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BAHAMAS TO HOST CARIFTA NEXT YEAR

By LEANDRA ROLLE Tribune Staff Reporter lrolle@tribunemedia.net

WITH The Bahamas set to host the 2023 CARIFTA Games, Youths, Sports and Culture Minister Mario Bowleg says he is hoping the event will bring needed exposure to Bahamian athletes and a further boost to the local economy.

In an interview with The Tribune yesterday, Mr Bowleg said his ministry is already planning to get in preparation mode ahead of next year’s event, with repairs to the Thomas A Robinson National Stadium set to begin soon.

He spoke a day after

officials announced that The Bahamas had won its bid to host the 50th CARIFTA Games.

The games have been held in The Bahamas several times over the years, most recently in 2018.

Next year’s hosting of the games in The Bahamas will come as the event celebrates its 50th anniversary, which also coincides with the country’s 50th independence.

“This is a part of the sports tourism initiative that we wanted to bring forth as a new administration and knowing that next year would’ve been the 50th

EASTER EGG-CITEMENT

SEE PAGE FOUR

‘IT’S TIME TO TALK FRANKLY ABOUT STATE OF NIB FUND’

By RASHAD ROLLE Tribune Senior Reporter rrolle@tribunemedia.net FREE National Movement Leader Michael Pintard said the Davis administration must have a sober and candid conversation with Bahamians about the financial state of the country and the National Insurance Board.

Prime Minister Philip “Brave” Davis said last week he will not increase the rate of NIB contributions despite warnings from

actuaries about the future of the fund.

His comment came after Myles LaRoda, a Minister of State in the Office of the Prime Minister with responsibility for NIB, foreshadowed a 1.5 percent to 2 percent increase in NIB contributions within the next year. Mr Laroda told The Tribune last week that the 11th actuarial review of the fund said it was possible it could be depleted by 2028.

SEE PAGE FOUR

CHILDREN in Eight Mile Rock taking part in an Easter egg hunt and fun day on the grounds of the police compound. See PAGE THREE for the full story.

CDC CUTS RISK RATING FOR GUNWOMAN KILLS WOMAN TRAVEL AS COVID STAYS LOW IN NATION’S LATEST MURDER THE US Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) further lowered the COVID-19 Travel Risk Advisory Rating for The Bahamas to Level 1 (low) on Thursday.

This rating advises

international travellers to be up to date with their COVID-19 vaccines before travelling. The de-escalation in rating comes just three weeks after the CDC reduced it to Level 2.

SEE PAGE FOUR

By LEANDRA ROLLE Tribune Staff Reporter lrolle@tribunemedia.net

A WOMAN is dead after she was shot by another woman outside a home on Pinewood Drive on Sunday

FORMER PRESIDENT AT CRYPTO CONFERENCE

By NEIL HARTNELL Tribune Business Editor nhartnell@tribunemedia.net A FORMER US President and a former UK Prime Minister, plus a record-breaking Super Bowl winner, are heading the speaker line-up at a conference that will next week seek to elevate The Bahamas’ position as a digital assets “front runner”.

Bill Clinton, the 42nd US president, will be joined by

FORMER President Bill Clinton.

Tony Blair, UK prime minister from 1997-2007, as both men give their views on “the world today” at

the first Crypto Bahamas conference, which will take place between April 26-29 at the Baha Mar resort.

Also present will be seven-time Super Bowlwinning quarterback Tom Brady, who will participate with Sam Bankman-Fried, chief executive of Bahamas-based crypto currency exchange, FTX, for a session simply entitled “winning”.

FULL STORY - SEE BUSINESS

Nassau & Bahama Islands’ Leading Newspaper

afternoon.

While police have not officially identified the victim, sources say she is Nicola Cox. Her death has pushed the country’s murder count to SEE PAGE TWO

SPORTS FOUR GOLDS AS CARIFTA TEAM COMES HOME WITH 17 MEDALS SEE SPORTS SECTION

PAGE 2, Tuesday, April 19, 2022

THE TRIBUNE

SCHOLARSHIP FUND TO BENEFIT FROM CATHEDRAL ART EXHIBITION AN exhibition is being held by artist Jé-Rome Harris Miller, titled Colours of Celebration 2022.

The event will be held on Thursday at the Dean Patrick L Adderley venue at Christ Church Cathedral Hall on George Street, at 6pm.

The artist, who was born in Nicholls Town, Andros, is an active member of the

cathedral congregation in various ministries, who holds to a personal philosophy of “be kind and help someone”.

His first exhibition, Bold, was held at the former British Colonial Hilton in 2006.

Part of the proceeds will be in aid of the University of The Bahamas Winston V Saunders Memorial Scholarship Fund.

ART on show includes pieces titled Man on the Rocks - Throw Your Line (main picture), and, from top, yellow poinciana detail, Junkanoo Mask, and Butterflies are Free... like a Bee!

GUNWOMAN KILLS WOMAN IN NATION’S LATEST MURDER from page one

45 for the year, according to this newspaper’s records.

Police said they were alerted to the shooting in the Pinewood community shortly before 3pm Sunday.

Upon arrival, officers said they were informed that two women were standing outside a building when another woman approached and started firing shots in their direction.

One of the women was shot multiple times and had to be taken to hospital, however she later died from her injuries.

Police said a woman is currently in custody assisting with their investigation.

The incident comes as the government seeks to control the nation’s escalating crime problem.

Earlier this month, Prime Minister Phillip “Brave” Davis announced a series of crime fighting initiatives to tackle gun violence in the country.

The announcement came weeks after he held a

conclave with various agencies to address the recent increase in murders.

The crime fighting measures include increased police presence in inner-city communities, the creation of a specialised police task force and focused attention to bettering mental health.

“Bahamians deserve safe streets, schools and communities. We all have a role to play. For those of you who despair but who believe the problem is someone else’s to solve — I urge you to get involved,” Mr Davis said at the time.

“Volunteer in your neighbourhood. Look out for each other’s children.

Pray together, then outside the church’s walls, work together to help those who are in crisis. Mentor and support our young people.

It has been such a ​difficult few years. We can all work together to lift each other up.”

Anyone with information on this incident or any crime is asked to call police at 502-9991 or Crime Stoppers at 328-TIPS (8477).

THE TRIBUNE

Tuesday, April 19, 2022, PAGE 3

POLICE HOST EASTER FUN DAY IN EIGHT MILE ROCK

By DENISE MAYCOCK Tribune Freeport Reporter dmaycock@tribunemedia.net

SOME of the youngsters taking part in the Eight Mile Rock Easter egg hunt and fun day.

Second Bahamian dies after US road crash

By LEANDRA ROLLE Tribune Staff Reporter lrolle@tribunemedia.net

THE second Bahamian man involved in a fatal traffic accident in New Haven, Connecticut earlier this month has died, officials confirmed over the weekend.

Kenu Adderley, 26, died around 8.30pm on Friday, days after his friend Raymond Rolle Jr, passed away following the deadly car crash.

According to reports, sometime around 3.30 am on April 9, workers from the New Haven Fire Department were called to the intersection of Congress Avenue and College Street where a black Chevrolet Cruz was significantly damaged from hitting a tree.

Fire crews worked to put out the flames of the actively burning vehicle and remove both men using the jaws of life.

However, paramedics and medical teams confirmed that one of the passengers died of his injuries. He was identified as 21-year-old Rolle Jr – a student at the University of New Haven in West Haven.

The other passenger, who was said to be the driver, was Adderley, a graduate of the University of New Haven.

He was taken to hospital after the crash, where he was initially listed in stable condition.

However, in a statement released over the weekend, a government official said: “We regret to advise that Kenu Adderley, the Bahamian student who survived the fiery crash in Connecticut, passed away about an hour ago around 8.30 pm…April 15.”

News of Adderley’s death prompted sad reactions from loved ones on social media over the weekend.

One of them was Adderley’s sister, who described him as an intelligent and driven young man who had a bright future.

KENU ADDERLEY “Words cannot explain the feeling I feel right now,” the close relative posted on Facebook. “My brother was intelligent, driven, focused, goaloriented and most definitely a strong black man.

“The love he had for his family to become the one to get us out of struggling was on its way. He was focused on exactly how his life should be.

He finished with his master’s in civil engineering and always promised us he will be somebody and we would never have to worry about anything ever again. He took his youth buried in his books. Never got a chance to actually live life and enjoy a lot of his accomplishments. I just wish he didn’t have to go like this. It breaks my heart to watch such a kindhearted soul go.”

Meanwhile, family members have described the loss of Rolle Jr as a tough blow.

His father, Raymond Rolle Sr, told The Tribune last week that he was in disbelief initially to hear of his son’s

POLICE PROBE SUSPECTED SUICIDE POLICE are investigating a suspected suicide on Norman’s Cay after a man was found with gunshot wounds yesterday.

According to the Royal Bahamas Police Force, officers were told that family members were in a guesthouse when they heard gunshots and found the deceased in the garden unresponsive.

A team of detectives left New Providence for Norman’s Cay to investigate the incident.

At the scene, they were “directed to a garden where they found an adult male lying face down on the ground in a pool of blood,” police said.

“An examination of the body revealed a wound to

POLICE in the Eight Mile Rock Division hosted an Easter egg hunt and fun day for some 300 children in the Eight Mile Rock area on Thursday.

The event was held on the grounds of the police compound. The first egg hunt was held at 11am -1pm for students in grades one to three, and a second from 2pm–4pm for students in grades four to six.

Chief Superintendent of Police Jeremy Henfield, officer in charge at the Eight Mile Rock Division, said they wanted to ensure that children in the District have an exciting and safe Easter.

In addition to candyfilled Easter eggs, the senior police official said they also brought in a bouncing castle, cartoon characters, gave away prizes, and provided them with food and drinks.

“It was a very exciting day for the children in this district. We invited students from the Holmes Rock, Martin Town and Bartlett Primary Schools,” said CSP Henfield.

He said they could not accommodate all 600

students in the district and will deliver party bags when school resumes for those students who could not attend the event.

“We had planned to hold this event in March during Police Month, however, it did not happen then. So, we are pleased to finally launch this Easter egg hunt initiative.

“We want them to enjoy themselves, but we also want them to know that the police are their friends.”

The officer said creating safer communities is important to the police force.

With children on Easter break from school, he noted that students should not let their guard down.

“We know there are predators out there who lurk on the kids, and we want to say to the kids if somebody holds your hand and you don’t know them, shout out or yell, and run. If someone asks you (to take) a ride and you don’t know them, do not get into the car. And if they offer you candy, yell, and run away and get somebody’s attention. We have to do the best we can to ensure that not just EMR, but all the kids throughout Grand Bahama are safe, and we have to make them aware from a very young age,” he said.

the victim’s upper chest. It appears to be consistent with a gunshot. There were no signs of life. A firearm was also found in the proximity of the body.

“Initial investigations revealed that family members were in a guest house, when they heard what sounded like a single gunshot. They came out and found the victim in the garden unresponsive,” police said, adding that the matter was a suspected suicide.

The coroner was apprised of the facts of this incident and the man’s body was transported to New Providence, where police will await an official identification by a next of kin to confirm the victim’s identity.

death, especially as the men were headed to pick up the components they needed to complete a school project.

He said officials have told the family rain was a factor in the crash.

“My wife Linda and I and my son and daughter, we would be up late in the night because we are closeknitted and going for dinner all the time and he was the life of the family and he was a bundle of joy. So, this is a huge blow,” Mr Rolle, Sr, told this newspaper.

“We were looking forward to him graduating, especially just speaking with him the night before. I was in disbelief. When they called my wife, she was at the hotel they were having a gathering and they called her and when she called me at home, I heard my daughter. I couldn’t believe it. I said there has to be another side to this story, maybe my wife didn’t get it right.

“It’s going to be rough but by the grace of God we will make it.”

PUBLIC NOTICE The Launching of Paul Thompson’s Book was schedule for April 22nd and 24th has been POSTPONED. A new date will be announced at a later date.

PAGE 4, Tuesday, April 19, 2022

THE TRIBUNE

GOVERNMENT ‘STILL IN TALKS’ OVER CABBAGE BEACH ACCESS

By RASHAD ROLLE Tribune Senior Reporter rr o l le@tri bunemedia.net

PRESS secretary Clint Watson said the government is still in talks about how to ensure access to Cabbage Beach.

The lack of access to the beach through one route has been a recurrent

CDC CUTS RISK RATING FOR TRAVEL AS COVID STAYS LOW

from page one

Health and Wellness Minister Dr Michael Darville said the Level 1 CDC rating reflects the sustained downward trend in COVID-19 infection rates in the country “which is due in small part to the manner in which Bahamians and residents have adhered to COVID-19 protocols” and bodes well for the country’s tourism industry and economy.

He cautioned, however, that while trends in The Bahamas have been encouraging, recent international reports have confirmed surges in infection rates in China and some parts of Europe which prove that COVID-19 is still very much with us. In view of this, he encouraged all Bahamians and residents to continue to abide by the COVID-19 safety protocols and for those who have not yet done so to become vaccinated.

He added that we must not let our guard down.

People wishing to become vaccinated or receive their extended dose or booster can access appointments at vax. gov.bs or visit the vaccination site located at the Mall at Marathon in New Providence, Mondays to Saturdays from 10am to 6pm. In Grand Bahama, Monday to Friday, from 8am to 4pm at the Susan J Wallace Centre, and in the Family Islands at their local clinics during clinic hours.

The announcement by the CDC came via CARPHA, the Caribbean Public Health Agency on Thursday. The notice was formally updated on the CDC’s website on Monday.

This comes as daily COVID-19 cases remain low.

On April 16 and 17, the country recorded nine and 11 new cases respectively, bringing the nation’s toll since the start of the pandemic to 33,411.

Only three cases were recorded on April 15, however 16 cases were recorded the day before.

At last report, five people were in hospital with the disease. There have been 789 COVID-19 deaths.

problem for years. The entry point in question to the beach has been closed on weekends, angering business owners in the area.

“They’re in talks,” Mr Watson said last week.

“The Minister of Tourism has said that they are talking. It’s one of those funny situations. The area, the property that we normally

use to access the beach is of course private property, but of course you know the beach doesn’t belong to anybody. So the issue here is how to create access and that’s the challenge, how do you negotiate that, how do you work around it. The Minister of Tourism should have an update for us, they still have another meeting yet to go and

he will provide an update on that after that meeting. But that is the issue there, how to provide access because it is somebody’s land.”

Access Industries owns the land that provides an entry point to the popular beach. When the entry point to the beach was closed last June, the company said this was for safety purposes

while clearing work for a hotel was being done.

Former Tourism Minister Dionisio D’Aguilar said at the time he was blindsided by the move.

In 2016, former Prime Minister Dr Hubert Minnis, who was in opposition at the time, marched with protestors to remove a fence blocking the same access

point.

During his last term in office, former Prime Minister Hubert Ingraham had fences erected by private homeowners to cordon off access to beaches torn down.

Mr Ingraham said no Bahamian should be forbidden from going on any beach as no beach in the country was private.

Bahamas to host CARIFTA next year from page one anniversary for CARIFTA and also our 50th anniversary of our independence, we thought it would be fitting to try and host it,” Mr Bowleg said.

“But what’s most important is that it gives our athletes an opportunity to showcase their talent at home. You know home court advantage is something that – the last one was (2018) before the COVID. But what it helps to do is boost the economy by having the various countries to be able to use Bahamasair as a charter which is revenue for the country.”

