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VOLUME:116 No.71, APRIL 4TH, 2019

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WATER WARS Gibson threatens to sue and blasts supply saboteurs

By MORGAN ADDERLEY Tribune Staff Reporter madderley@tribunemedia.net

WATER and Sewerage Corporation executive chairman Adrian Gibson announced yesterday he has instructed his attorney Ferron Bethell to sue Dwayne Woods for defamation given recent “untrue” statements the union leader made about him.

“Let me note that you would see the presence of Mr Bethell,” Mr Gibson said at a press conference.

“Myself and the general manager have instructed Mr Bethell to take out suit against Mr Woods for defamation of character, given his statements that are farfetched, entirely untrue, to which he has no proof.”

Earlier yesterday, Mr Gibson doubled down on

accusations that workers at the utility provider illegally shut off water supply to parts of New Providence and sabotaged WSC property.

Mr Gibson told the House of Assembly that any employee found to have tampered with the water supply will be “summarily dismissed and referred to the police”.

His accusations are the latest in a brewing battle between WSC executives and union leaders at the organisation about operations at the water provider.

Meanwhile, Mr Woods, Bahamas Utilities Services and Allied Workers Union (BUSAWU) president, said yesterday his union did not condone sabotage.

By NEIL HARTNELL Tribune Business Editor nhartnell@tribunemedia.net

ZNS has been hit with a $542,000 damages claim for terminating a satellite leasing contract two years’ early, Tribune Business can reveal. Legal documents reveal the state-owned broadcaster is fighting a lawsuit initiated by New York-based Centrex Communications Corporation over the early severance of their five-year commercial

WANTED FOR CHILD ABDUCTION

deal that was agreed under the Christie administration.

ZNS sought to exit the contract on last November but Centrex is refusing to release the loss-making broadcaster from its alleged obligation to pay it $22,600 per month until the deal ends on December 31, 2020.

Alleging “breach of contract”, it is urging a US court to order ZNS pay it the remaining $542,000 balance owing plus interest.

FULL STORY - SEE BUSINESS

L SOUR CE

$3M SPORTS CONTRACTS GIVEN OUT PRE-ELECTION

By KHRISNA RUSSELL Deputy Chief Reporter krussell@tribunemedia.net

CONTRACTS for work issued by the National Sports Authority were not transparent and its financial allocation from the government increased by more than $3.3m in the fiscal year containing the May 2017 general election, a newly released auditor general’s report has revealed.

Auditor General Terrance Bastian’s report further uncovered how one company received more than $1m in taxpayer funds, but did not complete any of ten deliverables promised to the NSA. While the Auditor General’s report did not name any of the companies it referenced, research by Tribune Business reveals that the one which received the $1m despite not performing is global sporting and entertainment giant, Anschutz Entertainment Group (AEG).

SEE PAGE THREE

WEB SHOPS SPLIT OVER TAX DEAL

SEE PAGE FIVE

ZNS SUED FOR PULLING PLUG

$1

By NEIL HARTNELL Tribune Business Editor nhartnell@tribunemedia.net

Someone knows this woman and where she lives. Help catch her - before she strikes again. Call the police now.

502-9907

POLICE have released a new sketch in their appeal for information that could lead to the arrest of the woman they suspect abducted and later abandoned several young boys in separate incidents in recent weeks.

Full story - Page 2

NOT all web shops have signed up to the tax settlement with the government, a top QC revealed yesterday, suggesting legal challenges remain a possibility.

Wayne Munroe, who represents the Island Game, Paradise Games and Asure Win chains, said that “resolution wasn’t agreed” between his clients and the Minnis administration despite the latter trumpeting that agreement was reached in February. He added that, as far as he knew, Sebas Bastian’s Island Luck and Ultra Games were the only two operators who had agreed terms.

FULL STORY - SEE BUSINESS

CARNIVAL STUNNED BY GB INTEREST

By DENISE MAYCOCK Tribune Freeport Reporter dmaycock@tribunemedia.net

CARNIVAL’S first Grand Port industry meeting in Grand Bahama attracted a large turnout of people interested in the myriad of opportunities that would be available at the proposed $100m cruise port which is expected to rejuvenate tourism on the island.

Carnival Corporation officials held presentations

EXCITED: David Candib sharing details of the project at the Pelican Bay resort for those in the construction,

design, architecture and engineering industries.

Separate sessions were also held for people seeking to open retail stores, as well as food and beverage and restaurant operations.

David Candib, vice president of development & operations Global Port and Destination Development Group, said the company is looking to finalise securing all licences and permits with the government hopefully

Nassau & Bahama Islands’ Leading Newspaper

SEE PAGE EIGHT

STATESIDE TAKING TIME OUT IN THE BIG EASY

SEE PAGE NINE

PAGE 2, Thursday, April 4, 2019

Police release new picture in hunt for female abductor

THE TRIBUNE

By RICARDO WELLS & RIEL MAJOR Tribune Staff Reporters POLICE have renewed their appeal for information that could lead to the arrest of the woman they suspect abducted and later abandoned several young boys in separate incidents in recent weeks.

With the release of a new sketch yesterday, officials

said they are now moving in on a person of interest, but insisted the public would have to play a key role in bringing this ordeal to a close.

Yesterday, National Security Minister Marvin Dames stressed police officers need tips from the general public to lead to an arrest.

Mr Dames told reporters and members of the National Crime Council: “The police identified the car, they identified the area, they have put out composites on the individual... someone knows who this person is.

“I sit and I listen to politicians, past and present, members of the public say police need to roll out all of their resources, but the police are only as strong as the people who put them there. That’s each and every one of us.”

He admonished those casting blame on police when they are working hard for the country. He said: “This whole concept, you turn on your radio and we have become experts at identifying the problem and blaming somebody else. (The police) may not have the answers to everything they may not be the answer to everyone but those are the ones we are pulling down because they have made a decision that they will be different that they would assist in changing the direction this country is going in.

“They will get (her)... because I believe they’re on the right track. It is much easier for the neighbour to say, ‘boy listen this lady been acting funny for a while.’

“That’s the key to solving the matter so pick up the phone and call.”

The Nassau Guardian reported on Monday that police now believe that four of the cases are connected.

“We have a strong belief that four of those incidents are connected and that’s based on several things,” Chief Superintendent Solomon Cash told The Guardian.

He said police were interviewing witnesses who have

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given similar descriptions of a vehicle that police were still searching for.

“What I would also add is, with the recent incident, we are following some leads,” CSP Cash said.

“Again, it’s a bit early to be definitive in saying that that is the person that we suspected but that individual is a person of interest and we will soon be bringing that individual into custody to speak with,” he told the local daily.

The unnamed suspect has terrorised communities across the capital for nearly six weeks now, luring multiple boys into her car, where she would drive them around for hours at time before dropping them off at the entrance of the New Providence Landfill.

The abduction of an eight-year-old boy from the Fox Hill community last Friday ended a threeweek lull on this bizarre string of incidents. According to police, two boys ages eight and ten were standing in front of their residence when a woman driving a silver vehicle stopped and began talking to the children.

That conversation resulted in the eight-year-old getting into the car, while the ten-yearold walked away.

The eight-year-old was subsequently dropped off at the New Providence Landfill.

In early March, four boys were allegedly abducted in two separate incidents in less than 24 hours, but were found a short time later, police said, adding the incidents were being looked at separately.

On March 7, three boys were taken: two eight-yearolds and a ten-year-old. The boys were walking on Kool Acres Road in eastern New Providence when “they were picked up by a female who was the lone occupant” of a dark coloured vehicle, police said.

The two eight-year-olds were initially dropped off by a Haitian village in the vicinity of Seabreeze and Joe Farrington Road. The ten-year-old was dropped off later by the city dump.

The day before, March 6, eight-year-old Tyvon Deveaux was abducted by a lone female driver in a silver-coloured Japanesemodel vehicle. On February 16, three-year-old Shavar Bain was abducted from outside his home and then left frightened and alone outside a Fox Hill washhouse several hours later, sparking a manhunt for two women believed to be the abductors.

On March 3, an eightyear-old girl was abducted from her home by an alleged male perpetrator.

Anyone with information is asked to call Crime Stoppers at 328-TIPS (8477) or the Central Detective Unit at 502-9991/2.

THE TRIBUNE

Thursday, April 4, 2019, PAGE 3

NATIONAL CRIME COUNCIL DRAWING UP PLANS FOR WAYS TO HELP END GANG VIOLENCE

We can’t have a country where children can’t walk home safely MINISTER of National Secuirty Marvin Dames along with Dr David Allen at the Ministry of National Security Advisory Council on Crime.

Left: reformed gang leader Carlos Reid.

Photos: Terrel W Carey Sr/ Tribune Staff

By RIEL MAJOR IN the wake of a ninth-grade student being fatally stabbed, the National Crime Council is drawing up plans for ways to help end gang violence.According to psychiatrist Dr David Allen, the streets are not safe for children to go to and from school.

Dr Allen said: “This is no minor thing, we can’t have a country where children can’t walk home safely. Kids should be allowed to go to school safely and walk home safely. We need something on the streets now and it seems like the minister recognises that too.

“Kids are in gangs whether they want to be or not... and when traveling home there are certain streets

they’re allowed to walk on and other streets they can’t. This issue indicates that the kids on the streets are subjected to gang involvement depending on where they walk. We have to do something sooner or later.

“Minister Dames told me to get some proposals together because he’s ready to act.”

Carlos Reid, reformed gang leader, said the country has an organised gang problem.

Mr Reid said: “Now we have in this country where we have moved from youth gangs to organised gangs and here is the problem, once money is involved, you’re in trouble. These brothers are now being funded by the drug trade and not just the drug trade

but the gun trade. When money is involved it becomes more survival than people just looking for something to do.”

The Ministry of National Security is working on programmes to combat gangs, he said.

Mr Reid added: “Violence has to be treated like a disease and we must deal with it in three aspects prevention, intervention and quarantine.”

Ninth-grade student Perry Rolle Jr, pictured above, was fatally stabbed last month following an incident outside a school with another teenage boy.

A teenager has since been charged in connection with the incident.

$3M SPORTS CONTRACTS GIVEN OUT PRE-ELECTION from page one AEG’s management and consultancy deal with the National Sports Authority (NSA) was much-touted by former prime minister Perry Christie, who even suggested the group could bring the Los Angeles Lakers and other sporting teams in which it has an ownership stake to The Bahamas.

During the July 2016June 2017 fiscal year, the then Christie administration’s allocation for the NSA was $3,912,153.29, the largest it received in five years. This represented an increase of $3,388,577.87 over the year before when the authority received just $523,575.42. Before that, in 2014/2015 it received $404,270 and then $212,242 in 2013/2014.

However in the July 2011/ June 2013 fiscal period the NSA received $2,114,421.

That fiscal period also contained an election.

The audit report, tabled yesterday in the House of Assembly, did not make clear if there were any findings by auditors that substantiated the increase in 2016/2017.

Auditor General Terrance Bastian’s report covered the period July 2011 to December 2017.

The award of contracts further received a scathing review by the Office of the Auditor General. Several contracts came under scrutiny and it was concluded there was no information on file to state how contracts were awarded.

More specifically, there was limited procurement activity recorded and money was doled out but work never completed.

The report looked at 11 separate contracts but none of the companies involved was named in the auditor’s report.

Among the contracts was one for work by an entity named for the purposes of the report ‘Company A’.

The auditor said despite the company receiving $467,907.51, all of the deliverables were not met.

The report said: “We noted that Company A had entered into a consultancy

agreement with the National Sports Authority in May 22, 2015 for a three-year period ending August 22, 2018 at a fixed fee of $40,000 per month and payable in quarterly instalments.

“The Ministry of Finance made direct payments to the company totalling $467,907.51. We further noted that the contract both in terms of specifications and conditions had shortcomings as all of the deliverables were never completed.”

According to the annex of the audit report not one of 10 deliverables was completed. “We noted that the NSA Board made recommendations to cancel the company’s service contract in a letter dated May 22, 2017.”

This letter would have been sent after the general election, when the Free National Movement assumed office. “However, the company at this point had already received a total of $1,191,579.91,” the report added.

“We further noted that there was little information on the company and as a result it made it difficult to assess contract management – post award – as an appropriate file was not maintained. The documents that were provided

included the contract and invoices from the company.

There was no information to show how this company was chosen.”

A second contract was awarded and neither the board nor the executive team seemed to be aware of the engagement, the report noted.

A senior government official on October 8, 2014 signed the contract but there were no documents on file giving approval to pay $193,548.04 other than a copy of an invoice. Additionally, deliverables in the contract were vague and provided no timeline for completion.

In another instance, it was noted a senior government official authorised to sign cheques in the Ministry of Youth Sports and Culture was off the island so executives made a decision to have cheques drawn as they were allowed to

AUDITOR General Terrance Bastian authorise for amounts up to $50,000. The company in this case received three cheques in one day on one occasion.

“We noted that the Company H was paid an amount of $1,909,974,11 which covers the period of August 17, 2016 to June 16, 2017,” the report said. “We further noted that the bill payment report indicated three cheques written on the same day to the company.”

Each of the cheques

totalled $36,490.57. However no mention was made of the date this was done.

