05212024 NEWS AND SPORT

WOMAN & HEALTH Biggest And

The Tribune

BPL: LOAD DEMANDS ARE UNPRECEDENTED

Struggles arrive early as ‘several units being serviced’ before summer

By LEANDRA ROLLE Tribune Chief Reporter

lrolle@tribunemedia.net

THOUSANDS of homes in New Providence were left in the dark for hours over the weekend as Bahamas Power and Light (BPL) struggled with “unprecedented” demand at this time of year.

Preparing for hot months is an annual challenge for BPL, which must service

its equipment and acquire enough rental units to meet the demand.

However, Arnette Ingraham, a senior manager at BPL, said the country saw load demands over the weekend that don’t usually occur until July to September, straining BPL’s resources.

“Presently, we have several units out for

RESORT SAW DECLINE AFTER CRIME ADVISORIES, SAYS BAHA MAR CHIEF

By PAVEL BAILEY Tribune Staff Reporter

pbailey@tribunemedia.net

BAHA MAR presi-

dent Graeme Davis said his resort saw a decline in guests after a US travel advisory in January but has experienced growth overall compared to last year.

After an unusually violent January that saw 21 people murdered, the

United States issued a travel advisory urging its residents to demonstrate increased caution. Multiple major US news organisations reported on the advisory, sparking local fears about its impact.

“We are seeing a decline,” Mr Davis said on Friday, discussing the matter directly for the first

Pintard

and Minnis share their plans at competing events

By LEANDRA ROLLE Tribune Chief Reporter lrolle@tribunemedia.net

THE contenders for the Free National Movement’s top post held duelling events on Friday ahead

of the party’s convention, discussing their plans and policies for the country.

Former Prime Minister Dr Hubert Minnis hit familiar themes during his campaign launch at Baha Mar, describing the

Davis administration as a “heartless” out-of-touch government while pledging more tax exemptions and investments in Bahamian youth if re-elected as prime

MOTHER UPSET OVER DELAYED MARCO ALERT FOR SON

By RASHAD ROLLE AND LEANDRA ROLLE Tribune Reporters

TASHANA Thompson fears her 16-year-old son, who went missing on Thursday, is in trouble.

“I believe somebody picked him up or whatever,” she said yesterday, not long after residents across the country received a Marco’s Alert about his disappearance.

Ms Thompson said she last saw her son, Devin Isaacs, also known as “Joey”, after 9pm on Wednesday at home.

She went to sleep and woke up around 3.25am to use the bathroom. She checked her children’s room as usual and noticed her son was not there –– nor was he in the bathroom or the kitchen getting food.

After searching the house,

By PAVEL BAILEY

THE jury in the inquest of the 2017 police-involved killing of Aliko Collins, 21, was dismissed on Friday after exhibiting what was deemed to be “inappropriate” behaviour during an officer’s testimony. Now-retired Superintendent Basil Collie, the subject of the inquest, allegedly shot and killed Collins in Pinewood Gardens after he and two accomplices accosted the officer during a walk on Bamboo Blvd in

MISSING boy Devin Isaacs

BOTH incumbant FNM leader Michael Pintard (left) and former Prime

Minister Dr Hubert Minnis host events ahead of the Free National Movement’s one-day convention in June as they vie for the leadership of the party. Montage includes photos from different events.

Photos: Dante Carrer/Tribune Staff

Carnival Parade The Jesus March

THE JESUS March began at Arawak Cay on Saturday morning with music, prayer, and marchers walking together. The march went in the opposite direction of the Carnival parade.

Photos: Nakia Charlton

THE 2024 Carnival parade took place on Saturday starting at Arawak Cay heading to Goodman’s Bay and then back to Arawak.

Photos: Nikia Charlton

Pintard and Minnis share

plans at competing events

minister.

During his meet and greet event at Breezes resort, FNM leader Michael Pintard promised more inclusive and progressive leadership if he is returned to the top position, saying the country needs a problem-solving government that cares more about the people and not themselves.

Both events, which were held at the same time, attracted dozens, some of whom are not party delegates and, therefore, cannot vote in the June 1 convention.

Former Public Services Minister Brensil Rolle, a member of Dr Minnis’ cabinet, attended Mr Pintard’s event, as did FNM deputy leader Shanendon Cartwright and Senator Michela Barnett-Ellis, among others.

Dr Minnis’ campaign launch attracted former Health Minister Renward Wells, former Democratic National Alliance leader Branville McCartney and former Fort Charlotte MP Mark Humes.

Mr Wells said he supports Dr Minnis because he was an incredible opposition leader and an “even better prime minister.”

“He’s been tried, tested and proven through the most difficult circumstances and trying times in this country,” Mr Wells told The Tribune, “That’s why I’m here supporting the leadership I know is capable of leading a nation in peaceful times but is even better in leading a nation also in perilous times.”

Mr McCartney, who introduced Dr Minnis on stage, said he wants to see the former prime minister return to finish what he started.

Dr Minnis spoke about his administration’s various policies, from “creating the largest food programme in Bahamian history” to offering free education to qualified university students.

He pledged to create more transformative policies if re-elected as prime minister.

He said his first act as leader would be removing VAT from breadbasket items and medicine and introducing more tax exemptions on food products.

He also promised to review the country’s real property tax regime to ensure fair rates and to reform the country’s immigration policies to “aggressively deport all undocumented people”.

“Some of our islands and cays are facing overwhelming numbers of

undocumented migrants,” he claimed.

“A second Minnis administration would fully mobilise the police, the defence force and immigration department toward this national effort to get illegal immigrants under control.”

He said his government would regularise those “who have been here a long time” and deserve status.

“If chosen by FNMs to lead the Bahamian people again, we would push forth the people’s agenda,” he said.

“This prime minister just wants to collect as much money as possible through taxes so that this administration could give out contracts to people. This administration knows nothing about planning. I can say for certain that the only thing ‘Brave’ Davis knows how to plan is his next trip.”

Dr Minnis made no attacks on Mr Pintard, direct or otherwise, and kept his criticism for the Davis administration.

Meanwhile, Mr Pintard spoke about the type of leadership the FNM needed.

“We need leadership that is going to be collaborative, willing to work with others, even when they didn’t get along with, even when the person didn’t vote for,” he said.

“There is no member of this team I am not prepared to work with , but also, there’s no member of this team that I am prepared to shrink so that they can look taller. We have a duty. We have a duty to solve problems we’ve been kicking down the road forever.”

Highlighting the country’s social ills, Mr Pintard said the party needs to be passionate and humane enough “not to make every immigrant a tyrant” or give the impression that every problem in the country is immigration related.

“We also need a party that’s not like the PLP, who, on the other hand, will use immigration for political purposes or personal benefit,” he added.

“We represent the best choice. We want a government that will create employment, not by unemploying people on the other side. We are different than them.”

“We believe that when we spend your money, we should tell you why and how we’re spending it, that we don’t shine 60, 70 or 80 million dollars on public-private partnership agreements, and you don’t even know the interest rate.”

All party positions will be up for grabs at the FNM’s one-day convention. from page one

FNM HAD ‘LEGACY DEBTS WE MET IN PLACE’ SAYS PINTARD

By LEANDRA ROLLE

Tribune Chief Reporter

lrolle@tribunemedia.net

FREE National Movement (FNM) leader

Michael Pintard said his predecessor, Dr Hubert Minnis, left behind debts that the party is still paying off, insisting that under his leadership, “we don’t plan to leave bills for anybody”.

During a meet and greet event at Breezes on Friday, Mr Pintard said his opponents were “crying for convention” and badmouthing his team about money matters.

“When I took this position in November 2021, the party had some legacy debts, some debts we met in place, and despite the other side’s conversation about who has the ability to raise money, we are paying their debts off right now,” he said.

“I want you to be clear, those who are talking money talks –– we just gon’ say it in a general way ––under my leadership, we are paying off their bills, and we don’t plan to leave bills for anybody else. We believe in shouldering our responsibility.”

Mr Pintard did not say how much the party owed when he assumed office, but an insider familiar with the matter told The Tribune that “hundreds of thousands” were owed.

“We are a different way than before,” Mr Pintard said. “Remember there was a time in the party when some folks wanted to challenge the leadership that I protected, and the leadership simply said, you want to join the fight, drop $100,000 on the table, and you could join.”

In 2016, under Dr Minnis’ tenure, leadership candidates for the FNM’s convention were required to pay $100k to host the event.

Mr Pintard said under his leadership, no one would be stopped from running because of their financial status.

“We didn’t ask anybody to drop money on the table,” he said. “Others were crying for convention. Oh, and look at God, they got it, and they’re still crying. Don’t cry. Man up and let’s do the thing.”

Mr Pintard called for unity during Friday’s event. He urged FNM supporters to be cautious during this race, saying: “You don’t want to throw fatal blows because we will need those soldiers on June 2nd and beyond.”

“Be careful how you fight this fight. They are not the enemy even though they behave that way.”

Mr Pintard said although some party factions sued his team “not once but twice,” they are still family and must be embraced.

“Don’t engage in useless banter back in forth saying things that will injure, and it will take too long for people to heal so we can pull together, let’s just pull together,” he said. “In a short while, it will be over.”

Some members of the FNM’s Women’s Association recently took the party to court, claiming unfairness over the process for electing association leaders. Before that, FNM vice chairman Richard Johnson, a supporter of Dr Minnis, sued the party after he was banned from attending council meetings.

PINTARD PAYS TRIBUTE TO THE LATE CEDRIC PARKER KC

FNM leader Michael Pintard poses with two supporters at an event he held on Friday.

Photo: FNM

FORMER Prime Minister Dr Hubert Minnis during his campaign launch at Baha Mar on Friday.

Photo: Dante Carrer/Tribune Staff

FNM leader Michael Pintard has paid tribute to Cedric Parker KC, who has passed away.

Mr Pintard said Mr Parker, who was a meritorious council member in the party, was a “warrior”.

The Abaco-born Mr Parker became a lawyer working in the chambers of Henry Bostwick KC before being called to the bar and establishing his own firm, Cedric L Parker & Co.

Mr Parker was also a member of the Lodge St David No 1741 Scottish Constitution. His son, Khalil Parker KC, is the president of the Bahamas Bar Association.

Resort saw decline after crime advisories, says Baha Mar chief

time.

“All of our statistics are showing that we’ve had a decline after the January safety warnings. It continues to be in people’s minds. I don’t think we should ever forget that. While maybe the press has died down, there is still questions in traveller minds, and we get that from travel agents. We got those questions. And I think it’s important that we stay vigilant in protecting our community, in creating a safe environment for our community, which creates a safe environment for every visitor as well.”

Despite the advisory warning, he said: “We are seeing tremendous growth over last year. We are seeing that weekends are quite full. We have some excellent corporate business in as well. In the coming months, as we get into the US holiday, Memorial Day weekend, we are expected to be very close to being sold out. And then we are coming up to the July 4th and the summer vacation for all of the United States. We are expecting it to be very, very robust summer business.”

After reports about the US travel advisory, the Ministry of Tourism launched an aggressive campaign to change the narrative and encourage visits from tourists.

Inquest jury dismissed for ‘inappropriate behaviour’

the early morning hours of February 8, 2017.

Acting Coroner Kara Turnquest-Deveauxinformed the five-person jury that their actions during Superintendent Collie’s testimony disrespected the trial process. She deemed them unable to judge the case without bias or prejudice.

Jurors appeared incredulous during Supt Collie’s testimony and asked more questions than usual.

However, it was not clear what they did to prompt the coroner’s decision, which she made after

an application from K Melvin Munroe, Superintendent Collie’s lawyer. The inquest will be restarted later this year with a new jury.

Supt Collie had claimed that Collins and his accomplices “violently” cut him off in a vehicle during his morning walk and that Collins pulled a gun on him, prompting him to shoot and kill the man.

