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DPM: RAISE THE AGE OF CONSENT

100 JOBS IN ATHOL ISLAND PLAN - AND MORE TO COME

‘Sex with under 18-year-olds should be against the law’

By EARYEL BOWLEG Tribune Staff Reporter ebowleg@tribunemedia.net DEPUTY Prime Minister Chester Cooper said the age of consent should be raised to 18 to “further protect minors”.

His comment on Friday came after Minister of Social Services and Development Obie Wilchcombe said the Office of the Attorney General was looking to address “inconsistencies” in law with the age of consent with legislation expected to change in the summer.

“Public discourse can be rocky, but it can often bring about change,” Mr Cooper said in a statement posted to his Facebook page on Friday.

“The current discussion about the age of consent should be followed by action on the part of lawmakers. I have previously called for the legal age of consent to be increased to 18 years of age, and I stand by that today.

“This will further protect minors and make clear that SEE PAGE FIVE

MUNROE REGRETS REACTION - BUT DOESN’T TAKE BACK RAPE COMMENTS NATIONAL Security Minister Wayne Munroe said that he “deeply” regrets that his comments about an unlawful sexual intercourse case involving a 14-year-old victim “have caused concern”.

However, he did not take back his earlier comments and instead sought to explain his rationale.

“I have spoken several times on the matter of a plea

agreement and I deeply regret that my answers have caused concern,” he said in a statement released on Friday. “I gave several interviews and I hope that pulling the salient points together in one place can be helpful to understanding my position: One) Anyone who has sexual intercourse with a child under 16 is disordered.”

SEE PAGE FIVE

By NEIL HARTNELL Tribune Business Editor nhartnell@tribunemedia.net

MULTIPLE Bahamian investors yesterday confirmed they are targeting Athol Island with tour and beach break destination proposals that one said could create up to 100 jobs if approved.

Al Collie, developer of West Bay Street’s Club Luna and formerly the Zoo, said The Bahamas needs “to spruce things up” with refreshed excursions and attractions as he confirmed plans to develop the Crown Land site he leases from the government.

FULL STORY - SEE BUSINESS

TRAGIC LOSS OF LATISHA

CAT ISLAND RESORT HEARING ON HOLD

By NEIL HARTNELL Tribune Business Editor nhartnell@tribunemedia.net

NURSE LATISHA CASH, who was killed when her car crashed and caught fire on Sir Milo Butler Highway on Friday morning. Family, friends and colleagues spoke of how the death was an unexpected shock. See PAGE THREE for the full story.

MAN SHOT DEAD AT BARBER SHOP

By LEANDRA ROLLE Tribune Staff Reporter lrolle@tribunemedia.net

A MAN in his mid-20s was shot and killed at a barber shop yesterday afternoon, police said.

Supt of Police Audley Peters told reporters on the scene that officers were alerted to a shooting at the interval of Baillou Hill Road and Marshall Road sometime before 4pm Sunday.

A BODY is taken from the scene yesterday in Baillou Hill Road.

Photo: Racardo Thomas/ Tribune Staff Upon arrival, police found a man suffering from gunshot wounds.

“Our initial investigations reveal that the male was a patron of a barber shop when a lone gunman walked in and discharged the firearm at him. The victim managed to walk down the step and collapsed. EMS visited the scene and pronounced him lifeless,” Supt Peters said.

This latest shooting has pushed the country’s murder count to 36 so far for the first four months of SEE PAGE THREE

Nassau & Bahama Islands’ Leading Newspaper

TOMORROW’S public hearing on a $60m Cat Island resort project, whose principal last week agreed to accept US sanctions over his role in a purported multi-million investment fraud, has been placed “on hold” by the government.

FULL STORY - SEE BUSINESS

SPORTS

55 NAMED IN CARIFTA TEAM LINE-UP SEE SPORTS SECTION

PAGE 2, Monday, April 4, 2022

THE TRIBUNE

LIGHTING IT UP BLUE FOR AUTISM

GOVERNMENT ministers attended REACH’s “Light It Up Blue 2022” World Autism Awareness Day ceremony on Saturday. The drive-up event was held at Queen’s College.

Attendees included Minister of Social Services and Urban Development Obie Wilchcombe; Minister of National Security Wayne

Munroe; Minister of State for Education and Technical & Vocational Training Zane Lightbourne and others.

There were performances, giveaways and Easter baskets for the children, as well as presentations to the 2022 REACH Star Student honourees; and the 2022 REACH honouree Jacqueline Whylly.

2022 REACH honoree Jacquellne Whylly with Members of Parliament, REACH officials and parents and, inset, a duet by Javyh McKenie and William Hilton Jr.

Photos: Racardo Thomas/Tribune Staff

SANDS URGES CAUTION OVER LIFTING COVID RESTRICTIONS

By LEANDRA ROLLE Tribune Staff Reporter lrolle@tribunemedia.net

WITH the emergence of new and more infectious COVID-19 strains, Free National Movement Chairman Dr Duane Sands says the government must not become overly eager when easing additional restrictions and instead take a more cautious approach.

Dr Sands spoke after the government announced further relaxations to COVID-19 rules on domestic travel.

People travelling from New Providence and Grand Bahama are no longer required to take a COVID test for inter-island travel.

The travel guidelines, which came into effect Friday, apply to both vaccinated and unvaccinated people, according to Press Secretary Clint Watson.

When contacted for comment yesterday, Dr Sands told The Tribune the FNM did not have many “great oppositions” to new travel guidelines.

He only reiterated the need for the government to remain cautious when deciding how to further reopen the nation’s economy.

He said: “We all would like to see improved economic numbers and we all would like to see the economies of the various islands improve and by the grace of God, and with the right policies, they will but at the same time, you don’t necessarily get another bite of the apple and so these are tough decisions and all we could hope is that decisions are being made for the right reasons.

“They certainly are somewhat counter to the recommendations coming out of PAHO and WHO. But we have taken a position that we are not going to oppose the rules for opposing sake. We are mindful of the complexity of public opinion, the economic impact, the medical impact, the state of affairs in our healthcare facilities.”

The former health minister also pointed to the emergence of new COVID strains, which he called concerning.

“We no longer just have the BA.2 subvariant but just within the last 24 hours, WHO has spoken of the XE subvariant which is (said to be) more virulent than any of the previous COVID strains and so while no one

is expected to have a crystal ball and we all hope and pray that we’ve seen the back end of COVID, the real question is what would prudence demand?

“And, also what is driving the changes in policy or protocol? Is it truly about the science or is it more about politics? You know we don’t have many great oppositions to the change as long as we will be monitoring the situation. This week, we would’ve had a scattered shot in terms of the dashboard. There were days when we had one case, four cases and 20 cases and so where’s this thing headed? I don’t know.”

Although virus numbers still remain relatively low in the country, Dr Sands said there is a possibility of another COVID wave occurring as he warned policy makers to start preparing now.

“In public health,” he said, “the time to prepare for a next pandemic is now, whether you’re talking about the next wave or you’re talking about ebola or some other biological hazard, the time to prepare and build capacity is now and the truth of the matter is we have limited capacity.

“While I don’t know for sure (about another wave), what I can say is we have seen the BA.2 variant become the predominant strain in a number of locales in our neighbouring countries so if it’s happened there – history has shown that we tend to follow.”

As of April 1, there were 33,295 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in the country since the start of the pandemic, with just four new cases reported that day.

Only 85 of those cases were still active. Meanwhile, only ten people remain in hospital with the disease.

Yesterday, Dr Sands encouraged Bahamians to continue following the recommended health measures, warning the country’s fight with the disease is far from over.

“We would like to believe that we could only focus on only Russia and Ukraine.

We would like to believe that we could only focus on the price of oil and inflation and Will Smith and Chris Rock but the truth of the matter is COVID is real and as much as we would like to pretend there are still thousands of people dying from COVID everyday around the world.”

THE TRIBUNE

Monday, April 4, 2022, PAGE 3

Tributes to nurse after fatal car crash

By LEANDRA ROLLE Tribune Staff Reporter lrolle@tribunemedia.net

FAMILY, friends and colleagues of Nurse Latisha Cash, who was killed in a car crash last week, say her tragic death was an unexpected blow for many.

Nurse Cash died after her car crashed and caught fire on Sir Milo Butler Highway early Friday morning.

According to police reports, sometime around 2am a woman was driving a white Kia Serato when the car ran into the median and overturned onto the southbound lane.

The vehicle came to a stop and then caught fire.

Police were called to the scene and upon arrival, found the car overturned and engulfed in flames.

After Police Fire Services extinguished the fire, a search was conducted.

Police said the woman’s body was found in the

driver’s seat “burnt beyond recognition”.

The deceased was later identified as Nurse Cash, who was said to be in her late 20s.

She was reportedly heading home before the crash happened.

Bahamas Nurses Union President Amancha Williams said the incident has left the nursing community shaken.

“It’s taken a toll on the colleagues who she worked with because, like I said earlier, when you come to work and you work that same shift together and then you leave and you don’t see that person tomorrow because you heard what happened that night, that takes a toll,” Ms Williams told The Tribune yesterday.

“So, sudden death always takes a toll on persons. It leaves your psychological state in a really compromised position. It causes you to think

A BODY is taken from the scene yesterday in Baillou Hill Road.

deeper and it lingers on your mind because it’s a loss and she was very young and she was a great loss. I don’t think she was 30 and so here we’re mourning.”

Nurse Cash’s death also comes nearly a year after her best friend, who was also a nurse, died suddenly.

“She was a beautiful person and just as nice as her friend who she lost last year because (Cash) was expecting to be goddy (because her friend was pregnant) and these girls when I say they were the best of friends, they were the best of friends. They did nothing without each other and I know it’s so surprising to a lot of persons because she was a part of the BNU and her friend was a part of the BNU. They supported us in a great way,” Ms Williams said.

“So, everybody is just giving their condolences

Photo: Racardo Thomas/Tribune Staff

MAN SHOT DEAD AT BARBER SHOP

from page one

the year, according to The Tribune’s records.

Sunday’s homicide also follows a string of murders in recent weeks.

Supt Peters asked people to inform police about illegal weapons in their communities.

“Again, as we’re going to continue to do as a police department to appeal to persons who are aware of individuals in possession of firearms to

report them to their police department,” Supt Peters said.

“And I also want to encourage the public that the police are doing everything within its power as we would’ve recently launched the Operation Ceasefire that has already reaped a significant amount of results where we would’ve taken 150 rounds (of ammunition) off the street and three firearms. Persons were arrested, and they will be brought before the court

POLICE at on the scene of yesterday’s murder.

NURSE Latisha Cash (right) and her best friend Chernard Thompson (left), who died a year earlier. because they know no a family. We do everything friend posted on Facebook. matter what you say about together.”

Another added: “Y’all nurses, we work together Friday’s tragedy also pray for the nursing comas a team. We do work prompted reaction from munity because we are together as a team and family and friends on social really not doing well right we spent most of our time media over the weekend. now. Less than one year, together. That’s our family “You (were) so full of life, we lost two beautiful souls. right there. When you do always smiling … a gem of Rest easy baby girl.” nursing, the body is your a person, kind hearted and Police said investigations family, especially in the loving person. Cash was the into the country’s latest trafpublic sector. We become dancer to every song,” one fic fatality are continuing.

within the week following a thorough investigation.

“So, we’re encouraged with the reports that we’re receiving. We’re acting on information and it’s through partnership with the Bahamian people and capable guardians that we’re going to take a hand on this criminal activity,” he said.

Anyone with information on this incident or any other crime is asked to call police at 502-9991, the nearest police station, or Crime Stoppers at 328-8477.

To advertise in The Tribune, contact 502-2394

Parliamentary Registration Department School Board Elections

GN-2697 con’t

PAGE 4, Monday, April 4, 2022

THE TRIBUNE

Wilchcombe: No smear campaign over food scheme

By EARYEL BOWLEG Tribune Staff Reporter ebowleg@tribunemedia.net SOCIAL Services Minister Obie Wilchcombe denied that the Davis administration has launched a “smear campaign” against the former administration’s national food programme, saying the government just wants to account for the millions of dollars spent.

Last week, Mr Wilchcombe claimed the country has not been able to provide information to the World Bank on how its $100m loan was used to provide pandemic relief to hurting Bahamians among other things. This is one of several concerns and allegations raised by government officials about the Minnis administration’s National Food Distribution Task Force.

However Mrs Susan Larson, who headed the task force, disclosed detailed records on the committee’s spending habits since the initiative’s start, inclusive of food purchases, trucking, shipping, stipends and other

overhead costs with The Tribune.

Still, Mr Wilchcombe again asserted that the Davis administration does not have the information it seeks about the programme.

“It’s not a political smear.

We’re asking questions that must be asked,” he said on Friday. “Don’t you think we should account for $54 million?

“So, therefore, we should be accountable. So we want to be accountable. Give us the information so we can be accountable for $54m.

It’s government to government - not an individual.

“We have a responsibility. How do we answer organisations? How do we answer the World Bank and others? We have to substantiate what we do.

It’s not a smear campaign.

What do we gain from it? The NGOs we support. We support NGOs. The ministry today works with NGOs. So it’s not a smear campaign, it’s about accountability.”

Tribune Business and another newspaper saw a report dated January 19, 2021, that was submitted to

the World Bank by the task force and went so far as to identify whether persons assisted were above/below the National Insurance Board (NIB) ceiling or were not making contributions.

Despite the figures reported, Mr Wilchcombe argued that “two major newspapers didn’t print any details”.

“Two major newspapers simply talked about what someone said. Where’s the information? Where’s the details? All they have to do is provide the information. Tell Ms Larson send the details to the financial (secretary). She could send it over to the auditor general and send it to the Ministry of Social Services.

All of whom are waiting for the information; we do not have the information.”

He also said: “They saw a document sent out maybe before the programme began. None of the documents that we’re referring to, we’re talking about the documents necessary for when the programme ended. And what’s the difficulty?

“If there’s a document, present it. If we lost it, send

SOCIAL Services Minister Obediah Wilchcombe on Saturday.

Photo: Racardo Thomas/Tribune Staff took issue with newspaper almost, but soon after $2 it again.”

Mr Wilchcombe said reporting when he previ- million showed up and he has never spoken to ously raised issues about soon after 17,000 vouchers Mrs Larson, however he the food programme. showed up and soon after “When I first raised this another million showed up. claimed people who have reached out to her have not question, it was the news- So are we going to say the been able to get what has papers at that time too, same thing again. . .well they reported at the time I let the document show up been requested.

Mr Wilchcombe also was talking out of my mind now.”

PILOT PROGRAMME FOR GRAND BAHAMA SCHOOLS

By DENISE MAYCOCK Tribune Freeport Reporter dmaycock@tribunemedia.net A STEM pilot programme will be launched at two schools on Grand Bahama on Saturday by the Grand Bahama Port Authority, in partnership with other major stakeholders.

Derek Newbold, chief investment officer at the GBPA, announced on Friday the establishment of the SEED (Stem Empowerment and Educational Development) Programme.

He said the programme will expose young students

to some of the disciplines and career opportunities associated with the STEM fields.

The programme will start with a one-day workshop for some 50 students at the Bishop Michael Eldon School and the Sunland Baptist School.

According to Mr Newbold, the seed programme will consist of two tracks - one track focusing on STEM-related fields, and the second on Blockchain Technology and Cryptoasset Management.

He announced that ALIV has come on board as a sponsor.

Funeral Service For

Franklyn Andrew Knowles, 63 a resident of Johnson Terrace will be held on Thursday, April 7th, 2022, 11:00 a.m. at Holy Cross Anglican Church, Soldier Road. Officiating will be Canon Peter Scott.

Interment will follow in Woodlawn Gardens, Soldier Road.

Due to Government COVID-19 regulations attendance at the Service is limited.

He is predeceased by his parents: Alonza and Iva Knowles; brother: Randolph Knowles.

