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PLAIN TALKER Sands spells it out - another 200,000 must take vaccine

By LEANDRA ROLLE Tribune Staff Reporter lrolle@tribunemedia.net FORMER Minister of Health Dr Duane Sands says while he believes the country is making some progress in getting Bahamians vaccinated against COVID-19, “we are nowhere near the beneficial threshold” of achieving herd immunity.

He also said in order for the country to see the results of vaccinations, at least “200,000 more people” need to be fully vaccinated.

According to the government’s latest vaccine tracker, 62,183 vaccine doses of the Oxford AstraZeneca vaccine have been administered to Bahamians and residents to date, including 13,749

second doses.

Yesterday, Dr Sands said while numbers show the country is moving in the right direction, they are still a far cry from where The Bahamas needs to be in order to achieve herd immunity.

Health Minister Renward Wells told reporters last week he estimated 120,000 people need to be vaccinated in order for the nation to be “in good stead” in the fight against COVID-19.

However, Dr Sands told The Tribune yesterday: “We have almost 400,000 people in (the) country... if we want to reap the benefits of vaccination, we’re going to need to get several hundred thousand more people fully vaccinated and I said

BREACHES OF COVID ORDERS IMPROVE

SEE PAGE FOUR

THE Government yesterday pledged it will not be bullied by this weekend’s 15 percent minimum global corporate tax deal amid warnings that The Bahamas cannot afford to be “burnt” by any kneejerk response.

The Ministry of Finance,

in a statement responding to the agreement announced by the G-7 (group of seven) finance ministers, indicated it was executing just such a measured approach by saying it was assessing whether there are any consequences for The Bahamas’ domestic tax system and international financial services industry.

FULL STORY - SEE BUSINESS

By EARYEL BOWLEG Tribune Staff Reporter ebowleg@tribunemedia.net

LOCKDOWNS for North and Central Andros and Cat Island have been extended for an additional seven days, the Office of the Prime Minister announced yesterday.

The lockdowns will now end at 5am on Monday, June 14.

The decision was met with criticism from Progressive Liberal Party Leader Philip “Brave” Davis, who is also the MP for Cat Island, Rum Cay and San Salvador.

“The extensions of the lockdowns in Central and North Andros and Cat Island are unnecessary,” Mr Davis said in a statement. “The Prime Minister, the competent authority, is only causing further misery by stubbornly refusing to take advice and learn from his mistakes.”

SEE PAGE FOUR

‘WE’LL DECIDE WHAT’S BEST FOR US ON TAX’

By NEIL HARTNELL Tribune Business Editor nhartnell@tribunemedia.net

SEVEN-DAY EXTENSION IN ISLANDS’ LOCKDOWN

By LEANDRA ROLLE Tribune Staff Reporter lrolle@tribunemedia.net

SPORT OR SLAUGHTER? ENVIRONMENTAL activist Sam Duncombe has called for an end to “bloody tournaments” after pictures were posted of landed blue marlins following a fishing contest at Walker’s Cay. Ms Duncombe called it a “barbaric, sadistic sport”. See PAGE THREE for the full story.

BAILED MURDER SUSPECT SHOT DEAD

By EARYEL BOWLEG Tribune Staff Reporter ebowleg@tribunemedia.net

A MAN who was facing a murder charge was fatally shot on Friday.

According to police, initial reports indicate that shortly before 10pm, a group of men were standing on Milton Street when they heard the sound of what seemed to be gunshots.

“Moments later, four of the men realised that they

ELVARDO DEVEAUX were shot about the body,” police said. “They were all transported to the hospital via private vehicle. One of the victims later succumbed

to his injuries and the others are all listed in serious, but stable condition.”

A relative identified the deceased as Elvardo Deveaux, 22, and said he was facing a murder and firearm matter in court before he was shot.

In 2018, Deveaux, who was 19 at the time, was accused with two others for the January 19 murder of Craig Trevor Smith on Maxwell Lane.

SEE PAGE FIVE

Nassau & Bahama Islands’ Leading Newspaper

SEVEN businesses were cited for breaking COVID19 Emergency Orders over the Labour Day weekend, resulting in over $26,000 in fines being issued, according to the head of COVID Enforcement Unit.

Chief Superintendent of Police Zhivargo Dames, officer in charge of the Cable Beach Police Station and the COVID Enforcement Unit, told The Tribune yesterday the figures are a major improvement compared with the number of citations on past holiday weekends.

SEE PAGE THREE

INSIGHT THE ‘WINK AND A NOD’ VACCINATION MANDATE

SEE PAGE EIGHT

PAGE 2, Monday, June 7, 2021

THE TRIBUNE

SPORT OR SLAUGHTER?

By EARYEL BOWLEG Tribune Staff Reporter ebowleg@tribunemedia.net

A PICTURE of a Blue Marlin posted to the Walker’s Cay Facebook page.

AN environmental activist has slammed the landing of blue marlins in a recent three-day Walker’s Cay Invitational deep sea fishing contest.

Sam Duncombe, reEarth’s president, called it “absolutely ludicrous” that the capture of the country’s national fish is allowed in such events, adding these “bloody tournaments” need to stop.

The invitational took place between May 26-29 at Walker’s Cay. According to the property’s website, the cay is 53 miles to the northeast of West End, Grand Bahama and its “rebirth is underway” thanks to entrepreneur and “marlin fishing enthusiast” Carl Allen.

The website noted that to participate in the tournament, all teams were required to possess a Bahamas fishing permit.

The tournament rules also stated that blue marlin were eligible for catch and release or eligible for weigh-in “with a minimum 101” LJFL (lower jaw to fork length) measurement requirement, however only one per boat may be killed per fishing day.”

Gregory Bethel, acting director of the Department of Marine Resources, confirmed it was a permitted activity. Mr Bethel noted the Fisheries Resources (Jurisdiction and Conservation) Regulations states any billfish, such as marlins or swordfish, caught shall be returned to the sea unharmed except where landed under the terms of an approved sword fishing event or tournament.

The cay’s official Facebook page posted pictures and videos of the teams catching the country’s national fish and the size of the fish they reeled in. One team was pictured posing and smiling next to a blue marlin hanging upside down.

“Team Wave Paver, 77’ Baylis, brought in the first blue marlin to the gantry!

Congratulations guys, 508 lbs!” the caption read.

In the comments, the page wrote: “Tournament update! We have released 17 blue marlins, two have been brought to the scales and all of the catch has been donated to our friends at Grand Cay! Teams are battling it out to the finish line for top overall team and largest blue marlin.”

But in the mix of congratulatory messages were angry individuals upset that anyone is still able to land blue marlin.

However, Mr Bethel explained to The Tribune:

“Normally 99.9 percent of the time you would find that with respect to billfish, they normally practice catch and release, but in the case of where you would land a blue marlin similar to the one in Walker’s Cay where the minimum length is 96 inches, what we consider a prize or trophy fish, they’re allowed to land because the length 96 inches is equivalent to just around 500 pounds… that means it’s a huge fish.”

When contacted for a reaction, Ms Duncombe criticised the sport as she highlighted how the fish’s life could be at risk due to sharks possibly catching them when they are released.

“This is a barbaric, sadistic sport and the fact that in 2021 we’re still allowing the capture of the lions and tigers of our ocean is absolutely ludicrous,” she said. “I mean at one point and time, do we evolve to the point where we understand the impact that we’re having on those individual animals?

“Can you imagine being dragged in the sea half drowned by the time they release you, if they’ve released you, all that thrashing that’s going on is attracting sharks and essentially those animals can be caught by sharks after their ordeal. I mean I don’t know what kind of sadistic psychopathic person would consider that a sport for fun. It is absolutely ludicrous that we are allowing the capture of our national fish. You think the Americans are catching the bald eagle?

“I don’t care who it is with our national fish — it needs to stop. We need to stop having these bloody tournaments. I mean what is the difference between killing a blue marlin and going into Africa and shooting a lion? There’s no difference. Those are the top predators of the ocean and the top predators on land.”

The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species has listed the blue marlin as being “vulnerable,” meaning the fish is “at high risk of extinction in the wild”.

With blue marlins being threatened, the activist argued for no more fishing of the animal.

She added: “The whole sidebar of ‘oh, but we share it with everybody on the island’ that’s the exact same thing that the people who killed the lions and tigers would say about that. With an animal that is threatened you know you err on the side of conservation. That has been our problem that we never err on the side of conservation.”

THE TRIBUNE

Monday, June 7, 2021, PAGE 3

ANGER AS POLICE STOP MOTORCADE PARTICIPANTS PLP supporters pulled over by the police on their way to the national stadium.

MEMBERS of the labour movement and supporters of the Progressive Liberal Party gathered at the national stadium on Friday morning in an attempt to participate in a Labour Day motorcade despite a notice from police a day earlier that the event had not been sanctioned by authorities.

As the crowd converged at the site on University Drive, some wearing PLP paraphernalia, police stopped many of them from entering. This angered organisers of the event.

“This is a shocking position for the workers and indeed all Bahamians who are minded to ensure that good governance requires the involvement of the people,” Obie Ferguson, president of the Trade Union Congress (TUC), told

reporters at the stadium, which was the planned starting point of the motorcade.

He said he wrote a letter to Prime Minister Dr Hubert Minnis on May 4 requesting permission for labour leaders and workers to hold a Labour Day motorcade. He said on Thursday at 4.21pm, he received a call from Dr Minnis’ personal secretary who indicated that senior health officials had recommended the motorcade not go ahead.

“This is very vexing,” Mr Ferguson said. “I’m aware, I think I’ve been practising law for 27, 28 years, my specialty is employment law. You explain to me how a government or how the police officers can stop me from driving from my house to my office, from my

Photos: Donovan McIntosh/Tribune Staff

office anywhere, as long as I comply with the law? This is purely disrespect.”

Union leaders said the people will have the final say at the ballot box.

Mr Ferguson urged workers everywhere to register to vote and “vote for those people who have your interest.”

PLP deputy leader Chester Cooper was at the site.

“I am happy to be here to stand with the labour movement today. Solidarity forever,” Mr Cooper said.

