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‘LAST CHANCE TO CUT A DEAL’ Teachers leader warns stalled pay talks heading towards industrial action

By LEANDRA ROLLE Tribune Staff Reporter lrolle@tribunemedia.net BAHAMAS Union of Teachers president Belinda Wilson has warned that it will not be business as usual in the upcoming fall school semester if the government does not present an “acceptable” proposal for an increase of teachers’ salaries.

“We’re ready for

A CANDLE FOR QUINTON

industrial action and I can say to you that I believe it’s me who’s not pulled the plug as yet,” Mrs Wilson said yesterday.

During his 2022/2023 budget presentation last month, Prime Minister Philip “Brave” Davis told Parliament salary increases were planned for teachers, adding that both educators and nurses were to receive retention bonuses.

THE majority of nurses who voted in yesterday’s strike poll cast ballots in favour of industrial action, according to Bahamas Nurses Union president Amancha Williams last night.

“We had close to 300 to 400 people vote and only persons voted no and so we know if over 300 to 400 persons voted yes and the

SEE PAGE THREE

HOUSE Speaker Patricia Deveaux sharply rebuked National Emergency Management Agency director Captain Stephen Russell yesterday, telling him “you need a 9 to 5 job” and suggesting he did not have the same vision as the government to advance the country.

At one point, the Speaker who is also Bamboo Town MP, intimated that Captain Russell was busy at home “watching the game” when she appealed for help.

The Speaker’s lashing of the NEMA official was sparked by her displeasure with Captain Russell’s response to her calls for assistance with damage in her constituency after a tornado touched down in the area on Wednesday.

SEE PAGE FOUR

By NEIL HARTNELL Tribune Business Editor nhartnell@tribunemedia.net

majority came from PMH that states something and so we’re happy to know that nurses made the effort,” Ms Williams told The Tribune when contacted.

“We know the nurses are ready to go.”

She said in Freeport, Grand Bahama, the Department of Public Health and Sandilands Rehabilitation Centre there were majority votes in favour of action.

SEE PAGE THREE

By KHRISNA RUSSELL Tribune Chief Reporter krussell@tribunemedia.net

$530M FALL IN FOREIGN INVESTMENT LAST YEAR

...AND THAT’S AS NURSES BALLOT IN THEIR DISPUTE

By EARYEL BOWLEG Tribune Staff Reporter ebowleg@tribunemedia.net

SPEAKER’S ANGER AT NEMA BOSS’ RESPONSE

A PARTICIPANT raises a candle during a vigil last night for 13-year-old Quinton McKenzie, who was shot and killed last Friday. For the full story, see PAGE THREE. Photo: Donavan McIntosh/Tribune Staff

THE BAHAMAS is “still among the leaders” despite a United Nations agency yesterday revealing that foreign direct investment inflows to this nation declined by 60 percent yearover-year in 2021 to $360m.

The World Investment Report disclosed that inbound FDI flows to The Bahamas fell from $897m in 2020 during COVID’s peak to $360m last year.

FULL STORY - SEE BUSINESS

SANDALS SEX CASE COUPLE HIRE EX-AG

By KHRISNA RUSSELL Tribune Chief Reporter krussell@tribunemedia.net

FORMER Attorney General Carl Bethel, QC, is representing a US couple in the Bahamian courts in a $30m lawsuit against Sandals Resorts.

In 2020, John Pascarella and Ashley Reid Pascarella’s case against the resort was thrown out by a US court on the basis that it lacked “personal jurisdiction” over Sandals Resorts

FORMER Attorney General Carl Bethel. international parent.

The duo, received widespread TV and print

coverage in both the US and UK media when in 2019 legal action was taken claiming that Mrs Pascarella was sexually assaulted by Moral Adderley, the butler assigned to them during their stay at Sandals Royal Bahamian.

“Ashley and Jeffrey Pascarella claim that Ashley was assaulted by an employee of Sandals Royal Bahamian Spa Resort & Offshore Island on the SEE PAGE TEN

Nassau & Bahama Islands’ Leading Newspaper

DIANE PHILLIPS: A SYMBOL OF PAIN TOO MUCH TO BEAR

SEE PAGE NINE

THE TRIBUNE

Friday, June 10, 2022, PAGE 3

Second tragedy for family

By EARYEL BOWLEG Tribune Staff Reporter ebowleg@tribunemedia.net THE uncle of a ten-yearold boy who was murdered last year, was himself shot dead on Wednesday night.

While police have not officially released the victim’s identity, his sister, Doneisha Sherman, told The Tribune he is Marvin Sherman.

Ms Sherman said this is not the first time that her brother was shot at.

“He was just shot last year in March when my tenyear-old nephew was shot and killed. His twin was shot and my brother’s son was shot,” she said.

Ms Sherman said she hopes the family can get justice following the 33-year-old’s death as she reminisced about his personality.

“He was happy, outgoing, strong, he was a family person. He was more of an outgoing person.”

Mr Sherman was left dead while three other men, who were shot at the same time in Bain Town, were taken to hospital.

In an official report, police said sometime after 10pm they were alerted to a shooting incident that occurred on Curtis Street, off Finlayson Street.

“On arrival of first responding officers,” police

said, “they were informed that four adult males were shot about their bodies.

Three of them were transported to the hospital via private vehicle.

“The officers were directed to the rear of a residence where they found an adult male suffering from wounds consistent with gunshots.”

Emergency medical services visited the scene and following their assessment of the victim it was concluded that there were no signs of life.

The other victims are said to still be in hospital, one of them is in critical condition.

This matter remains under active investigation.

MARVIN SHERMAN In March 2021, ten-yearold Kenron Dean was

murdered while two other minors and Mr Sherman

were injured.

The then Assistant Commissioner of Police Solomon Cash said the victims were shot in their home.

He later revealed the shooting seemed to be gang-related, adding that police suspected the injured uncle was the intended target.

In October, Leon Evans appeared before Chief Magistrate Joyann Ferguson-Pratt charged with the minor’s death.

He was also accused of trying to kill Dean’s twin brother, his uncle, Marvin Sherman, and another eight-year-old relative.

A CANDLE FOR QUINTON MOURNERS comfort one another at last night’s candlelight vigil for Quinton McKenzie.

Photos: Donavan McIntosh/ Tribune Staff

A CANDLELIGHT vigil was held last night in remembrance of Quinton McKenzie, 13, who died last Friday morning after he was hit in his head by two bullets.

The gathering saw people in the community and political officials come together in the aftermath of the tragedy.

National Security Minister Wayne Munroe, QC, said the boy’s death was the result of a perpetrator who was not raised properly.

He went on to urge people in the community to intervene early and seek help for youth who show troubling signs.

Police said shortly before 8am, they were

alerted by Shot Spotter to multiple gunshots in the area of Williams Lane off Kemp Road.

When officers arrived at the scene, they were told that a young boy had been shot multiple times. He was taken to hospital by Emergency Medical Services where he later died of his injuries.

TEACHERS LEADER WARNS STALLED PAY TALKS HEADING TOWARDS INDUSTRIAL ACTION from page one However, the salary proposal has since been rejected by the BUT. “One may say why?

Because teachers have not had a salary increase since September of 2016 – some six years ago,” Mrs Wilson said yesterday. “The salary proposed by the government is zero for year one, which is July 1, 2021, to June 30, 2022; $58.33 per month raise for July 1, 2022, to June 30, 2023, and $58.33 per month raise for July 1, 2023, to June 30, 2024.”

“This is unacceptable and again, we have rejected that proposal.

“We are cognisant of the economic outlook, but we are also observing the government’s priorities such as an increased travel budget for 2020 to 2023 by $4.1m for parliamentarians and the large contingent that went to Dubai, we observed that.

BUT president Belinda Wilson yesterday.

Photo: Leandra Rolle/Tribune Staff “And, of course, we observed the paving of the roads overnight for the visit of the Duke and Duchess.

It’s only to name a few of our observations. Our proposal to the government is not exorbitant. As we negotiate for salary increases, I’ve been helping our members to keep pace with the

rising costs of living with a high inflation rate.”

The BUT president was speaking at an event hosted

by The Rotary Club of West Nassau where she was the guest speaker.

During the meeting, Mrs Wilson outlined the challenges faced by educators in a post COVID environment

NURSES GO TO THE BALLOT from page one

However, votes in the Family Island were unclear.

Infrastructure, failure of government to agree to a new industrial agreement and some people continuing to wait for promotions were some of the reasons for the BNU’s ballot.

Mrs Williams said if the vote is successful and strike certificate obtained, industrial action could involve withdrawing services completely.

“If you can give the police officers promotions every year, why can’t you give the nurses every year or every two years? We haven’t seen promotions for the past six years in the various islands and we still have promotions outstanding in the public service that has been sitting there for almost ten years,” she told The Tribune yesterday.

“We came to the table with PHA in reference

to the industrial agreement. So, we’re signing off articles, but we’re asking them to come on, move a little quickly. It’s already been three years and we’re expecting that our industrial agreement will be signed no later than August, but here again, DPH has not come to the table as yet.”

She said this industrial agreement will put them on a five year course of increases - increases not seen since 2019.

Nurses possibly withdrawing their service would come at a time when the country is still in a pandemic and facing a nursing shortage. While cognisant of these issues, Ms Williams also highlighted the need of government to come to the table.

“We don’t want to put our members, our family because you have to be reminded we are nurses but our family are still coming to the hospital. So, we don’t want to put them in danger, but we want

the government to come to the table and do what they promised the people that they will do,” she explained.

One nurse who voted in the poll yesterday said: “Of course I voted yes because I’m all for it and I feel like these are things that need to be done by the government.”

She explained her position when it came to working conditions.

“You have days where the AC isn’t working. You sweating in your uniform wet. You working short staffed in hazardous conditions and it’s like when you bring to their attention to say that you have these problems it’s if the problems aren’t being rectified.”

Another nurse, who had previously contracted COVID-19 and was hospitalised, said she was of the view that her colleagues would support a strike. She revealed that she had complications after recovering from COVID.

and also referred to their concerns surrounding outstanding industrial agreements.

“We have been negotiating from the 25th of May 2019. Three years to conclude one agreement, which expired on the 13th of June 2018,” she told Rotarians yesterday.

“On June the 28th 2018, I presented a comprehensive proposal to the then minister of education. It took us writing at least about ten letters, many telephone calls many emails to get to the table one year thereafter. So, we’ve been as I said earlier to the table negotiating from the 25th of May 2019. We have now concluded 99 per cent of the non-economic articles and the financial articles are still outstanding.”

In a later interview with

reporters, Mrs Wilson gave some insight into what the union considers as a reasonable proposal for teachers.

She said: “We’ve proposed 8.3 percent in the first year and the government has proposed zero. Eight point three percent would be three increments so that’s about $2,100. In the second year, we have proposed 5.5 per cent which again equates to two increments, which would be about $1,400 and in the third year, 5.5 per cent which is $1,400 and we believe that that’s modest, especially since we’ve not had a raise since September 2016.”

Mrs Wilson also threatened to take action if negotiations do not conclude soon, adding that the union “is ready.”

“We’re ready for industrial action and I can say

to you that I believe it’s me who’s not pulled the plug as yet,” she told reporters yesterday.

“So, we hope to wrap up these negotiations within the matter of weeks and I’m going to say to you and I’m going to let you know, there’s been a lot of teachers messaging me saying let’s do it now and we know there is examinations now - internal and external examinations.

There’s report day coming up in the next few weeks but I’ve not pulled the plug but I’m telling you that schools will not open in the fall business as usual. So, it is incumbent on the government to put together a package that is acceptable to us for us to be able to take to our members for us to conclude these negotiations because it’s been going on for too long now.”

PAGE 4, Friday, June 10, 2022

THE TRIBUNE

Speaker’s anger at NEMA boss’ response from page one While she admitted various agencies responded to her calls for help, she singled out NEMA and its director as being absent, adding that when she did speak to Mr Russell he directed her to the Ministry of Works.

Unhappy with the response, Speaker Deveaux said she warned Captain Russell that she would speak on the ordeal from her chair at the next sitting of Parliament.

Contacted yesterday, Captain Russell said he would not comment and directed The Tribune to a statement released

by NEMA outlining the sequence of events. The statement sought to prove that throughout the day and for a number of hours, Captain Russell personally remained on the scene was busy working in the aftermath of the tornado.

Myles Laroda, minister with responsibility for NEMA, told the House of Assembly that Captain Russell told him that he was not aware of issues at Bamboo Town. However he summed the issue up as

a “complete breakdown” of communication.

Meanwhile, Deputy Prime Minister Chester Cooper said the matter would receive attention at the highest levels.

Speaker Deveaux said: “What I did not see on the ground was NEMA and I am saying this because I reached out to Commander Russell... I don’t know if he was home busy watching the game ‘cause I hear they had a game last night, but I could say that he was not there and that is who we have to reach out for emergency response.

“I am terribly, terribly disturbed by that and I say to him, I told him, I did not lie to him, I told him that I would speak to it from my chair. This is where I have my voice.”

She continued: “I had senior citizens at the age of 80 who had live wires, electrical wire hanging and also no roof and no electricity last night. They had to go to bed with such damage to their house and what I can say is we had the team on the ground, but NEMA was not present.

“Natural disasters do not happen between nine

THE National Emergency Management Agency sought yesterday to set a clear timeline of its involvement in relief efforts after a tornado touched down in parts of New Providence on Wednesday.

NEMA said that at no time did it, or any of its emergency support functions, receive reports of residents in the Bamboo Town area being affected by the tornadic activity.

The statement was released following House Speaker Patricia Deveaux’s open rebuke of NEMA and its director Captain Stephen Russell who, she said, were not on the ground in her constituency despite there being a multi-agency response.

Speaker Deveaux is the MP for Bamboo town.

Her anger over the matter was expressed in yesterday’s House sitting where she told Captain Russell to get a “9 to 5 job” suggesting he did not share the government’s vision for advancing the country.

“The National Emergency Management Agency wishes to advise the general public of the timeline of events in wake of the tornadic activity that occurred in the Cowpen Road, Baillou Hill Road, and subsequently, Bamboo Town areas,” the statement read yesterday.

“NEMA director, Captain Stephen Russell, received notification of tornadic activity in the Cowpen and Baillou Hill Road areas around 2.15pm Wednesday (June 8) afternoon while conducting a briefing

for Parliamentarians with regards to the National Emergency Management Agency’s Plan of Action for the 2022 Atlantic Hurricane Season.

“Captain Russell immediately consulted with Mr Jeffrey Simmons, acting director of The Bahamas Department of Meteorology, who presented at the briefing, to confirm the reports of tornadic activity in the aforementioned areas, which Mr Simmons confirmed.

“The NEMA director immediately contacted the lead officials of several of the Agency’s various Emergency Support Functions (ESFs) with regards to undertaking immediate action to assist persons who may have been affected.

HOUSE Speaker Patricia Deveaux.

and five. Natural disasters can happen at any time, in the dead of the night and so I say this to say these people if they want a desk job from 9 to 5 give them their desk job cause I had a natural disaster last night and the minister and all of these other persons were on the ground until 9pm last night trying to help me bring some resolve and this morning the Ministry of Social services is sending breakfast out. Thank you, minister, to those persons making sure that they’re having hot meals and we are trying to find some roof to put over their heads as we speak.

“I reached out to the honourable member for Pinewood (Myles Laroda) and he was very, very helpful with me yesterday, but sometimes we have persons who are on assignment under our umbrellas that do not have the same vision that we have in place to take this country forward.

So, I am very disturbed about that and they’ll understand me.

“When it comes to Bamboo Town, I don’t second guess and the way those persons had to sleep last night was unbecoming.

So, you tell Mr Russell for

me if he is listening, let me tell me you ‘you need a 9 to 5 job because I call 7, 8 o’clock in the night you telling me Ministry of Works?

The Ministry of Works was already on the ground.

They were already on the ground so the only persons that were not present was NEMA. So, I don’t know.

They talked about Jesus yesterday fixing it, fix it Jesus.”

For his part, Mr Laroda said he conveyed the Speaker’s displeasure to Captain Russell.

“I feel your pain,” the Pinewood MP said following the Speaker’s criticism.

“I would have spoken to yourself. I would have spoken to your aid. I would have spoken to the member for Golden Gates with respect to the tornadic activity that happened yesterday (Wednesday).

“I had two conversations with the director of NEMA. I conveyed your disappointment. I’m not going to sugar coat it. I let it be known that there were other agencies that turned up, in particular, the Ministry of Works and also the team from social services.

“I was advised and I am just giving the public the record of what happened

by Commander Russell that the tornadic activity was in the Cowpen Road area and that’s where NEMA had focused (and) that he was not aware that Bamboo Town had any concerns, that was the message he conveyed to me.”

The Speaker responded, “Oh really?”

“I would have said to him,” Mr Laroda continued, “that in speaking to other members that there were at least three communities that were affected.

“After conveying that message I would have spoken to the permanent secretary to convene a meeting sometime today with Commander Russell and the team from NEMA and there will be no stones left unturned with regards to the response.

“I conveyed your message word for word what you had experienced (and) that in particular that it affected two 80-year-old individuals and without going into detail my exact words, if what you are saying was correct and I have no reason not to believe you, that there was a complete breakdown in terms of communication and response.”

“This included a call to the NEMA Warehouse Team who were instructed to mobilise tarpaulin into the areas that were reported to have been impacted in order to begin distributing tarpaulin as soon as they arrived in the area – based on initial reports received. That action was carried out and continued until 5.30pm when the truck returned to NEMA’s Head Office, Gladstone Road.”

While this was occurring, NEMA said Captain Russell, accompanied by Ms Bahiyyah Hepburn, Ministry of Works, a NEMA partner responsible for Emergency Support Function #3, immediately left to personally visit the site and conduct an initial damage assessment of the area.

The assessment was completed, photographs taken and posted in the NEMA Chat Group for further action.

“Captain Russell remained in office until 6.30pm, apprising Minister of State in the Office of the Prime Minister with responsibility for Disaster Preparedness and Emergency Response, Myles LaRoda, of the actions that

had been undertaken to bring immediate relief to the affected homes in the Cowpen/Baillou Hill Road areas.

“At no time during these interventions, did the agency, nor any of its emergency support functions, receive reports of residents in the Bamboo Town area being impacted by the tornadic activity.

“At about 9pm Wednesday, Captain Russell received communication from yet another partner, advising that there were residents in the Bamboo Town area, including Senior Citizens who had been impacted by the tornadic activity and needed assistance.

“Captain Russell once again immediately mobilised the NEMA assets, instructing the Warehouse Team to once again mobilise tarpaulin into the newly-reported affected area. As that action was being undertaken, the NEMA Director was contacted by another NEMA partner, Urban Renewal, regarding its assistance in bringing relief into the impacted area.

“It was agreed that the NEMA Team, which

included Captain Russell, Bradley King from the Ministry of Works and the warehouse team and Urban Renewal, would all meet at the Prince William School to further coordinate the efforts to ensure that those persons who would have been identified as in need of assistance, received it.”

NEMA said that as always the first order of business in any disaster and/or emergency event is to conduct an initial assessment, determine the extent of the damage, and how best to mitigate the impacts of that event. This was done as the initial assessments determined there was the need for tarpaulin to secure affected homes of families, NEMA said.

Additionally, while onsite, Captain Russell contacted the Department of Social Services, another NEMA partner, with regards to conducting social assessments, which could not be undertaken until the morning because of the lateness of the hour, which at that time was 10pm.

Those social assessments commenced Thursday morning, the statement said.

NEMA LAYS OUT TIMELINE AFTER TORNADO TOUCHDOWN

TEMPORARY KITCHEN DONATED TO NEMA US NORTHERN Command has delivered a third temporary kitchen unit to The Bahamas’ National Emergency Management Agency before the start of the 2022 Hurricane Season.

The donation was on behalf of the US government.

The kitchen unit, which is intended for use by NEMA following a disaster, is valued at nearly $260,000.

It is intended to augment the temporary modular sheltering system donated

to NEMA in September 2020.

USNORTHCOM facilitated the acquisition of the entire sheltering system, which can deploy to three distinct locations and has a total value over $3.5m.

In addition to the latest donated kitchen unit, USNORTHCOM is also collaborating with NEMA to update shelters across the archipelago and will deliver disaster response vehicles later this year.

In June 2022,

USNORTHCOM and NEMA will conduct a whole-of-government exercise that tests the response to a catastrophic Category 5 Hurricane impacting the entirety of The Bahamas.

This latest donation strengthens the US-Bahamas relationship, and reinforces the US government’s commitment to Bahamians, who are partners in defending the Western Hemisphere and responding to disasters in the shared communities.

THE TRIBUNE

Friday, June 10, 2022, PAGE 5

DEPUTY SPEAKER THREATENS TO REMOVE OPPOSITION LEADER

By LEANDRA ROLLE Tribune Staff Reporter lrolle@tribunemedia.net

DEPUTY House Speaker Sylvanus Petty threatened to have opposition leader Michael Pintard removed from the House of Assembly last night after the Marco City MP took exception to remarks made

by North Abaco MP Kirk Cornish.

In his first budget contribution, Mr Cornish told parliamentarians he was grateful to have been elected by the people of Abaco, who had suffered many trials since Hurricane Dorian.

He also conveyed a message to the opposition which he said was sent from Abaconions.

“Many, not all, but I repeat, many of whom asked me to please convey on their behalf to the opposition – the opposition sits

in Parliament well dressed with elaborate speeches and their frozen hearts using Abaco’s misfortune and situation to support their budget,” Mr Cornish said.

However, the remarks did not sit well with Mr Pintard who argued that it was “inappropriate” for Mr Cornish to imply that he cared more for the Bahamian people.

The FNM MP said: “Mr Deputy, all of us I believe are in this place because we have concerns for the Bahamian people and I want to make it established. It is inappropriate, unparliamentary, for the junior member to come in this place and suggest that he cares more about the Bahamian people than the rest of us who have been serving the Bahamian people consistently.

“So, I want to send a clear message. The member

for North Abaco and all others who wish to support him in what has been said.”

Mount Moriah MP McKell Bonaby then tried to defend his parliamentary colleague and even rose from his seat.

However, it was at that point that Mr Pintard told him to “have a seat”.

The Marco City MP continued: “I certainly do not doubt that the member for North Abaco cares deeply about his people, but he should not assert that we are in here and we are callous and that we do not care and worse, that our hearts are frozen towards the people we have consistently served.

It is unparliamentary. I am asking the member for Abaco to withdraw those statements and in the absence of a withdrawal, if they could be expunged from the record because

it’s inappropriate to assert.

I can’t imagine any of us believe that one size or the other lacks concern for the Bahamian people.

“I’m not sure where those persons who are defending that statement. I’m not sure where those persons were during Dorian or after Dorian. I could tell you where several of us were. We were in the community and less than an hour of being evacuated we were back on the frontline fighting. Where was the member for West End and Bimini? Where was the member for Mount Moriah?

“So, don’t come in here talking about who cares and whose heart is frozen.

We have worked for our people. We continue to stand for our people and we’re not going to sit down and listen to that nonsense because it isn’t true,” Mr

Pintard argued.

Mr Petty then asked for the opposition leader to have a seat and called for members to show respect.

“Just for the record, there are no junior members of Parliament in this House,” he said. “We are all members of Parliament in this House, whether it be your first year, second year, third or fortieth year. We’re all members of Parliament so let’s respect each other.

North Abaco, you have the floor until you’re finished.

I don’t want to hear from nobody else on no point of order.”

As he made the remarks, Mr Pintard and Obie Wilchcombe, leader of government business in the House of Assembly, then engaged in a brief exchange over the House rules.

Mr Petty interjected, saying: “Marco City, I am warning you for the last

time if you get up, I will have you removed from the House.”

He then asked for Mr Cornish to continue his budget contribution and told Mr Pintard “you can just write whatever you have to afterwards.”

But, the FNM leader stood up and opposition members could be heard saying, “No sir.”

Seconds later, the deputy house speaker asked for the police sergeant at arms to remove Mr Pintard from the lower chamber.

However, St Barnabas MP Shanendon Cartwright objected, prompting Mr Petty to say: “I want St Barnabas to join you as well.”

The House proceedings were adjourned for five minutes.

When it resumed, both FNM MPs remained in their seats.

Moxey hails $3.7m for new unit

By DENISE MAYCOCK Tribune Freeport Reporter dmaycock@tribunemedia.net GRAND Bahama Minister Ginger Moxey says $3.7m allocated for a new unit called Collab: Partnerships for Development would bring “impactful change” to her Ministry and Grand Bahama.

