04242020 BUSINESS

business@tribunemedia.net

FRIDAY, APRIL 24, 2020

$3.89

$3.89

Bahamas financing need ‘close to’ $1bn

By NEIL HARTNELL Tribune Business Editor nhartnell@tribunemedia.net

A

STANDARD & Poor’s (S&P) analyst yesterday said The Bahamas will need “close to $1bn” to finance this year’s fiscal deficit while predicting “a strong economic recovery” in 2021 and 2022.

Jennifer Love, the associate director who heads the rating agency’s assessments on this nation, told a webinar that the government will continue to rack up “large” amounts of red ink over the next two fiscal years due to the revenue

• S&P: ‘Large’ deficits for next two years • Govt debt to soar to around 70% GDP • But ‘strong’ recovery to start in 2021

loss/increased spending associated with both Hurricane Dorian and the COVID-19 pandemic.

“In the fiscal year 20192020, I think we anticipate the financing needs to be close to $1bn - I think under that. It will be in excess of their present plan of $677.5m, but under $1bn,” Ms Love said of The Bahamas.

Her forecast is in line with the revised $800m deficit predicted earlier this

week by K Peter Turnquest, deputy prime minister, who told the Old Fort Rotary Club via video conference that the government’s tax income had dropped by 70 percent compared to prior year levels due to a combination of tourism shutdown and the wider COVID-19 lockdown.

S&P, in materials accompanying the webinar, is projecting that the government’s net debt as a percentage of gross

domestic product (GDP) will soar from around 50 percent in the prior fiscal year to near 70 percent come end-June 2020.

It will remain at or close to that level for the next two years through 2022 due to the lingering effects of COVID-19 and Hurricane Dorian, the latter of which was estimated to have inflicted some $3.4bn in damages and losses when

SEE PAGE 7

Private islands are ‘hot like fire’

By NEIL HARTNELL Tribune Business Editor nhartnell@tribunemedia.net

A BAHAMIAN realtor yesterday said “the private island market has gone hot like fire” as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, adding: “It’s social distancing at its finest.”

Gavin Christie, CA Christie’s managing partner and broker, told a Business Unusual webinar on how the virus has impacted Caribbean real estate that private islands and remote Family Island locations were increasingly being viewed as “the new luxury” by wealthy buyers seeking to escape the threat to their health.

Revealing that his firm has seen “online activity almost double in the last 14 days”, Mr Christie said

• Luxury properties ‘social distancing at its finest’ • Local realtor sees online activity ‘double’ • Urges market to exploit ‘captive audience’ The Bahamas needed to send the message that it remains “open for business” despite the border closures and travel bans associated with the global response to COVID-19.

He told the webinar, moderated by Alexander Britell, the Caribbean Journal’s editor-in-chief, that the pandemic still represented “a huge opportunity” for Bahamian and regional realtors as they could now engage “a captive audience” forced to remain at home in front of their computers by curfews, lockdowns and other restrictions.

While yet to see sustained

Judge brands realtor ‘stranger to the truth’

By NEIL HARTNELL Tribune Business Editor nhartnell@tribunemedia.net A SUPREME Court judge has branded a realtor “a stranger to the truth” after finding he sold the same land to two different buyers - Sir Franklyn Wilson and a Bahamian retail entrepreneur.

Justice Indra Charles, in an April 17 ruling, said Anthony Ramond Munnings appeared to “have practised a web of deceit over many years” after awarding Andrew Wilson, Quality Business Centre’s

(QBC) principal, some $207,600 in damages.

She ruled that Mr Wilson and QBC, an electronic goods retailer, had been “deceived” into purchasing nine western New Providence lots by the “fraudulent misrepresentation” of Mr Munnings who failed to disclose he had sold the same land five years’ earlier to Sir Franklyn’s Harmony Homes company.

QBC had initially sought $287,600 in damages, broken down into the $260,000 purchase price;

SEE PAGE 4

Tourism focusing on core markets ‘bang for buck’

By NEIL HARTNELL Tribune Business Editor nhartnell@tribunemedia.net

TOURISM must focus on “getting the biggest bang for our buck” with post-COVID-19 marketing strategies given that it will not escape governmentwide budget cuts, a Cabinet minister said yesterday.

Dionisio D’Aguilar, minister of tourism and aviation, told Tribune Business that his ministry would likely have to “defer” targeting new markets to concentrate on building confidence among American and Canadian travellers that The

Bahamas is a “safe” and healthy destination.

“I think tourism is going to have to live, as most ministries are, with a reduced budget. We’re no different from anyone else,” he said. “We obviously have to market the country when the time comes, but there’s a certain amount of headwind.

“Our key market is the US, and it’s in a tailspin.

There are 25m unemployed, and a 25 percent reduction in GDP. Their economy is being devastated by this virus, and that’s our core market. You add on top of

SEE PAGE 7

efforts to negotiate prices downwards on purchases already in motion, Mr Christie said both residential and commercial tenants are seeking to renegotiate rates and terms with their landlords. He noted, in particular, that there were large companies typically paying between $40,000 to $60,000 per month in rent who were closed and earning zero income to service this.

Mr Christie said he was encouraging buyers to “use this time wisely” and “do their groundwork” and research on properties that they would potentially like to purchase. And he was

also urging sellers that “now is the time to go” given that the COVID-19 pandemic will have driven away “a lot of the tyre kickers” to leave serious buyers only in the market.

“When this pandemic really started to hit home and I realised all the world’s borders were closing, I saw this as a huge opportunity,” Mr Christie told the webinar. “It’s the first time you have the entire world sitting down in front of a computer or smart device. I saw it as a huge opportunity to have a captive audience.”

SEE PAGE 4

$3.28

$3.99

Extend jobless benefits to 26 weeks, govt told

By NEIL HARTNELL Tribune Business Editor nhartnell@tribunemedia.net THE Chamber of Commerce’s labour specialist yesterday urged the government to extend unemployment benefits to 26 weeks to prevent companies from having to terminate workers.

Peter Goudie told Tribune Business he was “very hopeful” that the Minnis administration would repeat its post-Hurricane Dorian practice of doubling the period during which unemployed storm victims were able to receive benefits from the National Insurance Board (NIB).

He argued that this was the best way to deal with the conundrum presented by reforms to the Employment Act enacted under the Christie administration, which stipulate that after 12-13 weeks - around 90 days companies must provide due statutory/termination pay to employees who may have been laid-off or sent home.

Hundreds of businesses have temporarily furloughed thousands of Bahamian workers in response to the COVID-19 shutdown with the intention of re-hiring many once the economy re-opens. However, with no end in sight to the pandemic locally or internationally, some firms are getting increasingly fearful that the “90-day” clause will kick-in and they will be required by law to pay full severance.

