impact and success measured, the RISE team re-evaluated its goals and revised its targets upward, aiming to provide $2.5 million in funding to nearly 300 micro and small businesses across Grand Bahama.

Derek Newbold, senior manager of business development for GBPA and Invest Grand Bahama, said, “GBPA is profoundly appreciative of the partnership created through the RISE initiative, and its

MEMBERS of the RISE team Kerline McPhee, GBPA customer relations officer (top left), with Ashleigh Lockhart, Mercy Corps programme manager (top right), providing one-on-one support to East Grand Bahama residents during a site information session for the RISE Initiative in early 2020, before the onset of COVID-19. accomplishments on Grand Bahama. We are extremely proud of each participant’s progress within their respective businesses and what that means for the business community as a whole moving forward.

“Business owners across the island continue to manifest the tangible and meaningful impact of the RISE initiative,” Mr Newbold continued. “For many, it helped them defy the odds of a postDorian recovery, while creating a bolstering effect to help soften the impact of the COVID-19 global pandemic. Equally important, we are impressed to hear participants speak of the value of the business resiliency training and mentorship aspects of the programme, which many assert have helped them emerge stronger and much more prepared to face similar challenges moving forward.”

Allison Dworschak, programme quality and partnerships lead for Mercy Corps, said a lot of work went into measuring the impact of the programme.

“The data we gathered

during the programme tells us a lot about the strength and resilience of the small business community in Grand Bahama,” she said.

“For example, 87 percent of participants reopened and were regularly transacting after they received the funding and training.

More than a quarter said that, without RISE, they wouldn’t have reopened at all. Another 12 percent said they likely would have reopened eventually, but wouldn’t have retained staff.”

Others leveraged the programme to expand and grow.

“The RISE programme did a lot of good, but we are especially excited to have saved at least 300 local jobs,” continued Ms Dworschak. “And looking at how the $2.5 million in grant funds were spent, we know the majority – 75 percent – was reinvested locally into reconstruction, large equipment repairs and other local purchases.

These numbers would be good in any small business disaster recovery programme, but I think the RISE team and the community should be extremely

proud of what these business owners have achieved, especially considering everything they’ve been up against since September 2019.”

GBPA and Mercy Corps are considering future ways to collaborate in the event of a new crisis.

GBPA Executive Director Henry St George said, “When a restaurant that had been damaged by Hurricane Dorian was able to

reopen having received a RISE grant, and then partnered with another recipient who was able to provide delivery services, and together they collaborated to distribute meals to the aged and vulnerable during the summer lockdown last year, then the impact of the programme and the significance of the small business community was really visible.

“We are highly aware of

the work still to be done in rebuilding our small business economy, but we are extremely proud of the RISE programme and even more so of the men and women who participated in it,” he added. “Our partnership with NGO Mercy Corps has been a crucial pillar of our response to Dorian, and we are grateful to them and to both the American Red Cross and Bacardi.”

‘IS THAT A GUN IN YOUR UNDERWEAR?’

By FARRAH JOHNSON Tribune Staff Reporter fjohnson@tribunemedia.net

A POLICE officer yesterday testified that he recovered a loaded gun from the underwear of a man who denied being in possession of an unlicensed firearm during his first court appearance.

In January, Damil Campbell appeared before Magistrate Samuel McKinney after he was accused of being in possession of a .40 pistol and a silver magazine containing eight rounds of ammunition. When he was initially arraigned on the charges, he denied the allegations and the matter was adjourned for trial.

Yesterday, Police Corporal Marcian Frazier, one of the arresting officers, recounted the events that led to the weapon’s discovery on January 18.

Under oath, he told the court he and another officer were on mobile patrol in the Kemp Road area when they observed a blue Chevy vehicle emerge from a vacant lot. Cpl Frazier said

the car aroused his suspicion because it was on the road after curfew hours. He said when he turned on the police lights and fog horns to beckon for the vehicle to stop, the car, which was occupied by three men, began to reverse into the vacant lot.

Cpl Frazier said that he and his partner then got out of their patrol car and shouted verbal commands for the car to stop. He said when the vehicle eventually came to a halt, he ordered the occupants to get out of the vehicle and lie on the ground.

“I then informed them of a search in reference to dangerous drugs and firearms,” he said.

“During a search of Damil Campbell, I discovered inside of his boxer briefs a black Smith & Wesson .40 pistol with eight live rounds of ammunition…I tilted him on the side and patted him down.

When I got to his groin area, I felt a hard object. I asked him what it was, but he did not respond. When I made a search, I discovered

the firearm.”

Officer Frazier said after his discovery, he “immediately cautioned and arrested” Campbell and the other males. He said Campbell was then taken to the Wulff Road Police Station while the firearm was taken to the Criminal Investigation Department (CID).

The weapon in question was exhibited in court. Cpl Frazier said upon examination, it was discovered that two of the eight bullets had already been fired.

Yesterday, the interviewing officer, Constable Kyle Ernest, also gave evidence.

He said on January 19, when he reported to work at CID, he received certain information and was given the firearm and ammunition. He also said when he put a series of questions to the accused during his interview, he declined to comment.

After Constable Ernest’s testimony, the prosecution requested an adjournment to get the firearm’s laboratory report.

The case continues on April 26.

MARINE FACES FIREARM CHARGE

By DENISE MAYCOCK Tribune Freeport Reporter dmaycock@tribunemedia.net A 30-YEAR-OLD Royal Bahamas Defence Force officer from New Providence was arraigned in Grand Bahama on a firearm and ammunition possession charges yesterday.

Letario Gardiner, of Sealink Drive, South Beach, appeared before Deputy Chief Magistrate Debbye Ferguson where he was charged with possession of an unlicensed

firearm.

Police say the accused was found with a silver and black Springfield pistol on Saturday, March 27, in Freeport.

On the ammunition possession charge, it is said that on the same date and place, he was also found with 10 .9mm bullets without being the holder of a firearm certificate.

Gardiner pleaded not guilty to the charges and elected a summary trial.

RBDF Senior Commander Freddie Brown

was also present in court for the arraignment. He will accompany and escort Gardiner to New Providence, where he will be interdicted from the RBDF pending the outcome of the trial.

The RBDF officer was granted a signed bail of $5,000 with two suretors.

He is required to sign in at a police station in Nassau on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays between 6am and 6pm.

His case was adjourned to July 21.

THE TRIBUNE

Wednesday, March 31, 2021, PAGE 5

Fisherman died after airlift was ‘refused’ from page one Rolle’s niece, Meredith Henfield, said the government “dropped the ball” in the matter.

“He was not able to fit in the chamber and they just leave him there until he died (sic),” she said.

Rolle has two children, both of whom live in the United States.

His sister, Ms Henfield’s mother, lives in Grand

Bahama.

“He died around 2.30am (Tuesday) morning,” Ms Henfield said. “He was complaining about shortness of breath. He was plagued with heart issues, high blood pressure and all of that. My only thing is I think the government should’ve tried their best to get him out even if they had to send the defence force’s cargo plane for him.

If you know a person can’t fit into a chamber, you

should assist whatever way you can.”

Ms Henfield said Bimini residents looking after her uncle contacted her for help but she was unable to get him off the island.

“You know people are obese so you should make provisions for them,” she said, describing the ordeal as an “eye-opener”.

