The Tribune house & hoMe Biggest
Student S in u S to ‘be vigilant’
Jones says govt is monitoring situation at American colleges
BY LEANDRA ROLLE
Tribune Chief Reporter
lrolle@tribunemedia.net
UNITed States Ambas-
sador Wendall Jones is urging Bahamian students studying in the US to remain vigilant but not fearful as the Trump administration moves forward with an education ban targeting international students at Harvard University.
“We believe that Harvard has a very good reputation, and we’d like to see more Bahamians who are able to take advantage of opportunities at Harvard without any pressure or any concern of being of being deported or harassed,” he told The
Cartwright C ritiC ised as he may switC h ConstituenC ies
BY LEANDRA ROLLE
Tribune
lrolle@tribunemedia.net
Chief Reporter
AMId speculation that St Barnabas MP Shanendon Cartwright may be eyeing another constituency, some constituents, including Free National Movement supporters, say they had no plans to back him regardless, claiming he has become less visible since rising within the party’s ranks. residents told The Tribune yesterday that Mr Cartwright started off as an active and engaged MP but has been since less frequently since becoming FNM deputy leader. They claimed he no
Major victory for junior doctors
By JADE RUSSELL Tribune Staff Reporter jrussell@tribunmedia.net
AFTer years of frustration and stalled negotiations, junior doctors have scored a major win with
By NEIL HARTNELL Tribune Business Editor nhartnell@tribunemedia.net
the signing of a new fiveyear industrial agreement between the Bahamas doctors Union (BdU) and the Public Hospitals Authority (PHA) on Friday.
The deal follows heightened tensions in the
healthcare sector, which culminated in a two-day strike in January. Trade Union Congress (TUC)
President obie Ferguson had warned that at least
By PAVEL BAILEY Tribune Staff Reporter
pbailey@tribunemedia.net
A 52-yeAr-old teacher was remanded to prison on Friday after he was accused of molesting two underaged female students in exuma over the last two years.
david Cecil King was arraigned on two counts of indecent assault before Senior Magistrate Anishka Isaacs.
Prosecutors allege that King inappropriately touched a 12-year-old girl in the art classroom of lN Coakley High School in
Photo: Derek smith
The Cancer Ball -
Major victory for junior doctors as new industrial agreement signed
14 unions were prepared to join a nationwide strike after three years of unmet demands. However, the industrial action was led primarily by healthcare workers pushing for better health insurance, overtime pay, and fair compensation.
Healthcare union members have previously said the government made them feel easily replaceable.
Minister of Health and Wellness Dr Michael Darville said the agreement reflects the PHA’s recognition of the evolving needs of medical professionals. He noted it includes salary increases for BDU members, with additional increments in years three, four, and five—ensuring physicians are fairly compensated for their critical role.
BDU President Dr Camille Glinton-Thompson described the new agreement as a “milestone” following what she called a three-year battle to meet the needs of junior doctors. She said the union’s previous agreement expired in 2018. Dr Glinton-Thompson also
thanked Mr Ferguson for standing by the BDU during difficult times.
One of the union’s key demands was for junior doctors to be compensated for overtime.
Asked whether this issue had been resolved, Dr Glinton-Thompson said,
“Yes.” She explained that the new agreement contains “verbiage” to support overtime payments.
Prime Minister Philip “Brave” Davis had previously said that overtime payments could not be justified without a proper time-tracking system. He
noted some healthcare workers had resisted calls for a time-tracking system, which made it difficult for the government to approve overtime demands.
Dr Keva Thompson, deputy managing director at PHA, said the issue of swiping in had long been
a contentious one for both physician unions. However, she said the unions and the PHA, in collaboration with the Ministry of Labour, have now approached the matter in a “mature and reasonable manner.” She confirmed that the swipein issue has been resolved
with the implementation of the Oracle system.
Other benefits in the agreement include improvements to group medical insurance and maternity provisions.
The BDU represents approximately 350 junior doctors.
Funding for the financial commitments under the new agreement will be provided by the Ministry of Finance.
Dr Darville called the signing monumental, saying it is always difficult when physicians are uncomfortable, and he is pleased the agreement has brought relief.
Minister of Labour and Public Service Pia GloverRolle said the agreement is retroactive from 2021 and will remain in effect until 2026. Mrs Glover-Rolle said it reflects the government’s ongoing commitment to fair and productive labour relations.
When asked about the state of labour relations in the country, she described them as “stable”.
Officials did not disclose the exact salary increases but said doctors were pleased with the outcome.
‘Country’s labour relations stable as long-standing issues being addressed’
By Pavel Bailey Tribune Staff Reporter pbailey@tribunemedia.net
LABOUR Minister Pia Glover-Rolle says the country’s labour relations are “stable” and that the government continues to address long-standing issues, even as key labour unions prepare to voice urgent concerns at a press conference today. She said while there were numerous unresolved matters when the Davis administration took office, consistent social dialogue with unions has led to steady progress.
“Progress is what we aim for not perfection,” she told reporters during a new industrial agreement signing between the Bahamas Doctors Union (BDU) and the Public Hospitals Authority (PHA). “There will always be matters that need to be resolved as long as governments exist (and) as long unions exist.”
“It’s important to me as the minister of labour to make sure that we aren’t trying to resolve the same matters continually but that we are moving forward that we are progressing that we are evolving as the labour and workforce does and now addressing other issues as we continue in the movement.” Her comments come as several union leaders, led
by Trade Union Congress president Obie Ferguson, prepare to hold a press conference this morning to discuss their concerns
and the overall state of labour affairs. Mr Ferguson has repeatedly voiced dissatisfaction with the Davis
administration’s handling of TUC’s concerns, insisting that few, if any, issues have been resolved. When asked about
the state of labour relations, Mrs Glover- Rolle described them as stable. She also hinted at upcoming major announcements when she delivers her budget communication.
“That is what is critical,” she said, “The members of the unions are the employees of the government and so we all want our employees and our members to have what is best and that is decent working conditions that goes with the proper benefits that are aligned”
Earlier this year, under Mr Ferguson’s leadership, hundreds of healthcare workers staged a work stoppage, severely disrupting operations at public hospitals and clinics.
Doctors, nurses, and other medical professionals walked off the job over longstanding labour disputes, including expired industrial agreements, staff shortages, and inadequate insurance coverage. The strike forced the government to implement contingency measures, including pulling staff from follow-up clinics, enlisting retired healthcare workers, and reassigning clinical nurses to maintain essential services.
Govt siGns $1.4m deal for vehicles to aid aGainst public health threats
By lyNaiRe MUNN i NGS Tribune Staff Reporter
DEALS worth more
than $1.4m was signed on Friday to acquire 31 vehicles to help improve health services.
Minister of Health and Wellness Dr Michael Darville said the deal would particularly help to tackle infectious diseases, especially in the Family Islands.
The ministry signed two official contracts valued at $1,447,823.80 for the procurement of 31 vehicles—21 trucks and ten SUVs. The contracts, awarded to Bahamas Bus and Truck following a competitive bidding process, are funded through an Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) loan facility aimed at strengthening the nation’s defence against public health threats.
“These vehicles would significantly enhance our service delivery throughout the public health care system, particularly in
our surveillance unit and contact tracing,” said Dr Darville during a press conference on Friday. “We are allocating these vehicles to assist with the process of quickly identifying, assessing and responding to infectious disease and surveillance, particularly in our family islands.”
He said the vehicles will improve the ministry’s mobility and response capabilities, especially in isolated communities across the Family Islands.
“We find ourselves now with these vehicles in a better position to do so,” he said. “There is the need for these vehicles and the contract amount is $1,447,823.80.”
Dr Darville expressed his gratitude to the IDB, the ministry’s team members, the Project Execution Unit, and Bahamas Bus and Truck.
Shirley Gayle, IDB country representative, said: “This is indeed a moment that represents significant progress in
this project that we have been managing with the Ministry of Health. These investments are going to strengthen the capacity of the health system to prepare and respond to health emergencies and disaster risks, including pandemics.”
She also noted that the financing, supported by an EU grant, will help upgrade clinics and healthcare facilities in New Providence and across the Family Islands.
“Today’s contract signing symbolises a shared commitment to improving the lives of the citizens and strengthening the capacity of the health care system to provide access to quality, essential health care services and access to safe, effective, quality and affordable, essential medications and vaccines for all residents,” said Ms Gayle.
