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VOLUME:115 No.121, MAY 16TH, 2018

THE PEOPLE’S PAPER: $1

ALICIA WALLACE: WE NEED TO TAKE TIME FOR OURSELVES

Help cops catch two girls’ sex attackers

By AVA TURNQUEST Tribune Chief Reporter aturnquest@tribunemedia.net

POLICE are investigating two separate cases of sexual assault involving female children.

The alleged incidents occurred in the Englerston Community on April 28, and Monday this week.

Police released two sketches yesterday, asking the public for any information on the identity or location of the two men.

No information was given out on the condition of the two girls involved and whether they required medical treatment.

Police also released no information on what time

of day the attacks are said to have taken place.

One local resident, who asked not to be named, said: “You would have thought the police would give out as much information as they could. Just saying the time these incidents happened could spark somebody’s memory and they could have seen something that can help catch these men.

“Just look at social media and you can see people are going mad over this.

They need to get these men quick.”

At least one of the attacks is believed to have taken place in a derelict building near to the Stephen Dillet Primary School.

SEE PAGE TWO

SMITH: BETHEL WRONG ON ILLEGAL OBAN DEAL

By RASHAD ROLLE Tribune Staff Reporter rrolle@tribunemedia.net

THE Oban Energies Heads of Agreement is “illegal”, attorney Fred Smith said yesterday.

His comment followed Education Minister Jeffrey Lloyd’s admission that the Minnis administration did not follow the law with the HOA was contradicted by Attorney General Carl Bethel.

Mr Bethel said because Oban Energies made no application for land use to the Department of Physical Planning, the question of whether the law and its

HOME INSURANCE

requirement for an environmental impact statement has not emerged. Mr Bethel said the HOA is a “framework, not a blueprint which is unchangeable”.

Mr Smith, long a critic of such agreements, disagreed.

“I don’t wish to comment on the disagreement between the two ministers but in my professional view the Oban Heads of Agreement is most illegal in that it purports to be a binding agreement between Oban and the government,” he said.

“It does not appear to be simply an approval in SEE PAGE SIX

LIFE INSURANCE

THE SCENE of one of the sex attacks and, inset, artist’s impressions issued by police of the two suspects.

‘IMF WON’T FORCE US GIBSON INSISTS WATER TO AXE MORE JOBS’ CONTRACT WAS CLEAN

By KHRISNA RUSSELL Deputy Chief Reporter krussell@tribunemedia.net

DEPUTY Prime Minister K Peter Turnquest yesterday said the government has no intention to downsize the public sector in response to concerns levelled by the

International Monetary Fund (IMF).

However, he did not rule out the possibility of a downsizing exercise as he underscored the Minnis administration has a priority to contain an increase in the overall wage bill.

SEE PAGE SIX

MARINE INSURANCE

LONG Island’s $5m water deal went to the only bidder that “substantially” met the Water & Sewerage Corporation’s terms, its chairman saying yesterday: “I don’t believe in hanky panky.”

Adrian Gibson told Tribune Business there were sound reasons why the twophase infrastructure contract was awarded to BHM Company (Bahamas Hot Mix), rather than a Long Island construction firm that submitted the lowest bid.

FULL STORY - SEE BUSINESS

DEFENCE DEMANDS ANSWERS IN NEW SMITH TRIAL TWIST

By RICARDO WELLS Tribune Staff Reporter rwells@tribunemedia.net

AUTO INSURANCE

By NEIL HARTNELL Tribune Business Editor nhartnell@tribunemedia.net

FORMER MP Frank Smith.

THE CHIEF prosecution witness in the Frank Smith extortion and bribery trial became agitated yesterday during cross-examination by the defence, with several

aspects of her statement of account being called into question.

Barbara Hanna, the prosecution’s lead witness in the case, often stood flustered and at several points expressed her displeasure with the line of questioning SEE PAGE THREE

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WITNESS Barbara Hanna.

PAGE 2, Wednesday, May 16, 2018

THE TRIBUNE

POLICE investigate the scene of a murder on Fourth Street on Monday night.

Photos: Terrel W. Carey/Tribune Staff

Man gunned down in drive-by shooting

By RASHAD ROLLE Tribune Staff Reporter rrolle@tribunemedia.net A MAN became the 32nd murder victim of the year, according to The Tribune’s records, when he was killed off Robinson Road Monday night.

In a press statement, police said: “According to reports, shortly after 10pm a group of men were standing in front of of a barber shop on Fourth Street off Robinson Road when a white Nissan March pulled up. An occupant of this vehicle fired a number of shots into the group, hitting one of them. Paramedics

HELP COPS CATCH TWO GIRLS’ SEX ATTACKERS As news of the attacks spread yesterday it is understood locals took action themselves to clear much of the long grass and shrubs to make the area

wide open and visible to passersby.

Anyone with information is asked to contact police at 911 or 919, the Central Detective Unit at 502-9991 or Crime Stoppers anonymously at 328-TIPS.

were called to the scene, but were unable to revive the injured man. He succumbed to his injuries at the scene.”

Monday’s incident came after a 16-year-old boy was killed in Nassau Village Friday night. According to reports, shortly after

8pm that night there was an argument on Butler Street between a group of men that resulted in one of them being stabbed about the body. Paramedics were called and attempted to revive the victim but he was pronounced dead at the scene.

from page one

DEADLINE ‘GIVES SHANTY TOWN RESIDENTS TIME TO MOVE’

By KHRISNA RUSSELL Deputy Chief Reporter krussell@tribunemedia.net

TRANSPORT and Local Government Minister Frankie Campbell said the July 31, 2018, deadline for the eviction of shanty town residents gives ample time for those in the community to find alternative housing.

Noting the substandard conditions in these communities, Mr Campbell, whose mother is Haitian, praised the work of the government. He said this was needed to eradicate a “parallel” society, which existed for far too long.

“I am pleased that the process the government initiated is a collaborative one,” the Southern Shores MP told The Tribune.

“It was not one done in isolation. Persons who are in the community were involved. The Haitian leaders were involved, humanitarians, men and women of the cloth were

involved and it seems as if due and timely notice has been given.

“So I am satisfied that they ought not to have been living in those conditions in the first place so I am satisfied that there is a move to take us away from a situation where it appeared that we had two parallel societies existing in The Bahamas.

“I am pleased that we are moving towards proper integration. That is all part and parcel of the overall immigration effort and so I am satisfied that we are going to move and we are going to be successful this time around.”

This comes as Rights Bahamas said it now has evidence to take “constitutional action” against the government over the deadline mandating the eviction of shantytown residents, arguing the decision was discriminatory.

Stephanie St Fleur, president of the activist group, branded the move “ethnic

cleansing” saying it contravened certain articles of the Bahamas Constitution.

On Sunday, Ms St Fleur said she was surprised by the news of a deadline; however, Haitian Pastors League President Dr Jean Paul Charles told The Tribune yesterday he had no issues with the deadline because in his view it gives sufficient time for shanty town dwellers to find alternative housing.

He said he had known of the government’s date to vacate since February.

The deadline was first made public in The Tribune’s report of an interview with Labour Minister Dion Foulkes, chairman of the government-appointed shanty town committee.

Dr Charles said the only challenge was some families may find it difficult to financially afford what is required to rent accommodations. This, he said, was raised with government officials. But the Minnis administration has said

they are not willing to assist in this regard, Dr Charles said.

Activist Louby Georges took exception to this, saying he doubted the league asked the right questions of the government or effectively communicated the content of meetings with the government to the wider Haitian community, especially those living in the shantytowns.

He said the pastors seem to be more “yes men” than a body looking after the well being of the minority group. Mr Georges told The Tribune he doubted the wider Haitian community knew of the deadline, which is a little more than two months away.

Labour Minister Dion Foulkes announced the government’s planned timeline and further revealed two shanty towns - one in New Providence off Hamster Road, Faith Avenue and another just outside of George Town Exuma – were recently torn down.

FRANKIE CAMPBELL, Minister of Transport and Local Government outside Cabinet yesterday.

Photo: Shawn Hanna/Tribune Staff

THE TRIBUNE

Wednesday, May 16, 2018, PAGE 3

Defence demands answers in new Smith trial twist from page one she faced from the defence lead attorney, Keith Knight QC. She was repeatedly asked by Chief Magistrate Joyann Ferguson-Pratt to answer questions directly, and was also advised that the court would be asked to consider the “live issue of credibility”.

Mr Knight submitted as evidence a loan dispersement form bearing Mrs Hanna’s signature and that of her son Adrian Hanna, and a copy of a cheque made out to Adrian that had also been signed by the pair.

Mrs Hanna confirmed she recognised both signatures; however, repeatedly insisted she had not taken a loan from Mr Smith.

Mr Knight read from a transcript of November 30 testimony where Mrs Hanna states she didn’t sign a document with Adrian Hanna, and never did any business or loan with him. Mr Knight also questioned why Mrs Hanna recognized her son’s testimony today but told the court previously she did not know his signature, and had not seen it before.

After repeat attempts

by Mr Knight to get a clear answer from Mrs Hanna, Chief Magistrate Ferguson-Pratt interjected and allowed Mrs Hanna an opportunity to explain herself.

Mrs Hanna said told the court she signed for the loan with Adrian because Frank Smith told her to. She said Adrian had lost his government job and was unable to do a salary deduction.

