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VOLUME:117 No.111, MAY 5, 2020

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WOMAN: A LOCKDOWN MOTHER’S DAY TO REMEMBER

SANDS GOES • His resignation

over flight fiasco accepted by PM • Minister says he acted in good faith to secure supplies

By RASHAD ROLLE Tribune Senior Reporter rrolle@tribunemedia.net

PRIME Minister Dr Hubert Minnis accepted the resignation of Health Minister Dr Duane Sands yesterday, a stunning climax to a fast-moving controversy that has now dimmed Dr Sands’ political career. “I thank him for his service to the Bahamas, including during the COVID-19 pandemic. I will make a further statement on this

matter (today), including on who will serve as minister of health,” Dr Minnis said in a brief statement issued shortly before 10pm.

The Elizabeth MP offered his resignation to Dr Minnis for his actions related to six permanent residents who landed in the country last week with COVID-19 testing supplies and were allowed to quarantine at home before they produced a negative COVID-19 test result.

SEE PAGE THREE

HURRICANE SHELTER SHORTAGE EXPOSED

By RASHAD ROLLE Tribune Senior Reporter rrolle@tribunemedia.net

THE International Organisation for Migration has warned The Bahamas is not ready for the 2020 hurricane season.

The organisation recently completed a comprehensive assessment of official and unofficial emergency shelters in Abaco and Grand Bahama and found that most of them are unusable.

Emergency shelter

INSIDE the government complex in Abaco after Dorian capacity is one major weakness, the IOM says, having recruited emergency shelter

experts Ned Morris and Richard Lines to perform the assessment with a focus on structural readiness, well-equipped shelter managers and availability of clean fresh water.

“For the 2020 hurricane season there is very limited emergency shelter capacity available on both islands,” Mr Morris said.

“Our assessment found that currently 13 of the 25 official shelters are usable,

Nassau & Bahama Islands’ Leading Newspaper

SEE PAGE SEVEN

FACE-TO-FACE

CB’S LIFE HAS BEEN A PERFECT MARRIAGE

SEE PAGE EIGHT

PAGE 2, Tuesday, May 5, 2020

THE TRIBUNE

Gibson’s anger over Thompson promotion

FORMER Cabinet Minister Shane Gibson, right, and a key investigator in his trial, Deborah Thompson, left, who has been promoted to superintendent.

By RASHAD ROLLE Tribune Senior Reporter rrolle@tribunemedia.net FORMER Cabinet Minister Shane Gibson has written to the Police Service Commission, expressing his dismay over the promotion of a police officer who was heavily criticised for her role in his bribery trial last year.

Mr Gibson was acquitted during the trial after he was accused of accepting hundreds of thousands in bribes from Jonathan Ash so the contractor could receive the outstanding government cheques for the hurricane clean-up work he did.

Last week it was announced that Deborah Thompson, a key investigator in his trial, has been promoted to superintendent.

Mr Gibson wrote to the PSC after his trial requesting the body investigate Superintendent Thompson for her conduct in his case.

In his letter to the PSC, Mr Gibson says: “The decision to promote her was made even though she received condemnation by Justice Indra Charles in a ruling dated 8th March 2019 (in my constitutional application to quash the indictment against me) where Justice Charles said: ‘Unkind as it may be, ASP Thompson struck me as an officer with very little investigative skills despite her impressive rank in the RBPF. I say this because prosecution witnesses should not be brought together to discuss their

evidence, exchange their account and decide as to what to say and what they should omit to say in their statements and evidence.”

He further cited facts that arose during his trial about Superintendent Thompson’s work, like the fact that she initiated a meeting between the two main prosecution witnesses to synchronise their statements.

“She admitted that in hindsight she had acted improperly in arranging the meeting to ‘clear up the ambiguities’ in each of their statements” and “she altered the original statement taken from Jonathan Ash…,” he noted.

“What makes the decision to promote Deborah Thompson more egregious is that she admitted that it is common practice for two witnesses to be brought together to synchronise their stories and accounts of matters in dispute. This leads one to believe that my case is not the first time she has been involved in this unethical and unlawful practice.”

“I write to advise if Deborah Thompson’s promotion is not rescinded within fourteen days of the date of this letter, I will institute proceedings before the Supreme Court for Judicial review of the decision to promote Deborah Thompson and seen an order of certiorari to quash this recommendation.”

PSC chairman Reverend Phillip Stubbs said “no comment” when asked for a response to this matter yesterday.

THE TRIBUNE from page one Some Bahamians were initially angry over the episode because hundreds who have wanted to return to the country have been stuck abroad. On Sunday, Dr Minnis said protocol was breached during the episode.

Though Dr Sands on Sunday told The Tribune he would not resign from Cabinet over the affair, he did just that through a statement yesterday.

“I refer to the unfortunate controversy surrounding the delivery of COVID-19 test swabs and the landing of permanent residents under what you have termed a breach of protocol regulating the entry to the Bahamas by Bahamian citizens and permanent residents under Emergency (COVID-19) Regulations,” he said in a letter to Dr Minnis, which was posted to the Elizabeth MP’s Facebook page yesterday afternoon.

“I accept responsibility for this breach of protocol.

I acknowledge that I acted outside of the scope of my authority in this matter.

My actions were guided by my great desire to obtain the much-needed testing swabs which are in short supply both here and internationally and which are key to our efforts to trace the spread of the coronavirus so as to better focus our responses. I acted at all times in good faith.

“Nevertheless, I acknowledge that my actions have caused embarrassment for which I express sincere regret. We continue in the midst of a most serious pandemic when focused attention should be trained only on how best the spread of COVID-19 might be slowed and eventually be stopped. I believe that my continued presence in the Cabinet may serve as a distraction from our effort and hence I offer my resignation from your Cabinet. I thank you for the opportunity to serve our great country.”

Earlier yesterday, a document purporting to be a

Tuesday, May 5, 2020, PAGE 3

Sands goes The Tribune A1MAIN

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Flight fiasco overshadows lockdown relaxation HUBERT MINNIS

Protocols for entry were breached

DUANE SANDS

I’ll carry on doing the best job I can • SIX RESIDENTS • DIONISIO OKAYED ALLOWED OFF PLANE FLIGHT MINDFUL OF INTO QUARANTINE SUPPLY SHORTAGE

By RASHAD ROLLE Tribune Senior Reporter rrolle@tribunemedia.net DUANE Sands does not plan to resign from Cabinet over his actions related to six permanent residents who arrived

in the country last week with COVID-19 supplies and were allowed to selfisolate in their homes.

“I intend to continue my work for the Bahamian people in my capacity as minister of health and I SEE PAGE THREE

HUNT FOR SIX MISSING OFF FIRE SHIP

LEFT: Duane Sands’ resignation letter and, above, how The Tribune covered the story yesterday

By LEANDRA ROLLE Tribune Staff Reporter lrolle@tribunemedia.net

POLICE in Long Island are still searching for six people who swam ashore on Friday after their vessel erupted into flames off Stella Maris a day prior.

An official told The Tribune yesterday the group is located somewhere in the Simms settlement of Long Island. “The search continues for (those) six persons,”

the official, who did not want to be identified, said.

The group along with three others were reportedly en route to Haiti from New Providence when — according to those on board — a passenger allegedly suffering from a non-COVID-19 related illness died. The dead passenger was reportedly left on board the vessel.

In a press statement released on Friday, Royal Bahamas Defence Force officials said its operations

centre was alerted to the medical emergency on board the Haitian freighter around 1.30am on Wednesday.

After learning this information, the RBDF said officials advised the captain of the vessel to seek permission from the relevant authorities to re-enter the territorial waters in Cat Island consistent with current emergency orders.

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‘I ACCEPT RESPONSIBILITY FOR THIS BREACH OF PROTOCOL. I ACKNOWLEDGE I ACTED OUTSIDE OF THE SCOPE OF MY AUTHORITY’ SEE PAGE SEVEN

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statement from Dr Sands appeared and began to circulate on social media, causing considerable confusion.

The document claimed Dr Sands apologised to Dr Minnis and offered his resignation but the prime minister “graciously refused to accept it.” Dr Sands denied the legitimacy of the statement on social

media. Thirty minutes later, he released a similar statement about his resignation.

Former Tourism Minister Obie Wilchcombe connected Dr Sands with donors who supplied 2,500 test swabs that cost $11,250, prompting an effort by the health minister to get the swabs here.

Dr Sands got approval from Tourism Minister

Dionisio D’Aguilar for a N-578GC aircraft to deliver the supplies to the country.

He then got approval from Immigration Director Clarence Russell for the passengers.

Mr D’Aguilar told Dr Sands officials had been insisting that people coming to the country provide a negative COVID-19 test to gain entry. The Freetown

MP deferred to the health minister to make the call and Dr Sands allowed the passengers entry without testing them. During his national address on Sunday, Dr Minnis suggested this was at least part of the breach––the residents were allowed entry without being tested.

Dr Sands initially said only two people had been

allowed to disembark in the country. Dr Minnis later revealed it was six. He said they have tested negative for the virus.

Even up to Sunday evening, Dr Sands was defiant.

He told this newspaper he was shocked at “how far to the left” the conversation over the matter had gone.

“When you’re trying to solve problems for the public, sometimes it requires to dig deep, to beg and we’ve done a lot of begging based on relationships that you have established over the years with individuals and institutions and universities and countries.

It’s called networking. Failing that, you cannot mount a response,” he said.

Dr Sands twice lost elections for the Elizabeth constituency — a by-election in 2010 and a general election in 2012 — before winning his seat in 2017.

As one of the country’s premier cardiovascular surgeons and a political figure for over a decade, he is no stranger to drama.

Nonetheless, during the COVID-19 crisis, he often attracted praise across social media for composed and reassuring public performances as he played a pivotal role managing the unprecedented health crisis.

Under his watch, improvements were made to the radiology department of PMH and the Corey Newbold Ward, the male chest ward at PMH, which opened in 2018 with new beds, bed-side furniture and curtains.

Editorial View - Page 6

HE BROUGHT HIS EXPERTISE AS A DOCTOR TO THE HEALTH MINISTRY IT was at the third time of asking that Dr Duane Sands won the vote to represent the constituency of Elizabeth.

In 2010, he went head-tohead with Ryan Pinder in a by-election in the constituency – and lost by just two votes. Two years later, he lost out again in the same match-up as Mr Pinder kept his seat and the PLP were voted into power led

by Prime Minister Perry Christie. Dr Sands and Mr Pinder had an antagonistic campaign, with Mr Pinder dismissing comments by Dr Sands in 2012 as “childish”. In that race, Dr Sands declared his assets as $6m – and the same sum in the 2017 election.

His history in public service is much longer than since taking his seat in 2017, however, having served as chairman of the Bahamas Mortgage Corporation between 2011 and 2012 and being a former chairman of the Bahamas Medical Council and director of the Central Bank of The Bahamas. In his time at the Bahamas Mortgage Corporation, he sparred with Shane Gibson, who accused Dr Sands of lying about Mr Gibson’s tenure as housing minister – with Dr Sands later claiming he had been the victim of “hate speech and character assassination” by the PLP. A two time senator, he previously served as director of the Public Hospitals Authority, vice president of medical affairs and member of the board of directors of Doctors Hospital and the director of the Physicians Alliance.

This is also not the first

time he has offered his resignation to Dr Hubert Minnis – this time in Dr Minnis’ capacity as prime minister, but also in December 2016 when Dr Minnis was FNM leader and Dr Sands was serving in the Senate.

At the time, seven FNM MPs had written to Governor General Dame Marguerite Pindling asking for Dr Minnis’ removal as leader of the Official Opposition, with Loretta Butler-Turner, then Long Island MP, becoming leader of the opposition instead.

Dr Sands resigned alongside Carl Bethel, saying he “served at the pleasure” of Dr Minnis, who had “requested the resignations” in light of his removal as opposition leader.

Earlier that year, in the summer of 2016, Dr Sands and Mrs Butler-Turner ran as a team for FNM deputy leader and leader respectively, challenging Dr Minnis and Peter Turnquest for the posts. However Mrs Butler-Turner and her running mate dropped out of the race at the last minute.

The pair ran for the same posts in 2014 and lost to the current leadership duo, although they did not run as a team on that occasion.

At the time, Dr Sands said “in life, defeat is only final if you don’t get up and try again”.

Nor is this the first time that there have been calls for his resignation. On Friday, PLP leader Philip ‘Brave’ Davis asked for Dr Sands to resign – and has previously called for his resignation over his role in the Frank Smith trial.

