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TEACHER FEARS AS PRINCIPAL ATTACKED AUTOPSIES ON TOURISTS COMPLETE BUT NOT RELEASED

Head of LW Young struck on head during altercation

By KHRISNA RUSSELL Tribune Chief Reporter krussell@tribunemedia.net BAHAMAS Union of Teachers President Belinda Wilson said the safety of teachers at public schools in the country continues to be a concern, insisting teachers everyday witness violence on campuses and at times have suffered physical harm.

Mrs Wilson raised alarm after telling The Tribune yesterday that LW Young Junior High School’s principal was involved in an

argument with two students and was slapped by one of them during the ordeal.

Hours later, she said, a student was hit in the head with a rock, adding that the attacker allegedly had a knife.

The injured student was taken to hospital by ambulance and the matter was reported to the police, she said.

However, Education Director Marcellus Taylor had a different version of both events, when he was contacted yesterday.

SEE PAGE THREE

US RAISES COVID RISK RATING FOR BAHAMAS

By LEANDRA ROLLE Tribune Staff Reporter lrolle@tribunemedia.net

THE United States’ Centres for Disease Control and Prevention has raised The Bahamas’ COVID19 Travel Risk Advisory Rating to level two, moderate risk, in response to the recent rise in virus cases.

The reclassification was

reflected on the CDC’s website, which was last updated on May 9.

The Level 2 rating advises international travellers to be up-to-date with their COVID-19 vaccines before travelling.

It also states that vaccinated travellers with weakened immune systems or who are at risk for severe SEE PAGE FOUR

By LEANDRA ROLLE Tribune Staff Reporter lrolle@tribunemedia.net

THE autopsies of three American tourists who were found dead at Sandals Emerald Bay resort in Exuma last week have now been completed, Acting Prime Minister Chester Cooper revealed yesterday.

However, according to Mr Cooper, the findings have not been released. Local government officials were also unable to say when the results will be made available when contacted by this newspaper yesterday.

SEE PAGE THREE

NO NEW TAXES IN BUDGET, SAYS HALKITIS

HONOURING THE FALLEN

By YOURI KEMP Tribune Business Reporter ykemp@tribunemedia.net

FAMILY members of fallen Marines from the HMBS Flamingo laying wreaths yesterday during a ceremony to honour the crew of the vessel, which sank 42 years ago. Full story and more photographs on PAGE TWO. Photo: Racardo Thomas/Tribune Staff

MINISTER for Economic Affairs Michael Halkitis said there will be no new taxes in the upcoming budget as it would be “counterproductive” to economic recovery.

FULL STORY - SEE BUSINESS

MONCUR: MY CRITICS ARE NOT SANCTIFIED

By EARYEL BOWLEG Tribune Staff Reporter ebowleg@tribunemedia.net

FORMER Senator Rodney Moncur said people who question his appointment as a violence interrupter with the Ministry of National Security are “not sanctified” or filled with the Holy Ghost.

Mr Moncur was appointed as an independent contractor in the role last month.

RODNEY Moncur yesterday.

Photo: Racardo Thomas/ Tribune Staff The controversial figure’s appointment has raised eyebrows and left many

wondering what qualifications he has to occupy the post.

Asked to respond to those questioning why he was given the position, Mr Moncur said: “I think they’re not saved. They’re not sanctified and they’re not full of the Holy Ghost.”

Some have also called the appointment a conflict of interest as National Security Minister Wayne Munroe SEE PAGE SEVEN

Nassau & Bahama Islands’ Leading Newspaper

ALICIA WALLACE: NO EXCUSE FOR FAILING TO DISCLOSE ON TIME

- SEE PAGE EIGHT

PAGE 2, Wednesday, May 11, 2022

THE TRIBUNE

Honouring the fallen of HMBS Flamingo

By EARYEL BOWLEG Tribune Staff Reporter ebowleg@tribunemedia.net

THE ROYAL Bahamas Defence Force held a memorial service to remember the survivors and the four men who died when HMBS Flamingo sank 42 years ago.

Marine Seaman David Tucker, Marine Seaman Austin Smith, Marine Seaman Edward Williams, and Able Seaman Fenrick

Sturrup died in the line of duty on May 10, 1980.

The tragedy is one former Captain Whitfield Neely knows all too well.

He described the ordeal as a “shocking” moment.

“We were on patrol doing our job when we saw these two fishing vessels that we knew were Cuban fishing vessels because we had experience of dealing with them previously,” former Captain Neely said.

While arresting the

MEMBERS of the RBPF presenting wreaths yesterday.

THE RBDF Colour Party giving a gun salute at yesterday’s tribute to the HMBS Flamingo. vessel, he remembered there was a lot of “air coverage” from Cuba in the form of helicopters and very fast torpedo planes.

He said after the arrest was made the crew was making its way back to Ragged Island, one of the Cuban aircraft broke away and flew over the Flamingo from the starboard side to the port side unleashing a a salvo of machine gun fire.

Then all of the air coverage left, but 40 plus minutes later, sirens were heard.

“I started looking around. Then I heard the explosions,” he recalled.

“They put three torpedoes in the Flamingo and then she just started to shutter. The moment was so surreal until it became very silent and still because everyone just looked at each other.

“I was on the Cuban fishing boat during the attack.

Everyone just looked at each other and say ‘boy this is gonna be bad.”

“Planes came back shooting their machine guns at the boat and persons in the water.

“Everything was chaotic and all crazy. People started screaming and jumping in the water from the Flamingo. The persons on the Cuban fishing boat where I was everybody was paralysed with fear. Then somebody said somebody has to go and get the men out of the water because the machine gun is gonna kill all of them. Well, of course, everybody looked at me.

I was the youngest one, so I knew what that meant being in the military.”

He went out and started to rescue people while planes continued firing.

Eventually, he got all of the persons he saw out of the water and back on the Cuban fishing boat.

However, Captain Amos Rolle was still on the Flamingo, which was sinking.

Mr Neely now had the task of saving the captain from the vessel.

“After I got him, I came back to the Cuban fishing boat because by then the Flamingo was about halfway submerged in the ocean. And he got us all together. We saluted the Flamingo and then we did a muster. When we did a muster we realised four persons were missing.”

Those four missing men have been remembered ever since.

Acting Prime Minister Chester Cooper in his remarks yesterday said

Photos: Racardo Thomas/Tribune Staff

POLICE Commissioner Paul Rolle laying a wreath. there will be “appropriate recognition and honour” will be received.

He said: “We lost blood and treasure that day, but we gained a sense of unwavering courage it takes to face tragedy as a nation and to still continue forward, upward, onward, together.

For the bravery and sacrifice of the marines we lost and those who they once stood alongside, who survived, we can never say enough words of honour to them and today I am pleased to say to you that next year during our 50th anniversary on behalf of our Prime Minister I will assure families that the entire crew will receive appropriate recognition and honour.”

WREATH laying by Michael Pintard, leader of the Opposition.

ACTING Prime Minister Chester Cooper pays tribute yesterday.

THE TRIBUNE

Wednesday, May 11, 2022, PAGE 3

Teacher fears as principal attacked from page one Mr Taylor said LW Young’s principal was attempting to calm an angry student when the student in a fit of rage formed a fist and swung at the principal, “grazing” the administrator’s forehead in the process.

“The first incident resulted with a student who, for whatever reason, lost her anger and we think that the student has some kind of internal challenge,” he said in a telephone interview with The Tribune. “She reacted inappropriately and because she reacted inappropriately the principal was moving her away from the crowd and taking her to the office to try and calm her down. She was still in this kind of violent fit and in the process she pulled away from the principal and she closed her fist and swung at the principal, sort of grazing the principal on her forehead with her fist.”

Mr Taylor said the student’s parents were called, along with police and the matter is under control.

The student will face an appropriate punishment once officials view the report of the incident and come to a determination as to what is best.

As for the second incident, Mr Taylor said a male student of L W Young received a head injury when

LW Young Junior High School yesterday. another student from a different school threw a rock at him.

He said the aggressor has a history of behavioural issues and is challenged with socialising with other students.

The injured student was taken to hospital and “should be fine”, Mr Taylor said.

Regardless of what transpired, Mrs Wilson is of

Photo: Donavan McIntosh/Tribune Staff

the view that a comprehensive policing plan is overdue. She pointed to another incident at Eight Mile Rock High, in Grand Bahama, where a teacher who attempted to part a fight between students sustained injury to one of her eyes and has been referred to an eye specialist.

Additionally she said weeks ago there were several incidents of violence

involving students in close proximity to CC Sweeting Senior High School.

“There is definitely a need for focused attention for our students especially the at-risk ones.

The support, mentoring and programs must be sustainable not just for show,” she said yesterday.

“It must have various components that support students’ education, work

opportunities and social services. There has to be a major push to influence parents to take a more proactive role in the nurturing of their children.”

The BUT president said the union continues to wait for the school policing plan.

“There is always the concern of safety on school campuses and that is why the Bahamas Union of Teachers agreed to the police in school which would help to quell crime and violence on and around school campuses. We have yet to receive the comprehensive school policing plan.

“Sadly, teachers are witnessing incidents of violence on a daily basis not only involving LW Young students but it is all over.”

In late March, National Security Minister Wayne Munroe said police officers were returned to public schools, nearly a week after concerns were reignited about school safety following a stabbing at AF Adderley Junior High.

At the time several officers were assigned to nine different public schools in New Providence in view of the incident.

Among them were AF Adderley Junior High, CH Reeves Junior High, Government High School, RM Bailey Senior High, CC Sweeting Senior High, CV

Bethel Senior High School and Doris Johnson Senior High.

It came after a student was stabbed at AF Adderley in what officials believe may have been a gang related attack.

A 13-year-old boy was charged in connection with the incident.

Mr Taylor noted the placement of police officers in schools and said there was consideration of bringing in additional officers to other schools.

“There is additional work being done to train these officers into what they call school resource officers who operate slightly differently than lets say ordinary police might operate.

“It’s not a matter of them going into the schools to get criminals. It’s a matter of being in schools to ensure everything is orderly and to help schools that may have these additional challenges to kind of comply and conform so the training is different and that will be dealt with during the course of the summer months.

“Plans are being made for that and the extent for which we have success for that programme will determine how much more it spreads across New Providence and even in Grand Bahama.”

However, Mr Taylor said he did not think the situation required the same approach at this time for Family Island schools.

AUTOPSIES ON TOURISTS COMPLETE BUT NOT RELEASED from page one

The news comes as local authorities continued their investigations into the deaths of married Maryville, Tennessee, couple Michael and Robbie Phillips and Vincent Paul Chiarella of Florida.

The visitors - all in their 60s - were found dead in two separate villas at Sandals Friday after they were stricken by an unknown illness.

Police said the victims died sometime between 11pm on May 5 when they, along with Chiarella’s wife, Donnis - the lone survivorvisited the island’s clinic seeking medical attention for nausea and vomiting.

“The process continues,” the Exuma and Ragged Island MP said yesterday when asked for an update into investigations.

“The investigation is

continuing. We are thankful to the multi-ministry team that have visited Exuma led by Dr Darville. He’s visiting Exuma again today (Tuesday) to do some additional work and when we have more information as it relates to the cause of death, we’ll provide that for you.

“Yesterday, the commissioner of the police as you know released the official identities and he also indicated the process from here. Yesterday, there was an autopsy that was completed. There is no report for it as yet. As the Commissioner of Police rightly pointed out, there has to be some toxicology lab work and that is being expedited as quickly as it can be done.”

Police Commissioner Paul Rolle told reporters on Monday that investigators were looking into several points of interest to determine the

victims’ cause of deaths, including what they ate as well as whether any “contaminants” were present in the separate rooms where they were found.

To assist with their probe, local pathologists have taken blood samples from the deceased victims, as well as samples from hotel properties, which are currently being examined by labs in the US. The results are expected to be completed within seven days.

This comes amid heightened concern that the deaths could seriously affect Exuma’s tourism product.

When asked about this yesterday, Mr Cooper did not share those fears, sayings tourists’ bookings to The Bahamas remain very strong.

He also said that there have been no “significant” cancellations at Sandals property in Exuma since

the tragedy.

“People are generally calm with a sense of concern and also cautiously optimistic,” the tourism, investment and aviation minister said. “So far, there hasn’t been any significant cancellations from bookings at Sandals as I’m advised and based on what we’ve seen overall in terms of queries from the international community, I believe that they understand that this is an isolated situation contained to the two villas in question and contained to this resort and they know that we have 16 island destinations within The Bahamas.”

“So, we’re seeing very strong forward bookings.

We’re still anticipating that the summer months is going to be very strong and we are pleased that we have built a resilient brand and outstanding product. We continue to be empathetic with the families impacted

by this most unfortunate incident. As I’ve announced previously, I have spoken with the families personally.

We have provided candid answers as much as we have and we have been forthwith with the families and they appreciated the fact that they have been able to get the answers that we do have.”

According to Knoxville News Sentinel, Mr and Mrs Phillips were a Maryville couple, who owned and operated the Sand Lady, a “travel design” business specialising in Caribbean honeymoons, destination weddings and romantic getaways.

The Sand Lady is a preferred Sandals resorts agency, according to its website, and Robbie Phillips had posted photos on Facebook from the resort shortly before her death, the Knoxville New Sentinel said.

“Our hearts are grieving

and broken but full of hope,” their daughter, Kali Hanson, said in a text to Knox News Monday afternoon. “We know our mom and dad are experiencing fullness of joy in our heavenly father’s presence. We already miss them terribly.

Our parents left a legacy of faith in Jesus and generously loved their family and friends.

Meanwhile, close relatives have described Mr Chiarella’s death as heart-breaking.

“I am just so heartbroken right now… My dad was everything to me,” his son, Austin, recently told ABC News.

He said the Chiarellas were visiting The Bahamas to celebrate their wedding anniversary.

At last report, Mrs Chiarella was said to be in hospital in Florida where she remains in serious condition, according to police.

PAGE 4, Wednesday, May 11, 2022

US RAISES COVID RISK RATING FOR BAHAMAS

from page one

illness from COVID-19 should speak to their physicians and consider delaying travel to The Bahamas.

Yesterday, Tourism, Investments and Aviation Minister Chester Cooper said he was not concerned about the increased rating and that he didn’t think it would affect travel to The Bahamas.

He maintained that the country remained a relatively safe destination, noting that most of the archipelagic islands are not recording high virus numbers, if even any at all.

“As you know, we have been a level one, which is the lowest possible rating. We see the numbers have been trekking upward and I believe that this is not different from what we have seen throughout the pandemic. There have been peaks and there have been valleys,” the acting prime minister said before attending yesterday’s Cabinet meeting.

“I think at level two, there is minimal concern from the international community. I believe when we get to a stage like level four there becomes more concern from corporate and group clients, but level two just indicates that it’s moving in the wrong direction and we as Bahamians must continue to follow the protocols to ensure that we contain it at the level two or reduce it to level one.”

He added: “I think the world has adjusted to COVID. The world is fatigued with COVID. There is significant pent-up demand and The Bahamas is seen as a generally safe place with low COVID numbers.

“You would also be aware that most of the COVID cases are in New Providence.

You have 16 island destinations. Some of our islands, like Ragged Island, never had a single case of COVID so many of our guests understand that The Bahamas is a relatively safe place.

“We have got to continue to tell our own story. We will continue to run our own race and we’ll continue to follow the protocols.

The CDC will do what they wish and we will certainly monitor the science that we see on the ground. We will put in place protocols to protect health and safety of the Bahamian people and to balance the growth of tourism and our economy.

He was also asked about concerns that the increase in cases could hinder the government’s plans for recent cultural events.

“I don’t see any change as a result of the slight uptick in COVID,” he told reporters.

“I think these homecomings and regattas are going to go on. We clearly will monitor as we move along to see whether the numbers are increasing any further, but right now there is no concern as it relates to the ongoing celebrations of homecomings and regattas.

“You would have seen the Exuma regatta went on and it was fantastic in that people followed protocols as best as practical and I’m not a scientist, but based on the numbers that I see in Exuma more than two weeks after regatta, I think we’ve done very well.”

The CDC reduced the country’s travel rating from a level three to a level two in March and then further lowered it to a level one in April due to a sustained downward trend in infection rates at the time.

However, in recent weeks, there has been a slight increase in COVID infections, with 16 cases recorded on Sunday and 37 on Saturday. At last report, nine people were said to be in hospital sick with the disease.

Ministry of Health and Wellness’ National HIV/AIDS and Infectious Disease Programme director Dr Nikkiah Forbes told The Tribune on Sunday that 65 percent of the new COVID-19 cases in the last epidemiological week were transmitted locally.

She was unable to say whether the country was facing another surge, only telling this newspaper that officials were closely monitoring the situation.

THE TRIBUNE

Govt to amend Procurement Act

By LEANDRA ROLLE Tribune Staff Reporter lrolle@tribunemedia.net

ECONOMIC Affairs Minister Michael Halkitis said government is hoping to amend the Public Procurement Act in the upcoming budget period with a view of making it “user friendly” to ensure better compliance and greater transparency of the country’s procurement process.

The law, which was passed under the Minnis administration last year, requires the government to publish details of approved contracts and procurement activities within 60 days of the award of the contract.

However, since assuming office, the Davis administration has yet to comply with the reporting requirements of the law, often facing criticism from the opposition over the issue.

“We’re addressing that,” Mr Halkitis said before going to a Cabinet meeting yesterday.

He reiterated that a lack of standard operating procedures relating to the legislation has affected the government’s ability to comply with the law.

“What has happened is, and I’ll repeat it, it was a major piece of legislation that was put in place without all the foundational pieces in terms of the manual or training, the staffing of the office,” he added.

“If you would recall the law was passed and then it was a long period and then it was brought into effect in September of 2021. We are totally interested in total transparency and being able to provide the public with that sort of information but the government needs to be able to operate.”

The minister continued:

ECONOMIC Affairs Minister Michael Halkitis. same time, maintaining that transparency and availability of information and so that will come.”

“And you know, we’re striving to have it done during this budget period. Going forward, there will be no question of compliance or non compliance but it’s just a matter of you have this major piece of legislation, transformative piece of legislation put in and none of the foundational pieces … so we just want to assure the public that we’re committed to transparency and we’re making the changes to keep that intact but also government has to be able to operate.”

The passage of the Public

“You have to build capacity when you’re making those sort of changes. You just don’t pass a law today and it starts work.

It has to be training throughout the ministries and you would know that even the stateowned enterprises of the public corporations – they are covered. The ministries there need to be training straight down the line.

“There need to be manuals and standard operating procedures. You know those things we’re not done and so what we’re doing, as has been said, we’re revisiting the legislation to make sure we can tweak it to make it user friendly for the government, but at the

Procurement Act was partly a response to long-term criticisms of the country’s procurement processes.

In its 2020 investment climate statement on The Bahamas, the US State Department said this country lacks modern procurement legislation and that companies have complained its tender process for public contracts is inconsistent.

“US firms have identified corruption as an obstacle to FDI (foreign direct investment) and have reported perceived corruption in government procurement and in the FDI approvals process,” the report said.

MINISTER HITS BACK AT CRITICS OF PINECREST HOUSING PROJECT

By LEANDRA ROLLE Tribune Staff Reporter lrolle@tribunemedia.net

TRANSPORT and Housing Minister Jobeth Coleby-Davis yesterday hit back at criticisms about the government’s Pinecrest Subdivision project after concerns were raised about alleged flooding in the area.

Speaking to reporters before yesterday’s Cabinet meeting, Mrs Coleby-Davis called the criticisms “silliness” and went on to defend the integrity of the government’s housing initiative.

She insisted the area was still under construction and fill had not been added to the plots of land, suggesting this was the reason why water may have settled in some portions of the property.

“I don’t normally acknowledge silliness if I could say it,” she said. “It’s a construction site. Clearly, there’s been no fill added to the property as yet because we’re still constructing. There’s been no soil, no landscaping and so it’s apparent that there are mischief makers around trying to discourage the potential homeowners. You have a lot of persons who are excited to be homeowners at the Pinecrest Subdivision and I’m excited about the work that’s happening there.

“The timeline is really impressing me because I think this is the first time people have seen this sort of movement in a government subdivision programme where nine months after coming to government, I’ll say in August 2021. Many who wanted to be homeowners

didn’t know the first steps or the timelines of them becoming homeowners and now nine months later, they can actually see that their keys will be in their hands very soon. So. I don’t really want to focus too much on the stuff that’s been going around.”

She also said: “I’m working closely with every agency that’s been set up to assist us in the Pinecrest Subdivision. We have a lot of plans that’s coming out of the infrastructural work.

The Ministry of Works have been partnering with us. So, I can assure you that all that needs to be addressed where there are concerns (is being addressed). It’s not an area that’s been prone to flooding.

It’s just maybe hard rain where you have some water settled at one portion of the road, but that’s been it when we spoke

to the residents that presently live there. They haven’t had much issues with flooding. It’s a construction zone. That typically happens when you have a lot of rain and you haven’t provided the fill yet which normally soaks up the water.”

She said officials are also working to finalise a drainage plan for the community.

The Pinecrest project is a public-private partnership initiative between the government and Arawak Homes Limited.

