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SHOOTOUT Officers strike to take out gunman after he opened fire on them

By RASHAD ROLLE Tribune Senior Reporter rrolle@tribunemedia.net POLICE killed a man on Saturday after he allegedly assaulted an elderly lady and shot a young man who followed him.

A video from a witness to the incident shows at least three police officers on the roof of a house shooting down at the suspect as bystanders assembled in the area. At least 19 shots are fired in the clip.

A bystander in the video is heard saying “He dead,” adding at one point: “Ya don’t never fire at the man.”

Chief Superintendent of Police Shanta Knowles, the officer in charge of the

Central Detective Unit, told reporters on the scene that police arrived in the community of Sunshine Park shortly after 3pm Saturday after receiving information that an elderly woman at the Farmer’s Market on Blue Hill Road was approached by a man who assaulted her and left the area.

“Our information is that a group of persons from the community followed this man and approached him.

He in turn, being armed with a shotgun, fired a shot at one of them and then ran into an abandoned building which is just behind me,” she said.

COMPASS Point’s owner has confirmed the iconic western New Providence resort will close on May 3, 2022, and that the travel industry has been informed amid his ongoing regulatory impasse with the Government.

Leigh Rodney said while The Bahamas “has a great future coming back from

SEE PAGE THREE

PRIME Minister Dr Hubert Minnis has suggested fully vaccinated people could soon experience a variety of expanded benefits, including permission to stay out at night beyond the 10pm curfew.

Opposition leader Philip “Brave” Davis, however, questioned the feasibility of such a plan yesterday, saying it will cause mischief rather than solve the problem.

On Friday Dr Minnis said he will elaborate on his plans when he is expected to wrap up the budget debate on Thursday.

He also addressed the expected arrival of vaccines into the country from the United States, saying the US government has given no indication yet when the vaccines will get here.

SEE PAGE FOUR

By TANYA SMITHCARTWRIGHT tsmith-cartwright@ tribunemedia.net

COVID-19, Compass Point won’t be in that” due to his inability to resolve grievances relating to the Hotel Licensing Authority and its inspection process.

“I just thought you’d be interested to know we’ve set a date. We picked May 3 as the closing date,” he said, announcing a decision that will leave 50-60 Bahamians unemployed if it takes effect some 11 months from now.

FULL STORY - SEE BUSINESS

By RASHAD ROLLE Tribune Senior Reporter rrolle@tribunemedia.net

FATHER WITH 13 CHILDREN SHOT DEAD INSIDE BAR

COMPASS POINT OWNER CLOSING RESORT MAY 22

By NEIL HARTNELL Tribune Business Editor nhartnell@tribunemedia.net

OPENING UP - FOR FULLY VACCINATED

IN THIS image taken from video, police officers are seen firing their weapons during an incident which ended with one man being shot dead.

A FATHER of 13 was shot dead in a New Providence bar on Friday night.

According to police, shortly after 9pm patrons were at a bar located on Martin Street and Blue Hill Road when a gunman entered and opened fire, injuring a man and a woman.

The male victim, identified by family as Lamont Johnson, 45, was pronounced dead at the scene.

The injured woman was taken to hospital by EMS, however, her condition is not known at this time.

SEE PAGE THREE

GOVT GRANTS RCI SEVEN ACRES ON PI INSIGHT

By NEIL HARTNELL Tribune Business Editor nhartnell@tribunemedia.net

A BAHAMIAN entrepreneur says fragile negotiations to resolve the dispute over his Paradise Island project have been undermined by the Government executing a Crown Land lease in Royal Caribbean’s favour.

Toby Smith, principal of Paradise Island Lighthouse

A MAP showing the location of the leased land. & Beach Club Company, said it was “mind boggling” that the government would proceed to lease a sevenacre parcel to the cruise

giant when at least some of that Crown Land is already the subject of Supreme Court litigation.

Accusing the Government of “double dealing” the same Crown Land tract, Mr Smith said the move had disrupted talks between himself and Royal Caribbean that were exploring whether their separate projects in the Colonial Beach area can co-exist.

FULL STORY - SEE BUSINESS

Nassau & Bahama Islands’ Leading Newspaper

VACCINATIONS ARE NOW A GLOBAL INITIATIVE - WILL THIS MEAN THE END?

SEE PAGE EIGHT

PAGE 2, Monday, June 14, 2021

THE TRIBUNE

Welcome back, Royal Caribbean PRIME Minister Dr Hubert Minnis welcomed Royal Caribbean International back to The Bahamas after a year-long shutdown of the cruise industry due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

“It has been a long and challenging period for our country and for the entire world, including the global tourism industry and the cruising sector,” he said on Saturday.

“Cruising is an essential economic driver for our small country.”

In 2019, The Bahamas welcomed a record-breaking 5.4 million visitors arriving by cruise. Each year, Royal Caribbean’s ships brought about two million passengers to The Bahamas.

Dr Minnis was speaking at the official ceremony for the homeporting inauguration of Adventure of the Seas and plaque presentation held at Pompey Square.

Homeporting cruise passengers will fly into Nassau to embark, spend time onshore, at the conclusion of the cruise return to Nassau to disembark and fly back home. The spin off from this movement of guests may result in more hotel room nights.

The Royal Caribbean arrangement offers the “best of both worlds,” said Dr Minnis – a cruise guest

CEO: HOME PORT WILL BENEFIT BAHAMAS

By TANYA SMITHCARTWRIGHT tsmith-cartwright@ tribunemedia.net

A JUNKANOO reception, above, and Prime Minister Dr Hubert Minnis speaking, left.

who adds on a hotel stay of one to two nights.

The weekly movement of guests in and out of Nassau will require additional airlift, the use of local ground transportation services and many other professional services, he added.

Adventure of the Seas will homeport in Nassau and visit additional islands in the country over a seven-night itinerary. This includes visits to Grand Bahama, and Perfect Day at Coco Cay, Royal Caribbean’s private destination in the Berry Islands that employs a number of Bahamians.

This homeporting

initiative means more Bahamians can get back to work as the sector continues its recovery, Dr Minnis said, as well as an opportunity for Bahamians to provide services and excursions.

A highlight of Royal Caribbean’s discussions with Bahamas tourism officials and key industry stakeholders has been the proposition of making Nassau a homeport and potential gateway to the Caribbean, he said.

“This proposition has the potential to make a significant economic impact on our nation, though there is still much to be done to realise this potential,” he said.

The cruise line is also the main principal in the acquisition and future development of the Grand Lucayan and has plans for a beach break destination on Paradise Island.

ROYAL Caribbean Cruise Line set sail from Nassau during its inaugural homeport voyage on Saturday.

Russell Benford, VP of government relations at Royal Caribbean Group, said the cruise line’s home porting in The Bahamas is set to benefit the Bahamian economy tremendously.

“So after 15 months of not sailing from the Americas, I am really, really happy that the ‘Adventurer of the Seas’ is home porting here in Nassau and she is going to sail her inaugural voyage from Nassau tomorrow (Saturday) and we are incredibly excited to be here this weekend,” Mr Benford said on Friday.

“We have thousands of our guests who have flown in from all over the world, mostly from the United States and they are going on a seven night voyage from Nassau and a week later they will return and we’ll have another ship of cruise passengers departing from Nassau. So we are super excited.

“Once those guests actually fly into The Bahamas, mostly from the United States … a lot of folks came in days ago …. so they were booking stays in hotels so you are seeing hundreds of hotel nights that have been booked by cruise passengers which is great for the economy.”

Mr Benford said that Royal Caribbean is doing everything to ensure the safety of its passengers, crew, and the people of The Bahamas.

“We are going to start at reduced capacity,” he explained. “We are going to start at a little bit less than 50 percent. The most important thing is that we return to cruising safely.

We’ve worked for many, many months on a set of protocols to make sure that

we keep not only our guests safe, but most importantly we want to make sure that we keep the people in The Bahamas safe as we return to cruising. We are also changing the way some things work on board the ship.

“With respect to the cruises that leave out of The Bahamas our policy is that 100 percent of our crew members are vaccinated, 100 percent of the adults are vaccinated and we do have some children who are not old enough to be vaccinated so they have to go through a different testing protocol. So the protocol for the Bahamas based ships is crew and guests will be vaccinated with the exception of children.”

Mr Benford said there are two types of cruises that will come to The Bahamas and both will be beneficial to the people of this country.

“There will be two types of cruises,” he explained. “(Saturday) we start with the homeport ship. As it relates to the economy, one of the first conversations we had for example was with Bahamasair. So Bahamasair started to figure out how they were going to ramp up flights and fill seats on planes which was a very good thing.

“Folks are taking taxis from the airport to the hotel. They are taking limousines. They are taking buses. They are taking tours while they are here. They are shopping on Bay Street.

They are spending money in the hotels and the resorts.

They are eating at local restaurants. So as it relates to the home port ship, I think it’s a great shot in the arm for the local economy.

“And, then once the cruisers return later in June and early in July from the United States, Nassau will be a port of call day. Folks will come in early in the morning, they will take tours. Thousands of people will be taking tours. They

will be shopping, eating at local restaurants.”

Grand Bahama will not be left out, he said. “I think it’s great, not only for Nassau but we are also going to be in Freeport, Grand Bahama as well,” Mr Benford said. “For this inaugural cruise from Nassau, we are going to spend the whole day in Freeport. We have worked for months with the taxi association. We’ve worked with the people who own resorts … people who have attractions, just to make sure they are prepared and ready to receive our guests.

“Most importantly folks need to get back to work in both New Providence and in Grand Bahama. We’ve been interested in Grand Bahama for a long time.

