05052026 NEWS

GOVT MOVES TO WIPE

MILLER’S $30M LOAN

Taxi driver wins unlawful arrest suit

By

Documents suggest the debt was used to cover unpaid rent

By NEIL HARTNELL Tribune Business Editor nhartnell@tribunemedia.net

DOCUMENTS suggest the government has authorised a deal that would use lease payments allegedly owed to Leslie Miller’s Summerwinds Plaza companies to clear his more than $30.5m Bank of The Bahamas bailout debt and millions in real property taxes.

However, Damian Gomez, KC, Mr Miller’s

Abaco residents angry over wiped power bills

attorney and a former minister of state for legal affairs, told Tribune Business yesterday that “we have not yet finalised” a settlement in the long-running dispute over the government’s alleged breaches of several lease agreements for public agencies to rent space at the Summerwinds Plaza complex off Tonique Williams Highway. He spoke after Tribune Business reviewed

Acting Justice Gail Lockhart Charles, KC, ruled that Quincy Hudson, a taxi driver working near Prince George Wharf and Charlotte Street on June 17, 2023, was unlawfully arrested,

UNLAWFUL - SEE PAGE FIVE

A SUPREME Court judge has found police liable for unlawfully arresting, handcuffing and detaining a licensed taxi driver who was taken into custody near Prince George Wharf for “loitering and soliciting”, even though those were not arrestable offences.

By JADE RUSSELL and EARYEL BOWLEG Tribune Staff Reporters

ABACO residents who lost homes, possessions and years of stability after Hurricane Dorian accused the Davis administration of insulting storm-ravaged mainland communities by wiping electricity bills for

Grand Cay and Moore’s Island residents two weeks before the general election, while others remain without comparable relief.

Residents in Marsh Harbour, Dundas Town and Spring City said the move felt unfair to mainland Abaco residents who

BILLS - SEE PAGE THREE

MITCHELL DENIES POLL CHAOS BUT ADMITS

By EARYEL BOWLEG Tribune Staff Reporter ebowleg@tribunemedia.net

PROGRESSIVE Liberal Party chairman Fred Mitchell rejected claims that last week’s advanced poll descended into chaos, even as he conceded that voters faced unacceptable waits and said election officials failed to properly calculate the number of booths,

rooms and workers needed.

Mr Mitchell said the long lines caused significant inconvenience, but argued that most people were still able to vote and urged those who were not to return on Election Day.

“I do not want to minimise or dismiss the inconvenience of having to wait in line for five hours to vote,” he said in a voice note yesterday. “No one

should have to wait more than 15 minutes in a line.

To me, this is a formula that requires simple arithmetic, and it can determine how many booths, rooms and personnel are needed. Clearly, there were defaults in this area.”

His comments came after the advanced poll, held last Thursday, left many voters

MITCHELL - SEE PAGE FOUR

PLP

CHAIRMAN FRED MITCHELL

VISIBLE destruction seen in Abaco after the passage of Hurricane Dorian as resident remained without power for over a year.

Photo: Dante Carrer

FORMER PLP CABINET MINISTER LESLIE MILLER

AN OSPREY circles overhead at the wetland park across from Baha Mar on Saturday as it searches for its morning meal.

Photo: ST Roberts

Abaco residents call power bill relief an unfair insult

also suffered severe losses, carried large utility burdens and received little direct help after Dorian.

Neulessa Major, a Marsh Harbour resident, said her home was severely damaged in the storm. She said her $55,000 roof was destroyed, her belongings were ruined, and she could not move back home until 2022.

“I was surprised when I learned that persons were getting their bills paid off here and there, but they were selecting people for this,” she said yesterday.

“I’m thinking that the whole of central Abaco who had these enormous bills and people who have businesses should have been a part of this.”

“That was very shocking to me that a cay bill was paid off, and then the people in Central Abaco, they just assume everything is okay. I do service in the community, and six years into this, we still have people in tents. We still have people in domes. We still have people fixing the interior of their house. The exterior may look good, but if you go inside, no tiles.”

The backlash comes after electricity bills for Grand Cay and Moore’s Island residents were wiped to zero

two weeks before the general election, after Prime Minister Philip “Brave” Davis visited Grand Cay and promised relief.

The government said it intervened to resolve a long-standing billing issue stemming from disruptions caused by Hurricane Dorian and the COVID-19 pandemic. It said residents faced hardship, limited banking access and restrictions on travel and business activity and that accumulated balances were caused by circumstances beyond consumers’ control.

The government said balances would be absorbed through an offsetting arrangement with Bahamas Power and Light.

However, several Abaco residents questioned why the same relief was not extended to other storm-hit communities.

Ms Major cited Marsh Harbour, Dundas Town, Spring City and Murphy Town as areas where people are still struggling. She said many Marsh Harbour residents did not wait for government assistance to rebuild their homes and businesses.

“Everyone have astronomical bills,” she said. “That was a slap in the face to everybody here.”

She questioned what the Progressive Liberal Party has done for Abaco,

pointing to the bill relief and the government-funded gift certificate programme reported by The Tribune last week.

“I’m trying to figure out because they didn’t do anything for Abaco,” she said. “They pay off Grand Cay and they came give out some $300 gift certificate for Premier Importers after six years. What the hell $300 could do?”

The Tribune previously reported that the government — not the PLP — funded more than $200,000 in gift certificates issued to Abaco residents bearing the signatures of PLP officials who do not work for the government.

Ms Major said some people may forget poor treatment after receiving a gift card, but she is not easily bought.

“A lot of people are celebrating the $300,” she said. “I’m just not one of them. We were offered $500 at my door when they came around, $500, not three. We didn’t take it because we told them, we don’t do money. What are you going to do to the community?”

She claimed her nephew was offered the money when he opened the door. She said she refuses to go to the door for any candidate.

Lorane Burrows, a Dundas Town resident, also criticised the government.

Grand Cay faces two day outage after local power generator fails

By KEILE CAMPEBLL Tribune Staff Reporter kcampbell@tribunemedia.net

RESIDENTS of Grand Cay, Abaco, were left without electricity after a failed generator plunged the community into an outage that lasted longer than a day.

Multiple residents told The Tribune that power went off around 12.30pm the previous day and remained off for extended periods.

Michael Rolle, 50, said the outage had stretched into a second consecutive day.

“Two days in a row,” Mr Rolle said. He blamed generator problems and said the island has faced similar disruptions for some time.

“We have been facing these challenges now for a while,” Mr Rolle said.

Last week it was revealed that electricty bills for Grand Cay residents had

been wiped to zero two weeks before the general election after Prime Minister Philip Davis visited the island and promised relief. Some had more than $10,000 wiped from their bills.

Another resident, Maxwell Cooper, 62, also confirmed that the outage had lasted two days and said power problems occur intermittently.

“Today it’d be the second

PINTARD PLEDGES HELP FOR FAMILIES SEEKING ANSWERS ON DORIAN MISSING

By JADE RUSSELL Tribune Staff Reporter

jrussell@tribunemedia.net

NEARLY seven years after Hurricane Dorian tore through Abaco and Grand Bahama, Free National Movement leader Michael Pintard said his administration would help families still searching for answers about loved ones who vanished in the storm.

Mr Pintard, whose family lost its home in the Category 5 hurricane in 2019, said the devastation remains visible in his Grand Bahama community. He said many neighbours have not returned to their damaged homes. Some have sold their properties, while others are still trying to find the money to rebuild.

“It's a whole range of circumstances that exist,” he said. “It's even more catastrophic as I passed two houses in my own immediate area where there are two mothers, two wives who were lost in Dorian. So, I would be highly motivated to seek to assist relatives in any way possible.”

Asked whether an FNM administration would conduct a formal inquiry into Dorian-related deaths, Mr Pintard said his party would do whatever is required to help families find closure. He said he did not want to limit that assistance to a formal inquiry, adding that officials must first consult those affected to understand what they need.

“We will be very sensitive and responsive to what they desire, and we believe

our job as a government is to assist them in terms of finding closure to the loss of loved ones,” he said. His comments come months after Prime Minister Philip “Brave” Davis said investigations into Hurricane Dorian-related deaths are continuing “administratively” to guide future action, even though his administration decided not to pursue a more formal inquiry he had promised. Mr Davis made the comment in October 2024 after The Tribune asked about his earlier calls for an independent inquiry, either by outside police investigators or through a commission of inquiry, to determine the fate of people still missing in Abaco and Grand Bahama after the storm. Hurricane Dorian struck The Bahamas on September 1, 2019, killing at least 70 people in Abaco and Grand Bahama. According to the Coroner’s Court, 35 people were reported missing after the storm. During inquests

She said her home was damaged during Dorian, but she was still billed by Water and Sewerage and had to pay.

“If I tired of them,” she screamed. “They need to get out.”

She described the Grand Cay bill relief as a “slap in the face”.

“They did nothing for Abaco, especially for people like me,” she said. “They failed Abaco by not doing anything for the people. There are people down here hurting.”

She said she is not voting for the PLP, adding that there are eight votes in her household.

Donna Ferguson, a Spring City resident, described the PLP’s actions as disheartening. She said she lost her home in Dorian and in a previous storm.

Rochelle Lightbourn, 55, who lost the rented Spring City home where she lived during Dorian, said she believes the PLP is trying to regain support in areas where it is politically vulnerable.

“I feel that they’re doing it because they know they’re gonna lose in those areas, and so they’re trying to gain those people back or keep them on the good foot, but I don’t think that’s gonna work,” she said.

Ms Lightbourn said she lost all her belongings in

day,” Mr Cooper said.

“Every couple of months, many getting close to the summer, you really get bad.”

Residents said the outages quickly disrupted daily life, forcing some households to rely on small portable generators while others went without electricity.

“Some folks have generator, and some don’t,” Mr Cooper said.

Mr Rolle said the outage caused food to spoil and forced businesses to close.

“You gotta look at everything, how freezer and fridge, they have to get rid of the meat and stuff,” Mr Rolle said.

“Everybody completely closed because they can’t function.”

