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$1M EMBASSY MAKEOVER BILL

By KHRISNA RUSSELL and LEANDRA ROLLE

LABOUR and Immigration Minister Keith Bell yesterday accused the Minnis administration of the “indiscriminate callous haemorrhage” of the public purse to buy extravagant furnishings and decor for an ambassador’s apartment in Europe.

He said more than $1m was spent on lavish items, including middle chairs that cost nearly $40,000, a rug at $18,475, $14,000 for a lamp and $10,000 for a mahogany scroll among other costly purchases.

And while the items were

being bought as part of a renovation of this ambassador’s apartment, Mr Bell said the official, whom he did not name, stayed in an expensive hotel at a cost of $20,000 per month.

The renovations at $550,000 or 644,161 euros, together with the hotel stay racked up more than $1m in costs, the minister claimed in the House of Assembly.

He made the revelations during his contribution to the 2022/2023 budget debate yesterday.

“Recently I have seen and I have it here to table if needed an invoice for an ambassador’s residence SEE PAGE FOUR

PEOPLE living in emergency dome houses at Abaco will soon be given a deadline to leave the temporary structures, Transport and Housing Minister Jobeth ColebyDavis announced yesterday.

Earlier this month, The Tribune reported that some families allocated domes in the wake of Hurricane Dorian have been subletting them to pocket the

rent money.

There have also been reports that dome structures were being used as brothels, prompting officials to investigate the claims.

While delivering her budget contribution in the House of Assembly yesterday, Mrs Coleby-Davis advised MPs that many people living in the domes now were not placed there for Dorian-related purposes.

SEE PAGE FIVE

- SEE PAGE EIGHT

DISABILITY CASE NOW RUNNING NINE YEARS

By NEIL HARTNELL Tribune Business Editor nhartnell@tribunemedia.net THREE former Freeport Container Port operators have lost their bid to claim damages from the government over disabilities and “extensive psychological trauma” resulting from the 2010 tornado that devastated the firm’s operation - in a case filed in 2013.

FULL STORY - SEE BUSINESS

DOME FAMILIES EXIT DEADLINE

By LEANDRA ROLLE Tribune Staff Reporter lrolle@tribunemedia.net

ALICIA WALLACE: LIZZO IS AN EXAMPLE TO LEARN FROM

‘NO PUBLIC CRITICISM FROM ME’

242 TO THE WORLD ATLANTA socialite and social media influencer De’arra Taylor is captured by Bahamian photographer Shawn Hanna for a major advertising campaign for the global fashion brand Pretty Little Thing. See the WEEKEND section on Friday for the full story.

By EARYEL BOWLEG Tribune Staff Reporter ebowleg@tribunemedia.net

DEPUTY Prime Minister Chester Cooper says he won’t publicly attack public servants following House Speaker Patricia Deveaux’s rebuke of National Emergency Management Agency director Captain Stephen Russell in Parliament last week.

SEE PAGE FOUR

SEIZED CRUISE SHIPS SOLD FOR $128M TECHNOLOGY

By NEIL HARTNELL Tribune Business Editor nhartnell@tribunemedia.net

TWO cruise ships that have been under arrest in Bahamian waters for more than four months were yesterday sold for a combined $128m via auction.

Richard Horton, attorney and partner at Alexiou, Knowles and Company, who represented the Crystal Serenity and Crystal Symphony’s secured financier,

THE CRYSTAL SERENITY confirmed that the vessels were sold for $103m and $25m respectively.

“For the Serenity, the total amount paid for the vessel was $103m. The

buyer was a company called CDE Ltd,” Mr Horton, who acted for DNB Bank, revealed. “For the Symphony, the amount agreed was $25m for the vessel, and the purchaser’s name was CSY Ltd.” Tribune Business understands CSE Ltd and CSY Ltd are likely special purpose vehicles (SPVs) or entities specifically created to acquire, and hold, the two vessels.

FULL STORY - SEE BUSINESS

Nassau & Bahama Islands’ Leading Newspaper

DELIVERING THE MAIL BY ELECTRIC CYCLE SEE PAGE NINE

PAGE 2, Wednesday, June 15, 2022

THE TRIBUNE

PM tours Aqualina site in Cable Beach PRIME Minister Philip Davis and members of Cabinet toured the construction site of Aqualina on Cable Beach yesterday to view the progress of the 11-storey skyrise.

Jason Kinsale, president of Aristo, said he believes the development signals a dramatic change in highend property.

“The greatest change in the luxury real estate market in The Bahamas may not be visible to the naked eye, but the experiences that accompany the physical assets,” says Kinsale, whose latest development is adjacent to Aristo’s ONE Cable Beach on the strip of much soughtafter prime waterfront within walking distance of

Baha Mar Resort.

“What we want to offer at Aqualina is a total lifestyle package where you can revel in the pleasure of your home or get away for a day at an island you always wanted to visit.

“The decision to move in this direction was based on our research that showed a demand for the highest quality of construction, overall size and comfort, attention to detail and unique lifestyle features.”

Expectations, he said, especially to a high-end market, have changed since he began building multi-family developments over 15 years ago. Though every project his company has completed has been a sell-out, client expectations

PRIME Minister Philip Davis meets Osborne Pickstock, general superintendent for Aqualina.

have increased.

“It used to be enough to offer a waterfront view, storm-rated doors and windows, high ceilings and highest quality kitchen cabinets, but today’s standards are even more demanding,” he said. “Now, that’s just a starting point and you ask yourself, where do we go from here?”

Aristo marketing director Matthew Marco agrees.

“So when we were designing Aqualina, we asked ourselves, ‘What can we offer that makes this property so special, so desirable that a potential buyer anywhere in the world, from Switzerland to North America to the deepest border of South Africa, will look at the brochure or video and say, that’s it. ‘That’s where I want to be.’ We wanted to create more than a luxurious residence. We wanted to create magic.”

From the sheer size – residences range from 3,200 to 5,100 square feet with the penthouse coming in at 7600 square feet, each of the 27 residences in the 11-storey building is accessed by a private elevator. The lobby and welcome area is staffed 24/7 with a concierge and has three private beach villas

PRIME Minister Philip “Brave” Davis and members of his Cabinet tour the Aqualina construction site. overlooking the infinity with the pigs, there will be through this project, and pool, vast deck and gener- a boat and a trip available.” then thereafter, there would ous hot spa pool.

Asked if he was sur- be at least 60 permanent But the ‘magic’ Marco prised that only eight of employees or more,” Mr mentioned may just be 27 residences remain with Davis said. in something that takes completion still more “What we see is a winowners off the property – than a year away, Kinsale win situation for The the Aqualina Boat Club. answered without hesita- Bahamas.”

“We know that most tion. “Not at all, there’s Noting that the majorpeople who will live at never been anything like ity of the units in Aqualina Aqualina will want a boat- Aqualina on Cable Beach, have already been sold, ing experience without the the market is steaming hot Mr Davis continued, “It’s hassle of owning and main- for the finest in luxury and taining their own vessel given that we want to be already having its impact.

“As you have heard, 60 year-round, so we created the leaders in ease of doing percent of the condos have a membership club for business.” boating and some 12 differFollowing his tour of the already been sold.

“What does that mean? It ent experiences which will property, the prime minister continue to evolve,” said noted that Aqualina’s eco- means that we were getting Marco. “Whether a couple nomic impact is expected to our VAT on those sales.

“We hope to see those wants a private beach picnic be significant. day or they want to take “They will be employing purchasers visiting and putguests to Exuma to swim at least 100 persons or more ting heads in beds here.”

THE TRIBUNE

Wednesday, June 15, 2022, PAGE 3

Moultrie raises issue of Gibson staying MP

By LEANDRA ROLLE Tribune Staff Reporter lrolle@tribunemedia.net FORMER House Speaker Halson Moultrie suggested yesterday “any honourable” parliamentarian accused of criminal offences should consider resigning to protect the institution of Parliament.

His comments came a day after Long Island MP Adrian Gibson was charged with corruption crimes in connection with his tenure as executive chairman at the Water and Sewerage Corporation.

Mr Moultrie told The Tribune that while the law does not require sitting MPs who have been taken before the courts to vacate their seat, it does take exception to politicians who have been found in breach of certain Constitutional requirements set out specifically for parliamentarians.

The former Speaker was contacted to provide insight on the political implications of a sitting MP being charged before the courts after Mr Gibson was arraigned on a litany of corruption charges on Monday.

The allegations, which range from false declaration, bribery, fraud, receiving and money laundering allegedly stem from Gibson’s failure to declare his interest in contracts awarded by WSC. There have been calls for Mr Gibson to resign from his seat given the seriousness of the accusations levelled against him.

Leaders of the Free National Movement party did not respond to requests for comment on the issue yesterday. However, the party has said it stands in solidarity with him.

“Now, there are some rules with respect to Members of Parliament disclosing interests with respect to any contract that their family or they themselves may have some interest in,” Mr Moultrie told The Tribune. “If you recall, there was a situation with the (former) member for St Annes, Brent Symonette where constitutionally, I think it was Article 46 or 49, he was required to disclose his interest in any contracts.

“Now, if Mr Gibson finds himself in breach of that provision, the Parliament itself can ask him to vacate his seat. That is the only scenario that I can think of that could perhaps impact him in a negative way. Of course, there is always the concept of honour and the

Member of Parliament who is considered to be an honourable person should take into consideration the impact on the institution of the Parliament itself.

“Particularly, no one knows but the member, whether or not he is guilty of allegations being brought against him and the member may be prepared to fight it out in the courts, but an honourable person whose aware of his circumstances would do and should do the honorable thing which, in my estimation, would be to protect the institution by resigning.”

Asked whether he believed the Long Island MP should resign, Mr Moultrie said the matter was not up for him to decide.

“I believe that Mr Gibson is an attorney,” he added, “and I believe that he is able to weigh the evidence against him and in most circumstances, his attorneys would or should advise him on whether he should take a plea deal or compromise the situation with respect to his political career and his liberty, because while on one on end, he’s fighting the charges of corruption, on the other end he’s also facing the possibility of losing his freedom and so those attorneys would examine all of this evidence.”

He also noted that while it’s not unusual for MPs to be charged with criminal offenses, the situation will likely affect the party the member is a part of.

“The Free National Movement has a challenge there because they have just taken the PLP through an exercise very similar and so it could be looked at as if okay the PLP has pinpointed one or two individuals that they would target now in retribution for what happened to a number of their Members of Parliament and former ministers by the former Free National Movement administration under Dr Minnis, which is not a good thing at all for governance, or for good governance.

“Because at the end of the day, I can almost predict at the end of the day, no one’s coming out looking good in this matter, because at the end of the day, whether Mr Gibson is guilty or innocent, he’s going to appear to be targeted.”

He also said: “ … and you have a peculiar circumstance going on politically in this instance because the member for Long Island, the party, in my estimation, is symbolically apparent

ADRIAN Gibson outside court on Monday. to protect him but if you follow the politics closely, you will see that the former Prime Minister went on the line to protect the member for St Barnabas but he didn’t do so for the member for Long Island.”

“So, there’s some other things going on even internally, within the FNM but obviously, it appears to me as a former politician… that the support in terms of political leadership is in play here. So, a member may have supported the current leader against the former leader or Prime Minister and the other person may be supportive of the former leader. So, you see a lot of matters are in play and this is not a simple situation.”

THE CUBANS who were intercepted by the US Coast Guard.

13 CUBANS DETAINED IN GRAND BAHAMA

BY DENISE MAYCOCK Tribune Freeport Reporter dmaycock@tribunemedia.net

THIRTEEN Cuban migrants were brought to Grand Bahama on Monday after they were intercepted in Bahamian waters by US Coast Guard officials.

According to reports, 12 adult males and one female were handed over to Bahamas Immigration

officials at Lucayan Harbour.

The USCG Cutter “Manowar” arrived at the harbour around 4pm and turned the migrants over to Bahamian authorities.

They were interdicted at sea in two separate incidents within the last week in the Cay Sal Bank area.

They were onboard rustic vessels that were bound for the United States.

The Cubans were examined and screened for COVID-19 by a team from the Public Hospital Authority.

They were processed and charged before the Magistrate’s Court with illegal landed.

The group were flown New Providence where they will be detained at the Detention Centre to be deported to Cuba.

LONG ISLAND MP RELEASED ON BAIL

By PAVEL BAILEY Tribune Court Reporter pbailey@tribunemedia.net

LONG Island MP Adrian Gibson was released on bail yesterday 24 hours after he faced corruption charges for allegedly abusing his power as executive chairman of the Water and Sewerage Corporation.

Amid a throng of reporters and gathered onlookers, the sitting MP, along with his six co-defendants were released from the back of Magistrate’s Court after spending the night in custody.

The other six defendants are former WSC General Manager Elwood Donaldson, MP Gibson’s cousin Rashae Gibson, the MP’s campaign manager Joan Knowles, as well as Jerome Missick, Tonya Demeritte and Peaches Farquharson.

While Gibson has a total of 56 charges against him, the seven

defendants collectively face 101 charges altogether.

These charges, which range from false declaration, bribery and money laundering, stem from Mr Gibson’s alleged failure to declare his interest in contracts awarded by the WSC to Elite Maintenance and Baha Bay. Gibson, whose bail was set at $150,000, according to the accusations allegedly gained a financial advantage of just over $1.25m through a series of illicit cheques and wire transfers.

A source close to the matter indicated to The Tribune that the defence’s legal counsel met with Senior Justice Turner to fast track the defendants bail release after they spent the previous night at the BDCS. Gibson gave no comment to the press during his release.

Service of the accuseds’ VBIs is expected on September 14.

PAGE 4, Wednesday, June 15, 2022

THE TRIBUNE

$1m embassy makeover bill from page one undertaken by the last administration’s term in office and I wonder if the purchases were governed by the same process,” Mr Bell said.

“Remember when I had this figure up, we jumped from 2018 where there was a decline of the $215m in deficit because of the increase in VAT, we jumped to $799m in 2020 and it skyrocketed to $1.38b, which for a grand total of $2.777b. I am submitting that given the contracts I have in my position that in many respects some of the deficit is attributed not to genuine cases related to COVID or the hurricane but mismanagement and abuse by the former administration.

“Why would the government need to purchase and let me get it right a desert modern upholstered queen size bed covered in shambley damask white orchard print fabric at a cost of approximately $12,000?”