He said the PLP was disappointed at the “11th hour” decision by the government not to approve the motorcade. He also criticised the continued state of emergency and the prime minister’s powers.

“We believe it’s been long enough for them to

implement laws to get us back to a state of normalcy. but clearly the Prime Minister is enjoying this state of play,” Mr Cooper said.

“But nothing will stop our support for the labour movement today and therefore I congratulate Brother Ferguson for standing up for workers.”

The participants were not allowed to travel on their planned route and some were pulled over as they tried to drive to Arawak Cay, which was the planned end point.

Police barricades were also erected at Arawak Cay and the motorcade participants were stopped from driving into the site.

Assistant Superintendent of Police Audley Peters said on Sunday that no one was cited on Friday, but he said

the crowd was dispersed.

OBIE FERGUSON, of the Bahamas Workers Union, speaking to the media.

BREACHES OF COVID ORDERS IMPROVE from page one

In April, for example, COVID ambassadors cited organisers of an event held over the Easter break nearly $100,000 for breaching COVID-19 rules, which currently prohibits social gatherings in New Providence.

Videos of the event made the rounds on social media, sparking public outrage.

Similar parties have been hosted over the course of the pandemic, despite repeated warnings from officials that such events could be a “super spreader” for COVID-19.

Yesterday, Chief Supt Dames said it appears Bahamians are finally starting to heed the message.

He said: “Over this holiday weekend, Friday to date, the COVID-19 Enforcement Unit alone, we would’ve cited some seven businesses for breach of the emergency orders.

Citations issued in the tune of some 26 plus thousand of dollars for any number of breaches were it operating a prohibited business or persons’ social gatherings or persons patronising a prohibited business.

“I am (also) pleased to say that over the holiday weekend, we actually cited one person for failing to wear a mask. One person was cited. No person was cited for breach of curfew.

These numbers only speak for the COVID-19 Enforcement Unit. It doesn’t speak for the other police stations and the likes.

“I am pleased by these numbers,” Chief Supt Dames added.

“They are low. If you go by the numbers here by the Labour Day holiday up to last night (Saturday), it appears that the Bahamian populace are adhering to the protocols and we know that the holiday in itself is an active period and for us to yield these type of numbers over the holiday, I would say I believe that the Bahamian populace are beginning to heed to the protocols.”

According to CSP Dames, this year over 1,000 citations have been issued to people/businesses found in breach of the COVID-19 rules.

“Between January to the first week in June, we are looking at about 1,057 citations (that) were issued.

Just a little over $600,000

if you put a dollar figure to it,” he said.

The enforcement of COVID-19 rules comes as the government relaxes restrictions for fully vaccinated people.

For example, fully vaccinated people are exempted from travel requirements when travelling to and throughout the country.

They are also allowed to participate in closed environments like indoor dining so long as everyone in that environment is also fully vaccinated among other things.

Asked if officials remain on high alert for forged vaccination documents, CSP Dames replied: “We are definitely on high alert for fake fully vaccinated cards.”

He also issued a warning against obtaining fraudulent vaccination cards, noting the penalties for doing so can result in major fines and even imprisonment.

“I want to seriously and as sternly as I can, warn against that. The orders state for persons who actually produce a fraudulent vaccination card that there carries a fine of $20,000, so I want to sternly warn persons against doing that

DRUGS AND GUN ARREST AFTER CHASE

By DENISE MAYCOCK Tribune Freeport Reporter dmaycock@tribunemedia.net

AN Abaco man who led police on a chase was arrested after he was allegedly found in possession of dangerous drugs and an illegal firearm on the weekend.

Supt Stephen Rolle, police press officer for Grand Bahama and the Northern Bahamas, reported that sometime around 8pm on Saturday,

officers were on mobile patrol in Dundas Town when they saw a man, driving a silver coloured vehicle, acting suspiciously.

The officer beckoned the driver to stop, but he refused, police said. There was a chase and the driver lost control of the vehicle, which went off the road into a bushy area.

The suspect attempted to flee on foot, but was captured by officers. During a search of the vehicle,

officers allegedly found a white box, containing a large quantity of suspected marijuana, in the trunk.

The suspect then directed officers to an area along Don McKay Blvd, where a black Smith and Wesson AR 15 semi-automatic rifle was recovered.

Police said the drugs weighed 4.5lbs, with an estimated street value of $4,500.

An investigation is ongoing into the matter.

CUTLASS-WIELDING MAN SHOT BY POLICE POLICE shot a man who “charged” towards officers while wielding a cutlass.

The man was taken to the hospital by Emergency Medical Services and is listed in stable condition.

According to a crime report from the Royal Bahamas Police Force,

around 1pm on Thursday, officers responded to a complaint of a male wielding a cutlass in the area of Jubilee Gardens.

“On arrival at the scene, they met a male suspect armed with a cutlass,” police said. “One of the officers ordered the suspect to drop

the weapon, he refused to do and ran off. A chase ensued, the suspect later came to a stop, turned around and charged towards the officers.

One of the officers became aware of the threat to their lives, discharged his service weapon in the direction of the suspect, injuring him.”

as they would’ve seen with the fake fraudulent PCR tests,” CSP Dames told this newspaper.

“Persons would’ve been placed before the courts and fines would’ve been levied against those persons and in addition, that fine also carries an

imprisonment penalty of two years and so I really want to warn against anyone deciding to go towards a computer or a friend who they may know and actually create a fraudulent certificate for fully vaccinated people.

“So, I just want people

to continue to follow the protocols and I think, hopefully, very soon that we begin to see a curve on this.”

CSP Dames said there are some 104 COVID ambassadors in New Providence and more than 40 assisting officers.

PAGE 4, Monday, June 7, 2021

THE TRIBUNE

Sands spells it out - another 200,000 must take vaccine from page one

several hundred thousand more, so two hundred thousand more fully vaccinated at least. So, we’re nowhere near the beneficial threshold for vaccinations.”

He said to get more people vaccinated, officials need to continue addressing the deep-rooted concerns many have regarding the vaccine, which is causing hesitancy in some quarters.

This includes clearing up misinformation being widely circulated on social media about the shots, he added. Dr Sands said educational campaigns and other informative programmes could be launched in helping to get the message across.

“We’re making some progress and I’m grateful for those that have been vaccinated but we have many more people who are still afraid and who are still hesitant, who are still reluctant, and we need to find out what their concerns are and to sensitively and compassionately reach out to them because people have some genuine concerns,” the Elizabeth Estates MP said.

“There is hesitance among many different groups including healthcare workers, including doctors, nurses and the nonprofessional healthcare workers. So, as we look at the number of persons who

‘WE ARE NOWHERE OUT OF THE WOODS YET’ DESPITE low COVID infections recorded over the last few days, one leading physician is urging Bahamians not to become overly confident and let their guards down, insisting “we are nowhere out of the woods yet”.

Speaking to The Tribune yesterday, former Minister of Health Dr Duane Sands said The Bahamas is still in the midst of the third wave of the pandemic and warned residents not to come to the false conclusion that the deadly virus has left the country.

He spoke after health officials recorded 17 new infections on Saturday. Thirteen of them are in New Providence, two are in Inagua and there is one new case each in Abaco and Andros.

Friday saw 15 new infections. Meanwhile, 42 cases were recorded on Thursday, 37 on Wednesday, 29 on Tuesday, 15 on Monday and 53 on Sunday for a total of 208 last week.

Yesterday, Dr Sands said the relatively low virus numbers could be attributed to several factors.

He said: “We’re on a holiday weekend so access to labs and access to testing is down. If

have completed their vaccination programme and then ask ‘how do we increase that number?’ There has to be a multifaceted strategy with educational campaigns and outreach programmes and removing the barriers to vaccination to include the primary care physicians in the vaccination programme so we don’t have to rediscover the wheel. We can use some of the lessons learned in other jurisdictions and who have studied the uptake

you look at the number of people tested, we had about 200 people that tested from the last day that we had data available.”

“So, the results from (Saturday) show that there are about 200 people tested so while we hope and pray for diminishing numbers, I don’t think we should jump to any conclusions as yet.

We are still in the midst of a third wave. We still have more than 40 people hospitalised.

“We still have people in the intensive care unit. I know from my own practice that we continue to have very ill patients with COVID and we are nowhere out of the woods as yet, so let’s not let our guards down.”

The Bahamas has been battling its third wave of new infections since April, which saw 1,133 new cases and ten COVID related deaths. The previous month, March, had 440 new infections.

New virus numbers and hospitalisations, however, continued to rise in May, with over 1,300 new cases recorded for that month.

As of May 31, data released by the Ministry of Health showed that there were 1,345 confirmed cases and 31 virus related deaths for that

of vaccines among black and brown persons in the United States and Great Britain in other countries.

“This is not a uniquely Bahamian phenomenon and throughout the Caribbean, people are reluctant to be vaccinated and they will cite various reasons as to why (they don’t want the vaccine.) Some of those reasons include the proliferation of misinformation and disinformation on social media, so we are fighting an uphill battle.”

Dr Sands also addressed concerns people may have with taking the AstraZeneca vaccine, noting it to be safe and effective.

“We have not been able to source Pfizer or Moderna or Johnson & Johnson COVID vaccines, not yet — which is not to say we won’t eventually be able to — but we have been fortunate to get AstraZeneca and the best vaccine that you can get or take is the one you have available,” he stressed.

“Now, people are saying

SEVEN-DAY EXTENSION IN ISLANDS’ LOCKDOWN from page one

“The science could not be clearer: in order to stop the spread of the COVID-19 virus, or any other airborne infectious virus for that matter, you have to separate the people with the virus from the people who do not have the virus.

“In order to do that, you have to test widely, in order to know everyone’s status. Don’t just wait until people are showing symptoms, because by then it’s too late and they may well have infected others in their households. These are small communities on these islands, which makes it easier to test, trace and isolate. In the same way, these small communities are hurt especially badly when their economies are locked down.”

Mr Davis suggested the government send a plane-load of testing personnel to each of the affected island communities and offer free testing to as many people as possible. He said once the results are known, those who are positive should be separated from those who do not have the virus, allowing COVID-19 negative people to carry on with their lives, keeping the local economies alive.