Craig Cephas, 60, said a generator brought to the island in recent months had already failed, raising concerns about the reliability of the island’s power system.

“They brought in the generator in September,” Mr Cephas said. “Now we back

a rented home, although she was safe because she sheltered at Maxwell’s Supermarket, where she works.

She said she still has not replaced everything she lost.

Lottie Williams, 64, of Spring City, said the relief should have gone to everyone on Abaco who was affected by the storm.

“I cannot see just Moore’s Island and and Grand Cay,” she said. “I understand they’re on the outer skirts. They are off island. They had not done the support or the protection of any other part of the island.

Everything would hit them went directly to them.

“I don’t even know if they had the same type of damages that we had but I know when I was there fighting for my life, come get knocked down, come home, try to build back again, try to clean up and I didn’t get any help from them. So even if they had helped us in other ways, how you could turn around and write off there light bill? You know high light bill is? They need to spread that out. It ain’t fair.”

in 2021, relatives testified about their efforts to find missing loved ones. At the end of those proceedings, then-coroner Jeanine Weech-Gomez declared 22 missing people dead. Four victims were positively identified through DNA analysis. However, some families still have not received death certificates for relatives whose bodies were never found.

Mr Pintard said catastrophic disasters require policy changes, legislation and other support to help affected communities return to normal.

He acknowledged the government’s efforts to provide death certificates for some families, but criticised the Davis administration’s broader record on helping Dorian survivors rebuild. He said the FNM, despite facing challenges after the storm, worked to assist as many people as possible.

He questioned whether the Davis administration could identify 300 to 400 homes it has fully assisted.

She said her family had to be rescued from the house. When she returned, she said, the ceiling was gone, the inside was destroyed and the back section of the home was gone.

She said some people were trapped in damaged homes for days because trees blocked access.

Ms Williams said some people had no electricity bill to pay immediately after Dorian because their homes were gone. She said getting power restored was difficult, with residents asked to provide documents even though the island is a small community where homes and occupants were known.

She said her own bill was up to date except for the final bill before the storm.

Danny Sawyer, 68, of Marsh Harbour, said he had to replace his roof and everything inside his home after Dorian. He said he was on generator power for close to a year before electricity was restored.

He said Dorian was followed by the COVID-19 pandemic, which worsened hardship in Abaco.

Ms Williams said 95 percent of the homes in Spring City were destroyed. She said the back section of her house, including a bedroom, was destroyed within about two hours of the hurricane’s arrival. She said the roof, part of a wall and the interior of the house were damaged, and a window exploded, sending glass into the walls.

to square zero.” Mr Cephas said residents were told a replacement unit would be brought in, but bad weather delayed its arrival.

“They said due to the weather, that’s why the barge didn’t bring the generator today,” he said.

Some businesses have continued operating with backup systems.

Mr Cephas, who works in fishing and tourism, said larger establishments have maintained service with generators.

“When the power goes, the hotel and restaurant, they always have power and water,” he said.

Earlier, BPL said a downed high-voltage line caused outages across several Abaco cays, including Hope Town, Man-O-War Cay, Matt Lowes Cay, Scotland Cay and Guana Cay, with restoration initially expected by 12.30pm.

The company later said power was restored to those

areas as of 11.39am.

However, in a separate notice, BPL said technicians confirmed that a replacement generation unit was needed to restore service to Grand Cay.

The company said the unit had been secured and was expected to arrive on the island early Tuesday morning, May 5, barring weather-related delays.

A review of BPL notices since April 24 shows repeated outages and restoration updates across Abaco, with multiple advisories issued for faults, outages and restoration work in several cays.

While those incidents were largely resolved within hours, the Grand Cay outage persisted, with BPL blaming a failed generation unit that required replacement. BPL apologised for the inconvenience and said it was working to restore power as quickly and safely as possible.

FNM calls election officials incompetent after poll delays

waiting for hours to vote.

The last vote is believed to have been cast around 10pm at CV Bethel High School — four hours after polling was scheduled to end.

The problems have sharpened scrutiny of the Parliamentary Registration Department’s readiness to manage the far greater and more complex demands of Election Day.

The department said the issues were caused by an “unprecedented” turnout that exceeded projections.

It maintained that it is prepared for the general election, citing plans for

more polling stations, additional staff and logistical improvements. It also said a review is underway to address the problems.

Mr Mitchell stressed that the organisation of elections does not fall under the governing party, but under the independent Parliamentary Commissioner’s Office.

“Some are saying the prime minister,” he said.

“Ladies and gentlemen, please, know that at this stage no politician can direct an independent parliamentary commissioner what to do, but our PLP representatives have made the point to the commissioner of the reforms that we think are necessary on

Election Day to avoid a similar problem on Election Day. Let us hope that this advice is followed.”

Despite the problems, Mr Mitchell framed the turnout as evidence of public commitment to democracy.

“I do not agree there was chaos,” he said. “There were long lines, yes, but with patience, folks got to vote. I apologise for those who didn’t get to do so, and I urge them to return on Election Day and vote. Let’s look at it this way, the glass is half full. The Bahamian people love to vote, and turned up in high numbers to demonstrate their support of democracy.”

Former Free National

Movement chairman Sidney Collie, on the other hand, sharply criticised the conduct of the poll, arguing that the Parliamentary Registration Department appeared unprepared for the scale of participation.

“It is clear based on all of the fundamental errors that have been made, that their team was either not trained properly, or was inexperienced or incompetent,” he said.

Mr Collie said FNM leader Michael Pintard was told by a presiding officer that there were no protest ballots in a ballot box, despite the need to facilitate such votes.

He said he later contacted the Parliamentary

Commissioner directly, who confirmed that protest ballots will be will put in every box.

“How,” he said, “can presiding officers running an election, going through the routine of emptying the box and taking an account of the entire inventory, tell the leader of the official opposition that there’s no protest ballots in the box? That’s one example, clear example of either the presiding officer was not properly briefed, or there’s a breakdown somewhere.”

Mr Collie also claimed that some voters with Form L, who were assured their names would be added to the register, were still left

off the list even after their information had been submitted in advance. He said FNM candidates submitted lists of affected voters to the PRD ahead of polling after being asked to do so. However, he claimed many of those people were still turned away on polling day because their names had not been added to the voters’ list.

“If this is going to be the standard of advanced poll elections going forward, a fundamental change in the way the PRD does business, and the entire parliamentary election process, has to be conducted,” he said. “It cannot go on like this in the future.”

Police searching for two men who went missing during Exuma boat trip

POLICE are searching for two men who went missing during a boating trip near Exuma on Sunday.

The men were among seven people aboard a 40-foot smack vessel near Highbourne Cay.

Those remaining on board later saw the two swimmers drifting southeast toward open waters.

The captain raised the anchor and attempted to reach them but lost sight of the pair.

According to reports, four men left the vessel to go diving while two others entered the water to swim near the cay and a nearby shallow sandbar.

A distress call was issued via VHF radio, and the crew assessed tidal conditions before conducting an extensive search of the surrounding area for several hours. However, the men were not found.

The Royal Bahamas Police Force were alerted and are now conducting sea searches as investigations continue.

MITCHELL from page one

VOTERS braved long lines and frsutration during the advanced poll last Thursday.

RBDF seize $6.4m worth of marijuana after high seas chase

A JOINT operation with the Royal Bahamas Defence Force and its US counterparts led to the seizure of an estimated $6.4m worth of suspected marijuana yesterday after a high seas chase that ended 38 miles southwest of Andros.

Lieutenant Darius Adams, RBDF public relations officer, said the drug runners’ vessel was first

detected by the US Coast Guard 11 miles west of Duncan Town, Ragged Island.

The agency alerted the force, who later intercepted the vessel.

“HMBS Kamalame would have spotted this vessel at 12:45am this morning, and after about an hour chase in hot pursuit, we've sent out the sea boat. We also

sent out warning shots to get the vessel to stop,” Lt Adams added.

Officers eventually apprehended the vessel, arresting two Bahamian men and seizing 66 bales of suspected hydroponic marijuana. Officers suspect the drug was heading to New Providence, but could not confirm their point of origin.

OVER 600 AIRPORT WORKERS TO BENEFIT FROM NEW $10M INDUSTRIAL AGREEMENT

By LYNAIRE MUNNINGS Tribune Staff Reporter lmunnings@tribunemedia.net

MORE than 600 union members across New Providence and the Family Islands are set to benefit from a new five-year industrial agreement valued at approximately $10 million, following months of negotiations between the Airport Authority and the Bahamas Public Sector and Health Professionals Union.

The agreement replaces a previous contract that expired in July 2025 and introduces a wide range of financial and workplace improvements aimed at boosting staff welfare, morale, and productivity.

Key benefits include salary increases, lump-sum payments, cost-of-living adjustments, salary loans for employees in financial difficulty, and enhanced leave provisions, including increased sick leave, vacation leave, compassionate leave, and birthday leave. Employees will also benefit from higher shift premiums, overtime meal vouchers, banking of hours, and performance-based compensation measures.

The agreement also strengthens internal policies on productivity and disciplinary procedures, while placing greater emphasis on performance accountability and service delivery standards across the Airport Authority.

Negotiations began in February last year and formally concluded several weeks ago, with final details completed shortly before signing.

Airport Authority Board Chairman Paul Bevans said the agreement reflects shared commitment and progress across all parties, noting it strengthens trust, improves working conditions, and supports the continued development of the country’s airports.

Managing Director Peter Rutherford described the deal as a key milestone following lengthy

negotiations, adding that it provides a framework for fairness, accountability, and improved performance standards. He also stressed that employees remain the organisation’s most important asset and central to delivering quality service.

“Today marks an important milestone for the airport authority. After a long and at times challenging negotiation process, we finally arrive at a place of agreement, one that reflects commitment compromise and a shared vision for the future,” he said.

Union President LaTonya Symonette said the agreement delivers significant gains for workers, particularly in salaries, benefits, and financial support mechanisms such as salary loans. She said the changes are expected to boost morale and productivity across the workforce.