He is survived by his daughter: Samirah Knowles; brothers: Reginald (Arlene) Knowles, and Kirk and Brennen Knowles; sisters: Betty (Walter) Wells, and Barbara and Marsha Knowles; nieces and nephews: Nichola Knowles, Christopher (Iola) Knowles, Dawn (Daniel) Drewery, Ghandi (John) Kane, Shannon Knowles, Kurt Wells, Karla (Andoni) Lisgaris, Alexa and Nicholas Knowles; aunt: Alice Darville; other relatives and friends: Maria (Felipe) Vega, Andrew (Renee) Moree, Lois Hollis, Challo Caso, Joyce (Craig) Munnings, Lesley Knowles, Bessie Fitzgerald, Mark Eldon, Chantelle Fox, Shannon Russell, Aliya Allen and many others; special thanks to: John Lightbourn.

Relatives and Friends may pay their last respects at Butlers’ Funeral Homes & Crematorium, Ernest and York Streets on Wednesday, April 6, 2022 from 11:00 a.m. to 12:30 p. m and 2:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m.

There will be NO VIEWING at the church.

Current Emergency COVID-19 regulations are in effect. Social Distancing and Face Masks will be enforced.

Trevor Simmons, Business Development Officer at GBPA and SEED Programme coordinator, said the pilot programme caters to students in grades 7 to 9.

“This pilot workshop will allow us to get an idea of the resources and capacity needed to execute at a larger level. In this programme, they will learn how to code a backup sensor on an autonomous vehicle,” he explained.

According to Mr Simmons, the goal is to expand the programme throughout the schools on Grand Bahama.

He said the Principals and Vice Principals Association are aware of the programme and plan to develop it into a year-round curriculum at the schools so students can receive

continuous education throughout the year.

“We want them to matriculate into the programme at BTVI. So, the students from grades 7 to 12 when they graduate they would be at an advanced level in understanding STEM concepts,” Mr Simmons said.

“As part of the programme we want to expose them to a variety of STEM programmes, including Blockchain, Fintech, Agri-tech, and Artificial Intelligence (AI). These are just some of the paths we want to introduce to students. We have big plans for the programme, and the pilot is just the beginning,” he said.

Aisha Bowe, founder, and CEO of STEMBoard and LINGO, is one of the major stakeholders

and collaborators in the programme.

“We were honoured to support the SEED programme and GB in this innovative step towards equipping their students with the future tools needed to support the industry,” she said.

Bowe, a former NASA Aerospace engineer, said she is the daughter of a Bahamian and is pleased to come board as a partner.

“The future of The Bahamas is in technology; the future of The Bahamas is what is happening here today. And that is allowing students to engage with hardware and software concepts that are used by thousands of students around the world in 10 countries right now,” she said.

“I am honoured to have the opportunity to do that with partners. When we started this initiative, before we had a box called LINGO, we had a camp called HACKIT, and it started in Nassau. And Aliv saw the future potential of this initiative and now we have this product,” she said.

Linda Davis, VP of Academic Affairs at BTVI, said the institution welcomes such collaborations.

“BTVI mandate is to facilitate training and education opportunities to create new pathways for students. And that it is in STEM-related areas, which open tremendous opportunities for bright young minds who want to do something different from the traditional.

“We are excited about moving beyond what is conceived as the traditional trades. We are going into a space that is the future and will carve possibilities in GB,” she said.

Dominic Petty, general manger Consumer Sales at ALIV in Grand Bahama, said STEM plays a critical role in the overall growth and development of the Bahamas.

He said to introduce young people at such an early stage and expose them to such technology will open them to a wide array of professional careers.

“We are delighted to partner with the GB Port Authority in such a critical initiative that involves young people,” said Mr Petty.

Mr Newbold shared brief background into how the SEED programme was conceived.

He stated that the REEF (Revitalization and Expansion of the Economy of Freeport) Committee represented a stakeholder engagement exercise where GBPA saw a shared vision for the City of Freeport.

A number of sub- committees were formed, and one was an Education and Training committee, which recommended to GBPA the introduction of a STEM Programme in the high schools on Grand Bahama to teach children about programming and coding.

With the launch of the STEM pilot programme, he said that the recommendation is now a reality.

THE TRIBUNE

Monday, April 4, 2022, PAGE 5

DPM: Raise the age of consent from page one

children who cannot drink alcohol, join law enforcement, open a bank account, stand before a court as an an adult or vote, for example, cannot reasonably consent to sex with an adult.

“Any law that suggests otherwise is out of step with what the vast majority of those whom the law is supposed to serve believe. I am also for eliminating any ambiguity in the law with regard to teenage minors consenting to sex with adults — once again, they cannot.

“Laws must change as the values of society evolve and mature. Cabinet is considering measures to bring about these changes and they are long overdue,” Mr

Cooper said.

This comes after a 40-year-old man was given a four-year sentence in a plea deal for unlawful sexual intercourse with a 14-year-old girl who was also pregnant. After the man completes his prison term, he will be on probation for three years.

The sentence prompted outcry from some people that it was too lenient.

However, National Security Minister Wayne Munroe on Thursday suggested the sentence was too severe, telling reporters that had he defended the man, he would have argued it was not rape and that the girl consented.

This statement led to backlash and calls for Mr Munroe’s resignation.

Speaking on the sidelines of a Child Protection

Month press conference on Friday, Mr Wilchcombe said the age of consent is being reviewed.

“At 16, a young girl cannot even go to a doctor... the Attorney General’s Office is addressing the inconsistencies (in the age of consent) because we have from ten years old, a child can be charged as an adult for a crime depending on the circumstances. So we have a lot inconsistencies so we’re working on that now and we expect legislation to change during the summer months,” he said on Friday.

Asked if the plan was to increase the age of consent to 18, the West Grand Bahama and Bimini MP said, “I can’t say that, I know it’s being discussed.”

Regarding Mr Munroe’s controversial statements, Mr Wilchcombe said the

minister is responsible for his comments.

“I’m responsible for the ones that I make,” he told reporters. “I’m not sure of the circumstances in which he was speaking.

I thought at one point he simply was just seeking to give advice as to how he would advise a client.

At the end of the day, my responsibility is to take care of the children and to ensure that our children are protected. Those responsibilities we intend to carry out vigorously.”

Mr Wilchcombe did not believe the statements made undermined the efforts of protecting children.

“The only thing that can undermine our work is if we do not carry it out vigorously. We’re not going to be undermined by

anything and in our society you have to appreciate the differing views, but we have a stated mission, an obligation, and a pledge that we intend to pursue in the cause for our search for the protection of all children of our country because there’s too many that we’re seeing, too many cases of vexing issues that’s been around for awhile and so going to take a very aggressive approach in dealing with and causing for greater education.”

He added: “You will see changes to the law within the next several months to ensure that we are providing this protection.”

Ann Marie Davis, who was also at the event, said she thinks the maximum sentence should be given to those who violate children.

“It enrages me so much,” the prime minister’s wife said. “Personally, I would like to see everyone get the maximum sentence who violates a child. It’s traumatic. It affects them for the rest of their lives. It destroys a child - someone who has the potential of doing so much more. Once you destroy a child’s life, I think everyone should get the maximum sentence. It makes me that angry.”

The 14-year-old victim in the unlawful sex case should have been protected more, according to Mrs Davis.

“She should’ve been protected by whoever her guardians were.

Whoever her neighbours, teachers, everyone else. She should’ve been protected and my heart goes out to her.”

MUNROE REGRETS REACTION - BUT DOESN’T TAKE BACK RAPE COMMENTS

from page one

“Two - Anyone who does so will go to prison. The only question is the length of their sentence.

“Three Sentence lengths for the offence in question are established by the Bahamas Court of Appeal. For a first-time offender, the sentence is seven years if the young woman does not consent, and four years if the young woman does consent. The word ‘consent’ is in the text of the relevant statute – ‘with or without consent.’

“Four - Plea agreements avoid court cases and thus help clear the backlog of

cases in our justice system.

Additionally, plea bargaining spares the victim from having to give evidence thereby being forced to relive the trauma of the crime.”

He said the Davis administration “is unified in wanting to send the clearest possible message to adults who would have sexual relationships with children under 16: your behaviour will land you in jail, no matter the child’s behaviour.”

He also said: “When I provide my analysis of a legal matter, as I have done in recent interviews, I do draw upon my decades of experience practising law. But I want

Bahamians to be clear, it is this experience that allows me a clear view of the path to successful law enforcement and prosecution. The goal in cases like these is to punish predatory behaviour and to deter others from engaging in such behaviour.”

There have been calls for Mr Munroe’s resignation after he told reporters on Thursday that the 40-year-old man in the referenced case received a sentence that was too severe.

Mr Munroe said had he defended the man, he would not have accepted a plea deal because it was not rape and that the girl consented.

SENATOR: FOCUS ON PROTECTING YOUNG RATHER THAN INSENSITIVE COMMENTS

By LEANDRA ROLLE Tribune Staff Reporter lrolle@tribunemedia.net

SENATOR Michela Barnett Ellis wants the Davis administration to place greater focus on how the country can offer better protection for underage children instead of making “insensitive” comments about victims of sex crimes.

Over the past week, there has been much public discourse about a particular sex case involving a 40-yearold man who was sentenced to four years in prison for unlawful sexual intercourse with a 14-year-old girl who he impregnated.

The sentence prompted outcry from some people who said it was too lenient.

It also elicited comments from several government ministers, including National Security Minister Wayne Munroe and State Minister of Social Services Lisa Rahming, who have both since come under fire for their controversial remarks about the case.

On Thursday, Mr Munroe suggested the sentence was too severe, telling reporters that had he defended the man, he would have argued it was not rape and that the girl consented.

However, in a statement issued the next day, Mr Munroe said he regrets that his comments have caused public concern.

Ms Rahming also received backlash after she told reporters over the weekend that she didn’t entirely blame the child, adding she believed the minor was just “misguided.”

“I would say that she was misguided,” Ms Rahming said on Saturday. “She was

misled, she was a minor and that doesn’t mean that minors cannot make good decisions. What I look at it is, if a child is placed in a vulnerable position anything is likely to happen.

Think of when adults are placed in vulnerable positions. They sometimes make irrational decisions and so I looked at it as she was misguided.”

Yesterday, Senator Barnett-Ellis called Ms Rahming’s comments “disappointing” and “insensitive.” She also called for an end to continued discussion about the case.

“First, I think the comments by the minister of state for social services were extremely disappointing. They showed a lack of empathy. I think that continuing to talk about this particular case is insensitive,” she said in an interview with The Tribune.

“I think that the focus needs to be on how do we fix it? What can we do to stop this from being so prevalent, but the continued comments are not painting this administration in a good light.

“I hope that they don’t represent what the ‘new day’ administration believes in on a whole. We cannot ignore collective responsibility and every time they speak, they are speaking on behalf of the government of The Bahamas and on behalf of the Cabinet.

“The tweet by the prime minister and his wife and the post by Chester Cooper, gives me hope that that does not reflect the views of the entire administration thankfully but we need to focus on how we can stop this from happening and

how we can deal with this problem rather than focusing on this particular case,” Mrs Barnett Ellis also said.

On Friday, Prime Minister Philip “Brave” Davis tweeted that “grown men should stay away from children” adding the law is designed to protect children who cannot consent and should be fully enforced.

His wife, Ann Marie Davis, has also said sex offenders should be punished to the fullest extent of the law.

Asked about her recommendations to tackle the social issue, the senator said she plans to offer some ideas during her communication in the Senate today and urged Bahamians to tune in.

“My communication is going to be on discrimination, and I am going to give some of my ideas of realistic things that we can do to help or to improve how we deal with women issues in The Bahamas,” she said.

In a statement released Sunday, Equality Bahamas said there is a critical need for legal reform in the country “to end rape culture and recognise insensitive public commentary.”

“Rape culture is pervasive in The Bahamas,” the activist group said. “It has become such a norm to blame victims, including children, for the predation of adults that the director of public prosecutions and the minister of national security publicly participate in and encourage it.

Under no circumstance is a child responsible for sexual violence against them, and under no circumstance is an adult inculpable of sexual violence perpetrated against a child.”

OMAR ARCHER WANTED BY POLICE OMAR Archer, former registrar of contractors in the Ministry of Works, is wanted by the Royal Bahamas Police Force for alleged intentional libel.

On Friday, police released a wanted bulletin picturing Mr Archer, whose last known address is Lewis Street, Nassau Village.

Following the poster’s release, Mr Archer in a video which circulated on social media accused National Security Minister Wayne Munroe of lodging the complaint against him.

He went on to make several accusations against Mr Munroe along with an ultimatum that if the complaint were not dropped, he would release alleged damaging information regarding the minister.

Yesterday, Mr Munroe said he planned to file a criminal complaint against Mr Archer as a result. “I don’t have time to be distracted with the individual,” the Freetown MP added.

Back in February, Deputy Prime Minister Chester Cooper made a complaint

with police against Mr Archer, accusing him of criminal libel.

In a letter to Police Commissioner Paul Rolle at the time, Mr Cooper said: “A voice note that makes false allegations against me was forwarded to me by several persons last evening via WhatsApp. I recognise the voice to be that of Omar Archer. The voice note accuses me of corruption and conflict of interest.

The allegations are false!

I hereby request that the matter is investigated.”

MINISTER of National Security Wayne Munroe pictured on Saturday.

Photo: Racardo Thomas/Tribune Staff

PROCLAMATION WHEREAS, Kingdor National Parkinson's Foundations, a non-profit organization was instituted on 201h April, 2000 to assist people stricken with Parkinson's disease and joined forces with Parkinson's Foundation world-wide; AND WHEREAS, Parkinson's disease is a progressive neurological movement disorder of the central nervous system, which has a unique impact on each patient; AND WHEREAS, according to the Parkinson's Foundations, Action Network, the American Parkinson's Disease Association and the National Institutes of Health, there are over one million Americans diagnosed with Parkinson's disease and over seven million globally; AND WHEREAS, these symptoms include slowness of movement, tremor, difficulty with balance and speaking, rigidity, cognitive and memory problems; AND WHEREAS, although new medicines and therapies may enhance life for a period of time for people with Parkinson's, more work is needed for a cure; AND WHEREAS, increased education and research are needed to help find more effective treatments with fewer side effects and ultimately a cure for Parkinson's disease; AND WHEREAS, a multidisciplinary approach to Parkinson's disease care includes local wellness, support, and caregiver groups; AND WHEREAS, April has been proclaimed as World Wide Parkinson's Awareness Month for all to recognize the need for more research and help in dealing with the devastating effects of Parkinson's disease; NOW, THEREFORE, I, Philip E. Davis, Prime Minister of the Commonwealth of The Bahamas, do hereby proclaim the month of April 2022 as "Parkinson's Awareness Month" under the theme, "Understanding Parkinson's Disease".

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my Hand and Seal ',;' this 7CJ day of March, 2022.

PHILIP E. DAVIS PRIME MINISTER

PAGE 6, Monday, April 4, 2022

The Tribune Limited

THE TRIBUNE

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Publisher/Editor 1919-1972 Contributing Editor 1972-1991

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C.M.G., M.S., B.A., LL.B. Publisher/Editor 1972-

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Why do so many seek to blame the victim?

IF there is one thing this past week has shown, it is that we are ill equipped for a discussion of the issues surrounding sex crimes and underage children.

The public commentary surrounding the issue has been prompted by a case in which a 40-year-old man was given a sentence of four years in jail after having sex with a 14-year-old girl.

The first official to comment on the case was Franklyn Williams, the acting director of public prosecutions, who faced calls for his resignation after saying when asked about the case that the country has a “generation of highly sexualised young people” who sometimes “engage in risky behaviours”.

While he protested that he “said nothing about the victim. I said absolutely nothing about the young lady,” it seemed certain he was not speaking about the 40-year-old man and blaming him for the actions for which he was guilty.

Also facing criticism was State Minister of Social Services Lisa Rahming, who told reporters over the weekend that she didn’t entirely blame the child – that would be the victim – said she believed the minor was just “misguided”. She said: “She was misled, she was a minor and that doesn’t mean that minors cannot make good decisions.

