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FNM petition is last resort

Butler-Turner wants amicable resolution over convention

21-YEAR-OLD SHOT DEAD IN FREEPORT MURDER POLICE in Grand Bahama are investigating a shooting incident that has left a 21-year-old Freeport man dead.

According to initial police reports, shortly after 10pm on Saturday, May 28, a man was sitting in a vehicle on Frobisher Circle when he was shot multiple times about the body by unknown persons.

SEE PAGE SIX

CELEBRATING AS EDNA TURNS 100

By TANEKA THOMPSON Tribune News Editor tmthompson@tribunemedia.net

LONG Island MP Loretta Butler-Turner yesterday said that the FNM’s parliamentary caucus does not want to resort to petitioning Governor General Dame Marguerite Pindling to have Dr Hubert Minnis removed as leader of the Official Opposition, but prefers to reach an “amicable” decision on an earlier convention date.

And while some view the MPs’ threat to express no confidence in their leader as a mutiny against Dr Minnis, Mrs Butler-Turner said the parliamentary caucus was not planning a “coup”, but was simply pushing for an early convention to put the FNM on the best footing to win the next general election.

Last week, The Tribune reported that the FNM appeared to be “teetering” on the brink of a leadership meltdown following an “explosive” council meet-

FNM MP Loretta Butler-Turner. ing on Thursday, which saw serious threats levelled at Dr Minnis to have him removed from the post by way of a petition to the governor general.

The Tribune understands the matter was raised in the council meeting by Fort Charlotte MP Dr Andre Rollins after the issue was discussed in an earlier parliamentary meeting.

When asked about this, Mrs Butler-Turner said: “For him (Dr Rollins) to say something like that was SEE PAGE SIX

‘MINNIS CAN SHOW HE IS FIT TO LEAD, THEN GO ON TO BECOME PM’

By AVA TURNQUEST Tribune Chief Reporter aturnquest@tribunemedia.net

FORT Charlotte MP Dr Andrew Rollins has said whether Free National Movement Leader Dr Hubert Minnis has what it takes to be prime minister will depend on if he can convince

the party that he is the “most fit” to lead at a convention.

Dr Rollins’ comments follow an explosive council meeting last Thursday, where he was said to have teamed up with senior MPs to issue an ultimatum for an early convention.

SEE PAGE SIX

IT was a special day for Edna Dorsette, who celebrated her 100th birthday. The Department of Social Services in conjuction with the Yellow Elder Day Care Centre held a celebration for her on Friday. For more photographs, see page two.

Photo: Shawn Hanna/Tribune Staff

CALL FOR CASH TO BE DISCIPLINED FOR COMMENTS

By KHRISNA VIRGIL Tribune Staff Reporter kvirgil@tribunemedia.net

SOME factions within the Free National Movement recommended that former FNM Chairman Darron Cash face disciplinary action over his critical

public commentary of the party and FNM Leader Dr Hubert Minnis, The Tribune understands.

The suggestion, according to party insiders, was put forward during a “spirited” council meeting last Thursday by some members in the organisation.

However, it is unclear if any action will be taken against Mr Cash.

This gathering also saw Dr Minnis openly rebuke FNM political hopeful Lincoln Bain with accusations that he may have been secretly recording the ongoing meeting, the sources

MAJOR CABLE FAULT BLAMED AS NEW PROVIDENCE HIT BY BLACKOUT

By LAMECH JOHNSON Tribune Staff Reporter ljohnson@tribunemedia.net

A “MAJOR cable fault” was the reason for an islandwide blackout that occurred Sunday afternoon, officials from Bahamas Power and Light (BPL) said.

According to a statement released by BPL’s public relations officer Arnette Ingraham, the cable

fault “was responsible for shutting down generation, transmission and distribution networks on the island”.

She said that following an initial investigation, crews began restarting the failed engines and incrementally restoring supply to affected communities.

The blackout occurred shortly before 1pm.

“By 4.30pm, supply had

been restored to approximately 70 per cent of BPL customers in New Providence and by 6.30pm supply was fully restored,” the statement said.

The statement added that BPL apologises to its customers affected by the outage on Sunday and a previous island outage that occurred on May 23.

Nassau & Bahama Islands’ Leading Newspaper

SEE PAGE EIGHT

claimed.

Just last week, Mr Cash blamed Dr Minnis for the “dismal state” of the Official Opposition and said it is now time for the party to seek “fresh, new” leadership.

SEE PAGE SEVEN

WOMAN HANDS HERSELF IN AFTER ZNS RADIO HOST IS MURDERED

By LAMECH JOHNSON Tribune Staff Reporter ljohnson@tribunemedia.net

A 30-YEAR-OLD woman wanted by police to help in their investigation into the recent murder of a veteran ZNS radio broadcaster turned herself in for questioning over the weekend.

SEE PAGE SEVEN

CELEBRATING AS EDNA TURNS 100

PAGE 2, Monday, May 30, 2016

THE TRIBUNE

EDNA Dorsette pictured at her special 100th years birthday celebration thrown by the Department of Social Services in conjuction with Yellow Elder Day Care Centre.

Photos: Shawn Hanna/Tribune Staff

MELANIE GRIFFIN MP, Minister of Social Services, pictured giving into the spirit at Edna Dorsette’s 100th birthday celebration.

THE CELEBRATION at the Yellow Elder Day Care Centre.

MELANIE Griffin with Edna Dorsette at her 100th birthday celebration.

THE TRIBUNE

Monday, May 30, 2016, PAGE 3

LIFEGUARD TO THE RESCUE AT ONE&ONLY OCEAN CLUB

Collie concern at ‘slush fund’ in Budget

By RASHAD ROLLE Tribune Staff Reporter rrolle@tribunemedia.net WHAT could have been a tragedy for one family on a cruise to The Bahamas last week ended happily when a lifeguard at the One&Only Ocean Club saved a mother from drowning.

Lifeguard McKeeve Chan Tack was at his post on Cabbage Beach when he heard about a woman who had suffered the effects of near drowning and came to the rescue.

In an interview with The Tribune on Friday, he said: “A lady came down from the public end of the beach and told (me and another lifeguard) that a lady had drowned about five minutes ago.

“I grabbed the bag and got one of my co-workers.

We ran down the beach and she was surrounded by people on land.”

The tourist had been rescued from the water but she was barely breathing, Mr Chan Tack, who has been working as a lifeguard for two years, said.

“We got to work. She was surrounded by about ten people and about five of them were ‘doctors’ but they weren’t treating her properly so she was choking. She was lying on her back, choking on the water that entered her lungs or

By AVA TURNQUEST Tribune Chief Reporter aturnquest@tribunemedia.net

LIFEGUARD McKeeve Chan Tack. whatever. in distress watching their “We didn’t have to do mother gasp for air.

CPR because she still had “They were very thanka pulse but we did give her ful,” he said. some rescue breaths to help Mr Chan Tack said the her bring the water back woman he helped was up and then we gave her Deepa Shah, a radiologist. oxygen and then we waited There was still one unforuntil the paramedics came.” tunate outcome from the The woman, he said, incident: the family missed was surrounded by her two their cruise leaving The Bateenage children who were hamas.

FREE National Movement Chairman Sidney Collie yesterday alleged that the stark increase of the Office of the Prime Minister’s 2016/2017 budget allocation was proof that the government intends to use public funds as an election tool.

Mr Collie demanded an explanation for the dramatic increase in the Office of the Prime Minister’s contingency provision from a meagre $29,000 the previous fiscal year to $2m. He called the provision a “slush fund”.

“The previous fiscal year the fund stood at $29,000 – that’s right, $29,000. Now it’s $2m – a stunning increase of 6,000 per cent.”

He added: “What’s even more stunning is that the prime minister used less than $1,000 for the first nine months of the last fiscal year. So why the astronomical increase?”

He questioned what the $2m would be used for.

“The people deserve to know, it is their right, considering it is the tax payer’s dollars that are funding it.”

According to the 2016/2017 budget, funding for the Office of the Prime Minister increased by

SIX IN HOSPITAL AFTER TWO SHOOTING INCIDENTS SIX men are in hospital after two separate shooting incidents over the weekend, police said.

The first shooting occurred just before midnight on Saturday.

According to police, three men were standing in front of a home located on Sutton Street off Kemp Road when the occupants of a grey Honda Torino pulled up and fired several shots at them before speeding off.

The men were rushed to hospital where two of them remain in serious condition and the other is in stable condition.

Then shortly after midnight on Sunday, a group of men were standing on

Fowler Street off East Street when several men in a vehicle pulled up and fired several shots at them before speeding off.

Three of the men were shot and taken to hospital where two of them remain in serious condition and the other in stable condition.

Police are also looking for the suspects behind two armed robberies.

Shortly before 8am on Saturday, a man was standing in front of his home off JFK Drive when a man armed with a handgun approached and robbed him of cash before fleeing on foot.

Then shortly after noon, a woman was about to make a deposit at a bank located

DR ANDRE ROLLINS CORRECTION IN an article published on The Tribune’s website on Friday, it was alleged by sources within the Free National Movement that Dr Andre Rollins said at a council meeting on Thursday that had he known the opposition “was in such a precarious position, he

would never have left the Progressive Liberal Party”.

However, Dr Rollins has taken issue with this claim, telling The Tribune that any assertion that he made this statement is “absolutely incorrect”.

The Tribune would like to correct the matter.

on Poinciana Drive when two men armed with handguns robbed her of the deposit bag containing a large amount of cash and her wallet containing cash and personal documents. The suspects then fled the scene in a blue four-door Honda Accord car.

Police also arrested a man on Saturday for drug possession.

Reports are that shortly after 6pm, officers from the Mobile Division were on routine patrol on Thompson Lane off East Street,

where they saw a suspicious looking man standing in front of a home. The officers conducted a search of the man and uncovered 100 small foil wraps with marijuana in his possession. The man was then arrested.

Investigations into all of these matters continue.

$9,845,525 to $17,069,450.

The rise is mainly because of increased funding for several high-profile groups overseeing special projects.

These include the National Health Insurance Secretariat, which has received $2.5m; the Antiquities, Monuments & Museum Corporation, which will receive about $2.45m; and the Clifton Heritage Authority, which will receive a substantial increase of about $1.8m to take its total to $2.2m.