She added that the vehicles will be distributed across the Family Islands, including Grand Bahama,
Bimini, Abaco, Eleuthera, Andros, and Exuma.
LABOUR Minister Pia Glover-Rolle called country’s labour relations ‘stable’ as the govt continues to work through longstanding issues at a press conference on Friday.
Photo: Chappell Whymys Jr
Ministe R of Health and Wellness Dr Michael Darville speaks to the press on Friday. Photo: Chappell Whymys Jr
the BAhAMAs Doctors Union (BDU) and the Public Hospitals Authority (PHA) signed a new five year industrial agreement on Friday.
Photo: Chappell Whymys Jr
Troubling amounts of metals in coastal waters in Abaco post-Dorian report says
BY LEANDRA ROLLE Tribune Chief Reporter lrolle@tribunemedia.net
A new environmental study has revealed the long-term impacts of Hurricane Dorian on Abaco’s coastal ecosystems, uncovering troubling levels of metal pollution in seawater, sediments, and seagrass beds years after the storm’s passage.
Published in the latest issue of the Marine Pollution Bulletin, the study was led by researchers from the Louisiana Universities Marine Consortium, the Bahamas Marine Mammal Research Organisation, the University of n ew Orleans, and other partners.
Between n ovember 2019 and December 2021, the team conducted a comprehensive survey of 15 metals — including arsenic, chromium, copper, and lead — across 19 coastal sites around Abaco.
The findings showed that metal concentrations were consistently higher in marinas than in seagrass beds, likely due to storm debris, anti-fouling paints, and post-Dorian reconstruction.
Copper levels, the study added, exceeded the US government’s chronic toxicity thresholds at several sites — and even surpassed acute toxicity levels at one marina — posing serious risks to marine life, particularly top predators like dolphins and sharks.
Barium, chromium, arsenic, and other metals also surpassed safety benchmarks in several sediment samples.
The study also found that metals from surrounding waters were actively accumulating in seagrasses, particularly turtle grass, raising concerns about bioaccumulation risks in the food chain.
The report also found high variability in seagrass metal concentrations across sites, noting
some readings were among the highest ever recorded in the Caribbean and Gulf of Mexico for turtle grass. Researchers also noted that metal concentrations in sediments increased over time while variability between sites decreased — suggesting either a slow return to pre-storm conditions or continued contamination
from storm debris and land based runoff.
The study concluded that further research is needed to identify the sources of contamination, explore remediation options, and implement monitoring of seafood harvested around Abaco.
However, researchers said it did not attempt to identify the specific sources of the metals detected.
In a statement, lead author Dr Yanila SalasOrtiz called the report the
Is also noted that metal contamination in Abaco’s marinas is linked to human activities such as antifouling paints (copper), pressuretreated lumber (arsenic), oil and gas combustion (chromium and barium), and landfills (all metals).
first dataset of its kind on metal contamination in marine environments in The Bahamas.
“It not only establishes a crucial environmental baseline for Abaco but also raises important questions about how natural disasters like Hurricane Dorian amplify pollution risks in vulnerable coastal regions,” Dr Salas-Ortiz added.
Defence suggests conflict of interest in assistant GM’s duties for Water and Sewerage
BY LEANDRA ROLLE
Tribune Chief Reporter
lrolle@tribunemedia.net
AS testimony resumed on Friday in the ongoing trial of Adrian Gibson and others, a defence attorney sharply questioned a water and Sewerage Corporation ( w SC) employee about her roles at the company, raising concerns about potential conflicts of interest.
Dian Saunders-Adderley, who formerly served as w SC’s Risk and Legal Affairs Senior Manager
and was also a member of the corporation’s Internal Control and Compliance (ICC) unit, was pressed on whether she could lawfully provide legal advice to the board while holding an auditing-related position.
Damian Gomez, KC, lead defence attorney, suggested that under standard internal auditing practices and the principle of separation of duties, it would be unethical for her to fulfil both functions.
“I put it to you that if you were doing that, you
would be breaching the conflict of interest policy related to auditing,” Gomez said.
In response, Mrs Saunders-Adderley insisted that while she did not advise the general manager directly, her ICC responsibilities permitted her to offer legal input on contracts and related matters. earlier, Mr Gomez questioned whether she was ever formally employed by the corporation as counsel or attorney. Saunders-Adderley replied that her job title was
clearly listed as Risk and Legal Affairs Senior Manager and said the position had been publicly advertised with specific duties outlined.
The defence also scrutinised her legal qualifications, confirming she was called to the Bahamas Bar Association in 2016.
In another line of questioning, Mr Gomez claimed that Mrs Saunders-Adderley had requested leave from the corporation to pursue further studies. She corrected him, claiming she had asked only for flexi-time.
Mr Gomez further suggested that Saunders-Adderley previously stated her job had been taken and given to someone else.
She denied this, clarifying that Mr Gibson had informed her directly that she could no longer perform legal work for the corporation. She added he suggested that everyone takes instructions, including him.
During Friday’s cross examination, Mr Gomez asked why she was “attacking” his client, but Mrs Saunders-Adderley denied the accusation, responding that it was, in fact, the attorney who was attacking her.
Gibson, a former executive chairman of wSC, has been on trial since november 2023, along with elwood Donaldson Jr, former general manager Joan Knowles, Peaches Farquharson, and Jerome Missick. The charges involve contracts awarded during Gibson’s tenure. The defence team
includes Mr Gomez, Murrio Ducille KC, Geoffrey Farquharson, Raphael Moxey, Ian Cargill, Bryan Bastian, and Ryan e ve. Representing the Crown are Director of Public Prosecutions Cordell Frazier, Cashena Thompson, Karine MacVean, and Rashied e dgecombe.
A dock rebuilt in Abaco.
Photo: Wellworth Imagery
WAter and Sewerage Corporation’s assistant general Manager Dian Saunders-Adderley
Cartwright criticised as he may switch constituencies
longer holds frequent constituency meetings as he once did and expressed frustration at being given the “run around” to meet with him.
“He doesn’t have nothing for the people. He’ll promise the people saying he coming around like Christmas and easter and never showed up.” said one resident, who identified herself as Tasha.
When contacted by The Tribune yesterday, Mr Cartwright acknowledged that while some residents may wish for a more visible presence, he remains accessible to those who seek him out.
He also pushed back against claims of neglect, saying he remains active in the area and pointing to several community initiatives, including a feeding programme, backyard farming project and a recent Mother’s day giveback.
He added that his constituency office is open daily and that he holds meetings regularly.
“There is always an expectation of constituents wanting to see their MP, some would say as much as they can and we try to do that and I accept that,” he said. “That is part of the business that I’m in, but along with being visible, I’m also accessible. “
Still, some residents said many of Mr Cartwright’s promises — including efforts to help the unemployed find jobs, repair dilapidated homes, and build bathrooms in innercity areas where some households still lack proper toilet facilities — have gone largely unfulfilled.
one long-time resident, who identified herself as Faith and said she campaigned with the FNM, accused Mr Cartwright of turning his back on supporters.
She acknowledged that
while the FNM is not currently in government, Mr Cartwright could still offer greater support. you can’t turn your back on persons who was there for you from day one and then thinking that okay, it’s okay and it’s cool, I will always have their support because we are FNM, yes,” she told The Tribune yesterday. yes, we might be FNM, but we know good treatment or bad treatment and so not just because we’re FNMs, you can treat us any kind of way.”
However, her criticism of Mr Cartwright’s performance was not shared by the FNM constituency association’s acting chairman, Mr enthian, who defended the MP’s involvement in the community.
He noted that the concerns raised by a few so-called supporters do not reflect the views of the majority or what has been observed on the ground.
Mr enthian said Mr Cartwright remains active in the area, regularly hosting initiatives and continuing to campaign there.
In response, Mr Cartwright said he has been doing his best to assist residents wherever possible.
He acknowledged that infrastructural deficits have been a longstanding issue in the constituency and noted that successive governments have worked to address them.
He added that some of these challenges are long-term, but efforts are ongoing as they continue to engage with the government to ensure they are resolved. regarding the rumours about Mr Cartwright, Mr enthian said the association has not received any indication that he does not intend to seek renomination for St Barnabas.
