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VOLUME:114 No.113, MAY 4TH, 2017

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CHAOS AT POLLS • Thousands queue for hours to vote • Commissioner’s role ‘under review’ • Punches thrown in Grand Bahama • Missing ballot boxes force delay

By KHRISNA VIRGIL Deputy Chief Reporter kvirgil@tribunemedia.net

PARLIAMENTARY Commissioner Sherlyn Hall’s ability to run a successful May 10 general election is a “matter under review,” according to Prime Minister Perry Christie as he told reporters he was “disappointed” over the process at the Kendal G L Isaacs Gymnasium where thousands turned out to cast ballots for yesterday’s disorganised advanced poll.

While Mr Christie would not reveal whether the government intended to remove Mr Hall from overseeing the next election - considering yesterday’s botched poll and the equality referendum that also experienced issues

last June - the prime minister said: “We are going to make the right decision for the country.”

He intimated apparent surprise that the process had not gone as smoothly as officials expected, saying every effort was made to prepare and be able to deal with issues of this magnitude.

He blamed “administrative challenges” and a decision by “someone senior” that early voters from all 39 constituencies could all be accommodated in one facility - instead of two as originally planned - revealing that these issues led him to call in the assistance of “senior officials” with experience in elections to assist Mr Hall.

SEE PAGE THREE

HALL AVOIDS QUESTIONS OVER POLLING PROBLEMS

By AVA TURNQUEST Tribune Chief Reporter aturnquest@tribunemedia.net

away from the Kendal G L Isaacs Gymnasium, some of whom descended upon the Parliamentary Registration Department (PRD) angry and frustrated that they had waited in long lines for more than three hours only to discover that their names were not on the register.

SEE PAGE THREE

PARLIAMENTARY Commissioner Sherlyn Hall yesterday repeatedly dodged questions from the press as chaos unfolded at the advanced poll in the capital.

Scores of hopeful voters were reportedly turned

VOTERS pressed against the glass at the Kendal Isaacs Gymnasium yesterday as they wait for advanced polling to begin.

Photo: Shawn Hanna/Tribune Staff

VOTERS FRUSTRATED BY WAIT AS ONLY ONE SITE OPEN IN NASSAU

By RICARDO WELLS Tribune Staff Reporter rwells@tribunemedia.net

VOTER frustration was obvious at the advanced polling station yesterday as thousands of people waited for hours in the hot sun, with some enduring the long queues only to be turned away for various reasons.

The Parliamentary Registration Department had previously published public notices stating that there would be two voting sites for the advanced poll in New Providence: the Kendal G L Isaacs Gymnasium and at the National Stadium.

However, for some reason only one polling site the gymnasium - was open SEE PAGE FIVE

DR DUANE SANDS, the FNM candidate for Elizabeth, was called upon yesterday morning when one woman in a PLP shirt required medical attention as she waited to cast her vote. Several people fainted in the heat. The patient was transported to hospital and Dr Sands said he was waiting for a report on her condition. The photograph circulated on social media under the headline “No matter what colour you wear the FNM has your back!”

CHRISTIE’S BAHA MAR DEAL ADDS $1BN COSTS

THE Baha Mar deal recently agreed by the Christie administration, as outlined in the heads of agreement (HOA) released on April 30, amounts to a “disgraceful betrayal” of the government’s sacred duty to protect the public interest, a former high ranking hotel executive told The Tribune last night.

“In their rush to open the resort as a last-minute election ploy,” said lawyer Michael Scott, a former chairman of the Hotel Corporation of The Bahamas, “the PLP has cut an amazingly sweet deal for the buyers, while burdening the Bahamian people with SEE PAGE TEN

INGRAHAM CALLS ON RETIREMENT OF HALL AFTER ‘INTERNATIONAL EMBARRASSMENT’ RASPBERRY ICED TEA

FORMER Prime Minister Hubert Ingraham last night called on Prime Minister Perry Christie to “immediately retire” Parliamentary Commissioner Sherlyn Hall for the “chaos” at the advanced polls yesterday morning that caused the country “great international embarrassment” and discouraged Bahamians from voting.

Addressing a crowd of Free National Movement supporters at the carnival grounds of the Queen Elizabeth Sports Centre, the former Prime

Minister also accused members of the Christie administration of borrowing millions of dollars from the Bank of the Bahamas and not paying it back, causing the bank to “end up with loans of $100m, that had to be taken off their books”.

Mr Ingraham also questioned how the Office of the Prime Minister was able to go over budget by $54m in less than a year, without Parliamentary approval.

The advanced poll for the general

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election got off to a chaotic and late start on Wednesday. Despite a public notice indicating there would be two separate polling stations, thousands of voters slated to cast an early vote in New Providence crammed into Kendal G L Isaacs National Gymnasium, many of them waiting for hours.

Voting was scheduled to take place from 8am to 6pm, but did not get started until around 9.20am.

SEE PAGE SIX

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PAGE 2, Thursday, May 4, 2017

THE TRIBUNE

LENGTHY queues for advanced polling at the Kendal Isaacs Gymnasium yesterday.

Photos: Shawn Hanna/Tribune Staff

GET YOUR ELECTION TALLY SHEETS TOMORROW FOLLOW the 2017 election as the votes come in on May 10 with The Tribune’s popular election tally sheets.

Constituency by constituency, polling division by polling division, you can fill in the results and the number of votes for each candidate as they are declared across the country.

Which party will win, which leader will emerge victorious to form the next government of The Bahamas? And how large is the voter turn out?

For the very best election coverage, get The Tribune every day. For the election tally sheets, make sure of your copy of The Tribune on Friday and get ready for the big day.

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THE TRIBUNE

Thursday, May 4, 2017, PAGE 3

Chaos at polls from page one Asked to respond to critics who had accused the government of attempting to “steal” the election by frustrating the process, Mr Christie said to suggest this was “lunacy.” He said he did not understand this assertion because “everyone got a chance to vote.”

However some people claimed they were turned away from the advanced poll, either because their name was not on the register or because they were told they did not have the right documents, among other issues.

Moments before speaking with reporters in the foyer of the gymnasium, Mr Christie voted in the advanced poll, in a process he suggested was smooth and the same as all the other elections in which he had voted.

Scores of Progressive Liberal Party and Free National Movement supporters along with those from the Democratic National Alliance got into a shouting battle as some welcomed him.

While PLPs chanted, “they ain’t got no leader”

and “Perry, Perry, Perry,” FNMs and DNAs shouted: “No more tiefing! No more tiefing” and “Perry got to go, Perry got to go!”

“It is a matter that is under review,” Mr Christie said yesterday. “I actually had people down there with Mr Hall who’ve had the experience of elections before, by senior officials, with the view to assist him as best they could. Whatever is in fact the position as a result of the reports that I received during the course of this evening, if we have to act upon them, we will act upon them.

“The point is we are going to make the right decision for the country and that is an important process. It would be totally inappropriate for me to draw a conclusion before I have a full report on what took place and I don’t want to do that prior to the polls closing.

“Yes, you are always disappointed in a modern democracy when things don’t run smoothly, when every effort was made to prepare and to anticipate and to be able to deal with issues of this kind. So I am told that someone senior made the decision that this could be accommodated in this place

LORETTA BUTLER-TURNER, independent candidate for Long Island.

and surprisingly for me I have to wait to find out if in fact that is true and that involves Mr Hall.”

Questioned on the accusation that the PLP was attempting to hijack the election, Mr Christie said: “How could we steal it by this? Everyone got a chance to vote. I think the only issue here is that it took time for the people to vote, but no one has questioned authenticity of the vote or the process of the vote. It is lunacy to do so, but, of course, you know lunacy does exist in this campaign and in terms of what people say.

“But the fact that there has been administrative challenges, meaning the time it took people to vote is in itself to do with how effective the administration is. When it comes to the integrity of the process, we will find out in that regard.

“The point in the matter is that I think that the parliamentary commissioner had the facility to deal with this. I think the decision was made that this could happen all here in this one building. I think that is the issue that it could have been more effective if we had another building,” Mr Christie also said.

“These are administrative decisions that we made and so for us looking at that and it is administrative it is an imposition on people as in the time it took for people to vote the condition under which they had to withstand in the process of being on the line.

“In a modern democracy that should be avoided. I voted just now and I went through the same way I voted in all of the elections that I have voted in. I don’t know the people who are processing me. They looked at my card, they told me it was authentic, I went in there, they told me how to vote, they put this on my hand and they told me when I was finished to show me the back of the ballot and so that’s what I did. That’s what everyone did.”

Mr Christie’s remarks followed a jumbled advanced poll, which saw voters stand in lines for several hours in the scorching heat outside, as the scene inside the building was no better, at times devolving into flaring tempers and jostling inside for priority in line as police officers struggled to control the scene.

• Tempers of voters flare, see page six

PLP candidate for Bain and Grants Town Dr Bernard Nottage.

Photos: Shawn Hanna/Tribune Staff

SIR Arthur Dion Hanna, former Governor General of The Bahamas, on his way to vote yesterday.

THE CROWD gathered for advanced polling at the Kendal Isaacs Gymnasium yesterday.

HALL AVOIDS QUESTIONS OVER POLLING PROBLEMS from page one

One PLP poll worker, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, said: “If it was the purpose to disenfranchise the worker it has been achieved if you’re standing on that line for seven hours to get to the top and be told that your name is not on the list. I watched personally a woman faint, I understand earlier other people were fainting too”.

She continued: “If we’re working next we want to be there, we don’t want to be moving, I don’t allow my people to move, the point was today.”

During the three hours that The Tribune was stationed at the department, this newspaper observed complaints from Family Islanders, police officers and poll monitors across the political divide who were all turned away after standing in the blistering heat and unable to gain any insight from department employees.

In response to an aggravated voter, a senior official at the PRD noted that the names of several workers from the department were also not on the list, and as such, they were unable to

take part in the early vote.

This comes as anecdotal reports emerged concerning the difficulties faced by Bahamians attempting to cast their vote at overseas missions in Atlanta (where there were reportedly no voter’s cards ready and people were being processed up to 9pm), London (where a Bahamian student travelled the 190 miles from Leeds to be told her name was not listed and by the time they established her credentials she was on the return journey) and even China.

The Tribune attempted to put these questions to Mr Hall yesterday; however, he told this newspaper shortly before 6pm that he could not take questions “at this time” because he was in another meeting.

