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VOLUME:115 No.138, JUNE 12TH, 2018
THE PEOPLE’S PAPER: $1
WOMAN: TEN-YEAR-OLD CREATES ART FROM DISCARDED FLIP FLOPS
‘No reason to feel unsafe’ Minister speaks out following three murders in one day By KHRISNA RUSSELL Deputy Chief Reporter krussell@tribunemedia.net
He further rejected the idea that a nation’s crime rate is a direct reflection of the government’s effort to fight criminal acts. The minister said while the government has found some successes in the fight against crime - a 37.4 percent drop in murders along with overall crime trending downward by double digits – officials do not see this as a time to pat themselves on the back. He conceded the most recent incidents and others prove there is still work to be done. SEE PAGE FIVE
DESPITE a bloody weekend with three homicides recorded, National Security Minister Marvin Dames insisted murders continue to trend downward, adding Bahamians have absolutely no reason to feel unsafe in the country. In the days following the murders of a father and two teenaged brothers, Mr Dames warned criminals their days of wreaking havoc are numbered.
SHOT DEAD IN THE STREET
Ferguson-Pratt that the defence will be crossexamining Mr Dames on a statement he gave connected to the trial. Additionally, Assistant Commissioner of Police Paul Rolle, the officerin-charge of the Royal Bahamas Police Force’s Anti-Corruption Unit, will also take the witness stand concerning his involvement in the matter.
NATIONAL Security Minister Marvin Dames is expected to give sworn testimony today in former Progressive Liberal Party Senator Frank Smith’s bribery and extortion trial, it was revealed yesterday. Damian Gomez, QC, one of Smith’s attorneys, told The Tribune after proceedings before Chief Magistrate Joyann
SEE PAGE SIX
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FINANCE Minister Peter Turnquest yesterday insisted the country was one major hurricane away from “total disaster” as he defended the impending value added tax hike in the face of mounting calls for the government to reconsider. After poll results indicated a wide majority of Bahamians oppose the 2018-2019 budget and the VAT increase, Mr Turnquest stressed the country could not continue to “borrow on our future”. Meanwhile, Official Opposition Leader Philip Davis told The Tribune he feared there would be “grave unrest” given the concerns levelled by the business community over the shock increase, adding it was not too late for the government to “sit back, listen, and reverse itself”. SEE PAGE THREE
By KHRISNA RUSSELL Deputy Chief Reporter krussell@tribunemedia.net
POLICE at the scene of last night’s shooting. POLICE were last night on the scene of a fatal shooting in Fox Hill. Police Superintendent Shanta Knowles told The Tribune that shortly after 9pm, police were called to Step Street, off Fox Hill Road, after receiving reports that gunshots were heard in the area. She said: “Officers arrived and discovered a man had been shot. EMS personnel came in and attempted to resuscitate the man but were unsuccessful. He was pronounced dead on the scene. “This male was walking on Step Street in Fox Hill when we are told a dark-coloured vehicle pulled beside him. He had
Photo: Terrel W Carey/Tribune Staff a conversation with the occupants before they shot him and sped away.” She added: “We have beefed up our patrols. We started a new operation last week Thursday. We know that there are lots of officers on the streets who are giving their best to make sure that our communities are safe. This appears to be an isolated incident. We are working to determine motive. “We are also asking people not to be fearful but to speak to us.” Anyone with information is urged to contact police on 919 or Crime Stoppers at 328-TIPS.
IN the face of backlash over the government’s proposed tax increase on web shop operators, Tourism Minister Dionisio D’Aguilar said the new taxation sliding scale for number houses is “set in stone”. He also doubts jobs would be affected and web shop operations would have to close numerous locations because of the increased fees. As he maintained the government’s decision to increase taxes on web shops is not discriminatory, the minister with responsibility for gaming said “all sins” are taxed heavily. SEE PAGE THREE
MAN ACCUSED OF HELPING SUSPECT IN BOY’S KILLING EVADE JUSTICE By NICO SCAVELLA Tribune Staff Reporter nscavella@tribunemedia.net
SUSPECT Johnny St Luc was arraigned in a Magistrate’s Court yesterday, charged with accessory in connection with the death of seven-year-old Camron Cooper, who was killed by a stray bullet on Tuesday last week.
JOHNNY St Luc outside court yesterday.
The 32-year-old Haitian is alleged to have assisted another person, who was a party to the June 5 murder, in evading the due process of the law. St Luc was further charged with allegedly being found in possession of both an unlicenced 9mm handgun as well as two live rounds of SEE PAGE SIX
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By AVA TURNQUEST and RASHAD ROLLE Tribune Staff Reporters
D’AGUILAR: GOVT WON’T MOVE ON WEB SHOP TAX
DAMES TO TESTIFY TODAY IN FRANK SMITH TRIAL By NICO SCAVELLA Tribune Staff Reporter nscavella@tribunemedia.net
‘WE’RE ONE HURRICANE AWAY FROM DISASTER’
• 1 Keel • 2 Ribs
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(INCL
• 2 Wings • 2 Legs • 2 Thighs
Nassau & Bahama Islands’ Leading Newspaper
FELICITY INGRAHAM:
TWO GIRL SCIENTISTS ON A MISSION
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