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VOLUME:117 No.123, MAY 21, 2020

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Courts urged: Have a heart

Coconut seller’s fine paid off as magistrates’ curfew sentences come under fire

By RASHAD ROLLE Tribune Senior Reporter rrolle@tribunemedia.net CARLYLE Bethel, the head of the Free National Movement’s Torchbearers youth association, wants judges to be more measured and compassionate when enforcing Prime Minister Dr Hubert Minnis’ emergency curfew orders.

He spoke yesterday after Bahamians reacted bitterly to actions taken against those who appear to break curfew while trying to live during an unprecedented crisis. One judge’s decision to fine a teenager $700 for

selling coconuts on the side of the road and another’s decision to fine two men who collected water from a public pump before 5am in the morning have sparked concerned commentary in recent days.

Yesterday, the Progressive Liberal Party and former parliamentarian Dr Andre Rollins hit out at what they view as unreasonable penalties imposed at a time when many Bahamians are struggling to make ends meet.

Magistrate Sandradee Gardiner fined Jason Williams $400 for SEE PAGE THREE

PRIME Minister Dr Hubert Minnis said normal commercial activity on islands like Exuma and Eleuthera has not been restarted because officials have to assume that people may have visited those islands and potentially brought COVID-19 to them.

He gave the explanation the same day Free National Movement chairman Carl Culmer said he was “disappointed” after Deputy Chief Medical Officer Dr Delon Brennen told this newspaper he did not know why some Family Islands without COVID-19 cases remain shut, saying it was a decision made above the level of Ministry of Health officials.

SEE PAGE FOUR

L SOUR CE

TWO FACE CHARGES FOR ATTACK ON GB GIRL

By EARYEL BOWLEG ebowleg@tribunemedia.net

TWO men are expected to appear in court today for charges related to a Grand Bahama incident that left a woman beaten and injured.

Human rights group, Rights Bahamas called the incident a “hate crime” however police have not characterised it in that way.

According to police, on Monday officers were called to the Seagrape, Eight Mile Rock area shortly after 7pm because an altercation had occurred between two men and a woman.

“The female reportedly received injuries as a result of the altercation and was taken to the Rand Memorial Hospital where she was treated and discharged,” a police press release said.

SEE PAGE SEVEN

BPL-SHELL DEAL HAS ISSUES TO RESOLVE

By NEIL HARTNELL Tribune Business Editor nhartnell@tribunemedia.net

‘WE COULDN’T OPEN THEM ALL IN ONE GO’

By RASHAD ROLLE Tribune Senior Reporter rrolle@tribunemedia.net

$1

KHANDI Gibson along with some of her friends helped raise the funds to pay Jason Williams’ $700 fine for selling coconuts. Full story: Page 3 Photo: Shawn Hanna/Tribune Staff

MINISTER of Works Desmond Bannister last night revealed “there are a number of legal issues to be cleared up” before Shell North America’s multifuel power plant deal with Bahamas Power & Light can proceed.

Mr Bannister said he had set out the government’s position last week to the same Shell executive who yesterday told Bahamian media via an internet conference call that the necessary agreements were “weeks, not months” away from being concluded.

FULL STORY - SEE BUSINESS

COURT DELAYS ACTION AGAINST OFFICER FRONT

By RASHAD ROLLE Tribune Senior Reporter rrolle@tribunemedia.net

THE Supreme Court has halted disciplinary proceedings against a senior officer in Exuma who was accused last year of badly bruising a woman’s face.

Inspector Christian Leary allegedly punched two women, with the aftermath of that incident going viral. Images of blood streaming from the gashed

THE WOMEN involved: Aaaliyah, left, and Dejah eyelid of one of the women were shared hundreds of times on social media.

Inspector Leary was interdicted and placed on half-pay weeks after the alleged offences, which took place in early August.

His lawyer, Bjorn Ferguson, has sued the government on his behalf and this week the Supreme Court granted an injunction restraining the commissioner of police from continuing any disciplinary action or prosecution against the inspector

Nassau & Bahama Islands’ Leading Newspaper

SEE PAGE SEVEN

PORCH

BY SIMON SEE PAGE EIGHT

PAGE 2, Thursday, May 21, 2020

THE TRIBUNE

CORONAVIRUS CRISIS

US EMBASSY ANNOUNCES ANOTHER $750,000 IN AID THE US Embassy has announced an additional $750,000 in health assistance to Yhe Bahamas as part of the American government’s global assistance in support of COVID-19 response efforts.

The additional $750,000 in health assistance will increase risk communication and community engagement, infection prevention and control, surveillance and rapid response, and strengthen case management, the embassy said in a press release.

This assistance comes in addition to decades of U. government investment in the Bahamas, including nearly $143.1 million in total assistance over the past 20 years. “Through the American people’s generosity and the US government’s action, the United States continues to demonstrate global leadership in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic,� the embassy said. “Months

into fighting this pandemic at home and abroad, the United States continues to lead a global response— building on decades of leadership in life-saving health and humanitarian assistance. “Since the outbreak of COVID-19, the US government has committed more than $900 million in State Department and US Agency for International Development (USAID) emergency health, humanitarian, economic, and development assistance specifically aimed at helping governments, international organisations, and nongovernmental organisations (NGOs) fight the pandemic. “This funding will save lives by improving public health education; protecting healthcare facilities; and increasing laboratory, disease-surveillance, and rapid-response capacity in more than 120 countries.

This assistance from the State Department and USAID does not include

hundreds of millions more being provided by other US government departments and agencies, including the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and Department of Defense (DoD).

New COVID19 foreign assistance is provided in addition to the more than $100 billion in global health funding and nearly $70 billion in overseas humanitarian assistance provided by the United States in the last decade alone.�

In addition to this direct funding from the US government, “our Allof-America approach is helping people around the world through the generosity of American private businesses, nonprofit groups, charitable organisations, faith-based organisations, and individuals, who have now provided more than $4.3 billion in donations and assistance globally, more than any other nation,� the press release added.

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VOLUME:11

The privileged

BUSI NESS

TORCHED!

: KARA WAN

AS ATLA NTIS LEAV ES ROLE

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not be officials could T to press time. reached up

By AVA TURNQUES to sources Reporter of According .net Tribune Chief matter, as tribunemedia close to the Wells has since aturnquest@ Mr Progres- Monday his accounts FOUR former Cabinet paid $9,000 on balParty an outstanding ARNOLD sive Liberal more than with $8,600.

FORBES ministers owedat Bahamas ance of some also said as $62,023 The source Forbes was one $20,000 each Mr Light, with Power and in arrears of Monday the company former minister as of July, in talks with balance over settle the period. Mr to for some $60,000 obtained a list a three-month PLP Mount according to

by The Tribune.and Collec- Forbes, former MP, was appointed The Credit 2015, listing of Moriah in January the tions Department as board to Cabinet and served MPs, senators the period and previouslythe Bahamas of for members 31, revealed chairman and Industrial ending July State Minister Agricultural . not that former Works Corporation “do of the Others on are: former in the Ministry owed BPL list Dr disconnect�

Arnold Forbes of Health Tall $62,023.14.

by The Minister former The list obtained delin- Perry Gomez, Miller, Leslie Tribune contains of six Pines MP Youth Minister of former quent accounts Cabinet minis- former Johnson, Dion former PLP PLP MPs, Dr Danny Village MP ters, two former Tourism DR DANIEL entities, and Nassau , two private Cabinet min- Smith, former JOHNSON Obie Wilchcombe one sitting $24,413 Town MP Minister South Beach MP and former ister: Bamboo Hamilton State Renward Wells. who owed Cleola of Mr Wells, $3,703.96 at former Minister Damian Affairs $9,277.07 and locations - for Legal two separatetotal – did not Gomez.

SEE PAGE EIGHT $12,981.03 in yesterwant to comment other former day, and the

DION SMITH $9,275

RENWARD WELLS $12,980

BPL WHO RUNS is quite willCRUNCH DAY OVER utilityto operator from it “walk away�

ing

By NEIL HARTNELL Editor $25m, five-year maximum t contract et Tribune Business ibunemedia.n BPL managemen nhartnell@tr and Minnis if the board wish it to go. on Power & BAHAMAS board will administrati which will The meeting,PowerSecure Light’s (BPL) by meeting� hold a “crunch e today, be attendedand their attorneys key with PowerSecurlikely crit- executives is viewed as the from the US, with the outcome whether the to determining whethermake and ical in decidingas manager. sides will “kiss latter remainsTribune Busi- two separate. up� or Multiple - SEE BUSINESS yesterday US FULL STORY ness sources that the confirmed

DAMIAN GOMEZ $3,413

OBIE WILCHCOMBE

CLEOLA

FRIDAY i’m lovin’ it!

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By AVA TURNQUES Reporter t Tribune Chief ibunemedia.ne aturnquest@tr Sewerage WATER and Chairman Corporation yesterday Adrian Gibson existence the confirmed disconnect� of a “do not by scores list populatedthe governof elites at utility owned to ment he pledged provider as on initiate a crackdown accounts. delinquent told The Mr Gibson l “confidentia Tribune the 221accounts, list� held total of with a combined the period $175,000 for2017. ending June he plans He said that corporathe to direct all persons tion to notify arrears owing excessive or face debts to resolve n. disconnectio a list confi“There is the Long dential list,�

Island MP said. would think “In fact, I s corporation that all the year or two, in over the last and more particularly year, there May of thisclose attenhas been that list by tion paid to t with the managemen changing the a view to lists usually way those operate. this con“As it stands, a number has fidential list on it, and of persons being it’s really and trulypersons by used to notify or letters. courtesy call that as the I can say toothe corporachairman of to direct tion I am going owing that all personswho are excessive arrears EIGHT SEE PAGE at the end of

DR PERRY GOMEZ $24,498

LESLIE MILLER $42,219

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No.215, SEPTEMBER

29TH, 2017

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gardening art theatre music film books fashion food culture RACE

Weekend

FOR THE CURE Page 21

Living the dream From Andros to the

WEEK END: A

JOUR NEY WHIC

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Watch the film - every agonising, wrenching, awful second.

Then give up Eugene’s killer

$4,911 HAMILTON they owed $6,118 list and the amount since that date. disconnect�

BPL “do not made or further debt incurred named on the NINE individualsdo not include any payments July. The sums

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NM VIRGIL

By KHRISNA Reporter Deputy Chief nemedia.net kvirgil@tribu his parAFTER leadinglandslide ty to a stunning dealing a paravictory and to the Progreslysing blow Party last night, sive Liberal Prime Minister incoming Minnis declared Dr Hubert have abused that those who trust “have of positions to fear� something

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safeas well as of homicides A DORSETT guarding the residents

By SANCHESKReporter in Fox Hill. et Tribune Staff walkabout bunemedia.n During a Acting prepared. live national sdorsett@tri er Fox Hill on Tuesday, ROLLE During a Ferguson Commission his office

By RASHAD Reporter ACTING Fergu- Commissioner and address from Dr Minnis Tribune Staff Anti-Gang of Police Anthony emedia.net yesterday said the Inveslast night, Maria is rrolle@tribun Tracing and announced dev- son establishment of two Firearms Unit will operate fore- said: “Hurricane the potentially Bahamas tigation WITH we the DetecMaria another hurricane that separate Royal anti-crime out of the Central the cast for Hurricane Force storm to pass astating monitor.�

(CDU) while projecting the Baha- must carefully Though most Police aimed at eliminating tive Unit SEE PAGE 11 units counHe added: near the Southeast Prime was spared gang activity in the morning, of mas Friday Hubert Minnis of the Bahamas the number PAGE TWO try, reducing Minister Dr those of SEE and is urging residents be vigilant islands to

Better!

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Dr Hubert MinPRIME Minister Kendera Woodside, nis meeting murdered Eugene the mother of Woodside.

Bowe Photo: Yontalay

this Yes I feel for y our countries.than I can say.� more ensure has a responsibilit one mother said he will Each citizen information Dr Minnis provided to and whatever that forward. medical attention is is pregnant. the composure. said he felt the fam- has we must bring among us.� who after feel live Dr Minnis Mrs Woodside, the grieving and days makes me Three These criminals who emphasised country’s he “You can see of those pushed the ily’s pain. “What through,�

Mrs Minnis, that her appearis that most during murder that violent crime into ROLLE she’s going someI, even worse

By RASHAD Reporter not a pain “I assured her that the family the yard, struggle with spotlight yet again, them was doctor, to will have we see in Tribune Staff ance before called on women said. today (Friday) we to look the national as a medical emedia.net acute. rrolle@tribun come my my years political move,one day this week time her pain remained live a life, medical personnel she’s pregand comforting cried. “He ain’t even to wear blackfor murder victims.

Dr THE hugs her because sure that Prime Minister wife God,� Mrs Woodsidegive my upon after in mourning I’m calling words of I have to make infant are and his a baby. I could my really nant. “As a mother, Hubert Minnis couldn’t answer “He’s right now just for because I this,� her and her unborn make also will mothers take all can stop Patricia Minnis that consumed breath be right here. They well and we sure the to believe mothers who was tearful both ts to make the questions yesterday as babyheart out my body. who arrangemen medical personnel They said Mrs Minnis, eight- my Kendera Woodside have our sons on a only son. for her son, killed times. “We birth and as they necessary her and see her “This my my daughter too after she grieved of them at from the safety who was still with look almost shoot (the house) with would’ve delivered most knowing we cradle basis to ensure infant.� year-old Eugene, men we are to me with regular they inside four days ago. people ain’t tell- and What they do to my family? so they are closer patients,� Dr becomeWe have to speakshould of her and her unborn PAGE TWO SEE them. are my former “Why these bringing my son me. they do to us? st by pro- them. I think all women week me? I they a gynaecologi we ain’ carry one day this ing me they she cried between What Minnis, message in they black “The “Why wear a baby.� tried to what’s happening right now?� fession, said. the entire Bahamas 29 years, He’s Dr Minnis and mourn Eugene’s Rose- live screams as must send to this alone.

Tonio Woodside, family at theirEugene wife even is the police can’t fight console the consoled his home where on father, struggled to maintain bud Road a stray bullet as he was shot by did his homework. he Monday as

AGENTS

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PLP CASUAL HIRES COST EXTRA $10M

OMY AG WARNS ECON ER’ IN ‘GRAVE DANG

he told Parto In June, cost the ROLLE such liament of

By RASHAD Bahamians $10,149,738. by the Carib- Tribune Staff Reporter so alarmed Action Task rrolle@tribunemedia.net increases was comes after bean Financial draft The revision more than

By NEIL HARTNELL Editor Rolle, minForce’s (CFATF) BRENSIL et Tribune Business services he included that were not The Bahamas ibunemedia.n report on his staff ister of public nhartnell@tr 1,700 workers Gen- that he instructedaddressing and National Insurance, in his original count.

December Progressive THE Attorneyslammed to begin work on June.

Amid the said between 2017, the criticism May flaws from early eral yesterday

by Liberal Party’sadministrablasted the 2016 and in the nation’s the ballooned Mr Bethel deficiencies adminis- public purse laundering of the of the Minnisof its firings anti-money former Christie to tackle $16,532,738 because because on’s tion “entirely unacfailing as administrati regime SEE PAGE SIX they had tration for with the Christie public service ceptable�, warning “in great known weaknesses hiring of new that period. during put The Bahamas necessary urgency.

BUSINESS workers danger�. told Trib- FULL STORY - SEE Bethel Carl he had been une Business

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energy. solar, to produce of agreeof Works The heads the governMINISTER said challenges, Desmond Bannister ment requires to “address concerns� pressed certain and BPL delayed today marks which he suggestedof docu- he has “serious Power and ment and consistent WHILE with Bahamas to “keep the reliable of electricity on the for both sitsubmission the deadlineformer parlia- the tell- supply Providence, Light’s ability are chal- lights on this summer,� of island of New ting and to file financial ments. the abiliAmong these the lack will include finans mentarians Public Discloing The Tribuneprevent the whichmeet the requirement with obtaining may ty to disclosures, Chair- lenges from spouses, cial records in situations reliability from fulfilling of the project.� sure Commission the instalLaroda told requireoper- government This involves supporting man Myles yesterday that particularly Mar all the necessary they may have all to lation “of The Tribunestill some that wherebank accounts prior ments in the Baha re necessary ated there were He said there heads of agreement.he is al- infrastructu g�. that SEE PAGE FIVE are “outstandin yesterday, to marriage. some unwilling-n He added at new, alIn an interview in his dis- was also ready “looking including and apprehensio said ness Laroda ways,�

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Ranard Henfield of back planned The change of Majority been perceived even ganiser several weeksOffice on anniversary development is yet day calendar has by the govas planned� that “after organian attempt This latest the ’s permis- and forth� the Cabinet group’s the same route by many as back for the a blow to government rejected the Rawson another set planned to protest on ernment to strike event by We without the Wednesday in sation that of a second 9 - the original sion. with The Trib- application to protest Squares because Monday, January announced for success Bahamas.

In an interview II said “there March date another and Parliaments SEE PAGE SIX Mr Bostwick � and the the “event conflicts with for that observance Day. the une, it compromise Majority Rule by this this month being denied will be no already booked be deterred that DESPITE However, earlier and Parliament group will “not fascist coercion event� in Parliament Party date.

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By AVA TURNQUES officerReporter 25 confirmed bunemedia.n Clayton Fernander, .net tal to Tribune Chief sdorsett@tri of the Central tribunemedia nationwide. in-charge Unit, warned a lull, quiet aturnquest@ MP “This is like said.

