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VOLUME:116 No.75, APRIL 10TH, 2019

THE PEOPLE’S PAPER: $1

ALICIA WALLACE: LOOK FOR WHAT’S IN THE MESSAGE

Suspect shot three times by police was

Unlawfully killed

By NICO SCAVELLA Tribune Staff Reporter nscavella@tribunemedia.net

A POLICE officer was unjustified in shooting a 22-year-old man to death in the Nassau Village community two years ago, a jury has found.

A jury unanimously found that Osworth Rolle Jr’s death at the hands of Detective Constable 3569 Kendrick Brown on November 30, 2016 was an unlawful killing.

Director of Public Prosecutions Garvin Gaskin will be the one to ultimately determine whether D/C Brown will now face criminal charges based on yesterday’s verdict.

Nonetheless, Rolle’s mother, Christina MossRolle, told The Tribune after the ruling: “God is good. To God be the glory.

Great things he has done.”

Rolle was shot about the body multiple times after

being said to have pointed a weapon at officers during a police foot chase in the Nassau Village area. An autopsy report prepared

by Forensic Pathologist Dr Caryn Sands said Rolle died from three bullet wounds— two to either side of his face and the other to the chest.

All of the bullets travelled downwards in Rolle’s body, and each of the injuries they caused were potentially fatal, Dr Sands said. Dr Sands also noted that given Rolle’s height and that of D/C Brown, as well as the circumstances surrounding the shooting, the downward trajectories of the bullets were unusual.

However, Rolle wasn’t the person police were originally after. Police said they were actually after Nathaniel Miller, who they believed could help with attempted murder investigations.

SEE PAGE FIVE

TRANSPORT and Local Government Minister Renward Wells announced a “final” timeline of the third week in May for the General Post Office’s official move from East Hill Street to Town Centre Mall.

The new “state of the art” location is 99 percent complete, Mr Wells told The Tribune yesterday, despite its appearance just three weeks ago when the Progressive Liberal Party conducted an impromptu tour of the site.

Although the Post Office Bank and the cafeteria were finished before Christmas, the minister said he did not want a piecemeal move, adding several factors contributed to the general delay of the relocation.

He said it all came down to different aspects of the facility’s drawings needing to be redone, issues with mailboxes and problems with some parts of the building’s power supply for equipment like CCTV. Last October, an initial deadliine of December 15, 2018 was set for the move.

SEE PAGE SIX

By MORGAN ADDERLEY Tribune Staff Reporter madderley@tribunemedia.net

IN the face of criticism regarding EMS response time to the collapse and death of a 15-year-old boy over the weekend, Health Minister Duane Sands yesterday could not confirm when health services will be acquiring more ambulances.

Robert Sean Valcom Jr, an SC McPherson Junior High School student, was hanging out with friends on Saturday afternoon in a Dairy Queen at the Southwest Plaza when he collapsed.

Public Hospitals Authority (PHA) Director of Communications Judy Terrell confirmed to The Tribune yesterday that a call was made at 2.10 pm regarding the matter and an ambulance was dispatched 13 minutes later.

SEE PAGE TWO

WEB SHOPS TOLD: DEAL’S A DEAL, IT’S TIME TO PAY

‘FINAL’ DELIVERY DATE FOR NEW PO

By KHRISNA RUSSELL Deputy Chief Reporter krussell@tribunemedia.net

AMBULANCE SHORTAGE - WE NEED MORE CASH

By NEIL HARTNELL Tribune Business Editor nhartnell@tribunemedia.net

GAME ON

FANTASTIC FINALE: See Friday’s Tribune for the ultimate countdown to the final series of Game of Thrones. Above are Kit Harington as Jon Snow and Emilia Clarke as Daenerys Targaryen.

WEB shops were last night warned by a Cabinet minister to “get on board and pay your fair share to the Treasury” otherwise their licences will not be renewed if taxes remain owing.

Dionisio D’Aguilar, minister of tourism and aviation, who has responsibility for gaming, said there was no good reason for continued foot-dragging by some operators now that the industry’s taxation settlement with the government had been given legal effect.

FULL STORY - SEE BUSINESS

PILOT PROBABLY TO BLAME IN FATAL CRASH

By RASHAD ROLLE Tribune Staff Reporter rrolle@tribunemedia.net

A PILOT’S failure to maintain control of his plane was the probable cause of a crash that killed him and two others in Eleuthera last year, according to a new report by the Air Accident Investigation Department.

Three American men died on June 5, 2018 when their Cessna 421B plane crashed shortly

WRECKAGE of the aircraft after departing the Rock Sound International Airport heading to Ft Pierce,

Florida. The accident was not survivable because “of the high speed, high angle impact with trees and the terrain and the intensity of the post-crash fire,” the AAID said.

The plane crashed in a heavily wooded area that was not easily accessible.

First responders and rescue personnel encountered difficulty finding the wreckage.

The fire destroyed 80 percent of the plane, hindering the investigative efforts of the AAID. SEE PAGE THREE

Nassau & Bahama Islands’ Leading Newspaper

PETER YOUNG

BRITAIN - THE WHOLE WORLD’S LAUGHING

SEE PAGE EIGHT

PAGE 2, Wednesday, April 10, 2019

THE TRIBUNE

Death of boy, 15, highlights need for more ambulances from page one

Dr Sands added the ambulance arrived on scene 12 minutes after it was dispatched.

Wilna Joseph, Robert’s mother, told The Tribune she made the 2.10 pm call, but was shocked to learn from both the dispatcher and others on the scene at Dairy Queen that previous calls had been made.

“That call that came in at 2.10, that was me who called,” Ms Joseph said.

“And when I spoke to the lady (the dispatcher), she told me, ‘I already (got) couple calls, couple calls already came in. I’m trying to get an ambulance straight for him right now’ because at that time there was no ambulance available.”

These sentiments were echoed by Robert Valcom Sr, the boy’s father. “People who was there say they call

the ambulance for like an hour,” Mr Valcom told The Tribune. “The gentleman who did CPR on him said he was there an hour, trying to bring him (Robert) through. And the ambulance did not arrive.”

Mr Valcom added he called both Doctors Hospital and Princess Margaret Hospital on his way to his son and was informed by both that no ambulances were available.

When asked if more ambulances should be brought in, Ms Joseph said: “I think they should, because this is ridiculous…

How many more people are going to die because of this?

“If there was an ambulance, I probably would have been going to the hospital every single day.

That I’d rather do, but now I’m on the road making arrangements for funeral.

And this could have been

AN Atlantic bottlenose dolphin calf named Duchess is the “newest member of the family” at Blue Lagoon Island.

Her mother, Princess, at age 52 is one of the oldest known dolphins in captivity around the world. Duchess’ father is Stormy.

According to a press release, Duchess was born in the allnatural habitat on Blue Lagoon Island on November 21, 2018.

The marine mammal team was able to confirm her gender a few weeks after her birth and has been monitoring her health and progress daily.

“She’s a very pretty little dolphin,” said George Rodgers, Blue Lagoon Island’s zoological director. “As with people, they all look different, believe it or not.

And she’s a very good looking little dolphin. Perfectly formed.

Weight distributed exactly where it should be. Very active, energetic, all the signs are good. She will continue to nurse from her mother for quite some time yet.”

Dolphin calves are similar to human babies in that that they are not born with survival skills to fend for themselves and rely on their mothers who teach them everything they need to know, starting with the first lesson immediately after birth, which is how to swim to the surface to breathe, Blue Lagoon said.

Mr Rodgers says Princess, who has now had four boys and two girls, is a great mom.

“She’s never happier than when she’s got a calf. She really is an excellent, excellent mother and Duchess is coming along really quickly as a result of her mother’s experience,” he explained.

Already the young calf is mimicking her mother and the other dolphins she lives with and is flipping – and sometimes flopping – out of the water, playing with any fish thrown her way, and in general exploring her world.

Mr Rodgers explained that at birth, a dolphin calf’s flippers and fins are extremely soft, “but they begin to get strength, they begin to learn to swim, to become more

avoided. They really need to do better.”

Ms Joseph heartbreakingly told The Tribune she will be turning 35-years-old tomorrow. “What a birthday present,” the distraught mother said.

She described her son as easy to get along with and a caring brother to her 19, 11, and five-month old children. She added he was a lover of math and science.

Mr Valcom added they were unaware of their son having any pre-existing conditions. He noted this is the second child he’s lost, as his 12-year-old daughter died during a back surgery about five years ago. He last surviving child is 19-years-old.

When asked for a response to the parents’ calls for more ambulances, Dr Sands told The Tribune yesterday: “We would like to get to as many as one ambulance per 20,000 population on the road at any given

ROBERT Sean Valcom Jr, a student at SC McPherson. time. That requires a huge investment in EMS – vehicles, equipment and staff.

“Such investments cannot be made in isolation but has to be reflective of investments in health and the

general economy, education, national security, etc.

“We empathise with the grieving family,” Dr Sands continued.

“As reported, all five EMS vehicles were out on

other calls, as were Doctors Hospital vehicles. We usually have five to six teams and vehicles on each shift.

Now, with injuries, we run a maximum of five per shift.

“EMS Nassau does 18,000 runs per year. As many as 3,000 are for runs that do not need an ambulance.

“Careful consideration when calling an ambulance can reduce the likelihood that an ambulance is not available when needed.

“Further, ambulance services are not free. For the 18,000 EMS runs we collect less than $40,000 total...or only about $2.50 per run... two dollars and fifty cents.”

When asked, Dr Sands could not provide an official timeline for when more ambulances will be brought in, he noted the priority would be Grand Bahama, Abaco, and other islands; noting the Bahamas “is more than just Nassau”.

Duchess the dolphin BLUE LAGOON WELCOMES ITS YOUNGEST MEMBER

DUCHESS swims around with here mother, Princess. At 52, she is one of the oldest known dolphins in captivity around the world. Duchess’ father is Stormy.

independent and then they begin to experiment like children when they begin to walk. They’re clumsy at first. They flip around. But they enjoy it. So they start jumping more and more and as I say, they have the adults as an example to copy from. It doesn’t take long before they perfect the technique.”

Duchess and Princess will remain a close pair for at least another year and a half as Duchess is nursing, Blue Lagoon said.

Atlantic bottlenose dolphins do not experience menopause, so as long as they are healthy, well cared for and living in pristine conditions, they can give birth and rear calves at an advanced age, the marine park noted.

The dolphins at Blue Lagoon Island have a preventative medicine programme, veterinary care onsite, high quality food and diets that are analysed and modified for their individual needs and tastes, as well as vitamin supplements and a highly qualified team to care for them, the press release said.

To ensure that the marine mammal programme at Blue Lagoon Island continues to provide the highest level of care and conditions for its dolphins, sea lions and stingrays, the company maintains a number of key international accreditations including the Alliance of Marine Mammal Parks & Aquariums and

the International Marine Animal Trainers’ Association, it was noted.

In 2018, Dolphin Encounters at Blue Lagoon Island became the first facility in the Bahamas to achieve certification by the American Humane Conservation programme.

“They inspect us. And we have to satisfy them that our animals have the best possible care... that they come first in everything we do. They’re completely independent and non-profit. They are only interested in animals’ welfare.

And yes, we were the first in the Bahamas and we’re amongst the handful of zoological facilities at the moment worldwide that

do have this accreditation,” Mr Rodgers explained.

Duchess is the 21st of the 25 dolphins at Blue Lagoon Island to be born under the care of the marine mammal team.

According to the company, Dolphin Encounters got its start in 1989 as an “act of compassion” when the company’s founder learned that there were two dolphins living at an aquarium in Nassau that had gone out of business. He decided to buy them and give them a better home at his property in Abaco. A few years later they relocated to their current all natural habitat on Blue Lagoon Island. Princess is one of those founder dolphins.

THE TRIBUNE

Wednesday, April 10, 2019, PAGE 3

THE PLANE crashed in a heavily wooded area that was not easily accessible and first responders and rescue personnel encountered difficulty finding the wreckage.