Royal Caribbean has actually had a presence in Grand Bahama for a long time. We are 40 percent owner of the Grand Bahama Shipyard and as you may have heard we are looking at acquiring maybe the Lucayan Hotel and some other things in Grand Bahama so this was a natural for us.

“We’ve been looking for years for additional capacity to bring our cruise ships and we think Freeport, Grand Bahama is a perfect place to do that. This is not just for Royal Caribbean, but we think the cruise ship industry has a lot of opportunity for growth in Grand Bahama so we are excited to be a part of that work.”

He said over the next year Bahamians will see the start of a transformation in Grand Bahama as it relates to the cruise industry and Royal Caribbean is happy to lead that effort.

He also said how excited guests are to return to cruising.

“I flew in yesterday. The airport was full of people at the immigration line. There was a long line of people when I checked into the hotel. The line was wrapping around so the energy is really high.”

THE TRIBUNE

Monday, June 14, 2021, PAGE 3

OFFICERS STRIKE TO TAKE OUT GUNMAN AFTER HE OPENED FIRE ON THEM

from page one

“Officers responded and entered the property where gunfire was exchanged between that man and the officers, resulting in that man being fatally wounded.”

Chief Superintendent Knowles said the young man who was shot is in stable condition at the hospital. She said none of the officers was injured during the incident and the elderly woman who was allegedly attacked is nursing minor

injuries.

She said three illegal weapons were uncovered from the scene. She added that Chief Magistrate Joyann Ferguson Pratt, the acting coroner, visited the scene.

The Tribune encountered at least two visibly shaken family members of the deceased when this newspaper visited the scene on Moonshine Road yesterday.

A neighbour across the street brought water to the family and said the family is overcome with grief at the incident. The family

declined to talk about what happened.

In March, National Security Minister Marvin Dames warned young men who may feel driven to shoot at police to reconsider, saying doing so would be “at their own peril.”

Eleven people were killed last year in police involved shootings, according to Royal Bahamas Police Force statistics.

Overall, there were 20 incidents of police involved shootings in 2020, resulting in 11 deaths and 11 nonfatal injuries.

POLICE officers during the shootout that ended in a man’s death, in this image taken from video.

A BABY is among those rescued after a boat capsized near Grand Bahama.

Photos: Denise Maycock/Tribune Staff

Two Haitians dead, eight rescued as boat capsizes

By DENISE MAYCOCK Tribune Freeport Reporter dmaycock@tribunemedia.net TWO Haitian migrants are dead and eight others, including a baby, were rescued after the boat they were on capsized in waters off Memory Rock, Grand Bahama on Friday morning.

The bodies of an adult female and a male child were discovered inside the overturned vessel by officers of the Police Marine Section. Both are believed to have drowned.

The survivors were all found clinging to the capsized vessel several miles off Memory Rock, West End. It is believed that the group of Haitian migrants was heading to the United States in an illegal smuggling operation when the tragedy occurred.

The Bahamas Air Sea Rescue Association

A BODY is taken from the scene on Friday.

(BASRA) spotted the overturned vessel and alerted Bahamian authorities.

Assistant Superintendent Stephen Rolle, police press officer, reported that the incident happened shortly before 9am on Friday when the Police Control Room received reports of a capsized boat some seven miles off Memory Rock.

“The Police Marine

Section, along with Customs Marine Section, went to conduct an investigation, and upon arrival, they saw the capsized vessel with eight persons hanging on who appeared to be dehydrated,” ASP Rolle told reporters.

“Upon a further check of the vessel, they (the officers) discovered two persons submerged in the vessel

under the water, an adult female and a male child.

At the time, they both appeared to be lifeless,” he said.

According to a press release, the deceased were found in the cabin of the 20ft vessel, equipped with two outboard engines.

The rescued immigrants and the two deceased victims were taken by a police vessel to the Police Marine Base, near the Grand Bahama Yacht Club, in Lucaya.

Immigration and Customs officials met the vessel on its arrival shortly after noon at the Police Marine Base. A hearse and two ambulances were also on site.

The migrants were kept on board the vessel for nearly two hours. At one point, some of the female survivors could be heard crying, and asking for relief from the hot sun.

A doctor and several

nurses from the Disease Surveillance Unit of the Public Hospitals Authority were present to assess their condition.

ASP Rolle said the doctor pronounced the adult female and male child dead.

When asked about the condition of the other survivors, he said on Friday: “A young baby was among those rescued in this latest incident today, and at this point, they are being treated by a local doctor.

We are unable to say the exact extent of their injuries.”

He is appealing to migrants of all nationalities to stop risking their lives at sea in such a “dangerous” way.

“I urge persons of all nationalities who tend to take this venture to get smuggled into the US for a better way of life that it is a very dangerous journey, and I want you to think

twice before you decide to make such a trip with anybody going to America. As you can see today, it can result in death,” ASP Rolle said.

He said that officials are unable at this time to determine exactly where the group of Haitian migrants came from.

“But…it appears they were trying to get smuggled to the US,” he added.

Asked whether there was a boat captain, he said: “We cannot say if he was on board during this incident, but police are investigating the incident.”

He stated that the US Coast Guard plays an integral role in sea rescue operations. “The USCG normally assists with these types of (rescue) missions, and yes, they were part of this operation this morning.

They provide air surveillance services that assist police with finding this capsized vessel,” he said.

FATHER WITH 13 CHILDREN SHOT DEAD INSIDE BAR from page one

Speaking with The Tribune yesterday, Johnson’s mother Charlotte Newchurch described her son as being kind and loving.

“I went to see him a week before he got killed,” she said.

“When I reached around there they said he had just left so I didn’t

even see my son or get to talk to him.

“My son was really a loving and kind person and he loved his Mummy to death and he loved his children. He has 13 children.

“He would do anything to help with his family and when he didn’t have it, I would be there to help with his children. We had a good relationship and that’s why it hurt so much.”

Asked if she was contacted by the police, Ms Newchurch said, yes, but added that she got no information from the officers.

“My son is gone,” she said. “I heard he was gunned down and that’s all I know. I have no idea at all why he was shot. All the police did was give me their sympathy that my son had expired and that was it. All they said was that your son

has expired and they gave their condolences and that was it.”

It is unknown whether Johnson, who also goes by the name “Popeye,” knew his assailant.

An investigation is continuing.

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PAGE 4, Monday, June 14, 2021

THE TRIBUNE

Opening up - for fully vaccinated from page one It had been previously reported that the first batch of vaccines from the US could arrive in the country by the end of June.

He told reporters on Friday: “The whole concept is this. We have said a long time ago that once they’re all vaccinated, individuals can dine inside.

A group had written and asked whether they could have 90 individuals at a wedding. They were all vaccinated, all 90 were vaccinated, and our response was carry on, y’all vaccinated. Then they wrote back a week later and asked, could they have a Junkanoo group rush though to provide music for the wedding? I said if they are all vaccinated, carry on.

“So what we’re basically

saying is, we want to open the country so we could have a vaccinated day where you can have happy hour; we’re all vaccinated, carry on, enjoy yourself.

The band, they’re all vaccinated, play on. Then you could have parties if you’re all vaccinated, carry on, have your party, and we would even give you benefits. I would not go into that but we say 10pm is a bit limited. I know you young people don’t like 10pm so I will address that on Thursday.”

For his part, Mr Davis said Dr Minnis should lift the curfew for everyone.

“If you are gonna lift the curfew, just lift it and leave in place the protocols to prevent the spread of the virus,” Mr Davis said yesterday. “It is going to be very difficult to police persons who are vaccinated from those who are not. It’s going

to create more mischief than solve the problem.”

Mr Davis accused Dr Minnis of making “off the cuff utterances” without “truly having a plan.”

This comes as the country recorded 30 new cases of COVID-19 on Friday and 40 on Saturday. There are now 12,199 confirmed cases of COVID-19 of which 743 are active.

Thirty-eight people are currently hospitalised with the virus, four of whom are in intensive care. The death toll is 237.

The latest figures show at least 48,434 people have received at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine.

More than 13,000 people have received two doses, meaning they are fully vaccinated. Overall, more than 60,000 doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine have been administered in The Bahamas to date.

effect for Cat Island.

The new curfew will coincide with the end of the lockdown on North and Central Andros and Cat Island, which ceases at 5am today.

The islands were placed on lockdown due to rising coronavirus cases and limited healthcare resources in those communities, officials have said.

Residents of Exuma and Eleuthera, including Harbour Island, should note that an amendment to the Emergency Powers Order will permit restaurants on those islands to operate beyond the 9pm restriction, OPM said.

Amendments to the Emergency Powers Order are available on opm.gov. bs.

ISLAND CURFEWS AMENDED THE Emergency Powers Order has been amended to implement curfews for North Andros, Central Andros and Cat Island, effective today, the Office of the Prime Minister announced yesterday.

A daily curfew of 6pm to 5am will be in effect for North Andros and Central Andros while a daily curfew of 8pm to 5am will be in

TOTAL CASES

TOTAL DEATHS

NEWLY CONFIRMED CASES SATURDAY 40 CASES

RECENTLY CONFIRMED DEATHS

12,199 237

• A 59-YEAR-OLD MAN FROM CAT ISLAND ON JUNE 10.

NEW PROVIDENCE 34 GRAND BAHAMA 3 ANDROS 2 BIMINI & CAT CAY 1

FRIDAY

30 CASES

NEW PROVIDENCE BIMINI & CAT CAY

LYFORD SCHOOL CEREMONY OPENS ITS UPPER CAMPUS

28 2

THURSDAY

37 CASES

NEW PROVIDENCE 33 EXUMA 3 BERRY ISLANDS 1

TOTAL TESTS

101,962

HOSPITALISED

38

CASES IN ICU

4

RECOVERED

11,136

CAT ISLAND MAN DIES FROM COVID-19 A 59-YEAR-OLD Cat Island man became the country’s latest COVID-19 victim after he died from the disease on June 10.