What I look at it is, if a child is placed in a vulnerable position anything is likely to happen. Think of when adults are placed in vulnerable positions.

They sometimes make irrational decisions and so I looked at it as she was misguided.”

The greatest focus perhaps fell on National Security Minister Wayne Munroe, who last week said that he thought the sentence imposed on the 40-year-old man was too severe, and that had he defended the man in court he would have argued that it was not rape and that the girl consented.

After he said that, there was an angry response, prompting him to issue a further statement saying that he “deeply” regrets his comments had “caused concern”. You’ll note that is not an apology for his actual words, however.

He went on to say that “anyone who has sexual intercourse with a child under 16 is disordered” and would go to prison. He said he was seeking to provide his legal expertise in his comments – and that the goal in such cases was to “punish predatory behaviour and

to deter others from engaging in such behaviour”.

You will note in all the words spoken by the individuals above, some talking about “risky behaviours”, some talking about being “misguided”, some talking about issues of consent, there is barely a word of criticism for the actual criminal, the man being sent to jail.

The behaviours being criticised are those of the victim, not the grown man who found her on Facebook and initiated a relationship with a child.

Such comments brought criticism from across the political spectrum. Ann Marie Davis, the wife of Prime Minister Philip “Brave” Davis, said at the weekend that she thinks the maximum sentence should be given to those who violate children, saying it “enrages her so much”, adding: “It affects them for the rest of their lives. It destroys a child – someone who has the potential of doing so much more. Once you destroy a child’s life, I think everyone should get the maximum sentence. It makes me that angry.”

And her husband, Prime Minister Davis, made his own statement, saying on Twitter: “Let’s be clear: grown men should stay away from children. The law is designed to protect children, who cannot meaningfully offer consent, and it should be enforced to the fullest extent.”

Mr Davis is absolutely correct. That others within his administration cannot find it within themselves to offer a fullthroated defence of victims of sex crime but rather seemingly cast blame must be a source of frustration to the Prime Minister, as much as it has enraged many who heard the initial comments.

It is within this atmosphere that Deputy Prime Minister Chester Cooper, with the noble intention of seeking to “further protect minors” has suggested raising the age of consent to 18 years old.

While we are still casting blame on children too young to consent to sex, it seems almost impossible to have a sensible discussion on such an issue, but we absolutely should be discussing issues surrounding the health of young women, the exploitation of young women, and ways to defend them from predatory behaviour of older men.

Are we ready to have that discussion?

After the past week, it is hard to believe that we are.

Blame game EDITOR, The Tribune.

CRIME, just like our Finances, no Government has been willing to address the fundamental issues and continually play politics and most of the time knee jerk reactions – of course the blame game.

The majority of us live on a small rock 21x7... there are probably 220,000 of us on New Providence. The majority by far law-abiding.

So a “conclave” is called - you know love our use of that word as “conclave” is really the description of when the Catholics meet to elect a Pope.

Crime....There are probably 2,000 that would describe their occupation as ‘criminals’...they don’t respect Law and Order...

are willing to contract kill for as little, I have been told of $30....have access to any type of automatic fire-arm which seemingly pours into our country without any restrictions guns solely come from the US. Ports of entry, official, are our airports or ports these are manned by RBPFRBDF-Customs. Surely the RBPF have noticed that the spate of murders over the past years have not been for robbery - they seemingly were assassinations - violent retribution - you crossed me, you owe me - bang you dead. Persons charged incredibly are even on the ankle bracelet programme.

Bail is granted with zero regard to the gravity or seriousness of the crime.

Pindling era had a crime problem as did Ingraham, Christie, Minnis and as has the Davis –- maybe consult with different people who have the guts to spell it out and direct some sense into Law Enforcement - it is worth trying as nothing has worked.

Oh, yes, we will hear the sobs - ma, ma exclaiming her boy was an angel, but the Police say ma ma’s boy was known to them.

We will get a further knee jerk policy - move some Police around, demote, fire and politically appoint and watch out for the usual National Committee.

STEPHEN MOSS Nassau, March 28, 2022.

Property taxation EDITOR, The Tribune.

Real property owners screaming on the valuations Property Tax Department sent.

Before protesting remember - property owners are

required to provide valuations to Real Property Tax Department.

Check thoroughly that no property close to yours has been sold for a high price higher than the valuation of your property even higher

than the valuation you are protesting.

Don’t let the dog bite his tail.

JESSICA SMITH Nassau, April 1, 2022.

LENNY Kravitz and H.E.R. perform “Are you Gonna Go My Way” at the 64th Annual Grammy Awards in Las Vegas yesterday.

Photo: Chris Pizzello/AP

Athol Island and plans of the past EDITOR, The Tribune.

THE late E Dawson Roberts often quoted what has been attributed to Thomas Jefferson “Eternal Vigilance is the price of Liberty”.

An otherwise insignificant notice published in The Tribune today, April 1st, advises that a Public Meeting will be held on April 14th, 2022 at 5:00pm.

Information about the project is available at https://www.jssconsultants. com/AtholIsland According to the downloadable information, one might think that only a fool would proceed with such an application, as it seems to impinge on every aspect of the natural beauty of this island, as well as the natural life of the creatures upon it. It is a two mile long island, according to the information, yet the project is positioned smack dab on top of what is an underwater sanctuary, known forever as the Sea Gardens. A beautiful garden of Coral (which Coral Vita in Grand Bahama are artificially growing because it is under threat and dying out around the world) with sea fans, fish of every kind, conch grass, sponges and sea cucumbers and star

LETTERS letters@tribunemedia.net fish. Interestingly, the EIA study was done in October 2021 when the flock of Bahamas White Crowned Pigeons, which annually nest in the mangrove swamp west of the boneyard, would have finished nesting and flown south to Cuba by then. I guess one can’t report what one doesn’t see, but one can make enquiries, methinks.

The information names all of these, (except the White Crowned Pigeon) but goes on to blithely say that Sand Dollar Tours will build a dock over this sacred place. Tourists who have been paying to quietly visit and swim and dive in this place, will likely be prevented and the people who bring them will then be unemployed because Sand Dollar Tours wants to eat their lunch.

This Athol Island must be cursed by God according to its history. At one stage it was designated as a boneyard for end of life freight boats that would be towed in and abandoned to disintegrate, and in so doing, discharge all of their residual fuel and oil around

the island and into Montagu Bay. Such ugliness that this created obviously made it look like a dumping ground and some unscrupulous construction company years ago decided to dump a shipload of concrete and steel wreckage from some job it had done somewhere.

Which wreckage is still there for the world and the dumper to see.

Before its designation as a boneyard, and offshore land fill, it was made famous when legislation was passed in 1856 designating it to be a Quarantine Station during the Cholera epidemic, which was then raging in the islands and elsewhere.

One can only wonder how the Department of Environmental Planning and Protection (just love the planning and protection part), can constantly entertain such applications, knowing that with designations such as Bird Sanctuary, and being part of a National Marine Park, will need legislative action to be undesignated. It seems a bit like taking your socks off before taking off your shoes.

MONKEEDOO Nassau, April 1, 2022.

Banking EDITOR, The Tribune.

THE Bank is the legal business where money is kept at all times. If there is no money and bankers in the bank it cannot function. If all the clients take all of their money out of the bank, it cannot survive.

Continue to bank. The number places are trying to replace the banks in the Bahamas. Mr Banks from USA was here.

Reality check, everybody

does not win. Banking is The Bahamas’ second industry it is one of the best in the world. The money van is supposed to work for the bank.

The rat bat is located in Carmichael Road. The black president of America is still Barack Obama. He made a lot of people proud.

The enemy steals, kills, and destroys. But Jesus said “I come that you may have life, and live more abundantly.”

“Hits happen here and there over the mighty dollars.” Be careful. It’s still a matter of trust. They set up their own empire here.

America, in God we trust too.

Money can continue to be used as trade in this millennium. Save Save Save!

We have a new five dollar bill.

VERA ALBURY Nassau, March 30, 2022.

THE TRIBUNE

Monday, April 4, 2022, PAGE 7

MAN MUST TAKE COUNSELLING A HUG AS REACH GIVEN $10K AFTER POLICE FIND MARIJUANA

By LEANDRA ROLLE Tribune Staff Reporter lrolle@tribunemedia.net A 39-YEAR-OLD man was ordered to attend drug counselling classes for six months after police found him with two grams of marijuana last month.

Police arrested Mark Prudhome on March 31 after they saw him smoking the drugs.

He pleaded guilty to the offence during his hearing before Magistrate Shaka Serville on Friday.

When asked how long he’s been a drug user, the accused told the court he has smoked marijuana since the late 1990’s.

“I ain’t gone do it no more. I gone stop,” he said, while asking the court for leniency.

In response, Magistrate Serville told the accused that it appeared that he had a drug problem, pointing to his past convictions

which were also of a similar nature.

Asked if he wanted help to assist with his drug addiction, Prudhome said he did.

As a result, he was ordered to attend drug counseling classes and get treatment at the Community Counselling and Assessment Centre (CCAC) for a period of six months.

Before the accused was released, the magistrate warned him that failure to comply with the conditions of his release would result in a $250 fine or one month in prison.

Also appearing in court on Friday was 19-year-old Uriah Ingraham Jr. The teenager was arrested after police claim they found him with a Taurus 40 mm pistol and four unfired rounds of ammunition on March 30.

During his hearing before Magistrate

Serville, Ingraham denied the offences.

However, when given the chance to speak in court, he said he found the gun in question several weeks ago and was contemplating whether he should turn the weapon in.

Ultimately, he said he didn’t do so out of fear.

“I could guarantee that I’m not the person who be carrying around guns,” he said, describing himself as ambitious.

Having listened to his explanation, Magistrate Serville asked the accused whether he wished to change his plea, to which he replied “no.”

The magistrate then told him that if he wished to do so, he would be able to.

As a result, the case was adjourned to Monday, April 4.

Bail was also deferred until then to allow the prosecutor to determine whether the accused had any prior convictions.

FRAUD CHARGE FOR USING FRIEND’S CARD

By LEANDRA ROLLE Tribune Staff Reporter lrolle@tribunemedia.net A GRAND Bahama man who used his friend’s credit card without permission while vacationing on Paradise Island was charged with fraud on Friday.

Shean Hall, 22, was arrested after he was accused of using Nathan Morley’s credit card to purchase over $1,000 worth of goods from Margaritaville and El Greco hotels without his consent sometime between March 25 to 27.

Hall pleaded guilty to two counts of fraud by false pretences during his hearing before Magistrate Shaka Serville.

After owning up to the offences, Hall gave a tearful account of what happened between him and his friend during Friday’s hearing.

He told the court that he was staying at El Greco when Mr Morley reached out, informing him that he would be on the island soon.

“When he came, he told me that he would book me into Margaritaville

and extend my time at El Greco so… as a friend and because I didn’t see him in a long time, I allowed it to be,” he said.

The 22-year-old said during his stay, he believed Mr Morley saw him with another male friend, prompting some jealousy.

Hall told the court he believes this was what led to his arrest.

“I didn’t know that he would ever try (to) do that to me as a friend because maybe he saw me with a different male … and he took it some type of way and (did that) out of spite,” he tearfully told the court.

The accused also went on to speak about his character, saying he worked in photography and was an aspiring entrepreneur.

Hall also said he was trying to get his life on the right course, after spending nearly a year in prison for a similar offence.

He described his living conditions in prison as hard and said the situation served as a wake-up call for him.

“I told myself after coming out of the prison, I want the best for my life.

BAIL DENIED ON RAPE CHARGE

By LEANDRA ROLLE Tribune Staff Reporter lrolle@tribunemedia.net

A 33-YEAR-OLD man accused of raping a teenager last month was denied bail on Friday.

Police allege that Devaughn Adderley had sexual intercourse with an 18-year-old girl without her consent on March 26.

The 33-year-old is further accused of threatening to harm his child’s mother the same day. However, he has denied this and bail was granted in the sum of $500

with one or two sureties.

As it relates to the rape charge, Adderley was not required to enter a plea due to the nature of the offence.

He was told the case will proceed by way of a voluntary bill of indictment.

Adderley was remanded to the Bahamas Department of Correctional Services. However, he can apply to the Supreme Court for bail in relation to that offence.

His next court appearance is June 9. The accused is represented by attorney Alex Dorsett.

Funeral Service For Clarita Victoria Lockhart née Taylor Attorney-at-Law a resident of Deal’s Heights will be held on Friday, Apri1 08, 2022 at 11:00 a.m. at Evangelistic Centre Assemblies of God, Vesey Street, Grant’s Town.

Officiating will be Dr. Rev. Neil Hamilton and Pastor Tyrone Sands.

Cremation will follow.

Due to Current Government COVID-19 regulations attendance at the Church Service is limited.

Relatives and friends may pay their respects at Butlers’ Funeral Homes & Crematorium, Ernest and York Streets on Thursday, April 07, 2022 from 1:30p.m. to 4:00 p.m. and at the church on Friday, April 08, 2022 from 10:00 a.m. to 10:45 a.m.

Current Emergency COVID-19 regulations are in effect. Social Distancing and Face Masks will be enforced.

This is the only hiccup that I had so far… I was literally on the right path,” he said, while asking the court for a second chance.

In response, Magistrate Serville said he had to take into consideration several factors, including his past convictions.

He also told Hall that while he understood his arguments, he could not treat the matter lightly considering the offence was a serious one and very similar to his last conviction.

“I don’t have the ability to just look at this as somebody wronging you. I have to look at this, shortly after you wronged someone by stealing and served a year in prison…. you were doing the opposite of what you told me to do,” the magistrate said.

Magistrate Serville also said he had to consider his duty of sending a strong message to would-be repeat offenders.

Ultimately, the magistrate said he needed more time to reflect on the case and deferred sentencing to April 8.

SENATOR Maxine Seymour gets a hug from a child at an event held to mark Colina donating $10,000 to REACH for autism awareness.

Photo: Donavan McIntosh/Tribune Staff COLINA donated $10,000 to The Bahamas Resource and Educational Source for Autism other related Challenges (REACH) group on Friday.

The donation was made in recognition of Autism Awareness Month. The

insurance company also announced it would raise awareness for the issue through blue light displays that will illuminate its East Bay Street and Collins Avenue locations during the month of April.

21-YEAR-OLD CHARGED OVER DOUBLE SHOOTING

By LEANDRA ROLLE Tribune Staff Reporter lrolle@tribunemedia.net

A 21-YEAR-OLD man was sent to prison on Friday to await trial in connection with a double ​ shooting in Coconut Grove that happened nearly a month ago.

He was charged with murder.

Rashawn Wallace of Thompson Lane was remanded to the Bahamas Department of Correctional Services after being accused of killing Vernal Stubbs and Theodore Knowles on March 11.

He was not required to enter a plea to the charges

during his hearing before Magistrate Samuel McKinney on Friday. Instead, he was told the case would proceed by way of a voluntary bill of indictment.

According to initial police reports, shortly after 5pm that day, officers received a complaint of a shooting incident at Eighth Street, Coconut Grove.

Upon arrival at the scene, police found a white jeep parked on the eastern side of Eighth Street with two men inside suffering from gunshot wounds.

Emergency Medical Services were called and pronounced one of the

victims dead.

The other victim, police said, was taken to hospital but he later died.

“Initial investigations indicate at least two males were standing outside the residence when a vehicle approached them,” police reported at the time. “Two males exited that vehicle brandishing a firearm and discharged their weapons at the males injuring them about their bodies.”

Wallace will return to court on June 9. Until then, he will spend time on remand.

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

MONDAY, APRIL 4, 2022

THE STORIES BEHIND THE NEWS

Back to normal, or building back better?

By MALCOLM STRACHAN THE latest step in removing COVID restrictions is perhaps one of the most significant for Bahamians.

The removal of the need for COVID tests for interisland travel is more than welcome – it makes us able to travel freely within our nation. No longer will there be the hassle of arranging a test or the worry of what happens if it shows up positive before we go and visit our family members on different islands.

