06122020 NEWS AND SPORT

FRIDAY i’m lovin’ it!

HIGH 85ºF LOW 77ºF

The Tribune

Volume:117 No.137, JUNE 12, 2020

Established 1903

Weekend

THE PEOPLE’S PAPER: $1

SPORTS: BUDDY’S BACK - AND BAGS 45 POINTS

‘We need clarity on Dorian dead’ Sands hits out over handling of missing hurricane victims

By RASHAD ROLLE Tribune Senior Reporter rrolle@tribunemedia.net FORMER Health Minister Dr Duane Sands assailed the Minnis administration’s handling of people who went missing after Hurricane Dorian yesterday, saying the credibility of the government has been hurt by how the matter has been handled.

He said the government has not explained how hundreds of names were culled from lists of people missing following the Category Five storm that ravaged Abaco and Grand Bahama last September.

He also said responsibility

for missing and dead persons was spread across multiple government agencies to ensure clarity but that this instead “proved a recipe for disaster”.

He also advocated for coroner’s inquests into the matter to bring closure to families.

His comments came during his highly anticipated budget communication in the House of Assembly yesterday, several weeks after Prime Minister Dr Hubert Minnis controversially accepted his resignation for his role in letting six permanent residents enter the country SEE PAGE THREE

FORMER Health Minister Dr Duane Sands says The Bahamas is not testing nearly enough people for COVID-19 and he does not support re-opening the country’s borders to people not tested for the virus.

He said the country is testing at a rate lower than 122 other countries and called for random sample testing of the population.

He called for a deliberate and cautious re-opening

during his budget communication in the House of Assembly yesterday.

“Let me say it categorically, without a robust and consistent ability to test and definitively screen, isolate and track, if we take our eye off the ball and lessen our vigilance, we can and should expect a second wave of COVID-19 in The Bahamas,” the Elizabeth MP said.

“If that happens, I dread even considering the potential economic peril.”

SEE PAGE THREE

SEE PAGE EIGHT

SANDALS SHUT UNTIL NOVEMBER 1 SANDALS Royal Bahamian will not open to guests until November 1, the resort has announced.

The resort chain’s Exuma property, Sandals Emerald Bay, will open on July 1, the day the government plans to reopen the country for commercial flights.

Some observers have lamented the fact that Sandals’ Nassau property will remain closed for several months.

When contacted, Director of Labour John Pinder said hotels need to be more aggressive to keep their doors open and their staff at work.

“Normally the slow season in tourism is between September and the week before Thanksgiving.

I am thinking that Sandals SEE PAGE TWO

...AND WE’RE NOT DOING ENOUGH COVID TESTING

By RASHAD ROLLE Tribune Senior Reporter rrolle@tribunemedia.net

THE SOUTH MAY NEVER RISE AGAIN

CAN WE MAKE TRAGIC JADE’S DREAM COME TRUE? JADE Shovlin is 21 years old - and diagnosed with terminal cancer. The UK woman’s one wish is to visit The Bahamas and swim with the pigs before she dies. Diane Phillips tells of those who have come to her aid as she strives to achieve her dream. See page ten for the full story.

LORENCIA: ACCUSED IN COURT

By FARRAH JOHNSON fjohnson@tribunemedia.net A 24-year-old man was charged in Magistrate’s Court yesterday with murdering a man and a tenyear-old girl and attempting to murder another man late last month.

SENIOR COPS WANT PROMOTIONS SCRAPPED

By RASHAD ROLLE Tribune Senior Reporter rrolle@tribunemedia.net

ASSISTANT Commissioners of Police Clayton Fernander and Leamond Deleveaux want the recent appointments of four Chief Superintendents to Assistant Commissioners of the Royal Bahamas Police Force to be rescinded.

In a letter this week to Governor General Cornelius Smith, their lawyer, Wayne Munroe, argues the

LEAMOND DELEVEAUX, left, and Clayton Fernander appointments are invalid because they did not flow from a properly constituted

Police Service Commission.

Mr Munroe says Official Opposition Leader Philip “Brave” Davis was not consulted on the appointment of the commission as the Constitution requires, rendering the commission invalid. He says if the appointments are not rescinded, he will take legal action on behalf of ACP Fernander and ACP Deleveaux, seeking a declaration that the commission was SEE PAGE FIVE

Nassau & Bahama Islands’ Leading Newspaper

DELANZO CARTWRIGHT Delanzo Cartwright appeared before Chief Magistrate Joyann Ferguson-Pratt charged with the shooting death of Perron Bain and Lorencia Walkes, a fifth grader, on May 29.

SEE PAGE FIVE

PAGE 2, Friday, June 12, 2020

THE TRIBUNE

‘Unfortunate’ Hilton did not wait before cutting workforce

By TANYA SMITHCARTWRIGHT tsmith-cartwright@ tribunemedia.net AFTER about 30 staff members of the Hilton hotel hit the unemployment line, the country’s director of labour said it is unfortunate that the hotel did not at least give the economy a chance to rebound before letting workers go.

Tribune Business reported this week that the British Colonial Hilton blamed the “unprecedented” COVID-19 fall-out for forcing a 15 percent cut in its workforce, which represents about 30-45 workers, including management.

“I think it’s 30 persons in total have been laid off from the Hilton,” Director of Labour John Pinder said. “I think it’s unfortunate that, even though the government has extended the grace period for the employers until the end of July. I thought they might have been in a position to at least give the economy an opportunity to rebound before they made their final decision. I guess they saw no bookings so they had to make their decision.”

One of the many laid off by the Hilton is a manager at the hotel who said he was quite shocked when he received the news, as he had just taken an online COVID-19 readiness course to return to work.

“My boss told me to come in at 1pm and discuss how the company would go moving forward,” said the former manager. “I was fine with it and not thinking negatively even though staff reached out to me fearing the redundancies.

In my mind my boss would not have told me to take the course if they were going to lay me off.

“I was confident that I would not have been in that number until the morning

of the meeting I saw a newspaper article that confirmed the hotel was laying off staff. I asked my boss if I was being called in to be laid off and she came clean and told me yes. She told me to come in and bring the company’s laptop and phone.”

Giving The Tribune a timeline of how events came together, the former manager said his last day at work was March 16 when employees were called into a meeting and they were told that due to the COVID-19 pandemic and tourism slowdown, they would work on a two week rotation – two weeks on and two weeks off. A letter, saying the same, was issued to staff after the meeting.

“I opted to take two weeks leave and then when it was time for me to come to work for two weeks, my boss said not to come back yet,” the laid off manager said. “I was thrown off as I was on rotation. So they advised me they would add eight weeks, making it ten weeks I would have been home. During this period we were told to get unemployment from NIB. We started getting that six weeks after being home.”

Unlike other hotels, the manager said the Hilton never closed its doors.

He said staff were cherry picked to cater to guests that were there and when those guests left, staff members of the Public Hospitals Authority were long term guests of the Hilton.

“We were trying to understand if the hotel was still open why they were not doing two weeks rotation,” the laid off manager continued. “We had to rely solely on NIB. I am living on savings, but a lot of people had no savings to look for. So ten weeks came and the manager said, so sorry about this but you have to stay home for three weeks more. She told me to

take the tourism COVID course online. I should have returned on the 16th of June.

“If the Hilton was opened all this time and functioning I do believe they used this time to get rid of people who they had planned to.

They are cherry picking and showing favouritism.”

He took issue with the fact that his former boss is a foreigner on a work permit who “never stopped working through the entire pandemic while Bahamians were at home.” He added: “Whereas those Bahamians who got to stay had to work two days, she was working every day. And, the payroll mistress, she never stopped working during the COVID lockdown but they made her job redundant the same day I was laid off. That’s unfair.”

There are allegations some foreign workers with expired work permits are still engaged at the hotel.

Asked about this, Mr Pinder said the Immigration Department needs to

SANDALS SHUT UNTIL NOVEMBER 1 from page one

ought to, and employers in the tourism industry, need to be more aggressive in trying to put together some packages to get people to come to their resorts,” Mr Pinder said.

“Once these doors open, the people who have been stressed out over this whole COVID-19 issue, are going to come to us by the thousands and we have to be ready to accept them. So even investigate the claims.

“So allegations are that there were some work permit holders whose permits might have expired and they were still at the hotel,” Mr Pinder continued. “That is an issue for immigration. The borders were closed and maybe they could not leave and that’s why they were at the hotel, still performing duties, but immigration needs to investigate that to see if there weren’t violations as it

though they might take a small hit, they should push their packages to get people to come to their resorts. I think the opportunity is there. There ought to be sufficient people who are ready to travel now so the economy is opened up and the airlines are back in business.”

Attempts to obtain comment from local Sandals officials were unsuccessful up to press time.

Meanwhile, Paradise Island resort Atlantis is gearing up for a July 7 phase one opening.

relates to the Immigration Act or the order that was handed down by the Prime Minister as it relates to the curfew and pandemic.”

Mr Pinder noted that there are opportunities out there for those laid off to get a jump on.

“There are some jobs available in some of the new operators that are opening hotels,” he noted.

“Maybe these persons can apply to see if they can get jobs. Maybe they stand a

chance to qualify for those positions. So while it’s unfortunate that the layoffs happened, simultaneously they get an opportunity to try to apply now while those positions are available. I would encourage them to try to do that.”

He said employers always hold on to their best employees and that employees should make it very difficult for employers to want to cut ties with them.

KIWANIS CLUB SUPPORTS STUDENT OF YEAR AWARDS THE Kiwanis Club of Nassau AM has donated two $1,000 scholarships which will be presented to two nominees from this year’s Bahamas Primary School Student of the Year Awards Programme.

President Roshann Miller and Youth Services Chairman Delvano McIntosh presented the $2,000 cheque to The Bahamas Primary School Student of The Year Foundation President and CEO Ricardo P Deveaux last month.

Mr Deveaux said the foundation was pleased and grateful that, despite what was happening in The

Bahamas and globally as a result of COVID-19, the Kiwanis Club of Nassau AM made the donation to reward the efforts of the students.

President Miller was elated to realise one of her major goals and objectives for this administrative year – to once again partner with the foundation and recognise two deserving students.

This national awards recognition programme is for 6th Graders in The Bahamas and the nominees compete for scholarships and prizes.

Nominees are judged on (i) contribution to school life, (ii) academic achievement, (iii) extra-curricular

achievement, (iv) community involvement and (v) overall quality of the portfolio submitted. All scholarships must be used for secondary education purposes only.

Kiwanis Club of Nassau AM remains a loyal supporter of the foundation’s goal to develop our Bahamian children into brighter more outstanding students. Through this awards programme, everything is done for the students’ benefit and it affords them a head start as they transition into high school and begin a new journey.

A total of 112 students will compete in the 2020 programme.

THE TRIBUNE

Friday, June 12, 2020, PAGE 3

‘We need clarity on Dorian dead’ from page one

WE’RE NOT DOING ENOUGH COVID TESTING from page one

The Minnis administration will re-open the country to commercial flights on July 1. A decision on whether tourists will be required to get a COVID19 negative test before entry has not been made.

However, Tourism Minister Dionisio D’Aguilar has suggested efforts to mitigate the spread of COVID-19 are preferable to requiring a PCR test in part because the latter has time-related limitations.

Dr Sands said: “Yes, we need to restore our economy, but we should not, cannot play Russian roulette. Yes, we should open, but we must do so deliberately, cautiously and carefully and we should do so with data. I do not support a policy that requires Bahamian citizens and residents to be tested that does not place the same level of scrutiny on visitors. If we test any, we test all. And we must test more than we are doing now. That said, if we open, we test, even if we must move heaven and earth to build the capacity.”

Dr Sands resigned as health minister last month over his actions related to

the entry of six American permanent residents who brought COVID-19 test supplies to the country, but were not tested for the virus until the day after their arrival.

While he was health minister, Dr Sands defended the country’s COVID19 testing rates, clashing at times in the House of Assembly with Official Opposition Leader Philip “Brave” Davis who argued there needed to be wider testing.

In early April, he told Parliament the country had a limited test supply capability.

“Quite simply, there is a limited supply of test kits, swabs and human resources in the National Reference Laboratory,” Dr Sands said at the time.

Yesterday, Dr Sands said based on recommendations from experts, the country should be doing 600 COVID-19 tests per day – far more than what is currently done.

He noted that Harvard experts have recommended 152 tests per 100,000 people as the benchmark for safe reopening of a country.

He said: “On May 8, 2020, we had completed 1,548 tests; 646 tests over 31 days;

22 tests per day, 3.6 percent of target. By no measure is this an adequate amount of testing. Let me say, I understand the limitations and challenges. Believe me, I understand the challenges.

“As we open up Eleuthera, Exuma and other islands, let us be mindful that we are not doing so blindly. Surveillance must be undergirded with testing.

Many carriers of COVID19 are asymptomatic or have atypical symptoms. We should therefore define a rate of random sampling in all communities of RT PCR and antibody testing. While most of the tests will be collected in New Providence and Grand Bahama, every community should have enhanced surveillance and testing.

“In order to position our tourism product as safe, staff should be mandated to engage in courses on safe COVID practices and undergo periodic testing based on bulk purchasing of test capacity through a consortium of labs. The closer we get to the goal of 152 tests per 100,000 or 608 tests per day, 18,000 per month, the stronger the appeal. It may take us several months to reach that level of testing. The programmatic cost

of lab equipment, reagents, human resources, swabs, transportation, storage, IT and interpretation could realistically be as much as $200 to $400 per test.

“At the $400 per test benchmark, the cost would be approximately $7 million per month. At $200 per test, $3.5 million. Some of the cost would be recovered from private payers. Ostensibly, The Bahamas would generate the data. Clearly there are ways to offset these costs further, particularly if increased testing leads to safety and less risky economic activity. Persons wishing to participate in the economy would agree to testing and or vaccination once or if available.

Hotel visitors, restaurant patrons would also have the comfort of knowing that their wait staff, housekeeping and casino staff are laboratory confirmed to be COVID-free.”

When asked last month if officials identified a target number of tests to complete each day, Dr Merceline Dahl-Regis, coordinator of the government’s COVID19 response, did not answer directly, saying at the time that the number of tests being performed – about 36 per day – was adequate.

Because of that process, we have raised many questions and squandered during the COVID-19 credibility.” lockdown without being Last October, Social tested first.

Services Minister Frankie The Elizabeth MP made Campbell said 1,208 it clear he will not shy people were still unacfrom criticising the admin- counted for following istration and his speech Hurricane Dorian. Howfeatured a number of sharp ever the next day, National hits at the government.

Security Minister Marvin His criticism on how the Dames clarified that police government handled miss- have reports of just 282 ing persons post-Dorian people still missing. comes after some Abaco Last month, Assistant residents reacted with fury Commissioner of Police over a burial service held Solomon Cash said missthere last month. ing persons reports were He said the budget, only officially filed for 33 for instance, does not people, as he called on strengthen community people who may still have psychological services missing loved ones to to deal with Hurricane come forward to police, no Dorian and COVID-19 matter their immigration trauma involving “gen- status. der-based violence, child Yesterday Dr Sands abuse and substance listed a litany of questions abuse.” residents want answered.

“The official “People want death toll of ‘As of today, we to know why Dorian stands do not know, we have no at 74 but the DNA matches collectively, actual death for those pertoll and rec- who is lost, sons recently onciliation of who is missing buried,” he missing persaid.

“The sons remains or missing public deserves and presumed to know how unknown,” Dr Sands said. dead. I fear many samples “Many famiwere taken, lies continue to that we have how many grieve not only not sufficiently times have for the loss of elevated this those samples loved ones but been tested, for the uncer- matter as and by whom? tainty of what a national Why is there has become of priority.’ no publicly their remains. accessible listAnd while the ing or database of missing majority of Bahamians persons? What are the have returned to their names of the people lost, ordinary lives follow- the mothers, fathers and ing the storm, many from children? If we are to Grand Bahama and from get closure as a country Abaco continue in states we must accept the loss, of suspended animation. outline the process used, We must empathise with admit our missteps and them because they have operationalise systems to certainly had their lives do better.” shattered.