“While executives are allowed to sign cheques up to $50,000, it is felt that management may have over-extended their authority to have the cheques drawn on the same date.”

The report furthered: “If procedures for cheques are not enforced, fraud can occur and go undetected.”

A separate contractor paid $1,030,424.71 did not appear to go out to tender and contract documents were not on file. “As a result we could not determine if value for money was received.”

There were several other large contracts under similar circumstances. The report also highlighted that there seemed to be a breakdown in the structure of the NSA’s executive team.

At the time of the audit the post of general manager

and human resources manager were vacant. Both persons resigned and other support staff left the organisation for reasons unknown.

While Youth, Sports and Culture Minister Lanisha Rolle said yesterday she was not yet prepared to comment on the findings, the NSA’s management said, according to the report, it implemented procedures to improve documentation, payment approvals and procurement processes.

Additional accounting staff were also being recruited to ensure appropriate staff segregation of duties and manpower.

It said staff capabilities and manpower needs were also being looked at and prioritised.

See Tribune Business for more coverage.

PAGE 4, Thursday, April 4, 2019

THE TRIBUNE

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Cool tempers down at WSC before they boil over ALL the water at the Water & Sewerage Corporation must be boiling over considering how heated things are getting over there.

On Tuesday night, many people found as they turned their taps at home or work that nothing came out. From Fox Hill to Elizabeth, Princess Margaret Hospital to Soldier Road, areas north, south, east and west found themselves affected by interruptions to the power supply.

Even here at The Tribune, off went the water as our staff went about producing the next day’s paper.

People took to social media to complain about the Water & Sewerage Corporation – and might have been surprised to find chairman Adrian Gibson doing the same. He posted to Facebook to claim that workers were illegally shutting down the water supply, and teams were being sent out under police escort to turn it back on.

Yesterday in the House of Assembly, he repeated that claim and said any employee found to have tampered with the water supply would be fired and reported to police. The prime minister, Dr Hubert Minnis, said Mr Gibson had the full backing of the government.

The rhetoric hasn’t been any cooler on the other side of the argument – with union president Dwayne Woods making claims about Mr Gibson that has prompted threats of a lawsuit for defamation.

Outside Parliament, Mr Woods seemed to suggest none of his members would have done such a thing as tamper with the water supply. “…our members, I don’t think would carry out such an act. And it definitely didn’t come from the head of this union,” said Mr Woods. We would hope not. And we would hold him to his suggestion that if anyone is found to have done so that the union would indeed seek to partner with the police and Mr Gibson to bring them to justice.

But as accusations fly, what we really need is for these boiling tempers to settle down a little.

No agreement can easily be made while people are shouting at each other and throwing all manner of accusations around. This is a time for cooler heads, if only to work out how to set aside the accusations and move on.

And whatever the disputes, they should remain within the walls of WSC. There is no reason to take it out on the citizens trying to go about their business, washing uniforms for school or outfits for work, only to discover feuding rivals have turned off their water. Public sympathy will run out faster than those water pipes if that is ever repeated.

Transparency, please THE Auditor General has once again told us a familiar story. Contracts issued, work not done, the public left out of pocket. This time, the contracts were issued by the National Sports Authority.

We can be outraged, of course, but who should our outrage be directed towards? Not one of the companies failing to do the work it was hired for is named in the report. Instead, we have Company A, Company B, etc.

Thanks to research by Tribune Business, we know one of those companies is Anschutz Entertainment Group, which has an ownership stake in the LA Lakers. But what of the others?

The money paid to these companies came from the public – so isn’t it right that the public should know where their money went? We ought to know who failed to deliver what was promised – otherwise there’s little to discourage it from happening again.

It is concerning the government has now adopted a level of secrecy we have not previously seen. Why? When government starts to hide things the voters aren’t stupid. They can come to their own conclusions and act accordingly the next time they are asked for their vote.

A word to the wise EDITOR, The Tribune ON OR around 20th March 2019, multiple American news outlets and online magazines highlighted a European study, originally published in Lancet Psychiatry, that showed an increased risk of losing touch with reality (psychosis) in users of high potency marijuana.

This may include hallucinations and developing false beliefs, which makes it difficult for a person to determine whether something is real or not. It is well documented that frequent marijuana use is associated with higher risk of psychosis than in non users.

AFTER Attorney General Carl Bethel said the government’s proposed Nationality, Immigration and Asylum Bill seeks to establish greater certainty and fairness in its handling of nationality cases, readers posted their views on the issue on tribune242.com John asked: “Why such a small window considering how slow the process moves for getting these things done? Two things government should consider: Make drivers education a part of the 12 grade curriculum in all government schools. Start a programme

This particular study, which took place across London, Amsterdam and Paris showed higher rates of new psychosis than other cities in the study because of the availability of the higher strength weed. It was found that people who smoked marijuana daily had a three times higher risk of having a psychotic episode than a nonuser. Those who started younger than 15 years had a slightly higher risk than those who smoked later in life. Those who smoked high potency marijuana daily had a four times higher risk of having a psychotic episode.

It is important for Bahamians who like to jump

in the schools where all students can do all the necessary paperwork and apply for status while still in school. A mobile service that can go from school to school and even those on the Family Islands. Make the process more seamless and less frustrating rather than one that seeks to criminalise jail and deport potential citizens.”

on the ‘progressive’ bandwagon and seldom consider consequences of actions, to understand the risks of high THC marijuana; and it is equally important for the government to pay attention to the likelihood of this trend starting here.

I know more than one person who “lost their mind” smoking marijuana long before these high THC strains were available, so I shudder to think of what could happen here.

A word to the wise used to be sufficient, let’s hope it still is!

JB Nassau, April 2, 2019.

Thephoenix562 said: “Under 18 you cant apply for anything, your parents or guardian has to do it. I do agree that 6 months is a short time considering the documents that will be required. Considering some Bahamians can’t get passports in 6 months and some Bahamians are now being told after multiple passports, voters cards, years of service to their country that at age 60, etc that they have to prove they are Bahamian . . . Ah well.”

Don’t miss your chance to join the debate on tribune242.com.

GREEK Presidential guards take part in the changing of the guard ceremony, at the tomb of the unknown soldier in front of the Parliament in Athens yesterday.

Choking on a slice of Minnis humble pie EDITOR, The Tribune WE ALL knew that the Prime Minister can whip up a mean pot of tasty stewfish at virtually a moment’s notice. But some were pleasantly surprised to learn that the PM’s other culinary skill was that of pastry chef.

Recently Chef Minnis baked a rather large humble pie and has dished up generous slices for the likes of PLP chairman Fred Mitchell and Chester Cooper, the PLP newbie and resident parliamentary wisenheimer (a role bequeathed to him by the now seatless wonder Mr. Mitchell).

Mitchell heaped scorn on the Prime Minister back in January for having the audacity to think that he could mix it up with the big boys who run the European Union. Cooper condescendingly dismissed the trip and called on the PM to leave delicate economic diplomacy to “the experts”.

The Bahamas was at the time having its clock cleaned by the EU in a fresh round of blacklisting which was severely tying the hands of our financial services industry, a rather important plank in the very foundation on which our economy stands.

Until his direct intervention The Bahamas had thrown its full financial cavalry at the problem and still we were being stymied by the EU in a reaction that was part spite, part frustration and part blow-back from the Paradise Papers and Panama Papers scandals which left EU leaders having to at least appear to get tough on money laundering and assorted tax-related financial crimes, real or imagined.

Dr Minnis clearly saw that while the issue was about taxation and financial dealings, the real solution was a political one, and so

LETTERS letters@tribunemedia.net he must have concluded that he had to run direct interference to affect an amicable resolution with the EU and in so doing prove the old saying that a dog that doesn’t bark can still bite.

The EU’s beef with the Bahamas and other offshore financial centres (we stopped being a tax-haven decades ago) is that their best efforts at mulcting their corporate and private citizens were not yielding the kind of tangible results to the exchequer that they had hoped.

Someone was to blame and why not inculpate those exotic sounding places that still maintained low(ish) tax rates to attract offshore business. Other more hawkish tax havens such as the United States and reserved ones like Switzerland continue to hide in plain sight from the EU tax collectors.

Messrs Mitchell, Cooper et al in the PLP and no doubt even some people sitting on the PM’s own benches probably thought his trip was about vanity and therefore was doomed to fail.

Instead, Minnis swooped into Brussels on a low-key mission to present our case to the people who actually pull the power levers in the EU capital. He eschewed the blaring motorcades and fancy cocktail receptions, getting straight down to work upon landing and jetting back home immediately afterwards.

It worked.

Recently the EU announced that the Prime Minister had convinced them that our commitment to implementing best practices to weed out harmful tax protocols while leaving a lane for our legitimate

off-shore businesses to navigate, was solid and that he was personally vested in keeping the government’s shoulder to the wheel. He asked the EU to trust him and they do.

Mitchell, Cooper, et al still believe that the Prime Minister’s job description is limited to being advisorin-chief to the Governor General and head of the Cabinet.

Minnis has served notice that he can (and when the times demand, he will) be our diplomat-in-chief.

And he has been on a good wicket in that regard lately. Not only did he get us off the EU blacklist, but his backroom diplomacy helped diffuse the kerfuffle over our avidity for relief for the long-suffering Venezuelans, and this month Minnis helped fellow Caricom leaders reach a workable situation on what to do with LIAT airlines.

Comity trumped political correctness each time.

Bahamians have always drawn pride from a popular quote by British writer Rudyard Kipling which we still idealize as a trait most desirous in our Prime Minister.

To pass muster with us he (or she) must be able to talk with crowds and keep his (or her) virtue or walk with kings and not lose the common touch.

All of these can now be crossed off Minnis’ bucket list. He continues to wow crowds up and down the country. And last year he charmed a hearty laugh out of Her Majesty the Queen when he attended her at Buckingham Palace in London.

As to his cooking skills.

Messrs Mitchell, Cooper et al, are still choking on Minnis’ humble pie. There’s plenty more where that came from.

THE GRADUATE Nassau, April 2, 2019

THE TRIBUNE from page one Following Tuesday night’s shutdown, members of WSC’s two unions demonstrated outside Parliament chanting “Adrian’s got to go” as they reiterated their calls for the Long Island Member of Parliament to be removed from his post.

Mr Gibson’s statements in Parliament sparked a back and forth between himself, Official Opposition Leader Philip “Brave” Davis and Prime Minister Dr Hubert Minnis.

Mr Davis accused Mr Gibson of being controversial and “adding to the fire” of the dispute. Meanwhile, Dr Minnis defended Mr Gibson, saying the Long Island MP has the “full support of the government”.

On Tuesday, members of both BUSAWU and the Water & Sewerage Management Union’s (WSMU) president demonstrated outside WSC headquarters in what was termed a “withdrawal of enthusiasm”.

They decried what they deemed the unfair suspension of an employee for five days without pay.

During his address, Mr Gibson said: “Mr Speaker, after an illegal strike action yesterday and today, certain persons, intimately familiar with the workings at the (WSC) have engaged in an illegal shutdown of the water supply in various parts of NP. And as I sat here a moment ago, it was reported that the sewer network was also tampered with as there were lift station overflows at Arawak Cay, Chippingham sewer station as well as Pinewood Gardens.

“Mr Speaker throughout the night, pressure regulating valve alarms were going off across New Providence.

This indicated that pressure regulating valves were being shut off throughout the island and in a concerted and intentional effort to disrupt the water supply. Additionally, persons threw stones and rocks into the valves to cause irreparable damage, major costs to WSC, and untold hardship to our customers.”

Mr Gibson listed the areas affected, adding they equated to “pretty much the entire island”.

Noting the country was “tremendously inconvenienced by this wanton disruption of a necessary amenity,” Mr Gibson said WSC has mobilised emergency teams to travel to various sites and restore the supply.

“Mr Speaker, these malicious acts of sabotage criminality (in a) sick effort to terrorise and inflict hardship upon Bahamians and residents come on the heels of condemnable and incendiary utterances made elsewhere.”

Mr Gibson also said WSC camera footage from

Thursday, April 4, 2019, PAGE 5

Gibson threatens to sue and blasts supply saboteurs

MAIN: WSC demonstrations outside the House 0f Assembly yesterday. Photo: Terrel W Carey Sr/Tribune Staff.

ABOVE: WSC executive chairman Adrian Gibson; LEFT: president of the Bahamas Water and Sewerage Union Dwayne Woods.

Monday night revealed a truck “familiar to managers and staff” entering the compound’s back gate. He said the truck stayed for two to three minutes and the driver chained the gate and knocked out a camera. He added police are involved in the matter.

Mr Davis pointed out Mr Gibson’s remarks are “one side of a story”, adding if the police are investigating, “it’s akin to matters being subjudice”.

To this, Dr Minnis defended Mr Gibson’s responsibility to report to the nation what happened to the water supply.

As Mr Gibson finished his remarks, he called upon “all right-thinking Bahamians to condemn the disparaging, sexist remarks made about women at the corporation and their upward mobility”, referring to allegations made by union members during Tuesday’s press conference.

“These remarks are

disgraceful, reckless, and entirely unacceptable,” Mr Gibson said.

