The Tribune OBITUARIES Biggest And Best!
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Cop on leave in new voiC e notes probe
Recordings include talk of guns, violence and hiding items in bushes
By KEILE CAMPBELL Tribune Staff Reporter kcampbell@tribunemedia.net
A ROYAL Bahamas Police Force officer has been placed on administrative leave pending an internal investigation, following the circulation of a voice note on social media that appears to implicate officers in a covert operation near an airport runway.
In a statement issued yesterday by the RBPF’s public affairs and communications department, Commissioner of Police Shanta Knowles confirmed that a formal probe was launched after the audio clip sparked widespread public concern. The recording, shared on Facebook, purportedly features two men,
Govt seeks to address flaws in land administration laws
By JADE RUSSELL Tribune Staff Reporter
jrussell@tribunemedia.net
PRIME Minister Philip
Bahamas Union of Auxiliary Professionals in Education lead by president Ernesto Williams held a protest agains BTVI president Dr Linda Davis with faculty, staff, and students carrying signs condemning her leadership.
Speaking at a Parliamentary Land Reform Consultation held at Breezes Resort, Mr Davis said the problems are not new and have been formally recognised since the country’s first White Paper
“Brave” Davis emphasised yesterday that The Bahamas’ land system has long failed its citizens, citing unresolved ownership disputes, barriers to generational land transfer, and limited access to credit as persistent challenges administrations have yet to resolve.
‘We want BTVI president out’ amid claims of victimisation
By LYNAIRE MUNNINGS Tribune Staff Reporter lmunnings@tribunemedia.net
THE Bahamas Union of Auxiliary Professionals in Education (BUAPE) is calling for the resignation
of Bahamas Technical and Vocational Institute (BTVI) President Dr Linda Davis, accusing her of creating a toxic environment marked by victimisation, delayed compensation and disregard for union engagement.
At a campus protest yesterday, BUAPE president Ernesto Williams led faculty, staff, and students — many dressed in black, some barefoot — carrying
Ormanique Bowe set to challenge Munroe for Freetown nomination
By LEANDRA ROLLE Tribune Chief Reporter lrolle@tribunemedia.net
THE president of the Potter’s Cay Dock Fish Fruit and Vegetable Vendors Association is challenging National Security Minister Wayne Munroe for the Progressive Liberal Party’s (PLP) nomination in the Freetown constituency. Mr Munroe, who secured the nomination over Ormanique Bowe in the previous election cycle, confirmed yesterday his intention to seek renomination. Ms Bowe, a longtime community advocate, declined to comment on
By JADE RUSSELL Tribune Staff Reporter jrussell@tribunemedia.net
RETIRED officers of the Royal Bahamas Police Force (RBPF) are expressing alarm over a steep increase in their health insurance premiums, warning that many could soon be left without coverage, a concern that prompted National Security Minister Wayne Munroe to say yesterday that insurers “don’t really care about us — they care about the dollar.” The officers, who are participants in Colina’s group insurance scheme, r etired police worried over insurance cost increase
national Security Minister Wayne Munroe.
Photo: Chappell Whyms Jr
Celebrating International Day of the Boy Child with board game fun
‘International Day of the Boy Child’ was celebrated at Flamingo Gardens Family Life Centre on Friday, as Dave Williams led the board games fun for the boys who attended the Social Services Community Affairs Division event.
Photos: Mark Ford/BIS
Cop on leave in new voice notes probe
reportedly police officers, discussing firearms, hidden items, and a recent incident described as having gone off “quiet and clean”.
The voice note was released by Sylvens Metayer, a US-based
Bahamian national known for previous disclosures linked to an international investigation into alleged police corruption involving Michael Johnson. His earlier leaks led to the involvement of the FBI and the UK’s National Crime Agency.
In the audio, the men refer to the concealment of items in bushes, the presence of both personal and government-issued firearms, and operational secrecy. One voice states, “from one go, all got to go”, while joking about assisting in a subsequent search
tied to the events described. The tone throughout the exchange is disturbingly casual, with the men laughing about the topics discussed.
The recording also mentions a Jeep loaded with detergent and alludes to a heavily secured area
near the airport, with one speaker claiming another individual would not let “no one come around this airport”. The same voice describes plans to “pull up” while allegedly armed and refers to the operation as a “kamikaze” mission, purportedly staged to appear
premeditated. The recordings reference weapons, concealment, and apparent violent outcomes — coupled with the nonchalant delivery — have ignited serious concern among Bahamians about potential protocol breaches and officer conduct.
‘We want BTVI president out’ amid claims of victimisation
signs condemning Dr Davis’ leadership.
Mr Williams claimed the president has repeatedly failed to engage the union and stakeholders in good faith, instead responding with delays, silence, or punitive actions.
He accused her of responding with dismissiveness and delays, alleging that her administration withheld job letters, stalled overtime and allowance payments, and failed to grant permanent or pensionable status, leaving many staff on contract.
He also claimed there had been no promotions, deteriorating student life, and favouritism shown only to a close circle while others have been sidelined.
Protesters said morale has plummeted under her tenure. This is not the first time staff has protested Dr Davis.
The BUAPE became the official bargaining agent at BTVI in December 2024, but Mr Williams said efforts to engage in constructive dialogue have been ignored.
“The president has proven that she cannot be worked with and that she is anti-union, that she is anti the government’s mission of being labour sensitive and union cooperative. She has operated against those
mandates, and unfortunately, she has created a working environment and a working atmosphere that has everyone under duress, and it’s time for it to stop,” he said.
“We’re calling today for the nation’s leaders to move and operate and remove the president. The president has to go because we cannot work under these conditions where our members and our students and faculty are coming to this institution not wanting to be
involved.” Mr Williams criticised what he described as a pattern of BTVI receiving unfit or ineffective leadership compared to other institutions. He called for a shift toward appointing people-centred leaders who are democratic in their approach, willing to listen and engage with staff, actively involve and motivate
team members, and work collaboratively with the union. Dr Davis served as interim president from May 2022 and was officially appointed in February 2024. She is the institution’s second president and the first woman to hold the position.
BTVI declined to comment on the matter when contacted yesterday.
Teachers, faculty, and students, led by BUAPE stand outside the gates of BTVI yesterday to protest the treatment of the teachers at the hand of the current President.
Photo: chappell Whyms Jr
Govt seeks to address flaws in land administration laws
on land reform in the 1960s. He described the situation as “unacceptable”, noting that little progress has been made despite decades of discussion.
The government is proposing two pieces of legislation — the Land Adjudication Bill, 2025 and the Registered Land Bill, 2025 — which it says are intended to address long-standing flaws in land administration by creating a system that offers clarity and legal certainty to landowners.
The bills would transition the country from a deeds-based system to a title-based registry. Mr Davis said every land parcel would receive a unique identification number and owners would be issued certificates that serve as definitive proof of
ownership. The adjudication process, as described, would involve field teams visiting communities to assess claims. An independent Land Tribunal would resolve disputed ownership. Once settled, titles would be formally registered under the new system. “These reforms unlock real potential,” Mr Davis said. “Families can pass land on to their children with confidence. Businesses can expand. Developers can build. And ordinary Bahamians will finally have access to credit using land they rightfully own.”
