06032020 BUSINESS

business@tribunemedia.net

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 3, 2020

$3.27 Govt extends termination payout date

By YOURI KEMP Tribune Business Reporter ykemp@tribunemedia.net A CABINET minister yesterday confirmed that the government has extended the 12-week mandatory redundancy payout deadline to 30 days past the end of the emergency protocols.

Dion Foulkes, minister for labour, said the move was designed to prevent persons from being fully terminated amid the COVID-19 shutdown: “That was done on Friday. It was an order under the emergency power orders that was signed by the prime minister that extended it 30 days beyond the end of the emergency powers. So the effect of that now, as of today, is up until the end of July,” he said.

“The problem with that is that the way the Act now is constructed there is a 12 week lay-off period that is allowed. After that you have to terminate, you have to make people permanently unemployed.

That is something that the prime minister and the cabinet decided was not good, so we consulted the umbrella groups, we consulted the Chamber (Bahamas Chamber of Commerce and Employers Confederation) and some of the major industries in The Bahamas to decide exactly how to handle that situation.

“We decided the best way to go is to do it by order under the emergency powers order, and it has been extended unto the end of the emergency protocol and 30 days after that.”

Peter Goudie, co-chair of the National Tripartite Committee, told Tribune Business yesterday: “Well, that’s what we had asked for, especially the National Tripartite Council. We have asked for the extension along with the Bahamas Chamber of Commerce and Employers Confederation, and along with Bahamas Hotel Employers Association. So I am really, really pleased that that has been approved

by Cabinet today, because I don’t know what we would have done because you would have had all of these people made redundant and no jobs. Nobody wanted that.”

Mr Goudie added: “Also watching the Ministry of Tourism’s press conference yesterday brings me optimism that we are starting to see a light at the end of the tunnel. I do know that we were all hoping for this, and Dionisio D’Aguilar was extremely honest yesterday and said there are inherent risks in opening the economy but we have to.

“So we are going to do all that we can in order to safeguard, and I am really pleased with all of the work they put into it.

I knew it was going on but I am delighted about how much work. So I am optimistic that we are going to get people back to work very shortly. So the whole thing is good news.

“We have people protected and people aren’t going to lose their jobs, and also that jobs are going to start opening this month.

You are talking to a happy camper. This news, coupled with the additional $48m for unemployment benefits announced in the budget communication along with what was said about tourism reopening this month, I am a very happy camper.”

$3.27

$3.28

Marinas aim to save ‘75% of the summer’

By NEIL HARTNELL Tribune Business Editor nhartnell@tribunemedia.net

B

AHAMIAN marina operators yesterday hailed the sector’s June 15 reopening as potentially “saving 75 percent” of the peak summer season, adding: “Our phones are ringing off the hook.”

Joseph Dargavage, pictured, managing partner at Harbour Island’s Romora Bay Resort & Marina, told Tribune Business that the government’s decision to permit the industry to lead tourism’s revival two weeks ahead of other segments had paved the way for a “sold-out July”.

Revealing that the property plans to recall all 40 staff that were laid-off due to the COVID-19 pandemic, he added that Romora Bay wanted to be “a leader and set the

• ‘Phones ringing off hook’ on June 15 restart • Critical to catch July for 2020 carry-through • Planning to recall 100% of workforces

example for other resorts” when it came to implementing and enforcing the necessary health protocols and safety measures.

“As of right now, if all goes as planned, we will have a sold-out July and probably a very busy

second half of June following all the protocols,” Mr Dargavage told this newspaper. “We hope to save, at this point, threequarters of the summer. I, as well as the Association of Bahamas Marinas, have been pushing very hard to see this happen.”

He explained that the June 15 re-opening will permit Florida-based vessels “a place to say for the rest of the summer season”, while Bahamian marinas are also hoping that the larger boats and yachts that typically cruise the Mediterranean will now come this nation’s way. It will also ensure the industry is able to capture the benefits from the US Independence Day

holiday on July 4 - something that may not have been achievable had it reopened on July 1 with the wider tourism industry.

As a result, Mr Dargavage, who is also the Association of Bahamas Marinas (ABM) vice-president, said the industry was hoping these factors will “flow” into a a strong fall season lasting from late October into November and December. “This could really lend itself to a much better late 2020 than we normally have,” he added.

“Out of all the tourism sectors in the Bahamas, I do believe the marina/yachting sector will bounce back a

SEE PAGE 5

Govt halts $130m civil service spend

By NEIL HARTNELL Tribune Business Editor nhartnell@tribunemedia.net

THE government has halted the $130m initiative designed to upgrade civil service skills and transform its delivery of public services to the Bahamian people, the 2020-2021 budget reveals.

A close examination of the government’s spending allocations reveals it has provided nothing in this budget cycle, or the next two fiscal years, beyond the $30m that went to “skills enhancement” during the 2019-2020 budget year.

Marlon Johnson, the Ministry of Finance’s acting financial secretary, confirmed that Tribune Business’ interpretation was correct and that the government has suspended an initiative that it touted as recently as its last published

MARLON JOHNSON fiscal strategy report.

“Thats’ correct,” Mr Johnson confirmed.

“Depending on circumstance it could be continued going forward but, right now, no.” The move is designed to curtail spending, and the cost burden being imposed on Bahamian taxpayers, by the

$1.3bn fiscal deficit the government is projected to incur in the upcoming 20202021 fiscal year due to a combination of the fall-out from Hurricane Dorian and the COVID-19 pandemic.

Of the $30m spent on “skills enhancement” during the 2019-2020 fiscal year, the deputy prime minister told the House of Assembly earlier this year that some $23m - some 76.7 percent of this amount - had gone towards meeting the lump sum payment made to public servants in late December last year.

Thus the Bahamian people, and taxpayers, have to-date received little benefit from a “skills enhancement” venture that was a major part of the government’s $120m unbudgeted nonDorian spending for which it sought parliamentary approval earlier this year.

K Peter Turnquest told

the House of Assembly at the time that another $100m would be devoted to the initiative over the upcoming three years, and said: “While the government continues to foster greater discipline in its fiscal affairs, there are some challenges that it cannot ignore, one of which is the pressing transformation of the public service to achieve greater effectiveness in the delivery of public services through skills enhancement and other human resources initiatives.

“Towards this objective, the government has set aside $30m for fiscal year 2019-2020 and another $100m over the next three fiscal periods. Of the total for fiscal year 2019-2020, approximately $23m was expended in December 2019 toward lump sum payments to eligible civil servants.”

$3.23 Architects urge Building Control reform speed-up

By NEIL HARTNELL Tribune Business Editor nhartnell@tribunemedia.net BAHAMIAN architects yesterday urged the prime minister to focus on “the low hanging fruit” of the Building Control Department (BCD) in his efforts to “bulldoze red tape” following the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Institute of Bahamian Architects (IBA), voicing fears that the lockdown has created a backlog of permit applications at the department, argued that this could have been avoided had it been digitised 15 years ago.

“Doing so will help the country in dealing with the current coronavirus crisis, and will ensure that in the future the country would be better prepared when another crisis, be it a virus, a hurricane or some other crippling disaster, closes the country down,” the IBA said.

“Under normal condition it takes between three to six months to get a building permit at BCD. The nominal time in our region is approximately two to four weeks, with most first world locations issuing permits for the primary type of construction done here in one to two days.