Pilot probably to blame in fatal crash, says report from page one The pilot had the requisite credentials to operate the plane and investigators do not believe the crash was the consequence of any equipment malfunction.

“Circumstances contributing to the failure to maintain control are undetermined,” investigators said.

“Evidence exists to demonstrate

By RASHAD ROLLE Tribune Staff Reporter rrolle@tribunemedia.net TOURISM and Aviation Minister Dionisio D’Aguilar says he has a handle on the deficiencies exposed in a report about a near mid-air collision at the Lynden Pindling International Airport last September even as the government struggles to recruit new air traffic controllers.

The Air Accident Investigation Department reported Monday that a near midair collision took place at LPIA between a Piper Aztec, C6-JEF, headed for the Berry Islands and a Western Air turbo-prop, C6-KID, carrying 25 passengers to Grand Bahama.

Investigators cited inadequate manpower in the air traffic control department as a problem contributing to the incident. Although the chief problem was a pilot’s failure to obey ATC instructions, investigators said a controller lost visual contact with an aircraft because he may have been distracted during a shift change while manning two separate radio frequencies during a time of high traffic volume. The AAID also found that controllers lacked required licences, a problem not fixed up by the time the report was finalised recently.

“We have had many discussions with senior management in the Air Traffic Control Department and they are working very diligently to correct all of those glaring deficiencies that have been identified in that report,” Mr D’Aguilar told reporters before a Cabinet meeting yesterday. “I invite you to speak to those managers to make sure they are doing it but I am certainly on top of it and making sure they are following through.

These reports identify deficiencies but we have an extremely safe air traffic control system. The proof is in the pudding. If you think about the amount of movements that take place at that airport, we have had an

the aircraft was not producing full power at the time it lost control; the reasons for the reduced power are unknown. It could not be determined why the fuel selector was positioned to the auxiliary tank and not the main tank as required by manufacturer’s recommendation. Critical evidence was destroyed in the post impact fire.”

Investigators said: “The right wing was the first to make

contact with trees, followed by the right fuselage which then impacted the ground and created a crater approximately 12 inches deep and 10 feet long by five feet wide. The aircraft travelled approximately 50 feet from the initial point of contact with the ground, coming to rest in an upward incline in trees.”

The crash is one of several aircraft incidents the AAID

has investigated in the last year, reports concerning which were released this week.

In another incident on February 22, 2018, a Cirrus N325TE was involved in an incident that forced the pilot to execute an emergency landing on a dirt road near Deep Water Cay Airport, Grand Bahama. The pilot was not hurt. Investigators determined the probable cause was “engine malfunction

related to the lack of oil pressure to the bearings of the connecting rods and the crankshaft journals, which increased operating temperatures.” The aircraft had departed Pompano Beach, Florida and was en route to Marsh Harbour.

The AAID also reported on two runway excursions in Andros and Eleuthera last year. In both cases, no one was injured.

D’Aguilar confident he’s on top of problems at LPIA A3MAIN

THE TRIBUNE

Tuesday, April 9, 2019, PAGE 3

Runway blunder from page one

TOURISM and Aviation Minister Dionisio D’Aguilar says he has a handle on the deficiencies exposed in a report about a near mid-air collision. Right: How The Tribune reported the news yesterday. impeccable record, no loss of life and obviously from time to time issues will arise but we’re on top of it.

“The Air Traffic Control Department is a very complicated department,” he added. “I’m sure all previous ministers have dealt with this very vexing problem of how to find air traffic controllers. We are addressing it as best as we can but it is a vexing issue of getting people into that department and so we are trying to recruit. We have recruited a lot of new air traffic controllers of late but unfortunately union rules and past traditions don’t

allow you to bring people in at the levels you would like to bring them into. There is some unspoken tradition that all air traffic controllers must come in and start at the bottom and work their way up and they must be do training and it’s a very, very slow process and not ideal and we’re looking to change that but that’s a difficult process.”

In its report, the AAID said: “The poor decision making exercised by the pilot of aircraft C6-JEF in not following directions by ATC, despite advising he understood the instructions given, has been determined

them until it had passed directly overhead. Even though the pilot of the C6-JEF failed to obey air traffic control orders, it is “still incumbent on all pilots entering an active runway to be cognisant and vigilant of traffic that may be crossing a runway, exiting a runway or in this case departing from a runway,” investigators emphasised.

The AAID said: “The poor decision making exercised by the pilot of aircraft C6-JEF in not following directions by ATC, despite advising he understood the instructions given, has been determined as the probable cause of the near mid-air collision; also contributing to this near mid-air collision was the actions of the air traffic controller by losing visual on the aircraft he issued instructions to, and the failure on the part of the crew of C6-KID for not observing that another aircraft was on the same runway at the same time before commencing their take-off roll; the AAID believes this loss of visual contact on the aircraft by the controller may have been as a result of distraction due to the ongoing shift change at the time, and the fact that the controller was manning two separate radio frequencies during a time of high traffic volume while using

as the probable cause of the near mid-air collision; also contributing to this near mid-air collision was the actions of the air traffic controller by losing visual on the aircraft he issued instructions to, and the failure on the part of the crew of C6-KID for not observing that another aircraft was on the same runway at the same time before commencing their take-off roll; the AAID believes this loss of visual contact on the aircraft by the controller may have been as a result of distraction due to the ongoing shift change at the time, and the fact that the controller

was manning two separate radio frequencies during a time of high traffic volume while using a system that required additional training and frequent data input so that all systems can function properly with adequate current information.”

The report also noted: “The AAID also believes the failure to notice the aircraft by the crew of THE TWO planes involved were a Piper Aztec, C6-JEF, above, and, top, a Western Air turbo-prob aircraft, C6-KID.

a system that required additional training and frequent data input so that all systems can function properly with adequate current information.

“The AAID also believes the failure to notice the aircraft by the crew of C6-KID may be the result of distractions or preoccupation with completing final checks while on the runway, before takeoff; pilot training, qualification and air traffic controller training, licensing and record keeping practices have been investigated and while not directly contributing to the

TWO SHOOTING INCIDENTS PUT 7 IN HOSPITAL POLICE are investigating two separate shooting incidents that occurred on New Providence yesterday leaving seven people in hospital.

In the first incident, shortly after midnight, a group of people were standing outside a night club on Kemp Road when the occupants of a pink Nissan March opened fire on them.

Six people were injured and taken to hospital where they are listed in stable condition.

In the second incident, shortly before 1am, a man

was sitting in his vehicle in the parking lot of a nightclub on Tonique Williams Darling Highway, when he was approached by a man armed with a firearm who shot him.

The victim drove himself to hospital where he is listed in stable condition.

Police are appealing to members of the public who may have information that can assist with these investigations to contact the Central Detective Unit at 502-9991/2, Crime stoppers at 328-TIPS (8477) or the nearest police station.

incident, were noteworthy and required action.”

The AAID found that the air traffic controller had an expired medical certificate and no ATC licence. It found that the Bahamas Air Navigation Services Division (BANSD) lacked a documented process to track the medical status of air traffic controllers, that no ATC personnel had required ATC licences and that several ATC personnel were operating without the required current medical certificates.

On October 8, 2018, the BANSD formed a

C6-KID may be the result of distractions or preoccupation with completing final checks while on the runway, before takeoff; pilot training, qualification and air traffic controller training, licencing and record keeping practices have been investigated and while not directly contributing to the incident, were noteworthy and required action.”

three-member internal review board to review the incident. The board concluded the primary reason for the incident was the wrong action taken by the pilot of CJ-JEF, but it also concluded that the controller contributed to the incident. The board drafted 14 recommendations to address “systemic internal deficiencies” within the air traffic system, but those sensitive recommendations were not included in the AAID report.

The AAID asked the Bahamas Civil Aviation Authority to re-examine

the C6-JEF pilot “for his competence to hold a Bahamas issued pilot licence.” It also recommended that the pilot be re-assessed for medical fitness. The pilot was re-examined and while the results of his pilot test were satisfactory, his licence was suspended pending a medical assessment. There were issues concerning his medical capacity.

The AAID also recommended that controllers face more frequent and structured refresher classes, noting the controller involved in the

incident underwent no refresher course since 2007. The controller was subsequently removed from active duty and underwent re-qualification training. He was then subjected to a period of supervised oversight. The AAID recommended that BANSD address its manpower shortage issues.

By the time the investigation report was finalised, the BANSD had still not ensured ATC personnel had required licences, nor was any process of record keeping or tracking provided to address identified shortcomings, the AAID said.

PAGE 4, Wednesday, April 10, 2019

THE TRIBUNE

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How seriously does the police force take its failings?

THE jury was unanimous in its verdict. The death of Osworth Rolle Jr at the hands of police officer Kendrick Brown was unlawful.

Rolle died from three bullet wounds, which the pathologist said had travelled downwards in his body, an unusual path for the bullets to take given the heights of Rolle and Brown.

It is now up to the Director of Public Prosecutions, Garvin Gaskin, to decide if Detective Constable Brown will now face criminal charges.

This is not the only time a police officer has been found to have unlawfully killed someone.

Last August, Corporal Adrian Miller was found to have unlawfully killed someone – the second such verdict against that same officer within a week.

He unlawfully shot Terrique Fowler in the back in June 2013, though it took five years for the matter to reach a verdict at the Coroner’s Court.

In August 2013, the same officer killed 31-year-old Girred Clarke. He failed to appeal against either of the unlawful killing rulings in these cases.

These are cases where a jury has decided that an officer of the law chose to break that law, and someone died at their hands as a result.

The cases of Adrian Miller were also considered by the Director of Public Prosecutions. Mr Gaskins said in November that a prosecution in one of those cases would not be pursued. He said of the Girred Clarke killing: “Even though the finding was the finding, when you look at the evidence it certainly didn’t smack of an (unlawful killing).”

Miller was not taken off frontline duty after the Clarke killing, despite it being the second killing by that same officer in a little over two months.

We must have trust in our police force. We must have a belief that they will be held to account when they break the law, or when they take it into their own hands.

Earlier this year, we reported on three people in Eleuthera who say that in January of last year, they were bound, beaten and fish-bagged by police officers before being released without charge.

One said police poured hot sauce into his eyes.

When they filed complaints with the police, they heard nothing for more than a year until they pursued court action themselves. Suddenly, they heard from the police – only to be told that time had run out for their matter to be addressed by the force.

Beyond this, time and again, we hear stories of people detained by the police saying they were beaten until they confessed, or that they suffered abuse in police custody. A video of one man leaving police custody earlier this year showed him doubled up and hardly able to walk.

It is in this situation that Police Commissioner Anthony Ferguson tells the public that they should trust the force to play fair, saying: “There has to be due process.”

Indeed, there must – but if the processes are such that it takes five years for a matter to reach Coroner’s Court, or results in people who file timely complaints being told their time has run out, then those processes are flawed.

Why would the force not by default take officers involved in a shooting off frontline duties while the matter is investigated? Why are we still bogged down in stories about contracts being sorted out before bodycams are standard and every police station has security cameras? How is the public supposed to trust the commissioner when we see a lack of determination to stop the circumstances in which abuse and worse can take place?

There are a great many police officers who are fine, upstanding role models, who seek to follow and apply the law fairly. Failing to root out those who do not live up to those standards – and are left on the street in a position to unlawfully kill civilians – fails the victims, fails the force and fails the law. All of us deserve better.

Imagine the day where police warnings are not about criminals on the loose, but about the danger of being in police custody.

Decades of police abuse have gone unanswered. We have had promises of investigations and inquiries by commissioners and pledges of action by politicians, but it has resulted in nothing.

When juries decide that police are breaking the law and killing people on our streets and nothing is done about it, how is anyone to feel safe?

This can affect more than those within our shores too. Our nation thrives thanks to our tourism industry, but as we boast of burgeoning numbers of visitors, how can we reassure those visitors when our own people lack trust in those we pay to protect us?

