MITCHELL HITS OUT AT CUBAN CLAIMS
Minister warns of risk to sovereignty after contract leaks
By KEILE CAMPBELL
Tribune
Staff Reporter
kcampbell@tribunemedia.net
FOREIGN Affairs Min-
ister Fred Mitchell has warned that documents leaked by a US-based human rights group — purporting to show that Cuban medical professionals in The Bahamas receive a small fraction of their contracted wages — could be part of a broader effort to influence Bahamian public policy and undermine the country’s sovereignty.
He said the documents, published last week by
the Miami-based Cuba Archive, were “purloined” and lacked explanation or context.
He cautioned against the influence of such leaks but did not categorically deny the organisation’s central claim: that Cuban medical professionals receive less than 20 percent of the wages paid by the Bahamian government — an arrangement that could place local officials in the crosshairs of US authorities considering visa restrictions for those linked to Cuba’s medical missions programme.
MP ‘MAY SUE’ OVER CLAIMS MADE ON SOCIAL MEDIA
By EARYEL BOWLEG Tribune Staff Reporter ebowleg@tribunemedia.net
BAIN and Grants Town
MP Wayde Watson has denounced a wave of online accusations against him as politically driven and defamatory, saying the claims are part of a “wellcoordinated and calculated attack” to undermine his reputation and the Progressive Liberal Party. During a press conference yesterday, he said the allegations first appeared online on Sunday and originated from a post by Sylvens Metayer — the same man who last year
Englerston backlash after White’s claim ‘sensible voters vote FNM’
NEIL HARTNELL
By LYNAIRE MUNNINGS Tribune Staff Reporter
lmunnings@tribunemedia.net
ST ANNE’S MP Adrian White is facing backlash for describing Free National Movement (FNM) supporters as “sensible” voters and singling out Englerston as the only constituency that has never backed the party.
THE government last night asserted its warnings of short-term “price pressures” and “inflated costs” do “not mean electricity prices are rising across the board” over the next
the return of the CARIFTA track team on Tuesday, last night it was the turn of the triumphant swimming team to arrive at Lynden Pindling International Airport. See SPORTS for more.
Photo: Chappell Whyms Jr
SENIOR POLICE OFFICER VICTIM OF ROBBERY
DEPUTY Commissioner of Police Anthony Rolle was among several people caught in an armed robbery at a financial institution on John F Kennedy Drive on Tuesday, according to a statement from the Royal Bahamas Police Force. Police did not say what time the incident happened.
DCP Rolle, who was off duty and dressed in civilian clothing, was reportedly not identifiable as a police officer during the incident. Police said he used his training to help de-escalate
the situation and ensure the safety of others present.
The force commended his response, describing it as calm, professional, and reflective of senior leadership under pressure.
An investigation into the robbery is ongoing. The RBPF has urged anyone with information about the incident to come forward as they work to identify and apprehend those responsible.
DCP Rolle was sworn in as one of two deputy commissioners of police in January.
DEPUTY Commissioner of Police Anthony Rolle pictured last year. Photo: Dante Carrer/ Tribune Staff
PM: THOUSANDS ALREADY SEEING REDUCTION IN ELECTRICITY BILLS
By LYNAIRE MUNNINGS Tribune Staff Reporter lmunnings@tribunemedia.net
PRIME Minister Philip “Brave” Davis said yesterday that thousands of Bahamians are already reaping the benefits of his administration’s energy reforms, pointing to sharp reductions in electricity bills as the first signs of progress in a sweeping overhaul of the country’s power sector.
Speaking in the House of Assembly, Mr Davis said 62 percent of households paid less than $125 for electricity in January. More than 9,500 homes paid under $20, 40,000 paid between $20 and $99, and over 8,200 paid between $100 and $124.
Govt details plan for switch to gas
By RASHAD ROLLE Tribune News Editor
THE Bahamian government formalising its transition to natural gas and outlining a multi-pronged strategy for stabilising energy prices, expanding electricity access, and modernising its power system, according to the draft National Energy Policy 2025–2030, which was released yesterday and builds upon a decade of unrealised ambitions and recent infrastructural commitments.
Although the shift to liquefied natural gas (LNG) is already underway — marked by the signing of major supply and infrastructure agreements earlier this year — the policy seeks to codify the fuel transition into a comprehensive national strategy, positioning LNG as the primary fuel for power generation in The Bahamas, offering a cleaner-burning and more stable-cost alternative to the diesel and heavy fuel oil currently used in most power plants.
The policy confirms that two of the largest Bahamas Power and Light (BPL) engines are being converted to operate on LNG. By repurposing existing infrastructure rather than building entirely new plants, the government hopes to reduce capital costs while accelerating the benefits of more efficient, lower-emission generation.
This retrofit strategy, Energy and Transport Minister JoBeth Coleby-Davis said in the House of Assembly yesterday, allows The Bahamas to “make use of the assets we already have” while preparing them for a more sustainable future.
While LNG is positioned as the backbone of the near-term energy mix, solar power remains on the table as part of the longterm vision. The minister acknowledged the country’s limited solar productivity — approximately 1,500 full production hours per year — but announced
that utility-scale solar projects are being launched in New Providence and will be extended to the Family Islands.
These projects, she said, will still play a vital role in fuel diversification and in “reducing long-term cost exposure”.
The policy also seeks to mark structural evolution in how energy is managed nationwide, moving beyond the fragmented implementation style of the past by clearly assigning responsibilities across the Ministry of Energy and Transport, the newly formed Department of Energy, and the Utilities Regulation and Competition Authority (URCA). Together, these agencies are expected to steer everything from infrastructure planning and investment to consumer education and regulatory oversight.
Electricity prices remain a central concern. While base generation costs in The Bahamas are relatively low, the heavy dependence on fuel surcharges has pushed average tariffs to among the highest in the region. The new policy outlines plans to review pricing structures, potentially shifting toward cost-reflective tariffs that balance affordability for consumers with the need to attract and retain energy investors. Special provisions are also discussed to ensure equitable access and protect vulnerable communities.
Where the previous energy policy released in 2013 focused heavily on transforming The
Bahamas into a leader in renewable energy, the 2025–2030 draft adopts a more measured tone. Solar, waste-to-energy, and other renewables remain part of the national vision, but they are no longer presented as the immediate core of the energy mix. Instead, the document acknowledges the technical and legal constraints that have previously limited renewable adoption and proposes a phased, transitional approach with LNG as the bridge fuel.
The new draft also reflects lessons learned from the earlier strategy. At the time of the 2013 policy’s release, outdated laws prohibited independent power producers from selling renewable energy to the grid. The recent passage of the Electricity Act, 2024 and Natural Gas Act, 2024 has modernised the legal landscape, giving URCA greater enforcement powers and requiring the national energy policy to be reviewed every five years.
Demand-side management also plays a more prominent role. A national energy audit and retrofit programme is proposed for low-income homeowners and small businesses aimed at reducing consumption and improving efficiency. This complements new workforce development initiatives, including a certification system for renewable and energy efficiency system installers. Mrs Coleby-Davis underscored the social dimension of energy reform, describing human capital development as “paramount to the effective utilisation of energy and the ensuing benefits.”
She emphasised that the new policy results from extensive collaboration and internal review led jointly by the Ministry of Energy and Transport and URCA. The drafting process included consultations with stakeholders from across the energy landscape, and the government has now opened public consultation sessions to collect further input. The first sessions are scheduled this week in
New Providence and Grand Bahama, with meetings in other islands to follow.
While the draft policy maintains alignment with international climate goals — particularly the Paris Agreement and the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals — it does so with a more pragmatic voice than its predecessor. Rather than setting ambitious renewable targets, it presents infrastructure development, fuel diversification, and regulatory reform as the means by which environmental objectives will be reached.
The government is expected to finalise and adopt the policy later this year.
He said these early gains reflect just the beginning of a larger transformation to build a cleaner, more reliable and affordable energy system across the archipelago.
“When we took office in 2021, we encountered a power grid and a power generation system on life support, barely hanging on,” Mr Davis said. He reminded the House that the country was grappling with fiscal and economic strain and a long-standing energy crisis, with Bahamas Power and Light (BPL) saddled by more than $600 million in debt.
He outlined an ambitious plan to modernise the energy sector, including utility-scale solar plants, cleaner fuels, and a complete overhaul of aged infrastructure. He said over 60 percent of BPL’s generation equipment in New Providence required replacement, and experts warned the country needed more than $500 million in upgrades to avoid “a complete, imminent, catastrophic failure.”
