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Volume: 119 No.141, June 16, 2022

THE PEOPLE’S PAPER: PRICE–$1

ALL OVER FOR HEALTH VISA

(AND NO TESTS IF YOU’VE HAD COVID JABS)

TOURISM Minister Chester Cooper announcing in the House yesterday that the travel health visa will no longer be needed from Sunday.

Photo: Donavan McIntosh/ Tribune Staff

By LEANDRA ROLLE Tribune Staff Reporter lrolle@tribunemedia.net HEALTH and Wellness Minister Dr Michael Darville announced yesterday the government will remove its COVID19 testing requirement for vaccinated people entering The Bahamas beginning Sunday.

Preceding this announcement, Tourism Minister Chester Cooper revealed the travel health visa will also no longer be needed beginning this coming Sunday.

However, unvaccinated people will still be required to produce a negative test prior to arrival in the country.

Yesterday, Dr Darville said the decision to remove the testing protocols for vaccinated people was science-based and followed recommendations from both local and regional epidemiologists, adding it was also “consistent with US CDC guidelines.”

He also suggested that officials came to the SEE PAGE THREE

THREE CREDIBLE BIDS ‘EMBASSY’S SPENDING FOR AIRPORT PROJECT FOLLOWED PROTOCOL’

By LEANDRA ROLLE Tribune Staff Reporter lrolle@tribunemedia.net THREE “credible” investors have expressed interest in the redevelopment of the Grand Bahama International Airport, Deputy Prime Minister Chester Cooper revealed yesterday.

Mr Cooper, while speaking in the House of

Assembly, said each investor had credibility and a good track record.

The Tourism, Investments and Aviation minister did not reveal the investors.

“We promised the people of Grand Bahama that we would revitalise and rebuild their island,” Mr Cooper said.

SEE PAGE FIVE

By EARYEL BOWLEG Tribune Chief Reporter ebowleg@tribunemdia.net FORMER Prime Minister Dr Hubert Minnis and former Foreign Affairs Minister Darren Henfield were at odds yesterday over spending that took place under their administration to furnish and decorate an ambassador’s residence in Brussels, Belgium.

On Tuesday at Parliament, Labour and Immigration Minister Keith Bell revealed that a total of more than $1m had been spent, calling it an “indiscriminate callous haemorrhage” of the public purse. This included monthly accommodations in a hotel for an ambassador at a cost $20,000 per SEE PAGE TWO

TAX INCREASES ‘INEVITABLE’

By NEIL HARTNELL Tribune Business Editor nhartnell@tribunemedia.net NEW and/or increased taxes are “inevitable somewhere down the road” as greater enforcement and collection efforts will be insufficient to meet The Bahamas’ revenue needs, an investment banker warned yesterday.

David Slatter, RF Bank & Trust’s vice-president of investment management,

DAVID SLATTER told Tribune Business that reforms to the country’s tax structure appeared the “logical” outcome if the

Government is to hit its target of increasing annual revenues by $1bn over the next three fiscal years.

He asserted that the 2022-2023 Budget was “totally dependent” on the US economy’s continued growth feeding the Bahamian tourism industry’s revival and associated revenue receipts, and said this nation cannot solely rely on external forces to escape its fiscal crisis.

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FRONT PORCH: TALKS AND PHOTO OPS - BUT IS THAT ENOUGH?

- SEE PAGE EIGHT

PAGE 2, Thursday, June 16, 2022

‘EMBASSY’S SPENDING FOLLOWED PROTOCOL’

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THE TRIBUNE from page one month, while the furniture and decor cost the government $550,000.

Yesterday, while Mr Henfield said this level of spending was “indefensible” he said he had no idea it had gone on.

Dr Minnis meanwhile said Mr Bell had been “totally disingenuous” in making the accusations. Dr Minnis said Brussels was an expensive place and the ambassador would not have acted outside of established protocols by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. He said ambassadors did not have access to money. He also said ambassadors live in hotels until proper permanent accommodations are found. These hotels, he said, must have a certain standard of security among other things.

For his part, Official Opposition leader Michael Pintard said ambassadors are unable to approve funding and questioned who approved the spending.

While Mr Bell did not name the ambassador, Dr Minnis identified Maria O’Brien as the official. She was appointed ambassador to Belgium and head of mission to the European Union under the Minnis administration.

The Killarney MP explained the rationale for the expenditure.

He told The Tribune yesterday: “Governments put together budgets, governments have policies, and they have protocols.

Ambassadors themselves don’t spend money like that. They don’t have access to money. When individuals travel, they’re placed in a hotel until proper accommodations are found.

“The accommodation must meet certain security standards, etc. That ambassador was placed in a hotel.

I realise that Keith Bell was making noise about there being $20,000 being spent for a month - that’s 660 per night. Brussels is extremely expensive.

“The accommodation would have been contracted by real estate agents where they would show you various different places ensuring that they meet security standards, etc. In terms of furnishing selections, etc, there’s a policy.

There’s a protocol where you must have a bid. These are then subsequently approved, etc, within the budget.”

He also stated: “Everything still has to stay within the budgetary framework of The Bahamas. That is why we have a budget and that is why we are discussing a budget. Every ministry has a budget. Brussels is very, very expensive. There are policies and protocols you can’t step out of that and, therefore, they would have followed the policies and protocols as established by the ministry.”

DR HUBERT MINNIS MP He went on to also defend Ms O’Brien’s work to establish the embassy.

He said she played a “pivotal” role in assisting the country in being removed from the blacklist.

Pressed if the expenditure was justified, the former Prime Minister replied: “What I’m saying is (look at) the policy and the protocol. What they need to do is look at the policy and protocols because what I can tell you is that what we have found is salary for one particular country, let’s say what an ambassador may get in Florida may be totally inadequate because of the cost of living and these are matters that have to be addressed.”

However, he admitted Mr Henfield would have not known about the funds in the budget because the minister does not necessarily sign off on it, pointing to the secretary and financial officers who run the ministry.

On the other hand, former Cabinet Minister under the Minnis administration Mr Henfield said if the accusations are true, the revelations speak to a systematic failure in the system.

Mr Henfield said: “If the accusations are true as reported by Mr Bell, it is to my mind, indefensible the use of public funds, which speaks to a systemic failure in the system and it must be investigated so we can correct it from ever happening again in the future.”

Mr Bell alleged on Tuesday that some of the more costly purchases included middle chairs for nearly $40,000, a rug at $18,475, $14,000 for a lamp and $10,000 for a mahogany scroll among other purchases.

“If something like this can happen outside the regular knowledge of the ministry, as I’m told if it is as reported, we must find a way to fix the system to prevent it from ever happening again,” Mr Henfield added.

Asked the appropriate action if it is found that there was wasteful spending, he answered: “I think the Auditor General likely has reported on it and so we await to see what findings (there are) for it and the recommendations that come from the Auditor General to see how we can prevent it and mitigate such abuse in the future.”

The Tribune reached out to the embassy, but did not receive a response up to press time.

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THE TRIBUNE

Thursday, June 16, 2022, PAGE 3

All over for health visa from page one decision after receiving positive feedback from several neighbouring nations on the country’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

“Bilateral meetings with regional leaders were very successful and lesson learned proved to be invaluable,” he said during his contribution to the 2022/2023 Budget debate. “Follow up meetings at the Summit of Americas solidified many plans inclusive of the US CDC’s announcements on the removal of the COVID testing requirement inbound to American citizens as of Monday June, 13 2022.”

“This is good news for our tourism sector and begs the question when will The Bahamas follow suit and revisit the testing and mask mandated currently in place in our country. These questions have been addressed by the EOC in my ministry and I am pleased to report that inclusive of removal of the travel health visa on Sunday, the 19 of June 2022, at 12:01am - effective June 19 2022, at 12:01, the Ministry of Health and Wellness will also remove the testing requirement for all vaccinated persons entering The Bahamas.”

For his part yesterday, Mr Cooper announced travel health visas will no longer be required for international visitors beginning Sunday, something he had previously foreshadowed.

The health visa was implemented under the previous administration in 2020 as a means to validate and keep record of the COVID-19 status of visitors and residents at the pandemic’s height and ensure compliance of other travel

MINISTER of Health and Wellness Dr Michael Darville. requirements.

The travel protocol, however, was eliminated for citizens and residents of The Bahamas back in December by the Davis administration in keeping with their promise to have the protocol removed entirely.

He said the move was being done to ensure the country is able to “get the numbers that we need for our tourism product and economy,” adding officials believed the timing was just right.

However, he also reminded visitors and Bahamian residents that they are still required to produce a negative COVID test no older than three days before entering the country.

“The rules regarding air

travel and the changing guidelines have reshaped the airline landscape,” Mr Cooper said during his budget communication in the House of Assembly.

“We have had to adjust.

We will continue to do so.

Our goal is to encourage more flights in from our key markets so that we can get more people here safely, quickly and affordably, whilst protecting public health.

“Yes, I support the review of travel testing rules. We must reduce the friction as we ramp up for the summer months and, therefore, I am pleased to announce that the Cabinet of The Bahamas has approved the elimination of the travel health visa.

“This is going to take effect at 12:01 on Sunday,

just in time for Father’s Day.” Yesterday, Mr Cooper was asked by the opposition whether officials planned to use an alternative method to collect important travel data that was gleaned from the visa programme.

He replied: “The answer is that we’re not eliminating testing as I’ve indicated before – the ongoing management of COVID, as has been the case before, will continue to be done by the Ministry of Health and Wellness. Contact tracing will continue to be done by the Ministry of Health and Wellness.”

The removal of the travel protocol comes as the nation’s tourism industry continues its rebound from the COVID-19 crisis. It also follows the United States’

24,000 DOSES OF CHILD VACCINE RECEIVED THROUGH COVAX PLAN

By LEANDRA ROLLE Tribune Staff reporter lrolle@tribunemedia.net HEALTH and Wellness Minister Dr Michael Darville yesterday revealed that the government has secured more than 24,000 paediatric doses of COVID-19 vaccines through the COVAX facility.

However, he gave an assurance that the Pfizer vaccines for children will not be mandatory, but that the initiative to get children vaccinated will be a collaborative effort.

The Health Minister also praised the efforts of the prime minister in helping his ministry to secure the long-awaited doses for children after much negotiations.

He said: “This is good news and the vaccination effort will be collaborative, Minister of Education, because this is dealing with young people. We need to have the schools involved in our plans as well as the parents. At no particular point, do we want to create

the impression that the Ministry of Education or Ministry of Health is going to force children to take the vaccine. This is a collaborative effort stemmed by the family and the parent.”

He added: “It’s important that we have the vaccine in country because many families are asking for it for their children. Some don’t want it, but some are asking for it and it’s my job as minister of health to make sure it’s available in the country.

