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RCL concedes it’s still waiting for govt to sign land lease for PI project By NEIL HARTNELL Tribune Business Editor nhartnell@tribunemedia.net A SENIOR Royal Caribbean executive has confirmed it has yet to secure a Crown Land lease for its $110m Paradise Island project as he indicated a willingness to “co-exist” with rival developers in that area. Russell Benford, Royal Caribbean’s vice-president of government relations for the Americas, told Tribune Business that an executed lease was part of the approvals the cruise line is still seeking for a Royal Beach Club development it had hoped to
begin construction on next month. His admission raises further questions as to the fate of the Crown Land being sought by competing projects at Paradise Island’s Colonial Beach, with a rival developer having already initiated legal action seeking a Supreme Court declaration that he has a valid lease for some of the acreage also desired by Royal Caribbean. “We do not,” Mr Benford replied, when asked by this newspaper if the cruise giant has a valid lease for seven to ten acres of Crown Land. FULL STORY - SEE BUSINESS
TWO VAT HOLIDAYS TO HELP FAMILIES COPE By RASHAD ROLLE Tribune Senior Reporter rrolle@tribunemedia.net
PRIME Minister Dr Hubert Minnis announced that both a back-to-school value added tax holiday and a hurricane preparedness VAT holiday will take place during August and July. He also announced during the budget debate in the House of Assembly yesterday that the Small Business Development Centre will reserve at least $2m to provide funding for Bahamians who wish to enter the home rental market. “Last year,” he said, “my
administration introduced legislation that permitted the Minister of Finance to provide VAT holidays up to two times per year for up to 30 days for specific reasons. We then introduced the back-to-school VAT holiday last August. “This provided Bahamian households with VAT-free shopping on a range of school supplies as they got their children ready for the new academic year. The VAT holiday provided millions of dollars in savings across the country and was a boost for Bahamian businesses. SEE PAGE TWO
BATTLING BACK WHEN artist Kim Smith fell over at Montagu Foreshore, it left him struggling to survive. Paralysed from the neck down after the fall in June last year, he faced a long, hard fight with the help of others to overcome spinal damage that left him needing to be spoon-fed and unable to walk. Now, a year later, he is able to stand on his own two feet again. See WEEKEND inside today for his full story.
60-YEAR SENTENCE FOR $1M DRUG SUSPECTS DOUBLE KILLING UPHELD ARE RELEASED ON BAIL By FARRAH JOHNSON Tribune Staff Reporter fjohnson@tribunemedia.net
THE Court of Appeal yesterday affirmed the 60-year sentence of a man who was convicted of robbing and killing a married couple in Grand Bahama five years ago. In 2015, Devaughn
“Short Man” Hall, Allen Alcime, Virgil Hall and Paul Bellizar hid in bushes armed with guns and face masks outside of the residence of Barry and Sheena Johnson, waiting for them to return home. When Mr Johnson arrived, the men accosted him before taking SEE PAGE FOUR
By FARRAH JOHNSON Tribune Staff Reporter fjohnson@tribunemedia.net
THREE men who denied being found with nearly $1m worth of marijuana in Exuma last week were yesterday granted bail before their trial. Police arrested Basil Johnson, 42, Alfraido
STUDENT NURSES IN ASSEMBLY PROTEST By EARYEL BOWLEG Tribune Staff Reporter ebowleg@tribunemedia.netF A SMALL group of student nurses demonstrated in Rawson Square yesterday, calling for the ability to complete clinical hours in the hospital in order to graduate. Completing a certain number of clinical hours is a requisite of the Nursing
STUDENT nurses protesting in Rawson Square yesterday. Council. However, the nursing students have not
been able to meet those requirements because of stipulations in COVID-19 protocols which restricted them from face-to-face clinical training. Standing in the rain outside of Parliament, the group held signs which read “Free the nursing students” and “put Bahamian nurses first @ Minister Wells”.
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Poitier, 41, and Kevin Dean, 49, after they were accused of conspiring to possess a large quantity of Indian hemp on May 30. The trio were further accused of being found with the drugs, which prosecutors alleged they had in their possession intending SEE PAGE SEVEN
THERE WILL BE NO PUBLICATION OF THE TRIBUNE ON FRIDAY DUE TO THE NATIONAL HOLIDAY. THE NEXT ISSUE IS ON MONDAY. WE WISH ALL READERS AN ENJOYABLE LONG WEEKEND.
PAGE 2, Thursday, June 3, 2021
THE TRIBUNE
Two VAT holidays to help families cope
PRIME Minister Dr Hubert Minnis in the House of Assembly yesterday. Photo: Donovan McIntosh/Tribune Staff from page one
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“This year, we are once again undertaking a back-to-school VAT holiday during the month of August.” He continued: “The hurricane season began yesterday, June 1, and lasts until November 31. I remind Bahamians and residents to begin their hurricane preparations. To assist with these preparations, this year, for the first time, we will undertake a VAT holiday for hurricane preparations. This will be during the month of July. “This will assist Bahamians and residents to enjoy VAT-free shopping on a range of critical hurricane supplies and equipment. The Ministry of Finance will provide the details of the dates and the items to be included for VAT-free shopping.” Dr Minnis said the VAT holidays are only applicable for eligible items bought inside the country from local wholesalers and retailers. “We want people to shop at home so that this money stays at home and benefits Bahamian businesses and, by extension, all of the employees of these commercial enterprises. “So, my message to everyone is that they should
use the month of July to get their homes and businesses ready for the hurricane season. Take advantage of the savings and avoid the rush.” Dr Minnis also noted the popularity and profitability of the vacation rental market. He noted that as of March 22, some 4,222 Bahamians and residents participated in the market, earning more than $14m that month alone. Airbnb listings include 398 on Exuma, 409 on Central Eleuthera and 185 on Bimini. Dr Minnis said a SBDC initiative to help Bahamians wishing to enter the home rental market will “ensure that successful applicants follow through on preparing these properties for guests and that they list the properties for short term rental.” “The programme will also include consultancy assistance to help guide applicants on how to list and manage these properties successfully. The reality is that the emergence of the vacation home rental market creates a wonderful and extraordinary opportunity for more and more Bahamians to become owners and direct beneficiaries in the tourism industry.”
THE TRIBUNE
Thursday, June 3, 2021, PAGE 3
Student nurses in Assembly protest from page one Fourth-year student Grace Lightbourne said they have been “denied the right to graduate”. She hoped their demonstration would bring a solution. She estimated there are up to 200 students who are trying to graduate from the University of the Bahamas. The 22-year-old said: “I know that it’s been put in the media most recently that there are students that graduated but there are more students that are waiting to graduate and there are students that have been held back for an entire year due to the COVID-19 pandemic and we’ve gotten excuse after excuse. “However, medical students are in the hospital. They’ve been allowed to
complete their rotation hours, but nursing students aren’t. Trained clinical nurses students are actually in the hospital now, but Bachelor of Science in nursing students are not. “Why is that? They are claiming that ‘oh the clinical area isn’t ready.’ When is it ever going to be ready? COVID-19 isn’t going anywhere and it’s not going any time soon. The hospital is not going to improve in the snap of a finger but we need solutions now. You cannot hold us back for years and every week we see in the media the shortage of nurses is getting worse. “The more you hold us up, the more backlog of hours....in my cohort we have a total of 836 hours just to complete and that’s only four classes to complete and to be done and to
graduate.” She noted they had reached out to the Bahamas Nurses Union (BNU) who invited them to a meeting with the minister, but he reportedly cancelled it. Supporting the frustrated students was BNU President Amancha Williams. “I’m here because what we have is trained clinical nurses in this programme that bridged from the TCN to the RN programme. So I have to represent them and ensure that their transition is smooth along with the new graduate nurses in the system,” she said. “If they’re calling for the government to come out and to assist them and the persons that sit in the seat such as UB, the director of nursing, the nursing service advisory, the minister of health, the PS – all of them
STUDENT nurses protest in Rawson Square yesterday. Photos: Donovan McIntosh/Tribune Staff need to come to the table and definitely the Nursing Council needs to come out and assist them in the way that they can get their hours in order to sit their council exam for their licences in order to work in the hospital so that we can combat the shortage. The question is, do you want to combat the shortage? I say take care of our own.” Shakanah Curry, a fourthyear student, completed all her theoretical classes and is only missing internship hours. She believes that the Bahamian government “totally disrespects” the nursing profession. “This profession is an esteemed profession and in many countries they look up to nurses, however in the Bahamas I believe this is so disrespected and I really do not appreciate it because I want to get my degree. I
want to go into the health system. I would love to help Bahamian people, however, right now, they’re literally telling me that I cannot and I am very disrespected.” Opposition leader Philip Davis and Englerston MP Glenys Hanna-Martin went to the square and spoke to the nursing students during their protest. Later yesterday the Public Hospitals Authority released a statement acknowledging it implemented COVID-19 measures dating back to March 2020 to ensure the safety of all persons entering its institutions and agencies. “These protocols also govern the facilitation of our clinical services and training programmes,” PHA noted. “It is against this backdrop that the PHA wishes to advise that during
the period March 2020 to March 2021 students from the University of the West Indies (UWI) and the University of the Bahamas (UB) were unable to access the clinical environment at our institutions.” The statement said that on Monday, May 10, students from the trained clinical nurse programme commenced their 14-week rotation in the clinical environment of the Public Hospitals Authority, starting with Princess Margaret Hospital. “Logistics pertaining to the re-entry of the Bachelor of Science nursing students is expected to be completed shortly. The PHA maintains the highest standards of compliance with COVID-19 protocols for the well-being of patients, visitors, and staff in our facilities.”
