05072019 BUSINESS

business@tribunemedia.net

TUESDAY, MAY 7, 2019

$4.82 Engineers eye ‘level playing’ field via WTO

By NEIL HARTNELL Tribune Business Editor nhartnell@tribunemedia.net THE Bahamas Society of Engineers (BSE) president has voiced optimism that joining WTO will create a “level playing field” that protects local professionals and grows their “share of the pie”.

Quentin Knowles, in a recent interview with Tribune Business, said the nature of rules-based trading regimes such as the World Trade Organisation (WTO) meant the Government would find it harder to “relax” existing restrictions on foreign rivals entering The Bahamas and competing with qualified locals for work.

Suggesting that the entry of overseas engineers, architects and other professionals was often left to the “discretion” of government officials, who were often keen to remove perceived obstacles to multi-million dollar foreign direct investment (FDI) projects, he added that WTO may provide a mechanism to ensure all “play by the rules”.

With engineering and other Bahamian professions already “fairly liberalised”, Mr Knowles said the government’s plan to achieve full WTO membership by 2020 was unlikely to cause major disruption for his members and may even be beneficial.

“From our perspective I personally believe there won’t be an appreciable change,” he told this newspaper. “The fact there’ll be trade rules in place; it could benefit us. We don’t know what’s going to happen; we don’t have a crystal ball, but from my perspective it’s not going to disadvantage our sector if they [the WTO] accept our current offer.

“From what I understand, there hasn’t been any serious challenge to it. Right now, the offer for engineers and architects is what we have. There won’t be any change to the status quo unless there’s a challenge.

From my perspective, and others may disagree, but some of the other people I’ve spoken to in the [BSE] leadership agree there will not be much of a change.”

Sensing opportunity, rather than threat, Mr Knowles added: “We’re hoping that when we accede to the WTO there will be increased trade and more opportunities for us.

“We, as local professionals, have to protect our

SEE PAGE 2

$4.86

$4.86

$500m WTO ‘shortfall’ pressure for US$ peg

By NEIL HARTNELL Tribune Business Editor nhartnell@tribunemedia.net

T

HE Bahamas’ one:one US dollar peg may face growing pressure from an annual $100m external reserves “shortfall” sparked by widening WTOinduced trade deficits, a study will warn today.

The Oxford Economics report commissioned by the Bahamas Chamber of Commerce and Employers Confederation (BCCEC), which is due to be released today, will say expanding trade imbalances may force this nation to reassess its fixed exchange rate regime if it becomes a full World Trade Organisation (WTO) member.

Tribune Business understands that the study, which examines the likely economic impact from The Bahamas joining the world’s trade rules setter, forecasts that imports will increase post-WTO accession as the lowering/ elimination of many import tariffs makes them relatively cheaper for businesses and consumers.

With exports and foreign

•฀Chamber฀study฀warns฀on฀trade฀imbalance฀impact •฀But฀says฀accession฀overall฀positive฀for฀economy •฀Would฀lift฀long-run฀growth฀to฀2%,฀cut฀jobless฀rate •฀Investment฀approvals฀regime฀hard฀to฀maintain direct investment (FDI) inflows unable to fully compensate for the drawdown on foreign currency to purchase these items, sources revealed the Oxford Economics study finds this will widen The Bahamas’ merchandise trade deficit by a sum equivalent to 2.3 percent of GDP over the next decade.

A trade deficit means The Bahamas imports more physical goods than it exports, and the Oxford Economics study will warn this could result in a $100m shortfall between foreign currency outflows and inflows over the five years between 2020 to 2025.

Just 50 percent of the Central Bank’s external reserves are deemed to be “free” due to its existing local currency liabilities.

Sources yesterday said that, based on $1.301bn in external reserves at February 20, 2019, the report suggests

some $500m of the $655m in useable foreign currency holdings could be wiped out in the worst-case scenario it paints.

However, Oxford Economics will say the outcome is much more positive if The Bahamas is able to address its structural weaknesses and bottlenecks simultaneously with joining the WTO, and negotiate more favourable accession terms such as the phase-in of key tariff reductions.

Should it succeed in these areas, sources said the resulting increase in FDI and exports via a more competitive business environment would help offset the expected surge in imports, and ensure foreign currency outflows better matched inflows over the short to medium-term.

Longer term, though, the trade deficit will still continue to widen.

“It is clear that the

authorities would need to think carefully about strategies to handle the increase in foreign currency demand that would accompany trade liberalisation, and whether the associated costs are worth the benefits to the economy from maintaining the currency peg,” the Oxford Economics report will say.

It is understood that the report, while not explicitly recommending that The Bahamas become a full WTO member, nudges this country in that direction by finding that the likely overall impact post-accession will be positive for the economy.

The chamber has previously said Oxford Economics’ findings would determine whether it throws its, and the private sector’s, support behind the government’s drive to

SEE PAGE 4

Union chief: ‘Compromise failure’ hurts labour talks

By NEIL HARTNELL Tribune Business Editor nhartnell@tribunemedia.net A VETERAN trade union leader yesterday said the failure “to understand what compromise means in The Bahamas” had produced bitter industrial disputes that undermined the national interest.

Obie Ferguson, the Trades Union Congress (TUC) president, told Tribune Business that too often parties to labour negotiations adopted a “bull in a china shop” or “my way or the highway” attitude that antagonised the other side and produced protracted battles.

Speaking out as he confirmed that himself and Dionisio D’Aguilar, minister of tourism and aviation, are due to hold a press conference this coming Monday to confirm details of the voluntary separation payouts to some 91 Grand Lucayan managers, Mr

•฀TUC฀leader฀rails฀over฀‘bull฀in฀china฀shop’฀way •฀Says฀personalities฀lead฀to฀‘conflict฀and฀strikes’ •฀Wants฀dispute฀resolution฀taught฀in฀schools

OBIE FERGUSON Ferguson warned that such confrontational approaches were “not progressive”.

He called for dispute resolution, and associated techniques, to become part of The Bahamas’ school curriculum, and said industrial negotiations were too-often affected by parties taking “intransigent positions” or making the

dispute personal through name-calling and threats.

“In any negotiation there comes a difficult period,” Mr Ferguson told this newspaper. “I don’t know of any negotiation where there things weren’t a little rocky at some stage.

“That seems to be the process, but once there’s a commitment to sign a resolution there’ll be a resolution. The only time there’ll be a difficulty in achieving resolution is when you have persons take intransigent positions.

“That seems to be very prevalent in The Bahamas.

Instead of sitting down intelligently, determining the issues of both side and what is in dispute, negotiators sometimes take on a personality-driven

approach and, instead of dealing with the issues, the parties get involved with name calling and threats and things of that nature,” the TUC chief continued.

“That is not progressive, and not designed to take us anywhere other than conflict and industrial action, which in my humble opinion is not progressive and does not bode well for a country like ours.”

Mr Ferguson said the recipe for successful, nonconfrontational industrial talks was for both parties to approach the matter with “an open mind” and understand/respect each other’s interests and position.

“There’s no other way,” he told Tribune Business.

SEE PAGE 4

$4.86 Carnival sees 40-60% foreign reveller growth

By NATARIO MCKENZIE Tribune Business Reporter

nmckenzie@tribunemedia.net BAHAMAS Carnival band owners yesterday estimated there was a 40-60 per cent increase in foreign revellers at this year’s Road March parade, and said the event has become “one of the premier festivals in the region”.

Dario Tirelli, spokesman for the Bahamas Carnival Band Owners Associations (BCBOA) and a former president, told Tribune Business: “We had far more revellers than we had in the past. We are estimating a 40-60 percent increase in foreign revellers on the parade.

“Bed and breakfast businesses did great this past weekend. A lot of persons opted to go to bed and breakfast first. That’s the big trend now. Taxi drivers became brand ambassadors for us. They were promoting the festival as they picked up guests from the cruise terminal and the airport.

“We were able to pick up last-minute revellers from persons that got recommended to talk to some of the various bands. Even the concert was able to pick up more people that were in town but didn’t come for Carnival,” he added.

“Overall we feel economically this was a better parade income-wise for the bands. I did interviews along the parade route and the vendors did very well.

There were some 600 persons came off the cruise ship for Carnival.”

Bahamas Carnival, now in its fifth year, and second as a privately-funded event, has become one of the premier festivals in the region, according to Mr Tirelli.

Polantra Media Group (PMG), of which Island Luck chief executive Sebas Bastian is a principal, is now the main organiser.

“We don’t need anything from government financially. We need their support in police power and marketing internationally on the Ministry of Tourism’s marketing portal. We can’t have this big of a parade and we have to struggle to pay the police bill,” said Mr Tirelli.

“It’s a business but we need the government to get involved and we need more manpower. Definitely the year-round marketing and branding has it as one of the premier festivals in the region. The band owners have done well with their respective marketing and promotion.”

Bahamas First chief ‘very confident’ over VAT deal

By NEIL HARTNELL Tribune Business Editor nhartnell@tribunemedia.net BAHAMAS First’s top executive is “very confident” the government and general insurers will reach “a mutually beneficial resolution” to end the uncertainty over VAT recoveries on claims payouts.

Patrick Ward, the property and casualty underwriter’s president and chief executive, told Tribune Business in a recent interview that it was hoping the agreement between the government and industry could be “concluded as quickly as possible” so both sides knew where they stood and could move on.

The Bahamas First chief, revealing that he was “even more” optimistic than rival Insurance Company of The Bahamas (ICB) about the

Acquired agencies on target for full payout prospects of a settlement, said: “I’m very confident that the VAT issue will be resolved.

“We’ve certainly had some constructive discussions with the government, and our expectation is that we will see a mutually beneficial resolution to this issue that is perfectly acceptable to the industry and the government.

“That’s certainly our hope, and every indication we’ve had so far suggests that will be the case. From Bahamas First’s perspective our concern is that we want to get rid of the uncertainty, and now we’re in a place where that’s likely to be the case we hope to conclude this as quickly as possible.”

Mr Ward’s comments echo the optimism of Tom Duff, ICB’s general

manager, who told Tribune Business last week that the property and casualty industry and government within touching distance of settling a VATrelated dispute that has dragged on for over a year.

The quarrel stemmed from whether general insurance underwriters could recover VAT on all or only some claims that were settled on a cash basis.