However, he added that if those reports prove true,
the association will continue its work regardless.
“As you know, some things are politics and they say what they have to say but as far as I’m concerned, him running in a different area, I haven’t heard none of that as yet and he’s still active in the area,” he told The Tribune.
For his part, Mr Cartwright declined to confirm or deny speculation about his political future, only saying that he remains committed to his duties as MP for St Barnabas.
If anything changes, he said, constituents will be informed.
“There’s also a lot of rumours,” Mr Cartwright said, “but the FNM has not made an announcement as soon as these processes come to a conclusion, obviously the public will know but I’m focused on representing the people of St Barnabus, who I’ve been representing from 2017.”
Some constituents have expressed doubt that Mr Cartwright could retain the seat if he remains the candidate, while others called the race a toss-up, pointing to the increased visibility of Progressive liberal Party (PlP) aspirant Michael Halkitis in the community, once considered a PlP stronghold.
However, residents were unified on one point — if the FNM plans to run a new candidate, that person needs to start campaigning immediately.
“If he is planning to leave although he’s a sitting MP for the area, now they need to send whoever they want to send now, because they will only cause that person get cut a**, said one FNM supporter, who asked to remain anonymous.”
“Cause my thing is – you already do bad and now somebody else coming to try clean up, ain’t nobody want to be hearing that no six months before election.”
Police investigate circumstances after man who sought treatment dies in gB hosPital
By DENISE MAYCOCK Tribune Freeport Reporter dmaycock@tribunemedia.net
A 26-yeAr-old man who died in hospital after presenting with abdominal injuries has sparked a police investigation into what authorities are calling a suspicious death.
According to police, the man first sought treatment at rand Memorial Hospital on Saturday, May 17, shortly after 8pm for abdominal injuries. He was discharged and sent home.
severe complications and required emergency surgery. However, he died while in hospital.
Three days later, on Tuesday, May 20, around 7pm, he was rushed back to the hospital by emergency Medical Services due to
Police said the circumstances surrounding the injuries remain unclear and investigations are ongoing. They are urging anyone with information to come forward and assist with the inquiry.
authorities looking into a PParent drowning of 60-year-old man near deadman’s reef in West GB
By DENISE MAYCOCK
Tribune Freeport Reporter
dmaycock@tribunemedia.net
GrANd Bahama police are investigating the apparent drowning of a Caucasian man, believed to be in his 60s, near deadman’s reef in West Grand Bahama on Friday.
According to initial reports, officers received a call around 9am that a man had drowned on a beach in the West end area. Upon arrival, they
were informed that the man had been snorkeling when he began experiencing difficulties in the water.
The victim was pulled ashore but was unresponsive. emergency Medical Services responded and performed an examination but found no signs of life. Authorities have not yet confirmed whether the man was a visitor to the island. An autopsy will be conducted to determine
the exact cause of death.
This incident marks the second drowning reported in West Grand Bahama this month. on May 10, 17-year-old elvinson Saintilmar tragically drowned while swimming with friends in waters off Bayshore road, eight Mile rock. He was swept away by strong currents. The incidents highlig the critical importance of water safety and caution when swimming or snorkeling in open waters.
t wo dead in se Parate traffic accidents over the weekend in n assau and a ndros
TWo people have been killed in traffic accidents over the weekend, with police investigations ongoing into the incidents.
A woman in her late 20s is dead after a car crash near Malcolm road early yesterday morning.
Police said she was driving in a grey Mazda west shortly after 1am when she collided with a white Honda travelling in the
opposite direction at the junction of Malcolm road and emmanuel drive. She died at the scene. Paramedics treated the other vehicle’s occupants for their injuries. Their conditions remain unclear.
Police believe speed may have been a factor, based on the extent of the damage. Meanwhile, on
Saturday, officers received a report of an early morning accident in Andros.
Shortly after 2am, police responded to the scene of the accident in the area of driggs Hill, South Andros, where they found an unresponsive man near a damaged motorcycle and a utility pole.
Medical personnel were called to the scene but could find no signs of life.
St BarnaBaS MP Shanendon Cartwright
The Tribune Limited
NULLIUS ADDICTUS JURARE IN VERBA MAGISTRI
“Being Bound to Swear to The Dogmas of No Master”
Publisher/Editor 1903-1914
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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-
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Jockeying for position as election nears
FOR an election that is, according to Prime Minister Philip Davis, not imminent, there certainly is a lot of jockeying for position going on. Last week, there was word of a challenge to National Security Minister Wayne Munroe in his Freetown constituency, with the president of the Potter’s Cay Dock Fish, Fruit and Vegetable Vendors Association Ormanique Bowe eyeing the spot for the PLP. Elsewhere, Fort Charlotte’s representative, Alfred Sears, is declining to run again, it seems, having told supporters and members of the constituency association he will not seek re-election. He is not the only one stepping to the sidelines. MICAL will not see Basil McIntosh fighting for the seat again, while North Eleuthera MP Sylvanus Petty is also bowing out, though with an amusing pledge to come back to be the next prime minister, which may well have been in jest, no matter how serious it sounded.
There are question marks over others too – some voiced, some not. House Speaker Patricia Deveaux, the Bamboo Town MP, has said she is unsure about running again. Check the list of MPs and you can probably add one or two more to the list – just check for the ones you cannot remember doing anything of substance while in office.
Meanwhile, Shane Gibson has made noises about standing again – despite being snubbed for the West End, Grand Bahama and Bimini seat in the byelection following the passing of Obie Wilchcombe. Some very public sparring with PLP chairman Fred Mitchell featured during that campaign – so that will not likely be a smooth selection. The uncertainty lies not just on the PLP side, there is manoeuvring on the FNM side too.
Party chairman Dr Duane Sands pushed back on speculation that he was eyeing a move to the St Anne’s constituency, seen to be a safer seat than the Elizabeth constituency he has fought for – and won, and lost – before.
There is also the question of what will happen with the Killarney constituency. FNM leader Michael Pintard has
announced that former Prime Minister Dr Hubert Minnis will not receive the nomination for the constituency he has served for nearly two decades.
That has prompted something of an outcry from constituency association members, some of whom have said they would not vote without Dr Minnis on the ballot.
Dr Minnis has kept his future up in the air a little, saying he looks forward to continuing to represent his constituency – without specifying if that means he will seek re-election or not, come what may.
In Long Island, it is understood Adrian Gibson will be denied a renomination, while the expectation that Iram Lewis would not be renominated led to him quitting the party. Off he went to join the Coalition of Independents, for whom he has been an anonymous presence in the House ever since.
In today’s Tribune, there is speculation over the future of Shandendon Cartwright, the party’s deputy leader.
St Barnabas is his constituency – but will it be for long?
There are suggestions he may run for a seat elsewhere – and some frustration from within the constituency that Mr Cartwright has not been as strong a constituency MP as he could and should have been, regardless of the publicity he garnered for his mace drop. Whenever an election is in sight, there is talk of who will run, who will not – but when there is particularly talk of finding safe seats to run it, it is not a ringing endorsement of a party’s confidence in winning the whole election.
We have seen in successive elections landslides going one way or the other. At present, there is not that sense of confidence from either side. Few tend to step away from a winning hand. Read into the current situation what you will.
One more aspect to consider - there may yet be boundary changes to come. There will be eagle eyes on either side watching for what any such shifts may mean to the electoral mathematics.
If this was a horse race, it may not yet have begun, but the participants are starting to gather at the starting line.
Meaningful investment in us needed
continue to receive less.
EDITOR, The Tribune.
AS a born and bred Grand Bahamian, I’ve been around long enough to hear just about every version of “help is on the way.” And while I believe in being hopeful, I’ve also learned not to mistake a fancy announcement for real progress. Last week’s big signing for the Grand Lucayan sale made plenty headlines, and no doubt plenty people in Nassau felt like it was a proud moment. But for those of us here on the ground, we’ve learned to take these things with a grain of salt. We’ve been hearing about deals for years now. One day it’s back on, next day it’s off again. So, forgive us if we ain’t quick to pop champagne just yet.
