BUYING HOME
OF REACH’ FOR MOST
Buyers need almost $67k upfront to qualify for median mortgage
By NEIL HARTNELL Tribune Business Editor nhartnell@tribunemedia.net
BAHAMIAN tourism and food industry workers
earn on average just 38 percent of the salary needed to service a “median” New Providence mortgage and meet bank debt stipulations, it has been revealed, with this nation’s house priceto-earnings ratio branded “remarkably high”. The Inter-American Development Bank
(IDB), in a just-released March 2026 study on home afordability in The Bahamas, reafrms that “formal housing solutions are increasingly out of reach of low and middle income households” with New Providence’s house price to income index - which measures afordability by comparing real estate costs to earnings - shown as being among the highest in the world at 141:1.
New Cabinet’s frst meeting
By Tribune Staff Reporter
THE plane carrying 11 Bahamians which was forced to ditch into the sea on election day when both engines failed should not have been fying, according to the crash investigating authority.
The Civil Aeronautics Authority of Panama, where the aircraft was registered, said documentation allowing it to be airborne expired in June 2025. Managing Director, Captain Rafael Barcenas, told The Tribune yesterday: “It is correct that that aircraft could not fy after June 4, 2025.
By JADE RUSSELL Tribune Staff Reporter jrussell@tribunemedia.net
WITH the Davis administration set to unveil its 2026/2027 national budget today, investments in infrastructure and healthcare are expected to remain key priorities.
That’s according to Works and
- SEE PAGE FIVE
Family Island Afairs Minister Clay Sweeting and Health and Wellness Minister Dr Michael Darville.
Both ministers outlined their budget plans to reporters yesterday before heading to the frst Cabinet meeting. They were among a mix of incumbent ministers and newcomers seen arriving at the Ofce of the Prime
Minister, expressing optimism about the new term.
Speaking on his ministry’s plans, Mr Sweeting said core initiatives to improve infrastructure and drainage across the country will continue, with the Family Islands set to remain a priority.
- SEE PAGE TWO
Attorney loses appeal over $862k missing funds
By LYNAIRE MUNNINGS Tribune Staff Reporter lmunnings@tribunemedia.net
THE Court of Appeal has upheld a decision to disbar attorney Craig Butler after he admitted to misappropriating more than $862,000 in funds belonging to AML Foods Limited. The appeal followed a ruling by the Disciplinary Tribunal of the Bahamas Bar Council in July 2024 ordering that Mr Butler be struck from the Roll of Counsel and Attorneys for professional misconduct. The case centres on allegations by AML Foods that Mr Butler misappropriated $862,287.43 entrusted to him during a property purchase transaction. The ruling said Mr Butler
- SEE PAGE THREE
CABINET MINISTERS, led by Prime Minister Philip ‘Brave’ Davis, hold their first Cabinet meeting as they prepare for the upcoming budget debate.
Photo: OPM
CABINET
ATTORNEY CRAIG BUTLER
Infrastructure and health lead new national budget
This follows longstanding complaints about the poor state of roads, with some motorists saying pothole-ridden conditions have damaged their vehicles.
Concerning the Pinewood road remediation and drainage project, Mr Sweeting said mobilisation costs have already been paid and work is expected to begin within the next few weeks.
He also spoke about his ministry’s plans to incorporate digital AI integration, adding that AI technology will be used in building
plans to help streamline the approval process.
On the shantytown demolition eforts, Mr Sweeting said more than 700 structures nationwide have been demolished over the past two years.
He said the Shanty Town Task Force will continue working alongside the Department of Immigration, the Department of Social Services, and the Royal Bahamas Police Force.
Meanwhile, healthcare is also expected remain a major focus during this budget cycle. When Davis
administration frst assumed ofce, it made repeated promises to strengthen the health sector. However, that agenda faced several challenges including worsening hospital conditions and delayed projects.
Yesterday, Dr Darville said the goal remains unchanged: increasing manpower resources to ensure sufcient staf are hired to deliver healthcare services.
He added that major repairs are expected to begin soon at Princess Margaret Hospital amid claims by critics that the facility is in its worst state in decades. Healthcare workers
have reported operating with limited supplies, while patients often complain of waiting hours for treatment.
Recently, photos purportedly showing conditions inside the male medical ward circulated on social media, sparking concern about the deteriorating conditions patients face.
Dr Darville said he spoke with Public Hospitals Authority ofcials and the matter has since been resolved. He said there are always ongoing challenges with an ageing building like PMH.
Dr Darville also cited a $75m loan agreement intended to assist with upgrades to public health facilities, including renovations at PMH.
He said the project will include the demolition and reconstruction of the kitchen facility, as well as renovations to the Legacy Unit, eye theatre, and other areas.
Asked whether his ministry expects a budget increase because of its numerous projects, Dr Darville said ofcials are not anticipating a major increase.
He added that the government is still restructuring the National Health Insurance programme and seeking a more sustainable economic model to ensure
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CABINET Ministers attend their first meeting since the general election.
Photo: OPM
CABINET from page one
Court of Appeal upholds decision to disbar attorney
BUTLER from page one
admitted his guilt before the Tribunal, but asked it to hear submissions on what punishment should be imposed.
The court noted that the company had already obtained a judgment against him for the money, but had not recovered any of the funds.
As such, the Tribunal considered several factors before deciding to disbar him, including the seriousness of the breach, the importance of protecting client funds, the need to deter similar conduct and the wider impact on the company and its shareholders.
“The relationship between attorney and client is one fundamentally of trust, particularly where client funds are concerned,” the Tribunal said in the original ruling.
“It is understood that the client’s monies are sacrosanct and should not be used by the Attorney for any purpose other than what they were provided for. The client’s monies are certainly not to be used for the Attorney’s purposes, no matter the ‘dire needs’ or circumstances in which the attorney may fnd himself.”
The Tribunal also said: “The punishment for such conduct must be such that it will deter others from engaging in such conduct. The conduct of the Respondent is not conduct beftting of counsel and attorney, in particular as a senior
member of The Bahamas Bar.”
The Court of Appeal agreed with that position and found no reason to interfere with the Tribunal’s decision. Mr Butler, however, argued that disbarment was too harsh because
there had been no fnding that he acted dishonestly.
Still, the court rejected that argument, saying disbarment is not limited only to cases involving dishonesty.
The court referred to previous rulings supporting the disbarment of attorneys where their conduct falls below the standards of integrity and trust expected in the legal profession.
The court also stressed that protecting public confdence in the legal profession is one of the most important responsibilities of the Tribunal.
Mr Butler argued that the Tribunal failed to properly consider mitigating factors, including his health issues, fnancial capacity and eforts to repay the money.