Among the scores of frustrated voters, The Tribune also saw Attorney General Allyson Maynard-Gibson, Deputy Prime Minister Philip Davis, National Security Minister Dr Bernard Nottage, and Minister of Education Jerome Fitzgerald.

It was not clear why the Cabinet members were at the department as they did not take questions from the press; however, both Mr

Davis and Dr Nottage said they were operating in their capacity as politicians at the time.

Mr Fitzgerald arrived sometime after The Tribune had taken up watch outside Mr Hall’s office, and the other Cabinet members were already at the department when this newspaper got there.

Meanwhile, The Trib-

une was still unable to get a physical copy of the certified register up to press time.

However, this newspaper was able to confirm yesterday that the final number of registered voters stands at 181,543. There are 123,783 registered voters in New Providence, with 29,515 in Grand Bahama, and 28,245 in the Family Islands.

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THE TRIBUNE

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Fail to prepare, prepare to fail. Trump’s first 100 days DONALD Trump is on the back foot now, scrambling as his presidency hits the 100-day mark to build some record of fulfilling campaign pledges in the wake of repeated setbacks and failures.

His numerous efforts to erect barriers to immigration, from bans on certain Muslim countries to completion of a wall costing billions of dollars along the USMexican border, have largely foundered so far.

His attempts to roll back his predecessor’s efforts to safeguard the environment against overzealous business development have succeeded only sporadically. Trump’s much-ballyhooed assault on Obama’s Affordable Care Act suffered an initial, spectacular collapse, ironically undone by resistance from within his own Republican party. Now, critics charge that a renewed attempt may leave even more Americans without health coverage.

The list goes on, assiduously chronicled by a New York and Washington establishment press corps increasingly eager to oppose and perhaps topple a president who has declared war on much of the media.

Meanwhile, there have been a few successes, though even these must be modified in the light of longer-term effects that cannot presently be foreseen. The Senate’s confirmation of conservative justice Neil Gorsuch to the US Supreme Court obliged Majority Leader Mitch McConnell to change the chamber’s filibuster rules to permit simple majority confirmation votes on Supreme Court justices.

Things will look different in the future when Democrats control the White House and Senate.

The surprise attack on a Syrian air base from which the despicable Syrian regime launched a poison gas attack on its own people prompted a chest-thumping moment of American pride, but no one is arguing that it has changed much in the dreadful, fatal civil war now tearing apart that Middle East nation.

Evidence mounts that neither Trump nor his campaign team actually expected to win last November’s election. They were obviously unprepared for victory.

And having won, they continued to underperform their new responsibilities.

Carelessly appointing a collection of rich men (and a few women) to significant federal jobs without properly vetting them might be expected to produce precisely the scandals and embarrassments from which many Americans now recoil on a

daily basis.

Former National Security Adviser Michael Flynn may still go to trial for corruption and other misdeeds. A suspicion is growing that some of Trump’s fortune, and that of his son-in-law, may be built on the once-secret contributions and gifts of foreign interests seeking influence in the US. Trump’s stubborn refusal to release his tax returns fuels this suspicion.

None of these setbacks is necessarily permanent, and it seems likely that Trump will manage some accomplishments of significance. But his record and his approval ratings are nonetheless dismal.

Which brings us to Trump’s tax plan concept. In proposing to significantly reduce corporate and personal income tax rates, primarily to the advantage of the already wealthy, the president is resurrecting Republican dogma of over 30 years ago. Economist Arthur Laffer had, as long ago as 1974, helped to popularise the notion that a capitalist free-market economy largely unfettered by government regulation, business would prosper and invest and expand. All would benefit. So-called “trickle down economics” became the mantra of the apologists for greed. During and after the Reagan presidency, Republicans embraced this theory enthusiastically.

House Speaker Paul Ryan is one of the leading current advocates, clearly hoping for the revival of a doctrine which relies for its positive promise on responsible, civic-minded corporate management and behaviour - not on the naked avarice, illegality and irresponsibility of American corporate titans and their minions who led the US into the savings and loan scandal of the late 1980s and the housing collapse of 2008-9, from which large swaths of mostly rural America have yet to recover.

Nineteenth century philosophers such as John Stuart Mill argued that a coherent society requires a balance between the collective good and individual liberties. Excesses in greed by a few thus lead to exercise of central governmental power to rein in such selfish, destructive behaviour.

Barack Obama’s administration was clearly committed to the exercise of such governmental power to redress imbalances in the American economy. Now Trump signals his intention to introduce stunning new economic imbalances.

Mill’s balance will be established again, but perhaps not soon.

Tourism numbers EDITOR, The Tribune.

THE all-important statistic in Tourism is those who visit and stay in an hotel or condo or apartment our total number of what is called ‘stay over’ visitors, these folks have been flat - no increase for the past ten years and certainly since 2012 the last election.

Watching the IAAF event last evening it came to me that there is a very empathise by this current Government to hold and accept to take on many International Seminars - Conference and Symposiums all bringing visitors who are usually government employees - the event costs The Bahamas Treasury and there is little or no profit.

Could Minister Wilchcombe advise us what is the total of visitors who fall under this header?

I suspect stay-over visitor performance under the Christie Government is so

low that it will shock you if you kick these visitors out ... maybe we only got 850,000 ‘real visitors’.

Oh we know about the cruise visitors but Government had nothing to do with that the FNM dredged the harbour and in six plus months the work was paid for by increased cruise arrivals ... not spend as only 30+% ever came ashore.

The MOT - Sports Ministry’s events are a total waste of our monies - how much longer can BTC spend and spend a cool $1m to hold these events are – we making any money from BTC? The sole Sports event that makes money is Atlantis Collegiate Basketball event.

A new Government has to cancel those events that solely rely on local Bahamian spending to place the scarce treasury money and that includes – receiving bids (name the bidders)] - the process of asset

transfer from Baha Mar to EXIM and then EXIM to their Company, Lucky etc... then to CHENGFOOK are made public.

There should be nothing to surprise us so it should be extremely easy for you, Prime Minister - EXIM and the Receiver to agree to apply to Justice Winder to unseal the Supreme Court documents, immediately.

Continued silence will totally continue to tar this deal and the Perry Christie Government and all who are part of it, outgoing, will be impacted and will have an enormous impact on the election.

If there is nothing to hide, then show, Mr Prime Minister. You are so proud, rightly for the opening then be prouder still show nothing can be questioned.

TERRENCE FORBES Nassau, April 23, 2017.

An ode to Perry Christie EDITOR, The Tribune

is

Oh but the bliss D-minus

To current representatives Who rule the tribes of ignorance And dull the masses common sense.

Unlike those in power now MPs ought to “public” bow!

“Of service” they will never know, False PLPs with cash to go!

Too much to ask; transparency, Equality, integrity, Ensurance of longevity Of promise made in certainty?

So many lies have there been told.

Know all that glitters is not gold!

Chicanery and Chick Charnies Be all in bed with PLPs! ‘Course crime be someone else’s fault At old election time last fought!

And who should bear the blame this time For record crime above the line?

LETTERS

letters@tribunemedia.net One hundred days ten thousand jobs?

The hopes and spirit have you robbed Of people who entrusted you Not to enrich but chosen few.

all, Of thirteen million dollars spent And no accounting, not one cent!

Of Bamsi and our Baha Mar, One does not have to probe too far To realize that the PLP Still searches for integrity!

Now to”numbers” referendum.

Oh boy, did you ever swing ‘em!

Recall your words “I will abide”?

In truth but yet another lie!

I could go on and on and on But time is short as rope is long.

The final thing I want to know Is “where dat damn VAT money go”?

Next Nygard Cay and “inside boys”, Fitzgerald and his hoi pelloi, Still choking on ill-gotten gains, Still cloaked in crooked deals and shame.

PS An urgent memo of today; From advance poll of third of May. Our voters’ precious Registry; Conspiracy of PLP?

Get in line for Rubis gas spill.

After that the burning land fill.

T ’is smoke and mirrors, Christie’s game.

He makes the smoke he stokes the flame.

Please tell me that they will not try To rob us with another lie!

That free Bahamians voting all Ain’t voting for opinion poll!

Of Junkanoo and Carnival, Of festival designed for

ANON Nassau, May 3, 2017.

Wetland destruction EDITOR, The Tribune.

THE PLP is destroying the wetlands located off Marshall Road, in Southern Shores by giving leases to churches and others to build in this restricted area.

These wetlands are a gift from God because of the fact that it is a self-sustaining nursery, and vital to the preservation of our marine life, which is an important food source here in The Bahamas. From August 2012, we have brought this matter to the attention of the Prime Minister, Mr Kendred Dorsette, Mr Alfred Gray, Physical Planning, Land and Surveys and The Bahamas National Trust, and to this date none of them seems to care because these buildings are

still in progress in this area on Bone Fish Pond.

They are using the Bahamian people’s land as their own personal property, and this is another phase of their land giveaway to family, friends and cronies for votes in the Southern Shores area.

They have already given away land starting from Blue Hill Road and west on Marshal Road. They have a subdivision and marina planned on the pond, for the remainder of Marshal Road west , to the end that reaches almost parallel to the old Bacardi land mark. They have already made a road through the mangroves.

In the past, thousands of fishes had died when someone indiscriminately blocked the water way to the sea. This shows how

vulnerable this region is to any changes made by man.

If we do not stop what is going on now, and what is being planned for the future for this area, these wetlands will be destroyed along with all the marine life that depends on this ecosystem.

As Minister for the Environment, Mr Kendred Dorsette’s lack of interest in preserving the wetlands in this area of Bond Fish pond, and the suffering the people endured because of the fires from the burning dump site, due to his incompetence or conflict of interest, speaks volumes to his poor performance as the Minister for the Environment.

EDWARD SMITH Nassau, May 2, 2017.

THE TRIBUNE

Thursday, May 4, 2017, PAGE 5

NUMBER OF VOTERS PER CONSTITUENCY

A PLP supporter greets a passing motorist outside Police Training College in Grand Bahama yesterday.

Fight breaks out at Grand Bahama vote

By DENISE MAYCOCK Tribune Freeport Reporter dmaycock@tribunemedia.net

A FIST FIGHT broke out between supporters of the Progressive Liberal Party and Free National Movement outside the advanced polling centre in Grand Bahama yesterday.

Cell phone video shows a large group of PLP supporters wearing yellow shirts with Minister for Grand Bahama Dr Michael Darville’s name on it arguing with a smaller number of people wearing red shirts in support of FNM Pineridge candidate Fredrick McAlpine.

Supporters were seen arguing with each other before a series of punches were thrown.