For all our sakes, it is beyond time for action to rid the police force of the spectre of abuse – and for it never to have a place there again.

Time to stop playing games EDITOR, The Tribune IT HAS now been over a year since the government announced that the international fuel giant Shell had been approved to construct a new power plant for BPL at Clifton Pier. Since then, all has gone quiet. There has been no word, not a peep, about when the project will commence or how long it will take to construct and bring online. Bahamians are desperate to know how soon we will start to see the reduced electricity bills that were promised to us. We are desperate to know when we will have a reliable supply of electricity that does not cut off for hours on end, just about every other day. If this is already happening in April, we are obviously in for a very stressful summer.

Bahamians want to know how many more hot, miserable summers we will have to endure before getting the relief that was promised to us. And yet nothing from the government or BPL about the new power plant. “Mum’s the word!” to quote former Prime Minister Rt. Hon. Hubert Ingraham. In fact, the only news has been that BPL’s chief operating officer handed in her resignation without any explanation. What on earth could this mean about what is happening at the power company? Could it be a sign of internal frustration because the promised improvements are a long way off, or not coming at all? Could the Shell deal have stalled?

We as Bahamians deserve an explanation.

We deserve to be told what is going on. We pay the highest light bills in the region and we get terrible service in return. If the Shell project is not in the best interests of Bahamians and will not deliver the help and hope that was promised by “The People’s Government” in a timely fashion, then it should be scrapped immediately and a better project chosen in its place. This is a matter that all Bahamians take very seriously and that stirs up strong emotions, anger and frustration. We have simply had enough.

The Minnis Administration would do well not to mess around and play further games with our current.

RICARDO JOHNSON Nassau April 7, 2019

The world is changing and we must react EDITOR, The Tribune THE boom and bust cycle of the global economy is well established. WTO says global trade has under performers with growth of 3% and is expected to decline in 2019 to 2.6 %. The IMF forecast a global slowdown for 2019. The United States (US) is the world’s largest economy in nominal GDP so I will focus mainly on the US in my analysis.

Farm loan delinquency in the US is at its highest in nine years. December had a $79 .5 billion goods deficit which is up 12.8% from November($70.5 billion). There was a $4 billion dollars decline in exports to $ 135.7 billion and a $5 billion increase in imports to $215.2 billion.

JC penny closed three stores in January 2019. J C Penny will be closing 24 more stores in 2020. Victoria secret will close 53 stores. GAP will be closing 230 in the next two years.

Payless Shoe store has declared bankruptcy and is closing all 2 100 stores.

Tesla is closing all of their physical location and will sell vehicles online. Pesicola has started to lay off workers and will continue up until 2023. The Baltic dry index has drop to its lowest level in more than two years. The worst slump in core US factory orders in three years has occurred. The Philly Fed Business Index fell to its lowest level in seven years.

January sales of existing home fell 8.5% when compared to last year. Pending home sales in the US have decline when compared year over year basis for 13 consecutive months more than $166 billion dollars in student loan debts is seriously delinquent which is a new record. Seven millions American are 90 days delinquent on their car loan which is a new record according to the New York Fed. The US national debt is $22.2 trillion dollars. This debt will likely never be paid back – only interest on the debt is paid. US has an annual deficit of $1.2 trillion.

Global debt is US $250 trillion. The global financial architecture is showing signs of recession. China have been stimulating her economy through borrowing. From a growth rate of 6.9 % 2017 to 6.6% in 2018 and expected growth rate of. 6.2% according to the IMF. Profit from Chinese Industrial company fell 2018. Germany, Europe largest economy registered no growth for the 4th quarter of 2018 and had a 0.2% contraction for the previous quarter; Germany grew 1.5% in 2018 and is expected to grow 1% in 2019. Italy, Europe’s 3rd largest economy is in recession.

China will end up being better off than its competitors. Debt in China is US $20 000 per capita compared to $ US 245 300 in the US and US $ 134 000 in Japan. China household debt is 44% of GDP compared to 80% in US and 74% in advance economies. China’s high saving ratio ( 36% of disposable income) set it apart from its competitor. Only in the US is the value of residential real estate less than three times the value of household debt. China’s residential real estate value is more than eight times its household debt. Household debt is $14.8 trillion in US and $4.7 trillion in China.

The Bahamas’ largest trading partner is the United States so if the US economy slows down so will the Bahamas’s economy. A substantial part of the Bahamas tourism and remittance are US related.

The US economy grew at 1.5 % for the first quarter of 2019 while it was 2.0 in the first quarter of 2018. The fact that the Federal Reserve have signalled it won’t raise rate in 2019 indicates that the US economy is not in great shape. I am confident the Federal Reserve will start to cut rates by the end the year and engage in quantitative easing (Q4). The advantage the US has is the US dollar is the world reserve currency but the world is gradually moving

away from the greenback.

China’s gold reserve rose by 0.38 million ounces or about 12 tonnes in January alone to 59.94 million ounces which has a value of US $ 79.31 9 billion.

The amount of gold added by global central banks hit the second highest annual amount. Countries bought 615.5 metric tons last year and now hold about 34 000 tons. Russia was the largest buyer of gold in order to reduce its reliance on US dollar followed by Turkey, Kazakhstan, India, Iraq, Poland and Hungary.

China is trying “ to diversify its reserve” away from the greenback, according to Jeffery Haley, senior market analysts at currency broker OANDA. The process of moving away from the greenback is evident and gold as a supranational reserve gold plays an important role. In 2 1/2 years Saudi Arabia has sold 60 billion in US bonds (7.5 billion in January). Saudi Arabia is the main supporter of the petrodollar.

The world is changing.

In June 2018 the European Central Bank declared it had exchanged €500 million (611 million) worth of US dollar reserve for Yuan securities.The first shipments of oil from the Middle East to China paid for in petroyuan contract occurred in August 2018.

Now an alternative to the petrodollar exist. The US dollar based SWIFT (Society for Worldwide Interbank Financial Telecommunication) is being challenged. The IMF seek to centralise monetary authority under a single world structure. Also, to undermine US sanctions on Iranian oil, the EU has started a programme to make a new SWIFT outside the sphere of US influence.

Russia, China and Iran have agreed to at last participate in the construction of this new SWIFT. Nothing lasts forever.

BRIAN ELLIS PLUMMER Nassau April 7, 2019

THE TRIBUNE

By RASHAD ROLLE Tribune Staff Reporter rrolle@tribunemedia.net TUESDAY was a typical day for some Kemp Road residents –– whether lounging in bars or selling treats from the roadside, few were fazed by a shooting that put six in the hospital just a day before.

Footage of the attack revealed gunmen unleashed a volley of shots adjacent to Lin’s Liquor, the rapid spit of an automatic being used.

Yet residents who live or work near the bar largely reacted with indifference to the incident, however, and defended the safety of their community.

A street vendor who only identified herself as Theresa, said she has given no thought to adjusting her daily routine after the incident.

“Most of us think that when these things happen, it’s not random, they target who they want to target,” she said. “If somebody’s out to get a certain person, they know who they come for so it ain’ like I have to worry about my routine because I fear someone will come after me.”

None of the residents The Tribune spoke to said they knew the residents shot around 12am on Monday. They called the wounded “outsiders” who came to party at Lin’s Liquor, a perpetual hotspot after other bars have closed shop at night.

“I know based on experience that how these fellas operate is they normally retaliate and there is a domino effect,” Theresa said. “I hope this isn’t something that will reoccur next week, assuming it’s gang related, but ain’ nothing happened in this area in awhile.”

Another resident said police presence is not an issue.

“Everyday they here,” said James Johnson, 49, a street vendor who sells water and sugary drinks.

“The police always trafficking through, every couple minutes. You have any problem, you could call the police.”

Trust between law enforcement and residents is strained, however.

Wednesday, April 10, 2019, PAGE 5

Kemp Road is fine by us, say residents after six people shot in bar THE TRIBUNE

Runwa from page one

them until it had passed directly overhead. Even though the pilot of the C6-JEF failed to obey air traffic control orders, it is “still incumbent on all pilots entering an active runway to be cognisant and vigilant of traffic that may be crossing a runway, exiting a runway or in this case departing from a runway,” investigators emphasised.

The AAID said: “The poor decision making exercised by the pilot of aircraft C6-JEF in not following directions by ATC, despite advising he understood the instructions given, has been determined as the probable cause of the near mid-air collision; also contributing to this near mid-air collision was the actions of the air traffic controller by losing visual on the aircraft he issued instructions to, and the failure on the part of the crew of C6-KID for not observing that another aircraft was on the same runway at the same time before commencing their take-off roll; the AAID believes this loss of visual contact on the aircraft by the controller may have been as a result of distraction due to the ongoing shift change at the time, and the fact that the controller was manning two separate radio frequencies during a time of high traffic volume while using

THE TRIBUNE canvassed Kemp Road yesterday to speak to residents about the recent shooting that left six people in hospital. Left: James Johnson; above: Terry Sweeting. Right: How The Tribune reported the story yesterday.

Photos: Shawn Hanna/Tribune Staff When criminal incidents take place, residents rarely divulge information to police, according to two men, including a man who runs the Almond Tree Bar

but declined to reveal his identity. “The road does talk,” he said. “There is no confidentiality. The police does call your name.”

Terry Sweeting,

63, works at Lin’s Liquor.

She said the people who were shot had not entered the bar but were shot moments after pulling up in a bus. Ms Sweeting said

she remembers a time when Kemp Road was more safe than it is now, but that does not mean she is fearful.

“I walk up and down the

THE TWO planes involved were a Piper Aztec, C6-JEF, above, and, top, a Western Air turbo-prob aircraft, C6-KID.

a system that required additional training and frequent data input so that all systems can function properly with adequate current information.

“The AAID also believes the failure to notice the aircraft by the crew of C6-KID may be the result of distractions or preoccupation with completing final checks while on the runway, before takeoff; pilot training, qualification and air traffic controller training, licensing and record keeping practices have been investigated and while not directly contributing to the

incident, we and required The A that the ai troller had medical cert ATC licence the Baham gation Serv (BANSD) l mented pro the medical traffic con no ATC p required AT that several nel were ope the required cal certificat On Octo the BANS

TWO SHOOTING INCIDENTS PUT 7 IN HOSPITAL POLICE are investigating two separate shooting incidents that occurred on New Providence yesterday leaving seven people in hospital.

In the first incident, shortly after midnight, a group of people were standing outside a night club on Kemp Road when the occupants of a pink Nissan March opened fire on them.

Six people were injured and taken to hospital where they are listed in stable condition.

In the second incident, shortly before 1am, a man

was sitting in his vehicle in the parking lot of a nightclub on Tonique Williams Darling Highway, when he was approached by a man armed with a firearm who shot him.

The victim drove himself to hospital where he is listed in stable condition.

Police are appealing to members of the public who may have information that can assist with these investigations to contact the Central Detective Unit at 502-9991/2, Crime stoppers at 328-TIPS (8477) or the nearest police station.

road,” she said. “Most of the people hanging around here are from this area. It’s only when people come out this area they bring problems.”

Suspect shot three times by police was unlawfully killed from page one During previous proceedings, Detective Sergeant Dwayne Delancy said testified before Coroner Jeanine Weech-Gomez how on December 2, 2016, while he was on duty at the Central Detective Unit (CDU), he was given instructions to continue an investigation into a police-involved shooting that occurred just days before in Nassau Village.

Det Sgt Delancy said he met with Sergeant Ferguson and Detective Constables Brown and Storr, who were involved in the shooting.

During those conversations, he said, the three officers gave similar accounts about what had happened.

Det Sgt Delancy said the officers told him that shortly after noon on November 30, they went to house No. 8 on Lee Street, Nassau Village after receiving information that Miller was at that location.

Upon arriving at the residence and heading to the rear, it was further claimed the three officers announced themselves to a group of men gathered in that area. After doing so, the group of men ran in a northern direction towards some bushes.

Det Sgt Delancy said he was told that two of the men, one being Miller and the other being Rolle, produced “chrome coloured” handguns and pointed them in the direction of the police.