House Speaker Patricia Deveaux then asked for which ministry the bed purchases were

made.

To which, the minister replied: “Madame Speaker, I was very clear at the beginning that the honourable for Killarney unfortunately, he is not here today but he came in indicating that an incorruptible government came in on an agenda for trust and they were accountable, transparent and prudent in the people’s finances, but how could he justify then the purchase of a Duke polished steel mirror for $14,000 – a mirror!”

Marco City MP Michael Pintard then rose on a point of order, saying: “I think the speaker asked a wonderful question, which ministry, which department it was so you are able to lay it because we are interested and there are many ambassadors so I’m asking which ministry and which department because we are as anxious as you are.”

Mr Bell replied that the ministry was the foreign affairs and added the items were for the ambassador’s residence.

However, Mr Pintard said: “Madame Speaker, there are those of us unfamiliar with what

the member is saying. We are as anxious to learn as others in this place. No member has the right to assert accusations in a presentation without any verification for it to move on. So, all we’re asking for as he makes an accusation, he is duty bound to lay it so the rest of us could examine it.”

Mr Bell continued that his comments were related to the furniture for one apartment for one ambassador appointed under the former Minnis administration.

“What is significant about this and the reason I chose to use this is because this was done at the time when Bahamians were losing their jobs and had to pull their children out of university, lost their homes and had nothing to eat, was in the dark, had to go to the pump. Was arrested by the police while going to the pump and was convicted. Now, we have to clean up all of the mess. We have to clean it up.”

“There’s a rug for $19,000 and I ain’t get to the part where they decided to stay in the hotel while they’re renovating at $20,000 a month. So, see you got to be

fair – but, Madame president, I had to pray about this because you see what they did, they pushed us and former administrations – both PLP and FNM – so far back. They push us far back with this debt and it doesn’t matter who you are and how much money you get. Who purchases a mirror for $14,000 or rug for $19,000? Who does that?”

He continued: “The individual under the former administration started with the entrance foyer, spent $10,000 on a mahogany scroll. See I was very clear. I ain’t know about exquisite furnishings so you have to help me with this, but this is what it is.

“Purchased a polished mirror for $14,000 for the foyer area now, purchased a lamp for $2,000.

Then went to the first area from the foyer, you get to the front room. Purchased a cream coloured table for $5,000, a sofa for $14,500, a lamp for $3,000. Then they went to the bedroom. One purchase, a bed now, this ain’t the bedroom set just the bed, the bed for $8,737. Purchased a cocktail table at $9,000, another table for $14,300, a brass and quartz shade

for $7,800, and it just goes on and on and this Harper Franklyn blue rug for $18,475.”

“In the dining room, the dining room table was $9,000,” the MP also said. “That ain’t the chairs.

The two end chairs were $6,000 each and the middle chairs were $39,000.”

Mr Bell said he was making the point as the Official Opposition has repeatedly criticised the Davis administration about its travel habits, which have brought considerable business back to the country. He said: “At the end of the day some 644,161 euros or $550,000 was spent to furnish this one apartment. More than half a million dollars. One apartment.

“We have the contracts coming out of beach and parks authority, which were issued out of the office of the prime minister. We now have the indiscriminate callous haemorrhage of the public purse of over half a million dollars and coupled with the monies that were spent at the hotel is over a million dollars.

“This The Bahamas’ money. It’s a European country.”

DAVIS NEGATIVE FOR COVID AFTER TRUDEAU CONTACT

By KHRISNA RUSSELL Tribune Chief Reporter krussell@tribunemedia.net

PRIME Minister Philip “Brave” Davis with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.

PRIME Minister Philip “Brave” Davis tested negative for COVID-19 yesterday after he came into contact with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau who recently tested positive for the virus.

Mr Trudeau announced in a Tweet Monday that he was positive for the coronavirus. He said he felt “okay” because he has been vaccinated.

Both prime ministers were among regional leaders who attended the Summit of the Americas from June 6 to 10 in Los Angeles, California.

Press secretary Clint Watson said yesterday he was happy that Mr Davis has tested negative with it

being about five days since coming into contact with Mr Trudeau.

Mr Davis was tested and received a negative result just moments ahead of Mr Watson’s interview with reporters.

“The protocol has been followed,” he told reporters at Cabinet yesterday. “The prime minister and the Minister of Health (Michael Darville) who would have been in the meeting as well with prime minister Trudeau both tested.

“They took a test just moments ago again, just out of precaution. Both are negative and so we’re happy that they’re both fine and obviously this would have been a good window to do it now since it’s been past the incubation period.

“So, we’re happy since

that meeting would have taken place. I think it would have been on Friday, Saturday, Sunday, Monday, Tuesday. This is a good time to test and they’re negative again today. So, we’re happy that they’re all doing well and we continue to exercise an abundance of caution, particularly as we meet with international leaders, conferences. We always exercise caution.

“We’re happy that at the Summit of Americas testing was a requirement every morning in order to gain entry and so precautions were in place and we’re happy that the team continues to be safe.”

He said neither Mr Davis nor Mr Darville displayed any symptoms associated with contracting COVID-19.

PM: I TOLD US CARIBBEAN NATIONS FEEL NEGLECTED

By KHRISNA RUSSELL Tribune Chief Reporter krussell@tribunemedia.net

PRIME Minister Philip “Brave” Davis says he has told the United States that Caribbean countries

in the Americas have felt neglected by the US, compounded by a view that “we are only known when we’re needed”.

Mr Davis said he felt gratified by the response from both President Joseph

Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris.

He met with them both on the sidelines of the Summit of the Americas, held between June 6 to June 10 in Los Angeles, California.

“Those talks were about the fact that we in the Caribbean felt truly neglected by the leader of the world, the United States,” Mr Davis said yesterday following an event at the Aqualina development at Cable Beach, “and that we felt as though, as I indicated to the vice president, that sometimes we are only known when we’re needed and also that the approach to us, or about us, is always without us and we needed to be having conversations.

“I was truly gratified by

the responses we got, both from the Vice President and the President of the United States. They acknowledged that they have to reset our relationships and there has been a commitment to do so.”

Mr Davis said there were a number of outcomes from the Summit that inspired and gave him the optimism that both The Bahamas and US are back in the relationship that ought to be in place.

This followed meetings with the US President in respect to climate change and what the US can do

to assist when The Bahamas moves to adapt to the consequences of climate change and seeks technical assistance and grant funding to aid the country in adaptation measures, Mr Davis added.

“There’s also ways and means, and grant concessions for our litigation issues and so, yes, we had a very fruitful Summit of the Americas with our Caribbean counterparts.

“Of course, there were some geopolitical issues being discussed. Again we think our voice was heard on these matters.”

‘NO PUBLIC CRITICISM FROM ME’ from page one

However, Mr Cooper said he had no comment when he was asked if Speaker Deveaux should apologise to the NEMA official.

His comments came after Ms Deveaux, also Bamboo Town MP, lambasted Captain Russell from her chair in Parliament last week, telling him he needed a 9am to 5pm job after he did not respond in a way that was pleasing to her in the aftermath of a tornado in her constituency.

The Deputy Prime Minister was asked if senior Cabinet ministers have a view on whether her criticism was fair and whether it exposed legitimate holes or vacuums in the system.

The Exuma and Ragged Island MP told reporters he believes NEMA is an important arm of government and energy and efforts will focus on ensuring the agency is ready in the event of a major disaster.

“I and every other Cabinet minister would have a point of view on the issue,” Mr Cooper said at Cabinet yesterday. “I’m not going to personalise this. I’m not going to personally attack

public servants in public.

However, it is our obligation to ensure that the arms of government work and work efficiently.

“Our energy and our effort will be on ensuring that we are ready before the next natural disaster confronts us and we will ensure and provide support to Minister Laroda to ensure that he has all that he needs so that NEMA can spring into action very quickly so that we can have (a) strategic plan in order to manage search and recovery and a disaster response.”

“What I will conclude by saying is that the horrific experience in the management of Hurricane Dorian none of us want to live through that experience again and therefore we must ensure that right now we are putting in place the type of strategies and plans that are required to ensure the smooth management of operations when we do have a natural disaster confronting us.”

Meanwhile, Myles Laroda, the state minister with responsibility for NEMA, said he had spoken to the Speaker, adding that they share a very “cordial”

relationship and they have “moved on from that”.

Yet, he stated he “can’t speak to the Speaker’s intention” when pressed on if Ms Deveaux did the right thing in the moment.

“I know her to be a good person and a kind hearted person. I am the minister responsible for NEMA. It was my job to respond to the concerns that were raised. We did that and it’s time to move on,” he said.

Official opposition leader Michael Pintard has said the House Speaker owes Captain Russell an apology.

But Mr Laroda repeated that he can’t speak for the speaker. He also said that he was of the view that the matter ended with NEMA releasing a chronology of events relating to the tornado touch down.

As for Captain Russell, Mr Laroda said he continues to lead the agency.

“We have a good working relationship. There’s a lot of things going on with NEMA…we’re now in hurricane season and so we continue to work well together.”

Speaker Deveaux has said she does not see the need to apologise.

THE TRIBUNE

Wednesday, June 15, 2022, PAGE 5

Plans for new town centre for Marsh Harbour unveiled

By LEANDRA ROLLE Tribune Staff Reporter lrolle@tribunemedia.net

TRANSPORT and Housing Minister JoBeth Coleby-Davis yesterday unveiled plans for the development of a new town centre for Marsh Harbour, Abaco which she said will assist with the island’s economic growth following Hurricane Dorian’s devastation in 2019.

Speaking in the House of Assembly, Mrs ColebyDavis said the centre will house a new government complex, police station and mini hospital among other facilities.

According to the minister, the plans were given as a gift to her ministry from former Prime Minister Hubert Ingraham, who hails from the island and was North Abaco MP for eight consecutive terms.

“The island of Abaco was decimated by Hurricane

Dorian. While tremendous progress has been made in rebuilding the island.

There’s more work to be done,” the Elizabeth MP said.

“Abaco is important to the economic growth and wellbeing of our nation and I am, therefore, pleased to share in this honourable House that my ministry has been gifted with project plans for a new town centre at Marsh Harbour.”

“I want to make it clear that this town centre was gifted by the former Prime Minister and former Member of Parliament for Abaco, the right honourable Hubert Ingraham and his book is on sale right now.”

She added: “Major elements of the town centre will include a government complex, police and fire stations, a library, courts, mini hospital and amphitheatre central park and a gymnasium and we also

have more lots coming on stream, also gifted by the right honourable Hubert Ingraham, a design that he has as his vision in his heart.

“While they (are) beating their gums, Ingraham gifting us because he knows that a new day government will get it done. But in the coming months, my ministry will begin efforts to make the town centre a reality, turning the dream of a former Prime Minister Ingraham (into) a reality into the benefits of Bahamians and the people of Abaco whom he loves and we love also.”

Hurricane Dorian hit Abaco on September 1, 2019 as a Category 5 hurricane before barreling toward Grand Bahama.

The storm flattened homes and destroyed major infrastructure on the two islands, causing an estimated $3.4 billion in damage and losses.

JOBETH Coleby-Davis. Minister of Transport and Housing, in Parliament yesterday.

Photo: Racardo Thomas/Tribune Staff

WELLNESS IN THE PARK HEALTH and wellness was the order of the day on Bayfront Park in Governor’s Harbor, Eleuthera last Saturday, as Eleuthera Medical Centre hosted its first ‘Wellness in the Park’ health fair.

Attendees were able to have free glucose and blood pressure testing administered and also took part in free workout sessions with a personal trainer, all while indulging in sweet fruits and veggies, courtesy of BAMSI. National Health Insurance was also present, conducting membership sign-ups.

There was also a bouncing castle, face painting and more.

SCHOLARSHIPS FOR QUARTET AT GRAND BAHAMA COLLEGE

BY DENISE MAYCOCK Tribune Freeport Reporter dmaycock@tribunemedia.net

BAHAMA Blue Realty and Terreve College has partnered to present scholarships to four students to pursue tertiary studies at the college in Grand Bahama.

Mr Forrester Carroll, and his wife, Dr Valencia, owners of Bahama Blue Realty, and representatives of Terreve College made the announcement yesterday at the realty firm at No. 5 Sunset Highway, Freeport.

Also in attendance were Terrence Archer, owner, and president of Terreve; Cecil Thompson, College

Chair; and Randall Cooper, CEO. The recipients were Garricka Lewis, of Eight Mile Rock High School; Ellyah Lowe, of Tabernacle Baptist Christian Academy; and D’Andre Cooper, of Jack Hayward Secondary High School. The fourth recipient, a student of St Georges’ High, was not present.

Mr Carroll congratulated the recipients. “I wish to exalt you to take every opportunity to advance and get other scholarships. “We are very happy to be a part of this presentation, and I trust in the future that more scholarships will be offered through our partnership

(with Terreve),” he said.

Cecil Thompson, Terreve Chair, commended the Carrolls and his family’s contribution and continued support to education.

“Many people know this family too well; his brother Clarence Carroll is an extraordinary educator who once served as District Education Officer for Exuma and the Cays and for Grand Bahama. It is not unusual that the Carroll family is offering these scholarships and we are most grateful and appreciative to them,” he said.

Ellyah Lowe, who was supported by her parents Yourick and Kimberley Lowe, expressed thanks to

DOME FAMILIES EXIT DEADLINE from page one

As a result, she said a deadline will be given to those residents to vacate the property, but gave an assurance that the government will not “put people out heartlessly”.

“We have assessed the Spring City dome site and it was determined that many of the people occupying the domes could be moved because their placement there was not hurricane related,” she said.

“I am advised that shortly, we will be giving notice of a deadline for all persons there to vacate. The domes were intended as a temporary housing solution and their suitability and utility has long passed.

“We have looked at the conditions that many of these persons are living in and it is deplorable. Almost all of the domes have only one small tiny window.

Many of the occupants have now used those windows for air conditioning to help cool the area which means there is no proper ventilation at the dome sites and it has now caused for some of the domes to accumulate a lot of mould.

“So, it’s unfortunate, but the housing solution is being addressed and so we will be able to accommodate moving these persons in a better suitable location and so I want to be clear, that this Davis administration will not put people out heartlessly.”

She also revealed that her ministry will be working with several stakeholders to help transition storm affected victims into more suitable homes.