UNSELECTED FNM HUMES CALLS FOR MORE RESPECT By RASHAD ROLLE Tribune Senior Reporter rrolle@tribunemedia.net
FORT Charlotte MP Mark Humes interrupted Prime Minister Dr Hubert Minnis’ speech in the House of Assembly yesterday to urge the Killarney MP to treat him with more respect, saying he deserves it after he was “unceremoniously” dumped from the Free National Movement’s ticket for the next general election. Dr Minnis was discussing his administration’s plans for Junkanoo when he referred to Drumeco Archer, the FNM’s candidate for Fort Charlotte. “I call Drumeco Archer,” Dr Minnis said, “I call the next Member of Parliament, Drumeco Archer…” Mr Humes, in a moment that caught many by surprise, then interrupted Dr Minnis to criticise his reference to Mr Archer and
FORT Charlotte MP Mark Humes speaking in the House of Assembly yesterday. Photo: Donovan McIntosh/Tribune Staff to suggest that he has not ruled out running in the next general election in some form despite being
denied a nomination by the FNM. “Typically, I’m very quiet here in the House and
I listen quite intently to what’s taking place and for most of the last few months I’ve sort of kept graciously silent on most matters, actually for the last four years, on most matters that have taken place in Fort Charlotte,” Mr Humes said. “And I think it’s better said publicly that I think it’s quite disrespectful that as I, the current Member of Parliament, sits here in the House of Assembly, the duly elected and unceremoniously deselected member of Parliament sits here, I think it’s quite disrespectful that my party would refer to (Mr Archer) as the next Member of Parliament. “There’s no guarantee. The people still have a say in that matter, but I wouldn’t ask for it to be stricken from the record, I would just ask for more respect for the current sitting Member of Parliament
LLOYD: $40M SPENT ON SCHOOL REPAIRS By LEANDRA ROLLE Tribune Staff Reporter lrolle@tribunemedia.net NEARLY $40m has been spent by the government on school repairs across the country, with a $20m budget for the continuation of repair work for the upcoming fiscal year, according to Education Minister Jeff Lloyd. “COVID-19 has wreaked havoc with our completion timelines for several of our school repair projects,” Mr Lloyd told the House of Assembly while delivering
his budget contribution yesterday. “To date, for the fiscal year 2020-2021, we have spent a total of $39m on school repairs – $26.3m in New Providence, $6m in Grand Bahama, $4m in Abaco, and $2.1m in the Family Islands. “As we know, of course, the repairs on those islands – Abaco and Grand Bahama – are still ongoing.” Outlining his ministry’s budget for school repairs for the upcoming fiscal year, he added: “We have
budgeted $20m for school repairs, inclusive of $6m for critical structural repairs in five of our New Providence schools and $2m for Family Island schools and cottages.” Yesterday, Mr Lloyd also revealed his ministry’s plans to construct two new schools on Inagua and East Grand Bahama, noting that officials intend to break ground on the respective sites later this year. The projects are estimated to cost the government some $15m.
He said: “I am proud to say this, we intend to break ground during the third quarter of this year on two new comprehensive schools – one in Matthew Town, Inagua, and the other in High Rock, East Grand Bahama. “The reason that we are going to complete those two new schools–though it will not happen in this term–is because we will continue in the next term. It is estimated that when these two schools are completed, it would cost the government $15m.”
until such time that I graciously decide that I’m going to move aside if that’s what I’m going to do. But until such time I would just ask my dear Prime Minister to just give me a little more respect.” Dr Minnis responded: “I meant no disrespect or illintent to the sitting member for Fort Charlotte.” Mr Humes is one of
several sitting FNM MPs who have been denied a nomination in the next election. The others include Fox Hill MP Shonnell Ferguson, East Grand Bahama MP Peter Turnquest and Seabreeze MP Lanisha Rolle. Pineridge MP Frederick McAlpine is widely expected to be denied a nomination as well.
PAGE 4, Thursday, June 3, 2021
THE TRIBUNE
Haiti to accept vaccine in bid to curb virus spread
By TANYA SMITHCARTWRIGHT tsmith-cartwright@ tribunemedia.net THE Haitian government will now be accepting the COVAX-generated Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine with the hope of curbing the fast-spreading COVID-19 virus in that country, Pan American Health Organization officials said yesterday. PAHO’s director, Dr Carissa Etienne, has in the past expressed concern over Haiti’s reluctance in putting an urgency on vaccinating its population. She made the announcement about Haiti during PAHO’s weekly webinar. “I am particularly concerned about the situation in Haiti, where sources are reporting sharp increases in cases, hospitalisations and deaths in recent weeks,” she said. “Although official data are limited, the risks are high as the Haitian health system is already challenged by a sharp rise in cases, especially as the number of COVID-19 hospital beds has been downsized from last year.” As if the spread was not bad enough, two COVID19 variants have been identified in Haiti which officials say are no doubt accelerating the spread of the virus there. The Bahamas still has a ban against travel to and from Haiti because of the high rates of the COVID-19 virus there. “Two variants of concern have already been identified in the country, while public health measures required to stop
TOTAL CASES
TOTAL DEATHS
11,893 230 NEWLY CONFIRMED CASES TUESDAY 29 CASES NEW PROVIDENCE
TOTAL TESTS
98,498
29
HOSPITALISED
transmission are being largely ignored by the general population,” Dr Etienne said. “These two factors combined are likely fuelling transmission. “PAHO is working with the Ministry of Health to scale up care and supplies for infected patients as well as protective equipment so health care workers can do
49
CASES IN ICU
4
their jobs safely. “It’s encouraging that the government of Haiti will accept the AstraZeneca vaccine and doses will be arriving soon through the COVAX Facility. PAHO will continue to work with the Ministry of Health to prepare and support the delivery of the first doses as quickly as possible. A
RECOVERED
10,903
very high priority is to offer vaccination to all frontline health workers over 18 years of age.” She also said PAHO will work with the Haitian government to ramp up COVID testing in an attempt to flatten the curve. “Another top priority in our collaboration with the Haitian government is
to reduce the transmission of this virus by scaling up testing so the government can identify and isolate cases, and quarantine those who’ve come in contact with infected persons,” Dr Etienne said. “We call on partners and organisations working in Haiti to urgently reinforce the response to COVID-19. The country will need additional health capacity, as well as support to embrace preventive measures required to curb transmission. Both will be decisive in the coming weeks. There is no time to waste.” Looking ahead, Dr Etienne noted that the situation seen now in Haiti is a cautionary tale in just how quickly things can change with this virus. She said this is true for most places in the region. Shifting gears to the region in general, Dr Etienne said vaccinations are key to the fight against COVID at this time. “Since the start of the New Year, we’ve seen a rapid increase in infections. In just the first five months of 2021 both cases and deaths have almost doubled in our region,” she said. “Wishful thinking will not resolve this crisis. We need action. So let me remind you of what needs to be done to stop this outbreak. “The first thing is effective leadership. This pandemic has taught us time and again that leadership determines the effectiveness of a country’s response. Sadly, across our region we’ve seen misinformation about COVID-19 sow doubt on proven health measures, often in the
context of political disputes. “By stoking controversy where there is none, our leaders are sending mixed messages to the public and standing in the way of effective measures to control the virus. We must unite around stopping this virus – this should be the priority. The second is to urgently boost access to vaccines. “Effective vaccines are a beacon of hope in this crisis, and we must do all in our power to secure more doses for all nations in the Americas.” According to Dr Etienne, although COVAX has already delivered 17.6 million vaccine doses to the region, progress is not keeping up with the pandemic. She said PAHO is very far from this goal, especially for the low-income countries that are still struggling to protect health professionals and those more vulnerable. “Regional solidarity, including the donation of doses, will be key to get us through the current shortage of supply,” she said. “Vaccines will save lives now and prevent future waves, but for the current surge in infections we have to deploy the tools we have at hand. “Let me remind you that public health measures remain the best way to save lives now.” Over the last week there were 1.1 million new cases of COVID-19 in the region and over 25,000 COVID-19 related deaths reported. Here at home, 29 new cases were recorded on Tuesday, bringing the nation’s total to 11,893. There have been 230 deaths with one new death under investigation.
60-YEAR SENTENCE FOR DOUBLE KILLING UPHELD from page one
his truck keys and searching his vehicle. Before they fled in Mr Johnson’s truck, Hall shot him in the head at point blank range before turning and shooting his wife. The incident was captured on the couple’s home surveillance camera system. Sometime later, the men were charged with two counts of murder and one count of armed robbery.