Dr Sands suggested the “As of today, we do not lack of answers could be know, collectively, who “because we continue to is lost, who is missing or exist in an environment missing and presumed where information is not dead. I fear that we have shared with the public, not sufficiently elevated freely, openly and this matter as a national frequently.” priority. There was too “Never waste a crisis,” little focused atten- he said. “Now we must tion and management of demonstrate why we are the issue of missing and transparent and open to deceased persons. For scrutiny and criticism. us to close this chapter Dorian has taught us that before another is open, while we all suffer, the bear in mind we are two most vulnerable, the least weeks into another hurri- powerful, the least concane season, we must look nected suffer the most. collectively and honestly That suffering is deep, to our approach to miss- scarring and goes beyond ing persons and deceased the bone to the soul.” persons.”

Dr Sands said undocuDr Sands said: “We mented migrants have started with a list of sev- suffered especially and eral thousand persons that the government has missing. That list was not consistently provided managed by the Minis- safe spaces for them to try of Social Services. We interact with agencies. ended with a missing per“Let us agree to consons list controlled by the vene the coroner’s RBPF that included less inquests to bring closure names than the number to grieving families,” of unidentified persons he said. “Identify and buried. To this date, we do empower a single empanot know what happened thetic team, separate to thousands or hundreds the process from the of names to be excluded spectre of immigration from that initial list. There intervention, start a public may be reasonable, justifi- conversation and then let able reasons for pruning us apologise for getting it the list. But those rea- wrong the first time. Let sons and processes have us publish the names of not been shared and the lost souls and then forexplained to the public. mally memorialise them.”

PAGE 4, Friday, June 12, 2020

THE TRIBUNE

SOPHIE Paine rowing to practice for her fundraising effort.

Sophie puts her back into helping out a good cause

By EARYEL BOWLEG ebowleg@tribunemedia.net

BAHAMIAN rower Sophie Paine will be racing for a good cause in the MCH.London virtual boat race to raise funds for charity.

She will be among Olympic, Paralympic, World Championship and club rowers in teams from Oxford and Cambridge for the virtual race tomorrow.

The Grand Bahama native has British citizenship and has competed for Great Britain at the under 23 World Championships.

This time, she will represent Cambridge University as the teams compete on ergometers – rowing a collective distance of 6,838km.

“We’ve already completed the distance in advance of the race because it had to be like all strung together…

So we submitted our scores on the same day. It was last

week,” she told The Tribune.

“So they’ve all been put together so that they can be shown on Saturday, but we all did it I think on the same day, like (all of) us across the world were rowing at different times during the day.

“We also videoed ourselves doing it… It will be five or six minutes long and you’ll be able to see the graphics of the two boats competing against each other and then it will cut to

videos of us individually on the rowing machine.”

The two university’s boat clubs usually compete in an annual rowing contest called “The Boat Race”, but this year’s event has been cancelled. The 23-year-old noted this event is not a replacement of the boat race, but explained she had not competed against Oxford and wanted to prove herself as well as help Power2Inspire raise money for charity.

Event organiser and

CORAL AT RISK AS DISEASE TAKES GRIP OF THE BAHAMAS RESEARCHERS have warned that coral is increasingly threatened by a disease that is taking a firmer hold of the nation.

Stony Coral Tissue Loss Disease (SCTLD) has been confirmed by the Perry Institute for Marine Science less than three months after its presence in Grand Bahama was revealed.

The disease has ravaged reef-building corals and endangered species alike, spreading through currents and likely in the ballast water from ships.

On June 4, a team led by scientist Dr Krista Sherman surveyed six sites between Columbus Cove on the northwest end of the island and Lighthouse Boulders, off the western end of Paradise Island.

Investigations were spurred by photos sent by Jenna Chaplin, a Nassau resident, which suggested stony corals surrounding New Providence were losing tissue, just like areas in Grand Bahama, whose infection was confirmed in March.

“Sixty-five percent of the corals assessed at Sandyport were infected with SCTLD and five percent of corals were recently dead.

The greatest recent coral mortality was observed just off Caves Point, with 17 percent of corals dead,” said Dr Sherman.

“However, the shallow

reef off Baha Mar had the greatest number of corals infected with SCTLD, other diseases and more recently dead corals than other sites.

“In contrast, reefs in the Traveller’s Rest area had the greatest number of healthy colonies, fewer corals infected with SCTLD and the lowest recent mortality compared to other sites.”

The institute says more detailed assessments are needed.

“For corals, this disease is as easy to catch and transmit as the common cold and has the mortality rate of Ebola,” said marine ecologist Dr Craig Dahlgren, the institute’s executive director.

Roughly half of coral species in The Bahamas are susceptible to SCTLD, which could potentially kill coral in a matter of weeks.

Of the 1,257 corals counted on the joint expedition conducted by the institute and the Bahamas National Trust this month, 37 percent were infected.

Another 719 or 57 percent were healthy and 78 individual colonies or six percent recently died. Thirteen coral species were represented in the surveys.

“It appears that the disease has more heavily impacted hard bottom/reef habitats between Paradise Island and Sandyport versus sites west of Sandyport,”

said Dr Sherman.

“However, additional assessments to the east and west of surveyed sites including deeper reef sites are needed.”

Back in March, Dr Dahlgren’s report raised the alarm over the disease.

When sailing stopped in mid-March due to COVID-19, it served as a containment measure, albeit a temporary one.

The government has established a task force to help combat the disease.

Dr Lester Gittens, fisheries officer in the Science and Conservation Unit of the Department of Marine Resources, said: “The task force’s immediate priority is to detect where SCTLD is located in The Bahamas and determine how the spread can be contained in the shortest time period.

This will take into account the situation at each site.

For example, the disease might have limited spread in some locations versus being widespread as seen in Grand Bahama.”

Meanwhile, the institute plans assessments for New Providence, Grand Bahama and Abaco.

As COVID-19 restrictions on movement loosen, boat captains are urged to have ballast and bilge water treated while divers and snorkelers are asked to disinfect their gear to prevent the spread.

founder of Power2Inspire John Willis told The Tribune each crew has a target of 5,000 pounds sterling and a collective target of 10,000 pounds sterling.

“Cambridge has stormed into the lead…. and they’ve raised over six and half thousand pounds already.

Oxford needs some help there at 1,500 pounds.

There’s a bit of rivalry taking shape with the fundraising as well which is quite fun,” Mr Willis said.

“So we gave them a collective target of 10,000 but I’m hopeful now that it’s going to be easily beaten because the people want to support not only the individual rowers but also their favourite team. Whether it’s Oxford in the Dark Blues or Cambridge in the Light Blues.”

The race will be available to watch online on the charity’s Give as You Live page at 3pm BST and viewers have the option to donate.

THE TRIBUNE

Friday, June 12, 2020, PAGE 5

Senior cops want promotions scrapped from page one not properly appointed, is not properly constituted and its recommendations are void.

His letter to the Governor General, sent on Monday, says: “We refer to your appointment of four Chief Superintendents within the Royal Bahamas Police Force to the rank of Assistant Commissioners of police effective 20th April 2020.

Article 119(2) of the Constitution of the Bahamas vests the authority to make the appointments acting on the recommendation of the Police Service Commission. Article 118(1) of the Constitution mandates that the chairman and members of the Police Service Commission are to be appointed by you on the recommendation of the prime minister after consultation with the leader of the opposition. We have tried without success to locate a formal documentation of the membership

of the purported current Police Service Commission or, information on a PSC being appointed. Further we are advised by the Leader of the Opposition that he was not consulted on the appointment of the purported current Police Service Commission.

“It is our considered opinion that taking that the leader of the opposition was not consulted on the appointment of the purported current Police Service Commission it is not validly composed. In the premises any action based on the recommendation of this invalidly appointed commission would themselves be invalid. This is a matter of public importance as the provision of Article 118 and 119 of the Constitution are defined to insulate the appointment of the higher management level of the Royal Bahamas Police Force from political interference given the powers and authority vested in the force. Our clients are concerned that at a time that

an audit of the Royal Bahamas Police Force asserts that the upper ranks of the Royal Bahamas Police Force are overpopulated there are appointments of new Assistant Commissioners of police to assume responsibilities previously discharged by themselves and two other current Assistant Commissioners of police.

“We would therefore request that you initiate whatever investigation you deem appropriate to confirm the facts set out above and their legal implications.

We would then ultimately ask that you rescind (these) appointments. We would request that you advise of your proposed course of action. We would respectfully request an indication of your intended action within the next two weeks.”

Loretta Mackey, Craig Stubbs and Solomon Cash were appointed Assistant Commissioners with effect from March 30 while Kirkwood Andrews was appointed Acting Assistant Commissioner of police.

Although ACP Fernander and ACP Deleveaux remain Assistant Commissioners of police along with ACP Kendal Strachan and ACP Theophilus Cunningham, these four who were directed to take vacation leave last year are not listed on the RBPF’s recently revised website on the page featuring the senior executive leadership team.

ACP Cunningham’s vacation leave has not yet ended.

ACP Strachan is currently suing the government.

ACP Fernander and ACP Deleveaux were among several senior police officers directed to take vacation leave next year.

Since returning to duty, they have been transferred to the Ministries of Health and Education respectively.

Mr Munroe said yesterday the ministers have yet to explain their roles.

“They are not being utilised,” he said. “That is really why they have to object to appointments to a rank when you currently have four people in a rank not being utilised.”

ACP Clayton Fernander.

Photo: Shawn Hanna/Tribune Staff

FROM top, a Bahamian fishing vessel with several skiffs makes its way into HMBS Coral Harbour yesterday after the crew and vessel were apprehended for fishing violations, fishery products on one of the vessels, a compressor on one of the vessels, and a skiff with a compressor.

15 FISHERMEN HELD BY RBDF FOR VIOLATIONS

DELANZO Cartwright outside court yesterday.

Photo: Terrel W Carey Sr/Tribune Staff

LORENCIA: ACCUSED IN COURT from page one Cartwright was also accused of attempting to murder Leroy Sands on the same day.

According to initial police reports, shortly after 1pm on the day in question, a group of people were gathered in front of a residence on Belville Circle, off Iguana Way in Bel Air Estate, when a gold coloured vehicle approached.

Officers reported that three

armed men got out of the vehicle and walked toward the gathering. The men opened fire in the direction of the group.

Three people were shot and one of the victims died of his injuries at the scene, police said. Three people were taken to hospital, two as a result of gunshot wounds and the third as a result of injuries sustained while attempting to flee the scene, police had initially said.

The 10-year-old girl died

on Sunday, more than a week after the fatal incident occurred in the Carmichael area.

During the hearing, Cartwright was not required to enter a plea and the case was adjourned to October 8 for service of a voluntary bill of indictment.

Bail was denied and the accused was remanded to the Bahamas Department of Correctional Services until trial.

He has a right to apply to the Supreme Court for bail.

WOMAN DIES IN CAR COLLISION A WOMAN is dead after a traffic accident in New Providence on Wednesday night.

Police said the accident took place shortly before 9pm on Wednesday.

Around that time, a white Toyota and a teal Mitsubishi Colt collided on Fox Hill Road south. The driver of the Mitsubishi Colt was

severely injured at the scene. She was transported to hospital and later died of her injuries.

This is the second traffic related death in less than a week.

On Sunday, a 16-yearold resident of Fox Town, Abaco was tragically killed by a motorist while walking home after playing

basketball.

Zion Wellington Clarke was thrown several feet into bushes after being hit by a “speeding car” on the S C Bootle Highway shortly after 10pm. He died at the scene.

Police said the driver initially left the scene, but later returned. Investigations into both incidents continue.

THE Royal Bahamas Defence Force detained fishermen suspected of fisheries violations on Wednesday morning.

A total of 15 fishermen were apprehended by members of the force in the central Bahamas, according to a statement issue yesterday.

While on routine patrol, Defence Force patrol craft HMBS LL Smith under the command of Senior Lieutenant Alexis Brown boarded and searched two Bahamian registered fishing vessels named “Bluewater” and “Pot N Em” in the Ragged Island chain.

The crew, consisting of Bahamian nationals, were taken into custody after being found in possession of illegal fishing apparatus, namely diving compressors, along with fishery products.

The vessels and crew were brought into the capital on Thursday afternoon, and turned over to the authorities for further questioning.

PAGE 4, Friday, June 12, 2020

THE TRIBUNE

The Tribune Limited NULLIUS ADDICTUS JURARE IN VERBA MAGISTRI “Being Bound to Swear to The Dogmas of No Master”

LEON E. H. DUPUCH,

SIR ETIENNE DUPUCH,

jamaaltheartist@gmail.com

Publisher/Editor 1903-1914 Kt., O.B.E., K.M., K.C.S.G., (Hon.) LL.D., D.Litt .

Publisher/Editor 1919-1972 Contributing Editor 1972-1991

EILEEN DUPUCH CARRON,

C.M.G., M.S., B.A., LL.B. Publisher/Editor 1972-

Published daily Monday to Friday

Shirley & Deveaux Streets, Nassau, Bahamas N3207 TELEPHONES

News & General Information Advertising Manager Circulation Department Nassau fax Freeport, Grand Bahama Freeport fax

(242) 322-1986 (242) 502-2394 (242) 502-2386 (242) 328-2398 (242)-352-6608 (242) 352-9348

WEBSITE, TWITTER & FACEBOOK www.tribune242.com

@tribune242

tribune news network

Sands had his chance to speak out - but chose silence \WHEN Dr Duane Sands rose in the House yesterday, he had strong words to say about the government’s handling of Hurricane Dorian.

Most pointedly, he had criticisms of how the government dealt with the issue of people who went missing in the storm that ravaged Grand Bahama and Abaco last year.

He pointed out how the government had not explained how hundreds of names were removed from lists of missing people. He pointed out the confusion with different agencies handling different parts of the response. He called for inquests to bring closure to families.

“We started with a list of several thousand persons missing. That list was managed by the Ministry of Social Services. We ended with a missing persons list controlled by the RBPF that included less names than the number of unidentified persons buried.”

All well and good – but where was this fire when he was Minister of Health?

There were few people in as strong a position as Dr Sands when it came to telling the Bahamian people directly what the situation was.

Indeed, when this newspaper ran a report that suggested the level of deaths, Dr Sands hurried to request a clarification.

He hinted that the level of deaths could be “staggering”, while former Prime Minister Hubert Ingraham went on the record to say that there were hundreds dead, adding “I don’t make uninformed statements”.

The official death toll stands at 74 – but we still don’t know for sure how many remain missing, presumed dead.

All these months after the storm, and so many families left with questions.

If the government has failed the Bahamian people in failing to explain themselves, then Dr Sands shares that failure. What made him hold his tongue when he was a minister?

Instead, he saved his criticism for when he no longer had a ministerial post to lose.

This newfound bravery is too little,

too late in the day.

But we will say this – he is not wrong.

The treatment of people and the clarity of information about Hurricane Dorian has been woeful.

“To this date, we do not know what happened to thousands or hundreds of names to be excluded from that initial list,” he said, “There may be reasonable, justifiable reasons for pruning the list.

But those reasons and processes have not been shared and explained to the public. Because of that process, we have raised many questions and squandered credibility.”

Credibility has indeed been squandered – and continues to be squandered with Prime Minister Dr Hubert Minnis failing to answer questions about the resignation of his former health minister.

For the nation to still not have answers after all this time is contemptible. Dr Sands had – and failed to take – his chance to speak frankly to the public. How many of his colleagues will take the chance now?

We’ll drink to that Which is your favourite restaurant?

We ask because with restrictions lifted again and restaurants able to serve diners outdoors, or with carryout orders, it’s time to return to your favourite haunts.