Ms Symonette also emphasised that the agreement was not imposed on members. She said workers were regularly updated throughout the process and were allowed to review the proposed package before ultimately approving it.

“One of the things that I want to say is that on the heels of the general election, this contract was not a contract that was forced. This contract was a contract that we took our time with, as I indicated,” she said yesterday.

“This contract was put in place from February of last year, and so it took some time in terms of ensuring that what the membership was getting, there were things, and then there were dialogues. One of the things that this union is most proud of is the fact that our members were part of this, so our members were not in the dark. They didn't get to know what was in their agreement; they got to see it.”

Ms Symonette also highlighted that she is the first female president of the union to sign an industrial agreement,

Judge finds police liable for unlawful taxi driver arrest

UNLAWFUL from page one

assaulted and battered, and falsely imprisoned after officers detained him for about seven hours without charge.

Damages will be assessed at a later hearing.

Mr Hudson was neatly dressed and wearing his taxi credentials on a lanyard around his neck when Police Constable 4674 Turnquest approached him while he was calling out to tourists and offering tours and transport services, an activity the judge described as commonplace for taxi drivers in the area.

A confrontation followed. Mr Hudson was handcuffed and escorted by two officers to the Tourism Police Station, where he was handcuffed to a chair. He was later taken to Central Police Station, booked, and transported to Princess Margaret Hospital after complaining that the handcuffs were too tight and had injured his wrists.

After he was discharged from the hospital, he was returned to Central Police Station and placed in a holding cell. He remained there until about 6.45pm, when, according to him, a senior officer directed his release and apologised. He was never interviewed and was not charged.

Justice Lockhart Charles said the central issue was whether police had lawful authority to arrest Mr Hudson. She found they did not.

officers acted in good faith but under a mistaken understanding of the law,” she said.

The ruling turned heavily on a video recorded by Lafayette Johnson, a fellow taxi driver who witnessed the incident.

The judge described the recording as being of “central importance”.

The footage showed Mr Hudson with his hands behind his back, compliant and not resisting. He repeatedly complained that the handcuffs were too tight and that he was in pain. Onlookers questioned why he needed to be handcuffed.

At the start of the recording, Mr Hudson said he had not been told why he was being arrested.

“I’m telling you he hasn’t informed me of anything,” he said.

PC Turnquest then announced: “He is arrested for loitering and soliciting.”

Mr Hudson repeated: “Loitering and soliciting.”

The detention record made at or shortly after the arrest also listed the reason for arrest as “loitering soliciting”.

The original defence filed by the state said PC Turnquest approached Mr Hudson to caution and arrest him for soliciting. However, after the video was disclosed, the amended defence added disorderly conduct, resisting arrest and breach of the peace as grounds for the arrest.

Justice Lockhart Charles rejected that shift.

soliciting” as the stated basis for arrest.

The judge said police have significant powers, including the power to immediately deprive a person of liberty, but those powers are not unlimited.

“The police are entrusted with great powers, including the power to instantly deprive a citizen of his or her liberty,” she said. “Those powers are not, however, unlimited and must be exercised lawfully.”

She said a person arrested without a warrant must ordinarily be told the true reason for the arrest. A false reason, or a non-arrestable reason, can make an arrest unlawful.

She found that Mr Hudson was never given a valid ground for arrest without a warrant.

“For those reasons I find that the arrest was unlawful,” she said.

The judge also found the handcuffing amounted to battery. She said the video showed Mr Hudson was compliant, did not try to flee and was not violent or aggressive.

The handcuffs were applied so tightly that he cried out in pain, and both officers struggled to loosen them. The evidence also showed PC Turnquest did not have his handcuff key with him.

following previous leaders John Pinder and Kimsley Ferguson.

Officials said the agreement is expected to strengthen operations at the Airport Authority while improving working conditions and service delivery across all airports.

“The reason given for the arrest at the time was loitering and soliciting,” she said. “The Claimant was arrested for the reasons ‘Loitering’ and ‘soliciting’. The Claimant was not informed of any alternative basis for arrest. The Claimant was compliant and did not resist arrest.”

The judge accepted that the officers acted in good faith but said they were mistaken about the law.

“I accept that the

“The late amendment of the Defence to introduce disorderly conduct and resisting arrest, after disclosure of Exhibit LJ-1, reinforces the conclusion that those were not the true grounds at the time of the arrest, nor were they the grounds that were communicated to the Claimant,” she said.

She said the contemporaneous record and video evidence consistently pointed to “loitering and

“An officer who applies handcuffs should be in a position to remove them if needed,” the judge said. She found the defendants liable for assault and battery, saying there was no lawful basis to use force once the arrest itself was unlawful. She also found the police liable for false imprisonment because Mr Hudson was deprived of his liberty for about seven hours and the defendants failed to justify the detention as lawful.

Christina Galanos and Ms Kristina Saunders appeared for Mr Hudson. Perry McHardy and Randolph Dames appeared for the defendants.

THE RBDF, in a joint operation with US authorities, seized over $6m in drugs after high seas boat chase yesterday.

Photos: Nikia Charlton

The Tribune Limited

NULLIUS ADDICTUS JURARE IN VERBA MAGISTRI

“Being Bound to Swear to The Dogmas of No Master”

LEON E. H. DUPUCH,

Publisher/Editor 1903-1914

SIR ETIENNE DUPUCH, Kt., O.B.E., K.M., K.C.S.G., (Hon.) LL.D., D.Litt .

Publisher/Editor 1919-1972

Contributing Editor 1972-1991

RT HON EILEEN DUPUCH CARRON, C.M.G., M.S., B.A., LL.B.

Publisher/Editor 1972-

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Abaco

residents ask, ‘what about us?’

AS surely as night follows day, one very predictable thing has taken place after residents in Grand Cay and Moore’s Island had their electricity bills wiped out by BPL after a promise by Prime Minister Philip Davis – others have asked “what about us?”

It is a perfectly valid question too –as the relief from BPL was said to be as a result of the impact of Hurricane Dorian, and Grand Cay and Moore’s Island were far from alone in being hit by that monster storm.

Let us recap. Mr Davis went to visit Grand Cay as he has been travelling the country ahead of the election and promised relief to residents there. That was duly given – the bills of residents were wiped to zero with two weeks to go before the big vote.

The government said the reason was a long-standing billing issue from disruptions caused by Hurricane Dorian and the COVID-19 pandemic. As we noted in this column, both have been gone many years, so it is unusual to say the least for the relief to arrive many years later yet only days after prime minister spoke on the issue.

Now if relief is needed, it should of course follow a proper, in-depth review, to establish who does and who does not need such relief, and how much it should be.

Across the board, it seems bills in the particular areas were wiped – whether they have been paying down the amount of money owed or not.

Well, what about the rest of the communities affected by Dorian?

Over in Marsh Harbour, Dundas Town and Spring City, people have been asking that question.

“I’m thinking that the whole of central Abaco who had these enormous bills and people who have businesses should have been a part of this,” said one Marsh Harbour resident, adding: “That was very shocking to me that a cay bill was paid off, and then the people in Central Abaco, they just assume everything is okay.”

After all, in Abaco, there are still people displaced from their homes –some in tents, some in domes, as the same resident pointed out.

Another resident described the relief in Grand Cay as a “slap in the face”, while another suggested it was a measure to regain political support for the PLP.

The problem, of course, for the government is that among those who did not receive relief, there is a feeling that this is an arbitrary move – and the government has not been clear in explaining why this person gets relief and that one does not.

The same goes for the gift certificates that have been handed out in Abaco –reportedly paid for by the Ministry of Finance but handed out with a PLP candidate’s name on them.

The prime minister has ducked questions on that matter – but the same question about arbitrary decisions might be asked. Why does this candidate get gift certificates to hand out, funded by the government, and that one for another party does not?

It is part of the landscape at any time, but certainly during election time, that people look and see what has been given out and ask the question why them and not me?

Some of those questions may have answers that can actually be explained –the Grand Cay and Moore’s Island areas had issues with billing and payment ability, for example, but was that enough to explain wiping out bills there but not elsewhere? And who pays for that?

There is no amount that could be offset to balance the bill up for BPL as far as we are aware, so will that cost have to be spread across the rest of us?

As for the gift certificates, there should be no occasion when government funds are used in a way that can be seen to favour one party’s candidates over another. The incumbent party, whoever it is, cannot bolster their campaigns with the public purse.

We are now not far away from election day – but it would be very prudent for the next government, whatever side wins, to ensure we cannot be in a position so close to election when there are queries over this kind of expenditure.

Between now and election day, however, the judgement rests in the hands of the voters.

PLP supporters deifying Sebas Bastian

EDITOR, The Tribune.

WHEN Sir Lynden Pindling became premier in January of 1967, he was treated like a rock star by thousands of Black Bahamians. Pindling was nicknamed the “chief” by his inner circle of Progressive Liberal Party supporters. There might have been a temptation to worship Pindling by his radical followers. But The Bahamas in the 1960s and 1970s was extremely conservative. Most families attended church on a weekly basis. Traditional values were honored, at least from a cultural standpoint. To be sure, The Bahamas was plagued with many moral issues, most notably incest and statutory rape. It is taboo to mention this. I am not going to pretend that this country was living in a morally utopian era. We had issues. But compared to this generation, Bahamians of the 1960s were like Puritans. Whatever restraining force that prevented the cult of

personality from developing into full idolatry under Pindling was supplied by the Baptist Church that endorsed the PLP.

Nearly 60 years after Majority Rule, I am noticing a parallel between the father of the nation and PLP Fort Charlotte candidate Sebas Bastian. Bastian’s popularity within the PLP is beginning to rival that of Pindling’s. In fact, I believe there is a group of rabid PLPs who have deified the former Island Luck CEO much the same way some misguided elements within the MAGA movement in the US have deified President Donald Trump. Just this past Easter Trump’s spiritual adviser, the false teacher Paula White-Cain, compared the commander in chief to Jesus Christ. It was a blasphemous comparison that was rightly condemned by the evangelical Christian community. Trump’s strongest base of support comes from the

Incompetence masked as corruption

EDITOR, The Tribune.

