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Volume: 118 No.123, May 21, 2021

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WE MUST BE READY FOR NEXT DISASTER

COVID JOKES TO HELP EASE OUR ANXIETY

SEE PAGE EIGHT

POLICE QUIZ TWO BOYS Coroners action list to improve response ‘DOUBLE KILLER’ ACCUSED OVER FATAL STABBING in national tragedies

By LEANDRA ROLLE Tribune Staff Reporter lrolle@tribunemedia.net A CORONER gave several recommendations yesterday to help strengthen the country’s response to natural crises, citing the need for a mass fatality plan and the mobilisation of a missing persons call centre.

Coroner Jeannine Weech-Gomez’s comments

POLICE have two boys in custody who are suspected of being the assailants behind a fatal stabbing at Government High School this week.

The juveniles are assisting police with their investigation.

Kenm Paul, 15, and another GHS student were stabbed on Tuesday at the campus.

Kenm died while the other was taken to the SEE PAGE FIVE

came during the inquest into the presumed deaths of some 34 people reported missing after Hurricane Dorian in 2019.

The first part of the inquest, which concluded yesterday, was held in an effort to answer questions about the circumstances surrounding the presumed deaths of the missing people.

Dozens of people have SEE PAGE THREE

ATLANTIS’ PAYMENT PROPOSAL REJECTED

$500 FIXED PENALTY IN CANNABIS LAW DRAFT

By RASHAD ROLLE Tribune Senior Reporter rrolle@tribunmedia.net PEOPLE who are caught with two ounces of cannabis or less would face a fixed penalty of $500 if a draft amendment to the Dangerous Drugs Act which circulated this week becomes law.

The penalty, if finalised, would be one of the largest fines in the region among countries that have decriminalised small amounts of

marijuana. The maximum fine in St Vincent and the Grenadines for having two ounces of cannabis or less is $185 while the fine in Jamaica is only $5. Some Caribbean countries offer no penalties for possessing specified amounts of marijuana.

Valentino Elliot, the president of Marijuana Bahamas, a cannabis advocacy group, said yesterday that government officials assured his group SEE PAGE THREE

By NEIL HARTNELL Tribune Business Editor nhartnell@tribunemedia.net

DOMINIQUE Rolle is pictured outside court yesterday. He was charged with two counts each of murder and attempted murder in connection with a shooting incident that left two men dead, and two other men injured last week. See page seven. Photo: Donavan McIntosh/Tribune staff

VAT RISE ON $1M HOME SALES

By NEIL HARTNELL Tribune Business Editor nhartnell@tribunemedia.net

THE Government is mulling whether to increase the VAT rate to 12 percent on all property sales worth $1m and above as part of next week’s Budget measures to plug a multi-million dollar revenue gap.

Multiple government officials, speaking on condition of anonymity, told Tribune Business there was a strong belief within the Minnis

THE ELISIUM on Paradise Island. administration that “the very hot market” for highend Bahamian properties will be able to easily withstand this two percentage

point increase.

The present structure levies VAT at just 2.5 percent on real estate sales transactions worth up to $100,000, with 10 percent applied to all other deals, thereby giving the Ministry of Finance scope to target deep-pocketed buyers with higher tax rates to help pay for the debt and deficit blow-outs caused by COVID-19 and Hurricane Dorian.

SEE BUSINESS SECTION

Nassau & Bahama Islands’ Leading Newspaper

THE hotel union’s president yesterday said the 700 terminated Atlantis workers have been advised not to accept their redundancy payouts through the three installments offered by the resort.

Darrin Woods, the Bahamas Hotel, Catering and Allied Workers Union (BHCAWU) chief, told Tribune Business that a communication had been sent to both union and non-union workers urging them not to accept a formula that contravenes the Employment Act.

SEE BUSINESS SECTION

THE TRIBUNE WILL BE BACK ON NEWSSTANDS ON TUESDAY AFTER THE WHIT MONDAY HOLIDAY

PAGE 2, Friday, May 21, 2021

THE TRIBUNE

GIANT HARBOUR BAY TREE CUT DOWN FOR thousands of shoppers used to visiting Harbour Bay plaza the giant silk cotton tree standing majestically at the Shirley Street entrance was a heartwarming sight.

Sadly no more. Yesterday visitors arrived to the sight of the tree cut down and lying in pieces on the ground.

Recently workmen had been seen trimming branches which had been damaged by termites.

Sadly, it appears, the damage caused was too severe and the tree had been rotten and dangerous.

What a crying shame that nothing appears to have been done to look after the tree’s health; treat it, if possible, at the first sign of infestation.

Now, as so often happens, it is too late.

PHOTOS: Donavan McIntosh/Tribune staff

THE TRIBUNE

Friday, May 21, 2021, PAGE 3

DEATH CERTIFICATES TO BE ISSUED TO FAMILIES OF FIVE DORIAN VICTIMS

By LEANDRA ROLLE Tribune Staff Reporter lrolle@tribunemedia.net

A CORONER’s Court yesterday ordered that death certificates be issued to the families of five victims who died during Hurricane Dorian in 2019 after ruling that drowning was their most likely cause of death.

In a written ruling handed down yesterday, Coroner Jeannine WeechGomez ordered for death certificates to be issued to the families of James Capron, Jeffrey Danis, Melida Almazie, Antonio Outten and Claudine Byfield Etienne.

Four of the victims, who were previously reported as missing, were officially confirmed dead after their bodies were positively identified by police by DNA analysis.

Yesterday, Coroner Weech-Gomez labelled the likely cause of death for all the named victims as “drowning”.

“I have ordered that the death certificates be completed by the pathologists to reflect the names on their respective death certificates that were initially labeled as unknown and the families be permitted to collect those death certificates through the registrar general,” she told the court.

Coroner Weech-Gomez’s comments came as she concluded the first part of an inquest into the presumed deaths of people reported missing following the massive storm in 2019.

The inquest, which began in April, was done in an effort to answer questions about who the missing people were and the circumstances surrounding their presumed deaths.

It was also meant to bring some official closure

A PILOT and a passenger onboard a twin engine aircraft walked away unscathed after their plane crash landed at the San Andros Airport yesterday.

Police said around noon on Thursday, the pilot of a twin engine BeechCraft Baron executed an emergency crash landing at the San Andros Airport after experiencing landing gear failure.

The pilot, who was accompanied by a passenger, successfully landed the aircraft on its underside on the airstrip, police said.

They both got out of the aircraft uninjured.

The Bahamas Civil Aviation will continue investigations into this incident.

DAMAGE from Hurricane Dorian in Abaco in 2019.

to family members concerning their deaths.

The Coroner’s Court’s list of missing people includes about 35 individuals.

However, the court has only heard from relatives of some 17 victims reported as missing.

These include people whose remains were never found or were never positively identified through DNA. Victims identified by family members who testified include Kathleen Farquharson, Modena Hepburn, Myeisha and Jendayia Edgecombe, Emmanuel Saintil, Alphonse Laguerre, Michael Dawkins Sr, Melik Moultrie, Juanita Lowe, Lee Roy Lowe, Astrid

Stratton, Constance Schneider, Emile Raphile, Nildiese Vincent, Ezra Davis and Rose Marie Lubin.

Yesterday, Coroner Weech-Gomez said while “there was no doubt” that the missing people were indeed dead, she could not order for death certificates to be given to relatives as her court did not have the authority to do so.

She advised that family members will instead be given a copy of her written ruling and will be allowed to request a death certificate for their respective loved ones at the registrar general’s department.

Dorian hit Abaco on September 1, 2019, as a Category Five storm. The

storm’s official death toll is 74, however many more people remain missing.

“Hurricane Dorian was the deadliest hurricane to strike the Bahamas in recent history,” Coroner Weech-Gomez said.

“We have not in modern days seen an event which has caused so much death, havoc and unspoken pain.”

After Coroner Weech Gomez gave her ruling, The Tribune contacted family members who had testified during the Dorian inquest for a reaction.

Emily Bethel, who testified late last month about her missing aunt and uncle—Juanita and Lee Roy Lowe—described the ruling as good news and added that it would give the

family closure.

“That would be a help because we’ve been trying to finalize some things and we need the death certificate for that, you know. So, we would like to know,” she said.

However, Ms Bethel said the family would still like to hear back from police officials concerning the DNA samples submitted by relatives to help locate her aunt’s and uncle’s bodies.

She said: “We haven’t heard anything and we would’ve liked to have heard that they had a match...because we have a picture of (my aunt’s) body on the back of a truck, but what they did with the body, I have no clue.”

WE MUST BE READY FOR NEXT DISASTER FROM PAGE ONE since given testimony about their efforts to find missing loved ones.

Others, including officials from the Royal Bahamas Police Force, spoke about their experiences to assist with recovery efforts in the aftermath of the storm.