His death pushed the nation’s toll to 237.

The country recorded 107 new cases over a

three-day span: 40 on Saturday, 30 on Friday and 37 on Thursday bringing the nation’s confirmed case total to 12,199. At last report, 38 people were in hospital including four in the intensive care unit.

Meanwhile, 68,119

vaccine doses have been administered as of June 11.

Officials said 50,292 people have gotten their first dose of the vaccine while 17,827 people are fully vaccinated.

To make an appointment for the vaccine, visit vax. gov.bs.

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LYFORD Cay International School officially opened its upper school campus during a ceremony on Friday.

The achievement of this vision comes after the largest-ever fundraising campaign in the school’s history through which $30 million was raised and invested toward the master plan for both campuses, the school said in a press release.

As LCIS is a non-profit school, the success of this campaign represents an incredible level of community support for the school and for its vision of providing an educational experience of the highest quality, the school said.

Now completed, phase one of the upper school project consists of a central gateway building that includes specialist classrooms for physics, biology, chemistry, design, art, dance and music, general classrooms and an administrative/student support wing. Additionally, physical plant requirements, landscaping, road works and ground preparations for future buildout were completed as part of phase one of the project.

An outdoor sports complex consisting of two multi-sport game courts and two tennis-only courts is planned for completion by Fall 2021 and will provide additional facilities for physical education classes, competition and co-curricular activities for students.

When fully completed, the upper school will be a 17.5-acre campus, located just a half mile away from the lower school campus within the community of Lyford Cay. Further developments of an additional academic building, swimming pool and multipurpose hall are all part of the larger vision for the campus in future phases.

LCIS Principal David Mindorff said, “The opening of this campus will enable us to expand our programming in many areas. There are specialist classrooms where our upper school students can deepen their learning through our IB programmes. “Similarly, the general classrooms are bright, airy and spacious.

The learning walls in each classroom will allow teachers to further implement technology-integrated lessons and the green spaces

and forests of the campus are ideal for outdoor education and green school initiatives. The strong local and international connections of our school will also be enhanced through the opening of this campus, as we hope to host exchanges and local and international educational, cultural and athletic events at these world-class facilities.”

LCIS remains committed to making the high-quality international education the school provides available to bright Bahamian students, the school said.

The campaign for the new campus included major investments in the scholarship endowment which now stands at $3.7m.

The tuition assistance programme has made $8.5m available to Bahamian students over the last 10 years with $1.2m being offered in the 2020-21 school year alone.

“With the support of donors, this fund will continue to grow to ensure the school is able to support talented Bahamian students who would otherwise not be able to benefit from an internationally recognised IB education,” the school added.

THE TRIBUNE

Monday, June 14, 2021, PAGE 5

CRUISE PORT TO FINISH THREE MONTHS AHEAD OF SCHEDULE

By RASHAD ROLLE Tribune Senior Reporter rrolle@tribunemedia.net

PRIME Minister Dr Hubert Minnis in the House of Assembly last week.

Photo: Donovan McIntosh/Tribune Staff

Minnis: I’m not doing enough

By RASHAD ROLLE Tribune Senior Reporter rrolle@tribunemedia.net

PRIME Minister Dr Hubert Minnis said when it comes to improving the lives of Bahamians through concessions, he isn’t “doing enough”.

He was responding to former Deputy Prime Minister Peter Turnquest’s criticism of his programme to help young professionals build homes in western New Providence.

The former minister of finance said the Access to Affordable Homes Bill would create concessions for one group of people while excluding other people from those benefits.

Urging the government to reconsider the initiative, he said he finds the bill “extremely worrisome” and open to a court challenge.

The proposed development in western New Providence would let people between 18 and 45 buy lots for about $45,000 even though the lots will be worth $150,000 when key infrastructure is installed.

Dr Minnis has said the definition of young professionals used in the bill is broad enough to include barbers, plumbers, farmers and many others, not just doctors or lawyers.

“We consider a professional as someone who is accomplished in his or her

field, sufficiently independent to sustain a mortgage or financial responsibility for a residential dwelling in a community,” he said when debating the bill in April.

In defending what has become one of his main policy initiatives, Dr Minnis pointed to the concessions offered to inner-city communities throughout New Providence.

“Everyone has their views,” he told reporters on Friday, “but I am focused on ensuring that the young people have all the advantages possible for advancing. There are too many people who want to move in upscale homes,

western areas, eastern areas, and they can’t afford it, it’s cost prohibitive.

“So it’s the government’s responsibility to assist whenever possible. Inner city is a perfect example.

Inner city was declared tax free. They had utilised in terms of tax concessions about $2.5m. Forty-nine individuals in the inner city were given $122,000 in total in terms of grants by the (Small Business Development Centre). Those 49 individuals were able to employ 142 individuals. In addition to that, they were able to increase revenue to $4.8m and you tell me I shouldn’t do more? I’m not doing enough.”

THE COVID-19 induced tourism decline will allow the $300m Nassau Cruise Port project to finish its marina in November, three months ahead of schedule, according to CEO Mike Maura.

The completed project will see the passenger arrival capacity of the marina increase from 20,000 visitors a day to over 33,000.

“Initially, when COVID was peaking we had a delay because of the lockdown,” Mr Maura told reporters during a tour of the construction site on Friday. “Once we were allowed to get back to work, the lemonade out of lemons from COVID is that we haven’t had 20,000 visitors coming on a construction site. What COVID has done is allow our construction company to leap forward.”

Mr Maura said the size of the berths was extended to accommodate Royal Caribbean International’s Oasis ships, which are the largest and longest passenger ships in the world.

With the expansion, the marina will be able to cater to three Oasis ships at the same time and three Carnival Dream ships.

The overall Nassau Cruise Port project is expected to be fully completed next summer.

“That’s a lot of visitors coming off these ships and spending time at the Straw Market or downtown, taking excursions, swimming on the beaches, having a conch salad,” Mr Maura said.

The media’s tour of the port came one day before Royal Caribbean began its Nassau cruise homeport offering. Mr Maura said 1,100 visitors were expected to arrive through Lynden Pindling

International Airport and be processed at the Hilton hotel.

Mr Maura said when this happens, guests will arrive through a 30,000 sq ft “iconic arrivals terminal.”

The building will house offices for the Bahamas Customs, Immigration and Port Departments, in addition to a doctor’s office and pharmacy.

“After arrival at the terminal, there will be a Junkanoo museum, which will be something that stimulates the mind, the body,” Mr Maura said.

“You’ll walk into this space, you’ll see a lot of colour, a lot of costumes, you’ll also hear music, you’ll have a lot of media going on in terms of video images and so forth. We will have the fathers and mothers of Junkanoo available there to tell the story and explain the history of Junkanoo.

“You will then move into the art place where we have approximately 45 authentic, entrepreneurial Bahamians with their creative product, art, culture, food. (We will be) introducing that to our guests.

But not just our guests.

“It’s going to be open to you, your family, your mothers, your fathers, aunts and uncles and also the visitors of Atlantis or the visitors of Baha Mar. Our investment isn’t just about the cruise passengers. It’s about the destination, it’s about Nassau and it’s also about all of us Bahamian because it is our waterfront collectively. This is our port collectively. Nassau Cruise Port is only charged with making this development what it needs to be. We are the custodians of it for 25 years but all along it belongs to the Bahamian people and at the end of that concession period the keys are passed back to the government of the Bahamas of the day.”

MORE BPL POWER CUTS

By TANYA SMITHCARTWRIGHT tsmith-cartwright@ tribunemedia.net PARTS of New Providence suffered through power cuts over the weekend, leaving many residents angry.

Yesterday, Bahamas Power and Light said the problem affecting parts of eastern New Providence had been recognised and the restoration process had started, however customer complaints continued into the evening.

On Friday shortly before noon, BPL said equipment failure led to an outage in Blair and the vicinity earlier that morning.

“Our team is dealing with the issue at present, and we anticipate repairs to be completed within eight hours. We will update as more concrete information comes in,” BPL posted on Facebook on Friday.

Some complained that the electricity had been off for too long.

“It’s going on 19 hours without power. This is beyond ridiculous,” one person said on Facebook.

After 11pm on Friday, BPL posted: “For our customers in the Blair area, where there was an extended outage, a team is on site now (affecting) restoration. We anticipate supplies being restored by 12.15am barring unforeseen circumstances.”

On Saturday at 8.15 am, BPL reported that a “feeder trip” led to a power outage in the Pinewood area.

“A team is currently en route to resolve the matter.

The estimated time for restoration is two hours,” BPL said.

Angry customers vented their frustration in the comments section of the post.

“Y’all so full of c**p, (Pinewood) was off Friday night, Saturday morning and just now for two hours and I’m sure it’ll be off again later on today,” one person wrote, “it flipping hurts to have no choice but to deal with this

$1.2M COCAINE SEIZURE A JOINT law enforcement operation with local and American authorities in the Exuma cays led to the seizure of over a million dollars’ worth of cocaine yesterday.

Assistant Superintendent Audley Peters said around 1pm, officers were surveilling an area in the Exuma cays when they observed a Piper aircraft flying at a low altitude.

The officers saw two men dropping two items out of the plane, he said.

The plane continued

north onto Staniel Cay where it landed. While at Staniel Cay, the two men, one 59 and the other 27, were arrested.

Police also found two white sacks that contained suspected cocaine.

There were 58 packages of suspected cocaine inside the sacks which have a street value of $1.2m.

The suspects and drugs were brought to New Providence.