He also said: “To be able to get more than 400 athletes on the island occupying the hotels and, of course, you get transportation and then it again, it gives our athletes an opportunity to be exposed because with this CARIFTA, we have our collegian coaches here looking for talent and so we want to be able to make sure that we give our athletes the opportunity to gain that exposure to be able to go and obtain scholarships at higher learning. But this is just one of many things, that our sporting events, that are going to be coming to our shores.”

As for the estimated costs to host the games, Mr Bowleg said it

was still too early to tell.

“There is a levy that each country pays per athlete that comes to the event to help defray the costs. Also, the hope is for us to use Bahamasair, as has been done in the past, to use as a charter to assist these countries to get to The Bahamas,” he said.

“That is money the government does not have to pay but the only cost that would be awarded to the government will be the transportation, portion of accommodations but again each country pays about $200 per athlete so that would help defray the cost as it relates to the accommodation.”

He added: “We don’t know what the total cost will be for this event as yet because again, we want to make this a grand event and put an event around the event and let me make this clear, The Bahamas and the BAAA (the Bahamas Association of Athletics Associations) will be hosting the event, but the event is still the property of the North American, Central American and Caribbean Athletic Association (NACAC) who will make all the further decisions and collaborate on anything that we as a country would like to do.”

This comes after Prime Minister Philip “Brave” Davis attended this year’s CARIFTA Games in Kingston, Jamaica, on the weekend.

PRIME Minister Philip “Brave” Davis in the crowd at the CARIFTA games in Jamaica.

Photo: BIS

‘IT’S TIME TO TALK FRANKLY ABOUT STATE OF NIB FUND’ from page one

Mr Pintard said yesterday: “One of the concerns that I have with respect to the Davis administration is the frequency with which there is a disconnect on very important matters.

“I’m not being unrealistic.

There will be times when a minister and a prime minister see things differently and a prime minister in a new administration has to hit the reset button and say ‘no, this is philosophically or technically what my views are on a matter’ and then you hit the reset button.

That’s a little different from some of the things that are fundamental to governance.

“One early example was the issue around taxation, whether or not the government intends to increase new tax measurements or increase tax. There was a clear disconnect between the prime minister, (Minister of Economic Affairs Michael) Halkitis and the financial secretary.

“There’s obviously those clear differences with the minister of works around the hedging, whether or not the hedge would be executed and whether or not the cost of electricity would go up, for example.

“There was a clear difference around the final strategy report and with the content, most ministers weren’t clear on the content.

So NIB is really a continuation

and the reason I thought important to give that historical context is because what ministers and prime ministers say sends a clear message to the credit community, both locally and internationally, as well as rating agencies and when there is a disconnect, it suggests an unclear strategy. Are they going to follow what’s in the fiscal strategy report, which clearly signals taxation or are we going to follow what a minister or prime minister says that is not written.”

Although experts say NIB contributions must increase, administrations have continued to delay this. On Thursday, Financial Secretary Simon Wilson said the country lacks

up to date economic data. He said relevant economic data such as that provided in the Labour Force Survey is needed before officials could say what indicators of economic progress in the country could finally trigger an NIB increase.

“For me the key thing is we need to get more economic data,” he said.

“So we have not done an unemployment survey since 2019. So we all believe that the economy is getting stronger but we need data. So as an economist I would say yes, if you give me the data, I’ll make a determination. We’re operating really in the absence of economic data on the labour force. That’s very, very important.”

CHURCHES REMINDED ON COVID PROTOCOLS THE Ministry of Health & Wellness has reminded churches and places of assembly that adherence to COVID-19 protocols is required, namely mask wearing, sanitisation, and physical distancing during services.

The ministry further

advises that the recent announcement of a return to 100 percent occupancy at services across the country remains contingent upon the physical distancing requirement of three feet between families and individuals of different households.

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In a statement issued on Thursday, the ministry also said those hosting social gatherings held outdoors — namely, parties with greater than 300 attendees, concerts, fetes, carnivals, fairs, Junkanoo parades and/or practice rallies — must apply for approval.

All attendees must be fully vaccinated or present a negative COVID-19 test and adhere to COVID-19 protocols.

The Ministry of Health said it continues to monitor developments on COVID19 and remains ready in its response.

Those who are eligible to become vaccinated against the virus are encouraged to do so. People wishing to become vaccinated or receive their extended dose or booster can access appointments at vax.gov.bs, or visit the vaccination site located at the Mall at Marathon in New Providence Mondays to Saturdays 10am to 6pm. In Grand Bahama, vaccinations are available Monday to Friday 8am to 4pm at the Susan J Wallace Centre, and in the Family Islands at their local clinics during clinic hours.

THE TRIBUNE

Tuesday, April 19, 2022, PAGE 5

Tax relief ‘is on the table’ amid gas hike

By RASHAD ROLLE Tribune Senior Reporter rrolle@tribunemedia.net

FINANCIAL Secretary Simon Wilson said “everything is on the table” as a potential solution to soaring gas prices, including tax relief.

The Bahamas Petroleum Retailers Association met government officials on Thursday to discuss the issue after threatening to go on strike over Easter holiday weekend.

Mr Wilson said Minister of Economic Affairs Michael Halkitis would have a follow-up meeting with the association after the holidays.

“The retailers came in and had a discussion about the impact of high fuel prices on their operations,” Mr Wilson said. “You may be aware retailers operate with a fixed margin in terms of fuel so they get 54 cents for every gallon of fuel that is sold and so high prices really impact retailers in a very adverse manner. The prime minister undertook to look at the issue with the retailers. They are gonna provide us with some more information in terms of what their options (are) and hopefully within one week or so we will come and have a next meeting and finalise what type of support can be provided to the retailers without adversely impacting the public, the consumers of fuel.”

Some experts have warned against reducing taxes in response to the problem. Others, including Free National Movement Leader Michael Pintard, have called on the government to give serious consideration to tax relief.

“Everything is on the table,” Mr Wilson said on Thursday when asked about taxes. “There is no

easy solution and that’s one of the things that was raised by retailers yesterday (Wednesday) in terms of some type of tax relief. It’s a fixed margin so what has happened is as fuel prices increase, their operating margin has now gone down in some cases to less than 10 percent, their gross margin.

They have employees, they have overhead and so forth, so everything is on the table.

We have to balance the need for them to have a return on the business in comparison to not impacting the public.

This is an environment of higher fuel prices so there is a balancing act that needs to take place.”

Mr Wilson said other

options retailers presented include increasing their profit margin, among other things.

He said: “One, we have a price control regime with fuel, so there’s a fixed margin for the wholesalers, there’s a fixed margin for the retailers. The wholesalers get 33 cents, retailers get 54 cents, In comparison to elsewhere in the Caribbean, those margins are kinda low. “There’s one country which is lower, Barbados, but Barbados you may not realise but Barbados is an oil producing country, they have offshore fields in Barbados. It is small but they do produce oil so they have a little more flexibility.

“Obviously, a solution that was put forth, maybe the government should consider the issue of margins.

The other issue put forward was the base for business license which is a little technical issue. The retailers have a concessionary business license rate but the base is inflated when prices are high. So prices are high not because of their own making but it gives the impression that their revenues are high but their true revenues really tied to the 54 cents that they get. So there were some discussions around that.

There were some discussions around what type of support the wholesalers can provide in this environment.”

FINANCIAL Secretary Simon Wilson.

Photo: Donavan McIntosh/Tribune Staff

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PAGE 6, Tuesday, April 19, 2022

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THE TRIBUNE

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CARIFTA bid sounds good - but thin on details IT has been a successful sporting weekend for The Bahamas, with the country’s CARIFTA team bringing home four gold medals in its 17-medal haul from the event in Jamaica.

The country has also brought home the entire event itself – as we will host the 2023 Games.

A bid was put forward to host the event in its 50th anniversary, coinciding with our own nation’s 50th anniversary of independence.

It is a fitting moment, certainly – but it does seem as if we are going into it somewhat under prepared.

Youth, Sports and Culture Minister Mario Bowleg said yesterday that his ministry is already planning to get in preparation mode for the event. That seems like it should have been done ahead of a bid, one would have thought.

Still, at least the cost of the bid must have been evaluated, yes? Alas, no, Mr Bowleg says that it is too early to tell what the costs might be.

He said: “We don’t know what the total cost will be for this event as yet because again, we want to make this a grand event and put an event around the event.”

He talked of a levy that each country pays per athlete that attends to help defray costs – but that is only about $200 per athlete to go towards accommodation costs, so that won’t go far.

The Games that have just been held, in Jamaica, reportedly cost between $690,000 and $960,000 to stage – but the lack of any kind of ballpark figure budgeted by The Bahamas is concerning.

Mr Bowleg says that repairs are to begin at the Thomas A Robinson National Stadium soon – again, with no estimate publicly reported – and

presumably that would also mean having to find a new home for the Road Traffic Department by then.

All in all, it is enticing to look forward to the nation hosting one of the region’s premier sporting events – but it all feels a bit off the cuff.

If the plans are better developed than they seem, we would hope that the government would publish the details of the bid they put forward, and the plans for revitalising the country’s sporting venues, including a swimming pool suitable for the event.

It would be wonderful indeed to put on a memorable show in our anniversary year – but let’s see the price tag, please.

Crypto conference A former US President, a former British Prime Minister and a seven-time Super Bowl winner walk into a room.

It’s not a joke, we should hasten to say, it’s simply the impressive line-up for a cryptocurrency conference being held in The Bahamas.

Currency exchange FTX has increasingly been involved in the corporate community in the country, recently giving its support to the BAARK! Campaign to neuter stray animals, for example.

And now this conference, due to become an annual event, is expected to bring big names and big income to the country, with the conference due to be worth about $12m to the economy.

It’s a market that seems to be ripe for further exploration by The Bahamas – and we look forward to what comes next.

Oil embargo EDITOR, The Tribune.

MINISTER of Economic Affairs Michael Halkitis’ comment to Our News about the government not benefiting from fuel inflation has rankled the feathers of many middle to lower class Bahamian households attempting to keep their heads above water.

With a carton of eggs now going for nearly $8 in some grocery stores coupled with the announcement of a possible increase in National Insurance Board contributions, Bahamians are beginning to feel as if the system, be it external or internal, is attempting to starve them into oblivion.

Let me state from the outset that the Progressive Liberal Party (PLP) administration cannot be faulted for Russian President Vladimir Putin’s ill-advised decision to engage Ukraine militarily, which has led to the rising cost of fuel globally.

The Russian Ukrainian War, coupled with COVID, has led to hyperinflation across the board.

In this regard, the PLP cannot be blamed. Furthermore, I think the government has performed admirably, considering the external circumstances it has encountered since coming to office.

And I would add that a few members of the Davis Cabinet has stood out so far, most notably Deputy Prime Minister Chester Cooper. Cooper has given an A-plus performance.

Having said that, I must respectfully disagree with Mr Halkitis regarding the

state not benefiting from soaring gasoline prices.

With the fluctuating nature of VAT, the government stands to benefit from a financial windfall brought on by skyrocketing fuel prices.

For example, with VAT at 10 percent, it would mean that the state would collect just 30 cents on a gallon of gasoline if it costs $3.

If the price shoots up to $6, the state would then benefit from a 100 percent increase in the VAT rate to 60 cents.

An official of the Bahamas Petroleum Dealers Association (BPDA) stated to the Press that the government now collects $1.72 of $6.16, while retailers collect just 54 cents, despite having to purchase and store the fuel, pay staff members, insurance, maintenance, utilities and other miscellaneous bills.

The suppliers, like Shell and Esso, earns just 33 cents on a gallon. This means that the government pockets $1.18 more than the retailers and $1.39 more than the suppliers.

When VAT was first introduced in 2015, I had argued in The Tribune that it would allow the state to take another bite of the apple, seeing that it was already collecting duty on fuel, which was well over $1 per gallon. Now maybe this initial fuel tax is at a fixed rate. VAT, however, isn’t.

This entire ordeal with Russia, Ukraine and the BPDA is eerily similar to the 1973 Arab-Israeli War which led to the Arab members of the Organisation

of Petroleum Exporting Countries imposing an oil embargo on the US, which precipitated an economic recession that swept through The Bahamas.

This oil blackmail was the Arabs retaliating against the Richard Nixon administration for assisting Israel in its war against the Arab coalition and Egypt.

Independence in 1973 would serve as a psychological morphine to deaden the pain of financial stress many Bahamians were feeling.

Just six years into office, there was little the Pindling government could do to mitigate the effects of the oil embargo. The Davis administration, however, is in a position to avert a similar oil ban, albeit domestically, in the event that the 90 percent of BPDA’s members have their way in forcing a strike this Easter weekend. Such a move would bring the economy to a grinding halt at a time when The Bahamas is still recovering from the COVID pandemic.

What the Davis administration can do, if only until oil prices stabilise on the global market, is to split its VAT intake by 50 percent with the retailers and suppliers. If the government is now collecting 60 cents of VAT on a gallon of fuel, give 30 cents of that to BPDA members. Under this arrangement, the government wouldn’t have to further burden an already economically depressed public.

KEVIN EVANS Freeport, Grand Bahama.

April 13, 2022.

A WOMAN dances during a rehearsal by the group “Tambores de Olokun” in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, on Sunday. The Brazilian municipalities of Rio de Janeiro and Sao Paulo postponed the traditional parades of the carnival samba schools to April 22-23, as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Photo: Bruna Prado/AP

Athol Island EDITOR, The Tribune.

THE former “Most Honourable Prime Minister” Dr Hubert Minnis, will undoubtedly go down in history as The Crown Land Prime Minister, if for no other reason than his largesse in this sphere. I don’t know if there is any register anywhere where one can discover what Crown Land any particular Prime Minister transfers, from the Crown or Treasury to private citizens and Corporations, but it would surely make interesting reading in this case.

Prior to last year’s election we heard a great deal about a Crown Land giveaway to “smart” “professional class“ Bahamians.

We also heard a lot about a young Bahamian entrepreneur Toby Smith being given a Crown Land lease that was subsequently reneged on when the mega foreign cruise ship company Royal Caribbean Lines (RCL) decided that it wanted the small strip given to Smith to add to its already massive land holding bordering on the Smith lease. RCL of course had some leverage that Smith did not, as they had expressed an interest in taking the Grand Lucayan Hotel off the Government’s hands and helping to cover the massive cost incurred to “save” Freeport.

Just before the election the RCL land lease was consummated, notwithstanding a Supreme Court action brought by Smith against the Government.

It subsequently came to light that RCL was given an effective 150-year lease for a pittance of $140,000.00 per year, for the 400,000 Bahamian people to share.

About thirty five cents per person per year.

On Maundy Thursday last week, the last business day of Holy Week and at the start of a four-day Easter holiday weekend, when a great many Bahamians traditionally travel abroad, the Department of Environmental Planning and Protection (DEPP), in the Ministry of the Environment and Housing, decided that this would be a good time to get the public’s feeling and opinion on an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) for a tourism project being proposed by Sand Dollar Tours (SDT) on ATHOL ISLAND. The Virtual ZOOM meeting began with JSS Consultants, reading over the EIA which the company had prepared on behalf of SDT. Very interestingly, and somewhat telling, was the statement that the project would not have any adverse effect on the wild

LETTERS

letters@tribunemedia.net birds, because there was no sign of food for them to eat. No berry trees and that sort of thing. The presenter seemed oblivious to the fact that when God made birds he gave them wings, that they might fly, to get food and water. And, not all birds exist on berries either.

The Bahamas White Crowned Pigeons were never on the list of birds observed, but that is likely due to the time of year of the study. White Crowned Pigeons have probably been nesting (breeding) on Athol Island for hundreds of years before the Indians or Europeans even arrived in this country. And they tend to breed on barren land where they and their young will not be eaten by snakes and rodents and other predator breeds, including Humans.