Det Sgt Delancy said Sgt Ferguson claimed that upon seeing the weapons brandished by Rolle and Miller, he stopped his pursuit of the men. However, both

Brown and Storr drew their service pistols and fired in the direction of the two gunmen.

Rolle was consequently shot multiple times about the body and fell to the ground.

Meanwhile, Det Sgt Delancy said he was told Miller and the other men ran into the northern bushes. However, he said he was informed that Miller and the other men, namely a juvenile, Quinton Rolle and Raymond Albury, were pursued to the bushes by a team of other officers and later arrested.

Det Sgt Delancy said when he interviewed Miller, he said he was at his home raking up leaves when the police arrived. After he heard gunshots, he said he ran into some bushes. He claimed he never saw the deceased with a gun, nor did he see when he was shot.

The officer said the juvenile, when interviewed with his mother present, said he ran after the police fired the shots. And while running, he said he saw Rolle, who was known to him, reach into his waist and pull out a chrome-coloured handgun.

However, the juvenile said he continued running and did not see when Rolle got shot because he was ahead of him.

Meanwhile, Quinton Rolle claimed that when the police arrived, one of them ordered him to get on the ground, to which he complied. He said the other men who were with him, including the deceased, ran.

Quinton Rolle said one of the officers stayed with him while he was on the ground.

He said he later heard what

sounded like two gunshots, before he heard one of the officers shout, “He point a gun at me!”

However, Quinton Rolle said he did not witness the shooting because he was face down on the ground.

Det Sgt Delancy said Albury, when interviewed, claimed he ran when the police arrived because he was in possession of marijuana. Albury also said he did not see when Rolle got shot.

Detective Sergeant Mario Darrell, a crime scene investigator, said when he arrived at the scene shortly after the shooting, he was led to the rear of the residence near a bushy area where he observed Rolle’s lifeless body lying on the western side of an unfinished building with gunshot wounds to the head and upper body, a black tam hanging on a tree, and a white cellphone.

On the left side of the deceased was a black and silver pistol.

Det Sgt Darell said after making his observations, and after another officer took photos of the entire area, he collected and secured the firearm. After doing so, he said he discovered that the gun was a Millennium G2 9mm pistol, with 12 unfired 9mm bullets in the magazine, and one unfired 9mm bullet in the chamber.

Det Sgt Darell said he took the firearm back to the Criminal Records Office and processed it for latent prints, a process that yielded negative results.

However, he explained that it would be almost impossible to have left fingerprints from the lower portion of the gun, which, he said, was

made of a coarse, plastic material, and not smooth.

Another witness testified how he and a number of males were smoking marijuana in the yard in question, when someone yelled out that “the man”

had showed up. About two to three seconds later, the witness said the officers “simply started shooting”.

That, the witness said, prompted the group to run through a nearby shortcut and then to some nearby

bushes, while he hid nearby.

Ramona FarquharsonSeymour represented the family of the deceased.

Bjorn Ferguson represented the three officers involved in the shooting.

PAGE 6, Wednesday, April 10, 2019

THE TRIBUNE

‘FINAL’ DELIVERY DATE FOR NEW POST OFFICE from page one

However, by November the government said the relocation was set for between Christmas and the end of 2018. But when December came, that deadline was extended to January 1 and when that date had passed, Mr Wells said the new relocation date would be moved to the middle of February.

Overall, issues at the run down East Hill Street location have impacted the revenue generation capability of the Post Office, now reducing its contribution to the consolidated fund to around $2m from about $6m in 2012, Mr Wells said.

He said it is the government’s intention to restore the essential service to its former efficiency aided by additional staff to ensure mail is handled properly.

“I have given at least three different timelines as to when the post office was going to be open and we have had extension in time mainly due to a number of factors. . ,” Mr Wells said.

“We had set a timeline for I think the ending of February beginning of March because we believed at the time that we could use the boxes from East Hill Street to simply instal them at Town Centre Mall.

Unfortunately the boxes at East Hill Street could not be moved so we had to order post office boxes.

We thought we could have

THE TOWN Centre Mall. gotten them from Canada.

We sourced them, but unfortunately we ended up having to get them from China.

“That put a huge delay in our construction timeline, rather an extension of time in our construction timeline because there’s aspects of the post office that could not be closed up until those boxes arrived. We thought we would have been able to

Photo: Shawn Hanna/Tribune Staff do it by the end of March.

Again, unfortunately the boxes came in in the middle of March but the boxes are now installed completely.”

He also said: “We are looking for a complete move and this is the final timeline date for the post office. We are looking for a complete move of the third week in May for all of the post office staff to be in the Town Centre Mall.

“We also had aspects of the low voltage design, which is the CCTV cameras, the data drops for Internet that need to have been redesigned for the Town Centre Mall. That design is completed.”

Within about five weeks until the new deadline, Mr Wells said most of the building is complete. He further clarified that the agreement between the

government and the landlord was for this to be a turnkey operation. However the government spent $70,000 on furniture and the low voltage design was an additional $130,000.

“In terms of the construction we are 99 percent complete with the builder’s work,” he said.

“The executive offices are done, the post boxes are in, the warehouse is

completed, the air-conditioning unit is in, the electrics are installed, the cafeteria is up and running, the Post Office Bank has been up and running.

“Our issue is we are now having to instal what you would know as an engineer is the low voltage design, which has to do with really the CCTV cameras, data links.

“So after those wires would have been pulled by the contractor, BTC has to come in and bring its telephones and hook up its telephones to the requisite desks and Cable Bahamas would have to come in and run its cable lines and that too was in an issue with both BTC and Cable because before you could have that you need to know where your desks were going to go.

“No one could have expected the contractor to purchase government furniture so that was a delay for us. Government is responsible to purchase the furniture that is supposed to be in at the end of this month.”

The minister also responded to claims by Englerston MP Glenys Hanna Martin that Family Island residents had not received international mail for several weeks.

While he admitted that the post office was behind in delivering some mail, Mr Wells said he was not aware of Mrs Hanna Martin’s claim.

We will have local workers, says Ferreira

By RICARDO WELLS Tribune Staff Reporter rwells@tribunemedia.net ENVIRONMENT Minister Romauld Ferreira says he is “confident” Bahamian labourers and managers will eventually be brought in to assist in the running of the New Providence Sanitary Landfill.

His remarks were made on Monday on the sidelines of an Inter-American Development Bank loan signing ceremony, where he attempted to downplay concerns over the amount of foreign workers now employed at the site.

The government has a management agreement with the Waste Resources Development Group/ Providence Advisors consortium.

Mr Ferreira, pushing back against the criticism, suggested Bahamians shift their attention away from the workforce and onto the “landmark” nature of the government’s agreement with the consortium.

“The most effective thing is, we are coming from a situation where the New Providence Sanitary Landfill has been plagued by a number of issues and we sought to resolve that,” Mr Ferreira said. “I mean, this is a landmark situation. We are making history here and we are hoping to repeat this same scenario with landfills

and dumpsites throughout the country.”

Last month, head of the Waste Resources Development Group Henry Dean revealed the consortium had engaged a 20-strong workforce through its New Providence Ecology Park Ltd subsidiary, which is overseeing the landfill’s transformation.

Detractors of the scheme have subsequently taken issue with the number of foreign workers employed.

In response Mr Ferreira said he will not question Mr Dean’s work-plan for the site, or his suggestions that the workers currently employed by his company are best suited for the job.

“It’s his work-plan,” he said. “It’s not just him, it’s a whole group, it’s Waste Resources Development Limited and Providence Advisors... there are things that are within their discretion that are within their business model, within their business plan, that they have to execute.

“I think the most important thing that we have to look at within this equation is the effective management of the New Providence Sanitary Landfill, one that results in no, or minimum amounts of intermittent fires. I think that that is the real rub. That is the crux of the matter because you had persons whose lives were disrupted for weeks;

schools, businesses, residences. I mean that’s the real issue, how effectively will this be run?

“Will we have fires? Will we have recycling online?

Will we have streaming of waste?

“And all of these things are a part of the business model that they intend to bring on stream. In terms of hiring Bahamians for the job, of course, Mr Dean is a Bahamian…and so is Mr (Ken) Kerr. So they are going to be very concerned about bringing Bahamians in.”

Mr Ferreira said he respects the consortium’s position and business plan, suggesting that early indications by the consortium point to the future incorporation of Bahamians when the “time is right.” “… They will be brought in on stream to take over the full management,” he said.

“There is nothing actually wrong with the transfer of information and the transfer of skills and knowledge. I mean, by far that’s a good thing.”

The Waste Resources Development Group/Providence Advisors consortium was selected as the preferred bidder to take over the landfill’s operations — and effect a $130m transformation of the site — in late August 2018.

ENVIRONMENT Minister Romauld Ferreira

‘SERVICE LOT SCHEME HAS RESCUED BAHAMIANS FROM RAW DEALS’

By RICARDO WELLS Tribune Staff Reporter rwells@tribunemedia.net

THE government’s ongoing service lot scheme has rescued Bahamians from “raw” deals, according to Environment and Housing Minister Romauld Ferreira, who this week revealed nearly all of the lots offered to date have been sold.

Mr Ferreira, who was responding to questions on the sidelines of a recent loan signing ceremony, suggested that under the former Christie administration, Bahamians were in many cases being overcharged between $20,000 to $40,000.

“What we found, under the

previous administration... was that the houses were being sold for much, much more than they were actually being valued. So if you really think about it, the Bahamian citizens were getting a raw deal. In other words, houses valued at. . .$140,000, $150,000, were being sold for $170,000, $180,000.

“So, I mean, how was that to the benefit of the people? It begs the question that whoever is benefitting from that the most is perhaps the one that is crying the most at the loss of that benefit,” Mr Ferreira said.

Mr Ferreira first hinted at the overpricing of homes under the Christie administration back in January, when during

a parliamentary presentation he raised issue with the price tags placed on homes constructed in the Ardastra Gardens Subdivision.

He noted that when the Minnis administration took office, officials found the price of these single-family homes was inflated by between $13,980 and $18,650.

Arawak Homes, which subcontracted the building project to an estimated 30 to 40 contractors, managed the overall process.

The cost per unit was $150,00 to $160,000, officials said back in 2016.

This served as motivation, Mr Ferreira said, for the government’s decision to discontinue offering turnkey homes, but

instead serviced lots. Doubling down on that decision this week, the Marathon MP highlighted various lot developments across New Providence and Abaco the latter of which includes the conveyance of disputed lot titles in the Crossing Rocks community.

“The government is not taking a backseat and we are not apologising to anyone for having an aggressive approach to putting people in homes and making them landowners,” Mr Ferreira said.

“The government serviced lots initiative is moving very, very well.

We have completed, actually, the Lionel Davis Subdivision, which is in Romer Street, Fox Hill, which adds some more to the inventory;

up next is the big one, Carmichael Village, which everyone is excited about.

“We’ve reconfigured the subdivision as I’ve mentioned many, many times, so we can get much, much more lots.

“We have engaged persons to do the engineering designs, which will layout the subdivision, do the topographies, so we are moving forward aggressively. “… As I mentioned in Central Pines, Abaco, the lots are coming on stream; there will be 30, they’re coming on stream, we are receiving applications for those as well,” he added.

The government’s various initiatives under Mr Ferreira, seek to provide 360 lots in its first phase.

THE TRIBUNE

Wednesday, April 10, 2019, PAGE 7

MINISTER ‘ALARMED’ BY UNION BEHAVIOUR

By KHRISNA RUSSELL Deputy Chief Reporter krussell@tribunemedia.net

TOURISM and Aviation Minister Dionisio D’Aguilar said yesterday officials of the union representing Grand Lucayan managers have refused to communicate with him, despite cordial discussions more than a week ago.

Their actions, the minister said, have left him “alarmed”.

Mr D’Aguilar began negotiating with the union after they seemed to have been unable to reach an agreement with Michael Scott, Lucayan Renewal Holdings chairman, over voluntary separation packages.