Sgt Neil Munroe, the officer who collected evidence from the scene, never said a weapon was recovered from the scene.

Supt Collie claimed Collins’ accomplices grabbed

an object from the deceased before fleeing, which he believed was a firearm.

Photos of the crime scene showed Collins lying faceup in a pool of blood near broken glass and a bottle of Carlo Rossi.

Sgt Munroe said eight 9mm cartridge casings and a single fired bullet were recovered from the scene, which all matched Superintendent Collie’s weapon.

Dr Caryn Sands, a forensic pathologist, said Collins’ cause of death was a single gunshot wound to the head.

A woman also testified that before the shooting, Collins and his accomplices

allegedly tried to kidnap her on Cowpen Road. She believed her assailants intended to rape so she screamed for help, scaring them away.

Supt Collie had numerous supporters in court throughout the inquest, including Owen Hanna, the chief welfare officer of the Police Staff Association.

No members of the deceased’s family appeared, even though Angelo Whitfield, who marshalled the evidence, tried reaching Collie’s mother so she could testify.

Inquests do not determine criminal liability.

FORMER CHIEF JUSTICE CYRIL FOUNTAIN REMEMBERED

FRIENDS and relatives are mourning the death of former Chief Justice Sir Cyril Fountain. He was chief justice from 1995 to 1996.

“Sir Cyril’s journey from his early education at Government High School to his distinguished tenure as Chief Justice of the Bahamas is a testament to his dedication and passion for justice and public service,” Prime Minister Philip “Brave” Davis said in a statement. “His legacy in the judiciary, his role as a mentor to many, and his personal integrity have left an indelible mark on our nation.”

“Personally, Cyril was more than a colleague in the realms of law and governance; he was a dear friend whose wisdom, wit, and warmth enriched my life immeasurably. Our

countless conversations, often bridging the professional and the personal, are memories I hold dear, reflecting times of both challenge and triumph.”

Former Prime Minister Hubert Ingraham and former Court of Appeal president Dame Anita Allen were among those who paid tribute to Sir Cyril.

“Without fear of contradiction I believe I can say that Sir Cyril was most widely known as an expert in election law, gaining a reputation in a number of election petitions made during his years at the Bahamas Bar,” Mr Ingraham said.

“Sir Cyril lived a full and productive life. Following his retirement as Chief Justice in 1996 he returned to private practice and then full retirement in Grand Bahama.”

BPL: LOAD DEMANDS ARE UNPRECEDENTED

maintenance to ensure we are ready for summer,” she said. “Our units undergo maintenance every year on a rotation. This is their scheduled time to be out. This is an unusual event that was compounded by the sudden loss of one our largest available units and some minor challenges with rental generation that we are working to resolve by end of day (Monday).”

BPL first reported power outages in the eastern and southwest parts of New Providence on Friday after announcing that it lost power at two major substations.

The company said on Saturday that it was experiencing a generation shortfall because one of its primary service units was out of service.

The blackouts prompted numerous complaints from residents, with some reporting outages lasting up to three to four hours or more.

Ms Ingraham said whether load shedding persists depends on load demands.

“We do not have much redundancy at this time,” she said yesterday. “So if demand peaks and have unexpected generation losses, light load shedding cannot be ruled out but we will employ every measure to avoid it.”

Although summer starts on June 20, the Bahamas Department of Meteorology issued a heat advisory until Wednesday.

The department said the heat index was expected to be between 102F to 111F in many islands.

The soaring temperatures have prompted residents to turn on their air conditioning units earlier and for longer than they typically do at this time of year.

Last month, Energy Minister Jobeth ColebyDavis told reporters that BPL was hoping to boost BPL’s generation capacity by June to meet summer demands.

BPL reiterated the minister’s comments yesterday, saying it anticipates an additional 300MW of generation by June.

“With load demands exceeding projections by 20MW, there remains a shortfall resulting in load shedding during peak hours in New Providence,” the company said in a statement yesterday.

“BPL is presently working with its rental generation partners to return at least 10MW of power to the grid within the next 24 hours, and another 10MW should be available by the end of (this) week (May 25, 2024).

“Additionally, BPL is working to return three units that are offline due to scheduled maintenance by the end of the month. These units will add 59 MW to the current capacity.”

“The company maintains that load shedding remains a possibility if unforeseen incidents impact available capacity at its plants and if temperatures continue to hover over 100 degrees Fahrenheit, increasing demand. Nonetheless, BPL assures its customers

124 MIGRANTS REPATRIATED TO CAP-HAITIEN

A TOTAL of 124 Haitians were repatriated to Cap-Haitien, Haiti, on Wednesday. They included 108

men, 13 women and three minors. The country has seen a surge in Haitian immigration this year.

In March and April, more than 600 Haitian migrants were apprehended in the southern Bahamas.

that it uses all available resources to limit supply interruptions.

“BPL’s Battery Energy Storage System helps to reduce the generation shortfall, and BPL continues to use the Generation Assistance Plan (GAP) where large commercial customers self-generate to allow BPL to redistribute power.”

The weekend outages come as the Davis administration works to reform the power company.

Prime Minister Philip “Brave” Davis has said that BPL could be divided into three separate entities, though details on the plan to separate BPL’s generation, transmission and distribution elements have remained unclear.

she noticed her front door looked unlocked. When she touched it, it flew open.

Ms Thompson’s son is a Grade 10 student of Pace Christian Academy with dreams of becoming the future commodore of the Royal Bahamas Defence Force.

“I’m not disputing that he walked outside willingly,” Ms Thompson said. “I believe he gone outside to talk to somebody with the intention of coming back inside. Somebody holding him against his will.”

Ms Thompson, who hosted a prayer vigil last night at her home, said this has never happened before. She criticised the police response and tagged

parliamentarians on Facebook to get attention yesterday.

“That’s how I got so much attention today,” she said, adding that a senior police officer initially told her an alert was not sent out for her son sooner because he is older than 14.

“They feel as though he is a regular 16-year-old: he gone smoking and drinking and he in a gang,” she said.

“That ain’ my son.”

The disappearance is taking a toll on her family.

“This is killing me,” said Ms Thompson, who buried her mother last year.

“I trying my best to not break down and keep it together. My daughter in grade 12 taking BGCSE. She have to go to school. All this on her mind.”

MISSING BOY DEVIN ISAACS

The Tribune Limited

NULLIUS ADDICTUS JURARE IN VERBA MAGISTRI

“Being Bound to Swear to The Dogmas of No Master”

Publisher/Editor 1903-1914

PICTURE OF THE DAY

LEON E. H. DUPUCH

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

Publisher/Editor 1919-1972

Contributing Editor 1972-1991

RT HON EILEEN DUPUCH CARRON, C.M.G., M.S., B.A., LL.B.

Publisher/Editor 1972-

Published daily Monday to Friday Shirley & Deveaux Streets, Nassau, Bahamas N3207

TELEPHONES

News & General Information (242) 502-2350

Advertising Manager (242) 502-2394

Circulation Department (242) 502-2386

Nassau fax (242) 328-2398

Freeport, Grand Bahama (242)-352-6608

Freeport fax (242) 352-9348

WEBSITE, TWITTER & FACEBOOK

www.tribune242.com @tribune242 tribune news network

Another year and the story stays the same with BPL

THERE were more than a few sighs of frustration at the weekend, as once again the country was hit by load shedding.

Four years ago, then Deputy Prime Minister Desmond Bannister proclaimed there would be no load shedding.

Wait, remember the year before when we were told there would be one more summer of torment and then it would be happy ever after with BPL having the power generation capacity it needed?

Every summer, it seems like it is 6am again on Groundhog Day and we are waking up to promises that this really honestly will not happen again.

This weekend was a double whammy.

There were water supply problems after a leak forced the Water and Sewerage Corporation to swoop in and shut down a stretch of Prince Charles while they worked to remedy it, and then there was the power outages to go with it. No water, no power – and a hot weather warning with temperatures that meant people should stay cool and hydrated. Good luck with that.

The cause this time it seems is that BPL was busily preparing for the hot weather when it got caught out by the, well, hot weather.

The demands this weekend were apparently ahead of schedule – the kind of demands seen from July to

September, which BPL was busily preparing for by carrying out maintenance on its equipment. In short, some of the equipment was offline when it was needed, in preparation for when it will be needed most.

Will that mean that we can anticipate that the rest of the summer – once the maintenance is done and everything is screwed back together – will be free of load shedding? Because this explanation won’t wash if we are still short of power in a short couple of months.

The lack of redundancy, as a senior BPL figure puts it, does mean of course that we lack a safety net, with generation levels not much above our demand. One machine unexpectedly offline then creates a problem. This column has featured BPL’s shortcomings for not just years, but decades.

Are we to believe that this year, finally, absolutely BPL will not let us down?

Or will this be like the Peanuts cartoon where Lucy holds the football for Charlie Brown and promises that this time she absolutely will not pull it away at the last minute, leaving him sailing into the air shouting “Aaugh!”?

Here, BPL is Lucy, the power supply is the football and as for us? We’re Charlie Brown, ready to take another run up. Auugh.

Appeal to give and help end hunger

EDITOR, The Tribune.

TRYING to end hunger is like trying to hold the wind in the palm of your hand. But if we can’t end it, we can ease the pain of those who suffer. Every can of food, 5lb bag of rice or other nonperishable item donated to the Bahamas Feeding Network helps to ensure that a child does not go to bed crying because her stomach is empty, or a teen does not join a gang lured by the promise of a reward

for every hit or delivery. Every donation, financial or in supplies, brings relief to a senior too proud to tell his children that his cupboard is bare, he is hungry, and the next pension cheque is a week away. Please donate to the Bahamas Feeding Network, the NGO founded in 2013 that has been providing food for more than 100 churches, feeding centres and soup kitchens. Please, imagine if it were

your child who could not focus in school because their stomach aches from hunger or your elderly parent too proud to beg for help. Hunger hurts. We may not be able to catch the wind in the palm of our hands but together, we can work to wipe out hunger in our little community.

DIANE PHILLIPS Volunteer, Bahamas Feeding Network, Fox Hill Road, two doors south of the police station. May 17, 2024

In memory of Sir Cyril Fountain

EDITOR, The Tribune.

IT is with sadness that I learned of the passing of Sir Cyril Fountain, noted Bahamian lawyer, former member of Parliament. Sir Cyril reached the pinnacle of his legal career serving as Chief Justice of The Bahamas between 1995 and 1996. He was first appointed to the Supreme Court Bench in 1993 and between 1994 and 1995 served as Senior Justice. I was honoured to have had a hand in his elevation and appointment to the post Chief Justice of the Supreme Court.

Sir Cyril was only the second Bahamian born Chief Justice in an Independent Bahamas; Sir Leonard Knowles having served between1973 and

1978.

Having worked as an educator in Abaco and West End, Grand Bahama Sir Cyril was called to the Bahamas Bar in 1963. He spent a decade in law partnership with Sir Gerald Cash, later GovernorGeneral of The Bahamas.

Following a decade in legal practice Sir Cyril entered front line politics representing the constituency of North Long Island following the 1972 general elections

Without fear of contradiction I believe I can say that Sir Cyril was most

widely known as an expert in election law, gaining a reputation in a number of election petitions made during his years at the Bahamas Bar.

Sir Cyril lived a full and productive life. Following his retirement as Chief Justice in 1996 he returned to private practice and then full retirement in Grand Bahama.

On behalf of my wife Delores and all my family I extend sincere condolences to his children Julian and Cecile, to other members of his family and to the many friends of Sir Cyril Fountain. May he rest in peace. FORMER PRIME MINISTER HUBERT INGRAHAM May 19, 2024.

Sir Cyril was a role model

EDITOR, The Tribune. RE: The passing of Sir Cyril Fountain, Chief Justice, Senior Justice, Justice of the Supreme Court of The Bahamas. It is with deepest regret and immeasurable sadness that I learned of the death of Sir Cyril, a mentor and role model to countless aspiring lawyers and judges. Indeed, it is to him, as Chairman of the Judicial and Legal Services Commission, that I substantially owed my elevation to the Supreme Court bench in 1996.