And so they choose islands, mostly surrounded by sea which most of the predators cannot cross. Finley Cay between Exuma and Eleuthera is a prime example of nesting islands. Big Green Cay east of Kemps Bay, Andros, is another, Mangrove Bush in Long Island another and there is no food on any of these islands and the pigeons fly 60 and 70 miles to the nearest food source and when the eggs have hatched they will do this twice or more times a day to feed the young.

Not being very familiar with how this “trading” in Crown Land works, most of us on the call were horrified to find that SDT already has a lease on the land, and when pressed as to which Prime Minister granted the lease, we were told that it was none other than Dr Minnis. The Tribune had already done some research on this, in its April 4th Business Section, where one Al Collie indicated that the previous Government (FNM) had granted him a lease on Athol Island and he planned to develop his property.

Social Media had already published photos of the roads that had been cut through the mangrove, as well as a brick wall that Mr Collie had already built. No indication of when his EIA had been published though.

Maybe over the Christmas holiday?

I understand that Mr Collie already has a Crown Lease on the entire island north of Athol Island, which he has subleased to a non-Bahamian group. Mr Michael Darville stated that his lease was granted for 21 years, but he was quickly advised not to disclose the agreed rental value that the

Bahamian people would gain from it. Hopefully more than 35 cents per year per person.

What is so very discouraging with these Crown Grants and Leases is that the person or persons to whom they are awarded acquire an exclusive right to the land and they can bar any other person from entering upon it. I know that for a fact because on Mr Collie’s other Crown Lease on Spruce Cay (aka Pearl Island), I have been chased away on more than one occasion, when stopping at the little beach there for a swim. Reminded me of Normans Cay and Carlos Lehder back in the day.

Athol Island is the last unspoiled island outpost on the north coast of New Providence. The others are all privately owned now or leased to other people.

Sandals Cay (aka Balmoral Island), Long Cay (aka Blackbeard’s Cay) legal status unclear, Silver Cay (status unclear) but connected to Arawak Cay by a bridge. Paradise Island (aka Hog Island) gone, Blue Lagoon (aka Salt Cay) privately owned, Spruce Cay (aka Pearl Island) Crown Lease as mentioned, Sandy Cay, privately owned, Rose Island privately owned.

Green Cay, privately owned.

So where are the poorer class (those that don’t own live-aboard yachts) Bahamians supposed to go for a weekend of camping say.

Athol Island has four camp sites that Bahamians have used for decades on long weekends where they could get to in a small boat and throw up a couple of tents and light a small fire on the beach to cook over and in a couple of days clean up and go home.

The easternmost beach Mr Darville wants to take, the north centre beach Mr Collie says is his, the little beach in the boneyard someone has a floating bar and dance-floor right next to the beach and lastly the Narrows Beach and who knows Doc may have granted that to someone else or doubled down with one of the others. So three people now have exclusive right to these beaches, to the exclusion of the other three hundred and ninety-nine thousand, nine hundred and ninety-seven Bahamians, who were born with a right to enjoy these beaches.

If it is true that “God don’t like ugly”, the events of September 16th, 2021, may simply have been another example of God working in mysterious ways, His wonders to perform.

BRUCE G RAINE Nassau, April 18, 2022.

THE TRIBUNE

Tuesday, April 19, 2022, PAGE 7

Govt ‘working to reduce backlog on citizenship’

By RASHAD ROLLE Tribune Senior Reporter rrolle@tribunemedia.net PRESS secretary Clint Watson said while the government refuses to respond to criticism from the United States, it is working to reduce the backlog of people seeking a response to their citizenship applications.

In its latest human rights report, the US said The Bahamas has not effectively implemented laws to provide long-term residents the chance to get Bahamian citizenship “in a timely manner and on a non-discriminatory basis.”

“There was little progress in advancing legislation intended to address the issue of statelessness,” the report said.

The US highlighted two cases of people waiting for a decision 19 and 21 years after submitting their applications.

“We don’t respond to the US reports,” Mr Watson said at a recent press conference. “We are a sovereign nation and we are concerned that what we do in The Bahamas is effective for Bahamians and not because a report by our comrades says something means the government is just going to jump and address it because sometimes they don’t get it right.

“What I will say though in regard to what is happening is we are putting in place at the Department of Immigration measures to ensure that that backlog is eliminated. We recognise the permanent residents who are here and the people who have been using the services at immigration, that they deserve a little bit better treatment than they have been getting.

They deserve a lot more rapid response than they have had. So that’s under

PRESS secretary Clint Watson. investigation right now, how to efficiently improve the services at immigration that people can get services in a timely fashion. I’ll tell you this, it’s (a) considerable focus.”

The Davis administration plans to use ordinary legislation to correct gender-based inequities with regard to how people can get citizenship. Mr Watson said a bill concerning this will be presented in the House of Assembly this summer.

The Minnis administration has promised to amend the Bahamas Nationality Act to make relevant changes but did not do so.

The US also said the government failed to enforce provision for the Equal Opportunities Act, which prohibits discrimination against people with disabilities. The US highlighted the

MAN FINED FOR HITTING UNCLE WITH A HAMMER

By PAVEL BAILEY

A MAN was fined on Thursday for assaulting his uncle with a hammer.

Hollie Ferguson, 39, of Taylor Street, appeared before Senior Magistrate Samuel McKinney on separate charges of assault with a dangerous instrument and causing harm.

On April 12 Ferguson allegedly assaulted his uncle, Curtis Taylor, at their residence with a hammer. On the same day he is also accused of causing harm to Joseph Higgs.

In court, the accused pleaded guilty to both charges with an explanation as to why he assaulted his uncle.

Ferguson said he had got into an argument with Mr Taylor about cleaning their

yard and that in the heat of the moment his uncle came at him with a hammer.

The accused said he grabbed the hammer from his uncle and proceeded to hit his uncle multiple times with the hammer in his ribs and across the body.

Ferguson told the court that he never meant to hurt his uncle and that he had admitted to the offence in a subsequent police interview. Magistrate McKinney fined him $500 for the assault charge, or in default, six months in prison. Ferguson was also ordered to pay his uncle $500 compensation for the attack or spend one month in prison.

For the separate charge of causing harm to Joseph Higgs, Ferguson is expected to pay the virtual complainant in that matter $200 or risk one month in prison.

SUSPECT FACES DRUGS CHARGE

By PAVEL BAILEY

A MAN was placed on a year’s probation on Thursday on a drug charge.

Carl Williams, 46, appeared before Senior Magistrate Samuel McKinney in connection with his arrest for possession of dangerous drugs.

On April 13 in New Providence, Williams was apprehended by police after being found with half a gram of Indian hemp.

In court, he pleaded

guilty to the charge against him.

Williams explained that he had the joint in his hand when he saw authorities approach him and that he tried to stamp it out before they came.

The magistrate discharged Williams, but placed him on probation for a year.

During that time, Williams has been bound over to keep the peace, but failing to do so would result in a $300 fine or one month in prison.

ACCUSED OF MAKING DEATH THREAT

By PAVEL BAILEY

A WOMAN was granted bail in the Magistrate’s Court on Thursday after threatening another woman with death.

Marcia Morgan-Mackey, 42, stood before Senior Magistrate Samuel McKinney, accused of threatening Mytch Pierre with death on

April 6.

When it came time to elect in which court her matter would be heard, Mackey chose the Magistrate’s Court. She then pleaded not guilty to the charge against her.

Magistrate McKinney granted Mackey bail at $1,500 with one surety and adjourned her case to July 25.

Photo: Donavan McIntosh/Tribune Staff lack of accessible transportation for people.

Yesterday, Transport and Housing Minister Jobeth Colbey-Davis said she is aware of the issue and is intent on addressing it.

“I have briefly read the 2021 report on human rights for The Bahamas and note

the concern expressed in the report on the accessibility of public transportation to disabled persons,” she said in a message to The Tribune.

“Important to note is that the report mentions that the concern is a longstanding issue, however

during my tenure as Transport and Housing Minister, I intend to give attention to ensuring that we increase accessibility to public transportation for the disabled community as much as possible.

“I am not certain if you are aware, but I recently concluded a fact-finding trip to the US where officials from the Ministry of Transport and Housing were exposed to the operations of the public transportation system of New York, which included the AccessA-Ride (AAR) Paratransit Service. The AAR service provides public transportation in New York for persons with disabilities or health conditions that prevent them from using public buses and subways.

“While no decision has been made on the approach that ministry will take, we remain resolute in our position that public transportation must be inclusive and accessible to all persons of the community.

“In short order, I intend to meet with the National Commission for Persons with Disabilities to engage in dialogue on the concerns of disabled persons with accessing public transportation and to chart a path forward,” she said.

THREE HELD AFTER 26 SACKS OF MARIJUANA DISCOVERED THREE Abaco men were arrested on Sunday after police found $1.2m worth of marijuana in a residence on the island.

Police said that around 3pm on Sunday, officers from the Drug Enforcement Unit — in a joint operation with OPBAT, the US Coast Guard, Drug Enforcement Administration, Customs Border Protection and the Police Marine Support Unit — executed a search warrant at a home in Coopers Town, Abaco.

During the search, the officers discovered 26 crocus sacks that contained a grassy substance believed to be marijuana.

As a result, three men — ages 54, 34 and 31-years-old — were arrested and taken into custody for alleged possession of dangerous drugs and other related offences, police said. They are expected to face formal charges in court this week.

Police said the drugs weighed 1,254 lbs with an estimated street value of $1,254,000.

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PAGE 8, Tuesday, April 19, 2022

THE TRIBUNE

Helping others to overcome life’s hurdles “TURN hopelessness into hope, can’t into can, and impossible into possible” - a quote that Charlis Robins resonates with as she reflects on her growing career as an occupational therapist.

It is a global healthcare profession that helps people develop, recover, or maintain the meaningful activities and occupations that are important to them.

Clients get the gift of freedom and independence, in order to be more in control of their lives.

Charlis has worked with people of all ages since her journey began. As a teenager, she volunteered at the Sandiland’s Rehabilitation Centre. It is here that she fell in love with the profession.

Likely, OT felt like a natural fit for her, as she enjoys staying active as well as helping others. She grew up as an athlete, under the big wings of her father, basketball coach and National Sports Hall of Farmer, Charles “Softly” Robins.

She spent her early childhood years in Grand Bahama. She attended St Vincent de Paul, Mary Star of the Sea and Sunland Lutheran School.

“I enjoyed holiday trips to Bimini, boating and playing Nintendo with my Godbrothers and sisters,” she said.

“I enjoyed the close knit community… it was as if everyone was connected.”

That sense of community spirit followed her as she moved to New Providence with her mother, Edith Burns, née Seymour.

Edith, a popular artesian in Turks and Caicos, ensured that her daughter knew the value of family, and appreciated her rich Turks and Bimini heritage. She wanted her to go out there and shine, knowing that she has the love and support of family to see her through.

Charlis attended Queen’s

Face to Face

By FELICITY DARVILLE

College and went on to St Augustine’s College, where she graduated. My lifelong friend and I had many days of fun, attending school and playing on several sports teams together, including softball, basketball and volleyball. We won many a championship for SAC’s Big Red Machine with the likes of other sports stars like Leslia Brice (née Miller), Sandena Neilly (née Mortimer), Nakara Miller (née Williams), Samantha Kemp (née Culmer), Shara Moss and many others.

Charlis went on to Palm Beach Community College on volleyball scholarship and then to Florida A&M University to study Occupational Therapy. She always showed team spirit, school pride and a willing spirit.

An outspoken attitude and leadership skills helped her to excel along the way. It was important, though, for her to find a career that would allow her to remain active and engaged in community activities.

“Occupational Therapy (OT) focuses on engagement in meaningful activities of daily life (such as self-care skills, education, work, or social interaction),” she explained, “to enable or encourage participation in these activities despite impairments or limitations in physical or mental functioning.”

“The goal is to maximize one’s functional potential, thus improving the quality of life - from the cradle to the grave.”

Charlis started off working in the Neurodevelopment Treatment Clinic at Princess Margaret Hospital,

where she was afforded the opportunity to do additional studies in Paediatrics at City Kids in Chicago.

Here, her “true passion” was ignited.

“I matriculated from Staff Occupational Therapist to department head,” she said.

She moved on to become the deputy director responsible for OT at the hospital.

As Charlis cared for people of all ages, she found a special place in her heart for children with special needs.

Seeing their transformation and growth has, in turn, transformed her as well.

Because of it, she eventually started Genius Soul Therapeutic Day Centre, and has touched the lives of many children over the years. After a brief hiatus, she is getting ready to relaunch the brand, and she has the support of many parents in whose lives she has made a difference.

“Miss Charlis has been working with my son since he was four,” one parent shared.

“He is now 19 and she is still a part of our lives. When she first started working with him, we were in survival mode because there were so many medical issues. She worked with him with love and patience. In a very short time, he was able to go outdoors and we even started to play and use words!

Before long, he was playing basketball, riding a bike, swimming and communicating. As he grew older, she

CHARLIS, right, with her mother Edith and son, Keitho, and, her son Keitho showing off a trophy.

taught him life skills and we even had a money making business during the Christmas holidays!”

One parent spoke of the “strong bond that developed between her and my son due to the love and care she gave”. Another parent has a toddler with ASD level 2, noting less meltdowns and improvement in his behaviour after meeting Charlis and having the Genius Soul experience. A mother testified that her son Aaron’s life has improved physically and socially, and says that Charlis’ approach to her work is “outside of the box, original, and works every time”, adding that her son is “better for it and enjoying a better quality of life”.

“Starting Genius Soul is the highlight of my profession to date,” Charlis tells me.

“This was birthed out of the desire to see children

CHARLIS ROBINS, above, and, left, during her visit to the Office of the Prime Minister. another major milestone with on my career as an occuvarious pational therapist,” Charlis diagnoses receive the said.

“It would have meant care they needed and that I attained every level in the academics the succession of an occuunder one roof pational therapist in the at an affordable country.”

She is excited about the cost. That, coupled with community inte- position, as the association gration caused families to has plans underway, includsee their children achieve ing: paying a courtesy call goals in a short window of on Prime Minister Philip time. We became a family. E Davis; art exhibition and I am still connected to educational seminar hosted those families today and by Sandilands Occupational I am excited about its Therapy Department; artirelaunch. This career liter- cles and community service ally fell into my lap as if it initiatives to increase awareness of the importance of was God-ordained.”

Genius Soul has offered OT in The Bahamas. In a myriad of activities 2023, the OT Association for its children, includ- of The Bahamas will repreing horseback riding, sent as host country for the swimming, tennis, bowl- Association of Caribbean Therapists ing, and art. Uplifting Occupational programmes include Conference.

Charlis will have her entrepreneurship, money management skills, life hands full, but she always skills training, parent has time for her family: coaching, communication “I am my father’s oldest enhancement and behav- and my mother’s middle child. I have two brothers, iour modification.

As Genius Soul grows, one sister, four nephews so does Charlis’ personal and a beautiful niece. I am career journey. She is the the parent of a Junkanoo newly appointed Presi- genius and basketballer, dent of the Occupational Keitho Johnson.”

Charlis is pouring into Therapy Association of The Bahamas, which was Keitho the best of her established as a non- values that have brought profit organisation in her this far - determination, faith, selflessness, and 1992.

“This appointment marks a heart of gold.

CHARLIS’ father, Charles “Softly” Robins, being inducted into the National Sports Hall of Fame, and, below, Charlis with her father in his basketball heyday.