“Imagine what effect the lockdown is having on current permit applications and how the inevitable delays will impede construction revenue and employment as we now slowly come out of the crisis lockdown.”

The IBA added that digitisation of building control would make doing business in The Bahamas much easier, efficient and improve the country’s rankings in the World Bank’s Ease of Doing Business Reports.

“Whilst the Prime Minister did not specifically mention the construction industry or, more importantly, the Building Control Department at the Ministry of Works, BCD’s outdated, outmoded and inefficient building permit process should have been and could have been optimised and digitised years ago,” it said.

“In fact, the IBA along with other entities in the construction industry have

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Minister: Bahamas Ltd ‘must get going again’

By NEIL HARTNELL Tribune Business Editor nhartnell@tribunemedia.net THE Bahamas “can’t afford” to keep its tourism industry shut any longer, a Cabinet minister warned yesterday, as he admitted that the threat posed

by COVID-19 can only be “mitigated, not eliminated”.

Dionisio D’Aguilar, minister of tourism and aviation, who was joined by his senior officials and hotel industry representatives in unveiling an 111-page list of health protocols designed to facilitate the sector’s re-opening, said Bahamians needed to come to terms with the reality that the virus is “a fact of life” for at least the immediate future.

Acknowledging the dilemma that COVID-19 presents, Mr D’Aguilar said the country needed “to get Bahamas Ltd going again” to stave off its potential economic collapse even though some will argue that lockdowns need to remain in effect until the threat is completely eliminated.

He spoke out after unveiling a two-phased reopening strategy for The Bahamas’ largest industry,

• Nation ‘can’t afford’ longer tourism shutdown • COVID-19 ‘can be mitigated, not eliminated’ • Unveils plan for June 15, July 1 re-openings job creator and foreign exchange earner. Marinas, airports and fixed base operators (FBOs) will be able to receive yacht, boat and marina traffic from June 15 onwards, with Bahamian citizens, residents, homeowners and legal residents able to return via commercial flights once they take the necessary COVID-19 PCR tests.

Then, on July 1, international commercial flights will return to The Bahamas, coinciding with the re-opening of hotels and vacation rental properties (Airbnb, HomeAway). The transportation industry, namely jitneys, taxis and buses, will also resume commercial activity on that date.

Mr D’Aguilar said The Bahamas’ reliance on tourism for around 50 percent of its total economic output, and two out of every three jobs, meant the country “cannot sustain much longer” the present sector shutdown especially since

DIONISIO D’AGUILAR diversification opportunities will take some time to be realised.

With Ministry of Health data suggesting that COVID-19 has been contained locally, he acknowledged concerns that re-opening The Bahamas’ borders to international visitors could spark a second infection wave as some may be carrying the virus with them.

Emphasising that this was why the Bahamas Tourism Readiness & Recovery

plan had been devised, Mr D’Aguilar warned that COVID-19 may be with the world “for the rest of our lives”. Describing the virus as “a fact of life”, he said of the plan: “All these steps mitigate, not eliminate. We can mitigate the risk but not eliminate the risk.

“This is the conundrum.

You have one group saying we should stay locked down until there’s a cure. We can’t afford to do that. We have to get the economy going again. We have to get Bahamas Ltd going again.

Tourism is fundamental to that, generating 50 percent of GDP and two out of every three jobs.”

Nor can The Bahamas escape its dependency on North America as the source for 90 percent of its visitors. Mr D’Aguilar acknowledged that the ongoing riots over George Floyd’s death at the hands of Minneapolis police were “most disconcerting, and “cause for concern”, given

that 82 percent of this nation’s visitors come from the US. The unrest threatens to further dent consumer confidence in a country where 30-40m Americans are already out of work, thereby undermining a travel market that is already weakened as a result of COVID-19. The gathering of large numbers of persons in close proximity on the streets also threatens to worsen the virus’s spread in a country that is already the world leader for COVID-19 infections and deaths.

In turn, this increases the potential risks to The Bahamas in terms of both visitor infections and further slowing the tourism rebound.

“We feel our screening processes, our social distancing, all the mechanisms we’ve put in place will limit the risk, not eliminate it,” Mr D’Aguilar reiterated.

“There will be one group of persons saying we need to remain in total lockdown, and one group saying we need to eat.

“We need to get back into business. This will always be the challenge until we

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PAGE 2, Wednesday, June 3, 2020

THE TRIBUNE

Six move on amid BPL’s Development Bank in Out Island solar search $3m COVID support SIX bidders were yesterday said to have qualified for the second round evaluation in Bahamas Power & Light’s (BPL) drive to outsource solar energy generation in four Family Islands.

The next phase will conduct a deeper assessment of the proposals submitted by the potential independent power providers (IPPs) to develop, finance, build, own and operate a solar photovoltaic (solar PV) and energy storage plant or hybrid power plant for North and Central Andros; North Eleuthera; South Eleuthera; and Inagua.

The evaluation will focus on the proposals’ technical and financial elements, requests for clarification and virtual presentations by each bidder during the week beginning June 15, 2020. Previously planned site visits and other inspections have had to be adjusted due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

BPL, in a statement issued yesterday, said it expects to submit a report detailing the approved bids - or recommending a proposed bidder - by the third week in July. Contract negotiations would begin around a month later in the third week in August, with

BPL HEADQUARTERS contracts awarded as early as end-September 2020 should the scheduled timeline be met.

The state-owned utility confirmed that the field has been significantly narrowed since more than three dozen companies accessed the Request for Proposal (RFP) bidding document that kick-started the search for potential IPPs in July 2019.

It said six companies submitted bids for Inagua; five provided bids for North and Central Andros; and ten companies offered for both North and South Eleuthera. Based on the addresses given, four of the six companies to submit bids for Inagua are Bahamian, as are three of those who submitted for North and Central Andros. Five Bahamian companies bid on both North Eleuthera and South Eleuthera.

Bidders have been asked to offer 25-year Power

Purchase Agreements (PPA) setting out the prices and terms on which renewable energy will be supplied to BPL. PPA proposals can take three different forms - daytime energy production with no storage; baseload 24-hour production with storage; or a hybrid of the two that allows for higher daytime production with baseload production outside of daylight hours.

Once a PPA is agreed, the winning bidder will develop, finance, build, own and operate a renewable generation facility that will sell power to BPL, as its sole and only customer, on an energy only (kilowatt per hour) basis.

BPL’s goal is to transition the Family Islands from BPL-owned diesel power plants to a more diverse mix of renewable and sustainable generation from IPPs. This Solar RFP is the first phase in that transition.

THE Bahamas Development Bank (BDB) yesterday said it has approved more than $3m in COVID-19 financing for small businesses as it prepares to open its doors to the public on June 8.

The state-owned institution, in a statement, disclosed that it has provided $2.865m worth of loans and $181,077 in grant financing to micro, small and medium-sized businesses (MSMEs) under the government’s Business Continuity Loan initiative.

Besides helping MSMEs remain in business and enabling them to meet staff payroll, the BDB added that it has spent 20 months improving operations and changing its internal culture. It said nonperforming, or non-accrual, loans have been slashed from 76 percent to 24 percent of its portfolio as it focused on restructuring and “mopping up” legacy challenges.

This exercise focused on its standard operating procedures, human capital and information technology platform. Dave Smith, pictured, the Bahamas Development Bank’s managing director, said the institution had focused

on a “balanced scorecard approach” that aligns decision-making with financing, customers and internal processes.