Don’t get me wrong — I want to see this place thrive. Everybody I know does. We want the resort reopened. We want goodpaying jobs. We want business for the taxi drivers, the tour operators, the straw vendors, the contractors — regular folks trying to make a living. But you can’t expect people to get excited when we don’t know the details. Who buying it? What kind of development coming? How long before people get hired? What is in it for us locals? We’ve been down this road before. Too many times. So, it’s only natural for people to ask questions. That’s not being negative… that’s being real. We tired of feeling like Grand Bahama is only a
headline when it’s convenient. Every time election season comes round, we get big talk and artist renderings. Then it’s back to the same old struggle once the cameras leave. We don’t want much. We just want things to be done properly. Keep the public informed. Give us the facts, not just the fanfare. Let local people be a part of the process, not just watching from the sidelines. I hope this time is different. I hope the deal goes through, the resort opens, and Grand Bahama finally gets the lift we deserve. But until then, all I’ll say is this: We can’t live off promises.
A CONCERNED GRAND BAHAMIAN Grand Bahama, May 18, 2025.
EDITOR, The Tribune.
THE signing of a Heads of Agreement for the sale and hopeful restoration of the Grand Lucayan Hotel in Grand Bahama is a milestone to be welcomed.
Should it actually materialised as promoted it ought to provide some degree of optimism that better days are in store for Grand Bahamians.
While the hopeful restoration of this property is to be welcomed, I am not deluded to believe and nor should this administration believe, that a singular tourist development alone will provide a sustainable stable economic future for residents of Grand Bahama or any other family island.
The high dependency placed on these single mega touristic-developments which require a disproportionate amount of state resources and concessions to be gifted to them, only make these islands vulnerable to the economic shocks associated with the overreliance on a dominant single employer.
In my view the long term success of these islands, economically and socially, will require active attention and concern by the central government in providing the necessary infrastructure, so that residents can have access to essential and affordable utilities, quality
education, healthcare and transforming technology.
Freeport may be excepted in so far as basic utilities and other amenities are concerned, but I stand corrected, if such is not the case.
In fulfilling this responsibility first, then you will find local residents and Bahamians populating these islands and undertaking sustainable investment projects and development.
The Bahamas has to be developed in the main by Bahamians and until we meaningfully embrace this view we will continue to see these islands move to near extinction, economically, socially and culturally and suffer shocks due to external factors and impediments.
This is not to suggest that foreign investment and labor in certain sectors is not to be pursued and welcome.
But if these islands are to thrive economically as opposed to just barely surviving, as is presently the case, it has to be greater and more meaningful participation by Bahamians in all aspects necessary for a functional and thriving community.
Family islanders ought to put politics aside and demand more or they will
I do not subscribe to the view that the central government lacks the financial resources to meet the basic infrastructural needs of these islands. This country does not have a money shortage problem such that it cannot do more. It has a leadership and money management problem made worse by bad decisions, wastage and the infestation of political cronyism in too many key financial decisions.
The fact that a foreign investor signs no more than a Heads of Agreement to hopefully take ownership of a hotel and some choice land owned by Bahamians, is a cause for an all day celebration and dancing in the streets by this administration, is telling in many ways, and gives me no reason or this country to be amused at this stage of its independence. We should be beyond this and I will leave at that.
Nonetheless, the eventual restoration of this property and the attendant development if materialised as promoted is to be welcomed and I look forward to the project commencement. I reserve further comments until such time as the significant details are made public, if ever.
B
CLAUDE
HANNA Nassau,
May 21, 2025.
Loggerhead Kingbird (Tyrannus caudifasciatus).
Photo: Uryadnikov Sergey
Students in US to ‘be vigilant’
one
Tribune yesterday. “So, we are concerned, and we are monitoring the situation.”
His comments come amid growing concern following the Trump administration’s recent move to revoke Harvard’s certification to enrol foreign students.
Harvard has since filed a lawsuit challenging the ban as unconstitutional, and a federal judge has temporarily blocked the move pending the outcome of the case. The proposal has placed some foreign parents and students in a “wait and see” mode and reignited broader concerns about the stability of US immigration policies affecting international education.
Yesterday, Ambassador Jones acknowledged the public concern and encouraged Bahamian students and their families to closely
monitor the situation. He said he does not believe the policy will stand and expressed optimism that the courts would ultimately block it.
Ambassador Jones added that the Ministry
deferring their studies for a year. “I think we should monitor the situation - Bahamians and their parents should monitor the situation,” he added. “I don’t think it’s going to stand. I don’t see how the courts here in the United States would allow that particular policy to stand, but we have to be vigilant so that we are able to react if the policy is allowed, but we are very optimistic that that particular policy would be reversed.”
Dr April Finlayson, a Bahamian Harvard graduate and assistant lecturer at Harvard, also voiced
of Foreign Affairs is also keeping a close eye on the development. Meanwhile, officials are also advising students to consider enrolling at other universities unaffected by the sanctions, or to consider
Exuma teacher accused of sex crimes against two girls
from page one
Moss Town, Exuma sometime between May and June 2023. King is further alleged to have inappropriately touched another 15-yearold female student at 8.50am in Moss Town on January 20. The accused was not required to enter a plea at that time. He was informed that his matter will proceed to the Supreme Court via a voluntary bill of indictment (VBI). He was also told of his right to apply for bail
15-year-old
through the higher court. King will be remanded to the Bahamas Department of Correctional Services until his VBI is potentially served on September 9. Assistant Superintendent of Police K Bould served as the prosecutor.
boy charged with fatally shooting elroy rolle on w illiam l ane
By PAVEL BAILEY Tribune Staff Reporter pbailey@tribunemedia.net
A 15-YEAR-oLD boy was remanded into custody on Friday after he was accused of the fatal shooting of 31-year-old Elroy Rolle on William Lane earlier this month.
The teenage defendant, whose name is being withheld due to him being a minor, was arraigned on a charge of murder before Senior Magistrate Algernon
Allen Jr. The defendant’s guardian was present for his arraignment.
Prosecutors allege that the defendant and an accomplice ambushed and shot Elroy Rolle as he exited a residence on May 2. Rolle was pronounced dead at the scene. The culprits reportedly fled the scene on foot.
Elroy Rolle worked at Aquapure and had recently visited Exuma to explore a
business opportunity.
The accused was not required to enter a plea at that time. He was informed that his matter will proceed to the Supreme Court through a voluntary bill of indictment (VBI).
He was also told of his right to apply for bail through the higher court.
The defendant will be remanded to the adolescent unit Bahamas Department of Correctional Services until his VBI is potentially served on August 28.
m an accused of attempted murder in bar
shooting in d orsette a lley last month
By PAVEL BAILEY
Staff Reporter
A MAN faced court on Friday accused of attempting to kill someone at a bar in Dorsette Alley last month - with the victim in the incident having allegedly stabbed and killed someone at the same bar earlier that night.
Miguel Fox, 29, was arraigned on a charge of attempted murder before Chief Magistrate Roberto Reckley. Prosecutors allege the defendant attempted to
shot and kill 38-year-old Darius Burnside during an altercation at Swingers Bar and Lounge on April 17. Burnside was grazed to the chin and was successfully treated for his injuries in hospital. Burnside has also been arraigned on a charge of murder for an incident that happened earlier that same night.
Burnside allegedly fatally stabbed Derrick Smith about the body and to the neck with a knife at 10.21pm on April 17. Smith reportedly ran to his residence and collapsed
outside his door where he succumbed to his injuries.
The defendant was not required to enter a plea at that time. He was informed that his matter will proceed to the Supreme Court via a voluntary bill of indictment (VBI). He was also told of his right to apply for bail through the higher court.
The defendant will be remanded to the Bahamas Department of Correctional Services until his VBI is potentially served on August 21. Inspector Deon Barr served as the prosecutor.
charged with armed robbery of two women
By PAVEL BAILEY Tribune Staff Reporter pbailey@tribunemedia.net
A 19-YEAR-oLD man was remanded to prison on Friday after he was accused of robbing two women at gunpoint earlier this month.
Meguel Feaster was arraigned on a charge of armed robbery and two counts of possession of a firearm with intent to
put another in fear before Chief Magistrate Roberto Reckley. Feaster allegedly threatened Destinique Moss and Stephanie Parotti with a handgun on May 14 in New Providence. During this same incident, the defendant allegedly stole Ms Moss’s iPhone 13 which was valued at $500. The accused was not required to enter a plea at that time. He was informed
that his matter will proceed to the Supreme Court through a voluntary bill of indictment (VBI). He was also told of his right to apply for bail through the higher court. Feaster will be remanded to the Bahamas Department of Correctional Services until his VBI is potentially served on August 21 Inspector Deon Barr served as the prosecutor.
concern about the ban.