Chief Magistrate Joyann

Ferguson-Pratt criticised both Dr Sands and National Security Minister Marvin Dames for the “egregious” way they interacted with witness Barbara Hanna prior to a police investigation into her claims, charging that their conduct gave the appearance of a “political flavor to a curious bystander”. Those concerns were reiterated by appeal judges, who said they “can appreciate” her concerns.

PLP Chairman Fred Mitchell said: “We’re saying Sands and Dames have to go, the prime minister needs to dismiss them

or he himself has to go because he adopts their bad behaviour.”

Dr Sands brought his expertise as a doctor to the role of minister of health.

He is a cardiothoracic and vascular surgeon.

Born in Nassau to Basil and Roberta Sands, he went to St Anne’s High School before going on to study at the Cheshire Academy in Connecticut and Tufts University in Massachusetts, then earned his Doctor of Medicine degree from Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine in 1986. After completing

his residency in Michigan in 1994, he returned to The Bahamas and worked as a consultant physician at Princess Margaret Hospital, becoming the chief of surgery and also practising at Doctors Hospital.

He has also taken his expertise to the global stage, becoming president of the Pan American Health Organization’s 56th Directing Council.

A member of the Anglican community, he has four children.

Perhaps crucially, as Dr Minnis came into office and appointed his Cabinet,

including Dr Sands to the role of minister of health, the new prime minister said: “Good governance demands being responsible for our actions. Accordingly, I will hold ministers to the highest standards of ethical conduct in performance of their public duties.”

Ahead of his resignation, Dr Sands acknowledged he was responsible for the decision to let a US couple – later revealed to be a family of six – into the country. Having taken responsibility, he subsequently submitted his resignation yesterday.

PAGE 4, Tuesday, May 5, 2020

THE TRIBUNE

CORONAVIRUS CRISIS

FAMILY Guardian Insurance Company donated food packages to essential workers at Doctors Hospital recently as a show of thanks to those on the COVID-19 frontline. The packages had all the elements to create a Thanksgiving meal: turkey, apple cider, rice and a dessert. “These individuals are sacrificing their own safety and well-being in this crisis and for this we are eternally grateful,” a representative from Family Guardian said.

Photos: Terrel W Carey Sr/Tribune Staff

SET FOR AN EARLY THANKSGIVING

Students sorry to be missing graduation fun

By LEANDRA ROLLE Tribune Staff Reporter lrolle@tribunemedia.net GRAND Bahama resident Iesir Moss was planning to be surrounded by her close friends and family members when she walked across the stage to receive her longawaited diploma from the University of the Bahamas after five years of studying at the institution.

Initially set to graduate this month and now with those dates postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the English major said it’s not clear whether all her loved ones will be able to make it for the special ceremony.

Nor is she certain when she will be able to actually graduate.

“They have not told us when the new graduate dates are,” she told The Tribune during a recent interview. “…(But) we know that graduation most likely will be pushed into fall because they aren’t opening the school back up until fall.

All of the events are postponed until further notice but we’re assuming that they’re going to combine those who should have graduated in the spring and those who will complete fall together.”

Still, Ms Moss said her biggest disappointment is not about walking across the big stage with her family present, but wondering if she will physically receive her degree, a token of her hard work these past five years.

“It was supposed to be that I would go with my degree to Canada to see if I could obtain a job in Canada, but at this point, I don’t know when I’m graduating, and I don’t know when I’m getting my actual degree,” she told The Tribune.

“So, that’s the bit that’s frustrating because it pushes back those plans and it means that I have to stay home longer and as you know we are still attempting to regain normalcy from Dorian so the fact that we already didn’t have any jobs and government closing down the country, there’s no jobs.”

Added to these challenges, she said, is trying to keep her mother safe who is a high-risk person for contracting the virus, while also juggling her work for a thesis, which was due last week.

She said: “My mom is high-risk so for the

first half of this, she was in the hospital for breathing (issues) as well as there was fluid in her heart and stuff so coming back home, I became the designated shopper for my family.

“And so you have all of these stresses where you know you have to work on your thesis, there are days when it’s like you still need you to go to the food store and in Grand Bahama, we only have two actual food stores.

“And the lines, you can be standing on the lines for an hour and a half. So, it’s like no I have to get home because I have to work on my thesis but at the same time, I have to do these things because my mum can’t do it.”

Despite these challenges, Ms Moss said she still tries to maintain a positive attitude throughout it all.

“It’s like Dorian wipes everything out and then you attempt to pick up the pieces and then COVID-19 hits. It’s almost similar to that same scenario all over again, but just slightly different and that’s what frustrates me... But I try to find good things that have happened.”

Expressing similar sentiments to The Tribune was Naathan Rolle, another Bahamian student whose graduation was postponed due to the virus.

Mr Rolle, who attends Morehouse College in Atlanta, is one of the recipients of the Oprah Winfrey Scholarship.

Expecting to graduate in May, the student said he was “a little” disappointed when he received news, saying the dates had been postponed to December as a result of the fast-spreading virus.

“When I first heard of it, it was a little disappointing but as time progressed, I learned to gradually accept it,” he said.

“But, I’m not really depressed or upset about it because I know I experienced everything I wanted to experience in college. “ I achieved everything I wanted to achieve. I felt like I left with a memorable legacy at my school. I met some great people. I explored a lot so I didn’t feel like I missed out on anything. I got the full experience until this pandemic came.

“And the graduation, my aunts, uncles are still going to be there in December. I’ll still get my degree during the fall so this is a major accomplishment for me, especially being a first-generation student.”

NUMBER OF VIRUS CASES GOES UP BY ONE - TO 84 THE number of confirmed COVID-19 cases climbed by one yesterday to 84. There have been seven confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Grand Bahama, 68 confirmed cases in New Providence, one confirmed case in Cat Cay, and eight confirmed cases in Bimini.

The newest confirmed patient is Case #84, a 60-year-old man from New Providence, with no history of travel. This

case is in isolation at home. “Health officials continue to follow the condition of the other current COVID-19 positive cases,” a statement from the Ministry of Health said. “Investigations are ongoing.”

The Ministry of Health reminded individuals who have been advised to remain home in quarantine or isolation that they are expected to stay in their homes until the

quarantine or isolation has ended. “Kindly give consideration to having a family member complete shopping errands for essential items. Following this advice is paramount to avoid the spread of COVID-19 in our communities,” the ministry added.

Those found violating the quarantine protocols could face a $20,000 fine or up to five years in prison.

LARODA HAPPY TO SEE FIRMS REOPEN FINED FOR RUNNING REPAIR BUSINESS

By DENISE MAYCOCK Tribune Freeport Reporter dmaycock@tribunemedia.net GRAND Bahama Chamber of Commerce president Greg Laroda says the reopening of some businesses on the island is “a huge step,” as many are on “life support right now.”

However, Mr Laroda believes that extensive testing also should be done simultaneously to avoid another wave of cases and the economy being shut down again.

On Monday, the government moved into phase 1B of reopening the economy, allowing businesses to provide kerbside service and deliveries. Paint Fair was among some of the

businesses in Freeport that is providing kerbside and online services to the public.

When contacted yesterday, the Chamber president said he believes the government is on the right track with the careful and phased reopening of the economy.

“I think it is a good start because we can still practice social distancing and not compromise the health and safety of the community or the workers, and at the same time you are allowing some businesses that are on life support right now to get some sort of revenue and be able to put some staff back to work - I think that a huge step in the right direction,” said Mr Laroda. “However, I feel like we have to remain cautious. We probably have

to look at more extensive testing of persons for the virus at this point.”

Grand Bahama has had only seven positive cases, with no new cases reported in over three weeks. Two of the cases have died.

Mr Laroda is concerned that a delay in testing could trigger another series of shutdowns if positive results are later detected.

“What I would not want to see happen is we wait too long to start testing more widely, and when we test we get positive results, then we say we need to shut down because it is the result of us having open too soon,” he explained.

“I would like to see us do it (the testing) in conjunction with the phased reopening.”

By FARRAH JOHNSON fjohnson@tribunemedia.net A 44-YEAR-OLD man was ordered to pay $4,000 or face one year in prison for violating the national curfew and operating a non-essential business last week.

Sean Pindling appeared before Senior Magistrate Derence Rolle-Davis after officers found him at his place of work on Baillou Hill Road around 2.30pm on May 1.

He pleaded guilty to both charges and was fined $1,000 for count one and $3,000 or one year in prison for count two.

Prosecutor Lakesia Moss said police, acting on information, travelled to

Pindling’s business where he specialised in appliance repairs and propane installations. Pindling was asked to show proof he had permission to operate his business. After he failed to do so, he was taken to the Grove Police Station where he o fficers he did not have a letter from the prime minister giving him permission to resume his business. He also told the officers he was not aware of the 24-hour curfew.

During the hearing, Pindling told Magistrate Rolle-Davis he had tried to come back to work because his debt had increased. He said he felt if he didn’t go back to work everything would collapse because he had a child in university and

he was the breadwinner of his household. He also said he didn’t know he needed a letter from the prime minister to continue running his business.

In response, Magistrate Rolle-Davis told Pindling he could have made an application to the competent authority because he would have had a great chance of being a part of the exempted group considering his field of work.

He also told Pindling he had no excuse to justify him violating the curfew since information on the emergency orders was being disseminated regularly.

Magistrate Rolle-Davis told Pindling he could not break the law and expect no punishment.

THE TRIBUNE

Tuesday, May 5, 2020, PAGE 5

CORONAVIRUS CRISIS

By TANYA SMITH-CARTWRIGHT ts-cartwright @tribunemedia.net THE Bahamas will likely say “yes” to Carnival Cruise Lines stopping at its ports if sailing resumes on August 1 as planned, Minister of Tourism and Aviation Dionisio D’Aguilar said yesterday.

Carnival Cruise Line announced plans yesterday to resume sailing in three months. These plans come despite the US Centres for Disease Control and Prevention saying that cruise ship travel exacerbates the global spread of COVID-19.

“Right now I would say yes,” Mr D’Aguilar said when asked if The Bahamas would allow the cruise ships to dock here. “We don’t know what would happen in Florida in three months.

We don’t know what will happen in The Bahamas in three months. We have to play it by ear and as we get closer to the intended date, we will make that call.”

Mr D’Aguilar said while no one can predict what will happen in the future, it is good to set a target date and work towards it.

“We would have to look

D’Aguilar likely to let Carnival dock here

at conditions on the ground here and also to see where these people would be coming from to see whether it’s a go,” Mr D’Aguilar explained. “We will evaluate that closer to the time, but right now, right here, I would say yes.

“There are two concerns that The Bahamas will have as it relates to foreign visitors returning to the country. The first concern is that foreigners that come here, don’t make us sick. The second concern is that we don’t make the foreign visitors that come here sick. We are working on the proper protocols to prevent all of this.”

At the start of the COVID-19 spread, many cruise lines experienced horrific incidents of being stuck at sea with both sick and healthy passengers

and crew on board. Many nations, including The Bahamas, refused to let ships with COVID-19 positive or suspected cases dock and disembark. Most notably, the Diamond Princess had 712 COVID-19 positive passengers and crew on board.

In early March, as ports turned them away and many passengers fell ill, and amid reported pressure from the White House, major cruise liners announced a temporary halt on their operations.

Yesterday, Mr D’Aguilar said he is confident cruise companies will put the necessary measures in place to protect their passengers in light of the bad publicity they received at the height of the crisis.

“If we specifically zero in on the cruise industry,

I am sure given the public relations nightmare cruise companies have recently experienced, they will be looking to address two issues,” Mr D’Aguilar continued.

“The first will be that if I am going on that ship, I am not going to get sick. And, the second concern is, God forbid if someone does get sick I don’t get stuck on that boat. There were so many stories and the public relations disaster of the Diamond Princess and all these other ships that were floating around with people who couldn’t get off. The cruise companies are going to have to do a heck of a lot to provide comfort to the traveling public by addressing those two issues.”

Carnival Cruise Line said in a statement that it is “committed to supporting

MINITER: Dionisio D’Aguilar all public health efforts to manage the Covid-19 situation.”

The statement continued: “We are taking a measured approach, focusing our return to service on a select number of homeports where we have more significant operations that are easily accessible by car for the majority of our guests.”

Carnival said on August 1, three of its ships will cruise from Galveston,

FOOD ON THE GO

Texas; three others will sail from Miami and two ships will sail from Port Canaveral, Florida.

All other North American and Australian cruises will be canceled through August 31, Carnival said, and the company will use that time to “engage experts, government officials and stakeholders on additional protocols and procedures.”