I wish to express our gratitude to the United States Embassy and PAHO for the donation of the Pfizer vaccines through the Caribbean Public Health Agency and the COVAX facility. A lot of countries are trying to do what we’re doing but we have diplomatic partners who are coming to our rescue and we need to be grateful.”

It is not clear when the doses will start to be administered, but Dr Darville said the vaccines are expected to be in country “in short order.”

Calls for child doses of COVID vaccinations increased last month after several schools saw an increase in COVID-19 cases.

Yesterday, Dr Darville said the ministry continues to closely monitor the active COVID cases in the country and is working to minimise further virus spread.

He also encouraged locals to continue complying with the current health protocols and also made an appeal for people who have not yet been vaccinated to go out and get their shots.

“While our country’s vaccination rate has been increasing, we have noticed the rate of uptake of vaccinations also slowed. As of June 13, 2022, 49.3 percent of our population has been vaccinated. Some other Caribbean countries are doing a bit better, but some are doing worse.

“But when we compare the vaccinations of persons, which is about 167,483 persons eligible to be vaccinated, we realise that we

have a vaccination rate of just over 51.8 percent so we have a ways to go Bahamas and to reach the level that is seen in the United States where you could just drop all of the mandates and what we see throughout the Caribbean.”

He also revealed that over 347,742 doses of the vaccines have been administered, including the first, second, extended and booster doses, since the start of the government’s vaccination programme last year.

He added that the lowest vaccination rate appears to be among persons of the age 30 and below.

“This is not surprising because at the start of the pandemic, this group was thought to be less vulnerable to infections but this perspective has since changed and I encourage all members of the general public who have vaccination hesitancy to visit the ministry’s website to get factual information concerning vaccines in our country.”

decision to remove COVID entry testing for visitors.

Yesterday, Mr Cooper gave an update on tourism arrivals, saying the country’s rebound levels were similar to that of 2019 prepandemic records.

“As far as tourism numbers, we are still processing the May data and we hope to have that within the next 10 days,” he said. “ But, I can say that foreign air and sea arrivals to The Bahamas from January to April this year totalled 1.9 million people. Of that number, just over 460,000 visitors were stopover visitors.

“In April alone, we had 586,574 visitors by air and sea. Air and sea arrivals through April year-to-date were up by 950 percent over the same period of 2021.”

The Deputy Prime

Minister also revealed a nearly 1,000 per cent increase in arrivals to The Bahamas for the first four months of this year compared to the same period last year.

He continued: “Arrivals are up, occupancy levels and hotels are up.

Cruise arrivals up. We are rebounding faster in the Caribbean.”

Notwithstanding these improving figures, he said the government has set an ambitious target to double the number of stopover visitors to The Bahamas in three years.

“It sounds aggressive,” he added, “but simply put, they spend more and to do this and we need more airports, we need more flights, and we need more rooms.”

In this vein, Mr Cooper announced plans to construct new airports on several Family islands, including Exuma, Eleuthera and Cat Island.

“We’re looking out for the Family islands,” the Exuma and Ragged Island MP continued. “We will complete the new airports at Exuma and North Eleuthera. We’re going to build a beautiful new airport at Deadman’s Cay, Long Island. We gone have a new FBO and 5,000 ft runway Black Point, Exuma.

“All of these airports will be facilitated through public private partnerships. The Great Harbour Cay airport will be opening shortly with new opportunities for jobs, and retail opportunities and we have designed the New Bight Airport in Cat Island.

“We will shortly engage interested parties for a PPP and we expect construction to begin in early 2023. Cat Island, I want you to know that your MP is working for you.”

PAGE 4, Thursday, June 16, 2022

THE TRIBUNE

Pintard sees ‘arrogance’ growing in government

By KHRISNA RUSSELL Tribune Chief Reporter krussell@tribunemedia.net OPPOSITION leader Michael Pintard yesterday described the Davis administration as one that does not comply with laws and suggested that he was beginning to see seeds of “arrogance” grow in the new day government.

“This is not an administration that is big on complying,” Mr Pintard said of the government yesterday. “It’s big on pursuing others to comply and no doubt finding legal remedies if they do not comply, but they themselves are unwilling to comply.”

While making his contribution to the 2022/2023 Budget debate, the Free National Movement leader outlined what he viewed as the government repeatedly acting outside of the confines of the law.

He said: “I seem to remember that the member (Exuma and Ragged Island MP Chester Cooper) called fairly consistently for an accounting on COVID spending.

“The member for Exuma and Ragged Island called on the government to follow any commitments we made inclusive of the law and speaking of the Fiscal Responsibility Act. “This administration

MINISTER’S BROT ER FINED

By PAVEL BAILEY Tribune Court Reporter pbailey@tribunemedia.net A MAN was fined in a Magistrate’s Court yesterday on multiple charges, including disorderly behaviour and assaulting a female police officer.

Anthony Bell, 59, brother of Labour and Immigration Minister Keith Bell, stood before Assistant Chief Magistrate Carolyn Vogt-Evans on five separate charges. These include using obscene language, disorderly behaviour, resisting arrest, assaulting a police officer and disorderly behaviour in a police station.

On June 11 at Zion Boulevard, the accused was acting in a disorderly manner and used obscene language to the annoyance of woman Sergeant 330 Wallace. In the process of arresting him for his behaviour, Bell allegedly assaulted her.

Later the same day, after his arrest, he continued to act erratically at the East Street South Police Station.

The prosecution elaborated on the incident’s events as it was explained that at 7pm that day officers on mobile patrol, including Sgt Wallace, observed the accused driving dangerously.

When the officers pulled him over, Bell told them that he had no ID on him and proceeded to specifically target Sgt Wallace by saying that his brother, Keith Bell, would get her fired for this.

He then went on a sexist rant when he said that no woman was going to arrest

him, that he’d treat the Sergeant like a man and cursed her and the other officers present.

It was later indicated that he was under the influence of alcohol at the time. Bell confirmed that he had one drink on the night of the incident.

After Bell admitted to the court that he pulled away from the officer resulting in him inadvertently striking her, he said he was remorseful and apologised for what he had done.

The magistrate elected to withdraw the charge for assaulting a police officer, but logged his official plea for the remaining charges as guilty.

Magistrate Vogt-Evans then called the accused a chauvinist and told him that his behaviour was unacceptable. She told him that even if Bell has issues with an officer, he must respect the uniform.

Bell was fined $250 on the resisting arrest charge or risk three months in prison. For the remaining charges he was ordered, as part of a conditional discharge, to write a letter formally apologizing to W/ SGT Wallace.

In addition, he was ordered to apologise to his brother for using his name in the letter, which Bell is expected to read to SGT Wallace in the foyer of East Street South Station. In it he has to express his apologies to her and all other officers present.

A signed copy of this letter to officer Wallace must be presented to the Magistrate when Bell returns to court for mention on July 14.

was obligated by law to lay the Fiscal Strategy Report in the House and refused to do so and had a senior public servant tell the rest of us who are elected that we’re not going to waste time with bringing that to the House for discussion although the law required it.

“That same report committed this administration to signal what they intend to do, what measures were put in place in terms of creating greater fiscal space so that we’re not spending much of what we earn on servicing debt. It committed this administration to come up with a strategy on how we’re going to grow the

economy, how we’re going to address critical issues what their strategies are around diversification.

“This administration has come in, changed the projected numbers inclusive of what deficit we are going to be operating at under their first budget. All changes that they consider it is required by law for them to come to this place and let’s have a discussion.

“As I said before there is one rule as it relates to complying with the law for the Progressive Liberal Party government and there is a rule for everybody else.”

He continued: “They ought to comply with the law. So, every financial

MINNIS: GIBSON IS INNOCENT UNTIL PROVEN OTHERWISE

By EARYEL BOWLEG Tribune Staff Reporter ebowleg@tribunemedia.net FORMER Prime Minister Dr Hubert Minnis said yesterday “a man is innocent until proven otherwise” as many in the country wait to learn what will be the next political steps of Long Island MP Adrian Gibson.

There are some who believe the MP, who was arraigned in a Magistrate’s Court Monday on a list of corruption charges, should resign his seat.

Others are of the view a decision should be made based on the outcome of the trial.

The corruption charges are related to his tenure as executive chairman of the Water and Sewerage Corporation under the Minnis administration.

However, Dr Minnis had very little to say yesterday when asked if a resignation

by Mr Gibson was warranted at this time.

Asked if he stands with Mr Gibson, the Killarney MP replied: “Mr Gibson is innocent until proven otherwise just like anyone else. That’s a party matter.

I’m not the leader. I can’t make a statement or give my personal opinion.

That’s a party matter, but he’s innocent until proven otherwise.”

Former House Speaker Halson

ADRIAN GIBSON MP Moultrie suggested earlier this week that “any honourable” parliamentarian accused of criminal offences should consider resigning to protect the institution of Parliament.

Mr Moultrie had previously 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 charges, which range from false declaration, bribery, fraud, receiving and money laundering allegedly stem from Gibson’s alleged failure to declare his interest in contracts awarded by the WSC.

document that they can identify, a second one that I’m talking about, they seem to have a problem with complying with it.”

Mr Pintard said the FNM requested that the government publish all of the contracts that they issued, especially those that exceed $25,000.

“We also wrote the Prime Minister and again we got no response.

“We have through the Shadow Minister for Finance through the Public Accounts Committee, made a request of all the various government agencies, so that process has started and again given the track record we are not optimistic about

their willingness to comply.

“This is not an administration that’s big on complying. It’s big on pursuing others to comply and no doubt finding legal remedies if they do not comply, but they themselves are unwilling to comply.”

Speaking further on his views of the government, Mr Pintard said it was becoming apparent that representatives were showing signs of arrogance.

“The arrogance, administrations tend to get infected and so we are now in opposition and some say that was a part of our affliction and already I see the seeds of arrogance growing,” Mr Pintard said.

500 NEW HEALTHCARE HIRES

By LEANDRA ROLLE Tribune Staff reporter lrolle@tribunemedia.net NEARLY 500 allied healthcare professionals will be hired by the government in an effort to shore up manpower resources, Health and Wellness Minister Dr Michael Darville said in the House of Assembly yesterday.

Dr Darville said since taking office last year, he has seen major deficiencies in the nation’s healthcare system and pledged to address it.

“Over the past ten months since taking responsibility of the Ministry of Health and Wellness, I have observed tremendous deficiencies that exist in our healthcare delivery system - not only in Nassau and Grand Bahama, but throughout the Family Islands,” the minister said during his budget contribution.

“During my visit to our clinics throughout the country, and trust me, I went to see them myself, ain’t no one telling me about the state of the clinics in Abaco and Eleuthera. I’ve seen ‘em and I know what I’m dealing with and it is evident that the human resources component in healthcare throughout the country is in a critical state.