Many have kept staff on, and are reopening and hoping to make up for lost time – and lost income.

So this weekend, repay the places that have brought you pleasant nights out on so many occasions, and put some money into their cash registers.

It will help their business, help pay their staff’s wages, help the economy – and help our spirits as we start to return to a more normal way of life.

Stay safe. Wear your masks. Keep your distance. Hail the friend at another table with a wave rather than a hug.

And raise a glass to the good things in life. We’ve missed them.

Explorer’s landmark must stay EDITOR, The Tribune.

NOTHING is black and white; there are always areas of grey. Columbus’ statue is no exception.

Columbus was a courageous Italian explorer who changed the course of history. On the flip side, he was a terrible man who enslaved many West Indian natives and subjected them to extreme violence and brutality.

His statue in front of Government House was a gift from slaves to Governor Sir James Carmichael Smyth, according to Bahamian historian Dr. Keith Tinker.

Symth was governor here during Pompey’s 1830 rebellion. An abolitionist governor, he left the colony in 1833, scornful of

the local white elite and oligarchy.

According to Dr Tinker, various people of colour collected a considerable amount of funds used to sculpt the statue (re: Bahamas Handbook).

The gesture was in appreciation of the governor’s pro-emancipation views and his efforts to improve the general treatment of slaves.

Besides being a priceless work of art, the statue represents an important part of our history, including the role the slaves played in its creation.

The statue should remain.

Rather than trying to sanitise history, add an informational stand at the base of the statue that tells the full Columbus story.

Place a statue of Pompey in a prominent spot with an informational telling of his great role in history.

Create a new group of statues to highlight the evolving story of the Bahamas.

Our country is a rich tapestry, woven together by a diverse group of people from various backgrounds and their offspring and each one has a story to tell.

On another note, while the past is very important, what of events that are happening today? Where is the public outrage over the tragic death of Lorencia Simmons Walkes, the beautiful 10-year-old who was shot and died 10 days ago?

BAHAMIAN PATRIOT Nassau, June11, 2020.

In defence of statue of Columbus EDITOR, The Tribune, I HAVE never read so much rubbish out of the mouth of a clergyman as I read in Thursday’s Tribune giving reasons why Christopher Columbus’ statue should be removed from in front of Government House.

Christopher Columbus was born in Genoa, Italy in 1451. He ventured into the unknown completing four voyages across the Atlantic Ocean. This opened the New World to future adventurers and permanent European conquest of the Americas. In 1492 he was the first European to set foot on Bahamian soil, and, as they say – the rest is history.

No matter how one skins this cat in the history books, it was Columbus who bravely conquered the unknown and put these islands on an official map.

According to Rev Sebastian Campbell “because Columbus is posing here the way he’s posing, our children, generations unborn, will immediately think of him as some hero, as somebody with some positive work and that is unfortunate…” It is indeed unfortunate, Father

LETTERS letters@tribunemedia.net Campbell. It means that we will be raising a very stupid generation, if teachers don’t put historical achievers into the context of their achievements. That is the only way that one can keep history in its historical context as the world moves on and grows in knowledge.

Columbus was a very brave seafarer in a world where it was believed that the further one sailed, one would eventually fall off the horizon into God only knows what bottomless pit of doom. Yes, Columbus was a very courageous navigator who put our part of the world on the map and dispelled many superstitious myths. And for that reason he stands in front of Government House and on many other pedestals throughout the Americas where his heroic accomplishment is appreciated – in the context of his times.

It is only on his navigational skills that he is and can be judged – and for his day and time he more than excelled.

The first knowledge of our islands was through the

eyes of Columbus, thus his earned position at the front of Government House.

One only expects to find saintly figures on church pedestals, earned because of the saintly life that they lived. Columbus on his pedestal represents the life of the explorer, not that of a saint.

Father Campbell then goes on to say that we need to look at our own heroes and nation builders.

He gives his list – Sir Milo Butler, Lynden Pindling, Cecil Wallace Whitfield, Dame Doris Johnson — yes, they all achieved in their narrow sphere, but – like in the case of Columbus – I would not suggest deeper examination. There is not one of them that I would want any of my children to emulate, but if the nation wants a statue – then have their statue for whatever they think their local heroes have achieved — but, take my advice, if you don’t want to be disillusioned, the rest is best left unexplored.

In my book Columbus remains. He has earned his historic position.

NUFF SAID Nassau, June 11, 2020

To advertise in The Tribune, contact 502-2394

THE TRIBUNE

Friday, June 12, 2020, PAGE 7

$350 fine for going to get food for mother

By FARRAH JOHNSON fjohnson@tribunemedia.net A 37-YEAR-OLD man was fined $350 for violating the curfew after claiming he was trying to go to his neighbour’s house to get food for his mother.

He was one of several who appeared in Magistrate’s Court for curfew and lockdown violations, including two men who were also charged for deceiving officers while they were on duty.

Herbert Morrison appeared before Chief Magistrate Joyann Ferguson-Pratt after officers found him in Pinewood Gardens around 9.20pm on June 4. He pleaded guilty,

but said he had only violated the curfew because he was trying to get food for his mother. During the hearing, Morrison told the magistrate that the gas in their house was off and they had nothing to eat.

He claimed he had just gone “five houses over” after his neighbour told him he could come for some food. Morrison said he was not aware of the time and did not realise it was late when he went outdoors. In response, Magistrate Ferguson-Pratt told him while she considered his “noble intention” in trying to get food for his mother, the lockdown was designed to help the country curve the blow of the COVID-19 pandemic.

He was subsequently fined $350 or six weeks at the Bahamas Department of Correctional Services.

Meanwhile, Mackinson Felix, 18, was charged after officers found him on Zion Boulevard around 9.45pm on June 8. He was also charged for deceiving a public officer that same night. He pleaded guilty to both counts and was fined $400 for violating the curfew and another $700 for giving a false statement to a police officer.

If he fails to pay the fines, he will spend eight week at BDCS. Prosecutor Samantha Miah said on the night in question, Police Constable 3925 Forbes was performing static duties

in the Baillou Hill Road area when he observed the defendant driving west in a Honda Accord.

Sgt Miah said PC Forbes then beckoned for the vehicle to stop and asked the driver to identify himself.

At the time, Felix told the officer his name was Adrian Munroe. He was then asked why he was outdoors during the curfew and told PC Forbes that he just realised he was having mechanical issues minutes before he was stopped.

He was subsequently arrested and taken to a nearby station.

During an interview with police there, he admitted to the offences and said he only lied because he panicked and was under the

influence of alcohol. During the hearing, Magistrate Fergsuon-Pratt told Felix he should never seek to mislead an officer.

Tyree Johnson, 26, also appeared before Senior Magistrate Derence RolleDavis after officers found him on Tonique Williams Darling Highway around 12.20am on June 9. He was also charged with lying to a police officer on the morning of his arrest.

He pleaded guilty to both counts and was fined $500 for violating the curfew and another $500 for deceiving a public officer. If he fails to pay the fines he will spend two months in prison.

Prosecutor Kenny Thompson said that morning, officers on point duty

observed a male driving east in a blue Nissan Cube.

They beckoned for the vehicle to stop and questioned the lone male occupant who told them he had just left his Airbnb and thought the curfew was over.

Sgt Thompson said at the time, Johnson told the officers that his name was Sharad Wilson. He was later arrested and taken to the Grove Police Station.

When he was searched there, officers discovered a bank card in the name Tyree Johnson. During an interview with police, Johnson admitted to the offences, but said he wasn’t aware which area he was in and was under the impression that the curfew was over.

MAN TELLS COURT: ‘I’M HOMELESS AND ON THE RUN FROM CHINA’

By FARRAH JOHNSON fjohnson@tribunemedia.net

A MAGISTRATE discharged a Muslim man who was arrested for violating the national curfew after the accused explained he is homeless and seeking asylum in the country after fleeing China.

Mohetaer Maihemuti, 33, appeared before Senior Magistrate Derence RolleDavis after officers found him near Village Road around 12.15am on June 9. He pleaded guilty, but said he was unaware of the curfew until officers informed him that he was not allowed to be outdoors after 9pm.

Prosecutor Kenny Thompson told the court when officers arrested Maihemuti that morning, he told them he was outside because he had been evicted from the place he was renting and had no place to live.

Sgt Thompson also said the defendant told police he was using wifi from a Burger King restaurant in the vicinity.

When given an opportunity to speak during the hearing, Maihemuti told the magistrate he was a refugee from China that had been

living in The Bahamas for five years.

He said he was not Chinese, but a part of an “ethnic minority of Turkey Muslim people that lived in a region in China under the communist China regime”.

He added that he had received food, supplies and money from the government up until August of last year.

After that, he said he applied to the United Nations (UN) for assistance and was given money to pay his rent. Still, he said after February, he did not receive any more funds from the UN or Bahamian officials although he applied for additional assistance. Maihemuti said when he was no longer able to pay his rent, his landlord evicted him.

He added that he was waiting on the Bahamas Department of Immigration to give him legal documents because he did not have a work permit. He added that he “had to go outside and stay on the street”, because he did not have an income.

He also noted that he had never had an issue with the law before.

As a result of his explanation, inquiries were made. During the hearing, an immigration officer was

also able to confirm that Maihemuti was in the process of renewing his refugee status which had expired.

He also noted that the process had been delayed because of the COVID-19 pandemic and assured the magistrate that the defendant’s application was in the final stages of processing and would be approved in a matter of days.

In response, Magistrate Rolle-Davis noted that although Maihemuti was granted asylum in the country, he would again be in violation of the emergency orders because he had no place to stay. Still, he said he would exercise his discretion and not impose a fine on the defendant, since he did not have any money to pay it.

Magistrate Davis-Rolle then urged Maihemuti to apply for a work permit so that he could try and make money to take care of himself. He also noted that the country was in a peculiar position where some Bahamians needed assistance just as much as Maihemuti. Still, he insisted that they could not let him starve.

“The reality is there must be a balance,” he stated.

Maihemuti was subsequently discharged.

MAN FINED $4,000 FOR RECEIVING STOLEN CRABS

By FARRAH JOHNSON fjohnson@tribunemedia.net

A MAN was ordered to pay $4,027 after he pleaded guilty to receiving two stolen crab pens that contained an assortment of white and black crabs.

Demetrius Smith appeared before Senior Magistrate Derence RolleDavis after he was accused of dishonestly receiving two crab pens that belonged to Deargo Smith on June 1, knowing the pens were the proceeds of a crime. During the hearing, the defendant was also accused of damaging Mr Smith’s fence.

He pleaded guilty to both counts and was fined $1,500 for receiving the stolen goods and another $1,500 for the charge of damage.

He was further ordered to compensate Mr Smith $1,027.02 for the stolen and damaged property.

If he fails to pay the fines

and compensate Mr Smith, the defendant will spend two years at the Bahamas Department of Correctional Services.

Prosecutor Lakesia Moss said Mr Smith went to a friend’s house on June 5 to drop off his work boots.

While there, he started to speak to his friend about his crab pens which were stolen earlier that week. Inspector Moss said when Mr Smith told his friend that he had discovered that his crab pens had been broken into, the friend gave him certain information.

Acting on this tip, Mr Smith approached the defendant and asked him if he had his missing crab pens. At the time, the defendant told Mr Smith that he did have them and handed him one crab pen a short time later. In view of this fact, police arrested Smith. In an interview at a nearby station, he told the officers he and another

man broke into Mr Smith’s yard to steal the crab pens between 1am and 2am on June 1. He also said that they gained entry by cutting Mr Smith’s fence with a bolt cutter. During a search, officers found two crab pens at Smith’s residence.

During the hearing, Smith was represented by attorney Ian Cargill. He told the magistrate that his client had cooperated from the outset of the investigation. He also noted that Smith, who was a father of two, had pleaded guilty at his earliest opportunity and was remorseful for his actions.

In response, Magistrate Rolle-Davis said that the court noted that the offence Smith committed could not go “unscathed.”

He also told the defendant that receiving was the same thing as stealing, since he knew the goods were stolen and that crabs were “big business” at the moment.

KENDRICK Lundy outside court yesterday.

Photo: Terrel W Carey Sr/Tribune Staff

SHOOTING ACCUSED IN COURT

By FARRAH JOHNSON fjohnson@tribunemedia.net

A 25-YEAR-OLD man was charged yesterday with fatally shooting another man in the Moore Avenue area last week.

Kendrick Lundy also known as “Papa” appeared before Chief Magistrate Joyann Ferguson-Pratt charged with the death of

Angelo Lightbourne on June 3.

According to initial police reports, shortly before 9 o’clock that night, officers responded to the Shot Spotter Alert System in the area of Moore Avenue. When they arrived at the scene, they discovered a male with gunshot wounds about his body. The victim was taken to hospital by Emergency Medical Services (EMS) where he

later died of his injuries.

During the hearing, Lundy was not required to enter a plea and the case was adjourned to October 8 for service of a voluntary bill of indictment.

Bail was denied and he was remanded to the Bahamas Department of Correctional Services in the interim. He has a right to apply to the Supreme Court for bail.

COUNSELLING FOR MAN FOUND WITH HEMP

By FARRAH JOHNSON fjohnson@tribunemedia.net

A 21-YEAR-OLD man has been ordered to attend drug counselling classes for six months after he pleaded guilty to drug possession in Magistrate’s Court.

Phillip Cleare appeared before Senior Magistrate Derence Rolle-Davis this week after officers found two ounces of Indian hemp at his residence on June 5. He pleaded guilty and was ordered to attend the Sandilands Rehabilitation Centre (SRC) outpatient programme. If he fails to complete the drug counselling classes, he will spend six months at the Bahamas Department of Correctional Services.

Prosecutor Kenny Thompson told the court around 4pm on the day in

question, officers went to Cleare’s residence in Yellow Elder armed with a search warrant. When they arrived, they saw Cleare standing outside. The defendant was then shown the warrant and informed that the officers would be searching his home in reference to dangerous drugs and firearms.

When they went inside the home, Claire told the officers that there was an ounce of marijuana in his room.

He then pointed out a mattress which the officers looked under and discovered a clear plastic wrap that contained a quantity of suspected marijuana. Sgt Thompson said at the time, Claire told the officers that he “wouldn’t even waste their time,” since he knew that the drugs belonged to him.

He was subsequently arrested.

During an

interview at a nearby station, he told officers that he bought the marijuana for $80 and it was for his personal use. Still, the prosecution said the marijuana weighed two ounces and had an estimated street value of $200.

During the hearing, Cleare was represented by attorney Roberto Reckley. He told the magistrate that his client had cooperated from the earliest stage of the investigation. He also noted that Cleare had been a “person of good character up to this point.”

When given an opportunity to speak, Cleare also told the magistrate that he had a smoking problem.

He added that he smoked because he got “stressed out” from time to time and insisted that he “honestly needed help” and believed counselling could help him curve his bad habit.

PAGE 8, Friday, June 12, 2020

THE TRIBUNE

The South may never rise again I’VE been a professional comedian for the past twenty-two years, and one thing I take pride in, is being topical and relevant.

I took advantage of the time off during the COViD pandemic, to write new material, for both local and international audiences.

Jokers Wild will be reopening shortly so I want to be on point, especially after such a long layoff, there’s no excuse for not having new material.

So as I continued to watch the George Floyd saga unfold, I witnessed a myriad of emotions on display, from persons of different, races, creeds, denominations and social standing.

There were actions and reactions, arguments and counter arguments, narratives and false narratives, protestors and rioters, bunker visits, lies and mud slinging, and that was just the White House.

One thing I noticed while surfing through the channels, the fallout from the George Floyd protest, coupled with the popularity of Black Lives Matter, could put the southern United States into a deep depression, and possibly on the verge of collapsing completely, never to rise again.