He added: “Colleagues, the status quo is indefensible. These reforms are a necessary step toward fairness and national development. And while we cannot undo the decades of inaction, we can — and
must — act now with purpose and unity.”
While the consultation was closed to media after the Prime Minister’s remarks, the agenda included presentations from Sharlyn Smith, cochair of the Land Reform Committee; Law Reform Commissioner Dame Anita Allen; and consultant Lanysha Cox.
The Land Adjudication Bill proposes the appointment of an adjudicator — an attorney with a minimum of seven years’ experience in conveyancing — and two others to serve on a tribunal. The tribunal would be responsible for assessing land claims in designated areas.
The Registered Land Bill, if enacted, would establish a centralised registry intended to replace the existing system of recording deeds at the
Registrar General’s Department. The government has said this is intended to reduce fraud, eliminate overlapping claims, and streamline property transactions.
Critics of the current system, including landowners and legal professionals, have for years cited the lack of definitive proof of title as a major barrier to development and financial security. In the past, legal challenges and overlapping claims have contributed to costly and prolonged disputes over land, particularly in generational communities.
The government has not indicated how long implementation of the new system might take if the bills are passed or how adjudication areas will be selected. The bills are currently before Parliament and await debate.
Former Norman’s Cay employees recount deplorable conditions and experiences
By EARYEL BOWLEG Tribune Staff Reporter ebowleg@tribunemedia.net
AS the Department of Labour continues its investigation into Norman’s Cay development in Exuma, former employees are now speaking publicly about their experiences, alleging unsafe living conditions, managerial misconduct, and retaliatory dismissals.
Mary Hanna, who joined the development in April 2024 as an executive assistant and later became housing manager, was terminated on May 9, 2025. She described a workplace that quickly unravelled due to what she believes was managerial neglect and resistance to addressing legitimate safety concerns.
Ms Hanna said her first red flag was the lack of on-site security, which she said left staff vulnerable during serious incidents. She witnessed a violent altercation in which someone was injured with a machete and recounted a fire that destroyed a staff trailer — allegedly set intentionally after a domestic dispute between employees.
“They had one fire extinguisher that was working, and the other fire extinguisher was not filled. So that led to persons running out of trailers. We had to relocate them, which was difficult given the already limited housing options,” she said.
She further described housing trailers riddled with mould, exposed sewage, and dangerously soft flooring. One of her colleagues even fell through the floor of a trailer. Ms Hanna said she raised these concerns in daily briefings, advocating for urgent repairs, better security, and improved living conditions.
“Each time I went into those meetings, I addressed, I pled, and I advocated for more help, for more assistance with the housing standards, with more assistance in regards to security and with assistance in
regards to repairs, and they have all ignored them,” she said. She said shortly after raising these issues, she was abruptly told via email, without explanation or other recipients copied, that she should no longer attend the morning briefings. She was later dismissed and told the company was “revamping.” She said no performancerelated reasons were cited, and she was told she might be called back.
Another former employee, Antoinette Bain, worked in the housekeeping department from January 2024 until her termination in February 2025. She claimed that nearly 30 people were dismissed from her department in a year. She believes her dismissal was linked to a letter she submitted voicing concerns about leadership and working conditions.
A letter obtained by The Tribune stated that “it became increasingly difficult to maintain stability when management team addresses their concerns with dismissive comments, such as, ‘I don’t care, I have bigger problems.’” The letter added that this approach was “demoralising and undermines” staff morale.
Ms Bain, a mother of three, said she accepted the remote position based on the assurance she would be able to stay in contact with her children. But within weeks, management introduced a new cellphone restriction, limiting her ability to speak
with her children during the day.
“It was complicated but being a mother, you know, you have goals and you’re there with a focus, with a drive, that you have something that you have set to do. So that was my main thing. You know, I’m here,” she said. “I’m thinking about them constantly at the same time. I’m here to do something, to better myself, to better them, and, you know, to just get it over with. So that was my aim, that was my push. So through all of that, I tried to stay positive.”
She said she was once assigned to clean mould without any personal protective gear.
Ricardo Hamilton, who worked in human resources from July 2024 until his termination last week, claimed he witnessed troubling favoritism in managerial decisions. He cited an incident where four employees were involved in a fight. A manager reportedly attempted to protect a favored employee by lobbying HR to fire only the others involved.
Although all four workers were eventually terminated, Mr Hamilton said the favored staffer was soon rehired as a contractor.
A company representative told The Tribune yesterday: “I would suggest we await the official report from the labour board. Our team will definitely reach out to address concerns brought to us from the official report should the need be.”
Photo shows what an employee described as mould in housing trailers.
Prime Minister Philip ‘Brave’ Davis speaks during a Parliamentary land reform consultation meeting yesterday.
Photo: Nikia Charlton
Body of man missing in Acklins for three months discovered
By LEANDRA ROLLE Tribune Chief Reporter lrolle@tribunemedia.net
THREE months after
James McKinney van-
ished while foraging in Acklins’ wilderness, police have discovered his decomposed body, ending a desperate search that gripped the tight-knit island community.
McKinney, a 59-year-old father of five, was found wearing the same clothes he had on when he disappeared in early February. A police official, who confirmed the grim discovery yesterday, said foul play is not suspected but are awaiting autopsy results
to determine the cause of death.
McKinney had reportedly ventured into the bush in search of cascarilla bark a day before his 60th birthday when he phoned a retired police officer in distress. His final words described being near a “high wall with plenty of grass.” Despite being advised to stay put, he vanished before help could reach him.
The discovery came after another resident, also searching for cascarilla, led authorities to the Spring Point area, a region infamous for its dense vegetation, concealed caves, and deep
sinkholes. The same terrain had previously thwarted extensive search efforts involving drones, K-9 units, and support from the US Coast Guard and the Royal Bahamas Defence Force.
McKinney’s family had criticized the response, calling it sluggish and inadequate.
Tragically, this is not the first time the Spring Point region has had such an incident. Former Chief Councillor Steven Rose recounted the chilling case of Alice Darling, an elderly woman who disappeared twice in the same area — the second time, permanently.
Man found ‘not guilty’ of murder and attempted murder charges
By PAVEL BAILEY Tribune Staff Reporter pbailey@tribunemedia.net
A MAN was acquitted yesterday of the attempted murder of one man at a bar and the subsequent murder of that man’s friend in 2022.
Trevano “Glasses” Greene was found not guilty of both charges before Justice Guillimina Archer Minns.
Mr Greene appeared jubilant and relieved following the verdict, having spent two and a half years on remand awaiting trial.
A jury returned a unanimous 9-0 not guilty verdict on the attempted murder charge.
Mr Greene was accused of attempting to shoot Auldrick Persom outside Yardie’s Bar, located at the intersection of Lazaretto and Carmichael Roads, on August 26, 2022. He was also accused of fatally shooting Mr Persom’s friend, Welji Noel, on September 10, 2022. Noel was gunned down while walking with a friend on an unnamed road near Lazaretto Road.
Prosecutors alleged that Mr Greene committed the crimes due to a longstanding feud with the two victims.
During the trial, the prosecution claimed that
Justice Minns directed the jury to acquit Mr Greene of the murder charge, ruling that the prosecution had presented no evidence linking him to the fatal shooting.
Mr Persom heard three clicks as Mr Greene chased him, prompting Mr Persom to throw a bottle at him.
