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VOLUME:117 No.140, JUNE 17TH, 2020

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‘LET’S NOT FIXATE ON THE NUMBERS’ Dames: Nothing ‘amiss’ on Dorian deaths but he can’t explain police total

By RASHAD ROLLE Tribune Senior Reporter rrolle@tribunemedia.net NATIONAL Security Minister Marvin Dames said he cannot explain why the number of people he identified on Sunday as missing after Hurricane Dorian differed from the figure Assistant Commissioner of Police Solomon Cash gave at a recent press conference.

In a press statement on Sunday, Mr Dames said 279 people are missing. Three weeks ago, ACP Cash said 33 people were still missing.

“I don’t know the reason for (the difference),” Mr Dames told reporters before Cabinet yesterday.

“The numbers that were given are not Marvin Dames’ numbers. They are the numbers compiled and taken from the centralised listing…All of these numbers are now in the hands of the police. Let’s not get fixated on this and I think sometimes we get caught in a position where we say ‘oh something is amiss, what is amiss?’ Our only intention in all of this is to ensure that we reach those persons who were impacted, and we understood that coming out of Dorian, our infrastructure had been completely destroyed.

“Communication had been completely destroyed.

The whole network was

MORE major Bahamian resort properties yesterday unveiled a variety of opening dates, with several pledging an instant relaunch.

SuperClubs Breezes, the Cable Beach-based all-inclusive, and Comfort Suites on Paradise Island will both re-open on July 1.

However, the near-term outlook was gloomier for

FULL STORY - SEE BUSINESS

SANDS: I’D LIKE TO BE LEADER FORMER Minister of Health Dr Duane Sands acknowledged that he has aspirations to one day become leader of the Free National Movement.

This comes after weeks of rumours that he and Prime Minister Dr Hubert Minnis had a very tense working relationship for the same reason.

SEE PAGE THREE

SEE PAGE THREE

San Salvador residents as Club Med’s Columbus Isle property will not re-open until December 12.

John Issa, Breezes Bahamas’ chairman, said in a statement that the resort had worked to “redefine the customer experience” based on the new COVID19 health protocols as it prepares to re-open to guests on July 1 with the return of commercial airlift.

SEE PAGE EIGHT

By TANYA SMITH-CARTWRIGHT ts-cartwright @tribunemedia.net

TWO HOTELS AIM FOR JULY 1 BUT MED HOLDS OFF ‘TIL DEC

By NEIL HARTNELL Tribune Business Editor nhartnell@tribunemedia.net

ALICIA WALLACE MOVING STATUE OF COLUMBUS IS NOT ENOUGH

THAT’S BETTER

CHANTIEK Lightbourne looks delighted after getting her hair cut at Salon Sade International yesterday as barbers and salons reopened Picture special - Page 2 Photo: Shawn Hanna/Tribune Staff

VENDORS - IT’S NOT OUR FAULT

By EARYEL BOWLEG ebowleg@tribunemedia.net

ARAWAK Cay vendors are hopeful the popular dining spot will not be closed again despite some patrons’ behaviour over the weekend. Pictures and videos showed customers not wearing masks or social distancing when operations were allowed to resume on Friday.

SEE PAGE SEVEN

CONCH THRIVING ON REMOTE CAY SAL BANK TECHNOLOGY

By LEANDRA ROLLE Tribune Staff Reporter lrolle@tribunemedia.net

A NEW study has documented evidence of a thriving conch population located at a remote bank in The Bahamas, bringing hope for conch conservationists.

The research published in Aquatic Conservation: Marine and Freshwater Ecosystems by scientists at the University of Texas found that “one of the

A QUEEN CONCH three highest abundances of queen conch” in the wider Caribbean is located

in Cay Sal Bank, which is a secluded area that is distant from most of those who fish. The discovery came after a research team, led by authors of the study - Philip Souza Jr and Andy Kough - was formed to survey the conch population during the conch mating season in June 2018.

Researchers said conch abundance data was collected and analysed by using several methods to

Nassau & Bahama Islands’ Leading Newspaper

SEE PAGE TWO

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PAGE 2, Wednesday, June 17, 2020

THE TRIBUNE

STUDY REVEALS CONCH THRIVING ON REMOTE CAY SAL BANK from page one

estimate the overall stock size. “The stock estimates were all in agreement that the Cay Sal Bank population numbers were one of the highest surveyed in the Caribbean. The shells’ length and thickness were also measured to estimate the relative age of the population, revealing some of the thickest shells—thus, oldest conch—surveyed in

The Bahamas,” the report added.

Mr Souza Jr said the secluded bank was “logistically” challenging for researches to study as they were not certain what they would find.

“We were not sure what we would find since we were surveying shallow areas with evidence of fishing,” said Mr Souza Jr, a PhD. student at the University of Texas and lead author of the study. “We

were astounded to discover densities matching the oldtime fishing tales that I had heard from time spent visiting family and friends on Great Exuma.”

Mr Kough, a research biologist at Shedd Aquarium and co-author of the study, added: “We discovered that Cay Sal Bank had tremendously abundant conch, loads of breeding and plenty of recruitment.

We are hopeful that evidence of a robust and

natural conch refuge may fuel future legislative protection specific to the bank.”

Previous research has indicated rapid declines of the queen conch in The Bahamas as a result of overfishing.

In an effort to preserve the queen conch for future generations, the government has implemented several fishing regulations and has established marine protected areas,

including Cay Sal Bank.

However, according to marine scientists, “a lack of baseline population data—or a pristine natural population to use as a model—makes it difficult to determine if these measures are effective.”

Due to its high population and “unique oceanographic position,” Mr Kough noted that it’s important for the country to keep the bank protected through its conservation measures.

“A protected and productive breeding population on Cay Sal is ideally placed to send the next generation of conch elsewhere in The Bahamas and help replenish declining stocks,” said Mr Kough.

“Further research will show the broader impact of Cay Sal, but the presence of a healthy population was a breath of fresh air for ‘conchservation’.”

Editorial View - Page 6

LOOKING GOOD AT LAST

BARBERS and hair salons reopened yesterday after being close due to the pandemic.

Photos: Shawn Hanna/Tribune Staff

THE TRIBUNE

Wednesday, June 17, 2020, PAGE 3

I’d like to be leader one day, admits Sands from page one Dr Sands’ comments came while he was a guest on the 96.9 FM radio show Paradigm Shift with host Michelle Malcolm.

Asked by the host if he has leadership aspirations, Dr Sands said “yes.”

“That question is asked whether I have aspirations to become Prime Minister, so on and so forth,” Dr Sands said. “I answer this question this way.

Any of us and all of us involved in politics see ourselves ultimately one day calling the shots, but there is only one leader at a time. And, you cannot lead if you cannot follow. It is yes. Yes, I do.”

The host referred to allegations of tension between Dr Sands and Dr Minnis and asked if there were a possibility that the nation’s leader was holding a grudge due to the Elizabeth MP supporting Dr Minnis’ former leadership challenger, Loretta Butler-Turner.

“I am not in the Prime

Minister’s head,” Dr Sands said.

“I am not able to predict what he is thinking.”

Later in the interview, Dr Sands made it clear that, “I do not dance to anyone’s drum beat, but my own.”

Last week, Dr Sands’ broke ranks with his party by criticising the government’s handling of the aftermath of Hurricane Dorian.

However, some members of the public criticised him for remaining silent while a Cabinet minister but suddenly “coming clean” when he resigned a few weeks ago. He explained his muzzling. “When you sign up to be a part of Cabinet you take an oath,” Dr Sands explained yesterday. “Even resignation from that office does not free you up to break the oath of Cabinet.

You would require permission from the Governor General, permission from the Cabinet itself in order to divulge information that you were privy to. And so, there are certain things that I will not say and cannot say and I don’t have a problem with that.

“Now I may throw some serious jabs at my party, but it is intended for us to get our own house in order so that when we go back to the people again, and that all of the weaknesses, all of the challenges that we have not adequately addressed are addressed and addressed well.”

Dr Sands said the FNM has a lot of work to do right now, but first it must look in the proverbial mirror and determine what it can do to improve the lives of ordinary Bahamians.

He also said some members of the Cabinet are reluctant to be open with the public. “One criticism I can make of the Cabinet and my colleagues in Cabinet is that there has been a reluctance to be as open and to be engaged in conversations with the Bahamian public,” Dr Sands noted. “Now some people say that that was my flaw; that there was no microphone that I didn’t like, that there was no platform that I didn’t like and

that’s their criticism. It is my view that you have different people with different styles and different skills.

“There are some people that shy away from public speech.

There are some people who shy away from candid conversations, that’s not me. I think that the Bahamian people are owed a direct reporting of their affairs on a regular basis. That’s just me. There are other people who the only way that they are going

to give an accounting is that they have something written, a script in the front of them, and failing that they are going to shy away from the cameras. When you attend Cabinet, you bring your testicles in with you, but you leave your ego at the door.”

Asked if he and Brent Symonette, MP for St Anne’s, had intentions of starting their own political party, he responded, “no”, but quickly added that he had a lot of options politically.

Justice will prevail, says Dames after shootings

By LEANDRA ROLLE Tribune Staff Reporter lrolle@tribunemedia.net NATIONAL Security Minister Marvin Dames has called the police-involved shooting that left three men dead on Saturday “unfortunate” and “concerning”.

However, he insisted that “at the end of the day, justice will prevail”.

Speaking ahead of a Cabinet meeting yesterday, the minister said: “Yes, we had a shooting over the weekend. All shootings are very concerning and unfortunate and that shooting like every shooting will be looked into. And at the end of the day, justice will prevail.”

His comments come amid public outcry against Saturday’s shootings, which marks the country’s deadliest police-involved killing since last year when three men were killed on the Blair Estates community.

The latest victims are 25-year-old Deshoan Smith, also known as “Spider”, and two other men who went by the names “Ridah” and “Dog Bite.”

The trio were killed by police on Cowpen Road on Saturday after an officer was “ambushed” by a gunman, police said.

According to Police Commissioner Paul Rolle, officers were on patrol

THE SCENE on Saturday of the police-involved shooting which left three men dead Photo: Shawn Hanna /Tribune Staff

in the area when they observed a white Honda Accord parked in the eastern section of Spikenard cemetery.

When officers approached the vehicle, the commissioner said the driver drove off.

“Officers then got back into their vehicle and left,” the police chief told reporters on Saturday. “A short while later, driving on Cowpen Road again, they saw the vehicle through a side corner. They stopped and exited their vehicle.

“One of the officers approached what we believe

to be the driver door, as the vehicle is heavily tinted. As he stood there attempting to speak with the driver, shots began to be discharged from the rear seat.”

He continued: “That officer then as he attempted to make his escape, the other officers that were there then engaged the participants of the vehicle who continued shooting at the officers. Once the shooting stopped we made a check and observed three persons inside the vehicle were suffering from gunshot injuries.

“We summoned EMS and EMS arrived on the scene a short time later and three of the persons in the vehicle were deceased.”

Their deaths mark the country’s eighth policeinvolved killing for the year, according to this newspaper’s records. In April, police shot and killed a man in Abaco who attempted to “chop” officers with a machete.

A month prior, police killed a 75- year-old man who allegedly pointed a gun at an officer while at the Fox Hill Police station.

Saturday’s killings have sparked outrage among grief stricken family members who do not believe someone in the car shot at police first.

However, Commissioner Rolle told reporters that Saturday’s shooting involved suspects who “ambushed” and “engaged” police. “If persons want to engage the members of the Royal Bahamas Police Force they need to be prepared to meet their maker. I’m not training my officers to go out there, I would like for

them to return home at the end of the day when they come to work,” he said.

Earlier this year, the government signed a million-dollar contract for 400 body worn and dash cameras, which are expected to be used by police officers sometime this year.

Mr Dames previously said that with the new technology, officers will be placed under “greater scrutiny unlike ever before”, suggesting that the body cams will also seek to dispel fears that officers are abusing their rights.

Asked yesterday for an update on those body cams, the Mount Moriah MP replied: “Your answer to the body cams is they coming. “They’re coming.

We have been very progressive as a government in dealing with how do we bring a greater level transparency to our law enforcement agencies because I am a firm believer that police officers is how it was supposed to be. We police by consent.

“The police officers police by consent, the consent of the people. The people must be afforded the opportunity to see how they perform and the service they deliver and that is why the government embarked upon this programme and you should see those body cams very shortly.”

‘LET’S NOT FIXATE ON DORIAN NUMBERS’ from page one

missing and so the police are still in the throes of trying to get all this information that was out there in the hands of different individuals and agencies into one centralised repository.”

Former Health Minister Dr Duane Sands pushed the issue of the Dorian missing into the spotlight last week when he blasted the Minnis administration’s handling of the matter. He said an explanation was needed for how hundreds of names were culled from official lists. He said too many government agencies were involved in dealing with the Dorian missing, creating a “recipe for disaster”.

MINISTER: Marvin Dames Asked about this, Mr Dames said: “Well again, let me speak generally because I don’t want to get back to what the former minister said. He and I had a

conversation yesterday and we’re friends but as friends too, we all have a right to speak truth to power if we feel that we’re correct and that’s exactly what I did.

“We came out of a disaster that would’ve been a challenge to any developed country. We’re an archipelago of some 700 islands stretched over some 100,000 square miles of sea.

We don’t have helicopters, planes and everything else.

I just indicated that the infrastructure on Abaco and Grand Bahama and its adjacent cays were shot.

Communication had been shot, transportation had been shot, people had been displaced. A lot of people had lost their homes, okay.

That’s what we were faced with, so it is expected then therefore that getting information centralised would’ve been a significant challenge for any country, even a developed country… Now it’s the police jobs to find all of this loose information, wherever it is and bring it together.

This happened in September and they have been working to do that. We’re now in COVID and that’s an added stress on what they’re currently doing, but they have been doing a fantastic job.”

Yesterday, PLP leader Philip “Brave” Davis called for an official investigation.

“We are calling for an independent inquiry

either by outside police investigators or through a commission of inquiry to determine the fate of the missing in Abaco and Grand Bahama after Hurricane Dorian,” he said.

“We do so having taken notice of the public statements of Dr Duane Sands and Marvin Dames. The clashing narratives within the Minnis administration about the number of persons missing in the wake of Hurricane Dorian do not go down well with the public. The PLP is not interested in the intraparty bickering.

The country needs to know the facts. How many are missing or lost and presumed dead? What are their

names? What is responsible for their status?

“FNM ministers, party operatives and certain media outlets are woefully projecting this matter as a competition about ‘whose story is better’. Some operatives claim the inconsistent statement by Dr Duane Sands. Others say the ninemonth absence of clarity by Marvin Dames…is the story to be preferred. We are of the view that the indictment against this government for confusing the number of the missing against institutional and public need, demands an urgency for clarity, truth of process and transparency,” Mr Davis said.

Editorial View - Page 6

PAGE 4, Wednesday, June 17, 2020

THE TRIBUNE

GB is worse off under Minnis, claims McAlpine

By DENISE MAYCOCK Tribune Freeport Reporter dmaycock@tribunemedia.net GRAND Bahama is “worse off” since the Minnis administration which won all five constituency seats on the island - was elected to office, claims Pineridge MP Frederick McAlpine.

“The harsh reality is, Grand Bahama has gotten worse despite all the political positions and so-called power,” the controversial FNM backbencher said during his contribution to the budget in the House last week.

“I have to make this confession, Grand Bahama did better with less political power. Five and we still took a dive! Add three and Grand Bahama is still not free! A total of eight and we still can’t get it straight!”

Mr McAlpine said that in Grand Bahama, unemployment is high, a proper hospital is needed, hurricane reconstruction is dismal, and the Grand Lucayan project has yet to start despite a heads of agreement signing.

He noted that in Grand Bahama, industrial companies are “laying off left, right and centre.”

Mr McAlpine also claimed that the Disaster Reconstruction Authority established by the Minnis administration is dismal at best. “We are already in another hurricane season and many people’s homes are still unlivable,” he added.

Additionally, he said that designated government shelters are still not ready.

“This government implemented legislation called mandatory evacuation and we’ve not built one hurricane-proof shelter for the people to evacuate to. Many shelters that have been deemed by the government are still not prepared to receive evacuees,” he stated.

