05282020 NEWS AND SPORT

THURSDAY McCombo McFish $5.00

HIGH 87ºF LOW 76ºF

i’m lovin’ it!

The Tribune Established 1903

24/7 BREAKING NEWS ON TRIBUNE242.COM

Biggest And Best!

OBITS

VOLUME:117 No.128, MAY 28TH, 2020

OFFICIA

$1

INSIDE

L SOUR CE

COVID CRISIS: EMERGENCY ORDER EXTENDED TO JUNE 29

$10 billion FINANCE Minister Peter Turnquest speaking yesterday.

Photo: Shawn Hanna/Tribune Staff

Pandemic and Dorian send deficit soaring

BUDGET 2020

• Tax revenues to fall $900m • VAT holiday for back-to-school • State-owned firms to lose $100m • Personalised plates for $200

• Abaco and GB special aid extended • No new taxes or rise in existing levies • Public sector jobs secured

Nassau & Bahama Islands’ Leading Newspaper

By RASHAD ROLLE Tribune Senior Reporter rrolle@tribunemedia.net

GOVERNMENT debt is projected to top $10 billion by the end of the 2021/2022 fiscal year as the Minnis administration commits to deficit spending in response to the COVID-19 crisis.

The deficit is projected to explode to an unprecedented $1.3 billion for the upcoming fiscal year and is forecast to be as high as $813.4 million in the fiscal period that follows.

By the end of the 2021/2022 period, government debt is forecast to be 85.6 percent of GDP, according to the annual budget forecast released in the SEE PAGE THREE

• Elderly to see $50 lift in pensions

• Millions more put aside to help COVID jobless • No govt discretionary spending

PAGE 2, Thursday, May 28, 2020

THE TRIBUNE

BUDGET 2020

TAX BREAKS EXTENDED FOR GRAND BAHAMA AND ABACO THE government has extended tax breaks until the end of the year to support ongoing Hurricane Dorian recovery efforts on Grand Bahama and Abaco.

The Minnis administration will also reduce customs duty on fishing and farming equipment among other items nationwide, and remove duty on personal protective equipment, as the country grapples with the economic fallout from the COVID-19 pandemic.

In relation to the Economic Recovery Zone (Relief Order) 2019, Minister of Finance Peter Turnquest told Parliament this will include the extension of all concessions currently available to the qualifying islands, which are Grand Bahama and Abaco and associated cays. “For the period January 1, 2021 to June 30, 2021, the concessions will be extended to cover building materials only,� he told the House of Assembly yesterday. “Let me repeat: Abaco and Grand Bahama will continue to enjoy the current VAT and duty exemptions through the end of the year.�

The tax waivers under the original orders were set to expire at the end of June.

The Tribune Established 1903

i’m lovin’ it!

The Tr bune

UNE ON TRIB G NEWS

242.COM

t!

Biggest And Bes

AKIN 24/7 BRE

HIGH 92ÂşF LOW 78ÂşF

4 No.208, SEPTEMBER

THE PEOPLE’S

PAPER: $1

20TH, 2017

VOLUME:11

The privileged

BUSI NESS

TORCHED!

AS ATLA NTIS LEAV ES ROLE

CEO

not be officials could T to press time. reached up

By AVA TURNQUES to sources Reporter of According .net Tribune Chief matter, as tribunemedia close to the Wells has since aturnquest@ Mr Progres- Monday his accounts FOUR former Cabinet paid $9,000 on balParty an outstanding ARNOLD sive Liberal more than with $8,600.

FORBES ministers owedat Bahamas ance of some also said as $62,023 The source Forbes was one $20,000 each Mr Light, with Power and in arrears of Monday the company former minister as of July, in talks with balance over settle the Mr for some $60,000 a list obtained to three-month period. a according to PLP Mount former Tribune.

The Forbes, by and CollecMP, was appointed The Credit 2015, listing of Moriah in January the tions Department and board to Cabinet served as MPs, senators the period and previouslythe Bahamas of for chairman members 31, revealed and Industrial ending July State Minister Agricultural . that former of Works Corporation the “do not Others on are: former in the Ministry owed BPL list Dr disconnect�

Arnold Forbes of Health Tall $62,023.14.

by The Minister former The list obtained delin- Perry Gomez, Leslie Miller, Tribune contains of six Pines MP Youth Minister of former quent accounts Cabinet minis- former Johnson, Dion former PLP PLP MPs, Dr Danny Village MP ters, two former Tourism DR DANIEL entities, and Nassau , two private Cabinet min- Smith, former JOHNSON Obie Wilchcombe one sitting $24,413 Town MP Minister South Beach MP and former ister: Bamboo Hamilton State Renward Wells. who owed Cleola of Mr Wells, $3,703.96 at former Minister Damian Affairs $9,277.07 and locations - for Legal two separatetotal – did not Gomez.

SEE PAGE EIGHT $12,981.03 in yesterwant to comment other former day, and the

DION SMITH $9,275

RENWARD WELLS $12,980

BPL WHO RUNS is quite willCRUNCH DAY OVER utilityto operator from it “walk away�

ing

By NEIL HARTNELL Editor $25m, five-year maximum t contract et Tribune Business ibunemedia.n BPL managemen nhartnell@tr and Minnis if the board wish it to go. on Power & BAHAMAS board will administrati which will The meeting,PowerSecure Light’s (BPL) by meeting� hold a “crunch e today, be attendedand their attorneys key with PowerSecurlikely crit- executives is viewed as the from the US, with the outcome whether the to determining whethermake and ical in decidingas manager. sides will “kiss latter remainsTribune Busi- two separate. up� or Multiple - SEE BUSINESS yesterday US FULL STORY ness sources that the confirmed

FRIDAY i’m lovin’ it!

T

By AVA TURNQUES Reporter t Tribune Chief ibunemedia.ne aturnquest@tr Sewerage WATER and Chairman Corporation yesterday Adrian Gibson existence the confirmed disconnect� of a “do not by scores list populatedthe governof elites at utility owned to ment he pledged provider as on crackdown a initiate accounts. delinquent told The Mr Gibson l “confidentia Tribune the 221accounts, held list� total of with a combined the period $175,000 for2017. ending June he plans He said that corporathe to direct all persons tion to notify arrears owing excessive or face debts resolve to n. disconnectio a list confi“There is the Long dential list,� said.

MP Island would think “In fact, I s corporation that all the year or two, in over the last and more particularly year, there May of thisclose attenhas been that list by tion paid to t with the managemen changing the a view to lists usually way those operate. this con“As it stands, a number has fidential list on it, and of persons it’s being really and trulypersons by used to notify or letters. courtesy call that as the I can say toothe corporachairman of to direct tion I am going owing that all personswho are excessive arrears EIGHT SEE PAGE at the end of

DR PERRY GOMEZ $24,498

LESLIE MILLER $42,219

HIGH 91ÂşF LOW 80ÂşF Volume:114

No.215, SEPTEMBER

29TH, 2017

W

THE PEOPLE’S

PAPER: $1

Friday, September

29, 2017

gardening art theatre music film books fashion food culture RACE

Weekend

FOR THE CURE Page 21

Living the dream

boardroom From Andros to the

WEEK END: A

JOUR NEY WHIC

H FULFI LLED

A MAN’ S DREA

POLICE LAUNCH E FOX HILL OFFENSIV

Interview, pages 4&5

MS

Watch the film - every agonising, wrenching, awful second.

Then give up Eugene’s killer

DAMIAN GOMEZ OBIE $3,413 WILCHCOMBE CLEOLA $4,911 HAMILTON they owed $6,118 list and the amount since that date. disconnect�

BPL “do not made or further debt incurred named on the NINE individualsdo not include any payments July. The sums

PUT SOUTH ISLANDS T ON MARIA ALER

TheeeTrikbenudne A1MAIN

OH, AND THERE’S AN ELITE WATER LIST TOO

es Revealed: Nam list and on the eliteowed what they

w

NM

: KARA WAN

e n u b i r The T HURRICANE

INSURANCE:

?

Are you Covered

Covering The Bahamas for

Nobody Does it

40 years.

safeas well as of homicides A DORSETT guarding the residents

By SANCHESKReporter in Fox Hill. et Tribune Staff walkabout bunemedia.n During a Acting prepared. live national sdorsett@tri er Fox Hill on Tuesday, ROLLE During a Ferguson Commission his office

By RASHAD Reporter ACTING Fergu- Commissioner and address from Dr Minnis Tribune Staff Anti-Gang of Police Anthony emedia.net yesterday said the Inveslast night, Maria is rrolle@tribun Tracing and announced dev- son establishment of two Firearms Unit will operate fore- said: “Hurricane the potentially Bahamas tigation WITH we the DetecMaria another hurricane that separate Royal anti-crime out of the Central the cast for Hurricane Force storm to pass astating monitor.�

(CDU) while projecting the Baha- must carefully Though most Police aimed at eliminating tive Unit SEE PAGE 11 units counHe added: near the Southeast was spared gang activity in the morning, Prime of mas Friday Hubert Minnis of the Bahamas the number try, reducing Minister Dr of those SEE PAGE TWO and is urging residents be vigilant to islands

Better!

LIMITED. INSURANCE

BROKERS &

Woodside.

Photo: Yontalay

Bowe

VIDEO OF PM’SAT VISIT ONLINE OM TRIBUN E242.C

MENT INSURANCE MANAGE AGENTS

om

ntBahamas.c

ceManageme

Dr Hubert MinPRIME Minister Kendera Woodside, nis meeting murdered Eugene the mother of

this Yes I feel for y our countries.than I can say.� more ensure has a responsibilit one mother said he will Each citizen information Dr Minnis provided to and whatever that forward. medical attention is is pregnant. the composure. said he felt the fam- has we must bring among us.� who after feel live Dr Minnis Mrs Woodside, the grieving and days makes me Three These criminals who emphasised country’s he “You can see of those pushed the ily’s pain. “What through,�

Mrs Minnis, that her appearis that most during murder that violent crime into ROLLE she’s going someI, even worse

By RASHAD Reporter not a pain “I assured her that the family the yard, struggle with spotlight yet again, them was doctor, to will have we see in Tribune Staff ance before called on women said. today (Friday) we to look the national as a medical emedia.net acute. rrolle@tribun come my my years political move,one day this week time her pain remained live a life, medical personnel she’s pregand comforting cried. “He ain’t even to wear blackfor murder victims.

Dr THE hugs her because sure that Prime Minister wife God,� Mrs Woodsidegive my upon after in mourning I’m calling words of I have to make infant are and his a baby. I could my really nant. “As a mother, Hubert Minnis couldn’t answer “He’s right now just for because I this,� her and her unborn will also make take all mothers can stop Patricia Minnis that consumed breath be right here. They well and we sure the believe mothers who was tearful both as baby to ts to make body. the questions my yesterday out who arrangemen medical personnel said Mrs Minnis, eight- my heart my only son. They Kendera Woodside have our sons on a too for her son, killed times. “We birth and as they necessary her and see her “This after she grieved of them at my daughter from the safety who was still with look almost shoot (the house) with would’ve delivered most knowing we cradle basis to ensure infant.� year-old Eugene, men we are to me with regular they inside four days ago. people ain’t tell- and What they do to my family? so they are closer patients,� Dr becomeWe have to speakshould of her and her unborn PAGE TWO SEE them. are my former “Why these bringing my son me. they do to us? st by pro- them. I think all women week me? I they we ain’ carry one day this ing me they she cried between What Minnis, a gynaecologi “The message “Why they wear black what’s happening in a baby.� tried to right now?� fession, said. the entire Bahamas 29 years, He’s Dr Minnis and mourn Eugene’s Rose- live screams as must send to this alone.

Tonio Woodside, family at theirEugene wife even is the police can’t fight console the consoled his home where on father, struggled to maintain bud Road a stray bullet as he was shot by did his homework. he Monday as

EXUMA ELEUTHERA 242.336.2304 ABACO 242.332.3211 GRAND BAHAMA NEW PROVIDENCE 242.350.3500 242.367.4204 242.394.5555

(BAHAMAS)

Nassau & Bahama

www.Insuran

Islands’ Leading

Newspaper

PLP CASUAL HIRES COST EXTRA $10M

OMY AG WARNS ECON ER’ IN ‘GRAVE DANG

he told Parto In June, cost the ROLLE such liament of

By RASHAD Bahamians $10,149,738. by the Carib- Tribune Staff Reporter so alarmed Action Task rrolle@tribunemedia.net increases was comes after bean Financial draft The revision more than

By NEIL HARTNELL Editor Rolle, minForce’s (CFATF) BRENSIL et Tribune Business services he included that were not The Bahamas ibunemedia.n report on his staff ister of public nhartnell@tr 1,700 workers Gen- that he instructedaddressing and National Insurance, in his original count.

December Progressive THE Attorneyslammed to begin work on June.

Amid the said between 2017, the criticism May flaws from early eral yesterday

by Liberal Party’sadministrablasted the 2016 and in the nation’s the ballooned Mr Bethel deficiencies adminis- public purse laundering of the of the Minnisof its firings anti-money former Christie to tackle $16,532,738 because on’s tion because “entirely unacfailing administrati regime as SEE PAGE SIX they had tration for with the Christie public service new ceptable�, warning “in great known weaknesses of hiring period. during that put The Bahamas necessary urgency.

BUSINESS workers danger�. told Trib- FULL STORY - SEE Carl Bethelhe had been une Business

Nassau & Bahama

Islands’ Leading

A1MAIN

Established 1903

HIGH 84ÂşF LOW 70ÂşF

4 No.103, APRIL

VOLUME:11

FRIDAY

242.COM

OBITS

20TH, 2017

Established 1903

THE PEOPLE’S

PAPER: $1

12TH, 2017

VOLUME:11

WOMA N

UNLIVEABLE

WOME N OF SUBST

ANCE AND BEAUT

Y TAKE ON THE

UNIVE RSE - SEE

S, CARS, CAR

S & TECH

SEE LEAKED EMAILS INSIDE

ated Minister’s repe contracts requests for sed and deals expo INVESTIGATION

No.152, JUNE

30th, 2017

W1WEEKEND

THE PEOPLE’S

4 No.99, APRIL

VOLUME:11

Seniors go big for

WEEK END: SENIO

A DORSETT

By SANCHESKReporter et Tribune Staff bunemedia.n sdorsett@tri TERS yesFIREFIGH a large blaze terday battled Providence at the New three weeks Landfill, nearly a massive that after tackling city dump fire at the nearly a month. burned for Charge of Fire Officer in Chief SuperinServices, Evans said tendent Walter is “not confire the the current any way to this nected� in and at blaze previous do not know time officials the fire. Howwhat caused t Minister ever Environmen told rehe Kenred Dorsett the site that porters at “sabotage� in said suspected the fire. He relation to the team he “instructed�to have the of firefighters “before and blaze extinguished day� today nomination Baha Mar’s certainly before Friday. opening on started shortly The blaze and Wednesday after 3am officEvans said Chief Supt battle the fire to but ers expect another day for at least wind is a “huge� he said the factor.

SEE PAGE SIX

BAHAMIAN PROJECT Pages 20&21

SEASO N ARRIV

ES

prom Fashion, pages 14&15

Christie denies claims on spending

RS IN THE SPOTL

IGHT AS PROM

FORMER PM TELLS OF LAST TALK WITH NOTTAGE

with correctnow engaged the voter ROLLE ing and editing it of its

By RASHAD Reporter register, ridding Tribune Staff ised errors. emedia.net much-public enough staff to rrolle@tribun “We have “We 170,000 peo- do this,� Mr Hall said.certiJUST over sure it’s to vote have to make after tople have registered 10 general elec- fied some 14 daysdate.� for the May ry Com(Tuesday’s) tion, Parliamenta Hall said day’s accordance with the In Elections missioner Sherlyn ry pubParliamenta yesterday. what he de- Act, Mr Hall will give in of This follows the election rush� of a “mad notice statscribed as to vote lic this week, of newspapers people registering place in conthe last day ing the date, times when on Monday, and registration. 172,000 peo- stituencies papers must be There were to vote in the nomination delivered. ple registeredelection.

SEE PAGE THREE 2012 general ry Regis The Parliamenta Department istration

ROLLE

By RASHAD Reporter Tribune Staff emedia.net rrolle@tribun Nottage’s DR Bernard forever be will “footprints the Bahamian etched on tal landscape� developmen work as a forthrough his of the Bahamer president of Athletic mas Association s, the Bahamas Association , the Association Medical and as a afMinDoctors’ Union consumer FORMER Prime reminister for health and to accept the ister Perry Christie a defeat, was as I did when I fairs, education, Opposifor it arrears, into security, pictured yesterday. W. in to was national who sponsibility response Photo: Terrel Philip “Brave� airport tenant described recent resigned,� he said in levelled e Staff tion Leader as the criticism recent Carey/Tribun on from accusations Mr Christie in Davis said Wednesday. questions on 71, died administrati e spending, misfea- moves made by the government pandering at his administration Dr Nottage, the Cleveby a party of irresponsibl WELLS at a “misstep� thought

By RICARDO Reporter Wednesday He will receive sance and cronyism. that weeks. never any he was “disap- to its base. acceptmaintained Tribune Staff “There was land Clinic.