According to the minister, a total of 47 homes are being built in the area in the first stage, with some of those homes earmarked for completion sometime this month.

The remaining houses will be finished in the months thereafter, Mrs Coleby-Davis has previously said.

THE TRIBUNE

Wednesday, May 11, 2022, PAGE 5

Two years on after Dorian - and residents still repairing homes

By DENISE MAYCOCK Tribune Freeport Reporter dmaycock@tribunemedia.net MORE than two years after Hurricane Dorian devastated parts of The Bahamas, Grand Bahama residents are still repairing homes throughout the island, even as the storm season approaches.

In Queen’s Cove, Kendal Davis said repairs are still going on at his single-story residence at No 23 Grover Way. Queen’s Cove was one of the areas hit hardest by Hurricane Dorian in 2019.

The community located along the northern coast of the island experienced 18ft to 20ft storm surges during Dorian.

About 90 per cent of the homes there were devastated by the storm. While some homes have been completely repaired, many have remained untouched in their ruined state.

During a visit to the area on Monday, The Tribune spoke to Mr Davis who was busy carrying out repair work on his house.

He said that the roof was recently repaired.

“The repairs have been steady; we are still repairing almost three years later,” Mr Davis said.

He said that he has received assistance from the government’s Disaster Reconstruction Authority (DRA).

“We got assistance from DRA (Small Homes

KENDAL Davis and, right, some of the damaged properties in Queen’s Cove.

Repair) and from the new people that just came out,” Mr Davis said.

Mr Davis has also received additional assistance from the Mary, Star of the Sea Catholic Church, where his daughters attend school.

“Work is coming along, but we still have quite a bit to do,” Mr Davis said. The cabinets are not done yet and we still have some ceiling work.

“We just got some assistance from the DPS, we filled out the form two

years ago and they called us a couple of weeks ago and they did the roof. And they said we would also receive assistance with some of the work inside. And we still got some tiling to do.”

Mr Davis and his family have not given up on Queen’s Cove, even though it has been affected by previous storms.

He said that it is a closeknit community that has a large mix of people of various nationalities.

“This community is one where everybody hails one another and looks out for each other here,” he said.

Mr Davis moved back home on December 31, 2021. He has been carrying out the repairs on the house himself.

He recalled the devastation he saw when they returned to their house after the storm.

“When we left here (before the storm) everything was intact. And when we came back on the 4th of September it was a disaster,” he said.

“The walls were gone, and parts of the roof were gone; all the furniture was ruined, and everything was in the front yard - it was unbelievable.”

Mr Davis retired last year from the Bahamas Technical & Vocational Institute.

He moved back home on December 31, 2021, and has been carrying out the repairs on the house ever since.

MORE MIGRANTS HEAD FOR AMERICA RATHER THAN BAHAMAS

By EARYEL BOWLEG Tribune Staff Reporter ebowleg@tribunemedia.net

ROYAL Bahamas Defence Force Commodore Raymond King said while the RBDF has noticed an increase in illegal migrants coming to The Bahamas, there has been a noticeable shift in the number of vessels seeking to enter the United States.

Commodore King said there are various factors that have sparked this trend, including the migrants’ ability to seek asylum in the US, although there remain sporadic attempts to enter The Bahamas.

The Biden administration is on track to end the public health authority, known as Title 42, on May 23, a decision that has been criticised

by Republicans and Democrats alike, according to US news outlets.

The measure allows border authorities to turn migrants back to their home countries on the basis of stopping a contagious disease from spreading.

Following an event in remembrance of the fallen marines of HMBS Flamingo,

DEFENCE Force Commander Commodore Raymond King yesterday.

Photo: Racardo Thomas/Tribune Staff Commodore King was asked considerations, particularly about interdictions, migrants at the height of the global coming through The pandemic.

Bahamas and whether intel“But the Biden adminligence has been received istration is about to set regarding the trends. aside that rule. I think it’s “We have recognised a the 24th of this month and noticeable increase,” Com- hence Cubans and the modore King said. “There Haitian migrants are also are certain pull and push seeking to be heard in terms factors. The political, social of asylum. There has been a and economic situation in noticeable shift of vessels Haiti at this moment is a seeking to enter the United push factor. Similar con- States, but we’ve still ditions in Cuba represent noticed sporadic attempts push factors. to enter The Bahamas, so “The pull factor seems remain vigilant.” to be the United States’ The force has seen a removal (of) it is a code marked increase in illetitled 42. That code gal migration activity over would’ve prohibited per- the last three months, sons from seeking asylum with nearly 1,500 migrants

apprehended in Bahamian waters within that time frame.

The latest statistics show there have been 1,892 migrants apprehended by local authorities since the start of this year, with most of those interdictions taking place in March.

January and February saw 329 and 253 apprehensions respectively. In March, there were 741 migrants apprehended, while 491 foreign nationals were arrested in April. So far in May, there have been 78 migrants apprehended from Bahamian waters.

Asked if the country is in a surge of migrants, he said: “I wouldn’t say there’s a surge of illegal migrants seeking to enter into The Bahamas, although we would’ve had two attempts recently over the last three plus months. Over 98 percent of the traffic has been towards the United States.

So, we’re working closely with the Coast Guard in particular, but there has been a significant increase.”

He noted that just overnight, April 29 to April 30, the Coast Guard turned around six migrant vessels

on the northern coast of Haiti. He said three of them were “freighter-like” vessels, similar to “our mailboats”, which can carry more than 300 persons.

“Every three days you can rest assured that we get some intel of some migrant vessel leaving Haiti and almost on a daily basis we’ll get intelligence of Cuban migrants and refugees who would’ve left the Republic of Cuba.”

The Bahamas saw a large number after the 2021 election. However, the RBDF chief gave an assurance that the figures have decreased compared to that period.

“That occurred during September immediately following the general election. The numbers have decreased somewhat to about 40 percent of the numbers that we’ve experienced in that particular month. But from January to March, March in particular, we’ve seen a steady increase up to some 500 migrants being intercepted or either turned out on monthly basis working solo as well as in conjunction with our regional partners,” he said.

Meanwhile, as hurricane season approaches the commodore seemed to express confidence in the force’s preparation.

“We’re quite equipped,” he said yesterday. “Hurricane Dorian would’ve taught us all a lesson. Since then we’ve acquired a significant millions of dollars of resources in disaster related resources based on those experiences.

“NEMA has been the recipient of equipment from the United States as well. We have access to those resources. So, we have enhanced our posture in terms of equipment to the point now when we go into disaster prone areas we’re able to clear roads, harbours, airports because we have that relationship with local vendors with the heavy duty equipment who provide that equipment when we go on hurricane avoidance patrols.”

The RBDF chief added that there was also a need to double the manpower from 1,500 to 3,000, explaining this will ensure they are able to duplicate the capabilities of Coral Harbour and other parts of The Bahamas.

PAGE 6, Wednesday, May 11, 2022

The Tribune Limited

THE TRIBUNE

PICTURE OF THE DAY

NULLIUS ADDICTUS JURARE IN VERBA MAGISTRI “Being Bound to Swear to The Dogmas of No Master”

Publisher/Editor 1903-1914

LEON E. H. DUPUCH,

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

SIR ETIENNE DUPUCH,

Publisher/Editor 1919-1972 Contributing Editor 1972-1991

EILEEN DUPUCH CARRON,

C.M.G., M.S., B.A., LL.B. Publisher/Editor 1972-

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Six months after climate summit, what now for an ever more divided world?

SIX months ago, negotiators at the United Nations’ Glasgow climate summit celebrated a series of new commitments to lower global greenhouse gas emissions and build resilience to the impacts of climate change. Analysts concluded that the new promises, including phasing out coal, would bend the global warming trajectory, though still fall short of the Paris climate agreement.

Today, the world looks ever more complex. Russia is waging a war on European soil, with global implications for energy and food supplies.

Some leaders who a few months ago were vowing to phase out fossil fuels are now encouraging fossil fuel companies to ramp up production.

In the US, the Biden administration has struggled to get its promised actions through Congress.

Last-ditch efforts have been underway to salvage some kind of climate and energy bill from the abandoned Build Back Better plan.

Without it, US commitments to reduce emissions by over 50 percent by 2030 look fanciful, and the rest of the world knows it – adding another blow to US credibility overseas.

Meanwhile, severe famines have hit Yemen and the Horn of Africa.

Extreme heat has been threatening lives across India and Pakistan. Australia faced historic flooding, and the Southwestern US can’t keep up with the wildfires.

As a former senior UN official, I’ve been involved in international climate negotiations for several years. At the halfway point of this year’s climate negotiations, with the next UN climate conference in November 2022, here are three areas to watch for progress and cooperation in a world full of danger and division.

Crisis response with long-term benefits Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has added to a triple whammy of food price, fuel price and inflationary spikes in a global economy still struggling to emerge from the pandemic.

But Russia’s aggression has also forced Europe and others to move away from dependence on Russian oil, gas and coal. The G7 – Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the U.K. and the US – pledged on May 8, 2022, to phase out or ban Russian oil and accelerate their shifts to clean energy.

In the short term, Europe’s pivot means much more energy efficiency – the International Energy Agency estimates that the European Union can save 15%-20% of energy demand with efficiency measures. It also means importing oil and gas from elsewhere.

In the medium term, the answer lies in ramping up renewable energy.

There are issues to solve. As Europe buys up gas from other places, it risks reducing gas supplies relied on by other countries, and forcing some of those countries to return to coal, a more carbon-intense fuel that destroys air quality.

Some countries will need help expanding renewable energy and stabilising energy prices to avoid a backlash to pro-climate policies.

As the West races to renewables, it will also need to secure a supply chain for critical minerals and metals necessary for batteries and renewable energy technology, including replacing an overdependence on China with multiple supply sources.

Ensuring integrity in corporate commitments Finance leaders and other private sector coalitions made headline-grabbing commitments at the Glasgow climate conference in November 2021.

They promised to accelerate their transitions to net-zero emissions by 2050, and some firms and financiers were specific about ending financing for coal plants that don’t capture and store their carbon, cutting methane emissions and supporting ending deforestation.

Their promises faced cries of “greenwash” from many climate advocacy groups. Some efforts are now underway to hold companies, as well as countries, to their commitments.

A UN group chaired by former Canadian Environment Minister Catherine McKenna is now working on a framework to hold companies, cities, states and banks to account when they claim to have “net-zero” emissions.

This is designed to ensure that companies that pledged last year to meet net-zero now say how, and on what scientific basis.

For many companies, especially those with large emissions footprints, part of their commitment to get to netzero includes buying carbon offsets – often investments in nature – to balance the ledger.

This summer, two efforts to put guardrails around voluntary carbon markets are expected to issue their first sets of guidance for issuers of carbon credits and for firms that want to use voluntary carbon markets to fulfill their net-zero claims.

The goal is to ensure carbon markets reduce emissions and provide a steady stream of revenue for parts of the world that need finance for their green growth.

Climate change influencing elections Climate change is now an increasingly important factor in elections.

French President Emmanuel Macron, trying to woo supporters of a candidate to his left and energise young voters, made more dramatic climate pledges, vowing to be “the first major nation to abandon gas, oil and coal”.

With Chile’s swing to the left, the country’s redrafted constitution will incorporate climate stewardship.

In Australia, Scott Morrison’s government – which supported opening one of the world’s largest coal mines at the same time the Australian private sector is focusing on renewable energy – faces an election on May 21, 2022, with heatwaves and extreme flooding fresh in voters’ minds. Brazil’s Jair Bolsonaro faces opponents in October who are talking about protecting the climate.

Elections are fought and won on pocketbook issues, and energy prices are high and inflation is taking hold. But voters around the world are also experiencing the effects of climate change firsthand and are increasingly concerned.

The next climate conference Countries will be facing a different set of economic and security challenges when the next round of UN talks begins in November in Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt, compared to the challenges they faced in Glasgow. They will be expected to show progress on their commitments while struggling for bandwidth, dealing with the climate emergency as an integral part of security, economic recovery and global health.

There is no time to push climate action out into the future. Every decimal point of warming avoided is an opportunity for better health, more prosperity and better security.

By Rachel Kyte, Tufts University Originally published on www. theconversation.com

BRITAIN’S PRINCE CHARLES, Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall and Prince William proceed behind the Imperial State Crown through the Royal Gallery for the State Opening of Parliament at the Palace of Westminster in London, yesterday. Britain’s Parliament opened a new year-long session without the usual presence of Queen Elizabeth, who withdrew because of mobility problems.

Photo: Hannah McKay/Pool via AP

Tragedy in Exuma rings alarm bells EDITOR, The Tribune.

WHAT a tumultuous past two days at my travel agencies in New Jersey with the sad news of the deaths at Sandals Resort in Exuma.

It has been difficult enough to get bookings for your country in the past two years.

Clients come into our agencies, many having alluring feelings about a trip to The Bahamas. In the past 40 years until 2020 we could get instant bookings and travellers would be on their way.

Now you are one of the hardest nations in the world to gain entry. When we have to explain all the rules, including rapid antigen

LETTERS letters@tribunemedia.net tests and Health Visas, they stare at us in disbelief.

Countries all over the world are opening up again with ease of entry, but not The Bahamas.

Most clients ask us to book them somewhere else without the hassles and expense.

With current conditions why has the Visa not been abolished weeks ago?

Unfortunately the few clients for which we could get bookings have over the past two days cancelled their bookings. They are fearful that The Bahamas is not a safe place to visit.

Some are willing to overlook the US government travel warnings about crime in The Bahamas, but the events in Exuma have caused great concern.

We have always been happy and willing to send our clients to you. Formerly it was our premier destination in the Caribbean area.

But all that has changed with the intransigence of the two recent Tourism Ministers and their staff about entry rules.

We sincerely hope that this damaging situation for your economy will change very quickly.

JOHN W ROBSON Interlaken New Jersey USA May 10, 2022.

What is latest on Governor General’s health?

EDITOR, The Tribune.

ON APRIL 7, both The Nassau Guardian and The Tribune broke the story of Governor General CA Smith falling ill while on official duty in North Eleuthera at PA Gibson Primary School.

According to an official in the Office of the Prime Minister, the Governor General had suffered from heat exhaustion and is expected to be fine, although one media outlet alleged that he had a stroke.

The news of him being fine was well received by many Bahamians who were

praying for the speedy recovery of the governor general.

Yet, it would seem that since it was reported that the governor general was resting comfortably at Doctors Hospital under the observation of medical personnel over a month ago, the public has not been updated on his health status or if he is physically fit to continue in office.

The state, it seems, has been tight lipped about this important situation for some unknown reason.

The government should be more forthcoming regarding the health status

of the governor general, if it hasn’t already.

I can honestly say that I haven’t heard anything since his hospitalisation.

In the meantime, I will continue to pray for his recovery.

KEVIN EVANS Freeport, Grand Bahama.

May 10, 2022.

• Editor’s note: On April 14, The Tribune reported that Governor General CA Smith had been released from hospital and was “resting comfortably” at home, according to a statement issued from his office.

THE TRIBUNE

POLICE SWOOP OVER DANGEROUS DRUGS

By DENISE MAYCOCK Tribune Freeport Reporter dmaycock@tribunemedia.net

TWO separate police operations conducted on Grand Bahama led to the arrest of two men on Monday in connection with possession of dangerous drugs.

The first operation, ‘Operation Redemption’, occurred on Monday, May 9, shortly before 3pm.

Assistant Superintendent of Police Stephen Rolle reported that a team of officers from the Drug Enforcement Unit, acting on information, went to a business establishment on York Street, Freeport.

On arrival, he said officers saw a group of men in the area and searched them.

Mr Rolle said officers allegedly found a black plastic wrap with a quantity of suspected marijuana in the right front pocket and a marijuana cigarette in the front left pocket of one of the men.

He said the estimated value of the suspected marijuana is $305. The man was arrested and taken into

police custody.

ASP Rolle said there was also a joint operation called “Operation Phoenix”, which took place on Monday shortly after 2pm.

A team of officers from the Northeastern Division and K-9 unit, along with K-9 Barco, acting on information, went to a car wash at Pioneers Loop.

Upon arrival, officers searched the proprietor but found nothing illegal on his person. They then searched the owner’s vehicle, a 2003 gray Dodge, and allegedly discovered a quantity of suspected marijuana.

ASP Rolle said the male was taken to the police station where an intimate body search was conducted.

He said officers allegedly found a plastic wrapping containing a large quantity of suspected marijuana in the man’s groin area.

As a result, the man was later arrested.

ASP Rolle said the drugs have an estimated street value of $480.

He said investigations are continuing into both incidents.

$40K BAIL SET IN $250K COCAINE CASE

By PAVEL BAILEY

A MAN and a woman were granted $40,000 bail in Magistrate’s Court yesterday after being charged with possession of nearly $250K worth of cocaine.

Nerico Beneby, 23, and Duedanae Cox, 40, both of Matthew Town, Inagua, stood before Senior Magistrate Samuel McKinney on charges of conspiracy and possession of dangerous drugs with intent to supply.

Cox also faced a charge of money laundering.

On May 6 at LPIA airport Cox was arrested after police discovered 12 rectangular packages containing a total of 12 kilos or 32 lbs of cocaine in her Nautica luggage bag. Cox also had $1,452 in her possession. The money was confiscated by authorities as it was suspected of being

the proceeds of crime.

Beneby would later be arrested in Inagua and taken to Nassau in connection with this matter.

According to police the drugs have an estimated street value of $240,000.

In court, both accused pleaded not guilty to all charges against them.

With no objections to bail by prosecutor Inspector Timothy Bain the Magistrate granted each accused $40,000 bail with one or two sureties.

As a condition of their bail both accused are expected to report to Matthew Town police station every Friday by 6pm.

However, due to Beneby facing further drug charges before the court, he is expected to be fitted with an ankle monitor.

Cox and Beneby’s trials are scheduled for July 26 and 28.

WOMEN CHARGED OVER KNIFE FIGHT

By PAVEL BAILEY TWO WOMEN were arraigned in a Magistrate’s Court yesterday on separate charges in connection with the same argument involving a knife in Golden Palm Estates.

Ashanti Martin, 20, of Lily Way Golden Palm Estates and Aaliyah Taylor, 20, both appeared before Magistrate Shaka Serville on charges of assault with a dangerous instrument in addition to causing harm and threats of death.

On April 12 at Martin’s residence after Taylor allegedly threatened to kill her, Martin is accused of attacking Taylor with a knife and causing her harm.

In court, both women pleaded not guilty to the charges against them.

As there were no objections to bail by the prosecution in either of their cases, bail was granted to the accused at $1,500 each.

Both Martin and Taylor’s trials are adjourned to August 15.

TWO IN COURT OVER HEMP FIND

By PAVEL BAILEY

TWO Inagua men were charged in a Magistrate’s Court yesterday with possession of 40 lbs of Indian Hemp.

Nerico Beneby, 23, and Gregory Archer, 27, both appeared before Senior Magistrate Samuel McKinney on charges of conspiracy and possession of dangerous drugs with intent to supply.

On May 8 in New Providence the accused are claimed of have been in possession of 40 lbs of Indian Hemp. Archer is further alleged to have had $56 confiscated from him that

day, as it was believed to be the proceeds of crime.

In court, the accused pleaded not guilty to all charges against them.

While Archer had a previous drug conviction from 2014 for which he was sentenced to a fine of $1,000 or three months in prison, the court had no objections to bail in the current matter.

As such, Magistrate McKinney set bail at $8,000 each with one or two sureties, on condition they report into Matthew Town Police Station every Friday before 6pm.

Beneby and Archer’s trial was adjourned to July 26 and 28.

WOMAN ACCUSED OF DEATH THREAT

By PAVEL BAILEY

A WOMAN was arraigned in a Magistrate’s Court yesterday for threatening to kill a man.

Tyricka Saunders, 34, appeared before Magistrate Shaka Serville on a charge of threats of death.

On April 30 in

New Providence the accused allegedly threatened to kill Miguel Major.

In court, Saunders pleaded not guilty to the charge. As there were no objections to bail in this case, the accused’s police bail was set at $500.

Saunders’s trial is scheduled for May 13.

Wednesday, May 11, 2022, PAGE 7

Moncur: My critics are not sanctified from page one frequented Mr Moncur’s talk show before he was elected last September.

Instead, Mr Moncur questioned how Mr Munroe appearing on his show could be classified as such.

“Give me an example of what would be a conflict. If you came on my show, right, how would that be conflict?” he asked.

“There is no one in my generation who has played the role that I have played. I’ve inspired Marvin Dames to meet with a victim’s family. I’ve inspired the (former) attorney general, Allyson Maynard, to speak in Pinewood and I assured that the young men of Pinewood Gardens did not assault Marvin Dame nor them.

The problem here is y’all are young.

Y’all don’t know my history. That is the problem and the next problem among the journalists is they don’t do research.

“There are many arguments that y’all have been advancing which is contrary to law and principally because many of the lawyers don’t understand how to do research. There are many arguments that y’all have been advancing which is contrary to law and principally because many of the lawyers don’t understand how to do research.… See I’m an uneducated man among educated people who’re dumb. So, they run on and they don’t know what they’re saying and the problem is they wouldn’t come to speak to me.”