Sir Cyril was a jurist of studied research, application, and keen analysis. He was a “lawyers’ lawyer” who drafted legal documents with precision and elegance that were both an

education and a pleasure to read. He willingly shared his knowledge with all and had a caustic sense of humour that made him both delightful and intimidating in any interaction with him.

His tenure as Chief Justice came to an end a few months after my elevation, but during that short time, his wisdom, integrity, humility and dedication to excellence were evident and served as a guiding light to those who had the privilege of learning at his feet.

Sir Cyril’s illustrious career spanned many decades, marked by a steadfast and profound commitment to the rule of law, and to upholding the principles of equality and justice. He was a proverbial titan of the legal profession, a pillar

of strength and a source of wisdom, which earned him the respect and admiration of all. His passing leaves a profound void in the legal fraternity and in the hearts of all who had the privilege of knowing him, and as we bid farewell to him, let us remember and celebrate his remarkable life and legacy by continuing to uphold the principles of justice and fairness which he held so dear. As he now stands before the Great Judge in the Court of Eternity, may his life of service and integrity commend a sentence of peace, joy, and comfort. Farewell, to a great Bahamian!

DAME ANITA ALLEN May 12, 2024.

A PROTESTER stands outside the High Court in London yesterday. WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange faced a hearing yesterday in the High Court in London that could end with him being sent to the US to face espionage charges, or provide him another chance to appeal his extradition. The outcome will depend on how much weight judges give to assurances US officials have provided that Assange’s rights won’t be trampled if he goes on trial.

Photo: Kin Cheung/AP

GB businessman’s 13-room residence destroyed in Sunday afternoon blaze

By DENISE MAYCOCK Tribune Freeport Reporter dmaycock@tribunemedia.net

FIRE destroyed a 13-room residence in the Windsor Park Subdivision in Grand Bahama on Sunday afternoon, displacing a wellknown businessman and tour operator.

The blaze reportedly started around 11.30am, with a neighbour seeing flames coming from an airconditioner unit.

No one was home at the time of the fire.

The Tribune understands that Pat Kemp, owner of Pat and Diane Snorkeling, lived at the house.

Oscar Thomas, a neighbour, said it took almost an hour for firefighters to arrive at the scene. He said by then, it was already too late.

“I went to the door and knocked to find out if they were home, but they were

not there,” he said, adding that he went to another neighbour for assistance. They connected some garden hoses and attempted to put out the fire.

“We tried to spray it with water, but the heat coming out of the box was so hot, and we could not get too close to it,” Mr Thomas said. He noted that the water pressure was low. He said his wife called the fire station several times but could not reach anyone. “The fire truck never got here until 45 minutes later,” he said. “They called the fire station and could not get through or get anybody. They called 911, and they called Nassau, and they got somebody.

A crowd of onlookers was at the scene when The Tribune arrived around 2pm.

Mr Thomas complained that the late arrival of firefighters was unacceptable and that neighbours were

Severe weather brings ‘golf ball’ sized hail in GB

By DENISE MAYCOCK Tribune Freeport Reporter

dmaycock@tribunemedia.net

SEVERE weather conditions on Sunday evening brought heavy rainfall and strong hail showers throughout parts of Grand Bahama.

The occurrence impacted various areas, from Eight Mile Rock to Freeport, with the most intense activity reported in the southern portion of Freeport.

According to reports from the Bahamas Department of Meteorology, hail was reported in several locations, with hailstones the size of golf balls reported in the southern part of Freeport.

No hail fell at the airport; however, substantial rainfall of .59 inches was recorded.

Grand Bahama residents reported hearing and seeing hail showers around 6:30pm.

Hail was reported in the Royal Bahamia Estate area.

Mr Freddie Sands said his daughter, Aniah, was excited about it because it was her

first time seeing hail.

“The rain started coming down hard, and then we heard a loud knocking sound on the roof,” he said. The sound also drew the attention of their pet dog, who started barking.

Mrs Sands thought the strong wind had lifted their metal roof. “I got more concerned when the knocking got harder, and Aniah asked what was going on, and when I looked out the window, I saw the hail, and we took pictures.”

Residents in the Garden Villas area also reported seeing hail.

Alice McGregor and her son were very excited. She said the hailstones were as

very distraught about the situation.

“The fire was isolated to the box outside, and my neighbour and I were doing our best to prevent the flames from reaching the house, but it was so hot. If the fire truck had arrived earlier,

large as golf balls. “It sounded like rock hitting the roof; these are the last days, she said. The Bahamas Meteorology Department reported that the weather system also produced maximum winds of 34 knots recorded at the Grand Bahama International Airport, highlighting the strength of the gusts accompanying the weather system. Thunderstorms, rain showers, and variable wind speeds occurred, with conditions shifting as a prefrontal trough approached the island.

A series of warnings and advisories were issued for the extreme northwest Bahamas, including Grand Bahama. These included a slight threat of strong to severe thunderstorms, capable of producing damaging winds, small hail, frequent lightning, and heavy downpours. And a marginal threat of flooding in lowlying and flood-prone areas.

The Bahamas Meteorology Department said the weather event on May 19 in Grand Bahama was notable, with impacts felt across various sectors.

“The combination of heavy rainfall, hail, and strong winds underscored the importance of timely weather forecasts and warnings to ensure public safety and minimize disruption. The Bahamas Department of Meteorology’s proactive approach to issuing advisories was crucial in preparing the community for the event. As the islands continue to face the challenges of a dynamic climate, the local population’s resilience and readiness to respond to such events remain paramount.”

we could have definitely saved the house,” he said.

Police Fire Chief Inspector Russell said officers received a call shortly after 11.55am and responded to the scene.

Officers entered the unit and extinguished the bedroom area but realized the

fire was in the ceiling and had spread throughout the roof’s exterior.

Inspector Russell said the metal roof posed a challenge when extinguishing flames.

“The problem for officers is getting water inside the home,” he said. “So,

officers had to extinguish the fire on the inside, and after the roof caved in, we had to retreat our officers for safety precaution.”

He said officers were at the scene for over two hours battling the blaze and extinguishing hot spots.

GRAND Bahama fire fighters escort onlookers away from the burning house as they worked to extinguish the flames. Photo: Vandyke Hepburn

GRAND Bahama residents experience hail as large as golfballs. Photo: Vandyke Hepburn

The home of rake ’n scrape

A QUARTER of a century ago, some very passionate people who love Cat Island and its culture made a decision to officially celebrate rake ‘n scrape music.

There is likely nowhere else in the world where rake ‘n scrape has become as popular, as celebrated and as venerated as in Cat Island.

This is in large part due to the annual Cat Island Rake ’n Scrape Festival.

According to Sidney Isaacs, the stage manager of the 25th annual festival, Cat Island is carrying the banner for the music, attracting thousands of visitors from around The Bahamas and the world.

“We lay claim to a number of protégés in the rake ’n scrape music business,” he said.

“We have the legendary Smithsonian Institution inductees, Bo Hog and the Rooters, and Ophie and Da Websites. These two bands are the only Smithsonian inductees in rake ’n scrape from The Bahamas who are alive and still performing.”

Mr Isaacs says that what makes the Cat Island Rake ’n Scrape Festival so special is that it’s the only place where the music is celebrated on such a large scale. The passion and the consistency to this specific style of music has led to the popularisation of the music, he said. Therefore, he considers Cat Island as the home of rake ’n scrape - a place where outstanding artists in this genre was born, and where new talent is constantly emerging.

The festival came about as an idea that was put into reality by the Cat Island administrator at the time, Mr Joseph Ferguson and several other Cat Islanders back in 1999. The first president of the festival committee was Pamela Poitier, the eldest daughter of Sir Sidney Poitier, who still resides in Cat Island today.

Face to Face

By FELICITY DARVILLE

The committee was supported by the late great Edmund Moxey, former Member of Parliament and Bahamian cultural giant. He was a composer, writer, farmer, politician and community activist extraordinaire. I had the opportunity to be blessed by his wisdom when I visited his home on several occasions, each time, leaving with fresh produce from his backyard.

Mr Moxey was an accomplished pianist with a long litany of songs he composed. His commitment to the development of Bahamian music and culture was unwavering. Today, the Edmund Moxey park is just a stone’s throw away from the site he once deemed “Jumbey Village”. There was a time when this village was the nucleus of Bahamian culture with constant festivals, native stalls with food, art and crafts, and performances. Up to the time of his death in 2014, Mr Moxey was still advocating for the return of the

Jumbey Village.

Whereas things may have taken a different turn in the capital, Nassau, good seeds he sowed in Cat Island are still bearing fruit. Mr Moxey not only helped to guide the creation of the very first Cat Island Rake ’n Scrape Festival, which was held in New Bight at the Regatta Site; he also performed as one of the inaugural acts.

“The first festival was kind of impromptu, but it was created out of a need for us to recognise the origin of rake ’n scrape and the importance and impact of rake ’n scrape on Bahamian musical culture,” Mr Isaacs said.

“Thereafter, through a land grant (thanks to the efforts of Irvin Knowles,

former Member of Parliament), a permanent spot was secured in Arthur’s Town, Cat Island, where we host the official festival.”

Mr Isaacs said the 25th Rake ’n Scrape festival is to take place from June 6-8, 2024, with a fantastic lineup. Bo Hog and the Rooters and Ophie and Da Websites

will be joined by: Veronica Bishop, Geno D, Bishop Lawrence Rolle, Iron Storr, Nishie LS, Blaudy, Jammin Rahming, the Lassie Doh Boys, Yogi and Da Rhythm Band. On the final night, the committee will present the legendary Phil Stubbs, the “storyteller”, who will close out what is expected to be a historic festival.

“Phil Stubbs is primarily responsible for focusing solely on rake ’n scrape as a genre of choice in The Bahamas,” said Mr Isaacs.

“This started in 1992 with his song Potcake. Prior to that, most Bahamian artists would perform in pop, meringue, calypso, and soca. Very few delved into Junkanoo or rake ’n scrape.”

He went on to explain that popular artists like KB began to move more into the rake ’n scrape genre, thanks to Phil Stubbs leading the way. Great artists like Ancient Man, Mr Isaacs said, have Phil Stubbs to thank for paving the road ahead of them.

Today, he said, Bahamian backyard parties and events often have rake ’n scrape music playing, a nod to an evolving and growing Bahamian culture.

Mr Isaacs said in keeping with all things Bahamian, only native cuisine will be on sale at the festival. That includes the world famous Cat Island flour cake, cassava fries, okra soup, and a variety of seafood, chicken and mutton dishes. There will be the plaiting of the maypole, dancing the quadrille, and a large showcase of native arts and crafts, including seashell and straw items at the festival site.

Whereas there are claims that the music originated from Turks and Caicos settlers who came to The Bahamas in the 1920s, there is evidence that Rake ’n Scrape was in The Bahamas long before then.

A book called “Sketches of Nassau” by Franklin Wilson, published in 1864, spoke to the music of the people, including a “lute”, “rasp”, and “saw”.

An entry in The Nassau Times newspaper in 1878 also mentions similar instruments.

Today, it has evolved into a beloved sound to gyrate, knock the conch style, jump and dance to when attending regattas and family events. The next step is for this distinctly Bahamian sound to become even more widely accepted by the Bahamian public, receiving the kind of support necessary for rake ’n scrape artists to get paid what they are truly worth.

Often, that kind of recognition is often found abroad before at home.

Currently on the Smithsonian Folkways website, the album Bahamian Rake ’n Scrape is available on digital download, streaming, and on-demand CD formats. Fred Ferguson - producer and engineer, as well as Ronald Simmsexecutive producer, along with a team, produced a high-quality keepsake for rake ’n scrape music enthusiasts. There is nearly an hour of music

available along with 24 pages of notes with photos that examine the history of rake ’n scrape and social dancing in The Bahamas as well as detailed song-bysong notes.