“You try to not react negatively and just hope and pray that something would’ve happened but

nothing did. Everybody is okay right now but just disappointed that he didn’t get the help that he needed. We just hope it doesn’t happen to somebody else. And the fact that it’s exactly one year after Kim’s death, boy it’s hard.”

Ms Henfield said her uncle was “jolly like a big bear,” adding that he was a “happy go lucky” person who just enjoyed life and never allowed himself to

get stressed out.

Denver Stuart, Rolle’s nephew, said he offered to transport his uncle by boat to Grand Bahama or New Providence but was turned down, according to Eyewitness News.

He said: “I said I’m willing to rent a boat, to fuel up a boat, I’m a captain, I can have him in Grand Bahama, Freeport within two hours on a speed boat. I said I could have him then into Nassau

within three hours, give me permission. They said we would be breaking protocol.”

According to data from the Ministry of Health released earlier yesterday, 188 people have died from the disease. Rolle’s death has not officially been added to that count.

Twenty-eight new cases of COVID-19 were recorded on Monday, pushing the nation’s overall toll to 9,119.

LEARNING HOW TO SAVE LIVES AT NEMA WORKSHOP THE National Emergency Management Agency conducted a community emergency response team training workshop recently, teaching lifesaving skills to a group of individuals on New Providence.

The workshop was held March 22-27, ending with a simulated exercise on the grounds of NEMA and the nearby area. Scenarios called for participants to transfer what they learned in the event real-life disasters were to occur.

During the week-long workshop, the participants engaged in putting out small fires, learned how to conduct light search and rescue operations, CPR techniques, understanding incident command systems

and other life-saving skills.

Instructors were members of the Royal Bahamas Defence Force, Cabinet Office and Emergency Medical Technicians (EMTs).

NEMA has conducted CERT training throughout the Family Islands over the years with its partners—the US Northern Command (USNORTHCOM) and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).

The CERT programme seeks to train individuals to be better prepared to respond to local events in their communities. Such skills would enable them to give immediate assistance to victims, organise volunteers at a disaster site and assist with community safety awareness initiatives.

SOME of the participants in the workshop learning how to move an injured person.

FAMILY’S DESPERATE HOPE FOR PLANE STILL MISSING from page one

Speaking to The Tribune, Sawyer’s brother Charles Sawyer, said the family has not given up hope despite what the report says.

On the morning of March 5, the men were headed to the Dominican Republic where Sawyer owns a business, when the plane went down in the ocean.

According to the report by Chief Investigator Captain Delvin Major, at 5.17pm the AAIA was notified that a Piper PA-28161 aircraft headed to the Mathew Town Airport in Inagua was overdue.

The plane left Nassau at 7am and information contained in the flight plan estimated the trip would have a duration of three

hours and 20 minutes.

However, there was no cancellation of the flight and checks by Nassau Air Traffic Control revealed that the aircraft did not reach its intended destination.

Mr Sawyer said: “We can’t afford to give up. We have searched Great Inagua, Little Inagua, Mayaguana, Acklins and we have one cay left. Somebody down there, as soon as the weather eases up, will do the last one.

“If nothing pops up then we are in contact with Cuban authorities and are trying to get whether two Bahamians entered there or were in their space. If they were in Cuban waters they will keep them there until it can be determined that there was no nefarious reasoning for being there.

“We are still actively searching.”

They have not been discouraged by the report, Mr Sawyer telling this newspaper that at times dead ends are “good signs”.

“Sometimes you come up with dead ends but sometimes that’s a good sign because that means they aren’t dead. That keeps you going because if you don’t find a body, there is still a possibility they are still alive, which I believe wholly and solely.

“We are still grateful to aviation and the Defence Force, the US and BASRA because they helped us.

Even though the effort has been downgraded to search and recovery but we are in contact with them constantly.

“We just decided to band together and a couple people down south have been able to search and

WARNING OVER MARLIN FISHING AFTER a video circulated on social media showing the capture and landing of a blue marlin fish, the Ministry of Agriculture and Marine Resources advised that any billfish caught in Bahamian waters should be returned to the sea unharmed.

“The only exception to this policy include billfish caught under the terms

of an approved sports fishing tournament,” a statement from the ministry noted. “Examples of billfish include sailfish, swordfish and blue marlin.

The Department of Marine Resources wishes to thank the public for their continued support as we work together to manage these important marine species in a sustainable manner.

This effort includes the blue marlin, a billfish that is a source of tremendous pride and joy in the Bahamas due to its status as the National Fish and its appearance on our Coat of Arms.”

For further information on the capture of billfish, the public may contact the Department of Marine Resources at (242) 3931777 or (242) 393-1014/5.

MAN DIES AFTER VEHICLE FLIPS OVER A MAN died in hospital after he lost control of his vehicle and was ejected on to the street.

Police were called to the scene of the traffic accident at Sir Milo Butler Highway shortly before 2pm on Monday.

Officers found a male who had been ejected from his vehicle being attended to by an emergency medical technician.

The man was conscious and was able to identify himself as the driver of a green Chevy S-10, which received roll over damage, police said.

The victim was taken to the hospital and later died as a result of the injuries he sustained.

“Initial investigations revealed that the victim was travelling north along Sir Milo Butler Highway in the western lane when he lost control of his vehicle and flipped over,” police said. “He was ejected from the vehicle as a result and received serious injuries.”

This is the fourth traffic death since Friday.

On Sunday, a man in Abaco was killed and another was left with minor

injuries following an accident on that island.

A day earlier, on Saturday, a man in New Providence died after his Nissan Cube hit a Jeep Grand Cherokee. He then lost control of his car and hit a utility pole. A man in Andros died on Friday after his Honda Accord hit a utility pole.

Police have sent out a “stern warning to the motoring public” to adhere to the speed limit, to be attentive and be reminded that driving with an electronic device is prohibited.

they know the area better than us so (we) have to rely on them.”

He said loved ones were aware of the report before it was released and view it as a formality in instances like this one.

The AAIA report further noted that the last radio communication with Air Traffic Control via Exuma Flight Information Services was at 8.06am.

“At this point in flight, Miami ARTCC (Air Route Traffic Control Centre) provided radar coverage.

At approximately 80 miles northwest of MYIG, the aircraft target dropped from Miami Centre Radar. The last known position of the aircraft was 22° 05.352N 074° 26.136W,” the report said.

Not long after, the Royal Bahamas Defence Force (RBDF) Operations

Command Centre received reports of the overdue aircraft and initiated their emergency protocols.

“Bahamas Air Navigation Services and RBDF made contact with airports in Mayaguana, Exuma, Crooked Island, Long Island, San Salvador and Ragged Island, with all reporting negative aircraft sighting.

“The United States Coast Guard assisted the RBDF in search and rescue efforts, through the provision of aerial and maritime assets (C130 fixed wing, halo and coast guard cutter). RBDF vessels HMBS Kamalame and HMBS Lignum Vitae conducted searches to canvas the surrounding area.

“Search and rescue efforts continued into Wednesday March 10, 2021.

After which, it transitioned into search and recovery mode. Up to the production of this report, there has been no recovery of the aircraft nor its occupants.

“A review of the maintenance records provided by the aircraft owner revealed that the aircraft was maintained in accordance with regulatory requirements.

Evidence of an annual inspection, as required, was provided.”

