The Tribune AROUND DA ISLANDS I�LANDS
Long wait times and scenes of confusion plague advanced poll
By LEANDRA ROLLE Tribune Chief Reporter
lrolle@tribunemedia.net
LONG lines, hours-long waits and scenes of confusion at yesterday’s advance poll have intensified scrutiny of the Parliamentary Registration Department, raising concerns about whether it is ready to manage the far larger and more complex demands of Election Day.
What was believed to be the last vote of the day was cast at 10pm last night- four hours after the polling was supposed to have ended. The breakdown unfolded after weeks of complaints from the Free National Movement about the electoral process, concerns the government
BREAKDOWN - SEE PAGE THREE
CROWDS of voters face delays and frustrations as they wait to vote during advanced polling yesterday at CV Bethel Senior High School yesterday.
Photo: Chappell Whyms Jr
Questions raised over Fox’s conduct in campaign clash
By KEILE CAMPBELL Tribune Staff Reporter kcampbell@tribunemedia.net
RICK Fox is facing questions over his conduct and temperament after a viral video showed him lunging at a man during a heated campaign confrontation.
Police spokesperson Chief Superintendent Sheria King also denied the former NBA star’s claim that a man was charged for threatening him, prompting his behaviour. The video, widely circulated online yesterday after an incident on Wednesday, captures a dispute involving Mr Fox and members of his campaign team over tent placement. It shows a man, dressed in a blue-and-yellow long-sleeve shirt, telling Mr Fox’s team that he had reserved a specific spot. After the man dismissed Mr Fox’s question CLASH - SEE PAGE TWO
Police deny Fox’s claims after viral campaign row
from the video.
about whether his argument aligned with the rules, saying “I don’t give a (expletive) about the rules,”
Mr Fox aggressively lunged at him and was restrained by his campaign manager Carlyle Bethel, who struggled to contain him as tensions escalated.
As he was being held back, Mr Fox, hoping to become Garden Hills’ new MP, shouted, “Yall ain’t nothing but a bunch of bullies,” while others on both sides exchanged words.
At one point, Mr Fox flung Mr Bethel off him, demanding he let go. He then turned toward the camera, flexed his muscles and said: “Right here for y’all, all day long, right here.”
The footage shows Mr Fox repeatedly calling those involved “bullies” as shouting continued between both groups.
Responding to the incident, Mr Fox told reporters the video does not capture what led up to the confrontation and sought to frame his actions as a response to threats.
He alleged that the man involved was “being belligerent and swearing and threatening people’s lives,” including threats against him and his campaign manager.
Mr Fox maintained that this context was missing
“That context is not in that video, but I will tell you some people are used to, at this time of year, being bullies in the area,” he said.
He insisted he would not tolerate threats against his team, repeating: “We’re not standing for that. We’re not standing for that.”
Mr Fox said his reaction was driven by a need to protect those around him.
“If you’re going to swear and threaten people’s lives, then I’m going to react. I’m going to defend my team. I’m going to defend myself. I’m going to defend anybody who is in the area,” he said.
He described the situation as “dangerous” and said law enforcement brought it under control.
“The police got on the scene, were able to handle that, and that gentleman has been charged,” he said.
Police, however, said no one was arrested in connection with the incident, contradicting Mr Fox’s claim. There was also no evidence presented to support his assertion that someone threatened his life or the life of his campaign manager. The confrontation drew international attention after it was carried by US entertainment outlet TMZ, which described it as a campaign dispute that escalated following a disagreement over tent placement.
A CLIP from a viral video shows Garden Hills candidate Rick Fox lunging at a man during a heated campaign dispute over tent placement.
Scenes from advanced polling at CV Bethel Senior High School
VOTERS faced frustration and delays as they went to various polling stations for the advanced poll yesterday ahead of the May 12 general election.
Photos: Chappell Whyms Jr
PRD blames high turnout for advance poll delays
had repeatedly dismissed while defending the department’s preparedness.
The advance poll instead exposed visible strain across multiple polling stations, with some voters reportedly waiting five hours or more to cast ballots, others leaving in frustration, and voting continuing well past the official closing time in some cases.
Polls scheduled to close at 6pm remained active in some areas until after 10pm, with stations extending hours to accommodate backlogs.
Even Progressive Liberal Party candidates acknowledged shortcomings in the process.
Prime Minister Philip “Brave” Davis appeared visibly upset while speaking with his team during a stop at Sadie Curtis and declined to respond to questions from reporters.
“I voted at Doris Johnson, and I was just telling the PM, we gonna have to double the amount of rooms that’s going to be open for people to vote,” said Leslie Miller, a former Cabinet minister and MP who was with Mr Davis.
“It took me two and a half hours to vote today, okay, tremendous.”
PLPs Sebas Bastian, McKell Bonaby, Myles Laroda and Mario Bowleg also said more polling rooms should have been provided to ease congestion, particularly for elderly and disabled voters. Mr Bastian said the experience would inform adjustments ahead of Election Day.
At multiple sites, the problems were immediate and visible.
At Kendal Isaacs Gym, which served voters in Englerston, Garden Hills and St Barnabas, delays mounted early after the exit door was not opened at the start of the day, creating a bottleneck as lines swelled outside.
Tavia McIntosh said the process inside the polling station was smooth but described the conditions outside as “terrible.”
“You see the crowd? It is unorganised,” she said. “I hope it [the general election] doesn’t be like this.”
Commissioner of Police Shanta Knowles later arrived to help restore order at the site.
At Thelma Gibson Primary, voters reported confusion over directions. Cynthia Sealy, 76, said she was sent to multiple incorrect locations before finding where she needed to vote.
“First of all, I was directed to two wrong areas,” she said. “You go this way after I get there. No, no, you have to go that way after I would have got there.”
Conditions outside polling stations drew complaints.
Antonae Burrows said voters were left standing in the sun for extended
periods without adequate shelter, describing the process as failing those it was meant to serve.
At CV Bethel, FNM chairman Dr Duane Sands pointed to severe overcrowding, noting that one polling room was assigned approximately 1,200 voters.
“Perhaps one of the worst situations of the day is Bamboo Town has 1,200 people on the advanced poll, and one room,” he said. “One. One. One. So people have been waiting four, five, six hours. Okay?”
At HO Nash, tensions escalated when some people were allowed to bypass lines, prompting protests from voters who shouted that the process was unfair.
Some elderly voters fainted while waiting in the heat.
One voter in his mid-70s left the line after about 45 minutes, saying he could not endure the conditions.
“This ain’t the first election these people been through,” he said. “They been through many and I ain’t never seen it like this.”
Michelle Dames, another Mount Moriah voter, also left without voting after waiting, calling for a system that better accommodates vulnerable groups.
“Somebody just fell out over there from standing so long,” she said. “Even though some persons are trying to provide chairs, that ain’t cutting it.”
During a press conference, FNM legal advisor
Khalil Parker emphasised issues beyond management of the voting process. He expressed concerns about ballots being signed or counterfoils completed before voters arrived, the absence of a properly segregated list for advance poll voters, and a late decision allowing some people to vote based on approved applications even if they were not yet on the register.
“So now,” he said, “we have to deal with the fact that we, there’s going to need to be a reconciliation between those who voted,
but were not on the register, and those who voted and were on the register to make sure that when we begin on election day, there is a mitigation or a correction or an updating of the official records at PRD, so that duplicating voters isn’t a substantive concern in that event.”
He said the FNM would demand an urgent meeting with the department to address the issues before Election Day.
Despite the widespread issues, the Parliamentary Registration Department said it remains prepared for the general election, noting that Election Day will involve more polling stations, increased staffing and expanded logistical support.
The department acknowledged the disruption, pointing to what it described as an “unprecedented” turnout.
“This is the first time in Bahamian history that this number of persons has participated in the advance poll, with especially strong participation among elderly voters,” the PRD said.
The department said the volume exceeded projections, placing pressure on logistics and processing times. It said a review was underway and adjustments would be made to improve voter flow and coordination.
The department’s reference to “unprecedented” turnout was unlikely to appease critics, given that all advance poll participants were required to register beforehand, providing officials with prior notice of how many people were expected to vote.