Yes, there are tourism benefits as well – allowing visitors to hop on board a flight to Grand Bahama or a speedboat to Exuma – but this one feels like it’s more of a benefit to our own people, removing an obstacle that has been keeping us apart.

It is one part of the continuing rebuilding of our nation after the effects of

A HEART symbol displayed by Atlantis in Oceober 2020 at the time that the resort announced its reopening.

COVID. Even the daily updates on new cases have started to feel reassuring rather than worrying. The update for April 1 showed just four new cases, for example, with only one in New Providence.

As the director of administration at Southern Air, Anthony Hamilton, pointed out with the lifting of the restriction on inter-island travel: “It has wider implications for the country at large. Persons commute from other Family Islands through New Providence to Grand Bahama. It’s one less burden to carry. It’s another step towards recovery in terms of revenue generation. It speaks to normalcy.

Now persons can get their sights on life returning to its normal pace. It’s one less thing to worry about.

There’s some relief in sight for the Family Islands.”

Perhaps the most important words there are “it’s one less burden to carry” – because it feels like that’s

what we’ve been doing.

We’ve been carrying the burden of avoiding spreading the disease. We’ve been carrying the burden of keeping our loved ones safe. But even beyond that, there are burdens we have been carrying. There have been economic burdens, personal financial burdens.

For many, there has been the burden of simply putting food on the table and keeping the light on at night.

Perhaps one of the most welcome signs recently that showed how those burdens have started to life was the announcement of pay rises for staff at Atlantis.

Many of those staff members will have been on furlough not so long ago and will have faced the worry and the fear of whether they would have a job to go back to at all. And now they still have their jobs, and more money to go with it as well.

There have been other

promising signs too – though some of it perhaps born out of trying to find a way to shoulder those burdens placed upon us.

Last week, Minister of Economic Affairs Michael Halkitis said that the number of registered Bahamian businesses has increased by 37 percent over the past two years.

How can that be when the economy has been reeling from the shock of COVID? Because necessity is the mother of invention, in part – and Bahamians stuck at home on furlough have been finding ingenious ways to develop their own businesses. You only need to look at some of the many stories in the pages of The Tribune, especially the Woman and Weekend sections, with so many people coming up with new businesses. There are stylists and chefs, PR experts and authors, tailors and talent scouts. It’s impossible to list all the different

ways in which people have branched out because there are as many different avenues as there are people themselves exploring them. For each of those new adventures, there is a business licence to go with it – and that’s at least part of the reason why we have seen such a spike in business licences.

For Mr Halkitis, this meant that “the future is bright, we’re optimistic and bullish on the future of The Bahamas”.

Of course, alongside that, we should also learn some lessons. With so many people being added to the entrepreneur category, what can we do to make it easier for them to progress?

That might be making it easier to deal with all the paperwork involved – there can still be lengthy delays in dealing with different departments within government. Or it might be finding ways to bring together this new wave of entrepreneurs

with those who have finance to support them.

Emerging from COVID with a broader base of businesses will be a silver lining on a cloud that has hung over our country for far too long.

COVID has not made our country stronger – we cannot say that with 788 of our people lost to the virus.

And there remain challenges ahead, not least of all with the prospect of further waves of the disease, which have been affecting Europe, especially recently.

But if we do learn our lessons – and there is no guarantee that we have – we can both reward those who have shown their endeavour already, and make it easier for such steps in future.

Returning to normal is an idea that is seductive in its appeal, but doing things better than we were before should be the goal – and will help us rebuild bigger, faster and better.

EMAIL: insight@tribunemedia.net

INSIGHT

MONDAY, APRIL 4, 2022 PAGE 9

As the orchids bloom A POPULAR theory amongst gardeners is that the lunar cycle can affect plant growth. It follows that as the moon’s gravitational pull alters the rise and fall of ocean tides, it also directly influences the amount of moisture in the soil. In doing so, planting seeds in the right moisture conditions will allow the seeds to germinate much faster and accordingly yield bigger, healthier plants.

Temperature is also an important factor to consider. For example, perennials like orchids, which in Japanese culture symbolize good luck and prosperity, grow best and bloom when there’s no more than a 10 to 15-degree difference between daytime and night time temperatures. But even in the most ideal conditions of adequate sunlight, temperature and moisture balance, growing plants is not my finest attribute. My mother has mastered the art with an inherent skill that rivals any gardener anywhere in the world but, in this regard, the apple has unfortunately fallen far from the tree. I’ve often tried to grow them in my office but within days they just faint and give up on life. The leaves wilt and turn yellow and the flowers drop off one by one in a slow despicable walk to the grave. It’s very sad and has occurred so often that recently one of my patients abruptly suggested that I consider investing in a fake plant.

The patient highlighted in today’s report, however is the polar opposite.

Though quite new to gardening, she has a beautiful yard and growing orchids is now one of her most beloved hobbies. She finds it incredibly relaxing, which in part helps to alleviate the stress of her demanding job.

She also uses it as a time of self-reflection. A mother of two, she almost died giving birth to her youngest son and she shares her extraordinary story with you today.

We’ll call her Diana.

Thirty years ago, at the age of 19, Diana began experiencing unusually heavy bleeding with her menstrual cramps. At first it felt like the organs in her lower abdomen were being crushed. Eventually it became so severe that it felt like she was being ripped in half by a dull blade, searing deeper into her body, for hours without end. Her family became deeply concerned and her cousin referred her to a gynecological specialist.

A transvaginal ultrasound was inconclusive so her doctor opted to perform laparoscopic surgery. At that point, two cysts were discovered on her right ovary and Diana was diagnosed with endometriosis.

The cysts were surgically

By DR KENNETH D KEMP

removed and for six joyous months she was pain-free.

Then, without warning, the symptoms reappeared and the agony started all over again. This time it was even worse.

Another ultrasound was performed revealing that she now had six cysts on her left ovary so she underwent a second surgery to remove all of the cysts and part of the affected ovary. Because of the extent of her operation, she was advised that it would be highly unlikely that she could ever become pregnant or bear children to full term. Diana was devastated. She’d just gotten engaged the day prior and had to tell her fiancé that she would never be able to bear him a child. A man of strong faith, raised in a Christian home, the news didn’t faze him and he stated emphatically that he was okay with whatever God had in store for them. They were married as planned and, to their utter shock, less than 50 days into their marriage she became pregnant.

Late into her first trimester, while at work, she started having intense back and abdominal pain so she went to the bathroom and began to experience profuse vaginal bleeding. She was certain that she was having a miscarriage. Her husband took her to her obstetrician-gynecologist (OB-GYN) but they were informed that their baby was fine. She had a placental abruption where the umbilical cord had become detached from the uterine wall. She was placed on bed rest for two weeks and her symptoms resolved, so she went back to work and delivered a healthy son at 36 weeks without issue.

Five years later she became pregnant for a second time. Her pregnancy was smooth until at 40 weeks she suffered from two weeks of horrific and unyieldingly intense

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contractions. Labour was induced at the advice of her OB-GYN but vaginal delivery wasn’t working so she was taken to the operating theatre for an emergency C-section. Before removing her second son from the womb, they noted with astonishment that his umbilical cord was tied in a knot around him so if she had continued with natural birth, her baby would have in all likelihood died.

One week following her delivery, while preparing for her follow-up visit with the doctor, she could barely move. She had a sharp pain at the back of her neck, her thinking was distorted, she felt weak, nauseous and she could sense that her vitals were crashing quickly. Her mother drove her to her appointment as planned.

Vitals showed her blood pressure was dangerously elevated. Disoriented and barely able to stand, she failed every reflex test. She was rushed to the emergency room and within minutes of getting there her body became paralyzed. She seized up and began shaking, forcibly

and uncontrollably, slamming her body against the gurney bed until ultimately losing consciousness. Her mother was ushered into a small waiting room with her five-year and one-week old grandsons. Waiting there with them she called Diana’s husband who was driving from work, quickly swerving in and out of traffic to be with his family.

Alone and afraid, she clutched her grandsons tightly knowing that her daughter was in a room full of strangers and facing the biggest fight of her life.

Diana was diagnosed with postpartum preeclampsia and regained consciousness once her attending physicians were able to control her seizures.

She remained in the hospital for three days to control her blood pressure and the alarmingly high level of protein in her urine, which is pathognomonic for this condition. It was 2004 and Category 3 Hurricane Frances was rampaging over the island leaving 75% of the entire Bahamas archipelago without electricity and severely limiting

contact with her family.

Before being discharged she was placed on several medications, including aspirin, an antibiotic, pain medication, two blood pressure pills and an incredibly strong and addictive anti-seizure medicine. The anti-seizure medicine was then switched after two weeks to something similar but she suffered from an intense withdrawal episode of powerful body tremors, elevated blood pressure and critical insomnia that landed her back in the emergency room.

She was diagnosed with anxiety disorder and postpartum depression. She was switched from that anti-seizure medication to another and she’s been on it daily for nearly 18 years.

Her take home message is for patients to do their own research regarding their prescribed medications and to ask a lot of questions about all of their potential side effects.

Today, my patient uses gardening to control her stress levels and relies less on medication. Mercifully, despite all of the

many challenges that she’s endured, life has become somewhat routine. With her husband, sons, mother and extended family at her side, she feels exceedingly grateful for all of her many triumphs. So, still hopeful for what tomorrow may bring, every evening before darkness falls and the orchids near their bloom, she gathers her dogs and returns to her garden. Deep inside she knows that she is immeasurably blessed as she stands there, happy and smiling, watering her plants altogether surrounded by the promise of a moonlit night and comforted by the memories of days gone by.

This is the KDK Report.

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

PAGE 10 MONDAY, APRIL 4, 2022

INSIGHT

EMAIL: insight@tribunemedia.net

How serious is the Caribbean about reparations?

World View

By SIR RONALD SANDERS

ON March 25, the Secretary-General of the Organization of American States (OAS), Luis Almagro, publicly pointed out that “only six of our 34 active member states have ratified the Inter-American Convention against Racism, Racial Discrimination and Related Forms of Intolerance”.

Almagro was speaking at an OAS meeting to commemorate the victim of the trans-Atlantic slave trade. Poignantly, he asked why 28 states have not ratified the Convention. He emphasized the relevance of his question by inquiring further: “Do we not agree that every human being is equal under the law? Do we not agree that every human being has a right to equal protection against racism, racial discrimination, and related forms of intolerance”?

The Secretary-General’s questions have great significance for the 14 CARICOM member states of the OAS, because only

one Caribbean state - Antigua and Barbuda – is among the six hemispheric nations that have ratified the treaty.

Yet, the Convention has been open for signature and ratification for nine years since 2013.

The Convention is the only international treaty that specifically identifies “people of African descent” as “victims of racism, racial discrimination, and other related forms of intolerance in the Americas”. For that reason alone, Caribbean states should have signed and ratified the Convention, especially as, in arguing for reparations for slavery, Heads of Government of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) have declared that the region “continues to suffer from the effects of slavery today”.

The Convention was not easily achieved. Its adoption took years of hard negotiations during which many member countries of the OAS, including the United States (US) and

PEOPLE demand an apology and slavery reparations during a visit to the former British colony by the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, Prince William and Kate, in Kingston, Jamaica, last month.

Photo: Collin Reid/AP Canada withdrew from the process. Today, apart from Antigua and Barbuda, the other five countries that have ratified the Convention are: Brazil, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Mexico and Uruguay.

The fact that CARICOM states, other than Antigua and Barbuda, have not

ratified the Convention is to be ratified and upheld rightfully a bewilderment when they have not done so for other OAS nations. This themselves. oddity has gained greater Many regard the absence importance over the last of the majority of CARInine years when blatant and COM countries from the fatal discrimination have nations that have ratified been meted out to people the Convention as weakenof African descent, giving ing the quest for reparatory rise to the movement which justice from the racial disasserts that “black lives crimination that is a part of matter”. slavery’s legacy. And that is While it is true that acts perhaps the greatest danger of racial discrimination for the Caribbean. within a state are matters In its statement to the for the jurisdiction con- OAS meeting at which cerned – even Secretarywhen they ‘The fact that General are fatal, as Almagro in the well- CARICOM states, asked his known case other than Antigua pertinent of George and Barbuda, questions, the Floyd in the Antigua and US, Conven- have not ratified Barbuda deltions such as the Convention egation said the one being is rightfully a the following: discussed “CARIhere, provide bewilderment for COM the oppor- other OAS nations.’ countries tunity for where intervention without accu- Afro-descendants are the sations of interference in majority, and occupy all the internal affairs of a levels of business, governstate. CARICOM states ment, and society - have a can raise their voices when moral obligation to insist specific acts of discrimi- on the same rights for Afronation occur. One of the descendants everywhere, overarching principles of particularly those in juristhe Convention is the com- dictions where their rights mitment by participating are routinely and structurstates that: “The individual ally denied”. and collective experience Antigua and Barbuda of discrimination must praised an earlier public be taken into account to call by Almagro for “repacombat segregation and rations to begin now” and marginalization based on supported his position at race, ethnicity, or national- the March 25 meeting that ity, and to protect the life “to overcome the conseplan of those individuals quences of slavery, which, and communities at risk even today continue to of such segregation and haunt many of our societies; marginalisation”. we must open the dialogue The fact that Caribbean for reparations”. countries have not signed The OAS is the second and ratified the treaty pro- inter-governmental organivides an excuse for other sation in which the matter states to do likewise. Carib- of reparations for slavery bean countries can hardly has been raised, although call for the Convention not formally placed on the

table for discussion. The first was the United Nations where several Caribbean leaders have called for reparations at meetings of the General Assembly. The difference between the UN and the OAS is that the latter’s Secretary-General – its Chief Executive Officer has associated himself with the advancement of the matter.

Caribbean countries have an opportunity to advance the reparations cause in the OAS. It might be an uncomfortable discussion for some non-Caribbean countries, but it is one that should not be avoided.

The task of advancing this cause falls to CARICOM countries. It requires unity of purpose and a clear and realistic understanding of what is meant by “reparations” and the form it should take.

One of the first meaningful steps in showing that they are serious about moving forward the discussion on reparations is for Caribbean countries to ratify the only InterAmerican Convention that specifically identifies “people of African descent” as “victims of racism, racial discrimination and inequality of treatment”. If not, the question will be asked: how serious are Caribbean states about reparations?

• Responses and previous commentaries: www. sirronaldsanders.com (The writer is Antigua and Barbuda’s Ambassador to the US and the OAS. He is also Senior Fellow at the Institute of Commonwealth Studies, University of London and Massey College in the University of Toronto. The views expressed are his own).

FROM left, Minister of Foreign Affairs Fred Mitchell and Dr Niambi Hall Campbell-Dean, chair of the Reparations Committee, pictured in February during a visit to update Mr Mitchell on the committeee’s work.

EMAIL: insight@tribunemedia.net

INSIGHT

MONDAY, APRIL 4, 2022 PAGE 11

After decades of research, why is AIDS still rampant?

By MAUREEN MILLER, Columbia University TODAY is World AIDS Day. More than three decades after the virus was first discovered, 5,753 people will become HIV infected today.

About the same number will become infected tomorrow, and the same number the day after that. While it is true that two-thirds of people living with HIV are in sub-Saharan Africa, HIV is a disease of the vulnerable and the poor everywhere.

Globally, half of those living with HIV are women.

Much less is known about the levels of infection among other vulnerable populations who may be forced to hide their risk, such as men who have sex with men, or drug users, or those whose risk is less appreciated or simply ignored, such as refugees and migrants or the disabled.

In the US alone, between 40,000 and 50,000 Americans test HIV positive for the first time each year, with African-Americans and Latinosvastly overrepresented.

This has been the casefor the last two decades. Every year, the number of people in the U.S. who learn they are now living with HIV is equivalent to the number of people who live in the city of Annapolis, Maryland.