She said one of the university’s greatest strengths is its cultural diversity and warned that even temporarily losing that would be a significant blow.
“It is worrisome because that’s something that you really have to experience, to know and understand,” she said.
She warned that restricting international students would not only harm the institution but diminish the overall learning environment.
“What makes the workplace strong, what makes any team important, is being able to have a wide
range of perspectives, backgrounds, demographics in every shape and form, and by cutting out such a huge demographic, is truly a disservice to all involved,” she added. It is not clear if any Bahamians are currently studying at Harvard, but The Tribune understands that at least one Bahamian was planning to begin studies there this fall.
Harvard has warned that if the action is upheld, the university will be unable to admit new international students for at least the next two academic years.
UNITED STaTES ambaSSaDor WENDall JoNES
MONDAY, MAY 26, 2025
Shall we be fair or feral?
By MALCOLM STRACHAN
“Y ou know, the challenge in politics is that it’s become so feral.”
Those were the words of Prime Minister Philip Davis at the end of last month – as he talked about how he would like to see more women in politics, but they would have to earn their place.
Barely a couple of weeks later and Mr Davis was contributing to the feral nature of politics himself with his criticism of his opponent in the FNM, party leader Michael Pintard.
Mr Davis continued at the time: “It’s so feral that it drives not just good women, but good men as well. So the good amongst us shy away from the dirt and the mud-slinging that they hear, and it’s always been my wish to see how we could clean this up.”
Always his wish to see how we could clean it up. Well, perhaps for starters, Mr Davis could avoid gathering a fistful of mud in his own hand.
Move forward a couple of weeks and Mr Davis was questioning whether Mr Pintard had ever held a “real job”.
That caught a lot of pushback – but it was not the only mud Mr Davis was slinging at the time. He also talked about deputy FNM leader Shanendon Cartwright, saying: “It is not brave to try to distract from a highly questionable tenure at Parks and Beaches by ineptly throwing the mace out of the window.”
And then he criticised another MP – likely Adrian White – for being “carried belly-out by the police for brawling in this House”.
Mud everywhere, it would seem.
The attacks on Pintard for whether he had a “real job” particularly caused issue. It seemed very much that Mr Davis does not take creative careers as seriously as others – and there are a lot of Bahamians in such industries. There are writers and singers,
‘Last year, Bishop Cooper said that 90 percent of parliamentarians had met the deadline – leaving of course ten percent who had not. The names of those who did not comply were never disclosed.’
Junkanooers and dancers, there are filmmakers and producers, designers and artists.
Mr Davis tried to clean it up – saying he was not attacking creatives, though his line about being “a parrot not a poet” undermined his subsequent claim of giving “credit where credit is due. Pintard has done well with his poetry and acting”.
Mr Davis went on to ask: “What real job has he ever had? What has he ever built? What has he ever managed, outside of press conferences and political complaints?”
It is not the first time there has been criticism of Mr Pintard from the PLP corner – nor is that surprising given the nature of politics in general, let alone our politics. But at the heart of the attacks, which seem like they will likely reoccur on the campaign trail, is a question over how Mr Pintard has made his money.
That is, in fact, a fair question. And it would be one to take seriously if the government showed even the slightest inclination to abide by the mechanism that is already in place to establish what is the source of every single parliamentarian’s finances – public disclosures.
It is now three months since the March 1 deadline, give or take a few days, and there is no sign of this year’s public disclosures.
Bishop Victor Cooper is the chairman of the Public Disclosures Chairman, and he is
conspicuous by his silence.
Back in April, after the
deadline, he said officials were still submitting disclosures. Let us note for a moment that this is a law that parliamentarians are required to follow.
Then there was an apparent issue with mould in the offices the commission operates out of, but last month we were told that the Cabinet o ffice was being used instead. Still no announcement, even with a better roof over their heads.
At this stage, we still do not know who has disclosed their finances – except for those who have volunteered the information publicly.
We have been told that all the FNM parliamentarians met the deadline – Mr Pintard included.
o n the PLP side, Deputy Prime Minister Chester Cooper, Education Minister Glenys Hanna Martin, Grand Bahama Minister Ginger Moxey, National Security Minister Wayne Munroe, Labour and Public Service Minister Pia Glover-Rolle, Energy and Transport Minister JoBeth ColebyDavis, Youth, Sports and
Culture Minister Mario Bowleg, Social Services Minister Myles Laroda, Central and South Abaco MP John Pinder, Minister of State in the Prime Minister’s o ffice Leon Lundy, Health Minister Dr Michael Darville, and Economic Affairs Minister Michael Halkitis all said they had filed their disclosures. Last week, the o rganisation for Responsible Governance ( o RG) rightly noted the lack of information on this year’s financial disclosures.
Long-time campaigner Matt Aubry said the public wants assurance that disclosures are submitted on time. More to the point, he highlighted the next step – what is in those disclosures and whether there are any conflicts of interests which should be addressed seriously. This is a long-running problem, of course. Last year, Bishop Cooper said that 90 percent of parliamentarians had met the deadline – leaving of course ten percent who had not. The names of those who did not comply were never disclosed.
What is the penalty for not disclosing as required by law? Well, it can be up to two years in jail under the law. The law takes it seriously, the lawmakers do not.
So keep a watch on two things. First, see if this attack line on Mr Pintard’s career goes on – it shows all the signs that it will. It feels like this is something likely to reappear on the campaign trail.
Second, see if there is as much enthusiasm for ensuring the disclosures are published, complete with who did or did not meet the deadline.
If it is so important to see where a politician’s finances come from, then it is important to see where all politicians’ finances come from.
The law is there. The process is there. The willpower to do so is absent. As for the concerns about slinging mud, it is hard to give any credence to supposed concerns about such an issue coming from those who do it themselves. If you want to change the culture, you have to start from within.
Prime minister PhiliP ‘Brave’ Davis
How the black market profits from our blue and green economies
By Desiree K Major-Corneille
FROM the unpermit-
ted cutting of trees and unauthorised mining of limestone to illegal charcoal kilns burning in remote coppice, and reef fish— undersized, spawning, and unrecorded — smuggled in coolers bound for foreign restaurants - a silent economy thrives in the shadows of The Bahamas’ blue and green wealth. This is the black market for natural resources — unregulated, untaxed, and frequently unchecked. While legitimate industries strive to comply with the law and absorb the costs of doing so, these illicit operators extract value from our ecosystems with little fear of prosecution. The result is systemic erosion of public revenue, degradation of diverse ecosystems, threats to biodiversity, and intersections with organized crime. And the heaviest burden is borne by the Bahamian public — by residents who inhale carcinogenic smoke from unregulated charcoal, by families who unknowingly consume fish harvested through unsustainable and illegal practices, and by consumers paying more because local fishers must travel farther as nearby stocks are pillaged.
What is often framed as environmental harm must also be recognized for what it is: natural asset theft — a slow, deliberate siphoning of national wealth from the Bahamian people to illegal profiteers. Environmental crime operates as a parallel economy. It includes the unlicensed harvesting, transport, and sale of marine life, timber, minerals, and other resources — often facilitated by informal networks or criminal intermediaries. These acts are not incidental or benign. They are systematic, profit-driven, and often sophisticated. Some actors profit handsomely, and their persistent evasion of authorities reflects both their complicity and full awareness of the illegality of their actions.
Foreign and local operators alike exploit enforcement blind spots. They move products without documentation, evade taxes, and leave environmental destruction in their wake. In this light, environmental crime is not just ecocide — it is economic
sabotage.
Our marine sector remains acutely vulnerable.
Poaching of conch, lobster, snapper, and parrotfish persists at unsustainable levels, often bound for international markets. Parrotfish — vital to reef health and sand production — are now consumed locally with little regard for their ecological role, as other reef stocks are depleted.
Vessels from the Dominican Republic have been repeatedly apprehended in Bahamian waters with massive hauls of seafood. Yet prosecutions are inconsistent, and incursions continue. Locally, some middlemen knowingly purchase from illegal harvesters, fueling a supply chain that delivers unregulated seafood to unsuspecting consumers and foreign buyers.