Mr D’Aguilar said he suspects travellers will be more interested in short, quick cruises to test out the industry first. The Bahamas, he says lines up with that type of cruise out of Florida and once travellers have a negative COVID-19 test, he is counting on the, “robust team of Vernice Walkine, Mike Maura and Joy Jibrilu to see to it that we will be ready and all will go well.”

TURNQUEST: COVID-19 MAY BE AS BAD AS DORIAN

By EARYEL BOWLEG ebowleg@tribunemedia.net FINANCE Minister Peter Turnquest suggested that the economic loss from the COVID-19 pandemic is likely to be as great or greater than Hurricane Dorian’s impact.

While a guest on a ZNS broadcast yesterday, the minister was asked whether the Category 5 storm or the pandemic has presented the greatest challenge. Perplexed by the question, he replied it was difficult to choose between the two as they have “brought tremendous hardship” to Bahamians.

“The hurricanes came and destroyed people’s lives as well as property and the process of re-building from basically scratch in a place like Abaco has been painstakingly slow and costly and difficult. The cost of that was over $3.4 billion in economic loss. This pandemic is like a hurricane that hits the entire Bahamas without knocking down one building. The economic loss from this is likely to be as big and probably much higher than that.

“And so again both present some very significant challenges for us and really from my view I can’t really pick which one is worse because in as much as those persons in Abaco have lost their homes in addition to suffering the economic loss those persons in the rest of the islands, Nassau, Grand Bahama, and the rest are suffering the kind of effects that you would experience after a hurricane minus not having your home destroyed.”

According to the minister, an increased allocation of $4 million was extended to the Department of Social Services to help at-risk people during the COVID-19 economic fallout. However, Mr Turnquest noted there are some people who have ran out of these benefits as there is a limit the department can give. As these individuals are of concern, he revealed they are trying to design something but hope the end of the crisis is soon rather than later.

SHOPPERS took advantage of kerbside pick ups yesterday following the announcement of a slight reduction of restrictions.

Photos: Shawn Hanna/Tribune Staff

AT LAST SOME GOOD NEWS FOR SOUTHERN FAMILY ISLANDS

By LEANDRA ROLLE Tribune Staff Reporter lrolle@tribunemedia.net

AFTER weeks of pleading with the government to allow islands with no COVID-19 cases to resume day-to-day activities, residents of the southern Family Islands say they can finally breathe a sigh of relief.

On Sunday, Prime Minister Dr Hubert Minnis relaxed restrictions on southern islands in the country, allowing commercial activity to resume.

These islands include Ragged Island, Rum Cay, Mayaguana, Inagua, Crooked Island, Acklins and Long Cay. This, according to Dr Minnis, is a part of the government’s phased approach to slowly reopen the economy amid the COVID-19 pandemic. “The guys over here I mean are elated. This

is something we wanted for a long time so we’re happy the government has finally listened,” said a Crooked Island resident, who wanted to remain anonymous.

On Sunday, Dr Minnis said: “…The opening of various Family Islands was set to begin in phase two but we have decided to gradually reopen our Family Islands by zone, starting (May 4) in our southern Bahamas.”

Residents of New Providence on these islands who wish to return, Dr Minnis said, will be able to do so, but under certain guidelines.

However, the prime minister was clear that curfew and border restrictions will still remain in place on these Family Islands – except for emergencies approved by the Civil Aviation Authority.

Despite being given the all-clear by the government

to resume commercial operations on the island, administrator for Inagua Marlon Leary said officials have no intentions of letting their COVID-19 guard down. “…Our guard is still up. This border is tight in Inagua. We are practising protocols to the T. Every I is dotted and every T is crossed,” he said.

Mr Leary also said while residents are happy with the government’s decision to further ease restrictions, many are still anxious for their lives to fully return to normal. “Inagua residents are happy with this partial opening,” he told The Tribune yesterday. “My phone basically has been blowing up with persons calling and wanting to know to try to get an understanding of what it means.”

“We broke it down to them to say ‘hey, this is what it means – you have to still

practice your social distancing and do your business and go home. You can’t sit under the tree with fellows to have a cold one, no.’

“Just do what you have to do and return home… but most of the residents I’ve spoken to, in fact everybody is happy with it and we’re practising the social distancing measures and keeping with the protocols like the 24-hour curfew.”

Mayaguana island administrator Leonard Dames echoed similar sentiments to The Tribune, adding that some residents have even inquired about their ability to travel. “The residents are grateful for the response in reference to the opening to an extent, here in Mayaguana as it relates to the commercial activity resuming,” he said. “…Some of the residents had asked if it is possible for them to travel if they wish to. Some persons would

want to go shopping or to family and other businesses, I don’t know but they just asked the question.”

Mr Dames said while locals understand that residents of New Providence are allowed to leave the island, many feel as though the government should make guidelines clearer for those who may want to return to Mayaguana.

He said: “The residents are very concerned because we have some persons going. They don’t want them to return or thinking that it’s easy to return back because it’s possible that they could come back with the COVID-19 virus. “(Mayaguana residents) don’t want no one coming here unless they have been given permission by the competent authority and they have been proven to be negative in terms of the virus. It needs to be cleared up that if they do go, it

would be restricted in terms of coming back because of the fear and concern of the residents.”

Mr Dames noted that even though there are no COVID-19 cases on the island, this does not mean locals will stop being cautious. “We have been following the protocols, all of the curfews and all of the lockdowns that were implemented,” he said. “… But we also have to be mindful that it was also mentioned that if the health officials if they deem it necessary, we could go back to these restrictions, so we don’t want to be relaxed, we want to always stand on the side of caution and have our guards up.”

Meanwhile, Ragged Island resident Rochelle Maycock added: “I mean yeah, we’re happy but it wasn’t really any activities going on over here anyway.”

PAGE 6, Tuesday, May 5, 2020

THE TRIBUNE

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A resignation that could have been avoided A DAY of political drama ended in a short statement last night.

“I have accepted the resignation of Minister of Health Dr Duane Sands effective tomorrow,” wrote Prime Minister Dr Hubert Minnis. “I thank him for his service to The Bahamas, including during the COVID-19 pandemic.”

With that, the ministerial career of Dr Sands came to an end – at least for now. One needs only to look at Dr Sands’ personal history of coming back to battle for the Elizabeth constituency seat three times, and running as deputy leader twice, to see that he doesn’t give up easily.

It was a swift turnaround in events.

On Sunday, Dr Sands told The Tribune he would not resign. On Monday, he offered his resignation.

The day itself was slightly confused by a letter that circulated on social media earlier in the day, claiming that Dr Sands had offered his resignation and Dr Minnis had declined it. Dr Sands took to say that statement was not legitimate – before later posting his real letter of resignation.

Then, shortly before 10pm last night, came the statement from Dr Minnis, accepting the resignation and stating that a replacement minister will be named today.

The resignation comes at the worst time, of course. In the middle of this pandemic, there was a certain reassurance that the head of the health ministry and the head of the government were both doctors. Offering the resignation was the right thing to do. Once Dr Sands accepted the responsibility, the Westminster system requires him to offer his resignation. Too many have failed to live up to that before him, it is notable that he did so.

Dr Sands had been a steady figure at the briefings by the Ministry of Health, giving straight answers and offering a clear voice telling Bahamians what needed to be done to curtail this virus.

Agree with him or disagree, he was consistent and clear in urging people to wash their hands, stay physically distant, not to go out unless they needed to and to wear masks. His successor will have to provide the same clarity.

With a change at the top of the ministry, it is essential that we do not stumble in the battle against COVID-19. Key advisors such as Dr Merceline DahlRegis, Dr Pearl McMillan, Dr Nikkiah Forbes and Dr Delon Brennen will be important to whoever picks up the baton.

We also hope it causes no interruption in the efforts to secure much-needed supplies for The Bahamas.

That’s the real shame in all of this – that just at a time when the tide is turning, a failure to ask enough questions or check the details has ended the appointment of a key part of the team dealing with the pandemic. Simply follow the right procedure with discipline and we wouldn’t be here.

This week could have been the turning point, the moment we look back on in years to come when the country started to recover – instead it will always have a footnote this was the moment the Minister of Health resigned over his handling of a breach of border protocol.

We await the statement from Dr Minnis today – with hopefully less confusion than today’s announcements.

He must reassure the public the effort to fight COVID-19 will not be derailed – and his choice of minister will hit the ground running. We wish the successor luck.

We shouldn’t allow long line fishing EDITOR, The Tribune WHY are we discussing long line fishing in 2020?

In the 1990s, the FNM government banned this terrible practice after long liners started operating in the Bahamas, snagging large numbers of targeted migratory species like Wahoo, Tuna and Mahi, as well as sea birds, endangered sea turtles, sharks and non-target fish.

Attracted to the bait, fish that make up our precious food supply were caught and dragged by thousands of baited hooks hanging from a single line that stretched for miles.

Dangling from hooks, they were live bait and READERS have been posting their reactions to the stories making the news on tribune242.com.

Former Central Bank governor James Smith said the $2bn foreign exchange reserves are less healthy than they appear because of the Minnis administration’s “worst ever mistake”, prompting this comment from SP: “Watching the long lines at money transfer operators every day and reading this article, immediately brings several questions to mind.

“Firstly, will Mr James Smith please expound on what amount of hard currency ex-pats repatriate

LETTERS letters@tribunemedia.net were attacked by other fish.

Landed dead by-catch was discarded back into the sea in an obscene disregard for waste.

Overfishing is the biggest threat to our ocean and food supply.

In our haste to find ways to revive the economy and boost food production post COVID-19, let us be levelheaded and educated.

The FNM government stopped long line fishing and shark fishing based on scientific data.

Closed grouper season

monthly, the added pressure, if any, on the Bahamas foreign currency reserves being imposed by ex-pats repatriating foreign currency during this time, and any ideas on how much deepened ‘stress’ is being imposed on the Bahamian economy by repatriations during the pandemic?

“Secondly, as the Bahamas has a 90+% consumption economy, and now faces a massive foreign

was implemented to save the critically endangered Nassau grouper from collapse. These progressive steps were taken to protect our fragile food supply for future generations, as well as the shark dive and sport fishing industries.

Longlining has decimated fisheries around the globe, leaving behind huge amounts of waste as the non-targeted marine life, including juveniles, end up dead on the line.

Stop this foolish talk right now and do something to protect our conch before they disappear.

ATHENA DAMIANOS Nassau, April 30, 2020. reserves drain without any inflows to replenish them amid the ongoing tourism industry shutdown, should we be working towards eliminating ex-pat repatriations as much as possible at least in the immediate to short terms?

“Thirdly, if we have no tourists coming in spending hard currency in the economy, how will we continue to pay for and import everything we consume?

“Lastly, exactly what indicators, barometers, or benchmarks has the government established to warn them when and if ex-pat repatriations become a threat to financial security?”

Lessons in leadership

by Lincoln IN MARCH 1861, as Abraham Lincoln was inaugurated as president, the United States faced its greatest crisis: its sudden and unexpected dissolution.

Seven of the then 31 states had already voted to secede from the Union. What he did in the following months and years made a massive difference in history.

Handling political allies – and foes Lincoln built and led a Cabinet of great strength by accommodating dissent. He included the two men who had been his rivals for the Republican Party’s presidential nomination in 1860, William H Seward and Edward Bates. He sought advice on military matters, with daily briefings from his commanding general, Winfield Scott. He also asked for input on political issues – including those as important as the drafting and publication of the Emancipation Proclamation.

While he welcomed differences of opinion, he did not shirk responsibility. On April 1, 1861, Seward proposed declaring war on various European powers as an attempt to reunite the country. Part of the idea involved putting Seward in charge of the war, effectively elevating the president to be a ceremonial figurehead above the fray. The president’s reply was stark: If there was going to be a war, he would lead it: “I remark that if this must be done, I must do it.”

Connecting people

with

the

Lincoln was equally deft at relating to the public, having developed a carefully crafted ordinariness over his 30-year career of political campaigning in Illinois. That included cultivating a reputation for accessibility. As movie viewers saw in Steven Spielberg’s 2012 film

“Lincoln,” his White House was open to all visitors and petitioners.

On the president’s daily rides to and from his favourite summer retreat in Washington, the cottage in Rock Creek, he passed soldiers’ hospitals and contraband camps, where African American refugees from the South gathered.

Poet and wartime nurse Walt Whitman witnessed Lincoln’s “eyes, always to me with a deep latent sadness in the expression,” projecting his awareness of the gravity of the crisis, and his honesty and humility.

In Lincoln’s reassurance of the people, he communicated a wider message about the purpose of the war: In a mid-19th-century world dominated by aristocracies and monarchies, only in the United States was it possible for a man of such a humble background to rise to be head of state.