Why aren’t we screaming and jumping up and down with fury at the sheer magnitude of the AIDS epidemic? As an HIV prevention researcher for more than two decades, I conducted a rather unscientific survey to find out. I asked a smattering of people in their 20’s – a cohort known for their willingness to jump up and down in fury – what they would like to know about HIV that they didn’t know already.

What I found is that younger people see AIDS as a chronic medical condition rather than a death sentence. However, they also expressed a general feeling of unease that, even though they didn’t often think or talk about it, HIV is a bigger problem than is let on by the general media.

They suspect but don’t fully appreciate the social factors that make HIV/ AIDS so hard to prevent and ultimately eradicate. They, like many of us, may not understand that AIDS is fueled more by poverty, discrimination and social injustice than anything else. This, I believe, is a main reason for the disease still being rampant.

AWARENESS OF DISEASE BUT NOT OF THE STRUGGLES

This exercise made me remember the reasons I became an HIV researcher. I moved to New York City in the 1980s, when I myself was in my 20’s. I came home one day to find my next door neighbors sobbing in each others arms – one had just been diagnosed with AIDS, the other knew he was about to be.

I remember the scare as the story spread of three young women running around the neighborhood stabbing people with hypodermic syringes, yelling gleefully “Now you have AIDS!” I saw the beautiful, young busboy from the restaurant where I worked: homeless, begging for money, for food, dying publicly on the street with no health insurance and nowhere to go. Variants of these scenes continue to play out around the globe, day in and day out.

The AIDS epidemic has led to significant medical advances and increased the scientific understanding of viruses in general.

Anti-HIV treatment drugs have been found to prolong the life of many people living with HIV. In fact, treatment has resulted in a decrease in the number of AIDS deaths and has led to a dramatic increase in the number of people living with HIV over the last five years.

One thing hasn’t changed: The number of people who are newly infected with HIV

each year has remained relatively stable for decades.

creates additional anti-HIV treatment availability shortages and contributes to drug resistance – already on the rise. Also, with the exception of PMTCT, anti-HIV drugs are not available to the vast majority of the global population.

I, and many others, have spent much of AIDS is clever. After all this time our adult lives trying to figure out how to we still don’t have a vac- prevent the spread of HIV in the absence cine to prevent the virus. of a vaccine, without relying on anti-HIV That’s not to say that treatment drugs. I can say unequivocally developing prevention that we have failed to put a significant dent strategies hasn’t kept in the number of new HIV cases that occur each year. people up at night.

It’s not that there haven’t been success Indeed, the inability to develop stories along the way. Syringe exchange programs have been around for over 30 an effective vacyears, yet remain rare and underfunded. cine has given Condoms came out from under the covers rise to the field of and sparked a hunger for conversations HIV prevention about sex and sexuality. medicine. This verThe problem with condoms – both male sion of and female – is that they require preventwo voices in the negotiation ‘I can say tion relies of their use. In the meantime, on the use unequivocally we’re still stuck arguing about of anti-HIV that we have making them available, instead of exploring ways to make them treatment failed to put a fun and essential part of sex. drugs to a significant Future successes must go prevent an beyond prevention tools. They individual from dent in the must deal with the social factors either acquiring or number of transmitting HIV: new HIV cases that face populations at greater vulnerability of acquiring HIV, stopping motherthat occur such as poverty; discrimination to-child based on gender, sexual orientaeach year.’ transmission tion, race/ethnicity or religion; (PMTCT);“test and illicit drug use. And everyand treat” to iden- thing is amplified for people aged 15-24, tify and medically who bear the brunt of new HIV infections. manage people A recent report found that sexually with HIV; post- transmitted infections in the US are at their HIV exposure highest levels ever. Syphilis, which was the prophylaxis harbinger of the massive increase in HIV (PEP); and infections in the US in the late 1980s, rose pre-HIV most sharply last year – by 19 percent. exposure Is it much of a leap to suggest that history may repeat itself? Increasingly, experts warn that AIDS will not be ended by medical means alone. AIDS will be conquered only by prevention that addresses the hard issues of inequality, discrimination and social justice.

I’d say that’s something 20-year-olds are already screaming about. Consider this prophylaxis(PrEP). more fuel for that fire.

Unfortunately, this prevention approach, • Originally published by www.theconversation.com which relies on anti-HIV treatment drugs,

ROOT CAUSES THAT A VACCINE CANNOT CURE

PAGE 12, Monday, April 4, 2022

THE TRIBUNE

SIX DEAD, 12 INJURED IN SACRAMENTO SHOOTING SACRAMENTO, California Associated Press

A CRIME scene investigator photographs evidence markers at the scene of a mass shooting In Sacramento, California, yesterday.

Photo: Rich Pedroncelli/AP

SIX people were killed and 12 injured in a mass shooting early yesterday as bars and nightclubs were closing in downtown Sacramento and police in California’s state capital were searching for at least one suspect.

Sacramento Police Chief Kathy Lester told reporters police were patrolling the area at about 2am when they heard gunfire and rushed to the scene. They found a large crowd gathered and six people dead in the street.

Twelve people who police said were shot and wounded were taken to a hospital or hospitals. The Sacramento Fire Department said four of the seven people transported by its emergency workers were suffering from critical injuries. Authorities said some gunshot victims drove

themselves to hospitals or were driven.

Authorities recovered “at least one firearm” from the scene, .

Asked if authorities were searching for one or more than one suspects, Lester told reporters that she did not know.

Investigators were reviewing videos from social media that appeared to show an altercation before the deadly incident, the police statement said.

“We are currently working to determine what, if any, relation these events have to the shooting,” the department said in the statement.

Shortly after the shooting, video was posted on Twitter that showed people running through the street amid the sound of rapid gunfire.

Sunday’s violence was the third time in the US this year that at least six people were killed in a mass shooting.

Ukraine accuses Russia of massacre in Bucha BUCHA, Ukraine Associated Press BODIES with bound hands, close-range gunshot wounds and signs of torture lay scattered in a city on the outskirts of Kyiv after Russian soldiers withdrew from the area. Ukrainian authorities accused the departing forces on Sunday of committing war crimes and leaving behind a “scene from a horror movie”.

As images of the bodies — of people whom residents said were killed indiscriminately — began to emerge from Bucha, a slew of European leaders condemned the atrocities and called for tougher sanctions against Moscow.

So far, the bodies of 410 civilians have been found in Kyiv-area towns that were recently retaken from Russian forces, Ukraine’s prosecutor-general, Iryna Venediktova, said.

Associated Press journalists saw the bodies of at least 21 people in various spots around Bucha, northwest of the capital. One group of nine, all in civilian clothes, were scattered around a site that residents said Russian troops used as a base. They appeared to have been killed at close range. At least two had their hands tied behind their backs, one was shot in the head, another’s legs were bound.

Ukrainian officials laid the blame for the killings in Bucha and other Kyiv suburbs squarely at the feet of Russian troops, with the president calling them evidence of genocide. But Russia’s Defense Ministry rejected the accusations as “provocation”.

The discoveries followed the Russian retreat from the area around the capital, territory that has seen

A WOMAN walks amid destroyed Russian tanks in Bucha, Ukraine, yesterday.

Photo: Rodrigo Abd/AP Volodymyr heavy fighting since troops phones for any evidence of President invaded Ukraine from three anti-Russian activity and Zelenskyy, described bodies directions on February 24. taking them away or shoot- lying the streets of the suburbs of Irpin and Hostomel Troops who swept in from ing them.

Hanna Herega, another as well as Bucha as a “scene Belarus to the north spent said Russian from a horror movie.” He weeks trying to clear a path resident, to Kyiv, but their advance troops shot a neighbour alleged that some of the stalled in the face of reso- who had gone out to gather women found dead had been raped before being lute defence from Ukraine’s wood for heating.

“He went to get some killed and the Russians then forces.

Moscow now says it is wood when all of a sudden burned the bodies.

“This is genocide,” focusing its offensive on the they (Russians) started country’s east, but it also shooting. They hit him a Zelenskyy told CBS’ “Face pressed a siege on a city in bit above the heel, crush- the Nation” on Sunday.

In a post later on Telthe north and continued to ing the bone, and he fell strike cities elsewhere in a down,” Herega said. “Then egram, he asked Russian war that has left thousands they shot off his left leg mothers to watch what is dead and forced more than completely, with the boot. happening, saying they four million Ukrainians to Then they shot him all over have raised “murderers, (the chest). And another marauders, executioners”. flee their country.

But Russia’s Defense Russian troops rolled shot went slightly below the into Bucha in the early days temple. It was a controlled Ministry said in a statement that the photos and of the invasion and stayed shot to the head.”

The AP also saw two videos of dead bodies “have up to March 30. With those forces gone, residents gave bodies, that of a man and been stage managed by the harrowing accounts Sunday, a woman, wrapped in plas- Kyiv regime for the Westsaying soldiers shot and tic that residents said they ern media”. It noted that killed civilians without any had covered and placed in a Bucha’s mayor did not menshaft until a proper funeral tion any abuses a day after apparent reason.

Russian troops left.

One resident, who could be arranged.

The resident who refused The ministry charged refused to give his name out of fear for his safety, to be identified said the man said “not a single civilian said that Russian troops was killed as he left a home. has faced any violent action went building to build- “He put his hands up, and by the Russian military” in Bucha. ing and took people out of they shot him,” he said.

Oleksiy Arestovych, In Motyzhyn, some 30 the basements where they were hiding, checking their an adviser to Ukrainian miles west of Kyiv, residents

told AP on Sunday that Russian troops killed the town’s mayor, her husband and her son and threw their bodies into a pit in a pine forest behind houses where Russian forces had slept. Inside the pit, AP journalists saw four bodies of people who appeared to have been shot at close range. The mayor’s husband had his hands behind his back, with a piece of rope nearby, and a piece of plastic wrapped around his eyes like a blindfold.

Ukrainian Deputy Prime Minister Iryna Vereshchuk said yesterday the mayor was killed while being held

by Russian forces.

Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko called on other nations to immediately end Russian gas imports, saying they were funding the killings.

“Not a penny should go to Russia anymore,” Klitschko told German newspaper Bild. “That’s bloody money used to slaughter people.

The gas and oil embargo must come immediately.”

Officials in France, Germany, Italy, Estonia and the UK separately condemned what was being described and vowed that Russia would be held accountable.

“This is not a battlefield, it’s a crime scene,” Estonian Prime Minister Kaja Kallas tweeted.

Ukrainian authorities said they were documenting evidence to add to their case for prosecuting Russian officials for war crimes.

The bodies found outside Kyiv are being examined by prosecutors and other specialists, the prosecutorgeneral said on Facebook.

As Russian forces retreated from the area around the capital, they pressed their sieges in other parts of the country. Russia has said it is directing

troops to the Donbas in eastern Ukraine, where Russia-backed separatists have been fighting Ukrainian forces for eight years.

In that region, Mariupol, a port on the Sea of Azov that has seen some of the war’s greatest suffering, remained cut off. About 100,000 civilians — less than a quarter of the prewar population of 430,000 — are believed to be trapped there with little or no food, water, fuel and medicine.

The International Committee of the Red Cross said Sunday that a team sent Saturday to help evacuate residents had yet to reach the city.

Ukrainian authorities said Russia agreed days ago to allow safe passage from the city, but similar agreements have broken down repeatedly under continued shelling. The mayor of Chernihiv, which has also been cut off from shipments of food and other supplies for weeks, said yesterday that relentless Russian shelling has destroyed 70 percent of the northern city.

Yesterday morning, Russian forces launched missiles on the Black Sea port of Odesa, in southern Ukraine, sending up clouds of dark smoke that veiled parts of the city. The Russian military said the targets were an oil processing plant and fuel depots.

The regional governor in Kharkiv said that Russian artillery and tanks launched over 20 strikes on Ukraine’s second-largest city and its outskirts in the country’s northeast over the past day.

In a town southeast of the city, Oleh Synyehubov said Russian troops fired on a convoy of buses that was trying to evacuate patients from a hospital that had been heavily damaged in shelling a day earlier.

them navigate their immediate individual needs: information on flights to New York; how to change euros to dollars; a ride for a friend who had just walked across the border.

Szloboda, whose Hungarian Jewish grandfather survived the Holocaust and lost family members to Nazi genocide, believes he is being called to serve those in dire need: “They’re exhausted physically and mentally.”

The US has agreed to accept up to 100,000 refugees from Ukraine, which has experienced a flight of more than four million people since late February.

The Biden administration is also expected to end pandemic-related asylum limits at the US-Mexico border on May 23, caps that have drawn criticism from

immigration advocates.

But even before such refugee resettlements begin, faith-based groups have already been helping Ukrainians who have made their way to the United States.

Some arrived directly on travel visas.

Others traveled to Mexico and then to the US border to claim asylum, enabling them to stay in the US while their cases are processed.

Refugee resettlement agencies can use all the help they can get to accommodate the influx. Deep cuts during the Trump administration led them to slash staffing and programming, and they have already been scrambling to help tens of thousands of Afghans seeking asylum after fleeing last year’s Taliban takeover.

“We’ve started dealing

with these crises before there has been a chance to rebuild that infrastructure,” said Stephanie Nawyn, associate professor of sociology at Michigan State University.

“Refugees have a lot of needs — homes, jobs, English classes, financial assistance, schools and translators who will help them navigate all of that. That’s too much even for a large organization,” Nawyn said.

“While getting more people of faith to help is great, not having enough resources or case managers is still going to be a problem.”

Swiftly providing those kinds of protections and benefits to Ukrainian arrivals is a religious imperative, said Mark Hetfield, president and CEO of the Jewish refugee agency HIAS.

FAITH GROUPS MOBILISE ACROSS US TO AID WAR REFUGEES LOS ANGELES Associated Press

AS US REFUGEE resettlement agencies and nonprofits nationwide gear up to help Ukrainians fleeing the Russian invasion and war that has raged for nearly six weeks, members of faith communities have been leading the charge to welcome the displaced.

In Southern California, pastors and lay individuals are stationing themselves at the Mexico border waving Ukrainian flags and offering food, water and prayer.

Around the country, other religious groups are getting ready to provide longerterm support for refugees who will have to find housing, work, health care and schooling.

Aaron Szloboda, an

A UKRAINIAN family arrives at a shelter at the Christian church Calvary San Diego for Ukrainians on Friday. assistant pastor at the Christian church Calvary San Diego, recently spent 50 hours straight at the Mexican border handing out food and water to Ukrainians lined up to enter the United States.

Just ten minutes from the frontier, Calvary San Diego has become something of a hub for newly arrived refugees, a place where they can

recuperate after a harrowing journey and plan their next steps.

On Friday its walls were lined with snacks, beverages, dolls and stuffed animals as families arrived clutching duffel bags, suitcases and the hands of small children. They were welcomed inside to rest, eat a meal and check their phones. Volunteers helped

THE TRIBUNE

Monday, April 4, 2022, PAGE 13

PLANS TO BRING HOSPITAL TO ELEUTHERA BY END OF YEAR A BAHAMIANOWNED health system, already positively affecting the lives of Eleuthera residents, has begun expansion and is eyeing hospital status for the end of 2022.

Already offering 24/7 emergency room and urgent care services, Bahamas Wellness Health System, with three locations on Eleuthera and one on New Providence, said it offers the largest, most advanced emergency care facility on the island and is poised to become the first privately managed hospital in the Family Islands, excluding Grand Bahama.

“We are capable of providing advanced cardiac

life support, and advanced trauma life support, staffed by highly trained and experienced emergency physicians, nurses, paramedics and technicians, supported by advanced life support ambulance services — the first and only in Eleuthera — and a fully functioning on site STAT lab making us the only facility in Eleuthera and Spanish Wells Urgent Care with the capacity to rule out, confirm and begin definitive treatment for heart attacks and other major illnesses,” Bahamas Wellness President Dr Arlington Lightbourne said.

“The continuous expansion of our Palmetto Point

main campus includes the creation of our Surgical & Intermediate Care Unit (SICU).”

He said the SICU will offer a broad range of ambulatory surgical services and the best general and specialist Surgeons, along with anesthesiologists in the country.