“We are partnering now with the Ministry of Social Services and Urban Development and we are also partnering with the Disaster Reconstruction Authority,” the housing minister said, adding, “and the three of us have been working tirelessly together to provide solutions so that we could assist in relocating those persons who are presently staying in those domes and I think we are almost on our way in providing them the necessary support and relief so that we could relocate them.”

She said once those residents have been relocated, officials will be assessing the site in hopes of developing eleven housing plots there.

“Our plan for those eleven lots is to build homes and to enter those homes in our government rent-to-own programme in Abaco to ensure that those who cannot meet the needs can have access to a viable housing solution,” Mrs Coleby-Davis added.

“We are looking at now well over 100 plus affordable homes in the Abacos.

The plans are in place, and we are now executing at record speed.”

Hurricane Dorian hit Abaco on September 1, 2019 as a Category 5 hurricane before barreling toward Grand Bahama.

The storm left thousands of homes either destroyed or damaged and hundreds of residents displaced.

To assist with rebuilding efforts, the Minnis administration spent more than $6m on nearly 200 domes that were supposed to be used as temporary housing for Abaco and Grand Bahama residents after Hurricane Dorian.

However, Disaster Reconstruction Authority officials have raised concerns about the previous administration’s dome project, citing structural issues among other things.

the Bahama Blue Realty. “I am grateful to BBR… thank you for allowing me to further my education and begin my career as a certified registered nurse,” she said.

Garricka Lewis, accompanied by her father Garrick Lewis, said she will take full advantage of the opportunity. “It is like a blessing in disguise, and I will use this opportunity to further my education,” she said.

D’Andre Cooper, accompanied by his mother, thanked everyone for their support.

Mr Archer said the students were awarded a partial scholarship to attend Terreve. He said all the recipients achieved a 3.0 GPA and higher. He encouraged students to pursue their dreams.

“When I started Terreve College I was a young man aged 22, and I had persons tell me I must be crazy to establish a college,” he stated. When adversity comes, you must prove people wrong. You cannot give up because of the naysayers, surround yourself by positive influencers.

Never allow anyone to kill your dream,” he told the recipients.

Randall Cooper told the recipients that they will be successful once they apply themselves. “What you have been provided today, take it to the next level and use it to better your country.”

Mr Cooper said Terreve offers various programs.

“Our Allied Health program is the biggest on the island, but more programs will be developed. He said the college has agreements with other colleges as well.

PAGE 6, Wednesday, June 15, 2022

The Tribune Limited

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Jan 6 hearings: What we’ve learned HOUSE investigators are trying to make a methodical case that President Donald Trump’s lies about the 2020 election led directly to his supporters’ insurrection at the US Capitol on January 6, 2021.

The House panel investigating the attack has held the first two in a series of hearings providing its initial findings after a yearlong probe and more than 1,000 interviews. The committee has shown clips not only from the violent attack on the Capitol, but also from its own closed-door interviews with Trump aides and associates who were trying to dissuade him from spreading falsehoods about an election he lost.

A rundown of what we’ve learned so far from the public hearings of the select January 6 committee — and what’s next: REBUFFED ON ELECTION NIGHT One after one, video excerpts have been played of Trump’s aides describing their conversations with the just-defeated president as returns came in on election night and in the days afterward, as it became increasingly obvious that he had lost to Democrat Joe Biden. The committee is trying to establish that Trump pushed lies about widespread election fraud despite hearing clear evidence that it didn’t happen.

As the aides tried to be realistic with the president, Trump lawyer Rudy Giuliani took the opposite approach, telling him on election night that he should declare victory right away, according to the testimony. It was four more days until Biden was declared the winner.

Trump’s daughter, Ivanka Trump, said she knew it was clear that the results would not be final on election night. Campaign aide Jason Miller said a better sense of the numbers was needed before making any declarations.

Campaign manager Bill Stepien said he advised Trump to tell reporters that the race was too early to call, that he was proud of the campaign he ran and that he was in a good position to win.

But Trump didn’t listen. Miller said that Trump told the room that anyone who didn’t agree with Giuliani was being “weak.” He went out and publicly declared the election “a fraud on the American public.”

“Frankly, we did win this election,” Trump said.

FRAUD INVESTIGATIONS COME UP EMPTY In the weeks after the election, the Department of Justice investigated Trump’s claims of widespread fraud.

States and localities that had counted the votes did their own checks. None found evidence to support the claims that Trump and Giuliani were pushing.

Attorney General Bill Barr, who resigned from office after publicly declaring there was no evidence of widespread fraud, described his interactions with the president as he tried to convince him of the facts. Not only was Trump angry, but he was becoming “detached from reality,” Barr said in a videotaped deposition.

Barr said that when he would tell Trump “how crazy some of these allegations were, there was never, there was never an indication of interest in what the actual facts were.”

Two in-person witnesses at the committee’s hearing on Monday talked about Trump and Giuliani’s pressure to try and overturn the results in their states. BJay Pak, a former US attorney in Atlanta who resigned as Trump pressured Georgia officials, said his office investigated Giuliani’s “reckless” claims about fraud in the state and found them to be “simply untrue.”

Philadelphia City Commissioner Al Schmidt, the only Republican on the city’s election board, said Trump’s claims about fraud in his city were “fantastical” and thorough investigations turned up nothing of the sort.

FUNDRAISING USING FALSE CLAIMS The panel detailed Trump’s fundraising off his own falsehoods. He and his allies raised hundreds of millions after the election, the committee said, and broadly misled donors as to where some of the money was going. Some of the

dollars that were advertised as going to an “election defence fund” actually benefitted groups and entities connected to Trump’s family and friends.

“Not only was there the Big Lie, there was the Big Ripoff,” said Rep Zoe Lofgren, D-Calif, a member of the panel.

After the hearing Monday, Lofgren said on CNN that Donald Trump Jr.’s girlfriend, Kimberly Guilfoyle, was paid $60,000 for a short speech at Trump’s rally ahead of the insurrection.

A REMINDER OF THE VIOLENCE While some of the committee’s findings are new, some of the evidence they are presenting is not. But the seven Democrats and two Republicans on the panel want to remind the public of what happened that January day – not only how violent it was, but the lies that led up to it.

At the initial hearing on June 9, the panel showed new video of police officers being beaten as Trump’s supporters broke into the Capitol and interrupted the certification of Biden’s victory.

Images from body cameras and security video showed the huge and angry crowd as it surged toward the entrances and shattered windows and doors, repeating Trump’s claims about fraud.

Capitol Police officer Caroline Edwards described a bloody “war scene” and hours of hand to hand combat. She was one of the first officers injured, thrown to ground as the first rioters pushed past bike racks. She suffered a head injury and still hasn’t yet returned to the same unit. “It was carnage,” she said. “It was chaos.”

WHAT’S NEXT While the schedule is fluid, the committee plans up to five additional hearings to lay out its findings. While the first two hearings showed the violence of the siege and documented Trump’s resistance as his aides and allies initially tried to present the facts of his November loss, future hearings will describe how he continued to push the lies and eventually set his sights on the congressional certification of Jan 6.

On Thursday, the panel will describe Trump’s efforts to persuade Vice President Mike Pence to illegally delay the electoral count or to object to Biden’s win as he presided over the congressional certification. In a video posted to Twitter on Tuesday, Wyoming Rep. Liz Cheney, the committee’s Republican co-chair, said the panel will examine Trump’s “relentless effort on Jan 6, and in the days beforehand, to pressure Vice President Pence to refuse to count lawful electoral votes”.

Rep Cheney also included a preview clip: former White House lawyer Eric Herschmann telling the committee in a video interview that he had told John Eastman, a lawyer who was working with Trump to push the false fraud claims, that he needed to “get a great effing criminal defence lawyer. You’re gonna need it”.

Other hearings will review Trump’s pressure on Justice Department officials and what was happening in the White House as the violence unfolded at the Capitol.

“The Trump campaign legal team knew there was no legitimate argument — fraud, irregularities or anything — to overturn the election,” Cheney said at Monday’s hearing. “And yet President Trump went ahead with his plans for Jan 6 anyway.”

A CRIMINAL REFERRAL? After the hearings, the committee says its investigation will continue.

And panel members will ultimately have to make a decision about whether they have found criminal activity and, if so, whether they should refer it to the Justice Department. The department, which is conducting its own investigation, could take or leave the recommendation.

Committee members have been debating that issue, but have emphasized a referral is not their main goal.

“We’re making a report to the American people about what happened, why it happened and how we need to protect ourselves in the future,” said Maryland Rep Jamie Raskin, a Democrat on the committee.

By MARY CLARE JALONICK Associated Press

THE STRAWBERRY Supermoon rises in front of the Statue of Liberty in New York, late last night.

Photo: J David Ake/AP

Speaker’s rebuke of Russell EDITOR, The Tribune.

IT IS always a joy and a privilege to pen a set of impressions on matters of a national charge – and for the greater-good-betterment of a people seeking to have the shortcomings adjustments where necessary – and never to belittle anyone, group or groups of people, party/organisations. For it is my belief that there is no place or time left to point the finger...for it accomplishes little.

Now, as I watched what made news this week in The Bahamas... firstly on the crime front, I am always saddened when lives are lost to gun violence ... and it appears that age doesn’t matter ... for we have seen victims as young as 13 years being targeted by as small a group of four teenagers and like a major criminal hit, not only execute their plan in broad daylight, but execute the victim also.

These are indeed troublesome times in which we live.

And on the political front, there is no question that the Parliamentary procedure code needs to be overhauled for it lacks many of the appropriate checks and balances to propel it to modern and equable status levelling fairness its dictates across the board and respecting objectivity, not showing favoritism to members of government, over the opposition members.

The takeaway from the session of parliament that involved the caption, points to how emotionally overwhelming the current make up presently constituted

LETTERS letters@tribunemedia.net way the Bahamian parliamentary system is being-administered, causes a Speaker of the parliament more, or less, to expose some aligning weaknesses, which, in my opinion places blame on the inadequacy of the female spirit, cannot be right?

But, if we say that the Speaker may have been out of order to respond as she did then we must be inclined to address the freedom to speech, not only as a Speaker of parliament... but for the inherent reason that Creator God has given all the rights to voice our disapproval no matter the venue?

And if her responses involved her constituents labouring under a tornado that had actually touched down, resulting in material damage and threats to the lives of so many...and to many dwellings...exposing residents to cope with damaged roofs or no roofs, is understandable and what appeared to be the head of National Emergency Management Agency’s director Captain Stephen Russell’s apparently being missingin-action, was cause for concern by the Speaker, any feeling of hurt is well founded.

But, and, I cannot attest to these allegations that the director had not lived up to mandate, it is open for discussion.

I think that what needs to come out of this is the across the board lack of expertise, professionalism,

equipment, maybe the will to do. And on the scale needed to police the Commonwealth of The Bahamas weather-wise we just do not see those involved with verifying the threats-of-severe- weather on a daily basis and issuing the announcements via radio, mobile phones and or by television - doesn’t happen - not even severe weather sirens, say for Bay Street, shopping districts for the benefit of those citizens moving about their daily lives? This lackadaisical don’t-care behaviour usually displayed, and no fear of Mother Nature, will come full circle as it continues to exact lives, if we fail to comply...we saw it recently, during the weekend and crash of the private plane, unfortunately claiming the life of a female passenger and sending many to the hospital, etc.

Finally, in its present state. the Parliament of The Bahamas, and I am aware that it is a debating chamber, but what and how it goes on about its business there, has left much to be desired...I do not know who would be better suited to be House Speaker?

When under attack, one has the right to self defense, it seems to me and many Bahamians that they would rather the Speaker not say anything – but we are an educated, competent people and therefore, shall have our say, amen.

Thank you, editor, for allowing me these several viewpoints, I really appreciate it.

FRANK GILBERT Nassau, June 11, 2022.

Gibson tried in court of public opinion EDITOR, The Tribune.

FREE National Movement (FNM) Leader Michael Pintard’s press release regarding the legal situation of Long Island MP Adrian Gibson was well within reason, considering the difficult circumstances his party finds itself in. The FNM will now have to give serious consideration to finding a replacement for Gibson in Long Island, in the event he voluntarily, or otherwise, resigns from Parliament. His continued presence in Parliament presents an awkward situation for both the FNM and governing Progressive Liberal Party. Gibson resigning will not be an admission of any

wrongdoing. It will simply give him time to focus his attention on clearing his name. It will also afford him the luxury of not having to share the same space with his political opponents, some of whom he might be tempted to harbour bitterness towards.

Pintard and the FNM hierarchy have come under significant scrutiny by armchair legal analysts on Facebook for the aforementioned statement.

Those critical of Pintard have all but tried, convicted and sentenced Gibson.

However, in our legal system, one is presumed innocent until proven guilty.

The burden of proof rests with the state to prove its

case. Until then, Bahamians must respect the legal process and stop playing judge, jury and executioner.

Certain Bahamians were lacking in human empathy when they gloated about the arrests of several PLP politicians in 2017 under the FNM government. I am seeing the same glee over the apparent downfall of Gibson. We must remember the old Bahamian adage that says, “today for me, tomorrow for you,” and stop finding joy in the pain and suffering of others.

KEVIN EVANS Freeport, Grand Bahama.

June 14, 2022.

THE TRIBUNE

Wednesday, June 15, 2022, PAGE 7

Munroe: always concern over deaths while on bail

TWO ACCUSED AFTER DISCOVERY OF INDIAN HEMP

By EARYEL BOWLEG Tribune Staff Reporter ebowleg@tribunemedia.net

By PAVEL BAILEY Tribune Court Reporter pbailey@tribunemedia.net

NATIONAL Security Minister Wayne Monroe says there is always concern when people on bail are victims of murder.

His comments came in the aftermath of the murder of a man on bail who was gunned down on Sunday at the AF Adderley Junior High School.

The victim, Randy Williams, 29, was on bail for rape and burglary and was being electronically monitored.

In March, Franklyn Glinton, who was charged with the 2020 killing of 17-year-old Lavard McKenzie was shot and later died in hospital. Glinton and his co-accused were granted bail months after their arraignments.

And in May, while he was not on bail, but on the prison’s work release scheme, Timothy Saunders was shot to death at Rubis Gas Station on Mackey and Madeira Streets.

