06172022 NEWS, SPORT AND BUSINESS

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TARGET TIMING OF RAPE IN MARRIAGE

Churches agree step to protect separating couples is necessary

By EARYEL BOWLEG Tribune Staff Reporter ebowleg@tribunemedia.net BAHAMAS Christian Council president Bishop Delton Fernander says the church will support efforts by government to tighten the law to provide protection against rape for spouses in the period between legal separation and divorce.

Mr Fernander said it was the clergy’s understanding that martial rape frequently occurs during that time and

the church would stand behind tightening the law to ensure there are penalties for this kind of abuse.

He was asked what his personal views on the matter were as the council waits for a meeting with the government on how to tackle the issue. The discussions were recently foreshadowed by Social Services and Urban Development Minister Obie Wilchcombe in the House of Assembly.

SEE PAGE FOUR

PRIME Minister Phillip “Brave” Davis said yesterday the country’s unemployment rate is now below 20 percent, a major decrease from that of the pandemic, which he estimated at around 45 per cent.

Mr Davis made the revelation in the House of Assembly yesterday as he defended the government’s

decision to decrease the budget allocation for the Department of Social Services from $81.4m to $48.7m in the upcoming fiscal year.

The government has come under fire over the issue from the opposition in recent weeks.

Yesterday, the Cat Island, Rum Cay and San Salvador MP explained the rationale behind the move and suggested the decision was made because the need for SEE PAGE THREE

By EARYEL BOWLEG Tribune Staff Reporter ebowleg@tribunemedia.net

ACTING Commissioner Clayton Fernander says officials are working to build strong cases to present to the courts to successfully try crimes committed by gang members.

In April, Attorney General Ryan Pinder said he has been asked by the Prime Minister to look at regional gang legislation to determine if a stand alone new law should be enacted or if changes should be made to the Penal Code.

Asked for his recommendation to fight gang activity, Mr Fernander said that it was in progress.

SEE PAGE FOUR

CONSUMERS WARNED TO KEEP PAYING INSURANCES

By NEIL HARTNELL Tribune Business Editor nhartnell@tribunemedia.net

DAVIS CLAIMS JOBLESS RATE NOW BELOW 20%

By LEANDRA ROLLE Tribune Staff Reporter lrolle@tribunemedia.net

GANGLAND WARS AND TAKING IT TO COURTS

GOLDEN WARRIORS

THE GOLDEN State Warriors clinched the NBA finals last night - in a 103-90 victory over the Boston Celtics. The Warriors, including Bahamian Klay Thompson, right, won the series 4-2. See SPORTS section for more.

A BAHAMIAN insurer yesterday warned “there’s just no scope for a break” on property insurance prices that are “pretty close” to all-time highs following double-digit percentage increases last year.

Tom Duff, Insurance Company of The Bahamas general manager, said Hurricane Dorian’s collective $1.89bn blow for the insurance industry, combined with forecasts of increasing frequency for such storms, mean Bahamians will have to live with high premium rates “for some considerable time”.

FULL STORY - SEE BUSINESS

CRUISE LINE MAY END UP OWNING PORT

By NEIL HARTNELL Tribune Business Editor nhartnell@tribunemedia.net

NASSAU Cruise Port’s $300m transformation will not be disrupted by a shipping giant’s interest in acquiring its controlling shareholder, chief executive Michael Maura asserted yesterday, adding: “That train left the station a long time ago.”

Mr Maura said it was “business as usual” at

NASSAU CRUISE PORT Prince George Wharf from both an operational and construction perspective while Mediterranean Shipping Company (MSC) weighs up whether to

make a formal offer to fully acquire Global Ports Holding, the holder of a 49 percent equity stake in the cruise port.

Global Ports Holding, majority-owned by Turkish businessman, Mehmet Kutman, its chairman, won the bidding process initiated by the former Minnis administration for the 25-year concession to redevelop and operate the cruise gateway that received more FULL STORY - SEE BUSINESS

Nassau & Bahama Islands’ Leading Newspaper

DIANE PHILLIPS: WE LIVE IN THE AGE OF CONFUSION

SEE PAGE NINE

PAGE 2, Friday, June 17, 2022

THE TRIBUNE

PRIME Minister Philip “Brave” Davis pays his respects to former diplomat Dr Eugene Newry yesterday.

Photos: Donavan McIntosh/Tribune Staff

Tributes paid to Dr Eugene Newry PRIME Minister Philip “Brave” Davis yesterday led dignitaries, senior law enforcement officials and the clergy in paying respects to former diplomat and neurosurgeon Dr Eugene Newry at Bethel Brothers where his remains were in repose.

The former politician died on Sunday, May 22.

The Prime Minister described Dr Newry as a trailblazer and reflected on his activism for the rights of Bahamians.

“He was quite a warrior in the fight against injustice and equality and the lack of opportunities for black Bahamians in the 50s and 60s,” Mr Davis said.

“He was quite in the forefront, quite the activist. In fact he was one of those who led a protest when

John Kennedy came to The Bahamas back in 1962. He led a protest outside the gate of Lyford Cay protesting the malicious service we ordinary Bahamians were experiencing at the time.

It caught the attention of John Kennedy and they eventually invited him to lunch where he expressed and laid out the concerns of the oppression that our people were having at the time. So, he was quite the trailblazer.”

For his part, Bahamas Christian Council president Bishop Delton Fernander said Dr Newry made great contributions.

He said: “We thank God for Dr Newry that he gave himself as a physician.

Someone who went into a field and an area where he helped so many of us with

neurosurgery and then he took on a national position to help our country. This is what being a Bahamian is all about. That not only do you operate here, have a wonderful career here but you give back to your nation at large and then go on to be an ambassador for us.”

Acting Commissioner Clayton Fernander, with the Royal Bahamas Police Force’s executive team, was also present.

“We just visited his family who was present,” Mr Fernander said. “We gave condolences from the police force just to pay our last respects to Mr Newry.

I must say that Mr Newry served his country well and we do appreciate his service to the country,” Mr Fernander said.

GOVERNOR General CA Smith hugs Francoise Torchon-Newry, the wife of Dr Eugene Newry, yesterday.

DEPUTY Police Commissioner Clayton Fernander pays his respects to former diplomat Dr Eugene Newry.

BISHOP Delton Fernander pays his respects to Dr Newry.

THE TRIBUNE

Friday, June 17, 2022, PAGE 3

Davis says Budget is a foundation for change

By LEANDRA ROLLE Tribune Staff Reporter lrolle@tribunemedia.net PRIME Minister Phillip “Brave” Davis yesterday defended his administration’s budget for the upcoming fiscal year against the Official Opposition’s criticisms as he wrapped up debate at Parliament on his party’s first fiscal plan since it took office.

Mr Davis said the 2022/2023 budget laid the foundation for change and suggested criticisms from the opposition that the budget lacked fiscal responsibility were hypocritical. he opposition has been critical of the government’s budget for lacking growth and said it did not address the modern-day concerns of Bahamians.

However, Mr Davis shot back yesterday, arguing there were no meaningful attempts by the former Minnis administration to grow the nation’s economy when they were in office.

He also said his administration was taking a different and more focused approach to tackling issues facing the nation.

“As the Bahamian people are well aware, we face enormous challenges as a country,” he said. “I welcome thoughtful debates about how best to confront these challenges, but partisan attacks not made in good faith – well, Madam Speaker, I won’t waste too much of your time or mine on those.

“Lectures about fiscal responsibility from folks who routinely failed to meet their own revenue projections, who borrowed over $3bn with little to show for it, who spent $20m on sidewalks during a pandemic when people were struggling to survive - the same people who poured nearly $200m of the taxpayer’s money into the Grand Lucayan and then failed to land a good deal for the hotel.

“Taking lectures from the authors of those fiascos? That doesn’t make too much sense. Similarly, how is it that the same crew who failed to close a single significant new investment during their entire term in office, made no meaningful attempts to diversify our economy, somehow now imagine themselves experts

PRIME Minister Philip “Brave” Davis in the House Of Assembly yesterday. on economic growth? Their plan for economic growth was to raise VAT by 60 percent and we all know how that turned out. And how should we respond when they pontificate about transparency, when they kept so many key details of their pandemic spending secret, hiding behind the endlessly renewed Emergency Orders?

“Finally, I must confess that when they have the temerity to speak on the issue of governance, all I can think about is that Oban deal – you remember the one with no environmental impact statement, sketchy individuals and fake signatures? What to make of complaints about my government’s travel when they come from people who, we found out yesterday, spent half a million dollars alone on a designer bed, designer mirror and other luxury items for an ambassadorial residence?

It makes one wonder how many other residences had special budgets, which the former Minister of Foreign Affairs was not aware of? And yes, these are the same people who gave their people membership in airline lounges and new travel allowances for spouses.”

Mr Davis also responded to claims that the 2022/2023 budget did not coincide with what was laid out in his administration’s fiscal strategy report.

“The fiscal strategy report is not the budget,” he said. “The only document that can commit the government to revenue and expenditure allocations is the budget, which we are debating at this moment.

“The side opposite is all too aware of the process of preparing the annual fiscal report and the general principles that apply.”

Mr Davis said circumstances can change “between the time of

DAVIS CLAIMS JOBLESS RATE NOW BELOW 20% from page one social assistance now is not as great as it was during the height of the pandemic.

“It makes no sense to compare those dark, locked down days to today when the economy is growing, and a new day is dawning,” he said.

“Some are wondering why the allocation for Social Services in the coming fiscal year is less than it was during the height of the pandemic,” Mr Davis told MPs. “As I said, a record number of Bahamians needed help. Yes, we are spending less compared to a time when some 45 percent of Bahamians were out of work but we are spending more – much more, 50 percent more than the prior government spent during 2019. That’s the last preCOVID year. In recognition that times are still very difficult, that’s why we’re doing it and the global inflation crisis is having an enormous impact on Bahamians.

“So, when you criticised the reduced sum in allocation of social services because it is less than what you spent during the

pandemic period, how does that make sense when the economy is now growing and when it was 45 percent unemployment and now it’s down to under 20 percent?

He added: “What do you expect us to do? If you want to compare something, you should have compared that number with what we’re spending now and what we allocated now for this fiscal year. Go back to your pre-COVID-19 allocation and see what you allocated then and see what we allocate now. That’s a proper comparison. That will be apple and apple because… in the pandemic, you would have the 45 percent high of unemployment and see what we did.”

“We are doing 50 percent more than you did then and that is in recognition of that fact, as I’ve said, people are still struggling. We still have the inflationary pressures to contend with. That’s the kind of thoughtfulness that a compassionate and understanding government will do so they should be talking about that.”

Mr Davis said as more Bahamians get back to work, “of course social assistance won’t match

record highs”.

However, he said this does not mean the government will stop helping Bahamians and addressing the high cost of living, pointing to initiatives like the RISE programme.

After COVID hit in 2020, officials estimated The Bahamas had an unemployment rate of more than 40 percent which they said was largely due to the COVID-19 lockdowns and associated restrictive measures.

The International Monetary Fund has projected a 13.9 percent unemployment rate this year Labour Minister Keith Bell has previously noted the estimation as a reasonable one considering the pandemic’s effect.

However, he said he preferred the country get a more accurate perspective from the annual Labour Force Survey or other scientific analysis In February, Mr Bell told reporters officials were still working to gather statistics pertaining to the nation’s unemployment rate.

It is not clear how much progress officials have made since then.

preparation of the government fiscal strategy report and preparation of the actual budget.”

Addressing criticisms surrounding his government’s proposed salary increases for public officers, he said: “They complain about a $50 monthly increment to civil servants who make less than $30,000 per annum.

“C’mon man, where is your heart? Do you have a soul? We all know that this is not enough to make up for years of stagnant wages, but it is a first step made during our first budget with more action to follow.

“They criticised this salary increase, yet, while they were in office, public servants did not even see an increase of a dollar. In fact, they put a stop to annual

Photo: Racardo Thomas/Tribune Staff increments, ensuring that wages shrank relative to inflation. It brings to question their credibility and sincerity on this issue.”

However, the remarks prompted a response from East Grand Bahama MP Kwasi Thompson who accused Mr Davis of being “misleading.”

He said: “The previous government put a pause on increments and we’re putting a pause on increments as a result of what is taking place with COVID. Persons all over The Bahamas were losing their jobs. Government revenue was down.”

In his budget communication last month, Prime Minister Davis announced a series of relief measures aimed to assist Bahamians struggling with

the inflationary high cost of living.

The proposed measures include increased social assistance, targeted minimum wage increases for workers in the public sector and salary raises for teachers and most public officers.

“These are difficult times,” Mr Davis said yesterday. “The global economic picture is very volatile.

Supply chain issues and high energy costs are causing prices to rise around the world. Yet even in times of uncertainty, we can steer our country forward. This first budget, this first step, establishes a way forward to a more inclusive model for national development, one that is focused on widespread growth and equality.”

PAGE 4, Friday, June 17, 2022

THE TRIBUNE

Target timing of rape in marriage from page one However, he admitted yesterday that the church remains generally divided when it comes to marital rape.

“This is why our lawyers will be there,” Mr Fernander said of the impending meeting. “We have listened even to your Minister of National Security who would have put a legal position down (as to) how this can be addressed and we want to know why it’s not being considered.

“Like we say, it should not happen,” he said further when asked by The Tribune to state what his personal view was.

“If you are married, under the Christian principles of marriage, you have been given one to another and we see our mates, our spouses as a part of an extension of ourselves.

So, there never should be a time when you want to harm yourself much less raping your loved one.

“We have been understanding that statistics show that most of this is happening in the gap between legal separation and heading

towards divorce. If that is the case, let’s make stronger laws. During that period we can tighten that up and the church will stand with it.”

As for what his expectations were of the meeting, Mr Fernander said: “A clarity of why and we’ve been understanding that some of the legal minds are saying this can be attacked in a different clause. Why are we going to specifically deal with the clause that deals with marriage when we could deal with this in a different clause, if that is the case.

“We want to wrestle with that. We want to make it plain, have an understanding when we walk away. Is this the only way this can be dealt with?”

Asked what the church’s position was, he said: “Our position is divided as I’ve been saying. The sanctity of marriage is most important to the church. However, they do not stand for abuse, rape any kind of harm that is happening.

“We want to solve the problem, but we don’t want to touch the sanctity of marriage. That is fair.”

Regarding the meeting with Mr Wilchcombe, he said the BCC will have its own

technical team present to adequately present its views.