During the trial, Alcime and Virgil Hall gave evidence for the prosecution. Devaughn Hall was later convicted of all charges and sentenced to 60 years imprisonment for each count of murder and 25 years for armed robbery. He recently appealed his conviction on the grounds the “sentence passed was unduly severe”. He further argued the judge “erred in law” when she failed to give a warning in her summing
up addressing the fact that Alcime and Virgil Hall, who both took plea deals to the arm robbery charge and testified against him so the murder charges could be dropped against them, were still his co-defendants, which meant anything they said about the armed robbery could not be used against him. Nonetheless, Justices Jon Isaacs, Maureen CraneScott, and Milton Evans yesterday dismissed his
KEVIN DAMES, Devaughn Hall and Paul Belizaire at an earlier court appearance. Photo: Vandyke Hepburn appeal and affirmed his conviction and sentence. In their judgement, delivered by Justice Isaacs, the panel concluded there was “no error in principle” committed by the judge when she sentenced Devaughn Hall. “Accomplice evidence may be used by a jury to assist in arriving at a verdict where the accomplice has given evidence in the trial; and the co-accused has had an opportunity to cross-examine him. There is no authority or rule of law that says otherwise,” Justice
Isaacs explained. “The appellant’s complaint confuses the situation where defendants being tried together do not give evidence during the trial. In those circumstances any incriminating statements made by one defendant in the absence of the other is regarded as hearsay and cannot be used as evidence against the other defendant implicating him in the offence charged. This may be seen from section 39(2) of the Evidence Act. “As it relates to sentencing, there was no error in
principle committed by the judge when sentencing the appellant. She took both the sentence of death and the indeterminate sentence of life imprisonment off the table. She had regard to the circumstances of the offence and of the offender; and she arrived at sentences she deemed to be appropriate. “Although the term of 60 years may seem to be of such length so as to deprive the appellant of an opportunity to return to the society, he is not altogether deprived of that hope.”
THE TRIBUNE
Thursday, June 3, 2021, PAGE 5
Rahming praises $2m for Pinewood flooding PINEWOOD MP Reuben Rahming yesterday championed the Minnis administration for allocating $2m to address the constituency’s long standing flooding woes. During his contribution to the 2021/2022 budget debate yesterday, Mr Rahming also criticised the former Christie administration for not solving the issue while in office. He suggested he was not expecting funds to be set aside for the community given the state of the economy. “Right now in the middle of a crisis where honestly in my heart I would have understood, but I just cannot as a member of Parliament, but I would have understood if the money wasn’t there for Pinewood. . .because right after that first budget we got missed, the second budget there was a million dollars in it to start the pilot programmes to get it up and going, COVID hit. So literally by our second budget money was already being poured in to address the matter,” Mr Rahming said. “I thank God that soon the people will see not only what the doc (has) been doing but cooking
for Pinewood. I invite our deputy prime minister at his earliest opportunity to take the time to come to Pinewood... we can probably do a Zoom meeting with him and his experts so they can understand that this is not a panacea. I invite Doc to come when it’s time to break that ground and I want him to take the kill and show the people his face when they realise that shovels are in the ground for the first time in Pinewood.” In December 2020, Mr Rahming said he would not support another budget that “neglects” his constituency and did not include financing to address long standing flooding issues in the area. At the time, he also said that while he believes Prime Minister Dr Hubert Minnis is the best person to lead the country, he does not “blindly support” the Free National Movement. He told Parliament he does not want to be put in a position to choose between his constituents and party loyalty, saying in that case, the government would “lose against my conviction”. Yesterday, Minister of Works Desmond Bannister said the government is committed to addressing the
PINEWOOD MP Reuben Rahming speaking in the House of Assembly yesterday. problems in Pinewood. “This current budget has some $2m in it to... deal with this drainage
challenge that was left to you in Pinewood, that you have been working so assiduously to try
to do We are ted to helping
Photo: Donovan McIntosh/Tribune Staff
something about. seriously commitPinewood and to you deal with the
challenges that have been there for decades that you are now dealing with,” Mr Bannister said.
‘$2.5M BENEFIT’ FOR RESIDENTS IN ECONOMIC ZONES By RASHAD ROLLE Tribune Senior Reporter rrolle@tribunemedia.net
RESIDENTS and businesses in inner-city economic empowerment zones on New Providence accessed about $2.5m in tax concessions up to November 2020, Prime Minister Dr Hubert Minnis said during debate on the budget in the House of Assembly yesterday. The Over-the-Hill initiative was launched in 2018 to great fanfare from the Minnis administration. It was among Dr Minnis’ main proposals as leader of the opposition. Through
the programme, people can import materials for constructing, equipping and completing buildings without paying taxes if they qualify. “Many people may argue that the government is giving away taxes, concessions, etc, and will find itself in problems,” Dr Minnis said yesterday. “I am a strong believer that a reduction in taxes stimulates growth, not the opposite. “(Here’s a) perfect example. In the inner-city, 49 individuals entered a programme for financial assistance to commence their own business. The
inner-city had taken advantage of the tax concessions that were offered to the tune of $2.5m up to November of last year and 49 individuals had gotten $120,000 plus a few hundred as grants via the (Small Business Development Centre) to assist them in their businesses. “Those 49 individuals were able to employ 142 individuals. They created employment. In addition to that, they took advantage of $122,000 while the entire inner-city took advantage of only $2.5m in concessions, but those 49 individuals were able to generate $4.5m within our economy.”
MOULTRIE: SHANTY DEMOLITIONS RIGHT - LET’S DO SOME IN NASSAU VILLAGE By TANYA SMITHCARTWRIGHT tsmith-cartwright@ tribunemedia.net HOUSE Speaker Halson Moultrie has fully endorsed the government’s demolition programme of houses in Abaco shanty towns and called on Minister of Public Works Desmond Bannister to assist him with a similar exercise in Nassau Village. Speaking at the start of the House proceedings yesterday, Mr Moultrie, who is also the member of Parliament for Nassau Village, referred to a video that went viral on social media with a female resident of that constituency filming what she said was proof of a man impinging on land owned by locals. Mr Moultrie read a scripture which supports the respect of authority and said Bahamians and visitors alike are bound to obey the laws of the land. “I received a video that is going viral with respect to an incident in the Nassau Village constituency,” Mr Moultrie said. “The incident is really about an individual who has taken it upon himself to encroach on the private territories of other persons. “I just want to read Romans 13 beginning at verse one. ‘Let everyone be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God. Consequently, whoever rebels against the authority, is rebelling against what God has instituted and
those who do so will bring judgement on themselves.’ “I just want to say at this time that I fully endorse the initiative taken by the government, particularly in Abaco with respect to persons who first of all enter the country illegally and then take it upon themselves to disobey the laws of the land. Bahamian citizens are compelled by the Constitution to obey our laws and any other visitor, whether they were invited or came without invitation, is subject to the laws of the land.” In 2018, a government census revealed that most shanty town dwellers in unregulated communities across Abaco at the time had legal status permitting them to reside in the country. Labour Minister Dion Foulkes said at the time that around 20 percent of those surveyed during the exercise were undocumented. Mr Moultrie continued yesterday by saying he expects the authorities to intervene in that situation on behalf of the people in Nassau Village. Acknowledging that there was a previous conversation on the matter between himself and Mr Moultrie, Minister of Works Desmond Bannister told Parliament how important it is for everyone to obey building codes. He also thanked Mr Moultrie for “sending a message”. “Mr Speaker, I thank you for sharing that information with me yesterday and I also thank you for the message that you are sending,” said Mr Bannister who is
also the MP for Carmichael. “It is absolutely critical for all of us to appreciate the need for us to obey the regulations that we have for our own safety and for the safety of everybody else. “We are going into hurricane season, colleagues, and the Building Regulations Act is absolutely critical for the safety of Bahamians and to be in compliance with it. The staff at the Ministry of Public Works are dedicated to being able to ensure compliance, but we really need the support of the Bahamian people. “So where there are infractions that are observed, it’s important for all of us to feel that we have an obligation … it’s a very serious obligation to report it to Building Control. During Hurricane Dorian the police officers and the Defence Force officers in this country put their lives at risk to rescue people who lived in those, I hate to say, building structures that did not meet with the legal requirements.” Mr Bannister urged all Bahamians, given the projections for this hurricane season, to make sure they comply with the law in terms of the types of structures in which they live. He again expressed gratitude for Mr Moultrie’s “message” to the public and promised to assist the people of Nassau Village. On Tuesday, Mr Bannister told reporters his ministry demolished 23 illegal structures in The Farm shanty town in Abaco last week, with some 20 more structures targeted for demolition this week.
Dr Minnis also touted his administration’s plans for Junkanoo development, noting $2m has been allocated in the upcoming fiscal year to Junkanoo groups to assist them in the construction and development of their headquarters.
Dr Minnis said more than 20 acres of land has been identified within the Gladstone Road area that would allow groups to construct their headquarters. “We will assist them with developing their home base. We will design what
we call a Junkanoo village and allow them to demonstrate their arts and their craft, attracting tourists who can purchase paraphernalia, dolls, see the evolution of the Saxons, the evolution of the Valley, etc.”