Despite the scale of the challenge, Mr Davis said the government was pushing forward with “the largest coordinated energy investment in the nation’s history” — a $1 billion plan spanning New Providence and the Family Islands. Key goals include transitioning to liquefied natural gas (LNG), expanding solar energy use, and achieving 32 percent solar power generation by 2030.
The plan includes the construction of solar, LNG, and mixed-fuel facilities on more than a dozen islands, including Abaco, Eleuthera, Exuma, Andros, Bimini, and Harbour Island. Mr Davis said the effort is being delivered through partnerships with Bahamian and international firms, including Madeleine Solar, Eco Energy, CVB Utility, EA Energy, and The Exumas Renewable Energy Corporation.
“This is not just about saving money on electricity bills,” he said. “It’s about building a new energy future that is greener, more resilient, and more secure.”
The government expects the first phase of LNG infrastructure to come online within 18 months, with solar projects already underway. Mr Davis said the construction phase will generate 1,000 jobs, with hundreds more expected during the operational stage.
He said projections show the country’s energy demand will exceed 435 megawatts by 2036, making the reforms critical for longterm stability and growth.
“We are confident that we have designed these partnerships to deliver change for Bahamian households as quickly and comprehensively as possible,” Mr Davis said.
PRIME Minister Philip Davis in Parliament yesterday.
Photos: Dante Carrer/Tribune Staff
MINISTER of Energy and Transport JoBeth ColebyDavis yesterday.
Nation falls far short of vaccine goal
representative for The Bahamas and Turks and Caicos Islands. “Our immunisation amongst children is at a perilously, perilously low rate, which means that if a case of measles comes into The Bahamas, there’s a very high risk that it would spread and cause illness amongst children and maybe some unvaccinated adults as well.”
National immunisation coordinator Gina Rose said while around 86 percent of one-yearolds receive the first dose, only 60 percent go on to receive the critical second dose needed to complete protection.
“That is a significant
number of children who are missing complete coverage,” she said. “Without that second dose, immunity may be insufficient and entire communities remain vulnerable.”
Health officials say the low coverage puts the country at serious risk, especially as measles cases surge globally. The United States has recorded more than 800 cases so far this year, up from 248 in 2023, and outbreaks have also been reported in Canada, Bermuda, Turks and Caicos, and Belize.
“Many of the conferring cases of measles in the United States, they have direct flights to The Bahamas, and the possibility of imported cases is now high,” said Minister
of Health and Wellness Dr Michael Darville.
In response, the Ministry of Health and Wellness has launched a national immunisation campaign in collaboration with the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO), ramping up efforts to close the gap. The initiative includes school-based vaccinations, mobile community teams, door-to-door outreach, and extended evening clinic hours.
“We want to ensure that persons have access,” said Dr Philip Swann, acting Director of the Department of Public Health. “During those times, there’ll be, of course, no charge for the vaccine for a child or an adult who needs clearing. And we also will not be
charging for registration at those hours for those particular services.”
Dr Swann said the extended hours aim to reach working parents and residents who may have missed previous immunisation opportunities.
“The initiative is designed to eliminate barriers — both logistical and financial — to improving vaccination rates,” he said.
Mobile vaccination teams will begin weekend outreach in communities surrounding the Blue Hill Road and Fleming Street clinics, with additional pop-up events scheduled at Marathon Mall and Mother Pratt Park.
“We have started a doorto-door campaign,” said Ms Rose. “If you can’t
come to us, we will come to you and make sure that the children are vaccinated against the measles and any other vaccine that the immunisation that they may have missed.”
Although no confirmed measles cases have been reported in The Bahamas, officials say the country must act proactively to avoid being blindsided by imported infections.
To prepare for any suspected exposures, Dr Swann said hotel workers will be briefed on symptoms and protocols. Tourists showing signs of illness may access any of the 70 to 90 public clinics nationwide.
“This public campaign that we’re talking about of nurses in the community,
healthcare workers in the community, is actually a relaunch of a community program that the Department of Public Health has had in the past,” he said. Health officials are also working to reassure the public that the MMR vaccine is safe, effective, and not to be confused with controversial efforts during the COVID-19 pandemic.
“This is not a COVID-19 vaccine drive,” Dr Swann said. “We have specific information on the forms as to what vaccines you are approving your child to receive. We are not persons who will go against your wishes.”
The campaign is part of PAHO’s 23rd annual Vaccination Week in the Americas.
DARVILLE DEFENDS USE OF POLICE OFFICERS TO DRIVE AMBULANCES
By EARYEL BOWLEG Tribune Staff Reporter
ebowleg@tribunemedia.net
HEALTH and Wellness Minister Dr Michael Darville is defending the government’s decision to deploy police officers as temporary ambulance drivers on the Family Islands, insisting the move is a short-term fix to an urgent shortage of trained emergency medical technicians (EMTs).
Dr Darville said the measure was rolled out to ensure uninterrupted emergency care in areas where new ambulances have arrived, but EMT
training is still underway.
He described the use of police officers — specifically for driving duties — as a stop-gap solution until a new cohort of EMTs is fully certified.
He added that medical professionals would remain responsible for treating patients during transport, with police focusing solely on operating the vehicle. He sid this arrangement allows the government to avoid service gaps while pressing ahead with a medium and long-term strategy to expand the country’s emergency response workforce. His comments followed criticism from former
National Security Minister Marvin Dames, who warned the initiative could strain police manpower and compromise law enforcement on islands where officers are already spread thin.
Mr Dames questioned the plan’s sustainability and said the government had not been transparent about how long the arrangement would last or how it would be evaluated. He argued that police should not be tasked with dual roles that could create dangerous conflicts requiring law enforcement and medical response.
The initiative is part
of a broader programme launched by the Public Hospitals Authority in collaboration with the Ministry of Health and the Royal Bahamas Police Force. Seventeen officers — including personnel from Eleuthera, Andros, Cat Island, and Abaco — are currently being trained to operate emergency vehicles.
Officials say the training, which includes defensive and offensive driving techniques, was designed to meet the unique challenges of transporting patients in time-sensitive and high-risk situations. A second phase, set to begin April 22, will focus on certifying new EMTs through the PHA Academy.
PHA managing director Aubynette Rolle has supported the plan, noting that officers are well-suited for driving roles due to their existing skills. She said this structure frees medical personnel to concentrate on stabilising patients in transit.
Police Commissioner Shanta Knowles also backed the measure, pointing out that many reserve officers selected for the programme already live in the communities they will serve — making them immediately available in life-threatening situations.
While Mr Dames acknowledged the need to close care gaps, he urged the government to invest in a dedicated emergency response workforce rather than relying on the police. He said the country should prioritise recruiting and training young
Bahamians to fill EMT roles, warning that the stop-gap could become a substitute for long-term planning without a clear exit strategy.
Dr Darville said the government cannot wait for perfect conditions while lives are at stake.
22-YEAR-OLD SHOT DEAD IN CAR
A 22-YEAR-OLD man was shot and killed early on Wednesday morning as he sat in a car outside a home on Yamacraw Hill Road — marking the country’s 26th murder for the year, according to The Tribune’s records.
Police said a white Japanese-model vehicle pulled up to the residence shortly before 6am. One of the occupants got out, exchanged brief words with the victim, then opened fire.
The man was taken to hospital by emergency medical services but later died of his injuries. Police had not identified the victim up to press time. Investigations into the incident are ongoing.
MAN RECOVERING AFTER REPORTED SUICIDE BID
A 25-YEAR-OLD man is recovering in hospital after reportedly attempting to take his own life late Tuesday night, police said. Officers responded to a residence on Martin Close in Eight Mile Rock shortly before 11pm after receiving reports of the incident. On arrival, they found the man lying in a bedroom, having ingested a mix of over-the-counter medications and other substances in what authorities described as a suspected suicide attempt. Police said the man initially refused medical
attention but was later transported to hospital, where he is receiving care and further evaluation. His condition was last listed as stable.
The incident comes amid rising concern over a surge in suicide and self-harm cases nationwide.
MINISTER of Health and Wellness Dr Michael Darville and fellow attendees at a press conference yesterday to promote vaccination in The Bahamas.