This is a cost many can ill-afford to bear and, while employees may be relieved to receive a large financial package, they will still have little prospect of securing regular employment and incomes given the ongoing crisis.

“If you remember from Hurricane Dorian they extended the unemployment benefit from 13 weeks to 26 weeks,” Mr Goudie told this newspaper. “I believe

PETER GOUDIE they’re looking at that again given this pandemic.

“I don’t think people want to be paid out and not have a job, and not have any prospects of a job. If there’s some way that the government can fund NIB to increase the unemployment benefit; some way to extend it, it makes sense.

“I don’t think people really want to be paid out.

I think people really want a job. It’s fine to get a pay out, but what do you do when the country is shut down.

It’s an awful situation to be in because you have no permanent separation,” Mr Goudie continued.

“So I’m very hopeful, and I use that word strongly, that the government will seek to extend the unemployment benefit like they did with Hurricane Dorian.”

Backing the government’s efforts, led by the prime minister and Dr Duane Sands, minister of health, to control COVID-19’s spread in The Bahamas, Mr Goudie said success here was critical to the speed and extent to which the country’s economy opened back up.

“I brag about this to people in other countries because they’re doing a good job, and I’m glad it’s the doctors in charge,” he added.

“I’m really hopeful that if we can control COVID-19 in our country we can increase commerce even more than we have now.

“There are recommendations coming from the

SEE PAGE 7

PAGE 2, Friday, April 24, 2020

THE TRIBUNE

CROPS from BAMSI which will be donated to essential workers.

BAMSI donates produce to health, police workers THE Bahamas Agriculture and Marine Science Institute (BAMSI) has donated fresh produce to healthcare workers and law enforcement in North Andros to show appreciation for their COVID-19 efforts.

The gift, which included romaine lettuce, beets and onions, came from BAMSI students who grew these and other produce on the student farm plot as part of their Farm Skills course.

This is designed to give students hands-on experience in the areas of farming, aquaponics and marine science. The theory is covered in a traditional classroom,

while students rotate on to the farm, the marine environment and the aquaponics facility to practice what they have learnt.

“It is BAMSI’s hope that the donation will encourage and support the nutritional intake of those who remain on the front line during these challenging times”, Deandra Deveaux, a lecturer in plant and soil sciences, explained. She and fellow farm skills team member, lecturer Said Ponda, have continued with the upkeep of the student plot since the college implemented remote classes due to COVID-19.

The student farm plot not

only provides produce for the college cafeteria but it is also the site for handson learning and training, including seed bed and land preparation; crop science and production; plant pathology; farm machinery; and even post-harvest practices.

“This donation not only speaks to the Institute’s commitment to cultivating the next generation of farmers, fishers, agriprenuers and scientists, but also to cultivating a spirit of giving in our students and staff,” said Dr Raveenia Roberts-Hanna, BAMSI’s executive director.

THE TRIBUNE A SELF-screening tool to identify and track potential COVID-19 carriers, those in contact with them and persons most at risk was launched yesterday with a target of 15,000 users per week.

The Organisation for Responsible Governance (ORG) has teamed with Think Simple to develop Bahamas Together, which aims to boost the country’s fight against the pandemic by tracing possible victims and others they may have infected.

The duo have linked with Bahamas Strong and the HeadKnowles Foundation to help promote Think Simple, and are seeking support from other civil society organisations and the private sector to ensure as many persons as possible sign-up.

Robert Myers, ORG’s chairman, said: “The origin of this web-based tool really came out of the fact that we were researching a paper on ways to move through this deadly disease, COVID-19, and we submitted a paper to the prime minister on March 27.

“During that research it was clear to us that there were several significant

Friday, April 24, 2020, PAGE 3

Partners unveil tracking tool for COVID-19 fight

BY YOURI KEMP | TRIBUNE BUSINESS REPORTER YKEMP@TRIBUNEMEDIA.NET actions that would help manage and reduce the negative effects of COVID-19.

Some of those were largescale testing and tracking of the populace from the first signs of the virus hitting The Bahamas, and specifically communal infection where is starts to spread within the community as opposed to being brought in from the outside.”

While responsibility for COVID-19 testing fell on the government due to the specialised equipment and trained medical professionals required, Mr Myers said tracking was an area where ORG felt it could assist.

“But tracking was something that we thought we could be helpful with providing, and as we were

discussing these initiatives with people in the private sector,we quickly identified that Think Simple had considerable capacity to do just that and to work with us on this,” he added.

“More importantly, they were willing to very kindly work with us at no cost to the government.”

Gregory Michelier, Think Simple’s president and chief executive, said that “without data and information” The Bahamas is “blind” to the potential spread of COVID-19. This, he added, is the gap that the Bahamas Together self-screening tool is designed to fill.

“We found that most countries who were having the greatest success in combating the virus

were putting a great deal of resources into gathering information on contact tracing, which the government has been doing, but we thought we could augment that,” he added.

“For us it was important to start out with identifying possible areas of infection so the health professionals could allocate resources to this area, which would allow them to concentrate on educating the community, help them collate their current information with this current information and battle the virus even better.

“We are gathering data to identify high-risk communities, which have large concentrations of elderly people, pre-existing conditions and basically people at higher risk and who require additional protection as well. That’s part of the initiative as well, Mr Michelier continued.

“So identifying people with symptoms, identifying people with pre-existing conditions, and identifying people who may have come into contact within the last 14 days; that is kind of the idea. The front end, the one public facing, is a series of questions.

“From there we can map and graph the data, and provide the health officials by area, by island, and break down the data to show them where people are feeling sick and where they are not.”

Bahamas Together operates similar to a web portal.

Users will be directed to a website, which is the online screening tool, where one can remain anonymous.

The web portal is a questionnaire that asks users for their age, sex and area in which they live.

Persons can also give their name and direct location. The tool allows them to update their health status, thereby enabling officials to better monitor where they spend time and resources.

Mr Myers added: “This tracking and understanding where the disease is present and increasing, or decreasing, is critical in our mind.

It is critical to the people, the health care professionals and the government, because it allows everyone to better prepare and better manage the ensuing crisis.

“We got to 3,000 in two days, so within a week we probably could have 10,000 or 15,000 [users] if

we promote this well. We have limited data now, with only 3,200 users. But where this really gets interesting is where you get it out there widely, and people use it and start propagating the site.

“As soon as that happens what we’ll do specifically in the back-end is look at the clusters of those in that data. That’s why we say it is private in many ways, because we’re not interested in the one, but are interested in where clusters of people aged 65 and above are feeling very unwell.

“We want to know that data, or where somebody was tested positive for COVID-19 and what area they live in, then seeing whether that has any correlation to the other people that might be feeling ill in that area.”

Mr Myers reiterated that Bahamas Together will become “very useful” when larger numbers of Bahamians start using the online screening tool, as it will create sufficient data to pass on to healthcare professionals who can then isolate certain hot-spots where COVID-19 may be spreading.

