‘I CAN’T FIGHT THESE PEOPLE NO MORE’
Dialysis patient dies two years after $9k for treatment disappeared during police search
By KEILE CAMPBELL Tribune Staff Reporter kcampbell@tribunemedia.net
MORE than two years after Marvin and Aynalel Deveaux reported that $9,000 disappeared after a police search of their Marathon Estates home, Mr Deveaux has died without learning the outcome of the investigation or what became of money his widow says was meant to help fund medical treatment in Turkey.
Aynalel Deveaux said her husband died in the early morning hours last Thursday after years of health challenges, including kidney disease that required dialysis for about 20 years.
Mrs Deveaux, 51, said her husband would have turned 61 on July 2. She said the alleged disappearance of the money destroyed the couple’s plans for overseas treatment and left him emotionally broken in the final months of his life.
"My husband told me, 'Anna, I can't fight these
people no more. My heart already broke. I don't have energy," Mrs Deveaux said, recalling her husband's mindset during his final days. "He told me 'Today I die, or I die tomorrow, I don't know how you will bury me because you don't have money'. Three days later, he died in my hands." Mrs Deveaux said her husband had breathing difficulties in the hours
By KEILE CAMPBELL Tribune Staff Reporter
kcampbell@tribunemedia.net
THE Stapledon School received a new wheelchair-accessible bus
yesterday through a donation from Prime Minister Philip Davis and Minister of Innovation and National Development Sebas Bastian, a move school officials said would significantly improve transportation for
SECURITY OFFICER FIRED AFTER SEARCHING PM’S BAGGAGE
By LEANDRA ROLLE Tribune Chief Reporter lrolle@tribunemedia.net
AN airport security officer was fired after reportedly searching Prime Minister Philip “Brave” Davis’ bag during a pre-election stop in Bimini, raising questions about whether airport security protocols were enforced too aggressively or whether
political status shielded a dignitary from routine scrutiny.
Carlesha Bain, a Grade 2 security officer and Bimini resident, was dismissed yesterday over what was described as "inappropriate" conduct toward the prime minister and members of his entourage as they departed Bimini on
students with disabilities.
The presentation took place at the school located on Dolphin Drive, where Prime Minister Davis was
DAVIS AVOIDS QUESTIONS OVER ELECTION DAY PLANE CRASH
By EARYEL BOWLEG Tribune Staff Reporter ebowleg@tribunemedia.net
The Prime Minister was rushed into his vehicle after an event as journalists pressed him on the allegations.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs, meanwhile, confirmed yesterday that Bahamian consular officials met with the detained
PRIME Minister Philip “Brave” Davis yesterday again avoided reporters’ questions about “Politician-1” in a US Drug Enforcement Administration affidavit and his administration’s links to an election-day plane crash involving convicted drug smuggler Jonathan Eric Gardiner.
PRIME Minister Philip ‘Brave’ Davis and Fort Charlotte MP Sebas Bastian present a wheelchair-accessible bus to Stapledon School as Principal Amanda Moncur received the vehicle on behalf of the school yesterday.
Photo: Nikia Charlton
MARVIN Deveaux’s wife Aynalel.
Stapledon School receives new wheelchair-accessible bus
surrounded by government officials, as well as Stapleton School faculty and students gathered for the handover.
Mr Bastian said the donation was intended to ensure students were not limited by transportation challenges.
“We pitched in together to purchase this bus for the Stapledon School, and now
today we are not just here to donate a bus, but we are here to create opportunity and cement the fact that education should not be limited by mobility, and our students should be armed with the equipment they need to get around,” he said.
He said the vehicle would allow the school to transport students to sporting events and other community and social activities.
Mr Bastian also praised
Principal Amanda Moncer and the school’s staff for their service to students.
“You know, sometimes we forget the importance the Stapledon School plays in our country, and though Stapledon is located in the constituency of Fort Charlotte, the impact of this school stretches far beyond the boundary lines of this constituency because these students are from all over New Providence,” he said.
Prime Minister Davis
said the donation stemmed from concerns raised during a previous visit to the school as part of the government’s school breakfast programme.
He recalled speaking with Ms Moncer about the school’s transportation needs and said the bus represented a direct response to that request.
“I hear you, and this is a demonstration that I heard what she said, and today what you requested is now being manifested to help these young people,” he said.
“We are of the belief that no child should be left behind. Their circumstance shall not deprive them of any of the resources, facility, and or any opportunity that they and their talent could have for them.”
Mr Davis also rejected suggestions that the donation could be viewed through a political lens.
“I said no, let us do it now because it is from our heart, and it is for you, the fine children of Stapledon School,” he said.
Stapledon School serves students with a range of
special needs and disabilities from across New Providence.
Ms Moncer said the new vehicle would improve transportation for students who use wheelchairs, allowing them to travel with greater dignity and comfort.
“It will assist us in transporting our students who use wheelchairs, and they can now be transported in dignity,” she said.
“We have another little vehicle here that we use, but Janelle, for example, she has to come out of a chair and then climb onto that little grey van over there, but now with this vehicle, she can be wheeled right up onto that ramp, and she does not even have to come out of the chair if she does not want to.”
Ms Moncer also used the occasion to publicly request that the government’s breakfast programme be expanded to operate five days a week at the school. She said the initiative had improved attendance and become an important part of students’ daily routine.
“We found that the breakfast is really helping with their attendance, so if possible, when you are looking at the numbers and the figures, look at breakfast five days a week,” she said.
“The students really look forward to it, and some of them come to the kitchen on the days when we do not have breakfast because they think we have breakfast.”
She thanked both Mr Davis and Mr Bastian for the donation and expressed hope that the relationship between the school and government officials would continue beyond the presentation.
“We really appreciate this gift, and Mr Bastian, we know that this will be an ongoing relationship. This is not a one and done,” Ms Moncer said. Students later joined together to thank the officials for the donation as the ceremony concluded, with Prime Minister Davis and Minister Bastian taking photos of handing over the keys to the bus to the principal.
STAPLEDON School principal Amanda Moncer holds up the key for a new wheelchair-accessible bus donated to the school by Prime Minister Philip ‘Brave’ Davis and Innovation and National Development
Minister Sebas Bastian yesterday.
Photos: Nikia Charlton
DONATION from page one
Man dies without closure on missing police search cash
before his death. She alleged that emergency assistance did not arrive until about an hour after she sought help around 5.20am, and that he had already died by the time responders arrived.
The Tribune first reported in May 2024 that the couple alleged $9,000 went missing from their home after police officers searched the property while looking for drugs and firearms.
Mrs Deveaux said at the time that the money had been set aside for a medical trip to Turkey, where her husband hoped to undergo surgery for his back and later for his kidney, with Mrs Deveaux donating one of her own.
She alleged that officers arrived at the couple’s home with a warrant before eventually entering a locked bedroom belonging to her late mother-in-law, where the cash was stored.
Mrs Deveaux said she accompanied officers during the search because her husband had difficulty walking. She claimed officers acknowledged the money during the search and placed the bag back before searching another area.
However, when Mrs Deveaux went to close the bedroom door, she said an officer stopped her, told her the search had not been completed and instructed her to return to her own bedroom.
She alleged that officers remained in the room and
that when she later checked the area after police left, the cash was missing. She said officers acknowledged they had entered the wrong home.
The couple said they reported the missing money to police that same day. When The Tribune asked then-Deputy Commissioner of Police Leamond Deleveaux about the investigation, he said the public would be informed of the findings once the probe was complete. By July 2025, more than a year after the complaint was filed, the Deveauxs said they still had not received answers.
Mrs Deveaux said then that the uncertainty was taking a severe emotional and financial toll as she struggled to balance work, legal expenses and her husband’s medical needs.
Commissioner of Police Shanta Knowles, when asked where the investigation stands today, told The Tribune she would check with the complaints unit about the status of the matter. Up to press time, no further update had been provided.
Mrs Deveaux said the couple continued seeking updates in the months that followed, but never received what they considered a satisfactory explanation before her husband’s death.
She said the lack of closure became a source of growing frustration as his health deteriorated.
Mrs Deveaux said funeral arrangements are still being finalised and financial constraints have forced her to
consider cremation rather than a larger funeral.
She said she has struggled to cover funeral expenses and has largely relied on friends and coworkers for assistance.
Mrs Deveaux also expressed disappointment that politicians who previously reached out when they first heard about her husband’s predicament have gone silent.
“Election time, people come asking me what’s happened, what’s going on,” she recalled. “Now, you can’t find them. You have to make an appointment if you want to speak to them.”
Mrs Deveaux said the ordeal has left her deeply disillusioned with life in The Bahamas, arguing that she felt abandoned by authorities and public officials while trying to care for her husband and pursue accountability for the missing money.
“This country broke my heart,” she said. “Nobody came and asked what happened or what we needed.”
She said the experience has contributed to her decision to eventually leave the country.
“How can you stay here when you lose your husband and nobody helps you?” she questioned.
Mrs Deveaux said her husband’s fate may have been different had the couple been able to continue with plans for treatment in Turkey.
After the money was gone, everything changed.”
“He was happy because he thought he was going to Turkey,” Mrs Deveaux said. “He told everbody ‘I’m going to fix my kidney and come back nowmal.
While there is no way to know whether the treatment would have changed the outcome, Mrs Deveaux believes her husband would have had a better chance.
“The people didn’t take money,” she said. “The people took my husband’s life.”
Mrs Deveaux said members of the public who wish to assist with funeral expenses may contact her directly at 431-5105.
She said the missing money represented more than a financial loss to her family.
Christian TikTok influencer opens up about difficult pregnancy
By JADE RUSSELL Tribune Staff Reporter
jrussell@tribunemedia.net
FOR years, Catherine Duncombe built an online following by speaking openly about her Christian faith, her commitment to waiting until marriage for sex and her desire for pure love.
Now, the 26-year-old Bahamian content creator is taking her audience through a more difficult chapter: pregnancy, anxiety and the demands of preparing for motherhood while running a business.
Mrs Duncombe, a former ZNS reporter who now owns Creative Lens Marketing, has amassed about 29,000 followers on TikTok through videos about her life, career, marriage and faith.