She also discloseded that Electra America, the intended buyers of the Grand Lucayan Resort, will contribute an additional $5m to Collab for community development.

Projects that will fall under the new unit are: ‘Recover Grand Bahama,’ ‘Beautiful Grand Bahama,’ and ‘Empower Grand Bahama,’ Minister Moxey said.

“Today, this Ministry for Grand Bahama, my Ministry for Grand Bahama is a Ministry of Innovation and Collaboration,” she said during her contribution to the Budget Communication in the House of Assembly.

She said Collab represents the most significant increase in the 2022/23 Budget.

“Whilst the Collab Unit was provided $3.7m representing 27.6 percent of the overall budget, there is an additional $170,000 for sister city relationship development; $240,000 for marketing and promotion of Grand Bahama Island around the world; $210,000 for small business development; another $150,000 for

GINGER Moxey MP speaking in the House Of Assembly.

Grant Funding Development; and $50,000 for the Grand Bahama Humane Society, all totalling $4.5m or 34 percent of the overall budget.

“Not bad for my first attempt to bring impactful change to the Ministry and Grand Bahama Island,” she said.

“I am very proud and excited to be heralding in this innovative, transformational, revolutionary way to define the Ministry for Grand Bahama. It cannot be overemphasised that since the Ministry for Grand Bahama was a new ministry, and government services already existed in

Grand Bahama, I believe that there was always a challenge with defining the role of the Ministry. When 43 percent of the budget went to the utilities of other ministries and 82 percent of the budget went to administrative costs, you can see why this perception was widely accepted.”

Ms Moxey said the focus is bringing results by impacting communities and assisting people.

“Before I became Minister for GB, the ministry was a ministry of administration. I am a project manager who focuses on results; getting stuff done and making it happen,” she said.

“The Prime Minister gave the Ministry for Grand Bahama a new mandate considering the ever-perplexing issues, the uniqueness of Grand Bahama, and the devastation caused by the twin-storms Hurricane Dorian and the COVID pandemic,” she explained.

Ms Moxey said the mandate called for partnering with NGOs, businesses, other government agencies and the community at large to assist with the basic needs of residents and the growth and development of Grand Bahama Island.

“It recognises that people are hurting; that people’s

lives have been uprooted, that they need assistance; that the NGOs are very important in all of this because they were the ones who came to our rescue when we needed help the most; it recognised the role of the corporate community and the fact that the Ministry is a Ministry that liaises with other ministries to get the job done. And it speaks to what Grand Bahama needs, investment, opportunities, growth, and business development. Based on this mandate, I established COLLAB: Partnerships for Development that will really be the key to making things happen for Grand Bahama Island.”

The Grand Bahama Minister said the unit works on projects together to propel people and communities; it is a body that solves problems, addresses issues, and tackles the difficulties head-on with focused determination and execution for results and action.

Ms Moxey said Collab’s primary goal is to ensure that the vision of the Ministry for Grand Bahama to become the ‘Home of Maritime and Logistics,’ the ‘Home of Events and Entertainment’ and the ‘Home of Innovation’ comes to fruition.

On the new hospital, the minister was pleased that the Davis-Cooper administration would proceed with building a new hospital for GBI. She said that funding is

included in this Budget to capitalise the GB Health Centre Development Company, the entity that will construct the new hospital, with an oncology centre on Grand Bahama.

Ms Moxey stressed that Grand Bahama had needed a new hospital for many years. She recalled the devastation of the Rand Memorial Hospital in 2019 during Hurricane Dorian.

The situation, she said, was further compounded by the onset of the COVID 19 pandemic.

“Doctors, nurses, and other medical providers were forced to work in unfavorable conditions.

Today, even though repairs were done to the interior of Rand Memorial Hospital, the roof was not repaired,” she said.

Ms Moxey said that with the recent potential tropical cyclone that visited GB over the weekend, the Rand was also greatly affected.

“This was another poorly executed assignment by the previous administration, but the work is in the 202223 budget,” she said.

Ms Moxey said that $150m loan would fund construction of the new hospital.

Iram Lewis, MP for Central Grand Bahama, and former Minister of State for Disaster Preparedness, Management, and Reconstruction, said Albacore Construction did the roof repairs to address leaks at the hospital.

POLICE: RAPE CLAIM ON SOCIAL MEDIA WAS FALSE

By DENISE MAYCOCK Tribune Freeport Reporter dmaycock@tribunemedia.net

GRAND Bahama Police are still searching for the suspect/suspects in connection with two rape incidents and one attempted robbery incident that occurred in Freeport.

ASP Stephen Rolle said there are no new leads into those matters.

The senior police official has confirmed that a recent posting on social media purporting that the alleged rapist apparently tried to rape a woman at Banana Bay Beach is false information.

A photo of a vehicle purporting to be that of the rapist was posted on WhatsApp by a woman who claimed she was exercising, but she was able to get away and got his licence plate number.

ASP Rolle said that police have since spoken with the male individual who is very upset over the incident.

A police official at Urban and (NNWC) Grand Bahama, in a statement in response to the incident, said it was false information.

“These groups are not for you to create public fear because you heard something, or it was sent to you, and you want to be the first to notify a group you are in. You are sending around false information, photos of persons and persons’ vehicle plate number not knowing the facts can be damaging to the individual,” the statement read.

The statement said that such posting can be damaging to the character of the individual.

“We must consider the fact that the individual could have a spouse,

children, family or involved in the community. Once you send something (and it goes) viral it cannot be taken back.”

The statement also said: “We want you to be vigilant and careful in your surroundings. If you have an incident contact the police and give us any photos or videos you may have. If you are not involved in an incident and do not know the facts, please do not post in the chats to create panic.

Persons doing so will be suspended from the chats and an officer from our department will contact you or come and see you.”

“If a matter happens allow the police to investigate and disseminate the information to the public so the correct information can be passed. Please let us use the chats for what it was created for and that is creating safer communities.”

ACKLINS MAN ACCUSED OF ASSAULTING OFFICER

By PAVEL BAILEY Tribune Court Reporter pbailey@tribunemedia.net

AN ACKLINS man was charged in the Magistrate’s Court yesterday with threatening a police officer and assaulting him with a vehicle.

Clarence Williams, 48, of Lovely Bay, Acklins, represented by Attorney Alex Dorsett, appeared before Senior Magistrate Samuel McKinney on four charges that included threats of

harm, assault with a dangerous instrument, disorderly behaviour and obscene language.

At 11.30pm on December 23, 2021, at Whitney’s Fish Fry, Chester’s Bay, Acklins, the accused is alleged to have threatened Police Sergeant 3601 Johnson with death. He is also charged with hitting Sgt Johnson with a car.

At 9pm on February 9, Williams is further accused of behaving in a disorderly manner in Lovely Bay and

using obscene language once again to the annoyance of Sgt Johnson.

In court, the accused pleaded not guilty to all charges.

While Williams was granted a temporary $500 police bail, he is expected to return to court today for a decision on his official bail.

His trial is set for September 22, either during circuit court in Acklins, or once more in the Magistrate’s Court.

PAGE 6, Friday, June 10, 2022

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Union unrest amid economic uncertainty TEACHERS ready for industrial action, nurses voting for industrial action – it looks like there are rocks ahead amid talk of the economy flowing again.

The most immediate of those will be whatever action the nurses decide on.

As The Tribune was going to press last night, union president Amancha Williams said that the majority of nurses who voted in yesterday’s strike poll had voted to take action.

“We know the nurses are ready to go,” she said.

Those words were mirrored by teachers union president Belinda Wilson, who said: “We’re ready for industrial action.”

For the nurses, the issues include infrastructure, a lack of an industrial agreement and people left waiting for promotions.

For the teachers, a major bone of contention is salary. In the Budget, Prime Minister Philip “Brave” Davis put forward plans for salary increases and retention bonuses for teachers – but that has been met with short shrift by union members.

Mrs Wilson spelled out the frustration yesterday, saying the government offer gave zero increase this year, a $58.33 a month raise next year and another $58.33 a month raise the year after that.

What does she want? Well, she wants an 8.3 percent increase in the first year – rather than zero – working out at about $2,100, or $175 a month. After that, it’s 5.5 percent in the second year, she says, about $1,400, or $116 a month, and the same again in the third year.

Some of those numbers look like they might not quite add up in terms of percentages – but the obvious thing is the gulf in size between what the government has included in the Budget and what the teachers are asking for.

Is that possible given the state of the economy? Well, Mrs Wilson said: “We are cognizant of the economic outlook, but we are also observing the government’s priorities such as an increased travel budget for 2020 to 2023 by $4.1m for parliamentarians.”

She noted the priority of spending money on trips to Dubai or on roads for the Royal visit.

Those are good points – the government can’t urge others to tighten belts while loosening its own.

That said, there really are economic issues. Look at today’s Tribune Business, where we discover there has been a plunge in foreign investment – and that’s

even as our country begins to reopen after COVID. Mr Davis has made much talk of the prospect of billions of dollars of investments – but the hard numbers are going the other way. Until some of those prospects are delivered, it’s all just talk.

So union unrest may be ahead – and there may be a determination to wring more from the government purse, but that purse may not be as full as some may think.

House Speaker The previous House Speaker, Halson Moultrie, had a knack for making headlines and placing the spotlight on himself rather than on the House proceedings.

Is his successor taking the same path?

Speaker Patricia Deveaux was the focus of attention yesterday when she decided to take the director of the National Emergency Management Agency, Captain Stephen Russell, to task.

She was upset with his response to her calls for assistance after a tornado touched down in her Bamboo Town constituency on Wednesday.

According to her, when she spoke to Captain Russell, he directed her to the Ministry of Works. Unhappy with that response, she warned him she would speak on the matter at the next sitting of Parliament – and here we are.

Whether that was the appropriate course is a different matter – with the Speaker suggesting in the House that Captain Russell was at home “watching the game” rather than dealing with pleas for help.

For his part, Captain Russell did not comment, but directed The Tribune to a NEMA statement detailing the sequence of events.

So is the Speaker going to call out in Parliament anyone else she is unhappy with, even if they are not able to respond in Parliament on the record too?

Will there be any follow through that the Speaker will request, an investigation perhaps, or will she settle for calling people’s names and doing nothing more?

On a day when the Deputy Speaker also got a share of the spotlight by threatening to remove Opposition leader Michael Pintard during a debate, one wonders if the headline-grabbing approach of the former Speaker is lingering on.

Why not celebrate the Queen?

EDITOR, The Tribune.

TODAY, Her Majesty our Queen - Queen of The Commonwealth of The Bahamas became Queen of the Realm and the Colonies. Could not be a stranger story... not planned as certainly the abdication of her Uncle was far from expected which plunged her father George VI to be King and she, Elizabeth the oldest a potential Queen probably after a long reign of her father.

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She and the late HRH Duke of Edinburgh left England on a visit to Kenya and sadly a total shock her father died... left as a Princess returning as the Queen of the UK and its Colonies.

Might be planned but today would have been the correct date for a Commonwealth of The Bahamas celebration - nothing.

Editor, it concerns me that recently we pulled all stops out spent $650,000.00 plus on the visit of HRH Duke of Cambridge and the Duchess and now for the Head of our country we do nothing.

Hoping we did what we did for the HRH not because as we saw measure of potential publicity but because HRH Duke of

Cambridge in time will also be thrown into the position of Sovereign.

Even if we hate the monarchy this is an incredible achievement for any public figure – lived through 17 UK Prime Ministers - crisis – wars socially and globally and it was steady as she goes in true Rule Britannia fashion.

God bless Her Majesty may she continue to enjoy good health even at her mature age - respectfully I bow to her she is The Queen of the Bahamas!

Mr Prime Minister - no celebration?

MARGARET DUNCOMBE Nassau, June 2, 2022.

A MAN runs from tear gas fired by police to disperse anti-government protesters near police headquarters in Colombo, Sri Lanka, yesterday.

Photo: Eranga Jayawardena/AP

Electric car are a risk of electrocution EDITOR, The Tribune.

IN THE 2022/2023 Budget Communication, Prime Minister Philip Brave Davis announced that his government will reduce the duty rate on electric vehicles valued under $70,000 to 10 percent. Electric vehicles over $70,000 will be reduced to 25 percent.

I read in one of the dailies that sales for these vehicles are increasing, which is probably due to the historic oil inflation caused by the anti-fossil fuel policies of President Joe Biden and the Russian/Ukrainian War. Before well-to-do Bahamians in Nassau and Grand Bahama invest their hardearned money into these vehicles, there’s something important they must factor into consideration.

Electric vehicles are an electrocution hazard like any other electronic device that uses significant amounts of electricity.

For instance, a residential electric clothes dryer uses between 1,500 and 5,000 watts. Like electric vehicles while charging, dryers run on 240 volts with a 30-amp breaker on a single circuit installed for it. Similar to an electric dryer, electric vehicles are energised on 240-volt chargers and use just over 7,000 watts of electricity. No sane person would attempt to tamper

LETTERS letters@tribunemedia.net with an electric dryer or any other appliance while ankle deep in water. Such an individual runs the risk of being electrocuted, which brings me back to my original point about electric vehicles in flood-prone Nassau and Grand Bahama. Just this past weekend parts of Grand Bahama and Bimini were flooded up to nearly 11 inches of rain by Tropical Cyclone Alex.

Several weeks ago, many communities in Nassau were also flooded. Understand, the two rainstorms were not even tropical storms, let alone a cat 4 or 5 storm that usually is accompanied by a storm surge. In low lying Grand Bahama and New Providence, flooding is inevitable. Now imagine a family of five in Pinewood Gardens during a cat 4 storm attempting to escape the flooding in their community by driving their Tesla Model Y through 3 feet of water, which is something US manufacturers strongly advise against, as water serves as a conductor of electricity. If water gets into the Tesla vehicle, there’s a good chance the family might be electrocuted to death. It would also pose a significant risk

to others wading through the same water near the vehicle. Electric vehicles need a significant amount of current in order to rotate the driveshaft. The manufacturers of these models obviously were not thinking about low-lying New Providence and Grand Bahama.

Even if the vehicles are reinforced and sealed to prevent an electrocution, everything that man has invented is subject to the second law of thermodynamics. We see this everyday with the used cars imported into the country. Bahamians prefer to purchase used vehicles, which are far more affordable than brand new ones.

Will the government thoroughly examine each used electric vehicle to ensure that they are safe? With our track record of slackness and alleged corruption in the civil service, it is not too difficult to envisage compromised vehicles slipping through the net, which will endanger the lives of many Bahamians during a rainstorm.

In view of the foregoing, it is my opinion that electric vehicles are not safe for Nassau and Grand Bahama.

KEVIN EVANS Freeport, Grand Bahama, June 8, 2022.

BPL summer EDITOR, The Tribune.

ALLELUIA! I honestly was worried, but BPL will be able to supply electricity this summer.

Boy, Minister made my day listening to his deafening announcement and support to a very flawed RFP process back in 2018 when the previous Government executed what can only be described as a ‘designer RFP to ensure a certain party got confirmed as the supplier’ and throw open the door to a multinational proposal for the future generation at BPL. This RFP was designer as

limited to providing 80MW of auxiliary power... no prequalification... no financial checks nothing many small local suppliers thought they had a chance and wow the Government was giving them a chance to bid on something legitimate and do some business... oh, sorry guys, this was all fake... fake because firstly BEC/BPL allowed the ‘existing’ provider, Aggreeko, to participate at a considerable financial advantage as his equipment was already in-country and in-place a gross savings in what was suggested to be a legitimate bid and more importantly opened the back door for a

multi­-national to propose an alternative generation proposal to BPL which was not in the RFP. Minister, how else were you going to make up the difference between BPL generation capability, max, and potential use?

Anyway, great the Minister and ‘New Day’ Government have endorsed and presumably now legitimised a seriously flawed RFP of September, 2018.

For the truth as the truth never lies.

D H SIMMS Nassau, June 9, 2022.

THE TRIBUNE

Friday, June 10, 2022, PAGE 7

Minnis: Nation worse off under PLP

By LEANDRA ROLLE Tribune Staff Reporter lrolle@tribunemedia.net

FORMER Prime Minister Dr Hubert Minnis was yesterday critical of the Davis administration’s performance, insisting the country is worse off now since the Progressive Liberal Party assumed office last year.

“They cannot pander their way out of this crisis that they must now confront,” the Killarney MP told parliamentarians yesterday while making his contribution to the 2022/2023 budget.

“As we had predicted, we said that they would be confronted by the perfect storm – a viral pandemic and economic pandemic with severe inflation and high unmanageable fuel costs.

“We anticipated (fuel in) New Providence would be $8 by May and in the family islands, $10 to $12. Now in office, they have repeatedly spoken of the international events and factors affecting the Bahamian economy. I

will not play the game they played. On this side, they acknowledged the role of the war in Ukraine and the ongoing effects of COVID19 and climate change on the global economy, but the PLP has made the situation much worse.

“They were not prepared for office and once in office, they became giddy… with power travelling all over the world when they should have been governing.”

Dr Minnis also doubled down on his criticisms of the government’s frequent travelling, saying “a disciplined and serious leader” will only attend conferences that are considered necessary and of benefit to the country’s interests.

“An unfocused leader is not used to the big stage and would be up and down all around spending the people’s money needlessly and sadly, this is the type of leader the Bahamian people currently has,” he said.

“From this budget, it appears as if the Prime Minister’s travel problem is about to get even worse.

There is a $4.1m increase in government’s travel allocation in the proposed budget.

The media sees that the Prime Minister has a problem, the media, many know he is always up and down and all over the place… we all know that this Prime Minister who appears to be listened to heavily who appears to be the minister of travel and leisure.”

The remarks drew a response from Obie Wilchcombe, leader of government business in the House of Assembly, who insisted that Prime Minister Phillip “Brave” Davis was out of the country doing the work of the Bahamian people.

Still, Dr Minnis continued his attack and even questioned the sincerity of the Prime Minister’s position on climate change.

“I support the government’s efforts to address climate change, but based on this Prime Minister’s past association with an oil company, few believe that he is a genuine pro-environment climate change activist. The Prime Minister

has a long track record representing an oil company in The Bahamas and he’s still an oil drilling supporter.

“The Prime Minister should disclose to the Bahamian people, just how much money he made over the years from the oil industry. Did the Prime Minister make hundreds of thousands of dollars or did he make millions or did he make even more? From his track record as an oil man, it is clear that the Prime Minister is not a genuine climate change activist.”

To this, Mr Wilchcombe rose on a point of order and asked Dr Minnis whether he was referring to what the Prime Minister did in his private capacity before he assumed office.

“The suggestion that he is making is the Prime Minister might have still earned subsequent to being the minister of the government, I’m making the point that this might have been happening in his private capacity,” the social services minister said.

“I just want to make sure that we don’t cause the

Bahamian people to get the timelines mixed up here and the timelines if you’re asking what the Prime Minister made in his private capacity, speak with him privately about that. The reality about it all is subsequent to him separating from the company, he was then afterwards he became a minister and subsequently Prime Minister.”

Dr Minnis then took aim at the government’s response to the inflationary high cost of living, saying they have no comprehensive plan to address the issue.

“What he has announced in this fiscal plan is insufficient. The member for Cat island is the Prime Minister and Minister of Finance. He has a lot of power, you know and we acknowledged the global situation. That said, they expect him to come up with real policies that deliver real results for the Bahamians, the same way that the new day administration is good at getting PLP’s straight with big contracts and consultancies.”

Dr Minnis also claimed the Davis administration has budgeted over $60m for consultancies, which he said was concerning considering that many Bahamians are struggling to make ends meet.

“I am especially concerned about the massive increase in funds for consultancies,” the Killarney MP continued. “The government has budgeted $62 million for consultancies.

Who is going to get these many millions of dollars for more consultancies throughout the government? This is an explosion.

Wow – this is very concerning.

Meanwhile, Bahamians cannot afford to fill up their vehicles with gas.”

He continued: “Bahamian mothers and grandmothers have to leave groceries at the cash register because they can no longer afford all the food they need to feed their families. We need the Prime Minister to do more, faster.

We need him to cut down on the trips and to work for the Bahamian people.”

ALL ABOARD AT CREW HOUSE

By ALESHA CADET Tribune Features Reporter acadet@tribunemedia.net

THE new Crew House on East Bay Street, is the start of something “huge” for easterners, according to the manager of one of the newest full bar and lounge spots.

“This is the only place in the eastern district of Nassau, other than Bay Street Marina, that is going to take over the entertainment spotlight.

We have specialty evenings on Tuesday, Fridays and Sundays. On Father’s Day we are incorporating all of our specials into one day. We are exploring the flyers right now and we should have that completed for advertisement

for Father’s Day,” said the manager.

To offer both breakfast and lunch items, there will be a coffee bar available for those early morning patrons, as well as graband-go options throughout the day and into the evenings.

“We will have breakfast, bagels, muffins, and then transition into lunch where you can be able to get your salads, sandwiches, wraps, pasta salads and smoothies.

And the evening time at, we will have bar bites like shrimp cocktail, charcuterie boards, and all those kinds of high-end bar bites for the clientele.

“It is a full bar. And we will be moving into events on the upper deck. Also, we have a lounge area

that we will be utilising for clientele.”

Located just below The Poop Deck, the new esablishment’s scenery and atmosphere brings about a calming feeling, especially during sunset evenings.

“It is on the water and the only environment or any kind of bar that is set on the water in the harbour. It is a very peaceful spot where people will want to come and just relax the evening away, have a bar bite, communicate, network and associate with friends.

“We have captains and crew on super yachts coming in that are normally stationed in the harbour.

It is really like a hideaway spot for people who want to get away.

“We are going to be

MAN ACCUSED OF ATTEMPTED RAPE

By PAVEL BAILEY Tribune Court Reporter pbailey@tribunemedia.net

A MAN was accused in the Magistrate’s Court yesterday of attempting to rape a 29-year-old woman.

Gamaliel Gray, 29, represented by Attorney Ian Cargill, faced Assistant Chief Magistrate Carolyn Vogt-Evans on a charge of attempted rape.

On May 21, in New Providence, the accused is accused of trying to have sex with a 29-year-old woman without her consent.

Gray was not required to enter a plea at this time. He was informed that his case would proceed by way of a Voluntary Bill of Indictment (VBI).

The magistrate also told Gray that his case would be

heard before the Supreme Court, where he can also make an official bail application.

Until bail is granted, the accused will be remanded to the Bahamas Department of Correctional Services.

Gray is expected to return to court for service of his VBI on September 14.

UNLAWFUL SEX CHARGE FOR 55-YEAR-OLD SUSPECT

By PAVEL BAILEY Tribune Court Reporter pbailey@tribunemedia.net

A MAN was remanded in Magistrate’s Court yesterday accused of unlawfully having sex with a mentally unstable woman and assaulting her with a knife.

Yuel Major, 55, appeared before Assistant Chief Magistrate Subusola Swain on two counts of unlawful sexual intercourse with a person suffering from a mental disorder. Major also

faced an additional charge of assault with a deadly weapon.

Sometime between May 1–31 in New Providence, Major is accused of having sex with a woman suffering from a mental disorder and also assaulting her with a knife.

Major is also alleged to have had sex with the same mentally ill woman on June 5.

Because of the nature of the charges, Major was not required to enter a

plea at this time. He was informed that his matter would proceed by way of a Voluntary Bill of Indictment (VBI).

Major was also told that his case would be heard in the Supreme Court, where he can make an official bail application.

Until bail is granted, he will be remanded to the Bahamas Department of Correctional Services.

Major is expected to be served his VBI on September 6.

SUSPECT ACCUSED OF COPPER THEFT

By PAVEL BAILEY Tribune Court Reporter pbailey@tribunemedia.net

A MAN was granted $4,000 bail in Magistrate’s Court yesterday on charges of stealing and receiving almost $2k worth of copper wires from a woman’s house.

Tyvaughn Culmer, 41, of Bamboo Crest, appeared before Assistant Chief Magistrate Carolyn Vogt-Evans on charges of stealing and

receiving.

On May 25, he is alleged to have taken $1,911.94 worth of copper wires from Patricia Sweeting’s residence.

The accused pleaded not guilty to the charges.

After his plea, Culmer told the magistrate he is a law-abiding citizen and had been given permission to remove wires from the building which is undergoing renovations.

Culmer alleged that it was his neighbours who were conspiring against him.

Magistrate Vogt-Evans granted the accused $4,000 bail with one or two sureties.

Under the conditions of his bail, Culmer is to be fitted with an ankle monitor and is expected to sign in at South Beach Police Station every Sunday by 7pm.

