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The Tribune PUZZLER

‘PLP BACKBENCHERS DON’T GET FAIR PL AY’

MP: Cabinet Ministers using public resources for their political gain

LEANDRA ROLLE

Tribune Chief Reporter

lrolle@tribunemedia.net

A SITTING Progressive Liberal Party MP is openly accusing his party of sidelining backbenchers, warning that Cabinet ministers are using public resources for political gain while neglecting equitable representation across constituencies. Southern Shores MP Leroy Major, in a rare act of dissent, said he is unsure whether the PLP will renominate him and said there is growing internal frustration among MPs not seated at the Cabinet table. “There’s got to be fair play to the backbenchers

Officer’s father: ‘i’m gOing t O seek justice fOr my s On’

By DENISE MAYCOCK Tribune Freeport Reporter

dmaycock@tribunemedia.net

ROBERT Wright Sr says he never doubted his son was murdered. For three years, he has fought to prove it. On Monday, a jury ﬁnally agreed, ruling that the death of Police Constable Robert Wright Jr was no suicide but a homicide.

“I am going to be seeking justice,” Mr Wright said, his voice resolute after the inquest verdict overturned the police’s original classiﬁcation of suicide. “The murderer needs to be found. No question.” Constable Wright Jr, 23, was found dead in his car with a gunshot wound to Davis

dismisses criticism of

Labour Day campaign launch plan

By LYNAIRE MUNNINGS Tribune Staff Reporter lmunnings@tribunemedia.net

PRIME Minister

Philip “Brave” Davis has shrugged off criticism over the Progressive Liberal

By RASHAD ROLLE Tribune News Editor rrolle@tribunemedia.net

Party’s decision to launch its re-election campaign on Labour Day, declaring the PLP and the labour movement have been “joined at the hip” since the party’s founding. “There are others who

are saying this is the launch of a political movement. I say it is what it is,” Mr Davis said. Mr Davis dismissed concerns that the PLP was

By EARYEL BOWLEG

ebowleg@tribunemedia.net

THE Ofﬁce of the Director of Public Prosecutions will appeal a magistrate’s ruling that acquitted the son of a Free National Movement (FNM) senator on ﬁrearm charges, with Director Cordell Frazier defending the lead prosecutor against the magistrate’s criticism that he was “deceitful and dishonest.” Ms Frazier described attorney Terry Archer as an “honest professional

PRIME Minister Philip “Brave” Davis appeared to downplay the signiﬁcance of the Freedom of Information Act yesterday, describing it as “esoteric” and suggesting that fully implementing the law would not signiﬁcantly increase government transparency. For the second year in a row, the government has allocated just $140,000 to the Freedom of Information, far less than what is needed to operate a functional access-to-information prO secut O r defended in fnm senat O r s On’s gun case

Photo: Chappell Whyms Jr

Rainy day brings signiﬁcant road

ﬂooding across New Providence

TRAFFIC slowed in places acorss the island of New Providence yesterday as drivers navigated flooded roads after sustained rain wet the island yesterday.

Photos: Chappell Whyms Jr

Davis dismisses criticism of PLP’s Labour Day campaign launch plan

from page one

politicising Labour Day by launching its campaign during the national holiday. He said the Progressive Liberal Party has historically maintained a close and constitutionally grounded relationship with the labour movement and has marched in solidarity with workers for decades.

He said ever since Labour Day became an official holiday, the Progressive Liberal Party (PLP) has consistently taken part in the Labour March. He emphasised that the party’s constitution still includes a role for the labour movement in its National General Council meetings.

He emphasised the long-standing ties between the Progressive Liberal Party (PLP) and the labour movement, noting that the party has participated in the Labour Day march ever since the holiday was officially recognised. He pointed out that the PLP’s constitution includes a provision granting the labour movement representation at its National General Council meetings, a reflection of their historical connection.

“The labour movement and the PLP have been deeply linked from the beginning,” he said, likening the relationship to a marriage — one that, despite its occasional disagreements, remains fundamentally united. He rejected criticism of the PLP’s participation in the march, insisting that their involvement is a show of solidarity with workers and a tribute to the value of labor and the power of collective action.

When asked whether holding the launch on Labour Day blurs the lines between celebration and campaigning, Mr Davis maintained that political participation in Labour Day has always been the norm.

“I don’t see the distinction,” he said. “We are a political party. All political parties, in fact, participate on Labour

Day Marches. And I expect, I don’t know what’s happening this year, but I expect that the FNM will have their booth and march, and however they deemed that, that’s the way they deem it.”

Mr Davis’ comments come as the Trade Union Congress (TUC) announced it will boycott this year’s Labour Day march, citing what it called the growing political hijacking of the annual celebration.

TUC president Obie Ferguson, who represents nearly 18 unions, made the announcement last week during a press conference at the House of Labour. He said the decision followed internal consultations and consensus that Labour Day has drifted from its intended purpose.

The Tribune understands that the decision also stems from frustration over what union leaders say is the government’s failure to uphold key promises made to workers ahead of the last general election. These include commitments outlined in a memorandum of understanding signed by the PLP and the TUC, which Mr Ferguson says has seen less than ten percent of its items fulfilled.

TUC executives plan to host their own Labour Day event at the House of Labour, starting at noon on June 6. The programme will include speeches, performances, and what they describe as “a proper recognition of the Bahamian worker.”

Mr Ferguson also pushed back on Labour Minister Pia GloverRolle’s recent description of labour relations as “stable”, calling the union’s relationship with the Ministry of the Public Service and Labour “very conflicting.”

He argued that public servants face an inherent disadvantage in resolving disputes, as the same ministry that acts as their employer is also responsible for regulating and adjudicating their concerns.

PM: FOIA implementation will not signiﬁcantly increase govt transparency

from

system.

“You will see some movement on the implementation of the Freedom of Information Act,” Mr Davis told reporters yesterday, without elaborating.

Pressed on the low budget for the system, he said: “There’s a misconception as to what the Freedom of Information Act really entails. It doesn’t give unfettered access to information, right? And it doesn’t, in the scheme of things, it doesn’t make available matters that’s not already available to the public, right?”

DAVIS STANDS FIRM BEHIND PRE-ELECTION MoU with t UC C alling it a ‘wise deCision’

By JADE RUSSELL Tribune Staff Reporter

jrussell@tribunemedia.net

DESPITE growing friction with the Trade Union Congress (TUC), Prime Minister Philip “Brave” Davis is standing ﬁrm on the government’s decision to sign a pre-election Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the organisation, calling it a “wise decision”.

“We have lived up to the promise we made to workers,” he told reporters yesterday during a road project signing at the Ofﬁce of the Prime Minister. “We signed the MoU with the TUC for the purposes of ensuring that workers get their just in this country.”

The MoU, inked in August 2021 ahead of the general election, was part of the Progressive Liberal Party’s (PLP) commitment to labour. It was signed by both the National Congress of Trade Unions Bahamas (NCTUB) and the TUC and became known as the “Workers’ Agenda.”

But since taking ofﬁce, the government has faced repeated accusations from TUC President Obie Ferguson, who argues that key promises remain unfulﬁlled.

In January, Mr Ferguson threatened a two-day strike involving 14 labour unions, claiming the government had come up short. The action, however, had

limited reach, mostly affecting healthcare workers and teachers in Grand Bahama. The MoU aimed to improve labour conditions and safeguard union rights.

While the PLP framed it as a pro-worker move, some union afﬁliates criticised the deal, saying it lacked transparency and meaningful consultation.

Pressed on whether he still believed the MoU was the right call, Mr Davis didn’t waver.

“This was for the purpose of ensuring that we understand workers’ complaints and concerns and that we’re able to address it,” he said.

“Setting up a mechanism to which we could respond to what they claim to be the challenges they face in the workplace, the challenges they’re facing as citizens of this country, and bringing resolution to those

challenges.”

Labour Minister Pia Glover-Rolle, speaking in January, said the government had delivered on 96 percent of its commitments under the agreement. Still, she acknowledged a few unresolved matters, including the long-discussed renovation of the House of Labour on Wulff Road. She said the government had broached the issue with the Prime Minister but couldn’t fully fund the work and encouraged the TUC to help ﬁnance the project.

Another lingering issue is the allocation of Crown land to unions, a matter still on the table.

Mrs Glover-Rolle also pointed out that some unions that signed the MoU have raised concerns that its beneﬁts are being extended to unions that didn’t.

In fact, the FOIA grants Bahamians and residents the right to request information held by public bodies, outlines procedures for requesting information and includes mechanisms for appeal in cases of denial. While the law contains exemptions, such as those for national security, personal privacy, and Cabinet deliberations, it obligates public authorities to disclose records unless a valid exemption applies. Currently, it is common for public ofﬁcials to refuse disclosure of information that they would be legally required to release under a

functioning FOIA system.

Legal and transparency advocates have pointed out that the very purpose of the law is to give the public access to records that are not already available, contradicting the prime minister’s suggestion that it simply formalises access to information people can already obtain.

Mr Davis said addressing poverty and public safety remains his administration’s priority.

“Things as esoteric as matters of freedom of information, they can’t take priority in my mind, when a little baby can’t ﬁnd food

tomorrow –– that is what worries me,” he said. His comments come as his administration enters another fiscal year in office without implementing the law, despite campaign promises to do so. The PLP pledged to enforce FOIA under the “good governance” section of its pre-election “Blueprint for Change.” Information Commissioner Keith Thompson has said the FOIA office is ready to launch a pilot programme but is awaiting essential support from the Office of the Prime Minister.

page one PRIME MINISTER PHILIP ‘BRAVE’ DAVIS

TUC PRESIDENT OBIE FERGUSON

Ofﬁcer’s father: ‘I’m going to seek justice for my son’

the head on May 14, 2021. His service weapon was in his right hand. Police said it was suicide. His father, a former ofﬁcer himself, insisted from the beginning that wasn’t true.

“I am very thankful that the jury got it right,” he said.

“There are too many cases where young men in this country, young ofﬁcers are allegedly being murdered, and it go unnoticed.”