AUTO SUPPLIER VOICES WEBSITE FRUSTRATIONS

By YOURI KEMP Tribune Business Reporter ykemp@tribunemedia.net

AN AUTO parts supplier is voicing frustration that the government has not given permission to fully operate its online platform amid the COVID-19 lockdown.

Dwayne Higgs, WHIM Automotive’s general manager, told Tribune Business that the company’s fullservice website has been in development for two years and would have helped to reduce the long customer lines that appeared when the company opened for

the first time in a month on Tuesday.

“One of my points was I was e-mailing every week, and calling every day, just to see if we can operate just on an online basis,” Mr Higgs said of his contacts with government. “So let’s say they have given us Tuesdays. Can we still operate on these other days just to do online orders?

People can come, we can make a makeshift drive through, or we can just do curb side delivery to your car and nobody gets out.”

Mr Higgs added that WHIM’s online venture could operate with minimal

staff, and possibly just management. He pleaded to be allowed to take the next step as there was “a very real possibility” for him to add delivery services and further value to the website.

The WHIM chief said a further advantage is that no cash would be involved, as persons would have already paid online, thereby minimising the potential spread of COVID-19. Noting the long service times on Tuesday, Mr Higgs said it took some customers around 30 minutes to get inside the store and be get served.

“The customer can go to our website, they can browse the entire store, and they can see every part we carry with the picture, the price and the availability,” he added. “They can also use the electronic catalogue where they can put in the year, make, model and engine size, or alternatively they could put in the VIN (vehicle identification number).

“We will show you every part that we carry for your car in detail and, just like Amazon, you can add those items to your shopping cart. You could explore all of the motor oils, the tools,

the chemicals, the accessories and there is a special section just for the Japanese right-hand drive vehicles. A lot of those we have been bringing in from China over the past few years. So we have the models that some other places may not have.”

Further describing how the website operates, Mr Higgs added: “You can go on and look up a headlight for a Suzuki Swift, put it in your shopping cart, and it takes you to a secure server, which is handled by First Atlantic, which is the same company that processes all of the government’s payments.

“So that is secure. You have no worry about that as your transaction is totally secure. Once you checkout and pay using your credit card or debit card, you would get e-mailed a receipt. You bring that to the store and, in normal circumstances, you come to the end of the counter and we have it pulled within five minutes of you ordering it.

“But under these circumstances, only being open on Tuesday’s, you would come to the exit door as we have another line formed at the exit door just for online orders. To me that is the quicker way to get served.”

NIB: ‘NO MAJOR SHIFT’ LANDSCAPING DOMINATES NEW BUSINESS LICENCES IN MANAGING FINANCES

By YOURI KEMP Tribune Business Reporter ykemp@tribunemedia.net

LANDSCAPING and construction businesses feature prominently among the 178 new Business Licence applications submitted to the Department of Inland Revenue.

Gaynell Rolle, the Department’s acting director, said: “We have seen an increase in business license

By YOURI KEMP Tribune Business Reporter ykemp@tribunemedia.net THE National Insurance Board’s (NIB) director says the surge in COVID-19 related benefits claims has not caused “a major shift” in how the social security system manages its $1.7bn reserve fund.

Dr Nicola Virgil-Rolle, pictured, said the social security system’s very “conservative” investment portfolio meant it was able to access deposits and liquid cash when needed as it braces to pay out $16m a month “above what it normally budgets” in benefits payments “We have always had a very conservative investment portfolio,” she said.

“That is the nature of the social security business. We have a fund of $1.7bn, of which by the far majority of it is in very conservative assets including Bahamas Government Registered Stock (BGRS).

“We have deposits in local bank accounts that we have access to, so those are very near cash assets.

A very small portion of our portfolio is in real estate, and then we have a few hundred million in foreign currency assets.”

Dr Virgil-Rolle added: “So we just had to ensure, through good treasury management, that we have our deposits on hand as they come due. As we need them, we redeem them, and I wouldn’t say it’s a major shift in managing this because we’ve had a conservative portfolio.”

Brensil Rolle, minister of the public service and national insurance, previously told the House of Assembly that NIB had just days to process three times’ the number of benefits claims it receives in a typical year due to the COVID-19 crisis.

The extra payouts he identified translate into an extra $192m annually which, depending on the pandemic’s economic impact and how long it lasts, will further strain a $1.7bn NIB reserve fund which was already set to come under ever-increasing pressure.

While no audited financial statements for NIB have been released since 2016, Mr Rolle confirmed that benefits payouts have exceeded contributions ever since that year.

And previous actuarial reports have warned that the $1.7bn reserve fund could be exhausted by early next decade unless major reforms are swiftly implemented.

The minister alluded to this, referring to NIB’s fiveyear “strategic plan” and the fact that the COVID-19 crisis had made implementing several of the reforms it contains almost imperative to secure the social security system’s future sustainability.

For now, though, NIB is doing exactly what it was created for - providing income support and a social safety net to thousands of Bahamians and their families who have either suffered job losses or reduced incomes as a result of the pandemic’s fall-out.

applications for new businesses. To date we have 178 new applications for new business license requests, mainly in the landscaping and construction industry. Hopefully that shows a sign that persons are as optimistic as we are about the economy going into a rebound.”

Landscaping and maintenance businesses are now included among “essential serves”, with the prime

minister granting permission on Sunday for the sector be open from 9am to 5pm from Monday to Fridays. The fact this sector is now able to work a full week is likely to have attracted some applications.

Ms Rolle added: “We had a number of concerns from our media chat of persons and businesses, in particular some of our attorneys, on being able to

have documents stamped for VAT stamping. That’s the conveyances.

“We would like to convey that those services have resumed as of last week Thursday. Persons are asked to come to the department, and they are going to drop those documents off. We will be able to process those documents within a two to three-day work period and get those documents back to them.”

PAGE 4, Friday, April 24, 2020

THE TRIBUNE

Judge brands realtor ‘stranger to the truth’ FROM PAGE ONE $17,600 in stamp duty; and $10,000 in legal fees and associated expenses incurred in acquiring the lots situated in the Lake Villanees Subdivision, which is located west of Gladstone Road.

However, “certain admissions” by Mr Munnings in his original defense enabled QBC to persuade a different Supreme Court judge to award them an initial $80,000 in damages as the realtor had confessed to receiving this sum in exchange for five of the lots.

Justice Charles then took over the case to deal with the $207,600 balance of the retailer’s claim.

According to her judgment, Mr Munnings and QBC’s Mr Wilson met between March and May 2007 to discuss the proposed transaction. “The plaintiff [Mr Wilson/QBC] alleged that the defendant [Mr Munnings] fraudulently represented that he was the sole legal and beneficial owner of the lots and that they were for sale,” Justice Charles wrote.