While speaking of an instance where he helped someone, he said: “The problem that they have with me is I have strong views and they cannot beat me. They go to a national referendum and I beat them because they’re not in tune with the culture of (the) country.”

Some women’s rights activists have

RODNEY Moncur speaking to reporters yesterday.

Photo: Racardo Thomas/Tribune Staff spoken out against the appointment ever said I support violence.” due to Mr Moncur’s previous controHowever, he noted that he does not versial statements about women. believe he can commit rape on his Currently, there are ongoing dis- wife. Marital rape is another issue of cussions about gender-based violence contention. due to a number of recent incidents “See, I’m married. I don’t know against women and children.

Many of these people who are talking Asked about his plans to tackle about marital rape they don’t have no this issue and concerns from activists, wife and they don’t have no husband.

Mr Moncur said he has a wife and is I sincerely believe that a wife should opposed to violence. love to submit to her husband and if her “Look I don’t want you to sound husband is a rapist she should get rid of like the professor at the University of him,” the media personality argued.

The Bahamas. What was her concern?

“I do not believe that I can commit She wanted to know if I saw an FNM rape on my wife. Now that other man being assaulted by a criminal what I might be able to commit rape upon would do. I said who asks people who his wife, but I really don’t think that are being assaulted are you an FNM, I can. Now I ought to be persecuted are you a PLP? Violence is against the because I don’t believe that? No, I law. Why do we talk about gender- don’t believe so. based violence? I gotta whole woman “My wife took an oath in a church who took a hammer and turned her that she will submit to me and that her husband’s head into corn beef. Vio- body will be my body. Now if her body lence against people is wrong. There ain’t gonna be my body, who body is is no one who can tell you that I have gonna be my body?”

PAGE 8, Wednesday, May 11, 2022

THE TRIBUNE

No excuse for failing to disclose on time

PUBLIC Disclosure Commission chairman Bishop Victor Cooper.

HERE we are again. It is a familiar place.

Government administrations change with some regularity, and many of the practices remain the same.

“Transparency” and “accountability” were among the most common buzzwords almost a decade ago. We talk and talk about corruption, one political party points fingers at the other, the media reports on the failures of public officials, and we complain a bit more. None of it seems to matter. None of it ever will, unless we take action.

One of the only safeguards we have against corruption is the Public Disclosure Act which requires Members of Parliament and Senators to report on their assets, income, and liabilities as well as those of their spouses and children. The Public Disclosure Act was passed in 1976 and came into effect in 1977. The Act, in Section 4, says, “on the 31st day of December, in each year that he is a Senator or Member of Parliament, in respect of his assets, income and liabilities as at the 31st day of December in each year, so, however, that a declaration required to be furnished on the 31st day of December in any

By Alicia Wallace year shall be deemed to comply with the requirement of this subsection if it is furnished before the 1st day of March next following that date.”

This means Members of Parliament and Senators are required to make their public disclosures

by March 1 of every year for the previous calendar year. They then have two months to complete the appropriate forms. All Members of Parliament went through the process ahead of the general election, so it is not a new concept and there is not much of a learning curve.

Public Disclosure Commission chairman Bishop Victor Cooper said some new Members of Parliament were unaware of the legal requirement for them to publicly

disclose their assets, and extensions have been granted to those who requested them. How is it possible that Members of Parliament — who have lived in The Bahamas where there have been many news stories about failure to disclose, put themselves forward as candidates, and accepted jobs as legislators — did not know about this requirement? How is it that they are all members of political parties, working directly with veterans, without knowing, and without being made aware?

It does not make sense, and this excuse ought not be accepted. It is foolish, it is irresponsible, and it is absolutely unacceptable, particularly coming from the chairman.

Contrary to the ridiculous claims of Cooper, press secretary

Recommendations 1. Abbott Elementary. The first season has come to an end, and people are already saying it needs to have at least nine seasons. Created by Quinta Brunson — so well-known for being in memes that she has book entitled “I Meme Well” — Abbott Elementary follows a group of teachers who are dedicated to their jobs and bring very different teaching styles to their classrooms. There is the innocent and very keen Janine, the experienced and no-nonsense Barbara, and Ava, the unqualified principal, among other characters. This television show is funny, even as it highlights issues within the

American education system and portrays teachers who do what it takes to help their students to have a great elementary school experience.

2. I Want That Purple Stuff.

This episode of The Nod is educational and delightful. The Nod is a podcast about Black culture, that was hosted by Brittany Luse and Eric Eddings. There are many great episodes, and it would even be difficult to choose the top ten. I thought of this one when friends were joking about referring to drinks and other treats by the colour, as though the colour is the flavour. When it comes to purple, maybe that is

true. We all know purple popsicles don’t taste like grapes, right?

3. Phrazle. You’ve played Wordle, and maybe you have played Quordle too. Heardle is another hit, if you can access the music being played without encountering geographic blocks.

One of these word games that you may not have played yet is Phrazle.

In this one, you guess a phrase. A letter turns green if it is in the correct place, yellow if it is in the word, but not in the correct place, and purple if it is in the phrase, but not in the correct word. The phrases are generally well known and in regular use, so the game is fun with just the right amount of challenge.

Clint Watson, said all Members of Parliament were made aware of the public disclosure requirement when they were trained at the start of the current administration’s term. He said they may have been busy with other matters, causing them to forget about the deadline. “It’s the first one since taking office and I think people just missed the deadline because they didn’t know it was March 1 or they didn’t remember or they were caught up,” he said.

It is good to know there was training that included this information, but unfortunate that this information came with another absurd excuse. If they were told about the legal requirement to disclose in training, then they must have been given the dates.

It is on them to mark calendars, set reminders, strategically place sticky notes, and set whatever other measures they need in order to meet the requirements of the jobs they campaigned to secure.

Their busyness has nothing to do with the legal requirement or their obligation to the people of this country.

Minister of Youth, Sports and Culture Mario Bowleg blamed the failure of Members of Parliament to disclose on the timing of the general election which was held in 2021. He said the administration has not “taken a break since” since campaigning and “there have been times that it would slip your mind that you have to report, even though you would have been reminded”. He said, “Nobody’d hiding anything, whether it’s the government or the Opposition, so all paperwork will be turned in at the right time.”

The right time, of course, was before the deadline. Public disclosures made after March 1, and certainly beyond this point, for 2021, are late. If no one was hiding anything, they ought to have met the deadline. The public disclosure requirement is not a secret. Every few years, there are front page stories about the failure of Members of

Parliament to disclose on time.

This is an issue that persists. Why might that be? Could it be the lack of consequences? This is the law, so should there not be a consequence for breaking it? Section 13 of the Public Disclosure Act states that any person who fails to provide their declaration or makes any false statement in the declaration “shall be guilty of an offence and shall on conviction on information, be liable to a fine not exceeding ten thousand dollars or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding two years, or to both such fine and imprisonment[…]”

The leniency with delinquent Members of Parliament and Senators is insulting. The law is for everyone. We all have things to do, some of them tedious, to be in compliance with the law. Completing forms detailing the items in our luggage for presentation to Customs officers is not a particular exciting task. Many of us do it while trying to spot our luggage, hold children’s hands, call our rides from the airport, and any number of other tasks. Businesses have to make adjustments to their systems when changes are made to Value Added Tax. When we renew our drivers licences, we have to pay for any years we did not have a licence. We stand or sit in long lines to complete just about any task that requires service by a government agency, and then we get to pay for it.

Somehow, we do these things, no matter how boring, tedious, or inconvenient. If we do not do what is required, we have to face the consequences. Members of Parliament and Senators are no less deserving of the complications, frustrations, and expense of being law-abiding people.

They should receive no extension beyond the 30 days stipulated in the Act. They should face the consequences of their decided delinquency.

Issue the fines. Collect the money. Use it to build better systems and provide resources and services to the people.

THE TRIBUNE

Wednesday, May 11, 2022, PAGE 9

TECHTALK

UNITED RENTAL ORDERS MORE THAN 500 EVS FROM FORD

A WOMAN examines the Meta Portal Go during a preview of the Meta Store in Burlingame, California. (AP Photo/Eric Risberg)

META OPENS FIRST PHYSICAL STORE BURLINGAME, Calif. (AP) — Facebook parent Meta has opened its first physical store — in Burlingame, California — to showcase its hardware products like virtual and augmented reality goggles and glasses.

The store, which is open to the public as of Monday, is made for people who want to test out products like Ray-Ban Stories, Meta’s AR glasses and sunglasses, along with the Portal video calling gadget and Oculus virtual reality headsets.

Shoppers still have to order the glasses from Ray-Ban but can buy the other products at the store.

“It’s a very concrete step from moving away from social media and ads that mislead people and elections and spying and data and all those things to a very physical representation of clean, classy,

well-designed, cool hardware that makes you go, ah,” said Omar Akhtar, research director at Altimeter, a technology investment firm.

Akhtar said he “didn’t believe in virtual reality” until he sat and tried on the Oculus headset for the first time — and believes this will be the same for others who are able to put on the goggles and try it out. Apple pioneered physical retail stores in Silicon Valley and Meta, which owns Instagram and Facebook, is likely hoping it’ll replicate at least some of that success.

“The truth of it is that physical things never went away and they’re never going to go away,” Akhtar said.

“Everybody realises that even if we are going to step into the virtual world, we’re going to need to access it with hardware.”

META experience experts gather during a preview of the Meta Store in Burlingame, California. (AP Photo/Eric Risberg)

MS. PAC-MAN CLEARS PATH TO WORLD VIDEO GAME HALL OF FAME ROCHESTER, N.Y. (AP) — More than 40 years after blazing a trail for female video game characters, Ms. Pac-Man was inducted Thursday into the World Video Game Hall of Fame, along with Dance Dance Revolution, The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time and Sid Meier’s Civilization.

The Hall of Fame considers electronic games of all types each year — arcade, console, computer, handheld and mobile. Inductees are recognised for their popularity and influence on the video game industry or pop culture over time.

The Ms. Pac-Man arcade game was released in 1981 as Midway’s follow-up to Pac-Man, which entered the hall as part of the inaugural class in 2015. The Pac-Man sequel reimagined the main character to acknowledge the original game’s female fans, according to the hall.

After selling 125,000 cabinets within the first five years, it became one of the best-selling arcade games of all time.

There was nothing inherently gendered about early video games, said Julia Novakovic, senior archivist at the hall. But “by offering the first

MS. PAC-MAN, Dance Dance Revolution, Sid Meier’s Civilization and The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time. (World Video Game Hall of Fame via AP) widely recognised female video game character,” she said, “Ms. Pac-Man represented a turn in the cultural conversation about women’s place in the arcade, as well as in society at large.”

The Class of 2022 was chosen from a field of finalists that also included Assassin’s Creed, Candy Crush Saga, Minesweeper, NBA Jam, PaRappa the Rapper, Resident Evil, Rogue, and Words with Friends. It is the eighth class to be inducted since the World Video Game Hall of Fame was established at The Strong National Museum of Play in Rochester, New York.

Konami’s Dance Dance Revolution, first seen in arcades in Japan in 1998,

was recognised for helping to pave the way for other musiccentered games like Guitar Hero and Rock Band. The fast-paced game put players on a dance floor with a screen in front to direct their moves.

“Music has been an integral part of human life since prehistoric times, so it comes as no surprise that DDR enjoyed a unique popularity that spanned ages, genders, and regions,” said video game curator Lindsey Kurano.

A home version of the game followed on the Sony PlayStation in 1999.

The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time, also first released in 1998, came out for the Nintendo 64 gaming console and defined what a 3D

action video game could be, Hall of Fame officials said.

The award-winning game sold more than 7.6 million copies worldwide and continues to be recognised by some players and critics as one of the best video games ever made.

“Even today, developers throughout the world credit The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time as influencing the way they create games,” digital games curator Andrew Borman said.

“The game’s sprawling 3D world, fluid combat, complex puzzles and time-shifting story combined to inspire a wonder in players that they have never forgotten.”

Sid Meier’s Civilization,

released in 1991, was recognised as an influential simulation and strategy game.

The game, which invited players to develop their own empires, launched a series of successor games, including the most recent Civilization: Beyond Earth and Civilization VI. “The addictive nature of the game, which creator Sid Meier himself called the ‘one more turn’ quality, and its nearly unlimited choices that prevented repetitive gameplay, earned Civilization recognition from Computer Gaming World as the best video game of all time in 1996,” said Jon-Paul Dyson, director of The Strong’s International Center for the History of Electronic games.

“Altogether — and given the extraordinarily long periods of play the game afforded — players have engaged with the Civilization series for more than a billion hours.”

Anyone can nominate a game for the World Video Game Hall of Fame.

Final selections are made on the advice of journalists, scholars and others with knowledge of the history of video games and their role in society.

NEW YORK (AP) — The world’s largest equipment rental company will buy 500 Ford F-150 Lightning electric trucks and 30 of the automaker’s E-Transit electric vans.

United Rental expects 120 of the trucks and all 30 of the vans to be delivered and deployed this year as part of its goal to reduce its fleet’s greenhouse gas emissions 35% by 2030, the company said Tuesday.

The vehicles will be used by customers on construction and industrial sites and by its own sales, service and delivery personnel, the Connecticut company said.

Like other old-guard automakers, Ford has invested billions of dollars to rapidly develop and produce its electric vehicle lineup. Ford announced in March that it was splitting its electric vehicle and internal combustion operations into two independent wings to accelerate its adaptation of new technology.

Earlier this year, the Detroit automaker said it would nearly double the annual production of the F-150 Lightning to 150,000 per year based on a high number of reservations.

Ford’s heavy investment in electric vehicles — its own and others — has come at a cost. The company reported two weeks ago that it lost $3.1 billion in the first quarter, weighed down by its investment in the electricvehicle startup Rivian.

Sales were also dinged as a shortage of chips limited the supply of pickups and SUVs in North America.

Shares in Ford rose 2% Tuesday, but have lost almost half their value since January highs of around $25 per share.

TOP FREE iPHONE APPS:

1. Dream by WOMBO, Wombo Studios, Inc. 2. TikTok, TikTok Ltd. 3. YouTube: Watch, Listen, Stream, Google LLC 4. Facebook, Meta Platforms, Inc. 5. Instagram, Instagram, Inc. 6. Subway Surfers, Sybo Games ApS 7. Messenger, Meta Platforms, Inc. 8. Google Maps, Google LLC 9. Snapchat, Snap, Inc. 10. Gmail - Email by Google, Google LLC

PAGE 10, Wednesday, May 11, 2022

FESTIVAL DATES ARE REVEALED

A SERIES of festival dates have been announced but the Ministry of Tourism - including the return of events such as the Goombay, Junkanoo Summer and Pineapple Festivals.

Deputy Prime Minister Chester Cooper said in a statement issued yesterday: “It is gratifying to see the return of our beloved festivals. After all that we have endured over the past few years of the pandemic, we have to celebrate our culture and truly appreciate what we have.

“The safety of our residents and guests is our highest priority. We will continue to adhere to all covid protocols as we host these events.”

After a two-year hiatus, the 33rd annual Pineapple Festival will be returning on Labour Day weekend, June 3-4, in Gregory Town, Eleuthera. The celebration honours pineapple farmers and their contributions to the farming industry, and will welcome domestic and international visitors from all over, for a fun-filled weekend.

Additionally, Goombay Summer Festivals will take place during July throughout Abaco, Bimini, the

Berry Islands, Exuma, Harbour Island and Eleuthera.

Goombay showcases various cultural delights such as traditional Goombay dancers, ring play, rake n’ scrape, limbo and fire dancers, food demonstrations, a Kids’ Corner, a Junkanoo rush out and a Bahamian concert.

After two years on the virtual stage, Junkanoo Summer Festival returns as an in-person celebration, and will be held every Friday in July. The festival highlights Junkanoo, along with live music, and food.

Charity Armbrister, director of cultural and authentic events, said: “Bahamians are excited to travel to Family Islands this summer. People are excited, and we look forward to seeing everyone enjoying the culture. Visitors will have so much more to do when they arrive here on the island and these festivals present a great opportunity for them to participate in some of the island festivities. These events also generate an economic boom for all these island communities.”

For details about the festivals, visit Bahamas.com.

BREWERY HOLDS SAFETY WEEK COMMONWEALTH Brewery last week celebrated its annual Global Health and Safety Day that aims to prevent occupational accidents and raise awareness around mental health and work-life balance.

The event was also an opportunity to educate employees on Heineken’s Life-Saving Commitments (LSC), which outlines 12 safety standards that guarantee safety at work and protects the physical integrity and life of employees and contractors.

Linkoya FergusonSmith, safety health and environment manager said: “The desire to work in a safe and protected atmosphere that promotes wellness and safety is vital for the well-being of both employees and employers because human loss is immeasurable, intolerable, and detrimental for families.”

As the country transitions out of the COVID pandemic, this year’s Global Health and Safety Day provided a chance to engage staff through a series of interactive health

initiatives, including a complimentary workout session with Total Physique Fitness and live smoothie demos and giveaways with Nutrition Ready to Go (NRG).

In addition to understanding the importance of healthy eating, dietary needs and remaining active, employees were engaged in mental health dialogues with Dr Edrica Richardson, a licensed marriage and family therapist and Dr Timothy Barret, managing director of Holistic Health Services Ltd. During these sessions, staff gained valuable everyday tips for coping with stress and balancing work and family life.

CBL aims to create a culture where people can openly discuss and address their welfare while embracing enjoyment of life.

This holistic approach brings together four essential dimensions - professional, emotional, social, and physical well-being, which, when balanced, provides a real sense of stability and an increased ability to manage uncertainty and stressful situations.

THE TRIBUNE

Gas retailers ‘can expect announcements soon’

By LEANDRA ROLLE Tribune Staff Reporter lrolle@tribunemedia.net

ECONOMIC Affairs Minister Michael Halkitis said gas retailers and consumers can expect to hear several announcements from the government in a few weeks relating to possible gas relief.

This comes after several Family Island residents yesterday told The Tribune that there was an immediate need for government intervention in response to rising fuel prices.

In New Providence, the cost of gas at Shell stations is $6.35, while both Rubis and Esso stations have set gas prices at $6.33 per gallon. At Autoserve Shell at Marathon, gas is $6.30 However, at some islands, the cost of gas has already surpassed $7 with fears that the number can rise as high

as $10 or more a gallon by summer’s end.

Mr Halkitis, with other government officials, have met with gas retailers twice in recent months to discuss their concerns about the sharp rise in fuel costs.

Vasco Bastian, the Bahamas Petroleum Dealers Association’s (BPDA) vice-president, has said he expects either tax reductions or margin increases will occur before the Davis administration kicks off the budget debate in the House of Assembly later this month.

Asked about the issue yesterday, Mr Halkitis did not want to say what sort of gas relief initiatives are being looked at by the government.

But he assured Bahamians that officials had no plans to approve any margin increases, noting the move as “counterproductive”.

He also said the Davis

administration is working feverishly to come up with solutions and hopes to speak more on the issue soon.

“They (BPDA) have been in the press talking about the challenges they face inclusive of high rents and high franchise fees and we’ve met with them in trying to come to a position where the government can help them.

They have presented some proposals to us which we have taken away to study,” the minister said.

“We have undertaken that we’ll come back to them to have a resolution by budget time. I’ll leave it at that but just to say that (the) prime minister has participated in both meetings as an indication of his commitment to assist. Again, if the solutions were easy, they would’ve been done already, but we’re looking at a number of the ways that we think we can help them, so expect to hear something in a matter of a few weeks.”

FNM Grand Bahama Council announces that 40 mothers on GB and Bimini will be presented with FNM Mother’s Day Awards 2022 on Sunday, May 29. Making the announcement at FNM Headquarters were Kathy Munnings, president of the FNM Woman’s Association; Donna Laing-Jones, trustee of FNM Women’s Association, and executive of East Grand Bahama Constituency; PR of FNM GB Council; David Wallace, vice chairman of the FNM GB Council; Senator Jasmin Dareus, member of FNM GB Council; David Thompson, chairman of FNM GB Council; Sean C Thurston, vice chair of EGB Constituency Association; and assistant secretary-general of the FNM GB Council, Standing at back from left are Derek King, executive of EGB Constituency Association, and Judith Dawkins, Public Relations Team.

FORTY MOTHERS TO BE CELEBRATED BY FNM

By DENISE MAYCOCK Tribune Freeport Reporter dmaycock@tribunemedia.net

FORTY mothers on Grand Bahama and Bimini will receive the Free National Movement’s Mother’s Day Award 2022 on Sunday, May 29, at the Bishop Michael Auditorium, in Freeport.

The recipients will be recognised at a Mother’s Day Gospel Extravaganza, under the theme, “How Great is Our God”, at 6pm.

The event is being held under the patronage of Berlice Pintard, the wife of FNM leader Michael Pintard, and in memory of Lady Sandra Moore, the late wife of Maurice Moore, one of the party’s founding fathers.

David Thompson, chairman of FNM Grand Bahama Council, announced that the council in conjunction with the FNM member of Parliament for the constituency and the five constituency associations have selected mothers in Grand Bahama and Bimini as honorees.