As a result, the BDB believes it has improved operational efficiency, corporate governance structures, risk management, accountability and service as it moves to encourage innovation and structural transformation in key areas of the Bahamian economy.

In addition to projects in renewable energy, beekeeping, poultry and small ruminants, the BDB is also seeking to access financing, technical support and grants from agencies such as European Investment Bank

(EIB), Caribbean Development Bank (CDB), Caribbean Development Export Agency (CEDA) and Caribbean Agricultural Research and Development Institute to reduce its annual subsidy from the government.

To gain such access, though, the BDB said its underfunding or negative capital position must be addressed. It added that it either has, or is seeking, Memorandums of Understanding (MOUs) with the Bahamas Technical and Vocational Technical Institute (BTVI) and The Bahamas Agricultural and Industrial Corporation (BAIC). A key goal is to generate cost savings by consolidating activities.

BTC parent reassures on hurricane readiness THE Bahamas Telecommunications Company’s (BTC) immediate parent has moved to reassure Bahamians that it has implemented the necessary resiliency measures ahead of the 2020 hurricane season.

Cable & Wireless Communications (CWC), which is owned by Liberty Latin America, said it has already completed numerous hurricane drills and launched

INGE SMIDTS

awareness campaigns encouraging customers to be vigilant and make their preparations ahead of what is forecast to be an active storm season.

Inge Smidts, CWC’s chief executive, said: “Connectivity has never been more critical in this region. Our networks are enabling millions of customers to stay connected at a time when physical distancing has become the “new normal”.

“Our regional governments, healthcare systems and educational facilities are all relying on our services to manage their operations in a new world of e-government, virtual meetings and online learning.

We, too, have had to adapt our operations to embrace the challenges of COVID19 to keep our employees safe and employed, and enable our customers to stay connected.”

She added: “At the same time, we are focused on preparing our world class networks for the 2020 hurricane season. Our teams have already begun their rigorous checks on our hurricane-tested network, which has enabled our business and residential customers in the region to stay connected through much of the devastating Atlantic hurricane activity over the past few years.

“We continue to invest in important redundancy capabilities across our vast sub-sea network, and in data centres located outside of the ‘hurricane belt’, which provide an additional layer of protection for connectivity in the region. The ability to stay in contact with loved ones throughout natural disasters has always been important to our customers in the region, and we are very proud to play this vital role.”

THE TRIBUNE

Wednesday, June 3, 2020, PAGE 3

IMF: BAHAMAS FACES ‘DEEP RECESSION’ RISK

By NEIL HARTNELL Tribune Business Editor nhartnell@tribunemedia.net THE Bahamas faces “a deep recession” due to the “unprecedented crisis” caused by the combination of COVID-19 and Hurricane Dorian, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) has warned.

The Fund, in approving this nation’s request for an “emergency” $250m loan to meet the government’s need for “urgent” foreign reserves support amid the tourism industry shutdown, said the economic fall-out will be deep and unsparing for The Bahamas.

It added that the $250m loan was equivalent to 100 percent of The Bahamas’ so-called special drawing rights (SDRs) in the IMF, meaning that this nation has effectively leveraged its entire “shareholding” in the Washington DC based Fund to access a low-cost foreign currency loan at an interest rate of 1.054 percent.

• Warns of ‘unprecedented crisis’ • ‘Urgent’ need to support reserves Nevertheless, the IMF appeared to back the short-term policy measures taken by the government to prevent the Bahamian economy’s collapse in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic, but urged it to “resume their ambitious reform agenda” of fiscal consolidation and improving the country’s resilience to powerful hurricanes once the immediate crisis has passed.

“The COVID-19 pandemic comes on the heels of the widespread destruction caused by Hurricane Dorian in September 2019.

Coupled with domestic containment measures, the collapse in tourism will cause a deep recession,” the IMF said in its statement approving the loan.

“The Bahamas faces an unprecedented crisis as it battles the fall-out from

two consecutive large shocks. It was just recovering from the widespread destruction caused by Hurricane Dorian in the fall of 2019 when the COVID-19 pandemic led to a sudden stop in tourism, causing a deep recession and creating large external and fiscal financing needs.”

It added that its loan “will help meet the urgent balance of payments needs stemming from the COVID-19 pandemic, boost resources for essential COVID-19-related outlays and catalyse additional support from development partners”.

While all are agreed that The Bahamas has been plunged into recession, the only differences that remain are over the depth and length of the economic contraction. The Central Bank has projected that

the economy will shrink by an amount equivalent to 12 percent of gross domestic product (GDP), or nearly $1.4bn, in 2020, while the prime minister himself has pegged this at anywhere between 14 percent to 20 percent.

Standard & Poor’s (S&P) has estimated a 16 percent contraction, with both its and Dr Hubert Minnis’ projections placing the contraction at almost $2bn.

However, Tao Zhang, the IMF’s deputy managing director and acting chair, said the multiple unknowns surrounding the COVID19 pandemic meant the Bahamian economy’s outlook was uncertain.

“The Bahamas was just recovering from the widespread destruction caused

by Hurricane Dorian in the fall of 2019 when the pandemic led to a sudden stop in tourism, generating sizable fiscal and external financing needs. The economic outlook remains subject to an unusually high degree of uncertainty,” he

added in a statement.

“The authorities’ policy response to the COVID-19 crisis is appropriate, including the timely adoption of targeted fiscal measures to boost health spending, support jobs and vulnerable segments of the population.

Once the present crisis subsides, significant and determined fiscal consolidation will be needed to achieve the targets specified under the Fiscal Responsibility Act.” Mr Zhang urged the Central Bank to closely monitor the commercial banking industry’s loan arrears increases even though he backed the decision to provide borrowers with temporary relief to help shield them from the COVID-19 fall-out.

“The Central Bank of The Bahamas’ focus on maintaining an adequate level of international reserves is welcome.

While efforts to maintain the flow of credit in the economy are warranted, the temporary relaxation

of prudential regulations should continue to be accompanied by close monitoring of non-performing loan (NPL) classification and prudent risk management practices.

“The disbursement under the [IMF facility] will help boost resources for essential COVID-19 related outlays, strengthen reserves and catalyse additional support from other international financial institutions, development partners, and the private sector.

“Looking beyond the crisis, it would be important for the authorities to resume their ambitious reform agenda including enhancing public financial management and state-owned enterprise (SOE) governance, advancing revenue administration reforms and continuing to improve the effectiveness of the anti-money laundering and counter terrorism financing framework.

Strengthening resilience to natural disasters also remains a priority.”

Shell seeks licence for new power plant

By NEIL HARTNELL Tribune Business Editor nhartnell@tribunemedia.net SHELL North America says it has become the first company to apply for an independent power producer (PP) licence in The Bahamas through its May 29 submission to local regulators.

The energy giant, in a statement, said the approval as an IPP is essential if it is to own and operate the proposed new multi-fuel power station at Clifton Pier plus the accompanying liquefied natural gas (LNG) regasification terminal and associated onshore infrastructure as part of its agreements with Bahamas Power & Light (BPL).

It added that the application had met its commitment to provide the Utilities Regulation and Competition Authority (URCA) with all necessary information by June 1 in a bid to further signal that it remains committed to The Bahamas and transformation of New Providence’s energy sector.