Underscoring that Tuesday’s demonstration was an “illegal strike to which there was no strike vote and no strike certificate,” Mr Gibson added: “Notably, between both unions out of an employee complement of nearly 440, only about 50 plus persons—a little over 10 percent—participated in those actions.

“Any employee found to have tampered with

the water supply will be summarily dismissed and referred to the police,” he said. “This type of behaviour will not be tolerated.”

Following Mr Gibson’s

remarks, Mr Davis noted the issues currently occurring within the corporation are a “result of industrial disputes that have been allowed to fester and fester”.

Mr Davis added: “And so the question has to be asked is why and how these issues have been allowed to bubble to the point where the allegations are now that employees are engaged in such conduct that is not healthy to anyone?”

As he called for Dr Minnis to get involved, the prime minister replied that he is involved.

“The member has the complete support of the

government. We will not and we will not condone or accept any misbehaviour or sabotage to government equipment, materials, and such. And subsequently interfere with the quality of life of Bahamians.”

Speaking about the matter outside Parliament, Mr Woods told The Tribune his union does not condone wrongdoing. Because a private company monitors the equipment, Mr Woods said officials should have known “almost instaneously” that an issue was occurring.

“What we also saying is that our members, I don’t think would carry out such an act. And it definitely didn’t come from the head of this union,” Mr Woods said. “What we are also saying is that if Mr Gibson has the proof that he claims he has, then we will partner with him and the police to bring the culprits to justice.”

PAGE 6, Thursday, April 4, 2019

THE TRIBUNE

THE GREAT IMMIGRATION DEBATE

GROUNDS FOR REFUSAL OF CITIZENSHIP EXPANDED

By AVA TURNQUEST Tribune Chief Reporter aturnquest@tribunemedia.net

THE Nationality, Immigration and Asylum Bill 2018 features expanded grounds for the refusal of citizenship under the constitution, and registration and naturalisation under the law to include terrorism, human and drug trafficking, as well as gangrelated activities.

Activities that are against the interests of national security and public policy are also included as proposed grounds for refusal.

While existing clauses concerning the renunciation and deprivation of citizenship are re-enacted, it is now required to notify people who are being

By AVA TURNQUEST Tribune Chief Reporter aturnquest@tribunemedia.net THE rationale behind proposed reforms to nationality and immigration laws is a reflection of xenophobic policies sweeping the world, according to former Director General of Culture Dr Nicolette Bethel, who yesterday predicted a cataclysmic, violent uprising.

Dr Bethel, a cultural anthropologist and assistant professor at the University of the Bahamas, was responding to a presentation by former Court of Appeal President Dame Anita Allen on the draft Nationality, Immigration and Asylum Bill, 2018.

Dame Allen, who chairs the Law Reform and Revision Commission that prepared the bill, characterised the legislation as “an effort to better protect our borders, to be tougher on violators, and to maintain this country’s nationhood.”

In the context of illegal immigration, Dame Anita further stated it was not unreasonable to suggest the country was in danger of losing its national identity.

Yesterday, Dr Bethel called this argument a “smokescreen” because successive administrations have not invested any resources to creative culture arts that would lend to the pursuit of a national identity.

She remarked $1m in a public/private fund was not the kind of investment that created such an identity.

“It’s appealing to people’s worst nature, it’s scapegoating,” Dr Bethel said.

“I don’t think that’s the reason why the law is being passed. There is a zeitgeist or sign of the times going around the world that is exclusionary, nationalist, and vaguely fascist, and we are probably riding that wave.”

She continued: “But none of the things going on around the world, none of them make sense. They resonate emotionally but don’t make sense anywhere in the world. They are going to lead to a cataclysmic uprising, bloodshed, everything, it will happen.”

Arguably, one of the most controversial features of the new bill is the provisions concerning the status of people whose acquisition of citizenship has been deferred under articles 7 and 9 of the constitution.

People in this category

deprived, and mandates an inquiry be held before the decision is carried out. The bill specifies that deprivation of citizenship applies to people who have been naturalised under articles 7, 9 and 10 of the constitution. This includes people who were born in The Bahamas and applied to get citizenship because their parents were non-Bahamians; people who were born outside The Bahamas to a Bahamian woman and applied to get citizenship; and foreigners who marry a Bahamian citizen and got citizenship through application.

The new bill also proposes to establish a new regime of appeals for the Immigration Department.

The bill was prepared by the Law Reform and Revision

Commission, chaired by Dame Anita Allen, and was released for public consultation last month.

It proposes a National Advisory Commission - an 11-member body tasked with investigating, reviewing, and advising the minister on citizenship applications and a 15-member Immigration Board to replace Cabinet as the administrative body for the administration of matters concerning entry, residence, and occupation.

The new Immigration Board will be comprised of 12 Cabinet appointed members and three public officers. An Immigration Appeals Tribunal will be comprised of 18 people, and will possibly sit in six groups of three to hear appeals from the Immigration Board.

Decisions made by immigration officers are appealable to the immigration director, whose decisions are then appealable to the board, and then to the Appeals Tribunal.

The tribunal’s decisions and those of the minister will be appealable to the Supreme Court.

It was noted by Dame Allen that the tribunal, while ambitious, will improve public perception of the department and make the process appear more transparent and fair.

As for the strengthening of the powers of immigration officers, the new bill creates offences for the failure to appear when summoned; failing to answer truthfully to questions asked by immigration officers; to produce false or misleading documents;

New laws will spark a violent uprising, predicts academic are those born in the Bahamas to foreign parents, and those born overseas to married Bahamian women with foreign husbands, and the bill provides them a “right to abode” via a resident belonger permit, allowing them to reside and work until they can apply and while their citizenship application is being considered.

Those who miss the constitutionally mandated time to apply for citizenship, by age 19 or 21, or have not applied for a resident belonger permit in the interim - will be up for deportation; those who have already missed the deadline will have six months to apply for status once the bill is passed before their residency in the country is considered unlawful.

Yesterday, Dr Bethel said: “What I’m saying is that by creating legislation, that has resonances of the kind of legislation that was created in Europe particularly Germany in the 1930s

DR Bethel noted the National Art Gallery of the Bahamas was the only “touchstone”, opens the door to uprisings and public violence.

“In two directions,” she continued, “it’s a violent act against the natural born child of a migrant. We are initiating the act of violence and we are giving permission to nationalists to feel justified in violence against the ‘other’. And so violence against us will result.”

In her presentation, Dame Allen explained the

existing state of the law “hampers the exercise of immigration control” over people born in the country to foreign parents, whom she said have no reason to leave the country after their birth.

Responding generally, Dr Bethel challenged the characterisation of people born in the country as immigrants.

“The people they are

and to otherwise knowingly mislead or attempt to mislead an immigration officer acting in the course of his duties. It also makes answers given during interrogation by immigration officers admissible in court, and places a duty on police and customs officers to assist immigration officers in administering the law.

The bill also seeks to empower the minister to grant citizenship to abandoned infants and stateless minors.

Another new feature is a 90-day time limit to take the oath of allegiance once informed that citizenship has been granted.

Failure to do so will result in the withdrawal of the citizenship offer.

DR NICOLETTE BETHEL, a cultural anthropologist and assistant professor at the University of the Bahamas Photo: Shawn Hanna/Tribune Staff talking about are not immigrants,” Dr Bethel continued, “they are people who are born in this country. So I don’t see how this is a threat to jobs? These are people we have already paid for their healthcare and education, and to lock them out of the job market is to lock the country out from recouping on that investment.”

Dr Bethel continued: “If people are born in this country, and they have already by default identified as Bahamian, we should make it easy for them to be Bahamian, and to know what Bahamian is.

“We have absolutely no requirement for anyone to do anything that resembles true education about Bahamian history in the schools.

People come into the University of the Bahamas with no knowledge whatsoever.

Dr Bethel said: “We have no national library, we have something called a National Library System but we have nothing beyond the archives that is tasked with

collecting, and opening to the public, and promoting and publicising Bahamian works of any kind.”

Dr Bethel noted the National Art Gallery of the Bahamas was the only “touchstone”, with the absence of a national school of the arts and no public education curriculum on drama.

“Junkanoo is not enough and the way we have dealt with it has changed,” she added, underscoring there was more financial investment pumped into the creation of the Carnival parade than allotted for past Junkanoo parades.

As for the country’s national identity, Dr Bethel said: “We have not invested in it in any way, shape, or form. The way it’s created is through national monuments, investment in artists, things that people can touch and identity with.

“The only thing we have really invested in is drawing boundaries and exclusion,” she said.

BUY A $750,000 HOUSE AND BECOME A RESIDENT

By AVA TURNQUEST Tribune Chief Reporter aturnquest@tribunemedia.net

PURCHASING a home for $750,000 or more can make foreigners eligible for economic permanent residency in the country, according to a proposed new immigration bill.

The Nationality, Immigration, and Asylum Bill 2018 puts permanent residency within reach for financially independent applicants who intend to permanently reside in the country, and have either purchased a home or “otherwise invested” in that amount.

The bill also introduces new categories of work visas, as well as term limits on work visas, which had been previously foreshadowed by the government.

The new categories

include the BH-1B and BH-4S visas under the Commercial Enterprise Act and short- term work visas under the Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) between The Bahamas as a member of Cariforum, and member states of the European Union.

The BH-4S visa entitles the spouse and any dependent children to enroll at an education or vocational institution in the country, and is valid for a three year period.

It does not grant the holder the right to work in the country.

According to the bill, new work visas will not be granted where the holder has held a visa for seven years, unless there is a break period of not less than a year.

The bill was prepared by the Law Reform and Revision Commission, chaired

by Dame Anita Allen, pictured below, and was released for public consultation last month.

In an internal presentation obtained by The Tribune, Dame Allen underscored term limits may require a “transitional provision for persons who at commencement have already exceeded the limit.”

“The EPA (Economic Partnership Agreement),” Dame Allen continued, “as we understand it is designed to open up and enhance trade between the European member countries and The Bahamas and the provisions in the bill seek to facilitate that by allowing

cross border supply of services, and the temporary presence of natural persons in each other’s borders for business purposes.

“These are accomplished by the grant of short-term visas to key personnel which include business visitors, graduate trainees, business service sellers, contractual service suppliers, independent professionals and short-term visitors for business purposes,” she stated in her presentation.

Permanent residency certificates remain in force during the lifetime of the certificate holder, unless or until it is revoked.

Ordinarily, a person must be legally resident in The Bahamas for a minimum period of eight years, intends to reside permanently in The Bahamas, and is “of good character” to be eligible for permanent

residence. Once granted, the certificate holder can then endorse the certificate to apply for a spouse or dependent child. Any endorsement for a dependent child will be valid until the child is no longer a dependent.

A certificate for permanent residence can also be granted to the child of a married Bahamian woman, who was born outside of the country to a foreign husband and a child who was born in the Bahamas to foreign parents.

This application differs from the application for a resident belonger permit - which is prescribed as eligible for deferred acquisition of citizenship under Articles 7 and 9 of the constitution, and those ineligible due to Articles 3(2) and 8, in that Belonger permits allow for gainful

employment for the duration of the permit.

The resident Belonger permit, according to the bill, is renewable every 10 years.

In an internal presentation, Dame Allen highlighted the decision of whether to offer citizenship to children born outside the country to Bahamian fathers who were born overseas before independence as a “salient” issue.

Those men would have obtained citizenship under Article 3(2), and as such, are unable to pass on their citizenship to children born outside the country.

Dame Allen said the commission believed people in this category have a “substantial connection” to the country; however, she noted it was not included in the initial draft bill.

THE TRIBUNE

By NICO SCAVELLA Tribune Staff Reporter nscavella@tribunemedia.net A MAN claimed yesterday that officers squeezed his testicles and suffocated him with a plastic bag to get him to confess to killing another man in furtherance of a murder plot stemming from gang warfare three years ago.

Jahmaro “Bingy” Edgecombe, taking the witness stand before Justice Cheryl Grant-Thompson, said he was “tortured” by police officers at the Central Detective Unit (CDU) to get him to admit to shooting Kenyari Lightbourne to death on June 21, 2016.

However, Edgecombe said the officers who threatened and manhandled him told him they didn’t really want him; they were more interested in him implicating the “big fish”, namely Sean “Fire” Brown and Daran Neely.

And for that reason, he said officers forcibly instructed him on what to say during his record of interview, and also instructed him on what to do and say when they would ultimately record a video of him showing them exactly where and how he allegedly committed the crime.

Edgecombe also said officers tried to use allegations that he shot at the police prior to Lightbourne’s death as leverage in the situation by saying they would drop those charges against him if he cooperated with their scheme.

The revelations were made during Edgecombe and Brown’s trial before Justice Grant-Thompson into Lightbourne’s death.

Neely and Edgecombe were arraigned within months of each other in 2016 in connection with Lightbourne’s death. Brown was charged with being an accessory after the fact.

The Crown claims that Neely authorised the hit on Lightbourne’s life because of his affiliation with the Mad Ass gang some days before the actual murder, and that Neely sent Brown to pay Edgecombe $6,000 for successfully executing the crime.

On Tuesday, however, Neely was acquitted by the jury at Justice GrantThompson’s directions.

During proceedings yesterday, Edgecombe claimed that on July 13, 2016, he was taken from the Bahamas Department of Correctional Services (BDCS) by Officers McKenzie, Seymour and Evans. He said as they left the BDCS, the officers told him they would lock him up in connection with Lightbourne’s murder.