The report said documentation was provided showing the most recent maintenance activity prior to the crash was conducted on February 6, 2021, which was a 50 hour inspection.

The report notes it was not known if there were passenger and crew injuries or whether there had been aircraft damage, a fire or explosion.

PAGE 6, Wednesday, March 31, 2021

THE TRIBUNE

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How do we give women a fair chance in politics?

IN two separate articles in today’s Tribune, the question of gender in politics is raised.

First, former Leader of the Opposition Loretta Butler-Turner says that our nation “is weak” when it comes to gender balance in politics. She points out the absence of female leadership in government in the past 20 years.

In her column this week, Alicia Wallace takes the issue further – to the very biases we are raised with, and how we raise our children with different expectations.

The simple truth is that our Parliament at present does not represent our nation when it comes to demographics. There is only one woman serving in Cabinet, for example. Things do not look like they’re going to get much better after the next election – with less than 30 percent of candidates so far being women.

Missing are strong candidates such as Mrs Butler-Turner, for example. She has stressed she is not re-entering politics, but her presence was notable as she supported DNA leader Arinthia Komolafe after her arrest and release last week.

She may not be in politics at present, but people still take notice and listen to what Mrs Butler-Turner has to say.

We should note, then, what she says when she tells us that politics is not easy on women. What to do about that? She suggests “promoting women within the political parties and secondly in terms of being able to have greater support networks for women so that they can be freer to devote a lot of time to representation”.

That may be so – but do we need to start even earlier than that? As Alicia Wallace points out in her column, she notes how children are taught to behave in different ways depending on whether they are boys or girls. As she says, “Boys’ leadership is nurtured and girls’ leadership is discouraged”.

In the end, of course, what we want is for our representatives to be the best. But in discouraging women, we are limiting the number of people we can choose from.

Our current leaders have made noises about more equality – but failing to back it up with more candidates suggests that is little more than lip service.

Mrs Butler-Turner goes on: “I think it was back in 1997 when we would have had the highest amount of women representing in Parliament. At that time, I think there was a 25 percent make up of women in Parliament.”

That’s it? That’s our best? Almost a quarter of a century ago and only a quarter of Parliament?

Whatever we’re doing now doesn’t seem to be changing things – so isn’t it about time for a proper discussion of that? Next time a political candidate knocks on your door or seeks out your vote, ask them what they personally are doing to increase the number of women in Parliament. See then if they deserve your vote.

Change doesn’t come unless we demand it.

Police the beaches Our front-page headline yesterday caused a bit of a stir, it seems. Covidiots, it declared – but the point was not to just have a snappy headline, but to stir people out of the complacency many have fallen into.

In this column yesterday, we called not for a closing of the beaches, which would have been the obvious knee-jerk response to people congregating en masse in crowds without masks, but to police them.

It might be overdue – where were the police on Sunday on Cabbage Beach – but credit where it is due with the COVID-19 Enforcement Unit saying they will be on high alert over the Easter holiday. As they should be already, and as they should be after the holiday.

Chief Superintendent Zhivago Dames said: “You can expect the COVID ambassadors along with our officers from the Cable Beach Division especially in the Goodman’s Bay and Saunders Beach and those doing their duties out there to ensure that persons are following all of the health protocols.”

Good to hear. Our photographers will be ready too. We’ll be watching.

Not mark of beast EDITOR, The Tribune.

PRIME Minister Dr Hubert Minnis’ announcement to the nation on February 21 that over 100,000 doses of the OxfordAstraZeneca is enroute to The Bahamas was undoubtedly met with cynicism by a cross section of the Bahamian population that engages in newspaper exegesis.

Appointing Bahamas Christian Council (BCC) President Bishop Delton Fernander to the National COVID-19 Consultative Committee has done little in allaying the fears of these Bahamians regarding AstraZeneca. While Minnis was addressing the country via a Facebook streaming video, one commenter suggested that the AstraZeneca vaccine is the mark of the beast of Revelation 13. About a week prior to Minnis’ address, former BCC President Bishop Simeon Hall told The Tribune that a preacher had also warned that the vaccine is the mark of the beast. Poor biblical exegesis could very well serve as an impediment to the Minnis administration’s stated aim at getting a large segment of the population vaccinated, thus preventing The Bahamas from positioning itself to take full advantage of an anticipated economic recovery, especially since Revelation 14:11 threatens eternal condemnation to those who receive the mark

of the beast.

Those who argue that the COVID-19 vaccine is the mark of the beast are way off course, from a hermeneutical, exegetical and historical standpoint. While John’s message was predictive from his vantage point, I believe Revelation (at least the overwhelming majority of it) is historical from our 21st century vantage point. To tens of thousands of Bahamians raised on the Scofieldian prophetic scheme taught on TBN by Hal Lindsey, John Hagee and David Jeremiah, what I am writing would obviously come off as heretical.

The only eschatology these Bahamians know is what is presented in Tim Lahaye’s Left Behind series. This is the same eschatology that helped to fuel violent tensions in the Middle East between Israel and the Palestinians (Stephen Sizer, Christian Zionism; Timothy P. Weber, On the Road to Armageddon), while Bible prophecy teachers in the United States pocketed millions from the sales of their paperback books. For example, Hal Lindsey’s The Late Great Planet Earth has sold over 25 million copies worldwide since its initial release in 1970.

Faulty eschatology has the potential of hurting the Minnis administration’s COVID-19 vaccination agenda, and by extension the entire country, as tens

of thousands of Bahamians love sensational theories. Left unchecked, these prophecy experts will soon argue that the Minnis administration is colluding with the Antichrist. Unfortunately for the National COVID-19 Consultative Committee, Bahamians who swallow hook, line and sinker the notes in the Scofield Reference Bible will believe these prophecy experts, especially since the World Health Organization and the Pan American Health Organisation are intimately involved in this entire process. For an interesting expose on C.I. Scofield and his Bible, the readership would do well to consult Joseph M. Canfield’s The Incredible Scofield and His Book and David Lutweiler’s The Praise of Folly. Due to space limitations, I will have to continue this subject in another letter to the editor.

Suffice to say, I believe that the BCC was being too mild when it stated that there is insufficient evidence to support the theory that the AstraZeneca vaccine is a fulfilment of Bible prophecy relative to the mark of the beast in Revelation 13. To put it bluntly, there isn’t one shred of evidence that it is even remotely related to the mark, as I will seek to show in a follow-up opinion piece.

KEVIN EVANS Freeport, Grand Bahama, March 29, 2021.

BCC report on vaccine EDITOR, The Tribune.

THE Bahamas Christian Council’s COVID-19 Vaccine Report was recently released. It is evident that many hours went into producing such a concise document dealing with this complex issue, and Pastor Mario Moxey and his Committee are to be commended for their efforts.

My sole, but important, criticism of the Report is that while the most important issue to the Christian Community (the use of fetal cell lines in COVID19 vaccines) was noted on page nine, the real ethical concern surrounding it was not addressed.

While the Report correctly points out that historical fetal cell lines derived from two babies who were aborted decades ago have been used to create vaccines for diseases, and that those cell lines are used in various stages of the development and testing stages of vaccines, the Report is silent on whether the OxfordAstraZeneca, Pfizer, Moderna, and Johnson & Johnson vaccines use any of these cell lines in any aspect of their creation.