Markus Hector, general manager of market development for Shell LNG

NHI providers: Only one third trained in tele-health

By YOURI KEMP Tribune Business Reporter ykemp@tribunemedia.net JUST one third of the National Health Insurance (NHI) scheme’s primary care providers have been trained in telehealth systems that cover around 20,000 patients, it was revealed yesterday.

Dr Monique Thompson, the NHI Authority’s manager of healthcare quality and wellness, told a

Marketing and Trading, said: “We’re pleased and excited to reach this milestone, another key step towards solidifying the Shell-BPL partnership as we move forward with our world-class LNG-to-power project.

“Shell is ready and willing to work with the Bahamas’ Utilities Regulation and Competition Authority (URCA) to advance this application so we can continue to move this project forward as quickly as possible. Now that we have submitted our application, we look forward to working further with the government on the Heads of Agreement with an eye on finalising this and other agreements.”

This IPP application comes after months of negotiation between Shell and BPL over the structure of their deal, the power purchase agreement, the asset purchase agreement and the Heads of Agreement with the government. The application has been submitted under the Electricity Act and other permitting applications are well underway (eg Environmental Impact Assessment)

Desmond Bannister, minister of works, recently told this newspaper that “there are a number of legal issues to be cleared up” before Shell North America’s multi-fuel power plant deal can proceed.

He said he had set out the government’s position to Mr Hector who, on the same day, told Bahamian media via an Internet conference call that the necessary agreements were “weeks, not months” away from being concluded.

The minister, who has responsibility for BPL, declined to comment much further other than to reiterate that “there are a number of issues involved”.

He added: “There are a number of legal issues to be cleared up. I have spoken to Mr Hector last week, and Shell is aware of the government’s position.”

Shell’s recent public relations moves appear designed to nudge the government towards completing the power plant deal. For Mr Hector’s conference call with Bahamian media revealed little to no details that were not already known.

He confirmed that the deal is still being structured

webinar that while the full tele-health roll-out was not complete, one-third of primary care providers have been trained to use a system that allows doctors to practice medicine and assess patients remotely.

“Even with our broader roll-out of our electronic health record (EHR) solution, we took a phased approach,” she said.

“Even though that phased approach has been ramped up, we are still not fully implemented.

“We have 90 providers on board with us in our network, and 30 of them have been trained in tele-health and have the ability to use the system at this time. As I said it is still early but they are becoming more proficient in it and using it more.

But we are not fully implemented at this time.”

Dr Thompson explained that the tele-health platform was incorporated within NHI’s EHR platform, which all healthcare providers will be using by the 2021 first quarter.

She added: “We have this tele-health feature and, unlike our EHR implementation with the broader roll-out, which is mandatory for all providers joining our network, the tele-health is optional. But we do anticipate that providers will join because it does offer benefits for patients and providers, so we have had a really good reaction from our doctors. We anticipate that 60 to 70 percent of our

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COMMONWEALTH OF THE BAHAMAS FAM/DIV/2020/00035 IN THE SUPREME COURT Divorce and Matrimonial Side BETWEEN SHANTELL JEAN CLAUDY (nee ST. JOUR) AND GENOIS JEAN CLAUDY NOTICE OF SUBSTITUTED SERVICE TO:

Petitioner Respondent

GENOIS JEAN CLAUDY Nassau, N.P., The Bahamas

TAKE NOTICE that a Petition for Dissolution of Marriage by Shantell Jean Claudy (nee St. Jour) of house #39 Caspin Street off Soldier Road in Central District of the Island of New Providence one of the Islands of the Commonwealth of The Bahamas has been filed in this Honourable Court endorsed with a Notice addressed to you to enter an Appearance either in person or by your Attorney-at-Law at the Registry of The Supreme Court, Nassau, N.P., The Bahamas within Twenty-one (21) days of the publication of this Notice in The Tribune. In default of your so doing the Court may proceed to hear the evidence and pronounce Judgment in your absence, notwithstanding.

Dated 19th, day of March A.D., 2020 WESTERN LAW ADVOCATES #11 Shirley Park Avenue Off Shirley Street Nassau, N.P., The Bahamas Attorneys for the Petitioner

in a manner that would see BPL finance construction completion of the new power plant, with Shell then purchasing a substantial ownership interest in the facility “at fair market price” from BPL. This raised eyebrows when it was announced earlier this year, given that the original plan had been for Shell to construct, finance, own and operate the 220 megawatt (MW) plant as an IPP that would enable BPL to exit the generation business and focus on transmission and distribution (T&D). It is also unclear whether BPL has the necessary financial muscle to do it given that its rate reduction bond (RRH) refinancing has been delayed indefinitely.

However, Dr Donovan Moxey, BPL’s chairman, said then that allowing the state-owned utility to begin construction and then sell the power plant to Shell would save time given how negotiations between the parties have now lasted some 18 months since they signed their initial Memorandum of Understanding (MoU).

Mr Hector was also unable to provide specifics

on the size and value of any investment opportunities that will be made available to Bahamian investors, or the timing of such offerings. He also declined to provide figures on how much both the power plant and LNG terminal will cost to construct, and the likely savings that will result for Bahamian energy consumers from the projected lower generation costs.

Acknowledging that Shell North America had “wanted to be settled on the agreement now” with BPL, Mr Hector added that the energy giant had “seen some delays” as a result of both the lengthy negotiations and the COVID-19 pandemic.

He disclosed, though, that the 2021 deadline for completing the power plant portion of the project remains unchanged, with the associated LNG infrastructure likely to be in place some time in 2022.

With the Bahamian economy in dire straits as a result of the COVID-19 enforced tourism shutdown and wider economic lockdown, the proposed multi-fuel power plant and Shell’s deal with BPL have assumed even greater

urgency and importance given that reduced energy costs and a more stable power supply are one of the most immediate and widely-felt improvements that can be achieved.

The key documents will be the power purchase agreement (PPA), setting out the price at which BPL will buy electricity from Shell, and the asset purchase agreement detailing the price and mechanism by which the energy giant will acquire the power plant.

The deal with Shell North America is being structured such that two companies will be created, one to hold the power plant, PowerCo, and the other to own the LNG pipeline infrastructure and regasification terminal, TerminalCo. Shell will have majority ownership in both entities, but the plan is to give Bahamian public investors an opportunity to invest in the power plant via an initial public offering (IPO). And it was also the intention to solicit Bahamian institutional monies to help finance the LNG terminal and associated infrastructure via a private placement.

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PAGE 4, Wednesday, June 3, 2020

THE TRIBUNE

DPM urges patience on small business financing

By YOURI KEMP Tribune Business Reporter ykemp@tribunemedia.net THE deputy prime minister yesterday urged entrepreneurs to have patience with the Small Business Development Centre (SBDC) as it lacks the necessary staff to meet all private sector demands in a timely manner.

K Peter Turnquest, speaking outside the Cabinet Office yesterday, said: “This is a challenge for us, trying to get the resources we need in order to be able to serve the increasing demand for the services at the SBDC. In some instances, we are victims of our own success because the programme has been going so well in helping people who have not had an opportunity to benefit from capital and credit so they can realise their dreams.

“There has been an overwhelming demand, and basically the demand is overrunning the resources in terms of the people that we have there to serve these needs. We recognise that, and we’re trying to address that situation. One of the things we’re careful about is we don’t want the administration cost for this programme to become so heavy that we don’t have the resources to help the

Architects urge Building Control reform speed-up FROM PAGE ONE

been making formal recommendations to Ministry of Works on BCD processes for years - from building permit processes to building inspections protocols, and had any of the recommendations been implemented would have made BCD much more efficient and it

actual people.