“Because he was no longer working I signed as a owner to say I will be responsible, my duty was to take the cash money.

Mr Smith spoke to me and asked me to sign on behalf of Adrian. (Adrian) worked for me part time so I would be fully responsible.”

Mrs Hanna said she made one trip to Pouland Ltd each month to pay off that loan, and the alleged payment.

When asked whether Mrs Hanna truly accepted and agreed to the loan she signed for, she replied: “you’re not going to trap

FORMER MP Frank Smith outside court yesterday. me, I already explained it and you keep coming back to it.” Mr Knight asked whether she felt it was dishonest to enter into the agreement under such pretense, to which she replied, she did not agree.

Mr Knight continued: “Whatever the arrangement, you and your son went to Pouland Ltd to conclude a borrowing arrangement at a time when you say you were paying $5,000 p/m to the accused?

Mrs Hanna said: “No sir.”

Chief Magistrate Ferguson-Pratt asked Mr Knight to repeat his question to ensure Mrs Hanna understood what was being asked.

When asked a second time, Mrs Hanna again denied and said she understood the question.

However, the key moment during yesterday’s

proceedings came when Mrs Hanna indicated that she, in the lead up to the trial, had met with police investigators outside of the timeframes already disclosed to the court.

Mrs Hanna had previously said her only statement of account was given on July 3 to Police Superintendent Huel Johnson.

However, in response to questions yesterday, Mrs Hanna said subsequent to her statement of account, she met with Assistant Commissioner of Police Paul Rolle, the officerin-charge of the RBPF’s Anti-Corruption Unit, for a period of 15 to 20 minutes.

She also said she was unable to recall the exact date of her meeting with ACP Rolle.

The defence requested a

Photo: Terrel W. Carey/Tribune Staff transcript of that meeting, however, the prosecution said it was unaware the meeting had taken place.

Mr Knight protested the fact, and again stressed that due to the nature of the case, both the court and the defence should have been made aware of the meeting.

He stressed the information discussed within that meeting could stand as critical, given the specifics of the case to date - one in which Mrs Hanna stated on record that she felt as if she was being “used” to testify in the matter.

Last November, during a similar line of questioning, Mrs Hanna said while she could not say exactly who was using her, she felt she was at a “disadvantage” by testifying in the trial.

She expressed her disdain for being involved in the

matter by repeatedly saying “I don’t want to be here” while seated in the witness box.

Mrs Hanna stressed she was not the one who pursued the charges against Smith and did not go to the police willingly concerning the initial investigation.

She also said she felt “frustrated” and “uncomfortable” by the many calls she received from police requesting she come in for questioning concerning Smith’s charges. And although she said she ultimately went to police, she admitted while being crossexamined by an attorney for the accused that she felt pressured to do so.

Smith is facing 15 criminal charges concerning his alleged solicitation of $65,000 in bribes from a woman he is said to have

LONG ISLAND YOUNGSTERS GIVEN GLIMPSE OF CABINET LIFE

assisted in getting a contract. He is currently out on $50,000 bail.

It is alleged that Smith, between April 2016 and April 2017, in respect of his duties as a public officer, demanded and obtained $5,000 per month from Barbara Hanna, knowing he was not lawfully authorised to do so.

He is also alleged to have attempted to extort another $5,000 from Ms Hanna in May of this year.

Concerning the bribery charge, it is alleged that he solicited $5,000 a month from Ms Hanna for aiding her in getting a contract with the Public Hospitals Authority.

Smith pleaded not guilty to all the allegations during his arraignment.

The matter resumes today at 10am.

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Photos: Peter Ramsay/BIS

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PAGE 4, Wednesday, May 16, 2018

THE TRIBUNE

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Over-the-Hill - minus web shops - to get facelift IN announcing his government’s plans “to transform our inner cities in ways only dreamt about”, Prime Minister Hubert Minnis made it clear that tax concessions granted residents to help them rebuild, upgrade and create businesses in their communities, would not be extended to web shops and liquor stores.

“Brave” Davis, leader of a four-member Opposition in the House, had grave misgivings about denying tax breaks to liquor stores and web shops – he feared discriminatioin. When told that such negative influences would only degrade rather than uplift a community, innocently rolling his eyes heavenwards, Mr Davis asked: “Why licence them in the community then?”

This is a question that only Mr Davis can answer. When his party was the government an expensive referendum was held on January 28, 2013, when Bahamians voted not to make the illegal legal — they wanted neither legal web shops nor a government lottery.

However, on September 15, 2014, Government ignored Bahamian voters and legalised the web shop industry.

Apparently, former prime minister Christie was mesmerised by unverified information given his government by web shop operators that government could get “some $25m” in penalties, back business licence fees and application fees during the transition period when operators would be required to disclose the revenues generated by their operations in the past while paying a variety of fees. No consideration was given to the damage its legal presence would inflict on a community.

Already Long Island MP Adrian Gibson is complaining of the debilitating affect gambling is having on a community of about 3,000 residents, serviced by 15-20 web shops. Bags of money, said Mr Gibson, are being collected by the web shops in Long Island, put on the plane and flown to Nassau for the benefit of a handful of people.

“Nothing stays in Long Island,” he complains. The island is being held down by the vices of many of its people. We have heard of one unfortunate soul, who put

every penny he had on the “numbers” and so starved himself of food that he is now in Sandilands.

“If they are harmful,” asked Mr Davis in relation to the decisions being made in an attempt to raise the standards of Nassau’s inner cities, “are they considering revoking their licenses? I am just wondering. If they are saying it is harmful, then you don’t leave harm in the way of people do you? That’s why I am concerned about that.”

What a pity, Mr Davis, that you were not concerned about the people when you could have done something about it and honoured their wishes. Instead you and your party ignored the vote of the people, considering only the money that could be collected from the web shops.

Now we have a major problem. It is claimed that the closing of some banks in the islands is because they have been replaced for money transactions by the web shops. We are told some of the banks are in a holding pattern, waiting to see what decision will be made about their future.

As for raising the standard and the self worth of the residents in the inner cities, we suggest that no web shop be permitted to set up its gaudy tents in their midst. If some of those residents want to waste their time in bar rooms and web parlours then they can walk or drive outside of their model surroundings to where these vices are located.

Hopefully the inconvenience of leaving their now comfortable homes will give them time to consider their dumb decisions — especially when they return home drunk or penniless.

These Over-the-Hill settlements should be transformed into clean and attractive centres with boys and girls clubs, playing fields for sports, competition between streets for the cleanest, best kept gardens and homes in good repair. This will give the youth something to do rather than join gangs, carry guns and rob their neighbours.

If the area is to be polluted with bar rooms and web shops, especially near schools and churches, then Over the Hill will remain just that – “over the hill”.

Intelligent strategy EDITOR, The Tribune.

IF you look at The Bahamas’s crime predicament, you have to look at all the factors that contribute to its manifestation. There are both social and economic factors.

The high unemployment of youths in The Bahamas is a contributing enabler.

It is dismal failure of government and private sector.

According to the World Bank from 1991 to 2017, the average value of The Bahamas unemployment rate is 22.45 with a minimum of 15 percent in 2001 and a maximum of 30.8 percent in 2013.

Remember unemployment rate reflects the youths seeking employment not those who have

given up which will likely double the figure. Most violent crimes are committed by youth so reducing the youth unemployment rate is an essential crime fighting strategy.

Aggressive policing is a knee jerk reaction and can never effectively prevent crime. It is like eating comfort food or drinking instead of dealing with your problem. Smart policing is necessary but no historical or sociological evidence supports this methodology solves a country’s crime problem. Improving the socio-economic conditions of The Bahamas population is paramount.

The other aspect of crime is social decadence.

The moral standards of the Bahamian society have

moved closer to hedonism which to me is an absurdity because life is made of both pleasure and pain. Having a balanced life and moral standards is essential to being happy – being undisciplined leads to destruction and pain. The philosophy of the end justifies the means is the order of the day. The twilight zone ideology needs to be remedied at the family and educational level.

We either do what works or continue the charade that’s designed to fail.

Albert Einstein said insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results.

BRIAN PLUMMER Nassau, May 2, 2018.

ELLIS

LNG deal problems EDITOR, The Tribune.

BP&L and LNG…What really is this deal?

If Florida Power and Light can provide the market of Florida with a rate at eight-nine cents a KW, I need the fullest explanation why BP&L can’t provide us at a rate of not higher than 18-19 cents per KW? Did Leslie Miller say this deal is for 21 years and then handed back to

Government for $1.00?

In 21 years, that plant that Shell will build will be worth one dollar! New technology will have been created in 21 years.

Oban and economic projects - the projects the proposers must provide environmental studies in LNG’s case a safety study as gas can explode and if surrounded with gasoline-LP gas at Clifton. Surely common sense tells you be careful.

Prime Minister, the

writers are correct - where has all your talk about solar gone - remember that preMay 2017?

Unmuzzle your qualified Minister of Environment, Ferreira and allow him to professionally comment. I suspect neither Oban nor LNG would fly if Minister Ferreira had anything to do with them.

M MUNNINGS Nassau, April 30, 2018.

Light at end of the tunnel EDITOR, The Tribune.