While the insurance industry felt it had achieved “a clear understanding” with the former Christie administration that VAT was recoverable on all such claims, its successor adopted the position that this was only the case where the insured client was a VAT registrant meaning a business with a turnover greater than

$100,000 per annum.

As a result, Bahamian property and casualty insurers were faced with being unable to recover “the VAT portion” of any Hurricane Matthewrelated claims paid out to residential homeowners and other non-VAT registrants. Given the $400m in insured damage inflicted by that storm, this left the industry facing a massive, unexpected multi-million dollar financial burden.

These concerns were reiterated by Mr Ward in Bahamas First’s annual report, where he told shareholders: “The threat of an industry-wide adverse value added tax (VAT) ruling relating to legacy claims dating back to the initial

SEE PAGE 5

PAGE 2, Tuesday, May 7, 2019

THE TRIBUNE

CENTRAL BANK WORKERS GIVEN BISX EXPOSURE A SENIOR Bahamas International Securities Exchange (BISX) executive gave Central Bank employees an insight into its role and functions at their investment information session.

Holland Grant spoke about BISX’s history, functions and dayto-day operations when he addressed the regulator’s employees on April 25, 2019.

Peggy Winder, the Central Bank’s deputy human resources manager, said: “The financial investments presentations were made by various local brokerage houses and investment firms, along with the Bahamas International Securities Exchange, to provide Central Bank employees with information regarding current investment options and investment strategies that they may wish to consider and how the investment market is governed.”

Mr Grant detailed BISX’s role in regulatory

CENTRAL Bank deputy human resources manager, Peggy Winder, left, with BISX chief operating officer, Holland Grant. and investment education, Bank for putting it on and and outlined his vision for for the other organisathe Bahamian capital mar- tions that took part,” Mr kets’ future. He discussed Grant said. “It was a comthe need for more interac- pletely engaging experience tion with shareholders; the because individuals asked movement to electronic questions during the presenAnnual General Meetings tation and after.

(AGMs) and proxy voting; “It was evident that the and focused on blockchain, employees of the Cencryptocurrencies and pro- tral Bank were interested grammable securities. in BISX, the Bahamian “It was a pleasure to capital markets and in be a part of this seminar. making better investment I commend the Central decisions.”

BAHAMIAN GROUP BOOSTS NEW ORLEANS JAZZ EVENT NEW Orleans mayor, LaToya Cantrell, welcomed the Bahamas’ minister of tourism and aviation, Dionisio D’Aguilar, to the New Orleans Jazz Festival on Friday.

A Bahamian delegation of top Junkanoo performers, musicians and artists/ entertainers were part of the line-up for the 50th anniversary of New Orleans

Jazz Festival during its second weekend, from May 2-5.

Bahamian artists have enjoyed a strong relationship with New Orleans, and its music, culture and heritage, since 1983. In the photo, from left: Nadir Hasan, board member of the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Foundation; Marcia Hughes, senior

consultant/project manager; Trover Strachan, Ministry of Tourism; Mr D’Aguilar; Mayor LaToya Cantrell; and, at right, Clay Saunders, special projects manager,MinistryofTourism.

Photos: Kemuel Stubbs/BIS To advertise in The Tribune, contact 502-2394

Engineers eye ‘level playing’ field via WTO FROM PAGE ONE industry and make sure the laws that govern our profession are properly enforced. In all the talks I’ve been in with WTO, the rules are enforced in documented agreements and everybody has to play by them.

“Right now, we don’t have that as much. If the foreign player wants to come to the country now, there are no trade rules,” the BSE chief continued.

“In a lot of ways it’s left to the discretion of the powers that be.

“Sometimes, in an effort to attract an investor, ministers and people in power have the best intent in the world, and certain rules are relaxed so as to be seen as not putting up roadblocks to foreign direct investment. But, once the regime is in place, investors can refer to the documents and see what the rules are. It’s not left to the discretion of someone in power to relax the rules.

“It gives us, the local professionals, something we can go back to and say: ‘We have these rules; you have to play by them’.

When they go to attract these investor and relax the rules, it’s not a level playing field. That really could be detrimental to our

profession. We see it, and it happens all the time.

“They want to bring the money here and hundreds of jobs, but at times it doesn’t benefit all. I’m hoping acceding to the WTO helps in that regard.”

Mr Knowles said foreign engineers coming to do work in The Bahamas had to identify a local engineer to sponsor their licence application to the Professional Engineers Board (PEB), the sector’s self-regulatory body. The application is approved if the person is qualified, and if the skills required are not available in The Bahamas.

“Those are the criteria,” he told Tribune Business.

“We’re in The Bahamas, have great laws on the books, but how many are followed effectively? We’re going to find out with these trade agreements, and demand these laws are implemented effectively otherwise locals will be hurt.

“The onus is on all local professionals - engineers, architects and whoever else - to hold the government and the powers that be to account. We need to protect our profession and be understood, and say we’re here and want a piece of the pie also.”

Multilinguals Required!

ActivTrades seeks the following candidates in Nassau

Account Representatives Client Onboarding Assistants No experience is required as full training will be provided. Knowledge of financial markets is desirable but not mandatory. Candidates should be open to travel opportunities.

Fluency in Chinese is compulsory.

Applicants can send their CVs to careers@activtrades.bs For further information visit www.activtrades.bs

Online Broker since 2001

ActivTrades is a leading global online broker, with headquarters in London, United Kingdom. It provides trading services in Forex, Contracts for Difference (CFDs) and Spread Betting.

THE TRIBUNE

Tuesday, May 7, 2019, PAGE 3

MORTON SALT STAFF: ‘WE WON’T THROW TOWEL IN’

By NATARIO MCKENZIE Tribune Business Reporter

nmckenzie@tribunemedia.net THE union representing Morton Salt line staff yesterday said workers were “weary but not ready to throw in the towel” over controversial industrial agreement negotiations.

“We have been filing trade disputes from January to now,” said Jennifer Brown, head of the Bahamas

MORTON Salt facilities in Great Inagua.

Industrial, Manufacturers & Allied Workers Union (BIMAWU). “We should

have been in Nassau on Monday for a conciliation meeting but the company

claimed they never received a notice. It’s like they are just playing games. We feel like they’re procrastinating.

It’s just sad.”

The union has been at odds with the Inagua-based salt harvester for months.

The threat of industrial unrest has loomed over Morton Salt’s operations since late last year, with the union saying it was “insulted” by the company’s original pay rise offer and associated financial terms.

“It’s frustrating but I’m a

praying person. God didn’t bring us this far to leave us,” added Ms Brown. “They’ve been fighting with the union from its inception. We’ve just been trying to keep the members strong and letting them know what’s going on. They’re weary but not ready to throw in the towel.

We want to see a resolution to this and an end to all these games.”

Tribune Business was unable to reach Morton Salt for comment up to press time yesterday.

However, the company said back in February that it hopes to “soon” conclude an industrial deal despite a “very tense” working environment where the line staff union has held-off on potential strike action.

The salt harvester, Inagua’s largest employer, said it was aiming to achieve a “comprehensive and fair” industrial agreement with the BIMAWU even though the relationship between the two sides remains strained.

According to police, the duo entered the store located near the resort’s western entrance at around 3pm, smashed several showcases and stole an

assortment of watches and jewellery before fleeing the Cable Beach property on foot.

The men were said to be unarmed, or at the very least not brandishing weapons. There were no injuries reported, police said.

Baha Mar, in a statement following the incident, said: “We sincerely regret the incident that took place at the John Bull store today.

The safety and security of our guests and associates is our first priority. The incident is currently under ongoing local police investigation with which we are fully co-operating to ensure that the matter is resolved imminently.”

Any crime ‘one too many’ for tourism

By NATARIO MCKENZIE Tribune Business Reporter

nmckenzie@tribunemedia.net THE Bahamas Hotel & Tourism Association (BHTA) yesterday said any criminal act impacting the industry and its guests is “one too many” following the weekend’s John Bull robbery.

The association, in a statement on the theft from the luxury goods retailer’s Baha Mar store, said it “continues to recognise

the important role ‘Safety and Security’ plays in our ability to attract visitors to the destination. We applaud the efforts of the public and private sector to address and mitigate incidents of crime, as any occurrence of wrongdoing - on any scale - is one too many.”

It added: “The Bahamas as a tourism destination, alongside our regional and global competitors, is fully aware that ‘perception’ is ‘reality’ in the business of tourism. We will continue

BAHA MAR RESORT to collaborate with private and public sector partners to address the topic of crime and safety, and to spread the message that The Bahamas is a safe

destination of choice.”

Two men are wanted by police following the “smash and grab” robbery at the John Bull store at Baha Mar on Sunday afternoon.

PAGE 4, Tuesday, May 7, 2019

THE TRIBUNE

$500m WTO ‘shortfall’ pressure for US$ peg FROM PAGE ONE accede to full WTO membership by June 2020. The conclusions that Tribune Business understands it has drawn now make its backing more likely.

But Oxford Economics will also say that WTO accession must be part of a much wider economic reform and restructuring strategy, and that The Bahamas will only maximise the benefits if it addresses the internal obstacles that have helped to stifle annual GDP (gross domestic product) growth over the past decade.

Such obstacles include the cost and reliability of electricity; access to capital (especially for micro, small and medium-sized enterprises); the cost and ease of doing business; bureaucracy and red tape in dealing with government agencies; a lack of transparency and accountability in the investment approvals process; and the need to improve governance and the rule of law.

“WTO is not a silver bullet, and The Bahamas needs to address its own demons,” one source, speaking on condition of anonymity, told Tribune Business. “Whether the issue of WTO is at hand or not, we can’t advance our economy if these issues which have been repeatedly identified - still stand in our way.”

The Oxford Economics

report is understood to explore two WTO accession situations. The first involves acceding with only modest reforms to this nation’s trade processes, while the second combines joining with internal reforms that address The Bahamas’ structural weaknesses and a strategy that obtains more favourable accession terms.

Should The Bahamas adopt the latter’s more comprehensive approach, Tribune Business understands Oxford Economics has estimated it could lift the economy’s long-run average annual GDP growth rate to around 2 percent - higher than the 1.5 percent currently forecast by the International Monetary Fund (IMF).

And the Chamber’s consultants are also said to project that this would help slash The Bahamas’ national unemployment rate from its current 10 percent to 6.5 percent over the next decade, driving it to its lowest level this century.