“This is an opportunity for the FNM party to extend thanks and express deep appreciation to dedicated mothers for being a committed FNM party supporter,” Mr Thompson said. “This award is also in recognition of the significant contribution they have made as mothers and the stalwart service given to the FNM party, our community, and our country.”

Former FNM Senator Jasmine Dareus added that “mothers are the heartbeat of our families, the glue in

our community and cornerstone of our society.”

She said the extravaganza will feature live entertainment from a cadre of gospel performers, including Simeon Outten and the New Life Band, the Cooling Waters, Kevin Tomlinson, Tony Lowe, the Mt Calvary praise team, and so much more.

The event hosts are Will Stubbs and Bishop Ricardo Grant.

Tickets are available at the Freeport National Movement Headquarters and all constituency offices.

Doors open at 4.30pm.

The award criteria for recognition are having a long-standing commitment to the party and in service, “and selflessness not just to their family, but to this political organisation and in the community.”

THE TRIBUNE

Wednesday, May 11, 2022, PAGE 11

Russia pummels vital port of Odesa to target supply lines ZAPORIZHZHIA, Ukraine Associated Press RUSSIA pummelled the vital port of Odesa, Ukrainian officials said Tuesday, in an apparent effort to disrupt supply lines and Western weapons shipments as Ukraine’s foreign minister appeared to suggest the country could expand its war aims.

With the war now in its 11th week and Kyiv bogging down Russian forces and even staging a counteroffensive, Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba seemed to indicate that the country could go merely beyond pushing Russia back to areas it or its allies held on the day of the February 24 invasion.

The idea reflected Ukraine’s ability to stymie a larger, better-armed Russian military, which has surprised many who had anticipated a much quicker end to the conflict.

One of the most dramatic examples of Ukraine’s ability to prevent easy victories is in Mariupol, where Ukrainian fighters remained holed up at a steel plant, denying Russia’s full control of the city. The regiment defending the plant said Russian warplanes continued bombarding it.

In recent days, the United Nations and Red Cross organized a rescue of what some officials said were the last civilians trapped at the plant. But two officials said Tuesday that about 100 were believed to still be in the complex’s underground tunnels. Others said that was impossible to confirm.

In another example of the grisly toll of the war, Ukrainian officials said they found the bodies of 44 civilians in the rubble of a

AN UKRAINIAN firefighter works near a destroyed building on the outskirts of Odesa, Ukraine, yesterday.

Photo: Max Pshybyshevsky/AP building destroyed weeks later visited the warehouse lack the forces to do so — ago in the northeastern city and said it “had nothing continuing missile strikes in common with military on Odesa reflect the city’s of Izyum.

New UN figures, mean- infrastructure or military strategic importance. The while, said that 14 million objects”.

Russian military has repeatUkraine alleged at least edly targeted its airport Ukrainians were forced from their homes by the some of the munitions used and claimed it destroyed end of April, including dated to the Soviet era, more than 5.9 million who making them unreliable in targeting. Ukrainian, Brithave left the country.

In Washington, a top US ish and US officials say intelligence official testified Russia is rapidly using up Tuesday that eight to ten its stock of precision weapRussian generals have been ons, raising the risk of more killed in the war. Lt Gen imprecise rockets being Scott Berrier, who leads used as the conflict grinds the Defence Intelligence on.

Since President Vladimir Agency, told a Senate committee that because Russia Putin’s forces failed to lacks a noncommissioned take Kyiv early in the war, officer corps, its gener- his focus has shifted to the als have to go into combat eastern industrial heartzones and end up in danger- land of the Donbas — but one general has suggested ous positions.

Ukraine said Russian Moscow’s aims also include forces fired seven missiles cutting Ukraine’s maritime on Monday at Odesa, hit- access to both the Black ting a shopping centre and and Azov seas.

That would also give it a a warehouse in the country’s largest port. One swath of territory linking person was killed and five Russia to both the Crimean Peninsula, which it seized wounded, the military said.

Images showed a burn- in 2014, and Transnistria, ing building and debris a pro-Moscow region of — including a tennis shoe Moldova.

Even if it falls short of — in a heap of destruction in the city on the Black Sea. severing Ukraine from the Mayor Gennady Trukhanov coast — and it appears to

QUEEN DELEGATES OPENING OF PARLIAMENT FOR FIRST TIME LONDON Associated Press QUEEN Elizabeth II delegated one of her most important public duties to Prince Charles yesterday, underscoring the increasingly central role the heir to the crown is taking as his mother prepares to celebrate 70 years on the throne.

Charles presided over the state opening of Parliament and delivered the Queen’s Speech laying out the government’s legislative program. The event is a symbol of the monarch’s constitutional role as head of state and is accompanied by centuries of tradition designed to demonstrate the strength of Britain’s political institutions.

PRINCE Charles sits next to the Queen’s crown during the State Opening of Parliament.

The queen’s decision to delegate her role to Charles is likely to be seen by the public as evidence that a transition is underway, with the 96-year-old monarch remaining on the throne but turning over more

responsibilities to her eldest son.

The choreography of the day emphasised a queen who was absent and yet still present. Her throne had been removed, but in its place the Imperial State Crown sat propped on a pillow. Charles, wearing the uniform of an admiral of the fleet, glittered in gold braid rather than sweeping ermine robes.

He was flanked by his wife, the Duchess of Cornwall, and his son, Prince William. It was, in essence, all about the dynasty.

“I think the emphasis here was clearly on continuity, a symbolic presence of Elizabeth II, if not a physical presence, and also what the future will likely look like,” said Ed Owens, a royal historian.

HAITIAN GANG LEADER CHARGED OVER MISSIONARY KIDNAPPING WASHINGTON Associated Press

FEDERAL prosecutors in the US have charged the leader of a notoriously violent Haitian gang in connection with the kidnapping of 16 Americans last year, the Justice Department said Tuesday.

Joly Germaine, 29, who is also known as “Yonyon,” is accused of leading the 400 Mawozo gang and is the first person charged by Justice Department prosecutors with having any involvement in the kidnapping of the Christian missionaries. He was extradited to the US last week and faces separate charges in a firearms trafficking case, prosecutors said.

The indictment says Germaine was in a Haitian prison during the kidnapping but was nonetheless able to direct his group’s operations, including ransom negotiations for the captives’

release. One of the stated goals of the hostage-taking was to get the Haitian government to release Germaine from prison, prosecutors said.

A total of 17 people from the missionary group — 12 adults and five minors — were abducted Oct. 16 shortly after visiting an orphanage in Ganthier, in the Croix-des-Bouquets area, the group has said. The group included 16 Americans and one Canadian.

Twelve of the captive missionaries escaped during a daring overnight caper, eluding their kidnappers and walking for miles over difficult, moonlit terrain with an infant and other children in tow.

The group navigated by stars to reach safety after a two-month kidnapping ordeal, according to officials with the Christian Aid Ministries, the Ohio-based agency that the missionaries work for.

Their captors from the 400 Mawozo gang initially demanded millions of dollars in ransom. Five other captives had earlier reached freedom. It is still unclear if any ransom was paid. The 12 hostages who escaped were flown to Florida on a US Coast Guard flight, and later reunited with the five hostages who had been released earlier.

Germine is due to make his first court appearance Wednesday. It was not immediately clear if he had a lawyer to comment on his behalf.

“This case shows that the Justice Department will be relentless in our efforts to track down anyone who kidnaps a US citizen abroad,” Attorney General Merrick Garland said in a statement. “We will utilize the full reach of our law enforcement authorities to hold accountable anyone responsible for undermining the safety of Americans anywhere in the world.”

several batches of Western weapons.

Odesa is also a major gateway for grain shipments, and its blockade by Russia already threatens global food supplies. Beyond that, the city is a cultural jewel, dear to Ukrainians and Russians alike, and targeting it carries symbolic significance as well.

In Mariupol, Russians also bombarded the Azovstal steel mill, the Azov regiment said, targeting the sprawling complex 34 times in the past 24 hours.

Attempts to storm the plant also continued, it said.

Petro Andryushchenko, an adviser to Mariupol’s mayor, estimated on social media that at least 100 civilians are trapped in the plant. Donetsk regional Gov Pavlo Kyrylenko said those who remain

are people “that the Russians have not selected” for evacuation.

The two officials did not say how they knew civilians were still in the complex — a warren of tunnels and bunkers spread over four square miles.

Fighters with the Azov regiment released photos of their wounded comrades inside the plant, including some with amputated limbs.

They said the wounded were living in unsanitary conditions “with open wounds bandaged with non-sterile remnants of bandages, without the necessary medication and even food.”

In its statement on Telegram, the regiment appealed to the UN and Red Cross to evacuate the wounded servicemen to Ukrainian-controlled territories.

SPORTS PAGE 12

WEDNESDAY, MAY 11, 2022

NBA, page 15

Athletes get set for Diamond League in Doha

By BRENT STUBBS Senior Sports Reporter bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

W

orld indoor champion Shaunae MillerUibo, silver medallist Devynne Charlton and semifinalist Anthonique Strachan are expected to compete in the first meeting of the World Athletics’ 2022 Wanda Diamond League in Doha, Qatar, on Friday.

Miller-Uibo, the world indoor 400 metre champion in Belgrade, Serbia in March, will headline the list as she is entered to compete in the 400m alongside Jamaican Stephenie Ann McPherson and Dominican Republic’s Marileidy Paulino.

Charlton, the silver medalist in the women’s 60m hurdles in Belgrade, is listed to compete in the 100m hurdles. American world record holder Kendra Harrison and Jamaican duo

ANTHONIQUE Strachan. of Megan Tappin and Britany Anderson are among the list of participants.

And Strachan, who is having a great outdoor season so far following her semifinal appearance in the women’s 60m in Belgrade, is listed to compete in the 200m with her Jamaican MVP Track Club training partner Shericka Jackson

WORLD indoor champion Shaunae Miller-Uibo, left, and silver medallist Devynne Charlton share a special moment.

and Great Britain’s Dina Asher-Smith.

The Wanda Diamond League is a showpiece event of track and field’s premier international oneday circuit and features the biggest stars of the sport.

Athletes compete for points in 11 different Wanda Diamond League meetings throughout the season, with the most successful qualifying for a place in the final and a shot at the iconic Diamond Trophy, the most prestigious title in athletics beyond the major championships.

Following Doha, the series will continue in Birmingham, England on May 21, Eugene, Oregon on May 28, Rabat, Morocco on June 5, Rome, Italy on June 9, Oslo, Norway on June 16, Paris, France on June 18, Stockholm, Sweden on June 30, Chorzow, Poland, to be announced, Monaco, on August 10, Lausanne, Switzerland on August 26

Ayton and Suns take 3-2 lead

By DAVID BRANDT AP Sports Writer PHOENIX (AP) — Devin Booker scored 28 points, Deandre Ayton added 20 and the Phoenix Suns beat the Dallas Mavericks 110-80 last night to take a 3-2 lead in the Western Conference semifinals.

The Suns used a huge third quarter to turn a tight game into a comfortable win. Phoenix opened up the second half on an 11-4 run, highlighted by Booker’s two 3-pointers, for a 61-50 lead.

Mavs coach Jason Kidd called for a timeout, but it did little to stop the onslaught. The Suns led 82-60 going into the fourth with Booker pouring in 12 points during the third.

While the Suns were finally finding some offensive continuity, the Mavs completely lost theirs, scoring just four points in the first six minutes of the third. At times, the Dallas offence regressed to mostly watching Luka Doncic try and work magic, but he couldn’t do it all by himself. The Mavs had 12 turnovers during the third quarter. The

BOOKER SCORES 28, SUNS ROUT MAVERICKS 110-80 top-seeded Suns bounced back after dropping the previous two games and can win the series in Game 6 on Thursday in Dallas.

Doncic finished with 28 points and 11 rebounds.

Jalen Brunson added 21 points. The Mavs shot just 38% from the field.

The Suns took a hardfought 49-46 lead into halftime. Booker scored 16 points on 7-of-11 shooting from the field. Doncic countered with 18 points, though it was a little less efficient after making 7 of 16 shots.

The Mavericks led for a majority of the first half before Booker’s baseline jam tied it at 40-all with 3:47 before halftime.

Mikal Bridges had a nifty steal and then scored on a fast-break layup for a 44-42 lead.

BOOK THE BUCKET Booker now has 804 points in 30 career playoff games.

PHOENIX Suns centre Deandre Ayton (22) wins the open tipoff against Dallas Mavericks centre Dwight Powell (7) during the first half of Game 5 of an NBA basketball second-round playoff series last night in Phoenix.

(AP Photo/Ross D Franklin) The 25-year-old is one of just 18 players in NBA history with at least 800 points in his first 30

postseason games. He joins Anthony Davis, Donovan Mitchell, Kevin Durant, LeBron James,

Tracy McGrady, Vince Carter and Allen Iverson, who have all accomplished the feat since 2000.

and Brussels, Belgium on September 2.

While the finals are set for Zurich, Switzerland from September 7-8, World Athletics has also confirmed that the 2023 finals will be moving out of Europe for the first time in the series’ history, to the Prefontaine Classic in Eugene in 2023.

Additionally, hosting rights for the two-day season finale – at which all 32 Diamond League champions are crowned – have been awarded to the Allianz Memorial van Damme meeting in Brussels for 2024 and 2026, and to Weltklasse Zurich for 2025 and 2027.

The Wanda Diamond League is also being used as a prelude to World Athletics’ 2022 World Championship that will be staged in Eugene, Oregon, July 15-24. Miller-Uibo, Charlton and Strachan are expected to represent on Team Bahamas.

STRIKE-OUT CANCER INITIATIVE LAUNCHED THE Strike-Out Cancer initiative is a joint programme with the National Fast-Pitch Coaches Association (NFCA) membership and The Rising Stars programme to raise funds and awareness to fight cancer and promote a healthy lifestyle.

Players will take to the softball diamond at Emera Baseball Park with games scheduled for 7pm Friday and 1:30pm Saturday, May 13-14.

“The game on Friday is special and dear to most of us in Rising Stars as we will be playing for our dear friend Lynette Cox who has been recently diagnosed with cancer, therefore, this game will be played in her honour and proceeds from the Friday game will be donated to Lynette,” said Yvonne Lockhart, the organiser.

“Therefore, we invite the corporate community to join us in this campaign to spread awareness and raise money in the fight against cancer. You can outright donate or match five dollars for every strikeout recorded on those days.”

Part proceeds will be donated to the Cancer Society of Freeport.

Minor league players, NIL expert predicts MLB reach deal in $50,000 minimum pay minimum wage suit for Power 5 players

By ERIC OLSON AP Sports Writer

By RONALD BLUM AP Baseball Writer NEW YORK (AP) — Minor league players and Major League Baseball have reached a settlement in a lawsuit alleging teams violated minimum wage laws.

Terms of the settlement were not filed with the court yesterday and details were not released. Two people familiar with the negotiations, speaking to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because the release of details was not authorised, said the sides in recent weeks had been discussing a possible settlement in the $200 million range.

“We are pleased to report that the parties have reached a settlement in principle in this over eightyear-old case, subject to

QUAD Cities River Bandits players warm up before a Class-A Midwest League baseball game against the Cedar Rapids Kernels in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, May 13, 2019.

(AP Photo/Charlie Neibergall) court approval,” lawyers for the players said in a statement.

“We look forward to filing preliminary approval

papers with the court and cannot comment further until then.”

SEE PAGE 16

FOOTBALL and men’s basketball players on scholarship in one of the major conferences can expect to soon earn a minimum of $50,000 each year he plays because of the influx of cash from so-called booster collectives brokering name, image and likeness deals.

That prediction, based on market trends, was made this week by Blake Lawrence, co-founder and CEO of a company that helps athletes and schools navigate the ever-changing NIL landscape.

The increasing dollar amounts available to college athletes through the recent formation of collectives has drawn the attention of the NCAA, which this week released guidance for schools in the hopes of maintaining the original intent of NIL compensation.

College sports leaders are concerned some collectives have gone beyond paying athletes for activities such as endorsements and appearances and breaking the pay-for-play ban by offering cash to influence athletes’ decisions

on where to go to school. NCAA rules prohibit boosters from making contact with prospective recruits.

Lawrence co-founded Opendorse in 2012 to facilitate endorsement deals for professional athletes.

The former Nebraska football player was among the advisers who worked with the NCAA on forming NIL policy, and he expanded his company to bring opportunities to college athletes to cash in on their fame and developed compliance technology that allows schools to keep track of the deals.

Lawrence based his $50,000-a-year per player minimum on the assumption booster collectives are directing about $5 million annually into NIL pools and that some of the money will go to athletes in other sports. There are collectives supporting NIL at more than half of the 65 Power Five schools, including Notre Dame, and more are forming.

Michael LeRoy, a University of Illinois labor law professor who researches college athlete compensation, said Lawrence’s projection is spot on.

SEE PAGE 16

THE TRIBUNE

Wednesday, May 11, 2022, PAGE 13

Mullings to represent Bahamas at NACAC Combined Events Championships in Ottawa

By BRENT STUBBS Senior Sports Reporter bstubbs@tribunemedia.net FORMER decathlon record holder Ken Mullings said he doesn’t mind being the lone competitor representing the Bahamas at the North American, Central American, and Caribbean Combined Events Championships in Ottawa, Canada, from May 14-15.

Mullings was originally scheduled to travel with his training partner, new decathlon record holder Kendrick Thompson, but as he is currently recovering from a slight injury, Thompson won’t be able to make the trip on Thursday.

Accompanying the 25-year-old Mullings on the trip will be former pole vault champion turned coach Kenny Moxey.

Mullings, a graduate of the University of The Bahamas, said anytime he can put on the uniform for the Bahamas and compete, he’s up and ready for the challenge.

Even though Thompson, his arch-rival and training partner, won’t be able to make it.

“We train together, so we motivate and push each other in practice,” Mullings said. “Practice, to me, is the hardest part. The competition is the easy part because we just have to go out there and execute.”

And if he executes the competition as planned, Mullings said he feels he can come back with a medal and possibly a qualifying feat for the World Athletics’ 2022 World

LONE STAR: Former decathlon record holder Ken Mullings is getting ready to represent the Bahamas at the North American, Central American, and Caribbean Combined Events Championships in Ottawa, Canada, May 14-15.

Championships in Eugene, Oregon, July 15-24.

Mullings’ local coach Ednal Rolle said while they were informed about the meet about a week away, they made plans for Mullings to compete, but Thompson wasn’t able to get the time off from his studies at the University of the Bahamas to travel.

Additionally, Rolle said Thompson is coming off a slight injury and he’s working to get back into competition in Florida at the end of the month.

But without Thompson competing, Rolle said he still expects Mullings to perform very well.

“I expect him to score over 8,000 points,” Rolle

said. “He’s in good condition, based on what he did at the last decathlon competition in Miami. He fell short of his personal best, but he’s improved in a lot of the technical events.

“I know he lost a lot of points in the 1,500m, the final event of the two-day meet. “That was our main concern and so after he completed a full workout session last week, we had him run a 1,500m and he ran 15 seconds better than what he did in Miami, so I expect him to perform very well.”

The NACAC Combined Events is a qualifier for the World Championships, but Mullings will have to secure 8,350 points to earn

his spot. He fell short by about 600 points in his last meet in Florida in April, but he’s hoping to improve on that in Canada.

The United States held its USATF Decathlon Championships over the weekend with Garrett Scantling emerging as the winner with a personal best of 8,867 points for the yearly world lead.

Behind him Georgia sophomore Kyle Garland destroyed the collegiate record with an 8,720 tally and in 3rd, Olympian Zach Ziemek scored 8,573, a 102-point improvement of his best set at the OT last summer.

They’ll be the World Champs team. It’s unlikely

that any of those competitors will be heading to Canada as they would have already booked their ticket to Eugene for the World Championships to present the United States.

“I don’t know who is going to participate or who will be there,” said Mullings, who will be competing in the championships for the first time. “I just know I’m going to be there and I hope to put on a show.”

Having worked on his 1,500m run specifically, Mullings said when he combines his best events like the 100m, shot put, and high jump, he said he’s very confident that he will perform extremely well in Canada.

INAUGURAL LAKE CUNNINGHAM CLASSIC ON SATURDAY THE Nassau Rowing Club and the Windsor High School Rowing team have teamed up to stage the inaugural Lake Cunningham Classic on Lake Cunningham on Saturday.

The Lake Cunningham Classic is a dual regatta, showcasing the best oarsmen and oarswomen from both programmes, giving them a chance to test their skills against each other in the highest calibre of rowing competition in The Bahamas.

Rowers will race in junior women’s and men’s single sculls, double sculls, coxed fours and quadruple sculls, demonstrating skill in both sculling and sweep rowing.

Racing is scheduled to begin at 8am sharp and can be viewed from the shoulder of the southern shore of Lake Cunningham, closest to the roundabout connecting Baha Mar Boulevard, Gladstone Road and John F Kennedy Drive.

Racing will be run from west to east such that the final sprint, and most exciting part of the race, will be right in front of this spectator area.