I HOPED that all of the mothers in our wonderful country had an enjoyable and blessed Mothers’ Day. Despite the naysayers, inclusive of myself occasionally, all is not yet lost in The Commonwealth of The Bahamas. In fact, it is my considered view, as a social activist and Executive Director of The National Public Policy Institute and Common Cause, that our best days, collectively, are yet ahead of us, God willing.

I make no secret of the incontrovertible fact that I am a committed supporter and member of the Progressive Liberal Party. No, I never really subscribed to the leadership of our brother and former Prime Minister, Perry Gladstone Christie. To put it bluntly, in his latter years as PM for the second time he had, obviously, become clueless and politically numbed as to what to do and how to do it. There was no clear plan or any plan of action. Too many then ministers and board chairpersons were seen and perceived to be ‘doing their own thing’... in a negative and sinister manner. We lost and I am glad that we did.

The vanquished PLP, as led, big time, by Christie and a selected inner circle, messed up the agenda which we had told the people we would follow during the 2012 general election campaign. I always knew, however, that Christie, despite his assertions, had learnt absolutely nothing of value to our people during his first term. His political minions, et al, led him right down the garden path. The rest is history.

The initial start of the FNM’s term was not impressive or inspirational.

In fact. the self inflicted political blunders and missteps were dismaying and did nothing to maintain the good will of countless Bahamians. We were wondering what went ‘wrong’ in the early months. Apart from the successful opening of the second phase at Baha Mar and the continuation of The Pointe, not much seemed to be happening for the embryo Minnis administration.

Let me repeat, I am a committed supporter and member of The PLP and have no intention of changing the status quo. I am also, however, a patriotic and right thinking Bahamian. I call a spade a spade

LETTERS letters@tribunemedia.net and, if there are to be political repercussions, then so be it. Over the last two months I have seen positive moves by Minnis and his crew. Mind you, there is a whole lot more work to be done, but, at last, I personally and politically see some light at the end of the proverbial tunnel.

Baha Mar, despite the doom and gloom utterances of Minnis and his crew in opposition, they have done nothing to hinder the successes of that property where over 5,000 grateful Bahamians are now gainfully occupied. Despite what appears to be an imbalance of the labour force at The Pointe, that property is progressing well and upon completion, I am certain that more than 85% of the management and line staff teams will be Bahamians. So, despite the glitches now, look for another 500 or more Bahamians to be at The Pointe before the end of this year.

The Grand Bahama Ship Yard has recently accepted delivery of several mega sized cranes. This will double the work capacity over there with the resultant increase in Bahamian labour. The spin off from this will be tremendous and scores of Bahamians will benefit, if they apply themselves, from new and advance marketable skills.

Our Lucaya Hotel, et al. is receiving almost 24X7 attention from our erstwhile Minister of Tourism & Aviation. That property is still in play, despite the pronouncements of our former Chairman Emeritus. Once that property is ‘sold’; remodelled and rebranded, the economy of the entire Island of Grand Bahama will take off.

I am also happy to hear about a possible investment by Disney Cruise Lines over at The Light House Point in Eleuthera.

Yes, there will be some armed chair environmentalists and their hidden agenda and they might well have some real concerns.

People, however, are more important than things. If a proposal has been submitted, I call upon the PM to seize this opportunity, post haste, so as to generate millions of dollars of foreign and local dollars into the development of that area of the nation. Hundreds of construction jobs would be

immediately created.

Second home buyers and local descendants of that Island will return home; construct homes on family properties or purchase their own land for construction.

The massive social and taxpayers burdens experienced in New Providence would be wiped away almost with the stroke of the PM’s pen.

Local residents and other Bahamians would be able to go into or expand existing ground transportation; domestic services and new and additional service facilities. The PM must now stand and deliver.

NHI is a work in progress. It should have been up and running long ago if the former PM and that former hapless and clueless Minister of Health knew what he was doing. Dr Gomez talked a fairly good talk but, unlike a Duck, he was incapable of walking it.

The Hon Dr Duane Sands (FNM-Elizabeth), Minister of Health, has his work cut out for him.

Yes, the Public Hospital Authority and most of our primary health care facilities, face challenges but, keep in mind that the rot and decay started long ago, under successive administrations. It would be dead wrong to blame the FNM; Minnis and Sands, at this stage. Maybe in another year or so....not now. Clinics were being started or proposed where there was no demand for the same... massive wastage of precious national resources.

I love the recent announcement of the PM on The Inner City Revitalisation Bill; the Affordable Land Act and, of course, the anticipated elimination of VAT on certain bread basket items. The Minnis lead administration, has finally, found its collective feet. We who are The Real Deal PLPs must step up our efforts to offer constructive alternative national public policy plans to those being rolled out by the FNM. It is useless for us to continue to wring our hands and to continue crying over our deserved loss in 2017.

Yes, in the natural order of politics, we PLPs will be back, but until then let us wish the PM and his administration well. Yes, I am still a New Deal PLP and have no intention of changing. I give credit, however, where it is due. To God then, in all things, be the glory.

ORTLAND H BODIE Jr Nassau, May 13, 2018.

THE TRIBUNE

Wednesday, May 16, 2018, PAGE 5

Modular homes solution ‘game changer’ for nation

By RASHAD ROLLE Tribune Staff Reporter rrolle@tribunemedia.net BAHAMAS Contractors Association (BCA) President Leonard Sands says a local company’s proposed modular homes initiative is a potential game-changer for the country.

He believes the business is a possible solution to the high cost of houses.

His statement came after Bahamaren Limited and China Construction Modular Housing Company Limited announced the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding last week.

Modular homes are homes built off-site; in this case, the homes would be built abroad then transported here.

Mr Sands said: “Let’s say you allow someone to get land for $30,000 as is proposed under the recent initiative of the government and that you also get one of these proposed modular type homes containerized and preassembled that you then anchor here. Let’s say the home costs $30,000 to $40,000 as they propose.

All of a sudden you are getting a nice house under $100,000.

“We haven’t been to that place in at least 20 years,” he said.

“That’s significantly changing the game. One of the reasons it’s so encouraging is, let’s look at the southern Bahamas that is often impacted by hurricanes; all of a sudden in the event of a natural disaster, you could get ship loads of these affordable modular homes to help these communities rebuild quickly.

It creates an opportunity for the out-islanders to truly respond to natural

LEONARD SANDS disasters.” said the developers would Mr Sands continued: likely have to meet Hous“Even the southern islands ing Minister Brensil Rolle which the prime minister and Works Minister Deswants to turn into green mond Bannister to ensure islands, this would help with their support and buythat initiative because when in. “They would have to you build modular houses ensure the homes meet the there is no waste. It’s smart required structural designs all the way around.” as required by our building Mr Sands said the ini- codes,” he said. tiative would not take Asked why such innojobs away from local vations have not been contractors. embraced by the Baha“Who do you think will mas before now, he said: have to build and assemble “We’ve never been techthese modular homes if not nology driven. We’ve never local contractors?” he said. allowed it to lead our deci“It just means they will be sion making. Countries adding to their skill base that have found solutions and doing another kind of to their housing probwork in addition to what lems have done so partly they already do.” by embracing modular To kickstart the ini- housing.” tiative, Mr Sands, a Bahamaren Managing construction engineer, Director Latrae Rahming

PICTURED last week, from left: marketing manager at CCM Jin Ge; Bahamaren VP of China affairs Zhao Lei; international manager at CCM Michael B Wei; managing director at Bahamaren Latrae Rahming; chief technology officer at Bahamaren Shakeem Lightfoot and chief operating officer at Bahamaren Thomas Barnett. said yesterday the modular units will “cost anything between $25,000 to $60,000 and that includes one bedroom, two bedroom and three bedroom homes.”

“We are establishing our smart home project containing a full solarized design.

Once that is completed, we will engage Bahamian structural engineers for required permits from the Ministry of Works and we will be engaging industry stakeholders as we prepare for market entry.”

Mr Rahming said the home would take less than 15 days to build “because

there is more manpower available off-site and it’s being constructed in a controlled environment.”

“It takes two days to assemble in the Bahamas,” he said.

“We’re building four designs, a one bedroom, a two bedroom, a three bedroom and a multi-storey house. Once we complete our designs the homes will be built to order. There’s been a lot of interest so far.

We knew there was a need but we didn’t know there would be so much interest in modular solutions, particularly from young

Bahamians. A lot of people are tying our announcement to the opportunity provided by the government for affordable lots.”

China Construction Modular Housing Company Limited is a subsidiary of China State Construction Engineering Corporation Limited, Mr Rahming said.

“The is the first time the company is looking at the Caribbean as a potential market outside Australia and New Zealand,” he said, noting the role the sister company, China Construction America, played in building Baha Mar.

PAGE 6, Wednesday, May 16, 2018

THE TRIBUNE

CLEANING UP GRAND BAHAMA

By AVA TURNQUEST Tribune Chief Reporter aturnquest@tribunemedia.net POPULAR tourist spot Barbary beach got a thorough clean-up due to a partnership between the Grand Bahama Port Authority (GBPA) and the Keep Grand Bahama Clean Committee (KGBCC) this month.

In keeping with its philosophy of creating and maintaining cleaner and greener communities across Grand Bahama, more than 70 participants conducted a clean sweep last Saturday.