Despite the stereotypes, I’ve had some great runs, on comedy tours throughout the southern United States, having made some good friends in the process.

That includes some real live

A Comic’s View

By INIGO ‘NAUGHTY’ ZENICAZELAYA

“red necks”, who I happen to be very concerned about, during these tumultuous times in America.

Especially with a series of recent events that has “red neck” America ready to implode, let’s have a closer look: 1 The Looney Tunes Disarmament Due to the recent fallout from the George Floyd incident, Loony Tunes has announced that the ‘Yosemite Sam’ character will no longer carry his signature pistols.

NRA (National Rifle Association) members are said to be distraught.

2 ‘Wrasslin’ Ain’t Real A hot second behind NASCAR on the country bumpkin sports totem pole is pro wrestling, in any way shape or form.

Two of the most popular figures in pro wrestling, who are worshipped by the “red neck” nation, “Stone Cold” Steve Austin and the “Viper” Randy Orton, sent shock waves through the south, when they both endorsed the Black Lives Matter movement.

Twitter almost crashed, and other social media platforms were a buzz, with

“country cousin” conspiracy theories.

My favourite one being that world renowned hacker, ANONYMOUS hacked the two stars accounts, posting the endorsement of BLM just to inflict cruel and unusual mental torture on “red necks” across the southern United States.

3 COPS/LIVE PD Cancelled This was due to the obvious high racial tension in America, and the outpouring of support for George Floyd, along with the message associated with his death.

In an unexpected, but totally understandable move, the popular reality based police shows, COPS (first aired 1989) and Live PD were cancelled.

This was yet another blow to Southern Hospitality, COPS was often viewed in trailer parks across America, to identify missing family members and friends who had dropped off of the radar or out of society for one reason or another.

4 NASCAR Bans Confederate Flag:

As part of an audit in accordance with ISAs, we exercise professional judgment and maintain professional scepticism throughout the audit. We also: •

Identify and assess the risks of material misstatement of the consolidated financial information,

Then came the bombAfter hearing Aroundto those risks, and whether due to fraud or error, design and perform Wallace’s audit procedures responsive shell, NASCAR said onthat comments NASCAR obtain audit evidence is sufficient and appropriate to provide a basis for our opinion. The risk of Rednecks detecting material misstatement resulting is higher than for one resulting from error, Wednesdaynotthat it awould responded withfrom anfraud official as fraud may involve forgery, intentional omissions, misrepresentations, or the override of ban the Confederate Flagcollusion, statement With all these new rules internal control. from its events and prop“The presence of and sanctions, NASCAR • Obtain anthe understanding internal control relevant to the audit to design procedures erties, becoming latest ofthe Confederate flag at in order could lose audit its yokel appeal, are appropriate in the circumstances, but not for the purpose of expressing an opinion on the organisationthat to reconsider NASCAR events runs conand see fans exit en mass, effectiveness of the Group’s internal control. the emblem’s place amid trary to our commitment to like Israelites out of Egypt, • Evaluate the appropriateness of accounting policies usedand and the reasonableness of accounting a national reckoning over providing a welcoming leaving me with no more related disclosures made by management. racism andestimates white and supreminclusive environment for jokes about NASCAR! • Conclude on the appropriateness of management’s use of the going concern and,mind acy after the death of all fans, our competitors I’m basis gladof accounting I got my based on the audit evidence obtained, whether a material uncertainty exists related to events or George Floyd. and our industry.” off the events of the world, conditions that may cast significant doubt on the Group’s ability to continue as a going concern. If we NASCARconclude made the uncertainty “Bringing people it gavein our meauditors’ a chance that a material exists, we are required to draw attention report to announcement two disclosures days together around financial a love information for reflect and disclosures reminisce to the related in the consolidated or, if such are on inadequate, to modify opinion. Our are based on the audit evidence obtained up togone after Darrell ‘Bubba’ Wal- our racing andconclusions the community good times from days the date of our auditors’ future conditions by, may cause Group to cease to lace Jr, who became the report. thatHowever, it creates is events what or makes and the the one common continue as a going concern. first black driver in 50 years our fans and sport special. denominator that brings us • Obtain appropriate evidence the financialall information the entities or to win one of itssufficient top three Theaudit display ofregarding the Confedtogether,of laughter!! business activities within the Group to express an prohibited opinion on the consolidated national touring series, erate flag will be Yes, afinancial goodinformation. laugh unites We are responsible for the direction, supervision and performance of the group audit. We remain called out NASCAR to ban from all NASCAR events people, I see it happen solely responsible for our audit opinion. the flags outright. and properties.” every night at Jokers Wild, “No We one should feel This decision affects comedy does bring us communicate with those charged with governance regarding, among other matters, the planned scope uncomfortable they me indirectly also,including I had any a significant together, whoever or whatand timingwhen of the audit and significant audit findings, deficiencies in internal come to control a NASCAR race. joke about NASCAR ever we may be, we are all that we identify duringgreat our audit.

So it starts with Confeder- standing for : connected by the laughs. ate flags.Other Get Matters them out of Non And if we can laugh here. They have no place Athletic together, we can live The Group has prepared a separate set of consolidated financial statements for the year ended 31 here for December them,” Bubba told Sport together.

2019 in accordance with International Financial Reporting Standards, on which we issued a CNN’s Don Lemon.

Created of Fidelity Bank & Trust International separate auditors’ report to the Shareholders 9 June LaughLimited now, dated cry later!

2020.

This report, including the opinion, has been prepared for and only for the Shareholders, collectively as a group, in accordance with the terms of our engagement letter and for no other purpose. We do not, in giving this opinion, accept or assume responsibility for any other purpose or to any other person to whom this report is shown or into whose hands it may come save where expressly agreed by our prior consent in writing.

Independent auditors’ report Independent auditors’ report

To the Shareholders of Fidelity Bank & Trust International Limited To the Shareholders Bank & Trust International Limited Report on the auditofofFidelity the financial information

Report on the audit of the financial information Our opinion

In our opinion, the consolidated financial information of Fidelity Bank & Trust International Limited (the Our opinion Bank) and its subsidiaries (together ‘the Group’) as at 31 December 2019 is prepared, in all material respects, in accordance with the basis of preparation asofset out in Bank Note & 2 to the financial information.

In our opinion, the consolidated financial information Fidelity Trust International Limited (the Bank) and its subsidiaries (together ‘the Group’) as at 31 December 2019 is prepared, in all material What we have audited respects, in accordance with the basis of preparation as set out in Note 2 to the financial information.

The Group’s consolidated financial information comprises: What have audited • we the consolidated statement of financial position of the Group as at 31 December 2019.

The Group’s consolidated financial information comprises: • for theopinion consolidated statement of financial position of the Group as at 31 December 2019.

Basis We conducted our audit in accordance with International Standards on Auditing (ISAs). Our Basis for opinion responsibilities under those standards are further described in the Auditors’ responsibilities for the audit our audit information in accordance withof International Standards on Auditing (ISAs). Our ofWe the conducted consolidated financial section our report. responsibilities under those standards are further described in the Auditors’ responsibilities for the audit of the consolidated financial information of our report. and appropriate to provide a basis for We believe that the audit evidence we havesection obtained is sufficient our opinion.

We believe that the audit evidence we have obtained is sufficient and appropriate to provide a basis for our opinion.

Independence We are independent of the Group in accordance with the International Ethics Standards Board for Independence Accountants’ Code of Ethics for Professional Accountants (IESBA Code). We have fulfilled our other ethical responsibilities the IESBA with Code.the International Ethics Standards Board for We are independent in of accordance the Group with in accordance Accountants’ Code of Ethics for Professional Accountants (IESBA Code). We have fulfilled our other ethical responsibilities with the IESBA Code.

Emphasis of Matterin-accordance Basis of accounting/preparation and restriction on use We draw attention to Note 2 to the financial information, which describes the basis of preparation. The Emphasisfinancial of Matter - Basisisofprepared accounting/preparation and restriction on use consolidated information to comply with the requirements of the Group’s regulator.

As a result, the consolidated financial information may not be suitable for another purpose.

We draw attention to Note 2 to the financial information, which describes the basis of preparation. The consolidated financial information is prepared to comply with the requirements of the Group’s regulator.

Our intended solely for the Group and the Regulator and shouldfor notanother be usedpurpose. by parties other than As areport result,isthe consolidated financial information may not be suitable the Group. Our opinion is not modified in respect of this matter.

Our report is intended solely for the Group and the Regulator and should not be used by parties other than The financial information not comprise a full set of consolidated financial statements the consolidated Group. Our opinion is not modifieddoes in respect of this matter. prepared in accordance with International Financial Reporting Standards.

The consolidated financial information does not comprise a full set of consolidated financial statements prepared in accordance with International Financial Responsibilities of management and thoseReporting chargedStandards. with governance for the

consolidated financial information Responsibilities of management and those charged with governance for Management is responsible for the preparation of the consolidated financial information in the accordance consolidated financial as information with the basis of preparation set out in Note 2 to the consolidated financial information and for such

Management is responsible for the preparation the consolidated information accordance internal control as management determines is of necessary to enablefinancial the preparation of in consolidated with theinformation basis of preparation as from set out in Notemisstatement, 2 to the consolidated financial information financial that is free material whether due to fraud or error. and for such internal control as management determines is necessary to enable the preparation of consolidated financial information that is free from information, material misstatement, whether due to fraud or error.the Group’s In preparing the consolidated financial management is responsible for assessing ability to continue as a going concern, disclosing, as applicable, matters related to going concern and using In preparing the consolidated financial information, management is responsible forthe assessing Group’s the going concern basis of accounting unless management either intends to liquidate Group the or to cease ability to continue as realistic a going concern, disclosing, applicable, matters related to going concern and using operations, or has no alternative but to doasso. the going concern basis of accounting unless management either intends to liquidate the Group or to cease operations, or with has no realistic alternative but tofor dooverseeing so.

Those charged governance are responsible the Group’s financial reporting process.

Those charged with governance are the Group’sfinancial financial reporting process.

Auditors’ responsibilities forresponsible the auditfor ofoverseeing the consolidated information Our objectives are to obtain reasonable assurance about whether the consolidated financial information Auditors’ for the audit of thedue consolidated financial information as a whole is responsibilities free from material misstatement, whether to fraud or error, and to issue an auditors’ Our objectives are to obtain reasonable assurance about theofconsolidated financial report that includes our opinion.

Reasonable assurance is awhether high level assurance, but is not ainformation guarantee as aan whole free frominmaterial misstatement, whether to fraud or error, and to issue an it auditors’ that auditisconducted accordance with ISAs will alwaysdue detect a material misstatement when exists. report that includes our opinion.

Reasonable a high levelmaterial of assurance, but is not aor guarantee Misstatements can arise from fraud or errorassurance and are isconsidered if, individually in the that an audit conducted in accordance with ISAs will alwaysthe detect a material misstatement exists. aggregate, they could reasonably be expected to influence economic decisions of users when takeniton the Misstatements can arisefinancial from fraud or error and are considered material if, individually or in the basis of this consolidated information. aggregate, they could reasonably be expected to influence the economic decisions of users taken on the As part of an audit in accordance with ISAs, we exercise professional judgment and maintain professional basis of this consolidated financial information. scepticism throughout the audit. We also:

•

Identify and assess the risks of material misstatement of the consolidated financial information,

whether due to fraud2 Bayside or error,Executive design and responsive to thoseNassau, risks, and PricewaterhouseCoopers, Park,perform West Bayaudit Streetprocedures & Blake Road, P.O. Box N-3910, obtainT:audit evidence thatF:is+sufficient and appropriate to provide a basis for our opinion. The risk of Bahamas + 1 242 302-5300, 1 242 302-5350, www.pwc.com/bs.

Email: pwcbs@bs.pwc.com not detecting a material misstatement resulting from fraud is & higher one resulting error, PricewaterhouseCoopers, 2 Bayside Executive Park, West Bay Street Blake than Road,for P.O. Box N-3910,from Nassau, Bahamas T:may + 1 242 302-5300, F: + 1forgery, 242 302-5350, www.pwc.com/bs.

Email: pwcbs@bs.pwc.com as fraud involve collusion, intentional omissions, misrepresentations, or the override of internal control.

•

Obtain an understanding of internal control relevant to the audit in order to design audit procedures that are appropriate in the circumstances, but not for the purpose of expressing an opinion on the effectiveness of the Group’s internal control.

•

Evaluate the appropriateness of accounting policies used and the reasonableness of accounting estimates and related disclosures made by management.

•

Conclude on the appropriateness of management’s use of the going concern basis of accounting and, based on the audit evidence obtained, whether a material uncertainty exists related to events or conditions that may cast significant doubt on the Group’s ability to continue as a going concern. If we conclude that a material uncertainty exists, we are required to draw attention in our auditors’ report to the related disclosures in the consolidated financial information or, if such disclosures are inadequate, to modify our opinion. Our conclusions are based on the audit evidence obtained up to the date of our auditors’ report. However, future events or conditions may cause the Group to cease to continue as a going concern.

•

Obtain sufficient appropriate audit evidence regarding the financial information of the entities or business activities within the Group to express an opinion on the consolidated financial information.

We are responsible for the direction, supervision and performance of the group audit. We remain solely responsible for our audit opinion.

We communicate with those charged with governance regarding, among other matters, the planned scope and timing of the audit and significant audit findings, including any significant deficiencies in internal control that we identify during our audit.

Other Matters The Group has prepared a separate set of consolidated financial statements for the year ended 31 December 2019 in accordance with International Financial Reporting Standards, on which we issued a separate auditors’ report to the Shareholders of Fidelity Bank & Trust International Limited dated 9 June 2020.

This report, including the opinion, has been prepared for and only for the Shareholders, collectively as a group, in accordance with the terms of our engagement letter and for no other purpose. We do not, in giving this opinion, accept or assume responsibility for any other purpose or to any other person to whom this report is shown or into whose hands it may come save where expressly agreed by our prior consent in

Chartered Accountants Nassau, Bahamas 9 June 2020

THE TRIBUNE

e t a m i Ult l l i r h t s y a d i hol...but not

Friday, June 12, 2020, PAGE 9

without a risk

IN this Saturday, May 30, 2020, photo, a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket, with NASA astronauts Doug Hurley and Bob Behnken, pictured below, in the Dragon crew capsule, lifts off from Pad 39-A at the Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Fla. For the first time in nearly a decade, astronauts blasted towards orbit aboard an American rocket from American soil, a first for a private company.

By SARA M LANGSTON Assistant Professor of Spaceflight Operations, Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University ON May 30, 2020, millions of Americans watched the inaugural SpaceX Crew Dragon launch NASA astronauts to the International Space Station. This mission marked two significant events: First, the return of launch to orbit capability for human spaceflight from the United States. Secondly, it successfully demonstrated private sector capability to build and operate a launch vehicle for human spaceflight.

While SpaceX may be the first private space company to accomplish this, it is not alone. Boeing’s Starliner and Lockheed’s Orion capsule are also being developed for NASA’s Commercial Crew Program, and training has begun for safety operations on the spacecraft.

As an aerospace lawyer working and teaching on human spaceflight law and policy for over a decade, I have a professional and personal appreciation for current spaceflight technologies and astronaut developments.

For many, the Crew Dragon launch marked the start to a new era of commercial access to space and private human spaceflight.

However, given logistical and destination requirements for Earth orbit or beyond, the onset of larger-scale private human spaceflight is more likely to emerge within the suborbital space market.

COMMERCIAL SUBORBITAL FLIGHTS COMING NEXT A suborbital flight, in contrast to SpaceX’s recent orbital flight, is a brief spaceflight that fails to complete one full orbit of the Earth. That is, you launch your space vehicle to the edge of space and come right back down. Virgin Galactic has been inching closer to commercial suborbital launch operator status with successful crewed test flights in February 2019.