Asked if there is any concern, Mr Monroe answered: “There’s always a concern when you have a class of persons who are the subject of homicide and the police do their investigations and you have to balance it. If you find somebody for instance who is on bail for a homicide who’s involved, or said to be involved, in gang activity, the death may be as a result of the matter that they’re before the court for or it might be the result of their lifestyle adopted.

“You have to be concerned about it in any event. Bail can be refused for the person’s own protection but you often find

TWO men were arraigned separately in different Magistrate’s Courts yesterday on drug charges.

Angelo Antonio, 35, stood before Magistrate Kara Turnquest-Deveaux on charges of possession of dangerous drugs and resisting arrest.

On June 11 in New Providence, after initially resisting arrest, the accused was apprehended after he was found with 11 grams of indian hemp.

In court, he pleaded guilty to both charges and was fined $500 or risk spending six months in custody on the drug charge. He was also sentenced to an additional fine of $150 or one month in prison for resisting arrest.

The accused is expected to return to court today for a report.

The second accused, Jameson Jacobs, 26, appeared before Magistrate Shaka Serville on an initial charge of possession of dangerous drugs with intent to supply.

On June 12 in New Providence, Jacobs was arrested after he was found with ten grams of indian hemp with an estimated street value of $50.

Jacobs pleaded guilty and told the court he had bought the drugs for his own personal use and that they helped calm his nerves.

A court review of his criminal history revealed that Jacobs has a pending attempted murder charge for which he has yet to be served with a VBI from the Chief Magistrate.

Prosecutor Inspector Barr interceding on the accused’s behalf said that Jacobs’ early plea of guilty is proof that he is willing to change. With that in mind, he asked the magistrate to amend the charge to simple possession and implored him to be lenient in his sentencing.

Magistrate Serville accepted the accused’s plea and agreed to reduce the charges. The magistrate then granted Jacobs a conditional discharge during which he is expected to attend drug counseling at CCAC for six months. There the accused is expected to find alternative methods to deal with his anxiety.

If Jacobs returns to court with a satisfactory report of progress at the end of his course, he will be granted a full discharge.

However, should he fail to complete the course he would face a fine of $250 and the charge will remain permanently on his record.

The accused is expected to return to court for a review on December 7.

THE BODY of Randy Williams being removed from the scene on Sunday. that people when confronted an eye out for you and apart with ‘you ought to be kept in from that, vigilance is the best custody for your protection’ that can happen. they prefer not to be in cus“But if a person chooses to tody. And if they insist on being go around killing people, they released on bail, they make the will do it and the challenge is to requirement to being released prevent them from wanting to on bail then the courts will do that. And when they do it, to release them and then some- effectively catch them, put them times consequences flow.” before the court, and subject As for addressing the chal- them to judgement.” lenge of people released on He said the law says that one bail being killed, he noted it is is presumed innocent and so the same way all murders are because one is presumed innoaddressed. cent they cannot be punished “Bad actors will act badly,” he before being found guilty. said. “The police have adopted “We’ve tried and politician tactics that Deputy Commis- after politician have sought to sioner Fernander would have fool the public by passing laws advised of saturation patrol that they know couldn’t stand they do when you’re released constitutional scrutiny. Rememfrom bail. There’s a division of ber we had laws that say you the police force that notifies the couldn’t get bail for this and you divisions so that they can have couldn’t get bail for that. I’m

persuaded that at the time those laws were passed, the people passing them were well aware that although they would do that to placate the public, they didn’t have a snowball’s chance in hell of surviving. So, it’s pointless to tell the public things just to bring comfort to you.”

The Freetown MP added: “The purpose of bail is to make sure that you don’t abscond if you offend while on bail. There was a case of somebody who was on bail who was monitored by an ankle bracelet who then committed an armed robbery. The monitoring company advised the police. They were able to apprehend him with the stolen property. Well he will be denied bail because another object of bail is to prevent from reoffending while on bail.”

37-YEAR-OLD ACCUSED OF UNLAWFUL SEX WITH GIRL A MAN was remanded to the Bahamas Department of Correctional Services yesterday after he was accused of unlawful sexual intercourse with a ten-year-old girl.

Patrick Lublin Darelus, 37, stood before Assistant Chief Magistrate Subusola Swain charged with two counts of unlawful sexual intercourse.

Twice between January 1 and May 1 in New Providence, Darelus is accused of having sex with the child.

Due to the nature of the offences the accused was not required to enter a plea.

He was also informed that his case would proceed by way of a Voluntary Bill of Indictment (VBI).

Although the prosecution objected to

Darelus’s bail, he was informed by the magistrate of his right to apply for bail through the Supreme Court where his case ultimately will be heard.

The accused was sent back to the Bahamas Department of Correctional Services until a decision is made on his bail. He is expected to be served his VBI on September 30.

PAGE 8, Wednesday, June 15, 2022

THE TRIBUNE

‘I never want to promote derogatory language. As a fat black woman in America, I’ve had many hurtful words used against me[…] As an influential artist, I’m dedicated to being part of the change I’ve been waiting to see in the world.’

Lizzo’s handling of her mistake is an example to learn from ONE of the most interesting artists of this generation is Lizzo. Some fans were enjoying her music on YouTube long before she made it big.

Her music has always been fun, uplifting and relatable.

She is unapologetically herself. Her Instagram is loaded with photos and videos where she makes it clear that being fat is not a character flaw or a source of shame for her. She has intentionally hired dancers with different body types, refusing to conform to the typical aesthetic of live

By Alicia Wallace

performances and music videos.

Her music and her personality make people feel good and encourage people to love themselves as they are. This week, she added accountability to her public

offerings.

Lizzo’s new album, Special, will be released next month. Single GRRRLS was released on Friday and there was immediate backlash. The song is about friendship between

women, having each other’s back from defending one another to celebrating each other’s wins.

In the first verse, Lizzo sang, “Hold my bag, do you see this [expletive]?

I’m a spaz.” That last word is the cause of the backlash. People with disabilities pointed out that “spaz” is a derogatory term that stems from the medical condition spastic diplegia. This critique sparked conversation about the word, its use, and whether or not it is ever okay to use such language. Some argued the word is used differently in certain parts of the world, and a different meaning is understood and implied. Others noted it is important to listen when people say specific words are harmful and help to perpetuate negative ideas about certain communities.

Lizzo responded quickly with a new version of the song, removing the harmful language. The lyrics are now, “Hold my bag, do you see this [expletive]? Hold me back.” In an Instagram post, she said: “I never want to promote derogatory language.” She continued, “As a fat black woman in America, I’ve had many hurtful words used against me[…]

As an influential artist, I’m dedicated to being part of the change I’ve been waiting to see in the world.”

The new version of the song has been wellreceived. On social media, people are pointing to Lizzo’s swift action as a great example of accountability. She recognized that she did something wrong and, although she was not aware of it at the time, it was her responsibility to make the correction and reduce harm. One tweet said: “Lizzo just displayed

how to fix your mistakes with grace. She did the right thing when being met with deserved criticism, and I hope other artists take note.”

There is truly a lesson to be learned from Lizzo’s mistake, the criticism and her response. People do and say harmful things for a wide range of reasons.

Sometimes, harm is the intent. Sometimes, there is lack of care or indifference. In some cases, however, people do not have sufficient information.

Unfortunately, there isn’t always someone around who knows better and can encourage better actions before harm is caused.

It is important for us to be educate each other, listen to each other, and move toward solutions.

Criticism is not bad, and it is not a reason to run away.

It is often an opportunity to learn a lesson that can be applied again and again.

When a person is offended by correction or resistant to new information, people providing criticism are seen as the enemy. We would all be much better off if we accept that we do not know everything and treat mistakes and criticism as opportunities for growth.

Even in their criticism, many members of the disability community provided helpful information.

They did not simply say GRRRLS was offensive, or that the use of a derogatory word was unacceptable.

They made connections.

They specifically noted the word may be used differently in certain parts of the world, shared the context they have for the word and named the condition it references. They are, by no means, responsible for educating anyone, much less people who have caused them harm,

yet many people with disabilities saw the value in explaining all of this for Lizzo and the thousands of people paying attention to the conversation.

The way we offer criticism matters. When we give it, it is helpful to be clear, with ourselves, that the goal is to affect change as opposed to only expressing disappointment or rage.

When we receive criticism, we can respond in many ways. They generally boil down to defensiveness and repair. When we are defensive, we center ourselves and our own perspectives, and sometimes we try to make ourselves the victim, framing critics as unkind or unfair. When we focus on repair, we listen to understand, expand our own knowledge, and find ways to reduce harm and demonstrate commitment to doing better.

In Lizzo’s response, for example, she did not centre her lack of knowledge on the term or the medical condition or use it as an excuse.

She understood people were hurt by the lyrics and, within three days, change those lyrics and released the new version. Of course, some will complain she did include a particular element in her statement, does not have enough competent team members who could catch issues like that one, or a number of other specific items they would expect.

There will also be, as there have been before, people who will get away with intentional and unintentional harm for various reasons. None of this takes away from this moment.

A mistake was made and people were hurt. People explain the harm caused.

The person responsible took action. That’s accountability, and we need more of it.

Recommendations 1. CEDAW Convention Speaker Series, Article 4 with Gaynel Curry. This series is hosted by Equality Bahamas to provide information on the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women, one article at a time. Experts from all over the world explain one article, including interpretation, expectations of States, and recommendations made by the CEDAW Committee to The Bahamas. Patricia Schulz was the guest speaker at the first session, focused on discrimination and policy measures, and the recording is available at tiny.cc/ cedaw1recording. At the second session, Esther Eghobamien-Mshelia presented on human rights and fundamental freedoms, and

the recording is available at tiny.cc/cedaw3recording. This session, focused on special measures, will be held on Saturday, June 18 at 10am. Register at tiny. cc/cedaw4 to join the discussion on Zoom. We are sure to talk about political quotas, how and where they have been successful, and what they may look like in The Bahamas.

2. Being Serena. This fivepart documentary series gives a look at Serena Williams’ life. Interviews are interspersed with footage of her life. In the interviews, she is candid, and the footage gives the feeling of being in the room and observing events. In the first episode, she talks about dreaming that she was pregnant, finding out that she was pregnant, and playing at

the 2017 Australian Open.

In less than 25 minutes, there are glimpses of her pregnancy and preparation for the arrival of her baby, and it ends dramatically with the decision to have a C-section — complicated by her history of blood clots and the knowledge that any surgery is life-threatening for her — because her baby was in distress.

The drama continues in the second episode where she had the baby, but later had difficulty breathing. Knowing her medical history, she advocated for herself, insisting on a specific test to find the issue. It is an emotional rollercoaster. One of the interesting things Serena says is that fear is one of the things that drives her, and that statement brings tremendous perspective.

THE TRIBUNE

Wednesday, June 15, 2022, PAGE 9

UPS TESTS TINY BATTERY-POWERED CYCLES IN CONGESTED CITIES

By JULIE WALKER and TED SHAFFREY Associated Press NEW YORK (AP) — The sleek four-wheeled carts look familiar enough, but not even UPS knows precisely how to describe what could be the delivery giant’s latest way to get packages to your door.

UPS unveiled Tuesday a battery-powered, four-wheeled cycle to more efficiently haul cargo in some of the world’s most congested streets and to reduce its carbon footprint. The company is trying to reach carbon neutrality by 2050.

The slimmed-down vehicles don the company’s gold-coloured logo and accompanying stripe on a dark brown background. But the “eQuad” — as the company calls it — garnered amusement from passersby.

Ian Lagowitz had never seen one and walked over to give it a look.

“It’s funny looking,” he said, “but it’s probably good for the city, right?”

Mohammad Islam called the vehicle “cool stuff,” and wished the programme well.

“Big trucks always blocking the traffic,” he said, “so if they do that kind of stuff, it’s 10 times better for everybody.”

The pedal-powered vehicle was dwarfed by

TECHTALK

COMPANY TESTS HIGH-ALTITUDE AIRSHIP OVER NEW MEXICO DESERT

By SUSAN MONTOYA BRYAN Associated Press

UPS worker Dyghton Anderson peddles an eQuad electric bike in a bicycle lane while delivering packages, in New York, Tuesday.

Delivery giant UPS is going back to the future in its latest way to get packages to the doors of its millions of customers. The company is considering launching a fleet of pedal- and battery-powered cargo cycles for deliveries in some of the country’s most congested cities. (AP Photo/Ted Shaffrey)

one of the company’s more traditional delivery trucks, which rumble through traffic and sometimes draw the ire of motorists trying to get by parked trucks on narrow streets. Delivery companies have tried all sorts of ways to deliver packages — from traditional vans to drones. The company now has a fleet

of more than 1,000 electric vehicles and thousands more that aren’t powered by traditional gas engines.

UPS said a trial run is focused on New York City and in several cities in Europe.

“New York is a complicated city, when we look at the density,” said Nicole Pilet, the industrial

engineering director for UPS. “So if we can have success here in the city, then we can see how we implement in other cities throughout the U.S.” The company had its start in Seattle more than a century ago and the first deliveries were made by foot or bicycle. As the company grew, its motorised

fleet did, too.

“This is right in my wheelhouse,” said Dyghton Anderson, a 22-year-old UPS delivery person and an avid cyclist who is helping pilot the programme. “I ride to and from work — from all the way from the Bronx all the way to here on 43rd — so it’s pretty comfortable for me.”

SPACEX CLOSER TO LAUNCHING GIANT ROCKETSHIP AFTER FAA REVIEW

By MARCIA DUNN AP Aerospace Writer

SPACEX’S giant Starship rocket standing at its Texas launch pad. Elon Musk’s company is looking to attempt the first orbital test flight of the nearly 400-foot-tall Starship sometime this year.

(SpaceX via AP)

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. (AP) — SpaceX cleared a key hurdle Monday for its plan to launch a gigantic, futuristic rocketship into orbit from Texas.

The Federal Aviation Administration concluded an environmental review of Elon Musk’s Starship base. The agency saw no significant environmental concerns, but is requiring more than 75 actions to reduce impacts to the region.

It’s no guarantee a launch license will be issued since other factors such as safety and financial responsibility requirements still must be met at the Boca Chica site, according to the FAA. After the latest news, SpaceX tweeted: “One step closer to the first orbital flight test of Starship.”

At nearly 400 feet (120 metres), Starship is the most powerful rocket ever built and meant to carry people to the moon

and Mars. NASA intends to use it for the space agency’s lunar landing of astronauts, planned no earlier than 2025.