He also said allegations being in arrangenemedia.net that I was degree relating Mr Christie by the rwells@tribu gova state funeral announced, documents s would on my part y for any Per- pointed�around by the new be a review of irresecments to ing responsibilit Prime Minister tossed matters that to these two controversie to the press the on of any whatsoever of criminality, FORMER condemned concerning notion as according the term administrati yesterday ernment Office of his last absolve his and prove that much sponsible spending andbare’ is just ry Christie retary for the Minnis administra- transpired during Anthony is as noth- that ‘the cupboard is wrongdoing efforts by the his government in Prime Minister, prime minister.at accusations from of the FNM’s rhetoric slogans.� tion to portray as he challenged Newbold. “political political slogans.�

Hitting back Minnis adminislight, SEE PAGE SIX ing more than challenges I have the SEE PAGE THREE a negative leader to carry out a of the members the controvergovern“One of the nation’s te examination of the who led the $8m to tration concerning of more thanclean up as the person led the government “dispassiona sial pay out and who record�. interview at one vendor for hurricane to an ment off of $1.2m During a lengthy home on Thursand the write his Cable Beach defended his day, Mr Christie

• CALLS FOR REVIEW OF DOCUMENTS

20

ANY LARGE PIZZA SPECIALTY

(INCL. VAT)

TASTE INDULGE YOUR

BUDS.

be abandoned.

energy. solar, to produce of agreeof Works The heads the governMINISTER said challenges, Desmond Bannister ment requires to “address concerns� pressed certain and BPL delayed today marks which he suggestedof docu- he has “serious Power and ment and consistent WHILE with Bahamas to “keep the reliable of electricity on the for both sitsubmission the deadlineformer parlia- the tell- supply Providence, Light’s ability are chal- lights on this summer,� of island of New ting and to file financial ments. the abiliAmong these the lack will include finans mentarians Public Discloing The Tribuneprevent the whichmeet the requirement with obtaining may ty to disclosures, Chair- lenges from spouses, cial records in situations reliability from fulfilling of the project.� sure Commission the instalLaroda told requireoper- government This involves supporting man Myles yesterday that particularly Mar all the necessary they may have all lation “of The Tribunestill some that wherebank accounts prior ments in the Baha necessary to ated said there heads of agreement. is al- infrastructure there were He g�. that he SEE PAGE FIVE are “outstandin yesterday, to marriage. some unwilling-n He added at new, alIn an interview in his dis- was also ready “looking including and apprehensio said ways,�

Mr Laroda some persons ness SEE PAGE THREE ternative cussions with to make who are required they exthe disclosures,

Nassau & Bahama

MONDAY

MEAL

65 9

SANDWICH

Incl. VAT

KING.BS

ASSAU

/BURGERKINGN

Nassau & Bahama

Islands’ Leading

Newspaper SHOPPING & PRINCE CHARLES tnassau.com SAUNDERS BEACH | www.pizzahu TEL: 603-3333

Tra

S M A H A B A

12, 2012

N A I R G B A

E R N D F I

ÂŽ 0-%

Čą Ĺš ˜•Â? ÂŠÂœÂ‘Čą Â?Â&#x;Š—Œ $" ) ( ÂŠÂœÂœÂŠÂžČąÇ›Ĺ—Čą ž¢Ž› Â’Â?‘ȹ žŠ—Â?Â’Â?¢

Ç›ČąĹœĹ?ĹœČŹĹšĹ–Ĺ™Ĺ˜ Čą Œ˜Â?’Šȹ Š—” ž•ěȹ Â?ȹǭȹ ŠœÂ?Čą Â? ˜ŒŠÂ?ÂŽÂ?ǹȹ ÂŽÂĄÂ?Čą Â˜Â˜Â›ČąÂ?˜

PHOTO Call today

ADS

328-0002

SELL! / 502-2351

(Family Islands

$1.50)

CARS! CARS! CLASSIFIEDS

TRADER

AT

STARTING

$25

ch ‘We will still mar ’ on si is rm without pe

observed would be the holiday date of the historic the PLP month that the 50th on the actual January 10. nounced last mark event, Tuesday, in the public holirevealed a march to Rule.

Ranard Henfield of back planned The change of Majority been perceived even ganiser several weeksOffice on anniversary development is yet day calendar has by the govas planned� that “after organian attempt This latest the ’s permis- and forth� the Cabinet group’s the same route by many as back for the a blow to government rejected the Rawson another set planned to protest on ernment to strike event by We A DORSETT without the Wednesday in

By SANCHESK sation that of a second Reporter 9 - the original sion. with The Trib- application to protest et Tribune Staff Squares because Monday, January announced for success Bahamas.

In an interview II said “there bunemedia.n March date another and Parliaments sdorsett@tri SEE PAGE SIX Mr Bostwick � and the the “event conflicts with for that observance Day. the une, it compromise Majority Rule by this this month being denied will be no already booked be deterred that DESPITE However, earlier and Parliament group will “not fascist coercion event� in Parliament Party date.

Majority use of Rawson Liberal a protest on March attempt towardof our rights and an- was announced for Progressive Roberts Squares Bradley January, We Bost- and the abusefreedoms�.

Chairman al Rule Day in John constitution Facebook, lead ororganiser Bahamas yesterday the demonIn a post on wick II said go on as planned, on stration “will

L BASIS FOR ROLLINS: NO LEGA REBEL SEVEN DISCIPLINING THE

HUSBAND KILLED AFTER GUNMEN FORCED COUPLE TO STOP CAR

A DORSETT

By SANCHESKReporter et Tribune Staff bunemedia.n and sdorsett@tri of Bimini toA DORSETT the islands ent T

By SANCHESK bringing the Eleuthera, cases Tribune Staff Reporteret CHIEF Superintend

By AVA TURNQUES officerReporter 25 confirmed bunemedia.n Clayton Fernander, .net tal to Tribune Chief sdorsett@tri of the Central tribunemedia nationwide. in-charge Unit, warned a lull, quiet aturnquest@ MP “This is like said.

Detective FORT Charlotte last to be “exDr McMillan samofficials yesRollins said no get HEALTH residents to period,� drivers yesterday Dr Andre after armed will be continue to tra cautious� couple to stop terday urged against en- “We they send them in for night that “there a action� taken as no furmen forced in the middle remain vigilantfactors that ples Nabut we have good. disciplinary seven Free their vehicle vironmental who against the despite testing which is before shooting and tional Movement MPs Dr ther cases, of the road breed mosquitoes Leader the driver. local transmis- We’re still monitoring. and killing the “lull� in ousted party as leader of Fernander Zika virus. doing our surveillance Chief Supt have been Hubert Minnis besion of the believe armed Public Health Opposition, “I think we as it relates Director of said police be the motive the Official is no legal basis yesterwell may out cause there progressing Dr Pearl McMillan Executive CommitHe said the that there to getting the message case robbery the killing. have “hapheeding for such a move. a formal support FNM’s not have a day confirmed widespread tee would group’s actions for and persons no new conthat could came He added been lodged solidify a new leader.� have been since the de- there Zika thing the incidentto anyone�. because the around on it. This July, which is when objection has pened firmed cases came in an “were consistent with took place press release His remarks case against “the bogus charges� down in The murder to quesally protected partment’s on Tuesget our first him and the e-mail in response constitution 5, which raised rians to after 9pm MillenDecember of cases in New we usually levelled against of Parliaright of parliamenta lead- shorty area of from The Tribune. the tions Rollins echoed the recall a parliamentary have day in the the number six other members off Tonique from 22 to 23.on took part in Dr Providence they no longerability nium Gardens, ment who Highway, of Long Island Dr Mincase each er er when sentiments in his/her There is one Williams Darling action of removing Butler-Turn the country’s post. Dr Rollins MP Loretta Hubert confidence and brought to 109 for the nis from the number of and St Anne’s MP week to lead.� murder count to The Tribsaid a growing who last admitting “that were Chipman, year, according FNMs are of action for said the if the matter the une’s records. court, the the best course Fernander take under to to be taken to Chief Supt the party to es is victim, identisaid the present circumstanc as Kendrick fied by police driving with was of the foreign Simms, when another car mians, most won’t re- his wife, committee of them forcemployees pulled ahead tee next month, Smith said formerall th stop. ceive ROLLE ing them to Chairman James was drivBy RASHAD Reporter man “The yesterday. money was givMillennium Tribune Staff emedia.net Since the ing through basis by rrolle@tribun SEE PAGE FIVE ort en on an ex-gratia former em- the China Export-Imp FOREIGN will and was inBaha Mar Bank (EXIM) for Bahaployees of the government tended primarily be paid by Commitappointed Claims

PARTIAL PAYMEN

T FOR FOREIGN

Nassau & Bahama

i’m lovin’ it!

A BROWN

By SANCHESK Reporter et Tribune Staff bunemedia.n sdorsett@tri are dead, SIX people ju15-year-old including a another man is venile, and his life in hosfighting for four separate pital after in less shooting incidents in the capital. than 48 hours took the The homicides count to country’s murder 43 days of the 26 for the first to The new year, according Tribune’s records. an isPolice launchedlast night of land-wide search suspected for two men dead in Yelthe shooting a man Gardens in low Elder latest incident.bloody weekDespite the Commisend, Assistant Police Stephen sioner of “hundreds� of Dean said were patrolpolice officers over the past ling the streetseffort to keep an few days in well as visitors the public as safe. officer-inMeanwhile Central Decharge of theChief Superintective Unit, Fernander tendent Clayton after a implored parentsto “keep a killing on Friday on their chilwatchful eye� their young dren, especially boys.

Fernander Chief Supt have launched said police for the a massive manhunt the weekend suspects in killings.

SEE PAGE THREE

Newspaper

HIGH 90ÂşF LOW 82ÂşF

XX X X

Islands’ Leading

Newspaper

i’m lovin’ it!

HIGH 81ÂşF LOW 69ÂşF

The Tribune

4 No.58, FEBRUARY

VOLUME:11

Y, H O E S & R M

ht, page 7 CALL FOR you - see Insig RESISTANCE TO

4 No.72, MARCH

VOLUME:11

UNE ON TRIB G NEWS

Newspaper

The Tribune

T

By AVA TURNQUES Reporter .net Tribune Chief tribunemedia aturnquest@

X

X

X

XX XX

Bahamas Bar FORMER President ElsAssociation yesterday worth Johnsoncalls for Bajoined activistorganise prohamians to resistance tests and public tabled Interto the recently tions he ception of Communica 2017, which Bill (ICB) spying called “dangerous� legislation. who was Mr Johnson, week as the ratified last Movement’s Free National Yamacraw, for pubcandidate the level of bill, questioned on the imlic consultation g that it underscorin entrenched pacted deeply SEE PAGE SIX

TURNQUEST: CHANGES TO MONTAGU ARE SHAMELESS

T

By AVA TURNQUES Reporter .net Tribune Chief tribunemedia aturnquest@

MoveFREE National Leader Peter ment Deputyyesterday acTurnquest government of rcused the gerrymande “shameless recently tabled he ing� over changes that boundary the “deliberclaims affect of middle ate elimination from the forclass areas� constituency. mer Montagu with The d In an interview characterise Tribune he boundary and the proposed a “desperate changes as emoattempt to the perverted� tionally manipulate electorate.

SEE PAGE 11

EQUIPMENT AT FAULT FOR SERIES OF BPL OUTAGES

T

By AVA TURNQUES Reporter .net Tribune Chief tribunemedia aturnquest@ ic� “catastroph THE outages that island-wide Providence plagued Newstemmed from late last year equipment Pier widespread the Clifton to failures at according Power Station, and Light. vehicle.

Bahamas Power reported escape in a were taken The companyof its investo reports, The victims are they According midnight on findings where on the islandA DORSETT shortly after to hospital but stable tigation into two another

By SANCHESKReporter officers rein serious and Sunday, the domestic inci- listed wide outages, et Tribune Staff occurred a condition. bunemedia.n that shortly major outage that 29 and sponded to sdorsett@tri Police said a home in Valentine at arrested November dent an off Johnson after 4am, officers officers, a also between 4 last year, in TWO police wife, are in Subdivision While at the the shooter, who was December sent to the a Terrance. with a from gunshot internal memo husband and stable condition home, a man armed the of- suffering Police also recov- government and obtained serious but shot multiapproached them wounds. from the by The Tribune. after they were responding shotgun both of a shotgun SEE PAGE 11 ficers and shot to flee ered ple times whileincident�. attempting The suspect.

SEE PAGE 12 to a “domestican adult male, before police said.

HowPolice have by one of the the scene, returned fire. con- officers suspect was able to who was shot custody in ever the officers, in the shooting. nection with

shootings one of six fatal area on Friday, e Staff in the Englerston in the calendar above.

W. Carey/:Tribun as shown at Peardale Park Photos: Terrel from the scene to be a deadly February, boy is taken a 15-year-old 12 so far in what has proven THE BODY of and one of over the weekend,

ERS IN HOSPITAL TWO POLICE OFFIC TED BY SHOTGUN AFTER BEING BLAS

R UNVEI LS SELF-H

ELP BOOK - SEE

WOMA N

to “fully undo much more senseless set derstand this and have law

By NICO SCAVELLA Reporter of killings,� respond “as et Tribune Staff t ibunemedia.n enforcemen and in nscavella@tr as possible� in Perry quickly meaningful way� ods�

PRIME Ministerlikened a “very certain neighbourho fighting efforts. to do so their crime A DORSETT and the suggestion Mr ChrisChristie yesterday no crime situBy SANCHESKReporter and makes These efforts,would likely the Bahamas’“Wild West,� is “emotional et Tribune Staff suggested, a “subbunemedia.n ation to the recent wave tie sense�. came dedicating sdorsett@tri the as he said in the capital include number of officHis comments rethe country after the country streets of of murders a “major� and stantial�

DESPITE homicides in hours its 27th homicide for to patrol the and simust solicit � effort by his ers Providence recording 13 er of corded Seven people have “continuous on to “flood New the year. ly giving them 13 days, Commission Greenslade been killed since Friday. to interdict administrati with officers in multaneous in afternoon, capacity Police Ellison not is “the of people a the streets�

On Monday that is necessaid the Bahamas and the movements reported that “crisis� incorporata bid to do “all this madness the police also outside a state of can conon the streets,� police ofwas stabbed Nassau sary to bring on day man average Bahamian ing more reserve about their the an establishment men were to a halt�. “if necessary� speaking and tinue to “go two without Mr Christie, yesterday, ficers, Street while in the area of g Royal Bahaas normal day� attacked. with reporters occur- incorporatin Force marines shot while victims fear of being mas Defence conference Ross Corner. These stable said the “madness�

At a press s on to gang activity in policing efforts. said he to be in ring is due also of were said in hospital. at police headquarter Mr Christie with a weekend and retaliation. past bloody be speaking Monday afterCommissioner condition er He said the a “shocking would Commission so“carnage�, said it is simSEE PAGE THREE said the only weekend ist� that will refor people Greenslade country’s crime Greenslade not enough developmen government to lution to the “keep prolific ply finger at the press to speaking at a Staff quire the to “point the crisis� problem is bars�. He in times of their Ellison Greenslade ER of Police Photo: Terrel W. Carey/Tribune offenders behind Bahamas police to “manage COMMISSION not yet refuse yesterday. said the Royal (RBPF) is Act, Chapter SEE PAGE THREE conference Police Force implementing Suppression considering “locking down boxer was of human trafficking.53, of 106. a curfew or The former with three James Coakley, Andros LAMECH JOHNSON also charged Reporter under Ross By Cargill Creek, et shooting on Tribune Staff before Chief counts of rape filed Sexual double a brought bunemedia.n the lamented was ljohnson@tri recent inciyesterday, Joyann Fergu- Section 6(a) of 99. It nature of the three mosthave left one Corner in Magistrateto answer to two Offences Act, Chapter in “too bold� in the capappeared WELLS in perdents, which three others the A MAN that he engaged yester- son-Pratt

By RICARDO Reporter occurring counts of trafficking Section is alleged man dead andserious condi- crimes as he insisted Magistrate’s Court Tribune Staff SEE PAGE SIX in sexually as- sons contrary to ital recently, nemedia.net of prolific in hospital accused of Trafficking rwells@tribu that a “handful hell-bent day woman during 3(1)(a) of the and saulting a harge of the offenders� remain holidays. and po- tion.

Persons Prevention Officer-in-c Unit, the public.

AS the country the Christmas a victim in Detective to grapple on terrorising alleged to be lice continue spate of vio- CentralSuperintendent ClaySEE PAGE THREE She is speaking to with the latest law enforce- Chief Fernander, scene of lent crimes, are seeking ton media on the ment officials assistance in the A DORSETT the public’s

By SANCHESKReporter et Tribune Staff bunemedia.n sdorsett@tri placed authorof an law as it are investigatallow the ity solely in the hands will POLICE surbill es a judiciary, The t or T independen ICB met ing the circumstanc of a er of police, commission on his behalf, the the death was that the

By AVA TURNQUES Reporter acting a adding standards rounding ld boy who .net person Tribune Chief warrant fromin- internationa l recent three-year-o tribunemedia e in a car to obtain a judge to aturnquest@ also addressed yesfound unresponsiv Supreme Court a per- and of the Listening in front of his daycare Y General tercept and examine from criticisms by the Privy ATTORNE tions ibson terday afternoon.

Devices Act communica the toddler Allyson Maynard-G the In- son’s ications opera- Council.

The body of shortly afsuggestion - telecommun providers and yesterday defended a She said any was a was discovered of Communica tors, internet Monday by terception ter 2pm on that the legislation an important postal services. yesterday, SEE PAGE SIX bill� was false. tions Bill as tool that would In a statement ibson ex- “spying anti-crime privacy of lawSEE PAGE FIVE was Mrs Maynard-G enhance the rather than plained that this move citizens abiding it, as detrac- unprecedented in Bahamiencroach upon FOR YOU... tors claim.