The budget also shows that $2m has been allocated in the Office of the Prime Minister for contingencies.

Yesterday, Mr Collie

questioned what safeguards were in place to ensure the fund was not used illegally or as an asset to the PLP’s election campaign.

“Sadly, this is nothing new for the PLP government,” he said.

“It’s just an extension of their corrupt ways where they lavish government contracts on their families and friends. Their mentality and actions have encouraged corruption to seep into every level of government, and their main directive is to enrich themselves.”

Mr Collie pledged that the FNM would investigate “corrupt practices” as a matter of priority if elected.

PAGE 4, Monday, May 30, 2016

THE TRIBUNE

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UN health agency rejects call to postpone Rio Olympics BERLIN (AP) — The World Health Organization on Saturday rejected a call from 150 health experts to consider postponing or moving the Rio Summer Olympics due to the Zika virus in hard-hit Brazil, arguing that the shift would make no significant difference to the spread of the virus.

The UN health agency, which declared the spread of Zika in the Americas a global emergency in February, said in a statement there is “no public health justification” for postponing or cancelling the 2016 games, which run from August 5-21.

Hundreds of thousands of people from around the world are expected to travel to Rio de Janeiro and other Brazilian destinations this summer to see some 10,000 athletes compete at the games.

In an open letter to the WHO directorgeneral released Friday, experts from over two dozen countries in fields including public health, bioethics and paediatrics — among them former White House science adviser Dr Philip Rubin — called for the Rio games to be delayed or relocated, though not cancelled, “in the name of public health”.

Friday’s letter cited recent scientific evidence that the Zika virus causes severe birth defects, most notably babies born with abnormally small heads. In adults, it can cause neurological problems, including a rare syndrome that can be fatal or result in temporary paralysis.

The authors also noted that despite increased efforts to wipe out the mosquitoes that spread Zika, the number of infections in Rio de Janeiro have gone up rather than down.

Several public health academics have previously warned that having so many people travel to the games in Brazil will inevitably lead to the births of more brain-damaged babies and speed up the virus’ global spread.

WHO, however, said “based on current assessment, cancelling or changing the location of the 2016 Olympics will not significantly alter the international spread of Zika virus.” It argued that Brazil is only one of dozens of countries where mosquitoes transmit the Zika virus and says “people continue to travel between these countries and territories for a variety of reasons”.

“Based on the current assessment of the Zika virus circulating in almost 60 countries globally and 39 in the Americas, there is no public health justification for postponing or cancelling the games,” it said. “WHO will continue to monitor the situation and update our advice as necessary.”

The agency noted its existing advice urging pregnant women not to travel to areas with Zika transmission, among other recommendations, and says other travellers should avoid the poor, overcrowded parts of Rio. One of the letter’s authors wasn’t impressed by the UN agency’s arguments.

“The WHO’s response is absolutely fanciful,” said Amir Attaran, a professor at the University of Ottawa and one of the letter’s authors. He called WHO’s argument that Zika is already being transmitted by mosquitoes in up to 60 countries “a scientific half-truth”.

“They’re avoiding the question of ‘Is it Brazilian Zika in other countries?’” he said.

Friday’s letter pointed to the particularly high risks from the Zika virus strain seen in Brazil, which has by far the most Zika cases in the world and the most brain-damaged Zika babies.

WHO emergency response chief Dr. Bruce Aylward told the BBC the agency was “maintaining a careful ongoing risk assessment as new information becomes available about this disease”.

“We need to do a better job, perhaps, of communicating everything that’s being done,” he said.

The WHO statement didn’t address the concerns in Friday’s letter that the UN health agency was rejecting alternatives to Rio because it had a conflict of interest due to its long relationship with the International Olympic Committee.

The health experts called that relationship “overly close,” but the IOC dismissed that characterisation, saying it “does not currently have” a memorandum of understanding with the World Health Organization. The last one, it added, “outlined co-operation between the two organisations to promote physical activity to fight strokes, heart attacks, diabetes and obesity.”

Not all scientists agree that the Rio Olympics pose a problem.

“We live in an incredibly interconnected world. Global travel and trade are daily activities that offer the Zika virus an opportunity to spread,” said Jonathan Ball, a professor of molecular virology at the University of Nottingham. “By comparison to these routine activities, the increased risk that the Olympics poses is a drop in the ocean.”

He added, though, that people should still take care to both avoid mosquito bites and avoid places undergoing Zika outbreaks if they are or might become pregnant.

Concerns over Zika prompted USA Swimming to move its pre-Olympic training camp from Puerto Rico to Atlanta.

Major League Baseball also scrapped games that were going to be held in San Juan, Puerto Rico.

No Olympic Games have ever been moved from their host city due to medical concerns, but in 2003, FIFA decided to switch the Women’s World Cup soccer tournament on very short notice from China to the United States due to the threat posed by the respiratory virus SARS.

By Geir Moulson of the Associated Press

Where Beware of what you ask for charity begins EDITOR, The Tribune.

Re: Miller: Bahamas Power & Light Lacking Compassion.

The Tribune, May 23, 2016.

EDITOR, The Tribune.

IT’S frequently easy to bestow compassion upon others when one is in a position of power - especially when dealing with other people’s hard-earned money.

Of course, compassion, like charity, often begins at home with oneself and one’s family.

KEN W KNOWLES, MD Nassau, May 25, 2016.

EACH week, I struggle through Nicole Burrows somewhat rambling and long-winded commentaries. At the end, however, I am still unclear as to the point she is trying to make.

However, recently she came out with firm proposals, eg the Bahamas becoming a Republic with a President. There are two types of Presidents in countries which have adopted the same. One is where he or she has mere ceremonial duties, the other where he or she is vested with real power. As an example of the former, take India, the World’s largest democracy by far. When becoming a Republic, it chose to have a President with mere ceremonial power just like our

present Governor General.

As examples of the latter, take Robert Mugabe or Hugo Chavez and his successors who have bankrupted their countries due to their unlimited power. The same goes for all the despots and dictators, particularly those in Africa, who have clung to presidential powers and further unconstitutional terms causing civil wars, misery and suffering.

She seems to indicate that we should follow somewhat the latter. So how does “President Fred Mitchell” with unfettered foreign affairs sound.

“Beware of what you may ask, you may just get it”.

INTERESTED SPECTATOR Nassau, May 27, 2016.

Two leaders not better than one EDITOR, The Tribune.

AMATEUR hour continues in the opposition as the two opposition party heads rolled out a harebrained scheme that is long on hot air but painfully short on common sense or realpolitik. The scheme mocked the idea of two heads being better than one.

A struggling and politically weak Dr Hubert Minnis and the braggadocio Branville McCartney, a man lacking in depth and political maturity, have suggested that they are open to a coalition.

For non-starters, parties in opposition have no spoils to share and therefore they have nothing to coalesce over. There are coalition governments, not coalition oppositions.

The closest we have ever come to coalition government in The Bahamas was 1967 when the PLP and the UBP both won 18 seats. Sir Randol Fawkes headed the third party, Labour, and he won a sole seat.

On that occasion, that seat made him the kingmaker and put him in position to negotiate a coalition government with either party. There was never any doubt that he would choose the PLP, but he held the trump card (pardon the terrible pun).

Should the PLP and the FNM fight to a draw at

LETTERS letters@tribunemedia.net the next election, and by some unexplained wonder of nature the DNA picks up a seat or two, then Bran would have the chips to enter the coalition poker game.

Until then, his only chances of sitting in government again is to grovel to Dr Hubert Minnis (something his ego will never allow him to do as he simply fancies himself way above Dr Minnis in intellect), he grovels to Perry Christie (and even he couldn’t keep his lunch down if he did that), or he could put his Lilliputian heft behind those FNM forces hoping to persuade the FNM to rally around a new leader to whom he could throw his unqualified support.

The latter option will require Bran to find a way to save face with his followers (easily done because they too like to back winners), and to keep reminding himself that he has few cards to play in what is left of his vanity party.

In resumés, employers look for the phrase “works well with others”, before hiring someone to join their team. In politics, this skill is crucial to success. Bran failed this simple test when he would not accept that he was in Hubert Ingraham’s

cabinet and therefore the onus was on him to play well with others. Packing up your toys and moving on is what you do in kindergarten but not in the serious business of politics.

Bran needs to ponder whether he wants to lead the DNA over the cliff again, dooming them to five more years in the proverbial wilderness, or will he allow them a chance to serve in government, on state boards, and in leadership roles throughout the apparatus of government.

Joining with the FNM could give Bran his best chance to prove himself politically. Right now he needs to start by having frank and open conversations about the future, his and theirs, with key members of the DNA. Hold nothing back.

Give them straight talk and they will respect him for that.

After that, he should begin to build bridges. I am told that Perry Christie is a strong believer that humble pie and grovelling is a diet that can take you to high places.

Bran can start his redemption tour by offering to sit down with Hubert Ingraham and begin to practice one of his lesser qualities: humility.

THE GRADUATE Nassau, May 25, 2016

What about those of us who paid our taxes?

EDITOR, The Tribune.

I HAD to scratch my head after reading some remarks made by the Prime Minister during the Budget Presentation.

“The government is proposing to allow for the waiver of Real Property Tax Arrears for owner occupied properties valued at less than two hundred & fifty thousand dollars.”

He also said “The government is seeking to allow the Real Property Tax Concessions granted to residen-

tial properties last year to be extended to commercial properties with the exception of those which are now subject to collection.”

Why is it that those of us who have for years religiously and at considerable sacrifice paid our property taxes, not being offered some free lunch also?

Instead, prominently displayed in the same daily this government advert; “Attention property owners, we are coming to your area soon! Beginning May 23rd the Department of

Inland Revenue continues to modernise its Property Tax System with the start of a Data collection and imaging project. Field staff from our department will be visiting your property in clearly marked vehicles.”

The political season is officially opened; the faithful get exemption, the rest of us re-evaluation. Now isn’t that a level playing field or what?

IAN MABON Nassau, May 27, 2016.

THE TRIBUNE

Monday, May 30, 2016, PAGE 5

GOVT CALLS FOR MINNIS TO SHOW SUPPORT FOR YES VOTE

By AVA TURNQUEST Tribune Chief Reporter aturnquest@tribunemedia.net

THE government yesterday called on FNM Leader Dr Hubert Minnis to find the courage to publicly support a ‘yes’ vote in the upcoming gender equality referendum as he did in Parliament.