Members, parents, and supporters will be located there and there will be adequate parking and signage to facilitate you identifying the best place to observe the racing.

• Our provisional schedule is as follows: 8am – Junior Men’s Single Sculls.

8:30am – Junior Women’s Doubles Sculls.

9am – Windsor Junior Men’s Coxed Four vs Nassau RC Quadruple Scull.

9:30am – Junior Women’s Single Sculls.

10am – Junior Men’s Double Sculls.

INDIANA SNAPS SIXGAME LOSING STREAK AGAINST MINNESOTA

INDIANA Fever guard Tiffany Mitchell (25) moves up the court during the game against the Minnesota Lynx during a WNBA basketball game yesterday at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis.

(Grace Hollars/The Indianapolis Star via AP)

Mystics use big 3rd quarter to get past Las Vegas 89-76 WASHINGTON (AP) — Elena Delle Donne scored 12 of her 19 points in the second half, Myisha HinesAllen had 15 points, eight rebounds and eight assists and the Washington Mystics used a big third quarter to beat the Las Vegas Aces 89-76 last night.

Washington trailed by 13 points at halftime before outscoring the Aces 24-7 in the third for a 60-56 lead.

The Mystics extended their advantage to 74-60 midway through the fourth.

Ariel Atkins added 13 points and eight rebounds for Washington (3-0). Katie Benzan scored 12 points and Tianna Hawkins had 10. Natasha Cloud did not play due to health and safety protocols.

Jackie Young scored 19 points and Kelsey Plum added 18 for Las Vegas (2-1).

Dearica Hamby added 14 points with eight rebounds, and A’ja Wilson

WASHINGTON Mystics forward Elena Delle Donne (11) shoots the ball against Indiana Fever guard Tiffany Mitchell (25) during the first half of an WNBA basketball game May 6 in Washington.

(AP Photo/Terrance Williams) had 10 points and 11 points and eight rebounds Mystics to 39.5%. Wilson rebounds. to help the Aces build a secured a double-double in Young and Plum each 49-36 lead. Las Vegas shot the third quarter. UConn scored 14 points in the first 57.6% from the field in the stars Paige Bueckers and half, and Wilson had 10 first half while holding the Azzi Fudd sat courtside.

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Kelsey Mitchell scored 26 points, Crystal Dangerfield had 10 points and six assists against her former team and the Indiana Fever beat the Minnesota Lynx 82-76 last night to snap a six-game losing streak in the series.

Dangerfield, who was waived by Minnesota a week ago, made a jumper from the free-throw line to extend Indiana’s lead to 76-72 with 2:26 left and added two free throws at 18.9 to seal it. Dangerfield, the 2020 rookie of the year, was 3 of 7 from the field with no turnovers in 21 minutes.

Rookie NaLyssa Smith added nine points and Destanni Henderson had eight points and five assists for Indiana (1-2). Mitchell made four of Indiana’s nine 3-pointers and Victoria Vivians added three.

Indiana fell behind 21-12 in the first quarter, but responded with a 36-18 second quarter. The 36 points rank third in Indiana history for scoring in a quarter.

Sylvia Fowles had 26 points and 14 rebounds to lead Minnesota (0-3).

Rachel Banham added 14 points and Jessica Shepard had 10 points, 10 rebounds and nine assists.

PAGE 14, Wednesday, May 11, 2022

THE TRIBUNE

VETERAN PLAYERS TSONGA, SIMON GET FRENCH OPEN WILD CARDS

JOHN Isner returns to Diego Schwartzman, of Argentina, at the BNP Paribas Open tennis tournament on Tuesday, March 15, in Indian Wells, California.

(AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez)

Isner confident despite tall task vs. Nadal at Italian Open

By ANDREW DAMPF AP Sports Writer ROME (AP) — At 37, John Isner is just happy to be back on tour in Europe with his wife and three kids.

No longer dreaming of a Grand Slam title, he’s trying to make the back end of his tennis career not seem “like such a job” and make it “fun.”

Yet there’s serious business coming up today with a second-round match against 10-time champion Rafael Nadal in the second round at the Italian Open.

And get this: Isner believes he has a chance against the holder of a record 21 Grand Slam titles.

While Isner has only beaten Nadal once in eight previous meetings — and that lone win came indoors — the big-serving American pushed Nadal to five sets at the 2011 French Open. “This is a very cool opportunity for me,” Isner said an interview with The Associated Press yesterday. “At 37, I get another crack at one of the all-time greats.”

“In my estimation and I think Rafa would say it, too, he’s not playing the best he’s ever played,” Isner added.

“He’s been hurt and he’s just coming back. So he maybe doesn’t have his full complement of confidence that he’s used to. So maybe I can try to take advantage of that.”

The 6-foot-10 Isner certainly looked confident in a 6-4, 6-3 first-round win over Miami Open semifinalist Francisco Cerundolo.

Nadal, meanwhile is preparing to play his second tournament since returning from a rib stress fracture that kept him out for six weeks.

Nadal was beaten by Spanish teenager Carlos Alcaraz in the Madrid Open quarterfinals last week.

In other action on the red clay courts of the Foro Italico, five-time champion Novak Djokovic looked solid in a 6-3, 6-2 win over Aslan Karatsev in his opening match.

Djokovic missed several key tournaments earlier this year because he was not vaccinated against the

coronavirus — which led to him being deported from Australia ahead of the year’s first Grand Slam.

Still seeking his first title of 2022, Djokovic showed off some vintage scrambling abilities late in the first set when he ran down one shot near the net post then sprinted back across the net to dig out a low backhand volley winner.

“You always hope you can play some exciting and attractive points and come out as a winner of those points and celebrate with the crowd,” Djokovic said.

“That’s what the crowd is looking for — they’re looking for energy, excitement, fight and they want to see some good tennis.

“It’s always great to play in the colosseum of tennis,” Djokovic added.

In a women’s matchup of two US Open champions, Bianca Andreescu advanced when Emma Raducanu retired due to a lower back injury with Andreescu ahead 6-2, 2-1.

Isner recently won doubles titles at Indian Wells and Miami with partners Jack Sock and Hubert Hurkacz, respectively.

“I’ve been spending a lot of time on the match court and I haven’t been spending much time on the practice court, which is exactly how I would I would want to have it,” said Isner, who is back in Rome after missing the Italian Open the last two years during the pandemic.

“I like the fact that the match was about an hour and a half today,” Isner said.

“So I don’t think it took too much out of me.”

Isner is also playing in an eye-catching doubles partnership in Rome with the diminutive Argentine Diego Schwartzman — who is 15 inches shorter than him.

They won their opening match on Monday.

“Does make for a good photograph,” Isner said.

“And on top of that, I think we’re pretty good.”

Including Isner, there were eight Americans in the singles draw at the start of the tournament — matching host Italy for the most players from any country.

Jenson Brooksby, Tommy Paul and Marcos

Giron also reached the second round.

“American men’s tennis, I can truly say right now, is definitely on the upswing,” Isner said.

So is Isner, still ranked in the top 30, contemplating retirement?

“No, not right now. But it’s certainly weird seeing a lot of my contemporaries retire or about to retire,” he said, mentioning JoWilfried Tsonga, Kevin Anderson and Juan Martin del Potro — who have all retired recently or plan to soon.

“I’m still ranked relatively high and still seeded at Grand Slams and I’m still hungry,” Isner added.

“So I want to try to keep it going.”

Up next for Isner will be his 53rd Grand Slam tournament at the French Open, which starts May 22.

First, though, he’ll take his family for a little break on the Spanish island of Mallorca.

“Going to rent a place on the beach and just enjoy it,” he said. “I am trying to make it very, very fun and I’m doing that with my family here.”

PARIS (AP) — Veteran French players Jo-Wilfried Tsonga and Gilles Simon have been handed wild cards to play in the main draw at the French Open, organisers said yesterday.

A former Australian Open runner-up, Tsonga announced earlier this season that he will retire after the clay-court Grand Slam event. Play begins at Roland Garros on May 22.

Simon said he is retiring at the end of the season after 20 years of playing professional tennis.

Tsonga and Simon are both 37 years old and helped France win the Davis Cup in 2017.

Tsonga reached the semifinals twice at the French Open, in 2013 and 2015. He has won 18 ATP titles and made it to the Australian Open final in 2008, losing to Novak Djokovic.

Tsonga reached a careerhigh ranking of No. 5 in 2012 but has dropped to No. 263 following his latest lengthy injury layoff. Simon has 14 career titles and a best ranking of sixth in 2009. He is ranked 160th.

“We wanted them to live their final Roland Garros in the main draw, in front of their fans,” tournament director Amelie Mauresmo said. “And also to thank them for what they have done throughout their career.”

The 12 wild card entries for the main draw announced yesterday were allocated to French players. In addition to Tsonga and Simon, the French tennis federation said Lucas Pouille, Corentin Moutet, Manuel Guinard and Gregoire Barrere were also invited to play at Roland Garros.

In the women’s draw, the wild cards were awarded to Tessah Andrianjafitrimo, Fiona Ferro, Elsa Jacquemot, Leolia Jeanjean, Chloe Paquet and Harmony Tan. On Monday, Katie Volynets and Michael Mmoh earned the US Tennis Association’s wild-card entries.

The USTA and French tennis federation offer reciprocal wild-card invitations for each other’s Grand Slam events.

The French federation has a similar agreement with Tennis Australia. The two wilds-card entries granted to Australian players have yet to be announced.

LIVERPOOL BEATS VILLA 2-1, LEVEL ON POINTS WITH CITY IN EPL BIRMINGHAM, England (AP) — Liverpool has ensured the Premier League’s thrilling title race will stretch into the final week of the season.

A come-from-behind 2-1 win at Aston Villa, sealed by a 65th-minute header by Sadio Mane, showed Liverpool’s heart for the fight and moved Jürgen Klopp’s team level on points with Manchester City yesterday.

“It’s about digging in, keeping going and finding a way to win,” Liverpool captain Jordan Henderson said.

City still leads thanks to its superior goal difference of 3 to Liverpool.

The defending champions play their game in hand against Wolverhampton today, after which the two title rivals will have only two more league games to play.

The earliest City could now clinch the league is on Tuesday, when Liverpool plays its next league game — at Southampton. Before that, City plays twice, against Wolves then West Ham on Sunday.

“We cannot do more than win,” Klopp said. “A lot of people thought this could be a banana skin, that it could be a struggle for us, and how the boys sorted that was absolutely outstanding.”

The Reds, who drew 1-1 with Tottenham on Saturday, avoided having their

LIVERPOOL’S SADIO MANE, left, celebrates with his teammates after scoring against Aston Villa during the English Premier League soccer match between Aston Villa and Liverpool at Villa Park in Birmingham, England, yesterday.

(AP Photo/Rui Vieira) title bid further derailed in the third minute. The saved by goalkeeper Emi was lucky to avoid getting by a Villa team managed Brazilian forced the ball Martinez. a yellow card for repeated by one of their greatest in from close range after Liverpool lost Fabinho fouls — and his replaceplayers. his initial header was only in the 30th minute to a ment, Henderson, used Steven Gerrard, a boy- parried out by Liverpool hamstring injury that could his experience to calm the hood Liverpool fan and goalkeeper Alisson Becker. potentially rule the holding game down. former star midfielder, Villa held the lead for midfielder out of the FA Liverpool had regained insisted his focus was purely less than three minutes, Cup final against Chelsea control by the time Mane on winning the game for with Joel Matip equalis- on Saturday. twisted his neck to meet Villa and saw midfielder ing by converting into The injury might actually a cross from the left from Douglas Luiz — who was an unguarded empty net have helped Liverpool.

Luis Diaz with a header once on Man City’s books after fellow centre back Fabinho had been strug- into the bottom corner.

— give his team the lead Virgil van Dijk had a shot gling up to that point — he Now playing more as a

central striker following Diaz’s arrival, Mane has become a pivotal player in recent months for Klopp, who gave the Senegal international a big hug after the fulltime whistle that came as Liverpool’s away contingent sang the club’s anthem, You’ll Never Walk Alone.

“He’s a machine. A massive player,” Klopp said of Mane.

“When everyone has yards in their legs, you can’t see it with him.”

Ahead of the FA Cup final at Wembley Stadium, Klopp chose to leave out left back Andrew Robertson from the squad entirely and begin with Mohamed Salah and Thiago Alcantara on the bench.

Liverpool finishes the league campaign with games against Southampton and Wolverhampton next week.

As for City, Pep Guardiola’s team might need to claim seven points from its remaining three games to win a sixth title in 11 years.

The last match is against Villa on the final day of the season.

So Gerrard can still have a massive say in the title race — but now by helping his old club.

“In terms of commitment, heart and application, the lads gave me all I could ask for,” Gerrard said.

“Against one of the top sides in the league, we’ve been done in moments.”

THE TRIBUNE

Wednesday, May 11, 2022, PAGE 15

Heat roll past 76ers in Game 5, take 3-2 lead

By TIM REYNOLDS AP Basketball Writer MIAMI (AP) — Jimmy Butler scored 23 points, Max Strus added 19 points and 10 rebounds, and the Miami Heat moved one win away from a trip to the Eastern Conference finals by topping the Philadelphia 76ers 120-85 on Tuesday night.

Victor Oladipo scored 13 for Miami, which got 12 from Bam Adebayo and 10 apiece from Tyler Herro and P.J. Tucker. The topseeded Heat now lead the East semifinal series 3-2, and improved to an NBAbest 6-0 at home in these playoffs.

Joel Embiid scored 17 points for fourth-seeded Philadelphia, which got 14 from James Harden and 12 from Tobias Harris.

The 76ers were down by 15 going into the fourth, then gave up 12 consecutive points to open the final quarter.

Game 6 is in Philadelphia on Thursday.

It was a tough night all the way around for the Sixers, especially for Embiid — their best player, already wearing a mask to protect a facial fracture and dealing with a significant thumb injury.

Embiid got shaken up in the first quarter when he tried to dive into some baseline seats while attempting to save a loose ball. He doubled over shortly afterward, grabbing at his back.

He remained in the game after that scare.

He also remained in the game after the next scare, which was much worse.

It came midway through the second quarter, when Miami’s Dewayne Dedmon missed a shot and Embiid grabbed the rebound.

Dedmon, flailing for the ball, made contact with it

— and wound up pushing it back into Embiid’s maskcovered face.

Embiid lost the ball and went down in pain, covering his face with both hands. Oladipo picked up the ball and scored to make it 42-31, but Embiid writhing was of much greater importance to the 76ers than giving up two points.

Embiid remained down for several moments, before making his way back to the Philadelphia bench and getting tended to by doctors.

And now Philadelphia must beat the Heat in Games 6 and 7, with almost all the odds pointing to how difficult that task will be.

All-time in best-of-seven series, entering this round, teams that won Game 1 of a matchup ultimately prevail 75.6% of the time.

Game 1 winners at home, 85% of the time. Teams that start a series with a 2-0 lead, 92.4% of the time.

And teams that win Game 5 for a 3-2 series lead wind up advancing 82.2% of the time. All those stats favor Miami, obviously.

Tyrese Maxey made a deep 3-pointer with 1.5 seconds left in the third to pull Philadelphia within 81-66.

Whatever hope remained for the 76ers in that moment was short-lived.

A jumper from Herro and then five straight points from Strus were the start of Miami’s game-sealing flurry that opened the fourth. A three-point play from Adebayo pushed the lead to 25, at which point Embiid checked out with the outcome clearly no longer in question.

TIP-INS 76ers: None of Philadelphia’s starters played in the final 8:18. ... Maxey, who has been great for the majority of this series, shot 2 for 10. ... Georges Niang

MIAMI Heat forward Jimmy Butler (22) celebrates after scoring during the first half of Game 5 of an NBA basketball second-round playoff series against the Philadelphia 76ers last night.

(AP Photo/Wilfredo Lee) was 0 for 5, all of those shots from 3-point range, reminiscent of his 0-for-7 stat line — all on 3s — in Game 1.

Heat: After shooting 14 for 65 from 3-point range in the two losses at Philadelphia (21.5%), the Heat shot 13 for 33 from deep on Tuesday (39.4%). ... Miami improved to 18-4 all-time in Game 5s at home. ... The Heat outrebounded Philadelphia 46-36. ... Miami is

one of two teams unbeaten at home in these playoffs.

Golden State is 5-0.

FANDUEL SAYS Miami was a three-point favourite at tipoff. After the Heat won the first quarter 31-19, the line went to 7.5 points.

SILVER VISITS NBA Commissioner Adam Silver attended the game, seated with Ahmad Rashad — whose ties to

the league go back decades, primarily for his years as host and executive producer of “NBA Inside Stuff.”

Also in the crowd: NBA champion Mike Miller of the Heat, and longtime baseball star, Miami native and Minnesota Timberwolves co-minority owner Alex Rodriguez.

UP NEXT Game 6 is Thursday in Philadelphia.

GRIZZLIES STAR JA MORANT DOUBTFUL FOR REST OF NBA PLAYOFFS MEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP) — Memphis All-Star guard Ja Morant is doubtful for the remainder of the NBA postseason after an MRI and further evaluation revealed a bone bruise in his injured right knee.

The Grizzlies said they expect him to make a full recovery.

The NBA’s most improved player had been averaging 38.3 points a game in the Grizzlies’ Western Conference semifinal matchup with Golden State.

But he sat out the 101-98 Game 4 loss on Monday with what the team said at the time was a sore knee.

The Grizzlies trail 3-1 in the series with Game 5 set for tonight in Memphis.

Morant reinjured his knee on a play with the Warriors’ Jordan Poole that the teams debated during the Grizzlies’ 142-112 loss in Game 3.

Morant limped off with 6:19 remaining in the game after Poole grabbed at the knee on a play the Warriors guard said was simply an effort to strip the ball.

Afterward, Morant posted and later deleted a video of the play on his Twitter feed with the words “broke the code,” a reference that Warriors coach Steve Kerr had used five days earlier when Dillon Brooks’ hard foul in Game 2 sidelined Gary Payton II. Kerr missed Game 4 after testing positive for COVID19 and being placed in the league’s health and safety protocols. He remained at home in the Bay Area yesterday and did not travel to Memphis with the team.

Associate head coach Mike Brown will coach Game 5 as planned.

Pivotal Game 5s are on tap for Bucks vs Celtics, Warriors vs Grizzlies

By KYLE HIGHTOWER AP Sports Writer AL Horford has tapped into a level of his game during the playoffs that many thought he’d lost at age 35.

It reached a new height in Game 4 during the Celtics’ 116-108 win over the Bucks on Monday night.

The five-time All-Star scored 16 of his playoff career-high 30 points in the fourth quarter to help Boston tie the Eastern Conference semifinal series with the defending NBA champions at two games apiece.

Equally important, the Celtics have reclaimed home-court advantage as the series shifts back to Boston for Game 5 today.

After spending a challenging season in Oklahoma City last year, Horford was packaged in the Thunder’s trade for Kemba Walker, returning Horford to where he last earned All-Star honours in the 2017-18 season.

Horford said he feels like he’s experiencing the fruits of an offseason in which he focused on being ready to play meaningful games again. He has gone from averaging 10.2 points and 7.7 rebounds during the regular season to 15.9 points and 9.4 rebounds in the postseason.

“That’s from sitting at home,” Horford said.

“That’s from watching the playoffs, not knowing what my future was holding and really just hoping to have an opportunity to be in this type of environment.”

The resurgence has coincided with Boston needing someone to step up after

big man Robert Williams III was sidelined for the second time this postseason, sitting out Game 4 with soreness in his surgically repaired left knee.

He is questionable for Game 5.

After missing an opportunity to take a 3-1 series lead, Bucks guard Wesley Matthews said there’s no time to sulk.

“If it was easy to get to the semis, every team would get to the semis. It’s hard. It’s hard as hell,” he said.

“At the same time, you can’t hold your head too high, can’t hold your head low at all, and you’ve got to bounce back.”

The Golden State Warriors head to Memphis needing one victory to advance to the Western Conference finals for the first time since 2019. That’s when they lost in the NBA Finals before missing the last two postseasons.

That’s been a long wait for a franchise that won three championships in the last decade.

“Wednesday is going to be the hardest one yet,” Thompson said. “It always is, the closeout. We have to put this behind us and put together a good game plan.”

The Grizzlies are waiting to see if they have a chance of getting back Ja Morant, the NBA’s most improved player and All-Star guard who had been averaging 38.3 points a game in this series but sat out Game 4 with a right knee injury.

Even without Morant, Memphis still led for all but 45.7 seconds of Game 4 before Golden State rallied

MEMPHIS Grizzlies guard Tyus Jones (21) talks with Ja Morant, right, during a time out against the Golden State Warriors during the second half of Game 4 of an NBA basketball Western Conference playoff semifinal in San Francisco on Monday.

(AP Photo/Tony Avelar) for a 101-98 victory and grabbed a 3-1 series lead.

It was the first time Memphis had been held under 100 points this postseason, and now the Grizzlies return home trying to push this series back to San Francisco for Game 6 on Friday.

“We’re back home,” Grizzlies forward Jaren Jackson Jr. said. “We’ve got our fans. It’s going to be loud, so we’re excited to get back home and go play again, man. We have another chance to play.