SO GOOD

HURT IN ONE DEAD, THREE

LATEST ATTACKS

ES TRAFFICKING CHARG EX-BOXER ON RAPE,

3, FOUND BILL BOY, AL: INTERCEPTION IT DEAD IN CAR ATTORNEY GENER PRIVACY, NOT HARM WILL ENHANCE

GRILLED CHICKEN TOASTED TWISTER

ÂŽ

Nassau & Bahama

Islands’ Leading

Newspaper

Nassau & Bahama

Islands’ Leading

RT

AND HO SE

Newspaper

$1

Y, H O E S M

&R

TIE FIDDL ES

WHIL E NASS

AU BURN S -

PAGE SEVEN

ced to leave Residents for ic fumes to escape tox

Christie: It’s like the Wild West

Greenslade: Bahamas is not in crisis

242.COM

6TH, 2017

INSIG HT: CHRIS $1

Top cop and PMe divided on crim SSION : AUTHO

UNE ON TRIB G NEWS

t!

Biggest And Bes

AKIN 24/7 BRE

Fleeing the fire

242.COM

t!

Biggest And Bes

AKIN 24/7 BRE

14th, 2017

FIGHT ING DEPRE

‘DANGEROUS’ SPYING BILL

X

BAHA MAR STAFF

Islands’ Leading

$1

AND HO SE

WEEKEND BLOODBATH hing Perry is watc

Six shot dead in 48 hours including boy aged 15

AS ZIKA ‘STAY VIGILANT’ TO 25 CASE TOTAL RISES

TUESDAY

242.COM

RT

for rent

SEE BUSINESS

UNE ON TRIB G NEWS

t!

Biggest And Bes

AKIN 24/7 BRE

13th, 2017

Big Brother PRICE – $1

tuition school

OVER DEAL -

March

help wanted

CHIEF’S ANGER

Monday,

★ ★ ★ ★ ★ Cars For Sale Real Estate Help Wanted Rental Ads and much, much more...

TheTribu

carssale for

No.27

fieds Classider

R 29, 2016ne

, DECEMBE THURSDAY

Islands’ Leading

E

Biggest And Best!

real estate

MOSTLY SUNNY

WATER CORP

4 No.57, FEBRUARY

VOLUME:11

42.COM BUNE2 ON TRI NE WS L ATEST

Paper The People’s

Rolle.

PROP

The Tribune

UNIONS MILLER BLASTS

Volume: 113

HIGH 90ÂşF LOW 82ÂşF

Nassau & Bahama

Established 1903

E

82ÂşF 69ÂşF

i’m lovin’ it!

Newspaper

CENTRE

A1MAIN

PROP

HIGH LOW

i’m lovin’ it!

from Jamaal

ME

The Tribune A1MAIN

ME

THURSDAY

in this cartoon

Established 1903

799

WWW.BURGER

MONDAY

McRib is Back!

ARCHER PLP IS OMAR CONVICTED ARCHDEACON SAYS ITS LIFE’ OVER THREATS ‘FIGHTING FOR

way - as pictured

A1MAIN

Established 1903

Islands’ Leading

race is under

MINNIS CALLS FOR ON DECK ALL HANDS VIRGIL

host JOHNSON Deal� with

By LAMECH Reporter “The Real

By KHRISNA Reporter A BROWN Ortland Bodie, Archdeaet Tribune Staff Deputy Chief bunemedia.n

By SANCHESK said this elecnemedia.net Reporter con Palacious “difficult� for ljohnson@tri kvirgil@tribu et Tribune Staff Sr was tion will be and the FNM Move- sdorsett@tribunemedia.n of OMAR Archer both the PLP is no FREE National convicted Dr Hubert N Archdea- and at this point there how yesterday senment Leader to harm a ANGLICA gauge said said the threatening way to “properlygo.�

Minnis yesterday“all hands con James Palacious officer through need that the Progres- the results will came one ior police his social media FNM will vote the Pro- yesterday Party appears a post to two years ago.

His comments on deck� to Party gov- sive Liberal its life�

Deputy Prime nearly he to be “fighting for neither day after Phillip “Brave� page 45-year-old Nassau gressive Liberal of office as that The ernment out Day, May and predicted party nor the Ministerpredicted that the Village resident appeared Davis heralded Election seats in the SEE PAGE SEVEN Movement that will bring the governing will win 30 10, as a day Free Nationalseats in next PLP SEE PAGE TWO 30 win durchange. will spoke at month’s general election.

Dr Minnis on conference as a guest ing a press Appearing SEE PAGE THREE

WIPEOUT: Prime

Nassau & Bahama

THE ELECTION

ES OVER BPL BANNISTER WORRITHE LIGHTS ON ABILITY TO KEEP

- BUT SOME DEADLINE TODAY NDING DISCLOSURES OUTSTA

$

LEAD IN

TERED 170,000 HAVE REGIS NG DAY AHEAD OF POLLI

IS • FORMER PM BY DAVIS TRIBUTE TO LEGACY OF ‘DISAPPOINTED’ FNM ALLEGATIONS COLLEAGUE • SAYS GOVT DID NOTHING WRONGT OVER $8M PAYOU

OPENS AT LAST HEALTH CENTRE MARSH HARBOUR

ATORS TAKE THE

HIP SERIES MPBA CHAM PIONS

traditions. just a short ROLLE “Earlier today,present ParBy RASHAD Reporter the while ago, Tribune Staff officially disemedia.net liament was Christie said. rrolle@tribun Mr of Perry solved,�seat in the House “Every PRIME Minister the prover- Assembly is now vacant. the to you, Christie rang morning, “It is now left beloved bial bell yesterday that the 2017 citizenry of our who will announcing be held on nation, to decide in the next election willMay 10. fill those seats In doWednesday, address, givof Assembly.

His televisedOffice of the House you will also be dethe ing so, en live at the came mowho will form the BahaPrime Minister, Commis- ciding of Police government five years. ments after Greenslade, for the next that mosioner Ellison as provost mas “You will make in what ns in his capacity decision proclamatio and pray marshal, readHouse of As- mentous hope fair elecoutside the Governor Gen- I earnestly be free and Pin- will following a spirited sembly from Marguerite Let tions eral Dame Parliament. peaceful campaign. dling dissolving said he is but the forthcoming Mr Christie election will us contestwith all the vigour confident the and will fol- elections fair at our command.� be free and and peaceful SEE PAGE TWO low a spirited is consistent campaign that political with this country’s

G concern ADMITTIN Bernard Notin over what Dr have battled last tage may his isolation during Prime Minisdays, former yesterday for ter Perry Christie admiration the expressed forth by the effort put security to former national the build-up minister in election. the May general from his Breaking away since being public silence office in hisof a voted out last month, toric fashion Mr Chrishis visibly troubled portions of his tie detailed with last conversation and longfriend childhood colleague on time political Thursday.

Centreville The former Nottage as Dr MP saw “fought tehis someone who throughout naciously� he loved and life for thosetrait he said he a supported, up to their saw on display . last conversation PAGE SIX SEE

medical treatment.

SIVE Liberal were obtaineda from a ther’s PROGRES The emails Bradley EMAILS leaked following of China Con- by The Tribune Party Chairmanout at his highdata breach (CCA) Roberts lashed story in December of CCA struction America’s colleague Vinthat from the breach former party night, accusservers show2013, Jerome lighting by a San Francisco cent Peet last North Anto servers China Construction as early as was seeking ing the former Islands MP hacker.

Fitzgerald of dollars eventually paid 24 bitcoins dros and Berry enemy� $24,000) secure millions trucking, and (the equivalent of of being a “political an independin brokerage, to their servat Baha who mounted because he to have access it aplimousine contracts showing a resat in Cabinet ers restored; however, ent campaigna nomination forwarded leaked emails Mar while he of Educathat emails ONE of the Education, Sciwas denied party.

Minister of as the Minister and Tech- pears relating to personnel Fitzgerald. quest from or d, from the governing tion, Science Tribune has to, to PLP supTechnology Jerome compromise and were ence Speaking at CCA in The nology, The a rally in North officials at Baha porters at night, Mr Robagent for Limolink despite top they were not learned. which his Bahamas. You are encourcontradict the saying at from Andros last is war� as faThe emails this week de- Mar clientele with a reference by the hack if erts said “this writes, “I limousine company was aged to get crowd to vote of Viacom Minister, who his office to concerned Fitzgerald the Mr mapresident urged time. the feel free he Dr Perry nied ever using to himself the an email dated May 18, am aware that interior arrive miliar. with regard the you wish. Please In for incumbent that a vote “Also Izmirlian terials have began to really we direct contracts me personally adding business from the mul- 2013, sent to Mr the to contact with contact Gomez, hotel. I would or his family resort. is a vote for be limousine meet with or have your agents Mr Fitzgerald, Cur- for the for Mr Peet Movement. it if we couldbro- are ready to he Shelly ti-billion dollar - the Pro- by our Managing Porter, appreciate anytime,�

National Porter Free official Mr Mr Fitzgerald Party MP QuentinAlarice Fill copied, appointed your your people SEE PAGE SIX his Director directly.� tis and 1st 2013.� writes. gressive Liberal we really ker for June - appears also Mr Fitzgerald indicates a request TWO & THREE “As indicated cusSEE PAGES for Marathon start brokerage $20,000 He then makesfor limouto highend for readiness to only cater are the official to be requesting Mar, Baha Mar’s and trucking services and of Mr Izmirlian Baha from and project a month Sarkis services at of tomers Baha Mar of re- sinehe touted the level original developer the ex- the as the brokers citing Izmirlian, were necessary remain for the property. penses that cost of his fa- cord to cover the Healthcare hisMarsh Harbour a tortured ROLLE Centre has missed deadBy RASHAD Reporter one of Staff tory, shoddy of Tribune emedia.net lines and claimsall without rrolle@tribun ip, ity. of- workmansh ENT clear accountabil GOVERNM ed the anyThe facility’s original bankrupt. ficials commissionHealththe contractor went of Marsh Harbour n in Abaco yesConstructio care Centre centre began it as a longIngraham terday, touting to the island healthcare under the former awaited boost on. adminisin and the Christie Health administrati Christie adhealth centre When the e Staff tours the new tration’s National came to power, RASPBERRY Perry Christie the W. Carey/Tribun Insurance plans. and Ado- ministration renovating Photo: Terrel ICED TEA PRIME Minister it spent $1m Like the Child SEE PAGE SIX Abaco yesterday.

Robert Smith lescent and that was the (CARS) Complex ed last year, commission

PAPER: $1

Prime Minister rings the bellrace for election

WELLS

By RICARDO Reporter Tribune Staff nemedia.net rwells@tribu

ROBERTS: PEET A ‘POLITICAL ENEMY’ FOR ANDROS BID

THE PEOPLE’S

IT’S MAY 10

Friday, June 30, 2017

Weekend

THE government’s announcement of a VAT holiday for school supplies

242.COM

12TH, 2017

SPORT S: REGUL

PAPER: $1

entertainment puzzles film fashion gardening art books theatre

Picture perfect

FIREFIGHTERS TACKLE MAJOR NEW BLAZE AT LANDFILL

SPECIAL A TRIBUNE

it must Hurriis so devastated the island as Ragged Island remained on home has Minnis warns with those whohomes last week. “Every The Minister Dr Hubert en Rag- discussion battered their has been destroyed. has been health facility on storm-strick Min- cane Irma Prime teachers’ residence no water. destroyed. The and safety conditions to deteriorate, urged the 18 been has been destroyed. The is no light. There is HEALTH he smell the school will only continue destroyed. There about, you can yesterday as The in the afterged Island Minnis said to evacuate “As we walkcarcasses, dead animals. deister Dr Hubert on the island reduced will stench of dead of the individuals remaining residentsIrma, which has them REPORT that we get of rubble and SPECIAL health conditions Russell, math of Hurricane it’s essential there to piles Words: Khrisna W Carey teriorate and Dr Minnis said. only most structures Pictures: Terrel island unlivable. Dr Minnis to leave the for off this island,� rendered the bly reluctant stay here,� saw for the understanda home, expressing concern “They cannot Many were and a delegation and days known as he Irma ever after through by said place they’ve damage left hurricane ripped of their residences, first time the Five monster will have about the safety personal belongings. behind. We by the smell after the Category island. “They are concerned may have lefthere and the Defence exacerbated of all esmaterials they the small southern same physical condition, dispatch a vessel and at the the destruction those still whatever and Force cleanup The island’s the carcasses the Defence strongly urge Minnis said. THREE of rotting animalled Dr Minnis to small community can Force will try to commence security,� Dr SEE PAGE that there is sential services, to leave until the time ensure Island has been on Ragged Ragged Island and residents; through be restored. to the a walk “I’ve spoken Minnis said following Dr devastated,�

HIGH 85ÂşF LOW 69ÂşF

AKIN 24/7 BRE

HOU

t!

Biggest And Bes

TRADER: CAR

Fitzgerald sought millions from Baha Mar

CLASSIFIED

242.COM

Established 1903

UNE ON TRIB G NEWS

t!

Biggest And Bes

i’m lovin’ it!

ALS

4 No.202, SEPTEMBER

UNE ON TRIB G NEWS

Volume:114

HOU

HIGH 91ÂşF LOW 81ÂşF

AKIN 24/7 BRE

HIGH 92ÂşF LOW 79ÂşF

ALS

i’m lovin’ it!

A1MAIN

WEDNESDAY

ENT

UESDAY

Weekend

i’m lovin’ it!

$1

OFFICIAL SOURCE

INSIDE

A1MAIN

By TANYA SMITH-CARTWRIGHT ts-cartwright @tribunemedia.net

ENT

The Tribune

TRIBUNE NEWS ON

t!

Biggest And Bes

AKING 24/7 BRE

no master The Tribune

A1MAIN

THURSDAY

FROM the left: Kim Gibson, Derek Smith, Patricia Seymour-Bowleg and Shantia McPhee-Simon

Newspaper

f the dogmas o to r a e sw to d Being boun The Tribune The Tribune i’m lovin’ it!

“For a period of one year, we will remove the duty on other PPE items, such as gowns, and other surgical supplies, to ensure our healthcare workers, both private and public, are protected as we continue to fight this pandemic,� he said.

The deputy prime minister also said the Minnis administration is expanding the tax-free transfer of land where there is no change in beneficial ownership, with the approval of the VAT controller. “We are also reducing duty on a few items to further encourage the adoption of more green technologies and plastic elimination, including duty reductions on environmental sea trash cans to assist in oceanic conservation and reusable metal water bottles from 45 percent to 10 percent; and duty reductions on motorcycles with an engine size of 125 cc or less and electrical motorcycles; from 75 percent to 10 percent.

Off-road motorcycles will not be included in this rate reduction.�

He said a full schedule will be published detailing the items scheduled for duty and tax reductions.

Parents welcome VAT holiday on school supplies

A1MAIN

WEDNESDAY

Concerning duty reductions, Mr Turnquest announced that for the agriculture and fisheries industry, duty on fishing materials will be cut from 45 percent to 20 percent, effective July 1. Some of these items include: fishing rods, reels, lines, tackles and other materials.

The government is also reducing the duty on farming equipment for backyard farming from 25 percent to 10 percent. Some of the items to be affected are spades, shovels, work benches, machetes and hedge shears.

In an effort to spur construction activity, and thereby mobilise domestic capital, the government is reducing the duty on all building materials to 20 percent. This includes but is not limited to wood, glass, granite, steel, electrical supplies and fixtures, carpet, landscaping material and plumbing materials.

The rate of duty will be removed from nitrile examination gloves (antibacterial gloves), which are used as personal protective equipment (PPE) “to make it less costly for hospitals, companies and individuals to acquire these,� Mr Turnquest said.

GRILLED CHICKEN CAESAR SALAD

ManEmergency actiThe National t after they agement Agency (NEMA) the police managemen cations with from entering the vated its emergency evacuation and an were blocked at the Kenplan yesterday area. were also shelter was established at the Several persons with respira- dal G L Isaacs Gymnasium Centre to the hospital Elizabeth Sports during Gar- rushed on Queen as a shelter S in Jubilee tory complaints.

Tribune arrivedwere which was used - for displaced RESIDENT to evacuate their When The residents last hurricane dens were forced after a massive the scene, several as the the believed on their roofs,homes. residents. landfill homes yesterday the dump is smaller Providence pouring water their a The fire at fire at the Newcommunity in thick, blaze grew closer to started by for Tall to have been Road.

Parliament blanketed the smoke.

Member of Miller was also assist- bush fire off Fire Trail Bahamas black hazardous their THREE Leslie Royal AND down the Pines TWO in hosing entrance Members of SEE PAGES blocked the visibility ing residentsproviding transportaPolice Force as homes and who needed help. residents to the subdivision tion for those zero. Angry dropped to verbal alterin became involved fire off Fire a smaller bush to the city after a spread have ed by Movement fre- Trail Road that blanketed Jubilee Gardens yesterday Fire Trail Road. fire the smoke in Jubilee the Free National areas in in bushes off to prevent dump. The flees from the A DORSETT YOUNGSTER done enough the New Providence Gardens and surrounding landfill that started at and threatened A at the New Providence to evacuate their homes. Hanna/Tribune Staff

By SANCHESK Reporter quent fires have caused some of thick, black smoke officials fire were asked et Photos: Shawn Tribune Staff prompting issues.