The statement follows a series of claims by Dr Minnis that the government was not doing a good job at educating the public,

and was allegedly offering bribes for a ‘yes’ vote. The government yesterday said Dr Minnis did not have evidence to substantiate the allegations.

“Dr Minnis voted in a joint sitting of Parliament held on the 50th anniversary of the enfranchisement of women in 2012 for a resolution to remove inequality against women in our Constitution,” the government statement read.

“He also voted for all four bills in Parliament to

achieve this goal. We continue to welcome his support for a yes vote.”

It continued: “Should Dr Minnis locate the courage of his conviction, and campaign with YES (Bahamas), he will see first hand the inspiring and extraordinary work being done to ensure our sons and daughters are equal in the Constitution and under our laws.”

Dr Minnis criticised the Christie administration’s method of obtaining support for the bills last week

Monday, calling the process biased and undemocratic. Several days later he appeared on a radio talk show, where he condemned the government over allegations that it was bribing people with money, contracts, and jobs in exchange for a ‘yes’ vote.

Dr Minnis said the claims were legitimate because he was reliably informed by someone who had no reason to lie.

Progressive Liberal Party (PLP) Chairman Bradley

Roberts has called the allegations nonsense.

In its statement yesterday, the government said Dr Minnis’ concerns were unfounded and the accusations of bribery unsupported by evidence.

The statement read: “The concerns Dr Minnis voiced recently about public education are unfounded —in fact, the public education campaign has been extraordinary, with more than 200 public information sessions held by the independent

Constitutional Commission over the last two years.

“He also offers, without evidence, the accusations that votes are being improperly obtained.

“We invite Dr Minnis to campaign in support of the bills he voted for in Parliament. We ask him to join his many colleagues from both political parties who have offered their support and activism in favour of a YES vote.”

The gender equality referendum is set for June 7.

Filmmaker: we will be in trouble if we vote No

By LAMECH JOHNSON Tribune Staff Reporter ljohnson@tribunemedia.net

THE Bahamas would be in “deep trouble” if voters in the upcoming constitutional referendum succumbed to misinformation and fear when casting their ballots, an award winning filmmaker told The Tribune yesterday.

Kareem Mortimer, cofounder of production company Best Ever Film, weighed in on the intense debate surrounding the upcoming gender equality referendum scheduled in less than ten days.

Mr Mortimer, who expressed full support for all four referendum bills, expressed concern for the country’s future and its international reputation should the bills fail to pass due to confusion and bigotry towards some sects in society.

“I support all four bills wholeheartedly as a man with three sisters. I strongly believe that they should be equal in every way to me as citizens of this country,” Mr Mortimer said.

“I also believe in having a forum for criticisms and opposing viewpoints but the tone that has been set at times has been really discouraging with the open sexism, xenophobia and homophobia that has allowed to enter the conversation through the radio waves and social media has exposed a side to our country that is completely heartbreaking. History has taught us that nothing good comes out of fear and those who engage in fear-monger-

‘

In The Bahamas, we do not exist in a bubble. The world is watching us – as the world visits us – but most importantly we have an opportunity to say what our values are with the referendum.

And if we determine our values from an uninformed, fear based perspective then we are in deep trouble.

ing lead us to a path of destruction.”

“In The Bahamas, we do not exist in a bubble.

The world is watching us – as the world visits us – but most importantly we have an opportunity to say what our values are with the referendum. And if we determine our values from an uninformed, fear-based perspective then we are in deep trouble.”

A report by the World Bank Group, titled “Women, Business and the Law 2016,” listed The Bahamas as one of 22 countries in the world whose constitutions do not allow for married women to convey their nationality to their children and spouses in the same way that men can.

Similarly, the report noted that The Bahamas is one of 44 countries in the world in which spouses do not have equal rights to convey citizenship. As such, the report cited The Bahamas as being one country of many that hosts “gender-based legal restrictions”.

The first Constitutional Amendment Bill would enable a child born outside The Bahamas to a married Bahamian woman and a non-Bahamian father to have automatic Bahamian citizenship at birth. How-

ever, the government does not plan to have the clause operate retroactively.

The second bill would allow a Bahamian woman who marries a foreign man to secure for him the same access to Bahamian citizenship that a Bahamian man has always enjoyed under the Constitution in relation to his foreign wife.

The third bill would give an unwed Bahamian father the same right to pass citizenship to his child that a Bahamian woman has always had under the Constitution in relation to a child born out of wedlock, provided proof of paternity.

The fourth bill aims to remove discrimination from the Constitution based on sex, being male or female.

Mr Mortimer admitted his shock at the number of people opposed to the bills who seem “hell-bent” on confusing an issue that seems pretty clear from the wording and explanations by the education campaigns.

He also questioned whether the opponents towards the bills were merely

motivated by “how many quotes they can get in a newspaper, maintaining a faulty status quo, and withholding rights from their sisters, wives, and daughters.”

“I believe in democracy...I have to believe there are still Bahamians with common sense,” Mr Mortimer said.

Mr Mortimer is a Bahamian filmmaker who is known for such projects as Chance, The Eleutheran Adventure, Float, I Am Not A Dummy, Children of God, Wind Jammers and Passage.

The latter film, which is now being developed into a feature film called Cargo, was screened in New Zealand at the Commonwealth Writers Forum, The Aruba International Film Festival, among other festivals.

He was also the editor of “Womanish Ways: Freedom, Human Rights and Democracy”, a documentary on the women’s suffrage movement in The Bahamas that was produced and directed by acclaimed writer Marion Bethel.

• See Insight for more on the referendum vote.

KAREEM MORTIMER

PAGE 6, Monday, May 30, 2016

THE TRIBUNE

FNM petition is last resort

from page one

leverage for persons who felt they don’t want to wait until November.

“Even if that becomes an option ... we don’t want to use such a position, we want to agree in an amicable way and to respect the returns (of the convention).”

She added: “We felt, the majority of the parliamentary caucus felt, that the November convention date does not give the party a sufficient amount of time to fully regroup all elements of machinery to take on a

general election.

“The parliamentary caucus told Dr Minnis to consider an early convention to have the best possible strategy to take on the PLP. Some people have taken that to say the parliamentary caucus wants to (oust) Dr Minnis.”

She did not specify if the parliamentary team gave Dr Minnis a deadline to decide on a new convention date before they make good on the ultimatum, but said the group does not want to see this matter “protracted”.

Mrs Butler-Turner main-

tained that the FNM’s parliamentary caucus wants the party to regroup, pick a vibrant leadership team and galvanise support to boot the Christie administration out of office.

She said this strategising could only happen at a national convention.

“We are strongest when we rally our troops, we are at our best after convention . . . If Dr Minnis comes out of the convention remaining leader of the FNM then the party needs the best team.

“It is important that we have a unifying leadership

team that is going to turn this country around and create a dynamic government.

“Whoever leads the FNM has to have around themselves a group of persons who will build on the (party’s talents).”

She said there is a narrative being spun by “detractors” who are claiming that the party is split along the lines of the “haves and the have nots” adding that some believe an elite group wants to “take the party over”. However, she said, that is not the case.

“I think it’s time for us to

or woman in place to defeat the PLP and in the process deepen democracy in our beloved Bahamaland.”

He added: “Conventions are democracy in action and leaders must never be afraid to allow democracy to reign. I am indeed a new generation thinker. Fortune favours the bold!”

At Thursday’s meeting, a party insider claimed that Dr Rollins confronted Dr Minnis about issues he saw within the organisation.

The Tribune understands that the other FNM MPs that supported the ultimatum include: St Anne’s MP Hubert Chipman, Montagu MP Richard Lightbourn, North Eleuthera MP Theo Neilly, Central Grand Bahama MP Neko Grant and Long Island MP Loretta Butler-Turner.

Last year, it was reported that a group of FNM MPs had drafted a letter to the governor general, which said that they have lost confidence in their leader and wanted him removed as leader of the Official Opposition. However that letter was never sent.

If such a scenario took place, however, Dr Minnis would remain leader of the FNM. “What ails our nation is that we are a people who lack courage,” Dr Rollins wrote on Facebook.

“We are afraid to take risks and do what we feel is right and necessary. We prefer to do what is convenient to our personal and financial well-being and say to hell with everyone else, as long as I get ‘mines’.

“You know what, if all I was made to do was to shake up the political establishment and inspire Bahamians to say enough of this bull****, I want to have a say in who I want to be prime minister - understanding the immense power reposed in that office and influence the direction of our nation, then I will do just that!”

He added: “It won’t be the PLP pushing Perry Christie on Bahamians and it won’t be the FNM deny-

ing Bahamians their right to have a say in the political process. “That is what I came into politics in the NDP to achieve.”

Before joining the PLP ahead of the 2012 general election, Dr Rollins and Bamboo Town MP Renward Wells were both members of the now dismantled National Development Party (NDP). Dr Rollins quit the PLP in June last year after other PLP members made attempts to block his contribution to the budget debate. At the time, he said it was clear that he was no longer wanted in the party.

He joined the FNM five months later in November 2015.

look at country above individuals. The party will do itself the biggest service to be unified.

“It’s up to the Bahamian people to realise that we are a country in crisis. We are a country consumed by a government that is concerned with self as opposed to country.”

This latest effort from the parliamentary team has the support of six of the opposition’s 10 MPs, The Tribune understands.

This includes St Anne’s MP Hubert Chipman, Montagu MP Richard Lightbourn, North Eleuthera MP

Theo Neilly, Central Grand Bahama MP Neko Grant, Mrs Butler-Turner and Dr Rollins.

Last year, it was reported that a group of FNM MPs had drafted a letter to the governor general to have Dr Minnis removed, however that letter was never sent.

If such action were successful, Dr Minnis would still remain leader of the FNM. The FNM’s convention is slated for early November.

Dr Minnis did not comment when contacted yesterday.

‘MINNIS CAN SHOW HE IS FIT TO LEAD, THEN GO ON TO BECOME PM’

from page one The Tribune understands that six of the opposition’s ten MPs threatened to have Dr Minnis removed from the post by way of a petition to Governor General Dame Marguerite if he did not convene a conclave to decide the date of an early convention.