He said Grand Bahama is still without a properly functioning hospital that the government promised to be completed by March 1, before the pandemic hit.

“The hospital is all over the place

ATTORNEY K Brian Hanna

ATTORNEY CALLS FOR DECENT NEW HOSPITAL

By DENISE MAYCOCK Tribune Freeport Reporter dmaycock@tribunemedia.net

PINERIDGE MP Frederick McAlpine so you don’t know where to go for service. The conditions for our healthcare workers in Grand Bahama, to include our doctors, nurses, and patients, remain atrocious.”

On the topic of schools, he said that the Hugh Campbell Primary, which is in his constituency, is still in a “deplorable” condition since the hurricane last year.

“A school that has such a large influx of students should have received more attention and due care by this government,” he stressed.

Rev McAlpine stated that many Grand Bahamians feel abandoned by their government and the Port Authority. He noted that both seem

to blame each other when it’s convenient. He noted that the island’s potable water issues are not fully resolved, nine months after Hurricane Dorian.

Speaking of Grand Lucayan hotel, he said: “We’re jammed with an abandoned hotel which has cost us dearly and is still costing us; making us believe it was a done deal when it was just a Heads of Agreement signing. I would have felt better if we bought the airport before the hotel because then we would have controlled the situation. We would have been responsible to bring heads to put in beds. We bought a hotel knowing that the airport has always been the issue; the taxes and landing fees.”

A GRAND Bahama attorney is calling for a new “decent” hospital to be built in Freeport, stressing that Grand Bahamians deserve a proper public healthcare facility.

K Brian Hanna, of K Brian Hanna Chambers, claims that the current hospital is a “total disgrace,” and is a demonstration of the neglect of Freeport.

“I invite you to look around Freeport and open your eyes to the neglect…,” he said. “Our health care system is a total disgrace… as a direct result of our visionless government representatives.”

Rand Memorial Hospital in Grand Bahama was compromised by Hurricane Dorian last September.

A field hospital set up by American NGO Samaritan’s Purse is being utilised as repairs are carried out at the main hospital.

However, the attorney contended that the tent hospital is insufficient and unacceptable.

“Those tents would be blown down in a thunderstorm, and if a hurricane was to come here, it would be devastated,” he said.

“What is our Prime Minister telling us here in Freeport – that is okay to give birth to the future of the nation in a tent; that

it is okay for our sick and injured to be cared for in a tent – that it is okay for our doctors, nurses, and health professionals to work and operate in tents?

“The irony and the sad part about this…is that our Prime Minister is a doctor himself. You would think he would be proud to know that under his administration he built a hospital that would serve the Bahamian people for years, even decades to come,” said Mr Hanna.

In April, RMH hospital administrator Sharon Williams, during an interview with ZNS Northern Service, said officials were “gravely” concerned after severe weather conditions in Grand Bahama left the 40-bed field hospital battered and patients and staff unsettled. At the time, she noted that the tents are not designed for extremely high winds.

“They can withstand up to 70mph winds, we were told,” Ms Williams said.

“So, what we must do is watch the weather very closely about wind strengths and hurricanes threatening us and make sure we move our staff to various facilities that we have identified.”

Last October, Prime Minister Dr Hubert Minnis said Grand Bahama would get a new hospital as promised, however no firm timeline has been given for the proposed project.

PAIR TO COMPENSATE BOY GIVEN CURFEW AFTER THREE ACCUSED OF THEFT PERSON THEY ASSAULTED RECEIVING STOLEN GOODS IN SEPARATE INCIDENTS

By FARRAH JOHNSON fjohnson@tribunemedia.net

TWO men were ordered to compensate a man $150 after they admitted to assaulting him during a traffic accident earlier this month.

Errol Knowles, 32, and Charles Sweeting, 25, appeared before Magistrate Samuel McKinney after they were accused of assaulting Obeltau Pierre on June 6. Both defendants pleaded guilty and were each ordered to pay Pierre $150 for his injuries.

Prosecutor Lincoln McKenzie said Mr Pierre told officers around 4.30pm that day, he was involved in a traffic accident in the Baillou Hill Road area. At the time, Mr Pierre said the two defendant had punched him in his stomach. Sgt McKenzie also told officers he had to seek medical treatment for his injuries. Acting on this information, police arrested Knowles and Sweeting. During an interview at a nearby station, the men denied assaulting Mr Pierre but admitted they were involved in a traffic accident with him on the day in question.

During the hearing, Knowles told the magistrate Mr Pierre “came out of his car with animosity” and told them he had a gun.

He claimed he was only trying to hold the complainant until the police arrived.

Sweeting on the other hand, said he had only tried to stop the fight between Knowles and Mr Pierre.

In response, Magistrate McKinney ordered the men to compensate Mr Pierre.

A 34-year-old man was also charged for assaulting a police officer yesterday.

Damiko Stuart appeared before Deputy Chief Magistrate Andrew Forbes, after he was accused of assaulting Police Constable 3916 Clarke and resisting arrest on June 10.

Prosecutor McKenzie said that day, Stuart “broke off running” when officers approached him to search him in reference to dangerous drugs and firearms.

Stuart was eventually detained and taken to a police station. There, he admitted to the offence in an interview with police.

During the hearing, he was fined $750 or six months at the Bahamas Department of Correctional Services.

By FARRAH JOHNSON fjohnson@tribunemedia.net

A 15-YEAR-OLD boy has been given a daily curfew and placed on two years’ probation after he pleaded guilty to receiving stolen goods from a local pre-school.

The teenager appeared before Magistrate Samuel McKinney charged with dishonestly receiving a silver stereo system and a fire extinguisher from a preschool, sometime between March 23 and June 13. The items had a combined value of $500.

Prosecutor Lincoln McKenzie said a woman reported that someone had broken into the Church of God preschool on Quakoo Street and stolen the stereo system and fire extinguisher between the time period in question. Sgt McKenize said the woman filed an official complaint and requested police action.

During their investigation, officers proceeded to a residence on Peter Street.

While conducting a search there, they found the stolen items. When they asked the defendant where he got the items from he did

not respond. As a result, he was arrested and during an interview with police, admitted the goods were found at his residence.

When given an opportunity to speak during the hearing, the juvenile told the magistrate he was a ninth grade student at LW Young Junior High. He also said he ran track and wanted to become a professional athlete.

In response, Magistrate McKinney asked the defendant how he expected to study abroad with a criminal record. Still, in sentencing the teenager, he noted the 15-year-old did not waste the court’s time since he pleaded guilty at his first opportunity.

He also said he considered the defendant’s young age and placed him on probation for two years.

Magistrate McKinney also imposed a curfew on the boy for two years, which would require him to be home by 8pm and prohibit him from leaving his home before 7am every morning. He also warned the teenager if he failed to comply with the conditions of his sentences, he would be sent to the Simpson Penn Centre for Boys until he was 18.

By FARRAH JOHNSON fjohnson@tribunemedia.net

THREE men were charged in Magistrate’s Court yesterday for stealing in two separate incidents.

In the first case, an Inagua man denied a string of shop breaking and stealing charges.

Jeremy Charlton, 28, appeared before Magistrate Samuel McKinney charged with three counts of shop breaking and three counts of stealing after he was accused of breaking into a telecommunications company and liquor store in Matthew Town, Inagua in May and June of this year.

Charlton was accused of breaking and entering Batelco on Gregory Street, Matthew Town and stealing $4,866.69 some time between May 13 and 14.

He was further accused of breaking into 700 Wines and Spirits on that same street and stealing $886.65 some time between June 9 and 10. During the hearing yesterday, the prosecution also alleged that Charlton broke into Batelco a second time to steal $59 within that same timeframe.

After Charlton denied all

of the charges, the matter was adjourned to September 18 for trial.

In the second incident, two men were charged with stealing a car’s bumper worth $200 last weekend.

Jarrett McKenzie, 33, and Lavardo Sherman, 27, appeared before Deputy Chief Magistrate Andrew Forbes after they were accused of stealing a bumper from a black Nissan Note on June 14.

The court heard that on the day in question, a woman named Rose Martin told police that someone entered her yard and stolen the front bumper from her Nissan Note. Sgt McKenzie said during their investigation, officers in Coral Harbour spotted a vehicle matching a description they had received and stopped the car. During their search, the officers discovered the bumper in the vehicle’s trunk.

During the arraignment, Sherman pleaded guilty and was fined $500 or three months at the Bahamas Department of Correctional Services, while McKenzie denied the allegation and his case was adjourned to Oct 15 for trial.

TWO CONDITIONALLY DISCHARGED AFTER AGREEING TO COUNSELLING

By FARRAH JOHNSON fjohnson@tribunemedia.net TWO men who were charged with marijuana possession were conditionally discharged after they agreed to attend drug counselling classes.

However, another man who was charged with the same offence was fined $500 for being a repeat offender.

Lindbergh Ferguson, 38, appeared before Deputy Chief Magistrate Andrew Forbes after officers found 1.5 ounces of marijuana in his vehicle on June 10.

He pleaded guilty and was conditionally discharged for 12 months on the agreement that he would attend drug counselling classes at the Sandilands Rehabilitation Centre (SRC). If he fails to participate in the programme, he will spend three months at the Bahamas Department of Correctional Services.

Prosecutor Lincoln McKenzie said officers on mobile patrol that day stopped the defendant and informed him that he would be searched in reference to dangerous drugs

and firearms. He said during their search, officers discover 1.5 ounces of suspected marijuana in a clear plastic wrap in the defendant’s vehicle.

When given an opportunity to speak during the hearing, Ferguson told the magistrate that he had “broken a few bones” in a motor accident seven years ago and had issues sleeping. He also said that he had met a “herbal man” who told him he could help him cure his insomnia with marijuana. Ferguson insisted he only boiled the drug

to make tea because he knew people were getting locked up for smoking it. In response, Magistrate Forbes “strongly advised” Ferguson to find an “alternative way to address his pain.”

Tamer Farrington, 40, was also charged after officers found a clear glass jar containing a quantity of suspected marijuana in the defendant’s kitchen drawer on June 13. He pleaded guilty in court yesterday and was also ordered to attend drug counselling classes at SRC for 12 months. During the hearing, Farrington said

he only smoked marijuana because he had lost his job during the COVID-19 pandemic and was struggling with depression, insomnia and anxiety.

Austin Pinder, 44, also appeared before Magistrate Forbes after officers found four grams of Indian hemp in his left pants pocket on June 12. He pleaded guilty and was fined $500 or four months at the Bahamas Department of Correctional Services. Prosecutor McKenzie said during his interview with police, Pinder told officers he was

smoking marijuana to “calm his nerves,” because he had complications from a gunshot wound. Sgt McKenzie also said the defendant had been convicted of the same offence last year where he was fined $200 or three months at BDCS. In response, Magistrate Forbes reminded the defendant that the penalty increases every time a person committed an offence and asked him if he was willing to run the risk of being fined up to $150,000 or sentenced to five years in prison for illegal drug possession.

THE TRIBUNE

Wednesday, June 17, 2020, PAGE 5

Parents must be careful, warns education minister

By RASHAD ROLLE Tribune Senior Reporter rrolle@tribunemedia.net EDUCATION Minister Jeff Lloyd hit out yesterday at the “so-called educational establishments” that are operating without the legal authority to do so, revealing that his ministry has had to shut down several institutions.

He said the existence of the schools “puts potentially the clients they serve—most often very young children — at risk for serious, if not permanent injury”.

Speaking during his budget contribution in the

House of Assembly, he said operators of educational services must register with the National Accreditation and Equivalency Council of The Bahamas as he called on parents to be careful about who they let teach and handle their children.

“Otherwise,” he said, “you are operating outside the law, and render yourselves liable to serious penalties if found. Sadly, the Ministry of Education has had to shut down several institutions, especially those catering to young children that were a serious hazard to the children’s well-being. I, as minister, advise parents to

first check with NAECOB, investigate, carefully evaluate, and where possible, secure credible references before placing your vulnerable baby in the care of unqualified, money-seeking operators. It is not enough that someone likes children.

It takes much more than that. Young impressionable minds, and developing brains that are still in the crucial formative stages can easily be wrecked by someone who does not know, though well-intentioned, what they are doing. The impartation of information, and the invitation to awaken and refine a student’s innate potential, is a

skill, grounded in science, and honed under the expert supervision of mentors.”

In view of Hurricane Dorian and COVID-19, Mr Lloyd also said the National School Lunch Programme will review the initiative and the number of people who receive assistance through it. He said there are 2,551 students on the Family Islands and 2,800 students in New Providence currently enrolled in the programme.

To bring relief to participants during COVID-19, meal and food store vouchers were distributed in three phases, he said. In the first phase, $233,955 was

MINISTER Jeff Lloyd distributed to those in need; $317,550 and $332,000 were distributed in the second and third phases respectively, he said.

There was a negative reaction when Prime

Minister Dr Hubert Minnis revealed recently that national examinations for high school students will continue this year despite the disruption COVID-19 has brought to students’ school year.

Mr Lloyd, however, said GLAT examinations, which are administered to third and sixth grade students in elementary schools around the country, have been cancelled for 2020 even though the BJC and BGCSE exams will begin on July 13.

He said 10,659 people have registered to write the BJC exams while 5,996 are registered to write the BGCSE exams.

HELPING HAND FOR FISHERMEN

MARINE Education Initiative, a South Florida based nonprofit organisation, in partnership with community partner Lend a Hand Bahamas have announced a $30,000 donation to assist fishermen and women in Grand Bahama.

The donation of $17,300 combined with a donation of $12,700 from the Yellow Dog Community & Conservation Foundation will help purchase eight 30 HP engines for fishermen and women of Sweetings Cay and

Grand Bahama Island to allow them to fish again for their families and for an income. In addition, 50 fishermen and women affected by Hurricane Dorian will receive $200 each in store credit to purchase muchneeded fishing tackle supplies.

“The economic devastation to the island resulting from Hurricane Dorian this past fall combined with heavy impacts of COVID-19 has greatly impacted the island,” a press release from the charities noted.

“Both of these severe events have taken a large toll on the tourism industry in the Bahamas, and in turn negatively affecting the fishermen and their families on the island of Grand Bahama. Food security continues to be insufficient, thus many families that previously relied on commercial fish sales or guiding tourists in Bahamian waters for an income, are now relying on sustenance fishing to support their families.”

ESCOBAR’S CRIME PARTNER WHO MOVED COCAINE THROUGH NORMAN’S CAY FREED

MIAMI Associated Press

PABLO Escobar’s crime partner and one of Colombia’s pioneering “cocaine cowboys” has been released after a long prison sentence in the US and been deported to Germany, his lawyer said yesterday.

Carlos Lehder left on a flight for his new home in Berlin on Monday after being released from a US prison in Florida, where he had been held as part of the government’s witness protection programme.

Lehder, 70, was one of the leaders with Escobar of the Medellin cartel that dominated the global cocaine trade in the 1980s. At the same time an admirer of both John Lennon and Adolf Hitler, Lehder is portrayed in the Netflix series Narcos as a wild, womanising criminal who set up a transit point for cocaineladen aircraft on a private island, Norman’s Cay in The Bahamas, a few hundred miles off the coast of Florida.

His extradition to the US in 1987 kicked off a period of intense US targeting of Colombian narcos, who at the nadir of the bloody cartel turf wars managed

to bribe and threaten their way out of prosecution in the South American country.

His trial in the US in 1988 brought The Bahamas and its then Prime Minister Sir Lynden Pindling into disrepute.

During Lehder’s trial, a prosecution witness testified that he had been told Lehder paid $88,000 a month in protection money to Sir Lynden, according to the New York Times.

The witness, Thomas Harney, testified in November 1988 that he had been told that Lehder paid Sir Lynden the money on the 22d of each month to protect a drug-smuggling operation based on Norman’s Cay. Another witness, Gorman Bannister, testified that his father relayed drug payments to Sir Lynden from Lehder for protection in the early 1980s. Sir Lynden vehemently denied those accusations, later telling the Orlando Sentinel: “I told them (US authorities) from day one that it was B.S.” The former Prime Minister also released a 247-page rebuttal to bribery allegations made against him Lehder’s trial.

FREE: Carlos Lehder A commission of inquiry appointed by Sir Lynden in the mid-1980s found drug corruption in the Pindling Cabinet, but cleared the Prime Minister of any wrongdoing.