In May 2023, thousands of supporters celebrated online when she married her husband, Othniel Duncombe. Three years into their marriage, the couple began planning for their first child.
Mrs Duncombe said learning she was pregnant was joyful, but also frightening as she considered the uncertainty ahead.
In an interview with The Tribune, she said she expected her first trimester to be manageable. Instead, she described it as one of the most punishing periods of her life, physically and mentally.
"It was so bad, where I couldn't work. I could hardly do anything. I would just have to lay down all day," she said. "I didn't know a lot about pregnancy going into it. I never really learnt anything about pregnancy apart from what I've seen on TV."
what it looks like when we dedicate our lives to God."
Her husband became her full-time caretaker while also helping manage Creative Lens Marketing, her social media branding company. Mrs Duncombe said she received support from her church, family, friends and doctors. Her OBGYN also suggested therapy to help her manage anxiety. "I went to that therapist, and she has been so great on my journey. I've had her during the whole pregnancy. Basically, what she made me realise is that a lot of my symptoms we’re coming from not just my hormones, but it was because I was really fearful." She said many of her fears came from social media content about miscarriages and traumatic labour experiences.
where Mrs Duncombe connected with supporters. During pregnancy, however, it became a source of fear that damaged her mental health.
"I had saturated my mind with so much of that type of content, it made me very scared," she emphasised. For much of her life, social media was a space
Now in her third trimester, Mrs Duncombe said she is feeling much better and has returned to managing her digital media company. She and her husband are preparing to welcome a baby boy. Asked about having a TikTok platform with 29,000 followers, she said: "I see each follower really as a friend, somebody a part of my community. With my platform, it's really not about the followers and the viewers. But more so about a ministry of inspiring them, educating them on different things in life and showing them, most importantly,
Mrs Duncombe said she expects her platform to continue featuring educational videos about pregnancy health, motherhood and balancing family life with entrepreneurship. She said she hopes her content encourages young women to walk in Christian faith rather than embrace what she described as "baddie culture". She also wants to promote "Godly womanhood" and remind young women that some men are willing to wait until marriage instead of pressuring them into sex. Her message to other young women is that they can build a career, have a family and remain committed to the passions that fulfil them.
MARVIN Deveaux’s wife Aynalel.
A pregnant Catherine Duncombe pictured with her husband of three years, Othniel.
New Parks and Beaches head cannot guarantee budget limits
By EARYEL BOWLEG Tribune Staff Reporter ebowleg@tribunemedia.net
NEW Bahamas Public
Parks and Public Beaches
Authority
Executive Chair-
man Jamahl Strachan could not guarantee yesterday that the agency will remain within its budgetary allocations, citing global price shocks while promising “increased oversight” at an authority under sustained scrutiny over runaway spending and the absence of a public audit.
Mr Strachan, who assumed the role yesterday, said an audit of the authority will be tabled in Parliament in “due course”, though he said he had not yet reviewed it and planned to do so with the authority’s executive team.
The authority was embroiled in controversy under former chairman McKell Bonaby amid criticism over high spending and the absence of a public audit.
Mr Strachan said audits, transparent procedures and protocols have already been
enacted. However, he could not say whether the public will see documentation and project measures completed during the last Davis administration.
Mr Strachan repeated the previous explanation from officials that much of the authority’s spending appeared to have been rollover spending.
Asked what measures would be taken to ensure the authority stays within its budget under his tenure, Mr Strachan said that is difficult because global events affect prices.
“It drives and changes prices of everything, so a $2, and this is arbitrary of course, a $2 slide today, any impact with the various wars or trans shipping route will impact the cost of that particular product tomorrow,” he said.
“What I can assure you is that you have a competent authority. You have an authority dedicated to fiscal management, and going forward, you will see increased oversight, and of course I would say bang for your buck going forward.”
The Progressive Liberal Party and Mr Bonaby have defended the authority’s spending amid criticism.
Mr Bonaby has framed the authority’s spending as support for more than 1,200 contractors across The Bahamas, saying it created jobs, opportunities and economic benefits for communities throughout the islands.
He has also said increased spending reflected the authority’s expanded responsibility for more than 250 parks nationwide and investments in staffing, equipment and operational capacity.
He said financial controls require contractors to provide valid documentation and proof of completed work, though no supporting figures, project-level details or audit reports have been publicly released.
The PLP defended the authority’s surging spending in April, blaming inherited overruns and pointing to support for small businesses amid scrutiny over missing audit reports.
PLP Director of
Bahamas can shelter 14,000, but falls short of global mark
By LYNAIRE MUNNINGS
Tribune Staff Reporter lmunnings@tribunemedia.net
THE Bahamas can shelter about 14,000 people during a natural disaster, but officials say the country still falls short of the international benchmark as the 2026 Atlantic hurricane season begins.
Disaster Risk Management Authority Managing Director Aaron Sargent said yesterday that The Bahamas has 144 shelters and has completed about 90 shelter inspections across the country, with only about three shelters in New Providence still awaiting inspection.
"The global standard is about ten percent of population, and so we have work to do to continue to increase that and build new shelters, especially in the southern region," he said.
Mr Sargent spoke during a press briefing to mark the
start of the hurricane season. He said he, Minister of State in the Office of the Prime Minister with responsibility for Disaster Risk Management McKell Bonaby, DRM Authority Executive Chairman Alex Storr and senior officials from several government agencies briefed Prime Minister Philip “Brave” Davis yesterday on national preparedness efforts. He said officials are confident that work completed during the "blue sky" period has strengthened the country’s ability to respond to hurricanes and other natural hazards.
The Department of Meteorology has forecast a below-average 2026 Atlantic hurricane season, with about 11 named storms and between one and three hurricanes expected. Mr Sargent said the outlook is linked to the El Niño weather pattern, which has also contributed to extreme heat.
However, he warned residents not to treat the forecast as a reason to relax.
"We want to encourage residents not to take it lightly that we have a below-average season,” he said. “And it just takes one rapidly intensifying storm that can affect our islands, and as we are located within the hurricane belt, it just takes one to impact our islands and bring devastation to our islands."
Mr Sargent said the DRM Authority has completed regional readiness exercises on eight islands to strengthen local disaster response, with a national disaster readiness exercise scheduled for July.
He said the authority is also nearing completion of a National Recovery Framework intended to standardise relief and recovery efforts after disasters. The framework will soon be submitted to the Inter-Ministerial Committee on Disaster Risk Management for review and
Communications Latrae Rahming claimed during a press conference that higher spending reflected “investments in small and medium-sized businesses” and long-running overruns that predated the Davis administration. He called criticism from the opposition “disingenuous”.
He cited past budget gaps under the Minnis administration, including one year when about $7m was budgeted and $15.6m was spent, and another period when $19.1m was budgeted and $25.9m was spent.
The defence came after budget figures showed the authority spent more than $141m up to December 2025 and repeatedly exceeded its allocations in recent years.
Mr Bonaby, in a separate statement, insisted that “every dollar of taxpayer money spent by the authority is accounted for”.
He also pointed to the agency’s expanded responsibilities, including managing more than 250 parks nationwide, increased staffing and equipment, and the implementation of a fleet
approval.
The authority has also invested in training and technology. Earlier this year, DRM officers participated in a programme with the Rhode Island Emergency Management Agency, the Rhode Island National Guard and US Northern Command to improve their use of the WebEOC emergency management platform.
Mr Sargent said the system will improve communication and situational awareness between agencies and the Family Islands during disasters.
"We intend to deploy the full rollout of that program at our upcoming national disaster readiness exercise that will take place in July," he said.
On shelter readiness, Mr Sargent said inspection standards have been strengthened since the establishment of the DRM Authority and that most facilities are meeting requirements.
He said construction work on the disaster shelter in Abaco has been completed and the facility is ready for use.
management system. Questions about the authority intensified in April after The Nassau Guardian reported repeated overspending and a lack of details on how the funds were used.
The report outlined spending of $24.6m against a $15.2m budget in the 2021/2022 fiscal year, and more than $33m against a $24m budget in 2023/2024.
Budget documents up to December 2025 show total allocations exceeded $141m.
Mr Strachan said the authority’s initial focus will be identifying deficiencies and needs at parks and beaches, with quarterly assessments and measurable targets to track improvements and allow the public to monitor progress.
"We've just recently, on a different format, allowed the administrator on Abaco to utilise it during the electoral cycle to stress test some of the infrastructure, and it passed and did what it needed to do," he said. Mr Sargent said disaster preparedness is a year-round effort, with the authority continuing to improve infrastructure, training and technology. He urged residents to inspect their homes and businesses, prepare shutters and plywood, secure important documents and develop evacuation plans before a storm threatens the country. Residents should familiarise themselves with shelter locations and use the government’s hurricane readiness campaign resources. He encouraged the public to attend the Hurricane Expo on June 20 at Marathon Mall and use the free preparedness resources available at getready.gov.bs.
GOVT
Mr Bonaby was not present at the briefing. Asked when the newly appointed minister would address the public, Mr Sargent said: "Minister Barnaby will be releasing an address tonight on all news platforms."
REPORTS RADIO HOST FOR ‘FALSE’ DRUG CLAIMS
THE Office of the Prime Minister’s Communications Director, Latrae Rahming, has filed a legal complaint with the Utilities Regulation and Competition Authority (URCA) against radio talk show host Darren Cooper over what he calls a series of false and defamatory claims linking governing MPs to drug trafficking.
The complaint stems from a recent broadcast during which Sylvens Metayer, a US-based man who considers himself as a whistleblower, called into the Grand Bahama programme and made a series of allegations related to the arrest of Eric Gardiner.
Mr Gardiner was allegedly carrying $30,000 when rescue teams reached him and ten other survivors of a plane that crashed off Florida’s coast on Election Day.
A US affidavit linked to his arrest alleges that an unnamed politician's name was handwritten on the envelope containing the cash.
The affidavit further claims that the same politician also met inside the House of Assembly with individuals believed to be members of a drug-trafficking cartel.
In a statement released on Friday, Mr Rahming referenced several "offending" on-air statements, including claims that Prime Minister Philip Davis was "Politician-1" and that a sitting Cabinet minister was romantically involved with Gardiner.