“He said he will send us a few dates and see if it fits in the calendar. He said in his visitation to our conventions, which took place for all denominations, he heard the same message coming from the leaders that consultation needed to take place,” Mr Fernander said.

“It was sad that it wasn’t happening, but we’re glad that the minister is listening and it’s going to happen, but we look forward to a robust conversation. We’re not going to send just pastors. We’re going to send some of the legal minds to help in the discourse because we find in these meetings they bring their technical team and we do not. So, we hope to bring our technical team so that we can go through the recommendations that have been made.

Mr Wilchcombe had said earlier that he called church leaders and suggested dates as to when to discuss the issue of marital rape.

“Marital rape that is the discussion we’re going to have because I heard church leaders recently ask for more discussion. I’ve called church leaders and suggested dates when we will sit and discuss,”

BAHAMAS Christian Council president Bishop Delton Fernander yesterday.

Photo: Donavan McIntosh/Tribune Staff that we are able to speak to arrive at a conclusion he said recently.

“We have to get to the authoritatively on where we one way or the other. Let’s bottom of this, to end this are going and how we are have the dialogue, then let’s dialogue and to ensure moving forward because it bring it to the Parliament that when we represent the has been a vexing issue for and let the Parliament and leaders in this place discuss country at CEDAW and far too long.”

“Now, it is time for us the matter.” other international bodies,

GANGLAND WARS AND TAKING IT TO COURTS

from page one

“The Attorney General has already spoken and all of the stakeholders are

scheduled to meet to put our recommendation forward,” he told reporters

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yesterday.

When asked about the effectiveness of the current legislation to deal with the issue, he said: “We had put a few individuals to court under the gang act before, but the matter was pretty much stand down because it was not legislated through with the laws. So, that was the first one we had tried, but the laws were not enacted then, so now we are trying to build some cases to do a test.

“And we’re looking at training even from the magistrate and even from the prosecutors in terms of presenting a proper case when gang wars are out there.”

As for whether any other attempts were made after the case he referred to failed, Mr Fernander noted: “No, nothing was done. I think it’s there now on the books so we are now trying to move forward to do just that. From then to now, we were building some cases.

It’s not as easy to compile in

evidence. So, as we go out there get some evidence, go back and continue, and we’re working with our legal department as well who are viewing files... to build to have a proper case to be presented before the court.”

On November 11, 2015, five men who denied being members of a gang were charged in Magistrate’s Court and faced up to 20 years in prison if convicted of the criminal offence.

However, the amended 2014 act was not officially gazetted until November 12, 2015, according to an Office of the Attorney General and Ministry of Legal Affairs document obtained

by The Tribune in 2016.

Prosecutors later dropped the charges against the men after Justice Bernard Turner, on December 10, 2015, revealed that nothing had been placed before the courts as to when the law change was to come into force. He called this a “fatal flaw”. He made the revelation when he decided

to free one of the men.

Meanwhile, the Acting Commissioner expressed his support for National Security Minister Wayne Munroe after he spoke on the issue of people on bail being killed.

Mr Munroe said there is always concern when people on bail are victims of murder.

Mr Fernander noted the efforts made to help those on bail.

“We’ve tried to keep those individuals alive because sometimes we have the intel on them and when we bring them in speak to them they’re being monitored and sometime they’re supposed to report into the station so that we could have a grip on them and to know where they’re at at all times,” he said “We find out that sometimes they breach their bail, we arrest them, put them back before the courts for the breach with a view of getting them remanded and they (are) still out there on bail.”

THE TRIBUNE

FNM ‘WILL BE FINE’ DESPITE GIBSON CASE

By EARYEL BOWLEG Tribune Staff Reporter ebowleg@tribunemedia.net OFFICIAL Opposition leader Michael Pintard says his party will “be fine” in the aftermath of a Free National Movement MP being arraigned in court earlier this week.

Long Island MP Adrian Gibson faced charges in a Magistrates Court on Monday in relation to a list of charges connected to allegations that he did not declare his interest in contracts awarded by the Water and Sewerage Corporation.

The situation has led many to wonder whether the MP will resign in view of the case.

Mr Pintard said “no comment” in this regard.

He was also asked to elaborate on the view that the public perception of the party will suffer as a result

of what is happening to Mr Gibson.

“The Progressive Liberal Party had multiple issues when they left government, much of which in terms of image, much of which was quite valid. The accusation, the concerns about the way they governed was quite accurate,” Mr Pintard said yesterday.

“Today, they are the government and so their new leadership determined a course of action and sought to sell to the public, here is what we are about, here is where we’re going and that’s what I’m doing right now. So, we’ll be fine.”

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Philip “Brave” Davis told reporters the decision to resign would be a “personal choice” for Mr Gibson to make.

“I’m not going to get into that. That’s a personal choice of his to make and

he’ll decide whether he wants to resign or not.

There are some conventions that attend to matters of (this) nature and it’ll be good for him to advise himself of those conventions and follow them.”

“The auditor general will be called in to look at it,” Mr Davis also said.

Former Prime Minister Dr Hubert Minnis has previously said “a man is innocent until proven otherwise” when pressed for comment on the view that the MP should resign.

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

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

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

$3M GOAL FOR URBAN RENEWAL FOUNDATION

By CARA HUNT cbrennen@tribunemedia.net

THE Urban Renewal Foundation will be relaunched with the goal of raising at least $3m to assist with community projects.

Lisa Rahming, Minister of State for Social Services and Urban Renewal, told members of the House of Assembly that they hope to relaunch the initiative that was originally started back in 2013 under the leadership of the then Urban Renewal Commission cochairs Algernon Allen and Cynthia “Mother” Pratt.

The Urban Renewal Foundation serves as a government non-profit facility for depositing financial donations by governments, local and international corporate citizens, and private individuals to fund Urban Renewal projects and other community programmes.

“Very shortly, the Urban Renewal Commission intends to relaunch the foundation, which has been dormant for a few years.

“The Urban Renewal Foundation will now be under the leadership of two highly respected and influential Bahamians, Urban Renewal Commission Chairman Stephen Dean, and Foundation Consultant Dr Sheena Moss. They will be assisted by several soon-to-be-named, highly respected individuals who will serve as foundation members,” she said during her contribution to the budget debate.

“I am confident that under the able leadership of chairman Dean and Dr Moss, a goodly number of local and international partnerships will be forged, all of which will no doubt be persuaded to give generously to the Urban Renewal Foundation for financing Urban Renewal’s beautiful projects and programmes.”

The funds raised will assist with several projects throughout the Bahamas, including the Urban Renewal Band, Urban Renewal Youth Cadet Corps, Urban Renewal Sporting League, Urban Renewal Second Chance programme, and Urban Renewal Afterschool Academic Achievers programme and Urban Renewal GED programme.

“I wish to thank all who have given and will continue to give generously to this most worthy cause.

I anticipate that after the relaunch, we will see a flurry of new sponsors and donors giving to this cause. We are seeking to raise three million dollars minimum.”

She also noted that Urban Renewal will establish Citizens Advisory Committees (URCAC) in every community where Urban Renewal Centres are located.

“The Citizens Advisory Committee will serve in an advisory capacity to the centres as a workgroup of community members who are passionate about the well-being of their whole community and understand

the importance of engaging others in addressing issues that impact the quality of life in neighbourhoods,” she explained.

Members will work to identify community problems and work with community partners to find solutions.

Other initiatives she outlined in her speech include the Urban Renewal Small Home Repairs programme that will inject just over $2.6m across the country to repair the homes of those most in need and the Urban Renewal Institute for Success – Second Chance Programme.

“Participants will enroll in a thoughtful, strategic six-month programme that focuses on healing just as much as it focuses on developing work readiness skills.

The programme will consist of in-class academic studies, on-the-job training, and instruction in literature, economics, philosophy, and civic engagement.

“Participants will also learn professional and life skills: personal finance, career planning, business communications, business etiquette, public speaking, self-advocacy, and conflict resolution. Qualified facilitators will teach classes. Additionally, treatment for mental health and substance abuse will be offered. The programme is projected to launch in September 2022 in New Providence, followed by a launch in Grand Bahama in November 2022.”

Friday, June 17, 2022, PAGE 5

LEADER of the Opposition Michael Pintard in the House of Assembly yesterday.

Photo: Racardo Thomas/Tribune Staff

PAGE 6, Friday, June 17, 2022

THE TRIBUNE

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Biden says recession ‘not inevitable’ WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden said yesterday the American people are “really, really down” after a tumultuous two years with the coronavirus pandemic, volatility in the economy and now surging gasoline prices that are slamming family budgets. But he stressed that a recession was “not inevitable” and held out hope of giving the country a greater sense of confidence.

Speaking to The Associated Press in a 30-minute Oval Office interview, the president emphasized the battered economy that he inherited and the lingering psychological scars caused by a pandemic that disrupted people’s sense of identity. He bristled at claims by Republican lawmakers that last year’s COVID-19 aid plan was fully to blame for inflation reaching a 40-year high, calling that argument “bizarre”. As for the overall American mindset, Biden said, “People are really, really down.”

“Their need for mental health in America has skyrocketed because people have seen everything upset,” Biden said. “Everything they’ve counted on upset. But most of it’s the consequence of what happened, what happened as a consequence of the, the COVID crisis.”

That pessimism has carried over into the economy as record prices at the pump and persistent inflation have jeopardized Democrats’ ability to hold on to the House and Senate in the midterm elections. Biden addressed the warnings by economists that fighting inflation could tip United States into recession.

“First of all, it’s not inevitable,” he said. “Secondly, we’re in a stronger position than any nation in the world to overcome this inflation.”

As for the causes of inflation, Biden flashed some defensiveness on that count. “If it’s my fault, why is it the case in every other major industrial country in the world that inflation is higher? You ask yourself that? I’m not being a wise guy,” he said.

The president’s statement appeared to be about inflation rising worldwide, not necessarily whether countries had higher rates than the US Annual inflation in Japan, for example, has risen in recent months though it’s still at a yearly rate of 2.4%, according to the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development. The president said he saw reason for optimism with the 3.6% unemployment rate and America’s relative strength in the world.

But restoring confidence so far has eluded Biden, whose approval ratings have been in steady decline as he has lost support among Democrats and has little evidence to show he could restore bipartisan normalcy to Washington.

Biden’s Oval Office is filled with the portraits of presidents who faced crises that have imperiled the country, and the president acknowledged there were parallels to his own situation. A picture of Franklin Delano Roosevelt hangs over his fireplace, a place of prominence because the historian Jon Meacham told Biden that no president had come into office with the economy in such dire circumstances. There is also a painting of Abraham Lincoln, who became president with a nation brutally divided and on the verge of the Civil War. Yet Biden’s remedy is not that different from the diagnosis made by former President Jimmy Carter in 1979, when the US economy was crippled by stagflation. Carter said then the US was suffering from a “crisis of confidence” and “the erosion of our confidence in the future is threatening to destroy the social and the political fabric of America”.

The president said he wants to endow the US with more verve, fortitude and courage.

“Be confident,” Biden said. “Because I am confident. We’re better positioned than any country in the world to own the second quarter of the 21st century.”

Biden’s bleak assessment of the national psyche comes as voters have soured on his job performance and the direction of the country. Only 39% of US adults approve of Biden’s performance as president, according to a May poll from The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Research, dipping from already negative ratings a month earlier.

Overall, only about 2 in 10 adults said

the U.S. is heading in the right direction or that the economy is good, both down from about 3 in 10 in April. Those drops were concentrated among Democrats, with just 33% within the president’s party saying the country is headed in the right direction.

Biden said Republican social policies were contributing to public anxieties. He suggested GOP lawmakers could face consequences in the midterms if the Supreme Court overturns Roe v. Wade, possibly removing national protections for abortion access. Voters will consider the “failure of this Republican Party to be willing” to respond to “the basic social concerns of the country,” the president said.

The president outlined some of the hard choices he has faced, saying the US. needed to stand up to Russian President Vladimir Putin for invading Ukraine in February even though tough sanctions imposed as a result of that war have caused gas prices to surge, creating a political risk for Biden in an election year. He called on oil companies to increase production.

Asked why he ordered the financial penalties against Moscow that have disrupted food and energy markets globally, Biden said he made his calculation as commander in chief rather than as a politician thinking about elections.

“I’m the president of the United States,” he said. “It’s not about my political survival. It’s about what’s best for the country. No kidding. No kidding.

So what happens? What happens if the strongest power, NATO, the organizational structure we put together, walked away from Russian aggression?”

Biden spun out the possibility of chaos in Europe if an unimpeded Russia kept moving deeper into the continent, China was emboldened to take over Taiwan and North Korea grew even more aggressive with its nuclear weapon ambitions.

Biden renewed his contention that major oil companies have benefited from higher prices without increasing production as much as they should. He said the companies needed to think of the world in the short term, not just their investors.

“Don’t just reward yourself,” he said.

Consumer prices have jumped 8.6% over the past year, the steepest rise in more than 40 years. Republican lawmakers have said that Biden’s $1.9 trillion coronavirus relief package from last year kick-started a spiral of price increases.

The president said there was “zero evidence” for that claim, noting that other countries have endured higher prices as economies reopened and people became vaccinated. Still, Biden acknowledged Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen’s contention that the spending had a limited inflationary effect.

“You could argue whether it had a marginal, a minor impact on inflation,” he said. “I don’t think it did. And most economists do not think it did. But the idea that it caused inflation is bizarre.”

Still, high inflation has created a conundrum for Biden. He prioritised bringing back millions of jobs and has seen the unemployment rate return to close to pre-pandemic levels. The Federal Reserve on Wednesday increased its benchmark interest rate, in hopes of slowing the economy and pulling inflation down to its target rate of 2%.

The tightening of Fed policy has caused financial markets to slump. The president encouraged Americans to stay patient. “They shouldn’t believe a warning,” he said. “They should just say: ‘Let’s see. Let’s see which is correct.’”

The president is still trying to steer his domestic agenda through Congress, after an earlier iteration last year failed to clear a 50-50 Senate. Biden said “I believe I have the votes” to lower prescription drug prices, reduce families’ utility bills with tax incentives and place a 15% minimum tax on corporations. He said his plans would lower expenses for many Americans, though the measure would be scaled back from earlier intentions for an expanded child tax credit, universal pre-kindergarten and other programmes.

“I’m going to be able to get, God willing, the ability to pay for prescription drugs,” Biden said. “There’s more than one way to bring down the cost for working folks.”