THE TRIBUNE

Tuesday, April 19, 2022, PAGE 9

BRITAIN GETS TOUGH ON IMMIGRATION

THE thorny issue of immigration has hit the headlines again on both sides of the Atlantic. In the US, the ending of Title 42, which allows the authorities to expel migrants before they have a chance to file for asylum, is causing major controversy while the UK government announced last week bold and imaginative new plans to handle illegal migrants landing on the country’s shores.

In Britain, control of the nation’s borders has become an issue of prime importance in recent years, not least because the need to take responsibility for this was one reason for withdrawing from the European Union in 2020.

Last year, the numbers of migrants crossing the English Channel from France reached record highs - and so far in 2022, according to the official figures, more than 4,600 people have made the crossing. But some say the true figure could be nearer 5,500, and this is likely to rise in the more benign weather conditions during the summer months.

The government has been heavily criticised for failing to resolve this crisis.

As the stream speeds up, there is widespread agreement amongst politicians and the general public that something needs to be done to stop human trafficking gangs exploiting people in their bid to cross the Channel. For a relatively small and heavily populated island nation like Britain, uncontrolled immigration is simply unsustainable because of the strain on public services, the obvious security risk and because it encourages illegal traffic. It is unacceptable to the country as a whole, and this was

The Peter Young column explicitly acknowledged last year by the government minister responsible for immigration, Home Secretary Priti Patel, who was quoted as saying that the British public is “absolutely fed up” with what is going on – and, in particular, with the lie that those arriving are escaping persecution in their own country when most are economic migrants seeking a better life, attracted by the generosity of Britain’s welfare state.

Under the UK’s new plan only bona fide asylum seekers will be allowed to stay in the country in the first instance. The rest will be flown to the central African state of Rwanda where they will either be allowed to stay permanently or will be returned to their country of origin. In practice, this seems to mean that all those coming to Britain illegally will be assessed on arrival and, if deemed to be an economic migrant rather than a refugee fleeing a dangerous homeland, they will be sent to Rwanda for further processing and will be treated

BRITAIN’S Home Secretary Priti Patel, left, shakes hands with Rwanda’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Vincent Biruta.

Photo: Muhizi Olivier/AP there in accordance with local refugee rules. The aim of the plan is to reduce illegal immigration, save lives and disrupt the business model of the smuggling gangs; and, undoubtedly, the intention is to deter economic migrants who may think twice about paying these gangs only to end up in a country in Africa 4,000 miles away.

The Home Secretary has called this historic deal between Britain and Rwanda the world’s first “global migration and economic partnership”. She has said that other countries - including Italy, Greece, Denmark and Germany have shown interest, and they will doubtless sympathise with the comments of Prime Minister Boris Johnson that “our compassion may be infinite but our capacity to help people is not”.

Few figures about the funding of the project, and the aid package that presumably is part of the deal, have been published apart from initial costs for the UK of some $150m. Future costs will surely be hard to

IS TIDE TURNING AGAINST WOKENESS THE founder and CEO of SpaceX and Tesla, Elon Musk, is reputed to be the richest person in the world. His launch of a takeover bid for social media giant Twitter has been all over the news recently and, at the time of writing, it is unclear whether he will succeed as the company takes action to thwart him.

What I have found particularly interesting are his remarks about the need for Twitter to be a social media platform for free speech. Reportedly, he maintains that, as a micro-blogging platform and means of communication for individuals – and even world leaders – around the world, free speech protections normally applicable to a public forum should be in force. This ought to be the case rather than Twitter being permitted to be a de facto arbiter of free speech and deciding whom to shut down.

Equally interesting are his views about wokeness which he has described as “divisive, exclusionary and hateful” as it basically gives “mean people a shield to be mean and cruel, armoured in false virtue”.

Whether or not he takes control of Twitter, the views and influence of the wealthiest person on the planet in relation to this important issue must inevitably count a good deal in one way or another.

In relation to the trashing of history and accusations of past racism - particularly any connection with slavery - others talk about minority groups searching for things to be “outraged” about and then creating a huge fuss which in turn intimidates the leadership of the chosen target.

That leadership becomes so obsessed with not upsetting the tiny minority that it loses sight of, and consideration for, the huge majority of people who are proud of their country and heritage.

The Oxford English Dictionary defines woke as “originally: well-informed, up-todate” but now, of course, it chiefly means

being alert to racial and social prejudice, discrimination and injustice; and surely most people would applaud that. But it is said that in the UK woke is also now being used by some as a pejorative term indicating “political correctness gone mad”.

This is, of course, a big subject worthy of a full debate. But suffice it to say today that I discovered in the UK press recently a claim that perhaps the tide was beginning to turn against the “relentless pernicious march of woke fundamentalism”. The writer complained that the UK’s public institutions had been overwhelmed by identity politics promoted by a vociferous minority - and, in particular, trans-gender extremism sought to blur the line between sex and gender, arguing that a person should be allowed to self-identify as male or female. However, earlier this month the British Prime Minister grasped the nettle – not before time, in the view of many – and, while acknowledging the complexities of the trans-gender debate, came out fighting for women by stating that biological males should not compete in female sports. The evidence shows that the majority of people would agree with him. Many also now hope that he will target schools and universities, which are accused of pushing trendy and divisive ideologies, because freedom of speech, thought and expression are the foundation stones of a liberal democracy and they should be actively encouraged, not silenced through intolerance of competing points of view.

It seems to be the case that wokeness is partly about threatening to ruin the lives of others with whom one disagrees while tolerance is, of course, all about understanding and respecting the ideas and views of others. So it is surely appropriate and right to push back against it, though whether the tide is really turning remains to be seen.

COMMEMORATION of the centenary of Anzac Day in 2015 attracted worldwide attention, though recognition annually of this day of remembrance – April 25 -- for Australia and New Zealand tends to be more limited. But, since it is the day these two proud nations commemorate and honour the service and sacrifice of members of the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps, it is as important to them as our own Remembrance Day on November 11 is to us.

Anzac Day is observed on April 25 because that was the date in 1915, during the First World War, of the landings by Allied forces – including large numbers of Australians and New Zealanders - on the Gallipoli peninsular in Turkey. This was part of the ill-fated Dardanelles campaign during which the Allies suffered extremely heavy casualties. It was originally conceived as a commemoration of those two countries’ war dead during the whole of the First World War, but it was later extended to the Second World War as well and also widened to include all who suffered and died in overseas conflicts.

So April 25 will be a sombre day of remembrance for Australia and New

Zealand – and, as an indication of the importance of Anzac Day, on its 90th anniversary in 2005 the then Australian Prime Minister, John Howard, described the Anzac spirit as giving the country a lasting sense of national identity forged during the First World War. In writing about this, I must confess to a personal interest. My grandfather, who as a general commanded New Zealand’s armed forces after the First World War, served as a colonel during the fighting at Gallipoli.

He was later responsible for the successful night-time evacuation of NZ forces under the noses of the Turks and without suffering any casualties. Needless to say, his subsequent letter in manuscript to my grandmother describing this achievement is now carefully preserved in our family archives.

The actions of the Australian and New Zealand armed forces – both at Gallipoli and in numerous subsequent conflicts around the world – have left a powerful legacy which has become an important part of the national identity of both countries. The spirit of Anzac Day remains as strong as ever – and long may this continue.

ANZAC DAY

determine since they will depend on the future flow of migrants. But it is estimated that deterring illegal entry will create significant savings in the longer term.

Inevitably, there have already been objections to the Rwanda deal, with Amnesty International critical of Rwanda’s “dismal

human rights record” and the UN refugee agency calling the scheme unacceptable and a breach of international law. Britain’s opposition Labour Party has labelled it “extortionate, unworkable and unethical”. Critics also wonder how the plan can be squared with the UK’s international legal obligations under the 1951 Refugee Convention and the European Convention on Human Rights, of which it remains a member.

There will also be genuine worries about Rwanda being a dictatorship, with a one-party state, lack of press freedom and continuing human rights abuses. Moreover, the country is still tainted by the civil war and genocide ending in 1994 during which thousands died in widespread and sustained tribal clashes. But, by all accounts, the modern Rwanda with its population of 12 million is stable and prosperous with a burgeoning economy, and its capital, Kigali, is peaceful

and thriving. It is clear that the UK government judges that under the new scheme anyone removed there from Britain will be treated fairly within the law while the UN refugee agency, despite criticising the scheme, is on record as admitting that Rwanda has been doing a good job in integrating refugees.

It seems that the framework of Britain’s innovative plan will become the basis for a new Nationality & Borders Bill which presumably will be closely scrutinised

by MPs. But, whatever the objections, it is clear that firm action is needed to deal effectively with illegal migration to the UK. The latest polls show that a majority of the public support this most recent initiative by the Tory government, since, they say, in order to function properly a nation needs to control its borders – and that eerily echoes the words of former President Trump when he was trying to justify his border wall.

Funeral Service for BLONEVA MATILDA DARVILLE, 93 of West Place, Westridge, will be held at 10:00 a.m. on Thursday, April 21st, 2022 at Holy Cross Anglican Church, Highbury Park off Soldier Road. Officiating will be The Rt. Rev’d Laish Boyd Sr., Diocesan Bishop, assisted by The Most Rev’d Drexel Gomez, Asst. Bishop and Deacon Cameron Saunders. Interment will follow in Lakeview Gardens & Mausoleums Cemetery, John F. Kennedy Drive and Gladstone Road.

Due to current Government regulations in respect of Covid-19, masks and physical distancing are required.

Bloneva’s memory will be cherished by her Children and their spouses: Paul and Barbara Darville, Mary Rodland, Edward and Shelly Darville, Ida Moxey, Patricia Hermanns, Carl Darville, The Hon Dr. Michael Darville and Susie Darville, Peter and Deidra Darville; Grandchildren and spouses: Justice Camille Darville-Gomez, Teila Darville, Renaldo Darville, Khadejah Thompson, Inga Darville, Zanifa Darville, Thaddeus Culmer, Alex and Cyncara Sawyer, Marie and Dr. Robert Allen, Mario and Nicole Rodland, Timothy Rodland, Ava Rodland, Dr. Rasheeda Darville-Beneby and Norrie Beneby, Verron Darville, Eric and Elam Moxey, Shari and Nashaka Johnson, Christina Hermanns, Darryl and David Darville, Natacia Misick-Darville, Ian and Connor Darville; Great Grand Children: Eva, Damian Alexander and Dylan Gomez, Evan, Arissa and Chandler Darville, Ethan and Lucas Allen, Matthew and Thomas Rodland, Arianna Darville, Allysyn Sawyer, and Maya Johnson; Nieces and Nephews: Janet Underwood and family, Mary Minns and family Eddie Darville and family, Ivy Knowles and family, Ruth Sands and Family, Dellie Wells and family, The family of the late Barbara Bain, the family of the late Doreen Bain, the family of the late Sylvia Turnquest, the family of the late Rudolph Cunningham, the family of the late Godfrey Cunningham, Dorcas Williams and family, Mildred Walkine and family, Winston Mullings and family, Anthony Mullings and family, Ted Mullings and family, Maxine Sherman and family, Dellareese Bowe and family, Cindy Davis and family, Michael Smith and family, Blondie Robinson and family, Michelle Curtis and family, the family of the late Kirk Darville, Orman, Darville, the family of the late Walter Darville, the family of the late Pamela Darville; Other relatives and friends: Damian Gomez, Raphael Moxey, Bertie and Christine Johnson and family, Merril and Jeanette Johnson and family, Gwendolyn Turner and family, Venencia Thompson and family, Betty and Samuel Hall and family, Mary and Phillip Symonette and family, The Hon. Philip Davis, Prime Minister and family, H.E. Sir Arthur Foulkes and Lady Joan Foulkes and family, Ruth Turnquest and family, Andrew Adderley and family, the family of the late Mavis Seymour, the family of the late George Adderley, Denny and Gerald Ranger, Dr. Elizabeth Darville, Stanley Darville and family, the family of the late Eric Darville, the Degregory family, Shirley Cartwright, Athena Marche, Alice McKenzie, and family, Christine Cartwright and family, Keith Cartwright, Pamela Wilchombe and family, Katherine Knowles and family, the family of the late Geoffrey Symonette, the Nixon, Darville and Cartwright families of Inagua, Hildreth Ferguson and family, Bobbie and Ronald Chisone and family of New Jersey, Velia and Leonard Jackson and family of New Jersey, Darlene Cornelius of New York, the family of the late Brave and Dorothy Davis, Elaine Turnquest and Ciara Sawyer, Rev’d Alfred Stewart and family, Anne Charters, Alfred and Carmen Dawkins, Mavis Darling-Hill and family, Rodney and Andrea Eve and family, the Finlayson family, the Durham family, the Hepburn family, the Ferguson family, the family of the late Canon Neil Roach, the Duncombe family, Sonja Allen and family of Jamaica, the Archer family, Valya Grimes, Miriam Roker, Carolee Rolle and family, the Strachan family, Dorreth Rolle, Pauette Gunnis, Beverly and Shelly Archer and family, Patrick and Eula Edwards and family, the ACW of Holy Cross Parish, the Pastoral Care Ministry of Holy Cross Parish, Bishop Laish Boyd and family, Archbishop Drexel Gomez and family, Canon Norman Lightbourne and family, Canon Peter Scott, the Rev’d Marie Roach and family, Fr. Philip Hield, Deacon Cameron Saunders and family and the faithful and loving family of Holy Cross Parish.

May Her Soul Rest in Peace!

Friends may pay their last respects at Bethel Brothers Morticians & Crematorium, #44A Nassau Street on Wednesday April 20th from 12:00 noon to 5:00 p.m. There will be no viewing at the church.

PAGE 10, Tuesday, April 19, 2022

THE TRIBUNE

Developing countries also victims of Ukraine war World View

By SIR RONALD SANDERS

A UKRAINIAN sapper searches for unexploded explosives as he passes by an Antonov An-225, the world’s biggest cargo aircraft destroyed during recent fighting between Russian and Ukrainian forces, at the Antonov airport in Hostomel, on the outskirts of Kyiv, Ukraine, yesterday.

Photo: Efrem Lukatsky/AP

IN the words of UN Secretary-General, Antonio Guterres, the war on Ukraine by Russia “is fast becoming a matter of life and death for vulnerable people around the world”.

His comment is strongly supported by a UN report, published on 13 April and entitled, “Global Impact of war in Ukraine on food, energy and finance systems”. Its findings make grim reading and should fully dispel all the opinions that Russian aggression against Ukraine is a “white peoples’ war” or that it does not affect regions as distant as the Caribbean.

Here’s what the report finds in summary: The war in Ukraine, is producing alarming cascading effects to a world economy already battered by COVID-19 and climate change, with particularly dramatic impacts on developing countries.

Commodity prices are reaching record highs across the board. On April 8, the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) stated that food prices are 34 percent higher than this time last year and have never been this high since the FAO started recording them. Crude oil prices have increased by around 60%, and gas and fertilizer prices have more than doubled. The world’s poorest countries tend to be net food importers and export and import measures on trade can further exacerbate rising food prices. At current price levels, FAO estimates increases in undernourishment and food insecurity.

Therefore, as the UN Secretary-General has aptly put it, “the war has launched a silent assault on the developing world”. The Caribbean is not excluded from this assault. And while Belize and Guyana might be excluded, to some extent, from CARICOM countries that will experience food shortages and high prices for food imports, no other CARICOM country will be spared the undernourishment and food insecurity that will ensue. But Guyana and Belize will suffer from wheat shortages because Russia and Ukraine provide around 30 per cent of the world’s wheat and barley, one fifth of its maize, and over half of its sunflower oil. Also, together, Russia and Ukraine account for a fifth of the world’s fertilizers which are now either not being produced or are not being exported. Consequently, the agriculture sector in all CARICOM countries, including Guyana and Belize will decline.