Detective FORT Charlotte last to be “exDr McMillan samofficials yesRollins said no get HEALTH residents to period,� drivers yesterday Dr Andre after armed will be continue to tra cautious� couple to stop terday urged against en- “We they send them in for night that “there a action� taken as no furmen forced in the middle remain vigilantfactors that ples Nabut we have good. disciplinary seven Free their vehicle vironmental who against the shooting despite testing which is road before and tional Movement MPs Dr ther cases, breed mosquitoes Key, Rich- of the the driver. local transmis- We’re still monitoring. party Leader Chipman, Edison and and killing the “lull� in Fernander our surveillance been ousted Minnis as leader of from left, HubertNeko Grant, Theo Neilly, Supt Zika virus. of, doing the of Chief SEVEN have be- THE REBEL sion Hubert believe armed Public Health Butler-Turner, Shawn Hanna/Tribune Staff “I think we as it relates the Official Opposition, Director of said police be the motive basis ard Lightbourn, Loretta yesterPhoto: well may out cause there is no legal progressing Dr Pearl McMillan Executive CommitHe said the that there to getting the message Andre Rollins. case robbery the killing. have “hapheeding for such a move. a formal support FNM’s not have a day confirmed widespread tee would group’s actions for no new con- there and persons that could came been solidify added incident deHe have Zika thing since the been lodged around a new leader.� in an because the with the to anyone�. on it. This July, which is when objection has firmed cases came took place “were consistent protected pened press release His remarks case against “the bogus charges� down in The murder to quesally partment’s on Tuesand the get our first constitution 5, which raised rians to after 9pm Millenagainst him e-mail in response December of cases in New we usually SEE PAGE SIX levelled members of Parliaright of parliamenta lead- shorty area of from The Tribune. the tions Rollins echoed the recall a parliamentary have day in the the number six other off Tonique from 22 to 23.on took part in Dr Providence they no longerability nium Gardens, ment who Highway, of Long Island Dr Mincase each er er when sentiments in his/her There is one Williams Darling action of removing Butler-Turn the country’s post. Dr Rollins MP Loretta Hubert confidence and brought to 109 for the nis from the number of and St Anne’s MP week to lead.� count said a growing who last to The TribSEE PAGE THREE murder admitting “that were Chipman, year, according FNMs are of action for said the if the matter the une’s records. court, the the best course Fernander take under to to be taken to Chief Supt the party to es is victim, identisaid the present circumstanc as Kendrick fied by police driving with was of the foreign Simms, when another car mians, most won’t re- his wife, committee of them forcemployees tee next month, Smith said formerall that is due to them. pulled aheadstop. to ceive ROLLE Chairman James said they will, ing them man was drivBy RASHAD Reporter Mr Smith a “high “The yesterday. money was givMillennium Tribune Staff however, receive emedia.net Since the ing through basis by rrolle@tribun SEE PAGE FIVE ort figure�. en on an ex-gratia FIVE emPAGE SEE former China Export-Imp FOREIGN will the (EXIM) and was inBaha Mar Bank for Bahaployees of the government tended primarily be paid by Commitappointed Claims

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are dead, SIX people ju15-year-old including a another man is venile, and his life in hosfighting for four separate pital after in less shooting incidents in the capital. than 48 hours took the The homicides count to country’s murder 43 days of the 26 for the first to The new year, according Tribune’s records. an isPolice launchedlast night search of land-wide suspected for two men dead in Yelthe shooting a man Gardens in low Elder latest incident.bloody weekDespite the Commisend, Assistant Police Stephen sioner of “hundreds� of Dean said were patrolpolice officers over the past ling the streetseffort to keep an few days in well as visitors the public as safe. officer-inMeanwhile Central Decharge of theChief Superintective Unit, Fernander tendent Clayton after a implored parentsto “keep a killing on Friday on their chilwatchful eye� their young dren, especially boys.

Fernander Chief Supt have launched said police for the a massive manhunt the weekend suspects in killings.

SEE PAGE THREE

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4 No.58, FEBRUARY

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Bahamas Bar FORMER President ElsAssociation yesterday worth Johnsoncalls for Bajoined activistorganise prohamians to resistance tests and public tabled Interto the recently tions he ception of Communica 2017, which Bill (ICB) spying called “dangerous� legislation. who was Mr Johnson, week as the last ratified Movement’s Free National Yamacraw, for pubcandidate the level of bill, questioned on the consultation imlic g that it underscorin entrenched pacted deeply SEE PAGE SIX

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MoveFREE National Leader Peter ment Deputyyesterday acTurnquest government of rcused the gerrymande “shameless recently tabled ing� over that he boundary changes the “deliberclaims affect of middle ate elimination from the forclass areas� constituency. mer Montagu with The d In an interview characterise Tribune he boundary and the proposed a “desperate changes as emoattempt to the perverted� tionally manipulate electorate.

shootings one of six fatal area on Friday, e Staff in the Englerston in the calendar above.

W. Carey/:Tribun as shown at Peardale Park Photos: Terrel from the scene to be a deadly February, boy is taken a 15-year-old 12 so far in what has proven THE BODY of and one of over the weekend,

SEE PAGE 11

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By SANCHESKReporter officers in serious and Sunday, the domestic inci- listed wide outages, that occurred et Tribune Staff a to condition. shortly bunemedia.n that sponded major outage sdorsett@tri in Valentine 29 and Police said November dent at a homeoff Johnson an officers arrested officers, a also between 4 last year, in after 4am, TWO police wife, are in Subdivision While at the the shooter, who was December sent to the a Terrance. with a from gunshot internal memo husband and stable condition home, a man armed the of- suffering Police also recov- government and obtained serious but shot multiapproached them wounds. from the by The Tribune. after they were responding shotgun both of a shotgun SEE PAGE 11 ficers and shot to flee ered ple times whileincident�. attempting The suspect.

SEE PAGE 12 to a “domestican adult male, before police said.

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PRIME Ministerlikened a “very certain neighbourho fighting efforts. to do so their crime A DORSETT and the suggestion Mr ChrisChristie yesterday no crime situBy SANCHESKReporter and makes These efforts,would likely the Bahamas’“Wild West,� is “emotional et Tribune Staff suggested, a “subbunemedia.n ation to the recent wave tie sense�. came dedicating sdorsett@tri the as he said in the capital include number of officHis comments rethe country after the country streets of of murders a “major� and stantial�

DESPITE homicides in hours its 27th homicide for to patrol the and simust solicit � effort by his ers recording 13 er of corded Seven people have New Providence year. “continuous Commission giving them “flood the ly 13 days, on to Greenslade been killed since Friday. to interdict administrati with officers in multaneous afternoon, Police Ellison is not in “the capacity of people a the streets�

On Monday that is necessaid the Bahamas and the movements reported that “crisis� incorporata bid to do “all this madness the police also outside a state of can conon the streets,� police ofto bring was stabbed Nassau sary Bahamian man reserve on day average ing more about their the an establishment men were to a halt�. speaking and “if necessary� tinue to “go two without Mr Christie, yesterday, ficers, Street while in the area of g Royal Bahaas normal day� attacked. with reporters occur- incorporatin Force marines shot while victims fear of being mas Defence conference Ross Corner. These stable said the “madness�

At a press s on to gang activity in policing efforts. said he to be in ring is due also of were said in hospital. at police headquarter Mr Christie with a weekend and retaliation. past bloody be speaking Monday afterCommissioner condition er He said the a “shocking would Commission so“carnage�, said it is simSEE PAGE THREE said the only weekend ist� that will refor people Greenslade country’s crime Greenslade not enough developmen government to lution to the “keep prolific ply finger at the press to speaking at a Staff quire the to “point the crisis� problem is bars�. He in times of their Ellison Greenslade ER of Police Photo: Terrel W. Carey/Tribune offenders behind Bahamas police to “manage COMMISSION not yet refuse yesterday. said the Royal (RBPF) is Act, Chapter SEE PAGE THREE conference Police Force implementing Suppression considering “locking down boxer was of human trafficking.53, of 106. a curfew or The former with three James Coakley, Andros LAMECH JOHNSON By charged Creek, also under on Ross Staff Reporteret Cargill of rape filed before Chief a double shooting lamented Tribune bunemedia.n was broughtJoyann Fergu- counts 6(a) of the Sexual ljohnson@tri recent inciyesterday, Section 99. It nature of the three mosthave left one Corner in Magistrateto answer to two Offences Act, Chapter in “too bold� in the capappeared WELLS son-Pratt in perdents, which three others the A MAN that he engaged yesterBy RICARDO Reporter occurring trafficking alleged and is of Court crimes counts he insisted man dead Section Tribune Staff SEE PAGE SIX in serious condi- ital recently, as of prolific Magistrate’s of sexually as- sons contrary to nemedia.net in hospital accused Trafficking rwells@tribu that a “handful hell-bent day woman during 3(1)(a) of the and saulting a harge of the offenders� remain holidays. and po- tion.

Persons Prevention Officer-in-c Unit, the public.

AS the country the Christmas a victim in Detective to grapple on terrorising alleged to be lice continue spate of vio- CentralSuperintendent ClaySEE PAGE THREE She is speaking to with the latest law enforce- Chief Fernander, scene of lent crimes, are seeking ton media on the ment officials assistance in the A DORSETT the public’s

By SANCHESKReporter et Tribune Staff bunemedia.n sdorsett@tri placed authorit as law of an investigatallow the ity solely in the hands POLICE are es surThe bill will t judiciary, or a T independen ICB met ing the circumstanc of a er of police, commission on his behalf, the the death was that the

By AVA TURNQUES Reporter acting a adding standards rounding ld boy who .net person Tribune Chief warrant fromin- internationa l recent three-year-o tribunemedia e in a car to obtain a judge to aturnquest@ also addressed yesfound unresponsiv Supreme Court a per- and of the Listening in front of his daycare Y General tercept and examine from criticisms Privy ions ATTORNE Act by the ibson terday afternoon. communicat opera- Devices the toddler Allyson Maynard-G the In- son’s ications The body of shortly afCouncil. suggestion - telecommun providers and yesterday defended a She said any was a was discovered of Communica tors, internet Monday by terception ter 2pm on that the legislation an important postal services. yesterday, SEE PAGE SIX bill� was false. tions Bill as tool that would In a statement ibson ex- “spying FIVE anti-crime privacy of lawPAGE SEE was Mrs Maynard-G enhance the rather than that this move abiding citizensit, as detrac- plained ted in Bahamiunpreceden encroach upon FOR YOU... tors claim.

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Deputy Prime nearly he to be “fighting for neither day after Phillip “Brave� page 45-year-old Nassau gressive Liberal of office as that The ernment out Day, May and predicted party nor the Ministerpredicted that the Village resident appeared heralded Election will bring the governing Movement Daviswill win 30 seats in the SEE PAGE SEVEN that day 10, as a Free Nationalseats in next PLP SEE PAGE TWO 30 change. spoke dur- will wingeneral election. at month’s Dr Minnis on conference as a guest ing a press Appearing SEE PAGE THREE

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His televisedOffice of the House you will also be dethe ing so, en live at the came mowho will form Prime Minister, Commis- ciding of the BahaPolice government five years. ments after Greenslade, for the next that mosioner Ellison as provost mas will make “You capacity what ns in his decision in pray proclamatio marshal, readHouse of As- mentous hope and fair elecoutside the Governor Gen- I earnestly be free and Pin- will following a spirited sembly from Marguerite Let tions eral Dame Parliament. peaceful campaign. dling dissolving said he is but the forthcoming Mr Christie election will us contestwith all the vigour confident the and will fol- elections command.� fair our and at be free and peaceful SEE PAGE TWO low a spirited is consistent campaign that political with this country’s

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By RASHAD Reporter Tribune Staff emedia.net rrolle@tribun Nottage’s DR Bernard forever be will “footprints the Bahamian etched on tal landscape� developmen work as a forthrough his of the Bahamer president of Athletic mas Association s, the Bahamas Association , the Medical Association and as a afMinDoctors’ Union consumer FORMER Prime the reminister for Christie accept health and to Perry was ister a defeat, when I fairs, education, Opposifor it as I did arrears, into pictured yesterday. W. national security, who was in sponsibility response to Photo: Terrel Philip “Brave� airport tenant described recent resigned,� he said in levelled e Staff tion Leader as Carey/Tribun the criticism recent on from accusations Mr Christie Davis said Wednesday. in questions on on 71, died administrati e spending, misfea- moves made by the government pandering at his administrati Dr Nottage, the Cleveby a party of irresponsibl WELLS at a “misstep� thought

By RICARDO Reporter Wednesday He will receive sance and cronyism. that weeks. never any he was “disap- to its base. acceptmaintained Tribune Staff “There was land Clinic.

He also said allegations being in arrangenemedia.net that I was degree relating Mr Christie by the rwells@tribu gova state funeral announced, documents s would on my part y for any Per- pointed�around by the new be a review of irrements to ing responsibilit Prime Minister tossed matters that to these two controversie the press secon of any whatsoever of criminality, FORMER as according to Office of the the notion administrati yesterday condemned ernment concerning his last term absolve his and prove that much sponsible spending andbare’ is just ry Christie retary for the Minnis administra- transpired during Anthony is as noth- that ‘the cupboard is wrongdoing efforts by the his government in Prime Minister, prime minister.at accusations from of the FNM’s rhetoric slogans.� portray to slogans.� challenged tion Newbold. “political political Hitting back Minnis adminislight, as he SEE PAGE SIX ing more than challenges I have the SEE PAGE THREE a negative leader to carry out a members of the controvergovern“One of the the nation’s te examination of the who led the $8m to tration concerning of more thanclean up as the person led the government “dispassiona sial pay out and who record�. interview at one vendor for hurricane to an ment off of $1.2m During a lengthy home on Thursand the write his Cable Beach defended his day, Mr Christie

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G concern ADMITTIN Bernard Notin over what Dr have battled last tage may his isolation during Prime Minisdays, former yesterday for ter Perry Christie admiration the expressed forth by the effort put security to former national the build-up minister in election. the May general from his Breaking away since being public silence office in hisof a voted out last month, toric fashion Mr Chrisvisibly troubled of his portions tie detailed with his last conversation and longfriend childhood colleague on time political Thursday.

Centreville The former Nottage as Dr MP saw “fought tehis someone who throughout naciously� he loved and life for thosetrait he said he a supported, up to their saw on display . conversation last SEE PAGE SIX

OPENS AT LAST HEALTH CENTRE MARSH HARBOUR

it must as HurriIsland is so devastated remained on the island home has warns Ragged with those whohomes last week. “Every The en Rag- discussion battered their has been destroyed. has been health facility on storm-strick Min- cane Irma Prime teachers’ residence no water. destroyed. The and safety conditions to deteriorate, urged the 18 been has been destroyed. The is no light. There is HEALTH he smell the school will only continue destroyed. There about, you can yesterday as The in the afterged Island Minnis said to evacuate “As we walkcarcasses, dead animals. deister Dr Hubert on the island reduced will stench of dead of the individuals remaining residentsIrma, which has them REPORT that we get of rubble and SPECIAL health conditions Russell, math of Hurricane it’s essential there to piles Words: Khrisna W Carey teriorate and Dr Minnis said. only most structures Pictures: Terrel island unlivable. Dr Minnis to leave the for off this island,� rendered the bly reluctant stay here,� saw for the understanda home, expressing concern “They cannot as Many were and a delegation and days ever known through said after he damage left by Irma place they’ve hurricane ripped of their residences, first time the Five monster about the safety personal belongings.

We will have are concerned may have left behind. the Defence by the smell after the Category island. “They they and exacerbated of all es- whatever materials the small southern a vessel here the same physical condition, the destruction still Force dispatch the cleanup and at The island’s carcasses and strongly urge those the Defence said.

Dr Minnis of rotting animalled Dr Minnis to small community can Force will try to commence SEE PAGE THREE there is security,� sential services, to leave until the ensure that time Island has been on Ragged Ragged Island and be restored. to the residents; a walk through “I’ve spoken Minnis said following Dr devastated,�

BAHAMIAN PROJECT

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TERS yesFIREFIGH a large blaze terday battled Providence at the New three weeks Landfill, nearly a massive that after tackling city dump fire at the nearly a month. burned for Charge of Fire Officer in Chief SuperinServices, Evans said tendent Walter is “not confire the the current any way to this nected� in and at previous blazedo not know time officials the fire. Howwhat caused t Minister ever Environmen told rehe Kenred Dorsett the site that porters at “sabotage� in suspected He said fire. the relation to the team he “instructed�to have the of firefighters “before and blaze extinguished day� today nomination Baha Mar’s certainly before Friday. opening on started shortly The blaze and Wednesday after 3am officEvans said Chief Supt battle the fire to but ers expect another day for at least is a “huge� wind the he said factor.

SEE PAGE SIX

SIVE Liberal were obtaineda from a ther’s PROGRES The emails Bradley EMAILS leaked following of China Con- by The Tribune Party Chairmanout at his highdata breach (CCA) Roberts lashed story in December of CCA struction America’s colleague Vinthat from the breach former party night, accusservers show2013, Jerome lighting by a San Francisco cent Peet last North Anto servers China Construction as early as was seeking ing the former Islands MP hacker.

Fitzgerald of dollars eventually paid 24 bitcoins dros and Berry enemy� $24,000) secure millions trucking, and (the equivalent of of being a “political an independin brokerage, to their servat Baha who mounted because he to have access it aplimousine contracts showing a resat in Cabinet ers restored; however, ent campaigna nomination forwarded leaked emails Mar while he of Educathat emails ONE of the Education, Sciwas denied party.

Minister of as the Minister and Tech- pears relating to personnel quest from or d, Jerome Fitzgerald. from the governing tion, Science Tribune has to, to PLP supcompromise ence and Technology Speaking at CCA were in The in North nology, The officials at Baha for Limolink encour- porters at a rally Mr Robdespite top they were not his agent are learned. night, contradict the saying with which fa- Bahamas. You at from Andros last hack is war� as The emails this week de- Mar clientele the reference was a by if erts said “this writes, “I limousine company vote aged to get of Viacom Minister, who his office to concerned the crowd toPerry Mr Fitzgerald matime. the president feel free he urged Dr nied ever using to himself the an email dated May 18, am aware that interior arrive miliar. with regard the you wish. Please In for incumbent that a vote “Also Izmirlian terials have began to really we direct contracts me personally business from the mul- 2013, sent to Mr to contact agents contact Gomez, adding with for the I would vote with limousine a hotel. or his family resort. is the be meet your Mr Fitzgerald, Cur- for for Mr Peet Movement. it if we couldbro- are ready to he or have ti-billion dollar - the Pro- by our Managing Porter, Shelly appreciate anytime,�

Free National Mr Porter Mr Fitzgerald Party MP QuentinAlarice Fill copied, appointed your official your people SEE PAGE SIX directly.� his tis and 1st 2013.� writes. gressive Liberal really Director ker for June - appears also Mr Fitzgerald indicates a request TWO & THREE indicated we cusmakes PAGES “As brokerage SEE for Marathon then start $20,000 He for limou- only cater to highend for readiness to to be requesting official Baha Mar’s and trucking services and of Mr Izmirlian Baha Mar, tomers and are the project a month from Sarkis services at of Baha Mar of re- sinehe touted the level original developer the ex- the as the brokers citing Izmirlian, were necessary remain for the property. penses that cost of his fa- cord to cover the Healthcare hisMarsh Harbour a tortured has ROLLE Centre

By RASHAD Reporter missed deadtory, one of of shoddy Tribune Staff emedia.net lines and claimsall without rrolle@tribun ip, ity. of- workmansh ENT clear accountabil GOVERNM ed the anyThe facility’s original bankrupt. ficials commissionHealththe contractor went of Marsh Harbour n in Abaco yesConstructio care Centre centre began it as a longIngraham terday, touting to the island healthcare under the former awaited boost on. adminisin and the Christie Health administrati Christie adhealth centre When the e Staff tours the new tration’s National came to power, RASPBERRY Perry Christie the W. Carey/Tribun Insurance plans. and Ado- ministration renovating Photo: Terrel ICED TEA PRIME Minister it spent $1m Like the Child SEE PAGE SIX Abaco yesterday.

Robert Smith lescent and that was the (CARS) Complex ed last year, commission

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Sandilands. Logan said: “It is important for (the elderly) to have masks because they are an important part of our society.�

The recipient team comprised of Dr Indira Grimes (Director of Geriatric Services), Nursing Officer 1 Jennifer Roberts, SN Henrietta Demeritte, and PCA Carolyn Stubbs, who were present to accept the gift on behalf of the hospital’s management team.