“On this recording, two groups from Cat Island - Ophie and Da Websites and Bo Hog and Da Rooters - take the basic sonorous ingredients of accordion, scraped saw, and goatskin drum to interpret some of the most popular rake ’n scrape melodies in circulation today,” the site says.

The Goombay drum is the main rhythmic component in rake ’n scrape. It is also referred to as a goatskin drum, because the skin of a goat is stretched over a wooden or metal barrel. The drum is always heated over fire for toning. In addition to being a type of drum, Goombay also refers to percussion music, made famous by Alphonso ‘Blind Blake’ Higgs, who played for travellers arriving at Nassau International Airport for many years. Rake ’n scrape also includes an instrument known as the concertina - a free-reed musical instrument like accordion and the harmonica.

The term Goombay also is used to denote the Goombay Summer Festival, an annual event in Downtown Nassau, highlighting Junkanoo, another form of beloved Bahamian music. Although Mr Edmund Moxey may have left us, the dreams he shared with me are still coming alive today. I remember when he told me that Goombay should represent all things Bahamian - and from this brand, everything else about being Bahamian would come. His legacy lives on, and the rake ’n scrape festival he helped to launch gets bigger and better every year.

The current Cat Island Rake ’n Scrape Committee includes: Caroline (Kay) Chriswell, president; Carolyn Stubbs, vice president; Sherrie Cleare, treasurer; Dornique King-Webb, secretary; and Roselda Gibson, chaplain.

ABOVE: Ophie and the Websites. Below: Bo Hog and the Rooters. Both rake ’n scrape groups are inductees at the Smithsonian Institution.

LEGENDARY statesman, cultural pioneer, musician and activist Edmund Moxey.

BAHAMIAN artist and cultural icon Veronica Bishop performing on stage at the 2023 Cat island Rake ’n Scrape Festival.

PAMELA POITIER, pictured with her father, Hollywood icon Sir Sidney Poitier, was the founding president of the Cat Island Rake n Scrape Festival.

Photo: Lisa Bishop

Assassination attempt on European leader

SUCH is the quick turnover of world events that already the UK press seems to have moved on from last Wednesday’s shooting attack on the prime minister of Slovakia. One of the reasons in his case might be that, although he was hit by four bullets at close range and his condition remains serious, happily we are now told that Robert Fico’s life is no longer in danger.

In order to sustain interest, however, commentators are always searching for a new angle because, shocking as this shooting has been as a single dramatic event and the first attempt on a European leader’s life in 20 years, it could also indicate the possibility of political unrest elsewhere in Europe in the future; not least because there has now been a report in the UK press that the assailant was not a lone wolf after all.

Political analysts are already comparing the incident with the assassination in 1914 of Archduke Franz Ferdinand, the heir to the

The Peter Young column

Austro-Hungarian throne, that is generally considered to have been the catalyst that ignited the outbreak of the First World War the same year. During a period of grand alliances - and the importance of the balance of power between competing nations protecting their interests - historians say that this set off a rapidly escalating chain of events

with Austria-Hungary blaming Serbia for the attack and Russia supporting Serbia so that, within weeks, Russia, Belgium, France and Britain had lined up against AustriaHungary and Germany and what became known as the Great War broke out.

Today’s globalised and interdependent world is a very different place. There is a danger of reaching the wrong sort of conclusions by using a single incident in Slovakia, serious as it was, to draw a broad inference about Europe as a whole, or to suggest that Slovakia might descend into civil war and trigger a domino effect in neighbouring countries. That said, there is no denying that the present is a delicate time in Europe’s history as war rages in Ukraine just across the border with Slovakia.

In the case of the Slovakian prime minister, the assailant was taken into custody at the scene. From initial reports, he appears to have been disgruntled not only with politics in his

own country generally but in particular with Robert Fico, who, according to reports, is seen in Slovakia as an authoritarian, divisive and polarising figure who had been prime minister twice before, having served for a total of ten years so far.

Prime Minister Fico had been forced to step down under a cloud in 2018 after the murder of an investigative journalist. He is known as an outspoken critic of Western support for Kyiv and ran an antiAmerican and anti-EU election campaign. Taking a pro-Russian stance, it is no surprise that he has been praised by Putin. Reportedly, since his election, he has pledged to stop Slovakian military aid for Ukraine and has called for an end of sanctions against Russia. He has also been accused of undermining the rule of law and media freedom in his own country.

Delving a little deeper into the background, it is perhaps hard to believe that, after four decades

of Soviet-style communism, some local people in Slovakia are now said to be disillusioned about the way their country is being run and they are in despair that their postcommunist democracy has not worked out as well as expected because of inept and self-serving politicians. Thus, according to some polls only about half the population still believe that liberal democracy is good for their small country. So, strategically vital at the heart of Europe as it is, Slovakia remains deeply divided. It has to be remembered, too, that in 1992 Czechoslovakia formally split into two independent countries –the Czech Republic and Slovakia. Notwithstanding all the above, at this early stage since the attempted assassination, it is surely unwise for analysts to try to link, with any degree of certainty, a single incident to the broader picture or to attempt to make informed and rational predictions.

The whole area of the Balkans to the south is notorious for political instability largely based on ethnic rivalries. It took the strongman figure of Marshal Tito, the communist president of the nation and leader of the Non-Aligned Movement in the 1960s, to keep what some called the “fissiparous” state of Yugoslavia together during and after the Second World War. As someone who, in anther incarnation, used to travel in the then Yugoslavia, I can attest to the deep uncertainties of the time. Eventually, it broke up as a country into different component parts during the 1990s, with names like Kosovo, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Srebrenica notoriously familiar from past conflicts. With barely a week since the shooting in Slovakia, there is doubtless much more analysis to come. But drawing comparisons - on the evidence so far - with the horror of Sarajevo in 1914 is, I think, somewhat premature at this stage.

Fisticuffs in the Caucasus

AS the UK press seemed to delight in reporting, fists flew in parliament in Georgia’s capital, Tbilisi, last week between representatives of the ruling party and opposition MPs over a controversial “foreign agents law”. This mass brawl

inevitably hit the headlines. There were also large demonstrations on the streets of Tbilisi which continued for the whole week. But, while these did not die down, the initial media coverage seemed to peter out all too quickly about a situation that could escalate into a major confrontation between Moscow and this former Soviet republic.

Under proposed new legislation, non-governmental organisations, including media bodies, receiving more than 20 per cent of their funding from abroad will be required to register as organisations serving the interests of a foreign power. With this “foreign agents law”, the government’s aim seems to be to cut links with outside bodies and thereby reduce foreign influence. A similar draft law about limiting the power of NGOs, which already exists in Russia itself, was rejected last year by Georgia. But, clearly, the government has now returned to the charge. Opposition to this new law seems to be led by the younger generation who see it as an indication of a pivotal change in the country’s foreign policy. Protesters on the streets accuse the government of trying to smear dissenting voices as traitors. They have been brought up with the idea that Georgia’s future depends on the nation joining the EU and NATO and they want actively to pursue such links with the West rather than looking to Russia for their future. But the present legislation as it stands is out of line with EU values and, I imagine, will be a bar to Georgia’s accession to the bloc.

With a current population of around three and a half million, Georgia was a Soviet republic until the dissolution of the USSR in 1991. It has a reputation as one of the most independence-minded of the former Soviet republics.

Situated to the east of the Black Sea and bordering Russia to its north, it is at a strategically important crossroads where Europe meets Asia in an arena of conflicting interests. It experienced a period of instability during the 1990s and, reportedly, its aspirations to join the EU and NATO have been a source of concern to Russia. The latter invaded Georgia temporarily in 2008 and has had military clashes with it involving the territory of South Ossetia.

The latest news is that Georgia’s president has vetoed this “foreign agents bill” that has split the country. She has described the bill as Russian “in spirit and essence” and has said it contradicts Georgia’s Constitution and represents an “obstacle to our European path”.

What happens next remains to be seen. But, to my eye, the lesson of all this is that Georgia’s government is moving closer to Russia as there is already evidence of increasing internal repression and the stifling of free speech, and Russian forces are already within Georgia’s borders. According to press reports, Georgians are saying that they do not want the same fate as Ukraine. But it looks as though the future of the country is in the balance as it determines whether it can be part of Europe or will be forced to veer back towards Russia.

TOO LITTLE TOO LATE

WITH a general election in Britain likely to take place this autumn, the political debate is heating up once again, not least because the polls suggest that the opposition Labour Party is on course for a significant victory over a Conservative government that has become increasingly unpopular and, after 14 years in office, has run out of steam.

I wrote recently in this column about the widespread belief amongst parts of the electorate that the Tories had squandered a thumping 80-seat majority at the last election in 2019 by ignoring - while in governanceconservative values and by failing to adhere to their own manifesto. Interestingly, an example of this has just come to light. According to reports, six months ago a Cabinet minister, Esther McVey, was asked by prime minister Rishi Sunak to ensure that the public sector across-theboard should concentrate on generally embracing common sense instead of political correctness. She has taken aim at the Civil Service which many now consider has become a shell of its former self, with its core values of honesty, integrity, impartiality and objectivity apparently overtaken by a focus on ideologies, minority beliefs and prejudices and issues

surrounding social awareness. Ms McVey has set off what is to many a welcome process calling for a crackdown on “woke” spending within government. Writing at length in the UK press, she has stated that the Civil Service will not be allowed to employ any new staff dedicated to diversity, equality and inclusion. Her aim looks to be to end so-called “back-door politicisation” at the heart of the Civil Service in Whitehall. As she says, the public sector must not become “a pointless job creation scheme for the politically correct”.

All this has revealed that there are employees in the public sector whose only role is to ensure that departments are meeting diversity targets. There are said to be an estimated 10,000 diversity officials involved in issues such as “unconscious bias” and “equality impact assessments”, in connection with which it is impossible to measure results.

For many people, Esther McVey’s “common sense” changes are long overdue but nonetheless welcome for countering the woke procedures swamping the public sector in Britain. But they are astonished why imposition of such measures should have taken so long while a Conservative government has been in power. Is this an example of “

SPORTS

Major final ‘was a big deal for us’

By BRENT STUBBS Chief Sports Editor bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

Top seeded collegian Michael ‘MJ’ Major Jr finally got his breakthrough on the men’s Davis Cup team, while unseeded veteran Danielle Thompson made her return to the ladies’ Billie Jean King Cup.

The duo highlighted the performances of the Bahamas Lawn Tennis Association’s final team trials over the weekend at the National Tennis Center for the final two spots on both teams.

The final trials for the teams were held following the initial trials that took place during the BLTA’s Giorgio Baldacci Open Invitational Tournament in December at the NTC.

By virtue of their top finishes in December, Baker Newman and Rodney Carey Jr clinched their berth on the Davis Cup team.

Meanwhile, female tennis players Simone Pratt and Sydney Clarke earned their berths on the Billie Jean King Cup.

The Bahamas is expected to travel to Asuncion, Paraguay from June 17-22 for the Americas Group III tie, while the Billie Jean

King Cup is scheduled for August 5-10 in Tacarigua, Trinidad.

Final Men’s

Davis Cup

Michael Major Jr, fresh off his impressive freshman year at Howard University, held a 4-3 lead in the first set when unseeded Kevin ‘KJ’ Major Jr was forced to retire due to fatigue.

“I think I had a great performance this weekend. I had a tough match against KJ. The score said one thing, but the match was different. It was pretty intense,”

Michael Major Jr said.

“It was a pretty routine weekend. I just came back from

conference play in school and I was in good motion and in great fitness, so it was good to show what I’ve been doing in college. I think my results proved it.”