Some examples of procedures to be offered are gallbladder removal, breast lump removal, hernia repair, plastic surgery among others.

According to a press release, the SICU will also offer five admission beds allowing the facility to provide hospital level overnight care for sick, but

non-critical patients who would otherwise need to be flown to Nassau for hospital admission.

The Eleuthera medical centre plans to add an additional 15-20 medical/ surgical beds to complement the five intermediate care beds that will be in the SICU. The hospital expansion is expected to be brought to fruition through a joint venture partnership with a leading healthcare system in the country.

According to Dr Lightbourne, the SICU will become a life link for many people, reducing the need for medical evacuations to New Providence.

He described the expansion as the beginning of Bahamas Wellness’ move to bring world-class health services to potentially other Family Islands.

“While our priority is to fully develop the businesses we currently operate, our vision does include expanding our wellness driven medical centres to other islands throughout The Bahamas in partnership with native physicians who wish to return to their island,” he said. “We are early in plans for expanding our wellness mission very soon with a strategic move into the fast-food industry.

“The ambulance allows us to bring these services

to the patient, saving critical time and lives. We are the only facility that offers coronary reperfusion thrombolytic therapy through our close partnership cardiologists, especially at DHHS. Moreover, we are the only medical centre offering 24/7 X-ray and soon CT Scan services, fracture care, including casting and extensive wound care.”

Bahamas Wellness was founded in 2016 as a small private wellness clinic in Nassau and has since expanded to its main location in Palmetto Point, Eleuthera, Urgent Care Services in Spanish Wells and satellite laboratory in Lower Bogue, Eleuthera.

SPORTS PAGE 14

MONDAY, APRIL 4, 2022

Final Trials: Athletes qualify for CARIFTA

By BRENT STUBBS Senior Sports Reporter bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

T

here was more than enough excitement packed in the Bahamas Association of Athletic Associations’ final trials for the return of the CARIFTA Games - over the weekend at the Thomas A Robinson National Stadium.

Several athletes either attained the automatic A or B standard for the games that will be staged over the Easter holiday weekend in Kingston, Jamaica, or they came very close to accomplishing those feats.

One of the highlights of the two-day meet came on Friday night when all eight finalists of the under-17 boys 100 metres put their competitive differences aside and hurdled together to pray before they raced.

Also on Friday night, one of the most spirited events came from 14-yearold Erin Barr, who was cheered on from start to finish as she chased the under-17 girls 1,500 metre automatic time of four minutes and 56.66 seconds.

The ninth grader at Tabernacle Baptist eclipsed the time with her winning performance of 4:56.33, much to the delight of her entourage from Grand Bahama.

3PA Stallions’ Jasmine Mackey was second in 5:23.86 and Core Athletics’ Jayda Rahming got third in 5:24.04.

“I feel very good. I was praying to God, hoping that he would give me the push,” she said. “My coach (John Ingraham) was on the sidelines telling me to push and at the 200m, I just went for it.”

Her father, Ernie Barr, the son of legendary boxer Ernie ‘the Androsian Tiger’ Barr, led the celebrations as they greeted home at the finish line.

“She did excellent. She’s been trying all season to qualify and she did it,” he said. “I’m an extremely proud father. We pushed her every moment and tried to keep her focused and God delivered.

Jamaica, here we come.”

Barr came back on Saturday and attempted to qualify in the 800m as well, but Spirit of Excellence’s Krista Ford had more kick left to surge ahead in

2:20.07. Barr had to settle for second in 2:20.85.

They both fell short of the B standard of 2:17.18.

The automatic time was 2:16.53.

Hurray Murray’s Raywind Winder and his cheering squad had the opposite scenario as he clipped the B standard (2:00.74) in the under-17 boys’ 800m in 2:00.70 on Saturday after he ran 1,500m in 4:22.84 the night before, but was short of the B standard of 4:19.63.

With less fanfare, Andros Heats’ Nathaniel McHardy threw the under17 boys shot put 15.75m to surpass the qualifying mark of 14.61m to become one of the few throwers other than from Blue Chips Athletics to earn a spot on the team.

“At first, I didn’t have the greatest start.. I stretched and then I threw low, but in my last two throws, I had that fire in me,” said the 16-year-old 11th grader at Huntley P Christie High School.

“That made me feel invincible when I qualified. I felt the pressure, but I’ve been trying to qualify for the entire season, but I came in here with a good attitude. I prayed hard and I put God first.”

His coach Patricia Rolle was more elated about the performance than McHardy.

“I always knew he could do it,” she said. “I worked with him every day and I had him training with the under-20 ball and so I knew he could do it.”

Rolle was also looking for Tylah Pratt to achieve the standard in the under17 girls’ high jump, but she fell short with her leap of 1.52m. Koi Adderley of Fast Forward did with her leap of 1.62m to match the automatic standard.

It was one of two events that Adderley attained the standard, producing her double feat in the long jump when she soared 5.46m to surpass the B standard of 5.39m. The automatic standard was 5.56m.

As it turned out, it was a family affair as Zo’E Adderley got inspired by big sister Koi Adderley and cousin Dior-Ray Scott and she didn’t want to get left home, so she hopped, skipped and jumped her way to victory in the

(59.34m) followed his lead as they came through with the B standard of 59.11m.

Swift Athletics’ Johnathon Rodgers clinched the under-17 boys triple jump automatic standard of 13.88m with his winning leap of 13.93m.

Showing his versatility, Fast Forward’s Zachary Evans soared past the automatic 7.23m in the under-20 long jump with his leap of 7.37m and he was impressive in his win in 10.44 to dip under the 100m automatic time of 10.50.

Swift Athletics’ Carlos Brown Jr (10.55) and Grand Bahamian Zion Campbell (10.65) went under the B standard of 10.71.

Campbell, representing the Golden Eagles, came back on Saturday and ran 21.28, followed by fellow Grand Bahamian Shimar Smith in 21.68 as they both achieved the B standard of 21.78, but shy of the automatic time of 21.15.

“I feel that I did good especially after having to run three rounds,” Campbell said. “I just want to thank God for allowing me to finish injury free and I know I will do a better job at the CARIFTA Games.

TEAM BAHAMAS NAMED FOR RETURN OF GAMES

By BRENT STUBBS Senior Sports Reporter bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

“I had a disappointing 100m. But I feel I can PR in the 200m. The wind was a little strong today. But I have a great start and once I get out, there’s no coming back.”

Red-Line Athletics’ Shimar Bain was hoping to add to his flavour in the sprints, but after falling short in both the under-20 100 and 200m, he won in his speciality in the 400m hurdles in 53.73 to surpass the B standard of 54.23.

The automatic time was 52.63. “It feels good. It was always my dream to qualify for CARIFTA. I was hoping to do it over the past two years, but it didn’t happen because of COVID-19, but now I will be in action in Kingston, Jamaica,” Bain said.

“Everything was in one day, so I was pleased with my performance. I just have to work harder to get better because I know those Jamaicans are coming after me, so I have to work.”

Shatalya Dorsett left no stones unturned as she claimed the under-17 girls titles in the 100m in 11.95 for an automatic (11.96) time on Friday and on

FOLLOWING the final trials held over the weekend at the Thomas A Robinson National Stadium, the Bahamas Association of Athletic Associations named a 54-member team to represent the Bahamas at the 2022 CARIFTA Games.

With the games returning after a two-year hiatus, BAAA president Drumeco Archer said yesterday they selected a team that will be very competitive in Kingston, Jamaica over the Easter holiday weekend, April 15-18.

The team will comprise of 13 under-17 girls and 14 boys, eight under-20 girls and 19 under-20 boys, but Archer said there have been some more talented athletes that they had to leave behind because of the rules they set in only carrying those athletes who have qualified.

“We are very optimistic about the team,” said Archer after spending the past 24 hours selecting and ratifying the team with the BAAA executives and coaches. “There are some people we are leaving behind who have a lot of opportunities to do well.

“But of course, we stuck to a standard, even after reducing the standards.

What we have done is we wanted to ensure that we will have a team that can compete with the rest of the region and be able to bring back some medals.”

Named to the team are the following: Under-17 girls - Shatayla Dorsett, Kianna Henchell, Nya Wright, Erin Barr, Koi Adderley, Jamiah Nabbie, Zoe Adderley, Terell McCoy, Annae Mackey, Cailyn Johnson, Daniel Nixon, Kamera Strachan, Dior-Rae Scott and Lanashia Lubin.

Under-17 boys - Andrew Brown, Turmani Skinner, Ishmael Rolle, Philip Gray, Zion Miller, Berkley Munnings, Raywind Winder, Quinton Rolle, Jalani Morrison, Jonathon Rodgers, Jason Woodside, D’Angelo Collie, Robert Stuart and Nathaniel McHardy.

Under-20 girls - Paige Archer, Javonya Valcourt, Shaunece Miller, Sabriya Farquharson, Calea Jackson, Bernisha Knowles and

SEE PAGE 18

SEE PAGE 18

SEVERAL athletes attained the automatic A or B standard for the CARIFTA Games that will be staged over the Easter holiday weekend in Kingston, Jamaica. under-17 girls triple jump with 11.73m to surpass the automatic standard of 1.60m.

Also Friday, Xtreme Athletics’ Terrell McCoy did it again in the under17 girls shot put with her winning toss of 13.00m, surpassing the automatic standard of 12.63m. Furious Athletics’ Annae Mackey did the B standard of 12.57m.

The other non-Blue Chip Athletics’ qualifier was Vanessa Sawyerr with her toss of 39.27m in the under-20 girls javelin to go over the B standard of 37.24m. The automatic distance was 38.39m.

Blue Chip Athletics, however, dominated the under-17 girls javelin as usual with three automatic qualifying performances over 34.39m from Kamara Strachan (42.08m), DiorRae Scott (41.86m) and Taysha Stubbs (37.41m).

National record holder and world number one junior thrower Keyshawn Strachan had another strong showing with his automatic qualifying (60.94m) heave of 69.27m in the under-20 boys javelin. His teammates Nathaniel Zervos (60.93m) and Kaden Cartwright

NCAA, Page 18

Australia beats England Free-scoring Spurs throws down top-4 by 71 runs to win the Women’s World Cup challenge to Arsenal

By STEVE MCMORRAN AP Sports Writer

By STEVE DOUGLAS AP Sports Writer

ALYSSA Healy produced a milestone innings in a tournament that may be transformative for women’s cricket as Australia beat England by 71 runs yesterday to win the Women’s Cricket World Cup for the seventh time.

Healy struck 170 from 138 balls as Australia reached 356-5 to toss aside any notions that women’s limited-overs cricket is in any way staid or lacking in spectacle.

Nat Sciver then produced an innings of almost equal quality, reaching a century from 90 balls to give hope to what seemed a hopeless England run chase.

Sciver was 148 not out when England’s last wicket fell at 285 in the 44th over.

WITH north London rivals Tottenham and Arsenal neck and neck, the fight for Champions League qualification looks like being as hard fought as the title race in the English Premier League.

Tottenham’s superior attacking power might yet prove decisive in the final stretch.

Out of nowhere, Antonio Conte’s team is the highest-scoring team in the league in 2022 — with 30 goals in 13 games — after overwhelming Newcastle to win 5-1 yesterday. It

SEE PAGE 20

THE ENGLAND, left, and Australian teams walk out as flames shoot up during the opening ceremony for the final of the ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup in Christchurch, New Zealand, yesterday. (Martin Hunter/Photosport via AP)

lifted Spurs above Arsenal into fourth place, the final qualification spot for the Champions League, but only on goal difference.

Arsenal has two games in hand, the first being a tricky one at Crystal Palace today.

“Now I have had five or six months to work and bring my idea of football and mentality,” said Conte, who replaced Nuno Espirito Santo as manager in November.

“This league is very difficult but to play against us is not easy in this moment.”

With Ben Davies, Matt Doherty, Son Heungmin, Emerson Royal and

substitute Steven Bergwijn scoring, the big surprise was that in-form striker Harry Kane didn’t get in on the act.

Fourth place might not be the ceiling for Tottenham and Arsenal, who have only the Premier League to focus on.

Chelsea is only five points ahead in third and has to juggle playing in the Champions League and FA Cup over the next month, too.

None of them will get close to catching Manchester City and Liverpool, the top two teams who are separated by one point with eight games left.

THE TRIBUNE

Monday, April 4, 2022, PAGE 15

SAUNDERS GETS CALL UP TO JOIN METS FOR SPRING TRAINING

By RENALDO DORSETT Tribune Sports Reporter rdorsett@tribunemedia.net WARREN Saunders received the call up to join the New York Mets for Spring Training in the Grapefruit League and just hours later, reached a career milestone.

Saunders substituted for All-Star first baseman Pete Alonso and in his second at bat, doubled on a sharp line drive to left field for his first hit with the big league club.

The exit velocity of Saunders’ hit off St. Louis Cardinals pitcher Drew Smith, was measured at 107 mph.

Saunders finished 1-3 and the Mets eventually lost 7-2 at Roger Dean Chevrolet Stadium in Jupiter, Florida.

In 2021, the 23-year-old infielder spent the season with the St.Lucie Mets in the Low-A Southwest League.

He hit .249 with a .632 OPS, 44 RBI and three home runs.

Saunders was honoured by his St. Lucie club for his standout play throughout June when he was named the club’s player of the month.

In 21 games over that timespan, he hit .325 with 26 hits, 10 RBI, 13 runs, two home runs, two doubles, and one triple.

After he signed with the Mets in 2018, he spent the 2019 season with the GCL Mets of the Gulf Coast League.

In 33 games, he hit .323 with a .783 OPS, 41 hits, 56 total bases, 20 RBI and scored 25 runs.

WARREN Saunders has reached a career milestone just hours after receiving the call up to join the New York Mets for Spring Training in the Grapefruit League.

Photo: Phil Terrano of Agency 1 Sports/Twitter

Burrows and Tigers finish 5th in U Sports Men’s Basketball Final 8

By RENALDO DORSETT Tribune Sports Reporter rdorsett@tribunemedia.net SHAMAR Burrows and the Dalhousie Tigers concluded their season with a fifth place finish overall at the U Sports Men’s Basketball Final 8.

The no.4 Tigers scored a 98-72 victory over the no.2 Victoria Vikes in the Consolation Final, yesterday afternoon at the Saville Centre in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada to complete their tournament run at 2-1.

Burrows finished with 17 points on 8-9 shooting from the field and also added five rebounds and three assists.

The no. 4 Tigers opened the tournament with a

90-80 loss to no. 5 Queen’s Gaels and were relegated to the consolation round.

Burrows stuffed the stat sheet with 12 points (6-9 field goals), four assists, three rebounds and two steals in 23 minutes.

In the consolation semifinals, the Tigers scored a 90-77 victory over the top seeded Brock Badgers Saturday afternoon. Burrows finished with eight points and six rebounds.

“We were really disappointed Friday, we thought we could win this tournament. But credit to the team, we have a lot of seniors, and they wanted to end their season on a high note,” said Dal head coach Rick Plato.

In three Final 8 games, Burrows averaged 12.3

SHAMAR BURROWS points, and 4.3 rebounds per game.

The Badgers, the OUA Wilson Cup winners, were the no.1 overall seed, were followed by the Vikes (Canada West champions), no. 3 Alberta Golden

Bears (CW finalists and hosts), the Tigers (AUS champions), the Queen’s Gaels (OUA finalists), no.

6 McGill Redbirds (RSEQ champions), no. 7 Carleton Ravens (wildcard) and no. 8 Saskatchewan (CW bronze medallists).

In their last Final Eight appearance, The Tigers ended just short of their ultimate goal, but finished as the second ranked team in all of Canadian collegiate basketball. They finished with the silver medal at the 2020 U SPORTS Final 8 Basketball Championships, the best finish in programme history.

Dalhousie finished the season with a 17-3 overall record highlighted by the programme’s ninth

Atlantic University Sport title.

Burrows earned Subway Player of the Game honours in the AUS title game after he sparked the Tigers’ 84-78 win over the UPEI Panthers with 19 points and 13 rebounds, both team highs.