However, the court found that the Tribunal did consider those issues and noted that, more than eight years after the funds were misappropriated, AML Foods still had not recovered any money.
The judgment also noted that references to Mr Butler’s health problems before the Tribunal were brief and unsupported by evidence.
During the appeal, Mr Butler attempted to introduce additional evidence, including documents relating to property
valuations and his health, however, the court refused to admit the material, ruling that most of the documents could have been presented earlier before the Tribunal.
The appeal process was also delayed several times because of procedural issues, including problems with the fling of the Record of Appeal and submissions. The court said Mr Butler, who represented himself during the appeal, was given extensions and opportunities to correct the issues.
The judges also rejected Mr Butler’s complaints that the Tribunal acted unfairly or inconsistently when compared with other disciplinary cases involving attorneys. The court said the examples he relied on either could not be verifed or were materially diferent from his own case.
The court further dismissed claims of procedural unfairness and allegations against counsel for the Bar Council, calling those submissions “wholly unmeritorious”.
In dismissing the appeal, the Court of Appeal ruled that the Tribunal acted fairly and properly exercised its powers under the Legal Profession Act, and ordered Mr Butler to pay the costs of the appeal.
INJURED GIRL FORCED TO WAIT HOURS AT PMH FOR REGISTRATION
By LYNAIRE MUNNINGS
Tribune Staff Reporter
lmunnings@tribunemedia.net
A TEENAGE girl injured in a serious crash was forced to wait for hours at the Princess Margaret Hospital (PMH) because no intake staf were on duty to register her despite doctors and nurses being present, according to her mother.
The case is among the latest to highlight frustration with conditions at PMH and adds to growing concern over gaps in service at the under-resourced facility.
Denise Major described an experience long echoed by other families: long wait times, limited staf, and poor patient fow.
She said the ordeal began after arriving at PMH with her injured 7-yearold daughter shortly after midnight
The minor was ejected from a vehicle following a serious trafc accident and was transported to hospital by a private vehicle.
“The drama started from on the scene, because no ambulance was available to show up. When I call 919 they were like, okay, no ambulance coming for another maybe 30 to 40 minutes, and they said I could take her via car,” Ms Major said.
Ms Major said clinical staf responded immediately upon their arrival, however, the process stalled when registration was required.
“Go to the registration desk, no one's on duty, absolutely no there,” she said.
She claimed repeated eforts to locate registration staf were unsuccessful and that clinical staf were unable to proceed formally without confrming registration.
She described the lack of registration coverage as a critical bottleneck that halted care.
“If the person is not registered, then nothing can be done. So now my daughter, who has been ejected out of a vehicle, cannot get any scans done, cannot get any medication, cannot get anything done because she is not in the system,” she said.
Although frustrated over the administrative gap, Ms Major said she was thankful for the on-duty doctors and nurses who she said decided to proceed with urgent care despite the lack of registration.
“The doctors and nurses did their part, I appreciate them doing it,” she said, noting that they later ensured her daughter received necessary scans and care.
Ms Major said this decision helped prevent further delays in treatment.
“I don’t know how the decision was made to get the CT scan fnally done without them being registered, but they got it done,” she said.
However, she raised broader concerns about shortages in support staf, including porters responsible for transporting patients for imaging and treatment.
“I had to lift my child on the CT scan. I had to assist, and other persons had the
OFFICER CONCEDES ERRORS DURING CROSS-EXAMINATION IN GIBSON TRIAL
By PAVEL BAILEY
Staff Reporter
A FINANCIAL ofcer submitted a fash drive containing banking and company information relating to former Long Island MP Adrian Gibson and his co-accused as evidence continued in the ongoing trial yesterday.
Assistant Superintendent of Police Kelson Colebrooke, of the Police Financial Intelligence Unit, made the submission during his testimony in the case concerning Water and Sewerage Corporation (WSC) contracts awarded during Gibson’s tenure as executive chairman. ASP Colebrooke exhibited banking documents related to this case with
his signature on it. He also submitted a fash drive containing the banking and company information of the accused. However, the defence challenged the evidence, describing it as “shoddy”. Under cross-examination by defense attorney Ian Cargill, ASP Colebrooke claimed that Elwood Donaldson Jr was represented by Romona Farqurharson during his police interview, but Mr Cargill disputed this assertion.
ASP Colebrooke said he cautioned Donaldson in relation to fraud and questioned him in relation to vehicles belonging to WSC. The ofcer said Donaldson’s charges related to those vehicles were listed on his detention record. Mr Cargill, however, said that
this was incorrect.
After reviewing Donaldson’s charge sheet, ASP Colebrooke conceded he could not fnd any reference to vehicle fraud in relation to Donaldson.
Mr Cargill further questioned whether the ofcer was in the habit of giving evidence “willy-nilly and carelessly”, referencing what he described as earlier inaccuracies in the ofcer’s testimony.
Gibson has been on trial since November 2023 alongside Donaldson Jr, a former WSC general manager, Joann Knowles, Peaches Farquharson and Jerome Missick over contracts awarded during his tenure.
Senior Justice Cheryl Grant-Thompson is the presiding judge.
same thing,” she said.
Ms Major said families were left physically assisting patients due to limited staf coverage, describing a system stretched beyond capacity.
She said one porter appeared responsible for multiple patients at once.
“I watched the man. He worked hard last night because he had quite a few people to move from the diferent areas,” she said.
She said no formal explanation was provided for the overnight absence of
registration staf, although patients were repeatedly told no one was available in the department.
“We were standing up, we were waiting, we were knocking on the door, we were looking through the peephole. No one's there. There's nothing they can do about it,” she said. She added that the situation appeared to be accepted as unchangeable by those present, stressing that the issue was not with doctors or nurses but with systemic support failures.
“The doctors and nurses did their part, but for hours their hands were tied,” she said.
Ms Major said the incident refected deeper structural weaknesses rather than isolated absenteeism, and argued that hospitals should have redundancy systems in place to prevent a single vacant post from shutting down critical intake functions.
“There’s no way in any organization your staf does not show up to work, and there is nothing else left in play to do. Like, what is the next step, what is the protocol?” she said.
“A whole department should not have to shut down because someone did not show up at work, especially not a hospital."
Meanwhile, speaking to reporters ahead of yesterday’s frst Cabinet meeting, Health and Wellness Minister Dr Michael Darville pointed to ongoing capital works and system improvements aimed at modernising hospital infrastructure and services.
Dr Darville said government funding has already been allocated for major redevelopment projects and outlined a phased plan targeting several hospital units, including dialysis and eye care services.
Princess Margaret Hospital
ADRIAN GIBSON
ATTORNEY CRAIG BUTLER
Organisers expect strong Carnival turnout despite no state backing
By EARYEL BOWLEG Tribune Staff Reporter ebowleg@tribunemedia.net
BAHAMAS Carnival organisers say they expect a positive turnout for next week’s festivities even after deciding not to seek government sponsorship for extra funding support.