The allegations were made by Mr Metayers, who also accused the government of corruption and of assisting companies involved in drug trafficking to launder money.
However, Mr Rahming rejected the claims, saying: “Each of the foregoing statements is false, is gravely defamatory of the named public officials and was broadcast as fact to a wide listening audience,” Mr Rahming wrote.
Mr Rahming further accused the show of breaching broadcasting standards by violating requirements and said the licensee bears responsibility for content carried on its service.
He said the allegations were harmful, misleading and capable of undermining public confidence in national institutions.
“The broadcast levelled serious allegations of criminal conduct against named individuals without affording them any opportunity to respond, contrary to the fairness obligations applicable to licensed broadcasters,” he added.
“The broadcast of unverified allegations imputing serious criminality to the Head of Government and a Member of Cabinet is materially harmful, is liable to mislead the public, and is capable of undermining public confidence in national institutions.”
He argued the matter was not an isolated incident and contended that the programme has previously been the subject of concerns over the broadcast of unverified and inflammatory content.
He said the recurrence of such conduct warrants the authority's formal attention and intervention.
Mr Rahming called on the authority to investigate the matter and determine whether the broadcast breached broadcasting standards.
If violations are found, he urged the regulator to take appropriate action, including ordering the licensee to air a correction and apology, along with any other measures needed to prevent a recurrence.
Mr Rahming said the complaint filed doesn’t mean that the Prime Minister or the cabinet minister involved or the Office of the Prime Minister cannot take separate legal action, such as suing for defamation.
“We are prepared to provide the full transcript, supporting materials and any further particulars the Authority may require,” he added. “Given the gravity of the allegations and the continuing reputational harm, we respectfully request that this matter be treated as one of urgency.”
Public Parks and Beaches Authority executive chairman Jamahl Strachan looks at a map showing parks and beaches in the New Providence region yesterday. Photos: Shawn Hanna
Fired officer defends searching Prime Minister Davis’s luggage
May 3, one week before the general election.
Latonya Symonette, president of the Bahamas Public Sector and Health Professionals Union, which represents line staff at the Airport Authority, confirmed the dismissal and said the union could not defend Ms Bain based on the information it received.
Ms Bain, however, gave a sharply different account in a social media post, insisting she was not rude or confrontational and was simply following her training.
“What I didn’t know that day was that doing my job would eventually cost me my livelihood,” she wrote.
Ms Bain said she advised the prime minister’s delegation that required security procedures had to be followed. She did not give details of what happened during or after the exchange, but said complaints followed and efforts were made to cast her as the wrongdoer.
She said she rejected that account and stood by the training she received. After the election returned the PLP to office, Ms Bain said “pressure” resumed and eventually led to her dismissal.
When she asked to be suspended instead, she claimed authorities told her: “No, we have to get rid of you.”
Ms Symonette told The Tribune she looked into the circumstances surrounding the dismissal and was told Ms Bain searched the prime minister’s bag and engaged in “other actions.” She said authorities have a recording of the incident.
“There’s a protocol,” she said. “I have travelled before with dignitaries, and because of the respect that they carry, you normally don’t harass them in terms of searching their stuff. You let everything go through the screener and you could see everything on the screener, but to go through the bags as if you know you’re trying to prove a point, and then a statement
they said that was made was ‘I don’t care who he is, I searching the bag’.”
Ms Symonette said she personally uses discretion when dealing with dignitaries and often advises junior staff to let supervisors handle such situations because “we live in a politicised country.”
“For me, I would not have engaged,” she said. “I would not have searched the Prime Minister’s bag because he’s a dignitary, and I would not have bothered with his entourage. However, she did in fact, and so everybody know within the Airport Authority environment, when those persons come to the airport, yes you do a search, but you also use your discretion to ensure that your conversation is limited.”
Ms Symonette declined to say whether the incident justified dismissal or a lesser penalty, saying she had not reviewed Ms Bain’s file and did not know whether previous incidents were considered.
She said the union could
PM avoids questions about plane crash and affidavit
have asked the agency to spare Ms Bain’s job, but added that the matter appeared to have escalated since the May incident.
Ms Bain questioned what protections exist for workers if a security officer can lose her job for enforcing security procedures. She said she has bills and people who depend on her, like many other Bahamians.
“Never did I imagine that doing my job would leave me without one,” she wrote. “Would I have been fired if it were an ordinary Bahamian walking through that airport. Would I have lost my job if I had looked the other way? Would I still be employed today if I had ignored my training?”
“I never asked for special treatment. I only asked for fairness. The question now is simple: Am I victim #1 of the PLP?”
Ms Bain did not respond to requests for further clarity on the incident yesterday. Airport Authority officials also declined to comment.
Medicinal cannabis rollout expected before end of June
By AVA TURNQUEST Tribune Digital Editor
THE Bahamas Can-
nabis Authority expects to begin rolling out the country's medicinal cannabis industry within weeks after signing an agreement with US-based tracking company Metrc, officials confirmed yesterday.
He declined further comment on the cost of the authority's contract with Metrc, or the budgetary allocation for the authority, telling the Tribune that the Minister of Health's budget presentation will provide further details.
testing. We want to plug as many loopholes as possible."
Dr Brown said regulators are also seeking to prevent practices such as patients obtaining multiple prescriptions from different providers and the sale of products that do not meet medicinal standards.
Bahamian, but said no further details could be released because of privacy concerns.
Mr Davis’ silence continues the lack of detailed public answers from officials as new information drips out about the election-day plane crash off the Florida coast that led to Gardiner’s arrest.
Gardiner was among 11 Bahamians rescued by the US military when their twin-propeller aircraft crashed into the sea after both engines failed during an Election Day storm
industry's development and wants Bahamians to become active participants in its success.
"We are looking for Bahamians to be our partners on this, and in order for them to be partners we have to be transparent," he said.
"We won't rush it, but we want to move as fast as possible while being as safe as possible." FIRED
"Within the next month, it could be sooner, before the end of June you will be hearing a lot more coming from this space, authority chairman Lynwood Brown told The Tribune.
He said the agreement was finalised several weeks ago and clears the way for the public unveiling of the licensing platform, government website and application process before the end of June.
Dr Brown acknowledged that public awareness of the new regime remains insufficient and said an aggressive public education campaign will be launched before applications open.
"There can never be enough public education. The public is not aware sufficiently enough, in my opinion," Dr Brown said.
"The launch will kick off with a press conference, but we definitely need to go on a general education campaign to let people know what's coming, who can participate, where you can have a shop and where you cannot have a shop."
"We are very cognisant of that deficiency," he said.
Dr Brown said the authority chose to delay implementation until after the election to avoid presenting a new government with a regulatory framework developed under a previous administration.
"The government didn't change so the plan we had previously, we will follow through with," he said.
Dr Brown said the upcoming rollout will include the launch of the government's cannabis website, publication of application procedures for prospective licence holders, the introduction of platform partners and training for individuals seeking to participate in the industry.
The authority's agreement with Metrc follows delays caused by changes within the technology sector itself. Dr Brown said officials had initially been in discussions with another provider BioTrack before a corporate acquisition forced negotiations to restart.
"We are satisfied with our negotiations with Metrc. We have signed the contract for them to be our platform provider and guide us through this virgin territory," he said.
"They are eager to meet the Bahamian people and have a press conference to be introduced."
Dr Brown said the platform is designed to provide comprehensive oversight of the industry and reduce opportunities for illicit products to enter the regulated market.
He said every cannabis plant will be tracked from cultivation through final sale using a barcode system, while random testing will be conducted throughout the supply chain.
"Each seed is barcoded and followed from seed to sale. It will be very difficult to slide black market product in," he said.
"We do random batch
He noted that individuals who are already cultivating cannabis illegally would face challenges attempting to pass those crops off as licensed medicinal products.
"If someone is illegally cultivating now and they are applying for a cultivation licence, even if they meet the requirements and we grant them a licence and two weeks later they have product, we know that product was not grown within the regulated framework," he said.
"We don't expect products from that process to be ready within 18 months."
Dr Brown said the Ministry of Health is leading the initiative with support from the Attorney General's Office, the Ministry of Agriculture and local banking institutions, all of which are involved in developing the industry's regulatory framework.
He stressed that public education would be one of the authority's most important priorities ahead of the launch.
Dr Brown said: "This isn't for recreation, this is a public health industry. Because of the critical nature of public health, we have to spend resources to get as much information in the hands of the public as possible because the public's health and safety depends on it and we're not taking this lightly."
Dr Brown said the authority intends to be transparent about the
DODGE from page one
PRIME Minister Philip ‘Brave’ Davis quickly gets in his car avoiding questions from the press yesterday.
The Tribune Limited
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Publisher/Editor 1919-1972
Contributing Editor 1972-1991
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Accountability needed not more overruns
AFTER all the talk about the spending at the Bahamas Public Parks and Beaches Authority, there seem little signs of matters being reined in.
Jamahl Strachan is the new executive chairman at the authority, which has been the focus of attention after repeatedly overspending its budget over the years. Has he put his foot down? Has he declared that the days of busting budgets are done? Far from it – instead he has said he cannot guarantee it will stay within its budget allocation.
For those of you who have to stay within your household budget allocation, it must prompt thoughts of how it might be nice if you could exceed your funds without any consequence whenever you need to. Government, it seems, is built differently to the rest of us who have to operate on budgets that must be met, or that result in consequences.
Earlier this year, the Nassau Guardian reported on spending at the authority –including spending of $24.6m in 2021/22 when the budget was $15.2m. Then there was the 2023/24 year, where more than $33m was spent compared to a budget of $24m.
This is not missing your budget by a small amount. This is watching your allocated budget disappear in the rear view mirror as you slam down the accelerator.
In April, PLP director of communications Latrae Rahming commented on the administration of Dr Hubert Minnis for overspending on the budget in the authority – including $15.6m spent against a budget of $7m one year, and $25.9m spent against a budget of $19.1m.
That is not a valid defence, especially when such spending was criticised by the PLP when in opposition.