Now emboldened by the inquest’s ﬁndings, Mr Wright is calling for accountability, both for whoever pulled the trigger, and for those he says failed his son in the aftermath.

“One thing, when my son was murdered, Paul Rolle was Commissioner of Police, and he went on national TV and said my son was weak. I will never forgive him for that. That’s my squadmate,” he said.

He also revealed that he had received a call from the Commissioner’s Ofﬁce two years ago, asking him to conﬁrm the suicide ruling.

“They wanted me to go to the ofﬁce to sign that my son committed suicide, but I refused to, and I contacted my lawyer,” he said.

Mr Wright has harsh words for the police handling of the case.

“From the day my son was murdered up to today’s date, no police come to me to take a statement from me or ask me my opinion,” he said. “No one did, and that is poor investigation. I am an ex-police ofﬁcer; they completely dropped the ball on the whole thing.”

He said he went to three different Assistant Commissioners of Police in Grand Bahama, but all said the matter was “above their pay grade.”

His frustration extended to the press, including The Tribune, over reports that his son had mental health struggles. “I saw in The Tribune, y’all say my son had a mental problem. My son did not have a mental problem. He was of sound mind. And my wife was totally upset with that, and she wants that to be retracted,” he said.

He said on the day his son was reported missing, it was the family, not the police, who discovered his body in Deadman’s Reef.

Mr Wright also claimed discrepancies between the scene photos he took and those shown in court.

“The police photos have the gun in my son’s right hand. My photo shows the gun on the ﬂoor on the righthand side, next to some chicken souse,” he said.

He added that his son was left-handed and said original photos showed him still wearing his bulletproof vest, while police images did not.

He mentioned hearing from someone who allegedly saw a police vehicle near RJ’s car before a gunshot rang out but offered no further evidence.

What troubled him most, he said, was the lead investigator’s own testimony in court. “The most disappointing thing was to sit in court and hear the lead investigating ofﬁcer say the case started on the 14th of May when my son died and closed on May 27 with the ﬁnding that my son committed suicide,” he said.

He credited his brother, attorney Kendal Wright, for helping navigate the inquest process and says the family won’t stop until there’s full accountability.

“At the end of the day, we are going to seek justice for RJ, my son,” he said.

Prosecutor defended in FNM senator son’s gun case

prosecutor” and a “valuable senior officer” in her office, affirming that her office stands firmly behind him. Mr Archer prosecuted the case against Dreyon Henfield, the son of Senator Darren Henfield, who was charged with unlawful possession of a firearm and ammunition. On Friday, Magistrate Lennox Coleby Sr ruled the prosecution failed to prove Mr Henfield had a gun and accused the prosecution of

misleading conduct regarding the presentation of evidence.

In an interview with The Tribune , Ms Frazier emphasised Mr Archer’s professional track record, saying: “Mr Archer has practised for over 18 years at the Criminal Bar. His integrity has never been called into question. It is our intention to appeal the learned magistrate’s decision and we will ventilate all issues before the appellate court.”

Ms Frazier said the case’s digital court

recordings will be central to the appeal.

“To brand a respected public ofﬁcer as ‘deceitful and dishonest,’ if this was in fact done, is both alarming and serious in nature as it impugns the character and professional reputation of this prosecutor and, by extension, the Ofﬁce of the Director of Public Prosecutions,” she said. “We remain resolute in carrying out our mandate to uphold the Rule of Law.”

According to The Nassau Guardian,

Magistrate Coleby initially declined to admit ammunition into evidence earlier in the trial due to missing identifying markings. When Mr Archer later recalled the crime scene ofﬁcer, the markings were shown to be present.

The magistrate subsequently accused Mr Archer of dishonesty over a compact disc containing crime scene photos, alleging that newly submitted

images bore markings not originally present.

Mr Henﬁeld, an interdicted police ofﬁcer, had been charged last year following accusations he brandished a loaded gun outside a bar in western New Providence.

He denied the charges and presented CCTV footage during the trial that appeared to contradict the police’s narrative.

Reports indicated the

footage did not show officers taking a weapon from Henfield. Instead, an officer in a khaki uniform was seen holding a firearm but not seizing it from him. Following the ruling, Senator Henfield told The Tribune he was not surprised, asserting the prosecution’s case did not align with the facts. He said the case underscored the need to re-examine the justice system.

‘PLP backbenchers don’t get fair play’

whose voices are not heard around the table,” he said during an exclusive interview with The Tribune yesterday. “I think they use what is available to them for their advantage when it should be used for a national advantage.”

Unlike previous administrations, the PLP under Prime Minister Philip Davis has largely maintained a united front, with no public dissent from within its parliamentary caucus, making Mr Major the ﬁrst to challenge the party’s internal dynamics openly –– and to do so just as the party intends to ofﬁcially launch its general election campaign.

Mr Major highlighted a $20m budget allocation for Pinewood Gardens ﬂooding as a case study of political imbalance.

“Myles is a minister,” he said. “He sits around the table and that is again, offered to him but there are some of us who are not around the table, having the same problem, you see, and that’s where fair play comes in.”

Referencing chronic

Mr Major said PLP backbenchers are struggling to get government support for basic constituency needs while Cabinet ministers enjoy disproportionate inﬂuence.

He said several others raised similar concerns in recent meetings with party ofﬁcials, but little has changed. He believes the core issue is a lack of alignment between national and constituency-level priorities.

“You know, every Member of Parliament really want to do well to be re-elected, everyone, and that could only happen if we literally please our constituents,” he said. “So, there’s some things we have to do as a party: look at it, analyse it and just make it happen.”

Mr Major resigned as chairman of the Bahamas Agricultural and Industrial Corporation (BAIC) last year. Though he did not elaborate on the reasons, that furthered speculation about his standing within the party.

ﬂooding issues in Marshall Road, he said: “That has been a very challenging time for me, that we have to hire ﬁre trucks to pump the water out, and the more you pump –– because there’s a pond right there ––the worse it gets.”

Adding to the tension are rumours that the Southern Shores PLP branch is positioning other candidates, such as PLP deputy chairman Obie Roberts and businessman Joseph Johnson, to take his place. Mr Roberts would not conﬁrm the speculation yesterday, saying only that he is willing to serve his party in whatever capacity is needed.

Family still haunted by man’s disappearance ﬁve years ago

By JADE RUSSELL

Tribune Staff Reporter jrussell@tribunemedia.net

IT has been ﬁve years since Trevaughn Edwards, then 25, vanished without a trace after relocating to Eleuthera for a construction job, a disappearance that continues to haunt his family.

“I continue counting on his age because I’ve never had the feeling of death,” said Desiree Edwards, Trevaughn’s mother, who remains convinced her son is still alive.

In January 2020, the man’s father and two of his sons, including Trevaughn, moved to Eleuthera to begin work on a vacation home construction project.

Months later, the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic brought operations to a standstill. The family returned to New Providence in April, but due to space constraints on the returning boat, Trevaughn stayed behind. He remained in Governor’s Harbour with his godfather, who was also working on the site. Trevaughn kept in touch, received supplies by mailboat, and was regularly checked on. But on the morning of June 3, 2020, he disappeared.

Mrs Edwards recalled depositing money into her son’s bank account that day. When she texted to conﬁrm receipt, the messages bounced back.

Repeated calls went unanswered. His godfather later told her he had seen Trevaughn that morning, leaving with a backpack, presumably to go ﬁshing.

Though Trevaughn sometimes stayed out late or visited Lower Bogue, his mother insisted he always returned home. Concerned, she asked the godfather to look for him. No one on the island had seen him.

Two days later, she instructed the godfather to report him missing to the local police. She also ﬁled a report with the Criminal Detective Unit in New Providence and travelled to

Some residents in the constituency expressed support for Mr Major.

“If Mr Major gone, Brave gone,” said Melvyn Darling, likening Mr Major’s community presence to the “Glenys Hanna-Martin effect.” He accused the party branch of surrounding Mr Major with “all sorts of evil counsel” and anonymous political operatives.

“Tell them to check the record,” said Mr Munnings, another supporter. “The record will reﬂect.”

Mr Major conﬁrmed he has heard speculation about not being renominated but has received no clarity from PLP leadership.

“I think everybody would,” he said when asked if he wanted reassurance. “I heard the rumours but nobody clarify it.”

Despite the uncertainty, Mr Major reafﬁrmed his loyalty to the PLP, calling it the best option to lead the country. Citing initiatives like youth workshops, labour fairs, and his work on the Golden Yolk Programme, he said his performance stands on its own.

However, he emphasised that good governance starts locally and urged the government to invest in a seawall to protect vulnerable coastal properties.

“Once we make the constituencies happy, the government would be okay, so we have to make our priorities the constituencies’ priorities,” he said. from page one

Eleuthera with her husband and sister to assist in the search. Her frustration with the Royal Bahamas Police Force is palpable.

“Nobody never came. We were over there for ten days, and no one from CDU came,” she said, referring to assurances that a team from New Providence would join the search.

Only three local ofﬁcers assisted during their time on the island. It wasn’t until 18 days after his disappearance that two ofﬁcers from New Providence arrived.

She said a few people were taken into custody during that search effort but were eventually released.

She said before her promotion, Commissioner of Police Shanta Knowles had offered support. Yet when Mrs Edwards pressed for updates, she was told law enforcement had exhausted all avenues.

Despite the emotional toll, Trevaughn’s father returned to Eleuthera and completed the project in 2022. Since then, Ms Edwards said, the island has grown silent, an unsettling “hush hush” atmosphere surrounding her son’s case.

For years, she kept trying her son’s mobile number. Eventually, it was reassigned.

Her hope remains, but the search has taken a toll.

“When I went on that search with the police, the only thing you can do is hold up your hand, because you don’t know where to look. It’s a big place,” she said.

SOUTHERN SHORES MP LEROY MAJOR

TREVAUGHN EDWARDS

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Answers on FOIA remain out of reach

ONCE upon a time, in the faraway land of two years ago, the government said that the decision not to follow through with implementing freedom of information was a matter of resources.