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LOGAN Stubbs, a 10-year-old 5th grade student at Xavier’s Lower School and her parents recently donated handmade reusable face masks to the staff of the Geriatric Hospital. The masks were made by her grandmother.

Through her initiative called Helping Hands, Logan asked her grandmother, Sharlamae Stubbs, to assist in making masks to donate to the Geriatric Wards of

ManEmergency actiThe National t after they agement Agency (NEMA) the police managemen cations with from entering the vated its emergency evacuation and an were blocked at the Kenplan yesterday area. were also shelter was established at the Several persons with respira- dal G L Isaacs Gymnasium Centre to the hospital Elizabeth Sports during Gar- rushed on Queen as a shelter S in Jubilee tory complaints.

Tribune arrivedwere which was used - for displaced RESIDENT to evacuate their When The residents last hurricane dens were forced after a massive the scene, several as the the believed on their roofs,homes. residents. landfill homes yesterday the dump is smaller Providence pouring water their The fire at by a fire at the Newcommunity in thick, blaze grew closer to for Tall been started Road. the have to Parliament of blanketed smoke. also assist- bush fire off Fire Trail Member Miller was black hazardous the Royal Bahamas Pines Leslie in hosing down their TWO AND THREE entrance Members of SEE PAGES blocked the visibility ing residentsproviding transportaPolice Force as homes and who needed help. residents to the subdivision those tion for zero. Angry dropped to in verbal alterbecame involved fire off Fire a smaller bush to the city after a spread have ed by Movement fre- Trail Road that blanketed Jubilee Gardens yesterday Fire Trail Road. fire the smoke in Jubilee the Free National areas in in bushes off to prevent dump. The flees from the A DORSETT YOUNGSTER done enough the New Providence Gardens and surrounding landfill that started at and threatened A at the New Providence to evacuate their homes. Hanna/Tribune Staff

By SANCHESK Reporter quent fires have caused some of thick, black smoke officials fire were asked et Photos: Shawn Tribune Staff prompting issues.

Landfill that Many residents bunemedia.n respiratory mas- several homes, sdorsett@tri them to develop SEE PAGE THREE came as a owners in JubiTheir comments at the landfill, raging ANGRY home was startyesterday expressed sive fire was lee Gardens concern that neither which officials believe nor disgust and Liberal Party the Progressive had any redespite not having purchase WELLS to his many former sponse RICARDO By Mar’s offers, as Baha Izmirlian said cases of im- Tribune Staff Reporter enced alleged nemedia.net developer, Mr “stands ready, officials solicitROLLE migration from migrants rwells@tribu

By RASHAD Reporter his company buy Baha developer ing bribes and able to Tribune Staff beatings of THE originalMar resort willing complete it emedia.net and alleged prisoners in today and Bahamian rrolle@tribun of the Baha the resort’s Mar with migrants and States has de- immediately Bahamian conyesterday said THE United Bahamas custody. the Ministry continued completiondates workers and chronic delays the Yesterday, the The opening highlighted “intimida- of Foreign Affairs said lays, missed stag- tractors. ’s CCA for either government ental “inaccurate� and “now supposedthe en- created by or patent incomof report had “incomtion of non-governm self interest stop now. The gered opening� s� and efforts and in some cases . must into late next organisation and autire property that Sarkis petence deserves better.� plete� information incident an by the government Bahamas “free shows to year inhibit Referring SEE PAGE SIX Minoffer “is superithorities to criminal Education Izmirlian’s Fitzgerald or� to the current situation. for in which speech through as problems this, and ister Jerome libel laws�

However, despite SEE PAGE 12 in its latest the Bahamas report. human rights also referThe report

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CARIBBEAN Bottling Company has continued ongoing COVID-19 relief efforts with a donation of Dasani water, which will be distributed to Bimini residents in need of assistance. Eight hundred cases of 1 litre Dasani water bottles were transported to the island by the Royal Bahamas Defence Force.

To date, CBC has donated over 4,000 cases of beverages throughout the islands hardest hit by the pandemic, inclusive of New Providence and Grand Bahama. “We recognise that the coronavirus has impacted the lives of all Bahamians, around the entire country,� said Nikia Wells, CBC communications marketing manager. “It is important

that we rally together, not just as business operators, but as individuals, to support those who may be in need right now. We have been working with local charity groups, like Hands for Hunger, The Salvation Army, The Bahamas Red Cross, Great Commission, Lend-A-Hand, and members of the local Bahamian manufacturing and production community to ensure those in need have vital resources, beverages, and food.�

In addition to the company’s support of COVID-19 relief activities, CBC has also been focused on continuing their efforts in the northern Bahamas, to assist those still grappling with the impact of Hurricane Dorian.

THE TRIBUNE

Thursday, May 21, 2020, PAGE 3

CORONAVIRUS CRISIS

from page one selling roadside coconuts and another $300 for breaking curfew.

Mr Williams, 18, landed before the courts after police stopped to question him and asked for a valid business licence, which he said he was “working on” getting. He was arrested and taken to the Grove Police Station where he admitted to selling two jugs of coconut water and two or three coconut jelly pieces at his stand across from Mario’s Bowling Alley on Harrold Road.

Magistrate Gardiner warned him that if he failed to pay the fines he would be remanded to the Bahamas Department of Correctional Services for one month on each charge, to be served concurrently.

His fines were paid yesterday after concerned citizens raised the money.

Mr Bethel said yesterday: “When the Torchbearers saw that the young man was arraigned and charged, we felt we should come together and assist him.

We raised $700 to pay for the fine. We went (to court yesterday) and once there we realised (Families of All Murder Victims) was there and paid the fine.”

Mr Bethel said the Torchbearers will seek to either help the man find employment or connect him to the Small Business

Courts urged: Have a heart Development Centre to get a business licence.

“We cannot make a law for every situation and that’s why you have the courts and magistrates, to interpret each case and use the law as a guideline and apply their own measured judgment to each case so we can have a measured approach,” he said.

“The government cannot instruct them on what to do, cannot direct on what to do and what to say so it’s incumbent on them to deal with these cases with a measured approach.

“The government is fighting a war on two fronts, health and economic, and is doing a good job so far and has been praised by the international community for their response. I think courts in exercising

Dr Rollins, meanwhile, said the country looked silly for fining a young man $700 because he sold coconuts on the side of the street.

“If the restaurant in Lyford Cay can sell wine to their customers,” the former Fort Charlotte MP said in a Facebook post, “how do you rationalise depriving a vendor exercising proper precautions the right to sell the coconut water to his?”

He was referring to an upscale market that was allowed to sell liquor while other alcohol merchants were prohibited from doing the same earlier during the pandemic.

Dr Rollins added: “In these difficult times, what if he cannot secure the $700 fine? Are you really going to jail him in a prison with

CARLYLE BETHEL a population of 2,000 that was originally made to house few more than 750?

‘It made me feel like a criminal even though I’m trying to do right ... to stay out of harm’s way and to help my family’

By LEANDRA ROLLE Tribune Staff Reporter lrolle@tribunemedia.net GOOD Samaritans raised $700 to pay court fines for a teenager who was arraigned earlier this week and convicted for selling coconuts roadside without a business licence and in violation of the 24-hour curfew.

The story of Jason Williams’ legal woes, reported

by The Tribune earlier this week, made the rounds on social media, eliciting an outcry from some who saw the matter as an injustice against a young man trying to make a living.

In an interview with The Tribune yesterday, the 18-year-old said in a society where too many young black men fall victim to gang violence and other crimes, he knew he wanted to be different from others and control the course of his own life.

So, about a year ago, he started his own business, selling coconut juice and jelly to locals and visitors throughout Nassau.

But, what was supposed to be another regular business day for Mr Williams last Friday ended up being the complete opposite. The teen was arrested around 3.20pm on May 15 for selling coconuts in breach of the national curfew and COVID-19 emergency orders.

Officers told the court on the day in question, the 18-year-old admitted to not receiving permission from the competent authority to be outdoors during the curfew.

Police also said after

their duties and mandate should exercise it with love and compassion and do so with a measured approach in response to violations of emergency order.”

“I think it is important that we as Bahamians abide by the (laws put in place), they’re there for a reason. We don’t want to criminalise (the) entrepreneurial spirit of young people though. I deal with young people all the time in my role as president.

Countries are closing ranks, looking in at their own people to supply business opportunities and goods that are needed. We have to do the same and encourage that entrepreneur, that manufacturing, that Bahamian industry if we want to come out of this on a strong footing,” Mr Bethel said.

Williams failed to produce a valid business licence, he told them he was “working” on one. As a result, he was arrested and taken to the Grove Police Station.

Recalling the “frightening” experience yesterday, Mr Williams said the arrest made him “feel like a criminal,” despite him never having a prior run-in with the law.

He said: “I mean it made me feel like a criminal even though I’m trying to do right and trying to stay out of harm’s way and at the same time, trying to help my family. So, to be in the law hand, it just isn’t right man. “… It was a little

frightening for me because it isn’t like I’m a criminal. I don’t be up around those places. I mean they just doing their job and you can’t beat the law. But yeah, they should’ve used a little discretion towards me because it ain’t like I’m a bad person. I’m trying to become someone.”

Noting that life has not been easy for his family since the COVID-19 pandemic began, Mr Williams said he was just trying to make ends meet. His sister, he added, was the only one in the household who has been working since the pandemic.

“I just was selling coconut juice and the jelly to try

to make something for me and my family,” he added.

“It’s me, my mother, my father and my sister and my sister has kids. That’s the only person who was working through this COVID thing.

“So, I mean I just had to help my family out and make sure that they’re okay, mainly myself too.

And, I like doing coconuts.

I ain’t gon’ lie. I like doing coconuts and I want to be my own boss. I don’t want to work for people.”

He was arraigned on Monday and pleaded guilty to violating the curfew and operating a non-essential business. He was ordered to pay $700 in fines or

spend one month in prison.

Calling the situation “disheartening”, local activist Khandi Gibson told The Tribune yesterday after she read about the teen’s ordeal online, she knew she had to help him. “That really broke my heart...because the prime minister spoke about ‘where is your heart, where is your compassion,’” she said.

“I’m like, my gosh, one minute y‘all saying let’s build up the young men and in another, you want to say let’s haul them before the court. And so, I feel like this is so wrong, especially during COVID-19 now.”

She made a post on Facebook and friends from

Through our collective outcry, we the public must compel our elected representatives to muster the country to speak up for the downtrodden. The persecution of the poor must stop.

To the ‘competent’ authority: he who is powerful must be merciful.”

Justin Smith, an aspiring PLP candidate, said it is unconscionable that Mr Williams was fined for “violating an arbitrary curfew.”

“I will be advocating,” he said, “that when the PLP returns to office it wipes away these criminal records in all of these matters and returns the monies that were extracted from people in these unfair circumstances.

“This is not justice. This is injustice. This is not right.

It is wrong.”

Canada said they would pay half of his fines. Others came forward to donate the rest.

Mr Williams said he was shocked when he received a call from Ms Gibson, saying she and her friends would pay the fine.

He said: “I was already saying ‘where are we going to find this money from’ and my mummy ain’t working and thing and that was the only way I was making money so I was saying ‘I mussy was going jail.’ But something came around and God made a way and my bill was paid. Thank God for that too.”

Mr Williams is also thankful for the outpouring love and support expressed towards him on social media, noting that it was “a source of comfort” for him during those difficult days.

Asked yesterday what’s next for him, the teen said he will work on getting his business licence and also, his record cleaned.

“The good news is a woman said she is going to help me get my licence and like how she help me, I want to help others too and other people who coming up and in need. I could help them too,” he said.

Ms Gibson added: “It doesn’t stop here for him, what happens to his record now? I want his record expunged. This has to come off his record. This has to (as well as) many others who’ve been in this situation. We’re going to fight for this.”

...AND NOW JOGGER WHO RAN PAST POLICE IS FINED $2K

By FARRAH JOHNSON fjohnson@tribunemedia.net

A FILIPINO woman who was caught jogging past the Cable Beach Police Station during the weekend lockdown was fined $2,000 yesterday.

Helen Lacar, 41, was charged after officers found her on West Bay Street around 4.20pm on Sunday, May 17.

Prosecutor Waynette McPhee told the court that day officers at the Cable Beach Police Station observed a woman jogging past the station during the lockdown. One of the officers came out of the station and beckoned for her to stop and questioned her.

Sgt McPhee said Lacar failed to give officers a satisfactory answer to justify her being outdoors. As a result, she was taken into the station and interviewed.

It was at that time that she admitted to the offence.

When given an opportunity to speak, Lacar told the magistrate she was a housekeeper and had only

come outside to exercise.

She also admitted she was not aware of the rules for exercising during the pandemic and apologised for the “oversight”.

She pleaded guilty and was fined $2,000 or nine months at the Bahamas Department of Correctional Services.

Prime Minister Dr Hubert Minnis recently relaxed exercise restrictions during the weekend lockdown, however people are only allowed to exercise in their immediate neighbourhood from 5am to 8am on Saturday and Sunday.

Several others were charged with curfew and lockdown infractions.

Teran Sweeting, 24, was charged after officers found him on Shrimp Road around 10.05pm on May 10.

He pleaded guilty and was fined $1,500 or six months at BDCS. Sgt McPhee said during his interview with police at a nearby station, Sweeting told officers his baby’s mother wasn’t feeling well so he went to check on her.

During the arraignment, Sweeting was represented by attorney Robyn Lynes.

She told the magistrate her client didn’t waste the court’s time and pleaded guilty at his first opportunity. She also said that it was difficult for people to understand how to respond to an emergency and insisted that Sweeting only left his house to make sure his girlfriend was okay since she lived alone.

Officers found Anthorn Ferguson, 39, and Edner Joseph, 49, on Wulff Road around 9.40pm on May 13. They pleaded guilty and were each fined $500 or three months in prison.

When asked why they violated the national curfew, Ferguson told the magistrate he was a single parent with twins who was trying to “accumulate money”. He said that after he wasn’t able to make any money, he tried to get a plate of hot food from his cousin since his family had been eating noodles all week. Joseph on the other hand, told the magistrate he went to Bamboo

Shack that night but they were closed, so he hiked a ride home with Ferguson.

Theophilus Bonaby, 31, was charged after officers found him on St Croix Road around 9.40pm on May 19. He pleaded guilty, but was given two years’ probation after he told the magistrate that he had only left his house to get some aspirin from a “house shop” that was located “two or three houses down” from his own because he was suffering from a toothache.

Still, Magistrate McKinney warned him if he came back to court for violating the curfew or lockdown again, he would be fined $1,000 or six months at BDCS. Officers found Eusias Bodie, 26, in Pastel Gardens around 9.43pm on May 12. He pleaded guilty in court, but said he had only breached the curfew because he had lost track of time. Sgt McPhee also said at the time of Bodie’s arrest, he told officers he was going to buy a soda. He was subsequently fined $1,000 or six months in prison.

Thoran Adderley, 18, and his teenage twin brothers were charged for violating the lockdown after officers found them on Lamos Street around 1.30am.

The trio initially pleaded guilty, but had their matter adjourned for trial after they told the magistrate they were on their porch when the officers arrested them. Magistrate McKinney told the young men because they claimed to be within the confines of their homes he could not accept their guilty pleas and adjourned the matter to September 1.

Officers found Endaid Tiris, 38, and Oriliene St Fleur on University Drive around 9.02pm on May 18. They both pleaded guilty and were each fined $1,000 or six months in prison. During the hearing, Tiris said he was hungry and didn’t have any food at home so he went with his cousin to his aunt’s house to get something to eat.

St Fleur also told Magistrate McKinney that he was “very, very hungry” and went to his mother’s house for some food because he had run out.

PAGE 4, Thursday, May 21, 2020

THE TRIBUNE

CORONAVIRUS CRISIS

BIMINI ADJUSTING TO LIFE UNDER LOCKDOWN

By TANYA SMITH-CARTWRIGHT ts-cartwright @tribunemedia.net

RESIDENTS of Bimini are no longer anxious, but adjusting well to life in COVID-19 lockdown, according to Island Administrator Cleola Pinder.

The island has been under a strict 14-day lockdown since Monday.

“Everybody is indoors,” said Ms Pinder. “The streets are very quiet. Everyone who needs food or anything else, we are taking care of it right away. So I think the residents are comfortable now and not as anxious as they were prior to the lockdown. They realise now that it’s not so restrictive.

We are not stopping emergencies, all you have to do is log your movements with the police.”

Prime Minister Dr Hubert Minnis, announcing the lockdown

last week, said the measure was “absolutely necessary” to slow and control the community spread of COVID-19 on the island.

Bimini has had one death, due to the virus and 13 cases, up to press time.

“A lockdown like this is not something that would have been preferred, but it is absolutely necessary because things will get worse on Bimini if we don’t take this strong measure immediately,” Dr Minnis said last Thursday.

“Had it not been for the weather we are experiencing now, the lockdown would have been sooner.”

At the time, Dr Minnis assured residents that there would be sufficient food and medicine and various measures were being taken to ensure safety of workers and residents, including additional police on the island.

“We are making sure that

ADMINISTRATOR Cleola Pinder persons are not at a disadvantage because of the lock down,” Ms Pinder continued. “Certain things are still happening. We do have a freight charter flight that’s coming in today (Wednesday) so our essential care volunteers will be the ones who take care of that. We have two gentlemen who will go and collect the freight

and deliver it to those who would have made the order. So it’s not so restrictive and residents are a bit more comfortable.”

Giving examples of how organised the island is for the lockdown, Ms Pinder noted that those on Bimini who are unable to feed themselves will not have to worry, as they will not be left out.

“We are preparing hot meals today for those persons who may not have the means to cook,” she said. “We are going to issue hot meals to those persons for the next ten days. I’ve already assigned someone to prepare the food. I think curried chicken is on the menu today. We are making sure that every need is met. For example, a few persons had situations where their (cooking) gas ran out and what we did was establish a credit with the gas company and one of my essential care volunteers picked up the

tank from them and took it to the person.”

As for Ms Pinder, she said she was actually just staying home, manning the helm and delegating so that each task was taken care of.

“We have someone to do each task, so it’s not a burden on any one person,” said Ms Pinder. “So things are running quite smoothly.

The residents pretty much understand that if they have a need we are going to get it for them and so they are not as anxious as before.”

She acknowledged there was a “little hiccup” at the start of lockdown. She said the boat coming in from Grand Bahama, laden with the island’s essentials, was late and it created chaos as it was dark, they couldn’t see and to make matters worse, the rain came down. The start time for the lockdown had to be pushed back by two hours as a result.

We couldn’t open up all islands in one go - Minnis from page one Dr Minnis’ comments came during an exclusive interview with state broadcaster ZNS last night. The last time he held a press conference on April 19.

The nation’s leader said: “We must assume that there is a possibility that individuals could have entered the island and an island can possibly go viral on you.

So if an island goes viral, one has to recognise how many individuals you can transport from that island to New Providence, bearing in mind that if there is any illness you have to transport them via air ambulance and you must use what you call an incubation tent (and) that incubation tent has one use and is $10,000. So if a particular island goes viral or goes left on you could manage that.