Culmer’s trial will start on September 14.

$3,000 BAIL IN CAUSING HARM CASE

By PAVEL BAILEY Tribune Court Reporter pbailey@tribunemedia.net

A MAN, accused of causing harm to another man, was granted $3,000 bail in the Magistrate’s court yesterday.

Patterson Hepburn, 28, faced Assistant Chief Magistrate Carolyn Vogt-Evans

on a charge of causing harm to Vincent Hepburn on June 5 at West End Court, New Providence.

The accused pleaded not guilty to the charges.

There was no objection to bail. Under the conditions of his bail, Hepburn is not to interfere with any of the witnesses in this matter.

He must also sign in at the

Grove Police Station on the last Sunday of every month.

The magistrate warned the accused that if he fails to meet any of these conditions, his bail would be revoked. He would then be remanded to the Bahamas Department of Correctional Services.

Hepburn’s trial opens on September 14.

STAFF welcoming arrivals at the Crew House on East Bay Street.

Photo: Donavan McIntosh/Tribune Staff doing our very own coor- Right now, we are about to of The Crew House is to dinated specialty drinks, print our food menu and we be able to provide not only also specialising in marga- do have some items that are to the corporate crew, but ritas of different flavours. in place but we will be pop- also the crew of all boats. In And once the coffee bar is ulating that menu within the near future patrons can open in about three weeks’ the next week,” said the look forward to live band time, we will be specialising manager. entertainment on special in various coffee options.

He said the whole idea evenings.

PAGE 8, Friday, June 10, 2022

THE TRIBUNE

Rihanna’s radical pregnancy choices

By SERENA DYER Lecturer in History of Design and Material Culture, De Montfort University THERE is a stage in pregnancy where many women have to start thinking about switching out their clothes for maternity wear. Let’s be honest, the choices out there aren’t all too inspiring and women are often expected to give up on their sense of style in favour of comfort. Not singer Rihanna, though, whose refreshing approach to maternity fashion during her recent pregnancy rocked the world.

Since she announced in January 2022 that she was expecting her first child, she shunned the stretchy pants and tent dresses of traditional maternity wear.

Instead, she’s used fashion to embrace, display and celebrate her changing body.

She did not covered up her bump but showed it off in belly exposing garments

and tight form-fitting fashions.

From crop tops and low-rise jeans to removing the lining from a Dior cocktail dress to transform it into a belly-celebrating outfit Rihanna radicalised maternity fashion and how a pregnant body should be viewed.

CONCEALING PREGNANCY

From corsets to baggy sweatshirts, women’s waistlines have always been heavily monitored by society, and never more so than during pregnancy.

Often, women’s maternity wear does its best to conceal and accommodate pregnancy. Today, advice for expectant mothers can focus on techniques for disguising pregnancy or how to make the most of pretty dull options.

Society has framed pregnancy as a liminal time for women – a moment of

conversion from sexual appealing womanhood to matronly motherhood.

Fashion is central to how young women construct their identities, yet maternity fashions, arguably, lack creativity. With their drab designs that accommodate a growing body rather than celebrate it, maternity wear robs women of quirks, style and individuality, and instead confines them to the role of mother. To be a sexy mother, let alone a sexy pregnant woman like Rihanna, challenges this binary status of womanhood.

History’s moral arbiters, the Victorians, are to blame for this conservative anxiety around the status of women’s bodies.

Victorian moral values confined women to the domestic and framed their value around their piety, purity, submission and domesticity.

These Christian moral standards meant that even

pregnancy fashions were euphemistically named, advertised as “for the young matron” or “for the recently married lady”. In a puritanical culture where sex was framed as something women “endured” in order to become mothers, pregnancy was an uncomfortable reminder of the “sin” necessary to have children. Perceived as so improper, pregnancy wasn’t even directly referenced in medical books offering advice to expectant mothers, instead a bevvy of euphemisms were again employed.

RIHANNA, left, and ASAP Rocky appear at the Off-White Ready To Wear Fall/Winter 2022-2023 fashion collection, in Paris on February 28, and, above, Rihanna at the Dior Ready To Wear event on March 1.

However, Before for many mothers, the the 19th century, pregnancy shocking infant mortality was celebrated and put on rate and the likelihood of display in portraiture and miscarriage meant preg- through fashions designed nancy was often more around the pregnant body. feared than celebrated From the 1580s through in its earlier stages. This to about 1630, “pregnancy anxiety meant that preg- portraits” grew increasingly nant women could lose popular and could be seen freedom and as a distinct agency over sub-genre ‘With their drab their bodies of British once their designs that portraiture. pregnancy Marcus accommodate a was widely Gheeraerts’ growing body known. Once Woman in the pregnancy rather than Red, painted was visually celebrate it, in 1620, is evident, it a wondercould mean maternity wear ful example that a mother robs women of of this trend. could lose Rather than quirks, style and her job, be being hidden excluded from individuality, and away, the social events instead confines impending and confined arrival of an to her home. them to the role aristocratic So conceal- of mother. To be heir was pering pregnancy a sexy mother, formed and meantretaining celebrated independence. let alone a sexy on canvas This 19th- pregnant woman and through century like Rihanna, fashion. conservativism Perhaps still influences challenges this most fabubinary status of expectations lous was a around mater- womanhood.’

1793 fashnity wear ion to wear today. a false bump under your dress, known as a belly pad. Although the purpose of the belly pad has been disputed, commentators at the time Rihanna’s radiwrote about it as an imitacal denouncement of tor of pregnancy. traditional pregnancy fashIn April 1793, a reporter ion put her bump centre in The Sun newspaper stage. Critics framed her reported that “standing in a choices as indecent and shop of one of my acquaint“naked”, with her belly ance, a genteel young lady often fully on show, or came in and asked for a peeking out beneath fringPad. The man asked her ing or sheer fabrics. what size: She replied, Rihanna’s choices celabout Six Months.” Women ebrated the bodily realities throughout history have of pregnancy. As she told celebrated the power of the Vogue: “My body is doing bump. incredible things right now, There was something and I’m not going to be rather joyous about Rihanashamed of that. This time na’s radical pregnancy should feel celebratory. fashion choices. She shatBecause why should you be tered the misogynistic and hiding your pregnancy?” absurd Victorian notions Much like Beyonce of feminine decency that during her 2017 pregnancy, society holds on to. Rihanboth women position na’s pregnancy fashion was themselves as modern-day not just for the expectant fertility goddesses, whose mother. Rihanna’s radibodies should be venercal maternity fashion was ated, not concealed. a feminist act – we can all But you might be clothe, display and experisurprised to hear that ence our bodies however Rihanna’s bump-centric we see fit, no matter what styles were also popular they look like. among the Tudors and Fashion is a huge part of Georgians. how we express our identities, and a transition to motherhood should not erase the person we were before. So if you’re expecting, why not step out of the maternity-wear box and embrace something a bit more daring, a bit more you?

CELEBRATING THE BUMP

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• Originally published on theconversation.com.

THE TRIBUNE

Friday, June 10, 2022, PAGE 9 ACTOR Matthew McConaughey holds a picture or Alithia Ramirez, 10, who was killed in the mass shooting at an elementary school in Uvalde, Texas, as he speaks during a press briefing at the White House, and, below, his wife, Camila Alves McConaughey, holds a pair of green Converse tennis shoes similar to those worn by Uvalde shooting victim Maite Yuleana Rodriguez, 10.

Green high-top Converse a symbol of pain too much to bear FOR A moment last Tuesday, Mathew McConaughey could have run for and been elected President of the United States. For a moment, the Oscar-winning actor took us all where we needed to be – in the heart of Uvalde, Texas where on May 24, a deranged 18-yearold brandishing an AR15 walked into an elementary school and for 40 minutes before the SWAT team arrived went on a killing spree, leaving 19 children and two teachers dead.

The actor spoke at the White House on gun responsibility, trying to make sense out of the senseless killing of those 19 innocent children in grades three and four in that little town in Texas called Uvalde, the same town where McConaughey was born. McConaughey and his wife went to Uvalde.

They spoke with parents of the slain children who had gone to school that morning like any other morning with dreams of what they wanted to do when they grew up. With misty eyes and choking back emotion, McConaughey called out their names, urging Congress to overcome its divisiveness and unite on a single matter so that the lives of those who died would matter.

Uvalde was personal to him and McConaughey made it personal to the nation, reinforcing the theme “To make the loss of these lives matter”. He held a nation in his hands, his words measured and thoughtful, his performance stunning and heartbreaking. For nearly 20 minutes, he begged and pleaded and urged leaders to enact responsible gun policy.

Never once did he hint

By Diane Phillips

that the Second Amendment was wrong or was to blame. He’s a Texan who said, instead, that there is a middle ground, and responsible gun owners are “fed up with the Second Amendment being abused and hijacked by some deranged individuals”.

McConaughey started in a calm and measured voice, a voice that sometimes shook with the pain he felt when he talked to the parents who lost their children and the children who lost their friends, the “hollow” third and fourth graders who watched their classmates get slaughtered.

McConaughey became one with their pain, one with the little ten-year-old girl who smeared her dead friend’s blood all over her so if the killer came back and saw her he would think she was dead.

McConaughey is an actor, after all, so you expect him to bring his all, but the all he brought was beyond Oscar-winning performance. It erupted from the heart and the gut and the urgency that America is at a crossroads, on the verge of losing its place as the country the world looks up to and becoming the country the world no longer understands.

His performance was so powerful that TV channels got wind of it and roadblocked their regular shows, even CNN tuning

out whatever was on to tune in to whatever message McConaughey was delivering. Al Jazeera carried it live. And when McConaughey’s voice rose and he held up a pair of green high top Converse shoes with a heart on the toe of the right shoe, a heart like the one little Maite Rodriguez had hand-painted on the pair she wore every day to school before her body was obliterated by an MR-15 automatic weapon in the hands of an 18-yearold who should never have been able to purchase a weapon of war and take it into a classroom of little children, McConaughey delivered the performance of his life.

No writer could have scripted more dramatic lines. How do you write a script of bodies so mutilated that they can only be identified by their DNA or what was left of the green high top Converse sneakers worn by a ten-year-old who only wanted to grow up to be a marine biologist and live by the ocean she wanted to protect?

I suppose that those sneakers will become a symbol of sorts for a movement toward responsible gun policy.

If they do, if Congress can get over the partisanship that has divided a nation and unite on a single issue that will help make America’s schools,

DEMOLITION BY NEGLECT IT STARTED with demolition by neglect, the term given to buildings left to rot by owners who no longer want to care for them, and ended with demolition by bulldozer.

Now, two historic buildings on Cumberland Street that could have been salvaged and become sterling examples of two-story classic Bahamian architecture years ago have finally been torn down, reducing the number assigned to the Dirty Dozen structures in downtown Nassau. It will be interesting to see what goes up in their place.

For the moment, it is a gaping reminder that our real property tax structure rewards those who keep their property values low by lack of maintenance despite location and penalises those whose properties are well-maintained.

Many urban areas have managed to provide incentives for restoration by offering tax exemption for buildings carefully restored.

Quite a few homes and office buildings in Nassau and Eleuthera received up to 20 years tax exemption

many years ago when the Special Historic Properties Project Committee was created by the Ministry of Finance.

Perhaps it is time to revive such a committee and authorise it to review carefully, inspect and provide economic benefit analysis. It’s a lot better than watching a building crumble with broken windows, chipped paint and spalling concrete.

We cannot afford to continue depleting our treasure trove of distinct Bahamian architecture.

Incentivise and flourish.

churches, grocery stores, hospitals and neighbourhoods safe again, then maybe the loss of those lives will matter.

All l can say is this and I say it with more sadness than I should.

There was a time I was proud to be American, when I stood if the National Anthem was played at the start of a football game, even if I was watching at home on a Sunday afternoon, just as I stand and sing every word of the far more beautiful Bahamian

National Anthem any chance I get and every event I attend. I am blessed to have dual citizenship and I know it.

Maybe my pride in being American was not as deep as my pride in being Bahamian because I had to earn the latter whereas I only had to emerge whole from my mother’s womb to be awarded the former. But I never thought I would feel a sense of shame and that shame would have come close to being unbearable on May 24, the day

of Uvalde, a week after Buffalo.

Thank you, Matthew McConaughey, for restoring a glimmer of hope. May your words resonate with those who have the power to make Americans proud of being part of the nation that gave the world so much before the stain started to overshadow the majesty and may we go back to being each other’s keeper.

And you can go back to driving that Lincoln, making the simplest car ad on TV the sexiest.

Funeral Service For

Trudy Prescola Emmanuel, 65 a resident of #3 Catherine Street, Nassau Village, will be held on Zoom on Saturday, June 11, 2022 at 2:00 p.m. Officiating will be Bro. Steven Bain.

Cremation was held.

Zoom: Meeting ID: 86563966911 Passcode: 434501 She is survived by mother: Ethel Roker; husband: Isaac Emmanuel; 4 children: Albertha Simms-Smith, Marcus Simms, Sophia Simms, Doris Woodside; 1 daughter-in-law: Gliniss Simms; 1 son-in-law: Reuben Smith; 4 sisters: Jennis Sweeting, Christine Johnson, Mary Strachan, Lisa Archer; 1 brother: Kevin Strachan; 3 brothers-in-law: Police Reserve Srgt. Peter Sweeting, Emerson Johnson, Creswell Archer; 1 uncle: Gulfrey Bowe from Atlanta Georgia; 1 aunt: Celestine Bowe from Atlanta Georgia; grandchildren: Shiloh, Judah, Justin, Ashtin, Daniel, Sarai, Darrius, Jaden, Jacksonique; numerous nieces and nephews: including: Ryan, Carlos, Michael, Emerson Jr., Theodore, Latoya, P/C 3767 Shaquille Sweeting, Anfernee, Cecile, Ashnic, Creslin, Creswell Jr., Shavanteh, Hillary, Bobby, Kayrell, Laurie, Lauren, Floyd Jr.; best friend: Monica Smith; and a host of other relatives and friends including: Rev Ishmael Martin and the Martin family, The Jehovah Witness Family, Neighbors including Toya and Miss Mary and the Nassau Village Community and other relatives and friends.

Arrangements are being handled by Demeritte’s Funeral Home, Market Street.

PAGE 10, Friday, June 10, 2022

THE TRIBUNE

SANDALS SEX CASE COUPLE HIRE EX-AG from page one

night before their destination wedding at that resort’s property,” District judge Analisa Torres, sitting in the southern New York federal court said in summarising their action back in 2020.

“They bring claims against Sandals Royal Bahamian, its parent company, Sandals Resort International, and the tour company that helped book their wedding, Travel Impressions, for negligence, loss of consortium on behalf of Jeffrey, and breach of contract.”

Delving deeper into the allegations, the verdict recalled: “In April 2016, plaintiffs planned a destination wedding at the resort property operated by Sandals Royal Bahamian in The Bahamas. Sandals Royal Bahamian is a subsidiary of Sandals Resorts International, which ‘sets policy for, directs and maintains throughout all its affiliate resorts – brand compliance and uniformity of accommodations, services, food, beverage, housekeeping, water sports, and all other environments, decor, and activities’.

“The wedding was booked through Travel Impressions. On the basis of the deal negotiated with Travel Impressions, the plaintiffs invited some 70 guests to their destination wedding at Sandals Royal Bahamian’s property. During plaintiffs’ stay at Sandals Royal Bahamian’s property, they were assigned a butler, who was an employee of Sandals Royal Bahamian.

“After a cocktail party held on the night before plaintiffs’ wedding, that employee ‘entered the bedroom of’ Ms Pascarella, and ‘undertook surreptitiously to molest, fondle, grope and take sexual liberties of’ her. She screamed for help, and resort

security apprehended the butler.

He was later charged with indecent assault in a Bahamian court.”

The butler, Moral Adderley, has vigorously denied that such an attack occurred even though he pleaded guilty to indecent assault in a Magistrate’s Court. He said he changed his initial ‘not guilty’ plea in an effort to escape serving prison time and thus missing his father’s funeral.

Tribune Business previously reported how the all-inclusive resort chain’s legal advisers had urged that the case be dismissed on the basis that the couple had signed a document agreeing that all legal disputes be resolved in The Bahamas.

This stipulated that “all claims” against Sandals “shall be governed solely by the laws of the Bahamas as the exclusive choice of law, and further that the courts of the Bahamas shall be the exclusive venue/forum for any proceedings, claims or litigation whatsoever.”

With the case being thrown out in the US, the couple was left to face paying security for costs to the second defendants.

A written ruling lists the Pascarella’s as the plaintiffs.

West Bay Management Ltd (Sandals Royal Bahamian Spa and Resort Offshore Island), Sandals Resort International Ltd and Moral Adderley are named as the defendants.

Mr Bethel is listed as appearing for the plaintiffs, while Chizelle Cargill, with Tonesa Munnings, represented the defendants.

On March 18, 2021 acting Justice Tara Cooper-Burnside granted an order for costs to the second defendants against the US couple who are not residents of The Bahamas.

The terms of this order included that the Pascarellas had 28 days to

give security for the first defendants costs in the sum of $15,000.

This was to be paid either to the court or a joint bank account held in the names of both counsel for the plaintiffs and counsel for the first defendant.

Additionally, all further proceedings in this action as against the first defendant were to be stayed until security was paid.

The ruling added: “The court of its own motion grants leave to the plaintiffs to amend their statement of claim filed on December 9, 2021.

“The plaintiffs amended statement of claim filed March 16, 2021 shall stand as their amended statement of claim.”

The Pascarellas were also to pay the first defendant the cost of any amended defence filed by the first defendant such as costs to be taxed if not agreed. The couple were also to pay the first defendants the cost of and occasioned by the application for security for costs such as costs to be taxed if not agreed.

However, they did not comply with the order and by summons ruled on September 1, 2021 Sandals applied for an order that unless the couple paid within seven days of the date of the order granting this application, security for the first defendants cost and pursuant to the order made on March 18, 2021 the action commenced by the plaintiff against the first defendant shall be dismissed with costs to the first defendant. This was supported by an affidavit of Ms Munnings filed on the same date.

This summons was heard on November 29, 2021, simultaneously with a summons filed on May 3, 2021, by Keod Smith for leave to withdraw as counsel for the Pascarellas.

Mr Smith was given leave to withdraw as counsel for the

plaintiffs and the court made an order that if the couple did not on or before December 18, 2022 give security in the sum of $15,000 for the first defendants costs in this action by lodgement into court of the said sum.

Additionally, until such lodgement was made and notice given to the first defendant all proceedings in the action against the first defendant shall remain stayed.

Also, in default of the making such lodgements within the ordered timeframe the plaintiffs’ action against the first defendant shall be struck out without further order, with costs to be paid by the plaintiffs to the first defendant, such costs to be taxed if not agreed.

“The plaintiffs failed to comply with this order and sought by summons files on December 21, 2021, to obtain an extension of time to comply with the court’s order made on November 29, 2021.

The first defendant objected,” the written ruling read.

“In the plaintiff’s supporting affidavit there were exhibits of the names of attorneys and confirmation that a wire transfer for the security for costs in the sum of $15,000 has been received by Halsbury Chambers.”

Justice Cooper-Burnside said she accepted the event of the plaintiff and found that their delay in complying with the order granted them additional time to comply with the order for security costs “was neither intentional nor contumelious”.

She added that while she did find some sympathy with the plaintiffs’ plight in retaining local counsel, “I am mindful that the power to extend time ‘when there has been non-compliance with a peremptory order of the court must be used with caution and usually on stringent conditions’.”

“I must consider the prejudice

and hardship of the second defendant and in particular the expense to which it has been subjected as a result of the plaintiffs non-compliance with these court orders,” Justice Cooper-Burnside went on to note in her ruling.

The ruling also drew attention to West Bay Management already having three orders for costs in its favour.

They included: the first costs order which was made with respect to the security for costs application. West Bay Management filed and served its bill of costs claiming costs in the sum of $22,310.50; a second cost order was made with respect to the plaints’ application to amend their statement of claim costs in the sum of $2,850; and the third costs order was made with respect to the application for the unless order. West Bay Management filed and served its bill of costs claiming costs in the sum of $10,428.

While the total costs of these three applications is 35,588.50 the court said it was mindful that this figure represented untaxed costs that would be reduced by at least one third on taxation.

“Though and in any event, it is pellucid that the existing sum for security for costs will be insufficient given the existing cost orders against the plaintiff and further and more importantly, that this action is in its infancy stage and more interlocutory applications may become necessary.”

As a result, the justice granted leave to extend the time for the payment of the security for costs in the sum of $15,000 by the close of business on May 6, 2022; additional security for costs in the sum of $15,000 to be paid by no later than May 23, 2022; costs to the second defendant of this application fixed at $3,500 to be paid no later than May 23, 2022.

Hearings begin into Capitol riot WASHINGTON Associated Press THE HOUSE panel investigating the January 6 insurrection at the US Capitol laid the blame firmly on Donald Trump last night, saying the assault was hardly spontaneous but an “attempted coup” and a direct result of the defeated president’s effort to overturn the 2020 election.

With a never-beforeseen 12-minute video of the deadly violence and startling testimony from Trump’s most inner circle, the House 1/6 committee provided gripping detail in contending that Trump’s repeated lies about election fraud and his public effort to stop Joe Biden’s victory led to the attack and imperiled American democracy “Democracy remains in danger,” said Rep Bennie Thompson, D-Miss, chairman of the panel, during the hearing, timed for prime time to reach as many Americans as possible.

“January 6 was the culmination of an attempted coup, a brazen attempt, as one rioter put it shortly after January 6, to overthrow the government,” Thompson said. “The violence was no accident.”

In a previously unseen video clip, the panel played a quip from former Attorney General Bill Barr who testified that he told Trump the claims of a rigged election were “bull——.”

In another, the former president’s daughter, Ivanka Trump, testified

to the committee that she respected Barr’s view that there was no election fraud.

“I accepted what he said.”

Others showed leaders of the extremist Oath Keepers and Proud Boys preparing to storm the Capitol to stand up for Trump. Testifying in person was one of the offices, Caroline Edwards, who suffered serious injuries as she battled the mob that pushed into the Capitol.

“President Trump summoned a violent mob,” said Rep Liz Cheney, R-Wyo, the panel’s vice chair who took the lead for much of the hearing. “When a president fails to take the steps necessary to preserve our union — or worse, causes a constitutional crisis — we’re in a moment of maximum danger for our republic.”

There was an audible gasp in the hearing room, when Cheney read an account that said when Trump was told the Capitol mob was chanting for Vice President Mike Pence to be hanged, Trump responded that maybe they were right, that he “deserves it”.

Trump was angry that Pence, presiding in the House chamber, refused his order to reject the certification of Biden’s victory.

Police officers who had fought off the mob consoled one another as they sat in the committee room reliving the violence they faced on January 6. Officer Harry Dunn teared up as bodycam footage showed rioters bludgeoning his colleagues

with flagpoles and baseball bats.

Biden, in Los Angeles for the Summit of the Americas, said many viewers were “going to be seeing for the first time a lot of the detail that occurred”.

Trump, unapologetic, dismissed the investigation anew — and even declared on social media that January 6 “represented the greatest movement in the history of our country”.

Repubicans on the House Judiciary Committee tweeted: “All. Old. News.”

The result of the coming weeks of public hearings may not change hearts or minds in politically polarised America. But the committee’s investigation with 1,000 interviews is intended to stand as a public record for history. A final report aims to provide an accounting of the most violent attack on the Capitol since the British set fire to it in 1814, and to ensure such an attack never happens again.

The riot left more than 100 police officers injured, many beaten and bloodied, as the crowd of pro-Trump rioters, some armed with pipes, bats and bear spray, charged into the Capitol.

At least nine people who were there died during and after the rioting, including a woman who was shot and killed by police.

Emotions are still raw at the Capitol, and security will be tight for the hearings. Law enforcement officials are reporting a spike in violent threats

against members of Congress.

Against this backdrop, the committee was speaking to a divided America, ahead of the fall midterm elections when voters decide which party controls Congress. Most TV networks carried the hearing live, but Fox News Channel did not.

Among those in the audience were several lawmakers who were trapped together in the House gallery during the attack.

“We want to remind people, we were there, we saw what happened,” said Rep Dean Phillips, D-Minn. “We know how close we came to the first non-peaceful transition of power in this country.”

The committee chairman, civil rights leader Thompson opened the hearing with sweep of American history. saying he heard in those denying the stark reality of January 6 his own experience growing up in a time and place “where people justified the action of slavery, the Ku Klux Klan and lynching”.