“My ministry is moving to correct these deficiencies and I am pleased to announce that the Cabinet has approved the hiring of 478 - allied health professionals - clerks, handyman, nurse assistants, family islands ambulance drivers, janitors to be deployed throughout The Bahamas and the good news is I’ve already started some of the training.

“I have my first batch of practical nurse assistance graduated in July of this year

to be deployed into the health care system – 50 young Bahamians who have been dying for the opportunity. They are coming on board.”

Dr Darville said health officials believe the increase, along with the 50 Cuban nurses who were previously hired, will help reduce some of the delays being experienced in the delivery of primary healthcare services.

He also said the ministry has hired 15 doctors under his leadership, adding: “I have money in this for 15 more because there is a need and we have to meet those needs.”

According to Dr Darville, the ministry has received a budget allocation for some $316m. “Of this sum, the budget allocation for the (Public) Hospitals Authority is $232,455,825 and for the National Health Insurance budget, there is $46.2m,” he added.

“The Department of Public Health, which manages our clinics in New Providence and most of the Family Islands have been allocated a budget of some $52, 935,740 proving that all arms of the ministry receive substantial increases in this budget.”

He also announced two new line items in his ministry’s budget, which includes catastrophic healthcare services and health and wellness.

The Tall Pines MP added: “With these two new line items, we are finally putting our money where our mouth is. We have a line item that is demarcated to help poor people in need.

In the selective catastrophic care line item, we have allocated $10m and in the health and wellness line item, we have made available $2.5m.”

THE TRIBUNE

Thursday, June 16, 2022, PAGE 5

THREE CREDIBLE BIDS FOR AIRPORT PROJECT from page one

“Big things are happening. Real things for real people. The Grand Lucayan Resort and the Carnival Cruise Port are only the beginning.

“The Minister for Grand Bahama and the work of the Ministry of Tourism will revitalise Port Lucaya Marketplace and Marina.

The new airport will return pre-clearance.

“I am pleased to advise that as a result of the RFP process, we have three credible suitors for the redevelopment of a world class Grand Bahama International Airport. They’re credible with a track record and their own money so we expect construction to be completed by January 2025.”

He said the “world class” facility, once completed, will increase airlift to the island. “(There will be) a significant airlift boost from Bahamasair, Western Air

DEPUTY Prime Minister Chester Cooper yesterday.

Photo: Donavan McIntosh/Tribune Staff and other airline partners that have come and (the) sale and revitalisation of many of the abandoned projects throughout Grand Bahama are on our sight,” he said.

The airport in Grand

Bahama was destroyed by Hurricane Dorian in September 2019.

During that time, it was privately owned and operated by the Freeport Harbour Company, which is part of Hutchison Port

Holdings of the Hutchison Whampoa Group.

Under the Minnis administration, the government purchased it in April 2021 for $1, with plans to redevelop the airport under a PPP. However, the government also paid-out around $1m as its 50 percent share of the redundancy pay and associated benefits received

by GBIA staff.

The current state of the island’s airport - along with the lack of other economic activity - has been key issues of concern for Grand Bahama residents for many years.

Yesterday, Mr Cooper said many projects are in the pipeline for Grand Bahama.

He outlined several initiatives his ministry was working on to increase local tourism and restore investor confidence on the island.

“We are launching a shovel-ready initiative and this will include the International Bazaar and Xanadu,”

he told MPs. “These initiatives will mean a significant number of tourist arrivals there and it will change the economic prospects for Grand Bahama for many years. The jobs and tourist receipts will have knock-on effects in countless ways in the coming years.

“We really are just getting started for Grand Bahama.

“We will attract big investments to Grand Bahama and there are some in the pipeline. The minister for Grand Bahama talks about the $500m investment in the GB Shipyard and the sale of Equinor will bring a significant boost to the industrial sector.”

He added: “All of these will be buttressed by the new hospital already announced by the Ministry of Health and East Grand Bahama, I will tell you that at no time in history as an independent nation have I been more optimistic about the future of Grand Bahama than I am right now. I tell you your

government is working for you and this is what a new day governance looks like.”

Pertaining to other investments, Mr Cooper said that since assuming office, the Davis administration has approved over $2.5bn investments to date.

“Seven-hundred million dollars in Exuma, $135m in Abaco and $137m in Eleuthera and $400m in Mayaguana and we have in the pipeline, ready for presentation to the national economic council, a $250m project for South Long Island comprised of a boutique resort, an entertainment centre and water park,” Minister Cooper said.

“Overall, we anticipate at least $5bn investments in this year of this administration. We are establishing a social responsibility fund, in time which we will look to ensure that we benefit tangibly from these investments to social causes, entrepreneurship and the tourism development corporation.”

$80K A YEAR TO PREVENT FREEPORT DRAINAGE FLOODING

By DENISE MAYCOCK Tribune Freeport Reporter dmaycock@tribunemedia.net GRAND Bahama Port Authority is investing $80,000 annually to ensure Freeport’s drainage system is “storm ready” to prevent flooding.

The 2022 Atlantic Hurricane Season started on June 1, and the GBPA conducts extensive assessments of storm drains throughout the city, removing of any debris that may have accumulated in them over time.

The City Maintenance and Management Section (CMMS) of the GBPA Building and Development Services (BDS) department is responsible for the installation and maintenance of the drainage system within the Port area.

“Over the last 13 years, GBPA has installed more than 65 new drains and are committed to continuing to modify drains as needed,” Troy McIntosh, GBPA’s Deputy Director & City Manager of BDS, said.

“GBPA has invested $80,000 annually throughout the period to ensure the reparation and servicing of existing storm drains and installation of new drains to provide increased capacity in areas where flooding has occurred in the past.”

Mr McIntosh further stated: “We understand that potential flooding is a major concern for residents, in particular with the experience from the most recent catastrophic Hurricane Dorian. This is why the GBPA remains committed to maintaining the city’s

drainage systems through ongoing maintenance, including the removal of any debris or garbage accumulated in the drains over time, to ensure that drains are storm-ready all year round.”

The GBPA official noted that experts have anticipated an above-average hurricane season this year, which was borne out by the early arrival of the season’s first tropical cyclone on Saturday, June 4, 2022.

“This weather event enabled GBPA to evaluate the overall performance of the city’s drainage system,” MR McIntosh said.

He stated that during the storm the drains functioned at optimal performance.

Once the heavy rainfall had passed, he said the flooding subsided within two hours

or less.

“This past weekend was a great help for GBPA to see how well the existing drainage system operates and identifying a few locations where there is room for improvement, added Mr. McIntosh. During a heavy rainfall it is possible for our drains to reach capacity, thus causing our roads to flood. To determine if there is a cause for concern, we recommend that residents observe the drains for three to four hours after the rain has completely stopped to see whether the drain is performing as it should.”

The public is advised to contact the BDS Department at 352-2000, or lodge a complaint in the Freeport Report App, to advise of instances where the water has not subsided within

three to four hours so that further assessments can be conducted.

For the latest updates and information on storm

drain maintenance, residents can follow the Grand Bahama Port Authority’s social media sites or visit its website at www.gbpa.com.

PAGE 6, Thursday, June 16, 2022

THE TRIBUNE

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PICTURE OF THE DAY

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

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Tough call - but will it be the right one?

IT has been expected – but the step to remove the travel health visa was taken yesterday, with it no longer being a requirement for travel from Sunday.

In a day of slightly mixed messaging, Deputy Prime Minister Chester Cooper announced the end of the visa, but said that a negative COVID test would be required before entering the country.

Not so, said Minister of Health and Wellness Dr Michael Darville later in the day – that would only be a requirement for unvaccinated people. If you’ve been vaccinated, you’re good to go, no test required.

This is, of course, a move with mixed consequences. Economically, of course, tourism-based businesses will be delighted to see a restriction lifted – and non-tourism businesses too will feel the knock-on effects.

In terms of health, there is the concern that a reduction in screening and restrictions will see an increase in COVID cases. Across in the UK, for example, there is another new variant which has seen infections and hospitalisations rise, and as we open up, we risk making it easier for the virus to spread through our society.

Finding the right balance between what is fair for the economy and what is safe for people’s health is no easy task, but once the US announced it was going to stop its requirement for COVID testing before travel into the US, it seemed inevitable that we would follow.

That’s a change since the early days of COVID. Back then, under the Minnis administration, The Bahamas shut down fast to limit the spread of the virus.

Internationally, there were plaudits for the Bahamian government for being ahead of others on its response to the virus, rather than following in the footsteps of other nations.

This time, we seem to be doing the

same as the US. Will that be the right move? We’ll find out as we watch the daily dashboard with the number of new cases.

The key thing to watch will be how well our hospitals are able to cope with the number of cases – overwhelming our healthcare staff will be the last thing any of us need, not least of all the frontline staff.

The health of the economy is obviously to the front of the minds of leading members of government. Mr Cooper said yesterday: “We must reduce the friction as we ramp up for the summer months and, therefore, I am pleased to announce that the Cabinet of The Bahamas has approved the elimination of the travel health visa.”

He said we had to “get the numbers that we need for our tourism product and economy.”

So what does that mean for our health?

Well, we should not stop the personal measures we can take, such as masks and social distancing. That can help slow down any new rise in case numbers.

And perhaps there might be a side benefit of this decision – the testing requirement is only in place for unvaccinated travellers. Perhaps this will encourage some of those who have not yet been vaccinated to go and get the jab. Maybe this will be the incentive they have been waiting for.

And there’s more good news as well, with vaccinations for children now in the country, allowing younger Bahamians to also get the protection they need against the virus.

The move to remove the travel restrictions is a tough call, though – and we hope it is the right one. We have lost too many of our Bahamian brothers and sisters already to this deadly pandemic – and we do not want to lose any more.

Electric cars EDITOR, The Tribune.

EV’S or in simple language ‘electric vehicles.’

At a time when our finances are very tight and basically Government needs every dime, I do not see the economics in lowering the already lowered Duty on EVs. For the betterment of the environment? Sorry, hogwash unless we were to have ‘OOO’s on the road not maybe a hundred or even two.

The loss of revenue to Government and to the motor vehicles sector is large... starters $1.12 plus on every gallon of gas consumed Treasury will not receive a dime any

servicing, EV’s don’t need regular servicing, Treasury loses – VAT parts Duty is high plus VAT, loss of employment both full time and part time. A cost analysis clearly shows the loss is considerable against the gains.

Who certainly will benefit? Government if they change their fleet from gas-diesel to electric, but only they will save....their decision to switch will hurt Treasury revenue - thanks guys.

A $40,000 plus electric vehicle is, I suggest, an unnecessary luxury purchase - why is the Treasury affording those that can afford to purchase $40k plus vehicles

substantial financial concessions to save - those who buy $40k vehicles surely can afford the usual Duty rate?