For the tournament, Burrows averaged 12.3 points and 8.7 rebounds per game on 49 percent shooting from the field and 50 percent shooting from three point range.

On the season, Burrows was named a second team AUS All-Star. was third in scoring for Dalhousie, averaging 14.8 points per game in his 13 appearances this year, shooting 73 percent. He led the Tigers in rebounding with 6.7 per game.

76ers clinch playoff spot with 112-108 win over Cavaliers CLEVELAND (AP) — Joel Embiid had 44 points and 17 rebounds, James Harden recorded his second triple-double with Philadelphia and the 76ers locked up a playoff spot with a 112-108 win over the Cleveland Cavaliers last night.

Embiid was questionable coming into the game with a sore ankle. But not only did the 7-footer play, Embiid dominated down the stretch, scoring 12 points in a key sequence of the fourth quarter.

He also made 17 of 20 free throws, added five blocks and three assists in 38 minutes of another MVP résumé builder.

Embiid also made three 3-pointers.

Harden had an offshooting night (4 of 13), but finished with 21 points, 10 rebounds and 10 assists.

Darius Garland scored 23 and Caris LeVert and Lamar Stevens had 18 apiece for the Cavs, who played without injured 7-footers Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allen.

MAVERICKS 118, BUCKS 112 MILWAUKEE (AP) — Luka Doncic scored 32 points and matched a season high with 15 assists to help Dallas defeat Milwaukee.

Giannis Antetokounmpo led the Bucks with 28 points and 10 rebounds.

Milwaukee was essentially at full strength Sunday after resting all of its usual starters in a 153-119 loss to the Los Angeles Clippers on Friday night.

Doncic flirted with a triple-double before finishing with eight rebounds.

In six career games against the Bucks, Doncic has

averaged 26.8 points, 11.3 assists and 9.2 rebounds with three triple-doubles.

Dallas’ Dwight Powell added 22 points and 13 rebounds — one off his career high.

CELTICS 144, WIZARDS 102 BOSTON (AP) — Jaylen Brown scored 32 points, Jayson Tatum had 22 and Boston cruised past Washington in the Celtics’ regular-season home finale.

Jockeying for one of the top seeds in the Eastern Conference, Boston posted its 13th win in 16 games with three games left in the regular season.

Derrick White added 17 points, Grant Williams 16 and Payton Pritchard 14 for the Celtics, who finished 28-13 at TD Garden.

Tatum had seven assists and six rebounds, while Brown added seven boards with five assists.

Kentavious Caldwell-Pope and Kristaps Porzingis each had 17 points for Washington, and Ish Smith finished with 16.

NUGGETS 129, LAKERS 118 LOS ANGELES (AP) — Nikola Jokic had 38 points, 18 rebounds and six assists, and Denver moved into fifth place in the Western Conference with a victory over Los Angeles.

Will Barton scored 25 points and Aaron Gordon added 24 points and eight rebounds for the Nuggets, who capitalized on LeBron James’ absence with a fourth-quarter surge to grab their fourth win in five games.

Denver moved a halfgame ahead of Utah for the fifth spot in the playoff picture, getting further insurance against being

PHILADELPHIA 76ers centre Joel Embiid, right, drives against Cleveland Cavaliers centre Moses Brown in the second half yesterday in Cleveland.

(AP Photo/David Dermer) forced into the play-in sharpshooting Detroit past Buddy Hield and Isiah tournament.

Indiana.

Jackson also scored 19 Anthony Davis had 28 Bey hit 11 of 18 shots, each for the Pacers. points, nine rebounds and including shooting 7 of 9 on KNICKS 118, eight assists for the 11th- 3-pointers, in 23 minutes.

MAGIC 88 place Lakers, whose play-in The Pistons, who have won ORLANDO, Florida hopes waned further with three games in a row, sank (AP) — RJ Barrett scored their sixth consecutive loss. 21 of 41 3-pointers and set 27 points, Obi Toppin Los Angeles has lost 28 of a team record for 3s in a matched his career high 38 since January 7. Russell half with 13 in the opening with 20 and New York Westbrook added 27 points two quarters. routed Orlando. and Carmelo Anthony had Oshae Brissett scored Toppin and Alec Burks 17.

20 points and had nine scored 12 points each in The Lakers were com- rebounds to lead the a 37-point third quarter petitive against a superior Pacers, who have lost for the Knicks, who made opponent, yet couldn’t seven straight games. 12 of their first 13 shots in overcome the absence of Tyrese Haliburton flirted the period. Burks finished the NBA’s leading scorer, with a triple-double with with 19 points and seven who sat for the fourth time 19 points, a career high- rebounds, and Immanuel in six games to rest his tying 17 assists and nine Quickley had his first trisprained left ankle. rebounds. He became the ple-double (20 points, 10 PISTONS 121, first player in Pacers his- rebounds, 10 assists) in 34 PACERS 117 tory to record at least 17 minutes off the bench.

INDIANAPOLIS assists without a turnoMoritz Wagner led (AP) — Saddiq Bey ver and first to do it in the Orlando with 18 points and scored 31 points and Fred NBA since LeBron James nine rebounds in the MagJackson had 19 to lead on March 21, 2018. ic’s sixth straight loss.

SHE’S NO. 1: SWIATEK DOWNS OSAKA TO WIN MIAMI OPEN MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. (AP) — Iga Swiatek ended her journey to the women’s No. 1 ranking in fitting fashion.

Swiatek continued her searing start to 2022 on Saturday, beating Naomi Osaka 6-4, 6-0 to win the women’s title at the Miami Open and extend her winning streak to 17 matches.

Swiatek, who will replace the now-retired Ashleigh Barty at No. 1 in the women’s rankings officially when the points are updated today, also completed the so-called Sunshine Double — winning both Indian Wells and Miami. She’s the fourth woman to do so, joining Victoria Azarenka (2016), Kim Clijsters (2005) and Steffi Graf (1994 and 1996).

“This tournament has so much energy,” Swiatek said.

Swiatek’s homeland is Poland, which has seen more than 2 million people enter from war-torn Ukraine in recent weeks.

Swiatek took a moment during her trophy ceremony to acknowledge that those refugees are on her mind.

“As I was doing in my previous speeches at Doha and Indian Wells, I want to say to Ukraine to stay strong,” Swiatek said.

“Everything’s going to get better.”

VAMOS, CARLOS: ALCARAZ GIVES SPAIN A MIAMI OPEN MEN’S WINNER MIAMI GARDENS, Florida (AP) — Spanish fans brought plenty of their nation’s flags to Hard Rock Stadium yesterday, thrusting them into the air whenever things were going well for Carlos Alcaraz.

He kept them busy, all the way to the end.

Spain finally has a Miami Open men’s champion: an 18-year-old who wasn’t even in the top 100 of the world rankings at this time a year ago and now heads into the clay-court season arguably playing as well as anyone. Alcaraz, the No. 14 seed, shook off a slow start to beat sixth-seeded Casper Ruud of Norway 7-5, 6-4 in yesterday’s final.

“I love Miami,” Alcaraz said.

The melting pot city of Miami — with its massive Spanish-speaking community — loved him back, and Alcaraz said that made a big difference throughout his two-week stay.

“I felt like I was home from the first minute I began playing,” Alcaraz said.

He became the youngest champion in Miami Open history — Novak Djokovic was 19 when he won the tournament, then the NASDAQ-100 Open, for the first time — and picked up $1,231,245 for the victory, nearly doubling his career earnings with one check.

The shot-making ability from the Spanish teen was on full display: daring drop shots in tense situations, deft touch at the net when needed, raw power from the baseline when warranted.

Alcaraz often would look to his team in the stands and give a joyous yell or a knowing fist-pump, clearly feeling more comfortable as the afternoon went along.

Among those there with him: his coach, Juan Carlos Ferrero.

He had been away while mourning the death of his father, but made it back to Miami in time for the final.

And when the match was over, Alcaraz hopped into the stands to give Ferrero his first hug as a Miami champion, as his coach wiped away tears.

PAGE 16, Monday, April 4, 2022

THE TRIBUNE

THE FIRST BLTA PLAY TENNIS BAHAMAS FESTIVAL LIVENS UP NATIONAL CENTRE THE first Bahamas Lawn Tennis Association Play Tennis Bahamas Festival was held at the National Tennis Centre (NTC). The event marked the culmination of the first installment of the spring session of the BLTA Play Tennis Programme which was conducted in the months of February and March.

The goals of introducing beginners to tennis and having them play as soon as possible and then encouraging them through fun activities and competition to stay in the sport has been achieved.

The festival featured competitive games and matches to test a variety of tennis skills. There was fun, camaraderie and a wonderful display of teamwork.

At the end of the competition, the kids received their medals and prizes. Many of the parents and children expressed their pleasure at the event which was a first for many of the young aspiring tennis players.

Over the past eight weeks, the programme recorded between 90 and 100 participants. Enthusiastic children between the ages of 4-16 were introduced to tennis in a fun environment.

President Perry Newton was pleased with the level of participation in the programme. We continue to witness growth at the beginner level. He thanked the volunteer coaches and the many juniors who came out to assist in the sessions.

Juniors Anthony Burrows Jr, Dentry Mortimer Jr, Sierra Rodgers, Maddissan Bowleg and S’Rae Rodgers give back to the programme.

Coaches and workers included Denise Mortimer, Paula Whitfield, Darnette Weir and Esther Newton.

Thanks to all for their efforts during this session, we are extremely grateful.

The BLTA continues to record triple-figure numbers into the programme.

Kids learn tennis without any barriers of costs, tennis

racquets are provided and the work is done by volunteers who seed into the lives of the youngsters. We thank

all those who made the festival a huge success. It is the intention of the association to continue to reach out to

interested persons in the community with the hopes to expand the junior pool of players in the Bahamas.

If you or your child wish to attend or you would like to volunteer as a coach or an assistant for the next

installment of the programme you can email pr@ blta.net. The tennis journey of a lifetime awaits.

THE TRIBUNE

Monday, April 4, 2022, PAGE 17

AILING ACES: METS TAKE HIT WITH INJURIES TO DEGROM, SCHERZER

By MIKE FITZPATRICK AP Baseball Writer NEW YORK (AP) — By pairing Max Scherzer with Jacob deGrom, the New York Mets figured they aced their offseason.

Then spring training dealt them a dreaded hand — when both got injured during the final week of camp.

“With time, things heal,” new general manager Billy Eppler said in Florida.

New York can only hope so.

First came the frustrating news about deGrom, who didn’t pitch after July 7 last season due to a sprained elbow. Imaging showed a stress reaction on his right shoulder blade that caused inflammation. He won’t throw for up to four weeks and is likely out at least through May. “He’s disappointed.

We’re disappointed. Everybody is sharing in the disappointment right now.

Nobody’s immune to that,” Eppler said.

The next day, Scherzer was scratched from his scheduled outing in a simulated game because of a right hamstring issue and said he wasn’t sure when he would pitch again.

The 37-year-old Scherzer and deGrom, 33, have combined to win five Cy Young Awards. Boasting that 1-2 pitching punch, the Mets

were carrying enormous expectations (and a soaring payroll) into 2022 after their latest winter overhaul — on the field and off.

Buck Showalter takes over on the bench, back in the Big Apple to manage his fifth major league team.

All-Star starter Chris Bassitt joins the rotation, and newcomer Starling Marte brings speed and power to the outfield.

Bassitt was acquired from Oakland via trade, but Scherzer, Marte, outfielder Mark Canha, third baseman Eduardo Escobar and reliever Adam Ottavino all arrived in an offseason spending spree orchestrated by Eppler.

Extremely eager to win, second-year owner Steve Cohen reached into his deep pockets and committed nearly $260 million to those five free agents during a winter bonanza that positioned the Mets to have baseball’s secondlargest payroll (more than $250 million) behind the Los Angeles Dodgers.

“Steve has a mission,” said shortstop Francisco Lindor, signed to a $341 million contract.

But it’s hardly the first time New York has looked flush on paper before opening day — regardless of the price tag.

Regular underachievers lately who have been consistently derailed by

NEW York Mets’ Max Scherzer flips the ball around in the second inning of a spring training baseball game against the Miami Marlins on March 21.

(AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki) injuries, the Mets are coming off their fourth losing season in five years and 10th in the last 13.

They’ve made the playoffs twice in the past 15 seasons and haven’t won the World Series since 1986.

The competition looks tough atop the NL East, where the second-place Phillies beefed up and the World Series champion Braves appear loaded. New York spent 103 days in first place last season — the most ever for a team that finished with a losing record (77-85).

“This was a good club for quite a while last year,” Showalter said. “I kept telling the players about

the people who were here before but aren’t here — those are good baseball people. That’s how fleeting it can all be.”

MOUND MEN If the Mets are minus Scherzer in addition to deGrom for a while, the 33-year-old Bassitt probably becomes their top starter. Bassitt made a remarkable recovery last year from a frightening line drive to the face.

Veteran right-handers Taijuan Walker and Carlos Carrasco also hold spots in the rotation. Carrasco is coming off elbow surgery and Walker had offseason knee surgery, both essentially clean-up procedures.

Right-hander Tylor Megill and lefty David Peterson are the most likely options to fill in after that.

Megill went 4-6 with a 4.52 ERA in 18 starts as a rookie last year. Peterson is 8-8 with a 4.64 ERA in two major league seasons.

WELCOME BACK Robinson Canó returns at age 39 after sitting out last season while serving his second PED suspension.

“He’s maybe one of the happiest guys in camp,” Showalter said. “He’ll be the first to tell you that (his problems) were selfinflicted. But you can tell, him being away from this has put him in a good spot this spring.”

Canó could fit at DH, where the Mets have several options including J.D. Davis, Dominic Smith and first baseman Pete Alonso.

“The way you look at your bench with the DH is totally different. Actually, if anyone has the potential to benefit from that rule change, we’d be up there in the conversation,” Showalter said.

ON THE REBOUND Lindor looks to bounce back from a mostly dreadful Mets debut at the plate last season, when the fourtime All-Star batted a career-worst .230.

Second baseman Jeff McNeil and catcher James McCann also hope to rediscover their swings in

a disappointing lineup that was too reliant on Alonso (37 HRs, 94 RBIs, .863 OPS) last year.

NEW LOOK While the Mets certainly added some high-profile newcomers, they also lost plenty of firepower in free agency.

Gone are outfielder Michael Conforto, infielder Javier Báez, accomplished starting pitchers Marcus Stroman and Noah Syndergaard, and veteran relievers Aaron Loup and Jeurys Familia.

Pitching coach Jeremy Hefner was the only coach retained on the new staff under the 65-year-old Showalter, a proven winner who also has managed the Yankees, Arizona Diamondbacks, Texas Rangers and Baltimore Orioles. He replaces Luis Rojas, let go after two losing seasons as Mets skipper.

BLAST FROM THE PAST Cohen, a longtime Mets fan, has shined a spotlight on the franchise’s history since buying the team in November 2020.

This season, the Mets plan to unveil a Tom Seaver statue at Citi Field, celebrate the 10th anniversary of Johan Santana’s no-hitter, retire Keith Hernandez’s No. 17 jersey (on July 9) and bring back OldTimers’ Day (on August 27) for the first time since 1994.

PAGE 18, Monday, April 4, 2022

KANSAS guard Ochai Agbaji (30) shoots around Villanova forward Eric Dixon in the semis of the Final Four NCAA tournament, on Saturday, April 2 in New Orleans.

THE TRIBUNE

NORTH Carolina’s Brady Manek (45) celebrates after beating Duke during the semifinal round of the Men’s Final Four NCAA tournament.

(AP Photos/David J Phillip)

NORTH Carolina’s Caleb Love (2) scores ahead of Duke’s Paolo Banchero (5) during semifinal round of the Men’s Final Four NCAA tournament.

(AP Photo/Brynn Anderson)

NC to face Kansas in blue blood title game

By JOHN MARSHALL AP Basketball Writer NEW ORLEANS (AP) — The Big (blue) Easy has one more bit of bedazzling in store.