Republican Rep Cheney, the daughter of former Vice President Dick Cheney, outlined what the committee has learned about the events leading up to that brisk January day when Trump sent his supporters to Congress to “fight like hell” for his presidency as lawmakers undertook the typically routine job of certifying the previous November’s results.

Among those testifying was documentary maker

Nick Quested, who filmed the Proud Boys storming the Capitol — along with a pivotal meeting between the group’s then-chairman Henry “Enrique” Tarrio and another extremist group, the Oath Keepers, the night before in nearby parking garage.

Court documents show that members of the Proud Boys and Oath Keepers were discussing as early as November a need to fight to keep Trump in office. Leaders both groups and some members have since been indicted on rare sedition charges over the militarystyle attack.

In the weeks ahead, the panel is expected to detail Trump’s public campaign to “Stop the Steal” and the private pressure he put on the Justice Department to reverse his election loss — despite dozens of failed court cases and his own attorney general attesting there was no fraud on a scale that could have tipped the results in his favor.

The panel faced obstacles from its start. Republicans blocked the formation of an independent body that could have investigated the January 6 assault the way the 9/11 Commission probed the 2001 terror attack.

Instead, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi ushered the creation of the 1/6 panel through Congress over the objections of Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell. She rejected Republican-appointed

lawmakers who had voted on January 6 against certifying the election results, eventually naming seven Democrats and two Republicans.

House GOP Leader Kevin McCarthy, who has been caught up in the probe and has defied the committee’s subpoena for an interview, echoed Trump yesterday. He called the panel a “scam” and labeled the investigation a political “smokescreen” for Democrats’ priorities.

The hearings are expected to introduce Americans to a cast of characters, some well known, others elusive, and to what they said and did as Trump and his allies tried to reverse the election outcome.

The public will learn about the actions of Mark Meadows, the president’s chief of staff, whose 2,000-plus text messages provided the committee with a snapshot of the real-time scramble to keep Trump in office. Of John Eastman, the conservative law professor who was the architect of the unsuccessful scheme to persuade Vice President Pence to halt the certification on January 6. Of the Justice Department officials who threatened to resign rather than go along with Trump’s proposals.

The Justice Department has arrested and charged more than 800 people for the violence that day, the biggest dragnet in its history.

SPORTS PAGE 11

FRIDAY, JUNE 10, 2022

Miller-Uibo settles for fourth in 200m

By BRENT STUBBS Senior Sports Reporter bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

S

haunae MillerUibo, preparing for another medal at the World Championships in Eugene, Oregon in July, had to settle for a fourth-place finish in her season debut in the women’s 200 metres yesterday at the Wanda Diamond League in Rome.

The reigning two-time Olympic 400m champion ran out of lane seven where she got caught and passed on the curve. She tried to make up the deficit coming down on the home stretch, but she didn’t reel in the top three finishers as she clocked 22.48 seconds in the half-lap race.

Jamaican Shericka Jackson, running out of lane four, powered off the curve ahead of the pack and went on to win the race in 21.91

as she posted a season’s best and erased the meet record of 22.06 that Great Britain’s Dana AsherSmith established last year.

Asher-Smith, in lane five, got third in her season’s best of 22.27 after she trailed Jamaican and double 100/200 Olympic champion Elaine Thompson-Herah, who did her season’s best of 22.25 for second out of lane six.

American phenom Allyson Felix, who was also in the race, finished seventh in 22.97 in lane eight. Switzerland’s Mujinga Kambundji, the World Indoor 60m champion, was sixth out of lane three in her season’s best of 22.80.

After two races in the series of races on the Wanda Diamond League, Miller-Uibo is now sitting tied in fifth place with five points with American Tamara Clark. Jackson has surged out front with 15

MILLER-Uibo points with Asher-Smith in second with 12, American Gabrielle Thomas third with eight and ThompsonHerah in fourth with seven.

Fellow Bahamian Anthonique Strachan, a training partner of Jackson in Jamaica with the MVP Track Club, is tied for seventh with Marie-Josee Ta Lou of the Ivory Coast with four points. While Strachan

didn’t compete in the meet on Thursday, Ta Lou was fifth behind Miller-Uibo in 22.77.

The 28-year-old MillerUibo was the only Bahamian competing in the meet, but there were a number of others representing their respective schools at the National Collegiate Athletic Association’s Outdoor Track and Field Championships at the Hayward Field in Eugene, Oregon.

Men at NCAA Outdoors As the men’s division kicked off the first of the four days of competition at the NCAA Outdoor Championships, Grand Bahamian Terrence Jones finished 12th overall in his freshman year for Texas Tech in the 100m in 10.23.

He placed fifth in his heat.

The men’s 200m saw Wanya McCoy, a freshman at Clemson University,

post a time of 20.54 for 15th place after he came in fourth in his heat.

In relay competition, Ohio State, competing in the last of the three heats of the 4 x 100m race, did not advance to the final.

The team, which featured Bahamian sophomore Adrian Curry, was ninth in their heat in 39.12 for 14th place overall.

The only two men left to compete are Ohio State’s sophomore Shaun Miller Jr and Kansas State’s senior Kyle Alcine, who were listed as the first and fifth competitors in a field of 24 to compete today in the final of the men’s high jump.

Women at NCAA Outdoors The women, featuring quarter-miler Megan Moss and triple jumper Charisma Taylor, were scheduled to compete yesterday and Saturday respectively.

Swimmers get set for FINA Worlds

By BRENT STUBBS Senior Sports Reporter bstubbs@tribunemedia.net BAHAMAS Aquatics’ four-member team named to the FINA World Aquatics Championships are all set for their trip to Budapest, Hungary, June 18 to July 3.

Representing the Bahamas will be ZaylieElizabeth Thompson, Lilly Higgs, Lamar Taylor and Izaak Bastian.

• Here’s a look at the four competitors: Zaylie-Elizabeth Thompson Thompson is an 18-yearold daughter of Dr Woodley C and Verneque Thompson. She has two older brothers, MarkAnthony Thompson, 19, and Luke-Kennedy Thompson, 20, who also competes in swimming with the Alpha Aquatics Swim Club.

A 2021 graduate of St Andrews International

IZAAK Bastian

LILLY Higgs

LAMAR Taylor

ZAYLIE Thompson

School, Thompson is currently in her freshman year at Howard University where she is majoring in health science and is being coached by David Deal and Cueto Jimenez.

Thompson has represented the Bahamas at the CARIFTA Swimming, CCCAN and Caribbean Island Swimming Championships, but she will be making her debut at the World Championships.

As for her expectations, she noted that she just wants to “be exposed

to a new level of the sport and be able to see what it’s like to compete at the top levels.”

When asked about her personal expectations, Thompson said she aims “to do my best in representing my country and looking for some outstanding individual swims.”

In preparation for the championships when she contests the 100m freestyle and 200m individual medley (IM), Thompson said her training has been going well. “I’m confident

that I will perform well and at the highest level,” she stated.

“I’m excited to see how my freshman year of training combined with the training with my local coach at home has set me up for some amazing swims.”

Lilly Higgs Higgs, 21, is the daughter of Chris and Pleasant Higgs. She also has two sisters, Albury and Stella Higgs. Having graduated from WA Hough High School in 2018, Higgs

currently attends the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill where she is majoring in exercise and sports science.

Coached by Mark Gangloff, Higgs has a wealth of international experience, having represented the Bahamas at the CARIFTA Games, the Jr World Championships in 2015 and 2017; the Jr Pan Pacs in 2016; the Commonwealth Games in 2018; the Pan Am Games in 2019 and the

SEE PAGE 14

Jazz, page 14

PROSPECTS MAKE PRO DEBUT IN MINOR LEAGUE BASEBALL

By RENALDO DORSETT Tribune Sports Reporter rdorsett@tribunemedia.net THE newest group of Bahamian baseball prospects made their professional debuts in the Dominican Summer League (DSL) while others progressed to the Arizona (ACL) and Florida (FCL) Complex Leagues for their respective franchises.

Kashon Conliffe had a dynamic opening week for the DSL Padres with a multi home-run game and five RBI in a 10-1 win over the DSL Diamondbacks Red on June 8.

The 16-year-old centrefielder hit leadoff in the lineup and hit a two run shot in the third inning to score the first runs of the game. He returned in the sixth inning with a three run home run for the game’s final scores.

Conliffe is hitting .273 with six RBI, three stolen bases and four runs scored through three games.

He signed with the Padres out of the Maximum Development Academy in January.

Padres International Crosschecker, Bill McLaughlin, was optimistic on Conliffe’s dynamic athleticism.

“He’s a great athlete, we believe in athletes and we believe athletes make adjustments. We’re going to push him hard and I think he is going to do really well,” McLaughlin said.

“It is going to be a lot of hard work. We have a vision of great things for him and hopefully he has the same vision. Hopefully they can come true.”

Miami Marlins prospects Cherif Neymour and Toby Simmons each achieved milestones this week with the first hits of their pro career.

Both players got their hits in the DSL Marlins’ 5-4 win over the DSL Athletics on opening day, June 6.

Neymour, a 17-year-old shortstop, hit leadoff and also added a stolen base while Simmons, also 17,

SEE PAGE 12

Blatter and Platini Russian champion reiterate innocence bashes Bach, shows in testimony to court sympathy for Ukrainians

By DANIELLA MATAR AP Sports Writer BELLINZONA, Switzerland (AP) — Sepp Blatter and Michel Platini strongly reiterated their innocence as the two former soccer leaders were questioned on day two of their criminal trial on charges of defrauding FIFA. Blatter was due to testify on the opening day on Wednesday but the former FIFA president said he was bothered by chest pains and asked to respond the following morning.

“I feel much better, thank you,” the 86-year-old Blatter said at the start of yesterday’s session at the Federal Criminal Court of Switzerland in Bellinzona.

Blatter’s 17-year reign as president came to an end in June 2015, when he resigned amid a corruption

By EDDIE PELLS AP National Writer

FORMER FIFA president Sepp Blatter is surrounded by media as he leaves the Swiss Federal Criminal Court in Bellinzona, Switzerland, on Wednesday.

(Alessandro Crinari/Keystone via AP) scandal. A few months later, federal prosecutors in Switzerland revealed their investigation into a $2 million payment from FIFA

to Platini from four years earlier.

SEE PAGE 15

OLYMPIC champion high jumper Maria Lasitskene, likely to be banned from defending her three straight world titles next month, lashed out at the leaders of the IOC and World Athletics, and expressed sympathy for her Ukrainian competitors in a heartfelt open letter distributed yesterday.

Lasitskene will likely be kept out of the world championships in Eugene, Oregon, because of a World Athletics decision to bar all Russians in wake of the country’s war against Ukraine.

The 29-year-old, who has never lost a major international competition, has been among the few Russians allowed in international events in recent years despite the suspension of the country’s athletics federation due to the long-running doping scandal in that country.

This year, however, World Athletics plans to ban all Russians, barring a late and unexpected end to the war in

SEE PAGE 12

RUSSIA’s Maria Lasitskene celebrates without a flag after winning the gold medal in the women’s high jump final during the World Athletics Championships in London August 12, 2017.

(AP Photo/Matt Dunham)

PAGE 12, Friday, June 10, 2022

THE TRIBUNE

FIFA NATIONS LEAGUE QUALIFIER: BAHAMAS VS NICARAGUA TODAY

By BRENT STUBBS Senior Sports Reporter bstubbs@tribunemedia.net TEAM Bahamas head coach Nesly Jean says they are looking forward to playing Nicaragua today at 5 pm in their first of two meetings in the FIFA Nations League Qualifier.

The match will be played at the Thomas A Robinson National Stadium and will be the third in less than two weeks for Team Bahamas.

“Obviously, the game plan is to go out there and try to win,” said Jean, who is now into his fourth year as the head coach. “It will be a big boost to try and get on top of our group.

“Obviously, the guys have been doing very well for the last two games, although we didn’t get the result we were looking for in the last game, but hopefully we can turn it around and get it in this game.”

Jean was referring to Team Bahamas’ 1-0 loss to Trinidad and Tobago on Monday. The loss came after the team won by identical scores over St Vincent and the Grenadines the Friday before.

Back home, Jean feels some good old home cooking and the fans in the stands will make a huge difference in the game today.

“When the guys have their parents and friends and the whole country behind us, it actually gives us an extra boost,” Jean said.

And one of the key factors in being at home is the fact that the team has the luxury of substituting one of two players to get the maximum team performance.

Christopher Rahming, a midfielder/forward, said the match against Trinidad and

Tobago turned out to be a confidence booster that they hope will carry over against Nicaragua.

“We realise that we could play with these fellows, and we could match up with them,” Rahming said.

“So going into this game, I want to carry on what I started and hopefully I can be more confident on the ball and try to make things happen.”

He noted that although they are a young team, they have a bright future ahead of them if they continue to develop.

William Wells, a midfielder, was on the team that played here against St Vincent, but he didn’t make the trip to Trinidad. He said if selected to play in the game, he will be ready.

“I am optimistic about the team and I’m positive that we can get a win against Nicaragua,” he said.

“I’m confident that with the team and the players we have, we can do great things.”

Nicaragua’s head coach Marcos Figueroa said although they have never played against the Bahamas, they are looking forward to their initial meeting.

“The expectations is the same with all our matches,” he said. “We came to win, and we are going to play to win.”

Nicaragua is coming off a 1-1 tie against St Vincent and the Grenadines in their last match played on Monday in St Vincent.

In their opening match of the series, they beat Trinidad @ Tobago 2-1 in Nicaragua.

“The tie was tough for us,” Figueroa said. “We hope tomorrow is different with the Bahamas.”

BAHAMAS senior men’s national soccer team.

NICARAGUA national soccer team members pose for a group photo.

Figueroa said it was difficult making the trip here.

But he said that they are looking forward to the

match. Immediately after the match, both teams will head to Nicaragua on Saturday to play against each

other in Nicaragua on Monday.

Nicaragua’s team captain Juan Barrera said they will

Portugal, Spain win to set up Nations League Final 4 battle

By TALES AZZONI AP Sports Writer

PORTUGAL and Spain picked up victories in the Nations League yesterday to set up a battle between the Iberian neighbours for a spot in the Final Four.

Portugal took sole possession of the lead in Group 2 of the top-tier League A by defeating the Czech Republic 2-0, while Spain earned a first win and moved into second place by edging past struggling Switzerland 1-0 in Geneva.

Portugal, the inaugural champion in 2019, is two points ahead of Spain and three in front of the Czechs after three matches. Only the group winners make it to the Final Four, while the last-placed teams will be relegated.

“It’s still wide open,” Portugal coach Fernando Santos said.

It was the second consecutive win for Cristiano Ronaldo’s Portugal after it had opened with a draw against Spain, last year’s runner-up to France.

The Spaniards ended their winless run with the victory over last-place Switzerland, which has

MINORS FROM PAGE 11

played right field and hit fourth. In yesterday’s 8-4 win over the DSL Mariners Neymour continued his streak of milestones with his first multi hit game. He went 3-4, drove in his first RBI and scored two runs with his second stolen base of the season.

Both players also signed in January out of the

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lost all its matches. The Swiss hadn’t been beaten at home in eight years in a run of 23 matches.

“Professional soccer is about results,” Spain coach Luis Enrique said.

“We were able to impose our style.”

Portugal opened the scoring with João Cancelo’s low shot from a narrow angle in the 33rd minute, and Gonçalo Guedes added to the lead five minutes later from inside the area after an assist by Bernardo Silva.

Defender Pepe made his 127th appearance, joining Luis Figo for third-best all-time for Portugal.

The duo are behind the 145 appearances of João Moutinho and the 188 of Ronaldo.

Spain got on the board in the 13th minute with Pablo Sarabia redirecting a cross by Marcos Llorente for a goal that had to be confirmed by video review to check for offside.

“It was about time we won,” Sarabia said. “These three points are very valuable for us.”

It was the teams’ first meeting since Spain defeated the Swiss on penalties in the quarterfinals

PORTUGAL’S GONÇALO GUEDES, right, is tackled by Czech Republic’s Michal Sadilek during the UEFA Nations League soccer match between Portugal and the Czech Republic, at the Jose Alvalade Stadium in Lisbon yesterday.

(AP Photo/Armando Franca) of the European Champi- 0-0 home draw with Slo- with a goal by Luka Jovic onship last year. venia. Haaland arrived to jump to second place, Portugal will close play as one of the Nations three points ahead of the in the June international League’s leading scorers Swedes. window in Switzerland on with three goals.

In League C, Kosovo Sunday.

Norway leads Group defeated Northern Ireland Spain host the Czech 4 while Slovenia, which 3-2, Greece routed Cyprus Republic. was a man down from the 3-0, Gibraltar drew 1-1 In the second-tier 63rd after Miha Blazic was with Bulgaria and Georgia League B, Erling Haaland sent off, is in last place. defeated North Macedodrew a blank in Norway’s Serbia won 1-0 at Sweden nia 3-0.

International Elite Sports Academy.

Adrian Puig, Miami Marlins international crosschecker, said his organisation will continue to explore The Bahamas for its rich talent pool.

“We’re excited to have these two athletic, dynamic players with the Marlins officially.

“It’s no secret, we’re going to continue to come back here and are going to try and be here every single year,” he said.

San Francisco Giants prospect Ryan Reckley scored his first run in the DSL Giants’ 15-10 win over the DSL Tigers 1.

A Maximum Development Academy prospect, the 17-year-old shortstop was the top signing of the

Giants’ 2022 recruiting class.

Giants director of international scouting, Joe Salermo, said Reckley’s foundation in addition to his play on the field made him one of the Giant’s top targets for the last few years.

“It’s been a pleasure watching Reckley play the last two and-a-half years,” he said. “The one common theme from all of our scouts that came out of watching Reckley play was that he was a professional on and off the field and that is a tribute to his family.”

Texas Rangers prospect Zion Bannister got his Arizona Complex League season off to an impressive start in his season debut.

Bannister went 3-4 with a double in his ACL Rangers’ 4-2 win over the ACL Dodgers.

The highly touted outfield prospect was called up to the club’s main roster for Spring Training for Cactus League play in Surprise, Arizona.

Bannister was signed by the Rangers in July 2019 and was made his debut on the Dominican Summer League roster the following month.

As a member of the DSL Rangers 2 and he hit .273 with six hits, one RBI, and a .333 OPS. He progressed to the AZL Rangers of the Arizona Rookie League on August 15 as a late season call up and appeared in 37 games where he hit .227

with six doubles, two home runs and 15 RBI. Los Angeles Angels prospect Kristin Munroe is also assigned to the ACL. Adari Grant (St Louis Cardinals) headlines the list of Bahamian players assigned to the Florida Complex League.

Grant spent his rookie season with the DSL Cardinals Blue.

He finished with a batting average of .220 with a .691 OPS on the season with 22 hits, one home run, six RBI, and seven stolen bases.

Dax Stubbs (Baltimore Orioles), Everette Cooper (Houston Astros) Andre Arthur (Miami Marlins) and Steven Adderley (Miami Marlins) will also participate in the FCL.

be ready for the match. He said he hopes the team can get three points against the Bahamas.

RUSSIAN FROM PAGE 11

Ukraine. Shortly after the start of the war, the IOC recommended international sports federations ban Russian and Belarusian athletes.

Lasitskene’s open letter to IOC President Thomas Bach criticises his recommendation to ban Russian athletes as a way of protecting them from possible backlash at worldwide events. She argued that keeping Russians out of sports did not stop the war, “but on the contrary, it gave birth to a new one, around and inside the sports, which is impossible to contain.”

“I have no doubts that you don’t have the courage and dignity to lift the sanctions against Russian athletes,” she wrote.

“Because in this scenario you would have to admit that all these months the IOC Charter was violated by you, and the statutes of international sports federations was turned from strict documents into worthless papers.”

Lasitskene, whose main competitors in high jump over the past five years have been jumpers from Ukraine, wrote, “I still don’t know what to say them or how to look into their eyes.”

“They and their friends and relatives are experiencing what no one human being should ever have to feel,” she said. “I am sure that nothing of this (ever) should have happened.

And any arguments can’t convince me to change this opinion.”

Last month at IOC meetings, Bach said the committee will monitor the situation but has yet to make a decision about Russian participation in the Paris Olympics in 2024.

“The dilemma that we are facing at this moment in time,” Bach said last month, is “we cannot fully live up to our mission to unite the entire world in peaceful competition.”

Lasitskene suggested it might be time to stop identifying athletes by their country; the peaceful gathering of nations is the core of the Olympic movement.

“Fans fall in love with athletes not because of their nationality or citizenship, but because of what those show at competitions,” she wrote.

THE TRIBUNE

Friday, June 10, 2022, PAGE 13

Jonquel Jones scores 16, Sun stop the Fever 88-69 for 4th straight victory UNCASVILLE, Conn.

(AP) — Brionna Jones scored 18 points and Jonquel Jones added 16 to help the Connecticut Sun beat the Indiana Fever 88-69.

It was for their fourth straight victory on Wednesday night.

DeWanna Bonner added 12 points and Alyssa Thomas had 11 points, nine

rebounds and five assists for Connecticut (10-3).

DiJonai Carrington went 5 of 5 from the floor for the second straight game and finished with 12 points.

Bonner moved into a tie for 17th in WNBA history for 3-pointers after a make early in the third quarter.

Rookie NaLyssa Smith led Indiana (3-11) with

a season-high 19 points.

Danielle Robinson added 12 points and Queen Egbo had 10.

The Fever shot just 37.5 percent from the field, including 3 of 21 from distance.

Indiana has lost three meetings with Connecticut this season.

CONNECTICUT Sun forward Jonquel Jones (35), of the Bahamas, shoots next to Indiana Fever’s Queen Egbo during a WNBA basketball game on Wednesday in Uncasville, Connecticut.

(Daniel Passapera/The Day via AP)

FELIX HAS ‘NO REGRETS’ AFTER PLACING 7TH IN ROME ROME (AP) — Allyson Felix had “no regrets” after a seventh-place finish in the 200 metres of what was likely her final Diamond League meet yesterday.

It made no difference to Felix — the most decorated female track athlete in Olympic history who plans to retire later this season — that she wasn’t really competitive amid an elite field at the Golden Gala Pietro Mennea.

Shericka Jackson led a Jamaican 1-2 ahead of teammate and twotime reigning Olympic champion Elaine Thompson-Herah in a meet-record 21.91 seconds.

Felix finished more than a full second behind Jackson.

“I’m glad that I came here, glad that I got to see everybody and I’m looking

forward to the next chapter,” the 36-year-old Felix said.

“It’s definitely emotional, mixed feelings. But no regrets. I’m really grateful for all the years I had.”

Jackson pulled away in the final 30 meters and finished a full stride ahead of Thompson-Herah, who clocked 22.25 to narrowly edge world champion Dina Asher-Smith (22.27).

Jackson failed to advance out of the heats at the Tokyo Olympics when she slowed down too much before the finish in a miscalculation.

American sprinter Fred Kerley was the only man to break the 10-second barrier in the 100, posting a season-best 9.92 with a big enough margin to start celebrating before he crossed the finish line.

ALLYSON Felix of the United States smiles at the finish line of the women’s 200-metre competition at the Golden Gala Pietro Mennea IAAF Diamond League athletics meeting in Rome yesterday.

(AP Photo/ Andrew Medichini)

The 100 was missing Marcell Jacobs, the Italian who won gold ahead of Kerley in Tokyo and then helped Italy to another unexpected victory in the 4x100 relay.

Jacobs, who is recovering from a muscular injury, was in attendance at the Stadio Olimpico to salute the crowd, though, as the meet celebrated the seven Italians who won Olympic gold in athletics last year.

Lorenzo Patta, Eseosa Desalu and Filippo Tortu — the other members of Italy’s 4x100 team in Tokyo — competed in a 200 that was won by Olympic silver medalist Kenny Bednarek in 20.01. Gianmarco Tamberi, the Tokyo high jump winner, settled for third in his home stadium as JuVaughn Harrison cleared 2.27 for the win.

Athing Mu, who last year became the first American woman to win the 800 at the Olympics in more than a half century, posted a world-leading 1:57.01 in her first overseas Diamond League meet.

Hirut Meshesha, a 21-year-old from Ethiopia, picked up her second Diamond League win in five days, taking the women’s 1,500 by a comfortable margin in 4:03.79 to follow up her victory in Rabat, Morocco, on Sunday.

Also, Slovenia’s Kristjan Ceh took his third Diamond League victory of the season in the men’s discus with a meet-record throw of 70.72.