Yesterday, Coroner WeechGomez praised the heroic efforts of officers and civilians who helped rescue those affected by Dorian.

“Among the sorrow, loss and suffering there were acts of courage, compassion and dedication,” she noted.

“There were instances of police and Defence Force officers, family members of those at risk and members of the public assisting in rescue efforts that were clearly extremely

treacherous and dangerous. However, without these acts of bravery and commitment it is clear much more lives would have been lost.

I sincerely thank and commend all those that were involved in any rescue or attempt.

“I wish to again convey my sincere sympathy to the family and friends of all the victims.”

She also said that because of climate change among other things, it is important the nation continues “to take steps to be better prepared”.

In view of this, she recommended that “methods must be taken to develop and implement public communication methods and, in particular, the mobilising of a missing persons call centre.”

She told the court: “Preparations

should be made to ensure victims, staff and volunteers receive professional help to reduce the adverse impact on their mental health.

Steps should be taken to invest in amphibious crafts to better assist persons during a hurricane.”

Coroner Weech-Gomez also referred to recommendations made by local pathologist Dr Kiko Bridgewater, who testified in the inquest late last month.

Dr Bridgewater, who was a member of the Dorian mass fatality response team, called for the implementation of a national mass fatality plan and a national forensic morgue separate from Princess Margaret Hospital.

Yesterday, the coroner also recommended “that a mass fatality team be incorporated with all the

stakeholders and proper training exercises take place to better prepare for such instances.”

She added that a mobile mortuary unit needed to be established “which can be transported by sea to any island or cay where mass fatality events may occur” as was previously noted by Dr Bridgewater.

“Current climate and meteorological literature points towards an increased risk of weather-related disasters in the future, therefore it is important we continue to take steps to be better prepared,” Coroner Weech-Gomez added.

“It is my opinion that in such situations our goal must be to show respect for the dead as well as compassion for the living.”

$500 FIXED PENALTY IN CANNABIS LAW DRAFT

FROM PAGE ONE

during a meeting last month that the leaked bill is not the final version of the legislation.

He said they met Attorney General Carl Bethel, Agriculture & Fisheries Minister Michael Pintard and others in April through Zoom to discuss the draft amendment and the draft Medicinal Cannabis Bill, which was also leaked this week.

Asked yesterday if the leaked draft is the final version of the document, Attorney General Carl Bethel said: “No comment on any leaked document.”

Among other things, the bill does not give special rights to Rastafarians and other religious groups to possess or cultivate cannabis as the Bahamas National Commission on Marijuana recommended in its 2020 report.

The bill, Mr Elliot said, “closed off the industrial, religious and recreational uses of marijuana and only concentrates on the medicinal purposes. That was one of the primary concerns we had with it.”

He said his group also asked officials to change the $500 fine for possessing two

PILOT AND PASSENGER UNHURT AFTER PLANE CRASH LANDS

ounces of cannabis or less, saying the fine is too hefty.

It would remain illegal to possess any amount of marijuana for non-medical purposes in The Bahamas if the draft legislation passes Parliament and is enacted. However, people caught with two ounces or less of the substance would be given a notice similar to what traffic violators receive when they commit offences. They would not be arrested or detained.

According to the draft bill, people would have 30 days from the date of their notice to pay their penalty to the Public Treasury in New Providence or

in Grand Bahama or to any Magistrate’s Court or Administrator’s Office on other islands.

Police officers can refer people to the National Drug Council or another body prescribed by the minister if a person in possession of two ounces of cannabis or less is either under 18 or is older than 18 but has received a fixed penalty notice more than once within a three month period.

People who do not pay the fixed penalty would be required to perform unpaid work for no fewer than 40 hours and no more than 360 hours as specified by courts.

Judges can fine such people $1,000 if they are not satisfied that arrangements can be made for them to perform work under an order or for them to be properly supervised.

Under the draft bill, people who have more than two ounces of cannabis could still face severe punishment, including up to ten years in prison or a fine not exceeding $100,000.

Last year, the Bahamas National Commission on Marijuana recommended decriminalising possession of up to one ounce of marijuana but did not recommend a penalty for being caught with that amount.

In New York, the penalty for two ounces of marijuana or less is a fine that ranges from $50 to $200. In Dominica, people over 18 are allowed to have up to 28 grams of marijuana without penalty. In Trinidad & Tobago, there are no penalties for possession of under 30 grams of marijuana.

Renaldo Cartwright, the founder of Marijuana Bahamas, said yesterday that a $500 fine for possession of two ounces of marijuana or less would be “ridiculous”.

“It disenfranchises people who are poor,” he

said. “They don’t have no money to pay the fine.

And why [are] we giving Bahamians any fines for a joint or two joints? They [are] trying to make it seem like they [are] doing us a favour by saying it isn’t an arrestable (sic) offence but I feel like it doesn’t make a difference.”

Mr Cartwright also criticised the fact that the bill does not allow people to cultivate small amounts of cannabis plants at their place of residence for non-medical purposes as is allowed in some countries that have decriminalised possession of small amounts marijuana, including Jamaica, Trinidad and Tobago and Dominica.

The Bahamas National Commission on Marijuana recommended that cannabis be legalised as a sacrament for Rastafarians and other groups that use the substance as such. The commission further recommended that such groups be allowed to cultivate cannabis for sacramental use in zoned or regulated areas. However, the leaked bill does not accommodate these recommendations; it does not allow people to possess marijuana for religious purposes.

STEAK-OUT FOR VICTIMS OF POTTER’S CAY FIRE

By EARYEL BOWLEG Tribune Staff Reporter ebowleg@tribunemedia.net

A STEAK-OUT will be held Saturday to help raise funds for the Potter’s Cay fire victims.

President of the Bahamas Dock and Allied Vendors Association Wendi Constantine said whatever is raised will go towards assisting vendors.

Agriculture and Marine Resources Minister Michael Pintard previously noted that contributions in terms of building materials for the victims would be made.

However, the association president said nothing has materialised yet.

“They spoke of some things but nothing has come into fruition yet.

We have not gotten any concrete answers as to when those things will come into fruition,” she said.

However, the steakout is receiving some support by a few unions. Rock Morris, Trade Union Congress (TUC) general secretary, is not happy with the government’s response thus far.

“I am not satisfied that sufficient (work) is being done by the Bahamas government.

I honestly believe that if this was an employer operation, even though these persons are independent businesspersons, if this was a big employer [who] got caught up, more attention would be given to them.

“So I’m disappointed as a trade unionist that this present government is not doing sufficient to assist persons. Now they [will] tell you that they got all sorts of plans but unfortunately their plans are kept someplace hidden and we have to guess what it’s all [about].”

The association president thanked Tourism Minister Dionisio D’Aguilar for his contribution and showed appreciation to companies such as Bahamian Brewery and Caribbean Bottling Co for their assistance.

In April, a fire at Potter’s Cay left six stalls completely burned to the ground and two others with damage.

Two boats were also destroyed.

PAGE 4, Friday, May 21, 2021

75 NEW CASES OF COVID-19, ONE DEATH THE Ministry of Health recorded 75 new cases of COVID-19 on Wednesday and one additional death.

The country now has 11,396 confirmed COVID19 cases and 222 deaths.

The latest death is a 73-year-old New Providence woman who died on May 19. Twenty-six other deaths are under investigation.

Of the 75 new cases, 61 are in New Providence, two are in Grand Bahama, two are in the Berry Islands and two are in Andros.

At last report, 51 people were in hospital with the virus, four of whom are in intensive care.

As of Wednesday, 94,058 tests had been completed with 371 completed that day.

This comes as officials continue to appeal to residents 18 and older to get vaccinated.

To make an appointment online, visit vax.gov. bs or one of the walk-up sites at the Kendal G L Isaacs Gym, Baha Mar, Church of God of Prophecy on East St and St Anselm’s Church Hall on Bernard Rd.

NEW RULES FOR COOK-OUTS AND INDOOR CINEMAS

AN amendment to the Emergency Powers (COVID-19 Pandemic Order) issued last night allows for cook-outs, steak-outs or souse-outs to be held once the sale of food is conducted by drive-through or takeaway.

No alcoholic beverages can be sold at these events.

And as first noted in the new emergency order issued on Sunday, yesterday’s amendment also says that indoor cinemas cannot operate.

After more than 11 months of forced COVID-19 closures, indoor cinemas were only given the greenlight from the government to operate in February before this latest change.

In addition to indoor cinemas, the order issued on Sunday also prohibits the following businesses/ activities for islands listed in schedule two: a bar, nightclub or cultural/ entertainment facility; a regatta, festival, or play; spas; craft and straw markets and jet ski operations. Outdoor cinemas are permitted.

These restrictions apply to Abaco, Eleuthera, Exuma, New Providence and Paradise Island.