“As a result, the plaintiff was induced into purchasing the lots and, in reliance on the defendant’s misrepresentation, the plaintiff

paid the defendant the sum of $260,000 as consideration for the transfer of the lots.”

The deal was closed through three conveyances executed between March and May 2007, but QBC/Mr Wilson alleged they were only alerted to problems in December 2011 when they attempted to sell two of the lots. The potential purchaser, conducting to title search and other due diligence, found that the lots in question formed part of a 7.22-acre tract sold to Sir Franklyn’s Harmony Homes in 2002.

Mr Munnings, though, denied that he had made and fraudulent misrepresentations. He instead sought to blame his then-attorney, Philip Lundy, who he alleged dealt with all matters relating to the QBC sale. Mr Lundy also represented both parties in the transaction.

Mr Wilson, testifying for QBC during the trial, said he thought the $260,000 purchase price was “a good deal” - his attorney arguing that the lots were “grossly undersold”. However, after uncovering the alleged fraud due to his subsequently lost sale, the retailer said he instructed his attorneys to file a criminal complaint with the Royal Bahamas Police Force.

Justice Charles’ judgment did not divulge the outcome of any police investigation.

However, under cross-examination he testified that Mr Munnings approached him about the deal when in his former downtown Nassau store that was “right across the street from Mr Lundy’s office”.

“He then went over to Mr Lundy’s office to further discuss and facilitate the transaction,” Justice Charles added of Mr Wilson’s evidence. “Under re-examination, Mr Wilson indicated that the defendant was the one who directed him to go to Mr Lundy. Mr Lundy did not do any searches.

He merely facilitated the transaction.”

Mr Munnings, in his testimony, said he was informed

by Mr Lundy that Mr Wilson was interested in purchasing land in the Lake Villanees Subdivision (LVS) and would be acting for both parties in the deal, Describing himself as a realtor by profession, Mr Munnings said he never discussed the transaction with Mr Wilson, and that all negotiations were between the latter and Mr Lundy.

Describing QBC’s claim as “fraudulent”, Mr Munnings denied conveying the 7.22 acre tract containing the lots to Sir Franklyn’s

Harmony Homes on January 8, 2002. This was despite being show the conveyance lodged with the registry of records detailing that transaction. Mr Munnings also described this as “fraudulent”, and denied that it was his signature on the document.

Having assessed the evidence and witnesses, Justice Charles said she preferred the testimony of Mr Wilson who she described as “candid and straightforward”.

“On the other hand, the defendant, in spite of his engaging manner, can hardly be believed and I attached very little weight to his evidence,” she ruled. “In other words, I found him to be a stranger to the truth. Mr Wilson thought that he was getting a bargain. Four years later, he realised that he was deceived by the defendant who had already sold the same lots to Harmony Homes.

“I found that, as a result of the misrepresentation of the defendant, the plaintiff executed the three conveyances for the lots and paid for them. I agree with [Mr Wilson’s attorney] that, from the defendant’s defence, he seeks to muddle the issues in order to avoid his obligation. The irrefutable fact is that the defendant’s

Private islands are ‘hot like fire’ FROM PAGE ONE

He explained that he quickly moved to develop social and electronic media content marketing himself, the firm and The Bahamas to both a local and international audience. Various audiences were targeted including his fellow realtors, who he urged “not to panic” over the uncertainty and market volatility caused by COVID-19. “The response we got was overwhelming,” Mr Christie said.

“We need to let people know The Bahamas is still

open for business. They have to understand we’re still doing deals. If they want to be a luxury home or condo they can do it today. They only challenge is they can’t physically view properties, but they can do it online. The private island market has gone hot like fire. It’s social distancing at its finest. Social distancing is the new luxury.”

Other Bahamian realtors, including John Christie, HG Christie’s president, have also reported an increase in private island inquiries as high net worth individuals seek out remote locations

where they can keep themselves and their families safe from COVID-19, future pandemics and other global crises.

Efforts to keep real estate sales flowing, and conclude deals in the pipeline, have also been boosted by the government’s re-opening of both the Department of Inland Revenue for the VAT stamping/payment on conveyances and the Registry of Records for their recording/lodging.

“With this global pandemic comes change, and with change comes opportunity,” Mr Christie reiterated.

“That’s what I’m kind of seeing with my client base and data base. There’s going to be a global shift in money, and you have a lot of high net worth individuals looking at new options, looking at restructuring.

“The Caribbean will be first in line. I’m seeing an uptick in business, uptick in queries. Social distancing is the new luxury for The Bahamas. What I’m seeing is that a lot of these potential buyers are not looking at Nassau, which has 80 percent of the population. They’re looking at the Family Islands, Staniel Cay,

MARKET REPORT www.bisxbahamas.com

(242) 323-2330

THURSDAY, 23 APRIL 2020

(242) 323-2320

ALL SHARE INDEX: CLOSE: 2,138.46 | CHG: 0.35 | %CHG: 0.02 | YTD: -93.14 | YTD%: -4.17 BISX LISTED & TRADED SECURITIES 52WK HI 4.45 22.65 7.00 6.75 2.60 2.00 5.47 12.77 6.17 4.50 10.60 3.64 5.10 10.88 8.15 16.99 9.40 4.25 15.21

52WK LOW 3.35 20.91 5.50 5.39 2.09 0.67 2.00 10.21 5.60 3.75 6.01 2.53 1.80 8.00 6.63 13.04 6.98 3.14 13.90

SECURITY AML Foods Limited APD Limited Bahamas Property Fund Bahamas Waste Bank of Bahamas Benchmark Cable Bahamas CIBC FirstCaribbean Bank Colina Holdings Commonwealth Bank Commonwealth Brewery Consolidated Water BDRs Doctor's Hospital Emera Incorporated Famguard Fidelity Bank Finco Focol J. S. Johnson

SYMBOL AML APD BPF BWL BOB BBL CAB CIB CHL CBL CBB CWCB DHS EMAB FAM FBB FIN FCL JSJ

1000.00 1000.00 1000.00 1000.00

1000.00 1000.00 1000.00 1000.00

Cable Bahamas Series 6 Cable Bahamas Series 8 Cable Bahamas Series 9 Cable Bahamas Series 10 Colina Holdings Class A Fidelity Bank Class A Focol Class B

CAB6 CAB8 CAB9 CAB10 CHLA FBBA FCLB

PREFERENCE SHARES

1.00 10.00 1.00

1.00 10.00 1.00

CORPORATE DEBT - (percentage pricing) 52WK HI 100.00

52WK LOW 100.00

115.92 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00

104.79 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00

SECURITY Fidelity Bank Note 22 (Series B) +

SYMBOL FBB22

Bahamas Note 6.95 (2029) BGS: 2015-1-3Y BGS: 2014-12-5Y BGS: 2015-1-5Y BGS: 2014-12-7Y BGS: 2015-1-7Y BGS: 2014-12-30Y BGS: 2015-1-30Y BGS: 2015-6-3Y BGS: 2015-6-5Y BGS: 2015-6-7Y BGS: 2015-6-30Y BGS: 2015-10-3Y BGS: 2015-10-5Y BGS: 2015-10-7Y