Paul Farquharson III, co-founder of Mas Khaos, said organisers wanted to demonstrate that Carnival could stand on its own as a unifed cultural product.
“We wanted to make something that's ours rather than you know rely on government support, although, we're trying to make this is a Bahamian product, and it does infuence locals here, just because we bring in international (people),” he said.
with Bahamas Carnival.
However, others have blamed the pandemic for the decline in support, although many say they remain grateful for strong international backing.
A’Shad Bowe, operations representative for Bahamas Masqueraders, said about 80 per cent of the group’s online sales come from overseas customers.
“We're excited for our product, we have a lot of international persons coming in, places like the UK, Texas, Florida, New York, Canada. We have persons traveling from all over the place to Virgin Islands, so we're excited that the reach of our shoreline is reaching these other places to come and play carnival with us,” Mr Bowe said.
until June and all of the events are well attended.”
“Our biggest event was at 1,500 persons so it's not that the carnival is not being supported, it might be an economic thing where persons aren't able to aford costume packages. So we can't say that it's not being supported, because it is being supported throughout the year.”
Meanwhile, Dillion Bethel of JunkaBrations said organisers hope to secure government assistance next year. Mr Bethel also expressed disappointment over the end of the Music Masters, — a competition for Bahamian soca songs. He said the event was an important part of the carnival experience.
The programme lost support after government cut its carnival subsidy by half in 2017 and withdrew funding entirely the following year. The fnancial setback
“They enjoy the culture, people are able to beneft from the injection in the economy when they do come, so that's what I would say. But we're not opposed to working along with the government, but we just wanted to make a unifed product that is proven and everyone can see that that this is benefcial to The Bahamas.”
has left bands struggling to maintain momentum despite recognition of the event’s economic benefts. Despite limited funding, organisers remain optimistic.
Mr Farquharson said his band expects attendance to rise from about 80 to
100 in previous years to between 120 and 150 this year.
Overseas participation is also expected to increase to 47 and 50, up from around 35 last year.
Mr Farquharson said one of the key challenges remains re-engaging locals
Mr Bowe said there remains a misunderstanding among some people about the nature of carnival and the level of local support it receives.
“The Bahamas Masqueraders events were starting from February straight up
Pressed on whether the competition’s removal afected Carnival locally, he said: “Yes it will and people still asking about it, locals and internationals.”
Carnival week is scheduled for June 3–7 in New Providence.
O cials unsure when delayed Lowe Sound school will open
By KEILE CAMPBELL Tribune Staff Reporter kcampbell@tribunemedia.net
EDUCATION
Director Dominique McCartney-Russell said Lowe Sound Primary School is nearing completion, although officials are still unable to provide a firm opening date for the long-delayed campus.
Speaking with reporters at Loyola Hall on Tuesday, Mrs McCartney-Russell said she recently received updates indicating the school is “almost completed.”
However, she cautioned that inspections and occupancy approvals are still required before a final opening date can be confirmed.
“I did get an update recently that showed that it is almost completed, and I’m excited for that completion,” Mrs McCartney-Russell said. “We really need that school.”
Still, she said there is no confirmed timeline for when construction will be fully completed.
She explained that technical crews from the Ministry of Works must still assess when
the school can be made operational.
While expressing hope that the school could open before the next academic year, Mrs McCartney-Russell stopped short of committing to an August timeline, citing previous delays on other projects.
“I’m very hopeful for it to be August,” she said.
“But you know we live in a bureaucracy. I remember when I said that about Holmes Rock Junior High, and then it opened a year later. So I’m very skeptical about saying August, but I do hope that it opens in August.”
The project has faced years of delays, with students still attending classes at an alternative site while construction continues.
North Andros MP Leonardo Lightbourne previously told ZNS that construction delays dated back several years and described the project as approximately “85 percent complete.”
He said residents are concerned the unfinished structure could become “somewhat of an eyesore” in the community if work
continues to drag on. Bahamas Union of Teachers president Belinda Wilson has also been critical of the project.
She said successive administrations have failed to complete the campus despite years of construction and millions of dollars allegedly spent on the development.
“That school has been building from 2017,” Mrs Wilson said. “It is sad that the parents and the community have allowed consecutive governments to leave the school incomplete after millions of dollars have supposedly been spent on the construction.”
She also questioned the government’s continued use of rented facilities as temporary accommodations for students.
Mrs Wilson said completing the campus was essential to restoring a full educational experience for students, including sports and extracurricular activities.
She urged the government to prioritise the school’s completion before the new school year.
PEOPLE taking part in Carnival in 2023.
EDUCATION DIRECTOR DOMINIQUE MCCARTNEY-RUSSELL
Plane in sea crash not cleared to fly
from page one
Managing Director, Captain Rafael Barcenas, told The Tribune yesterday: “It is correct that that aircraft could not fy after June 4, 2025.
“Panama carries out the investigations but with little success given the little collaboration.”
Capt Barcenas was unable to confrm reports that the aircraft, a Beechcraft 300 King Air twin-prop, registration HP-1859, belonged to convicted drug trafcker Jonathan Gardiner, one of ten passengers, along with pilot Ian Nixon, rescued by the crew of a US military helicopter and fown to Melbourne, Florida.
Bahamas CAA Director General Ms Chequita Johnson said yesterday she was unable to comment as there was an ongoing investigation.
The day after being rescued, Gardiner, known as ‘Player,’ was arrested by US authorities and indicted on drug smuggling conspiracy charges in connection with a three-year drugs conspiracy operation centred on The Bahamas. It is alleged he was carrying three phones and a cross-body bag with approximately $30,000 in Bahamian currency, according to the US Drugs Enforcement Agency (DEA).
The cash was packed ‘in a manner consistent with narcotics proceeds,’ DEA Special Agent Michael Coleman said in charging documents. The money had a handwritten label of a person’s name – which was redacted in court documents and referred to as ‘Politician-1.’
Gardiner, 58, appeared in court in Orlando, Florida on Friday, May 15. It is believed he has been transferred into the custody of the investigating authority, the Southern District
of New York (SDNY). In 2014, he was deported from the US and banned from returning. At the time, he was eight years into an 18-year prison sentence for being a member of a major cocaine trafcking ring.
There is currently no further court hearing sched-
“Panama carries out the investigations but with little success given the little collaboration.”
uled, according to an SDNY press spokesman.
The Tribune yesterday revealed that Mr Nixon had categorically denied being an undercover informant for the United States Drugs Enforcement Agency (DEA).