He said this plan would save lives and save the local economies.

“Seventeen months into this pandemic and it’s still beyond the competence of this government to get this right,” Mr Davis said. ‘It’s not that hard! It really doesn’t have to be this bad!”

The OPM’s statement outlined the permitted activities for residents during the lockdown.

“Residents of Andros should note that under the most recent amendment to the order, harvesting of crabs is permitted between 8pm and 5am or as otherwise approved by the Royal Bahamas Police officer in charge for North Andros or Central Andros. Farmers on North Andros, Central Andros and Cat Island are permitted to attend their farm to water, tend and harvest between the hours of 5am and 9am,” the release read.

FNM North Andros and the Berry Islands MP Carlton Bowleg said the lockdown extension is necessary. “We’re experiencing a lot of people with symptoms still and you know it’s necessary for it to continue,” he said.

As to what caused the cases to spike to warrant a lockdown in the first place, he pointed to people getting relaxed. “A lot of people

weren’t wearing their masks and you know the protocol that was in place (they) weren’t adhering (to it). We dropped the ball. We got relaxed and people were a little, I guess, comfortable and what happened was that we had people coming in and going out of their island and you know it could’ve come from there but I know there was a gathering in the Mastic Point area, the North Mastic Point area. . .there were a little other gatherings in different areas, also in nightclubs. You know just bars and stuff like that that could’ve contributed to this also.”

On Thursday, OPM announced the government had extended the lockdown for Bullocks Harbour and Great Harbour Cay in the Berry Islands for an additional two days.

That lockdown ended today at 5am.

The measure was put in place for those islands to slow and control the spread of the COVID-19.

Yesterday, Mr Bowleg said the Berry Island community was “doing very well”. “I think they’re going to be okay,” he added.

According to data from the Ministry of Health, as of June 5, total confirmed cases in the Berry Islands stood at 88, while Andros had 165 cases and Cat Island had 69.

month alone.

The rise in cases and deaths comes as the nation continues to vaccinate its citizens against the COVID threat, with more than 62,000 shots administered to date, including 13,749 second dose shots.

Yesterday, Dr Sands said: “While we’re grateful for the number of people that have been vaccinated, it’s far, far less than we need to be vaccinated and so I don’t want us to take a victory lap yet.”

Currently, the overall number of cases in the country stands at 12,004. Of this figure, 669 cases still remain active, 140 of which have been confirmed in June so far.

Health officials say 45 people are in hospital sick with the virus. Three of these cases are in the ICU. As it relates to the nation’s COVID death toll, 232 people are confirmed to have died from the virus. The latest deceased victims are a 70-year-old man and 77-year-old man who both died on May 30.

Health officials say the men lived in New Providence.

‘I will wait for the Pfizer’ and would have you and that’s fine because it’s a personal choice, but the access to some of those vaccines is a very complicated and geopolitical and economic maze and who knows when we will have other vaccines in The Bahamas.

“I don’t believe that outside of the big four of five (vaccines) that there’s going to be any dramatic uptake of any vaccine over the other moving forward,” Dr Sands added.

According to Mr Wells, talks are continuing to procure additional doses from different vaccine manufacturers.

He told reporters last week: “We are in discussions at the highest level for procurement of additional vaccines for the country.

We have had discussions with the Chinese here in the country, we’ve (been) offered as a nation, as the Minister of Foreign Affairs would say, vaccines from China.”

TWO MORE VIRUS DEATHS THE Ministry of Health recorded 37 new cases and two more virus-related deaths on Wednesday, pushing the nation’s overall tally to 11,930.

Twenty-four of the new cases are on New Providence, five are in Andros, four are on Abaco, two are in Eleuthera, while there is one new case each in Cat Island and Long Island. Of the nation’s total count, 685 of those are currently active.

The latest deceased victims are a 70-year-old man and 77-yearold man, both of whom are from New Providence. Health officials said both men died on May 30. Their deaths have pushed the nation’s COVID death tally to 232, with 28 deaths still under investigation.

Meanwhile, 51 cases are said to be in hospital with the virus.

The increase in virus cases and hospitalisations comes as officials continue to urge the public to get vaccinated against COVID-19.

According to the Ministry of Health, more than 55,000 people have received their first shot of the AstraZeneca vaccine to date, with 8,659 second doses

already administered.

Infectious disease expert Dr Nikkiah Forbes said on Sunday that vaccination is the key to overcoming COVID-19 in the country, again stressing that the benefits far outweigh the risks.

“We are seeing that there is vaccine hesitancy and there are also a lot of myths about the COVID vaccines that need to be combated to increase the number of persons that are vaccinated,” Dr Forbes told The Tribune. “I really implore everyone to protect themselves from COVID-19.

The public health measures work. And I encourage people to know the facts on COVID-19 vaccines and COVID-19 in general. Go to reputable sources for information.

“The benefits of vaccines outweigh risks and are major solutions for seeing our way out of the COVID pandemic and for the situation to be better in (the) country,” she added. “We are the third wave of COVID19 in The Bahamas. Cases are continuing to be high every day and the curve is not being flattened.”

THE TRIBUNE

Monday, June 7, 2021, PAGE 5

Cooper: Budget was ‘far removed from reality’

By LEANDRA ROLLE Tribune Staff Reporter lrolle@tribunemedia.net PROGRESSIVE Liberal Party Deputy Leader Chester Cooper has slammed the Minnis administration’s proposed 2021/2022 budget for the upcoming fiscal year, branding it as one that’s “badly flawed” and “far removed from reality.”

Mr Cooper’s comments came after Prime Minister Dr Hubert Minnis on Wednesday revealed additional tax relief initiatives aimed at assisting people amid the pandemic, including a back-to-school value added tax (VAT) tax holiday and a VAT holiday for hurricane preparedness.

On May 26, Dr Minnis unveiled several tax concessions for entrepreneurs and small businesses and outlined plans to create employment in the public and private sector among other things.

However, on Wednesday Mr Cooper attacked the government’s financial

plans to help the nation rebound from the COVID19 pandemic, referring to the 2021/22 budget as one “of sheer fantasy” and a purely political one.

“This budget is a disaster much like this administration’s entire term in office,” he said in the House of Assembly. “The government debt has increased over 40 percent. The last three years of this administration has given us the worst fiscal outcome for any consecutive three-year period of GDP in Bahamian history.

“This administration came into office promising better fiscal management but will go down in history as the worst manager of fiscal affairs in a modern Bahamas. This budget is sheer fantasy. It will stunt the growth of the country for decades unless it’s policies are reversed and reversed quickly,” Mr Cooper added.

“Don’t get me wrong, there was never any question that Dorian and the

pandemic would bring economic hardship that led to heavy borrowing but the Minnis administration’s navigation of the pandemic added to the dangers presented in this budget and accompanied communications will ensure that things get worse before they get measurably better.

“This is a budget characterised by short-term thinking and ignorance of the severity of our debt position and it contains reckless electioneering.”

Addressing the government’s revenue projections for the upcoming fiscal year, Mr Cooper characterised them as “unbelievable” and unrealistic.

“The core of the budget is the revenue estimates,” he told the House of Assembly. “In this area it is painfully obvious that something is wrong. The Minnis administration is either incompetent or intentionally trying too hard to make these numbers work, or both. This administration believes that it would

BAILED MURDER SUSPECT IS SHOT DEAD from page one

It was reported at the time that during the arraignment, one of the co-accused tearfully said from his seat: “Bey, they know we ain’t kill no one, dog.”

The young father was also arraigned on two counts of threats of death.

It is alleged that on January 18, 2018, being concerned with others, he threatened Randol Armbrister and Claudeshia Ray. Deveaux pleaded not guilty to the charges.

Deveaux’s mother, Carla Culmer, said her son was released from prison last year after spending two years on remand. She said he was released on bail with an ankle bracelet, but it was later removed. “(He) had on (an) ankle bracelet on his foot and because no one was really hiring him, you know he had a young daughter to take care of… Had to get the ankle bracelet removed so he could go out there and try to do one or two things,” she said.

She said her son was not being monitored at the time of his death.

The mother noted they all lived in the Bain and Grants Town area, but his child’s mother lived near the area of Quakoo Street.

DROWNING PROBE

By DENISE MAYCOCK Tribune Freeport Reporter dmaycock@tribunemedia.net GRAND Bahama police are investigating an apparent drowning that occurred at Grand Cay, Abaco on the Labour Day holiday.

According to reports, a man was found unresponsive shortly after 7pm on Friday in waters at Wells Bay. Police were called and went to the scene.

Superintendent Stephen Rolle said officers were told that the deceased and family members were on the cay. He said the man dived into the water and was later found unresponsive.

CPR was rendered to the deceased, who was taken to the Grand Cay Clinic.

“The victim was examined and pronounced lifeless, and was later transported into Grand Bahama, where he was pronounced dead by a doctor,” he said.

An investigation is ongoing.

“It was even a shock to me to know that he was even out because before I left he said he didn’t feel like going anywhere and he didn’t feel well,” Ms Culmer said. “That’s the last conversation I had with him.”

She recalled hearing gunshots from home and then a friend who heard her son had also been shot shouted for her to come outside.

“She heard her son get shot along with my son because her son was also one of the guys who got shot. So we jumped in our car... We ended up by the hospital and by the way we didn’t know what was going on.

“I told them ‘I think my son, at least I heard my son was shot and he was brought to the hospital’.”

After waiting for some time at the hospital, she learned her son had died.

“All I could remember was the person saying he’s deceased and it felt like the ground just opened up (and) swallowed me,” she said.

A graphic video of what appeared to be the victim covered in blood and bleeding out on the street made its way on social media. The caption indicated the scene was a shooting in the Quakoo Street area.

The footage showed a

THE SCENE of Friday’s fatla shooting in Milton Street.

Photo: Racardo Thomas group of people trying to help the man on the ground with a woman looking as though she was applying pressure to his wounds and trying to keep him awake.

Ms Culmer said she had not watched the video.

She said having such a video on social media made her emotional.

“That was the most hurtful thing for me because the time everybody had to be recording, that could have been the time for somebody to take him to the hospital.

The ambulance was taking too long.