The men are expected to be arraigned in court this week.

company. Incompetent and comfortable.”

There were also complaints about power cuts in other areas on Saturday as well as reports of outages in Mount Vernon, High Vista and other areas in eastern New Providence yesterday.

The Tribune contacted BPL director of communications Quincy Parker yesterday for an explanation.

“Our team has identified the issue and has begun restoration of affected customers,” Mr Parker said.

“This is regarding the customers at High Vista.

I will have to investigate Pinewood.”

Asked for the reason why the outages were occurring, Mr Parker said he needed some time to respond to that. Up to press time there was no reason given.

Death Notice for MRS. ALTHEA CLEOMIE TINKER 91 of Huyler Street formerly of Georgetown, Exuma, passed away her residence on Thursday, June 10, 2021.

She is survived by, 4 daughters: Mrs. Hazel Knowles, Mrs. Verdie Duncombe, Mrs. Agatha Meadows & Mrs. Lonnie Simmons; Rudolph,Vincent & Gregory Tinker & Reno Johnson; 1 sister: Marjorie Cleare; 17 grandchildren, 20 great grand; 2 nephews: Phillip & Kendal Micklewhyte; 2 nieces: Deborah Marche & Brenda Powell along with a host of other relatives and friends.

Funeral arrangements will be announced later.

PAGE 6, Monday, June 14, 2021

THE TRIBUNE

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Home port sailing the sign of things to come?

IT is a welcome sight to see the return of Royal Caribbean as part of the ongoing recovery of the tourism market.

The cruise line has chosen to home port in The Bahamas, and on Saturday, the inaugural sailing set off from Nassau.

Royal Caribbean has an ever-increasing interest in The Bahamas. It is also involved in the Grand Lucayan revival in Grand Bahama, and it has plans for a beach break destination on Paradise Island – which has just been granted seven acres of land, more than was originally asked for.

There has been some back and forth on the latter, particularly because of the potential entanglement with a neighbouring project to revive the lighthouse on Paradise Island. We hope both businesses can be good neighbours, and find a way to resolve any problems amicably, so that both can thrive during the economic recovery.

The decision to home port in The Bahamas is a welcome one – not least because it doesn’t just generate income from the time that cruise visitors are disembarking during the cruise, but from hotel stays before and after the ship docks. Visitors can extend their stays beyond the sailing itself, which brings more potential for income than the sometimes small number people might part with while walking around Downtown or heading for the Fish Fry. But we would be wise to take note of the political waters that cruise ships are sailing in right now as well. In Florida, for example, Florida governor Ron DeSantis is refusing to back down from a state law he has sought that bars the cruise industry from requiring passengers to be vaccinated.

Think back to the start of the pandemic and you’ll remember the stories of ships stuck at sea while they tried to find a port that would allow them to disembark with infected passengers – Florida among the places refusing a ship initially. A repeat of passengers stuck at sea with illness would be a nightmare for both the passengers and the industry.

Cruise lines need to get back to business and show everything can be smooth sailing. It doesn’t need hurdles being put

in place for political reasons, it needs safety.

This isn’t just a theory – it’s already playing out in practice. On June 5, the Celebrity Millennium set off from St Maarten for a seven-night cruise. Two passengers aboard tested positive. There were 600 passengers on board and 700 crew members. Celebrity Cruises – owned by Royal Caribbean – required all crew and passengers aged 16 or over to be vaccinated, and that likely stopped the virus in its tracks.

If other jurisdictions want to make things riskier for cruise lines, well, then perhaps the home porting trend will expand and we can welcome more ships and more passengers to our shores – safely.

Compass Point row Compass Point owner Leigh Rodney has, it seems, had enough. He has named the date for when he will close the New Providence resort – May 3, 2022.

His reason for closing the resort down is a long-rumbling dispute with the government. Previously, he has written to staff telling them he wasn’t sure whether he was going to close the business or not – though goodness knows what he expected staff to do with that letter. He had also threatened to close down come the 2022 election unless the government addressed his concerns. Tourism Minister Dionisio D’Aguilar has noticeably kept his distance from the row, saying he was “not moved” by Mr Rodney’s closure threats and grandstanding.

Mr D’Aguilar seems to still not know what it is that Mr Rodney wants and what he is unhappy with.

Now Mr Rodney says he will shut the business down on May 3 next year, leaving up to 60 Bahamians unemployed, and turn the property into houses for his family.

It seems strange that Mr Rodney is shutting down right when there might be a change of government if he feels this one hasn’t listened, but that’s up to him.

It’s just a shame there is no alternative or way to break the deadlock – and keep staff in jobs.

Well done to Spanish Wells EDITOR, The Tribune.

IN NATURAL and economic assets, Spanish Wells has very little that every little community in The Bahamas doesn’t. In many ways, it has less.

It has no huge resorts, no offshore banks and no billion-dollar investments.

It also has no cruise ships and (thanks to the sovereign thinking of its people) is unlikely to get any anytime soon.

What Spanish Wells appears to have in abundance is cohesion, community spirit and good sense. What it seems to lack is the collective inferiority complex that has been sold to the rest of The Bahamas as “investment policy” since 1992.

We have bought into a relationship with international investors in which our government habitually positions us as beggars, even where what we bring to the table vastly outweighs what is on offer.

Generally, after colluding with self-promoting politicians to produce glossy economic impact projections (which, you will note,

never mention projected profits to the investor for reference purposes) the investor walks away with a sweetheart deal so good that he throws in charitable contributions to the happy natives.

What should be taken with deep offence is then sold by politicians as evidence of “delivery” - and the cycle continues.

The cruise industry is perhaps the worst example of this abuse. Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines boasted in its literature that Coco Cay in the Berry Islands was their number one destination on the planet prior to the industry’s postCovid suspension. Yet they managed to convince Bahamian authorities that they needed vast concessions to induce them to develop it.

Any glance at an atlas will reveal the relative strength of The Bahamas in its relations with the cruise industry – they literally have to sail through it to get to its competitors. Yet our government has done what none of its competitors seem willing to do and given them

whole islands, permitting them a whole new level of monopoly over their guests’ wallets – the perennial complaint of portside authorities.

And anybody who sees the aggressive post-Covid planning for The Bahamas by the cruise industry as a straightforward boon to this country is deluded.

What it likely represents is a sense of opportunity among industry players at the heightened desperation of local politicians.

Expect ever more onesided deals dressed up as “game-changers” (a favourite word of emptyheaded politicians) and new attempts to blur the line between cruise ships as tourist-carriers and as venues for entertainment, retailing, beach tours and everything else supposedly reserved for Bahamians.

Only when the rest of The Bahamas gains a little bit of what Spanish Wells just demonstrated will we start moving in the right economic direction again.

ANDREW ALLEN Nassau, June 13, 2021.

Revisiting structure of our taxation EDITOR, The Tribune.

THERE has been much talk in recent times about the G7 nations introducing a world wide 15% taxation of corporate earnings.

I see nothing wrong with this and would encourage our local politicians and economists to consider the pros and cons of this proposal. Yes, some will argue that The Bahamas is a tax haven and as such should not get involved in global economic debates. I beg to differ.

Large economies like the USA; Canada; the UK and many European inclusive of Germany are losing billions of dollars in potential corporate income taxes from multinational corporations which for tax purposes are based outside of their parent country. For instance USA companies which are domiciled in Ireland or even The Bahamas pays little or no taxes on corporate income in theses countries to the detriment of their home countries.

While understandable, this is dead wrong in light of the economic dislocations brought about by the pandemic. Large companies like Amazon; Facebook and Microsoft pull in billions of dollars through their foreign based associated companies but pay virtually nothing in their home nations. Other high end individuals park their wealth in what are referred to as tax havens

LETTERS letters@tribunemedia.net like The Cayman Islands; Panama and even The Bahamas.

A few European countries are also seen as tax havens. The massive loss in potential taxes on corporate earnings have caused much concern in the home nations as they are now all scrambling to address massive national deficits and budget over reaches. The Ministry of Finance seems to have rejected this novel suggestion out of hand based on what it says is sovereign rights as a nation.

Minnis and the administration must wake up and smell the coffee. This is a brand new world from the pre COVID-19 one. Imaginative and progressive taxation structures must be implemented here in The Bahamas. Income inequality is rampant and very dangerous in many countries around the globe. The Bahamas is no exception.

Our basic taxation engine is now VAT and consumer or user fees.

We do not yet have an income taxation system where the more one earns the more he/she pays in taxation.

This is a more progressive as opposed to a regressive system, currently in place.

No doubt we have scores if not hundreds of high

earning Bahamians and foreigners who make good money but pay no more than the average lower ended earner. The level of the VAT would not ordinarily impact the former but could be devastating for the latter.

I join with my esteemed colleague, Attorney Andrew Allen in calling for an income taxation system here in The Bahamas. Why should the marginal poor pay the same basic rates as a person pulling in hundreds of thousands of dollars on an annual basis? Successive governments have been reluctant to address this elephant in the room.

Talking up a brave talk and collecting every cent possible from the small man and woman makes no economic sense.

As we seek to rationalise our taxation systems income taxation is a given.

We must also aggressively go after the easily identifiable tax dodgers. I understand that we have multiple millions of outstanding real property and other taxes which are low hanging fruits. For some strange reasons, however, administrations have been reluctant to go after these individuals.

It is time for a taxation change and the sooner the better.

Jr

ORTLAND H BODIE, Nassau, June 8, 2021.

THE TRIBUNE

Monday, June 14, 2021, PAGE 7

A WELCOME back for Royal Caribbean ahead of its inaugural sailing from Nassau as a home port on Saturday. The cruise company has also donated 20 containers to the Bahamas Feeding Network.