Meanwhile, Escobar, Lehder’s partner turned rival, never saw a US jail cell, dying in a shootout with police in Medellin in 1993. But thousands of Colombian drug traffickers have since gone to US prisons, many of them serving far less time than Lehder.

Attorney Oscar Arroyave, who didn’t represent Lehder at the time of his arrest, said federal sentencing guidelines make it very costly for defendants who fight charges and lose in a jury trial.

“Nobody accused of drug trafficking goes to trial in the US anymore,” said Arroyave, who said he plans to travel soon to Berlin to share a celebratory beer with his client after such a long ordeal.

“Had he pled guilty, he would’ve been home 15 years ago. In today’s world, there are drug traffickers far bigger that Carlos Lehder who pay five to six years.”

Lehder was originally sentenced to 135 years plus life, but after agreeing to testify against former Panamanian strongman Gen. Manuel Noriega, he had his sentence reduced to 55 years.

Lehder acquired German citizenship through his father, an immigrant to Colombia.

Arroyave said Lehder has no interest in returning to Colombia and German authorities provided assistance in allowing him to resettle in his adopted homeland.

PAGE 6, Wednesday, June 17, 2020

THE TRIBUNE

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Missing Bahamians are not just a number - and they deserve better HOW seriously is the government taking the aftermath of Hurricane Dorian?

We ask the question in light of National Security Minister Marvin Dames’ comments yesterday on the difference between the numbers of missing people.

On Sunday, Mr Dames said 279 people were missing following the storm that ripped through Abaco and Grand Bahama. Three weeks ago, Assistant Commissioner of Police Solomon Cash said 33 people were still missing.

That is of course a significant and sizeable difference. The Tribune tried to get an answer on why there were different numbers.

Yesterday, Mr Dames said he didn’t know the reason for the difference. In keeping the Bahamian people informed, that seems like the kind of thing that would be important to know.

“All of these numbers are now in the hands of the police. Let’s not get fixated on this,” he went on, “and I think sometimes we get caught in a position where we say ‘oh something is amiss, what is amiss?’”

What appears to be amiss is that somewhere the lives of 246 people are being discounted. That’s the difference in the two numbers, each one of them a life, each one a father or a mother, a brother or a sister, a child or a cousin.

Mr Dames went on to say that the communication infrastructure had been destroyed after Dorian, saying “the police are still in the throes of trying

to get all this information that was out there in the hands of different individuals and agencies into one centralised repository”.

Hurricane Dorian hit in September, and the information gathered since its impact will have been recorded on communications networks that were not destroyed in the storm.

As for one centralised repository, the police and their respective minister don’t even seem to have the same numbers.

If anything, Mr Dames’ explanation about information in the hands of different bodies only reinforces former Health Minister Dr Duane Sands’ criticism that too many agencies were involved in dealing with the Dorian missing.

All these months on, we should have a fairly clear picture of the human toll of Hurricane Dorian. We do not underestimate the impact of Dorian, which has scarred the landscape and psyche of the nation. However, the lack of co-ordination in compiling information about that impact is a failure of policy, not a failure of the broken infrastructure left in the storm’s wake.

If we pretend that everything is fine, then we will never learn to do things better. We’re already into the new hurricane season. Have lessons been learned?

With the minister and the police giving different numbers, it doesn’t appear so.

Mr Dames concluded by saying that those working on the information “have been doing a fantastic job”. What do you say, readers? Is this what a fantastic job looks like?

Good news for conch WE have some good news and, alas, worry it might lead to some bad news.

First, the good news. Conch is thriving at Cay Sal Bank in The Bahamas.

The discovery comes thanks to a research team from the University of Texas and comes at a time when there has been concern over a reduction in conch stocks in the region from overfishing.

Scientists found the Cay Sal population was “one of the three highest

abundances of queen conch” in the Caribbean.

Splendid news… but we hope the bad news won’t be a rush of fishermen bound for the location near Cuba to harvest the population.

It would be terrible if we discovered the key to replenishing conch stocks elsewhere in The Bahamas only to ruin it with a rush of fishing.

A spot of legislation, please, to protect the conch’s future – along with our own.

Blame the govt for Arawak Cay issues AFTER health officials said they found the behaviour of Arawak Cay patrons toward COVID-19 requirements on Saturday “disturbing”, readers posted their reactions on tribune242.com.

Joeblow said: “Issues that arose at Arawak are actually the government’s fault because of their poor planning abilities. All they had to do was contact the stall owners and give them a schedule to open every alternate stall for a fixed number of hours. For example, odd numbered stalls open from 8am-2pm and even numbered stalls opened from 3-8pm and have them enforce the mask policy for patrons.

Same could have been applied to Potter’s Cay and Montagu weeks ago instead they have people suffering needlessly!”John said: “Government can hire some people to monitor the crowds and enforce the distancing and mask on protocols.”

That prompted this response from Clamshell: “I dunno, John . . . does the

government hiring more people generally solve a lotta problems?”

SP had this to say: “This is so stupid I couldn’t believe it. Sandyport restaurants were exactly like what we saw at Arawak Cay and consistent throughout the island over the weekend. If health officials found the behaviour of Arawak Cay, Sandyport and elsewhere ‘disturbing’, they should have immediately demanded the closure of these entities!

“Judging from the comments and actions of people, they do not take COVID-19 seriously.

Obviously, we do not want a virus resurgence as is happening now in the US. The government needs to make sure people obey the social distancing and mask-wearing protocols

or shut down businesses that do not make patrons comply!”

The National Emergency Management Agency said evacuation plans should be considered this hurricane season for Central Abaco, Grand Bahama, Salina Point in Acklins and Spanish Wells in Eleuthera, prompting this comment from Joeblow: “The government’s hurricane plan is ‘errybody pack up and leave’. What if it’s a hurricane that comes right up the island chain?

Where will people evacuate to then?

“I have no confidence in any plans formulated by the government. From now on I think the office of the prime minister should keep an open line for suggestions from the general public for ALL major decisions they intend to make; only then some common sense suggestions may get through that won’t break the bank or enrich cronies!”

Don’t miss your chance to join the conversation on tribune242.com.

Nothing is sure EDITOR, The Tribune WITH the many negatives that Covid-19 has and continues to leave in its wake, it is imperative for countries such as The Bahamas to derive as many positives from this period as possible. In the wake of Covid-19, The Bahamas is presented with an opportunity to use the current halt in global air travel as a time wherein it can rethink, clarify and/or redirect its international aviation policy. It behooves The Bahamas, to wisely use this halt in global air travel (which perhaps is a once in our lifetime opportunity) in advance of when it resets full-on air travel to and throughout The Bahamas.

The rapid spread of the deadly Covid-19 virus was no doubt aided to a great extent by the welldeveloped and highly patronized vast global air travel network precovid-19. According to Statista, in 2019 alone, the global airline industry recorded the boarding of over 4.5 billion scheduled passengers. As a result of a delay in ascertaining the highly communicable nature of Covid-19, the virus was not immediately designated by ICAO States for the purposes of regulating effective measures for the sanitation of aircraft to limit or prevent its spread.

As a result, global air travel performed as normal and unabated. In turn, in only approximately three months, the vast majority of the world’s nations were reporting cases of Covid19, at a speed only rivalled by and achieved from the likes of the very same jetpowered modes of modern global air travel.

In 1918, the last time that the world experienced a global pandemic of the proportions of the current Covid-19 pandemic (Spanish Flu), international commercial aviation was still yet a fledgling. No more than five years prior to the 1918 Spanish Flu, was the first commercial airline involved in just demonstrating its flight capability.

After that, it would be several more decades, to the 1950s-60s, before air travel became common place and therefrom steadily make increases and become more common place year on year. As such, it is important to note the novelty of the Covid-19 induced global aviation shutdown which was brought about by

LETTERS letters@tribunemedia.net States imposing travel bans along with airspace and border closures for public health and safety reasons.

This remarkable shutdown which brought global air travel to a grinding halt, was evidenced by airport closures, cancellation of flights, and huge airline furloughs to an extent never before witnessed in the airline industry. On the 10th March 2020 the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) and the World Health Organization (WHO) published a joint statement regarding the Covid-19 outbreak outlining updated advice regarding the virus and civil aviation.

A country’s international aviation policy is, by nature, shaped by the international aviation agreements (whether bilateral or multilateral) in which it enters.

Upon becoming an independent nation in 1973, specifically in the first five years of doing so, one is able to deduce a clear and identifiable policy of The Bahamas at that time to rethink, clarify and/ or redirect its international aviation policy. The Bahamas achieved this by succeeding to a number of multilateral air law instruments, namely: 1929 Warsaw Convention, 1944 Chicago Convention, 1961 Guadalajara Convention, 1963 Tokyo Convention, 1970 Hague Convention, 1947 Convention on the Privileges and Immunities of the Specialized Agencies, and 1944 International Air Services Transit Agreement.

Since this period in its history, The Bahamas’ record with its international aviation policy has not been as robust. In particular, since then, it has acceded to only two multi-lateral air law instruments, namely: 1971 Montreal Convention and 1991 Convention on Plastic Explosives in 1984 and 2008 respectively. Although, the Bahamas became a signatory to the 1999 Montreal Convention on the 28th May 1999 it has refrained for more than 20 years from ratifying the same, which remains without force in The Bahamas.

The 1999 Montreal Convention is an international air law treaty concerned with passenger claims. As

this treaty is not limited to affording rights and obligations to only state actors or entities with international legal personality, it is required to have domestic effect to be enforceable for such purposes. As The Bahamas is a dualist and not monist State, an international treaty does not acquire domestic effect upon its signature alone, but rather requires approval and incorporation through domestic legislation by its Parliament.

Additionally, for some time, various proponents have encouraged The Bahamas to implement an international aircraft registry so as to enable the Bahamas to reap the spin-off financial services benefits. To an extent The Bahamas has also expressed an interest in this course of action, however, this too is subject to action by The Bahamas on its international aviation policy front. This is because the implementation of an international aircraft registry is effected by The Bahamas first acceding to the 2001 Cape Town Convention which relates to international interest in mobile equipment such as aircraft.

The above highlights two instances with multilateral treaties which call for The Bahamas to rethink, clarify and redirect its international aviation policy.

While this short piece addresses multilateral treaties, it is important to note that there are also bilateral arrangements which give The Bahamas an opportunity to update its international aviation policy.

In closing, upon the backdrop of a global picture, which at present, appears dim, this author finds it helpful to lift up the illuminating words of renowned novelist Margaret Drabble, “when nothing is sure, everything is possible!” In that context, though these times are surely unprecedented and fraught with uncertainty; even still it is imperative for The Bahamas to draw a precedent of rethinking, clarifying and redirecting its international aviation policy from its earlier self to a certain end of deriving a benefit from our present circumstances.

What do you say? Feel free to let me know. You can e-mail me at keithomajor@gmail.com.

KEITH O. MAJOR Jr., LL.B (Hons), LL.M. Nassau

THE TRIBUNE

Wednesday, June 17, 2020, PAGE 7 VENDORS are trying to obey the rules at Arawak Cay. Photos: Terrel W Carey Sr/Tribune Staff

Vendors - It’s not our fault from page one On Monday, health officials told The Tribune they found the behaviour “concerning” and “disturbing”.

However when contacted for comment, Arawak Cay Conch, Fish, Vegetable & Food Vendors Association president Rodney Russell told The Tribune the videos being circulated did not have anything to do with his members’ establishments but said they showed people near the beach park at Arawak Cay, located east of Fish Fry, where measures were not being followed.

When his concerned members called him about the matter, he said it was the responsibility of the police to enforce the rules at Arawak Cay. “Now the police were aware of the loud music that was going up there and what was going on,” he said.

“Whereas the police on the other hand were busy watching the vendors at the Fish Fry and somehow ignore those group of persons up the street and then the video came out and (people said) it was the Fish Fry.” Mr Russell said his members have tried their best to comply with all the government’s wishes and have no idea what occurred a few feet away. He said there should be a discussion to iron out problems to continue to business in the area. However he said his members should not be penalised.

He said: “Persons in the Fish Fry who’ve been following all the guidelines, following the rules, following the government’s wishes – why should they be penalised for those persons who have not followed the rules?”

Metellus Chipman, proprietor of an Arawak Cay

eatery, admitted he was not present when the situation in question occurred.

However, he said what was captured on video was just a snapshot of what occurred at the area.

“You catch the video at that particular time but what was going on before that time? What was going on 10-15 minutes before that time? That crowd might have gathered for that time for that particular moment.”

He added: “I’m excited to be back out. I’m sure other fellow Bahamians are the same way, so if all Bahamians are excited to come to our beach and celebrate with one of their family members or friends who they haven’t seen in a little while – you gonna have a boost of excitement for a minute. Then, it’s gonna die down and go back to what it’s suppose to be.”

Ricardo Williams, owner of Drifters at Da’ Fry, said

although the videos and pictures that were circulating were concerning, he felt the innocent should not have to take the fall.

“I mean it is a concern but hopefully we start to look (at) addressing the person

that violated the protocols versus trying to do a sweeping shut down of everyone because I mean obviously why should the innocent again suffer for the guilty,” he said. “If we don’t make the persons accountable

who need to be accountable, they’ll never take the measures they need to.”

Arawak Cay and Potter’s Cay were allowed to resume operations on Friday, with outdoor dining only.

Funeral Service For Deacon Emmaline Marie Charlton-Moss, 79 affectionately called “Liney” of Stapledon Gardens and formerly of Mayaguana will be held on Thursday, June 18th, 2020, 10:00 a.m. at Zion Baptist Church, East & Shirley Streets, Dowtown. Officiating will be Rev T. G. Morrison assisted by Overseer Randolph Deleveaux, Rev. Lockwood Deleveaux, Rev. Ulric V. Smith, Rev. Anthony A. Sampson & other Ministers of the Gospel.

Interment will follow in Lakeview Memorial Gardens & Mausoleum Gladstone Road & John F. Kennedy Drive.

Due to the Government Orders and related restrictions placed on funerals, attendance is limited to (30) family members. The family apologizes for any inconvenienced caused. Everyone in attendance must wear a mask covering the nose and mouth. Six feet physical distancing is required at all time.

RBDF SQUAD CELEBRATES 21 YEARS OF SERVICE WITH DONATION TO GCM MEMBERS of the Royal Bahamas Defence Force entry 34 squad recently made a donation to Great Commission Ministries. As the squad celebrated 21 years of service, current and past members of that squad observed the occasion by assisting GCM. A non-government organisation founded in 1987 by its president, Bishop Walter Hanchell, GCM assists the poor, needy and homeless by providing shelter, feeding centres, food banks and drug rehabilitation.

On Friday June 12, the team of officers and marines made a financial contribution to representatives from that organisation at its location on Wulff Road. Receiving the cheque on behalf of Great Commission Ministries was Maxine Bethel, office manager.

Lieutenant Shawn Evans, spokesperson for Entry 34, said: “We saw the need within the community to render assistance, especially during this COVID pandemic. We hope that the impact will be felt in a place that caters to the whole man. We choose

this organisation because of their longstanding and unwavering service to this country.”

The men of Entry 24 enlisted in the Royal Bahamas Defence Force on June 7, 1999. There are currently 21 serving members on the squad.