PAGE 6, Thursday, June 3, 2021
THE TRIBUNE
The Tribune Limited NULLIUS ADDICTUS JURARE IN VERBA MAGISTRI “Being Bound to Swear to The Dogmas of No Master”
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One man’s struggle, a whole community’s support IT has been a tough year for many of us – but few will have had as tough a year as artist Kim Smith. As detailed in today’s Weekend section, in June last year, he was walking along Montagu foreshore to exercise with the beaches closed due to COVID19 protocols. But his walk ended in disaster, as he fell and damaged his spinal cord. The fall left him temporarily paralysed and covered in blood. At first, it was unclear if he would even regain the ability to move – but a year on, he has returned to the scene of the fall, able to walk under his own power once more. His determination is admirable – but in this time where people across society have been struggling, we would like to salute those who came to Mr Smith’s aid. There were the good Samaritans on the day who came to his help – one who met him again this week told him she walked home with his blood on her clothes, praying he would not die. Then there were the paramedics, the doctors, the physiotherapy staff, the nurses who had to spoon-feed him as he tried to recover. Beyond that, unable to work, he suddenly faced a loss of income, and the effects that had on his health insurance too. Friends rallied round and helped to ensure his bills were taken care of. This may be the story of one man’s recovery – but it is also the story of a community coming together to help someone in need. There are so very many in need as a result of the pandemic affecting our nation, but it is this spirit, this determination to look after one another, to be our brother’s keeper, that will truly see us through.
Disaster can come so very quickly to any of us. It is the responsibility of those of us able to do so to reach out to help those in need. The proof of that can be seen in Kim Smith’s journey, from paralysis to walking again. Let us all do what we can to help our other fellow countrymen in need back to their feet.
VAT holidays
As we arrive at a national holiday, we would like to applaud Prime Minister Dr Hubert Minnis for his plan to have a tax holiday. Two of them, in fact, for VAT. There will be one as a back-toschool holiday and one as a hurricane preparedness holiday. These are a good idea to help people at times when they need to spend on essentials. In the case of going back to school, it will help lower the costs on pens and pencils and notebooks and so on – and goodness knows there are many parents right who need every penny. This is a repeat of the tax holiday from last year - and a welcome one. The hurricane tax holiday too will give people that little bit more to spend to protect their homes, and that could be the difference between life and death. Hurricane Dorian showed us how deadly such a storm can be – and the wisdom of being prepared. We would add one note of criticism, however. He announced the VAT window yesterday – but it started the day before. A bit more advance notice could surely have been possible. So while we applaud the intention, perhaps there was a stumble in the execution. As ever, a little improvement in communication would not go amiss.
Readers grade Budget READERS have been commenting on the stories making the news this week on tribune242.com. Accountants have warned new and/ or increased taxes “have to come” if The Bahamas is to slash its near-$10bn debt. That prompted this from Bahamianson: “We spend what we do not have, we never learn, and the cycle continues.” Proguing had this to say: “Hmmm . . . we were told that we needed VAT to slash our debt, and what happened? Our debt exploded. In other words more taxes = more debt in this country. How about reducing expenses? How about balancing the budget? This is what we need to do. We cannot live beyond our means eternally.” Longgone said: “Income Tax?? Come on, man – the Government cannot even collect Real Property Taxes when all the they have to do is seize property from delinquent owners. Anyone with a sharp pencil can avoid income tax.” • Bahamasair’s $52m-and-counting subsidy “is too much for taxpayers to bear”, its chairman, Tommy Turnquest, admitted, while adding that it has “got to make” the next fiscal year’s $30m allocation work. Truetruebahamian posted this response: “Let Bahamasair fly away or be absorbed by an airline which knows its business. Also, ATRs are not the most practical or cost efficient aircraft to use.” • House Speaker Halson Moultrie said the Constituencies Commission is now faced with the challenge of deciding whether to recommend the reconfiguration of New Providence constituencies or suggest an increase in the number of seats to bring about “parity” in the voting process. That prompted this from Sheeprunner12: “Anyone ever looked at the configuration of the NP constituencies??? A super gerrymandering job that makes those boundaries look worse than those in the USA. Just create blocks using main roads and stop cutting them through alleys and backroads. “Having the ability for a party to win the Government by just winning New Providence is creating the inequity in our country’s politics... We have NO Senate (US style) to protect the interests of the Out Islands. “No need to add any more seats... Every extra seat (over 39) will add TENS
of millions to the burden placed on the Budget... The illusion that our MPs have so much ‘work’ is laughable when they are only representing about 5,000 voters (each), as compared to a US Congressman who represents about 50,000 voters.” • And in The Tribune’s online poll, we asked readers how they would grade the 2021/2022 Budget.
Minnis must take stand on Pride flag EDITOR, The Tribune. PLEASE publish this open letter to the Prime Minister. Dear Mr Prime Minister (Dr Hubert Minnis), I was flabbergasted at reading that your Government is going to allow the US Embassy, which is located in New Providence, Nassau, the Bahamas, to fly the LGBTQ Flag, without you or our Government voicing an opinion in Opposition to this activity. I love, respect, all human beings that were created by God. But I do not, nor will not hold any countries civil liberties above my own, and my country’s decision upon its Foundation to Stand on Biblical principles.
LETTERS letters@tribunemedia.net So I ask as a born Bahamian citizen, where do you, your government, fellow parliamentarians, family and friends stand on this issue? I remember many times you would be invited to our church at the Diplomat Centre on Carmichael Road where Dr Myles honoured you with a special seat in a service(s) on numerous occasions. I wonder what he would think and say now? Do we as a nation, sell our birthright for a mess of porridge, provided by our northern neighbours, the UN, European countries or others, who are clearly
walking away from God’s biblical principles. Are you and your policies taking us down that path, and away from God? What type of nation will you be leaving for your children to inherit? What will your legacy look like, or be? As for me and my house, I stand with the God of Abraham, Isaac and Israel. I stand with Yeshua, or Jesus Christ of Nazareth. Take a stand my brother, and let your voice be heard clearly on this issue. Future generations may depend on it. God Bless. Son of the Soil, PAUL CUMBERBATCH II Nassau, June 1, 2021.
Do the right thing on Paradise Island EDITOR, The Tribune. I AM not a spear carrier for Toby Smith of the Paradise Lighthouse Company, but rather a Bahamian who is anxious to jump start the economy and getting as many fellow citizens to work in the shortest possible time frame. I do not subscribe to his public relations and coercive tactics in the least even if he and his advisors think that they are effective...more irritating than anything else. Facts on the ground: 1. Smith has all of the required approvals issued by successive administrations, inclusive of yours. He has a legal expectation to be granted an executed
Leasehold Agreement and was in possession of the same long before RCL came into play. He cannot be defeated in a competent court of law. 2. The administration must at all times be seen to be an upholder of the rule of law and respect for the sanctity of contracts. 3. A serious mistake was made by some people in your offices and the Lands & Survey’s Department in that someone did not bother to cross check the documentation prior to granting approvals in principle to both Toby and RCL for similar and identical portions of the available Crown Land at Paradise Beach. This can only be
rectified by granting, formally, what was agreed to respective to Toby. 4. You have declared that it is your government’s desire to stimulate the local economy well this is an ideal case to do so and to appear to be supportive of Bahamian investments. To do otherwise would send some bad vibes to other Bahamians and even the international investment market....that the government’s word cannot be trusted. Please do the right thing and let’s move on. Stay Safe. ORTLAND H BODIE, Jr Nassau, June 1, 2021.
THE TRIBUNE
Thursday, June 3, 2021, PAGE 7
Post Office staff testify in Rudy King fraud trial By FARRAH JOHNSON Tribune Staff Reporter fjohnson@tribunemedia.net
BRANNON Strachan Jr outside court yesterday.
SECOND MAN CHARGED OVER CAT CAY COCAINE By FARRAH JOHNSON Tribune Staff Reporter fjohnson@tribunemedia.net
A SECOND man was yesterday arraigned on several drug related charges in connection with the recent seizure of cocaine that was found on Cat Island last month. Brannon Strachan, Jr, appeared before Chief Magistrate Joyann Ferguson-Pratt after he was accused of conspiring to possess cocaine intending to supply it sometime between May 7 and 12. He was further accused of being found with the drugs in Arthur’s Town, Cat Island, on May 12 and conspiring to import the drugs sometime between
May 7 and 12. The prosecution alleged the accused actually imported the cocaine into the country on May 12. During the hearing, Strachan Jr denied all of the allegations. He was arraigned a few weeks after his co-accused, David Hinds, was charged with the same offences in a hearing before former Deputy Chief Magistrate Andrew Forbes. After accepting Strachan’s not guilty pleas yesterday, Magistrate Ferguson-Pratt adjourned his case to September 7 for trial. Like Hinds, he was also granted $30,000 bail in the interim.