THERE is a theory of political leadership that posits that a nation’s progress is not destroyed by isolated scandals, but by contagious failures that spread like pathogens. Applying this to The Bahamas reveals an uncomfortable truth: we do not merely suffer from corruption; we are also complicit in it. We suffer from a deeper disease - incompetence - and corruption is only its most visible symptom.

For decades, we have blamed election losses on the “corruption” of the previous administration. Yet each new government repeats the same cycle. The grand promises of state-of-the-art projects, construction overruns, and within years, crumbling infrastructure that no one maintained.

The Chinese-built national stadium was donated for free, yet left to decay until its benefactors had to return for repairs. That is not stolen funds. That is a leadership unable to project future needs, budget for routine upkeep, or instill a culture of stewardship. Walk into any government-rented building, where even landlords neglect upkeep even with a reliable tenant, because the state has never demanded accountability. This incompetence is systematically masked. Every election, voters celebrate freshly paved roads and repaired parks - gifts from local representatives who never instituted policies for ongoing management. The next administration blames corruption, and we accept the script.

But corruption alone does not explain why we cannot retain skilled civil engineers, why public works triple in cost, or why a nation with immense wealth per capita cannot sustain functional systems.

The real pathogen is administrative and strategic incompetence - an

LETTERS

inability to define goals, execute plans, or measure results.

The consequences follow the theory precisely. We see inoculative denial: leaders discredit professional civil servants as “disloyal.” We see loyalty purges: qualified technocrats sidelined for kin and friends. We see metastasised resources: state contracts become spoils for supporters, not tools of development. And inevitably, brain drain - the very Bahamians who could fix these problems leave for countries where meritocracy still breathes.

Worse, we suffer from an absence of altruism among our leadership class. When a wealthy Bahamian gives, a photographer is always present. Foreignersoften less wealthy - give more to assist struggling Bahamians because they expect no political return. This is Mansa Musa retold: one man with more wealth than his country could use, yet he hoards it for personal legend while the nation remains undeveloped. When Mansa Musa died, his empire vanished. We are littered with would-be Mansa Musaspoliticians and business elites whose accumulation never translates into national capacity. The result is institutional atrophy: hollowed courts, public services, and procurement processes. Society is fractured along tribal political lines, unable to unite even as the ship sinks. Economic mismanagement is routine, and international isolation grows. The Bahamas is not merely failing to progress; it is regressing, and recovery will take generations.

I have written previously about Estonia,

Qatar, and Singaporesmall nations that rose in less time than our independence. None used slavery or colonialism as a permanent excuse. Their leaders possessed a mindset of national stewardship that ours lacks. This is not a racial issue. Black leadership has succeeded elsewhere. The underlying reason must be a political culture that rewards performative generosity over genuine administration.

We are now days from an election. The three major leaders - Davis, Bain, and Pintard - have all presented themselves. The Davis administration has unequivocally proven that incompetence is the primary disease; corruption is secondary. Mr Bain, through his personal life and disclosed endowments, has shown a deficit of the honesty required to reset our culture. Therefore, I support Michael Pintard - not because he is the visionary we ultimately need, but because I believe he will bring the necessary pause: a reflective, painful accounting of our past failures, without which no rebuild can begin. Bahamians, beware. This may be the last election before failure becomes our permanent status for generations. If we again mistake patchwork repairs for progress, or confuse corruption with the deeper disease of incompetence, we will wake up in another decade with the same broken stadium, the same brain-drained economy, and the same powerless feeling that nothing can change.

But something can change - if we name the true germ and demand leaders who can do more than pose with ribbon-cutting scissors. Yours for a better Bahamas.

B AZZAN JOHNSON Freeport, Grand Bahama May 3, 2026.

The magnificent seven

EDITOR, The Tribune.

evangelical demographic. He risks losing this support by continuing to be spiritual advised by a wolf in sheep’s skin. Notwithstanding their commitment to the Republican Party, evangelical Christians are not prepared to sacrifice their religious faith on the altar of politics. PLPs who are claiming to be followers of Jesus Christ are approaching the same crossroads. Will they take a stand for Jesus Christ, or will they succumb to the external pressure to worship a rising rock star within their party? Like Israel on Mount Carmel in 1 Kings 18, these PLPs will have to make that important decision in the coming days. They will have to make a choice between Jesus and Bastian. This decision has eternal ramifications that are more important than who will win the general election on May 12.

KEVIN EVANS Freeport, Grand Bahama May 3, 2026.

I MAKE no bones about the fact of my political allegiance, even though many otherwise sensible Bahamians continue to question it. In troubled times, locally and internationally, Bahamians are looking for strong leadership and maturity. These times dictate that we, as a people, cannot go back to playing doll house.

The PLP will be returned to power and will lock in a second consecutive term come May 12th, 2026 The Lord willing. The nation has recovered nicely from the back-to-back hurricanes and the devastation of COVID-19

The Davis administration came to power in 2021 following a snap election called by then PM Hubert A Minnis. He did so at the tail end of COVID but the economy, at that time, was still reeling from the aftershocks of the same and the draconian curfews and lock downs. Bahamians, en mass, were dead mad with Minnis and his rag tailed crew, inclusive of Messrs Pintard; Sands and Cartwright(my best friend in the FNM).

They jacked all of you up the last time. Now, they say that they are on Fire!! Historically the FNM is the party of ‘right sizing’ which, pure and simple, means cost control and the requisite job cuts. Yes, the FNM is on Fire and that is the road that they are on: ‘Fire as many Bahamians as possible and to hell with the inevitable consequences. This first Davis led administration has performed well and there have been no political scandals of note. The Opposition, like a Jackin-The Box, are noted for jumping up and down while hollering about Passports; Haitian Immigrants; VAT; the new hospital alleged corruption and everything else, the Davis administration is about performance and progress. There are Seven cabinet Ministers who must be reelected and reappointed to the second consecutive Davis cabinet. They are: the Hon Pia Glover-Rolle (Minister of the Public Service & Labor); the Hon Michael Darville (Minister of Health & Wellness); the Hon Mario Bowleg (Minister of Youth; Sports & Culture); the Clay Sweeting (Minister of Works); the Hon Ginger Moxey (the Minister for Grand Bahama); the Hon Frederick A Mitchell (Minister of Foreign Affairs) and the Hon Zane Lightborne(Minister of the Environment). It is not to suggest that there are other PLP cabinet ministers; simple MPs or board chairpersons, who should not also be reelected and elevated, but I dub the above singled out PLP ministers who Must come back to office. They are the Magnificent Seven. I am particularly impressed with Messrs Darville; Pia Glover-Rolle and the Hon Mario Moxey. They are hardworking; focused and intellectually off the chart relative to their portfolios. More importantly, they are all hands-on representatives and are not known to ‘Duck’ constituents. The Magnificent Seven, once reelected, will, I am sure, be reappointed to the second consecutive Davis cabinet. To God then, in all things, be the glory. ORTLAND H BODIE, Jr Nassau, May 1, 2026.

Man remanded over fatal shooting of young father

By PAVEL BAILEY Tribune Staff Reporter pbailey@tribunemedia.net

A MAN accused of fatally shooting a young father outside his home on Mekel Close South Road in March was remanded to prison yesterday.

Prosecutors allege Israel Albury, 20, and accomplices shot and killed Kenric Strachan, 24, outside his home on Mekel Close South while

he was retrieving baby items from a vehicle around 3pm on March 28. Strachan had celebrated his birthday three days earlier. He left behind two sons: an eight-month-old baby and a toddler who turned two in April.

Albury was not required to enter a plea to murder before acting Chief Magistrate Ancella Evans. He was told his matter would proceed to the

Supreme Court through a voluntary bill of indictment. Albury was also told of his right to apply for bail in the Supreme Court. He was remanded to the Bahamas Department of Correctional Services until service of his voluntary bill of indictment on September 17.

Inspector Deon Barr prosecuted the case, while Gary Russell represented the accused.

WOMAN CHARGED IN NEAR-FATAL ATTACK

By PAVEL BAILEY Tribune Staff Reporter pbailey@tribunemedia.net

A WOMAN accused of aiding and abetting in the near-fatal shooting of a bus driver and another man on Baillou Hill Road last week was remanded to prison yesterday.

Prosecutors allege Megan Taylor, 23, aided and abetted the attempted murders of Shaquawn Bowe and Mario Charitie at 11.30am on April 28. The victims, a bus driver

and a male passenger, stopped the bus after they allegedly saw Taylor standing on a corner. Taylor is reportedly the ex-girlfriend of one of the victims. While one of the victims was speaking to her, a male assailant allegedly emerged from the side of a nearby house and opened fire. The bus driver was shot and treated in the hospital. Taylor was not required to enter a plea to two counts of abetment to attempted murder before acting Chief Magistrate

Position Summary:

The Vice President, Engineering & Planning is a senior executive responsible for leading BGC’s overall engineering, system planning, and grid development strategy for the New Providence electrical network and broader system expansion initiatives. Reporting to the Chief Operations Officer, the VP provides strategic leadership in system planning, protection and control oversight, capital development, and grid modernization.

This role ensures the safety, reliability, and future ready development of BGC’s electrical infrastructure by integrating long-term planning, engineering design, operational reliability, and capital investment strategy. The VP serves as the primary technical advisor to executive leadership on system capacity, infrastructure expansion, and network resilience.

Essential Functions: Strategic Financial Leadership

Lead the development and execution of long term system planning strategies for generation, transmission, and distribution infrastructure.

• Oversee load forecasting, capacity planning, and system expansion studies to ensure alignment with current and future demand growth.

Ancella Evans. She was told her matter would proceed to the Supreme Court through a voluntary bill of indictment.

Taylor was also told of her right to apply for bail in the Supreme Court. She was remanded to the Bahamas Department of Correctional Services until service of her voluntary bill of indictment on September 17.

Inspector Deon Barr prosecuted the case, while Gary Russell represented the accused.