“So it’s a matter of trying to balance these things, and I do ask for continued patience from the public as we try to work through it. Certainly it is our intention to try to make this as streamlined and as efficient as possible,” the deputy prime minister continued.

“I do note that there is some bureaucracy trying to creep into the process, and we’re working with the team down there to try and make sure that we don’t get into that kind of scenario and that we are efficient with what we do, serving

people as quickly as possible so that they can help us to recover this economy.”

The government has allocated $55m in the upcoming 2020-2021 Budget to support micro, small and medium-sized businesses (MSMEs), including a further $30m allocation for the Business Continuity Loan initiative that is designed to keep firms in business and provide them with payroll support.

Turning to the goverment’s $250m borrowing from the International Monetary Fund (IMF), which the latter approved on

Monday, Mr Turnquest said: “The $250m we are getting from the IMF is in this current fiscal year. That is the balance of the borrowing authority that we had on the 2019-2020 budget. So that will all be included in this current year.

“We’re moving now into the new fiscal year come July 1, where we will be looking at this $1.3bn borrowing resolution. We have not determined the breakdown of the borrowing yet; how much we will borrow in foreign currency versus domestic currency, and what those sources may be in terms of whether we go to the multilaterals (likes of IMF and Inter-American Development Bank) or we go to the private banking institutions, or whether we go out for a bond offering.

We haven’t decided on that yet, and that will be the job for us once we get this resolution done through the summer, looking into the fall.”

Mr Turnquest said he “anticipates” that the tourism industry will rebound towards the end of 2020 and going into 2021. He also expects major construction projects to “kick off” before year-end to give another “boost” from domestic activity and foreign direct investment (FDI).

would have certainly digitised the plan submittal process by now.

“The IBA has being calling for the digitalisation of plans submittal and review for many years and, to be fair, so has past administrations. The present minister of works, to great fanfare in September 2018, had a well-attended workshop on the plans for BCD to start electronic plans submittal in early 2019. The minister’s effort, though well-intentioned, suffered from the same fate as past administrations attempts

at removing red tape and implementing digitisation.

To-date digitisation has not been implemented and bureaucratic red tape has increased.”

The IBA added that had the BCD implemented digitisation as late as 2019, the present shutdown “would have had a minimal impact on its plan review and building permit processes as reviewers would have been able to review electronic documents from home and could have had a number of building permits ready for when the shutdown ended”.

It continued: “Construction is going to be one of the important economic drivers once the current crisis passes, and so quick, efficient permits can greatly aid the country restarting its economic activity.

“Therefore, the IBA not only will enthusiastically welcome and support the prime minister in his ‘bulldozing of red tape’ and his urging that the country goes digital, but we implore him and his minister of works to start with the very lowhanging fruit of the Building Control Department.”

K PETER TURNQUEST

MARKET REPORT www.bisxbahamas.com

(242) 323-2330

TUESDAY, 2 JUNE 2020

(242) 323-2320

ALL SHARE INDEX: CLOSE: 2,136.84 | CHG: -3.85 | %CHG: -0.18 | YTD: -94.76 | YTD%: -4.25 BISX LISTED & TRADED SECURITIES 52WK HI 4.45 22.65 7.00 6.75 2.58 2.00 5.47 12.77 6.17 4.50 10.30 3.64 5.10 10.88 8.15 16.99 9.40 4.25 15.21

52WK LOW 3.35 20.91 5.50 5.39 1.78 0.67 2.00 10.21 5.60 3.62 5.41 2.53 1.85 8.00 7.01 13.04 6.98 3.14 13.90

SECURITY AML Foods Limited APD Limited Bahamas Property Fund Bahamas Waste Bank of Bahamas Benchmark Cable Bahamas CIBC FirstCaribbean Bank Colina Holdings Commonwealth Bank Commonwealth Brewery Consolidated Water BDRs Doctor's Hospital Emera Incorporated Famguard Fidelity Bank Finco Focol J. S. Johnson

SYMBOL AML APD BPF BWL BOB BBL CAB CIB CHL CBL CBB CWCB DHS EMAB FAM FBB FIN FCL JSJ

1000.00 1000.00 1000.00 1000.00

1000.00 1000.00 1000.00 1000.00

Cable Bahamas Series 6 Cable Bahamas Series 8 Cable Bahamas Series 9 Cable Bahamas Series 10 Colina Holdings Class A Fidelity Bank Class A Focol Class B

CAB6 CAB8 CAB9 CAB10 CHLA FBBA FCLB

PREFERENCE SHARES

1.00 10.00 1.00

1.00 10.00 0.90

CORPORATE DEBT - (percentage pricing) 52WK HI 100.00

52WK LOW 100.00

115.92 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00

104.79 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00

SECURITY Fidelity Bank Note 22 (Series B) +

SYMBOL FBB22

Bahamas Note 6.95 (2029) BGS: 2015-1-3Y BGS: 2014-12-5Y BGS: 2015-1-5Y BGS: 2014-12-7Y BGS: 2015-1-7Y BGS: 2014-12-30Y BGS: 2015-1-30Y BGS: 2015-6-3Y BGS: 2015-6-5Y BGS: 2015-6-7Y BGS: 2015-6-30Y BGS: 2015-10-3Y BGS: 2015-10-5Y BGS: 2015-10-7Y

BAH29 BG0203 BG0105 BG0205 BG0107 BG0207 BG0130 BG0230 BG0303 BG0305 BG0307 BG0330 BG0403 BG0405 BG0407

BAHAMAS GOVERNMENT STOCK - (percentage pricing)

LAST CLOSE 3.55 17.43 6.00 6.68 1.78 1.62 3.00 11.26 6.10 4.03 6.01 2.97 5.10 9.73 8.00 14.50 8.97 4.00 15.20

CLOSE 3.55 17.43 6.00 6.68 1.78 1.62 3.00 11.26 6.10 4.00 6.01 2.97 5.10 9.73 8.00 14.50 8.97 4.00 15.20

CHANGE 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 -0.03 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00

1000.00 1000.00 1000.00 1000.00 1.00 10.00 0.90

1000.00 1000.00 1000.00 1000.00 1.00 10.00 0.90

0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00

CLOSE 100.00

CHANGE 0.00

107.31 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00

0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00

LAST SALE 100.00 107.31 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00

VOLUME 1,000

1,555

10,000

VOLUME

EPS$ 0.239 0.932 1.760 0.369 0.070 0.000 -0.438 0.722 0.449 0.184 0.140 0.102 0.467 0.646 0.728 0.816 0.939 0.203 0.631

DIV$ 0.170 1.260 0.000 0.260 0.000 0.020 0.000 0.720 0.220 0.120 0.000 0.434 0.060 0.328 0.240 0.540 0.200 0.120 0.610

P/E 14.9 18.7 N/M 18.1 N/M N/M -6.8 15.6 13.6 21.7 42.9 29.1 10.9 15.1 11.0 17.8 9.6 19.7 24.1

0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000

0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000

0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0

YIELD 4.79% 7.23% 0.00% 3.89% 0.00% 1.23% 0.00% 6.39% 3.61% 3.00% 0.00% 14.61% 1.18% 3.37% 3.00% 3.72% 2.23% 3.00% 4.01% 0.00% 0.00% 0.00% 0.00% 6.25% 7.00% 6.50%