The amended order issued yesterday also imposes an 8pm to 5am curfew on Andros, the Berry Islands and Cat Island, a measure Prime Minister Dr Hubert Minnis announced on Wednesday.

THE TRIBUNE

AG: What is going on is not acceptable

By RASHAD ROLLE Tribune Senior Reporter rrolle@tribunmedia.net

ATTORNEY General Carl Bethel blasted developed countries for hoarding COVID-19 vaccines during a debate in the Senate yesterday.

Although he did not highlight the Unites States of America by name, he alluded to the country during his commentary.

His comment came after Progressive Liberal Party Senator Fred Mitchell praised countries around the world for helping with vaccines.

“I hear the generous comments from the member opposite for the developed world but it is only India that sent us any vaccines, only India,” Mr Bethel said. “The others we paid for through the COVAX Facility and even the director general of the World Health Organisation himself has publicly condemned the behaviour of the developed world in terms of the vaccines.

“I hear promises of making vaccine distributions available quote ‘once they have been found to be safe.’ Well, AstraZeneca has unquestionably been found to be safe. I hear all about 60 million doses in storage. I haven’t seen the first donation.

India crippled by this with

less than five percent of its population vaccinated even though it is a major producer and licensed producer and [has] copyright for all of these major international vaccine companies, because that’s where the labour [is] cheap. They can’t get vaccines.

“I hear a lot of talk internationally but I don’t see no action. Talk is cheap, money buy land.

So if the director general of the World Health Organisation can publicly condemn vaccine nationalism among his major donors, can I who see the same thing not also make the same observation?

And I’m not going to give to anyone any sentiments that I don’t actually feel on this matter because there are hundreds of millions of poor, brown-skinned, black-skinned people who have no access whatsoever around this world to vaccination. So, you know, we have to speak truth to power. What is going on is not acceptable.”

Last month, the White House announced the US will share up to 60 million of its AstraZeneca vaccines with other countries and that the doses will be exported in the coming months after a federal review. This week, US President Joe Biden

“So if the director general of the World Health Organisation can publicly condemn vaccine nationalism among his major donors, can I who see the same thing not also make the same observation?”

Attorney General Carl Bethel pledged another 20 million vaccine doses.

During a telephone briefing yesterday, a US official said that country has not made a final decision yet on which countries will benefit from America’s promised vaccine sharing but stressed that the COVID-19 situation in CARICOM and Latin American nations has been “front of mind”.

The Chinese Embassy in the Bahamas, meanwhile, has been in talks with the Bahamian government about potentially providing supplies of China’s COVID-19 Sinopharm vaccine which the WHO recently approved for emergency use.

The Minnis administration’s appetite for the vaccine is unclear.

Family Islands restrictions ‘appropriate at this stage’

By EARYEL BOWLEG Tribune Staff Reporter ebowleg@tribunemedia.net

WHILE there is opposition in some quarters to new curfew restrictions put on several Family Islands due to emerging COVID-19 cases, the head of the Consultant Physicians Staff Association suggested the measure is appropriate at this stage.

On Wednesday, Prime Minister Dr Hubert Minnis announced the daily curfew on Andros, the Berry Islands and Cat Island will be 8pm to 5am.

He said health teams were headed to those islands for outbreak investigation.

When asked yesterday

DR Sabriquet Pinder-Butler. about her thoughts on the move, Dr Sabriquet Pinder-Butler said: “I’m not surprised that unfortunately this would have happened because we already knew that we were perhaps having those cases but just unfortunately there might have been delays with reporting or with them actually speaking to the numbers that have impacted those islands.

Spread “Certainly, when we talk about the government being able to put things in place swiftly that will help to mitigate the spread. I think that is something that is good, if indeed we are working in that direction because we know that with persons being able to move freely between the islands – and I think this is one of our concerns when we talk about persons being able to travel and the testing, that may be removed as a step to allow us to see especially when persons may not even have to quarantine.

“It’s certainly something that we have to keep in view. Unfortunately, we also know that through the islands perhaps persons are getting antigen tests which are not being

recorded in our numbers, so our numbers are perhaps higher than what we’re seeing and so when things happen we know that we have to be able to put certain measures to continue to safeguard the country.”

In addition to officials putting in restrictions where necessary, she said people need to take personal responsibility for their health as well.

“We have to take that very seriously and I think some of those other islands have perhaps a larger population of even older persons, which are persons unfortunately that aren’t necessarily faring as well with COVID and might have more severe illness. So I think perhaps those measures may be appropriate at this stage and then we’ll have to watch the trends.”

Progressive Liberal Party candidate for Mangrove Cay and South Andros Leon Lundy has raised concerns about the curfew and called for exemptions this crab season.

“The Prime Minister, who is also the Minister of Finance, must know that Andros is on the cusp of the crab season which provides an economic boost for an already struggling economy,” Mr Lundy

said in a statement. “This blanket approach is neither practical nor prudent in these circumstances.

The practice of catching crabs is not done in group settings; it is achieved by individual or family groups – which implies that social distancing is a natural feature. Last year around this same period, exemptions were made to allow for individuals and families to conduct their ‘crab catching’. It is imperative that the Competent Authority allow for exemptions this time around also.”

He added: “Any economic shock, such as this curfew, could prove detrimental to families who depend on crab season to provide a real and financial injection into their pockets, and to the overall economy of Andros.

Should we have our people who are willing to

PROGRESSIVE Liberal Party candidate for Mangrove Cay and South Andros Leon Lundy. put in the work for their living now be subjected to social assistance through National Insurance or Social Services?”

As of May 1, fully

vaccinated people can travel to The Bahamas without a negative COVID-19 RT-PCR test.

Fully vaccinated travellers within the country are exempted from test requirements when travelling to and from New Providence, Grand Bahama, Abaco, Exuma and Eleuthera.

Dr Pinder-Butler has urged caution in this regard, saying even vaccinated people can still spread the virus.

Numbers “We know that persons can still transmit disease even though the numbers are thought to be low. We have yet to say that persons haven’t been able to transmit the virus and so when it happens we still have to continue to practice those safety measures such as washing our hands, social distancing, wearing our masks. Making sure that we understand that we don’t drop our guards because persons perhaps have the virus before they get vaccinated which means that they can still perhaps pass it on to other persons, we don’t know.

“If persons aren’t being tested, who is following up on those persons—will it be through the health visas that I understand are still in place? We just don’t know and even though at best we want those measures to be in place the reality is we perhaps may not have sufficient capacity to properly do surveillance amongst our people.

“We want to say, yes, we could have other things with our police officers and our COVID police, but do we have sufficient staff? Are we placing additional burdens on those persons as well who are also trying to safeguard our country in other means?”

THE TRIBUNE

Friday, May 21, 2021, PAGE 5

POLICE QUIZ TWO BOYS OVER FATAL STABBING FROM PAGE ONE hospital and is listed in serious condition.

The deceased’s brother, Stanley Paul, said the 15-year-old’s close friend was the other student injured.

At the scene on Tuesday, police said the attackers, who are students, scaled the school’s wall and escaped. On Wednesday,

National Security Minister Marvin Dames lamented the fact that the boys’ family had not turned the suspects in. The incident left Kenm’s family in shock.

His older brother, Mr Paul, remembered his sibling as a “good person” and made it clear that the 15-year-old was not in a gang.

He said Kenm had dreams of studying

overseas and playing sports.

“He was hard-headed, and he was rebellious and he was a hot head, but he wouldn’t bother no one unless you bother him,” Mr Paul said earlier this week.

A national school prayer initiative is planned for today in the wake of the tragedy.

KENM PAUL, 15, and another GHS student were stabbed on Tuesday at the campus.

FOUR SCHOLARS SELECTED FOR BREEF AND THE ISLAND SCHOOL’S GAP YEAR PROGRAMME

HEATHER BROCKBANK AFTER an unprecedented year of distanced virtual learning, newly selected Bahamas Environmental Steward Scholars are ready for hands-on research and in-person experiential learning through the BESS programme.

Applicants throughout New Providence and Grand Bahama competed for coveted seats in this gap year programme offered in partnership by the Bahamas Reef Environment Educational Foundation (BREEF) and The Island School.

Scholars for the 20212022 BESS programme are Heather Brockbank from Bishop Michael Eldon School, Isabelle Petty from Sunland Academy, Theodore Moss from C R Walker and Promise Russell from St George’s High School.

Fully funded by The Island School, each scholar will participate in a life-changing experiential semester on their Eleuthera campus, in addition to a four-month paid internship funded by The Island School.

This year, scholars will participate in internships at either BREEF, IDEA Relief or the One Eleuthera Foundation.

Recognising the growing need to problem solve in a rapidly changing world, BREEF and The Island School mentor these independent students through solutions-based learning

ISABELLE PETTY and scientific research internships.