Edgecombe said he denied knowing or killing

Thursday, April 4, 2019, PAGE 7

Witness claims police tortured him to confess Lightbourne. He said when he asked for his lawyer, Officer Evans, told him: “Ain’t no (expletive) lawyer ga save you today.”

Edgecombe said Officer McKenzie subsequently said: “…We ain’t have to go through that today. He then shoot at the police, we ga get him to work with us.”

Edgecombe said he was taken to the CDU and led to the homicide section, where Officer Evans instructed him to sit in a chair. He said Officer Evans then asked: “You know where you (expletive) is today? Inside here, we is turn big men into canaries inside here. We is make them sing.”

However, he said, Officer McKenzie interjected and said, “No man, we ain’t got to go through that today.

Let me talk to him.”

Edgecombe said the officers took him to another section of CDU, which housed the office of Officer Johnson.

The officers instructed him to have a seat before Officer Johnson who told him he had something to show him.

Edgecombe said Officer Johnson showed him an “anonymous statement” that contained allegations that he shot somebody three times in the head with a .40 caliber firearm, before fleeing the Woods Alley area and fleeing onto Baillou Hill Road, amongst other things. Edgecombe said when he told Officer Johnson he knew nothing of those allegations, he made a phone call and officers took him back to the homicide section.

Edgecombe said when he got back in that section, he noticed a tall officer clad in all blue who identified himself as Officer Fernander.

Two other officers dressed in the same blue fatigues were with him. Edgecombe said Officer Fernander asked him if he knew him, to which he replied no.

Edgecombe said Officer Fernander then said: “You

don’t know me and you shoot at my police?” Edgecombe said when he denied doing so, Officer Fernander asked him, “Why you kill Kenyari?”

Edgecombe said when he denied killing Kenyari, Officer Fernander then told Officer Evans: “Carry him upstairs.”

Edgecombe said Officer Evans consequently handcuffed him behind has back and placed shackles on his feet. He said he was then led upstairs to a conference room by Officer Evans and the two officers who were with Officer Fernander.

Edgecombe said once they were in the room, the officers instructed him to go to a corner, get down on his knees and face the wall. Edgecombe said he did as instructed, but when he faced the wall, he heard a taser go off. He said when he looked back to see what was happening, one of the officers in all blue said: “What the (expletive) you looking at? What you looking back for?” As a result, he said he turned to face the wall again. He said a black plastic bag was suddenly put over his head.

Edgecombe said when that happened, he immediately started pleading, “Sir, I ain’t do nothing, sir, I don’t know what ya’ll talking about.” However, he said the officer continued to apply “a lot of pressure” on the plastic bag. He said an officer told him, “You shoot at the police? You little punk!”

Edgecombe said he fell flat on the ground as a result of being suffocated.

At that time, he said, one of the officers had a knee in his back, while another officer was squeezing his testicles and was also pressing his face against the floor.

Edgecombe said he tried to wiggle free, but couldn’t, and went unconscious.

Edgeceombe said when he came to, the officers told him: “You think we playing with you inside here? We ga kill you inside here.” He

said he pleaded for his life, and agreed to work with them.

“I was ready to do whatever,” he added. “I just didn’t want to die.”

Edgecombe said Officer Miller entered the room some five minutes later with a yellow folder in hand, and told him: “Bey, don’t waste my (expletive) time today, bey. I don’t play game, bey.

We getting straight to the point today.”

Edgecombe said Officer Miller subsequently took an “anonymous statement” out of the folder and gave it to him to read. Edgecombe said after he read it, Officer Miller told him: “Bey, look here, we don’t really want you; we want the big fish them. We want Daran Neely and Sean Brown. This who we want.

We just want you say these things on video, and we ga use you. We ga drop the charges against you what you in jail for now, we ga drop these charges, and we ga use you as a witness. You don’t even have to come in court.”

Edgecombe said Officer’s Miller and McKenzie then

led him downstairs to the interview suite. He said Officer Miller opened the interview by asking him if he wanted a lawyer. But Edgecombe said when he replied in the affirmative, Officer Miller stopped the interview and said “let’s go”.

Edgecombe said they walked just outside the suite’s door where Officer Miller told him: “Bey we ain’t (expletive) playing with you today bey. I could go home to my kids and I could send you back up there with them police officers. I sure I could go home to my kids and you’d be leaving here in a body bag.”

Edgecombe said he submitted to the threats, and he and the two officers again proceeded to commence the interview, during which he confessed to killing Lightbourne, and in response to questions put to him by Officer Miller, outlined how he pulled it off.

However, he said the information he gave to Officer Miller was given to him by Officer Miller himself and also was contained in the anonymous statement he saw earlier.

At the end of the interview, Edgecombe said he signed everything given to him because he “had to” because he was in fear for his life.

He said the officers then took him back to the homicide section, where Officer Miller told him: “One last thing I want you to do. I ga take you somewhere, and I ga show you something. When I show you this, I want you say this just like I show you this, and make eye contact with the camera.”

He said he and Officer Miller went to the scene of the crime, where the officer directed him on exactly what to say and what areas to point out for when they would record the actual video of him directing them to the crime scene.

Edgecombe said when he showed indifference to the plan, Officer Miller told him: “You think we playing with you aye? We then bring you from jail. I could say you escape. I could push you out this car and headshot you. Now what you ga do?”

The case continues.

PAGE 8, Thursday, April 4, 2019

THE TRIBUNE

Carnival stunned by large interest on Grand Bahama from page one

by the end of September so it can start moving forward with construction of the port over the next two years.

In order to do that, he said that it was important for them to meet with various interested parties who can provide the support they need. He noted that Carnival expects to begin construction on October 1.

On February 4, Carnival announced plans for a proposed port at Sharp Rock in East Grand Bahama which will be the largest cruise port development in the world. The port would be able to accommodate two 6,000-passenger vessels, and it is estimated that 1,000 jobs would be created, and an estimated 1 million passengers will be brought annually to Grand Bahama.

Mr Candib was very excited about the turnout yesterday which he believes shows strong support for the project by Grand Bahamians.

“We are going to need support over the next six months to one year and a half that is depending on us securing all licences and permits by October 1 this year. And then over the next two years working on the design and finalising it, and starting construction,” he said.

“Today was our opportunity to provide the form to a variety of opportunities that Carnival Grand Port will provide here in GB and those surrounding islands,” he said.

“Today we were able to share details of the elements in construction and design, architecture, and engineering that we are going to be needing support

CARNIVAL’S first Grand Port industry meeting in Grand Bahama attracted a large turnout of people. for as we finalise securing all licences and permits with the government and agencies by end of September.”

Mr Candib said the participation from Grand Bahamians surpassed their expectations.

“We are extremely happy... to have a full crowd and standing room only in both presentations this morning which was incredibly exciting for us because

it validates our largest investment to date, and in choosing GB for that. We are very thrilled to see the turnout and that people really want to be part of what we will be doing,” he stated.

He stated that the investment of $100 million will be the largest and biggest investment to date by a company in a port.

Giora Israel, Carnival’s

senior vice president of global port and destination development, and Marie McKenzie, vice president of global ports in Caribbean and government relations, were also present.

Mr Israel said that Carnival Corporation operates nine cruise lines, but that the port in Grand Bahama will be built under the Carnival Cruise Line brand logo.

Mr Candib told those attending the presentation held for food and beverage that it will be one of the most important components at the cruise port.

“Within our ports, we want to create a unique port development that provides experiences uniquely Bahamians to guests with unique concepts and brands,” he said.

It was noted that Carnival plans to negotiate and execute a series of commercial leases with various operators. The commercial leases will be for a term up to 10 years based on the level of investment (up to several million dollars).

Each store will be carefully designed to ensure Bahamian authenticity.

Ian Rolle, president of the Grand Bahama Port Authority, and Greg Laroda, president of the Grand Bahama Chamber of Commerce, were also in attendance.

THE TRIBUNE

Thursday, April 4, 2019, PAGE 9

Breaking corruption

Time out in The Big Easy

POLITICS is often about transitions, and there is sometimes irony as developments unfold. This week two prominent American cities were reminded of that. In Chicago, now only the nation’s third-largest city and likely soon to be displaced by Houston for even that position, a former federal prosecutor named Lori Lightfoot, pictured below, was chosen as the city’s first black female mayor. She prevailed in a run-off election over another African-American woman. “We can and we will break this city’s endless cycle of corruption,” Lightfoot declared.

Chicago has been wracked by criminal violence as well as corruption in recent years. So too has Baltimore suffered, with five different police chiefs in the past five years proving to be an insufficient response. Now comes a further indignity.

Incumbent black, female Baltimore mayor Catherine Pugh was forced to take a “leave of absence” in the wake of revelations she has accepted almost $700,000 from companies that do business with her city. The money was for copies of her self-published children’s books in a series called “Healthy Holly.”

It may take Baltimore, a city that nurtured the political careers of both Nancy Pelosi and current House Trump tormenter Elijah Cummings, a while to recover.

MANY American cities have nicknames. Among the best known are The Big Apple (New York City), City of Angels or La-La Land (Los Angeles), The Windy City (Chicago), The City of Brotherly Love (Philadelphia), The Hub (Boston), Motown (Detroit), The Queen City (Cincinnati), Charm City (Baltimore), Big D (Dallas), The Mile-High City (Denver) and the City

by The Bay or just The City (San Francisco). It might be illustrative that the national capital city of Washington DC really doesn’t have a nickname to rival the others, unless of course you just call it The Swamp.

But one American city nickname stands above all the rest, because it manages to capture so perfectly the essence of the city.

And it’s not even the only moniker for the largest city in its state and region.

Also known as The Crescent City, Nawlins or even NOLA, Louisiana’s gateway is a lot of things to a lot of people. But the best of all its nicknames is The Big Easy, because New Orleans is, well, easy.

Now one year after celebrating its 300th anniversary, New Orleans is in some ways an antidote to what ails the United States. Whereas New York and Washington thrum to the beat of angry honking horns on their streets and the pinched faces of high achievers on their sidewalks, New Orleans is notable for its quiet and serenity.

Its classic streetcar line is the oldest continuously operating line in the world. But although the St. Charles Line’s charming

AS EVERY baseball season begins, fans in northern cities wonder anew why in the world MLB persists in scheduling so many late March and early April regular season games in cities like Cleveland, Detroit, Minneapolis and Chicago, where the air temperatures often don’t top the freezing mark and the winds of winter have not yet completely dissipated. Surely there are enough teams in cities with either balmy temperatures or domed stadiums to accommodate a more fan (and player)

friendly environment for these early games.

Ah, but there is an insuperable factor on the other side of the scale on this issue: Tradition. No professional sport reveres tradition like baseball. So fans freeze and players risk injury all over again.

Thus it was that Nationals vans braved cold and wind on Tuesday to watch the latest instalment of the return of the prodigal son. $330-million-man Bryce Harper returned to Washington for the first time as a member of the division rival Philadelphia Phillies.

Nats ace Max Scherzer, a $30-million per year pitcher himself, struck out Harper the first two times they faced each other. But Harper, pictured top left, later homered and the Phillies won fairly easily. It’s really early, but by the end of the long season, this game might look significant.

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STATESIDE with Charlie Harper old school cars are often jammed with tourists, commuters, domestic workers in the city’s high-end Garden District, university students from Tulane and Loyola and locals taking the easiest route from point A to point B, both passengers and drivers consistently display a pleasant tolerance for the chaos.

There just doesn’t seem to be any rush.

And after the kids are off to school and their parents depart for work, neighbourhoods very close to downtown are tranquil in the blessed

post-Mardi Gras stillness and pre-summer low humidity in New Orleans.

Algiers, the working-class community that is the western terminus of the ferry across the Mississippi River from the foot of Canal Street, is almost eerily quiet at midday, the peace punctured only by the distant grinding of a municipal garbage truck.

The working-class parts of the lower Garden District are similarly tranquil. Nearly everyone who is out and about is having a coffee and perhaps a knock-off beignet in a local place. A Hollywood feature

film, “Filthy Rich,” has just finished shooting in a handsome antebellum mansion on Jackson Street. “That’s (US President) Andrew Jackson, not (Civil War Confederate hero) Stonewall Jackson,” a local reminds a visitor. New Orleans removed a prominent statue of Robert E Lee a couple of years ago. There wasn’t too much fuss about it.

One of the world’s cities most vulnerable to the inevitability of global warming and the rise of the oceans, sitting astride the angry serpentine might of the continent’s most potent river system, still not recovered from the devastation of Hurricane Katrina, New Orleans is a welcome reminder that resilience and perspective can still overcome adversity.