Environmentalists, scream all you like, I suggest the argument is very much against you. How many EV’s will have any environmental benefit on our air quality? I do see Government and commercial businesses switching from diesel to EV that makes more sense – as diesel does if emissions are not checked – pollute. Prefer the CASH in the Treasury – If you haven’t heard, they need every dime!

T ALBURY Nassau, June 14, 2022.

A HOUSE sits in Rock Creek after floodwaters washed away a road and a bridge in Red Lodge, Montana, yesterday, after floods in the Yellowstone National Park.

Photo: David Goldman/AP

A journey to be able to tell a story EDITOR, The Tribune.

THANK you for allowing me such a limited space in your daily life to express a concern for the citizens of our beloved Bahamas.

I count myself as a somewhat fiction novel writer, did I just say that?

And during the process of having to register the material in such a way that they would be able to be accessed globally using grouping of numbers.

Launching out to try to acquire the operating intelligence was thrust upon the then College of the Bahamas, and I thought, but I have no need to enroll at the College of studies, I said: Don’t be foolish, the only way to have a code placed in your literary work would be to have assigned to the material something we referred to as ‘ISBN or International Standard Book Number, and there is an application form to fill in, on a breakdown of this literary work, the story. I do that?

Well, as the journey goes

LETTERS letters@tribunemedia.net I was directed to Harry C Moore Library of the College of The Bahamas now the University of The Bahamas, Thompson Boulevard, now University Drive, where I did the application and paid the money – but was told that the fees and ISBN would have to be sent outside of the Bahamas, to the following-processing centre: The Regional ISBN Agency (CARICOM) Caribbean Community Secretariat. Post Office Box 10827, Turkeyan, Greater Georgetown, Guyana.

And the turnaround time I asked?

About 21 business days to be on the safe side.

But, the Commonwealth of The Bahamas is an entire country – why use the College of The Bahamas as a middleman, when we should, could, should, ought to be offering this service to our writers in The Bahamas?

Editor, that was the question then and it is still relevant now.

I call on the University of the Bahamas, its Directorate, Faculty and student body to collaborate with the Ministry of Education – the Hon Glenys Hanna Martin – to start the debate on the establishment of an International Standard Book Number (ISBN-agency), even if located on the Campus of the University?

Finally, I believe that the permission to offer the ISBNs and all of the other information would have to be given via the United Kingdom International Standard Book Number Agency?

This is really something that we ought to undertake, and what better institution of higher learning to manage it, than the University of The Bahamas?

Thank you, editor, for the small space, I appreciate it.

FRANK GILBERT Nassau, June 15, 2022.

Health visas EDITOR, The Tribune.

WHEN is the Bahamas Government going to face reality and abolish the Health Visa and the three-day old rapid antigen test? They are both now completely a roadblock to secure bookings to your country. For those of us in England the test and three-day arrival is unworkable for most people. At a recent online travel agent session, we all expressed the same sentiments. The entry policies

are time consuming and expensive. Nearly everywhere else is far easier to enter.

There has always been a lot of goodwill for The Bahamas in the UK which was further increased with the successful March visit of The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge. The publicity for your country was tremendous. However, this goodwill could not, for the most part, be translated into bookings because of the restrictive entry rules.

I understand certain Bahamians have been making money from the Health Visa payment system and the Health tests required for returning tourists to their home country. These profits must surely have to be sacrificed for your long term need to revive the essential tourist industry. The sooner the better must be the answer.

JOHN COOPER Milford-on-Sea, Hampshire, England, June 15, 2022.

THE TRIBUNE

Thursday, June 16, 2022, PAGE 7

OFFICER TESTIFIES IN ASSAULT CASE BID TO TACKLE SCHOOL VIOLENCE

By PAVEL BAILEY Tribune Court Reporter pbailey@tribunemedia.net

AN OFFICER gave testimony in a Magistrate’s Court in a man’s ongoing trial where he faces accusations of assaulting a police officer last Christmas.

Police Constable Darwin Sherman, of Wulff Road Station, testified before Magistrate Kendra Kelly in Macowelly Jones’s trial for assaulting Corporal 3890 King at a bar early Christmas morning.

During his testimony, PC Sherman indicated that on the day of the incident he conducted an interview with the accused under caution in the presence of another officer.

It was at this time that Jones said that he was in a fight in Sweet Scent Bar off Mackey Street. There he claimed he was ganged by unknown males and that during this altercation he threw a punch in the

direction of Corporal King, who he said ducked the blow.

After this, Jones said he apologised to the officer stating that he didn’t know he was there.

Upon completion of this interview, Jones was arrested and officially charged with assault of a police officer.

After identifying Jones as the suspect in court PC Sherman presented the official Record of Interview (ROI) signed by both men to the Magistrate. The ROI was then entered into evidence.

When Jones was allowed to speak during cross-examination, he said that he only apologised for throwing a punch because he felt he assaulted the officer, but that he did not.

The accused also said he never intended to attack Corporal King, who had previously testified in court.

King still managed to evade the blow, it was said in court.

SHOP-BREAKER IS JAILED

By PAVEL BAILEY Tribune Court Reporter pbailey@tribunemedia.net A MAN was sentenced to one year at the Bahamas Department of Correctional Services yesterday for shop-breaking.

Earl Campbell, 58, stood before Assistant Chief Magistrate Carolyn VogtEvans on a charge of shop breaking.

Campbell admitted breaking into Go Go’s Deli on Alexander Street on June 10 with intent to steal.

A review of his criminal record revealed that Campbell had 58 similar cases with the court that go back as far as 1978. Overall he has previously served four years in custody.

This resulted in the magistrate calling the accused a “perpetual” housebreaker and thief and that his

criminal actions make him a “plague” to society.

In view of this, Magistrate Vogt-Evans sentenced the accused to one year in custody.

Upon hearing his sentence, Campbell begged the court to ensure that they don’t cut his hair in prison as he identifies as a Rastafarian and SeventhDay Adventist. He also explained to the court that in addition to not being able to get work as a chef or tailor due to his extensive criminal record, he also suffers from a drug problem.

While the magistrate still admonished him for his criminal behaviour, she obliged his requests for help. As such she officially recorded that Campbell should not have his hair cut in prison and also he should be allowed to enrol in drug counselling while in custody.

DISCHARGE IN DRUGS CASE

By PAVEL BAILEY Tribune Court Reporter pbailey@tribunemedia.net A MAGISTRATE’S Court yesterday placed a man, accused of drugs, on conditional discharge.

Henry Fowler Jr, 32, appeared before Magistrate Shaka Serville on a charge of possession of dangerous drugs with intent to supply On June 14, Fowler was arrested after he was found with one and a quarter ounces of indian hemp in several silver foil wrappings. The drugs have an estimated street value of $75.

In view of the relatively small quantity of drugs found with the accused, on the advice of the prosecutor, the magistrate reduced the charges to simple possession. Fowler pleaded guilty.

Fowler then explained

that the drugs were for his personal use and that he has been a smoker for 16 years.

The accused further said he has three stepchildren to provide for and that he just wants to put this situation behind him.

Because the accused indicated he was willing to find alternatives to his smoking habit, Magistrate Serville placed him on a conditional discharge.

Fowler is expected to attend CCAC for drug counseling courses. If, at the end of the six-month course, Fowler returns to court with a satisfactory report, he will be granted an absolute discharge.

However, defaulting on these conditions would result in the accused receiving a $500 fine and the charge remaining on his record.

Fowler is expected to return to court for a report on December 7.

HARM AND THREATS FOCUS OF CASES

By PAVEL BAILEY Tribune Court Reporter pbailey@tribunemedia.net TWO MEN were arraigned in a Magistrate’s Court yesterday on separate charges of causing harm and threats of harm.

Donovan Rolle, 21, appeared before Assistant Chief Magistrate Carolyn Vogt-Evans on a charge of causing harm.

At 1am on June 12 at Elizabeth Estates, Rolle is accused of harming Latheo Dean. He pleaded not guilty.

With there being no objection to bail it was granted to Rolle at $3,000 with one surety. Under the conditions of his bail the accused is expected to sign in at Elizabeth Estates Police Station on the last Sunday of each month. Failure to comply will result in his bail being revoked.

Rolle’s trial will commence on September 14.

The second man, Shane Hepburn, 30, also stood before Magistrate VogtEvans on a charge of threats of harm.

On June 10 in New Providence, Hepburn was arrested for threatening Michael Johnson.

However, due to the accused immediately

pleading guilty to the charge, Magistrate Vogt-Evans only warned and discharged him for the matter.

Following the magistrate’s decision that there was sufficient evidence to proceed with the case after the prosecution closed, Jones elected to speak in his own defence.

It was at this time that the accused said he was leaving the bar at around 12am that morning when a man grabbed his shirt for some unknown reason. This then broke into a fight when three other men attacked his back.

It was only after he felt someone grab his shirt again from the back that Jones threw a punch at the officer, which he said Corporal King had the reflexes to evade. After realising it was an officer, he asked King why he didn’t help him in fight only for Jones to claim that the Corporal “aggressively” detained him and confiscated his money.

Jones ended his defence by once again saying he never actually hit the officer and that he was sober at the time. He then requested that the owner of the club be summoned for his defence in his next trial date.

Jones wishes security footage of the incident to be presented.

Before being escorted from court, he asked the magistrate why there was no medical form of the Corporal’s assault presented as evidence. Magistrate Kelly then told him that not all attacks require medical attention and that Corporal King still maintains Jones assaulted him. Jones was remanded back to BDCS and is expected to return to court on August 17 for continuation of his defence.

A SCHOOL resource She noted that the officer pilot programme, presence of SROs on designed to improve campuses is one aspect school safety, has been of a much broader and launched by the Ministry comprehensive plan to of Education and Techniimprove safety. cal & Vocational Training Mrs Hanna Martin at public schools in New outlined key strategic Providence and is yielding actions, points and goals significant results, accordof the plan that are curing to Minister Glenys rently being addressed.

Hanna Martin.

These include ensuring The programme is a that properly trained and joint partnership between internationally certified school administrators, GLENYS Hanna-Martin. Minister of School Resource Officsecurity officers and Education and Technical and Voca- ers are placed in public School Resource Officers tional Training. schools.

(SROs).

The first two SROs will In the House of Assembly, Mrs Hanna be travelling to Aurora, Colorado, in July Martin said since the return of SROs to to complete a one-week School Resource New Providence schools, there has been Officer Course delivered by the National a significant decline in the number of inci- Association of School Resource Officers. dents at schools in the pilot programme.