The DEA is said to have used at least three undercover cooperating sources (CSs) during a threeyear-long operation into Gardiner and members of a Drug Trafcking Organisation (DTO) based in Georgia.
Mr Nixon, who has been the subject of widespread speculation and conspiracy theories because of the extraordinary set of circumstances surrounding the May 12 incident, said: “I was never working for the DEA, never in my life – not currently, not ever.”
The 43-year-old father-ofthree also dismissed ‘crazy’ accusations that he purposely crash-landed at sea to allow American authorities to arrest Gardiner, alleged to be a key player in an undercover DEA operation running on Bahamian soil for at least the last three years.
THE BAHAMAS ISSUES TRAVEL BAN AMID EBOLA OUTBREAK
THE Bahamas is denying entry to travellers from the Democratic Republic of Congo, Uganda and South of Sudan, joining the list of growing countries to restrict travel from the Ebola-afected countries.
The Davis administration announced the temporary travel ban in a press statement yesterday, saying the decision followed advice from the Ministry Of Health and Wellness.
The measure takes efect immediately and will remain in place for a period of 30 days subject to review by health ofcials.
“The decision has been taken as a precautionary public measure guided by the responsibility of the government to protect residents, visitors and the wider community,” the statement read.
“The Ministry of Health and Wellness will continue to monitor developments closely and will provide further advice to the government as circumstances require. The department of Immigration, in coordination with relevant border and health authorities, will implement the necessary entry protocols at all ports of entry.” Meanwhile, the Ministry of Foreign Afairs has advised Bahamians to avoid travel to those areas and to exercise caution when travelling to Kenya, Tanzania, Rwanda, Burundi, Angola, the Central African Republic, Ethiopia and Zambia.
The advisory and travel ban comes as parts of Africa battle an Ebola
JOB TITLE: Group Chief Financial O cer (CFO)
DIVISION: Finance
JOB OVERVIEW:
outbreak that has infected and killed hundreds of people.
It also follows a recent health scare involving two British Airways passengers who arrived in The Bahamas from Heathrow Airport on Friday.
The men — one British national and the other French — had recently spent about three weeks in the Democratic Republic of Congo before travelling to Ethiopia and then onward to New Providence.
The pair were placed in isolation at the Lynden Pindling International airport and later transferred to the Princess Margaret Hospital after presenting with a low-grade fever during the airport screening.
Health ofcials have since been monitoring their condition, but no other symptoms have been detected.
Yesterday, Health Minister Dr Michael Darville said the men remain in isolation and are doing well.
"All of the necessary testing is taking place and once that is complete, we will notify the media," he said.
Ebola is a rare and often fatal illness caused by a group of viruses known as Orthoebolaviruses.
Symptoms include fever, severe headache, fatigue, muscle and joint pain, sore throat and weakness, progressing in severe cases to vomiting, diarrhoea and stomach pain. To date, no cases of Ebola have been detected in The Bahamas.
Group Chief Financial O cer (CFO) has primary responsibility for the planning, implementation, managing and running of all the nance activities of the company, including business planning, budgeting, forecasting and negotiations. e Group CFO is responsible for obtaining and maintaining investor relations and partnership compliance. Additionally, the Group CFO is to support the Group CEO and the board in setting the strategy for the group and to ensure the group provides the level of returns for investors and complies with and manages all banking relationships.
DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:
As part of an executive management team, the Group CFO will interact with various members of a company, both senior and junior. is includes:
• Providing leadership, direction and management of the fnance and accounting teams of Aliv and Rev.
• Providing strategic recommendations to the Group CEO and members of the executive management team.
• Managing the processes for fnancial forecasting and budgets, and overseeing the preparation of all fnancial reporting.
• Advising on long-term business strategy and fnancial planning.
• Establishing and developing relations with key business leaders, the board, the investor community, and other regulatory and industry stakeholders.
• Reviewing all formal fnance, HR, and IT related procedures.
• Managing the fnancial actions of the company, tracking cash fow and fnancial planning as well as analyzing the company’s nancial strengths and weaknesses and proposing corrective actions.
• Building fnancial models, analyzing, and preparing fnancial statements, and reconciling income and expenses.
• Coordinate and facilitate the internal audit function in accordance with the expectations of the board of directors and the audit committee.
• Support the Group CEO and the executive team to prepare, review and execute a 5-year strategic and business plan focused on growth and providing returns to investors.
• Lead the preparation of board fnancial reports as well as public flings to the investor community as well as banking reporting as necessary.
• Support a data centric culture in the organization to ensure that all leaders are making strategic decisions to support the overall goals and objectives of the group.
KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS & ABILITIES:
• Master’s degree (or equivalent experience) in fnance, economics, or accounting.
• 10 years’ experience in the fnance industry and proven leadership and management experience is essential.
• Professional certifcation (ex: Certifed Public Accountant)
• Data-oriented approach to problem solving.
• Expert understanding of budgeting process.
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills with the executive presence to work with senior management, investors, and external stakeholders.
• Ability to engage with staf at all levels of the organization and exercise sound judgement.
• Understanding of advanced accounting, and regulatory issues.
Reporting: is position reports directly to the Group CEO.
Note to applicants: Ensure to include the position title in the subject box of the email.
Forward resumes to: HR@cablebahamas.com.
Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.
JONATHAN GARDINER
PILOT IAN NIXON
PLANE
A BEECHCRAFT 300 King Air twin-prop, similar to the one flown by Ian Nixon.
Group Chief Financial O cer (CFO)
The Tribune Limited
NULLIUS ADDICTUS JURARE IN VERBA MAGISTRI
“Being Bound to Swear to The Dogmas of No Master”
LEON E. H. DUPUCH,
Publisher/Editor 1903-1914
SIR ETIENNE DUPUCH, Kt., O.B.E., K.M., K.C.S.G., (Hon.) LL.D., D.Litt .
Publisher/Editor 1919-1972
Contributing Editor 1972-1991
RT HON EILEEN DUPUCH CARRON, C.M.G., M.S., B.A., LL.B.
Publisher/Editor 1972-
Published daily Monday to Friday Shirley & Deveaux Streets, Nassau, Bahamas N3207
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Carnival taking steps on its own
THIS year is something of a landmark year for Bahamas Carnival.
It is not a landmark year in numbers, the tenth anniversary year since its frst outing in the sun has come and gone. It is not necessarily the year it will fnally make a breakthrough and establish itself as a major fxture in the annual calendar. It is, however, a year in which it is trying to stand on its own two feet.
Carnival has been a stop-start afair in The Bahamas. A major attraction in other countries in the region, it has never quite been accepted here.
Some of that has been on the religious front. Back in 2015, the inaugural Bahamas Junkanoo Carnival drew criticism from the Bahamas Christian Council, with opposition to the “immodest” costumes which it was said could lead to “fornication, promiscuity, rape, incest” and other “sins of the fesh”.