They’re a good team. We obviously know how the game went. Yeah, we get another chance at it.”

Today’s games: BUCKS AT CELTICS Series tied 2-2. Game 5, 7 p.m. EDT, TNT — NEED TO KNOW: After dropping the series opener at home, Boston is back at TD Garden with a chance to put the defending champion Bucks on the brink of elimination. The Celtics are 3-1 at home this postseason and continue to find ways to frustrate Giannis Antetokounmpo late in games.

— KEEP AN EYE ON: Milwaukee in the fourth quarter. The Bucks were outscored in the final 12 minutes in three of the four

games, including 43-28 in Game 4. The only time it didn’t cost them was their 103-101 win in Game 3.

— INJURY WATCH: The Celtics said Williams is questionable with left knee soreness … Bucks forward Khris Middleton (sprained left knee) remains out.

George Hill (abdominal soreness) is listed as probable.

— PRESSURE IS ON: The Bucks. With no reinforcements likely coming in the form of Middleton returning, Antetokounmpo will need the best from his remaining supporting cast to avoid going down 3-2.

WARRIORS AT GRIZZLIES Series tied 3-1. Game 5, 9:30 p.m. EDT, TNT — NEED TO KNOW: Golden State is 43-24 alltime in series-clinching games and 19-8 since 2015.

The Warriors also are 12-3 since 2015 in Game 5s. The Grizzlies are 3-11 when facing elimination.

— KEEP AN EYE ON: Dillon Brooks and Thompson. Brooks returned to Memphis from his onegame suspension for the foul that sidelined Gary Payton II with a broken left elbow. But Brooks is struggling to shoot — 8 of 35 from the floor and 4 of 18 from 3-point range in this series. He missed a 26-footer that could’ve padded Memphis’ lead in the final minute, possibly helping the Grizzlies pull out a gritty win. Thompson has struggled almost as badly; the Warriors guard is 9 of 35 in this series from 3-point range.

— INJURY WATCH: Golden State coach Steve Kerr missed Game 4 after testing positive for COVID19 on Monday evening.

Associate head coach Mike Brown replaced him on the bench.

The Warriors say Brown is expected to coach Game 5. ... Grizzlies coach Taylor Jenkins said Morant will be evaluated further back in Memphis and the guard’s status is “to be determined” for Game 5.

— PRESSURE IS ON: The Warriors. If Morant remains benched, then the 3-time NBA champs will be expected to close out this series. The quicker the better.

PAGE 16, Wednesday, May 11, 2022

THE TRIBUNE

TOP ATHLETES IN FAST TRACK’S INAUGURAL SPRING FLING INVITATIONAL

By BRENT STUBBS Senior Sports Reporter bstubbs@tribunemedia.net SOME of the country’s top junior and senior athletes will be in Grand Bahama competing in the Fast Track Athletics’ inaugural Spring Fling Invitational this weekend.

The event will be held at the Grand Bahama Sports Complex.

Meet director Ravanno Ferguson has confirmed that the two-day meet will include a number of athletes from Grand Bahama, New Providence, and Andros when they compete on

Friday, starting at 5pm and Saturday from 11am.

“We normally do a Holiday Classic, but we moved up earlier this year as a post-CARIFTA,” said Ferguson, who also serves as the head coach of Fast Track Athletics and first vice president of the Bahamas Association of Athletic Associations.

“We want to support our athletes, not just in Grand Bahama, but the entire Bahamas, by providing them with a good quality track meet.

“It took off very well because we have clubs coming in from New Providence, Andros, and

Abaco, so it should be a very interesting one.”

At least 10 athletes from Grand Bahama and seven travelling from throughout New Providence and the Family Islands, in addition to a few international athletes, are expected to compete in what is being billed as the biggest meet to be staged in Grand Bahama this year.

Events on tap for day one on Friday are the 100 metres, 100/110m hurdles, 1,500m, 400m, long jump, and shot put.

Saturday’s finale will include the 400m hurdles, 3000m, 200m, 800m, 4 x 100, and 4 x 400m relays,

discus, and triple jump. “Initially when we planned this event, we were hoping to get a number of clubs and athletes to come in from the United States,” Ferguson said.

“But due to the fact that our COVID-19 restrictions are slowly being lifted, a lot of the teams were not able to organise themselves to travel to Grand Bahama.”

Ferguson, however, said with the number of junior and senior athletes registered to compete, he anticipates that it will be a very good quality meet over the weekend. “We know normally a lot of athletes and clubs don’t get

to travel from Nassau to compete over here in Grand Bahama so we are very pleased with the response we have gotten from them,” Ferguson said.

“We hope that we can build on this as we make the event bigger and better in the future,” he added.

The entry fee is $10 per adult and $5 for children with the COVID-19 protocols strictly enforced. No masks, no entry, according to Ferguson.

The meet is being sponsored by Aliv, FTX, FOCOL, the Grand Bahama Port Authority, Pelican Bay and Akizia Designs.

MLB

KANSAS players celebrate a win over North Carolina after a college basketball game in the finals of the men’s Final Four NCAA tournament, Monday, April 4, 2022, in New Orleans.

(AP Photo/David J Phillip)

FROM PAGE 12

NIL expert predicts $50,000 minimum pay for Power 5 players NIL

FROM PAGE 12 “It’s an overheated market,” LeRoy said, “and it really reflects the pentup demand to pay players.”

Lawrence said a top, five-star recruit could have NIL earning potential of more than $1 million per year when money coming from sources outside the booster collective is considered, especially if he is a quarterback. Four-star recruits could earn well into the six figures.

But even a lower-ranked recruit at a less glamorous position would be well-compensated — the $50,000 earner — because the booster collective will make sure of it to keep peace on the team, Lawrence said.

“If an entire class arrives to campus and they are all scholarship athletes and one individual is earning six figures and another is earning zero dollars, that is going to create a rift,” Lawrence said. “What these groups have done in certain markets is realise it’s about equality. Each individual in this locker room will receive some sort of support so there is equality at a base layer. And there may be additional value for the most marketable and

ALABAMA celebrates after their win against Ohio State in an NCAA College Football Playoff national championship game, Monday, Janusry 11, 2021, in Miami Gardens, Florida.

(AP Photo/Wilfredo Lee) influential individuals in collectives, said establish- players. He said members didn’t get my name on a each recruiting class.” ing fair market value for of the collective supporting building. I didn’t get access How long booster collec- athletes is a moving target the last-place team could to anything otherwise. tives choose to fund NIL and that it is critical for the become disenchanted And wait a second. Now I opportunities is debatable. athletes getting paid to pro- and regret funding NIL. don’t want this coach anyJason Belzer, an attorney vide real services in return. “They’re gonna say, ‘Well, more, but I just gave all and founder of Student- Belzer used the example of I’m not putting money my money to the studentAthlete NIL, which has each SEC school having a in anymore, because my athletes, I can’t even pay to worked with Penn State collective with $10 million investment didn’t provide buy the guy out,’” Belzer and Rutgers to set up a year going to football any return whatsoever. I said.

The two sides asked the court for permission to file

by July 11 for approval of the settlement.

The suit was filed in 2014 by first baseman/outfielder Aaron Senne, a 10th-round pick of the Marlins in 2009 who retired in 2013, and two other retired players who had been lower-round selections: Kansas City infielder Michael Liberto and San Francisco pitcher Oliver Odle. They claimed violations of the federal Fair Labour Standards Act and state minimum wage and overtime requirements for a work week they estimated at 50 to 60 hours.

A trial had been scheduled to start June 1 in US District Court in San Francisco. Several classes of players are part a of case involving laws in different states.

A letter filed with the court by lawyers for both sides asked Chief Magistrate Judge Joseph C Spero to postpone a conference scheduled for yesterday and the trial.

“The parties are pleased to inform the court that they have reached a settlement of the matter in principle,” the letter said.

“The parties have agreed upon a confidential memorandum of understanding.

The settlement is subject to ratification by the respective parties, and we are in the process of preparing the settlement documents.”

The letter was signed

by Elise M Bloom of Proskauer Rose on behalf of MLB and by Clifford H Pearson of Pearson, Simon & Warshaw and Stephen M Tillery of Korein Tillery on behalf of the players.

Spero wrote in a pretrial ruling in March that minor leaguers are yearround employees who work during training time and found MLB violated Arizona’s state minimum wage law and was liable for triple damages. Spero also ruled MLB did not comply with California wage statement requirements, awarding $1,882,650 in penalties.

He said minor leaguers should be paid for travel time to road games in the California League and to practice in Arizona and Florida.

“These are not students who have enrolled in a vocational school with the understanding that they would perform services, without compensation, as part of the practical training necessary to complete the training and obtain a licence,” Spero wrote.

The case was sent back to the District Court by the 9th US Circuit Court of Appeals in 2019 after lawyers for the players and MLB spent years arguing whether it should receive class-action status.

EA SPORTS AND FIFA END PARTNERSHIP, BOTH EYE NEW VIDEO GAMES ZURICH (AP) — Electronic Arts will stop making its hugely successful FIFA video game in its current name, marking a split in one of soccer’s most successful and lucrative partnerships after the sides failed to strike a new licensing deal.

Instead, the California company said yesterday that EA Sports FC will be introduced from 2023 after it creates the final game in partnership with FIFA later this year.

Licensing rights for the game earn FIFA about $150

million annually — the single biggest commercial earner in its expected $7 billion total revenue from 2019-2022 — though FIFA struck a defiant tone in a statement published hours after the announcement of losing that income.

FIFA promised a “number of new nonsimulation games (that) are already under production” and will launch ahead of the 2022 World Cup that kicks off in Qatar in November.

FIFA said it plans to create a “new gaming

model” and cited the recent launch of its streaming service FIFA+.

“I can assure you that the only authentic, real game that has the FIFA name will be the best one available for gamers and football fans,” FIFA president Gianni Infantino said in the statement.

EA has been producing a FIFA game for nearly 30 years and its fond association with tens of millions of gamers worldwide helped the Zurich-based organisation’s brand when it was tarnished amid a wave of

arrests of soccer officials in 2015.

For generations of young people, FIFA has means a video game rather than a sports institution.

Though EA Sports FC will be unable to include FIFA content including the World Cup, it retains licensing deals with prime soccer competitions including the English Premier League and the UEFA-organised Champions League.

The EA announcement showed the strength of those partnerships with warm comments from

executives from the Premier League, UEFA and Spain’s La Liga while a coordinated release of tweets posted by dozens of soccer clubs used the slogan “We’re In The Club” to align with the EA Sports FC brand.

“We’re thankful for our many years of great partnership with FIFA,” EA CEO Andrew Wilson said.

“The future of global football is very bright, and fandom around the world has never been stronger.”

Wilson promised “even more innovative and

authentic experiences to the growing football audience” while its soon-to-be rival FIFA spoke of creating “new, interactive experiences to fans across the globe.”

“The interactive gaming and e-sports sector is on a path of unrivaled growth and diversification,” Infantino said.

“FIFA’s strategy is to ensure we can make the most of all future options and ensure a wide range of products and opportunities for gamers, fans, member associations and partners.”

PAGE 18, Wednesday, May 11, 2022

THE TRIBUNE

Carvana cuts 2,500 jobs, execs to forego pay for severance DETROIT Associated Press ONLINE automotive retailer Carvana Co. says it's letting go about 2,500 workers, roughly 12% of its workforce, as it tries to bring staffing and expenses in line with sales.

The Phoenix company said in a regulatory filing Tuesday that its executive team is giving up salaries for the rest of the year to help

fund severance pay for the workers. Carvana, which sells online and delivers used vehicles to buyers, says the laid-off workers will come from operational groups.

The company says it will be "transitioning operations" away from its auto reconditioning center in Euclid, Ohio, near Cleveland, as well as from some logistics hubs.

The filing said the moves are difficult, but will

THIS aerial image taken with a drone, shows a Carvana car retail “vending machine” and vehicle parking lot in South Fayette, Pa, on March 15, 2021. Online automotive retailer Carvana Co. says it’s letting go about 2,500 workers, roughly 12% of its workforce, as it tries to bring staffing and expenses in line with sales. The Phoenix company said in a regulatory filing Tuesday, May 10, 2022, that its executive team is giving up salaries for the rest of the year to help fund severance pay for the workers.

Photo:Ted Shaffrey/AP

"facilitate Carvana returning to efficient growth on its mission to change the way people buy and sell cars."

The layoffs come just a few weeks after Carvana posted a $506 million loss in the first quarter, six times larger than the same period a year ago.

The company also recently acquired Adesa U.S.'s used vehicle auction business for $2.2 billion.

THE WEATHER REPORT

5-Day Forecast

TODAY

ORLANDO

High: 83° F/28° C Low: 66° F/19° C

TAMPA

THURSDAY

FRIDAY

SATURDAY

SUNDAY

Occasional rain and a thunderstorm

A shower early; partly cloudy

Partly sunny

Mostly sunny, a t‑storm in the p.m.

Cloudy with a shower and t‑storm

Mostly cloudy, a shower and t‑storm

High: 78°

Low: 69°

High: 82° Low: 72°

High: 83° Low: 74°

High: 84° Low: 75°

High: 83° Low: 74°

AccuWeather RealFeel

AccuWeather RealFeel

AccuWeather RealFeel

AccuWeather RealFeel

AccuWeather RealFeel

AccuWeather RealFeel

86° F

71° F

91°-73° F

91°-72° F

90°-76° F

94°-80° F

The exclusive AccuWeather RealFeel Temperature® is an index that combines the effects of temperature, wind, humidity, sunshine intensity, cloudiness, precipitation, pressure and elevation on the human body—everything that affects how warm or cold a person feels. Temperatures reflect the high and the low for the day.

N

almanac

E

W

ABACO

S

N

High: 77° F/25° C Low: 69° F/21° C

8‑16 knots

S

High: 82° F/28° C Low: 68° F/20° C

7‑14 knots

FT. LAUDERDALE

FREEPORT

High: 83° F/28° C Low: 68° F/20° C

E S

E

W

WEST PALM BEACH

W

uV inDex toDay

TONIGHT

High: 87° F/31° C Low: 67° F/19° C

N

| Go to AccuWeather.com

High: 79° F/26° C Low: 67° F/19° C

MIAMI

High: 85° F/29° C Low: 69° F/21° C

8‑16 knots

Statistics are for Nassau through 2 p.m. yesterday Temperature High ................................................... 79° F/26° C Low .................................................... 72° F/22° C Normal high ....................................... 84° F/29° C Normal low ........................................ 71° F/21° C Last year’s high ................................. 89° F/32° C Last year’s low ................................... 70° F/21° C Precipitation As of 2 p.m. yesterday .................................. trace Year to date ............................................... 10.77” Normal year to date ..................................... 6.93”

ELEUTHERA

NASSAU

High: 78° F/26° C Low: 69° F/21° C

Forecasts and graphics provided by AccuWeather, Inc. ©2022

High: 79° F/26° C Low: 69° F/21° C

N

KEY WEST

High: 81° F/27° C Low: 74° F/23° C

High: 80° F/27° C Low: 72° F/22° C

N

S

E

W

6‑12 knots

S

4‑8 knots

ANDROS

Shown is today’s weather. Temperatures are today’s highs and tonight’s lows.

High

Ht.(ft.)

Low

Ht.(ft.)

Today

4:22 a.m.

4:58 p.m.

2.5 2.4

10:48 a.m. 0.3 11:11 p.m. 0.4

Thursday

5:13 a.m.

5:47 p.m.

2.5 2.7

11:33 a.m. 0.0 ‑‑‑‑‑ ‑‑‑‑‑

Friday

6:03 a.m.

6:35 p.m.

2.6 3.0

12:05 a.m. 0.1 12:17 p.m. ‑0.2

Saturday

6:51 a.m.

7:22 p.m.

2.6 3.2

12:57 a.m. ‑0.1 1:02 p.m. ‑0.5

Sunday

7:40 a.m.

8:10 p.m.

2.6 3.4

1:48 a.m. ‑0.3 1:48 p.m. ‑0.7

Monday

8:29 a.m.

8:59 p.m.

2.6 3.5

2:39 a.m. ‑0.5 2:35 p.m. ‑0.8

Tuesday

9:19 a.m.

9:50 p.m.

2.6 3.5

3:30 a.m. ‑0.5 3:24 p.m. ‑0.8

sun anD moon Sunrise Sunset

6:28 a.m. Moonrise 7:45 p.m. Moonset

3:25 p.m.

3:32 a.m.

Full

Last

New

First

May 16

May 22

May 30

Jun. 7

SAN SALVADOR

GREAT EXUMA

High: 80° F/27° C Low: 73° F/23° C

High: 80° F/27° C Low: 74° F/23° C

N

High: 79° F/26° C Low: 70° F/21° C

E

W S

LONG ISLAND

tracking map

High: 81° F/27° C Low: 74° F/23° C

L

tiDes For nassau

CAT ISLAND

E

W

The higher the AccuWeather UV IndexTM number, the greater the need for eye and skin protection.

4‑8 knots

MAYAGUANA High: 82° F/28° C Low: 76° F/24° C

Shown is today’s weather. Temperatures

CROOKED ISLAND / ACKLINS

are today’s highs and tonight’s lows.

RAGGED ISLAND High: 81° F/27° C Low: 75° F/24° C

H

High: 81° F/27° C Low: 74° F/23° C

GREAT INAGUA High: 84° F/29° C Low: 75° F/24° C

N

E

W

E

W

N

S

S

6‑12 knots

4‑8 knots

marine Forecast ABACO ANDROS CAT ISLAND CROOKED ISLAND ELEUTHERA FREEPORT GREAT EXUMA GREAT INAGUA LONG ISLAND MAYAGUANA NASSAU RAGGED ISLAND SAN SALVADOR

Today: Thursday: Today: Thursday: Today: Thursday: Today: Thursday: Today: Thursday: Today: Thursday: Today: Thursday: Today: Thursday: Today: Thursday: Today: Thursday: Today: Thursday: Today: Thursday: Today: Thursday:

WINDS N at 7‑14 Knots SSW at 4‑8 Knots N at 6‑12 Knots S at 4‑8 Knots W at 4‑8 Knots SSE at 4‑8 Knots NE at 4‑8 Knots E at 4‑8 Knots WNW at 4‑8 Knots SSE at 4‑8 Knots N at 8‑16 Knots NW at 4‑8 Knots NW at 4‑8 Knots SSE at 4‑8 Knots NE at 4‑8 Knots ESE at 4‑8 Knots NNW at 4‑8 Knots SE at 6‑12 Knots ENE at 4‑8 Knots SE at 6‑12 Knots NNW at 4‑8 Knots SE at 4‑8 Knots N at 6‑12 Knots SE at 4‑8 Knots W at 4‑8 Knots SSE at 4‑8 Knots

WAVES 8‑12 Feet 6‑10 Feet 0‑1 Feet 0‑1 Feet 5‑9 Feet 4‑7 Feet 3‑5 Feet 3‑5 Feet 6‑10 Feet 5‑9 Feet 4‑7 Feet 3‑5 Feet 0‑1 Feet 0‑1 Feet 1‑3 Feet 1‑3 Feet 1‑2 Feet 1‑2 Feet 4‑8 Feet 4‑8 Feet 1‑2 Feet 1‑2 Feet 1‑2 Feet 0‑1 Feet 1‑3 Feet 1‑3 Feet

VISIBILITY 5 Miles 10 Miles 5 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles 5 Miles 7 Miles 8 Miles 6 Miles 7 Miles 5 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles 5 Miles 10 Miles 7 Miles 10 Miles 5 Miles 7 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles 8 Miles 5 Miles 10 Miles

WATER TEMPS. 78° F 78° F 82° F 82° F 80° F 80° F 83° F 84° F 80° F 80° F 76° F 75° F 81° F 81° F 83° F 84° F 81° F 82° F 81° F 82° F 80° F 80° F 80° F 82° F 80° F 80° F

THE TRIBUNE

Wednesday, May 11, 2022, PAGE 19

PARENTS HUNTING FOR BABY FORMULA AS SHORTAGE SPANS US

By MATTHEW PERRONE AND HEATHER HOLLINGSWORTH Associated Press PARENTS across the U.S. are scrambling to find baby formula because supply disruptions and a massive safety recall have swept many leading brands off store shelves.

Months of spot shortages at pharmacies and supermarkets have been exacerbated by the recall at Abbott, which was forced to shutter its largest U.S. formula manufacturing plant in February due to contamination concerns.

On Monday, White House press secretary Jenn Psaki said the Food and Drug Administration was “working around the clock to address any possible shortages.”

On Tuesday, the FDA said it was working with U.S. manufacturers to increase their output and streamlining paperwork to allow more imports.

For now, pediatricians and health workers are urging parents who can’t find formula to contact food banks or doctor’s offices.

They warn against watering

down formula to stretch supplies or using online DIY recipes.

“For babies who are not being breastfed, this is the only thing they eat,” said Dr. Steven Abrams, of the University of Texas, Austin.

“So it has to have all of their nutrition and, furthermore, it needs to be properly prepared so that it’s safe for the smallest infants.”