One woman is heard exclaiming that people were throwing a “rock” at someone’s head, but this was not seen on the video. Police intervened to control the chaos, however the large, angry mob continued to shout in anger, even as officers tried to drag some people away from the scene.

Later a man in yellow and blue screamed: “When we ga have a peaceful election?

Whoever win, win. What wrong with these people?”

At one point PLP incumbent for West End and Bimini Obie Wilchcombe is

AN FNM poll worker flashes a victory sign yesterday. seen in the crowd, trying to calm things down.

It is unclear what started the brawl.

Yesterday, FNM officials said the advanced poll in Grand Bahama was also marred by aggression when Dr Darville tried to lead his team onto the Police Training College, allegedly barring other political parties from entering.

FNM candidates in Grand Bahama also raised concerns about the early voting process in the island’s advanced poll, as well as issues about voters overseas reportedly being either turned away or voting on a protest ballot.

Peter Turnquest, incumbent FNM MP for East Grand Bahama, expressed some serious concerns with respect to how the poll was being organised and worked.

“In one area it is very tight and so people com-

ing in and going out are mixing, and we can’t really see if anyone is handing off anything. It leaves too much room for issues,” he said.

Mr Turnquest also indicated that there were issues concerning early voting overseas as well. He reported that a number of persons have been disadvantaged because they were not allowed by poll officials overseas to vote with their passport, which is the law.

“They did not have their voter’s card and so they would not allow them to vote with passports,” he said.

Mr Turnquest was also concerned that there were not enough ballots to accommodate early Bahamian voters in Barbados and Atlanta.

“A constituent of mine was made to vote on a yellow ballot which, as you know, does not count unless there is some issue. That is

incredibly unfair to her and it is unfair to the whole electoral process,” he said.

“This whole thing raises a serious level of concern.

We certainly hope at the end of the day we end up with fair results. Accurate results may be a stretch, but hopefully we get fair results because the process is totally messed up and unorganised.”

He added: “This is something we have been warning the government and the parliamentary commissioner about from the last referendum and nothing has been done ... and that is very unfortunate.”

Despite the issues, Mr Turnquest feels comfortable that a majority of those voting in yesterday’s advanced poll will support the FNM. Michael Pintard, FNM candidate for Marco City, also had some concerns regarding the process.

“There should have been three persons in the poll but there were only two persons and we believe the space could have accommodated three,” he said.

He was also concerned about the reported “aggressive” manner displayed at the poll by Dr Darville, PLP incumbent for Pineridge. “(Dr Darville) was overly aggressive and we thought it was unbecoming in terms

Bain & Grants Town 4297 Bamboo Town 5403 Carmichael 5665 Centreville 4746 Elizabeth 5280 Englerston 4522 Fort Charlotte 4419 Fox Hill 5578 Free Town 4595 Garden Hills 4942 Golden Gates 5153 Golden Isles 6712 Killarney 6375 Marathon 5074 Mount Moriah 4927 Nassau Village 5274 Pinewood 5068 St Anne’s 5301 St Barnabas 3977 Seabreeze 5336 South Beach 5142 Southern Shores 5307 Tall Pines 5721 Yamacraw 4969 Central Grand Bahama 6347 East Grand Bahama 6175 Marco City 6021 Pineridge 5385 West Grand Bahama & Bimini 5587 Central & South Abaco 3328 North Abaco 4981 Mangrove Cay & South Andros 2155 North Andros & the Berry Islands 2598 Cat Island, Rum Cay & San Salvador 1608 Central & South Eleuthera 3785 North Eleuthera 3416 The Exumas & Ragged Island 3249 Long Island 1789 MICAL 1336 Total 181543 Grand Bahama Family Islands New Providence

29515 28245 123783 Figures from certified register

of how he behaved, the way he directed his folks onto the property and then seeking to direct everybody else off as if he had authority.

“We were also concerned about outlandish rumours by the PLP, suggesting that persons were attempting to do harm to government officials, and putting many of us at risk,” Mr Pintard said.

Mr Pintard said their false accusations were irresponsible. “It is an act of desperation because they can see they are in the waning hours of their time in office,” he said.

Elkanah Pinder, DNA candidate for East Grand Bahama, said: “Today is a good indication of what is going to happen on Election Day on May 10.

“I feel good and I thought I did very well today in the poll. The turnout was good today especially in East Grand Bahama which had the largest advanced poll voters,” he said.

Norris Bain, the PLP candidate for Marco City, said he was excited to see that Bahamians are carrying out their democratic right.

“The Almighty will have the final say, and we will have to wait for the people to make their decision, but I feel confident that I done what I had to do,” he said.

Frederick McAlpine, the FNM candidate for Pineridge, said he feels very good about the turnout of voters from the area he hopes to represent.

“We are happy with the turnout in the advanced poll today. People want a change and I am confident and excited about the days to come as we move into the general election where everyone will vote,” he said.

Senator Julian Russell, PLP candidate for Central Grand Bahama, said: “I am happy to just to come out here and see the wonderful display of democracy: it is a very good day.”

Hiccups The Tribune received anecdotal reports of hiccups at overseas embassies in London and Atlanta; however, those reports were unconfirmed up to press time.

However, a Harbour Island resident claimed that her husband was told yesterday that he would have to travel to Nassau if wanted to participate in the advanced poll.

In an email to The Tribune, she wrote: “My husband and I planned a trip to Disney several months ago and unfortunately the election was called for when we would be travelling.

“My husband registered to vote early and when he went to cast his ballot this morning he was denied. He was told he would have to travel to Nassau if he wanted to cast his ballot.”

She added: “The PLP government gave no advance warning, posted nothing at the administrator’s office, did not advertise in the paper. We have limited flights in and out of North Eleuthera and thankfully he was able to get the last seat on the noon flight.

“Not only that but thankfully he has the financial resources to pay for a ticket and family in Nassau where he can stay because he now has to spend the night.

Surely there has to be laws against this type of (madness)?”

National Security Minister Dr Bernard Nottage, who has responsibility for elections, told reporters at the gym that the process was not going as smoothly as the government would have hoped, but expressed confidence that it will run better next Wednesday.

VOTERS FRUSTRATED BY WAIT AS ONLY ONE SITE OPEN IN NASSAU from page one

in Nassau yesterday, further compounding the chaos.

And, although voting stations were supposed to open at 8am, the process started around 9.20am because ballot boxes, had not arrived. They were delivered after 8am. As a result voting, which should have ended at 6pm, was extended to 7:20pm.

Some residents of the Family Island also complained that they were only advised yesterday that they could not do early voting in their communities, but had to travel to Nassau instead.

The scene at the gym quickly descended into confusion after what started out as organised lines of voters grew into multiple lines stretching through adjacent parking lots and underneath various tents erected to shield party workers from the sun.

Chaos One voter, who was voting yesterday because he will be out of the country on May 10, described the scene as “ground zero for chaos”. “There is no way to work around this or say this nicely,” added the voter, a Garden Hills constituent voting in the advanced poll for the first time.

“It is disheartening as a citizen of the Bahamas to have to come out here on this day to see this situation play out the way it is doing.

There is no way in the world that anyone can look me in the eye and say this situation makes sense.”

Meanwhile, Allvy Penn claimed that he had applied to participate in the advanced poll more than three weeks ago, however, even after enduring the long lines for three hours, he was turned away for not being in possession of a letter that adequately verified his reason for participating

in the early vote.

Mr Penn said he wasn’t given a chance to explain his situation or get an understanding of what the letter should specify.

“This is very frustrating.

In 35 years, this is the worst I have ever seen. This was disorganised from start to finish,” he told The Tribune.

Further down the queue, another voter who spoke anonymously added: “I feel this is the worst thing I’ve ever seen in any election.

Under Sir Lynden Pindling it was way better than this, under Hubert Ingraham, the second prime minister, was much smoother. I’m very disappointed. If this is what is to come for the main election what can I say? I’m hoping they can get it right, but this is just confusion, a bunch of confusion.”

He continued: “I’ve been standing on this line for way over and hour, probably almost two, and it’s not going to stop me from voting, because I’m going to get my vote in. If I got to be here all day I’m going to get my vote in today. But I cry shame on this system, and if this the way our government do business, we in trouble.”

A female voter who arrived at 7.30am told The Tribune that she felt personally disrespected by the entire experience, noting that she had taken time away from work to get to the site early enough to return to the office at a reasonable time.

“I think it’s just a total disrespect for people and disrespect for a person’s time. We knew that this day was coming, we knew this had to be done. So the planning was extremely poor,” she said.

Her sentiments were echoed by a police officer also waiting in line. Asking not to be identified by name, badge number or rank, the officer told The Tribune

that procedures seen on the ground signalled to him that there was something more going on.

Noting that he wanted to avoid “conspiracy theories,” the officer who expressed joy over recent promotions across law enforcement agencies stated: “The governing party is scared and those nerves have started to bleed through to the process.”

He added: “Look around you, shirts of a certain colour are all over the door and all throughout the line.

It seems to me that there is something more at play here because the things going on here seems as if someone is pulling strings and making rules as they go.”

Other sentiments shared in and around the gymnasium included complaints over “surprised and unprepared” poll workers using

the incorrect stamp on voter’s cards. One person who voted yesterday showed The Tribune her voter’s card which bore the date of May 30.

And one angry woman shouted: “I am 59 years old. Never in my life experienced something like this.

This is disgusting, disgraceful, demeaning; all of the bad words you could ever think of.”

She added: “When you go to vote it should be a privilege, you should feel encouraged, you should feel good about yourself. Once you come and out and you done put your finger in the ink you should feel good about yourself. Today, this is ridiculous.”

There were also concerns raised about the voting experience of persons registered to vote early in international polling centres.

PAGE 6, Thursday, May 4, 2017

THE TRIBUNE

Voting process starts late

By KHRISNA VIRGIL Deputy Chief Reporter kvirgil@tribunemedia.net TEMPERS flared and chaos erupted during yesterday’s advanced poll as members of the armed forces and others endured the smouldering heat in long queues to cast ballots ahead of the May 10 general election.

In what was hoped to be a smooth process and expected to begin at 8am, voters were angered to learn that instead, the process would begin one hour and 20 minutes later because ballot boxes were said to have arrived behind schedule.

Further frustrating the process, thousands of people from numerous constituencies across the country were directed to the Kendal Isaacs Gymnasium, despite previous advertising by Parliamentary Registration Department officials that the National Stadium would be used as a second location to accommodate the advanced poll in Nassau.