By last year, one of the organisers of one of the original groups, Enigma, conceded that rather than leading to orgies in the streets, instead “the interest in Carnival is just not there”. Anthony Coakley talked of how “we started with 23 bands. Now, there are probably six or seven – it has dramatically declined”.
Initially, the government pumped signifcant money into the afair. In 2015, $9m was set aside for its launch. So, while we are sure opinion varies on the morality of the event – the costumes are as skimpy as ever – there is something positive in that Carnival is not seeking government sponsorship this year. If it is going to attract attendees, it will be on its own terms, not with public support.
Government funding has been absent for some years now – since 2017 – but the determination to go it alone is refreshing.
Paul Farquharson III, of the group Mas Khaos, said “we just wanted to make a unifed product that is proven”, while A’Shad Bowe, of Bahamas Masqueraders, said the group has been holding events since February, and “all of the events are well attended”. What is the measure of success? Well, if you look over at Jamaica, Carnival last year attracted nearly 17,000 passenger arrivals, a record during
the celebration. In Trinidad, Carnival attracts tens of thousands of visitors.
The Bahamas is nowhere near those numbers, but it is nowhere near as established either. The Masqueraders say their biggest event had 1,500 people attending – which is a signifcant following, albeit Mr Bowe noted that some “aren’t able to aford costume packages”.
Given the love and expense that goes into Junkanoo costumes, that seems unlikely to be what is holding Carnival back. Perhaps it simply is not in our blood the way the pounding beat of Junkanoo is, perhaps it is a party rather than a way of life.
Still, if Carnival is going to thrive, then it is taking the right approach right now. Government funding might have provided the jet fuel to get it started, but it cannot keep being used to keep it aloft. Carnival has to fnd its own way.
Time for the signs to come down
Dear candidates in the 2026 general election, it is time to take down all your signs.
Driving across New Providence at the weekend, there were plenty of candidates – winners and losers – whose posters and billboards and placards still obscure the landscape.
All of you were very keen to fill up our streets with your signs as you tried to impress us enough to earn your vote.
Now kindly do not be the last candidate standing whose lingering sign can still be seen weeks or months or, heaven forbid, years after the voting is done.
If you have been successful, congratulations, no need to keep rubbing it in, take your signs down and get on with business. Thank you.
If you were unsuccessful, do you really want to keep reminding us of that time you ran and lost?
Next weekend, Tribune staff will be on the lookout for signs that are still up, and with cameras in hand, we may just be ready to name and shame those who are still to get the job done.
We appreciate your efforts on the campaign trail, now we will appreciate your attention to cleaning up afterwards.
e people chose Davis over Pintard
EDITOR, The Tribune.
KINDLY allow me space in your valuable column to articulate an opinion on why I believe Philip Brave Davis a secured two-straight victory in our recent general elections. Firstly, I wish to congratulate the Prime Minister on his victory. And I wish him success in the coming fve years. You may recall, I predicted a two-straight victory for the PM in a previous letter. So said so done, so to speak. I believe the election results would be determined by who is liked the most, Michael Pintard or Philip Brave Davis. It is often said in political circles that people vote for you because they like you. The voter put up Pintard against Davis. And choose Davis. Davis beat Pintard indirectly in 2017. He beat him head-to-head in Cat Island. He beat Pintard in the Grand Bahama by-election.
He beat Pintard in the Golden Isles by-election. And he again beat Pintard head-to-head in the recent 2026 general elections. Was Mr Davis perfect in his frst term in ofce? Of course not. But he led the country with a steadyhand and a focus mind. He was fortunate not to have to deal with any economic disasters. He led his party efectively and was able to control the internal rumblings and put water on the fres before they spread. I believe that with the exception of Glennys Hanna-Martin, JoBeth Coleby-Davis and Fred Mitchell and maybe a few more, they ought to thank Mr Davis. The leaders of both parties were front and center of the voters and they chose Philip Brave Davis. Here’s why I believe are some of the reasons why the voter chose Davis over Pintard. Say what you want about the PM.And
Political trolls should not be tragetting BCC chief
EDITOR, The Tribune.
I WANT to commend The Bahamas Christian Council President Pastor Mario Moxey for eloquently stating the position of the Council on the appointment of “former” Island Luck CEO Sebas Bastian and Leslia Miller-Brice to the Progressive Liberal Party Cabinet. We cannot say with absolute certainty if the two have met the requirements of the Gaming Board that would allow both to serve as Cabinet Ministers. Sections 25 and 26 of the Gaming Act 2014 prohibits gaming operators and licensees from holding a Cabinet Ministerial post. Despite assurances that both have met the requirements, no legal documentation has been publicly produced that proves the claims of Bastian and others within the PLP camp. I am of the view that the Christian Council faces an uphill battle that might, in all probability, end in a near-term defeat. You see, on May 12 the Bahamian people rewarded the incumbent PLP administration with 33 of the 41 seats in the House of Assembly. This lopsided victory has emboldened the PLP government to make those appointments. Many Bahamians are compulsive gamblers. Accordingly, I do not believe that the overwhelming majority of Bahamians are on the side of the Council and Pastor Moxey. Bastian secured 3,386 or nearly 70 percent of the votes - 2,300 more than the Free National Movement’s Travis Robinson. Bastian swept all of the polling divisions in Fort Charlotte. It was a beat down in an utterly dominant fashion. I believe that the people of Fort Charlotte want Bastian to become the next prime minister. The people of Fort Charlotte are completely sold on Bastian and his generational wealth. His massive infuence played a key role in the PLP’s dominance in New Providence. I predicted that Bastian would win in convincing fashion because of
the unprecedented success of the web shops. This will be former Prime Minister Perry G. Christie’s defning “legacy.” Bastian is now the face of the PLP. I predicted in this space on numerous occasions that Bastian will succeed Prime Minister Philip Brave Davis as the next PLP leader sometime during the term. I also believe that the enamorisation of Sebas Bastian, Leslia Miller-Brice and the Numbers Boys inspired a group of ruthless, foulmouthed political trolls to go after the Christian Council and Pastor Moxey. These trolls also believe, like Fort Charlotte voters, that Bastian represents the future of the PLP. Moxey was ruthlessly bludgeoned and excoriated by these trolls and their thousands of Facebook supporters. The age-old confrontation between the Numbers Boys and the Christian Church has now taken on another form which is political. That’s because Bastian and Miller-Brice are in the seat of executive power, and can use their Cabinet infuence to minimise the infuence of the church. Making matters more confusing is that professing Christians who are PLPs will side with the Numbers Boys. Politics takes precedence over their alleged allegiance to Jesus Christ. This shows a shift in world views in The Bahamas, one which is Christian while the other is totally godless and secular at its core. As the late Francis Schaefer said in his A Christian Manifesto, these two world views stand as totals in complete antithesis to each other in content and also in their natural results. Saint Augustine, in his City of God, called it the City of God versus the Earthly City. The trolls and their minions who have blasphemously reviled the Council and its members for being the salt and light
of The Bahamas are on the broad road to destruction (Matthew 7:13-14). They have done a thorough job in eviscerating the FNM and its Leader Michael Pintard. Now that they have succeeded in beating down the FNM, they have turned their attention to what they perceive to be the PLP government’s only legitimate threat: the Church. Matthew 16:18 says that the gates of hell will not prevail against the church. The church is indestructible because of its supernatural connection to the sovereign Lord of the universe Who founded and established it with His blood on the cross of Calvary. The PLP and the Numbers Boys empire will both come to an end. The church will last forever. I caution the political trolls who have reviled Moxey to tread carefully. Psalm 105:15 says to touch not God’s anointed and do His prophets no harm. Be careful, God will not be mocked. When you touch His servants, you touch the apple of His eyes (Zechariah 2:8). If you harm Moxey and the Council, you are targeting the Lord. For the church is His body.