Ghost traps and illegal nets continue to destroy coral reefs and trap marine life long after they’re abandoned. As reef fish disappear, both local food security and tourism are compromised.
On land, the story is equally alarming. Charcoal kilns fueled by poisonwood, used tyres, and chemically treated lumber are often hidden in remote coppice — posing health risks and contributing to deforestation. While authorities occasionally announce kiln dismantling, prosecutions
are rare.
Unregulated sand mining strips coastlines of their natural defenses, increasing erosion and vulnerability to storm surge. Quarrying operations in pine forests across the archipelago disrupt water systems, destroy habitats, and devalue the landscape — yet the materials are sold openly under the guise of legitimacy.
The business model is simple: low risk, high reward. Minimal oversight and lax enforcement make environmental crime a lucrative proposition for those willing to violate the law.
The fallout goes far beyond ecosystems. Every unlicensed transaction results in lost revenue: unpaid taxes, uncollected royalties, and bypassed fees. Law-abiding operators — licensed fishers, registered charcoal producers, eco-tour guides — must compete against black-market counterparts who pay nothing into the national economy.
More troubling still, ecological degradation undermines future economic opportunity. Overfished reefs, deforested hillsides, and polluted groundwater threaten the sustainability of industries critical to national development. The very communities most harmed are often the ones exploited for support
— manipulated by a few well-positioned profiteers who campaign loudly for leniency while benefiting from public ignorance.
Beyond lost revenue, these crimes undermine public health, erode trust in governance, and heighten national vulnerability. A nation with stripped coastlines, collapsing reefs, toxic charcoal smoke, and depleted fisheries is not only poorer — it is less secure.
Environmental crime is not a peripheral concern. It is a destabilizing force with cascading effects on food systems, storm resilience, equity, and future development. These crimes persist because enforcement systems are often underresourced, undervalued, or procedurally delayed. In some instances, entrenched interests or administrative bottlenecks can frustrate investigations or discourage consistent follow-through.
Agencies tasked with protection frequently lack the training, tools, or mandate to pursue environmental crimes with the same rigor applied to drug or arms trafficking. Financial investigations are rare. Asset seizure tools go unused. And in the absence of meaningful deterrents, violators not only escape justice — they profit from it.
Environmental crime must be reframed as a form of serious economic crime. That means tracing profits, sanctioning buyers, and dismantling the criminal supply chains that exploit our land and sea.
Disrupting this shadow economy requires more than patrols — it requires a shift in enforcement strategy. Environmental crime must become financially untenable. That means stiffer penalties, strategic seizures, and reputational consequences that outweigh the profits of wrongdoing.
Asset recovery legislation should be modernised to allow for the confiscation of proceeds from environmental crime. Fines should fund restoration. Financial institutions must be trained to flag suspicious environmental transactions, and natural resource markets must become digitally traceable and transparent.
Above all, environmental enforcement must scale to match the sophistication of environmental crime. And because these crimes cross borders, regional cooperation — through intelligence sharing, joint task forces, and coordinated prosecutions — is essential.
Around the world, nations that once thrived on natural abundance are now reckoning with irreversible loss. Florida has
no legal conch fishery — decades after collapse, it still has not recovered. In Haiti, deforestation has stripped the land bare, triggering floods, crop failure, and food insecurity. The Baltic Sea’s cod stocks have crashed despite bans, while sea cucumber fisheries in the Galápagos, and artisanal fish in Gambia, have been decimated by unchecked exploitation and weak enforcement. Somalia’s fisheries were so plundered that piracy emerged from desperation. These are not cautionary tales from faraway places — they are mirrors. The question is not whether it could happen here in The Bahamas. The question is: what will it take for us to act before we reach the point of no return?
When our marine life, minerals, and forests are stolen, it’s not just nature that suffers. It is every Bahamian — robbed of future income, coastal protection, and food security. Enforcement must evolve not only to safeguard ecosystems, but to dismantle the black-market economy exploiting our national heritage.
Every illegally caught conch, mined beach, or bag of illicit charcoal is a withdrawal from our national trust fund — with no receipt, no tax, and no return.
A life of wit and purpose
I travelled to New York a few days ago. It was my first time back to the e mpire City in over six years but it felt like I never left. From the airport and on my way to the hotel, I was in a cab stuck in traffic with promos of the television morning show l ive with Kelly playing on loop. traffic flowed without incident until we were stalled on a narrow street made all the narrower by parked cars lined along both sides. a driver in front of us abruptly stopped his car in the middle of the road, got out, ran up a few steps and delivered a package to a friend. a s they began to chat, all the inconvenienced drivers in unison began blowing for him to move out of the way. He yelled back “gimme a minute, will ya”. t hen someone quickly screamed something about being a mother or not having a mother. I’m not sure. t he horns were deafening.
It wasn’t long before someone else shouted profanity directed at the guy’s choice of attire and that was enough to make him jump in his car and speed off while making overly exaggerated gestures with his hands. Not long after that and before I arrived at my destination, I watched a homeless man with a cardboard sign openly beg on the street for money to purchase drugs. While I applauded his naked honesty, it was a tuesday and barely 3pm.
I’d been in New York for less than an hour and the memories began flooding back. t he air was a mixture of pizza, hot dogs and roasted nuts. t here were more buildings than trees and more people than cars. No one seemed to care about the barely visible stars in this sky because the lights of times Square are all you ever remember.
So much had changed in the world in the last six years, but in New York, for all its flaws and the many reasons for its fame, the clock felt like it had stood still and New York was exactly as I remembered. t here were a lot less rats and the faces were different but the melody and pulse hadn’t changed in the slightest. t he rhythm was still fast but wholly predictable. In the Big a pple, the pendulum swings towards survivors because underachievers get swallowed and tossed aside without regret. It felt good to be back but the reason for the visit was unfortunately quite solemn. I returned for the memorial service of a dear friend and patient. a Wall Street tycoon who not only survived but conquered New York with ease. He was a private person so to protect him and his family I’ll refer to him by the alias e dward. a global philanthropist, devoted conservationist and venerable titan of industry who once commanded thousands of employees and billions in assets, e dward was one of my mentors. He lived his life with wit and purpose and to his eternal credit he taught me, and many others the world over, to do the same.
t he first time we met, over ten years ago, my mind was instantly awakened by a steady drip of his intellectual revelations. He was visiting his home in lyford Cay for the wedding of his eldest son that same weekend. His feet were painful
and e dward planned to dance the night away so he needed me to alleviate his pain as quickly as possible. a s I was treating him, he told me how proud he was of his sons. He and his wife have been married for 54 years and all he wanted was to see his boys find wives who made them happy. It didn’t matter to him what his sons did, he said they just had to do it well. e dward didn’t believe in procrastination, instinctively favouring action over deliberation. l earn to make a decision right away is what he said to me repeatedly. t he advice was counter intuitive to my very being because I’m naturally cautious and analyse everything three or four times. He told me that early in your career that’s a useful trait but after a while it becomes an impediment. It was the first time I heard someone say that. He believed that your first instinct is usually right so don’t waste time. d ecide to do something and then figure out how to do it on the job and as you move along. e ven if you’re wrong, you can pivot and course correct and still end up farther ahead than if you’d just waited out of fear. It was this jump-off-the-cliff cowboy mentality that fascinated me. e dward’s parents were German- a merican. He was born in New York amidst very modest and humble beginnings. Having achieved such enormous success throughout his life, when born with so little, is why he and his wife spent the majority of their lives sponsoring underprivileged students from all walks of life. He said that he wanted kids to have the opportunity to rise to their fullest potential, unobstructed by the shackles of their born circumstance. Notably, they sponsored one of my summer interns many years ago whose lifelong dream is to be a neurosurgeon. He is now a third-year medical
student in California well on his way to achieving that goal. the irony of that is that several years later edward was diagnosed with the very same brain cancer being researched by the student he’d so generously sponsored. His diagnosis was terminal and he spent the last few years of his life under the care of a world-renowned neurosurgeon and oncologist. during those remaining years, edward was in and out of the hospital fighting infections, seizures and paralysis. the cancer took a toll on him and everyone who loved him but none more than the woman who’d stood by his side for five decades. to see the life of a man who always needed to move quickly and take command slowed to a halt was heart-wrenching. But following his diagnosis, every minute of every day he was surrounded by people who loved him.