LETTERS letters@tribunemedia.net The sad reality is that, according to the Charlotte Lozier Institute, both Oxford-AstraZeneca and Johnson & Johnson used abortion derived cell lines in their Development and Design, Production, and Confirmatory Lab Tests.

I think it would have been helpful to have had included this information in the Report, especially as it relates to the OxfordAstraZeneca, which is currently being offered in The Bahamas.

Thus, with respect, I think the Report misses the real issue and addresses a non-issue in its conclusion on page 12 (by noting that since COVID-19 vaccines do not contain components of aborted fetus or cell lines those who received COVID-19 vaccines should not be deemed an accessory to an abortion).

The truth is that even if a person knowingly or unknowingly takes a COVID-19 vaccine containing components of an aborted fetus or developed using abortion derived

cell lines (from an abortion they had nothing to do with), it would NOT make him or her an accessory to abortion. However, doing so would raise ethical issues. And it is those ethical issues that Christians need to seek to apply biblically grounded ethics to.

Therefore, the critical issue this still needs to be answered in the Christian community locally is this: Is it ethical to develop medicines, directly or indirectly, from any part of aborted babies, and is it ethical to knowingly take such medicines?

May the Lord give his people wisdom to think biblically through these important issues.

Here’s the link to the Charlotte Lozier Institute which I refer to in my letter and from which I obtained the information about the Oxford-AstraZenecaandPfizer COVID-19 vaccines:https:// lozierinstitute.org/whatyou-need-to-know-aboutthe-covid-19-vaccine/. The information is on the full chart.

PASTOR CEDRIC MOSS Nassau, March 29, 2021.

Draconian measures EDITOR, The Tribune.

OUR family have been longtime property owners in The Bahamas and have always enjoyed holidays in your country. However this past year my wife and myself and our parents have been unable to make the journey because of all the rules which your Government has implemented.

They are draconian and yet despite all the complaints we keep reading in The Tribune are set to continue. We had hoped because of the dire situation in the tourism sector that they would be eased.

We all must have COVID19 PCR tests to arrive so why is there such a panic about visitors?

Our family travel agent called us yesterday to say that cruises were set to resume with Bahamas-only

itineraries. However we are told all passengers must be vaccinated as well as obtaining the complicated Health Visa.

Our agent thought that we could combine a cruise with a stay at our property.

However, she says all the hassles involved in coming to The Bahamas are turning off all prospective visitors.

The Bahamas was formerly the prime southern destination for our agency.

However, as a result of all the hassles involved in travelling there they have had no bookings at all this past year. They are sending clients to other countries where entry is far easier.

What market research was ever done before all the rules were proclaimed?

They have proven to be a complete business disaster.

The Health Visa should

be eliminated and the time from taking a test to arrival of only five days should be lengthened.

Many of your stalwart visitors simply cannot get the test and undertake all the bureaucratic rules and be there in five days especially as there are not many test centres nearby and so few flights going to Nassau.

We are surprised that the business community has not been at the forefront to demand change as your economy is in a dire state with the collapse of tourism.

We are wondering when we will ever see our property if this situation continues.

DAVID R CUNNINGHAM Augusta, Maine, USA March 29, 2021.

THE TRIBUNE

Wednesday, March 31, 2021, PAGE 7

from page one

were to take it a bit further and you look at the corporate community where women are actually CEOs of companies they have also shown that they have been faring extremely well even in these times and so I think that COVID has really enhanced and magnified the view that many of our people hold about women in leadership.

“At the end of the day this may really be a turning point for The Bahamas in terms of more women wanting to go forward into that field of representation.”

Ultimately, Mrs ButlerTurner said women and men in leadership should be weighed “pound for pound”, when asked if she’s been pleased with the calibre of women candidates ratified across the board.

“I like to weigh the candidates against the candidates because we as women can be pretty harsh on each other and so as I reminded someone recently, we’re quick to talk about the calibre of the female candidates that are being put forward.

“If you were to look at many of the male candidates that have been put forward or are representing us, I have not seen where there has been any margin of better representation by our male counterparts.

“So to answer the question, if you weigh it pound for pound in equal measure the calibre of the candidates at this point are probably about the same and in some instances you’re seeing new faces and I think that’s a good thing, but let us not measure women with a harsher measuring stick than we do our male candidates.”

Loretta - nation needs women in leadership when she supported Democratic National Alliance leader Arinthia Komolafe after her arrest and release last week.

She and several members of the DNA were held at Central Police Station for several hours for questioning over allegations of unlawful assembly at Parliament Square. Police have also said they “pushed on officers” in an attempt to gain entry to the House of Assembly.

Police have not yet said whether formal charges will be brought.

The incident reignited national discussions about perceived gender bias in the country.

“We need greater balance in the representation of our people,” Mrs ButlerTurner said. “If you were to look at our population, women actually out number men and so I clearly do not think that the best representation is being put forth by such a small minority of females.

“It would be excellent if there were competent females that will present themselves for elections so that they can have greater representation not just for women’s issues obviously but for issues as they affect everyone.

Additionally, women tend to understand things as it relates to families a lot better.

“So, I think that we’re very weak in that department. I think it was back in 1997 when we would have had the highest amount of women representing in Parliament. At that time I think there was a 25 percent make up of women in Parliament.”

LORETTA Butler-Turner showing her support for DNA leader Arinthia Komolafe last week.

The former Long Island MP was adamant yesterday that politics is not easy on women.

“It’s not easy, but originally politics in The Bahamas was totally male dominated and they used to meet in the evenings. I think it has a lot to do in the first instance with promoting women within the political parties and secondly in terms of being able to have greater support networks for women so that they can

be freer to devote a lot of time to representation.

“When you become a Member of Parliament and/ or a minister, it’s highly demanding of your time and resources and everything.

So it needs to be made whereby there are support mechanisms for families so that more women can actually feel free to participate.

“Our biggest hurdle in my estimation is that many of our people still look at us as being a patriarchal

‘PAY $200 OR GO DIRECTLY TO JAIL’

By FARRAH JOHNSON Tribune Staff Reporter fjohnson@tribunemedia.net

TWO American tourists who attempted to travel back to their home states with marijuana infused candy in their luggage were each ordered to pay $200 to avoid spending a month in jail.

In the first incident, police arrested Robert Vingi, 30, after US customs officers found 12 pieces of Indian hemp infused candies in his luggage on March 28.

The court was told the New York native, who had plans to travel to North Carolina, presented himself to US border officials at the Lynden Pindling International Airport around noon that day. The prosecution said while the defendant was at the gate, he was approached by the American custom officers who questioned him.

The officers became suspicious based on Vingi’s response and conducted

a secondary search of his belongings.

This time, they found the marijuana candies in his bag. After officers were notified of the incident, the accused and the drugs were taken to the Drug Enforcement Unit for examination and questioning. During his interview, Vingi admitted the candies were his, but said he had them to assist with his sleeping. He insisted he was not aware marijuana was illegal in the country.

Yesterday, he told the magistrate he was never searched a second time at the airport. Instead, he claimed he was actually seated on his flight when US border officials boarded the plane to come and get him. Still, he acknowledged the drugs were found among his belongings.

After pleading guilty to one count of simple possession during his arraignment before Deputy Chief Magistrate Andrew Forbes, Vingi was fined $200 or one

month in prison.

Meanwhile, Cordell Riggins, 32, was charged after US border patrol agents found 1.38 ounces of marijuana gummy candies in his travel bag on March 29.