Photo: Chappell Whyms Jr
MINISTER of Health and Wellness Dr Michael Darville in Parliament yesterday. Photo: Dante Carrer/Tribune Staff
Englerston backlash after White’s claim ‘sensible voters vote
from page one
FNM’
“Sensible people vote FNM,” he said during a recent Love 97 talk show interview. “Every constituency has voted FNM except Englerston. Every seat has voted FNM, so every seat can be seen as a sensible seat. Why some seats don’t deter- mine that they are going to vote FNM in particular elections are down to the consideration of the factors that are affecting them. The FNM is the party of sense.” His comments triggered swift criticism from Englerston MP Glenys Hanna-Martin, who said her constituents were offended and called on Mr White to apologise in the House of Assembly.
consider making an apology to the people of Englerston,” she said.
“Because in his innuendo, either direct or indirect, is an assertion that the people of Englerston ain’t got no sense.”
Mr White attempted to clarify his remarks yesterday, insisting he had not intended to insult anyone’s intelligence.
“All seats would qualify as sensible seats since at one time or another they all voted FNM, all except Englerston,” he said.
“Point for me being that voting FNM was sensible and it was worth considering what happened when those seats did not vote FNM, why they didn’t.”
He said the discussion on the radio show escalated when the host asked whether his comments implied
non-FNM voters were unintelligent.
“Those were not my thoughts,” he said. “He eventually put it to me asking if I thought people that vote FNM are sensible, and I replied, yes.”
Mr White dis missed claims that longstanding FNM constituencies are blindly loyal, saying such suggestions are insulting.
‘Sensible people vote FNM. Every constituency has voted FNM except Englerston.’
“People have said you could run this creature or that type of creature and the people there would still vote FNM,” he said. “To me, that’s insulting and a dismissive misconception. My preference is to recognise those seats as sensible seats.”
‘I think the member –just my advice – ought to consider making an apology to the people of Englerston. Because in his innuendo, either direct or indirect, is an assertion that the people of Englerston ain’t got no sense.’
In Parliament, Ms Hanna-Martin vigorously defended her constituency, invoking its political legacy and its residents’ contributions.
“They are peaceful, they are industrious, they represent every sector in the economy… in the healthcare sector, in education, in tourism, in the church, and as entrepreneurs.” She denounced Mr White’s remarks as a “derogatory slur” and accused him of trying to belittle and intimidate voters.
Highlighting what she called the irony of the situation, Ms Hanna-Martin said: “The host of the show, his grandmother is from
“People of Englerston are decent, hardworking and they play their part in developing the overall national profile positively in this nation,” she said.
of
contribution.
“Today, during her member statement time, Englerston mentioned an oppressor UBP connection before getting to the meat of her contribution, which was a racial attack on myself,” he said. “That’s her divisive decision. The future will tell if that’s the type of leadership wanted in the next 50. The days of racial division tactics should be behind us.” He added: “Politics is a rough game. You take your licks as well as you give them, and you move on with the other cheek.”
Mitchell hits out at Cuban claims
from page one
“The Bahamas government does not engage in any practice contrary to international labour norms. Let’s make that abundantly clear,” he said.
“The use of the purloined documents could not have been meant to do us any good, posted as they are, without explanation, context or checks on their authenticity. These are signs of the times in which we live, these actions where friends are foe, and foe pretends to be a friend, and it is difficult to tell who is what and what is what.”
The documents, which purportedly bear the signatures of Bahamian and Cuban officials, suggest that while The Bahamas pays thousands of dollars monthly for each Cuban medical worker, the professionals receive only $990 to $1,200 monthly. The remainder appears to go to the Cuban state agency Comercializadora de Servicios Médicos Cubanos (CSMC).
In the House of Assembly yesterday, Mr Mitchell said the government must resist forming policy based on “subjective interpretations of untested material,” adding: “This is dangerous stuff, though, for Bahamians in an atmosphere where public policy is being made, often taken by subjective interpretations of untested material.”
He warned that public officials should not have their right to travel “abridged or threatened” based on such leaked documents.
Speaking separately to reporters at a Fox Hill event, he did not comment directly on whether he believes the US government played a role in the leak. However, he said there is growing concern that unauthenticated materials could be “weaponised” against Bahamian officials.
He urged Bahamians not to adopt foreign narratives uncritically, especially
in sensitive areas like immigration and labour diplomacy.
He said The Bahamas must rely on its “moral values and our voice” as a small nation without economic or military power.
“We don’t have the economic power, we don’t have
military power, we only have the moral values and our voice,” he said. “The elephants fight, the grass gets trampled.”
“Folks who are well meaning ought to be more careful and circumspect in this world that we live in today. You cannot argue
that you’re doing good when you know, in fact, you may be inflicting harm.” Cuba Archive has a distinct right-wing bent, but both Republican and Democratic administrations have trusted its exposés in the United States. Under the Biden administration,
the US State Department named the organisation’s executive director, Maria Werlau, a Trafficking in Persons Hero and, according to the New York Times, has relied on the group’s research into Cuba’s medical missions for its assessments.
On Monday, US Embassy Charge D’Affaires Kimberly Furnish repeated her government’s warning that visa restrictions could be imposed on officials deemed complicit in what Washington calls a coercive Cuban labour export system.
Englerston – Podoleo Street no less – and she produced a son who is the ambassador to the United States.”
Mr White, in turn, accused Ms HannaMartin
launching a racial attack during her
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LEON E. H. DUPUCH, Publisher/Editor 1903-1914
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TEXAS has more than 600 known cases of measles on Tuesday as the outbreak in the western part of the state approaches the three-month mark. The US was up to 800 cases of measles nationwide on Friday. Two unvaccinated elementary school-aged children died from measles-related illnesses in the epicenter in West Texas, and an adult in New Mexico who was not vaccinated died of a measles-related illness.
Other states with active outbreaks — defined as three or more cases — include Indiana, Kansas, Michigan, Montana, Oklahoma, Ohio, Pennsylvania and New Mexico. The US has more than double the number of measles cases it saw in all of 2024.
North America has two other outbreaks. One in Ontario, Canada, has sickened 925 from mid-October through April 16. And as of Tuesday, the Mexican state of Chihuahua state has 514 measles cases, according to data from the state health ministry. The World Health Organization has said cases in Mexico are linked to the Texas outbreak.
Measles is caused by a highly contagious virus that’s airborne and spreads easily when an infected person breathes, sneezes or coughs. It is preventable through vaccines, and has been considered eliminated from the US since 2000.
As the virus takes hold in other US communities with low vaccination rates, health experts fear the virus that the spread could stretch on for a year. Here’s what else you need to know about measles in the US.
How many measles cases are there?
Texas state health officials said Tuesday there were 27 new cases of measles since Friday, bringing the total to 624 across 26 counties — most of them in West Texas. Two more Texans were hospitalized, for a total of 64 throughout the outbreak, and Bailey County logged its first two cases.
State health officials estimated about 2% of cases — fewer than 10 — are actively infectious.
Sixty-two percent of Texas’ cases are in Gaines County, population 22,892, where the virus started spreading in a close-knit, undervaccinated Mennonite community. The county has had 386 cases since late January — just over 1% of the county’s residents.
The April 3 death in Texas was an 8-year-old child, according to Health Secretary Robert F Kennedy Jr. Health officials in Texas said the child did not have underlying health conditions and died of “what the child’s doctor described as measles pulmonary failure.” A unvaccinated child with no underlying conditions died of measles in Texas in late February — Kennedy said age 6. New Mexico announced two new cases Tuesday, bringing the state’s total to 65. Six people have been hospitalized since the outbreak started. Most of the state’s cases are in Lea County. Two are in Eddy County and Chaves and Doña Ana counties have one each.
State health officials say the cases are linked to Texas’ outbreak based on genetic testing. New Mexico reported its first measles-related death in an adult on March 6.
Kansas has 37 cases in eight counties in the southwest part of the state, health officials announced Wednesday.
Oklahoma confirmed one more case Tuesday for a total cases of 13: 10 confirmed and three probable.
The Ohio Department of Health confirmed 30 measles cases in the state Thursday.
Indiana confirmed two more cases Monday in an outbreak that has sickened eight in Allen County in the northeast part of the state — five are unvaccinated minors and three are adults whose vaccination status is unknown. The cases have no known link to other outbreaks, the Allen County Department of Health said Monday. In far northwest Pennsylvania, Erie County health officials declared a measles outbreak April 14 after finding two
new cases linked to a measles case confirmed March 30.
Montcalm County, near Grand Rapids in western Michigan, has four linked measles cases. State health officials say the cases are tied to a large measles outbreak in Ontario, Canada.
Montana state health officials announced five cases Thursday in unvaccinated children and adults who had traveled out of state, and confirmed it was an outbreak on Monday. All five are isolating at home in Gallatin County in the southwest part of the state.