In fact, Virgin Galactic’s SpaceShipTwo, an airlaunched suborbital rocket, and Blue Origin’s New Shepard, a rocket-launched space capsule, are projected to commence suborbital flights catering to both space tourists and scientific research this year. Each suborbital flight presents a unique spaceflight experience, trajectory and set of regulatory requirements.

While industry continues

to test and refine tech and operations, the Federal Aviation Administration – which regulates launch, reentry and spaceports for US commercial spaceflight – is also morphing to address the needs of the emerging private space industry.

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW BEFORE YOU FLY TO SPACE Spaceflight is regarded as an inherently dangerous activity. While some hazards of spaceflight and the space environment – like G-forces, radiation, vibration and microgravity – are well documented, many risks remain unknown. The scope of physiological risks spans pre-flight, in-flight, and post-flight operations and activities.

FAA regulations also focus on the safety and protection of the public on the ground, not the civilian passengers who are called spaceflight participants. This includes anyone who is not crew or a government astronaut on a spacecraft.

As a result, regulations stipulate minimum requirements with regard to medical fitness and training for space tourists, as well as informed consent, and waivers of liability to protect the launch operator.

So prospective space participants are taking a big risk.

MEDICAL CRITERIA ‘Spaceflight is regarded as an inherently No standardised medical dangerous activity. While some hazards criteria exists for screening or selecting spaceflight par- of spaceflight and the space environment ticipants. Unlike flight crew which require a Class II air- – like G-forces, radiation, vibration and man’s medical certificate, there is no similar require- microgravity – are well documented, ment for fitness to fly for space tourists. Where the many risks remain unknown.’ law is silent or lacking, the FAA’s Recommended Practices for Human Space Flight Occupant Safety can provide general guidance.

Here the FAA recommends a spaceflight participant receive a medical consultation within 12 months of flight from a physician trained or familiar with aerospace medicine.

Since this is a not a legal requirement, ultimately it will be up to the launch operator to determine fitness-to-fly and “no-go” criteria for preexisting conditions.

Virgin Galactic, for example, has few restrictions: no upper age limit, and weight limit only as it relates to practical space vehicle requirements.

When it comes to the risks from radiation, the FAA tries to reduce the exposure for crew

members. But it considers the radiation risks of a space tourist taking a single suborbital joy ride as insignificant.

TRAINING Similar to how airlines provide safety information before a flight, the launch operators are required to instruct space tourists on how to respond to emergency situations including smoke, fire, loss of cabin pressure and emergency exit.

This is a minimal requirement, and each launch operator determines its training protocol. Virgin Galactic, for instance, offers a three-day training with a focus on participant’s gear, communications and

function, and spacecraft cabin.

Flight crew, in contrast, must be trained and qualified to perform their critical functions, and withstand the pressures of spaceflight.

Orbital or long-duration spaceflights, however, will likely require more stringent commercial industry training protocols than for suborbital flights.

INFORMED CONSENT The FAA set the age requirement for civilian participants at 18 years.

This is necessary to ensure the participant can provide informed consent.

In addition, the regulations dictate that the launch

operator inform crews and participants that the U.S. government does not certify the spaceflight and space vehicle as safe for humans.

The launch operator must also inform the participants in writing of the risks of launch and reentry, the safety record of the vehicle, and that both known and unknown space hazards and risks could result in serious injury, either partial or total physical or mental disability.

WAIVERS OF LIABILITY The spaceflight participant is also required to sign a reciprocal waiver of liability with the commercial

launch operator and an indemnification agreement with the Federal Government.

However, participants don’t sign a waiver with other participants. Meaning, if an accident occurs, spaceflight participants can sue each other but generally not the launch operator or the government.

To protect oneself, it would be advisable to take out insurance. A few companies, including AXA XL and Allianz, are beginning to offer third-party liability insurance for civilians to engage in spaceflight.

The space industry expects that many people may want to go to space in the near future, and private spaceflight is being marketed as the next experience in luxury escapism and scientific research.

But the hazardous nature of spaceflight also requires critical understanding of the risks and uncertainties in human spaceflight.

The industry is still in its infancy, and the best practices and regulations for human spaceflight are still evolving.

• Originally published on theconversation.com

PAGE 10, Friday, June 12, 2020

THE TRIBUNE MAIN photo by Jeff Todd

How easy it is to forget how lucky we really are WE ARE so spoiled. So utterly, utterly spoiled and fortunate and lucky beyond our wildest dreams. We live in The Bahamas. We suffer through a pandemic not in smog-riddled Shouguang, China or snowbound Iceland or in a ghetto where you’re damned if you do and just as damned if you don’t join a gang. And what do we do? We complain.

We gripe about everything – how long the lines are at NIB, how slow the bank is to give us an answer, how

By Diane Phillips

high the cost of power is, not to mention the price of crossing the bridge to PI, one of the highest per linear foot pieces of concrete in the world. When it comes to complaining, we have

mastered the art.

In Yiddish, all that complaining is called kvetching.

It’s one of those words that sound as ugly as the act it describes is. Like rubbing salt on a wound knowing

JADE, second left, with her family in happier times.

YAMACRAW GOES NAKED

MANY years ago, maybe as many as 12 or 15, casuarina trees lined a section of West Bay Street, their branches reaching from both sides to unite in the middle, forming a natural canopy overhead.

Unfortunately for the casuarinas, which are an invasive species, they were destroyed, cut down, taken out, removed bit by bit as time and budgets allowed.

Now, the same has happened along Yamacraw Hill Road and the nakedness is startling.

Removing invasive species is justifiable in several ways. Casuarina roots which are amazingly industrious, spread and undermine roads, forcing bulges in the tarmac and creating a need for repairs. Invasive species also generate chemicals

that can endanger other plants and because of the wide umbrella spread of the casuarina, it can deprive smaller species from the light they need in order to grow and germinate. The larger trees also had the potential to damage utility poles in a storm.

All that aside, the casuarina in the right place and kept to the right size has a place as a strong windbreak. Given the potential of climate change, it is not out of the realm of possibility that it could be used in designated spaces to break the waves, wind and other offshore onslaught, including debris from taking its greatest toll on land. The trimmed casuarina is often used as a windbreak around tennis courts for that very reason – because it is a

great defender from the wind.

More importantly, with the latest de-treeing, inquiring minds want to know: Is there a plan for replanting with an indigenous species? For the dozens of people who (during normal days) enjoy Yamacraw beaches and sidewalk in the late afternoon, early evenings and on weekends, the trees provided shade, offered breeze and kept temperatures to a tolerable level even in summer.

They also served as a stop sign so cars did not drive right off the edge and into the water where the road and the sea are so close together.

Let’s hope the plan to replant gets as much attention as the effort to remove and if anyone needs a hand, happy to help put together a team of volunteers.

JADE SHOVLIN, whose wish is to swim with the pigs in The Bahamas before she dies. full well it will not cure a Canadian businessman, blessed thing and can only philanthropist and condo make it worse. owner at Grand Isle Villas Still we complain because in Exuma, and Jeff Todd, we have earned a tertiary who works with him. level degree in how to Nicholson, who commiscomplain. sioned the And then first docuwe hear a ‘A dying woman, mentary on story like only 21 years the swimthis – a dying old, beautiful, a ming pigs, woman, only and Todd, 21 years old, trained caregiver who wrote beautiful, a in the UK, is the book Pigs trained car- diagnosed with in Paradise, egiver in the indepenUK, is diag- oesophagus cancer. dently saw nosed with It is terminal. the reference oesophagus to swimming There is no cancer.

It pigs in a UK is terminal. known cure. With newspaper There is no chemotherapy, in the small known cure. town where With chemo- she is given 12Jade lives. therapy, she 18 months to Nicholson, is given 12-18 live. Her family is who has been months to in Exuma live.

Her heartbroken. So with his four family is is her boyfriend. youngest chilheartbroken. She has one wish dren since So is her boythe pandemic friend.

She – to go to The lockdown has one wish Bahamas and began, and – to go to The swim with the pigs Todd, who Bahamas and has been swim with the before she dies.’ weathering pigs before the COVIDshe dies.

19 storm in Canada with Her name is Jade his wife and twin girls, both Shovlin and the world is knew they had to act and helping to make Jade’s act fast. wish come true. It started Nicholson offered the with Peter Nicholson, a woman and her family

a free stay at Grand Isle Villas as soon as her chemo treatment and Bahamas protocols allowed. He also offered a boat ride to Pig Beach and nearby snorkelling, creating memories that would live for the dying woman’s family forever.

Todd said he would write about the cause.

Meantime, an online fundraiser started in late May. By yesterday, 517 people had donated. The goal is to raise about $25,000.

That’s 500-plus people who want to help Jade get to The Bahamas and into the waters recognised as the most beautiful and breathtaking in the world.

Let Jade’s story remind us how special the place is where we live. For the outside world, The Bahamas continues to conjure emotions of excitement, ripples of wonder, a sense of magic and exotic romance.

So unless you are prepared to do something to make it better, stop the kvetching. Look outside your window, instead, take a deep breath and please, for God’s sake, smile. You live in The Bahamas.

• The fundraiser can be found at https:// www.facebook.com/ donate/688115658632090/

THE TRIBUNE

Friday, June 12, 2020, PAGE 11

Alarming rise in virus cases as states roll back lockdowns

BEACHGOERS enjoy a day on the sand and in the water on Miami Beach. Beaches in Miami-Dade County opened with restrictions on Wednesday after having been closed for 12 weeks due to the COVID-19 outbreak.

Photo: Wilfredo Lee/AP NEW YORK according to data from Associated Press Johns Hopkins University.

The virus first landed STATES are rolling back on the US coasts, carTHE first experimental COVID- a dummy shot, as scientists carefully COVID-19 potential vaccines are lockdowns, but the corona- ried by international 19 vaccine in the US is on track to compare which group winds up with in early stages of testing. The NIH virus isn’t done with the US. travelers infected abroad. begin a huge study next month to the most infections. expects to help several additional Cases are rising in nearly For months, the epicenter prove if it really can fend off the With far fewer COVID-19 cases shots move into those final, largehalf the states, according to was in northeastern states. coronavirus, while hard-hit Brazil is in China, Sinovac Biotech turned to scale studies this summer, including an Associated Press analy- More recently, the biggest testing a different shot from China.

Brazil, the epicentre of Latin Amer- one made by Oxford University sis, a worrying trend that increases have been in the Where to do crucial, late-stage ica’s outbreak, for at least part of that’s also being tested in a few thoucould intensify as people South and the West. testing and how many volunteers its final testing. The government of sand volunteers in Brazil. return to work and venture The AP analysed data are needed to roll up their sleeves São Paulo announced on Thursday There’s no guarantee any of the out during the summer. compiled by The COVID are big worries for health officials as that Sinovac will ship enough of its experimental shots will pan out.

In Arizona, hospitals Tracking Project, a volthe virus spread starts tapering off in experimental vaccine to test in 9,000 But if all goes well, “there will be have been told to prepare unteer organisation that parts of the world.

Brazilians starting next month. potential to get answers” on which for the worst. Texas has collects coronavirus testing Moderna Inc said on Thursday If it works, “with this vaccine we vaccines work by the end of the more hospitalised COVID- data in the United States. the vaccine it is developing with the will be able to immunise millions of year, Dr John Mascola, who directs 19 patients than at any time The analysis found that in National Institutes of Health will be Brazilians:, said São Paulo Gov Joao NIH’s vaccine research centre, told a before. And the governor 21 states as of Monday, the tested in 30,000 people in the US. Doria. meeting of the National Academy of of North Carolina said rolling seven-day average Some will get the real shot and some Worldwide, about a dozen Medicine on Wednesday. recent jumps caused him of new cases per capita was to rethink plans to reopen higher than the average schools or businesses. seven days earlier.

NORTH CAROLINA in contact tracing to spot park near Houston opened “Clearly, it is not that way.

There is no single reason Some worry the situation and stop evolving outIn North Carolina, more to big crowds in defiance Really, now more than ever for the surges. In some may get worse as social dis- breaks, and no scale-up of testing plus more people of Republican Gov. Greg we need people to stay 6 cases, more testing has tancing restrictions lift and infection control at nursing out and about during reo- Abbott’s orders. feet apart, wear face coverrevealed more cases. In more people gather. One homes, he said. pening seem to be the Texas’ percentage of ings and wash their hands.” others, local outbreaks are concern is that large recent “Those are missed main drivers of recent case tests coming back positive Montgomery hospital big enough to push state- racial justice protests across opportunities that, if imple- upticks, said Kimberly has also jumped to levels intensive care units are as wide tallies higher. But the country might spark at mented today, could still Powers, an associate pro- that are among the nation’s busy as during flu season. experts think at least some least some spread of the make a big difference,” said fessor of epidemiology at highest. State officials point “I can assure you that are due to lifting stay-at- virus.

Humble, a former director the University of North to hot spots at meatpacking Montgomery’s cases are not home orders, school and Another: President of the state Department of Carolina. plants and prisons in rural going down, and if our combusiness closures, and other Donald Trump this week Health Services.

On Saturday, the state counties, where thousands munity does not take this restrictions put in place said he’s planning to hold Democratic Rep Ruben recorded its highest single- of new cases have cropped seriously, the virus will conduring the spring to stem rallies that may draw thou- Gallego has criticised the day increase, with 1,370. up, but have not offered tinue to spread, and at some the virus’s spread. sands of people. He will governor for failing to high- While testing has grown in explanations for a rise in point, our medical capacThe increase in infections hold them in four states light the “seriousness of the last two weeks, so has numbers elsewhere. ity will reach its limit,” Dr. pulled stocks down sharply — Arizona, Florida, Okla- the growing public health the rate of tests coming Abbott, who has recently David Thrasher, director Thursday on Wall Street, homa, and Texas. All of emergency.” back positive. begun wearing a mask in of respiratory therapy at dragging the Dow Jones them are among the states “These trends moving public, has shown no inten- Jackson Hospital, said in a Testing has been increasIndustrial Average more with rising cases identified ing in Arizona, which raises in the wrong direction is a tion of pumping the brake statement. than 1,800 points lower and in the AP analysis. the chance of finding new signal we need to take very on reopening a state where giving the S&P 500 its worst Here’s what’s driving cases. But the proportion seriously,” said North Caro- protesters in May pressured ARKANSAS day in nearly three months. increases in some of the of tests coming back posi- lina’s top health official, him to speed up the timeArkansas has also seen The infections deflated states with notable upticks: tive has also been on the Mandy Cohen, who along line on getting hair salons increases — in cases, recent optimism that the with Democratic Gov. back in business. rise. hospitalisations and the economy could recover ARIZONA The AP analysis found Roy Cooper has urged the On Friday, Texas is set to quickly from its worst crisis Republican Gov Doug Arizona had a rolling aver- public to take precautions lift even more restrictions percentage of tests that in decades.

Ducey ended Arizona’s age of fewer than 400 new to protect themselves. and let restaurant dining come back positive. But The virus is also gradu- stay-at-home order on May cases a day at the time the But some state residents rooms reopen at nearly full the state’s situation is a complicated story of differally fanning out.

15 and eased restrictions shutdown was lifted, but it are not on board. capacity. ent outbreaks at different “It is a disaster that on businesses. Arizona shot up two weeks later and “I think they should start times, said Dr Nate Smith, spreads,” said Dr Jay residents who were cooped surpassed 1,000 new cases a opening stuff a little bit ALABAMA Butler, who oversees coro- up for six weeks flooded day by early this week. Hos- more,” said Jason Denton, In Alabama, outbreaks director of the Arkansas navirus response work at Phoenix-area bar districts, pitalizations have also risen an electrician from Green- in nursing homes and poul- Department of Health.

After a peak in April, the US Centers for Disease ignoring social distancing dramatically, hitting the ville who said one of his try plants helped drive Control and Prevention. guidelines. main concerns was getting state numbers upward. levels were low until spikes 1,200 mark last week.