Photo: Kemuel Stubbs/BIS

Cruise line donates containers of food to Feeding Network

By TANYA SMITHCARTWRIGHT tsmith-cartwright@ tribunemedia.net ROYAL Caribbean Cruise Line has donated some twenty 40-foot containers filled with meat and groceries to the Bahamas Feeding Network as a part of its ongoing relationship with The Bahamas.

The day before its first voyage from The Bahamas as a home port, the cruise line’s VP of government relations made a stop to the Fox Hill Community Centre, one of three locations for the BFN’s food distribution.

Its executive director, Philip Smith, was on hand to thank the cruise line for its continued support of the feeding programme.

Since its first donation of $25,000, the cruise line has ramped up its support annually, first to $100,000, then in 2019, quadrupling it to $400,000. Royal Caribbean repeated the generous donation in 2020, despite the complete lockdown of the cruise industry following the COVID outbreak.

“We were blown away by the fact that even when they were totally shut down, they remained committed to helping feed the hungry,” said Mr Smith.

“With the dramatic spike in unemployment during the COVID pandemic, the Bahamas Feeding Network took on an expanded role, serving as one of the integral partners in the National Food Distribution Task Force, currently distributing to 5,000 families, or 20,000 individuals every two weeks.

“Royal Caribbean’s most recent donation was its most generous to date – twenty 40-foot containers filled from front to back and floor to ceiling with meat and another container with groceries.”

In response to Mr Smith, the Royal Caribbean Vice President Russell Benford hailed him as a mentor in corporate responsibility.

“From the first time we saw the work of the Bahamas Feeding Network when you and dozens of volunteers were preparing and boxing hot meals in the humble Moseff House cottage down the road, we were super impressed,” he said.

“At Royal Caribbean we are so incredibly appreciative just for the opportunity to be able to help and be a part of this. The Feeding Network is a beautiful organisation.

“For those who don’t know, we started this relationship a little over two

years ago with just a little small donation and then Philip reached out and said, ‘Hey you guys should come by.’ So we brought a small group of people out of that group, including Michael Bailey, our president CEO. “Philip put us to work.

We were boxing up meals and you could sort of see this relationship start to evolve. It is really about relationships.

“For us this is really about love. We love the Feeding Network. The work that you do is so inspirational.

Philip has been a great role model and mentor to us. As companies learn what corporate responsibility really is, we turn to people like Philip Smith and the Feeding Network to tell us how it should be done. I want to really take this opportunity to thank all of you for making us a part of your family.”

The network’s managing director said some 195,000 people have been fed from the programme thus far.

And, he said the help from the cruise line will assist in feeding much more.

Also on hand for the occasion was the network’s patron, Patricia Minnis who is also the wife of Prime Minister Dr Hubert Minnis.

She said for her it all has nothing to do with politics,

but instead a gesture from the heart.

“I personally go and carry packages to people,” Mrs Minnis said. “And, just when I took a meat package this week to an elderly lady, she cried. She is so thankful for what is being done here.

I would like to say that my work here is not for political point of view, but I had a mother … we lived in the Grove in Englerston … and she would go out every day taking things to somebody in need.

“I grew up with that. She would take the clothes off your back and carry it to somebody who was saying that they had a need. So from my heart, I know about giving and participating in love, having grown up in a household where sharing and giving was the order of the day.

“So to the donors I would like to say, the work that you do and when you give, you are not just touching lives, you are changing the odds for some people.

Thank you.”

Bahamas Food Services, Solomon’s and Super Value have all pitched in, allowing the Feeding Network to plug in the containers in various locations on their properties to keep the meat at the required temperature as the Bahamas Feeding Network searches for a permanent home or land on which it can build.

Arawak Port Development is also partnering with the Bahamas Feeding Network.

GHANAIAN ADMITS FAKE MARRIAGE

By DENISE MAYCOCK Tribune Freeport Reporter dmaycock@tribunemedia.net A GHANA native was fined after he pleaded guilty to entering into a false marriage with a Bahamian woman.

Emmanuel Nathaniel King-Batsios, a 48-year-old pharmacist of Freeport, appeared before Deputy Chief Magistrate Debbye Ferguson on Thursday.

He was charged with entering into a fraudulent marriage.

Prosecutors say on June 9, the accused was found to have wilfully entered into a fraudulent marriage with Bahamian Jane Julia Andrews in New Providence, for the purpose of obtaining a resident spousal permit from the director of immigration under false pretences. The marriage occurred on May 9, 2011.

King-Batsios was also charged with misleading an immigration officer. On Monday, May 31, while in Freeport the accused wilfully misled immigration

officers by providing them with false information during an interview and home inspection in connection with an application he submitted seeking to obtain a resident spousal permit.

King-Batsios pleaded guilty to both charges.

He was ordered to pay $2,500 on each count, or in default, serve one year at the Bahamas Department of Correctional Services.

He was also ordered to be deported to his home country after he has paid his fine.

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MONDAY, JUNE 14, 2021

THE STORIES BEHIND THE NEWS

LEADERS of the G7 pose for a group photo at the Carbis Bay Hotel in Carbis Bay, St Ives, Cornwall, England, on Friday. From left, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, European Council President Charles Michel, US President Joe Biden, Japan’s Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga, British Prime Minister Boris Johnson, Italy’s Prime Minister Mario Draghi, French President Emmanuel Macron, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and German Chancellor Angela Merkel.

Photo: Patrick Semansky/AP

Vaccinations becoming a global initiative may spell the end of the pandemic

By MALCOLM STRACHAN

POSITIVE signs on the vaccination front were revealed this week with the US deciding to provide some surplus vaccines to The Bahamas. It should be noted this is a result of diplomatic efforts by Foreign Affairs Minister Darren Henfield and Bahamian ambassador to the United States Sidney Collie.

As the G7 countries gathered in the United Kingdom for this year’s summit, chief among concerns was leading the world through what we hope is the end of the pandemic.

In attendance was US President Joe Biden, who has been making a special effort to reverse course from the Trump administration’s brand of diplomacy and has expressed his country’s commitment to this enormous humanitarian undertaking.

Emphasising this show of generosity comes with no strings attached, President Biden pledged 500 million of the one billion doses of the vaccine being donated by the US will assist developing countries – a major push towards a global postCOVID recovery.

Hosting the G7 Summit, Prime Minister Boris Johnson also indicated the movement towards a united front on COVID-19. “The world needs this meeting,” he said. “We must be honest: international order and solidarity were badly shaken by COVID. Nations were reduced to beggarmy-neighbour tactics in the desperate search for PPE, for drugs — and, finally, for vaccines.”

He added: “This is the moment for the world’s greatest and most technologically advanced democracies to shoulder their responsibilities and to vaccinate the world, because no one can be properly protected until everyone has been protected.”

As these much-needed vaccines will be dispersed

ACTIVISTS wearing giant heads of the G7 leaders tussle over a giant COVID-19 vaccine syringe on Swanpool Beach in Falmouth, Cornwall, England, on Friday.

Photo: Kirsty Wigglesworth/AP through the COVAX facility, this is great news for many countries, particularly those in Africa where concerns continue to mount.

Unfortunately, for those hoping we would have also been able to attain some of those billion doses, the remaining 33,600 doses from COVAX will complete our order.

Thankfully, cases have been on the decline, despite health experts still warning we remain in a third wave here at home.

Nonetheless, it is promising that the world’s most powerful countries are now looking beyond their borders and realising the need for the global community to keep pace with their vaccination efforts.

As countries have been

able to see the light at the end of the tunnel, it has become top priority to ensure efforts are not wasted by the evolution of more powerful strains of COVID-19.

A recent study commissioned by the International Chamber of Commerce Research Foundation’s findings provide evidence that without global access to vaccines the world economy could potentially contract by $9.2 trillion – seven percent of global GDP. Such a scenario would spell a disaster no world leader wants, and certainly one we cannot afford.

During his contribution to the Budget debate in Parliament last week, former Health Minister

Duane Sands called on the government to implement stricter measures to reflect the “deep trouble” we find ourselves in. Indeed, COVID or not, we have a long road to trek out of the debt pit we find ourselves nearly $10 billion deep in.

My hope, as well as I’m certain is the Prime Minister’s, is that we can ramp up vaccination efforts and the economy can continue to get back to healthier levels with the return of tourist arrivals.

Resorting to enticing the unvaccinated population with the allure of “vaccination parties, mask-free happy hours, and junkanoo”, the Prime Minister continues to incentivise Bahamians to take the shot.

Unsure of how effective a strategy this has been, perhaps presenting the facts of where Bahamians may find themselves if our race to get out of this pandemic isn’t expedited will be a more helpful exercise.

The same study referenced earlier points out that due to the dependence all countries have on each other for trade, without a global vaccination push, advanced economies can lose up to four percent of their GDP by the end of this year. Such a reality undermines how effective countries vaccination programmes have been individually.

Furthermore, it will be interesting to see what decision the Bahamian people will make when we are able

to vaccinate a critical mass of our citizens. It is one thing to not have enough vaccines in the country and become frustrated with the citizenry’s unwillingness to get their shots. It is entirely another once we have the vaccines and the uptake is not there.

Hysteria continues to fuel the anti-vaxxer population to spread fear and unsubstantiated claims about why they should not take the vaccine.

The job of the government is to continue to bring the facts in a measured and sober fashion, and communicate the importance of doing our part to make COVID-19 a thing of the past.

We’re getting closer, but the decisions we collectively make in between are pivotal to our success.

EMAIL: insight@tribunemedia.net

By FREDERICK SMITH, QC JUDICIAL independence is the cornerstone of a democracy. Without it, those who hold political power can victimise and oppress with impunity.