And two-time Olympic silver medallist Joe Kovacs of the United States won the shot put with a heave 21.85.

RICH STRIKE HIGHLIGHTS HORSE RACING’S LACK OF DIVERSITY

By GARY B GRAVES AP Sports Writer LOUISVILLE, Ky. (AP) — When Rich Strike bolted into horse racing’s spotlight in a little over two minutes with his upset Kentucky Derby victory, he shared the stage with his handler, who has long toiled in the shadows constantly tending to the champion colt.

Rich Strike’s attention stems from winning as a nearly 81-1 long shot, but groom Jerry Dixon Jr’s newfound recognition comes from being one of few Black horsemen left in the sport once dominated by people who look like him.

“I totally understand it because I was looking at something about the Derby and I saw how there were Blacks in the beginning,” said Dixon, 31 and a fourth-generation horseman who works with his father — trainer Jerry Sr — for Eric Reed, who trains Rich Strike.

“And then years afterward, you can see the change, like we were slowly fading away.”

A lack of diversity is one of the biggest obstacles to growth in horse racing, along with inconsistent safety and medication standards.

The government stepped in to address safety and doping concerns, but there is no national programme to increase diversity — by gender or race — in the industry.

That wasn’t always the case for African-Americans, who were a key part of early Derby history and thoroughbred racing.

Black jockeys won 15 of the first 28 Derbies from 1875-1902. Isaac Murphy had three victories, and Willie Simms and Jimmy Winkfield each won twice.

Black people also owned and trained thoroughbreds through the early 20th century before segregation and Jim Crow laws in the South pushed many away from horse racing by restricting jockey licensing and ownership.

That history is fairly well known, but what’s new is how the already small number of Black people still engaged in the sport seems to be shrinking.

A handful of Black horsemen can be seen around the backside barns of tracks working as trainers, grooms and hot walkers, but their numbers are scarce compared to the overwhelming presence of Latino workers.

With no governing body in horse racing, exact numbers are not available.

However, no one disputes the shift in demographics.

“What the racism did in America, Caucasian people didn’t want to see Black people have stuff like that,” said historian and horseman John Taylor Jr. “And as time went by and Blacks stopped taking an interest in the sport and stopped working on the backside, that’s when you started seeing the (Latinos) coming in. The jobs that they’re doing now, we used to do.”

Economics and the time demands of tending to horses are factors often cited in the low number of Black and White people working in the barns. But

JERRY DIXON JR., right, trainer of Kentucky Derby winner Rich Strike, walks the Derby winner around his barn with exercise rider Gabriel Lagunes up before a morning workout at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Ky., on May 29.

(AP Photo/Timothy D Easley) while Saturday’s Belmont Stakes — the last leg of the Triple Crown — pays a prize purse of $1.5 million, everyday races are much less lucrative with smaller payouts that must be divided multiple ways among owners, trainers and workers.

It does not make for a lavish lifestyle.

Many backside workers at Churchill Downs live in dormitories near the barns or above them. Compared to other industries that pay higher wages and offer set hours with health benefits, horse racing is a daily job that requires getting up well before sunrise to train and care for horses. Then, coming back in the afternoon to do it again. Days off are hard to come by.

Horsemen interviewed for this story declined to discuss wage rates, pay scales and benefits — which can vary. They are quick to

point out that horse racing is not for everybody.

Horsemen such as the Dixons and trainer Mark Simms Jr. say they do it for love of the animals and the sport. Not to mention, it’s in their blood.

“My grandpa would have told you that I learned how to walk walking over towards the barn,” said Simms, whose great-grandfather, grandfather and uncle are among several relatives in racing.

“You can go to Target and can probably make 15 bucks an hour or something like that. And you work for five days a week,” Simms said. “This really is something that you have to have a passion for to do, to get up and do it every day.”

The stables are an entry point into horse racing, but Greg Harbut is working to increase the involvement of Black people in all phases of the sport, including

thoroughbred ownership and management.

The third-generation horseman and partner Ray Daniels comprise leadership of the Ed Brown Society and Living The Dream Stables, a thoroughbred syndicate comprised of minority ownership.

The two partnered on colt Necker Island, who finished ninth in the 2020 Kentucky Derby.

EBS recently partnered with Churchill Downs for an internship programme to follow up a previous pairing with the Stronach Group that owns Baltimore’s Pimlico Race Course and Santa Anita Park in California.

The Society has two college interns currently working at Santa Anita and looks to introduce current and future generations to horse racing. “When you look at a lot of minorities, they’ve got two to three generations removed where they couldn’t even go to someone to get the history, the horsemanship or have a mentor to come up with,” said Harbut, whose great-grandfather, Will Harbut, was a groom to legendary thoroughbred Man o’War. “The horsemanship has not been passed down from generation to generation as it once was.”

Rich Strike’s stunning Derby win has certainly provided a payoff for Jerry Dixon Jr on many levels.

“Horse racing saved my life. I don’t know where I would be without horse racing and to top if off, to be involved with a Derby winner is a dream come true.”

PRO BASKETBALL PLAYER DWIGHT COLEBY SIGNS IN VENEZUELA

By RENALDO DORSETT Tribune Sports Reporter rdorsett@tribunemedia.net DWIGHT Coleby’s next stop on his professional basketball journey will take him to the Venezuelan SuperLiga.

Coleby signed with Heroes de Falcon in the top tiered basketball league in the country. The winners and runners-up of each SuperLiga season qualify for the FIBA Americas League regular season.

The 6’10” veteran forward and national team player has been a member of three clubs during the 2021-22 season.

He most recently spent time with Al Sharjah of the United Arab Emirates National Basketball League. They finished with the league’s second best record during the regular season and reached the league final.

Coleby previously spent time with Cholet Basket of the JEEP Elite Pro A League in France, the top tiered basketball league in France..

He originally intended to join Anwil Wloclawek of the Polish Basketball League (PLK) for this season but a failed medical led to the contract being voided.

Coleby spent last season with Merkezefendi Belediyesi Denizli of the Turkish Basketball First League (TBL), his second stint in the country..

In a history-making milestone season for the club, he averaged 12.8 points, 10.1 rebounds per game and was named Eurobasket. com all TBL Honourable Mention and Player of the Week twice. Denzeli was also granted promotion to the ING Turkish Basketball Super League, the top division in the country.

PAGE 14, Friday, June 10, 2022

THE TRIBUNE

ANDY MURRAY BEATS BUBLIK TO REACH QUARTERS IN STUTTGART

Nats’ Strasburg allows Marlins seven runs in 1st start in year MIAMI (AP) — Jazz Chisholm bunted for a single on the first pitch of Stephen Strasburg’s return from a one-year absence, stole second and the Marlins kept on going in a 7-4 win over the Washington Nationals last night that finished a three-game sweep.

The 33-year-old righthander, pitching on the 13th anniversary of Washington selecting him with the first overall pick in the amateur draft, allowed seven runs, eight hits and two walks in 4 2/3 innings.

Strasburg (0-1) struck out five and hit a batter, throwing 63 of 83 pitches for strikes while averaging 91.9 mph with his fastball.

The three-time All-Star and 2019 World Series MVP had not pitched in a major league game since June 1 last year, spending much of the time recovering from surgery on July 28 to correct thoracic outlet syndrome, a compression of nerves, arteries or veins near the neck or armpit.

He had made three minor league rehabilitation starts.

The Marlins had been 0-12 in 15 games started

by Strasburg since May 5, 2015. His record against them dropped to 21-8.

Trevor Rogers (3-5) allowed two runs and six hits in five innings.

Jesús Sánchez homered and doubled against Strasburg, and Chisholm had two bunt singles. Garrett Cooper doubled and singled, giving him six straight multihit games.

Chisholm scored on Sánchez’s RBI double and Jon Berti followed with a two-run single for a 3-0 lead in the first.

JAZZ AND MARLINS EARN 7-4 WIN OVER NATIONALS, FINISH 3-GAME SWEEP MIAMI Marlins Jazz Chisholm Jr steals second base as Washington Nationals second baseman Ehire Adrianza is late with the tag in the first inning last night in Miami.

BELOW: Nationals starting pitcher Stephen Strasburg (37) aims a pitch in the first inning.

(AP Photos/Marta Lavandier)

Miami entered with 13 first-inning runs — only Detroit with 12 had fewer.

Juan Soto hit a two-run single in the fifth before Miami chased Strasburg in a four-run bottom half that include Cooper’s RBI double, Jesús Aguilar’s run-scoring single and Sánchez’s two-run homer.

Washington closed in the seventh when Lane Thomas had an RBI double and Victor Robles ran home on right fielder Avisaíl García’s throwing error.

Anthony Bass got the final out in the seventh and pitched a scoreless eighth.

Tanner Scott closed with a perfect ninth for his third save.

NO STOPPING NOW Chisholm scored from first on Cooper’s fifthinning double to left.

However, Chisholm overran third base coach Al Pedrique’s stop sign and beat left fielder Lane

Thomas’ throw with a headfirst slide at home.

ROSTER MOVE The Nationals optioned LHP Sam Clay to Triple-A Rochester for Strasburg’s spot in the roster. Clay lasted one day with the club as he was recalled

Wednesday after Washington optioned RHP Joan Adon to Triple-A. TRAINER’S ROOM Nationals: DH Nelson Cruz (undisclosed) was a late scratch.

Marlins: 3B-OF Brian Anderson (lower back spasms) visited a spine specialist Wednesday and is feeling better.

UP NEXT Nationals: RHP Erick Fedde (3-4, 4.88) will start against Milwaukee LHP Aaron Ashby (1-4, 3.13) in the opener of a three-game home series Friday.

Marlins: RHP Pablo López (4-2, 2.18) will start the opener of a three-game series at Houston against Luis García (3-4, 3.07).

STUTTGART, Germany (AP) — Two-time Wimbledon champion Andy Murray defeated seventhseeded Alexander Bublik 6-3, 7-6 (4) yesterday to reach the Stuttgart Open quarterfinals.

The 35-year-old Murray dropped his intensity in the second set but saved three set points as he rallied from 5-2 down to win in 1 hour, 42 minutes.

Murray missed much of the clay-court season to focus on his preparations for grass. He reached the semifinals of the Surbiton Trophy last week, when he was beaten by Denis Kudla.

Murray’s bid to reach the Stuttgart semifinals will be tested next by the topseeded Stefanos Tsitsipas, who defeated Swiss qualifier Dominic Stricker 6-3, 6-4 for his first win on grass since June 2019.

Tsitsipas defeated Murray in their only previous meeting at the US Open last year.

Also, Nick Kyrgios defeated the fifth-seeded Nikoloz Basilashvili 6-7 (4), 6-4, 6-3 and will next face Marton Fucsovics for a place in the semifinals.

Home favourite Oscar Otte upset fourth-seeded Denis Shapovalov 7-6 (6), 7-6 (4) to reach his third quarterfinal this year. The German next faces French player Benjamin Bonzi.

Italy’s Lorenzo Sonego defeated another German, Jan-Lennard Struff, 7-6 (2), 7-6 (4) in their match that had been suspended on Wednesday due to rain.

Sonego next plays second-seeded compatriot Matteo Berrettini.

SPECIAL OLYMPICS UPDATE TEAM Bahamas continues competition at the 2022 Special Olympics USA Games, hosted in Orlando, Florida.

June 5 Deron Forbes was fourth in his 400m preliminary round.

Vashni Thompson competed in women’s singles Bocce, lost the first match and won second match in prelimary round.

Stephen Russell won both of his preliminary matches in men’s singles Bocce June 6 Bowlers Austin Green and Bronson Aranha bowled their preliminary games. Green averaged 125 while Aranha averaged 122.

June 7 Team Bahamas went after five medals and came away with four. They also recorded a fourth place in bowling singles division M5 and missed bronze by seven pins.

Soccer team lost 3-2 to Special Olympics Florida Vashni Thompson won bronze in the women’s singles Bocce Bronson Aranha won won bronze in Bowling division M8

Stephen Russell won gold in men’s singles Bocce Deron Forbes won gold in Track and Field in the men’s 400m June 8 Soccer team lost a hard fought game 3-1 to Special Olympics Michigan.

Bowlers finished seventh in their doubles match Deron Forbes finished third in his 200m prelims.

He will run in the finals today.

Bocce doubles team of Stephen Russell and Vashni Thompson won both of their matches today.

They defeated Aruba by a score of 10-1 and then beat Delaware by the same score of 10-1. They advanced to the gold medal match June 9 Bocce doubles team of Stephen Russell and Vashni Thompson won the gold medal in their division by defeating Aruba 10-3.

This dynamic duo went undefeated in doubles competition play.

Soccer team won its first match of the competition, defeating Special Olympics Colorado 2-1.

They will continue play today.

SWIMMERS FROM PAGE 11

World Short Course Championships in 2021. When asked about her expectations for this year’s championships, Higgs said it’s to “gain experience competing against the best swimmers and athletes in the world.”

She added that her training for the championships has gone extremely well and she’s eager to see how well she will perform in the 50 and 100m breaststrokes.

“The transition from short course yards training to long course metres in the spring can be difficult but I’ve been able to get a lot of long course training in since then so I’m excited to compete,” she said.

Lamar Taylor Taylor, 18, is the son of Gena Culmer-Taylor and Lester Taylor.

He has five siblings - Kadesha Culmer, Tami Ross, Lester Taylor Jr, Lesly Taylor and Kelly Taylor.

The Grand Bahamian, who attended Bishop Michael Eldon School before he came to New Providence to complete high school at St John’s College in 2020, is expected to graduate from college in 2024. He is studying health and human performance.

A member of the Mako Aquatics Swim Club, coached by Travano McPhee, Taylor has represented the Bahamas at both the World Short Course and Long Course Championships.

“My expectations for worlds is that everyone would drop

phenomenal times and finish and high and respectful ranking in their individual events,” he said.

Although he had taken some time off to recover, Taylor said he’s been pleased with his preparation for the championships.

He’s expected to compete in both the 50 and 200m freestyle races.

“Getting back into shape was stressful but as the weeks went along my times dropped drastically each week at practice,” he stated. “I am really confident in the times that I have swam in practice and feel strong and confident travelling to Budapest to compete.”

Izaak Bastian Bastian, 21, is the son of Rochelle and Darren Bastian and brother to Drew Bastian. He

graduated from Saint Andrew’s School in Boca Raton, Florida in 2018 and is expected to graduate from Florida State University in 2022 with his degree in athletic training.

He is being coached by Camron Bruney.

The Barracuda Swim Club member has represented the Bahamas at the 2017 and 2019 Junior World Championships; 2016 Jr Pan Pacs; 2018 Commonwealth Games; 2021 Short Course World’s; 2018 CAC Championships; 2017 Commonwealth Youth Games; 2018 Youth Olympics; 2019 World Championships and 2020 Olympics.

In heading to his second World Championships, Bastian said he just wants to “go and represent as

best as I can and give some guidance to the younger members of the team.”

Like Taylor, Higgs took some time off after the completion of his collegiate season, but he’s looking forward to getting back into top form for the championships when he competes in both the 50 and 100m breaststrokes.

“I had taken some time off after my collegiate season which was a good reset for me but once I got back into the pool the training has been going well,” he said.

The team, announced this week

by Bahamas Aquatics’ president Algernon Cargill, will be managed by Rochelle Bastian. The team coach will be Sara Knowles and the team’s physiotherapist will be Cordero Bonamy.

THE TRIBUNE

Friday, June 10, 2022, PAGE 15

Overlooked no more, Brown shines for Boston Celtics in Finals

By KYLE HIGHTOWER AP Sports Writer BOSTON (AP) — There was a time when the narrative surrounding Jaylen Brown was that he was a redundant player on a Celtics team shaping its identity around budding superstar Jayson Tatum.

Though he was a recent All-Star on a team packed with young, homegrown talent, Brown was considered by outsiders to be a potential trade chip Boston could use to adjust a roster that didn’t get past the conference finals during his first five seasons.

Cries to jettison the third overall pick of the 2016 draft only grew louder after a tepid 18-21 start to this season under new coach Ime Udoka that had veteran Marcus Smart calling out the Celtics’ young stars.

Six months and a run to the NBA Finals later, Mr. Expendable is suddenly Mr. Indispensable as the Celtics pursue their 18th championship.

“It’s hard for me to reflect on moments when I’m in the heart of the storm,” Brown said.

“But everything, all the adversity, all the ups and downs and negative things, indirectly and directly, has helped build me to where I’m at.”

Brown is averaging a team-best 22.7 points and 7.3 rebounds through the first three games of the Finals. He delivered probably his best performance of the playoffs — 27 points, nine rebounds and five assists — as Boston beat the Golden State Warriors 116100 in Game 3 to take a 2-1 series lead.

His 17-point first quarter set the tone for Boston’s attack, but Udoka said Brown’s game has evolved on both ends.

“The versatility he gives us on the defensive end, is what it is. I think that goes trickle-down with Marcus and our bigs as well as our big wings,” Udoka said.

“We’re asking (for) more communication, more recognition, and he is one of the guys that’s improved throughout the season as far as that.”

While Brown has been locked in during the playoffs, Tatum said he and Brown knew there were questions about whether they could coexist after the team’s slow start. He said they’ve figured out how to meld their their skillsets and personalities.

“I think all of those things helped, from saying that we need to split the group up, get rid of somebody or me and JB can’t play together,” Tatum said after Boston

beat Miami to win the Eastern Conference title. “That fueled us to figure it out and not run from it. ... That we trust in each other and we had to be better.”

Under the tutelage of Udoka and his staff, both players have learned to play off their teammates more.

Tatum has steered away from his past tendencies of relying on isolation and jump shots. Instead, he’s using the double teams he draws to shuffle the ball to Brown and others to share the scoring load.

Brown, too, has morphed his game. Against Golden State in particular, he’s been slashing inside, finding mismatches and picking his spots against the Warriors’ small lineups.

Smart said the aggression of Brown and Tatum has become contagious.

“They’re very adamant about what they want, what they’re going to do with the ball, with making decisions and making reads,” Smart said. “They’ve grown and matured in that aspect.

They knew in order for us to reach our full potential that they were going to have to take that step. They took the challenge, and they’re showing it and it’s proven right now.”

Brown has also been a steadying voice, reminding his teammates to block out

BOSTON Celtics guard Jaylen Brown (7) dunks the ball against the Golden State Warriors during the second quarter of Game 3 of the NBA Finals on Wednesday night in Boston.

(AP Photo/Michael Dwyer) distractions such as Golden State’s Draymond Green’s attempts to rattle the Celtics with his physical play.

On Jan. 31, at the start of Boston’s late-season turnaround, Brown tweeted, “The energy is about to shift.”

Given his recent performance, his words are

looking less cryptic and more prophetic.

And Brown has shown more appreciation for his journey to Finals stardom.

“I feel like I haven’t always been put in the best position to be the best version of myself, and that’s aided me into getting better and to working

harder,” Brown said. “Everything that I’ve learned and acquired here directly or indirectly has helped me, and I think it’s going to help me going forward. If I would have to reflect, I’m just grateful for each and every experience that you go through because it just makes you who you are.”

STEPHEN CURRY’S DIAGNOSIS FOR GAME 4: ‘I’M GOING TO PLAY’

By JIMMY GOLEN AP Sports Writer BOSTON (AP) — Even as he lay on the court, with 240-pound Celtics center Al Horford on top of his recently recovered left ankle, Stephen Curry knew what was wrong.

And as soon as he stood up and took a few steps, he knew he would be OK. “I’m going to play. That’s all I know right now,” the Warriors star said on Thursday, a day before Golden State will face Boston in Game 4 of the NBA Finals.

“I know exactly what it is,” said Curry, who hurt the same ankle on a similar play in a late-season game against Boston. “I guess (there’s) comfort knowing I’ve been through it before, but also you would rather not have to deal with something like that at this point in the season.”

Curry wound up at the bottom of a pile Wednesday night as players from both teams dove for a loose ball late in the fourth quarter. Teammate Draymond Green said he heard Curry scream in pain, but the

FIFA

FROM PAGE 11 The fallout from the case also ended Platini’s campaign to succeed his former mentor and removed the France soccer great as president of UEFA. Both have always denied wrongdoing and have also long questioned how the disputed payment came to light, airing unproven claims of prosecutors meeting a whistleblower on a park bench.

That was firmly refuted by yesterday’s final witness, former federal prosecutor Olivier Thormann, as he gave testimony that was widely anticipated.

Blatter and Platini claim they had a verbal deal in 1998 for the latter to be paid 1 million Swiss francs ($1.02 million) to serve as advisor to Blatter if he was elected as FIFA president. That defense first failed with judges at the FIFA ethics committee, which banned

Warriors star remained in the game until coach Steve Kerr sent in the bench trailing by 14 with two minutes left.

The Celtics held on to win 116-100 and take a 2-1 lead in the best-of-seven series.

Golden State needs a win on Friday night to avoid falling behind 3-1 before the series shifts back to San Francisco.

A key to them avoiding the brink of elimination: Curry not just remaining healthy, but playing like a two-time NBA MVP. The Warriors guard scored 31 points in Game 3, but just two of them came in the fourth quarter as the league-leading Celtics defense chased him around the court.

Golden State held a film session Thursday, but the team’s regulars did not practice.

Curry appeared to walk without a limp when he entered the media room to talk to reporters, and he took the steps to the podium three at a time. He had no bandage or brace on his leg.

Curry said he got plenty of sleep — 10 1/2 hours — and spent some time with his foot in an ice bucket.

But he said he did not need an MRI because the injury was the same as the one he sustained when Celtics

them from soccer, and later in separate appeals at the Court of Arbitration for Sport.

Platini’s contract with FIFA, signed in August 1999, was for 300,000 Swiss francs ($312,000) annually and backdated to January.

It is claimed Blatter said he would pay only the same as FIFA’s then-secretary general, and promised the balance later.

“In the verbal contract we didn’t determine the date he would get it, it was a contract between men, and we started work immediately. I didn’t give him a precise time when he would get it,” Blatter said.

“When I was elected FIFA president, we had a bad balance … at the time I had no idea (when the payment would be made), I simply had this man with me and he was worth this million but I didn’t know when and how he would get it.”

Platini backed up Blatter’s comments in his

testimony and claimed he should have been paid more, but had miscalculated the discrepancy in the amount he had been promised and his salary during his four years in the advisory role.

“I made a mistake. I was convinced the salary was 500,000 (Swiss francs) and I realised when the prosecutor showed me the contract. But FIFA knew they cheated me,” Platini said.

The 66-year-old Platini was asked why he waited until 2011 to send FIFA an invoice for the money allegedly owed. The bill came not long after FIFA paid a seven-figure severance to Jerome Champagne, a French former diplomat who was ousted as a Blatter aide.

“I trusted the president and I knew that one day or the other he would pay me.

I wouldn’t get into a deal with the president without trusting him,” Platini said.

“It wasn’t vital for me that

guard Marcus Smart landed on his foot in a March 16 game in San Francisco.

“This one just wasn’t as bad as that one,” said Curry, who missed the last 12 games of the regular season. “As soon as you

started to take a couple of steps, you kind of know whether you can run normal, cut normal or not.

Back then, I couldn’t. Yesterday, I could. That gave me a little bit of confidence knowing it wasn’t as bad.”

Asked Thursday if he would be sitting out if it were a regular-season game, Curry said he couldn’t say for sure. But for Game 4 of the NBA Finals, there’s no question. “I know I’m going to play,” he said.

MORE INJURIES The Celtics listed center Robert Williams III as questionable on Thursday with the left knee injury that required late-season surgery and kept him out for seven of the team’s first 14 playoff games.

Boston coach Ime Udoka said forward Jayson Tatum is dealing with a right shoulder stinger.

“That’s going to flare up whenever he gets hit the wrong way,” Udoka said. “(He) had to shoot some free throws after, might be a little numb there. He is shooting threes right after, so I’m not sure it hampers his ability to finish at all.”

THREE GOOD QUARTERS Golden State has outscored Boston in the third quarter of all three games so far, so a reporter asked Kerr why they can’t start the game the same way.

“I ask myself that question very often,” he said, “and I don’t have an answer.”

The Warriors have outscored the Celtics by a combined score of 106-63 in the finals. Golden State had a 33-25 edge on Wednesday night, eliminating a 12-point halftime deficit and briefly taking the lead.

Kerr joked that he has a book of “incredibly inspiring quotes” he calls on.

“I just try to pull out the right one,” he said. “And if I get them fired up and they’re excited, then they seem to play better.”

The third quarter struggles are a recurring problem for the Celtics, who similar lapses against Miami and Milwaukee.