Many stood in line from as early as 6.30am yesterday and were disheartened

by the disorganisation, telling The Tribune they were unable to withstand the sun and jostling from others who stood in lines wrapped around the building, attempting to fight their way inside.

These people were aided by workers who distributed cold water to thirsty and dehydrated voters.

A customs officer stationed in the Family Islands who travelled to New Providence to vote was reportedly told she was not eligible to participate in the early vote and turned away. The customs officer told The Tribune she was assured by the administrator on her island that her documents were received by officials in Nassau. However when she arrived she was told that she would not be allowed to vote because she will not be in the country on Election Day. Several other people claimed to have had the same experience.

Ugly scene It was an ugly scene outside of the gymnasium where police officers struggled to control voters. This led to officials having to

call in handymen at around 12.15pm to erect barricades in an attempt to organise growing crowds.

Once inside, The Tribune found that the scene in the foyer was not much different from what was happening simultaneously outside.

People were tightly pressed against each other as officials shouted various constituencies, to alert those living in the respective areas that they could now enter where votes were being cast.

Amid the mad confusion throughout the day, National Security Minister Dr Bernard Nottage, who has responsibility for elections was not eager to speak to the media on the jumbled process, instead telling reporters he had no comments because he had not been briefed.

However, on a second attempt, Dr Nottage spoke but was tight-lipped on the challenges to the Parliamentary Registration Department.

“There are a lot of voters here. They have to be accountable as efficiently and effectively as you can with the least inconvenience for members of the public,” Dr

Nottage told this newspaper while getting inside his SUV. Asked what was being done to alleviate the issues, Dr Nottage said: “The parliamentary registrar is responsible for the conduct of elections and they are doing what they are doing and we’ll make an evaluation at the end of the day.”

Outrage There was outrage among members from all political parties over the confusion yesterday.

While incumbent PLP Tall Pines MP Leslie Miller questioned how officials “screwed” this up, former Deputy Prime Minister Brent Symonette said the matter should be laid at the feet of Prime Minister Perry Christie and Dr Nottage.

Mr Symonette is the FNM’s candidate for St Anne’s.

He said: “The buck stops at their feet because they should have anticipated this happening and intervened and made sure that this was proper. Mr Christie and Dr Nottage, all their hands are in this and there are people who have had to come in and vote on a protest ballot and lose their constitutional right. It is their fault.

“It should not have happened. I hope the prime minister tows this line. He doesn’t feel the pain that people felt having to sit and stand out here for hours and the prime minister can just walk in?”

FNM Southern Shores candidate Frankie Campbell added that he believed the disorderly process was meant to frustrate voters.

He said: “To be quite honest with you I am not quite sure I understand what’s happening. I recall the most recent referendum that we had, the advanced poll would have been held across the street where they used eight different rooms with three constituencies per room. There was sufficient space for the crowds to fan out and be dealt with in a timely fashion.

“I think what is happening here today in my opinion is organised chaos. It’s intentional. It is not like we are doing this for the first time and we were unsure how to do it. We had two referendums in between the last general election so we had an opportunity to think back on what happened to work out the kinks. This is

intentional.

“This is meant to frustrate the persons who were voting in the advanced poll and many of them have left here frustrated because the lines were far too long.”

Democratic National Alliance (DNA) Deputy Leader Chris Mortimer also said he was fearful of what Wednesday’s election would look like.

“I fear for what this means, not just for today but next week,” he said. “It seems as if they are woefully unprepared to administrate this election.

In chaos all manner of things can happen. Here we are at almost 9.20am and the voting process has not even started yet. Polls were supposed to be open at 8am, 9.15 they just counting ballots, so people who were standing in lines they are not here they have gone home.

“This is a strike against democracy and we were promised better from the minister with responsibility for elections, to the parliamentary commissioner and this is not a 21st century democracy,” Mr Mortimer said.

INGRAHAM CALLS ON RETIREMENT OF HALL AFTER ‘INTERNATIONAL EMBARRASSMENT’ from page one

FORMER Prime Minister Hubert Ingraham.

Photos: Terrel W. Carey/Tribune Staff

The Thomas A Robinson National Stadium had been named as the second site, but was not used.

Prime Minister Perry Christie told reporters that he was “disappointed” that the process did not run smoothly, but there was no word from Parliamentary Commissioner Sherlyn Hall on what went wrong.

Mr Ingraham urged Mr Christie at the FNM’s mass rally not to let his “ambition to become a three-time Prime Minister” cloud his judgment on the matter.

“The Bahamas today is embarrassed in the presence of the international community by the chaos at the advance polls today. Such chaos that hasn’t happened in the Bahamas since 1987. When Perry Christie won the election for the PLP the last time, they won the election with an organized election,” Mr Ingraham said Wednesday night.

“The people in every island and community of this country who wanted to vote early because they were going away, were able to do so. This time they decide you have to come to Nassau or go to Grand Bahama or if you could not make it on election day, you would not vote. People were told there would be two polling stations, one at the stadium and one at the Kendal Isaacs gym. The polling stations were scheduled to open at 8am this morning, the ballot box didn’t come until nearly 9am and voting didn’t start until nearly 10am. It took one of my

THE FREE National Movement mass rally last night beside the Thomas A. Robinson Stadium. daughters nearly four hours to vote today.

“It is said that the minister responsible for elections, Dr Bernard Nottage, told reporters that he had no comment as he is a politician. The Prime Minister who is reasonable as the guardian of our country remained silent until late this afternoon. Now the government was warned well in advance that the parliamentary commissioner was not up to the task and not a fit and proper person to conduct an election but they took no advice. I, a three-time Prime Minister, call upon the sitting two-time Prime Minister to cause a parliamentary commissioner to be appointed forthwith. The current holder of that post has reached retirement age.

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of days I am told. There are qualified persons that can conduct this election. It is not too late for action to be taken. Perry Christie, you cannot allow your ambition to serve as long as I did in office to cloud your judgment on this matter.”

Mr Ingraham also accused PLP ministers and Members of Parliament of “keeping their hands in the cookie jar and bleeding the country dry.”

“On their watch, the Bank of the Bahamas ended up with loans of 100 million dollars that had to be taken off their books. Loans in respect to which some members of the cabinet and members of Parliament on the PLP side and other politically exposed persons got and didn’t pay back and this previously money-making financial centre could not find buyers for its last public offering resulting in the Bahamas government having to spend $50m of your money to put in the bank with its capital,” Mr Ingraham claimed.

“The Office of the Prime Minster was allocated $17m in this year’s budget 2016/2017 for the 12-month period July 1, 2016 to June 31, 2017. By what legal authority was the office of the prime minister allowed to spend $71m, an additional $54m, prior to the end of December, without parliamentary approval?”

The former Prime Minister also blasted the PLP’s “free electricity promise” challenging them to connect the people now instead of after the general election.

He also sought to clarify what he called the “misconception” that he endorsed Prime Minister Perry Christie.

“I said on ZNS, some time ago, that Perry Christie was the best man to lead the PLP but they twisted my words and carried that to say, that I said Perry Christie was the best man to lead the country and there were even some FNM’s that were gullible enough to believe the nonsense,” Mr Ingraham said.

“I am FNM , I am red.”

THE TRIBUNE

Thursday, May 4, 2017, PAGE 7

PAGE 8, Thursday, May 4, 2017

THE TRIBUNE

Christie denies treasury broke

By KHRISNA VIRGIL Deputy Chief Reporter kvirgil@tribunemedia.net

PRIME Minister Perry Christie denied assertions from the nation’s former leader, Hubert Ingraham, who said on Tuesday that no matter which party wins the May 10 election, the government will be unable to give officers overtime pay as promised because the money is not in the Public Treasury.

When asked if the treasury was broke, Mr Christie said: “No.” He added: “Ask Mr Ingraham and I want to say it just like this: How was he paying civil servants when he was spending over $500m more than he was earning?

“How does a country do that? So if my treasury is broke and my deficit is nowhere near that deficit, tell him the same way he was able to run the country spending over $500m more than he was earning and keep on paying civil servants.

“Tell him that is why he knows when he uttered that statement exactly how I am going to pay the police officers on the 29th of May and they will be paid. He knows,” Mr Christie said.

Yesterday Deputy Prime

DEPUTY Prime Minister Philip ‘Brave’ Davis pictured at advanced polling yesterday. He accused former PM Hubert Ingraham of spreading propaganda.

Photo: Shawn Hanna/Tribune Staff Minister Philip “Brave” unable to pay” and thus will Davis accused Mr Ingra- not be able to fulfil some of ham of “spreading propa- its campaign promises right ganda” on the issue. away.

Mr Davis branded Mr He also repeated the alIngraham’s assertion that legation that more than “the money ain’ there” in $800,000 was recently stothe Public Treasury to pay len from the Ministry of Fithe officers as a “red her- nance, suggesting that theft ring,” telling reporters that was widespread in the pubhe had no idea where the lic sector. former FNM leader got his “I don’t know where he information. got his information from While disclosing the state and I think it’s just a red of the nation’s treasury, Mr herring that was brought Ingraham also told support- about to put fear in the ofers in South Abaco on Tues- ficers,” Mr Davis told reday night that if the FNM porters on the sidelines of wins the election, one of the yesterday’s disastrous adfirst things it will have to do vanced poll where members is “borrow tens of millions of the armed forces and of dollars to pay bills that others voted at the Kenthe PLP government is now dal G L Isaacs Gymnasium

ahead of next week’s general election.

He continued: “I guess it’s political season and he wants to inspire them to vote for the FNM by spreading propaganda.”

Meanwhile, incumbent PLP Tall Pines MP Leslie Miller agreed that he believed Mr Ingraham was spewing “propaganda”, as he insisted that in his view, the former prime minister’s comments about the status of the treasury or the missing money from the Ministry of Finance would not be problematic for the PLP. Mr Miller said: “Mr Ingraham has come up with more outrageous statements since he got back about the money that was stolen. I was somewhat taken aback by a man who’s been the prime minister for three terms.

“If he knows that money was stolen from the treasury, the (former) prime minister knows exactly what to do. He knows the Commissioner of Police (Ellison Greenslade), he knows who to go to. Report the case and those people who are thought to be responsible should then be hauled before the courts.

That’s what I would think he should do.”

Mr Miller added: “I mean he knows more about that than you, me and any other

Bahamian in this country.

People like he and the current prime minister knows what’s going on. So I don’t see it as a problem. I just see it as really propaganda.