And then, in acknowledgement of the political restraints he faces, Biden added, “I can’t get it all done.”

not compete with Mottley’ EDITOR, The Tribune.

IN MAY, Office of the Prime Minister Press Secretary Clint Watson said that Prime Minister Philip Brave Davis is in high demand globally due to his no-nonsense stance on climate change. Watson’s response was due to the Progressive Liberal Party government coming under scrutiny for its frequent travelling abroad.

I am beginning to think that Davis is being tempted to emulate Barbados Prime Minister Mia Mottley, who received the 2021 Champion of Earth award for Policy Leadership by the United Nations Environment Programme for her “no-nonsense stance” on climate change. But as an accomplished Queen’s Counsel and political leader, Davis should feel comfortable in his own skin.

I believe that the superstardom status given to Mottley by the International community is disproportionate, considering the size of Barbados and the amount of carbon dioxide her country emits.

In 2016, World meter stated that Barbados emitted 1.5 million tons of carbon dioxide, which ranked the Caribbean nation at 160 out of 209 countries. The Bahamas was ranked at 134 with 4.4 million tons. Yet despite this, the international media and Leftist organisations such as the UN continue to treat Mottley like Nelson Mandela, Winston Churchill and Ghandi.

One example of the excessive hype surrounding the prime minister of Barbados was her being recently honoured by Time Magazine as one of its most influential people of 2022.

Time called her an icon in Barbados. Referencing her speech at COP26 in Glasgow, Climate Change News described her as a “fearless leader.” A YouTube video of her speech was posted seven months ago and already has garnered

LETTERS letters@tribunemedia.net 500 thousand views. There’s also a Global Citizen YouTube video of Mottley along with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and renowned scientist/ atheist Bill Nye discussing climate change. She is also featured on a Democracy Now YouTube video. Mottley was dubbed one of the world’s most powerful women in 2021 by Forbes.

In 2020, Mottley along with Uruguayan Cabinet Minister Azucena Arbeleche was nominated to serve as chairperson of the IMF Development Committee and the World Bank Group. International media houses such as US News, Reuters, Bloomberg, ABC News, Al Jazeera, to list a few, covered Barbados’ January 19 general election, which was held about 16 months before it was constitutionally scheduled.

Mottley’s Barbados Labour Party (BPL) gained 78,720 or 69.03 percent of the votes from the 114,000-plus citizens who voted. The BLP won 30 of the 30 seats in Parliament. Barbados has no official Opposition.

Interestingly, less than 50 percent of registered voters voted, which suggests to this writer that Mottley is not as popular in Barbados as the international media would have us believe, despite her gaining 86 percent of the votes in her St. Michael North East constituency, which she has held since 1994.

The election was held about three months after Mottley transitioned Barbados from a West minister Parliamentary system to a republic. Mottley is Barbados’ first female prime minister, leading her party to victory in 2018 over the incumbent Democratic Labour Party (DLP). Immediately following the 2018 election, Mottley sought assistance from the IMF

to help stabilise Barbados’ economy. Mottley also has the distinction of being the first female leader of the BLP. The DLP attempted to emulate the BLP and Mottley by electing its first female leader in 2018, Verla De Peiza, who, following the January 19 election, resigned. There’s no denying that Mottley has accomplished much in her political career in Barbados. With a population of 287,000, I believe that the sheer amount of publicity she has received on the international stage is an overkill. The misandristic, feminist, anti-Christian, Leftist media fraternity has obviously anointed her as the poster child of the campaign against climate change in the Caribbean.

Mottley’s advantage in this regard is her gender and Leftist politics. There is no more room on this stage for another Caribbean politician. Davis should focus his attention on domestic issues and resist the temptation, if there is any, to compete with his CARICOM counterpart. Davis must understand that when Bahamians head to the polls in 2026, climate change won’t be high on their agenda. Mottley can get away with building her legacy on global warming because Bajans, unlike Bahamians, don’t change their government every election cycle. For instance, the BLP under the late Owen Arthur was in government from 1994 to 2008. Its successor, the DLP under David Thompson and Freundel Stuart, served from 2008 to 2018.

As mentioned already, Mottley is currently serving in her second consecutive term. At the risk of sounding repetitive, I’m imploring Davis to resist temptations to compete with the overhyped Mottley for international publicity on climate change.

KEVIN EVANS Freeport, Grand Bahama June 16, 2022.

GARBAGE piling up at Goodman’s Bay Beach.

Urgent cleaning of Goodman’s Beach EDITOR, The Tribune.

I URGENTLY need help to address the cleaning of Goodman’s Bay Beach in Nassau.

Until a few months ago, I have noticed a decline in the cleaning of the beach at Goodmans.

We urgently need the following cleaned immediately, as I have photos attached as well: Cleaning the pine leaves and branches under the trees and taken away. (Stop the

small piles of pine leaves, as left to trip you down, and never removed for weeks).

Cut the Scalolvas plant back as they are taking over and lots of garbage placed in and under them.

The grass, which was small in the middle of the beach, is tree taking over the sand where only sand should be.

More bins to be placed for people to place their garbage in.

Also, some sand needs to be removed from the beach

as it makes a deep drop for young and non-swimmers which is dangerous.

It makes going to the beach having picnics, walker and jogging more challenging with debris tripping you down or sticking, hurting you.

I sent info by Facebook messenger and got no reply or results.

Thanking you in advance.

C BROWN Nassau, June 16, 2022.

THE TRIBUNE

Friday, June 17, 2022, PAGE 7

Freeport church holds events to honour 60th anniversary

By DENISE MAYCOCK Tribune Freeport Reporter dmaycock@tribunemedia.net CHRIST the King - the oldest church in Freeport - is celebrating its 60th anniversary with a number of fundraising events that will benefit their social outreach ministry on Grand Bahama.

Sandra Smith, chairperson of the 60th anniversary Committee, announced that the celebration will kick off with a “Down Home Roast” in honour of Dr Cecil Thompson, Priest Warden of CTK, on June 24 at Sir Jack Hayward Gymnasium.

“We have seen it fit to honour Mr Thompson, our priest warden, with a roasting exercise that is expected to be very entertaining,” she said.

According to Ms Smith, among the roasters are two of his former students, Norris Bain and Pastor Barry Morris.

“This will bring fun and laughter at a time when GB needs something like this,” she said. “We have been under the gun for so long with COVID and Dorian, and now it is time for laughter. There are hidden secrets about Mr Thompson that will be revealed, and we are inviting the GB community to come out and support this event.”

Ms Smith said that part proceeds will go to various social outreach ministries of the church, including the Lord’s Kitchen which serves 500 to 600 hot meals every week to needy residents.

“For this reason, we would like for the community to support and partner with us so we can continue feeding the less fortunate in society.”

She also said that Mr

Thompson has touched many people during his years as a school principal at both Eight Mile Rock High and Hawksbill High Schools in Grand Bahama.

Ms Smith said he has served the church for many years and has held the position of priest warden for the past 30 years. “We will also show love to our brother for the work he has done,” she said.

Former student Norris Bain, Assistant Director at the Ministry of Youth, Sports and Culture, said roasting his former school principal is a “once in a lifetime opportunity.”

“When I was approached about roasting him, I was a little apprehensive because of the level of influence that Mr Thompson has had in my life. He has impacted my life and I learned so much from him,” he said.

Additionally, Mr Bain said Mr Thompson comes from Kemp’s Bay, South Andros, where his parents are also from.

Pastor Barry Morris described Mr Thompson as a father figure. “I know him all my life from age 12 when I first met him in the seventh grade at Hawksbill High. It has been an exciting journey and I can say that Mr Thompson… was a principal like no other. I have stories to tell of Mr Thompson. He is like a father and a friend to me,” he said.

Mr Thompson said that he looks forward to being roasted by the two former students. He recalled how Bain in August 1984 led a demonstration of students against the Ministry of Education over the transfer of Mr Thompson as principal to Hawksbill High.

He said that Pastor Morris has always honoured

FROM left, Tyrin Adderley, Natori McQueen, Shanae Smith, Cai Marie Strachan, Ee’den Ellis, and Carltoni Forbes.

STUDENTS INTERN WITH CG ATLANTIC SIX college students have started summer internships with CG Atlantic to learn professional skills, gain industry knowledge and explore future career possibilities.

The CG Summer Internship Programme, which is designed to expose the students to the ins and outs of the insurance business, attaches them to departments that align with their academic and career interests. Their activities will include a nine-week group project, team building exercises and community service days. They will also attend various information sessions with CG managers on subjects such as cyber security, regulatory compliance, legal affairs, investing and managing personal finances, ESG, as well as personal career and brand development.

In addition, each student will have a dedicated mentor to provide guidance and support throughout the programme, along with advice and direction on resume writing, interview skills and networking opportunities.

The students who have secured internships with the CG Atlantic are Tyrin Adderley, Ee’den Ellis,

Shanae Smith, Cai Marie Strachan, Natori McQueen and Carltoni Forbes. The CG Summer Internship Programme operates in two other CG jurisdictions, Cayman and Bermuda, where eight more students have been selected for the programme.

Naz Farrow, CG’s chief executive officer, said the internships provide special opportunities for professional growth and development, helping interns explore company career possibilities close to home while earning a pay cheque.

Following an application assessment and an interview process involving dozens of candidates, the interns were selected based on their school course work, degree ambitions, academic and extracurricular achievements and desired career path. CG departments welcoming interns are Property & Casualty, Medical, Pensions, Health & Life, Compliance, Finance, Marketing and Legal.

The CG Summer Internship Programme runs from June 6 to August 5 in Bermuda, June 7 to August 5 in The Bahamas and June 27 to August 12 in Cayman.

his request for the Bahamas Brass Band to perform whenever called upon.

“He’s never said no to me,” said Mr Thompson. “Thank both of you gentlemen and it is quite humbling to me.”

Other activities planned include a tree planting, which started in May and will continue through September.

An Evening Under the Stars will be held under the patronage of Governor General C A Smith on September 24.

In October, there will be a Gala Ball and Raffle under the patronage of Brenda Chong, founding member of the 60th anniversary for CTK, on Friday, October 28.

During that weekend, there will be the 60th Feast of Dedication for confirmations and gifting.

In mid-November, there will be Christ the King Gospel Concert, featuring marching bands, including the Bahamas Brass Brand, the Legends Marching Band, and Pioneers Marching Band, and all major gospel groups, including Legends.

The community of Grand Bahama is asked to support these events.

PAGE 8, Friday, June 17, 2022

THE TRIBUNE

Why do we feel so unsettled?

Is it because we’re in the Age of Confusion?

I WASN’T around and probably you weren’t either, but after the upheaval of WWII, history seems to show us the relieved and exhausted world settled down to a new predictability. Germany, shamed by its past, turned to its future, ramped up engineering, revved up its factories and gave us the finest automobiles. Italy gave us leather and fashion, France served up wine, aromatic cheeses and fragrances, Columbia gave us coffee, Canada dished out everything maple, the UK treated us to friendship we sorely needed and America gave us hope.

Three quarters of a century later, ask anyone what they stand for and they will look as bewildered as a contestant who just bet too much on the final Jeopardy question and hasn’t a clue of the answer. We wonder what do we do next, where are we headed or more importantly, what is ahead for us? And most importantly, what do we stand for?

By Diane Phillips WELCOME TO THE AGE OF CONFUSION

We search for definition but we are lost in a world where the internet blurs boundaries. We look for information and don’t know if we are being fed disinformation. Or to put it another way, we have never had so much information at our fingertips and been so unsure of what to do with it – or with ourselves. We are constantly questioning.

The more saturated we are with facts and figures, opinions and ideas, the fewer ideas we have of our own and the more frustrated we become in trying to draw a straight line from Point A

to Point B, as if the routes in our lives got mixed up on the map of our existence.

Others call it the information age, but it’s what information overload has done to us, I believe, that takes up beyond the information age to this age of confusion, or at best, age of distraction. Start one thing and you have to stop and look up something else and that something else sends you on a yet another tangent. It is harder and harder to maintain focus.

Why does any of this matter, you ask? Why even bother writing about it?

Because a dear friend of mine is in the hospital fighting

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for his life. If that life is threatened, it is not solely because of the illness or condition he is suffering. It is because he was so busy – and so distracted trying to help others, trying to help save The Bahamas – that he neglected what he had to do for himself, though he knew for months he should have done it - stop by a lab and take blood tests so he could get health insurance with his new executive position.

That’s why our distraction and our confusion matters. It steals our time, messes with our ability to focus. That’s what oversaturation does to us. We get sucked into its whirlwind and veer off our path. The important task we were going to do today got lost or forgotten in the scramble of everything else we did do.

The task we were supposed to do will wait until tomorrow, we tell ourselves. But the next day dawns and confusion and the distraction do not disappear and tomorrow is another day like today when we promise ourselves we will sit down and figure out such-andsuch or call so-and-so, that relative or old friend we should have called last year.

Then another day goes by and we spent too much time on emails or social media or googling, looking for an answer to a question that was not even on our minds when we woke up in the morning.

The problem with living in an age of confusion is setting priorities. We have Outlook calendars to keep our hours straight but no internal blinders to keep our lives straight.

Excuse me, I just thought of something I need to find an answer to...

HEY TREE HUGGERS, YOUR TIME HAS COME – UP TO $10,000 FINE FOR MESSING WITH MOTHER NATURE When the compendium of environmental legislation introduced by the former government was announced in 2019, all eyes and ears were on a few highlights – the $30m fine errant developers could face if really naughty and the ban on single use plastics. But in that package, in addition to setting up two new funds, there was a lesser known piece of legislation that, when passed, became the Forestry (Declaration of Protected Trees) Act 2020.

While it amended previous legislation, for the first time it made messing with the trees that Mother Nature gave us a serious offence with convictions resulting in fines of up to $10,000 and/or three months’ imprisonment.

The Act names 137 species of trees, just about

every tree you can think of. Trees are protected under the Act in various categories depending on their primary use - historical, aesthetic, endangered or threatened.

You can’t harvest or eradicate them. If you are doing a serious trim that could impact their health, you need a permit. And you certainly can’t use them like a sign post.

“Trees bleed,” says Chris Russell, who helped write the legislation when he was the chief forestry officer with the Ministry of Environment and Housing.

“When you scar them, they have to find a way to heal,” says Russell who is now on his own in the private sector as Russell Craig Associates, trying to show developers the right way to protect what drew them to The Bahamas to begin with.