MJ said he expected to play a lot longer against KJ but he got a chance to prove that he is now capable of playing against him.

“Just to make it a Major final was a big deal for us,” he stated.

“Even though he didn’t finish, just sharing the court with him was good for me.”

The win for MJ came just after he celebrated his 18th birthday on May 6 and, in the process, he made his first Davis Cup team so

Four GSSSA soccer champions crowned

By TENAJH SWEETING

Sports Reporter

tsweeting@tribunemedia.net

THE weather conditions were certainly less than favourable on Friday over at the Roscow A L Davies Soccer Field due to a heat wave impacting the entire Bahamas, but that did not stop junior and senior teams from repeating as the Government Secondary School Sports Association (GSSSA) soccer champions. In the junior division, the HO Nash Lions celebrated their second consecutive soccer championship win,

defeating the Anatol Rodgers Timberwolves 1-0 in the junior girls’ final game. The Timberwolves’ junior boys defended their crown against the SC McPherson Sharks, prevailing 2-0 to repeat as the title-holders.

In the senior division, the CR Walker Lady Knights bested familiar foe RM Bailey Pacers 3-0 en route to yet another championship victory. The Government High School (GHS) Magic had their hopes of defending their senior boys’ title thwarted by the Timberwolves 2-1 to close out the season.

THE SPORTS CALENDAR

Senior Division

The Lady Knights were in top form against the Pacers in a rematch of last year’s championship round.

Valtinique Simmons, who was named the Most Valuable Player (MVP), cleaned up a goal attempt misfired by her teammate in the first half and put the Knights up 1-0.

Lyric Saunders followed up Simmons’ goal with one of her own from just outside the penalty box area to shift the score to 2-0 headed into the second half.

An own goal surely put the nail in the coffin for the

TRACK RED-LINE YOUTH CLASSIC REGISTRATION is currently underway for the Red-Line Athletics’ third annual Youth Classic. The event is scheduled for Saturday, May 25 from 11am to 5pm and on Sunday, May 26 from 1-5pm. Athletes can register at Redlineathletics242@gmail..com. The deadline is May 20. Crystal trophies will be presented to the winners in the under-7 to under-15 divisions, trophies to the divisional winners and medals for the top three finishers in each event.

Trophies will also be presented to the winners for the Elimination mile, open 4 x 400m and distance medley relays. The event will cater to all of

May, 2024

the track and field events for the age group athletes ranging from 8-and under-20. There will also be one or two events for the open category. Interested persons can contact RedLine Athletics’ coach Tito Moss at 425-4262 for further details.

TRIATHLON THIRD BEAUTIFUL

BAHAMAS EVENT THE Sea Waves Triathlon Club will hold its third annual Beautiful Bahamas Aquathon and Triathlon, sponsored by the Bahamas Triathlon Association, on Saturday, May 26 at 7am. The event will serve as a qualifier for the 2024 CARIFTA Aquathon

SEE PAGE 12

Pacers in the second half and the rest of the game is now history.

Dan Weightman, head coach of the Lady Knights, commended the team for putting out a well-balanced effort in the comfortable victory.

“It feels good. The girls came out and played a very good game. I think this was our best game of the season. Everybody contributed from the top to bottom and I am really happy that they won. We are now looking forward to the nationals coming down the road next [this] week,” Weightman said.

By BRENT STUBBS Chief Sports Editor bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

THE Cyber Tech Blue Marlins had to dig deep down the stretch to hold off the upstart Chances Mighty Mitts on Saturday night to remain undefeated in the New Providence Softball Association men’s division. Blue Marlins’ ace pitcher Thomas Davis admitted that he wasn’t as sharp as a razor and that gave the Mighty Mitts a chance to come back in the feature game in the Banker’s Field at the Baillou Hills Sporting Complex. But Davis said he had enough faith in his Cyber Tech team-mates to pull it off as they held on for a 5-4 win to remain undefeated at 2-0, dropping Chances to 1-1 with the loss. Their game was played after their Cyber Tech Lady Marlins, a new team in the

he’s going to take some time off to “sleep” and enjoy the beach. MJ, the top seed, breezed through the tournament. He got a bye in the first round and won 6-0, 6-0 over Cailan Bowe in the quarterfinals and 6-3, 6-1 over number two seed Donte Armbrister in the semifinals.

The 29-year-old KJ prevailed with a 6-0, 6-0 win over Bradley Fowler in the first round before he disposed of No.2 seed Danali Nottage 6-1, 6-3 in the quarterfinals. Then, in the semifinal, he advanced with a 6-1, 6-3 win over

SEE PAGE 14

He spoke about Simmons and Saunders stepping up and lifting the team to the title win.

“The first goal was exactly how we drew it up. It was just moving the ball quickly and we got a shot that was blocked and then we had some players follow it up and just pushed in the goal.

“The second goal was just a good shot from the corner with them just taking advantage of opportunities. The girls dominated the game and it was on the other side of the

By BRENT STUBBS

AGAINST some of the top notch competitors around the world, Ken Mullings got an eighth place finish in the men’s decathlon at the World Athletics Gold combined events hypomeeting in Gotzis, Austria over the weekend.

Closer to home, LaQuan Nairn was holding his own in the men’s long jump in Atlanta, Georgia, while sprinter Ian Kerr had a double dip in the 100/200 metres in Martinique.

In the two-day multiple meet on Saturday and Sunday, Mullings accumulated a lifetime best of 8,176 points, which was about 284 points shy of the qualifying mark of 8,460 points for the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris, France, scheduled for July 27 to August 11.

It’s the same meet that his arch-rival Kendrick Thompson set the national record last year with 8,182 points over the weekend of May 27-38.

Thompson did not participate this year.

In improving on his previous personal best of 8,060 points from last year, Mullings said he was consistent in his performance during the meet.

“Instead of one good event, one bad event, one good event and one bad event, I was close to my PBs in just about every event, except for the high jump,” Mullings said. “My high jump was a bit off.”

ladies’ division, suffered their second straight loss at the expense of the Johnson Lady Truckers, who pulled even at 1-1, in the opener. Blue Marlins 5, Mighty Mitts: Cyber Tech scrapped up three runs in the bottom of the fourth on just one hit as they rallied to hold off Chances for the win, although all of their runs were unearned. Catcher Garfield Bethel scored the first run in the second, centrefielder Myron Johnson got their second in the third and shortstop Gee Bethel, right

THOMAS Davis in action.

and Triathlon. Categories for boys and girls are 16-19, 13-15, 11-12, 9-10 and 8-and-under. However, to compete in their respective age groups, athletes must not change birthdays by December 31, 2024.

JOHNSON’S BASKETBALL CAMP

GET ready for the annual Coach Kevin Johnson’s Basketball Camp 2024. Coach Kevin ‘KJ’ Johnson has announced that his camp will run from June 24 to July 12 at the CI Gibson Secondary High School and will run daily from 9am to 1pm. For $120 for three weeks, campers will get a chance to play and learn the fundamentals of the game of basketball from professional instructors.Interested persons can sign up by contacting coach Johnson at 636-9350 or email: coachkjjohnson@ gmail.com

BASKETBALL

NEX-GEN

THE third annual Nex-Gen Elite Training Basketball Camp, hosted by JR Basketball Academy, is all set for June 24 to July 13 from 9am to noon at the Telios Indoor Gymnasium on Carmichael Road. The camp, powered by Frazier’s Roofing, will provide training for game situations, shooting, passibng, ball handling, defense and footwork for boys and girls between the ages of 8-19 years. Registration is now open. Interested persons can contact Cadot at 535-9354, email jrcbasketballacademy.com or go online to www.jrcbasketballacademy. com

Four GSSSA soccer champions crowned

field for the whole game. Hats off to RM Bailey. They are a great team, well coached and the kids played very well,” he said.

Coach Weightman said the team will look to recuperate quickly ahead of the looming Samuel P Haven Jr Soccer Nationals set to begin on Wednesday.

The GHS Magic were confident coming into their matchup against the Timberwolves but it was Anatol Rodgers who would leave with bragging rights.

The game was certainly a crowd thriller as the Timberwolves went up 1-0 but the Magic scored the equaliser to lock the score at 1-1.

As the game winded down, the Timberwolves clinched the win with a score to close out the Magic 2-1.

Macklove Raphael was awarded as the team’s MVP.

The Timberwolves have now secured a spot in the Samuel P Haven Jr Nationals along with GHS.

Junior Division Victoria Noel scored the lone goal for the Lions to propel them over the

Timberwolves 1-0. She was

also named the MVP.

Head coach Cherlindria Thompson said the win felt good especially for the ninth graders on the team who will be leaving for senior school after this season.

“It feels really good. It is the second year in a row. We have a lot of ninth graders so for them to leave with a championship is really good,” she said.

Coach Thompson said it was important for her team to brave the weather conditions and also avoid the penalty shoot-out.

“I think we had the majority of the possessions but we just could not finish. I also think it was extremely hot out here.

“The turf is usually 10 degrees hotter than the regular temperature so we couldn’t imagine how the girls felt while they were playing. We did not want to go into penalties and did not want to put our goalie under that pressure so we knew that we needed to score at least one. The girls are undefeated and I think they played well,” she said.

The coach is hoping for the team to be treated to a

celebratory lunch or dinner at the Atlantis resort.

The Timberwolves sent two goals to the back of the net in the second half against the Sharks to hoist the championship once again.

Khaleb Valbrun, who received the MVP honours, successfully sank the ball to the back of the net in the second half.

Gdarwens Vasy scored the second goal for his team to help them put away the Sharks for good.

Head coach Cleon Carnegie said it was a really

tough win due to the weather conditions but he was happy they got the job done.

“It was a tough win today. The climate made conditions very rough to play in. The field was not the best to play on because it was extremely hot and conditions were rough but we were so happy to get the win. When you win once, you want to do it again and it is always a different feeling,” he said. He said the second goal scored gave the club a sense of relief. “Khaleb

was trying to do that earlier but it didn’t pay off. Sometimes you could see him lying down on the field but then he finally got a chance. When one goal is scored you are always on edge and do not know what is going on but, when the second one went in, I was relieved,” he said. The coach is hoping that the team’s celebration will be something extravagant. Next up for soccer will be the Samuel P Haven Jr Nationals set to run from May 22 to May 31 at the RALD Soccer Field.

A matchup of season-long favourite Celtics and proud underdog Pacers

By KYLE HIGHTOWER AP Sports Writer

BOSTON (AP) — So much about the journey the Boston Celtics and Indiana Pacers have taken to the Eastern Conference finals has been about what – or specifically who – they haven’t had to face to get to here.

Top-seeded Boston mostly coasted to a 4-1 first-round series win over a Miami Heat team that played without Jimmy Butler, the player who’d tormented and broken the heart of the Celtics in Game 7 of last season’s conference finals. They then posted another 4-1 series victory in the second round over an injury-ravaged Cleveland Cavaliers team that didn’t have All-Star Donovan Mitchell for the final two games. The route for sixthseeded Indiana has also had some notable hurdles removed.

matters because it’s easy to get distracted or eluded from what the overall goal and what the target is when you start to entertain kind of everything that’s going

Indiana guard Tyrese Haliburton said the expectations they’ve had internally were always high.

he said. “But our guys did the work to put us in a position to be here.”

OFFENSIVE SHOWDOWN

The Pacers reached their first conference finals since 2014 with an offence that has continued to put up historic numbers by pushing the pace.

field and 43.9% from 3 in the series. Siakam averaged 20 points, was 52.8% from the field and 40% from 3. It made them the first duo to average 20-plus points, shoot above 50% from the field and above 40% from the 3-point line in a conference finals.

Game 1 on Tuesday as he continues to recover from a strained right calf.

The 7-footer sustained his injury in Game 5 of Boston’s first-round series with Miami. He then sat out the second-round matchup with Cleveland.