“If you open up all and two go bad on you, you have a catastrophe, your health system may possibly melt down, so whatever we do we must take into consideration our capacity to manage, our capacity to transport, yes they are sterile at this time but we must assume that if anything goes wrong we must be on top of it, never catching up.”

Dr Minnis said officials were selective in which islands they chose to reopen and they chose Andros over Eleuthera or Exuma because of the importance of crab season to the people of Andros.

“This is the economic time for Andros’ economy,” he said. “Many Androsians depend on crab, they export crab to New Providence and wherever else.

That’s like Christmas for them, that’s their economic engine. So we had to make a determination, do we open San Salvador and Eleuthera because it was only one additional island we were going to open. We do San Salvador, do we do Eleuthera, or do we allow the Androsians to take advantage of this particular time and their economic engine is roaring? That’s an entire population we had to take into consideration and I could not allow them not to take advantage of a situation like this when their economy is booming at a time when the Androsians themselves depend on their livelihood. The amount of money they generate at this particular time takes them through the entire year so that was a deciding factor that I could not lose such an opportunity so as a result the decision was made to release Andros and hold back the remainder at this time.”

During a national address on Sunday, Dr Minnis announced that Cat Island, Long Island, Abaco and Andros would be able to resume normal commercial activity, though weekday curfews and

DR Minnis said officials were selective about which islands opened weekend lockdown measures remain in place for all islands. Ragged Island, Rum Cay, Mayaguana, Inagua, Crooked Islands, Acklins and Long Cay resumed commercial activity on May 4.

Eluethera, Exuma, San Salvador and the Berry Islands have not yet been added to the list and Dr Minnis faced criticism for not explaining why.

To date, only New Providence, Grand Bahama, Bimini and Cay Cay have had confirmed cases of COVID-19.

Asked by The Tribune on Tuesday why some Family Islands without COVID19 cases have not been allowed to resume normal commercial activity, Dr Brennen said: “I honestly do not know. I think that’s a Cabinet and Office of the Prime Minister level decision. That is not a Ministry of Health level decision.”

When reminded that Dr Minnis has often said he relies on the country’s COVID-19’s task force for advice

on these matters, Dr Brennen said: “This decision is not on us. Well, from a health perspective I am not sure what those reasons are, but there are so many things that come into those decisions that are not health related so I think it would be better to ask those who make the decisions as to what went into the decision making as opposed to just health.”

In an interview with Our News yesterday, Mr Culmer criticised his comment.

“I’m disappointed that the good doctor would come out and say something like that when his other colleague gave out a reason why the delay in opening up the other islands,” Mr Culmer said, referring to a recent interview involving infectious disease expert Dr Nikkiah Forbes.

Dr Forbes, while appearing as a guest on Guardian Radio show “Morning Blend,” suggested that direct flights from Europe to certain islands or frequent visitors traveling by boat to those islands are

among the reasons those islands are closed.

However, she too said “other factors” outside of health determine why some Family Islands with no confirmed COVID-19 cases have been not been allowed to resume normal commercial activity and she did not suggest health officials support the decision to keep those islands closed.

Regarding the rationale for keeping Family Islands free of COVID-19 closed, she said: “So, I couldn’t say I totally agree, but remember, my realm is health, which does (play) a large role in considering how

policymakers will handle such things, and I’m glad that our policymakers are receptive to our input.”

Progressive Liberal Party Senator Dr Michael Darville, who co-chairs the PLP’s COVID-19 response, countered Dr Minnis’ explanation yesterday, saying that decisions to reopen islands should be based on science, not assumptions.

“We cannot open up the Family Islands particularly the islands that are COVID free based on assumptions,” he said. “It has to be scientific. We have to work along with our healthcare team with the taskforce. We need

to look and see what’s happening on the ground and that the personnel are in place and we need to have a very strong plan in the event that we do open up and we do have a case or cluster of cases. We need to have things in place in order to know what step of the way and how we’re going to go about it.”

The country also recorded one additional case of COVID-19 yesterday: a 50-year-old New Providence man currently isolated at home, bringing the total number of cases to 97.

Editorial View - Page 6

PM URGES COUNTRY TO GO DIGITAL

By LEANDRA ROLLE Tribune Staff Reporter lrolle@tribunemedia.net

DECLARING that the country will have to make “deep and far-reaching structural changes” to the economy amid the COVID19 pandemic, Prime Minister Dr Hubert Minnis said yesterday it is “absolutely necessary” that The Bahamas becomes fully digitised.

He was speaking at the Ministry of Financial Services, Trade & Industry and Immigration’s virtual symposium about the country’s way forward in the aftermath of Hurricane Dorian and now, COVID-19.

In view of this, Dr Minnis said yesterday: “The full digitisation of the Bahamas

at every level is absolutely necessary. Many of the bureaucratic roadblocks to the ease of doing business must be bulldozed. We must streamline the process for domestic and foreign investment in a broader range of industries.

“We are now in one of the most challenging periods ever in the history of the Bahamas pre- or postindependence. We are being summoned by history and by circumstance to build a new Bahamas, a new Commonwealth, and potentially one of the most successful small countries in the world.”

Noting that road to recovery will not be easy in the days ahead, Dr Minnis highlighted the need for more creative minds in

helping to chart a new course for the Bahamian economy.

“In this great and historic ambition, we must utilise the full gifts of the Bahamian imagination and those global partners who wish to join us in this new Bahamian enterprise,” he said.

“As a major pillar of the Bahamas’ economy, the financial services sector continues to offer tremendous opportunities for our economy.

“While some industries have been brought to a standstill, the financial services sector has pushed ahead in a number of ways.

The industry’s technological innovation has positioned it for recovery in the face of global uncertainty.

“Events like this

symposium illustrate the government’s commitment to supporting the industry in weathering this pandemic.”

Dr Minnis noted that one way the government is demonstrating this commitment is through stakeholder engagement, adding that it’s important for “government, industry and civil society” to partner in order to rebuild and re-vitalise the economy.

During his address, the prime minister also reiterated the role of his newly-appointed Economic Recovery Committee, which makes recommendations to the government on the long-term economic recovery for the country.

“Over time, the committee will present a bold

vision for a modern Bahamian economy that is resilient, dynamic, inclusive and sustainable,” he said. “…I assure industry stakeholders that financial services is one of the primary areas of concern for the ERC as we work to build a resilient, dynamic, inclusive, and sustainable Bahamas economy.”

He continued: “We have seen what we can accomplish when we work together. After 80 years, the Bahamas remains a global leader in financial services.

“We are a well-regulated jurisdiction with expertise comparable to anywhere in the world. As the financial services industry evolves, my government will work to help the sector in its ongoing evolution.”

THE TRIBUNE

Thursday, May 21, 2020, PAGE 5

CORONAVIRUS CRISIS

Photos courtesy of: GROUP CORPORATE AFFAIRS Grand Bahama Port Authority, Ltd.

JOINT PARTNERSHIP PROVIDES AID RELIEF ACROSS GRAND BAHAMA

By DENISE MAYCOCK Tribune Freeport Reporter dmaycock@tribunemedia.net

DURING these challenging and difficult times, 200 families on Grand Bahama received much needed relief aid last week through a joint partnership effort.

The Grand Bahama Disaster Relief Foundation (GBDRF), the charitable arm of the Grand Bahama Port Authority, Limited (GBPA), along with Urban Renewal Grand Bahama, and Sigma Gamma Rho packaged and delivered food to families in various communities on the island, last Wednesday.

Rupert Hayward, director of GBDRF, said the foundation was established to provide for post-hurricane relief efforts. He noted that the need to assist those

still recovering in stormstricken communities is greater now.

“Families in many storm-stricken communities continue to recover from Hurricane Dorian’s massive impacts,” he said. “The current global COVID-19 pandemic is challenging these families once again, and the need for food is now greater than ever.”

Mr Hayward said they are pleased to partner with Urban Renewal and Sigma Gamma Rho to lend much needed support here on the island.

The GBDRF sourced and provided the food, which was sorted and packed by Sigma Gamma Rho, and then put in the hands of Urban Renewal for distribution to communities in need across the island.

Afrika Karamo-Miller, President of Sigma Gamma Rho, said they were pleased to be of some assistance, especially when it is contributing to the health and well-being of families.

“The residents of Grand Bahama have shown such resilience and strength, and we are glad for the opportunity to partner with GBDRF and Urban Renewal to do our part to support families,” she said.

Senator Jasmine Darius, Deputy Director at Urban Renewal, said they are committed to Grand Bahama’s communities from West End to East End. Mrs Darius said: “We delivered 200 boxes of healthy food to communities to help feed families still struggling to recover and rebuild following Dorian. We’re happy to be

80 SMES IN GB TO BENEFIT FROM GRANTS PROGRAMME

By DENISE MAYCOCK Tribune Freeport Reporter dmaycock@tribunemedia.net SOME 80 small businesses in Grand Bahama that were affected by Hurricane Dorian will benefit from a grants programme to assist with reopening their businesses.

A Small Business Recovery grants programme – launched in partnership between The Bahamas Red Cross Society (BRCS) and the Grand Bahama Port Authority, Limited (GBPA) – will offer grants up to $6,000 to qualifying businesses.

This will provide a “muchneeded economic stimulus” to Grand Bahama, where many businesses were affected by the devastating hurricane last September.

According to officials, the Small Business Recovery (SBR) grants will be awarded to qualifying micro-businesses, and vendor permit holders throughout Grand Bahama who were affected by Dorian.

Ian Rolle, president of GBPA, noted that hundreds of businesses were forced to close their doors due to the level of mass devastation following the storm.

“Now, as the country prepares for and eagerly awaits the gradual reopening of the local economy, SBR grants will assist qualifying businesses in their rebuilding efforts,” he said on Tuesday.

Speaking on the partnership, Mr. Sean Brennen, Director General of The Bahamas Red Cross Society, said the organization is pleased to partner with the

GBPA to support economic recovery throughout The Bahamas.

“Such initiatives are consistent with the guidelines and mission of The Red Cross, which includes preventing and alleviating suffering wherever it may be found, to protect life and health and ensure respect for the human being, and to work for the prevention of disease and the promotion of health and social welfare.

“Given the ongoing economic challenges our country continues to face, this is a significant step forward in helping to ensure a measure of sustainability,” said Mr Brennen.

The programme was implemented on May 1 and is open to applications through its website, www. sbrgrants.com.

Successful grant applicants will also receive mandatory Finance, Marketing, and Disaster Preparedness training by the Invest Grand Bahama

Small Business Bureau.

Additionally, they have the option of registering with the Grand Bahama Chamber of Commerce for a free one-year membership.

Derek Newbold, Sr. Manager of Business Development for GBPA and Invest Grand Bahama, stated that small businesses are critical to the GB economy, and noted many continue to be challenged with recovery.

“Dorian was an unprecedented climatic event, he said. While many businesses continue to be challenged with recovering, we know that micro and small businesses, including fishing, farming, handicrafts and souvenirs, food, and small services or sales are facing an even greater task.

Their recovery is critical to our economy,” he said.

Interested persons may visit www.sbrgrants.com for further information on the programme, eligibility, and application requirements.

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a part of this effort,” she said.

Karla McIntosh, General Counsel at the GBPA and Director of GBDRF, said they also arranged for donation of food boxes and hygiene kits to several organization, including the AIDS Foundation, the Council for the Disabled, and to Seniors Homes in Freeport – Burrows Home for the Aged, Mervie Knowles Home Away from Home, and Raybertha’s Home.

“As the saying goes, it takes a community,” she said. “This is definitely a community effort involving GBDRF, it’s generous donors and compassionate civil organizations, and it warms our hearts to know that many families on Grand Bahama will benefit from the initiative,” she said.

COVID 19, the global pandemic, is invisible to the eyes, but physically attacks the body in a number of ways. Its time-destructive force has led to fear in many men’s hearts.

Nonetheless as time moves on the hearts of men may fail—but with strong faith, courage and hope, they can overcome thier fear by engaging with the invisible Higher Power, God, our Father.

~Betty Taylor ~ Original Author

For more original and inspirational quotes, please get a copy of the book “Hold On To Life and Love” Call 327-5670/327-5543

PAGE 6, Thursday, May 21, 2020

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The inequality of the pandemic SINCE the start of the penalties for breaching curfew, there has been some unease about the application of some of the fines – and two cases have brought that to a head.

One teenager was fined $700 for selling coconuts on the side of the road and two men were also fined for collecting water from a public pump.

These two cases have brought a rush of support for those accused. When one supporter went to court to pay the fine of the coconut seller, they found that it had already been paid by another organisation.

Selling two jugs of coconut water and two or three pieces of coconut jelly was that teenager’s crime.

There are two elements here – firstly, the curfew was of course brought in for reasons of public health, and breaches of the curfew require some punishment if it is to be any kind of discouragement.

Secondly, though, there is the consideration of public health. The point of the curfew is to reduce contact, and minimise the possibility of transmission of the virus. So in weighing the cases before the courts, consideration should be given to how likely it was that the individual concerned might be risking transmitting the virus. If someone needs water before 5am and goes to the pump, the likelihood is they won’t be in close contact with other people – so perhaps some of the enforcement might be dealt with in a more practical manner.

More, you know who agrees with ensuring people are not burdened with a criminal record for minor offences?

Prime Minister Dr Hubert Minnis.

In the wake of moves to decriminalise marijuana, Dr Minnis talked about the rehabilitation of offenders, saying: “We want to give our countrymen a freedom and a future they have been deprived of because of minor offences.”

More than that, when the pandemic hit, there was talk from then Minister of Health Dr Duane Sands of how COVID-19 could affect anyone, rich or poor.

That might be the same for the virus, but it’s not the same for the economy.

Those trying to make a buck selling coconuts are not affected in the same way as the restaurant providing pick-up orders. The rich person getting deliveries to the door is not affected the same way as the poor person having to walk to a pump to get their water. The essential worker who has to stock shelves in a supermarket is more exposed than the person who doesn’t have to go out to work.

The effects of the pandemic are many and widespread – but one of them is that it shows up the inequality in our society.

In talking about rehabilitation, Dr Minnis went on to say: “We want to expunge the records of these young people so they can have a clean slate and get back into society and travel, find jobs, qualify for visas, etc.”

Let’s make sure that people are being penalised for serious breaches, and that those trying to sell a little to survive or going out to get some water are supported and have what they need rather than being caught on the wrong side of the law.

Let’s not make the inequality greater.

Why did answer take so long?

IT TOOK from Sunday until last night for Dr Minnis to explain why he had kept some islands closed and allowed others to open.

In short, it is that if you open up all at once, and more than one starts to have infections, that could overwhelm the ability to manage any rush of patients.

Open up a few, see they’re okay, then open up more.

Some – like Andros – get to go ahead in the queue because of the crab season.

Others have to wait.

We’re not sure why he couldn’t explain that at the time – nor why Dr Delon Brennen, who told The Tribune he did not know the reasons why some islands were being kept closed, should be criticised by FNM chairman Carl Culmer for his honesty.

There was also a suggestion by Dr

Minnis that an assumption has to be made that people may have visited Exuma and Eleuthera and potentially brought the virus with them.

Who visited? We don’t know. We don’t even know if someone visited. It is an assumption. Dr Nikkiah Forbes, in a separate interview, suggested that direct flights from Europe to certain islands or frequent visitors by boat may play a part in the decision – but again these are suggestions, not bare facts.

What matters here is that clarity and transparency are the way forward. It should not take days and a back-andforth to different experts to get an explanation of the decision. If managing the potential spread was the reason, simply say that.

As ever, the truth is always the best choice.

We owe Dr Sands a huge debt of thanks EDITOR, The Tribune REGARDLESS of the COVID-19 related quagmire that led to his resignation, the former Minister of Health Dr. Duane Sands deserves our appreciation for his historic, frank and passionate plea to make the nation’s wellness a serious and singularly important goal.

It could not have been easy for a Minister to look at a population that has the ability to re-elect or defeat him and say nearly 80% of you are obese. It took courage to say the reason we need a lockdown is because the

LETTERS letters@tribunemedia.net Bahamian lifestyle is basically unhealthy and we have underlying conditions that could cause a pandemic to easily overwhelm our health care system and lead to an abnormally high mortality rate. It took fortitude to urge parents to do better, schools to change their menus, his own staff to commit to exercise and wellness.

On behalf of the executives, medical staff, and teams at our clinics in

Nassau, Spanish Wells and Palmetto Point, Eleuthera and our Board of Directors, thank you for your courage, Dr Sands, in the face of a fast-food loving nation to say the time has come to do better. May we all heed your plea.

We also wish the Acting Minister of Health, Prime Minister Dr The Most Hon Hubert Minnis, success. His fitness should serve as an example to the nation.

DIANE PHILLIPS, Chairman Bahamas Wellness Health System Nassau May 20, 2020

I would not be taking no for an answer from the PM READERS have been posting their reactions to the stories making the news this week on tribune242. com.

After Deputy Chief Medical Officer Dr Delon Brennen said he does not know why some Family Islands without COVID19 cases have not been allowed to resume normal commercial activity, Happyfly posted this comment: “Well I can tell you one thing: If I was the MP of somewhere in Eleuthera or Exuma right now, I would not be taking NO for an answer from the PM. Your political survival is being thrown down the toilet by a man who is obviously so out of his depth and flailing around with CV19 hysteria that he does not have the slightest grasp of the human suffering that the lockdown is causing. We have been in total lockdown for nearly three months folks. If this so-called doctor had any idea at all what was what, he would know that if zero people have symptoms by now, then it is perfectly safe to assume that the disease is not present. It is scientifically impossible for a small community to harbour CV19 for 10 weeks and nobody knows about it.”

Avidreader was looking ahead to the upcoming Budget presentation: “The time to start really worrying is after the Budget presentation in the House next Wednesday, May 27th.

When the reality of the destruction inflicted upon the local economy becomes widely recognised there will be great concern for public safety and order. Such concerns could drive the powers into another frenzy of measures to attempt to control a frustrated public.

Such repressive measures will only add to the problems.”

And Hrysippus said: “How refreshing to get a straightforward and honest

answer from one of the twenty thousand state employed workers whose salaries and pensions we have to pay for with our tax dollars. I could only wish that the other nineteen thousand nine hundred and ninety nine, or so, had the same level of courage and integrity.”

Grand Bahama civic leader Rev Glenroy Bethel says the 24-hour curfew and weekend lockdowns are “depriving” Bahamians of their constitutional rights to worship on Saturday and Sunday.

That prompted this response from Clamshell: “The government is not stopping anybody from worshipping. Any Christian who believes they need a big building and stained glass windows — or even a priest or a parking lot — to honour the Lord might wanna go back and reread the Gospel according to St Matthew.

I suspect somebody gettin’ squirrely ‘cause they ain’t able to pass the collection plate.”

Stillwaters said: “The churches can open their offices and their doors to people who want to do private worship. The churches expected that people would come to the offices with their tithes, but most people have no income to give 10% of.”