Russell is horrified by the rampant sticking of tress with staples and nails and his heart bleeds for them. It’s a battle I’ve been waging for so long I can only say thank you, Mr. Russell, for the tough punitive piece of the puzzle. He also says in the UK it is absolutely illegal to put a sign on a tree.

Maybe there is something still to be gained from the British heritage that we did not fully understand or appreciate before when all eyes were on the monarchy.

THE TRIBUNE

Friday, June 17, 2022, PAGE 9

Two accused of attempt to kill man and woman

By PAVEL BAILEY Tribune Court Reporter pbailey@tribunemedia.net TWO men were remanded to the Bahamas Department of Correctional Services in a Magistrate’s Court yesterday on a shared charge of two counts of attempted murder of a man and woman.

Ralph Joseph, 21, and Deangelo Bastian, 30, both represented by Attorney Anthony Newbold, appeared before Assistant Chief Magistrate Carolyn Vogt-Evans.

The charges include two counts of attempted murder and two counts of possession of a firearm with intent to endanger life. Bastian faced two additional

charges of abetment to possession of a firearm with intent to endanger life.

On June 9 in New Providence, the accused are alleged to have attempted to kill Antonio Glinton and Marcia Thompson with a handgun.

Due to the serious nature of the offences neither accused was required to enter a plea. They were further informed by the Magistrate that their case would proceed by way of a Voluntary Bill of Indictment (VBI).

The accused were also told that if their VBIs were not served in a timely manner their case would proceed by means of a preliminary inquiry.

Magistrate VogtEvans then advised the two accused that they could apply to the Supreme Court for bail, where their trial will ultimately be held.

Until they are granted bail both accused will be remanded back to the Bahamas Department of Correctional Services.

Before being escorted from court Joseph, who was on crutches for a previous accident that injured his left leg, asked the Magistrate for medical assistance in prison.

Magistrate Vogt-Evans requested that Joseph receive orthopaedic treatment while on remand.

Both men are expected to be served their VBIs on September 22.

ACCUSED SAYS HE WAS VICTIM OF ABUSE BY POLICE OFFICERS

By PAVEL BAILEY Tribune Court Reporter pbailey@tribunemedia.net

A MAN claiming to be a victim of police abuse was granted bail in a Magistrate’s Court yesterday on charges of assaulting a police officer and resisting arrest.

Demars Woodside, 25, appeared before Assistant Chief Magistrate Subusola Swain on four charges.

These include assaulting a police officer, resisting arrest, disorderly behaviour and using obscene language.

At around 9am on June 15 the accused allegedly assaulted D/ASP Dwayne Bethel. He is also accused

of resisting arrest and behaving in a disorderly manner.

Further, it is alleged that he used obscene language to D/ASP Bethel’s annoyance.

In court, Woodside pleaded not guilty to all charges.

Woodside then went on to claim that he and his family were the victims of police abuse. He explained to the court that after officers cursed him for having his kids on the back of his scooter, they allegedly came to his house to arrest him and pushed his father to the ground.

Woodside also said that while was detained at Quakoo Street Police

Station he was abused by officers and had to be taken to the hospital suffering injuries to his head, back and ear.

The accused also told the Magistrate that his absent attorney had proof of the abuse.

In response to these allegations Magistrate Swain advised Woodside and his mother, who was also present in court, to carefully document the incident of abuse for future legal action.

As for Woodside’s current court matters the Magistrate granted him $3,000 bail with one or two sureties.

The accused’s trial will start on September 27.

PAIR FACE DRUG CHARGES

By PAVEL BAILEY Tribune Court Reporter pbailey@tribunemedia.net

TWO MEN were arraigned in Magistrate’s Court yesterday on drug and money laundering charges.

Raymone Gardiner, 32, appeared before Magistrate Kara Turnquest-Deveaux on charges of possession of dangerous drugs with intent to supply and money-laundering.

On June 14, the accused was apprehended accused of having 8¾ oz of Indian Hemp as well as $846 believed to be the proceeds of crime.

In court, Gardiner pleaded not guilty to the charges. With there being no objection to bail it was granted to at $3,500 with one or two sureties.

The defendant’s case will continue on September 19.

The other man, Aliaistair Major, 19, also stood before Magistrate Turnquest-Deveaux for counts of drug possession with intent to supply and one for money-laundering.

On June 14 in New Providence Major was arrested after he was found with five grams of cocaine and two grams of Indian hemp.

The $152 Major had on him at the time was also confiscated as the assumed proceeds of crime.

The defendant pleaded guilty to all three charges against him.

In view of Major’s early plea of guilt, the Magistrate reduced the drug charges to simple possession. Magistrate Turnquest-Deveaux then fined the defendant $300 or six months for the cocaine charge and $150 or three months for the marijuana charge.

Major was summarily

SIX MONTHS IN JAIL FOR INDECENT ASSAULT

By PAVEL BAILEY Tribune Court Reporter pbailey@tribunemedia.net

A MAN was sentenced to six months in prison by a Magistrate’s Court yesterday for the indecent assault of a woman last year.

Alfred Pierre, 46, faced Assistant Chief Magistrate Subusola Swain on a charge of indecent assault.

At around 12pm on September 22, 2021, Pierre is accused of approaching a woman who was walking south on Nassau Street near St Agnes Cemetery and touching her breast.

Witnesses of the assault came to the victim’s assistance and chased Pierre

away. The accused was later arrested and pleaded guilty to the charge in court.

A review of Pierre’s antecedents revealed that he had two previous vagrancy convictions.

When asked by the magistrate why he had assaulted the woman, Pierre said he did it for no reason and just because he could.

With the accused already spending six months on remand in the Bahamas Department of Correctional Services, he asked that the court release him for time served.

Magistrate Swain sentenced him to six months for the charge for which time served on remand will be considered.

discharged on his count of money laundering.

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PAGE 10, Friday, June 17, 2022

HEAT STRESS BLAMED FOR KANSAS CATTLE DEATHS BELLE PLAINE, Kansas Associated Press

THOUSANDS of cattle in feedlots in southwestern Kansas have died of heat stress due to soaring temperatures, high humidity and little wind in recent days, industry officials said.

The final toll remains unclear, but as of yesterday at least 2,000 heat-related deaths had been reported to the Kansas Department of Health and Environment, the state agency that assists in disposing of carcasses. Agency spokesman Matt Lara said he expects that number to rise as more feedlots report losses from this week’s heat wave.

The cattle deaths have sparked unsubstantiated reports on social media and elsewhere that something besides the weather is at play, but Kansas agriculture officials said there’s no indication of any other cause.

“This was a true weather event — it was isolated to a specific region in southwestern Kansas,” said AJ Tarpoff, a cattle veterinarian with Kansas State University.

“Yes, temperatures rose, but the more important reason why it was injurious was that we had a huge spike in humidity ... and at the same time wind speeds actually dropped substantially, which is rare for western Kansas.”

Last week, temperatures were in the 70s and 80s, but on Saturday they spiked higher than 100 degrees, said Scarlett Hagins, spokeswoman for the Kansas Livestock Association.

“And it was that sudden change that didn’t allow the cattle to acclimate that caused the heat stress issues in them,” she said.

The deaths represent a huge economic loss because the animals, which typically weigh around 1,500 pounds, are worth around $2,000 per head, Hagins said. Federal disaster programs will help some producers who incurred a loss, she added.

And the worst may be over. Nighttime temperatures have been cooler and — as long as there is a breeze — the animals are able to recover, Tarpoff said.

Hagins said heatrelated deaths in the industry are rare because ranchers take precautions such as providing extra drinking water, altering feeding schedules so animals are not digesting during the heat of the day, and using sprinkler systems to cool them down.

“Heat stress is always a concern this time of year for cattle and so they have mitigation protocols put in place to be prepared for this kind of thing,” she said. Many cattle had still not shed their winter coats when the heatwave struck.

“This is a one in 10-year, 20-year type event. This is not a normal event,” said Brandon Depenbusch, operator of the Innovative Livestock Services feedlot in Great Bend, Kansas. “It is extremely abnormal, but it does happen.”

While his feedlot had “zero problems,” he noted that his part of the state did not have the same combination of high temperatures, high humidity, low winds and no cloud cover that hit southwestern Kansas.

Elsewhere, cattle ranchers haven’t been so hard hit. The Nebraska Department of Agriculture and the Nebraska Cattlemen said they have received no reports of higher-than-normal cattle deaths in the state.

THE TRIBUNE

Panel focuses on ‘crazy’ Trump plan WASHINGTON Associated Press DONALD Trump’s extraordinary effort to overturn his 2020 election defeat came into ever-clearer focus Thursday, with testimony describing his pressuring Vice President Mike Pence in vulgar private taunts and public entreaties to stop the certification of Joe Biden’s victory in the run-up to the January 6 Capitol insurrection.

Trump’s closest advisers viewed his last-ditch efforts to halt congressional certification of his loss as “nuts,” “crazy” and even likely to incite riots if Pence followed through, witnesses revealed in stark testimony yesterday.

The panel revealed how Trump put his vice president in danger as Pence was presiding over a joint session of Congress on Jan 6, 2021, when the defeated president sent his supporters to the Capitol to “fight like hell” over his false claims of a fraudulent election.

Rioters came within 40 feet of the place at the Capitol where Pence and others had been evacuated. Neverbefore-shown photos showed Pence and his team sheltering.

“He deserves to be burned with the rest of them,” one rioter is heard saying on video as the mob prepares to storm the iconic building.

“Pence betrayed us,” says another rioter, wearing a Make America Great Again hat in a selfie video inside the Capitol.

Pence’s counsel Greg Jacob testified that he could “hear the din” of the rioters nearby. Asked if Trump ever checked on Pence during the siege, Jacob said: “He did not.”

With live testimony and other evidence from its yearlong investigation, the panel held its third hearing this month aiming to demonstrate that Trump’s repeated false claims and desperate attempt to stay in power led directly to the Capitol insurrection.

All told, the committee is pulling together a dark portrait of the end of Trump’s presidency as the defeated Republican was left grasping for alternatives as courts turned back dozens of lawsuits challenging the vote.

IN this image from video released by the House Select Committee, Vice President Mike Pence looks at a phone from his secure evacuation location on January 6.

Trump latched onto conservative law professor John Eastman’s obscure plan to defy historical precedent of the Electoral Count Act and reverse Joe Biden’s victory.

Trump aides and allies warned bluntly in private about his efforts, even as some publicly continued to stand by the president’s false election claims. Nine people died in the insurrection and its aftermath.

“Are you out of your effing mind?”

Eric Herschmann, a lawyer advising Trump, told Eastman in recorded testimony shown at the hearing.

“You’re going to turn around and tell 78-plus million people in this country that your theory is, this is how you’re going to invalidate their votes?” Herschmann said. He warned: “You’re going to cause riots in the streets.”

A text message from Fox News’ Sean Hannity to Trump’s chief of staff Mark Meadows about the plan in the run-up to Jan 6 read: “I’m very worried about the next 48 hours.”

Trump campaign adviser Jason Miller said those around Trump called the plan “crazy”.

The committee has said the plan was illegal, and a federal judge has said “more likely than not” Trump committed crimes in his attempt to stop the certification.

Eastman later sought to be “on the

pardon list,” according to an email he sent to Trump lawyer Rudy Giuliani, shared by the committee.

In a social media post yesterday, Trump decried the hearings anew as a “witch hunt,” lambasted coverage by “the Fake News Networks” and exclaimed, “I DEMAND EQUAL TIME!!!”

On Capitol Hill, panel Chairman Bennie Thompson, D-Miss, cited Pence’s own words that there was “almost no idea more un-American” than the one he was being asked to follow — reject Americans’ votes.

By refusing Trump’s demands, Pence “did his duty”, said the panel’s vice-chair, Republican Rep Liz Cheney of Wyoming.

The panel heard from Jacob, the vice president’s counsel who fended off Eastman’s ideas for Pence, and retired federal judge Michael Luttig, who called the plan from Eastman, his former law clerk, “incorrect at every turn”.

Jacob said it became clear to Pence from the start that the founding fathers did not intend to empower any one person to affect the election result, and he “never budged”.

Pence was determined to stay at the Capitol that night and finish the job, even as his security team prepared for him to leave, Jacob said.

SPORTS PAGE 11

FRIDAY, JUNE 17, 2022

Warriors are NBA champions

WE ARE THE CHAMPIONS: Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry, centre, celebrates with teammates as he holds the Bill Russell Trophy for Most Valuable Player after the Warriors beat the Boston Celtics in Game 6 last night to win the NBA Finals in Boston. SEE FULL STORY ON PAGE 13 (AP Photo/Steven Senne)

Hudson, page 13

MCPHEEMCCUIN LANDS STARSTUDDED RECRUITING CLASS FOR OLE MISS

By RENALDO DORSETT Tribune Sports Reporter rdorsett@tribunemedia.net ON the heels of a recordsetting season and a new contract extension, Yolett McPhee-McCuin has landed another star-studded recruiting class for her Ole Miss Rebels women’s basketball programme.

McPhee-McCuin’s incoming class includes highly touted freshman prospects and some of the top-rated transfers in the portal.

The class was recently bolstered yesterday by the signing of 6’4” freshman centre J’Adore Young.

The class also includes four-star freshman Ayanna Thompson along with transfers Marquesha Davis, Elauna Eaton, Rita Igbokwe, Broke Moore, Tyia Singleton, Myah Taylor and international prospect Marta Ostojic from Croatia.

Ole Miss also returns a solid trio of experience, including starters Madison Scott and Snudda Collins, as well as the SEC’s SixthWoman of the Year in Angel Baker.

After much speculation on social media following their exit from the NCAA Tournament in April, McPhee-McCuin reassured the Ole Miss fanbase of her commitment to the programme. She shortly thereafter signed a contract extension that will see her remain at the helm through the 2026 season.

“I am humbled and grateful for the support from chancellor Boyce, athletics director Keith Carter, senior women’s administrator Jennifer Saxon and the rest of our administration,” said McPhee-McCuin.

“Their commitment recognises the accomplishments that our programme

SEE PAGE 12

Moss and Bannister ‘Drips’ Poitier gets team up again in ACL new coaching job

By RENALDO DORSETT Tribune Sports Reporter rdorsett@tribunemedia.net FOR the second time in their young minor league careers, Texas Rangers prospects Zion Bannister and Keithron Moss are taking the field together with the same club.

Both players are on the roster for the ACL Rangers in the Arizona Complex League and made their respective debuts last week.