Representatives from the Cancer Society, Pride of Grand Bahama Lodge, Earth Care, Buckeye, Freeport Gospel Chapel School, St. Paul’s Methodist College, BMES, Pilot Club/ Anchor Club of Lucaya, PharmaChem, Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority and Rhoer Club, Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, Kiku Zeki Temple #184, 3rd GB Sea Scouts, Kiwanis Club, Harmony Lodge, LUSCO, DEVCO and GBPA, all banded together to do their part in keeping Grand Bahama clean.

Barbary Beach, which is well known for its expanse of beautiful sand and spectacular ocean view, has, in recent years, suffered at the hands of people who

YOUTH volunteers help clean Barbary beach, in Freeport, Grand Bahama. use the beach for picnics, parties and other events but leave behind a sea of trash.

“Our focus with such clean-ups is to bring groups and residents together in act of solidarity and to highlight the issues of litter often found on our beaches,”

explained Olethea Gardiner, Co-Chair of the Keep Grand Bahama Clean Committee.

“We believe it’s important for beach-goers to understand that our beaches are a shared space for everyone to enjoy and so we all need to keep it clean.”

The Barbary Beach area is the first of several to be targeted by the committee for clean-up over the course of the year. Teams collected a mixture of trash and litter to construction debris, filling a 20-yard dumpster.

Persons interested in being

a part of future cleanups, or to receive support for their own clean-up initiatives, are asked to contact Keep Grand Bahama Clean representatives at 3509158 or reach out via social media at https://www.facebook. com/keepgbclean/.

‘IMF won’t force us to axe more jobs’ from page one

The IMF has called for the Minnis administration to trim the civil service wage bill to fill the $240m gap needed to meet its Fiscal Responsibility targets.

Asked if terminations could be expected, Mr Turnquest told reporters outside of Cabinet: “No. Certainly not as a result of anything the IMF would have said.

“We are doing our own internal reviews and trying to rationalise for ourselves where we see people and service levels that we need.

“We do not have an intentional plan to downsize but rather note the concerns and acknowledge that we have to contain the growth in the wage bill overall.”

The East Grand Bahama MP further suggested the government has always been aware of the unsustainable public sector work force number.

“This is something that we’ve known since we came to office. We’ve consistently been saying the last administration bumped up the public service to unsustainable levels.

“We have been trying to rationalise the new hires and those on contracts.

Those that we can move

off of the public payroll in a way that gives those persons involved a safe landing. We are trying to do that.

“We continue to be cautious about hiring and trying to rationalise services trying to move people around in the public service to ensure that we are getting value for money and that people are being productive and have a career path because one of the unfortunate things about these contracts that have been given out in the last administration is that there is no career path for these people. So they were just in low paid minimum wage jobs with no hope of being hired and no future and so we are trying to see if we can restructure some of that, rationalise it and bring the civil service back into some kind of order and put these people in productive positions so that they can have a chance at having long term employment.”

He added: “Others we are trying to train to make sure that the job empowerment programme that was initiated some time ago that that actually becomes effective because it has been at this point just a place to park people to justify giving some service or some contribution.

“We want to make that a true empowerment

A Celebration For The Life Of MARY ALICE PETTIPAS (Neumer)

DEPUTY Prime Minister Peter Turnquest. programme so that people at the end of 52 weeks do in fact have some skill that they can go into the public service or into the private sector and contribute in a meaningful way and build lives for themselves.”

Mr Turnquest was also asked about apparent firings under the Minnis administration.

“You say persons are being terminated, I don’t know that,” he replied.

“I know that there are constantly reviews being done, that there are contracts that are coming to an end all the time. Some are being renewed depending upon the need of the various ministries and

agencies. I suspect that will continue.”

However, he could not say how many people this continuous process could affect.

“These are very careful decisions we make based upon human resources recommendations and the needs within these different ministries and agencies.”

The International Monetary Fund (IMF), in its newly-released Article IV report on Monday suggested that further sacrifice was required for the Government to hit its fiscal consolidation goals even though its 2017-2018 targets were “within reach”.

The Fund “urged” the

Photo: Shawn Hanna/Tribune Staff Minnis administration to further cut recurrent spending, which goes on fixed costs such as civil service salaries and rents, and avoid “an undue squeeze” on capital spending on essential infrastructure - the very method by which it has narrowed the 2017-2018 deficit.

The Government’s Fiscal Responsibility Bill, unveiled yesterday, seeks to cut the fiscal deficit to 0.5 per cent of gross domestic product (GDP) within three years. But the IMF warned it might miss this target without its recommended Budgetary ‘adjustment’.

“The fiscal target for fiscal year 2018 is within reach, despite the unbudgeted

purchase of [Bahamas] Resolve promissory notes, although at the expense of lower-than-budgeted capital spending,” the IMF said.

“Staff recommended an additional adjustment of 2.25 per cent of GDP to bring the deficit to 0.5 per cent of GDP by fiscal year 2021- the medium-term target under the proposed fiscal rule - to put the public debt-to-GDP ratio on a firmly downward trajectory.

“Staff urged the authorities to identify measures to undertake this adjustment, with a strong focus on reducing current spending and avoid an undue compression of capital spending.”

SMITH: BETHEL WRONG ON ILLEGAL OBAN DEAL from page one

Will be held on THURSDAY, MAY 17TH, 2018 at 5pm until 7pm at Nassau Yacht Club East Bay Street

principle. To my mind it goes much further. It’s entire approach is putting the cart before the horse.

It fritters and controls the discretion which is vested under the Director of Physical Planning or the relevant minister under the Conservation and Protection of the Physical Landscape Act. “It deprives the relevant minister under the Coastal Protection Act. It was entered into without prior consultation with those affected particularly

the East Grand Bahama local government district council. And to my mind it is not simply an indication of ‘approval in principle.’ This appears to be a definitive agreement upon which Oban can sue the government. In fact, I believe there is a provision in this document in which the Bahamas government waivers sovereign immunity protection. That’s an amazing provision to put in what is not supposed to be a binding document.”

Mr Lloyd yesterday declined to address Mr Bethel’s comments. Mr

Lloyd is a member of the cabinet subcommittee examining the Oban matter. Labour Minister Dion Foulkes heads that committee.

Mr Lloyd, on a recent television show, said the government did not follow the Planning and Subdivision Act which mandates that an environmental impact statement be submitted to the Department of Physical Planning for developments expected to have a significant impact on the environment.

In a statement yesterday, Progressive Liberal

Party (PLP) Chairman Fred Mitchell said in light of the statements from Mr Lloyd and Mr Bethel, “the prime minister has to send at least one of his ministers packing. The Oban deal smells of corruption and malfeasance. This is well known and widely acknowledged.”

Mr Smith said: “I urge them to stop putting the cart before the horse and that is why I always criticise these Heads of Agreement entered into in secret without consultation for these anchor projects which are then put on the public who have to swallow a bitter pill.”

THE TRIBUNE

Wednesday, May 16, 2018, PAGE 7

POLICE at the scene of the fatal road traffic accident on the Warren J Levarity Highway on Monday night.

Pedestrian killed, another injured as vehicle hits them on highway

BY DENISE MAYCOCK Tribune Freeport Reporter dmaycock@tribunemedia.net A MALE pedestrian died and another hospitalised with severe injuries after they were hit by a vehicle travelling on the Warren J Levarity Highway late on Monday evening.

According to reports, a group of men were walking along the highway when a grey-coloured Plymouth Voyager struck the two men. The male driver was not injured.

One of the victims died at the scene while EMS personnel took

the other to the Rand Memorial Hospital where he is in serious condition.

Superintendent Jeremy Hendfield, officer in charge of the traffic division, reported that police received a call at about 10.45pm of a traffic accident involving pedestrians and a vehicle.

A group of pedestrians were visiting the island while their ship is being repaired at the GB Shipyard. They had left a local establishment and were heading back to the ship when the accident happened,” Supt Hendfield said.

He said the driver stayed at the scene and spoke with police investigators.

When asked whether inadequate lighting may have been a contributing factor, Supt Hendfield said it may have.

“We believe lighting would have been a factor as we know along the street there is not much lighting.” he said.

“We have been asking the public to drive with caution, especially along this road. We know it is dark and we ask motorists to drive at a comfortable speed where you you can see and you are able to stop the vehicle in

RESORT WORKER DISMISSED FOR ASSAULT ON GUEST LOSES CASE

By MORGAN ADDERLEY Tribune Staff Reporter madderley@tribunemedia.net A SUPREME Court Judge has dismissed the case of a resort employee who sued his employer Bimini Sands Marina Limited for damages for unfair dismissal.

Justice Indra Charles found the dismissal was fair or justified and ruled in favour of the resort, awarding it costs of $17,500.

In September 2015, the resort dismissed Doyle Saunders for “gross misconduct” — assaulting one of the resort’s guests - a Mr Ortiz - following a disagreement over a golf cart.

In February the following year, Mr Saunders instituted court proceedings.

According to court documents, Mr Saunders alleged the assault on Mr Ortiz never occurred and that in disciplining him he was not afforded a fair hearing.

He claimed special damages of $32,241.66 in addition to general damages, interest and costs.

In June 2016, the resort filed a Defence, alleging Mr Saunders was summarily dismissed for assaulting Mr Ortiz, insisting Mr Saunders was afforded a fair hearing and that Mr Saunders’ attorney was “fully cognizant of the circumstances that led to his dismissal”.