$1M DRUG SUSPECTS ARE RELEASED ON BAIL from page one
Town, Exuma. While at George Town, a further search of the craft was conto supply to Farmer’s Cay, ducted, and an additional 25 Exuma, the same day. crocus sacks were found conAccording taining suspected to initial police marijuana. The reports, somedrugs weighed time after noon, 872 lbs and had officers on roua street value of tine marine $872,000.” patrol in the When they Exuma chains appeared before observed two Chief Magismen on a blue trate Joyann vessel. Police Ferguson-Pratt said upon noticyesterday, Johning the officers, son, Poitier, and the boat’s captain Dean all denied sped off. A brief one count each of chase followed conspiracy to posand the vessel sess dangerous was intercepted drugs with the a short time later. intent to supply “The officand possession of ers boarded the dangerous drugs vessel and conwith intent to ducted a search supply. of the cabin,” As a result, police reported. the case was “They found adjourned to four crocus July 1 for a sacks; an examistatus hearing nation of these to determine sacks revealed which magisa grassy subtrate will take stance believed their case. to be marijuana. In the meanBoth males were FROM top, Basil Johnson, time, each of arrested, and the Kevin Dean and Alfraido the accused vessel was towed Poiter outside court. were granted into George Photos: Racardo Thomas $30,000 bail.
CAR SALESMAN TOLD TO PAY BACK STOLEN MONEY By FARRAH JOHNSON Tribune Staff Reporter fjohnson@tribunemedia.net A CAR salesman who took money from a woman without giving her the vehicle she had purchased was fined $1,000 and ordered to pay back the stolen money. Police arrested Steven Major, Jr, after a woman paid him $1,500 for a car she never received. He pleaded guilty to one count of stealing by reason of service when he appeared before Senior Magistrate Derence Rolle Davis. The court was told that the woman paid Major Jr the money sometime in September 2020 to purchase a Toyota vehicle. She told officers at the Financial Crime Investigation Unit that after she paid the accused $1,500 in cash, she never received the car or her money back. After she
filed her report, officers investigating her complaint arrested Major Jr. When he was questioned in police custody, he said he was the operator of a car spot. He also admitted accepting the money from the complainant without completing the transaction. He was subsequently charged. Yesterday, Major Jr was represented by attorney Keith Seymour. He told the magistrate his client had no previous convictions and saved the court precious judicial time with his early guilty plea. Mr Seymour also said the accused was willing to compensate the woman for his dishonesty. As a result, Magistrate Rolle Davis fined him $1,000 for the offence. He also ordered him to compensate the complainant $1,500. He warned Major Jr if he failed to do so, he would be sentenced to three months in prison.
FIVE more Post Office Department employees testified yesterday that they conducted several transactions for Bahamian businessman Rudolph “Rudy” King who would frequent the various Post Offices on a regular basis. The impresario is accused of defrauding the General Post Office of over half a million dollars, then laundering that amount between 2012 and 2015. When he first appeared before Senior Magistrate Derence Rolle Davis in 2019, he denied five counts each of fraud and money laundering concerning allegations that he defrauded the Post Office’s savings account of $632,416 between June 2012 and April 2015. Yesterday, Edna Saunders, who was employed at the department for 41 years, said she dealt with some of the accounts King had opened at the Savings Bank, including two in the names of Celebrating Women International and King Humanitarian Foundation and Corporation. When Crown attorney Eucal Bonaby asked Mrs Saunders how often she would see King, she told
RUDY King outside court previously. him he would come in just would see about four times about every week. a month. King is represented When she testified under by Damien Gomez, QC. oath, Pheus Lightbourne, During his cross-examina- who was employed at the tion of Mrs Saunders, she South Beach Post Office for said each of King’s transac- 14 years, said King would tions that she signed off on come every week, someappeared to be accurate. times twice a week. She also said his passbook In her witness statement appeared to be normal. the court was told that she The second witness to had told police that she was take the stand was Vera never of the view that she Taylor who said she was did not have funds available employed at the Carmi- to make the withdrawals chael and General Post that he requested. Offices for 33 years. She When asked, Mrs Lightsaid she would normally see bourne also told Mr Gomez King on Fridays since he the reason for that posiwould come in to conduct tion was because when she withdrawals. looked at King’s passbook She was followed by for each withdrawal she Daphne Moss, who said she processed, she noticed each worked at the department’s entry had a Post Office Carmichael location at the stamp and initial, which time the fraud was alleged indicated that an employee to have happened. of the Savings Bank had She said she dealt with a made the entry. number of withdrawals and “You also indicate that deposits for King, who she you had occasion in 2015 in
the middle of the year to be concerned about an entry for a $100,000 deposit in the passbook,” Mr Gomez questioned. “That entry bore a Savings Bank stamp, correct?” In response, Mrs Lightbourne said “yes.” When asked, she also agreed that the reason for her concern was the fact that the transaction was against the Savings Bank’s policy as it related to allowing large deposits at district stations. The final witness to give evidence was Cheryl Rolle who said she was stationed at the General Post Office after working at the department for 22 years. She said she conducted a number of transactions for King, including a withdrawal for $150,000 in March 2015, and another withdrawal for $1,600 in February 2015. According to Mr Gomez, in Mrs Rolle’s witness statement, she inspected King’s passbook as a result of the $150,000 withdrawal request. “Would it be true to say that you verified there was sufficient funds on the account based on what was recorded in that passbook to enable him to withdraw the $150,000?” he asked. “Yes,” Mrs Rolle confirmed. The case continues today.
PAGE 8, Thursday, June 3, 2021
THE TRIBUNE
The Speaker has gotten it terribly wrong
IN AN interview with the press following Prime Minister and Minister of Finance Dr Hubert Minnis’s Communication to the House of Assembly on the 2021/2022 National Budget, Speaker House Halson Moultrie publicly criticized the Budget. It was an unprecedented and shocking development in a Westminster-based parliamentary democracy where a Speaker, the head of the lower chamber of parliament, is supposed to be neutral and impartial. A veteran statesman who served in cabinet and parliament during a long and distinguished career in public life was also shocked by Mr Moultrie’s comments. The former notes that he never heard nor is he aware of an example in The Bahamas or other Westminster-based democracies of a Speaker breaching parliamentary standards and conventions in this manner. The bizarre irony is that while Speaker Moultrie styles himself as a defender of the system, he has brazenly lowered standards and trampled parliamentary traditions. One of his primary conceits is that he continues to confuse and/ or conflate “impartial” and “independent”.
He has stated: “I’m an independent Speaker, I’m not attached to any political party, and I believe that is the way the Speaker should be.” The Speaker has gotten it terribly wrong. Throughout parliamentary democracies in the Commonwealth and elsewhere and at Westminster in the United Kingdom, most Speakers are members of a particular party while acting impartially.
BRUISED EGO
Being “attached” to a political party does not obstruct one’s independence when serving as speaker. Mr Moultrie is confused. He has a problem with obvious facts, which either he does not comprehend or chooses to ignore to suit his ego. An impartial Speaker at Westminster would not have commented on the budget. If he wanted to comment on the budget he should have resigned the speakership and returned to the bench where he would be free to engage in the thrust and parry of parliamentary debate. Then there is Mr Moultrie’s delightful hypocrisy. He had no trouble belonging to the FNM during most of his
speakership and would have run again for the party were he renominated. But, ego bruised, he is now at war with the prime minister, whose private conversation with him he reportedly blabbed in public, another breach of convention, from the man who is masquerading as a guardian of the system. Mr Moultrie’s gargantuan ego and pathological narcissism is such that he confuses his egotism with the office he holds, which are separate. He is an occupant of the office which is bigger than his ego. Donald Trump made the same classic mistake during his tenure as US President. The Tribune reported on the jumble of inconsistencies, unintelligible inanities and intellectual gobbledygook of Mr Moultrie, who looks even more foolish as he mindlessly opines, fulminates and sputters. Many are continuously gobsmacked by his lack of knowledge and understanding of his role. His statements in the House and in public are filled with more errors and nonsensical claims than the number of ruffled feathers in an ostentation of preening peacocks desperately wooing peahens.