In his view, the insurrection of slaveholders jeopardized the survival of that experiment in democracy and social mobility.

Therefore, in his great speeches, he used familiar words and phrases from Shakespeare and the Bible to present fighting the war both as a sacred mission, to achieve God’s aims, and as a universal, ideological imperative: to save republican self-government for the world. Emancipation would further this aim: in the closing of the Gettysburg Address, Lincoln hoped “that this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom – and that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth.”

Managing the military Lincoln’s ultimate success as a leader during the Civil War depended on his relationship with the Army, especially with its commanders. The previous US war, the Mexican War of

1846-1848, had been troubled by President James Polk’s distrust of the political ambitions of his top generals. Lincoln sought to avoid that conflict by being patient and focused in his dealings with military leaders.

Lincoln understood that he and his generals were all dealing with circumstances far beyond anything their training and experience had prepared them for. Most of the generals’ earlier careers had been fighting Native Americans. Even in the Mexican War – in which his generals had served in lower ranks – the numbers of soldiers in any one command had numbered, at most, a few thousand.

At the same time Lincoln knew the Confederates also labored under the same disadvantages.

Now these commanders were suddenly responsible for maneuvering armies of over 100,000 men against an entirely different foe.

In this bewildering context, Lincoln’s message to his commanders was simple: Focus on the military objective of destroying the armies of the Confederacy, and let him work out the politics.

Once the president found a general committed to his aim of defeating the Confederate armies – Ulysses S. Grant – he nominated him to head all the Union’s armies and then left the combat planning to him.

Ultimately, Lincoln successfully enlisted political rivals, generals and the people to support the Union cause and win the Civil War. In order to accomplish this great task, the president had to simultaneously inspire, delegate and establish clear lines of authority for those around him.

By Adrian Brettle, Arizona State University theconvesation.com

THE TRIBUNE

Tuesday, May 5, 2020, PAGE 7

MAN ADMITS THREATENING TO KILL HIS GIRLFRIEND

By FARRAH JOHNSON fjohnson@tribunemedia.net

ABACO residents at The Government Complex that acted as a shelter during Hurricane Dorian.

Hurricane shelter shortage exposed from page one providing a capacity for just over 1,500 people, or two percent of the population of Abaco and Grand Bahama. Many of the shelters on both islands are built in vulnerable locations. When Dorian passed through, they were unprotected for the floods and winds and therefore heavily compromised.”

The experts recommend prioritising repairs of existing gyms on Grand Bahama

and the repair of Central Abaco Primary School because they have the largest shelter capacity.

The report also recommends that the country quickly devise a “credible mass evacuation plan for the Family Islands” while adequately equipping the central NEMA warehouse in Freeport and Abaco shelters with generators, water tanks, first aid kits, medical supplies and bedding. Additionally, more than 100 emergency shelter managers should be trained, the IOM said.

Captain Stephen Russell, head of the National Emergency Management Agency, said yesterday the Ministry of Disaster Preparedness, Management and Reconstruction, NEMA and the Disaster Reconstruction Authority will review the report and provide a response in a joint statement showing the plan of action to deal with shelters and other preparation matters.

The Atlantic hurricane season begins on June 1 and ends November 30.

SEARCH FOR MISSING SIX GOES ON POLICE in Long Island are continuing their search for six missing people aboard a Haitian vessel that erupted into flames off Stella Maris on Thursday, an official told The Tribune yesterday.

The group along with three others were reportedly en route to Haiti from New Providence when — according to those on board — a passenger allegedly suffering from a non-COVID-19 related illness died.

The dead passenger was reportedly left on board the vessel.

Royal Bahamas Defence Force officials said its operations centre was alerted to the medical emergency on board the Haitian freighter around 1.30am on Wednesday. A day later, RBDF officials said they received word that the vessel had caught on fire.

According to Long Island MP Adrian Gibson, two men – aged 50 and 30 — swam ashore at Millers, Long Island on

Friday morning. The men, he added, told police the boat caught fire due to an explosion in the engine room around 3pm on Thursday. “…The men were aboard the 80ft cargo vessel, the MV Fish Farmer, which was en route to Haiti after departing from Potter’s Cay Dock at 5.30pm on Monday 27 April, 2020,” he said.

“There were nine persons on board - six men and three women. Two Bahamians were purportedly among that number.”

It is not clear what happened to the other remaining passengers.

However, RBDF said: “The Haitian nationals indicated that eight persons made it to shore.”

In the meantime, investigations are still ongoing into the cause of the fire. The US Coast Guard Cutter is assisting the RBDF and RBPF on the matter.

A 34-YEAR-OLD MAN was placed on probation yesterday after pleading guilty to threatening to kill his girlfriend.

Jamal Tynes appeared before Senior Magistrate Derence Rolle-Davis charged with one count of threats of death, one count of threats of harm and one count of assault.

He pleaded guilty to all of the charges and was placed on six months’ probation.

Prosecutor Lakesia Moss told the court the defendant’s girlfriend had told police she was at his residence around 7pm on April 30 when she told him she was not feeling well and asked him to take her to an ATM. Tynes refused which instigated an argument between the two during which Tynes told his girlfriend he was going to kill her and punched her in the face.

Inspector Moss said the defendant also threatened to “burst” his girlfriend’s head with a pot.

After the incident the girlfriend alerted police and Tynes was arrested and, when interviewed, admitted the offences.

During the hearing Tynes begged Magistrate RolleDavis for mercy claiming he’d acted out of anger.

In response, the magistrate told Tynes if he was smart he would avoid getting “hot-headed”. He also warned him if he failed to control himself in the future, he would return to court and be punished for his actions.

MAN DENIES INTIMIDATION

By FARRAH JOHNSON fjohnson@tribunemedia.net

A 27-YEAR-OLD man was remanded to prison yesterday after he was accused of intimidating a witness last week.

Nesley Tilme appeared before Senior Magistrate Derence Rolle-Davis, charged with threatening his girlfriend’s sister with death in an attempt to discourage her from giving evidence in a criminal trial.

He denied both charges and was denied bail.

The matter was adjourned to June 24 with Tilme remanded to the Bahamas Department of Correctional Services until trial.

FOUR MONTHS FOR STEALING GAS TANKS

By FARRAH JOHNSON fjohnson@tribunemedia.net

A 21-YEAR-OLD man was yesterday sentenced to four months in prison for stealing gas tanks and selling them on Facebook.

Jareeco Wilson appeared before Senior Magistrate Rolle-Davis charged with two counts of stealing.

He pleaded guilty to the charges and was sentenced to two months for each count, which were ordered to run consecutively.

Four men, including Frankey Williams, were also charged with unlawful possession. However, the prosecution elected to withdraw the charges against three of them after it was established they were unaware the gas tanks were stolen when they purchased them. Williams on the other hand, was fined $400 or one month in prison.

Wilson admitted stealing a 20-pound gas tank valued at $90 from Ebony Williams on April 30 and a 100-pound gas tank valued at $300 from Troy Johnson between April 7 and May 1.

Prosecutor Lakesia Moss told the court around 10.35am on April 30, Mrs Williams went outside of her residence and noticed her gas tank was missing.

She told the police she suspected her neighbour had done it because he was known for stealing gas tanks and posting them on Facebook for sale. Acting on this information, officers

arrested Jareeco Wilson who admitted to stealing the gas tanks during an interview with police.

Wilson also told the officers he could take them to the homes of the people he sold the gas tanks to. Wilson then took them to the house of Zonmat Decius, who when questioned, gave officers a small grey tank he said he had bought for $50 one month earlier. Decius also told the officers he had not received a receipt from the purchase.

Inspector Moss also said Troy Johnson also made a complaint to the police after he noticed his son’s gas tank had been stolen from his apartment. Wilson also led officers to the house of Frankie Williams who admitted to purchasing the tank sometime last week. When questioned, Williams told the officers he did not get a receipt at the time of the purchase. He also admitted he “figured the gas tank was stolen” when he had noticed all the rust stains on the tank.

When given an opportunity to speak, Wilson said he had only stolen the gas tanks because he was trying to get some money to buy diapers for his two-yearold daughter who had been wearing the same diapers for three days. He explained he was only “trying to make something quick” so that he could go to Super Value and buy the diapers. He was subsequently remanded into custody.

A YEAR’S PROBATION OVER DEBT ASSAULT

By FARRAH JOHNSON fjohnson@tribunemedia.net

A 35-YEAR-OLD MAN was given a year’s probation yesterday for assaulting another man over money that was owed to him.

Dennis Turnquest appeared before Senior Magistrate Derence Rolle-Davis charged with assaulting Travis Evans and intentionally causing $269 in damage to his glass window on May 1.

He pleaded guilty to both charges and was released on probation for one year.

Magistrate Rolle-Davis said if Turnquest breached the conditions of his probation he would be fined $500.

Prosecutor Lakesia Moss told the court Mr Evans was at his residence on May 1 when he heard someone beating on his garage door around 10.20am. Inspector Moss said Mr Evans identified the man as Dennis Turnquest, someone he had conducted a

business transaction with two months earlier.

According to the prosecution, at the time of the incident Mr Evans had asked Turnquest what he “was freaking out for” and Turnquest in turn punched one of the glass windows of his home, breaking it. When the glass shattered, some of the shards hit Mr Evans under his right eye. As a result, Turnquest was arrested told police he had gone to Mr Evans’ house to inquire about some money that was owed to him.

He said Mr Evans told him he didn’t have any money f so he tapped on Mr Evans’ glass window twice which caused his hand to go through the glass.

During the hearing, Turnquest was represented by attorney Ian Cargill who told the magistrate the complainant owed his client $1,500. He also said Turnquest needed the money because his rent was due and his landlord would not give him an extension.

PAGE 8, Tuesday, May 5, 2020

THE TRIBUNE

T

HIS is a trying time for everyone, especially those who are facing unemployment and an uncertain future.

But people are reaching out, pulling together and showing they care in order to cope with the crisis caused

by COVID-19. Some have called on the church to play a bigger role in helping not only their members, but their community and one church is doing just that.

Giving away essentials and providing moral support to the community is nothing new for Rev Carlton “CB” Moss and his wife Francisca. They have led Mt Olive Baptist Church for more than 30 years and been a pillar of strength in the community. For decades now, they have successfully operated a feeding network, permanent clothing drive and community centre. But now that a pandemic has hit, it’s reason for them to kick their spirit of giving into high gear. They have provided more than 2,500 bags of groceries since the lockdown began. Their efforts have not gone unnoticed. Posts on social media made by Bain and Grants Town residents have gone viral - and with good reason.

“In addition to the financial impact of the crisis, there is also fear and the thought of not knowing what will happen tomorrow,” Rev Moss said. “We wanted to reach out to people and calm fears and let them know that we are here to help calm fears and provide some basic needs and support. People are stressed and that can cause paranoia and illness. We believe that if this is not handled properly, it could lead to social disorder.

Some people, if they can’t get food, may resort to getting it wherever or however they can. People need a word of hope and encouragement and that has been very important in calming the community.”

The accolades that pour out for Rev and Mrs Moss - and for Mt Olive Baptist church from the community which they serve - are welldeserved. I have personally seen them in action.

The church is located on the corner of Meadow and Augusta Streets and next to it is an outreach centre where clothing and household items are neatly arranged for community residents who need them.

A few doors down on Augusta Street is a community centre. Each Thursday, before the coronavirus outbreak, elderly residents gathered and socialised, enjoying a variety of activities before having lunch.

Each Tuesday, residents in need of a hot meal and grocery would gather at Mt Olive. The church also had a feeding network which allowed them to deliver hot meals and groceries to the sick and shut-in members of Bain and Grants Town.

Recently their faithful delivery vehicle went out of commission and they are

REV and Mrs Moss, centre, with children (left to right) D’Angelo, Carla, Carolyn, Crystal and Carlton

CB’s life has been a perfect marriage church, community and Francisca by his side holding a fundraising drive to replace that vehicle.

Since the pandemic occurred, hot meals have been temporarily suspended and replaced with bags of groceries for the residents. They must appear at the church with their nose and mouth covered. A volunteer provides them with hand sanitiser.

They must follow social distancing protocol and line up to receive the groceries and other essentials. Giveaways occurred every day except Sunday for the first month since people were sent home from their jobs.

Currently, giveaways occur every Monday, Wednesday and Friday. Rev Moss intends to continue doing so for as long as he can and even when the pandemic goes away, he will always do what he can for this community and his country.