Although Mr Greene admitted during a police interview to chasing Mr Persom that night, he denied shooting him. He claimed that Mr Persom initiated the confrontation at the bar, after which he pulled a knife on Mr Persom and gave chase.
Mr Persom testified that he was detained and questioned by police for four days in connection with Noel’s death.
Mr Greene was represented by Miranda Adderley.
Prosecutors Shaneka Carey and Myiashia Saunders led the case for the Crown.
Police found decomposing body of missing Acklins man, James McKinney bringing family’s search for him to a close.
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Judge rejects arguments that AI chatbots have free speech rights in teen death lawsuit
A FeDerAl judge on Wednesday rejected arguments made by an artificial intelligence company that its chatbots are protected by the First Amendment — at least for now. The developers behind Character.AI are seeking to dismiss a lawsuit alleging the company’s chatbots pushed a teenage boy to kill himself.
The judge’s order will allow the wrongful death lawsuit to proceed, in what legal experts say is among the latest constitutional tests of artificial intelligence.
The suit was filed by a mother from Florida, Megan Garcia, who alleges that her 14-year-old son Sewell Setzer III fell victim to a Character.AI chatbot that pulled him into what she described as an emotionally and sexually abusive relationship that led to his suicide.
Meetali Jain of the Tech Justice law Project, one of the attorneys for Garcia, said the judge’s order sends a message that Silicon Valley “needs to stop and think and impose guardrails before it launches products to market.”
The suit against Character Technologies, the company behind Character. AI, also names individual developers and Google as defendants. It has drawn the attention of legal experts and AI watchers in the US and beyond, as the technology rapidly reshapes workplaces, marketplaces and relationships despite what experts warn are potentially existential risks.
“The order certainly sets it up as a potential test case for some broader issues involving AI,” said lyrissa Barnett lidsky, a law professor at the University of Florida with a focus on the First Amendment and artificial intelligence.
The lawsuit alleges that in the final months of his life, Setzer became increasingly isolated from reality as he engaged in sexualised conversations with the bot, which was patterned after a fictional character from the television show “Game of Thrones.” In his final moments, the bot told Setzer it loved him and urged the teen to “come home to me as soon as possible,” according to screenshots of the exchanges. Moments
after receiving the message, Setzer shot himself, according to legal filings.
In a statement, a spokesperson for Character.AI pointed to a number of safety features the company has implemented, including guardrails for children and suicide prevention resources that were announced the day the lawsuit was filed.
“We care deeply about the safety of our users and our goal is to provide a space that is engaging and safe,” the statement said.
Attorneys for the developers want the case dismissed because they say chatbots deserve First Amendment protections, and ruling otherwise could have a “chilling effect” on the AI industry.
In her order Wednesday, US Senior District Judge Anne Conway rejected some of the defendants’ free speech claims, saying she’s “not prepared” to hold that the chatbots’ output constitutes speech “at this stage.”
Conway did find that Character Technologies can assert the First Amendment rights of its users, who she found have a right to receive the “speech” of the chatbots. She also determined Garcia can move forward with claims that Google can be held liable for its alleged role in helping develop Character.AI. Some of the founders of the platform had previously worked on building AI at Google, and the suit says the tech giant was “aware of the risks” of the technology.
“We strongly disagree with this decision,” said Google spokesperson José Castañeda. “Google and Character AI are entirely separate, and Google did not create, design, or manage Character AI’s app or any component part of it.”
No matter how the lawsuit plays out, lidsky says the case is a warning of “the dangers of entrusting our emotional and mental health to AI companies.”
“It’s a warning to parents that social media and generative AI devices are not always harmless,” she said.
By KATE PAYNE Associated Press/Report for America
The need to restore our country
EDITOR, The Tribune.
ONe month later and I am back at the computer to report ‘nothing to report’ on the same story that is still getting nowhere fast, ie the unhealthy condition of the long list of Bahamian public patients awaiting eye surgery (some for as long as two years) whose sight is deteriorating ‘while the emperors fiddle’! With claims of ‘forced labour’ from our neighbor to the north relative to the Caribbean’s relationship with Cuban medical practitioners still making
headlines locally and abroad on the heels of an international meeting in the US to discuss the issue, inquiring minds would like to know who and what to believe since the Prime Minister is claiming that labour agreements with the Cuban doctors are being renegotiated; whilst the Minister of Health is stating nothing untoward is happening! Is the health of a Nation, truly the wealth of a nation? I think not because this is a yearslong example of a blatant lack of Bahamian people
priorities.
Ain nuttin happenin’ and the people still suffering – that’s for sure! Plenty, plenty people are in a pathetic state, waiting and waiting, and every day the light at the end of the dark tunnel is getting dimmer and dimmer, literally and figuratively!
So, Bahamians, if you want better (and that includes the ambulances too), you better demand better, because we all deserve it!
PAM BuRNSIDE March 20, 2025.
EDITOR, The Tribune. IT never ceases to amaze me when I hear; read and see the so-called or self-appointed alarmists who tend to emerge from under the brushes when the Cat is already out of the bag. When it is not one thing, it’s another. The flavor of the day seems to be concerns about the proliferation of liquor stores. There are other flavors such as the naked and provocative assault against the traditional Bahamian family and the proliferation, seemingly, unchecked, of web shops. let us deal with, as best we can, with the liquor stores (the licensed ones). Decades ago, it was next to impossible for an entrepreneur to obtain a liquor license. The annual approvals were limited in the extreme and to my personal knowledge, it would have cost, back in the day, a minimum of B$10,000.00 to secure one outside of the annual quota. Other than that, one was obliged to ‘lease’ the license from the holder, at exorbitant fees. Few, if any, liquor stores or clubs were permitted in the vicinity of a church; cemetery or a school. The laws were strictly observed and enforced. Of course, we have always had the 30-day operators, who are still around to this very day, who set up shop from within their homes or business places. In the area of all of the schools along the robinson road corridor from Blue Hill road straight up robinson road and extended as far east as Prince Charles Drive, stopping at Yamacraw Beach. liquor stores and clubs abound.
We have primary; junior high and senior high schools and hundreds of ‘churches’ and multiple cemeteries. Yet, liquor stores are all over the
place and expanding like a pregnant woman (with all due respect) . Children going and coming from schools are exposed to the potentially destructive environments of the same. Some will argue that alcohol is legal and I am the first to agree with that. Indiscriminate consumption, however, has resulted in thousands of Bahamians becoming alcoholic and are affected and affected by all of the negatives that come with that syndrome. A decade or more ago, a non-binding referendum on gaming was held during the ill-fated administration of Brother Perry Gladstone Christie, a former Prime Minister. The Bahamian people by a large majority voted ‘NO’ . mind you, I fully supported the effort to ‘legalise’ the numbers/ web industry and was paid well for my efforts. In fact, today, I have no personal issues with the web shops except that there are too many of them. Their locations in some cases are eyesores and societally debilitating. Unabated gambling/ gaming is now pervasive here in New Providence; Grand Bahama; The Abacos; The exumas; eleuthera and even as far South as MICAl. Too many Bahamians have become addicted to the expectations and fascination of gaming. Others seek to get rich quick on a 3 or 4 ball , in vain, while the handful of operators are laughing all the way to their banks, where acceptable or possible. The realistic chances of winning some big money is akin to one being struck, I submit, by lightening!!