The resort denied it owed Mr Saunders the above fee, saying it only owed him $648.49 “for the period of time that he worked” for which they had offered him a cheque that he refused to accept.

Mr Saunders began working at the establishment in January 2003 as a dock master, a position he held until September 13, 2015.

In his testimony, he said he also operated a golf cart

business on South Bimini along with his wife.

A customer rented a four-seat golf cart from his company but on Saturday 8 August 2015, Mr Saunders noticed his golf cart with seven passengers on it.

After explaining the dangers of overloading the cart to the driver, Mr Ortiz, Mr Saunders claimed Mr Ortiz countered that he could use the cart “as he saw fit”.

The next day, Mr Saunders said he encountered Mr Ortiz again. Mr Saunders alleged that Mr Ortiz started to “rage with [him]” and promised to report Mr Saunders to the office.

That same day, Mr Saunders left the island for vacation. When he returned, the resort General Manager Michael Munnings discussed the incidents of August 8 and 9 with him.

Mr Munnings had refunded the guest the cost of the golf cart ($110.00) in an attempt to appease him.

Mr Munnings had Mr Saunders repay this amount and on September 14 2015, Mr Saunders was terminated with immediate effect Mr Saunders reiterated in his testimony that he never assaulted Mr Ortiz; was never afforded a hearing, and no disciplinary action was taken against him.

However, under cross-examination he contradicted himself.

He initially said he “did not disable the golf cart on the Sunday morning”.

Yet when asked about the matter again, he confirmed that he did disable the golf cart that day.

Mr Munnings testified on behalf of the resort. He served as resort General Manager from April 2015 until May 2016. He is no longer employed with the resort as it has closed down.

Mr Munnings said on

August 9, he was called to the resort where Mr Ortiz informed him that Mr Saunders had assaulted him and threatened him and his family “with a piece of 2x4 wood putting them in fear of their lives.”

Mr Munnings said the matter was reported to the police. He also expressed concern the resort would be sued because of the incident.

He added he Financial Controller and the Facilities Manager were present in his meeting with Mr Saunders during which he admitted that he had been drinking and had threatened Mr Ortiz and his family with the piece of wood.

Mr Munnings added that a hearing had been held where Mr Saunders “admitted what took place”.

Justice Charles said she found Mr Munnings to be a “witness of truth” and a “very sincere person”.

On the contrary, she found Mr Saunders to be an “unimpressive and inherently unreliable witness”, noting he had contradicted himself during his testimony.

She added that she found his account to be a “pure fabrication in order to bolster up his claim”.

Justice Charles also noted the gravity of a tourist being assaulted by a resort employee in a country where tourism is an “important pillar” of the economy.

She found Mr Saunders “guilty of misconduct equivalent to a fundamental breach of his contract of employment”, and thus the resort was justified in summarily dismissing him and that “the issue of damages does not arise for consideration”.

The resort was awarded costs of $17,500 as was agreed to at the hearing.

Additionally, the resort had to pay Mr Saunders the $648.49 he had previously refused to accept.

time. Persons use this road to get back and forth to Eight Mile Rock. We appeal to persons to slow down especially when coming in the area where there are business establishments and persons maybe walking the street.”

This accident was the fourth traffic fatality on Grand Bahama this year.

The first occurred when a Jamaican man died of injuries received in a traffic accident on January 25 at Grand Bahama Highway and Coral Road.

The accident involved two vehicles – a red 2007 Nissan Cube and

a white 2001 Honda Accord. Of the four people taken to the hospital, the male passenger in the Cube died.

On February 7, Christopher Gibson, 36, of Hudson Estates, Freeport, was struck and killed by a tour bus while attempting to cross the street. The accident occurred at Coral Road and West Settler’s Way around 8pm. His death was the island’s second for 2018.

Meanwhile, police are continuing their investigations into this latest incident and are appealing motorists to drive with care and attention.

PAGE 8, Wednesday, May 16, 2018

THE TRIBUNE

We need to take time for

ourselves

W

E are supposed to be strong; there for everyone at any time. We are supposed to care; genetically destined to nurture and provide sustenance. We are supposed to be humble; never to draw attention to ourselves or the work we do. We are women, maternal by nature whether or not we have children.

Expectations are high and there are no days off. Any moment we take away from the work assigned to women is evidence of ineptitude, lack of commitment and a failure. For these reasons and more, we stay on our toes, hide all signs of exhaustion, pretend to be perfect and forget to take care of ourselves. Until we face consequences that force a pause at best and a complete stop at worst.

Self-care has become a buzzword. Magazines and podcasts use it all the time, offer tips and promote products that are supposed to change our lives. If only it could be so simple. If only we could pour an ample amount of coconut oil all over our lives and call it a day.

Many self-care enthusiasts try to convince us all we need is an eye mask to block out light when we sleep, a bimonthly day at the spa and the occasional splurge. While these can contribute to a more enjoyable life (or day), they are not enough to compensate for the busyness and demands of our daily lives.

Video blogger Carla Moore co-hosted a Women’s Wednesdays workshop on self-care last week which focused on a selfcare assessment worksheet.

Owner of Honey and Lime Jamaica, Carla “focuses on the provision of products and services geared towards self-care, self-love, and selfhealing”. Throughout the session, she encouraged participants to be honest with themselves, refer to

By Alicia Wallace their worksheet answers and share as much as they wished with the group.

The assessment is divided into physical, psychological, emotional, spiritual, relationship and workplace

or professional, with additional sections to review overall self-care and other areas relevant to the individual. Carla put emphasis on a few parts of the worksheet that are either highly

us barely manage to get annual exams done.

When asked whether or not we take time to be sexual with a partner or ourselves, very relevant to or often few people gave themneglected by women in the selves the highest possible region. score. This prompted a At the beginning of quick pep talk on the the workshop, we were importance of recognizing asked to remember a and honouring our sexutime when we felt light ality, and a reminder of or whole. Then we were (or lesson in) the benefits asked whether or not we of being sexual with ourfelt light or whole in that selves including learning moment and why or why what we like, and not getnot. We went around the ting involved in unhealthy room, sharing a word that relationships to meet described how we felt. For sexual needs. Other items many of us, the word of in the physical care secthe moment was “tired”. tion include taking time Many of us are like cars off when sick and getting that are never in park. enough sleep.

Even when we are at a Self-care is big busicomplete stop, our engines ness. One of the reasons are idling. We never get to capitalist ideas of self-care park, much less off. The thrive is the perception that gas gauge tells us the car money gives access to quick is almost empty, but we fixes. Get a facial, have your “know” our equipment, so nails done, go on a weekwe push to the limit. Skip- end getaway, treat yourself ping maintenance, we only to a fancy meal and buy give due care and atten- that outfit you have been tion when it is forced. The eyeing for weeks. While car will not these things start and the ‘Many of us are like are nice and problem is feel good in cars that are never so complithe moment, cated that in park. Even when they do little we need new we are at a complete to improve parts and the qualmany hours stop, our engines ity of our of labour are idling. We never lives.

We to return get to park, much know quite to working well preless off. The gas condition. vention is That costs gauge tells us the better than us time and car is almost empty, cure when money and it comes we prom- but we “know” our to physical ise to never equipment, so we health and do it again. the same push to the limit.’

And then we applies to do. self-care.

A telling segment was To take better care of ourthe discussion about phys- selves, we need to be able ical self-care. Only one to reduce stress, maintain person in the room gave a manageable workload herself a high score for and remember that we are getting preventive medi- humans, not robots. cal care. Another woman In the psychological secjoked, “This is The Baha- tion of the worksheet, we mas, you know.” Everyone were asked to consider the in the room laughed or space we give ourselves to nodded in agreement, notice our “inner experinoting medical care is not ence” which is described as very accessible for the listening to our thoughts, average person. Many of beliefs, attitudes and feelings. This is another area that drew low scores from most people in the room.

On average, we have 6,000 thoughts every day and many of them are things we repeat to ourselves.

To advertise in The Tribune, contact 502-2394

How much time do we spend paying attention to the narratives to we give ourselves?

Carla recommended slowing down and noticing the emotions situations elicit. What do you feel? Are there any thoughts that trigger that feeling? Does the feeling result in a sensation in your body? We often avoid engaging our feelings, viewing them as inherently bad.

We sometimes even label them distractions. While it may be counterintuitive, being able to sit with, interrogate and understand our feelings is critical to overall wellbeing.

When we got to the section on relationships, Carla realized we need to spend a fair amount of time on the importance of saying no. It is difficult to decline requests coming from loved ones. The women in the room told of their tendencies to say no, but feel the need to explain themselves.

We often feel obligated to give sound reasons for not being able or willing to do something. We want to be nice. We do not want to be seen as mean. We do not want to be on karma’s bad side. There are so many reasons to say yes when we need to say no.

When a participant said they did not want to hurt people’s feelings, Carla asked, “Do you want to hurt yourself?” We often put other people’s feelings above our own wellbeing, and in many cases, those people would not want us to do that. A participant noted that she often says yes when she needs to say no because she worries about how the person will get help if she does not offer it. At this point, Carla talked about the need to remind herself that she is not a neurosurgeon, and there is definitely someone else who can help. We do not have to be martyrs.