Indiana topped the NBA with 123.3 points per game during the regular season, the sixth-highest average in league history. That was on top of it scoring 140 points a record 11 times.

The Pacers needed six games to earn a first-round win over a Milwaukee team missing Giannis Antetokounmpo. They then outlasted a New York Knicks team that was ers of the championship expectations that have hovered over them throughout the season.

“We had preseason camp in Nashville – just players, no coaches. That’s what we communicated from the jump. That we expected to be here. This ain’t a surprise to us,” he said. “It’s not a fluke. We expect this from our group. Once we added (Pascal Siakam) we knew we could really take off.”

“You just got to focus on what matters most,” Celtics forward Jaylen Brown said. “That’s your team. That’s each possession in front of you. That’s whatever your job is. ... Just be able to focus the mind on what

By SCHUYLER DIXON AP Sports Writer

DALLAS (AP) — Daniel Gafford remembers facing Karl-Anthony Towns, Rudy Gobert and company about two weeks before he was traded to the Dallas Mavericks this season.

That memory alone is enough for the 6-foot-10 centre to know the challenge that’s coming when the Western Conference finals start Wednesday night at the Minnesota Timberwolves.

Make that the towering Timberwolves, even for Gafford and 7-1 rookie Dereck Lively II.

“It was for sure a rough game, going against Rudy under the basket, KAT driving down the basket,” Gafford said of Washington’s 118-107 loss in late January, when Towns scored 27 points and Gobert had 19 points, 16 rebounds and four blocks.

“Just defending multiple areas at one time is just something that was challenging,” Gafford said. “But I feel like with the growth that I’ve had coming to this team, I feel like I’ve taken a step in the right direction.”

The headliners in pursuit of a spot in the NBA Finals are All-Stars Luka Doncic

PAGE 11

guys that we just have to go for it. “I gave up some hits and put too many runners on base, but it’s a work in progress. There’s no concern. We will be okay. We still have a team that can do it. We just have to put in the work.”

Second baseman Skye Hanna produced the first run of the game in the top of the first, but Davis held them at bay until the fifth when they made it a close encounter down the stretch in the fifth.

Left fielder Tunel Bain drew a lead off walk, centre

fielder Stefan McKenzie followed with a double and Hanna came back with a two-run triple, scoring the

of Dallas and Anthony Edwards, who led the Tim berwolves with 38 points on the night Gafford brought up.

Pacers coach Rick Carlisle is fully embracing the idea that his team is the “uninvited guest” among the NBA’s final four teams.

“We had some good fortune to get to this moment,”

The Pacers’ regularseason offensive rating of 120.5 was second only to the Celtics (122.5). That flipped during the playoffs, with Indiana’s ranking improving to No. 1 at 121.7, followed by Boston at 118.9.

Haliburton and Siakam drove the Pacers’ attack against the Knicks. Haliburton averaged 21.3 points, shot 53.8% from the

While Celtics All-Star Jayson Tatum has shown bouts of inconsistency this postseason, he’s still averaging 24.3 points and 10.4 rebounds. He’s also getting plenty of support from fellow All-Star Brown (23.1 points, 6.9 rebounds per game) and Derrick White, who’s seen both his scoring (18.2 points) and 3-point percentage (43.5%) jump this postseason.

“It’s going to be a challenge,” White said. “They get up and down and we like to as well. It’s going to be fun.”

INJURY UPDATE

Celtics centre Kristaps Porzingis will be out for

He has yet to participate in a full practice, but coach Joe Mazzulla said he is making progress.

“He’s out there studying, learning, film, doing everything he can to come back as fast as he can,” Mazzulla said HISTORY LESSON

This will be the seventh playoff meeting between the Celtics and Pacers.

All six of the previous matchups (2019, 2005, 2004, 2003, 1992 and 1991) have been in the first round, with Boston winning four of the series.

The most recent matchup was in 2019, a 4-0 sweep by the Celtics.

MAVS BIG MEN ARE QUITE THE TANDEM, BUT NOW COMES QUITE THE CHALLENGE FROM TOWERING TIMBERWOLVES

neutralised Gobert in a six-game victory over the Utah Jazz. Dallas reached the West finals then as well, losing to eventual champ

focus as well, though. That’s partly because the Mavs have an inside presence they couldn’t have imagined before the season with the emergence of Lively and the addition of Gafford.

The Mavericks beat topseeded Oklahoma City in six games in the second round, in part because they kept 7-1 centre Chet Holmgren from dominating the middle.

Dallas couldn’t forget about Holmgren at the 3-point line, which won’t be the case with the 7-1 Gobert. Instead, the Mavs will try to lure away from the rim a guy who was just named NBA Defensive Player of the Year for the fourth time. In the first round two years ago, the Mavs

final run on Cameron Henfield’s RBI sacrifice fly. Chances’ manager Alphonso ‘Chicken’ Albury said he was proud of his team, who have rallied behind him to dedicate their season to his wife, Sharon, whom he just buried a few weeks ago.

“I think we played a pretty good game. I felt we should have won the game. We made the mental mistakes and they capitalised on it,” Albury said. “I’m glad that we came together, down 5-1, and we came back and made a run for it.

“The guys came to me and told me that they are going to do it for her. They showed it tonight. They didn’t want to let the flag fall. They picked the flag up. They showed that we will

“It’s two different teams. And they’re playing two different defences,” coach Jason Kidd said. “We’ll see if we can get him in different places on the floor. But 90% of the time, he’s by the rim. We’ve got figure out how to get him away from the rim to give our scorers a clean look at the basket.”

When the Mavericks traded for Gafford, it appeared he would back up Lively, the 12th overall pick in last year’s draft. The fifth-year pro started his Dallas stint so strongly, he eventually took over as the starter.

But the Mavs are coming off a Game 6 victory in which Lively was so effective (plus-26 with 15 rebounds and 12 points) that he played the rest of

go down fighting. I believe they will always come prepared to play us because we have the arsenal to beat any team in this league.”

Jeffery Woodside was tagged with the loss.

Lady Truckers 20, Lady Marlins 3: With eight runs in both the first and second innings and four more in the fourth, Johnson’s blasted Cyber Tech to pull off the opener.

First sacker Sheena Taylor was a perfect 2-for-2 with four RBI and three runs scored; right fielder

Rikara Allen was also 2-for-2 with a pair of RBI and as many runs scored; third sacker Apryl Davis was 3-for-3 with one RBI and two runs scored and pitcher Nikeisha Saunders was 1-for-2 with four runs scored.

the way in the one-point win after replacing Gafford (minus-25 with 10 points and seven rebounds) with 6:26 remaining in the third quarter.

Lively, who was limited to 55 games by injuries, was named to the NBA’s All-Rookie second team Monday.

“I thought he did a great job of imitating Moses Malone,” Kidd said after Dallas’ clinching victory over the Thunder. “It’s easy to say he should start, but he’s playing his role for us, and that’s coming off the bench and giving us energy

Saunders helped her own cause by securing the win on the mound, on a threehitter and eight strikeouts, while Nicara Gilbert was tagged with the loss before she was relieved by catcher Eldricka McClain in the second.

Everette ‘Abe’ Johnson, who along with Mynez Sherman are assisting as coaches to manager Ernestine Butler-Stubbs, said the Lady Truckers will perform better.

“We are a young team, so it’s a learning process. We have far to go, but we will get there. It just takes a matter of time,” Johnson said. “I see a lot of potential in them. We are steering, they will get there.” McClain, centre fielder Arianna Delancy and shortstop Petra Coreen all scored

and changing shots and finishing in the paint.”

The 7-foot Towns can score from anywhere for the third-seeded Wolves, while Gobert is much like Gafford and Lively in that his points most likely will come from pick-and-rolls, post-ups and put-backs.

Dallas also can’t forget about the 6-9 pair of Jaden McDaniels and NBA Sixth Man of the Year Naz Reid, who help round out the league’s No. 1 defence and bring some pop on offence.

“We don’t have a big three, we have a big 15,” Towns said while sitting

a run for Cyber Tech to lead off the first inning, only to watch as Saunders struck out the final three batters to get out of the jam.

McClain got on base to start the second on a hit by pitch, but Saunders struck out the next two batters and got a ground out before she retired the side on three strikeouts in the third to seal the seal.

Despite the loss, Cyber Tech’s manager Addie Finley said there’s still a lot that they can take away from the game.

“I came onto the team with very short notice, but from what I’ve seen, there’s room for improvement and I’m sure as the season goes on, the team will get better,” Finley said.

“The team is a mixture of new individuals to the

next to Edwards after Minnesota rallied from 20 points down in the second half of a Game 7 victory that ousted the defending champion Denver Nuggets on their home court. “Every single person means a lot to this team, and they help in so many ways,” Towns said. “This game shows it’s the Timberwolves, not KarlAnthony Towns, not Rudy Gobert. The Timberwolves are a special team.” It appears fifth-seeded Dallas will have to play without 6-10 centre-forward Maxi Kleber, who separated a shoulder in the first round against the Los Angeles Clippers. His threat at the 3-point line could have played a role in getting Gobert out of the paint. And the six extra fouls sure would help on defence.

“One thing for sure, we got to make sure we stay out of foul trouble,” Gafford said.

“Really, just stay patient. We’re not going to keep them from scoring points, but staying to our tendencies and just sticking to our principles is something that’s going to help us throughout this series.”

Maybe the lessons from a rough night in January can help Gafford as well.

game of softball. We have a mixture of players who are learning to play the game, but, at the same time, they have to develop and mature because we don’t have time to practice.” Here’s a look at what’s on tap for this week: Tonight

7pm - Sunshine Auto Wildcats vs R&B Operators (L)

8:30pm - Renegades vs Cyber Tech Blue Marlins (M)

Thursday 7pm - Black Scorpions vs UB Mingoes (L)

8:30pm - Titans vs Chances Mighty Mitts (M)

Saturday 7pm - UB Mingoes vs Johnson Lady Truckers (L) 8:40pm - Titans vs CyberTech Blue Marlins (M)

BOSTON Celtics guard Jaylen Brown (7) is congratulated by forward Jayson Tatum (0) after a after a 3-point basket during the second half of Game 4 of an NBA basketball second-round playoff series against the Cleveland Cavaliers on May 13 in Cleveland.

(AP Photo/David Dermer)

MINNESOTA Timberwolves centre Karl-Anthony Towns reacts after being called for a foul in the second half of Game 7 of an NBA second-round playoff series against the Denver Nuggets on Sunday in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)

BLUE CHIP ATHLETICS PERFORMERS EXCEL AT THE RED-LINE FIELD EVENTS CLASSIC

By TENAJH SWEETING Tribune Sports Reporter tsweeting@tribunemedia.net

THE Red-Line Athletics track club hosted the inaugural Red-Line Field Events Classic this weekend at the original Thomas A Robinson Stadium.

Blue Chip Athletics amassed the most points at the first edition of the event with 210 points. Placing second was X-treme Athletics with a total of 194 points. Third place was secured by Leap of Faith with 174 points.

Hardassah McCoy, representing X-treme Athletics, edged out her competitors in the under-13 girls’ high jump event. She soared to a mark of 1.20m for a goldmedal finish.

Charlee Fisher, representing Unique Athletics, finished second at 1.10m and Carey Josey completed the event in the third spot. McCoy, who is the younger sister of CARIFTA medallist Terrell McCoy, got the third place position in the under-13 girls’ javelin throw event.

Although she felt that she could have performed better in the high jump event, McCoy was still happy she ended in the top spot.

“It feels good but also it kind of feels weird because I know I could have done better and jumped higher. I still came first and I feel that’s all that matters is I had fun,” she said.