There is a reason why independent courts and judges are always among the first targets of totalitarian regimes like Nazi Germany and Soviet Russia. Closer to home, it is no coincidence that in the absence of an independent judiciary, the Haitian dictator François “Papa Doc” Duvalier was able to inflict unspeakable crimes for years.

Yes, the courts exist to prosecute criminals and settle civil disputes. But a fundamental role is to serve as a check on official power and ensure no one – especially not the Executive Branch of government – is above the law.

A criminal may harm one victim. But a rogue government can threaten all of us with oppression, deprivation of fundamental rights, state-sponsored terror and violence.

The evils of colonialism notwithstanding, Britain gifted The Bahamas with the constitutional separation of powers with an independent judiciary. It has served us well over the years, playing a key role in protecting against the descent into the political violence that has plagued so many other countries in the post-Colonial era.

Unfortunately, almost from the start, postIndependence Bahamian governments have both intentionally and unintentionally undermined this invaluable benefaction.

‘Deputy Prime Minister Desmond Bannister led the assault, calling the judge’s ruling “silly”, “nonsense” and “not worth the paper it is written on”. He went on to accuse the judge of seeking to tie the hands and usurp the statutory powers of Building Control Officers, which he preposterously and provokingly claimed would make it “open season” for illegal construction across the country.’

Case in point is the tragic saga of D’Arcy Ryan, a Canadian-born British subject, married to a Bahamian, who had been living in The Bahamas for 30 years, a “Belonger” under the Constitution. Following independence in 1974, he applied to the PLP government for citizenship but was arbitrarily denied.

Turning to the judiciary, Ryan was vindicated at every level – by the Supreme Court, Court of Appeal and Privy Council, all ruling he be granted citizenship in accordance with the Constitution.

However, the Pindling administration, which fought him every step of the way, stubbornly and illegally refused to comply.

Eventually, Ryan’s lawyer – none other than the FNM’s founding father Sir Cecil Wallace-Whitfield – applied to have Minister of Home Affairs, Sir Clement Maynard, held in contempt of court.

Supreme Court Justice Charles Graham-Perkins ordered Sir Clement committed to prison for the PLP’s obduracy. He was saved from Fox Hill by a Saturday stay by the Court of Appeal. Thereafter, Justice Graham-Perkins was eventually hounded into

INSIGHT

MONDAY, JUNE 14, 2021 PAGE 9

WE HAVE A HISTORY OF ATTACKING THE JUDICIARY - WE DO SO AT OUR PERIL

retirement and out of The Bahamas.

In 1993, under the Hubert Ingraham FNM government, Justice of Appeal Ira Rowe, was denied entry into The Bahamas by then Justice Minister Janet Bostwick, blocking his hearing of a landmark death penalty case. This giant of 20th century Caribbean jurisprudence, who also served as President of the Court of Appeal in Jamaica and Belize, on the Court of Appeal for Grand Cayman and the Turks and Caicos, and as the Jamaican Solicitor General, resigned. He explained that he had no choice, as The Bahamas government was interfering with his work.

In 2009, outspoken Australian Justice John Lyons was forced into retirement after he issued a string of rulings criticising the overreach of successive PLP and FNM governments. These included a 2006 decision in which he scolded ministers for trampling on the separation of powers by presuming to rate judges’ performance.

“The Judiciary is not an agency of government,” he said. “It is an independent body established under the Constitution. The role of a judge is to ensure a fair

trial; fair to the prosecution He went on to accuse the and fair to the defence, as judge of seeking to tie the mandated by the Constitu- hands and usurp the statution. A judge is never to tory powers of Building be judged by a ‘conviction Control Officers, which he rate’.” preposterously and provokJustice Lyons added: ingly claimed would make “The independence of the it “open season” for illeJudiciary is the pillar upon gal construction across the which our Constitutional country. freedoms are built. JudiWhile it may not seem cial independence is at the as extreme as harassing heart of practically every judges into retirement, UN charter on human refusing a judge entry rights.” Quite so. into the country, or tarJustice Lyons also ruled geting their family, this the PLP government had kind of public attack on violated the law by failing a judge, denigration of a to appoint a committee to court ruling, and downreview and update judge’s right political incitement salaries, a provision spe- to panic are extraordicifically designed to protect narily dangerous in this the livelihood of members age of social media and of the judiciary, and thereby hyper-connectedness. their independence, from Particularly when the undue political interference subject of the ruling is so and control. controversial and emoMeanwhile, a 2014 ruling tive, politicians like Mr

by Justice SteBannister risk phen Isaacs ‘Now more provok[later Chief hostility, than ever, when ing Justice] shutaggression and ting down every cell phone even threats the illegal is a potential of violence Blackbeard’s against judges, Cay Dolphin broadcaster, every either by the laptop a possible governing pardevelopment continues to amplifier of hate ty’s supporters be ignored by or simply PLP and FNM and aggression, members of governments. politicians must the public at Until COVID, realise the power large who are it still opereasily wound ated in open and the reach up into a state defiance of of their words. of xenophobic the Supreme They must act frenzy over Court certain issues. responsibly, be judgment.

No sooner And then very careful in had Mr Banthere was the what they say, nister spoken intimidation of than Bahamian Justice Indra and appreciate social media Charles and the profound took its cue. her family by consequences A barrage of former PLP online attacks MP Keod that can flow upon the Smith and from their judge ensued others in 2016. accusing her behaviour.’

Despite eviof political dence that bias, attackSmith travelled to St. Lucia ing her patriotism and to dig for private informa- even her nationality question on the judge’s past tioned. In a sad parody of and had also taken steps to what former US President locate and harass her young Barack Obama was forced son, no action was taken to to endure by racist eleinvestigate the matter by ments in his own country, the then-PLP government Bahamians even demanded or by Attorney General to see the judge’s birth Allyson Maynard-Gibson – certificate. daughter of the very same It is ironic that Mr BanSir Clement Maynard of nister used the phrase D’Arcy Ryan fame. The “open season” in his perpetrators walked away assault on Justice Grantscot free and a resound- Thompson’s ruling, as this ing message was sent to is precisely what appears the public: attempts to to have been happening, in intimidate judges do not particular to female judges carry consequences in The who have become by far the Bahamas. main targets of scandalous Today, the target of gov- attacks by online politiernment ire is Supreme cal trolls of both the FNM Court Justice Cheryl Grant- and PLP. Over the past few Thompson, who last week years, female judges have issued a simple ruling been wrongfully accused maintaining the status quo of taking bribes, of unlawpreventing any further fully refusing to retire and home demolitions in Abaco of acquitting defendants for until the conclusion of the political motives, all in the nearly completed Judicial total absence of evidence Review trial. and often under the cowDeputy Prime Minis- ardly cloak of anonymity. ter Desmond Bannister Among those savaged have led the assault, calling the been Judges Rhonda Bain judge’s ruling “silly”, “non- and Ruth Bowe-Darville. sense” and “not worth Such shockingly irrethe paper it is written on”. sponsible tactics are

disappointing coming from the FNM, [originally the “Free PLP”] a party morphing out of the PLP precisely to protect the rule of law from the increasingly dictatorial behaviour of the Pindling regime in the 1970s. The founding father, Sir Cecil Wallace-Whitfield, must be turning in his grave over this shameful assault on justice. He was always a lawyer first and politician second!

Minister Bannister understands the importance of an independent judiciary; he is an experienced attorney who knows better.

The irrational mind-fog and political fever of election season are no excuse!

In any delicate social or political atmosphere, even mildly disparaging comments by powerful leaders can serve as tacit permission and unspoken approval for far more extreme and aggressive expressions of hostility. Advances in communication technology amplify and intensify this effect exponentially.

Take for example the unspeakable crimes against humanity in Rwanda in the 1990s, where comments by politicians were relentlessly spun-up and intensified by partisan radio hosts, unleashing a bloodthirsty, genocidal mania among the public. More recently, this dynamic was also at work in the “fake news social” media onslaught which resulted in the unprecedented attack on the United States Capitol in January 2020.

Now more than ever, when every cell phone is a potential broadcaster, every laptop a possible amplifier of hate and aggression, politicians must realise the power and the reach of their words. They must act responsibly, be very careful in what they say, and appreciate the profound consequences that can flow from their behaviour.

A line in the sand must be drawn now. If this disturbing trend continues, the results will be disastrous for us. Judges who are made to feel intimidated and under siege by powerful politicians and angry digital mobs are not operating in a protected, independent and unfettered atmosphere, no matter how courageous and dedicated they may remain in the execution of their duties.

Such undue stress, duress and pressure would threaten to undermine the performance of any professional. And justice must not only be done, it must be seen to be done as well.

Respected Courts are the ultimate symbol, final bastion and fundamental guardians of human rights and rule of law.

Shortsighted, narrowminded politicians imperil us all by toying with the Judiciary irresponsibly and scandalously.

PAGE 10 MONDAY, JUNE 14, 2021 INSIGHT

EMAIL: insight@tribunemedia.net

COMPETITION HEATS UP IN THE MELTING ARCTIC

By ROCKFORD WEITZ Professor of Practice & director, Fletcher Maritime Studies Programme, The Fletcher School, Tufts University

FOR decades, the frozen Arctic was little more than a footnote in global economic competition, but that’s changing as its ice melts with the warming climate.

Russia is now attempting to claim more of the Arctic seabed for its territory. It has been rebuilding Cold War-era Arctic military bases and recently announced plans to test its Poseidon nuclear-powered, nuclear-armed torpedo in the Arctic. In Greenland, the recent election ushered in a new pro-independence government that opposes foreign rare earth metal mining as its ice sheet recedes – including projects counted on by China and the US to power technology.