Women are not superheroes. We have definitely started to buy in to the hype and celebrate our strength and emotional intelligence. It can be nice to feel superior sometimes. This, however, does not serve us when we are overworked, living under the pressure of unrealistic expectations that we stretch ourselves to meet.

Weekly nail appointments, new lipstick, and eating moringa leaves are not heavy enough to bring the scale to balance. Selfcare is not a single act, or a one-day affair. To be effective, it has to be integrated into our daily lives.

It is eating well, exercising, setting and keeping boundaries, saying no, acknowledging our feelings, spending time with loved ones, taking regular breaks and asking for help.

Self-care is recognizing when we feel whole and light, asking ourselves why we feel that way and doing our best to replicate those factors so the feeling is as close to constant as possible. If we are going to be strong, and care, and nurture, it only makes sense to start with ourselves.

PAGE 10, Wednesday, May 16, 2018

THE TRIBUNE

Adventurer takes on ocean sailing challenge A16MAIN

PAGEM PAGE A14, 4, Monday, Monday,May, May 19, 19, 2014 2014

By DENISE MAYCOCK Tribune Reporter “The Freeport professional dmaycock@tribunemedia.net truck drivers

THE TRIBUNE

LOCAL NEWS

were butclimbing When fine he’s not some of the the tallest mountains or cycling acrossmotor the United monster States of America, Freeport homes dragging adventurer David Mellor is a swinging sailing the Southjeep Atlantic or car behind, Ocean, braving cold treacherous 20ft to 30ft waves and commanded aboard the largest by some real wooden square rigged sail ship. ancients, Mr Mellor, were 76, recently another story and returned home to Grand Bahama from journey we were alla run on “Tenacious” offthethe road atsailing across the world. various times.”

In addition to the long voyage at sea, the advenrado River and braving some turer was able to explore treacherous inter-state old battlefields of highthe ways.

Falkland Islands, visit the Mellorsouthern and his whaling cycling former buddiesof- 69-year-old Peter capital South Georgia Higgs of Nassau and stopped offand in AmeriCape can Chuck from Town, South Laird, Africa 72, to paraCalifornia – set off on March glide down a mountain and 2 from Victorville on the cage dive with Great White southern tier route. This took Sharks. them through Arizona, New The journey wasLouisiana, not withMexico, Texas, out injury as Mr Mellor Mississippi and Alabama to suffered Florida. a mild concussion and“The chipped bone in‘veterhis description arm huge waves crashed ans’ ashad been loosely apinto ship, tossing team, him pliedthe to our three-man on to theseemed deck. to fit since which A13MA IN The Tenacious is theanlargbetween us we had age THE TRIBUNE handicap of 214 years,” Melest wooden square-rigged lor quipped. was in a lot of sailing ship “It built the fun,”100 he years. recalled of ship, their past The LOCAL NEWS ‘Riding Across America’ adoperated

by Jubilee Sailventure. bumped into ing Trust “We of Great Britain, M some people has over 250 who lineswere and also 24 cycling in the opposite direcl sails, and is operated on a tion.” basis with different 24-hour DAVID MELLOR and his cyclingbuddies buddies- 69-year-old - 69-year-oldPeter Peter Higgs of Nassau and American Chuck Laird, 72, from California.

DAVID MELLOR and his cycling i The trio running rode thethe same bi“watches” ship of Nassau and American Chuck Laird, 72, from Calicycle model – a lightweight Higgs beautiful monument commemorating USA (not sure how they class D miles a dayright, - certainly at four-hour intervals. Han- fornia, NEW MEXICO how ThenothTribune sunrise reportedon hisaprevious cy-frosty touring version made by ing forand, morning,” he said. his surrender and the end of 9/11!).” the record books and dling, steering, navigating, l adventure. Below, the route he cycled across America.

Trek, fitted with baggage car- cling above all to enjoy the vastThe trio encountered sev- all Indian Wars in the USA. log-keeping are some of the riers, water bottles, splash ness of North America.

“We were right on the eral steep hills. Mellor deARIZONA chores onboard.

TEXAS guardsconducted and a flag pole.

Argentina in 1982. Sadly, with 20 to 30ft waves.

Mexican border by this time w scribed how he hit his top The ship has has sailed to Mellor - who planted sa thereCALIFORNIA are still hundreds of It “A wascouple on this leg of speed of 36mph going down- and later we rode into Coof days later we They journeyed on to TexThe Bahamas – at Nassau tu the Bahamian flag atop seven mines laying around on the the journey that he were crossing the Colorado hill and within an hour was lumbus, where in 1916 the as, the second largest state inFr and Freeport is fullyin of the highest and mountains Mexican bandit Pancho Villa beaches and so many are was injured. no grunting uphill at a slow the US. It took them 19 days were delayed for a few River into Arizona gradually equipped accommodate the world to - also took a min- out“We ofup bounds.”

“I was first that pace of barely 4mph. After attacked the army post and to cross but the roads were inU our the way across in the desert due to making blind handicapped to iatureand version along forpasthe days The ship Brit- casualty bashing my Phoe- 12 days of cycling, Mellor, brought down the w rath of very good condition, Mellortu beautiful state via Gila, weather butdocked finally atheaded sengers, journey. even providing a veyken, the United States which sent the old whaling Higgs, and Laird arrived in and chipping the nix, Tucson and eventually said. “The Lone Star State is talking powera out amidst snow capped head “Ourcompass plan wasand to make dock at South Georgia. Mr into Wyatt in my Earp arm which country, the New Mexico, where they saw 10,000 thousand troops after a wealthy state and the roads steady, quite leisurely ride, mountains on March 2, slow- bone elevators. said to theJoshua place Tree has caused old cowboy of Tomb- a signpost marking the Con- him (they never caught him!) that we travelled were well a mildtown concusly pedalling gradually the dis- Mellor In 2016increasing , Mr Mellor This according to the his- kept up, although the traffic stone, where we took our first tinental Divide. changed significantly from a sion, and apart from National Park, where we lit a tances covered every for day up joined her crew a tory books was the last time was a bit wild on occasions,” “This was Apache country rest day and joined the gunwhale killing capital, and is to an journey average out of of Costa about 50 fire and camped for our first landing me in the 52-day and we passed the Geronimo that anybody attacked the he recalled. fightsbay at theand OK Corral.” of many nights, location”. waking at sick now “a protected keepRica to the remote Cocos “It was the biggest whal- ing me away from Island, the islands of French ing operation in the world climbing up the high Polynesia and then all the where hundreds of thou- rigging also earned way south across the equasands of whales had been me a mock certificate tor to Bora Bora and Tahiti butchered from the rest of the as part of her almost to crew for “the best journey from It is truly a extinction attempted suicide,” England to prior to he joked. spectacular place Australia. the 1960s Mr Mellor said the with mile after He when it was ship had planned rejoined the mile of pristine stopped. to visit another ship this time “It is truly very remote Britmountains and after it had a spectacu- ish Island “Tristan sailed non- glaciers, thousands lar place da Cunah” but they stop from of penguins, sea with mile ran out of time.

New Zeaafter mile As the ship land across birds and seals, and of pristine sailed nearer to the South even the occasional mountains Africa, the temPacific, whale...but it’s and glaciers, perature gradually around Cape thousands improved.

Horn past ccccccccold!” of penguins, “After 32 days at the tip of sea birds sea, we saw the outA15MAIN South America all the way and seals, and even the line of Cape Town’s to Port Stanley in the Falkoccasional whale...but it’s Table Mountain in THE TRIBUNE Monday, Monday, May May,19, 19,2014, 2014,PAGE PAGEA15 M3 land Islands. ccccccccold!” the fuzzy distance.

Mr Mellor said fellow LOCAL NEWS Mr Mellor said that countryman Sir Jack Haykeeping The the trio islands clean experienced ward, the late chairman of CYCLE PATH: 53 DAYS, 7 STATES, 2,500 MILES, DESERTS AND BAD DRIVERS “quite a business few close and calls” is a serious the Grand Bahama Port while cycling along the interthe ship meticulously statewas highways for much of Authority Ltd, was a prininspected before anyone the time.

Mellor said: “The cipal supporter of the ship. professional was allowed off.truck “Wedrivers all “Sir Jack was a very genfine but some of the had towere wash our homes bootsdragin monster motor erous benefactor of the disinfectant beforejeepbeing ging a swinging or car Falklands as well and built VICTORVILLE, behind, and commanded allowed ashore and againby the local Hospital, Hayward CALIFORNIA real ancients, were anwhen some getting back on the other story and we were all Homes plus sponsored the ship,” he run recalled. off the road at various return of the SS “Great times.”

He also noted the islands Britain” an Historic Steel/ The crew restedainmajor El Paso had just completed for a day. They then made Steam sailing ship back to JACKSONVILLE, campaign ridacross of the their to wayget slowly the Britain where it has been FLORIDA throughand Fort entire state rat passing population completely rebuilt at BrisDavis, the highest town also 6,000 plus reindeers in Texas, across the Rio tol Docks,” he said. that had done Grande intotremendous Del Rio and to On his latest voyage fter damage island’s naturalof oneto of the best campsites leaving the Falkland Islands the whole trip environment. at Fort Clarke. he said they encountered While there, they swam in Mr theMellor saidswimming that third largest large waves that sent a reindeer was suppospoolmeat in Texas. “huge freezing cold wall of Mellor friends edly used to and feedhis cruise water crashing over the ship also stopped in San Antoship passengers.