The Government’s strategy of striving to achieve the 15 percent average import tariff rate demanded for WTO membership, while still maintaining or increasing those that protect Bahamian manufacturers from foreign competition, is understood to be broadly supported by the report.

The Oxford Economics study will say that only 250 tariff lines are critical to the survival of Bahamian

farmers, agricultural producers and manufacturers, but warns that the 60-100 percent tariff rates sought by the latter are unlikely to be accepted by other WTO member countries during the accession negotiations.

Sources said the report also warns that The Bahamas will find it hard to retain the current “blanket” investment approvals regime, where all FDI projects must be approved by the National Economic Council (NEC) and Investments Board, and be valued at $500,000 or greater.

“It is unlikely that the Bahamas will be allowed to join the WTO with a horizontal economic needs test (ENT) for all investment and a requirement that all foreign investment proposals must be over $500,000,” the Oxford Economics study will say.

“In fact, the almost total control over investment in The Bahamas is more in line with a centrally planned than a market economy. Normal market signals interpreted by investors such as return on capital, market assessments, etc., seem to be overridden by the Government.... It is fair to say that there is inadequate transparency or predictability in the Bahamian investment regime.”

Sources said the study will suggest that a more flexible investment approvals regime could attract greater FDI inflows to The Bahamas.

GRAND LUCAYAN RESORT IN GRAND BAHAMA

Union chief: ‘Compromise failure’ hurts labour talks FROM PAGE ONE “We don’t know what compromise means. In The Bahamas compromise means weakness and incompetence, but compromise is designed to recognise there’s another side.

“You have to factor in your opponent, and your opponent’s interest. If you fail to do that, and go in as a bull in a china shop, and it has to be your way or the highway, that’s no way to negotiate.”

The TUC president said that “most of the time”

LEGAL NOTICE

LEGAL NOTICE

NOTICE

NAIRA FINANCIAL SA (In Voluntary Liquidation) Company No. 156133

COLOMENDY LIMITED (In Voluntary Liquidation) Notice is hereby given in pursuance of Section 138(8) of The International Business Companies Act, 2000 (as amended), the Dissolution of the above-named company has been completed, a Certificate of Dissolution has been issued and the above-named company has therefore been struck off the Register.

The date of the completion of the dissolution was the 24th day of April 2019.

Bennet R. Atkinson Liquidator

NOTICE is hereby given pursuant to Section 204, subsection (1)(b) of the BVI Business Companies Act, 2004 that the Company is in voluntary liquidation. The voluntary liquidation commenced on 27th March 2019. The Liquidator is Werllenn Glayton Almeida Pereira of Talstrasse 83, 8001 Zurich, Switzerland.

Dated 27th March 2019.

(Sgd.)Werllenn Glayton Almeida Pereira Voluntary Liquidator

LEGAL NOTICE

LEGAL NOTICE

NOTICE

NOTICE

RA Partner Consulting Inc.

Mount Investment Holdings Ltd.

In Voluntary Liquidation

In Voluntary Liquidation

Notice is hereby given that in accordance with Section 138(4) of the International Business Companies Act. 2000, RA Partner Consulting Inc. is in dissolution as of May 1, 2019.

Notice is hereby given that in accordance with Section 138(4) of the International Business Companies Act. 2000, Mount Investment Holdings Ltd. is in dissolution as of May 6, 2019.

International Liquidator Services Inc. situated at 3rd Floor Whitfield Tower, 4792 Coney Drive, Belize City, Belize is the Liquidator.

International Liquidator Services Inc. situated at 3rd Floor Whitfield Tower, 4792 Coney Drive, Belize City, Belize is the Liquidator.

both parties to industrial negotiations were “on the same page 60-70 percent of the time”. He added: “I can assure you from where I sit that as long as there is a willingness to find resolution there will be a resolution.

“In The Bahamas, if there is a weakness it is in dispute resolution. If I have anything to do with it on a national level I would insist that every school makes dispute resolution part of their curriculum. Dispute resolution is very, very important for our country.”

Mr Ferguson, meanwhile, confirmed that he and Mr D’Aguilar met on Sunday and “did what we have to do” in respect of settling the terms and financial details of the Grand Lucayan managers’ voluntary separation payout.

“We will finalise it all on Monday,” he said. “The workers are very optimistic, very upbeat and, in fact, they’re elated that we have gotten to the point we have.

I’m certain we would have gone a long way in sorting out whatever the issues were.”

The government has increased its collective payout offer by $500,000 to $3.7m, upping this from the $3.2m left on the table by the Grand Lucayan’s Board. In addition, the departing managers will also be able to access some $700,000 that was invested in an annuity with Family

Guardian as part of their retirement income.

“We have agreed to pay them $3.7m. They have other funds that are in an annuity with Family Guardian, which they will be entitled to tap into as well. That will take the total payout to $4.4m,” Mr D’Aguilar said last week.

“This is a good day for Grand Bahama. It allows the employees to go home with a lump sum and prepare for the upcoming employment opportunities that are going to present themselves with the Carnival port and Royal Caribbean acquisition of the Grand Lucayan.”

The voluntary payout for Grand Lucayan managers has dragged on for more seven months, becoming contentious at several stages. The Grand Lucayan’s Board and Minnis administration originally took the position that they had committed an extra $500,000 of taxpayer monies over and above what BHMA members were due under the law in a bid to settle, and were not prepared to go beyond the $3.2m offer.

Mr Ferguson last week said the Bahamas Hotel Managerial Association (BHMA) had some 46 members left at the Grand Lucayan, and “accommodations are also being made for them if and when they decide to sever their relationship with the hotel”.

LEGAL NOTICE

NOTICE International Business Companies Act (No. 46 of 2000)

ILEXA INC. Registration Number: 32728 B Pursuant to the provisions of Section 138 (8) of the International Business Companies Act, 2000 notice is hereby given that ILEXA INC. has been dissolved and has been struck off the Register of Companies with effect from the 15th day of April, 2019. _____________________________ GSO Corporate Services Ltd. Liquidator

LIQUIDATOR ______________________

LIQUIDATOR ______________________

LEGAL NOTICE

LEGAL NOTICE

LEGAL NOTICE

NOTICE

NOTICE

NOTICE

PINK FLAMINGO INVESTMENTS LTD In Voluntary Liquidation

TENAJ ENTERPRISES LIMITED

ASIA WEST INTERNATIONAL S.A. In Voluntary Liquidation

Notice is hereby given that in accordance with Section 138(4) of the International Business Companies Act. 2000, PINK FLAMINGO INVESTMENTS LTD. is in dissolution as of April 29, 2019.

Notice is hereby given that in accordance with Section 138(4) of the International Business Companies Act. 2000, TENAJ ENTERPRISES LIMITED. is in dissolution as of April 29, 2019.

International Liquidator Services Inc. situated at 3rd Floor Whitfield Tower, 4792 Coney Drive, Belize City, Belize is the Liquidator.

In Voluntary Liquidation

International Liquidator Services Inc. situated at 3rd Floor Whitfield Tower, 4792 Coney Drive, Belize City, Belize is the Liquidator.

Notice is hereby given that in accordance with Section 138(4) of the International Business Companies Act. 2000, ASIA WEST INTERNATIONAL S.A. is in dissolution as of April 26, 2019.

Inka Farhana Binte Jeffery situated at Blk 145 Tampines Street 12 #09-346 Singapore 521145 is the Liquidator.

LIQUIDATOR ______________________ LIQUIDATOR ______________________

LIQUIDATOR ______________________

THE TRIBUNE

Tuesday, May 7, 2019, PAGE 5

Bahamas First chief ‘very confident’ over VAT deal FROM PAGE ONE introduction of VAT on insurance seems to have been averted, as a result of constructive negotiations with the relevant authorities in the Government of The Bahamas.”

Elsewhere, Mr Ward told Tribune Business both Bahamas First’s agency and brokerage acquisitions from 2018 were on target to achieve the maximum purchase price for their former owners.

The final prices paid for CMA Insurance Agents & Brokers and Response Agency depend on Bahamas First retaining a minimum percentage of the insurance portfolios it acquired from them one year later, which is 85 percent in both .

Both deals were concluded on October 1 last year, and Mr Ward told this newspaper: “That’s historically been the way we’ve approached these type of acquisitions so, at the end of the year, as long as the

portfolio hits the target in terms of retention then the full acquisition price is paid. If not, it’s reduced by a percentage.

“In the case of both of them, at this stage it appears as if both will hit the minimum target set as part of the agreement. Both of them have 85 percent minimum targets.”

In CMA’s case, the purchase price was $1.5m.

Some 75 percent, or $1.125m, was paid on the acquisition date, with the balance of $417,900 due on October 1, 2019, depending on whether the portfolio meets its retention target and an audit of retained earnings.

Bahamas First also allowed CMA’s owners to take out a pre-completion dividend of $832,439, representing 50 percent of the company’s retained earnings as at end-September 2017. In the case of Response, the agreed purchase price is $850,000, some $680,000 of which was paid by year-end 2018. The

balance, again, depends on hitting the minimum retention rate.

Both acquisitions are likely structured this way because the true value to Bahamas First lies in retaining these two agencies’ client portfolios within its NUA subsidiaries, rather than see theme defect to rival carriers, so that it captures an increased earnings stream over several years.

The release of Bahamas First’s annual results also coincided with the affirmation of its financial strength rating of A- (Excellent), and long-term issuer credit rating of “a-”, for both its Bahamian and Cayman businesses by AM Best, the international insurance rating agency. The outlook was ‘stable’.

“We’re always very happy to have our rating reaffirmed, particularly since they gave a stable outlook for both The Bahamas and Cayman,” Mr Ward said. “We spend a lot of time and energy to ensure we do everything possible

to maintain that level of creditworthiness.

“Customers have an independent verification of our financial strength, and it gives them third party assurance from a recognised rating institution that our claims paying ability is outstanding relative to our peers and not just by local standards but international standards.”

AM Best, in its statement, said: “The ratings of Bahamas First and Cayman First reflect the group’s balance sheet strength, which AM Best categorises as strongest, as well as its adequate operating performance, neutral business profile and appropriate enterprise risk management (ERM).

“The balance sheet strength is derived from the group’s risk-adjusted capitalisation being at the strongest level, and its ability to raise capital if needed.