In a Facebook post on Saturday, Dr Rollins said he was prepared to “shake up the political establishment” as a new generation thinker in a nation that suffered from a lack of courage.

“If Dr Hubert Minnis has what it takes to be prime minister,” he wrote, “then he will weather this storm and prove himself the most fit to lead. If not, then the FNM will put the best man

Mutiny Meanwhile, a senior FNM yesterday called the ultimatum from the MPs an “unfortunate game” that, if carried out, stood to irreparably damage the political careers of those involved.

The FNM, who spoke on condition of anonymity, told The Tribune that dissatisfied MPs should have worked within the party to garner support against Dr Minnis instead of alienating council members by threatening to hold the party to ransom. The party member suggested that if the proposed mutiny was carried out, the MPs would be expected to leave the party and form their own to select a new leader.

“It’s not worth it to destroy this party just to get this one man out, just follow

LEADER of the FNM Dr Hubert Minnis. the rules,” the senior FNM involved in the party’s fracsaid. “There are clear rules, tured state. just do the work that influ“Minnis has a lot of ‘junences the people and go to galis’ people behind him,” election. It’s not about you, the source said, using the this is a party. colloquial term for low “They’re really trying to class. bluff Minnis to make a rash “You need them, but they decision to shoot himself in can’t help you develop stratthe head. If they wanted to egy. Then you have the elite move him they should have class that were hanging with played the politics. There Ingraham. They think they are 400-odd delegates that are smarter and don’t bevote, and they don’t appre- lieve they should mix with ciate you going to the press, the grassroots people, who even the people who would all of a sudden, they’re getnot support Minnis are now ting invited into the party. reevaluating you.”

“The party is changing, The source insisted that some say for the better, the party was embroiled in some say not, and as a result a “class war” between the you got this cultural thing elite members that support- going on.” ed former leader Hubert InThe source added: “You graham, and the grassroots need both sides, and despite members that have been all the noise we are bringing brought in under Dr Min- the party forward and withnis. It was also suggested out this kind of distraction that the Progressive Lib- we can have a great plateral Party was intimately form.”

21-YEAR-OLD SHOT DEAD IN FREEPORT MURDER

from page one

The victim was taken to hospital by emergency medical services personnel where he later died, police said.

His death marked the 51st homicide for the year, according to The Tribune’s records.

The killing came three days after a ZNS radio announcer was found dead in an area off Cowpen Road.

Scott Richards, 48, was found near Bonefish Pond by police on Thursday morning with multiple gunshot wounds. He had completed his late shift at the state broadcasting agency around 6am on Thursday,

ZNS officials said.

A female suspect has since turned herself into police for questioning.

Anyone with information on these homicides is asked to contact police at 911 or 919, the Central Detective Unit at 502-9991 or Crime Stoppers anonymously at 328-TIPS. Investigations continue.

THE TRIBUNE

Father of twins killed as car hits dirt mound

By RICARDO WELLS Tribune Staff Reporter rwells@tribunemedia.net

A FREEPORT father of twins working on a roofing contract in Nassau died on the eve of his 45th birthday on Friday after he lost control of his car and slammed into a dirt mound on the southern side of Cowpen Road.

He was identified at the scene by a family member as Shawn Colebrook.

Superintendent Craig Stubbs, head of the Traffic Division, said officers received a call shortly before 1pm and were notified that a four-door sedan was involved in a single car crash just west of the intersection of Cowpen Road and Golden Isles Road.

“Units responded from the Traffic Department. On scene we met a burgundy Chevrolet Malibu vehicle with Grand Bahama registration that had collided with a dirt mound. The driver of that vehicle received significant injuries to his upper and lower torso, also his head,” Supt Stubbs said. “EMS came on scene and announced that he had expired as a result of his injuries.”

When The Tribune arrived on scene, emergency services personnel could be seen attempting

THE SCENE of a traffic fatality on Cowpen Road. to free the lone occupant from the crash.

“I just dropped everything the vehicle.

A short time later, the victim’s and jumped in the car to come brother, Craig Colebrook, ar- here,” he told reporters across rived and described his younger the street from the mangled car. brother as a pleasant, family-ori- “He was going to be 45 years ented individual. The deceased old tomorrow (Saturday). He was said to be visiting from Free- was just by me last night, talkport and in Nassau to complete a ing about how he wanted to have a small party to celebrate his roofing contract.

Mr Colebrook said he learned birthday. Now we are here.”

In a statement to the meof his brother’s fatal accident by a phone call informing him of dia just hours before Mr Cole-

Photo: Shawn Hanna/Tribune Staff brook’s fatal crash, Transport and Aviation Minister Glenys Hanna Martin urged drivers to be aware of the risks associated with dangerous driving after two serious traffic accidents in New Providence on Thursday.

Those led to two deaths - a man and a woman - and four people being detained in hospital, two men with critical injuries. Investigations into the accident continue.

CALL FOR CASH TO BE DISCIPLINED FOR COMMENTS from page one

In a statement, Mr Cash said Dr Minnis and his entire leadership team must give a full accounting of his stewardship of the FNM. He also said a full convention with all the accountability factors built in is the right way for that to happen and called for it to be held in the next 90 days.

Last week, Mr Cash also lamented that the FNM has become “a shadow of its former self” and risks being “sunk by an anchor of leadership that has been found

wanting.”

“This meeting was very spirited and at times contentious,” one insider told The Tribune.

“It was at this time where Darron Cash faced multiple personal attacks over everything he has said in the public domain. There were many angry voices from those supporters of Dr Minnis who felt that those who don’t support him shouldn’t have certain views,” the source said.

“Another thing took place that many of us felt was frankly out of line. Someone’s cell phone rang dur-

ing the meeting. Dr Minnis then says ‘Lincoln Bain I hope you aren’t recording this meeting and if I find that you were and what we’ve discussed here in this meeting, all hell will break loose,’” the source alleged.

“At that time Bain got up, saluted Minnis and left the meeting. He was offended by it and to be honest the comment was just out of line.”

Mr Bain courted controversy early this month after he recorded a private conversation with attorney Lanisha Rolle. He later admitted to recording their meeting saying he had been

tipped off that he was about to be “sabotaged”. The move was in a bid to protect himself, he told The Tribune.

Mrs Rolle resigned from the Senate on May 13 after The Tribune exclusively published a series of stories highlighting what was purportedly said during the meeting between her and Mr Bain.

However, the former senator has said her resignation was sparked by personal reasons to the extent that she did not want to be a distraction to the party and its work.

Monday, May 30, 2016, PAGE 7

WOMAN HANDS HERSELF IN AFTER ZNS RADIO HOST IS MURDERED

from page one

Police reported that the woman, a resident of Plantol Street, surrendered to the Central Detective Unit just before 6pm on Saturday, two hours after a wanted bulletin with a photo was issued.

An initial sketch of the person believed to be a suspect in the killing of 48-year-old Scott Richards near Bonefish Pond was released the day before.

Last Thursday, Assistant Commissioner of Police Leon Bethel told reporters at the crime scene that officers from the Carmichael Road Police Station were on routine patrol near Bonefish Pond when they found the victim’s body.

“They were checking the area around 9.55am, when they saw a vehicle they thought to be suspicious. It was a grey Durango (vehicle). They decided to check further and about 100 feet away from the vehicle was the body of a man lying on the ground,” ACP Bethel said.

“The victim ... has what appeared to be gunshot wounds to the body. We are in the process of completing the crime scene work to determine the valuable evidence we can get from this area to move forward with this investigation.

We have no further information at this time. We don’t know who the victim is, we are seeking to identify him.”

ACP Bethel said the body was in “good condition” which leaves them to believe the victim was not there for a long time.

Richards was a radio announcer for ZNS Inspiration 107.9 FM and is the 50th homicide victim for the year, according to The Tribune’s records.

PAGE 8, Monday, May 30, 2016

THE TRIBUNE

MAJOR CABLE FAULT BLAMED AS NEW PROVIDENCE HIT BY BLACKOUT

from page one

“While neither outage was caused by a lack of generation capacity, BPL assures its customers that it

is looking at all areas of its operation to improve system reliability,” the statement said.

Affected customers took to BPL’s Facebook page to vent their frustration.

One said: “The whole Carmichael is down. When will it be back up?”

“Thanks for an awful Sunday, still waiting in Carmichael to have power restored,” another resident said.

Some residents speculated on social media that a passing thunderstorm caused the outage.

The Bahamas Meteorology Department had issued a notice at noon of a

mid-to-upper level trough that remained over The Bahamas and would continue to increase the chance of showers over the island.

Isolated showers and thunderstorms were ex-

pected in the afternoon for the capital while scatted showers and isolated thunderstorms were expected throughout the southeast Bahamas during Sunday night.

Businessman ‘threatened’ over tours at Sandy Cay

By DENISE MAYCOCK Tribune Freeport Reporter dmaycock@tribunemedia.net THE Bahamian owner of an eco-tour business in West End claims that he and his wife have been threatened with demands by the foreign owners of Sandy Cay to cancel all their tours at the cay, even though the law permits them access up to the high water mark.

Keith Cooper and his wife, Linda, operators of West End Ecology Tours, take visitors out to the cay eight miles off West End to snorkel a boat wreck and to feed stingrays. Their ecotours have received fivestar ratings on TripAdvisor, a leading travel website.

However, during recent tours to Sandy Cay, it is alleged that one of the American owners was “rude and disrespectful” to Mr Cooper and his guests and refused to permit them to come ashore.

According to an online search site, the State of Florida lists Dr Richard Brohammer, a psychiatrist of Fort Lauderdale, Florida, and his brother, Rev Ronald Brohammer, also of Fort Lauderdale, on their 2016 Florida Corporation documents for Sandy Cay Inc. It appears that the brothers have owned the cay since 1955.

According to Mr Cooper, the first incident occurred on April 29 when he was hired by the owner of Nandana Villa Resort at Old Bahama Bay, West End, to take some of their guests to Sandy Cay to snorkel the boat wreck and feed the stingrays.

Mr Cooper and his wife took a group of seven adults and one child on the tour, first stopping to snorkel the boat wreck nearly half a mile from Sandy Cay, while the resort owner went on ahead to the island in a second zodiac boat to set up lunch for the guests.