“Instead of people helping, they just standing around recording to put it out there on social media.

That was the most painful experience for me. I didn’t get to watch it but just by sounds of people playing it around me and then hearing (it was painful).”

Asked what she wanted people to remember about her son, she said through tears: “All I know is that they take my baby from me.”

collect 18.3 percent of GDP or $2.24 billion this fiscal year after falling woefully short of this year’s modest target of $1.76 billion.

“It believes that this can be accomplished despite granting perhaps an additional $100m in new concessions. This is simply unbelievable. It is more likely that revenue would be around 16.5 percent of GDP or $1.78 billion; not as bad as the current year but about $400m short of the predicted target.

“Looking at the revenue details it is easy to see the areas where there would have the greatest revenue shortfalls: VAT, real property tax and customs.

These are the areas where the cancelled Revenue Enhancement Unit was making the most progress,” the PLP deputy leader continued.

“Though all budgets are rooted in hope in terms of forecasting revenue, there is too much trafficking in hope on the revenue side.”

The shadow finance

minister also pointed to the country’s ballooning debt, which remains on course to top $10 billion by the end of the next fiscal year.

Mr Cooper said the nation’s borrowing is at “staggering” and “unsustainable levels” and also called the country’s projected deficit “flat out scary.”

The deficit is projected to be $951.8m in the 2021/2022 fiscal year.

“We have a debt crisis approaching and this administration prepares to be ignoring it altogether.

Ostrich economics will not help you. It will not help the Bahamians people.

“This administration fails to bring a debt management plan as promised in the last fiscal snapshot. This administration’s failure to put forward a plan to manage debt means our country is viewed as a risker bet which makes our borrowing more expensive.”

Mr Cooper said the Minnis administration’s past budgets, including

the 2021/22 one, shows that the government has no plan and also accused the government of lacking transparency and accountability – something they heavily campaigned on in the last election.

He charged: “We have no report from the Fiscal Responsibility Council, which was required by law by the end of March. We have no detailed report on Irma donations. We have no report on Dorian donations. People still asking, where the hurricane money gone?

“We have never been told how much we paid foreign attorneys to prosecute Bahamian political figures.

Let’s not forget, the Oban files are still missing. We never got a report on the removal of the BPL board.

And the recent loan agreement for the IMF loan and the new loan agreement for the World Bank has not been brought to Parliament. So, you failed on transparency and accountability too.”

PAGE 6, Monday, June 7, 2021

THE TRIBUNE

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Sands adds a welcome voice on vaccinations WHEN Health Minister Renward Wells talked of the nation being in “a good place” if it reached 120,000 vaccinations last week, we were sceptical.

Indeed, in this column, we took a look at the likely numbers needed to reach herd immunity in The Bahamas – and they did not look the same as the numbers being talked of so enthusiastically

by Mr Wells.

So the words of Mr Wells’ predecessor as minister, Dr Duane Sands, come as a welcome addition to the discussion.

Where Mr Wells looks to 120,000 vaccinations as a target, Dr Sands warns that we need at least “200,000 more people” – that’s more, not a total – to be fully vaccinated in order for the country to see the results.

Dr Sands said: “We have almost 400,000 people in (the) country… if we want to reap the benefits of vaccination, we’re going to need to get several hundred thousand more people fully vaccinated and I said several hundred thousand more, so 200,000 more fully vaccinated at least. So, we’re nowhere near the beneficial threshold for vaccinations.”

Mr Wells, for his part last week, explained how he came to the conclusion of needing to reach 120,000 vaccinations.

He said: “I would say if we could vaccinate 120,000 of our population we would be in good stead. That’s just my number. I’m not the health expert but just sitting down and talking to other health experts the thinking is if we can get probably around 120,000 people vaccinated, we would be in good stead as a nation.”

We would be very interested indeed for the minister to bring these health experts to a conference and allow them to explain to the Bahamian public how such a small percentage of the Bahamian people would lead to herd immunity.

We would be very interested indeed if the minister would identify the experts whose advice he is acting upon.

This should not be a secret matter – we’re not trying to fool the virus by keeping secrets from it. Let’s have an open discussion of where we need to be in order to gain the benefit of vaccinations.

At a time like this, the public needs

to have confidence in the pronouncements of the Health Minister – and sadly Mr Wells has missed the target on more than one occasion. His estimates of when the vaccines would arrive were off, his estimate of achieving herd immunity by the start of the summer was never realistic – and his estimate on how many people need to be vaccinated also seems wayward.

There is one more estimate that we are waiting for too – when we can expect more doses of vaccine to be made available to the Bahamian people.

Predictions of how many people we need to be vaccinated don’t matter in the slightest if we cannot get more doses to meet that demand. And on that note, the government has been awfully quiet.

Tax pressure

One area where the government is not being quiet is in response to pressure to change the tax system.

There is a push by the G7 countries to introduce a global corporate tax at a minimum level of 15 percent. Yesterday, the Finance Ministry gave its response, a statement saying that The Bahamas asserts “its sovereign right to determine the tax structure best suited for the ongoing development of the country”.

That is right, of course. We need to govern according to our own particular preferences and needs.

One German representative from the G7 countries described the move as “bad news for tax havens” and clearly that is at the heart of the push. As a “no tax” jurisdiction, The Bahamas has long appealed to investors, and that could be at risk from this move, with multinationals with funds here facing the prospect of a 15 percent tax on money repatriated from here to their home country.

Ours is just one voice, however, and the G7 nations have a great deal of weight to throw around. We need to pay close attention to this – the consequences for non-participation, and the costs we would bear both in and out of any deal. This is a time to band with other nations to form a stronger response. One voice will not be enough in this debate.

VAT increase a start EDITOR, The Tribune.

WHILE it is all but too late the government has finally woken up to implement a tax to help the treasury while not even creating a dent in the elites standard of living. It is a start, however, it does not go far enough to make the obscene “in your face” wealthy pay their fair share.

Neither does it alleviate the paralysis placed on the poor and middle class (the latter all but eliminated at this point).

To create any form of level playing field for the exploited government should consider the following VAT rates on Conveying Property: $100,000 - $ 500,000 - 6% $500,001 - $ 1,000,000 - 8% $1,000,001 - $ 2,500,000 - 10% $2,500,001 - $ 7,000,000 - 12% $7,000,001 - $ 10,000,000 - 15% $10,000,001 - $25,000,000 - 17% $25,00,001 and over - 20% Despite the noise from some of my colleagues and others, this isn’t even a drop in the bucket from the amount of wealth investor’s buying these properties have; 90% of whom are

Americans pulling their wealth out of the U.S. and parking them into hard assets for obvious reasons.

And they will continue to do so over the next year or two, so Bahamas Government should take advantage of it. If fuel went to $200 per gallon, their lifestyle wouldn’t change one iota, but would cripple even above average Bahamians, so they are going nowhere.

We have the location, the beauty, and certainly the lifestyle behind some of these gates. As a down to earth client (one of the few in these communities) told me .....”These people don’t know what to do with raw food.”

These are the very people paying $35,000,000 for a $12,000,000 house, so cry me a river regarding paying a few more percentage points in VAT for a sector of society who purchases property for an obscene amount, only to tear down the house and build new for another $30,000,000 in a competition among themselves on who has the largest house on the block. Just go out to the airport for 30 minutes; One private $20,000,000 plus jet after another every 30 seconds landing at Odyssey and Jet Nassau, making Delta,

American, Jet blue, etc. appear extinct.

This is the same sector of society when interviewing for domestic help, only offers the job if the applicant agrees to ZERO time off! A complete seven-day work week with no time for family, self, recreation, etc. I was under the impression this was against our labour laws, but once again... “rules for thee but not for me.”...exploitation of us peasant serfs is the norm for many of them and you dare not get above the poverty line, ever. Unfortunately, our Bahamian elites (in particular the political sewer rats) have sold us and our birthright out, forever.

While these communities, their restaurants, bars, beaches, businesses never closed, the Bahamian entrepreneur was forced to close and lock down with many to never appear again.

I mentioned before and will state again, it’s time for the freebie of the obscene rich and wealthy to end and end now! But I won’t hold my breath, good little sheeple, just do as you’re told.

But, hey, It’s Da Peoples time.

CHRISTOPHER ARMALY Nassau, June 3, 2021.

Exemptions are a cruel gimmick EDITOR, The Tribune.

BY ITS nature, a Value Added Tax affects the whole domestic eco-system of an economy. It applies to everything. That is how it is intended and that is its strength. As such, the application of “exemptions” is meaningless, because everywhere the recipient of the exemption turns, he still has to pay VAT in order to use the money he has “saved” via the exemption.

To put it in simple terms, take the poor individual who supposedly benefits from zero VAT on corned beef. What happens to the 24 cents he saves on a can of corned beef for breakfast? Does he keep it in his pocket or a piggy bank forever? If so, it has no utility.

Besides, in an environment where even middle-class Bahamians cannot afford to save money, it is very unlikely.

In fact, he spends it. And whether he spends it on a chicken snack for lunch, on clothes for his family, on toiletries, car parts or on a numbers ticket, he then pays VAT. The same applies to VAT “holidays”. Unless the holiday lasts forever and covers literally everything needed to sustain life, then it is meaningless, since any money saved attracts

LETTERS letters@tribunemedia.net VAT when spent.

VAT exemptions are futile in helping the poor because the overall effect of VAT is to make the general cost-of-living 12 percent higher – meaning the money “saved” isn’t saved at all. It is merely deferred for later payment.

Moreover, if it did work, it would result in lower revenue yields, prompting government to increase the rate of VAT on everything else.

Of course, every economist knows this, and most informed individuals can figure it out. So why do some politicians continue to sell VAT holidays or exemptions as a pro-poor measure? The short answer is that they are either extremely ignorant or they think that you are.

The long, and more troubling, answer is that they are scrambling for a cheap and easy distraction from larger issues that they have no intention of addressing.

In The Bahamas, this means diverting public attention away from government’s fundamental commitment to a tax regime that makes poor people pay the bill for

tax breaks for rich people.

Lipstick on a hog, if you will.