Mr Scott told them to either take a final offer of $3.1m or risk

getting less when they are terminated as part of the hotel’s transition to new ownership.

While the minister has tried to intervene, it seems he’s being ignored.

“I keep calling their phones and they don’t respond to me so I don’t know what’s going on, so very interesting,” Mr D’Aguilar said, adding he also called representatives yesterday morning.

“I don’t know. I can tell all the people in Grand Bahama that their representatives are not speaking to me as the minister and I had a very cordial discussion with them.

“We left that meeting (and) they were to get some information back to me and I called them on the phone even today,

no response from anyone. I don’t know what strategy they’re pulling, but I’m an open and transparent guy and I am ready to talk and I want the people in Freeport to know that I am doing my endeavour best to get the matter settled and their representatives for some reason haven’t gotten back to me.

“I have been trying to reach them for the last seven or eight days.”

“Call me,” he urged.

As for the level of discussion between the managers and Mr Scott, the minister did not comment directly, but he said he immersed himself into the matter.

“I am a financial guy so I wanted to see (numbers) specifically broken down by individuals.

Give me the spreadsheet.

Let me work it out. Let me see whether we’re addressing all of the particular concerns and so, yes, I have immersed myself into the weeds of the negotiation.

“I was under the impression that we were making good progress and I don’t know what strategy they’re pulling. I don’t know what’s going on, so we’ll wait and see.

“But I just want the employees in Grand Bahama to know that their representatives are not saying anything to me so I’ll wait to hear from them. The ball is firmly in their court.”

Last month, Mr Scott said unless the government decided otherwise, the board was firm

about what was considered a “very generous” offer of $3.1m, $100,000 more than the initial offer of $3m.

Mr Scott said neither the government nor the board would want to pass the issue on to proposed new joint owners, Royal Caribbean International and Mexican port developer ITM. Therefore, he said an obligation existed for the issue to be resolved.

The government signed a letter of intent late last month to enter into exclusive talks for the proposed new owners to take over the beleaguered resort in Grand Bahama.

The managers want $5m as part of a voluntary separation package.

GOVERNOR General Dame Marguerite Pindling has agreed to serve as the Patron of Child Protection Month 2019. It has been observed every year in April in The Bahamas since 1992. The month will be observed under the theme: “Every Child Safe, Every Community Aware: No Excuse for Child Abuse.” Pictured are Dame Marguerite Pindling (centre), the Minister of Social Services and Urban Development, Frankie Campbell (centre left) and Social Services and Child Protection Month officials at Government House.

Sister supports brother’s claim that he was beaten

By NICO SCAVELLA Tribune Staff Reporter nscavella@tribunemedia.net

THE sister of a key witness in a murder trial yesterday gave evidence in support of her brother’s previous claims that he was arrested by police and beaten to implicate their cousin and two other men in the matter.

Terez Stubbs, taking the witness stand before Justice Cheryl Grant-Thompson, said police officers stormed her house and arrested her brother Carlderon Brown on July 8, 2016, two weeks after their cousin Jahmaro Edgecombe was accused of killing Kenyari Lightbourne on June 21.

Ms Stubbs said after the officers arrested Brown, which was in connection with armed robbery and another serious offence, she didn’t see him for a “long time”, despite her and family members’ attempts to find out at which station he was being held.

The testimony came during Edgecombe’s and Sean “Fire” Brown’s trial into Lightbourne’s death.“ On the date in question, Lightbourne was shot multiple times while walking through his Woods Alley neighbourhood off Market Street. He died at the scene.

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

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

Last week, however, Neely was acquitted by the jury at Justice GrantThompson’s directions.

Previously, Carlderon Brown testified how in July of 2016, he was arrested at his Pinewood Gardens home and taken to the South Beach Police Station before being taken to the Central Detective Unit (CDU). He said his two sisters, younger brother, and stepfather were at home when he was arrested.

Carlderon Brown said when he got to CDU, he was led to the homicide section, where he was suffocated and beaten about the abdomen, and threatened to be prosecuted for armed robbery and home invasion.

He said the officers told him to “go with what they have” and that if he did, he wouldn’t be charged with any crimes.

He said that as a result of the officers’ actions, he signed documents, the contents of which he had no knowledge.

And those documents, he said, was a statement dated July 8, 2016 in which he “confessed” to police that Edgecombe killed Lightbourne at Neely’s request for some $5,000, then used $3,000 of that sum to buy a silver Nissan Primera.

Since then, Edgecombe, who was initially implicated in the crime via Carlderon Brown’s statement, has testified that he too was brutalised by police not only for him to confess to killing Lightbourne, but as a way for police to have the “big fish”, Neely and Sean Brown, implicated as being involved in the conspiracy to kill the deceased.

Taking the witness stand yesterday, Ms Stubbs said she was present when her brother was arrested. She said on the date in question, about five to six officers, whose “ringleader” was a

bald-headed, “bright” complexioned, heavy-set man said to be Sonny Miller, came to their house and arrested her brother who was watching YouTube videos.

Ms Stubbs claimed the officers came to the house, marched inside to where Carlderon Brown was situated and asked him his name. Then, she said the officers told her brother to “get (expletive) up”. Afterwards, she said she watched as they took pictures of the website’s URL, placed her brother in handcuffs and put him in a white car that took him away.

Afterwards, she said she and her sisters called various police stations, inclusive of the South Beach Police Station, the Quakoo Street Police Station, as well as the Carmichael Road Police Station to find out where her brother was being held, but with no results.

Some two days later though, she said, she, along with other persons, went to CDU to see her brother and deliver some water and Gatorade to him. However, she said, they didn’t see him. Instead, she said she had to give the drinks to the officers to give to her brother.

However, lead Crown prosecutor Racquel Whymms challenged Ms Stubbs on her evidence, especially given the fact that she was present in court on certain occasions while evidence was being lead. Thus, Ms Whymms asserted that she knew “exactly what to say” once she took the witness stand.

And the only reason she knew Officer Miller’s name, Ms. Whymms asserted, is because that was the only officer she saw take the witness stand.

However, Ms Stubbs, in response to questions put to her by Edgecombe’s

attorney David Cash, said although she sat in court on certain occasions towards the middle of the trial, she did not sit in court after being advised by Justice Grant-Thompson that Mr

Cash had made an application for her to be called as a defence witness, and that she would have to excuse herself from the proceedings as a result.

Nonetheless, Ms

Whymms further questioned why Ms Stubbs was giving evidence on Carlderon Brown’s behalf in any event, as he is not a defendant in the matter.

The case continues today.

Funeral Service for DORESE TONICIA WOOD, 43 of Cove Point, Joe Farrington Road, will be held on Thursday, 11th April, 2019 at 11:00 a.m. at St. Anslems Catholic Church, Bernard Road. Officiating will be Fr. Noel Clarke, assisted by other ministers of the Clergy. Pre-Cremation.

Left to cherish her fond memories are her Daughter: Drew Carmen Wood; Parents: David E. and Doris C. Wood; Grandmother: Charlotte Oliver; Sister: Dr. Delecia Wood-Thompson (Dr. Eddison Thompson); Brothers: David J. Wood Jr. (Phillandra), Don H. Wood (Shannon); Nephews: Ricardo Johnson, Donovan Wood, Eli and Evan Thompson; Aunts: Annamae Woodside, Ruthmae Oliver (Alley Hanna), Dale, Beryl Wood; Uncles: Burton “Areo” Oliver Jr, Jermaine “Rico” Oliver; Cousins: Sharea Woodside-Wallace (Andrew), Lashema Woodside, Nadia Seymour, Shandera Woodside, Alicia Hanna, Charlene Hamilton-Sealy (Dr. Phillip Sealy), Ariel Oliver, Avery Smith (Racquel), Dan Woodside (Shelly), Deon Woodside, Burton Oliver III, Tiesha Oliver, Michelle Lee, Jimmy Lee Jr, Joel Lee, Catherine Wood, Cindy Wood-Braynen, Rachel Wood, Damian Wood, Tyrone Spence, Donovan and Henry Martin, Makell Munnings, Joycelyn Calma, Paulette Knowles, Franklyn Martin, Celestine Spence, Estell Demeritte, Brenie Brown; Grand Uncle and Aunts: Rev Quebell Martin (Vernell), Donald Martin (Rev. Jeraldine), Celcina Spence, Rosalie Martin; Other Family and Friends: Phillip Delancey, Yvonne Lewis, Nelson Turnquest (Dianne), Vienna Clarke, Italia Cartwright, Donald Carey (Pamela), Phillip Clarke (Anita), Crystal and Jamal Strachan, Kenneth McCartney (Sadie), Vivia and Carolyn Young, Shenique and Dr. Sherelle Ferguson, Fr. John Johnson, Erskin Johnson, Michael and Ruth Bowe-Darville, Ruth, Wendy, Vernica Mackey, Shirley Walker, Eulene Johnson, Ester Bain, Cherly Minnis, Bert, Jeffery, Jolton Johnson (Caroll), Mr. And Mrs. Hope (North Carolina), Que Edwards, Solomon Ferguson, Jermaine and Jason Pratt, Chuck Pratt (Cleora), John Williams and family, Mr. and Mrs. Oliver, Martin Family, Oliver Family, Madge Pickstock and Family, Dr. Cyprian Stranchan, Dr. Rashida Brown-Clarke, Dr. Tanya Pratt, Sonny Curry (June), Duremco Archer and Family, Mike Sands (Teresa), Deacon Danny Price (Debbie), Laketha Carlton and Family, Denise Thompson, Kekee McPhee and Family, Stephen Bastian (Judy), William Miller, King College Alumni and staff (Wilkes-Barre, Pa) The St. Anselm’s Church Family, BAAA and BACO Family.

PAGE 8, Wednesday, April 10, 2019

THE TRIBUNE

H There’s no escaping it -

AVING written in preceding weeks about the thorny issue of Brexit, I turn today to the related subject of parliamentary representative democracy in Britain.

As one of the world’s oldest democracies and former imperial power, the nation pioneered the Westminster system of government which goes back for centuries and has been widely adopted elsewhere in the world including in most English-speaking Caribbean countries. It was for this reason that Westminster became known as the ‘mother of parliaments’, and one comedian has now suggested the current political chaos in London has brought disgrace on the family.

In essence, it is a system of laws, conventions and precedents developed over the years which forms Britain’s unwritten constitution and, with various checks and balances, provides procedures for a bicameral legislature. Unlike a presidential system in which considerable power is vested in a directly-elected head of government, the executive is drawn from, and is accountable to, Parliament. So a prime minister must be a Member of Parliament, while in the UK the Head of State is the hereditary monarch who no longer has political power but remains a

Britain’s a laughing stock The Peter Young column symbol of national stability and unity.

Against this background, Britain has been generally admired and respected for its political equilibrium and stability together with its respect for the rule of law, its pragmatism, plain commonsense and that indefinable quality which the French fail to translate but, rather, call ‘le fair play’. It is, therefore, all the more shocking and disheartening to watch recent developments at

Westminster in connection with Europe.

Since polls have all too often proved unreliable, one way of gauging public opinion is to study people’s comments published online in response to UK newspaper articles. These can often run into thousands of individuals discussing in writing a single particular issue covered in the press.

The evidence is clear. There is growing incredulity, concern and anger among the general public that nearly three years since the 2016 referendum resulting in a narrow majority to leave the EU – and two years after the House of Commons voted to invoke Article 50 of the Lisbon Treaty which set a departure date of 29 March this year – Brexit has still not happened.

For years, the British political class and the civil service have been respected for their knowledge, expertise, negotiating skill and all round professionalism. But many believe Prime Minister Theresa May’s government has been outsmarted and outmanoeuvred by EU negotiators who have been

delaying and even obstructing the talks in order to deter other member states from leaving. Faced with complex negotiations in a difficult environment, she and her colleagues have been criticised for incompetence and a lack of understanding of the issues in pursuing the will of the people. There is deep concern the UK is allowing itself to be battered into submission by Brussels and is being humiliated and ridiculed in the process.