In Tuesday’s 5-4 win over the ACL White Sox, Bannister got the start in left field and hit seventh in the lineup while Moss got the start at secondbase at hit eighth.

Bannister doubled and Moss finished 2-4 with an RBI. Bannister went 3-4 with a double in his ACL Rangers’ 4-2 win over the ACL Dodgers in the season opener.

The highly touted 6’3”, 190-pound outfield prospect was called up to the club’s Spring Training roster for Cactus League play in Surprise, Arizona.

Bannister was originally signed by the Rangers in July 2019 and made his debut on the Dominican Summer League roster the following month.

As a member of the DSL Rangers 2 he hit .273 with six hits, one RBI, and a .333 OPS. He progressed to the AZL Rangers of the Arizona Rookie League on August 15 as a late season call up and appeared

in 37 games where he hit .227 with six doubles, two home runs and 15 RBI. Moss, a 20-year-old, 5’11 188-pound infielder last appeared with the Down East Wood Ducks in Single-A baseball.

The duo last appeared together in the Arizona Rookie League in 2019 and helped lead their team to the league title.

Moss hit .429 in the playoffs and in the finale of the series sweep over the AZL Indians Blue 7-2, he finished 1-4 with one stolen base. He had one of his best offensive games of the season in the semifinals when he doubled and singled twice as the AZL Rangers defeated the AZL Giants Orange 2-1.

In 34 AZL games, he hit .308 with a .425 OBP, .442 slugging percentage, and an .866 OPS. He totalled 37 hits, including four doubles, three triples and two home runs with 14 RBI, 27 runs scored and eight stolen bases.

In 51 games last year in the Dominican Summer League, Moss hit .196 with 11 doubles, 23 RBI, 29 runs scored and eight stolen bases.

Bannister was a late season call up to the AZL Rangers in 2019 after beginning his first season of professional baseball in the Dominican Summer League.

He was assigned to the DSL Rangers on August 10 and in two games with the club, Bannister hit .300 and scored two runs before he was quickly assigned to the AZL Rangers on August 15.

By BRENT STUBBS Senior Sports Reporter bstubbs@tribunemedioa.net

AFTER a brief hiatus to coach at the high school and club level while improving on his golf game, former Bahamian national coach Edrick ‘Drips’ Poitier has returned to coaching at the collegiate level.

Yesterday morning, Poitier was named the head coach of the Bowie State women’s volleyball programme, according to vice president for intercollegiate athletics and recreation Clyde Doughty Jr. “After an intensive search it is with great excitement that coach Edric Poitier has accepted the position as the next head volleyball coach for Bowie State University,” said Doughty, Jr. “Coach Poitier brings a wealth of experience in the field of volleyball. He is a CIAA veteran and wholly understands what it takes to manage a quality programme that will be competitive in the CIAA and NCAA.” Poitier spent the past season as the head coach

at a private high school in Jacksonville, Florida, where he guided the programme to a 19-7 overall record and a quarterfinal appearance in the Florida State District Championship.

Prior to his high school tenure, Poitier did a oneyear stint at Florida State College at Jacksonville in 2019, before serving as the head coach at Savannah State from 2016-2018; Bluefield State College (2013-2016) and WinstonSalem State (2010-2012).

“I would like to express sincere gratitude to VP for Athletics, Mr Doughty Jr and President Dr Breaux for the opportunity to lead the programme at this time

in its development,” said Poitier.

“I look forward to trying to make the programme a viable one within the conference.”

Poitier said when he saw the coaching job available, he applied because he felt it was one of the schools that had the potential to make it to the NCAA Division II Championships.

“This court is the court where I won my first CIAA Championship back in 2000 with St Augustine’s College in Raleigh, North Carolina, so he said the scenario brought back a lot of memories.

SEE PAGE 13

PAGE 12, Friday, June 17, 2022

THE TRIBUNE

Jonquel Jones and Sun on a roll, win five of six games

By RENALDO DORSETT Tribune Sports Reporter rdorsett@tribunemedia.net

JONQUEL Jones and the Connecticut Sun posted their highest scoring output of the season and won their fifth game in their last six outings.

Jones finished with 15 points, nine rebounds and two blocked shots in the Sun’s 105-92 win over the Atlanta Dream on Wednesday night at the Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Connecticut.

It was Jones’ eighth game with at least 15 points this season.

The Sun shot 52 percent from the field, 54 percent from three-point range to improve to 11-4 with their fifth win in their last six games.

Sun head coach Curt Miller said the team adjusted to the Dream’s defensive focus on limiting the reigning MVP. “They provided so much congestion in the lane that they were not going to let Jonquel get going around the rim, they were going to congest things for Alyssa Thomas, so we knew we were going to have to make some jumpers,” he said. “That’s what they were giving up and our players took it.”

The Sun also improved to 4-2 in the Commissioner’s Cup, second only behind the undefeated Chicago Sky at 7-0.

The Commissioner’s Cup presented by Coinbase is the league’s

annual in-season competition, with a prize pool of $500,000 in the championship game for the players and at least $165,000 in charitable donations throughout this year’s series.

This year, the Commissioner’s Cup will feature a new platform through which teams will provide funding to local nonprofits, and the league and teams have collaborated to select organizations in each market focused on civic engagement.

The WNBA will donate $2,000 to the chosen organisation of each cup game’s winning team and an additional $500 to the losing team’s organisation.

The league will donate $10,000 to the winning team’s chosen organisation and $5,000 to the organisation of the runner-up.

The Sun are playing for the League of Women Voters of Connecticut.

The Sun boast one of the tallest lineups in the WNBA featuring Jones (6’6”), DeWanna Bonner (6’4”), Brionna Jones (6’3”) and Alyssa Thomas (6’2”).

The Sun have seven games remaining before the league’s All-Star weekend.

They face the Seattle Storm on Friday, followed by four consecutive Commissioner’s Cup games against the Washington Mystics (June 19), the New York Liberty (June 22), the Dream (June 26) and the Sky (June 29).

CONNECTICUT Sun forward Jonquel Jones (35) puts up a basket from between Atlanta Dream guard Kristy Wallace (3) and forward Cheyenne Parker (32) during a WNBA basketball game on Wednesday night in Uncasville, Conn.

(Sarah Gordon/The Day via AP)

PLUM SCORES 27 POINTS, WNBALEADING ACES BEAT WINGS 92-84 ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — Kelsey Plum scored 27 points, A’ja Wilson had 25 and the Las Vegas Aces beat the Dallas Wings 92-84 on Wednesday.

Chelsea Gray had 16 points and eight assists for Las Vegas (12-2). The WNBA-leading Aces also beat Dallas 84-78 on June 5 behind a career-high 32 points from Plum.

Dearica Hamby added 16 points and 12 rebounds, and the Aces starters accounted for all 92 points.

Arike Ogunbowale led Dallas (6-8) with 28 points.

Marina Mabrey had 18.

MERCURY 93, FEVER 80 INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Tina Charles scored a season-high 29 points on 11-of-21 shooting, Diana Taurasi had 17 points and Phoenix beat Indiana.

Charles added seven rebounds, four assists and three blocks. The Mercury (6-9) have won four of their last five games following a seven-game losing streak.

Kelsey Mitchell led Indiana (4-13) with 20 points.

SUN 105, DREAM 92 UNCASVILLE, Conn.

(AP) — Courtney Williams scored 20 points and Connecticut made 14 3-pointers to rout Atlanta.

Connecticut (11-4) had its highest points total since a 109-88 win over Las Vegas on Aug. 5, 2018.

The Sun set a franchise record for 3-pointers in a half, going 10 for 15 in the first.

STORM STAR SUE BIRD SAYS 2022 WILL BE HER FINAL WNBA SEASON

By TIM BOOTH AP Sports Writer ALWAYS in control on the court, Sue Bird lasted about 10 minutes until the emotion of the moment and the finality of the decision got the best of her.

After 21 professional seasons, one of the greatest basketball careers ever is nearing its end.

“I feel like I’ve played as long as I can at a really high level both physically and mentally, and it’s just gotten harder,” Bird said, fighting through tears.

The Seattle Storm star and five-time Olympic gold medallist announced yesterday the 2022 season will be her last playing in the WNBA. The announcement by Bird, 41, ended any speculation about her future; she had acknowledged in February when she re-signed with Seattle that this would likely be her final season.

She strongly considered retirement after last season before choosing to return for a 19th season as a player.

Bird’s announcement came a day before Seattle’s game at Connecticut, the state where she was a collegiate star and national player of the year.

The Storm will close out their road trip on Sunday in New York, about 30 miles from where Bird grew up in Syosset, New York.

It’s Seattle’s only scheduled trip to New York

OLE MISS FROM PAGE 11

has achieved, reflects their belief in the longterm vision that has been put into place, and demonstrates their unwavering trust of the success of our programme in the future.

In addition, I’m thankful for the loyal support of our faculty and staff, boosters and our fans. I am looking forward to building on the foundation of our success and continuing to lead a programme that represents our fans, the university and the state of Mississippi.”

The 2021-22 season came to an end for Ole Miss in

this season, which helped prompt her announcement.

“Knowing it was going to be my last game in New York is really what started the thought process around announcing that this would be my last year,” Bird said.

“So that’s kind of the how, and the when. That was the motivating factor on the timing. And I feel like for every athlete, sometimes it really just comes down to you know when you know. There isn’t necessarily a recipe for it. You just know when you know.”

Bird is a four-time WNBA champion, 12-time All-Star and the oldest player in the league.

She has spent her entire WNBA career with Seattle since becoming the No. 1 draft pick in 2002 following her storied college career at UConn.

This season is her 21st associated with the franchise although just her 19th playing after missing two seasons because of injuries.

Her résumé is the envy of anyone in professional sports, let alone basketball.

National championships at UConn in 2000 and 2002.

WNBA titles with Seattle in 2004, 2008, 2018 and 2020, the last coming inside the WNBA “bubble” in Florida amid the coronavirus pandemic.

Bird hoisted five additional titles playing overseas in the EuroLeague.

Last year, she added a fifth Olympic gold in Tokyo to go along with the ones

SEATTLE Storm guard Sue Bird holds the champions trophy after the Commissioner’s Cup WNBA basketball game against the Connecticut Sun, on August 12, 2021, in Phoenix. The Seattle Storm star and five-time Olympic gold medallist announced yesterday that the 2022 season will be her last playing in the WNBA. (AP Photo/Matt York) the United States earned in of the league. And she’s the manager of the Storm when 2004 in Athens, 2008 in Bei- standard by which other Bird was drafted in 2002. jing, 2012 in London and point guards are judged.

Deep down, they all 2016 in Rio de Janeiro.

Bird told her current knew that the hints Bird Bird was the AP national teammates about her deci- gave over the past several player of the year her final sion during a team dinner months were leading to this season at UConn. on Wednesday night and announcement.

She is a five-time all- Seattle’s coaching staff yes“Not a lot of people do WNBA first-team selection, terday morning. something for their entire the league’s all-time leader Bird also had a long list of lives the way that athletes in assists and the only former teammates, coaches, do. Don’t get me wrong, I player to appear in more executives and friends know people are fulfilled in than 500 games in league she wanted to tell person- other ways. It’s not about a history. ally rather than hearing it comparison. It’s just sports She has been honoured through various channels. is different, I think,” Bird on every list imaginable as Among the most emo- said. “I’ve been doing this one of best and most influ- tional was her talk with since I was 5 or 6 years ential players in the history Karen Bryant, the general old. It’s really all I know.

the opening round of the NCAA Tournament with a loss to South Dakota.

Ole Miss concluded the season 23-9, 10-8 in the SEC to earn an at-large bid and the no.7 seed in the Wichita Region. It was their first NCAA Tournament appearance in 15 years.

McPhee-McCuin led Ole Miss to its first top 25 ranking since 2007.

The season was highlighted by a 13-game win streak, the third longest win streak in programme history. It also included wins over three ranked opponents.

In conference postseason play, Ole Miss earned its first

SEC Tournament Semifinal game appearance in 29 years. The Rebels also found themselves slotted in the national polls with its first AP Poll appearance since 2007, when Ole Miss came in at No. 24 on January 24.

McPhee-McCuin also recently produced the highest drafted Ole Miss player in programme history when Shakira Austin was recently selected third overall by the Washington Mystics.

McPhee-McCuin joined the Rebels in 2018 with expectations to rebuild a programme that struggled in recent years and was in the cellar of the SEC.

So of course, I’m sad. It’s a little bit of like a mourning knowing I’m going to miss it. But I mean, I’ve got no regrets. I feel wonderful about my career, the people I’ve met, the things we’ve all accomplished.”

Bird said she’s not really prepared for the farewell tour that’s likely to follow her every time she visits a WNBA road city for the last time.

“I feel like I don’t personally need that,” Bird said.

“But I also understand that there are fan bases that that might want to, you know, take that moment. ... But yeah, I’m not prepared for it.”

Bird turns 42 in October and was on the cusp of stepping away a year ago, and when the Storm were eliminated by the Phoenix Mercury in the playoffs, fans chanted “One more year! One more year!” as she did an on-court televised interview.

Those cheers were egged on by Phoenix’s longtime star Diana Taurasi, Bird’s former college teammate at UConn and part of all five of those Olympic goldmedal runs.

In the end, the fans — and Taurasi — got what they wanted. Bird came back, for exactly one more year. “Sue Bird is Storm basketball,” her WNBA team tweeted moments after Bird made her decision known. “Every moment, every memory has one constant. No. 10. It’s time for the final chapter.”

ON the heels of a record-setting season and a new contract extension, Yolett McPheeMcCuin has landed another star-studded recruiting class for her Ole Miss Rebels women’s basketball programme. Her incoming class includes highly touted freshman prospects and some of the toprated transfers in the portal. (AP)

THE TRIBUNE

Friday, June 17, 2022, PAGE 13

WARRIORS BEAT CELTICS 103-90, WIN 4TH NBA TITLE IN 8 YEARS

By KYLE HIGHTOWER AP Sports Writer BOSTON (AP) — The Golden State Warriors are NBA champions once again, topping the Boston Celtics 103-90 last night for their fourth title in the last eight seasons.

Stephen Curry scored 34 points and was named the NBA Finals MVP as the Warriors claimed the franchise’s seventh championship overall. And this one completed a journey like none other, after a run of five consecutive finals, then a plummet to the bottom of the NBA, and now a return to greatness just two seasons after having the league’s worst record.

“We found a way to just get it done,” Curry said after the Warriors accepted the championship trophy and celebrated on the court.