For the record, in most countries, taxes on consumption (which everyone agrees disproportionately affect the poor) make up around 30 percent of revenues, while taxes on income and property (which affect wealthier people) make up around 70 percent of revenues.

In the Bahamas, merciless taxes on consumption make up more than 70 percent of revenues, while taxes on the highest-end luxury properties get concessions (a $60,000 ‘cap’, in fact) and income taxes don’t exist, even for local corporations that rake in hundreds of millions of dollars exclusively from the pockets of over-taxed local consumers. It is the most regressive tax regime of any independent country in the Americas – and government repeatedly confirms it has no plans to change it.

To now try to deflect from this issue with cheap gimmicks that will have zero net effect on anyone (least of all the poor) is to insult the intelligence of every Bahamian.

ANDREW ALLEN Nassau, June 5. 2021.

Let’s get vaccinated EDITOR, The Tribune.

THE potentially crippling and lethal Corona Virus is fluid, dynamic, deadly and dangerously potent – and it rages on in many quarters of the universe. We hear about vaccines, and new variants of the disease regularly, and it appears that no one really knows how to control the contagious and rapidly mutating COVID-19.

Politicians are doing their best to paint a promising picture for the people with their respective getvaccinated campaigns. It’s a noble initiative, but a vaccinated person can still catch COVID – and possibly die of related complications. The only difference is that the science says that a vaccinated person has a significantly less chance of

hospitalization, and death if they catch COVID-19.

It’s a catch-22 situation. We have to live and die with the contagion in a rebellious culture – where people ignore the standard protocols of social distancing, mask wearing, hand washing and sanitizing and so on; and they are intensely sceptical about the various vaccines.

I bit the bullet one day in May, and proceeded to get my first jab. I was fortunate enough to be served without an appointment. There was only an elderly couple before me, who were there for their second shot.

I am relieved that I had made the decision to get vaccinated in an atmosphere dominated by the good, bad and ugly reports of COVID-19 ‘s impact in our world, and the dreaded

vaccines. I advise my fellow Bahamian brothers and sisters who have not taken the first step yet to get vaccinated against COVID-19 – to bite the bullet and get on with it.

I feel that the fall of 2021 will be a time of reckoning for the unvaccinated in a lot of places, as they will have a difficult time securing employment, travelling, and socialising as they wish in the town; and they will be highly vulnerable to the unmerciful and deadly side of the ever-mutating COVID. No union leader, politician, lawyer, conspiracy theorist or fear-monger will be able to change that, or save anyone – but themselves.

DENNIS DAMES Nassau, June 4, 2021.

THE TRIBUNE

Monday, June 7, 2021, PAGE 7

Dame Janet awarded honour DAME Janet Bostwick has been named the 2021 recipient of the prestigious CARICOM Triennial Award for Women.

The award is bestowed every three years.

The announcement was made during the closing day of the 40th Meeting of the Council for Human and Social Development (COHSOD) on Gender. The virtual meeting was held June 3-4.

Dame Janet joins a short list (13 in all with her selection) of distinguished Caribbean women to have received the award. Previous recipients include Dame Nita Barrow (deceased) of Barbados, Madam Justice Desiree Bernard of Guyana, Marion Bethel of The Bahamas, and Shirley Price (Jamaica), the 2017 recipient.

The CARICOM Triennial Award for Women is bestowed upon Caribbean women who have made significant contributions to the socio-economic development of the Caribbean Community and to the advancement of gender equality and women’s empowerment.

The award honours contributions in a wide range of fields of endeavours including agriculture, economics, law, politics, gender and development, religion, public service and trade unionism.

Nominations are accepted from national governments, non-governmental organisations, regional institutions and the private sector into the CARICOM Secretariat, which received submissions of ten nominees from six member states, including The Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Jamaica, St Vincent and the Grenadines and Suriname.

The Regional Selection Committee comprised directors of gender affairs from Antigua and

Barbuda, Grenada, Guyana, St Kitts and Trinidad and Tobago.

Recipients receive a 14-carat brooch pendant with the CARICOM logo presented in a jewel box, as well as a scroll with a citation to the awardee in a leather cylindrical holder.

In recalling his first memory of Dame Janet being introduced to speak as the song “Something Inside So Strong” was playing in the background almost 40 years ago, Minister of Social Services and Urban Development Frankie Campbell said he knew then, as he knows now, that Dame Janet was truly committed to her beliefs in the empowerment of women and girls.

Dame Janet became politically active in 1976 as a member of the Free National Movement (FNM) and was appointed to the Senate in 1977. In 1982, she won the Yamacraw seat for her party, making her the first woman elected to the House. She would hold the seat for 20 consecutive years.

In 1992, after 25 years of Progressive Liberal Party (PLP) rule, the FNM won its first general election. Dame Janet was appointed to Cabinet.

She served in various ministerial capacities and in November 1994 she was appointed Attorney General – the first woman to hold that position in the country and the region.

She was also the first woman to act as Prime Minister and served as deputy to the Governor General on two occasions.

In 2019, she received her appointment as Dame Commander of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire at an investiture at Buckingham Palace in 2019.

MOTORCYCLIST DIES IN CRASH

A MOTORCYCLIST died in hospital after he was injured in a traffic accident.

Police said around 9pm on Thursday, an accident occurred at the junction of Marathon and Robinson Roads involving a white Honda Civic and a blue and white Yamaha 450 trail motorcycle.

“The collision occurred as a result of the vehicle travelling north onto Marathon Road from the East West Highway and the cyclist travelling east along Robinson road,” police said.

“The rider suffered serious leg and head injuries and was transported to the hospital from the scene. The Civic received frontal and windshield damage.”

The police said that on Saturday, June 5, sometime around 10am, officers from the Traffic Division received information that the motorcyclist had died as a result of his injuries.

ARMED MEN SHOOT GUARD

DAME Janet Bostwick pictured when she was made a Dame Commander of the British Empire by Prince William, the Duke of Cambridge, at Buckingham Palace. She has now also received the CARICOM Triennial Award for Women.

Photo: Yui Mok/PA Wire

A SECURITY guard is in hospital after he was shot by armed men at his place of work.

Police said shortly before 3am on Sunday, a male security officer was on duty at a business located on Parkgate Road.

He was conducting checks of the premises when he was attacked by three armed men.

The suspects shot him in both legs before fleeing the scene.

The victim was taken to hospital by Emergency Medical Services, where he is listed in stable condition.

An investigation is ongoing.

RUDY KING FRAUD CHARGE RISES TO $650K

By LEANDRA ROLLE Tribune Staff Reporter lrolle@tribunemedia.net

RUDOLPH King was rearraigned on fraud charges in the Magistrate’s Court Thursday, with prosecutors increasing the amount of money he allegedly defrauded from the General Post Office to more than $650,000.

The impresario is accused of defrauding the General Post Office of over half a million dollars, then laundering that amount between 2012 and 2015.

In 2019, King was charged with five counts each of fraud and money laundering concerning allegations that he defrauded the Post Office’s savings account of over $632,416 between June 2012 and April 2015.

However, during Thursday’s proceedings, the court was told that the actual amount the accused allegedly defrauded during the time period totaled $661,648.

The prosecution amended the charges to reflect that amount, resulting in King being rearraigned before Senior Magistrate Derence Rolle-Davis.

According to the prosecution, King defrauded the GPO’s savings account of $149,668 between June 13, 2012 and April 2, 2015; another $242,875 between June 11, 2012 and April 15, 2015; another $151,252 between August 12, 2014 and March 26, 2015; an

additional $14,477 between October 30, 2014 and April 8, 2015; and another $103,376.25 between November 11, 2014 and March 5, 2015.

The prosecution also alleged that King laundered the individual amounts between June 2012 to April 2015.

However, King denied all of the allegations on Thursday.

Two witnesses also testified on Thursday during King’s ongoing trial.

During the hearing, Randolph Minnis, a former Bank of the Bahamas employee, was the first witness to testify. Minnis told the court that he was the bank’s operational risk manager during his time of employment at the local bank, from April 2011 to June 2020.

Asked by Crown prosecutor Eucal Bonaby if he was involved in any matters concerning King, Minnis told the court that he obtained copies of certain documents requested by a police sergeant at the time.

Minnis also told the court he prepared a memo, detailing which documents were located.

After the documents were presented to Mr Minnis in court for confirmation, Mr Bonamy revealed the nature of the documents, explaining they “dealt with letters of authorisation and missing drafts.”

Shortly thereafter, Minnis

was shown another set of documents, which he confirmed to be “copies of bank drafts that were produced from letters of instruction” by the GPO. Asked how many bank drafts there were, he replied: “Eleven.”

The second witness to take the stand was Wayne Rolle, who said he works at the General Post Office.

The court was told that Mr Rolle has been an employee there for more than a decade.

Asked by Mr Bonamy if he recalled receiving any document sometime in 2015 “with respect to” King’s case, Mr Rolle replied that he did.

He also confirmed that he gave statements in relation to the matter in November 2017 and July 2019.

He told the court he remembered King giving him “a package” for the then postmistress, whom he claimed he did not see to work that day.

“That was after 5pm in the afternoon,” he told the court. “I was posted at the security desk… at the General Post Office.”

Asked if he saw King prior to that, Mr Rolle said he remembered seeing the accused outside speaking to another employee, whom he identified as Sheree Minnis, just before he was approached by him.

The court was also told that Mr Rolle had previously identified King on a photograph that was

99 HAITIANS REPATRIATED LAST WEEK NEARLY 100 Haitian migrants were repatriated on Thursday.

The group consisted of 67 men, 22 women, and six minors who were repatriated from New Providence to Port-au-Prince, Haiti, the Department of Immigration said.

A joint team of officers from the Royal Bahamas Defence Force and the Immigration Department, assisted by a volunteer from the Bahamas Red Cross Society, escorted this group.

“Senior Immigration Officer Wyberg Brown successfully led the escort onboard a Bahamasair charter flight with all Ministry of Health COVID-19 protocols strictly enforced, as the health, welfare, and safety of our officers, law enforcement counterparts, and migrants remain our top priority in this COVID19 environment,” the department said.

presented to him, showing the faces of twelve different people.

Asked if the person he had identified was in court, Mr Rolle replied “yes” and pointed to King.