State health officials are working to trace exposures in Bozeman and Belgrade.
They are Montana’s first measles cases in 35 years. Health officials didn’t say whether the cases are linked to other outbreaks in North America.
There have been 800 cases in 2025 as of Friday, according to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and 10 clusters — defined as three or more related cases.
Measles cases also have been reported in Alaska, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Minnesota, New Jersey, New York, Rhode Island, Tennessee, Vermont, and Washington.
Cases and outbreaks in the US are frequently traced to someone who caught the disease abroad. In 2019, the U.S. saw 1,274 cases and almost lost its status of having eliminated measles.
What do you need to know about the MMR vaccine?
The best way to avoid measles is to get the measles, mumps and rubella vaccine. The first shot is recommended for children between 12 and 15 months old and the second between 4 and 6 years old.
Getting another MMR shot is harmless if there are concerns about waning immunity, the CDC says. People who have documentation of receiving a live measles vaccine in the 1960s don’t need to be revaccinated, but people who were immunised before 1968 with an ineffective measles vaccine made from “killed” virus should be revaccinated with at least one dose, the agency said.
People who have documentation that they had measles are immune and those born before 1957 generally don’t need the shots because most children back then had measles and now have “presumptive immunity.”
In communities with high vaccination rates — above 95% — diseases like measles have a harder time spreading through communities. This is called “herd immunity”. But childhood vaccination rates have declined nationwide since the pandemic and more parents are claiming religious or personal conscience waivers to exempt their kids from required shots. The US saw a rise in measles cases in 2024, including an outbreak in Chicago that sickened more than 60.
What are the symptoms of measles?
Measles first infects the respiratory tract, then spreads throughout the body, causing a high fever, runny nose, cough, red, watery eyes and a rash.
The rash generally appears three to five days after the first symptoms, beginning as flat red spots on the face and then spreading downward to the neck, trunk, arms, legs and feet. When the rash appears, the fever may spike over 104 degrees Fahrenheit, according to the CDC.
Most kids will recover from measles, but infection can lead to dangerous complications such as pneumonia, blindness, brain swelling and death.
How can you treat measles?
There’s no specific treatment for measles, so doctors generally try to alleviate symptoms, prevent complications and keep patients comfortable.
By DEVI SHASTRI, AP Health Writer
What is eye plan for Bahamians?
EDITOR, The Tribune.
AS the Shadow Minister of Health for the Coalition of Independents, I feel compelled to bring to light a deeply troubling and inhumane decision made by the current health administration - one that has left our most vulnerable citizens in darkness and in despair.
Yes - Bahamians are being left to go blind - yes, I said it - and no one is being held accountable.
Why do I say this, you may ask? The government has callously discontinued the eye surgery assistance programme that has allowed Bahamians to receive critical eye care in Cuba. This programme provided many who were at risk of losing sight. Today, the programme has been shut down indefinitely while patients were still undergoing active treatment without consultation without warning and without care.
Three Bahamian patients contacted me recently for help. They say the silicone oil that was placed at the back of their eye was
supposed to be removed generally around four months post-surgery. They were told that the help would come but instead the government slammed the door shut on their recovery. It’s been over a year now since the programme in Cuba has been discontinued.
How is this Silicone oil to be removed from their eyes?
This is not just a medical crisis, it is a moral one. The abandonment of these patients is not only irresponsible - it is diabolical.
How can a government that swore to protect its citizens turn a blind eye, literally and figuratively, to their suffering? How can this government, sleep peacefully while our people slowly lose their vision, and with it, their quality of life?
I ask where is the leadership?
Where is the plan?
To those affected; you are not forgotten. I see you,
we hear you. As the deputy leader and Shadow Minister of Health for COI, I call on the minister of Health, Dr Darville and the Prime Minister to immediately reinstate this programme or perhaps provide an alternative arrangement for these patients in mid-treatment with urgency and transparency. This is not a partisan issue. It is a human issue. Our people deserve betterwe demand better. I presented an audio on social media with excerpts of different patient testimonials in the ex-programme. We cannot be a nation that leaves its citizens to suffer in silence. This is not just negligence. It is a deliberate abandonment of our Bahamian people. As I close, I will not stand idly by and allow this to occur without sounding the alarm.
Bahamians deserve sight. They deserve dignity and most of all they deserve a government that sees them.
DR VERONICA McIVER Nassau, April 23, 2025.
PEOPLE light candles at a makeshift memorial outside the Jet Set nightclub, in memory of the more than 200 people who died when its roof collapsed, in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, this month.
Photo: Matias Delacroix/AP
MP ‘may sue’ over claims made on social media
from page one
released a controversial voice recording involving former Criminal Investigation Department head Michael Johnson.
Mr Metayer was later shot during a live Facebook broadcast at his home on July 8.
Without specifying the accusations, Mr Watson said they are “baseless and false” and warned he is prepared to take legal action.
He said local and international authorities have been alerted and that his legal team has been instructed to
pursue the matter. Mr Watson described the online commentary as “nasty and vile”, asserting that the claims were not only false but “malicious and defamatory”.
“These attacks on me has sought to tarnish my good name and reputation,” he said. “It has tried to negatively affect my personal and professional life, but under no circumstances will the good Lord allow it to manifest because no weapon formed against me shall prosper and that’s his promise to me.”
He said the impact of the accusations has extended
beyond politics, taking a personal toll on his family, particularly his daughter, and causing discomfort for relatives who work in corporate Bahamas and are now facing frequent questions from the public.
“It is unfortunate that these people are wasting their lives and time in a concerted effort to impede my journey, but I will not be deviated nor will I be distracted,” Mr Watson said.
“I’m unafraid and will not stop until we flush out the perpetrators, and yes, I said perpetrators because I am convinced that a number of persons are complicit in
MUTE TEENAGER IS ACCUSED OF STEALING LOADED SHOTGUN
By PAVEL BAILEY
Staff Reporter
A MUTE teenager was remanded to prison yesterday for psychiatric evaluation after he was accused of stealing a loaded shotgun on Easter Monday.
Anwar Seymour, 18, appeared before Magistrate Lennox Coleby on two counts of stealing. He was charged alongside Ricardo Musgrove, 21; Jermicka Sweeting, 21; Davanya Lawes, 26; and a 16-year-old girl. All five faced additional charges of receiving, possession of an unlicenced shotgun, and possession of ammunition.
Prosecutors allege that Seymour stole a black Maverick 88 12-gauge shotgun and five rounds of 12-gauge ammunition, together worth $520, from
Kevin Coberly on April 21. Later that same day, the group was allegedly found with the stolen firearm and ammunition.
Seymour, who communicated through a sign language interpreter, was not required to enter a plea. He signed that he was “ok” but also gestured that he could not go to jail. Magistrate Coleby ordered him remanded for psychological evaluation to determine his fitness to plead.
Musgrove, during his bail hearing, said he had recently been removed from an electronic monitoring device and claimed to work in a tourist souvenir shop downtown. However, Magistrate Coleby pointed out that people with pending criminal matters are not allowed to work in the tourism sector. Musgrove
was denied bail after the magistrate observed him cursing under his breath in court — behaviour Inspector Lincoln McKenzie, the prosecutor, called inappropriate.
The other three defendants were granted $4,000 bail with one or two sureties each. As part of their bail conditions, they must report to the local police station by 6pm every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday.
Musgrove is expected back in court for further bail consideration on April 30. All five accused are scheduled to return to court on June 24.
Before being remanded, Seymour was allowed a brief moment with his mother. He is represented by attorney Alphonso Lewis.
these vile and egregious acts on my character and my name.”
He referenced his background as a former officer in the Royal Bahamas Police Force and his decades-long work coaching youth and lecturing at the University of The Bahamas, suggesting that the attacks were intended to tarnish a long-standing record of public service.
He affirmed his intent to seek re-nomination for the next general election and expressed confidence in his performance as a representative.
“It’s the political silly season, you know like they say, dog don’t bark at parked cars,” he said.
“I think we’ve been doing an excellent job in Bain and Grants Town with the representation that I’ve been afforded to serve, and I think people are just trying to derail me from the work that we’re doing. Not only me as a member of parliament MP of Bain and Grants Town, but the Progressive Liberal Party as a whole, as an administration.”
The Tribune contacted police to ask if any investigation into the allegations against Mr Watson was under way, but no response was received at the time of going to press.