Fisher was a standout performer in the field events on Saturday. She secured three medals (two gold and one silver) at the meet. The Unique Athletics representative came first in the under-13 girls’ long jump event with a leap of 4.51m. Te’Rae McKenzie settled for second with 4.38m and Maliyah Smith, competing for Team Velocity, was third with 4.15m. Fisher was successful once again this time in the under-13 girls’ javelin throw event. She tossed the javelin to a winning distance of 13.47m. Team Velocity’s Malaya Wallace wrapped up second with 10.57m. Wallace had a winning performance in the under13 girls’ shot put event. She notched a throwing distance of 7.28m, well ahead of the other competitors. Her teammate Smith dropped to second with 4.95m and Josey wrapped up the event in the third spot for bronze.

The first place finisher was proud of her performance and was thankful to her coaches for their support.

“I worked hard and trained with my coaches. I thank them for pushing me and making sure I did all the events properly for the gold medal win today,” she said.

“I worked hard, practiced and made sure that I aimed for height. I saw that I got the farthest throw compared to other girls and I

was proud of myself and my opponents for earning their medals as well,” she added.

Dayna Rolle, of Triple Threat Throwing Club, picked up two victories in the under-15 girls’ discus throw and shot put events respectively.

In the former, she tossed the discus to a distance of 17.04m. Naveah Moxey, of X-Treme Athletics, was second overall with a throw of 15.15m.

Rolle got the best of Moxey in the shot put event as well. She earned the top position with a heave of 8.92m.

She spoke about her victory in the shot put event.

“It feels very good and I wanna give all glory to God. I am very proud of what I did today even though today was just about

getting my technique in, it was a very good effort. I am thankful to my coach as well,” she said.

Jazae Johnson, of the Striders, had some brilliant performances at the RedLine Field Events Classic. She posted winning marks of 5.02m and 10.77m in the under-15 girls’ long jump and triple jump events respectively. She also got the second spot in the under-15 girls’ high jump event, soaring to 1.40m.

Rising performer Ahkeel Williams, representing Blue Chip Athletics, won the under-15 boys’ javelin throw with a toss of 51.10m. Wyatt Cartwright, who attends St Augustine’s College, was second with 42.12m and Kaiden Kemp, of CH Reeves, was third overall with 36.70m.

Blue Chip Athletics’ club members were dominant in the under-17 age group.

Paris Lowe and Valiyah Farquharson were first and second in the under-17 girls’ javelin throw event.

Lowe pulled off a winning throw of 22.70m and her clubmate was second with 21.65m. Dahjia Mesidor wrapped up third for Jumpers Inc. Anthonece Papageorge and Jaylen Stuart helped Blue Chip Athletics to sweep the under-17 girls and boys divisions of the shot put event. Papageorge won by posting 11.37m while Stuart notched 13.33m in his victory. The same feat was accomplished in the under17 discus throw event.

T’Arjahanaye Green and Lynwood Brown Jr were

the victors of the girls and boys’ events respectively.

Bayli Major, representing Red-Line Athletics, prevailed in the under-20 girls long jump event. She soared to 5.54m for the gold medal win. CARIFTA bronze medallist Lanaisha Lubin was second and Zaria Stapleton capped off the field event in third.

“It feels good. I am kind of excited because I guess I set a record. I am looking forward to setting a new PR soon,” Major said. She admitted that she turned it up a notch when she realised that she was in second place.

“I was in second and I realised I could not play around anymore and it was time to jump. I just went out there and put my best foot forward and I came first,” she said.

CARIFTA gold medallist Taysha Stubbs excelled in the under-20 girls’ javelin throw event. She finished with a successful throw of 44.60m. CARIFTA silver medallist Kamera Strachan notched 44.25m and Amber Rahming, of Blue Chip Athletics, was third in the event. Robert Deal III won comfortably in the under20 boys’ discus throw and shot put events. He posted marks of 49.47m and 13.93m respectively. Next up for track will be the third Red-Line Athletics Youth Track Classic on May 25 and 26 at the same venue.

‘Just to make it a Major final was a big deal for us’

FROM PAGE 11

No.4 seed Jerald Carroll. Although he was too fatigued to complete his final match against Michael Major Jr, Kevin Major Jr felt he did what he had to do to get back on the Davis Cup team.

KJ Major played on the team from 2013-2016 and again from 2021-2023, recording a 9-12 win-loss record in singles and 1-0 in doubles in the 22 ties he played in.

“I had a good weekend. I played some great matches. This was my first tournament in about six months,” Kevin Major Jr said. “So it was just to get my feet wet and to get back on the Davis Cup team.

“In terms of my health, it was pretty hot too this weekend. The scores really didn’t show how intense the matches were. I had to be prepared for war. I just couldn’t complete the match against MJ.”

KJ said he watched MJ growing up and now they are facing each other. KJ noted that he’s pleased to see the progress MJ has made, defeating him in the process. KJ wished MJ every success on his debut on the Davis Cup team.

“With MJ added, I think we’re going to have a good team for Davis Cup,” KJ said.

FROM PAGE 11

Canadian Damian Warner took the title with a season’s best of 8,678, followed by Netherland’s Sven Roosen with a personal best of 8,517 and Estonia’s Johannes Erm with 8,462 for third. Mullings, 27, noted that it was the type of competition that he needed.

“There were no free bees in this competition. Everybody came out with their season’s best or PB, so this was a really good competition,” he stated.

Armbrister, who played on the Davis Cup team in 2019, ended up third after he got past No.4 seed Jerald Carroll in identical scores of 6-3, 6-3.

“I didn’t get the results I wanted, but the tournament was good,” Armbrister said. “I got a chance to work on some things that I needed to do. I struggled with my serve and my backhand was a little shaky. But overall, I think I played the best that I could.

“In my final match, I had to play against Jerald, one of our up and coming juniors and it was a little tough because he’s a lefty and I’m a lefty, but I don’t play lefties that well.”

The 22-year-old Armbrister just graduated on May 12 from Hampton University, but he will be returning in August for his Master’s degree in sports administration and will be playing another year of collegiate tennis with the Pirates.

Ladies’ Billie

Jean King Cup Not since 2019 has Danielle Thompson played on the local scene or any major tennis competition for that matter. But she was delighted to make her comeback and emerge as the top finisher in the ladies’ division.

“I knew I was nervous about coming back, but I was excited to see how

Mullings, however, admitted that he has to be able to finish his 1,500 metres faster than he’s been doing.

“I can’t run that slow in the 1,500m. I’m throwing away too many points,” he pointed out. “Me and my coach just have to go back to the drawing board and adjust our training schedule so that I can improve my lungs to run faster.”

In wrapping up the competition in the finale in the 1,500m, Mullings collected

well I could play before I took the break,” Thompson said. “I haven’t played since 2019, so I had some reservations going out there.”

In a limited field. Thompson pulled off a 6-4, 7-5 win over top seed Jalisa Clarke in the first round of the quarterfinals and then she got by Sierra Donaldson 6-1, 6-4 in the semifinals.

In the final, she took a comfortable 6-2 win in the first set and was leading 2-0 in the second when unseeded Tatyana Madu was also forced to retire.

“As the tournament progressed, I got better and better,” Thompson said. “I definitely think my performance helped me to overcome my opponents, which I am so grateful for.”

The 29-year-old Thompsson, who is the supervisor in the Fitness Center at the

just 505 points after he ran five minutes and 09.77 seconds for the 18th and final place in the field, well off his PB of 4:48.89. He opened the competition with fourth in the 100m in a PB of 10.45 (10.59 was previous best); was ninth in the long jump 24-9 3/4 or 7.56 metres (off his PB of 25-2 3/4 or 7.69m); fourth in shot put with a heave of 50-7 1/2 or 15.43m (off PB of 52-2 1/2 or 15.91m); won the high jump soaring 6-8 or 2.03m (short of his PB of7-1

Ocean Club, played her third and last tie for the Bahamas in the Americas Zone II playoff loss to Peru in 2019.

“It’s a great feeling. I always love playing and representing the country. I always enjoy wearing the Bahamas on my chest and my back,” said Thompson, who posted a 3-4 win-loss record in singles and 2-0 in doubles in the three ties she played in.

“The girls I’m playing against are younger. But this tournament, playing against the girls who are 16-and-over really gave me a good experience.”

For Madu, one of the top junior players in the country, there’s no greater feeling than to finally make it to the senior level.

“I actually feel really great. My training has really

or 2.16m) and 15th in the 400m in 49.61 (below his PB of 49.18) to close out the first day. On the final day, he started off with third in the 110m hurdles in 13.72 (just shy of his PR of 13.71); followed with 11th in the discus with a season’s best of 143-1 or 43.63M (behind his PR of 147-6 or 44.96m); 10th in the pole vault with 15-9 or 4.80m (short of his PB of 16-6 or 5.03m); 11th in the javelin with a season’s best of 178-9 or 54.50 (his

paid off,” Madu said. “I was able to make the team. My first two matches were both three setters, so that took a lot out of me.

“I didn’t perform that great in the first set, but I did enough to win.

“In the second match, I played much better. But the first match, even though I forfeited, I thought I played well before my body just broke down.”

The 14-year-old Madu, who is going into the 11th grade at the Lucayan International School, won her opener 4-6, 6-4, 6-2 over No.2 seed Afrika Smith. She then won 6-3, 4-6, 6-1 over Breann Ferguson.

Despite not finishing her match against Thompson, Madu said it felt like she was in a real professional match because of her opponent’s experience.

“Her strokes were really good. Props to her for coming out third on the team, but I thought it was a lot of fun coming out here and playing against her.”

results from the matches played over the weekend:

Men’s Davis Cup Final - Michael Major No.1 def. Kevin Major Jr 4-3 retired.

Third place - Donte Armbrister No.3 def. Jerald Carroll No.4 6-3, 6-3.

Semifinals - Michael Major Jr. def. Dontre

PR is 191-11 or 58.50) and his disappointing 18th place in the 1,500m to close out the competition. Nairn fifth As the lone Bahamian competing at the Adidas Atlanta City Games on Saturday at the Piedmont Park in Atlanta, Commonwealth Games champion LaQuan Nairn had to settle for fifth place in the men’s long jump. Nairn, 27, popped a leap of 25-3 1/4 (7.70m) on his sixth and final attempt for his fifth place. His other jumps in the series were 24-7 (7.49), 23-9 (7.24, 17-8 1/4 (5.39m), a scratch and 25-2 (7.67m).

Furlani Nattia from Italy took the title with 26-5 1/2 (8.06) on his sixth attempt. American Simpson Damarcus was second on his third with 26-0 3/4 (7.94m) and Mcleod Carey of Jamaica

Armbrister 6-3. 6-1; Kevin Major Jr def. Jerald Carroll 6-1, 6-2.

Quarterfinals - Michael Major Jr def. Cailan Bowe 6-0, 6-0; Donte Armbrister def. Dentry Mortimer Jr 6-2, 6-0; Jerald Carroll def. Khai Rees 6-1, 5-4 retired; Kevin Major Jr def. Denali Nottage No.2 6-1, 6-3. Round 1 - Michael Major Jrt got a ye; Cailan Bowe def. Theophilus Weir 6-1, 6-1; Donte Armbriater def. Panagiotis Mousis 6-0, 6-0; Dentry Mortimer Jr. def. Miguel Smith 6-0., 6-2; Khai Rees def. Archie Burrows 6-1, 2-0 retired; Jerald Carroll def. Alec Hopper 6-0. 6-0; Kevin Major Jr. def. Bradley Fowler 6-0, 6-0; Denali Nottage got a bye. Ladies’ Billie Jean King Cup

Final - Danielle Thompson def. Tatyana Madu 6-2, 2-0 retired. Third place - Sierra Donaldson def. Breann Ferguson 6-0, 6-4.