Bail denied in mother’s death

By PAVEL BAILEY Tribune Staff Reporter

A MAN accused in the fatal shooting of a young mother while she and her three-day-old child were inside a car on Finlayson Street last January has had his latest bail appeal rejected.

Davan Brennen, 32, was denied bail on charges of murder and abetment to murder by Justices of Appeal Milton Evans, Gregory Smith and Gregory Hilton. Brennen was previously denied bail by Supreme Court Justice Neil Braithwaite, who found that no bail conditions could address concerns about public safety and the accused’s safety because of the risk of retaliatory killings. Prosecutors allege that the defendant shot and killed 23-year-old Philierica Sands as she slept inside her pink Honda Fit on January 26, 2025. The victim’s infant child was in the car at the time.

Brennen claimed Justice Braithwaite erred in denying bail by failing to give sufficient weight to what he described as a lack of evidence against him. He also submitted that he had no previous convictions and said he would be disadvantaged in preparing his defence if denied bail. He said he wanted to provide for his family, including his young child, and noted that he worked as an Aliv technician before his incarceration.

Brennen claimed his voluntary bill of indictment did not contain any evidence to support the charges. Erica Duncombe-Ingraham, for the prosecution, objected to bail.

The prosecution said reputed gang leader Mario Brown was killed in the Kemp Road area on the day of the murder. Prosecutors said Brennen lived in the same area as Brown and that CCTV footage showed an Aliv van as part of a convoy in the Finlayson Street area when shots were fired.

The prosecution said

Brennen admitted during a police interview that he knew Brown and drove the van in the areas in question.

However, Brennen denied being part of a convoy or participating in a plan to avenge Brown’s death. Brennen claimed he was only giving a friend a ride at the time of the incident and said the friend used his phone to contact Mario Stuart.

The prosecution said Stuart has since been charged with murder and admitted being a lookout during the incident.

Although Brennen claimed he did not know other vehicles were following him, prosecutors said his passenger told him he knew the people in the other vehicles and that they were following him.

The Justices of Appeal found that Justice Braithwaite considered all relevant factors and made no errors. Brennen’s bail appeal was dismissed.

Murrio Ducille KC and Brian Bastian represented the accused.

Defence claims gun planted

By PAVEL BAILEY Tribune Staff Reporter pbailey@tribunemedia.net

CLASHING closing addresses were made in the firearm trial of two men, with prosecutors arguing that the pair pointed a gun at police and the defence claiming officers shot at the unarmed men in Garden Hills in 2018 for no reason.

Dominic Stuart, 32, and Antonio Neely, 32, stood before Justice Neil Braithwaite as their trial on charges of possession of an unlicensed firearm, possession of ammunition and possession of a firearm with intent to endanger life continued.

It is alleged that the pair, armed with a handgun, endangered the life of Police Constable Caudray Deal on the night of May 15, 2018.

Jairim Mangra, a defence attorney, maintained in his closing address that the defendants were innocent.

Mr Mangra claimed police fabricated evidence, including by planting a gun in the accused’s vehicle, and that officers had no justifiable reason to fire at the accused.

Conversely, prosecutors Vashti Bridgewater and Kristin Butler-Beneby argued that the defence wanted the jury to believe police staged the incident. They claimed that theory collapsed under its own weight. They also questioned what evidence supported fabrication beyond speculation. They said officers

maintained their account of that night’s events under scrutiny. They argued that the absence of DNA evidence was not proof of innocence and submitted that they had proved their case to the required standard. The prosecution said Police Constable Deal and Sergeant Deandra Forbes were on mobile patrol that night when they were informed of an incident on Soldier Road. The officers intercepted the suspects five minutes later.

Prosecutors questioned why officers would have had an extra gun, a ski mask and a grassy substance in foil to place in the accused’s vehicle. These items were later recovered from the accused’s red Kia Sportage.

The prosecution said Sergeant Forbes had to manoeuvre the police vehicle to prevent the suspects from evading police at a high rate of speed.

Prosecutors said officers had a clear view inside the vehicle because the area was well lit. They submitted that police saw Neely wearing a black ski mask and hoodie in the passenger seat.

The suspects reportedly failed to comply with the officers’ orders and were seen speaking to each other in the vehicle.

The prosecution claimed Neely took off the mask, pulled a gun from his right side and aimed it at PC Deal. This resulted in Sergeant

Forbes firing twice at the accused because she feared for her partner’s life.

PC Deal testified that he fired three shots at Neely after Neely pointed a gun at him.

After the shooting, PC Deal said Neely was assisted by EMS. A later search of the vehicle resulted in the recovery of a weapon.

While the prosecution said Sergeant Forbes admitted moving the ski mask to the front of the vehicle, she accepted that this was wrong given the knowledge she now has as a CSI officer.

The prosecution said PC Deal told the court the suspects attempted to reverse when he approached. He also said Neely threw the gun to the back of the vehicle after he was shot.

The prosecution said the officers were not being trigger-happy, but professional, as they stopped firing when there was no need to continue.

While acknowledging that the investigator was not at the scene that night, prosecutors said the accused never claimed during the initial investigation that they were being framed.

The prosecution said Stuart knew his passenger had a ski mask and a gun.

The jury is expected to return its verdict later today.

Cassie Bethel also represented the accused.

• Direct preparation of integrated system expansion plans, including feeder, substation, and transmission development requirements. Identify system constraints, infrastructure gaps, and investment priorities to support reliable grid performance.

Power System Analysis & Grid Reliability

• Oversee advanced system studies including load flow, short circuit, voltage stability, contingency (N-1/N-2), and reliability assessments. Ensure engineering analysis supports safe, reliable, and efficient operation of the electrical network under normal and contingency conditions.

• Evaluate system performance under growth scenarios, DER integration, outages, and planned maintenance conditions.

Provide technical direction on system resilience, reliability improvement, and risk mitigation strategies.

Capital Planning & Infrastructure Development

• Lead engineering input into capital planning, budgeting, and long-term infrastructure investment programs.

Evaluate, prioritize, and justify capital projects including substations, feeder upgrades, transmission enhancements, and system automation initiatives.

• Oversee preparation of technical justification reports, engineering studies, and investment business cases.

Ensure alignment between engineering requirements and financial planning with the Finance function.

Protection,

Control & System Engineering Oversight

Provide executive oversight of Protection & Control engineering standards, philosophies, and system reliability strategies.

• Ensure protection coordination, relay settings governance, and system security compliance across the grid.

• Support root-cause analysis of system disturbances, outages, and protection mis-operations.

Oversee integration of SCADA, automation systems, and grid control technologies in coordination with IT and Communications teams.

Grid Modernization & Technology Integration

• Lead grid modernization initiatives including automation, digital substations, advanced metering infrastructure, and smart grid technologies.

• Support integration of distributed energy resources (DER), renewable energy, and energy storage systems.

• Collaborate with Cybersecurity, IT, and Operations teams to ensure secure and resilient digital grid infrastructure.

Regulatory, Stakeholder & Executive Interface

• Serve as the primary technical advisor to executive leadership on engineering, system planning, and capital investment matters.

• Support regulatory filings, technical submissions, and compliance requirements with government and regulatory agencies. Represent BGC in technical discussions with consultants, government bodies, major customers, and industry stakeholders.

Leadership

& Organizational Development

Provide leadership, direction, and oversight to engineering teams, including System Planning, Protection & Control, and related technical functions.

• Mentor senior engineers and develop technical leadership capability within the organization.

• Drive a culture of accountability, safety, innovation, and engineering excellence.

• Ensure succession planning and capability development within the Engineering Division.

Operations Support & System Response

Provide engineering leadership during system disturbances, outages, storm response, and restoration activities.

• Support real time operational decision-making in coordination with Control Room and Field Operations.

• Participate in emergency response planning and system recovery initiatives as required.

Other Requirements

• Must be available for emergency response, storm restoration, and critical system events.

• Ability to travel to substations, field sites, and operational facilities across The Bahamas.

Must Have valid Driver’s License

• Ability to work extended or irregular hours during outages or major capital projects.

• Must maintain confidentiality of sensitive system and infrastructure information.

Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s Degree in Electrical Engineering, Power Systems Engineering, or a related discipline. Professional Engineer designation or equivalent professional certification strongly preferred.

• Minimum of 15+ years of progressive experience in power system engineering, system planning, or utility operations, including senior leadership experience.

• Proven expertise in load forecasting, system planning studies, capacity analysis, and grid reliability assessments.

Demonstrated experience developing capital improvement plans, infrastructure investment strategies, and technical planning reports within a utility environment.

What’s In It for You:

Competitive compensation and performance based incentives

• Comprehensive health and wellness benefits

• Retirement savings plan with company matching

• Generous paid time off and leave benefits

• Life and accident insurance coverage

Opportunities for professional growth and career development

• Executive leadership role shaping the future of BGC’s power system, infrastructure, and grid modernization strategy.

• Direct influence on long term capital investment decisions and national energy reliability planning.

Opportunity to lead high impact engineering functions including system planning, protection strategy, and network development.

SECTION E

TUESDAY, MAY 5, 2026

HG Christie celebrates New Legend’s victory at National Family Island Regatta

“GET on the pry and give me your weight, fellas.”

That call from captain David Knowles echoed across the deck of New Legend as the team pushed through a challenging start to secure a decisive victory in the Class A division at the 70th Annual National Family Island Regatta in Exuma.

For HG Christie Ltd, proud sponsor of New Legend, the win represents more than a return to the top, it reflects the determination, teamwork and excellence that define both the sport of Bahamian sailing and the people behind it.

After finishing third in last year’s regatta, New Legend’s climb to first place this year marks a powerful comeback on one of the country’s most competitive stages.

The road to victory, however, was far from smooth.

In the opening race, New Legend became entangled with another vessel, resulting in damage to the boat’s main support jib stay - an issue that could have ended their regatta. Instead, the crew relied on skill, experience and traditional knowledge to stay in contention.