PRIME Minister Philip ‘Brave’ Davis along with his wife Ann Marie Davis attend Garvin Tynes Primary School yesterday to cast their vote in the advanced poll.
Photo: Nikia Charlton
VOTERS waitied at some polling stations as late as 10pm to finally cast their vote in the advanced poll.
Photos: Chappell Whyms Jr
Davis ducks questions on publicly funded PLP gifts
By JADE RUSSELL Tribune Staff Reporter jrussell@tribunemedia.net
PRIME Minister Philip
“Brave” Davis refused to answer questions yesterday about the apparent use of more than $200,000 in public funds for gift certificates distributed in Abaco bearing the names of Progressive Liberal Party candidates and officials, a practice critics say was criminal.
The prime minister ignored repeated questions from The Tribune as he left the advanced poll, despite a prior indication from Communications Director Latrae Rahming that he would address the issue when he encountered reporters.
Mr Davis was surrounded by supporters as he exited the Garvin Tynes polling station, prompting a chaotic scene as reporters attempted to question him while he walked to his car. When asked whether he authorised the use of public funds for the vouchers, he did not respond and continued walking.
An employee from the Office of the Prime Minister used his body in an apparent effort to block The Tribune reporter from asking further questions, while members of the prime minister’s team moved to shield him as he approached his vehicle.
Mr Davis, who also serves as Minister of Finance, again declined to respond when asked directly whether he approved the expenditure and quickly left the area.
Before ignoring questions about the vouchers, he told reporters his voting process was smooth and urged residents to remain in line, describing turnout as encouraging.
The Tribune reported earlier this week that gift certificates valued at more than $200,000 were distributed to Abaco residents in the names of Progressive Liberal Party candidates and officials, described as Hurricane Dorian relief.
Chris Lleida, chief executive officer of Premier Importers, confirmed that the vouchers issued through his company were paid for
by the Ministry of Finance. He said the vouchers were requested as part of post-Hurricane Dorian relief efforts, with certificates issued in amounts of $200, $300, and $500, totalling more than $200,000.
The involvement of political candidates and officials in the distribution, despite the funding coming from the public purse, shocked many.
The timing of the distribution has also drawn
scrutiny, coming roughly two weeks before the next general election and more than six years after Hurricane Dorian devastated Abaco.
Free National Movement leader Michael Pintard
accused the administration of breaking the law by using public funds to finance the vouchers, describing the situation as “egregious” and calling for charges to be brought.
He said the use of public funds in this way amounts to a criminal offence and added that it was “even more egregious” that Central and South Abaco candidate Bradley Fox Jr was involved in distributing the vouchers despite not holding a government position.
The Parliamentary Elections Act makes it an offence to offer, give or provide money, gifts or other benefits to a voter to influence how they vote or to reward voting behaviour. The law also prohibits providing such benefits to influence the return of a candidate to Parliament or to encourage others to secure votes on a candidate’s behalf. It further criminalises funding or knowingly facilitating such activities, including providing or repaying money intended for use in bribery.
‘WE JUST NEED A CHANGE’: VOTERS VENT AT ADVANCE POLL
By RASHAD ROLLE Tribune News Editor
rrolle@tribunemedia.net
VOTERS at yesterday’s advanced poll delivered a blunt verdict on the state of the country, with dissatisfaction dominating many conversations and calls for change centred on cost of living, healthcare, immigration and governance.
Several voters said they are unhappy with the direction of the country and believe key issues affecting daily life are not being addressed.
One voter argued that younger people should play a greater role in politics and that longstanding political figures should step aside.
Another voter said they were not satisfied and felt
that the concerns of ordinary people are being overlooked, supporting a change in government in hopes of greater accountability and solutions that improve lives.
Healthcare emerged as a major concern for some, with one voter saying: “My biggest problem right now is just illegals and the healthcare system.”
They described long wait times at Princess Margaret Hospital and said, “I aint going to PMH. If you pay me, I ain’t going.” The voter pointed to a personal account involving a neighbour who died after seeking treatment, underscoring distrust in the public healthcare system.
Others focused on governance and leadership standards.
Patrice Bain, of Elizabeth, said the country needs “good governance, honesty, truth,” and leaders who can “live by example,” adding she is not satisfied with the direction of the country and believes the system is broken. Cost of living pressures were also raised, with Antonae Burrows saying wages need to increase and that frontline services require better support, adding simply that “We just need a change.”
Some voters expressed frustration across multiple issues rather than focusing on a single concern.
Cynthia Sealy said, “All of them, I can't pick no one because all of them seem to be out of order,” and urged politicians to remember why they were elected and who
put them in office. Immigration and border control were also highlighted.
Arlene Mackey, a St James resident, said, “Too much illegal foreigners, and I feel as though they need to guard our borders better,” while also calling for more Bahamians to be recruited into the defence force and police force.
However, she said both major parties have fallen short on the issue and declined to single out one administration for blame.
Not all voters shared the prevailing dissatisfaction.
William Adderley said he had no complaints about the direction of the country, while Veronica Bowleg said she was “quite satisfied” and supported the current
leadership. “A good leadership just like what going on now. Good leadership in the right
direction and we are going in the right direction right now and I ain't changing it,” she said.
PRIME Minister Philip ‘Brave’ Davis along with his wife Ann Marie Davis attend Garvin Tynes Prima-
ry School yesterday to cast their vote in the advanced poll.
Photos: Nikia Charlton
Voters wait in line in Grand Bahama to cast their vote during the advanced polling yesterday.
Photos: Vandyke Hepburn
Ingraham calls fake documents ‘alarming’ but doubts stolen vote
By JADE RUSSELL Tribune Staff Reporter jrussell@tribunemedia.net
FORMER Prime Minister Hubert Ingraham said the rise in cases of people being found with fraudulent documents ahead of the general election are “alarming” even as he stopped short of suggesting the election could be stolen, as others in the Free National Movement have said.
Mr Ingraham spoke to reporters after casting his vote in the advance poll, where he was asked about concerns surrounding the voter registry and a series of recent arrests involving fraudulent passports and voter cards.
“That's alarming,” he said.
While acknowledging the concerns, Mr Ingraham indicated he does not believe the electoral system can be easily manipulated to change the outcome of an election, urging people to “come out and vote.”
“But I am concerned about how large numbers of people it appears have got access to Bahamian passports and other such documents, and that is a very concerning matter,” he said.
His remarks come after the FNM also highlighted
irregularities with the voter register, such as duplicate registrations and people listed with birth dates.
Mr Ingraham said he hopes those issues reflect incompetence rather than deliberate wrongdoing.
Former Prime Minister Perry Christie also weighed in yesterday, arguing that safeguards within the electoral system make widespread fraud unlikely.
“It's very difficult, if not next to impossible, to have the kind of fraud that they're talking about in our voting system here and it hasn't happened before, it’s not going to happen now,” Mr Christie said.
“It's politics, and I suppose it's an issue that political parties deem to be favourable to people in talking about it, and so they do it.”
He added that the country’s electoral history, including the rarity of consecutive election wins by one party, reflects voter choice rather than manipulation.
The issue has gained prominence in recent months, with several arrests involving people found with fraudulent identification.
On April 15, a Parliamentary Registration Department employee was accused of helping a
Haitian woman obtain a voter’s ID and of possessing five blank voter cards.
On April 27, a Dominican man was charged with fraudulently obtaining a Bahamian voter’s card and
passports, the latest in a string of such cases.
In April, National Security Minister Wayne Munroe said public officers found guilty of passport fraud could face up to ten
years in prison if the Progressive Liberal Party is given a second term.
Despite the growing number of cases, opposition leader Michael Pintard has continued to raise concerns
about document fraud under the current administration, though he has not clearly outlined what specific measures he would implement to address the issue.
Two Dominican women face charges over fake voter cards
By PAVEL BAILEY Tribune Staff Reporter pbailey@tribunemedia.net
TWO Dominican women were charged yesterday with fraudulently obtaining a Bahamian voter’s card, NIB card and passports, the latest cases as authorities crack down on fraudulent IDs ahead of the general election.