BAH29 BG0203 BG0105 BG0205 BG0107 BG0207 BG0130 BG0230 BG0303 BG0305 BG0307 BG0330 BG0403 BG0405 BG0407

BAHAMAS GOVERNMENT STOCK - (percentage pricing)

LAST CLOSE 3.55 17.43 6.00 6.68 2.10 1.62 2.97 11.26 6.00 4.04 6.01 2.88 4.90 9.53 8.15 14.15 8.97 4.00 15.20

CLOSE 3.55 17.43 6.00 6.68 2.10 1.62 2.99 11.26 6.00 4.04 6.01 2.90 4.90 9.49 8.15 14.15 8.97 4.00 15.20

CHANGE 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.02 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.02 0.00 -0.04 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00

1000.00 1000.00 1000.00 1000.00 1.00 10.00 1.00

1000.00 1000.00 1000.00 1000.00 1.00 10.00 1.00

0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00

CLOSE 100.00

CHANGE 0.00

107.31 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00

0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00

LAST SALE 100.00 107.31 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00

VOLUME

500 4,760

750

944

VOLUME

EPS$ 0.239 0.932 1.760 0.369 0.070 0.000 -0.438 0.722 0.449 0.184 0.140 0.102 0.467 0.646 0.728 0.816 0.939 0.203 0.631

DIV$ 0.170 1.260 0.000 0.260 0.000 0.020 0.000 0.720 0.220 0.120 0.000 0.434 0.060 0.328 0.240 0.540 0.200 0.120 0.610

P/E 14.9 18.7 N/M 18.1 N/M N/M -6.8 15.6 13.4 22.0 42.9 28.4 10.5 14.7 11.2 17.3 9.6 19.7 24.1

0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000

0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000

0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0

YIELD 4.79% 7.23% 0.00% 3.89% 0.00% 1.23% 0.00% 6.39% 3.67% 2.97% 0.00% 14.97% 1.22% 3.46% 2.94% 3.82% 2.23% 3.00% 4.01% 0.00% 0.00% 0.00% 0.00% 6.25% 7.00% 6.50%

INTEREST Prime + 1.75%

MATURITY 19-Oct-2022

6.95% 4.00% 4.25% 4.25% 4.50% 4.50% 6.25% 6.25% 4.00% 4.25% 4.50% 6.25% 3.50% 3.88% 4.25%

20-Nov-2029 30-Jul-2018 16-Dec-2019 30-Jul-2020 15-Dec-2021 30-Jul-2022 15-Dec-2044 30-Jul-2045 26-Jun-2018 26-Jun-2020 26-Jun-2022 26-Jun-2045 15-Oct-2018 15-Oct-2020 15-Oct-2022

YTD% 12 MTH% 0.37% 3.81% 0.24% 4.38% 0.23% 2.75% 5.76% 5.76% 12.81% 12.81% 0.94% 3.72% -3.46% 2.09% -0.11% 3.43% -3.33% 1.53% -0.32% 10.20% -1.58% 15.37% 0.88% 5.22% -4.91% 10.77% 1.89% 6.75% -1.95% 0.38% N/A N/A 10.80% 2.60% 10.40% -4.00%

NAV Date 31-Jan-2020 31-Jan-2020 31-Jan-2020 31-Dec-2019 31-Dec-2019 31-Mar-2020 31-Mar-2020 31-Mar-2020 31-Mar-2020 29-Feb-2020 29-Feb-2020 29-Feb-2020 29-Feb-2020 29-Feb-2020 29-Feb-2020

signature appears on the three conveyances issued to the plaintiff.

“In my judgment, the defendant made the representations fraudulently and either well knowing that they were false and untrue or recklessly not caring whether his representations were true or false...”

And Justice Charles, noting that Mr Munnings had failed to produce the conveyance showing six lots were sold to QBC for $80,000, added: “One would expect that he would have that conveyance in his possession. After all, he is no ordinary man. According to him, he is a realtor.

“He had, in the past, sold many lots of land not only in LVS but other areas in New Providence. In my judgment, it appears that he has practised a web of deceit over the many years.”

The judge also criticised Mr Munnings for “hurling a sundry of aspersions” at his long-time attorney Mr Lundy, who was acting as his “agent” in dealings with Mr Wilson and QBC. Despite finding against Mr Munnings, Justice Charles also cleared up the issue of whether the 2002 conveyance for the sale to Sir Franklyn’s Harmony Homes was fraudulent as the realtor claimed.

She found that the sale

remained in effect even though the document was executed before Mr Munnings acquired title and ownership of the land involved, as this was not completed until 2004.

“I declare that Harmony Homes is the owner of the 7.22 acre tract of land in the January 2002 conveyance,” Justice Charles ruled. “I also find that the plaintiff did not receive good and marketable title in fee simple in possession to the lots given that they form part of the valid January 2002 conveyance to Harmony Homes.

“In my judgment, the plaintiff has adduced credible evidence to support the claim of fraudulent misrepresentation made by the defendant, and the defendant made such misrepresentation knowing the same not to be true.

“Furthermore, there is sufficient evidence to show that such misrepresentation induced the plaintiff to purchase the lots at a considerable amount of money. As a result of the misrepresentation of the defendant, the plaintiff has suffered loss and damage given the fact that the lots were previously sold to Harmony Homes.”

Mr Wilson was represented by his brother John F Wilson, now senior partner at McKinney, Bancroft & Hughes.

Harbour Island. It’s social distancing at its finest.

“They’re looking for safety, security and seclusion. They can find that in the Caribbean. We are very busy, and a lot of opportunities will come out of this COVID-19 issue. I personally have been very busy over the last six weeks. The digital platform is the new norm and social distancing is the new luxury.”

The government, though, has yet to follow the lead set by the likes of Turks & Caicos, which has slashed the stamp duty rate on real estate transactions by 50 percent; waived planning fees; and reduced taxes on building materials in a bid to stimulate construction and real estate-related activity amid the tourism shut down.

Urging the Minnis administration to put similar incentives in place by focusing on “closing costs”, Mr Christie said “the big question” over whether it follows Turks & Caicos by cutting VAT on real estate sales remains. He also called for the Bahamian real estate industry to be represented on the committee that the prime minister is forming to chart the post-COVID-19 recovery.

Real estate transaction closings are now taking place electronically in many Caribbean nations, with documents ferried via courier between attorneys. Mr Christie said he personally had two transactions that were “under contract” and moving ahead despite the pandemic, which he said signalled confidence in the Bahamian market among potential buyers.