Once certified, all SROs will be expected “Keeping school students, teachers to fulfill their tripartite role of law enforceand staff members safe on those school ment, informal mentoring and counseling. campuses is a fundamental duty of the gov- They also will be delivering a curriculum in ernment of The Bahamas,” Mrs Hanna the classroom on a number of safety topics Martin told Parliament. “Recently, there that will educate students on the dangers of has been an increase in the number of drug use, gun violence, gangs, bullying and school incidents at various local schools, other topics that impact at-risk youth. particularly on the island of New ProviThe programme also seeks to ensure dence. The nature of many of these that local stakeholders keep in touch with incidents include weapon possession emerging trends and best practices in (typically knives), assaults (fighting), and school safety. In July, Minister Hanna-Marstabbings. Several of the stabbing incidents tin will be leading a delegation of senior resulted in injuries where victims had to be officials from the Ministry of Education, taken to hospital to receive treatment. the Department of Education, and the “Adding insult to injury was the fact that Royal Bahamas Police Force to attend the a number of these incidents were recorded 2022 National School Safety Conference in by fellow students on their devices (cell Aurora, Colorado. phones, tablets). The videos were subseOfficials also hope the programme will quently uploaded and went viral across ensure that school security officers are various social media platforms. This addi- also trained and successfully complete tional exposure of the challenges that we the 40-hour security officers course at face in school safety has increased the pub- the Police College of the Royal Bahamas lic’s fear of their loved ones being harmed at Police Force. a place that should be regarded as sacred.”

Additionally, the Department of EduMrs Hanna Martin said to assist with cation will be facilitating workshops and improving school safety the Ministry training seminars for school administrators reviewed the findings of an empirical and teachers on their individual roles in research study of a SRO programme con- school safety. ducted by Chief Superintendent Dr Meetings are also planned with other Chaswell Hanna of the Royal Bahamas important education stakeholders to harPolice Force. ness ideas to support school safety.

PAGE 8, Thursday, June 16, 2022

THE TRIBUNE

“The future of the Western Hemisphere is a responsibility of all the countries of this hemisphere. Irrespective of our size, or GDP, or our system of governance, we all have a shared interest in a sustainable, resilient and equitable future.”

– John Briceño, Prime Minister of Belize MANY international summits, some more than others, are talkfests, mostly occasions for high-blown rhetoric and photo-ops, though substantive speeches, statements and diplomacy are often critical, including for domestic audiences.

There are typically bilateral meetings between countries where more business gets done and leaders can forge and renew alliances and relationships.

There are also regional meetings, including opportunities for smaller countries and blocs such as Caricom to press compelling challenges and meet collectively with leaders such as the US President.

Last week, 23 leaders of the Western Hemisphere met in Los Angeles for the ninth Summit of the Americas. The theme: “Building a Sustainable, Resilient, and Equitable Future.” It was the first time the meeting was held in the United States since the inaugural summit in Miami in 1994 hosted by Bill Clinton.

The hemispheric gathering has taken place in various capitals since 1994, though recently delayed by the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Americas are teeming with extraordinary diversity, though sharing common histories of colonialism, imperialism and slavery. The hemisphere includes the North American powers, Central America, the regions of South America and a diverse Caribbean.

Because of political and economic differences it is often difficult to forge common interests and consensus on a range of international issues. The touted hemispheric free trade agreement from 1994 never materialised. Such an

FROM front left, Ecuador President Guillermo Lasso, Chilean President Gabriel Boric Font, Antigua and Barbuda’s Prime Minister Gaston Alphonso Browne, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Barbados Prime Minister Mia Amor Mottley at the Summit of the Americas.

Photo: Marcio Jose Sanchez/AP agreement would be near How considerably the world and the region have impossible today.

This year’s summit changed. And America, focused on climate change, especially after the Trump economic recovery, migra- presidency, appears unrection and other issues of ognisable in myriad ways.

The various summits of mutual concern. The 2022 meeting had little of the the Americas have always excitement of the initial and been circumscribed by the subsequent summits when reality that various governthe United States enjoyed ments often prefer to do more regional gravitas, and business with the United China’s economic and dip- States bilaterally.

Summits often do not lomatic influence was less live up to the purple-prosed ubiquitous and growing.

Today, China is the lead- aspirations of the leaders of ing trading partner for the day. But, how will last Brazil, Chile, Argentina week’s gathering be rememand Peru, South America’s bered? The reviews may largest economies. China’s be mixed depending on the influence continues to grow country.

A number of leaders, in Central America. including the President of Mexico, boycotted the Summit because of the exclusion of Cuba, VeneWhile the United States zuela and Guatemala. retains significant secuAs the veteran journalist rity, economic and political and Latin America watcher ties with most countries in Lucia Newman observed of South and Central Amer- the exclusion and boycott: ica, its “once-unchallenged “It is not an issue of supleadership in its former port for those countries’ ‘backyard’ has arguably respective leaders, Daniel descended to historic lows,” Ortega, Miguel Diaz Canel, argues a well-known jour- and Nicolas Maduro. Most nalist in the Americas. countries in the region conIn an article in The sider them authoritarian Atlantic this week, former and undemocratic, as does New York Times foreign Washington. correspondent William “Biden and other Neuman, observed: “That regional leaders could inaugural [summit] marked have used the forum to a moment of US ascend- hold Nicaragua, Cuba and ancy, as America stood Venezuela accountable on atop a unipolar world after human rights and elections. the collapse of the Soviet And they could also have Union. Latin America attempted to make headwas also going through a way on shared objectives.” transformation, no longer When President Obama a region of military dic- went to his last summit, he tatorships: Nearly every and former Cuban Presicountry had a democrati- dent Raul Castro sat at the cally elected government, same table. and many were eager to During a press conferwork with Washington.” ence on her return home

SIGNIFICANT

TALKS AND PHOTO OPS - BUT IS IT REALLY TAKING US WHERE WE NEED TO GO?

from the Summit and a host of meetings, Barbados Prime Minister Mia Mottley seemed encouraged by the meeting between Caricom and President Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris. The Dominican Republic was also at this meeting.

Ms Mottley noted the main topics at the meeting: difficulty accessing financing, food and energy security, climate change and the ongoing economic fallout from COVID-19.

CLIMATE CHANGE

She emphasised the Caribbean needed much more than mitigation efforts in response to climate change.

Ms Mottley stressed the need for funds for adaptation to make us more resilient to the effects of rising seas and more powerful storms.

During his plenary statement, Belizean Prime Minister and current Caricom Chair, John Briceño, called for action on “a multidimensional vulnerability index to determine access to grants and concessional development finance, so that countries like ours can affordably finance our recovery and build resiliently.”

He pressed for “technology transfer to support the acceleration to renewable energy” and action on debt relief.

A readout on the

Caricom-US meeting from the White House noted: “Building on Vice President Harris’ April 29, 2022, meeting with these Leaders, the United States launched the US-Caribbean Partnership to Address the Climate Crisis 2030 (PACC 2030) to facilitate renewable energy infrastructure development, including by increasing access to financing, and to bolster the region’s resilience to climate based natural disasters.”

The joint effort will facilitate collaboration between the US private sector and Caribbean companies to support renewable energy infrastructure project development from concept to financing, including through technical assistance and blended finance tools to create Caribbean equity in energy projects.

The readout continued: “Under PACC 2030 and as part of the Americas Partnership for Economic Prosperity, the United States will work with international financial institutions to develop financial tools that respond to the Caribbean’s unique challenges, including by exploring alternatives to the World Bank’s national income criteria for eligibility to concessional or grant financing.”

This statement is welcome news especially for The Bahamas and Barbados, neither of which can access certain funding because we are listed as high-income countries. This is a vexing issue successive governments have been working on for decades.

If there is ever a breakthrough on this, it will be tremendous news for our respective countries.

VULNERABILITY

The readout also noted the vulnerability of the Caribbean to rising international debt and natural disasters, migration away from the region and energy insecurity. With about 67 percent of the people in the region experiencing severe or moderate nutrition and food insecurity, greater

food security was discussed.

The US will provide an additional $28m in food assistance as a part of the Caribbean Zero Hunger plan, a collaboration between Caricom and the United States. Though welcome, it is a small increase considering the needs per country.

Discussions were also held on a range of national security issues including small arms trafficking, human trafficking, trafficking of illegal handguns, cybersecurity and cybercrime.

At the summit, discussions began on the Americas Partnership for Economic Prosperity initiative, a version of the US’s Indo-Pacific Economic Framework for Prosperity.

The pillars of the plan include “trade, climate change, supply-chain resilience, and human and social capital formation.” But as one observer noted: “As of now, it is more an invitation to discuss, coordinate, and negotiate than a developed plan.”

Many wanted a more dramatic announcement of a plan and a commitment to help fund infrastructural and economic development in the region. Unfortunately, as has been the case in the past, mostly private sector, rather than US. Government funding, was offered, which seemed more of the same.

The Belizean Prime Minister, whose country is a part of Central America and the Caribbean, articulated the collective desire and voice of Caricom and the region: “As we seek solutions we know that money is not the problem. For example, in less than three months two countries in this hemisphere committed over $55 billion to Ukraine. The question is: how much will be pledged to finance the ambitious agendas we agree at this Summit?”

Is the region, and smaller countries like those in the Caribbean, a priority for the United States of America? Or are we mostly taken for granted?

THE TRIBUNE

Thursday, June 16, 2022, PAGE 9

Centre stage or a sideshow which is going to change nothing?

STATESIDE with Charlie Harper WERE you watching last week when the US House of Representatives January 6 select committee held the first of its several planned TV expositions of what they have found in the 18 months since a mob attacked the US capitol building and threatened to overrun the US Congress?

The first session was televised in prime time by the major American networks (ABC, CBS and NBC) plus most cable outlets.

Fox passed, but seemed to regret the decision afterwards, because they did carry live the second of the committee’s hearings on Monday during the day.

One of the committee’s key witnesses in these early sessions was former Attorney General Bill Barr – the same Bill Barr who was appointed to the job by former President Donald Trump specifically because of his expressed belief that a sitting President is sufficiently protected by executive privilege and other traditions and legislation that the President can basically do anything he wants to do, so long as it’s not proven to be illegal while he remains in office.

Such an interpretation of the American constitution and traditions would be music to the ears of any President. For quite a while, Barr and Trump seemed to work in reasonable harmony.

But now? Barr was at potential series of criminal pains to tell the committee charges against Trump and he had many times warned cronies like Rudy Giuliani Trump that the then-Pres- and lawyer John Eastman. ident’s claims of massive The “prosecutor” in this voter fraud in the 2020 elec- potential case would be the tion were “nonsense” and current Attorney General without any foundation in - cautious and methodifact. This is the same Bill cal Merrick Garland. The Barr who issued political ramia misleading, of any ‘There is a lot of fications even deceitpotential trial ful summary speculation that of Trump would of the Mueller the committee, have to be Report three weighed with years ago that which consists utmost care had the effect of a handful of by the Biden of blunting Democrats and administration. whatever measIt’s not at ured criticism two Republicans all clear that the respected who obviously any potential special coun- hate Trump, prosecution of sel offered of Trump by his Trump and his is essentially political oppoadministration. serving as a nents would be Ivanka a wise politigrand jury for a Trump and cal move. As Jared Kush- potential series we have seen ner were also of criminal with our own among the wit- charges against commissions nesses whose of inquiry in testimony was Trump and The Bahamas, referenced and cronies like evidence gathtelevised

by Rudy Giuliani ered after an the committee. administration Much more is and lawyer leaves office to come, for John Eastman.’ is interesting at least the and colours the remainder of the month of public perception of that June. administration’s overall To what purpose? There performance. But beyond is a lot of speculation that that… what, exactly? the committee, which It is highly probable consists of a handful of that most Americans have Democrats and two Repub- by now figured out how licans who obviously hate they feel about Trump.