The traditional family
has long been under a very naked and brutal assault by forces that be in our nation. The union of marriage has become a revolving door where once the fun and pleasures have worn off the parties make their own way into uncharted waters. The offspring of such unions are often left in the care of the mother while the fathers go their merry way. The children, especially the boys end up in a bad way, in many cases. The girls seek ‘love’ in places where demonic forces are rampant. The results? The boys end up going to Fox Hill Prison and the girls, too often, end up with multiple children by totally lousy men. Who cares?
It is my humble submission that there are far too many liquor stores and too many web shops. There are economic benefits but at what price to society? How much is contributed to the Alcoholic/Drug Unit up at The Sandilands rehabilitation Centre? What about the collect web industry? How much money do they spend up at that same institution to deal, effectively, with addiction to gambling? The last I heard it was insignificant and almost, in my view, insulting.. Society is under assault and our very survival as a nation and a people will depend on several public and private initiatives. I invite and encourage all right-thinking Bahamians to resolve, from right now, to do whatever it is that The lord directs you to do in this effort of rescue; rehabilitation and restoration. It should becoming our mantra: ‘One For All and All For One’....To God then, in all things, be the glory.
ORTLAND H BODIE, JR Nassau, May 21, 2025.
Retired police worried over insurance cost increase
from page one
were reportedly notified verbally on April 14 that their premiums would increase by nearly $300, with the change taking effect from May 1 in some cases.
In a letter obtained by The Tribune , one retired officer described the increase as “unconscionable” and indicative of a disregard for the well-being of longstanding clients.
According to the letter, the new premium structure would consume more than half of the officers’ monthly pension payments, rendering continued insurance coverage financially unfeasible for many.
The Tribune has confirmed that some retirees have received correspondence from Colina confirming the premium increase.
Minister of National Security Wayne Munroe said yesterday he had not seen a letter sent to his ministry by retired officers.
He acknowledged that retired officers are allowed to continue their medical insurance coverage after leaving the force but must do so at their own expense. He noted that aging people typically pose higher risk profiles for insurers.
“That is why, from the Christie administration to this administration, we continue to look at expanding NHI which would be to provide for persons,” he said. “The private insurers, they don’t really care about us, they care about the dollar, and so when they assess the risk, the risk of somebody older having health issues is greater than the risk of somebody younger having health issues.”
Some School lunch vendorS claim payment S for Service not received in recent weekS
By KEILE CAMPBELL Tribune Staff Reporter kcampbell@tribunemedia.net
SEVERAL vendors and caterers under the Ministry of Education’s National School Lunch Programme say they have not received timely payments for meals provided to public schools in recent weeks, raising concerns over financial strain and operational sustainability.
The Tribune spoke with four vendors who discussed delays of up to five weeks in receiving reimbursement for meals already supplied. Under the terms of their agreements, vendors are expected to invoice the ministry weekly. Despite this, some report receiving no payment for services rendered since early April.
man
These vendors, who serve meals to as many as 40 students daily, say they have continued to absorb weekly operating costs, ranging from $700 to $1,200, out of pocket while awaiting compensation.
Director of Education Dominique McCartneyRussell acknowledged that while most April payments had been processed, there were two outstanding cases. As of May 9, she said, payments for New Providence vendors had been processed based on the documentation received. According to McCartneyRussell, internal tracking confirmed that the delay was limited to two schools where necessary documentation had not yet been submitted. However, vendors
denieS GivinG
By PAVEL BAILEY Tribune Staff Reporter pbailey@tribunemedia.net
A MAN denied giving his car keys to a murder suspect yesterday, as prosecutors alleged the vehicle was used in a fatal shooting on Carmichael Road in 2021.
Jawuan “Fat Boy” Armbrister was present in court as Derron Rolle gave evidence during Armbrister’s trial for murder and attempted murder before Justice Guillimina Archer-Minns.
Armbrister appeared in a wheelchair during the proceedings.
He is accused of fatally shooting Devonte Brown, who was riding a motorcycle on Carmichael Road near Meat Max sometime between September 17 and 18, 2021. Armbrister is also accused of shooting and injuring Valverde Butler, who was riding the same motorcycle.
Rolle testified that he had purchased a black 2010 Honda Fit suspected to have been used in the shooting. Although the vehicle was registered in his mother’s name, he said he had bought it himself.
Rolle claimed that around 8am on September 17, 2021, his mother drove him to work in the same vehicle.
He said he wasn’t sure if she had work that day but believed she returned home afterward.
At about 6pm that evening, he said his mother picked him up from work and they returned home.
interviewed maintain that payments are overdue despite submitting the required invoices. Some vendors expressed frustration over recurring payment delays, even after compliance with invoicing procedures. Others voiced concerns about speaking publicly, fearing retaliation or the loss of their contracts.
One vendor disclosed that they had resorted to using personal credit to fund food supplies, calling the situation “unsustainable”. Another contrasted the current system with previous administrations, claiming that under former Prime Minister Hubert Ingraham, vendors were paid weekly without incident when documentation was submitted correctly.
car keyS to man accuSed of killinG devonte Brown in 2021
Rolle emphasised that he always kept the car keys in his possession.
Later that evening, after picking up his girlfriend from work, they returned home shortly after 8pm, parking the car outside his aunt’s house. Around 9pm, he said his girlfriend wanted food, so he went to his aunt’s restaurant to get some. After returning home, he ate, watched a movie, and spent time with his girlfriend before going to bed around 11pm.
He insisted that no one visited that night and said he woke up at 5am the next morning. According to him, the car was exactly where he had left it when he departed for work at 7am.
Rolle claimed discrepancies between his testimony and his police statement were due to coercion. He alleged that officers at the Central Detective Unit (CDU) threatened him but could not recall which ones. He said he was arrested a few weeks after the incident, following a traffic stop involving his mother in the same car.
The prosecution countered that neither he nor his mother had been arrested, to which Rolle responded that he voluntarily turned himself in.
While Rolle admitted knowing Armbrister from school, he denied they were friends and asserted that Armbrister was not in a wheelchair in 2021.
He refuted the prosecution’s claim that Armbrister came to his house around
8.30pm on September 17 and borrowed the car, despite that statement appearing in the police report. Rolle said police made him say that and that he did not know how the statement got into the
record. The prosecution also noted the statement mentioned he had bought chicken and fries from the restaurant and that Armbrister returned the car keys at 5am by knocking on his
window. Rolle denied waking up at 5am to retrieve the keys, claiming he always woke at that time—two hours before work. He said he signed the police statement just two
days ago, alleging that officers threatened him at his workplace to do so. Miranda Adderley represented the accused. Cephia Pinder-Moss and Danielle Capron served as prosecutors.
Director of eDucation Dominique mccartney-russell
national security minister Wayne munroe
Funky, filthy, feral New Providence
From downtown Nassau to over-the-Hill to the southern areas of our major island to Fox Hill and throughout, much of New Providence is filthy, derelict, nasty, dirty, and dilapidated.
A friend recalls going to a small grocery store chain on Nassau Street earlier this week. He was disturbed by the amount of garbage swirling around outside the store.
much of the garbage had obviously been there for many days, the owners and customers oblivious to the blight. It would have taken very little for the owners to keep the property clean. It was clearly not a priority.