“We got tangled with a boat from Ragged Island, and the main support jib stay broke,” said Emile Knowles, crew member and spokesperson for New Legend. “I was going to have a new one brought in, but I used what I learned from my father growing up and made an old-time sleeve to fix it. That allowed us to keep going.”

That quick thinking proved critical, allowing the team to recover and build momentum as the races progressed.

New Legend’s strength lies not only in its performance, but in its people.

The crew is a dynamic mix of experienced sailors and emerging talent, reflecting a strong commitment to mentoring the next generation. Among those on board were three sailors under the age of 17, including a 13-year-old female sailor and 16-year-old Drake, who is already training to become a future captain.

“We try to take as many young crew members as possible,” Knowles explained. “That’s a big part of what we’re about - giving them the experience and

RESULTS:

helping them grow in the sport.”

With up to 18 crew members working in unison - balancing on pry boards, managing sails, and responding to the captain’s commands - the race demanded precision, strength, and trust at every turn. It is this combination of discipline and camaraderie that continues to make New Legend a consistent top contender in Class A racing.

HG Christie, The Bahamas’ largest and oldest real estate firm, remains deeply committed to supporting the country’s sailing traditions and the communities that sustain them. Through sponsorships like New Legend, the firm continues to celebrate a sport that is both culturally significant and economically impactful across the islands.

“We are incredibly proud to support New Legend and to see them return to the top in such a competitive field,” said John Christie, president and managing broker of HG Christie Ltd. “What stood out in this race was not just the result, but the way it was achieved, through skill, perseverance, and teamwork. That kind of commitment to excellence is something we value deeply, both in sailing and in our own work across The Bahamas.”

The National Family Island Regatta, held annually in Elizabeth Harbour, is one of the country’s most iconic events, bringing together sailors from across The Bahamas to compete in handcrafted wooden sloops for both prize money and pride. With a legacy dating back more than 70 years, the regatta continues to grow, drawing strong participation and reinforcing the importance of preserving Bahamian maritime heritage.

For HG Christie, supporting events like the regatta is part of a broader commitment to the lifestyle and traditions that make The Bahamas unique.

As New Legend celebrates its latest victory, the team is already looking ahead. Preparations are underway for the upcoming Long Island Regatta in June, with plans to further enhance the vessel’s performance.

“We’re building a new mast and two new booms,” said Knowles. “That will

Here’s a look at the individual performances: Boys 13-14 50 LC Meter Butterfly 24, 2-3 Rolle, Kenyon V, BSC, 42.93. 22, 3-2 Rolle, Krishna A, MANTA-BA, 39.43. 23, 3-4 Cockburn, Kyle L, Blue Waves, 40.97. 25, 3-8 Strachan, Chayce, BSC, 44.72. 21, 4-5 Burrows, Liam G, Blue Waves, 38.01. 16, 5-1 Johnson, Jacob A, MANTA-BA, 33.67. 17, 5-2 Rolle, Kriston L, Blue Waves, 34.16. 18, 5-5 Neilly, Garen X, Unattached, 35.05. 19, 5-6 Davis, TreLandre S, Blue Waves, 35.65. 20, 5-8 Stuart, Jebron B, Blue Waves, 36.64. 13, 6-1 Stevenson, Mason A, BSC, 32.78. 14, 6-2 Astwood, Liam G, MAC, 33.52. 15, 6-3 Carroll, Cameren E, MANTA-BA, 33.56. 5, 7-1 Menzies, Lauchlan, LSC, 30.19. 9, 7-2 Archer, Tyrin A, MAC, 31.56. 10, 7-3 Rolle, Suraj M, Blue Waves, 31.65. 11, 7-4 Wilson, Jahmahl M, MANTA-BA, 31.67. 12, 7-6 Griffin, Israel K, MAC, 31.94. 4, 8-2 Phillips, Dalane E, MANTA-BA, 29.92. 7, 8-4 Richards, Brantley J, Blue Waves, 30.32. 8, 8-6 Ferguson, Kaalen A, BMSC, 30.90. 1, 9-3 Bastian, Kai A, MAC, 28.40. 2, 9-4 Robinson, Benicio, MAC, 28.60. 3, 9-6 Cartwright, Tyler L, Blue Waves, 28.83. 6, 9-9 Roberts, Alexis A, Blue Waves, 30.29. Boys 15 & Over 50 LC Meter Butterfly 22, 1-1 Cargil, Justin, BMSC, 50.88. 16, 3-1 Cartwright,

VICTORY SWEET: After finishing third in last year’s regatta, New Legend’s climb to first place in Class A this year marks a powerful comeback on one of the country’s most competitive stages.

allow us to sail under full power in more extreme conditions. We’re aiming to have everything ready.”

HG Christie looks forward to continuing its support of New Legend as the sailing season progresses.

“We are excited to stand behind this team as they head into the Long Island Regatta,” Christie added. “Events like these bring

communities together and showcase the very best of The Bahamas. We’re proud to support New Legend

Liam I, BMSC, 33.90. 20, 4-3 Pinder, Sloan M, BSC, 36.34. 19, 5-4 Rahming, Jaylen K, MANTA-BA, 34.57. 21, 5-7 Lundy, Arion C, BMSC, 36.44. 17, 6-5 Deleveaux, Aindriu H, Blue Waves, 34.13. 18, 6-6 Harris, Gerard, MAC, 34.17. 13, 7-7 Bienaime, Jamar Q, MANTA-BA, 32.55. 14, 7-8 Rolle, Aadyn N, BSC, 32.77. 15, 7-9 Cartwright, Shilo B, Blue Waves, 33.57. 5, 8-1 Deveaux, Braivan H, MAC, 29.79. 6, 8-3 Johnson, Tristan S, BMSC, 30.13. 8, 8-5 Saunders, Myles A, MAC, 30.67. 9, 8-7 Cartwright, Makhai I, Blue Waves, 31.13. 10, 8-8 Dorsett, Christopher A, LSC, 31.20. 11, 8-9 Conliffe, Ian C, MAC, 31.29. 12, 8-10 Ferguson, Luke, AAC, 31.32. 1, 9-1 Knowles, Shanterro M, MANTA-BA, 27.65. 2, 9-2 Butler, Damari, MAC, 28.12. 3, 9-5 Adderley, Kraige L, Blue Waves, 28.77. 4, 9-7 Collins, Cristen, LSC, 29.26. 6, 9-8 Miller, Tristan J, Blue Waves, 30.13. Girls 8 & Under 100 LC Meter Backstroke 1, 1-3 Paul, Renai, MAC, 1:49.10. 2, 1-4 Smith, Tamia P, BMSC, 1:57.06. Girls 9-10 100 LC Meter Backstroke 3, 2-3 Meredith, Anjolie, LSC, 1:42.44. 4, 2-4 Hall, Kameilla, MAC, 1:45.98. 5, 2-6 Shaw, Olivia, LSC, 1:50.33. 6, 2-7 Albury, Isabella, MAC, 1:50.63. 2, 3-4 Moss, Madison N, AAC, 1:34.43. 1, 4-4 Chambers, Skyrah A, MAC, 1:29.19. Girls 11-12 100 LC Meter Backstroke 4, 1-1 Rolle,

Kirsten C, Blue Waves, 1:29.47. 10, 1-2 Bascom, Sheri D, BMSC, 1:38.00. 16, 1-5 Rolle, Gabrielle, MAC, 2:04.28. 12, 2-5 Cartwright, Mya S, MAC, 1:47.15. 13, 2-8 Dorsett, Kassidy, BSC, 1:52.67. 14, 2-9 Beneby, Hannah, LSC, 1:53.31. 15, 2-10 Bain, Brylee K, BSC, 1:55.47. 3, 3-1 Seymour, Star J, BSC, 1:28.90. 5, 3-3 Pratt, Huntyr-Rose, AAC, 1:32.84. 8, 3-5 Hamric, Ella, LSC, 1:36.11. 9, 3-6 Smith, Kahira N, MAC, 1:36.14. 11, 3-9 Smith, Bryanna E, MAC, 1:40.96. 2, 4-1 Coleman, Samaiya A, Blue Waves, 1:27.31. 6, 4-7 Thompson, Teianna Y, MAC, 1:33.97. 7, 4-8 Edwards, Aubree, MAC, 1:35.00. 1, 5-7 Hanna, Katelin-Dahlia A, BSC, 1:25.64. Girls 13-14 100 LC Meter Backstroke 5, 2-2 Saunders, Isabelle A, Blue Waves, 1:35.57. 4, 3-2 Knowles, Tessa, LSC, 1:31.64. 6, 3-7 Moncur, Dwynaye, MAC, 1:39.11. 7, 3-8 Styles, Halle, MAC, 1:40.74. 8, 3-10 Seymour, Summer L, BSC, 1:41.46. 2, 4-3 Mackey, Jayda T, BMSC, 1:28.67. 3, 4-6 Nash, Ellie, LSC, 1:30.37. 1, 5-1 Ellis, Kamelia E, LSC, 1:18.57. Girls 15 & Over 100 LC Meter Backstroke 8, 2-1 Lynes, Bharti S, Blue Waves, 1:28.77. 7, 4-2 Davis, A'Myah M, BMSC, 1:28.45. 9, 4-5 Evans, Anneka X, LIT, 1:30.16. 10, 4-9 Mann, Chauntelle, LSC, 1:35.59. 11, 4-10 McKenzie, Ivanna, LSC, 1:38.56. 1, 5-2 Maycock, Melaja A, BMSC, 1:20.44. 2, 5-3 Seymour,