He wasof nio, known as the home drenching everybody at also surprised to discover the Alamo. “We spent a rare waist level”. lots. “We convinced winds on ourin trans-contisaid the expert mountaineer. parking Antigua,” said Mr ing Mellor. front of it and suddenly cycling. To finish sailing rainy day there enjoying the Soon, that Warfarin, the blood management thatbefore we wereleaving a nentalCape ride would be mostly “It tooka uswelcoming 19 days to crossgroup Their first destination comfort of a hotel,” he said, But having a huge set of teeth round the world on a thinning drug he takes fol- Texas boats andanships started trio of high-rolling eccentric pushing us from the West. I but it was enjoyable compared to their usual of out of Port Stanley was the found time propelled square rigger and riding gamblersTown, he from the Bahamas don’tclimbknow where that gem by a thousandride appear through some surprislowingsleeping open-heart surgery and we cruised arrangements on the to remote British Island of we could use Mountain their of information originated ingly beautiful country, with so that ing Table and pound fish smash into the round the world on my back of their support pick-up last year, was used as poison into Cape Town harbour he said humourit was totally cage the opposite South Georgia. truck which sleeps two, and the early Spring flowers dec- facilities,” paragliding down but over the about six inches from bicycle before I turn 80 to kill all the rats. just as the sun set, watchously. and we were riding into the orating the lush green fields one in the bike trailer.

“It was also iceberg terrivisiting New worldwind famous nose will definitely are on the list. Anything is The city, trio enjoyed for most ofyour our trip at that we He was toinmeet thepassed.” cloud (known as’the “Soable a night a hotellegwas a ing tory so a very keen lookout Orleans,local Louisiana, espe- and times, battling boost a 20-30mph vineyards drinkyour adrenaline,” he possible… you just have to treat,” he said. Skip endaryrareworld sailor tablecloth’) roll over the cially trad in Bourbon head wind!” was essential to avoid LOUISIANA ingJazz their wine, visiting a said. take the first step, and if Mellorwas said their Houston was a Novak,bitwho guide mountain,” he explained. Street and Jackson Square of a challenge. “Trying to another Titanic incident cheetah Sanctuary, strolling Like the Energizer you don’t succeed, well, at and the paddleboat cruises on the cycle island and took them “Setting foot on dry As they crossed into LouiFLORIDA through Houston was since there were some monaround River.

Cape Point of the Bunny, Mr Mellor keeps least you tried and you can siana, the cyclists notedbounced an on the Mississippi equivalent and of having hiking,theexploring visit-a land after being “We camped on the out- Hope ster lumps of ice floating Cape of Good and wasgoing always have another go,” immediate difference.

Mel“Alabama soon and be- going. However, death wish so we cheated and ing the vast King Penguin around for so many days took advantage of hind us and the signpost said drove through in the truck. lor said the highways and by- skirts and around,” he recalled. going cage diving with the he told The Tribune he he said.

Colonies andtime, glaciers, the was a bitfilthy. strange and the we senior citizens bus fares ‘Welcome to Florida’. ways were There was By this the mosquitos “I was fortunate in that I Great plans on slowing down.

Mr Mellor has climbed into town so that White we couldsharks. ingarbage, all road rolling kill and tyre The road system changed whaling and themthe were weremuseum starting to make around don’t suffer from sea sickdulge in the exotic latter alcoholicwas “The a defi“I’m 76-year-old (or over a dozen mountains, fragments on the street. and the Sunshine State was selves felt and the nights were grave of Sir Ernest Shack- like “drunken sailors” cocktails for and avoid cycling very cyclist friendly with said ‘hullo’ to the Atlantic adventure, Mellor said that ness but we had a number They camped out in casino hot and humid,” nite tick on my bucket list,” young!) however you want including seven of the highleton, getting the more famous British a while. A big welcoming under the influence. clearly marked bike lanes Ocean,” Mellor said. he is planning to travel to of really sorry cases having it.

And after est peaks Antarctic explorer who is celebration party had been he said, along with and climbsigns sayingto ‘givedescribe way to Peru toin do the some world. climbing.In Mellor, Laird, and Higgs a miserable time until they ing Mt Everest where he many wonderful years 2014, he, along with two cyclists’.”

MISSISSIPPI Mellor has been on many enjoyed every day of their buried there. arranged onboard by local settled down. The FalkMellor said Florida also the 2,500 mile cycle trip onother the adventures. planted a Bahamian flag on climbing mountains friends – Peter Higgs After leaving South residents and was a great “The next day we rode brought a change in the road.

He climbed Mount Evlands were interesting and the summit in 2013. of the worldMellor I think I’m of Nassau, and Chuck Georgia, the “Tena- way to say goodbye to new into Mississippi and over the weather. and Laird contin- erest twice. He flew in a we spent some great days “Being immersed in a probably going to slow Laird, of California, cycled “We experienced our first St Louis Bridge to reach the single engine Cessna from ued even further south to cious’ set sail for Cape friends as the ship was reexploring the old battleof the trip of Mexico and the mag- a real the US toseven Spain. son, Steve, in Deerfield steel cage while big heavy lumprain down a bithis and concen2,500 Bangor milesin across Town. Mr Mellor said con- crewed and restocked Gulf for kept us in a swampy nificent of white sand beaches in ain108 They also went down fields of the conflict with rotting bait waswhich dangled trate more Beach. on sailing and statesHe of sailed the US 53 year-old days. ditions were very rough her next leg all the waythat to stretch for miles through waterlogged campsite for a to Key West, the southern- square-rigger, the Alexander

SADDLE UP!

Gulf Port and Biloxi. A big plus was a neat and very safe

couple of days, fighting the mosquitos before we were

most point in the US. “It was something that

Von Humboldt, and another square-rigger, the Dutch ship

THE TRIBUNE

Wednesday, May 16, 2018, PAGE 11

A revolution in treating prostate cancer

By MORGAN ADDERLEY Tribune Staff Reporter madderley@tribunemedia.net THIS summer, Bahamian urologist Dr Greggory Pinto will carry out a revolutionary curative prostate cancer treatment he believes will “revolutionise” the way this illness is treated in the Bahamas.

In an interview with The Tribune yesterday, Dr Pinto said the treatment - brachytherapy involves groundbreaking surgery which offers men who contract this form of cancer a far better chance of a normal life.

Dr Pinto explained brachytherapy works through the use of radioactive seeds. “Without a single cut, you place radioactive seeds into the prostate,” he said.

“It only kills the prostate cancer cells, the normal prostate cells are left unharmed. You keep your prostate gland intact, and you are cured for prostate cancer.”

Urologists all over the world prefer this procedure because it attains the “trifecta”, Dr Pinto said.

Brachytherapy cures cancer, patients have urinary control without leakage, and the risk for erectile dysfunction is extremely low (between 8 and 10 per cent).

“You can have your

prostate cancer cured in 45 minutes to an hour as an outpatient, go back to your regular routine without any painkillers, the very next day go back to work.”

Dr Pinto will perform the procedure in six weeks, in partnership with Dr Charles Diggiss.

Dr Pinto credits Dr Diggiss with being like a “mentor” to him and supporting him in “all of these innovations”.

In December, Dr Pinto conducted the first artificial urethral sphincter surgery in The Bahamas at Doctor’s Hospital. Last Saturday, he repeated the operation.

Dr Pinto described the importance of this surgery for those with urinary incontinence.

“Many patients who undergo curative prostate cancer treatment, whether it’s removal of the entire prostate or if its radiation to kill the prostate cancer cells, they have a damage [to] their sphincter,” he said. “[This] is the muscle that allows them to control their urine when they have that urge to pee.”

“So unfortunately these patients are either…on diapers, which they have to change many times a day because it becomes soaking wet, or they have to be on the catheter, which is a discomforting feeling.”

“Continuously they have to wear a bag strapped to their leg. They have to continuously empty the bag. So it affects their whole outlook on life.”

“The bladder is controlling them; they’re no longer controlling the bladder. And it affects their happiness.”

An artificial sphincter changes this.

“An artificial sphincter is a device that’s within the body that no one will see, there’s no discomfort.”

“We put an activator in the person’s scrotum at the level of the skin. And all they [have] to do is when they’re at the toilet to urinate, they press the button, it deactivates the cuff on their…urethra, and allows them to urinate. And 60 seconds later it automatically re-inflates so that they have control again.

“So it’s a button that all they do is press. It’s easily felt at the skin in the scrotum, they press the button when they’re at the toilet.”

“It deactivates the cuff that’s preventing any urine from running out. The cuff relaxes and it allows the urine to come out and sixty seconds later it reactivates and allows them to be continent. So no more bladder leak.”

“So they’re free of the diapers, they’re free of the pads. They can go swimming again; they can be

DR GREGORY PINTO intimate with their wife again.”

“They don’t have to worry about being socially awkward because they smell like urine any more.

It gives them back control of their life and their confidence.”

The patient Dr Pinto treated in December is a prostate cancer survivor who was treated via radiation.

This procedure scarred his sphincter and made it “non-functioning”.

For 15 years he was reliant on adult diapers and catheters, until he received the artificial sphincter.

Dr Pinto added that the device does not have to be replaced.