From homeowners to business owners to many public servants and politicians, the dirt on our streets is simply part of the landscape. much of the garbage no longer disturbs us. It has become normal. It is a part of our culture. This is who many of us are.
We brag about tourism numbers even as most of downtown is an eyesore, despite some progress over the years to revitalize and beautify the city centre.
The recent major fire exposed the squalor of parts of East Bay Street and the collapse of public services including woefully insufficient fire trucks.
In listening to the amusingly conflicting stories told about the state of the Fire service by the minister of National Security, a royal Bahamas Police Force official, and the office of the Prime minister, even a casual observer could
discern, to put it politely and euphemistically, the “discrepancies” in the rolling accounts that do not add up.
This seemingly casual indifference about the state of such a vital life and death service is a clue writ large about the mindset that is part cause and painful symptom of the physical and social collapse of an island of over 300.000 with a few enclaves of working infrastructure and safety in a sea of urban crime, feral behaviour, decay and decrepitude.
We have a massive cultural problem. It includes indifference about the depth of the decay by political leaders of all stripes and scores of residents of New Providence. many of us are indifferent and anaesthetised to garbage on the streets, broken traffic barriers, rundown public buildings and
parks, unkempt private businesses, and general muck.
We delight in driving around in high end or nice cars while ignoring the grime and grease soiling public spaces. How feral, uncivilized and shameless are many, though not the majority, who happily and routinely throw fast food debris out of their cars?
many of us are so unsocialised that we cannot even pass on basic habits of civility and cleanliness to children. We ignore the effects of such nastiness and filth on our public health, environmental well-being, consciousness, and human spirit.
A well-known pediatrician, now retired, often noted the number of children from homes that are not well-kept inside and outside. He insisted that having a clean, organized school to attend made a difference in their moods, formation of good habits and health.
The principal of a private school notes the tremendous difference in learning outcomes and discipline when the school was moved from a certain area to a quitter part of New Providence. The combination of the new facilities and more serene and pristine environs was a gamechanger.
If cleanliness is anywhere next to godliness, we are truly a nation of many heathens, who will dress up in embroidered finery to go to church and then throw fast food containers, soda cans, and liquor bottles out of our car windows.
Just as a toddler needs to learn how to go to the bathroom, how to bathe, and how to brush their teeth, they must be continually taught the habits of cleanliness, civility and citizenship. What does a parent or a fellow citizen teach a child when they park in a space reserved for the disabled?
Some months ago, a certain politician was seen moving a cone restricting access to a spot reserved for the disabled. When the security guard protested, she insisted that she park in the space because she was late for a beauty care appointment. She was eventually persuaded to park elsewhere.
Though many more Bahamians refrain from parking in parking spaces reserved for the disabled, quite a number continue to do so.
recently, at a wellknown grocery chain, a disinterested security guard allowed an individual in a luxury sports car to park in a position that straddled both disabled spaces.
What manner of extreme selfishness, unethical behaviour, and sloth must someone have to deprive two people of a reserved spot so they would not have to walk their lazy “rump”, another euphemism, a extra few steps?
The security guard said he did not want to confront the individual even though this was his job. Fortunately, the store manager reminded him of his responsibility.
What do parking in a space for the disabled and cleanliness have in common? They are on a continuum of civility, decency, and good public habits.
Correspondingly, the reason we get away with such incivility and uncleanliness is because they are so entrenched and normative in our culture. moreover, there are few penalties and often little oversight. If more cars were towed and more fines levied, we might better observe certain rules.
Let’s be honest: There are certain politicians who encourage slackness and refrain from insisting on the enforcement of various environmental laws because it serves their political purposes.
However, in addition to penalties, we need to be inculcated in good habits. Government alone cannot keep the country clean and green. To keep out streets and environs clean requires citizen action on a regular and more widespread basis. There are things we can learn from rwanda.
President Paul Kagame did much for rwanda after the genocide that ripped his country apart. Still, he has become an autocrat with a troubling human rights record. He has also been criticized for his military intervention in the east of the Democratic republic of Congo. There is a significant intervention program that Kagame promoted in rwanda that has gained international recognition.
A story in the Straits Times reports:
“In 2018, the head of the United Nations Environment Programme, mr Eric Solheim, called the rwandan capital, Kigali, the ‘cleanest city on the planet’ for the lack of rubbish on its streets and its green initiatives.
“The rwandan government takes the country’s upkeep a step further by involving its citizens in a community workday known as Umuganda.” Umuganda is a mandatory nationwide community service day held on the last Saturday of the month.
Participants are abledbodied 18- to 65-year-olds. They are required to help in community and neighbourhood projects, including cleanups, repairing public buildings, painting, trimming bushes, removing garbage, and related activities from 8am to 11am.
No Bahamian government can impose such a mandatory programme. But what about a volunteer program that may include: community organisations, students who are required to complete community service requirements in the government-operated and private schools, corporate entities, and youth organisations? moreover, what about utilising thousands of church volunteers on a regular basis? We must find ways to promote consistent civic engagement and volunteerism in response to crime and social decay, environmental and cleanliness problems, and disaster relief.
Government alone is not sufficient in inculcating civilising and public virtues and helping to address the social problems and rot plaguing our neighbourhoods. The hard work of cultural reform and moral education is the responsibility of us all.
“And in 2022, travel blogger Drew Binsky – who has been to all 197 countries in the world – ranked rwanda as the cleanest country in the world, ahead of Singapore.
Ormanique Bowe set to challenge Munroe for Freetown nomination
her plans. However, sources indicate she is pursuing the nomination, and her Facebook biography lists her as an aspirant for the constituency.
Some residents, including Ruby Saunders, expressed a desire for increased development in Freetown.
“There are so many things I’d like to see done, and it could be done; it’s
just a matter of it getting done,” she said.
Entrepreneur Adrian Fox, a Freetown native known for his charitable work, voiced support for Mr Munroe, citing his contributions to local development, including road repairs and employment opportunities.
“His dual role in both local and national matters speaks volumes about his capability and resolve,” he said. “In my view, MP
Wayne Munroe is doing an excellent job and deserves recognition for his tireless efforts and outstanding contributions.”
Mr Munroe emphasised his track record, noting efforts to address community needs such as assisting residents with urgent medical issues, advancing plans for the community centre and park upgrades, and pursuing a fishing cooperative. He acknowledged some
delays but said his team is responsive to concerns.
“I’m very proud of some of my accomplishments, more so than others. I
continue to strive to finish and close chapters,” he said. Party officials have urged members to
prepare for a
contest as
up to launch
political
the PLP gears
its campaign during the Labour Day Parade.
Ormanique BOwe
The Office of the Auditor General held an awards ceremony and cocktail reception in celebration of its 100th Anniversary in the Ballroom of Government House on Tuesday under the theme, ‘A Century of Service Honouring Integrity, Accountability, and Excellence.’ Former auditors and deputy auditors were recognized and presentations were made to former auditor general Richard Demeritte; former auditor general Terrance Bastian; former deputy auditor general Portia Barnett; and former deputy auditor general Cynthia Rolle. Pictured making the presentations are Governor General Dame Cynthia ‘Mother’ Pratt (right) and acting auditor general Brenda Neeley.