“It’s just one of those things where it’s a mystery,” Smart said. “We’re definitely trying to not keep that pattern going.”

money. What was vital was the word of the president of FIFA. “I have principles. I’m not going to ask for money from someone who owes me. Just that, one day, I knew that FIFA had given two big payments to employees who left and at that point I told myself it would be good that they remember they owe me money.”

The trial is set to last 11 days and the three federal judges hearing the case are scheduled to deliver their verdict on July 8.

Blatter and Platini each face up to five years in prison, but suspended sentences are a likely option.

“I was in shock (when we were first questioned) and that shock has lasted seven years. It’s still here,” Blatter said.

“I have already been punished for seven years. It has seemed like an eternity.

“That’s why I’m happy we’re in court now, to learn the truth about what

happened. I’m happy we’re here and this will finally end.”

Blatter and Platini refused to answer questions from FIFA lawyer Catherine Hohl-Chirazi.

“What FIFA did to the president of FIFA and me is scandalous, they made us out to be cheaters, fraudsters, money launderers,” Platini said.

“Just so that I wouldn’t become president.

“It’s not easy when you’re known worldwide to be criticised worldwide, especially when you have children and grandchildren … I hope there will be justice one day.”

Criminal proceedings were opened against Blatter in September 2015 and it was years later, after Thormann left the prosecution team, that Platini was targeted.

Platini’s lawyer, Dominic Nellen, attempted to show in court the prosecution office had colluded with soccer officials, and that this

helped Gianni Infantino become FIFA president in 2016.

A FIFA ethics investigation into the $2 million payment led to Platini being banned in 2015 and barred from the election race to succeed Blatter.

However, Thormann said information about the Platini payment was obtained in May 2015 from FIFA’s then-chief financial officer Markus Kattner.

Swiss authorities had seized documents and data at FIFA offices in Zurich as part of their wider investigation at the same time as United States federal agents led their own investigation of corruption in international soccer.

The documents detailed FIFA payments to all members of its executive committee, including Platini.

“We received an alert and we opened up a dossier,” Thormann said in court, dismissing any notion of intrigue or conspiracy.

GOLDEN State Warriors guard Stephen Curry (30) reacts as he walks down the court against the Boston Celtics during the third quarter of Game 3 of the NBA Finals.

(AP Photo/Michael Dwyer)

THE TRIBUNE

Friday, June 10, 2022, PAGE 17

DOUBLE WHAMMY: BOTH FARMERS AND CONSUMERS HIT BY HIGH PRICES

By FRANCES D'EMILIO Associated Press FOOD import bills will reach a record high this year and food markets are likely to tighten around the world, according to a glum new forecast by a U.N. food agency.

The Food Outlook, issued twice a year by the Food and Agriculture Organization, also found that "many vulnerable countries are paying more

but receiving less food" in imports.

The report issued Thursday by the Rome-based agency noted that developing countries are reducing imports of cereals, oilseeds and meats, reflecting their inability to cover the price increases.

The forecast cited "soaring input prices, concerns about the weather, and increased market uncertainties stemming from the war in Ukraine,'' which has seen

millions of tons of grain stuck in silos and unable to be shipped abroad from that major agricultural exporter due to the Russian invasion.

With Ukraine's next grain harvest due within weeks, and no imminent sign of a let-up in the war unleashed

by Russia on its neighbor, the food security of importdependent countries in Africa and the Middle East could worsen.

Its forecast points to a "likely tightening of food markets and import bills reaching a new record high,'' said Upali Galketi Aratchilage, an FAO economist and lead editor of the report.

The outlook discussed how agricultural sectors are struggling with rising costs of production, especially fertilizer and fuel, which could trigger further increases in food prices.

RESIDENTS of Oworonshoki Slum carry their food parcels distributed by the Lagos Food Bank Initiative, a non-profit nutrition focused initiative committed to fighting hunger and solving problems of Malnutrition for poor communities, in Lagos, Nigeria, Saturday, July 10, 2021. Two U.N. food agencies issued stark warnings on Monday, June 6, 2022 about multiple, looming food crises on the planet, driven by climate “shocks” like drought and worsened by the repercussions of the COVID-19 pandemic and the war in Ukraine that have sent fuel and food prices soaring.

Photo:Sunday Alamba/AP

THE WEATHER REPORT

5-Day Forecast

TODAY

ORLANDO

High: 90° F/32° C Low: 74° F/23° C

TAMPA

TONIGHT

SATURDAY

SUNDAY

MONDAY

TUESDAY

A morning shower or two; some sun

Partly cloudy

Clouds and sun, a t‑storm or two

Sunny and nice

An afternoon thunder‑ storm in spots

An afternoon thunder‑ storm

High: 85°

Low: 77°

High: 86° Low: 78°

High: 87° Low: 79°

High: 88° Low: 78°

High: 86° Low: 77°

AccuWeather RealFeel

AccuWeather RealFeel

AccuWeather RealFeel

AccuWeather RealFeel

AccuWeather RealFeel

AccuWeather RealFeel

96° F

85° F

95°-87° F

98°-85° F

99°-87° F

97°-84° F

High: 89° F/32° C Low: 80° F/27° C

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

N

almanac

E

W

ABACO

S

N

High: 84° F/29° C Low: 79° F/26° C

7‑14 knots

S

High: 89° F/32° C Low: 74° F/23° C

7‑14 knots

FT. LAUDERDALE

FREEPORT

High: 87° F/31° C Low: 76° F/24° C

E

W S

E

W

WEST PALM BEACH

N

| Go to AccuWeather.com

High: 85° F/29° C Low: 77° F/25° C

MIAMI

High: 87° F/31° C Low: 75° F/24° C

6‑12 knots

KEY WEST

High: 86° F/30° C Low: 80° F/27° C

ELEUTHERA

NASSAU

High: 85° F/29° C Low: 77° F/25° C

Forecasts and graphics provided by AccuWeather, Inc. ©2022

High: 84° F/29° C Low: 79° F/26° C

N

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

tiDes For nassau High

Low

Ht.(ft.)

4:30 a.m.

5:12 p.m.

2.4 2.9

10:47 a.m. 0.0 11:35 p.m. 0.2

Saturday

5:25 a.m.

6:04 p.m.

2.5 3.2

11:38 a.m. ‑0.3 ‑‑‑‑‑ ‑‑‑‑‑

Sunday

6:19 a.m.

6:57 p.m.

2.5 3.4

12:32 a.m. 0.0 12:29 p.m. ‑0.5

Monday

7:13 a.m.

7:49 p.m.

2.5 3.5

1:27 a.m. ‑0.2 1:21 p.m. ‑0.7

Tuesday

8:08 a.m.

8:42 p.m.

2.6 3.6

2:21 a.m. ‑0.4 2:13 p.m. ‑0.8

Wednesday 9:02 a.m.

9:36 p.m.

2.6 3.7

3:15 a.m. ‑0.4 3:07 p.m. ‑0.7

Thursday

2.7 3.6

4:08 a.m. ‑0.4 4:03 p.m. ‑0.6

9:58 a.m.

10:30 p.m.

sun anD moon Sunrise Sunset

High: 84° F/29° C Low: 78° F/26° C

N

S

E

W S

6‑12 knots

6:19 a.m. Moonrise 7:59 p.m. Moonset

4:05 p.m.

3:09 a.m.

Full

Last

New

First

Jun. 14

Jun. 20

Jun. 28

Jul. 6

ANDROS

SAN SALVADOR

GREAT EXUMA

High: 83° F/28° C Low: 77° F/25° C

High: 84° F/29° C Low: 79° F/26° C

N

High: 83° F/28° C Low: 77° F/25° C

E

W S

LONG ISLAND

tracking map

High: 84° F/29° C Low: 79° F/26° C

6‑12 knots

MAYAGUANA High: 86° F/30° C Low: 82° F/28° C

Shown is today’s weather. Temperatures

L

Ht.(ft.)

Today

CAT ISLAND

E

W

6‑12 knots

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

Statistics are for Nassau through 2 p.m. yesterday Temperature High ................................................... 89° F/32° C Low .................................................... 77° F/25° C Normal high ....................................... 87° F/30° C Normal low ........................................ 74° F/23° C Last year’s high ................................. 90° F/32° C Last year’s low ................................... 71° F/22° C Precipitation As of 2 p.m. yesterday .................................. trace Year to date ............................................... 24.06” Normal year to date ................................... 10.02”

uV inDex toDay

CROOKED ISLAND / ACKLINS

are today’s highs and tonight’s lows.

RAGGED ISLAND High: 84° F/29° C Low: 80° F/27° C

High: 84° F/29° C Low: 80° F/27° C

GREAT INAGUA High: 87° F/31° C Low: 80° F/27° C

N

E

W

E

W

N

S

S

7‑14 knots

8‑16 knots

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

Today: Saturday: Today: Saturday: Today: Saturday: Today: Saturday: Today: Saturday: Today: Saturday: Today: Saturday: Today: Saturday: Today: Saturday: Today: Saturday: Today: Saturday: Today: Saturday: Today: Saturday:

WINDS SW at 7‑14 Knots SSE at 8‑16 Knots SE at 6‑12 Knots SE at 6‑12 Knots ESE at 7‑14 Knots SE at 8‑16 Knots E at 8‑16 Knots ESE at 8‑16 Knots SSE at 6‑12 Knots SE at 7‑14 Knots SW at 7‑14 Knots S at 7‑14 Knots SE at 6‑12 Knots SE at 7‑14 Knots E at 8‑16 Knots E at 8‑16 Knots ESE at 7‑14 Knots ESE at 8‑16 Knots E at 8‑16 Knots ESE at 10‑20 Knots SSE at 6‑12 Knots SE at 7‑14 Knots E at 7‑14 Knots ESE at 8‑16 Knots SE at 6‑12 Knots SE at 8‑16 Knots

WAVES 2‑4 Feet 2‑4 Feet 0‑1 Feet 0‑1 Feet 2‑4 Feet 2‑4 Feet 2‑4 Feet 2‑4 Feet 1‑3 Feet 2‑4 Feet 1‑3 Feet 1‑2 Feet 0‑1 Feet 1‑2 Feet 1‑3 Feet 2‑4 Feet 1‑3 Feet 2‑4 Feet 3‑5 Feet 3‑6 Feet 0‑1 Feet 1‑2 Feet 1‑3 Feet 2‑4 Feet 1‑2 Feet 1‑3 Feet

VISIBILITY 7 Miles 5 Miles 9 Miles 8 Miles 8 Miles 5 Miles 6 Miles 10 Miles 7 Miles 9 Miles 5 Miles 4 Miles 6 Miles 10 Miles 8 Miles 10 Miles 9 Miles 8 Miles 8 Miles 10 Miles 7 Miles 6 Miles 7 Miles 5 Miles 6 Miles 8 Miles

WATER TEMPS. 81° F 82° F 84° F 85° F 82° F 81° F 83° F 82° F 82° F 81° F 83° F 84° F 83° F 84° F 83° F 83° F 82° F 82° F 82° F 82° F 84° F 83° F 82° F 82° F 82° F 81° F

PAGE 18, Friday, June 10, 2022

THE TRIBUNE

STOCKS TUMBLE AS RATE PRESSURES GROW, INFLATION REPORT LOOMS

By DAMIAN J. TROISE AND STAN CHOE AP Business Writers

STOCKS on Wall Street tumbled Thursday following the latest reminder that central banks now care more about fighting inflation than propping up markets.

The S&P 500 sank 2.4%, putting it on track for its ninth losing week in the last 10. The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 1.9%, and the Nasdaq composite lost 2.7%.

Wall Street’s losses accelerated as the closing bell for trading approached, with traders scrambling to get in last moves ahead of a highly anticipated report on U.S. inflation due Friday morning. The S&P 500’s drop more than doubled in the final hour of trading.

The weakness for markets started on the other side of the Atlantic after the European Central Bank said it would raise interest rates next month for the first time in more than a decade. Another hike is set for September, possibly by double July’s increase, and the central bank will also halt its bond-buying program next month.

It all marks a “sea change” in policy for the European Central Bank, according to Marilyn Watson, head of global fundamental fixed income strategy at BlackRock.

And it’s part of a growing global tide where central banks are removing the ultra-low interest rates that were meant to goose borrowing, economic growth and stock prices through the pandemic. Instead, they’ve swung their focus toward raising interest rates and making other moves to slow growth in order to knock down high inflation.

The risk is that such moves could cause a recession if they’re too aggressive. Even if central banks can pull off the delicate balancing act and avoid a recession, higher interest rates put downward pressure on stocks and all kinds of investments regardless.

The wide expectation is that the Fed will raise its key interest rate next week by half of a percentage point, the second straight increase of double the usual amount. Investors expect a third to hit in July.

Where the Fed goes from there depends on inflation’s path, which is why

Wall Street is so keyed in on the latest reading for the U.S. consumer price index, which is due Friday morning. Economists expect it to show inflation slowed a touch to 8.2% in May from 8.3% a month earlier.

Investors have been searching for signs that inflation may have already passed its peak, which would be good for markets because it could mean a less aggressive Fed. Speculation has been rising and falling that the Fed could take a pause on rate hikes at its September meeting, swaying with every data point on the economy. That in turn has made stocks particularly prone to big swings.

The S&P 500 lost 97.95 points to close at 4,017.82, while the Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 638.11 to 32,272.79 and the Nasdaq composite tumbled 332.05 to 11,754.23.

European stocks sank immediately following the European Central Bank’s announcement on rates, which came before U.S. markets opened.

French stocks were down only slightly before the announcement, but the CAC 40 index fell to a 1.4%

A SIGN for Wall Street hangs in front of the New York Stock Exchange, on July 8, 2021. Stocks are opening lower on Wall Street Thursday, June 9, 2022, putting major indexes into the red for the week.

Photo:Mark Lennihan/AP loss afterward. Germany’s DAX lost 1.7%.

In the U.S., Treasury yields rose following the move from Amsterdam, though they wobbled a bit after that. The 10-year Treasury yield got as high as 3.09% before paring back to 3.04%, up from 3.02% late Wednesday.

A report showed that slightly more U.S. workers filed for unemployment last week than economists expected. That’s a potentially negative signal, but the overall number still remains low compared with history. Economists also said seasonal factors may have affected the most recent numbers, overstating some things due to the Memorial Day holiday.

Higher gasoline prices have been putting a tighter squeeze on both companies and households, upping the pressure on budgets.

Crude oil prices were down modestly on Thursday, but they remain up by roughly 60% for the year. Much of the jump is due to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

Lockdowns in major Chinese cities because of COVID-19 have added more pressure to global supply chains, which in turn worsens inflation. But some of the impact could be easing. China reported its exports surged 17% over a year earlier in May, up from April’s 3.7% growth, as coronavirus precautions loosened in Shanghai and other cities.

Many investors are bracing for big swings in financial markets to continue given the deep uncertainties about where inflation and the Fed’s policies are heading. Stocks have been clawing back since hitting a bottom in the middle of last month, but the S&P 500 remains down 15.7% for the year so far.

“Even if the market bottomed in May, we will see another sell-off at some point,” Nancy Tengler, CEO of Laffer Tengler Investments, wrote in a research note, “and some of us will feel worse than we thought we could because we thought it was over.”

Economist: Kentucky farm sector could set record receipts

By BRUCE SCHREINER Associated Press

THE SUN rises on a farm north of Bowling Green, Ky. on Nov. 10, 2021. Kentucky agriculture appears to be on a record pace to surpass $7 billion in cash receipts in 2022, bolstered by robust commodity prices that could reward farmers dealing with rapidly rising production costs, an agricultural economist told state lawmakers on Thursday, June 9, 2022.

Photo:Grace Ramey/AP

KENTUCKY agriculture appears to be on a record pace to surpass $7 billion in cash receipts in 2022, bolstered by robust commodity prices that could reward farmers hit hard by rapidly rising production costs, an agricultural economist told state lawmakers Thursday.

Despite all the challenges of this year, University of Kentucky ag economist Will Snell said his biggest concern is for 2023, when commodity prices could drop without corresponding declines in farmers’ input costs. Snell appeared before a legislative panel to discuss the effect of surging inflation on Kentucky’s farming sector.

Increased farm production costs have outpaced rising prices elsewhere

in the economy, Snell said. Fertilizer costs, for example, have more than doubled, he said. Snell recounted his recent conversation with a farmer who owed $100,000 to a farm store. Farmers have absorbed those sharply higher expenses in hopes their investments will be rewarded later in the year.

It’s a big risk, but one that could pay off. Market prices for Kentucky’s agricultural commodities — from corn and soybeans to chickens and hogs — have surged since 2020.

As a result, Snell predicted a good year for Kentucky agriculture in 2022, assuming key variables pan out — that farmers have favorable growing conditions and export markets remain strong.

“I feel pretty confident to say as long as we have decent growing conditions, and with the prices we’re expecting this fall, that we are going to well exceed $7 billion in cash receipts for agriculture for 2022,” Snell said.

The Bluegrass State’s record for ag cash receipts was $6.5 billion in 2014.

Economists suspect last year’s amount exceeded that level, but the data won’t be available until later this summer, Snell said.

Tobacco used to be the king of Kentucky agriculture, but its decline has

resulted in a highly diversified farm sector. The state’s top agricultural commodities include corn, soybeans, poultry, horses and cattle.

Crop prices this fall have the potential to result in higher net farm income for grain farmers, assuming they have good yields, Snell said. Strong export markets for corn and soybean are expected to keep crop prices higher this autumn, he said. For livestock producers, higher feed costs will pose a challenge but higher market prices will help offset higher expenses, he said.

As for Kentucky’s net farm income — the amount left after farmers’ expenses — Snell said he does not expect a record amount this year. But it could end up “relatively high” compared to the past decade, assuming yields are good, he said.

But he warned about the prospects for a bumpier year for Kentucky farmers in 2023.

“The world will respond to these higher commodity prices and we will see probably some pushback and lower commodity prices -- especially crop prices -- that we anticipate for 2023,” he told lawmakers.

“Those input prices tend to be fairly sticky. We typically have not seen them come down as fast as commodity prices. And as a result, that’s our biggest concern.”

THE TRIBUNE

NLRB DENIES AMAZON’S ASK TO CLOSE UNION HEARING TO PUBLIC

By HALELUYA HADERO AP Business Writer A FEDERAL labor board has denied Amazon’s request to bar the public from a hearing on the company’s bid to overturn a historic union win at one of its Staten Island, New York, warehouses.

Hearings by the National Labor Relations Board are typically held in person and open to the public. But the Seattle-based company filed a motion Tuesday arguing the agency should make the hearing on the Staten Island union vote private because it will be held over Zoom.

Amazon argued that a Zoom hearing makes difficult to know if witnesses who aren’t supposed to observe the hearing are listening in, or whether the hearing is being recorded and shared with others, which the labor board prohibits. The hearing, which begins Monday, is expected to last several days.

On Thursday, Cornele Overstreet, a regional director with the NLRB field office who will oversee the hearing, denied the company’s request. He wrote in a filing that the company hasn’t “put forward any compelling reason” to depart from long-standing policy of holding public hearings.

“The Board’s hearings are not secret. Accordingly, preventing the public from viewing its important processes is not an option,” Overstreet wrote.

Amazon has pointed to “unprecedented national media coverage” as one of the reasons access to the hearing should be limited, arguing it makes it difficult to sequester witnesses.

But the fact that the union election “has garnered national and international attention from outside parties only further solidifies the importance of allowing public observation,” Overstreet wrote.

The e-commerce juggernaut has sought to overturn the union victory at one of its New York City warehouses since April, saying organizers with the nascent Amazon Labor Union and the Brooklyn office of the NLRB, which oversaw the election, acted in a way that tainted the results.

The company says it wants to redo the election, but pro-union experts and labor organizers argue it’s a method to delay negotiations for a union contract.

Overstreet noted in his order that a hearing officer has issued instructions to not record the hearing.

Friday, June 10, 2022, PAGE 19

Gas prices close in on $5 a gallon in US, hit record in UK

By DAVID KOENIG AP Business Writer THE average price that Americans pay for gasoline is closing in on $5 a gallon, another drain on the wallets of consumers who are paying more for many other essentials too.

AAA said the nationwide average for regular on Thursday was $4.97 a gallon, up a quarter in just the last week and $1.90 more than drivers were paying a year ago.

GasBuddy, a service that helps drivers find deals on gas, said the average surpassed $5 for the first time ever.

Pump prices have been rising steadily for months, shooting past the $4 mark in early March. They track the cost of crude oil, which was rising even before Russia’s invasion of Ukraine drove oil even higher.

Fears of short supplies are being compounded by demand, which usually picks up around Memorial Day at the end of May — the unofficial start of summer and vacation trips in the U.S. California has the highest average price, at $6.40

GASOLINE prices are shown at a gas station Wednesday, June 8, 2022, in Salt Lake City.

Photo:Rick Bowmer/AP a gallon, according to AAA. Several other Western states and Illinois are higher than $5.50.

The lowest average is in Georgia, at $4.41.

Quentin McZeal of Oakland, California, said it used to cost him $100 to fill up his tank and now it’s more like $140-$160. The prices

TESLAS WITH AUTOPILOT A STEP CLOSER TO RECALL AFTER WRECKS

By TOM KRISHER AP Auto Writer TESLAS with partially automated driving systems are a step closer to being recalled after the U.S. elevated its investigation into a series of collisions with parked emergency vehicles or trucks with warning signs.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said Thursday that it is upgrading the Tesla probe to an engineering analysis, another sign of increased scrutiny of the electric vehicle maker and automated systems that perform at least some driving tasks.

Documents posted Thursday by the agency raise some serious issues about Tesla's Autopilot system.

The agency found that it's being used in areas where its capabilities are limited, and that many drivers aren't taking action to avoid crashes despite warnings from the vehicle.

The probe now covers 830,000 vehicles, almost everything that the Austin, Texas, carmaker has sold in the U.S. since the start of the 2014 model year.

NHTSA reported that it has found 16 crashes into emergency vehicles and trucks with warning signs,

causing 15 injuries and one death.

Investigators will evaluate additional data, vehicle performance and "explore the degree to which Autopilot and associated Tesla systems may exacerbate human factors or behavioral safety risks, undermining the effectiveness of the driver's supervision," the agency said.

A message was left Thursday seeking comment from Tesla.

An engineering analysis is the final stage of an investigation, and in most cases NHTSA decides within a year if there should be a recall or the probe should be closed.

In the majority of the 16 crashes, the Teslas issued collision alerts to the drivers just before impact. Automatic emergency braking intervened to at least slow the cars in about half the cases. On average, Autopilot gave up control of the Teslas less than a second before the crash, NHTSA said in documents detailing the probe.

NHTSA also said it's looking into crashes involving similar patterns that did not include emergency vehicles or trucks with warning signs.

have forced him to change his behavior and make different choices, like turning down people who ask for rides unless they’re willing to kick in for gas.

“It’s a lot of other things I can’t do because I have to

pay for gas, you know what I’m saying?” McZeal said.

“Less food, less playtime because I got to get gas. I got to go to work, right?”

He blames the government, and the war in

Ukraine, for the high gas prices.

While the $5 mark on average is new, Americans paid more for gasoline back in July 2008, when inflation is considered. The high of $4.11 a gallon then would be equal to about $5.40 a gallon today.

Americans aren’t the only ones paying more to fill up.

This week, gasoline prices in the United Kingdom hit a record 182.3 pence ($2.30) per liter, or about $8.80 per gallon.

Analysts expect prices will keep rising until they get so high that demand falls — nobody knows exactly when or where that might be. In the meantime, any unexpected refinery shutdowns — for example, from a hurricane along the Texas and Louisiana Gulf Coast — could send prices spiraling higher.

“I’m afraid we’re not at the end of the road yet,” said GasBuddy analyst Patrick De Haan. “We have very little margin for error this summer. We need every barrel of refining capacity we can get.”

PAGE 20, Friday, June 10, 2022

VEHICLE THEFT CLAIMS ‘OUT OF THE ORDINARY’ FROM PAGE 24

increase, we’d be right around where we thought we’d be. Without that, we’d be pretty much where we anticipated.”

Mr Ingraham also joined his insurance industry colleagues in saying the sector was still trying to determine the impact of the Government’s plan, as unveiled in the 2022-2023 Budget, to replace its existing 3 percent premium tax with a 2.25 percent Business Licence fee levied on “turnover”.

Asserting that definition of “turnover” will be critical to how the tax is calculated, and its impact on the industry, the Summit chief said: “We’re still in the process of evaluating that and trying to determine what exactly will happen. Right now we’re trying to speak to the tax authority to get a full understanding of what they are proposing before we come to any conclusions.