There’s still a job to do MANY observers from the US side are the believe the critical elefollowing: “We have a ment of post-World War very strong foundation of II stability and the defeat shared democratic values. of Soviet Communism was The (NATO) alliance has the North Atlantic Treaty brought peace, stabilOrganization (NATO), ity and prosperity to its now celebrating its 70th citizens. That is a cause to anniversary in Washingcelebrate. But (NATO) is ton, where the original also adapting to ensure the alliance treaty was signed SECRETARY of State Mike Pompeo, future.” in 1949. It’s probably fit- right, meets NATO Secretary GenPart of that future would ting that the headline eral Jens Stoltenberg yesterday. be bolstered, in the Ameriissues facing the gathered can view, by more than $100 leaders mostly concern the successor state billion in new defence spending committo the Soviet Union. No longer motivated ments by non-US alliance members by the by ideology but with still the paranoid end of next year. As Europe grapples with outlook of the world’s largest, sprawling Brexit, Italian commitment to China’s Belt empire, Russia looms again as NATO’s and Road initiative and internal strains, main preoccupation. one can only wish NATO good luck. It will Among the platitudes emerging so far be needed.

Don’t back my tips LAST week we confidently forecast US college basketball’s Final Four would be Duke, North Carolina, Purdue and Florida State. How’d that work out? The actual Final Four are Michigan State, Virginia, Texas Tech and Auburn. Last weekend’s regional finals were a timely reminder never to bet with money you need, since few predicted the outcomes of the games. Still, we soldier on.

This weekend’s matchups in Minneapolis feature Auburn, the only team to ever beat basketball gods Kansas, North Carolina and Kentucky in the same NCAA tournament.

Coached by amiable, iconoclastic, sometimes rule-breaking outsider but consistently successful Bruce Pearl, pictured below, Auburn enters as a five-point underdog to the only remaining top seed, Virginia. Tony Bennett’s Cavaliers are a top defensive team every year, and should get past a Tiger squad clearly weakened by the loss through injury of Chuma Okeke.

The other game showcases Michigan State, led

by Hall of Fame coach and occasional temper tantrum tyrant Tom Izzo. The Spartans are led by indominable guard Cassius Winston, who reminds some of UConn hero Kemba Walker, who simply would not let his team lose as the Huskies won the 2011 national championship. MSU is a 2.5-point favourite over upstart Texas Tech and its silky star Jarrett Culver.

There’s a lot of conventional wisdom around this game, virtually all of it around the experience of both Izzo and his not one-and-done group of seasoned players. We’re buying it.

In the final, Michigan State will likely be the betting favourite, for all the reasons above. But it helps to remember UVA was, just last year, the only top seed in history to lose its first tournament game.

The players and coach who suffered that humiliation are still around. Payback is sweet. Virginia to win it all.

PAGE 10, Thursday, April 4, 2019

THE TRIBUNE

LLOYD DEFENDS INCREASE IN UB TUITION FEES

By RICARDO WELLS Tribune Staff Reporter rwells@tribunemedia.net

INCREASES to the University of the Bahamas’ (UB) tuition and fee schedule will offset the institution’s “significant deficit,” according to Education Minister Jeffrey Lloyd.

He was addressing public fallout over the proposed 15 percent hike in fees for first year students this upcoming fall semester.

In a letter to students

By KHRISNA RUSSELL Deputy Chief Reporter krussell@tribunemedia.net PRIME Minister Dr Hubert Minnis announced yesterday concessions for the REACH organisation, telling Parliament the needs of those with autism had for too long been ignored.

Dr Minnis said REACH will not only receive Crown land to build its new facility, but building materials and supplies also will be duty free. The government will also give an additional $100,000 to aid the autism community.

Following the announcement yesterday, Finance Minister K Peter Turnquest said the funds would most likely be added to the Ministry of Social Services’ budget, which will be presented in Parliament in the coming weeks.

However, Englerston MP Glenys Hanna Martin urged the government not to forget the pioneering and advocacy by former Prime Minister Perry Christie while he occupied the office. Mr Christie’s son, Adam, has autism.

Mrs Hanna Martin said Mr Christie should be credited with getting the conversation started, adding plans had already been drawn under the former government for a facility for those with special needs.

over the weekend, UB’s Office of University Relations advised that as of fall 2018, the estimated real cost of attendance per student attending the institution was between $26,810 and $30,810 annually inclusive of housing, based on figures provided by the Office of Financial Aid & Scholarships.

It added: “As of fall 2019, the Office of Financial Aid and Scholarships estimates that for first-time, first year students, the annual cost of

attendance per student will be between $29,180 and $33,780. Whereas at other institutions approximately 38 percent of the cost of attendance is covered by student tuition and fees, at UB, this accounts for merely 20 percent of the cost of attendance.”

The letter further noted tuition and fees had gone unchanged for 20 years with government subvention covering the minimal operational, educational and growth expenditures.

As of this fall late

registration fees will go from $150 to $250; application fees will go from $40 to $50; ID card fees will go from $10 to $20; transcripts and e-transcripts will go from $5 to $20; local status letters — inclusive of enrolment, initial review, progression and completion letters (except initial graduation letters) — will go from $10 to $50; international status letters will go from free to $60; add/ drop/withdrawal fees will go from $20 to $25; diploma certificates will go from

free to $50 and graduation evaluation fees will go from $100 to $250.

Mr Lloyd, who yesterday referred to these increases as a “small adjustment,” said despite the move, the Minnis administration is committed to delivering on its promise of free tuition for UB students who meet certain criteria. “It has to be said, the University of the Bahamas has, for a long time, been operating with a significant deficit. What this is, is a small adjustment of 15 percent to fees and

tuition that we hope can go toward lowering that legacy deficit,” he said.

“We, as a government, have proposed our plan of getting students to UB. And once that is the case, we are committed, and this also important to understand, getting them there with free tuition,” he added.

Mr Lloyd said the government would seek to clarify its “free education” plan in the coming months, suggesting that definitive details would be presented during the 2019-2020 budget debate.

Minnis announces extra plans to deal with autism

PRIME Minister Hubert Minnis arriving at REACH’s 7th annual Light It Up Blue Ceremony at Rawson Square on Tuesday evening.

Photo: Shawn Hanna/Tribune Staff She called on the government to consider these plans.

“Mr Speaker, I can speak on behalf of the government and we will add an

additional $100,000,” Dr Minnis said as members of REACH looked on from the gallery.

“I know the REACH organisation has been

asking for availability of land so that they can put the proper infrastructure in place to not only assist in diagnosing these cases very early, but they can assist in

managing the students but also take into consideration that there is an after school programme that has to be implemented also.

“Therefore, I can say on behalf of the government we are prepared once the land is identified to release land for the REACH organisation.

“We will go one step further, Mr Speaker, and I am certain that the minister of finance will have no objection. I say to the REACH organisation that we do not have the funds to construct your complex, but we can assist by removing all duties from your supplies and materials as necessary.”

Dr Minnis said this was being done to prepare The Bahamas for generations to come.

He also appealed to all Bahamians to make donations wherever necessary to help the organisation with its new facility.

Frankie Campbell, social services and urban development minister, has also made an appeal for the

country’s speech, behavioural and occupational therapy specialists to partner with the government in the treatment of autism by offering their services without charge to REACH Bahamas as a way of giving back to the community.

Mr Campbell said while there is no cure for autism and the causes are unknown, treatment is available through therapy and behavioural interventions that address the core symptoms which are impaired social interaction, challenges with verbal and nonverbal communication, and obsessive or repetitive routines and interests.

Mr Campbell said while the exact number of autistic children in the country is unknown, the Department of Statistics has assured them that this question will be included in its upcoming 2020 Census.

The prime minister estimated yesterday there could be as many as 7,000 children affected.

THE TRIBUNE

Thursday, April 4, 2019, PAGE 11

By ROBERT WYSS Professor of Journalism, University of Connecticut

How the 1869 Cincinnati Red Stockings turned baseball into a national sensation

T

HIS Major League Baseball season, fans may notice a patch on the players’ uniforms that reads “MLB 150.”

The logo commemorates the Cincinnati Red Stockings, who, in 1869, became the first professional baseball team – and went on to win an unprecedented 81 straight games.

As the league’s first openly salaried club, the Red Stockings made professionalism – which had been previously frowned upon – acceptable to the American public.

But the winning streak was just as pivotal.

“This did not just make the city famous,” John Thorn, Major League Baseball’s official historian, said in an interview for this article. “It made baseball famous.”

In the years after the Civil War, baseball’s popularity exploded, and thousands of American communities fielded teams.

Initially most players were gentry – lawyers, bankers and merchants whose wealth allowed them to train and play as a hobby.

The National Association of Base Ball Players banned the practice of paying US$10,000 for his payroll players.

At the time, the concept and hired Harry Wright to of amateurism was espe- captain and manage the cially popular among fans. squad. Wright was lauded Inspired by classical ideas later in his career as a of sportsmanship, its pro- “baseball Edison” for his ponents argued that playing ability to find talent. But sport for a reason other the best player on the team than for the love of the was his 22-year-old brother, game was immoral, even George, who played shortstop. George Wright would corrupt.

Nonetheless, some of end up finishing the 1869 the major clubs in the season with a .633 batting East and Midwest began average and 49 home runs.

Only one player hailed disregarding the rule prohibiting professionalism from Cincinnati; the rest and secretly hired talented had been recruited from young working-class play- other teams around the nation. Wright had hoped ers to get an edge.

After the 1868 season, to attract the top player in the national association the country for each posireversed its position and tion. He didn’t quite get sanctified the practice of the best of the best, but the paying players. The move team was loaded with stars.

As the season began, the recognized the reality that some players were already Red Stockings and their getting paid, and that was new salaries attracted little unlikely to change because press attention.

“The benefits of proprofessionals clearly helped fessionalism were not teams win.

Yet the taint of pro- immediately recognized,” fessionalism restrained Greg Rhodes, a co-author virtually every club from of “Baseball Revolutionpaying an entire roster of aries: How the 1869 Red Stockings Rocked the players.

The Cincinnati Red Country and Made BaseStockings, however, became ball Famous,” told me.

“So the Cincinnati experithe exception.

In the years after the ment wasn’t seen as all that Civil War, Cincinnati was a radical.”

The Red Stockings young, growing, grimy city.

The city had experienced opened the season by winan influx of German and ning 45 to 9. They kept Irish immigrants who toiled winning and winning and in the multiplying slaugh- winning – huge blowouts.

At first only the Cinterhouses. The stench of hog flesh wafted through cinnati sports writers had the streets, while the black caught on that something fumes of steamboats, special was going on. Then, locomotives and factories in June, the team took its first road trip east. Playing lingered over the skyline.

Nonetheless, money was in hostile territory against pouring into the coffers of what were considered the the city’s gentry. And with best teams in baseball, prosperity, the city sought they were also performing respectability; it wanted to before the most influential be as significant as the big sports writers.

The pivotal victory was cities that ran along the ne 4-to-2 win against TheBigTgestriAndabBesut!tight Atlantic seaboard – New York, Tri and what had been considered bune TheBiggest Philadelphia by many the best team in And Best!

Baltimore.

OBITS Cincinnati’s INSIDE main club, baseball, the powerful New budne the Red Stockings, was York Mutuals, Tin he eeTarikgame W enHall run by an ambitious young played with Tammany lawyer named Aaron “boss” William Tweed Champion. Prior to the watching fromWatthe ch thestands.

Now the national 1869 season, he budgeted film - every press

ABOVE: A drawing from Harper’s Weekly depicts a game between the Red Stockings and the Brooklyn Atlantics.

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AS ATLA NTIS LEAV ES ROLE

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OH, AND THERE’S AN ELITE WATER LIST TOO

es Revealed: Nam list and on the eliteowed what they

not be officials could T to press time. reached up

By AVA TURNQUES to sources Reporter of According .net Tribune Chief matter, as tribunemedia close to the Wells has since aturnquest@ Mr Progres- Monday his accounts FOUR former Cabinet paid $9,000 on balParty an outstanding ARNOLD sive Liberal more than with $8,600.

FORBES ministers owedat Bahamas ance of some also said as $62,023 The source Forbes was one $20,000 each Mr Light, with Power and in arrears of Monday the company former minister as of July, in talks with balance over settle the Mr for some $60,000 a list obtained to three-month period. to a according PLP Mount

by The Tribune.and Collec- Forbes, former MP, was appointed The Credit 2015, listing of Moriah in January the tions Department and board to Cabinet served as senators previously and MPs, for the period chairman of the Bahamas members 31, revealed l and Industrial ending July State Minister Agricultura . not that former of Works Corporation on the “do Ministry the Others in owed BPL list are: former Dr disconnect” Arnold Forbes of Health Tall $62,023.14.

by The Minister former The list obtained delin- Perry Gomez, Leslie Miller, Tribune contains of six Pines MP Youth Minister of former quent accounts Cabinet minis- former Johnson, Dion former PLP PLP MPs, Dr Danny Village MP ters, two former Tourism DR DANIEL entities, and Nassau , two private Cabinet min- Smith, former JOHNSON Obie Wilchcombe one sitting $24,413 Town MP Minister South Beach MP and former ister: Bamboo Hamilton State Renward Wells. who owed Cleola of Mr Wells, $3,703.96 at former Minister Damian Affairs $9,277.07 and locations - for Legal two separatetotal – did not Gomez.