That’s what I see it as, political propaganda, between him and the PM.” Mr Ingraham’s remarks have been viewed by some observers as a last minute bid to sway those who voted in the advanced poll in the FNM’s favour.

Mr Ingraham told supporters at a rally in South Abaco: “You know after years of fighting the Police (Staff) Association . . . and ignoring the court order, they finally agreed that they are going to pay overtime to the police.

“Unfortunately they ain’ ga be around when they say they going to pay. They said they going to pay on the 28th or the 29th of May, well they ga be gone long time by then.

“And so the police officers and the defence force officers and all others who are voting (Wednesday) be assured that the FNM will honour the judgment of the court.

“And speaking for myself, there is no way that either the FNM or the PLP going to be able to pay you on the 28th or 29th of May. The treasury ain’t got that

money. They money ain’t there. Don’t let nobody lie to you.”

Mr Ingraham also responded to the Ministry of Finance’s statement issued Tuesday, calling on him to provide information to police on his allegation Monday that more than $800,000 had been stolen from the ministry.

The ministry has denied that this sum was stolen.

“They got the information,” Mr Ingraham said on Tuesday night. “They want know what I know.”

He added: “Do you believe the police will be motivated to investigate this allegation eight days before the general election when in the meantime they have yet to deal with the multiple reports on the allegations of abuse in government departments?”

He referred to several outstanding investigations or unresolved allegations from Auditor General Terrance Bastian over the past few years which have faded from headlines and questioned if anything ever came of these matters, including $700,000 in cash and cheques not deposited on the Department of Customs’ bank account in Abaco.

This matter was first reported in 2014.

dream” to misspeak.

He noted that Mr Ingraham’s claims were a “new low” for the Free National Movement’s campaign as the sentiments could have adverse repercussions for the country’s international reputation.

Speaking at a South Abaco rally Tuesday night, Mr Ingraham told supporters that if the Free National Movement wins the election, one of the first things it will have to do is “borrow tens of millions of dollars to pay bills that the PLP government is now unable to pay.”

He added that no matter

voting in the advanced polls he will fail,” he noted.

“I remind Ingraham that the Christie administration successfully negotiated 14 outstanding labour agreements that his government could not see its way to resolve; it was clearly not the workers’ time then. The value of the labour contract with the public service union alone was $200m.

“Scores of teachers were owed about $4.5m in back pay but the Ingraham administration could not see its way to even as much as begin the audit process to determine how much each

teacher was owed. It was not the teachers’ time then.

The PLP government paid those valued educators.

“It was Ingraham who dashed the hopes of thousands of contract workers when his government refused to transfer them to the permanent and pensionable payroll, leaving them vulnerable, exposed and in a cloud of uncertainty about their future.

This PLP government has transferred about half of almost 3,000 contract workers in the public service to the permanent and pensionable payroll. We cannot

turn back the clock with the stop, cancel and lies of the FNM,” he added.

“It is no accident that the National Congress of Trade Unions Bahamas (NCTUB) publicly commended the Christie government for its progressive and labour friendly policies,” he also noted.

Mr Christie, last week announced that the government would finally give police officers overtime pay due for 12-hour shifts worked in 2013 and 2014.

He said the first payment would come on May 29 and the second in the next budget cycle.

PLP CHAIRMAN SAYS CLAIM OF NO MONEY TO PAY OFFICERS IS BOGUS

By RICARDO WELLS Tribune Staff Reporter rwells@tribunemedia.net

PROGRESSIVE Liberal Party Chairman Bradley Roberts yesterday fired back at former Prime Minister Hubert Ingraham’s claims that the Public Treasury does not have the money to pay police officers overtime, calling his comments “bogus”.

In a statement released yesterday, Mr Roberts labelled the former North Abaco MP a “confused and lost soul” that has emerged from a “nightmare of a

which party is elected to office on May 10, the government will be unable to give police officers overtime pay on May 29 as promised

by Prime Minister Perry Christie because “the money ain’ there.”

In response, Mr Roberts said that someone needs to touch Mr Ingraham on his shoulder and “educate him” that the Public Treasury under the PLP isn’t out of money.

“We note Ingraham’s apparent vile and deceitful intent was to sow seeds of discord in the minds of our RBDF, RBPF, customs and immigration officers, especially those

THE TRIBUNE

Thursday, May 4, 2017, PAGE 9

‘Never a wrong time’ to give promotions, says Keith Bell

By RASHAD ROLLE Tribune Staff Reporter rrolle@tribunemedia.net

THERE is never a wrong time to promote law enforcement officers, State Minister for National Security Keith Bell said yesterday as he responded to criticism that this week’s mass promotion exercises in the Royal Bahamas Police Force and the Royal Bahamas Defence Force were politically motivated.

There were also smaller promotion exercises in the RBPF last month.

Critics say the timing of the promotions was an attempt by the government to boost its support in the upcoming election among law enforcement officers who voted in yesterday’s ad-

vanced poll.

Mr Bell said given the challenges law enforcement officers face, promotions could never be “too slow” or “too fast” and “could never be coincided with any other event.”

“The officers are well deserving,” he added. “It is what it is.”

Mr Bell appeared to blame the timing of the promotions on the notion that the promotion process is cumbersome, especially for RBDF officers who are promoted by the Public Services Commission.

He reiterated his belief that there is nothing wrong with the timing of the promotions.

“Having been an officer, and you risk your life, it doesn’t matter to

them or me when promotion comes when you need it and it’s merit based,” he added.

The closest he came to acknowledging the perception that surrounds mass promotion exercises that happen this close to an election was when he said he has recommended to the Christie administration that it establish a “law commission” to handle promotions for all non-police law enforcement officers.

This will make the process less cumbersome, he said.

In another move critics say was politically motivated, Prime Minister Perry Christie announced last week that his government will pay police officers money for the over-

time they worked in 2013 even though his government has insisted for years that the officers won’t be paid.

Mr Bell said he never believed the matter should have ever gone before the Supreme Court and the Court of Appeal, which ruled in favour of the Police Staff Association (PSA) in 2015 and 2016.

“Let me make it very clear, the government has been negotiating for a number of months over this issue,” he said. “I never thought this matter should’ve gone before the courts in the first place. I expected (the decision of the Supreme Court). You cannot expect anybody and it was never the intention of the government

that a person would work beyond the ordinary hours of work and not be compensated.”

Despite his statement, however, Mr Bell described the Supreme Court ruling as “hollow” in 2015.

“The issue is not whether I support or not,” he said.

“They are not entitled to it.”

Mr Bell said the officers will be paid $1,500 in two tranches beginning May 29.

He was contradicted by PSA Chairman Inspector Dwight Smith, however, who suggested that during a meeting with Prime Minister Perry Christie on Tuesday, he was assured that his association’s compensation model will be applied.

Mr Bell, he said, was not

in that meeting.

“We met the prime minister and Minister (Shane) Gibson from public service and also Minister (Michael) Darville from Grand Bahama yesterday,” he said.

“We spoke to that issue of overtime. We told that officers should get what he or she makes per hour times that, time and a half. When we did the calculation, we did for five days over four hours for each day for 13 weeks. When you multiply those hours, that’s 260 hours so each officer makes something different based on their scale.”

The basic compensation should come out to over $4,000, Mr Smith said.

The compensation rate is not negotiable in his opinion.

MILLER WANTS COMMITTEE TO INVESTIGATE WHO IS PAYING FOR POLITICAL ADVERTS

By NICO SCAVELLA Tribune Staff Reporter nscavella@tribunemedia.net

TALL Pines MP Leslie Miller yesterday said the Progressive Liberal Party should push for the formation of a “substantive committee” in Parliament to “get to the bottom” of which persons or entity are responsible for purchasing “millions of dollars” worth of “very negative” newspaper ads about the governing party should it return to office.

Mr Miller, in an interview with The Tribune on the sidelines of the advanced poll for the general election, said the “first thing” the Christie administration should do if re-elected is petition Parliament to “find out who is spending all this money and what is the reason behind it”, as he charged that no one individual or group of persons should be able to “buy a country”.

Mr Miller said those involved in purchasing the ads in question, which he suggested are “those out Lyford Cay and maybe perhaps some on the Eastern Road,” should be brought before Parliament and made “to answer” for their actions.

Further charging that both the PLP and the Free National Movement (FNM) have to be on the same accord on the issue, Mr Miller said it is imperative to “keep those people, the

money people, who think they can buy a country, out of the internal affairs of my country”.

Although he did not specify to which newspaper ads he referred, Mr Miller was likely referring some of the multiple wraparound newspaper ads published in The Tribune by “Transparency in Politics”, which typically paint the PLP in an unflattering light. Some of those ads, and in particular the one for Monday’s Tribune, typically portray an image of alleged collusion between the PLP and Lyford Cay billionaire Peter Nygard.

Other government members have questioned the motives behind the ads in question, such as Minister of Foreign Affairs Fred Mitchell, who last month cautioned Bahamians to “follow the money trail” in reference to opposition candidates, two of whom Mr Mitchell suggested have connections with environmental activist group Save The Bays (STB).

At the time, Mr Mitchell renewed his party’s claims against Lyford Cay resident Louis Bacon, whom he described as a disgruntled billionaire that hates the PLP and funnelled money in STB to serve that end.

When asked if he felt the PLP would emerge victorious in the upcoming general election, especially when considering the recent controversies involving key members of the

LESLIE Miller speaking to people queuing for advanced polling yesterday.

Photo: Shawn Hanna/Tribune Staff party’s Cabinet, Mr Miller like to get to the bottom of son behind it. You cannot they’re going to get out of said: “I think at the end of this and keep those people, buy a country.” me. I’ve been giving it to Despite all the negativ- them, and they’re more the day, the first thing I would the money people, who think like to see happen in the new they can buy a country, out ity being directed at the than satisfied with my repParliament, is to have a com- of the internal affairs of my PLP for its performance resentation. Some are not this term, however, Mr because you know the demittee, a substantive com- country.”

“The first thing we should Miller still maintained that tractors are never satisfied, mittee formed in Parliament to get down to the bottom do in Parliament is form a the party would secure “21 but the majority of the peoof who’s spending these mil- committee and bring those to 23” seats in the upcom- ple who has the basic sense lions of dollars with these ads people there to answer, and ing election, and further to know that whenever they every day, very negative ads, follow the cheques,” Mr charged that he would call me I’m there, we do our that you see in the United Miller said added. “It’s very again secure his Tall Pines job, and I continue to work important that we do that. seat “by a comfortable mar- on their behalf, and I look States of America.