Ordinarily, countries in the Caribbean would look to the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank (WB) to assist with the grave financial challenges that will, undoubtedly, flow from this deeply troubling situation – the full impact of which has not yet been felt and is, perhaps, clouding popular perception of the clear dangers that are now on the region’s doorstep.

However, to help countries in the Caribbean cope with the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, the WB and the IMF extended special mechanisms for lending to low and middleincome countries. Except for Antigua and Barbuda and St Kitts and Nevis, the two institutions also provided credit to high-income countries such as Barbados and the Bahamas. In August 2021, the IMF also expanded the allocation of Special Drawing Rights (SDRs) equivalent to $650 billion to boost liquidity and reserves around the world. About $275 billion of that $650 billion went to emerging and developing countries, and low-income countries received about

$21 billion.

The credit that was extended, while immediately helpful to the recipient countries that were confronted with a decline in income from COVID’s effects on their economies and increased expenditure, particularly in health and support for the poor and unemployed, means that the majority of CARICOM countries are now facing the limits of their borrowing capacity. It will be difficult – if not impossible – for them to find the increased resources needed to pay for skyrocketing oil prices and food. Further, the IMF has gone as far as it can go in expanding allocation of SDR’s to increase liquidity and reserves.

The IMF and WB, whose Spring Meetings with world governments are now in session, have announced no new avenues of assistance.

Thus, they are telling Caribbean countries that “the increased financing needs of the Caribbean region will lead to even higher debt levels, which for some were in excess of 100 percent of GDP prior to the COVID19 pandemic”. They have also indicated that diversification of small economies is very difficult. This means that reliance on industries such as tourism and onecrop agriculture – both of which are vulnerable to extreme Climate Change events will continue.

So far, however, the IMF and WB have not produced any new means to increase liquidity and fiscal space, so that governments in developing countries can invest in the poorest and most vulnerable. The countries that control the WB and IMF – the United States, Germany, France, China and Canada among them – should step up with the means for small economies to provide for their people. After all, even in this crisis, as is Climate Change and the COVID-19 pandemic, small countries were the least contributors but the biggest victims – as they are of an unjust international financial system.

Against this background, it should also be clear that Russia’s aggression against Ukraine is a humanitarian disaster for that country but a dagger at the heart of developing countries, especially small economies. Up to 1.7 billion people – over one-fifth of humanity – are being cast into poverty, destitution and hunger on a scale not seen in decades.

Apart from the fact that Russia’s military aggression against Ukraine is a violation of international law that has weakened the system and left small nations bereft of the only meaningful protection that they had, the economic consequences are also now battering small countries disproportionately. This is why Russia must be sent the clear message by all the world that nothing justifies its violation of international law, including international humanitarian law and the disregard to the rules of war that have killed thousands of civilians, including children, and put the world’s economies in jeopardy.

The war must end, and global peace and security restored by all. Small economies must raise their hands for this cause.

• Responses and previous commentaries: www. sirronaldsanders.com The writer is Antigua and Barbuda’s Ambassador to the United States of America and the Organization of American States. He is also a Senior Fellow at the Institute of Commonwealth Studies, University of London and Massey College in the University of Toronto.

THE TRIBUNE

Tuesday, April 19, 2022, PAGE 11

Russia hits Lviv as fighting intensifies LVIV, Ukraine Associated Press

RUSSIAN forces launched missile attacks on the western city of Lviv and pounded a multitude of other targets across Ukraine yesterday in what appeared to be an intensified bid to grind down the country’s defences ahead of an all-out assault on the east.

At least seven people were reported killed in Lviv, where plumes of black smoke rose over a city that has seen only sporadic attacks during almost two months of war and has become a haven for civilians fleeing the fighting elsewhere. To the Kremlin’s increasing anger, Lviv has

EMERGENCY workers clear up debris after an airstrike hit a tyre shop in the western city of Lviv, Ukraine, yesterday.

Photo: Philip Crowther/AP also become a major gateway for NATO-supplied weapons and foreign fighters joining the Ukrainian cause.

The attacks came as Russia continued building up troops and artillery in the east and the south for

the expected start of a new ground offensive in the Donbas, Ukraine’s mostly Russian-speaking industrial heartland.

In other developments, a few thousand Ukrainian troops, by Russia’s estimate, remained holed up

at a mammoth steel mill in Mariupol, the last known pocket of resistance in the devastated southern port city after seven weeks of bombardment. The holdouts ignored a surrender ultimatum from the Russians on Sunday.

And Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy submitted a filled-out questionnaire in the first step toward obtaining accelerated membership in the European Union — a desire that has been a source of irritation to Russia for years. Zelenskyy, though, has offered to drop any effort to join NATO, one of the Kremlin’s key demands.

The Russian missile strikes on Lviv hit three military infrastructure facilities

and an auto mechanic shop, according to the region’s governor, Maksym Kozytskyy. He said the wounded included a child.

Lviv, the biggest city and a major transportation hub in western Ukraine, is about 50 miles from Poland, a NATO member.

Russia has strongly complained about the increasing flow of Western weapons to Ukraine. On Russian state media, some anchors have charged that the supplies amount to direct Western engagement in the fight against Russia.

Russia’s bombardment of cities around Ukraine on Saturday meanwhile included an explosion in Kharkiv that destroyed a community kitchen.

Associated Press journalists at the scene recorded the immediate aftermath of the apparent missile attack.

The kitchen was set up

by World Central Kitchen, which is run by celebrity chef José Andrés to establish feeding systems in disaster and war zones.

Andrés tweeted that the non-governmental organisation’s staff members were shaken but safe.

The organisation says it has reached 30 cities in the country, providing nearly 300,000 meals a day. Andrés said the attack in Kharkiv shows that “to give food in the middle of a senseless war is an act of courage, resilience and resistance” and that his group’s chefs will keep cooking for Ukraine.

ARCHBISHOP: RWANDA PLAN FOR MIGRANTS ‘GOES AGAINST GOD’ LONDON Associated Press

THE leader of the Anglican church strongly criticised the British government’s plan to put some asylum-seekers on one-way flights to Rwanda, saying “sub-contracting out our responsibilities” to refugees can’t stand up to God’s scrutiny.

Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby made the unusually direct political intervention in his Easter Sunday sermon, saying there are “serious ethical questions about sending asylum-seekers overseas”.

He said “sub-contracting out our responsibilities, even to a country that seeks to do well, like Rwanda, is the opposite of the nature of God who himself took responsibility for our failures”.

Speaking at Canterbury Cathedral, Welby said that while “the details are for politics and politicians, the principle must stand the judgment of God — and it cannot”.

Britain and Rwanda announced on Thursday

that they had struck an agreement that will see some people arriving in the UK as stowaways on trucks or in small boats sent 4,000 miles to the East African country, where their asylum claims will be processed and, if successful, they will stay in Rwanda.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s Conservative government says the plan will discourage people from trying to cross the English Channel, and put peoplesmuggling gangs who run the treacherous route out of business. More than 28,000 migrants entered the UK across the Channel last year, up from 8,500 in 2020.

Dozens have died, including 27 people in November when a single boat capsized.

Refugee and human rights groups called the plan inhumane, unworkable and a waste of taxpayers’ money. The UN refugee agency said it was “contrary to the letter and spirit of the Refugee Convention”.

Another senior Anglican cleric, Archbishop of York Stephen Cottrell, called the Rwanda plan “depressing and distressing”.

SUPPLY CHAIN BUSINESS CONTROLLER Department: Finance

Job Summary: The Business Partner for the OpCo Supply Chain Management Team (including distribution and logistics) through good understanding of the functional processes ensures effective business decision making.

Be the support for the OpCo Finance Director and act on OpCo level in specific matters and projects to be defined.

Increase shareholder value for HEINEKEN by setting and supporting delivery of challenging OpCo financial and non-financial targets in the Supply Chain area within an effective and robust financial control environment.

Key Responsibilities: Leadership

▪ Support a high performing Supply Chain Controlling team through leadership, individual/ team development plans, effective performance management, on the job coaching and constantly raising standards.

▪ Drive greater connectivity across OpCo Supply Chain in particular and develop a culture of continuous improvement.

▪ Support to create Supply Chain Management, E2E reporting which fosters formulation and execution of E2E strategy. On brewery level, identifies and helps to mitigate risks; has a forwardlooking focus, detecting and utilizing business opportunities.

▪ Be in close contact with the Finance Director and proactively cooperate to support Supply Chain Management.

▪ Provide leadership and guidance to the Business Analyst – Supply Chain.

▪ Ensure the development of the overall Finance Function by working closely with Reporting and Accounting.

▪ Foster a culture of fact-based decision making and cost consciousness throughout the organization.

Business Partnering and Decision Support ▪ Maximize business performance by working closely alongside, challenging and influencing the Supply Chain Teams as a support to Finance Director.

▪ Provide advice, guidance, and influence/strengthen decision making in Supply Chain: ▪ Develop business cases ▪ Provide scenario modelling ▪ Create cost and efficiency analyses ▪ Lead analyses to provide the financial impact of Supply Chain decisions affecting the Golden Triangle ▪ Lead ad hoc analysis to gain insight where relevant.

▪ Proactively work with the Brewery Management Team to identify, analyse and exploit business opportunities (e.g., new product development, cost saving opportunities), intervene on fundamental issues, and provide financial leadership on strategic projects. Through the Finance Director, promote all findings for the overall OpCo Supply Chain and Retail Management Teams.

▪ If required, support the preparation of Supply Chain Fund Applications including relevant analysis of and advice on the investment that is applied for as well as execution of post-audits where relevant.

Qualifications: ▪ Master’s degree in finance, MBA, CPA or equivalent ▪ High School Diploma ▪ Certified Public Accountant or Certified Management Accountant, excellent communication skills, Microsoft Office applications Competencies/ Skills: ▪ 2 to 3 years of experience in the area of Controlling.

▪ Experience in leading change.

▪ Challenging approach.

▪ Influencing skills.

▪ Good written and verbal communicator at all levels.

▪ Leadership.

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Interested persons are invited to send an updated resume to ralpha.moxey@heineken.com.DEADLINE- APRIL 25, 2022

SPORTS PAGE 12

TUESDAY, APRIL 19, 2022

CARIFTA: Bahamas 2nd with 17 medals

By BRENT STUBBS Senior Sports Reporter bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

W

ith confirmation to host the 50th CARIFTA Games in 2023, the Bahamas’ 54-member team will return from Kingston, Jamaica, with second place with 17 medals, including four gold, at the top regional junior track and field competition.

Prime Minister Philip ‘Brave’ Davis and Minister of Youth, Sports and Culture Mario Bowleg accompanied Team Bahamas to the games over the weekend where the deal was sealed to bring the event to the Bahamas for the ninth time.

The previous times the three-day competition was staged here was in 1976, 1978, 1981, 1984, 1992, 2002, 2013 and 2018. Next year’s return of the event is expected to coincide with the Bahamas’ 50th Independence celebrations.

Guyana, which originally scheduled to host the games, will now host the 51st edition in 2024.

Jamaica, hosting the games in its return after the two-year hiatus because of COVID-19, picked up where they left off by clinching their 44th title and their 35th straight.

The last time they lost was to the Bahamas in backto-back victories in 1983 in Martinique and 1984 in the Bahamas.

Before their home crowd at the Independence Park in Kingston, Jamaica, in sweeping all eight relays, Jamaica posted a total of 97 medals, including 47 gold, 32 silver and 18 bronze.

The Bahamas, led by the sterling performances from world junior leader and national record holder Keyshawn Strachan and Dior-Ray Scott in the under-20 boys and under17 girls javelin and Curtis Mitchell in the under-20 boys 5,000m, got second place with four gold, six silver and seven bronze for a total of 17 medals.

Day three - medals (two gold, three bronze) Southpaw Dior-Ray Scott inked her name in the record books as well as she tossed the under-20 girls javelin 146-feet, 2 1/.4inches or 44.57 metres on

her third attempt to claim the third gold for Team Bahamas as the final day of competition got underway on Monday morning.

Scott’s heave surpassed the games’ record of 140-9 (42.90m) that was established by Deandra Dottin of Barbados in 2007. Her teammate Kemera Strachan was hoping to join her big brother Keyshawn Strachan on the podium, but she fell short in fourth with 130-9 1/4 (39.86m).

In one of the few events, Jamaica didn’t get a medal as Kenika Casser got the silver with 140-7 1/4 (42.86m) and Suerena Alexander of Grenada got the bronze with 139-8 (42.57m).

Another gold came from Curtis Mitchell (5,000m) in a sensational sprint on the home stretch of the gruelling 12 1/2 laps as he powered 16:07.67 over Nicholas Power of Jamaica in 16:08.93.

Antoine Andrews got out to a quick start, but clipped the fourth flight of 10 hurdles and slipped to bronze in 13.91. Curacaos’ Matthew Sophie got the gold in 13.74 and Jamaica’s Demario Prince picked up the silver in 13.88.

A major mishap occurred in the under-20 girls’ 200m as Paige Archer surged from behind into second in lane seven, but slipped and fell about 20 metres from the finish.

Quite disappointed she got up and walked across the line in 34.85.

However, as the games winded down with the 4 x 400m relays, the Bahamas got third in the under-17 girls’ division in 4:03.23 and the under-17 boys race in 3:21.35 and fourth in both the under-20 girls in 4:05.99 and the under-20 boys in 3:14.56.

Falling short of the podium on the final day were Quinton Rolle, who ended up fourth in the under-17 boys 110m hurdles in 15.61, Raywind Winder dropped to sixth place in the under-17 boys 800m in 2:02.76.

Nya Wright came back for fourth in the under17 girls 200m in 25.47, while 100m silver medallist Shatalya Dorsett didn’t advance to the final after she was disqualified in the semifinals. Tumani Skinner was sixth in 22.48 and Zion

Allyson Felix says she’s retiring after 2022 track season ALLYSON Felix, who closed the Tokyo Games last year with more Olympic medals than any US track and field athlete in history, says she will retire after the 2022 season.

“This season isn’t about the time on the clock, it’s simply about joy,” Felix said in an Instagram post. “If you see me on the track this year I hope to share a moment, a memory and my appreciation with you.”

At age 35, Felix won a bronze medal in the 400 metres last summer in Tokyo, then followed it up with a gold medal in the 4x400 relay. Those were her 10th and 11th Olympic medals, which helped her pass Carl Lewis in the US record book and left her behind only one runner in history, Finland’s Paavo Nurmi, who won 12 medals between 1920 and 1928.

Her last major meets figure to be the US championships June 23-26, then the world championships, which take

SEE PAGE 15

SEE PAGE 14

WNBA players say life in Russia was lucrative but lonely

By DOUG FEINBERG AP Basketball Writer

ALLYSON FELIX, of the US, races in a heat of the 400m at the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo, Japan.

(AP Photo/Martin Meissner) place in Eugene, Oregon, July 15-24.

Felix also has a record 13 gold medals and 18 overall from world championships. More recently, she has become an outspoken advocate for women. Her daughter, Camryn, was born in 2018.

By RENALDO DORSETT Tribune Sports Reporter rdorsett@tribunemedia.net

medal in the under-20 boys pole vault with a leap of 14-3 1/4 (4.35m).

Versatile 14-year-old Kenny Moxey Jr, whose father and coach Kenny Sr also competed and won medals for the Bahamas in the past, was seventh with 11-3 3/4 (3.45m).