Back in May 2023, Mr Davis said that he planned for the implementation of the Freedom of Information Act “within my term of ofﬁce”.

The clock is ticking on that – and still no sign, least of all in the Budget allocation.

In 2023, Mr Davis blamed the lack of implementation on the issue of resources.

He said: “Priorities require resources, and if I have a choice of putting and getting all those things in place as against doing things to alleviate the strain on my Bahamian people, the strain on my Bahamian people – relief will come ﬁrst. That is not off our drawing board. Right now, we just have too many challenges amongst our disadvantaged Bahamians that need to pay priority to. That’s my priority right now.”

But here’s the thing, the Budget was hailed as a big home run win by the government. A surplus was announced, no less. A big economic win all round.

Given all of that, we have the resources now for freedom of information, right?

Back in January 2024 in this column, we noted how it was curious, considering how much boasting the government had done about the economy, and the soaring tourism ﬁgures, that resources still somehow seemed to be an issue preventing the implementation of something that gave citizens a greater opportunity to hold the government

– any government – to account.

Count that double now that we have tipped over from deﬁcit into surplus – surely some funds could be found for the implementation of freedom of information?

Time for Mr Davis to pivot. He says that freedom of information is “esoteric” and that it would not make a big difference to transparency after all. He did suggest there would be some movement on the issue, without specifying what that would be, but then said: “There’s a misconception as to what the Freedom of Information Act really entails. It doesn’t give unfettered access to information, right? And it doesn’t, in the scheme of things, it doesn’t make available matters that’s not already available to the public, right?”

The point is that the Act does give the right to request information. Trust us, we have a list of such questions. There are processes for requesting information and what you can do if you are denied. Indeed, it obliges information to be disclosed unless a valid exemption applies.

This is not just a case of giving you access to information you can already obtain – far from it.

So now we have the resources available if we choose, according to the Budget, only now is it not really important after all?

So was it ever really an issue of resources?

Last year, we wrote in this column that freedom of information is hidden under a cloak of secrecy. Is there anything to suggest anything has changed?

Need for our citizens to be critical thinkers

EDITOR, The Tribune.

MANY like myself are deeply concerned about the state of political discourse and civic health in The Bahamas. My observations lead me to conclude that our democracy is being fundamentally undermined not by malice but by a systemic failure to foster critical thinking among citizens, compounded by political strategies that exploit this vulnerability. It is not wickedness that plagues our political landscape, but a pervasive lack of critical engagement. Many party supporters demonstrate genuine loyalty, yet their inability to scrutinise policies, rhetoric, or sources renders them susceptible to manipulation. This is not a moral failing of individuals, but a consequence of institutional neglect. This has created an unseen epidemic. Just as one cannot perceive their own death, those deprived of critical faculties rarely recognise their deﬁcit. This unconscious incompetence is weaponised by political actors who simplify complex issues into slogans, bypassing rational debate and replacing it with tribal allegiance.

The roots of this crisis lie in interconnected failures. The Bahamas’ dilapidated education system, wherein

our schools no longer prioritise analytical reasoning, civic literacy, or evidence-based inquiry, allows students to graduate unequipped to dissect political claims or contextualise policy. Then there is deliberate propaganda where political machines deploy emotionally charged narratives designed to bypass reason. Messages are engineered to resonate with identity, not intellect, creating an electorate that votes on sentiment, not substance.

My case in point. The announcement of the coopting of this upcoming Labour Day Parade. Disturbingly, we now witness this dynamic playing out in real-time. With Labour Day approaching, a day meant to honor the struggles and solidarity of workers, a major political party is actively urging supporters to wear party regalia instead. This directive prioritises partisan spectacle over genuine labour solidarity. It substitutes critical engagement with workers’ issues for mindless displays of tribal loyalty, diverting attention from substantive labour challenges to empty symbolism. This is not a mere political strategy; it is the epitome of substituting spectacle for solidarity. The result is a democracy in name only wherein we developed a hollow system

Signs of life in Abaco for FNM

EDITOR, The Tribune.

where elections proceed, but informed consent is absent. Policy debates are drowned out by personality cults and partisan noise. Citizens, stripped of tools to discern truth, become passive conduits for agendas they neither understand nor critically evaluate.

This is not representation; it is demagoguery disguised as democracy. This may seem irreversible, but to change it demands courage. There must be an integration of critical thinking, media literacy, and civic ethics into every level of public engagement. Next, the political leadership must be held accountable and the political parties must end their exploitative propaganda and engage citizens honestly on complex challenges. Media like yourself must help communities create spaces for rigorous, non-partisan dialogue. The soul of our democracy depends on replacing passive compliance with active, enlightened citizenship.

We must choose: Will we remain a nation of unwitting followers, or will we strive for a more engaged and critically informed society?

A truly discouraged voter.

RABBI COMMON ZENSE Freeport, Grand Bahama June 3, 2025.

I BELIEVE Bahamas Press’s victory lap for Progressive Liberal Party MP John Pinder in the Central and South Abaco constituency was premature, after applauding him for hiring a firefighting plane to help in outing fires on mainland Abaco a few months ago. On Friday The Tribune reported that PLP supporters aren’t happy with their representative and want the party to replace him. PLPs on Abaco have accused Pinder, according to The Tribune, of having a “dismissive attitude” and have stated that he’s not been “visible enough” in the community. In Hope Town, complaints are that the promised post office has not been rebuilt and that housing promised for police officers have not materialised. What’s more, the Dorian debris site has been handled poorly and the road infrastructure is in poor state. For Pinder, the complaints are mounting. Nearly four years since the Free National Movement had been jettisoned from the government, Pinder can no longer point the finger at his predecessor, James Albury, the former FNM MP. Whatever problems he inherited from the former government are now on his doorstep. He must own them. When voters in his area head to the polls, they’re not going to punish the FNM again for what transpired four years ago. They’ve punished the FNM already in September 2021. The situation in Central and South Abaco is overwhelming. In order to fulfill his election promises, Pinder needs the full backing of the Davis Cabinet. And according to the PLPs in The Tribune report, that has simply not been the case. This might be due to the financial constraints of the Public Treasury. Abaconians, however, would argue that their island is

third behind New Providence and Grand Bahama in contributing to the coffers of the state. They feel that they’re not getting an adequate amount in capital expenditures in light of what they put into the Treasury on an annual basis. This independent mindset is what led to their forebears in pushing for Abaco to severe national ties with The Bahamas in the months leading up to independence in 1973. I agree with the PLPs in the article who said that Pinder faces an uphill battle. Re-election for him cannot be assumed at this juncture. Bahamas Press was premature in delivering the FNM’s eulogy in Central and South Abaco. The PLPs’ dissatisfaction with their current MP opens the door, even if only slightly, for the reemergence of the FNM in Central and South Abaco. It offers a lifeline that I wouldn’t have foreseen a few months back as I read the glowing endorsement of Pinder by Bahamas Press. The news of the FNM’s metaphorical death in Central and South Abaco have been greatly exaggerated by Bahamas Press. Based on the foregoing, Pinder has his work cut out for him if he is to be reelected.

Judging by the mood of the PLP electorate in his constituency, it wouldn’t be too farfetched to suggest that the PLP incumbent will be heading into the Central and South Abaco race as the clear underdog. I believe the same thing can be said about North Abaco MP Kirk Cornish (PLP). His issues stem from the well-publicised legal troubles he has had to tackle relating to allegations of a domestic matter.

Prime Minister Philip Brave Davis relieved him of his parliamentary secretary post within the Ofﬁce of the Prime Minister on Abaco subsequent to the allegations.

Cornish has gotten his name cleared in the judicial system. Yet the reality of his unique situation tells us that perception is reality for many who have formed their own verdict regarding his guilt or innocence. If anything, it will be Cornish on the docket on election day as voters in North Abaco will be given the opportunity to express their verdict. This is all hypothetical, in that I have yet to hear the PLP’s plans for Cornish in North Abaco. If the PLP runs him, it will be tantamount to waving the white flag. I do not foresee a path to victory for the embattled incumbent in that constituency. On the other hand, if the PLP dumps him for another candidate, that would mean, in the eyes of North Abaco voters, that Cornish is a political dead weight the party is unwilling to further associate itself with. Either way, it’s looking like the governing party is caught between a rock and a hard place. The precarious dilemma concerning Cornish might be just what the doctor ordered for the FNM in North Abaco. Similar to the difficult situation the opposition party found itself in in Central and South Abaco with James Albury while in government between 2019 and 2021, I would have never imagined that merely three and a half years later the FNM would be showing signs of life in North Abaco. The current developments in both Abaco constituencies suggest that both seats are now in play for the FNM. KEVIN EVANS Freeport, Grand Bahama June 2, 2025.

Have a cool, fun, interesting, amazing photo? Have it featured here in The Tribune’s picture of the day! Email your high quality image to pictureoftheday@tribunemedia.net

A DRAGONFLY rests its wings on a blade of grass at the pond across from Baha Mar.

Photo: S Timothy Roberts

testiﬁed internal probe launched after three $100k contracts raised red ﬂags

By PAVEL BAILEY Tribune Staff Reporter pbailey@tribunemedia.net

A SENIOR Water and Sewerage Corporation (WSC) official testified yesterday that she launched an internal probe into three landscaping companies after discovering they were collectively awarded over $100,000 for the same project, an apparent red flag that emerged during an audit under the Minnis administration.

The testimony came as the trial of Long Island MP Adrian Gibson and several others continued in the Supreme Court.

Dian Saunders-Adderley, WSC’s assistant general manager, told the court during cross-examination by defence attorney Damian Gomez KC that she looked into Oak Bay Limited, Elite Maintenance, and Adam’s Landscaping in 2020 after noticing the vendors had each been awarded contracts under the same project number, with the combined payouts

exceeding $100,000. She said it struck her as irrational for WSC to spend that much on landscaping alone and prompted her to dig deeper. However, Mrs Saunders-Adderley clariﬁed that she did not formally interrogate the vendors or accuse them of wrongdoing.