While SpaceX has launched Starship’s bullet-shaped upper stage several miles (10 kilometres) into the air over the past year — resulting in some spectacular explosions — it’s yet to fly it atop a Super Heavy booster.

Some residents had opposed Starship launches and landings, citing not only the noise and closed roads, but also wreckage raining down from failed flights.

As part of the FAA report, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service insisted on additional measures, but noted operations were unlikely to jeopardise endangered species or their habitat.

The site is located at the southernmost tip of Texas, about 1,000 miles west of Cape Canaveral where SpaceX launches astronauts and supplies to the International Space Station for NASA.

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) — A technology company that wants to bring broadband to more remote areas and monitor methane and other emissions from the oil and gas industry launched one of its airships from the New Mexico desert on Tuesday as part of a key test on the way to commercial operations.

Sceye Inc. is developing a high-altitude platform station that company officials hope will provide an option other than satellites and airplanes for boosting internet connectivity and collecting data on everything from industrial pollution to wildfire threats.

It took a couple of hours for the unmanned heliumfilled station to reach the stratosphere. It will maintain its position there for 24 hours, a milestone that will bring Sceye closer to commercial operations over the next 18 to 24 months.

Founder and CEO Mikkel Vestergaard Frandsenand said his team will aim for more longevity with subsequent flights from their home base in Roswell.

“Every flight is a big deal but every flight also is just another step in a process of iterative learning,” he said during a virtual interview from Sceye’s hangar where workers were busy prepping the massive airship for the flight.

Vestergaard Frandsenand said it takes about eight months to build a station, which consists of a sleek reflective fabric designed to operate in the stratosphere at 65,000 feet (19.8 kilometres) above the Earth’s surface.

NASA several years ago proposed a challenge that called for designs that could fly higher and longer than existing airships, with scientists at the Jet Propulsion Lab in California saying observations at that altitude could provide greater clarity. At the time, no airship could maintain an altitude in the stratosphere for more than eight hours.

Capable of lifting heavy payloads, Sceye’s airship runs on solar panels and a bank of lithium-sulphur batteries.

“Whether we achieve our objective with this flight or achieve something that’s short of the objective, we’re going to learn a lot,” he said.

The New Mexico Economic Development Department pledged up to $5 million in funding when Sceye announced it would locate in the state. The company has operations in Roswell and Moriarty, a small community near Albuquerque.

PAGE 10, Wednesday, June 15, 2022

THE TRIBUNE

Darville: We’re seeking to deal with nurses’ grievance

By EARYEL BOWLEG Tribune Staff Reporter ebowleg@tribunemedia.net HEALTH and Wellness Minister Dr Michael Darville said a negotiation team has been given the mandate to bring resolution to the Bahamas Nurses Union’s grievances as soon as possible.

The minister told reporters the nurses have many concerns - some associated with the state of infrastructure at some clinics and hospitals. He said there is a budgetary allocation in the 2022/2023 budget to address many of the concerns.

This comes as the BUT held a strike poll last week.

BUT president Amancha Williams told The Tribune at the time that the majority of votes were cast in favour of taking industrial action.

“As far as union contracts are concerned,” Dr Darville said, “they are at the table.

We have our consultant negotiator who’s working very closely with the nurses union and we will stay at the table because it’s important for us to ensure that many of these long standing issues are sorted so that our nurses can be in a proper environment and some of the issues as it relates to promotions are being addressed.

“All of these things are things that I met when I

came to the office and it is my responsibility to work with the unions. Not only the nurses union, with the junior doctors union as well as the consultants union to make sure that we have our professional staff satisfied with being able to do what they need to do at institutions.”

BUT president Williams has said they are expecting that the industrial agreement will be signed no later than August, but “DPH has not come to the table as yet”.

Probed on the aim for union contracts, the minister expressed urgency to try to get it done.

“In view of what we are

confronted with now, our negotiation team has been given the mandate to get this thing over as soon as possible. I don’t want to put a date on it because negotiations are complex creatures within themselves. So, it’s important that the two parties are comfortable at the bargaining table and the decisions and the outcome. I would like to see it sooner than later,” he explained.

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

Asked about the health

service collapsing if nurses decide to withdraw services, the Tall Pines MP replied: “We’re not thinking about them withdrawing their services. Our job is to work with them to solve some of these complex issues. The union has been very supportive up to this particular point.

There’s some outstanding issues and, of course, the union feels that they need to be expedited. We are of the same view.

“In this year’s budget, fortunately for us, there’s some leg room that would allow us to do some things that we could not do in the last budget. But we’re hoping and praying

that we will stay at the table and work out our differences.”

Meanwhile, Dr Darville said that there is no case of monkeypox in the country as of yesterday. This comes after a foreigner who was being monitored for suspected monkeypox was airlifted out of the country last week.

The minister highlighted that samples were taken from individuals and are at the reference lab. He added some lab technologists are going through some additional training by PAHO and “in very short order” they will have the reagents in the country to be able to do testing in-house.

BAHAMAS FIGHTS CHILD LABOUR

ACTING Director of Social Services Kim Sawyer; Minister of Labour and Immigration Keith Bell; Director General of the International Labour Organization Guy Ryder and Assistant Director of Labour Yolantha Yallop.

LABOUR and Immigration Minister Keith Bell joined the International Labour Organisation in the observance of World Day Against Child Labour on Sunday at the ILO’s Headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland.

Child labour is often defined as work that deprives children of their childhood, their potential, and their dignity, and that is harmful to physical and mental development.

During his address, Minister Bell joined the Director-General of the International Labour Organisation, Guy Ryder, and other leaders as they pledged to end all forms of child labour.

Minister Bell was also joined by Patricia Hermanns, Ambassador/ Permanent Representative of The Commonwealth of The Bahamas and third

secretary Kristie Russell of the Permanent Mission of the Commonwealth of The Bahamas along with Yolantha Yallop, assistant director of labour and Kim Sawyer, acting director of Social Services.

The Bahamas took the pledge to end Child Labour in 2017 at the 4th Global Conference on World Day Against Child Labour. At the 5th Global Conference in 2019 with the technical assistance of the ILO and the Caribbean Secretariat, The Bahamas drafted its Child Labour Policy. In 2021 that policy was formally adopted.

The Bahamas is presently in the implementation phase, whereby it is focused on legislative reform and greater public awareness. The Bahamas has answered the call to end all forms of child labour by 2025.

UK CANCELS FIRST ASYLUM SEEKER FLIGHT TO RWANDA LONDON Associated Press

BRITAIN has cancelled its first deportation flight to Rwanda after a lastminute intervention by the European Court of Human Rights, which decided there was “a real risk of irreversible harm’’ to the asylum seekers involved.

The flight had been scheduled to leave Tuesday evening but lawyers for the asylum seekers launched a flurry of case-by-case appeals seeking to block the deportation of everyone on the government’s list.

Foreign Secretary Liz Truss had said earlier in

the day that the plane would take off no matter how many people were on board. But after the appeals, no one remained.

The decision to scrap the Tuesday flight caps three days of frantic court challenges as immigration rights advocates and labor unions sought to stop the deportations. The leaders of the Church of England joined the opposition, calling the government’s policy “immoral”.

Earlier in the day, British Prime Minister Boris Johnson had emphatically defended the plan. “We are going to get on and deliver” the plan, Johnson

declared, arguing that the move is a legitimate way to protect lives and thwart the criminal gangs that smuggle migrants across the English Channel in small boats.

The prime minister announced an agreement with Rwanda in April in which people who entered Britain illegally would be deported to the East African country. In exchange for accepting them, Rwanda would receive millions of pounds (dollars) in development aid. The deportees would be allowed to apply for asylum in Rwanda, not Britain.

Opponents have argued that it is illegal and

inhumane to send people thousands of miles to a country they don’t want to live in. Britain in recent years has seen an illegal influx of migrants from such places as Syria, Afghanistan, Iran, Sudan, Iraq and Yemen.

Activists have denounced the policy as an attack on the rights of refugees that most countries have recognised since the end of World War II. Politicians in Denmark and Austria are considering similar proposals.

Australia has operated an asylum-processing center in the Pacific island nation of Nauru since 2012.

A PLACARD left outside the High Court where the ruling on Rwanda deportation flights was taking place in London yesterday.

THE TRIBUNE

Wednesday, June 15, 2022, PAGE 11

Sky have eventful week with pair of wins, Obama visit

By DOUG FEINBERG AP Basketball Writer IT was an eventful week for the Chicago Sky with huge road victories over Connecticut and New York as well as a visit with former President Barack Obama.

The Sky went 2-1 on a three-game road trip, edging the Sun and Liberty after a close loss to Washington. Chicago was able to overcome the second triple-double of New York’s Sabrina Ionescu’s career with a last-second 3-pointer

by Courtney Vandersloot.

Before embarking on the trip, the Sky spent about 20 minutes with Obama at his office in Chicago. The meeting was set up by the team’s ownership group.

“It was amazing. I know him from being from Illinois,” Candace Parker said.

“The first time I met him I was like 14. To see him was cool.”

Chicago coach James Wade, one of three black male head coaches in the WNBA, was moved by the meeting.

“Once he comes into the room you’re in awe” he said. “All these feelings come up since he changed the way you think. He gave you hope for what you can imagine and what your kids can imagine.

“All those come to light when he talks to you.

Having that feeling there was something you can’t put into words.”

Wade and the players said Obama talked about many of their strengths and weaknesses.

“He knows the players.

He told them how they play and what they do,” Wade said.

“He’s not just a basketball guy, but he’s a WNBA fan. He’s a Chicago Sky fan.

To know he watches us and knows our players is pretty cool.”

POWER POLL This week’s WNBA poll: 1. Las Vegas (11-2): The Aces continue to be the class of the league with the dominant inside-outside combination of A’ja Wilson and Kelsey Plum.

2. Connecticut (10-4): The Sun play three games this week with matchups against Atlanta, Seattle and Washington. Connecticut is still looking to get more consistent on the defensive end without Jasmine Thomas (ACL).

3. Chicago (9-4): The Sky have won five of their last six games and Emma Meesseman has been a major reason why. The free agent signee averaged 17.7 points, 7.7 rebounds and 3.3 assists last week.

4. Washington (9-6): The Mystics got a scare when Elena Delle Donne had her back tighten up in a win over Chicago. The team has been cautious with her return this season after she missed all of last year. In her absence, Myisha HinesAllen stepped up to help fill the void.

5. Seattle (8-5): The Storm have been on a roll lately, winning three straight behind Breanna Stewart and Jewell Loyd.

The two have combined to average over 47 points a game during the winning streak.

6. Atlanta (7-6): The Dream have dropped two in a row and have a challenging week ahead with road games against top teams Connecticut and Chicago.

7. Phoenix (5-8): Three straight wins have lifted the Mercury out of the bottom of the standings. Next up this week are games at Washington, Indiana and Dallas.

8. Dallas (6-7): The Wings have struggled at home this season going 1-4 and hope to change that when Las Vegas, Phoenix and Los Angeles all come to Dallas this week.

9. New York (5-9): Sabrina Ionescu has been a major reason for the Liberty’s success lately as they’ve

CONNECTICUT Sun forward Jonquel Jones (35) is guarded by Las Vegas Aces guard Chelsea Gray (12) and forward Dearica Hamby, right, during a WNBA basketball game in Las Vegas on June 2.

(Steve Marcus/Las Vegas Sun via AP) gone 4-2 over their last six games. She’s averaging 24.0 points, 6.8 rebounds and 6.5 assists during that span and tied the WNBA record with her second career tripledouble on Sunday against Chicago.

10. Los Angeles (5-8): A coaching change didn’t immediately help the Sparks, who were routed in their lone game last week.

Having some practice time under Fred Williams hopefully will help the Sparks get better on defence.

11. Indiana (4-12): The Fever snapped a five-game skid with a win over Minnesota thanks in part to No. 2 pick NaLyssa Smith. She’s been a bright spot for the team this season and is part of the talented young core the franchise is building around.

12. Minnesota (3-11): The Lynx lost centre Sylvia Fowles indefinitely to a knee injury last week.

Fowles is playing her final season in the WNBA this year.

PLAYER OF THE WEEK Breanna Stewart of Seattle was voted the AP Player of the Week for the second time in three weeks. Stewart averaged 25.3 points, 8.7 rebounds and 2.7 assists to help the Storm to three wins. Ionescu of New York and Wilson of Las Vegas also received votes.

HEARING ABOUT BRITTNEY The Phoenix Mercury had a meeting with State Department officials on Monday to learn about the Biden administration’s effort to secure Brittney Griner’s release from Russia.

“Knowing the State Department at the highest level, from US President Joe Biden to the team that is working on bringing back all Americans who are wrongfully detained, gives us a lot of confidence that they’re working on it,” Mercury guard Diana Taurasi said in a release from the team.

DOCUMENTING HISTORY A documentary (“Unfinished Business) about the New York Liberty debuted at the Tribeca Film Festival on Monday.

The Liberty are the only remaining original WNBA franchise not to win a championship title.

The film gave a behindthe-scenes look at last year’s team as well as splicing in footage and interviews with many former Liberty greats like Teresa Weatherspoon.

“It was great to be part of that film and spend a night out with this group,” Ionescu said on the red carpet before the premiere.

“As the film title states we still have work to do.”

GAME OF THE WEEK: Storm at Liberty, Sunday.

The Storm visit New York in what is most likely Sue Bird’s final appearance in her hometown as a player.

Bird has said that this will most likely be her final year in the WNBA.

PAGE 12, Wednesday, June 15, 2022

THE TRIBUNE

US Open lets Russian tennis players in after Wimbledon ban

By HOWARD FENDRICH AP Tennis Writer THE US Open will allow tennis players from Russia and Belarus to compete this year despite the ongoing war in Ukraine, which prompted Wimbledon to ban those athletes.

US Tennis Association CEO and Executive Director Lew Sherr, whose group runs the US Open, said in a telephone interview with The Associated Press yesterday that the USTA Board decided to let Russians and Belarusians enter the tournament because of “concern about holding the individual athletes accountable for the actions and decisions of their governments.”

Sherr said athletes from Russia and Belarus will play at Flushing Meadows under a neutral flag — an

arrangement that’s been used at various tennis tournaments around the world, including the French Open, which ended June 5.

The US Open starts on August 29 in New York.