In 2021, McKell Bonaby was in opposition when he criticised the authority’s projected spending rising from $15.2m to $37m and said it looked like “electioneering”, adding: “It looks like it. It walks like it. It sounds like it. And we can see the impact of it, where it was not a real financial decision that was being made. It appears to be a political decision.”
Fast forward to Mr Bonaby taking on the reins of the executive chairmanship in the first term of the Davis administration – and the criticisms went away while the spending did not.
His successor, Mr Strachan, says he cannot guarantee staying within a budget because global events may affect prices as inflation drives things up.
Given his leader, Philip Davis, has talked of trying to combat the effects of inflation, it is probably not helpful for Mr Strachan to raise the spectre of increased prices.
He said: “It drives and changes prices of everything, so a $2, and this is arbitrary of course, a $2 slide today, any impact with the various wars or trans shipping route will impact the cost of that particular product tomorrow.”
Again, we should note that the rest of us must cut our cloth according to our means. Not so at Parks and Beaches, it would seem.
Where there is a silver lining is that Mr Strachan has promised “increased oversight” of the authority. He says an audit of the authority will be tabled “in due course”, though he has not reviewed it himself yet. “In due course” does not sound like it will be any time soon, but the fact that one exists, even if we cannot see it yet, does offer a pathway towards transparency and towards easing some of the concerns that the authority has been used as a fund over the years, including Mr Bonaby’s own claims of it being used for “electioneering”.
This is public money. This is raised through taxation on you, on me, on all of us. It therefore should be publicly accountable.
This is not some super-secret spy agency. It is funding for parks, for beaches, for making sure everything is maintained, for funding improvements. There is no reason why every bit of that spending should not be transparent.
So, Mr Strachan, we hope, will table that audit sooner rather than later, and the transparency procedures and protocols he also mentions, will hopefully allow us to see where and how that money is spent. It should also be noted that inflation can be very accurately tracked. For example, the inflation rate in the US right now is around 3.8 percent. Bust your budget by a few percent and you might just get away with blaming inflation. Smash through it by many millions and that excuse will not wash.
Start as we mean to go on, Mr Strachan. Let us see this transparency in action, and let us not let our spending run wild.
Where are Bahamian owned shops?
EDITOR, The Tribune.
SINCE my return to the Bahamas from studying, working and raising a family in the United States I have become somewhat confused as to what I see happening to our country. What do Bahamians really own? Having grown up in these islands during the late sixties and early seventies I can vividly recall when native born Bahamians owned, managed cultivated and maintained various businesses whether it was “over the hill” or on Bay Street. It may have been a tuck shop, mom and pop store, whether it was a small grocery store, barber shop, garage, road side stall, fish market, Taylor or dress sewing place, beauty parlor, mail boat etc our families were able to do enough to send the luck few off to the US or other countries to be educated. I can personally say from my small family of moderate means I was able to obtain (3) three earned Doctorates from a simple family tuck store on Augusta and South Street. Though not a scientific
study this past weekend, I was able to drive around town in some ole “hoods” to see what was going on. To my amazement I found myself driving to unknown placed that I knew before and in this small city got lost on numerous occasions. Sadly, I was unable to find a black Bahamian owned barber shop (now Haitian)
All the liquor stores were owned by Chinese or other East Asian individuals with poor attitudes and speaking to patrons disrespectfully, all roadside stand that I came across were Haitian owned, tire stores were owned by the Africans, garages were owned by Jamaicans, a large majority of take out restaurants were Chinese or Haitian operated, the fish fry were run and or managed by Haitians, so when you think about it we as Bahamians really don’t own anything. However, to my surprise the one thing it would appear to remain in Bahamian hands were the funeral parlors. How ironic. I can recall, many times my grandmother going to
The FNM need convention before end of the year
EDITOR, The Tribune.
WE have enjoyed a healthy two-party democratic system for many decades but given the Free National Movement’s performance on the May, 12, 2026, Election Day, I am deeply concerned as to the viability of our cherished system.
The irony is, depending on who you spoke to. A good number of people leading into Election Day, thought the FNM had at least a decent chance of winning the election.
However, the Party only won one more seat than it did in 2021, winning eight seats and just three in New Providence. The Party lost every seat from Yamacraw in the east to St James in the west!
It lost the vast majority of the middle class, and those aspiring to and working towards it.
There is no way possible that the Party would have had any chance of winning the election, losing that demographic and every one of those seats.
That performance at the Polls clearly did not speak to candidates – it spoke to structural challenges of the Party and its Leadership.
There has been a lot of talk about the amount of money that the PLP put on the ground. Some have said it was insurmountable by the vast majority of FNM Candidates and the Party.
Another major issue, that had to be a factor, given the breadth of the defeat in New Providence - there was a lack of appeal by Leader Pintard, with voters generally, which hurt or at a minimum, did not help the campaign.
Others have said that the National Campaign also appeared not to be up to par and most importantly, lacking funding as well.
The PLP had far more paraphernalia on the ground and available to their candidates and supporters than the FNM.
Whether it was big or small billboards, posters, car flags, caps, etc.
The one thing seemingly the FNM had a lot of was cotton t-shirts, while the PLP had the more stylish and popular – dry-fit collar shirts.
It appears that the Party’s social media was behind that of the PLP. The PLP seemed to be crisper in their messaging, more present and quicker responses to almost everything.
The PLP’s PR/Social Media/Messaging game seemed a lot tighter, nimble, sharper, thorough and got the numbers as a result, perhaps with a lot of content being sponsored-paid for.
The lack of funding in the FNM most probably played a significant role in this too, causing it to consistently play catch-up with the PLP but never really doing so.
FNMs since Election Day, have been asking, why more of their supporters did not vote, is it really surprising? Finally, you often hear, what is the way forward for the FNM, now that it lost two elections back-to-back, not doing so for more than 40 years?
Especially, when so many thoughts, they had this one, the answer, have a voting Convention before the end of this year and plan now, for 2031.
DEEPLY
CONCERNED NATIONALIST Nassau, June 1, 2026.
COI should fold up tent and join FNM
EDITOR, The Tribune.
THE election cycle has mercifully come to an end and the Free National Movement’s performance was disappointing. I was hoping, at the very least, for the party to secure 18 of the 41 seats. I knew a couple years ago that a win would have required a wing and a prayer with the Minnisites working feverishly to undermine the party. Too many factors were working against the FNM. I had predicted a loss but was hoping that I was way off course in my forecast. Of the purported 209,000 -plus registered voters, the FNM gained only 48,863 votes2,833 more than it gained in 2021. The shadow of former Prime Minister Dr Hubert Minnis continues to hover over the FNM. Its base has greatly diminished from the 91,401 votes it got in 2017. Forty thousand Bahamians who voted FNM in 2017 have either voted for Lincoln Bain’s Coalition of Independents in 2021 and 2026 or have stayed home. These people saw the need to continue punishing the FNM for the Minnis era. The COI gained 17,095 votes on May 12 -8,707 more than it got in 2021. Had COI voters -- the overwhelming majority of whom are disillusioned FNMs -voted instead for the FNM, the party would have gotten 65,958 votes -- 5,287 less than the 71,245 that voted for the Progressive Liberal Party on May 12. Under this scenario, the FNM would have won, at
work in the homes of white Americans often walking early morning and evenings to get home to their secondary families. There was a time when grandmothers were the only bread winners in the home. Now the maids are Philippines, Jamaicans, Haitians and other foreign nationalities the construction works are Mexicans, Haitians and Asians. I am extremely saddened to see this happening how it would appear that in a few years there may not be a native Bahamian face in places where commerce is held.
I well aware that in certain professions we need to bring in workers like nurses, doctors, school teachers and other highly skilled professions but in checking many come in as domestic help and end up working in other highly jobs. I will only say money.
I am not angry at these foreigners...they see opportunities money talks..... DR DEREK PINDER Nassau, June 1, 2026.
the very least, an additional ten seats. The COI outpolled the FNM in Pinewood and Englerston. It played spoiler in many other races on New Providence. The COI, despite all the rave reviews on its performance in the election, remains seatless. Bain and other COI stakeholders must now undergo a time of introspection as the year 2031 would mark a decade of being a fringe political party without a single representative in the House of Assembly. Former Central Grand Bahama MP Iran Lewis does not count as he won that seat in 2017 and 2021 while carrying the FNM banner. Central Grand Bahama has returned to the FNM with Frazette Gibson. If Bain wants to remain politically relevant, then he and the COI should strongly consider folding up their tent and joining the FNM to strengthen the opposition. A fragmented opposition is not ideal, considering the circumstances in The Bahamas. All his COI party really accomplished was weakening the only legitimate alternative to the PLP, which is the FNM. The 17,000- plus Bahamians who had cast their ballots for the COI were really only helping the PLP. If you examine the PLP’s election numbers of 2021 and 2026, you would see that its base remained fully intact. PLPs did not defect over to the COI like the thousands of FNMs who did.
Those who thought that the COI would win were living in La La Land. It was
never going to happen. I believe that the FNM tent is big enough to accommodate the COI. Bain and the leadership of the COI should humble themselves and seek to have an open and frank discussion with FNM Leader Michael Pintard and FNM executives about a reconciliation and a merger. I call it a reconciliation because I consider the COI to be a political offshoot of the FNM. This election reminds me of the 2012 general election, when the Democratic National Alliance played spoiler to the FNM. The DNA was formed by Branville McCartney, a former FNM Cabinet Minister. The COI and DNA are two examples of the wavering loyalty of thousands of FNMs. A COI merger with the FNM would have to be on the latter terms. The FNM is an organisation that has been in existence for over 53 years. It has governed The Bahamas on four different occasions. A merger is possible. But this would entail Bain submitting to the authority of the FNM leadership and publicly retracting inflammatory allegations made against the party and its leadership. Failure to do so will most certainly doom the entire opposition to drifting in the political wilderness due to bloated egos. The FNM can survive years in the political wilderness. The COI can’t.
KEVIN EVANS Freeport, Grand Bahama May 31, 2026.
Have you no sense of decency, sir?
EDITOR, The Tribune.