Moxey did nothing wrong. The church is the moral compass of this country. The church preaches the gospel; Christens your babies; buries your dead; feeds the hungry, holds state funerals, evangelistic and ecumenical services. Without the church, there would be no Bahamas. Look at the current spiritual state of Europe, the birthplace of the Protestant Reformation in the sixteenth century. It is a moral cesspool. Unfortunately, The Bahamas is trending in the same direction. I stand wholeheartedly behind Pastor Moxey. Continue, sir, to be the voice of moral clarity and righteousness in this evil country.
KEVIN EVANS Freeport, Grand Bahama May 25, 2026.
What is mandate of the Road Tra c Dept
EDITOR, The Tribune.
I JUST keep getting all of these disconnections, the governmental agencies abuses, quantifed simply as a dereliction of work ethnicities, meaning?
1) Regulation-a principle governing conduct, action, or procedure
2) What is their mandate-to issue order or an order to general command the troops for example, bid, charge, direct, enjoin, instruct.
3) Road trafc vehicular travel moving along routes the island of New Providence, and the entire country does mean everything.
4) Fees to use the various roadways, registration, inspection, & insurances regularise before making use of highways, byways.
there have been alot said. You can’t deny that he’s compassionate, sincere and approachable. When he enters a room, ‘common people’ gravitate towards him. They feel comfortable in his presence and are, able to talk and relate to him. I believe that quality may have resonated with a lot of voters. I have been in settings where people have said, I will vote for Brave because I like him.
‘As opposed to the leader of His Majesty Loyal opposition Michael Pintard, the opposite is true. Madam Editor, in closing, it’s obvious that the FNM has alot of internal work to do. However, we all live in this country and we are Bahamians. And so, I wish the government, who is the government for all of us, success for the good of our country.
PAT STRACHAN Nassau, May 24, 2026.
5) Public service transportations, suggest what in terms of enforcement were the upkeeps?
6) Dress codes ought to extend to the character of the units for transportation members of the Bahamian public?
Editor, around 10:50am this morningThursday, May 21, 2026, I boarded a public service jitney bus at Carmichael Road near Southwest Plaza, for the ride to downtown Nassau. Immediately I noticed that the interior of the bus was really brown, as my eyes roamed with purpose throughout this particular busenterior. On conclusion of the analysis, I concluded that what appeared mixed into the color fabric was actually wear, I mean the level, extent of the dirt, the grime, converted, discolored, color code from brown to black, at areas of those seats that came into contact with humans more so that the
others. Coming out of Carmichael Road, there was a particular fear that enveloped me, convincing me that I had better limit my touching during the ride, remain in one place, not touching any part of the seat I was seated in and sharing with two French Creole gentlemen. Then the thought arose, but isn’t this fall under the authority of the Road Trafc Department? And surely, if the owners, the driver, have no care for the proper sanitation, cleanliness, so if it’s a machine, then the Road regulators ought to inspect and award citations for those not meeting the requisite standard?
Editor, I often wonder why the attraction to dirt flth, for it is not cool not to clean stuf, I and others have a serious problem with having to hire something on the way to work, but likely to have work attire soiled before arriving within the workplace, is really unfair to the paying public, Public transportation is how I get around New Providence, and anytime I get to ride a new bus I hudos the drivers, but this morning I was taken completely of guard, the exterior of the bus was relatively new, but the interior didn’t match the outside. And what did I pay for being a senior citizen? I paid the $1.50cents, not obligated to pay that amount but I do have an internal struggle paying less, this is just me, I know, maybe I ought to try to chill while paying the senior rate!
Editor, we were supposed to be humans, and therefore there is no justifable reason that we should opt to want to wallow in dirt, grime, flth and what always is responsible for vigilance is perhaps
this**Christian-ease, but it is my hope that the Comptroller, Director of the Road Trafc Department (RTD), would have its personnel do a sweep of the routes, especially the route # 16, as a matter of urgency, insisting that they carry aerosols, hand sanitizers, whatever, because where the air conditioning may be activated, all it takes is for someone to have a slight cough, or cold, such an ailment will most defnitely be amplifed, be transported among the people who didn’t have them, is problematic, and grossly unfair, just saying?
FRANK GILBERT Nassau, May 21, 2026.
NB: I just would like to know why if the police take a homeless person to court on vagrancy, such a person might be sentenced to one week at the Bahamas Department of Correctional Services (BDCS), then let out. Now, this person gets out and guess what? He fnds his way back downtown, because it is an area where he can hussle a few dollars. But, and the strikes against him could be north of 10-15 times, so, why don’t the Courts make an order where the unsuspecting vagrant gets psychological treatment at the Sandilands Rehabilitation Center (SRC), and by the time that that is run its course, the individual might be in a state able to seek employment, just saying but to out rightly cause him to be disenfranchised does deny him the constitutional right to seek receive treatment from state’s institutions? And this is not how the Honorable Courts behave?
Bail denied for suspect in daytime car shooting
By PAVEL BAILEY Tribune Staff Reporter pbailey@tribunemedia.net
A 31-YEAR-OLD man accused of a fatal shooting on Dunmore Avenue earlier this month was remanded to prison yesterday.
Antin Seymour was arrested by police after he was accused of killing 34-year-old Keno Janvier while Janvier was attempting to park his white Honda CR-V on Dunmore Avenue
and Symonette Street at around 11am on May 15.
Seymour reportedly pulled up beside the deceased in a white Nissan Juke before exiting his vehicle and fring multiple times shots at Janvier.