“It’s not like there’s an The state began seeing a The state also passed to the gym.

On Wednesday, the state began about three weeks entire continental seismic surge of new cases and hos- another grim milestone last “That’s like my therapy,” recorded its largest number ago — mainly in the cities shift and everyone feels the pitalisations about ten days week, recording its 1,000th he said. of new cases in a day, 849. of Rogers and Springdale shaking all at once.” later. death.

The previous high was 640 in the northwest and in De Queen further south. The That is also happen“It seems pretty clear to TEXAS Meanwhile Arizona hoson June 5. ing globally. Places that me that what we’re seeing pitals reported they were Few states are rebooting The capital, Montgomery, cases have been concensuffered early on such as is directly related to the end at 83% of capacity Tues- faster than Texas, where has become an emerging trated among Hispanics and China, Italy and Spain have of the stay-at-home order,” day, which could force the hospitalizations surged hot spot, said State Health those who work in chicken production facilities, which calmed down but Brazil, said Will Humble, execu- cancellation of elective sur- past 2,100 on Wednesday Officer Scott Harris.

India and other countries tive director of the Arizona geries. An executive order for the first time during the “I think reopening the never were closed.

Republican Gov Asa that were spared initially Public Health Association.

Ducey issued in April said pandemic. That’s a 42% economy gave a lot of are seeing large increases.

It wasn’t just that the hospitals wanting to resume increase in patients since people the wrong impres- Hutchinson on Wednesday The world is seeing more order ended: There were no elective surgeries had to Memorial Day weekend, sion ... that, ‘Hey everything said the state will move into than 100,000 newly-con- requirements to wear face have at least 20% of their when beachgoers swarmed is fine. Let’s go back to a new phase of reopening, Texas’ coastline and a water normal,’” Harris said. starting Monday. firmed cases every day, masks, no major increases beds available.

FINAL TESTS OF SOME COVID-19 VACCINES TO START NEXT MONTH

BIDEN STEPS UP ELECTION FIGHT PHILADELPHIA Associated Press

DEMOCRATIC presidential candidate Joe Biden speaks in Dover, Delaware, last week.

Photo: Susan Walsh/AP

JOE Biden is adopting an increasingly aggressive stance as he looks to break out of a monthslong campaign freeze imposed by the coronavirus outbreak.

Over the course of 24 hours, the presumptive Democratic nominee sharpened his rhetoric against President Donald Trump, warning he could try to steal the election. His campaign organised a petition pressing Facebook to boost its efforts to prevent the spread of misinformation.

And he released a plan to restart an economy slammed by the coronavirus in a way that he says won’t make Americans choose between their health and livelihoods.

The quick succession of developments signals Biden’s growing desire to become more assertive. He’s betting that he can build momentum by offering a contrast to Trump’s leadership as the country is gripped by the pandemic, economic turmoil

and unrest stemming from racial injustice and police brutality.

“Trump has basically had a one-point plan: Open businesses,” Biden said yesterday at an economic roundtable in Philadelphia, where he announced a plan to reopen the economy.

“It does nothing to keep workers safe, to keep businesses able to stay open, and secondly it does very little to increase consumer confidence.”

If elected, Biden promised to guarantee testing and protective equipment for people called back to work, while prohibiting discrimination against elderly Americans and others at high risk of contracting the virus. He also wants to use federal funds to ensure paid leave for anyone who falls ill or cares for those who do.

He proposed a national contact tracing workforce or “job corps” of at least 100,000 to call people who test positive, track down their contacts and get them into quarantine.

PAGE 12, Friday, June 12, 2020

THE TRIBUNE

Sprinter Cliff Resias looking for financial support FROM PAGE 13 Bahamas. He made the team that competed at the Pan American Games in Lima, Peru in August where he failed to advance out of the preliminaries of the 200m, placing sixth in his heat in 21.74 seconds.

Resias also led off the Bahamas men’s 4 x 200m relay team that included Stephen Newbold, Anthony Adderley and Rico Moultrie at the Worth Athletics’ fourth World Relays in Yokohama, Japan in February.

The team, however, got disqualified. Resias, Newbold, Adderley and Shavez Hart advanced out of the preliminary rounds with the sixth fastest time after placing second in their heat.

In his last season for SLU at the 2018 outdoor season, Resias captured the 200 in 21.23 at the Louisiana Classics and was on the second-place 4 x 100m relay that ran 41.32. He also helped their 4 x 200m relay set a school record with a second-place time of 1:26.78

RILEY

FROM PAGE 13 American George Floyd, but he tried to avoid the protests and all of the events surrounding Black Lives Matter.

“The city that I am in is a bit small, so we’re not really affected by all of the riots and protests,” said Riley,

at the McNeese Cowboy Relays and was also on the winning 4 x 100m relay team that ran 40.69 and 4 x 400 that did 3:18.57.

During that indoor season, Resias was fourth in the 200 (21.79) and fifth in the 60 (6.85) at the Samford Open. He also got eighth in the 60 (6.96) at the KMS Invitational and broke a 17-year-old school record with a second-place time of 6.72 seconds in the 60 at the LSU Purple Tiger.

He was training up until the coronavirus pandemic put a damper on sports throughout the United States in March, shutting down all sporting facilities and training sites.

During that time, Resias said he has not been able to work out, which made his stay in Louisiana that more difficult.

“My parents couldn’t really send me any money because the banks were closed, so the only person I really had to rely on was coach Bernard,” Resias said.

“I really want to thank him for all of the assistance

that he gave me because it was really hard for me.”

In addition to that, Resias said he didn’t get his Optional Practical Training (OPT) card, which denied him the opportunity to secure a job while in the USA. He noted that with all of the social unrest and protests over the death of American George Floyd in Minneapolis, he’s tried to stay away from everything and not get involved in it.

Newbold, who had formed the RK Athletics Track Club in the US last January to help Resias, Maverick Bowleg, Andre Colebrooke and Ashley Riley to prepare for the 2019 World Championships, said he has done all he can to try and get Resias on the subvention programme, but nothing has happened and it has made it difficult for him to continue his training.

“We’ve been trying since last year trying to get him on subvention. We followed all of the procedures like all of the other athletes,” said Newbold, now in his second

year of his masters degree programme at the University of Central Arkansas in College Student Personnel Administration.

“We’re thankful for the assistance that we got for him from Mr (Harrison) Petty to help him train and to travel to competition.

But we sent in his résumé and indicated that he was no longer a collegiate athlete and was now on the pro circuit.

“Then we found out in August that the ministry was not putting any new athletes on subvention because the BAAA didn’t submit their list in time for consideration.”

Once again in February, Newbold said he resubmitted Resias’ information to the BAAA so that he could be considered in this year’s subvention list, but now they are told that the current athletes on the list are going to be cut by at least 20 per cent.

“It’s just a tough one,” Newbold said. “He was in Arkansas with me training earlier this year, but after the COVID-19 outbreak

and the state began shutting down, he went back to Louisiana. We were hoping it was only temporary, but it’s still going on, so it’s tough.

“He couldn’t train because all public spaces were locked down and then we found out that there were no more meets, so we called it a season. We just have to see how we can get him some funding so he can be relocated here in Arkansas and see how best that can work and to pursue the legal challenges to get him on the job force, if that is possible.”

The 23-year-old Resias, who came into SLU after attending Iowa Western Community College where he was an All-American and regional champion on the 4 x 100m team, was a CARIFTA, BAISS and GSSSA 100 metre champion while competing for CV Bethel up until 2014 when he graduated.

Having posted personal best times of 6.82 in the 60m, 10.20 in the 100, a wind-aided 21.58 in the 200m and 50.89 in the 400m, Resias said he’s

not yet ready to give up on his dream of being a professional athlete and competing for the Bahamas in the Olympic Games.

With the Olympics postponed until July 23 to August 8, 2021 in Tokyo, Japan, Resias said he’s more committed to getting ready to compete in the 100m and possibly on the men’s 4 x 100m relay team, if they qualify.

“If it works out, it works out, but if it doesn’t work out, then I would have to move on and find something to do in the job market,” he said.

“Even though I may not be on subvention, I still want to try and achieve that goal of competing at the Olympics.

“I know that I am close, so I’m not about to give up right now. If I wasn’t that close to qualifying, I would give up.

“I could use the subvention, but I don’t want to let that discourage me from trying to qualify for the Olympics. Hopefully everything will work out in my favour.”

who is stationed in Hammond. “But it’s affecting everyone seeing something like that happen.

“I think it’s a good outcome because they are making a lot of changes to the law with the Police, so it’s worked. But I didn’t want to get caught up in all of that, so I just went about my business and back home to my family.”

As he moves forward, Riley said whether or not

he gets on the subvention that is provided by the Ministry of Youth, Sports and Culture, he’s looking forward to running in the 400m and on the 4 x 400m relay team.

“I will get back into training and make the Olympic team. I’m glad that they pushed it back until next year,” said Riley, who ran a personal best of 46.70 in 2017, his last year in college just before he got injured.

“I feel it’s more suitable to everyone, including me because I can have more time to train.”

Riley, the son of Edwin and Shearine Riley, was a

part of the RK Athletics Track Club that was formed last January in Arkansas by coach Bernard Newbold.

The club was formed to help Riley, Andre Colebrooke, Maverick Bowleg and Cliff Resias prepare for the 2019 World Championships.

The club, however, has been dismantled after Colebrooke moved on to MVP International, a club with Henry Rolle; Maverick Bowleg returned home in New Providence and Resias and Ashley relocated to Louisiana.

Newbold said while all of the athletes are still

committed to competing for the Bahamas, Riley is more committed right now to raising his family.

“It’s kind of hard for Ashley, being an athlete who secured a world indoor silver medal as a member of the 4 x 400m relay team and can not get any subvention as well. As a young father, he made the decision that his family comes first and track and field has to be on the back burner,” Newbold said.

“If we can get him some financial assistance or on subvention, he will be back this fall training,” said Newbold.

“I spoke with him. He’s not given up. He said he will get back into training.

But a guy of his calibre, going to be tough working and training part-time. He’s a guy that can run 44 seconds easy if he can get the funding to train full time.”

Riley, a former CARIFTA medallist, competed for the Bahamas at the 2017 IAAF Bahamas World Relays, was a member of the silver medal 4 x 400m relay team at the IAAF World Indoor Championships and on the 4 x 400m relay team that took third at the IX NACAC Under23 Championships in 2016.

THE

PRESS BOX ZELAYA

BY INIGO ‘NAUGHTY’ ZENICA

‘BOOGIE WONDERLAND’ FROM PAGE 13 intimidating frontcourts in basketball. Their size, length and athleticism can’t be matched, and the addition of Cousins would be something to see and a scary sight for any opponent the Lakers might see in the postseason.

During his time playing alongside AD and Rajon Rondo in New Orleans, Cousins averaged some of the best numbers of his career at 25.0 points, 12.7 rebounds, 5.0 assists, 1.6 steals, and 1.5 blocks per game while shooting 46.5 per cent from the floor

and 35.9 per cent from beyond the arc.

If Cousins returns to the Lakers, he could become the team’s third-best player behind Davis and James, and put the Lakers in the drivers seat in their quest for their recordtying 17th NBA title.

A risk that the Lakers should take as he could make this squad an overwhelming favourite.

• Naughty presents ‘Mischief and Mayhem in da AM’ from 6am to 10am, Monday to Friday and ‘The Press Box’ sports talk show on Sunday from 10am to 1pm, on KISS FM 96.1.

Financial Controller A Bahamian owned company is seeking a

Financial Controller

Applicants should possess the following qualifications: Knowledge and Education: • An accounting Degree • A minimum of ten years industry experience as a financial controller in managerial capacity.

Skills: • Excellent interpersonal skills • Excellent managerial skills • Strong computer skills • Strong analytical skills • Strong oral and written skills • Able to work in a very dynamic environment Job responsibilities include the following: • Supervising the complete accounting cycle • Preparing monthly financial statements • Co-ordinating all other areas of the business to ensure optimal efficiency • Dealing with all government reporting requirements Interested persons should apply no later than June 23, 2020.

Apply to: DA #119234 c/o The Tribune P.O. Box N-3207 Nassau, The Bahamas

MINISTER ROLLE: ‘I’M JUST NOT THE TYPE OF MOTHER THAT HAS FAVOURITES’ FROM PAGE 13 and limited financial resources, a portion of the ministry’s funds had to be reallocated,” Rolle said.

“This cut ensures that in the given circumstances, there are adequate provisions to help with public health expenses, social safety net programmes, job creation and sustenance, food security initiatives and tourism rejuvenation.”

Rolle noted that although her ministry has suffered necessary deductions, the differences are not below actual expenditure.

She said expenditure are in accordance without being below the approved budget estimates for the last budget cycle, hence the following allocations: Ministry’s general programmes, including summer programmes - $2,300,000.00 or 12.14%.

Personal emoluments, minus summer employment staff - $5,331,280,.00 or 28.15%.

Youth - $1,518,280.00 or 8.01%.

Sports - $2,839,829.00 or 14.99%.

Rolle drew reference to the fact that athletes’ subventions were approved at $1,346,150.00 last budget period. A difference of $338,562.00 was not spent based on the date of this record.

“This position would inform any reasonable adjustment or rationale for new budgetary spending,” she said. “I hasten to add for the benefit of our athletes of whom we continue to be immensely proud, that in accordance with the existing sports policy, no active athlete approved for subvention would be affected by the item adjustments.

“However, where an athlete is not performing in accordance with standard policy, the usual adjustments will be applied as recommended by the Department of Sports and our standard consultation with the respective federation sporting bodies.”

Athletes assistance Rolle revealed that the ministry, in the last fiscal period, provided direct

and indirect financial assistance to 93 elite athletes in 11 sporting disciplines at an approximate cost of $1 million.

“We will not waiver in that commitment,” said Rolle, adding that a committee, headed by the University of the Bahamas’ Athletic Director Kim Rolle, has been established to recommend policies for enhanced accountability of the subvention system.

And Rolle disclosed that while organisation fixed grants (to member associations and federations) were reduced by 20 per cent, they will continue to provide assistance to the athletes through their federations to successfully compete in regional and international meets.

Athletes recognised Rolle also took the time out to commend men’s 400 metre gold medallist Steven Gardiner and women’s 200m silver medallist Shaunae Miller-Uibo for their performance in Doha, Qatar, and the World Championships last year.

“All medal athletes, in addition to Ms Tynia Gaither, who qualified for the final at the championships, were rewarded the customary prize monies for their performances in the amounts of $40,000.00, $30,000.00 and $5,000.00 respectively in accordance with the established sports policy,” Rolle said.

She also singled out Grand Bahamian Chavano ‘Buddy’ Hield, who won the National Basketball Association (NBA) three-point shooting contest during the All-Star weekend and subsequently earned a $86 million dollar contract over the next four years with the Sacramento Kings.

“Buddy continues to make us proud and certainly he makes me proud to serve as the Minister of Sports during a time when he and as many of our athletes are breaking glass ceilings,” said Rolle, adding that each year, Hield has hosted the 27 Elite Basketball Clinic at the Kendal Isaacs Gymnasium and Day Sessions at neighbourhood parks.

“His sports acumen and community mindedness

LANISHA ROLLE, Minister of Youth, Sports and Culture. speaks to the example of a sports superstar that our youngsters and athletes can emulate,” she said. “We must invest more in sports to identify and groom more ‘Buddys’, who are value adders to the public purse.”

She also mentioned that there are at least 20 Bahamian players playing professional baseball in the minor leagues and another group who are benefitting through athletic scholarships at various colleges throughout the United States.

And she praised Grand Bahamian Nathan Bain, who in his senior year at Stephen F Austin University led the Lumberjacks men’s basketball team to a huge upset win over No.1 ranked Duke and sparked a relief effort that yielded more than $100,000.00 to assist with the aftermath of Hurricane Dorian.