Asha, BSC, 1:21.44. 3, 5-4 Julien, Madyson C, LSC, 1:22.28. 4, 5-5 Donaldson, Samirah E, AAC, 1:22.81. 5, 5-6 Fox, Madison E, MAC, 1:25.59. 6, 5-8 Baldwin, Zara S, LSC, 1:26.14. Boys 9-10 100 LC Meter Backstroke 5, 2-4 Stevenson, Ryan W, BSC, 1:34.45. 6, 2-6 Escruceria, Simon, LSC, 1:49.47. 7, 2-7 Gibson, Zane C, AAC, 1:54.33. 8, 2-8 Mendez, Lukas, LSC, 2:05.28. 1, 3-5 Dorsett, Randol, BSC, 1:23.54. 2, 3-7 Mckenzie, Avyn, MAC, 1:29.53. 3, 3-8 Feaste, Lynden, MAC, 1:29.69. 4, 3-9 Louis, Jacob N, BSC, 1:33.07. Boys 11-12 100 LC Meter Backstroke 3, 1-3 Carey, Nicholas, MAC, 1:53.09. 2, 2-2 Knowles, Anthony M, AAC, 1:28.13. 1, 3-2 Menzies, Lyall, LSC, 1:21.43. Boys 13-14 100 LC Meter Backstroke 9, 1-2 Morgan, Burchell v, Blue Waves, 1:31.38. 8, 2-3 Thompson, Blair E, MAC, 1:30.64. 11, 2-5 Seymour, Jace H, BSC, 1:42.22. 4, 3-1 Lightbourne, Zander L, MAC, 1:20.43. 5, 3-3 Duncombe, Bison P, Blue Waves, 1:22.43. 6, 3-4 Embleton, Sebastian G, LIT, 1:22.86. 7, 3-6 Culmer, Dillon C, BSC, 1:25.45. 10, 3-10 Dorsett, Stephan K, BSC, 1:35.50. 1, 4-2 Lloyd, Keiron I, MAC, 1:13.89. 2, 4-3 Archer, Tajj A, MAC, 1:14.91. 3, 4-5 Sweeting, Brandon, MAC, 1:19.45. Boys 15 & Over 100 LC Meter Backstroke 3, 1-1 Missick, Tyrese J, LIT, 1:21.85. 4, 2-1 Eldon,

Kiel H, Blue Waves, 1:24.00. 1, 4-1 Wright, Issac S, MAC, 1:11.18. 2, 4-4 Rolle, Daniel, BMSC, 1:17.92. 5, 4-6 Deal-Coakley, Jayden A, BSC, 1:24.09. Girls 8 & Under 200 LC Meter Medley Relay 1, 1-1 Blue Waves Swim Club 'A' (Bostwick, Payton S 8, King, Charlotte E 8, Julien, Layla-Rae C 8, Richards, K. Madison M 8), 2:46.92. 2, 1-2 Black Marlins Swim Club 'A' (Marshall, Paityn A 8, Rolle, Symphony K 8, Smith, Tamia P 8, Davis, Skylah-Mae C 7), 3:42.52. Boys 8 & Under 200 LC Meter Medley Relay 1, 1-1 Blue Waves Swim Club 'A' (Bain, Aiden D 5, Burrows, Kenton A 8, Moss, Gevon R 7, Evans, Joshua T 8), 3:17.29. 2, 1-2 Barracuda Swim Club 'A' (Burrows, Xavier A 8, Dorsett, Grayson 8, McPhee, Karson 7, Rees, Kashta 7), 3:22.99. Girls 9-10 200 LC Meter Medley Relay 1, 1-1 Blue Waves Swim Club 'A' (Dorsett, Zeni K 10, Pickstock, Michelle K 10, Rolle, Anthonique K 10, Mcdonald, Milana R 10), 2:41.47. 2, 1-2 Barracuda Swim Club 'A' (Ferguson, Shiloh A 9, White, Jadaenia B 10, McPhee, Skylar 10, Moxey, Tiara Z 10), 2:44.18. 3, 1-3 Alpha Aquatics 'A' 3:24.98. 4, 1-4 Black Marlins Swim Club 'A' (Russel, Tahiri 9, Moxey, Sierra 10, Smith, Shayla E 10, Barnes, Arya 9), 4:00.25. Boys

and the wider sailing community as they continue to raise the bar.” From a difficult start

to a commanding finish, New Legend’s victory in the Class A race stands as a testament to resilience,

tradition and the enduring spirit of Bahamian sailing, values that HG Christie is proud to champion.

SWIM RESULTS CONTINUED...

9-10

200 LC Meter Medley Relay 1, 1-1

Mako Aquatics Club ‘A’ 2:28.73. 2, 1-2

Barracuda Swim Club ‘A’ (Louis, Jacob N 9, Smith, Tahj A 10, Dorsett, Randol 10, Rolle, Ari K 9), 2:33.05. Girls 11-12 200 LC Meter Medley Relay 1, 1-1 Mako Aquatics Club ‘A’ 2:16.14. 2, 1-2 Black Marlins Swim Club ‘A’ (Hamilton, Delnia S 12, Rolle, Leah E 11, Nottage, Grace A 11, Adderley, Kennedy L 12), 2:19.85. 3, 1-3 Barracuda Swim Club ‘A’ (Wallace, Emma M 12, Seymour, Star J 12, Hanna, Katelin-Dahlia A 11, Bain, Brylee K 12), 2:22.63. 4, 1-4 Blue Waves Swim Club ‘A’ (McPhee, Ateelah K 12, Coleman, Samaiya A 11, Rolle, Kirsten C 11, Dean, Cailyn G 11), 2:24.88. 5, 1-5 Mantas Swim & Water Polo Club-BA ‘A’ (Rolle, Kasianique A 11, Phillips, Zara O 11, Kemp, Khalie X 12, Wilson, Toni X 11), 2:47.13. Boys 11-12 200 LC Meter Medley Relay 1, 1-1 Mako Aquatics Club ‘A’ 2:26.44. 2, 1-2 Mantas Swim & Water Polo Club-BA ‘A’ (Bastian, Asher X 12, Feaste, Isaiah T 12, McKenzie, Owen L 12, Robinson, Trevian A 12), 2:43.25. Girls 13-14 200 LC Meter Medley Relay 1, 1-1 Mako Aquatics Club ‘A’ 2:15.98. 2, 1-2 Barracuda Swim Club ‘A’ (Pinder, Morgan M 14, Simms, Morgan A 13, Rolle, Reniyah R

13, Seymour, Summer L 13), 2:32.08. 3, 1-3 Lyford Swim Club ‘A’ 2:33.99. 4, 1-4 Mantas Swim & Water Polo Club-BA ‘A’ (McKenzie, Gabrielle L 14, Smith, Ryalondon P 13, Burrows, Paityn G 14, Rolle, Iyah-Eden S 14), 2:39.46. Boys 13-14 200 LC Meter Medley Relay 1, 1-1 Mako Aquatics Club ‘A’ 2:02.73. 2, 1-2 Blue Waves Swim Club ‘A’ (Richards, Brantley J 13, Cartwright, Tyler L 14, Duncombe, Bison P 13, Roberts, Alexis A 14), 2:06.61. 3, 1-3 Mantas Swim & Water Polo Club-BA ‘A’ (Wilson, Jahmahl M 14, Carroll, Cameren E 13, Phillips, Dalane E 14, Johnson, Jacob A 14), 2:11.93. 4, 1-4 Barracuda Swim Club ‘A’ (Stevenson, Mason A 13, Miller, Zarian M 13, Culmer, Dillon C 13, Dorsett, Stephan K 14), 2:18.68. Girls 15 & Over 200 LC Meter Medley Relay 1, 1-1 Black Marlins Swim Club ‘A’ (Rolle, Jayla Marie G 16, Davis, A’Myah M 15, Maycock, Melaja A 15, Rolle, Jemarie D 15), 2:17.80. 2, 1-2 Lyford Swim Club ‘A’ 2:18.85. Boys 15 & Over 200 LC Meter Medley Relay 1, 1-1 Blue Waves Swim Club ‘A’ (Simmons, Dijon M 16, Adderley, Kraige L 16, Cartwright, Makhai I 15, Miller, Tristan J 16), 2:02.38. 2, 1-2 Lyford Swim Club ‘A’ 2:04.15. 3, 1-3 Black Marlins Swim Club ‘A’ (Johnson, Tristan S 15, Lundy, Arion C 15, Rolle, Daniel 15, Cartwright, Liam I 15), 2:16.69. 4, 1-4 Mako Aquatics Club ‘A’ 2:31.01.

Position Summary:

The VP, Finance & Accounting is a senior leadership role responsible for the overall management and execution of the Finance and Accounting functions across Bahamas Grid Company (BGC). Reporting directly to the Chief Financial Officer, the VP ensures financial integrity, regulatory compliance, and the delivery of accurate financial insights to support strategic decision making.

This role provides leadership and oversight to the VP, Finance & Accounting and the broader Finance team, including General Accounting, Project Accounting, Accounts Payable, and Payroll. The VP is responsible for driving financial performance, maintaining strong internal controls, and ensuring accurate and timely financial reporting in compliance with applicable standards.

Essential Functions:

Strategic Financial Leadership

• Develop, lead, and continuously refine BGC’s overall financial strategy to ensure alignment with corporate objectives, operational priorities, and long term infrastructure investment plans. Serve as a key member of the executive leadership team, contributing to enterprise wide strategic planning, business growth decisions, and capital allocation strategies.

• Provide executive level financial leadership and guidance to support organizational transformation, grid modernization, and large-scale utility investment initiatives.

Financial Planning, Analysis & Performance Management

• Lead the annual budgeting, forecasting, and long-range financial planning processes, ensuring alignment with operational requirements and strategic goals.

• Deliver high-quality financial analysis, scenario modeling, and performance insights to support data-driven executive decision making. Monitor financial performance against budget and forecast, identifying risks, variances, and opportunities, and recommending corrective actions where necessary.

• Develop and maintain key financial performance indicators (KPIs) to support operational efficiency and financial accountability across all business units.

Accounting, Reporting & Compliance Oversight

• Oversee all accounting operations, including general ledger management, financial reporting, month-end and year-end close processes, ensuring accuracy, completeness, and timeliness.

• Ensure compliance with Bahamian financial regulations, applicable accounting standards (GAAP/IFRS as applicable), tax requirements, and internal policies.

• Review, approve, and ensure integrity of financial statements, reconciliations, journal entries, and management reports prepared by the Finance team.