INTEREST Prime + 1.75%

MATURITY 19-Oct-2022

6.95% 4.00% 4.25% 4.25% 4.50% 4.50% 6.25% 6.25% 4.00% 4.25% 4.50% 6.25% 3.50% 3.88% 4.25%

20-Nov-2029 30-Jul-2018 16-Dec-2019 30-Jul-2020 15-Dec-2021 30-Jul-2022 15-Dec-2044 30-Jul-2045 26-Jun-2018 26-Jun-2020 26-Jun-2022 26-Jun-2045 15-Oct-2018 15-Oct-2020 15-Oct-2022

YTD% 12 MTH% 1.04% 3.87% 0.61% 2.93% 0.50% 2.50% -1.34% 2.23% -12.71% -5.79% 0.94% 3.72% -3.46% 2.09% -0.11% 3.43% -3.33% 1.53% -0.32% 10.20% -1.58% 15.37% 0.88% 5.22% -4.91% 10.77% 1.89% 6.75% -1.95% 0.38% N/A N/A -10.90% -4.30% -18.80% -12.00%

NAV Date 31-Mar-2020 31-Mar-2020 27-Mar-2020 31-Mar-2020 31-Mar-2020 31-Mar-2020 31-Mar-2020 31-Mar-2020 31-Mar-2020 29-Feb-2020 29-Feb-2020 29-Feb-2020 29-Feb-2020 29-Feb-2020 29-Feb-2020

NHI providers: Only one third trained in tele-health

FROM PAGE THREE

providers, and that would probably be done by the end of the year.

“So far our patients have really had a positive response to it [tele-health], and they are looking forward to continuing to use it.

The biggest impact I would have to say is convenience, because the world was sort of mandated to do these remote visits.

“It used to be normal for doctors to visit with patients who are sick at home and it made sense, because someone who was sick, they don’t have to worry about

the hassle of getting up and getting the energy to come out and see their doctor. So the doctor used to come to the patient, and doctors can now come to their patients with patients not just having to be a little tech-savvy. So the biggest impact has been convenience.”

Dr Thompson said telehealth has “saved the individuals who use it a lot of money”, and has “improved mental health and health outcomes”. She added: “When you look at the challenges with the continuity of care, it really affords or provides access to tele-health or quality healthcare where it previously was a challenge.

“We have approximately 20,000 beneficiaries who are covered by those 30 physicians, so for us that is roughly a quarter of the beneficiaries we have in our pool. So that is approximately 20,000 people that can access tele-health.”

Minister: Bahamas Ltd ‘must get going again’ FROM PAGE ONE have the vaccine. Are we too open, or are we too closed? What’s the right state to be in. This is the dilemma we will grapple with until there’s a vaccine.”

Mr D’Aguilar said tourism’s reopening meant that requiring incoming travellers to either take, or produce the results of, a COVID-19 PCR test will “no longer be viable” given the time required for the findings to come back. Temperature screening of persons on arrival at air and sea ports, and their completion of health questionnaires so the individual risk they pose can be better assessed, will be the preferred methods.

“In terms of testing as we know it, that will no longer be reasonable,” the minister added. “We just have to implement and comply with the practices of social distancing, mask wearing, and that will help us to mitigate the risk, not eliminate it.”

Mr D’Aguilar said the Tourism Readiness & Recovery plan, and the protocols it outlines, will “from start to finish, be felt at every single touch point of the visitor experience” due to the new realities imposed

by COVID-19.

“Travel and tourism will be markedly different from what it was prior to COVID-19,” he added.

“But no matter what type of licking you put on tourism it always seems to bounce back better and stronger.”

The Tourism Readiness & Recovery plan is billed as “a road map” for the Government and industry stakeholders to employ in “preparing for the imminent reopening of The Bahamas’ internal and

external borders to local and international travel, and to re-enter the tourism market in a strategic manner which considers health and safety pivotal to the sustained restoration of the Bahamian tourism economy”.

The plan adds: “As a tourism-dependent destination, The Bahamas’ ability to propel itself to the forefront of regional and international competitors vying for the same depleted demand market is essential to the restoration of the national tourism industry.

“Having a plan in place is integral to the country’s ability to retain the interest and engagement of our travel partners and potential visitors. This plan also positions The Bahamas as a forerunner in regional efforts to prepare to reactivate the tourism sector immediately upon the relaxation and/or removal of COVID-19-related restrictions.”

Arguing that economic recovery “is inevitable” despite the closure of businesses and loss of jobs, the report added: “We acknowledge that when we reopen our borders, we must do so with the understanding that the world is, and will be for some time, markedly different from the one that existed prior to the COVID-19 pandemic...

“The deployment of a Tourism Recovery and Reentry Plan which provides guidelines for health and safety protocols not only allows tourism businesses to deploy approved health and safety standards which will, as best as possible, keep employees and guests safe; it provides target markets with a comfort level that The Bahamas is a safe and healthy destination.”

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HELP WANTED COOKS WANTED FOR AN ASIAN RESTAURANT MUST HAVE 5 YRS EXPERIENCE IN INDIAN COOKINGWITH KNOWLEDGE OF INDIAN LANGUAGE AND SPICESOF NORTH & SOUTH INDIA.

MUTUAL FUNDS 52WK HI 2.31 4.40 2.10 198.39 168.29 1.67 1.85 1.76 1.24 8.34 10.26 7.00 12.15 12.58 10.81 10.00 8.98 11.79

52WK LOW 1.67 3.30 1.68 164.74 116.70 1.61 1.75 1.70 1.14 6.41 7.62 5.66 8.65 10.54 9.57 9.88 8.45 11.20

FUND CFAL Bond Fund CFAL Balanced Fund CFAL Money Market Fund CFAL Global Bond Fund CFAL Global Equity Fund Leno Preferred Income Fund Leno Growth Fund Leno Diversified Fund Leno Global USD Bond Fund Royal Fidelity Bahamas Opportunities Fund - Secured Balanced Fund Royal Fidelity Bahamas Opportunities Fund - Targeted Equity Fund Royal Fidelity Bahamas Opportunities Fund - Prime Income Fund Royal Fidelity Int'l Fund - Equities Sub Fund Royal Fidelity Int'l Fund - High Yield Fund Royal Fidelity Int'l Fund - Alternative Strategies Fund Colonial Bahamas Fund Class D Colonial Bahamas Fund Class E Colonial Bahamas Fund Class F

NAV 2.31 4.39 2.10 192.52 145.55 1.67 1.79 1.75 1.16 8.31 10.07 7.00 11.42 12.58 10.52 N/A 8.31 10.01

MARKET TERMS

BISX ALL SHARE INDEX - 19 Dec 02 = 1,000.00 52wk-Hi - Highest closing price in last 52 weeks 52wk-Low - Lowest closing price in last 52 weeks Previous Close - Previous day's weighted price for daily volume Today's Close - Current day's weighted price for daily volume Change - Change in closing price from day to day Daily Vol. - Number of total shares traded today DIV $ - Dividends per share paid in the last 12 months P/E - Closing price divided by the last 12 month earnings

YIELD - last 12 month dividends divided by closing price Bid $ - Buying price of Colina and Fidelity Ask $ - Selling price of Colina and fidelity Last Price - Last traded over-the-counter price Weekly Vol. - Trading volume of the prior week EPS $ - A company's reported earnings per share for the last 12 mths NAV - Net Asset Value N/M - Not Meaningful

TO TRADE CALL: CFAL 242-502-7010 | ROYALFIDELITY 242-356-7764 | COLONIAL 242-502-7525 | LENO 242-396-3225 | BENCHMARK 242-326-7333

31-Mar-2020 31-Mar-2020 31-Mar-2020

APPLY IN WRITTING TO THE H.R.MANAGER

P.O.BOX CB 11539, NASSAU.