THOSE of you who are friends of history would recall that during the McCarthy hearings in American politics in 1954, amid all the political assassinations, the charges and the counter charges, the famous or infamous question was put from Joe Welch to Joseph McCarthy. “Have you no sense of decency Sir?”
There have been recent reports of a Bahamian politician who was alleged to have made cocaine deals on the grounds of the house of assembly. This person was referred to as “politician
one”. Amidst the deafening silence from our government, tons of speculations have run rampant, covertly and overtly, as to who “politician one” is. Integrity, corruption, and transparency seem to be battling for centre stage, but “silence” seems to now have the inside track. Now that the election is over, the country needs to move on.
If reports are true, then some soul or some souls on planet earth know who “politician one” is. It would be decent and proper if “Politician one” could muster enough delayed
courage to resign from public office: failing that, the Prime Minister should find him and remove him. Thirty-three minus one still leaves thirty-two. Remember, “evil triumphs when good men remain silent”. And so, to borrow that famous or infamous line from the McCarthy hearing in American politics in 1954; I would simply ask “Politician one”; “Have you no sense of decency Sir?” ZEPHANIAH BURROWS Nassau, May 29, 2026.
Ex-fiancée made payments at Gibson’s direction, court hears
By PAVEL BAILEY Tribune Staff Reporter pbailey@tribunemedia.net
A POLICE financial intelligence officer testified yesterday that he was present when former Long Island MP Adrian Gibson’s ex-fiancée told police she made payments for two companies at his direction, as the Crown continued to probe the flow of money tied to Water and Sewerage Corporation contracts awarded during Gibson’s tenure.
Assistant Superintendent of Police Kelson Colebrooke, of the police financial intelligence unit, gave evidence in the Supreme Court in the ongoing trial concerning WSC contracts awarded while Gibson served as the corporation’s executive chairman.
While being cross-examined by Damian Gomez KC, ASP Colebrooke said Alexandria Mackey handled payments
for Elite Maintenance and Baha Maintenance. She also indicated to authorities that she paid subcontractors.
Jury finds man not guilty of raping ex-girlfriend at her home
By PAVEL BAILEY Tribune Staff Reporter pbailey@tribunemedia.net
A 36-YEAR-OLD man was acquitted yesterday of allegedly raping his 33-year-old ex-girlfriend at her home in 2024.
Ricardo Lightbourn was found not guilty of rape in a 6-3 jury verdict before Justice Guillimina Archer-Minns.
Lightbourn smiled with relief after the all-female jury returned its decision following two hours of deliberation.
Justice Archer-Minns told Lightbourn he was free to go as long as he had no other matters before the court.
The defendant was accused of raping his ex-girlfriend at her home on the night of April 15 to 16, 2024.
The complainant alleged that the accused did not have permission to be in her home that night and claimed he may have entered through the back door.
The complainant testified that she reported the allegations to the police two weeks after the alleged incident. She claimed she was reluctant to do so because she did not expect anything to happen. She claimed the pair had a toxic and abusive relationship in the past and that Lightbourn allegedly injured her. The complainant said she and the accused had an open relationship but that she ended things with him when she found out he was cheating on her. She denied fabricating the evidence. Conversely, the
defendant claimed the complainant was lying because she was upset after catching him cheating on her. He claimed she saw him with a woman named “Kelly”. Lightbourn said the complainant told him that she would mess up his life.
The defendant claimed his ex-girlfriend made the allegations out of revenge because he had moved on. He denied the allegations and claimed he was at his mother’s home on the night of the alleged incident.
The defence claimed the complainant was a woman scorned and that the defendant’s account was consistent from his arrest through his testimony.
Max Julien, Khaula Reid and Cephia Pinder-Moss prosecuted the case.
Danielle Kemp represented the accused.
Police investigate suspected suicide at Indigo community
A MAN believed to be in his mid-20s was found hanging from a balcony at his home yesterday in what police suspect was a suicide.
A female relative contacted police shortly before 8am after making the discovery at their home in the Indigo gated community. Emergency Medical Services personnel responded to the scene, removed the victim, and later pronounced him dead.
Ms Mackey previously testified that no shares were issued to Gibson for Elite Maintenance and that he never appeared on the register of directors or held a corporate position, but said this was by design. She said that although he was not formally appointed, he was the beneficial owner of the company.
During her police interview, Ms Mackey indicated that she made payments for those companies at Gibson’s directive.
The court heard that she purchased vehicles using company accounts and paid $122,000 to Englewood.
Ms Mackey also told police she paid $20,000 for building materials for Gibson’s houses in New Providence and Long Island from Elite’s accounts.
She further told police that $122,000 was withdrawn by Joann Knowles from the accounts in 2021. Ms Mackey told police she did not know where the money went. Mr Gomez told the officer that Ms Mackey said she was president of the company. The defence claimed ASP Colebrooke arrested Tanya Demeritte on May 5, 2022. The defence also claimed Ms Demeritte signed two contracts with WSC for painting the Baillou Hill water tanks on June 23, 2020. Although ASP Colebrooke could not recall this, he was shown a document for the projects bearing Ms Demeritte’s signature.
The officer agreed that he interviewed WSC employees involved in projects.
ASP Colebrooke said that as far as he knew, Jerome Missick never filed a complaint against Gibson or purchased anything from him.
The defence claimed Gibson had to refinance his home in Nassau. The officer said he was unaware of this.
Mr Gomez also questioned whether the officer made inquiries into a Scotiabank account said to have been for Gibson’s benefit and which allegedly had $100,000.
Gibson has been on trial since November 2023 alongside former WSC general manager Elwood Donaldson Jr, Ms Knowles, Peaches Farquharson and Mr Missick over contracts awarded during his tenure Senior Justice Cheryl Grant-Thompson is presiding.
Bail granted for man accused of hiding escaped suspect Culmer
By PAVEL BAILEY Tribune Staff Reporter pbailey@tribunemedia.net
A MAN accused of harbouring former fugitive and murder accused D’Angelo Culmer was granted bail yesterday.
Prosecutors allege Deon Brown, 44, aided Culmer, 36, by concealing him from the law while he was wanted on a charge of escape from lawful custody on May 28.
Police said officers from the Internal Security Division, also known as SWAT, arrested Culmer and Brown shortly before midday last Thursday after intercepting a grey Nissan Note at the corner of Tonique Williams-Darling Highway and Premiers Avenue.
A search of the vehicle and its two occupants allegedly uncovered one pound and eight ounces of suspected marijuana in a black backpack, valued by police at $3,200.
Brown pleaded not guilty to harbouring a criminal before acting Chief Magistrate Ancella Evans.
The accused’s bail was set
at $8,000 with one or two sureties. Under the terms of his bail, Brown must sign in at the Carmichael Road Police Station every Tuesday by 9pm. Brown returns for trial on August 17.
Inspector Deon Barr prosecuted the case, while Ian Jupp represented the accused.
On Friday, Culmer pleaded guilty to escape from lawful custody after spending eight months on the run from pending charges of murder and attempted murder. Culmer was sentenced to two years in prison for the offence.
Culmer’s escape from the Magistrate’s Court complex on South Street on October 2, 2025, triggered an eightmonth manhunt, internal police investigations and tribunal proceedings against officers responsible for his custody.
During Culmer’s arraignment, he claimed the person arrested with him last Thursday was only giving him a ride that night. He said Ms Pratt had nothing to do with it.
Culmer’s escape raised serious questions about security at the court complex. Police Commissioner Shanta Knowles confirmed in November that three police officers were under investigation in connection with the breach and said security protocols had been strengthened to prevent another escape.
By January, Commissioner Knowles said the three officers had been brought before a police tribunal over Culmer’s escape. One officer had been interdicted, and another was expected to face interdiction as the tribunal process progressed. The status of those disciplinary proceedings is unclear.
Culmer was arraigned in the Magistrate’s Court on February 16, 2024, on one count of murder and two counts of attempted murder after prosecutors accused him of opening fire from a vehicle at a group of people on January 31, 2024.
A 39-year-old woman was killed in the shooting on Ragged Island Street. Carla Bain and Lorenzo Sands were also injured.
“This male was found in a gated community off West Bay Street. This male is believed to be in his mid 20s and appeared to be suffering from depression but I cannot confirm at this time,” said Inspector Gerard Culmer. This latest incident follows an apparent suicide attempt by a 41-year-old mother at a residence on Indiana Lane on Sunday, the latest in a series of such incidents. The woman was found unresponsive by her daughter after reportedly ingesting a large quantity of over the counter medication
treatment and evaluation. Her condition was not known up to press time yesterday.
Police are appealing to anyone struggling with depression or emotional distress to seek professional help.
Responding officers found her drifting in and out of consciousness in an upstairs bedroom on the southern side of the home. She was transported to hospital for further medical
“We also appeal to members of the public who think their family might as a result be feeling withdrawn the past few weeks, selling their items just being depressed, not really eating much or losing an appetite. We want to ask if you just reach out to them. Just reach out to family members so you can avoid matters like this today.”
Bulgarian man denied bail over ATM skimming scheme
By PAVEL BAILEY Tribune Staff Reporter pbailey@tribunemedia.net
A BULGARIAN man was remanded to prison yesterday after he allegedly tampered with and skimmed seven ATMs in New Providence last month.
Prosecutors allege Marian Dimitrov Marinov, 36, interfered with ATMs at Royal Bank of Canada branches on Bay Street, Cable Beach and Palmdale Plaza, and Commonwealth Bank ATMs on Wulff Road, Prince Charles Drive and Golden Gates
between May 1 and 26.
The suspect was reportedly arrested on the night of May 26 at a bank in eastern New Providence, where he was allegedly found with ATM skimming devices and concealed pinhole camera components.
That same night, the defendant was also allegedly found with $1,200 BSD and $400 USD.
Marinov allegedly conspired with others to commit fraud between April 4 and May 26.
Marinov pleaded not guilty to seven counts of unauthorised interception of computer functions,
two counts of conspiracy to commit fraud, and money laundering by possession before Senior Magistrate Kendra Kelly-Burrows. The defendant was assisted by a translator.