This is offset partially by a high dependence on the reinsurance markets to protect capital in the event of

MICROSOFT OFFERS SOFTWARE TOOLS TO SECURE ELECTIONS Associated Press MICROSOFT has announced an ambitious effort to make voting secure, verifiable and subject to reliable audits by registering ballots in encrypted form so they can be accurately and independently tracked long after they are cast.

Two of the three top US elections vendors have expressed interest in potentially incorporating the open-source software into their voting systems.

The software is being developed with Galois, an Oregon-based company separately creating a secure voting system prototype under contract with the Pentagon’s advanced research agency, DARPA. Dubbed “ElectionGuard”, it will be available this summer, Microsoft says, with early prototypes ready to pilot for next year’s US general elections.

CEO Satya Nadella announced the initiative yesterday at a developer’s conference in Seattle,

MICROSOFT CEO Satya Nadella delivers the keynote address at Build, the company’s annual conference for software developers yesterday in Seattle.

Photo: Elaine Thompson/AP saying the software development kit would help “modernise all of the election infrastructure everywhere in the world”.

Three little-known US companies control about 90 percent of the market for election equipment, but have long faced criticism for poor security, antiquated technology and insufficient transparency around their proprietary, black-box voting systems.

Open-source software is inherently more secure because the underlying code is easily scrutinised

by outside experts but has been shunned by the dominant vendors whose customers — the nation’s 10,000 election jurisdictions — are mostly strapped for cash.

None offered bids when Travis County, Texas, home to Austin, sought to build a system with the “end-toend” verification attributes that ElectionGuard promises to deliver.

Two of the leading vendors, Election Systems & Software of Omaha, Nebraska, and Hart InterCivic of Austin, Texas,

both expressed interest in partnering with Microsoft for ElectionGuard. A spokeswoman for a third vendor, Dominion Voting Systems of Denver, said the company looks forward to “learning more” about the initiative.

Anyone with an existing voting system or developing a new one will be able to incorporate ElectionGuard — at the state or local level in the US or national level for jurisdictions abroad.

natural catastrophes. Furthermore, capital growth may be constrained because of the operating companies’ continuing obligation to pay dividends to Bahamas First Holdings (the parent) to service its outstanding debt.”

It added: “In recent years, the group’s operating performance has been favourable, especially in years with little impact from major hurricanes affecting the Bahamas or Cayman Islands. Overall earnings have supported capital growth, despite highly competitive markets and difficult economic conditions.

“The business profile is

considered neutral because the group has leading market positions and operations in the Bahamas and Cayman Islands. As a consequence, it benefits somewhat from geographic diversification and product mix, which help to stabilise earnings through market cycles and reduce the impact of catastrophic events.

“AM Best anticipates that the group will continue to produce favourable earnings in non-catastrophe affected years, and that its strong surplus position and comprehensive reinsurance programme will continue to keep the balance sheet at the strongest level.”

PAGE 6, Tuesday, May 7, 2019 WASHINGTON Associated Press ACCUSING Beijing of “reneging” on commitments it made in earlier talks, the nation’s top trade negotiator said yesterday that the Trump administration will increase tariffs on $200bn in Chinese goods on Friday, a sharp escalation in a yearlong trade dispute.

At the same time, a Chinese trade delegation is expected to arrive in Washington to resume negotiations on Thursday, a day later than originally planned.

At a briefing with reporters, neither US Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer nor Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin offered details of China’s alleged backsliding, and there was no immediate response from Beijing.

Mnuchin said Trump officials learned over the weekend that Chinese officials “were trying to go back on some of the language” that had been negotiated in ten earlier rounds of talks.

The US officials said that at 12.01am Eastern time on Friday, the administration will raise the tariffs from 10% to 25%. President Donald Trump had announced those plans via Twitter on Sunday, expressing frustration with the pace of negotiations. The hit list includes such varied products as baseball gloves, vacuum cleaners and burglar alarms.

The reiteration yesterday of the president’s threat from high-level Trump officials reinforced the administration’s determination to put Beijing on the defensive.

By threatening to raise taxes on Chinese imports, Trump is throwing down a challenge to Beijing: Agree to sweeping changes in China’s government-dominated economic model — or suffer the consequences.

The unexpected ultimatum shook up financial markets, which had expected the world’s two biggest economies to resolve a yearlong standoff over trade, perhaps by the end of the week.

“It’s a significant change in the president’s tone,” said Timothy Keeler, a partner at the law firm Mayer Brown

THE TRIBUNE

US plans to hike tariffs Friday, says China broke promises PRESIDENT Donald Trump turned up the pressure on China on Sunday threatening to hike tariffs on $200bn worth of Chinese goods.

and former chief of staff for the US Trade Representative office. “It certainly increases the possibility that you’ll have no deal.”

For weeks, Trump administration officials had been suggesting that the US and Chinese negotiators were making steady progress.

Suddenly on Sunday, Trump said he had lost patience: “The Trade Deal with China continues, but too slowly, as they attempt to renegotiate. No!” he tweeted.

Trump also said he planned “shortly” to slap 25% tariffs on another $325bn in Chinese products, covering everything China ships to the United States.

The two countries are engaged in high-stakes commercial combat over China’s aggressive push to establish Chinese companies as world leaders in cutting-edge fields such as robotics and electric vehicles.

The United States accuses Beijing of predatory practices, including hacking into US companies’ computers to steal trade secrets, forcing

foreign firms to hand over technology in exchange for access to the Chinese market and unfairly subsidising Chinese firms at the expense of foreign competitors.

The Trump administration has imposed 10% tariffs on $200bn in Chinese imports and 25% tariffs on another $50bn. The Chinese have retaliated by targeting $110bn in US imports.

Global stock markets sank yesterday on Trump’s tweetstorm. But shares in the United States regained some of the lost ground on news that Chinese officials were planning to go ahead with this week’s meetings in Washington. Still, the Chinese government did not provide details on exactly when talks would resume and who would be on China’s negotiating team.

US officials said they expected that China’s delegation would be led again by Vice Premier Liu He, a confidante of Chinese President Xi Jinping.

Beijing is wrestling with an internal conflict: It is eager to end a trade fight that has

battered Chinese exporters, but it doesn’t want to look like it’s bowing to the Trump administration’s demands for far-reaching concessions.

Trump’s threat makes going ahead with talks “very difficult politically” for Xi’s government, said Jake Parker, vice president of the US-China Business Council.

He said the Chinese public might “view this as a capitulation” if Beijing reached an agreement before Trump’s Friday deadline.

The conflict is testing how far Beijing is willing to go in changing a state-led economic model it sees as the path to prosperity and global influence — and how much power Washington will have to enforce any agreement.

Beijing is willing to change industrial plans that provoke foreign opposition but wants to preserve the ruling Communist Party’s dominant role in directing economic development, said Willy Lam, a politics specialist at the Chinese University of Hong Kong.

Chinese officials have said

MARKET REPORT MONDAY, 6 MAY 2019

NOTICE

BISX ALL SHARE INDEX: CLOSE 2,169.65 | CHG 11.69 | %CHG 0.54 | YTD 60.20 | YTD% 2.85 52WK LOW 3.50 19.17 4.90 3.50 1.00 0.19 2.00 8.85 6.11 3.54 10.00 2.30 1.50 7.25 6.10 10.10 6.20 3.01 12.51

SECURITY AML Foods Limited APD Limited Bahamas Property Fund Bahamas Waste Bank of Bahamas Benchmark Cable Bahamas CIBC FirstCaribbean Bank Colina Holdings Commonwealth Bank Commonwealth Brewery Consolidated Water BDRs Doctor's Hospital Emera Incorporated Famguard Fidelity Bank Finco Focol J. S. Johnson

SYMBOL AML APD BPF BWL BOB BBL CAB CIB CHL CBL CBB CWCB DHS EMAB FAM FBB FIN FCL JSJ

LAST CLOSE 3.97 17.43 6.00 5.39 2.47 1.98 2.01 10.76 6.16 4.47 10.00 2.60 1.79 9.16 6.60 15.57 7.25 3.50 14.00

CLOSE 4.07 17.43 6.00 5.39 2.47 1.98 2.01 10.94 6.16 4.47 10.00 2.59 1.79 9.14 7.00 15.57 7.25 3.50 14.00

CHANGE 0.10 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.18 0.00 0.00 0.00 -0.01 0.00 -0.02 0.40 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00

1000.00 1000.00 1000.00 1000.00 1.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 10.00 1.00

1000.00 1000.00 1000.00 1000.00 1.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 10.00 1.00

0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00

CLOSE 100.00

CHANGE 0.00

107.31 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00

0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00

VOLUME 2,300

1,300

1,000

EPS$ 0.167 0.932 -0.306 0.323 0.098 0.000 -0.431 0.708 0.480 0.154 0.627 0.102 0.209 0.000 0.636 0.834 0.950 0.205 0.631

DIV$ 0.130 1.260 0.000 0.240 0.000 0.020 0.000 0.710 0.220 0.120 0.620 0.068 0.060 0.328 0.240 0.500 0.200 0.090 0.600

P/E 24.4 18.7 N/M 16.7 N/M N/M -4.7 15.5 12.8 29.0 15.9 25.4 8.6 N/M 11.0 18.7 7.6 17.1 22.2

YIELD 3.19% 7.23% 0.00% 4.45% 0.00% 1.01% 0.00% 6.49% 3.57% 2.68% 6.20% 2.63% 3.35% 3.59% 3.43% 3.21% 2.76% 2.57% 4.29%

0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000

0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000

0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0

0.00% 0.00% 0.00% 0.00% 6.25% 6.25% 6.25% 6.25% 6.25% 6.25% 6.25% 7.00% 6.50%

PREFERENCE SHARES 1000.00 1000.00 1000.00 1000.00

1000.00 1000.00 1000.00 1000.00

1.00 103.00 100.00 100.00 105.00 103.00 100.00 10.00 1.01

1.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 10.00 1.00

Cable Bahamas Series 6 Cable Bahamas Series 8 Cable Bahamas Series 9 Cable Bahamas Series 10 Colina Holdings Class A Commonwealth Bank Class E Commonwealth Bank Class J Commonwealth Bank Class K Commonwealth Bank Class L Commonwealth Bank Class M Commonwealth Bank Class N Fidelity Bank Class A Focol Class B

amount of tariffs to remain in place just in case the Chinese don’t honour their promises,” Lam said. “The Chinese refuse to give the Americans the right to penalise them.”