WAYDE WATSON MP
GOVERNOR General Dame Cynthia Pratt received the president and executive members of the Ranfurly Home for Children in a courtesy call at Government House, Mt Fitzwilliam, on Tuesday. Photo: Letisha Henderson/BIS
The example of Pope Francis’s last days
WE SHOULD not mythologise the last days of Pope Francis. Prior to his final appearance on Easter Sunday, on the loggia of St Peter’s Basilica around noon Rome time, the 88-yeat-old pontiff had spent 38 days in hospital with double pneumonia. Those who have experienced pneumonia, various respiratory illnesses, or other acute medical problems know well the physical pain and suffering, and the emotional difficulties he endured. He experienced anxiety, gasping for air, nausea, multiple medical interventions, including needles and drips. Francis nearly died in hospital. So serious was his condition, he was sent home for another two months of rest. It was plain to see the toll his illness took on his body. In his last public appearances, his gestures and movements were restrained. It was clear that he had little upper body mobility.
ARCHBISHOP Patrick C Pinder with parishioners at Sts Mary and Andrew Church in Treasure Cay, Abaco, after its reconstruction following Hurricane Dorian. Pope Francis, pictured right at his last Easter Sunday appearance before his death, provided financial assistance after personally hearing of the destruction.
Pope Francis likely knew that he was dying. In his last day and a half, one of the most powerful men in the world, was physically helpless, absolutely vulnerable, and only able to live because of the care and attention of others, including Massimiliano Strappetti, his healthcare assistant since 2022. Mr Strappetti reportedly helped to save the Pope’s life just a few years
ago after suggesting colon surgery.
According to Vatican News, “Mr Strappetti stayed by the Pope’s side during all 38 days of his hospitalisation at Rome’s Gemelli Hospital, and keeping watch round-theclock during his recovery at the Casa Santa Marta. He was with the Pope on Easter Sunday, during the Urbi et Orbi blessing.
“The day before, they
had gone together to St Peter’s Basilica to review the ‘route’ he would take the following day when he was to appear on the Cen tral Loggia of St Peter’s Basilica.
“The late Pope wanted to offer one last, meaningful surprise to the 50,000 faithful with a ride in the popemobile on Sunday after the blessing on the balcony of St Peter’s Basilica façade.
“However, Pope Francis did hesitate a bit and asked the opinion of Mr Strappetti, asking him, ‘Do you think I can manage it?’
“Once in St Peter’s Square, he embraced the crowd, especially the children, since this was his first ride after being discharged from Gemelli hospital, as well as the last outing among the faithful of his life.
“Tired but content, the Pope afterwards thanked” Strappetti, offering, “Thank you for bringing me back to the Square.”
In the midst of his physical suffering and the last approximately 24 hours of his life, Pope Francis again exhibited two profound virtues demonstrated throughout his life and his pontificate: personal gratitude and service or generosity of spirit. He died as he lived.
Gratitude and generosity, companion virtues this Jesuit knew and lived from his earliest days as a priest. As Francis demonstrated, gratitude is never abstract. Whether gratitude for someone or something, it is always particular, incarnate, specific.
Francis said “thank you”, among his final words on Earth, to Strappetti, “the person who watched over him tirelessly throughout his illness, and who reportedly encouraged him to take one last ride in the popemobile on Sunday after the Urbi et Orbi.”
Mr Strappetti was the nursing coordinator of the Vatican Health Department before becoming the Pope’s personal nurse. Before his time at the Vatican, he served for eight years at Rome’s Gemelli Hospital in the intensive care unit.
Following his colon operation in 2021 and subsequent 11-day hospitalisation, Francis praised Strappetti in an interview with Spanish Radio station COPE. The pope called his nurse, “a man with a lot of experience” who “saved my life”.
The Pope enthused: “Now I can eat everything, which was not possible before with the diverticula. I can eat everything. I still
have the postoperative medications, because the brain has to register that it has 33 centimeters [12 inches] less intestine,” the pope joked.
Those who have experienced the duty of care, expertise, and nourishment of devoted nurses, can attest to how these health care professionals save many lives and revive many spirits.
One can only imagine the love and friendship that the octogenarian pope now found in a much younger companion of Jesus, cum friend, himself a husband and father, who cared for the older man in the last decade and days of his life. They developed a fraternal bond. New friendship are always a great joy and gift the older we become.
Genuine gratitude always issues forth in service. Indeed service is a form of gratitude, which releases us from the prisons and paralysis of self-absorption, navel-gazing, and self-pity.
In friendship and care, Strappetti supported Francis’s instinct for service by encouraging him to see the faithful gathered in St Peter’s Square seeking blessings and hope.
Though his movements were labored, Francis stopped to personally bless a number of children, including one who appeared to be enduring a health challenge. Service and generosity, like gratitude, is always specific, personal, incarnate.
For those of us who have many more 24-hour periods or even 24 months or more to live, whatever the condition of our health, what inspiration might we take from Pope Francis that is personal, specific, incarnate?
To whom might we share our friendship, our resources, our time, our love, our many kindnesses?
To whom might we extend greater gratitude and service?
Moreover, our social concern must not just be to the poor, the homeless, the imprisoned, the hungry. It must be to those in our midst and moral gaze that we see and to whom we are obligated.
The ministry of Jesus as evidenced in the Gospels was to specific people, sinners, and those seeking the balm of mercy. The Good Samaritan responded to an injured man on the side of the road with specific
wounds. Mercy too, is never abstract!
After Hurricane Dorian, Pope Francis offered condolences and blessings to The Bahamas. After personally hearing of the destruction of Sts Mary and Andrew Church in Treasure Cay by the super storm, Pope Francis provided financial assistance to rebuild the church. Generosity is always incarnate.
This week the BBC reported: “‘As-salaam Alaikum’ or ‘peace be upon you,’ Pope Francis ventured in Arabic while talking to parishioners in Gaza earlier this year.
“A short video released by the Vatican upon his death showed his intimate relationship with the Palestinian territory’s tiny Christian community, many of whom he came to know by name.
“During 18 months of war, he took to calling them nightly to check on their well-being.
‘What did you eat today?’ the Pope asks the local priests in the video, having switched to Italian. ‘The rest of the chicken from yesterday,’ replies Father Gabriel Romanelli.”
A decade ago, in 2015, during his Christmas Eve homily, Pope Francis reminded us of our mission as Christians, from which society is constantly distracted by the vulgarity and obscenity of crass and extreme materialism and “tingsiness”. He implored: “In a society so often intoxicated by consumerism and hedonism, wealth and extravagance, appearances and narcissism, this Child calls us to act soberly, in other words, in a way that is simple, balanced, consistent, capable of seeing and doing what is essential.
“In a world which all too often is merciless to the sinner and lenient to the sin, we need to cultivate a strong sense of justice, to discern and to do God’s will. Amid a culture of indifference which not infrequently turns ruthless, our style of life should instead be devout, filled with empathy, compassion and mercy, drawn daily from the wellspring of prayer.”
In gratitude, scores in The Bahamas and globally are grateful for the ministry and life of Jorge Mario Bergoglio, the Argentinian man and priest, who was a friend to many, and as Pope Francis, a pastor to more than one billion
In gratitude for his example, may we be inspired to serve each other and the world with the courage, tenacity, mercy, joy, and humility he bequeathed us.
The tale of the Doge -
it’s not just about Elon
WHO said Donald Trump and Elon Musk don’t have a sense of humor?
After Musk helped significantly to bankroll Trump’s return to the White House with total campaign contributions that have been estimated to exceed $275m, Trump appointed the Tesla, “X” (formerly Twitter) and SpaceX owner to head something he grandly created and called the Department of Government Efficiency. As an acronym, that becomes “DOGE”.
While most Americans seemed to shrug and accept that this new name and new office would assist Trump and his allies in their pledged efforts to trim government waste and inefficiency, the term Doge actually has some interesting roots. They are thoroughly Italian. And it’s appropriate to explore those roots while we remain amazed that literally on the last full day of his life, the 88-yearold progressive-tending Argentine-born Pope Francis managed to include a very brief photo op in the Vatican with US vice president JD Vance. The two spent less than two minutes together.
STATESIDE
The Pope had not been ambiguous in his response to some of the policies of Vance and the new Trump administration. According to the US Guardian newsletter, “Francis had been as outspoken as could be without naming names, when he criticised Vance in his February letter to US bishops; but he was not just registering his rebuke of Trump and Vance’s cruel treatment of refugees and migrants. He was reacting to a broader trend of instrumentalising religion for nationalist and authoritarian populism.” But back to the Doges. And here’s where Trump and Musk may be showing
MEANWHILE, OVER AT THE COLLEGE DRAFT...