Photos: Woman Marine Myeshia Gibson

Left to cherish her legacy and loving memories are her 6 SONS: Justin (Liston), Virlent, Wilfred Jr., Anthone (Doutch), Brent (Emroy) & Jefferson Moss; 6 DAUGTERS: Stephanie Moss, Crecetha Moss, Jessie Moss, Winifred Brooks, Susan Charlton, & Shemaine Williamson; 1 STEP DAUGHTER: Patricka Moss 4 ADOPTED CHILDREN: Troy Gibson, Huel Williamson, Earnel Brown, & Edmund Smith; 3 SONS-IN-LAW: Hess Brooks, Gary Charlton & Godfrey Williamson; 7 DAUGTHTERS-IN-LAW: Eloise, Marva, Deborah, Vanessa, Tina, Sarah & Janette Moss; 71 GRANDCHILDREN including: Traquel & Troy Jr.; 68 GREAT GRANDCHILDREN; 1 GREAT GREAT GRANDCHILD; 6 BROTHERS: William, Percy, Leroy, and Samuel Charlton, Clayton Farrington & Walter Cox Jr.; 4 SISTERS: Flora Virgil, Ida Farrington, Ruby & Olive Charlton; 1 UNCLE: Authnel Charlton; 1 AUNT: Neila Johnson; 1 SISTER IN-LAW: Grace Charlton; NUMEROUS NIECES, NEPHEWS AND A HOST OF OTHER RELATIVES, FRIENDS & ASSOCIATES including but not limited to: Minister Reginald Charlton of Zion Baptist Church, Abraham’s Bay, Mayaguana, Pastor Eulease Brooks of St. James Baptist (A.B.M), Acting Pastor Mallany Murphy of Church of God (A.B.M), Pastor Lester & Leatha Bain of Mt. Olive Baptist Church (A.B.M), Bishop Randolph Deleveaux & Rev. Lockward & Jefferey Deleveaux, Rev. Carrington Pinder of St. Mark’s Baptist Church, Fox Hill, Bishop Ghaly Swan (overseer) Church of God (A.B.M), V. Alfred Gray former MP of the MICAL Constituency, Nurse Bridgette Charlton & staff, Elnora McIntosh, Rena Brooks, Lurella Burrows & family, Ismae Cartwright & family, Kevin Cartwright, Lorna Maxis, Administrator Dames and Shanique, Corporal Newbold, Sargent Terrel Stubbs, ASP Mario Murphy, Rev. Arthur Charlton Jr., Deacon Audrey Charlton, Deacon Easilee Dean, Olga Farrington, Brooks family, Freda Charlton & family, Velma Cox, Cynthia Brown & family, Michael Edwards, Leonard Duncanson, Pastor Leo Adderley, Louise McPhee, Virlene Collie, Marie McKinney, Former Pastor Irene Charlton & family, Dr. Ada Thompson, Dr. Sean Knowles, Vernitta Ellis, Gina Gibson, Vernice Gibson, Francine McPhee, Hazel Samuel Murphy, Ivy & Wellington Charlton, Wellie & Mel, Charles Moss, Renalia Jones, Bricemae Gibson, and Meralyn Burrows, Nakita Smith, Prescola and the entire Charlton family. Birdie Anderson-Farrington, Leon Charlton & family, Linda Charlton, Dianne Burrows, Rose Rahming, Princess, Percy Byron Collie, Betty, Nancy and Renae, Lincoln Murphy & family, the entire Mayaguana community, Prince Pinder & family, Elton Williamson & family, Tony Lewis, Leon Edwards, Oscar Pinder, Hariem Kelly, Leon Edwards, Administrator Leary along with host of other relative and friends too numerous to mention.

Viewing will be held in the Irenic Suite at Restview Memorial Mortuary and Crematorium Ltd., Robinson and Soldier Roads on Wednesday (TODAY) from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

PAGE 8, Wednesday, June 17, 2020

THE TRIBUNE

LET NEW PEOPLE IN AND LET THEM LEARN AND GROW MANY of the people participating in conversations about current events and underlying systems are new to them. Some are just becoming radicalised as they watch what is happening around us. Sometimes the instinct of more seasoned activists is to silence or push them out, insisting they are not ready, they will get in the way, or they are too late. It is often a protective measure. We do not want to see the work go to waste

and we do not want movements to be co-opted.

Locking people out, however, is the result of leading with fear.

It may be completely reasonable to have concerns about people’s intentions, especially when they come to a cause like Black liberation at a time like this, but we always need more people. Those of us who have been here before have the responsibility to help newcomers to learn, practice,

The

Alicia Wallace column EVERY now and then, the conversation about the statue of Christopher Columbus starts again. It generally does not last for a long time, but people weigh in and we end up with the same sets of opinions. Some people think it should be removed from Government House while others think it should stay.

Of the people who believe it should be removed, some want it destroyed while others say it would be better to put it in a museum and provide context to make it clear he was not a hero, but a genocidal murderer. Most of the people who want it to stay seem to think it is must remain to preserve history. They view it as a harmless relic with little meaning attached and should not evoke any negative feelings.

Still others argue the statue is not the problem and suggest it is useless to get rid of it when Government House remains, the Governor General continues to represent the Queen and she is the head of state.

To be clear, the Columbus statue is not the entire problem. No one ever said it was that simple. We have, however, noted the issue of its prominent location

which suggests it represents a person deserving of attention and reverence. We know this is far from the truth. It is not even accompanied by a plaque with the truth about Columbus and what he did after landing on San Salvador in 1492.

We cannot assume that people know the history.

It was not long ago that Columbus Day and Discovery Day were celebrated.

People in their thirties and twenties were taught a completely fallacious history about the man and would know no better if not for conversations of this kind.

We know the statue of Columbus is the tip of the iceberg. Beneath the surface is colonization, slavery and racism in various forms including systemic and internalised. We have not generally been enthusiastic about these conversations either. The lack of discussion has brought us to this place, barely able to sort through the interconnected issues that demand our attention if we are to move forward and build a more inclusive, equitable nation.

There is no shortage of issues to address that are both related to the statue we can see every day and rooted in systems that are

correct mistakes, be open to new information, share ideas and bring more people. We cannot do it alone.

There has to be space in movements for newcomers and that space has to be actively created.

We can easily pinpoint organisations with leaders who have refused, over many years, to train other people for leadership and ensure the continuity of the work.

The newcomers do not need to

immediately become leaders, but they need to be welcomed and have a place to learn, work and grow. They need to have access to information, be connected with supporters, get experience with the media, know how to plan events, and understand the history and the trajectory of the movement.

It all starts with letting them in.

They may come late, they may come full of emotion, they may

come with more passion than know-how and they may come with ideas counter to what has already been decided, but they come. They come with muchneeded energy. Let them in, let them see, let them do.

One day, the leaders we know now will be gone and there will still be work to do. There will be progress and there will be successors if we understood movements need more people.

There’s more to do than move a statue of Columbus hundreds of years old and that we have learned to ignore in our daily lives.

Those issues need our attention, however, they do not detract from the point being made by the people who want the statue removed. It is in an inappropriate location. It sends the wrong message. There are no sound arguments for keeping it there. We will not be banned from discussing other relevant issues if we dare to move it before we eradicate racism.

Do we care more about

where we start, or starting at all?

The response to the call for the removal of the statue has not been unlike many other conversations taking place nationally.

There is an enthusiastic opposition that does not necessarily disagree with the idea, but is being excessively critical of the call because they would prefer a different starting point or want the conversation to be rooted in a different area. They want to focus on a larger issue. They assume the removal of the statue is a failure to acknowledge the complication of its site.

One of the reasons it is difficult to make progress on issues like this one is the need for people to control narratives and assert themselves as superior in knowledge. It is entirely possible to support the removal of the statue while calling

attention to the existence of Government House, the role of the Governor General, continued allegiance to the Queen and the cost of this useless system.

We can make plans to move the statue in two weeks and sustain conversations about why it was put there in the first place and the work that still needs to be done up to and far beyond that date. We are not limited to one statue, one conversation nor one course of action. The conversation will not end when the statue is gone if the people who care about more than the statue are dedicated to continuing it.

We have to accept responsibility for our roles in this work and understand everyone is not in the same place or called to the same tasks. It is still possible to work with them and build on their actions.

The removal of statues in the US and Bristol in the UK reignited the conversation about the Christopher Columbus statue. It does not mean we are going to ignore everything and getting rid of the statue will be the end of our work.

What is happening around the world is the building of momentum. It is creating a wave of actions that are inspired by those that precede it. Now is a good time to make moves.

If some of us want to talk about systemic racism in this majority black country — much to the chagrin of the people who benefit from it — and other people want to move a statue and we see the connections between the two, let’s talk about it. Note the commonalities. Support the action.

Bring context to the conversation. Know that we can do both.

THE TRIBUNE

Wednesday, June 17, 2020, PAGE 9

TECHTALK FDA APPROVES VIDEO GAME FOR TREATING ADHD IN KIDS

A BOSTON Dynamics SpotMini robot walks through a conference room during a robotics summit in Boston in 2018. Yesterday, Boston Dynamics started selling its four-legged Spot robots online for just under $75,000 each. The agile robots can walk, climb stairs and open doors. But people who buy them online must agree not to arm them or intentionally use them as weapons, among other conditions. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa, File)

DOG-LIKE ROBOTS ON SALE FOR $75,000, WITH CONDITIONS

By MATT O’BRIEN, AP Technology Writer

YOU can now buy one of those unnerving animal-like robots you might have seen on YouTube — so long as you don’t plan to use it to harm or intimidate anyone.

Boston Dynamics on Tuesday started selling its four-legged Spot robots online for just under $75,000 each.

The agile robots can walk, climb stairs and observe their surroundings with cameras and other sensors. But people who buy them online must agree not to arm them or intentionally use them as weapons, among other conditions.

“The key goal for us is to make

sure people trust robots,” Michael Perry, the company’s vice president for business development, said in an interview with The Associated Press. “Somebody wanted to use Spot for a haunted house and we said no to that. It frames the robot in a negative context.”

The terms and conditions state that “Spot is an amazing robot, but is not certified safe for in-home use or intended for use near children or others who may not appreciate the hazards associated with its operation.”

Perry said if a buyer violates the conditions, the company can nullify its warranty, decline to repair the robot and not renew its license, which would eventually cause the

machine to deactivate.

Boston Dynamics has been developing its dexterous robots through decades of militaryfunded research.

The Waltham, Massachusetts, company is now finding commercial applications for them for the first time since it was founded in 1992.

The company announced last year that it would begin mass production of Spot.

As a pilot project, it leased more than 150 of the robots to select customers for such uses as monitoring construction sites, inspecting energy facilities and performing in theme parks.

A human can operate the

robots remotely, and in certain settings they can operate autonomously. The robots can run for about 90 minutes before they need recharging.

In one recent pilot in Singapore, a Spot robot was deployed in a public park to broadcast prerecorded messages asking people to maintain distance from one another to prevent spread of the coronavirus. It was also used to interview patients at a Boston hospital’s COVID-19 triage centre and check their body temperature and other vitals.

Boston Dynamics says its sales are intended for commercial and industrial users and that the robots can only be purchased in the U.S.

GOOGLE QUIETLY ROLLS OUT TEST VERSION OF ANDROID UPGRADE

By MICHAEL LIEDTKE AP Business Writer SAN RAMON, Calif.

(AP) — Google has released a test version of its annual upgrade to its Android software without the usual fanfare heralding the latest operating system powering most smartphones.

The debut of Android 11’s “beta” version was announced last week in a blog post, along with video tutorials for the makers of smartphone applications on Google’s YouTube service.

Android 11 will offer several new features making it easier for people to find notifications about incoming texts. It also gives users the ability to quickly open a digital conversation by pressing on a floating “bubble” identifying the person on the other end of a text. The new Android bubbles mirror a feature that Facebook has been using in its Messenger app for years.

The next version of the software also is designed to do a better job of guarding people’s privacy, something Google is frequently accused of invading as it collects information to sell ads.

Users will be asked if they

IN this photo from January, the Google exhibit building shows off a variety of devices with Google Assistant, including Android smartphones and Wear OS smartwatches during the CES tech show in Las Vegas. Google released a test version of its annual upgrade to its Android software without the usual fanfare heralding the latest operating system powering most smartphones. The debut of Android 11’s ‘beta’ version was announced last week in a blog post, along with video tutorials for the makers of smartphone applications on Google’s YouTube service.

(AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin, File) wish to grant an app access they granted in the past. carriers don’t always quickly to their location for one The beta version is pri- push out the next version of time only and then Android marily downloaded by Android software to users, won’t allow access until the app makers while Google leaving many devices runuser authorises it again. continues to work out the ning on older versions of Android 11 also will auto- bugs in the software before the software for years. matically identify when an the operating system is Google usually previews app hasn’t been used for an offered for free to owners the next version of its extended time and turn off of smartphones running on Android software during previous permissions that Android. But smartphone an annual event held in users may have forgotten manufacturers and wireless May near its headquarters

in Mountain View, California, with thousands of app makers and computer programmers in the audience.

But the pandemic forced Google to cancel that event this year and shift it to a virtual gathering that it planned to hold last week.

But that plan also was scuttled amid the mass protests roiling cities across the U.S. in the wake of the death of George Floyd, a black man who died in police custody in Minneapolis after a white police officer pressed a knee into his neck.

The new versions of Android are are quickly offered to owners of Google’s Pixel phones, but those account for a minuscule fraction of the more than 2 billion devices running on various versions of Android.

In contrast, more than 80% of iPhone users typically download the annual upgrades to Apple’s iOS, the software powering those devices. Apple plans to preview the next version of its iOS June 22 during an event that will be held online instead of an inperson event that attracts thousands of people from all over the world to Silicon Valley.

THE U.S. Food and Drug Administration has for the first time approved a video game for treating attention deficit hyperactivity disorder in children.

The FDA said Monday the game built by Boston-based Akili Interactive Labs can improve attention function.

The game, called EndeavorRx, requires a prescription and is designed for children ages 8 to 12 with certain symptoms of ADHD. It’s the first time the FDA has cleared a digital therapy for improving ADHD symptoms, and the first time the agency has ever authorised marketing of a game-based therapy for any condition.

The FDA says it looked at data from multiple studies in more than 600 children. A video of the game shows a character traveling a racecourse-like path in a hover board. Sensory and motor tasks are designed to help the player improve cognitive functioning.

“We’re proud to make history today with FDA’s decision,” Akili CEO Eddie Martucci said in a statement.

“We’re using technology to help treat a condition in an entirely new way as we directly target neurological function through medicine that feels like entertainment.”

WHATSAPP STARTS PAYMENTS IN BRAZIL: SIGN OF THINGS TO COME? FACEBOOK’S WhatsApp chat platform is launching mobile payments in Brazil, a country often used to test out new services because of its large online population.

WhatsApp said in a blog post Monday that users in Brazil will now be able to send money securely, or make a purchase from a local business, without leaving their chat.

Facebook will run digital payments on WhatsApp through Facebook Pay, the payments service launched last year that also works on its other apps, including Facebook and Instagram.

The Brazil launch is the first time it’s being used on WhatsApp, a platform especially popular outside of the U.S. WhatsApp Pay will be free for using to make purchases and send money. Facebook will charge a 3.99% processing fee per transaction to businesses.

Facebook did not say when the tool may be available in other countries, just that it is looking “forward to bringing it to everyone as we go forward.”

The mobile payments push is part of Facebook’s strategy to expand to new sources of revenue beyond advertising.

PAGE 10, Wednesday, June 17, 2020

THE TRIBUNE

Why are sitcom dads still so inept?

by Erica Scharrer Professor of Communication, University of Massachusetts Amherst FROM Homer Simpson to Phil Dunphy, sitcom dads have long been known for being bumbling and inept.

But it wasn’t always this way. Back in the 1950s and 1960s, sitcom dads tended to be serious, calm and wise, if a bit detached. In a shift that media scholars have documented, only in

later decades did fathers start to become foolish and incompetent.

And yet the real-world roles and expectations of fathers have changed in recent years. Today’s dads are putting more time into caring for their children and see that role as more central to their identity.

Have today’s sitcoms kept up?

I study gender and the media, and I specialize in depictions of masculinity. In a new study, my co-authors

and I systematically look at the ways in which portrayals of sitcom fathers have and haven’t changed.

Why sitcom portrayals matter Fictional entertainment can shape our views of ourselves and others. To appeal to broad audiences, sitcoms often rely on the shorthand assumptions that form the basis of stereotypes.

Whether it’s the way they portray gay masculinity in

Funeral Service For

Mr. Leon Rolle, 42 of #21 Ferguson Street, Fox Hill and formerly of Mangrove Cay, Andros, Bahamas will be held on Thursday, June 18th, 2020, 10:00 a.m. at Zion South Beach Baptist Church, Zion Blvd. Officiating will be Bishop B.W. Davis assisted by Bishop Ross L. Davis, Pastor Charles Dorsett, Revd. Moses Pennerman & Other Ministers of The Gospel. Cremation will Follow.

Due to the Government Orders and related restrictions placed on funerals, attendance is limited to (30) family members. The family apologizes for any inconvenienced caused. Everyone in attendance must wear a mask covering the nose and mouth. Six feet physical distancing is required at all time.