Landfill that Many residents bunemedia.n several homes, sdorsett@tri to develop respiratory SEE PAGE THREE came as a masJubi- them owners in Their comments at the landfill, raging ANGRY home was startyesterday expressed sive fire was lee Gardens concern that neither which officials believe nor disgust and Liberal Party the Progressive had any redespite not having many purchase WELLS sponse to his Mar’s former

By RICARDO offers, as Baha Izmirlian said cases of im- Tribune Staff Reporter alleged enced nemedia.net developer, Mr “stands ready, officials solicitROLLE migration from migrants rwells@tribu

By RASHAD Reporter his company buy Baha developer ing bribes and able to Tribune Staff beatings of THE originalMar resort willing complete it emedia.net and alleged prisoners in today and Bahamian rrolle@tribun of the Baha the resort’s Mar with migrants and States has de- immediately Bahamian conyesterday said THE United Bahamas custody. the Ministry continued completiondates workers and chronic delays the Yesterday, the The opening highlighted “intimida- of Foreign Affairs said lays, missed stag- tractors. ’s CCA for either government ental “inaccurate� and “now supposedthe en- created by or patent incomof report had “incomtion of non-governm self interest now. The gered opening� s� and efforts and in some cases . into late next petence must stop organisation and aubetter.� tire property Sarkis plete� information an incident year shows that superi- Bahamas deserves by the government inhibit “free Referring to SEE PAGE SIX Minoffer “is thorities to criminal Education Izmirlian’s which situation. through in Fitzgerald or� to the current for speech as problems this, and ister Jerome libel laws�

However, despite SEE PAGE 12 in its latest the Bahamas report. human rights also referreport The

A DORSETT

By SANCHESK Reporter et Tribune Staff bunemedia.n sdorsett@tri

RE TO ANGER AT FAILU

BLAZES PREVENT LANDFILL

’ AS AS DESERVES BETTER G DATE STALLS ‘INTIMIDATE’ ‘BAHAM GOVT EFFORTS TO ED IN REPORT BAHA MAR OPENIN ACTIVISTS SLAMM

Nassau & Bahama

Islands’ Leading

Newspaper

ahead of the new term was welcomed by parents yesterday, however one department store owner does not expect the tax break to bring an increase in sales.

Yesterday, while giving his budget communication, Minister of Finance Peter Turnquest said a two-week VAT holiday will be applied on school items for the first time this year. “For the first time, the government of the Bahamas will provide for a back-to-school VAT holiday on school supplies, clothing and select food items for the two weeks leading to the reopening of schools thereby providing millions of dollars in savings in aggregate for parents across the country as they prepare students to return to school,� he said.

The tax exemption will only apply to items that are bought locally and not those that are imported directly into the country.

Mr Turnquest noted that just as the government wants to support Bahamian parents in this costly annual undertaking, it also wants to support local businesses so the emphasis is on encouraging everyone to shop at home.

Kim Gibson, proprietor of Carey’s Department Store on Mackey Street, said even though the tax holiday will bring relief to consumers, she does not expect an increase in sales. “As individuals and businesses throughout our country have been hit hard by the coronavirus shutdown, I feel that the relaxation of VAT on school uniforms and school supplies will bring some much needed relief,� Ms Gibson told The Tribune. “However, we do not expect this (tax reduction) to result in increased sales because many persons have lost their job or are experiencing reduced hours (and pay). We are optimistic

though that this downturn in the economy is short lived and the country will eventually experience a rebound.�

Wife and mother of two school aged children, Shantia McPhee-Simon, is happy for the VAT holiday. “Relaxed VAT on school supplies and uniforms would be a tremendous relief,� she said. “With the impact of COVID-19 on our economy any and every form of relief is greatly appreciated. “Many jobs have been lost and though I anticipate for us to be at a new normal by September, many persons particularly in the tourism industry won’t bounce back as quickly. The VAT exemption period should not be last minute when much needed items are sold out or would send shoppers into a frenzy.�

Accountant Derek Smith Jr is also feeling optimistic about the VAT holiday, but hopes merchants don’t hike prices. “It’s helpful and thoughtful,� he said. “It has eased the tax burden during a time of uncertainty, while encouraging spending in the economy. “The decision benefits several stakeholders – merchants and consumers.

It also is only applicable locally, so it keeps dollars circulating here. My hope is that merchants do not hike the prices since they are in protected economic space.�

Make-up artist and mother of one Patricia Seymour-Bowleg said the tax holiday is a great plan. “A financial break is not just a break in the pockets but the mind and emotion as well. Especially considering school fee money that I have to accumulate as well. “With the VAT waived, it hurts less to shop at home when I would usually shop in the US, especially how travel is basically at a standstill.�

THE TRIBUNE

Thursday, May 28, 2020, PAGE 3

BUDGET 2020

By RASHAD ROLLE Tribune Senior Reporter rrolle@tribunemedia.net THE Minnis administration has cancelled all international travel for the next fiscal year and eliminated the assignment of red plate vehicles to ministers as part of a broader plan to cut spending, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance Peter Turnquest announced yesterday.

The practice of providing breakfast and lunch at Parliament will also stop.

“Some 42 out of 58 agencies represented in the budget will see a reduction in their budgetary allocations this year,” Mr Turnquest said.

According to the draft estimates of revenue and expenditure in the annual budget, agencies receiving notable budget cuts include: the House of Assembly, the Department of the Auditor General, the Ministry of Public Service and National Insurance, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Office of the Prime Minister, the Ministry of Finance, the Department of Immigration, the Ministry of Public Works, the Ministry of Youth, Sports and Culture, Ministry of Tourism and Aviation, Ministry of the Environment & Housing

Turnquest unveils list of budget cuts and Ministry of Grand Bahama.

For example, the budget for the OPM has decreased by nearly $6 million while the allocation for the Ministry of Tourism has declined by $24 million.

Still, Mr Turnquest said there will be no public job losses at this time.

“While there may be headcount reductions due to retirements and expiring contracts for consultants and services, there will be no public sector layoffs,” he said.

However, he said the government has begun discussions with unions to seek their support in pausing increments to permanent and pensionable civil servants and for temporarily suspending salary increases and deferring salary

increases attendant to promotion exercises.

“To be clear, the intent will still be to process and grant promotions, as we recognise that some are long overdue. However, the attendant salary increases would be deferred at least until January 2021, when we have a better view of the circumstance. Similarly, any new appointments will happen on an exceptional basis only,” he said.

The administration, which has long aimed to drastically cut subventions to state owned enterprises (SOEs), will accelerate reform of such institutions, he said. Mr Turnquest said SOEs represented an “unsustainable” 16 percent of recurrent expenditure in 2019/2020.

“We have asked all SOEs

to implement a mix of cost savings and revenue enhancement measures this budget year,” he said. “As a result, we are budgeting to receive some ten percent, or roughly $21 million in savings from a decrease in subventions to these entities.

Over the medium term, it is the intent of the government to further rationalise these entities. The main objective is to push SOEs to become self-sufficient, thereby alleviating the need for the central government to subsidise their operations on an annual basis. To this end, we have targeted a $100 million annual reduction in subvention over the next four years, as these entities move to optimize efficiency and cost recovery strategies.”

Reacting yesterday to the news about its cut in

subventions, Bahamasair Chairman Tommy Turnquest told The Tribune: “We recognise that we have to contain cost and actually cut cost so we’re going to look at all those avenues in which we could do so. We think there are some ways we can do so, we have to look at our schedule and make sure sometimes it might be best not to put a particular flight in the schedule, it might be cheaper to have a plane on the ground and say you’re running a plane four legs per day. We have been told the government is only providing subvention to assist with ATR debt servicing.

That’s a very onerous loan that’s on Bahamasair. The government at the time didn’t want to provide a government guarantee

PRIME Minister Dr Hubert Minnis and his deputy Peter Turnquest lead government members to the House of Assembly yesterday for the delivery of the Budget.

because they didn’t want it a part of their contingent liability so because of Bahamasair’s financial position, the terms were very onerous and continues to be.”

Asked about the future of Bahamasair employees, Mr Turnquest said: “The government has asked us to retain employees. I represent the shareholder which is the government of the day. We have to be prudent in what we do and Bahamasair operates in a unionised environment so no terms can be changed without consultation with the unions. Truth be told, many of them have recognised we have to work together and it can’t be business as usual.

We’ve put together some plans, some of which still have to be discussed with union leadership.”

Photo: Shawn Hanna/Tribune Staff

Pandemic and Dorian send deficit soaring from page one House of Assembly yesterday. Debt is projected to be $10.6 billion by the end of the 2022/2023 fiscal year.

Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance Peter Turnquest declared that “unprecedented times call for an unprecedented budget” as he outlined a plan for the next fiscal year that will involve some tax reductions, increased spending for certain services like social services, health and education and no increases in taxes or public sector job losses.

The administration, which has often prioritised deficit reductions, will not decrease spending substantially though it plans cuts to discretionary spending and state owned enterprise (SOE) subsidies.

Mr Turnquest said: “The government will not be increasing taxes or introducing new taxes in this budget. Despite the projected weak performance in revenue, we are cognizant of the fact that this is not the right climate for

increased taxation. It is our considered view that any such move would significantly slow down the timelines of an economy rebound…During this time, the government could have chosen to continue its fiscal restraint measures by cutting back spending and starving a deprived economy. However, we did not choose this as we appreciate that during a downturn government spending is crucial to reviving a downtrodden economy.”

Although Mr Turnquest said the Central Bank has forecast a 12 percent decline in real GDP, he said people should “remember the nature of economic downturns related to pandemics: a sharp and sudden downturn followed by strong recovery.”

“Despite the stark decline we are seeing today in our various fiscal and economic indicators, we will move onward from this crisis,” he said.

He added that there are a number of independent economic indicators to give the Bahamian people hope

and reassurance, pointing to the oversubscription of Carnival’s cruise port’s $130 million bond offering.

Mr Turnquest noted that although Hurricane Dorian initially prompted a tourism slowdown last year, the country still attracted more than seven million guests in 2019 — a new record.

However, he said total visitor arrivals declined by 14.7 percent in the first quarter of 2020 because of COVID. Mr Turnquest announced a number of increases in allocations. He said the administration will increase public health allocations for COVID-19 response by $20 million and that the budget for the Department of Social Services will increase from $29 million to over $60 million. He said $120 million has been allocated for the government’s tax credit/ tax deferral programme which is intended to help businesses keep employees employed.

Mr Turnquest said $48 million has been allocated for unemployment assistance and $17 million for expanded food assistance through the

government’s food voucher initiative. Allocations for scholarships to the University of the Bahamas have been increased by $1.5 million and scholarship allocations for the Bahamas Technical & Vocational Institute have been increased by $500,000.

A temporary incremental monthly increase of $50 in old age pension has been allocated and will be administered by the National Insurance Board to help elderly people who may be “depending on other family members that are now jobless because of the pandemic,” Mr Turnquest said. Thirty million dollars has been allocated to expand business support and a continuity loan programme for Bahamian entrepreneurs and small businesses. The National Health Insurance initiative will also receive an additional $18 million.

Regarding revenue enhancement, Mr Turnquest said vanity licence plates at the Road Traffic Department will be introduced at a fee of $200.

As for the impact of

COVID-19 on government expenditure, Mr Turnquest said that as of mid-May, the National Insurance Board paid out some $6.2 million through the government unemployment assistance programme. He said $28.9 million in unemployment benefits were paid out to over 26,000 people since the end of March while 284 small businesses were approved for loan financing at a cost of $19.4 million.

He said the Department of Inland Revenue approved 44 companies for a business tax credit and deferral initiative, with those companies benefiting from $5.7 million in tax credits and deferrals to protect vulnerable jobs. To improve capacity to handle the COVID-19 pandemic, $3.1 million has been spent, he said.

Editorial View - Page 6

CAVES VILLAGE Premium Office Space for Lease 1,056 sq.ft. 4 offices, conference room, reception, kitchenette and bathroom, IT closet. $3,696.00 pm. Inc. CAM + VAT Contact Mr. Matt Pyfrom on 327 1575 or 477-0992 Email: matt@cavesvillage.com

PAGE 4, Thursday, May 28, 2020

THE TRIBUNE

BUDGET 2020

UNION CHIEF PREDICTS UNREST OVER RESTRAINTS

By TANYA SMITH-CARTWRIGHT ts-cartwright @tribunemedia.net

BAHAMAS Public Service Union president Kimsley Ferguson said the government’s proposed fiscal restraints on the civil service will cause unrest.

The union leader spoke passionately after Minister of Finance Peter Turnquest told the House of Assembly that the Minnis administration is in talks with unions to seek support in pausing increments to permanent and pensionable civil servants as well as temporarily suspending salary increases and deferring salary increases attendant to promotion exercises.

Mr Ferguson said the matters were somewhat discussed, claimed but only half-truths were presented in the Budget communication yesterday.

“It was discussed to some extent,” the union leader said.

“The implication that promotions and the payments for promotions would be deferred until January 2021, that was a part of what was discussed but initially it was agreed that all the promotions that are already being processed by public service, those persons would have been paid and compensated for those promotions upon completion of processing. And, anything processed after that would be deferred until January 2021.”

He said there were no discussions on the deferral of salary increases and it never came up when he and his team met with the government.

“There were no discussions on the deferral of salary increases,” he told The Tribune. “That never really came up in our discussions at all. So I am concerned that someone is being a stranger to the truth. The government, for whatever reason, is appearing not to be very union friendly at all. It appears to all those who were in attendance at the meeting that the government came with what they were suggesting already written in stone. And the meeting we had with them was only

a form of consultation so that they can say, ‘we did meet with the union’, but the decision was already made.”

During his speech, Mr Turnquest said to be clear, the government will still process and grant promotions, as the government recognises that some are long overdue. However, he said, the attendant salary increases would be deferred at least until January 2021, when the government will have a better view of the circumstances. He said similarly, any new appointments will happen on an exceptional basis only.

“We are very concerned because that is very, very disrespectful,” said Mr Ferguson, continuing. “It

is unacceptable to trade unions in this country and it sends a red flag to the point where the government, in our opinion, is doing some stuff that is going to cause some unrest during this particular time when which is really not a convenient time for this country.”

Mr Ferguson said it is extremely difficult to catch up with government officials as they are not accepting his calls.

“It is extremely difficult to access anyone of these individuals (government authorities) unless they are seeking support from you on an item. You make calls to these persons and they don’t accept calls. Notes have been sent to the various ministers and they do

not answer them.

“The prime minister, for some weeks now, has assumed the role of acting minister of health and we still have some outstanding things in health. We also have items that need to be addressed by the minister of tourism and we have been trying to reach him without any favourable response regarding the payments of monies to Airport Authority’s staff. That has been outstanding from 2015.”

Mr Ferguson said while the government is asking the union to support it in deferring more payments owed to public servants, it is not considerate in addressing the union’s outstanding concerns which date as far back as six years.

Cooper: This was the worst Budget in living memory

By LEANDRA ROLLE Tribune Staff Reporter lrolle@tribunemedia.net

PLP deputy leader Chester Cooper speaking yesterday

Photo: Shawn Hanna/Tribune Staff

THE Official Opposition yesterday slammed the measures outlined in the Minnis administration’s 2020/2021 Budget to aid the country’s economic recovery amid the COVID-19 crisis, branding it as “the worse Budget communication in living memory.”

Progressive Liberal Party

deputy leader Chester Cooper said the government’s failure to implement “common sense fiscal measures” has led to the country’s current “precarious financial” situation.

“The precarious financial situation we find ourselves into today has less to do with the hurricane and COVID-19. However, it represents the cumulative impact of a series of bad fiscal decisions over the past three Budget cycles,” he said.

“Had this administration not exacted such misery on the Bahamian people, under the guise of fiscal responsibility and instead focused on job creation and economic growth, we would be better prepared to deal with the COVID-19 crisis and its aftermath,” he said.

“The Minnis administration has squandered the past ten weeks by failing to implement the commonsense fiscal measures that the party and myself outlined months ago.”

His comments came after Finance Minister Peter Turnquest delivered the government’s 2020/21 Budget Communication in the House of Assembly yesterday, outlining a number of measures to provide economic support amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

These measures include a ‘back-to-school’ VAT holiday on school supplies, a $48 million-dollar allocation for continued unemployment assistance and a temporary incremental monthly increase of $50 in the old age pension.

However, calling yesterday’s Budget communication “unimaginative”, “unimpressive” and “unbelievable”, Mr Cooper said the government’s economic handling of the pandemic has made matters worse in the country “than they ought to have been.”

He added: “Businesses that did not need to close remained closed, hampering revenue generation for a cash strapped government. Islands that don’t need to be closed continue to be closed, continuing to deepen the crisis in these islands.

“Services that could’ve been an economic boon like the real estate sector were not allowed to conduct business. In the communication given, we see this administration has decided to take some advice from the PLP and has started to focus more on people.”

He continued: “Now, the FNM wants to beef up NHI after railing against it and treating it like an unwanted child. The new monies allocated to social services budget increase are not robust enough and

quite frankly is a slap in the face of Bahamians after cancelling RISE and reducing other programmes like uniform assistance.”

The shadow finance minister was also critical of the Minnis administration’s decision to borrow more funds from international agencies, saying their lack of planning and “reckless” borrowing has led to the “biggest deficit and debt level” in the country’s history.

Earlier this week, Mr Turnquest announced that the government had applied to take advantage of a lowcost emergency loan facility available to member countries of the International Monetary Fund.

Mr Turnquest said the loan would come with no strings attached, referring to IMF structural adjustment requirements.

However, to this, Mr Cooper said: “We are hard in hand, having to accept its no strings attached offer, and this is usually where it begins. We fear that the Bahamas will have to enter into a structured lending programme which will happen before this administration is voted out of office in 2022.”

He continued: “So, now when you hear IMF, I want you to remember that IMF stands for - ‘It’s Minnis’ Fault’. We told this administration to borrow wisely, borrow to invest in Bahamians and in less than three years, they borrowed more than $3 billion gross and close to $1.5 billion net with nothing to show. “…Instead of borrowing to pay bills that could’ve amortised, they could’ve borrowed to invest in agriculture and fisheries. We warned the government to leave some borrowing headroom on a rainy-day fund for days like this, but they did not, hence another downgrade of our sovereign credit rating. And now we find ourselves in the embrace of the IMF. During his address, Mr Cooper also called for more planning by the government as it relates to restoration of Grand Bahama and Abaco, which were devastated by Hurricane Dorian last year.