WHILE Trump, Musk and company are swaggering around in Washington and elsewhere, it’s a safe bet that most Americans are focused on something that will start this evening in the remote football outpost of Green Bay, Wisconsin.
That’s the annual National Football League collegiate player draft. This is a process of talent selection by a Congressionally-protected monopolistic enterprise whose hold on the attention of American men and women is unmatched.
Three different television networks will televise tonight’s first round, and will transform an event that could easily fit its seven rounds within less than a single day’s work into a three-day extravaganza that will consume eight-plus hours of primetime television today and tomorrow and almost all
of Saturday afternoon.
Such is the NFL’s grip on the American sports consciousness that all of this breathtakingly suspenseful activity is occurring while other major US and world sports are in key periods of their respective seasons.
The NBA and NHL playoffs are in full swing now, and major league baseball has already completed over ten percent of its annual schedule, with numerous early surprises generating headlines on sports pages. And golf’s riveting Masters tournament just happened in Georgia. Horse racing’s Triple Crown of traditional races is set to take place in Baltimore, Louisville and New York City. Soccer is approaching the end of tournament, national and league championship determination. Yet, the NFL prevails.
us something we rarely experience from either man – a subtle sense of ironic humour. And perhaps even a knowledge of and respect for history. Who knew?
For eleven hundred years (697-1797), the Doge was the individual who held the highest role of authority in the powerful Republic of Venice. (The term Doge is a corruption of the Italian word “Duce”, or leader, that became universally known and feared when Italian dictator and Adolph Hitler ally Benito Mussolini adopted the term to describe himself leading up to and during World War II.)
The Doges’ Palace remains to this day one of the most revered and photographed monuments on Venice’s famed St Mark’s Square.
During this Venetian period of regional hegemony, spanning over one millennium - 11 centuries! – the city of Venice was the seat of power for what has been described as one of the most powerful and expansive empires in recorded human history.
Fitting in on the geographic fringes of Roman hegemony during an era of European and Mediterranean political, economic and military domination by the powerful Catholic Church and its allies, the Republic of Venice managed to achieve practical autonomy due to a series of agreements between
the more powerful Holy Roman Empire to the west and north, and the Eastern Roman Empire based in Constantinople (now Istanbul, in Turkey).
Venice, at the apex of its power, controlled most of the eastern Adriatic Sea coast all the way down to and including much of modern Greece, as well as numerous strategic islands in the eastern Mediterranean Sea. Venice relied on naval power funded by wealth from maritime trade, as well as cunning and sharp practice in diplomacy.
One historian has observed that Venice was like the Silicon Valley of its time, excelling in what were then cutting-edge commercial enterprises like glassmaking.
Venice, as a maritime colonial empire with a focus on its naval power and trade, presaged more modern European colonial and neocolonial empires of which it was a predecessor. The British Empire, to whose remnants we in The Bahamas are of course still linked through tradition and the Commonwealth, may be the best example of such imperial dominion.
Somehow, it seems altogether appropriate that Elon Musk should have been chosen to head an agency whose acronym recalls such imperial grandeur. Musk does seem to embrace the power and influence of the Doges.
As he cuts a swath through the massive US government that employs over three million workers, however, Musk and his coterie of committed fellow travelers do appear at times to be overreaching. There are no doubt millions of liberals, Democrats and assorted Trump-haters all over the US and indeed worldwide who are salivating over the prospect of Musk’s inevitable fall from grace. After all, isn’t that the fate that awaits virtually everyone outside his own family who falls under the demagogic spell of the US president? How much are you hearing these days about Roger Stone, Paul Manafort, John Eastman, and the hundreds of others who have for a time basked in the reflected glow of Trump’s allure and then faded away into the shadows or even prison?
And what about people like Mike Pence, Mike Pompeo and others who served Trump loyally during his first term but for various reasons have since been excommunicated into obscurity and even threatened with harm?
There are signs almost every day that Musk’s outsized influence is fraying and waning. The other day, the liberal press seized upon a report that US Secretary of the Treasury Scott Bessent had successfully appealed to Trump to overturn some personnel changes Musk had prescribed for the US tax collecting Internal Revenue Service.
There were many reports that the US federal Office of Personnel Management – the government’s human resources department –had managed to ignore Musk’s order that all federal employees must submit
a list of their activities and accomplishments at the end of every work week.
Speculation continues that Trump inevitably comes to envy and resent any subordinate whose glitter and notoriety he feels may represent a challenge to his own fame. There’s a lot of evidence to support that theory.
Still, Trump is an instinctive, intuitive politician who recognises the usefulness and even need for political cover. That means he knows he will benefit if someone else takes the bitter criticism his policies increasingly elicit from some of his own most public obsessions – tariffs and cuts in government services, for example. Musk, for whatever reason, seems to so relish the spotlight that he exhibits little regret at receiving so much criticism in the spotlight of his imperial authority.
The conventional wisdom is that Trump will keep Musk around for as long as it suits the president’s purposes. And a few years from now, it will be interesting to see if Musk, who is clearly a visionary, classical American entrepreneur whose success may have made him the world’s richest person, feels any regret for some of the financial and personal decisions he is continuing to make every day.
Maybe the process of reflection and perhaps even regret has begun. The New York Times reported yesterday that “billionaire Elon Musk said he will step back from the US DOGE Service next month and focus on Tesla, his reeling electric vehicle company, which on Tuesday reported a stunning 71 percent plunge in profits compared with the first quarter of 2024”.
with Charlie Harper
THE DOGE Palace - whose name has become familiar in another way under the Trump administration.
SILENT SABOTAGE
THE HIDDEN CRISIS OF ENVIRONMENTAL CRIME IN THE BAHAMAS
By DESIREE K CORNEILLE
CITES & Sustainable International Development Specialist
Wildlife Enforcement Network & Environmental and Natural Resource Policy Advisor
THE Bahamas is at war — not with foreign adversaries, but against threats hidden in plain sight. Illegal logging, toxic charcoal production, unauthorised limestone and sand mining, wildlife poaching, reckless reef destruction, and widespread pollution et al silently and systematically erode our nation’s security, public health, and economic resilience. Despite clear laws, enforcement gaps remain wide enough for offenders to act with near impunity.
A growing community of advocates raises awareness, pushes cases forward, and exposes violations. But their courageous efforts cannot outpace the destruction without structural change.
According to the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and INTERPOL, environmental crime includes illegal activities that exploit natural resources for personal or commercial gain — such as wildlife trafficking, illegal logging, illegal fishing, unauthorised mining, pollution, and illegal dumping.
In the Caribbean, these offenses are particularly damaging due to our rich biodiversity, high ecological endemism, limited enforcement, and economic reliance on natural assets.
The consequences threaten the resilience and survival of small island states like The Bahamas, increasing our vulnerability to disasters.
REGIONAL SIGNALS: THE CARIBBEAN’S GROWING VULNERABILITY
Across the region, organised environmental crime is on the rise. Wildlife trafficking — songbirds in hair curlers, parrots in luggage, reptiles trafficked openly— remains rarely prosecuted. Illegal flora trade flourishes, with orchids and hardwoods from Jamaica, Dominica, and Cuba appearing on black markets.
Marine exploitation is rampant: illegal longlining, and poaching of lobster, snapper, grouper, and conch, along with unregulated tourism, degrade critical reefs and fisheries.
In The Bahamas, St Vincent, and Grenada, illegal sand and rock mining accelerates coastal erosion and destabilises islands.
Despite CARICOM and CITES commitments, enforcement remains fragmented, penalties weak, and coordination lacking, allowing environmental crimes to flourish.
THE BAHAMIAN REALITY: CLEAR AND PRESENT DANGER
The Bahamas starkly illustrates these threats. In 2014, 13 critically endangered San Salvador Rock Iguanas were smuggled to Europe, resulting in minimal penalties and exposing enforcement weaknesses.
During the COVID-19 lockdowns, the Bahamas National Trust reported a surge in illegal activities within national parks, from poaching endangered iguanas in Andros to unauthorised development near Harrold and Wilson Ponds. Such offences continued despite park closures, showing enforcement challenges even during restricted movement. Unregulated coastal dredging and land clearing, bypassing mandated Environmental Impact Assessments, leave shorelines exposed.
Meanwhile, illegal fishing depletes grouper, conch, lobster, snapper, and now parrotfish stock—vital for reef health and sand production.