Jane Doe, also known as “Marianelis Francis”, 30, obtained a voter’s card from the Parliamentary Registra tion Department on March 22, 2017, in New Providence by uttering a fraudulent Bahamian passport in her name. She is also accused of fraudulently obtaining
an NIB card by uttering the same fake passport on September 14, 2020. She is further alleged to have uttered the same passport at the Passport Office on January 31, 2022, to obtain another passport on Febru
and two counts of fraud by false pretences. Mercedes faces two counts of conspiracy to commit fraud by false pretences. Both defendants pleaded not guilty before Senior Magistrate Kendra Doe was granted $9,000 cash bail, while Mercedes was granted $6,000 cash bail. Doe must sign in at the Nassau Street Police Station every Thursday by 6pm, and Mercedes must report to theThey are scheduled to return to court for trial on Sergeant Vernon Pyfrom
Jamaican man fined $4,000 over forged UK passport
By PAVEL BAILEY Tribune Staff Reporter pbailey@tribunemedia.net
admitted using a forged UK passport at LPIA last weekend was fined $4,000 in court yesterday.
known as “Adam Sallo”, 27, was found with a forged UK passport in the name Sallo when he arrived in
He was ordered to pay a total fine of $4,000 for the offences. Failure to pay will result in an eight-month
Upon payment of the fine or completion of the prison term, he is to be Sergeant Vernon Pyfrom prosecuted the case, while Ian Cargill and Levan Johnson represented the
of Johnson Park, Farrington Road, died at his residence on Tuesday
: Patsy : Gerrina : Charlene ; and a host of other
FORMER Prime Minister Hubert Ingraham speaks to the press at Garvin Tynes Primary School during the advanced polling yesterday.
Photos: Nikia Charlton
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HOT tempers, hot sun, long lines and viral videos – welcome back to Bahamian elections.
Advanced polling day did not inspire confidence in procedures for the main election day, with confusion, lengthy delays, arguments about eligibility and the most important people on the day – the voters – having to wait five hours or more to cast their vote.
about the rules. Mr Fox alleged death threats had been made and said the police had charged the PLP – but the police last night said no such arrest was made. That particular incident went global – Mr Fox’s celebrity status ensuring it appeared on the TMZ website.
Voting chaos needs to be fixed Role of leaders in time of crisis
With voting scheduled to end at 6pm, stations were still open beyond 8pm to deal with the backlogs.
If this was the audition for the bigger day, it failed miserably.
PLP voices were also unhappy with the situation – with veteran Leslie Miller talking about needing to double the number of rooms that would be open for people to vote, and candidate Sebas Bastian talking about his team bringing in more chairs, water and fans. McKell Bonaby, Myles Laroda and Mario Bowleg also said more polling rooms were needed.
One voter speaking to The Tribune called the conditions “terrible” and “unorganised”, another said she was directed to two wrong areas, yet another talked of being left standing in the sun for extended periods – some elderly voters even fainted. This is not the way it should be.
The Parliamentary Registration Department continued to insist that everything was prepared for election day – even in the face of the obvious fact that advanced polling day had multiple issues.
The department said election day will have more polling stations, more staff and more logistical support. Maybe so – but it will also have more people.
The department also called the turnout “unprecedented” – but it would have known the number of people who applied to be eligible for the advanced poll, and it ought to be prepared for a 100 percent turnout. It clearly was not.
Before the election, there were concerns raised over the electoral register, over possible electoral fraud – all brushed off, but all turning out to have some merits in the end, with errors in the register including people apparently born in the future.
Now the concerns of actual election day experience are being brushed off – this is not good enough.
Hot tempers did not help. There were arguments on the election lines – including a viral video involving FNM candidate Rick Fox being held back after a PLP told him in colourful language he did not care
In the middle of it all, Prime Minister Philip Davis avoided questions from The Tribune about allegations over gift cards being funded by public money and distributed by the PLP candidate in Central and South Abaco – another day without an answer to that question.
Amid all the partisan issues in our political landscape, there is one issue that should be bi-partisan – that our elections should run smoothly and for the benefit of voters. This election, so far, has hit a number of speed bumps. The crucial question will be whether that has led to voters being turned away or deterred from voting.
The hopeful thing is that if indeed the turnout is unprecedented, that voters are coming out in numbers. That must be encouraged, and that must be accommodated.
The Parliamentary Registration Department has acknowledged that “extended wait times and long lines affected the flow of the voting process” and said it recognises “that many Bahamians expected a smoother experience”.
Excellent, we mutually agree that there is a problem.
The department said it has begun a “full review” and is making “immediate adjustments”.
It would be very helpful indeed if those adjustments were explained in full – along with any increased funding necessary to carry out the process more smoothly.
Fixing these issues by May 12 will not simply be a case of shuffling around the deckchairs on this electoral Titanic.
The department must deliver on its one most important and essential task.
International observers are watching, and already from this election, with allegations of issues surrounding the electoral process and of financial benefits being handed out by candidates, they will have plenty to report.
But the most important eyes are Bahamian eyes – they are looking a process not fit for purpose at present, while they decide who will be fit to govern.
There will be no second chances at this. We have to get it right.
Is modern PLP transactional?
EDITOR, The Tribune.
I REMEMBER reading in Sir Henry M Taylor’s My Political Memoirs his accounts of traversing throughout the Family Islands as he campaigned for his fledgling Progressive Liberal Party. What stood out to me was that Taylor was a man with very limited resources, and could accurately be described as being dirt poor. One historian stated that Taylor’s appearance was disheveled and that he rarely held onto jobs. Maybe his socioeconomic status is what helped to endear him and the PLP to thousands of marginalised voters across the archipelago.
Taylor risked his limited financial security on New Providence where the Bay Street Boys had a stranglehold grip on the economy by boldly offering to the Black Bahamian population an alternative. The PLP’s initial platform was considered to be revolutionary by the Bay Street regime and its associates. Taylor would be considered a William F Buckley Jr when compared to today’s PLP leadership. He was a conservative. He loved The Bahamas
and its people and stood to gain absolutely nothing by establishing the PLP in 1953. Compare the selfless devotion of Taylor to the motives of many within the current iteration of the PLP. I am not judge. Only God can judge the heart. But I have noticed a common trend over the years in my interactions with many PLPs. That trend is that many of these Bahamians support the PLP because of what they can get out of the party, be it a monetary gift; a lucrative government contract; a soft government job or some other financial inducements. And I have noticed that several FNMs who have defected to the PLP have gotten something in return. One recent case in point would be a former FNM official who joined the PLP. In her press conference, she was essentially begging for a government job. That tells me that she knew about this long-standing practice of rewarding supporters for their loyalty. And we taxpayers are the ones left standing to foot the bill. Just today I read in one of the dailies that the Ministry of Finance is alleged to be
behind the distribution of $200,000 worth of gift certificates to Hurricane Dorian survivors in the Central and South Abaco communities. If the PLP has to resort to offering financial inducements to its “supporters,” then it begs the question as whether these people are genuine PLPs at all. If nothing else, I consider them to be nothing more than hangers-on, similar to what we see in the world of pro sports where NBA and NFL players are always surrounded by goons looking for handouts. This is not a healthy dynamic. If the PLP was not in a position to dole out lucrative contracts and monetary gifts, would it even be a relevant political force today? I feel as if these people are using the party for what they can get out of it. I can count on one hand the number of PLPs I have met who have gotten absolutely nothing from the party but are nonetheless loyal to a halt to its political ideology. Taylor must be rolling over in his grave at the state of his beloved PLP.
ATTICUS FINCH Nassau, April 28, 2026.
EDITOR, The Tribune.
THE Bahamian constitutional architecture meticulously defines the roles of its two highest offices: the Governor-General, representing the Head of State, and the Prime Minister, leading the Head of Government. While distinct, their functions are intricately linked, forming a crucial system of governance, particularly vital during periods of profound national emergency.
When facing an existential threat, such as the severe compromise of critical national infrastructure like passports and voters’ cards, the collaborative dynamic between these offices is not merely beneficial but constitutionally mandated and indispensable.