During cross-examination, Damien Gomez, QC

– who represents King— questioned Mr Rolle concerning his witness statement.

He said Mr Rolle noted that the event happened sometime at the end of 2015, but did not indicate exactly when.

“Was that November or December?” Mr Gomez questioned.

However, Mr Rolle told the court he could not remember the exact month.

The case was subsequently adjourned to July 13 at 10am.

DEVELOPERS LOOKING FOR A PROPERTY IN TROPICAL GARDENS 3.065 ACRES TWO ENTRANCES AND EXITS WEST BAY STREET AND COCHRAN ST. SALE BY OWNER CALL: 424-4410

MONDAY, JUNE 7, 2021

THE STORIES BEHIND THE NEWS

A ‘wink and a nod’ vaccination mandate makes for challenging times

By MALCOLM STRACHAN THE COVID-19 pandemic continues to rage around the world – with 182 countries registering cases last week – which brings us to a question that has yet to be answered: “Where are the next batch of vaccines to inoculate our citizens going to come from?”

The Biden administration’s announcement last week it will be keeping about a quarter and sharing the rest of its unneeded doses of the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine with select countries – The Bahamas not among them – confirmed Health Minister Renward Wells’ request came up short.

As it stands, by the time we receive the remaining 33,600 doses of AstraZeneca through the COVAX facility, we would have immunised just a quarter of the population. That is what was suggested in a rough calculation by former Minister of Health Duane Sands.

While current Minister of Health Renward Wells continues to express his optimism

about where we are and how far we need to go to achieve herd immunity, the math looks quite disheartening when we consider how long we’ve had to wait to get shots in arms thus far.

We should note, however, the government’s policies continue to do the

job with regard to fighting off each wave of the virus.

Last week’s cases were fewer than the week before – an indicator of success – and surely the government

HEALTH Minister Renward Wells receiving the second of his vaccine injections last week - but when will more arrive for the rest of the country?

intends to build upon its achievements.

However, without addi- employees to get vaccitional doses, particularly nated. And encourage they for a tourism destination have been doing. hoping for arrivals to quadAt the opening of a new ruple as soon as possible, passport office in Eleuthera we are indeed playing with last month, Dr Minnis said: fire.

“It is estabMoreover, lished that ‘The Minister of employees,who if the entire have already Health needs a environment had to endure clear mandate in the workhardships place, if those – ensure our through layindividuals offs and vaccine stores are vacciworking nated, then if are increased fewer hours, one individual are now also threefold as soon within that going to be as possible so we grouping is burdened not, then you can unequivocally with the costs need not close of taking place the onus on your business RT-PCR tests the citizenry to because the weekly just to remainder are hopefully make the maintain their protected. most responsible income.

“And if Although decision for them, those who the governhad refused ment never their families and or for whatimplemented the entire country ever reason a national vac- – a decision no one do not want to cine mandate, be vaccinated the insist- can make without then there ence made by enough vaccines should be Prime Minis- being available.’ some form of ter Dr Hubert test that they Minnis has, in should do to effect, given the business ensure that the environcommunity the green light ment is safe.” to institute their own vacAnswering questions on cination policies in their what some employees are places of work. Certainly, deeming to be bullying tacDr Minnis is most con- tics from their employers cerned with the health and last week, Labour Minissafety of our people, as well ter Dion Foulkes said his as the resurgence of our ministry is receiving extereconomy. nal consultation but had Hence, he reiterated an no definitive direction to earlier call for the business offer from a government community to encourage standpoint.

Meanwhile, what will happen to unvaccinated employees expected to pay for their own testing weekly? After all, there are not even enough vaccines on the island for such a mandate to be a fair business policy. Especially if we consider the national minimum wage of $210 per week, Bahamian employees are being disenfranchised by a disjointed and improperly coordinated effort to vaccinate the population and mitigate the spread of the virus.

This is essentially placing the cart before the horse.

Such an utterance should have never been made by Dr Minnis before ensuring sufficient amounts of the vaccine were in country.

One cannot argue the importance of getting our economy back on track and people to work, but this haphazard response to the Prime Minister’s call for employers to encourage employees to get vaccinated is only resulting in further stress on people pushed to the brink.

The Minister of Health needs a clear mandate – ensure our vaccine stores are increased threefold as soon as possible so we can unequivocally place the onus on the citizenry to hopefully make the most responsible decision for them, their families and the entire country – a decision no one can make without enough vaccines being available.

The race to get vaccines is intense globally.

Nonetheless, there is not a sense that the Minister of Health is as focused as we would like him to be on the issues at hand. While we can understand he is not a doctor like his predecessor, Dr Minnis saw in him someone who can get the job done, and continues to repose a great deal of confidence in his capabilities.

Indeed, we would like the minister to get the job done.

Although we have done well enough to decrease the weekly numbers, the pandemic is far from over.

To avoid another wave, the general consensus is widespread vaccinations are a prerequisite. But we cannot begin to sensibly have this conversation without additional doses.

EMAIL: insight@tribunemedia.net

IF YOU DON’T WANT TO DRILL FOR OIL, DR MINNIS, THE LAW’S ON YOUR SIDE TO SAY NO

By STEVE MASHUDA Managing Attorney Earthjustice Oceans Programme

analysis and urging it to exercise its discretion to deny the renewal request.

The company has asserted that it has “a right” FOR the past year, people to renew these licences, in communities from The but there’s no available Bahamas to the US East- evidence to support that. ern seaboard have been In recent news articles, the watching with concern as a company seems to base petroleum company incor- this claim on money so far porated in the Isle of Man expended to utilise the drilled an oil exploration licences; in other words, well in the world-famous its own business decisions.

But the plain terms of the waters of The Bahamas.

As the company began licences make clear that for to drill in December, there this renewal request, the was a groundswell of oppo- relevant government minsition in The Bahamas, with ister “may, in his discretion, a diverse coalition, protests renew this Licence” for a period of up and a lawsuit to three years. challenging ‘The company Similar lanthe decision has asserted guage appears to approve the in the Petrodrilling. Prime that it has “a leum Act and Minister Dr right” to renew the regulations Hubert Minnis these licences, implementing expressed but there’s no it. opposition This is not to offshore available evidence language of drilling, but to support that. obligation. lamented that You don’t need the govern- In recent news to be a lawyer ment’s hands articles, the to understand were tied at that there’s a the time by company seems the terms of to base this claim world of difference between licences first on money so “shall” and issued to the “may”. company in far expended This is to utilise the 2007. a time of When that licences; in global climate initial well awareness, came up dry other words, its commitment, in February, own business and action. In there was a decisions.’ the US lawyers sigh of relief. at Earthjustice Licences for the driller, Bahamas Petro- have for two decades sucleum Company, were set cessfully fought offshore to expire in June. With drilling in the Arctic ocean an unsuccessful explora- and are currently fighting tion well on the books, expanded drilling in the many hoped the threat had Gulf of Mexico. The US passed. But in March, Baha- government has recently mas Petroleum Company embarked on a long-over(now renamed Challenger due assessment and pause Energy Group) applied to on new oil-drilling leases renew those licences for on federal lands and in federal offshore waters, another three years.

As The Bahamas govern- which together account for ment considers Challenger 25 percent of US carbon Energy’s request, it has an emissions.

At the same time, sciopportunity to make a clean fishermen and break with past decisions entists, and look ahead to a clean coastal communities know energy future. The govern- the oceans are bearing the ment is not obligated to brunt of climate change and past exploitation. renew the drilling licences.

At the non-profit envi- As the US and its neighronmental law firm bours learned the hard Earthjustice, where I am way from British Petrothe Managing Attorney for leum’s Deepwater Horizon the Oceans Programme, we catastrophe, damage from have analyzed the Baha- offshore drilling does not mian Petroleum Act and respect boundaries and other available informa- borders. Lawmakers in tion. Our analysis shows it the US from both parties is clear the government of know that offshore drilling The Bahamas has full legal threatens our shared waters authority and discretion to and have expressed opposay “no” to the company’s sition and deep concern about offshore drilling in renewal request.

On May 13, we sent a The Bahamas and along the letter to The Bahamas gov- eastern US coast.

The Bahamas government ernment explaining that

PRIME Minister Dr Hubert Minnis in the House of Assembly.

Photo: Donovan McIntosh/Tribune Staff

INSIGHT

has compelling reasons to deny this request.

First, Challenger Energy has made no secret of its plans to focus its efforts outside The Bahamas, handing off any future drilling and responsibility in The Bahamas to a yet-tobe-identified third party.

Second, ending this threat now would restore The Bahamas’ path to meet its international climate commitments and position

it as a climate leader.

Third, The Bahamas will maintain its natural heritage, while protecting the local tourism industry that is so important to the country’s economy and Bahamians’ livelihoods.

In order to ensure important decisions like offshore drilling are truly made in the national interest, public transparency is essential. If there are facts, agreements,

MONDAY, JUNE 7, 2021 PAGE 9

or documents that haven’t been made available to the public that contradict our legal analysis, they should be produced so everyone can evaluate for themselves.

Otherwise, like a houseguest who’s overstayed their welcome and is now claiming a right to stay for several more years, Challenger Energy should understand that it is a guest, not the owner, and that a discretionary drilling

licence renewal is a privilege, not a right.

• Earthjustice is a nonprofit public interest environmental law organization founded in 1971, which wields the power of law and the strength of partnership to protect people’s health, to preserve magnificent places and wildlife, to advance clean energy, and to combat climate change.

PAGE 10 MONDAY, JUNE 7, 2021

By FREDERICK SMITH, QC

INSIGHT

EMAIL: insight@tribunemedia.net

THE ROLL CALL OF VICTIMS OF THIS GROSS INJUSTICE HAS BEEN HEARD - AND THERE WILL BE A PRICE TO PAY

MATTHEW Sewell [Jamaican,] was illegally imprisoned in Fox “Hell” Prison and the Carmichael Concentration Camp for nine years; for most of the time without ever being charged with a crime. Atain Takitota, [Japanese], was illegally imprisoned for eight years, also without charge.