For the benefit and enjoy- separated against himself.” ment of readers, a peahen is Thank you, Mr Speaker “a female peafowl, which for the civics lesson, though has drabber colours and a the reference to “be sepashorter tail than the male.” rated from himself” is Mr Moultrie stated: “The confusing. He is right that last Speaker that had con- checks are needed in our trol of this Parliament was system. We must also conSir Clifford Darling in 1985. tinue to mature with checks At that time the national better observed by habit debt was $500m. Now, since and convention. that control of Parliament But if he is committed has been evaporated by to such checks he must the executive branch, the be equally committed to national debt has grown to acquitting himself judialmost $10 billion.” ciously and prudently. What does he mean by One cannot with authorcontrol? The Speaker is ity make the arguments for the presiding officer of the upholding the standards, lower chamber, not a sort conventions and tradiof benign dictator control- tions of our parliamentary ling matters. He or she is system while breaching the elected by the members of standards, most especially the House and is a servant if one is the Speaker of the of the chamber, who can be House of Assembly. removed by the members. His bizarre correlation or causation argument – one is unsure which of these Mr Moultrie also offered arguments he is making – this disturbing and telling links who is Speaker to the comment which reveals national debt. The national an outdated and colonial debt and deficits have to do mindset that could easily with the budget of the gov- come from someone with ernment of the day and the an unreconstructed racial needs of the country. antipathy toward people of Is Mr Moultrie seri- colour: ously suggesting that if he “And it’s about time were in greater control as small, black, Third World an autocrat that he could nations understand the control the national debt? system that we have inherEven by the ited and have standards of his adopted and ‘The bizarre irony ever balloonabide by the is that while ing ego this is tenets and concerning. He Speaker Moultrie conventions of is in Donald those systems Trump terri- styles himself as otherwise we tory. This is not a defender of the will continue a compliment. system, he has to have the Notice his kind of chaos, brazenly lowered use of words the kind of like: “this Par- standards corruption liament” and and trampled and the kind “evaporated”. of plunder parliamentary Hmmm? The that has been words speak traditions.’ plaguing The to his mindset. Bahamas now One imagines for decades.” that former Speakers like Had a white colonial the late Arlington Butler, racist figure made such a Vernon Symonette and comment many would be others would find Mr aghast. Coming from the Moultrie’s antics, reasoning Speaker this is appalling. and language untenable and Clearly he still has a colounbecoming of the Office. nial mindset incapable of Mr Moultrie casts himself deeply appreciating the as one of the more learned legacy of those who helped and brilliant parliamentar- to entrench a parliamenians and Speakers in our tary system in our vibrant long parliamentary history. democracy. In truth, he is one of the Has Mr Moultrie seen more ill-informed. He may the “chaos”, “corruption” go down in history. But it and “plunder” plaguing will be as an example of first world, majority white how not to comport oneself states, including allegaas Speaker. tions of corruption against Mr Moultrie further UK Prime Minister Boris stated: “We have three arms Johnson and the Tories. of government: the legisla- Has he been in hibernation tive branch is the first arm during the Donald Trump of government. You cannot imperium? be an executive unless you Moultrie also declared: are elected in the House “The country really needs of Assembly or appointed an injection now of an indein the Senate... The second pendent voice in Parliament arm is the executive branch. otherwise we’re going to “The Constitution calls continue to slip and the for the legislative branch to burden on the people will have oversight of the activi- continue to increase.” ties of the executive branch Here we go again with and for obvious reasons, this conceit, which is a because if there’s no over- part of the need for a third sight, human nature being party or argument, supposwhat it is, a man cannot be edly needed to improve
MINDSET
our system. The Bahamian people seem to have settled on a two-party system as the best way to secure progress and political stability. Some European democracies, France and Italy in particular, have endured periods of protracted instability because a multiplicity of parties and independents made it impossible for any government to remain in office for long. At times in Italy the lifetime of a government was measured in months rather than years as successive coalitions fell apart. Unlike Europe, where there are so many shades of political philosophy, Bahamians have apparently settled on a philosophical space with both major parties competing about which is best to occupy that space. Contention is based mostly on issues of governance, integrity, competence and leadership. Since party politics came to the Bahamas in the 1950s there has been a succession of small political parties, all of which failed to gain a foothold in Parliament. The only one with a philosophy that necessitated its existence was the Vanguard Nationalist Party which was way to left outside the settled space. The failure of new parties to gain a foothold has nevertheless not discouraged them from sprouting up every election cycle. They have been mostly vanity parties with personalities seeking short-cuts to leadership and political power. They never succeed but still they come and there is always the dependable chorus of encouragement from chronic third-party cheerleaders. Some of the justifications for third parties are the alleged need for new blood in the Bahamian political arena and the need for more women in politics. But both the political parties represented in Parliament do not seem averse to either of these propositions. What Moultrie has successfully taught us is not about the supposed need for independents or third parties in parliament. What is needed are intelligent, patriotic, well-meaning, mature parliamentarians who understand the genius of our system and who are open to growth. Just as in large, majority white countries, our small black majority Bahamas must find the quality of people who will represent us with dignity and a certain humility. We have enjoyed such representation in the past and will do so in the future if more Bahamians, including women, come forward. Among them might be a better representative for Nassau Village.
THE TRIBUNE
Thursday, June 3, 2021, PAGE 9
Millions remain off-message and yearn to see Trump’s return I
T HAS long been a truism in American politics that life and social, economic and political views are quite different outside the Washington, DC, beltway than within it. With the decades-long expansion of the national capital area to a major megalopolis and suburbs spreading up to 50 miles outside the District of Columbia, you can now get well beyond DC’s circumferential beltway traffic snarl and still see and hear the same attitudes as closer to town. That’s because people even in the far-flung suburbs still work in the capital city and reflect its values. This phenomenon has led to the transformation of Virginia, once home to the capital of the American Confederacy and as recently as 40 years ago a solidly Red state, into a reliably Blue one. Maryland and DC vote consistently for Democrats, and this is the major reason Republicans will never accede to statehood for the national capital city, despite a current revival of support for the idea. The GOP knows that for many years past and many more to come, Washington, DC, would send Democrats to Congress. Why voluntarily make more difficult the task of national (white) minority rule that has become the centrepiece of Republican political strategic thinking? As COVID restrictions are modified and lifted all over the US, people are hitting the road again – with a vengeance. Airports over the summer kickoff Memorial Day holiday were packed and demand for gasoline for automobile travel pushed prices above $3 per gallon in areas that saw fuel cost less than $2 per gallon just six months ago. For those finally venturing out of the magnetic orbital fields of Washington, New York City or the other huge cities of the American northeastern seaboard, a jarring political reality awaited. Yard signs, banners and flags adorned manufactured house trailers set on a small plot of land, older houses whose sagging porches and patched roofs revealed advancing decrepitude, and more well-kept wood and brick homes. Most of these emblems bore two words: Trump
2024. A simple message, but a very powerful reminder that 72 million Americans voted for Donald Trump only six months ago, and they don’t like (nor supposedly, in many cases, do they believe) the fact that he lost. While many of these disaffected voters tell opinion samplers they believe the November 2020 election was stolen by Joe Biden and the Democrats, the guess here is that they know better. Depending on whom you listen to among commentators and pundits, these
“It’s still early, only six months into Trump’s political exile, but those who oppose him most vociferously within the Republicans are either out of office or largely retired from active politics.” disaffected Americans are either whimsical, cantankerous, plain stupid or ominously seditious. There is plenty of evidence the disaffected see themselves as patriots ardently advocating for the return of an America experiencing startling sustained economic growth, historically low unemployment, gradual disengagement from incomprehensible foreign entanglements and at least a superficial reverence for military power and toughening law enforcement. Until his administration was undone by the coronavirus pandemic, Trump was delivering all of that during most of his term as President. All the while - likely scratching their heads at Trump’s amazing, shocking economic and sociological success - members of his Republican Party naturally got behind a winner and Trump was essentially handed the keys to the GOP kingdom.
Aren’t we supposed to be a democracy?
R
IGHT now, all across the United States, disaffected Americans are supporting local city councilmen, state legislators, governors and state attorneys general who are pushing to tighten voting rules to perpetuate and reinforce the disenfranchisement of black and brown citizens. These officials, from a village clerk in Oklahoma to Kentucky senator Mitch McConnell, are all openly doing the bidding of the disaffected. And they clearly aim to continue to undo the results of the presidential elections of 2008, 2012 and 2020. The Republicans intend to reclaim the House so insipid Kevin McCarthy can ascend to the Speaker’s office and tiresome McConnell can reclaim his Senate majority leader post. Meantime, they’ll band together to undermine, frustrate and corrode the Biden administration in the hopes of minimizing its national reach and influence, just as they tried to do, with considerable success, when Barack Obama lived in the White House.
He apparently still has those keys in his pocket. It’s still early, only six months into Trump’s political exile, but those who oppose him most vociferously within the Republicans are either out of office or largely retired from active politics. Several hundred or so of them signed a kind of manifesto last month threatening to create a third national political party if the GOP didn’t come to its senses and dispense with Trump and his controversial legacy. Hardly anyone paid any attention. Likely Republican primary election voters certainly seemed unmoved. Among those ignoring these Republican dissidents were rural Americans all across the country and many trade unionists turned off by the lurch leftward of the national Democratic Party. Some of these folks are now proudly displaying antiBiden banners in their yards and on their porch rails. A particularly popular one says “(blank) Joe Biden and the Harris he rode in on.” This is not a joke. Some people are proud to proclaim their affiliation with such malicious nonsense. Others depict the incumbent President as senile and his Vice-President as a radical leftist harridan. Liberal-leaning pundits inside the Washington Beltway or snugly within Manhattan’s protective cocoon, continue to roll their eyes before the cameras in stupefied disbelief that so many Americans could be so dumb as to yearn for the Trump years that were marked by so much corruption and wilful disregard for any public policy that promised to serve the national interest. Out there in the amorphous vastness beyond the Beltway, though, they don’t watch CNN or MSNBC very often. They may not be watching Fox or One America News either, now without the magnetic attraction of Donald Trump. But
they are confident they know what they had before the pandemic, and they know they want it back. Maybe they’re really racists. Maybe they’re gun nuts who callously ignore the rising death toll of grisly mass shootings in all corners of the country. Maybe they truly believe what they hear about the sacrilege of abortion at their local church on Sunday morning. Maybe they really cannot make the connection between America’s historic waves of immigration and its phenomenal economic growth and progress over dozens of decades. Maybe they have no context for appreciating the enormous role of pure luck and serendipity in the historical development and sustained economic success of the United States. There is no doubt, however, these millions of the disaffected can surely feel the pure disdain of liberal commentators as they continue to report in disbelief on widespread vestigial loyalty to Trump.