The established protocol dictates that should a crisis of such magnitude erupt, demanding immediate and coordinated governmental intervention, the sitting Prime Minister, in his or her capacity as Head of Government, bears the unequivocal constitutional obligation to consult with the Governor-General without delay.
This initial consultation transcends a customary formality; it is the foundational step for legitimizing and formalising the nation’s emergency response.
The Prime Minister’s pivotal role in this interaction is to formally advise the Governor-General on the necessity of declaring a Proclamation of
Emergency. In adherence to Article 29(1) of the Bahamian Constitution, the Governor-General’s actions in executive matters are predicated upon the counsel of the Prime Minister. This advisory relationship is central to the exercise of executive authority, especially when invoking extraordinary powers designed to protect public safety, uphold national order, or manage significant societal disruptions.
Consequently, upon receiving the Prime Minister’s recommendation, the Governor-General proceeds to issue the formal proclamation, thereby officially declaring the state of emergency.
Following this critical declaration, the machinery of crisis management intensifies. The Prime Minister, often acting in concert with the Cabinet, reconvenes with the Governor-General to formalise subsequent measures.
These may include the enactment of specific orders or emergency regulations under the Emergency Powers Act, which are essential for implementing the necessary governmental controls and responses to effectively navigate the crisis.
Transparency and accountability remain paramount, even under
the most urgent circumstances. The Constitution stipulates that once a Proclamation of Emergency has been issued; it must be presented to Parliament within five days for scrutiny.
Should Parliament not be in session at the time of the declaration, the Governor-General is constitutionally empowered and bound to summon the legislative body within the same five-day timeframe to review the emergency measures. This robust parliamentary oversight mechanism ensures that emergency powers are exercised judiciously and remain subject to democratic principles and public accountability. Furthermore, a standing constitutional requirement obligates the Prime Minister to keep the Governor-General comprehensively informed about the general conduct of government affairs. This duty assumes heightened significance during a national crisis, necessitating continuous, immediate, and detailed updates to the Head of State. It is understood that while routine engagements typically require advance notice, the extreme exigencies of a national crisis entirely supersede these standard protocols, allowing for instantaneous and urgent constitutional consultations.
DR DONALD M McCARTNEY Freeport, Grand Bahama April 29, 2026.
Corrupting the will of the voter
EDITOR, The Tribune.
IF what has been reported in the media concerning the payment of electricity bills for residents in Grand Cay and the distribution of vouchers to residents of Abaco at the expense of the public treasury is true, it would represent one of the most brazen and unethical attempt to overcome the will of the voter and corrupt the electoral process. Not to mention the abuse and inappropriate use of the public treasury. It is even more unethical and clearly wrong for the government to have allowed these residents to endure four plus years of hardship and stress over an inaccurate electricity
bill, and unrepaired homes and only on the eve of an election conveniently find it necessary to render relief.
If this was an attempt to demonstrate an act of genuine concern, it fell short and this sort of manipulative and unethical behavior needs to be called out for what it is because we are a better people than this and so should those who govern us. And this applies equally to the Free National Movement lot if they were in government.
Media reports also suggest that there are individual candidates from both of the major parties (PLP &FNM) who are engaged in similar
unethical practices and they too should be called out. Candidates who stand under the bright lights on a public podium at night asking for voters support and before the break of dawn, openly and offensively, seek to gain an unfair and improper advantage by gaming and cheating the electoral system through the use of cash and other rewards are unworthy of support. They are showing you how their moral and ethical fiber is woven and you ought to believe what you see rather than what you are told.
CLAUDE B HANNA Nassau, April 29, 2026.
Bahamian pilot returns home after four years in Venezuela
By LYNAIRE MUNNINGS Tribune Staff Reporter lmunnings@tribunemedia.net
BAHAMIAN pilot
Oran Munroe returned home yesterday after more than four years in detention in Venezuela, ending a prolonged case marked by delays, unanswered questions and sustained diplomatic pressure.
His return culminated in an emotional reunion with his family, including his mother, after a period in custody that stretched back to 2021.
Mr Munroe appeared visibly distressed but relieved as he embraced relatives, his physical condition reflecting the strain of years spent in detention abroad.
Foreign Affairs Minister Fred Mitchell said the case had been a source of concern for the government over several years, noting that it appeared to stall without clear explanation despite ongoing diplomatic engagement.
He said officials struggled to understand the delays, particularly in light of how cases are handled in The Bahamas.
Discussions with Venezuelan authorities continued over an extended period, including engagement at senior levels. Mr Mitchell said concerns for Mr Munroe’s safety intensified at times, especially amid instability in Venezuela.
Although charges were brought against Mr Munroe, they were never prosecuted in court. The government maintained that the matter had gone on too long and continued
to press for his release on humanitarian grounds.
The case was ultimately resolved through a judicial decision in Venezuela, which found that Mr Munroe was unable to mount a defence and permitted his return to The Bahamas.
“The government of The Bahamas remains firmly committed to safeguarding the rights and well-being of Bahamians home and abroad, and will continue to engage responsibly and constructively on their behalf,” Mr Mitchell said.
He described the outcome as the result of sustained diplomatic efforts led by Prime Minister Philip Davis, who engaged directly with Venezuelan leaders. He also credited Ambassador Melanie Hilton for maintaining dialogue throughout the process.
Mr Mitchell said the case’s high profile required a public explanation of the government’s actions.
“This happens to be a very high-profile case, and that's the reason why we've asked you all, because a public explanation has to be provided for what happened and why we did what we did,” he said.
He added that most diplomatic work is carried out quietly and depends on maintaining relationships rather than exerting force.
“Most diplomatic work is just quietly done, and we are in the business of winning friends and making sure that we have good relations with everybody,” he said. “We are a very small country. We obviously have no military that can
Man granted
enforce things. We don't have the economic power in mind to enforce things, but we do have good relationships with people and nations.”
Mr Mitchell also addressed the toll the case took on Mr Munroe’s family, noting the presence of his mother and his uncle, Livingston Marshall, and paying tribute to his late father, Oscar Munroe, a former Family Island administrator. He said the prolonged ordeal weighed heavily on him and contributed in part to his passing.
Mr Marshall, speaking on behalf of the family, described Mr Munroe’s return as a “truly answered prayer” and thanked those involved in securing his release. He said the family is now focused on ensuring Mr Munroe receives the care and support needed as he begins rebuilding his life.
Mr Munroe was first reported missing in July 2021 after departing The Bahamas aboard a private aircraft. Police later confirmed the plane, which had been reported stolen, crashed in Venezuela after leaving Abaco.
Venezuelan authorities said Mr Munroe and a Colombian national were taken into custody after seeking medical treatment for injuries sustained in the crash. They were questioned in connection with an alleged drug trafficking investigation, although Bahamian officials said at the time they could not confirm whether drugs were found on the aircraft.
Mr Munroe is a former employee of the now-defunct Sky Bahamas airline.
bail over indecent assault of 11 year old girl
By PAVEL BAILEY Tribune Staff Reporter
pbailey@tribunemedia.net
A MAN accused of indecently assaulting an 11-year-old girl in Hatchet Bay, Eleuthera, was granted bail yesterday.
Prosecutors allege Siderro Sawyer, 23, inappropriately touched the child on April 15. Sawyer pleaded not guilty to a charge of indecent assault before Magistrate Abigail Farrington. He was granted bail at $7,000 with one or two sureties. As a condition of bail, he must sign in at the Wulff Road Police Station on the
last Sunday of every month. He was warned not to interfere with the complainant or any witnesses or risk having his bail revoked.
Sawyer returns to court on May 5.
Assistant Superintendent of Police K Bould prosecuted the case. Alphonso Lewis represented the accused.
Family seeks answers after Atlantis worker killed on job
By EARYEL BOWLEG Tribune Staff Reporter
ebowleg@tribunemedia.net
A 64-YEAR-OLD man has died after being critically injured in an industrial accident at Atlantis, with family members raising concerns about conflicting accounts of how the incident unfolded.