“Obviously one thing at the moment is that premium tax is based on premium, and what is your definition of turnover? That we have to get clarification on. The immediate thing

is to try and get a deeper understanding of what is being proposed before we come to any significant conclusions on it.”

Patrick Ward, Bahamas First’s president and chief executive, previously told Tribune Business on Budget Day that there was insufficient time to implement the changes prior to the 2022-2023 fiscal year’s start on July 1.

“We’re obviously going to have to study that in more detail,” Mr Ward said of the proposed Business Licence fee change. “To what extent is that going to apply to gross or net earnings. That’s an important distinction. Outside of that we don’t have an understanding of what impact this is going to have.

“We couldn’t possibly say what difference this is going to make without knowing the full details of that proposal.” Asked whether there was sufficient time for the Bahamian insurance industry to adjust to the changes, the Bahamas First chief added: “No, and that’s

something again that we will have to take a look at.

“That would involve a change in the computer system in terms of programming. Without the details it’s difficult to say, but I can say now that it’s unlikely to be enough time to make the change.” Anton Saunders, RoyalStar Assurance’s managing director, told this newspaper that beside informing the insurance industry it was mulling such a change there had been no consultation with the Government on the Business Licence switch.

“This is the first time I’ve seen it,” he added. “I know they had a meeting saying they were proposing it, but there was no consultation.

I cannot comment. We have no idea what they are proposing and what is the turnover rate. We really need more detail on what they’re proposing and what the realities are going to be.”

GOV’T HAILS 69% VAT RISE: RATE CUT WORKS

under the new 10 percent/ broad-based structure, it will be a key gauge of whether the Davis administration’s strategy has paid-off from a revenue, administration and compliance perspective.

Still, the VAT trends look encouraging. And the extent of the year-overyear VAT revenue hike for the 2021-2022 fiscal year’s third quarter far exceeded the rate of increase in the Government’s overall revenues. The first nine months indicate further progression toward the peak figures experienced pre-pandemic and pre-hurricane,” the Ministry of Finance said.

“Third quarter revenues of fiscal year 2021-2022 were an estimated $601.2m, a period-on-period increase of 22.4 percent. Similar to the improvements in the first and second quarters, the increases were largely explained by VAT and excise tax collections.”

Total revenues for the third quarter in the prior fiscal year, when the economy was still rebounding from COVID-19, stood at $491.2m - a difference of $110m.

Turning to the impact for the first nine months of the 2021-2022 fiscal year, the Ministry of Finance added: “During the first nine months of fiscal year 20212022, total revenue receipts increased by $617.6m (50.2 percent) to $1.847bn as compared to the prior year, and represented 79 percent of the budget target.

“The development in revenue performance was supported by increases in tax revenue of $526.4m (50.9 percent) to $1.561bn (77.3 percent of budget) while non-tax revenue expanded by $90.9m (46.5 percent) to $286.6m (90 percent of the budget).

“Notwithstanding a reduction in the nominal VAT rate from 12 percent to 10 percent in January 2022, VAT receipts increased by $366.3m (78 percent) to $836.1m or 90.3 percent of the budget.”

$1.22m in 2020, a $456,058 gain on the unrealised value of its investment holdings enabled Summit to produce a 34.5 percent gain in total comprehensive income to $1.205m.

“They were slightly off, slightly under what we had originally projected,” Mr Ingraham nevertheless said of Summit’s 2021 financial results. “You can see claims, with net claims incurred, went up by about 20 percent. We hadn’t quite anticipated that.”

Asked what had driven the more-than $500,000 net claims increase to $3.266m, he replied: “Mainly some liability claims and some motor claims. We saw an increase in motor vehicle theft and bodily injuries in some areas as well. We’ve turned it over to the police to look at; any matter that looked out of the ordinary we’ve turned over to the police to look into. It was just one of those years with a slight increase in claims.”

Mr Ingraham, when questioned over the extent

FROM PAGE 24 representing a 69.7 percent hike on the $74.7m received in the same month the prior year when tourism and economic activity were only just starting to emerge from COVID-related lockdowns and other restrictions.

Still, January’s VAT collections were ahead of the $113.2m obtained during the same month in 2020, which was prior to the pandemic striking, and the $101.2m received in 2019 - a period before both Hurricane Dorian and COVID-19. VAT collections for February and March 2022 both came in at similar numbers, $85.8m and $86.4m, respectively.

of the motor vehicle theft rise, told this newspaper: “I don’t have the specific numbers in front of me, but it was a noticeable jump. It was a little more outside the ordinary. A little bit.

“It’s always concerning when you see something out of the ordinary, and we continue to watch it to make sure it’s not a trend.

Every now and again you have an aberration, and have a run of two or three things, but it’s something we’re watching and keeping an eye on.”

Detailing other issues that caused Summit to miss its forecasts for last year, Mr Ingraham added: “Gross premium income increased year-over-year, which meant we had to increase our unearned premium fund, so that took a bite out of the bottom line.”

The carrier’s gross written premium rose by more than $4.5m year-over-year, growing by 11.7 percent to $43.069m from $38.542m in 2020. To cover the extra risk, the unearned premium reserve increased

THE TRIBUNE

Both figures were substantially higher than the 2019-2021 period. February VAT collections over that three-year period ranged from $47.9m to $52.3m, while for March the figures stayed between $53.9m and $61.1m. The Davis administration is thus arguing that the rate cut from 12 percent to 10 percent, and eliminating its Minnis predecessor’s multiple exemptions and ‘zero ratings’, has boosted government revenues as it predicted.

However, other factors are also at work. There is the Bahamian economy’s continued rebound and faster-than-expected recovery from COVID-19. And this nation’s regressive,

by $651,468 - a more than $500,00 jump compared to the prior year.

Personnel and general and administrative expenses also rose, the latter by more than 25 percent to $1.151m.

“We had a slight increase in that,” Mr Ingraham said. “We are preparing for things like IFRS 17 (international financial reporting standards). That will be one of the expenses for that; just general expenses.

“This year we are supposed to publish two sets of financials, one on an IFRS 17 basis and one on a traditional basis. Next year we are supposed to move over to IFRS 17. That basically looks at insurance contracts, and we have to change the way we treat insurance contracts and the way we account for them.

“It’s probably one of the bigger changes in insurance accounting for a number of years. It brings a more actuarial approach to some elements of the financial statements. Other than those two extraordinary items, the unearned premium reserve and claims

consumption-based tax system means that during a period of soaring prices and inflation - as is occurring now - the likes of VAT and import tariffs generate more revenues for the Government because they are being levied on higher prices.

And it may still be slightly premature to pronounce on the VAT rate cut, and impact from the expanded tax base, due to timing differences between when businesses collect VAT and when they file their returns/make payment to the Department of Inland Revenue.

Companies have to file and pay by the 21st of the following month, meaning that January’s VAT

revenues reflect monies that were actually collected over the Christmas holidays and rest of December - a period when economic activity and transactions peak.

This is why the $126m collected in January is almost 50 percent higher than what was received in February and March 2022, which represent VAT collected by companies in January and February, respectively. VAT collected by companies in March will only be remitted to the Government in April, data for which has not yet been released.

March is a key month, as it represents the first time that quarterly VAT filers will join their monthly counterparts in submitting returns and payments to the Government. As the first month when all VAT filers will be providing returns

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

APPLY IN WRITTING TO THE H.R.MANAGER

P.O.BOX CB 11539, NASSAU.

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THE TRIBUNE

Friday, June 10, 2022, PAGE 21

STEM CELL PIONEER: JUST 3% OF CLAIMS ACCEPTED FROM PAGE 24

claims, ranks ahead of all other creditors by virtue of any security it possesses over Okyanos’ assets.

However, Ms Simms disclosed that many smaller creditors - amounting to two-thirds of potential claimants - have failed to demand due compensation.

“In response to the request for submission of proof of debt forms, to-date the official liquidator has received proof of debt forms representing 97 percent of Okyanos’ total liabilities,” she wrote.

“This amount includes a proof of debt form submitted by LS Enterprises relative to the outstanding loan balance due from Okyanos. As it relates to the number of claims, the official liquidator has received proof of debt forms representing 34 percent of Okyanos’ creditors.

“From my agent’s examination of the company’s accounting records, we have identified 31 creditors with a total balance of $499,638 who have not submitted proof of claim forms. We have made contact with these creditors, but to-date no proof of debt forms have been submitted.” Many of these are likely to be small Bahamian-owned businesses who do not have the time and money to pursue such debts, and may well have written-off the sums owed.

Okyanos was among the first entities attracted to The Bahamas by the Stem Cell Research and Therapy Act passed by the last Christie administration around eight to nine years ago. The legislation was viewed as enabling The Bahamas to break into the medical tourism market, providing a platform to create jobs and a new industry that would aid economic diversification, as well as generate a valuable new foreign exchange earnings source.

However, Okyanos’ dream was soured by consistent multi-million dollar annual losses. It was sold by its initial owner, Okyanos

Holding Company, on April 21, 2017, to New Research Ltd, a Bahamian international business company (IBC) that advanced the stem cell provider some $15.9m in loans over the following two years. The beneficial owners of New Research and LS Enterprises are not identified by the liquidator, although some are likely common to both entities.

Detailing the events that sparked Okyanos’ closure, Ms Simms said contamination of its First Commercial Centre medical facilities by Hurricane Dorian’s rain and flood waters resulted in its September 2019 closure.

“As a result of the length of time for the insurance claim to be reviewed, the need for an injection of funds to repair the facility and the poor economic conditions of Freeport, a decision was made by the major creditor of Okyanos, LS Enterprises, to petition the court for the company to be wound-up,” she added.

The First Commercial Centre was then-owned

by Premier Commercial Real Estate Investment Fund, which was created by former Grand Bahama Port Authority (GBPA) chairman, Hannes Babak.

Relations with Okyanos were already strained prior to Ms Simms’ appointment as liquidator since Premier had obtained a restraining order preventing the stem cell therapy provider from moving out its assets. An eviction notice had also been served.

Ms Simms and her team had to gain access to Okyanos’ facilities by manually opening the door as the electronic security system had been deactivated. “The landlord’s representative arrived shortly after we accessed the facility,” she reported. “A letter advising of my appointment as provisional liquidator was provided. However, my agents and I were accused of illegally attempting to gain access to the facility.

“The landlord and the liquidator’s relationship was

PUBLIC NOTICE

INTENT TO CHANGE NAME BY DEED POLL The Public is hereby advised that I, JAHLEELA PAULETTE ROLLE of 20 Emery Street, Highland Park intend to change my name to JAHLEELA PAULETTE JOHNSON. If there are any objections to this change of name by Deed Poll, you may write such objections to the Chief Passport Officer, P. O. Box N-742, Nassau, Bahamas, no later than thirty (30) days after the date of publication of this notice.

NOTICE

NOTICE is hereby given that STEVEN DELIUS of Yamacraw Antiqua Avenue, New Providence, The Bahamas is applying to the Minister responsible for Nationality and Citizenship, for Registration Naturalization as a citizen of The Bahamas, and that any person who knows any reason why registration/naturalization should not be granted, should send a written and signed statement of the facts within twenty-eight days from the 10th day of June, 2022 to the Minister responsible for nationality and Citizenship, P.O. Box N-7147, Nassau, New Providence, The Bahamas.

challenging from the start.

However, as official liquidator, I was fully aware that the occupation of the facility was critical to allow the conduct of my work and to safely secure the assets, which included a catherisation lab that was affixed to the building.”

Okyanos had previously been paying Premier a $32,551 monthly rent and $12,588 common area maintenance (CAM) charge, plus 41.07 percent of the First Commercial Centre’s monthly chiller fee. Ms Simms managed to negotiate a lower rate that, while the chiller fee remained the same, cut the monthly rent by 50 percent to $16,275 and the CAM charge to $9,857.

However, difficulties in selling Okyanos’ specialist equipment meant that the liquidator occupied its former space at the First Commercial Centre for longer than planned.

“During 2021, as a result of cash flow challenges, we were unable to make the monthly required payments,” Ms Simms revealed.

“Consequently, as of the date of the lease termination (August 31, 2021), we accumulated an outstanding rental balance of $355,015.

“By letter dated October 15, 2021, after receiving a number of demands for payment of rent, we requested a 30 percent discount on the outstanding rental amount and proposed to pay the remaining balance of $248,510 in two equal instalments of $124,255 with the first payment to be made on

acceptance of the proposal and the last payment 60 days later.

“Through a letter dated March 9, 2022, the landlord rejected the settlement proposal and demanded a full payment of the outstanding rent of $355,015, which was paid on March 30, 2022, following the landlord’s demand for payment and threats of a court application compelling me to pay the same.”

As for Okyanos’ Hurricane Dorian insurance coverage, Ms Simms said the company had submitted a $4.573m total claim on a policy that was capped at $6.227m. Some $754,093 had been received as an “interim payment” from Insurance Management, of which $500,000 was for emergency repairs and the $254,093 balance to cover wages and benefits owed to staff.

Insurance Management submitted a settlement offer totalling $1.253m on July 15, 2020, which would have resulted in a net further recovery of $392,489 once the initial $754,093 payment and $106,040 deductible were taken into account.

Ms Simms said she submitted a December 16, 2020, counter-offer that was close to three times’ higher at $3.382m.

Insurance Management subsequently revised its settlement offer to $1.558m in February 2021 in a bid to achieve “an amicable settlement”. Ms Simms said the Dorian claim was ultimately settled several months later

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at $750,000 for business interruption, and $357,594 to cover payroll due to staff from September 1, 2019, to February 6, 2020. This took the total insurance recovery to $1.714m - a sum equivalent to just 37 percent of the original claim.

Detailing the struggles to sell Okyanos’ medical and other assets, Ms Simms said she received legal advice that only “moveable” leasehold improvements could be disposed of - all others became the landlord’s property. After accepting bids totalling some $222,865, just three bidders came through with payments collectively worth $101,056 - some 45 percent of that amount.

The sales process was saved by the acquisition of the First Commercial Centre for Doctors

Hospital’s Grand Bahama hospital, much made the BISX-listed healthcare provider a natural buyer for Okyanos’ remaining assets.

The $425,000 deal was only finalised on February 22, 2022, due to Doctors Hospital’s desire that the building’s sale close first.

While Ms Simms has increased the liquidation estate’s cash balance by $177,102 during her twoyear appointment, taking it from $337,526 at endMay 2020 to $514,618 at April 2022’s close, the latter sum will almost entirely be required to cover $459,482 in outstanding expenses. These include the liquidator’s fees of $203,854, plus funds owed to the Delaney Partners and McKinney, Bancroft & Hughes law firms.

NOTICE In the Estate of JUANITA LOUISE GREENE a.k.a. JUANITA GREENE, late, of Hibiscus Drive Cable Beach, in the Island of New Providence one of the Islands of the Commonwealth of The Bahamas, deceased.

NOTICE is hereby given that all persons having any claim or demand against the abovenamed Estate are required to send the same to the Undersigned on or before the 12th day of July, 2022, and if so required by notice in writing from the undersigned to come in and prove such demand or claim or in default thereof be excluded from the benefit of any distribution made before such debts are proved.

AND NOTICE is hereby given that all persons indebted to the said Estate are requested to settle their respective debts at the Chambers of the undersigned on or before the date hereinbefore mentioned.

Dated the 9th day of June, A.D., 2022.

Campbell Chase Law, Chambers, Nora Leonie, 71 Mount Royal Avenue at Rosetta Street, P. O. Box N-4447, Nassau, Bahamas.

Attorneys for the Personal Representatives

MARKET REPORT www.bisxbahamas.com

THURSDAY, 9 JUNE 2022

BISX ALL SHARE INDEX: BISX LISTED & TRADED SECURITIES 52WK HI 6.70 53.00 2.05 2.61 2.60 6.10 10.05 3.56 9.02 3.10 8.00 16.60 2.65 10.28 11.25 10.85 15.20 4.00 11.00 16.50

52WK LOW 4.75 32.12 1.49 2.20 1.30 5.75 6.96 2.82 4.25 2.27 5.95 9.75 1.99 7.05 10.02 9.55 13.10 3.50 8.19 15.50

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

PREFERENCE SHARES 1.00

1.00

1000.00 1000.00

1000.00 1000.00

1.00 10.00 1.00

1.00 10.00 1.00

Bahamas First Holdings Preference Cable Bahamas Series 6 Cable Bahamas Series 9 Colina Holdings Class A Fidelity Bank Bahamas Class A Focol Class B

CORPORATE DEBT - (percentage pricing) 52WK HI 100.00 100.00

52WK LOW 100.00 100.00

SECURITY Fidelity Bank (Note 22 Series B+) Bahamas First Holdings Limited

CLOSE

CHANGE

%CHANGE

YTD

YTD%

2432.48

1.32

0.05

204.24

9.17

SYMBOL AML APD BBL BFH BOB BPF BWL CAB CBB CBL CHL CIB CWCB DHS EMAB FAM FBB FCL FIN JSJ BFHP CAB6 CAB9 CHLA FBBA FCLB SYMBOL FBB22 BFHB

BAHAMAS GOVERNMENT STOCK - (percentage pricing) 115.92 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.66 100.71 100.53 100.43 100.34 100.23 100.00 100.00 100.98 100.00

104.79 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 99.98 100.26 100.28 100.43 100.04 100.00 89.62 89.00 90.24 90.73

MUTUAL FUNDS 52WK HI 2.52 4.69 2.22 207.86 212.41 1.73 1.83 1.82 1.05 9.37 11.83 7.54 16.64 12.84 10.77 10.00 10.43 14.89

52WK LOW 2.11 3.30 1.68 164.74 116.70 1.68 1.73 1.75 0.99 6.41 7.62 5.66 8.65 10.54 9.57 9.88 8.45 11.20

Bahamas Note 6.95 (2029) BGS: 2014-12-7Y BGS: 2015-1-7Y BGS: 2014-12-30Y BGS: 2015-1-30Y BGS: 2015-6-7Y BGS: 2015-6-30Y BGS: 2015-10-7Y BGRS FL BGRS71023 BGRS FL BGRS68023 BGRS FL BGRS70022 BGRS FL BGRS75022 BGRS FL BGRS81037 BGRS FL BGRS88028 BGRS FX BGR129249 BGRS FX BGR131249 BGRS FX BGR132249 BGRS FX BGR136150

BAH29 BG0107 BG0207 BG0130 BG0230 BG0307 BG0330 BG0407 BSBGRS710237 BSBGRS680232 BSBGRS700220 BSBGRS750225 BSBGRS810375 BSBGRS880287 BSBGR1292493 BSBGR1312499 BSBGR1322498 BSBGR1361504

LAST CLOSE 5.35 39.95 2.04 2.35 2.47 6.10 9.75 3.55 8.15 2.81 8.00 16.00 2.95 10.26 12.06 10.85 15.20 3.98 10.00 15.50 1.00 1000.00 1000.00 1.00 10.00 1.00 LAST SALE 100.00 100.00 107.31 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 99.98 100.26 100.53 100.54 100.34 100.00 89.62 100.00 100.00 100.00

CLOSE 5.35 39.95 2.04 2.35 2.47 6.10 9.75 3.56 8.15 2.82 8.00 16.00 2.87 10.26 11.93 10.85 15.20 3.98 10.00 15.50 1.00 1000.00 1000.00 1.00 10.00 1.00

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

VOLUME

1,150 21,604 2,000

0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00

CLOSE 100.00 100.00

CHANGE 0.00 0.00

107.31 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 99.98 100.26 100.53 100.54 100.34 100.00 89.62 100.00 100.00 100.00

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

FUND CFAL Bond Fund CFAL Balanced Fund CFAL Money Market Fund CFAL Global Bond Fund CFAL Global Equity Fund Leno Financial Conservative Fund Leno Financial Aggressive Fund Leno Financial Balanced Fund Leno Financial Global Bond Fund RF Bahamas Opportunities Fund - Secured Balanced Fund RF Bahamas Opportunities Fund - Targeted Equity Fund RF Bahamas Opportunities Fund - Prime Income Fund RF Bahamas International Investment Fund Limited - Equities Sub Fund RF Bahamas International Investment Fund Limited - High Yield Income Fund RF Bahamas International Investment Fund Limited - Alternative Strategies Fund Colonial Bahamas Fund Class D Colonial Bahamas Fund Class E Colonial Bahamas Fund Class F

MARKET TERMS

CHANGE 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.01 0.00 0.01 0.00 0.00 (0.08) 0.00 (0.13) 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00

(242) 323‐2330 (242) 323‐2320 EPS$ 0.239 0.932 0.000 0.140 0.070 1.760 0.369 -0.438 0.140 0.184 0.449 0.722 0.102 0.467 0.646 0.728 0.816 0.203 0.939 0.631 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000

VOLUME

DIV$ 0.170 1.260 0.020 0.080 0.000 0.000 0.260 0.000 0.000 0.120 0.220 0.720 0.434 0.060 0.328 0.240 0.540 0.120 0.200 0.610 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000

INTEREST Prime + 1.75% 6.25% 6.95% 4.50% 4.50% 6.25% 6.25% 4.50% 6.25% 4.25% 4.53% 4.62% 4.50% 4.43% 4.87% 4.33% 5.55% 5.60% 5.65% 5.69%

NAV 2.52 4.69 2.21 197.44 202.39 1.73 1.82 1.82 0.99 9.37 11.79 7.54 15.94 12.47 10.74 N/A 10.43 14.89

YTD% 12 MTH% 0.99% 4.22% 0.36% 5.78% 0.67% 2.74% -2.97% -2.35% -4.72% 6.04% 0.83% 2.82% -0.18% 3.72% 0.76% 3.55% -3.55% -3.85% -0.02% 10.36% -0.33% 18.23% 0.22% 3.05% -3.89% 14.76% -1.04% -2.57% 0.81% 4.20% N/A N/A 3.00% 25.60% 7.90% 48.70%

P/E 22.4 42.9 N/M 16.8 N/M N/M 26.4 -8.1 58.2 15.3 17.8 22.2 28.1 22.0 18.5 14.9 18.6 19.6 10.6 24.6 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000

YIELD 3.18% 3.15% 0.98% 3.40% 0.00% 0.00% 2.67% 0.00% 0.00% 4.26% 2.75% 4.50% 15.12% 0.58% 2.75% 2.21% 3.55% 3.02% 2.00% 3.94% 0.00% 0.00% 0.00% 6.25% 7.00% 6.50%

MATURITY 19-Oct-2022 30-Sep-2025 20-Nov-2029 15-Dec-2021 30-Jul-2022 15-Dec-2044 30-Jul-2045 26-Jun-2022 26-Jun-2045 15-Oct-2022 22-Oct-2023 21-Jul-2023 29-Jul-2022 7-Sep-2022 26-Jul-2037 26-Jul-2028 15-Apr-2049 15-Jul-2049 15-Oct-2049 21-Apr-2050

NAV Date 31-Mar-2022 31-Mar-2022 25-Mar-2022 31-Mar-2022 31-Mar-2022 31-Mar-2022 31-Mar-2022 31-Mar-2022 31-Mar-2022 31-Jan-2022 31-Jan-2022 31-Jan-2022 31-Jan-2022 31-Jan-2022 31-Jan-2022 31-Mar-2021 31-Mar-2021 31-Mar-2021

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

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

PAGE 22, Friday, June 10, 2022

THE TRIBUNE

‘STILL AMONG LEADERS’: BUT BAHAMAS’ FDI DOWN 60%

FROM PAGE 24 have seen in the last five years”.

He spoke out after the World Investment Report, unveiled yesterday by the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) agency, disclosed that inbound FDI flows to The Bahamas fell from $897m in 2020 during COVID’s peak to $360m last year.

The latter figure was the smallest for five years, falling well below the $901m and $947m FDI inflows attracted in 2017 and 2018, as well as the $611m received in 2019.

The numbers have been released at a time when the Davis administration has made attracting greater levels of FDI central to its post-COVID economic recovery plans, yet there appears to be a disconnect with the $2bn in investments the Prime Minister says have been approved since he took office.

“FDI inflows to the SIDS in 2021 rose by 17 per cent to $3.3bn, continuing to hover around 0.2 per cent of global FDI. Reflecting differences in levels of development and factor endowments, a handful of SIDS continued to attract the bulk of inflows,” the World Investment Report said.

“The top five recipients - Maldives, Fiji, The Bahamas, Trinidad and Tobago and Mauritius, in that order - accounted for 56 per cent of FDI flows to the group. The 2021 increase represented only a partial recovery, as pre-pandemic levels were about 25 per cent higher than current levels. This reflects the multiple problems that several of these countries face resulting from the pandemic, including stagnant international tourism.