“We were planning a picnic on the cay with the guests and to feed the stingrays. As we were complet-

ing the snorkel on the wreck the zodiac … (someone) quickly returned to inform us we could not use the cay because the ‘owners’ were visiting for three weeks, and did not want anyone to come ashore. We were shocked when we heard this news,” he said.

When Mr Cooper went to the island, he said he found a 60ft sailboat, a 26ft motorboat and a dinghy anchored there. Dr Brohammer and a couple - a man and woman - were on the sailboat, and another couple was staying on the island in a tent, he said.

After speaking with Dr Brohammer, Mr Cooper said he agreed to allow him to conduct his tour, but asked that he remain at the high water mark and not disturb the couple on the cay. While there, Mr Cooper claims that an older man on the cay, who said he was one of the owners, was obnoxious, intimidating and spoke in a demeaning manner to anyone approaching the cay.

“He (the older man) told the group that he and his woman wanted to ‘skinny dip’ and needed privacy.

When I approached him to discuss further, it was clear that our presence was not welcomed and he did not want us to stay even for a minute. I tried to explain to him that I earn my living by providing guests with an ecology experience and have been doing so for more than five years without any disruptions,” said Mr Cooper.

“Everyone stayed aboard the boat and listened intently to this tattooed man’s rude and disrespectful manner to Bahamians, visitors to Grand Bahama and the Nandana resort owner. I sensed it was going to be confrontational and I quickly returned to my guests after having been given permission by Dr Brohammer to conduct my tour, which we completed as quickly as possible under great duress,” he said.

On May 1, Mr Cooper

KEITH COOPER, left, pictured during one of the tours that he operates to allow people to encounter stingrays.

Mr Cooper said his wife making money off a cay island and people were returned with another group of Bahamians and told him that while Dr Bro- that they owned’. She said tearing up the house and a Canadian. He obtained hammer was trying to be she was a Canadian and had using it for firewood, and we had a lot of difficulty permission again from Dr reasonable and allow them more rights than I did.”

Mr Cooper said he found with people leaving trash Brohammer that he could to use the cay up to the high conduct his tour only if he water mark for their tours, it unacceptable for foreign- on the island. We had not stayed below the high wa- the tattooed man demand- ers to demand that he, who had caretakers on the island ter mark, which he said he ed that they cancel all their is a Bahamian, to stop visit- for 20 years, and once we agreed to do. While con- upcoming tours - which in- ing Sandy Cay and to shut stopped having caretakers ducting his tour, Mr Coop- cluded seven dates in May down his business opera- on the island then we saw tion. a lot of destruction at the er said they felt uncomfort- - at Sandy Cay. On May 3, Mr Cooper “All of my stingray feed- property,” he said. able and afraid by the “rude Dr Brohammer said that cold hateful stares” of the returned to the cay with a ing tours are conducted on third group of guests from the waters’ edge and in the they did not want people on tattooed man.

Mr Cooper gave Dr Bro- the Netherlands. He also sea. I find it odd that these the island when they were hammer and his owners a invited Clement Campbell, visitors believe they have there visiting and using it.

“I don’t want them to full colour copy of his bird- superintendent at the De- the power and right to tell ing and ecology brochures, partment of Marine Re- a Bahamian citizen to cease come beyond the high waalong with website informa- sources, to accompany him business operations in the ter mark because we have tion, his Facebook page and to meet with the purported manner they proposed. I all kinds of camping equipowners as the demands they found their demand pre- ment and everything else, business card.

“I wanted them to know were making seemed un- posterous and obscene to and we had a lot of theft and my character as a self-em- destruction,” he explained. that I was not a threat to reasonable.

“Once Mr Campbell ar- ployed business owner and He said they have now them and about our conservation efforts to keep the rived to the cay to question productive member of Ba- hired a caretaker, Kenneth Christie, of West End, to cay clean and provide visi- the visitors I could hear that hamian society,” he said.

“During these encoun- look after the island when tors with a unique Bahami- a woman was cursing at him in a very loud, condescend- ters I remained calm and they are not there. an experience,” he added.

“They can contact the The following day, Mr ing and obnoxious manner. humble. I never spoke in a Cooper alleged, Dr Bro- At the time I was in my boat disrespectful manner nor caretaker if they have some hammer and the tattooed and quickly left to assist Mr did I threaten them in any reason to be on the island.

But it is perfectly allowable man came to West End to Campbell in case they at- way.”

When The Tribune spoke for people to go up to the speak with him at his home, tempted to physically harm to Dr Brohammer, he said high water mark. There is but he was in Freeport pur- him,” he said.

“I was questioned by the that he and his brother have no problem at all (with that) chasing food for upcoming cursing woman why ‘I was been owners of Sandy Cay and there never has been tours. for the past 38 years and for the past 38 years. We visit every year. He said had the island over 38 years that he is aware that the law and we never had a problem of The Bahamas permits with people coming up to access to the island up the the high water mark, and high water mark.

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EMAIL: insight@tribunemedia.net

The Caribbean Court: an example to Latin America

World View

By SIR RONALD SANDERS

T

WO events at the Organisation of American States (OAS) in recent months have underscored the soundness of the system by which the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ) is financed.

It is a tribute to Caribbean creativity and innovation that the CCJ is one of the few courts in the world that does not depend on government contributions to function. The example that the CCJ represents should be replicated elsewhere, and the people of the 14-nation Caribbean Community countries should take pride in the inventiveness of Caribbean minds in structuring the funding of the court.

The two events at the OAS that highlighted the reliability of the mechanism for funding the CCJ are related to the Inter-American Court of Human Rights and the Inter-American Commission for Human Rights. Both organisations declared that they are strapped for cash and desperately need contributions from the 34-member states of the OAS to continue their functions.

The two bodies are important. They are dedicated to the protection of human rights within the Inter-American system.

Eminent Caribbean jurists have served on the commissionwhere they have advanced causes to combat scourges such as racism and discrimination.

But, the commission - set up by the OAS in 1959 — released a statement earlier this week in which it said things are so bad that mass layoffs and cancelled visits are imminent and inevitable, unless member countries provide emergency donations.

Remarkably, it was donors from European countries, not Latin American and Caribbean nations, that have been keeping the commissionalive through donations. The President of the commission, James Cavallaro, said the crisis was sparked by these European donors cutting back because of the influx of refugees from Syria and elsewhere.

According to Mr Cavallaro, the withdrawal of Eu-

ropean money has exposed the reluctance of Latin American and Caribbean governments to come up with the cash that the commission needs. In a caustic but frank comment, he said, “Some countries feel uncomfortable when the commission highlights the challenges the region faces in human rights. They strangle us financially, perhaps in order to stop us fulfilling our mandate.”

At a meeting of the Permanent Council of the OAS on May 25, only Panama, Costa Rica and Antigua and Barbuda offered to make immediate donations to the commission. In the case of Antigua and Barbuda, I explained that Antigua and Barbuda greatly values the work of the commission. I recalled the contribution made by my colleague, Sir Clare Roberts, when he served as a commissioner, in ensuring that the rights of black people were specifically accepted as part of the commission’s mandate as well as the obligation to tackle racism.

I made the point that the reason that the Antigua and Barbuda government could not be more generous to the commission is that, as a small state, we are marginalized by bigger and more powerful nations that deny us access to concessional financing for development; unfairly attack our financial services sector; treat us in world trade on the same terms as large countries such as the US, Canada, India and South Africa; and refuse to provide us adequate and affordable financing to combat the effects of Climate Change of which we are an innocent victim. Despite our own struggling circumstances, we made a voluntary contribution to the commission as an example to other larger and richer countries of the importance of upholding and protecting human rights.

But, some Latin American governments dislike both the commissionand the court, accusing them of being “political”. Venezuela’s President Nicolas Maduro, for instance, has dismissed criticism of his government’s legal pursuit of opposition leaders and

‘

THE CARIBBEAN Court of Justice building in Trinidad.

In political organisations, a financial crisis, while not sustainable, is bearable for a time. Not so with courts and commissions that are charged with upholding human rights and protecting minorities and the vulnerable.

general human rights record. Ecuador’s President Rafael Correa has also accused the body of “exceeding its authority” in its criticism of harassment of critical journalists who have criticised his regime.

I

n the last two decades, the commission has made ongoing efforts with the OAS Member States to secure a budget that would enable it to work effectively to fulfil its mandate. As a result of these efforts, the OAS General Assembly has approved a number of resolutions expressing a commitment to address the situation; however, these have not been reflected in a significant increase in resources. This situation is not surprising given the financial state of the OAS itself. Two of its largest member states are severely in arrears in their contributions to the Organisation and they vigorously resist any attempt to impose sanctions for non-payment.

Indeed, the OAS is operating on a fictional budget that cannot realistically meet its costs of operation.

In political organisations, a financial crisis, while not sustainable, is bearable for a time. Not so with courts and commissions that are

charged with upholding human rights and protecting minorities and the vulnerable. Thousands of victims of human rights violations throughout Latin America and the Caribbean would be left unprotected.

That is why the CCJ model should be adopted by the OAS in relation to both the court and the commission.

The CCJ is funded through an independent Trust Fund which was established with

US $100m from initial contributions of the member states through loans from the Caribbean Development Bank. Since its establishment in 2001, the court’s expenditures have been met by the Fund, allowing it to function without having to go cap in hand to governments, and maintaining its flow of work in delivering justice.

It is clear that some member governments of the OAS do not want an independent and functioning court and commission. It is up to others who believe in human rights and the rule of law to keep them from withering. The member states of the OAS that believe in democracy could do no better than to ad-

vance the adoption of the CCJ model for the InterAmerican Court and the Inter-American Commission. In this, CARICOM has led the way – at least on sustainable funding.

• Responses and previous commentaries: www. sirronaldsanders.com.

The full text of Sir Ronald Sanders’ speech in St Lucia, on May 19, 2016, entitled “Storm Clouds gathering over CARICOM: Where is the Umbrella?”

The writer is Antigua and Barbuda’s Ambassador to the United States and the Organisation of American States. The views expressed are his own.

PAGE 4 MONDAY, MAY 30, 2016

TODAY Insight - Ava Turnquest writes on the upcoming gender equality referendum, and what your vote will mean.

Business - Dr Duane Sands says the Prime Minister has not given enough specifics on the proposed National Health Insurance

scheme.