“Obviously most people I’ve never seen this before gin, as much as a thousand forward to serving them are saying it’s being contrived in this history of our coun- votes”. again.

“I expect no less than a and being developed by some try, where people literally “But it’s their call, if I’m foreigners in this country, can just buy a country. It thousand votes,” he said. not then I’ll thank them for those out Lyford Cay, and is wrong. And we need to “We have done our job over the time that they would maybe perhaps some on the check it out. FNM and PLP the last five years and we have sent me there, and Eastern Road,” he contin- got to be on one stand with continue to do our job on would have been privileged behalf of the good people to be their MP, and I will ued. “We need to get to the that.

“And you want to find that we have the honour of continue to do the best I bottom of this. You cannot interfere with the internal af- out who is spending all this representing. They know can, even if I’m not there. fairs of any country…I would money and what is the rea- what type representation But I expect to be there.”

PAGE 10, Thursday, May 4, 2017

BAHA MAR RESORT, pictured during its ribbon-cutting ceremony last month.

THE TRIBUNE

Photo: Terrel W. Carey/Tribune Staff

CHRISTIE’S BAHA MAR DEAL ADDS $1BN COSTS from page one

additional financial responsibilities totalling somewhere in the region of $1 billion.”

Mr Scott said that during his tenure as chairman of the Hotel Corporation in 2011, the Baha Mar deal with the original developer, Sarkis Izmirlian, was renegotiated to the significant advantage of the country.

“That agreement con-

tained numerous infrastructural obligations for the developer,” he said.

“For example Clause 1.6 which spoke to the responsibility of the developer to provide electrification, water and sewage and other utilities. These responsibilities are missing from the new HOA, meaning that the Bahamian people will now have to pay for them.

“In transferring all of these infrastructural obli-

gations onto the backs of the Bahamian people, the government has betrayed the citizens of this country and future generations to come. At a time when our debt continues to skyrocket in the face of an anaemic economy and grossly irresponsible fiscal policies, where are we supposed to come up with the hundreds upon hundreds of millions it will cost to fulfil these obligations? Perhaps Christie plans to squeeze the tax-

payer even more than he already has.”

Mr Scott said that “one is forced to wonder what on earth could have compelled those involved in the negotiations - individuals such as Jerome Fitzgerald and Allyson Maynard-Gibson to give such fantastic terms to Perfect Luck,” terms that would have never been extended to Mr Izmirlian he suggested.

Perfect Luck is the special purpose vehicle (SPV) created by China ExportImport Bank, Baha Mar’s secured creditor, to purchase the resort’s assets from the receivers.

“In addition to the infrastructural commitments,” he said, “the 2011 version of the deal mandated that Baha Mar build 3,450 rooms. That is reduced by 425 rooms in the new agreement. There was also, at Clause 1.16, an obligation to build a marina. However this has disappeared from the new deal, as has Clause 1.18, which required Baha Mar

to build a second golf course.

“And yet, despite such generously reduced responsibilities on the part of the developer and such an increased burden on the Bahamas, the current deal goes far beyond the 2011 version in rolling out the red carpet for the new owners.

“Take, for example, clause 7.5 of the new HOA: The concessions are predicated on the expenditure of $2 billion or the incurring of losses in that amount or some lesser amount. In the grant of these concessions we have effectively financed this investment.

“Look also at Clause 7.7. Why are we writing off $10.75m in casino taxes?

This money is sorely needed by the Treasury - which former Prime Minister Hubert Ingraham (suggested) is broke.

“Perhaps the most egregious section is Clause 8,” said Mr Scott. “The public does not have access to the Asset Transfer Agreement

of September 2016 or the Share Transfer Agreement of November 2016. We are still unable to detect the meat of the ‘giveaways’ or the tax breaks under the Hotels Encouragement Act. It is highly likely that the Bahamian people got an even worse deal than we are aware of.”

Mr Scott said that Perfect Luck has a tax concession for the years 2017 to 2019.

“This is what has financed the payment of the employee severance at Baha Mar and the liquidated damages settlement for the building contractors. Legally, this ‘financing’ could not have been accomplished unilaterally by the minister of finance, meaning that the heads of agreement requires the approval of Parliament which should have been obtained before the payments were made. Authority for this can be found in the Financial Administration and Audit Act,” he said.

TWO ARMOURED VEHICLES ARE DELIVERED AS GIFT FROM CHINA THE arrival of two armoured vehicles at the Nassau Container Port at Arawak Cay last week has raised some eyebrows.

The Tribune understands that the armoured vehicles, along with two 20ft containers, were offloaded by the China Ocean Shipping (Group) Company or COSCO Group and consigned to the Ministry of National Security from the government of China.

However, The Tribune was unable to confirm the shipment with the ministry up to press time. The cargo was reportedly delivered to the Defence Force base in Coral Harbour.

COSCO is described as a

Chinese shipping and logistics services supplier company. It is among the world’ top ten shipping companies.

The name of the ship was Mu Dan Song, The Tribune can confirm, and the cargo was loaded at Dalian Port in China. In addition to the two containers - the contents of which are unknown - there were two armoured vehicles.

The armoured vehicles were painted in camouflage, but had no visible guns.

In January, 2016, the government announced that it had received a $1.2m gift from the People’s Republic of China. At the time, National Security Minister Dr Bernard Nottage said the gift was the result of a 2015

meeting with the Chinese government that afforded the Royal Bahamas Defence Force an opportunity to outline its needs.

He explained that the money would be used to purchase military equipment, including armoured vehicles, anti-riot grenade launchers, tear gas grenades and other items.

Dr Nottage said at the time, “We have got a shortlist here of 33 different types of items which include two armoured vehicles for the Defence Force, two 38 automatic anti-riot grenade launchers, anti-riot gear sets, and portable lowlight level night vision goggles - 60 of those.”

THE TRIBUNE

Thursday, May 4, 2017, PAGE 11

‘PM RUNNING FROM FITZGERALD CONTROVERSY’

By NICO SCAVELLA Tribune Staff Reporter nscavella@tribunemedia.net

DEMOCRATIC National Alliance Leader Branville McCartney yesterday accused Prime Minister Perry Christie of “running” from addressing the controversy surrounding Education Minister Jerome Fitzgerald’s solicitation of contracts from Baha Mar while he sat in Cabinet.

This, Mr McCartney suggested, is because Mr Christie does not want to risk addressing the core question of whether he was aware of Mr Fitzgerald’s alleged conflict of interest, especially considering that the latter served as one of the government’s lead negotiators on Baha Mar’s remobilisation.

While Mr McCartney said it would be “amazing” for Mr Christie not to have known about the controversy surrounding Mr Fitzgerald, a lack of knowledge of the situation at hand means he is not abreast of what his ministers are doing or what is happening in the country.

Last month, The Tribune revealed how Mr Fitzgerald allegedly attempted to secure millions of dollars in brokerage, trucking and limousine contracts at Baha Mar from as early

DNA leader Branville McCartney pictured at yesterday’s advanced polling.

Photo: Shawn Hanna/Tribune Staff as 2013. Mr Fitzgerald had requested deals from Baha Mar from top officials, such as his readiness to start brokerage and trucking services for the Baha Mar project and remain the brokers of record for the property, according to an email dated May 18, 2013.

Mr Fitzgerald later released a statement admitting that he had solicited Baha Mar’s original developer Sarkis Izmirlian on behalf of his then sick father. In his statement, Mr Fitzgerald said his father

had engaged in business with Baha Mar before falling ill. He said he was just following up on these earlier talks.

The statement did not address the matter completely, however, and Mr Fitzgerald has so far avoided addressing some of the other issues raised.

Meanwhile, Mr Christie has, on multiple occasions, refused questions from reporters over whether he will fire Mr Fitzgerald or demand his resignation over the alleged conflict of

interest.

In one such instance, during a reception to celebrate Baha Mar’s ribbon cutting in commemoration of the opening of its first phase, Mr Christie was five times approached by the press with questions regarding his position on the explosive report published in The Tribune.

Instead, he dodged reporters who trailed him as he greeted guests gathered in the convention centre. In one instance, Mr Christie told reporters “don’t even try right now,” explaining that he had to get his mind right for a speech at the reception. A few days later, Mr Christie briskly walked past reporters and ignored the media’s questions about the issue while leaving an event at Enoch Beckford auditorium where he was expected to enroll in National Health Insurance.

Interestingly enough, however, while on the sidelines of an event commissioning a new ZNS broadcasting tower, Mr Christie told The Tribune “I don’t run from any issue” after being asked by this newspaper if he planned to address the controversy before the May 10 general election.

“That’s the PLP,” Mr McCartney said of Mr Chris-

tie’s “I don’t run from any issue” comment.

“The PLP say things and do something else. That’s typical. We’ve seen that throughout this administration over the last five years, so that’s completely typical.”

Mr McCartney added: “Obviously he is running from this issue. He hasn’t said anything about it. It is something, in any other country the leader of that country, the leader of that party would have had to address and Mr Christie has not addressed it. I think the Bahamian people will address it though, and they’ll address it very soundly on Election Day. “His silence has been a detriment to the party, and I don’t think the Bahamian people appreciate it. And they will show it on the 10th of May. “For the prime minister not to know about the conflicts, that would be amazing,” he said. “It means that he is not keeping a hand on what’s going on with his members and indeed the country as a whole. So I think that is the main reason why he is quiet, because it will come back and he would be questioned as to whether or not he knew or didn’t know. And the truth

usually comes out.”

Last month, Mr Fitzgerald released a statement denying he had any contract with Baha Mar or any of its affiliates.

“Nor do I own any shares in Bahamas Cargo & Logistics, which is a company formed by my father many years ago,” Mr Fitzgerald said. “Sarkis Izmirlian and I have communicated on any number of matters over the past eight years either in person or by email.

“Prior to my father’s illness he had engaged in discussions with Baha Mar to get some work. After my father’s illness I wrote to Sarkis to follow up on those discussions and seek his assistance. Nothing came of it and that remains the case today.”

However, some observers have accused Mr Fitzgerald of a breach of the Manual of Cabinet and Ministry Procedure, which states in Clause 40b, a minister must not “solicit or accept any benefit, advantage or promise of future advantage whether for himself, his immediate family or any business concern or trust with which he is associated from persons who are in, or seek to be in, any contractual or special relationship with the government.”