DONALD TRUMP (AP Photo/Evan Vucci, File)
Luck of the Irish A 29-year-old CNN reporter from the remote coastal hamlet of Cahersiveen, County Kerry in Ireland is emerging as the lunatic whisperer of the far-out right-wing fringes of the US. electorate. Proud holder of a Master’s degree in political science from Queens College, Belfast, Donie O’Sullivan (just the one n) burst upon the national TV journalism scene during the January 6 assault on the American capitol and has been racing to prominence ever since. Burly, bearded and with an unassuming but unambiguous manner boosted by his charming Irish brogue, O’Sullivan has developed a knack for eliciting the most amazing responses from voters who look like either innocents or idiots to most Americans who are paying attention. This Irish-American citizen, with CNN for five years, challenges his guests without making them defensive. Here are two exchanges from some of his
recent TV interviews: Outside a rally for disreputable GOP Congresspersons Marjorie Taylor Greene (Georgia) and Matt Gaetz (Florida) at the sprawling and notorious central Florida retirement community called The Villages: O’Sullivan: “So you believe the November 2020 election was stolen by Biden?” Guest: “I watched it on TV.” O’Sullivan: “But that’s false. It’s the Big Lie. The election wasn’t stolen.” Unabashed and undeterred guest: “Sure it was. They wouldn’t lie on TV.” Outside a rally in Dalton, Georgia, north of Atlanta, in Greene’s home district: O’Sullivan: “How do you feel about the strong negative response from many Americans to Rep. Greene and Donald Trump?” Guest: “Well, a lot of people didn’t like Jesus Christ, either.” O’Sullivan kept it straight and objective in replying to the snickering responses of his CNN anchors. Maybe that’s why his interview subjects feel comfortable speaking with him.
PAGE 10, Thursday, June 3, 2021
THE TRIBUNE
WEIGHT STIGMA IS A PROBLEM AROUND THE WORLD WITH DEEP NEGATIVE CONSEQUENCES By REBECCA PUHL Professor of Human Development and Family Sciences and Deputy Director, UConn Rudd Centre for Food Policy and Obesity, University of Connecticut
LAZY. Unmotivated. No self-discipline. No willpower. These are just a few of the widespread stereotypes ingrained in American society about people who have a higher body weight or larger body size. Known as weight stigma, these attitudes result in many Americans being blamed, teased, bullied, mistreated and discriminated against. There is nowhere to hide from societal weight stigma. Decades of research confirm the presence of weight stigma in workplaces, schools, health care settings, public accommodations and the mass media, as well as in close interpersonal relationships with friends and families. It’s everywhere. I’m a psychologist and researcher at the Rudd Centre for Food Policy & Obesity at the University of Connecticut. For 20 years my team has studied weight stigma. We’ve examined the origins and prevalence of weight stigma, its presence across different societal settings, the harm it causes for people’s health and strategies to tackle this problem. We conducted a recent international study that clearly shows that weight stigma is widespread, damaging and difficult to eradicate. This societal devaluation is a real and legitimate experience for people across different countries, languages and cultures.
stress and avoiding health care.
A SHARED STRUGGLE
A PERSISTENT AMERICAN BIAS
Among US adults, weight stigma is a common experience, with as many as 40 percent reporting past experiences of weight-based teasing, unfair treatment and discrimination. These experiences are most prevalent for people with high body mass indexes or those with obesity and for
women. For youth, body weight is one of the most prevalent reasons for teasing and bullying. The fact that more than 40 percent of Americans have obesity has not softened public attitudes toward people in this group. Although societal attitudes toward other stigmatised groups have become less prejudiced in recent decades, there has been little
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change in weight bias. In some cases it’s worsening. Prevailing views that people are personally responsible for their weight, despite ample scientific evidence of the complex and multifactorial causes of obesity, are one reason why weight stigma persists. This mindset is difficult to change given American culture’s celebration of thinness, negative media portrayals of people with larger bodies and a thriving diet industry. These factors reinforce the faulty premise that body weight is infinitely malleable, as does a lack of legislation to protect people from weight discrimination. Contrary to public perceptions, weight stigma does not motivate people to lose weight. Instead it worsens health and reduces quality of life. The harmful impacts of weight stigma can be real and long-lasting. They range from emotional distress – depressive symptoms, anxiety, low self-esteem – to disordered eating, unhealthy eating behaviours, lower physical activity, weight gain, increased physiological
Weight stigma is not unique to America. It exists around the world. However, few studies have directly compared people’s experiences of weight stigma in different countries. In our recent study, we compared experiences of weight stigma in six nations: Australia, Canada, France, Germany, the UK and the US. These countries share similar societal values that reinforce personal blame for body weight, and do little to challenge weight-based shaming and mistreatment. The participants were 13,996 adults (around 2,000 people per country) who were actively trying to manage their weight. The biases people encountered because of their higher weight or larger body size turned out to be remarkably consistent across the six countries, with more than half of study participants – 58 percent on average – experiencing weight stigma. The most common interpersonal sources of weight stigma were family members (76-87 percent), classmates (72-76 percent) and doctors (58-73 percent). These experiences were most frequent and distressing during childhood and adolescence. Many incorporated these stigmatising experiences into how they felt about themselves. In this process of “weight bias internalisation,” people apply negative societal stereotypes to themselves. They blame themselves for their weight and judge themselves as inferior and deserving of societal stigma. We knew from our earlier research that weight bias internalisation has harmful health implications, and this was true here as well. Across the six countries, the more that people internalised weight bias, the more they gained weight in the prior year, used food to cope with stress, avoided going to the gym, had an unhealthy body image and reported higher stress. These findings persisted regardless of people’s body size or their previous experiences of stigma. Moreover, in all six countries people with greater internalised weight bias reported worse healthrelated quality of life and health care experiences. They avoided
getting health care, had less frequent checkups and reported more substandard health care compared to people who had less internalisation. The unique multinational perspective of our study reveals that weight stigma is commonly experienced, often internalized and related to poor health and health care among people who are trying to manage their weight. In this sense, confronting weight stigma appears to be a collective struggle, but it’s one that people are likely grappling with on their own.
REASONS FOR OPTIMISM
While there is a long road ahead to eliminate weight stigma, shifts in societal attitudes are taking place. In recent years, the harms of “fat shaming” have received increased public attention, and so has the body positivity movement. Both are helping to elevate calls for efforts to stop unfair treatment based on weight. There is also growing recognition in the medical community that action is needed. In 2020, more than 100 medical and scientific organisations across nine countries signed a joint international consensus statement and pledge to bring attention to weight stigma and its harmful impact. These medical experts aim to shift the narrative of blame and help address weight stigma in media, public attitudes and health care. Our research shows broad and substantial public support for policies to tackle weight discrimination. In a series of national studies, we found that more than 70 percent of Americans support adding body weight as a protected category, alongside categories like race and age, to existing state civil rights laws. They also support new legislation to make it illegal for employers to discriminate against employees based on weight. This would legitimise weight stigma as both a social injustice and a public health issue. I believe broad and collective action is needed to address this problem, both in and outside the US. While this may sound challenging, fundamentally it is actually quite simple: it’s about respect, dignity and equal treatment for people of all body weights and sizes.
THE TRIBUNE
Thursday, June 3, 2021, PAGE 11
Pride organiser says Christian Council ‘bullies people’
STEPHEN DEVEAUX, standing, and Emrick Seymour, delivers wheelchair to Viola Bartlett of Eight Mile Rock.
ROTARY DELIVERS WHEELCHAIRS TO HELP RESIDENTS By DENISE MAYCOCK Tribune Freeport Reporter dmaycock@tribunemedia.net
GRAND Bahama Rotarians delivered wheelchairs to disabled elderly residents, an initiative sponsored and supported by the Rotary Wheelchair Foundation and the Rotary Clubs in Grand Bahama. The initiative aims to provide mobility and improve the quality of life of people with physical disabilities. Rotarians Emrick Seymour and Welbourne Bootle presented a wheelchair on behalf of the Wheelchair Foundation and the Rotary Clubs of Grand Bahama on Tuesday to Lenward Dean, a resident of Regency Park. Mr Dean, who suffered two strokes, is bedridden. After Hurricane Dorian, it has been extremely difficult for him to get around. He and his wife were happy when the Rotarians delivered the wheelchair to
his home on Tuesday. “They received this most vital donation, which would enable Mr Dean to move about as necessary and thereby improving the quality of life for him,” the Rotary representatives said. Last week, wheelchairs were also delivered to two senior citizens in the Eight Mile Rock area: 92-year-old Violet Bartlett, of Hepburn Town, and 66-year-old Julio Russell, of Jones Town. Both recipients were pleased to have been given the gift of mobility and thanked the Rotarians. The Wheelchair Foundation is a nonprofit organisation that is leading an international effort to create awareness of the needs and abilities of people with physical disabilities, to promote the joy of giving, create global friendship, and deliver a wheelchair to every child, teen, and adult in the world who needs one, but cannot afford one.