Since Russia began its attacks on Ukraine in February, Russian athletes have been prevented from taking part in many sports, including soccer’s World Cup qualifying playoffs. Belarus has aided Russia in the war.

Russia also was held out of two international team events in tennis in which it was the reigning champion: the Billie Jean King Cup and Davis Cup. The All England Club, where main-draw play for Wimbledon starts on June 27, announced in April it would bar all Russians and Belarusians from its fields — which means current men’s No. 1, Russia’s Daniil

Medvedev, is not eligible to participate. Medvedev is the defending champion at the US Open.

Wimbledon’s ban drew immediate criticism from the WTA and ATP, along with some prominent players, such as defending champion Novak Djokovic.

In May, the WTA and ATP said they would not award any rankings points for Wimbledon this year, an unprecedented rebuke of the All England Club. Some players, including fourtime major champion and former No. 1 Naomi Osaka, said they would consider sitting out Wimbledon.

The ATP has said all points earned at Wimbledon in 2021 will fall off a player’s record and no new points will be earned there this year. The WTA has not decided exactly how last year’s rankings points

DANIIL MEDVEDEV, of Russia, reacts after scoring a point against Novak Djokovic, of Serbia, in the men’s singles final of the US Open tennis championships on September 12, 2021, in New York. The US Open tennis tournament will allow players from Russia and Belarus to compete this year despite the ongoing invasion of Ukraine that prompted a ban at Wimbledon.

(AP Photo/Elise Amendola) from the All England Club will be treated, but no new points can be added based on how a player performs there this time.

Sherr told the AP that what happened with Wimbledon — both the All England Club’s move to keep players from certain countries out and the tours’ reaction — played no role in the USTA’s choice to let Russian and Belarusian players in.

“Our discussion was really on the merits and really the principles around both sides of this argument.

This was not a commercial

versus an ethical question,” he said. “There are arguments on both sides. Are you being perceived as supporting atrocious acts by a government? And at the same time: Would you hold an individual athlete accountable for that?”

Sherr said the WTA and ATP professional tours organised a series of conversations with athletes from Ukraine, Russia and Belarus and various governing bodies in tennis, and that the heads of both tours addressed the USTA Board before its decision. The USTA plans to

offer additional financial assistance for humanitarian efforts in Ukraine and will use the US Open as a platform to raise awareness about the war. “This is a horrific situation and we, along with everyone else in tennis, absolutely condemn what is an unprovoked and unjust invasion of Ukraine

by Russia, and everything is framed in that context,” Sherr said. “As difficult as some of these decisions may be, none of it amounts to the difficulties being experienced in Ukraine right now, and the tragedies and atrocities.”

COLUMN: PLAYERS WHO TAKE SAUDI MONEY SHOULDN’T NEED PGA TOUR

By DOUG FERGUSON AP Golf Writer BROOKLINE, Mass.

(AP) — Two players huddled on the practice range late in the afternoon at The Country Club. Only a few words were audible from each sentence, still enough to have a good idea of the topic.

And it wasn’t anything about the US Open.

Even at the second-oldest championship in golf, there is no escaping the chatter and speculation about a potential future that is built around riches — obnoxious greed, one might say — instead of credibility.

“You can’t go anywhere without somebody bringing it up,” Justin Thomas said. “That’s not right for the USGA. That’s not right for the US Open. That’s not right for us players. But that’s, unfortunately, where we’re at right now.”

And to think it was only late February when Commissioner Jay Monahan was so confident about his position against the Saudifunded LIV Golf series that he said, “The PGA Tour is moving on.”

It should be as simple as that.

And that should be true for Phil Mickelson and Dustin Johnson, Bryson DeChambeau and Patrick Reed, and anyone else enticed by riches from Saudi Arabia’s sovereign wealth fund and promises

from Greg Norman that LIV Golf is the future.

Move on.

Johnson, who resigned his PGA Tour membership, said his plan was to play in the eight LIV events this year and a couple of majors and nothing more. “The whole reason I started playing on LIV was to play less golf, not more,” he said.

Well, that wasn’t the whole reason.

There is that $150 million signing fee The Daily Telegraph reported Johnson received. That’s twice as much as his PGA Tour earnings he accumulated over the last 15 years.

Whether Johnson or any other player this side of Tiger Woods is even worth that much is up for debate.

Ditto for Mickelson, who looked every bit of his soon-to-be 52 years when he spoke to the media Monday and repeated the same rehearsed lines from his LIV Golf debut last week.

He respects others’ opinions, empathizes with whoever is offended and feels his relationship with the PGA Tour is a two-way street. They provided a stage, he hit flop shots.

Mickelson doesn’t want to let go of his lifetime membership, afforded players with 20 career wins and 15 years of service. Never mind that he said he would play only LIV events and the British Open this year.

He wants to decide where

to play without anyone telling him.

With Mickelson, it’s always about control.

Monahan doubled down on his attack on the source of these riches. “It’s not an issue for me because I don’t work for the Saudi Arabian government,” he said. His money line — no pun intended — during his first public comments since LIV Golf began was when he said Sunday that no one ever had to apologize for being a member of the PGA Tour.

More intriguing was the question he offered when asked why players can’t be on both tours.

“Why do they need us so badly?” he said.

It’s a fair question.

Why not just leave? What is there to gain by playing on the PGA Tour if even a spike in purses this year is still barely more than a third of what LIV Golf offers ($25 million) at every stop?

What the tour is banking on is relevance and visibility, and that’s what Saudi money can’t buy.

That could change, of course, which should be golf’s biggest fear. Everyone has a price, which explains why Johnson changed his mind, thus paving the way for DeChambeau to make a similar U-turn. Others are sure to follow, none who move the needle on his own. The majors are the key to this and still to

PGA Tour Commissioner Jay Monahan leaves after speaking with sports commentator Jim Nantz regarding the LIV Golf tour during fourth round of the Canadian Open at St. George’s Golf and Country Club in Toronto on Sunday.

(Nathan Denette/The Canadian Press via AP) be determined is how the Masters and PGA Championship, which have a long relationship with the PGA Tour, will respond by way of invitations or a change of criteria, if they do anything at all.

The majors are the four most important championships of the year, but it’s on the PGA Tour where young players — Jordan Spieth and Thomas a decade ago, Scottie Scheffler and Sam Burns from the most recent crop — play their way into majors and become known to fans.

The Canadian Open was good tonic in a troubling week for the PGA Tour.

Rory McIlroy, Tony Finau and Thomas fought to the end as thousands of fans — the majority of whom actually bought tickets — surrounded the 18th green for a finish broadcast on network TV. That doesn’t happen every week.

But it can.

It was like that for Joaquin Niemann at Riviera this year when he went wire-to-wire at the Genesis Invitational, held off a hardcharging Collin Morikawa and had Woods present him with the trophy.

“There’s nothing that can compete with this,” Niemann said.

BASEBALL FROM PAGE 16

the Nationals here so we can have a dry run,” said BBA secretary general Theodore ‘Teddy’ Sweeting.

“We want to give the NSA’s team the opportunity to go through all of the protocols with a smaller grouping so that they will be able to iron out the knits in preparation for the Babe Ruth Caribbean Championships. So we will be able to help out with that and see how it goes.”

With the renovations almost complete, Sweeting said they are eager to stage the Nationals at the Baillou Hills Sporting Complex from Thursday to Sunday.

He noted, however, that the official opening day activities, including the official opening ceremonies, will take place under the lights on the Bankers’ Field.

“I think we still have a lot of work to do for the Babe Ruth National Tournament. But we hope to have

BBA secretary general Teddy Sweeting. everything completed in time for the event in July.

Competing in the Nationals this weekend are teams from the Grand Bahama Grand Amateur Baseball League, the Grand Bahama Legacy League, New Providence’s Community Baseball League, the Ed Armbrister League, Freedom Farm and the Junior Baseball League of Nassau, and two leagues coming out of Abaco from the north and the central area of the island.

A VIEW of the refurbished Baillou Hills Sporting Complex.

Sweeting said the BBA is excited to see so many people in the Family Islands who are making a contribution to the growth and the development of the game.

He said this is a good opportunity for these persons to showcase the talent they have to work with.

“We start programmes in these islands, but we always need persons who are willing and committed

to carrying on the work,” Sweeting said.

“So we are happy that persons like Feast is making his contribution on the island of Abaco to assist the programme there.”

While the teams will arrive on Thursday, they will go directly into the official opening ceremonies at the Bankers’ Field where Minister of Youth, Sports and Culture Mario Bowleg

will declare the tournament open.

Following the ceremonies, in which Bowleg is also expected to toss the first pitch, the tournament is set to get started with a Coach Pitch game.

At least two or three games are scheduled for opening night, which will conclude with a massive fireworks display. “We want to do the fireworks because

Except for money, of course.

This battle is far from over. McIlroy called the Saudi league “dead in the water” in February when Johnson and a parade of top players pledged support to the PGA Tour. McIlroy was asked yesterday to explain what he got wrong.

“I guess I took a lot of players’ statements at face value,” he said. “You had people committed to the PGA Tour, and that’s the statements that were put out. People went back on that, so I guess I took them for face value. I took them at their word. And I was wrong.”

we had a two-year hiatus where we didn’t have any sports played because of COVID-19,” Sweeting said.

“We know alot of the fans are looking forward to it and it will be something special for the players because they are so excited to be playing in the nationals again.”

Unlike Grand Bahama where they got to play late in the evening under the lights at the Emera Baseball Complex, Sweeting said they won’t have the luxury at the Baillou Hills Sporting Complex and so they will get started at 8am on Friday and Saturday and hope to be finished by 7pm.

Sunday has been designed as championship day where all of the champions are expected to be crowned in each division.

“We’re looking forward to an exciting weekend. We are praying for less rain or no rain,” Sweeting said.

“We have a plan B, if it rains, so we have everything in place to make this a great weekend of baseball for our junior players.”

THE TRIBUNE

Wednesday, June 15, 2022, PAGE 13

Analysis: However it ends, these NBA Finals may be a classic

By TIM REYNOLDS AP Basketball Writer THE series won’t end until Thursday, or maybe Sunday. A champion will be crowned, an NBA Finals MVP trophy will be hoisted, one side will spray a few gallons of champagne and the other side will head out into a summer of lament.

The winner: Still to be determined.

But this much is already clear: Even without a single game decided by single digits through the first five contests, these 2022 NBA Finals are on the brink of going down as a classic.

It’s Golden State 3, Boston 2 going into Game 6 on the Celtics’ home floor on Thursday night. The Warriors grabbed the lead in the series with a 104-94 win on Monday in San Francisco, the latest entry on a long list of gut-check moments in this series and the first time either of these teams found a way to win consecutive games in this matchup.

“It feels good,” Golden State’s Klay Thompson said. “But we haven’t done anything yet.”

It looked easy early for his team in Game 5, with the Warriors up 16 before long and taking a 12-point lead into halftime. Boston roared back in the third, taking as much as a fivepoint lead before Golden State restored order and pulled away in the fourth — the latest entry on a list of wild back-and-forth swings that has defined this series.

The basketball hasn’t always been pretty. Even the most prolific 3-point shooter ever, the Warriors’ Stephen Curry, clanked all nine of his tries from deep in Game 5. The combined shooting numbers in these NBA Finals are the lowest for a title series since 2016, and so is the scoring average. But that’s

more a byproduct of two teams with a propensity for cranking up defence when they must, more than lackluster offence.

“Our team came out with a lot of fight,” Golden State’s Jordan Poole said after Game 5.

Such has been the story of these NBA Finals — the guys with more fight walk off winners. Such has really been the story for Boston most of the way in these playoffs. The Celtics won a Game 7 in Round 2 to oust defending champion Milwaukee. Went on the road in the Eastern Conference finals to win a Game 7 at Miami to get here. And now they know, they’ll need to win another Game 7 if they’re going to win this title.

“The message to the guys is to be confident going home, get your rest, let’s get ready to bring it back here,” Celtics coach Ime Udoka said. “For us, it’s really about consistency.

That’s the thing we’re not having throughout a full game, consistent efforts, sustained effort, more so offensively than anything.”

The entire series has been a pair of heavyweights throwing knockout punches. The 48-18 run by the Celtics to turn a 15-point third-quarter deficit into a 15-point fourth-quarter lead in Game 1. The 35-14 third quarter that the Warriors turned into an easy win in Game 2. The way the Celtics wasted a big lead,

GOLDEN State Warriors guard Stephen Curry (30) celebrates after guard Klay Thompson, right, shot a 3-point basket during the second half of Game 5 of the NBA Finals against the Boston Celtics in San Francisco, on Monday night.

(AP Photo/Jed Jacobsohn) then outscored the Warriors 34-17 to close Game 3. Curry scoring 43 points, even yelling at the crowd along the way, to lead Golden State to a road win in Game 4.

And then came Monday.

It didn’t disappoint.

Celtics fans had to be disappointed, sure, but Game 5 didn’t disappoint.

“Our backs are against the wall,” the Celtics’ Al Horford said. “We have to see what we’re made of.”

Boston started the game by missing its first 12 3-point tries, then made its next eight from beyond the arc, a dichotomy the likes of which has never before been seen in NBA Finals

history. Most of those eight makes came in a thirdquarter outburst that gave the Celtics the lead. It took a banked-in, beat-the-clock 33-foot 3-pointer by Poole on the final play of the third quarter to put Golden State up 75-74.

Poole’s shot was part of a 13-0 run that decided matters Monday, and now the Warriors know that a title — which would be their fourth in eight years — is just one win away.

After seeing Kevin Durant get hurt and then leave for Brooklyn, after seeing Klay Thompson get hurt — three years to the day from Monday — in the 2019 finals and then get

hurt again on his way back, after falling to the bottom of the NBA in 2020 and then just missing the playoffs last year, the Warriors are on the brink.

“Here we are,” Warriors coach Steve Kerr said. “We have a chance. We have two cracks at getting one win. But we also know how difficult it’s going to be.

Nobody’s celebrating, but we’re excited to be in this spot.”

He’s right. If this series has proven anything, that win won’t come easy.

• Tim Reynolds is a national basketball writer for The Associated Press. Write to him at treynolds(at)ap.org

CURRY’S 233-GAME RUN OF MADE 3-POINTERS ENDS IN NBA FINALS SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — For the first time in his career, Stephen Curry couldn’t get a 3-pointer to fall in an NBA postseason game.