The Exuma and Ragged Island MP said: “The Budget communication (yesterday) was uninspiring, unimaginative, unimpressive and quite frankly unbelievable. This was not a communication worthy of a minister of finance.

“The minister of finance must simply be truthful about the realities. We did not need a political rallying speech, but a simple factual statement on the economy without embellishments.”

THE TRIBUNE

Thursday, May 28, 2020, PAGE 5

Emergency powers extended until June 29

By RASHAD ROLLE Tribune Senior Reporter rrolle@tribunemedia.net PRIME Minister Dr Hubert Minnis tabled a resolution in the House of Assembly yesterday to extend the country’s state of emergency to June 29 as he announced plans to further ease restrictions.

The resolution will be debated today. Dr Minnis said he will announce the relaxation of some restrictions for New Providence, Grand Bahama, and various Family Islands.

“We recognise they’ve been under lockdown, curfew orders for some time. We’re on the right

track and we think we’re in good stead if we further liberalise the Bahamas; that is New Providence, Grand Bahama and other Family Islands,” he said.

“More details will be given, inclusive of the church as we all need spiritual healing, not only medical healing, and not only economic healing.

“But more details will be given tomorrow as to the layout as we continue to progress along our phases — phase 1, phase 1B, phases two and three — as we continue to advance, so we can open our country to international travellers, [and] so that our minister of tourism can one day can

THE repatriation flight for Bahamians and residents that was scheduled to depart from Florida on Friday has been postponed due to “administrative reasons,” the government announced yesterday. A statement from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said the inconvenience is regretted however the postponement allows “those who wish to return additional time to get the COVID-19 test from an accredited laboratory.” A new travel date will be provided soon.

start shouting in the back of me saying that he has now hit the nine million mark. I look forward to that day.”

The state of emergency was first declared on March 19 to prevent the spread of COVID-19. The country has just begun the transition to phase two of the government’s reopening plan, with Family Islands gradually reopening and church services resuming, although at the moment only drive-up worship is allowed for large groups. July 1 has been identified as a key date for the country, with officials hoping to resume commercial flights by then and resuscitate the ailing economy.

New Providence and Grand Bahama have been recording fewer new cases of COVID-19 in recent weeks. The last recorded cases were announced on Saturday, when three cases brought the country’s COVID-19 toll to 100.

Eleven people have died from the disease.

HOMELESS MAN’S HUNT FOR A MEAL ENDS UP IN COURT

By FARRAH JOHNSON fjohnson@tribunemedia.net

A MAGISTRATE discharged a homeless man who was brought to court for violating the national curfew after he explained that he had only left the abandoned building he was staying in to get something to eat.

Edvardo Charlton, 36, appeared before Magistrate Carolyn Vogt-Evans after officers found him on Collins Avenue around 1am on May 26. He pleaded guilty, but said he was only outdoors because he was trying to go to a friend to get something to eat because he was hungry.

Prosecutor Kendrick Bauld told the court that morning, officers on mobile patrol in the Collins Avenue area observed the defendant walking south.

When they beckoned him to stop and questioned him, he told them he was looking for something to eat.

Sgt Bauld said at the time, Charlton said he was aware of the curfew, but admitted that he did not call the COVID-19 hotline to get permission to go outdoors.

As a result, he was arrested and taken to a nearby station, where he admitted to the offence in an interview with police. He was subsequently charged.

During the hearing, Magistrate Vogt-Evans said it was unfortunate that poor black people were getting fined because they were not following the rules. She also noted that those who continue to violate the emergency orders create a risk for other law abiding citizens when they break the law. Still, after explaining the importance of following the emergency orders, she discharged Charlton with a warning.

Lorenzo Whyms, 32, and Jermaine Smith, 23, were also charged after officers found them on Skyview Close around 10.20pm on May 10. The brothers were also charged for failing to wear a mask while outdoors. They both pleaded guilty to the charges and were discharged with a stern warning.

Prosecutor Bauld said that night, officers on mobile patrol observed two males walking through a track road through Skyview Close. Sgt Bauld said when officers approached and

questioned the defendants, they told them they were going to their neighbour for cigarettes.

When given an opportunity to speak, Whyms told the magistrate that Smith and their other brother had gotten into an argument. He claimed that he was sleeping when he heard the two of them fighting, so he woke up and went outside on the porch with Smith. Whyms claimed that their older brother thought that he was “taking Smith’s side,” so in an effort to diffuse the situation, he told Smith they should go to their neighbour’s house, that was located “one house down” from theirs, for a cigarette.

In response, Magistrate Vogt-Evans told the defendants that going for cigarettes was not a good excuse for violating the lockdown. She insisted while they may think going next door for cigarettes is no big deal, by leaving the confines of their homes, they were breaking the law. As a result, she urged the brothers “to get their act together” and told them to stop arguing with their other brother. The men were subsequently discharged.

Several people also appeared before Deputy Chief Magistrate Andrew Forbes for curfew and lockdown infractions yesterday.

Officers found Marlin Brown, 42, on John Close around 10.17pm on May 24.

He pleaded guilty to violating the curfew and was fined $400 or one month at the Bahamas Department of Correctional Services.

Brown told the magistrate his wife and kids were hungry and he was trying to look for his aunt. He said that after he could not find her, he headed back home and was stopped by officers.

Brown claimed that they had got help from neighbours and local churches, but all the food they had ran out because his two sons ate a lot.

Meanwhile, Michael Smith, 22, was charged after officers found him on Gladstone Road around 9.20pm on May 18. He pleaded guilty and was fined $400 or one month at BDCS. When given an opportunity to speak, Smith told the magistrate that he was coming from one of his cousins who was having a get together.

In response, Magistrate Forbes told Smith that he was a potential carrier of the virus even if he did not display any symptoms. He noted that public health officials have been emphasizing the importance of social distancing for weeks and said the more people violated the lockdown and curfew orders, the longer the orders would last.

Etienne François, 48, was charged after officers found him on Prince Charles Drive around 10.50pm on May 25. He pleaded guilty and was fined $400 or one month in prison. Prosecutor Kenny Thompson told the court at the time of his arrest, François told officers he was preaching and did not realise he had “walked as far as Prince Charles.”

Remington Marshall, 31, was charged after officers found him on Moonshine Drive around 10.35pm on May 20. He pleaded guilty, but was discharged after he told the magistrate that he was arrested in front of his home. During the hearing, Marshall explained that he had gone outside to move his car because his wife had parked it too close to their gate and it had gotten hit when the gate swung open.

PRIME Minister Dr Hubert Minnis speaking yesterday

Photo: Shawn Hanna/Tribune Staff

NOTICE

THE CLEARING BANKS’

ASSOCIATION Announces

Whit Monday & Randol Fawkes Labour Day Holiday Banking Hours Friday, May 29th, 2020 Temporary banking hours due to COVID-19 Normal banking hours - Commonwealth Bank

Monday, June 1st, 2020 CLOSED

Tuesday, June 2nd - Thursday, June 4th, 2020 Temporary banking hours due to COVID-19 Normal banking hours - Commonwealth Bank

Friday, June 5th, 2020 CLOSED

Bank of The Bahamas Limited Citibank, N.A. CIBC FirstCaribbean International Bank Commonwealth Bank Limited Fidelity Bank (Bahamas) Limited RBC Royal Bank (Bahamas) Limited Scotiabank (Bahamas) Limited

PAGE 6, Thursday, May 28, 2020

THE TRIBUNE

The Tribune Limited NULLIUS ADDICTUS JURARE IN VERBA MAGISTRI “Being Bound to Swear to The Dogmas of No Master”

LEON E. H. DUPUCH,

SIR ETIENNE DUPUCH,

jamaaltheartist@gmail.com

Publisher/Editor 1903-1914 Kt., O.B.E., K.M., K.C.S.G., (Hon.) LL.D., D.Litt .

Publisher/Editor 1919-1972 Contributing Editor 1972-1991

EILEEN DUPUCH CARRON,

C.M.G., M.S., B.A., LL.B. Publisher/Editor 1972-

Published daily Monday to Friday

Shirley & Deveaux Streets, Nassau, Bahamas N3207 TELEPHONES

News & General Information Advertising Manager Circulation Department Nassau fax Freeport, Grand Bahama Freeport fax

(242) 322-1986 (242) 502-2394 (242) 502-2386 (242) 328-2398 (242)-352-6608 (242) 352-9348

WEBSITE, TWITTER & FACEBOOK www.tribune242.com

@tribune242

tribune news network

Doing the best we can with what we have THOSE who were expecting an exciting Budget yesterday will have come away disappointed.

To be fair to Finance Minister Peter Turnquest, he has been presented with the hardest of courses to chart amid the economic storm brought on by COVID-19.

Deficit figures have skyrocketed $1.3bn for the upcoming fiscal year, and $813.4m for the following period. Debt figures go up with that too, forecast to be around 85 percent of GDP by the end of the 2021/22 period.

That’s horrifying, but unsurprising given the number of people out of work, the collapse in government revenue and the uncertain outlook ahead. Not to mention the economic damage already caused by the literal damage from Hurricane Dorian.

So it’s a softly, softly approach from Mr Turnquest for now. No job cuts in government – because the economy needs all the workers it can get right now. No new or increased taxes – because up to half the workforce is unemployed so what money would be coming out of those pockets to help lift the economy?

Indeed, there are even some tax reductions and extra spending in areas such as social services, which is going to need to support a lot more Bahamians than previously.

The belt will be tightened in other areas – with international travel cancelled for the government for the next year, and no more red plate vehicles for ministers. The old saying there ain’t no such thing as a free lunch holds true at Parliament too – with no more breakfast and lunch being served there.

Duty changes to encourage

construction are useful too – that will get building work under way, and put wages in the hands of construction workers.

Part of the difficulty of course is that the Budget comes at the precise moment when we are still bailing out water. How long we will be in this position is still very hard to say – with only a tentative opening date of July 1 set, and our biggest tourist market, the US, still suffering from huge numbers of cases and the highest death total in the world.

There are some clever ideas – such as the $200 vanity licence plates to boost revenue from those with extra money in their pockets. That kind of thinking could be used in a larger way as the picture starts to become clearer of what the country will be like in the aftermath of COVID-19.

For example, there is talk of a reduction in the number of work permits – but would a policy of courting people to come to live in The Bahamas work better? There are vast swathes of land alongside canals in Grand Bahama ready and waiting for residents – can we coax investors to come and make The Bahamas their own, and help to grow our economy with it?

Ingenuity will be needed going forward – and even the Prime Minister, Dr Hubert Minnis, has acknowledged that, talking of creating a new approach for our economy. This Budget is trying to keep the economy steady at a time of the greatest upheaval – and if it was being presented six months from now rather than before the borders reopen, it might be very different. For now, it’s doing the best we can with what we’ve got. That ingenuity, though, let’s allow more of those ideas to bloom when opportunity allows.

Lulled into a false sense of security EDITOR, The Tribune THE news that the Bahamas Petroleum Company has not paid its licensing bills for an undisclosed number of years did not come as a shock. It is exactly what I expected from them.

What did surprise me was that the government accepted a mere $900,000 to cancel the bill, which was surely in the millions of dollars. And what was really astonishing is that BPC admitted that it used money from Bahamian investors to pay it!

As far as we know then, this foreign company itself has not invested anything, just ducked their bills and licence obligations for several years and then got the Bahamian public to to bail them out, shortchanging our Public Treasury in the process? Boy, if true, these fellas are slick.

Under any other circumstances, the Bahamian public would be howling for the licenses to be cancelled and for these people to be sent packing back to the UK, but we have been

blinded by the idea that oil is the get-rich-quick scheme we have been waiting for and that we will all suddenly become filthy rich.

Well, as far as I’m concerned, the only thing filthy here is the raw deal that they are trying to ram down our throats – that, and our oceans and beaches when this company has no more use for us.

We need to wake up.

None of the profits from BPC’s oil drilling will stay in the Bahamas. Just like with tourism and offshore banking, the foreign owners will export all of the money to their homeland and leave us with peanuts.

Except in this case it’s even worse, because at least tourism and banking create jobs. Whereas, how many Bahamians are qualified to drill an offshore well, or have experience working on an oil rig, or are well versed in the relevant health and safety protocols, or have expertise in the geochemical processes involved? No, sir, these jobs are all going to foreigners.

Should we simply trust that BPC cares about

Bahamians and will make sure there is something in it for us? Well let’s look at their track record. First, they fail to pay their bills to the Bahamas for years and failed to disclose how much they actually owed. Then, they short change the Public Treasury and get Bahamians to pay a reduced sum for them. And now, they have announced that their new plan is to start drilling in October, even their own Environmental Impact Assessment pledges not to drill during Hurricane Season because of the very high risks involved (risks for our environment and economy). This is not the behaviour of a good partner.

I believe Bahamians have been duped and lulled into a false sense of security on this issue. It is time to wake up. There is nothing in BPC’s plan for us and we have everything to lose.

We need to cancel those licences before it’s too late.

RICARDO JOHNSON Nassau, May 25, 2020.

Lighthouse project will be good for everyone EDITOR, The Tribune.

Dear Bahamians Today, it is me asking you for your support, tomorrow it might be you asking me for my support. Bahamians do a great job at supporting each other. We must stand with each other.

Paradise “Hog” Island Lighthouse & Beach Club seeks to restore the Lighthouse, Keeper’s Quarters and build a dock. Further east we shall develop the Beach Club on Colonial Beach with a second dock on the harbour side. Bahamians and our guests will have access. The land shall remain as Bahamian Crown Land. None of this restoration and development will cost the Bahamian public a penny: this is all privately funded with Bahamian money.

This project will provide greater beach access to our beaches for Bahamians to enjoy in a safe, beautiful environment along with our guests. All employees will be Bahamians. Indirect employment opportunities will be created for Bahamians. We want this to be an example of how successful Bahamians can be once “allowed” (by government) to have the opportunity.

Us Bahamians have demonstrated time and time again how great we can be in the face of disasters and challenges: we jump up, band together and get the job done. Whether it’s helping whole islands or individuals when there are social wrongs we help without hesitation. From Abaco, to Grand Bahama to a youth selling coconuts. We do not need to be asked by those in authority or instructed to do so; we do so willingly and manage it harmoniously far more effectively than “going through government”. We have a whole support system that works well: some go right to the

LETTERS letters@tribunemedia.net front lines and, just as importantly, others support with cooking meals, working logistics and calling contacts, etc. At the end of it we gratefully return to our homes and there is no formal recognition but we all believe in our hearts we did the right thing and take reward knowing we helped fellow Bahamians with a kindred spirit.

Look at some of the heroes that emerged in Hurricane Dorian, many of them, superheroes; they didn’t have capes, they didn’t receive some official title, recognition or banquet. We have risked our lives, jumped on boats, jetskis, flatbed trucks, planes, you name it: we get it done with determination and togetherness and zeal. We are tough and resilient however why should we be tested and even over extended and reduced to merely having faith and hope that we will come through a challenge.

We are not satisfied with foreign projects getting the red carpet treatment and we get the red tape. We are also not satisfied that we are number 119 on the list of Ease of Doing Business: crudely put: the yard stick of how government holds us up in our progression.

We Bahamians must band together for what we are trying to achieve.

Bahamians are smart and qualified. Foreign projects often export the revenues made in the Bahamas, save for some jobs cleaning toilets. Foreign companies satisfy their foreign shareholders with massive profits. How does that help us get out of the economic hole while “they “ might tote that we should be happy with the creation of toilet cleaning jobs?

This doesn’t represent Bahamians nor how we want to be represented!

I was grateful as a Bahamian having begged and begged for eight years (not making a penny), sent many proposals, presentations, meetings, thousands of emails, spent tens of thousands of dollars, been through close to a hundred government employees as well as more than fourteen government agencies, and we aren’t even in business yet!

The government of the Bahamas all the way up to the Prime Minister states that Crown Land is for Bahamians. Despite my many requests the PM refuses to meet me.

Given the suggested 30% unemployment I thought he would welcome such a meeting.

Bahamians apply for Crown Land to be able to farm, operate fishing lodges, open family island boutique hotels, etc. There are many Bahamians waiting and having to watch Crown Land given to foreign interests. The Crown Land is being hoarded and controlled by one person, the Minister in charge of Crown Lands: The Most Honourable Prime Minister Should the Government of the Bahamas have to be taken to court

by Bahamians to have an agreement in place “honoured”? They insist that us, mere peasants, call them “Honourable” and “Most Honourable”: honour your written commitments! How much impedance and resistance does the government of the Bahamas wish to put in a Bahamian’s way to create opportunity for Bahamians?

TOBY SMITH Lighthouse Keeper, Paradise Island Lighthouse & Beach Club Co., Ltd No.1 Paradise Island

THE TRIBUNE

Thursday, May 28, 2020, PAGE 7

I WAS JUST TRYING TO FIND ANSWERS, SAYS ALBURY

By LEANDRA ROLLE Tribune Staff Reporter lrolle@tribunemedia.net

CENTRAL and South Abaco MP James Albury said yesterday he believed his calling for an inquiry into the burial of 55 Hurricane Dorian victims over the weekend was blown out of proportion, saying he was just seeking to gain more answers about the matter on behalf of his constituents.

He said calls for his resignation from the Progressive Liberal Party were just attempts to politicise the situation.

Speaking to reporters outside the House of Assembly yesterday, he

said: “Well, I think this is one of those cases where the reception kinda over blew what my intention was. I was just expressing some concerns on behalf of my constituents. It’s something I’ve discussed with the prime minister… the prime minister understood my concerns and it’s a very straight-forward matter.”

Asked yesterday about those concerns, he replied: “My concerns were just mainly getting an understanding. It was not to cast aspersions or blame on anyone. It’s more about just seeking answers rather than casting blame and that’s all I was looking for.”