SEE PAGE EIGHT $12,981.03 in yesterwant to comment other former day, and the

T

By AVA TURNQUES Reporter t Tribune Chief ibunemedia.ne aturnquest@tr Sewerage WATER and Chairman Corporation yesterday Adrian Gibson existence the confirmed disconnect” of a “do not by scores list populatedthe governof elites at utility owned to ment he pledged as provider on initiate a crackdown accounts. delinquent told The Mr Gibson l “confidentia , the Tribune 221accounts list” held total of with a combined the period $175,000 for2017. ending June he plans He said that corporathe to direct all persons tion to notify arrears excessive owing debts or face to resolve n. disconnectio a list confi“There is the Long list,” dential Island MP said. would think “In fact, I s corporation that all the year or two, in over the last and more particularly year, there May of thisclose attenhas been that list by tion paid to t with the managemen changing the a view to lists usually way those operate. this con“As it stands, a number has fidential list on it, and of persons it’s being truly and really persons by used to notify or letters. courtesy call that as the I can say toothe corporachairman of to direct tion I am going owing that all personswho are excessive arrears EIGHT SEE PAGE at the end of

DR PERRY GOMEZ $24,498

LESLIE MILLER $42,219

DION SMITH $9,275

RENWARD WELLS $12,980

BPL WHO RUNS is quite willCRUNCH DAY OVER utilityto operator from it “walk away”

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By NEIL HARTNELL Editor $25m, five-year maximum t contract et Tribune Business ibunemedia.n BPL managemen nhartnell@tr and Minnis if the board wish it to go. on Power & BAHAMAS board will administrati which will The meeting,PowerSecure Light’s (BPL) by meeting” hold a “crunch e today, be attendedand their attorneys key with PowerSecurlikely crit- executives is viewed as the from the US, with the outcome whether the to determining whethermake and ical in decidingas manager. sides will “kiss latter remainsTribune Busi- two separate. up” or Multiple - SEE BUSINESS yesterday US FULL STORY ness sources that the confirmed

HUMILIATION FORAFTER 4O YEARS LOSES HIS SEAT

seats: Encaptured four Island and Cat were spent under to South Aners’ dollars administration. glerston; 1,900 votes and San Salvador; Christie the win with is evidence 2017 the as well as Exuma A DORSETT Mr Christie’s 1,875. unofHe said if there”, the new dros VIRGIL ELECTION Islands.

By SANCHESK Reporter to the

By KHRISNA Reporter seat, Fox According the the Ragged of “criminality et Tribune Staff from the Parwill allow SPEAK An additional being reDeputy Chief bunemedia.n ficial results Registration government course.

THE PEOPLE nemedia.net sdorsett@tri PAGE 4 was still its kvirgil@tribu his Hill, law to take to press time. and liamentary t, Mr Chipman after ON’ decounted up his parMoments DNA ‘TO GO PAGE 5 IN a surprisingat the Departmen out of 12 pollas the na- This marked the worst in AFTER leadinglandslide defeat party won seven maiden speech MinLOSE humbling leader, Dr Prime Min- ing divisions in the former ty to a stunning feat for a governing Mr tion’s next PLP BIG NAMESPAGE 7 dealing a parapolls, outgoing that under recent history. victory and to the ProgresChristie lost PLP stronghold, while will nis promised victory came MPS ister Perry Bahamians The FNM’s won five. lysing blow Party last night, the Centreville five years his watch, from 9 YOUR PROJECTED rocky fear his seat in last night by Christie a PAGE to Mr Christie Liberal sive challengIn 2012, have nothing , pointing to despite conPrime Minister constituency representing FAR included two incoming the Centrevilleeighth said that Dr Minnis’ leadership, the government RESULTS SO PAGE 14 Minnis declared 25 votes aftermore than 40 won n, which he for the Dr Hubert of a frachave abused victimisatio tional” “im- es to the area for unof- stituency time with that those who trust “have continued reports ultimately according to consecutive He defeated is “unconstitu MORE COVERAGE and of 2-18 years, party “wrong”.

PAGES positions the post 2,950 votes. moral” and to unofficial tured to fear”. ficial results. candidate Ella removal from has held Opsomething to thousands of According able his at the Mr Christie 1977 and the FNM’s of the Official FNM was Speaking by 1,349 votes at the Q House today. results, the stunning defeat of leader in the House of won all the Lewis the seat since a pledged that jubilant supporterslast night, ment Mr Christie leader of Dr Minnis on will give to pull off securing a mas- position has been Liberal Party time. polling division in E Sports Centre but one administrati Terrance of the PLP, constituencies. Assembly. a long fought National MoveProgressive 39 “This was victory is not the Free also announced his General it sive 34 of ry Regsince 1997. released a but the Prime 2012. ment leader be sworn in as Auditor the resources former is yours,” Although he the loss, The Parliamenta t did battle, The to that he will fourth prime Bastianto probe how taxpay- istration Departmen re- mine - the victory lost his seat statement about speak told thousands needs Minister not election did Bahamas’ full Minnis Movement carThe Dr Christie not release 5pm at GovernFree National packed on the with the last and po- Mr minister at SEE PAGE SIX sults last night, in from the of FNMs (FNM) candidate Reece nival grounds. people’s time numbers coming litical newcomer agency around “This is the and I who secured government from the and I am your servant Chipman, 11pm. However it apSEE PAGE THREE unofficial numbers, the PLP only of the conpeared that “The outcome trust according to vention did not inspireBahalast Mark Humes in the results, said coming afor confidence that’s “obvious” mian electorate but think sweeping defeat residents unofficial that it is I ROLLE have stood they night us now and ter Fort Charlotte

By RASHAD Reporter told him the party wouldwinning the behind a wonderful has Staff repeatedly leadparty the chance Tribune the stand rebuild and emedia.net any a better could not he been victori- opportunity to rrolle@tribun of the country per- election had itself,” he said. leadership for for- ership despite their ous in the PLP’sadding that reengineer longer, him.

AS HE called SEE PAGE SIX RASPBERRY Minister Perry sonal affection for was pro- race in January, made a mistake” mer Prime who ICED TEA “the party resign as leader Mr Sears, Mr Christie.

Free NaChristie to Liberal in choosing to lose to the Al- jected Movement’s (FNM) of the Progressive last night, the tional Party (PLP) said he saw fred Sears

DAMIAN GOMEZ $3,413

OBIE WILCHCOMBE

CLEOLA HAMILTON $6,118

$4,911 they owed list and the amount since that date. disconnect” BPL “do not made or further debt incurred named on the NINE individualsdo not include any payments July. The sums

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agonising, wrenching, awful second.

Then give up Eugene’s killer

CHRISTIE TO RESIGN

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safeas well as of homicides A DORSETT guarding the residents

By SANCHESKReporter in Fox Hill. et Tribune Staff walkabout bunemedia.n During a Acting prepared. live national sdorsett@tri er Fox Hill on Tuesday, ROLLE During a Ferguson Commission his office

By RASHAD Reporter ACTING Fergu- Commissioner and address from Dr Minnis Tribune Staff Anti-Gang of Police Anthony emedia.net yesterday said the Inveslast night, Maria is rrolle@tribun Tracing and announced dev- son establishment of two Firearms Unit will operate fore- said: “Hurricane the potentially Bahamas tigation WITH we the DetecMaria another hurricane that separate Royal anti-crime out of the Central the cast for Hurricane Force storm to pass astating monitor.”

(CDU) while projecting the Baha- must carefully Though most Police aimed at eliminating tive Unit SEE PAGE 11 units counHe added: near the Southeast Prime was spared gang activity in the morning, of mas Friday Hubert Minnis of the Bahamas the number PAGE TWO try, reducing Minister Dr those of SEE and is urging residents be vigilant islands to

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Dr Hubert MinPRIME Minister Kendera Woodside, nis meeting murdered Eugene the mother of Woodside.

Bowe Photo: Yontalay

this Yes I feel for y our countries.than I can say.” more ensure has a responsibilit one mother said he will Each citizen information Dr Minnis provided to and whatever that forward. medical attention is is pregnant. the composure. said he felt the fam- has we must bring among us.” who after feel live Dr Minnis Mrs Woodside, the grieving and days makes me Three These criminals who emphasised country’s he “You can see of those pushed the ily’s pain. “What through,” Mrs Minnis, that her appearis that most during murder that violent crime into ROLLE she’s going someI, even worse

By RASHAD Reporter not a pain “I assured her that the family the yard, struggle with spotlight yet again, them was doctor, to will have we see in Tribune Staff ance before called on women said. today (Friday) we to look the national as a medical emedia.net acute. rrolle@tribun come my my years political move,one day this week time her pain remained live a life, medical personnel she’s pregand comforting cried.

“He ain’t even to wear blackfor murder victims.

Dr THE hugs her because sure that Prime Minister wife God,” Mrs Woodsidegive my upon after in mourning I’m calling words of I have to make infant are and his a baby. I could my really nant.

“As a mother, Hubert Minnis couldn’t answer “He’s right now just for because I this,” her and her unborn make also will mothers take all can stop Patricia Minnis that consumed breath be right here. They well and we sure the to believe mothers who was tearful both ts to make the questions yesterday as babyheart out my body. who arrangemen medical personnel They said Mrs Minnis, eight- my Kendera Woodside have our sons on a only son. for her son, killed times. “We birth and as they necessary her and see her “This my my daughter too after she grieved of them at from the safety who was still with look almost shoot (the house) with would’ve delivered most knowing we cradle basis to ensure infant.” year-old Eugene, men we are to me with regular they inside four days ago. people ain’t tell- and What they do to my family? so they are closer patients,” Dr becomeWe have to speakshould of her and her unborn PAGE TWO SEE them. are my former “Why these bringing my son me. they do to us? st by pro- them. I think all women week me? I they a gynaecologi we ain’ carry one day this ing me they she cried between What Minnis, message in they black “The “Why wear a baby.” tried to what’s happening right now?” fession, said. the entire Bahamas 29 years, He’s Dr Minnis and mourn Eugene’s Rose- live screams as must send to this alone.

Tonio Woodside, family at theirEugene wife even is the police can’t fight console the consoled his home where on father, struggled to maintain bud Road a stray bullet as he was shot by did his homework. he Monday as

Islands’ Leading

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The season climaxed with a road trip west on the new transcontinental railroad, which had just opened in May. The players, armed with rifles, shot out windows at bison, antelope and even prairie dogs and slept in wooden Coleman cars lighted with whale oil. More than 2,000 excited baseball fans greeted the team in San Francisco, where admission to games was one dollar in gold.

Cincinnati ended its season with an undefeated record: 57 wins, 0 losses.

The nation’s most prominent sports writer of the day, Henry Chadwick,

was paying attention. The Red Stockings continued to win, and, by the conclusion of the road trip in Washington, they were puffing stogies at the White House with their host, President Ulysses Grant.

The players chugged home in a boozy, satisfied revel and were met by 4,000 joyous fans at Cincinnati’s Union Station.

The Red Stockings had become a sensation. They were profiled in magazines and serenaded in sheet music. Ticket prices doubled to 50 cents. They drew such huge crowds that during a game played outside of Chicago, an overloaded bleacher collapsed.

Most scores were ridiculously lopsided; during the 1869 season the team averaged 42 runs a game. Once they even scored 103. The most controversial contest was in August against the Haymakers of Troy, New York. The game was rife with rumors of $17,000 bets, and bookmakers bribing umpires and players. The game ended suspiciously at 17 to 17, when the Haymakers left the field in the sixth inning, incensed by an umpire’s call. The Red Stockings were declared the winners.

he told Parto In June, cost the ROLLE such liament of

By RASHAD Bahamians $10,149,738. by the Carib- Tribune Staff Reporter so alarmed Action Task rrolle@tribunemedia.net increases was comes after bean Financial draft The revision more than

By NEIL HARTNELL Editor Rolle, minForce’s (CFATF) BRENSIL et Tribune Business services he included that were not The Bahamas ibunemedia.n report on his staff ister of public nhartnell@tr 1,700 workers Gen- that he instructedaddressing and National Insurance, in his original count.

December Progressive THE Attorneyslammed to begin work on June.

Amid the said between 2017, the criticism May flaws from early eral yesterday

by Liberal Party’sadministrablasted the 2016 and in the nation’s the ballooned Mr Bethel deficiencies adminis- public purse laundering of the of the Minnisof its firings anti-money unac- former Christie to tackle $16,532,738 because because on’s tion “entirely failing administrati regime as SEE PAGE SIX they had tration for with the Christie public service ceptable”, warning “in great known weaknesses hiring of new that period. put The Bahamas necessary urgency. workers during danger”.

Trib- FULL STORY - SEE BUSINESS told Carl Bethelhe had been une Business

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medical treatment.

SIVE Liberal were obtaineda from a ther’s PROGRES The emails Bradley EMAILS leaked following of China Con- by The Tribune Party Chairmanout at his highdata breach (CCA) Roberts lashed story in December of CCA struction America’s colleague Vinthat from the breach former party night, accusservers show2013, Jerome lighting by a San Francisco cent Peet last North Anto servers China Construction as early as was seeking ing the former Islands MP hacker.

Fitzgerald of dollars eventually paid 24 bitcoins dros and Berry enemy” $24,000) secure millions trucking, and (the equivalent of of being a “political an independin brokerage, to their servat Baha who mounted because he to have access it aplimousine contracts showing a resat in Cabinet ers restored; however, ent campaigna nomination forwarded leaked emails Mar while he of Educathat emails ONE of the Education, Sciwas denied party.