Upon completion of the programme, each scholar leaves well equipped to lead The Bahamas into a more sustainable future, organisers said.

Heather Brockbank has shown exceptional lead-

“I want to develop a platform to ensure the cultivation of sustainable products for The Bahamas. I also intend to assist The Bahamas in the conversion to a plastic-free land and in this promise, a sustainable lifestyle.”

Heather Brockbank ership in international plastic pollution boot camps and volunteer work with several environmental organisations.

“I want to develop a platform to ensure the cultivation of sustainable products for The Bahamas.

“I also intend to assist The Bahamas in the conversion to a plastic-free land and in this promise, a sustainable lifestyle,” she said.

Isabelle Petty is a Waterkeeper cadet and an avid diver interested in coral restoration.

PROMISE RUSSELL “My desire to be a front runner in environmental rehabilitation has directed me to apply for a BESS scholarship.

“The experience I’ve had as a junior ambassador for the environment cannot compare to the hands-on education and college prep advantages gained here,” she said.

Theodore Moss is a Royal Bahamas Police Force cadet and is in the Maritime Cadet Corps.

He has had a longstanding interest in solar energy.

“In school I created a miniature solar powered vehicle using a plastic bottle, solar panel and my imagination.

“I am also excited to explore some of the mysteries of the ocean in BESS,” he said.

Promise Russell learned to dive in the marine science programme at St George’s High School and expresses her love for the ocean through visual art.

Speaking about the calm she feels underwater, she said: “All of my worries stay on the surface.

“I love it there but there are many issues compromising that beautiful world.

“I want to protect and preserve this utopia, my underwater home, so others can be inspired and feel that freedom, too.”

In addition to these four young scholars, Brianna Brown from St George’s and Arianna Goulbourne

THEODORE MOSS

from St Anne’s School were chosen as BESS Summer Scholars.

They will receive a full scholarship from The Island School to participate in the organisation’s four-week summer term beginning July.

Since 2008, 51 young Bahamians have benefitted from this exceptional educational experience, with most scholars going on to pursue related tertiary studies or being currently employed in the environmental field.

TWO ARRESTED OVER MARIJUANA PLANTS FIND

By DENISE MAYCOCK Tribune Freeport Reporter dmaycock@tribunemedia.net TWO men were arrested in connection with the recent discovery of 7,000 marijuana plants at a field in Grand Bahama.

Superintendent Stephen Rolle reported that on Wednesday officers of the Drug Enforcement Unit executed a search warrant in connection with dangerous drugs at a residence on King Neptune Drive, Seahorse Village.

During a search of the home, no drugs were found. However, officers arrested a 51-year-old Bahamian man at the residence.

Supt Rolle said DEU officers executed a second search warrant at a residence on Bass Lane, where marijuana plants were found.

As a result, a 48-yearold Bahamian man who lives at the home was arrested.

Supt Rolle said both men were arrested in connection with the May 14 seizure of 7,000 marijuana plants at a field near Grand Bahama Highway.

The two men are expected to be formally charged in court today.

PAGE 6, Friday, May 21, 2021

THE TRIBUNE

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Should Japan cancel the summer Olympics?

By PAUL O’SHEA Senior Lecturer, Centre for East and South-East Asian Studies, Lund University AS Japan suffers a fourth wave of COVID-19, domestic opposition to the summer Olympic and Paralympic games is mounting.

Two new opinion polls, showing that between 60 percent and 80 percent want the games either cancelled or postponed, have triggered a frenzy of articles all asking the same question: will the Olympics be cancelled?

We’ve been here before – and not just last year, when the Tokyo games were originally intended to take place.

Throughout the spring there have been rumours and leaks that the Olympics would not take place.

These have been quashed each time by both the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and the Japanese government, led by Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga.

The latest opinion polls are the clearest sign yet that the public has turned resolutely against the summer games.

This is an election year – Suga’s first since taking over from predecessor Shinzō Abe – and there is no doubt these polls are bad news for both the Prime Minister and his ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP).

Still, if I were an Olympic athlete (I’m definitely not an Olympic athlete), I would not stop training just yet.

That’s because the decision to cancel or go ahead with the games is not a simple question of infection rates. Rather, it is about politics and money – vast sums of money.

Does public opinion matter?

Japan is currently fighting a fourth wave of the pandemic and several regions are in a state of emergency, though national infection numbers are now decreasing.

From a western perspective, Japan has enjoyed great success in containing the spread of COVID-19. Like its neighbours South Korea and Taiwan, Japan recognised the airborne nature of the virus early. Immediate and widespread mask-use, aggressive contact-tracing, and an early lockdown of elderly care have all been credited with Japan’s success in keeping the death toll relatively low, at 11,900.

But compared with its neighbouring Taiwan and South Korea, Japan’s performance looks less impressive.

The government was widely criticised for encouraging domestic tourism in the middle of the third wave. Meanwhile, Japan’s vaccine rollout is one of the slowest in the OECD. And now, these opinion polls show clear majorities against the summer games. The question is, does public opinion really matter?

Japan has an extremely low voter turn-out. Combined with the peculiarities of the electoral system, this means that the LDP does not have to win anything close to a majority of eligible voters in order to retain power.

At the last general election, while only 25 percent of eligible voters chose the LDP, this gave them 60 percent of the seats in parliament.

Simply put, while public opinion matters, it is not decisive. Some opposition leaders have come out against the games, but overall the opposition is weak and divided.

The LDP has been in power for 61 of the last 65 years and has a long history of defying public opinion on major domestic issues and still winning re-election.

Winning the prestige Olympics From Suga’s perspective, domestic public opinion is just one factor in

a complex equation, which includes contractual obligations to the IOC and, perhaps most importantly, international prestige.

After all, given that the Olympics are almost always a net loss why else would anyone want to host them even in easier times?

The 1964 Tokyo Olympics marked the end of Japan’s post-war pariah status and its return to the international fold.

The 2008 Beijing Olympics, meanwhile, marked the arrival of China to great power status.

South Korea’s 2018 winter Olympics were a symbolic success when both North and South marched together for the first time under a unified flag.

In the same vein, the 2020 summer Olympics – now the 2021 games – was supposed to showcase a new, revitalised Japan.

Beijing hosts the 2022 winter games, which is touted as the first “green” Olympics and will make Beijing the only city to have hosted both winter and summer games (an event which itself is now embroiled in controversy following the speaker of the US House of Representatives, Nancy Pelosi’s, call for a boycott).

In the region fraught with geopolitical tension and rivalry, this kind of international prestige matters, at least to the leadership.

The legal right to cancel So far, I have outlined the politics and prestige from a Japanese perspective, as if the decision were solely Tokyo’s to make.

Legally, however, the Olympics are not Tokyo’s to cancel. The IOC owns the games and Japan is contractually obliged to host them.

The IOC, not Tokyo, is the sole actor that can end the contract.

The IOC depends on the event for its income, and its president Thomas Bach, has been very clear that the games will go ahead regardless of the fourth wave.

It was the IOC, not Tokyo, who signed a recent memorandum of understanding with Pfizer on a donation of vaccines for athletes.

While Japan could break the contract and unilaterally cancel the games, the costs would be enormous.

Even if cancelled with IOC support, Japan has invested enormous sums of its own money in the games, much of which are sunk costs.

A pared-down Olympics So, what will the games look like, assuming they do go ahead?

Most of the competitors will be vaccinated, but the officials who accompany them may not be.

Spectators, if there are any, will be entirely domestic and likely to face strict social distancing rules.

Athletes have been instructed that they will face a variety of restrictions preventing them from interacting with Japanese society more broadly.

Still, with thousands of athletes arriving from all over the world, potentially carrying new and unknown variants of the virus, even with everyone on their best behaviour, the games carry major risk.

Suga has bet his leadership on a successful summer games.

Pulling them off without a major outbreak of infection will not only help the LPD over the line in October, but will help ensure he stays at the helm.

If the games fail, it won’t be a bronze medal Suga will receive on his way out the door. Maybe a wooden spoon instead. theconversation.com

on homicides and anger management

EDITOR, The Tribune.

THESE are the days and nights of lamentations. Almost daily we read and hear of some unfortunate Bahamian – man, woman, boy and girl being killed in crossfires or executed by rivals within the criminal communities. Several weeks ago an unprecedented horror unfolded on our streets.

Six men were fatally riddled on a major road in broad daylight.

So far, the police have no one in custody and that event is proving difficult to solve. Shortly after that other relatively young Bahamian males were also brutally slaughtered.

Last week a minimum of three individuals were shot and killed at assorted locations here in New Providence.

Earlier this week one youngster was allegedly stabbed to death and another one seriously wounded at the Government High School, my old alma mater.