Fishermen from neighbouring countries exploit our vulnerabilities, knowing enforcement risks are minimal compared to restaurant profits abroad.
THE REAL CONSEQUENCES OF ENVIRONMENTAL CRIME
Every tree illegally felled weakens our islands’ flood defences. Without trees, moderate rainfall inundates communities from South Beach to Coral Harbour. Advocates highlight violations, but weak penalties and sporadic enforcement perpetuate vulnerability.
Across New Providence, Andros, and Abaco, illegal charcoal kilns burn poisonwood and toxic waste — treated pine and soiled diapers. Carcinogenic smoke fills neighbourhoods, and contaminated charcoal enters our food supply. Illegal limestone excavation leaves deep pits stripped of vegetation, causing frequent floods; nearby communities suffer repeated damage. Despite legal requirements, enforcement remains inadequate.
Mangroves, which buffer us from hurricanes, are also under siege. Illegal clearing, despite explicit legal protections, leaves Grand
Bahama and Abaco and a growing number of cays acutely exposed.
Irresponsible tourism damages coral reefs — tourists anchor carelessly, collect coral, and knowingly overfish. Illegal dumping of hazardous materials contaminates groundwater and air.
Despite roadside garage prohibitions, automotive fluids, chemicals, and plastics poison communities daily. Public awareness campaigns are extensive, but offenders often claim ignorance, leaving permanent scars on our marine heritage.
WHY ENVIRONMENTAL CRIME IS A NATIONAL SECURITY THREAT
Environmental crimes threaten more than ecosystems — they undermine the pillars of national security and prosperity. Healthy ecosystems sustain tourism and fisheries — the backbone of our economy.
When natural resources degrade, jobs, income, and GDP are at risk. Public health and safety also suffer: pollution leads to disease, food insecurity, and disaster vulnerability.
Wildlife and timber trafficking intersect with organised crime — money laundering, arms, and drug smuggling.
Our border sovereignty is further compromised by illegal foreign fishing and treasure diving, allowing outsiders to exploit regulatory gaps and diminish Bahamian control over resources.
As INTERPOL and UNODC caution, environmental crime is now among the top transnational crime sectors globally, worth over $280 billion annually. The Bahamas and the region cannot afford further complacency.
WHY PRIOR EFFORTS HAVE FALLEN SHORT
Despite ratifying CITES and passing national laws, gaps persist. Weak penalties and minimal enforcement offer little deterrence, making environmental crimes low-risk, high-reward.
Lack of specialised training and poor interagency coordination dilute response and accountability. Regulatory bodies and enforcement agencies are often disconnected, with no centralised reporting mechanism. Prosecution is hampered by unfamiliarity with environmental law. Because these crimes aren’t seen as offenses against individuals, perpetrators are often let off lightly under the belief “no one is being hurt”.
Public apathy and insufficient reporting mean many offenses go unnoticed, allowing ongoing environmental degradation.
WHERE DO WE GO FROM HERE?
Recognising environmental crime as a severe national security threat is the first step. Our conversation must shift: these are not
minor infractions but urgent threats demanding immediate, sustained attention.
Advocates and community leaders have laid the groundwork, but systemic reform must follow — strengthening enforcement, increasing penalties, closing legal loopholes, and ensuring accountability.
First, we must confront the reality: environmental crime in The Bahamas and the Caribbean is not merely an ecological problem — it
is a national emergency. The integrity of our islands, health of our communities, and resilience of our nation depend on immediate action. This silent sabotage can no longer be ignored. Desiree K Corneille is a CITES specialist, and policy advisor on wildlife, environmental, and natural resource enforcement in The Bahamas and the wider Caribbean.
MANGROVES, a buffer from hurricanes, are said to be “under siege”, while The Bahamas is facing a host of other environmental challenges, says Desiree Corneille.
Bimini man facing murder charge is denied bail
By PAVEL BAILEY Tribune Staff Reporter pbailey@tribunemedia.net
A MAN from Bimini has been denied bail in connection with a 2020 murder — the second time he has faced murder charges.
Kyas Alphonso Duncombe, 27, of Bailey Town, Bimini, was denied his latest bail application before Justice Andrew Forbes in the Supreme Court.
Prosecutors allege that on the night of March 27, 2020, police officers and members of the public witnessed Duncombe chase and fatally shoot a man outside a bar on King’s Highway near Flowers Number House. The victim was later found lying on the ground with apparent gunshot wounds.
Duncombe was arraigned for that offence on April 3, 2024, before Magistrate Charlton Smith and pleaded not guilty when the matter came before the Supreme Court on October 8, 2024.
He had previously been arraigned on two counts of murder in June 2020, relating to the 2017 shooting
deaths of 27-year-old Joseph Bain, of Weddell Avenue, and 25-year-old Stephon LaFrance, of Hunters, Grand Bahama. The men were attacked outside Game Time Bar on Logwood Road, Freeport, shortly before 1am on February 1 2017. One victim died at the scene; the other died later in hospital.
In his latest bail bid, Duncombe said he had no other pending matters or convictions in the jurisdiction. He said he had been employed as a manager at Sue Joy Variety Store and Gulf Coast Rentals before his arrest and argued that his continued detention hindered his ability to provide for his three children or properly prepare for trial. He insisted he was a suitable candidate for bail and would comply with any conditions imposed.
However, the court noted conflicting information in a previous application in which Duncombe listed his residence as being in both Bimini and Jamaica.
Sean Smith, appearing for the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions,
objected to bail. He cited submissions from Corporal Harris Cash, who claimed Duncombe had a history of evasive behaviour and was arrested in the United States in May 2017 for alleged drug smuggling.
Mr Smith also said Duncombe had failed to appear in court in the past and had previously been sentenced for assaulting a police officer and resisting arrest — though the court acknowledged that this matter was ultimately dismissed.
Justice Forbes found the prosecution’s case against Duncombe to be strong, noting that surveillance footage supported the allegations. He denied the bail application, citing the offence’s seriousness and the evidence’s strength. Still, the judge said Duncombe could reapply for bail if the matter does not proceed in a timely fashion. He also informed the defendant of his right to appeal the decision.
Duncombe is scheduled to stand trial beginning December 1. He is represented by attorney Ian Cargill.
SUSPECT IS CHARGED WITH FATAL STABBING OUTSIDE BAR
By PAVEL BAILEY Tribune Staff Reporter pbailey@tribunemedia.net
A MAN was remanded to prison yesterday in connection with the fatal stabbing of another man outside a bar in Dorsette Alley last week.
Darius Burnside, 38, was charged with murder before Chief Magistrate Roberto Reckley. Prosecutors allege that Burnside fatally
GUN
stabbed Derrick Smith in the body and neck during a fight outside Swingers Bar and Lounge around 10.21pm on April 17.
After being attacked, Smith reportedly fled to his home and collapsed at his doorstep, where he later died from his injuries.
Burnside was also reportedly shot in the chin by another man during the same incident.
He was not required to enter a plea. His case will be transferred to the Supreme Court via a voluntary bill of indictment (VBI). Inspector Deon Barr, the prosecutor, told the court that Burnside has previous convictions. Burnside will be held at the Bahamas Department of Correctional Services until his VBI is served on July 31.
ATTACK ACCUSED REMANDED TO PRISON
By PAVEL BAILEY Tribune Staff Reporter pbailey@tribunemedia.net
A 29-YEAR-OLD man was remanded to prison yesterday after he was accused of shooting another man outside his home in New Providence during a failed murder attempt.
Sony Emmanuel Gabriel was arraigned before Assistant Chief Magistrate
Carolyn Vogt-Evans on charges of attempted murder and possession of a firearm with intent to endanger life.
Gabriel is accused of shooting Eikeren Davis with a handgun outside Davis’ residence at 4am on May 29, 2022. Davis survived the attack and was treated in hospital for his injuries. Gabriel was not required to enter a plea. His case will proceed to the Supreme Court through a voluntary bill of indictment (VBI). He was advised that he must seek bail from the higher court. Gabriel will be held at the Bahamas Department of Correctional Services until the service of his VBI on July 21. Assistant Superintendent of Police S Coakley served as the prosecutor.
Veteran Delancey joins Beach Club
ROYAL Caribbean International has appointed Bahamian hospitality veteran Alistair Delancey as director of operations for its highly anticipated Royal Beach Club on Paradise Island, scheduled to open in December 2025.