He also owned up to the offence when he appeared before Magistrate Forbes, but stated that he travelled from his home state of Texas with the “five pieces of candy” without even realising it was in his bag.

In response, Magistrate Forbes noted that within the last three months, several American citizens had been arrested for drug related infractions after being stopped by US border agents when they attempted to return home.

After accepting Riggins’ guilty plea, he also fined the accused $200 or one month in prison. Magistrate Forbes said after the fines were paid, both men would be handed over to the director of immigration to assist with their return back to the United States.

THREE ACCUSED OVER SHOOTING

By DENISE MAYCOCK Tribune Freeport Reporter dmaycock@tribunemedia.net

THREE male residents of Eight Mile Rock, including a juvenile, were charged yesterday in connection with the shooting of a young man last week on Grand Bahama.

Stephen Darquin Demeritte, 20, Donny Anthony Charles, 19, and a

17-year-old juvenile, all of Pinedale, Eight Mile Rock, appeared before Deputy Chief Magistrate Debbye Ferguson.

They were charged with causing grievous harm and possession of a firearm with intent to endanger life.

It is alleged that on Friday, March 26, the accused men caused grievous harm to Obvince Innocent. It is also alleged

that on the same date and place, they had a firearm— a black pistol — intending to endanger Mr Innocent’s life. They all pleaded not guilty to the charges and were granted $5,000 bail with one or two suretors.

The magistrate ordered them to sign in every day at EMR Police Station between 11am and 8pm.

The case was adjourned to June 16.

ROLLE ACTS OVER ‘SPURIOUS’ CLAIMS from page one

“In commemoration of this milestone (on) March 31, he will dedicate a chapel to the Lord, where officers can seek refuge during trying times. The Commissioner thanks all good and upstanding citizens

and residents for their continued support, as he acknowledges that in the midst of good, evil is always present.

“It was a very difficult year policing this country and despite the personal attacks, he remains focused on his mandate to keep all safe and ask that you

continue to keep him along with his family in prayer.”

The video in question circulated on social media this week, and featured a man making a series of allegations against the Commissioner. Up to press time, police said the individual who made the video was not in custody.

society and that men are the only ones that can actually hold such a position and so there are some inherent difficulties.”

While the world grapples with the fall out from COVID-19, Mrs ButlerTurner said it may prove to be a turning point for politics in the country.

She was asked if she was of the view that a woman at the helm of government would have proven more beneficial for the country.

“First of all I think the best person is the one most qualified whether they are male or female but I will say that I think the COVID-19 pandemic, one thing it has done is it has magnified the importance of women at the helm.

“If you look in the region and around the world I think there have been numerous case studies done showing how those countries have actually performed very well and if you

MAN’S KNIFE NOT BIG ENOUGH TO BREAK LAW

By FARRAH JOHNSON Tribune Staff Reporter fjohnson@tribunemedia.net

A MAGISTRATE discharged a man who was arrested for unlawfully carrying arms after he explained the knife he was found with did not exceed the six-inch blade limit stipulated in law.

Macowelly Jones, 22, was arrested after officers found a black handled knife in his possession on March 17.

The court was told that officers were on mobile patrol in the Ross Corner area when they observed Jones riding in a heavily

tinted vehicle. After they beckoned for the car to stop, they informed Jones that he would be searched.

During their investigation, officers found the switch blade knife in his right pocket.

When they questioned Jones, he said: “Y’all sissy (N-word) ain’t get nothing to (expletive) do eh?”

The prosecution said Jones was warned to desist his disorderly behaviour, but he continued to use profanities. As a result, he was arrested and charged.

During his hearing before Senior Magistrate Derence

Rolle Davis, Jones pleaded guilty to unlawfully carrying arms and using obscene language. He also told the magistrate the knife that prompted his arrest was a three-and-a-half inch blade which he was using to clean his fingernails.

Magistrate Rolle Davis noted it was legal to have a knife with a blade that was less than six inches.

As a result, he urged Jones to cooperate with officers when they are questioned him to avoid getting himself in problems and discharged the accused with a warning.

“Exercise good sense in the future,” he told Jones.

PAGE 8, Wednesday, March 31, 2021

THE TRIBUNE

P U E K WA Gender bias is all around us and it’s time that changed

By Alicia Wallace

THIS week, some women in frontline politics were asked whether or not gender bias exists in politics. Their responses made it clear there is not only a limited understanding of gender bias, but a reluctance to acknowledge it. Perhaps there is concern that acknowledgment would be seen as making are seen as caring and excuses or a sign of weak- sympathetic. Again, this is ness rather than what it because we are socialised in these ways. Boys and actually is — recognising girls are forced into adultand naming an issue that hood when they are made pervades our lives. to display masculine and Gender bias, in simple feminine characteristics. terms, is the tendency to Boys are often allowed prefer one gender over to do things girls are not, another. It is connected from playing outside and to stereotyping and dis- leaving the home to undercrimination. Gender is a performing in school while social construct. People girls are made to help take decided how we should be care of the household and behave and be regarded in pushed to excel in school the world throughout our (which is proof that we recentire lives based on visible ognise more is required of reproductive organs. women).

Gendering and the conFrom a young age, we straints that come with it are taught that men and begin before we are even boys have more freedom born. Once the sex is deter- and women and girls have mined, a host of decisions responsibilities to their are made. Colfamilies and ours, articles ‘Boys are communiof clothing, ties. Boys are applauded for their names, nickprompted to names, and “strength” while speak while parents’ girls are shunned girls are dreams for encouraged to their children and rebuked for be quiet. Boys are shaped being “bossy”. and girls who by genita- Boys’ leadership show leadlia. Children ership skills are socialised is nurtured and receive differto behave girls’ leadership ent responses. in ways that is discouraged.’

Boys are align with our applauded for understandtheir “strength” while girls ing of gender. Boys, for are shunned and rebuked example, are scolded for for being “bossy”. Boys’ crying. As toddlers, they leadership is nurtured and are expected to embody girls’ leadership is discourmasculinity. aged. This affects the way Gender is used to limit we view and embody leadour experiences, behaviours ership as adults. and opportunities. The The common refrain restrictions of gender are is that “women are too embedded in society and, emotional” for leaderas we perform gender the ship. The truth is that we way we are taught — like are all emotional. We are men refusing to show a full experiencing emotions range of emotion — gender every day. We are happy, biases are formed and sad, angry, guilty, excited, falsely corroborated. We disappointed, nervous, see men expressing anger, surprised, proud, embarwe perceive an absence of rassed and thrilled. sadness and decide that Emotions are natural, they must be strong. We subconscious responses to see women expressing sad- events. What we control is ness and perceive the anger how we display or share our women disguise as non- emotions. We learn, based existent and society decides on a number of factors, they are weak. including gender ideology, It is not that these gender how to control the visibility stereotypes are true, but of our emotions. that we create restrictive For men and boys, anger environments that limit is generally accepted as a people based on gender. valid emotion, so they are Predictably, we then behave free to express it in their in the ways we are taught; volume and tone of voice this is not a testament to the and in their actions. Anger limitations of our genders, is a common excuse for acts but the outcome of lifelong of violence perpetrated by socialisation. men and boys.