This comes after Official Opposition leader Philip

“Brave” Davis called for Mr Albury’s resignation as parliamentary secretary over the matter.

Mr Albury, responding to the opposition’s calls for his resignation, told reporters that he believed the move was meant to cause mischief between him and his political colleagues.

“I think that’s trying to politicize something that’s very apolitical in nature,” he said yesterday.

“It just seems to be a pure political move with no reasonable grounds for it, trying to artificially create some sort of wedge between myself and the party and the prime minister. “…If you would’ve read my letter, it was not any sort

of derogatory and inflammatory way and I certainly never would’ve meant it to come across as such. That is what it is at this moment and I’m satisfied right now with the way things are and hopefully moving forward, we’ll continue to learn from the process.”

After Mr Albury called for an inquiry into the burial of the Dorian victims, the Disaster Reconstruction Authority held a press conference on Sunday, outlining steps leading up to the controversial service.

Friday’s ecumenical service was marred with controversy as some residents protested the event and were angered that due to social distancing

guidelines, many who lost loved ones could not grieve properly.

However, for his part, the Central and South Abaco MP said he was pleased with the DRA’s press conference, adding he believed it provided helpful information to bereaved families in Abaco. “I’d like to say I’m very happy with the way the DRA press conference went recently, and I think there was a lot of good answers and information there and moving forward, it’s all about understanding the process and what we learned.”

“And as we move forward, being prepared for the next time.

However, it is not clear if

he is still pursuing an official inquiry into the matter, with Mr Albury telling reporters that the matter is no longer in his hands.

Asked about the issue yesterday, he replied: “I was looking for answers and what I will say is the DRA’s press conference did answer a lot of those questions so as far as me calling for an inquiry, that was more seeking answers which I believe we’ve gotten, and we will continue to get.”

Further pressed on whether he will continue to pursue an inquiry, he replied: “That’s not beyond my power — all I’m saying is I’m happy the way the DRA handled the press conference.”

Male passenger dies in parking lot after shooting

By EARYEL BOWLEG ebowleg@tribunemedia.net A MAN died in the parking lot of the Fox Hill police station shortly after he and a woman were shot while driving yesterday morning.

The woman driver was able to make it to the police station after the two were injured. The male victim died at the scene while the female was taken to hospital. Her condition was not known up to press time.

His death left a family devastated and pushed the murder count to 27 for the year, according to this newspaper’s records. A source said the deceased was in his 20s and is Steffon “Chubby” Rolle.

Speaking to reporters outside the Fox Hill station, Assistant Superintendent (ASP) Audley Peters said the two victims were driving on Lumumba Lane shortly before 9am yesterday when they were fired at.

“They were approached by a black vehicle that opened fire on them, hitting both occupants about the body. The driver was able to drive to the Fox Hill Police Station. While at the police station, the passenger succumbed to his injuries. The driver was transported to hospital.

The condition of the driver is not known at this time,” ASP Peter said.

The victim’s car was visible at the police station, riddled with bullet holes.

Earlier this month,

17-year-old Jason Joseph was killed on Rahming Street, which is in Fox Hill.

ASP Peters said that the force is doing its part to fight crime.

He commented: “Whenever a crime happens, we’re concerned and so all our efforts will not be spared in trying to alleviate any sort of crime from happening anywhere in the Commonwealth of the Bahamas.”

A woman at the scene, said to be the mother of the deceased, screamed with grief as police processed the area.

“Lord, what did I do to deserve this,” she shouted, as a group of people held her up.

She wailed as the victim’s body was placed into a hearse before collapsing

TOP and above: The scene in Fox Hill yesterday. into the arms of loved ones.

Khandi Gibson, founder of the non-profit organisation Families of All Murder Victims (FOAM), was at the scene to offer support.

She said she knows the victim’s family and said the deceased was a nice young man.

“The mother was just in the office just to drop off a donation and so when I heard her son was killed,

I had to leave my office,” she said.

The activist pleaded for the violence to stop as communities are now “broken” and “turning into cemeteries”.

“I don’t know what else to say but we’re asking persons right now to sympathise with this mother. Today is her, it could be anybody else tomorrow.

So mothers who have children, please put this family up in prayer. We ask the young men to live as one. Whatever petty differences, please let it go man – nobody wins.

“We just losing too much of our young men.

We are losing females too but we’re losing too much of our young men to gun violence.”

WOMAN ADMITS FALSE CLAIM COUPLE ROBBED AT GUNPOINT

By FARRAH JOHNSON fjohnson@tribunemedia.net AN Eleuthera woman who falsely accused her exboyfriend of beating her child had her case dismissed with a warning in the Magistrate’s Court yesterday.

Daniel Knowles, 23, appeared before Magistrate Carolyn Vogt-Evans charged with deceiving a public officer after she gave a false statement to PC941 Elvies on May 17.

She pleaded guilty and was discharged after her attorney told the magistrate she was struggling financially and could not afford to pay a fine.

Prosecutor Kendrick Bauld told the court Knowles came to the Elizabeth Estates Police Station to file a complaint against her ex-boyfriend on May 17. At the time, Knowles claimed that she had observed him causing injuries to their child. As a result, an investigation was launched and officers facilitated a conversation between the defendant and the suspect in their presence.

Sgt Bauld said during the interview, Knowles changed her story and said that she

didn’t see her ex-boyfriend beat the child. Instead she said that she had just heard a loud noise and was upset with her ex-boyfriend, so she decided to report the manner.

During the hearing, Knowles’ attorney said his client was an unemployed mother of an 18-month and eight-month-old child. He also noted that Knowles lives in Harbour Island and had only come to Nassau to visit her baby’s father. Stating that the defendant did not waste the court’s time by pleading guilty at her first opportunity, Knowles’ counsel asked the court for leniency and to let his client go with a warning, so that she could understand the seriousness of her offence.

In response, Magistrate Vogt-Evans told Knowles that she had a problem with her putting her exboyfriend in a difficult situation because of her own emotions. She also noted that Knowles’ feelings at the time could not excuse what she did and insisted her actions were a serious offence. Stating that the best advice she could give Knowles was to sit down and have a conversation with God, Magistrate

Vogt-Evans let the defendant go with a warning and urged her not to return to court for a similar offence.

In a separate case, a 27-year-old man was charged with drug possession.

Darius Brown appeared before Deputy Chief Andrew Forbes after officers found him with one and a quarter ounces of Indian hemp on May 21. The prosecution said the drugs had a street value of $100.

He pleaded guilty and was ordered to attend drug counselling classes at the Department of Social Services for 12 months.

During the hearing, Brown was represented by attorney Ian Cargill. He told the magistrate that his client had no pending matters and had pleaded guilty at his first opportunity. He also noted that Brown was a father of an eight and fiveyear-old and insisted he was remorseful for his actions.

After sentencing Brown, Magistrate Forbes warned him that if he didn’t attend the classes or failed any random drug tests the course would administer, he would be convicted of the offence and spend six months in prison.

By DENISE MAYCOCK Tribune Freeport Reporter dmaycock@tribunemedia.net A GRAND Bahama couple was robbed at gunpoint by two masked men in Freeport on Tuesday, police reported.

A police report said the incident happened shortly after 4pm when a woman and man were reportedly accosted by two masked men armed with a gun at the Maurice Moore Primary School. The victims

were robbed of personal items and their vehicle, a gold 2004 Hyundai Tucson.

In other crime news, police discovered illegal drugs at a residence in Freeport, taking one man into custody on Tuesday. Police said shortly after 9pm officers executed a search warrant at a residence on Newton Crest, where they found a quantity of marijuana and $1,450 in mixed Bahamian and US currency.

Meanwhile, police in New Providence are

investigating two armed robberies that occurred on Tuesday. In the first incident, sometime around 2.40pm a gunman entered a convenience store at Blue Hill Road South and robbed the cashier of an unknown amount of cash.

In the second, shortly before 8pm, a man was working near Soldier Road when he was approached by the occupants of a dark coloured vehicle who produced a firearm and robbed him of cash.

MAN FINED $150 FOR ASSAULT

By FARRAH JOHNSON fjohnson@tribunemedia.net

A 42-YEAR-OLD man was ordered to pay another man $150 after shoving him and causing him to hit his head during an argument earlier this week.

Ronnie Joseph appeared before Magistrate Carolyn Vogt-Evans charged with assaulting Gylano Alexandre on May 25. He pleaded guilty and was ordered to compensate Mr Alexandre $150 for his injuries.

During the hearing,

Joseph told the magistrate that he and Mr Alexandre lived in the same yard and that Mr Alexandre had a drinking problem. Joseph said that the argument started while Mr Alexandre was intoxicated and claimed that he had come up to him calling him names.

Joseph insisted that he told Mr Alexandre that he “wasn’t on his run,” but said Mr Alexandre continued to provoke him so he ended up “shoving him hard”. He said this caused Mr Alexandre to fall and hit his head on a

rock. Joseph said after the incident, he went to sleep.

He said he was awakened by officers knocking on his door because Mr Alexandre had filed a formal complaint against him claiming he had “chapped him.” He said at the time, the officer gave them an opportunity to “squash the argument,” but Mr Alexandre insisted that he wanted to take him to court.

In response, Magistrate Vogt-Evans ordered Joseph to pay the complainant compensation.

PAGE 8, Thursday, May 28, 2020

THE TRIBUNE

Wishful thinking won’t work in a crisis, we must deal with realities THE notion of magical thinking is employed by a number of disciplines including philosophy, anthropology and psychology, with some differences in how the term is applied in the different fields. A common thread in the various disciplines is the idea of fallacious or false reasoning.

A friend whose father is 80 and who lives in a Midwest state in the United States is on dialysis. He is a strong Donald Trump supporter. Before and during the peak of the COVID-19 outbreak in a state that has been particularly hard hit, her father refused to wear a face mask and went shopping daily.

He blasted the state’s governor for the restrictions she imposed to flatten

FRONT PORCH

BY SIMON the curve of the outbreak in order to save lives and to protect health, especially the more vulnerable

including those over 70 like the father of the friend.

He vigorously supported those who publicly protested the lockdown, which he thought was an affront to his freedoms and rights, channeling a myriad of anti-government and other Trumpian tropes during the outbreak.

Trump has continued to attack various state governors, parts of the US Federal Government, which he leads, including the Centre for Disease Control, the highly respected Dr Anthony Fauci, Director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases and other respected health officials.

Donald Trump is the great wizard of magical thinking, who debunks science, facts and reason as

A NUMBER of churches in Nassau have hosted ouitdoor services due to COVID-19.

Photo: Shawn Hanna/ Tribune Staff

much as he pathologically lies. Many of his supporters and others often believe his anti-scientific rants, including about climate change. Trump has now said that wearing face masks is a form of political correctness.

A recent NBC story illustrated in graphic terms the disastrous outcomes of magical and irrational thinking, especially about medical issues and matters of life and death.

NBC reported about: “A Florida man who thought the coronavirus was ‘a fake crisis’ has changed his mind after he and his wife contracted COVID-19.

“Brian Hitchens, a rideshare driver who lives in Jupiter, downplayed the seriousness of the coronavirus in Facebook posts in March and April. ‘I’m honouring what our government says to do during this epidemic but I do not fear this virus because I know that my God is bigger than this virus will ever be,’ he wrote in a post on April 2.

‘Jesus is the King of Kings and Lord of Lords.’

“In a lengthy post on May 12, Hitchens said that he was once among those who thought the coronavirus ‘a fake crisis’ that was ‘blown out of proportion’ and ‘wasn’t that serious’.

That changed when he started to feel sick in April and stopped working, he wrote: ‘As of today my wife is still sedated and on the ventilator with no signs of improving. There were a couple times where they tried to start weaning her off the ventilator but as soon as they’ve done that her oxygen level dropped and they had to put her back on the ventilator full time.

‘This thing is nothing to be messed with, please listen to the authorities and heed the advice of the experts. We don’t have to fear this and by heeding the advice doesn’t mean that you fear it, that means you’re showing wisdom during this epidemic time’.”

Such magical thinking is also resident in The Bahamas, especially among the more fundamentalist in the country. A medical doctor has told this writer about cases of Bahamians diagnosed with various cancers who refuse or delay treatment, convinced they will be healed through prayers.

During the COVID-19 outbreak here at home, a number of religious ministers have attacked the government for not opening churches sooner and for allowing curbside purchases and home delivery of alcohol before churches were open.

This fallacious thinking and false equivalence argument was not, of course, based in science. It was based in a certain emotionalism and belief that drinking alcohol is generally a vice.

The clear and compelling difference between large groups of congregants gathering together in one location, potentially spreading the virus, is scientifically different from individuals purchasing alcohol online for delivery or picking up at curbside.

Indeed, in a number of countries stores selling alcohol were allowed to continue to operate during much or parts of the outbreak, while in most countries churches, mosques, synagogues and other places of worship were closed.

Worshippers Even the medically trained can be given to magical thinking. A medical doctor in Russia was interviewed for a cable news programme. She told her fellow worshippers at a Russian Orthodox church near Cathedral Square that it was not possible to contract the COVID-19 virus in a church because God would protect worshippers.

While many religious ministers and heads of churches have cooperated with the government during the outbreak in The Bahamas, some ministers have been convulsed in heated irrationality, their mouths and brows quivering with magical thinking fervour.

One minister went so far as to say on television that members of the Bahamas Christian Council should “grow some balls” and push the government to open churches. For a religious minister to use such language publicly is deplorable. His belligerence is symptomatic of those who believe that their particular needs are more important than the common good.

This continues to be a difficult time for most Bahamians, especially those

who have lost jobs and businesses. Those who are especially privileged might want to remember the level of difficulty for most Bahamians who do not have savings and other assets to draw from.

The COVID-19 pandemic has also led to a sort of magical thinking by some conservatives and right wing sites, who typically deplored the economic and social model of Sweden but who are now praising the Scandinavian nation for much softer restrictions during the outbreak.

The scientific and medical juries are still out on whether Sweden did the right thing. In Sweden they continue to hotly debate the mass exposure or herd immunity theory as fatalities mount. Neighbouring Finland, which had stronger restrictions, has had less deaths per capita.

Moreover, to compare some other jurisdictions with Sweden is an epitome of the false equivalence.

It is an example of false reasoning to compare The Bahamas with a population of 400,000 and a GDP of approximately five billion to Sweden, with ten million people and a GDP of approximately half a trillion.

Sweden is a developed country with high literacy and numeracy rates, a much healthier population, with less obesity than The Bahamas, an extensive social welfare network and an impressive health infrastructure.

Sweden is highly educated and typically more observant of social norms and rules. Sadly, we are a much laxer country, typically given to slackness.

With few ventilators and a much less developed health care infrastructure, medicine, tests, masks and other health care assets we could have faced a disaster had we followed the Swedish model.

One can only imagine the greater disaster if the virus was allowed to spread unchecked in many of our islands, with limited health assets and infrastructure.

COVID-19 has exposed many things, including the magical and false thinking, the anti-scientific mindsets and false equivalencies as virulent as the virus itself and in many ways harder to treat and often impossible to cure.

THE TRIBUNE

Thursday, May 28, 2020, PAGE 9

US COLLEGES LEVELLING THE PLAYING FIELD FOR STUDENTS

EVERY parent aspires for success for their children. In most of the western world, a big part of that success is expected to be a college or university degree. For many Bahamian families, the path to higher education has long led to the United States.

That’s why a decision made last week in California might come as really good news. In a unanimous and stunning decision, the state’s governing Board of

Regents decided to ditch the SAT and ACT standardised tests as a part of their admission requirements for the next two years. The decision will be reviewed after those two years, but for now, the playing field for international applicants such as Bahamian high school students has been levelled somewhat.

Reliance on the American standardised tests has been justified on the basis that the tests

STATESIDE with Charlie Harper SOMETHING happened this week that might turn out to be pretty significant to the way the American election turns out in now less than six months. On Tuesday, Twitter decided to fact-check the President of the United States.

A lot of American liberals, Democrats, independents and resistant Republicans have been urging Twitter to do this for the past three year, as Donald Trump’s nasty lies, slurs and all-round infamous behaviour on Twitter have frustrated and vexed his critics throughout his first term in office.

That Trump maintains a loyal Twitter following numbering in the tens of millions is a source of further aggravation to his many critics, who have charged that Trump is violating provisions of Twitter’s terms of service in lying and consistently repeating objectionable content.

Here’s the Trump Tweet that finally moved Twitter to action: “There is NO WAY (ZERO!) that MailIn Ballots will be anything less than substantially fraudulent. Mail boxes will be robbed, ballots will be forged & even illegally printed out & fraudulently signed. The Governor of California is sending Ballots to millions of people, anyone living in the state, no matter who they are or how they got there, will get one. That will be

followed up with professionals telling all of these people, many of whom have never even thought of voting before, how, and for whom, to vote. This will be a Rigged Election.

No way!”

In response, Twitter directed readers to an article that asserts, among other things, that “Trump makes an unsubstantiated claim that Mail-In Ballots will lead to voter fraud.”

A Twitter spokesperson told reporters the President’s tweets “contain potentially misleading information about voting processes and have been labeled as such to provide additional context around mail-in ballots.”

Twitter has to tread carefully here. No need to gratuitously pick a fight with the President of the United States if you can possibly avoid it. But Twitter’s move is still meaningful.

Trump and his Republican allies have waged a resolute campaign to suppress the vote in this November’s election.

Among their tactics has been using the COVID-19 pandemic as an excuse to close voting places located in poor or minority sections of big American cities such as Milwaukee where voters would be expected to support Democratic candidates.