By EARYEL BOWLEG Tribune Staff Reporter ebowleg@tribunemedia.net ONE of the community organisers of Pride Bahamas accused the Bahamas Christian Council of being “a lobbyist organisation that bullies people”. Natino Thompson, a member of the Bahamas Organisation of LGBTQIA Affairs, slammed the BCC after their press statement criticising the US Embassy in Nassau for raising the Pride flag at the embassy in celebration of Pride Month. “If we allow this to occur without challenging it, it opens the door for the United States and other foreign nations to influence our social structure today and then our political structure tomorrow by way of diplomatic bullying,” the BCC’s statement said in part. “We believe that all foreign diplomats should appreciate how offensive it is to attempt to impose their ideology onto other nations as they will never stand for us to do the same in their country. This is a matter of respect and a diplomatic assault upon the consciousness of our Bahamian society. “We hope the US Embassy would reconsider their bullish agenda of forcing other nations to accept
THE PRIDE flag alongside the US flag at the US Embassy. their social experiments of preach messages, even if which they themselves are it’s not outright hate, like in not united and use their their pulpits they talk about force and might on noble LGBTQ people. “Their use missions such as solving of the word ‘lifestyle’ itself world hunger.” is a way to diminish that However, Mr Thomp- our lives are real and that son said the BCC is the we have the right to deterbully, referring the group’s mine however we want to response to the LGBT+ live because it’s called the community’s first Pride ‘traditional family’ when it’s events. one man and one woman “They talked about the but it’s a ‘lifestyle’ when fact that they would go it’s LGBTQ+ people. You ahead and contact their play on the meaning of international partners when words and you know what we talked about having our you’re doing. Never mind first Pride – like that’s a the fact that sweethearting form of bullying, like what happens and never mind are you talking about? the fact that there could be Bahamas Christian Council one male and one woman itself is a bully. It’s a lobby- in traditional family strucist organisation that bullies ture and both of them could people into doing exactly be bisexual – like duh. It’s whatever it wanted to do...” just very disingenuous and He also said: “When you hypocritical.” think about how the indiWhile acknowledging vidual churches themselves that the US as a nation
has flaws, Mr Thompson said he thinks that on this particular issue America is “very much in the right direction”. “Ultimately I think I’m satisfied with the fact that it takes another political entity to recognise my humanity in a place with my fellow countrymen and with my own government who refuses to have anything to do with that. They refuse to recognise any form of our humanity.” The BCC also mentioned it supports the right of each Bahamian to determine their own sexual preference and their own destiny, but Mr Thompson claimed otherwise. “When you go down, I think it was the third paragraph (of their statement), they said however The Bahamas believes in the traditional family structure of one man one woman. So if you support the ability of people to determine their own sexual preference then you are upholding these traditional family structures also means that you don’t support it because if you did, you wouldn’t be making noise every time LGBT+ came out. If you supported it, you would just let us exist, but you’ve been very vocal about the fact that this is not something that is consistent with the belief and values of the Christian church...”
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ROTARIANS Emrick Seymour (left) and Welbourne Bootle (right) delivered a wheelchair to Lenward Dean.
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PAGE 12, Thursday, June 3, 2021
THE TRIBUNE
A free beer to encourage vaccines? We’ll drink to that! WASHINGTON Associated Press
GEORGE RIPLEY, 72, of Washington, holds up his free beer after receiving the J & J COVID-19 vaccine shot, at The REACH at the Kennedy Center in Washington. Free beer is the latest White Housebacked incentive for Americans to get vaccinated for COVID-19. Photo: Jacquelyn Martin/AP
DANGLING everything from sports tickets to a free beer, President Joe Biden is looking for that extra something — anything — that will get people to roll up their sleeves for COVID-19 shots when the promise of a life-saving vaccine by itself hasn’t been enough. Biden yesterday announced a “month of action” to urge more Americans to get vaccinated before the July 4 holiday, including an early summer sprint of incentives and a slew of new steps to ease barriers and make getting shots more appealing to those who haven’t received them. He is closing in on his goal of getting 70% of adults at least partially vaccinated by Independence Day — essential to his aim of returning the nation to something approaching a pre-pandemic sense of normalcy this summer. “The more people we get vaccinated, the more success we’re going to have
in the fight against this virus,” Biden said from the White House. He predicted that with more vaccinations, America will soon experience “a summer of freedom, a summer of joy, a summer of get togethers and celebrations. An AllAmerican summer.” The Biden administration views June as “a critical month in our path to normal,” Courtney Rowe, the director of strategic communications and engagement for the White House COVID-19 response team, told the AP. Biden’s plan will continue to use public and private-sector partnerships, mirroring the “whole of government” effort he deployed to make vaccines more widely available after he took office. The president said he was “pulling out all the stops” to drive up the vaccination rate. Among those efforts is a promotional giveaway announced Wednesday by Anheuser-Busch, saying it will “buy Americans 21+ a round of beer” once Biden’s 70 percent goal is met. “Get a shot and have a beer,” Biden said, advertising the promotion even though he himself refrains from drinking alcohol. Additionally, the White House is partnering with early childhood centers such as KinderCare, Learning Care Group, Bright Horizons and more than 500 YMCAs to provide free childcare coverage for Americans looking for shots or needing assistance while recovering from side effects. The administration is also launching a new partnership to bring vaccine education and even doses to more than a thousand Black-owned barbershops and beauty salons, building on a successful pilot program in Maryland. They’re the latest vaccine sweeteners, building on other incentives like cash giveaways, sports tickets and paid leave, to keep up the pace of vaccinations. “The fact remains that despite all the progress, those who are unvaccinated still remain at risk of getting seriously ill or dying or spreading the disease to others,” said Rowe. Aiming to make injections even more convenient, Biden is announcing that many pharmacies are extending their hours this month — and thousands will remain open overnight on Fridays. The White House is also stepping up its efforts to help employers run on-site vaccination clinics. Biden will also announce that he is assigning Vice President Kamala Harris to
lead a “We Can Do This” vaccination tour to encourage shots. It will include first lady Jill Biden, second gentleman Doug Emhoff and Cabinet officials. Harris’ travel will be focused on the South, where vaccination rates are among the lowest in the country, while other officials will travel to areas of the Midwest with below average rates. To date, 62.9 percent of the adult US population have received at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine and 133.9 million are fully vaccinated. The rate of new vaccinations has slowed to an average below 555,000 per day, down from more than 800,000 when incentives like lotteries were announced, and down from a peak of nearly 2 million per day in early April when demand for shots was much higher. The lengths to which the US is resorting to convince Americans to take a shot stands in contrast to much of the world, where vaccines are far less plentiful. Facing a mounting US surplus, the Biden administration is planning to begin sharing 80 million doses with the world this month. “All over the world people are desperate to get a shot that every American can get at their neighborhood drugstore,” Biden said. “Incentives can work, and I think the White House’s focus on making vaccination the easy and convenient choice is important,” said Dr. Leana Wen, an emergency physician, public health professor at George Washington University and former Baltimore health commissioner. “It’s the height of American exceptionalism that we are having to beg people to get a life-saving vaccine, when healthcare workers and vulnerable people around the world are dying because they can’t get access to it,” she added. Thanks to the vaccinations, the rate of cases and deaths in the US are at their lowest since the beginning of the pandemic last March, averaging under 16,000 new cases and under 400 deaths per day. As part of the effort to drive Americans to get shots, the White House is borrowing some tools from political campaigns, including phone banks, door-knocking and texting. The administration says more than 1,000 such events will be held this weekend alone. Additionally, it is organising competitions between cities and colleges to drive up vaccination rates.
NETANYAHU OUT? ISRAELI PM OPPONENTS REACH DEAL JERUSALEM Associated Press
PRIME Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s opponents on Wednesday announced they have reached a deal to form a new governing coalition, paving the way for the ouster of the longtime Israeli leader. The dramatic announcement by opposition leader Yair Lapid and his main coalition partner, Naftali Bennett, came shortly before a midnight deadline and prevented what could have been Israel’s fifth consecutive election in just over two years. “This government will work for all the citizens of Israel, those that voted for it and those that didn’t. It will do everything to unite Israeli society,” Lapid said. The agreement still needs to be approved by the Knesset, or parliament, in a vote that is expected to take place early next week. If it goes through, Lapid and a diverse array of partners that span the Israeli political spectrum will end Netanyahu’s record-setting but divisive 12-year rule. Netanyahu, desperate to remain in office while he
fights corruption charges, is expected to do everything possible in the coming days to prevent the new coalition from taking power. If he fails, he will be pushed into the opposition. The deal comes at a tumultuous time for Israel, which fought an 11-day war against Hamas militants in the Gaza Strip last month while also experiencing mob violence between Jews and Arabs in cities across the country. It also is emerging from a coronavirus crisis that caused deep economic damage and exposed tensions between the secular majority and the ultra-Orthodox minority. Under the agreement, Lapid and Bennett will split the job of prime minister in a rotation. Bennett, a former ally of Netanyahu, is to serve the first two years, while Lapid is to serve the final two years — though it is far from certain their fragile coalition will last that long. The historic deal also includes a small Islamist party, the United Arab List, which would make it the first Arab party ever to be part of a governing coalition.