Curry was 0 for 9 behind the arc in the Warriors’ 104-94 victory over the Boston Celtics in Game 5 of the NBA Finals on Monday night. The drought ended a streak of 233 postseason and regular-season games in which Curry had made at least one 3-pointer, a run that lasted 3 1/2 years.

The most prolific 3-pointer shooter in NBA history was 7 for 22 overall, finishing with 16 points while the Warriors moved within a victory of another championship.

“I don’t think I’ve ever been happier after a 0-forwhatever type of night,” Curry said, “just knowing the context of the game, the other ways you tried to impact the game and the fact that, you know, you had four guys step up in meaningful ways to help us win offensively.”

Curry, who was coming off a 43-point performance in Game 4, hadn’t gone without a 3-pointer in a game since November 8, 2018. His 233-game run topped his previous record of 196 straight games and is more than twice as long as any player ever.

Curry also had made a 3 in all 132 of his postseason games, easily another record. That streak began in 2013.

He had made 25 3s in the first four games.

“Steph is the best to ever shoot it. And I’ll tell you what, everyone in the building, including the fans and those watching, believe the ball is going in when it leaves his fingertips,” teammate Klay Thompson said.

“So we’re never stressed or worried about No. 30.

He has done so much and elevated this franchise to a place where it was hard to even imagine that he has leeway, and he can have a bad night. I just know he’ll respond.”

AGUILAR, CHISHOLM JR LEAD MARLINS TO WILD COMEBACK WIN OVER THE PHILLIES

By AARON BRACY Associated Press PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Jesús Aguilar homered, drove in four runs and hit a go-ahead double in the ninth inning to lead the Miami Marlins to a wild 11-9 victory over the Philadelphia Phillies last night.

Jasrado “Jazz” Chisholm Jr, Avisaíl Garcia and Jacob Stallings also went deep for Miami, which has won six of eight.

Rhys Hoskins hit two homers, had four hits and drove in six runs for the Phillies, who lost for the second time in their last 12 games. This one was gutwrenching for Philadelphia, which was trying to match its season best by going two games over .500.

After Hoskins broke an 8-all tie with his second homer of the game, a solo shot in the eighth, the Marlins capitalised against closer Corey Knebel (2-5) and Philadelphia’s shaky defense in the ninth.

Knebel, pitching for the first time since Friday due to right shoulder stiffness, induced a grounder to start the frame, but third baseman Alec Bohm’s throwing error allowed Miguel Rojas to reach. Bohm’s teamleading ninth error proved costly. Knebel walked the next two batters on just nine pitches to load the bases.

Garrett Cooper’s infield single tied the game at 9 and ended the night for Knebel, who exited to boos from those remaining among the 28,073 in attendance after blowing his fourth save in 15 chances.

Andrew Bellatti came on and induced a popup for the first out and looked like he was going to get another when Aguilar fouled a 1-0 pitch behind the plate.

But catcher J.T. Realmuto dropped the ball for his seventh error and, two pitches later, Aguilar plated two runs with his hit to right field to give the Marlins a two-run lead.

All three Miami runs in the inning were unearned.

Tanner Scott pitched a scoreless ninth for his fifth save in as many opportunities.

Steven Okert (3-0) got the victory despite giving up the go-ahead homer to Hoskins in the eighth.

After the Marlins hit a pair of two-out homers to jump in front 4-0 in the first, Philadelphia scored the next eight runs and looked in control after Hoskins’ two-run double and Bohm’s two-run single in the fifth made it 8-4.

With the Phillies still ahead by four runs, interim manager Rob Thomson didn’t send starter Zach Eflin back out for the seventh even though the right-hander had thrown

MIAMI Marlins’ Jazz Chisholm Jr gestures as he runs the bases after hitting a home run off of Philadelphia Phillies’ Seranthony Dominguez during the seventh inning last night in Philadelphia. The Marlins won 11-9.

(AP Photo/Matt Rourke) just 80 pitches and retired walking six and allowing his last 13 batters. The move four runs on five hits in 3 backfired. The Marlins got 2/3 innings. to the reliever duo of Jeurys TRAINER’S Familia and Seranthony ROOM Dominguez with four runs Marlins: RHP Pablo in the seventh on two-strike Lopez (right wrist contuhomers by Stallings off sion) experienced some Familia, a three-run shot, discomfort during a bullpen and Chisholm’s solo shot session and might be pushed against Dominguez to tie it back from his scheduled at 8. start on Thursday, manager After singling in the first, Don Mattingly said. Lopez Hoskins hit a three-run was hit by a comebacker homer to left in the fourth in Saturday’s 7-4 win over and then made it 8-4 in the Houston. fifth with his 500th career Phillies: LHP JoJo hit, a two-run double. Romero, who had Tommy Hoskins tied his career high John surgery last May, with six RBIs in a game struck out the side in his while connecting for mul- only inning of work for tiple homers for the 11th the FCL Phillies in his first time. rehab assignment.

FOR STARTERS UP NEXT Eflin allowed four runs in Phillies RHP Kyle the first inning but blanked Gibson (4-2, 4.41 ERA) is the Marlins from there. He scheduled to oppose Lopez gave up five hits and struck (4-2, 2.30) on Thursday to out four in six innings. conclude the three-game Marlins starter Trevor series, though Lopez’s start Rogers departed after is in question.

PAGE 14, Wednesday, June 15, 2022

THE TRIBUNE

England slumps to historic loss to Hungary in Nations League WOLVERHAMPTON, England (AP) — England suffered its worst home defeat since 1928 with a 4-0 loss to Hungary in the Nations League yesterday.

Less than a year after reaching the European Championship final on home soil to raucous celebrations, England was booed by its own fans after a heavy loss to an unheralded Hungary team that completed a double after upsetting England last week.

European champion Italy had it little better as it was beaten 5-2 by Germany.

England’s last game of the long 2021-22 season will ensure plenty of reflection before the World Cup in Qatar in five months’ time.

Manager Gareth Southgate, a national hero during Euro 2020, had to endure chants of “you don’t know what you’re doing.”

“It’s our first big defeat in a long time,” England captain Harry Kane told broadcaster Channel 4.

“Our defence has been the structure behind our success over the last four or five years. It was a night to forget of course but we’ve got to take it on the chin and move forward.

“At the end of the day we’re preparing for what’s going to be a big World Cup. That’s the most important thing. We’ll learn from it.”

Asked if Southgate remained the right person to coach England, Kane said: “Without any question. That’s not a question I should even be answering if I’m honest.”

There was tension before the game kicked off as England fans drowned out the Hungarian anthem

ENGLAND’s Harry Kane during the UEFA Nations League soccer match between England and Hungary at the Molineux stadium in Wolverhampton, England, yesterday.

(AP Photo/Jon Super) with a chant referencing Hungary’s history of racist abuse of players by fans.

Hungary was punished

by UEFA and FIFA for racist incidents in games last year, including one in which England players were abused.

Hungary had been clinging on to a 1-0 lead from Roland Sallai’s early goal for much of the match, before England fell apart in the latter stages.

Sallai made it 2-0 in the 70th minute before Zsolt Nagy fired in a shot from the edge of the box for 3-0. England defender John Stones was sent off for a second booking after what seemed like slight contact with an opponent and Daniel Gazdag added a fourth for Hungary.

Plenty of England’s players

showed signs of being physically and perhaps mentally tired after a long season, with little creativity in the face of a densely packed Hungarian formation and midfielder Kalvin Phillips in particular giving away possession cheaply ahead of the second goal.

It was England’s biggest home loss since being beaten 5-1 by Scotland 94 years ago. Other losses to Hungary loom large in English soccer history. A 6-3 home loss in 1953 and 7-1 defeat away the following year played crucial roles in shaking England’s view of itself as a pre-eminent soccer nation of the era.

After no wins and just one goal in four Nations League games, Southgate defended his choice to

rotate the lineup and give fringe players game time.

“In the end (of Tuesday’s game), you’re pushing and you’ve got so many attacking players on that we’ve left ourselves wide open.

I’ve just said to the players there, across the four matches, that’s my responsibility,” he told Channel 4. “We’ve tried to balance looking at new players and trying to rest players that we couldn’t keep flogging, our more experienced and better players.”

Italy, still trying to recover from failing to qualify for the World Cup three months ago, was swept aside by Germany and was 5-0 down before scoring two late consolation goals. Joshua Kimmich’s 10th-minute goal got Germany started,

before Ilkay Gundogan scored a penalty with the last kick of the first half, and Thomas Müller scored in the 51st before two goals in two minutes from Timo Werner.

Germany ended a run of four 1-1 draws, which had frustrated fans, as coach Hansi Flick remained undefeated in 13 games since taking charge after last year’s loss to England in the last 16 of the European Championship.

Also in League A, Belgium’s 1-0 win over Poland in Group 4 was more restrained than its 6-1 thrashing of the same opposition last week. The Netherlands stayed atop the group by beating Wales 3-2 thanks to Memphis Depay’s stoppage-time winner after Gareth Bale had leveled the score for Wales from the penalty spot.

OTHER GAMES Tuesday’s Nations League games marked the end of a long, draining season of European club and international games.

For some players, the next season is already looming.

Two of Andorra’s starting lineup for a 2-1 loss to Moldova are set to kick off the 2022-23 Champions League in seven days’ time when national champion Inter Club d’Escaldes plays in the preliminary round of qualifying.

In the second-tier League B, Scotland came back from 1-0 down to beat nine-man Armenia 4-1, Montenegro won 3-0 against Romania, BosniaHerzegovina edged past Finland 3-2, and Ukraine and Ireland drew 1-1, with Ukraine playing its home game in Poland because of the Russian invasion.

BRUTAL BAIRSTOW SMASHES ENGLAND TO SERIES WIN OVER NEW ZEALAND NOTTINGHAM, England (AP) — Energised by a ham-and-cheese toastie and a cup of coffee at the tea interval, England batter Jonny Bairstow walked back out to the middle with Ben Stokes and discussed with his captain the approach required to pull off a series-clinching win over New Zealand.

Another 160 runs were needed by England in the final session of a classic test match at Trent Bridge that was hanging in the balance.

“Ben just said, ‘Don’t even think about hitting one down, hit it into the stand,’” Bairstow said.

And that’s what he did.

Again and again and again.

With a brutal, at-timesoutrageous display of ball-striking, Bairstow smashed his country’s second-fastest test century — in just 77 balls — to lead England to a record run chase at Trent Bridge and a five-wicket victory in the second test. The new era of English cricket has been launched with a series victory over the world test champions, with a match to spare, too.

“Today was set up absolutely perfectly for the way we want to go about things going forward,” Stokes said. “It’s pretty simple — run into the danger and rather than back away, just stand still. That’s definitely what we did today.”

Set 299 to win in a little over two sessions on Day 5, England reached its target in just 50 overs. Bairstow fell for 136 off 92 balls just before the victory was sealed, leaving Stokes (75 not out) to get England over the line, but there was no doubt who was the star of the show.

“It was just one of the best things I’ve ever seen,” Stokes said.

Thrown together with England in a tough spot at 93-4 in the reply, Bairstow and Stokes could have played for the draw to

ENGLAND’s Jonny Bairstow celebrates scoring a century during the fifth day of the second cricket test match between England and New Zealand at Trent Bridge in Nottingham, England, yesterday.

(AP Photo/Rui Vieira) preserve the team’s 1-0 lead in his right knee that meant in that dressing room are scored 553 in its first in the three-match series. it was a struggle to run able to play it. innings after being put into Instead, they went on the between the wicket. He “Today was very excit- bat. attack — following the still managed some huge ing and if this is happening The tourists even attacking blueprint desired hits of his own, charging now, let’s see what happens looked marginal favourby new coach Brendon down the pitch to smash a in the next few weeks and ites after adding 60 runs McCullum, a Kiwi — and ball from pacer Matt Henry the next few months. Wow, to its overnight score of it blew the New Zealanders over the ropes in one of his it’s going to be a journey.”

224-7, eventually getting away. four sixes.

England had won one of dismissed for 284 about 45 In the first nine overs Bairstow eventually its last 17 tests before the minutes before lunch. after tea, Bairstow and departed to a standing ova- launch of a new era under But they proved to be Stokes hit 102 runs in a tion after nicking Trent Stokes and McCullum for massively handicapped by savage assault that saw the Boult behind and, by then, this international summer. the absence of fast bowler ball disappear to all corners there was no coming back The team has won its first Kyle Jamieson, who was of the sold-out ground. for New Zealand. Ben two tests under new leader- unable to bowl — even Bairstow dominated the Foakes, with an unbeaten ship, with this Trent Bridge though he came out and strike, completing his ninth 12, helped Stokes get Eng- triumph backing up Eng- batted — because of a back test century in 77 deliver- land to the victory target. land’s five-wicket victory at injury. ies — one ball more than Bairstow, an opener in Lord’s in the first match of Still, the way England Gilbert Jessop’s record for white-ball cricket for Eng- the series against the reign- responded was nothing England set in 1902 — and land, said the team treated ing world test champions. short of sensational. ultimately striking 14 fours the chase like a one-day The previous highest “At tea it was still in and seven sixes. game. successful chase in Notting- the balance, but the way Five of those sixes came, “If you go into it with a ham came in 2004 when Jonny and England played incredibly, in a three-over negative mentality, then all England’s 284-6 defeated was outstanding and all burst immediately after of a sudden you might be a New Zealand. There had credit to them,” New Zeatea. bit apprehensive,” he said. been only two others above land stand-in captain Tom Stokes was mostly an “The positive approach, 200 aside from that.

Latham said. onlooker at the other end the brand of cricket we are New Zealand somehow “It will take a while to as he struggled with pain looking to play, the players lost a test match having sink in.”

TUNISIA TOPS JAPAN 3-0 IN FRIENDLY BETWEEN WORLD CUP TEAMS OSAKA, Japan (AP) — Three World Cup-bound teams won friendly matches in Asia yesterday, with Tunisia beating Japan 3-0, Ghana defeating Chile 3-1 on penalties following a 0-0 draw, and South Korea topping Egypt 4-1.

Tunisia went ahead on a penalty by Mohamed Ali Ben Romdhane in the 55th minute. Ferjani Sassi scored in the 76th and Issam Jebali added the other three minutes into stoppage time in Osaka.