For Joseph Amihere and Douglas Ngumi, [Africa], it was seven years. And a group of asylum seekers, from Ambazonia, fleeing political persecution in wartorn Cameroon in Africa, were illegally imprisoned for two years.

This is not ancient history; with the exception of Mr Takitota, all these innocent victims of state oppression regained their freedom within the last six years. And even then, only because a stenching government was Courtordered to release them.

The unconstitutional addiction to illegal imprisonment has been a feature of The Bahamas since before the savage days of PLP Immigration Minister Loftus Roker.

Victims are usually, though incorrectly, assumed to have entered the country illegally. The irony is that even if they had, the maximum penalty would have been a $300 fine, or one year in prison. Mr Amihere, a tourist and the most MATTHEW SEWELL, left, and Douglas Ngumi, who were both illegally imprisoned in The Bahamas for years. recent victim to be released, was made to suffer through are coming home to roost. innocent man’s stolen time, entirely to see the suffer- above all vocal intolerance seven times the maximum Almost without exception, arguing pennies on the ing face of a child who will may have distracted from be left with no shelter, no an evil that has been growsentence for a crime he in case after case before dollar.

Frankly, the FNM have security, no future. Tragi- ing inside the FNM for wasn’t even charged with the courts the victims are being vindicated, freed, and proven too cowardly to do cally, the FNM is creating quite some time. and didn’t commit.

Sir Lyndon’s PLP rouThousands have awarded increasingly hefty the right thing. Instead of future ETHNIC HATE. been subjected to inhu- damages to teach Govern- going down in history as the That level of reality, that tinely detained people who man and degrading ment that Constitutional administration which cor- testament to vulnerable couldn’t produce “papers” rected this awful wrong, humanity being broken on on demand and send them treatment; beaten, tortured Crimes do not pay.

Sadly, this stubborn FNM this shameful stain upon the alter of discrimination, to Fox “Hell” Prison pendand abused, terrorised in ing deportation. But in one way or another. In government has learnt our national character, is a national disgrace.

As a lifelong supporter of 1993, the FNM made things any civilised country, their nothing. It continues to hold the FNM have chosen to the FNM, I never thought exponentially worse. By names would be burned people illegally, to the ever- defend it to the death.

In this, and many other I would see the day when the responsibility of our into the public conscious- lasting shame of the nation ness, their stories a beacon and detriment of the tax- ways, the Minnis admin- my party took over the role current Governor General for protest against the evils payer forced to foot the bill. istration has proven to be of “Oppressor in Chief”. CA Smith, then Minister of institutional cruelty and Sir Cecil Wallace Whitfield, the ultimate custodian of But it seems that sad day of National Security, the Carmichael the abuse of power. But the founder of the FNM, our national obsession with has come. In truth, the notorious administration Concentration Camp was not in The Bahamas. After who fought discrimination government coercion and current all, we can all smile and all his life, is rising from his control – which at the end should thank God for PLP illegally established. Still pretend none of this exists, grave, God Bless his soul, of the day, is really an obses- Fred Mitchell, because his existing totally and intenfebrile, ostentatious and tionally outside the law, it because “Its Better In The to haunt this hyprocritical sion with discrimination.

FNM Government.

Discrimination along Bahamas”!

Rather than righting the class lines, because those This roll call of human misery is only the tip of the wrong, the FNM and PLP who are stopped in the iceberg. Since the found- politicians shoot the mes- street in unlawful roading of the Carmichael senger and make scapegoats blocks and ordered to Concentration Camp [by of HRB who stand for vic- prove their right to exist, PM Hubert Ingraham’s tims. They accuse HRB of are almost always people FNM], untold thousands bleeding the Treasury dry, of modest means. Discrimiof innocents have been as if HRB created the prob- nation against foreigners, illegally deprived of their lem by daring to tell truth because by far the most freedom; swallowed up by and holding Government targeted category are those accountable who are perceived to be our very own in court. The foreign, especially Haitian homegrown ‘The FNM is same tactic is or of Haitian parentage. manufactory of currently being Such people, reviled and suffering and creating future injustice.

ETHNIC HATE. used against denigrated by the Bahapeople fighting mian public at large [and They are That level of for their homes what is “A Bahamian” hidden away in Abaco, anyway?], are defenceless behind walls of reality, that whom the and easy pickings. It is no silence, denied testament to FNM Immigra- mistake that in most cases the right to an vulnerable tion Minister, of illegal imprisonment the attorney and Elsworth John- victim has been a foreigner only allowed humanity son, labelled or Citizen In Waiting. I cry contact with the being broken “Cowards”.

Shame on my FNM! outside world It is apathetic In part, the FNM’s posturon the whim on the alter of attempt at ing in these cases is just the of authori- discrimination, sleight of hand, usual political opportunism, ties.

Who is a national deflectIng an attempt to score points knows how blame, distrac- with a population already much longer disgrace.’ tion and passing programmed for prejudice Sewell, Amiand xenophobic hysteria by here, Ngumi and the others the buck.

The truth is if the FNM the PLP from the good old would have remained illegally imprisoned had really wanted these expen- Pingdomite “Roots” Days. and embarrassing On a deeper level though, Human Rights Bahamas sive [HRB] not helped? Who illegal imprisonment claims it may be a sign of incipiknows how many other to end, they could make ent panic; an intuition that Amiheres, Carlos Men- it happen tomorrow. A the whole discriminationdozas’, Lazaro Searas’ simple review of all deten- for-votes system might be (Cubans) and Dahene tion cases would identify under threat.

That system depends Nonords’ (Bahamian) have those being held unlawfully lived for years and even and trigger their immediate upon the victims of disremaining died in unlawful detention release. The government crimination in The Bahamas without could acknowledge the anonymous statistics in the the terrible crimes commit- egregious wrong that has public consciousness. But ted against them coming to been done, apologise, and court cases bring them to offer a reasonable settle- life, supply individual idenlight?

This deplorable state of ment to each victim. It is tity, faces, names. They affairs is the direct result the civilised, humane and paint detailed pictures of of our national obsession decent thing to do. That is shocking injustices perpewith government control what is called, Prime Min- trated against real people, over the lives of individu- ister Minnis, “Respect For who continue to suffer als. Our paranoid insistence The Rule of Law”, which I terribly. Suddenly, it is that everyone who cannot witnessed you swear to at no longer so easy for the produce “papers” must your inauguration in May, public to look the other way, except the Long Island be guilty of some crime, 2017.

Instead, you, Prime Min- Xenophobes. although there is no such For exactly the same law. PLP and FNM Gov- ister and the FNM’s strident ernments continue to Attorney General, Carl reason, Cabinet ministers, conveniently forget the Bethel QC, Minister John- like Desmond Bannister Constitutional Presumption son and Minister of Foreign [Works] and Johnson, have Affairs, Darren Henfield, gone out of their way to of Innocence.

This collective derange- double down and fight pretend that the human ment and xenophobic tooth and nail defending beings at Farm Road in hysteria has led to a gen- the detention of people Abaco are not Bahamians eral suppression of people’s you know are illegally who are entitled to - as they constitutional right to imprisoned. You waste gov- historically do - self-help move, speak and congre- ernment resources and the and build their own shelgate freely. Ultimately, court’s time, dragging out ters in the tragic absence of inevitably, it was bound to the victims’ ordeals and government help after Hurharden into a system of rou- thereby increasing taxes by ricane Dorian. Last week tine unlawful deprivation the damages awarded by they went so far as to attack of freedom as the COVID the courts. Even after you children in Abaco.

It is one thing to talk Emergency Orders have lose, again and again, you descend to tedious nitpick- about demolishing strucnow morphed into.

But now the chickens ing over the worth of an tures, but another thing

has become home to crimes against humanity. Detainees are beaten and tortured; live like animals, teargassed for sport, denied any and all protections under the law, raped and even kidnapped

by Immigration officers for use as slaves, all with total impunity. Because as far as the laws of The Bahamas are concerned, the facility doesn’t even exist. All thanks to the FNM. Now the veil has been pulled aside, and the FNM can be seen for what they are: a gang of low life bullies who will not shy away from attacking the most vulnerable in the name of political gain.

Having won a historic victory in 2017, they had a unique opportunity to disrupt the entrenched system of discrimination and official injustice. They chose to do the opposite.

But this may just backfire on them. Voters, particularly the many thousands of Haitian descent, read the harrowing stories of the illegally detained. They see the distraught faces of children made homeless.

In choosing the cowards’ path in an effort to avoid losing political power by pandering to the Hate-TheHaitian Lynch Mob, the FNM may just end up guaranteeing the outcome they were seeking to avoid.

EMAIL: insight@tribunemedia.net

INSIGHT

MONDAY, JUNE 7, 2021 PAGE 11

Why 84 countries are borrowing from the IMF World View

By SIR RONALD SANDERS

IN the wake of the economic damage done by the effects of the COVID19 pandemic, countries in every continent of the world have turned to the International Monetary Fund (IMF) for assistance.

It is right that they have done so. The IMF exists

to provide economic and countries will be able to financial support to coun- repay. It sets terms – called tries when other options conditionalities – to ensure have been extinguished. the best use is made by borThe pandemic brought rowers of the money they countries to that situation are advanced, and that in rapid time, particularly loans can be repaid. tourism dependent counPresently, IMF loans are tries which were the hardest on more generous terms hit. than they used to be. For In some countries, there instance, financing for is an ideological resentment approved medium term of the IMF. That resentment growth and development is based on past harsh con- strategies could be secured ditionalities that the Fund with a repayment period included in of 14 years, the terms ‘This is not the a four-year of its loans moratorium to countries time to lay-off and an interalready in public sector est rate of one desperate workers, especially percent. straits. That of this in countries where Loans resentment nature are should be re- employment in not availevaluated. able from any the private sector IMF condiother source. has declined tionalities Of course, still exist, disastrously negotiating but they are because of the best conmore geared ditionalities to recognising the COVID-19 is important. the breathing pandemic. The IMF This is not space govern- Executive Board the time to ments require lay-off public to get their and Management sector workcountries’ ers, especially are aware of that economies in counand have adopted performing at tries where an optimum policies that employment level.