EMAIL: insight@tribunemedia.net

THIS WEEK IN The Tribune

Sports - The winners have been crowned in the Bahamas Bowling Federation’s National Bowling Championships, plus the latest in the 242 on the Road to Rio series.

Plus the latest properties for sale and rent in the Home Buyers’ Guide.

TUESDAY

WEDNESDAY

Woman and Health weekly advice on taking care of your mind and body and women making waves in The Bahamas.

A special guide to why the gender equality referendum is important.

How families have been split apart and disenfranchised - the real life stories behind the constitutional inequality.

Plus an explanation of the bills and what they mean.

Plus comment from Nicole Burrows and sporting mischief and mayhem

by Inigo “Naughty” Zenicazelaya.

Tribune Tech - a weekly look at what’s new in the world of technology.

THURSDAY Obituaries and Religion, a weekly review Young Man’s View trenchant opinion from

Adrian Gibson on the hot topics in the country ‘On da Hook’, a weekly look at fishing in the Bahamas Every day in The Tribune, news, business, sports and Classifieds Trader.

Plus breaking news and updates on your mobilefriendly tribune242.com

How the Spelling Bee can help our nation Your Say

By OSWALD T BROWN

ALTHOUGH he did not advance to the finals of the 2016 Scripps National Spelling Bee, Bahamians have every reason to be proud of the remarkable performance of Bahamas National Spelling Bee Champion Donovan Aaron Butler in the highly competitive annual competition at the Gaylord National Resort and Convention Center in National Harbour, Maryland, near Washington DC this week.

An indication of just how challenging is the longest running educational pro-

motion in the United States is the fact that among the 284 spelling champions that participated in this year’s competition, one was competing for a fourth time, eight for a third year and 61 making their second appearance.

Donovan, a 13-year-old eighth grade student at St Augustine’s College, did well in spelling the two words given to him in the preliminary rounds - ‘azulejo’ and agribusiness’ - but he did not score high enough in the written test to be included among the 45 finalists after the scores of the written test were combined with those from the

‘

BAHAMAS National Spelling Bee Champion Donovan Aaron Butler is congratulated by Oswald T Brown after he correctly spelt his third round word at the 2016 Scripps National Spelling Bee on Wednesday.

Photo: Elisabeth Ann Brown two spelling rounds.

Since it was introduced by the Scripps National Spell-

ing Bee several years ago as part of its elimination process, the written test has been the Achilles heel of Bahamian spellers, as was the case last year when Bahamas champion Charles Hamilton, then a 12-yearold eighth-grade student at St Anne’s School, also correctly spelt his two preliminary words, but did not make the finals because he did not score high enough in the written test.

However, Hamilton’s outgoing personality and witty on-stage comments, one of which resulted in him being featured on the “Good Morning America” television show, has enshrined him in Scripps National Spelling Bee folklore, with a photo of him promoting this year’s Spelling Bee in the hallway outside the convention center where this year’s competition was held.

Given the fact that Bahamian spellers are having a hard time doing well in the written test, as the individual responsible for introducing the Scripps Spelling Bee to The Bahamas when I was Editor of the Nassau Guardian in 1998, I would like to suggest that the Ministry of Education make a serious effort to implement a proposal I made while I was still involved in helping to stage the Bahamas National Spelling Bee. What I suggested at the time was that the Ministry establishes Spelling Bee Clubs in all of our public schools as an extracurricular activity and organise end-of-term spelling competitions for them. If it is

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What I suggested at the time was that the Ministry establishes Spelling Bee Clubs in all of our public schools as an extracurricular activity and organise end-ofterm spelling competitions for them. If it is true, and I certainly think it is, that spelling encourages students to read more, surely such an activity would vastly improve the anemic “D” average performance by far-too-many students in our schools.’

Oswald Brown

true, and I certainly think it is, that spelling encourages students to read more, surely such an activity would vastly improve the anemic “D” average performance by far-too-many students in our schools. What’s more, as my journalistic mentor Sir Arthur Foulkes repeatedly told me while encouraging me to read more when he was City Editor at The Tribune in the early 1960s and I was a young reporter, “Reading is the basis of all knowledge”.

Of course, there is a body of opinion that many of today’s teachers are not as committed to imparting knowledge to students in their classrooms as teachers in The Bahamas once were and would not volunteer their time to supervise Spelling Bee Clubs for an hour or so after school.

Assuming this is true, then the Ministry should make a commitment to pay them for their after-school work.

If there is no money in the budget for such an activity, then an organised appeal should be made to caring people in the business community to raise the necessary funds for this effort on an annual basis.

Everyone involved in education agrees that the National Spelling Bee has had a tremendous impact on the educational system in The Bahamas over the years and every year we have produced some excellent spell-

ers. But none of our champions has yet to make it to the Scripps finals. By contrast, Jamaica’s champions have made it to the finals just about every year and its 1998 champion, Jody Anne Maxwell, was the overall winner.

At the very least, I hope that Minister of Education, Science and Technology Jerome Fitzgerald meets with the people at his Ministry who have responsibility for organising The Bahamas National Spelling Bee and get their input into whether they think Spelling Bee Clubs would help to more The Bahamas’ programme to another level.

The Scripps National Spelling Bee is administered on a not-for-profit basis by the EW Scripps Company and local spelling bee sponsors in the United States, American Samoa, Guam, Puerto Rico, the US Virgin Islands, and Department of Defense Schools in Europe; also The Bahamas, Canada, Ghana, Jamaica, Japan and South Korea.

Its primary purpose is “to help students improve their spelling, increase their vocabularies, learn concepts, and develop correct English usage that will help them all their lives”.

Oswald T Brown is the Press, Cultural Affairs and Information Manager with the Embassy of The Bahamas in Washington, DC.

THE TRIBUNE

Monday, May 30, 2016, PAGE 9

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THE TRIBUNE

MINISTER of Environment Kenred Dorsett speaking at the annual NEMA church service for disaster preparedness month.

NEMA says get ready for hurricane season

By RICARDO WELLS Tribune Staff Reporter rwells@tribunemedia.net

THE National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) on Friday urged Bahamians to be aware of their level of preparedness as international forecasters officially announced projections for the 2016 Atlantic hurricane season.

Hurricane forecasters are predicting an average of 12 to 14 named storms, of which eight are expected to intensify to hurricane strength, with three becoming major storms - category three or higher.

Director of the Bahamas’ Meteorology Department Trevor Basden presented the forecast from figures published by the National Hurricane Center (NHC) in Miami. The hurricane season runs from June 1 to November 30.

The 2016 Atlantic storm names are Alex (which formed as a tropical storm

in mid-January, the earliest a storm has ever effected the Atlantic basin), Bonnie, Colin, Danielle, Earl, Fiona, Gaston, Hermine, Ian, Juli, Karl, Lisa, Matthew, Nicole, Otto, Paula, Richard, Gary, Tobias, Virginie and Walter.

NEMA Director Captain Stephen Russell stressed that as the storm season nears, residents throughout The Bahamas should use this time to ensure that their homes and properties are prepared for hurricane force conditions.

Speaking to the media on Friday, Capt Russell said NEMA has finalised most of its preparations, saying that the department was now concluding its multi-sectoral meetings with other agencies throughout the country to verify that all essential mechanisms are in place and functional.

NEMA has been working closely with officials from the Ministries of

Works, National Security, the Bahamas Telecommunications Company (BTC), Bahamas Power and Light, media outlets and scores of other emergency response departments throughout the public and private sector.

Currently, BTC is working to ensure that communications technology is established in a manner to ensure its continuous use throughout the storm season.

The Royal Bahamas Defence Force’s (RBDF) auxiliary landing craft, the HMBS Lawrence Major, is running supplies throughout the country, as some Family Islands are still working to repair damage sustained during the 2015 storm season, particularly Hurricane Joaquin which hit last October.

On land, the RBDF is said to be stocking supplies to ensure quick deployment when needed.

DIRECTOR of NEMA Captain Stephen Russell at Kemp Road Ministries for NEMA’s annual church service for disaster preparedness month.

Photos: Tim Clarke/Tribune Staff

THE TRIBUNE

Monday, May 30, 2016, PAGE 11

Air Traffic Controllers’ ‘relief’ as deal signed

By NICO SCAVELLA Tribune Staff Reporter nscavella@tribunemedia.net

BAHAMAS Air Traffic Controllers Union President Lashan Gray has expressed “relief” over finally signing an industrial agreement with the government.

She called it a “momentous occasion” that signifies the “beginning” of air traffic controllers moving “closer towards industry-related standards”.

On Friday at the Ministry of the Public Service, Mrs Gray said the conclusion of negotiations over the industrial agreement, which she said goes from March 2013 to the end of May 2017, marks the end of what she called “a very tedious and rigorous process”.

Mrs Gray also said that while the negotiation process was too long for her liking - 16 months - she is satisfied that the “key issues” the union previously had to deal with have been addressed.

She said the union is looking forward to a “harmonious” relationship with the Department of Civil

Aviation.

According to officials, the previous industrial agreement with Bahamas Air Traffic Controllers Union (BATCU) expired in 2008.

Since then, Mrs Gray said, there have been repeated, but unsuccessful attempts at negotiating a new industrial agreement. There have been reported clashes between the department and BATCU, stemming from such issues as the non-payment of overtime and/or holiday pay and other matters.

On Friday, officials said the new industrial agreement includes a lump sum payment equivalent to one increment; a salary increase equivalent to two increments; a rating allowance based on certification for approach control, tower, flight services as well as aerodrome officers in the Family Islands; training allowance; increased wages for new recruits, growing from $14,650 to $18,000 a year; and a new medical insurance scheme with an 80-20 employer to employee contribution percentage.

When asked if she felt the

US AMBASSADORIAL nominee Cassandra Butts, who has died aged 50 before taking up her post in The Bahamas.

US NOMINEE FOR AMBASSADOR POST DIES, AGED 50

By RASHAD ROLLE Tribune Staff Reporter rrolle@tribunemedia.net

THE woman who had been nominated as the next United States ambassador to The Bahamas has died, the US Embassy in Nassau announced on Friday.

Cassandra Q Butts, 50, was nominated in 2014 by President Barack Obama to be ambassador to The Bahamas.

However, Ms Butts’ nomination was held up by Republicans in the US Senate.