Mr Delancey, a former general manager of the Baha Bay Beach Club and waterpark at SLS Baha Mar, will be responsible for overseeing the day-to-day operations
of the beach club and managing a workforce of more than 500 staff. His mandate includes ensuring operational excellence, maintaining high safety standards, and delivering a world-class experience to the millions of vacationers expected to visit the facility annually.
“Alistair’s extensive experience in hospitality and operations, combined with his deep understanding of Bahamian culture,
makes him an invaluable addition to our management team,” said Philip Simon, president of Royal Caribbean, Bahamas, in a statement. “His leadership and expertise will undoubtedly enhance the guest experience and contribute to the success of our first beach club experience.”
Mr Delancey’s appointment adds another Bahamian to the growing management team for
what the cruise line describes as its first “beach club experience.”
The Royal Beach Club is being touted as a flagship offering in Royal Caribbean’s new portfolio of resort-style destinations.
Troy Smith, general manager of the Royal Beach Club Paradise Island, said his track record of leading cross-functional teams, optimising operations, and fostering partnerships made him “the ideal candidate for this
first-of-its-kind project.”
The beach club is part of a public-private partnership between Royal Caribbean and the Bahamian government. The cruise line has said the venture will blend Bahamian culture, cuisine and hospitality with its own signature service and design. The development is expected to boost local employment and tourism offerings when it launches at the end of next year.
BAHAMIAN leaders signed a Book of Condolence at St Francis Xavier Cathedral to mark the passing of Pope Francis. Clockwise from top left are Governor General Dame Cynthia Pratt, Prime Minister Philip Davis, Foreign Affairs Minister Fred Mitchell and Chief Justice Sir Ian Winder. It has also been announced flags will fly at half mast on Saturday from sunrise to sunset.
Photos: Letisha Henderson/BIS
Trump says Zelenskyy prolonging war by resisting calls to cede Crimea
KYIV, Ukraine
Associated Press
PRESIDENT Donald Trump yesterday lashed out at Ukraine’s president, saying Volodymyr Zelenskyy is prolonging the “killing field” after pushing back on ceding Crimea to Russia as part of a potential peace plan.
Zelenskyy on Tuesday ruled out ceding territory to Russia in any deal before talks set for Wednesday in London among US, European and Ukrainian officials. “There is nothing to talk about. It is our land, the land of the Ukrainian people,” Zelenskyy said.
During similar talks last week in Paris, US officials presented a proposal that included allowing Russia to keep control of occupied Ukrainian territory as part of a deal, according to a European official familiar with the matter who was not authorized to comment publicly and spoke on condition of anonymity.
Trump called Zelenkyy’s pushback “very harmful” to talks.
“Nobody is asking Zelenskyy to recognize Crimea as Russian Territory but, if he wants Crimea, why didn’t they fight for it eleven years ago when it was handed over to Russia without a shot being fired?” he wrote on social media.
Russia annexed Crimea in 2014 after sending troops to overrun it. Weeks later, Moscow-backed separatists launched an uprising in eastern Ukraine, battling Kyiv’s forces.
Trump also asserted they were close to a deal and that Ukraine’s leader can have peace or “he can fight for another three years before losing the whole Country,” adding that Zelenskyy’s statement “will do nothing but prolong the ‘killing field,’ and nobody wants that!” Wednesday’s meeting was pared back at the last minute, while Vice President JD Vance said negotiations are reaching a moment of truth.
“We’ve issued a very explicit proposal to both the Russians and the Ukrainians, and it’s time for them to either say ‘yes’ or for the United States to walk away from this process,” Vance told reporters during a visit to India.
He said it was “a very fair proposal” that would “freeze the territorial lines at some level close to where they are today,” with both sides having to give up some territory they currently hold. He did not provide details.
A senior European official familiar with the ongoing talks involving the American team said a proposal the United States calls “final” was initially presented last week in Paris, where it was described as “just ideas” — and that they could be changed.
When those “ideas” surfaced in media reports,
Ukrainian officials were surprised to find that Washington portrayed them as final, according to the official, who was not authorized to comment publicly and spoke on condition of anonymity.
Zelenskyy said on Wednesday that Ukraine is ready for any format of negotiations that might bring a ceasefire and open the door to full peace negotiations, as he mourned nine civilians killed when a Russian drone struck a bus earlier in the day. “We insist on an immediate, complete and unconditional ceasefire,” Zelenskyy wrote on social media, in accordance with a proposal he said the US tabled six weeks ago.
Ukraine and some Western European governments have accused Russian President Vladimir Putin of dragging his feet on that proposal as his army tries to capture more Ukrainian land. Western analysts say Moscow is in no rush to conclude peace talks because it has battlefield momentum.
UK Foreign Secretary David Lammy said the talks in London to find an end to the more than three-year war would involve only lower-ranking officials, after the US State Department said Tuesday that Secretary of State Marco Rubio was unable to attend because of a scheduling issue.
Rubio’s abrupt cancellation raised doubts about the direction of negotiations. He had indicated that Wednesday’s meeting could be decisive in determining whether the Trump administration remains engaged.
Commenting on those attending the talks, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said that “as far as we understand, they so far have failed to bring their positions closer on some issues”. He said the Kremlin was still in consultations with American officials but wouldn’t publicly discuss details.
US special envoy Steve Witkoff is expected to visit Moscow again later this week, according to Russian officials.
Even achieving a limited, 30-day ceasefire has been beyond the reach of negotiators, as both sides continue to attack each other along the 1,000-kilometer (620mile) front line and launch long-range strikes.
A Russian drone struck a bus carrying workers in Marganets, in eastern Ukraine’s Dnipropetrovsk region on Wednesday morning, killing eight women and one man, regional head Serhii Lysak wrote on social media. More than 40 people were injured, he said.
Lysak published photos of a bus with windows
blown out and shards of glass mixed with blood spattered on its floor.
Trump has pushed for an end to the war and said last week that negotiations were “coming to a head.” That comment came after Rubio suggested the US might soon back away from negotiations if they don’t progress.
Those still attending Wednesday’s meeting include retired Lt Gen Keith Kellogg, Trump’s envoy for Ukraine and Russia.
Andrii Yermak, the head of Ukraine’s presidential office, said on social media that a delegation including him, Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha and Defense Minister Rustem Umerov had arrived in London for the talks despite the alterations.
“The path to peace is not easy, but Ukraine has been and remains committed to peaceful efforts,” Yermak said. Officials would “discuss ways to achieve a full and unconditional ceasefire as the first step toward a comprehensive settlement
and the achievement of a just and lasting peace.”
Several hours later, Yermak said that he, Sybiha and Umerov met with national security and foreign policy advisors from the countries “participating in the coalition of the willing” and “emphasized our commitment” to the US president’s peace efforts. He asserted on social media that “Russia continues to reject an unconditional ceasefire, dragging out the process and trying to manipulate negotiations.”
Trump said repeatedly during his election campaign last year that he would be able to end the war “in 24 hours” upon taking office. But he has expressed frustration with Zelenskyy and Putin. Russia has effectively rejected a US proposal for an immediate and full 30-day halt in the fighting by imposing far-reaching conditions.
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters later on Thursday that Trump’s “frustration is
growing and he needs to see this thing come to an end”.
“What he is asking is for people to come to the negotiating table, recognizing that this has been a brutal war for far too long,” Leavitt said. “And in order to make a good deal, both sides have to walk away a little bit unhappy, and unfortunately, President Zelenskyy has been trying to litigate this peace negotiation in the press, and that’s unacceptable to the president.”
Some European allies are wary of the American proposal for Ukraine to exchange land for peace. But an official said there’s also acknowledgment by some allies that Russia is firmly entrenched wholly or partially in five regions of Ukraine: Crimea, Luhansk, Donetsk, Zaporizhzhia and Kherson.
If the goal is to obtain a ceasefire immediately, “it should be based on the line of contact as it is,” said the senior French official, who spoke on condition of anonymity in line with French presidential policy.
PRESIDENT Donald Trump at the White House yesterday.
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GOVERNOR General Dame Cynthia Pratt (centre) received the president and executive members of the Bahamas Association of Administrative Professionals in a courtesy call at Government House on Tuesday.
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HONOURING AIRPORT SECURITY STAFF
DEPUTY Prime Minister and Minister of Tourism, Investments and Aviation Chester Cooper congratulated 117 security officers of the Airport Authority for dedication to duty at an Aviation Security Officers Recognition Ceremony on April 16 in the gardens of Lynden Pindling International Airport. The security officers were recognised for their service, commitment, and unwavering dedication to protecting all who work at, and pass through LPIA.
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