As part of the audit, she initially believed that Adam’s Landscaping was operated by Eric Adams—an entertainer known for dressing as a chickcharney at children’s parties—but later determined that assumption was incorrect. She testiﬁed that Peaches Farquharson was among those associated with the company.

Mrs Saunders-Adderley told the court the audit’s purpose was to identify potential conﬂicts of interest involving WSC staff and contractors. She dismissed Gomez’s suggestion that the process should have been handled by an independent auditor.

She also claimed that members of the WSC board

opposed her continuing the investigation and instructed her to stop. Despite their objections, she said she received clearance to proceed from John Bowleg, who then headed WSC’s internal audit department.

She noted that only 26 vendors had received more than $500,000 in payments from WSC.

Gibson, the former executive chairman of WSC, has been on trial since November 2023 alongside former general manager Elwood Donaldson Jr, Joan Knowles, Peaches Farquharson, and Jerome Missick. The case centers on contracts issued during Gibson’s tenure at the corporation.

The defence team includes Mr Gomez, Murrio Ducille KC, Geoffrey Farquharson, Raphael Moxey, Ian Cargill, Ryan Eve, and Bryan Bastian. Representing the Crown are Director of Public Prosecutions Cordell Frazier, Cashena Thompson, Karine MacVean, and Rashied Edgecombe.

MAN C HARGED WITH THREATENING THREE PEOPLE WITH GUN, POSSESSION OF FIREAR M AND A MM O

By PAVEL BAILEY Tribune Staff Reporter pbailey@tribunemedia.net

A MAN was remanded to prison on Monday after he allegedly endangered the lives of three people with a ﬁrearm last month.

Kevin Archer, 27, was arraigned before Magistrate Lennox Coleby on three counts of possession of a ﬁrearm with intent to endanger life. He also faced charges of possession of an unlicensed ﬁrearm and possession of ammunition.

Prosecutors allege that on May 26, Archer threatened the lives of Tansana Taylor, Keyshawn Taylor, and Raquel Taylor with a 9mm pistol in New Providence. The following day, on May 27, at around noon, Archer was reportedly found walking on Hospital Lane in possession of a black Taurus 9mm pistol and nine rounds of ammunition. While Archer pleaded not guilty to the ﬁrearm and ammunition possession charges, he was not allowed

Full Military Funeral Service For

Sgt. 2456 Cassius Evans

of Westridge, New Providence, Bahamas and formerly of Lowe Sound, Andros, Bahamas will be held on Thursday, June 5, 2025 at 11:00 am at Hillview Seventh Day Adventist Church, Tonique Williams Darling Highway, New Providence, Bahamas. Ofﬁciating will be Pastor Leonardo Rahming assisted by Lynden Williams. Interment will be held in Lakeview Memorial Gardens, John F. Kennedy Drive.

He was pre-deceased by his beautiful wife: Gabrielle Evans; parents: James and Inez Gold Evans nee Russell; siblings: Petrona Evans Colebrook and Tabitha Farrington.

to enter a plea for the charges related to endangering life at that time. Those charges are expected to proceed to the Supreme Court via a voluntary bill of indictment (VBI).

He was informed of his right to apply for bail before the higher court and will be held at the Bahamas Department of Correctional Services until his VBI is potentially served on July 31.

Assistant Superintendent of Police Lincoln McKenzie served as the prosecutor.

MAN ACCUSED IN NEAR FATAL SHOOTING OF WOM AN

By PAVEL BAILEY Tribune Staff Reporter pbailey@tribunemedia.net

A MAN was remanded into custody yesterday after being accused of a nearfatal shooting of a woman in Harbour Island last week.

Marvin Williams, 33, was arraigned before Chief Magistrate Roberto Reckley on charges of attempted murder and possession of

a ﬁrearm with intent to endanger life. Prosecutors allege that around 11.45pm on May 26, Williams approached a vehicle outside a residence on Alice Street and shot Henricka Solomon with a handgun before ﬂeeing the scene.

Solomon was initially treated at a local clinic before being airlifted to New Providence for further medical treatment.

Williams was not required to enter a plea. His case will proceed to the Supreme Court via a voluntary bill of indictment (VBI). He was informed of his right to apply for bail through the higher court. He will remain in custody at the Bahamas Department of Correctional Services until his VBI is potentially served on September 4.

Inspector Wilkinson served as the prosecutor.

MAN FINED $145 FOR INDECENT EXPOSURE

By PAVEL BAILEY Tribune Staff Reporter pbailey@tribunemedia.net

A MAN was ﬁned earlier this week after admitting to exposing himself on Golden Isle Road last Friday.

Ovando Knowles, 34, was arraigned before Senior Magistrate Anishka Isaacs on a charge of indecent exposure. The incident occurred on May 30, when Knowles allegedly exposed himself in public.

He pleaded guilty and apologised for his actions.

Knowles was ﬁned $145. Failure to pay the ﬁne would result in a twomonth prison sentence.

Assistant Superintendent of Police K Bould served as the prosecutor.

Left to cherish and celebrate his life and legacy are hs sons: Cassius Gaitor, Cashton, Jimmy, Iverson, Marcellus, Jude, Gabriel and Cassius Evans; daughter: Thelia Evans; godchild: Julie Russell; grandson: Myles Evans; sisters: Leanna Evans, Jandilee (Dwaine) Strachan, Meltina Evans, Antoinette Russell, Tassia Evans; adopted sisters: Diann Knowles and Evelyn Barr; brothers: R/Chief Superintendent Morey (Zilpha) Evans, Rustom Evans and Alton (Bridgette) Evans, Duke (Dellerase) Miller and Maurice Saunders; brother-in-Laws and sisters-inlaw: Tiamarco Rodriguez, Zamar Saunders, Jeremy and Baxter Rolle and Wayde Russell, Linda Evans, Arielle Rolle, Tara and Hillary Collie; aunts: Evangelist Tryphania Lewis and Evangelist Susanna Russell; uncles: Rev. Alphonso Lewis; nieces and nephews: ASP Marcus (Antonia) Evans, Insp Meko (Krystal) Evans, Morey Evans, Sidney Evans, Delgardo (Shelda) Davis, Lorenzo and Virgil Miller, Angelo (Althea) Evans, Leando Johnson, Shando, Juarez (Dominqua) Evans, Rustom Jr., Caden, Jarad, Zacarri Evans. D & Vac Munroe, Keno Miller, Cassidy Mckintosh, Tracey-Ann Evans, Tiffany (Frankie) Wright Sr, Akilah (Tamar) Armbrister Sr., Lynell (Kelvin) Jones, Lacoda (Dr. Corbin) Darling, Abreal and Danielle Colebrooke, Arlean (Jason) Weir, Simone (Gregory) Sands, Maria (Peter) Russell, Deleon (Andre) Johnson and Santeria (Deon) Fawkes, Inez, Reneka and Cierra Evans, Kadeisha Miller, Hadassah Johnson, Sarah and Julie Russell; 36 grand-nieces and nephews; cousins: Honourable: President of The Court of Appeal Justice Milton Evans & Family, Retired Commissioner of Police Paul Rolle & Family, Dr Joseph Evans & Family, Attorney Sidney Campbell & Family Haldore Russell & Family, Alfreda & Jeffrey Russell, Wilton Russell & Family, Linkwood Evans & Family, Mazera Mason, Fred Russell, Pastor Dr. Cindy Ferguson & Family, Pastor Karen (Jamel) Dean and Family; Anita Davis, Diann Knowles, Nina Miller, Deleon Miller, Janishia Miller, Eltimae Russell, Deacon Ednal Russell & Family; Dencil, Wilton, Delton Russell Jr., Deann Evans & Family Bishop Zendal (Pastor Judyann) Thompson and Princess Thompson, RBDF Chief Petty Officer Calvin Thompson; Jerry & Reo Russell, Wyena Colebrooke; Ivelean Newton; Aretha (David) Lewis, ljetta, Shavonne, Rosilee, Margaretta, Rose, Michael, Stancil Jr., Jackson, Jetson, Steve and Peter Russell; Rev. Vangy (Apostle Kirk) Farrington; Garry Russell, Meltase Lewis, Sgt.1243 Paul Lewis, Supt. Alphonso B. Lewis Jr. and family; Perlene Lewis-Baker Assistant Director Min. of Education, Elizabeth Lewis, Jenet Lewis, Travis Evans, Kendal Evans, Iclean (Ross) Thompson, Melessa Evans, Karean Knowles, Nadia and Olgan Moss, Pastor Dr Leonardo A. Alen Jr, JP, DD. & Minister Dr. Delarese D. Allen D.D., Shawn Evans & Family, Otis McQueen & Family, Calvese Rolle & Family, Marie Rolle & Family, Magistrate Lennox Colbey & Family Rev. Dr Ifill Russell & Family, family, Nevill Rolle & Family Selvin & Clyde Evans, Jeffrey Farrington, ASP Garvin Evans, Dr. Joseph Rolle, Rev Dr. Harris Evans & Family, Rev. Christopher Russell & Family, Milton Russell, Bill Russell, Wilton Russell & Family, Oral Russell & Family, Ureka Cleare & Family, Barbra Rolle; relatives and friends of the family including but not limited to: Justice Neil Brathwaite & Family and staff; Rev. Dr. John E Newton & Family, Lovely Knowles & Family, Genivee Knowles & Family, Vezel Evans, Supt. Kemuel Knowles (Nursing Officer 1 Tamica Knowles) & Family, Ezekiel Russell & Family, Teazel Bowe & Family, Rev. Almeta Culmer and Family, Rev. Chrysle Rolle & Family, Rev. Maud Johnson & family, Honorable Wayne R. Munroe Minister of National Security & Member of Parliament, Freedom Town, COP. Shanta Knowles and the entire Royal Bahamas Police Force, including: Secretary & Intelligence Branch (SIB), Deshannon Cooper, Stenisha Bain, Shamika Munnings, DJ Whoppa, Antonetta Cuono US, Rochelle Black, ACP. Collinbrook, Retired ACP Damien Robinson, Insp. Dino Gaitor, Sgt. 2296 Renaldo St. Cyr., W/Sgt. 2437 Tamica Clarke, Retired Sgt 2019 Jan Archer. Retired Cpl. 1818 Frantz Antoine, Retired PC. 1627 Ryan Ferguson, Sylvia Jones & Family, Sarah Evans & Family, Daron Evans & Family, Chyrel Strachan & Family, Clarise Forbes & Family, Billey Evans Jr. and Family, Tyler Neely, Requel and Ann Farrington, Kia Johnson & Family, Omar Hutchinson & Family, Ruben Russell Jr & Family, Frederick Rolle & Family, Ezekiel Russell and family, Milton Strachan & Family, The Mott Family, The Griffin Family, The Campbell Family, The class of 1989 Bahamas Academy, The Community of Lowe Sound, Nicholl’s Town and Red Bays Andros.