“It’s part of a championship pedigree, our experience. ... We built this for 10-11 years. That means a lot when you get to this stage.”

For Curry, Klay Thompson, Draymond Green and Andre Iguodala, it’s a fourth championship. The first three rings came in 2015, 2017 and 2018, when Golden State was dynastic and made five consecutive trips to the finals.

Injuries, including ones that sidelined Thompson for 2 1/2 years, and roster changes changed everything. But this season, with Thompson returning around the midway point, the Warriors were finally back.

Back on top, too. Champions, again, denying the storied Celtics what would have been their record 18th championship, one that would have allowed Boston to break a tie with the Los Angeles Lakers for the most in league history.

This tale for the Warriors ended much differently than what was their most recent finals appearance against Toronto in 2019, one that saw Kevin Durant tear his Achilles tendon in

Game 5 and then Thompson tear his ACL in what became the Raptors’ titleclincher in Game 6.

The aftermath of that loss was exacerbated by Durant’s decision to leave that summer in free agency to join the Brooklyn Nets and Thompson’s own Achilles injury while rehabilitating his knee injury.

“It all paid off,” Thompson said. “It was dog days, a lot of tears shed. ... You knew it was a possibility, but to see it in real time. …

It’s crazy.”

It thrust a Golden State team into a rebuild that became a reload. The Warriors used their two-year hiatus from the NBA’s biggest stages to retool their roster – adding a past No. 1 draft pick in Andrew Wiggins, who excelled in his first finals, along with another rising star in Jordan Poole.

It all clicked. For Golden State coach Steve Kerr, it’s a ninth championship overall after winning five

as a player. He’s the sixth coach to capture four titles, joining Phil Jackson, Red Auerbach, John Kundla, Gregg Popovich and Pat Riley.

Jaylen Brown led the Celtics with 34 points. Al Horford added 19. Jayson Tatum finished with 13 points, but shot just 6 of 18 from the field. Boston also committed 22 turnovers, dropping to 1-8 this postseason when committing 16 or more.

It was just the fifth defeat in 22 title-series appearances for Boston, which turned its season around to have a chance at this crown.

Boston was 25-25 after 50 games, then went on an absolute tear to get to the finals and nearly claim what would have been just the franchise’s second championship since 1986.

It was the third consecutive season where things were affected by the global COVID-19 pandemic, and while things were closer to normal, pictures and

GOLDEN State Warriors guard Stephen Curry, centre, celebrates with teammates as he holds the Larry O’Brien Trophy after the Warriors beat the Boston Celtics in Game 6 to win basketball’s NBA Finals last night in Boston.

(AP Photo/Steven Senne) video of the championship celebration will serve as a forever reminder that the virus was still an issue.

NBA Commissioner Adam Silver could not be at the game because he remained in the league’s health and safety protocols related to the virus. The redesigned Larry O’Brien Trophy – the golden souvenir given to the NBA champions – was presented to the Warriors by deputy commissioner Mark Tatum instead. Boston trailed by as many as 22 points but went on a 16-4 in the third quarter to cut the deficit to 76-66 entering the fourth.

A Jaylen Brown 3-pointer made it 86-78 with 5:33 to play, but the Warriors never relinquished the lead.

Tarajh Hudson named Freshman of the Year

By BRENT STUBBS Senior Sports Reporter bstubbs@tribunemedia.net TARAJH Hudson capped off his season at Northwestern State University after advancing to the NCAA East Prelims in the discus by being named the Freshman of the Year for the Southland Conference.

Hudson finished 24th with a toss of 174-feet, 11-inches in the discus at the NCAA East Prelims.

He qualified for that stage by winning the NSU Last Chance Meet with a personal best of 186-6, a mark that bested NSU’s previous school record and sits in second behind teammate Djimon Gumbs.

“It was an honour. There are a lot of talented freshmen in track and field in the conference, so to be voted as the best by the coaches is an honour,” Hudson said.

“It proved that no hard work goes unnoticed.

When you do your best, people will see you and reward you for it.”

Also this year, at the SLC Championships, Hudson captured bronze in the discus with 176-9 as NSU swept the podium and he added a sixth-place effort in the shot put with a season-best 51-5 1/2.

Hudson also had six topthree finishes in the discus, including wins at NSU Last Chance and SFA. He finished second at NSU and Texas State with a thirdplace at Miss. College.

POITIER

FROM PAGE 11 “My goal is to take a CIAA team to the NCAA and hopefully be a contender for the national title,” he said.

“No school in the CIAA has done it before and when I was with St Aug, that was one of my goals.

Hopefully, I can do it with Bowie State.”

Poitier, however, said his new coaching role is bitter-sweet because it will limit the free time he had to work on his golf game, but he noted that at some point, he realises that he will have to give up some things to pursue his coaching career.

With over 23 years of experience coaching at the collegiate level, one of the most appealing factors about Poitier was that he is no stranger to the Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association (CIAA) Conference.

During the indoor season, Hudson competed in five meets in the shot put with a season-best of 47-3 at the SLC Championships as he placed 11th overall and he also had three top-10 finishes with an eighth-place at Texas A&M topping the list.

“It was a good freshman season. I made it to Regional, which was my goal. I got to see what the competition was like in order to compete at the Nationals,” Hudson said.

“I think I took a lot of things away from this season that will help me as I prepare for Nationals next year. It was a good foundation year for me.”

As he looks back on his season, Hudson said the trip to the Regionals where he really enjoyed himself was the highlight before he was named as the Freshman of the Year.

But he said his greatest disappointment was when he went to the Texas Relays and it took him a while to get adjusted to the new implements that he had to work with.

“I think I still have to develop more strength and being able to compete in high pressure situations,” said Hudson, who is delighted to be able to return home and get back to his off-season training with coach Corrington Maycock and the Blue Clip Athletics Track Club.

Next weekend, Hudson said he will be competing in the Bahamas

Poitier’s record of accomplishments emphasized on rebuilding programmes as he started his head-coaching career with St Augustine’s College (now St Augustine University), posting a 113-34 record in five seasons at the helm.

In his first year, he went 14-13 overall, including a 14-6 mark in conference play. The next four seasons (2000-2003), Poitier recorded 20-plus wins and a conference championship in each season. Poitier went 23-6, including a 19-2 mark in conference play, a conference title and CIAA Coach of the Year in 2000, followed up with a 22-7 overall record, including a perfect 21-0 conference record and CIAA Championship, first round appearance in the NCAA Regionals in 2001.

Poitier guided the Lady Falcons to a 29-3 overall record and 21-0 mark in CIAA action to go along with the programme’s

TARAJH Hudson has been named the Freshman of the Year for the Southland Conference. He finished 24th with a toss of 174-feet, 11-inches in the discus at the NCAA East Prelims.

Association of Athletic Associations National Track and Field Championships at the Thomas A Robinson National Stadium.

Having already qualified for the NACAC Championships, Hudson said he would like to improve on

his personal best performance before he returns to school in August.

Hudson, a graduate of St Augustine’s College where competed in track and field and volleyball, has made the Dean’s List as a health and sicience major who wants to throw

professionally before starting a career in physical therapy.

The 19-year-old 6-foot, 41/2-inch athlete is the son of Taraseta and former natioal team volleyball player Oral Hudson. He has one brother Tajaro and one sister Taja.

third-straight CIAA title while advancing to the second round of the NCAA Regionals in 2002.

In his last season at the helm, St Augustine’s posted a 25-5 overall record extending its winstreak to 63-straight wins over CIAA opponents (210), a CIAA championship and the 2003 CIAA Coach of the Year award. Overall, his five-year stint with the Lady Falcons, he compiled a 115-35 overall record and a 99-8 record. He is a three-time CIAA Coach of the Year and is still the only CIAA coach to ever win an NCAA Tournament First Round match.

Poitier coached the Bahamas women’s national team for nine years from 1992-99 and led the team to two gold medals and three silver medals at the Regional Caribbean Volleyball Championships and was the assistant coach from 1989-92.

Poitier played on the Bahamas men’s national

team as a setter for 13 years from 1979-92 and won the bronze medal at Commonwealth Volleyball Championship in London in 1981.

Poitier is a 2003 graduate of Saint Augustine’s College with a degree in criminal justice. He is married and the father of three children.

The Bowie State women’s volleyball programme is slated to begin the 2022 campaign on September 6 at Delaware State.

“Right now, I’m in the process of trying to fill a roster,” Poitier said. “The roster they had was not where the athletic director wants it to be. That was why they looked for a new coach.

“So my plans is to try and find at least 5-6 players that I can bring in here on a short notice. There are a lot of players in the NCAA transfer portal, who are looking for a place to go.

“So I’ve been trying to find players who are from

this area, who might want to come back home and play here. That has been my focus so that I can get the team ready to play.”

Unfortunately, Poitier said there are no plans to recruit any Bahamian players for the upcoming season because the deadline for the paperwork for international players has already expired, so they will have to wait until next year. “I know next year, I will have to fill a completely new roster so I definitely will be looking to see who is available from the Bahamas to play on the team,” Poitier said.

He noted that Doughty Jr has welcomed him with open arms and he’s looking forward to making his contribution to Bowie State where he feels he has as legitimate chance of winning a national title, as opposed to coaching at the division one level where schools spend the big bucks to get the best players available.

A RUN, AND A RESPONSE The Celtics came out firing, riding the energy from a deafening TD Garden crowd to take an early 14-2 lead.

Golden State wasn’t rattled and responded with a 35-8 run that stretched into the second quarter on the way to building as much as a 22-point lead. The Warriors outscored the Celtics 27-17 for the period and carried a 54-39 lead into the second half as some Celtics fans booed the home team as they left the court.

Boston fought back in the third, but the Warriors found their range from beyond the arc, connecting on six 3s in the quarter.

BAHAMAS BASSAI KARATE-DOJO TO HOST ITS FIRST CHAMPIONSHIP ON JUNE 25 AT ANATOL RODGERS THE Bahamas Bassai Karate-Dojo (BBKD) is scheduled to host its first Bahamas Karate Championship at 10am on Saturday, June 25 at the Anatol Rodgers High School Gymnasium.

Under the Society of Shotokan Stylist, the event will be opened to all styles of martial arts and will be a part of the National Championships circuit, sanctioned by the Bahamas Martial Arts Federation.

Tickets are priced at $3 for children 5-12 years old and $5 for adults ages 13-and-over. Doors open at 9:30am.

The Ministry of Youth, Sports and Culture, headed by Minister Mario Bowleg, is expected to be represented.

Unfortunately, Bowleg is not expected to be available as he is scheduled to be in Florida for the Bahamian Heritage Night for Miami Marlins Jasrado ‘Jazz’ Chisholm.

BBKD, according to sensei Dr Shawn Smith, is a karate school that caters to predominantly inner-city kids, some of which are residents of homes for boys.

“We teach karate using the methods of physical exercise and flexibility drills, we teach students how to release negative energy with positive affirmations of oneself, to only speak that which is edifying and uplifting, targeting physical frustrations on punching bags and not another person,” Smith said. “The BBKD is actively involved in the holistic makeup of our students, homework must be completed in order to participate in class, and this is done by constant communication with parents/ guardians and teachers. It is our goal to produce productive, well-mannered citizens of the Commonwealth of the Bahamas.”

PAGE 14, Friday, June 17, 2022

THE TRIBUNE

I-Elite gets international support

By BRENT STUBBS Senior Sports Reporter bstubbs@tribunemedia.net SINCE their formation out of the Max D Baseball Academy in 2017, the International Elite Baseball Academy has been growing by leaps and bounds as they continue to provide opportunities for many young men to experience their dream of playing college or professional baseball.

Headed by Geron Sands and Albert Cartwright, I-Elite was recognised for their efforts by the Deshaun Watson Foundation.

Watson made the substantial financial contrition to I-Elite when he brought the Brown’s offensive line here last month for a threeday mini-camp to train and bond together.

Tshombe Johnson, the business development and fundraising coordinator for I-Elite, said a college friend of his working with Watson, the Browns’

quarterback, was interested in giving back to the Bahamian community and they agreed to support I-Elite and one of the local soccer programmes.

“When they came here to do their team bonding, Deshaun decided that he would find a way to give back to the community and it was suggested to Deshaun to try to help us because we are working on getting so many young players started with their future in the sport,” Johnson said.

Johnson said the generous donation, which he declined to reveal, came at the opportune time as I-Elite continues to open so many doors for the players to excel to the next level.

He noted that Watson indicated that his foundation will continue to support I-Elite in the future.

“He told us that he wanted to assist in anyway with the growth of the programme,” Johnson said.

“We’re at a spot right now

I-Elite directors Albert Cartwright, left, and Geron Sands. where we are growing and anything we can garner th3e support to get to the next level, we welcome them to assist us.”

Watson, who played college football at Clemson where he led the team to a national championship

in 2015, was selected in the first round of the 2017 NFL Draft by the Houston Texans. On March 18, 2022, Watson and the Texans’ 2024 sixth-round draft pick were traded to Cleveland in exchange for the Browns’ first-round

draft picks in 2022, 2023, and 2024. As part of the trade, Watson signed a new, fully guaranteed, fiveyear, $230 million deal with the Browns, making it the largest contract and most guaranteed money in NFL history.

When Watson came to town, Sands said they were delighted to share their programme with him and he agreed to assist them.

“We are really happy to know that there are people out there who are watching us and seeing what we are doing and want to help us and our country to continue to develop the kids,” Sands said. “We are happy for the donation that we received from Deshaun Watson.

This will definitely us in our development.”

I-Elite emerged out of Max D in 2017, but Sands said the concept of working with the young baseball players was developed from 2012 when Max D was formed. Now there are

two separate entities in the country.

Sands said I-Elite’s aim was to get more Bahamian young men fulfilling their dreams of becoming collegiate or professional baseball players. A year ago, he said they introduced softball for girls where they seek to assist the young girls in securing athletic scholarships as well.

“We want to assist these young boys and girls in developing that mindset where they can achieve their goal and eventually return home and make their contributions to our society,” Sands said..

Since their formation, Sands said they have been able to assist more than 15 players with signing professional contracts, including Jasrado ‘Jazz’ Chisholm of the Miami Marlins and Lucius Fox of the Washington Marlins. They have also secured more than 10 scholarships for players in college.

RF RETURNS AS TITLE SPONSOR OF NATIONAL AMATEUR GOLF TOURNAMENT OVER 80 golfers are expected at the Annual Bahamas National Amateur Golf Championships next week.