The Tribune understands the victim is Keith Rolle, who was close to retirement.
Police said the incident occurred around 12.30pm on Thursday after a hotel security official alerted authorities. Officers from the Central Investigation Department and the Paradise Island Police Division responded.
Preliminary reports indicate that Rolle had been operating a golf cart travelling south near the plant when two employees attempted to signal him to stop. He was unable to hear them, possibly due to the noise of the cart. As efforts were made to get his attention, an internal membrane from a pipe reportedly discharged and struck him in the head, causing serious injuries.
Police initially reported that he was in critical condition in hospital. A family member later confirmed his death and described the severity of his injuries, saying his head was significantly swollen and that he appeared to have been struck on the left side, with
swelling to the left side of his mouth and a blackened, swollen eye.
The family said Atlantis provided conflicting explanations about what happened. They said the resort initially claimed Rolle was driving a golf cart when the incident occurred, but later said he was walking into an office when he was struck. They also alleged that members of management fled the scene after the incident. The family member said he felt Rolle was
abandoned and expressed frustration over the differing accounts.
In a statement, Atlantis expressed deep sadness over his death, describing it as an “accident” near its water plant on Paradise Island.
The resort said it was in communication with the family and doing everything in its power to support them during this difficult time.
“An investigation is ongoing and we are fully co-operating with authorities.”
BAHAMIAN pilot Oran Munroe greeted by his family and govt officials as he returned after more than four years in a Venezuelan prison.
Photo: MOFA
KEITH ROLLE
Cay Lobos, Old Bahama Channel, Southern Bahamas
THE UNESCO-designated lighthouseat CayLoboswas completedin 1869.Itsround castirontowerstands148feet above sea leveland its lantern and galleryare painted white. Situated closer to Cubantowns thanBahamian ones,thecay isjust12 miles northof Cuba andis knownamong keepersasthe mostisolated postinginBahamas. That’s not an issue today, since CayLobos Light issolar poweredandautomated. Androsis 75nauticalmiles north, GreatExuma over100, and Ragged Island’s Duncan Town 100 miles. It s remote. Annie Potts describes it as the mostpicturesque ofthe lighttowers commissionedby the ImperialLighthouse Service.” The 7km square cay it’s situated ondoesn t risehigher than 3.5 feet above the sea level.Becausemigratorybirds useitmore thanpeople,Cay Lobos is designateda Key Biodiversity Area.Without water aquifers, residents have relied on capturingrain runoff from buildings and dunes. Thefirst tochart thisoutcropwasSpaniardAlonsoValiente inthe 1500s.Its name means “islandof wolves,” apparentlya referencetothe localCaribbean monkseals foundthere. Completedin 1869, itwas improvedwith a Fresnel lensand kerosene firedin the1930s, withrequi-
site visits fromNassau of semi-annual inspections and maintenance.Today itstwo white lights flash every 20 secondsandare visiblefor22 miles. How the engineers hoisted a 230-ton tower to the top of a 145-foot base boggles the non-engineering mind.
Therouteitstandsastrideis still a criticalmaritime artery stretching over 500 nautical miles.Because thereareno modern buildings on Cay Lobos, everythingis historic and decaying. No one has settledonthecay inpartdueto currents ofup to4 knots,fog, suddensqualls,andthelackof water or soil.
There are many oddities with the building of this light. Since the cay is only made of sand,the engineersdroveteak woodpilings intothesand: teakisan oilywoodknownto repelworms.Thentheybuilta 26-foot-wide curb, also of teak.This wastopped witha solid 20-foot-high concrete foundation into which tunnels were engineered. Three keeper homeswere built around the base, so they could
work without venturing outside.
Finally, only one other Bahamian light was made of cast iron(GreatIsaac), andthisis theonlytowerbuiltontheOld Bahama Channel, connecting many oceangoingchannels with theGulf ofMexico and Hispaniola, theCaribbean, and the North Atlantic.
The main function of Cay Loboshasbeenasawaypoint forpersons indistressmigrating fromwrecks orpolitical instability (Haiti, Cuba) towardtheUScoastinFlorida or theBahamas. FDRfished there, and many thousands of vessels havelogged moving pastit, butfew havestopped. There’sno dockand noairport. In May of 1970 the Cuban military is saidto have captured a US-flagged shrimping boatnamed Fram. Many of the causes for folks being strandedatLobos donotoriginate in The Bahamas.
In December1860 the schooner America, under Charles Brownwith 500 African slavesaboard, wrecked at ornear Cay Lobos andthe skippercommandeered the ship Lily of Nassau and pressed her to rescue them.Survivors arrivedin Nassauaboard the Karnak America was 550 or so tons, and the slaves were moved to Cubabefore theBahamas’ royal governorwas ableto dispatch soldiers to intervene on December 18th.
Thecrew numbered36 people. Ayear afterthe light wasbuilt, thisaccount ofthe wreck of theslave ship Atlantic on19 December1860 under Captain Dawle, with 560slaves aboard,providesa sense ofhow harshthe setting was. Theeyewitness reported temperatures over93 degrees.
The chief excitement consisted of catchingshark and harpooning some dolphins, one report said.
The assistant lightkeeper wasnamedAP Rees,andthe lighthousewas a splendid iron structure,180 feethigh, the lantern ofwhich cost 2,000 British pounds.” A
Most sunscreens harm corals. Here's
By ANNIKA HAMMERSCHLAG Associated Press
EVERY timeyou gofor a swim,some ofyoursunscreen gets left behind. An estimated 25% of applied sunscreen washes off during recreational wateractivities, releasingsome 5,000tonsannually in reefareas alone, accordingto a studyin EnvironmentalHealth Perspectives.That's equivalentto theweightof about1,000elephants,andmanyofthosechemicals are toxic to corals. Some researchersarguethatmaybealow estimate,noting theexperiment didnot replicatethefriction caused byswimming, which could causemore sunscreento rub off. Coral reefssupport abouta quarter of all marine species despitecoveringjust0.1%ofEarth's oceans. Already under mounting pressure from warming waters, pollution,overfishing andcoastal development, reefsface anaddi-
tional threat from sunscreen chemicals thatcan damagecoral larvae, trigger bleachingand disrupt growth.Scientists sayit's a smaller stressorthan climate change, but oneconsumers can actually address.
Thepollutiondoesn'tjustcome from swimming.Sunscreen chemicals can enter waterways whenpeopleshower,washtowels orurinate afterbeachtrips. Sewage is thelargest source of sunscreen contamination in oceans,as conventionaltreatment plants can't effectively remove many UVfilter compounds, studies show.The chemicalsflow from wastewaterfacilities into rivers and ultimately the sea. Certainchemicalsposedocumented risks to reefs Whilesunscreen preventssunburnandreducesskincancerrisk, notallformulas carrythesame environmental footprint.
Thestrongest evidenceof harm centers on oxybenzone and octinoxate two widelyused chemical UV filters. A 2016
pretending to buy a full hold of coal for the motors, but only taking half of it, and keeping thedifference. Then theyanchored offCayLobos and shut the steam plant off, saving moneyby doing nothing. It wasnothing unusualfor four orfive ofthese thieving warshipstobe ridingatanchorinthissoftspot, Captain O Brien wrote. The Lobos Light waskept byan oldEnglishman andhis nephew.He and his fellows would deliver fresh vegetablesand delicaciesfor themon everytrip, and in returnthey kept us postedofthemovementofthe gunboats. He spokeof sending mailand messages via thelightkeepers forUS news services and how Cubans used small sloops for the same. Eventually the Cubanscomplained tothe British and this stopped.
magistrate named JB Burnside recorded anaccount oflightkeeper Lamotte, whosaw awreck on 4 December at Lavanderas Reef, 18 miles from Lobos. Thiswas conflated with the schooner America, asitwas rescued bythe Nassau schooner Lily The whole situation was made more complicated because the slavers hadcut the ship’s name offthe sternto confuse the matter. Itturned outthat theship was from New York andlisted in the whalingtrade. On the way to Nassau the Lily was forcedto shelter atGreen Cay, wherethey met ayacht named Teviot and the onlyresident, named Simcox,of the MiddleCounties ofEngland, whorowedoutanddinedwith them.