I pray God that there are no more of these events for the rest of this month and beyond. This is not the time for the blame game, but we as a people must get a serious grip on homicides and anger management.

There are simply too many deliberate acts of violence which are causing societal havoc.

I am no longer a fan of the current Minister of National Security for a number of reasons. With my vote, et al, he was able to get into the House of Assembly.

Once there Minnis had him sworn in as Minister of National Security and the rest is history.

It would be dead easy for me to simply ‘blame’ Dames and brother Paul Rolle for the carnage now playing out, like in the

LETTERS letters@tribunemedia.net

movies. That would be too simplistic in my view.

In my opinion Dames does not measure up as an MP over in Mount Moriah and many of the constituents over here are no longer on his run.

There is no way under the Sun that the FNM could/should expect a repeat of the landslide in 2017.

Baggage Fatigue and buyers’ remorse are political baggage which Minnis and the FNM may not be able to jettison before the next scheduled general elections. It is grossly unfair to the PM, Dames and Rolle to blame them for the unacceptable spike in crime.

Neither should we seek to blame Jeffrey Lloyd for the violence in our schools, especially what went down at GHS the other day.

Politicians on all sides of the divide just hate to have mere civilians suggesting to them what they should do.

Once elected they become, or act as if they have become the founts of all knowledge and experts at all manner of things even if they never owned or operated a chicken shack.

Their attitudes and dismissive postures do them more political harm than good.

The PM should convene a press conference, along with Dames and Paul Rolle, to address the concerns of the unwashed masses on crime and the fear of crime.

After spending tens of millions of dollars on taxpayers’ monies on equipment and training for the armed forces, apprehending alleged criminals and “solving’’ crime it is natural to blame the administration. I am not an FNM and 90% of my habits are good.

As I indicated above, I no longer support Dames and will be voting him out unless he gets off his high horse and pontification.

Take a casual look at Desmond Bannister and his crass and inhumane remarks about the destruction of some of the shanty towns over in Abaco.

Hundreds of Haitian families and their children most of whom no doubt were born right here in The Bahamas. He stated that it was not his responsibility to worry about these human beings made in the image and likeness of God. Communications is key even if the current crop of FNMs are slowly coming to the stark realisation that the Bahamian electorate has granted one term in office for any party in recent times.

Unless and until the blood lettings cease or drop dramatically the unwashed masses are going to continue to blame the government of the day for the same.

Wrong, but a part of the political landscape.

By the way where is The Bahamas Christian Council?

Not a single word of the Haitians.

Not a word on the spike in blood lettings. In any event, even now, in all things, to God be the glory.

ORTLAND H BODIE, Jr Nassau, May 19, 2021.

Why home ownership in New Providence is cost prohibitive EDITOR, The Tribune.

Prime Minister Dr Hubert Minnis’ plan to make land in Western New Providence “affordable” to young Bahamian professionals is commendable.

I wish though that Minnis would extend the time allotted to build the homes on the properties to five years, rather than just two years.

Asking young people to come up with $40,000 to $50,000 and then another $150,000 plus via bank loans to build in a two-year timeframe is placing too much of a financial burden on the very demographic Minnis is looking to assist in achieving their dream of home ownership.

In the event a young Bahamian invests $40,000 on a lot and falls onto hard times, not being able to construct a home in two years, will the state repossess his property?

Under such a frightening situation, will the state then reimburse him his $40,000?

Initiative This entire initiative by the Minnis administration underscores the high cost of home ownership in New Providence, which is due to one major factor: With a population of over 270,000, New Providence is running out of space for further development.

In other words, supply and demand of real estate is the main driving factor behind the exorbitant cost of properties in the capital.

Notwithstanding the political rhetoric by politicians, home ownership in Nassau is cost prohibitive.

This is a basic in economics.

When supplies of a certain commodity are scarce, the demands for the limited product goes through the roof, causing price inflation.

It happens with OPEC and oil all the time. New Providence is 80 square miles.

A square mile is 640 acres.

New Providence only has 51,200 acres – 83 of which has been allotted by Minnis for this housing development. An acre is 43,560 square feet.

Minnis’ proposal calls for the sale of 95 by 100 lots, which is 9,500 square feet or 0.218089908 acres per lot.

In the Family Islands, $50,000 could buy four plots of land, typically larger than the average plot of land in New Providence, for obvious reasons.

Properties This can explain why the average mortgage rate in Nassau is $1,500 per month for small low cost homes. In areas deemed safe, rental properties are averaging about $,1,200 monthly, which is nearly $500 more than the average Family Island mortgage rate.

How can the government solve this problem?

By wooing more investors, both foreign and domestic, to the Family Islands, with the aim of depopulating Nassau.

With a population nearing 300,000, the average Bahamian will never be able to own a home in the capital because of the scarce availability of land on an island that only has 80 square miles.

But they can own a home in the Family Islands, where plots of land are going as low as $5000.

Nassauvians can either stay renting for the rest of their lives or they can make the wise choice of relocating to the Family Islands where home ownership is a reality.

KEVIN EVANS Freeport, Grand Bahama, April 5, 2021.

THE TRIBUNE

WARNING FOR MAN WHO SCARED GIRLFRIEND WITH A FAKE GUN

Friday, May 21, 2021, PAGE 7

MAN CHARGED WITH TWO COUNTS OF MURDER AND ATTEMPTED MURDER

By FARRAH JOHNSON Tribune Staff Reporter fjohnson@tribunemedia.net

A 24-YEAR-OLD man was charged with murder and attempted murder in connection with a shooting incident that left two men dead, and two other men injured last week.

Dominique Rolle appeared before Chief Magistrate Joyann Ferguson-Pratt charged with two counts each of murder and attempted murder.

It is alleged that Rolle unlawfully and intentionally caused the deaths of Akeem Davis and Lavonne Dawkins on May 14.

It is further alleged that he attempted to kill Shakeem Campbell and Deshawn Rogers the same day.

According to initial police reports, shortly before 9pm officers were called to a shooting incident that occurred on Third Street, the Grove. When they arrived at the scene, they

By FARRAH JOHNSON Tribune Staff Reporter fjohnson@tribunemedia.net

A 24-YEAR-OLD man who scared his girlfriend with a fake gun was yesterday discharged with a warning.

Joseph Gordon was charged with possession of an imitation firearm intending to put another in fear, after his replica gun prompted the siblings of his girlfriend, Terrel Forbes, to file a police report against him on May 16.

The court was told that around 11.30 that night, Ms Forbes’ brother told police that he got a call from his other sister saying that Ms Forbes had been held at gunpoint by Gordon. As a result of their complaint, police proceeded to Ms Forbes and Gordon’s residence to arrest the accused.

Officers The prosecution said officers also recovered the imitation firearm while they were there.

He was taken to a nearby station where he owned up to the offence in an interview with police.

When Gordon appeared before Senior Magistrate Derence Rolle Davis, he pleaded guilty.

He also told the magistrate that that day he was inside playing with the gun when Ms Forbes walked into the room and assumed the weapon was a real firearm. Gordon said he and his friends were avid fans of the Call of Duty video game, so he bought the fake weapon to re-enact wars with his buddies in the park. He added that he didn’t tell his girlfriend about the gun because if she had known, she would not have allowed him to participate in the sessions.

Ms Forbes was also present at the hearing.

She told the magistrate that Gordon never threatened her with the gun, but she got fearful and panicked when she saw him with it. She said she then called her siblings who ended up filing a police report on her behalf.

After listening to their explanations, Magistrate Rolle Davis urged Gordon to exercise good sense in the future and dismissed his case.

were informed that a dark vehicle had approached a group gathered outside a home.

Police said two masked men, who were armed with handguns, got out of the vehicle and discharged their firearms in the direction of the group.

As a result, four men were injured. They were all taken to hospital in private vehicles where one of the men died.

Police said two of the victims were in stable condition while the fourth, who was initially listed in critical condition, also died.

Due to the nature of the charge, the accused was not required to enter a plea and the case was adjourned to August 17 for service of a voluntary bill of indictment (VBI).

Rolle was denied bail and remanded to the Bahamas Department of Correctional Services until that time.

He has a right to apply to the Supreme Court for bail.

DOMINIQUE Rolle outside of court yesterday.

PHOTO: Donavan McIntosh/Tribune staff

Woman stole Bail for man who denied money from pair stealing part from bus she gave rides to

By FARRAH JOHNSON Tribune Staff Reporter fjohnson@tribunemedia.net

A MAGISTRATE is set to determine the fate of a woman who offered to give two women rides to steal money from them.

Police said Anastacia Moree, 41, stole $300 from Ruth Mae Adderley on May 18. They also said the accused pickpocketed $180 from Agnus Gilbert two weeks earlier on May 4.