Minister of as the Minister and Tech- pears relating to personnel quest from or d, Jerome Fitzgerald. from the governing tion, Science Tribune has to, to PLP supcompromise ence and Technology Speaking at CCA were in The in North nology, The rally a officials at Baha Limolink at top porters agent for despite were not learned. night, Mr Robwhich his Bahamas. You are encourcontradict the saying they hack at from Andros last is war” as faThe emails this week de- Mar clientele with a reference by the if erts said “this writes, “I limousine company was vote aged to get of Viacom Minister, who his office to concerned the crowd toPerry Mr Fitzgerald matime. the president feel free he urged Dr nied ever using to himself the an email dated May 18, am aware that interior arrive miliar. with regard the you wish. Please In for incumbent that a vote “Also Izmirlian terials have began to really we direct contracts me personally adding business from the mul- 2013, sent to Mr the to contact with contact Gomez, hotel. I would or his family resort. is a vote for be limousine meet with or have your agents Mr Fitzgerald, Cur- for the for Mr Peet Movement. it if we couldbro- are ready to he ti-billion dollar - the Pro- by our Managing Porter, Shelly appreciate anytime,” Free National Mr Porter Mr Fitzgerald Party MP QuentinAlarice Fill copied, appointed your official your people PAGE SIX SEE directly.” his Director tis and 1st 2013.” writes. gressive Liberal we really ker for June - appears also Mr Fitzgerald indicates a request TWO & THREE “As indicated cusSEE PAGES for Marathon start brokerage $20,000 He then makesfor limouto highend for readiness to only cater to be requesting official Baha Mar’s and trucking services and of Mr Izmirlian at Baha Mar, tomers and are the project a month from Sarkis services of Mar sine Baha the level of reoriginal developer the ex- the as he touted the brokers citing Izmirlian, were necessary remain for the property. penses that cost of his fa- cord to cover the Healthcare hisMarsh Harbour a tortured ROLLE Centre has missed deadBy RASHAD Reporter tory, one of of shoddy Tribune Staff claims and emedia.net lines rrolle@tribun ip, all without ity. of- workmansh ENT clear accountabil GOVERNM ed the anyThe facility’s original bankrupt. ficials commissionHealththe contractor went of Marsh Harbour n in Abaco yesConstructio care Centre centre began it as a longIngraham terday, touting to the island healthcare under the former awaited boost ion. adminisin and the Christie Health administrat Christie adhealth centre When the e Staff tours the new tration’s National came to power, RASPBERRY Perry Christie the W. Carey/Tribun Insurance plans. and Ado- ministration renovating Photo: Terrel ICED TEA PRIME Minister it spent $1m Like the Child SEE PAGE SIX Abaco yesterday.

Robert Smith lescent and that was the (CARS) Complex ed last year, commission

HEALTH CENT MARSH HARBOUR

RE OPENS AT LAST

Friday, June 30, 2017

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Christie denies claims on spending LIGHT AS PROM

FORMER PM TELLS OF LAST TALK WITH NOTTAGE

WELLS

By RICARDO Reporter Tribune Staff nemedia.net rwells@tribu G concern ADMITTIN Bernard Notin over what Dr have battled last tage may his isolation during Prime Minisdays, former yesterday for ter Perry Christie admiration the expressed forth by the effort put security to former national the build-up minister in election. the May general from his Breaking away since being public silence office in hisof a voted out last month, toric fashion ChrisMr his visibly troubled portions of his tie detailed with last conversation and longfriend childhood colleague on time political Thursday.

Centreville The former Nottage as Dr teMP saw “fought his someone who throughout naciously” he loved and life for thosetrait he said he a supported, to their up saw on display . last conversation PAGE SIX SEE

IS • FORMER PM BY DAVIS TRIBUTE TO LEGACY OF ‘DISAPPOINTED’ FNM ALLEGATIONS COLLEAGUE • SAYS GOVT DID NOTHING WRONGT OVER $8M PAYOU • CALLS FOR REVIEW OF DOCUMENTS

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By RASHAD Reporter Tribune Staff emedia.net rrolle@tribun Nottage’s DR Bernard forever be will “footprints the Bahamian etched on tal landscape” developmen work as a forthrough his of the Bahamer president of Athletic mas Association s, the Bahamas Association , the Medical Association and as a Union afMinDoctors’ consumer FORMER Prime the reminister for health and was to accept when I ister Perry Christie fairs, education, into a defeat, Opposias I did pictured yesterday. W. was in arrears, sponsibility for it in response to national security, “Brave” tenant who Photo: Terrel said Philip recent he airport Leader e Staff described tion as resigned,” on the criticism levelled Carey/Tribun ion from accusations Mr Christie Davis said Wednesday. in recent questions 71, died administrat e spending, misfea- moves made by the government pandering at his administration Dr Nottage, the Cleveby a party of irresponsibl WELLS at a “misstep” thought

By RICARDO Reporter Wednesday He will receive sance and cronyism. that weeks. never any he was “disap- to its base. acceptmaintained Tribune Staff “There was land Clinic.

He also said allegations being in arrangenemedia.net that I was relating Mr Christie by the rwells@tribu gova state funeral announced, documents s would on my part ty for any degree Per- pointed”around by the new be a review of irrements to ing responsibili Prime Minister tossed matters that to these two controversie the press secion of any whatsoever of criminality, FORMER as according to Office of the the notion administrat yesterday condemned ernment concerning his last term the absolve his and prove that much sponsible spending andbare’ is just for ry Christie during administraretary Minnis Anthony transpired is as noth- that ‘the cupboard is wrongdoing efforts by the his government in Prime Minister, prime minister.at accusations from of the FNM’s rhetoric slogans.” tion to portray as he challenged Newbold. “political political slogans.”

Hitting back Minnis adminislight, SEE PAGE SIX ing more than challenges I have the SEE PAGE THREE a negative leader to carry out a members of the controvergovern“One of the the the nation’s te examination of the led to concerning who $8m tration of more thanclean up as the person led the government “dispassiona sial pay out and who record”. interview at one vendor for hurricane to an ment off of $1.2m During a lengthy home on Thursand the write his Cable Beach defended his day, Mr Christie

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traditions. just a short ROLLE “Earlier today,present ParBy RASHAD Reporter the while ago, Tribune Staff officially disemedia.net liament was Christie said. rrolle@tribun Mr Perry solved,”seat in the House of “Every PRIME Minister the prover- Assembly is now vacant. the to you, Christie rang morning, “It is now left beloved bial bell yesterday that the 2017 citizenry of our who will announcing be held on nation, to decide in the next election willMay 10. fill those seats In doWednesday, address, givof Assembly.

His televisedOffice of the House you will also be dethe ing so, en live at the came mowho will form Prime Minister, Commis- ciding of the BahaPolice government five years. ments after next Greenslade, for the that mosioner Ellison as provost mas “You will make in what ns in his capacity decision proclamatio pray marshal, readHouse of As- mentous hope and fair elecoutside the Governor Gen- I earnestly and free be Pin- will following a spirited sembly from Marguerite Let tions eral Dame Parliament. peaceful campaign. dling dissolving said he is but the forthcoming Mr Christie election will us contestwith all the vigour confident the and will fol- elections fair at our command.” be free and and peaceful SEE PAGE TWO low a spirited is consistent campaign that political with this country’s

TERED 170,000 HAVE REGIS NG DAY AHEAD OF POLLI

with correctnow engaged the voter ROLLE ing and editing it of its

By RASHAD Reporter register, ridding Tribune Staff ised errors. emedia.net much-public enough staff to rrolle@tribun “We have “We 170,000 peo- do this,” Mr Hall said.certiJUST over sure it’s to vote have to make after tople have registered 10 general elec- fied some 14 daysdate.” for the May ry Com(Tuesday’s) tion, Parliamenta Hall said day’s accordance with the In Elections missioner Sherlyn ry pubParliamenta yesterday. what he de- Act, Mr Hall will give of This follows election in a “mad rush” notice of the week, statscribed as to vote lic this of newspapers people registering place in conthe last day ing the date, times when on Monday, and registration. 172,000 peo- stituencies papers must be There were to vote in the nomination delivered. ple registeredelection.

SEE PAGE THREE 2012 general ry RegThe Parliamenta t is Departmen istration

THE ELECTION

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By SANCHESK said this elecnemedia.net Reporter con Palacious “difficult” for ljohnson@tri kvirgil@tribu et Tribune Staff Sr was tion will be and the FNM Move- sdorsett@tribunemedia.n of OMAR Archer both the PLP is no FREE National convicted Dr Hubert N Archdea- and at this point there how yesterday senment Leader to harm a ANGLICA gauge said said the threatening way to “properlygo.”

Minnis yesterday“all hands con James Palacious officer through need that the Progres- the results will came one ior police his social media FNM will vote the Pro- yesterday Party appears a post to two years ago.

His comments on deck” to Party gov- sive Liberal its life” Deputy Prime nearly he to be “fighting for neither day after Phillip “Brave” page 45-year-old Nassau gressive Liberal of office as that The ernment out Day, May and predicted party nor the Ministerpredicted that the Village resident appeared Davis heralded Election seats in the SEE PAGE SEVEN Movement that will bring the governing will win 30 10, as a day Free Nationalseats in next PLP SEE PAGE TWO 30 change. spoke dur- will wingeneral election.

Minnis at month’s Dr on conference as a guest ing a press Appearing SEE PAGE THREE

ES OVER BPL BANNISTER WORRITHE LIGHTS ON ABILITY TO KEEP

energy. solar, to produce of agreeof Works The heads the governMINISTER said challenges, Desmond Bannister ment requires to “address concerns” pressed certain and BPL delayed today marks which he suggestedof docu- he has “serious Power and ment and consistent WHILE with Bahamas to “keep the reliable of electricity on the for both sitsubmission the deadlineformer parlia- the tell- supply Providence, Light’s ability are chal- lights on this summer,” of island of New ting and to file financial ments. the abiliAmong these the lack will include finanmentarians Public Discloing The Tribuneprevent the whichmeet the requirements with obtaining may ty to disclosures, Chair- lenges from spouses, cial records in situations reliability from fulfilling of the project.” sure Commission the instalLaroda told requireoper- government This involves supporting man Myles yesterday that particularly Mar all the necessary they may have all to lation “of The Tribunestill some that wherebank accounts prior ments in the Baha re necessary ated there were He said there heads of agreement.he is al- infrastructu g”. marriage.

PAGE FIVE to that SEE “outstandin unwillingare some yesterday, He added n at new, alIn an interview in his dis- was also ready “looking including and apprehensio said ways,” Mr Laroda some persons ness SEE PAGE THREE ternative cussions with to make who are required they exthe disclosures,

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it must Hurriis so devastated the island as Ragged Island remained on home has Minnis warns with those whohomes last week. “Every The Minister Dr Hubert en Rag- discussion battered their has been destroyed. has been health facility on storm-strick Min- cane Irma Prime teachers’ residence no water. destroyed. The and safety conditions to deteriorate, urged the 18 been has been destroyed. The is no light. There is HEALTH he smell the school will only continue destroyed. There about, you can yesterday as The in the afterged Island Minnis said to evacuate “As we walkcarcasses, dead animals. deister Dr Hubert on the island reduced will stench of dead of the individuals remaining residentsIrma, which has them REPORT that we get of rubble and SPECIAL health conditions Russell, math of Hurricane it’s essential there to piles Words: Khrisna W Carey teriorate and Dr Minnis said. only most structures Pictures: Terrel island unlivable. Dr Minnis to leave the for off this island,” rendered the bly reluctant stay here,” saw for the understanda home, expressing concern “They cannot Many were and a delegation and days known as through said after he damage left by Irma they’ve ever ripped residences, place hurricane of their first time the Five monster will have about the safety personal belongings. behind. We Defence by the smell after the Category island.

“They are concerned may have left and the exacerbated of all es- whatever materials they the small southern a vessel here at the same physical condition, and the destruction those still the Defence Force dispatch the cleanup and said.

The island’s urge carcasses strongly Minnis of rotting animalled Dr Minnis to small community can Force will try to commence security,” Dr SEE PAGE THREE that there is sential services, to leave until the time ensure Island has been on Ragged Ragged Island through and be restored. the residents; walk to a “I’ve spoken Minnis said following Dr devastated,”

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TERS yesFIREFIGH a large blaze terday battled Providence at the New three weeks Landfill, nearly a massive that after tackling city dump fire at the nearly a month. burned for Charge of Fire Officer in Chief SuperinServices, Evans said tendent Walter is “not confire the the current any way to this nected” in and at previous blazedo not know time officials the fire. Howwhat caused t Minister ever Environmen told rehe Kenred Dorsett the site that porters at “sabotage” in said suspected the fire. He relation to the team he “instructed”to have the of firefighters “before and blaze extinguished day” today nomination Baha Mar’s certainly before Friday. opening on started shortly The blaze and Wednesday after 3am officEvans said Chief Supt battle the fire to but ers expect day another for at least wind is a “huge” he said the factor.

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declared them “champion club of the United States.”

Despite fears that others clubs would outbid Cincinnati for their players, every Red Stockings player demonstrated his loyalty by signing contracts to return for the 1870 season.

The winning streak continued into the next season – up until a June 14, 1870, game against the Brooklyn Atlantics.