READERS RESPOND TO ADVANCED POLLING CHAOS THE chaos yesterday as voters lined up to vote in the advanced poll prompted a lively reaction from readers on tribune242.com.

ThisIsOurs called for the removal of the Parliamentary Commissioner: “FIRE SHERLYN HALL NOW or convince him to call in sick for the next week. Chaos will be too weak a word to describe May 10. He does not need another chance to prove he’s been promoted to the point of failure.”

TalRussell said: “By now you’d thought the voters would have been clued in to expect the chaotic nature

when they shows up to vote ... but is it just more disorganised chaos, or something more planned sinister? I never knows what to believe.”

Cobalt blamed the government: “I don’t know why everyone seems surprised.

The PLP government is the epitome of chaos. Eve-

rything related to them is shrouded in failure, incompetence, and disaster.”

Thomas wondered why only one centre was used: “They anticipated about 8,000 people. Why was there only one centre for voting?”

Jackbnimble said: “I thought Ingraham tell Perry not to leave Hall in charge after he screw up the referendum. Child, at this rate we ain’t ga know who win the election till Thursday afternoon next week - if we lucky.”

Boydie had a similar thought: “The election out-

come will be like the Junkanoo results at Xmas and New Year: late and highly suspect.”

Godson had this to say: “I strongly suspect that the early poll ballots that were cast today will be used to rig or corrupt the outcome of our entire general election. I am saying this because there was nothing in place by which voters who had filled out the’K-forms’ to participate in the early voting for the 3rd May to be screened from the general voting populace.

Notwithstanding the four (4) hours it took me to vote,

I observed that there was a very large amount of voters that came out to vote in the early polls. Arguably, this amount of people could near a general election count ‘in and of itself’. In no way could it be said that the Parliamentary Commissioner’s office handled that amount of applications to request permission to vote early. No way!!! Sadly, this does create the ideal opportunity to corrupt the results of the election.”

Bahamiangoddedd also had a frustrating experience today: “I am a student at the Cave Hill Campus of UWI

and today was a total DISASTER!!!!! Tomorrow the polls will open for a SECOND day to accommodate students who were unable to vote because they ran out of BALLOTS in some constituencies and others had no ballots at all! Can you imagine that?? Less than 100 students, names missing from the register, counterfoils missing and insufficient ballots. I shudder to think what will happen on the 10th in The Bahamas!!”

• Don’t miss your chance to join the debate on tribune242.com.

PAGE 12, Thursday, May 4, 2017

THE TRIBUNE

Too close to call for a man and his people

P

OLLS have proven unreliable in forecasting ‘Brexit’ in the UK and Trump in the US, and here in the Bahamas, amazingly, we don’t even have them.

A columnist like me is left flying blind, with only his gut feeling and unscientific chats with friends to guide him. The huge party rallies - of course - tell us nothing, serving only to excite the mindless bodies who enjoy jumping and cheering.

Of only one thing am I pretty sure: this election will be the last hurrah of the Perry Christie regime, despite the man’s magnetic human appeal. I cannot predict the exact fate of the Progressive Liberal Party (PLP), Free National movement (FNM) or Democrat-

Nassau Life

By RICHARD COULSON

ic National Alliance (DNA) over 39 electoral districts, let alone the ever-hopeful splinter groups fighting a few battles as Independent, Bahamas Constitution Party (BCP), Bahamas National Coalition Party (BNCP) or The People’s Movement (TPM). The two major parties, I believe, will split their constituency wins in something close to a tie.

On the one hand, voters will weigh the vast disappointment left by the PLP

over the last five years, created not so much by crime and corruption as by plain incompetence, indecision and cover-ups, led from the PM’s office downward, non-solution of the smoking landfill, non-disclosure of the electric power deal or the cost of BAMSI, the sink-holes of Bahamasair, ZNS and Bank of Bahamas, repudiation of the gambling referendum, the continuing urban slum of eastern Bay Street, the delays and mys-

ADVANCED polling for the election at the Kendal Isaacs Gymnasium yesterday.

Photos: Shawn Hanna/Tribune Staff teries of Baha Mar, stag- very likely Shane Gib- prove once again to Bahanation of employment and son and Obie Wilchombe, mians that political change - looming above all - the even the controversial Fred will only be brought about unfunded pension liabili- Mitchell - assuming they all by the tough, painstaking, ties and the ever-increasing win their seats, which is no expensive effort of creatpublic deficits and national sure bet. ing a viable political party.

Who knows, Attorney- Whatever may be thought debt that could lead to fiGeneral Allyson Maynard- about Branville McCartnancial collapse.

But on the other hand, Gibson could shrewdly play ney, at least he took the will voters find a viable the female ticket against plunge in creating the alternative in the FNM? the old-boy crowd. And DNA, knowing it would be Alfred Sears, a long slog to success. PerStraight as a a pretty defi- haps, for the first time, he die, Dr Minnis ‘We have heard nite winner in may win House seats, but may be hardworking and a chorus of cries Fort Charlotte, certainly not yet a majority decisive, capa- from ‘the people’ could emerge or plurality. That will take as a popular more time (if ever). His polble of quelling that all our favourite un- icy of refusing an alliance a revolution in tainted with with the FNM may seem his own party. political parties previous Cabi- perverse in the short term, But that revolu- are corrupt and net stains. With but surely is correct towards tion itself may have under- unrepresentative a party conven- the objective of creating a tion probably meaningful opposition or mined essential hotbeds of called to make “third way”. Bahamians pillars of party cronyism that the choice, with fond dreams of a new loyalty, and this in a party must be replaced it will be an regime should take a hard entertaining that he has only with something look at the reality of creatspectacle. been running better, more ing the DNA. Alternativefor five years Of course, we could have ly, If the PLP a revolution, as in France, after rising ‘democratic’.’ succeeds, with Mexico, Russia or Cuba. from obscurity to assume ‘Papa Hubert’s’ a bare plurality of seats But I firmly believe that is mantle - and we have seen shrunken by DNA incur- not the Bahamian way. And ‘Papa’ still knows how to sions, most of the present the Lord spare us from the growl. Despite all Dr Min- Cabinet will remain, as stateist sins of Venezuela. nis’ announced plans, as the Bradley Roberts and his We must keep our eyes minority leader (let’s ignore cheerleading Bahama News open to the radical changes Loretta Butler-Turner) he will loudly crow victory. in social organisation and could achieve no track re- However, many believe that technological innovation cord of proven accomplish- within two years Perry will that are already altering step down. He will have our daily lives and will have ments.

Rashly floating cancella- achieved his objective of a deep effects on our politics. tion of the Baha Mar sale second-term success, and The rate of change has not to the Chinese showed a age and uncertain health doubled, it has squared. pretty desperate flail that will weigh heavily on his Ten years ago, one never casts doubts about his judg- abilities to carry the inces- saw squads of impeccably ment under pressure. His sant stress of governance. dressed young ladies lined biggest problem is simply A knighthood may be qui- up at the cocktail bar afhis pugnacious contrast to etly dangled, the fitting re- ter work talking more into Perry’s charisma, that can ward for the long career of their iPhones than among lure the birds from the trees a leader beloved by many themselves, and at their jobs and voters from their com- Bahamians. He may try to they are glued to their comdesignate his successor, us- puter screens importing the mon sense.

So I call it a toss-up, with ing the Mexican ‘dedazo’, world via the internet. For possibly an edge for the or pointed finger from the frivolous reasons or serious retiring boss.

PLP. ones, they now spend hours But the choice will ul- linked to the outside unitimately be made by his verse, not to the local neighPLP post-election What happens after the Parliamentary colleagues, bourhood. Perhaps it never election is of greater inter- and again will be something crosses their minds that est. If the PLP loses, the of a catfight. Technically, every chip of technology answer will be quick and they can choose whomever in their hands was invented brutal. Perry Christie will they please, but realistically and engineered outside the be gone as party leader. they must keep public opin- Bahamas, without a trace of Personal loyalties to the ion sharply in mind. Fred local labour. man will remain, but po- would be hard for a majorAs the older generation, litical loyalties will vanish ity to swallow, and hand- still uncomfortable with the as the loss will be laid on some Jerome’s many gaffes electronic era, gradually his plate and no other. We could be held against him. shrinks and the younger will then see a catfight for Brave may be too closely set grows, inevitably their the unenviable role of PLP linked as Perry’s former law knowledge and interests party leader. There is little partner, and bears his own will open even further to love lost among any of the scars, like Renew Bahamas’ influences from outside present ministers who think flop at the landfill. In his our country. The remainthey should be anointed. previous challenge to Perry, ing bastions of chauvinism Accident-prone Jerome Sears was roundly rejected will erode, as our immigraFitzgerald is Perry’s fa- by the party leaders, but tion policy will be forced vourite, but will that count this time they may accept to adopt a friendlier policy for much with Perry gone? him as the people’s favour- toward well-qualified forBrave Davis will make his ite for a new broom to lead eigners, our customs rules long-awaited claim, and a reformed PLP. will ease the importation of goods easily found in the What will change?

United States, and some This election will mark will be shocked as radical other developments in our religious and moral values electoral trends. Over the will erode our pillars of tralast few years, we have ditional Christian faith. heard a chorus of cries from These changes do not “the people” that all our mean we need to lose the political parties are corrupt slightest degree of our naand unrepresentative hot- tional pride, or cease to beds of cronyism that must extol our warm Bahamian be replaced with something traditions of community better, more “democratic”. and family solidarity, or But what? And by whom? any less enjoy our natural Despite all the noise, new resources of sun and sea. leaders never emerged. We But, just as in the 1950s, have seen Ranard Henfield, we could not foresee the a man of obvious brains social conditions of today, and energy, create his vocal we must accept that today We March group but show we have little vision of what no interest in political or- life will be like in 2080. We ganisation. The sound and will eat different, dress diffury of his several vigorous ferent, commute different, demonstrations captured talk different, play different publicity, but they were es- and work at different jobs. sentially one-shot shows.

That means we will vote What is the effect of a different. Facing an accelthousand or more enthusi- erating rate of change that astic marchers, without a will not slow up, we will programme or structure, soon need a new breed of in a registered electorate politicians who know how of 181,000? The carefully to live with differences. drafted petitions that Hen- And not to resist them, but field and other civil society to seize their advantages. leaders are currently circulating show well-meaning • Richard Coulson is a calls for good governance, retired lawyer and investbut reach mainly the liter- ment banker born in Nasate intelligentsia with close sau and from a long line of to zero impact among the Bahamians. He is a finanmasses. They struggle to get cial consultant and author as many as 500 signatories - of A Corkscrew Life - adpeanuts. ventures of a travelling fiThis election should nancier.