And Joeblow had this to say: “Biblical Christianity is rooted in having a relationship with God – that is a personal thing. Religion is rooted in trying to have a vicarious experience with God thorough customs and traditions-- like going to a particular building to worship or following a

particular form of worship.

The constitutionality of one having a relationship with God and expressing that how they choose is not in question!

“If pastors were the least bit concerned about the health and well being of their congregants at this time, they would encourage them to follow the law and strengthen their personal relationship with God. To do otherwise is suspect!!

Sandra Moss is angry that her son, a college student in Arkansas, has to pay Bahamasair to return to the country this week even though residents who were repatriated here during the first exercise flew on the airline free of charge.

Moncurcool had this reaction: “We have gotten so use in the Bahamas to believing that the government is our Saviour so everything should be free.

But then when taxes go up we complained. We cannot have it both ways. Somebody has to pay for all the stuff. If I was the son I would stay put and just go to graduate school. Why come back here? Honestly, government should have charged the first group from Ft Lauderdale, just as they were doing all along.”

That led to this from ThisIsOurs: “When the govt causes the problem it’s their responsibility to fix it at their cost. Can you imagine having a ticket for a flight home on the day they closed the airport? Or a day or two days later?

How is that trying to get a free ride? You had a ticket.

The govt with poor planning messed it up. The govt could have avoided all of this by telling citizens the airport will close in five days, get home. There was precedence because Trump had already done the same thing.”

Don’t miss your chance to join the debate on tribune242.com.

THE TRIBUNE

Thursday, May 21, 2020, PAGE 7

TWO FACE CHARGES FOR ATTACK ON GB GIRL GOVT IS FUMBLING, from page one

The statement read: “Around the have sought to demean and make world, this kind of hate crime – the fun of the victim on social media, targeting of a person with extreme a disgusting display of intolerance “Initial reports indicated that the violenceA5MAIN because of who they are – is and hatred that is perhaps more conaltercation was a result of a car acci- denounced as among the most repre- cerning than thePAGE incident itself,” the THE TRIBUNE Tuesday, August 6, 2019, 5 dent that occurred.” hensible modes of human conduct organisation commented.

In a statement yesterday, Rights imaginable. Our government should “What could be funny about a Bahamas condemned the “vile” beat- take heed: the appearance of this grown man repeatedly smashing a ing of the woman and claimed she was type of hatred and violence is always piece of wood into the back of a young attacked her this sexual from page onebecause of Earlier year orienthe Culmer a said the party go to the council for their Pineridge and the peoplehis friends punch signal of deeper underlying currents woman’s head while Pineridge Constituency Asso- has not received a formal decision.” of Pineridge are not only tation. When asked if moved the woman within societyMrand a warning and slap ciation to remove its was request from the Pineridge McAlpine defended of things FNMs.her?

They What are PLPs,does it say about constituency. We don’t executives, a group of people Constituency Association his performance in the and independents. targeted for that reason, a police offi- toMrcome.

It must be nipped us as DNAs a concern people that many consider think he would be offered said to be mostly loyal to the to remove McAlpine constituency yesterday, in the bud My is not about so a the nomination again.

In MP. The association held new from the FNM. citing his works, including small group of people who cial could not say what was the clear immediately and decisively.” this a source of humour and entertainthe House of Assembly, all elections last month and Ms “Until the association recently giving money to wish to manipulate the you hear from him is bash- Munnings was among those comes to theA party, there’s of students received thehas reportat their motive. video thewho incident ment?representative What are wewillto think when so ing of the party. Would elected. nothing we can do,” he said. highest GPAs at Sir Jack and fancy. I will continue to Rights demanded the you expect forBahamas people to circulated onSt Georges socialandmedia and many speak of the culprits are fellow women, “We don’t hear or see per“He’s theedly MP for the area Hayward, out and speak up on want that person to rep- anything from the member and until we or he makes a Tabernacle Baptist schools. behalf of the good and grapetrators to the fullest thenothing organisation expressed who should standing together in MP McAlpine. resent them? I be don’t prosecuted think of Parliament,” she said. move there’s that “At first they said I wasfrustration cious people be of Pineridge so. I have no whatlaw he “Only we hearthat from law we can do. Like any other too involved in the assoand I will make my decision extent ofidea the and time stated the public’s reactions. solidarity to oppose the many injusis holding out for now. He him is when someone call complaint,about we would have ciation and now they’re the people of Pineridge, not when it comes to the party needs to decide whatmust he andbe a group of people that may faced tell us he’s on social tototake it to the execu- Bahamas complaining even though along with people of enforcement committed “Rights also cries shame tices inthecommon as members of wants because right now we media. As it stands now, it’s tive body of the party who I’m allowing them to do have a special interest or Pineridge when necessary.” protecting don’t understand the it andmost he as ifvulnerable. ulterior motive.

My responwe don’t have an MP.” would then investigate the what they choose to do,” on the members of the public who an oppressed gender in this society?” doesn’t understand it.”

MCALPINE URGED TO RESIGN FROM FNM

FNM

chairman

Carl

complaint and then it would

Women claim police officers punched them in the face from page one

chest and yucked her out the car. The reaction from him yucking her is that she accidentally fling her hand and miss and hit him in his face or whatever. He then put her in a headlock and just started punching her in her face.”

Ms Laing did not readily comply with the officer’s demands, she admitted.

She cited his aggression and discourteous demeanor as justification. Ms Laing, who is about 5”2, said the “6”2” officer punched her five times in the face, the first knocking her to the ground.

She struggles, she said, to

he said. “I am representing

sibility is to the people of

Editorial View - Page 4

HOW The Tribune reported on the story last year

DEJAH Laing’s gashed eye and, inset, Samuel Humes who was driving.

come to terms with the fact that a man, particularly a police officer, would punch her so hard and so repeatedly.

Her friend, Aaliyah Bain, said she attracted the officer’s rage after willingly accompanying her arrested friend to the police station.

She said: “I went with her in the police car because I didn’t want her there with three male officers and while I was in the car I was speaking freely, saying ‘y’all wrong, ya’ll wrong, how y’all could do this to a female who way smaller than y’all. That’s when the guy who was

driving literally turn back and punch me in my mouth three times, directly in my face. My face was bruised, my lip has a cut under it and my teeth is cracked in the back.”

The women said they were initially taken to a police station cell, then to the clinic and then back to the station where they were interviewed, processed and allowed to leave without charge.

The trio were recently hired at Sandals Resort in Exuma and they fear the incident has disrupted their lives so much that they could lose their jobs.

Photo: Terrel W Carey Sr/Tribune Staff

“We ain even supposed to be taking days off right now,” Ms Laing said. “We don’t even know if we will have a job when we get back to Exuma.”

Sinte Roker, 19, visited them at the clinic and took the photos of Ms Laing’s bruised face which were circulated on Facebook.

One of the things she remembers most from the incident are the laughs of two of the officers present.

“When they were in the clinic sitting down they were there laughing and getting off so nonchalantly, two of the same set that were involved in all this,”

she said. “It was like they were in their own little land, like nothing happened or as if my cousin eye didn’t just get beat in.”

Police Commissioner Anthony Ferguson told The Tribune yesterday that the matter is under active investigation. “A team flew into Exuma yesterday evening to conduct investigation into the circumstances,” he said.

RBPF officials, however, rarely reveal investigation findings surrounding matters involving police conduct to the public, despite persistent questions from the press.

COURT DELAYS ACTION AGAINST OFFICER said he was about to be ticketed when he told the senior officer his two cousins were in the car.

“He rushed to the car like he had a demon,” he told The Tribune yesterday from inside a relative’s house off Carmichael Road. “He shouted for them to come out the car and the girls didn’t come out the car. He started putting his hand through the window to open the door.

He eventually got the car door open and when he did he slapped Dejah in her

from page one

related to matters concerning the judicial review application that has been filed until a determination has been made in the matter.

In an affidavit filed last year, Inspector Leary argued that Commissioner Paul Rolle, who was acting commissioner at the time, lacked jurisdiction and authority to interdict him and did so in contravention of the Police Force Act. He said Commissioner Rolle needed to have the proper instruments to wield the power of his office and

that an acting commissioner is not a substantive office holder. He said because of his senior rank, the governor general acting in accordance with the advice of the Police Service Commission after consulting the prime minister should have exercised disciplinary control over the situation.

He said the interdiction meant he has received only one-half of his salary, causing him “undue hardship and economic loss,” including the inability to make payments on his outstanding loan at the Bahamas Law Enforcement Credit Union.

He wants the Supreme

Court to order that the government compensate him for one-half of his loss of earnings since August 27 and that he be assigned police duties and receive his full salary.

Insp Leary was employed with the RBPF on July 13, 2000, according to his affidavit. On August 5, 2019, he was stationed at the Exuma Division when he received a RBPF discipline notice and report stating that a complaint had been made at the Complaints and Corruption Branch against him and that an investigation was being conducted.

Weeks later on August 27, by way of a letter from

23-YEAR-OLD ADMITS TRYING TO STAB NEIGHBOUR TO DEATH

By FARRAH JOHNSON fjohnson@tribunemedia.net

A 23-YEAR-OLD man yesterday admitted to threatening to stab his neighbour to death.

Cedric Cooper appeared before Magistrate Samuel McKinney for threatening Wellington Whymns with death on May 19 and assaulting him with a knife the same day.

He pleaded guilty to both charges and was placed on probation for two years.

The prosecution told the court around 3.30pm that

day, Mr Whymns was in the parking lot of a church spray painting a car when his neighbour, Cooper, approached him. He said Cooper was armed with a knife and told him to stop spraying the paint because the fumes were coming into his home.

Mr Whymns also told police Cooper was visibly upset and told him he would “juck him up and kill him”.

Acting on this information, officers arrested Cooper.

During an interview at a nearby station, he told officers he had told Whymns

that he would stab him that day. He was subsequently cautioned and charged.

During the hearing, Cooper asked the magistrate for mercy. He also apologised for his actions and insisted he had said things he didn’t mean in the heat of the moment.

In response, Magistrate McKinney placed Cooper on two years’ probation. He warned him if he violated the conditions of his probation, he would be fined $1,500 or spend six months at the Bahamas Department of Correctional Services.

FINED FOR BREAKING INTO LIQUOR STORE

By FARRAH JOHNSON fjohnson@tribunemedia.net

AN Eleuthera man was ordered to pay a $2,500 fine or face one year in prison for breaking into a liquor store on the island last month. Deon Cummings, 34, appeared before Magistrate Samuel McKinney charged with one count of shop breaking after he admitted to breaking into Darron Brown’s liquor store in Greencastle, Eleuthera, in April.

According to the prosecution, on the day in question, Mr Brown went to the Rock Sound Police Station

to report that his liquor store had been broken into in mid-April. He told the police he believed someone had broken into the store by prying off the door’s lock to gain entry. The prosecution said an investigation was launched which led to the arrest of Cummings who was subsequently cautioned and charged for the offence.

During the hearing, Cummings was represented by attorney Keith Seymour.

He told the magistrate that his client was not in his right frame of mind and said he didn’t believe prison would be the “right

form of punishment” for him. With that in mind, he asked Magistrate McKinney if Cummings could be admitted to the Sandilands Rehabilitation Centre (SRC) instead of being incarcerated as treatment would give Cummings an opportunity to return to a “simple life without a record over his head” once he completes his time there.

However, Magistrate McKinney noted that the SRC was not taking anymore patients at the moment due to the COVID-19 pandemic and fined the defendant $2,500 or one year in prison.

TWO MEN IN HOSPITAL AFTER SHOOTING

TWO men are in hospital after a shooting in New Providence on Tuesday. Police said shortly before 5pm, officers were alerted to gunshots on Montel Street, Montell Heights.

Officers responded and on their arrival at the scene, they received information that two adult males were shot. One of the victims was taken to hospital via a private vehicle prior to their arrival. The second

victim, who was on scene, presented visible injuries. He was transported to hospital by Emergency Medical Services.

The first victim is listed in critical condition and the second victim is listed in stable condition.

Anyone with information on this incident is asked to contact the Central Detective Unit at 502-9991/2, Crime Stoppers at 328TIPS (8477) or the nearest police station.

Mr Rolle, he was suspended from police duties with effect from that date on the grounds he was charged with four “major offences”, namely two counts of use of unnecessary violence to a person in the execution of his duties; and two counts of conduct of a major nature, which is contrary to discipline, good order and guidance of the RBPF.

MISSTEPPING AND BACKTRACKING, CLAIMS PLP LEADER

By EARYEL BOWLEG ebowleg@tribunemedia.net

PLP leader Philip “Brave” Davis criticised the government as “misstepping, backtracking” and “fumbling” in a pre-budget statement he delivered last night. He claimed the Minnis administration has cut the Ministry of Works’ capital budget, saying this hampers the work Bahamians could be doing.

He also accused Minister of Works Desmond Bannister of breaching Cabinet protocol by publicly requesting an increase in his capital allocation for the second year in a row.

Mr Bannister told Tribune Business earlier this month he would be “smiling from ear to ear” if he got his wish for a $500m budget for the ministry after the bridge linking Spanish Wells and Russell Island collapsed.

Last night, the Cat Island, Rum Cay & San Salvador MP said: “They have slashed the Ministry of Works’ capital budget, and I could call that shortsighted, but the better word for doing that in this economy is stupid. When we build or rebuild bridges, docks, seawalls and more in this country, we are hiring Bahamians and investing in a stronger country.

“But this year marks the second straight year where the minister of works has breached Cabinet protocol and publicly requested an increase in his capital allocation. We can guess what they’re likely to tell him.

Yet the folly and expense of depending on global supply chains have never been more obvious.”

Mr Davis questioned again why some islands with zero COVID-19 cases are open for business while Exuma, Eleuthera and San Salvador cannot and demanded the matter be dealt with now.

He called for the government to do more to prepare for hurricanes and highlighted the need for a stronger health infrastructure to fight future viruses.

He said: “Why shouldn’t our country finally lead other small island nations in a new fight for debt relief for the debts incurred by crises not of our own making? We need to lead the way. Don’t come at us with your small thinking anymore.

“We need to do more to prepare for and protect ourselves from hurricanes – hurricanes made more deadly and more destructive by the carbon emissions of other countries. Why shouldn’t those countries share some of that cost burden?

Don’t tell me it’s impossible when you haven’t even tried. And if viruses from other countries are going to be a new and recurring threat – and Ebola, MERS, SARS and COVID-19 are evidence enough for me – we need to invest in a stronger health infrastructure too, and not just in New Providence but on Grand Bahama and all our islands.”

Mr Davis also suggested waiving the fees for the taxi drivers and tour drivers who can’t renew their licenses at the moment so they can be back on their feet when visitors return.

PAGE 8, Thursday, May 21, 2020

THE TRIBUNE

FRONT PORCH

BY SIMON THE late Joseph Campbell, a professor of literature whose groundbreaking work in comparative religion and comparative mythology included the book and companion PBS series, The Power of Myth, recalled an exchange at an international conference in Japan.

Campbell overheard a conversation between a sociologist and a Shinto priest. After observing some of the rituals of a Shinto ceremony, the sociologist asked the priest about the religion’s theology. The priest responded: “We don’t have ideology.

We don’t have theology. We dance.”

The priest’s response calls to mind the pastoral ministry of Pastor Lawrence Rolle, often referred to as the Singing Bishop, who has a theology and who dances, both of which exemplify his spirituality and public ministry of love and joy.

Prophet Lawrence Rolle is well-known and beloved by many Bahamians, bringing mirth and joy to souls in need of encouragement.

He is not condemnatory and judgmental. His videos and preaching contain messages of spiritual simplicity including about celebrating life and the joy of living.

Many others reflexively dismiss him, often because they do not look deeper beyond his theatricality to appreciate his modern day

PASTOR Lawrence Rolle, pictured performing left and below, offers a certain joy, laughter and sense of freedom.

Photos: Shawn Hanna/Tribune Staff

Forget the naysayers, Lawrence Rolle’s spirit and joy delivers a message to uplift us all video parables about love, forgiveness, kindness and generosity.

He uses technology and social media to deploy these parables, often reaching more people than the mainstream churches,

many of which perennially lag behind in the use of technology and media for evangelization.

It is easy to judge that which we do not understand, which is why Pastor Rolle is often misjudged.

He is someone who teaches others about self-acceptance and the freedom to be oneself, which he does with humility.

A dear friend, who deeply appreciates Pastor Rolle’s spiritual and life messages, said it took her sometime to let go of her mindset and prejudice about him and to see beyond the surface in order to hear the lessons Rolle was offering.

Pastor Rolle often talks about those who go around flaunting their weave, horsey hair and long fingernails. It is a metaphor. He is speaking to all of us with our pretensions, conceits and materialism, our own forms of weave which may be in the form of luxury items, intellectual conceits and nose-in-the-air belief that we are better than others.

Charismatic One does not have to fully agree with his theology or all aspects of his ministry or his particular charismatic manner to appreciate his core messages and his ministry.

A self-proclaimed sinner who admits to many skeletons in his closet, Prophet Rolle is comfortable in his skin and expresses himself freely and joyfully, transcending the straitjacket of labels and the moral and intellectual boxes in which others may try to imprison his spirit. There is an earnest freedom about him, an infectious joy.

Pastor Rolle is not the flavour of the sophisticates and the high church congregants who may too easily dismiss him, some of whose closets of skeletons may be regular-sized and some whose closets may be as large as a luxury house in Albany, West Ridge, Lyford Cay or some other upscale or tony neighbourhood.

During a two-week ecumenical social and environmental justice immersion seminar in New York City some years ago at Union Theological Seminary, which exposed the participants to a variety of spiritualities and theological perspectives, this writer and others were encouraged to see beyond their denominational experience to find God in all things and in many places we might not expect.

One of the participants, a middle-aged white male religious minister in a mainline Protestant denomination, experienced an epiphany and the dawn of a deeper spirituality and prayer life at a small black church in Harlem.

The minister was profoundly inspired by the dynamic worship experience and daily ministry of the Harlem church to the poor, the hungry and the homeless, many of whom were HIV-positive and a number of whom were still quickly dying just under 10 years into the outbreak of the AIDS epidemic.

Later, during a reflection with other participants, the Protestant minister dissolved into tears, acknowledging he never expected to find God in such new ways in a small off-the-beaten-track or side road away from the main denominational boulevard and its major churches with which he was familiar.

A few weeks ago after another pastor attacked Pastor Rolle, he responded by offering the other pastor his love and forgiveness and admonished his accuser not to give up his anointing and to be dragged into the negativity circus and judgmentalism that is a part of the darkness and not the light.

Rolle refused to be sidetracked into an empty fight that would distract from his greater goal and mission.

During his broadcast programme Darold Miller went on air and joined scores of others who came to Pastor Rolle’s defence.

Reminded Mr Miller reminded the country that the spirit of Matthew 25:35 was alive on Second Street, the Grove, in a ministry at his church Pastor Rolle calls Labour of Love: “For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in.”

Pastor Rolle along with others from his church, personally cooks food year-round, feeding others in need. He welcomes strangers to eat and to enjoy fellowship, no matter their circumstance. He counsels those in difficult and sometimes abusive relationships. He offers many a break, a space, a time-out from the difficulties of life.