It was clear from an early stage that a majority of MPs at Westminster did not want the nation to leave the EU and were willing to disregard the result of the referendum. This is despite former Prime Minister David Cameron’s public undertaking to honour its outcome, and the separate commitment to do so in the manifestos of both the Conservative and Labour Parties at the time of the 2017 General Election.

MPs are seen now as using every stratagem in the book through parliamentary motions and amendments to slow down the process or to stop completely Britain’s departure from the EU.

BRITAIN’S PM THERESA MAY One notably bizarre incident should have been prevented by the Speaker of the House of Commons who has been accused of favouring Remainers instead of maintaining strict neutrality on all issues as he is required to do.

A Labour MP, who was released early with an electronic tag from a threemonth prison sentence for perverting the course of justice, was allowed - despite technically still serving her custodial sentence - to return to the House of Commons in order to vote on a Bill to change the law so that Britain would be prevented from leaving the EU without a deal.

The result was the Bill was passed by a majority of one. This has outraged

many who have lost faith in the whole parliamentary system. As they say, one couldn’t make it up.

The blame for the current chaos is correctly being laid at the door of MPs who are patently failing to carry out the people’s wishes.

Their collective reputation has been declining since the recent expenses scandal that resulted in prison terms for the worst offenders. It is likely some will not survive the next election or could be ditched first by their local constituency associations.

However, some people still claim the current crisis has been precipitated by a hung parliament and that we are witnessing democracy in action. I find it hard to agree with that and I fear the damage to the UK’s reputation may already be irreparable. The future looks bleak, but everyone will surely hope there is no repeat of the violent poll tax riots in London in 1990 which – even though Margaret Thatcher’s government was forced to abandon a thoroughly unpopular policy – contributed to her political downfall later that year.

A BOAT RACE TO SAVOUR

PEOPLE in Britain know that, by the time the annual Oxford and Cambridge boat race on London’s River Thames comes around, spring has truly arrived after an endless grey winter and with the joys of summer and its long, light evenings just around the corner. This ancient rivalry between England’s premier universities is regarded in Britain as the pinnacle of amateur sport.

Both men’s and women’s races on Sunday were won by my alma mater Cambridge. Hooray!

It’s not just about money, Mr President TO FOLLOW up a brief report in The Tribune last week about the 70th anniversary of NATO, it is worth examining further the current political context, with a US President apparently giving less weight to the historical importance of the organisation - as well as its current and future role - than to how it is funded.

Arguably the world’s most important alliance of 29 nations, NATO was established after the horrors of the Second World War in order to stand up, in particular, to the new threat from an

expansionist Soviet Union. It has been successful over the years in creating a shield against aggression towards Western countries and in preserving peace and safeguarding freedom.

Mr Trump has been accused of being anti-NATO as a result of his calls for larger financial contributions by its member states.

His demands that they should increase their respective defence spending may well be justified on the grounds the US has been forced to bear a disproportionate share of the costs over many years. But any reduction of

American involvement in NATO as a response to other members of the alliance refusing to pay a higher share would be disastrous because the US’s participation has been the key to its success in deterring aggression.

There are fears the White House is not seeing the bigger picture. In 1961, President Kennedy, pictured right, is reported to have regarded the Berlin crisis as perhaps the most dangerous moment for a nuclear conflict since the onset of the Cold War though this assessment was, of

course, overtaken by the Cuban missile crisis the following year.

What is clear is there is now a real threat posed by a resurgent, more assertive and newly expansionist Russia, which annexed Crimea and is occupying eastern Ukraine while also building up a military presence on its borders with the Baltic states. So it was timely that the NATO Secretary General should deliver a major speech last week to a joint meeting of the US Congress on the theme of ‘NATO: good for Europe and good for America’ in which he made clear

its important role in defending all its member states and keeping its citizens safe. According to reports, this speech was well received by US legislators and policy makers.

The rest of us can only hope they realise that helping to keep the peace in Europe is in America’s own interests and that financial considerations, while important, ought not to be the overriding determinant of policy.

• Peter Young is a retired career diplomat and former British High Commissioner to The Bahamas where he is now a permanent resident

ROAD TRAFFIC DEPARTMENT NEEDS MORE CASH FOR NEW OFFICES

By KHRISNA RUSSELL Deputy Chief Reporter krussell@tribunemedia.net

THE Ministry of Transport and Local Government will most likely be requesting more money in its budget for the 20192020 fiscal year to facilitate a move of the Road Traffic Department from its temporary main location.

According to Cabinet minister Renward Wells, who has road traffic in his portfolio, there is an ongoing assessment of how best to facilitate moving the department from the Thomas A Robinson National Stadium.

Officials also want to open a new road traffic satellite office in the eastern part of the island.

He was asked yesterday outside Cabinet if his ministry would need more money as the government prepares to present its new budget in the coming weeks. “We may look at a slight increase in certain areas certainly in the Road Traffic Department because we needed to - like the General Post Office - the Road Traffic Department needs to move out of the stadium,” Mr Wells said in response to a question from The Tribune.

“There were plans for it to move to Harrold Road but we are now looking as to how we can best make that move happen. So we are going to be looking at to where we can... move the Road Traffic Department and we are also looking to put a satellite station in

the east, so we are looking for a building that we’d be able to have road traffic services for persons who live in the eastern part of New Providence.”

Mr Wells further addressed speculation that certain employees from the department were redeployed because of corrupt practices. “I am always interested in making a department efficient and having persons operate where there is best fit. We made some moves in order to bring efficiency and to allow for the upward mobility of persons in the Road Traffic Department and persons were moved for their upward mobility.

“Some of the individuals actually requested redeployment and for those we

were assisting in that and so government is always interested in how we can get the best efficient system and that is why some of the moves took place.”

He also said: “I will say this: I am not one to believe that you transfer people on hearsay or innuendo. I don’t believe that you move quote unquote corrupt individuals from one place to the next. If you believe that someone is corrupt and you have the evidence for such then you let them go home because the inference is that you are just shifting problems from one place to the next. I don’t operate like that.

“I believe that when you move persons it should always be for the efficiency of the department.”\

THE TRIBUNE

Wednesday, April 10, 2019, PAGE 9

Real or artificial? Tech titans declare AI ethics concerns

By MATT O’BRIEN AND RACHEL LERMAN Associated Press

T

HE biggest tech companies want you to know that they’re taking special care to ensure that their use of artificial intelligence to sift through mountains of data, analyse faces or build virtual assistants doesn’t spill over to the dark side.

But their efforts to assuage concerns that their machines may be used for nefarious ends have not been universally embraced.

Some sceptics see it as mere window dressing by corporations more interested in profit than what’s in society’s best interests.

“Ethical AI” has become a new corporate buzz phrase, slapped on internal review committees, fancy job titles, research projects and philanthropic initiatives.

The moves are meant to address concerns over racial and gender bias emerging in facial recognition and other AI systems, as well as address anxieties about job losses to the technology and its use by law enforcement and the military.

But how much substance lies behind the increasingly public ethics campaigns?

And who gets to decide which technological pursuits do no harm?

Google was hit with both questions when it formed a new board of outside advisers in late March to help guide how it uses AI in products. But instead of winning over potential critics, it sparked internal rancor. A little more than a week later, Google bowed to pressure from the backlash and dissolved the council.

The outside board fell apart in stages. One of the board’s eight inaugural members quit within days

and another quickly became the target of protests from Google employees who said her conservative views don’t align with the company’s professed values.

As thousands of employees called for the removal of Heritage Foundation President Kay Coles James, Google disbanded the board last week.

“It’s become clear that in the current environment, (the council) can’t function as we wanted,” the company said in a statement.

That environment is one of increasing concern that the corporate AI ethics campaigns lack teeth.

“I think (Google’s decision) reflects a broader public understanding that ethics involves more than just creating an ethics board without an institutional framework to provide for accountability,” AI researcher Ben Wagner said.

Google’s original initiative fell into a tech industry trend that Wagner calls “ethics-washing”, which he describes as a superficial effort that’s mostly a show for the public or lawmakers.

“It’s basically an attempt to pretend like you’re doing ethical things and using ethics as a tool to reach an end, like avoiding regulation,” said Wagner, an assistant professor at the

Vienna University of Economics and Business. “It’s a new form of self-regulation without calling it that by name.”

Big companies have made an increasingly visible effort to discuss their AI efforts in recent years.

Microsoft, which often tries to position itself as an industry leader on ethics and privacy issues, published its principles around developing AI, released a short book that discussed the societal implications of the technology and has called for some government regulation of AI technologies.

The company’s president even met with Pope Francis earlier this year to discuss industry ethics. Amazon recently announced it is helping fund federal research into “algorithmic fairness”, and Salesforce employs an “architect” for ethical AI practice, as well as a “chief ethical and human use” officer. It’s hard to find a brand-name tech firm without similar initiatives.

It’s a good thing that companies are studying the issue and seeking perspectives on industry ethics, said Oren Etzioni, CEO of the Allen Institute for Artificial Intelligence, a research organisation. But ultimately, he said, a company’s CEO is tasked with deciding what

suggestions on AI ethics to incorporate in business decisions.

“I think overall it’s a positive step rather than a fig leaf,” he said. “That said, the proof is in successful implementation. I think the jury is still out on that.”

The impact artificial intelligence can have on society has never been more clear, Etzioni said, and companies are reacting to studies about the power of recommendation algorithms and gender bias in AI. But as Google’s attempt shows, discussing the issues in the public eye also invites public scrutiny.

Google employees have had more success than other tech workers at demanding change at their company.

The internet search behemoth dropped a contract with the Pentagon after employees pushed back on the ethical implications of using the company’s AI technology to analyse drone video.

And after more than 2,400 Google employees signed a petition calling for James to be taken off the board, Google scrapped the board altogether. Employees said James has made past comments that were anti-trans and anti-immigrant and should not be on an ethics panel. The Heritage Foundation did not respond to a request for comment.

Google had also faced dissent from its chosen council members. Alessandro Acquisti, a professor at Carnegie Mellon University, announcing on Twitter he was declining the invitation.

He wrote that he is devoted to grappling fairness and inclusion in AI but this was not the “the right forum for me to engage in this important work”. He declined to comment further.

One expert who had committed to staying on the council is Joanna Bryson,

associate professor in computing at the University of Bath. A self-described liberal, she said before the dissolution that it makes sense to have political diversity on the panel, and she didn’t agree with those who think it’s just for show.

“I just don’t think Google is that stupid,” Bryson said.

“I don’t think they’re there just to have a poster on a wall.”

She said, however, that companies like Google and Microsoft do have a real concern about liability — meaning they want to make sure they show themselves, and the public, that they’ve tried their best to build products the right way before releasing them.

“It’s not just the right thing to do, it’s the thing they need to do,” she said.

Bryson said she was hopeful Google actually wanted to brainstorm hard problems and should find another way to do so after the council dissolved.

It’s unclear what Google will do next. The company said its “going back to the drawing board” and would find other ways of getting outside opinions.

Wagner said now would be the time for Google to set up ethics principles that include commitments they must stick to, external oversight and other checkpoints to hold them accountable.

Even if companies keep setting up external boards to oversee AI responsibility, government regulation will still be needed, said Liz O’Sullivan, a tech worker who left AI company Clarifai over the company’s work in the Pentagon’s Project Maven — the same project that Google dropped after its employees protested.

O’Sullivan is wary of boards that can make suggestions that companies are under no legal obligation to stick to.

Facebook tweaks tools for remembering dead friends SAN FRANCISCO Associated Press FACEBOOK says it will use artificial intelligence to help find profiles of people who have died so their friends and family members won’t get, for instance, painful reminders about their birthdays.

The social network said Tuesday that it is also adding a “tributes” section to accounts that have been memorialised, that is, designated as belonging to someone who has died.

Friends and family members will be able to write posts and

share photos in this section to remember their loved one.