The Chinese are also skittish about allowing Washington to dictate changes to industrial policy and subsidies, said Raoul Leering, a trade specialist for Dutch bank ING. They see that as “having another country decide your economic policy”.

Trump also seems to be calculating that Xi needs a deal more than he does. The Chinese economy is decelerating. “Trump believes he can bully the Chinese,” Lam said. “Trump realises the Chinese economy is facing a rough patch, and Xi Jinping is under pressure from his own people.”

But Trump also has an incentive to reach a deal.

The trade war is creating uncertainty for businesses trying to decide where to buy supplies, locate factories and make investments.

And it’s been weighing on a strong US stock market, which the president likes to tout as evidence that his economic policies are working.

t. 242.323.2330 | f. 242.323.2320 | www.bisxbahamas.com

BISX LISTED & TRADED SECURITIES 52WK HI 4.50 20.91 7.00 5.50 2.50 1.98 3.35 11.00 6.16 4.64 12.50 2.74 1.96 9.02 7.00 15.60 7.25 4.25 14.00

they are willing to let foreign companies participate in plans that call for government-led creation of global competitors in robotics and other technologies. But they have yet to release details, and it is unclear whether the concessions will satisfy Trump.

Xi is “adamant about party-state control over major sectors of the economy,” Lam said. “If they give this up, then China in effect ceases to be a socialist country.”

Beijing agreed early on to narrow its trade surplus with the United States — a staggering $379bn last year — by purchasing more American soybeans, natural gas and other exports.

At the same time, Xi’s government has announced a steady drumbeat of promises to open markets — in businesses that include auto manufacturing and banking. But none of the moves directly addresses American complaints.

The negotiators are also looking for a way to hold Beijing to any commitments it makes. The Trump administration wants to keep tariffs on Chinese imports to maintain leverage over Beijing.

“Trump wants a certain

CAB6 CAB8 CAB9 CAB10 CHLA CBLE CBLJ CBLK CBLL CBLM CBLN FBBA FCLB

10

NOTICE is hereby given that CHINICA JEAN, of Marsh Harbour Abaco, Bahamas P.O.Box N- 9426 is applying to the Minister responsible for Nationality and Citizenship, for Registration Naturalization as a citizen of The Bahamas, and that any person who knows any reason why registration/ naturalization should not be granted, should send a written and signed statement of the facts within twenty-eight days from the 30th day of April, 2019 to the Minister responsible for Nationality and Citizenship, P.O. Box N-7147, Nassau, New Providence, The Bahamas.

NOTICE

CORPORATE DEBT - (percentage pricing) 52WK HI 100.00

52WK LOW 100.00

SECURITY Fidelity Bank Note 22 (Series B) +

SYMBOL FBB22

LAST SALE 100.00

VOLUME

INTEREST Prime + 1.75%

MATURITY 19-Oct-2022

BAHAMAS GOVERNMENT STOCK - (percentage pricing) 115.92 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 ##########

104.79 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00

Bahamas Note 6.95 (2029) BGS: 2015-1-3Y BGS: 2014-12-5Y BGS: 2015-1-5Y BGS: 2014-12-7Y BGS: 2015-1-7Y BGS: 2014-12-30Y BGS: 2015-1-30Y BGS: 2015-6-3Y BGS: 2015-6-5Y BGS: 2015-6-7Y BGS: 2015-6-30Y BGS: 2015-10-3Y BGS: 2015-10-5Y BGS: 2015-10-7Y

BAH29 BG0203 BG0105 BG0205 BG0107 BG0207 BG0130 BG0230 BG0303 BG0305 BG0307 BG0330 BG0403 BG0405 BG0407

107.31 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00

6.95% 4.00% 4.25% 4.25% 4.50% 4.50% 6.25% 6.25% 4.00% 4.25% 4.50% 6.25% 3.50% 3.88% 4.25%

############### 30-Jul-2018 16-Dec-2019 30-Jul-2020 15-Dec-2021 30-Jul-2022 15-Dec-2044 30-Jul-2045 26-Jun-2018 26-Jun-2020 26-Jun-2022 26-Jun-2045 15-Oct-2018 15-Oct-2020 15-Oct-2022

MUTUAL FUNDS 52WK HI 2.20 4.24 2.04 184.51 158.55 1.61 1.75 1.70 1.14 6.99 8.54 6.15 10.52 11.46 10.46 10.00 8.69 11.79

52WK LOW 1.67 3.04 1.68 164.74 116.70 1.55 1.68 1.64 1.08 6.41 7.62 5.66 8.65 10.54 9.57 9.88 8.45 11.20

FUND CFAL Bond Fund CFAL Balanced Fund CFAL Money Market Fund CFAL Global Bond Fund CFAL Global Equity Fund FG Financial Preferred Income Fund FG Financial Growth Fund FG Financial Diversified Fund FG Financial Global USD Bond Fund Royal Fidelity Bahamas Opportunities Fund - Secured Balanced Fund Royal Fidelity Bahamas Opportunities Fund - Targeted Equity Fund Royal Fidelity Bahamas Opportunities Fund - Prime Income Fund Royal Fidelity Int'l Fund - Equities Sub Fund Royal Fidelity Int'l Fund - High Yield Fund Royal Fidelity Int'l Fund - Alternative Strategies Fund Colonial Bahamas Fund Class D Colonial Bahamas Fund Class E Colonial Bahamas Fund Class F

NAV 2.22 4.22 2.04 184.51 147.81 1.61 1.75 1.70 1.14 7.54 8.73 6.65 10.66 11.79 10.48 9.92 8.69 11.79

YTD% 12 MTH% 0.58% 3.94% -0.39% 1.53% 0.43% 2.52% 3.26% 3.26% -3.65% -3.65% 1.15% 4.41% 0.59% 4.31% 0.92% 4.16% 2.79% 4.80% -1.08% 1.77% -5.96% -3.05% 1.90% 4.59% 7.24% 11.96% 2.77% 3.88% 3.94% 4.69% -0.71% 0.16% 3.96% 7.75% 8.34% 14.88

NAV Date 28-Feb-2019 28-Feb-2019 22-Feb-2019 31-Dec-2018 31-Dec-2018 31-Mar-2019 31-Mar-2019 31-Mar-2019 31-Mar-2019 28-Feb-2019 28-Feb-2019 28-Feb-2019 28-Feb-2019 28-Feb-2019 28-Feb-2019 30-Sep-2018 30-Sep-2018 30-Sep-2018

MARKET TERMS BISX ALL SHARE INDEX - 19 Dec 02 = 1,000.00 52wk-Hi - Highest closing price in last 52 weeks 52wk-Low - Lowest closing price in last 52 weeks Previous Close - Previous day's weighted price for daily volume Today's Close - Current day's weighted price for daily volume Change - Change in closing price from day to day Daily Vol. - Number of total shares traded today DIV $ - Dividends per share paid in the last 12 months P/E - Closing price divided by the last 12 month earnings

YIELD - last 12 month dividends divided by closing price Bid $ - Buying price of Colina and Fidelity Ask $ - Selling price of Colina and fidelity Last Price - Last traded over-the-counter price Weekly Vol. - Trading volume of the prior week EPS $ - A company's reported earnings per share for the last 12 mths NAV - Net Asset Value N/M - Not Meaningful

TO TRADE CALL: CFAL 242-502-7010 | ROYALFIDELITY 242-356-7764 | FG CAPITAL MARKETS 242-396-4000 | COLONIAL 242-502-7525 | LENO 242-396-3225

NOTICE is hereby given that CHONKEN JEAN-PIERRE of McKinney Drive off Carmichael Road, New Providence, Bahamas is applying to the Minister responsible for Nationality and Citizenship, for Registration Naturalization as a citizen of The Bahamas, and that any person who knows any reason why registration/naturalization should not be granted, should send a written and signed statement of the facts within twentyeight days from the 7th day of May, 2019 to the Minister responsible for Nationality and Citizenship, P.O. Box N-7147, Nassau, New Providence, The Bahamas.

NOTICE NOTICE is hereby given that SHENIKA SYLVESTRE of P.O. Box N-9704, East Street, New Providence, Bahamas is applying to the Minister responsible for Nationality and Citizenship, for Registration Naturalization as a citizen of The Bahamas, and that any person who knows any reason why registration/naturalization should not be granted, should send a written and signed statement of the facts within twenty-eight days from the 7th day of May, 2019 to the Minister responsible for Nationality and Citizenship, P.O. Box N-7147, Nassau, New Providence, The Bahamas.

THE TRIBUNE

Tuesday, May 7, 2019, PAGE 7

BODY AND MIND

LEARNING HOW TO UTILISE ‘FARM TO TABLE’ PRACTICES FOR FAMILY MEALS

By JEFFARAH GIBSON Tribune Features Writer jgibson@tribunemedia.net

N

ew ways to prepare meals using fresh ingredients that come straight from the field will be the highlight of the Ministry of Health’s new “Watcha Cookin” show airing this Thursday.

The second episode of the show puts a special focus on farm-totable ingredients and airs on ZNS at 8pm, with re-broadcasts on Saturdays at 1pm.

An initiative spearheaded by Minister of Health Duane Sands, the show is designed to give parents unique and healthy meal options that can be easily introduced into their families’ diets.

On the upcoming episode, special guest Chef Marcella Evans-Ingraham of Atlantis Kids Adventure, along with host

Denielle Miller, will demonstrate how to prepare braised lamb shanks, roasted garlic mashed potatoes, avocado, tomato and mozzarella salad.

The format of the show is to have the host cooking with a guest chef – both professional and home cooks – and interact with a panel that consists of any combination of Ministry of Health and private sector nutritionists, doctors, therapists, business owners and health advocates, said Candice Major-Lightbourne, a communications administrative officer at the ministry.

Panellists for this episode include Tonjia Burrows, senior food processing officer for BAIC; Dr Patti Symonette, a licenced nutritionist and Wellness Centre proprietor, and Dr Selima Hauber, a horticulturist and owner of the Field-to-Fork community farm.

The episode also focuses on the importance of backyard farming.

It will give tips for viewers on how

CHEF Marcella Evans-Ingraham prepares lamb shanks as host Denielle Miller looks on.