Just as he feeds bodies, Pastor Rolle also nourishes souls through his joy-filled videos and ministry. In a recent video he admonishes a potcake that lives in the churchyard: “The coronavirus is out.

You almost dead the other day. You too need to get saved. … You live in the churchyard and I hope you going to heaven. Say amen!”

The video is a metaphor.

He is admonishing all of us, including the churchgoers, many of whom think they are already saved or better than the non-churchgoers because they are regularly in church.

He is reminding us of our mortality and of the need for ongoing conversion and not to take salvation for granted. We are all spiritual potcakes no matter how sophisticated, materially well-off or educated and high class we might be.

We all need humility and an openness to finding God’s spirit in ways we may never expect.

Pastor Lawrence Rolle offers a certain joy, laughter, a sense of freedom and self-acceptance, non-pretension and an outreach ministry to the poor and the hurting that many of us would do well to appreciate and, if we can muster the courage and the will, to exemplify.

THE TRIBUNE

Thursday, May 21, 2020, PAGE 9

The great game’s new players the US and China

US president Donald Trump

IS China in the process of replacing Russia in the political and geo-strategic life of the United States?

Are the Americans about to get enmeshed in another decades-long Cold War with a new opponent to joust with in the ring of world affairs?

Six months ago, you could have gotten much longer odds on such a proposition. Last summer, the two-year-long Robert Mueller investigation into alleged Russian meddling in the 2016 US presidential election concluded with findings so ambiguous, legalistic and cautious that American President Donald Trump and his loyal Attorney General were able to blunt whatever sensational effect the longawaited report might have had.

Then, right on the heels of Mueller wrapping up his probe, Trump got busted for extorting the new, reform-minded President of Ukraine to produce some dirt on then putative and now certain Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden.

Even for Trump and his band of craven cronies, this was so outrageous that House Speaker Nancy Pelosi was forced to abandon her caution and initiate impeachment against Trump. That melodrama carried us into this new year.

While Ukraine has been independent from Russia since the Soviet Union broke apart and collapsed of its own massive inefficiency 30 years ago, most Americans would be extraordinarily hardpressed to differentiate between these two Slavic giants. For many in the US, the two nations, linked as they are by a controversial border and linguistic, religious and some significant cultural commonalities, are virtually the same nation.

While the Cold War officially ended in 1991, Russia has seldom been out of US headlines for long. But when Vladimir Putin emerged at the helm of Russia after a decade of corrupt, incompetent democratic experimentation at the turn of the century, the door to an American positive engagement in rebuilding Russia officially closed.

Putin is an unabashed Cold War warrior who openly yearns for a bygone era when the USSR contended with the US, at least militarily, on seemingly

STATESIDE with Charlie Harper even terms for influence in the world.

Mikhail Gorbachev had realised those days were over when he took over as the head of the Soviet government in 1985. After his attempts to restructure the rotting and inefficient Communist economy failed, he presided over the end of an empire and the end of the predominant international rivalry of the first 45 years after World War II. While Putin’s longing for the Soviet glory days ensures he enjoys much more popularity domestically than has any American President since Ronald Reagan, the fact remains he presides over a sprawling empire reliant on oil, natural gas and other raw materials for its foreign exchange and one forced to turn to cyber skullduggery, cynical military opportunism in the Middle East and elsewhere, and other dirty tricks to exert influence in the world of international politics.

Putin and the Russians are good at these activities.

But this is not the stuff of a bipolar international competition of relative equals with the US. Back in the mid-19th Century as the modern industrial age was starting to roll, iconic socialist theoretician Karl Marx wrote that imperialist nations needed foreign military conflict and economic confrontation to feed and stimulate their socioeconomic advancement.

American behaviour on the world stage over the past 60 years may represent a reasonable validation of Marx’s theories.

Following that logic, America needs someone with whom to spar. If Russia is not what it used to be four decades ago, who will step into the ring with our western neighbour?

The other protagonist on the international stage with America is now clearly China.

Despite stubbornly sticking to a Communist ideology that helps to justify repressive central political control, the Chinese leadership has fostered an

economy that ranks second only to the US in the world.

Shrewdly and resolutely pursuing global geopolitical interests, China, especially since gaining entry into the World Trade Organization at the start of this century, has come to exert influence in every corner of the world.

Even here. It is safe to say very few Bahamians can say their lives have been untouched by Chinese influence and investment in this country since Beijing replaced Taipei on the roster of Nassau’s foreign resident missions in 1997.

From Baha Mar to the port development at Freeport to numerous other public works projects, China has certainly made an impact in The Bahamas.

As we know, Bahamians are not unique in this regard. Chinese financing has exerted increasing influence throughout the world, from Burma and Sri Lanka to Sub-Saharan Africa to Central Asia to South America, elsewhere in the Caribbean and Italy.

Not to mention the United States. Though Chinese foreign direct investment in the US has dropped sharply since Trump ramped up the pressure for what he calls more equitable mutual trade and economic relations between the two giants, China and the US are still deeply enmeshed in each other’s financial affairs.

Does this mean we’re in for decades of aggressive rivalry between the US and China? Some think so.

Behind Trump’s posturing and bombast about China since before he was elected is a widely held perception – not just in the US – that China has accelerated its commercial advancement by means from unscrupulous to illegal. Brazen theft of other nations’ intellectual property is a frequent allegation.

When the American President fulfilled a campaign promise to face down the Chinese, many outside the US joined his domestic supporters in cheering, if often quietly.

In the present age of COVID-19, Trump called

NFL AGENTS SHOWING THE WAY AS the NFL continues to try to shrug off the coronavirus and begin preliminary preparations for its 2020 season, the league continues to try to deal with the uncomfortable fact that only four head coaches and two general managers are black or Hispanic in a league where nearly three quarters of the players are minorities. A proposal to offer incentives to teams that hire and retain minority coaches and executives was shelved at the owners’

meeting this week, but the issue will persist.

Less visibly, black “super agents” are making real progress in gaining a foothold in the lucrative business of representing NFL star players.

For the first time in league history last month, more than half of the players selected in the first round of the NFL draft were represented by black agents.

One of the most successful told reporters: “I

don’t go in saying ‘pick me because I’m black.’ Choose me because I’m the best to do the job. I’m well prepared, well educated.

Choose me because of my track record and body of work.”

That’s the attitude that led some black coaches to speak out against the approach offered by the league this week. So far at least, their agent counterparts are making more headway. But change does seem inevitable.

this scourge the “Chinese virus” for a while. His loyal ally and Secretary of State Mike Pompeo still issues regular press statements critical of China for its actions, or inaction, as the coronavirus has developed into a worldwide killer. The State Department and Chinese Foreign Ministry are presently engaged in a diplomatic row as they curtail the work visas for each other’s journalists.

The respected Pew Research Centre has found that Americans now view China more negatively than at any time in the past 15 years. Americans often criticise the now ubiquitous presence of Chinese (and other Asian) students in prestigious educational institutions in the US. “Why are we training their students when they’ll just try to steal our industrial secrets and use them

CHINESE president Xi Jinping

to get ahead of us?” is a common refrain. That view is sufficiently widespread in the US that its counterpoint became the focus of a major lawsuit last year.

A group representing Asian American students argued that Harvard University had favoured black and Hispanic applicants at their expense — a reversal of past affirmative action lawsuits in which the plaintiff complained that white students had been treated unfairly. Harvard successfully defended the suit, but its traces linger.

China’s leadership has hardly reacted quietly to these various provocations.

As befits a global behemoth, China has pushed back hard, mostly rhetorically for now. COVID-19’s origins in Wuhan may have besmirched China’s worldwide reputation, but Beijing’s plans and ambitions do not appear to have

abated. China is in the game to win.

Some respected scholars think the two nations are headed for inevitable, worsening long-term conflict. The director of the Centre for US-China relations at the respected Asia Society in New York told a business-based website that “we’re essentially in the beginnings of a Cold War. We are on a downward slide into something increasingly adversarial with China.”

London’s Financial Times was more measured, quoting a China expert who said of US-China relations that “strategic competition will remain the dominant paradigm going forward. The question is whether it tilts toward permanent and allout hostility.”

After the pandemic has hopefully subsided, and after the November US elections, we might see who was right.

PAGE 10, Thursday, May 21, 2020

THE TRIBUNE

IT’S BACK TO BUSINESS, BUT NOT BUSINESS AS USUAL NEW YORK Associated Press

This is what “normal” will look like for the foreseeable future. In Connecticut, restaurants are reopening with outdoor-only dining and tables 6 feet apart. In Beverly Hills, California, the rich and glamorous are doing their shopping from the curb along Rodeo Drive. And preschools around the US plan to turn social distancing into an arts-and-crafts project by teaching kids how to “create their own space” with things like yarn and masking tape.

As the US and other countries loosen their coronavirus restrictions, it’s back to business, but not business as usual. In fact, it is becoming all too clear that without a vaccine against the scourge,

the disruptions could be longlasting and the economy won’t be bouncing right back.

In Italy, where good food is an essential part of life, once-packed restaurants and cafes are facing a huge financial hit as they reopen with strict social distancing rules after a 10-week shutdown.

Experts warned that as many as one-third of the country’s restaurants and bars could go out of business, up to 300,000 jobs in the sector could vanish and losses could reach $32 billion this year.

“We have to turn upside down all the activity that we did before,” lamented chef Raffaele di Cristo, who must wear a mask and latex gloves as he prepares food at the popular Corsi Trattoria in Rome.

“Everything is changed.”

Corsi reopened this week with

half its tables removed to ensure the mandated 1-meter spacing.

Hand sanitizing gel was placed at the entrance, and a new ordering system was installed so that customers could read the menu on their phones instead of listening to waitresses recite the specials.

In Connecticut, restaurants that reopened yesterday for outdoor dining are required to rearrange workstations so that employees don’t face one another, and stagger shifts and break times to minimize contact among them. Markers must be installed to encourage customers to keep their distance from one another.

In Glastonbury, Connecticut, the Max Fish restaurant opened for lunch with 16 tables on outdoor patios. Customers filled

about half the tables in the early afternoon, and all the tables were reserved for dinner, general manager Brian Costa said.

Friends and retirees Debbie Lawrence and Jill Perry, who often ate out together before the outbreak, enjoyed a meal at Max Fish.

“It was terrific. It’s just wonderful to be outside,” Lawrence said.

“But I’m still a little leery of going to any stores.”

At the Crab Shell Restaurant on the waterfront in Stamford, co-owner James Clifford held up a roughly 6-foot-long stick he said he used to make sure chairs weren’t too close together. “I just hope the outdoor people don’t get greedy and they don’t overstep their bounds,” he said. “Because if you can’t get it right outdoors,

how can you get it indoors?”

In Fredericksburg, Virginia, one restaurant that recently reopened its patio has taken an extra step to reassure diners. The Colonial Tavern is taking staff members’ temperatures at the start of their shifts and posting the results for customers to see.

Amid the wave of reopenings, many Americans remain wary, according to a new survey from The Associated PressNORC Center for Public Affairs Research. The poll says 83% of Americans are at least somewhat concerned that lifting restrictions in their area will lead to additional infections.

The poll also exposed a widening partisan divide on the topic, with Democrats more cautious and Republicans less anxious.

SPAIN HEADS TO ANOTHER LOCKDOWN MADRID Associated Press

TOP: The graduation ceremony at Texas Motor Speedway in Fort Worth, Texas; left: A funeral for a COVID-19 victim in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil; right: Students at work in Daejeon, South Korea.

Trump threatens funds in battleground states WASHINGTON Associated Press PRESIDENT Donald Trump yesterday threatened to hold up federal funds for two election battleground states that are trying to make it easier and safer to vote during the coronavirus pandemic.

The president’s tweets targeting Michigan and Nevada marked an escalation in his campaign against voting by mail, a practice that he has publicly worried will lead so many people to vote that Republicans will lose in November. Even though the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends mail voting as a safe option during the pandemic, Trump has opposed the spread of the practice.

Wednesday marked the first time he has ried to use federal dollars to beat it back.

Trump began by targeting Michigan, with a false description of Democratic Secretary of State

Jocelyn Benson’s announcement Tuesday that she would send applications for absentee ballots to every voter in the state.

“Michigan sends absentee ballots to 7.7 million people ahead of Primaries and the General Election,” Trump tweeted yesterday morning, That brought strong criticism from Michigan and elsewhere, pointing out that the state was sending applications, not actual ballots.

About six hours after his original tweet, Trump corrected it to say “absentee ballot applications.”

He kept the rest intact: “This was done illegally and without authorisation by a rogue Secretary of State. I will ask to hold up funding to Michigan if they want to go down this Voter Fraud path!”

Trump later made a similar threat against Nevada, which has sent ballots to voters for its June 9 state primary. A federal judge recently cleared Nevada’s decision to mail

ballots, which were sent by the Republican secretary of state.

“State of Nevada ‘thinks’ that they can send out illegal vote by mail ballots, creating a great Voter Fraud scenario for the State and the U.S. They can’t! If they do, ‘I think’ I can hold up funds to the State. Sorry, but you must not cheat in elections,” Trump tweeted.

It was not clear what funds Trump was referencing. The states are paying for their elections changes through coronavirus relief spending measures the president signed into law.

Notably, the president did not threaten Republican-run states that are doing the same thing as Michigan. West Virginia Gov. Jim Justice, a Republican ally of the president, said he’s not concerned about Trump’s threats even though his administration approved mailing absentee ballot applications to all registered voters in the state.

“I can’t imagine that the

president is going to withhold funding in any way to West Virginia; that’s not gonna happen,” Justice told reporters.

Trump’s threats drew a sharp response from Democrats, who alluded to impeaching the president for his threats to withhold aid from Ukraine if that country did not help his reelection effort. “Trump has gone Ukraine on Michigan and Nevada, threatening to cut off funding for their audacity to not make voters choose between protecting their health and exercising their right to vote,” California Secretary of State Alex Padilla, a Democrat, said in a statement. “We will not allow our democracy to become a casualty of this pandemic.”

Trump has claimed absentee voting is ripe for fraud although there is scant evidence of widespread wrongdoing. Trump himself requested a mail ballot for Florida’s March GOP primary and he has voted absentee in previous elections.

SPAIN’S left-wing minority government yesterday succeeded in maintaining the country’s lockdown in place despite criticism from opposition parties, as the national parliament endorsed a new — the fifth in a row — two-week extension of the state of emergency.

Spain’s lockdown which has succeed in reining in a COVID-19 outbreak that has claimed over 27,000 lives in the country will now last at least until June 7. The government says at least one more twoweek extension will still be needed to complete what it considers a necessarily cautious return of centralized control over health policy to the governors of its 17 regions.

“The path we are on is the only one that can possibly beat the virus,” Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez told a chamber with only a handful of members to limit contagion risks. “Thanks to all the parliament members who have supported the state of emergency because with their vote they have saved thousands of lives.”

Parliament approved the government’s extension request by 177 votes to 161, with 11 abstentions.

MEXICO SETS JUNE 1 GOAL MEXICO Associated Press MEXICO City, one of the world’s largest cities and the epicentre of the country’s coronavirus epidemic, will begin a gradual reopening June 1, its mayor said, even as daily new infections continued to set records.

Mayor Claudia Sheinbaum called on the city’s 9 million residents to continue taking social distancing measures through June 15, but said some sectors of the economy would be allowed to resume operations when June opens.

Impatience with being shut up at home, household financial demands and a lack of any enforcement already drew more and more people back into the streets in recent weeks.

THE TRIBUNE

Thursday, May 21, 2020, PAGE 11

BORDER agents patrol on the US side of the razor-wire-covered border east of Nogales, Arizona PHOENIX Associated Press A NORTH Dakota construction company favoUred by President Donald Trump has received the largest contract to date to build a section of Trump’s signature wall along the US-Mexico border.

Republican US Sen. Kevin Cramer of North Dakota confirmed the $1.3 billion contract for building the 42-mile section of wall through “really tough terrain in the mountains” in Arizona. That’s about $30 million per mile.

Cramer said Fisher Sand and Gravel Co. offered the lowest price for the project.

He did not know how many companies bid.

Trump has promised to build 450 miles of wall along the border with Mexico by the end of the year. So far, the government has awarded millions

$1.3BN CONTRACT FOR BORDER WALL AWARDED of dollars in contracts for construction of 30-foot-tall barriers, along with new lighting, technology and infrastructure. The Trump administration says it has already built 187 miles of wall. Some of it is new, but most is replacing old, much shorter barriers that officials say were not sufficient.

The Army Corp of Engineers said that there was no set date to start or complete construction on the latest award. Construction will take place near Nogales, Arizona, and Sasabe, Arizona.

Cramer said the fence will be painted black because “that’s what the president wanted, plain and simple,” Cramer said.

The idea is that the black

wall would absorb heat making it more difficult for someone to scale, he said.

“That’s the president’s theory,” Cramer said. “Plus, it won’t be an ugly, rusty thing that everyone is putting up now.”

The US Army Corp of Engineers, which awards contracts, said Fisher was one of several companies chosen in May 2019 to partake in building $5 billion worth of border wall. This month’s contract to Fisher was part of that award.

Asked if there were any additional bidders for this latest contract, a spokesman said the agency couldn’t provide that information because of “procurement sensitivities.”

CYCLONE BATTERS INDIA AND BANGLADESH NEW DELHI Associated Press

A POWERFUL cyclone yesterday plowed inland after crashing into the coasts of India and Bangladesh, where more than 2.6 million people fled to shelters in a frantic evacuation made more challenging by the coronavirus pandemic.

Cyclone Amphan, the equivalent of a category 3 hurricane, was packing sustained winds of up to 170 kilometers per hour with maximum gusts of 190 kph.

Although the cyclone was expected to weaken as

it moved towards Bangladesh, authorities warned of extensive damage to flimsy houses and storm surges pushing seawater 25 kilometers inland, flooding cities including Kolkata.

The cyclone washed away bridges connecting Indian islands to the mainland and left many areas without electricity or phone service, West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee told reporters Wednesday evening. She said that while a clearer picture of the devastation would emerge by Thursday, there had been at least seven deaths.

“We are facing three crises: the coronavirus, the thousands of migrants who are returning home and now the cyclone,” said Banerjee, who is an opposition leader and one of the fiercest critics of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

The southern districts of the state were worst affected, officials said, adding the crisis was far from over, with strong winds likely to continue until early Thursday morning. Heavy rainfall was forecast for many parts of the state in the coming week.

PAGE 12, Thursday, May 21, 2020

THE TRIBUNE

Kendalia Turner graduates, heading home to celebrate FROM PAGE 13 Turner noted that she even had to take her classes online and, as an international student, she was limited to just one class at a time. She noted that she managed to get through it, completing her tenure with a 3.5 grade point average and making the Dean’s list for the third time.

With some spare time to begin her master’s degree, Turner said she’s looking forward to heading to Ontario, Canada, once the coronavirus has subsided to complete the MBA programme at the University of Windsor with the hopes of graduating by December 2021.