Viewing will be held at the Paul Farquharson Conference Center at Police Headquarters, East Street North on (TODAY) Wednesday from 12:00noon- 5:00pm.

PLANS for the ninth Annual Old Freetown Fire Hearth Food & Heritage Festival were announced on yesterday. The event is set to take place on Whit Monday, June 9, from 12 noon until, at the Freetown Heritage Site in East Grand Bahama. From right: Senior Executive Vertical Markets in the Ministry of Tourism, Investments and Aviation, Wendall Saunders and representatives of the Freetown Festival Committee, Marcus Cooper, center and Jason Cooper, left. Photos: Jamika Culmer/BIS

Be ready before the storm is on its way

THE 2025 Atlantic Hurricane season ofﬁcially started on Sunday. While this is a reminder that hurricanes are a threat to The Bahamas, it is often not until there a hurricane watch is announced that people begin to prepare.

This means preparation is done in rush, under signiﬁcant pressure, and with limited resources. To avoid the added stress of trying to prepare while in panic mode, it is important that those who are able to actually do take steps to ready their households for potential hurricanes.

Basic needs include food and water, and everyone needs to consider the household equipment and tools that make it possible to store and prepare food and water for consumption. The availability and utility of stoves and other cooking equipment, for example,

By Alicia Wallace

should inform the shopping list. Similarly, food storage options, including coolers, need to be considered. What would you need for one week at home with limited or no electricity and/or tap water, and how can you safely store it?

When you know what you need to safely and relatively comfortably get through one week without being able to leave your home, be diligent about keeping your home stocked with them. Be attentive to expiration dates and consume older items as you purchase new

items to replace them.

The day a warning is issued is not the day to go in search of water. Of course, if you do not have enough water, there is little choice, but we all know what to expect at every water depot, grocery store, and corner shop. For the duration of hurricane season, it is best to avoid even coming close to running out of drinking water. It is also a good idea to store tap water for personal hygiene and household cleaning purposes in case water service is disrupted. For people living in certain areas where water disruption is frequent, this may already be a regular practice. One of the elements that is frequently forgotten in the rush to secure canned goods is health status. The health conditions of people in the household and the ways they are affected by food should not be a last minute consideration. Many of the go-to canned food items are high in sodium which presents a problem for many Bahamians for whom hypertension and related illnesses are common, easily exacerbated, and life-threatening. The person doing the shopping needs to think about all of the dietary needs and restrictions of everyone in the household and let that inform the purchases. Medication, both prescription and over-the-counter, need to be kept on hand in sufﬁcient quantities. If anyone in the household has a caregiver, now is a good time to talk about how care will continue during a hurricane. If arrangements cannot be made for the caregiver to stay in the home, another person or multiple people in the home need to be trained to carry out the daily duties related to care.

Staying informed during a hurricane is critical, and radio is the primary source of information. In many

households, there is no radio. People have become accustomed to using televisions, computers, tablets, and mobile phones to listen to the radio. During and in the aftermath of a hurricane, when there is no electricity—and possibly no internet—some of those electronics will be unusable or need to be used for limited periods of time to preserve battery life. Mobile phone use may need to be limited to important communication. At least one radio with sufﬁcient batteries can be a good investment. There are some radios that also have lights and charging ports which can useful and help to save space. Hand crank radios, while they may cost more, can also be good investments. Keep in mind that solarpowered devices are great alternatives only when it is possible to charge them in the sun. In some cases, with shutters on windows and weather advisories warning everyone to stay indoors, solar-powered devices can lose their utility before they can safely be recharged. Think through the options and make the decisions for and with your household, considering all of the necessary devices and the charging capacity of battery packs. Remember to keep credit on your prepaid phone and keep your postpaid phone bill paid to ensure that, as long as there is service, you can communicate with loved ones and emergency personnel.

Another area that is often overlooked is entertainment. What can you do while stuck at home with limited use of electronics?

Card games, board games, books, and puzzles can help to pass the time and foster connection among family members, friends, and roommates. Depending on the space available to you, you may be able to ﬁnd physical activities to enjoy together. Does anyone have a Zumba routine memorized, ready to share with others? Does anyone have

a regular yoga practice and the ability to share some of the easier, safer poses? Is there a rebounder (indoor trampoline), long taken apart and stuff in a closet, that can be reintroduced?

In small spaces, there is still room to get creative. It may be a good time to host your very own episode of Chopped, hurricane edition. Who can come up with the best, most delicious use of a few canned goods and whatever items you have managed to keep fresh in a cooler full of ice? Mental health is an important as physical health, and connecting with one another in different ways can make an otherwise stressful time rather enjoyable.

For those who are able to prepare early and avoid the rush if there

is a hurricane warning, think about your capacity to help others. There are many who cannot afford to stock up and any change in expenses creates a crisis. You may know some of these people. They could be family members, coworkers, neighbors, friends, people with whom you are acquainted through family members, classmates, or people you see off and on. They may not be comfortable asking for help, but you can offer. They may need a few gallons of water, baby food, nonperishable items, a radio, batteries, or even a few books and toys to keep their children occupied. Knowing what you have the capacity to do now will help you to make clear, speciﬁc offers later that can be easily, readily accepted. We are the ones to help one another survive.

1. Feminist Standards for Governance. Equality Bahamas is hosting a series of workshops in speciﬁc thematic areas over the next few weeks, exploring national issues and developing solutions to form a people’s agenda for 2026 to 2031. Join the groups working on Health and Education this evening at the National Art Gallery of The Bahamas on West Hill Street. The session begins at 6pm. Register at tiny.cc/feministstandards.

2. Butter by Asako Yuzuki. This Japanese bestselling novel is based on the case of “The Konkatsu Killer.” The focus is not on murder, but the personalities, relationship, and obsessions of gourmet cook Manako Kajii who is imprisoned for murdering lonely men and journalist Rika Machida whose singular focus is getting close to Kajii. The serial killer refuses to engage with the press, but she cannot resist when Rita requests, in a letter, her beef stew recipe. A reviewer said, “At its heart, this is a story about hunger: for food, for connection, for sensuality, for friendship, for knowledge, for independence, and for acceptance. It’s also a story of opposites with Kajii and Rika holding diametric opinions toward women and feminism.” Join Equality Bahamas and Poinciana Paper Press in reading Butter for Feminist Book Club and participate in the discussion on Wednesday, June 18, at 6pm. Register: tiny.cc/fbc2025.

3. Poker Face. Back with its second season, Poker Face starts Charlie Cale who is a human lie detector. She somehow ﬁnds herself in the area when crimes are committed, witnesses lies, and gets involved in solving cases. This comes at the expense of her own safety. Season one was widely enjoyed and celebrated. Season two has, so far, been quieter. This may be due to the slow pace of each episode. It may not be as exciting as the ﬁrst season, but Natasha Lyonne brings her usual quirk to the character that piques curiosity, brings humor, and makes viewers want to stay tuned.

Weber Smart Gas Grill earns product design honour for breakthrough grilling experience

Associated Press

WEBER Summit® Smart FS38X gas grill received a prestigious Red Dot Product Design Award for its breakthrough precision grilling and culinary experience.

“We’re honoured to receive the prestigious Red Dot Award, a global recognition of excellence in product design,” said Mike Jacobs, President of Weber. “The Summit Smart gas grill represents a bold step forward in gas grilling, where premium craftsmanship, precision engineering, and cutting-edge smart technology come together seamlessly. After thousands of hours of research, development, and testing, our team created a grill with a striking, modern design and intuitive software that gives users unmatched control and conﬁdence every time they cook outdoors. It’s unlike anything that’s come before it, and we’re proud to see it transforming backyards, patios, gardens, and terraces into elevated, hightech culinary destinations.”

The Red Dot Design Award, established in 1955, is one of the world’s largest and most prestigious design competitions, receiving submissions from more than 60 countries.

At the heart of the Summit Smart FS38X gas grill is SmartControl™ technology - the Company’s proprietary digital platform that empowers users to preheat, cook, monitor, control individual burners, and shut down the grill. Traditional knobs are replaced by

smart burner control buttons and a weatherproof, high-deﬁnition LED touchscreen, or users can operate the grill remotely through the Weber Connect® 2.0 App.

Using the touchscreen or via the Weber Connect 2.0 App, grill owners can set,

adjust, and maintain precise temperatures, choose direct, indirect, or manual grilling modes with onscreen guidance, monitor preheating progress and see where to place food on the cooking grate, track fuel levels, receive alerts when food is perfectly cooked

and rested, and power down.

This breakthrough grilling experience is driven by an integrated electronic gas valve system that continuously monitors flame presence across each main burner and the grill’s topdown infrared (IR) broiler. Like a finely tuned orchestra, it dynamically adjusts gas flow through independently controlled valves to deliver consistent, even heat and precise temperature control.

This ﬂame-sensing technology also adds a sophisticated layer of safety, automatically re-igniting burners or safely shutting off gas if ignition fails.

The Summit Smart FS38X gas grill also takes cooking creativity and versatility to a new level. It offers a ﬁrst-in-class topdown IR broiler to rapidly sear and caramelize dishes for that often elusive, sizzling chophouse crust and rich ﬂavour. When paired with nearly 1,000 recipes and guided programs in the Weber Connect 2.0 App, this grill makes outdoor cooking more intuitive, creative, and stress-free.