The Arctic region has been warming at least twice as fast as the planet as a whole. With the sea ice now thinner and disappearing sooner in the spring, several countries have had their eyes on the Arctic, both for access to valuable natural resources, including the fossil fuels whose use is now driving global warming, and as a shorter route for commercial ships. A tanker carrying liquefied natural gas from northern Russia to China tested that shorter route this past winter, traversing the normally frozen Northern Sea Route in February for the first time with the help of an icebreaker.

The route cut the shipping time by nearly half.

Russia has been building up its icebreaker fleet for years for these and other purposes. The US, meanwhile, is playing catch-up.

While Russia has access to more than 40 of these ships today, the US Coast Guard has two, one of them well past its intended service life.

As an expert in maritime trade and Arctic geopolitics, I have been following the increasing activity and geopolitical tensions in the Arctic.

They underscore the need for fresh thinking on US Arctic policy to address emerging competition in the region.

THE PROBLEM WITH AMERICA’S ICEBREAKER FLEET

America’s ageing icebreaker fleet has been a

persistent topic of frustration in Washington.

Congress put off investing in new icebreakers for decades in the face of more pressing demands. Now, the lack of polar-class icebreakers undermines America’s ability to operate in the Arctic region, including responding to disasters as shipping and mineral exploration increase.

It might sound counterintuitive, but diminishing sea ice can make the region more dangerous – breakaway ice floes pose risks both to ships and to oil platforms, and the opening waters are expected to attract both more shipping and more mineral exploration. The US Geological Survey estimates that about 30 percent of the world’s undiscovered natural gas and 13 percent of undiscovered oil may be in the Arctic.

The Polar Star, a heavy icebreaker that can break through ice up to 21 feet thick, was commissioned in 1976. It is usually posted to Antarctica in the winter, but it was sent to the Arctic this year to provide a US presence. The crew on the ageing ship has had to fight fires and deal with power outages and equipment breaks – all while in some of the most inhospitable and remote locations on Earth. The second icebreaker, the smaller Healy, commissioned in 2000, suffered a fire on board in August 2020 and cancelled all Arctic operations.

Congress has authorized construction of three more heavy icebreakers at a total cost of around $2.6bn and has funded two of them so far, but they take years to produce. A shipyard in Mississippi expects to deliver the first by 2024.

AN ICEBREAKER SOLUTION

One way to add to the icebreaker fleet would be to have allies jointly procure and operate icebreakers, while each still builds up its own fleet.

For example, the Biden administration could collaborate with NATO allies to create a partnership modelled on NATO’s Strategic Airlift Capability of C-17 airplanes. The airlift programme, started in 2008, operates three large transport planes that its 12 member nations can use to quickly transport troops and equipment.

A similar programme

for icebreakers could operate a fleet under NATO – perhaps starting with icebreakers contributed by NATO countries, such as Canada, or partner countries, such as Finland. Like the Strategic Airlift Capability, each member country would purchase a percentage of the shared fleet’s operating hours based on their overall contributions to the program.

US Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin announced a step toward more of this kind of collaboration on June 9, 2021, with plans to establish a new Centre for Arctic Security Studies, the sixth Department of Defence Regional Centre.

The centre’s focus on research, communications, and collaboration with partners.

USING THE LAW OF THE SEA

Another strategy that could boost US influence in the Arctic, buffer looming conflicts, and help clarify seabed claims would be for the Senate to ratify the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea. The Law of the Sea took effect in 1994 and established rules for how the oceans and ocean resources are used and shared. That includes determining how countries can claim parts of the seabed. The US initially objected over a section that limited deep seabed mining, but that section was amended to alleviate some of those concerns. Presidents Bill Clinton, George W Bush and Barack Obama all urged the Senate to ratify it, but that still has not happened.

Ratification would give the US a stronger international legal position in contested waters. It also would enable the US to claim more than 386,000 square miles – an area twice the size of California – of Arctic seabed along its extended continental shelf and fend off any other country’s overlapping claims to that area.

Without ratification, the US will be forced to rely on customary international law to pursue any maritime claims, which weakens its international legal position in contested waters, including the Arctic and the South China Sea.

RELYING ON INTERNATIONAL COOPERATION

The Arctic has generally been a region of international cooperation. The Arctic Council, an international body, has kept eight countries with sovereignty over land in the region focused on the Arctic’s fragile ecosystem, the well-being of its Indigenous peoples, and emergency prevention and response.

Over the past few years, however, “near-Arctic” countries, including China, Japan, South Korea, Britain and many European Union members, have become more engaged, and Russia has become more active.

With the rising tensions and expanding interest in the region, the era of cooperative engagement has started to recede with the melting sea ice.

• Originally published in theconversation.com

THE TRIBUNE

Monday, June 14, 2021, PAGE 11

THE US departures section of Lynden Pindling International Airport.

Heading to the airport?

You’d better read this IN AN effort to mitigate the impact of growing passenger traffic and COVID-19 protocols, key stakeholders at Lynden Pindling International Airport have finalised plans to ensure passengers can be safely and efficiently processed through the airport during what promises to be a busy upcoming summer travel season.

Nassau has been selected as a homeport for two cruise lines beginning this month. Following the first seven-day cruise, approximately 900 passengers will be departing Nassau for the United States on Saturday, June 19. The airport anticipates heavy arrivals and departures of cruise passengers every Saturday and Sunday thereafter, and for this number to grow

to 3,500 passengers each weekend by July.

In addition, summer projections for land-based passenger arrivals and departures at the Lynden Pindling International Airport (LPIA) indicate steady recovery from the pandemic, with a potential additional 4,500 passengers between Saturday and Sunday.

“We are fortunate that our largest source market, the United States, has been very successful with their vaccine distribution and there is significant pent-up demand for travel given the challenges and restrictions of the past year living with COVID-19. People are ready to travel and month by month we are seeing improvements in our passenger numbers.” said

Vernice Walkine, president and chief executive officer, Nassau Airport Development Company Ltd. “During this busy summer travel period we wish to assure the travelling public that their safety is our paramount concern.

Our overall objective is to make certain that a high level of efficiency prevails in the terminals coupled with excellent customer service resulting in a positive experience for our passengers,” she continued.

The airport continuously works with its key stakeholders to maximize the efficiency of operations and mitigate any potential challenges within its facilities.

As a result, in 2020 LPIA was one of the first airports in Latin America and the Caribbean to achieve a

RE.: NOTICE OF EARLY REDEMPTION OF APD LIMITED SERIES A 5.5% PREFERENCE SHARES

APD wishes to advise its Shareholders and the General Public of its election for the early redemption of any and all outstanding Series A 5.5% Preference Shares at the issue price per share of B$500 (par value $0.10), and we have given the required 90 days notice to the sole Preference Share Registrar, Transfer Agent and Dividend Disbursing Agent RF Bank & Trust (Bahamas) Limited as required under section 10 of the Memorandum of Agreement. The effective date of the early redemption is 6 September, 2021.

APD will be replacing the Series A 5.5% Preference Shares with Senior Unsecured Term Loan at Bahamas Prime minus 1.15% currently effective 3.1% and the interest rate is subject to an all-in floor of 3.1% and a cap of 4.75% for a term of 15 years.

This will result in the overall reduction in financing cost and will certainly compensate for the reduction of volumes as a result of COVID-19.

This would also mean that APD would not have to increase its tariff to make up for any volume and revenue shortfall as a result of COVID-19.

The overall net savings to APD Limited assuming no increase in Bahamas Prime Rate will be in excess of $4.8 million dollars.

The Secretary APD LIMITED Arawak Cay Nassau, The Bahamas

COVID-19 Health Accreditation from the Airports Council International.

As the airport supports Nassau as a home cruise port and manages its recovering land passenger base, LPIA is offering the following tips to local passengers planning to travel this summer.

1. Given the volume of passengers that will be commencing cruises in Nassau, if possible, avoid travel on Saturday and Sunday and choose a slower day to begin and end your vacation or business trip. Also, consider travel during off peak times and look for flights either before 9:00am or after 2:00pm, which is a peak travel period at the airport.

2. When travelling to the US, particularly on peak days and times, ensure that you are at the airport 3 to 3.5 hours ahead of your scheduled flight departure time. Given the impact of COVID-19, passenger processing is slower and more complex.

3. Whether you are vaccinated or not, a negative COVID-19 test result (PCR or Rapid Antigen) and completed Attestation form (found on LPIA’s website at www.nassaulpia.com) is needed for all persons travelling to the United States.

This will be required for check in with your airline and tests should be completed prior to arrival at the airport.

4. For travel within The Bahamas, a negative COVID-19 (PCR Test) is required if you are not fully vaccinated (two shots with the last shot given more than two weeks prior to travel) along with a

Bahamas Health VISA for domestic check in.

5.

Checked luggage should be taken to your airline counter. Very Important: Please remove old luggage tags prior to placing a new luggage tag for your destination. If you are travelling to the United States, once you present your checked bag(s) to your airline, an image of your bag(s) will appear on the airline counter video screen to confirm each bag is checked in for your flight.

6.

Checked luggage should be taken to your airline counter. Very Important: Please remove old luggage tags prior to placing a new luggage tag for your destination. Your airline should tag your checked luggage to your boarding pass. For persons travelling to the United States, please ensure you see an image of your checked bag(s) on the tablet screen at the airline counter.

7. After check-in, passengers travelling to the US may be directed by an airport ambassador to wait briefly in the airport’s Summer Garden Lounge prior to proceeding to airport security screening and United States Customs for processing. This wait is to allow passengers to be processed in order of scheduled departure time. The lounge is a beautiful and comfortable outdoor space with amenities like food and beverage, WIFI, entertainment and limited shopping.