Facebook is also tightening its rules around who can memorialise an account.

Until now, anyone could do this by sending the company proof that someone had died, such an obituary. Now, it will have to be a friend or family member.

The company made the changes in response to users’ experiences with seeing their loved ones’ profiles pop up on Facebook after they had died. Sometimes, the company said people might not be ready to memorialise a person’s profile immediately

THE LOGO for social media giant Facebook appears on screens at the Nasdaq MarketSite, in New York’s Times Square. Facebook says it will use artificial intelligence to help find profiles of people who have died, so their friends and family members won’t get, for instance, painful reminders about their birthday.

Photo: Richard Drew/AP

after their death — it can feel like a big step they are not ready to take. Facebook says it will use AI to prevent that profile from showing up in places it might cause distress, such as in birthday reminders.

Chief Operating Officer Sheryl Sandberg, whose husband died unexpectedly in 2015, is one of those users.

She said seeing tributes to her late husband on Facebook have helped her cope with her grief.

“I want his memory to stay alive,” she said. “Remember specific and wonderful things.”

• SCIENTISTS are using fake eggs to spy on whooping cranes in hopes of learning why some chicks die in the egg, while others hatch.

Data gathered by the spy eggs could help biologists in Louisiana and Canada preserve the endangered long-legged birds, which have made a tenuous rebound after dwindling almost to extinction in the 1940s.

“It’s a fascinating way of spying on endangered species’ reproduction in a way that allows us to assist in the recovery,” said Dr Axel Moehrenschlager, the Calgary Zoo’s director of conservation and science.

The Calgary Zoo lent eight of the spy eggs, more properly known as “data loggers”, to Louisiana researchers.

The Louisiana wildlife biologists swap the egg-shaped data loggers, which Moehrenschlager said are encased in a plastic polymer, for one of the two eggs that many cranes lay. The real eggs come to Audubon Nature Institute’s Species Survival Center in New Orleans, where they’re incubated until they’re nearly ready to hatch ... or not.

Then the biologists in Louisiana swap the real eggs back into the nests .

The electronic data loggers use infrared connections to transfer information to nearby computers. It’s sent for analysis to scientists in Calgary, where the only remaining wild natural flock of whooping cranes is based.

• THE future of growing is getting a test run at McCook High School.

Thanks to several grants, FFA horticulture students at MHS are growing different types of herbs and vegetables in 12 vertical aeroponic tower gardens. Looking like something out of a 1940s sci-fi movie, garage space formerly used for welding is now illuminated only by the ghostly glow of LED lights that surround each six-foot tall growing chamber. Tiny seedlings, planted in rock wool (chalk and rock), protrude out of 28 pockets on each tower, their roots dangling on the inside of the tower. Water infused with nutrients is pumped from the bottom of each tower to the top and trickles down inside the tower, three minutes on and 12 minutes off, around the clock, the McCook Gazette reported.

Aeroponic growing systems is the same technology NASA first used in the Mir space station and is catching on all over, including at Chicago’s O’Hare Airport that has an aeroponic tower garden. Studies have shown reduced water usage by 98%, faster growing times and increased yields.

For students at MHS, it’s been a lesson in growing from the ground up. Starting with two towers last year, grants allowed ag teacher Lauren Miller to purchase ten more this year, with students constructing the towers themselves and troubleshooting problems.

PAGE 10, Wednesday, April 10, 2019

I

REMEMBER being told, over and over again: “It’s not what you say. It’s how you say it.”

Hearing it now brings back memories of being told my delivery was more important than the message.

Though I have learned the importance of considering the audience, I still rail against tone policing and the dismissiveness that meets nonconventional delivery that defies neocolonial norms.

There is a reason communication is a skill. We may know how to read, write and speak, but that does not necessarily mean we are effective communicators.

While styles of communication differ, the success of a verbal or nonverbal interaction is determined by the outcome. No flowery language, gesticulation or volume can guarantee the desired outcome. Communication is not only about content and delivery, but timing and target. Are you engaging the right person?

Is your content relevant at this moment? Is the other person in a position to give you the attention you need? The readiness of the receiver is just as important as that of the sender.

Similarly, context and perception are critical. You, as a communicator, have to be aware of the way your message is received. You have to control it.

On Monday there was an uncomfortable segment on The View. The discussion was about the resignation of Kirstjen Nielsen from the Department of Homeland Security. Meghan McCain spoke about immigration

THE TRIBUNE

What’s in the message is most important thing The

THE TENSION between Joy Behar, left, and Meghan McCain was obvious.

Alicia Wallace

column

and her position that there is a border crisis in the US. Joy Behar said there is a need to put attention and resources into helping people in the countries being fled.

McCain, disagreeing, interrupted Behar who then said: “I listened to you.

Lemme just finish.” McCain retorted: “Yeah, part of your job is to listen to me.”

It is not unusual for the hosts of The View to disagree, but the tension between Behar and McCain is obvious. The composition of the people around the table is designed to ensure a range of perspectives are expressed — not to create a battlefield. This particular

exchange between Behar and McCain has drawn attention and sparked a discussion that, unfortunately, has not gone beyond the incident itself.

There is more to dissect than two people’s attitudes toward one another or the lack of professionalism of one toward the other. It is important to look at the immediate response to the conflict.

Whoopi Goldberg interjected quickly, steering McCain and Behar away from a petty argument. She firmly said that would not happen at the table, adding: “We don’t need to comment if we don’t like what we’re

hearing. Just let folks talk.”

By this point, Behar had already forgotten what she was going to say and was visibly put off.

We are constantly having difficult conversations.

We disagree, we struggle to even find our points of departure, and we often resort to personal attacks instead of strengthening our own arguments by listening to the other side and asking

ourselves why we stand where we do. When someone becomes exhausted or convinced there can be no agreement, they say: “Let’s agree to disagree.” This is, essentially, what Goldberg suggested. No need to belabour the point. Say your piece, let other people say theirs, and resist the urge to engage further. There are obvious problems with this approach.

While it may be, to a certain extent, necessary on a talk show with short segments, this approach does not get us very far. We do not make progress when we give our positions, listen to the others and walk away.

Someone has to shift. Negotiation has to take place.

The work is in figuring out how we do that. Anything else is just talkin’ for talkin’ sake.

We don’t need a sham consultation

THE government is talking about making legal changes regarding immigration again.

The Law Reform and Revision Commission drafted the bill which includes clauses on deprivation of citizenship.

Immigration is always a hot topic and quickly becomes synonymous with managing the Haitian population. We celebrate any attempts to reduce the number of people who can access Bahamian citizenship, ignoring the fact many people are born in

The Bahamas to non-Bahamian parents, but grow up, live and work in the country anyway.

Making their lives difficult does not make sense. Excluding them does not make sense. Treating them and talking about them as though they are parasites is ignorant. The government seems to takes it cues on immigration from us rather than human rights standards and its international agreements.

One part of the discussion that has been missing over the

past few days is the consultation process. It was recently reported that Minnis would listen to organisations’ feedback on the proposed legislation. It seems the current administration is continuing to approach legislative reform in the same old ways. Organisations and advocates should not hear about such changes at the end of the process, but be involved in various phases. Anyone who pays attention to the news knows the organisations and individuals

with interest and expertise in immigration. They should be invited to consult, making contributions as representatives of the communities they serve. By attempting to pass and amend laws without a truly consultative process, the government only widens the gap between itself and citizens, reduces trust and feeds the us versus them narrative.

The government needs a proper communication strategy and it needs to include

consultation with civil society. Citizens have a wealth of knowledge and insight, access to community members and tools to facilitate collaboration. These resources can be better utilised when their expertise is recognised, called upon and respected by government officials. Communication includes the message, mode of delivery, timing and the way it is received. We all need to be more intentional in our engagement, holding the desired outcome as a guide.

Questions? Never mind that - look what we did

DR Daniel Johnson FORMER Minister of Youth, Sports and Culture Dr Daniel Johnson has taken great exception to suggestions of impropriety on his part resulting from the recent Auditor General’s report on the National Sports Authority. Prime Minister Dr Hubert Minnis said he would forward the report to the Commissioner of Police for further investigation. The main part of the report being debated is the payment of $1.1m for services that allegedly were not rendered.

On a radio talk show, Johnson sought to clear his name. He emphatically stated his defence and support of his team. While the host tried to delve into the issue, noting the limited time available, Johnson insisted on slowing down and framing the conversation the way he wanted.

The host’s questions did not get direct answers, drawing lengthy explanations of context, praising his team and referencing the “Sports in Paradise” brand.

Context is important.

Information is received differently when that context is clear. Johnson certainly understands this, but did not demonstrate the ability

to give direct comprehensive responses. In addition to constituently referencing his vision that “not everybody could see”, he outlined the achievements of his team in negotiating with international bodies and bringing sporting events to The Bahamas.

The major issues with his responses were length, focus and demeanour.

I could not help but wonder how the expletiveridden responses, rife with emotion, would have been received had they come from a woman. Johnson’s comments have largely been regarded as funny. He is excused because of his passion and empathy for him in his fight to protect his reputation. It has been interesting to observe the latitudes extended to some while others are expected to comply with a different set of rules. Johnson wisely chose not to throw anyone under the bus, instead highlighting accomplishments, sharing the glory with team members and referencing the young people the country needs to focus on. You could have almost forgotten why he was on the show in the first place. Success?

THE TRIBUNE

19 CUBANS INTERCEPTED AT SEA IN TWO SEPARATE INCIDENTS

By DENISE MAYCOCK Tribune Freeport Reporter dmaycock@tribunemedia.net NINETEEN Cuban migrants were brought to Grand Bahama after being intercepted at sea in two separate incidents by the US Coast Guard.

According to Department of Immigration officials, the first group was spotted in a wooden rustic vessel in Bahamians waters on Friday, April 5.

The USCG Cutter Robert Yared approached the wooden vessel and took 11 Cuban men into custody.

The men claimed that they had left Cuba on the evening of Wednesday, April 3.

Immigration officer Napthali Cooper reported that the group was brought to Freeport around 2.30pm on Sunday and turned over to immigration officials at Freeport/Lucayan Harbour.

He said they were processed in Grand Bahama and later flown to New Providence to await deportation.

Mr Cooper reported that a second group was brought in on Monday afternoon.

According to reports, eight Cuban men were intercepted in waters at Cay Sal by the USCG after departing Cuba sometime last week.

Mr Cooper said the migrants claimed that they left their homeland on Thursday, April 4, and were headed to Florida.

The eight men were brought to Freeport on board the USCG Cutter Robert Yared that arrived around 1.30pm on Monday.

They were turned over to Bahamian immigration officials, processed and examined by doctors. They too will face deportation.

Wednesday, April 10, 2019, PAGE 11

HELPING CHILDREN STAY SAFE ON THE INTERNET

By RICARDO WELLS Tribune Staff Reporter rwells@tribunemedia.net

THE National Child Protection Council’s “NetSmartz” initiative has made it to New Providence, with officials launching an iteration of the programme at the St Francis and Joseph Primary School yesterday.

The programme, designed by Dr Novia T Carter-Lookie, aims to

instruct children on ways to best conduct themselves on the internet to guard against exposure to inappropriate content, online privacy, sexting, online sexual solicitation and cyber-bullying.

According to the council, the programme will also engage children in a two-way conversation about on and offline risks, empowering them to help prevent themselves from being exploited and to report any form

of victimisation to a trusted adult.

Dr Carter-Lookie, in her outline of the programme, developed four safety rules parents should encourage their children to follow when using the internet - telling a trusted adult if anything makes them feel sad, scared or confused; asking an adult before sharing information such as names, addresses and phone numbers; not meeting with anyone met over the internet

face-to-face and always using good etiquette while online.

Yesterday’s launch is associated with activities organised by the Department of Social Services in conjunction with the council to observe Child Protection Month.

Students on hand received copies of two interactive colouring books that highlighted the risks of both sexual abuse and online targeting.

NetSmartz was launched in Long Island by the council last month.