Men are seen as strong For women and girls, and decisive while women anger is not accepted as a

valid emotion, so we learn to withhold expressions of anger or to express it in ways that match other emotions such as sadness.

It is okay to cry or become withdrawn as woman or girl experiencing sadness. This, however, is not acceptable for men and boys. If they experience sadness, they must hide it or express it in a way that matches an acceptable emotion for them like anger. Thus, we frequently confuse anger and sadness, though we have all learned to make one look like the other.

No emotion is better than another. Some emotions, of course, feel better.

It is much preferred to be happy than to be sad.

We all experience a full range of emotions, but we are limited in our expression of them and some are deemed more valuable than others. In fact, some are considered more suitable for leaders than others.

There is the idea that leaders must be firm, serious, demanding, and in control. These are considered “masculine” traits, suited to and demonstrated by men.

Women may have the same traits, but we are warned not to show them, lest our femininity be called into question. The choice, for women, is to be feminine or to be a leader. It must be noted that neither femininity not leadership are as one-note as gender ideology would have us believe.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, those paying attention have seen that women’s leadership has been exemplary and countries led by women have benefitted from their “femininity”. Women in leadership have given great consideration to families and communities, as we have been taught to do all our lives. In implementing restrictive measures to slow the spread of COVID-19, women leading countries thought about the issues that could affect people, from access to food to caregiving support. This understanding and foresight allowed them to prepare, meeting the needs of people because they were able to predict them.

Women’s experiences and socialisation give us tremendous insight into

A FEW RECOMMENDATIONS

QUEEN Latifah in The Equalizer.

1. Fifty Words for Rain

by Asha Lemmie.

Spanning decades, this is more than a coming of age story. It follows Nori from the moment her mother leaves her outside the property of her grandparents with simple instructions: “Do not question. Do not fight. Do not resist.” The eight-year-old girl, reluctantly taken in by her grandparents who have proximity to royals, is hidden in the attic.

At first, it seems as though she will spend all of her days there, but things change a bit when she gains an ally. There are sparks of joy, but this is story that does not pretend it will end on a the needs of society even as they restrict our access to leadership. There are no feminine or masculine emotions. We experience them all. There are, however, differences in the ways we are socialised which directly affects our behaviour and the way we are perceived by others.

When Loretta ButlerTurner became Leader of the Opposition in Parliament and challenged Minnis for the leadership of the Free National Movement, she was considered too ambitious for a woman.

When Glenys Hanna-Martin challenged Davis for leadership of the Progressive Liberal Party, it was said that a comment was made about her place being in the home.

When asked if gender bias is affecting women in politics, the answer should be yes. Many still believe women ought to limit themselves to frying conch fritters for steak-outs and

happy note.

2. Bullet journaling.

Whether you like planning your days in great detail or getting track a few key activities, bullet journalling can be a fun way to tap into your creative side. Make monthly, weekly, or daily spread, design trackers for your water intake, exercise, and other habits, and practice new skills like hand lettering and drawing. Sometimes a store-bought planner is too restrictive, so why not create your own? If the blank pages are too much handle, you can always get inspiration from other people’s spreads using campaigning for their husbands. Many still believe women are incapable of or ill-suited to leadership.

Even among those who have learned otherwise are people who believe we, as women, should limit ourselves to supporting roles.

As political parties continue to ratify candidates, less than 30 percent are women. Given that there are more women than men in The Bahamas, there should be gender parity.

That there isn’t gender parity in frontline politics is an indication of gender bias and lack of attention to quality representation. It is easy to lean on the assumption that too few women put themselves forward, but we know political parties recruit people. They need to be intentional in recruiting, training, and support women as candidates. They also need to help to create enabling environments for women to take up leadership

hashtags like #BuJo and #WeeklySpread.

3. The Equalizer.

Premiered on Super Bowl Sunday, television show is for fans of Queen Latifah and those who need to join them. Robyn McCall steps in to help people who have nowhere else to go. In the first episode, a young woman witnesses a murder and is framed for it. She goes to the wrong people for help, but gets lucky because McCall follows her to the trap and quickly gets her out of it. In helping the young woman, McCall decides that this is what she, with the help of her friends, is meant to do. positions which includes actively challenging gender bias, encouraging the sharing of domestic and care work, and acting on the commitment made through international mechanisms.

In a “virtual conclave” held on Monday, Director of Gender and Family Affairs Dr Jacinta Higgs said one of the Department’s five areas of focus is ensuring equal participation in frontline politics with a 50:50 gender distribution.

We need to know more about this priority. What is the Department doing to see this come to fruition?

How will it be applied to the upcoming general election? What commitments have been made by other government agencies and actors? We need priorities to become commitments and commitments to be backed by action.

Gender bias will not go away on its own. It requires a change in mindset and behaviour.

THE TRIBUNE

Wednesday, March 31, 2021, PAGE 9

SCIENCE PANEL: CONSIDER AIR COOLING TECH AS

TECHTALK

CLIMATE BACK-UP

By SETH BORENSTEIN AP SCIENCE WRITER

THE U.S. must seriously consider the idea of tinkering with the atmosphere to cool a warming Earth and accelerate research into how and whether humanity should hack the planet, the National Academy of Sciences said last Thursday.

The report by the academy, set up by Abraham Lincoln to provide the government with expert advice, doesn’t recommend carrying out solar geoengineering to bounce heat back to space. At least not yet.

But an emergency plan needs to be explored, the report says, because climate change-driven extreme weather has worsened since the last time the academy looked at the highly-charged issue in 2015. That requires coordinated research into whether air-tinkering technology would work, its potentially dangerous side effects, its ethics and the potential for political fall-out.

The report looks at three possible ways to cool the air: Putting heat-reflecting particles in the stratosphere, changing the brightness

of ocean clouds and thinning high clouds.

“Climate engineering is a really dumb idea, but it might not be as dumb as doing nothing at this point or continuing to do what we’ve been doing,” Scripps Institution of Oceanography atmospheric chemist Lynn Russell, a report co-author, told The Associated Press. “It has a lot of risks and those are important to learn as much as we can about.”

The panel recommended ramping up research spending by several fold to $40 million a year, along with “exit ramps” to end study if an unacceptable risk is found.

“I honestly don’t know whether or not it’s going to make sense,” said committee chairman Chris Field of Stanford University.

Critics, such as Oxford University’s Raymond Pierrehumbert, worry that there’s a “moral hazard” providing a tempting option to use questionable technology instead of the necessary cutting back on carbon pollution. He said the term geoengineering wrongly makes it sound like humans have control over heat like a thermostat.

A GONDOLA at a Harvard University facility in Cambridge, Mass., which will be tested on a balloon over Sweden for eventual possible use in releasing sunlight-reflecting aerosols into the Earth’s atmosphere. Last week, the National Academy of Sciences said the U.S. must seriously consider the idea of tinkering with the atmosphere to cool a warming Earth and accelerate research into how and whether humanity should hack the planet. (Yomay Shyur via AP) Texas A&M University’s Andrew Dessler sees geoengineering as a safety feature for the planet, like car airbags you hope to never need.

A Harvard team is working on a small-scale experiment where eventually a balloon would put a few pounds of aerosols 12 miles (20 kilometres) into the air to reflect the sun.

That group hopes to run a system test, with no chemical injection, later this year over Sweden.

This report is more forceful than the 2015 version, detailing government oversight and how research

should be done, said academy president Marcia McNutt, who chaired the earlier study.