North Carolina and Kansas, basketball blue blood running deep in their veins, are headed to the national championship game.

The Tar Heels got there by spoiling Mike Krzyzewski’s fairytale ending with a gritty performance in an historic rivalry game.

Kansas put coach Bill Self in position to win the second title he’s waited so long for with a 3-point barrage against another national powerhouse.

The first course was delightful. The main could be extraordinary.

“You come to Kansas for big games, but you don’t come to Kansas to play in the Elite Eight,” said Jayhawks guard Christian Braun, who had 10 points against Villanova. “You don’t come to Kansas to play in the Final Four.

You come to play for a championship.”

Same at North Carolina.

The Tar Heels (29-9), third on the wins list and the all-time leader with 21

Final Four appearances, pulled out a back-and-forth 81-77 victory over Duke to end Coach K’s 47-year career with a loss to his biggest rival.

The Jayhawks (33-6) have more wins than any Division I team in history, up to 2,356 after beating Villanova 81-65 in the first national semifinal Saturday night.

They’ll meet tonight in the Big Easy with a chance to add to their storied legacies. North Carolina will be playing for its seventh national championship.

Kansas is looking for No. 4.

“I felt like over the last two or three years, North Carolina wasn’t relevant,” Tar Heels coach Hubert Davis said. “North Carolina should never be irrelevant.”

The Tar Heels got their first season under Davis off to a shaky start, looking as though they weren’t even going to make the bracket.

North Carolina found the right gear at the right time, though, rolling into the biggest game in Tobacco Road rivalry history.

North Carolina saved its best for next-to-last, taking down the Blue Devils in their first NCAA Tournament meeting in 258 all-time games. Caleb Love

KANSAS’ David McCormack (33) dunks the ball against Villanova’s Brandon Slater, left, defends during the semifinal round of the Men’s Final Four NCAA tournament on Saturday.

(AP Photo/Brynn Anderson) continued his star turn, hitting a key 3-pointer down the stretch and scoring 28 points in a game that featured 18 lead changes and 12 ties.

Kansas and North Carolina will meet in the championship game for the first time since 1957, a triple-overtime classic won by the Tar Heels 54-53 over Wilt Chamberlain and the

Jayhawks. Now, the Tar Heels get a chance to add yet another title to the one they won under Roy Williams in 2017.

“I don’t know if it was belief or it was just us being delusional. I mean, at every point of the season we knew if we came together as a team that we could get to the championship,” said North Carolina big man

Armando Bacot, who had 11 points and 21 rebounds despite spraining his right ankle in the second half.

“And that’s what we did,” he stated.

The Jayhawks won the 2008 title in Self’s fifth season in Lawrence, but it’s been a lot of deep titleless runs since: a loss in the championship game, another in the Final Four,

TEAM

Vanessa Sawyer.

Under-20 boys - Antoine Andrews, Zachary Evans, Carlos Brown, Zion Campbell, Shamar Smith, Lynden Johnson, Keano Ferguson, Curtis Mitchell, Stephen Farquharson, Jethro Baptiste, Mateo Smith, Brandon Hutchinson, Keyshawn Strachan, Nathaniel Zervos, Kenny Moxey Jr, Taejun Spence, Shamir Bain, Michael Styles and Brenden Vanderpool.

“The women in the sport have always been on the decline in that age group and that is the same situation throughout the region,” said Archer of the limited number of under-20 girls.

“I think that a greater emphasis needs to be placed in that category, but we have a new class of under20 emerging next year and I believe they will be able to produce good numbers, more so than we have this year.”

While they wait for the successive plan to unfold next year, Archer said they will be relying on the under20 boys’ division to be the cream of the crop for the Bahamas. “The under-20 boys will probably be the flag bearers of the team,” Archer projected. “We just want them to stay healthy because there’s no reason why we should not be able to show our presence at these upcoming games.”

Sophia Higgs will serve as the team manager, assisted

by Bahamas Association of Certified Officials president

Courtney Wallace. The head coach will be Luther Rolle, assisted by Dereck Wells, Andrew Tynes, Nekeno Demeritte, Patricia Rolle, Jamison Pratt and Laquell Harris.

The chaperones are Dianne Farquharson, Krista Black, Mikhilo Strachan and Garfield Morrison. Dr Kent Bazard will be the team doctor, while Kelly Kramp will be the physio and Jonathan Higgs the massage therapist.

With the team now ratified, Archer said the BAAA will be working closely with the management team to ensure that the athletes are all fit and ready to go to Jamaica and compete.

“We want to make sure that all of our athletes get the best medical care and to ensure that the Family Island athletes are here in time to integrate with the team and have a simulation exercise. “We have spoken about it, but we believe the greatest order of preparation is going to be the mental aspect. We know that going into the Jamaican stadium could be mentally tough on a novice, so we want to make sure that they are all prepared mentally to compete.”

The team, which received some financial assistance from FTX Digital Markets, is scheduled to travel on April 14 and return home on April 19 with government and BAAA officials on their chartered flight.

Another charter flight carrying parents and spectators is expected to leave on Friday and return on Tuesday.

the B standard (58.27). The automatic time is 56.48.

“I was very satisfied. To come back from not doing what I was supposed to do in the 400m and getting it right on the 400m hurdles, it’s good,” said Rolle, a ninth grader of SAC. “It was a good race. I want to go to Jamaica and bring a medal home and do my PR.” Sabriya Farquharson earned her berth with her automatic (5.66m) qualifying leap of 5.71m in the under-17 girls long jump.

She missed it in the triple jump with 11.78m, just shy of the B standard (11.87m) and the automatic (12.24m).

Attaining B standards were Red-Line Athletics’ Brandon Hutchinson in the under-20 boys triple jump (14.44m) with 14.60m;

Golden Eagles’ Robert Stuart in the under-17 boys long jump (6.53m) with 6.61m and Leap of Faith’s Jalani Morrison with 1.86m to match the under-17 boys’ high jump B standard.

“I executed perfectly, everything my coach (James Rolle) told me to do, so I feel good about my performance,” said the 16-year-old SAC 11th grader.

“I expected to qualify. I was aiming for the A standard, but getting the B is still good.

“I just have to perfect my technique and go to CARIFTA and medal.’

Kenny Moxey Jr, following in the footsteps of his father Krenny Moxey Sr, was also an automatic qualifier in the under-20 boys’ pole vault with 3.27m that matched the standard.

FROM PAGE 14

CARIFTA

FROM PAGE 14

Saturday with a B standard (25.32) in the 200m in 25.05. The automatic time was 24.58.

“I felt really good about it because I got some competition,” said Dorsett, a 15-year-old 11th grader at Sunland Baptist Academy.

“I feel great. I expect to go to Jamaica and PR in both of my events and bring the two gold medals back home.”

Fast Forward’s Paige Archer was also a double B qualifier in the under-20 girls sprints. She took the 100m in 11.75 to surpass the B time of 11.92, but was short of the automatic time of 11.69. She came back in the 200m and won in 24.03 to go under the B standard

of 24.67, but off the automatic time of 23.95. “It was a lot of head wind, but I had to fight through it and pushed my way to the line,” said Archer of the half-lap race as she prepared for Jamaica and a bid to medal.

“My performance was good. It was hard doing three rounds of the 200m in one day, but God gave me the strength to push through. That’s why I like the 200m more. It’s something about coming off the curve.”

Red-Line Athletics’ Tamani Skinner was onetenth of a second off the B qualifying standard of the under-17 boys 200m when he clocked 22.51 to hold off Swift Athletics’ Ishmael Rolle (22.67).

“I felt I had a bit of a delayed start coming off

the curve. I felt I was in last place, but I saw an opportunity coming off the curve to push harder and go for it,” said Skinner, a 16-year-old 11th grader at SAC. “In the 100, I thought I had it without about 80 metres to go, but I dropped my form and that was the worst thing I could do. So I lost it in the last 20 metres.”

Rolle went on to win the century in 10.04 with Andrew Brown second in 11.09 and Skinner third in 11.19 as they all dipped under the B standard of 11.24 in the 100m the night before.

The automatic standard is 11.02. “It was good,” said Rolle, a 13-yearold St John’s 9th grader. “I don’t know what happened in the 200m. I just have to continue to practice and be ready for CARIFTA.”

Red-Line Athletics’ Shimar Bain was also a double delight hoping to add to his flavour in the sprints, but after falling short in the under-20 boys sprints, he came through in his speciality in the 400m hurdles in 53.73 to surpass the B standard of 54.23.

The automatic time is 52.65.

“It feels good. It was always my dream to qualify for CARIFTA. I was hoping to do it over the past two years, but it didn’t happen because of COVID-19, but now I will be in action in Kingston, Jamaica,” Bain said.

Using his height to his advantage, Red-Line Athletics’ Quinton Rolle also cleared the 10 flights of hurdles in the under-17 boys 400m in 57.79 to surpass

five other trips to at least the Sweet 16.

The 2019-20 Jayhawks may have been Self’s best team, but they never got a chance to prove it when the pandemic wiped out the NCAA Tournament.

This year’s version does not have quite the same wow factor, but was one of the most efficient offensive teams in the country.

The Jayhawks flexed their inside-out game to near perfection in the national semifinals against Villanova.

David McCormack bulled his way to 25 points and led an inside game that outscored the Wildcats by 16 in the paint. Ochai Agbaji keyed the 3-point barrage, hitting 6 of 7 to score 21 points. Kansas went 13 for 24 from behind the arc, nearly doubling its 3-point shooting percentage during the regular season.

“Even after this game, even after last weekend, the weekend before that — everyone’s attitude was, on to the next one,” Agbaji said. “And not looking too far ahead at what’s going on Monday.”

Now they can.

It will be unforgettable for one team and, possibly, everyone else, too.

THE TRIBUNE

Monday, April 4, 2022, PAGE 19

EVEN books go better with friends - Pictured, from left to right, at the presentation ceremony are contractor Clement Penn, sponsor Dinesh Vaidya, five-time Olympian and two-time gold medallist Pauline Davis, Prime Minister Philip Davis, writer and friend Diane Phillips, Pauline’s brother Peter and her aunt, Magistrate Linda Virgill.

FROM ONE WINNER TO ANOTHER ‘GOLDEN Girl’ Pauline Davis presents a copy of Running Sideways, The Olympic Champion Who Made Track and Field History, to Prime Minister Philip Davis during a ceremony at his office on March 29.

In a lighter moment, the prime minister confessed he tried but never won any of the events she conquered – the 100, 200 and 400 metres, but was quickly reminded that he won a far greater race – leadership of the country.

Davis, the most decorated athlete in Bahamian history, shared with the prime minister and others bitter struggles and great victories, including being the first woman of colour ever to hold a seat on the World Athletics Council.

She was re-elected 16 terms, now holds honorary life membership and on March 8 - International Woman’s Day - this year, the 214-country council announced Pauline Davis would be the global champion for women in sports for 2022, inviting millions around the world to follow daily social media posts.

The book was more than one year in the making as Davis shared with awardwinning author TR Todd the highs and lows of a life of personal stumbles, triumphant recoveries, rich with experience on and off the track with travel to 177 countries.

Victory, it seems, runs in the family. The leader of the nation and the top in women’s track and field are cousins.

PAGE 20, Monday, April 4, 2022

THE TRIBUNE

CRICKET

FROM PAGE 14

While she was at the crease, Australia’s total seemed attainable. Healy’s was the highest and Sciver’s the third highest individual scores in a men’s or women’s ICC World Cup that made clear this final was one of the best ever in a cricket World Cup. “That was pretty special from our group, something that we’ve been working towards for a long period of time,” Healy said. “Everyone’s been talking about

it for a long time so to get over the line was great. “We knew England was peaking at the right time and you never know what’s going to happen. Full credit to the bowlers, they held their nerve. Nat Sciver played a tremendous innings, I thought she might have got them over the line but it was just a great game of cricket.”

More than 86,000 fans attended when Healy made 75 from 39 balls as Australia beat India in the final of the Women’s T20 World Cup in March 2020.

The crowd was much smaller this time but still near capacity at Hagley Oval and the ripples of yesterday’s match may radiate wide as women’s cricket grows and its move towards equality with the men’s game gains pace.

The women and young girls who wore the jerseys of their favourite players or clamored for autographs at the final were only a small indication of the new generation this World Cup, broadcast to an unprecedented global audience, may have inspired.

BAHAMIAN sprinter Anthonique Strachan, left, is assisted by her Jamaican training partner Shericka Jackson after running a 400 metre race in Kingston, Jamaica.

ANTHONIQUE JUST SHY OF PERSONAL BEST IN 400M

By BRENT STUBBS Senior Sports Reporter bstubbs@tribunemedia.net SPRINTER Anthonique Strachan, coming off an impressive victory in the 100 metres a week ago, came back and posted a third-place finish in the 400m on Saturday in Kingston, Jamaica.

In leading a list of Bahamians competing in various meets overseas over the weekend, Strachan clocked 52.84 seconds at the Velocity Fest 10, World Athletics Continent Tour Challenger Series Meet. She was shy of her PB of 52.42 from 2016.

After running 10.99 in the 100m in her previous meet, Strachan had to settle for third place on Saturday behind Jamaica’s Shericka Jackson, who won in 51.29, followed by Candice McLeod in 51.78.

The 28-year-old Strachan, coming off her semifinal in the women’s 60m in her World Indoor Championship debut in Belgrade, Serbia last month, continues to excel in her training in the MVP Club, coached

by Stevie Francis.

“I feel very satisfied and content with my performances so far this season,” said Strachan after the race.

“This is my second opener.

My first opener was when I did the 10.9 in the 100m and now I did this, which is my fastest opener in the 400m.

“It isn’t a PB, but it’s a really fast opener for myself. The last time I ran a 400m was in February 2029 when I ran 52.95.

“It’s still the beginning of the season, so I’m not really expecting anything right now.”

Now, as she prepares for the rest of the season on the road to the World Championships in Eugene, Oregon in July, Strachan said she has some goals in mind, but it’s going to be her secret until she achieves them.

Strachan is expected to return to action in her 200m opener at the World Athletics Continental Tour Gold Series in Devonshire, Bermuda on April 9. She’s hoping that it will be just as impressive as her opener in both the 100 and 400m.

Florida Relays Fresh off her initial showing at the World Indoor

Megan opens her outdoor season with 2nd in 400m Championships in Belgrade, Megan Moss opened her outdoor season with a second place finish in the women’s 400m at the Percy Beard Track Field in Woodlawn Drive, Gainesville, Florida.

Moss, a sophomore at the University of Kentucky, clocked 53.08 seconds to trail her junior teammate Alexis Holmes, who won the event in 51.94, Doneisha Anderson, a junior at Florida, was eighth overall in 54.32.

In getting in some speed work, Moss went down to the 200m where she was 18th overall in 23.57. Talatha Diggs of Florida won in 22.78 with Karimah Davis of Kentucky placing second in 22.97.

At the end of the meet, Moss ran the opening leg of Kentucky’s 4 x 400m relay team that included Abby Steiner, Karimah Davis and Alexis Holmes that won the women’s college race in 3:26.99.

Anderson anchored Florida’s team of Talitha Diggs, Anna Hall and Sterling Lester, who trailed Florida in second in 3:29.20., Also at the meet, Kinard Rolle, competing for the Bahamas, was second in the men’s 400m in 47.50. Kameron Jones, unattached, won the event in 46.55.

Houston Alumni Invitational At the Houston Alumni Invitational, Grand Bahamian Brianne Bethel, competing unattached, won the women’s 400m in 55.18.

Her nearest rival was Jackeria Woodkins of Sam Houston in 55.73.

In the women’s long jump, Alexis TilfordRutherford came in third with 5.96m. Samiyah Samuels won the event with 6.26m.

Tilford-Rutherford also anchored Houston women’s 4 x 100m relay team of Naomi Taylor, Cecelia Tamayo-Garza and Jayla Fields to victory in 44.54.

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