‘RBPF won’t have impartial investigation’ THE Progressive Liberal Party said it has no confidence police can conduct an impartial investigation stemming from the findings of an audit of the National Sports Authority.

The PLP said under the direction of National Security Minister Marvin Dames, police cannot investigate the matter in a non-partisan way.

On Monday Prime Minister Dr Hubert Minnis said he is referring the matter concerning Auditor General Terrance Bastian’s report into the National Sports Authority to the commissioner of police for “proper investigation.”

PLP chairman Fred Mitchell, pictured right, said the party took note of Dr Minnis’ comments.

“We want to make it abundantly clear that the PLP has no confidence that the Royal Bahamas Police Force under the direction of Marvin Dames as minister of national security can conduct an impartial, nonpartisan and independent investigation,” Mr Mitchell

said in a statement. “Any investigation in these circumstances will be tainted by political bias and therefore will not be worth the paper it’s written on.

We again call for Marvin Dames to resign or be dismissed.”

Last week it was reported that during his audit of the NSA, Mr Bastian found that contracts for work issued by the entity were not transparent and its financial allocation from the government increased by more than $3.3m in the fiscal year containing the May 2017 general election.

Mr Bastian’s report further uncovered how one company received more than $1m in taxpayer funds, but did not complete any of ten deliverables promised to the NSA. The auditor general’s report also concluded NSA’s accounting practices did not fully comply with regulations and weaknesses were apparent.

On Friday, former Sports

Minister Dr Danny Johnson defended his ministry’s accomplishments during a profanity laced radio interview with talk show host Nahaja Black, where he accused auditors of doing a poor job. He said the paperwork was there to account for money spent by the ministry. “And we got to get over this thing in the Bahamas,” he said on the talk show. “Yinna got to get used to black dudes like me making money of our own.

“You used to white fellas making their own money, but yinna still scared of n****** like me having my own. I ain’t come to take none from y’all. I don’t need none from y’all.

We have money.”

And in a letter to the editor released on the weekend, he said he took “full and unmitigated” responsibility for the conduct of affairs, administration and protocols of the Ministry of Youth Sports and Culture during his tenure.

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TRUMP NOT LOOKING TO REINSTATE FAMILY SEPARATION POLICY WASHINGTON Associated Press FACING bipartisan pushback on his immigration shake-up, President Donald Trump said yesterday he’s not looking to revive the much-criticised practice of separating migrant children from their families at the southern border. At the same time, he suggested the policy had worked to deter migrants from coming into the US. Immigration experts say his policies and practices are contributing to the surge of migrants.

Last summer the administration

separated more than 2,500 children from their families before international outrage forced Trump to halt the practice and a judge ordered them reunited.

“We’re not looking to do that,” Trump told reporters before meeting with Egypt’s president at the White House. But he also noted: “Once you don’t have it, that’s why you see many more people coming. They’re coming like it’s a picnic, because let’s go to Disneyland.”

The potential reinstatement of one of the most divisive practices of the Trump administration was just one aspect of the upheaval

evident at the Department of Homeland Security this week following the resignation of Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen. With talk that more top officials were likely to be pushed out, Republicans expressed public and private concerns about the shake-up orchestrated by the White House and cautioned that leadership changes wouldn’t necessarily solve the problem.

As for the separation of children, Trump declared that he was “the one that stopped it” and said his predecessor, President Barack Obama, was the one who had divided family members.

The administration is allowed to separate children under certain circumstances including the health and welfare of the child and a parent’s criminal history. This is why children were separated under the Obama administration.

At hearings across Capitol Hill, lawmakers grilled administration officials on whether the practice would resurface despite last year’s outrage and evidence that separations were likely to cause lasting psychological effects on the children. House Oversight Committee Chairman Elijah Cummings said his committee would take a look at the staff shake-up at Homeland

Security. The Maryland Democrat said he was deciding whether to call in Nielsen.

Sen John Kennedy said there was a serious problem going on between the White House and Homeland Security. “If everybody’s sitting around waiting for a shiny new wonder pony to ride in and solve it, we’re going to be waiting a long time,” he said.

People familiar with immigration discussions said family separation was one of the suggestions Trump’s aides were eyeing to tackle the problem of an ever-growing number of Central American families crossing into the US.

UNDERWATER MUSEUM

MANDATORY VACCINES ORDERED AFTER MEASLES OUTBREAK NEW YORK Associated Press

ANCIENT amphoras lie at the bottom of the sea from a 5th Century BC shipwreck, the first ancient wreck to be opened to the public in Greece. The country’s rich underwater heritage has long been hidden from view, off-limits to all but a few archaeologists. Scuba diving was banned throughout the country except in a few specific locations until 2005. Now that seems to be gradually changing, with a new project to create underwater museums.

Netanyahu edging to re-election in Israel JERUSALEM Associated Press

ISRAELI Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu appeared to be headed toward re-election early this morning, as exit polls and partial results showed him edging ahead of his main competitor in a tight race that was seen as a referendum on the long-serving leader.

Both Netanyahu and former military chief Benny Gantz, leader of the rival Blue and White party, declared victory in speeches to boisterous gatherings of supporters. But as the night went on, there were growing signs that Netanyahu’s Likud was pulling ahead.

With a victory, Netanyahu would capture a fourth consecutive term and fifth overall, which this summer will make him Israel’s longest-ever serving leader. Perhaps more crucially, re-election will give him an important boost as he braces for the likelihood of criminal charges in a series of corruption scandals.

BENJAMIN Netanyahu earlier today The 69-year-old prime minister has been the dominant force in Israeli politics for the past two decades and its face to the world. His campaign has focused heavily on his friendship with President Donald Trump and his success in cultivating new allies, such as China, India and Brazil.

But the corruption scandals created some voter fatigue. Along with

two other former military chiefs on his ticket, Gantz was able to challenge Netanyahu on security issues, normally the prime minister’s strong suit, while also taking aim at the prime minister’s alleged ethical lapses.

Israel’s attorney general has recommended charging Netanyahu with bribery, breach of trust and fraud. The telegenic Gantz, who has been vague on key policy fronts, has presented himself as a clean, scandal-free alternative to Netanyahu.

Initial exit poll results by Israel’s main TV stations showed the two parties far ahead of all of the other competitors in the race and indicated that Blue and White would emerge as the largest party.

“Elections have losers and elections have winners. And we are the winners,” Gantz told a victory rally shortly after midnight.

He vowed to change the tone of Israel’s divisive political system and “be the prime minister of everyone, not just the ones who voted for me.”

LAST WORLD WAR II DOOLITTLE RAIDER DIES IN TEXAS, AGED 103

RETIRED Lt. Col. Richard “Dick” Cole, the last of the 80 Doolittle Tokyo Raiders who carried out the daring U.S. attack on Japan during World War II, died yesterday at a military hospital in Texas. He was 103.

Cole was mission commander Jimmy Doolittle’s co-pilot in the attack less than five months after the December 1941 Japanese bombing of Pearl Harbor.

The Raiders launched their assault April 18, 1942, in B-25 bombers from the USS Hornet. Suspecting they had been detected by Japanese patrols, they left farther away from Japan than planned.

The crews of the 16 planes were “very quiet” as they neared Japan, Cole recalled, saying his role next to Doolittle was to “be seen, not heard. ... You didn’t speak until spoken to.” But the country song “Wabash Cannonball” started running through his head and he unconsciously began tapping his toe, which caught Doolittle’s

RETIRED Lt. Col. Richard “Dick” Cole attention. He shot Cole a look, he recalled with a laugh.

Doolittle soon ordered bomb bay doors opened, and the attack was on against what turned out to be limited anti-aircraft fire in the surprise attack.

They then headed to China, running out of fuel.

Cole said Doolittle gave the command to prepare to bail out as they neared the coast, adding: “I wish you

all good luck.” Cole said it was scary to parachute into a dark “unknown” in rough weather. His parachute caught in a tree, leaving him dangling but safe. Chinese partisans helped lead him and other Raiders to safety.

Three Raiders died trying to reach China, and eight were captured by Japanese soldiers. Three were executed, and a fourth died in captivity.

But as results trickled in throughout the night, the Likud appeared to be gaining strength. With over 90 percent of the votes counted, Likud held a narrow lead over Blue and White, with Netanyahu’s parties expected to take 37 seats — one more than Gantz.

Though both parties were well short of a majority in the 120-seat parliament, the polls showed Likud and its religious and nationalist allies controlling a solid majority.

“It’s a night of tremendous victory,” Netanyahu told his own victory rally. “I was very moved that the nation of Israel once again entrusted me for the fifth time, and with an even greater trust.”

He said he had already begun talking to fellow right wing and religious parties about forming a new coalition. “I want to make it clear, it will be a right-wing government, but I intend to be the prime minister of all Israeli citizens, right or left, Jews and non-Jews alike,” he said.

NEW York City declared a public health emergency yesterday over a measles outbreak centered in an ultra-Orthodox Jewish community and ordered mandatory vaccinations in the neighborhood.

Mayor Bill de Blasio announced the unusual order amid what he said was a measles crisis in Brooklyn’s Williamsburg section, where more than 250 people have got measles since September. Officials blamed the outbreak on “anti-vaxxers” spreading false information.

The city can’t physically force someone to get a vaccination, but officials said people who ignore the order could be fined $1,000.

The city said it would help everyone covered by the order get the vaccine if they can’t get it quickly through their regular medical provider. “If people will simply cooperate quickly, nobody will have to pay a fine,” de Blasio said.

Officials say 285 measles cases have been confirmed in New York City since the beginning of the outbreak, the largest in the city since 1991. New York City accounted for about twothirds of all U.S. measles cases reported last week.

Ordering people to be vaccinated without their consent is “an extreme measure which is not provided for in the law and raises civil liberties concerns about forced medical treatment,” Donna Lieberman, executive director of the New York Civil Liberties Union, said in a written statement.

The majority of religious leaders in Brooklyn’s large Orthodox communities support vaccination efforts, said the city’s health commissioner, Dr. Oxiris Barbot, but rates have remained low in some areas because of resistance from some groups that believe the inoculations are dangerous.

ALGERIA’S INTERIM LEADER PLEDGES TO HOLD ‘HONEST’ ELECTION SOON ALGIERS Associated Press

THE Algerian senator named to temporarily fill the office vacated by former President Abdelaziz Bouteflika said he would act quickly to arrange an “honest and transparent” election to usher in an “Algeria of the future.”

Abdelkader Bensalah, an ally of Bouteflika’s, spoke on national television hours after his appointment as Algeria’s interim president brought immediate protests. In the streets of the capital, protesters who want the country’s established political hierarchy dismantled shouted, “Out with the system.”

Bensalah, the head of the upper house of the Algerian Parliament, vowed to establish a “sovereign” body to organize a presidential election within 90 days. Under That’s the constitutional limit for how long he can serve as interim president.

The North African country’s influential military

ABDELKADER BENSALAH stayed silent on the appointment. It said only that it would work to ensure the “tranquility” of the country that was led for two decades by the ailing Bouteflika, 82, before he stepped down a week ago after weeks of nationwide protests and with a push from the chief of the army.

Bensalah said the election body would be set up with help from political parties and civil society to lay down conditions for “honest and transparent elections.” He can’t run for president himself when the election is held.

“It is a sincere and loyal

hand that I give you to overcome differences and take part in a historic collective action equal to the challenges... to achieve the supreme goal, lay the groundwork for the Algeria of the future,” he told the nation.

There was no immediate reaction to the speech.

A student protest earlier yesterday was timed to coincide with the Algerian Parliament’s designation of Bensalah as interim president. Members of the opposition abstained from the vote.

“We are against the nomination of Bensalah. The people has stated its will many times, we will stick to this and won’t change our minds. We are not going to stop, to rest or to give up at all,” said protester Mohammed Bouraoui.

The protesters held creative signs, including one woman carrying a sign reading “I’m a student in oceanic studies, and my nation is drowning in a sea of corruption.”