Another tactic has been attempted legislative coups. A current example is underway in Florida,

provide an objective measuring stick to determine if high school students have been prepared to do college and university level work. How are college admissions officials to compare the records of a Bahamian, a German and a Colorado applicant to a school like Harvard? The SAT/ACT has answered that question, at least partially.

But there have long been complaints about the tests. Racial

of West Palm Beach, Tom Brady, six-time Super Bowl winner as quarterback of the New England Patriots and now with the suddenly competitive Tampa Bay Buccaneers, fumbled and stumbled around for the first six holes of his match with fellow legendary QB Payton Manning and two pretty well-known pros, honorary Bahamian Tiger Woods and Phil Mickleson.

As intermittent driving rain intensified his obvious discomfort, Brady hacked and slashed around the soggy course and generally played like a Sunday duffer.

Meanwhile, his playing partner, Mickleson, was doing his best to keep the team afloat while Woods calmly hit every fairway and Manning did more than just take up space in his golf cart. The former Colt and Bronco Hall of Famer actually won two of the first three holes for his side.

Then, on the seventh hole, as the embarrassment on Brady’s face gradually erased his smile and evoked taunts from lovably

than those, such as Bahamians, with less or very little access to such resources.

The California decision doesn’t presage a similar course for every American college or university.

But especially during a health crisis that has upended many facets of American life, the California Regents may have started a trend.

For our high school students with higher education aspirations, we can only hope so.

How tweet it is Trump’s favourite platform points out a few facts where voters in November overwhelmingly approved a measure generally enabling felons to vote after they completed their prison terms. The GOP legislature and governor hustled to try to overturn that mandate with some sleight of legislative hand, but so far have been frustrated by a federal judge. Further court action seems inevitable.

Election chicanery is not unknown in the US. It is generally accepted that John Kennedy’s 1960 election victory over Richard Nixon was crucially influenced by some dodgy results from parts of South Texas and the city of Chicago, to cite an example benefitting a Democratic candidate. More recently, Republicans were recently caught trying to cook the electoral books in a congressional bi-election in North Carolina.

Republicans know the demographic tide is running against them these days.

Brady shows he is human ANYONE who has ever played golf in a group with at least some members who are not close friends knows the feeling. It’s not a good feeling. You’re basically scared to death: What are these near strangers going to think of me and my golf game and even my worthiness to be out here on the course if I shank my drive on the first tee, or hit my first approach shot off line and 30 yards over the green?

This anxiety is perfectly natural. But knowing that doesn’t help a bit when you’re locked up on that first tee or on the first fairway.

Watching one of the NFL’s greatest all-time players struggle with exactly these feelings on Sunday afternoon in a made for TV charity golf match was a welcome dose of reassurance for every golfer who has ever experienced the approach anxiety of a first round with relative strangers.

In an arranged match on a renowned course north

bias has been detected and officials have worked diligently to eliminate it. But for international applicants to US colleges and universities, the competition with American kids for high SAT/ ACT scores has always been unequal. American high schoolers, especially from affluent areas, have much greater access to test preparation and other academic resources. It is no surprise they score much higher on average

chubby Charles Barkley in a guest role as commentator and provocateur, Brady surprised everyone, most of all himself.

From over 100 yards out of the fairway, he pulled out a wedge and holed the shot for a natural birdie.

From the commentators to his fellow contestants to the millions watching on TV, no one believed it for a long instant. Brady clearly was unprepared for such success, and showed an all too human hesitation as he attempted to regain his composure and swagger.

His natural grace prevailed, the match continued and proved to be quite enjoyable. After all, it was live sports played by popular, iconic figures and served as a welcome distraction from the dreary mounting death toll and economic hardship that pervades every corner of the US. And Tom Brady reminded us why we admire him and all sports stars who can transport us to a different, better place.

PRESIDENT Trump maintains a loyal Twitter following

As the acknowledged party of white men and some white women, the GOP is fighting an ultimately losing battle as non-white Americans and immigrants assert increasing electoral strength in numbers.

Senate majority leader Mitch McConnell knows this as well as anyone.

That’s why he has so proudly led the fight to install conservative prowhite judges throughout the federal judiciary, including especially on the US Supreme Court.

The big question is whether the Republicans can manage to keep their finger in this demographic dike for one more election this November. Twitter’s decision to finally start to fact-check the mendacious current President won’t help the GOP cause.

PAGE 10, Thursday, May 28, 2020

THE TRIBUNE

What caused climate change in the past?

By JAMES RENWICK Professor, Physical Geography (climate science), Te Herenga Waka — Victoria University of Wellington BURNING fossil fuels or vegetation is one way to put carbon dioxide into the air – and it is something we have become very good at. Humans are generating nearly 40 billion tons of carbon dioxide every year, mostly by burning fossil fuels.

Carbon dioxide stays in the air for centuries to millennia and it builds up over time. Since we began the systematic use of coal and oil for fuel, around 300 years ago, the amount of carbon dioxide in the air has gone up by almost half.

Apart from the emissions we add, carbon dioxide concentrations in the air go up and down as part of the

natural carbon cycle, driven by exchanges between the air, the oceans and the biosphere (life on earth), and ultimately by geological processes.

Every year, carbon dioxide concentrations rise and fall a little as plants grow in spring and summer and die off in the autumn and winter. The timing of this seasonal rise and fall is tied to northern hemisphere seasons, as most of the land surface on Earth is there.

The oceans also play an active role in the carbon cycle, contributing to variations over a few months to slow shifts over centuries. Ocean water takes up carbon dioxide directly in an exchange between the air and seawater. Tiny marine plants use carbon dioxide for photosynthesis and many microscopic marine organisms use carbon compounds to make

shells. When these marine micro-organisms die and sink to the seafloor, they take the carbon with them.

Collectively, the biosphere (ecosystems on land and in soils) and the oceans are absorbing about half of all human-emitted carbon dioxide, and this slows the rate of climate change. But as the climate continues to change and the oceans warm up further, it is not clear whether the biosphere and oceans will continue absorbing such a large fraction of our emissions. As water warms, it is less able to absorb carbon dioxide, and as the climate changes, many ecosystems become stressed and are less able to photosynthesise carbon dioxide.

On time scales of hundreds of thousands to millions of years, carbon dioxide concentrations in the air have varied hugely, and so has global climate.

This long-term carbon cycle involves the formation and decay of the Earth’s surface itself: tectonic plate activity, the build-up and weathering of mountain chains, prolonged volcanic activity, and the emergence of new seafloor at active mid-ocean faults.

Most of the carbon stored in the Earth’s crust is in the form of limestone, created from the carbon-based shells of marine organisms that sank to the ocean floor millions of year ago.

Carbon dioxide is added to the air when volcanoes erupt, and it is taken out of the air as rocks and mountain ranges weather and wear down. These processes typically take millions of years to add or subtract carbon dioxide from the atmosphere.

In the present day, volcanoes add only a little carbon dioxide to the air, around

1% of what human activity is currently contributing.

But there have been times in the past where volcanic activity has been vastly greater and has spewed large amounts of carbon dioxide into the air.

An example is around 250 million years ago, when prolonged volcanic activity raised atmospheric carbon dioxide levels dramatically.

These were volcanic eruptions on a vast scale - lasting for around two million years and causing a mass extinction.

In the more recent geological past, the past 50 million years, carbon dioxide levels have been gradually dropping overall and the climate has been cooling, with some ups and downs. Once carbon dioxide concentrations became low enough (around 300 parts per million) between two and three million

years ago, the current ice age cycle began, but the warming our emissions are causing is larger than the natural cooling trend.

While Earth’s climate has changed significantly in the past, it happened on geological time scales. The carbon in the oil and coal we burn represents carbon dioxide taken up by vegetation hundreds of millions of years ago and then deposited through geological processes over millennia.

We have burned a significant proportion within a few centuries.

If human emissions of carbon dioxide continue to increase through this century, we could reach levels not seen for tens of millions of years, when Earth had a much warmer climate with much higher sea levels and no ice sheets. theconversation.com

THE TRIBUNE

Thursday, May 28, 2020, PAGE 11

US death toll surges past 100,000 HARTFORD Associated Press The US yesterday surpassed a jarring milestone in the coronavirus pandemic: 100,000 deaths.

That number is the best estimate and most assuredly an undercount. But it represents the stark reality that more Americans have died from the virus than from the Vietnam and Korean wars combined.

“It’s a striking reminder of how dangerous this virus can be,” said Josh Michaud, associate director of global health policy with the Kaiser Family Foundation in Washington.

The once-unthinkable toll appears to be just the beginning of untold misery in the months ahead as Las Vegas casinos and Walt Disney World make plans to reopen, crowds of unmasked Americans swarm beaches and public health officials predict a resurgence by fall.

Dr. Anthony Fauci, the nation’s top infectious disease expert, issued a stern warning after watching video of Memorial Day crowds gathered at a pool party in Missouri.

“We have a situation in which you see that type of crowding with no mask and people interacting. That’s not prudent, and that’s

inviting a situation that could get out of control,” he said during an interview yesterday on CNN. “Don’t start leapfrogging some of the recommendations in the guidelines because that’s really tempting fate and asking for trouble.”

Worldwide, the virus has infected more than 5.6 million people and killed over 350,000, with the US having the most confirmed cases and deaths by far, according to a tally by Johns Hopkins University. Europe has recorded about 170,000 deaths, while the U.S. reached more than 100,000 in less than four months.

The true death toll from the

virus, which emerged in China late last year and was first reported in the U.S. in January, is widely believed to be significantly higher, with experts saying many victims died of COVID-19 without ever being tested for it.

Early on, President Donald Trump downplayed the severity of the coronavirus, likening it to the flu, and predicted the US wouldn’t reach 100,000 deaths.

“I think we’ll be substantially under that number,” Trump said on April 10. Ten days later, he said, “We’re going toward 50- or 60,000 people.” Ten days after that: “We’re probably heading to 60,000, 70,000.”

Critics have said deaths spiked because Trump was slow to respond, but he has contended on Twitter that it could have been 20 times higher without his actions.

He has urged states to reopen their economies after months of stay-at-home restrictions.

Las Vegas casinos can welcome tourists again on June 4. SeaWorld and Walt Disney World plan to reopen to limited numbers of tourists in Orlando, Florida, in June and July. And people who have been cooped up indoors began venturing outside in droves, often without practicing social distancing or wearing masks.

Victim involved in police encounter had started a new life in Minnesota Associated Press BEFORE he died after being pinned for minutes beneath a Minneapolis police officer’s knee, George Floyd was suffering the same fate as millions of Americans during the coronavirus pandemic: out of work and looking for a new job.

Floyd moved to Minneapolis from his native Houston several years ago in hopes of finding work and starting a new life, said Christopher Harris, Floyd’s lifelong friend. But he lost his job as a bouncer at a restaurant when Minnesota’s governor issued a stay-athome order.

On Monday night, an employee at a Minneapolis grocery store called police after Floyd allegedly tried to pass a counterfeit $20 bill.

In widely circulated cellphone video of the subsequent arrest, Floyd, who was black, can be seen on the ground with his hands cuffed behind his back while Officer Derek Chauvin presses him to the pavement with his knee on Floyd’s neck. The video shows Chauvin, who is white, holding Floyd down for minutes as Floyd complains he can’t breathe. The video ends with paramedics

lifting a limp Floyd onto a stretcher and placing him in an ambulance.

Four officers were fired Tuesday; yesterday, Mayor Jacob Frey called for Chauvin to be criminally charged. Frey made no mention of the other three officers, who were also at the scene.

Police say Floyd was resisting arrest, but Chauvin’s lawyer has declined to comment and the other officers have not been publicly identified.

Floyd, 46, grew up in Houston’s Third Ward, one of the city’s predominantly black neighbourhoods, where he and Harris met in middle school. At 6 feet, 6 inches, Floyd emerged as a star tight end for Jack Yates High School and played in the 1992 state championship game in the Houston Astrodome. Yates lost to Temple, 38-20.

Donnell Cooper, one of Floyd’s former classmates, said he remembered watching Floyd score touchdowns. Floyd towered over everyone and earned the nickname “gentle giant.”

“Quiet personality but a beautiful spirit,” Cooper said. His death “definitely caught me by surprise. It’s just so sad, the world we’re living in now.”

Floyd was charged in

GEORGE FLOYD, who died in police custody

2007 with armed robbery in a home invasion in Houston and in 2009 was sentenced to five years in prison as part of a plea deal, according to court documents.

Harris, Floyd’s childhood friend, said he and some of their mutual friends had moved to Minneapolis in search of jobs around 2014.

Harris said he talked Floyd into moving there as well after he got out of prison.

“He was looking to start over fresh, a new beginning,” Harris said. “He was happy with the change he was making.”

Floyd landed a job working security at a Salvation Army store in downtown Minneapolis.

He later started working two jobs, one driving trucks and another as a bouncer at Conga Latin Bistro, where he was known as “Big Floyd.”

“Always cheerful,” Jovanni Tunstrom, the bistro’s owner, said. “He had a good attitude. He would dance badly to make people laugh. I tried to teach him how to dance because he loved Latin music, but I couldn’t because he was too tall for me. He always

called me ‘Bossman.’ I said, ‘Floyd, don’t call me Bossman. I’m your friend.”

Harris said Floyd was laid off when Minnesota shut down restaurants as part of a stay-at-home order. He said he spoke with Floyd on Sunday night and gave him some information for contacting a temporary jobs agency.

“He was doing whatever it takes to maintain going forward with his life,” Harris said, adding he couldn’t believe that Floyd would resort to forgery.

“I’ve never known him to do anything like that.”

MEXICAN DRUG LORD SAYS: I’VE GOT NO MONEY MEXICO CITY Associated Press DRUG lord Rafael Caro Quintero, a notorious underworld figure who is on the FBI’s most wanted list for the murder of a federal agent over three decades ago, said in a legal appeal that he has no money, is too old to work and has no pension.

The odd plea was filed

by Caro Quintero’s lawyer seeking an injunction against his arrest or extradition to the United States for the kidnapping and murder of DEA Special Agent Enrique Camarena in Mexico in 1985.

The court papers state: “The plaintiff argues insolvency, because he says he is more than 60 years old and given that he is a fugitive from the law, cannot work or perform any activity to earn money.”

GN-2381

PAGE 14, Thursday, May 28, 2020

THE TRIBUNE

COVID-19 puts damper on Mario Ford baseball camp

By BRENT STUBBS Senior Sports Reporter bstubbs@tribunemedia.net FOR the past three decades, Mario Ford has spent a considerable amount of his time teaching so many youngsters the game of baseball at his homestead on Windsor Park, a place where he and his family were able to hone their skills in becoming some of the most successful players to participate in the sport, along with softball.

However, the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic and the Bahamas government’s decision to shut down all community parks has put a damper on Mario Ford’s camp, which is now into its 34th consecutive season, so much so that Ford himself isn’t sure how he will proceed once the all-clearance is given to resume sporting activities in the country and the social distancing and the wearing of masks in public that has become the new normal way of living.

“We would have finished our first session last week and would have been preparing for our summer session in July,” Ford said.

“But this pandemic has changed all of that right now.

“Moving forward, we have to go through this wait-and-see period of things would turn out and then we can look at how we will proceed because we have to take in consideration that safety comes first.”

Once the safety measures are explained by the health officials as they proceed into the new norm of sports in the country, Ford said he will have to sit down with the parents and chart the way forward.

“We may have to have the parents come out and be around with the kids so they can help keep them safe during their programmes,” said.

MARIO FORD, far left, shares a special moment with the campers.

Ford anticipates that it will definitely not be business as usual. For the past 34 years, Ford has been instructing young boys and girls between the ages of four and 15 in the art of the game. But whenever there are players who show up outside of that range, Ford said he tries to work with them as well. “I wanted to teach them the basic fundamentals of the game so that when they move on to the next level, they would have a foundation to build on,” he said. “Once they move up, they will have different coaches teaching them different strategies to get them to where they need to be.

“So it’s just been my drive to help them to learn the game from an early age, while interacting with other kids and being able to take advantage of the opportunities that are now afforded so many of our players to earn scholarships or to play at the professional level.”

This year’s camp got started in February but was forced to shut down in March when the government put the restrictions on mass gatherings of sporting events to help curb the spread of the coronavirus.

“I think this is something that caught everybody off guard, but the measures

that the government has put in place is inevitable,” Ford said.

“We just have to work along with what’s going on because it’s not only in the Bahamas, but it has affected sports worldwide.

“It’s tough because I think we’re still learning how to deal with this coronavirus. We just have to take it one day at a time and confront the issues as it comes because every day there is a different challenge.”

Ford, a former national team baseball, softball and cricket player, said he decided to continue with his programme every year so as to provide an avenue for the inner city children to participate in the game if they can’t afford the financial means to be a part of the Freedom Farm in Yamacraw or the Junior Baseball League of Nassau at the Field of Dreams at St Andrew’s School. “I decided to split up and do the camp three times a year so that I can give the players more time to develop their game,” Ford said.

“So rather than having the camp in June and July, I split it up from February to May, then July and then come back in September and October.”

And although it’s a selfhelp programme with a grant from the Ministry of Youth, Sports and Culture and a few companies who assist financially, Ford said it has been beneficial with more than 50 participants registered on a yearly basis.

“If they are going to improve, they need to be playing baseball on a daily basis,” Ford said.

“I don’t think we give them enough baseball to play because some of them play other sports as well,” he said.

Wherever feasible, Ford takes a team to Grand Bahama where they get to participate in the Bahamas Baseball Association’s National Tournament that has been postponed because of the coronavirus.

Like everybody else, Ford said he’s abiding by the 24-hour curfews and weekend lockdowns by staying at home where he’s staying in constant contact with his family members and those in the baseball fraternity.