Glioblastomas are the deadliest and most aggressive forms of primary brain tumors in adults. Because they infiltrate and spread rapidly throughout the brain and often reoccur after treatment, management options are mostly palliative in nature. the median survival rate is between one and one and a half years but a lasting testament to his strong fighting spirit, edward shattered those odds, surviving three years post diagnosis. d r Magnus e kedede is t he Bahamas’ chief neurosurgeon. He was not involved in e dward’s care but for expert advice from someone I trust implicitly, I asked him early on what should be done when diagnosed with this type of cancer. He stated without hesitation that helping to make the patient comfortable is important but being with loved ones and simply enjoying the time they have left is the best option available at this time. e arly screenings for brain cancer are atypical because symptoms are often non-specific but he advocates routine medical
By Dr Kenneth D Kemp
visits either annually or bi-annually especially when experiencing any recent onset headaches or neurological abnormalities like changes in vision, hearing, balance, coordination, strength, or reflexes. e dward was unapologetically authentic. He had a deep passion for animal and human rights and an uncommon decency - often remiss in humans – allowing him
to love and find genuine interest in his fellow man.
He exemplified the ideology of the human and the heroic and it is through his warm and tacit mentorship and beneath the yolk and shadow of his incredible legacy that we his mentees have flourished so absolutely.
My grandmother was a New Yorker, I travelled there many times during my childhood and lived in New York for several years during my residency. travelling back recently was a walk down memory lane, one that I would have enjoyed sharing with e dward. I will miss my friend and mentor and, in his honor, today I salute everyone
who’s been diagnosed with a brain tumor and cancer. May their remaining years be filled with wit and purpose and may the cherished memories of a life well lived blanket all the people who love them. this is the KdK report.
• Nicknamed ‘The Prince of Podiatry’, Dr Kenneth D Kemp is the founder and medical director of Bahamas Foot and Ankle located in Caves Village, Western New Providence. He served as the deputy chairman for the Health Council for five years and he currently sits on the board of directors for the Princess Margaret Hospital Foundation in his role as co-vice-chairman.
A dangerous game: Venezuela’s election gambit over Guyana’s Essequibo region
On May 25, a day before Guyana commemorates its 59th year of independence, the government of nicolás Maduro says it intends to stage elections in Guyana’s Essequibo region. This territory, comprising nearly two-thirds of Guyana, lies entirely within its internationally recognised borders.
This is not a demonstration of democratic governance, but a politically charged act that challenges established international legal norms. It represents a serious escalation in Venezuela’s posture toward the territorial controversy—one that raises profound concerns about adherence to the rule of law and respect for the authority of the International Court of Justice (ICJ).
Essequibo has been a settled part of Guyana since the arbitral award of 1899, a legally binding decision rendered by an international tribunal comprising the Chief Justices of Russia, Britain, and the United States—the latter nominated by Venezuela itself. Venezuela not only participated in the proceedings but also hailed the award as a diplomatic success, ratifying it in its national Congress and benefiting from its expanded territory, including access to the mouth of the Orinoco River.
For over 60 years, the boundary was recognized and respected. Then, in 1962, Venezuela submitted a memorandum to the United nations challenging the award, and in 1966, on the eve of Guyana’s independence, the two countries signed the Geneva Agreement. This Agreement provided for a series of steps to resolve the controversy,
World View
By SIR RONALD SANDERS
including ultimately granting the Un Secretary-General the authority to choose a final means of settlement should all others fail.
In 2018, following decades of inconclusive dialogue, the Secretary-General referred the matter to the ICJ—consistent with his authority under the Geneva Agreement. Guyana then initiated proceedings at the Court, requesting a ruling that the 1899 award is valid and legally binding.
Venezuela initially objected to the Court’s jurisdiction and declined to participate in the case. While it later filed written submissions, it has refused to accept the Court’s binding authority and continues to disregard its interim measures, most recently an order issued on May 1, 2025, which states: “Pending a final decision in the case, the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela shall refrain from conducting elections, or preparing to conduct elections, in the territory in dispute, which the Co-operative Republic of Guyana currently administers and over which it exercises control.”
Despite this clear directive, Venezuela’s national Electoral Council has announced plans to elect eight deputies and a governor for Essequibo. Yet, no details have been provided about voter
The Ministry of
registration, polling stations, or administrative arrangements—unsurprising, given that Venezuela has no jurisdiction or administrative presence in the region of Essequibo or any part of Guyana.
To justify this act, the Maduro government cites a 2023 domestic referendum, which it initiated, conducted, and supervised without independent oversight. Based on the outcome of that unilateral process, the government now claims the authority to incorporate the Essequibo region into Venezuelan territory. Acting on this assertion, the national Assembly enacted the “Organic Law for the Defense of Guayana Esequiba,” which purports to formalize the creation of a new Venezuelan state. The law proposes that, pending the so-called installation of elected officials, the territory will be administered from the town of Tumeremo in Bolívar State, within Venezuela’s existing borders.
This raises a fundamental question: how can a state conduct elections in a territory it does not control? The answer is: it cannot, unless through occupation. Any attempt to enforce this plan would require Venezuela to enter and assert authority over sovereign Guyanese territory—an act that would violate not only the ICJ’s
order but also the United nations Charter and the Charter of the Organization of American States, both of which prohibit the threat or use of force to resolve territorial disputes.
This latest move appears to be driven less by enduring patriotic sentiment and more by geopolitical and economic calculations. The Essequibo region is rich in natural resources—gold, timber, freshwater, and oil—which have grown in strategic importance, especially against the backdrop of Venezuela’s deepening economic and political crisis. These considerations, rather than legal merit, seem to be shaping Venezuela’s recent actions.
Meanwhile, tensions on the ground are rising. Guyana’s defense authorities have reported cross-border provocations by Venezuelan forces, and the Government has warned that participation in the May 25 vote could constitute a criminal offense under national law.
the procurement of goods, works, and services for the period March 1st – 31st, 2025. Awarded Public Procurement Opportunities Report
Any queries on the Procurement Opportunities Awarded Report should be forwarded to the Actg. Chief Procurement Officer at the following email address.
www.mofvendors@bahamas.gov.bs
Awarded Public Procurement Opportunities Report Continues from privious page
nearly 100,000 Venezuelan nationals now reside in Guyana—many of whom fled hardship at home. These already dislocated people should not be drawn into a manufactured conflict that endangers their safety and stability.
The international community must view this development with the seriousness it warrants. The ICJ is the agreed mechanism for resolving this long-standing dispute. Its jurisdiction must be respected, and its orders implemented. Any attempt to bypass the Court through unilateral acts erodes the international system for peaceful dispute settlement and threatens regional stability.
Guyana and Venezuela are bound by geography. neither can relocate; both must find a path to coexistence. But peaceful coexistence cannot be built on unilateral actions or threats. It must be grounded in law, mutual respect, and diplomacy. The parties should await the ICJ’s ruling—and on that basis, strive to build a collaborative relationship from which both nations can benefit. The path to peace is through diplomacy and the rule of law. That path must not be forsaken.
• The writer is Antigua and Barbuda’s Ambassador to the US and the OAS. He is also the Dean of the Ambassadors of the Western Hemisphere Group accredited to the US. The views expressed are entirely his own. Responses and previous commentaries: www. sirronaldsanders.com.
Caribbean nations, Latin American neighbours, and global partners who uphold international law must send a clear message: borders cannot be redrawn by domestic decree, and no state is exempt from legal accountability. Elections held outside the bounds of jurisdiction do not confer legitimacy; they invite conflict.
Russia and Ukraine complete prisoner swap hours after Moscow launches major assault
KYIV Associated Press
Russia and ukraine swapped hundreds more prisoners on sunday, the third and last part of a major exchange that reflected a rare moment of cooperation in otherwise failed efforts to reach a ceasefire in the more than three years of war.
Hours earlier, the ukrainian capital, Kyiv, and other regions came under a massive Russian drone-and-missile attack that killed at least 12 people and injured dozens. ukrainian officials described it as the largest aerial assault since Russia’s full-scale invasion of ukraine in February 2022.