In addition to his church, Rev Moss runs the Bain Grants Town Advancement Association. Through this NGO he has organised events for children as well as a literacy drive. Every year for about 30 years the association has held Majority Rule Day celebrations, including an ecumenical service and events that

highlight the achievements of great Bahamian nation builders. He hosts a radio show called Spotlight on Bain and Grants Town which airs on Thursdays at 7:30pm and Saturdays at 9am on Love 97fm radio and Moving Forward on JCN TV on Tuesdays at 8pm to keep the community inspired and highlight everyday heroes.

Rev Moss also heads the Coalition to Save Clifton.

This environmental group was established in 1999 and was instrumental in protesting against the plans of a developer to turn Clifton Cay into a gated community. The group wanted to make the area a land and sea park and that became a reality in today’s Clifton Heritage National Park.

He also serves as executive director of Bahamas Against Crime, established in 2005. Since then, a series of workshops and seminars have been held, bringing together key players to address the issue.

Most recent events include a successful week-long Child Abuse Workshop and a Security Guard Course, which more than 400 people have successfully passed through over the years.

His civic commitment also extends to the Rotary Club of West Nassau.

Through his camaraderie with club members, he has received lots of help with his initiatives. Most recently, Rotarians assisted with the donation of ten wheelchairs to people in need.

Professional, civic and religious lines have always crossed over for him. After graduating from Eastern Secondary School in 1963, the young Carlton went on to earn a Diploma in Banking from the Bahamas Institute of Bankers; an Associate of Arts degree in Business Administration, Banking and Finance from the College of the Bahamas; a Certificate in Business Studies from Lindsey Hopkins Institute in Miami, Florida; and a Certificate in Advance Management from the University of Miami.

H

E began his working career as a customs officer in 1963, working under former Deputy Prime Minister Frank Watson, whose illustrious career in the Customs Department is well known. Carlton fully enjoyed his years there until he moved on to join Commonwealth Bank in 1971.

He moved up the ranks at the bank and became the General Manager. One of the significant accomplishments of his banking

career was the launching of Suncard, the first and only Bahamian credit card.

He went on to join Workers Bank, where he served as Managing Director. He also opened his own firms, Financial Service Bahamas and CB Moss and Associates Consultants.

While successfully climbing the corporate ladder, Carlton felt the call on his life to do more and to serve the Lord. As a young professional, it took a while for him to take up the spiritual mantle.

“I resisted the call for a while… my mind was made up for me”, he said with a chuckle.

“I saw it as a tax upon the way I wanted to live my life. I always saw myself as one just assisting the leadership. I had served in different capacities at various churches. I was at Cornerstone Baptist Church with Bishop Andrew Stuart at the time.

One day he came to me and said, ‘The Lord showed me that there is a ministry out there for you’. It got me thinking about independent ministry. Two years later, I decided that it was the way to go. I was ordained in 1981 when I was in my early 30s.”

Mt Olive Baptist Church was started with Rev Moss, his wife, mother, children and a few founding members. His uncle and former pastor, Rev Dr K S Darling officially launched the church. He was expecting his nephew to take over his

TOP left: Rev CB Moss receiving the RE Cooper National Meritorious Service Award at Government House from Governor General CA Smith and Rev Dr RE Cooper Jr; above: Rev Moss as an environmental advocate; left: Rev CB and Mrs Francisca Moss

church, but the Lord had other plans, he said. Rev Moss continued working in the corporate world while growing his new church.

“I have always been multi-vocational,” he explained.

“I enjoyed the professional world and I married them (corporate, religious and civic). It was very exciting. I did not see the religious calling as different from secular calling, except you use different tools and channels. But the call is the same - to serve and to reach others. All of them are one, to me. I didn’t see myself putting on a hat when I enter the corporate world, then switch to a religious hat. You are just singing from a different hymn book. Gradually, the spiritual commitment overtook the secular side.”

All of Rev Moss’ achievements could not be possible without the support of his wife, Francisca Moss (nee Johnson), his high school sweetheart. They met at Jordan Prince William, launched by the Baptist Convention with Rev Dr R E Cooper, Dr Carl Francis, Dr Doris Johnson and a number of other outstanding educators.

“The best day of my life was September 3, 1963,” Rev Moss says of the day he met his wife of 53 years.

“I proposed to her three years after graduation and we became as one. I could not have achieved all I have without her. She is the pillar of all that I do.

She is a great mother and a wonderful wife. She is the family’s goodwill ambassador. She did a lot of the duties at home to keep everything together. She is the technical one. She is my accountant, lawyer, secretary – everything. She is a very meticulous person, and she gets it done right the first time.”

Together, they have raised five successful children, now contributing to society in their own right.

Rev Moss came from a background where family is paramount. He was born in Chester’s, Acklins as the second of four children of Ethelbert and Rev Celeta Moss. He was about three years of age when they moved to the family compound in Nassau. There on Young Street, Grants Town, he was surrounded by grandparents, aunts, uncles and cousins. The tribe was secure, children had good supervision, and what they needed was always at hand.

Rev Moss believes this type of community living and loving is key to the future success of The Bahamas, and he is doing his part to make it happen. To reach out to Rev Moss and participate or donate to his community efforts, email revcbmoss@hotmail.com or call 325-4357.

THE TRIBUNE

Tuesday, May 5, 2020, PAGE 9

SLOWLY OPENING THE DOORS BACK TO A NEW REALITY HAVING argued over the last few weeks for a more flexible approach to a selective reopening of the economy here in The Bahamas, there is a risk of repetition in reverting to the subject. But extension of the curfew restrictions until the end of this month prompts me to do so. However, my thoughts have been partly overtaken by the Prime Minister’s welcome announcement at the weekend that the country can move to the next phase of reopening.

I believe there is a growing belief that the lockdown is doing more harm than good – and that the measures, which are damaging the whole country in so many different ways, have now become out of proportion to the effects of the

virus. From what I hear, people are now less willing to tolerate a loss of personal freedom and income when they are confined to their homes and the normal flow of money in exchange for work and services has stopped.

Everybody surely accepts by now that there will be no return to normal in the foreseeable future since social distancing will have to remain in place. The plain truth is, without a vaccine and an effective treatment, there will inevitably be a ‘new normal’. As Britain’s Chief Medical Officer, Professor Chris Whitty, has stated bluntly, it is ‘wholly unrealistic’ to think otherwise. If that is the case, as long as businesses apply social distancing and other required measures like the wearing of masks and, where

The

Peter Young column AS THE horror, grief and desperation surrounding the coronavirus pandemic continues, the need for international co-operation to combat it has become all the more pressing. The World Health Organisation declared COVID-19 a pandemic on March 11.

According to its latest figures, the virus has been found so far in as many as 185 countries with some 3.5 million confirmed cases and nearly 250,000 deaths worldwide.

Apart from accusations by critics of President Trump about the lack of political leadership in developing a co-ordinated global response, there does not seem to have been much coverage of the issue - of countries working together - in the mainstream media.

So, it is both interesting and revealing to learn what my own country is doing at the international level. With Britain now on course to suffer the highest coronavirus death rate in Europe, criticism of the government’s handling of the crisis within its own shores is endless. But there has been little reporting about her wider global role.

Each country is, of course, faced with its own particular problems in relation to the virus. But it is self-evident that richer countries, with the capacity and expertise to help others in such an emergency, should do so and, at the same time, facilitate cross-border co-operation in developing a vaccine and treatment.

It is clear Britain is playing a leading role in organising the world’s response to the disease.

The new British High Commissioner, Sarah Dickson, has kindly provided information about this; and, as a retired career diplomat myself, I admit to a certain vicarious pride about Britain’s activity. It illustrates

the need for all countries to pull together, irrespective of size and wealth, and that the richer more developed nations have an obligation to play a special part.

At an early stage of the crisis, the UK government recognised that what was fast becoming the biggest public health emergency in a generation called for decisive and co-ordinated action, both at home and overseas. As a world leader in science and a major economy and donor - with expertise in disease outbreaks and vaccine development - Britain has been working through key international organisations in shaping the international response. Being a member of the G7 and G20, NATO, the UN Security Council and the Commonwealth, as well as a major contributor to the WHO and a leading funder of the World Bank, the nation is, of course, uniquely well placed to take on such a role.

The government has, accordingly, drawn up a four-point plan in moving forward: (a) secure a strong and co-ordinated global response, particularly for the most vulnerable countries; (b) accelerate the search for a vaccine and new treatments; (c) support the global economy, keeping trade open and securing critical supply chains; and (d) keep transport routes and transit hubs open to support the flow of freight, aid and medical supplies and bring British people back to their own country.

Specifically, since the outbreak of the virus, the UK has provided some $7 billion in financial support to tackle the pandemic and support the most vulnerable, including doubling its support to the International Monetary Fund’s Poverty Reduction and Growth Trust. It has also contributed to an ambitious action plan by the G20 nations

possible, working from home, it is hard to see how keeping them closed down can be justified.

According to the most recent press reports there have been only a few new cases of the disease in the past week. So the burning question is how long should this trend continue before the government decides the virus has been contained? As far as I was aware, the public was not being told what the conditions were for implementing the National COVID-19 Coordination Committee’s sound plan for the phased reopening of the country. But, now, people will surely welcome the inclusion in Dr Minnis’ weekend announcement of the detailed criteria for moving from phase to phase.

However, even after this

ITALY leading the way nightmare is over and the country has reopened, danger from the virus will continue. It looks as though the only effective way to limit its potential spread is to determine what the country is facing by carrying out mass testing and ensuring proper tracing

of the contacts of those who have contracted it. But one does not have to be a medical expert to realise this terrible disease cannot be eradicated until a vaccine has been developed.

Meanwhile, with Italy leading the way, Europe is edging towards an easing of restrictions in various countries where the virus has seemingly been brought under control, and the US is also beginning to lift restrictions that have crippled its economy. In Britain, Prime Minister Boris Johnson has stated the peak of the disease has passed. At the time of writing, the next step is publication by the UK government this week of a comprehensive plan to ease the lockdown and enable the economy to operate again.

A world working together is only way to win this war and Britain is playing its role

AN NHS Superman design mural in London by street artist Lionel Stanhope providing a package of $250 billion support from the World Bank and Regional Development Banks and the suspension of more than $15 billion worth of debt payments for the 77 poorest countries in the world.

In addition, the UK government has pledged more than $175 million to the UN’s Global Humanitarian Response Plan and has established a new Vaccine

Taskforce to drive forward and co-ordinate efforts to research and produce a coronavirus vaccine - and the UK will host the Global Vaccine Summit 2020 on June 4 to protect up to 75 million children against deadly diseases like measles, polio and typhoid as well as to continue the research into a vaccine for COVID-19.

This is no more than a

summary of Britain’s action so far, but the indications are that it is making a significant difference.

I also take the opportunity of this column to record the British High Commission’s successful organisation of a repatriation flight of British nationals. This was made more difficult by having to provide up-to-date information about domestic and

international travel restrictions to British nationals in the Family Islands and to gather together those concerned for the flight from Nassau.

With the helpful cooperation of the Bahamas Government, it arranged the repatriation of 45 British nationals, tourists, short-term residents and their direct dependants on a special humanitarian flight operated by British Airways on April 4.

This was preceded in mid-March by rapid action by the High Commission to provide medicines to the Bahamian-flagged MS Braemar cruise ship, anchored at Great Isaac Cay, which had many elderly British passengers on board. The British Government also negotiated the transfer of the ship to Cuba to disembark the passengers and send them home.

It is good to be able to draw attention to this admirable work by the High Commission at such a time of unprecedented crisis, not least because the challenge has come relatively soon after the deadly Hurricane Dorian and the effective organisation of British aid and humanitarian relief in response to that disaster.

A NATION SALUTES AN INSPIRING HERO

CAPTAIN TOM MOORE, right, alongside Lieutenant Thomas Miller after he was appointed Honorary Colonel. Inset: he celebrates his 100th birthday.

THIS is an inspiring and heart-warming story amid all the horror of the pandemic.

Bemedalled Second World War veteran, Thomas Moore, has become a household name in Britain.

Popularly known as Captain Tom, he is a former British Army officer who at the age of 99 decided recently to raise money for charity in the run-up to his 100th birthday. Initially, he set himself the target of 1,000 pounds sterling ($1,300) for the National Health Service - in support of its work in caring for coronavirus victims - by walking 100 times around his garden before his birthday.

But Captain Tom’s perseverance and determination caught the imagination of the British public and he has ended up raising the astonishing sum of over 30 million pounds ($40 million).