The court was told that both of the crimes were committed after the accused offered to give the women rides when she saw them walking outside of Marathon Mall.

Pocket Prosecutors said the first incident occurred around 3pm near CIBC FirstCarribean’s Marathon Mall branch. The court was told Moree asked Ms Gilbert if she needed a lift. When the woman accepted her ride offer, the accused stole $180 out of her pocket while she was seated in her vehicle.

The court was told that Moree repeated the same scheme in the same area two weeks later when Ms Adderley agreed to “catch a ride” with her.

This time, the prosecution said the accused went into the complainant’s bag and stole $300.

After both women reported the matters, Moree was arrested. In an interview with police at the Wulff Road station, she admitted the offences.

Guilty Yesterday, Moree pleaded guilty to two counts of stealing when she appeared before Senior Magistrate Derence Rolle Davis.

The accused, who has spent time in prison for crimes of a similar nature, said she only stole the money because she was desperate and struggling financially.

She also said she had “come to the realisation” that she has “a problem”.

In response, Magistrate Rolle Davis noted the accused had a “long history” of stealing and forgery and said he would have the Department of Social Services prepare a report to assist the court in determining an appropriate punishment for her.

As a result, he adjourned her case until July 20. Moree was remanded into custody until that time.

By FARRAH JOHNSON Tribune Staff Reporter fjohnson@tribunemedia.net

A 22-year-old man who denied stealing a part worth $5,432 from the bus of a local church was yesterday granted bail ahead of his trial.

Eryg Forbes was arrested after he was accused of stealing the catalytic converter of a 2008 Ford bus belonging to First Born Church of the Living God on May 16.

He was further accused of dishonestly receiving the car part and causing over $1,000 worth of damage to the bus’ transmission and muffler on the same day.

During his hearing before Senior Magistrate Derence Rolle Davis, Forbes denied the allegations.

As a result, his matter was adjourned to September 13 for trial.

He was granted $8,000 bail until that time.

PAGE 8, Friday, May 21, 2021

THE TRIBUNE

EXPERTS PREDICT BUSY ATLANTIC STORM SEASON BUT NOT LIKE 2020

By SETH BORENSTEIN AP SCIENCE WRITER THE Atlantic hurricane season will be busier than normal, but it’s unlikely to be as crazy as 2020’s record-shattering year, meteorologists said Thursday.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration forecasted that the hurricane season, which runs from June through November, will see 13 to 20 named storms. Six to 10 of those storms will become hurricanes and three to five will be major hurricanes with winds of more than 110 mph (177 kilometres per hour), the agency predicted.

Since 1990, a typical season sees 14 named storms, seven hurricanes and three major hurricanes — a climate normal that has increased in recent decades.

There’s a 60% chance that this hurricane season will be busier than normal and only a 10% chance it will be below normal, NOAA said.

Lead agency forecaster Matthew Rosencrans said the season looks to be busy because of warmer water, which fuels storms; reduced cross winds that decapitate storms; and more seeds of stormy weather coming off the coast of Africa. There is also no El Nino weather event, the natural temporary warming of the central Pacific that squelches Atlantic hurricane activity, he said.

Atlantic waters are nearly 0.68 degrees (0.38 degrees Celsius) warmer than normal, which is not as hot as 2020 when they were 1 degree (0.56 degrees Celsius) above normal, Rosencrans said.

Last year, there were 30 named storms — so many that meteorologists ran out of names and dipped into the Greek alphabet to identify them. There were 14 hurricanes last year, seven of them major.

Earlier this year, meteorologists decided to ditch the Greek alphabet after the normal list of names runs out, instead creating a special overflow list. Seven of last year’s storms caused more than $1 billion in damage.

As if on cue, stormy weather popped up northeast of Bermuda this week, with the National Hurricane Center giving the system a 90% chance of becoming a named storm in the next five days. It would be called Ana and is likely to be short-lived and keep away

from land. About half the years in the last decade have had named storms before the June 1 start of hurricane season, Rosencrans said.

Several universities and private weather companies also make hurricane season forecasts, with all of them echoing NOAA’s predictions. They predicted 16 to 20 named storms, seven to 10 hurricanes and three to five major hurricanes.

“The latest data and forecasts suggest a slightly more aggressive forecast for 2021 is in order, although still nothing close to what happened in 2020,” said Todd Crawford, chief meteorologist at The Weather Company, which is forecasting 19 named storms and four major hurricanes.

The Colorado State University forecast, which is the longest-running seasonal forecast, cited the same reasons as NOAA in predicting 17 named storms, eight hurricanes and four major hurricanes. It says there is a 69% that a major hurricane will hit somewhere in the U.S. coastline this season, which is higher than the average of 52% for the last century. It gives Florida and the Gulf coast a nearly 50-50 chance of being hit by a major hurricane.

The head of the Federal Emergency Management Agency urged Americans in hurricane-prone areas to prepare now, not later.

Deanne Criswell said that includes people who live inland because storms are dropping more rain and causing more flooding due to climate change.

Climate change has increased storm’s rainfall about 3%, and in the future it could be as much as 10%, Rosencrans said.

Warmer water from climate change increases the number of the strongest hurricanes, but research doesn’t show a change in the overall number of named storms from global warming, Rosencrans said.

University of Arizona forecast chief Xubin Zeng said the last decade has been unusually active in the Atlantic.

“We need to ask ourselves if this is part of the natural variability of the system of if we are already seeing impacts of global warming,” Zeng said in a press release. “If this is part of the natural variability, then after some overactive seasons, we’d expect activity to quiet down, but every year is kind of crazy in the past few years.”

Covid jokes to help ease our anxiety H

umour is proven stress reliever and although some may not like the idea of making fun during tough times like the COVID-19 global pandemic, millions of ‘posters’ on line have flooded social media platforms with funny memes, jokes, videos, GIFs to lessen the panic of the pandemic.

As ‘work from home’ gained momentum worldwide, people have more personal time with their devices, and are busy expressing their feelings in creative, funny ways.

When the Covid vaccines were rolled out globally the memes have evolved.

Just like the lockdown memes that kept us laughing despite everything this year, the best vaccine memes and jokes have flooded our timelines with major “funny”.

Whether it’s vaccine jokes against the anti-vax movement or the memes about people realising they now face imminent return to normal life, the vaccine memes just keep going viral.

See a perfect example below : “My boyfriend got his

you at work? Are we working together? Did you forget to wear your pants? Are we coworkers?

Are you the employee of the month? Are you my supervisor? Who hired you.

covid vaccine yesterday and I can tell you the most prominent side effect is the inability to shut up about getting the covid vaccine,” tweeted a Twitter user.

More than 300,000 likes later, it’s still going!

Surprisingly memes have really taken on a new purpose in 2021.

Once, they were something we engaged with when a celebrity did something wild, eliciting a laugh and a possible share.

However with all the atrocities of 2020, memes have become something of a distraction or escape from peak anxiety.

With everything going out of control and scary, the memes reminded us that we’re all in this together and that actually, in times of crisis, we can still laugh at it all, the good the bad and the ugly.

Covid memes certainly have helped ease my

anxiety every time a new lockdown announcement was due, and the vaccine memes are no different.

I’ve put together a “six pack” of the best vaccine jokes and memes I’ve seen and that made me laugh (which is hard to do) online right now.

Thank me later…

1. Why would COVID19 won’t do any harm to Hollywood actor Tom Hanks?

“He has already survived a World War, being stranded on an island, being stranded at an airport, a failed moon landing, an emergency flight landing on the river and a ship hijacking.”

2. “This is your pilot speaking. I’m working from home today” 3. Important questions to ask your pet if you’re working from home: Are

4. Why did the chicken cross the road? Because the chicken behind it didn’t know how to socially distance properly.

5. It’s been almost a week me and wife are working from home due to coronavirus situation.

I think we will kill each other before the virus does.

6. For office folks suddenly working from home: Drink water, get sunlight and you’re basically a house plant with more emotions.

Vaccines are no joke, do your due diligence and research.

Consult your physician and ask as many questions as needs be, and then let your conscience be your guide. Either way it’s your choice and yours alone don’t let anyone tell you other wise or try to influence you.

Laugh now, cry later!!

THE TRIBUNE

Friday, May 21, 2021, PAGE 9

The eye – so small in size, so large in life T

HE eye is so small in size, so large in life.

Think about it. Of all your senses, what would be the worst to lose? Most of us would say sight. You lose your sense of smell and the best part is you don’t smell the garbage, the worst is you don’t smell the coffee or a Cinnabon.

Lose your sense of hearing and you don’t hear the chirping of birds or the crow of a rooster, but you get through the day somehow. Lose your sight and the whole world changes.

Goes dark. You lose your way.

I hadn’t given a thought to how small the eye is by comparison with the role it plays until a skilled technician named Jennifer at Eye Associates of Boca Raton told me that when she was studying at the University of Maryland she focused on the eye just because it was so small and played so large a role.