Laura Stewart, a 52-yearold mother of three who lives just north of Springfield, Missouri, has been struggling for several weeks to find formula for her 10-month-old daughter, Riley.

Riley normally gets a brand of Abbott’s Similac designed for children with sensitive stomachs. Last month, she instead used four different brands.

“She spits up more. She’s just more cranky. She is typically a very happy girl,” Stewart said. “When she has the right formula, she doesn’t spit up. She’s perfectly fine.”

A small can costs $17 to $18 and lasts three to five days, Stewart said.

Like many Americans, Stewart relies on WIC — a federal program similar

CLEVELAND (AP) — A hearing has begun in federal court in Cleveland for a judge to determine how much CVS, Walgreens and Walmart pharmacies should pay two Ohio counties to help them ease the ongoing costs and problems caused by the opioid crisis.

A jury in November found the pharmacy chains responsible for recklessly distributing massive amounts of pain pills in Lake and Trumbull counties. It was the first time pharmacies in the U.S. have been held responsible for the opioid crisis.

Plaintiff's attorneys said before trial that each county needs about $1 billion to repair the damage caused by the flood of pills,

which caused hundreds of overdose deaths.

Around 80 million prescription painkillers were dispensed in Trumbull County between 2012 and 2016 — 400 for every county resident — while 61 million pills were dispensed in Lake County during that five-year period — 265 pills for every resident.

Dr. Katherine Keyes, an epidemiologist from Columbia University, testified Tuesday that her estimates show nearly 6,000 people were addicted to opioids in 2019 in Lake County and nearly 7,600 suffered from opioid use disorder in Trumbull County that year. Thousands of children in the two counties suffer from mental illness, learning problems and other issues like PTSD because their parents

NOTICE

NOTICE is hereby given that BELFORD FRANCOIS of #450 Sunshine Park, Nassau, 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 11th day of May, 2022 to the Minister responsible for nationality and Citizenship, P.O. Box N-7147, Nassau, New Providence, The Bahamas.

NOTICE

NOTICE is hereby given that JACKSON LOUISSAINT of Wulff Road, Nassau, 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 11th day of May, 2022 to the Minister responsible for nationality and Citizenship, P.O. Box N-7147, Nassau, New Providence, The Bahamas.

NOTICE

NOTICE is hereby given that TREVEL SMITH of South Beach, New Hope Drive, Nassau, 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 11th day of May, 2022 to the Minister responsible for nationality and Citizenship, P.O. Box N-7147, Nassau, New Providence, The Bahamas.

Nationwide about 40% of large retail stores are out of stock, up from 31% in mid-April, according to Datasembly, a data analytics firm. More than half of U.S. states are seeing outof-stock rates between 40%

Dan Polster's courtroom sided with the counties and agreed that the way the pharmacies dispensed pain medication played an outsized role in creating a public nuisance.

Now, the counties are expected to present testimony from doctors to discuss the harm suffered by those communities, the opioid crisis' impact on child welfare and other county agencies, and an abatement plan created for the counties.

"The jury sounded a bell that should be heard through all pharmacies in America," Mark Lanier, the lead attorney for the counties, said after November's verdict.

Across the U.S., many lawsuits filed by governments over the toll of the drugs have been resolved in recent years — most with settlements, and some with

judgments or verdicts in trials. So far, drug makers, distributors and pharmacies have agreed to settlements totaling well over $40 billion, according to an Associated Press tally.

Trials are underway in courts in West Virginia, Florida and California. A decision has not yet been issued after another trial last year in West Virginia.

A DUE to limited supplies sign is shown on the baby formula shelf at a grocery store Tuesday, May 10, 2022, in Salt Lake City. Parents across much of the U.S. are scrambling to find baby formula after a combination of supply disruptions and safety recalls have swept many of the leading brands off store shelves.

Photo:Rick Bowmer/AP to food stamps that serves mothers and children — to afford formula for her daughter. Abbott’s recall wiped out many WIC-covered brands, though the

JUDGE TO DECIDE HOW MUCH PHARMACIES OWE OVER OPIOID CRISIS

By MARK GILLISPIE Associated Press

program is now allowing substitutions.

Trying to keep formula in stock, retailers including CVS and Walgreens have begun limiting purchases to three containers per customer.

and 50%, according to the firm, which collects data from 11,000 locations.

Baby formula is particularly vulnerable to disruptions because just a handful of companies account for almost the entire U.S. supply.

Industry executives say the constraints began last year as the COVID-19 pandemic led to disruptions in ingredients, labor and transportation.

Supplies were further squeezed by parents stockpiling during lockdowns.

Then in February, Abbott recalled several major brands and shut down its Sturgis, Michigan, factory when federal officials concluded four babies suffered bacterial infections after consuming formula from the facility. Two of the infants died.

When FDA inspectors visited the plant in March they found lax safety protocols and traces of the bacteria on several surfaces.

None of the bacterial strains matched those collected from the infants, however, and the FDA hasn’t offered an explanation for how the contamination occurred.

use illicit opioids, Keyes testified.

Drug overdose deaths increased since 2015 because of synthetic opioids like fentanyl in the two counties, Keyes said, and some of those users' drug problems began after initially becoming addicted to prescription opioids.

Children of parents who illegally use opioids are at a higher risk for addiction as well, she testified.

Attorneys for the pharmacy chains questioned Keyes at length about the methodology she used to arrive at her estimates.

Back in November, a jury in U.S. District Judge

NOTICE

NOTICE is hereby given that SHAWN MORRISON CLARKE of 17 Cornwallis Place Freeport, Grand Bahama, 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 4th day of May, 2022 tothe Minister responsible for nationality and Citizenship, P.O. Box N-7147, Nassau, New Providence, The Bahamas.

MARKET REPORT www.bisxbahamas.com

TUESDAY, 10 MAY 2022

BISX ALL SHARE INDEX: BISX LISTED & TRADED SECURITIES 52WK HI 6.70 53.00 2.05 2.90 2.60 6.05 10.05 3.50 9.02 3.10 8.00 14.00 2.71 10.25 11.25 10.75 15.00 4.10 11.00 16.50

52WK LOW 4.75 32.12 1.46 2.20 1.30 5.50 6.96 2.82 4.25 2.27 5.90 9.75 1.99 6.50 10.02 9.01 13.10 3.50 8.00 15.50

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

PREFERENCE SHARES 1.00

1.00

1000.00 1000.00 1000.00 1000.00

1000.00 1000.00 1000.00 1000.00

1.00 10.00 1.00

1.00 10.00 1.00

Bahamas First Holdings Preference Cable Bahamas Series 6 Cable Bahamas Series 8 Cable Bahamas Series 9 Cable Bahamas Series 10 Colina Holdings Class A Fidelity Bank Bahamas Class A Focol Class B

CORPORATE DEBT - (percentage pricing) 52WK HI 100.00 100.00

52WK LOW 100.00 100.00

SECURITY Fidelity Bank (Note 22 Series B+) Bahamas First Holdings Limited

CLOSE

CHANGE

%CHANGE

YTD

YTD%

2297.16

-8.30

-0.36

68.92

3.09

SYMBOL AML APD BBL BFH BOB BPF BWL CAB CBB CBL CHL CIB CWCB DHS EMAB FAM FBB FCL FIN JSJ BFHP CAB6 CAB8 CAB9 CAB10 CHLA FBBA FCLB SYMBOL FBB22 BFHB

BAHAMAS GOVERNMENT STOCK - (percentage pricing) 115.92 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.54 99.98 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.98 100.00

104.79 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 90.76 100.00 99.98 91.00 90.95 89.02 89.62 89.00 90.24 90.73

MUTUAL FUNDS 52WK HI 2.52 4.69 2.22 207.86 212.41 1.73 1.83 1.82 1.05 9.37 11.83 7.54 16.64 12.84 10.77 10.00 10.43 14.89

52WK LOW 2.11 3.30 1.68 164.74 116.70 1.68 1.73 1.75 0.99 6.41 7.62 5.66 8.65 10.54 9.57 9.88 8.45 11.20

Bahamas Note 6.95 (2029) BGS: 2014-12-7Y BGS: 2015-1-7Y BGS: 2014-12-30Y BGS: 2015-1-30Y BGS: 2015-6-7Y BGS: 2015-6-30Y BGS: 2015-10-7Y BGRS FX BGR134150 BGRS FL BGRS79026 BGRS FL BGRS78024 BGRS FX BGR125238 BGRS FX BGR127139 BGRS FX BGR127149 BGRS FX BGR129249 BGRS FX BGR131249 BGRS FX BGR132249 BGRS FX BGR136150

BAH29 BG0107 BG0207 BG0130 BG0230 BG0307 BG0330 BG0407 BSBGR1341506 BSBGRS790262 BSBGRS780248 BSBGR1252380 BSBGR1271398 BSBGR1271497 BSBGR1292493 BSBGR1312499 BSBGR1322498 BSBGR1361504

LAST CLOSE 5.35 39.95 2.04 2.31 2.25 6.05 9.25 3.25 7.52 2.82 8.00 14.00 2.17 10.25 11.84 10.75 15.00 3.99 10.00 15.50 1.00 1000.00 1000.00 1000.00 1000.00 1.00 10.00 1.00 LAST SALE 100.00 100.00 107.31 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 90.79 100.54 99.98 100.00 100.00 89.08 89.62 100.00 100.00 100.00

CLOSE 5.35 39.95 2.04 2.31 2.25 6.05 9.25 3.30 7.52 2.75 8.00 14.00 2.11 10.25 11.85 10.75 15.00 3.99 10.00 15.50 1.00 1000.00 1000.00 1000.00 1000.00 1.00 10.00 1.00

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

VOLUME

5,000 53,500

0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00

CLOSE 100.00 100.00

CHANGE 0.00 0.00

107.31 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 90.79 100.54 99.98 100.00 100.00 89.08 89.62 100.00 100.00 100.00

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 0.00 0.00 0.00

FUND CFAL Bond Fund CFAL Balanced Fund CFAL Money Market Fund CFAL Global Bond Fund CFAL Global Equity Fund Leno Financial Conservative Fund Leno Financial Aggressive Fund Leno Financial Balanced Fund Leno Financial Global Bond Fund RF Bahamas Opportunities Fund - Secured Balanced Fund RF Bahamas Opportunities Fund - Targeted Equity Fund RF Bahamas Opportunities Fund - Prime Income Fund RF Bahamas International Investment Fund Limited - Equities Sub Fund RF Bahamas International Investment Fund Limited - High Yield Income Fund RF Bahamas International Investment Fund Limited - Alternative Strategies Fund Colonial Bahamas Fund Class D Colonial Bahamas Fund Class E Colonial Bahamas Fund Class F

MARKET TERMS

CHANGE 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.05 0.00 (0.07) 0.00 0.00 (0.06) 0.00 0.01 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00

(242) 323‐2330 (242) 323‐2320 EPS$ 0.239 0.932 0.000 0.140 0.070 1.760 0.369 -0.438 0.140 0.184 0.449 0.722 0.102 0.467 0.646 0.728 0.816 0.203 0.939 0.631 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000

VOLUME

DIV$ 0.170 1.260 0.020 0.080 0.000 0.000 0.260 0.000 0.000 0.120 0.220 0.720 0.434 0.060 0.328 0.240 0.540 0.120 0.200 0.610 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000

INTEREST Prime + 1.75% 6.25% 6.95% 4.50% 4.50% 6.25% 6.25% 4.50% 6.25% 4.25% 5.00% 4.53% 4.50% 5.00% 5.00% 5.50% 5.55% 5.60% 5.65% 5.69%

NAV 2.52 4.69 2.21 197.44 202.39 1.73 1.82 1.82 0.99 9.37 11.79 7.54 15.94 12.47 10.74 N/A 10.43 14.89

YTD% 12 MTH% 0.99% 4.22% 0.36% 5.78% 0.67% 2.74% -2.97% -2.35% -4.72% 6.04% 0.83% 2.82% -0.18% 3.72% 0.76% 3.55% -3.55% -3.85% -0.02% 10.36% -0.33% 18.23% 0.22% 3.05% -3.89% 14.76% -1.04% -2.57% 0.81% 4.20% N/A N/A 3.00% 25.60% 7.90% 48.70%

P/E 22.4 42.9 N/M 16.5 N/M N/M 25.1 -7.5 53.7 14.9 17.8 19.4 20.7 21.9 18.3 14.8 18.4 19.7 10.6 24.6 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000

YIELD 3.18% 3.15% 0.98% 3.46% 0.00% 0.00% 2.81% 0.00% 0.00% 4.36% 2.75% 5.14% 20.57% 0.59% 2.77% 2.23% 3.60% 3.01% 2.00% 3.94% 0.00% 0.00% 0.00% 0.00% 0.00% 6.25% 7.00% 6.50%

MATURITY 19-Oct-2022 30-Sep-2025 20-Nov-2029 15-Dec-2021 30-Jul-2022 15-Dec-2044 30-Jul-2045 26-Jun-2022 26-Jun-2045 15-Oct-2022 15-Oct-2038 28-Mar-2026 22-Sep-2024 15-Oct-2038 15-Jan-2039 15-Jan-2049 15-Apr-2049 15-Jul-2049 15-Oct-2049 21-Apr-2050

NAV Date 31-Mar-2022 31-Mar-2022 25-Mar-2022 31-Mar-2022 31-Mar-2022 31-Mar-2022 31-Mar-2022 31-Mar-2022 31-Mar-2022 31-Jan-2022 31-Jan-2022 31-Jan-2022 31-Jan-2022 31-Jan-2022 31-Jan-2022 31-Mar-2021 31-Mar-2021 31-Mar-2021

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 | CORALISLE 242-502-7525 | LENO 242-396-3225 | BENCHMARK 242-326-7333

PAGE 20, Wednesday, May 11, 2022

THE TRIBUNE

FACEBOOK’s Meta logo sign is seen at the company headquarters in Menlo Park, Calif., on, Oct. 28, 2021. Attorneys for a man who once worked as a content moderator for Facebook have filed a lawsuit accusing the company of exploitative and unsafe working conditions. The case against Meta Platforms, Facebook’s parent company, and the outsourcing firm Sama was lodged Tuesday, May 10, 2022 with a court in the Kenyan capital, Nairobi.

Photo:Tony Avelar/AP

FACEBOOK SUED IN KENYA OVER WORK CONDITIONS FOR MODERATORS

By RODNEY MUHUMUZA AND AMANDA SEITZ Associated Press KAMPALA, Uganda (AP) — A man who says he is “destroyed” after working as a content moderator for Facebook has filed a lawsuit accusing the company of human trafficking Africans to work in an exploitative and unsafe facility in Kenya.

The case against Meta Platforms, the Menlo Park, Calif. company that owns Facebook, and Sama, a San Francisco subcontractor, was lodged Tuesday with a court in the Kenyan capital, Nairobi.

Daniel Motaung’s petition “calls upon Kenya’s courts to order Facebook and its outsourcing companies to end exploitation in its Nairobi moderation hub, where content moderators work in dangerous conditions,” said a statement by Foxglove, a London-based legal nonprofit that supports Facebook content moderators.

The first video Motaung watched as a Facebook moderator was a video of someone being beheaded, he told reporters during a call Tuesday. He stayed on the job for roughly six months, after relocating from South Africa to Nairobi in 2019 for the work.

Motaung says he was dismissed after trying to spearhead efforts to unionize at the facility.

Motaung said his job was traumatizing and he now has a fear of death.

“I had potential,” Motaung said. “When I went to Kenya, I went to Kenya because I wanted to change my life. I wanted to change the life of my family. I came out a different person, a person who has been destroyed.”

Motaung says in his filing that once he arrived in Kenya for that work, he was told to sign a non-disclosure agreement and his pay was less than promised, with one monthly paycheck that was 40,000 Kenyan shillings, or roughly $350 U.S. dollars.

The lawsuit notes that Sama targets people from poor families across Kenya, South Africa, Ethiopia, Somalia, Uganda and other countries in the region with “misleading job ads” that fail to disclose that they will be working as Facebook content moderators or viewing disturbing content that expose them to mental health woes.

Applicants are recruited “through deceit,” said Mercy Mutemi, who filed the petition in court Tuesday morning. “We found a lot of Africans were forced into force labor situations and human trafficking.

When you leave your country for a job that you didn’t apply for, that amounts to human trafficking.”

Content moderators are not given enough medical coverage to seek mental health treatment, the filing alleges.

NOTICE INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS COMPANIES ACT, 2000

Mykonos Investment Fund Ltd. (IN VOLUNTARY LIQUIDATION)

NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that in accordance with section 138(4) of the International Business Companies Act, 2000, as amended, Mykonos Investment Fund Ltd. is in dissolution.

The dissolution of the said Company commenced on 6 May 2022 when the Articles of Dissolution were submitted to and registered with the Registrar General in Nassau, The Bahamas.

The sole liquidator of the said Company is L. Michael Dean of Equity Trust House, Caves Village, West Bay Street, P. O. Box N 10697, Nassau, Bahamas.

L. Michael Dean Sole Liquidator LEGAL NOTICE

International Business Companies Act (No. 45 of 2000)

ALI INVESTMENT LTD. (the “Company”)

Notice is hereby given that, in accordance with Section 138 (8) of the International Business Companies Act, No.45 of 2000, the Dissolution of ALI INVESTMENT LTD has been completed, a Certificate of Dissolution has been issued and the Company has therefore been struck off the Register.

The date of completion of the Dissolution was the 5th day of May, 2022.

Luciane Ribeiro Moreno Liquidator LEGAL NOTICE

International Business Companies Act (No. 45 of 2000)

FNA INVESTMENT LTD (the “Company”)

In Voluntary Liquidation Notice is hereby given that, in accordance with Section 138 (4) of the International Business Companies Act, (No.45 of 2000), FNA INVESTMENT LTD (the “Company”) is in Dissolution. The date of commencement of the Dissolution is the 6th May, 2022. Luciane Ribeiro Moreno is the Liquidator and can be contacted at Rua Afonso Braz, 747, AP 41D, Vila Nova Conceição, CEP 04511-011, São Paulo – SP, Brazil.

All persons having claims against the abovenamed Company are required to send their names, addresses and particulars of their debts or claims to the Liquidator before the 6th June, 2022.

Luciane Ribeiro Moreno Liquidator

THE TRIBUNE

Wednesday, May 11, 2022, PAGE 21

Stocks turn mixed on Wall Street a day after big sell-off

By DAMIAN J. TROISE AND ALEX VEIGA AP Business Writers NEW YORK (AP) — Stock indexes on Wall Street ended a choppy day of trading with a mixed finish Tuesday, after an afternoon rally in technology companies helped reverse an early slide.

The S&P 500 closed 0.2% higher, snapping a threeday losing streak, after swinging between a gain of 1.9% and a loss of 0.8%. A day earlier, the benchmark index slumped 3.2%, hitting its lowest level in more than a year.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average slipped 0.3%, while the tech-heavy Nasdaq climbed about 1%.

Big technology stocks, which have been swinging sharply both up and down recently, helped counter losses elsewhere in the market.

The market's see-saw action came ahead of the release of the Labor Department's consumer price index, a key economic report on inflation that investors will be closely watching as they try to gauge how aggressively the Federal Reserve will raise interest rates as it fights inflation.

Economists expect the index eased to 8.1% in the 12 months ended in April. That would mark the first annual decline since August.

"If inflation is a lot lower, as they're expecting it to be, then we may very well see the markets rally because perhaps people think the Fed won't hike as much or as aggressively," said Randy Frederick, managing director of trading & derivatives at Charles Schwab.

The S&P 500 rose 9.81 points to 4,001.05. The Dow slipped 84.96 points to 32,160.74. The Nasdaq gained 114.42 points to 11,737.67.

The Russell 2000 index of smaller companies fell 0.29 points, or less than 0.1%, to 1,761.79.

Big technology stocks, which have been swinging sharply both up and down recently, accounted for much of the S&P 500's turnaround. Apple rose 1.6% and Microsoft rose 1.9%.

Gains in communication and health care stocks also helped lift the market, outweighing declines in financial, real estate and other sectors.

Bond yields ended mixed.

The yield on the 10-year Treasury fell to 2.99% from 3.08% late Monday.

IN this photo provided by the New York Stock Exchange, Edward McCarthy, right, works with fellow traders on the floor, Tuesday, May 10, 2022. Stocks shed early gains and fell in afternoon trading on Wall Street Tuesday as the market remains shaky a day after a broad sell-off.

Photo:Courtney Crow/AP Treasury yields have been rising and stocks have been extremely volatile recently as Wall Street adjusts to an aggressive turnaround in the Federal Reserve's policies away from supporting the economy. The central bank is raising interest rates from historic lows to fight persistently rising inflation, which is at its highest levels in four decades.

EA SPORTS AND FIFA END PARTNERSHIP, BOTH EYE NEW VIDEO GAMES ZURICH Accociated Press ELECTRONIC Arts will stop making its hugely successful FIFA video game in its current name, marking a split in one of soccer’s most successful and lucrative partnerships after the sides failed to strike a new licensing deal.

Instead, the California company said Tuesday that EA Sports FC will be introduced from 2023 after it creates the final game in partnership with FIFA later this year.