Sergeant Vernon Pyfrom, the prosecutor, objected to the defendant’s bail, citing the seriousness of the offences and the accused’s potential flight risk.
Marinov was denied bail and remanded to the Bahamas Department of Correctional Services until he returns to court on June 30 and July 13.
ADRIAN GIBSON
US bombs Iranian military sites, then downs missiles Tehran fired at troops in Kuwait
By JON GAMBRELL Associated Press
THE United States said Monday that it bombed radar and drone sites in Iran after Tehran shot down an American drone over the weekend. Iran then said it targeted American soldiers in Kuwait with missiles, which the US says it shot down.
The nominal ceasefire between Iran and the US has been repeatedly tested with back-and-forth attacks, though officials from both countries are still trying to negotiate an end to the war. It’s not clear how close they are to a deal — and there is always the risk that an attack could derail those talks.
Fighting has also been escalating between Israel and the Lebanese militant group Hezbollah, despite their nominal ceasefire, and that has increasingly threatened the emerging deal to extend the Iran war ceasefire.
On Monday afternoon US President Donald Trump said Israel and Hezbollah had agreed to dial back their fighting after he held talks with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and communicated with Hezbollah through mediators. Moments later, though, Israel said it had detected missile launches from Lebanon and warned Israelis in part of northern Israel to take cover in protected spaces.
Meantime, Iran maintained its chokehold on the Strait of Hormuz, disrupting global energy supplies and driving up the price of
fuel around the world, with far-reaching consequences. A cargo ship came under attack off Iraq Monday afternoon, the British military said.
Fighting in Lebanon poses risks to Iran ceasefire
Israel has extended its occupation deep into Lebanon, and Hezbollah — which joined the war in support of its main backer, Iran — continues to launch drones into Israel.
Iran wants any agreement to include Lebanon, and its foreign ministry on Monday highlighted the rising tensions in Lebanon, saying via government media: “The responsibility of the results and consequences of this situation is on the US”
In his social media post about Israel and Hezbollah scaling back their fighting, Trump added that talks with Iran “are continuing, at a rapid pace.”
In Pakistan, which has been a mediator between Washington and Tehran, a former ambassador to the US said that Israel’s actions in Lebanon were complicating the diplomatic environment.
“Israel is creating a new strategic reality in its neighbourhood,” Masood Khan told The Associated Press.
US military attacks Iran
The US military’s Central Command said it carried out the strikes in Iran on Saturday and Sunday around the city of Geruk and on Qeshm Island, hitting air defences, a ground control station and two attack drones it said threatened ships in the region.
“The measured and deliberate strikes occurred ... in
A key hearing for man accused of killing Charlie Kirk will be public, says judge
SALT LAKE CITY Associated Press
REPORTERS and the public will be allowed to attend a key upcoming hearing for the man accused of killing Charlie Kirk, after a Utah judge on Monday denied a defence request to restrict access.
Tyler Robinson’s defence team had asked Judge Tony Graf to close portions of the preliminary hearing on July 6-10, when prosecutors must show they have enough evidence to warrant a trial. It will mark the most significant presentation of evidence to date in a case that has so far focused on matters of media access.
“The public and the media enjoy a presumptive right to access court proceedings, including preliminary hearings,” Graf said during his ruling. He said the defence hadn’t shown that presenting the evidence publicly would deny Robinson a fair trial.
Robinson’s lawyers have tried to guard against media coverage that they say sometimes misrepresents their client, as his case has drawn tremendous public attention. The 23-year-old from southwestern Utah is charged with aggravated murder in the Sept. 10 assassination of Kirk on the Utah Valley University campus.
Prosecutors intend to seek the death penalty if Robinson is convicted. He has not yet entered a plea.
Prosecutors argued that the preliminary hearing should remain open,
response to aggressive Iranian actions that included the shootdown of a US MQ-1 drone that was operating over international waters,” Central Command said.
Traffic through the Strait of Hormuz is at a trickle compared to before the war, with ship owners deterred by the risk of an Iranian attack. Only 36 ships transited the waterway in the seven days leading up to Friday, a third of them carrying crude oil or petroleum products, according to Lloyd’s List Intelligence, which counts only ships big enough to carry globally significant amounts of oil or cargo. That compares to an average of more than 130 ships per day before the war began.
A fifth of all the world’s
traded oil and natural gas once passed through the strait. Its closure has put pressure not only on energy supplies but on chemical fertilizer, generating fears of food shortages. The Gulf region produces 30% of globally traded chemical fertilizers.
Kuwait reports incoming fire
Kuwait said its air defences opened fire early Monday morning to intercept incoming drone and missile fire.
Around the same time, Iran’s paramilitary Revolutionary Guard said it responded to an American attack without saying where, likely referring to the attack on Kuwait. In a statement carried by the state-run IRNA news agency, the
Guard said that US forces had targeted a telecommunications tower. Kuwait is home to US Army Central, the Mideast forward command for the Army. Iranian state television shared footage of the ballistic missile launch, including a close-up showing a sticker on its body depicting a bruised Trump overlaid on a “closed” Strait of Hormuz with the caption: “Until the last American soldier leaves the region.”
Central Command said US forces shot down two ballistic missiles Iran launched toward bases home to American troops. No Americans were hurt, it added. Attacks rattle ceasefire talks
Over the weekend, the US fired a missile into the engine room of a Gambia-flagged cargo ship trying to break its blockade of Iranian ports.
On Monday, a cargo ship off Umm Qasr, Iraq, was struck by a projectile that caused a “large explosion,” the British military said. It offered no other details, and no one claimed the attack. Iran previously has attacked ships off Iraq.
Trump met with advisers on Friday but has yet to decide on whether to move ahead with a deal to extend the ceasefire and reopen the strait. Iran has said the deal had not been finalized. The US and Israel launched the war with strikes on Iran on Feb. 28. Trump has offered shifting goals for the conflict, although preventing Iran from building a nuclear weapon is among them. Iran has insisted its nuclear program is peaceful, though it has highly enriched uranium that could be made weapons-grade. Iran has enough of the material to build several nuclear weapons, should it choose to do so.
US Vice President JD Vance suggested last week that negotiators were trying to strike general terms on Iran’s nuclear program, with the specifics to be hammered out in the ensuing talks. Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmail Baghaei on Monday again accused the US of “constantly” changing its positions.
“We are negotiating in an atmosphere of mistrust,” Baghaei told journalists.
What to know about US military strikes on alleged drug boats
By REGINA GARCIA CANO Associated Press
THE United States military strikes on alleged drug-carrying boats transiting in Latin America have killed more than 200 people since September, when the Trump administration began an operation it has justified as necessary to stem the flow of drugs.
As the strikes continue, the administration has offered little evidence to support its claims of killing “narco-terrorists” against whom US President Donald Trump has said the US is in an “armed conflict.”
but they agreed with the defence that media should be limited from viewing or copying some exhibits that could be used in a future trial. They plan to introduce forensic analyses, surveillance video, recordings of witness statements, autopsy findings and alleged messages from Robinson admitting to the crime.
Authorities have said DNA consistent with Robinson’s was found on the trigger of the rifle used to kill Kirk, the fired cartridge casing, two unfired cartridges and a towel used to wrap the rifle. Prosecutors also have said Robinson left a note for his romantic partner that read, “I had the opportunity to take out Charlie Kirk and I’m going to take it.”
Graf also granted defence attorneys’ request for a hearing on June 12 in which they will argue that prosecutors should be punished for comments they made in the media. Robinson’s lawyers have said one prosecutor, Christopher Ballard, essentially went on a “media tour” in which he made “expressions of opinion as to Mr. Robinson’s guilt.”
Prosecutors responded to the claims last month, saying Ballard had a right to correct misinformation in the media about an inconclusive, preliminary finding by ballistics experts, which led to speculation about Robinson’s possible exoneration. They said Ballard did not make any statement of opinion about guilt.
Critics have questioned the overall legality of the strikes as well as their effectiveness, in part because the fentanyl behind thousands of fatal overdoses is typically trafficked to the US overland from Mexico. The fast boats in the Caribbean Sea and eastern Pacific are known to carry cocaine, not fentanyl.
Here’s what to know about the deadly strikes. Why did the military begin blowing up fast boats?
Trump has asserted that the longtime US strategy of interdicting the boats at sea for decades has not worked. Yet, the US Coast Guard set a record in 2024, the final year of former US President Joe Biden’s term, for cocaine seizures, hauling 225 metric tons of the drug.
The strikes began in September off Venezuela’s Caribbean coast and expanded to the Eastern Pacific in October. The deadliest month since the start of the operation was October, with 45 people killed. Most of this year’s strikes have been in the Pacific.
Trump and other senior officials have also contended that such boats are being operated by narco-terrorists and cartel members.
The Associated Press visited a region in Venezuela from which some of the suspected boats have departed and identified four men who were killed in the strikes. In several interviews, residents of the region and relatives said the dead men were
mostly labourers or fishermen making $500 a trip.
Notably, the strikes started amid the largest buildup of US military forces in Latin America in generations, in a pressure campaign that culminated with the January capture of Venezuela’s then-President Nicolás Maduro.
More than 60 boats have been struck in the monthslong operation. Are the strikes effective?
Trump has claimed that the strikes have blown up boats carrying fentanyl and that each destroyed vessel has saved 25,000 American lives. According to experts and former US counternarcotics officials, Trump’s statements are either exaggerations or false.
For the past decade, US officials have sounded the alarm about rising overdose deaths, particularly from opioids and synthetic opioids. Overdose deaths from opioids surged during the 2021-2023 period to about 80,000 a year but dropped to an estimated 55,000 in 2024. Experts have attributed that decline partly to efforts during the last year of the Biden administration to boost the availability of lifesaving drugs that prevent overdose deaths. Federal data show the figure dropped further, reaching an estimated
44,000 last year.
Meanwhile, overdose deaths from cocaine, which is mostly produced in Colombia and Peru, are less frequent than those from fentanyl. About 22,000 people died in the US from cocaine overdoses in 2024, down from more than 29,000 the year earlier, according to federal data. The number of cocaine overdose deaths went down to an estimated 19,000 in 2025. The drug flowing to the US from South America is cocaine. Fentanyl, on the other hand, typically makes it into the US overland from Mexico, where it is produced with chemicals imported from China and India.