Vanderpool’s performance came as the Bahamas was successful in

CURTIS Mitchell celebrates his gold medal in the under-20 boys 5,000 metres. girls discus and Brandon Hutchinson was fifth in the under-20 boys triple jump with 47-5 3/4 (14.47m).

Day two - seven medals (1 gold, 5 silver, 1 bronze) Following in the footsteps of his father and coach Brent Vanderpool, a past gold medallist, Brenden Vanderpool shined on Sunday night for the Bahamas as he soared to the gold

36-MEMBER SWIM TEAM IN THE LEAD HEADING TO FINAL DAY BAHAMAS Aquatics continues to produce the top junior national programme in the region and the country’s top swimmers are closing in on an opportunity to chase history with a fourth consecutive CARIFTA title.

The Bahamas’ 36-member team currently leads the points standings headed into the final day of competition today at the Barbados Aquatic Centre in Wildey, Christ Church.

The defending champions have totalled 736 points thus far, well ahead of second place Jamaica with 590.5 points. The Cayman Islands are third with 585 points. The Bahamas also has a total of 50 medals nine gold, 17 silver and 24 bronze.

The competition on day three was highlighted by several gold medal winning performances, including a busy night for CARIFTA veteran Nigel Forbes.

Forbes took gold in the 200m Fly in 2:07.03 seconds and also won silver in the 200m Individual Medley in 2:09.92.

Caden Wells continues to emerge as a star in the 13-14 boys division.

Wells took gold in the 50m Breast in 31.22. It was his third gold medal of the meet, second individual.

Team Bahamas took the top two spots atop the medal podium in the race as Aryton Moncur won silver in 31.44.

The Boys 13-14 4x200m Free Relay team also won gold in 8:31.72.

In the Girls 15-17 200m Individual Medley, Keianna Moss won gold in 2:28.56.

Another 1-2 finish for Team Bahamas saw Zaylie Elizabeth Thompson win silver in 2:28.78.

Erald Thompson III also added to his individual medal haul in the Boys 15-17 division with a silver in the 50m Breast in 30.36.

On day one, The Bahamas took an early lead over the 17-team field with 224 points, ahead of second place Jamaica with 198.50 points.

In the medal count, the team won 15 medals – two golds, four silver and nine bronze. Wells won the first gold medal for The

DIOR-Ray Scott celebrates her gold-medal performance in the under-17 girls’ javelin.

Photos: Trackalerts.com

Campbell dropped off to fifth in 21.80 in the under20 boys 200m.

On the field, Shaunece Miller placed fourth in the under-20 girls high jump with 5-5 (1.65m), Sabriya Farquharson was fifth in the under-20 girls long jump with 17-11 3/4 (5.48m), Cailyn Johnson (99-5//30.31m) and Danielle Nixon (86-5/26.34m) were fifth and sixth respectively in the under-20

NPBA, Page 14

FOR the elite athletes in the WNBA, spending the offseason playing in Russia can mean earning more money than they can make back home — sometimes even two or three times as much.

But those who have done that also describe the loneliness of being away from family and friends, of struggling with an unfamiliar language and culture, and of living in a place with only a few hours of sunlight in the winter and temperatures well below freezing.

Brittney Griner is one of those players who went to Russia in recent years to

earn extra money. For the two-time Olympian, however, it has turned into a prolonged nightmare.

Since arriving at a Moscow airport in midFebruary, she has been detained by police after they reported finding vape cartridges allegedly containing cannabis oil in her luggage. Still in jail, she is awaiting trial next month on charges that could bring up to 10 years in prison.

Her arrest came at a time of heightened political tensions over Ukraine. Since then, Russia has invaded Ukraine and remains at war.

A half-dozen American players contacted by The Associated Press shared

their experiences on playing in Russia. Although none found themselves in the same situation as Griner, they described difficulties such as isolation and boredom, apart from basketball.

“Playing there was not easy because the lifestyle and the way of living is a lot different than what you experience in other places in Europe and America,” said DeLisha Milton-Jones, one of the first marquee American players to play in Russia in the early 2000s.

“The extremes of the weather — it’s pitch black dark at 5pm I had to wear my big jacket warming up sometimes since it was

SEE PAGE 16

THE TRIBUNE

Tuesday, April 19, 2022, PAGE 13

TATUM BEATS THE BUZZER, CELTICS EDGE NETS 115-114 IN GAME 1 BOSTON (AP) — Jayson Tatum made a layup at the buzzer off a pass from Marcus Smart to give the Boston Celtics a dramatic 115-114 victory over the Brooklyn Nets on Sunday in the Game 1 of the Eastern Conference firstround series.

Tatum scored 16 of his 31 points in the second half, the final two after a poised Boston possession in the frantic final seconds. Jaylen Brown dribbled toward the middle and swung the ball out to Smart, who fired it into a cutting Tatum, who spun around and dropped in his layup just before time expired.

Kyrie Irving scored 39 points, including 18 in the fourth quarter, for Brooklyn.

But the Celtics forced the ball out of his hands the last time Brooklyn had it and Kevin Durant missed a jumper with a one-point lead that set up the Celtics’ final possession.

Durant added 23 points, but shot just 9 of 24.

BUCKS 93, BULLS 86 MILWAUKEE (AP) — Giannis Antetokounmpo had 27 points and 16 rebounds and defending champion Milwaukee recovered to beat Chicago after blowing a 16-point lead in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference series.

Jrue Holiday made a goahead 3-pointer with 5:03 left as part of an 8-0 run that gave the Bucks an 85-78 edge. The Bulls got the margin down to one but could never regain the lead, as Zach LaVine missed a potential tying 3-pointer from nearly 30 feet away with 29 seconds left.

Nikola Vucevic had 24 points and 17 rebounds for Chicago.

HEAT 115, HAWKS 91 MIAMI (AP) — Duncan Robinson set a franchise playoff record with eight 3-pointers and Miami forced Trae Young into matching the worst-shooting game of his career in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference series.

Robinson scored 27 points on 9-of-10 shooting for the top-seeded Heat, going 8 of 9 from 3-point range. Jimmy Butler scored 21 points, and P.J. Tucker had 16. Young went 1 for 12, matching his effort against Chicago on January 23, 2019. Danilo Gallinari led Atlanta with 17 points, and De’Andre Hunter had 14.

Game 2 is tonight in Miami.

Embid scores 31 to carry 76ers to 2-0 series lead on Raptors

By DAN GELSTON AP Sports Writer PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Joel Embiid took a stiff arm moments after tipoff and the 7-footer pushed back. Trying to keep his composure, Embiid absorbed a few more deliberate blows from a Raptors defence clearly trying to bully the big guy.

Coach Doc Rivers gave Embiid a quick message: “No, Jo, you be the dominant guy.”

The NBA MVP finalist quit deferring and started dominating.

Embiid took his lumps and powered his way to 31 points and 11 rebounds, Tyrese Maxey showed he was no one-game postseason wonder and the Philadelphia 76ers beat the Toronto Raptors 112-97 last night for a 2-0 lead in the firstround series.

“They put me on the floor a few times and to me, this is where it gets interesting,” Embiid said. “I’m like, cool. I’m going to come back with more power and make you foul me.”

Embiid took foul after foul - he rubbed parts of his shoulders and elbows and shook off at least one foot injury — and made 12 of 14 free throws. He made 9 of 16 shots from the floor for the game.

“That’s what we need from the Big Fella,” Maxey said.

Maxey had 23 points, nine rebounds and eight assists. Tobias Harris had 20 points and 10 rebounds. James Harden scored 14.

Game 3 in the Eastern Conference series is Wednesday in Toronto.

The Raptors trailed by 27 points but showed some life in the fourth cutting it to 11 until Maxey, the Game 1 star, buried a 3 that got the Sixers rolling again.

OG Anunoby led the Raptors with 26 points. Pascal Siakam and Fred VanVleet each had 20.

The Raptors came ready to rumble after coach Nick Nurse accused the officials of letting the Sixers get away with hard fouls in Game 1. Not even 2 minutes into the game, Anunoby shoved Embiid, Embiid shoved back and both teams had to be separated as the crowd erupted. Anunoby and Embiid were both whistled for technical fouls.

“I didn’t really want them to set that tone,” Embiid said. “I wanted myself and us to set that tone.

That’s why I picked up that early technical foul.”

The Raptors raced to an 11-2 lead and had the first six fouls to none for the 76ers.

“They wanted to muck the game up and play physical, Rivers said.

PHILADELPHIA 76ers’ Joel Embiid reacts during the second half of Game 2 of an NBA basketball first-round playoff series against the Toronto Raptors last night in Philadelphia.

(AP Photo/Matt Slocum) “I just told our guys to just play The Mavericks, in danger of through it.” dropping the first two games after Embiid, the NBA scoring cham- opening the playoffs with homepion who had only 19 points in court advantage for the first time Game 1, was fouled hard by Siakam since their NBA title 11 years ago, and made a free throw -- one of the overcame a 10-point deficit after 11 he made in the quarter on 12 halftime. attempts. He matched his Game 1 Kleber, who had made only total with 19 points in the quarter.

19% of his 3-point attempts since Embiid told Nurse in the waning the All-Star break, was 8-of-11 moments of the game that he was from beyond the arc when the going to keep making all the free Mavs needed them the most. His throws if Toronto continued to foul 3-pointer with 4:21 put Dallas ahead him. to stay at 99-98, and he then added Nurse’s retort? “You might have another on the next possession. to.”

Game 3 is Thursday night in Embiid laughed and said he told Utah, where Dallas has lost its last Nurse, “respectfully, to stop b—— 11 games. ing about calls.”

Brunson, the starting point guard VanVleet scored 17 points in the with Doncic out, became the fifth half and tried to keep the Raptors Dallas player to score 40 points in in the game. Maxey, who had 38 a playoff game. Doncic was one of points in Game 1, didn’t score until the previous four to do that. he hit a floater in the lane with 8:03 Donovan Mitchell had 34 points left in the second. He followed with for Utah, while Bojan Bogdanovic an acrobatic layup for a 50-42 lead had 25 and Jordan Clarkson 21. and suddenly the Sixers had some Rudy Gobert had eight points and juice. Harden hit a 3 for an 11-point 17 rebounds. lead.

A 3-pointer by Clarkson put the Brunson scores 41 points, Jazz up 60-50 early in the third Mavs beat Jazz in Game 2 quarter, and the only time Dallas DALLAS (AP) — Jalen Brun- led in that quarter was when Kleber son scored a career-high 41 points, hit a 3 with two minutes left for a Maxi Kleber had 25 with eight of 74-73 lead. But Bogdanovic then Dallas’ playoff-record 22 made hit a 3, and the Jazz led 81-74 at the 3-points and the Mavericks, with- end of the third after a basket by out superstar Luka Doncic, evened Mitchell. up their first-round series with a Dallas didn’t lead again until a 3 110-104 win over the Utah Jazz in by Dorian Finney-Smith with 6:12 Game 2 last night. left.

Ayton and Suns top Pelicans 110-99 in Game 1 of series

By RENALDO DORSETT Tribune Sports Reporter rdorsett@tribunemedia.net DEANDRE Ayton and the Phoenix Suns dominated a physical game one in their series against the New Orleans Pelicans and the veteran centre said he likes the tone that has been set for the postseason.

Ayton finished with 21 points, nine rebounds, and four blocked shots in the Suns’ 110-99 win Sunday night at the Footprint Center, but one of the most memorable plays was an inadvertent shot he took to the face from the Pelicans’ Herb Jones.

“I’m fine. If that’s how they want to start the series, then so be it. It’s a physical game, it’s the playoffs,” he said. “Hits like that count. Regular season, you got 81 more after a game like that but we’re in the playoffs. It didn’t look like he did it intentionally — it’s part of the game — so I’m not really going crazy over no hit.”

Suns head coach Monty Williams also believed it was incidental.

“I’ve got to look at the film. The coaches told me they didn’t think it was a malicious shot, but nonetheless, it was a physical game,” Williams said.

“I’m not quite sure it was a malicious shot. I’ve got to look at the film to make sure but I didn’t see that.”

Jones collided with Ayton in an attempt to pick up Suns point Chris Paul for full court pressure.

Referees reviewed the play for a possible flagrant foul but the play was ruled unintentional.

Game two in the series is scheduled for tonight at 10pm local time.

The 23-year-old centre averaged 17.2 points and 10.2 rebounds per season.

He produced career highs in field goal (63 percent) and free throw percentage (64 percent).

After losing to the Milwaukee Bucks in last year’s NBA Finals, Ayton said the Suns’ mission is to repeat as Western Conference champions and complete the job by claiming the Larry O’Brien trophy.

Ayton’s memorable 2021 postseason included averages of 15.8 points and 11.7 rebounds per game. He shot 65 percent from the field and finished with 14 double doubles.

According to StatMuse, Ayton was the first player in NBA history to average at least 15 points and 10 rebounds per game on 65 percent field goal shooting

SUNS centre Deandre Ayton (22) celebrates a blocked shot with guard Devin Booker (1) and forward Jae Crowder during the second half of Game 1 on Sunday in Phoenix.

(AP Photo/Matt York) in a single playoffs (minimum of 10 games).

In the Finals, Ayton averaged 14.7 points, 12 rebounds and 1.5 blocks per game on 54 percent shooting from the field.

He posted 22 points and 19 rebounds in his NBA Finals debut and followed with 10 points and 11 rebounds in game two - both wins for the Suns.

He followed with 18 points and nine rebounds in a game three loss, six points and 17 rebounds in game four and finally 20 points

and 10 rebounds in game five.

“Just doing all the same things but better,” Ayton said of his approach to this postseason. “Last year I think mainly it was just me on the defensive end but now I’m attacking teams.

It’s not going to be me, ‘Oh I’m under the rim scoring, ‘No, I want to be under the rim. I want to score. I want to get to the line. Just second-chance baskets, just doing the stuff I did last year and doing more and doing better.”

The Suns finished with an NBA best record 64-18.

He said the Suns are willing to embrace the challenge as the league’s most targeted team as the top overall seed. “We got some villains now. Crowds don’t like us for some reason,” Ayton said. “They don’t understand that when y’all talk smack, we’re going to smack your team. So that’s just the motivation — it’s us against the world for real. People hate us when we’re on the road. We like it, we love it.”

ROONEY’S DERBY RELEGATED TO 3RD TIER OF ENGLISH SOCCER LONDON (AP) — Derby County, managed

by England and Manchester United great Wayne Rooney, was relegated to the third tier of English soccer yesterday to cap a miserable season that also saw the club docked 21 points for breaches of financial rules.

A 1-0 loss at Queens Park Rangers left Derby 10 points from safety with three games remaining in the second-tier Championship.

Derby has been in administration — a form of bankruptcy protection — since September, with the debt-laden club’s sale to a new owner yet to be finalised.

It received two separate points deductions of 12 and then nine, because of accounting breaches under previous owner Mel Morris, at the start of the season.

“We know we’d be safe without the penalties we’ve had,” said Rooney, who has been Derby’s manager since November 2020, having previously been playercoach at the team from central England. “This is where we’ve been left by the previous owner and we’ve been trying to pick up the pieces from that and trying to pull off something really special. We’ve got close and haven’t managed to do it.

“I’m sure Mr Morris watched the game at home.

He’ll be disappointed himself, because we’ve tried to fix the mess he’s left us in as best we can.”

Derby’s joint administrators have named Chris Kirchner, an American software entrepreneur, as the preferred bidder for the club and entered a period of exclusivity aimed at ending a protracted takeover process.

Rooney has emphasized the importance of a deal being completed, and soon.