• Maintain strong internal control frameworks to safeguard company assets and ensure audit readiness at all times. Serve as primary liaison for external auditors, regulatory bodies, tax authorities, and financial institutions.

Capital Management, Investment & Project Finance

• Provide financial oversight and advisory support for capital projects, infrastructure development, and major utility investments. Evaluate investment opportunities, financing structures, and capital allocation decisions to ensure optimal return and financial sustainability

• Oversee project accounting, including cost tracking, budget control, revenue recognition, and financial reporting for major initiatives.

• Review and approve significant financial transactions, procurement commitments, contracts, and capital expenditures in accordance with delegated authority limits.

Leadership & People Development

• Lead, mentor, and develop the Manager, Finance & Accounting and the broader finance team to build a high performing and technically strong finance function.

• Foster a culture of accountability, integrity, continuous improvement, and professional excellence within the Finance department. Ensure effective succession planning, skills development, and leadership pipeline development within the finance organization.

• Provide coaching and guidance to strengthen technical accounting, financial analysis, and business partnering capabilities across the team.

Cross Functional Business Partnership

Partner closely with Operations, Engineering, HR, Procurement, and IT to ensure financial discipline across projects, payroll, workforce planning, and operational expenditures.

• Support strategic decision making by providing financial insight into operational efficiency, cost optimization, and resource allocation.

• Ensure strong alignment between financial planning and operational execution across all departments of BGC.

Systems, Controls & Process Optimization

• Oversee the effective use and continuous improvement of ERP and financial systems to enhance reporting accuracy, operational efficiency, and data integrity.

• Drive automation and process improvement initiatives within Finance to modernize reporting, reduce manual processes, and improve financial transparency.

• Collaborate with HR and IT to ensure seamless integration of ERP, HRIS, payroll, and financial systems for accurate and efficient data flow

Other Requirements:

Perform additional finance and strategic tasks assigned by executive leadership.

• Represent the Finance function in cross functional initiatives and strategic planning meetings.

• Must have a valid driver’s license

Qualifications: Bachelor’s Degree in Accounting, Finance, or related field (Master’s Degree or MBA preferred).

• Professional designation required (CPA, ACCA, or CFA).

• 10 - 15 years of progressive finance and accounting experience, including a minimum of 5 years in senior leadership or executive roles.

• Proven experience leading large finance teams and managing complex, multifunctional accounting operations.

Strong knowledge of Bahamian financial regulations, statutory requirements, and compliance frameworks.

• Demonstrated expertise in budgeting, forecasting, financial analysis, and strategic financial planning.

• Advanced proficiency in Microsoft Excel and ERP/financial management systems.

What’s In It for You:

• Competitive compensation and performance based incentives

• Comprehensive health and wellness benefits

• Retirement savings plan with company matching

• Generous paid time off and leave benefits Life and accident insurance coverage

Opportunities for professional growth and career development Executive leadership role reporting directly to the CFO within a national utility.

• Opportunity to shape BGC’s financial strategy and support major infrastructure investment decisions.

• Oversight of a core Finance function with responsibility to build and lead a high performing team.

Coca-Cola and FIFA final prize redemption pop-up this Saturday

COCA-Cola’s “Buy & Win” promotion is celebrating the 23rd edition of the FIFA World Cup Tournament with exciting pop-ups across The Bahamas. This Saturday, May 9, Coca-Cola will host its fifth and final pop-up at the Mall at Marathon (Center Court) from 11am to 3pm.

Experience the real magic of Coca-Cola this Saturday and win incredible limited-edition prizes. With the purchase of any Coca-Cola Original or Coca-Cola Zero Sugar 12oz or 20oz 6-pack, 12-pack or full case consumers are automatically winners.

To redeem prizes, consumers must present a receipt of their qualifying purchases to the pop-up

for verification. Past popups held at Marathon Mall, Goodman’s Bay, Fusion Superflex and Freeport allowed customers to redeem their prizes and win their share of $250.00 dollars in the ‘Kick Tournament.’

Outside of redeeming prizes or participating in the Kick Tournament, consumers can enjoy refreshing complementary sips and relax in the CocaCola and FIFA lounge. The campaign, which began in February and ends this month, generated a lot of excitement and consumer engagement at each pop-up and on social media.

Jazmin Darling, assistant marketing manager

for Caribbean Bottling Company (CBC), local producers of Coca-Cola and Dasani products, shared the significance of hosting prize redemption pop-ups.

“We are deeply grateful to our consumers and remain committed to celebrating them at every opportunity.

“Offering a variety of prizes is just one way we show our appreciation for their continued support, which is why hosting these pop-ups to reward them is so important to us,” she said.

For more details on pop-ups, new products and community givebacks, visit Caribbean Bottling Company’s website at  www. cbcbahamas.com today.

COCA-Cola will host its fifth and final pop-up at the Mall at Marathon (Center Court) from 11am to 3pm this Saturday, May 9.

CROWD gathering to redeem prizes and participate in the Kick Tournament at the Mall at Marathon.

A HAPPY consumer presenting her Coca-Cola receipt to redeem prizes at the third pop-up held at Fusion.

FLEXING those soccer skills in the Kick Tournament during the second pop-up at Goodman’s Bay.

TOP: Coca-Cola brand representative and a winner take a photo after her Coca-Cola prize redemption.

FLEXING those soccer skills in the Kick Tournament during the second pop-up at Goodman’s Bay.

Akhepran Academy girls take part in global space initiative

AGROUP ofyoung womenfrom AkhepranInternational Academy are taking part in the ShakthiSAT Global Satellite Mission, a major global initiativefocused on empoweringgirls inscience and technology. The programme brings together morethan 12,000girls from 108countries todesign, build, and launcha satellite into space.

ThroughastructuredSTEM curriculum,the Akhepranstudents have spentthe past year developing skillsin physics, coding, engineering, and satellite design gaining

hands-on experience rarely availableat thesecondary level.

Aspartof theirtraining,the students built satellite models, worked alongside engineers, and learnedfrom spaceprofessionals, including Aisha Bowe.

A key highlight was their visit to NASA Kennedy Space Center, wherethey explored real spacecraftand exhibits connected to theArtemis Program.The experiencehelped them connectclassroom learning toreal-world space exploration while deepening theirunderstanding ofglobal

collaboration.

Looking ahead,the students will continueexpanding their knowledgethrough a14-day international STEMand cultural tour across multiple countries,furtherpreparingthemfor futurecareersinscienceandinnovation.

Through their participation, theseAkhepran Academygirls are showinghow Bahamian students cancompete andcollaborateon aglobal level proving thatwith opportunity and preparation, young minds canreach far beyondtheclassroomandintothe future of space exploration.

FDS Success Learning celebrates student achievement in class

FDSSUCCESS LearningSecondary SchoolinNassau iscelebratingthesuccess ofitsClassof 2026,highlightingthehard work, growth, and determination of its students. Theschool, whichblends in-person and digital learning,focuses on helping eachstudentsucceed attheirown pace and this year s graduatesarea strong example of that mission in action.

At thetop ofthe classis valedictorian Dantasia Walker, whose academic journey standsout forbothexcellence anddetermination. She advancedfrom Grade 10 straightintoGrade12,showingexceptional ability and focus. Beyond academics, she also served asStudent Council Treasurer, building leadershipskills whilesupporting her peers. Dantasia plans to study biology at universityand hopes to becomea physician, with a goalof helping children and families.

Salutatorian Ladante Deveaux s story reflects perseverance andpersonal growth. After facing challenges earlier in his education,he foundstabilityandsupport atFDS Success Learning.With consistenteffort, he improved hisperformance and emerged as a leader, servingas Student Council President.He nowaims tojoin theRoyal Bahamas Defence Force, driven by a desire to serve his country.

Other graduates alsodemonstrated impressive progress. BrianFerguson embracedtheschool’ssupportiveenvironment

and exceeded expectations, showing how determinationand guidancecan leadto success.Antonio Moultrie s strong academic performance earned him the rare opportunity to skip Grade 11, highlighting his discipline and commitment. Together,these studentsrepresentmore thanacademic success they reflect resilience,leadership, andtheimpact ofa supportive school community. FDS Success Learning’sClass of2026showshow theright environmentcan helpstudents grow intoconfident, goal-drivenyoung adults ready for the future.

One young Bahamian helping shape conversations about future of the planet

SHANTE Hanna, aYouth Ambassador forthe UnitedNations SustainableDevelopment Goals,is playinganactiveroleinpromoting healthiercommunities,qualityeducation,andclimateaction.

Overthepast fiveyears,Hanna has focusedon raisingawareness about thelink betweenenvironmental changeand publichealth. Herwork supportskey globalpriorities, including SDG 3 Good Health and Well-being, SDG 4 QualityEducation, andSDG13 Climate Action. Through communityoutreach, shehelpseducate groups suchas students,farmers, andoutdoor workersaboutclimate risksandhowtheycanrespond.

Her advocacy has also reached the international stage. Hanna has represented TheBahamas atforumsconnectedtotheOrganization

of AmericanStates andinitiatives under theYoung AmericasBusiness Trust, contributingto discussions on sustainablejobs and environmentalsolutions.

Atthe heartof hermessage isa simplebutpowerfulidea:everyday actions matter.Whether encouragingreduced plasticuse orpromoting outdooractivities thatsupportboth healthand theenvironment, she emphasizesthat small changescanleadtomeaningfulimpact.

Hanna’sworkreflectsagrowing shift,whereyoung peoplearenot just learning about global challenges theyare takingleadership roles in solvingthem. Her efforts serve as a reminder that the future of sustainability depends on empoweringthenextgenerationtoact now.

Students from Akhepran Academy stand for a picture with Bahamian astronaut, Aisha Bowe.

Brian Ferguson, Antonio Moultrie, Ladante Deveaux (seated), Dantasia Walker

Director Mrs. Tanya Sweeting

Shante Hanna represents The Bahamas as SDG Youth Ambassador at International Conference

Shante Hanna SDG Youth Ambassador Presents at local Swim Club