One reportcited thatthey tookwaterfromthecisternsof the lighthouse fortwo weeks. No violence wasoffered to the lightkeepers,nor were they interfered with at all in the executionof theirduty,” it continued. But at the same time, the captain and his crew tookeverything theywanted. Several vesselspassed rather closetothe cay,butthenthey camein sightthe captainand hismendrovetheslavestothe far side ofthe lighthouse, so as to keep it between the vessels and theslaves, who were chiefly womenand children. About14oftheslavesdiedon Cay Lobos. Theywere buried two in each grave. Seven graves were found.”
There ought to be graves on this desolate spot. The keeper
what you can do
study publishedin Archivesof Environmental Contamination andToxicology foundoxybenzone transforms coral larvae from healthy, mobileorganisms into deformed, immobileones. The chemicalcauses coralstoexpel the algae thatprovide much of their foodand color, astress responseknown asbleaching. Bleached coralsare weakened, morevulnerable todiseaseand canstarveordieifstressfulconditionspersist. Researchersalso found oxybenzonedamages DNA andtriggers premature skeleton formation that can encaseentire larvae.It canalso cause coralsto bleachat lower temperatures, worsening the effects of marine heat waves driven by climate change. The chemical provestoxic at concentrations as lowas 62 parts per trillion equivalentto one dropin sixOlympic-sizedswimmingpools. AtHanauma Bay,a popular Hawaiisnorkeling spot, nearly 2,600 daily visitors left around 412 pounds of sunscreen
inthe oceaneach day,according to a2017 studyby nonprofit Haereticus EnvironmentalLaboratory.
Scientists havegrowing concerns aboutoctocrylene, avobenzone and homosalate as well. These chemicals don't stay put. UV filters havebeen detected in fish andother marineorganisms, raising questions about seafood safety.
"Wemeasured thelevelof oxybenzone in locally caught fish. It was scary," said Craig Downs,executive directorof nonprofit Haereticus Environmental Laboratory, who led the 2016 study. "These chemicals move through the food chain, then we eat it."
Themost effectivestep isto reduce sunscreen use Experts recommend covering upwithclothing,rashguards,hats and shade.
was growingpumpkins, which the slavesfound and ate, and he did not object.
According toCaptain John O Brien in his “Captain Unafraid series in the New York Tribune of 1912, Cay Lobos was aplacethat Spanish gunboats around the time of the Spanish American War would earn passive income. They did this by
In March of1970 a Massachusetts fishing trawler Jocelyn C. from Chatham, Cape Cod, was converted into a treasurehunting vesselinthe Bahamas and wasdetained by Cubanmilitary forcesandreleased nearCay Lobos.A photographer named William Crockettand CaptainCarlson from New Bedfordwere fortunate in that the Cubans were behaving gentlemanly towards lost marinersat the time. Thankfully for them, the SwissEmbassy inHavana,the largest cityin theCaribbean, intervened. These internationaladventurerswereseekingtreasureat thebehestofSub-MareInc,of Washington,DC,whichraised the spectre of working for the US government. TheUS categorically denied it.
A typical modern rescue, of Haitianrefugees byUShelicopter andsupport boats,took place inApril andMay of 1987. After a month at sea, some100 orsoimmigrants landed at Cay Lobos from Haiti.Within aweek theUS CoastGuardhadfedsomeand flown others to George Town Exuma, 110 miles northeast. Somewere takenbackto Haiti, butall weretaken off Cay Lobos. Lobosisa workingrelic,a lonely sentinel. Visited probably fewerthan adozen times ayear, thisisa lovelyplace wherethe tidesof deathand despaironly rarelymeetwith joyandrescue. Insightofso muchworld trade,thislone wolf is set back far enough that it partakes in none of it.
"If youput ona rashguard or long sleeve swimshirt, you basically coverup 50%of yourbody, which means you don't need 50% of the sunscreen," Downs said. "From a conservation perspective, that's a massive win." When sunscreen is needed, look for products with non-nano zincoxide ortitanium dioxideas active ingredients. While research continuesintohowtheseminerals behave inmarine environments, many expertsconsider them preferable to chemical UV filters. Though mineral sunscreens have a reputationfor leaving a white cast, newer formulations offer sheerer alternatives. Experts also recommend avoiding aerosolsprays, which candispersesunscreenintotheair and surrounding environment. Waitingat least15 minutesafter applying sunscreen before swimming allowsit tobetter adhereto skinratherthanwashoffimmediately.
A six-year-old Cuban refugee, Carmen Luis Santiago, plays with Andy, the mascot of US Coast Guard Cutter Androscoggin
Cay Lobos Lighthouse’s 148-foot-tall round cast iron tower is overlooking the extreme border of the Bahamas and close enough to see Cuba.
Illustration of Lobos Cay Lighthouse, Bahamas, Lighthouses by Gorton 1863.
Jocelyn C. from Cape Cod, a treasure hunting vessel was detained by Cuban military and released near Lobos Cay.
Bleached coral is visible at the Flower Garden Banks National Marine Sanctuary, off the coast of Galveston, Texas, in the Gulf of Mexico, Sept. 16, 2023. AP Photo/LM Otero, File
You asked for it!
more highs and lows of the week
INMY columnofMarch
20, I confessed to shamelessly borrowing aconcept from Sunday Today Show host Willie Geist,whose insightful andoften humorouslookat thehighsandlowsoftheweek is one of the most highly anticipated segments of the popular NBC show.
It turns out that what works for WillieGeist workedfor Tribune readers. Both in phonecalls andmessages, your responsewas surprisingly positive. You enjoyed it and asked for more.
So heregoes – butthis time witha seasonalcaveat.Despite temptation,I steered clear ofany highor low having todo withthe upcoming national elections (thoughIadmit,frankly,thatit took thekind of willpower I can imagine it would take for alifelongsmoker togiveup puffing on anobject that delivers some typeof satisfaction while it protrudes from his or her mouth.)
The first high: art in a public place
Thefirsthigh oftheweek goesto whoeverdecidedit was time to paint one side of a twostoreybuildingonShirley Street.Art inpublic placesis alwaysajoy tobehold,especiallyif theart issomething that brings a nod of respect or a feelingof joy. Theimage of an officerof theRoyal Bahamas PoliceForce againsta deep blue background took a nondescript buildingfrom somethingto beignoredat best to a level of passing pleasure for hundredsof motorists a day. It was notlost on this viewerthat thepositiveimage of asmiling officer ofthe law was veryclose to oneof the challenging neighbourhoods inthecountryforlawenforcement,the KempRoadarea. Kudos to whoever conceived of theidea andto theartist who climbed theladder at all hoursof theday andevening, solo, as we saw,to get the job done. We can’t helpbutwonder whether it willre-instil some ofthe communitypridethat the Kemp Road area was once known for.
The first low: Dallas Knowles signs off Theresignation ofDallas Knowles asChairman ofthe NationalFamily IslandRegattaisa blowtothenational sportofsailing.Theenergyhe broughttosailingasawhole–boosting junior sailing in Exuma, increasing thesize of the fleet ofE-class sloops, ensuring thatsailing wouldbe passed down from generation to generation,supporting native sloop regattas in Nassau and elsewhere --gave the sportandthecultureofsailing theshot inthe armit sodesperately needed when it needed it.
Dallas grew upin a sailing family. Hislate grandfather, SirDurward Knowles,along with his crew, Cecil Cooke, brought home the first Olympicgold medalTheBahamasever won.Andwhen Sir Durwardcompeted inhis last Olympics, hewas the oldest athlete inthe entire competition. When Dallas moved to Exuma asa youngman, married, hada family,no one couldhave predictedtheinfluence onthe sporthe would have. But while he credits long-time Exumaresident BobCoughlin andFriendsof Exuma for helping to grow sailingintheExumasandparticularly the junior fleet,
Dallas personalcontributions to sailing helped sustain and infuse the culture. Thankyouforallyougave, Dallas.Youmadeadifference and we appreciateyou. May you enjoy smooth sailing in your years ahead.