Licensing rights for the game earn FIFA about $150 million annually — the single biggest commercial earner in its expected $7 billion total revenue from

2019-2022 — though FIFA struck a defiant tone in a statement published hours after the announcement of losing that income.

FIFA promised a “number of new non-simulation games (that) are already under production” and will launch ahead of the 2022 World Cup that kicks off in Qatar in November.

FIFA said it plans to create a “new gaming model” and cited the recent launch of its streaming service FIFA+.

“I can assure you that the only authentic, real game that has the FIFA name will be the best one available for gamers and football fans,” FIFA president Gianni Infantino said in the statement.

The Fed has raised its benchmark rate from close to zero, where it sat for much of the coronavirus pandemic. Last week, it indicated it will double the size of future increases.

Higher prices on raw materials, shipping and labor have been cutting into corporate financial results and forecasts. Many companies have been raising prices on everything from

clothing to food, raising concerns that consumers will eventually cut spending, which would hurt economic growth.

Russia's ongoing invasion of Ukraine has only increased worries about rising inflation. The conflict pushed already high oil and natural gas prices even higher, while putting more pressure on costs for key food commodities like

wheat and corn. U.S. crude oil prices fell 3.2% on Tuesday, but are up about 36% in 2022. Wheat prices are up more than 40% for the year.

Should Wednesday's consumer price index show a pullback in inflation versus a year ago, that could put investors in a buying mood, at least for a little while.

"In the very short term we're a bit oversold," said Frederick. "So, if we could get a print below 8% yearover-year, I think we could get a little bit of a market rally.

Still, most of the market's recent rallies have often been followed by a down day, he added.

Meanwhile, investors are also still reviewing the latest round of corporate earnings with mixed results. Peloton tumbled 8.7% as the former pandemic darling of investors reported results that were much weaker than Wall Street was expecting.

Food distributor Sysco rose 6.1% after beating analysts' forecasts.

Migraine treatment developer Biohaven Pharmaceutical surged 68.4% after Pfizer said it will buy the company for $11.6 billion. Pfizer already owns a portion of the company.

FIFA President Gianni Infantino speaks during an interview conducted with The Associated Press in Doha, Qatar, March 29, 2022. Infantino said migrant workers gain pride from hard work when he was questioned on Monday, May 2, 2022, about workers suffering in Qatar while building World Cup infrastructure.

Photo:Lujain Jo/AP Though EA Sports FC will be unable to include FIFA content including the World Cup, it retains licensing deals with prime soccer competitions including the English Premier League and the UEFA-organized Champions League.

The EA announcement showed the strength of those partnerships with warm comments from executives from the Premier League, UEFA and Spain’s La Liga while a coordinated release of tweets posted by dozens of soccer clubs used the slogan “We’re In The Club” EA has been producing a FIFA game for nearly 30 years and its fond association with tens of millions of gamers worldwide helped the Zurich-based organization’s brand when it was tarnished amid a wave of arrests of soccer officials in 2015.

For generations of young people, FIFA has means a video game rather than a sports institution.

to align with the EA Sports FC brand.

“We’re thankful for our many years of great partnership with FIFA,” EA CEO Andrew Wilson said. “The future of global football is very bright, and fandom around the world has never been stronger.”

Wilson promised “even more innovative and authentic experiences to the growing football audience” while its soon-to-be rival FIFA spoke of creating “new, interactive experiences to fans across the globe.”

PAGE 22, Wednesday, May 11, 2022

THE TRIBUNE

Drivers bemoan high gasoline prices with no relief in sight

By CATHY BUSSEWITZ, JULIE WALKER AND JOSHUA BOAK Associated Press NEW YORK (AP) — Just as Americans gear up for summer road trips, the price of oil remains stubbornly high, pushing prices at the gas pump to painful heights.

Drivers were paying $4.37 for a gallon of regular Tuesday, on average, according to AAA. That’s 25 cents higher than a month ago, and $1.40 more than a year ago.

“The price of gas is ridiculous,” said Joel Baxter, a nurse, who was filling up his car at a BP station in Brooklyn, New York, so that he could commute 26 miles (42 kilometers) to work. “The money, your salary, is practically the same, and everything is going up, so they should do something about it.”

The high price of oil is the main cause of the biting gasoline prices. A barrel of U.S. benchmark crude was selling for around $100 a barrel Tuesday, a price tag that has been climbing throughout the year. The high price of oil is largely because many buyers are refusing to purchase Russian oil because of its invasion of Ukraine. The European Union is considering an embargo on oil from Russia, which is a major supplier. Those pressures leave less oil to go around.

Drivers such as Baxter say they wish the government could step in to help,

although few can say what solution that would bring lasting relief.

“There are very few things that a president can do to help lower the cost of oil, and this administration tried to do pretty much everything that it can,” said Andrew Gross, spokesman for AAA. President Joe Biden released oil from the Strategic Petroleum Reserve in November and March, hoping to reduce prices.

That helped temporarily, but prices shot back up and stayed stubbornly high.

Biden in remarks Tuesday stressed that fighting inflation is his top priority, a sign of both the economic challenges caused by prices rising at the fastest pace in four decades and the political drag for Democrats that has resulted.

“I believe that inflation is our top economic challenge right now,” Biden said.

He said that switching away from fossil fuels and greater energy efficiency will ultimately protect Americans from higher gasoline and heating and cooling costs.

The president noted that Americans are finding ways to limit how many fill-ups they need because of higher prices. “They’re doing everything in their power to figure out how to not show up at the gas pump,” he said.

White House press secretary Jen Psaki said a suspension of the federal gas tax is “an option on the table.” The suspension could in theory reduce gas

prices by as much as 18 cents a gallon.

Republican lawmakers say the key is to lease more federal land for oil and gas drilling and send a positive message to energy producers by greenlighting the Keystone XL pipeline that Biden nixed last year.

As the war Russia is waging on Ukraine continues and demand for gasoline continues to grow, experts are not expecting relief at the pump any time soon.

“We will see this trend continue probably throughout summer, mainly because of demand,” Gross said. “The weather’s getting warmer. The days are getting nicer. People are hitting the road.”

That’s particularly hard on people who drive for a living, or those who must drive to get to work.

“It’s expensive,” said Peter Lector, 28, who spent $60 Tuesday to fill up his tank in Brooklyn. “I’m doing Uber, so it’s costing me a lot of money every morning.”

If the price of gasoline keeps going up, he feels like he might have to find another job, he said.

Still others have accepted that high gasoline prices may be here to stay.

“It is what it is,” said David Stephen, who was also buying gasoline in Brooklyn. “Everything goes up, never comes down ....

You can’t do anything about it.”

CARS line up at a Sunoco gas station offering high-level ethanol-gasoline blends at a cost below regular gasoline, on April 13, 2022, in Delray Beach, Fla. Just as Americans gear up for summer road trips, the price of oil remains stubbornly high, pushing prices at the gas pump to painful heights. AAA said Tuesday, May 10, 2022, drivers are paying $4.37 for a gallon of regular gasoline.

Photo:Marta Lavandier/AP THE BULLSEYE logo on a sign outside a Target store is seen, Monday, Feb. 28, 2022. Workers at a Target store in Christiansburg, Virginia, filed paperwork Tuesday, May 10, 2022, with federal labor regulators to hold a union election, joining a wave of union organizing at other retailers around the country.

Photo:Charles Krupa/ AP

WORKERS AT A TARGET STORE IN VIRGINIA FILE FOR UNION VOTE

By ANNE D’INNOCENZIO AP Retail Writer

NEW YORK (AP) — Workers at a Target store in Christiansburg, Virginia, filed paperwork Tuesday with federal labor regulators to hold a union election, joining a wave of union organizing at other retailers around the country.

Workers at the store, which employs about 100, are seeing their pay not keeping pace with surging costs for basics like food and rent, said Adam Ryan, who has been working at the Christiansburg store for five years and founded Target Workers Unite in 2019. He also noted employees feel like they are having to do too many tasks, from filling online orders to unloading trucks.

“The cost of living is going up and their pay isn’t meeting that,” said Ryan,

34, who filed the petition with the National Labor Relations Board. “That is causing a lot of anxiety and stress. People are stretched too thin. They need more support and compensation.”

He said the filing was sparked by veteran workers at the Christiansburg store organizing a petition in April demanding additional pay.

Ryan said he collected more than 30 authorization cards from workers at the store, about 30% of the staff, enough to meet the threshold mandated

by NLRB, although the signatures still need to be reviewed. Ryan said he is hoping for other stores to join in, noting that Target workers are watching labor organizing at other companies. The Minneapolis-based company has about 350,000 employees.

Target said in statement Tuesday that it is committed to listening to its workers and creating an environment of mutual trust.

“We want all team members to be better off for working at Target,” the

company said. Target cited industry leading starting hourly wages of $15 to $24, expanded health care benefits, personalized scheduling and opportunities for career growth. It said it raised the starting wage at its Christiansburg store last fall and increased wages for longertenured workers.

The Target workers filing comes as nearly 60 Starbucks locations around the country have voted to unionize.

The fledgling Amazon Labor Union scored a victory last month at an Amazon warehouse on New York City’s Staten Island, becoming the first U.S. Amazon warehouse to be unionized. But Amazon workers in a later election in a nearby facility rejected a union bid.

Meanwhile, the final outcome of a separate union election at an Amazon warehouse in Bessemer, Alabama, is still up in the air with several hundred outstanding challenged ballots hanging in the balance.

Hearings to review those ballots are expected to begin in the coming weeks.

NOTICE Due to an abundance of caution, Bahamas Waste Limited invites all Shareholders to attend its

VIRTUAL ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING on Wednesday May 25, 2022 at 3:00PM Access to the virtual platform will be open at 2:30PM Please Register at (link below) on or before May 23 2022.

https://us06web.zoom.us/webinar/ register/WN_HM7hOSaCSEi-Pk5yROBlcw

After Registering you will receive a confirmation email with your meeting access details.

THE TRIBUNE

Wednesday, May 11, 2022, PAGE 23

NO SIGN OF CANCELLATIONS AFTER SANDALS TRAGEDY FROM PAGE 24

recently indicated it would revise the country’s travel warning rating from Level 1 to Level 2 after a slight increase in COVID-19 cases. Mr Cooper said: “I am advised that the CDC will rate The Bahamas at Level 2.

“As you know, we have been a Level 1, which is the lowest possible rating.

We see the numbers have been tracking upward and I believe this is not different from what we’ve seen throughout the pandemic.

There have been peaks and there have been valleys. I think at Level 2, there is minimal concern from the

international community.

I believe when we get to a stage like Level 4 there becomes more concern from corporate and group clients. But Level 2 just indicates that it’s moving in the wrong direction and we as Bahamians must continue to follow the protocols to ensure that we contain it at the Level 2 or reduce it again to Level 1.”

Mr Cooper “doesn’t see any impact on tourism” from the Level 2 rating from the CDC citing there is “significant pent up demand” for The Bahamas and there are islands in our archipelago that never had one single case, such as Ragged Island.

Mr Cooper also said: “We do need more room capacity. If we can get all of the hotels that’s closed reopened, that would help the product significantly. I can tell you that the Club Med resort is also on tap, opening in October.

“So we’re working with all of our partners to get all of the rooms that’s not operational back into inventory.

Because the demand is so strong, the bookings are so strong moving forward into the future, we’re getting the airlift we need the more room capacity. The vacation rentals have helped, but certainly if we build it they’re definitely going to come.”

The plan is to have increased airlift for the island of San Salvador and the ministry of tourism is in discussions with airline partners, most notably American Airlines, who have committed to flying back into San Salvador. In addition, the government is making adjustments to the airport infrastructure on the island to ensure that airlift goes smoothly in conjunction with executives at Club Med. There will also be an announcement on the sale of the Grand Lucayan Resort today, said Mr Cooper.

MINISTER RULES OUT MARGIN INCREASE FOR PETROLEUM DEALERS FROM PAGE 24 he sits from a financial and government point.”

Mr Halkitis, also noting the possibility of a doubling of shipping container prices, also said: “I heard that the cost actually begun to come down off of the highs but not back to the original levels. But we will obviously look into that.

“Global shipping is controlled by a few major players and so what any country can do and not only The Bahamas, but any country can do including the great United States is limited in terms of that.

But, we’ll look into it and see.”

Mr Halkitis also spoke to the importance of the credit bureau and said: “The credit bureau has been long

and coming. I remember serving under a previous administration and working on a credit bureau. So it’s positive for the economy in that it provides information as to credit quality of borrowers and gives you an idea of the overall health of the economy.”

Despite the apprehension of some quarters of the public towards the credit bureau, Mr Halkitis

‘WE MUST REFORM PUBLIC PENSIONS’ FROM PAGE 24 and $4.1bn by 2032, unless reforms were enacted.

Mr Gibson also asserted that there could be a situation where the elderly would not be able to receive their pensions after a while as the IMF states. “If you take what is happening in most recent times in Greece, where the government just couldn’t afford it and Greece was in the same position as we were in and what they had to do was they had to pay partial amounts on it. They were

not able to live up to the promise that is happening in many other countries.”

Michael Halkitis, Minister for Economic Affairs, speaking to reporters ahead of the weekly cabinet meeting said it is the government’s intention to continue on with pension reform for the public service, an initiative that goes back as far as the last Perry Christie Progressive Liberal Party administration.

Mr Halkitis said: “Back in the administration of between 2012 and 2017,

we actually commissioned a study on the extent of the liability on options of what we can do. At that point, we actually got to the point of discussions with the public sector unions as to what would be a scheme that would be amenable to them. We didn’t get to complete that.”

The ensuing Hubert Minnis Free National Movement administration also made attempts at pension reform but did not get very far with the initiative.

believes it will be “good for the economic health” of the country as more banks start to sign on as FirstCaribbean CIBC just recently did. “What needs to happen now is just to continue the education process so that consumers are not afraid of it or feel that it would negatively impact them,” he said.

Mr Halkitis added: “But we think we have come up with a possible solution to deal with that. It is an issue that again, you have to take steps now and you will see the benefit of it in 30 years in terms of the creation of a fund and the building up of that fund. But it’s one of those things that has been constantly kicked down the road.

“You would have heard the Minister of Public Service speak about it. I might have spoken about it. It’s something that we’re committed to and hopefully we can get that started within this fiscal year. That’s our goal.”

CHESTER COOPER

NO NEW TAXES IN BUDGET, SAYS HALKITIS FROM PAGE 24 employment income applied to the top 10 percent of earners at a 10 - 15 percent rate, saying that this coupled with a flat 5 percent withholding tax on capital income, would raise around 2 percent of GDP. Also implement a corporate income tax of 15 percent.

Mr Halkitis said: “Our view is that we focus on growing the economy, attracting investment, doing a better job of tax administration and you’ve seen some steps towards that in terms of the new revenue enhancement unit, by attracting investment and growing the economy, we increase employment, which increases revenue in the economy.

“So we study what they say and they tend to be

more aggressive in my opinion in terms of putting in tax measures. But the Prime Minister has said that would be an absolute last resort. We’re still in recovery mode from COVID and so our view is it’s better to keep the taxes as they are, improve the administration and focus on growing the economy.”

As for the implementation of the 15 percent global corporate tax, Mr Halkitis said any implementation of such a tax would be a “major departure” from what historically has been done in The Bahamas and would have to be done after long periods of consultations with the stakeholders, bearing in mind that the threshold is for companies with $750m in turnover.

business@tribunemedia.net

WEDNESDAY, MAY 11, 2022

$6.30

$6.33

$6.35

$6.33

No new taxes in Budget, says Halkitis

By YOURI KEMP Tribune Business Reporter ykemp@tribunemedia.net MINISTER for Economic Affairs Michael Halkitis said there will be no new taxes in the upcoming budget as it would be “counterproductive” to economic recovery.

Mr Halkitis told reporters ahead of the weekly cabinet meeting that despite the latest International Monetary Fund’s Article IV

Consultation report advocating for more taxes, he said calls for such increase in taxes would not be in the cards due to the ongoing economic recovery from the COVID-19 economic fallout.

Mr Halkitis said: “We are always very grateful for them. They come once a year and do a deep dive analysis of the economy. They speak with us and they speak with the private sector and they come up with a list of

recommendations, which we study.

“In the latest report and which has been a theme of their reports, they always are more conservative as to how much money you can actually get from improved administration.

“We think that we can get a substantial amount of funds by improving our collection, they tend to think that there’s a limit to that and you need to put in new taxes. Our view is coming out of the pandemic,

putting in new taxes would be counterproductive, because we’re trying to grow the economy into recovery.

The IMF said: “A meaningful tax reform should go hand-in-hand with efforts to strengthen tax administration. Tax policy reforms should address shortcomings of the current system, including high income inequality and a heavy reliance on distortionary taxes.”

The fund also advocated for a gradual increase of the

MICHAEL HALKITIS VAT rate to the regional average of 15 percent which would raise around 2.7 percent of GDP; building comprehensive real estate price indices on all islands that would provide a basis for a market-valuebased property tax and the

current system adding that such a plan could be made progressive by increasing the rate on higher value residences.

The IMF also called for a progressive tax on

SEE PAGE 23

‘We must reform public pensions’

By YOURI KEMP Tribune Business Reporter ykemp@tribunemedia.net THE Bahamas needs to avoid a Greekstyle pension collapse and instead move ahead with the reform of the public pensions scheme as soon as possible, says the LARRY GIBSON chief operating officer of CG Atlantic Pensions, Larry Gibson.

Mr Gibson, in response to the International Monetary Fund’s dire warning on the possibility of the elderly not getting their pensions in a few years, told Tribune Business: “I think it was PwC that did a study and what it says was by 2040 or 2050, basically this system would be insolvent.”

He added: “Now what it happening is that the rate of growth in liabilities for unfunded pension- pensions are pay as you go now- and that means you work for government, when you retire, we pay your pension out of the general revenues.

“In the private sector, you have a system of what they call funded pensions where you set up a structure, typically a trust, and you pay contributions into the trust.”

Previous research by the KPMG accounting firm projected that these unfunded liabilities will likely be around $2bn at this stage which, when added to the national debt, would take it well over $12bn by end-June 2022. Another presentation delivered by KPMG in 2013, the early years of the last Christie administration, estimated the unfunded, “pay-as-you-go”, civil service pension liabilities at around $1.5bn. These liabilities were set to increase to $2.5bn by 2022,

SEE PAGE 23

SANDALS EMERALD BAY RESORT

No sign of cancellations after Sandals tragedy

By YOURI KEMP Tribune Business Reporter ykemp@tribunemedia.net DEPUTY Prime Minister Chester Cooper said yesterday that Exuma residents are “calm” after the deaths of three tourists at the Sandals Emerald Bay Resort and there has been “no cancellations” at the resort.

Chester Cooper, also the Minister for Tourism, Investments and Aviation, told

reporters before the weekly Cabinet meeting: “People are generally calm with a sense of concern and also cautious optimism. So far, there hasn’t been any significant cancellations from bookings at Sandals, as I’m advised and based on what we see overall, in terms of queries from the international community, I believe they understand that this is an isolated situation contained to the

two villas in question contained to this resort.

“They know that we have 16 island destinations within The Bahamas. So we are seeing very strong forward bookings. We’re still anticipating that the summer months is going to be very strong and we are pleased that we have built a resilient brand and a an outstanding product. We continue to be empathetic with the families impacted by this

most unfortunate incident.

As I announced previously, I’ve spoken with the families personally. We have provided candid answers as much as we have and we have been forthright with the families and they appreciated the fact that they have been able to get the answers that we do have the process continues.”

Meanwhile, the Centres for Disease Control (CDC)

SEE PAGE 23

Minister rules out margin increase for petroleum dealers

By YOURI KEMP Tribune Business Reporter ykemp@tribunemedia.net MINISTER for Economic Affairs Michael Halkitis doubled down yesterday on “no margin increase” for petroleum dealers, arguing that it would go to the consumer and it would be “counterproductive”.

Mr Halkitis told reporters that the cabinet is deliberating on the proposals sent to them by the Bahamas Petroleum Dealers Association and will

“have a resolution by budget time”.

Mr Halkitis also said: “We have heard the challenges that they face inclusive of high rents, high franchise fees, banking fees, a whole gamut of things and we’ve met with them, and trying to come to a position where the government can help them.

“They’ve presented proposals to us, which we’ve taken away to study and we’ve undertaken that we’ll come back to

them and hopefully have a resolution by budget time.

Mr Halkitis also said: “We’re looking at a number of ways that we think that we can help them so you can expect to hear something in a matter of few weeks.

“As I’ve said before, no margin increase, margin increase goes directly to the consumer. So I mean, that would be totally counterproductive at this time.”

Petroleum dealers have been arguing for a margin increase

for the past two years. The last margin increase was granted in 2011 under the former Hubert Ingraham Free National Movement administration.

Vasco Bastian, vice president of the BPDA, said: “If that’s what the minister said then that is what it is. I won’t get into a public argument with the Minister of Economic Affairs. I guess the minister knows from a government standpoint of what he speaks and he must know from the position where

SEE PAGE 23