Janvier’s lifeless body was later found by authorities slumped over in the front passenger seat.
Seymour was not required to enter a plea to the murder charge before Acting Chief Magistrate Ancella Evans yesterday. He was instead informed
that his matter would proceed to the Supreme Court through a voluntary bill of indictment (VBI).
Seymour was also advised of his right to apply for bail in the higher court. The accused was remanded to the Bahamas Department of Correctional Services (BDOCS) until service of his VBI on October 1.
Inspector Deon Barr was the prosecutor, while Ryszard Humes represented the accused.
Man remanded to prison over near-fatal Lyford Hills ambush
By PAVEL BAILEY Tribune Staff Reporter pbailey@tribunemedia.net
A MAN was remanded to prison yesterday after being accused of a near-fatal shooting in the Lyford Hills community earlier this month.
Prosecutors allege that Johnny Swann Jr, 27, tried to murder Tennyson Wells Jr, 49, while he was driving a
golf cart along an unnamed road at around 8am on May 16.
Police say Swann Jr ambushed the victim after jumping out of bushes and attempted to shoot him. Wells was treated in hospital for gunshot injuries to his right shoulder and buttocks. Swann Jr was not required to enter a plea to attempted murder before
Acting Chief Magistrate Ancella Evans. He was informed that the matter will proceed to the Supreme Court by voluntary bill of indictment (VBI).
He was also advised of his right to apply for bail in the higher court. The accused was remanded to prison until service of his VBI on October 1.
Murder suspect jailed after breaching bail for four months
By PAVEL BAILEY Tribune Staff Reporter pbailey@tribunemedia.net
A MAN awaiting trial for four murders was remanded to prison yesterday after allegedly breaching his bail conditions for nearly four months.
Prosecutors allege that Shanton Swain, 25, failed to sign in at his local police station for 113 days, between December 16, 2025 and May 21.
Swain was on bail for four counts of murder and four counts of conspiracy to commit murder. He is accused of the murders of Leonardo Collie and Theodore Thompson on Market Street on March 17, 2022. He is also charged in the fatal shooting of Michelot Merlin on April 6, 2022.
Prosecutors further allege that Swain, along with Cameron Marshall and Marvin Smith, fatally shot Robert
Lee, otherwise called “Black Boy”, at Ridgeland Park on May 24, 2022.
Swain pleaded not guilty to breaching his bail conditions before Senior Magistrate Algernon Allen Jr. Sergeant 3004 Forbes, the prosecutor, objected to the defendant’s bail, citing the high risk to public safety.
Swain was subsequently remanded to prison and is due to return to court for trial on June 21.
Woman hospitalised after suspected suicide attempt
A 35-Y EAR-OLD woman was hospitalised on Monday after ingesting a large quantity of medication in what police are classifying as a suicide attempt. Police responded to
reports of the incident shortly after 7.30pm. The victim reportedly told officers she had been experiencing anxiety and depression after the death of a loved one two years ago.
She admitted to taking a large quantity of pills and was taken to hospital where her condition is listed as stable. Investigations are continuing.
Position Summary:
The Vice President, Engineering & Planning is a senior executive responsible for leading BGC’s overall engineering, system planning, and grid development strategy for the New Providence electrical network and broader system expansion initiatives. Reporting to the Chief Operations Offcer, the VP provides strategic leadership in system planning, protection and control oversight, capital development, and grid modernization.
This role ensures the safety, reliability, and future ready development of BGC’s electrical infrastructure by integrating long-term planning, engineering design, operational reliability, and capital investment strategy. The VP serves as the primary technical advisor to executive leadership on system capacity, infrastructure expansion, and network resilience.
Essential Functions: Strategic Financial Leadership
Lead the development and execution of long term system planning strategies for generation, transmission, and distribution infrastructure.
• Oversee load forecasting, capacity planning, and system expansion studies to ensure alignment with current and future demand growth.
• Direct preparation of integrated system expansion plans, including feeder, substation, and transmission development requirements. Identify system constraints, infrastructure gaps, and investment priorities to support reliable grid performance.
Power System Analysis & Grid Reliability
• Oversee advanced system studies including load fow, short circuit, voltage stability, contingency (N-1/N-2), and reliability assessments. Ensure engineering analysis supports safe, reliable, and effcient operation of the electrical network under normal and contingency conditions.
• Evaluate system performance under growth scenarios, DER integration, outages, and planned maintenance conditions.
Provide technical direction on system resilience, reliability improvement, and risk mitigation strategies.
Capital Planning & Infrastructure Development
• Lead engineering input into capital planning, budgeting, and long-term infrastructure investment programs.
Evaluate, prioritize, and justify capital projects including substations, feeder upgrades, transmission enhancements, and system automation initiatives.
• Oversee preparation of technical justifcation reports, engineering studies, and investment business cases.
Ensure alignment between engineering requirements and fnancial planning with the Finance function.
Protection, Control & System Engineering Oversight
Provide executive oversight of Protection & Control engineering standards, philosophies, and system reliability strategies.
• Ensure protection coordination, relay settings governance, and system security compliance across the grid.
• Support root-cause analysis of system disturbances, outages, and protection mis-operations.
Oversee integration of SCADA, automation systems, and grid control technologies in coordination with IT and Communications teams.
Grid Modernization & Technology Integration
• Lead grid modernization initiatives including automation, digital substations, advanced metering infrastructure, and smart grid technologies.
• Support integration of distributed energy resources (DER), renewable energy, and energy storage systems.
• Collaborate with Cybersecurity, IT, and Operations teams to ensure secure and resilient digital grid infrastructure.
Regulatory, Stakeholder & Executive Interface
• Serve as the primary technical advisor to executive leadership on engineering, system planning, and capital investment matters.
• Support regulatory flings, technical submissions, and compliance requirements with government and regulatory agencies. Represent BGC in technical discussions with consultants, government bodies, major customers, and industry stakeholders.
Leadership & Organizational Development
Provide leadership, direction, and oversight to engineering teams, including System Planning, Protection & Control, and related technical functions.
• Mentor senior engineers and develop technical leadership capability within the organization.
• Drive a culture of accountability, safety, innovation, and engineering excellence.
• Ensure succession planning and capability development within the Engineering Division.
Operations Support & System Response
Provide engineering leadership during system disturbances, outages, storm response, and restoration activities.
• Support real time operational decision-making in coordination with Control Room and Field Operations.
• Participate in emergency response planning and system recovery initiatives as required.
Other Requirements
• Must be available for emergency response, storm restoration, and critical system events.
• Ability to travel to substations, feld sites, and operational facilities across The Bahamas.
Must Have valid Driver’s License
• Ability to work extended or irregular hours during outages or major capital projects.
• Must maintain confdentiality of sensitive system and infrastructure information.