Left to cherish his memories are his Parents: David & Judith Rolle; Grandparent: Rena Armbrister; Brothers: Dewitt Rolle, Valentino, Barry, Rashad, Clayton, Donovan & David Rolle Jr.; Sisters: Mckell Rolle-Ferguson (Charles), Karen, Montez & Nicole Rolle, Latoya Stubbs-Smith (Ashiel) and Keva Rolle-King (Fredrick); Aunts: Retta, Elizabeth & Geraldine Rolle, Estell Rolle-Saunders (Lynward), Miriam Murphy, Ludell Whylly (Hewitt), Miriam Deveaux, Stephanie, Sharon & Roslyn Bannister, Cathy Storr; Uncles: McDonald Rolle (Judy), Samuel, Ulies Rolle ( Kathlene), Simon Rolle (Charmaine), Anthony Bannister (Violet), David, Michael & Ian Bannister, David Bannister Jr.; Nieces: Breanna Ferguson, Martaya Clinton, Kevinique Johnson, Amethyst Strachan, Shadae Rolle, Anylah, Alayah Smith, Shadeah Rolle, Acacia, Zyriah & Clanae Rolle; Nephews: Rashad Jr., Barry Rolle Jr., Breon Rolle, Lawrence King, Denillo Christian, Omar Glinton, Antonio Smith; Godchildren: Angela Saunders & Ronal Murphy; Special Friend: Qurinnie Edwards; Step Daughter: Brenisha Smith; Cousins: Bishop B. Wenith Davis (Pastor Ismae Davis), Bishop Roston L. Davis (Pastor Althea Davis), Apostle Merilee Watson (Apostle Edward Watson) Kathleen Huyler- Cooke (Leroy), Ethimae Bain-Hill, Ingrid, Marilyn, Christine, Carlene, Ismae, Bernadette, Tammy & Kierah Bannister, Deborah Sampson, Sharmine Cartwright, Aniqua Sawyer, Chrystal WhyllyWilliams, Derrick, Kevin Ferguson, Hewitt Jr., Deon Moss, Ashmad Walker, Pastor Necole Watson, Adejumo, Pastor Clint Watson, Pastor Lyn Terez DavisNixon, Pastor Trent Davis, Stan, Ray & Cohen Davis, Minister Shenique Davis, Dr. Raquel Davis- Hall, Curtis Murphy Jr., Trevor, Jason, Donald & Tavaughn Rolle, Phillippa Rolle-Bain (Andre), Sirell, Anique, Anae, Aniesha, Ajah, Sharmar Rolle, Lynardo & Lynique Saunders, Askew, Shawn, Shaunice, Janice, Craig, Dwight, Richard, Terry, Devon, Ashley, Samantha, Kyle, Raynaldo Rolle, Authrey, James, Douglas, Lenneth Bannister, Antonique Bannister, Shantell Philippe, Joan Boyd; Other Relatives & Friends: Reverned Moses Pennerman and family, Margaretta & Coretta Bannister, Warren & Diane Armbrister, Henry & Rayanna Bain, Larry & Esther Turnquest and family, Wilfred & Sadie Bastian, Ralph Godet & Albacore family, Pamela Saunders, Delores Green, Garnell Greene and family, Sonia Bullard and family, Alice Bastian and family, Marie Bain and Family, Rev. Hilton Bullard and family, Roland Rolle and family, Sheila Smith and family, Maglena Penn, Donald, Jason, Lawrence, Tom, Stevie, Amos, Rupert Bain, Mikko Turnquest, Carlton Turner, Regan Turnquest-Bowleg, Shanique Christie Rolle, Rhonda Gaitor, Florence Bethell, Henrieta King, Anamae Rolle, Locksley Forbes, Ricky Thompson, Pearliemae Francis and many other too numerous to mention.

Viewing will be held in the Celestial Suite at Restview Memorial Mortuary and Crematorium Ltd., Robinson and Soldier Roads on Wednesday (TODAY) from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

“Will and Grace” or the working class in “Roseanne,” sitcoms often mine humour from certain norms and expectations associated with gender, sexual identity and class.

When sitcoms stereotype fathers, they seem to suggest that men are somehow inherently ill-suited for parenting. That sells actual fathers short and, in heterosexual, two-parent contexts, it reinforces the idea that mothers should take on the lion’s share of parenting responsibilities.

It was Tim Allen’s role as Tim “the Tool Man” Taylor of the 1990s series “Home Improvement” that inspired my initial interest in sitcom dads. Tim was goofy and childish, whereas Jill, his wife, was always ready – with a disapproving scowl, a snappy remark and seemingly endless stores of patience – to bring him back in line. The pattern matched an observation made by TV Guide television critic Matt Roush, who, in 2010, wrote: “It used to be that father knew best, and then we started to wonder if he knew anything at all.”

I published my first quantitative study on the depiction of sitcom fathers in 2001, focusing on jokes involving the father. I found that, compared with older sitcoms, dads in more recent sitcoms were the butt of the joke more frequently. Mothers, on the other hand, became less frequent targets of mockery over time. I viewed this as evidence of increasingly feminist portrayals of women that coincided with their growing presence in the workforce.

Studying the disparaged dad In our new study, we wanted to focus on sitcom dads’ interactions with their children, given how fatherhood has changed in American culture.

We used what’s called

“quantitative content analysis,” a common research method in communication studies. To conduct this sort of analysis, researchers develop definitions of key concepts to apply to a large set of media content.

Researchers employ multiple people as coders who observe the content and individually track whether a particular concept appears.

For example, researchers might study the racial and ethnic diversity of recurring characters on Netflix original programs.

Or they might try to see whether demonstrations are described as “protests” or “riots” in national news.

For our study, we identified 34 top-rated, family-centered sitcoms that aired from 1980 to 2017 and randomly selected two episodes from each. Next, we isolated 578 scenes in which the fathers were involved in “disparagement humour,” which meant the dads either made fun of another character or were made fun of themselves.

Then we studied how often sitcom dads were shown together with their kids within these scenes in three key parenting interactions: giving advice, setting rules or positively or negatively reinforcing their kids’ behavior. We wanted to see whether the interaction made the father look “humorously foolish” – showing poor judgment, being incompetent or acting childishly.

Interestingly, fathers were shown in fewer parenting situations in more recent sitcoms. And when fathers were parenting, it was depicted as humorously foolish in just over 50 percent of the relevant scenes in the 2000s and 2010s, compared with 18 percent in the 1980s and 31 percent in the 1990s sitcoms.

At least within scenes featuring disparagement humour, sitcom audiences, more often than not, are still being encouraged to

laugh at dads’ parenting missteps and mistakes.

The degree to which entertainment media reflect or distort reality is an enduring question in communication and media studies. In order to answer that question, it’s important to take a look at the data.

National polls by Pew Research Center show that from 1965 to 2016, the amount of time fathers reported spending on care for their children nearly tripled. These days, dads constitute 17 percent of all stay-at-home parents, up from 10 percent in 1989.

Today, fathers are just as likely as mothers to say that being a parent is “extremely important to their identity.”

They are also just as likely to describe parenting as rewarding.

Yet, there is evidence in the Pew data that these changes present challenges, as well. The majority of dads feel they do not spend enough time with their children, often citing work responsibilities as the primary reason. Only 39 percent of fathers feel they are doing “a very good job” raising their children.

Perhaps this sort of self-criticism is being reinforced by foolish and failing father portrayals in sitcom content.

Of course, not all sitcoms depict fathers as incompetent parents. The sample we examined stalled out in 2017, whereas TV Guide presented “7 Sitcom Dads Changing How we Think about Fatherhood Now” in 2019. In our study, the moments of problematic parenting often took place in a wider context of a generally quite loving depiction.

Still, while television portrayals will likely never match the range and complexity of fatherhood, sitcom writers can do better by dads by moving on from the increasingly outdated foolish father trope. theconversation.com

THE TRIBUNE

Wednesday, June 17, 2020, PAGE 11

CALLS FOR DE-ESCALATION TRAINING GROW AFTER ATLANTA SHOOTING ATLANTA Associated Press THE deaths of George Floyd in Minneapolis and Rayshard Brooks in Atlanta in the span of less than three weeks have led to a push in the US for more training of police officers in how to “deescalate” tense situations before they explode in violence. “You’ve got to get cops to understand that it’s not a cowardly act, that backing off could save this person’s life,” said Tom Manger, a retired police chief in Virginia and Maryland and former president of the Major Cities Chiefs Association.

Officers undergoing de-escalation training are taught how to keep their cool, talk to people in such a way as to calm them down, and use the least amount of force required. Typically the instruction includes exercises in which actors playing members of the public try to provoke officers.

“It’s very clear that our police officers are to be guardians and not warriors within our communities,” Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms said in announcing she will require city officers to continuously undergo such training in the wake of Brooks’ fatal shooting Friday night.

Calls for increased de-escalation training have also come from politicians on Capitol Hill as well as from California’s attorney general, Michigan lawmakers and Houston’s police chief.

President Donald Trump signed an executive order that would encourage better police practices and establish a database of officers with a history of excessive-force complaints. It also would promote certification agencies that teach officers de-escalation techniques.

Such techniques have embraced more strongly amid the growing movement to stop the killings of black people by police.

Floyd was seized by police May 25 after being accused of passing a counterfeit $20 bill at a convenience store. He was pronounced dead after a white officer put his knee on Floyd’s neck for what prosecutors said was nearly nine minutes.

Brooks, 27, was shot twice in the back last Friday after police tried to handcuff him for being intoxicated behind the wheel of his car at a Wendy’s drive-thru.

Brooks was cooperative during more than 30 minutes of conversation before things rapidly spun out control. He wrestled with officers, snatched one of their

Tasers and pointed it at one of them as he ran through the parking lot.

The officer who gunned down Brooks was fired, and prosecutors are weighing charges against him and another member of the force.

Among other measures that have been adopted or are under consideration across the US in the wake of the latest deaths: bans on chokeholds, making police disciplinary records public, releasing bodycam footage of shootings more quickly, and requiring officers to intervene when they see misconduct by fellow members of the force.

China hit by new quarantine crisis BEIJING Associated Press AUTHORITIES in China yesterday locked down a third neighbourhood in Beijing to contain a COVID-19 outbreak that has infected more than 100 people. Most of the cases have been linked to the capital’s Xinfadi wholesale food market. There has been mass testing - around 9,000 people - of anyone who had visited it in the past two weeks or come ino contact with people who hve.them.

Video footage shows officials in hazmat suits barking orders through a megaphone while people line up in queues and pack into buses amid fears that a second wave of virus cases is about to hit the country.

Activist Jennifer Zeng, who posted the footage, claims that seven hotels were requisitioned as quarantine sites with people rounded up in an all-day operation. Beijing yesterday reported 27 new infections from the Xinfadi cluster and cases have spiked in recent days after testing and draconian lockdowns appeared to have brought China’s outbreak to a virtual standstill.

China now faces a dilemma on how drastically to deal with new outbreaks while keeping the momentum in its economic recovery. Beijing has not set an GDP growth target for this year for the first time in decades, but analysts say it will have to grow GDP by three per cent to steady its economy.

There remains a sense of unease on Asian and global markets about signs of a COVID-19 resurgence, just as the city was getting back on track and after months of no new cases. ‘A cluster like this is a concern and it needs to be investigated and controlled - and that

PEOPLE line up to get tested at a testing centre outside a sports facility in Beijing yesterday is exactly what the Chinese authorities are doing,’ WHO emergencies director Mike Ryan said. China had eased much of its anti-coronavirus measures in recent months.

The country’s Vice Premier Sun Chunlan urged the city’s officials to impose ‘the strictest’ virus control measures to contain the spread of the virus, which has been linked to a massive food wholesale market called Xinfadi.

New Zealand, which hadn’t seen a new case in three weeks, was investigating a case in which two women who flew in from London to see a dying parent were allowed to leave quarantine and drive halfway across the country before they were tested and found to be positive.

The re-emergence of the virus in the country once praised for how it handled infections raised the spectre

that international air travel could trigger a fresh wave of contagion just as countries are reopening airports to stimulate tourism.

Canada and the US agreed to extend to July 21 an agreement to keep their border closed to nonessential travel. The restrictions were announced in March and have been extended repeatedly, with many Canadians fearing cases arriving from the US. “This is a decision that will protect people on both sides of the border as we continue to fight COVID19,” Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said.

The US car industry was among the first to reopen following a lockdown in mid-March. Yet almost immediately after reopening factories and restarting production on a limited basis, the virus began to spread again.

NEW EXECUTION DATES SET FOR FEDERAL INMATES ON DEATH ROW WASHINGTON Associated Press THE Justice Department has set new dates to begin executing federal deathrow inmates following a monthslong legal battle over the plan to resume the executions for the first time since 2003.

Attorney General William Barr directed the federal Bureau of Prisons to schedule the executions, beginning in mid-July, of four inmates convicted of killing children. Three of the men had been scheduled to be put to death when Barr announced the federal government would resume executions last year, ending an informal moratorium on federal capital punishment as the issue receded from the public domain.

The Justice Department had scheduled five executions set to begin in December, but some of the inmates challenged the new procedures in court, arguing that the government

was circumventing proper methods in order to wrongly execute inmates quickly. The department wouldn’t say why the executions of two of the inmates scheduled in December hadn’t been rescheduled.

The move is likely to add a new front to the national conversation about criminal justice reform and raise interest in an issue that has largely lain dormant in recent years amid the culture battles that President Donald Trump already is waging on matters such as abortion and immigration in the lead-up to the 2020 elections.

The federal government’s initial effort was put on hold by a trial judge, and the federal appeals court in Washington and the Supreme Court both declined to step in late last year. But in April, the appeals court threw out the judge’s order. Lawyers for the inmates are asking the Supreme Court to order a halt to the process.

Barr said in a statement:

“The four murderers whose executions are scheduled today have received full and fair proceedings under our Constitution and laws.”

The inmates who will be executed are: Danny Lee, who was convicted in Arkansas of killing a family of three, including an 8-year-old; Wesley Ira Purkey, of Kansas, who raped and murdered a 16-year-old girl and killed an 80-year-old woman; Dustin Lee Honken, who killed five people in Iowa, including two children; and Keith Dwayne Nelson, who kidnapped a 10-year-old girl who was rollerblading in front of her Kansas home and raped her in a forest behind a church before strangling the young girl with a wire.

Three of the executions — for Lee, Purkley and Honken — are scheduled days apart beginning July 13. Nelson’s execution is scheduled for Aug. 28. The Justice Department said additional executions will be set at a later date.

CHEAP DRUG CAN IMPROVE SURVIVAL RATE Associated Press RESEARCHERS in Britain say they have the first evidence that a drug can improve COVID-19 survival: A cheap, widely available steroid reduced deaths by up to one third in severely ill hospitalised patients. The results were announced yesterday and the British government immediately authorized the drug’s use across the United Kingdom for coronavirus patients like those who did well in the study. Researchers said they would publish results soon in a medical journal, and several independent experts said it’s important to see details to know how much of a difference the drug, dexamethasone, might make and for whom.

But “bottom line is, good news,” said the United States’ top infectious disease expert, Dr. Anthony Fauci. “This is a significant improvement in the available therapeutic options that we have.”

The study was a large, strict test that randomly assigned 2,104 patients to get the drug and compared them with 4,321 patients getting only usual care.

PAGE 12, Wednesday, June 17, 2020

THE TRIBUNE

BLTA

MLB

Association and the president of a local tennis club. These are individuals who have tennis at heart.

They are proven workers and they want to continue the growth of the sport.”

In their manifest, the team states that they hope to create a sustainable environment means ensuring that they attract new junior and senior athletes to the sport of tennis, design programmes that further assist with the development of existing athletes, develop impactful relationships with new sponsors as well as training new coaches and officials which will all aid in strengthening the future of tennis in the Bahamas.

Their team’s vision is to “create and maintain an environment which fosters and encourages the growth and sustainability of the sport of tennis throughout the Bahamas.”

And their mission is to “create programmes and opportunities while removing barriers thereby making tennis accessible throughout the entire Bahamas.”

• Here’s a synopsis of the candidates: Newton has held various posts in the tennis arena including Public Relations Officer, Treasurer and Council Member of the BLTA, Director and Treasurer of the National Tennis Centre (NTC).