BRAISED lamb shanks, roasted garlic mashed potatoes, avocado, tomato and mozzarella salad. to start and maintain their own garden, no matter the size of the space they have available, how to properly store fruits and vegetables as well as different methods of preparing food.

Although the items for the show are purchased from a local grocery store store, viewers are

encouraged to visit farmer’s markets to purchase locally grown fruits, vegetables, eggs and meats.

“Watcha Cookin’” is part of a wellness campaign imagined and executed under the leadership of Dr Sands.

The main aim of the show is to empower Bahamians with

ACNE TREATMENT: ANTIBIOTICS DON’T NEED TO KILL BACTERIA TO CLEAR UP YOUR SKIN

By ADAM FRIEDMAN George Washington University

and Streptococcus resistant.

(THE CONVERSATION) – Acne is one of the most common dermatologic diseases, affecting tens of millions of people each year. While best known as a bothersome part of puberty, affecting approximately 85 percent of young people, acne can persist (or even start) in adulthood, causing emotional and physical distress and sometimes permanent disfigurement.

Many people with acne will be prescribed antibiotics for treatment at some point. In fact, about five million prescriptions for oral antibiotics are written each year for the treatment of acne in the United States. While dermatologists comprise one percent of physicians overall, they are responsible for five percent of all antibiotic prescriptions written.

Even though national recommendations say that a course of antibiotics to treat acne shouldn’t last more than three months, a study published in the Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology found that the average amount of time a patient is prescribed an oral antibiotic is actually over 300 days.

Antibiotics may be prescribed at higher doses than what is really needed to treat acne. While antibiotics can kill the bacteria associated with acne, it’s their anti-inflammatory effects, not their antimicrobial effects, that yield the biggest skin-clearing benefits.

The result is that the bacteria associated with acne are becoming resistant to common antibiotics – and this overuse also contributes to more harmful bacteria, like Staphlycoccus aureus

What is acne anyway?

Acne is a chronic inflammatory skin condition, characterised by blackheads and whiteheads (called comedones), pimples, and deeper lumps (cysts or nodules).

They are caused when hair follicles are clogged with oil, bacteria and dead skins cells, and can occur on the face, neck, chest, back, shoulders and upper arms.

While once thought to be a direct result of overactive sebaceous oil glands, now we know that inflammation is the driving force behind acne. In fact, this inflammation can be seen in the skin even before a pimple pops up. And clogged follicles can also stimulate more inflammation.

The bacterium that lends its name to the condition Propionibacterium acnes, is just one of the factors that stimulates this acnecausing inflammation.

Hereditary and genetic factors, hormones, emotional stress and even diet can also bring on the zits. For instance, foods with a high glycemic load such as white grains (bread, rice, pasta) and sweets have been linked to acne, as they can increase oil production and skin cell turnover. This ultimately causes a backup in the pores and follicles on our skin – creating a nice environment for the inflammation-inducing P. acnes to flourish.

Treating the inflammation can help prevent acne from developing, and the potent antiinflammatory effects of antibiotics can help to treat acne, much more than their ability to kill bacteria.

For instance, the tetracycline class of antibiotics, such as doxycycline and minocycline, can inhibit the

practical nutrition facts that will help them better navigate the grocery aisles and be more conscientious about food purchasing, preparation and preservation practices.

Each episode seeks to take viewers on an exciting health discovery, exploring topics such as appropriate portion sizes, navigating nutrition labels, incorporating the revised breadbasket contents, eating locally grown foods, starting a backyard garden, and other practical and delicious ways to prepare budget-friendly tasty family meals.

The show also offers the viewers opportunities to participate via social media and win prizes.

According to statistics by the Ministry of Health, 83 percent of school aged children do not eat the recommended amounts of fruits and vegetables; 42 percent eat salty foods at least two times per day; 30 percent eat fast food at least three times per week, and 69 percent drink one or more sugary beverages each day.

Among Bahamian adults, 90 percent do not eat the recommended amounts of fruits and vegetables; 37 percent eat out more than two meals per day, and 73 percent are physically inactive.

These poor habits have left our country with 92,493 people with diabetes; 132,741 with hypertension, and over 600 with end-stage renal disease. The annual cost for dialysis treatment in the country is $25.5 million.

The vision of the Ministry of Health is an optimal level of health and well-being of all residents of the Bahamas, and “Watcha Cookin’” is designed to do its part in ensuring this vision becomes a reality. inflammation and matrix metalloproteinases. Retinoids also affect the various genes involved in producing the structural components of the skin, such as collagen and elastin, improving the appearance of scars.

becoming

production of pro-inflammatory signalling molecules.

They also inhibit overactive demolition enzymes called matrix metalloproteinases.

Normally, these enzymes help keep our skin healthy, breaking down old and dying structures to allow new ones to be built up. But when they’re overactive, these enzymes can damage the hair and oil gland unit as well as surrounding supporting structures in the skin.

When that happens, these enzymes contribute to the formation of the big, angry, red, cystic acne lesion, and they can also contribute to the creation of pitted scars.

This is why antibiotics are used to treat acne, but also rosacea, razor bumps and scarring hair loss, to name a few other dermatological conditions.

We need to change how we use antibiotics Thanks to using higher-thanneeded doses of antibiotics and keeping patients on them for longer than recommended, the P. acne and other skin bacteria, like Staphlyococcus aureus (MRSA, the multi-drug resistant strain of staph bacteria) have developed resistance to multiple topical and oral antibiotics used to treat this disease chronically. For instance, 20 or 30 years ago, the antibiotic erythromycin was used frequently to treat acne, but now both bacteria are uniformly resistant.

So far we have not seen too much resistance to the tetracycline class of antibiotics used today, but they too will be on their way out if we do not change our prescribing patterns.

This is frustrating because antibiotics don’t need to kill bacteria to treat acne. Clearing P. acnes from the area can be helpful, but the bacteria is just one stimulus of inflammation, so removing it is an assist, not a win.

And research has shown that the desired anti-inflammatory effects can be achieved at sub-antibacterial dosing. This means that the needed dose is so low that it can’t kill good bacteria or challenge pathogenic bacteria to become resistant.

And antibiotics should never be prescribed on their own to treat acne. In fact, treatment guidelines always recommend that antibiotics be combined with a nonantibiotic topical treatment.

An oldie but goodie is benzoyl peroxide in a relatively low strength (2.5 percent, compared to the 8-10 percent that you get at the drugstore). It can kill P. acnes, but because it’s not an antibiotic, bacteria can’t become resistant to it. It can also break down the skin overgrowth covering the pore, which leads to blemishes.

Retinoids, derived from vitamin A, are by far the most effective topical anti-acne drugs.

They limit pore clogging, inhibit

The future of acne treatment A future direction in acne treatment development is utilising agents that can kill P. acnes but that don’t lead to microbial resistance.

For instance, there are studies using synthetic antimicrobial peptides, tiny strings of amino acids that can physically destroy P. acnes. This remedy would likely be used in conjunction with other therapies that can treat other causes of acne.

Even more promising is the use of nitric oxide, one of the most important and potent biological molecules, which can both kill P.acnes without the risk of it or any other bacteria developing resistance and inhibit multiple elements of inflammation involved in the formation of the vicious pimple. The limitation to date has been delivery, as nitric oxide is highly unstable.

But nanotechnology might provide a way of delivering nitric oxide to treat acne. I, along with collaborators at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine and the University of California, Los Angeles, have shown that a nanoparticle capable of generating low levels of nitric oxide over time could hit all the key pathologic elements that lead to acne.

In the meantime, if you are prescribed antibiotics for acne, ask your doctor how long you need to take them and if the dose is appropriate. And try to avoid popping those zits.

• This article is republished from The Conversation, an independent and nonprofit source of news, analysis and commentary from academic experts. Read the original article here: http://theconversation.com.

PAGE 8, Tuesday, May 7, 2019

THE TRIBUNE

IMPOTENCE IN YOUNG MEN: IS PORN THE CAUSE? Every man will face some form of erectile dysfunction is his lifetime, whether it takes the form of poor quality erections, difficulty maintaining an erection, or premature ejaculation. To attain and sustain an erection, a man requires an adequate penile blood supply and nerve supply and sufficient male hormone testosterone, amongst other physiological components but the psychological and emotion contribution can have a potentially profoundly negative affect on erectile function.

Erectile dysfunction (ED) is often thought of as a disorder affecting older men, but the number of young adult men who experience ED is steadily rising.

ED is quickly becoming an equal age opportunity disorder.

The number of young men less than 35 years of age who experience erectile problems was estimated to be less than two percent to three percent before the year 2002, but current studies have shown that 14 to 35 percent of younger men now face ED. The culprit is mainly thought to be the steady rise in readily available free streaming pornography.

There was a recognised surge in the free availability of high definition porn in the early 2000s.

According to a 2013 study published in The Journal of Sexual Medicine, nearly one in four newly diagnosed patients with erectile dysfunction was less than 40 years old.

The term is “porn induced erectile dysfunction” (PIED), a condition that has been exhaustively scientifically studied in recent years.

Researchers have studied the brain images of young male compulsive pornography users and they have discovered brain changes that are seen in other addictions such as those to drugs and alcohol.

Porn is rewiring the brains of many young men. Research is showing that watching even three hours of porn a week can cause structural brain changes in regards to sexual stimulation.

Watching porn triggers the release

THE UROLOGY DOCTOR IS IN...

Dr Greggory Pinto

of dopamine that causes men to experience pleasure, and when that pleasure is triggered over and over, it leads men to repeatedly seek out the porn that initially created the pleasurable response; similar to a drug addict seeking out the response to cocaine, for example, repeatedly.

Every time a man watches porn, or heightens the experience with masturbation, there is a strengthening of the brain’s arousal pathway to dopamine release and pleasure; during which the pathways connecting arousal to physical arousal from another partner is not used. The end result is that many men who watch porn compulsively do not respond to natural forms of sexual stimulation with a partner and can only be aroused by more pornography.

Scores of men have difficulty achieving and maintaining erections without the input of porn, because their brains need that level of stimulation from porn to

achieve arousal. Porn can potentially lead to the desensitisation of men’s sexual arousal to real live women.

It is all not so straightforward as some scientific researchers have proposed that porn actually helps with ED. For most young men with ED, there is likely no single identifiable cause.