RF Bank & Trust (Bahamas) Limited (RF) is returning as the title sponsor for the event and partner of the Bahamas Golf Federation.

The winners will go on to represent The Bahamas on various national teams.

“RF has a long standing commitment to the BGF as the official governing body for golf in The Bahamas,” noted Jackie Cleare, RF AVP of operations.

“Golf, like many individual sports, not only helps develop mental toughness, and strengthens problemsolving abilities, but playing in tournaments such as this provides youth players with the opportunity to travel if they win and gain international exposure.”

The championships will welcome both junior and senior players for a fourday tournament across the Ocean Club, Lyford Cay, Albany and Royal Blue golf courses.

The tournament is scheduled for June 20-23. “We’re looking forward to four days of good sportsmanship

SHOWN, from left to right, are BGF president Lynford Miller alongside RF AVP of Operations, Jackie Cleare. and hopefully clear skies,” commented BGF president Lynford Miller. “The BGF is grateful for our corporate

sponsors, such as RF, without whom we couldn’t participate in the international tournaments and

would struggle to support our local talented golfers.”

Registration is all set to begin around 8am at the

Ocean Club on Monday, June 20. And the players will have staggered tee times. For more info on

Bahamas National Amateur Golf Championships, visit the BGF website at bahamasgolffederation.com

HADWIN LEADS US OPEN AS MCILROY MAKES STATEMENT WITH CLUBS

By DOUG FERGUSON AP Golf Writer BROOKLINE, Mass.

(AP) — Adam Hadwin can be excused for the opening round of the U.S. Open — the so-called toughest test in golf — giving him a chance to exhale.

Hadwin was home in Canada last week for his own national open, an even bigger deal because the pandemic had canceled the Canadian Open the previous two years and the golf-mad fans brought enormous energy.

Plus, he has been immune from the endless chatter and speculation of the Saudi-backed rival league that consumed attention all week at The Country Club.

Small wonder he walked off yesterday with a 4-under 66 for this best score in 63 rounds at major championships and a one-shot lead over Rory McIlroy and four others. “Nice to get down here and a couple of days’ rest and get going for this week,” Hadwin said. “Not that the golf course gets any easier. But yeah, in certain instances it definitely felt a little more relaxed than last week.”

Any lingering thoughts of the rival league came from McIlroy — not from

anything he said but with the golf he played.

This time, his bold statement came a clean card and a few tough pars required at the U.S. Open. McIlroy didn’t make a bogey until his final hole when he missed the green and flung his club, a brief fit of anger that revealed as much desire as frustration.

He had a 67 that left him in the large chasing pack with four players, all of whom had to go through 36-hole qualifying — Callum Tarren of England, David Lingmerth of Sweden, MJ Daffue of South Africa and Joel Dahmen.

At the opposite end was Phil Mickelson, who celebrated his 52nd birthday — on the golf course, anyway — with a four-putt double bogey on his way to a 78.

Hadwin ran off three straight birdies to finish the front nine in 31, and he only dropped one shot on the back nine for his 66. His previous low score in a major was 68 on three occasions, most recently the first round of the 2020 PGA Championship at Harding Park.

McIlroy has become a leading voice on the PGA Tour over the last few

years, particularly with his rebuke of the Saudi-funded series that is disrupting golf.

Thursday was a reminder he’s pretty good at his day job, too.

McIlroy made two straight birdies late in his round to become the first player to reach 4 under, only to miss the ninth green and make his only bogey.

At the moment, McIlroy isn’t concerned with his strong stance against LIV Golf.

“It’s been eight years since I won a major,” he said. “And I just want to get my hands on one again.”

Even with a good start, and coming off a victory last week in the Canadian Open, it doesn’t figure to be easy for McIlroy or anyone else. The Country Club might be as accommodating as it gets all week, with moderate wind and cloud cover keeping the sun from making greens crispy and firm.

And the best anyone could do was a 66.

The group at 68 included two-time major winner Dustin Johnson, Justin Rose and Matt Fitzpatrick, who won the U.S. Amateur at Brookline in 2013.

For McIlroy, it was his second straight major — and third time in his last

ADAM HADWIN, of Canada, watches his shot on the 17th hole during the first round of the U.S. Open golf tournament at The Country Club yesterday.

(AP Photo/Julio Cortez) four U.S. Opens — he opened with a score under par. There is confidence in his game for winning last week in Toronto, and there is passion rare for a Thursday unless the game is going badly.

He tried to drive the reachable par-4 fifth hole and caught an awkward lie in the thick collar above a bunker, forcing him to stand in the sand. He hit that into another bunker, and then twice slammed the club into the sand out of frustration. But he managed to save par. “You’re going to encounter things at a U.S. Open, whether they be lies or stuff like that, that you just don’t really encounter any other week,” he said.

“It’s hard not to get frustrated because I’m walking up there going, ‘Just come back into the bunker.’

The thickest rough on the course is around the edges of the bunker. So I was sort of cursing the USGA whenever I was going up to the ball.”

And then from the ninth fairway, his approach sailed to the right and he flung his club. He couldn’t save par on that one and had to accept a 67 — not a bad start, and no apologies for his few outbursts of emotion.

“Almost to remind yourself sometimes how much it means to you,” he said.

There’s a lot on the table outside of golf, too, with 13 players at the U.S. Open who took part in the Saudibacked LIV Golf last week, leading the PGA Tour to suspend those members.

McIlroy, the first to shut down talk of rival leagues in 2020, spoke passionately

this week about building on the legacy handed down

by Arnold Palmer and Jack Nicklaus. For those taking the guaranteed money for 54-hole events, he said it felt like “the easy way out.”

But now it’s time for golf, and there a vibe of relief that focus could turn to a U.S. Open that first came to Brookline more than a century ago. Thursday was more about birdies and bogeys — mostly the latter in a U.S. Open — and a place in history.

No other major is more open — roughly half the 156-man field has to qualify — and it showed.

Seven of the top 13 came through qualifiers, including Hadwin. He was first alternate out of the Dallas section and got in when Paul Casey withdrew because of an ailing back.

PAGE 20, Friday, June 17, 2022

THE TRIBUNE

BAHAMAS MUST GET YOUTH FOR ‘LEG UP’ ON CARIBBEAN FROM PAGE 24

guides, Mr Chorney added: “We want to do our part to ensure The Bahamas continues that history and culture with guides going for the next generation...

“I would say The Bahamas has a leg up on the Caribbean because of its history and culture, so it’s good they are seasoned, but you want to get the youth involved.” Yellow Dog works with some 22 fishing lodges throughout The Bahamas to book its high-spending clients in vacations here, and Mr Chorney urged this nation to start developing the next guide generation by “starting early, starting young”.

He urged this nation to develop an interest and passion in the profession by getting school children out on the flats on fishing trips, and developing a culture of conservation and preservation. “Fishing is fun. Get them out there and exploring the flats,” the Yellow Dog chief said. “Guiding is a great occupation in The Bahamas, and we definitely want to see more people involved in that. Whatever Yellow Dog can do to help in that, we’re willing and able for sure.”

Mr Chorney was backed

by Kyle Schaefer, owner of Soul Fly Lodge (formerly Carriearl) at Great Harbour Cay, the Berry Islands, who echoed his concerns about the need to develop

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by Deed Poll, you may write such objections to the Chief Passport Officer, P.O.Box N-742, Nassau, Bahamas no later than thirty (30) days after the date of publication of this notice.

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NOTICE INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS COMPANIES ACT (No.45 of 2000)

a younger cadre of flats and bonefishing guides to shore up the sector’s long-term sustainability.

Confirming that himself and an investor group had acquired Soul Fly two years ago, he praised the Great Harbour Cay community for backing the group through a first season in which the lodge provided employment for 14 persons. Mr Schaefer said the ownership group was highly focused on its staff and “developing the right people to keep them in place” so the lodge can fulfill its growth ambitions over the next five years.

“One of the particular challenges is fly fishing guides, particularly the challenge with aging fly fishing guides in The Bahamas,” he added, “and it’s very expensive and time consuming to train guides..... These are good paying jobs to a degree that is being missed by the youth.” Fly fishing guides, Mr Schaefer said, typically followed their fathers and elders into the profession; worked in other jobs close to the industry; or had their interest simulated by existing guides.

The flats and bonefishing sectors are an especially lucrative niche tourism market for The Bahamas.

Visiting anglers tend to

such activity, Mrs Duncombe said that “just four adventure travellers generate as much revenue as nine overnight tourists and close to 100 cruise ship arrivals”.

And Andros’ tourism industry enjoyed a greater share of Bahamian ownership than other Family Islands.

Whereas the typical tourism ownership split on the Family Islands was just 20 percent Bahamian, and 80 percent foreign-owned, the director-general added that on Andros this was weighted 40/60 in favour of overseas interests. “Andros is ripe for entrepreneurship, and can boast that 40 percent of the tourism industry is owned by Bahamians,” Mrs Duncombe added.

Her presentation also revealed that Andros welcomed some 12,366 visitors in 2021, an increase of some 3,000 compared to 2019’s pre-COVID number of 9,365 - a 32 percent jump.

Mrs Duncombe pledged that the Ministry of Tourism will seek to “establish the Andros band in the international marketplace” by exploiting its social media marketing tools and bringing influencers/journalists to the island to produce favourable coverage.

Meanwhile, The Bahamas’ decision to eliminate

both the Health Travel Visa and COVID entry testing for vaccinated travellers was yesterday hailed by participants in the international tourism industry.

Yellow Dog’s Mr Chorney said: “The recent news of the discontinuation of The Bahamas Health Travel Visa and elimination of testing for vaccinated travellers is a huge announcement.

“It should create more interest, and make it easier for travellers to enter The Bahamas. We definitely applaud that as a return to normalcy.” Mr Chorney said the efficiency of the Health Travel Visa system, and its approvals process, had created minimal obstacles for Yellow Dog’s clients.

He added: “The large number of travellers sent to The Bahamas really had no issues. It did cause some angst and anxiety for some folks.” David Benz, a director of the Professional Association of Diving Instructors (PADI) Media Group, and a Bahamas diving ambassador, said the latest COVID easing was “very timely” and will align with efforts to drive more business to this nation.

“There are great opportunities for all dive operators to leverage that,” he affirmed.

LEGAL NOTICE OF DISSOLUTION

LEGAL NOTICE OF DISSOLUTION

International Business Companies Act (No. 45 of 2000)

International Business Companies Act (No. 45 of 2000)

In Voluntary Liquidation

In Voluntary Liquidation

Notice is hereby given in accordance with Section 138 (8) of the International Business Companies Act, No.45 of 2000, the Dissolution of KOKA2008 LIMITED has been completed, a Certificate of Dissolution has been issued and the Company has therefore been struck off the Register. The date of completion of the dissolution was the day of April, 2022.

Notice is hereby given in accordance with Section 138 (8) of the International Business Companies Act, No.45 of 2000, the Dissolution of NXT 20 ENTERPRISES INC. has been completed, a Certificate of Dissolution has been issued and the Company has therefore been struck off the Register. The date of completion of the dissolution was the day of April, 2022.

MARKET REPORT www.bisxbahamas.com

THURSDAY, 16 JUNE 2022

ARROWSMITH FINANCE CORPORATION (the “Company”)

Notice is hereby given that, in accordance with Section 138 (8) of the International Business Companies Act, No.45 of 2000, the Dissolution of ARROWSMITH FINANCE CORPORATION has been completed, a Certificate of Dissolution has been issued and the Company has therefore been struck off the Register. The date of completion of the dissolution was the 20th day of May, 2022.

spend more per capita and stay longer, with the economic impact spread across Andros and other Family Islands that possess the best fishing flats.

A 2010 economic impact study, prepared for the Bahamian Flats Fishing Alliance and its partners, estimated that the flats fishing industry injected some $141m into the Bahamian economy that year - a number likely to have increased significantly over the 12 years since. Angling visitors were found to spend nearly $70m in Family Island economies and support some 2,500 jobs.

Latia Duncombe, the Ministry of Tourism, Investments and Aviation’s acting director-general, told the Andros Business Outlook that flats anglers are estimated to inject $25m directly into the island’s economy per annum.

Speaking to the ministry’s efforts to develop community-based tourism on the island through “clusters” of related businesses and activities, she added that Andros was well-placed to develop all forms of nature/ eco-tourism; fishing; diving and snorkelling; and other activity-based features.