He has a Bachelor of Science Degree in Business with a concentration in management and a minor in computer science.

He is in the final stages of completing a Masters of Business Administration.

Newton has also completed the Play Tennis Certification and Coaching Beginner and Intermediate Players (Level 1) Certification, which was offered by the ITF/BLTA. He enjoys playing his bass guitar and playing tennis with his lovely wife Esther Newton.

Barrett began playing tennis at the age of 22 years old and was in love with the sport ever since. In the last 10 years, she became more acquainted with the local and national tennis community which first began by, from time to time, organising tennis functions in Grand Bahama followed by being elected, in 2015, the President of the Grand Bahama Tennis Association (GBTA).

Barrett’s objectives include introducing as many persons as possible to tennis, retaining players, creating friendly and competitive opportunities for persons to come together and improve their tennis skills, promoting and organising educational opportunities as well as cultivating unity among the tennis professionals in Grand Bahama and by extension, the Bahamas.

By profession, she is a practicing accountant in Grand Bahama. She has two children.

Burrows is a consummate professional, having joined the Public Service in March 1992. In August 2003 she joined the staff of the Ministry of Education, Scholarship & Educational Loan Division as an Educational Loan and Scholarship Officer and was subsequently promoted to the position of Senior Educational Loan and Scholarship Officer in January 2006.

Burrows was later promoted to the post of First Assistant Secretary, and

agreement with MLB. That deal says the season doesn’t have to start unless there are no relevant travel restrictions in the US and Canada, and that games can be played before fans in all 30 regularseason ballparks.

The union made offered two plans, the last for an 89-game schedule starting July 10 and salaries of $2.25 billion.

The sides have exchanged proposals digitally, with an occasional video conference. They have not met in person since March 13-14 in Arizona.

“Everyone here wants to get down to business as soon as possible and play games.

From what I’ve discovered, the holdup is not about the number of games or money at this time,” Levine said.

“The commissioner has the right under the March agreement to schedule the games as long as the players are paid 100 per cent prorated.

The holdup, as I understand it, is about resolving the other items in the March 26 agreement.”

“They include final agreement on all of the health and safety protocols, deciding what happens if a season is interrupted by a second wave of the virus, which players can opt out and under what circumstances can they, and a host of issues like that.”

Union head Tony Clark said Saturday additional talks would be “futile.” Baseball Commissioner Rob Manfred said Monday the season was in jeopardy.

Since Friday, MLB Deputy Commissioner Dan Halem and union chief negotiator Bruce Meyer have exchanged letters that appeared to be preparation for possible litigation. “I’ve been talking to the commissioner on a daily basis. He has been and continues to be dedicated to play a 2020 season,” said Levine, who was MLB’s chief negotiator from 1995-97. “We all recognise that the players are the heart and soul of the game. I’ve called them patriots in the past and I believe that today.”

FROM PAGE 13

FROM PAGE 13

CLARKE

TAYLOR

NEWTON

MUNROE

LARAMORE

BUTLER

GODET

BURROWS

BARRETT

MACTAGGART

MCDONALD

DAMES

along with that promotion came the responsibility of the head of the Scholarship & Educational Loan Division. She holds a Bachelor’s Degree, as well as a Master’s Degree in Public Administration, graduating (magna cum laude) from Florida International University.

She is married to Mr Anthony Burrows Sr and is the proud mother of one son Anthony Jr, a tennis player.

Laramore is an Apple Certified Consultant at Mac Consultants Limited in Nassau, Bahamas. He received his training at Apple, Inc. Certified Centers in San Juan, Puerto Rico; Boston, Massachusetts; San Francisco, California; Richmond, Virginia; and Miami, Florida.

Laramore is also a proud member of the Bahamas Chamber of Commerce and Employers’ Confederation, Civil Society Bahamas, an umbrella organisation that represents the interests of all the non-profit and non-governmental organisations in the Commonwealth of the Bahamas, and the honour society of the National Society of Leadership and Success.

He currently resides in New Providence with his wife Marcia and son John-Thomas.

Butler was born the seventh son to Eugene and Lottie Butler. He attended and graduated from Government High School, Nassau Bahamas and Highland Park College, Michigan. He is a former semi professional baseball player and also a former member of the Bahamas national baseball and softball teams, a career investment banker and financial regulator.

He is the current president of Southwest Tennis Club and coordinator of its after-school Play n Stay programme and has completed the Play Tennis Certification and Coaching Beginner and Intermediate Players (Level 1) Certification offered by the ITF/ BLTA as well as obtaining his Level 1 Mental

Coaching Certification offered by the BOC in conjunction with Carroll Consultancy Group.

Butler is also a former president of the Bahamas Bankers Athletic Association.

Dames is the last of 10-siblings of Victoria Katura Dames. He is married to Ethel Mae Moss and has two daughters, Dr. Caron Finlay and Carol Dames.

He attended St Bede’s Catholic School, Eastern Senior School and Nassau Technical School. After employment at Standard Plumbing in 1968 as an apprentice in their air conditioning department, and working as a technician at John S. George from early 1970 to July 1973 Dames ventured out into his own business, Tim’s Refrigeration, which he is still operating to this date. ​ Dames has proudly served as a member of the parish council, president of the men’s ministry and the parish building committee. He is also a charter member and a past president of the Rotary Club Of New Providence. His hobbies are fishing and lawn tennis. ​ Godet is a 1991 graduate of Aquinas College. She has extensive experience in the Financial Services Industry. Her career began at the Accounting Firm of Ernst & Young as a Staff Accountant. She then joined Butterfield Trust Bahamas Limited, a private Bank and Trust Company.

Godet is currently employed with a leading offshore bank as a Fiduciary Officer. She holds an Associate’s degree in Accounting Management, Bachelor’s Degree in Administration, Banking Certificate and is a member of the Society of Trust &​ Estates Practitioners. ​ She is married and has two children. She, along with her daughter, are members of the BLTA. Her hobbies include Traveling & Event Planning.

McDonald is the president of the Abaco Tennis Association (ATA). She

was introduced to the game of tennis in 2015 and took on the responsibility of forming an association with the hopes of getting communities, schools, churches, club resorts and families involved.

She was born in Jamaica, but moved to the Island of Abaco in 2004.

She has earned a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration with an emphasis in Accounting and is currently the Executive Assistant Manager at a Private Resort called the Abaco Sporting Club.

Clarke is a 1983 graduate of Government High School and a 1988 graduate of Prairie View A&M with a Bachelor of Science in Biology with a minor in Chemistry. He is a Senior Food Technologist at the Ministry of Agriculture.

Clarke is a 10-year member of the BLTA and a founding member of TPAC (Tennis Parent Action Committee). He is also a member of Southwest Tennis Club and is the father of top junior female tennis players, Sydney, who is ranked at 261 by the ITF and toured the Englishspeaking Caribbean and Florida junior ITF Circuit with her.

Mactaggart is an enthusiastic supporter of tennis at all levels.

As the mother of competitive juniors Jackson and Patrick, Mactaggart is familiar with the junior tennis circuits in the Bahamas and internationally.

She is an active member of the International Tennis Club (IC) of the Bahamas.

On the court, Mactaggart is a competitive club player. She has won Bahamas Senior Nationals titles in ladies and mixed doubles.

She holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of British Columbia, a Bachelor of Laws from Queen’s University, and a Master of Laws from the London School of Economics (London, UK).

A lawyer by profession, Mactaggart worked in private law practice in Canada

and banking and financial services in the Bahamas.

She believes strongly in the awesome power of sport to inspire and unite people and communities.

Munroe is an avid fan of tennis and has been for many years.

He has also been intimately involved with tennis as both a player and a roving umpire for the past 14 years.

Munroe’s dream and hopes are to see as many young players become involved with tennis as players and beyond, even to the level of Grand Slam Champions.

Taylor has been an educator for the past thirty six years (36). He began his career in August 1984 at Saint Cecilia’s Primary School after receiving an Associate Degree in Education from North West Community College, Powell, Wyoming.

He taught grades three (3) and five (5) until 1987 when he requested academic leave to further his studies. After completing a bachelor’s degree in Elementary Education at Duquesne University, Pittsburgh, PA. In 1989, Taylor was assigned to teach fourth grade at Saint Thomas More Primary School. He taught at Saint Thomas More until June 1998 when he was appointed Administrative Assistant at Saint Cecilia’s Primary School.

During his tenure at Saint Thomas More, Taylor continued to upgrade and educate himself by pursuing a master’s degree in Elementary School Administration during the summer vacation periods.

In July 1998 he completed the program.

Taylor’s hobbies include playing tennis, reading novels, watching professional sports such as tennis, basketball, football and track and field.

He continually updates his educational knowledge by attending educational conferences and workshops.

He is married and is a proud father of one son, Johnathan.

RENO

from PAGE 13 using the national gymnasium.

But after having to go through the National Sports Authority after the president Vincent Strachan put up so many restrictions on the use of the gym and the equipment, I have been granted permission.”

When he’s not training at the National Boxing Gym, Johnson said he uses the facilities at the Thomas A Robinson National Stadium where he can train in the gym and utilise the track.

“I can’t make any excuses. I have to worry about getting the results,” Johnson stated. “I’m training as hard as I can.

“I have to find a way to train, but it’s uncomfortable under the conditions that I have to train in.

It could have been better, but I’m not complaining. I see the results and so I’m going to press on each and every day that I go out there to train.”

In a recent press release, Strachan levied some charges that indicated that because the facility and the equipment at the National Boxing Gym were not properly secured, a letter was posted that no professional boxers will be allowed to use the equipment without permission of the BBA and its president.

Strachan said there is one punching bag in the gym that was donated by the NSA that Johnson is allowed to use, but he wants to protect the equipment they have on hand for the amateurs when they are allowed to train.

He said after he was elected two years ago, he met the gym in a deplorable state with a leaky roof

and very little equipment for the boxers to train with. After getting promises from the Ministry of Youth, Sports and Culture to repair the facilities, Strachan said nothing has been done. He’s asking for the ministry to define the role of the BBF regarding the management and use of the stadium, which was turned over to them by former Minister, the late Charles Maynard.

While there are too many issues to deal with over the use of the facility, Johnson said he’s eager to catch the first flight out of town so that he can continue his training either in Cuba or the United States.

“My next fight is a very good one because either I’m going to fight my opponent in his backyard in Russia or I have to take on another opponent in his backyard in Mexico,” Johnson pointed out.

“So it’s not going to be easy. I’m training as hard as I can. I want to become the next Bahamian world champion and so I’m in dire need of getting in the best shape that I can without any interruptions.”

On March 5, 2010, Johnson made a successful pro debut against Cleoney Fuqua with a technical knockout after he enjoyed a long illustrious amateur career that ended with a trip to the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing, China where he lost in the third round of the welterweight division to Kanat Islam of Kazakhstan.

While he has yet to win any of the four major world titles (WBC, WBO, IBF or WBA, Johnson has won three minor titles.

His first came on July 11, 2004 when he pulled off a 10-round unanimous decision over Mike Gavronski for the vacant WBC

STRACHAN FROM PAGE 13

“I want to make my dream a reality to earn enough money so that I can invest in the things that I want to do outside of track and field,” Strachan said. “Personally, doing track and field for so long, I don’t think I can sit behind a desk and answer to a boss from 9-5.

“I don’t have that type of personality because my personality ticks people off and people tick me off. So I want to be able to open up my own non-profit stuff to give back and to open up a computer store because I have a fascination with technology.”

Once she’s ready to retire and look at life afterwards, Strachan said she would like to venture into her business in the Bahamas and make a contribution to the local economy.

To the Bahamian public, especially those who are feeling the effects of COVID-19, Strachan advised them to “formulate a plan and try to keep it relevant.

“I know being locked down is hard and it can irritate you, but just devise a plan for after COVID-19.

“There is going to be life after the pandemic and so you shouldn’t be sitting down without a plan. While you are at home, shoot your plan and look at ways that you can make it happen. Once you do that, you will be in a better frame of mind to deal with the lock down.”

And for Strachan, once the complete lockdown is over, she intends to go full force with regaining her prominence as one of the Bahamian top sprinters who made it through the training sessions in Jamaica.

Continental of Americas middleweight crown at the Little Creek Casino Resort in Shelton, Washington.

He went on to claim the WBC Silver and WBA international middleweight title in Madison Square Gardens, New York City, New York over Alex Theran on January 9, 2015.

And in his last fight on July 18, 2019, Johnson earned the WBCNABF middleweight title with a ninth round decision over Jason Quingley at the Fantasy Springs Casino in Indio, California.

SPORTS SECTION E

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 17, 2020

BLTA officers’ election all set for July 4

By BRENT STUBBS Senior Sports Reporter bstubbs@tribunemedia.net AMIDST the spread of the coronavirus pandemic, the Bahamas Lawn Tennis Association is planning to host its election of officers on Saturday, July 4, at the Bahamas Lawn Tennis Association.

The election is scheduled to take place between the hours of 3-6 pm.

While current president Darnett Weir is planning on seeking another two-year term in office, council member Perry Newton is the first candidate to throw his name in the hat to take over.

“I was just waiting on the date to be released before I announced

my intention to run,” said Newton, who is also now a certified coach in the association.

“Over the last several years working in the association, I saw a lot of potential and I’ve seen what has been done and I’ve seen the opportunities that we can continue to grow.”

Newton said he was inspired to offer himself for service because of his involvement in the junior development programme where he saw all the new kids that took advantage of the free lessons and their enthusiasm and eagerness and excitement of the sport.

“This encouraged me to want to ensure that tennis is available for all,” he stated. “This is not just a

sport but a pathway for so many young people and young at heart.”

While there has not been any others coming forth to run, Newton has compiled a team called “Bahamas Tennis Stability,” which will focus on the growth and development of tennis throughout the islands of the Bahamas.

Joining Newton on the team are Natishkah Barrett as the candidate for first vice president, Chilean Burrows as candidate for the second vice president, John Laramore as candidate for general secretary, Michael Butler as candidate for assistant secretary; Timothy Dames as candidate for treasurer; Yvette Godet as candidate for assistant treasurer

and Cameel McDonald, Bernard Clarke, Tara Mactaggart, Everette Munroe and Stephen Taylor as candidates for council members.

“The team is a very dynamic team, a very diverse team,” Newton said.

“Everyone has a lot of enthusiasm and we share one common goal for the development of tennis in the Bahamas.

“This team is inclusive of the Bahamas. I was trying to get a representation from across the Bahamas. On this team, I have the president from the Grand Bahama Tennis Association, the president from the Abaco Tennis

SEE PAGE 12

‘This is the best thing for me’

By BRENT STUBBS Senior Sports Reporter bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

A

lthough she has not gotten the ultimate desire expected in the three years she has been training there, Bahamian sprinter Anthonique Strachan feels she’s in the right place training with some of the world’s best in Kingston, Jamaica.

“For me, everything has been what it was during the offseason,” Strachan told The Tribune. “We don’t usually train on the track all year round. We usually train on the grass first and then we go to the track.

“We were on the track earlier this year and then the coronavirus came and the facilities shut down.

We went back to the grass and we stayed there until last week when they opened the track again.”

In Jamaica, Strachan is training in the Maximising Velocity and Power (MVP) Track and Field Club, which includes female Olympic and world champions Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce and Elaine Thompson, along with male sprint sensation Asafa Powell.

“In this atmosphere, training wise, this is the best thing for me because Elaine and Shelly-Ann are the top two active sprinters in the world, time wise, so they should help me to get to where I need to be.”

The 26-year-old Strachan got off to a budding career as a student of St Augustine’s College, capping off a dominating CARIFTA sting, winning both the 100 metres in 11.22 seconds and the 200 in 22.85 (a meet record) in the under-20 girls’ division in 2012 in Hamilton, Bermuda. That earned her the Austin Sealy award as the most outstanding athlete of the top regional junior track and field competition.

Strachan went on to duplicate the double sprint feat at the 2012 IAAF World Junior Championships in Barcelona, Spain and in November, she was the recipient of the IAAF’s Female Rising Star award at their gala awards banquet in Morocco.

Having produced a lifetime best of 11.20 in the century at the

BAHAMIAN sprinter Anthonique Strachan feels she’s in the right place training with some of the world’s best in Kingston, Jamaica. meet in Barcelona and 22.32 in the half-lap race in 2013 here at home at the Bahamas Association of Athletic Associations’ National Championships, Strachan had to endure a series of nagging injuries.