As a former studentathlete, Turner had an impressive sting with the Lions softball team where she was also captain and won the 2020 Softball Coach’s award.

They played in the Central

Atlantic Collegiate Conference where she was the Student-athlete Advisory Committee vice chair and captain. She was also the two term president of this committee at her school.

During her career, Turner coached a 14-and-under and 16U team with the ruthless softball organisation which is headed by USA softball Olympian Crystl Bustos. She was also manager of the on-campus gym.

As for academics, she received the Academic Excellence Award in Finance and was inducted into the Phi Eta Sigma, Delta Mu Delta, & Chi Alpha Sigma honour societies.

Turner was a NFCA AllAmerican Scholar-Athlete, Arthur Ashe SportsScholar, and an NCAA Division II Softball ScholarAthlete. She received the Division II AD Association Academic Achievement

Award and was a threetime selection to the CACC All-Academic Team.

Two of her biggest accomplishments included the New Jersey Association of Intercollegiate Athletics for Women 2020 Woman of the Year award and the Georgian Court University Presidential Award 2020.

Turner’s senior year was interrupted in March during spring training after they completed two trips to Florida where they compiled a 6-12 win-loss record.

She started in all but one of those games and rotated between lead off, eighth and ninth positions in the batting line-up because of her speed.

“We had lost two of our big batters to injuries and so we didn’t have the home run threat that we had when they were in the lineup,” Turner said. “Those bigs were important to us. We had to end up trying to win games with the small ball.

It took us a while to realise that we couldn’t win games without them.

“It was rough at first.

We couldn’t win as many games as we did before we went into spring training this year. But I still believed that we had the team that could have done well in our conference, if the games had continued to play.”

Considered to be a pleasant individual, who has a contagious smile, Turner said she was well-known around the small school campus.

“It was like one big family. Classes were good, just because we had such small classrooms, so I was able to be closer to my professors and the athletic department,” she said. “Everyone knew each other. That was what made it such an enjoyable experience for me.”

After spending two months locked down on campus, Turner moved to Pembroke Pines with Fischbach two and-a-half weeks

KENDALIA TURNER, in action above, graduated from Georgian Court University yesterday. ago. She said she purchased her ticket on Bahamasair and took her virus test to ensure that she can be a part of the resumption of the repatriation of Bahamians out of Fort Lauderdale.

She noted that she had arrived there before the first repatriation took place two weeks ago, but missed the cut when the first two flights left for New Providence and Grand Bahama.

She’s confident that she will make it out today on the first flight, if not she should be back home on the second flight on Saturday.

Once she gets back home, Turner said she has already advised her mother about getting a few items from the food store.

“I’m going to be eating good again,” said Turner, who is eager to taste some lamb chops, peas and rice and macaroni. “Once my quarantine period is up, still where you can go out outside, so I will be looking forward to working out with a little bit of softball.

“I had enough sitting down and couldn’t move type of thing. So I have

to get out and do some things that I couldn’t do in New Jersey because of the lockdown.”

When the coronavirus started to spread and schools were closed, Turner said while the majority of students were able to go home, which was in the adjacent areas of Philadelphia, Delaware and New York, she decided to stay in New Jersey with the hopes of ensuring that she was in place for her graduation.

“I didn’t move right away like the others,” she recalled of the coronavirus experience at the beginning in March because she still anticipated that there would have been a formal graduation taking place as originally scheduled.

“There was only about 15 persons on campus and everybody was literally staying to themselves, so I was basically in my room by myself for about two months. It was rough.”

When she got the opportunity to travel to Fort Lauderdale to stay with Fischbach, a utility player on the team, Turner said

she took advantage of it because it brought her closer to getting back home, even though it still seemed far away. “It’s been two and-a-half weeks and I am still not home,” she stated.

“It’s very nice for me to be here with my team-mate in Fort Lauderdale, but at some point, I want to be home.”

And to the Bahamian people who have been there supporting her through her journey, Turner said she wants to express her gratitude. “At first I took it for granted when people were congratulating me, but I realise that I did a big thing representing them,” she said. “So I’m just proud to say that I am a Bahamian and I had the opportunity to represent them to the best of my ability while playing softball and pursuing my college degree.

Thank you all.”

Hopefully, when she can return home on one of the Bahamasair flights this weekend, Turner said she will rekindle her relationship as soon as her quarantine period ends.

SPORTS SECTION E

PAGE 16

THURSDAY, MAY 21, 2020

Kendalia Turner graduates, heading home to celebrate

NCAA TO LIFT MORATORIUM ON FOOTBALL, BASKETBALL WORKOUTS

By STEVE MEGARGEE AP Sports Writer

Shortstop enjoys virtual graduation ceremony

By BRENT STUBBS Senior Sports Reporter bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

W

ith one of the most successful resumes as a collegiate female softball player under her belt, Kendalia Turner graduated from Georgian Court University yesterday and now she’s heading home for the celebration that was denied in Lakewood, New Jersey.

The 5-foot, 4-inch shortstop for the Lions’ ladies softball team had to view the virtual graduation ceremony from Pembroke Pines, Florida, where she stayed with team-mate Lindsey Fischbach.

Turner had made the move there two weeks ago to await one of the second set of repatriation flights for Bahamians from Fort Lauderdale to the Bahamas this weekend.

The 21-year-old Turner said she was eager to see how the graduation ceremony unfolded as it was done for the first time virtually online. Nonetheless, she was still thrilled to have received her major degree in business administration and a minor in accounting.

Fischbach, whom she shared the moment with, earned her degree in exercise science.

Turner was anticipating having her parents Kendal Sr and Vashti Turner, sister Mia, brother Kendal Jr and other members of her family attend the graduation in New Jersey. But the spread of the coronavirus changed all of the plans as schools were closed and the publicly attended graduation ceremony was called off.

The COVID-19 pandemic also cancelled Turner’s senior season, which was her last one and obviously it prevented her from going out in style.

“With this being your last year, you wanted to make it very special, but I didn’t have the opportunity to play. So that was sad,” Turner said.

KENDALIA Turner graduated from Georgian Court University yesterday.

SEE PAGE 12

BURROWS SIGNS WITH FOS PROVENCE-BASKET BYERS IN FRENCH PRO B LEAGUE

By RENALDO DORSETT Tribune Sports Reporter rdorsett@tribunemedia.net JARAUN “Kino” Burrows is set to make a return to a former club as he makes another move in the LNB French Pro B League.

Burrows has signed with the FOS Provence-Basket Byers for the upcoming season which will mark his second stint with the team.

The veteran forward spent last season in the LNB French Pro B League with Aix-Maurienne Savoie. In 22 games with the club, he averaged 13.8 points, 5.8 rebounds, 2.9 assists and 1.3 steals per game. He was also named league Player of the Week twice.

The two teams met several times last season, twice in the regular season and once in the Paris Leaders’ Cup. Burrows averaged 18 points per game in the three meetings.

Burrows first signed with the Byers in April 2017 for a lateseason playoff run. In 12 games, he averaged 10.7 points, four rebounds and three assists in just over 25 minutes per game and the team reached the Pro B semi-finals.

In 2018, in his first full season with the club, Burrows averaged 13.9 points on 61.5 per cent shooting from the field and 5.1 rebounds in just over 25 minutes per game.

He helped the club to a French LNB Pro B title and was granted

BURROWS

promotion to Pro A for the first time in club history. Following the title, he reached an agreement on a contract extension with the club.

The following year, Burrows concluded his previous stint with the Byers in an injury plagued season when he averaged 8.6 points and 3.4 rebounds per game.

Prior to his French debut, he spent the bulk of the 2016-17 season for Hapoel Haifa in Israel’s Liga Leumit - the second tier level league in the country. He appeared in a total of 26 games for them and averaged 21.7 points and 9.8 rebounds per game.

The 6’8”, 220-pound veteran forward’s career has also included stops in Sweden, Finland, Eastern Europe and South America.

THE NCAA Division I Council voted yesterday to lift a moratorium on voluntary workouts by football and basketball players effective June 1 as a growing number of college leaders expressed confidence that fall sports will be possible in some form despite concerns about the coronavirus pandemic.

The decision was confirmed by two people with direct knowledge of the vote who spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because the NCAA had not announced details. A decision on other sports was pending.

One of the people who spoke to the AP said the decision clears the way for individual workouts by athletes, mostly on their own, subject to safety and health protocols decided by their schools or local health officials..

From Notre Dame to LSU and more, a number of schools have announced plans to reopen campuses for the fall semester and conferences have begun setting up plans for how to play football amid the pandemic. The latest came this week with the Florida State system announcing plans for its 12 schools and more than 420,000 students.

Many questions remain, including specific safety protocols and whether fans would be allowed if games proceed.

Ohio State athletic director Gene Smith said in conference call yesterday that he believes the Buckeyes could safely play home games with 20,000 to 30,000 fans in its 105,000-seat stadium.

Smith said he hadn’t figured out yet how those 20,000 to 30,000 spectators would be chosen. He said masks and other precautions would be required to prevent the spread of COVID-19.

Smith added that Ohio State is ready to open the 15,000-square-foot Woody Hayes Athletic Center to athletes starting June 8 if the NCAA allows it.

About 10 players at a time would be allowed to work out on staggered scheduled with social-distancing and other hygiene precautions in place. Some coaches returned to the complex on a limited basis this week.

Other schools also are looking into ways they can hold workouts as safely as possible. Middle Tennessee athletic director Chris Massaro said his school plans to take the temperature of players daily and make sure they are wearing masks.

IOC sets aside $800m for loans, payments linked to pandemic

By RENALDO DORSETT Tribune Sports Reporter rdorsett@tribunemedia.net THE International Olympic Committee (IOC) has earmarked a fund of $800m to bear the costs of the postponed Tokyo 2020 Olympics and support “the wider Olympic movement.”

According to a press release issued by the organisation, the fund will include “an aid package” of $150 million for the Olympic Movement, including the International Federations (IFs), the National Olympic Committees (NOCs) and the IOC-Recognised Organisations, to enable them to continue their sports, their activities and their support to their athletes.

The bulk of the fund, $650 million, is set to cover the cost for the organisation of the postponed games.

International Federations, National Olympic Committees and IOC-Recognised Organisations are able to benefit from the aid package .

“This funding is meant to help them continue their mission to develop their sports, prepare for the Olympic Games and support their athletes. The IOC and its stakeholders are still going through the analysis process to assess the needs on a case-by-case basis.”

The announcement came just days after the Bahamas Olympic Committee announced the formation of an Athletes’ Welfare

Commission. The commission’s responsibility will be to support athletes through various means during the pandemic.

“The commission will be in direct contact with athletes who are Olympic bound and their federations to see what assistance they require,” BOC president Rommel Knowles told The Tribune.

“We know that the majority of athletes will be looking for financial assistance and for those athletes that do, we will assist as best as we can. But we also know that some of the athletes might need physiological training to get through this pandemic. Some might just need someone to talk to. Maybe they might need to speak to a fitness expert to ensure

that they are staying fit. Whatever the needs are from the Welfare Commission, we want to be able to be there for them.”

The commission, fully staffed and managed by a committee, will be headed by BOC vice president Roy Colebrook.

Olympic Solidarity increased its budget for athlete programmes by $15 million, which includes scholarships for over 1,600 athletes from 185 NOCs. They also increased the budget for IOC subsidies for the participation of NOCs in the Olympic Games by $10.3 million. This additional budget will allow Olympic Solidarity to make available additional funds relating to exceptional Games-related costs incurred by NOCs due to the

postponement of the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020.

IOC President Thomas Bach said: “The Olympic Movement is facing an unprecedented challenge. The IOC has to organise postponed Olympic Games for the first time ever, and has to help its stakeholders come through this global crisis. This new situation will need all our solidarity, creativity, determination and flexibility.

“We shall all need to make sacrifices and compromises.

Extraordinary circumstances call for extraordinary measures. This situation requires every one of us to do our part, and this applies to all of us, including the IOC. With today’s financial plans, we are addressing these needs.”

PAGE 14, Thursday, May 21, 2020

MLS ALL-STAR GAME IN LA CANCELLED DUE TO PANDEMIC NEW YORK (AP) — Major League Soccer’s All-Star Game has been cancelled for the first time in its quarter-century history because of the coronavirus pandemic.

MLS All-Stars had been scheduled to play counterparts from Mexico’s Liga MX on July 29 at Banc of California Stadium in Los Angeles. MLS said Tuesday that the 2021 game will take place at Banc of California Stadium, most likely against All-Stars from Liga MX. The third Campeones Cup between the MLS and Liga MX champions also was cancelled, along with the second edition of the Leagues Cup between teams from those two leagues.

MLS was stopped two games into its season in mid-March because of the pandemic. The league is considering having all 26 teams resume play with a tournament at Walt Disney World outside Orlando, Florida.

The league and the MLS Players Association have exchanged proposals on how to resume play. The union estimates the league’s offer would cost players $220 million over time and that its proposal would cut $100 million from 2020 salaries that total about $310 million.

THE TRIBUNE

CAS to hear Man City’s appeal against two-year ban in June

By GRAHAM DUNBAR AP Sports Writer GENEVA (AP) — Manchester City’s appeal against a two-year ban from European soccer will be heard over three days in June, the Court of Arbitration for Sport said on Tuesday.

CAS set aside June 8-10 for the case. It is unclear if a hearing will be held by video link or in person at the court in Lausanne, Switzerland.

No timetable was set for a verdict but a ruling is needed before English teams enter next season’s Champions League draw.

The draw in Monaco is scheduled for August 27 but could be pushed back because of the fallout from the coronavirus pandemic.

Man City was banned

by UEFA in February for “serious breaches” of financial monitoring rules and failing to cooperate with investigators.

The English champions have been accused of deceiving UEFA in order

to comply with Financial Fair Play regulations.

Announcing its verdict three months ago, UEFA said City was guilty of “overstating its sponsorship revenue in its accounts and in the break-even information submitted to UEFA between 2012 and 2016.”

UEFA also fined Man City 30 million euros ($33 million) after an investigation that was sparked by leaks of internal club correspondence published in November 2018

by German magazine Der Spiegel.

The emails and documents, likely obtained by hacking, appeared to show that City overstated sponsorship revenue and masked the source of revenue from deals to tied to the club’s owners in the Abu Dhabi royal family.

The club has denied wrongdoing.

‘They are simply not true,” City CEO Ferran Soriano said of the allegations in February in an in-house interview.

REAL MADRID’S ISCO, right, duels for the ball with Manchester City’s Kyle Walker during the Champions League, round of 16, first leg soccer match between Real Madrid and Manchester City at Santiago Bernabeu stadium in Madrid, Spain, February 26.

(AP Photo/Manu Fernandez) “We have to be respectful as we have been of this process.”

City failed with a previous appeal at CAS which

tried to block UEFA-apppointed judges from taking on the case presented by club finance investigators.

Three CAS judges ruled

that appeal was not valid last November.

During the UEFA investigation, City won its fourth Premier League title in eight seasons.

City continued to play in this season’s Champions League after the ban for two future seasons was announced.

In the round of 16, City beat Real Madrid in the first leg in Spain.

The return game has been postponed since March and is not due to be played until August.

UEFA is hoping to complete the competition by the end of August.

City is in second place behind runaway leader Liverpool in the Premier League.

If a ban by UEFA is upheld, the fifth-place team is likely to take City’s place in the next Champions League.

A subsequent appeal is also possible at Switzerland’s supreme court in Lausanne, but likely only on narrow procedural grounds.

ROBERTO MARTÍNEZ SIGNS NEW DEAL AS COACH OF BELGIUM

By SAMUEL PETREQUIN and STEVE DOUGLAS AP Sports Writers BRUSSELS (AP) — Roberto Martínez signed a new contract to lead Belgium through the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, saying Wednesday he had “unfinished business” with the top-ranked national team following the postponement of this year’s European Championship.

Martínez took charge in 2016 and led Belgium to the World Cup semi-finals in 2018 in his first major international tournament as a head coach. His team has been No. 1 in

the FIFA rankings since the end of 2018.

With its generation of brilliant players, including Eden Hazard and Kevin De Bruyne, Belgium would have been among the favourites for Euro 2020 but the tournament has had to be pushed back a year because of the coronavirus outbreak.

Martínez’s deal was due to expire this summer but he said he had no hesitation extending it.

“It would have been a real shame to break that relationship before the Euros can be played,” the 46-year-old Spanish coach said in a virtual news conference.

“It was a process of feeling that the job wasn’t finished,” he added.

“Almost a feeling of unfinished business.”

A former coach at Premier League teams Everton and Wigan, Martínez now has an all-embracing role with the Belgian federation because he has doubled up as its technical director since November 2018. He will continue in that position until after the 2022 World Cup, too.

Part of his remit, Martínez said, would be to help develop some of his star players — he name-checked De Bruyne, Jan Vertonghen, Axel Witsel, Dries

STRONG FINISH FOR ESPN’S JORDAN DOC, ‘THE LAST DANCE’

AP Sports Writer Cliff Brunt and his 14-year-old son, Elias, watch the final episodes of The Last Dance in Oklahoma City on Sunday, May 17. For the past five weeks, the docuseries that revisited Michael Jordan’s basketball career gave them something to look forward to during the coronavirus pandemic and helped them connect their generations.

(Christina MushiBrunt via AP)

By DAVID BAUDER AP Media Writer

VIRUS DIARY: Of pandemics, parenting and Michael Jordan

By CLIFF BRUNT AP Sports Writer OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — Back in the day, I watched Michael Jordan drop 63 on the Boston Celtics on a small blackand-white TV with dials. I was a teenager as Jordan became a global icon. I remember the crazy dunks, the commercials, the baggy shorts and the shoes.

Now, as a pandemic slowed America, I found an unexpected, unforgettable bonding experience emerging in my home. And Michael Jordan was right at the centre of it.

“The Last Dance,” a 10-part ESPN docuseries that chronicled Jordan’s basketball career, helped me build a stronger connection with my 14-year-old son, Elias.

Each Sunday for the past month, Elias and I grilled. He handled the hot dogs; I took care of the burgers and brats. Then we watched both episodes, uninterrupted. After that, we watched the shows that talked about what we’d just watched. Then we shared

Mertens, Thomas Meunier and Romelu Lukaku — into coaches so Belgium can stay at the top of world soccer.

“I think the real enjoyment of the two jobs,” said Martínez.

Martínez was speaking from his family home in Wigan, northwest England, “is you can approach it with bringing insight that a head coach has of the Red Devils and spread it as a technical director and be able to affect the other angles.

“It would have been impossible to do this when I arrived in 2016 but now I feel I understand all the football institutions.”

what we hoped would be in the upcoming episodes.

To hear him discuss events from that era with his friends as though they just happened has been music to my ears.

Jordan’s cultural influence has remained strong through his Air Jordan shoes, and now Elias has a better understanding of the man behind them. After watching the series, Elias wants a pair of Jordans just as badly as I did back when the originals came out in 1984.