Additionally, this ultrapremium grill comes equipped with supersized Flavorizer ® bars, a spacious cooking area,

reliable electronic ignition, and a powerful PureBlu™ burner system. Elements such as extra-large prep and serve side tables, a side burner, and Nightvision ® motion-sensing lid-integrated LED lights that illuminate the entire grilling surface—from the side table to the grates—save time and make cooking delicious meals easy. Summit Smart gas grills come in stainless steel or porcelain enamel and feature high-end design and culinary touches, including a tuck-away rotisserie motor, soft-close cabinet doors, and a stainless steel smoker box. These grills come ready to use with the Weber Crafted ® Outdoor Kitchen Collection, a variety of grillware accessories, including an air crisping basket, pizza stone, wok, griddle, and more.

A 15-year limited warranty supports each liquid propane and natural gas Summit Smart FS38X gas grill, and owners have access to the Weber Grilling Concierge, a specialized helpline staffed by in-house barbecue experts. Summit Smart gas grills start at $5,199 and are available from select retailer partners and on weber.com.

Meta’s nuclear deal signals AI’s growing energy needs

Associated Press

META’S deal to help revive an Illinois nuclear power plant was one way of signalling that the parent company of Facebook and Instagram is preparing for a future built with artiﬁcial intelligence.

Meta’s 20-year deal with Constellation Energy follows similar manoeuvres from Amazon, Google and Microsoft, but it will take years before nuclear energy can meet the tech industry’s insatiable demand for new sources of electricity.

AI uses vast amounts of energy, much of which comes from burning fossil fuels, which causes climate change.

The unexpected popularity of generative AI products over the past few years has disrupted many tech companies’ carefully laid plans to supply their technology with energy sources that don’t contribute to climate change.

Even as Meta anticipates more nuclear in the future, its more immediate plans rely on natural gas. Entergy, one of the nation’s largest utility providers, has been fast-tracking plans to build gas-ﬁred power plants in Louisiana to prepare for a massive Meta data center complex.

France has touted its ample nuclear power — which produces about 75%

of the nation’s electricity, the highest level in the world — as a key element in its pitch to be an AI leader. Hosting an AI summit in Paris earlier this year, French President Emmanuel Macron cited President Donald Trump’s “drill baby drill” slogan and offered another: “Here there’s no need to drill, it’s just plug baby plug.” In the US, however, most of the electricity consumed by data centres relies on fossil fuels — burning natural gas and sometimes coal — according to an April report from the International Energy Agency. As AI demand rises, the main source of new supply over the coming years is expected to be from gas-ﬁred plants, a cheap and reliable source of power but one that produces planet-warming emissions. Renewable energy sources such as solar and wind account for about 24% of data center power in the US, while nuclear comprises about 15%, according to the IEA. It will take years before enough climate-friendlier power sources, including nuclear, could start slowing the expansion of fossil fuel power generation.

A report released by the US Department of Energy late last year estimated that the electricity needed for data centres in the US tripled over the past decade and is

projected to double or triple again by 2028 when it could consume up to 12% of the nation’s electricity. It takes a lot of computing power to make an AI chatbot and the systems they’re built on, such as Meta’s Llama. It starts with a process called training or pretraining — the “P” in ChatGPT — that involves AI systems “learning” from the patterns of huge troves of data. To do that, they need specialized computer chips — usually graphics processors, or GPUs — that can run many calculations at a time on a network of devices in communication with each other.

Once trained, a generative AI tool still needs electricity to do the work, such as when you ask a chatbot to compose a document or generate an image. That process is called inferencing. A trained AI model must take in new information and make inferences from what it already knows to produce a response.

All of that computing takes a lot of electricity and generates a lot of heat. To keep it cool enough to work properly, data centres need air conditioning. That can require even more electricity, so most data center operators look for other cooling techniques that usually involve pumping in water.

WEBER Summit® Smart FS38X gas grill received a prestigious Red Dot Product Design Award for its breakthrough precision grilling and

THIS combo image shows Meta’s logo, top, at the company’s headquarters in Menlo Park, Californian and The Constellation Energy building, in a Baltimore. Photo: Godofredo A Vásquez and Gail Burton

Outspoken liberal leader Lee elected South Korea’s president

SEOUL Associated Press

LEE Jae-myung, who rose from childhood poverty to become South Korea’s leading liberal politician vowing to ﬁght inequality and corruption, will become the country’s next president on Wednesday after an election that closed one of the most turbulent chapters in the young democracy.

Lee, 60, the candidate of the liberal opposition Democratic Party, is taking ofﬁce for a full, single ﬁve-year term, succeeding Yoon Suk Yeol, a conservative who was felled over his stunning yet brief imposition of martial law in December.

It was unclear whether Lee’s election would cause any major, immediate shift in South Korea’s foreign policy. Lee, previously accused by critics of tilting toward China and North Korea and away from the US and Japan, has repeatedly stressed South Korea’s alliance with the US as the foundation of its foreign policy.

The toughest external challenges awaiting Lee are US President Donald Trump’s tariff policy and North Korea’s advancing nuclear program. But experts earlier said whoever becomes president can’t do much to secure major progress in South Korea’s favour on those issues.

As of 3:45 am Wednesday, with over 99% of the votes counted, Lee obtained 49.3% of the votes cast in Tuesday’s early election, while main conservative contender Kim Moon Soo trailed with 41.3% — a gap that was impossible to overcome mathematically.

Preelection surveys have long suggested Lee appeared headed for an easy win, riding on deep

public frustration over the conservatives in the wake of Yoon’s martial law debacle. Even before Lee’s win was formally declared, Kim conceded, telling journalists that he “humbly accepts the people’s choice,” and congratulated Lee. Earlier, Lee appeared before thousands of cheering supporters on Seoul’s streets. He didn’t formally claim victory, but reiterated his major policy goals, such as revitalizing the economy, promoting peace with North Korea and easing a domestic divide.

“Let us move forward with hope and make a fresh start from this moment on,” he said. “Though we may have clashed for some time, even those who did not support us are still our fellow citizens of the Republic of Korea.”

Lee, who served as governor of Gyeonggi province and mayor of Seongnam city, has been a highly

divisive ﬁgure in politics for years. As a former child laborer known for his inspirational rags-to-riches story, Lee came to fame through biting criticism of the country’s conservative establishment and calls to build a more assertive South Korea in foreign policy. That rhetoric has given him an image as someone who can institute sweeping reforms and ﬁx the country’s deep-seated economic inequality and corruption. His critics view him as a dangerous populist who relies on political division and backpedals on promises too easily. On foreign policy, Lee has vowed to pursue pragmatic diplomacy. He has promised to develop the alliance with the US and solidify a trilateral Seoul-WashingtonTokyo partnership, a stance that isn’t much different from the position held by South Korea’s conservatives.

say that has made both Lee and other candidates avoid unveiling ambitious foreign policy goals.

Paik Wooyeal, a professor at Seoul’s Yonsei University, said that foreign policy strategists for Lee understand there isn’t much South Korea can do to bring about a denuclearisation of North Korea. Paik said Lee also doesn’t share the Korean nationalistic zeal held by ex-liberal President Moon Jae-in, who met Kim Jong Un three times during his 2017-22 term.

There are still hopes that diplomacy between the US and North Korea could resume, with Trump repeatedly expressing his intent to reach out to Kim Jong Un. Lee has said that he would support Trump’s outreach.

“We’ll have to now see if the pressures of ofﬁce will cause Lee Jae-myung to govern from the center — at least when it comes to matters of national security and the alliance with the United States,” said Ankit Panda, an expert with the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace.

Lee said that he would pursue better ties with North Korea, but acknowledged that it would be “very difﬁcult” to hold a summit with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un anytime soon. This signals Lee won’t likely initiate any drastic steps meant to improve relations with North Korea.

Experts say there aren’t many diplomatic options for South Korea as it tries to address Trump’s tariff hikes and calls for South Korea to pay more for the cost of the US military presence, as well as North Korea’s headlong pursuit of nuclear weapons. Experts

“South Korea and the United States may be better aligned on engaging North Korea under the current constellation of leadership in both countries,” Panda said. “The two sides should begin consultations soon to ensure they’re aligned on their goals.”

Lee’s government still could become engaged in “a little bit of friction” with the Trump administration, said Chung Jin-young, a former dean of the Graduate School of Pan-Paciﬁc International Studies at South Korea’s Kyung Hee University.

Chung predicted Lee still won’t be able to pursue overly drastic steps on foreign policy and security, given the country’s foreign exchange and ﬁnancial markets are vulnerable to such changes.

Lee has preached patience over Trump’s tariff policy, arguing it would be a mistake to rush negotiations in pursuit of an early agreement with Washington. On Monday, South

Korean trade ofﬁcials held an emergency meeting to discuss a response to Trump’s announcement that the US will raise tariffs on steel and aluminum products to 50% beginning Wednesday. South Korea’s central bank last week sharply lowered its 2025 growth outlook to 0.8%, citing the potential impact of Trump’s tariff hikes and weak domestic demand worsened by the political turmoil of past months.

The election serves as another deﬁning moment in the country’s resilient democracy, but observers worry a worsened domestic divide could pose a big political burden on the new president.

The past six months saw large crowds of people rallying to either denounce or support Yoon, while a leadership vacuum caused by Yoon’s impeachment and ensuing formal dismissal rattled the country’s highlevel diplomatic activities and ﬁnancial markets.

Lee has promised to heal the national split, but his vow to thoroughly hold those involved in Yoon’s martial law stunt accountable has sparked concerns that he would use investigations to launch political retaliations against his opponents.

“The next question is just how Lee will represent and protect South Korea’s democracy,” said Soo Kim, a former CIA Korea analyst and geopolitical risk consultant.

“Will South Korea’s politics still remain focused on retribution, or will Seoul ﬁnally look beyond this and work constructively and progressively for the country’s best long-term democratic interests?” she said. “It’s a tall order for Lee.”