NOTICE NOTICE is hereby given that PAULA BLACQUIERE, Charlotteville Lot #14, CB-11524 Nassau, New Providence, The Bahamas is applying to the Minister responsible for Nationality and Citizenship, for Registration Naturalization as a citizen of The Bahamas, and that any person who knows any reason why registration/naturalization should not be granted, should send a written and signed statement of the facts within twenty-eight days from the 29th day of May 2020 to the Minister responsible for nationality and Citizenship, P.O. Box N-7147, Nassau, New Providence, The Bahamas.

THE TRIBUNE

Marinas aim to save ‘75% of the summer’ FROM PAGE ONE

little quicker than most of them. Yachts are essentially a closed hotel room, and their protocols on safety, health and social norms are tighter than most people’s homes and even hotels.

They’re very strict as it is.

“The Bahamas is one of the best places you can be post-quarantine. We will be marketing the islands and waters of The Bahamas very rigorously from this day forward.”

Mr Dargavage said Romora Bay had “started early” on devising and implementing the necessary health protocols to mitigate the risk posed by COVID19, and pledged that the resort will follow the measures issued by the Bahamas Hotel and Tourism Association (BHTA) and Ministry of Health “to the ‘t’”.

“We want to be a leader and set examples for other marinas and resorts,” he added, while also promising that Romora Bay will do “whatever it takes to bring back 100 percent of our staff.

“It was one of the toughest three months of my business career,” Mr Dargavage recalled of having to furlough most of the resort’s staff when COVID-19 hit, “not only for us as a company but mostly because of the employees were out of work.

“That was very hard on myself and the company, and we took it very seriously to hep everyone get through it. We had to layoff 40 people. It was really tough. But they’re in great spirits. We’ve been doing food drives and fund raisers, and myself and the rest of the owners did what we all could. They’re ready to come back and we’ve been speaking to all of them.”

Mr Dargavage said himself and the few staff remaining on-property at Romora Bay had been “gathered round the TV like it was Christmas Eve” watching Dionisio D’Aguilar, minister of tourism and aviation, confirm that The Bahamas will reopen to yachts, boats and

private aviation traffic with effect from June 15.

“Thrilled” by the announcement, he added that it did not take long for the news to spread throughout the marina industry as well as the international boat/yachting community.

“Just this afternoon the phone and e-mails have been off the hook,” Mr Dargavage said. “It’s been crazy, answering phone calls and e-mails all afternoon.”

A key factor in the government’s decision to permit the early re-opening of the marina sector appears to have been the ability of incoming yachts/boats to electronically register and declare their arrival 48 hours in advance, thus providing the authorities with all relevant COVID-19 test results and other health information early. And all boaters will have to provide the Maritime Declaration of Health.

Peter Maury, the Association of Bahamas Marinas (ABM) president, told Tribune Business that the June 15 re-opening was the equivalent of “saving our season” given that two of the three early summer peak months - May and June - had effectively already been lost.

He added that a July 1 reopening could have made it too tight for the sector to capitalise on the US Independence Holiday weekend, especially if there was bad weather, which could have driven boaters elsewhere and cost the marina industry its entire summer peak season.

“In the yachting world contracts have to be signed, provisions set up and itineraries,” Mr Maury explained.

“If they can’t get here for July 4, which is probably the biggest holiday in the US; had most of our summer boaters missed July 4 they would go to the [Florida] cays and that would be the rest of the season done.

“May, June, July is our summer. We missed on June; that’s done, and had we opened July 1 and the weather or anything else happened that first week of the month, we write-off whatever we could have made in the entire year.

We’re only going to get into the end of our season.”

Mr Maury said many yachts were unable to obtain insurance coverage for vessels kept in The Bahamas during the peak hurricane months of August and September, which was why July is now so critical to the marina sector postCOVID-19. Describing the June 15 re-opening as akin to “saving our summer”, he added: “That’s what we’ve been calling it: SOS - save our summer.

“If we don’t have a storm chances are that we can extend the stay of those boats a little longer into August as we missed the first part of summer. We may get a few more weeks of the season, and that would be great. May and June, that’s lost revenue no matter what, but we will take anything we can get right now.”

Mr Maury said Bahamian marinas traditionally use monies earned during the May-July peak period to carry them through hurricane season until November, when boaters returned due to the Thanksgiving holiday and Christmas run-up.

Noting that this makes the June 15 re-opening, and attempt to catch July, even more vital, the ABM chief added: “Typically by July most of the marinas have put that money in the bank and that gets us through the next two to three months.

“Then November comes and the start of the Christmas market, but we don’t know what will happen with that. This next six weeks is going to be crucial to get to the next season. It sustains us. For us, Thanksgiving and Christmas is a very short hit.”

Mr Maury said Bay Street Marina now planned to recall its full workforce, having kept 50 percent of staff on at half their previous work volume during the COVID-19 pandemic. “I’ll be able to bring everybody back from 50 percent to 100 percent and full schedules.

Come June 15 we’ll be 100 percent staffed,” he added.

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-

Wednesday, June 3, 2020, PAGE 5

THE TRIBUNE

Wednesday, June 3, 2020, PAGE 7

SUPPORT THE BLOOD BANK

SAVE A LIFE GIVE THE GIFT OF

BLOOD

BECOME A REGULAR DONOR

1 PINT CAN SAVE 3 LIVES GIVE BLOOD - GIVE LIFE

SOME HELPFUL TIPS BEFORE YOU DONATE:

4 You must have eaten at least once for the day.

4 You need at least 30 minutes between your last meal and donating blood.

4 You will need at least 10 minutes rest after donating blood.

4 You can donate blood every 8 weeks.

4 The Blood Bank will do FREE Pre-screening tests to make sure you are healthy enough to donate blood.

BECOME A REGULAR DONOR

PLEASE ENCOURAGE YOUR COLLEAGUES TO SUPPORT THE BLOOD DRIVES

CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE IN THE LIVES OF THE CHILDREN AT RANFURLY

T

he Ranfurly Homes for Children has been a safe haven for thousands of Bahamian children since 1956. The Home provides a safe, structured environment for children who have been orphaned, abused, neglected or abandoned.

YOU can make a difference in the lives of the children at Ranfurly. With your support children can have nutritious food, warm beds and a safe environment where they can discover the joy of being children. For years the children living and learning at Ranfurly have made great social and academic strides.

Their further development requires additional support in the form of a Transitional Home, planned for construction on the Ranfurly property.

This residence will cater to teenagers and young adults who are beyond school age, but need accommodation while they find work and gain independence from the Home.

We look forward to your continued support in this worthwhile endeavour.