“Inflows to the 10 Caribbean SIDS rose by 4 per cent to $1.7bn, after dropping 27 per cent in 2020. In The Bahamas, inflows decreased by 60 per cent to $360m. However, there was a rise in announced greenfield projects and international project finance deals.” Socalled “greenfield” projects jumped from $5m in 2020 to $43m last year, the report added, suggesting a growth rate of 750 percent for The Bahamas in this area.

Chester Cooper, deputy prime minister, and who has Cabinet responsibility for investments, did not respond to Tribune Business messages seeking comment on the World Investment Report’s findings before press time last night. However, Mr Edwards said the report’s data was no cause for panic despite FDI’s vital

role in job creation and the overall Bahamian economy.

“In the first instance, we have to put everything in context,” he told Tribune Business. “2021 was 2021.

We were in the midst of the pandemic, and obviously serious investment decisions were being delayed and there was a high level of uncertainty. That large drop-off is not unusual nor should it give cause for any concern.

“Now that we’ve seen the local economy opening up, the global economy bouncing back subject to the challenges it has, I think The Bahamas will get its share of foreign direct investment. When you look historically at The Bahamas’ performance in this particular area, it’s been in many instances well above average and well above its peers, so I would not have too many concerns.”

Noting The Bahamas’ third place among SIDS FDI recipients, and its leadership standing in the Caribbean ahead of Trinidad & Tobago’s $342m, Mr Edwards added: “That underlines the attractiveness of The Bahamas to FDI even in a year where there was a dramatic fall, because 60 percent is a significant drop. The Bahamas is still among the leaders.

“I think that underlines the attractiveness of the

jurisdiction, and I think it underlines the potential interest we see in coming to the country. Although there are some infrastructure challenges, there’s a huge upside in coming to The Bahamas, so I don’t have a concern. The Bahamas is going to continue to be a leader in that regard.

I don’t think that’s going to change.”

Pointing to the Government’s recent investment promotion trips to Qatar, Saudi Arabia and elsewhere, the ORG economic development chief said this was likely to eventually stimulate FDI and send it in The Bahamas’ direction.

“We will definitely see at some point a rebound that is robust enough to take us beyond the $900m range we would have seen in the last five years,” he told this newspaper.

“That would position The Bahamas given the nascent recovery we are experiencing, and the need for greater growth, diversification and utilisation of resources. It positions the country well for a sustained recovery. The way The Bahamas is poised, and the desire and need for growth, positions us really well over the next 12-18 months in this FDI market.”

Mr Edwards added, though, that The Bahamas needs to ensure there

is a “reasonable balance” between local and foreign investment so as to maximise the benefits of capital being injected into the economy through the empowerment of Bahamian entrepreneurs.

And he also urged the Government and its investment agencies, especially the proposed Invest Bahamas, to “be very strategic in the areas they pursue”.

Rather than the previous narrow focus on tourism, Mr Edwards said The Bahamas needed to target value-added, highmargin industries that can provide jobs and spin-off opportunities, while also diversifying the economy and developing new sources of foreign exchange.

“We know persons out there may have a great interest in tourism and the areas they see themselves operating in, but the Government has to take that a bit further,” he added. “We need to take a step back and see what The Bahamas has to give for the longterm, and areas where we can develop economies and industries.”

Using FDI to “jump start” Family Island economies and agriculture were among the strategies that could be pursued, Mr Edwards said. “It’s one thing to gain significant dollar value, but if that

REFLATING ECONOMY AIDS $11.843BN DEBT BURDEN FROM PAGE 24

of GDP, as compared to 101 percent of GDP at endJune 2021.

“Total foreign currency debt, at $5.351bn, constituted 45.2 percent of the debt stock at end-March 2022, exceeding the respective shares at both end-December 2021 (43.2 percent) and end-March 2021 (43.5 percent). Bahamian dollar

indebtedness of $6.492bn represented 54.8 percent of the total to position below the 56.8 percent share at end-December 2021 and the 56.5 percent for endMarch 2021.”

Senator Michael Halkitis, minister of economic affairs, recently said the Government was targeting a reduction in the foreign currency proportion of the national debt between 20-30 percent, down from

the present 45 percent.

However, the data indicates matters are moving in the opposite direction, potentially increasing the pressure on the Central Bank’s external reserves and The Bahamas’ export earnings to service foreign currency debt repayments.

“Growth in the debt stock between end-March 2022 and end-December 2021 was entirely associated with a $214.5m (2.1 percent) net

gain in the central Government’ indebtedness.

Conversely, outstanding debt of the agencies and GBEs maintained a net repayment position, posting a further decline of $7.5m (0.6 percent) in the March 2022 quarter,” the public debt report added.

It said the Government plans to smooth out “spikes” in debt repayments that have

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concentrated the return of Bahamian dollar-denominated payments this year and next. Some $1.281bn is due to mature between April and June 2022, and another $1bn next year, most - if not all- of which will likely have to be refinanced and rolled over.

“The debt redemption profile featured a spike in domestic debt in 2023, and in external repayments in 2024 and again between 2027 and 2032, reflecting the scheduled maturity of various international bond issues,” the public sector debt bulletin said.

“The Government intends to smooth out these spikes through appropriate liability management initiatives. For the review

investment is concentrated in areas that do not filter down to Joe Public and does not result in major gains on the ground, then the country will not be better off and people will not be better off.

“Strategic targeting is the way to go. I really think that when we look at The Bahamas in the context of the Caribbean or the context of SIDS, we must start to readily accept there is something special about it from an FDI perspective. Persons are going to come. That attractiveness is a good thing, but it can be a negative long-term if it attracts investment in concentrated areas.”

Mr Edwards said more strategic FDI targeting could also reduce pressure on the amount of tax breaks and other incentives that The Bahamas currently grants to investors. “Throw money at areas that are lagging and need development, so you can be more strategic in fiscal policy and more strategic in jump starting economic activity outside New Providence, maybe Grand Bahama and Abaco to a lesser extent,” he added.

“The upside is exciting and a glowing opportunity.

If our strategy is good, the country can gain over the medium to long-term.” quarter, public debt service costs aggregated $925.6m, comprising $604.8m (65.3 percent) in Bahamian dollars and $320.8m (34.7 percent) in foreign currency.

“Of the $816.2m in principal payments, $528.5m (64.8 percent) was in Bahamian dollars and the remaining $287.7m (35.2 percent) in foreign currency. The latter was markedly increased over the December 2021 amount, because of the scheduled refinancing of a central Government loan facility. Overall interest costs of $109.4m comprised $76.3m (69.7 percent) in Bahamian dollars and $33.1m (30.3 percent) in foreign currency.”

THE TRIBUNE

Friday, June 10, 2022, PAGE 23

Grooming a workforce for corporate success A

grooming policy should reflect the needs of the employer while not unnecessarily restricting an employee’s individual expression. The more formal or professional the culture, and the more employees interact with individuals outside the workplace, the greater the need for employers to have a policy governing employee grooming and hygiene.

Our focus for this week’s column is to place some emphasis on the need for employee grooming guidelines that reflect the image and brand of the company.

1. Be inclusive and thorough If your dress code policy reflects grooming standards that could have been written in 1985, it is definitely time to revisit it. Do not assume your employees ought to “just know” what they should and should not do. For instance, be sure to discuss if and when any tattoos or body piercings should NOT be displayed.

If the nature of your business dictates that employees with body art should cover it up when meeting with clients, then say so. But allow for exceptions. For example, those that are faith-based.

2. Be as specific as possible What is the best way to avoid vague references to dress and

increasingly blurred, it is even more prudent.

IAN FERGUSON grooming standards, and give employees clear-cut guidance for what is expected of them?

Provide specific examples in your policies to give workers a solid understanding of acceptable and unacceptable grooming and dress behaviours. Pictures might also help to clear up ambiguities.

3. Stay gender neutral Make sure your grooming policy is gender neutral. This is critical to helping you avoid discrimination issues, such as one rule for men and another for women. And in an era when gender lines are becoming

4. Spell everything out in your employee handbook Your complete dress code policy, including any grooming standards, should be documented in your employee handbook. This makes it easy for your employees to reference guidelines any time they have questions or concerns, and it provides an effective medium for formally communicating your expectations.

5. Make it part of new employee onboarding Employee orientation training offers an ideal forum for setting expectations and giving new hires the tools they need to succeed. One of the most critical tools for their success is your employee handbook, and your company dress code and grooming standards should be included in it.

Talk about your employee handbook and its recommended uses as part of the onboarding process. Direct new employees to where they can find critical information, such as dress code and grooming standards. Literally walk them through it.

6. Keep up with evolving laws and trends Employment laws at the global level are constantly evolving. By the same token,

so are social norms and practices. As such, it is critical for your business to stay current on changes and updates to applicable employment laws and trends. When it comes to government-related human resources issues, even unintentional non-compliance can cost you big.

7. Review and update annually On an annual basis, make sure all employees review your employment policies and guidelines. Legal changes, including court decisions and new legislation, may require you to update your dress code and grooming policies among other employment standards. A company manager should take the initiative by incorporating any related developments and considerations into your best practices.

• NB: Ian R Ferguson is a talent management and organisational development consultant, having completed graduate studies with regional and international universities.

He has served organsations, both locally and globally, providing relevant solutions to their business growth and development issues. He may be contacted at tcconsultants@ coralwave.com.

Ex-PM renews attack on cost of living ‘crisis’

By YOURI KEMP Tribune Business Reporter ykemp@tribunemedia.net THE FORMER prime minister yesterday renewed his attack on the Government’s decision to reimpose VAT on so-called “breadbasket” food items by arguing this has “made worse” the cost of living crisis faced by many Bahamians.

Dr Hubert Minnis, speaking during his House of Assembly contribution to the Budget debate, said: “The economic security and needs of the

Bahamian people are paramount, and this includes food security - especially in light of the cost of living crisis, which has been made worse by the policies of the Davis administration.”

Asserting that his successor, Philip Davis QC, and other Cabinet ministers are more interested in travelling at the taxpayer’s expense, he added: “They should have been governing in the midst of a cost of living and food security crisis.

They significantly hiked VAT on breadbasket items.

“We said that they would be confronted by the perfect storm, a viral pandemic, an economic pandemic with severe inflation and high, unmanageable fuel costs. The world is facing a serious problem with inflation. This is the worst inflation problem in 40 years. There are many factors contributing to the high prices. The war in Ukraine has made it worse.”

Prices have steadily since the world began to reopen after the COVID-19 economic shutdowns. Supply chain backlogs and bottlenecks, as production plants found it difficult to

meet demand with workers and raw materials in short supply, combined with overheating in major economies and Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, have been just some of the factors driving the surge in global inflation.

There are concerns that the “food crisis” will pressure vulnerable economies such as The Bahamas, Dr Minnis said, given that this nation imports virtually all it consumes. “Governments around the world must do all they can to ensure food prices remain as accessible as possible,” he said.

LONG CAY

SOLAR INSPECTIONS UNDERWAY OVER 30% RENEWABLES DRIVE TECHNICAL inspections are underway to begin the process of installing solar photovoltaic (PV) systems on multiple Family Islands as part of efforts to generate 30 percent of The Bahamas’ energy needs from renewable sources.

The Davis administration, since coming to power, has repeatedly said it is forging ahead to achieve the National Energy Policy’s (NEP) goal of hitting that threshold by 2030.

If successful, the renewable energy transition will reduce reliance on traditional fossil fuels that are costly, worsen The Bahamas’ high cost of living and contribute to adverse climate change impacts.

The solar PV technical reviews, designed to kickstart this process, are now underway in North Andros, Inagua, Mayaguana, Acklins, Crooked Island, Long Cay, Marsh Harbour and Abaco.

Prime Minister Philip Davis QC, in unveiling the 20222023 Budget, said: “It has long been a major complaint of businesses that a key challenge to the ease of doing business over the years has been the very high cost of electricity, the unreliable supply of electricity, and the limited inclusion of solar technologies in our energy mix, even despite our abundant potential for solar power and the tools

TECHNICAL assessments are taking place in the Family Islands for the installation of solar photovoltaic systems as part of the country’s energy sector reform. photos:Ulric Woodside/BIS at our disposal to solve this problem.”

Recalling the Government’s execution of an $80m Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) loan on August 5, 2020, which was designed to finance restoration of Bahamas Power & Light’s (BPL) Abaco energy grid following Hurricane Dorian’s devastation and integrate renewable energy into the solution, Mr Davis said little progress had been made towards this objective.

“Since coming into office my administration has moved quickly to rectify this, and to capitalise on this missed opportunity by strengthening the Project Execution Unit (PEU) in the Ministry of Finance to

ensure timely delivery, value for money and to co-ordinate activities with other relevant stakeholders on this project,” he added. “The result has been substantial progress on this project in the past few months.”

The installation of resilient solar PV systems was the immediate focus, Mr Davis said, adding: “To accomplish this an assessment of energy systems in New Providence and the Family Islands will need to be done.

This work will start in the southeastern islands, namely Inagua, Mayaguana, Acklins, Crooked Island and Long Cay. “This year we will deploy, in those islands, public decentralised solar PV plants, roof-top systems and innovative

microgrids with storage capacity, and grid modernisation technologies to improve the reliability and resiliency of the power network on these islands.

“Additionally, pilot installations of solar photovoltaic systems on public buildings in Andros will also be carried out.

Thereafter, the installations of solar photovoltaic systems with be extended to the central and Northern Bahamas,” the Prime Minister added.

“A key aspect of this project is to ensure Bahamian participation and ownership in this industry. What this means is that, going forward, we are committed that all future maintenance, installation, site works or the like will be conducted by Bahamians.”

The Government has committed to train and certify a minimum 25 Bahamians to operate in this sector in the first phase. “We will also commit and ensure that government funding agencies make resources available to those individuals who have successfully completed this course, in order to support them in opening their own business in this sector,” Mr Davis said.

“We will also encourage the inclusion of green technology in all new major construction, and eventually provide the opportunity to offer similar services around the region,” he said.

GOV’T ALLOCATES $4.5M FOR GB GROWTH REVIVAL

By YOURI KEMP Tribune Business Reporter ykemp@tribunemedia.net A CABINET minister yesterday said some $360,000 has been set aside to finance micro, small and medium-sized (MSME) businesses and entrepreneurs in Grand Bahama.

Ginger Moxey, minister for Grand Bahama, told the House of Assembly during her Budget debate contribution that these funds are part of a $4.5m allocation to her ministry that is intended to help revive the island’s economic growth and development.

“Whilst the COLLAB unit was provided $3.7m, representing 27.6 percent of the overall budget, there’s an additional $170,000 for sister city relationship development that I will explain further; $240,000 for marketing and promotion because we will be promoting Grand Bahama around the world; $210,000 for small business development; another $150,000 for grant funding development; and $50,000 for the Grand Bahama Humane Society,” she said.

“All of this totalling $4.5m, or 34 percent of the overall budget.” COLLAB: Partnerships for Development is a public-private partnership launched this March, and which is designed to foster growth on the island in addition to small business development.

Mrs Moxey added: “A few examples of projects that will fall under COLLAB include Recover Grand Bahama, Beautiful Grand Bahama and Empower Grand Bahama.

“There will be one major event every year that will bring visitors to our shores.

We will be tapping into climate change grant opportunities, developing local and international relationships for community development and engaging in event partnership as we develop an exciting calendar of events for Grand Bahama.

“And Grand Bahama, we are going to get the Small Business Development Centre (SBDC) to work for you also,” Mrs Moxey said. “So expect to see some approvals coming our way. It is important to establish that the $3.7m allocated for COLLAB is not what is going to be the major player in making things happen.” She added that the “new currency is partnership”, and that is what will make Grand Bahama grow.

JOSEPH DARGAVAGE

DEMARO DEMERITTE

MARINAS ASSOCIATION ELECTS NEW PRESIDENT A HARBOUR Island resort executive was yesterday elected as the new Association of Bahamas Marinas (ABM) president to replace Peter Maury.

Joseph Dargavage, Romora Bay Resort & Marina’s managing partner, will return to a post he held previously. He has also served for two years as the ABM’s vicepresident, during which he travelled widely on speaking tours designed to calm boating market fears following Hurricane Dorian and amid the COVID-19 pandemic’s peak.

Co-chair of the Bahamas Charter Yacht Show’s steering committee, and a member of the boards of directors for the US Super Yacht Association and Bahamas Hotel & Tourism Association (BHTA), Mr Dargavage is also a member of the International Yacht Brokers Association (IYBA).

Demaro Demeritte, the Hurricane Hole Superyacht Marina’s general manager, was elected as the ABM’s vice-president.

A former banker who switched to the recreational maritime sector after recognising its growth potential, he was previously marina manager at Palm Cay before moving to his current Paradise Island-based employer one year ago.

The ABM’s complete 2022-2023 leadership team is: * Joe Dargavage (Romora Bay Resort & Marina) - president * Peter Maury (Bay Street Marina) past president * Demaro Demeritte (Hurricane Hole Marina) - vice-president * Stephen Kappeler (Bimini Big Game Resort & Marina) – treasurer * Justin Dubowitz (Cape Eleuthera Resort & Marina) - secretary * Tyrone Anderson (Valentines Residences, Resort & Marina) - member * Wendy Edler (Flying Fish Marina) - member * Laura Garcia (United Island & Yacht ) – Member The ABM is a registered non-profit organisation that represents the boating sector and marina community. It has been a major advocate for change and improvement for the entire boating sector. The ABM said its members employ hundreds of Bahamian citizens, while the industry generates tens of millions of dollars in revenue for the economy through taxes and direct spending on various goods and services.

business@tribunemedia.net

FRIDAY, JUNE 10, 2022

$6.35

‘Still among leaders’: But Bahamas’ FDI down 60% • UN body: Inflows fall over $500m to $360m • ORG chief: ‘Large dropoff’ no real concern • Confident of ‘robust’ rebound to over $900m

By NEIL HARTNELL Tribune Business Editor nhartnell@tribunemedia.net THE Bahamas is “still among the leaders” despite a United Nations (UN) agency yesterday revealing that foreign direct investment inflows to this nation declined by 60 percent yearover-year in 2021 to HUBERT EDWARDS $360m.

Hubert Edwards, the Organisation for Responsible Governance’s (ORG) economic development committee head, told Tribune Business that while the World Investment Report had disclosed a “dramatic” and “large drop-off” in a key Bahamian economic driver there should be no cause for immediate alarm as the numbers have to be set in context.

Pointing out that many major investment decisions had been placed on hold due to the uncertainty associated with the COVID-19 pandemic, he added that the fact The Bahamas remained the third most-popular foreign direct investment (FDI) destination among small island developing states (SIDS) globally - and the leader in the Caribbean - “underlines the attractiveness” of this jurisdiction for global capital.

And, although 2021’s $360m inflow was the lowest for five years, Mr Edwards voiced optimism that The Bahamas will soon “see a rebound that is robust enough to take us beyond the $900m annual range we would

SEE PAGE 22

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$7.39

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Stem cell pioneer: Just 3% of claims accepted

By NEIL HARTNELL Tribune Business Editor nhartnell@tribunemedia.net LESS than 3 percent of $16.5m in creditor claims against a Freeport business, once hailed for pioneering The Bahamas’ entry into the stem cell therapy industry, had been accepted as at end-May 2022.

Cheryl Simms, liquidator for the Okyanos Centre for Regenerative Medicine, revealed in her first report to the Supreme Court that just $448,883 worth of claims were valid at that date with a decision yet to be made on a further $14.336m.

The Kikivarakis & Company accountant, disclosing that she has rejected another $1.684m in creditor demands, said the $14.336m represents claims by just two creditors - one of whom, LS Enterprises, petitioned for Okyanos’ liquidation under Supreme

• Top Okyanos creditors await decision on $14.3m • Liquidator details ‘threats’, battle with landlord • Recovers 37% of initial $4.6m Dorian claim Court supervision. As the stem cell therapy provider’s main financier, it is seeking to recover some $12.438m that was advanced as loans to cover multi-million dollar losses prior to the company’s closure.

The liquidator’s report, obtained by Tribune Business, details several battles that Ms Simms faced in seeking to progress the liquidation. Besides a “challenging” relationship with Okyanos’ landlord, the

previously BISX-listed fund, Premier Real Estate Investment Corporation, which featured legal “threats” and payment demands, she also had to negotiate a settlement of the stem cell therapy provider’s Hurricane Dorian coverage claim with Insurance Management.

Ms Simms also detailed the struggle to sell-off Okyanos’ specialist medical equipment, and other assets, to a narrow range of buyers amid the

lockdowns and various other restrictions imposed by the COVID-19 pandemic. In the first sales process, just 45 percent of promised payments from winning bidders were received, which forced the liquidator to stage a second bid that saw Doctors Hospital acquire the remaining equipment for $425,000.

Okyanos was suffering from a $7.553m solvency deficiency, with $5.667m in total assets dwarfed by $13.22m in liabilities, when it was placed into court-supervised liquidation on February 6, 2020. This means that creditors will only recover a portion of the total sum owed to them, known as “cents on the dollar”, once the winding-up is completed.

The liquidator’s report does not mention whether LS Enterprises, whose loan accounts for 87 percent of the claims yet to be determined, and 75.5 percent of total gross

SEE PAGE 21

Vehicle theft claims ‘out of the ordinary’

By NEIL HARTNELL Tribune Business Editor nhartnell@tribunemedia.net A BAHAMIAN insurer says an “out of the ordinary” increase in motor vehicle theft claims was among the principal factors why it missed profit projections for 2021.

Timothy Ingraham, Summit Insurance Company’s managing director, told Tribune

Business it was “watching” the situation closely to ensure last year did not become due to what he described as “a noticeable jump” in auto thefts compared to prior years.

While unable to provide statistics, he revealed that the claims upsurge in this category - as well as for liability insurance and physical injuries associated with motor

vehicle accidents - had helped to drive a 20.7 percent yearover-year increase in net claims incurred compared to 2020.

Disclosing that Summit, the carrier through which Insurance Management places much of its property and casualty business, had passed several auto-related incidents over to the Royal Bahamas Police Force for

further investigation, Mr Ingraham told this newspaper that increases in the carrier’s unearned premium reserve and an impending switch in insurance industry accounting practices had also impacted 2021’s bottom line.

While net income fell by 42.6 percent year-over-year, dropping to $700,049 from

SEE PAGE 20

Gov’t hails 69% VAT rise: Rate cut works

By NEIL HARTNELL Tribune Business Editor nhartnell@tribunemedia.net THE GOVERNMENT is hailing its VAT rate cut for producing a 62.8 percent year-over-year increase in revenues to $299m for the three month period that closed at end-March 2022.

The Davis administration, in its 2021-2022 third quarter “fiscal snapshot” and budgetary performance assessment, asserted that slashing the rate to 10 percent and broadening the VAT base through eliminating multiple tax breaks had combined to drive a significant revenue increase for the Public Treasury.

“Despite the reduction in the nominal VAT

rate, receipts increased by 62.8 percent for the three months to end-March 2022 to $299m as compared to $183.5m in the same period of the prior year,” its analysis said.

“When compared to pre- COVID-19 and preDorian VAT collections of 2019, VAT collections increased by $95.2m (46.8 percent).... The growth in VAT receipts is the result of the widened tax base, which allowed for higher collections of VAT on inelastic goods formerly zero rated as ‘breadbasket’ items.”

Ministry of Finance data showed that the Government collected $126.8m in VAT for January 2022,

SEE PAGE 20

Reflating economy aids $11.843bn debt burden

By NEIL HARTNELL Tribune Business Editor nhartnell@tribunemedia.net THE Bahamas’ $11.843bn national debt at end-March 2022 has dropped below this nation’s economic output due to the continued post-COVIDrebound, resulting in a debt-to-GDP ratio of around 98.4 percent.

The Ministry of Finance’s public sector debt bulletin for the 2021-2022 fiscal year’s third quarter did not provide the ratio for the total national debt to economic output, only the Government’s smaller direct debt, with the latter

now standing at $10.532bn or 87.5 percent thanks to the economy’s reflation following the pandemic.

“The combined debt stock of the central government, agencies and government business enterprises (GBEs)] was an estimated $11.843bn at end-March 2022, equating to a gain of $207m since end-December 2021 and $940.1m over end- March 2021,” the debt report said. “When exchange rate adjustments are applied, the total direct charge at end-March 2022 totaled $10.532bn or 87.5 percent

SEE PAGE 22