In regards to PIED, it is thought to have created unrealistic expectations for young men and many young men need to progressively increase sexual stimulation from porn to become aroused and stay aroused. Porn overload can lead some men to no longer be aroused by the presence of a partner.

Reducing the input of porn, has shown to allow for the brain to reboot and erectile function within a relationship to improve.

The brain is a resilient organ and erectile dysfunction caused by porn can be reversed by removing or reducing the porn exposure.

More young men are being diagnosed as obese and there are higher numbers of young adult men having both hypertension and diabetes.

Sickle cell disease causes erectile dysfunction in many afflicted Bahamian men.

Obesity as well as poorly controlled or undiagnosed high blood pressure and diabetes can impair blood and nerve supply to the penis.

Adrenal gland and thyroid disorders can cause erectile disturbances in younger and older men.

The number of young men being diagnosed with low testosterone is higher than ever before.

High alcohol intake, smoking, illicit drug use and opiate drug abuse all can potentially lead to erectile dysfunction for young men.

Anxiety and depression potentially could lead to erectile dysfunction in young men,

too. Nervousness related to performance, fear of unwanted pregnancy or concern regarding maintaining an erection, all could lead to erectile issues.

The issue of erectile dysfunction in young adult men is a complex issue and the direct link to pornography is strongly debated.

There is little doubt however that psychogenic erectile dysfunction that is unrelated to any physiological cause, is on the rise among young men Erectile dysfunction is an embarrassing and often traumatic subject for many men of all ages.

The real tragedy is not seeking help when solutions do exist.

Seek confidential and compassionate urology care in regards to any form of erectile dysfunction.

No matter what, you can always rise again.

• Dr Greggory Pinto is a board certified Bahamian urologist and laparoscopic surgeon trained in South Africa, Germany, and France. He can be reached at Urology Care Bahamas at the Surgical Suite, Centerville Medical Centre, # 68 Collins Avenue/ Sixth Terrace; at telephone 326-1929, e-mail: welcome@ urologycarebahamas.com or visit the website: www.urologycarebahamas.com.

CONNECTING HUMAN AND ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH Education is necessary not only to promote a healthy personal lifestyle, but also a healthy approach to the Bahamas’ world-famous environment.

That is why the Fourth Terrace Diagnostic Centre is making the connection between human health and environmental health by supporting the future environmental stewards of the Bahamas. The Diagnostic Centre is leading an important corporate charge by supporting the BNT’s Discovery Club.

The facility awarded 10 lucky students a chance to take part in the Discovery Club through their donation. The programme touches the lives of over 1,300 children and trains 200 teachers around the country.

In-house counsel for Fourth Terrace Diagnostic Centre, Simon E Darville said: “For over 30 years Fourth Terrace Diagnostic Centre has been committed to the health and well-being of the people of the Bahamas, just as the National Trust has been committed to the well-being of our natural resources.

Education is necessary not only to promote a healthy personal lifestyle, but also a healthy approach to our worldfamous environment. Fourth Terrace is

excited to support the National Trust Discovery Club kids programme.”

The BNT said it is thrilled by this level of corporate support from the Fourth Terrace Diagnostic Centre. The donation of $2,600 covers the costs of offering the award-winning club to the students for a full year.

BNT Director of Education Portia Sweeting said: “We thank the Fourth Terrace Diagnostic Centre for their donation to the Discovery Club programme that will allow us to connect more students with nature. Discovery Club is a national programme that reaches students on nine different islands. It allows members to explore nature through favourite pastimes such and camping, snorkelling, birdwatching and hikes, but more importantly, it allows us to train young people who will address enormous issues of our lifetime such as climate change and the environment.”

If you would like to join Fourth Terrace Diagnostic Centre in investing in the future of Bahamian youth, please contact the Bahamas National Trust at 393-1317 or supporttheparks@bnt.bs.

SOMETIMES IT’S ALL IN YOUR HEAD! the fact that you showed up and tried.

• Labelling – Calling yourself names instead of saying that you made a mistake. “I am a loser, I can’t even follow a diet.”

HEALTH COACH ETHAN QUANT, OF ELITE WELLNESS SOLUTIONS, HAS SUCCEEDED IN HIS WEIGHT LOSS JOURNEY AND NOW WANTS TO SHARE HIS METHODS WITH THE BAHAMAS IN AN EFFORT TO FOSTER A CULTURE OF WELLNESS AND CONQUER THE OBESITY EPIDEMIC. “I am a loser; I can’t even follow a diet. I will never be able to run for more than two minutes. Something must be wrong with me, I should be able to get this exercise down.”

These are just some of the things that I would tell myself on a daily basis when I was first staring on my 110-pound weight loss journey. As disturbing as these thoughts may be, I can assure you they are not even the worst of it.

I would look at myself in the mirror and spew the most hurtful and mean insults. If someone else was saying that to me I would have wanted to fight, yet I stood

ETHAN QUANT HEALTH COACH there saying it to myself. This type of inner dialogue would normally follow some event or incident that happened.

The fact is it didn’t even have to be directly related to my health wellness and fitness journey. It was just rooted in the fact that I believed because because I was overweight my life was a mess I know that I was not alone in this situation; most people regularly engage in negative self-talk.

These normally come in the form of cognitive distortions. Cognitive distortions are when you attach a not so objective interpretation

to what you experience based on your beliefs about yourself. The fact is that how you react to events is largely determined by your view or perception of the events rather than the events themselves.

It is very important to be able to spot these thoughts, or types of thinking, because they can hinder your success, not just on your health, wellness and fitness journey, but in life. Here are some cognitive distortions you should be on the lookout for: • All or nothing thinking – looking at things in black and white terms – “I will never be able

Ethan Quant. Photo: Shawn Hanna/ Tribune Staff to lose this weight” or “I always fail when I try to do anything healthy.”

• Disqualifying the positive; believing that accomplishments or positive qualities are meaningless.

“I only lost a pound this week, I might as well quit now.”

• Mental filter – Dwelling on the negatives and ignoring the positives – “I didn’t even finish the entire fitness class,” and ignoring

All of these are examples of cognitive distortions. The thing is that once you know what there are you can look out for them and correct them.

Some questions you can ask yourself are: • What is the evidence for and against thinking negative thoughts?

• What would I tell a loved one who was thinking the same way I am?

• What is the worst thing that could realistically happen? How bad would that be?

• Is there any way that I can look at this positively?

I know I say it all the time, but the race to health and wellness is a marathon, not a sprint. We have to remember to be patient in our process. It is my hope that the next time you start to think negatively about yourself you can recognise it for what it is and correct the behaviour.

Remember, if you need help navigating this or any part of your health wellness and fitness journey, please feel free to reach out to me directly. #letsgetit

THE TRIBUNE

Tuesday, May 7, 2019, PAGE 9

MOMS BOND WITH THEIR DAUGHTERS AT ARTSY PAJAMA PARTY

By ALESHA CADET Tribune Features Reporter acadet@tribunemedia.net

S

pa La La for Girls kicked off this year’s Mother’s Day activities with a bang by hosting a Mother and Daughter Pajama Paint Party at the New Providence Community Centre.

Participants were encouraged to grab their cutest PJs and enjoy a day of girl’s time that included face painting, canvas painting, a polish station, a pajama dance session, prizes and more.

Spa La La for Girls was founded

by LeTisha Paul in 2008 as a mobile spa party service for girls, providing pampering and fun beauty activities for birthdays and special events. Over the years, the organisation has evolved to provide fun events for the Brownie Troops and special entertainment sessions for beauty pageant contestants.

The group’s event themes and services have expanded and the team is now providing additional options such as cupcake and canvas parties, pamper and paint parties, pillow paint parties,

MOTHERS, grandmothers, aunts, sisters and daughters had fun creating art and getting pampered at this year’s pajama party ahead of Mother’s Day.

jewellery-making and cake sweet shop parties.

“The biggest inspiration behind events we host is knowing that most moms get just as excited as

their daughters at spa parties. The recent event (gave) moms as well as their kids an opportunity to have fun girl time together; doing some of the things that moms

enjoyed as girls at pajama parties. Their daughters are now experiencing these things such as wearing cute pajamas, getting pampered and taking fun selfies, all while being creative in the process,” said Ms Paul.

She believes the recent event also provided the perfect bonding experience for not only mothers, but also grandmothers, aunts and sisters. And all participants got to take home the painting they

created during the event; making it the perfect keepsake.

“The attendees painted a piece that centered around ‘The Colour of Love’, which is perfect as it promotes mommy-daughter love.

The goal was simply to promote wholesome family fun and the making of memories,” said Ms Paul.

Spa La La, she said, will be planning more events and workshops around holidays and specific themes.

YOUNG AIRPLANE PILOT FLIES THE FLORIDA SKIES Captain Ernea Miller is a Bahamian private pilot, flying the skies in Florida and charting her own course. The 21-year-old pilot is a student at the Flight Safety Academy in Vero Beach, Florida, who took time out from her busy schedule to stop at the Bahamas Ministry of Tourism’s booth during the recent Sun n’ Fun International Fly In and Aviation Expo in Lakeland, Florida, the second largest aviation conference in the world.

Licenced as a private pilot already, Captain Miller is scheduled to graduate with a multi-engine and commercial pilot licence and as a flight instructor this October.

The 2016 graduate of Saint Augustine’s College in Nassau plans to join the aviation team at Bahamasair, where she hopes to follow in her brother’s steps, Captain Devin Miller, a 30-year veteran pilot at Bahamasair.

Captain Miller said airplanes have always captivated her. As a child residing near the Lynden Pindling International Airport in Nassau, she said “the noise of the airplanes always excited me. This fascination led to my curiosity and deeper desire to learn more about the aviation industry.”

“From seaplanes and Cessnas to Grand Caravans, ATRs and 737-Dash series aircraft, I want to fly them all. The sky truly is the limit for me, and it is with great passion, determination and a steadfast commitment to this vital industry in tourism that I await the endless possibilities that lie ahead,” she said.

Captain Greg Rolle, a pilot and senior Director of Sports and Vertical Markets at the Bahamas Ministry of Tourism and Aviation, said he was impressed by the passion, determination and enthusiasm shown by Captain Miller.

(l-r) Earnestine Moxyz, global communications manager, MOTA; Captain Ernea Miller, and Captain Greg Rolle, Senior Director of Sports and Vertical Markets, MOTA. “Miller is a fine example of young, talented and skilled Bahamian professionals, making a difference in their chosen career field, we are proud of what she has accomplished and know that she is destined to positively

impact our tourism and aviation industry,” he said.