“I’ve put a list together of ten of my top clients and said: Now’s the time to go,” he added. “I said: ‘Use this time wisely to start doing due diligence’. The borders remain closed, but I will use this time to connect with them, and do due diligence, do the ground work

and work through the possibilities. I’ve told them that now is the time, and use it wisely to do due diligence on whatever the investment property is.”

Sending a similar message to sellers, Mr Christie said: “It’s a very case sensitive topic. I’m telling them now is the time to go. You have a captive audience, and a lot of money is shifting around.

You want to be in front of it. Those shopping in the COVID-19 market; they’re serious.

“It’s kind of eliminated a lot of the tyre kickers. Those guys shopping are serious buyers looking to do serious deals. I’m saying you won’t find a better time to go into the market on the luxury side. A lot of people are looking to move money, and The Bahamas and Caribbean is top of the tree.”

While he had seen little pressure to-date to renegotiate purchase prices and terms, Mr Christie added: “What I have personally seen is more so on the rental side, where you have tenants - be it commercial or residential - who are looking for rental credits or to sit with the landlord and repay the loan.

“You have large commercial entities paying $40,000, $50,000, $60,000 a month and now their operations are closed. The problem is no one knows how long.

We’re seeing a lot on the residential side but not so much the commercial side.”

Mr Christie said vacation rentals, guest houses and timeshares were among the elements of the real estate market hit hardest by COVID-19 as tourism business was now “non-existent” across the Caribbean.

He added that the pandemic had also enabled realtors to slow down from their “1,000 miles an hour” lifestyle of viewings, meetings and conferences to instead focus on family and other important life aspects.

MUTUAL FUNDS 52WK HI 2.30 4.38 2.09 195.13 166.73 1.67 1.85 1.76 1.24 8.34 10.26 7.00 12.15 12.58 10.81 10.00 8.98 11.79

52WK LOW 1.67 3.30 1.68 164.74 116.70 1.61 1.75 1.70 1.14 6.41 7.62 5.66 8.65 10.54 9.57 9.88 8.45 11.20

FUND CFAL Bond Fund CFAL Balanced Fund CFAL Money Market Fund CFAL Global Bond Fund CFAL Global Equity Fund Leno Preferred Income Fund Leno Growth Fund Leno Diversified Fund Leno Global USD Bond Fund Royal Fidelity Bahamas Opportunities Fund - Secured Balanced Fund Royal Fidelity Bahamas Opportunities Fund - Targeted Equity Fund Royal Fidelity Bahamas Opportunities Fund - Prime Income Fund Royal Fidelity Int'l Fund - Equities Sub Fund Royal Fidelity Int'l Fund - High Yield Fund Royal Fidelity Int'l Fund - Alternative Strategies Fund Colonial Bahamas Fund Class D Colonial Bahamas Fund Class E Colonial Bahamas Fund Class F

NAV 2.30 4.38 2.09 195.13 166.73 1.67 1.79 1.75 1.16 8.31 10.07 7.00 11.42 12.58 10.52 N/A 8.98 11.40

MARKET TERMS

BISX ALL SHARE INDEX - 19 Dec 02 = 1,000.00 52wk-Hi - Highest closing price in last 52 weeks 52wk-Low - Lowest closing price in last 52 weeks Previous Close - Previous day's weighted price for daily volume Today's Close - Current day's weighted price for daily volume Change - Change in closing price from day to day Daily Vol. - Number of total shares traded today DIV $ - Dividends per share paid in the last 12 months P/E - Closing price divided by the last 12 month earnings

30-Sep-2019 30-Sep-2019 30-Sep-2019

YIELD - last 12 month dividends divided by closing price Bid $ - Buying price of Colina and Fidelity Ask $ - Selling price of Colina and fidelity Last Price - Last traded over-the-counter price Weekly Vol. - Trading volume of the prior week EPS $ - A company's reported earnings per share for the last 12 mths NAV - Net Asset Value N/M - Not Meaningful

YOUR

TO TRADE CALL: CFAL 242-502-7010 | ROYALFIDELITY 242-356-7764 | COLONIAL 242-502-7525 | LENO 242-396-3225 | BENCHMARK 242-326-7333

CHOICE FOR THE FAMILY WWW.FACEBOOK.COM/JOYFM1019

THE TRIBUNE

The Group’s objectives when managing capital are to maintain a strong capital base to support the development of its business, provide returns for its shareholders and benefits for other stakeholders and comply the capital requirements mandated by the Central Bank of The Bahamas (the Central Bank).

Rhonewith Trustees (Bahamas) Ltd.

(Incorporated under the laws of the Commonwealth of The Bahamas)

Capital adequacy and the use of regulatory capital are monitored by the Group’s management, employing Notes to the Consolidated Statement of Financial Position techniques designed to ensure compliance with guidelines established by the Central Bank. The required For the Year Ended 31 December, 2019 information is filed with the Central Bank on a quarterly basis.

(Continued)

Central Bank requires the Group to maintain minimum capital equivalent to US$1,000,000.

9 The Dividends Dividends are recognised when they have been declared payable by the Board of Directors. Dividends The total equity on the(2018: consolidated statementwere of financial represents regulatory capital. aggregating CHFshown 1,000,000 CHF 2,600,000) declaredposition and paid during the year, which The GroupCHF has complied withCHF all of2,600) the externally imposed capital requirements to which it is subject. represent 1,000 (2018: dividends per share.

Regulatory approval was obtained as necessary.

11 Subsequent events 10 Capital Management Management of Rhone Trustees (Bahamas) Ltd has assessed the impact of COVID-19 based on the information available at the date of issue of these financial statements, and has concluded that Rhone The Group’s objectives when managing capital are to maintain a strong capital base to support the Trustees (Bahamas) would continue as a going concern. development of its business, provide returns for its shareholders and benefits for other stakeholders and comply with the capital requirements mandated by the Central Bank of The Bahamas (the Central Bank).

Capital adequacy and the use of regulatory capital are monitored by the Group’s management, employing techniques designed to ensure compliance with guidelines established by the Central Bank. The required information is filed with the Central Bank on a quarterly basis.

The Central Bank requires the Group to maintain minimum capital equivalent to US$1,000,000.

The total equity shown on the consolidated statement of financial position represents regulatory capital.

The Group has complied with all of the externally imposed capital requirements to which it is subject.

11 Subsequent events Management of Rhone Trustees (Bahamas) Ltd has assessed the impact of COVID-19 based on the information available at the date of issue of these financial statements, and has concluded that Rhone Trustees (Bahamas) would continue as a going concern.

Friday, April 24, 2020, PAGE 7

Bahamas financing need ‘close to’ $1bn FROM PAGE ONE it struck Abaco and Grand Bahama in early September 2019.