Trump, is essentially serv- From among the vast ing as a grand jury for a archival trove of brazen

RUSSIANS FEEL THE PINCH BUT IT’S NOT REALLY RTING ECONOMIC sanctions have been the centrepiece of the Western response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine since well before Russian troops crossed the Ukrainian border on February 24. Nearly four months later, statistical evidence is accumulating as to how effective those sanctions have been.

There’s been a lot of coverage of the recent reopening of many of the 840 McDonalds stores in Russia – minus the secret sauce, of course. And the golden arches are gone. The owner of the old McDonalds restaurant chain is – who else?

– a Russian oil mogul from Siberia. Interestingly, his purchase of the sprawling McDonalds enterprise in Russia is somewhat reminiscent of how many of the Russian oligarchs close to Putin accumulated their fortunes decades ago.

Many of Putin’s chums enterprisingly arranged to take control of former Soviet-era gas, oil and other state monopoly enterprises after the collapse of the Communist Soviet empire.

They often gained control via highly leveraged purchases of these invaluable assets at depressed prices in the social, economic and political chaos of Russia in the 1990s. Since people within and outside Russia need energy, this opportunism was rewarded with the stupendous fortunes we now see being at least partially dismantled by eager Western investigators and enforcement officials. These lucky oligarchs were able to basically acquire licences to make money risk-free. No wonder they’re so wealthy.

Now McDonalds is taken over by the Siberian mogul. We’ll see how he and his management team do with the Russian remains of one of the world’s great commercial franchises. Fast-food hamburgers aren’t exactly in the same category as oil and natural gas when you’re looking to heat your family home in the winter. But still: McDonalds has sold

an awful lot of hamburgers. It will be interesting to compare McDonalds’ profit margins with those of the Siberian mogul and his team.

Meanwhile, how is the Russian economy actually doing since the sanctions were imposed? Inflation is currently estimated at around 17 percent – about twice as high as the current rate in the US – but the Russian inflation rate appears to be slowing somewhat since a 20-year high rate in April. According to the Standard & Poors Global Purchasing Managers index, Russian manufacturing increased last month for the first time since the war began.

Media reports from correspondents based in Russia indicate that despite some shortages, stores in Moscow and other cities are still pretty well stocked with goods. This is apparently due partly to pre-invasion planning and partly to the invigoration of normally secondary trade and supply routes through nearby countries like Turkey and Kazakhstan. Russian consumers are reportedly also tightening their belts and

making fewer purchases overall.

A respected analyst of the Russian economy told The New York Times that in his opinion, “sanctions are not going to stop the war. The Russian public will bear it and adapt because Russians understand that they have no way to influence the state.” This kind of analysis at least partly relies on traditional views of the average Russian as still basically self-like, unaccustomed to the freedoms of the democratic and sometimes chaotic West and at least subliminally craving the authoritarian yoke of the tsars, Soviet commissars and now, Putin. Perhaps.

We’ll see.

But overall, according to Chris Weafer, a macroeconomic consultant who has long focused on Russia and who also spoke to the Times, “some of our previous assumptions were wrong. Inflation, and the economy’s contraction, turned out to be less severe than expected.”

It doesn’t look like the economic pinch of sanctions is going to compel Putin to call off the dogs anytime soon.

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THE HOUSE select committee investigating the January 6 attack on the US Capitol continues to reveal its findings of a year-long investigation, at the Capitol in Washington, on Monday.

Photo: Susan Walsh/AP outlandishness that char- centre of the American candidates, using a foracterized the 45th US media news cycle for seven mula that elicits constant President, it’s hard to years and counting. From liberal second-guessing. imagine what new out- his political exile in Palm Polls occasionally report rages the committee could Beach, he issues lamely the rise of “Trump unearth and reveal that vindictive rebuttals to the fatigue,” a phrase used to would substantially change January 6 committee and describe a pervasive weathe minds of many Ameri- other critics. He sallies forth riness of the steady back can voters. to hold rallies in deep red, and forth over this charAt the same time, court Trumpian venues around ismatic but deeply flawed cases against Trump and the country. His fundraising demagogue. He remains his 2020 campaign continue machine, reportedly har- nonetheless front and apace in, most prominently, vesting well north of $250m centre on the American Atlanta and New York City. since his failed re-election political scene.

Local and state prosecutors bid, continues to underRepublican politicians are driving onward in their pin his many legal defence continue to offer public defefforts to persuade judges costs and perhaps further erence out of an abundance and juries to convict Trump indemnifies him and his of self-interest. National & Company of various elec- companies against civil mis- Democrats display little of toral and other offences. conduct fines, poor business the success and acumen that This makes news for the decisions and loans coming will be needed to dispatch liberal media. It is routinely due.

Trump from the national dismissed by conservative Trump keeps score on political scene. Until that media. the success of his endorsed changes, expect more of the Trump has been at the GOP primary election same.

PAGE 10, Thursday, June 16, 2022

THE TRIBUNE

Heart disease top cause of death in nation

By LEANDRA ROLLE Tribune Staff Reporter lrolle@tribunemedia.net ISCHEMIC heart disease is the number one cause of death in the country, according to Health Minister Dr Michael Darville.

Yesterday, he called the situation “alarming” and a major concern.

“The leading cause of death in our country is no longer HIV,” he told Parliament.

“It is ischemic heart disease that is directly related to non-communicable disease. This is a concern and my colleague for Englerston, every time she sees me, she says, ‘doctor D, you’re doing all these things, but what are you doing for non-communicable diseases?’ How are we going

to get our people back on getting the necessary care, track? How are we going in some instances their to prevent hypertension medication.” and diabetes that is (run“So, it means that we ning) rampant wild in our have an unstable patient country?’ who needs constant care “These statistics are very and who is not getting the alarming and care and when in this year’s ‘The leading he or she does budget, fund- cause of not get the care, ing is available they end up in for behaviour death in our the hospital. Our country is no modification hospitals are programmes bursting from longer HIV. that will prothe seams.” mote lifestyle It is ischemic “Primary changes to heart disease healthcare and improve medi- that is directly close monitorcal outcomes for ing of these our population. related to non- individuals in You know I have communicable the community been around for disease.’ helps the Minissome time and try of Health and I could tell you prevents these that we have many people individuals from showing suffering from non-com- up and taking beds that municable diseases. The are preventable if we do COVID pandemic pre- what we need to do in the vented a lot of them from community.

“The adequate provision of primary healthcare is the backbone of healthcare delivery services because it focuses on prevention and management of communicable and non-communicable diseases.

“The Department of Public health must no longer be left behind and will be mandated to produce medical and epidemiological data and trends of diseases that will be used to guide my ministry and our Cabinet to adjust policies in favour of our people.”

“In this year’s budget, funding is available to deploy manpower resources, improve services at our primary healthcare facilities, prevent hospital admissions and reduce morbidity and mortality. That’s the

reason why I’m here.”

He also addressed the infant mortality rate earlier in his speech.

“Also, it’s important to note that the preliminary data regarding immunisation coverage for infants born in 2020 imply that the COVID pandemic impacted our immunisation programme for children two months to 15 months of age. The immunisation programme across the country is back on track and in collaboration with PAHO, we have activated an immunization digital platform so that we could do a better job throughout the country in monitoring what is happening with this programme.

“The data for the period 1995 to 2019 reveal that our infant mortality rate at that time was 12.7 percent

per hundred thousand live births. Since then, the infant mortality rate, excluding the year 1999, ranged from 14 percent of 1,000 live births in 1998.

“The data for 2018 to 2019 seems to suggest and this is alarming that our infant mortality rate was somewhere between 17.5 per cent to 19.4 percent per one hundred thousand live births.

“This is a problem for us and we need to move quickly to address this issue.”

He also said: “The death rate among infants and children less than 14 years proves to be on the rise as well and I want to say that we have funding in this budget that we’re able to get the necessary manpower resources so that we could be able to address the situation.”

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LION KING SHOW THIS WEEKEND

By DENISE MAYCOCK Tribune Freeport Reporter dmaycock@tribunemedia.net BAHAMIAN choreographer Georgia Storr-Taylor has taken her live theatre productions to the next level with multimedia projection screen backdrops, sounds, and a live choir to enhance the audience’s experience.

After sold-out performances in April, the Georgia School of Dance Theatre’s Circle of Life: Reloaded is back with encore performances tomorrow and Saturday at the Kingdom Worship Centre.

The production - an adaptation of Walt Disney’s The Lion King Circle of Life – has a 60-member cast and production crew, including a full choir singing live while the characters perform on stage.

Tickets are available at Imagine Graphics and Printing or by calling 441-3426.

Ms Taylor opened her performing arts school 20 years ago. She has taken the opportunity also to incorporate the work of junkanoo artisans in her productions.

Junkanoo artist Pedro Basden created the animal props in the Circle of Life production. “I like to incorporate people in the community such as junkanoo artisans to make the props,” she explains.

Hurricane Dorian had postponed Taylor’s initial plans to reintroduce the Circle of Life production to the stage following the debut in 2013.

“After all that we have gone through with the hurricane, it reminded me that

life is a circle; there are good and bad times and all the connections made in life happen for a reason.”

“The story of Simba (in the Lion King) having a purpose, being distracted, and then reminded of his greater purpose in life is something we could relate.

When we go through challenges, we feel sad and downtrodden, and so even in bad times, we need to have hope,” said Taylor.

Taylor wanted the production to have more elements than the previous one in 2013. “Circle of Life: Reloaded has much more music as well as other things added in,” she says.

Rather than manual scene changes, she wanted to do things different.

Instead of using curtains, backdrops, and sliding props in and out, Taylor incorporated a digital projection screen for various scenes in the production.

“I needed to find a way to have different scenes without having too many things coming in and off of the stage because props tend to take up space that we need for the dancers. The projection screen gave us every backdrop we could need, and physical props were minimal.”

Taylor said the cast of 60 people includes sound and light, a makeup artist and assistants, students, and parents.

Many of her students are excelling and have received scholarships to attend performing arts camps and schools in the United States.

Taylor danced with wellknown Bahamian dancer Shirley Hall-Bass in Nassau many years ago. Although

dancing was her first love, she worked for 10 years in banking and another 14 years in the casino before retiring to open her dance school.