As he celebrated his 100th birthday last week, he not only received the traditional greeting from The Queen for those who have reached this significant milestone but also thousands of cards from

members of the public. With his story splashed across the UK press, he has truly become the nation’s treasure.

Now, in addition to his fundraising efforts, he has recorded, as a duet with singing star Michael Ball, a rendition of the song You’ll Never Walk Alone which is famous in England because it is traditionally sung at matches by supporters of Liverpool Football Club.

As part of the fairy tale, this recording has topped the UK charts - and, to cap everything, Captain Tom has been made the honorary colonel of the Army Foundation College in Harrogate, Yorkshire.

In response, he has modestly said he has been overwhelmed and left speechless by the recognition of the unexpected success of his fundraising and now of his singing.

For those who want to check out this story online – particularly his singing – be prepared to shed a tear or two while watching Captain Tom winning the hearts of the nation.

PAGE 10, Tuesday, May 5, 2020

THE TRIBUNE

ITALY EASES LOCKDOWN AS US BEGINS TO LIFT SOME RESTRICTIONS ROME Associated Press Italy yesterday started stirring, with millions of people allowed to return to work as Europe’s longest coronavirus lockdown started easing, while the US took halting steps to lift some restrictions even as tens of thousands of new cases were reported every day.

In Washington, the Senate convened for the first time since March, while dozens of people in Florida waited before sunrise for the 7 a.m. opening of Clearwater Beach. A shuttered pork processing plant in South Dakota took its

first steps toward reopening after more than 800 employees were infected with coronavirus.

Louisiana lawmakers were also restarting their legislature — even as they feuded over whether they should return at all.

Political battles have become increasingly embedded in US coronavirus policy. In Louisiana, Republican legislators irritated

by Democratic Gov. John Bel Edwards’ decision to extend the state’s stay-at-home order through May 15 were eager to return to work. But Democrats saw things differently: “It could be a devastating blow to the

strides made and to the safety of our residents, our staff and members if we returned to business as usual prematurely,” Democratic leaders wrote in a letter.

Italy, the first European country hit by the pandemic and a nation with one of the world’s highest death tolls, began opening up cautiously after its two-month shutdown — allowing 4.4 million Italians to return to work.

Traffic in Rome picked up, construction sites and manufacturing operations resumed, parks reopened and flower vendors returned to the Campo dei Fiori market.

“It’s something that brings happiness and joy, and people have been missing that these days,” vendor Stefano Fulvi said. He doesn’t expect to break even anytime soon, “but you have to take the risk at some point.”

But Europeans’ new-found freedoms are limited as officials are wary of setting off a second wave of infections. In Italy, mourners were allowed to attend funerals, with services limited to 15 people. Restaurants scrubbed floors in preparation for take-out service. Sit-down service was several weeks away.

In Florida, where Gov. Ron

DeSantis said restaurants and retail shops could open at 25% capacity, some business owners were unsure how to see things.

Tony Loeffler, the owner of Atlas Body and Home, a men’s apparel and lifestyle shop in downtown St. Petersburg, said he was both apprehensive and excited. “We feel like we have to do this, even though we feel a little conflicted,” he said. “But we’re practicing all the common sense and CDC requirements so I feel like on our end we’re safe.

But it’s so hard to know how everyone else is, how seriously they’re taking it.”

INDIA CURFEW SLOWS VIRUS BUT GAPS STILL REMAIN NEW DELHI Associated Press

LEFT: Residents protest with the covered body of a man who they claim had been beaten by police for being outside during the curfew in Nairobi, Kenya; above: Beachgoers sunbathe after Clearwater Beach in Florida officially reopened to the public yesterday.

Leaders pledge billions for vaccine research BRUSSELS Associated Press

WORLD leaders, organisations and banks yesterday pledged $8 billion for research to find a vaccine against the new coronavirus, but warned that it is just the start of an effort that must be sustained over time to beat the disease.

The funds, pledged at a videoconference summit hosted by the European Union, fell marginally short of the 7.5 billion euros being sought, but more money could arrive in coming days. Notably absent from the event was the United States, where more than 67,000 people have died, and Russia.

Despite the shortfall, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said, the target being sought Monday to help find a vaccine, new treatments and better tests for the disease would only ever amount to a “down-payment” on the tools that will be needed to fight the virus.

“To reach everyone, everywhere, we likely need five times that amount,” Guterres said.

Governments have reported around 3.5 million infections and more than 247,000 deaths from the virus, according to a count by Johns Hopkins University. But deliberately concealed outbreaks, low testing rates and the strain on health care systems mean the true scale of the pandemic is much greater.

People in many countries across the globe, and notably in Europe this week, are cautiously returning to work but authorities remain wary of a second wave of infections, and a vaccine is the only real golden bullet to allow something like normal life to resume.

“In the space of just a few hours we have collectively pledged 7.4 billion euros for vaccines, diagnostics and treatments,” European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said, wrapping up the event after three hours. “All this money

will help kick-start unprecedented global cooperation.”

The original aim was to gather around $4.37 billion for vaccine research, some 2 billion euros for treatments and $1.64 billion for testing.

The pledges were hard to track, beyond coming in various currencies. Some countries announced money for their own national research efforts combined with those they would offer to international organisations. Others also proposed a mix of loans with their funding. Pledges made toward vaccine research since Jan. 30 were also counted.

Apart from many European leaders, heads of state and government from Australia, Canada, Israel, Japan, Jordan, South Africa and Turkey spoke at the event, along with China’s EU ambassador.

President Emmanuel Macron warned that “a race against time is underway,” as he donated 500 million euros on behalf of France.

Apart from many European leaders, heads of state and government from Australia, Canada, Israel, Japan, Jordan, South Africa and Turkey were also due to speak, along with China’s EU ambassador.

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson said that “the race to discover the vaccine to defeat this virus is not a competition between countries, but the most urgent shared endeavor of our lifetimes.”

Among the larger contributions, Japan pledged more than $800 million while Germany offered 525 million euros. Italy and Spain, perhaps the hardest hit by the virus in Europe, each said they would provide more than 100 million euros.

Switzerland, the Netherlands and Israel also pledged 378 million euros, 192 million euros and 60 million dollars, respectively.

About 100 research groups are pursuing vaccines, with nearly a dozen in early stages of human trials or poised to start.

INDIA’S six-week coronavirus lockdown, which was supposed to end Monday, has been extended for another two weeks, although some construction has been allowed to resume and self-employed people have been given permission to return to work in New Delhi.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi locked India down on March 24, when the country had only 469 confirmed virus cases. In mid-April, he extended the lockdown for two weeks. Then on Friday, it was extended for two more weeks, but some restrictions were relaxed.

The government has identified three zones: “red,” or areas that have been coronavirus hot spots; “orange,” where some cases have been found; and “green,” or low-risk areas. Stricter measures will continue in red and orange zones, while some movement of people and most economic activities will be allowed in green zones.

Although the number of red zones has fallen since the lockdown started, the number of green zones also has declined. Most of India’s major cities, including New Delhi and Mumbai, remain red zones.

Locking down the country’s 1.3 billion people has cost millions of jobs and upended lives, especially for the poor.

But limited interactions did slow the contagion, pushing the peak into the future and buying India “time to prepare,” said Ramanan Laxminarayan, an epidemiologist and economist who directs the Center for Disease Dynamics, Economics & Policy in Washington.

India has avoided a major catastrophe, confirming about 42,500 cases, 11,706 recoveries and 1,373 deaths. Still, a lack of aggressive testing worries experts who warn that the virus has yet to peak.

OPPOSITION LEADER DENIES ANY ‘MURDER HORNETS,’ WITH STING TIES TO INVASION OF VENEZUELA THAT CAN KILL, LANDS IN THE US CARACAS, Venezuela Associated Press

SPOKANE, Washington Associated Press

VENEZUELAN opposition leader Juan Guaidó yesterday denied having anything to do with an exGreen Beret who claimed responsibility for a deadly beach invasion aimed at arresting socialist leader Nicolás Maduro. The government, meanwhile, said it has mobilised more than 25,000 troops to hunt for other rebel cells.

Guaidó said in a statement that he has “no relationship nor responsibility for any actions” taken by the US war veteran, Jordan Goudreau, who repeated assertions that Guaidó had a contract with his security company, though he said he was paid only a tiny share of the amount agreed upon.

That claim could pose a danger for Guaidó, who has been harassed but not arrested in the year since he declared himself Venezuela’s legitimate leader, a role recognised by the US

THE world’s largest hornet, a two-inch killer dubbed the “Murder Hornet” with an appetite for honey bees, has been found in Washington state, where entomologists were making plans to wipe it out.

The giant Asian insect, with a sting that could be fatal to some humans, is just now starting to emerge from winter hibernation.

“They’re like something out of a monster cartoon with this huge yellow-orange face,” said Susan Cobey, a bee breeder at Washington State University.

“It’s a shockingly large hornet,” said Todd Murray, a WSU Extension entomologist and invasive species specialist. “It’s a health hazard, and more importantly, a significant predator of honey bees.”

The hornet was sighted for the first time in the US last December, when the state Department

SECURITY forces on the shore where authorities claim a group of armed men landed on Sunday and some 60 other nations.

The three-time Bronze Star US combat veteran claims to have helped organize a seaborne raid from Colombia early on Sunday on the Venezuelan coast, which the government said it foiled, killing eight insurgents and arresting two others. He said the operation had received no aid from Guaidó or the US or Colombian governments.

Goudreau said by telephone that 52 other fighters — including two US veterans — had infiltrated

Venezuelan territory and were in the first stage of a mission to recruit members of the security forces to join their cause. “That’s going to take time,” Goudreau said. “The ultimate goal has never changed — it’s to liberate Venezuela.”

The government’s chief of strategic operations, Adm. Remigio Ceballos, announced that more than 25,000 soldiers were mounting search operations to ensure the country is free of “mercenaries and paramilitaries”.

THE WORLD’S largest hornet of Agriculture verified two reports near Blaine, Washington, close to the Canadian border. It also received two probable, but unconfirmed reports from sites in Custer, Washington, south of Blaine.

The hornet can sting through most beekeeper suits, deliver nearly seven times the amount of venom as a honey bee, and sting multiple times, the department said, adding that it ordered special reinforced suits from China.

The university said it isn’t known how or where the hornets arrived in North America. It normally lives

in the forests and low mountains of eastern and southeast Asia and feeds on large insects, including wasps and bees. It was dubbed the “Murder Hornet” in Japan, where it is known to kill people.

The hornet’s life cycle begins in April, when queens emerge from hibernation, feed on plant sap and fruit, and look for underground dens to build their nests. Hornets are most destructive in the late summer and early fall.

Farmers depend on honey bees to pollinate many important northwest crops such as apples, blueberries and cherries.

With the threat from giant hornets, “beekeepers may be reluctant to bring their hives here,” said Island County Extension scientist Tim Lawrence.

“We need to teach people how to recognize and identify this hornet while populations are small, so that we can eradicate it while we still have a chance,’’ Murray said.

THE TRIBUNE

Tuesday, May 5, 2020, PAGE 11

THE LAUNCH of Hubble Space Telescope on April 24, 1990

How the Hubble opened our eyes to the universe’s first galaxies

by Rodger I. Thompson Professor of Astronomy, University of Arizona THE Hubble Space Telescope launched on April 24, 30 years ago. It was an impressive milestone especially as its expected lifespan was just 10 years.

One of the primary reasons for the Hubble telescope’s longevity is that it can be serviced and improved with new observational instruments through Space Shuttle visits.

When Hubble, or HST, first launched, its instruments could observe ultraviolet light with wavelengths shorter than the eye can see, as well as optical light with wavelengths visible to humans. A maintenance mission in 1997 added an instrument to observe near infrared light, which are longer wavelengths than people can see.

Hubble’s new infrared eyes provided two new major capabilities: the ability to see farther into space than before and see deeper into the dusty regions of star formation.

I am an astrophysicist at the University of Arizona who has used near infrared observations to better understand how the universe works, from star formation to cosmology.

Some 35 years ago, I was given the chance to build a near infrared camera and spectrometer for Hubble.

It was the chance of a lifetime. The camera my team designed and developed has changed the way humans see and understand the universe. The instrument was built at Ball Aerospace in Boulder, Colorado, under our direction.

Seeing further and earlier Edwin Hubble, HST’s namesake, discovered in the early 1900s that the universe is expanding and that the light from distant galaxies was shifted to longer, redder wavelengths, a phenomenon called the redshift. The greater the distance, the larger the shift. This is because the further away an object is, the longer it takes for the light to reach us here on Earth and the more the universe has expanded in that time.