He noted that he just has to decide how he will proceed once he’s given the green light by the government to resume sporting activities in the country and more precisely at his base on Windsor Park.

ATA MEMBERS BAND TOGETHER TO RENOVATE TENNIS COURT IN ABACO IN part one of their series on the rebuilding of tennis in Abaco, the Bahamas Lawn Tennis Association revealed how the Abaco Tennis Association (ATA) members banded together to renovate a tennis court in Dundas Town, Abaco, after the passage of Hurricane Dorian destroyed their old tennis courts in Forest Heights.

Those efforts were stalled due to the occurrence of the global pandemic.

However, since the opening of construction and maintenance sectors, the rebuilding has resumed.

President of the ATA Cameel Mcdonald has led the clean-up efforts and thanks all who have given to the efforts through their time, energy and donations.

The process although not easy has started and will allow the members to experience tennis again and to come back to a small sense of normalcy.

In 2019, BLTA president Darnette Weir organised a fundraiser tournament in November to aid the efforts of the ATA. This was greatly appreciated.

The initiative over the last few weeks was done under the “All-Hands-In” campaign. In the words of President Macdonald: “Success does not come overnight but it takes preparation, toiling and perseverance.”

Pictured top and below: ATA members assisting with the clean-up of the courts. They were excited to help in improving the court that will be a focal point of tennis development in Abaco.

MLB PLAYERS WILL TAKE TIME TO RESPOND TO MONEY-SLASHING PLAN

By RONALD BLUM AP Baseball Writer NEW YORK (AP) — Baseball players will take at least a few days and possibly until next week to respond to Major League Baseball’s proposed sliding scale of salary slashing for a pandemic-delayed season in ballparks without fans.

Stars Mike Trout and Gerrit Cole would lose the most under the proposal teams made Tuesday, about 77 per cent of the $36 million each they were set to be paid this season.

A big leaguer earning $1 million or less would keep at least 43 per cent of his salary under the sixtier scale. About 460 of

approximately 900 players on rosters and injured lists when spring training was stopped in mid-March due to the new coronavirus make $1 million or less.

Trout and Cole would be cut to about $8 million each. Colorado’s Nolan Arenado would drop from $35 million to $7.84 million.

“Interesting strategy of

making the best most marketable players potentially look like the bad guys,” Milwaukee pitcher Brett Anderson tweeted.

The players’ association called the proposal “extremely disappointing.”

The union has argued players already accepted a cut to prorated shares of their salaries in a March 26

To advertise ALL your LEGAL NOTICES, call The Tribune’s Sales Department

502-2394

agreement and should not have to bargain again.

MLB would like to start the season around the Fourth of July in empty ballparks and proposed an 82-game regular season schedule. It claims teams would lose billions of dollars by playing with no ticket money and gaterelated revenue.

“This season is not looking promising,” New York Mets pitcher Marcus Stroman tweeted. “Keeping the mind and body ready regardless.”

Union head Tony Clark has not commented publicly on MLB’s proposal and has said very little publicly since late March. Agent Scott Boras has repeatedly criticised MLB for proposing more salary reductions and has questioned the accuracy of management’s financial claims.

“Hearing a LOT of rumours about a certain player agent meddling in MLBPA affairs,” Cincinnati pitcher Trevor Bauer tweeted yesterday. “If true -- and at this point, these are only rumours -- I have one thing to say... Scott Boras, rep your clients however you want to, but keep your damn personal agenda out of union business.”

Boras did not respond to a request for comment on Bauer’s remarks.

“Working together to manage the public health

issue has brought great solidarity among the players,” Boras said earlier in the day.

“They are a strong united front and resolute in their support of the MLBPA.” Players are expected to propose more games, which would yield a higher percentage of their original salaries. MLB says that without fans each additional game would result in a $640,000 loss.

Brewers chairman Mark Attanasio told the Greater Milwaukee Committee on Tuesday “the be-carefulwhat-you-wish for part is hours every day.”

“It’s got to come together very quickly or we won’t be able to, we will just run out of time,” he said. “To pay players at a full contract rate, pretty much 90 per cent of that would go to pay them and wouldn’t cover any other costs.”

Details of the plan have been disclosed to The Associated Press by several people familiar with the proposal.

They spoke on condition of anonymity because details have not been announced.

MLB’s proposal says that within 48 hours of the ratification of an agreement for player compensation terms and for health and safety protocols, the commissioner’s office would announce a proposed timeline for the resumption of the season.

The resumption would include a training period of at least 21 days, and each team would be allowed a maximum of three exhibition games, all in the final seven days of the training period.

Opening day would be in early July, and the final scheduled regular-season game would be no later than September 27 — the same as in the original 2020 schedule.

Issues such as roster size, trade deadlines, series length and treatment of the luxury tax would be delegated to a subcommittee.

THE TRIBUNE

Thursday, May 28, 2020, PAGE 15

ZOOM CALLS, DRIVE-INS: DANES GET CREATIVE FOR SOCCER RESTART

By STEVE DOUGLAS AP Sports Writer WHEN Danish soccer resumes in empty stadiums this week amid the coronavirus pandemic, teams will be competing for points on the field and to deliver the most innovative experience for their fans off it.

FC Midtjylland, the league leader, has had a plan in the works for some time: A “drive-in” where at least 2,000 supporters can watch games from inside their cars outside the team’s MCH Arena. Giant screens have been installed in the stadium’s parking lot and footage of the fans in their cars is set to be screened inside the arena, starting at Midtjylland’s game against AC Horsens on Saturday.

“It’s nice that they will be parked outside the stadium and watching the game live in some way,” FC Midtjylland captain Erik Sviatchenko told The Associated Press, “instead of sitting at home on their couch.”

Title rival AGF Aarhus might just have raised the bar.

For its game against Randers today — one that marks the league’s resumption after a break of 2 1/2 months — Aarhus is installing three giant screens along one side of the field inside Ceres Park, on which it will display the faces of more than 10,000 fans on a live video call via conferencing software Zoom.

There will be 22 different sections where fans can be positioned, and they will be incorporated in television coverage of the game.

“We consider ourselves rivals to FC Midtjylland,” said Søren Højlund Carlsen, a communications executive at Aarhus, “and when we saw that they were doing (the drive-in), we thought could we do something even better, even bigger.”

Aarhus has described it as the world’s first “virtual grandstand.”

Some soccer clubs are going to great lengths to make their players feel at home while fans aren’t allowed in stadiums.

In Germany, the first major European league to resume play, fans of

PICTURES of soccer fans are placed in the stands as Ceres Park Football Stadium gets ready for the Danish Superliga match between AGF and Randers FC in Aarhus, Denmark, yesterday. (AP) Borussia Mönchengladbach took pictures at home in a shirt or scarf and paid 19 euros ($20.70) to be turned into one of the “Pappkameraden” or “cardboard companions.”

About 13,000 of the cut-outs filled the stands during Mönchengladbach’s home game against Bayer Leverkusen.

Also, more than 1,000 Cologne fans lent shirts and

scarves to a “lucky charm” support display in the stands for their team’s game with Mainz.

In what might be seen as a warning to Aarhus, Borussia Dortmund organised a video chat with players and fans on Zoom after beating local rival Schalke 4-0 in their first game back.

The chat was cut short after some users started posting insults, local

newspapers reported. Still, Aarhus believes its idea could be an inspiration for other leagues, with soccer gradually returning across the world.

“There’s been a lot of international interest surrounding this project,” Carlsen said. “So the leagues in other countries are aware of this and we’ve already been approached by clubs in France,

Holland, Norway and other countries.

“As we saw with the Bundesliga, it’s a special setting and maybe we need to create some sort of an atmosphere so people watching from their homes will feel it doesn’t just look like football, but also feels like football.”

Aarhus fans can order tickets and decide which stand they want to be in.

They can watch the game alongside the people they would usually sit next to in the ground. There is also a section for away fans.

Carlsen said the club also would try to get sound from the Zoom meeting into the stadium speakers, allowing fans to sing and roar on their team.

“But we need it to be a sound that isn’t just going to disturb the players,” he said.

Sviatchenko said he is looking forward to hearing Midtjylland’s fans cheer the team on from their cars.

“Because I can tell you,” he said, “a stadium without any fans, playing football 11 versus 11, that is a quiet place to be.”

NWSL returning to play with summertime tournament in Utah

By EDDIE PELLS AP National Writer PRO soccer returns to the US next month when the National Women’s Soccer League starts a 25-game tournament in a pair of stadiums in Utah that will be kept clear of fans to protect players from the coronavirus.

Players from the nine teams will train and live at two Salt Lake City-area hotels, the league announced yesterday. All players will be tested for COVID-19 before leaving for Utah, and then will be regularly screened during their monthlong stay.

No fans will be allowed into the Zions Bank or Rio Tinto stadiums, two suburban Salt Lake City venues that will host the action.

The tournament begins June 27, with games to be televised and streamed by CBS and its online and broadcast affiliates. It’s a boon for a league that was looking for a new TV partner in the wake of the US women’s victory in the World Cup last year and now finds itself on the front end of American leagues returning and offering live sports in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic.

The league’s biggest draw, World Cup star Megan Rapinoe, is under contract with Reign FC. The league gave no indication of whether she would play in the tournament, and the availability of several of the league’s national team stars is in question, according to a report by The Washington Post.

The US Women’s National Team Players Association confirmed in a statement that national team players could opt out of the tournament. But it was not certain which players, if any, were planning to do so.

The USWNTPA’s top priority is player health and safety — both physical and mental. Consistent with that value, the USWNTPA and the US Soccer Federation have agreed that each national team player may choose for herself whether to participate in the NWSL 2020 Challenge Cup, and the USWNTPA and the USSF “will provide support to each player in whatever decision she makes.”

US Soccer was supportive of the tournament.

PREMIER LEAGUE TEAMS APPROVE CONTACT TRAINING AS PLAYERS’ FEARS LINGER

By ROB HARRIS AP Global Soccer Writer MANCHESTER, England (AP) — The Premier League is on course to restart next month after clubs approved plans yesterday to resume contact training even as some players are concerned about taking to the field again during the coronavirus pandemic.

The vote by the 20 clubs came after gaining clearance from the government for players to work together as a squad as restrictions are eased across England.

Players and staff members at clubs are being checked twice a week for COVID-19. Four people from three clubs tested positive from tests on 1,008 players and staff on Monday and Tuesday.

The clubs will hold another conference call today to discuss plans to resume the season in the second half of June, including the scheduling of games that will all be closed to fans. The location of matches is still to be resolved after clubs rejected proposals for all fixtures to be played in neutral venues.

Clubs are also discussing the potential need to refund broadcasters $400 million because of the disruption to the season and changes to the product if the league resumes.

There are still contingencies being formulated if there is a need to abandon the season, which was suspended in March with Liverpool leading by 25 points with nine games remaining.

For now, the teams are trying to get the players match fit after an unprecedented time away from the sport.

After working in smaller groups and avoiding contact

since training resumed last week, players can now enter the next phase to step up preparations for games.

The protocols still acknowledge the social distancing required in wider society.

“Squads are now able to train as a group and engage in tackling while minimising any unnecessary close contact,” the Premier League said in a statement.

Germany’s top division restarted on May 16 and Spain has government approval for games after June 8. England’s resumption will only come later in the month.

“Discussions are ongoing as work continues towards resuming the season,” the Premier League said, “when conditions allow ... when safe to do so.”

In the fourth round of COVID-19 testing later this week, the number available to each team will rise to 60.

Bournemouth goalkeeper Aaron Ramsdale and Watford defender Adrian Mariappa are the

only players announced as testing positive for the disease in last week’s tests.

Some players still have reservations about playing — particularly at Watford, which is a place above the relegation zone.

“I’m not in favour of the Premier League returning, in a sense that not everyone is comfortable with it,” Watford backup goalkeeper Heurelho Gomes said in a video interview.

“I believe the virus isn’t going away from one day to another. We obviously hope it does, but the problem will remain until a vaccine is developed.”

Watford captain Troy Deeney did not return to training last week over concerns about his son’s health.

“Some players need more time, and that can be a disadvantage to some smaller clubs as they don’t have too many replacements,” Gomes said. “We should only return when everyone is cool about it and we have more time for training and adapting.”

“Throughout the collaborative planning process, US Soccer has worked closely with the NWSL and the USWNT Players Association to focus on the health and safety of the players, both regarding COVID-19 and the physical aspects of the players returning to a preseason and tournament competition, and ensure that each player would have the option of participating in the event,” the federation said in a statement.

The league was supposed to begin its 2020 season on April 18.

The NWSL players’ union agreed to the terms of the return, which will include four games of pool play for each team, followed by an eight-team, single-elimination tournament that will conclude July 26.

“As the plans for the tournament unfolded, it was our priority as the (players’ association) to protect our players, and we feel that NWSL shares those values,” union leaders Yael Overmuch and Brooke Elby said in a statement.

America’s major men’s soccer league, MLS, has resumed limited training in the hopes of restarting this summer. The German Bundesliga resumed play in empty stadiums earlier this month after a two-month hiatus; other major leagues in Europe, including the Premier League, are trying to figure out the logistics of getting back to play.

The NWSL used the rollout of the plans for its summertime tournament to also announce a new sponsorship deal with Verizon.

SPORTS

PAGE 16, Thursday, May 28, 2020

SECTION E

THE TRIBUNE

EPL, PAGE 15

THURSDAY, MAY 28, 2020

Cargill: National swimming championships postponed

By RENALDO DORSETT Tribune Sports Reporter rdorsett@tribunemedia.net

A

s Bahamas Aquatics gradually works its way back into the pool through several phases, the altered timeline has prompted the organisation to announce the official postponement of its national championships due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Several senior swimmers have returned to the training sessions under Phase 1 of the Government of the Bahamas’ plan to re-open the economy, however, it does not include an allowance for youth sports to continue. “Our swimmers are slowly returning to

No timetable set for newly proposed date the pool under a very regulated social-distancing environment and, unfortunately, with no parents allowed in the stands and limited competitive swimmers at each session.

“We have not yet returned to the pool, non-national team swimmers or learn to swim, and the darlings of nationals, the 8-andunder and 9-10 swimmers. This is really not ideal but it’s a start

and we hope to be back to normal later this summer,” Algernon Cargill, president of Bahamas Aquatics, said in his message to the swimming community posted on social media. “These changes can only mean that we cannot hold the 2020 National Swimming Championships in June 2020, and although we have received excellent feedback from some of you (some have not responded),

I am writing to formally advise that, in addition to postponing the 2020 National Swimming Championships.”

No timetable has been set for the newly proposed date.

“We cannot now confirm that the 2020 Championships will be held this year. As the year unfolds, and we can see the impact of returning to normalcy on our swimming programme, we can confirm in September 2020 if we will be able to hold a modified National Swimming Championships in 2020,” Cargill said.

“I do hope that we are able to return all swimmers to the pool in the next 30 days and Bahamas Aquatics will continue to keep you up-to-date on these plans as

soon as we receive more information from the government.

The decision to be made will be whether the 2020 Championships will be mandatory (as is outlined in our rules) and we will also provide feedback on this in our next communication.”

Swimmers currently training at Betty-Kelly-Kenning Aquatic Centre adhere to strict guidelines and protocols in line with FINA and USA Swimming. The 35th CARIFTA Championships, previously set to take place April 11-14 in Wildey, Barbados, has officially been cancelled after over a month of deliberation. Saint Lucia was awarded the 36th edition April 3-5 in 2021, COVID-19 pandemic permitting.

TYRON Woodley works out ahead of a UFC 205 mixed martial arts bout. The Nevada Athletic Commission unanimously agreed during a teleconference yesterday to allow two UFC events and two Top Rank boxing shows in Las Vegas over the next two weeks.

(AP Photo/Julio Cortez)

UFC, boxing back on in Vegas

By GREG BEACHAM AP Sports Writer MIXED martial arts and boxing are back in business in Nevada.

The Nevada Athletic Commission unanimously agreed yesterday to allow two UFC events and two Top Rank boxing shows in Las Vegas over the next two weeks.

The decision ends the moratorium on combat sports that has been in place in Nevada since March 14, when the commission stopped competition amid the coronavirus pandemic.

The UFC immediately confirmed its plans to stage a show without fans in attendance Saturday night at the UFC Apex arena on its expansive corporate complex in Las Vegas.

This will be followed by the UFC 250 pay-per-view show at the same place June 6.

Top Rank is expected to hold fan-free boxing shows at the MGM Grand on June 9 and June 11.

Citing the importance of sports to the state’s economy and morale, Nevada Governor Steve Sisolak announced Tuesday night that sporting events could return if promoters followed health rules approved by the appropriate authorities.

The commission on Wednesday approved stringent coronavirus safety protocols to accompany the return of combat sports to their hometown. The UFC and Top Rank have worked closely with the commission in recent weeks to create the protocols, according to Bob Bennett, the commission’s executive director.

“Throughout this process, we’ve been working hand in glove with the UFC,” Bennett said. “I’m aware of their operations plan, and everything is moving forward based on their operations plan and our protocols.”

The UFC established a partial blueprint for the safety rules when it staged three shows in Jacksonville,

Florida, earlier this month while waiting to get approval from the Nevada commission to return to its hometown.

The Nevada commission’s safety protocols include immediate testing and mandated quarantine at a hotel upon all participants’ arrival in Las Vegas, followed by another test and isolation period before the events.

The UFC is expected to stage several domestic cards in Las Vegas over the upcoming weeks, and President Dana White still intends to hold other shows on a private island for fighters not based in the US. The UFC show Saturday will be headlined by former welterweight champion Tyron Woodley facing Gilbert Burns.

The main event of UFC 250 on June 6 features dominant two-division champion Amanda Nunes defending her featherweight belt against Canadian challenger Felicia Spencer.