During those recovery periods, Strachan still managed to represent the Bahamas at the 2015 Pan American Games in Toronto, Canada, the 2016 Olympic Games

in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, the 2018 Commonwealth Games in the Gold Coast, Australia and the World Championships in Doha, Qatar, last year.

She secured her first major international medal when she ran the third leg of the Bahamas’ mixed gender 4 x 400m relay at the third IAAF World Relays at the Thomas A Robinson Stadium in 2017

alongside Shaunae Miller-Uibo, Stephen Newbold and Michael Mathieu.

Through her sponsorship of Puma, Strachan made the trek from Auburn, where she trained under Bahamian coach Henry Rolle, to Jamaica where she said she’s delighted to mix and mingle with the rest of the athletes, some of whom represent Nike, in one big happy family.

“In order to be the best, you have to train with the best because iron sharpens iron,” said Strachan, who is recovering from her latest injury - a grade two hamstring tear from the World Championships last year.

“So I’m happy to be here in Jamaica training under Paul Francis with this talented group of athletes. It’s best as usual here.

There’s no real favouritism. As big as the club is and with so much stars in the club, coaches Steven and Paul Francis correct everyone. Their assistant coaches help everyone.”

While there’s some uncertainty about the rest of the season due to COVID-19, Strachan said if the opportunity presents itself for her to train, she will take advantage of it. But if it doesn’t work out, she will just focus on getting ready to compete at the 2020 Olympic Games, which has been postponed until July 23 to August 8, 2021 because of the coronavirus.

“I would like to leave 2020 with some funding,” said Strachan about competing before the year is done. “With the conditions here, I feel there is a chance to compete in a meet even if I don’t get to do one overseas. “But as for the Olympics, I had mixed emotions about it being postponed. As an athlete, I didn’t believe that they postponed it, but as a person, I realise that this is beyond sports. This has affected persons around the world.

So precautions had to be done, but as an athlete, I visualised competing in the Olympics, now I have to wait until next year.”

As for the conditions in Jamaica, Strachan said they are still under curfew from 10pm until 5am, but she basically only goes out to the grocery store and to train.

fight for a shot at the World Boxing Association (WBA) world middleweight title.

“We have decided that since Russia is still on a lock down, we will go another route, but we are still waiting on word from the WBA if it is okay for us to still go to Russia or can we take another fight now and wait until we can take that fight in Russia,” Johnson said. “We are looking for another world champion Jamie Munguia, who is also a part of Golden Boys Promotions. Both of us are in the same club, so that fight should be easily made. Right now we are in deep talks to make that fight happen.”

Madiev, a 25-year-old orthodox fighter, has a 14-0-1 win-loss-draw record, while Munguia, a 25-yearold Mexican, is 35-0-0 with 28 knockouts. Johnson, 36, is 21-2-1 with 15 knockouts.

After months with the sport all but completely on pause because of the global coronavirus

TUREANO JOHNSON

NBA LAYS OUT ITS VISION FOR DISNEY RESTART TO TEAMS, PLAYERS

By TIM REYNOLDS AP Basketball Writer HERE’S some of what awaits NBA players going to Disney next month: game rooms, golf course access, cabanas with misters to combat the heat, fishing areas, bowling, backstage tours and salon services.

It only sounds like vacation.

The NBA yesterday described very specific plans to players and teams for the restart, doing so in a memo and handbook both obtained by The Associated Press. With safety being of the foremost importance during the coronavirus pandemic, players were told they will be tested regularly — but not with the deep nasal swabs — and must adhere to strict physical distancing and mask-wearing policies.

The league and the National Basketball Players Association have been working on the terms of how the restart will work for weeks, all while constantly seeking advice from medical experts including Dr Anthony Fauci, perhaps the best-known physician in the country when it comes to the battle against COVID-19.

“My confidence, it didn’t exist at the beginning of this virus because I was so frightened by it,” union executive director Michele

SEE PAGE 16

YANKEES PRESIDENT LEVINE CALLS FOR MLB TALKS TO RESUME

pandemic, boxing returned in Las Vegas last week with a show promoted by Top Rank on ESPN without any fans in the stands.

That was good news to Johnson, who knew that the sport would eventually return.

“We knew that the virus has hampered us for a while, but like Bahamians, boxers are resilient and so we knew it was just a matter of time that it would return,” Johnson said.

However, Johnson said he was concerned about boxing here in the Bahamas before the pandemic hit in March. He said what transpired from then to now is evident of his claim.

“The leadership in boxing has been one of the poorest and boxing is now at an all-time low,” Johnson said. “After the Prime Minister gave us the okay to train in the gym, I’ve had some difficulties

By RONALD BLUM AP Baseball Writer

NEW YORK (AP) — Yankees President Randy Levine called on the players’ association to resume negotiations with Major League Baseball to start the pandemic-delayed season.

Levine said the money difference between the feuding sides was not the primary obstacle but rather issues such as health and safety protocols and determining how to deal with a second wave of the new coronavirus.

“So what I believe needs to happen is that the parties need to get together as soon as possible to resolve those issues so we can get the season going,” he said yesterday. “All 30 clubs want to play. The commissioner wants to play. The players want to play. So let’s get these issues solved so we can begin playing baseball.

The March agreement said the players would negotiate these issues. The commissioner has assured me he’s ready to do so. The players should get in a room and start negotiating so we can get going.

MLB has made three proposals, the last for a 72-game season starting July 14 that would guarantee about $1.23 billion of salaries that originally totalled roughly $4 billion and would increase the total to $1.45 billion if the postseason is completed.

Players insist they get the full prorated salaries called for in the March 26

SEE PAGE 12

SEE PAGE 12

SEE PAGE 12

‘RENO’ JOHNSON HAPPY PRO BOXING IS BACK, CAN’T WAIT TO TRAVEL

By BRENT STUBBS Senior Sports Reporter bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

AFTER all of the problems he has experienced training here at home with the Bahamas Boxing Federation, Tureano ‘Reno’ Johnson said he’s glad that professional boxing is back and he can’t wait for the international borders to open so he can return either to Cuba or the United States to continue to prepare for a possible world title shot.

Johnson, the reigning 36-yearold WBC-NABF middleweight champion, was scheduled to fight on April 4 in Moscow, Russia against Magomed Madiev, but that was called off due to COVID19, which put a damper on sports around the world.

Having returned home, Johnson was hoping to stay physically fit and in shape as his promoters from the Golden Boy DAZN continue to negotiate for the mandatory

PAGE 15

PAGE 14, Wednesday, June 17, 2020

THE TRIBUNE

ANALYSIS: ATTEMPT TO SHAME ENGLISH PREMIER LEAGUE PLAYERS BACKFIRED

By ROB HARRIS AP Global Soccer Writer MANCHESTER, England (AP) — A Premier League shutdown that began with the British government trying to shame stars over their wealth ended with admiration for a player’s determination to ensure children won’t starve.

Manchester United forward Marcus Rashford received an unprecedented outpouring of congratulatory messages ahead of today’s resumption of the world’s most followed soccer league.

“Amazing to see your efforts rewarded and to know so many will benefit,” the England national team account tweeted.

“We’re so proud of you, Marcus.”

It’s not often anyone — let alone a footballer — secures a government U-turn, especially so swiftly.

Rashford implored Boris Johnson’s administration on Monday to extend a scheme providing meal vouchers for impoverished schoolchildren into the summer holidays. “Make protecting the lives of some of our most vulnerable a top priority,” Rashford wrote to politicians.

Only after a pubic furor escalated yesterday did Johnson back track. “I thank him for what he’s done,” Johnson said in Downing Street.

It was at the same podium three months ago, early in the coronavirus pandemic, that the government tried to shame stars of the world’s richest league. The deaths of National Health Service workers were invoked by Health Secretary Matt Hancock as he singled out footballers to “take a pay cut” — he did not mention any other high earners.

“I think that everybody needs to play their part in this national effort,” Hancock said, “and that means Premier League footballers, too.”

Rashford had more more than played his part, using the weeks without games and his profile to raise 20 million pounds ($25 million) for the Fareshare UK charity supplying meals to families in need.

EPL BRACED FOR 2ND WAVE OF VIRUS AS SHUTDOWN COMES TO END

By ROB HARRIS AP Global Soccer Writer

MANCHESTER United’s Marcus Rashford, reacts during the English League Cup quarter final soccer match between Manchester United and Colchester United at Old Trafford in Manchester, England, on Wednesday, December 18, 2019.

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson (top left inset) made an abrupt about-face yesterday and agreed to keep funding meals for needy pupils over the summer holidays, after a campaign headed by young soccer star Marcus Rashford.

The Manchester United and England player has been pressing the government not to stop a meal voucher programme at the end of the school term in July.

(AP Photo/Jon Super) Football facilities were used to assist the national effort to eradicate COVID-19. There was the testing in the grounds of Manchester City, which will host Arsenal in its restart tonight.

Tottenham, which angered politicians by initially seeking to use a state-funded furloughing scheme, repurposed its north London stadium for maternity services to free up capacity at a local hospital. “I think we’ll look back on the last three months with some pride at the way football as an industry has responded to some of the challenge,” Premier League chief executive Richard Masters said.

Politicising footballers has backfired on the government.

“I think some of the criticism has been unfair,” Masters said yesterday, while crediting

the government for backing the league’s return. “The players themselves have stepped up, made their opinions and voices heard on some of the issues society is facing.”

A new generation of activist athletes has emerged in the absence of sport, led by Rashford.

“His perseverance and the way he’s gone about it have obviously moved the government,” Masters said.

“I wouldn’t see what is going in terms of the messages being overtly political, I see them as ethics based, values statements.”

Raheem Sterling of rival Manchester City made a rare appearance for a player on a flagship political TV show to decry racial injustice in society and discrimination in his own sport.

And alongside fellow players, Sterling launched a #TimeForChange campaign video that ended with him saying: “I will never tire of being black.”

The league is more reticent to say how it can create a more inclusive environment.

“I don’t want to set targets on the hoof,” Masters said. “All I can say is that we are totally committed to that dialogue and will be following that up with our clubs.”

He is sure to be hearing from players demanding substantive changes, too. The activism of Rashford and Sterling has shown their influence extends far beyond the field. Stadiums went silent during the lockdown, the players didn’t.

Eventually, the government heard them.

MANCHESTER, England (AP) — With the Premier League set to resume after a 100-day shutdown, it is already making plans for what to do if a second spike of coronavirus infections prevents games being played again.

The league’s priority for now is staging the remaining 92 games by July 26, starting today with Aston Villa hosting Sheffield United and Manchester City playing Arsenal.

There is even hope the government will allow fans back into stadium when next season is scheduled to begin in September.

What the league is yet to resolve is securing agreement among clubs on how to conclude the season — this one or in the future — if it cannot be completed.

“We will be going into next season with a clearer understanding of what is going to happen in various eventualities but everybody has learned an enormous amount which is going to help,” Premier League chief executive Richard Masters said yesterday.

“What we have learned is you have to be nimble and responsive and you have to have contingency plans.

“We know that there is a prospect of a second spike and we will be ready and anticipating of that in our planning and hoping to return to a full Premier League season.”

The league, like the rest of Britain, will be assessing the trajectory of COVID-19 cases and the rate of infection as lockdown measures are eased.

The hope is that the relaxation of social distancing rules will eventually allow supporters to return to venues for the first time since March.

“There are embryonic crosstalk discussions going on at government level regarding going back to fans coming in to sports events generally,” Masters said.

“And we would be a willing participant in all of that as soon as it is safe and appropriate to do so,” he added.

World Trade Organisation: Saudis facilitated sports piracy

By ROB HARRIS AP Global Soccer Writer SAUDI Arabia facilitated sports broadcasting piracy by blocking moves to shut it down, the World Trade Organization said in a ruling Tuesday that throws new doubts on the kingdom’s takeover of English Premier League club Newcastle.

The WTO’s findings is the latest salvo in a longrunning dispute over the bootlegging by Saudi Arabia-based beoutQ of broadcasting rights owned

by Qatar’s beIN Sports.

The beIN network, which is banned from operating in Saudi Arabia, airs some of the world’s biggest sports competitions across the Middle East — including the World Cup and the Premier League — thanks to broadcasting rights worth billions of dollars.

The WTO decision on Tuesday provides a further complication for the Premier League, which is having to decide whether to approve a takeover of northeast English club

Newcastle by the Saudi sovereign fund. The league has spent two years trying unsuccessfully to get beoutQ shut down.

“The panel considers that Qatar has established a prima facie case that beoutQ is operated by individuals or entities subject to the criminal jurisdiction of Saudi Arabia,” the WTO said.

Champions League organizer UEFA said the piracy threatens “existence of professional sport as we know it.” FIFA demanded that Saudi Arabia “takes the necessary steps in order that it conforms” with the WTO’s findings.

Saudi Arabia failed to take action to stop beoutQ’s operations and protect the intellectual property of rights holders, the WTO dispute panel concluded.

The panel highlighted how beIN was prevented from hiring lawyers in Saudi Arabia to take action in the courts against the piracy.

“Qatar has established that Saudi Arabia has not provided for criminal procedures and penalties to be

A CAMERA operator wears a face mask during the German Bundesliga soccer match on Saturday.

(AP Photo/Martin Meissner) applied to beoutQ despite financier Amanda Staveley. the evidence establishing They want to buy out retail prima facie that beoutQ is entrepreneur Mike Ashley.

“We take piracy very operated by individuals or entities under the jurisdic- seriously,” Premier League tion of Saudi Arabia,” the chief executive Richard Masters said. “We stand by WTO said.

The Premier League what we said on the record was among sports competi- in the past. But as you tions to lodge protests with know, in relation to anythe American government thing to do with takeovers, I which led in April to Saudi can’t say anything about the Arabia remaining on a “Pri- substance or the timing.”

European football’s govority Watch List” as one of the “notorious markets for erning body said it was clear beoutQ’s broadcasts counterfeiting and piracy.”

It is a stumbling block of its games were illegal.

“BeoutQ was hosted on to the Premier League approving the Saudi Public frequencies transmitted by Investment Fund buying an Arabsat and was promoted 80% stake in Newcastle as and carried out by individupart of a takeover alongside als and entities subject to the wealthy British-based Saudi Arabia’s territorial Reuben brothers and jurisdiction,” UEFA said

in a statement. “Those seeking to follow beoutQ’s example should be in no doubt that UEFA will go to great lengths to protect its property and support its partners, whose investment in football helps it to remain the world’s most popular sport from grassroots to elite level.

“Piracy not only threatens that investment but also the existence of professional sport as we know it.”

Ali bin Ahmed Al Kuwari, Qatar’s minister of commerce and industry, urged the Saudis to launch “fair, timely, and transparent legal proceeding against the perpetrators in order to stop this abuse post-haste.”

Saudi Arabia responded to the report by saying it was “committed to applying its national law and procedures in full conformity with WTO rules.”

Saudi Arabia launched a boycott of Qatar in 2017 alongside the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain over accusations Doha supports extremism. The tiny, superrich nation of Qatar denies the charge.

TOKYO OLYMPIC BOARD MEMBER WOULD SUPPORT ANOTHER DELAY

By STEPHEN WADE AP Sports Writer TOKYO (AP) — An executive board member of the Tokyo Olympic organizing committee says another delay should be sought if the games can’t be held next year.

The Tokyo Olympics were to be held this year but were postponed because of the coronavirus pandemic. The suggestion comes from Haruyuki Takahashi in an interview published Tuesday in the Japanese sports newspaper Nikkan Sports.

“The main priority is to make a united effort to hold them (Olympics) in the summer of 2021,” Takahashi said.

He said if that is not possible “we should start action once again to get another delay.”

OLYMPIC SPORTS FALL SHORT OF GENDER EQUALITY AT BOARD LEVEL

By GRAHAM DUNBAR AP Sports Writer GENEVA (AP) — A review of Olympic sports bodies published yesterday found none had equal representation of women on their ruling boards.

Men were able to stay in high office because more than onequarter of governing bodies had no term limits for presidents and other elected officials, according to an Association of Summer Olympic International Federations survey of 31 sports on the Tokyo Olympic programme.