“This is where my heart was,” she said. I opened the school in 2003, and it’s been been 20 years,” she shares.

‘I have touched the lives of many young people, and a lot of my students received scholarships from the GB Performing Arts Society to French Woods, a summer camp in Upstate New York.

Another student is presently off to college on a scholarship studying Dance in Boston, and she is doing very well.”

“I am grateful that what I am teaching is something my students can continue, and they are doing just that. But, the most important thing is teaching them about community, caring for each other, helping each other, and accepting their differences,” said Taylor. ‘I also tell them about being on time and being responsible citizens.”

Ms Taylor believes that the arts are important.

“Not every child is astute academically, and we tend to put people in a box for education which I never understood. As a child I always wondered why I had to go to an academic school when I wanted to go to a school to sing and dance all day.”

“I feel performing arts embraces the individual.

I work with each child’s strength. I work with whatever they bring to me so that they are comfortable in their progress, and that is so important because that helps them develop confidence.”

FISHERMAN: I KILLED MISSING AMAZON PAIR MANUS, Brazil Associated Press A FISHERMAN confessed to killing a British journalist and an Indigenous expert in Brazil’s remote Amazon and took police to a site where human remains were recovered, a federal investigator said, closing out 10 days of suspense as teams searched for the missing pair.

Authorities said last night without giving any details that they expected more arrests would be made soon in the case of freelance reporter Dom Phillips and Bruno Pereira of Brazil, who disappeared June 5.

At a news conference in the Amazon city of Manaus,

a federal police investigator said the man who had been the prime suspect confessed on Tuesday night and detailed what happened to Phillips and Pereira. Investigator Eduardo Alexandre Fontes said Amarildo da Costa de Oliveira, 41, nicknamed Pelado, told officers he used a firearm.

“We would have no way of getting to that spot quickly without the confession,” Torres said of the place where police recovered human remains Wednesday after being led there by Pelado.

Torres said the remains were expected to be identified within days, and if confirmed as the missing men, “will be returned to

the families of the two.”

“We found the bodies three kilometers into the woods,” the investigator said, adding that officers traveled about one hour and forty minutes by boat on a river and 25 more into the woods to reach the burial spot.

Pelado’s family had said previously that he denied any wrongdoing and claimed police tortured him to try to get a confession.

Another officer, Guilherme Torres of the Amazonas state police, said the missing men’s boat had not been found yet but police knew the area where it purportedly was hidden by those involved in the crime.

SPORTS PAGE 11

COLTS’ MIKE STRACHAN LOOKS AHEAD TO SECOND SEASON

By RENALDO DORSETT Tribune Sports Reporter rdorsett@tribunemedia.net HEADED into his second season with the Indianapolis Colts, Mike Strachan said his mindset is to continue his progression up the organisation’s depth chart.

The Colts recently completed mandatory minicamp and three sessions of offseason OTAs. “My mindset is to take over. I want to be the person that they look to and rely on, I want to be there for my team, I want to be able to play a bigger role this year and I feel like I can do that,” Strachan said during his time at the Bahamas All-Pro Celebrity Weekend.

“With Matt Ryan and the new additions I feel like this team is on the road to greatness and we can get to a championship.”

The Colts will look to get Ryan - the team’s new 15-year-veteran quarterback - used to the fold.

“He’s someone we all look up to, it’s like having another coach,” Strachan said of the addition of the

SEE PAGE 18

BJ Murray Jr continues his progression in the Chicago Cubs organisation.

The 22-year-old infielder was assigned to the club’s High-A affiliate, the South Bend Cubs, and saw immediate action on the field with the club.

Murray finished with a run and stolen base in the Cubs’ 5-4 loss to the Quad City River Bandits’ on June

Page 17

THURSDAY, JUNE 16, 2022

Chisholm Jr solidifies his case for National League All-Star bid

By RENALDO DORSETT Tribune Sports Reporter rdorsett@tribunemedia.net

J

asrado “Jazz” Chisholm Jr’s power-hitting display ranks among the top at his position in all of Major League Baseball and continues to solidify his case for a National League All-Star bid.

Chisholm Jr hit his 13th home-run of the season in the Marlins’ 11-9 win over the Philadelphia Phillies at Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, on Tuesday night.

Headed into last night’s slate, his home run total tops the leaderboard for all second basemen in the MLB, just ahead of the Houston Astros’ Jose Altuve and the New York Yankees’ Gleyber Torres - tied with 12.

He also leads the group with a .547 slugging percentage, four triples and is tied with Trevor Story of the Boston Red Sox with 41 RBI. Chisholm Jr ranks second behind Altuve with an .848 OPS. Chisholm Jr is a leading candidate to earn a spot on the National League roster for the 2022 All-Star Game. Voting for the 2022 Major League Baseball All-Star Game is

BJ MURRAY PROMOTED

By RENALDO DORSETT Tribune Sports Reporter rdorsett@tribunemedia.net

NBA Finals,

14, the first in a six-game series.

The Cubs are currently third in the Midwest League’s East Division at 30-28.

Murray began his 2022 season at the Low-A level with the Myrtle Beach Pelicans.

Through 39 games with the club, he hit .305, slugged .461 with a .902 OPS, 39 hits, including three home runs, 11 doubles, 31 runs

SEE PAGE 19

MIAMI Marlins’ Jazz Chisholm looks on during a baseball game against the Philadelphia Phillies yesterday in Philadelphia. The Phillies won 3-1.

(AP Photo/Chris Szagola) now underway. Ballots can be cast on MLB.com and cast your ballot, up to five times a day every 24 hours. The first phase of the voting runs through June 30 at 2pm.

Then, there will be two finalists announced at each position (six outfielders) and the vote totals reset for the final days of voting July 5-8.

Stay tuned and place your vote.

CORPORATE SPONSORS STEP UP TO SUPPORT THE BAAA NATIONALS

By RENALDO DORSETT Tribune Sports Reporter rdorsett@tribunemedia.net CORPORATE citizens have stepped forward to support the BAAAs and its athletes as they prepare for the landmark event on the local track and field calendar.

Oaktree Medical Center came on board as the title sponsor while Fidelity Bank joined as a gold sponsor for the upcoming BAAA National Championships, June 24-26 at the Thomas A Robinson Stadium.

Dr Don Diego Deveaux, director at Oaktree, said his organisation’s $25,000 pledge signifies its commitment to youth development.

“Our motto is caring, compassion, complete and the complete aspect stands out to me because we are a community and when I see these events being hosted, we just try to figure out how we can be involved.

“It’s good to get from the community, but we have to figure out how we can give

SEE PAGE 17

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PAGE 12, Thursday, June 16, 2022

THE TRIBUNE

REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL RE: PITDA SOLID WASTE COLLECTION & DISPOSAL

Atlantis, Paradise Island Bahamas is soliciting proposals from qualified and experienced companies, who have demonstrated the ability in providing remarkable Solid Waste Collection & Disposal Services.

The contents of the RFP # IHCL-PITDA-TRASH-001 and the Vendor Selection Process can be obtained by going to our website and accessing the following link:

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PUBLIC NOTICE Please be advised that The National Accreditation and Equivalency Council of The Bahamas (NAECOB), has relocated to the Penn’s Building, on the corner of Tonique Williams Darling Highway and Knowles Drive, effective, Monday, June 13th, 2022.

Office hours 8 am - 4 pm.

Phone : 328-8872

REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL RE: ATLANTIS LANDSCAPING 2022

Atlantis, Paradise Island Bahamas is soliciting proposals from qualified and experienced companies, who have demonstrated the ability in providing extraordinary Landscaping Services.

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THE TRIBUNE

Thursday, June 16, 2022, PAGE 13

PAGE 14, Thursday, June 16, 2022

THE TRIBUNE PHIL Mickelson hits on the 16th hole during a practice round for the US Open golf tournament at The Country Club yesterday.

(AP Photo/Charles Krupa)

US OPEN TURNS FOCUS FROM SAUDI MO E TO OL ’S TO HEST TEST

By DOUG FERGUSON AP Golf Writer BROOKLINE, Mass.

(AP) — The U.S. Open isn’t the only American major that has felt like an afterthought, lost among chatter and innuendo about topics unrelated to birdies and bogeys.

Golf was no longer the primary concern going into the 1990 PGA Championship at Shoal Creek in Alabama. The club founder had said Shoal Creek would not be pressured into accepting a Black member.

Corporate sponsors began to withdraw TV advertising, protests were planned and Shoal Creek extended membership to a Black insurance executive a week before the PGA. Until the first tee shot, most of the stories were on the controversy and its ripple effect in golf, not whether Nick Faldo could win his third major of the year.

Battle lines were drawn at the 2003 Masters

between activist Martha Burk and her demands that Augusta National have a female member, and club chairman Hootie Johnson who stubbornly said that day may come, but “not at the point of a bayonet.”

Tiger Woods was going for an unprecedented third straight Masters, and he got 10 questions from the media about social issues and the chaos at Augusta.

And then when Thursday arrived, rain washed out the opening round.

The difference is the U.S. Open has been overshadowed by a development not of its own doing.

Just its luck, a return to The Country Club for the 122nd Open and its centuryold heritage came one week after the Saudi-funded LIV Golf rebel series began outside London.

Phil Mickelson and Dustin Johnson, the two biggest defectors, are among 14 players suspended by the PGA Tour for signing up and who are now playing the U.S. Open.

Rumors have rampant all week that more players could be signing up for the Saudi money next week.

Mickelson defended his decision. Rory McIlroy said players who signed up for the 54-hole events with no cut and guaranteed money are “taking the easy way out.”

Golf, anyone?

“We’re praying that changes tomorrow,” USGA chief Mike Whan said Wednesday. “Even I can say that you don’t have to ask how we feel about it.

Ask 156 players that are grinding it out to get to tomorrow. They’re trying to focus on the same thing we’re trying to focus on.

“I think — hopefully — as soon as we tee this up tomorrow, we’ll have something else to talk about, at least for the next four days.”

It starts with a local flavor.

Michael Thorbjornsen of Stanford, who grew up in the Boston area and won a U.S. Junior Amateur, hits the opening tee shot from

No. 1. Fran Quinn, who is 57 and lives about 40 minutes away from Brookline, will start on No. 10.

Mickelson has received only cheers and support — not quite as raucous as in other years — during his practice rounds. He can expect a few renditions of “Happy Birthday” during his opening round because he turns 52 on Thursday.

What they face is an old-styled course, dense rough around most of the tiny greens, fescue framing fairways that are not the narrowest for a U.S. Open and still an important part of keeping big numbers off the card.

The par-3 11th hole is 131 yards by the card and likely will play under 100 yards at some point. The fifth hole is short enough that players can drive the green.