However, Stephen F Austin were subsequently suspended by the NCAA and their fantastic performance was erased from the history books.

“Buddy, Nathan, Shaunae, Steven are all testaments to the fact that the money will come if we invest in the people, and this budget and this government has been and will continue to do just that,” Rolle stated.

Facilities, repairs and construction Rolle revealed that the facilities of the National Sports Authority are in the process of being renovated.

She noted that the Kendal Isaacs Gymnasium suffered considerable damage due to its use as a

long term shelter for the evacuees of Hurricane Dorian. She commended the NSA and its General Manager Quinton Brennen for their exceptional hospitality provided to those in need.

And in case you’re wondering about the construction of the baseball stadium, Rolle said work is steadily progressing with a proposed completion date set for December 2020.

“The cost of the project to date is $27,486.658.00,” she said. “I want to thank this government for its substantial investment in sports and in this facility that will help to save our youth. An unprecedented $27,486,658.00 invested in sports.”

The ministry under the guidance of the Ministry of Health, is expected to host its summer youth programme from July 27 to August 21.

“We also continue to monitor guidance by the Centre for Disease Control and Prevention for best practices of reopening youth, sports and culture sectors and activities,” she stated. “In this COVID-19 environment, our programmes will be guided by and subject to the advice of the Ministry of Health.”

The ministry announced on March 12 during the first day of competition at the National High School Track and Field Championships at the Thomas A Robinson National Stadium that all sporting activities with large gatherings will be postponed until further notice.

All sporting activities in the country ceased as the coronavirus pandemic started to spread. No date has been given for the resumption of sporting activities, even though the Bahamas government is moving towards a full reopening of the economy by July 1.

To date, the Bahamas has been affected by 103 cases of the virus, which claimed the lives of 11 persons.

There are more than 7 million cases worldwide with over 400,000 deaths. The United States has recorded more than 2,000,000 cases and over 100,000 deaths.

SPORTS SECTION E

FRIDAY, JUNE 12, 2020

PAGE 16

‘Buddy’ scorching hot on his return to court

MINISTER ROLLE: ‘I’M JUST NOT THE TYPE OF MOTHER THAT HAS FAVOURITES’

By RENALDO DORSETT Tribune Sports Reporter rdorsett@tribunemedia.net

By BRENT STUBBS Senior Sports Reporter bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

havano Rainer ‘Buddy’ Hield returned to the basketball court for competitive play for the first time since the COVID-19 pandemic sidelined the NBA. The Sacramento Kings sharpshooter participated in the Skinz League Tournament at the Hive Sports Complex in Edmond, Oklahoma, as the NBA nears its imminent return.

Hield scored 45 points, including 13 made three pointers, and led his “Pink Parrot” team to an 82-72 win.

Amateur basketball has resumed in several states that have progressed to their phased re-openings, therefore summer leagues like the Skinz League are off to an early start.

League founder Chris Skinner began the tournament five years ago and he estimates that approximately 90 per cent of the league’s 160 players played college basketball.

Around 25 per cent are professional players from overseas, the G League or the NBA. This year’s appearances from NBA players have been

LIKE a mother with three children, Minister of Youth, Sports and Culture Lanisha Rolle said her triple portfolios will be treated the same in the allocation of funds.

Rolle, the Member of Parliament for Sea Breeze, was making her contribution to the Free National Movement government’s 2020/2021 budget report in the House of Assembly yesterday as she indicated that none of her portfolios will be treated any different, although she claimed there are persons who believe that she favours one over the others.

In her address, Rolle constantly dubbed it an “unprecedented budget in an unprecedented time for budget for the people” whom she said she intends to spend equally on youth, sports and culture. “I’m just not the type of mother that has favourites,” Rolle said.

“They’re all going to share and share alike.”

The three-headed ministry is budgeted at $18,938,186.00, which represents a reduction of $5,143,194.00 or 21 per cent from the last fiscal budget.

“This simply means, given the changing circumstances

C

highlighted by Hield and Atlanta Hawks guard Trae Young. Both played collegiately for the Oklahoma Sooners. Oklahoma City Thunder wing Darius Bazley also competed in this year’s tournament.

“If you know anything about the basketball world, if one player’s doing it, the other players will do it,” he told Sports Illustrated. “So if I get one big-time player, it’s kind of like now, people see Trae [Young] playing, so now I’m getting calls all the time about this guy’s trying to play.”

In just over a month, Hield and the Sacramento Kings will return to the court at the NBA level as the league prepares to return to its 2020 season on July 30.

The league’s board of governors approved a

SACRAMENTO Kings sharpshooter “Buddy” Hield scored 45 points, including 13 made three pointers, to lead his “Pink Parrot” team to an 82-72 win in the Skinz League Tournament at the Hive Sports Complex in Edmond, Oklahoma. proposal for the NBA to resume play in Orlando, Florida, featuring the 16 teams currently in playoff position and eight teams currently within six games of 8th place in the two conferences. All games will be hosted at the Walt Disney World Resort.

Teams will officially begin training at team sites in July and will advance to full training camps in Orlando prior to regular season play. The Kings are 28-36 - No.10 in the Western Conference and

3.5 games behind the No.8 Memphis Grizzlies (32-33).

The NBA has suspended its season since March 11, when Utah Jazz centre Rudy Gobert was the league’s first player to test positive for COVID-19.

Through 64 games this season, Hield is averaging 19.8 points per game and is shooting 40 per cent from beyond the arc, making 3.8 three-point field goals in about 10 attempts per game. Hield also added 4.8 rebounds and 3.1 assists per game.

Hield started 44 of those games and was moved to the bench on January 24 and has continued his production post-All-Star break after he won the Mountain Dew 3-Point Contest at NBA All-Star weekend last February.

This season, Hield has 244 three-point field goals thus far.

He was on track to surpass last year’s total of 278 and possibly become just the third player in NBA history to make 300 in a single season.

SEE PAGE 12

Sprinter Resias is seeking financial support

By BRENT STUBBS Senior Sports Reporter bstubbs@tribunemedia.net WITHOUT any success in securing any financial support from the Bahamas Government, sprinter Cliff Resias is forced to come home from the United States of America to redirect his career as he prepares for the 2020 Olympic Games.

Since graduating from Southeastern Louisiana last year, Resias was hoping that he would have gotten on the Ministry of Youth, Sports and Culture’s subvention to elite athletes.

But with only the support from his parents, Tamika Evans and Cliff Resias Sr, along with his coach Bernard Newbold, Resias Jr said it’s not sufficient to sustain him in the United States.

Still in Louisiana, Resias had to put his training on hold because of the coronavirus pandemic and

now he’s waiting until July when the border opens to make the trek back home.

“If I can get the financial support, I can go back to Arkansas and continue my training with coach Bernard,” Resias said. “I was never on subvention. Before I graduated, I was trying to get on it. After I graduated, I continued and a whole year went without any word from the ministry.”

Despite not getting any financial support from the government, Resias said he intends to continue running track because he loves it.

“I can only do what I can do. I can’t do everything,” he said. “I can only do so much with the help from my parents and with coach Bernard’s help. He’s been helping me out as best as he could.”

Since his graduation from SLU on May 19, 2019, Resias has been training and competing for the

SEE PAGE 12

“It’s still a funding situation for me. You have to find the funding and everything you need to train and go to the meets to compete. I was still able to compete at a decent level, so it’s bearable, but it could have been a whole lot better.”

The conditions of COVID-19 were not as drastic as it was with the curfews and weekend lockdowns in the Bahamas for Riley in Louisiana, but he’s not complaining about his situation.

“We had some curfews, but it wasn’t that bad,” Riley reflected.

“I was still able to do most things that I wanted. I pulled back from training until I am ready to start my offseason training, so I just concentrated on working for the time being.”

And in the midst of the pandemic, Riley said the social racism resurfaced with the death of

WITH a three-month layoff still looming since the last time the Lakers last played, the major question in ‘Laker Land’ is whether they’ll be able to pick up where they left off.

I guess we all have to wait until the end of July, when the NBA resumes, to see the outcome on that front.

The Lakers will be in the spotlight when the league resumes, if only to see if they are rusty or not after such a long, unexpected, mid-season layoff.

The Lakers, before the league was suspended, also added Markieff Morris and Dion Waiters to their roster.

The additions of Morris and Waiters are good moves, as it gives them two proven, contributing veterans with playoff experience.

Now the question is do the Lakers bring back DeMarcus ‘Boogie’ Cousins to make the circle complete?

Because of the league suspending play,, the extra time has given Cousins more time to get his body ready for the Lakers’ playoff run.

Cousins should be a viable option the Lakers should consider to boost their post season roster, especially if rosters are increased.

The veteran big man gives the Lakers a versatile weapon down low who can stretch the floor with his three-point shooting.

Cousins causes matchup problems for opponents with his unique skill set.

He’s another talented big man for teams to contend with along with AD Anthony Davis, JaVale McGee and Dwight Howard.

The Lakers’ roster already has one of the most

SEE PAGE 12

SEE PAGE 12

CLIFF Resias has been hoping to get on the Ministry of Youth, Sports and Culture’s subvention to elite athletes since graduating from Southeastern Louisiana last year.

Riley looking to qualify for Olympics

By BRENT STUBBS Senior Sports Reporter bstubbs@tribunemedia.net ALTHOUGH he has been forced to join the workforce to support his wife and daughter, quarter-miler Ashley Riley said he’s still looking to continue his athletic career with the goal of qualifying for the 2020 Olympic Games.

Riley, a graduate of the CR Walker Secondary School, is in Louisiana where he’s employed with Target.

But he said he’s still looking for some financial assistance from the Bahamas Government to help him with his training at his alma mater at Southeastern Louisiana University. “I can still train at my former college,” said Riley, a graduate of Southeastern Louisiana. “I didn’t get to compete this year because the COVID-19 came, but it’s bearable now.”

After graduating from CR Walker Secondary High in 2012, Riley went to Colby Community College where he was a NJCAA All-American award winner in the 600m and on their 4 x 800.

The following year, he transferred to SLU where he became a All-Southland Conference 1st team indoor 4 x 400m champion in 2016 and in 2017, the LSWA AllLouisiana member on the 4 x 400m relay and Southland Conference Spring Commissioner’s Honour Roll.

Now married to Brishay and the father of Brai’lynn, Riley said his focus is on maintaining his family, but he’s not giving up on competing as a track athlete.

“I had a rough time since I graduated from college. I got an injury during my last year in college, but without the assistance of school and no subvention, it was tough, but I made the decision to keep going.

QUARTER-miler Ashley Riley is looking to continue his athletic career with the goal of qualifying for the 2020 Olympic Games.

‘BOOGIE WONDERLAND’

PAGE 14, Friday, June 12, 2020

THE TRIBUNE

JORDAN TALKS TO HORNETS ABOUT BEING UNCOMFORTABLE, WINNING

By STEVE REED AP Sports Writer CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — Michael Jordan helped build the Chicago Bulls into a winner as a player. He’s desperate to do the same thing in Charlotte as the owner of the Hornets.

Charlotte players say Jordan spoke to them recently via video conference call about what it takes to be a champion, emphasising the need for accountability — even if it means making teammates comfortable.

Those are some of the same qualities that were on display during the 10-part documentary the “Last Dance,” which focused on Jordan’s sixth and final NBA championship run with the Bulls.

In the hour-long conference call that came after the conclusion of the “Last Dance,” Charlotte point guard Devonte Graham said Jordan told players they can’t be

uncomfortable “calling out teammates” in practice when things aren’t going as planned or mistakes become repetitive.

“That’s going to make you guys even better,” Graham said reiterating Jordan’s remarks.

“You’ll bond better. Your team is stronger. There is more of a respect level, instead of not saying anything and letting guys mess up over and over and over again, and you’re losing and losing.”

Jordan hasn’t come close to matching his success as a player since taking over majority control of the Hornets 10 years ago.

Charlotte has never made it out of the first round of the playoffs and has only won three postseason games in the Jordan era.

In an effort to stop that cycle of mediocrity, Jordan hired Mitch Kuchak as the team’s new general manager in 2018 and the Hornets have since embarked on a rebuilding process which included

CHARLOTTE Hornets owner Michael Jordan spoke to his Hornets players recently via video conference call about what it takes to be a champion.

(AP Photo/Chuck Burton) parting ways with three-time AllStar Kemba Walker last offseason in an effort to focus on developing young players.

Jordan took questions from players and spoke directly about the difference between what it takes to win in the regular season and the playoffs.

Hornets centre Cody Zeller said that was an important message for a young team to hear.

“A lot of guys on our team haven’t played in the playoffs and don’t understand the attention to detail you have to play with in the playoffs,” Zeller said. “That was what I enjoyed hearing from MJ, especially as a younger team.”

Jordan’s tenacity and desire to win at all costs were exhibited during the “Last Dance.”

That meant at times emotions boiled over at Bulls’ practices resulting in altercations between teammates, including one notable exchange of blows between Jordan and Steve Kerr.

Hornets guard Terry Rozier joked that after watching the “Last Dance” he probably would have got into a few fistfights with Jordan, too. “I would have taken the Steve Kerr route,” Rozier said with a laugh. “I’m super-competitive.”

But Rozier is not sure Jordan’s aggressive approach would work with some of this generation’s players. “I feel like you have to pick your poison,” Rozier said.

“One thing with being teammates with guys in this league is you have to learn who they are first. Some people don’t like to be confronted in front of others; some people you have to pull aside. So I feel like it is a mixture of learning your teammates and knowing when to call them out.... so that people don’t have a bad taste in their mouth about one another.”

Zeller said Jordan admitted as much in the meeting.

He said the 57-year-old Jordan talked about his post-Bulls tenure with the Washington Wizards when his feedback and criticism wasn’t as well received. “He said he wishes that he would have done that a little bit differently” in Washington, Zeller said.

For tennis, golf, tournaments without fans come at a cost

By HOWARD FENDRICH AP Tennis Writer WHEN he first contemplated the prospect of a U.S. Open without fans because of the coronavirus pandemic, the U.S. Tennis Association’s chief revenue officer figured there was no way it could work.

Lew Sherr eventually came around to embracing the idea of a closed-door Grand Slam tournament -- if it’s held at all; a decision is expected as soon as next week -- because it still could make money even if millions were forfeited with zero on-site receipts from tickets, hospitality, food and beverage or merchandise sales.

“Certainly better than not playing. It still makes sense financially and as a way to keep the sport vibrant and engage fans,” Sherr said. “As you get to lower-level tournaments, it becomes a much harder conversation.”

Golf, slated to resume Thursday in Fort Worth, Texas, also could take a real hit because of the virus and the recession.

Week-in, week-out events in tennis, where the pro tours are suspended at least until late July, do not bring in TV rights fees like the U.S. Open, which averages $70 million per year in the host country alone.

Some of the smallest tour stops even need to buy air time.

The biggest team leagues such as the NFL and NBA seem to be in good shape because they derive most of their money from TV contracts worth billions each season.

NASCAR, which returned last month with a flurry of races at empty tracks but announced plans Tuesday to begin allowing

small numbers of fans, relies mainly on broadcast rights fees worth hundreds of millions annually.

Another sport built around events at independent tracks, horse racing, will begin its Triple Crown series sans spectators at the Belmont Stakes in New York on June 20 with what might approach $100 million in online gambling.

But tennis and golf rely to a much greater degree on income generated from having people on-hand, especially for high-end tickets and hospitality.

The economic framework for each tourney varies in both sports; smaller events, especially, would suffer financially if live audiences are eliminated or restricted.

One possible fallout of reduced revenue around tennis could be reduced prize money, even at a major championship like the U.S. Open. Another: Some tournaments simply could disappear.

“Will a 15,000-seat stadium need to seat only 5,000 because of social distancing? Will that be tennis’ future? If so, will the sport survive?” said James Blake, a former top-five player and tournament director at the Miami Open, one of more than 40 tennis events scrapped since March because of the COVID-19 outbreak.