“Aviation plays such a vital part in our tourism mix, and from all indications, based on our current booking trends and visitor arrival numbers, we are on course

GRATITUDE – IT’S AN INSIDE JOB Gratitude. Do you spontaneously or consciously take time to feel grateful for the positive benefits or people impacting your life?

Sometimes we get so caught up in the daily business or busyness of our lives and what we must do or must get that we seldom take time to pause, be in the here and now and feel grateful for what we have. The key word here is “feel”, and I say that because I have been reading a research article by Arjun Walia in Collective Evolution: Consciousness, which explores what happens to our emotional and mental states when we sincerely experience gratitude emotionally in our hearts; not to be confused with thinking about it in a cerebral way.

It seems from the findings of these studies done by UCLA’s Mindfulness Awareness Research Centre that important things happen within our bodies when we feel grateful. According to them: “Having an attitude of gratitude changes the molecular structure of the brain, keeps grey matter functioning, and makes us healthier and happier. When you feel happiness, the central nervous system is affected. You are more peaceful, less reactive and

less resistant.” This indicates that the heart acts as a transmitter of gratitude sending its message directly to the brain causing a reaction.

Another group from the University of California, Berkeley noted that their sample was done with 300 adults suffering from various mental health issues such as anxiety and depression. They divided them into three random groups. All groups received counselling services, but the first group was also instructed to write one letter of gratitude to another person every week for three weeks; the second group was asked to write down their deepest thoughts and feelings about negative experiences. The third group did no writing activity. The result?

Compared to the participants who wrote about negative experiences or only received counselling, those who wrote gratitude letters reported significantly better mental health which subsequently

Life lines

Victoria Sarne lasted for up to 12 weeks after the writing exercise ended.

The researchers from Berkeley identified how gratitude might actually work on our minds and bodies. They provided four insights from their research

suggesting the basis of the psychological benefits of gratitude: “Gratitude unshackles us from toxic emotions; feeling gratitude helps even if you don’t share it; gratitude’s benefits take time and practice; gratitude has lasting effects on the brain.”

Elsewhere at the Institute of HeartMath, a group of prestigious and internationally recognised leaders in physics, biophysics, astrophysics, education, mathematics, engineering, cardiology, biofeedback, and psychology have been doing brilliant work.

Their work has proved that when a person is feeling really positive emotions like gratitude, love, or appreciation the heart beats out a different message, which determines what kind of signals are sent to the brain. The heart beats out the largest electromagnetic field produced in the body enabling the Institute to gather data for further investigation.

They say: One important way the heart can speak to and

to surpass our historic record performance of 2018. We expect to exceed the more than 6.8 million visitors we welcomed last year as well as exceed the more than 122,000 private planes that landed on our airports.” influence the brain is when the heart is coherent (meaning the heart beating in a stable wave-like sine-rhythm). When the heart is coherent, the body, including the brain, experiences all sorts of benefits, among them greater mental clarity and ability and better decision making.

What do I think about all of this? I believe that practicing mindfulness and gratitude is an absolute requirement for being a truly grounded, emotionally mature and compassionate human being. This gives us as many benefits (maybe more) than to those around us whom we may impact.

Whilst we all have our own personal crises, traumas and anxieties there will always be someone who is worse off than we are, which maybe a platitude but nevertheless is universally true.

We, as women, are invested in being nurturers and caregivers – there is plenty that is in need of healing or mending in this world.

Let’s start with our own intentional gratitude; we can generate a positive mindset to radiate and share love and compassion; this contributes to our own peace of mind and endows us with a sense of happiness which is ultimately what we seek. Gratitude, it’s an inside job.

• Victoria Sarne is an entrepreneur and writer. She headed a team to establish a shelter for abused women and children in Canada and was its first chairwoman. You can reach her at victoria.conversations@gmail. com, or visit www.lifelineswrit-

SECTION B

TUESDAY, MAY 7, 2019

NEW MISS TEEN ADVOCATES FOR SELF-ACCEPTANCE IN SOCIAL MEDIA ERA

By CARA HUNT Tribune Features Writer cbrennen@tribunemedia.net

F

anaeya Nicholson, the newly crowned Miss Teen Bahamas International, never considered herself to be the type of girl to enter, much less win, a beauty pageant.

Before entering the world of beauty queens, the 16-year-old Abaco native had issues of selfconfidence and self-worth she had to address.

However, pageantry turned out to be a great way for her to recognised the beauty inside of her. Her journey, she told Tribune Weekend, has inspired her to make self-acceptance the platform she will endorse during her reign.

“I started out in pageants after my stepmom asked me to do it and so I entered the Miss Teen Abaco, which I won,” she said.

After winning her island’s pageant, Fanaeya was invited to participate in the national pageant, and last Sunday she captured the audience’s hearts and the judges attention to win the coveted crown.

“A lot of hard work, prayer and preparation went into getting ready for this pageant. We had practices every week that I had travel back and forth to come in for,” she said.

In addition to the official practice session, Fanaeya also had training with Obrio Denoye, a Nassau-based coach who particularly helped her prepare for the question component of the pageant.

“The question segment is, as you know, a major part of

THE NEW Miss Teen Bahamas, Fanaeya Nicholson, 16.

(Photo/Terrel W Carey, Sr)

“AS A YOUNG LADY I KNOW HOW IT FEELS TO BE A VICTIM OF (SOCIAL MEDIA).

I KNOW HOW IT FEELS TO NOT BE GOOD ENOUGH BECAUSE OF WHAT YOU SEE OR WHAT YOUR FRIENDS TELL YOU.” competition and so we practiced a lot of questions.”

Her preparation paid off and Fanaeya felt very comfortable on stage answering the judges’ question, which was: “You have a meeting with the Prime Minister as a beauty queen, what one thing would you talk to him about regarding youth?”

Her answer: “If I was given the opportunity to have a conversation with the Prime Minister I

would bring up the topic of the influence of social media on the way youth view themselves, the way it influences their minds and the feeling that they are not good enough. As a young lady I know how it feels to be a victim of this.

I know how it feels to not be good enough because of what you see or what your friends tell you. So I would tell them that you are strong, you are beautiful, you are you and no one in this universe

is like you. Be proud of it and embrace who you are.”

She said, in her view, social media can be a great interactive tool, but it can also be a source of negativity when young people feel they cannot measure up to the life that others portray online.

Fanaeya said before she entered the pageant she had to prove to herself that a young girl from a small Family Island was

SPEND MOTHER’S DAY WEEKEND WITH DYNAMITE DAISY NEW SHOW EVENT TO OFFER LOVE, LAUGHTER AND ADVICE

By JEFFARAH GIBSON Tribune Features Writer jgibson@tribunemedia.net MOTHERS will be treated to lots of laughter and love, and some prizes as well, as the audacious Dynamite Daisy returns to the stage for a special production this weekend.

The Bahamas’ leading comedienne, Lynn Terez Davis-Nixon, who has been playing the character for many years, is coming out of semi-retirement to present “Daisy – The Valley and the Shadow”.

There will be two showings of the production from May 10-11 at the St John’s College Auditorium,

Micheal Eldon Drive. Show time is 8pm on both nights.

The play was co-written by Mrs Davis-Nixon and the production’s director, Dr Trent E Davis.

It will be a humorous display of Bahamian funeral culture. Special guest artist Monty Sweat will release his original Mother’s Day song during the event and Daisy will be signing autographs.

Mrs Davis-Nixon has been hosting an annual Boxing Day event for the past two decades, but last year was the first time she added a Mother’s Day production to her roster, and it was declared as a “phenomenal success.”

This time around, Daisy returns to the stage with her family

LYNN Terez Davis-Nixon as Dynamite Daisy of 12 lead and supporting cast members.

“This show will be funny and persons will leave with life-changing hope for everyday life,” she

told Tribune Woman. “Laughter is medicine. Laughter is an indication that you have not lost hope and that you believe things can get better. With confidence in

indeed strong enough to enter a competition on the national level.

The teen, who attends St Francis De Sales Catholic School, said she would like to become a social worker so that she can continue to help young people.

And she thoroughly encourages other young ladies looking to gain self-confidence and find their voice to consider entering a pageant.

“The new queen seemed to have been a clear choice. When you review the scores of the judges, she was the favourite in every category she competed in,” said Clint Watson, director of Pageant Affairs for Miss Teen Bahamas.

“Her deportment, intelligence and personality coupled with her beauty won the hearts of not only judges, but the audience.

The organisation is pleased with the judges’ selection and we look forward to working with her. She is impressive and focused for a 16-year-old and she will make a great national ambassador for our country.”

Fanaeya will represent the Bahamas in Miss Teen International in Virginia. Additionally, she has won a scholarship to attend Middle Tennessee State University; a round-trip ticket to any of Sky Bahamas destinations; an iPhone; three pairs of designer earrings from CLW Design; a six-month gym membership at MACFIT 360; an outfit from Diva’s Ink; six months of coaching; a Tamed Cosmetics package

by Lyndeischa; island footwear

by Marvin Store; a manicure and pedicure by Nails by Coco; a full set of mink individuals lashes, and a Fabulash242 by Rache Josey.

the Lord, that is the start of the change for better.”

Mrs Davis-Nixon said the main goal for the event is to inspire and show all of the country’s mothers appreciation for their tireless work.

There will also be special giveaways and prizes. And the mother who brings along the largest contingent to the shows will walk away with a brand new refrigerator.

“It is the spirit of love and community that makes us better as a resilient people. We are our brothers’ keepers and we endeavour to be Christ-like. What we do to the least of these we do to Christ, so we are partnering with others to help some mother smile and laugh again from the inside out. When Mommy is happy, the whole house is filled with joy,” she said.

Mrs Davis-Nixon has also arranged for special vendors to be present at her event. There will be a booth by Tasty Teas, Daisy’s official Mother’s Day beverages, and audience members can get free electrical and plumbing advice from Earnal Munroe Jr. HG Christie Limited will be on hand to answer all real estate concerns during the intermission.

Butler’s Funeral Home is also a major part of this production.

“Mothers will be blessed with free giveaways and everyone will have an opportunity to get free technical and real estate advice as well as physical and soul food for life on earth and for eternity,” she said.