Is geoengineering too risky to even consider?

“It is not so much playing with fire as it is researching fire, so that we understand it well enough to deploy, if necessary,” said Waleed Abdalati, a former NASA chief scientist who was on the 2015 panel. “Sometimes you have to examine very risky options when the stakes are as high as they are with climate change.”

VIRGIN GALACTIC ROLLS OUT LATEST GENERATION OF SPACESHIP

IN this undated photo provided by Virgin Galactic is the VSS Imagine, the first SpaceShip III in the Virgin Galactic Fleet in Mojave, Calif. Virgin Galactic rolled out its newest spaceship Tuesday, as the company looks to resume test flights in the coming months at its headquarters in the New Mexico desert. Company officials said it will likely be summer before the ship undergoes glide flight testing at Spaceport America in southern New Mexico. (Virgin Galactic via AP)

By SUSAN MONTOYA BRYAN Associated Press ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) — Virgin Galactic rolled out its newest spaceship Tuesday as the company looks to resume test flights in the coming months at its headquarters in the New Mexico desert.

Company officials said it will likely be summer before the ship — designed and manufactured in California — undergoes glide flight testing at Spaceport America in southern New Mexico.

That will coincide with the final round of testing for the current generation of spacecraft, which will be the one that takes British billionaire and Virgin Galactic founder Sir Richard Branson to the fringes of space

later this year.

CEO Michael Colglazier said the addition of the new ship marks the beginning of Virgin Galactic having a fleet that will one day be capable of ferrying paying customers and scientific payloads from spaceports around the globe.

The company is still aiming for commercial operations to begin next year following testing and a few months of downtime for maintenance and other upgrades.

Virgin Galactic has reached space twice before — the first time from California in December 2018.

The company marked its second successful glide flight over Spaceport America last June.

Virgin Galactic is one of a few companies looking to cash in on customers with an

interest in space. Jeff Bezos’ Blue Origin launched a new capsule in January as part of test as it aims to get its program for tourists, scientists and professional astronauts off the ground.

Surroundings The mirror-like finish on Virgin Galactic’s new ship is as much about aesthetics as it is about function. A key part of the ship’s thermal protection system, Colglazier said it also was chosen so the craft could take on the look and feel of its surroundings — whether it’s on Earth, in the sky or in space.

The other task of the engineers was to create a new version that would be easier to manufacture and to maintain.

“Obviously for us to take tens of thousands of people to space, we need a number of ships. But it really matters then how often can each of these ships fly,” Colglazier said.

“We expect as we get going on this to see a much quicker turnaround time and that really will help us grow the business.”

First, Virgin Galactic needs regulatory approval for the current generation and that means successful rocket-powered test flights.

The first powered test from Spaceport America was scheduled for December but computer trouble caused by electromagnetic interference prevented the spaceship’s rocket from firing properly. Instead of soaring toward space, the ship and its two pilots were forced to make an

immediate landing.

The test was rescheduled for February but then scrapped as the team continued working on the interference issue.

Colglazier said the flight now is scheduled for May. The delay didn’t help stock prices.

Colglazier said while it’s important to put points on the board and meet market expectations, the company’s focus is on safety at each step and the decades ahead.

“I think this is moving as we want it to move. It is stepwise — that is what we want to do with human spaceflight,” he said, “but you can also see the monument building.

“We’re excited for this unveiling today and we’re excited for May and we’re excited for the summer to come.”

• (AP) Former Google CEO Eric Schmidt and his wife, Wendy, have given $150 million to a research institute to establish a “new era of biology” aimed at battling diseases with a mix of data and life science studies.

The Massachusetts-based Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard will use the funds to build a new centre that will bring together academia and industry to merge the two disciplines in an effort to make people healthier.

“Until now, these fields have largely developed in parallel,” the Broad Institute said in a statement last Thursday.

“Their convergence will create a new era of biology, one that is expected to yield a deep understanding of biological processes, with the ultimate aim of improving human health through more powerful disease prevention, diagnosis, and treatment.”

Experts say the initiative sets a precedent for building more research centre that mix the two disciplines.

“There is a huge need in the biology field to bring in computational and data science expertise,” said Peng Qiu, a professor at the Georgia Institute of Technology who studies the subject, adding, the need for integrating the two fields “has been well recognised in the research community.”

The endowment gift is the largest donation the couple has given through Schmidt Futures, their latest philanthropic initiative focusing on science and technology.

The Schmidts have other philanthropic arms, including their family foundation, and are ranked as one of the top donors in the United States.

The institute said last Thursday that it also received an additional $150 million contribution from the Broad Foundation, the charity founded by philanthropists Eli and Edythe L. Broad.

The couple helped create the institute in 2003, and their foundation has pledged more than $1 billion to the research facility.

• NEW YORK (AP) — State officials have launched a digital pass New Yorkers can download to show proof of vaccination or a negative COVID-19 test.

The Excelsior Pass will be accepted at major entertainment venues like Madison Square Garden and Albany’s Times Union Center.

The app is similar to a mobile airline boarding pass and uses a secure QR code that can be stored in a smartphone or printed out.

Officials said the technology doesn’t store or track private health data within the app.

“New Yorkers have proven they can follow public health guidance to beat back COVID, and the innovative Excelsior Pass is another tool in our new toolbox to fight the virus while allowing more sectors of the economy to reopen safely and keeping personal information secure,” Gov. Andrew Cuomo said in a statement.

Cuomo announced Saturday that more than 8.5 million total vaccine doses have been administered across the state, including more than 1 million doses over the past week.

PAGE 10, Wednesday, March 31, 2021

THE TRIBUNE

‘We begged officer to take his knee off George Floyd’s neck’ MINNEAPOLIS Associated Press ONLOOKERS grew increasingly angry as they begged Minneapolis Officer Derek Chauvin to take his knee off George Floyd’s neck, but Chauvin would not let up, and another officer forced back members of the crowd who tried to intervene, witnesses testified yesterday at Chauvin’s murder trial.

Witness after witness described how Chauvin was unmoved by their pleas, with the teenager who shot the harrowing video of the arrest that set off nationwide protests testifying that the officer gave the crowd a “cold” and “heartless” stare.

“He didn’t care. It seemed as if he didn’t care what we were saying,” said 18-yearold Darnella Frazier, one of several witnesses who testified through tears.

Frazier said Chauvin continued to kneel on Floyd while fellow Officer Tou Thao held the crowd of about 15 back, even when one of the onlookers identified herself as a firefighter and pleaded repeatedly to check Floyd’s pulse.

“They definitely put their hands on the Mace, and we all pulled back,” Frazier told the jury.

The prosecution asked multiple witnesses to describe their horror at what they saw, buttressing the testimony with multiple videos, some of which had never been seen before.

Many testified about feelings of helplessness as Floyd gasped for air, pleaded for his life and finally fell limp and silent, his eyes rolling back in his head.

The testimony was apparently aimed at showing that Chauvin had multiple opportunities to think about what he doing and change course.

But Chauvin attorney Eric Nelson also sought to bring out evidence of anger in the crowd, in an apparent attempt to show that Chauvin and his fellow officers found themselves in an increasingly tense and distracting situation, with the onlookers becoming more and more agitated.