Only one of the 31 achieved more than 40 per cent of women on its board, and 18 had female representation of 25 per cent or less. “It is fair to say there is still a long way to go,” said Rowland Jack, a governance expert advising Lausanne-based ASOIF. “The amount of work being done varies considerably from one sport to another.”

The gender gap is comparable to the International Olympic Committee, which has four women on its 15-member executive board, or 27 per cent representation. On the field of play, the IOC targets

gender equality for athletes competing at the Olympics.

With some Olympic bodies having presidents stay in office for two decades and more, the latest review showed nine of 31 summer sports still had no policy to curb presidential terms.

“We are generally in favour of term limits,” ASOIF president Francesco Ricci Bitti said on a conference call.

“Sports has to be well governed to be credible.”

The ASOIF review is the third since 2016 in a process aiming to raise standards and transparency

in the often scandal-hit area of sports governance.

The latest study showed improved scores with 24 of 27 core Summer Games sports reaching a target of 120 points from a maximum 200.

Soccer body FIFA was one of only six totalling at least 170 points across five areas assessed: transparency, integrity, democracy, development and control mechanisms.

“A lot of progress has been achieved over the past years and the overall trend is clearly positive,” Ricci Bitti said.

The three sports falling short of 120 were the troubled International Weightlifting Federation, swimming body FINA, and the International Judo Federation.

The 20-year IWF presidency of Tamas Ajan ended in recent weeks during an investigation of suspected corruption.

Boxing body AIBA did not take part in the review because it is not currently recognised by the IOC. “There are still large gaps between the best and weakest (international federations),” the review concluded.

THE TRIBUNE

Wednesday, June 17, 2020, PAGE 15

Coaches, players make best of NFL’s 1st virtual offseason

By TERESA M. WALKER AP Pro Football Writer NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Turns out there’s only so much that can be done virtually.

Six teams decided to end their offseason programmes even with the NFL allowing two more weeks to keep working: the Bears, Titans, Rams, Texans, Cardinals and Redskins.

With coaches and players scattered and team facilities shut by the NFL because of the COVID-19 pandemic, video meetings helped the league act as if business was continuing as usual. Some coaches decided their teams had done everything possible until players are allowed to join them inside team headquarters and on the practice fields.

That won’t happen until July at the earliest when training camps are set to open, with coaching staffs trying to make up for lost time.

Rookies face the biggest challenge having missed an estimated 400 repetitions on the field during a normal offseason.

“Walking through and practicing is the best way to teach,” Tampa Bay coach Bruce Arians said. “So those are valuable reps missed. I don’t know how we’ll make them up. Hopefully we’ll get some extra time in practice in camp; a few extra days would help.”

Players have been working out — yes, including that new guy in Tampa, Tom Brady. With so many states reopening, quarterbacks are getting teammates together for workouts at a time they might’ve been in a final mini-camp to cap the offseason programme.

This very different offseason has allowed players to slow down a bit, focus on communication, and learn more than when everyone is together in person.

“It actually probably has provided a better opportunity to kind of share your input of `this is why I did this’ or ‘maybe on this route, do this,’ or ‘this is what you’re trying to make this look like.’ Things like that,” Vikings wide receiver Adam Thielen said.

TAMPA Bay Buccaneers NFL football quarterback Tom Brady runs across the field at Berkeley Preparatory School in Tampa, Florida, on May 19.

(Chris Urso/Tampa Bay Times via AP) San Francisco cornerback Richard Sherman has seen a ton of growth out of the 49ers.

“This time everybody has to step back in and slow it down and take their time,” he said. “Guys are learning more and understanding more than they ever have.”

The last time the NFL had a disrupted offseason was 2011 when clubs locked out players during labour negotiations. Players didn’t have access to coaches or playbooks then, though they could work out together.

Now players have access to coaches thanks to technology. But workout options are so limited for some players that Bills special teams coordinator Heath Farwell said he was disappointed when he saw a video of what wide receiver/ returner Andre Roberts lifted in place of weights.

“What is he a 10-plus year veteran and doesn’t have workout equipment?” Farwell said. “He’s literally lifting a couch. It’s crazy to me. But that’s finding a way to do it.”

Five NFL teams have had to be very creative with new coaches.

Imagine having a new team and nothing on tape with their new players. Washington coach Ron Rivera credits his assistants with finding clips and cut-ups of video showing their style of play to help install his own offensive and defensive schemes.

Rivera had hoped to be in the second or third phase with players on the field by June. It never happened.

“The hard part, too, is we’re getting a little bit repetitive, a little redundant,” Rivera said. “It’s been almost to a point where we’re going to over-saturate these guys.

We have to be careful with that.”

Video chats don’t quite replace being able to pull a coach aside for an extra 15 minutes after a meeting. To Redskins quarterback Dwayne Haskins, that’s been the biggest challenge while preparing for his second NFL season, this one with a new coach.

“I’ve been able to do my own type of routine to get ready for the season,” Haskins said. “It’s not always on the time that we’re doing (together) because, we do things as a team and I need things

differently for myself, so, this virtual offseason I feel actually has helped me tremendously.”

Bills offensive coordinator Brian Daboll likes FaceTime, which allows him to see his players.

“You have to think outside the box to initiate conversation, to teach new methods, to learn new testing systems with what we have,” Daboll said.

“And you know, we have to do the best that we can do with the technology that we have, and we have. Again, how that translates we’ll find out. This is a unique situation for all of us.”

Technology also has let coaches test rookies and free agent signees.

The Titans used a study tool and flashcard app called Quizlet.

“You go on there, you press in their code and then all of a sudden everybody is on there,” Vrabel said. “They’re going against each other and you get points for time and getting it correct. We do a great job of being creative and testing the players each week.”

Video also helps make up for not meeting in person. Those video meetings are recorded, which doesn’t happen in a normal offseason.

“Now, it is in a library,” Browns offensive coordinator Alex Van Pelt said. “You can always go back to install three. You can pull up the recordings again and refresh yourself. There are some benefits to it, but it has been different and unique. I think we are getting the most out of it that we can.”

How all this worked will be tested once teams report for training camp. Coaches hope for extra time, which must be agreed upon by both the NFL and the players association. Currently, most teams are allowed to report 47 days before their season opener.

“It’s crazy how I almost feel like 2020 just started, but we’re almost right to that time where we’re a month from camp,” 49ers coach Kyle Shanahan said. “It’s been weird just being stuck in here, but I know our guys are as ready as they can ever be mentally and we’ll see how they are when they show up at camp.”

GOODELL ENCOURAGES TEAM TO SIGN COLIN KAEPERNICK

By JOE REEDY AP Sports Writer

ROGER Goodell would like to see Colin Kaepernick back in the NFL this season.

The NFL commissioner said during ESPN’s “The Return of Sports” special on Monday that he is encouraging teams to sign the 32-year old quarterback, who hasn’t played the past three seasons.

Kaepernick was with the San Francisco 49ers in 2016 when he kneeled during the national anthem to protest racial injustice.

“If he wants to resume his career in the NFL, then obviously it’s gonna take a team to make that decision.

I welcome that, support a club making that decision and encourage them to do that,” Goodell said during his interview with ESPN’s Mike Greenberg.

Seattle Seahawks coach Pete Carroll said last week that he received a call from another team about Kaepernick.

Carroll and the Seahawks brought in Kaepernick for a workout in 2017 and had another planned in 2018 before it was cancelled.

Goodell set up a tryout for Kaepernick in Atlanta last year for scouts of all 32 teams to attend, but it unraveled at the last moment due to lack of media access and what Kaepernick’s representatives saw as an unusual liability waiver.

Instead of the workout taking place at the Falcons’ training complex, Kaepernick conducted an impromptu session at a high school in front of media and scouts from eight teams.

THE cover of the Madden 21 video game, featuring Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson, which will be released in August.

(Photo courtesy of EA Sports via AP)

REIGNING NFL MVP JACKSON WILL APPEAR ON MADDEN 21 COVER

By JOE REEDY AP Sports Writer LAMAR Jackson? Of course, Lamar Jackson.

With no mystery.

The EA Sports Madden cover release usually carries some suspense, but Jackson let it slip a couple months ago that he had been approached about appearing on this year’s game cover.

Yesterday, EA Sports made it official: The Baltimore Ravens quarterback will indeed be on the cover of “Madden NFL 21” when

it is released in two months.

“It is something I have wanted since I was a kid,” Jackson said in a phone interview.

This year’s game will be released August 28, two weeks before the regular season is scheduled to begin. The cover announcement was originally set for June 1, but Electronic Arts delayed it two weeks due to nationwide protests following the death of George Floyd.

Jackson won The Associated Press NFL Most Valuable Player Award

last season. He set an NFL record for yards rushing by a quarterback (1,206) while passing for 3,127 yards with 36 touchdowns and only six interceptions. He also ran for seven TDs, and the Ravens had the league’s best record at 14-2.

Jackson began the season with a 76 overall Madden rating, 24th among quarterbacks. He finished 2019 with a 92, which was sixth best, and had a 96 speed rating, the fastest ever for a quarterback. He had high speed, agility and strength ratings throughout the

season, but his awareness rating rose from a 69 to a 92.

It is the second straight year the reigning league MVP will appear on the cover.

Kansas City QB Patrick Mahomes graced last year’s game and ended up leading the Chiefs to their first Super Bowl championship in 50 years.

Jackson’s favourite player was Michael Vick, whom he surpassed as the fastest QB in the game’s history. There are many videos on Youtube of Jackson making the

same moves in Madden that people did with Vick in earlier versions of the game.

Vick was on the “Madden NFL 04” cover.

Jackson is also an avid Madden player and says he loves seeing videos of what people are able to do with him on the field.

“I feel like this year’s version is going to be great after getting a couple of sneak peeks,” Jackson said.

“When practice is over I might relax and play Madden, but since I am on the cover I might have to play a little more this year.”

Players have appeared on the Madden cover since August 2000.

Jackson is the ninth quarterback featured on the Madden cover and the third in the past four years.

Appearing on the cover has also had a stigma attached at times.

Most of the cover athletes during the first 10 years suffered significant injuries the year they appeared, including Vick. But three of the past four years, the cover athlete has ended the season with his team in the Super Bowl.

PAGE 16, Wednesday, June 17, 2020

THE TRIBUNE

ADEBAYO THINKING ABOUT FINANCIAL FUTURE AS NBA RESTART LOOMS

By TIM REYNOLDS AP Basketball Writer BAM Adebayo thinks injuries could be more prevalent than usual when the NBA gets back on the floor next month, given the demands that will be on players’ bodies after a long layoff.

Miami’s All-Star centre is also thinking about the financial risks.

Adebayo confirmed yesterday that he is among five players — a group who could soon graduate from rookie contracts to extensions worth in excess of $100 million — seeking assurances from the NBA about if they’ll be protected in the case of catastrophic injury when the season resumes at the Disney campus near Orlando, Florida.

DISNEY VISION from PAGE 13 Roberts told AP. “Now having lived, and breathed, and suffered through the hours and hours of understanding the virus, and listening to our experts, and comparing different alternative protocols, I can’t even think of anything else we could do short of hermetically seal the players that would keep them safe.”

Most teams will arrive in Florida on July 7, 8 or 9.

A person with knowledge of the situation said the reigning champion Toronto Raptors, the lone NBA team based outside of the US, will be permitted to gather for some pre-camp workouts — under strict

MIAMI Heat forward Bam Adebayo dunks during the second half of a game against Dallas Mavericks February 28 in Miami.

(AP Photo/ Wilfredo Lee)

“Our whole thing was, ‘Look, we’re all due for extensions and we want to make sure that going into this bubble we are safe and we don’t get hurt,’” Adebayo said. “If we get hurt, we still have some backups ... something in the back pocket that ensures that we still get paid.”

Adebayo said he, Utah’s Donovan Mitchell, Boston’s Jayson Tatum, Sacramento’s De’Aaron Fox and the Los Angeles Lakers’ Kyle Kuzma met with the union last week with hopes that the league will pick up at least the majority of the tab for what would be a very costly policy against their future earnings.

National Basketball Players Association executive director Michele Roberts said yesterday she is optimistic that there will be

some sort of decision that satisfies the players.

“Those are still ongoing discussions with the league, but there’s no question Bam and others in that situation are concerned about this,” Roberts told The Associated Press. “These are issues that are part of the world that we live in and ... these circumstances are unique; he hasn’t played in a while and we have this virus. So, because of the unique circumstances, we are working with the league to get Bam and other players assurances that they are going to be protected.”

The cost of such a policy for three months — which would cover the period in which those players get to the Disney-ESPN complex through the end of the NBA Finals — is expected to be at least $400,000, a

person with direct knowledge of the talks told AP. The person spoke on condition of anonymity because those details have not been revealed publicly.

Adebayo intends to play when the season resumes either way, adding that he and Mitchell, Tatum, Fox and Kuzma will likely discuss the matter further.

“Our ultimate goal is to play,” Adebayo said. “So, I don’t want anybody thinking, ‘If they don’t get their insurance, they’re not playing.’ No, we want to play.

That’s the whole point. We want to play and give our teams the best chance of winning a championship.

But at the end of the day we’re also thinking about

our families and our lives and how they could change if we get hurt.”

By the time games resume on July 30, it will have been more than 4-1/2 months since the league has seen a real contest.

The NBA suspended its season March 11 because of the pandemic, and players couldn’t resume even voluntary on-court workouts for about two months. No team can resume full-scale practices until the arrivals at Disney.

Adebayo does not think three weeks of training camp at Disney will be enough to get ready for the resumption of the season, which is why he predicts injury rates will climb.

“I hope nobody gets injured, but I think a lot of people will get injured,” Adebayo said.

guidelines that other teams will follow in their own cities — before that arrival date.

The Raptors are likely to train somewhere in Florida, said the person who spoke to AP on condition of anonymity because no deal has yet been signed.

For the Raptors, it’s been an area of concern largely because of current Canadian government regulations that call for a 14-day quarantine for people returning to Canada. Some Raptors players are in Toronto right now; some are in the US. Nobody on the NBA’s Disney campus, which has been loosely described as a bubble, will be allowed in anyone else’s sleeping room. The NBA also told players and teams that it will work with one or more outside health care

companies to provide a medical clinic with X-ray and MRI capability on the campus — critical, since in theory the league would not want players and team staff leaving and potentially facing coronavirus exposure by going outside of the Disney property for such exams.

The league’s plan also spells out how training rooms and meeting rooms will be utilised, the procedures for practice-court usage — three-hour blocks per team, all scheduled, with one open hour in between sessions for cleaning and sanitising — and even how team and player laundry will be handled.

It also addresses the polarising issue of how the league and its players will be able to address social injustice and racial inequality -- two issues of constant

importance, particularly now across the country.

The NBA said it would be “a central goal of our season restart” to bring attention and what it called “sustained action to issues of social injustice, including combatting systemic racism, expanding educational and economic opportunities across the Black community, enacting meaningful police and criminal justice reform and promoting greater civic engagement.”

The league said it remains in talks with the NBPA how best to make that happen.

Some NBA players, such as NBPA executive board member Kyrie Irving of the Brooklyn Nets and Los Angeles Lakers centre Dwight Howard, have suggested that playing could take away from the movement to spur immediate

and dramatic change on racial issues in the country.

NBA Commissioner Adam Silver has said that if a player does not feel comfortable playing at Disney — whether for health reasons or because of the social-justice issues — then he does not have to report with his team and will not be disciplined, other than losing salary for games missed.

“The very fact that our players have the option of not playing, I think says a lot about the commissioner’s ability to appreciate how big an issue this is, not just for African-American players but for all of our members,” Roberts said.

“There’s not been one ounce of skepticism about the sincerity of the players’ feelings about this.”

The NBA is planning on games in three arenas

during the seeding-game portion of the restart, the ones where each of the 22 teams going to the ESPN Wide World of Sports complex will play eight games before the playoffs begin.

Teams will be housed in three hotels, with between six and eight teams in each.

Other plans the NBA has for the restart include mental health professionals being available for players and coaches; pregame chapel services, done virtually; yoga and meditation; three meals a day and four meals on game days; and restaurant availability.

Teams can bring up to 35 people as part of the basketball operations group, which includes players, a senior executive, an athletic trainer, a strength and conditioning coach, an equipment manager and security.