The Hubble ultraviolet and optical instruments had taken images of the most distant galaxies ever seen, known as the Northern Hubble Deep Field, or NHDF, which were released in 1996. These images, however, had reached their distance limit

due to the redshift, which had shifted all of the light of the most distant galaxies out of the visible and into the infrared.

One of the new instruments added to Hubble in the second maintenance mission has the awkward name, the Near Infrared Camera and Multi-Object Spectrometer, NICMOS, pronounced “Nick Moss.”

The near infrared cameras on NICMOS observed regions of the NHDF and discovered even more distant galaxies with all of their light in the near infrared.

Astronomers have the privilege of watching things happen in the past which they call the “lookback time”. Our best measurement of the age of the universe is 13.7 billion years. The distance that light travels in one year is called a light year. The most distant galaxies observed

by NICMOS were at a distance of almost 13 billion light years. This meant that the light that NICMOS detected had been traveling for 13 billion years and showed what the galaxies looked like 13 billion years ago, a time when the universe was only about five percent of its current age.

These were some of the first galaxies ever created and were forming new stars at rates that were more than a thousand times the rate at which most galaxies form stars in the current universe.

Hidden by dust Although astronomers have studied star formation for decades, many questions remain. Part of the problem is that most stars are formed in clouds of molecules and dust. The dust absorbs the ultraviolet and most of the optical light emitted by forming stars, making it difficult for Hubble’s ultraviolet and optical instruments to study the process.

The longer, or redder, the wavelength of the light, the less is absorbed. That is why sunsets, where the light must pass through long lengths of dusty air, appear red.

The near infrared, however, has an even easier time passing through dust than the red optical light.

NICMOS can look into star formation regions with the superior image quality of Hubble to determine the details of where the star formation occurs. A good example is the iconic Hubble image of the Eagle Nebula, also known as the pillars of creation.

The optical image shows

majestic pillars which appear to show star formation over a large volume of space. The NICMOS image, however, shows a different picture. In the NICMOS image, most of the pillars are transparent with no star formation. Stars are only being formed at the tip of the pillars. The optical pillars are just empty dust reflecting the light of a group of nearby stars.

The dawning of the age of infrared When NICMOS was added into the HST in 1997 NASA had no plans for a future infrared space mission.

That rapidly changed as the results from NICMOS became apparent. Based on the data from NICMOS, scientists learned that fully formed galaxies existed in the universe much earlier than expected. The NICMOS images also confirmed that the expansion of the universe is accelerating rather than slowing down as previously thought. The NHDF infrared images were followed by the Hubble Ultra Deep Field images in 2005, which further showed the power of near infrared imaging of distant young galaxies. So NASA decided to invest in the James Webb Space Telescope, or JWST, a telescope much larger than HST and completely dedicated to infrared observations.

On Hubble, a near infrared imager was added to the third version of the Wide Field camera which was installed in May of 2009. This camera used an improved version of the NICMOS detector arrays that had more sensitivity and a wider field of view.

The James Webb Space Telescope has much larger versions of the NICMOS detector arrays that have more wavelength coverage than the previous versions.

The James Webb Space Telescope, scheduled to be launched in March 2021, followed by the Wide Field Infrared Survey Telescope, form the bulk of future space missions for NASA. These programs were all spawned by the near infrared observations by HST. They were enabled by the original investment for a near infrared camera and spectrometer to give Hubble its infrared eyes.

With the James Webb Space Telescope, astronomers expect to see the very first galaxies that formed in the universe.

theconversation.com

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Tuesday, May 5, 2020, PAGE 13

Shula, winningest coach in pro football history, dies at 90

By STEVEN WINE AP Sports Writer MIAMI (AP) — Don Shula, who won the most games of any NFL coach and led the Miami Dolphins to the only perfect season in league history, died yesterday at his home, the team said. He was 90.

Shula surpassed George Halas’ league-record 324 victories in 1993. He retired following the 1995 season with 347 wins, 173 losses and six ties, and was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1997.

Shula became the only coach to guide an NFL team through a perfect season when the 1972 Dolphins went 17-0. They won the Super Bowl again the following season, finishing 15-2.

The 2007 Patriots came close to matching the achievement by the ‘72 Dolphins, winning their first

18 games before losing in the Super Bowl to the New York Giants.

Shula appeared in six Super Bowls and reached the playoffs in four decades. He coached three Hall of Fame quarterbacks: Johnny Unitas, Bob Griese and Dan Marino.

During his 26 seasons in Miami, Shula became an institution and looked the part, with a jutting jaw and glare that intimidated 150pound sports writers and 300-pound linemen alike.

His name adorns an expressway, an athletic club and a steakhouse chain.

Shula’s only losing seasons came in 1976 and 1988, but he drew increasing criticism from fans and the media in his final years and retired in January 1996, with Jimmy Johnson replacing him.

Shula’s active retirement included plenty of travel and social events, but in

FORMER Miami Dolphins head coach Don Shula smiles during his 80th birthday party at Land Shark Stadium in Miami on January 2, 2010. Shula, who won the most games of any NFL coach and led the Miami Dolphins to the only perfect season in league history, died yesterday at his South Florida home, the team said.

(AP Photo/Jeffrey M Boan) 2000 he admitted he missed coaching. “When you do something for 26 years with an organisation and have all

the memories — some not so great, but mostly great memories — that’s when you miss it,” he said.

Before his 1970s triumphs with Miami, Shula had a reputation as a coach who thrived during the regular season but couldn’t win the big games.

Shula became the youngest head coach in NFL history when the Baltimore Colts hired him in 1963 at age 33. The Colts finished 12-2 the following season and were widely seen as the league’s dominant team.

But they lost 27-0 to Cleveland in the title game, and for the next few years they continued to come up short.

The humiliation was greatest in the Super Bowl to end the 1968 season. The Colts steamrolled through the NFL, finishing 13-1 and outscoring opponents by a nearly 3-1 margin. After crushing the Browns 34-0 in the title game, they were overwhelming favourites to defeat the Jets of the upstart American Football

League, which had lost the first two Super Bowls.

But the Colts lost 16-7, blowing numerous scoring opportunities and allowing Jets quarterback Joe Namath to control the game. The result is still regarded by many as the biggest upset in pro football history, and it contributed to Shula’s departure from Baltimore after the 1969 season.

In 1970, following the NFL-AFL merger, Shula joined the Dolphins, a fourth-year AFL expansion team that had gone 3-10-1 the previous year.

Miami improved to 10-4 in his first season and made the playoffs for the first time, and the 1971 Dolphins reached the Super Bowl before losing to Dallas.

The following season, when Miami took a 16-0 record into the Super Bowl against Washington, Shula considered his legacy on the line.

USA FOOTBALL LAUNCHES APP TO HELP TEACH, COACH YOUNG PEOPLE

By BARRY WILNER AP Pro Football Writer USA Football is launching an app that can help coaches and parents on all youth levels of the sport.

At a key time, too, with so many youngsters across the nation unable to gather for any games or practices — now or for who knows how long?

The free app, called Coach Planner by USA Football, was built by the governing body of the sport as part of the Football Development Model that aligns with the US Olympic & Paralympic Committee’s American Development Model. The FDM is designed to aid in the progression of the whole athlete based on a child’s age and stage of

development. Coaches, who are often parents of the players, teach athletes based on their age, skill level and the version of the sport that they prefer, from flag football to 11-player tackle and game types in between.

More than 100 football drills and 12 prescribed practice plans are loaded on the app, with more to come.

“If we plan something, it has to be scaleable and global,” said Michael Krueger, USA Football’s senior director of football education. “With technical skill progressions, it helps provide context for the developmental stage of the athlete and for their coaching. A 7-year old is at a way different stage than a 12-year old.

The neatest thing about the app is it helps provide that kind of

resource and support in the space where we may not have coaches with extensive background. Their knowledge could be extensive or limited. The resources here run the gamut.”

For example, if coaches have been involved in the sport for a decade or more, reinforcement of their techniques is available on the app. But if the coaches are newcomers or relatively inexperienced, there are programmes available for them as well.

“It does speak to the differences in coaches,” Krueger says, “their approaches and backgrounds, and it’s built on the expertise within the sport.”

The app took a bit over a year to develop; Football Canada already had one for its youth organisations and provided some

guidance to its neighbours in the states. USA Football has nearly 900 youth clubs and leagues already enrolled in the development model, and the app can provide the coaching services currently not available because of the shutdown due to the coronavirus pandemic.

It includes six categories for player development: athletic foundations; passing; running and receiving; kicking and punting; preparation for contact; flag pulling and tackling.

“We have to take the reality of the situation, and the app is a great example of touch points,” Krueger explained. “How can we be a resource with kids at home?

We have taken on that challenge.”

Critical to the success of the FDM are such touch points as

ensuring that playbooks and drills are easily usable, and for coaches to connect with their teams and players’ parents to connect.

Through the app, they can share all the content needed to teach the sport. “We want to make sure this really addresses the things parents could do with their kids at home while in shelter,” added Jamie Riley, USA Football’s chief of staff. “When this rolls out, they can take it and run with it at home. As a mom, I can attest to the importance of making sure parents understand and are involved in what their child learns on the field and the Coach Planner app helps them get there. We know nothing is as effective as in-person and face-to-face (learning), yet the app is a great bridge to that.”

SYDNEY CLARKE from PAGE 16 UAB, according to Clarke, has given her some things to prepare herself for enrolment, including a grade point average of 2.70 and above, which she has secured as a member of the tennis team that has produced the highest GPA at Windsor School.

The 18-year-old, who is the eldest of two children of Bernard and Shayvon Clarke, said she will definitely miss home. But she is confident that she will still have an impact as she motivates her younger sister, Sarai, who is following in her footsteps as one of the top rising tennis players.

“She’s doing very well. Whatever I do, she trys to do it even better, so looks to me as well to motivate her, so I’m happy with that,” said Clarke of her 11-year-old sister who is also expected to graduate this year from TG Glover.

With the country in a 24-hour curfew and weekend lockdowns to try and combat the further spread of the coronavirus, Clarke encourages the Bahamian people to continue to pray and follow the guidelines being given by the government.

“We can get through this. We just have to stay positive,” she stated.

“We just have to pray and listen to the authorities, keep a positive attitude, stay indoors and we can get through this.”

As soon as the coronavirus has ceased, Clarke said she intends to “visit the rest of my family and friends and get back on the tennis court.”

Clarke completed her junior year in December when she finished as the runner-up at the Bahamas Lawn Tennis Association’s Giorgio Baldacci Invitational at the National Tennis Centre.

Kerrie Cartwright won the title and she along with Clarke earned the top two spots on the Fed Cup team. They were joined by Larikah Russell and Simone Pratt following a final team trial in March.

The quartet was scheduled to travel to Panama City, Panama, in June for the Americas Group II competition in the Fed Cup. But the International Tennis Federation has joined all other international sporting bodies in calling off all sporting events due to the spread of the coronavirus.

No date has been set for the resumption of any competition as yet.

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PAGE 14, Tuesday, May 5, 2020

THE TRIBUNE

NEW DATES SET FOR SWIMMING WORLDS: MAY 13-29, 2022

BOSTON Red Sox right fielder Mookie Betts makes a leaping catch on a ball hit by New York Yankees’ DJ LeMahieu during the eighth inning of a baseball game in New York on Sunday, August 4, 2019.

(AP Photo/Adam Hunger)

What Would Have Been: Red SoxYankees, NHL conference finals

By STEPHEN HAWKINS AP Sports Writer WITH the sports calendar still mostly on hold because of the coronavirus pandemic, The Associated Press takes a look at some of the live sporting events that would have taken place the week of May 4-10: MLB: The 162-game regular season would have been about one-fourth complete after the Boston Red Sox played this coming weekend in the Bronx against the Yankees. It would have been the first series this season between the AL East rivals after New York won 14 of 19 games last year, including

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both games played in London.

New Atlanta Braves pitcher Cole Hamels (shoulder) might not have been ready to pitch in Philadelphia. Hamels began his MLB career with the Phillies from 200615, and was the 2008 World Series MVP. In his only start in Philly as a visitor, the lefty allowed eight runs in two-plus innings, an 11-1 loss by the Chicago Cubs last August.

TRIVIA BREAK: When the NBA season was suspended after March 11 games, the Lakers were the only Western Conference team that had clinched a playoff berth. Los Angeles had gone a franchise-worst six consecutive

seasons without making the playoffs. What are the only two Western Conference teams with longer active postseason droughts? (Answer at bottom).

NBA: The playoffs would have been in the middle of the second round, with eight teams still in contention for the NBA title.