The are more open in the priFund wants to vate sector to support for be repaid, so has declined that, in turn, it vulnerable groups disastrously can pay back than they were because of the banks, the COVIDgovernments in the past.’

19 pandemic. and instituThe IMF tions from which it borrows Executive Board and Manto supplement its lending agement are aware of that resources. and have adopted policies While the main source that are more open to supfor IMF loans on non- port for vulnerable groups concessional terms are than they were in the past. provided by member counWhat is more, approval tries, through their quota by the IMF to fund a payments, the Fund also programme opens the borrows money that it door to borrowing from lends. Of the IMF’s current other financial institutotal resources for lending, tions, and to rescheduling amounting to about $1 tril- debt with agencies such lion, a significant portion is as the Paris Club. These money that must be repaid. institutions, including the If the IMF fails to ser- Caribbean Development vice its loans, the entire Bank, regard the imprimaworld will lose an extremely tur of the IMF as crucial important pillar of the in determining a country’s global financial architec- creditworthiness. ture, resulting in infectious In the present global ecoeconomic instability and, nomic crisis, 84 countries eventually, political chaos have already taken advanand civil strife. tage of the IMF’s lending Consequently, like any to the tune of $109,594.38 lender, the IMF has to million. Of those counmake sure that borrowing tries, eight are CARICOM states, namely: The Bahamas, Barbados, Dominica, Grenada, Haiti, Jamaica, St Lucia and St Vincent and the Grenadines which have borrowed $842 million.

Eleven Latin American countries, including Honduras, Costa Rica, Panama, Peru, Ecuador and Nicaragua, have borrowed $66,677.46m.

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Those, who argue against the IMF on ideological grounds, should have alternative sources of financing to propose. Either they must show a clear path to the capacity of their countries to recover and prosper from renewed and sustainable economic activity, or they must identify cheaper sources of borrowing with less strenuous terms. If they cannot identify such possibilities in a realistic way, then the only alternative to borrowing from the IMF is to leave their economies to languish, running out of money and failing to provide goods and services that their people expect.

The current economic conditions, across the CARICOM states except for Guyana, and possibly St Kitts-Nevis and Trinidad and Tobago, require pragmatism and practicality in recognising that working with the IMF has value.

There is no shame in going to the IMF to borrow in the current climate. It is a necessity, particularly when other options have dried-up. Further, the IMF is fulfilling the role for which it was created – to lend when other options are closed. The anti-IMF ideological argument is one that cuts off your nose to spite your face. It makes little sense.

In the current crisis, political parties and others that try to discredit governments because they opt to borrow from the IMF, ignore two salient points. First, governments are not now constrained to approach the IMF because of any failed policies they pursued; they approach the IMF because the devastating effects of the pandemic forced them there. And, second, the IMF is a lender of last resort. Governments contract with the IMF because the economic circumstances of their countries are such that they must borrow to sustain their populations, and, in those conditions, where better than the institution that provides the cheapest lending.

• Responses and previous commentaries:www. sirronaldsanders.com

(The writer is Antigua and Barbuda’s Ambassador to the United States and the Organization of American States. He is also a Senior Fellow at the Institute of Commonwealth Studies at the University of London and Massey College in the University of Toronto. The views expressed are entirely his own).

PAGE 12, Monday, June 7, 2021

THE TRIBUNE

HARRY AND MEGHAN WELCOME BABY LILIBET PRINCE Harry and Meghan may have stepped away from their royal duties — but family appeared to be top of mind in naming their second child, Lilibet “Lili” Diana Mountbatten-Windsor, who was born on Friday in California.

The name pays tribute to both Harry’s grandmother, Queen Elizabeth II, whose family nickname is Lilibet, and his late mother, Princess Diana.

“Thank you for your continued kindness and support during this very special time for our family,” Harry and Meghan, also known as the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, wrote in a statement that accompanied the birth announcement yesterday.

The baby is “more than we could have ever imagined, and we remain grateful for the love and prayers we’ve felt from across the globe,” they continued.

The baby girl was born at 11.40am at the Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital in Santa Barbara, California, and weighed in at 7lbs 11 oz, a spokesperson for the couple said. The child is eighth in line to the British throne.

BRITAIN’s Prince Harry and Meghan, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, pictured in March last year. Meghan gave birth to a healthy girl on Friday.

Photo: Kirsty Wigglesworth/AP

‘LET’S VACCINATE THE WORLD BY END OF 2022’ LONDON Associated Press

BRITISH Prime Minister Boris Johnson will use the Group of Seven wealthy democracies’ summit next week to urge world leaders to commit to vaccinating the global population by the end of 2022.

Johnson is expected to stress the importance of a global vaccination drive when he meets with fellow world leaders on Friday in Cornwall, on England’s southwestern coast, for the first face-to-face G-7 summit

since the pandemic hit.

“The world is looking to us to rise to the greatest challenge of the postwar era: defeating COVID and leading a global recovery driven by our shared values,” he said in a statement Sunday. “Vaccinating the world by the end of next year would be the single greatest feat in medical history.”

US President Joe Biden and the leaders of Canada, France, Italy and Japan will arrive in Cornwall from Friday for three days of talks.

Bleak choices for Haitians in Mexico CIUDAD JUAREZ, Mexico Associated Press ADRIÁN is trying to settle in to his third new city since 2016, when his wife was raped and mother was killed in Haiti. He will go anywhere but home.

“Why do they send us back to Haiti?” he said outside a cheap Mexican hotel blocks from the border with El Paso, Texas, where he was living

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with his wife and about 20 other Haitians last month. “We don’t have anything there. There’s no security. ...

I need a solution to not be sent back to my country.”

Haitians rejoiced when US Homeland Security Alejandro Mayorkas announced last month an 18-month extension of protections for Haitians living in the United States, citing “serious security concerns, social unrest, an increase in human rights abuses, crippling poverty, and lack of basic resources, which are exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic”.

The reprieve benefits an estimated 100,000 people who came after a devastating 2010 earthquake in Haiti and are eligible for Temporary Protected Status, which gives a temporary haven to people fleeing countries struggling with civil strife or natural disasters.

Mayorkas noted that it doesn’t apply to Haitians outside the US and said those who enter the country may be flown home. To qualify, Haitians must have been in the United States on May 21.

The Biden administration has dismayed some pro-immigration allies by sharply increasing repatriation flights to Port-au-Prince, Haiti’s capital. The government chartered 14 flights in February and 10 in March, more than any other destination, before tapering off to six flights in April, according to Witness at the Border, an advocacy group that tracks US Immigration and Customs Enforcement flights.

Removals have continued despite Haiti’s political and humanitarian crises cited by US officials in their decision to extend Temporary Protected Status. Kidnappings have become commonplace. UNICEF expects child malnutrition to double this year as an indirect consequence of the pandemic in a country where 1.1 million are already going hungry.

Adrián, who spoke on condition that his last name not be published to protect his wife’s identity, is among legions of Haitians who fled the Caribbean nation sometime after the 2010 earthquake. Many initially escaped to South America. He went to Chile, while others went to Brazil.

As construction jobs for the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro ended and Brazil descended into political turmoil, many Haitians crossed ten countries by plane, boat, bus and foot to get to San Diego, where US authorities let them in on humanitarian grounds. But then-President Barack Obama shifted course and began deporting Haitian arrivals in 2016. Many then started calling Mexico home.

Haitian restaurants opened in Tijuana, across the border from San Diego, serving mangoes and mashed plantains. Factories that export to the US recruited Haitians, who also wait tables and worship at congregations that have added services in Creole.

In recent months, some Haitians have moved from Tijuana to Ciudad Juarez, another large border city with jobs at export-driven factories.

They’re driven by job prospects, hopes of less racial discrimination and a temptation to cross what they perceive to be less-guarded stretches of border.

The shift was evident Feb 3 when

US authorities expelled dozens of Haitians to Ciudad Juarez, an apparent violation of pandemic-related powers that deny a right to seek asylum. Under the public health rules, only people from Mexico, Guatemala, Honduras and El Salvador can quickly be sent back to Mexico.

US Customs and Border Protection has acknowledged the Haitian expulsions but not explained why they were done.

“They are in transit,” said Nicole Phillips, legal director of Haitian Bridge Alliance, an advocacy group.

“It’s very much a transitory population. They may start out in Tijuana and shift eastward. Other times they start east and shift to Tijuana.”

Adrián, 34, said he saw racial discrimination in Chile and Tijuana, where he worked in data entry for a company that assembled neck braces and other medical devices. He said he saw Mexicans getting paid more than twice as much for the same work.

He lost his job when his temporary work visa expired and heard that Ciudad Juarez had work. A straight shot by bus, he decided to take another chance on a new life.

During his first week in Ciudad Juarez last month, Adrián asked downtown merchants to let him sell items on the streets, which are still half-empty amid COVID-19. No one let him. Factories are known to hire foreigners, but he no longer had a work permit.

Adrián wants to settle in Ciudad Juarez and save money, saying he may try to get to the US one day. For now, he fears being sent back Haiti too much to risk applying for asylum or enter the country illegally.

A scar on the back of his head is from being pistol-whipped by an attacker in 2016, he says, and one on his left hand is from being tied up. He said his mother was targeted at her home and killed because she refused to participate in rallies for the Tet Kale party, whose presidential candidate, Jovenel Moïse, won the 2016 election.

Adrián believes the men who killed her and assaulted his wife worked for party bosses. He recognised one and went to the police, but nothing came of it.

Haiti has long been wracked by poverty and violence. In April, then-Prime Minister Joseph Jouthe resigned amid a spike in killings.

“I’ve been back in Haiti over nine months now. I’m struggling to stay alive,” said a mechanic in Port-auPrince who was caught by border agents in South Texas. “Soon as I crossed into the US, police picked us up, and the guide was nowhere to be found.”

Jean-Piere, another Haitian migrant who was trained as a mechanical engineer and spoke on condition that his last name not be published for safety reasons, spent two years in Tijuana.

After moving to Ciudad Juarez and failing to find a job, he said he wants to go to the United States. He carries a folder with documents for an eventual asylum case.

He said his father died due to “political problems” stemming from his work for Haiti’s governing party.

“I can’t go back to my country,” JeanPiere said.