The U.S. Open typically is about precision over power, with patience key for anyone. Recent history, however, leans toward big hitters — Jon Rahm last year, Bryson DeChambeau

at Winged Foot, Gary Woodland at Pebble Beach, Brooks Koepka backto-back and Johnson at Oakmont.

“You should probably have an advantage if you’re a little bit longer,” said John Bodenhamer, the USGA’s chief championships officer who sets up the course.

“How it plays here, I don’t know. We’re going to find out. It’s been 34 years since we’ve been here.”

That was in 1988, when Curtis Strange beat Nick Faldo in a playoff. Both were known for precision iron play and avoiding big mistakes.

“This will be a good oldfashioned U.S. Open with rough, and we’ll see how they navigate that and what they use off the tee,” Bodehamer said. “I am telling you, with these small greens and the firmness, they’re going to need to be in the fairway.”

As for the prize money, the U.S. Open has fallen in line with other majors, if not a step up. The PGA

Tour set the tone by jacking up the purse of The Players Championship to $20 million with hopes the majors might tag along.

The Masters and PGA Championship bumped their purses to $15 million (both at least a $3 million increase), while the U.S. Open has gone up $5 million to $17.5 million.

That doesn’t compare with the $25 million in prize money the LIV Golf series is offering for its 54-hole events that last week only had four of the top 50 players in the world.

This is about history, a trophy that dates to 1895, making it the second-oldest championship in golf.

That should be enough to get anyone’s attention over four days.

“We’re here at major championship, and we’re here to win the U.S. Open, and we’re here to play and beat everyone else in this field, in this great field,” two-time major champion Collin Morikawa said.

“That’s what it’s about.”

Quinn, a 57-year-old dad, earns US Open start close to home

By EDDIE PELLS AP National Writer BROOKLINE, Mass.

(AP) — Fran Quinn knew his odds of making the U.S. Open weren’t great. He’s 57.

But when his 23-yearold son, Owen, said he was going to try to qualify, Fran figured that with the tournament happening right down the road from his house this year, it might be worth it. He told Owen, “You know what, throw me in there, too.”

That $200 entry fee was worth it.

Quinn will be the oldest player to tee it up at The Country Club this week.

The PGA Tour Champions pro is making his fifth appearance at the U.S. Open, bookending this one — a mere 40-minute drive from his hometown of Holden — with his debut at Pebble Beach in 1992.

“It wasn’t really on my schedule,” Quinn conceded, after playing a back-nine practice round on Monday with his wife, Lori, carrying the bag and Owen shooting distances from the fairway.

“It’s just really exciting.

And I’m playing some solid golf.”

Quinn isn’t unlike many of the 65 players who made the field through qualifying. A good number are journeymen and grinders.

All are hoping to catch fire for a round, or two, or four, and cash a check and maybe move up the rankings on whatever tour they’re on.

Hardly any come in thinking they could be the next Ken Venturi or Orville Moody, who are the only two players in the history of the U.S. Open, which dates to 1895, to win after making it through local and sectional qualifying.

What makes Quinn different is his age. Sure, the U.S. Open gives a spot to the winner of the U.S. Senior Open — an honor that belongs to 52-year-old Jim Furyk this year. And yes, Tom Watson made the cut in 2010 at age 60 and Jack Nicklaus did the same back in 1998 when he was 58. Sam Snead was racking up top-10 finishes at the PGA Championship in his 60s.

But theirs are all household names. Quinn’s? Not quite, though he does have a lengthy resume. He’s been playing Champions Tour events since 2015. Before that, he made 366 starts and won four times on the Korn Ferry Tour, which led to 71 more starts on the PGA Tour, mostly in the 1990s and 2000s. But to put into perspective how fickle this game is, he did not make it through the local qualifying round for the U.S. Senior Open.

He did make it for the main event.

Well-known in these parts, Quinn has been getting his fair share of love from the gallery during his practice rounds. He’s played The Country Club a dozen or more times over the years. Never quite like this.

FRAN Quinn watches his tee shot on the 17th hole during the second round of the U.S. Open golf tournament in Pinehurst, N.C., Friday, June 13, 2014. Fran Quinn knew his odds of making the U.S. Open weren’t great. He’s 57. But when his 23-year-old son, Owen, said he was going to enter qualifying, Fran figured that with the tournament happening right down the road from his house this year, it might be worth it.

(AP Photo/Eric Gay) “The fairways are tighter, eight-man playoff for the leaderboard heading into the rough thicker,” Quinn final spots. Owen shot 4 the weekend. said. “It’s pretty firm out over and missed the playoff “In the third round, I hit there. And they’ve length- by six shots.

15 greens and shot 7 over,” ened it a lot since the last “He’s got game,” Fran Fran said. “I missed (putts) time I played here.” said of his son. “He’s long, seven times inside of 6 feet.

His son Owen was cap- he’s strong. He flies it 325 So that was the difference.” tain of the Lehigh golf team yards, and he’s still learning This might be the perfect and recently turned pro. how to play at that level.” place to say that, at age 57, Owen and Fran shot matchOwen will get to watch Quinn is thrilled simply to ing 1-over 72s in the local that level close-up this have a chance to soak it all round of qualifying; they week at The Country Club, in one more time — and on both teed it up at Taconic much as he did in 2014 — a course so close to home, Golf Club in Williamstown, Fran’s last trip to the U.S. at that.

Massachusetts.

Open.

But no. Asked what a That earned them spots Owen got some air time good week would look like in the 36-hole sectional in that week at Pinehurst for him, Quinn said: “To be Purchase, New York. Fran while carrying the bag for in contention.” shot 2 under for two rounds his dad, who was tied for “I’m playing well right and was one of three play- second after the first round now,” he said. “I’m here to ers to advance out of an and on the top half of the play golf.”

THE TRIBUNE

Thursday, June 16, 2022, PAGE 15

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PAGE 16, Thursday, June 16, 2022

THE TRIBUNE

BLTA names three teams for international tennis competition THE Bahamas Lawn Tennis Association (BLTA) has named three teams for international tennis competition this month.

A group of talented Bahamians will be representing the country at a very competitive level.

The teams include the following: Two under-12 tennis team competitions are set to take place in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic. The nations in the Caribbean and the Central American region are slated to compete for their respective nations.

Team Bahamas’ U-12 girls’ team consists of Marina Bostwick, Caitlyn Pratt, Srae’ Rodgers and coach Sharon Greene.

The boys’ team consists of Patrick Mactaggart, Kingston Rees, Nicholas Russell and coach Artie Johnson. The teams are expected to travel June 24 with matches getting underway on Saturday, June 25.

The players are all representing the Bahamas for the first time on a national team. This is a wonderful opportunity for each of them to display their talent on a global level and to compete amongst the best of the best in the region.

The young players will give it their best as each one has invested time and effort into tennis.

All the players will participate in the upcoming Junior Nationals starting (today) this Thursday at the National Tennis Centre (NTC). Afterwards the team will travel next week to Santo Domingo to begin competition.

Bahamas Davis Cup Team National champion Spencer Newman and player/ captain Marvin Rolle were the first two to receive BLTA team nominations for the 2022 Bahamas Davis Cup Team.

At the trials held in May there were two other nominations - Kevin Major Jr and Baker Newman.

The Davis Cup Group III Americas Competition will be held in Escazu, Costa Rica June 22-25 at the Costa Rica Country Club

and the surface is hard courts.

The Bahamas team departs on Sunday and will arrive a few days in advance of the competition.

Countries competing are The Bahamas, Costa Rica, Guatemala, Jamaica, Panama, Paraguay, Puerto Rico and Venezuela.

Three teams will be promoted to the World Group II Playoffs and two teams will be relegated to Americas Group IV. The teams will be divided into two pools, the winner of both pools will be automatically promoted and the teams with the second best results from pool play will face each other for the third spot.

A number of teams from Group II that were relegated will be competing, including Venezuela, Paraguay and Jamaica.

The 2022 BJK Cup Group II Americas will take place at the Centro Nacional De Tenis Parque Del Este In Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic.

Meet the Players Captain Marvin Rolle is a decorated Davis Cupper. For 18 years Marvin received nominations (25) to Bahamas Davis Cup. His willingness to serve and represent the country is unmatched. His best run with the team is Group I Semifinals. Marvin has been a part of the Bahamas Davis Cup for 14 straight years. He has won 40 Davis Cup singles matches, 26 in doubles which is the most for any Bahamian player.

Marvin’s career high ranking in doubles is 681 and 1,304 in singles. He epitomizes tennis strength, skill and class. receiving his 6th team nomination for the Bahamas Davis Cup. Kevin has a 7/8 win loss ratio and an ATP ranking of 1,916.

Spencer Newman is The Bahamas current Giorgio Baldacci Open National Champion.

This is Spencer’s fourth team nomination. He has a 7/5 win ratio. Spencer was quoted as saying: “Playing

Davis Cup is among the highest honour any tennis player can receive.”

Baker Newman is expected to round out the team and is receiving his fifth team nomination for Team Bahamas. In Davis Cup action Baker has a 11/6 win ratio and was a tennis collegiate standout for Vanderbilt.

The BLTA along with the entire Bahamas extends its best wishes to the team as it represents the country and we pray for a safe journey and strong performances.

BARRATERRE CELEBRATES 37TH ANNUAL REGATTA & HOMECOMING FESTIVAL AFTER a two-year hiatus because of the COVID19 pandemic, thousands returned to the beautiful

shores of Exuma over the Labour Day weekend to experience the camaraderie and excitement of the

long-awaited Barraterre regatta and homecoming festival, which ran from June 3-6.

REGATTA lovers enjoy maypole plaiting.

The Barraterre regatta and festival has always been a staple on the country’s cultural calendar.

The highly anticipated event attracts many locals as well as international visitors.

Every year, the residents of Barraterre use this opportunity to showcase their many talents – whether it’s song, dance, cooking and – of course – sloop sailing.

This year’s 37th regatta and homecoming festival featured three days of sailing with Class ‘C’ sloops, and many skippers from throughout The Bahamas competed for cash prizes and trophies. Some of the sailing sloops that took part in the regatta were also built on the island.

Onshore activities throughout the day included games such as hoopla, quadrille dancing, plaiting of the maypole, succulent Bahamian dishes, and native crafts on display.

Music was a major component of the regatta, and at night a variety of Bahamian entertainers such as D-Mac, Baludy & Nishe

THE AWARD presentation for best overall skipper in memory of the late Anvil Bishop Taylor presented by his wife and family.

L.S. were showcased at the site.

The festival also featured rake and scrape music, maypole plaiting and a talent show. “This year’s Homecoming & Regatta festival was awesome,” said Annie Lloyd, Barraterre homecoming and festival

president. “The committee had a small window for preparation, and despite the many challenges, we did it. “Next year, 2023, we are looking forward to a bigger and better festival weekend as we anticipate a larger crowd and eventful weekend.”