The rating agency is also projecting that the net increase in central government debt will be between seven to eight percentage points this year, although that will start to taper off from 2021 onwards. The fiscal decline is directly related to the 16 percent decline in economic output (gross domestic product or GDP) that S&P is forecasting that The Bahamas will suffer this year.

“Under our base case scenario, we expect a significant fall in GDP in 2020 followed by a strong recovery in 2021 and beyond,” Ms Love added. “We expect large fiscal deficits over the next two years.”

Hopefully signalling better days to come, S&P is projecting that The Bahamas will recover all the economic ground lost to COVID-19 by 2022. Its models show half that loss being regained next year, with the economy expanding by four percent beyond 2019 levels in 2023.

Still, The Bahamas was one of only two tourismdependent Caribbean and north Atlantic economies - Belize being the other to be downgraded by S&P last week. This pushed The Bahamas further into

“junk” status as it had already lost its investment grade rating with S&P at Christmas 2016 when the former Christie administration was in office.

Acknowledging that The Bahamas had been derailed by external shocks beyond its control, Ms Love said: “Actually for most of last year, 2019, The Bahamas experienced good economic growth and fiscal results.

“The government had been in the process of implementing more sustainable public finances, and had met its fiscal deficit targets. Up until the fall of 2019 the country’s economic growth had been good. However, in September 2019, the country suffered a devastating hurricane.”

The government announced in Hurricane Dorian’s wake that it would temporarily deviate from the consolidation targets announced in the Fiscal Responsibility Act to focus “attention on recovery and rebuilding”, which was projected to increase the 2019-2020 fiscal deficit from $137m to $677.5m.

However, that is now forecast to increase further due to the tourism industry’s total shutdown. “The sector is important to The Bahamas. It generally contributes 40 percent of GDP and 50 percent of employment,” Ms Love added.

With the government expected to finance its deficit from a combination of Bahamian dollar and foreign currency borrowing, Ms Love said: “We expect the current account deficit to widen... on lower tourism receipts that will be partially offset by falling goods imports and oil prices.

“We’ve left a negative outlook on The Bahamas, which reflects the uncertainty over the duration of the pandemic and strength of the recovery.” While S&P is projecting a strong economic rebound for this nation in 2021, it is unclear how this aligns with its projections that tourism in the Caribbean will not “get back to pre-pandemic levels in the next few years” - possibly not before 2022-2023.

S&P summed up: “The COVID-19 pandemic will cause a dramatic decline in tourism, and have significant impact on the country’s economy and government finances, which were already vulnerable following Hurricane Dorian in fall 2019.

“We expect the effects of the pandemic on the economy and fiscal deficits will be limited to one to two years. However, the country’s debt burden will take longer to recover. The negative outlook reflects the risks that the effects of the outbreak will be more severe or prolonged than we currently expect.”

Extend jobless benefits to 26 weeks, govt told FROM PAGE ONE National Tripartite Council and others, but we can then start to look at increasing domestic tourism and increase buying from domestic businesses, which this country needs.

“Then we increase fisheries and increase domestic food production. Agriculture is going to take a while to get ramped up, but the fisheries industry needs to get back in business because that’s good food,” Mr Goudie said.

“I hope this is going to be implemented, so people do not have to live in total fear of

not having work or any place to apply for work.”

Mr Goudie said he recently gave a presentation to a Caribbean Hotel & Tourism Association (CHTA) webinar where he stressed the need for employers “to be empathetic to our employees” and recognise that the uncertainty and disruption caused by COVID-19 is also presenting mental health challenges.

“I talked from a human resources perspective about the things we need to do as employers to help our employees,” he told Tribune Business. “It’s a tough time, and you and I, we have never been through this in our

lifetimes. It’s really amazing what we are all going through.

“We have to be extremely empathetic to our employees. We have to watch what they’re going through. I’m really busy through the Chamber and National Tripartite Council, but there’s an awful lot of people with nothing to do or can’t handle the stress.

“This is a really tough time for people. We may not think it’s a big deal, but some people may not be taking it that well.

It’s an unprecedented event, it’s really serious and I’m concerned about some people’s mental health.”

Tourism focusing on core markets ‘bang for buck’ FROM PAGE ONE

ADVERTISING CONTRACTS ARE AVAILABLE

Home Buyers Guide The Tribune

The Bahamas Source For Homes, Condos, Apartments, Lots & Rentals

HUGE SAVINGS! ALSO receive FREE SPOTS on The Tribune’s Website. *Restrictions apply

Call 502-2356 or Email: cgaitor@tribunemedia.net

that the complete evaporation of the cruise market.

We have to get over those hurdles. The cruise companies have to work through how they reassure customers that when they get on the ship they won’t get sick or trapped on the ship.”

Mr D’Aguilar added that ‘the two pressing concerns that have to be addressed” from The Bahamas’ perspective, once its borders and tourism re-open, was to reassure potential travellers this is a COVID-19 free destination while also convincing tourism industry workers that their guests are also virus free.

“A lot of thought has to go into how we reassure the public the destination they’re coming to is not only going to be idyllic, peaceful and relaxing, but it’s also going to be safe,” he said. “I think a marketing campaign promoting The Bahamas as a safe destination to visit is going to be critical.

“I think most people in their minds have this view of The Bahamas as a beautiful Caribbean country, with white sandy beaches and crystal clear waters, but is it safe? We’re going to create and advocate to the travelling public that it is safe.”

The minister said The Bahamas would have to concentrate on rebuilding its

DIONISIO D’AGUILAR core US north-east, Florida and Canadian markets first once global economies start to re-open. “We’re going to have to work with a reduced budget, so we’re going to have to be employing strategies where we get the most bank for our buck in directing marketing dollars,” he told Tribune Business.

“We’re going to have to focus on our core markets of the US, Canada and probably the UK. Other far-flung areas where we think there’s potential we will have to defer until we get the core markets back up and running.”

Mr D’Aguilar continued: “My team at the Ministry of Tourism is working feverishly to develop strategies and is maintaining relationships with partners such as the airlines. It’s very much a work in progress.

“Even though there are no tourists here, all members of the Ministry of Tourism are focused on how we position ourselves for when the time comes, flights resume and people think about vacations, and we get the reassurance out there that we’re one of the safest places to come.”