Photos: Patrick hanna/BIS
Springsteen and Trump trade verbal potshots
ReadeRs may recall that in the waning weeks of last year’s american presidential campaign race, several megastar performers added their voices to the chorus of resistance to the looming prospect of another donald Trump presidency. Beyonce and Taylor swift were among these luminaries.
We saw how much difference that made in the actual election. Now, after a relatively long hiatus, the dialectic between cultural icons and the peerless demagogue president has emerged from hibernation and rocks again.
The best recent example is Bruce springsteen. The iconic New Jerseyrooted rock star offered some notable sentiments in Manchester, england recently as he kicked off a big new international tour. according to press reports including by the BBC, “the Boss” took the occasion of the opening night of his new Land of Hope and dreams Tour to inveigh against the Trump administration in three separate statements. Here’s some of what he said: springsteen called the Trump administration “corrupt, incompetent and treasonous”. He said “the union of people
STATESIDE
with Charlie Harper
around a common set of values is all that stands between democracy and
authoritarianism”. and springsteen called Trump an “unfit president”,
criticising what he described as “very weird, strange and dangerous
stuff going on” in the United states.
“They are abandoning our great allies and siding with dictators against those struggling for their freedom. They are defunding american universities that won’t bow down to their ideological demands,” springsteen said. “They are removing residents off american streets and, without due process of law, are deporting them to foreign detention centres and prisons. This is all happening now.”
No one paying attention expected Trump not to respond. “Never liked him, never liked his music, or his Radical Left Politics and, importantly, he’s not a talented guy,” Trump huffed. “Just a pushy, obnoxious JeRK, who fervently supported Crooked Joe Biden,” Trump wrote on Truth social last Friday.
Trump also called springsteen “highly overrated” and “dumb as a rock” and warned about “this dried out ‘prune’ of a rocker (his skin is all atrophied!)”.
The White House then reinforced Trump’s insults in a statement: “When this loser springsteen comes back home to his own City of Ruins in his head, he’ll realise his Glory days
are behind him and his fans have left him Out in the street, putting him in a Tenth avenue FreezeOut because he has a severe case of Trump derangement syndrome that has rotted his brain,” White House communications director steven Cheung wrote in an email to The Washington Post last Friday. (Capitalised words are references to well-known springsteen songs.)
Cheung, by the way, made for himself quite a reputation during the presidential election campaign with his very sharp, intelligent and often snarky retorts to real and perceived insults hurled at his boss. Trump has been very well served for a decade by this 42-year-old. Cheung left his previous job in 2016 and joined the Trump campaign’s communications and press team as director of Rapid Response. His duties included “keeping the campaign up to date on breaking news and pushing back on false or unbalanced reporting,” according to a press release. Now as White House communications director, Cheung continues to display one of the quickest wits in Washington dC.
Trump disappoin Tmen T syndrome, and T he welcome dis T rac T ions of hockey and soccer
NOW that we’re into the fifth month of the Trump II presidency, many normally discrete former officials are speaking with the media. Reading between the lines of some recent comments to the press, it’s hard to miss the profound sense of disappointment and apprehension about the future. In various forums, three of these former officials spoke out. a former German ambassador to the Us said “we had issues in those days (25 years ago in Washington), especially over the Iraq war. But I felt very confident as a German in the 1990s or 2000s that for the first time in many decades, Germany was now on the right side of history, that after the years under the Kaiser and then the Nazis, Germany was identifying with the West and was invited to be part of the West — especially by the United states. so, the German relationship with the United states, until now, has been something that created tremendous joy and satisfaction for Germans. Now, everything is uncertain and concerning.” a former British ambassador to Ukraine and Georgia also looked back with fondness and satisfaction on a bygone era. “Britain and the United states were then (1990s)
very much partners in terms of supporting the progression of democracy in both Georgia and Ukraine, and fighting corruption in Ukraine, supporting reform, the rule of law, human rights. Judging from what the president (Trump) says now, those former attitudes are, at a minimum, questionable.
“But I don’t think I’m massively surprised,” she continued. “We have a Us administration that signalled quite clearly what its intentions were. Whether people chose to listen to that and understand is a different matter. I think it is incumbent upon europe to think proactively: What are we going to do? How are we going to engage? Hand-wringing will get us nowhere.”
Finally, a retired senior Lithuanian official told reporters that “we had seen donald Trump in his first administration. We talked about it. We had all the time to prepare. But we didn’t do that. It’s very difficult for us to admit that this is happening. and nobody could have prepared for somebody who would shatter the fundamentals, the foundations of trans-atlantic relations.”
That’s all so discouraging. How about a little sports diversion and lift?
First, it’s good to notice that a National Hockey League powerhouse plays its home games in Broward County near the sawgrass expressway. The Florida Panthers won their first playoff series in two decades in 2022, and reached the title series in 2023. Last year, the Panthers returned to the stanley Cup Finals, winning their first championship in franchise history over the edmonton Oilers. Florida has now beaten Tampa Bay for the second year in a row in the postseason, and is Florida’s strongest hockey team. They are building and sustaining success. and they won their first conference championship game on Tuesday. and after beating edmonton last year, the Panthers have just broken Canadian hearts all over again by beating the flagship professional hockey team in the Western Hemisphere. alas, the iconic Toronto Maple Leafs have just been denied another chance for their first championship since 1967. The Leafs, with 13 titles, rank second only to Montreal. But it’s been nearly 60 years since the most recent one. soccer, meantime, is front of mind for millions of fans these days. a previously obscure club
competition called the Club World Cup is coming to the Us this summer, and there will be six early round games in June in Miami and three more in Orlando. Leo Messi’s Inter Miami team will play at Hard Rock stadium next month.
Over in the UK, the english Premier League, by far the world’s strongest and most celebrated soccer association, concludes its regular season on sunday. Liverpool clinched its record-tying 20th top flight championship several weeks ago under new dutch coach arne slot, and the three relegated teams were also confirmed well before this week.
But below Liverpool, six
teams are battling for four places in the next Champions League, europe’s premier club competition. This year, clubs have earned almost $22m simply for qualifying. The payouts just keep rolling in as teams progress, with a total prize pool of over 26 billion dollars. No wonder the competition is so keen. On sunday, the remaining 2025-6 Champions League places will be won by four of the following clubs: arsenal, Manchester City, Newcastle, Chelsea, aston Villa and Nottingham Forest. Chelsea visits Forest in the only head-to-head matchup. Man City, which had won six of seven league
titles entering this season, has suffered from success malaise, a few key injuries and impending departures from the team as it slouched out of the title race. elsewhere, two members of the ePL’s ‘Big six,’ Manchester United and Tottenham, have been massive, expensive disappointments and face big overhauls this summer.
Women’s soccer is thriving in the UK also. The Chelsea Women’s Club just wrapped up an undefeated Women’s super League campaign to add to crowns in both english club competitions. a co-owner - serena Williams’ husband - crowed that Chelsea Women are now “queens of the soccer world”.
Bruce Springsteen performs at a campaign rally supporting Democratic presidential nominee Vice President Kamala Harris, October 28, 2024, in Philadelphia.