A low we cannot even begin to express: the loss of Lisa The Bahamas haslost one of its greatest volunteers, Lisa Pugh,who passedawaysuddenlylastweek. For13years, she gaveof herselfdaily, never oncecomplaining or waveringinhersupportofthe Bahamas Feeding Network. Lisa worked at LW Young Jr Highon BernardRoad, trekkingon footbetween
Farewell to the King
herself, butI willspeak now that she cannot. Please, helpkeep hunger fromthe doorsof thosewho have little and need more. Do it for Lisa Pugh.
there andthe FeedingNetwork on Fox Hill Road, every day, sometimes twice a day. Her presence waslarge and kindandforallthoseyears,as theFeeding Networkserved more than fivemillion meals, she wasthe windbeneath the wingsof Regina ‘Scully’ Ferguson, the womanwe all call theheartand soulofthe Feeding Network. It’s impossible to overstate the role she played, that steady drumbeat of volunteerism that somany organizationsdependupon inasociety where so many basic socialneeds remainunmet.Lisa never askedfor anythingfor
A triumphant high: Lenox Lockhart’s big win Don’tlethisageorsizefool you – 10-year-old Lenox Lockhartis arisingstar inthe fast-paced world of competitivekarting, thetraining groundfora futureinF1 magic.The Bahamianspeed sensation whotook tothe courselikehewasborntorace fromthe timehefirst slidinto akart atage sixjust wonanother title, this time coming in atthetoppftheleaderboardat theMicroSwiftChampionship Serieson thefamedCharlotte Motor Speedway in North Carolina.Young Lockhartis racking upthe numbers – 19 wins, 39 podiums,41 top five finishesinkartingracesacross thecontinents. Heskyrocketed from locals to nationals tointernationals longbefore he was old enough to worry about shaving for the photo opp. Lenox s rawtalent first caughtthe eyeof FIABahamas andCaribbean development s David McLaughlin, aveteran racedriver,road safetyadvocate andevent plannerwho hasspentyears re-awakening thesport of karting in Nassau. Finding a youngsterwithstarpowerlike Lenox was a come-full-circle moment, says McLaughlin. Karting got itsofficial start in Nassaumorethan halfacentury before. McLaughlintoutsthecelebin-training. “Lenox Lockhart,” he says, “has that oncein-a-lifetime innate talent that you can’tteach, youjusthave to born with.” In the four yearssince hisfirstspin around acourse atthe Bahamas Motor track near the Baillou Hills Sporting Complex, his parents and supporter, SusanSchauff, Vice Presidentof theMotorsports
Federationof TheBahamas, have dedicated themselves to his progress.His travel itineraryreads likeaTaylor Swiftconcert tour – hopping planes, crossingcontinents, dashing betweenkarting eventsin Europeand theU.S. Between January and April this year,he s competedin races in Spain, Orlando, Italy, Tampa, the Carolinas. In 2025, hetook top placein the MicroSwiftClass attheSuperkarts!USAProTours.This weekend, he s drivingatthe SpeedsportzRacing Parkin New Caney, Texas. In a recent race, the 100-lb star ofspeed clocked48.018 miles per hourduring one lap of the 18-lap course. I love bringinganother winforThe Bahamas. It is fun always having people torace against and it is alsofun to drive against veryprofessional peopleandbeatthem, hetold a reporter. Yougo, Lenox!Wethink there is an F1race in your future. Maybeone daywe’ll be reportinga highof theyear when Lenoxis behindthe wheel ofa meanracing machine, looking alot like the new Sir Lewis Hamilton.
Caribbean Bank (Bahamas) Limited Notice of Material Change
April 29th, 2026 - The Bahamas – CIBC Caribbean Bank (Bahamas) Limited (“the Bank”) is pleased to announce the appointment of Mr. Terrance Gibson as Head of Country, The Bahamas e ective April 24th, 2026.
Terrance is an experienced banker with over 30 years of banking experience in the Personal, Corporate & Investment Banking, Personal Credit Risk Management and Wealth Management.
Terrance has been exposed to the local and regional markets in the Caribbean through the increasingly senior roles he has held, having led teams in The Bahamas, Barbados and The Turks and Caicos Islands. Terrance is a graduate of several training programs with the latest being a senior leadership development program in Barbados.
Terrance also finds time to give back to society by mentoring young professionals. With the support of his team, Terrance will continue to build an enduring legacy of care for our community through deep involvement in the Bank’s corporate social responsibility programs in The Bahamas.
Sherrylyn Bastian Corporate Secretary
About
Lisa Pugh (foreground) doing what she always did –serving others, helping to feed the hungry, a volunteer with the Bahamas Feeding Network for 13 years.
Photo: Tribune file
Britain's King Charles III waves as he boards his plane to depart at Joint Base Andrews, Md., Thursday, April 30, 2026.
World News
Trump signs bill funding the Department of Homeland Security, ending record shutdown
WASHINGTON Associated
Press
PRESIDENT Donald Trump swiftly signed a bipartisan legislation Thursday to fund much of the Department of Homeland Security, but not its immigration enforcement operations, shortly after the package won final approval in the House, ending the longest agency shutdown in history.
The quick action after weeks of political blame brought an abrupt end to the months-long standoff that began after Trump’s deadly immigration crackdown in Minneapolis launched a reckoning on Capitol Hill over the funding for the president’s agenda.
DHS has been without routine funds since Feb. 14, causing hardship for workers, though many of the immigration enforcement operations were able to keep running with separate funding sources. The White House had warned that temporary funding Trump had tapped to pay Transportation Security Administration and other agency personnel would “soon run out.” Some employees risked missed paychecks in May.
“It is about damn time,” said Rep. Rosa DeLauro of Connecticut, the top Democrat on the House Appropriations Committee,
who proposed the bipartisan bill more than 70 days ago. The House swiftly voted by voice earlier Thursday, without a formal roll call, to pass the measure. The movement in Congress comes as DHS is under intense scrutiny after Trump ousted Kristi Noem as the department’s leader, installing Oklahoma Sen. Markwayne Mullin in the middle of the shutdown. The agency counts some 260,000 employees, across TSA, the Coast Guard, FEMA and other operations.
Many workers have endured repeated turmoil with potential furloughs and pay lapses as the congressional stalemate dragged on. This shutdown came on the heels of last year’s governmentwide closure, which itself had set a record at 43 days. Countless employees have struggled with bills or simply quit their jobs.
Trump’s deportation strategy fuelled the dispute
In the aftermath of the fatal shootings of Renee Good and Alex Pretti, both US citizens, by federal agents during protests against the immigration actions in Minneapolis, Democrats refused to fund US Immigration and Customs Enforcement and the Border Patrol without
changes to those operations.
At the same time, Republicans would not go along with a plan pushed by Democrats to fund TSA and the other parts of DHS without the money for ICE and Border Patrol. They insisted that immigration operations must not be zeroed out.
After the shutdown intensified, with hourslong lines at airport security screening, the Senate unanimously approved the bipartisan package without the immigration-related funds in a middle-of-thenight vote a month ago. Then the bill languished in the House.
House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., himself had called the legislation a “joke.”
To break the impasse, Republican leaders in both the House and Senate decided to tackle the immigration enforcement funding on their own through what is called budget reconciliation, a cumbersome weekslong process ahead.
By beginning that path with a separate vote late Wednesday night, adopting a GOP budget resolution to eventually provide $70 billion for immigration and deportation operations for the remainder of Trump’s term in 2029, Johnson was able to unlock the broader bipartisan bill for the rest of DHS. Johnson acknowledged
PROSECUTORS RELEASE VIDEO OF ARMED MAN STORMING CORRESPONDENTS’ DINNER
WASHINGTON Associated Press
FEDERAL prosecutors released a video Thursday showing the moment authorities say an armed man tried to storm the White House Correspondents’ Association dinner and attempt to kill President Donald Trump.
Jeanine Pirro, the top federal prosecutor for Washington, posted the video on social media. She said it shows Cole Allen Tomas shooting a US Secret Service officer as he runs through security toward the gala packed with journalists, administration officials and others.