PAGE 10, Friday, April 24, 2020

THE TRIBUNE

THE WEATHER REPORT

5-Day Forecast

TODAY

ORLANDO

High: 83° F/28° C Low: 71° F/22° C

TAMPA

TONIGHT

SATURDAY

SUNDAY

MONDAY

TUESDAY

Winds subsiding with clouds and sun

Increasing clouds, warm and humid

A t‑storm in spots; winds subsiding

Variable clouds, a t‑storm in spots

Mostly cloudy and humid

Variable clouds, a t‑storm possible

High: 88°

Low: 78°

High: 89° Low: 77°

High: 88° Low: 75°

High: 87° Low: 74°

High: 85° Low: 74°

AccuWeather RealFeel

AccuWeather RealFeel

AccuWeather RealFeel

AccuWeather RealFeel

AccuWeather RealFeel

AccuWeather RealFeel

97° F

84° F

99°-84° F

97°-82° F

96°-73° F

87°-73° F

High: 81° F/27° C Low: 73° F/23° C

The exclusive AccuWeather RealFeel Temperature® is an index that combines the effects of temperature, wind, humidity, sunshine intensity, cloudiness, precipitation, pressure and elevation on the human body—everything that affects how warm or cold a person feels. Temperatures reflect the high and the low for the day.

N

almanac

E

W

ABACO

S

N

High: 84° F/29° C Low: 79° F/26° C

12‑25 knots

S

WEST PALM BEACH High: 94° F/34° C Low: 74° F/23° C

12‑25 knots

FT. LAUDERDALE E

W

FREEPORT

High: 92° F/33° C Low: 79° F/26° C

N

S

E

W

High: 89° F/32° C Low: 79° F/26° C

MIAMI

High: 94° F/34° C Low: 80° F/27° C

8‑16 knots

KEY WEST

High: 89° F/32° C Low: 82° F/28° C

ELEUTHERA

NASSAU

High: 88° F/32° C Low: 78° F/26° C

Forecasts and graphics provided by AccuWeather, Inc. ©2020

High: 84° F/29° C Low: 79° F/26° C

N

The higher the AccuWeather UV IndexTM number, the greater the need for eye and skin protection.

tiDes For nassau High

Ht.(ft.)

Low

Ht.(ft.)

Today

9:28 a.m.

9:49 p.m.

2.4 2.8

3:36 a.m. 0.0 3:32 p.m. ‑0.1

Saturday

10:04 a.m.

10:26 p.m.

2.3 2.8

4:14 a.m.

4:07 p.m.

0.0 0.0

Sunday

10:42 a.m.

11:05 p.m.

2.2 2.8

4:53 a.m.

4:43 p.m.

0.1 0.0

Monday

11:22 a.m.

11:49 p.m.

2.1 2.8

5:35 a.m.

5:23 p.m.

0.2 0.1

Tuesday

12:09 p.m. ‑‑‑‑‑

2.1 ‑‑‑‑‑

6:22 a.m.

6:10 p.m.

0.3 0.2

Wednesday 12:39 a.m.

1:03 p.m.

2.7 2.0

7:14 a.m.

7:06 p.m.

0.4 0.3

Thursday

2.7 2.1

8:11 a.m.

8:10 p.m.

0.4 0.3

1:35 a.m.

2:05 p.m.

sun anD moon Sunrise Sunset

6:39 a.m.

7:37 p.m.

Moonrise Moonset

7:45 a.m.

9:09 p.m.

First

Full

Last

New

Apr. 30

May 7

May 14

May 22

CAT ISLAND

E

W

High: 84° F/29° C Low: 78° F/26° C

N

S

E

W

10‑20 knots

S

10‑20 knots Shown is today’s weather. Temperatures are today’s highs and tonight’s lows.

Statistics are for Nassau through 2 p.m. yesterday Temperature High ................................................... 84° F/29° C Low .................................................... 74° F/23° C Normal high ....................................... 82° F/28° C Normal low ........................................ 70° F/21° C Last year’s high ................................. 82° F/28° C Last year’s low ................................... 69° F/21° C Precipitation As of 2 p.m. yesterday ................................. 0.00” Year to date ................................................. 2.91” Normal year to date ..................................... 5.95”

uV inDex toDay

ANDROS

SAN SALVADOR

GREAT EXUMA

High: 83° F/28° C Low: 78° F/26° C

High: 84° F/29° C Low: 79° F/26° C

N

High: 89° F/32° C Low: 79° F/26° C

E

W S

LONG ISLAND

tracking map

High: 85° F/29° C Low: 79° F/26° C

10‑20 knots

MAYAGUANA High: 85° F/29° C Low: 79° F/26° C

Shown is today’s weather. Temperatures are today’s highs and tonight’s lows.

CROOKED ISLAND / ACKLINS RAGGED ISLAND High: 83° F/28° C Low: 79° F/26° C

High: 84° F/29° C Low: 79° F/26° C

GREAT INAGUA High: 85° F/29° C Low: 79° F/26° C

N

E

W

E

W

N

S

S

10‑20 knots

10‑20 knots

marine Forecast ABACO ANDROS CAT ISLAND CROOKED ISLAND ELEUTHERA FREEPORT GREAT EXUMA GREAT INAGUA LONG ISLAND MAYAGUANA NASSAU RAGGED ISLAND SAN SALVADOR

Today: Saturday: Today: Saturday: Today: Saturday: Today: Saturday: Today: Saturday: Today: Saturday: Today: Saturday: Today: Saturday: Today: Saturday: Today: Saturday: Today: Saturday: Today: Saturday: Today: Saturday:

WINDS S at 12‑25 Knots S at 8‑16 Knots SE at 10‑20 Knots S at 4‑8 Knots SSE at 10‑20 Knots SSE at 8‑16 Knots SE at 10‑20 Knots ESE at 10‑20 Knots SSE at 10‑20 Knots SSE at 8‑16 Knots SSW at 15‑25 Knots S at 8‑16 Knots SE at 10‑20 Knots SSE at 8‑16 Knots SE at 10‑20 Knots ESE at 8‑16 Knots SE at 10‑20 Knots SE at 8‑16 Knots SE at 10‑20 Knots SE at 10‑20 Knots SSE at 12‑25 Knots S at 8‑16 Knots SE at 10‑20 Knots ESE at 8‑16 Knots SE at 10‑20 Knots SSE at 8‑16 Knots

WAVES 3‑6 Feet 3‑5 Feet 1‑3 Feet 1‑2 Feet 2‑4 Feet 2‑4 Feet 3‑6 Feet 3‑6 Feet 3‑6 Feet 2‑4 Feet 2‑4 Feet 1‑3 Feet 1‑3 Feet 1‑3 Feet 3‑6 Feet 2‑4 Feet 2‑4 Feet 1‑3 Feet 3‑6 Feet 3‑6 Feet 2‑4 Feet 1‑2 Feet 2‑4 Feet 2‑4 Feet 2‑4 Feet 1‑3 Feet

To advertise ALL your LEGAL NOTICES, call The Tribune’s Sales Department

502-2394

VISIBILITY 10 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles

WATER TEMPS. 79° F 79° F 83° F 84° F 77° F 77° F 81° F 81° F 79° F 80° F 79° F 81° F 81° F 82° F 81° F 81° F 80° F 80° F 80° F 80° F 80° F 80° F 81° F 81° F 77° F 77° F