“It has to happen quickly,” he said. “I’m not stupid. I know Premier League teams and top clubs in the Championship are looking at some of our players. I need to be able to give them something, to offer them something to stay.

“We’ve really got a good foundation. The foundations are there of a really good team. I need to be able to add to that squad. I know what players I want to bring in in League One and I need to be able to get that moving quick to make sure we have the best chance of coming straight back up.”

SCOTTY PIPPEN JR HEADING TO NBA DRAFT NASHVILLE, Tenn.

(AP) — Vanderbilt guard Scotty Pippen Jr is entering the NBA draft, and the Southeastern Conference’s leading scorer is signing with an agent.

Pippen announced his decision Monday in a social media post. He thanked Nashville and Vanderbilt fans for making him feel at home and shaping him into the person and player he is today. Pippen also thanked coach Jerry Stackhouse, his other coaches and teammates and professors.

“I felt the love every time I stepped foot on the court in Memorial,” Pippen wrote. “It’s a feeling I’ll NEVER FORGET.” The son of six-time NBA champ and one of the league’s 50 greatest players Scottie Pippen, he tested his NBA draft stock a year ago before returning to play his junior season with the Commodores.

Pippen was second in the SEC in scoring in his sophomore year, averaging 20.8 points, and improved to first this past season with 20.4 points a game. He scored 30 or more points five times in the 2021-22 season and set a Vanderbilt record with 736 points this season.

Pippen started all 36 games, helping Vanderbilt to a 19-17 record with two games in the SEC Tournament and a quarterfinal loss in the NIT.

PAGE 14, Tuesday, April 19, 2022

THE TRIBUNE

Chisholm’s 3B, 2B lead Marlins over Phillies for series win

By RENALDO DORSETT Tribune Sports Reporter rdorsett@tribunemedia.net JASRADO “Jazz” Chisholm Jr continues to emerge as the face of the Miami Marlins franchise and his hot start to the season has him among the team leads early in the 2022 season.

In Sunday’s 11-3 win over the Philadelphia Phillies at loanDepot Park in Miami, Florida, Chisholm went 2-4 (a double and a triple), with three RBI and a run scored.

Chisholm has been out of the lineup for two games based on Marlins manager Don Mattingly’s adjustments to find favourable matchups against left hand pitchers, but ranks among Marlins leaders in hits, runs, triples and homers and RBIs. In seven games, the 24-year-old infielder is hitting .318, slugging .824 with a 1.234 OPS and a .370 OBP. He leads the team with two home runs, two doubles, two triples, and 10 RBI while just ninth on the team with 22 at bats.

His five runs scored rank second while his seven hits rank third.

“When everyone’s contributing, we win,”

By JIMMY GOLEN AP Sports Writer

MIAMI Marlins second baseman Jazz Chisholm Jr (2) hits during the fourth inning of a baseball game on Sunday in Miami.

(AP Photo/Mary Holt) Chisholm said after Sunday’s win. “This is what we expected. We expect this every day. It might not be every day because baseball’s super hard. But we’re just happy we’re doing it now.”

He sparked a Marlins four run second inning with his triple and added an RBI double in the sixth. He also added a sacrifice fly in the seventh.

The Marlins will open a three-game home stand tonight against the St Louis Cardinals at 6:40pm.

“This year, I’m just working on consistency and staying mentally into

SWIM

FROM PAGE 12

OLYMPIC CHAMP JEPCHIRCHIR WINS 50TH WOMEN’S BOSTON MARATHON

Bahamas in the 200m Breast in 2:52.15. Winning the final gold medal of the night for The Bahamas in dramatic fashion was the quartet of Wells, Donald Saunders, Zion Gibson-Darville and Caleb Ferguson. They won the gold in the 13-14 boys 4x100m relay with a time of 3:46.77.

The Bahamas then went on to win silver and bronze in the 11-12 girls 100m butterfly when Saleste Gibson clocked 1:10.49. Lelah Lewis swam 1:11.36 to take home the bronze medal.

The 15-17 Boys 100m Fly saw Forbes win the silver medal with a personal best time of 56.26 while Marvin Johnson also swam a personal best of 56.28.

The Bahamas has widened the gap on Jamaica to hold on to

the game instead of losing my head,” Chisholm told Fox Sports’ Pedro Moura.

“I probably watched my highlights 150 times in a month,” Chisholm said.

“I think I watched video every single day in the offseason — of myself, the same swings, all my highlights.”

Off the field, Chisholm has had viral moments with everyone from young fans impersonating his look to Hollywood star Charlie Sheen wearing custom Chisholm t-shirts at Los Angeles Angels games.

“He’s already a fan favourite. Young fans, old fans,

extend their lead at the end of the second day of competition.

They totalled 470 points while Jamaica trailed them with 392.50 points. The 77.50 points difference was an improvement from a 25.50 points difference after the first day of competition. They increased their total to 31 total medals. In addition, they have 10 silver and 17 bronze medals. The second day saw The Bahamas win 16 medals that included two golds, six silvers and eight bronze.

The two gold medals that came on day two came via relays. The 13-14 Boys set a new CARIFTA record of 4:07.96 in the 4x100 medley relay. The record-breaking quartet included Donald Saunders in the backstroke, Caden Wells in the breaststroke, Asher Johnson in the butterfly and anchoring the team home with the freestyle was Caleb Ferguson. They broke the

people who’ve been around baseball, they like the way that he plays, and everything that he brings to the table,” Marlins shortstop Miguel Rojas said. “What I say to Jazz, though, is that now is your time to focus on your game. Your game will speak for you. The things that you do on the field and off the field, you don’t have to do too much.

A lot of people already like you.”

In 2021, the Marlins finished 67-95, fourth in the National League East.

Chisholm’s first full season in Major League Baseball earned a

previous record held by The Bahamas of 4:09.98 set back in 2017 edition of the Games.

The second gold of the night came in the 15-17 boys 4x100m medley relay. Jake Thomspon kicked it off for Team Bahamas in the backstroke before Erald Thompson III closed the gap.

Nigel Forbes had the butterfly portion of the race before Marvin Johnson brought home the gold medal in the freestyle.

The Bahamas won the title for the first time in Savaneta, Aruba, in 2014. The 36-member team finished with a total of 736.50 points, more than 100 points ahead of the host team Aruba, who was second with 618 points. The Bahamas claimed 55 medals en route to the win, including 23 gold, 22 silver and 10 bronze.

They retained the title in Bridgetown, Barbados, the following

postseason accolade as he was named to MLB Pipeline’s All-Rookie Second team.

He appeared in 124 games, (91 at second base, 37 at shortstop) with 119 starts. He hit .248 with a .728 OPS, slugging .425 with 115 hits, 183 total bases, 70 runs scored, 20 doubles, four triples, 18 home runs, 53 RBI and a team leading 23 stolen bases.

Despite missing 34 games with various ailments, including a hamstring strain, ankle strain, shoulder contusion and time on the COVID-19 reserve list, he finished just two home runs away from the vaunted milestone of 20 stolen bases and 20 home runs in his rookie season.

year. The Bahamas won the meet again with a total of 756.50 points, more than 100 points ahead of the host team Barbados, who was second with 642.50 points. They claimed 54 medals en route to the win, including 29 gold, 17 silver and eight bronze.

After Guadeloupe won in 2016, The Bahamas returned atop the standings and regained the title at home with 799.5 points, followed by Guadeloupe (662). They repeated as champions in 2018 in Jamaica. The Bahamas scored 789 points, more than 100 points ahead of Guadeloupe who came second with 608 points.

In 2019, The Bahamas won their third consecutive title with a total of 889.5 points. Jamaica followed with 748 points with Trinidad and Tobago third with 676 points. They won a total of 73 medals, including 35 gold, 18 silver, and 20 bronze.

BOSTON (AP) — Reigning Olympic champion Peres Jepchirchir capped the celebration of a half-century of women in the Boston Marathon with a finish to top them all.

The 28-year-old Kenyan won a see-saw sprint down the stretch yesterday, when the world’s oldest and most prestigious annual marathon returned to its traditional spring start for the first time since the onset of the coronavirus pandemic.

On the 50th anniversary of the first official women’s race, Jepchirchir traded places with Ethiopia’s Ababel Yeshaneh eight times in the final mile before pulling ahead for good on Boylston Street and finishing in 2 hours, 21 minutes, 1 second.

“I was feeling she was strong. I pushed it,” said Jepchirchir, who earned $150,000 and the traditional gilded olive wreath to go with her Olympic gold medal and 2021 New York City Marathon title. “I fell behind. But I didn’t lose hope.”

Evans Chebet completed the Kenyan sweep, breaking away from Gabriel Geay with about four miles to go to finish in 2:06:51 for his first major marathon victory. The 2019 winner Lawrence Cherono was second, 30 seconds back, defending champion Benson Kipruto was third, and Geay fell back to fourth.

Daniel Romanchuk of Champaign, Illinois, won his second career wheelchair title in 1:26:58.

Switzerland’s Manuela Schar won her second straight Boston crown and fourth overall, finishing in 1:41:08.

NPBA Championships: Rockets sweep Giants

By BRENT STUBBS Senior Sports Reporter bstubbs@tribunemedia.net WHILE the Discount Distributors Rockets celebrated with a threegame sweep of the New Providence Basketball Association men’s division one championship series, dethroning the Commonwealth Bank Giants, the division II series between the Sun Oil Rockets and the Your Essential Store (YES) Giants will go right down to the wire in the fifth and deciding game.

Behind the most valuable player (MVP) performance from Able Joseph, Discount Distributors completed the men’s division one series on Thursday night at the AF Adderley Gymnasium with a close 84-82 encounter as they celebrated with their first title in the league’s abbreviated postseason play that resumed after being halted in 2020 because of the breakout of the coronavirus pandemic.

Now inspired by their performances, Sun Oil is hoping to make it a double dose of celebrations for the Rockets’ club after they staved off elimination for the second straight night in game four on Saturday night with a 104-89 rout over YES Giants. The win came after the Rockets nipped the Giants 97-96 in game three on Thursday night.

YES Giants won the first two games of the series, taking game one 106-88 and game two 80-74, but they couldn’t hold off the Rockets as they stormed back to even the series with the deciding game to be played on Friday at 8pm.

Unlike the division II series, Discount Distributors took the first two games of the division one

series 84-75 and 79-77 and they didn’t ease up in game three as they closed the door on the Giants.

“We knew that game three wasn’t going to be an easy one,’ Discount Distributors head coach Devon Johnson said.

“We had to fight for this championship. The guys played very well. The Giants are a good team.

They have been winning for years, but the Rockets just wanted it more this year.

We had the talent to prove that we were just as good or even better than the Giants.

So I felt pretty good about it. You always feel good when you win a championship. It was a good win. I wasn’t expecting to sweep them, but hey, we will take it.”

Commonwealth Bank’s coach Perry Thompson Sr said their players put their best foot forward, but they couldn’t withstand the pressure applied by the younger and more vibrant Discount Distributors team.

“The lay off really hurt because age was a factor.

Trying to get back in shape in a quiet period of time didn’t pay off for us,” he said. “We missed Eugene (Bain). We had to try to fill the void he left, but we didn’t have the bigs to compete against them.

“We now have to redirect our focus for the upcoming regular season. We have to see who will be available and who we need to replace. We know for sure that we have to get younger.

There’s no ifs or buts about it. I thought we had an opportunity for the second and third games. But we let it slip away from us, which is uncharacteristic of the Giants, but that’s the way the ball bounces. The future is bright for us. We just have to make an adjustment.”

THE DISCOUNT Distributors Rockets celebrated with a three-game sweep of the New Providence Basketball Association men’s division one championship series, dethroning the Commonwealth Bank Giants.

Photo by Donavan McIntosh/Tribune Staff After losing the first the way they should have. throws and David Taylor two games, 106-88 in the “The Rockets shot well. came up with a steal in the opener and 80-74 in game Give them a lot of credit,” winding seconds to seal the two, Sun Oil bounced back Thompson Sr said. “We just deal.

Three other players and snatched the next two have to regroup and come games to even their division out here with a lot more scored in double figures intensity for game five. If with Livingstone Marshall two series.

“They counted us out we can do that, we will do contributing 15 points with 17 rebounds, four steals after the second game, but it.”

The Giants, according to and two assists. Roosevelt I feel like we allowed the second game to slip away Thompson Sr, don’t have Whylly had 12 points and from us,” Sun Oil coach any pressure. He said they 13 rebounds with two assists Moses Johnson said. “The will come out in game five and a steal and Georgio guys were resilient and I and do what they have Walkes added 10 points.

The Rockets, who kept rallying them. I told to do. He said his players them that if we play defence will be back hungrier than enjoyed a commanding aggressively for four quar- ever to win the title. He 58-40 rebounding advanters, they won’t beat us this said both of their Giants tage, also got seven points series. The guys were up to teams were just happy to and four rebounds from the task and they showed get the opportunity to com- Devon Ferguson and Ryan me that they really want to pete for the titles after the Turnquest helped out with win this series and celebrate league was halted for the six points.

Commonwealth Bank got just like our division one past two years because of 25 points and four rebounds Rockets team (Discount COVID-19.

Here’s a summary of the with two steals and an assist Distributors).” from Jackson Jacob.

Johnson said with the action over Easter holiday: Rockets 84, Giants 82: Adam Johnson had 24 division one team on hand to cheer them on, his Able Joseph, in 35 min- points, nine rebounds, six Rockets were even more utes of play, capped off his block shots, four assists and determined to win Satur- MVP feat as he finished a steal, Michael Bain Jr had day and force the deciding with a game high 27 points 19 points, eight assists, five with seven rebounds, three steals and four rebounds, game on Friday.

As for the YES Giants, assists and a pair of steals D’Shon Taylor had four Perry Thompson Sr said and blocks to pace Dis- points with three rebounds, they simply lost their com- count Distributors. He also two assists and a block and posure and didn’t execute connected on a pair of free Brian Bain helped out with

four points, three rebounds a steal and assist.

Rockets 104, Giants 89: Lerecus Armbrister canned a game high 26 points with four assists, two steals and two rebounds to lead the attack for Sun Oil in the pivotal game four on Saturday night. Bertrum Minns had 20 points and 11 rebounds, Anthon Williams also had 20 points with six rebounds, six assists and four steals and Crosley Wilmore chipped in with 15 points, five rebounds, two assists and two steals.

Commonwealth Bank got 21 points, five rebounds, three steals and two assists from Kirklyn Farrington, Kenvon Farrington had 16 points, three steals, two assists and two rebounds and Dylan Musgrove added 10 points, five rebounds, two steals and as many blocked shots.

Edward Williams and Brandon Strachan both had eight points and eight rebounds, while Andreas Black also had eight points with four rebounds and a pair of blocks.

Rockets 97, Giants 96: Sun Oil got a game high 27 points with three rebounds, two assists and as many steals to preserve the series a little longer on Thursday.

Anthon Williams had 24 points, nine rebounds, nine assists and four steals, Rumalo Ellis Jr had 19 points, three assists and steals and two rebounds, Crispen Gibson added 12 points with five rebounds, Kevin Thompson had six points with three rebounds and Cameron Cherry chipped in with five points, three assists and two rebounds.

Friday’s schedule 8pm - Sun Oil Rockets vs YES Giants - fifth and deciding game of the division series.

THE TRIBUNE

Tuesday, April 19, 2022, PAGE 15

CARIFTA

FROM PAGE 12

securing a pair of silver medals in the 4 x 100 metre relays that was dominated

by Jamaica with a clean sweep of all four races, highlighted by World Junior and CARIFTA record.