Tulsa’s new mayor proposes $100m T rus T To ‘repair’

OKLAHOMA Associated Press

impac T of 1921 r ace m assacre

TULSA S new mayor on Sunday proposed a $100 million private trust as part of a reparations plan to give descendants of the 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre scholarships and housing help in a city-backed bid to make amends for one of the worst racial attacks in US history.

The plan by Mayor Monroe Nichols, the ﬁrst black mayor of Oklahoma’s second-largest city, would not provide direct cash payments to descendants or the last two centenarian survivors of the attack that killed as many as 300 black people. He made the announcement at the Greenwood Cultural Center, located in the oncethriving district of North Tulsa that was destroyed by a white mob.

Nichols said he does not use the term reparations, which he calls politically charged, characterizing his sweeping plan instead as a “road to repair.”

“For 104 years, the Tulsa Race Massacre has been a stain on our city’s history,” Nichols said Sunday after receiving a standing ovation from several hundred people. “The massacre was hidden from history books, only to be followed by the intentional acts of redlining, a highway built to choke off economic vitality and the perpetual underinvestment of local, state and federal governments.

“Now it’s time to take the next big steps to restore.”

Nichols said the proposal wouldn’t require city council approval, although the council would need to authorize the transfer of any city property to the trust, something he said was highly likely.

The private charitable trust would be created with a goal to secure $105 million in assets, with most of the funding either secured or committed by June 1, 2026.

Although details would be developed over the next year by an executive director and a board of managers, the plan calls for the bulk of the funding, $60 million, to go toward improving buildings and revitalizing the city’s north side.

“The Greenwood District at its height was a center of commerce,” Nichols said in a telephone interview. “So what was lost was not just something from North Tulsa or the black community. It actually robbed Tulsa of an economic future that would have rivalled anywhere else in the world.”

Nichols’ proposal follows an executive order he signed earlier this year recognizing June 1 as Tulsa Race Massacre Observance Day, an ofﬁcial city holiday. Events Sunday in the Greenwood District included a picnic for families, worship services and an evening candlelight vigil.

Nichols also realizes the current national political climate, particularly President Trump’s sweeping assault on diversity, equity and inclusion programs, poses challenging political crosswinds.

“The fact that this lines up with a broader national conversation is a tough environment,” Nichols admitted, “but it doesn’t change the work we have to do.”

Jacqueline Weary, is a granddaughter of massacre survivor John R. Emerson, Sr., who owned a hotel and cab company in Greenwood that were destroyed. She acknowledged the political difﬁculty of giving cash payments to descendants. But at the same time, she wondered how much of her family’s wealth was lost in the violence.

“If Greenwood was still there, my grandfather would still have his hotel,” said Weary, 65. “It rightfully was our inheritance, and it was literally taken away.”

Tulsa is not the ﬁrst US city to explore reparations. The Chicago suburb of Evanston, Illinois, was the ﬁrst US city to make reparations available to its black residents for past discrimination, offering qualifying households $25,000 for home repairs, down payments on property, and interest or late penalties on property in the city. The funding for the program came from taxes on the sale of recreational marijuana.

Other communities and organizations that have considered providing reparations range from the state of California to cities including Amherst, Massachusetts; Providence, Rhode Island; Asheville, North Carolina; and Iowa City, Iowa; religious denominations like the Episcopal Church; and prominent colleges like Georgetown University in Washington.

In Tulsa, there are only two living survivors of the Race Massacre: 110-year-old Lessie Benningfield Randle and Viola Fletcher, who is 111. The women, both of whom were in attendance on Sunday, received direct financial compensation from both a Tulsa-based nonprofit and a New York-based philanthropic organization, but have not received any recompense from the city or state.

Damario Solomon-Simmons, an attorney for the survivors and the founder of the Justice for Greenwood Foundation, said earlier this year that any reparations plan should include direct payments to Randle and Fletcher and a victims’ compensation fund for outstanding claims. A lawsuit ﬁled by Solomon-Simmons on behalf of the survivors was rejected by the Oklahoma Supreme Court last year, dampening racial justice advocates’ hopes that the city would ever make ﬁnancial amends.

SOUTH Korea’s Democratic Party’s presidential candidate Lee Jae-myung, gestures as his supporters gather outside of the National Assembly in Seoul, South Korea, yesterday.

Photo: Lee Jin-man/AP

Bahamas Shelters List for 2025 Hurricane Season

ABACO, CENTRAL DISTRICT

1. Central Abaco Primary School – Marsh Harbour – 880 persons

2. Friendship Tabernacle – Dundas Town – 250 persons

3. Guana Cay Primary School – Guana Cay – 90 persons

4. Man-O-War Primary School – Man-O-War – 80 persons

5. Hope Town Primary School – Hope Town – 110 persons

ABACO, NORTH DISTRICT

1. Amy Roberts Primary Pre-School –Green Turtle Cay – 240 persons

2. Faithwalk Church of God, Community Centre – Cooper’s Town – 170 persons

3. Grand Cay All Age School, Pre-school Block – Grand Cay – 100 persons ABACO, SOUTH DISTRICT

1. Crossing Rocks Primary School –Crossing Rocks – 70 persons

2. Moore’s Island School – Moore’s Island – 240 persons

3. 3. Soul Seeking Ministries – Moore’s Island – 200 persons ACKLINS

1. Acklin’s Community Centre – Spring Point – 60 persons ANDROS, CENTRAL DISTRICT

1. Bowen Sound Pentecostal Ministries – Bowen Sound – 100 persons

2. Church of God – Cargill Creek – 100 persons

3. Mt. Ethel Baptist Church – Love Hill – 110 persons

4. Rev. Euthurl Rodgers Primary School – Deep Creek – 90

9. Mangrove Cay High School – Mangrove Cay – 80 persons

South Andros Multi-Purpose Gymnasium –Money Rock Subdivision – 400 persons

NORTH DISTRICT 1. B. A. Newton Primary School Red Bay – 50 persons 2. BAMSI Training Centre – BARC Community – 40 persons

Nicholl’s Town Primary & Clara Evans School – Nicholl’s Town – 140 persons

ISLANDS

1. Church of God of Prophecy –

Governor’s Harbour – 80 persons

5. George E. Johnson Memorial Centre – Hatchet Bay – 50 persons

6. Bahamas Methodist Habitat (Camp Symonette) – James Cistern – 100 persons

ELEUTHERA, NORTH DISTRICT & HARBOUR ISLAND

1. Charles Wesley Methodist Church –Lower Bouge – 150 persons

2. Mission Church of God – Upper Bouge – 70 persons

3. The Current Community Centre –The Current – 30 persons

4. Haitian Baptist People Church – The Bluff – 80 persons

5. Zion Methodist Church – Current Island – 50 persons

6. New Jerusalem Church – Blackwood – 200 persons

7. Sir George Robert’s Public Library –Harbour Island – 30 persons

8. Lighthouse Church of God – Harbour Island – 150 persons

9. New Alliance Church of God – Harbour Island – 20 persons

ELEUTHERA, SOUTH DISTRICT

1. Church of God of Prophecy – Tarpum Bay – 70 persons

2. Deep Creek Primary School – Deep Creek – 50 persons

3. Green Castle Primary School – Green Castle – 190 persons

4. Wemyss Bight Primary School –Wemyss, Bight – 140 persons

EXUMA & RAGGED ISLAND

1. Bethel Union Baptist Church – Ramsey – 80 persons

2. Ebenezer Union Baptist Church –Farmer’s Hill – 80 persons

3. Ebenezer Union Baptist Church – Barraterre – 60 persons

4. Exuma Resource Centre (Special Needs Shelter) – Hooper’s Bay – 60 persons

5. Forbe’s Hill Cultural Centre – Forbe’s Hill – 20 persons

6. Gethsemane Baptist Church – Black Point – 80 persons

7. Mount Carmel Mission Baptist Church – Rolle Town – 60 persons

8. Mount Herman Union Baptist Church – Mt. Thompson – 60 persons

9. St. John’s The Baptist Anglican Church – Moss Town – 30 persons

10. Aurelia Miller Comprehensive School – Black Point – 60 persons

11. St. Luke’s Union Baptist Church – Black Point – 40 persons

12. The New Mt. Olive Union Baptist Church – Hartswell – 60 persons

13. Mount Olivet Baptist Church – Staniel Cay – 50 persons

14. Palestine Union Baptist Church – The Forest – 150 persons

15. St. Andrew’s Community Centre –George Town – 200 persons

16. St. Margaret’s Anglican Church – Harts/ Steventon – 60 persons

17. St. Mary’s Magdeline Anglican Church – William’s Town – 60 persons

18. St. Theresa’s Catholic Church –George Town – 110 persons

19. St. Peter’s Union Baptist Church –Forbe’s Hill – 60 persons

20. St. Margaret Baptist Church – Stuart Manor – 50 persons

21. Calvary Mission Baptist Church – Rolleville – 80 persons

22. Holy Innocents Anglican Church – Duncan Town, Ragged Island – 25 persons

23. Ragged Island All Age School – Duncan Town, Ragged Island – 100 persons

GRAND BAHAMA, WESTERN DISTRICT

1. Bethany Baptist Church – Hanna Hill – 150 persons

2. Church of God of Prophecy – Seagrape – 100 persons

3. Central Zion Baptist Church – Pinedale – 60 persons

4. Church of God of Prophecy – Pinedale – 80 persons

5. Bethel Baptist Church – Pinedale – 150 persons

6. New Mount Olivet Baptist Church –Holme’s Rock – 100 persons

7. Eight Mile Rock Gymnasium – Eight Mile Rock – 400 persons

GRAND BAHAMA, CENTRAL DISTRICT

1. Foster B. Pestina Hall, Christ The King Church (Special Needs Shelter) – East Atlantic Drive – 80 persons

2. Church of Ascension – West Beach Drive & Arden Forest Road – 190 persons 3. Central Church of God – Coral Road – 130 persons