An error by second baseman Charles Sweasy ended the Red Sockings’ historic streak. From the collection of John Thorn, Author provided After nine innings, the

teams were tied at 5. Under the era’s rules, the game could have been declared a draw, leaving the streak intact.

Instead Harry Wright opted to continue, and the Red Stockings ended up losing in extra innings after an error by the second baseman, Charlie Sweasy.

The 81-game win streak had ended.

The Red Stockings did not return in 1871. Ticket sales had fallen after their first loss, and other teams began to outbid the Red Stockings for their star players. Ultimately the cost of retaining all of its players was more than the Cincinnati club could afford.

Yet the team had made its mark.

“It made baseball from something of a provincial fare to a national game,” Thorn explained.

A few years later, in 1876, the National League was founded and still exists today. The Cincinnati Reds were a charter member.

And not surprisingly, some of the biggest 150-year celebrations of the first professional baseball team are occurring in the town they once called Porkopolis.

PAGE 12, Thursday, April 4, 2019

THE TRIBUNE

Lloyd waiting on ‘beating’ report

By RICARDO WELLS Tribune Staff Reporter rwells@tribunemedia.net A DISTRICT report detailing the circumstances behind a video which shows a group of students being beaten by an Abaco-based physical education teacher has been submitted to education officials, The Tribune understands.

The report will now be reviewed by Education Director Marcellus Taylor and his team before being forwarded to Education Minister Jeffrey Lloyd for a secondary review and ruling.

The case garnered national attention after the video went viral across several social media platforms last week and drew the anger of parents and guardians across the country for its graphic nature.

The video opened with the teacher — identified at one point in the recording as Ms Brown — handing over the device used to record the ordeal to some unidentified person.

After she ensured the device was on and recording, the teacher called over the first student.

As that student walked into frame, he is heard telling the teacher that he was not involved in whatever proceeded the video.

Despite his pleas, Ms Brown directed him to walk over to a nearby wall and place his hands on it.

“You were in the room, right?” she told the young man. “Hands on the wall.”

In total six students — all boys — were beaten.

In an interview with The Tribune yesterday, Mr Lloyd said the report had been formally submitted and was now under review by the director’s office.

The South Beach MP said once that action is completed, the report

VIDEO grabs which went viral on social media. would then be forwarded to his office for a subsequent review ahead of “any determinations” being made.

Nonetheless, he said the ministry has a strict “zerotolerance” for corporal punishment, except in specific cases where the action is to be carried out by a senior administrator.

“We are not in the business of corporal punishment,” Mr Lloyd said when contacted for an update yesterday. “We take this matter, and all similar to this, very serious. We are in the business of protecting our children and ensuring that they are not physically harmed in the course of being reprimanded.”

He added: “As I have said on a number of occasions, while there is an opportunity for corporal punishment to be carried out, it has to be in very particular circumstance and carried out by those in authority.”

In March 2018, following a similar incident, Mr Lloyd told The Tribune that under his leadership, education officials would revise school policies on corporal punishment, insisting modern research shows it to be an

ineffective way of disciplining children.

In that interview, he insisted that children should only be beaten in schools if all other options have been exhausted and in the most egregious of circumstances.

A 2017 Inter-American Development Bank study ranked the Bahamas high among countries in the Caribbean that have tolerance or understanding for hitting women or correcting children with physical punishment.

The report was titled “How safe are Caribbean Homes for Women and Children? - Attitudes toward Intimate Partner Violence and Corporal Punishment.”

In response to the question of whether to correct a child who misbehaves was it necessary to hit or physically punish a child, more than 70 percent of Bahamians said it was “always” or “most often” or “sometimes” necessary.

Nearly 80 percent of Bahamians said they had “always,” “most often” or “sometimes” been hit or physically punished as a child to correct bad behaviour.

THE TRIBUNE

Thursday, April 4, 2019, PAGE 13

BIDEN: I’LL BE MORE MINDFUL OF RESPECTING PERSONAL SPACE Associated Press

FORMER Vice President Joe Biden acknowledged yesterdaythat his tendency toward physical displays of affection and encouragement has made some women uncomfortable, and he promised to be “much more mindful” of respecting personal space.

“Social norms have begun to change. They’ve shifted,” the 76-year-old Biden said in a cellphone video posted to Twitter.

“And the boundaries of protecting personal space have been reset.

And I get it. I hear what they are saying. I understand.”

Wearing a suit and open-collared shirt, Biden also teased an announcement of his political plans, promising to “be talking to you about a whole lot of issues.” Shortly after the video was released, a union announced Biden would speak at their conference in Washington tomorrow.

The video was Biden’s first direct comment on what has tripped up his preparations to enter the 2020 Democratic presidential campaign. He did not directly apologize but seemed to be seeking to ease some people’s discomfort, which has raised questions about whether he could

wage an effective campaign. Last Friday, former Nevada politician Lucy Flores wrote in New York Magazine that Biden approached her from behind, touched her shoulders and kissed the back of her head in 2014.

Since then, another woman has said Biden grabbed her face when he was thanking congressional staff at a 2009 event.

Biden, a former longtime US senator from Delaware, first said in a statement that he did not recall the episode that Flores initially described in the magazine piece and then in subsequent weekend interviews.

76-YEAR-OLD JOE BIDEN In the video, Biden insisted that what he described as the compassion from where the affection

comes will not change and again nodded to the steps he’s taking toward running. “But I’ll always believe governing — life, for that matter — is about connecting, connecting with people,” he said.

“That won’t change.”

Biden also said that he would be more careful about his actions in the future.

“And I’ll be much more mindful. That’s my responsibility, my responsibility, and I’ll meet it,” Biden said.

And in so doing, Biden was tacitly acknowledging a nagging concern for some voters: that he cannot adapt.

FIRST PARENT PLEADS GUILTY IN ADMISSIONS EXAM SCAM

GROUPS SUE TO HELP SAVE ORCAS SEATTLE Associated Press FEDERAL officials are set to restrict salmon fishing off the West Coast to help the Pacific Northwest’s critically endangered killer whales, but two environmental groups are suing anyway to ensure it happens.

The Center for Biological Diversity and the Wild Fish Conservancy have asked the US District Court in Seattle to order officials to reconsider a 2009 finding that commercial and recreational fisheries did not jeopardise the orcas’ survival and the National Marine Fisheries Service has issued a letter indicating that it intends to do so. The Endangered Species Act requires the government to certify that any actions it approves won’t jeopardize the survival of a listed species.

BOSTON Associated Press

A FEMALE orca leaps from the water while breaching in Puget Sound west of Seattle.

Trump takes a step back from threat to close border WASHINGTON Associated Press

PRESIDENT Donald Trump eased up on his threats to close the southern border as officials across his administration explored half-measures that might satisfy the president’s urge for action, like stopping only foot traffic at certain crossings.

Facing a surge of Central American migrants trying to enter the US, Trump last week threatened to seal the border this week if Mexico did not immediately halt all illegal immigration into the US, a move that would have enormous economic consequences on both sides of the border.

While Trump on Tuesday did not back off the idea completely, he said he was pleased with steps

Mexico had taken in recent days and renewed his calls for Congress to make changes he contends would solve the problem.

“Let’s see if they keep it done,” he said of Mexico. “Now, if they don’t, or if we don’t make a deal with Congress, the border’s going to be closed, 100%.” He also said that he might only close “large sections of the border” and “not all of it.” He added that his posturing was “the only way we’re getting a response.”

Later on Tuesday, Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen held an emergency call with Cabinet members and White House aides, saying, “We are going to treat it as if we have been hit by a Category 5 hurricane,” according to a person on the call. The person was not authorized to discuss the

call publicly and spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity.

Nielsen was creating an emergency operations center and named US Border Patrol official Manny Padilla as an operational crisis coordinator to manage the response from within the different immigration agencies at the Department of Homeland Security.

Padilla is a 30-year Border Patrol veteran and was recently the head of the Rio Grande Valley Sector in Texas.

His job will be different from that of the immigration or “border czar” that Trump is considering, the official said. Closing the border completely would disrupt manufacturing supply lines and the flow of goods ranging from avocados to cars, making for a “potentially

catastrophic economic impact,” in the words of Republican Sen. Mitch McConnell, the Senate majority leader.

Some inside the administration also worry it would only exacerbate illegal immigration.

Meanwhile, administration officials grappled with how they might minimize the impact of a shutdown or implement less sweeping actions.

White House economic adviser Larry Kudlow, for example, told CNBC he’s been looking at potentially keeping truck lanes open.

“We are looking at different options, particularly if you can keep those freight lanes, the truck lanes, open,” he said. As for the hundreds of thousands of tourists and workers who cross the border legally, Kudlow said, “that may be difficult.”

A PACKAGED-FOOD entrepreneur accused of paying $15,000 to rig his daughter’s college entrance exam yesterday became the first of the 33 parents charged in the college bribery scandal to agree to plead guilty.

Peter Jan Sartorio, 63, of Menlo Park, California, disclosed the plea agreement in court documents just before he was scheduled to join Hollywood actresses Felicity Huffman and Lori Loughlin and other wealthy parents in federal court to face charges in the scam.

The two actresses and Loughlin’s fashion designer husband, Mossimo Giannulli, said little during the brief hearing in a packed Boston courtroom and were not asked to enter a plea.

They remain free on bail.

Several other parents were given similar hearings of a few minutes each.

The proceedings came after 50 people were charged with taking part in a scheme in which parents bribed coaches and helped rig test scores to get their children into some of the nation’s most selective universities.

Loughlin, 54, who appeared in the 1980s and ‘90s sitcom “Full House,” is accused along with Giannulli of paying $500,000 to get their daughters admitted as recruits to the USC crew team, even though neither is a rower.

Authorities said the couple helped create fake athletic profiles for their daughters by having them pose for photos on rowing machines.

Huffman, the former “Desperate Housewives” star, is charged with paying the admissions consultant $15,000 to have a proctor correct the answers on her daughter’s SAT.

THE TRIBUNE

Thursday, April 4, 2019, PAGE 15

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THE Bahamas Agriculture & Marine Science Institute (BAMSI) donated 20 cases of local produce, fresh from its farm in Andros to The Lord’s Kitchen. This donation has touched the heart of cofounder Artemis Zervos, who along with her team of volunteers, feeds up to 800 homeless and unfortunate persons throughout New Providence every week (every 1st – 3rd Saturday).

The Kitchen’s layered mission of feeding the less fortunate connects with BAMSI’s new mandate to donate quality surplus to local agencies and charitable organisations that are at the forefront of the fight against hunger.

Founded in 2000 as a ministry by Ms Zervos and Nicholas Zervos, The Lord’s Kitchen had a humble home beginning and later expanded as an extension of the Greek Orthodox Church located on West Hill St in 2015.

This extension was made

BAMSI DONATES TO THE LORD’S KITCHEN

possible by Father Irenaeus and Presvytera Alexandra Cox who generously allowed the ministry to be a part of the church, and in full use of its facilities and storage space, and subsequently, to feed a larger number of persons.

The Kitchen donates meals to several nursing homes, as well as youth and charities including the All Saint’s Camp, the AIDS Foundation, Boy’s Brigade and Unity House. Through BAMSI’s donation, the Kitchen showcased baked eggplant and zucchini served with pita bread, chicken and white rice; a meal the receivers most appreciated.

NEARLY $6M PAID TO HEALTHCARE PROVIDERS IN NHI PROGRAMME

By RASHAD ROLLE Tribune Staff Reporter rrolle@tribunemedia.net NEARLY six million dollars was paid to healthcare providers enrolled in the National Health Insurance programme from April 2017, its inception, to June 2018, a new report says.

Tabled in the House of Assembly yesterday, the report, the first of its kind for the NHI Authority, said there were 35,731 beneficiaries and 37 healthcare providers up to June 30, 2018, the end of the period covered by auditor Baker Tilly Gomez.

Up to December 13, 2018, NHIA officials said there were 45,821 people enrolled and 51 providers.

Providers are paid through three mechanisms: fees for services, capitation and bundles.

“Fees for services are recognised based on the covered services at rates established by the authority and are paid retroactively based on the volume and nature of the patient services provided,” the report said.

“Capitation is a payment arrangement for health care service providers. NHI pays physicians a set amount for each person assigned to them, per year, but paid in monthly instalments while the patient remains registered with the physician, whether or not the person seeks care. The amount of remuneration is based

on the average expected health care utilisation of the patient, then adjusted to risk associated with each patient. NHI pays a base amount of $150 per patient per year which is then adjusted for patient gender, age and location.

“Bundles are packages of care that involve multiple physician visits with associated other care costs that are combined and paid for together. NHI has two bundles, maternal care and infant care. Maternal care bundles are adjusted for case complexity. Infant care covers the child from 0-24 months and includes immunizations.”

The auditor said the authority “manages its capital to ensure the entity will be able to continue as a going concern.” At the end of the period covered by the report, NHIA had an accumulated fund of $5.3 million.

NHIA is seeking an “IT solution project including database hosting, platform hosting and all other related IT system development work,” the report noted.

In the fiscal period considered, the authority spent $164,802 on computer software development.

Enrolees currently receive only primary care coverage through the NHIA. Cabinet recently asked NHIA to revisit its plan that would significantly expand the cost of the programme and the services available.