But he hasn’t been just talking about MJ. He’s been talking about Scottie Pippen, Charles Barkley, Isiah Thomas, Reggie Miller, Larry Bird, Clyde Drexler, Gary Payton and Karl Malone — in some cases as they were trending on Twitter.

The series has brought light to a golden era of hoops unlike any other.

And I have learned things about my son. I would never have guessed the person he would relate to most was the eccentric Dennis Rodman.

But when Elias helped Highland West Junior High win back-to-back city championships the past two years, he was Rodman-like — a strong rebounder who hustled, defended multiple positions and was mentally and physically tough. It makes perfect sense.

As for Rodman the person?

Elias found him entertaining. As pro wrestling fans, we got a kick out of Rodman skipping finals practice to show up with Hulk Hogan on WCW Nitro. As Elias astutely put it, Hogan is one of the only people it would make sense to ditch Michael Jordan for.

Elias understood why Mike was so hard on his teammates. You can’t argue with the results, he said. When he plays at Southmoore High School, I imagine he will be the Pippen of his team — the one who uplifts others.

Throughout much of the series, Elias held a ball in his hands.

He often would go step-by-step through Jordan’s movements.

After all these years, His Airness

still makes kids want to pick up a ball at all hours. It’s frustrating that Elias can’t go out right now and try his new moves against his friends.

One gift from the series that wasn’t about Mike: the music.

Elias heard L.L. Cool J’s “I’m Bad” and Kool Moe Dee’s “How Ya Like Me Now” and immediately wanted to hear more. He loved OutKast’s “Rosa Parks,” Black Sheep’s “The Choice is Yours” and Naughty By Nature’s “Hip Hop Hooray.” He didn’t just hear the old-school sound. He felt it and was changed.

Sunday’s two shows were the final ones for “The Last Dance.”

And for the first time, my son and I felt the loss of something we enjoyed that started after the onset of the pandemic.

A beautiful thing happened after the last episode. Instead of talking about what we wanted to see next, Elias and I talked about saving the time slot and continuing to bond.

Something good has come of this pandemic after all.

NEW YORK (AP) — In basketball terms, “The Last Dance” had a strong fourth quarter.

The last two episodes of the 10-part Michael Jordan documentary, strung out over the last five Sunday nights, averaged 5.9 million viewers, the Nielsen company said. It was simulcast on ESPN and ESPN2.

That’s easily the highestrated documentary project ever for the sports network. It was also a desperately-needed bright spot for ESPN, which has been suffering because of the absence of live sporting events during the coronavirus pandemic.

It was considered such a high-profile event that some newspaper sports pages — also deprived of material — have covered the documentary like its own event.

“The exceptional content of the series has cut through culturally and sparked conversations far beyond ESPN platforms,” said Connor Schell, the network’s executive vice president for content.

The series also had a consistency that the former Chicago Bulls star would appreciate.

Live viewership for each episode ranged between 4.9 and 6.3 million people, meaning viewers kept coming back, Nielsen said.

The live count will also ultimately be a fraction of the series’ impact. Adding delayed viewing through DVRs and reruns, the first episode has already been seen nearly 15 million times, ESPN said.

ESPN hopes to make Sunday night documentarywatching a habit among its viewers. In the next month, the network has scheduled films about disgraced cyclist Lance Armstrong, martial arts star Bruce Lee and the 1998 home run race between Mark McGwire and Sammy Sosa.

THE TRIBUNE

Thursday, May 21, 2020, PAGE 15

START OF NASCAR RACE AT DARLINGTON RACEWAY DELAYED BY RAIN DARLINGTON, S.C. (AP) — Rain has delayed the start of NASCAR’s first Cup race on a Wednesday since 1984.

The event scheduled at Darlington Raceway would be the second race since the coronavirus pandemic caused a suspension of the season March 13. NASCAR successfully made its return Sunday by using a a strict health protocol and limiting those in attendance to only the most essential for conducting a race.

Kevin Harvick won Sunday’s race at Darlington for the 50th win of his career. NASCAR has used an inversion system based on the results of Sunday night’s race to set the field and Harvick will start 20th. Ryan Preece will start on the pole.

Fox Sports is again broadcasting the race primarily from a studio in Charlotte, North Carolina, with just one pit reporter at Darlington. For its pre-race show, drivers have been using varying technology to make brief appearances while sitting alone in their motorhomes.

Drivers had to travel to the track alone, pass through a health screening upon arrival and then isolate before the race. They are required to wear face masks and had a variety of styles ranging from ones with team logos, to disposable surgical masks and Denny Hamlin seemed to have one that depicted his actual smile.

NASCAR has an ambitious return plan of 20 races spanning its three national series between Sunday’s return and June 21. Spectators are not expected to be permitted to any of the events in this span.

Rain disrupted the schedule Tuesday night when the Xfinity Series was washed out.

That race is now scheduled to be held this afternoon.

Should NASCAR not be able to complete the Cup race, it would try again Thursday night in a doubleheader.

The second stop at Darlington this week is scheduled to be a 300-mile race, 100 miles shorter than Sunday.

Utah’s Mike Conley waiting for news, like the rest of the NBA

By TIM REYNOLDS AP Basketball Writer MIKE Conley is waiting for further instructions. So is the rest of the NBA. The league is continuing to work through multiple return-to-play scenarios, with two people with knowledge of the situation saying yesterday that Orlando — which has been talked about for several weeks — along with Las Vegas and Houston remain under consideration. The people spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because the league has made no final decisions.

More than half of the league’s teams have now opened facilities for voluntary player workouts, with Minnesota expected to be the next to do so today.

Utah is among the teams that has opened, but Conley is still at his home in Ohio and has yet to return to Salt Lake City for those sessions at the Jazz facility.

“I’ve been working as if we’re coming back,” Conley said yesterday. “If anything, I’d like to know a direction, just to know whether to keep putting the foot on the pedal or, you know, back off a little bit and rest easier if we’re not playing until the following year and following season. So,

MIKE CONLEY (AP) I think it just is going to be a wait-and-see kind of game. I’ll be ready, one way or another.”

Also yesterday, Jared Dudley of the LA Lakers said he is “90 per cent confident” that the NBA is coming back this season and that he believes players owe it to the fans to try and finish the year.

But Dudley also said that the notion of the league resuming in a “bubble” has been misguided, and that players will be allowed to leave the NBA campus, wherever it is — knowing they’ll be running a risk by doing that.

“If you come back with corona, you can’t play,”

Dudley said. “So we’re going to be tested all the time, and so it would be smart of teams ... all the top guys that we have, we’ll be wrapping them in bubble and not letting them go anywhere. Let’s just be honest, they can’t leave. And so, you would want that to be a team rule.”

Yesterday marked the end of the 10th week since the NBA shut down on March 11, a move that came once it was known that Jazz centre Rudy Gobert tested positive for the coronavirus. The pandemic halted a season that had 259 games left to play, but none of those games have been officially cancelled yet.

Ordinarily, the NBA would be into the conference-finals portion of the playoff schedule at this point. Players who were paid May 15 saw 25 per cent of those cheques withheld in anticipation of some games being cancelled, and if no more regular-season games are played they could lose a total of about $850 million in gross salary.

The league remains hopeful that some sort of decision on whether the season can resume can be made in the coming weeks. Commissioner Adam Silver detailed a twoto-four-week window when he met with members of the National Basketball Players

AP source: WNBA teams to cut rosters down to 12 by May 26

By DOUG FEINBERG AP Basketball Writer

NEW YORK (AP) — WNBA teams will have to get their rosters down to 12

by May 26 so players can get paid starting June 1, a person familiar with the situation told The Associated Press.

The person spoke to The AP on condition of anonymity Tuesday night because the roster deadline had not been officially announced.

The league and the players’ union are still working out many details of how often players will get paid and how much.

Those negotiations largely depend on the length and start date of the season.

Players who are waived over the next week won’t get paid, but they will receive benefits through June 30, the person told The AP. The WNBA offered rookies health benefits starting May 1.

Veteran players receive year-round benefits.

Teams usually have to cut their rosters down to 12 before the regular season begins, which would have been this past weekend.

The league postponed the start of the season in early April because of the coronavirus pandemic.

Cutting down the rosters isn’t a sign that the league is going to begin anytime soon. On Friday, WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert told The AP the

AN UNUSUAL RING TO IT: NATS OPT FOR VIRTUAL SERIES CEREMONY WASHINGTON (AP) — The Washington Nationals will unveil their World Series championship rings during a “virtual” ceremony shown on television and online Sunday -- an unprecedented approach brought about by the coronavirus pandemic.

With the start of the Major League Baseball season on hold because of the COVID-19 outbreak, Nationals owner Mark Lerner said Tuesday night he hopes the plan to show off the team’s hardware would provide “a moment of joy in these uncertain times.”

Teams typically unveil their title rings at a home stadium packed with fans.

“We don’t know when we’ll all be together again

WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert speaks at a news conference before Game 1 of basketball’s WNBA Finals in Washington. Engelbert said in a phone interview with The Associated Press on May 15 that the league is focusing on about a half dozen scenarios to play this summer during the coronavirus pandemic. Engelbert did not go into detail about each scenario, but said that they are looking at playing in either one or a couple of sites at most instead of at every home arena.

(AP Photo/Patrick Semansky)

league is focusing on about a half-dozen scenarios to play this summer. The commissioner said it was at Nationals Park,” Lerner important that the players said during the announce- got paid on June 1 — the ment Tuesday on MASN, date they were scheduled the local television channel the team shares with the Baltimore Orioles.

The ring ceremony will be shown on MASN, MLB Network and online.

BRISTOL, Conn. (AP) Lerner noted that the — “Peyton’s Places,” an ceremony falls on May 24, Emmy-nominated ESPN now a key date in Nation- series in which Peyton als history. A year ago, Manning takes a lightWashington went into that hearted look at the history day of the calendar with a of the NFL, will return for 19-31 record before start- a second season. ing a turnaround that led to ESPN said yesterday the franchise’s first World that the new season will Series appearance and include 15 episodes on championship.

ESPN+, its streaming serLerner also said that a vice, and will run from documentary about Wash- Thanksgiving through the ington’s 2019 season, Super Bowl.

“Improbable” will be Manning, a record shown in two parts on Sat- five-time NFL Most Valuurday and Sunday. able Player who becomes

to start getting paid for the season before the pandemic hit.

Most teams have already cut down their rosters to 15 players with a few already at 12. It’s going to be tough

for some teams to get down to 12 without seeing players in training camp.

The New York Liberty had 15 players on their roster as of Tuesday night.

Of those, six are rookies.

‘PEYTON’S PLACES’ TO RETURN TO ESPN+ FOR 2ND SEASON eligible for the Pro Football Hall of Fame in January, hosted the 30-episode docuseries in 2019 as part of the NFL’s celebration of its 100th season.

His travels across America led to Manning throwing passes from a New York skyscraper to Hall of Fame receiver Cris Carter on the ground; dressing like Elvis Presley for an impromptu touch football game at Graceland; and riding in a Hupmobile — the league’s founding occurred in a showroom for that car.

An executive producer of the series, Manning again will work with a team of NFL Films senior producers to choose the people, places and stories in the series.

“In preparing for Season 1, we identified so many interesting stories but didn’t have enough time to tell even a fraction of them,” he said.

“I’m thrilled to bring the show back to ESPN+ for a second season so we can continue to dive into the great history of the NFL.”

Association electronically on May 8, and that window would theoretically end June 5.

The next steps would likely include additional guidance from the league on when teams can expand their voluntary workouts; at this point, no more than four players are allowed in a facility at a given time, and some have enacted even stricter policies on their own. From there, a plan for training camps would likely follow, and when those camps — which will almost certainly be preceded by a quarantine period — begin, games could follow potentially as soon as three weeks later.

Should all that happen, camps could start in June and games may resume in July. There are still a litany of issues to work out, such as all the details surrounding testing, which the league has said would have to be part of any return-to-play scenario.

“We’re going to be back as soon as we hear even more encouraging, positive news from our league,” Conley said.

“What I’ve heard as far as from the COVID standpoint, I think things have gotten better. So, I think that it eases a lot of our ... reservations of not wanting to leave our homes.”

EX-NFL STAR CHAD JOHNSON LEAVES $1,000 TIP AT FLORIDA RESTAURANT COOPER CITY, Fla. (AP) — Former NFL star Chad Johnson left a $1,000 tip for his waiter after dining at a restaurant in Florida that recently reopened amid the coronavirus outbreak.

“Congrats on re-opening, sorry about the pandemic, hope this helps. I LOVE YOU,” Johnson wrote Monday on his $37 tab.

He tweeted a photo of the receipt from Havana’s Cuban Cuisine in Cooper City with the caption “Proverbs 11:25,” a bible verse that states “a generous person will prosper, whoever refreshes others will be refreshed.”

The restaurant also shared a photo of Johnson’s receipt on Facebook to thank the former NFL wide receiver for his “continued patronage” and generosity to their employees during “these most difficult times.”

Restaurants in Broward County were allowed to reopen dine-in service Monday with 25 per cent limited indoor capacity, about two months after they closed due to the coronavirus pandemic. Restaurants with outdoor seating would have to keep tables 6 feet (2 metres) apart.

Other restaurants and retail shops in Florida started opening earlier this month after Governor Ron DeSantis loosened some restrictions under the stayat-home order.

Johnson spent most of his NFL career with the Cincinnati Bengals, played one year with the New England Patriots and participated in a training camp with the Miami Dolphins before he was cut from the team.

PAGE 16, Thursday, May 21, 2020

THE TRIBUNE

AP ANALYSIS: NFL TAKING BABY STEPS TOWARD REOPENINGS

By BARRY WILNER AP Sports Writer

would have been taking place.

THE NFL is taking baby steps toward full reopenings for its teams. It has no other choice.

No long throws downfield. Mostly halfback dives into the line.

There are so many issues that must be addressed with the opening of team facilities across the nation. Just because a handful of clubs returned executives and other staff — no coaches or players — to their complexes on Tuesday does not foreshadow a quick return to business as usual. Or close to it.

For one thing — a very major thing — there’s competitive balance to consider.

“Competitive issues are always important and they always are considered in a way to try to preserve equitable treatment of all 32 clubs,” said Jeff Pash, the NFL’s chief legal counsel.

“And certainly, our goal will be to have all 32 clubs operating on a consistent basis.”

• Here are some of the challenges the teams face at a time when organised team activities (OTAs), followed

by June on-field minicamps,

GOVERNMENT RESTRICTIONS At least a dozen franchises had no chance to begin the reopening process this week because state or local municipalities barred it. All four California teams — the Raiders still count because their current training facility is in Alameda — and both New Jersey clubs fall in that category.

“We are not opening up,” Ravens President Dick Cass said Tuesday.

“In Maryland, we are deemed to be a non-essential business. Under local and state regulations, we remain closed and we will remain closed until the governor permits us to open up.

“Right now, it would be great to have our players back. But I don’t see that happening anytime soon.”

TESTING As Dr Allen Sills, the NFL’s chief medical officer, noted during a conference call following the team owners’ virtual meeting Tuesday: “We’re not putting dates on the calendar at this point” concerning

CLEVELAND Browns defensive end Myles Garrett walks through the locker room at the NFL football team’s training camp facility in Berea, Ohio, on December 30, 2019. The NFL is taking baby steps toward full reopenings for its teams. It has no other choice. Consider social distancing. This could be the most difficult task of all. (AP) getting coaches and players into team complexes.

“We feel there are certain important steps that need to occur with regard to testing, with regard to test availability, with regard to test reliability, and our continued evolution of understanding about how to manage exposure,” he added.

“All of those things continue to evolve, and when we and the players association together feel like we’re at a point of satisfaction with that science, then we’ll be ready to move forward.

“We’re moving as fast as the science and the data takes us.”

Cass was willing to put a time frame on it — somewhat.

“We believe by the time of training camp (late July), we’ll be able to test players and coaches multiple times a week, and be able to get the results fairly quickly,” he said. “I think there’s a really good shot that we’ll be OK.” SOCIAL DISTANCING This could be the most difficult task of all.

Consider the need to spread out dressing stalls, for example. Normally, players are practically shoulder to shoulder in locker rooms. Indeed, in training camp, makeshift lockers are installed to accommodate the extra load.

After stringent workouts or practices, many players head for the tubs. When one is done, another soon climbs in.

There’s no way that will work any longer. Teams must consider installing more tubs and separating

them. So add plumbers and contractors to the list of folks in facilities.

Same thing for the everpopular weight room, which often has two dozen or more players at work.

Schedules for who can be in there and when must be compiled. Equipment managers and even trainers will be charged with frequent disinfecting chores.

Meeting rooms are designed for large groups, making social distancing a huge challenge when coaches and players can actually hold those get-togethers.

“The hope around the league is that Phase 1 of reopening demonstrates our ability to operate in a safe manner, allowing more staff (including coaches) to gradually return to the office soon,” Broncos President Joe Ellis wrote in a memo to organisation members.

“Although there is currently no set timeline for when this next phase of expanded facility access could begin, we should remain prepared in the event that it occurs in the very near future.”

After many baby steps are taken.

NFL studying helmet face guard that works like surgical mask

By PAUL NEWBERRY AP Sports Writer ATLANTA (AP) — With an eye toward getting back on the field during a pandemic, the NFL is working on a helmet face guard that might provide the same sort of protection as a surgical mask.

Atlanta Falcons president Rich McKay, who heads up the league’s competition committee, said the issue was raised during a conference call about a month ago.

“A lot of players have played with a clear shield to protect their eyes,” McKay said Tuesday during a video conference call with Atlanta media.

“This would be extended even further.”

Thom Mayer, who is medical director of the NFL Players Association, said league engineers and sports equipment company Oakley are testing prototypes of a modified face mask that might contain surgical or N95 material.

“I had suggested that we should consider novel and emerging ways to handle the helmets and the face masks and the spread of the virus,” Mayer said on a podcast with ESPN’s Adam Schefter.

“These guys got the bit between their teeth.”

Work on the face mask is far enough along that “there will

A RIDDELL SpeedFlex helmet sits next to a computer screen displaying information from the InSite tool. (AP) probably be a recommendation” to use it when the league begins its preseason schedule in August, according to Mayer.

Oakley is already contracted by the NFL to provide visors that

some players use on their face masks.

The company also has developed durable eyeglasses for the military that are designed not to fog up — technology that may prove useful in its latest project.

The new coverings would likely have to cover the entire face mask.

“They’ve got some prototypes,” Mayer told Schefter. “Some of them, when you first look at them, you think, ‘Gosh, no’ because you’re not used to seeing it.

You’re just not used to seeing it.

But they’re looking at every issue you can imagine, including when it fogs up. What do we do with

that? But these guys are used to dealing with this stuff.”

McKay said he expects the new face masks would quickly gain acceptance, assuming they meet two main standards.

“They’ve got to be comfortable for the players,” he said. “And they’ve got to be safe.”

While McKay has never been a fan on the tinted visors that some players already use, he’s learned to accept that look.

“I understood that some players needed it because of their eyes,” McKay said. “In this instance, if this is what the doctors in the medical field think is needed, then we should look into it.”