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For more information visit: www.ranfurlyhome.org Please “Like” us on Facebook Ranfurly Home for Children, Mackey Street P.O. Box 1413 Nassau, Bahamas 242-393-3115

PAGE 8, Wednesday, June 3, 2020

THE TRIBUNE

THE WEATHER REPORT

5-Day Forecast

TODAY

ORLANDO

High: 86° F/30° C Low: 72° F/22° C

TAMPA

THURSDAY

FRIDAY

SATURDAY

SUNDAY

A t‑storm around in the afternoon

Partly cloudy; t‑shower in spots

Clouds and sun, a shower; breezy

Clouds and sun, a shower; breezy

Breezy with times of clouds and sun

Clouds and sun, a t‑storm possible

High: 86°

Low: 77°

High: 86° Low: 76°

High: 88° Low: 78°

High: 88° Low: 78°

High: 88° Low: 78°

AccuWeather RealFeel

AccuWeather RealFeel

AccuWeather RealFeel

AccuWeather RealFeel

AccuWeather RealFeel

AccuWeather RealFeel

95° F

82° F

96°-82° F

97°-82° F

98°-85° F

99°-86° F

High: 84° F/29° C Low: 74° F/23° C

The exclusive AccuWeather RealFeel Temperature® is an index that combines the effects of temperature, wind, humidity, sunshine intensity, cloudiness, precipitation, pressure and elevation on the human body—everything that affects how warm or cold a person feels. Temperatures reflect the high and the low for the day.

N

almanac

E

W

ABACO

S

N

High: 83° F/28° C Low: 78° F/26° C

8‑16 knots

S

High: 85° F/29° C Low: 77° F/25° C

8‑16 knots

FT. LAUDERDALE

FREEPORT

High: 85° F/29° C Low: 77° F/25° C

E

W S

E

W

WEST PALM BEACH

N

uV inDex toDay

TONIGHT

High: 84° F/29° C Low: 78° F/26° C

MIAMI

High: 86° F/30° C Low: 77° F/25° C

6‑12 knots

KEY WEST

High: 86° F/30° C Low: 80° F/27° C

Statistics are for Nassau through 2 p.m. yesterday Temperature High ................................................... 86° F/30° C Low .................................................... 79° F/26° C Normal high ....................................... 86° F/30° C Normal low ........................................ 73° F/23° C Last year’s high ................................. 89° F/32° C Last year’s low ................................... 77° F/25° C Precipitation As of 2 p.m. yesterday ................................. 0.00” Year to date ............................................... 19.28” Normal year to date ..................................... 8.95”

ELEUTHERA

NASSAU

High: 86° F/30° C Low: 77° F/25° C

Forecasts and graphics provided by AccuWeather, Inc. ©2020

High: 84° F/29° C Low: 80° F/27° C

N

tiDes For nassau High

Ht.(ft.)

Low

Ht.(ft.)

Today

6:11 a.m.

6:48 p.m.

2.7 3.4

12:18 a.m. ‑0.2 12:25 p.m. ‑0.6

Thursday

7:06 a.m.

7:40 p.m.

2.7 3.5

1:15 a.m. ‑0.3 1:16 p.m. ‑0.7

Friday

7:59 a.m.

8:31 p.m.

2.7 3.5

2:09 a.m. ‑0.4 2:06 p.m. ‑0.7

Saturday

8:51 a.m.

9:21 p.m.

2.6 3.5

3:01 a.m. ‑0.5 2:56 p.m. ‑0.7

Sunday

9:42 a.m.

10:10 p.m.

2.5 3.3

3:52 a.m. ‑0.4 3:45 p.m. ‑0.5

Monday

10:32 a.m.

10:59 p.m.

2.5 3.2

4:42 a.m. ‑0.3 4:35 p.m. ‑0.3

Tuesday

11:24 a.m.

11:48 p.m.

2.4 3.0

5:32 a.m. ‑0.1 5:26 p.m. 0.0

sun anD moon Sunrise Sunset

6:20 a.m.

7:57 p.m.

Moonrise Moonset

5:53 p.m.

4:35 a.m.

Full

Last

New

First

Jun. 5

Jun. 13

Jun. 21

Jun. 28

CAT ISLAND

E

W

The higher the AccuWeather UV IndexTM number, the greater the need for eye and skin protection.

High: 84° F/29° C Low: 80° F/27° C

N

S

E

W

7‑14 knots

S

7‑14 knots

ANDROS

Shown is today’s weather. Temperatures are today’s highs and tonight’s lows.

SAN SALVADOR

GREAT EXUMA

High: 84° F/29° C Low: 79° F/26° C

High: 85° F/29° C Low: 80° F/27° C

N

High: 86° F/30° C Low: 80° F/27° C

E

W S

LONG ISLAND

tracking map

High: 85° F/29° C Low: 79° F/26° C

7‑14 knots

MAYAGUANA High: 85° F/29° C Low: 81° F/27° C

Shown is today’s weather. Temperatures are today’s highs and

CROOKED ISLAND / ACKLINS

tonight’s lows.

RAGGED ISLAND High: 85° F/29° C Low: 81° F/27° C

H

High: 85° F/29° C Low: 80° F/27° C

GREAT INAGUA High: 88° F/31° C Low: 81° F/27° C

N W

N E

W

E S

S

8‑16 knots

8‑16 knots

marine Forecast ABACO ANDROS CAT ISLAND CROOKED ISLAND ELEUTHERA FREEPORT GREAT EXUMA GREAT INAGUA LONG ISLAND MAYAGUANA NASSAU RAGGED ISLAND SAN SALVADOR

Today: Thursday: Today: Thursday: Today: Thursday: Today: Thursday: Today: Thursday: Today: Thursday: Today: Thursday: Today: Thursday: Today: Thursday: Today: Thursday: Today: Thursday: Today: Thursday: Today: Thursday:

WINDS SE at 8‑16 Knots SE at 7‑14 Knots SE at 7‑14 Knots ESE at 7‑14 Knots E at 7‑14 Knots ESE at 7‑14 Knots E at 8‑16 Knots ESE at 8‑16 Knots E at 7‑14 Knots ESE at 8‑16 Knots ESE at 8‑16 Knots SE at 7‑14 Knots E at 7‑14 Knots ESE at 8‑16 Knots E at 8‑16 Knots ESE at 8‑16 Knots E at 7‑14 Knots ESE at 8‑16 Knots E at 7‑14 Knots ESE at 8‑16 Knots ESE at 7‑14 Knots ESE at 7‑14 Knots E at 8‑16 Knots ESE at 8‑16 Knots E at 7‑14 Knots ESE at 8‑16 Knots

WAVES 4‑7 Feet 3‑5 Feet 1‑3 Feet 1‑3 Feet 3‑6 Feet 3‑5 Feet 3‑5 Feet 4‑7 Feet 3‑6 Feet 3‑5 Feet 2‑4 Feet 2‑4 Feet 1‑3 Feet 1‑3 Feet 3‑5 Feet 3‑6 Feet 2‑4 Feet 3‑5 Feet 4‑7 Feet 4‑7 Feet 1‑3 Feet 1‑3 Feet 2‑4 Feet 3‑5 Feet 2‑4 Feet 2‑4 Feet

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502-2394

VISIBILITY 10 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles 5 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles 5 Miles 6 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles 5 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles

WATER TEMPS. 81° F 81° F 84° F 84° F 83° F 83° F 84° F 84° F 82° F 82° F 82° F 82° F 84° F 84° F 84° F 84° F 83° F 83° F 81° F 79° F 83° F 83° F 84° F 84° F 82° F 83° F