The victory allowed Tunisia to claim the Kirin Challenge Cup. Last week, Tunisia defeated Chile 2-0 to advance to the match against Japan. The host Japanese beat Ghana 4-1.

Those matches were played in the western city of Kobe.

Japan has also qualified for the World Cup, which opens November 21 in Qatar. It was Japan’s third preparation match for the World Cup in eight days.

The national team lost to Brazil 1-0 on June 6 at the National Stadium — the main venue for last year’s Tokyo Olympics — on a 77th-minute penalty by Neymar.

SERENA

FROM PAGE 16 British players: Katie Boulter, Jodie Burrage, Sonay Kartal, Yuriko Miyazaki and Katie Swan.

Two other women will get invitations “in due course,” the All England Club said.

Seven of the eight men’s wild-card berths were also announced, including one for three-time major champion Stan Wawrinka.

Earlier in the day, Williams posted a photo of her white shoes on what appears to be a grass court and the message: “SW and SW19. It’s a date. 2022. See you there. Let’s Go.” “SW” are her initials, of course, and “SW19” is the postal code for Wimbledon.

The 40-year-old American has won seven of her singles trophies at Wimbledon, the first in 2002 and most recently in 2016. Williams was the runner-up there in 2018 and 2019 (the tournament was canceled in 2020 because of the coronavirus pandemic).

In 2021, Williams lost her footing on the slick grass and then her right leg buckled, leading to just the second mid-match retirement at any Grand Slam tournament of her career and first since 1998.

With the lack of activity since then, Williams — who first reached No. 1 in July 2002 — is 1,208th in the WTA rankings this week.

That is why she was not automatically placed in the Wimbledon field.

While Williams has been sidelined, first Ash Barty and then Iga Swiatek stepped into the opening left by her extended absence.

Barty won Wimbledon last year and the Australian Open this January to solidify her hold on the No. 1 ranking, but then abruptly retired at age 25 in March.

That allowed Swiatek to rise to No. 1, and she has backed up that new status with an ongoing 35-match winning streak that included claiming a second French Open trophy this month. That unbeaten stretch exceeds by one a 34-match run Williams put together in 2013 and equals one by Williams’ older sister, Venus, for the longest since 2000.

Adding Williams to the bracket at the All England Club adds quite a story line for this year’s tournament, which as things stood was going to be filled with them, including the ban on players from Russia and Belarus because of the invasion of Ukraine, the subsequent removal of rankings points by the WTA and ATP tours, the 100th anniversary of the opening of Centre Court and the addition of scheduled play on the fortnight’s middle Sunday for the first time.

THE TRIBUNE

Wednesday, June 15, 2022, PAGE 15

Leevan Sands on NCAA Outdoors: ‘It was our best showing since 2012’

LEEVAN Sands with some of the jumpers from Florida State.

By BRENT STUBBS Senior Sports Reporter bstubbs@tribunemedia.net WHILE he basked in the success of the Florida State Seminoles men’s track and field team, Olympic bronze medallist Leevan “Superman” Sands was just as in awe from what he saw from the Bahamian athletes competing at the National Collegiate Athletic Association’s National Outdoor Championships.

Sands, a first year assistant coach with the Seminoles, helped guide Florida State to a fourth place finish in the men’s division of the four-day championship last weekend at the Hayward Field in Eugene, Oregon.

The Seminoles, coached

by Bob Braman, came into the meet ranked at number three.

“It was our best showing since 2012 and I’m happy to have been able to assist in our team success,” said Sands, who worked specifically with the jumpers. “I’m very proud of what our team was able to do.

“I’ve only been here for the past nine months and the jumpers were able to buy into the programme that I gave them. They said they were so glad to have an Olympian on the staff and that is where they want to go. They want to become an Olympian, but they also want to win Olympic medals.”

LEEVAN SANDS, far right, with some of the other Bahamian athletes who competed at the NCAA Outdoor Championships.

The 40-year-old Sands, who is preparing to retire from competing in the sport after winning a medal in just about every major competition, including a gold in the men’s triple jump in 2004 and the long jump in 2003, said he’s delighted to be a part of the coaching fraternity where he can now pass his knowledge on to the next generation of jumpers. “We have some very good jumpers and I am very pleased about what the future holds for them,” Sands said. “We still have some more work to do with them because about four of them will be going to the

USA Trials for the World Championships next weekend, so I will be there with them as a coach. “If they make the team, I will be at the World Championships in July to assist them in the World Championships. So I’m excited about the direction that the programme is headed and we look forward to next year.”

While at the championships, the Bahamian national triple jump record holder got a chance to share a moment with some of the Bahamian athletes who competed for their respective schools at the NCAA Nationals.

“I was very proud of what I saw from the Bahamian athletes,” Sands said. “It seems that the programme is heading into the right direction because we have some athletes who can make their presence felt in the future.”

Sands, a former athletes’ representative for the Bahamas Association of Athletic Associations, said he was rather impressed by the performances from the athletes, but he was particularly pleased with Shaun Miller Jr, whom Sands believes will be the next legitimate high jumper for Ohio State and Clemson’s

sprinter Wanya McCoy and Texas Tech’s Terrence Jones.

“I was hoping to see Charisma Taylor (of Tennessee) perform, but a slight injury forced her out of the competition,” Sands said. “She will be back next year, so I’m looking forward to seeing what she can do once she gets healthy.”

Always in the mood for recruiting athletes, Sands said he’s hoping that one day he can get some Bahamians on the roster of the Seminoles, but he noted that the standard is a little high and in order to get a scholarship, the

student-athletes have to be well-grounded.

“I know we have some Bahamian athletes who can compete for Florida,” he said.

“I will continue to look out for them because I want to have some athletes competing for the Seminoles.

But they have to be academically inclined as well.

I will continue to pursue Bahamians, but they have to be ready.”

Sands was one of a few Bahamians who were a part of their coaching staff at the Championships.

Among the others were head coach Lonnie Greene and his assistant “Golden Girl” Debbie Ferguson-McKenzie for the University of Kentucky and Norbert Elliott, the head coach for Purdue.

Kentucky, featuring Megan Moss, was fourth in the women’s standings, while their men’s team finished tied with two others for 36th place.

Purdue didn’t score in either division.

The Florida Gators, coached by Mike Holloway and featuring Denisha Anderson, who ran on the women’s 4 x400 metre relay team, won both the men and women’s titles.

The best individual performance by a Bahamian came from Florida International University Panthers’ Rhema Otabor, who picked up a fourth-place finish in the women’s javelin.

SPORTS PAGE 16

Sands, page 15

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 15, 2022

Jacobi Bain earns Rookie of the Year

JUNIOR BASEBALL NATIONALS TO CHRISTEN BAILLOU HILLS COMPLEX THIS WEEKEND

By BRENT STUBBS Senior Sports Reporter bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

By BRENT STUBBS Senior Sports Reporter bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

acobi Bain completed his freshman season with the Gold Rush men’s tennis team at Xavier University of Louisiana as the ITA NAIA South Region Rookie of the Year.

Bain, a six-foot, oneinch southpaw, was joined

by Gold Rush team-mate Santiago Perez, who was selected as the Senior Player of the Year.

While Perez, who hails from Pereira, Colombia, compiled a 21-1 win-loss record in singles and 17-4 in doubles as XULA completed the season with a 20-6 record, their first 20-win season of the modern era (1994-present), Bain went 20-7 in signals and 26-9 in doubles.

Bain and Ramirez were also the NAIA doubles runners-up at the ITA Cup. And Bain also teamed up with Megh Pastel where they earned a no. 20 ranking in the ITA NAIA doubles rankings.

The XULA will announce the national winners of these awards

THE Bahamas Baseball Association is expected to christen the refurbished Balliou Hills Sporting Complex this weekend with the return of the Junior National Baseball Championships.

At least 25 teams from New Providence, Grand Bahama and Abaco will make up the package of Tee Ball (6-and-under), Coach Pitch (8-and-under), 10-and-under, 12-amndunder, 14-and-under, 16-and-under and 18-andunder divisions.

After hosting the event in Grand Bahama for the past decade, the BBA decided to bring it back to New Providence where it got started in 2003 and was staged here for at least seven years.

“After coming out of the COVID-19 situation and with the renovations to the Baillou Hills Sporting Complex for the hosting of the Babe Ruth Caribbean Youth Championships in July, we made an agreement with the National Sports Authority to host

J

on Thursday, but Bain said he’s excited to be the fourth XULA man, all in the last six seasons, to win the rookie regional award.

“I feel pretty good about it. It’s a great accomplishment to have,” said an elated Bain. “It was something that I was aiming for going into my first college year, so I felt pretty good about achieving the award.”

Looking back at his season as a business management major, Bain admitted that he had some hiccups as a college freshman, but he managed to make the necessary adjustments as he went along during the season.

JACOBI Bain has completed his freshman season with the Gold Rush men’s tennis team at Xavier University of Louisiana as the ITA NAIA South Region Rookie of the Year.

“I think I had a pretty good season overall,” Bain said. “I may have lost two matches, but I definitely didn’t lose them in a row.

So I was there fighting every day trying to get at my best. I think I did a pretty good job.”

As the regional Rookie of the Year, the award turned out to be the highlight of his season. But he noted that on the court, beating their arch-rival William Carey, 4-1, was what stood out the most.

In that tie, Bain won both doubles and singles.

Throughout the season, he was normally the first Gold Rush player on the court so he didn’t get a chance to clinch any victories for XULA. But losing 4-3 in the Nationals turned out to be the lowest point for Bain, who got beat 6-4 in doubles, but won his singles 6-4, 6-2. “That was a tough pill to swallow because we were playing so well,” Bain stated.

Bain, the 19-year-old son of Marion and Bradley Ban, is currently in Bradenton, Florida training at the Inspiration Tennis Academy as he looks to get better for next year. “Next year, I’m just looking forward to playing higher in the line-up. I want to be able to do my best to help my team succeed,” he said.

“After winning this Rookie of the Year award, I’m inspired to get better and perform at a higher level when I return in August.”

SEE PAGE 12

Bahamas Challenge and Tennis Showcase at Baha Mar

By BRENT STUBBS Senior Sports Reporter bstubbs@tribunemedia.net WITH the majority of the collegiate players home after enjoying a successful year for their respective schools, Michael Butler has decided to display their skills in a Bahamas Challenge and Tennis Showcase.

The two-day event is scheduled for Friday and Saturday, June 24-25, at the Baha Mar tennis facility.

“During the summer time, a lot of collegiate athletes return home and they look forward to a warm welcome, so we feel it’s only fitting and appropriate, after so many of them have had a good year in school, that it would be a good gesture to just showcase them,” Butler said. “This is our way just to let them know that

we are extremely proud of them and what they are doing on the collegiate circuit. So while they are home, we want them to feel appreciated because we haven’t had a chance to do anything special for them,” Among the list of participants are Donte Armbrister, who attends Hampton University, and Joshua Turnquest of Asbury University on the men’s side and Sydney Clarke of the University of Alabama at Birmingham, Grand Bahamian Abigail Simms of Indiana Tech and Elana Mackey of Mars Hill University as some of the heavy hitters on the women’s side.

“The showcase is something very unique. It will be mixed doubles only. We won’t be playing any singles matches,” Butler said.

“We are trying to integrate them and allow the men and women to

ORGANISER Michael Butler and Baha Mar tennis facility manager Devlin Fisher. have a little more fun. “We just want to build the camaraderie between each other. We feel that is very important and it will also allow them to harness their skills

around the net because double tennis is really a quick game and it allows you to put all of your skill sets to the test.”

At the showcase, Butler said they also expect to showcase the next generation of players at the high school level, especially those that are preparing to head off to school in August to start their freshman year.

“You will see some of our finest high school students also on the programme,” Butler said. “They will be showing off their skills and their talent to the Bahamas.

This is a great opportunity for the Bahamian public to get a first hand view of the talent in the country.”

With an ambience that is second to none at Baha Mar, Butler said the spectators will enjoy what is being dubbed a great “Family Affair.” He noted that it’s open

to not just Bahamians, but to the tourists visiting the island.”

There is a fee of $40 for the two days and for one day, it will be $25. Children 12-and-under will be charged $10.

“This is our inaugural event and we intend to do this on an annual basis,” Butler said. “We know we have a lot of talented and gifted players, who are in the pipeline, many of them going off this year and incoming freshmen.

“Hopefully next year, we will see many of them coming back home to participate in the next event. I think we’re doing something wonderful that all Bahamians can feel very proud of.

This is a representation of us and so please come out and show the players your support.”

Interested persons can contact Butler at 544-8576 or 395-0801 for ticket information.

Serena Williams gets wild-card entry for Wimbledon singles

INTERNATIONAL Boxing Hall of Fame class of 2021 inductee Floyd Mayweather acknowledges parade-goers during the annual Parade of Champions on Sunday, June 12 in Canastota, N.Y. said Monday.

(John Haeger/StandardSpeaker via AP)

By HOWARD FENDRICH AP Tennis Writer SERENA Williams is going to play at Wimbledon, after all. The All England Club announced yesterday that Williams was awarded a wild-card entry for singles, marking her return to Grand Slam action after a year away.

The owner of a professional era-record 23 Grand Slam singles trophies, and as big a star as tennis ever has seen, is going to tune up by playing doubles at a smaller grass-court event first, teaming with Ons Jabeur at Eastbourne, England, next week.

Main-draw play at Wimbledon begins on June 27.

Williams has not competed anywhere since getting injured during the first set of her first-round match at the All England

Mayweather to fight another exhibition bout in Japan SERENA WILLIAMS, of the US, holds her trophy after winning the singles final against Angelique Kerber at Wimbledon Tennis Championships in London, Saturday, July 9, 2016.

(AP Photo/Ben Curtis) Club in 2021. And her name did not appear on the women’s singles entry list released by the grass-court Grand Slam tournament earlier this month.

But Williams was among a half-dozen women given a spot in the singles draw yesterday, along with five

SEE PAGE 14

TOKYO (AP) — Floyd Mayweather will fight in Japan again in another exhibition, this time against MMA fighter Mikuru Asakura.

Promoters yesterday said the bout is scheduled for September. The rules

and length of the bout have not yet been made public.

Mayweather retired undefeated from professional boxing almost five years ago but has been fighting exhibitions. Just over three years ago in

Japan he knocked out Tenshin Nasukawa, a well-known Japanese kickboxer.

Mayweather was inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame on Sunday in the United States.