First Baptist Church – Columbus Drive – 125 persons

Shiloh Seventh Day Adventist Church –Sandcombe Road – 50 persons

6. Evangeline Jervis Hurricane Shelter – Anita Doherty Drive & Gambier Drive – 120 persons

7. Revelation Apostolic International Church – Jobson Avenue – 30 persons

8. New Life Worship Centre – Coral Road – 150 persons

9. Calvary Temple Assembly of God –Clive Avenue – 100 persons

10. Bishop Michael Eldon School Auditorium – Anita Doherty Drive – 300 persons

11. COGOP Community at Heart (Reserved for aftermath) – Coral Road – 350 persons

12. Maurice Moore Primary School – Torcross Road & Sandcombe Drive – 820 persons

13. First Holiness Church of God (Reserved for aftermath) – Young Husband Avenue – 110 persons

14. Miracle Revival Fellowship (Reserved for aftermath) – Eleuthera Drive, Hawksbill – 150 persons

15. Sir Jack Hayward Junior High School – Settler’s Way – 360 persons

16. St. George’s High School Gymnasium –Sunset Highway – 400 persons

INAGUA

1. St. Phillip’s Anglican Community Centre – Matthew Town – 60 persons

LONG ISLAND

1. First Assemblies Discipleship Centre – Salt Pond – 20 persons

2. Community Centre – Clarence Town – 100 persons

3. Holy Cross Anglican Church – Hamilton’s – 60 persons

4. Holy Family Anglican Church – Mortimor’s – 30 persons

5. Salem Baptist Church – Miller’s – 40 persons

6. Seymour’s Gospel Church – Seymour’s – 20 persons

MAYAGUANA

1. St. James Native Baptist Church –Abraham’s Bay – 60 persons

2. Mayaguana Comprehensive K - School – Pirate’s Well – 80 persons

3. Betsy Bay Community Centre – Betsy Bay – 70 persons

NEW PROVIDENCE

1. New Providence Community Centre – Blake Road – 330 persons

2. Samuel and Cornella Williams Community Centre, The Salvation Army – Meadow Street – 50 persons

3. Rev. Dr. O. A. Pratt Educational Building, St. Johns Native Baptist – Augusta & Meeting Street – 150 persons

4. The Remnant Tabernacle Praise (Reserved for aftermath) – Carmichael Road – 400 persons

5. Epworth Hall, Ebenezer Methodist Church – Shirly Street – 270 persons

6. St. Barnabas Anglican Church – Wulf Road & Baillou Hill Rd – 140 persons

7. Maranatha Seventh Day Adventist –Prince Charles – 140 persons

8. The Salvation Army – Mackey Street – 60 persons

9. Pilgrim Baptist Temple – St. James Street – 150 persons

10. New Bethlehem Baptist Church –Independence Drive – 200 persons

11. Hillview Seventh Day Adventist Church –Tonique Darling Highway – 60 persons

12. Agape Full Gospel Baptist Church –Kennedy Subdivision – 120 persons

13. New Dimensions Ministries – Joe Farrington Road – 80 persons

14. Church Of God, Convention Centre – Joe Farrington Road – 600 persons

15. 1Berea Seventh Day – Baillou Hill South – 50 persons

16. 1Canon Neil E. Roach Hall, Holy Cross Anglican Church – Highbury Park – 100 persons

17. Ebenezer Mission Baptist – Charles Vincent Street – 120 persons

18. St. Mary’s Hall (Reserved for aftermath) – Fox Hill (On Top of The Hill) – 260 persons

19. 19. Epiphany Anglican Church – Prince Charles Drive – 100 persons

SAN SALVADOR & RUM CAY

1. Fellowship in Christ Church –Cockburn Town – 40 persons

2. Gerace Research Centre – United Estates Settlement – 170 persons

3. Idell Jones Community Hall –Cockburn Town – 80 persons

4. St. James Native Baptist Church – North Victoria Hill – 50 persons

5. St. John’s Native Baptist Church – United Estates Settlement – 40 persons

6. St. Peter’s Native Baptist Church – Long Bay – 20 persons

7. Rum Cay All Age School – Rum Cay – 30 persons

Rowdy Boys Construction awarded $20m to rehabilitate infrastructure in Long Island

By LYNAIRE MUNNINGS Tribune Staff Reporter

A $20M CONTRACT has been awarded to Rowdy Boys Construction Co Ltd to rehabilitate 18 miles of roads and upgrade Long Island’s water system, a major infrastructure push that Prime Minister Philip “Brave” Davis says is just the beginning. Work is scheduled to begin in July and promises to improve accessibility, stimulate local economies, and reconnect communities that have long felt left

behind.

Minister of Works Clay Sweeting called the initiative “transformational,” aimed at ﬁnally resolving infrastructure issues that have plagued the island for decades.

“This undertaking will call for rehabilitation of 18 miles of roads,” he said.

“We’ll be conducting verge clearance over more than 100,000 square yards, laying over 253,000 square yards of new lime rock base and pavement, installing 6,000 cat eyes, 40,000 feet of road striping and 25 regulatory signs.”

The roads, stretching

from Stella Maris Airport to Salt Pond, will be paved with hot mix asphalt, not sand and seal, as used in the past.

In addition to roads, the island’s outdated water system will also get an overhaul, including the installation of new pipelines and 119 lateral service connections.

Looking beyond this contract, Mr Sweeting said the government also plans to rebuild the Salt Pond dock to better serve boaters, ﬁshermen, and sailors. He framed the move as part of a broader strategy to not only ﬁx infrastructure but

also create new economic opportunities.

He also praised the decision to award the contract to a Long Island-based company.

“It’s a direct investment in Bahamian capacity,” he said.

Rowdy Boys Construction, a family-run business with 25 years of experience across The Bahamas, will initially employ 20 to 30 Long Islanders, numbers expected to grow as the 15-month project ramps up.

At the ceremony, CFO Jalen Knowles, joined by his uncle Benjamin

Knowles and cousin Rebecca Parotti, spoke about what the project means on a personal level.

“As a son of the soil and the young CFO of a company deeply rooted on the island, this project holds a personal significance,” he said. “Many Long Islanders, including myself, have had to seek opportunities elsewhere… That’s why this project is so much more than just construction. It’s a small but significant step towards building a future where more Long Islanders can return home, find fulfilling employment and build

thriving lives.” Prime Minister Davis praised the company’s track record and emphasised the long-term value of local partnerships.

“They have brought their skills and machinery to other islands helping to modernize infrastructure across our archipelago, and now they return home to improve Long Island where their story began,” he said. “That is the kind of legacy we believe in. That is the kind of story we want to write for every young Bahamian to be able to say, ‘I helped build that road.’”

BSGC calls for support as they aim to provide 30k Thanksgiving day meals across the country

By KEILE CAMPBELL Tribune Staff Reporter kcampbell@tribunemedia.net

THE Bahamas Striping Group of Companies (BSGC) aims to distribute 30,000 Thanksgiving meals to families in need nationwide this year, and is calling on people and businesses to support the cause.

Now in its sixth year, the “Let’s Make a Difference” campaign will expand its reach to underserved islands, including Cat Island, Long Island, and Inagua. BSGC president Atario Mitchell said the initiative is rooted in the company’s founding values, noting that its own launch was made possible by a $5,000 grant. That experience, he said, instilled a commitment to giving back, a philosophy built on the belief that open hands invite both giving and receiving.

While major sponsors such as the Bahamas Red Cross, Salvation Army, and the Bahamas Feeding Network are already on board, Mr Mitchell emphasised the importance of broader community involvement.

Contributions of “time, talent, and treasure,” he said, are all essential to the campaign’s success.

Organisers have enlisted support from civic groups like Kiwanis and Rotary, with volunteers expected to learn their assigned feeding agencies by October.

BSGC vice president of operations Frederica Sturrup recalled that the campaign began in Exuma, where 300 meals were served in collaboration with Sandals. The demand was immediate, she said, as meals were “gone in hours.” That response revealed a deeper need and prompted the campaign’s expansion.

Meal preparation and delivery are managed through partnerships with the Bahamas Feeding Network and consultant Chef Manny, who oversees menu

planning and portioning. The menu includes traditional Thanksgiving items like turkey, ham, macaroni, peas and rice, and vegetables, ingredients provided in part by the Bahamas Agricultural and Industrial Corporation (BAIC). Meals are cooked and distributed by partner organisations, with BSGC coordinating logistics and procurement. BSGC is encouraging nationwide participation and said even small contributions can make a meaningful impact. Those wishing to donate or volunteer can contact 394-7777 to connect with participating agencies before the campaign’s full rollout in November.

Beyond its charitable efforts, BSGC continues to expand its infrastructure projects throughout the Family Islands. In Exuma, roadworks on Queen’s Highway between Georgetown and the Ferry Bridge are nearing completion, with new guardrails being installed to improve safety on newly elevated roads designed to mitigate flooding. Two local contractors are contributing to the project, reinforcing BSGC’s goal of supporting local economies. In Eleuthera, similar road improvements are underway along Sherman’s Highway from Greencastle to Deep Creek. The project includes raising flood-prone sections of road and enhancing water flow through culvert installations. A subsequent phase will target the segment between Waterford and Cape Eleuthera. In partnership with the Water and Sewerage Corporation, BSGC is also extending piped water access to previously underserved areas. A $2.4m contract with Long Island-based Rowdy Boys Construction will deliver potable water infrastructure to Bannerman Town and John Millar—communities currently dependent on water tankers. Complementing its roadwork, BSGC is also implementing new signage and reflective road markings to improve nighttime driving safety. The company says its approach to modernisation includes not just infrastructure but also community training, collaboration, and hiring local contractors to ensure lasting impact where the work is being done.

PRIME Minister Philip ‘Brave’ Davis speaking yesterday during a ceremony at the Office of the Prime Minister for the signing of a $20m with Rowdy Boys Construction Ltd for road and water system rehabilitation on Long Island.

Photos: Chappell Whyms Jr.

THE BAHAMAS Striping Group of Companies are aiming to provide 30,000 Thanksgiving meals to people across the countrie with the support of organisations like the Bahamas Red Cross, Salvation Army, and the Bahamas Feeding Network. Photo: Nikia Charlton