Blessed If you are among the fortunate and have no eye problems, you’ve no idea just how blessed you are. I had my first eye operation before I could talk and my second before I could walk. This week, I had my most recent, a truly amazing piece of science and surgery that allowed the surgeon Dr. Douglas Kohl to go into my right eye, shatter a cataract, break it up, suck it out and

replace it with a multifocal lens that takes the place of contact lenses or glasses forever.

My local doctor had referred me to Dr. Kohl, a youngish looking Harvard med school graduate and Fellow of several of those institutes that are very particular about who they certify.

Kohl has performed about 6,000 surgeries and says by the time he finishes his career, he will have done some 20,000.

The most complex is those in patients suffering from glaucoma. I was one of the simple ones, no glaucoma but when you think about the science that goes into entering the eye and replacing the lens it is one of the wonders of the era of knowledge in which we live.

That science was the invention of Dr. Patricia Bath, a black American woman who hailed from Harlem, her mother a homemaker and house cleaner, her father a seaman. Bath’s story is amazing, the first woman to head an ophthalmology department at a major university (UCLA), inventor, holder of numerous patents, humanitarian, and best known for her 1981 invention, the Laserphaco probe, which allows the surgeon to make a one-millimetre insertion into the patient’s eye to vaporize the cataract.

Cataracts are not merely annoying because of cloudy vision. They can lead to blindness. Mine

measured a 3.66 out of a possible 4, the worst on a scale of 1-4. From start to finish, the process took less than one week. First, there was an exam that required dilation to check the health of the eye, the dilation not being as bad as it once was when you lost a day to it and vowed never to do it again (though you did the next year).

Equipment The next day was measurements, going from station to station and room to room with every piece of equipment costing upwards of $50,000 on average. There were IOC measurements, Lenstar, corneal topography, endothelial cell count and macular OCT. There were probably more but that

gives you an idea. All that is to measure for the manufacture of the lens which will be inserted into your eye. You start eye drops two days before surgery.

The day of surgery arrives and you are nervous, but there is no reason to be, unless it is about insurance coverage – a separate issue which we will deal with in another column about health insurance. The only sacrifice was nothing to eat or drink from midnight the night before which for me meant all I could think about was coffee.

The anaesthesiologist named Dr. Knowles had Bahamian connections, offering an inexplicable sense of relief which I never questioned. A light sedation and I was whisked into the surgical suite’s operating theatre which was not unlike an

emergency room setting with a curtain on one side. Very comfortable.

The actual surgery took a matter of minutes.

An hour later, I was wide awake, rarin’ to go for a coffee and half a fat corned beef sandwich on rye at a local deli.

As for my sight, it’s too early to tell, but I was told during the follow-up visit the day after surgery that everything looked good and I can’t wait until another week passes (the cornea remains swollen for about a week) and I can see just how good it looks to me.

I know this much, it saved me from blindness and I will never have to worry about wearing glasses or contact lenses in that eye again. So small a piece of your body, so brilliant a piece of science, so large a piece of your life.

MY FAVOURITE CHARLES CARTER STORY

SIR Charles Carter

Like thousands of others who knew and respected him, I mourned the death of Sir Charles Carter this week, a oneof-a-kind individual who put his money where his mouth was, that unmistakable deep, credible voice on the microphone telling the Bahamian music and culture story.

His interviews with the famous, the singers of bygone days who

had more history than future, the hopefuls who believed the best was yet to come will live on long after all their voices have gone quiet.

But there is one story that tells so much about who Sir Charles was and why he bid partisan politics farewell though he never lost his love for the PLP. He told this to me in front of a sitting member

of his party at a business function unrelated to politics when I asked him if he were so passionate about the PLP, why did he drop out of frontline politics.

“Politics,” he said, “takes the brains right out of you. Makes you stupid.” What do you mean, I asked? “You see this table right here?”

Yes, I replied. “It’s brown, right?” Again, yes, of

course it is brown. “Well, you get into Cabinet and the leader says it is orange and you are looking at it and you know it is brown but you have to say it is orange because that is the way our politics works.

Whatever the leader says is what it is. Politics, it takes the brains right out of you.”

It did not steal yours, Sir Charles. Thank you for your legacy.

THAT VANISHING YEAR, YES, IT’S TRUE If there were times during the past year that you felt life was passing you by and you just lost a year of your life which you’ll never get back, you were actually right.

According to a recent report, the coronavirus pandemic took a measurable toll on life expectancy which, for Americans, was 78.8 years in 2019.

By mid-2020, it was a full year less, or 77.8 years.

For black Americans, it was even worse, with the number dropping by 2.7 years from 74.7 years to just 72.

Part of the decline was a direct result of COVID19 deaths which as of this writing, May 20, stood at 3,435,717 worldwide, 587,000-plus in America alone. But significant contributors to shorter life spans were side effects of the pandemic including drug overdose, alcohol abuse and suicide. More than 165 million cases of COVID-19 have been reported globally. It has been one crazy ride of a year.

INTERNATIONAL NEWS

PRINCE WILLIAM RECEIVES FIRST DOSE OF COVID-19 VACCINE LONDON (AP) — Prince William said Thursday he has received his first dose of COVID-19 vaccine as Britain’s National Health Service expands it inoculation programme to younger people.

William, 38, received his shot at London’s Science Museum, one of the large-scale vaccination centers opened around the country. A photo of the prince receiving his shot was posted on his social media account.

“On Tuesday, I received my first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine,’’ he wrote. “To all those working on the vaccine rollout — thank you for everything you’ve done and continue to do.”

Britain last week opened its national vaccination programme to anyone over the age of 34. The program has been gradually expanded to progressively younger age groups since it began in early December.

Other members of the royal family, including Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Charles, have also received their shots publicly to promote vaccine take-up.

More than 70% of Britain’s adults have received at least one dose of COVID-19 vaccine.

IN this picture tweeted by the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, Britain’s Prince William receives his coronavirus vaccine in London, Tuesday. (Kensington Palace via AP)

Death Notice For

Elius Petit-Homme, 88 affectionately called

“Vincent”

of Great Harbour Cay, The Berry Islands and formerly of La Tortue, Haiti died at Princess Margaret Hospital on Sunday 9th May, 2021.

He is survived by his children: Ingrid (Fredrick) Clyde, Kerry Samuel (Ansenia Jules) Mitchell, Simone Barnes, Jasel Joseph, Celius Francois, Lucia Petit-Homme and Denise Petit-Homme; 1 brother: Mercidieu “Lil Joe” Petit-Homme of Miami, Florida; adopted children: Terrence Winder & Malester Winder; numerous grandchildren, nieces, nephews and a host of other relatives and friends.

Friends may pay their last respects on Saturday, 29th May, 2021, 11:00am at The New Oasis of Love Kingdom Ministry, Faith Avenue, Nassau, Bahamas. Officiating will be Gaddy Senatus.

PAGE 10, Friday, May 21, 2021

THE TRIBUNE

RENOWNED CONSERVATIONIST JANE GOODALL WINS THE TEMPLETON PRIZE

By DAVID CRARY AP National Writer JANE GOODALL, the conservationist renowned for her expertise on chimpanzees and her globe-spanning advocacy of environmental causes, was named Thursday as this year’s winner of the prestigious Templeton Prize, honouring individuals whose life’s work embodies a fusion of science and spirituality.

Goodall, born in London in 1934, traveled to Kenya in 1957 and met the famed anthropologist and paleontologist Louis Leakey. In 1960, at his invitation, she began her groundbreaking study of chimpanzees in what is now Tanzania.

Her field research revolutionized the field of primatology, helping transform how scientists and the public perceive the emotional and social complexity of animals. She was the first to observe that chimpanzees engage in activities previously believed to be exclusive to humans, such as creating tools, and she demonstrated that they have individual personalities.

“Her discoveries have profoundly altered the world’s view of animal intelligence and enriched our understanding of humanity in a way that is both humbling and exalting,” said Heather Templeton Dill, president of the John Templeton Foundation, which helps administers the prize.

Established in 1972 by the late philanthropist Sir John Templeton, the Templeton Prize is one of the world’s largest individual awards — currently valued at 1.1 million pounds, or $1.56 million. Past winners include Mother Teresa, the Dalai Lama and Archbishop Desmond Tutu of South Africa.

Last year’s honouree was Dr. Francis Collins, director of the National Institutes of Health in the United States and leader of the Human Genome Project.

Goodall, in an interview with The Associated Press ahead of the award’s announcement, recalled how her work with the chimpanzees led to a broader appreciation for nature as she spent hours by herself in the forest.