Photo: Matt rourke/AP
LiverpooL’s Dominik Szoboszlai celebrates with Liverpool’s Harvey Elliott and Liverpool’s Mohamed Salah, right, after scoring his side’s second goal during the English Premier League soccer match between Brighton and Liverpool at American Express Stadium in Brighton, England, Monday. Photo: ian Walton/AP
Urban Renewal to offer free HIV testing at GB Health and Wellness fair as STIs in country rise
By DENISE MAYCOCK Tribune Freeport Reporter dmaycock@tribunemedia.net
CONCERNS about a national rise in sexually transmitted infections (STIs) have prompted Urban Renewal to provide free rapid HIV testing during an upcoming Health and Wellness Fair in Grand Bahama.
Kirkland Russell, Deputy Director of Urban Renewal, said the event, scheduled for Saturday, will feature various health services such as HIV testing, measles vaccinations, and blood donations. He emphasised that a key focus is addressing HIV by creating access points where healthcare professionals can perform rapid tests, particularly in densely populated areas.
The fair at the Obadiah H Wilchcombe Government Complex in Eight Mile Rock will also offer additional screenings and services.
Earlier this year, infectious disease officials in New Providence announced an alarming increase in Chlamydia, saying such increases usually indicate that other STIs may rise. Dr Stacey Bevans, Medical Chief of Staff at Grand Bahama Health Services, said yesterday that there has been an increase in awareness of STIs, with more people seeking testing. She pointed out a concerning trend of younger people testing positive for infections like HIV, chlamydia, and syphilis.
Organised by the Urban Renewal Authority in collaboration with PHA Grand Bahama, Doctors Hospital, National Insurance Agency, and Control Chemical, the fair aims to improve healthcare access in underserved areas and address the resurgence of infectious diseases.
Given that Eight Mile Rock is the country’s largest single settlement, Dr
Russell said hosting the fair there ensures a broad impact. He described the venue as being transformed into a temporary clinic, offering free screenings for blood pressure, cholesterol, glucose, dental and eye health, along with mental health counselling, diabetic education, nutritional guidance, and physician referrals.
He highlighted the issue of people slipping through the healthcare system’s cracks and affirmed Urban Renewal’s commitment to reaching those most in need.
With growing concerns about diseases like measles and increased cruise travel from countries experiencing outbreaks, Dr Russell highlighted the need for vaccinations and better public awareness.
He underscored Urban Renewal’s mission to reach people in our communities who often don’t get the care they deserve.
The event will also
feature a blood drive. Dr Russell encouraged government agencies and businesses to support employee participation, emphasising that blood donations are life-saving, potentially benefiting someone’s family member.
Volunteer doctors and nurses will be on hand to provide immediate referrals if health concerns are detected during screenings. Dr Russell described the fair as a comprehensive health hub, offering attendees a rare chance to consult multiple specialists, especially eye doctors, for timely assessments and diagnoses. Though centred in Eight Mile Rock, Dr Russell urged all Grand Bahama residents — from East End to West End — to attend, noting that Urban Renewal centres will help with transportation for those in need.
Man accused of attempting to rape 17-year-old girl in Inagua
By PAVEL BAILEY Tribune Staff Reporter pbailey@tribunemedia.net
A 26-yEAR-OlD man was remanded to prison yesterday after allegedly trying to rape a 17-yearold girl at a residence in Inagua earlier this year.
Jaden Knowles appeared before Chief Magistrate Roberto Reckley, charged with attempted rape and
assault with intent to rape. The charges stem from an incident on March 22, during which the defendant is accused of attempting to forcibly rape a high school student in Inagua.
Knowles was not required to enter a plea at this stage. He was informed that the case would proceed to the Supreme Court by way of a voluntary bill of
indictment (VBI). He was also advised of his right to apply for bail through the higher court. The accused will remain in custody at the Bahamas Department of Correctional Services until the VBI is expected to be served on August 14. Inspector Deon Barr appeared as the prosecutor, while Terrell Butler represented the defendant.
Man acquitted of killing 8- Month old and attempted murder of the child’s parents
By PAVEL BAILEY Tribune Staff Reporter pbailey@tribunemedia.net
A 27-yEAR-OlD man was acquitted yesterday of the 2017 murder of an eight-month-old baby boy and the attempted murder of the child’s parents during a home invasion on Rupert Dean lane.
Anton Anthony Davis appeared before Justice Neil Braithwaite as his trial for one count of murder and two counts of attempted murder concluded.
A jury returned a
unanimous not-guilty verdict on all three charges.
Mr Davis appeared visibly relieved and expressed happiness after being fully exonerated, having maintained his innocence throughout the trial.
Prosecutors alleged that he was the lone gunman who broke into the home of Shelton Tinker Sr. and Jeffrina Sweeting at around 3am on August 28, 2017.
During the incident, the couple was shot and seriously injured. Their infant son, Shelton Tinker Jr, was fatally shot that night.
Reserve Inspector Terrance Smith previously testified that Mr Davis voluntarily turned himself in for questioning, accompanied by his attorney and his mother.
Inspector Smith also noted that the defendant was tested for gunshot residue, but he claimed he was unaware of the results after the sample was sent to the forensic lab. Davis was represented by David Cash. The prosecution was led by Janessa Murray and Jacklyn Burrows.
Trump confronts South African leader with baseless claims of the killing of white farmers
WASHINGTON Associated Press
President donald trump used a White House meeting to forcefully confront south African President Cyril ramaphosa, accusing the country of failing to address trump’s baseless claim of the systematic killing of white farmers.
trump even dimmed the lights of the Oval Office to play a video of a farleft politician chanting a song that includes the lyrics “kill the farmer.” He also leafed through news articles to underscore his point, saying the country’s white farmers have faced “death, death, death, horrible death.”
trump had already cut all Us assistance to south Africa and welcomed several dozen white south African farmers to the Us as refugees as he pressed the case that a “genocide” is underway in the country.
the Us president, since his return to office, has launched a series of accusations at south Africa’s Black-led government, claiming it is seizing land from white farmers, enforcing antiwhite policies and pursuing an anti-American foreign policy.
experts in south Africa say there is no evidence of whites being targeted for their race, although farmers of all races are victims of violent home invasions in a country with a high crime rate.
“People are fleeing south Africa for their own safety,” trump said. their land is being confiscated and in many cases they’re being killed.”
ramaphosa pushed back against trump’s
accusation. the south African leader had sought to use the meeting to set the record straight and salvage his country’s relationship with the United states. the bilateral relationship is at its lowest point since south Africa enforced its apartheid system of racial segregation, which ended in 1994.
“We are completely opposed to that,” ramaphosa said of the behaviour alleged by trump in their exchange. He added, “that is not government policy” and “our government policy is completely, completely against what he was saying.”
trump was unmoved. “When they take the land, they kill the white farmer,” he said. trump appeared prepared to confront ramaphosa at the start of the meeting while journalists were present. Videos were cued up on a large tV set to show a clip of an opposition party leader, Julius Malema, leading an old anti-apartheid song. the song has been contentious for years in the country because of its
central lyrics “kill the Boer” and “shoot the Boer” — with Boer a word that refers to a white farmer. Malema, featured in the video, is not part of the country’s governing coalition.