THE TRIBUNE

Thursday, May 4, 2017, PAGE 13

Bulgarian guilty of laundering money returns for his appeal

By LAMECH JOHNSON Tribune Staff Reporter ljohnson@tribunemedia.net A BULGARIAN who was convicted by a Supreme Court jury of money laundering has returned to The Bahamas for his appeal which is scheduled next week, The Tribune understands.

Last November, in 40-year-old Kostadin Karchav’s absence, lawyer Stanley Rolle indicated that Karchav still wished to pursue his appeal against the conviction that had been filed before his October 30 release from the Department of Correctional Services.

The appellate court said it would adjourn the matter to March 6, 2017 for a status hearing to allow Karchav time to formally write the court indicating that he had retained counsel and wished for the appeal to proceed in his absence.

Failure to do so in that timeframe would result in a dismissal of the appeal.

Karchav returned to New Providence on Saturday, April 29, more than a week ahead of his May 8 appellate court hearing, The Tribune has learned.

The jury in Karchav’s trial heard that he gave an oral confession to the crimes prior to a record of interview that was done in the presence of his then lawyer Roger Gomez II. Sergeant Donovan Mar-

tin, of the Central Detective Unit, testified about a conversation with Karchav under caution in the presence of Inspector Deborah Thompson on February 15, 2015.

Karchav allegedly told police he had been in the country since 2014 and was a part of a credit card group in Bulgaria. It was alleged that he told officers he used his time in The Bahamas to obtain information about the models of the ATM machines he observed. His accomplices replied with information on credit and debit cards, which he uploaded to gift cards he had brought with him when he travelled to The Bahamas.

He allegedly told a police officer that all of the funds seized by police during his arrest were proceeds from the machines, some of which were deposited to his RBC account. He also stated that he purchased a 2005 Suzuki Swift with some of the funds obtained from the bank.

A record of interview was held following this conversation later on that afternoon.

Karchav, who elected to remain silent to allegations, called Mr Gomez II as a witness when the latter confirmed to his defence attorney that he sat in on a record of interview, but it was not on Sunday, February 15, 2015.

The lawyer was asked if Karchav had made any complaints when he went

KOSTADIN Karchav during a previous appearance at court. to see him. Mr Gomez said his then client’s complaint only concerned the cell and food.

The jury returned 7-2 guilty verdicts on money laundering with respect to the funds found in the RBC

account and the purchase of the Suzuki Swift.

The jury returned a unanimous not guilty ver-

dict on a count concerning an iPhone 6 cell phone, of which Justice Turner said he was discharged.

15-YEAR SENTENCE UPHELD FOR MURDER OF CASH FOR GOLD WORKER

By LAMECH JOHNSON Tribune Staff Reporter ljohnson@tribunemedia.net

THE Court of Appeal has affirmed the conviction and 15-year sentence of a man who a Supreme Court jury found guilty of having a role in the fatal robbery of a Cash for Gold employee four years ago.

Harrison Watkins, 28, stood trial in November 2014 alongside Natario Walkins, 27, Valentino Bethel, 24, Sean Zhivargo

Collie, 41, in connection with the January 19, 2013 robbery of Christopher Outten.

During evidence given at the trial, Outten and his wife, who were employed at US Gold/Cash for Gold in the Jireh Plaza, had left the store around 4pm on January 19, 2013. They stopped at the automated teller machines of two banking institutions before heading home.

On arrival at their residence, Outten was ap-

proached by a masked gunman and ordered to get down. His wife escaped and ran to a neighbour’s house for help. When she returned, she found that her husband had been shot.

Natario Walkins and Bethel were found guilty of murder, armed robbery and conspiracy to commit armed robbery and murder. Collie and Harrison Walkins were found guilty on the conspiracy charges.

In January 2015, Harrison Watkins was sentenced

HEARING FOR PAIR IN $390,000 DRUGS CASE

By LAMECH JOHNSON Tribune Staff Reporter ljohnson@tribunemedia.net

A NEW fixture hearing date has been scheduled for a man and woman awaiting trial in connection with a recent major drug seizure.

Chantell Brown, 25, and Tomico Horton, 41, were scheduled to return to Magistrate’s Court on Tuesday to receive a date for trial concerning the single charge of possession of dangerous drugs with intent

to supply that was allegedly committed on April 25.

However, Horton was not taken to court from the Department of Correctional Services, resulting in a further adjournment of the matter until Friday, May 5.

On the day in question, officers seized a number of sacks and a children’s backpack containing $390,000 worth of marijuana. The seizure occurred at a home in the Big Pond area.

Both accused pleaded not guilty to the charge when

initially arraigned last Friday.

Brown appeared in Supreme Court on Monday for a bail application and was granted $8,000 with a suretor. However, she was ordered to surrender all of her travel documents to the Supreme Court and report to the Grove Police Station every Saturday on/or before 6pm.

The pair could face a fine and/or up to seven years imprisonment if convicted of the offence.

to 15 years in prison for the two convictions, which he subsequently challenged to the appellate court.

However, he and his lawyer Halson Moultrie were unable to convince the ap-

pellate court last Friday that the judge erred in any of his directions to the jury concerning the evidence at the trial.

The presiding panel of Justices Dame Anita Allen,

Stella Crane-Scott and Roy Jones agreed to dismiss his appeal and affirm both conviction and sentence.

Olivia Pratt-Nixon was the Crown respondent in the appellate hearing.

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PAGE 14, Thursday, May 4, 2017

THE TRIBUNE

Madness and the minds of leaders Mental health I of the nation

MAGINE one morning you arrive at work to find that your boss has gone completely mad.

Do you call the mental hospital or - if you suspect demon possession - call an exorcist?

The usual response is to see and hear nothing and decide it is not your problem.

It is much more common to be faced with this reality of mental illness in our own families; not nearly so easy to ignore and dangerous to do nothing.

Mental illness, like all other illnesses, can strike anyone, anywhere, impacting the life of the sick person and all those who love them. It is very important to reach out for the help that is available.

Once you can accept that mental illness is common in our society, it is clear that even our leaders are susceptible to illness - or madness

By DR MIKE NEVILLE

to use the common term.

It is possible to convince oneself that the electoral process would prevent the election of a madman, but in the emotional vortex of an exciting campaign history would suggest that anything is possible.

Certainly there have been many leaders, both despotic and great, who have suffered from mental illness. Winston Churchill wrote about his terrible depression in his memoirs: he would stay in bed for days or weeks unable to function. There have been other great leaders with depression and it is suggested that whilst the illness causes great suffering to that per-

King Henry VIII fascinating. He was regarded as a handsome, athletic, intelligent prince who turned into a rather bizarre despot always remembered for his wives’ unhappy endings.

He was infuriated by his wives’ inability to produce a son, it can also provide in- male heir due to numerous sights that help in the crisis miscarriages. He was paraof war but can cause them noid, grandiose and bad tempered; he to struggle in developed times of peace ‘In times of crisis, ulcers in and prosperthe disaffected look his legs and ity. found it difAdolf Hit- for change and ficult to walk. ler has been may be attracted One explanathe subject of tion is that many a psy- to a leader who when he sufchological promises change. fered a head profile and the But is there any injury whist anti-social, guarantee that they jousting, the narcissistic frontal lobe personality are telling us the of his brain disorder com- truth?’ which caused bined with later personstimulant and opioid addiction seem to be ality changes was damaged.

This, however, cannot exthe best fit.

I have found the possible plain those frequent mismental health problems of carriages which caused him so much fury. Another possibility is that he had a condition called Kell positive, a rare blood group which could explain all the miscarriages. It does not, however, explain the personality changes.

In Europe at that time, syphilis was spreading rapidly. The King was certainly popular with the ladies and whilst there is no record of him receiving any treatment for the “French Disease” it can explain the miscarriages, the bizarre personality changes (general paresis of the insane) and the leg problems (tabes dorsalis). I am not sure that the thought of a major religion having roots in an illness like syphilis would be well received but it really shows how mental illness can shape history.

Mental illness has a major impact on judgment. Wars can start if a leader feels slighted; economies are decimated by bad choices.

WINSTON CHURCHILL Many of us begin to have they are telling us the truth? memory problems as we Someone with severe pergrow older and the more sonality disorder can pass a sinister Alzheimer’s Dis- lie detector test and is able ease begins with memory to feed us a constant diet of and disinhibition problems. alternate facts, spin, truthful A leader may not even hyperbole or downright lies. know what is happening To quote Winston around him or her.

Churchill, “Men occasionHow can we prevent ally stumble over the truth, these potential crises? A but most of them pick themdistinguished Bahamian selves up and hurry off as if politician once told me nothing ever happened.” “countries get the government they deserve”. I have • Dr Mike Neville is a never been sure of that, but forensic psychiatrist who there is a vote so people do has practiced for more than get some degree of choice. 40 years in The Bahamas, In times of crisis, the disaf- working at Sandilands, fected look for change and the prison and in private may be attracted to a leader practice. Comments and who promises change. But responses to mneville@tribis there any guarantee that unemedia.net

PAGE 20, Thursday, May 4, 2017 LUKE MAILLIS set a Bahamas national record for a CWT (constant weight) freedive this week with 48 metres (157 feet) at Dean’s Blue Hole, Long Island at the Vertical Blue 2017.

He was 14 seconds inside the permitted dive time of 1 minute 45 seconds for the attempt. A local, he confessed to being a little nervous before the attempt.

Constant weight is the common sportive depth discipline of freediving, because of the specific fins or monofins used. The freediver descends and ascends using his fins/monofin and/ or with the use of his arms without pulling on the rope or changing his ballast; only a single hold of the rope to stop the descent and start the ascent is allowed.

Keep checking the Ba-

JUNE RUSSELL, of Blackfly Lodge on the Mahi Mahi in Abaco.

hamas Sport Fishing Network (BSFN) expert page for fishing reports throughout The Bahamas: this will be helpful in tracking the “hot spots” and providing advice on gear and fishing methods being used.

For a sample of the spectacular fishing to be had in The Bahamas, expert advice, tournament dates and results, informative features and photo galleries visit the BSFN page at tribune242. com or www.bsfn.biz or on Facebook - Bahamas Sport Fishing Network.

BSFN slideshows can be found on USA Today’s website in the Travel section at experience.usato- SCOTT Thompson lands a day.com. big Mahi Mahi.

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