The patient Dr Pinto treated on Saturday was cured of his prostate cancer via surgery. This occurred last May, and damaged the patient’s sphincter in the process. “[The artificial sphincter] is going to give him control of his life again,” Dr Pinto said.

The surgery takes about ninety minutes to two hours and the patient “goes home the very next day”.

Dr Pinto also offers a variety of treatments for women and children

suffering from urological ailments. Procedures such as bladder Botox can be used to treat urinary incontinence in women, and he also assists children and teenagers who are chronic bedwetters.

Dr Pinto was graduated from Queen’s College High School in 1989, before attaining an MBBS from the University of the West Indies, Mona campus. He is a surgical specialist Fellow of Urethroplasty and Urological Reconstruction Surgery under the tutelage of the world-renowned surgical urologist Professor Sanjay Kulkarni.

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PAGE 12, Wednesday, May 16, 2018

NORTH KOREA CASTS DOUBT ON US MEETING

SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — North Korea on Wednesday canceled a highlevel meeting with South Korea and threatened to scrap a historic summit next month between US President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un over military exercises between Seoul and Washington that Pyongyang has long claimed are invasion rehearsals.

The surprise declaration came in a pre-dawn dispatch in North Korea’s state media. It’s still unclear whether the North intends to scuttle all diplomacy or merely wants to gain leverage ahead of the planned June 12 talks between Kim and Trump.

The statement was released hours before the two Koreas were to meet at a border village to discuss setting up talks aimed at reducing military tension along the world’s most heavily armed border.

US SANCTIONS ON IRAN BANKER WASHINGTON (AP) — The United States intensified its financial pressure on Iran on Tuesday, slapping anti-terror sanctions on the head of its central bank and barring anyone around the world from doing business with him.

That dealt a further blow to European hopes of salvaging the Iranian nuclear deal in the wake of President Donald Trump’s withdrawal.

Valiollah Seif, the governor of the Iranian central bank, was named a “specially designated global terrorist” along with another senior official, Ali Tarzali, who works in the central bank’s international division.

The Treasury Department accused the men of secretly funneling millions of dollars through an Iraqi bank to help Hezbollah.

THE TRIBUNE

WILL HE OR WON’T HE? PRESENCE OF MARKLE’S FATHER IN DOUBT LONDON Associated Press

THOMAS Markle spent a career in Hollywood, but nothing prepared him for this.

The father of royal brideto-be Meghan Markle has been quoted as saying he will not attend his daughter’s wedding to Prince Harry this week after suffering a reported heart attack amid the intense media interest around the nuptials.

The retired television cinematographer was expected due to walk his actress daughter down the aisle Saturday at Windsor Castle’s St George’s Chapel.

But celebrity news website TMZ reported Tuesday that Markle would undergo heart surgery and miss the wedding, the latest story in the site’s fluid coverage of whether he would or would not make it.

Kensington Palace on Monday issued a statement calling for “understanding and respect to be extended to Mr Markle in this difficult situation”. The palace

did not say whether wedding plans had actually changed.

The palace issued the statement hours after TMZ first reported Monday that the elder Markle decided to stay away from the event. The website said his decision was due to tongueclucking over the mocked up wedding-preparation photographs he posed for at the invitation of a paparazzi agency.

But TMZ followed up early Tuesday with Thomas Markle saying that on reflection, he did want to come, if doctors released him from a hospital where he was undergoing tests after a heart attack.

“I hate the idea of missing one of the greatest moments in history and walking my daughter down the aisle,” the news site quoted him as saying.

Meghan Markle’s older half sister said their father, 73, was under an “unbelievable” amount of stress because of media intrusion.

Samantha Markle told the TV show Good

PRINCE Harry and his fiancee Meghan Markle pictured in March.

Morning Britain on Tues- and nonsense ... and clearly day that journalists “rented harmful to the family.”

When Harry and Markle the house next to him in Mexico, four or five of decided to make their relathem. He can’t open his tionship public, the prince blinds, he can’t go anywhere issued a pointed plea for the media to behave. He without being followed”.

Thomas Markle is not the said the biracial Markle first person to be bruised in had faced “a wave of abuse the collision between Brit- and harassment”, including ain’s royal family and the “racial undertones” in commedia — a relationship that ment articles.

“This is not a game — it is deep, complex and someis her life and his,” a statetimes toxic.

“It is a symbiotic and par- ment from Harry’s press asitic relationship which is secretary read at the time.

Still, Markle’s media harmful to both sides,” said Graham Smith of anti-mon- experience, gained during archy group Republic, who her career as an actress, is resolutely unaffected by has been evident from the royal wedding fever. “Cer- start. During the couple’s tainly harmful to the British televised engagement interpublic in terms of the way in view, she appeared relaxed, which we are fed this hype confident and happy. It

Photo: Rui Vieira/AP was a far cry from a 1981 interview with shy Diana and awkward Charles, who replied “whatever love means” when asked if he was in love.

Saturday’s wedding is expected to draw more than 5,000 media staff and 79 television networks from around the world to Windsor. American and international TV networks plan hours of live coverage.

“I don’t think anything can quite prepare her,” Cashmore said — though as “an independent-minded woman, brimming with confidence”, Markle is well-equipped to deal with an intense spotlight that is unlikely to dim.

GAZA HOSPITALS STRUGGLING TO COPE WITH WOUNDED GAZA CITY, Gaza Strip Associated Press

PATIENTS with gunshot wounds filled wards and hallways in Gaza’s underequipped and overwhelmed main hospital yesterday, with dozens still waiting

in line for surgery a day after Israeli soldiers shot and killed 59 Palestinians and wounded hundreds in mass protests on the Gaza border.

The high casualty toll triggered a diplomatic backlash against Israel and new

charges of excessive use of force against unarmed protesters. The UN Security Council began its session Tuesday with a moment of silence for the dead, and the UN’s special Mideast envoy said there was “no justification for the killing”.

Turkey expelled Israel’s ambassador, and several European countries called for an international investigation.

Israel said it has the right to protect its border and nearby communities, accusing Gaza’s ruling militant group Hamas of carrying out several attacks under the guise of the protests.

The US ambassador to the UN, Nikki Haley, came to Israel’s defence, saying no member “would act with more restraint than Israel has”.

Monday’s border confrontation was the culmination of a weeks-long protest campaign to break a border blockade that Israel and Egypt imposed after a Hamas took over Gaza by force in 2007. The protests were led by Hamas, but fueled by the growing despair among Gaza’s two million people who face worsening poverty, unemployment, 22-hour-a-day power cuts and sweeping bans on travel and trade.

The protests were also driven by anger over the relocation Monday of the US Embassy in Israel from Tel Aviv to contested Jerusalem. Palestinians seek Israeli-annexed east Jerusalem as a future capital.

Even before the latest round of bloodshed, Gaza’s health system of 13 public hospitals and 14 clinics run

by NGOs had buckled under persistent blockade-linked

PALESTINIAN protesters hurling stones at Israeli troops on Monday, a day which saw 59 Palestinians killed and hundreds wounded as the soldiers opened fire.

Photo: Khalil Hamra/AP shortages of medicines and surgical supplies. At Shifa Hospital in Gaza City, the main health facility in the strip, these woes were magnified this week.

Anticipating a major influx of casualties ahead of Monday’s mass march, Shifa had set up an outdoor triage station under a green and blue tarp in the hospital courtyard, setting up 30 beds and stretchers there.

Throughout the day Monday, Shifa received about 500 injured people, more than 90 percent with gunshot wounds, said hospital director Ayman Sahbani.

Of those, 192 needed surgery, including 120 who needed orthopedic surgery,

he said.

Nickolay Mladenov, the special UN envoy to the region, told the Security Council on Tuesday that hospitals in Gaza were “reporting an unfolding crisis of essential medical supplies, drugs and equipment needed to treat the injured”.

He said a UN official who visited Gaza, “witnessed first-hand patients being brought in on stretchers and left in the hospital’s courtyard, which was being used as a triage area”.

“There is no justification for the killing, there is no excuse,” Mladenov said, adding that Israel had a responsibility to calibrate its use of force.

TRIBUTES PAID TO PIONEER TOM WOLFE NEW YORK Associated Press

YOU only had to look at him — in his white suits and two-tone shoes — or read such books as The Bonfire of the Vanities and The Right Stuff to know that Tom Wolfe was like no other.

“He was a magician,” Wolfe’s friend and fellow “New Journalist” Gay Talese told The Associated Press yesterday. “He would take a sentence and work that sentence in loops and do all kinds of things with words. He’d take you out for a spin and after a while you’d wonder if he knew where he was headed. But he always knew exactly

TOM WOLFE, pictured in 2008. where he was headed.”

Wolfe, who died on Monday aged 88, was a rule breaker and traditionalist and a man of other contradictions. He mingled happily with hippies and published in Rolling Stone, but was a supporter

of Ronald Reagan and otherwise old-fashioned in his tastes. He mocked the insular nature of American fiction, but was gracious in person.

Wolfe’s legacy was tangible to countless newspaper and magazine writers. As he helped define it, the “new journalism” combined the emotional impact of a novel, the analysis of the best essays, and the factual foundation of hard reporting.

His literary honors included the American Book Award for The Right Stuff and a nomination for the National Book Critics Circle prize for The Bonfire of the Vanities, one of the top ten selling books of the 1980s.