Another clip played showed white crosses on the side of a road, described as a memorial for white farmers who were killed. ramaphosa seemed baffled. “i’d like to know where that is, because this i’ve never seen.”
trump kicked off the meeting by describing the south African president as a “truly respected man in many, many circles.” He added: “And in some circles he’s considered a little controversial.”
ramaphosa chimed in, playfully jabbing back at a Us president who is no stranger to controversy. “We’re all like that,” ramaphosa said. trump issued an executive order in February cutting all funding to south Africa over some of its domestic and foreign policies. the order criticized the south African government on multiple fronts,
Defense Department accepts Boeing 747 from Qatar for t rump’s use
WASHINGTON Associated Press
deFense secretary
Pete Hegseth has accepted a luxury Boeing 747 jet from Qatar for President donald trump to use as Air Force One, the Pentagon said Wednesday, despite ongoing questions about the ethics and legality of taking the expensive gift from a foreign nation.
the defense department will “work to ensure proper security measures” on the plane to make it safe for use by the president, Pentagon spokesman sean Parnell said. He added that the plane was accepted “in accordance with all federal rules and regulations.”
trump has defended the gift, which came up during his recent Middle east trip, as a way to save tax dollars.
“Why should our military, and therefore our taxpayers, be forced to pay hundreds of millions of dollars when they can get it for Free,” trump posted on his social media site during the trip.
Others, however, have said trump’s acceptance of an aircraft that has been called a “palace in the sky” is a violation of the Constitution’s prohibition on foreign gifts. democrats have been united in outrage, and even some of the republican president’s GOP allies in Congress have expressed concerns.
this unprecedented action is a stain on the office of the presidency and cannot go unanswered,” said senate democratic Leader Chuck schumer of new York.
“Until Americans get transparency on this shady deal, which apparently includes a corrupt plot for donald trump to keep the plane at his library after leaving office, i’ll continue to hold all department of Justice political nominees.”
schumer has introduced legislation that would prohibit any foreign aircraft from being used as Air Force One and forbid use of
A 13-yeAr-old private Boeing aircraft that President Donald Trump toured on Saturday to check out new hardware and technology features, and highlight the aircraft maker’s delay in delivering updated versions of the Air Force One presidential aircraft, takes off from Palm Beach International Airport, Feb. 16, 2025, in West Palm Beach, Florida. Photo: Ben Curtis/AP
taxpayer money to modify or restore the aircraft. But on Wednesday, republican sen. roger Marshall of Kansas objected when schumer asked for a vote, thus blocking it. He did not offer an explanation for his objection. Critics also have noted the need to retrofit the plane to meet security requirements, which would be costly and take time.
“Far from saving money, this unconstitutional action will not only cost our nation its dignity, but it will force taxpayers to waste over $1 billion in taxpayer dollars to overhaul this particular aircraft when we currently have not one, but two fully operational and fully capable Air Force One aircraft,” said sen. tammy duckworth, d-ill.
she said during a hearing tuesday that it is a “dangerous course of action” for the Us to accept the aircraft from the Qatari ruling family. Air Force secretary troy Meink told senators that Hegseth has ordered the service to start planning how to update the jet to meet needed standards and acknowledged that the plane will require “significant” modifications.
the Air Force, in a statement, said it is preparing to award a contract to modify a Boeing 747 aircraft, but that any details are classified.
saying it is pursuing antiwhite policies at home and supporting “bad actors” in the world like the Palestinian militant group Hamas and iran.
trump has falsely accused the south African government of rights violations against white Afrikaner farmers by seizing their land through a new expropriation law. no land has been seized and the south African government has pushed back, saying Us criticism is driven by misinformation. the trump administration’s references to the Afrikaner people — who are descendants of dutch and other european settlers — have also elevated previous claims made by trump’s south Africanborn adviser elon Musk and some conservative Us commentators that the south African government is allowing attacks on white farmers in what amounts to a genocide. the administration’s concerns about south African policies cut even deeper than the concerns about white farmers.
south Africa has also angered trump over its move to bring charges at the international Court of Justice, accusing israel of committing genocide against Palestinians in Gaza. ramaphosa has also faced scrutiny in Washington for his past connections to Mtn Group, iran’s second-largest telecom provider. it owns nearly half of irancell, a joint venture linked with the islamic revolutionary Guard Corps. ramaphosa served as board chair of Mtn from 2002 to 2013. ramaphosa came into the meeting looking to avoid the sort of contentious engagement that
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy experienced during his February Oval Office visit, when the Ukrainian leader found himself being berated by trump and Vice President Jd Vance. that disastrous meeting ended with White House officials asking Zelenskyy and his delegation to leave the White House grounds.
the south African president’s delegation included golfers ernie els and retief Goosen, a gesture to the golf-obsessed Us president. ramaphosa brought trump a massive book about south Africa’s golf courses. He even told trump that he’s been working on his golf game, seeming to angle for an invitation to the links with the president.
Luxury goods tycoon and Afrikaner Johann rupert was also in the delegation to help ease trump’s concerns that land was being seized from white farmers.
At one point, ramaphosa called on Zingiswa Losi, the president of a group of south African trade unions, who told trump it is true that south Africa is a “violent nation for a number of reasons.” But she told him it was important to understand that Black men and women in rural areas were also being targeted in heinous crimes.
“the problem in south Africa, it is not necessarily about race, but it’s about crime,” Losi said.
“We are here to say how do we, both nations, work together to reset, to really talk about investment but also help … to really address the levels of crime we have in our country.”
Musk also attended Wednesday’s talks. He
has been at the forefront of the criticism of his homeland, casting its affirmative action laws as racist against whites.
Musk has said on social media that his starlink satellite internet service isn’t able to get a license to operate in south Africa because he is not Black. south African authorities say starlink hasn’t formally applied. it can, but it would be bound by affirmative action laws in the communications sector that require foreign companies to allow 30% of their south African subsidiaries to be owned by shareholders who are Black or from other racial groups disadvantaged under apartheid.
the south African government says its longstanding affirmative action laws are a cornerstone of its efforts to right the injustices of the white minority rule of apartheid, which denied opportunities to Blacks and other racial groups.
Following the contentious exchange in front of the cameras, trump hosted ramaphosa for lunch and further talks. ramaphosa, speaking to reporters following his White House visit, downplayed trump’s criticism, adding he believes “there’s doubt and disbelief in (trump’s) head” about his genocide charge. He insisted they did not dwell on trump’s concerns about white farmers in their private conversation.
“You wanted to see drama and something really big happening,” ramaphosa told reporters following his White House visit. “And i’m sorry that we disappointed you somewhat when it comes to that.”
trump was asked about the move Wednesday while he was meeting in the Oval Office with south African President Cyril ramaphosa.
“they are giving the United states Air Force a jet,” trump said, bristling at being questioned about the gift by a reporter.
trump said it was given “not to me, to the United states Air Force, so they could help us out” and noted that “Boeing’s a little bit late, unfortunately.” ramaphosa, who was sitting next to trump and has been working to repair his relationship with the president, said, “i’m sorry i don’t have a plane to give you.”
“if your country was offering the United states Air Force a plane, i would take it,” trump said.
trump has presented no national security imperative for a swift upgrade rather than waiting for Boeing to finish new Air Force One jets that have been in the works for years.
He has tried to tamp down some of the opposition by saying he wouldn’t fly around in the aircraft when his term ends. instead, he said, the plane would be donated to a future presidential library, similar to how the Boeing 707 used by President ronald reagan was decommissioned and put on display as a museum piece.
President Donald Trump meets South African President Cyril Ramaphosa in the Oval Office of the White House, yesterday. Photo: evan Vucci/AP