“You either cut the prize money a little bit,” Blake said, “or you have one or two more years where these companies and tournaments can remain financially solvent, and then they can’t do it anymore.”

• Here is a look at how economic structures of certain sports mean they will be affected differently by the pandemic:

PGA TOUR RECOGNISES RACIAL INJUSTICE WITH MOMENT OF SILENCE

By DOUG FERGUSON AP Golf Writer

PLAYERS practice for the US Open tennis tournament at Arthur Ashe Stadium in New York on August 27, 2017.

(AP Photo/Peter Morgan) NASCAR Race hosts receive 65% of NASCAR’s $8.2 billion, 10-year television package; that in turn accounts for about 60-70% of track revenues. So it makes sense to move forward despite losing other revenue streams. “Assuming that we get all of our races in ... NASCAR and its tracks will come through this OK,” Dover International Speedway Inc. President and CEO Michael Tatoian said. “It’s not that we’re going to be flying through it. It’s not that we’re not going to have any kind of impact. Of course we will.

It will set us back. But not enough to be devastating.”

HORSE RACING The Kentucky Derby, according to an estimate a few years ago, makes only a little more than 10% of its revenue from broadcast

rights. That’s why Churchill Downs, Belmont and Santa Anita Park all recently reopened to racing, even if no fans are present: The main source of revenue, online gambling, still functions just fine. Last year’s Belmont day drew $102 million in wagers with no Triple Crown on the line -and $91 million of that was off-track betting.

PGA TOUR Eliminating spectators means eliminating significant chunks of a tournament’s revenue.

That starts with big-earning hospitality tents and pro-ams that can bring in upward of $1 million, and includes other revenue sources like merchandise and ticket sales. Tournaments rely heavily on title sponsors -- “We wouldn’t be able to return” without them, Commissioner

Jay Monahan said. But it’s the local sponsorship that sustains each tournament.

And if discretionary spending by corporations dries up, the effects could be greater in 2021.

TENNIS The US Open -- as of now, scheduled to begin in late August -- gets about a third of its roughly $400 million in annual revenue from various American and international TV rights deals. About a quarter is from sponsorship deals, some of which would be renegotiated if there were no on-site fans. Another 35 per cent or so comes from tickets and hospitality, with less than 10 per cent from food and beverage, merchandise, etc. — all of which would vanish without the hundreds of thousands who normally attend.

FORT WORTH, Texas (AP) — Colonial already was quiet with no spectators around for the return of the PGA Tour yesterday. And then at 8:46am, it came to a standstill.

Commissioner Jay Monahan stood on the first tee for the 8:46am starting time that was listed on the tee sheet without any player names.

The tour left that time open as a tribute to George Floyd, whose killing by a white police officer in Minneapolis sparked worldwide outrage and protest over social and racial injustice.

The time reflects how long — 8 minutes, 46 seconds — authorities say the officer held his knee to the back of Floyd’s neck.

The handcuffed black man died after pleading for air.

“As the PGA Tour commits to amplifying voices and efforts to end systemic issues of racial and social injustices, we have reserved the 8:46 tee time to pause for a moment of silence, prayer and reflection,” Monahan said.

That was followed by three short blasts of the horn as players stopped — on the golf course, on the putting green and on the driving range.

Most players removed caps and bowed their heads. Carts also stopped — the traffic provided about the only noise at the Charles Schwab Challenge.

MLB OPENS DRAFT WITH BLACK LIVES MATTER MESSAGE, DONATIONS

By MIKE FITZPATRICK AP Baseball Writer NEW YORK (AP) — Before the first pick was made, Major League Baseball delivered a message: The sport stands fully behind the Black Lives Matter movement.

At the outset of the amateur draft broadcast Wednesday night, Commissioner Rob Manfred said “this moment is a call to action” and baseball “can do more as an institution” to combat systemic racism and inequality.

Executives from all 30 teams working remotely held up signs that read: “Black Lives Matter.

United For Change.”

The baseball operations officials were joined

by MLB and club owners in announcing donations to several organisations that support and fight for racial justice, including the NAACP Legal Defence and Education Fund; Equal Justice Initiative; Colour Of Change; Campaign Zero;

and the Jackie Robinson Foundation.

“While we compete with each other on a daily basis,” New York Mets general manager Brodie Van Wagenen said on a Zoom call, “this was a conversation that started internally among that group. And it was a conversation that is happening across our country right now. And we felt like this was an opportunity and a platform ... to be in front of a national audience.

“We have a systemic racism problem in the country. It affects all of our institutions.

“Baseball isn’t immune to it. And the way we discussed it was, we have to have a voice. We can’t sit quietly and watch the pain and suffering that continues to happen throughout our country, watching history repeat itself, and not say something — which we collectively have. So that’s where the united for change comes, is that we were doing this together. We felt

IN a photo provided by MLB Photos, the draft board is seen after the completion of the first round during the baseball draft Wednesday, June 10, 2020, in Secaucus, N.J. (Alex Trautwig/MLB Photos via AP) like we could amplify the Black Lives Matter message,” he added.

“We’re in a position both from a voice standpoint but also from a financial standpoint to be able to try to make an impact, and this

was hopefully a first step of action.”

Manfred, speaking from a podium at MLB Network studios in New Jersey, began his opening remarks by thanking the inspirational “front-line heroes”

who are helping fellow citizens during the coronavirus pandemic and saying some of them would be honoured throughout the broadcast.

Then he turned to the recent protests that have occurred all over the nation

and the world. “For many reasons, these are unprecedented times in our country, and also painful times.

“We share in the sadness and outrage that has resulted from the national tragedies that include the deaths of George Floyd, Ahmaud Arbery, Breonna Taylor and others,” Manfred said.

“Tonight, I join our 30 club baseball operations officials as they recognise on behalf of our entire industry, that systemic racism and inequality are devastating problems. That we can each do more to help. That baseball can do more as an institution. That black lives matter, and that we are united for change.

“This moment is a call to action, to acknowledge the ills that exist, to show solidarity with the black community in its efforts to end racism and injustice.

We want to utilise the platform afforded by our game to be not only allies, but active participants in social change.”

THE TRIBUNE

Friday, June 12, 2020, PAGE 15

UEFA SET TO CHOOSE SCHEDULES, VENUES FOR EUROPEAN SOCCER

By GRAHAM DUNBAR AP Sports Writer GENEVA (AP) — Match schedules and venues for international soccer in Europe disrupted by the coronavirus pandemic will be decided by UEFA next week.

The Champions League, for this season and next, and the postponed European Championship playoffs and final tournament are at the top of the executive committee agenda published by UEFA yesterday.

UEFA has made plans to resume the Champions League and Europa League — both stalled

in March during the round of 16 — by playing single games in August in one city.

Lisbon is favoured for the Champions League and Frankfurt is a contender for the Europa League. The final matches had been scheduled to be played in May in Istanbul and Gdansk, Poland, respectively.

The qualifying rounds for next season’s Champions League should start before this season’s edition ends, and the group stage could be delayed to October from its usual mid-September start.

Euro 2020 was scheduled to open on Friday in Rome and be

played in 12 different countries. It was postponed by one year.

At Thursday’s meeting, UEFA wants to confirm all 12 cities will still host at least four games each.

The congested calendar will also affect national teams. Sixteen teams are still involved in playoffs to decide the last four places at Euro 2020. Those playoffs, originally scheduled to be held in March, could begin in October.

All 55 national teams were scheduled to start Nations League groups in September and World Cup qualifying groups in March.

The 10 World Cup qualifying groups are due to be drawn in

late-November. World Cup qualifying could run into 2022, with playoffs scheduled that March potentially delayed to June — five months before the final tournament in Qatar.

The Women’s Champions League was halted at the quarterfinal stage, and Vienna was scheduled to host the final.

The executive committee meeting is also looking to agree on a procedure for the World Cup qualifying draw, modify Financial Fair Play rules that monitor club income and spending, and approve guidelines on heading to protect youth players from injury.

Bayern beats Frankfurt in cup semi-final, still targeting double MUNICH (AP) — Robert Lewandowski scored the winning goal as Bayern Munich beat Eintracht Frankfurt 2-1 Wednesday to reach the German Cup final, with both teams paying tribute to the global protests against the killing of George Floyd.

Lewandowski netted his 45th goal of the season in the 74th minute as Bayern stayed on track for fifth a German league and cup double in eight years. It will face Bayer Leverkusen in the final on July 4 in Berlin.

Eintracht wore shirts with a #blacklivesmatter hashtag across the chest, alongside the sponsor logo.

Bayern had the same message on its corner flags, warm-up shirts and some boards at the side of the field.

Numerous players and clubs in Germany have signalled support for the US protests against police treatment of black people and racial discrimination in the wake of Floyd’s death in Minneapolis on May 25. Floyd, a handcuffed

black man, died after a white police officer pressed his knee against his neck, ignoring his “I can’t breathe” cries even after Floyd eventually grew still.

Bayern dominated the game, a rematch of the 2018 cup final, from the very start, but allowed Frankfurt brief hopes of a comeback late on.

Lewandowski pulled Eintracht’s entire threeman back line out of position for the first goal, allowing Ivan Perisic space for a diving header off a lobbed pass from Thomas Müller in the 14th minute.

Frankfurt substitute Daichi Kamada changed the game almost immediately after coming on, delivering a smart pass on the turn for Danny Da Costa to hammer in an equaliser in the 69th.

But Bayern was back in the lead six minutes later through Lewandowski, though he had to wait for the video assistant referee system to overturn a mistaken offside call against his teammate Alphonso Davies. Earlier, Dominik Kohr’s headed clearance

BAYERN Munich’s Ivan Perisic heads the ball infront of empty stands during the German soccer cup semi-final match between Bayern Munich and Eintracht Frankfurt in Munich, Germany, on Wednesday.

(Kai Pfaffenbach/Pool via AP) off the line from Müller’s header in the seventh minute set the tone for a first half in which Eintracht narrowly escaped conceding on several occasions.

Lewandowski tripped over his own feet as a cross came in, and later had a shot pushed just wide by goalkeeper Kevin Trapp.

“We should have scored

one or two more goals in the first half,” Bayern coach Hansi Flick said in televised comments. “In the second half we made it harder for ourselves.”

Müller said Bayern had been feeling “sluggish and tired” amid a packed fixture schedule since the Bundesliga restart and that it was tough to press

Frankfurt when out of possession.

Wednesday’s game is part of a run of five in 15 days for Bayern.

Bayern leads the Bundesliga table by seven points with four games remaining and could secure the title as of Saturday, depending on results elsewhere.

COURT EXPECTS JULY VERDICT IN MAN CITY’S EUROPEAN BAN CASE

By GRAHAM DUNBAR AP Sports Writer GENEVA (AP) — A verdict in Manchester City’s appeal against a two-year UEFA ban from European competitions is expected within five weeks.

The Court of Arbitration for Sport set the target Wednesday of “during the first half of July” to publish the decision of its threejudge panel.

The panel finished hearing three days of evidence about allegations City broke UEFA’s club finance monitoring rules and obstructed the investigation.

The CAS hearing was held by video link between Switzerland and England at an undisclosed location in Lausanne, with expert witnesses “in various countries,” the court said.

Confidentiality was requested by UEFA and City, which is owned by Abu Dhabi’s royal family.

“At the end of the hearing, both parties expressed their satisfaction with respect to the conduct of the procedure,” CAS said in a statement.

The verdict will not affect City playing in this season’s Champions League.

It is due before City should resume play in August at home to Real Madrid in the round of 16.

The English champion won 2-1 in Spain and the second leg was postponed in March due to the spreading coronavirus pandemic.

UEFA punished City in February after a panel of independent judges found the club guilty of “serious breaches” of UEFA’s Financial Fair Play rules and withholding cooperation from investigators.

PAGE 16, Friday, June 12, 2020

THE TRIBUNE

NFL TO SPEND $250 MILLION ON SOCIAL JUSTICE INITIATIVES

By BARRY WILNER AP Pro Football Writer THE NFL is committing $250 million over 10 years to social justice initiatives, targeting what it calls “systemic racism” and supporting “the battle against the ongoing and historic injustices faced by African Americans.”

The league, which has raised $44 million in donations through its Inspire Change programme, announced the additional $206 million commitment yesterday. It plans to “work collaboratively with NFL players to support programmes to address criminal justice reform, police reforms, and economic and educational advancement.”

Less than a week ago, Commissioner Roger Goodell denounced racism in a video prompted greatly by a players’ video seeking NFL action.

“I am listening, and I will be reaching out to players who have raised their voices and others on how we can

improve and go forward for a better and more united NFL family,” he said.

The players want to see definitive action, of course.

There has been increasing distrust of the NFL since San Francisco quarterback Colin Kaepernick and others began kneeling during the national anthem in 2016 to protest social injustice and police brutality.

The message was misconstrued by the league and many team owners as anti-military and anti-flag.

Goodell admitted as much in his video, though never mentioning Kaepernick, who has not found an NFL job the last three seasons.

That distrust was expressed Wednesday by 49ers star cornerback Richard Sherman.

“They’ve tried their best to throw money behind it for a long time,” he said.

“It takes more than that. It takes you literally calling out bigotry and being motivated. It’s not just pleading.

It’s being consistent year in and year out that you’re

combating this issue and that this is a problem that needs to change. And it’s not just this year, not just 2016, not just 2017, but ‘Black Lives Matter.’ They have to matter forever.”

The Players Coalition was established in 2017 to work for social justice, growing out of the Kaepernick-inspired protests and pledging to improve police/community relations, champion criminal justice reform, and promote education and economic advancement in communities across the nation.

Earlier this week, the coalition collected more than 1,400 signatures from active and retired athletes, coaches and executives from a variety of sports and presented them to Congress this week in support of a bill seeking to eliminate qualified immunity regarding police brutality. That bill was introduced in response to the deaths of George

Floyd and Breonna Taylor while in police custody.

Saints safety Malcolm Jenkins, a co-founder of the Players Coalition, spoke on CBS about the movement to defund police: “It doesn’t mean we eradicate police completely.

We’ve got 10 million kids going to schools with police officers in them and no social workers.

Three million that have got police in their schools and no nurses. Six million with police in their schools but no psychologists. Yet we want to invest in putting more police on the streets and over-policing that we know does not make our communities safer. “We’d rather see that money go to programmes that help with entrepreneurship, that help with our schooling, that help with black people who have been disproportionately affected by COVID.” Some of the programmes the NFL is targeting will deal with those issues,

according to Anna Isaacson, the league’s senior vice president of social responsibility. “What this really is is a deeper and expanded commitment form the league and owners to say we are in this for the long haul,” she said.

“It’s probably a deeper clarification on what we are meaning and focusing on. It has always been there, that focus, but obviously with current events and even before the last two weeks, conversations with the players have been on really focusing on this. Recent events solidified this has to be a key focus for us.”

Isaacson mentions Big Brothers and Big Sisters, and Metro Peace Academy in Chicago as two organisations the league works with.

“With Big Brothers and Big Sisters, we fund a programme to bridge the gap in communication and understanding,” he said.

“The programme is pairing law enforcement officers with specific underserved youth, and those one-on-one relationships

are to both the ‘Big’ and the ‘Little,’ as they call them, meant as a way to bridge whatever gaps exist.

Building one-on-one relationships where trust is built and knowledge gained is essential.

“In Chicago, we funded a programme that does training with the community in how to work with their local police department and training with police on how to work with the community. That programme is trying to reach the most atrisk youth and adults.

“There are many such programmes across the country that have started this work and are doing incredible work on the ground. We are looking for programmes with a proven model and good track record and that has boots on the ground and treating people directly. National in scale, but that is truly the grass roots.

“We’re making sure a lot of our grants are reaching down into the communities they serve, people to people and person to person.”