Are the strikes legal?
The operation has drawn intense criticism, particularly following the revelation that the military killed survivors of the very first boat attack with a follow-up strike. Administration officials and many Republican lawmakers said it was legal and necessary, while Democratic lawmakers and legal experts said the killings were murder, if not a war crime.
“Not only are these killings illegal, they are immoral,” she said. “People of good conscience cannot allow this to continue, yet Congress has so far failed to halt, or even slow down, this lethal and unlawful campaign.”
In January, the families of two Trinidadian nationals killed in a boat strike in October sued the federal government, calling the attack a war crime and part of an “unprecedented and manifestly unlawful US military campaign.” The complaint echoes many of the frequently articulated concerns about the boat strikes, noting for instance that they have been carried out without congressional authorization and at a time when there is no military conflict between the US and drug cartels that under the laws of war could justify the lethal attacks.
“These premeditated and intentional killings lack any plausible legal justification. Thus, they were simply murders, ordered by individuals at the highest levels of government and obeyed by military officers in the chain of command,” the lawsuit states.
Amanda Klasing, national director for government relations at rights watchdog Amnesty International USA, in a statement last week said the “extrajudicial killings are becoming normalized” as the death toll continues to grow.
PEOPLE paddle along the shoreline as cargo ships are anchored in the Strait of Hormuz off Bandar Abbas, Iran, Monday.
Photo: Amirhosein Khorgooi/ISNA/AP
PRESIDENT Donald Trump speaks during a Cabinet meeting at the White House, May 27, 2026, in Washington, as Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, looks on.
Photo: Jacquelyn Martin/AP
TYLER ROBINSON left, accused in the fatal shooting of Charlie Kirk, appears during a hearing in the 4th District Court in Provo, Utah, May 19, 2026. Photo: Trent Nelson/The Salt Lake Tribune/AP
Rest in peace to two sporting giants David
‘Stretch’ Morley and Glenroy ‘Flo’ Saunders
By BRENT STUBBS Chief Sports Editor bstubbs@tribunemedia.net
THE Bahamas sporting landscape has lost two giants in David ‘Stretch’ Morley and Glenroy 'Flo' Saunders, who both passed away over the weekend.
Morley, a 70-year-old resident of Grand Bahama, was a former basketball player who moved into the executive level, having served as a president of the Bahamas Basketball Federation.
The former employee of BORCO, where he was a learning accountant or district controller, underwent successful surgery in 2016 to remove his lower right leg.
Despite his handicap, Morley continued to serve briefly as the treasurer for the Grand Bahama Tennis Association after he walked away from basketball where he served as an executive for 15 years and a member of the Bahamas Olympic Committee for four years.
Saunders, an 83-yearold southpaw, was probably considered the greatest "all-around" Bahamian sporting figure, having excelled in just about every sport he competed in, including pool, bowling, golf, baseball and softball. Saunders, one of 15 national Hall of Fame inductees in the Class of 2011, was the first Bahamian to roll a 300
average game in bowling in a tournament at the Sea Surf Lanes in Grand Bahama in 1979. But at the age of 38, Saunders surged onto the international scene at the World Cup in 1981 in Madison Square Gardens in New York where he earned The Bahamas’ first and only medal - a bronze - against 41 countries.
However, when he returned to the World Cup the next year in Mexico, Saunders said The Bahamas wasn't registered and he never got to prove that his performance the year before wasn't a fluke.
Saunders returned home and continued his business venture in Fritz Lane, but instead of continuing as a bowler, a
disappointed Saunders went on to excel in the other sporting disciplines. Condolences poured in for both men from around the local sporting community. Veteran journalist Fred Sturrup summed it up best when he proclaimed that "Flo was also the best pool shooter in his pool room prime and some consider him the greatest pool shooting icon ever. He was also an avid golfer, Glenroy 'Flo/Flossie' Saunders is certainly in the great allaround conversation. "Stretch was a noted basketball player, who loved tennis before his leg issue and stood as a sports administrator."
Former educator and sportsman Jeffrey Davis
David ‘Stretch’ Morley
said as a "left hander, Flo could hit a baseball a country mile. He could also play first and pitch. As a community leader, he was a professional influence in business as well."
Morley, according to Davis, was a giant and gentleman. "We first met and trained together as teachers at the Bahamas Teacher’s College Oakes Field, New Providence 1972-1974," he said. "After moving to Freeport he established himself in night league basketball winning championships as he also left teaching he moved into BORCO oil company. "Stretch was tough and friendly with his Abaco training. He was a family man, popular, and a gifted
Glenroy ‘Flo’ Saunders
man. He became a national basketball executive and expressed his gifts to our nation."
Veteran pitcher Leroy Thompson said he learned a lot from Saunders. "Flo Saunders and I played baseball together with St. Michael's Dodgers during my senior league rookie year," Thompson said. "He was soft spoken and shared his knowledge of the game with myself and a few young pitchers. I also knew him from fastpitch softball."
Tribune Sports extends condolences to the families of both Morley and Saunders, as well as softball/baseball player Robert 'Smudge' Ford, who died a week ago.
Kelson Stubbs to host basketball camp in Cat Island
By BRENT STUBBS Chief Sports Editor bstubbs@tribunemedia.net
WHILE many are doing their part to keep the youngsters off the streets in summer activities in New Providence, Kelson Stubbs has decided to do it in his native Cat Island.
Stubbs, a long-time youth administrator, will host another version of his Camp Stubbs Sports Programme under the theme: "Better Practice, Better Results."
During the basketball camp, scheduled for June 29 to July 3 at the Arthur's Town court and July 6-10 at the Old Bight Primary School court, Stubbs will instruct the campers between the ages of 9-18 in fitness and conditioning, fundamental skills, team work, game strategies and safety and life responsibilities.
To register, persons can email stubbsk454@gmail.
com Additionally, Stubbs will also hold the inaugural Cat Island Independence 3-on-3 basketball tournament in Arthur's Town, Cat Island, July 8-10.
Prizes will be presented to the first three finishers. An award will also be presented to the most valuable player.
To register, teams are urged to email stubbsk454@ gaail.com
Stubbs said he's encouraging as many teams from
New Providence to go to Cat Island to compete in the tournament.
"I am trying to get at least 10 teams to participate," Stubbs said. "In the Family Islands, we welcome the teams when they can come over to participate." Stubbs, who has been doing the Stubbs Basketball Camp since 2009, said the tournament is an addition to the activities that he's bringing to the island this summer.
"The islanders are always looking for something for their children to engage in, so I put on the camp every year," Stubbs said. "But
I really want to make this first tournament a success.
"We are hoping that teams from New Providence will make it to Cat Island. It's going to be a lot of fun and there's a lot of things that they can do to get to know a little more about the island."
The tournament is open to all ages.
The camp, according to Stubbs, is free for all participants. They receive free awards and certificates, but he's looking for the public to assist in providing t-shirts for the competitors.
Instructor Kelson Stubbs with campers, top, and with two of the most outstanding campers from last year.
Jonquel Jones powers Liberty past Mercury 75-68
By JONATHAN BURROWS Tribune Sports Reporter jburrows@ tribunemedia.net
JONQUEL Jones and the New York Liberty continued their winning ways, grinding out a 75-68 victory over the Phoenix Mercury on Sunday night at Barclays Center despite an off shooting night from the Bahamian star.
Jones finished with nine points, nine rebounds, two assists, two blocks and one steal in 31 minutes as the Liberty improved to 5-4 on the season and completed a two-game sweep of the Mercury. Jones was one rebound and one point shy of recording her third double-double of the season.
While Jones struggled from the field, shooting 2-for-9 overall and 1-for-4 from three-point range, she made her presence felt on the glass and defensively as New York overcame a late challenge from Phoenix.
The Liberty relied on a balanced offensive attack with Pauline Astier leading the way with 16 points, six rebounds and six assists.
Betnijah Laney-Hamilton added 13 points off the bench while Han Xu contributed nine points and six rebounds.
Phoenix was led by Kahleah Copper’s 16 points while Alyssa Thomas added 15 points, eight assists and three steals. Monique Akoa Makani chipped in 13 points and Natasha Mack grabbed nine rebounds.
The Mercury controlled much of the opening half and carried a 31-28 advantage into the break after limiting New York’s offensive rhythm.
The Liberty responded in the third quarter, outscoring Phoenix 25-23 to erase the deficit before taking control in the fourth.
New York entered the final period tied at 53-53 and used a 22-15 fourth-quarter advantage to secure the victory. The Liberty defence came up with several key stops down the stretch while Jones anchored the interior against a Mercury team that struggled to generate second-chance opportunities.
Phoenix shot just 34 per cent from the field and 25 per cent from beyond
the arc. New York was not much better offensively, shooting 43 per cent overall, but the Liberty’s depth and rebounding edge proved decisive.
Jones helped New York dominate the boards, finishing with nine rebounds as part of a team effort that saw the Liberty hold a 40-23 advantage on the glass. New York also collected 33 defensive rebounds compared to Phoenix’s 20.
Despite her shooting struggles, Jones delivered several key defensive sequences, recording two blocks and helping limit Phoenix to just 14 points in the final quarter.
The win marked New York’s second victory over Phoenix in four days.
The Liberty defeated the Mercury 84-74 on May 27 before following up with Sunday’s seven-point win. Jones, 32, has remained one of the league’s premier rebounders and defenders while providing veteran leadership for a Liberty squad looking to defend its championship. New York
Wemby vs. Knicks: It’s fitting that a marquee matchup awaits in Finals
By TIM REYNOLDS AP Basketball Writer
SAN ANTONIO (AP) — The marquee outside of Madison Square Garden in December 1949 once promoted the following event, which was happening a couple of days later: “Geo Mikan vs Knicks.”
Not “Minneapolis Lakers vs. Knicks.” Just George Mikan. The NBA's first one-of-a-kind big man. It feels like history repeating itself now. The NBA Finals start Wednesday, with the San Antonio Spurs facing the Knicks for the title.