NHL: The quest for the Stanley Cup would have been down to four teams, with the Eastern and Western Conference finals getting underway.

TENNIS: The clay-court Madrid Open was supposed to be this week, one of the key tuneups for the French Open, which normally begins in late May but this year has been postponed until

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September. Known as the “King of Clay,” Rafael Nadal has won the title in Madrid five times, but surprisingly lost in the 2019 semifinals there to Stefanos Tsitsipas.

Novak Djokovic wound up with the trophy.

PGA TOUR: The Byron Nelson tournament was to be played for the final time at Trinity Forest Golf Club. Plans had already been announced for the tournament to move after only three years on the links-style course built on a former landfill south of downtown Dallas. The Nelson moves next year to TPC Craig Ranch north of Dallas.

NASCAR: A week before the return of actual live Cup

TOKYO (AP) — The postponed-World Swimming Championships will be held in Fukuoka, Japan, on May 13-29, 2022, the governing body of world swimming said yesterday.

The date was moved back a year after the Tokyo Olympics were postponed from 2020 until 2021.

The swimming championships had been scheduled for July 16 to August 1, 2021, which clashed with the new Olympics dates.

“At a time of unprecedented uncertainty, FINA hopes the announcement of these dates will allow for some clarity in planning for all concerned,” FINA President Julio Maglione said in a statement.

The Tokyo Olympics open on July 23, 2021.

They are followed by the Paralympic Games opening on August 24.

Series racing in South Carolina, NASCAR is missing what would have been its latest spring race at Martinsville, Virginia, in a half-century.

The paperclip-shaped half-mile track is the shortest on the circuit, and hasn’t hosted a spring race past April since 1970.

TRIVIA ANSWER The Sacramento Kings have missed the playoffs the past 13 seasons and the Phoenix Suns have gone nine seasons in a row without making the postseason.

That doesn’t include this season that is still on hold with both teams in the bottom-third of the Western Conference standings.

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Tuesday, May 5, 2020, PAGE 15

La Liga aims to restart in June, will begin testing players

By TALES AZZONI AP Sports Writer MADRID (AP) — The Spanish league said yesterday it is confident it can restart in June and finish its season by the end of the European summer, with players beginning to be tested this week so they can return to training for the first time in nearly two months.

Basic training was allowed to resume in Spain yesterday after the government eased some of the lockdown measures that had been in place since mid-March because of the coronavirus pandemic.

Spanish league players are expected to get back on the field later in the week after they are tested for COVID-19 and after the clubs’ training facilities are properly prepared and disinfected.

“The return of football is a sign that society is progressing towards the new normal. It will also bring back an element of life

that people in Spain and around the world know and love,” Spanish league president Javier Tebas said in a statement.

“People’s health is paramount, so we have a comprehensive protocol to safeguard the health of everyone involved as we work to restart LaLiga. Circumstances are unprecedented, but we hope to start playing again in June and finish our 19-20 season this summer.”

All players, coaches and club employees who are going to be involved in the initial training phase will have to be tested two days before the individual practices can begin.

The tests will reportedly begin as early as today, and the league wants them to be conducted daily after the individual training sessions begin.

The league wants a period of training of about a month before it can resume with matches in empty stadiums. There is no set date yet for the league’s resumption.

CLIPPERS OWNER BALLMER CLOSES $400M DEAL TO BUY THE FORUM INGLEWOOD, California (AP) — Los Angeles Clippers owner Steve Ballmer yesterday completed his purchase of The Forum from Madison Square Garden Entertainment Corp. for $400 million.

Newly created Forum Entertainment LLC will continue operating the building that opened in 1967 as a concert venue. The current management team will remain in place and report to Gillian Zucker, president of business operations for the Clippers.

All of The Forum’s California-based staff are expected to stay on as employees of the new company and help with the transition.

“The talented team at The Forum has created a world-class live

entertainment venue, and we are committed to building upon that reputation,” Zucker said in a statement.

The Clippers’ plans for a new, privately financed NBA arena in Inglewood near The Forum are progressing, with public hearings slated to start this summer. The Clippers said that having a basketball arena and The Forum under the same ownership will allow for coordinated programming between the venues, improving traffic congestion around basketball games and concerts.

Last year, the Forum hosted nearly 100 events, including concerts, boxing and mixed martial arts. It was previously the home of the NBA’s Los Angeles Lakers and NHL’s Los Angeles Kings.

The league recently sent clubs a protocol with safety guidelines on how to return to practice. The protocol, which was obtained

by The Associated Press, has a four-stage plan that details the current preparation phase, an individual training stage, a phase with smaller group sessions and finally one with full squad sessions.

The league said the timetable will always depend on the de-escalation process established by the Spanish

government. The clubs’ facilities will have to be inspected to make sure they comply to the cleaning protocols established by local authorities.

Players will be allowed to use the facilities but won’t be allowed to interact with teammates in the initial phase. They will travel individually to the facilities and must arrive already wearing their training uniforms.

No more than six players will be allowed on the field at the same time, and they

must stay “the greatest distance possible” from each other.

The use of equipment should be limited and coaches must supervise players from a distance.

Players must wear gloves and masks until going onto the pitch, and only one or two players can share the gym at a time.

The league protocol, which was prepared by the medical staff of some firstdivision clubs, recommends that players — and those

living with them — should not leave their homes other than to go to practice. It says each club must establish a food-delivery system for first-team players.

Spain was one of the hardest hit countries by the pandemic but it started loosening some of its restrictions on movement as the number of confirmed cases of COVID-19 started to go down in recent weeks.

The country first went into a state of emergency on March 14.

SPORTS SECTION E

TUESDAY, MAY 5, 2020

PAGE 13

Sydney Clarke: UAB ‘is the perfect fit for me’

LONG ISLAND REGATTA CANCELLED FOR FIRST TIME IN 53 YEARS

By BRENT STUBBS Senior Sports Reporter bstubb@tribunemedi.net

By BRENT STUBBS Senior Sports Reporter bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

A

s soon as the COVID-19 pandemic has subsided, Sydney Clarke is hoping that she can pack her bags and head off to Birmingham, Alabama, in August to begin her freshman year at the University of Alabama Birmingham (UAB) on a tennis scholarship.

While she signed her letter of intent in December, the country’s top junior female tennis player last week received her acceptance letter to attend UAB. Clarke is currently completing her studies for graduation at Windsor School where she spent the past three years after transferring from CR Walker Secondary High School.

“I chose UAB because it’s the perfect fit for me. They have my programmes that I want to pursue in business and journalism and I like the environment, people around me who I met. Just the whole atmosphere, I felt it was a great environment and I feel I will strive and do very well there,” said Clarke, who visited the campus in October.

On receiving her acceptance letter, Clarke said she’s very “excited” and can’t “wait to go.”

She’s just hoping that the travel restrictions will be lifted by the Bahamas Government by then and she can make the trek to the United States.

Although they are some strict curfew rules imposed by the government to contain the coronavirus, Clarke said she’s just trying to stick to them. But at the same time, she’s trying to strike a balance by juggling her time with her studies and her training routine so she can get ready for the college life ahead of her.

“Whatever little I can do, I’m trying to do so I don’t get bored,” said Clarke, who is uncertain as to when she will graduate as school is currently closed. “I’m trying to stay motivated so when the time comes, I will be ready.”

While she’s restricted to online classes at home, Clarke also works out there with a video call from her coach Rachel LeFaldo through her daily sessions.

“My experience at Windsor has been great. I’ve accomplished so much there,” said Clarke, who attends the co-ed Cambridge registered, boarding day school for ages 3-18 along with fellow tennis player Jacobi Bain, who is currently completing the 10th grade.

“I’ve been able to improve my level of tennis and be able to compete with my competitors and travel more. The staff has really worked with me and has helped me in everything that I do.”

SEE PAGE 13

SYDNEY CLARKE, the top junior female tennis player in the Bahamas.

FOR the first time in its 53 years of existence, the Long Island Regatta, the second oldest and most prestigious in the island nation, has been cancelled.

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, organisers said they have consulted all of their partners, including the Long Island Association, Nassau and Grand Bahama branches and the Long Island Sailing Club, and have consented to cancel the popular sloop sailing event that was scheduled for June 3-6 in Salt Pond, Long Island.

The cancellation of the Long Island Regatta comes on the heels of the National Family Island Regatta in George Town, Exuma, that was scheduled for April 21-25, but was cancelled.

Organisers for the Long Island Regatta have indicated that they were already affected by the coronavirus in that they had to cancel a number of fundraising initiatives this year.

Taynia Farquharson, the president of the Long Island Association, which has the responsibility for the New Providence and Grand Bahama branches, said it was a tough pill for them to swallow, not being able to stage the regatta this year.

“This was really rough because this was the biggest economic boost for Long Island every year,” said Farquharson, noting that it cost about $250,000 to stage the event. “Everyone benefits from it. The stores, the restaurants, the hotels and the car rental companies. This is sad.”

Like the National Family Island Regatta, the Long Island Regatta normally attracts more than 40 sloop sailing boats to compete in the A, B, C and D classes, along with a youth regatta.

Once COVID-19 has subsided, Farquharson said they intend to do something on a smaller scale for the Long Island boats so they can get back to some type of normalcy before preparing for next year’s regatta.

“Everybody feels bad, but ain’t nothing we can do about it,” said Keith Carroll, who missed one regatta in 2000 when his mother passed away.

He is the vice president of the Long Island Association which is responsible for the fundraising events.

‘These athletes need to be given concessions just like the pro athletes’

By BRENT STUBBS Senior Sports Reporter bstubbs@tribunemedia.net DURING his national address on Sunday on the re-opening of the Bahamian economy, Prime Minister Hubert Minnis revealed that professional athletes will be allowed to resume their training yesterday.

However there were some concerns from the sporting community as to just who are considered professional athletes and exactly who should be allowed to train.

Christopher Thompson, a member of the Bahamas AntiDoping Commission, said as it stands now, only athletes who are paid via subventions or athletic sponsorship (example: NIKE or PUMA) are permitted to train.

“As we understand this may pose a concern for national and international level athletes,” Thompson said. “BADC along

with other sports officials has engaged with the office of the Prime Minister to further extend the limitations. This update may not affect persons who are recreational or general level.”

Thompson advised the athletes to stay safe and take precautions and follow the advice of the Ministry of Heath and COVID-19 recommendations.

Another athlete/coach, who wished to remain anonymous because of his job in government, said there are only a handful of professional athletes who are on subvention and being sponsored by one of the major shoe companies.

But he said there are a number of athletes, in about every major sport in the country, who fit in the category of a professional that should also be considered.

“We have a number of different federations over here who not only have professional athletes, but elite athletes who are ranking

on their national teams and they also have athletes who have regional or international status or a title that those athletes hold,” he said. “These athletes need to be given concessions just like the professional athletes. It’s going to be a busy season next year, 2021, and these athletes need to start training. Trust me, athletes in other countries are training now.”

The athlete/coach said gym facilities, pools and some of the fields are big enough for athletes to train in social distancing and adhere to the sanitation requirements. “I think what we should do is allow all of the federations to send in a list of their athletes who need to train now to the various facilities so they should have an idea of who should be given access to train and who should not,” he suggested.

Last week, high jumper Jamal Wilson put out a plea to Minnis to allow the professional athletes who are at home to resume their

training at the Thomas A Robinson National Stadium.

In his address on Sunday, Minnis said all professional athletes will be allowed to resume their training.

The Ministry of Youth, Sports and Culture and the National Sports Authority were forced to close the stadium to all sporting activities on Thursday, March 12 during the first day of the National High School Track and Field Championships.

In postponing the event until further notice, the Bahamas Government also banned all sporting activities in the Bahamas with large gatherings of athletes, officials and spectators in anticipation of the spread of the coronavirus.

At the time, the Bahamas had not yet recorded any cases of the virus, but all public parks were subsequently closed and persons were asked to exercise at home.

To date, there are more than 80 cases reported in the Bahamas

with 11 deaths announced. All around the world, sporting events have been either postponed or cancelled starting with the NBA’s regular season on March 12, following Utah Jazz centre Rudy Gobert becoming the first player to have tested positive.

The biggest event to suffer so far this year was the Olympic Games, which was scheduled for July 24 to August 9 in Tokyo, Japan. The International Olympic Committee has rescheduled the four-yearly games to July 23 to August 8, 2021 in Tokyo.

Here in the Bahamas, all sporting events, the nationals by various associations and federations, regattas on the Family Islands, and school sports competitions have been called off.

The coronavirus has caused the deaths of more than 250,000 persons globally.

More than three million people around the world have tested positive for the virus.