Earlier yesterday, Donald Williams, one of the onlookers, testified that he

A PICTURE of George Floyd on a fence outside the Hennepin County Government Centre in Minneapolis yesterday, where the trial for former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin continues. Chauvin is charged with murder in the death of Floyd during an arrest last May in Minneapolis.

Photo: Jim Mone/AP Williams said he was step- the 46-year-old handcuffed video of him pleading that “I felt like there wasn’t called 911 after paramedics took Floyd away, “because ping on and off the curb, Black man to the pavement he couldn’t breathe and really anything I could do I believed I witnessed a and at one point, Thao, who for what prosecutors said onlookers angrily yell- as a bystander,” a tearful murder.” In a recording of was controlling the crowd, was nine minutes and 29 ing at the officer to get off Funari said, adding that she the emergency call, Wil- put his hand on Williams’ seconds. Floyd was arrested him, triggered sometimes- felt she was failing Floyd. liams could be overheard chest. Williams admitted after being accused of violent protests around the “Technically I could’ve did yelling at the officers: “Y’all under questioning that he trying to pass a counterfeit world and a reckoning over something, but I couldn’t told Thao he would beat $20 bill at the convenience racism and police brutality really do anything physically is murderers, bro!” across the US. ... because the highest power During cross-exami- the officers if Thao touched store.

The most serious charge Yesterday, prosecutors was there at the time,” she nation, Chauvin’s lawyer him again.

But witnesses also tes- against the now-fired white played cellphone video said, explaining that an pointed out that Williams seemed to grow increasingly tified that no bystanders officer carries up to 40 years recorded by yet another officer held the crowd back. bystander, 18-year-old Frazier testified that she angry at the police, taunting actually interfered with in prison.

The defence has argued Alyssa Funari, that showed looks at her father and other Chauvin with “tough guy,” police.

When Frazier was asked that Chauvin did what his onlookers shouting and Black men in her life and “bum” and other names, then calling Chauvin exple- by a prosecutor whether training told him to do and screaming at Chauvin after thinks of “how that could have been one of them”. tives, which the defence she saw violence anywhere that Floyd’s death was not Floyd stopped moving. on the scene, she replied: caused by the officer but The video, which had not “I stay up at night apollawyer repeated in court.

Williams initially admit- “Yes, from the cops. From by a combination of ille- been released before, also ogising to George Floyd ted he was getting angrier, Chauvin, and from officer gal drug use, heart disease, showed the woman who for not doing more ... not high blood pressure and the said she was a Minneapolis saving his life,” she said, but then backtracked and Thao.”

Chauvin, 45, is charged adrenaline flowing through firefighter calmly walk up adding of Chauvin: “It’s not said he was controlled to Thao and offer to help, what I should have done; and professional and was with murder and man- his body. accused of Floyd’s death last May, before he ordered her to it’s what he should have pleading for Floyd’s life but slaughter, killing Floyd by pinning along with the bystander get back on the curb. done.” wasn’t being heard.

INSIDE CHILDREN’S DETENTION FACILITY DONNA, Texas Associated Press

A MIGRANT and her daughter have their biometric data entered at the intake area of the Donna Department of Homeland Security holding facility, the main detention centre for unaccompanied children in the Rio Grande Valley, in Donna, Texas, yesterday.

Photo: Dario Lopez-Mills/AP

THE Biden administration for the first time yesterday allowed journalists inside its main border detention facility for migrant children, revealing a severely overcrowded tent structure where more than 4,000 people, including children and families, were crammed into a space intended for 250 and the youngest were kept in a large play pen with mats on the floor for sleeping.

With thousands of children and families arriving at the US-Mexico border in recent weeks and packing facilities, President Joe Biden has been under pressure to bring more transparency to the process. US Customs and Border Protection allowed two journalists from The Associated Press and a

crew from CBS to tour the facility in Donna, Texas, in the Rio Grande Valley, the nation’s busiest corridor for illegal crossings.

More than 4,100 people were being housed on the property yesterday. Most were unaccompanied children processed in tents before being taken to facilities run by the Department of Health and Human Services and then placed with a family member, relative or sponsor.

The children were being housed by the hundreds in eight “pods” formed by plastic dividers, each about 3,200 square feet (297 square meters) in size.

Many of the pods had more than 500 children in them.

Oscar Escamilla, acting executive officer of the US Border Patrol in the Rio Grande Valley, said 250 to 300 kids enter daily and far fewer leave.

The youngest children — among them, a threeyear-old girl being cared for by her 11-year-old brother and a newborn with a 17-year-old mother — are kept out of the pods and sleep in a playpen area.

On Tuesday, journalists watched children being processed. They went into a small room for lice inspection and a health check.

Their hair was hosed down and towels were tossed in a black bin marked “Lice”.

The kids — many of whom have made long journeys to get to the border, including stretches on foot — were also checked for scabies, fever and other ailments.

No COVID-19 test was administered unless a child showed symptoms.

Nurse practitioners also gave psychological tests, asking children if they had suicidal thoughts. All shoelaces were removed.

BRAZIL MILITARY CHIEFS QUIT AFTER DEFENCE MINISTER REPLACED RIO DE JANEIRO Associated Press THE leaders of all three branches of Brazil’s armed forces jointly resigned yesterday following President Jair Bolsonaro’s replacement of the defence minister, causing widespread apprehension of a military shake-up to serve the president’s political interests.

The Defence Ministry reported the resignations — apparently unprecedented since at least the end of military rule 36 years ago — in a statement

released without giving reasons. Replacements were not named. But analysts expressed fears the president, increasingly under pressure, was moving to assert greater control over the military.

“Since 1985, we haven’t had news of such clear intervention of the president with regard to the armed forces,” said Carlos Melo, a political science professor at Insper University in Sao Paulo.

Bolsonaro, a conservative former army captain who has often praised Brazil’s former period of

military dictatorship, has relied heavily on current and former soldiers to staff key Cabinet positions since taking office in January 2019, but Melo said the military itself has so far refrained from politics.

“Will this resistance continue?,” he said. “That’s the question.”

The announcement came after the heads of the army, navy and air force met with the new defense minister, Gen. Walter Souza Braga Netto, Tuesday morning.

Bolsonaro on Monday carried out a shake-up of top Cabinet positions

that was initially seen as a response to demands for a course correction by lawmakers, diplomats and economists, particularly over his handling of the pandemic that has caused more than 300,000 deaths in Brazil.

That included the replacement of Defence Minister Fernando Azevedo e Silva, who said in his resignation letter that he had “preserved the armed forces as state institutions”, a nod at his effort to keep generals out of politics.

Bolsonaro has often bristled at the checks and

balances imposed by other branches of government and has attended protests targeting the Supreme Court and Congress.

He has also criticised the Supreme Court for upholding local governments’ rights to adopt pandemic restrictions that he adamantly opposes, arguing that the economic effects are worse than the disease itself.

His recent slide in popularity, and the sudden likelihood that he will face leftist former President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva in the 2022 presidential

election, has analysts saying he’s looking to the armed forces for support.

Retired Gen Carlos Alberto Santos Cruz, who previously served as Bolsonaro’s government secretary, appeared to refer to such concerns when he responded to early rumors of military resignations with a tweet saying, “THE ARMED FORCES WON’T GO ON AN ADVENTURE.” Since Brazil’s return to democracy in 1985, the armed forces have tried to keep a distance from partisan political quarrels.