In a statement on Friday, President Obama recalled meeting Ms Butts as a law student and noted their shared passion for “jazz and public service”.

He said: “It was a passion she’d chase for the rest of her life – on Capitol Hill, at the NAACP Legal Defense Educational Fund, at the Millennium Challenge Corporation, and as an advisor of mine – but above all, as a citizen always pushing, always doing her part to advance the causes of opportunity, civil rights, development and democracy.”

The US Embassy in Nassau said Ms Butts had been honoured to be asked to be this country’s next ambassador and worked behindthe-scenes to the nation’s benefit.

“She was greatly looking forward to forging even stronger ties between our two nations,” the statement said. “Cassandra was a wonderful nominee for The Bahamas. She was an exemplary public servant with a passion for equality and justice.

“Even while patiently awaiting US Senate confirmation, Cassandra was a

great friend to The Bahamas. Over the last year, she worked closely with The Bahamas in her capacity as a senior advisor at the US Mission to the United States.

“This is a tremendous loss to the United States and The Bahamas and she will be greatly missed.”

In a statement, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Immigration Fred Mitchell said he was “shocked beyond measure” by the news.

“This is incredible,” Mr Mitchell said. “She never got a chance to serve in our country but I had the opportunity to work with her during the time of last year’s General Assembly of the United Nations when she was on special assignment in the run up to our bid for a seat on the United Nations Human Rights Council.

“She was thoughtful, organised, helpful and sober.

She had a keen sense of judgment on just how to approach the tasks at hand. I looked forward to her confirmation and to her working in The Bahamas. This news is very sad. I believe that the United States has lost a great patriot. I believe that The Bahamas has lost a friend.

“She so looked forward to the assignment; she was so pleased that her friend the president of the United States had chosen her to serve in the office of ambassador. Sadly, this was not to be. I offer condolences on behalf of the government and people of The Bahamas. May she rest in peace.”

The last US ambassador to The Bahamas, Nicole Avant, resigned from the post in November 2011.

industrial agreement would quell most, if not all, of the union’s previous concerns, Mrs Gray said: “I’m satisfied that the key issues were addressed within the agreement. However right now moving forward, we must ensure that the agreement is adhered to.

“So although the agreement is the initial step in addressing those things which were outstanding and which needed to be addressed in terms of our concerns, we must ensure that the agreement is able to be monitored and enforced.”

When asked if she felt

Friday’s signing would lead to better relations with the department, Mrs Gray said: “We can’t guarantee what the future will bring; however it is my hope, and I’m maintaining faith, that we will have a harmonious relationship moving forward, where it will be in the interest of both parties, the union as well as management, to carry out the agreement which we have signed today.

“So as long as that happens, I think we’re able to move forward in a manner that improves the overall air traffic system, and that’s my overall focus.”

Meanwhile, Labour Minister Shane Gibson said he was “overjoyed” at the conclusion of what he said was “perhaps the toughest set of negotiations” the Christie administration has had to enter into since taking office in 2012.

“This was a long, drawn out process,” he added.

“Obviously, like in any other set of negotiations, neither side got exactly what they wanted, and I think a compromise was finally reached with something that both sides could live with.

“This was a very interest-

ing one for us. But suffice it to say, I’m really overjoyed that we’ve finally reached this point.”

Transport and Aviation Minister Glenys Hanna Martin, also present at Friday’s signing, heralded the conclusion of negotiations as a “new era” in the country’s aviation sector.

“I feel very good today,” she said. “I think that this is an important paradigm shift for the air navigation services in our country. It’s beginning to place them in the correct perception in our economy and in our national life.”

PAGE 12, Monday, May 30, 2016

THE TRIBUNE

‘Judiciary should only interfere in Parliament when all else fails’

By LAMECH JOHNSON Tribune Staff Reporter ljohnson@tribunemedia.net

A JUDGE was told on Friday that judicial interference in the internal affairs of Parliament should only occur when all other avenues have been exhausted where an issue arises.

In a substantive hearing on a constitutional motion before Justice Indra Charles concerning her injunction relating to the recent disclosure and tabling of private Save The Bays (STB) emails in Parliament, Crown representative Dr Lloyd Barnett stressed that Section 54 of the Constitution entrenched the powers and responsibilities of Parliament.

He said that the current action “would be a direct interference with proceedings and trespass of internal affairs”.

He said judicial interference could only occur in the rarest of instances when all other avenues have been exhausted, which could not be said of the matter presently before the court.

Dr Barnett, Loren Klein,

Deputy Director of Legal Affairs Franklyn Williams, Darcell Smith-Williamson and Hyacinth Smith appear for Marathon MP Jerome Fitzgerald, Fox Hill MP Fred Mitchell and Attorney General Allyson Maynard-Gibson, who are all respondents in an action brought by the Coalition to Protect Clifton Bay (Save The Bays); Zachary Bacon, the brother of hedge fund billionaire Louis Bacon, a resident of Lyford Cay, Fred Smith and Ferron Bethell.

In March, Mr Fitzgerald, the minister of education, accused STB of being a political organisation seeking to “overthrow” the Progressive Liberal Party government under the guise of an environmental group.

In the House of Assembly, Mr Fitzgerald read private emails from STB members and others, which he said bolstered his claims.

Speaking outside Parliament, Mr Fitzgerald later warned members of the environmental group to “batten down” because a “category five” hurricane was on its way, as he threatened to table “every single”

email and bank statement in his possession if needed to protect his integrity and parliamentary privilege.

Additionally, Mr Mitchell claimed in Parliament in March that some $8.25m has been filtered through various organisations connected with STB - locally and internationally - from 2013 to 2015.

Those details were highlighted in an affidavit filed

by STB’s Communications Director Paco Nunez, on which the applicants have relied to prove that the respondents were, in fact, in possession of private emails.

In April, Justice Charles granted the injunction barring MPs from disclosing STB’s emails in Parliament.

The Office of the Attorney General wants the injunction set aside.

“Statements made by members of the House (of Assembly) cannot be the basis of an action being brought. There’s no authority case that deviates from that principal,” Dr Barnett stressed on Friday.

Dr Barnett addressed the authority case of the Crown

v Chaytor (2011) that was used by the applicant in support of the motion.

The case concerned the trials of three former UK members of Parliament for false accounting in relation to the expenses scandal of 2009. During their trials, the three MPs (David Chaytor, Elliot Morley and Jim Devine) had each separately argued unsuccessfully that there was no case to answer as expenses claims were covered by the doctrine of parliamentary privilege and could not be the basis of criminal charges.

They appealed, along with Lord Hanningfield, to the Court of Appeal, in which three of the most senior judges in that court had dismissed their arguments. The MPs, although not Lord Hanningfield, successfully applied to the Supreme Court for permission to appeal the decision.

The Supreme Court, comprising nine judges to reflect the importance of the matter, heard arguments over two days in October 2010 before unanimously rejecting the submission that parliamentary privilege under either the common law or the 1689 Bill of Rights protected the defendants from prosecu-

tion.

Dr Barnett noted that the judgment in the case stressed the importance of Article 9 of the Bill of Rights concerning freedom of speech and debate in parliamentary proceedings.

“Actions outside the House would fall within those proceedings. So not only is speech in Parliament in the course of debate but matters related to those debates are protected by privilege,” the lawyer said.

“I respectfully submit, beyond doubt, the authorities throughout the Commonwealth support that a member of Parliament cannot be proceeded against based on statements made in the course of parliamentary proceedings.”

He suggested that discovery and production of documents “should not be entertained because in so far as documents have been tabled in the House (of Assembly) and produced, it would be an invasion in the internal affairs of Parliament.”

He also stressed that House Speaker Dr Kendal Major had already made utterances about the future conduct of parliamentarians regarding the subject matter.

“We therefore submit

this action is unprecedented (and) it conflicts with some well-established principles,” Dr Barnett added, asking for the case to be dismissed.

Mr Smith, in response, said the applicants were “not seeking an invasion into the internal affairs of Parliament or to the usual legislative process.”

“It is an unrefuted fact that the tabled emails consist of a large batch of papers, and documents, emails and banking information belonging to the applicants which the government, manifested in the embodiment of both respondents, have in their possession,” he said.

In stressing that the motion was not brought against Parliament or the House Speaker, Mr Smith argued that “the respondents failed to address the fact that these two members of Cabinet, whether together or individually, have information and/or documents, and/or emails in either physical or digital, outside of Parliament.”

“It is delivery of that property belonging to the applicants that the order is sought,” Mr Smith argued, adding that the documents did not appear in Parliament by magic.

SEARS STEPS DOWN FROM COB ROLE AHEAD OF 2017 ELECTION RACE

By RICARDO WELLS Tribune Staff Reporter rwells@tribunemedia.net

FORMER Attorney General Alfred Sears has tendered his resignation as chairman of the Council of the College of the Bahamas as he makes the transition back to frontline politics as a candidate for the Progressive Liberal Party in the 2017 general election.

A statement released on Friday by the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology confirmed that Mr Sears’ resignation is to take effect on May 31.

“Mr Sears, in his letter addressed to the Minister of Education, Science and Technology Jerome Fitzgerald, indicated that his decision is the result of him having been ratified as a candidate of the Progressive Liberal Party for the Fort Charlotte constituency and his desire to remove (himself) from our premiere public tertiary institution any perception of partisan political consideration,” the statement said.

Mr Sears is quoted as saying: “I thank you for having afforded me the singular privilege of serving as chairman of the College of The Bahamas during this period of historic transition to the University of The Bahamas.”

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ALFRED SEARS, who is stepping down from his COB role.

Mr Fitzgerald thanked Mr Sears and commended him for his work with the College Council.

“I wish Mr Sears well in his future endeavours and I would like to express my sincere gratitude to Mr Sears for his exemplary service as chairman of the Council of The College of The Bahamas. He and his colleagues are to be commended for their stellar performance and commitment to ensure the transition of COB to university status,” he said.

Mr Sears was ratified earlier this month as the PLP’s candidate in the Fort Charlotte constituency, which he represented from 2002 to 2012. He did not offer himself for re-election in 2012, but was appointed to serve as chairman of the Council of The College of The Bahamas after the PLP won that election.

Since his ratification, Mr

Sears has released a series of policy proposals that he intends to champion if he becomes a member of the government. He has stated that his return to frontline politics is not just to simply join the party’s ranks but to “sharpen the party’s vision.”