And the marquee for this series — in San Antonio, in New York, in Paris and countless other points around the globe — may as well say “Wemby vs Knicks.” Victor Wembanyama keeps stepping onto bigger and bigger stages. The latest version of the NBA's one-of-a-kind big man — a title once held by the likes of Mikan, Bill Russell, Wilt Chamberlain, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Shaquille O'Neal — will have all eyes on him in this series, and probably for every game he plays for the rest of his life. He's not “on the way” to superstardom. He's there. And this series is giving him his first chance at putting champion on his résumé.
“This is the best basketball on the planet that’s being played right now,” Wembanyama said after San Antonio won Game 7 at Oklahoma City to capture the Western Conference title. “And the crazy thing is ... I want to do that 15, 20 more times. Let’s hope it doesn’t become an addiction. Maybe it is already.”
It may as well be an addiction.
San Antonio is clearly addicted to him.
There's no Major League Baseball in San Antonio, no NHL team, no NFL team. As far as bigtime pro sports go, it's the Spurs and nothing else. And those who drive five minutes in any direction in this city will see the proof.
School's out in San Antonio. It's summer. The city's public library was buzzing Monday, and a few kids just happened to be noticing a new display not far from the front desk. “Read Like Wemby,” it said, and it featured five books that Wembanyama has been known to read in the past. An Instagram account — wembybooks — starting posting images of him with books, local media in San Antonio caught on and the library came up with an idea.
“We want to make sure people have access to those and people can read them," said Scott Williams, the marketing manager for the San Antonio Public Library. "And so, we thought, ‘Let’s do a display and let’s do a book list and make sure that people can easily find what Wemby’s reading so that they can read it too.’”
The results?
“The interest has been huge," Williams said. "Ultimately, we’re looking at two things. We want people to pay attention to the library, we want people to come here and notice us, and we want people checking out these books and reading. It's been a success on both fronts.”
SAN Antonio Spurs forward Victor Wembanyama celebrates after Game 7 of the Western Conference finals of the NBA basketball playoffs series win against the Oklahoma City Thunder, Saturday, May 30, 2026, in Oklahoma City.
So, Wemby gets people reading. He also gets people to visit seafood restaurants — even when they're closed. Rudy's Seafood isn't open on Monday. In a 15-minute span Monday afternoon, four cars showed up. They weren't there for lunch. They were there to see the
(AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez)
Spurs murals — current players and coaches are featured, alongside a freshly re-painted Gregg Popovich, a newly added George Gervin and Manu Ginobili, among others. Mark and Christina Lerma have family in San Antonio, but they live in Nebraska. They're
not going to the NBA Finals — ticket prices are way too high — but they headed to Rudy's to pay homage to their favourite team. Mark was wearing a newly acquired Spurs NBA Finals hat and Wembanyama jersey; Christina was dressed all in black and showed off video of a Spurs dress she was wearing on Sunday. They've loved the Spurs forever. And Wembanyama, as one might guess, has quickly acquired a special place in their fandom.
“He's dominant,” Mark Lerma said. “He changes the game.” They proudly pointed out that Wembanyama has been to the restaurant to see the tribute to the Spurs, which has been up for years and gets updated as needed.
“A lot of people stop and do selfies,” said Roland Ramirez, who owns the restaurant. “They're doing graduation pictures with the backdrop. It's pretty nice for the community. You know, the Spurs are pretty big right now here in San Antonio.”
He has met Wembanyama in the past and was blown away by how he carries himself.
“The first vibe I got off of him was he was just very humble,” Ramirez said. “He talked to my wife ... he was very humble with everybody. You could see all the emotion he had when he won the Western Conference finals and the crying, he's just a very emotional guy, very humble, very, very nice guy. That's what people are really feeding off. He's humble, but he's hungry for a championship. And when he gets on the floor, he's a whole different monster.” He's different. Just like Mikan was 77 years ago. Wemby vs. the Knicks. A marquee matchup awaits.
27th Annual Basketball Smiles camp all set for June 22-23
COACH Sam Nichols, retired Hall of Fame head women’s basketball coach at McMurry University, Abilene, Texas will be coming again this year for his 27th Annual Basketball Smiles Basketball Camp.
This year will mark the return of the very popular Basketball Smiles Elite Skills Development Camp. This elite camp will focus on upper-level basketball skills for serious-minded players. This year's camp will be limited to junior high and high school players only.
To provide a quality coachplayer ratio, camp size will be limited-first come, first-served.
The camp will be held at the Kendal Isaacs gym and outdoor courts, June 22-23.
Basketball Smiles camps are free and are coordinated by H.O. Nash coach Patty Johnson.
Basketball Smiles camps have always been widely popular, and unfortunately, in years past, we have had more students arrive for camp that we could accommodate, and several had to be turned away at the door.
So, to avoid disappointment, come early to register (note registration times) so you won't be left out! Here is the Camp Schedule: Monday-Wednesday June 22-23 Girls Camp 9:00am-12:00pm Registration at 8:30am
Boys Camp 1:00pm-4:00pm Registration at 12:30pm
*To provide a quality camp experience, size will be limited!
*For safety concerns, no unsupervised children will be allowed at Camp.
Since Basketball Smiles began, boys and girls across The Bahamas have benefitted from these free basketball camps and the Life Skills Programme of Basketball Smiles. Over 12,000 children have been served through Basketball Smiles since our beginning in 1999.
Basketball Smiles was founded by Hall of Fame basketball coach Sam Nichols and his wife Sandy in partnership with coach Patty Johnson of H.O. Nash Jr. High School.
NEW York Liberty centre Jonquel Jones (35) looks to pass the ball during a WNBA basketball game against the Connecticut Sun in New York on Friday, May 8, 2026. (AP Photo/Adam Hunger)
Cycling Federation Nationals returns to Exuma
By BRENT STUBBS
Chief Sports Editor bstubbs@ tribunemedia.net
FOR the second consecutive year, the Bahamas Cycling Federation will take its National Cycling Championships to Mount Thompson, Exuma, this weekend. The championships will be contested on Friday and Saturday and will include a contingent of competitors from New Providence,
Grand Bahama and a number of Family Islands.
BCF president Roy Colebrook said they are looking forward to making the return to Exuma to put on another spectacular event this year.
"We are already in motion and we are getting ready to take all of the equipment down there for cycling," Colebrook said.
"This is the third time in our cycling history that we will be hosting the event there."
This year, Fidelity Bank, Cycles Bahamas, Complete Maintenance Group, BWA, Lowe's Pharmacy and Prescription Parlour Pharmacy, will be among the sponsors.
"Cycling right now is all about the kids," Colebrook said.
"We are delighted to give them the opportunity to move from one island to the next to compete.
"But these nationals will also serve as the qualifiers for the upcoming international events
like the Caribbean Junior Cycling Championships in Belize and in October for the seniors."
It's anticipated that there will be at least 40 competitors from New Providence, about 25 from Grand Bahama, two from Andros and a host of local competitors from Exuma.
"Just like last year, we're looking forward to having a good showing this year," Colebrook said.
Last year, Kevin Daley won the title, it was passed
onto Felix Neely, who was the first Bahamian to finish the men's event. Kami Roach was crowned the female champion.
This year, Colebrook said they are looking forward to an exciting championship as the competitors will be out to dethrone the champions and earn the jackets and trophies as this year's champions.
On Friday morning, the competitors will compete in the trial trials, followed by the gravel race
Lenox having ’strong run’ in Europe
BAHAMIAN karting driver Lenox Lockhart continued his strong run in Europe this weekend at Round 2 of the ACI Italian Championship in the Mini GR3 category.
Lockhart qualified P5 out of 51 drivers and remained competitive throughout the heats, finishing P4 in Heat 1, P3 in Heat 2, and P7 in Heat 3. His results placed him P4 for the Pre Final, where he again finished P4 to secure a strong position heading into the Final.
Unfortunately, contact at the start of the Final dropped him back, and he finished P14, a result that did not reflect the speed and consistency he showed throughout the weekend.
Despite the setback in the Final, Lockhart once again proved he has the pace to compete at the front against top international competition, while proudly representing The Bahamas on the European stage.
in the afternoon. Then on Saturday, it will be the road races. "Everybody has the options, whether they want to go and do the whole thing or they just want to come on Saturday to compete in the road races," he said. "Whatever their hearts desire, they are able to do."
In addition to the competition, Colebrook said the federation is conducting a series of mechanical and coaching courses for its members.
By JONATHAN BURROWS Tribune Sports Reporter jburrows@ tribunemedia.net
BAHAMIAN minor leaguer Bertram “BJ” Murray continues to put together an impressive season at the Triple-A level, remaining among the top offensive performers for the Iowa Cubs, the top affiliate of the Chicago Cubs.
While Murray was held hitless in Iowa’s 8-1 loss to the Indianapolis Indians on Sunday, his body of work throughout the six-game series highlighted the consistency he has shown all season. The 26-year-old finished Sunday’s contest 0-for-4 with two strikeouts as Iowa wrapped up the road series with a 3-3 split at Victory Field in Indianapolis, Indiana. Murray entered the finale coming off some of his strongest performances of the season. In Monday’s 9-7 victory over Indianapolis, he went 3-for-5 and scored a run. He followed that up with an even bigger effort in Thursday’s 8-3 win, finishing 3-for-5 with a double, a triple and an RBI. Those outings helped boost an
already impressive stat line. Through 56 games, Murray is batting .323 and owns a .409 on-base percentage and .505 slugging percentage for a .914 OPS. He has collected 60 hits, driven in 32 runs, scored 29 times, blasted six home runs and stolen seven bases. Sunday’s game remained within reach until late. The Indians carried a 5-0 advantage into the eighth inning before Brett Bateman drove in Iowa’s only run of the night. Indianapolis responded immediately with three runs in the bottom of the frame to stretch the margin to 8-1 and put the game away. Despite the loss, Iowa heads into its next series with a 24-32 record. Indianapolis improved to 24-33. Murray and the Cubs will be back on the field Tuesday when they begin a series against the Toledo Mud Hens at Principal Park in Des Moines, Iowa. First pitch is set for 6:38pm local time.