Pirro said there is no evidence that the agent was hit by friendly fire.
Allen agreed earlier Thursday to remain jailed while he awaits trial.
Allen did not enter a plea during his brief appearance in federal court days after authorities say he ran through a magnetometer at the Washington Hilton while holding a long gun and disrupted one of the highest-profile annual events in the nation’s capital.
Allen was injured during Saturday night’s attack but was not shot. A Secret Service officer was shot but was wearing a bullet-resistant vest and survived, officials say. Prosecutors have said they believe Allen fired his shotgun at least once and that a Secret Service agent fired five shots. They had
not previously confirmed that it was Allen’s bullet that struck the agent’s vest. In court papers pressing for Allen’s continued detention, prosecutors wrote Wednesday that Allen took a picture of himself in his hotel room just minutes before the incident, and that he was outfitted with an ammunition bag, a shoulder gun holster and a sheathed knife. In a message that authorities say sheds light on his motive, Allen referred to himself as a “Friendly Federal Assassin” and alluded obliquely to grievances over a range of Trump administration actions.
Allen’s lawyers agreed during the brief hearing before US Magistrate Moxila Upadhyaya to keep their client behind bars for now after initially arguing in court papers that Allen should be released.
In a court filing Wednesday, the defence wrote that the government’s case is “based upon inferences drawn about Mr. Allen’s intent that raise more questions than answers” and noted that Allen’s writings never mentioned Trump by name. The defence left the door open to pressing in the future for Allen’s release before trial.
“The government’s evidence of the charged offense –- the attempted assassination of the president –- is thus built entirely upon speculation, even under the most generous reading of its theory,”
Thursday that while he had trashed the bipartisan bill before, the new budget process ensure that the immigration enforcement money eventually will flow “with no crazy Democrat reforms.”
“We threw a fit,” the speaker said. “We had to.”
But not all Republicans were pleased. During the quick floor action Thursday, Rep. Chip Roy of Texas said isolating the immigration-related money on a separate track is “offensive to the men and women who serve in ICE and Border Patrol, and are serving this country every single day.”
White House warned paychecks were at risk, again
The White House had
urged Congress this week to act, warning that the money Trump tapped to temporarily pay TSA and other workers through executive actions was drying up. Immigration enforcement workers have largely been paid through the flush of new cash — some $170 billion — that Congress approved as part of Trump’s tax cuts bill last year. Others, including at the TSA, have had to rely on Trump’s intervention through executive action to ensure their paychecks. Most of its employees are considered essential and have remained on the job.
But with salaries topping a combined $1.6 billion every two weeks, Mullin said recently that the
money was dwindling.
On Thursday, he said in a social media post that the shutdown “NEVER should have happened.”
More than 1,000 TSA officers have quit since the shutdown began, according to Airlines for America, the US airlines trade group that on Wednesday called on Congress to fully fund the Cabinet department.
Everett Kelley, national president of the American Federation of Government Employees, said while workers are “pleased that Congress finally stepped up to do their jobs and fund DHS, it is unacceptable that it took them this long to do so.”
He said “federal employees are not political pawns. They are not leverage. They are Americans -– and they deserve to be treated with dignity and respect.” Complicated budget strategy ahead
The go-it-alone strategy under the budget resolution process is the same that was used last year to approve Trump’s tax cuts bill, which all Democrats opposed. With the budget resolution now adopted by the House and Senate, lawmakers will next draft the actual $70 billion ICE and Border Patrol funding bill, with voting expected in May.
Trump has said he wants it on his desk by June 1.
Britney Spears charged with driving under the influence of alcohol and drugs
LOS ANGELES Associated Press
BRITNEY Spears was charged in California on Thursday with driving under the influence of drugs and alcohol, authorities said.
The 44-year-old pop star was charged with a single misdemeanour count of driving under the combined influence of alcohol and at least one drug, the Ventura County District Attorney’s Office said.
A Spears representative had no immediate comment.
The criminal complaint does not specify what kind of alcohol or drugs, or what amount, Spears is accused of having used.
defence lawyers wrote.
Allen’s lawyers alleged that some of acting Attorney General Todd Blanche’s statements “indicate that the recovered ballistics evidence is inconsistent with aspects of the government’s theory, evidence collected by the government and/ or statements made by witnesses.”
The Justice Department, in response, said the evidence shows Allen fired his shotgun at least once in the Secret Service agent’s direction. Investigators recovered at least one fragment at the crime scene that is consistent with a buckshot pellet, prosecutors wrote.
“The government is aware of no physical evidence, digital video evidence, or witness statements that are inconsistent with the theory that your client fired his shotgun in the direction” of the officer or that the officer “was indeed shot once in the chest while wearing a ballistic vest,” prosecutors wrote.
Allen was charged on Monday with that crime, as well as two additional firearms counts, including discharging a weapon during a crime of violence. He faces up to life in prison if convicted of the assassination count alone.
Allen, 31, is from Torrance, California. He is a highly educated tutor and amateur video game developer.
Spears, who has since entered substance abuse treatment, was arrested March 4 after she was pulled over for driving her black BMW fast and erratically on U.S. 101 near her home, the California Highway Patrol said. She appeared to be impaired, took a series of field sobriety tests, was arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence of a combination of alcohol and drugs and was taken to a Ventura County jail, the CHP said.
She was released on bail the following day. Police completed their investigation and presented it to prosecutors on March 23.
A representative at the time called Spears’ actions “completely inexcusable” and said it would ideally be “the first step in long overdue change that needs to occur in Britney’s life.”
Spears voluntarily checked into a substance abuse treatment facility just over a month after the arrest, her representative said.
Spears’ arraignment is set for Monday. Because it is a misdemeanour charge, she will not be required to appear in court, prosecutors said.
Prosecutors said the case will be handled according
to their standard protocol for defendants with no DUI history, no crash or injury on the road and a low blood-alcohol level.
In court on Monday, Spears will be offered what is commonly known as a “wet reckless,” allowing a defendant to plead guilty and get a year of probation, credit for any time served in jail, a required DUI class and state-mandated fines and fees, prosecutors said. The offer is common especially for defendants who have independently shown motivation to address their problems and seek treatment, the district attorney’s office said.
The singer has a home in Ventura County just outside the Los Angeles County line. Her arraignment will be held in the city of Ventura, a seaside community of about 110,000 people about 70 miles (113 kilometres) northwest of downtown LA.
The onetime teen pop phenomenon and “Mickey Mouse Club” alum became a defining superstar of the 1990s and 2000s with
hits like “Toxic,” “Gimme More” and “I’m a Slave 4 U.” Most of Spears’ albums have been certified platinum, according to the Recording Industry Association of America, with two diamond titles: 1999’s “ … Baby One More Time” and 2000’s “Oops! … I Did It Again.” Spears became a tabloid focus in the early 2000s, and a source of public scrutiny, as she battled mental illness and paparazzi documented the details of her private life. In 2008, Spears was placed under a court-ordered conservatorship, run primarily by her father and his lawyers, that would control her personal and financial decisions for well over a decade. It was dissolved in 2021. Since then, she has married and divorced, and released a bestselling, tellall memoir, “The Woman in Me.”
She has essentially been retired as an artist in recent years, releasing only a few collaborative singles since her last full album in 2016.
THIS image contained in a court filing by the Department of Justice, April 29, 2026, shows Cole Tomas Allen, left, inside his hotel room, on Saturday, April 25, 2026 in Washington, using his cellphone to take a photograph of himself in the mirror. An enhanced version of the image is right. Photo: Department of Justice/AP
BRITNEY Spears arrives at the Los Angeles premiere of “Once Upon a Time in Hollywood,” on July 22, 2019.
Photo: Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP
DEPARTMENT of Homeland Security logo during a news conference in Washington, Feb. 25, 2015.
Photo: Pablo Martinez Monsivais/AP
Garvin Tynes Primary School | Photos: Nikia Charlton
C.V. Bethel Senior High School | Photos: Chappell Whyms Jr
Photos: Vandyke Hepburn