“Out there in nature by myself, when you’re alone, you can become part of nature and your humanity doesn’t get in the way,” she said. “It’s almost like an out-of-body experience when suddenly you hear different sounds and you smell different smells and you’re actually part of this amazing tapestry of life.”

“Every time a little species vanishes, it may not seem important,” she added.

“But the thread is pulled from that tapestry and the picture gets weaker as more threads are pulled, until that tapestry, once so beautiful, is hanging in tatters.”

A MAN inspects the rubble of destroyed residential building which was hit by Israeli airstrikes, in Gaza City, Thursday. (AP Photo/Adel Hana)

ISRAEL, HAMAS AGREE TO CEASE-FIRE

By JOSEF FEDERMAN AND FARES AKRAM Associated Press

JERUSALEM (AP) — Israel and Hamas announced a ceasefire Thursday, ending a bruising 11-day war that caused widespread destruction in the Gaza Strip and brought life in much of Israel to a standstill.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office said Israel accepted the Egyptian proposal after a late-night meeting of his Security Cabinet. Hamas quickly followed suit and said it would honour the deal.

Egypt’s state-run MENA news agency said the truce would take effect at 2 a.m., roughly three hours after the announcement.

In a statement, Netanyahu’s office said the Security Cabinet unanimously approved the proposal after recommendations from the military chief of staff and other top defense officials. The statement boasted of “significant achievements in the operation, some of which are unprecedented” and included a veiled threat against Hamas.

“The political leaders emphasized that the reality on the ground will determine the future of the campaign,” the statement said.

Taher Nounou, a Hamas official, confirmed the deal. “The Palestinian resistance will commit itself to this deal as long as the occupation is committed,” he said.

The agreement would close the heaviest round of fighting between the bitter enemies since a 50-day war in 2014, and once again there was no clear winner. Israel inflicted heavy damage on Hamas but was unable to prevent the rocket fire that has disrupted life for millions of Israelis for more than a decade.

The fighting began May 10, when Hamas militants in Gaza fired longrange rockets toward Jerusalem

ROCKETS are launched from the Gaza Strip towards Israel, in Gaza City, Thursday.

(AP Photo/Hatem Moussa)

after days of clashes between Palestinian protesters and Israeli police at the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound, a flashpoint site that is known to Muslims as the Noble Sanctuary and to Jews as the Temple Mount.

Heavy-handed police tactics at the compound and the threatened eviction of dozens of Palestinian families by Jewish settlers had inflamed tensions.

Israel launched hundreds of airstrikes during the operation, targeting what it said was Hamas’ military infrastructure, including a vast tunnel network. Hamas and other militant groups embedded in residential areas fired over 4,000 rockets at Israeli cities, with hundreds falling short and most of the rest intercepted.

At least 230 Palestinians were killed, including 65 children and

39 women, with 1,710 people wounded, according to the Gaza Health Ministry, which does not break the numbers down into fighters and civilians.

Hamas and the militant group Islamic Jihad said at least 20 of their fighters were killed, while Israel said the number was at least 130.

Some 58,000 Palestinians have fled their homes, many of them seeking shelter in crowded U.N. schools at a time of a raging coronavirus outbreak.

Twelve people in Israel, including a 5-year-old boy, a 16-year-old girl and a soldier, were also killed.

Since the fighting began, Gaza’s infrastructure, already weakened by a 14-year blockade, has rapidly deteriorated.

Medical supplies, water and fuel

for electricity are running low in the territory, on which Israel and Egypt imposed the blockade after Hamas seized power in 2007.

Israel considers Hamas, an Islamic militant group that seeks its destruction, to be a terrorist group and Hamas’ government is not internationally recognised.

Israeli bombing has damaged over 50 schools across the territory, according to advocacy group Save the Children, completely destroying at least six.

While repairs are done, education will be disrupted for nearly 42,000 children.

Israeli attacks have also damaged at least 18 hospitals and clinics and destroyed one health facility, the World Health Organization said.

Nearly half of all essential drugs have run out.

WILLIAM, HARRY CONDEMN BBC OVER ‘DECEITFUL’ DIANA INTERVIEW

By SYLVIA HUI ASSOCIATED PRESS

LONDON (AP) — Prince William and his brother Prince Harry on Thursday issued strongly worded statements criticising the BBC and British media for unethical practices after an investigation concluded that one of the broadcaster’s journalists used “deceitful behaviour” to secure Princess Diana’s most explosive TV interview in 1995.

The circumstances surrounding the interview from more than 20 years ago came under scrutiny after Diana’s brother, Charles Spencer, made renewed complaints that journalist Martin Bashir used false documents and other dishonest tactics to persuade Diana to agree to the interview.

The BBC appointed a retired senior judge in November to lead an investigation into the matter.

On Thursday, a report from the inquiry said Bashir acted in a deceitful way and breached BBC rules by mocking up fake bank statements and showing them to Charles Spencer to gain access to the princess.

The report also criticised the BBC for covering up what it knew about Bashir’s actions, and said the corporation’s own probe into the matter fell short of its usual standards of integrity and transparency.

In his statement, William, 38, said the BBC’s failures contributed to the deterioration of his

IN this 1995 file photo, Diana, Princess of Wales, smiles at the United Cerebral Palsy’s annual dinner at the New York Hilton. An investigation has found that a BBC journalist used “deceitful behavior” to secure an explosive interview with Princess Diana in 1995, in a “serious breach” of the broadcaster’s guidelines. The probe came after Diana’s brother, Charles Spencer, made renewed complaints that journalist Martin Bashir used false documents and other dishonest tactics to persuade Diana to agree to the interview. (AP Photo/ Mark Lennihan, file)

parents’ marriage and worsened Diana’s feelings of paranoia.

“The interview was a major contribution to making my parents’

relationship worse and has since hurt countless others,” he said.

“It brings indescribable sadness to know that the BBC’s failures contributed significantly to her fear, paranoia and isolation that I remember from those final years with her.”

In the interview, a major scoop for Bashir, Diana famously said that “there were three of us in this marriage” — referring to Prince Charles’ relationship with Camilla Parker-Bowles.

Her candid account of her failing marriage with Charles was watched by millions of people and sent shockwaves through the monarchy.

William alleged that “the deceitful way the interview was obtained substantially influenced what my mother said.” He went on to say that Diana “would have known that she had been deceived” had the BBC properly investigated the concerns first raised in 1995.

Harry, meanwhile, said the issue was bigger than just the BBC - and that “the ripple effect of a culture of exploitation and unethical practices ultimately took her life.”

“To those who have taken some form of accountability, thank you for owning it. That is the first step toward justice and truth,” he wrote. “Yet what deeply concerns me is that practices like these—and even worse—are still widespread today.”

The two brothers’ relationship has been strained since Harry stepped down from royal duties and moved to the U.S. with his

family last year. But both share an almost lifelong difficult relationship with the media, and their statements on Thursday were coordinated for release at the same time.

The BBC’s chairman, Richard Sharp, said the corporation accepts the investigation’s findings, adding “there were unacceptable failures.” The broadcaster has written to the royal family to apologise.

Bashir, who was the BBC News religion editor, left the corporation last week on health grounds. The 58-year-old journalist has been seriously unwell with COVID19-related complications.

In a statement, he said he deeply regretted faking the bank statements, calling it “a stupid thing to do.”

But he added that he felt it had “no bearing whatsoever on the personal choice by Princess Diana to take part in the interview.”

Spencer alleged Bashir showed him forged bank documents relating to his sister’s former private secretary and another former royal household member that falsely suggested the individuals were being paid for keeping the princess under surveillance.

He accused Bashir of using the documents to gain his trust so he would introduce Diana to the journalist. He also alleged that Bashir made up stories about the royal family to strengthen Diana’s belief there was a conspiracy against her.

As part of the recent inquiry, a note written by Diana in December 1995 was published for the first time.

The note said she had consented to the BBC interview “without any undue pressure” and that she had “no regrets concerning the matter.”

John Birt, director-general of the BBC at the time of the interview, called Bashir a “rogue reporter” who “fabricated an elaborate, detailed but wholly false account of his dealings with Earl Spencer and Princess Diana.”

“This is a shocking blot on the BBC’s enduring commitment to honest journalism; and it is a matter of the greatest regret that it has taken 25 years for the full truth to emerge,” he said.

Diana divorced from Charles in 1996 and died in a Paris car crash in 1997 as she was pursued by paparazzi.

Charles, the heir to the throne, married Camilla, now the Duchess of Cornwall, in 2005.

“In most organisations, the police would have been called to see if Martin Bashir should have been prosecuted for forgery, and he would have been instantly dismissed for deceit,” media lawyer Mark Stephens of law firm Howard Kennedy, who is not involved in the case, said.

“Instead, the BBC made him their religious correspondent.”

The report released Thursday means the BBC will be subjected to more public scrutiny, he added.