Mr Sears has called for the establishment of an “Integrity Commission to investigate the conduct of members of Parliament, senators, and senior public officials” and for term limits for prime ministers.

The Fort Charlotte hopeful has also criticised both major parties for not doing enough to empower local governments on the Family Islands or to decentralise power in New Providence.

His recent actions have led political pundits to speculate that he is positioning himself for a leadership post within the PLP.

BAHAMIAN GRADUATES WITH MASTER’S DEGREE FROM ARKANSAS

TEZEL Anya Lightbourne, of Nassau, has graduated with a master of public health degree from the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS).

Ms Lightbourne was awarded her degree on Friday at the commencement ceremony at Verizon Arena in North Little Rock.

Over 1,000 graduates from the university’s five colleges graduated, with Ms Lightbourne passing out from UAMS Fay W Boozman College of Public Health.

Ms Lightbourne gradu-

TEZEL ANYA LIGHTBOURNE ated with a BSC in biology and chemistry in 2012 from Philander Smith College in Little Rock. She is the eldest daughter of Wendy and Glen Lightbourne.

THE TRIBUNE

Monday, May 30, 2016, PAGE 13

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THE TRIBUNE

Spotting the signs and helping a suicidal person

F

INANCES, domestic violence, depression, sexual abuse, bullying, sexual identity issues and low self esteem, are a just a few of the contributors to the tragic act of suicide.

Suicide is a desperate attempt to escape suffering that has become unbearable. Blinded by feelings of self-loathing, hopelessness, and isolation, a suicidal person can’t see any way of finding relief except through death. But despite their desire for the pain to stop, most suicidal people are deeply conflicted about ending their own lives. They wish there was an alternative to committing suicide, but they just can’t see one.

A suicidal person may not ask for help, but that doesn’t mean that help isn’t wanted. Most people who commit suicide don’t want to die—they just want to stop hurting. Suicide prevention starts with recognizing the warning signs and taking them seriously.

Police advice

By CORPORAL MAKELLE PINDER

Because of their ambivalence about dying, suicidal individuals usually give warning signs or signals of their intentions. The best way to prevent suicide is to know and watch for these warning signs and to get involved if you spot them.

If you believe that a friend or family member is suicidal, you can play a role in suicide prevention by pointing out the alternatives, showing that you care, and getting a doctor or psychologist involved.

Therefore, here are a few warning signs:

SUICIDE WARNING SIGNS • Talking about suicide

– Any talk about suicide, dying, or self-harm includes statements such as “I wish I hadn’t been born,” “If I see you again...,” “I want out,” and “I’d be better off dead.”

• Seeking out lethal means - Looking for ways to commit suicide. Seeking access to guns, pills, knives, or other objects that could be used in a suicide attempt.

• Preoccupation with death – Unusual focus on death, dying, or violence.

Writing poems or stories about death.

• No hope for the future – Feelings of helplessness, hopelessness, and being trapped (“There’s no way out”). Belief that things will never get better or change.

• Self-loathing, self-hatred - Feelings of worthlessness, guilt, shame, and self-hatred. Feeling like a burden (“Everyone would be better off without me”).

• Getting affairs in order - Making out a will. Giving away prized possessions.

Making arrangements for family.

• Saying goodbye – Unusual or unexpected visits or calls to family and friends.

Saying goodbye to people as if they won’t be seen again.

• Withdrawing from others – Withdrawing from friends and family. Increasing social isolation. Desire to be left alone.

• Self-destructive behaviour – Increased alcohol or drug use, reckless driving, unsafe sex. Taking unnecessary risks as if they have a “death wish”.

• Sudden sense of calm – A sudden sense of calm and happiness after being extremely depressed can mean that the person has made a decision to commit

suicide.

HELPING A SUICIDAL PERSON • Encourage the individual to develop a prayer life.

• Listen without judgment. Let a suicidal person express his or her feelings and accept those feelings without judging or discounting them.

• Offer hope. Reassure the person that help is available and that the suicidal feelings are temporary.

Don’t dismiss the pain he or she feels, but talk about the alternatives to suicide and let the person know that his or her life is important to you.

• Don’t promise confidentiality. Refuse to be sworn to secrecy. A life is at stake and you may need to speak to a mental health professional in order to keep the suicidal person safe. If you promise to keep your discussions secret, you may have to break your

word.

• Make a plan for life.

Help the person develop a “Plan for Life,” a set of steps he or she promises to follow during a suicidal crisis. It should include contact numbers for the person’s doctor or therapist, as well as friends and family members who will help in an emergency.

Tip: Take any suicidal talk or behaviour seriously.

It’s not just a warning sign that the person is thinking about suicide — it’s a cry for help.

Do not be ruled by fear and the things of this world – take charge and have a better quality of life for you and your family Should you need more information on Suicide Prevention or if you have information pertaining to any crime, please do not hesitate to contact the police at ‘919’,Crime Stoppers at 328-tips (New Providence), 1-300-8476 (Family Island) or The Crisis Centre 3280922 or 322-4999.

New type of snake found in The Bahamas

A SILVER BOA, found in the Conception Island National Park.

A NEW species of snake has been discovered in the Conception Island National Park, a remote part of the southwest Bahamas.

The harmless Silver Boa was found last July during an expedition led by University of North Carolina biologist Dr Graham Reynolds.

“This is the first new boa species discovered in the Caribbean in over 70 years, and it sheds new light on the origins and extent of reptile biodiversity in the region,” Dr Reynolds said. “But this animal is critically endan-

gered and already facing extinction. We estimate only a few hundred remain.”

Dr Reynolds reported his discovery to the Bahamas National Trust (BNT) and his findings were recently published in the journal of Harvard’s Museum of Comparative Zoology. Dr Reynolds is a Harvard Postdoctoral Fellow.

The researchers named the new species the Silver Boa, Chilabothrus argentum. The discovery brings the total known species of West Indian boas to 12, with four species and several subspecies endemic to various islands in The Bahamas. All are non-venomous and most are endangered.

“We encountered a beautiful three-foot-long female climbing in a Sil-

ver Top Palm (also known as the Thatch Palm) tree near the water’s edge. It appeared unlike any species of boa yet known. Following a search we turned up five more individuals by the next day,” Mr Reynolds said of his 2015 discovery.

Analysis of genetic data from tissue samples collected demonstrated that this unusual silvery boa was a new species, having diverged from other boas in the last several million years.

Dr Reynolds led a second team to the islands in October 2015, directly after Hurricane Joaquin had passed through The Bahamas. They found an additional 14 Silver Boas despite the hurricane damage and loss of vegetation. These animals were measured and

sampled, as well as permanently marked with internal electronic tags so that they will be easily identifiable.

“The discovery of this new species is very exciting,” said BNT Executive Director Eric Carey. “However, as a new species living on a single small island it is extremely vulnerable to natural threats such as hurricanes, predation by wild cats and rats, as well as changes in habitat due to invasive plants. The BNT is working with Dr Reynolds and other scientists to develop a management plan for our newest endemic reptile.”

The research expeditions were funded by the Museum of Comparative Zoology through the Putnam Expedition grants and the Barbour Fund.

PICTURED with the students are Grand Bahama Road Safety Chairman Reginald Fraser; Mary Cooper, district superintendent of education, West Grand Bahama; Karen Mortimer, national road safety co-ordinator; Basil Rahming, former road traffic controller in Grand Bahama; and ASP Kenwood Taylor, officer-in-charge of Royal Bahamas Police Force Traffic Division in Grand Bahama.

ESSAYS HELP HIGHLIGHT THE IMPORTANCE OF ROAD SAFETY

By DENISE MAYCOCK Tribune Freeport Reporter dmaycock@tribunemedia.net

THE Grand Bahama Road Safety Committee (GBRSC) was pleased with the level of knowledge and ideas penned by students on the importance of road safety in this year’s essay competition - ‘Making Our Streets Safe for All Road Users’.

Tanae Lewis, of St Paul’s Methodist College, won in the junior high school category, while Adrianna Gardiner, of Grand Bahama Academy, won the senior division. The winners and runners-up were announced and presented with their prizes at the Ministry of Education on Wednesday.

GBRSC chairman Reginald Fraser presented Ms Lewis with the first place prize of a laptop, and a tablet went to Ms Gardiner.

Sade Johnson and Aiyanna Ferguson, both of St Paul’s Methodist College, who were second and third in the junior category, were presented with a cell phone, and a $100 gift certificate

from Bethel’s Books & Stationers, respectively.

Asher Percentie, of Sunland Baptist Academy, was second in the senior category and received a cell phone. Third place winner Jamaice Bazilio, of the Eight Mile Rock High School, received a $100 gift certificate from Bellevue Business Depot.

More than 900 traffic accidents occurred in Grand Bahama last year and the GBRSC, Road Traffic Department and Police Traffic Division announced several initiatives this year to sensitise the public of the importance of road safety. This included an essay competition for students.

Tammi Mitchell, secretary of the GBRSC, commended students from the various schools for their participation. She noted that the winners were only selected after two rounds of intense judging.

Several students were also presented with gift certificates, including Brenae Rolle, of Mary Star of the Sea Catholic Academy, who received a $75 gift certificate from Playtime Sports,

and Delvonae Beckles, of Sunland Baptist Academy, who got a $75 gift certificate from Bethel’s Books & Stationers.

Daytwon Dames and Israel Taylor, who wrote a road safety rap song, also received $75 gift certificates from Bellevue Business Depot and Bellevue Gifts & Supplies, respectively.

Jemonique Barnable, of St Paul’s Methodist College, who submitted an artistic drawing on road safety, received a $75 gift certificate from Gizmos & Gadgets.

Mary Cooper, district superintendent of education for West Grand Bahama, was pleased that the committee decided to use the forum to discuss such an important topic.

Karen Mortimer, National Road Safety Co-ordinator, brought remarks on behalf of the Road Traffic Controller Ross Smith.

The committee thanked the essay competition judges Samuel Rigby, Valeria Burrows and Maria Martin as well as participating schools and corporate partners for making the event a sucess.

THE TRIBUNE

‘The Bahamas’ own street philosopher’

Monday, May 30, 2016, PAGE 15

PAGE 16, Monday, May 30, 2016

THE TRIBUNE