The under-17 girls team of Jamiah Nabbie, Nia Wright, Koi Adderley and Shatalya Dorsett ran 47.13 for the silver, but was no match for Jamaica, who surged out front in 45.38.

And in the under-20 boys division, the Bahamas team of Zachary Evans, Zion Campbell, Keano Ferguson and Carlos Brown Jr got a silver in 40.41, while Jamaica did 39.15 for a new CARIFTA record, erasing their countries previous time of 39.38 to put the icing on the cake of their sweep.

In the under-17 boys division, the Bahamas team of Jonathan Rodgers, Philip Gray, Kumani Skinner and Ishmael Rolle was out of the mix from the start in lane one and had to settle for fifth in 43.80. Jamaica again dominated in 41.74 for the gold.

The Bahamas didn’t compete in the under-20 girls division that saw Jamaica’s quartet of Serena Cole, Tina Clayton, Brianna Lyston and Tia Clayton not only win another gold but they also smashed the world junior record of 43.27 that was set by Germany in 2017 by running 42.58.

In the under-20 boys octathlon, Lynden Johnson emerged as the silver medallist with 4,894 points behind Jamaica’s Kevin Brooks, who took the eight multiple event competition over the first two days with 4,942.

Wooslyn Harvey of the Turks and Cacaos won the bronze with 4,888.

Johnson did 10.95 in the 100m (872 pts), 6.03m in the long jump (593), 9.73m in the shot put (469 pts) and 400m in 50.45 (794 pts) for

BAHAMAS under-17 girls 4 x 100m relay team of Jamiah Nabbie, Nia Wright, Koi Adderley and Shatalya Dorsett.

KEYSHAWN Strachan in action in the javelin.

Photos: Trackalerts.com

BAHAMAS under-20 boys 4 x 100m relay team of Zachary Evans, Zion Campbell, Keano Ferguson and Carlos Brown Jr. 2,728 at the end of day one to trail Brooks’ 2,839.

On the final day, Johnson clocked 15.27 in the 110m hurdles (817 pts); 1.56m in the high jump (434 pts); 40.97m in the javelin (456 pts) and faded to 5:18.31 in the 1,500m (459 pts) to complete the gruelling event.

Shimar Bain also came through with a silver when he clocked 52.83 in the under-20 boys 400m hurdles to trail Jamaica’s Roshawn Clarke, the gold medal winner in 50.68.

With just two competitors entered in the under-17 boys shot put, Nathaniel McHardy picked up the silver with a toss of 48-3 1/4 (14.71m). The gold went to Despira Wray of Jamaica with 50-4 3/4 (15.36m). Both of their

UNDISPUTED, STILL UNDEFEATED WELTERWEIGHT CHAMPION MAY BE NEXT

By STEPHEN HAWKINS AP Sports Writer ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — There could be an undisputed, and still undefeated, welterweight champion later this year.

Undefeated champs Errol Spence Jr and Terence “Bud” Crawford may finally get in the ring together. Both have made it clear that is what they want to happen.

Soon after WBC and IBF champion Spence won his unification bout to take the WBA belt from Yordenis Ugás, WBO titleholder Crawford tweeted that it was time for the “real fight” to happen.

“Everybody knows who I want next. I want Terence Crawford next,” Spence said after his scheduled 12-rounder with Ugás was stopped in the 10th round late Saturday night. “That’s the fight that I want. That’s the fight everybody else wants.”

Spence (28-0, 22 knockouts) had already been talking about wanting to face Crawford and the possibility of an undisputed championship even before adding his third belt Saturday night.

An energised home crowd of 39,946 was there for Spence’s first fight since his 12-round unanimous decision over Danny Garcia more than 16 months earlier — also at the home stadium of the NFL’s Dallas Cowboys.

ERROL Spence Jr (AP) The 34-year-old Crawford (38-0, 29 knockouts) last fought in November, a 10th-round TKO of former champ Shawn Porter.

That was Crawford’s fifth defence of the WBO title he first won nearly four years ago.

In his tweet directed at Spence, Crawford wrote, “congratulations great fight now the real fight happens.

No more talk no more side of the street let’s go!!!!”

Another tweet read, “keep my belts warm I’ll be coming to grab em later this year.”

There are still plenty of details and negotiations to be worked out before there will be a fight with unprecedented title implications in the 147-pound division — and a lot of big money on the line. “I’m not going to talk about what’s going to be fair for both us,” the 32-year-old Spence said about potentially difficult negotiations. “I have guys in suits to go over all of the analytics and stuff like that. … He’s got his people.”

performances came on their fifth tries. Jonathan Rodgers earned a bronze in the under-17 boys triple jump with his leap of 45-10 3/4 (13.99m) on his second attempt, while Jason Woodside fouled out of the competition. Jamaica got a 1-2 feat with Chevez Penn taking the gold with 48-0 (14.63m) and Euan Young getting the silver with 46-11 3/4 (14.32m).

Coming close to getting on the podium on Sunday was Quinton Rolle, who was fourth in the under-17 boys 400m hurdles in 55.66.

On the field, Jeani Morrison, who was fourth in the under-17 boys high jump with a leap of 6-0 3/4 (1.85m), Koi Adderley, who was fifth in the under17 girls long jump with 17-10 3/4 (5.45m), followed

by Jamiah Nabbie, who was seventh with 17-8 3/4 (5.40m).

Day one - four medals (1 gold, 1 silver, three bronze) Keyshawn Strachan needed just one throw to ink his name in the record books with his huge heave of 262-1 (79.89m) in the under-20 boys javelin for Team Bahamas’ first medal - a gold - on Saturday morning. On his first attempt, Strachan rewrote both his own national record of 257-11 (78.63m) he established last month and the CARIFTA record of 260-1 (78.28m) that was previously set by Anderson Peters of Grenada in 2016.

The towering 6-5 18-yearold Strachan passed his second attempt and scratched his third and final try. He missed the World Athletics’ qualifying standard of 85.00m for Eugene Oregon in July.

But the St John’s College 12th grader who is heading for Auburn University surpassed the standard again

of 226-4 1/2 (69.00m) for the World Junior Under20 Championships in Cali, Colombia in August.

Nathaniel Zervos, the other Bahamian in the competition, was sixth with 178-1 (54.28m) on his second attempt. His opening mark was 169-5 (51.65) m and he scratched his third try. Trinidad & Tobago trailed Strachan for silver and bronze from Anthony Diaz (208-11 or 63.69m) and Dorian Charles (188-8 or 57.52m) respectively.

Terrell McCoy closed out the first session as she picked up the bronze in the under-17 girls shot put with her personal best of 43-1 (13.00m) on her fourth attempt. Teammate Annae Mackey was fourth with 40-7 (12.37m). Savianna Joseph of the British Virgin Islands got the gold with 44-5 1/4 (13.54m) and Jamaica’s Nastassia Burrell got the silver with 42-11 3/4 (13.10m).

At the close of the first day of competition, Team

Bahamas had racked up more medals in the sprints as Grand Bahamian Shatalya Dorsett sped to the silver in the under-17 girls 100m in 11.80, following British Virgin Island’s Adaejah Hodge, who crossed the finish line in 11.29.

Zachary Evans got a bronze in the under-20 boys’ 100m in 10.45 behind a 1-2 sweep from Jamaica’s DeAndre Daley in 10.23 and Bouwahjgie Nkrumie in 10.28.

After a review, team officials indicated that Ishmael Rolle was elevated from fourth to bronze in the under-17 boys 100m in 10.77 as he changed spots with St Vincent’s Keo David, who was given 10.82.

However, the medal table didn’t reflect the change in the race that saw Antigua & Barbuda’s Dwayne Flemming win the gold in 10.72 and Jamaica’s Gary Card got the silver in 10.75.

In other finals on the track, Curtis Mitchell got fourth place in the under20 boys 1,500m in 4:01.70; Grand Bahamian Erin Barr was ninth in the under-17 girls 1,500m in 5:00.28; Zion Miller (49.36) and Berkley Munnings (49.63) were fourth and fifth respectively in the under-17 boys 400m; Javonya Valcourt was seventh in the under-20 girls 400m in 55.09; Antoine Andrews was sixth in the under-20 boys 400m in 48.35 and Andrew Brown didn’t finish and Paige Archer was seventh in the under-17 girls 100m in 11.85.

And on the field, Robert Stuart placed fifth in the under-17 boys long jump with 21-4 3/4 (6.52m) and D’Angelo Collie was tenth with 19-2 3/4 (5.86m); Stephan Farquharson got sixth in the under-20 boys high jump with 6-2 3/4 (1.90m); Koi Adderley was seventh in the under-17 girls high jump with 4-11 (1.50m); Jethro Baptiste was eighth in the under-17 boys discus with 140-2 (42.72m).

PAGE 16, Tuesday, April 19, 2022

THE TRIBUNE

Impressive wins for Shaunae Miller-Uibo and Laquan Nairn

By BRENT STUBBS Senior Sports Reporter bstubbs@tribunemedia.net OLYMPIC and world women’s 400 metre champion Shaunae Miller-Uibo and men’s long jumper Laquan Nairn posted impressive victories to lead a list of Bahamians in action in separate meets in the United States over the weekend.

Miller-Uibo shines in Florida Miller-Uibo, coming off her world indoor championship gold medal last month, proved that she’s fit and ready for the long haul to the World Championships in Eugene, Oregon in July as she clocked a sizzling, world-leading 49.91 seconds to take the title in the women’s 400m Olympic Development. Aliyah Abrams was a distant second in the race in 51.17.

Speaking on her performance, Miller-Uibo’s coach Lance Brauman of the Pure Athletics Track Club out of Florida said he was very happy, noting that it was a “solid and controlled opener” that she used as a “training effort.”

WNBA

FROM PAGE 12 minus-40 degrees outside,” said Milton-Jones, who played for UMKC Ekaterinburg — the same team as Griner.

The former All-American at Florida, WNBA All-Star and two-time WNBA champion with the Los Angeles Sparks said the decision to play in Russia was simply a “business one.”

In the early 2000s, top WNBA players could earn

Also at the meet, instead of running the open men’s 400m, Abaco native Olympic and world champion Steven Gardiner ran the lead off leg on the Adidas men’s 4 x 400m relay team consisting of Quincy Hall, Erriyon Knighton and Grant Holloway. They won the event in 2:59.00.

Grand Bahamian Alonzo Russell, however, came through in second place in the men’s 400m Olympic Development in 45.65, while Kinard Rolle got ninth in 47.29 in the time trials.

Great Britain’s Matthew Hudson-Smith had

the fastest time, winning the event in 44.82. Another Grand Bahamian Terrance Jones, competing for Texas Tech, placed second in the men’s 100m university in 10.09 as he trailed Matthew Boling of Georgia, who won in 9.98.

Exuma native Samson Colebrooke, competing in the men’s 100m Olympic Development, was seventh in the first of three heats in 10.35 as the Atlanta Track Club representative placed 11th overall.

Erriyon Knighton won the heat in 10.04 and was followed by Noah Lyles in 10.05 for the fastest two times.

Samson had a better showing in the men’s 200m Olympic Development event where he was fourth overall in 20.56, while Kinard Rolle was 15th overall in 21.85. The fastest time was done by Jereem Richards in 20.12.

Sasha Wells, competing for the University of Florida, placed 14th overall in the women’s 100m hurdles university preliminaries in 13.72, but it wasn’t fast enough to get her into the final.

about $125,000 a year as part of a marketing deal with the league. Today, the salary for elite players is about $500,000. By playing in Russia, those players can earn another $1 million to $1.5 million.

Players say the Russian teams try to make them as comfortable as possible, including sometimes providing drivers and translators. The clubs also give players extra days off during breaks, knowing they have longer travel back to the US, if they go home.

Apartments provided by the teams are comparable with what the players are accustomed to in the WNBA, including Westernstyle kitchens and laundry facilities, and they also have access to streaming services and video calls.

Milton-Jones, 47, played in other European leagues but said Russia paid the most at the time. And none topped UMKC Ekaterinburg, which continues to be an attractive destination for players.

Milton-Jones helped the club win its first

LAQUAN Nairn

SHAUNAE Miller-Uibo at the World Indoor Championships in Belgrade, Serbia, last month. Over the weekend in Florida, she clocked a world-leading 49.91 seconds to win the women’s 400 metres.

Nairn picks up the victory At the USATF Golden Games as a part of the Mt SAC Relays Hilmer Lodge Stadium in Walnut, California, LaQuan Nairn soared to victory in the men’s long jump with a lifetime best

of 26-feet, 11 3/4-inches or 8.22 metres in the last of six rounds of competition.

Nairn, who did a previous best of 26-9 3/4 (8.17m) on his third attempt, held off American Will Williams, who did 26-10 (8.18nm) for second.

And in the women’s 200m Olympic Development race, Tynia Gaither finished sixth in 22.72, shy of her PB of 22.45, which was also her season’s best.

American Gabrielle Thomas ran a world-leading time of 22.02 for the win.

EuroLeague title. The team’s owner, Shabtai Kalmanovich, changed the standard of pay and living for WNBA players in Russia before he was shot and killed in Moscow in 2009.

“We chartered.

Did everything five-star,” Milton-Jones said at USA Basketball training camp earlier this month. “He would just spoil us. He’d send us to France for a weekend and give us thousands of dollars to go shopping on a private plane. No matter the club, you didn’t know where the money was coming from and you didn’t care. You were there to do a job.”

Sue Bird and Diana Taurasi also spent many years playing in Russia for Kalmanovich and spoke of luxurious living conditions and the lavish trips he would provide.

“Everything literally was first-class,” Bird once said. “We’re staying at the best hotels. We go to Paris.

We’re in, like, the bomb hotel in Paris.”

That treatment at Ekaterinburg continues.

“My experience in Russia has been amazing, to be honest,” said Breanna Stewart, who has played for Ekaterinburg since 2020.

“They make sure they take

care of the players by chartering everywhere.”

But Milton-Jones also remembers how different life was 20 years ago, when cellphones and the internet were relatively new.

“Back in the day, you had to go to the cigarette shop and buy the scratch-off cards and you’d type that number in the phone and it says you have 25 minutes to talk,” she said. “We didn’t have the popular apps nowadays on your phone. It was a struggle” Connecticut Sun guard Natisha Hiedeman, who spent this past season in Russia before returning to home in March, said her daily routine consisted of going to the gym and returning home. The only other place she went was the grocery store.

“It’s just challenging going out when you can’t communicate. Everything is 10 times harder,” she said.

“I stayed in the house. I was fortunate that I had my dog out there, (to) do stuff with him.”

Hiedeman said being in Russia felt more isolating than playing in Israel.

“In Israel, everyone was 20 minutes apart and there were a whole bunch of Americans, so it was easier,” she said. “Russia is a huge country, and to be

near any other team you had to get on a plane and travel.”

Hiedeman stayed connected with her family through technology despite the time differences. “I don’t know how the old cats used to do it without FaceTime,” she said, laughing.

Brianna Turner, a teammate of Griner with the Phoenix Mercury, also played in Russia in 202021. She competed for Nika Syktyvkar, a team based in Russia’s remote European north.

Turner said Syktyvkar didn’t have a shopping mall or many places to go, but it had a McDonald’s — although she didn’t go there often.

She often stayed at home and streamed movies and shows on her computer.

When her team went on the road, she’d try to spend some time in the mall in those places.

“There wasn’t much to do outside of basketball,” she said. “My city was very cold. When I first got there, the sun set at 3,” said Turner, who is from South Bend, Indiana. “The weather was a big adjustment. It was even colder.

Wake up, and it would be negative 20 multiple days in a row. It was cold every single day.”