8. Passengers should have their passport and boarding pass available to enter the security screening process. Passengers will be required to remove jackets, belts, shoes and empty

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pockets, and remove laptops from carry-on luggage for the security screening process.

9. As LPIA is a US PreClearance facility, each passenger will undergo inspection by a United States Customs & Border Protection Officer prior to leaving Nassau. Bahamians need a valid passport and police record or US VISA for travel. Family members living in the same household can be inspected together.

10. Once these formalities are done, you may proceed to your airline gate or enjoy the shopping and dining amenities available in the US Departures Lounge. All gates are within a three-minute walk from anywhere in the US or Domestic/International Departure Lounge.

11. Upon your return or arrival to Nassau, remember you will need a Bahamas Health Visa and a negative COVID-19 PCR test for entry to the country if you are not fully vaccinated. If you are fully vaccinated, then you will need the Bahamas Health Visa and proof of your vaccination. These are to be presented to Bahamas Immigration along with your passport for admittance to The Bahamas.

12. This summer, returning residents will now have two additional options to complete their Bahamas Customs declaration forms and pay duties or claim exemptions. This is in addition to the current process of presenting a completed C17 Customs Declaration form to a Bahamas Customs officer for assessment.

Returning residents should consider downloading and using the new Bahamas Customs Exempt App to fill out their declaration electronically, upload their receipts and pay customs duties and/or claim exemption online prior to arrival in Nassau. Once luggage is collected, returning residents then only need to proceed to a customs officer for baggage inspection.

Bahamas Customs also has kiosks available at the airport that perform the same services as the App and allows for credit/debit card payments online or cash payments at the airport.

PAGE 12, Monday, June 14, 2021

THE TRIBUNE

COALITION ENDS NETANYAHU RULE

JERUSALEM Associated Press

ISRAEL’s new prime minister Naftali Bennett raises his hand during a Knesset session in Jerusalem yesterday.

Photo: Ariel Schalit/AP

ISRAEL’S parliament yesterday narrowly approved a new coalition government, ending the historic 12-year rule of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and sending the polarising leader into the opposition.

Naftali Bennett, a former ally of Netanyahu turned rival, became prime minister after the 60-59 vote.

Promising to try to heal a divided nation, Bennett will preside over a diverse and fragile coalition comprised of eight parties with deep ideological differences.

But the 71-year-old Netanyahu made clear he has no intention of exiting the

political stage. “If it is destined for us to be in the opposition, we will do it with our backs straight until we topple this dangerous government and return to lead the country,” he said.

The vote, capping a stormy parliamentary session, ended a two-year cycle of political paralysis in which the country held four deadlocked elections.

Those votes focused largely on Netanyahu’s divisive rule and his fitness to remain in office while on trial for corruption charges.

To his supporters, Netanyahu is a global statesman uniquely capable of leading the country through its many security challenges.

But to his critics, he has become a polarising and

autocratic leader who used divide-and-rule tactics to aggravate the many rifts in Israeli society. Those include tensions between Jews and Arabs, and within the Jewish majority.

President Joe Biden quickly congratulated the new government.

“I look forward to working with Prime Minister Bennett to strengthen all aspects of the close and enduring relationship between our two nations,” he said in a statement. He said his administration is fully committed to working with the new government “to advance security, stability, and peace for Israelis, Palestinians, and people throughout the broader region”.

G7 leaders agree on vaccines, China and corporation taxes CARBIS BAY, England Associated Press LEADERS of the Group of Seven wealthy nations staked their claim yesterday to leading the world out of the coronavirus pandemic and crisis, pledging more than 1 billion coronavirus vaccine doses to poorer nations, vowing to help developing countries grow while fighting climate change and backing a minimum tax on multinational firms.

At the group’s first faceto-face meeting in two years, the leaders dangled promises of support for global health, green energy, infrastructure and education — all to demonstrate that international cooperation is back after the upheavals caused by the pandemic and the unpredictability of former US President Donald Trump.

During their threeday summit in southwest England, the G-7 leaders wanted to convey that the club of wealthy democracies — Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom and the United States — is a better friend to poorer nations than authoritarian rivals such as China.

“This isn’t about imposing our values on the rest of the world,” British Prime Minister Boris Johnson told reporters at the end of the seaside summit on the rugged Cornwall coast. “What we as the G-7 need to do is demonstrate the benefits of democracy and freedom and human rights to the rest of the world.”

US President Joe Biden, who was making his first foreign trip as leader, said it was an “extraordinary, collaborative and

productive meeting” that showed “America’s back in the business of leading the world alongside nations who share our most deeply held values”.

But health and environmental campaigners were distinctly unimpressed by the details in the leaders’ final communique.

“This G-7 summit will live on in infamy,” said Max Lawson, the head of inequality policy at the international aid group Oxfam.

“Faced with the biggest health emergency in a century and a climate catastrophe that is destroying our planet, they have completely failed to meet the challenges of our times.”

Despite Johnson’s call to “vaccinate the world” by the end of 2022, the promise of 1 billion doses for vaccine-hungry countries

— coming both directly and through donations to the international COVAX program — falls far short of the 11 billion doses the World Health Organization said is needed to vaccinate at least 70% of the world’s population and truly end the pandemic.

Half of the billion-dose pledge is coming from the United States and 100 million from Britain. Canada said it also would give 100 million doses, and France pledged 60 million. Altogether, the leaders said they pledged 870 million doses “directly over the next year,” with further contributions taking the total to the “equivalent of over 1 billion doses.”

Former British Prime Minister Gordon Brown said the lack of a more ambitious vaccination plan was “an unforgivable moral failure.”

But Biden said the leaders were clear that the commitments they made to donate doses wouldn’t be the end. The US president said getting shots into arms around the world was a “gigantic, logistical effort” and the goal might not be accomplished until 2023.

The G-7 also backed a minimum tax of at least 15% on large multinational companies to stop corporations from using tax havens to avoid taxes, a move championed by the United States.

Biden also wanted to persuade fellow democratic leaders to present a more unified front to compete economically with Beijing and strongly call out China’s “nonmarket policies and human rights abuses”.

The language on China in the G-7 leaders’ communique from the meeting was more muted than the United States has used, but Biden said he was satisfied. On China’s economic

behavior, the group said it would “consult on collective approaches to challenging non-market policies and practices which undermine the fair and transparent operation of the global economy”.

The leaders also said they would promote their values by calling on China to respect human rights and fundamental freedoms in Xinjiang, where Beijing is accused of committing serious human rights abuses against the Uyghur minority, and in the semiautonomous city of Hong Kong.

Not every European power has viewed China in as harsh a light as Biden, who has painted the rivalry with the techno-security state as the defining competition of the 21st century.

“The G-7 is not a club hostile to China,” French President Emmanuel Macron said. “It’s an ensemble of democracies that (would) work with China on all world topics that China is ready to work on with us.”

Johnson, the summit’s host, wanted the three-day meeting to fly the flag for a “Global Britain”, his government’s push to give the midsized country, newly detached from the European Union, outsized global influence.

Yet Brexit cast a shadow over that goal during the summit on the coast of southwest England. European Union leaders and Biden voiced concerns about problems with new UK-EU trade rules that have heightened tensions in Northern Ireland.

But overall, the mood was positive: The leaders smiled for the cameras on the beach at cliff-fringed Carbis Bay, a village and resort that became a traffic-clogged fortress for the meeting.

The prime ministers and presidents also mingled with Queen Elizabeth II at a royal reception, ate steak and lobster at a beach barbecue and watched an aeronautic display by the Royal Air Force Red Arrows during their stay by the sea.

America’s allies were visibly relieved to have the US back as an engaged international player after the “America First” policy of the Trump administration.

Johnson called Biden “a breath of fresh air”. Italian Premier Mario Draghi said the president “wanted to rebuild what were the traditional alliances of the United States after the period of Trump, during which these alliances were seriously cracked”.

Biden flew from the summit in Carbis Bay to have tea with the queen at Windsor Castle. He is scheduled to attend a NATO summit in Brussels on Monday and to hold talks with Russian leader Vladimir Putin in Geneva on Wednesday.

The G-7 also made ambitious declarations during their meetings about girls’ education, preventing future pandemics and financing greener infrastructure globally On climate change, the “Build Back Better for the World” plan promises to offer financing for infrastructure — “from railways in Africa to wind farms in Asia” — to help speed up the global shift to renewable energy. The plan is a response to China’s “belt and road” initiative, which has increased Beijing’s worldwide influence.

All G-7 countries have pledged to reach net-zero carbon emissions by 2050, but many environmentalists say that will be too little, too late.

ACTOR NED BEATTY DIES, AGED 83 NEW YORK Associated Press

NED BEATTY

NED Beatty, the Oscarnominated character actor who in half a century of American movies, including Deliverance, Network and Superman, was a booming,

indelible presence in even the smallest parts, has died.

He was 83.

Beatty’s manager, Deborah Miller, said Beatty died on Sunday of natural causes at his home in Los Angeles surrounded by friends and loved ones.

After years in regional theater, Beatty was cast in 1972’s Deliverance as Bobby Trippe, the happygo-lucky member of a male river-boating party terrorised by backwoods thugs in Deliverance. The scene in which Trippe is brutalised and forced to “squeal like a pig” became the most memorable in the movie and established Beatty as an actor whose name moviegoers may not have known but whose face they always recognised.

“For people like me, there’s a lot of ‘I know you!

I know you! What have I seen you in?’” Beatty remarked in 1992.

Beatty received one Oscar nomination, as supporting actor for his role as corporate executive Arthur Jensen in 1976’s Network, but he contributed to some of the most popular movies of his time.