Semifinals - Danielle Thompson def. Sierra Donaldson 6-1, 6-4; Tatyana Madu def. Breann Ferguson 6-3, 4-6, 6-1. Quarterfinals - Danielle Thompson def. Jalisa Clarke No.1 6-4, 7-5; Sierra Donaldson def. Caila Bowe 6-0., 6-0; Breann Ferguson def. Aryauna Davis 6-3, 6-2; Tatyana Madu def. Afrika Smith No.2 4-6, 6-4, 6-2.

was third on his sixth as well with 26-0 (7.92m). Kerr competes in sprint double Ian Kerr, coming off an appearance on the men’s 4 x 100m relay team at the World Relays a couple weeks ago at the Thomas A. Robinson National Stadium. was the lone Bahamian competing at the Meeting de la Martinique in Fort-de-France, Martinique. Kerr, 28, won the men’s A segment of the 200m in a season’s best of 20.33, well ahead of his nearest rival, Jeison Philipps who clocked 20.65 for second. The performance came after Kerr picked up fifth place in the 100m in another season’s best of 10.28

DANIELLE THOMPSON, left, and Tatyana Madu.

MICHAEL MAJOR JR, left, and Kevin Major Jr.

AN athlete competes in the Red-Line Athletics’ inaugural Field Events Classic at the original Thomas A Robinson Stadium.

Photo: Kermit Taylor/Bahamas Athletics

With her heart in her hand

HER hands were small, yet powerful.

In a room with mellow music and dimly lit candles, accentuated with mini plants, feathers and a replica of the famous Eiffel Tower, Andreanique Gibson applied long, soothing, rhythmic strokes in what is the art of massage therapy.

The Bahamas Technical and Vocational Institute (BTVI) currently has 46 students enroled in its massage therapy programme. Andreanique is in a cohort of 19 students who were recently in the massage theory and practical class taught by Aja Strachan.

The 14-week massage theory and practical class has a four-week practical component and is one of the courses in the programme that spans three semesters.

It was in that BTVI spa on the New Providence campus, where even before Andreanique began, she greeted the client with a

The BTVI Story

treat which included a mini chocolate and a lavender steam eye mask. The Swedish massage, which lasted about 45 minutes, was pampering at its best from the scalp to the soles. One client, who wished to remain anonymous remarked that it was very relaxing. “I honestly didn’t want it to be over. These students are well trained. Also, everything from the foyer to the massage room to Andreanique’s firm, yet gentle manner and her beautiful smile, it was so welcoming,” said the client. Additionally, Ms

Strachan spoke of the importance of soft and hard skills in the trades.

“These skills contribute to the quality of service and impact on clients. Their appearance, attitude, the way they speak, also their environment has a role in the quality of service. Some new clients may be nervous, so it is important for the therapist to start the relaxation process when they meet,” said the massage therapist of 22 years.

Meantime, Andreanique, 35, said she got into massage therapy because her eldest son is an athlete and sometimes had minor

injuries. She said the field is beyond intriguing.

“Seeing my clients come out of that room with a spark in their eyes refuels me to push harder. We carry so much on our plate daily. It takes one good massage to get back on track. It wows me every time,” said Andreanique who envisions opening a massage parlor or mobile spa.

“Massage therapy takes me somewhere else I can’t explain. I see the human body as a canvas or a collection of art pieces. I massage with my heart in my hand. That’s my slogan,” she stated.

• “The BTVI Story” is a bi-weekly column which highlights the who, what and why of the Bahamas Technical and Vocational Institute (BTVI), a tertiary institution where individuals ‘Discover the Possibilities’ related to various trades. The column is produced by BTVI’s Office of Public Relations.

FOCUSED ON THE FUTURE

DALEISHA Sweeting is a gifted honour roll student who is just a few weeks from graduating high school and starting her bright future. Dalei-

sha is the first to humbly acknowledge that it took hard work, the support of her family and an extraordinary commitment to Lyford Cay Foundations’ FOCUS programme to get her to where she is today.

“It feels like just yesterday when I applied to be in FOCUS in Grade 4 of TG Glover Professional Development and Research School,” reflected Daleisha. “It was such an honour to be selected that I didn’t really think about the many Saturday sessions and busy summers that lay ahead.”

By committing to FOCUS, Daleisha soon found out that she had committed to eight years of an out-ofschool-time, tuition-free enrichment programme for youth in fifth through 12th grades. The programme was designed to put participants firmly on the path to college-readiness. For determined students like Daleisha, FOCUS is a giant step in helping students become the first in their families to achieve post-secondary education or obtain meaningful employment.

“Once I got into FOCUS, I was evaluated to see where I was doing well academically and where I needed extra support,” Daleisha explained. “From then on, FOCUS was a new learning adventure!”

Daleisha devoted 15 Saturdays per school year to FOCUS enrichment activities that included learning interventions in mathematics, English, science and social studies that followed the Ministry of Education’s curriculum guidelines. When not involved in project-based-learning, Daleisha and her peers participated in field trips, sports and extracurricular activities. Summers were even busier as she participated in FOCUS Summer SLAM, a summer intensive programme held on the campus of the University of The Bahamas. For Daleisha, the adventure has been well worth it.

“I have had a beautiful FOCUS experience. I have made lifelong

GAIN AN EDGE

friends and created bonds with my FOCUS teachers,” shared Daleisha.

“With the help of FOCUS, I have been on the honour roll from primary school until now. I have maintained a 3.5 grade point average throughout junior high and high school. I am now an experienced debater, speech competitor and young reporter for the environment!”

Daleisha has worked hard to take advantage of every opportunity presented by FOCUS including travelling to Abaco twice to participate in the Bahamas Marine Mammal Research Organisation’s Whale Camp. Daleisha was salutatorian for H.O. Nash Junior High School and received a scholarship to attend St John’s College. For her achievements, Daleisha was selected as “Ms On Course To

College” by her FOCUS teachers and peers. With past achievements as a foundation, Daleisha has her eyes set beyond graduation.

“After I graduate from St John’s College, the Home of the Giants, I plan to go to the University of the Bahamas,” said Daleisha. “I am hoping to do my maritime law studies and eventually attend the University of Buckingham to get my Juris Doctorate.”

Upon acceptance to the University of The Bahamas, Daleisha will be eligible for Cutillas Scholars, a Lyford Cay Foundations’ programme that provides academic resources, guidance and partial scholarships to selected first generation students attending UB or the Bahamas Technical and Vocational Institute.

When asked what pushes her to achieve her goals, Daleisha happily stated: “I am proud to have the three biggest supporters in my life: God, my mom and my dad.”

• Gain An Edge is a collaboration of Lyford Cay Foundations, the Bahamas Technical and Vocational Institute and the University of The Bahamas aimed at promoting a national dialogue on issues surrounding education. To share your thoughts, email gainanedge@tribunemedia.net.

BREEF HAILS NEW SCHOLARS

By FAY SIMMONS Tribune Education Reporter jsimmons@tribunemedia.net

BREEF has named its new Bahamas Environmental Steward Scholars. Journey Higgs, Windsor School, New Providence and Farah Flowers, Bishop Michael Eldon High School, Grand Bahama were selected as the 2024-2025 Bahamas Environmental Steward Scholars (BESS). The programme is offered in partnership by the Bahamas Reef Environment Educational Foundation (BREEF) and The Island School. Each scholar will participate in a semester on The Island School’s Eleuthera campus and a four-month paid internship with BREEF. While interning at BREEF the scholars will participate in work experience with organisations including Bahamas Marine Mammal Research Organisation, Ardastra Gardens, Atlantis, and Blue Lagoon.

the environment and participate in its conservation.

“As a young Bahamian, surrounded by our beautiful environment, I feel a natural connection that draws me to advocate and educate for its preservation. From recreational activities, to educational panels and volunteering, my youth has shaped my appreciation and value for needed conservation that ensures a sustainable and long-lasting future,” said Journey.

“I believe it is crucial for communities to learn about the importance of our environment in order to build our knowledge on the current environmental crisis that we face worldwide. It is vital that we make all generations aware of the significance of our existing natural resources and take action to protect our heritage. My mission is to help us all realise our impact and act responsibly.”

Journey Higgs is a student and an avid musician who was led to advocate for the environment due to the natural connection she feels to its beauty.

She said it is crucial for communities to understand

Farah Flowers is an avid member of her Eco-club with a strong passion for the environment. “Growing up surrounded by the ocean, I’ve learned that safeguarding its treasures is not just a duty, but also a privilege,” said Farah.

Since 2008, 62 Bahamians have benefitted from this experience.

ANDREANIQUE GIBSON

DALEISHA SWEETING

JOURNEY HIGGS, top, and Farah Flowers.

Passion IN DESIGN

Lyndira Fowler brings visions to life

By ALESHA CADET Tribune Features Writer acadet@tribunemedia.net

HELPING people to bring the visions they have for their personal spaces to life runs in Lyndira Fowler’s blood. She is an interior architect and designer by profession, but drawing up plans and creating unique work and living spaces has been passion for her as long as she can remember.

“I come from a family of architects, contractors, draftsmen and engineers, so I’ve always been exposed to the field. I developed a love for it and knew that this was the path that I wanted to take from as young as seven years old,” she told Tribune Woman.

“My father, Lynden Fowler, and grandfather, the late Hubert Fowler, both architects and contractors, had a direct influence on me.” She has her own company, Lyndira Fowler Design, which she officially established in

October 2020. The boutique interior design firm specialises in interior styling and decor, space planning, 3D renderings, small scale renovations, and home staging. Lyndira, who is a member of The American Society of Interior Designers, has love for contemporary and modern styles, and a passion for biophilic (increasing occupant connectivity to the natural environment) and sustainable design.

“I graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Interior Design from the University of Central Arkansas in May 2019. Growing and running a business (alone) can be challenging. However, clients’ consistent desire to seek me out to be a part of their projects is what keeps me motivated,” she said.

“I always ask new clients how they came to find out about my business. Most of them often rattle off a list of names of people I don’t know, and have never met.”

SEE PAGE 15

THE STRENGTH OF A PRAYING MOTHER

By JEFFARAH GIBSON Tribune Features Writer

jgibson@tribunemedia.net

EVERY mother can attest to experiencing the trials of parenting; moments that make them hold their heads in their hands, and even some that bring them to their knees and cry for help.

Dr Carolyn Armbrister, who is a mother first, is also an evangelist and author. She knows all to well the bittersweet side of motherhood and the fortitude required to master the rough waves of children rearing.

Knowing how difficult it can be, Dr Armbrister wants to give all mothers encouragement and advice on how to make it though those “wilderness moments” of motherhood. Her answer? Prayer. In her new book, “Stronger Than I Thought;

EVANGELIST AND AUTHOR RELEASES NEW BOOK TO HELP PARENTS FACE ALL TRIALS AND TRIBULATIONS

Testimonies of a Praying Mother”, which was published right before Mother’s Day this month, she writes in detail about the numerous challenges she has had to overcome as a parent. The book is biographical in nature and also gives an in-depth view into Dr Armbrister’s journey of faith. She writes how she conquered seemingly insurmountable odds through prayer and steadfastness. The mother-of-five, who is descendent of Cat Island, hopes the book will inspire mothers to cultivate a prayer life and offer specific prayers for their children, even when things seem hopeless.

“Prayer is our weapon of

defence against the devil and our adversaries. As a praying mother I make prayer a top priory, having an organised and intentional prayer routine,” she told Tribune Woman.

“The importance of a praying mother is not to be selfish, but to be someone who loves God and loves people. As a praying mother I have the faith to believe that when I pray, I receive answers from God. I use my faith in prayer to extinguish the fiery darts of doubt and fear.”

Praying for her children has become a lifestyle for her.

“I am reminded of when my eldest daughter was

going through a difficult pregnancy with her only child. I remembered the morning that my daughter called me and said, ‘Mummy, I went to the doctor today for my checkup and my doctor told me that it’s a matter of life and death. He told me that he must admit me to the hospital and take the baby from me’.

DR CAROLYN ARMBRISTER, mother-of-five and author of “Stronger Than I Thought; Testimonies of a Praying Mother”

INTERIOR spaces designed and created by Lyndira Fowler.