Late sunday, ukrainian cities came under attack for a third straight night with Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko reporting that air defence forces were working in the capital against enemy drones. Oleh syniehubov, the head of the Kharkiv military administration, said Kharkiv and
its suburbs were also under attack by drones. information about victims was being clarified, syniehubov said, urging residents to “stay safe places until the end of the alarm.”
Earlier, Russia’s Defense Ministry said each side exchanged 303 soldiers, following the release of 307 combatants and civilians each on saturday, and 390 on Friday — the biggest total swap of the war.
ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy confirmed sunday’s exchange, saying on X that “303 ukrainian defenders are home.” He noted that the troops returning to ukraine were members of the “armed Forces, the National Guard, the state Border Guard service, and the state special Transport service.”
Nataliya Borovyk, the sister of released ukrainian soldier ihor ulesov, was overwhelmed when she learned of her brother’s return.
“My uncle had to calm
me down and put me in a taxi so i could get here,” she told The associated Press. “a moment like that stays with you forever.”
Borovyk said the family had been waiting anxiously for news, and that she had hoped her brother might be released in the first part of the exchange on Friday.
“We were worried about all the guys. He wasn’t there on Friday, but i was here — i at least greeted them, i stood there until the very end and waited, (hoping) maybe he would appear after all.”
in talks held in istan-
bul earlier this month — the first time the two sides met face to face for peace talks — Kyiv and Moscow agreed to swap 1,000 prisoners of war and civilian detainees each. The exchange has been the only tangible outcome from the talks.
L Argest AerIAL
AttAcK of the wAr
The scale of the onslaught was stunning
— Russia hit ukraine with 367 drones and missiles, the largest single aerial attack of the war, according to Yuriy ihnat, a spokesperson for ukraine’s air Force. in all, Russia used 69 missiles of various types and 298 drones, including iranian-designed shahed drones, he told The associated Press.
There was no immediate comment from Moscow on the strikes.
For Kyiv, the day was particularly sombre as the city observed Kyiv Day, a national holiday that falls on the last sunday in May, commemorating its founding in the 5th century, Zelenskyy said Russian missiles and drones hit more than 30 cities and villages, and urged Western partners to ramp up sanctions on Russia — a longstanding demand of the ukrainian leader but one that despite warnings to Moscow by the united states and Europe has not materialized in ways to deter Russia.
“These were deliberate strikes on ordinary cities,” Zelenskyy wrote on X, adding that sunday’s targets included Kyiv, Zhytomyr, Khmelnytskyi, Ternopil, Chernihiv, sumy, Odesa, Poltava, Dnipro, Mykolaiv, Kharkiv and Cherkasy regions.
“america’s silence, the silence of others in the world, only encourages” Russian President Vladimir Putin, he said. “Without truly strong pressure on the Russian leadership, this brutality cannot be stopped. sanctions will certainly help.” President Donald Trump on sunday evening said he is not happy with Putin.
i’ve known him a long time, always gotten along with him, but he’s sending rockets into cities and killing people and i don’t like it at all,” he told reporters after leaving his New Jersey golf club.
Keith Kellogg, Washington’s special envoy to ukraine, condemned the Russian attacks on X, calling it “a clear violation” of the Geneva Protocols. “These attacks are shameful. stop the killing. Ceasefire now.” Russia’s Defense Ministry, meanwhile, said its
air defences shot down 110 ukrainian drones overnight.
‘SleepleSS night’ sounds of explosions boomed throughout the night in Kyiv and the surrounding area as ukrainian air defence persisted for hours in efforts to shoot down Russian drones and missiles. at least four people were killed and 16 were injured in the capital itself, according to the security service.
“a difficult sunday morning in ukraine after a sleepless night,” ukrainian Foreign Minister andrii sybiha said on X, adding that the assault “lasted all night.”
Fires broke out in homes and businesses, set off by falling drone debris.
in Zhytomyr region, west of Kyiv, the emergency service said three children were killed, aged 8, 12 and 17. Twelve people were injured in the attacks, it said. at least four people were killed in the Khmelnytskyi region, in western ukraine. One man was killed in Mykolaiv region, in southern ukraine.
Kyiv Mayor Klitschko said a student dormitory in Holosiivskyi district was hit by a drone and one of the building’s walls was on fire. in Dniprovskyi district, a private house was destroyed and in shevchenkivskyi district, windows in a residential building were smashed.
The scale of Russia’s use of aerial weapons aside, the attacks over the past 48 hours have been among the most intense strikes on ukraine since the February 2022 invasion.
A vill Age engulfed in S moke And rubble in Markhalivka, just outside Kyiv where several village homes were burned down, the Fedorenkos watched their ruined home in tears.
“The street looks like Bakhmut, like Mariupol, it’s just terrible,” said 76-year-old Liubov Fedorenko, comparing their village to some of ukraine’s most devastated cities. she told the
aP she was grateful her daughter and grandchildren hadn’t joined them for the weekend. i was trying to persuade my daughter to come to us,” Fedorenko said, adding that she told her daughter, “after all, you live on the eighth floor in Kyiv, and here it’s the ground floor.’” she said, ‘No, mum, i’m not coming.’ and thank God she didn’t come, because the rocket hit (the house) on the side where the children’s rooms were,” Fedorenko said.
no hAlt in fighting
The POW exchange was the latest of scores of swaps since the war began but also the biggest involving ukrainian civilians. still, it has not halted the fighting. Battles have continued along the roughly 1,000-kilometer (620-mile) front line, where tens of thousands of soldiers have been killed, and neither country has relented in its deep strikes.
Russia’s Defense Ministry quoted Yaroslav Yakimkin of the “North” group of Russian forces as saying sunday that ukrainian troops have been pushed back from the border in the Kursk region, which Putin visited days ago.
“The troops continue to advance forward every day,” Yakimkin said, adding that Russian forces have taken Marine and Loknya in ukraine’s northeastern sumy region, which borders Kursk, over the past week, and were advancing in the Kharkiv region around the largely destroyed town of Vovchansk. speaking on Russian state TV on sunday, a Russian serviceman said that Putin was reportedly flying over the Kursk region in a helicopter when the area came under intense ukrainian drone attack during his visit.
Putin’s helicopter was “virtually at the epicenter of repelling a large-scale attack by the enemy’s drones,” said Yuri Dashkin, described as commander of a Russian air defence division. He added that Russian air defence units shot down 46 drones during the incident.
A UkrAiniAn serviceman Vitaly, hugs his wife Olena, after returning from captivity during a POWs exchange between Russia and Ukraine, in Chernyhiv region, Ukraine, yesterday.
Photo: Efrem Lukatsky/AP
Urban Renewal holds 2nd Annual Health and Wellness Fair in GB
Urban Renewal Authority hosted its 2nd Annual Health & Wellness Fair on Saturday at the Obadiah H. Wilchcombe Complex in Grand Bahama, partnering with the Public Hospitals Authority, Doctor’s Hospital, and others, they brought the clinic to the people providing access to a range of free health services including eye exams, cholesterol, glucose, and blood pressure screenings, foot care, and dietary consultations.
Photos: Vandyke Hepburn
Over 100 boats take part in Full Throttle Poker Run
More than 100 boats took part in the Bahamas Powerboat Club’s Full Throttle Poker run earlier this month.
The contest took place on May 3, from Nassau to Great Harbour Cay in the Berry Islands, bringing together thousands of boaters and guests.
“This event is about what boating means to The Bahamas and the economic opportunity it creates for our Family Islands,” said John Pinder, Parliamentary Secretary for the Ministry of Tour ism, a sponsor for the
third consecutive year. “The Poker run promotes our marine tourism in a way that’s fun, safe, and impactful.”
The weekend was filled with highlights, from a helicopter-guided route that took the fleet out of Nassau Harbour to $10,000 in cash prizes for the top three poker hands. This year’s winners were: first – Captain Byron Knowles, second –Captain Mark Cartwright, and third – Captain Peter Pickstock. New to the event this
safety initiative: each registered captain received a custom inflatable life vest, part of a broader push to encourage responsible boating.
Sponsors of the 2025 event include the Ministry of Tourism, Grey Goose, Island Link, Bay Street Marina, Hurricane Hole Superyacht Marina, and Bahama Water Toys & Tours. The event also received international support from partners such as Speedboat Magazine and Tommy Gunn Media.