Qualifcations:
• Bachelor’s Degree in Electrical Engineering, Power Systems Engineering, or a related discipline. Professional Engineer designation or equivalent professional certifcation strongly preferred.
• Minimum of 15+ years of progressive experience in power system engineering, system planning, or utility operations, including senior leadership experience.
• Proven expertise in load forecasting, system planning studies, capacity analysis, and grid reliability assessments.
Demonstrated experience developing capital improvement plans, infrastructure investment strategies, and technical planning reports within a utility environment.
What’s In It for You:
Competitive compensation and performance based incentives
• Comprehensive health and wellness benefts
• Retirement savings plan with company matching
• Generous paid time off and leave benefts
• Life and accident insurance coverage Opportunities for professional growth and career development
• Executive leadership role shaping the future of BGC’s power system, infrastructure, and grid modernization strategy.
• Direct infuence on long term capital investment decisions and national energy reliability planning.
Opportunity to lead high impact engineering functions including system planning, protection strategy, and network development.
Train collides with a minibus of children in Belgium leaving four people dead
By SAM MCNEIL and LORNE COOK Associated Press
A TRAIN traveling at high speed hit a minibus crossing a railway in Belgium on Tuesday, killing four people, including two children, and badly injuring fve other children in what ofcials called one of the worst rail accidents in the country’s history.
It appeared that the minibus drove through the closed crossing barrier,
ofcials said. A security camera showed the bus, carrying nine people, was moving when the train hit it. The collision happened during morning rush hour near Buggenhout town, about 30 kilometres (20 miles) northwest of the capital, Brussels.
The bus driver and an escort were killed along with two children aged 12 and 15, said Lisa De Wilde, spokesperson for the East Flanders public prosecutor’s ofce. She said the
injured children were hospitalized in serious condition.
De Wilde told journalists the cause of the crash hadn’t been established.
“What we do know is that the barrier was closed and the red light was on,” she said.
Federal Police spokesperson An Berger said the minibus driver appeared to have plowed through the barrier. Infrabel said the crossing was working correctly.
The train had been
traveling at an estimated 120 kph (75 mph) as it approached the crossing and had “no time to brake,” said Frédéric Sacré, a spokesperson for Belgian rail operator Infrabel. “The impact was extremely violent,” Sacré told the RTBF public broadcaster.
An Associated Press journalist at the scene said the bus was toppled on its side with its front section crushed. The train was relatively unscathed. It was believed about 100 passengers were aboard the train and that none were hurt. Rail trafc in the area was halted. Local ofcials stood for a minute’s silence after a news conference.
In a post on social media, Belgian Prime Minister Bart De Wever said he was “deeply moved by the horrifc accident in Buggenhout. My thoughts go out to the afected families.”
Children played basketball and rode bicycles at a school not far from the scene.
POLICE and residents gather around a level crossing where a train collided with a van in Buggenhout, Belgium, yesterday.
Photo: Marius Burgelman/AP
Family left devastated after blaze destroys Golden Gates home
By JADE RUSSELL Tribune Staff Reporter jrussell@tribunemedia.net
A WEEK after a dev-
astating fre ravaged her family’s home, Briel Seymour said she is still struggling to process the loss as her nine-member family remains separated and staying with relatives.
The blaze, which tore through their Golden Gates home on May 20, reduced years of memories and has turned their lives upside down.
Recalling the tragedy, Ms Seymour remembered receiving a frantic call from her mother urging her to come home because the house was on fre.
At frst, Ms Seymour refused to believe the fre was real.
However, the sight of red fames, thick dark smoke, and dust made it clear the scene was not a dream.
“I went numb. I just didn’t understand, what you mean I don’t have no house no more. I started crying.” Videos shared with
The Tribune captured the chaotic scenes as frefghters battled the engulfng fames while residents paced in disbelief. In another video, a woman could be heard screaming for someone to alert the family about the fre.
Ms Seymour’s youngest sister was inside at the time, but she managed to escape safely.
The family’s belongings, however, could not be saved. Ms Seymour said the only item that survived was a family portrait.
“From what you could have seen when you got there, there was no more house. It was just basically the structure. Everything inside the house was already damaged and gone, so it was just the structure of the house left.”
Taking a deep sigh, Ms Seymour said if she could have saved anything, it would have been the ultrasound photo of the baby she lost in a miscarriage.
She said the photo was the only thing she had left to remember her son. Since the fre, the family
has been adjusting to a new normal while staying with diferent relatives.
Ms Seymour said everyone is coping in their own way. For her, she sometimes cries herself to sleep,
Volunteers cleanup Goodman’s Bay after holiday festivities
and Michelle participate in a post-holiday cleanup at Goodman’s Bay Beach on Tuesday, removing litter and debris left behind after the holiday festivities as part of efforts to preserve the environment and maintain the beauty of Bahamian shorelines.
house.”
as she did on the frst night after the fre.
“I’m not waking up at my house,” she stressed.
“I’m used to be in my own house, waking up in the comfort of my own
Ms Seymour said she is unsure whether her family will rebuild the old home or move into a new one. For now, they are trying to take things one day at a time. Those wishing to assist can contact them at 421-6376. Meanwhile, investigations into the cause of the fre are ongoing.
FIRE engulfs the home of Briel Seymour on May 20 leaving her nine-member family homeless.
FIREFIGHTERS battle the blaze at the home of Briel Seymour on May 20.
DEMANNI
Photos: Shawn Hanna
Fifty-two new teachers commissioned as education officials tackle teacher shortages
By KEILE CAMPBELL Tribune Staff Reporter kcampbell@tribunemedia.net
FIFTY-TWO teacher graduates were commissioned during a special ceremony yesterday as education ofcials continue eforts to address longstanding teacher shortages across the public school system.
The cohort included graduates from the University of The Bahamas’ Spring 2024 through Spring 2026 classes, with the latter accounting for 39 of the total.
In her remarks, Education Director Dominique McCartney-Russell congratulated the group while acknowledging the growing demand for teachers and the pressure on the education system to fll vacancies.
"I'm very excited because we need these teachers," Mrs McCartney-Russell said at
listened to all of the reporters last year - I mean, thy tried to kill us!"
She said that while teaching posts have already been flled — with up to 291 teachers employed to date — a little over 300 more are still needed.
However, she said this latest group is a welcome addition, describing the new teachers as "passionate and excited" willing to accept postings, including on Family Islands..
"They're willing to go to our family islands, and so we're excited to welcome them to this profession of professions, and to support them," Mrs McCartney-Russell said.
She said shortages in language arts, mathematics, music and performing arts persist, but eforts are ongoing to fll those gaps.
“We're still conducting interviews and we hope that we'll be able to fll those posts for
Photos: Nikia Charlton