Pointing to the high per capita yields generated by

BISX ALL SHARE INDEX: BISX LISTED & TRADED SECURITIES 52WK HI 6.70 53.00 2.30 2.61 2.60 6.10 10.05 3.89 9.02 3.10 8.00 16.60 2.65 10.75 11.25 10.85 15.80 4.00 11.00 16.50

52WK LOW 5.30 33.80 1.54 2.20 1.30 5.75 6.96 2.82 4.50 2.27 5.95 9.75 1.99 7.05 10.02 9.55 13.10 3.50 8.19 15.50

SECURITY AML Foods Limited APD Limited Benchmark Bahamas First Holdings Limited Bank of Bahamas Bahamas Property Fund Bahamas Waste Cable Bahamas Commonwealth Brewery Commonwealth Bank Colina Holdings CIBC FirstCaribbean Bank Consolidated Water BDRs Doctor's Hospital Emera Incorporated Famguard Fidelity Bank (Bahamas) Limited Focol Finco J. S. Johnson

PREFERENCE SHARES 1.00

1.00

1000.00 1000.00

1000.00 1000.00

1.00 10.00 1.00

1.00 10.00 1.00

Bahamas First Holdings Preference Cable Bahamas Series 6 Cable Bahamas Series 9 Colina Holdings Class A Fidelity Bank Bahamas Class A Focol Class B

CORPORATE DEBT - (percentage pricing) 52WK HI 100.00 100.00

52WK LOW 100.00 100.00

SECURITY Fidelity Bank (Note 22 Series B+) Bahamas First Holdings Limited

CLOSE

CHANGE

%CHANGE

YTD

YTD%

2449.03

2.94

0.12

220.79

9.91

SYMBOL AML APD BBL BFH BOB BPF BWL CAB CBB CBL CHL CIB CWCB DHS EMAB FAM FBB FCL FIN JSJ BFHP CAB6 CAB9 CHLA FBBA FCLB SYMBOL FBB22 BFHB

BAHAMAS GOVERNMENT STOCK - (percentage pricing) 115.92 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 98.65 99.30 100.67 100.43 100.34 100.23 100.00 100.00 100.98 100.00

104.79 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 98.65 99.30 100.67 100.43 100.04 100.00 89.62 89.00 90.24 90.73

MUTUAL FUNDS 52WK HI 2.52 4.69 2.22 207.86 212.41 1.73 1.83 1.82 1.05 9.37 11.83 7.54 16.64 12.84 10.77 10.00 10.43 14.89

52WK LOW 2.11 3.30 1.68 164.74 116.70 1.68 1.73 1.75 0.99 6.41 7.62 5.66 8.65 10.54 9.57 9.88 8.45 11.20

Bahamas Note 6.95 (2029) BGS: 2014-12-7Y BGS: 2015-1-7Y BGS: 2014-12-30Y BGS: 2015-1-30Y BGS: 2015-6-7Y BGS: 2015-6-30Y BGS: 2015-10-7Y BGRS FX BGR141350 BGRS FX BGR142251 BGRS FL BGRS71024 BGRS FL BGRS75022 BGRS FL BGRS81037 BGRS FL BGRS88028 BGRS FX BGR129249 BGRS FX BGR131249 BGRS FX BGR132249 BGRS FX BGR136150

BAH29 BG0107 BG0207 BG0130 BG0230 BG0307 BG0330 BG0407 BSBGR1412505 BSBGR1420516 BSBGRS710245 BSBGRS750225 BSBGRS810375 BSBGRS880287 BSBGR1292493 BSBGR1312499 BSBGR1322498 BSBGR1361504

LAST CLOSE 5.45 39.95 2.20 2.35 2.47 6.10 9.75 3.89 8.15 2.82 8.00 16.00 2.58 10.26 11.21 10.85 15.80 3.98 10.00 15.50 1.00 1000.00 1000.00 1.00 10.00 1.00 LAST SALE 100.00 100.00 107.31 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 98.65 99.30 100.91 100.54 100.34 100.00 89.62 100.00 100.00 100.00

CLOSE 5.45 39.95 2.25 2.35 2.51 6.10 9.75 3.89 8.36 2.82 8.00 16.00 2.53 10.26 10.96 10.85 15.80 3.98 10.00 15.50 1.00 1000.00 1000.00 1.00 10.00 1.00

BISX ALL SHARE INDEX - 19 Dec 02 = 1,000.00 52wk-Hi - Highest closing price in last 52 weeks 52wk-Low - Lowest closing price in last 52 weeks Previous Close - Previous day's weighted price for daily volume Today's Close - Current day's weighted price for daily volume Change - Change in closing price from day to day Daily Vol. - Number of total shares traded today DIV $ - Dividends per share paid in the last 12 months P/E - Closing price divided by the last 12 month earnings

VOLUME 2,000 48,133 5,000 1,000

0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00

CLOSE 100.00 100.00

CHANGE 0.00 0.00

107.31 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 98.65 99.30 100.91 100.54 100.34 100.00 89.62 100.00 100.00 100.00

0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00

FUND CFAL Bond Fund CFAL Balanced Fund CFAL Money Market Fund CFAL Global Bond Fund CFAL Global Equity Fund Leno Financial Conservative Fund Leno Financial Aggressive Fund Leno Financial Balanced Fund Leno Financial Global Bond Fund RF Bahamas Opportunities Fund - Secured Balanced Fund RF Bahamas Opportunities Fund - Targeted Equity Fund RF Bahamas Opportunities Fund - Prime Income Fund RF Bahamas International Investment Fund Limited - Equities Sub Fund RF Bahamas International Investment Fund Limited - High Yield Income Fund RF Bahamas International Investment Fund Limited - Alternative Strategies Fund Colonial Bahamas Fund Class D Colonial Bahamas Fund Class E Colonial Bahamas Fund Class F

MARKET TERMS

CHANGE 0.00 0.00 0.05 0.00 0.04 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.21 0.00 0.00 0.00 (0.05) 0.00 (0.25) 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00

(242) 323‐2330 (242) 323‐2320 EPS$ 0.239 0.932 0.000 0.140 0.070 1.760 0.369 -0.438 0.140 0.184 0.449 0.722 0.102 0.467 0.646 0.728 0.816 0.203 0.939 0.631 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000

VOLUME

DIV$ 0.170 1.260 0.020 0.080 0.000 0.000 0.260 0.000 0.000 0.120 0.220 0.720 0.434 0.060 0.328 0.240 0.540 0.120 0.200 0.610 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000

INTEREST Prime + 1.75% 6.25% 6.95% 4.50% 4.50% 6.25% 6.25% 4.50% 6.25% 4.25% 6.35% 6.40% 4.56% 4.43% 4.87% 4.33% 5.55% 5.60% 5.65% 5.69%

NAV 2.52 4.69 2.21 197.44 202.39 1.73 1.82 1.82 0.99 9.37 11.79 7.54 15.94 12.47 10.74 N/A 10.43 14.89

YTD% 12 MTH% 0.99% 4.22% 0.36% 5.78% 0.67% 2.74% -2.97% -2.35% -4.72% 6.04% 0.83% 2.82% -0.18% 3.72% 0.76% 3.55% -3.55% -3.85% -0.02% 10.36% -0.33% 18.23% 0.22% 3.05% -3.89% 14.76% -1.04% -2.57% 0.81% 4.20% N/A N/A 3.00% 25.60% 7.90% 48.70%

P/E 22.8 42.9 N/M 16.8 N/M N/M 26.4 -8.9 59.7 15.3 17.8 22.2 24.8 22.0 17.0 14.9 19.4 19.6 10.6 24.6 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000

YIELD 3.12% 3.15% 0.89% 3.40% 0.00% 0.00% 2.67% 0.00% 0.00% 4.26% 2.75% 4.50% 17.15% 0.58% 2.99% 2.21% 3.42% 3.02% 2.00% 3.94% 0.00% 0.00% 0.00% 6.25% 7.00% 6.50%

MATURITY 19-Oct-2022 30-Sep-2025 20-Nov-2029 15-Dec-2021 30-Jul-2022 15-Dec-2044 30-Jul-2045 26-Jun-2022 26-Jun-2045 15-Oct-2022 17-Nov-2050 15-Feb-2051 22-Oct-2024 7-Sep-2022 26-Jul-2037 26-Jul-2028 15-Apr-2049 15-Jul-2049 15-Oct-2049 21-Apr-2050

NAV Date 31-Mar-2022 31-Mar-2022 25-Mar-2022 31-Mar-2022 31-Mar-2022 31-Mar-2022 31-Mar-2022 31-Mar-2022 31-Mar-2022 31-Jan-2022 31-Jan-2022 31-Jan-2022 31-Jan-2022 31-Jan-2022 31-Jan-2022 31-Mar-2021 31-Mar-2021 31-Mar-2021

YIELD - last 12 month dividends divided by closing price Bid $ - Buying price of Colina and Fidelity Ask $ - Selling price of Colina and fidelity Last Price - Last traded over-the-counter price Weekly Vol. - Trading volume of the prior week EPS $ - A company's reported earnings per share for the last 12 mths NAV - Net Asset Value N/M - Not Meaningful

TO TRADE CALL: CFAL 242-502-7010 | ROYALFIDELITY 242-356-7764 | CORALISLE 242-502-7525 | LENO 242-396-3225 | BENCHMARK 242-326-7333

THE TRIBUNE

Friday, June 17, 2022, PAGE 21

‘TRAIN’S LEFT STATION’: MSC EYES CRUISE PORT’S OWNER FROM PAGE 24 to make a formal offer to fully acquire Global Ports Holding, the holder of a 49 percent equity stake in the cruise port.

Global Ports Holding, which is majority-owned

by Turkish businessman, Mehmet Kutman, its chairman, won the bidding process initiated by the former Minnis administration for the 25-year concession to redevelop and operate The Bahamas’ major cruise gateway that received more than 3.5m passengers per year pre-COVID. The UK-listed company, the world’s largest cruise port developer/operator, ignited several concerns locally after it confirmed in a statement to the stock markets that MSC has made an approach to acquire 100 percent of the business. The latter, which already has numerous shipping and cruise interests in The Bahamas, now has until July 13, 2022, under the UK’s takeover code for public companies to make a formal bid to buy Global Ports Holding.

Several sources, speaking on condition of anonymity, said an MSC acquisition if it succeeds - would result in the outcome that the Government (the Minnis administration) sought to avoid by selecting Global Ports Holding as the winning bidder. It rejected a rival offer for Prince George Wharf, which featured a consortium of cruise lines, precisely because it feared this would be akin to “the fox guarding the hen house”.

An MSC purchase would thus leave the Government with exactly the situation it did not want, where the cruise lines were both port developer and user, and with a much narrower ownership base than the consortium’s as well. Contacts also raised concerns whether a Nassau Cruise Port controlled by MSC would resort to discriminatory treatment against rival cruise lines through berthing prices and availability.

“I know it’s got every single last cruise line worried,” one contact said after news of MSC’s offer broke.

“They are deathly afraid of what that means. What does that mean for the berthing arrangements of every other cruise line, namely Carnival, Royal Caribbean and Disney?

“I just think it’s inherently dangerous for them [MSC] to control Nassau because Nassau is the crown jewel of cruising in the Caribbean. If and when MSC takes over, it will not operate the way it does now.”

Mr Maura, though, shot down and dismissed such concerns yesterday.

He revealed that berthing policies are set by the Government, not Nassau Cruise Port, with the latter just administering them.

MICHAEL MAURA Pointing out that Nassau Cruise Port, not Global Ports Holding, is named as the counterparty in all agreements with the Government, he added that no sale or ownership change at the controlling investor will halt plans to complete the $300m redevelopment by the 2023 first quarter.

Affirming that he had not been involved in the talks between MSC and Global Ports Holding, Mr Maura said of the possible acquisition approach: “Does it surprise me? No. I say that from the standpoint that any entity operating in the cruise industry space or tourism space looking to expand and grow, to me it’s logical that Global Ports Holding will be one of the companies that might come across their radar.”

With the cruise industry continuing to rebound from COVID-19, and having been “growing at a phenomenal rate” prior to the pandemic, he added that investments in the sector remained attractive with a further 30 cruise ships valued at $750m or more scheduled to launch over the next five years to 2027.

Suggesting that other players besides MSC may be eyeing Global Ports Holding, Mr Maura added: “That said, Nassau Cruise Port as a concession for the cruise port here in New

Providence. We are a going concern. Fifty-one percent of the company is owned by Bahamians. Whether something materialises or not, there is nothing to cause change at Nassau Cruise Port.

“We have contracts. We have construction contracts, and have raised the money. Nassau Cruise Port has raised the funds to complete the project. That’s not going to change. Nassau Cruise Port has a commitment to the Government of The Bahamas as well. It’s business as usual.”

Mr Maura said “there is language within the concession agreement that speaks in terms of a change of control” at Nassau Cruise Port, detailing what happens should Global Ports Holding change hands or seek to sell its interest. He did not give specifics, though, on what this details, and said it was premature given MSC has yet to make a formal offer or have it accepted.

The Government would have to approve any acquisition, and Global Ports Holding’s replacement by MSC. However, if the deal goes ahead and is approved in other markets, the pressure on The Bahamas to follow suit will be significant. Nassau Cruise Port’s other shareholders are the Bahamas Investment Fund, the fund that holds a

LEGAL NOTICE

N O T I C E EXXONMOBIL EXPLORATION AND PRODUCTION GREECE LIMITED Pursuant to the provisions of Section 138 (8) of the International Business Companies Act 2000, notice is hereby given that the above-named Company has been dissolved and struck off the Register pursuant to a Certificate of Dissolution issued by The Registrar General on the 25th day of May,2022 Dated the 17th day of June A.D., 2022 Rebecca L. Wittrock Liquidator of EXXONMOBIL EXPLORATION AND PRODUCTION GREECE LIMITED

collective 49 percent stake on behalf of Bahamian investors, and the 2 percent controlled by the Yes Foundation. It finances good causes.

“I would continue to reemphasise and reiterate that Nassau Cruise Port is well on its way,” Mr Maura told Tribune Business of the cruise port’s redevelopment. “We will have completed all of the marine construction by the end of July, which is one-anda-half months away, and we broke ground on the upland works in October last year. You can see the super structure coming out of the ground for the arrivals terminal and Junkanoo museum.

“We are well on the way, and nothing is going to stop the Nassau Cruise Port project. Whatever these discussions are, and wherever they may lead, it’s not going to change the plans for Nassau Cruise Port. The train left the station a long time ago for Nassau Cruise Port. We will be having a ground breaking in the 2023 first quarter and nothing is going to stop that.”

Mr Maura said all necessary civil engineering works have been completed, and construction supplies have either arrived or are on order. He disclosed that many of the buildings and facilities have been “prefabricated offshore outside The Bahamas” and are due to arrive via ship within the next two months. Cranes will then be used to lift them off the vessels and into position.

Dismissing any fears about changes in berthing policy, the Nassau Cruise Port chief added: “Again, the business of Nassau Cruise Port will continue as it has. The Government of The Bahamas has a berthing policy, and all cruise lines must abide by that berthing policy. Nassau Cruise Port is charged with the administration of the Government’s berthing policy.

“We have a concession agreement with the Government of The Bahamas as being Nassau Cruise Port.

The port fees, the passenger facility charge and the port facility charge are written into the concession agreement. The port exists to facilitate economic growth for New Providence and The Bahamas. It does not exist to facilitate the profits of any individual cruise line.”

MSC’s existing Bahamas interests stem from its Ocean Cay private island, located near Bimini, and the fact it is one of the two main cargo shippers calling on Nassau Container Port at Arawak Cay. It is also Hutchison Ports’ partner in the Freeport Container Port.

The shipping giant has also invested heavily in its cruise business, especially expanding its terminal in Miami. Thus it is not hard to see why it is interested in Global Ports Holding and, by extension, Nassau because of its need for additional destinations. It also has the finances required because, unlike rivals solely

focused on the cruise business, it was able to keep operating during COVID due to its cargo shipping interests.

Global Ports Holding, in its stock market statement, said: “The company confirms that, following expressions of interest made to Global Yatırım Holding A.Ş (Global Investments Holding, the company’s majority shareholder), the company received an approach regarding a potential cash offer for all of the shares in the company by SAS Shipping Agencies Services Sarl (SAS), a wholly-owned subsidiary of MSC Mediterranean Shipping Company Holdings.

“Discussions are ongoing.

These deliberations are at a preliminary stage and no decisions with respect to an offer have been made.

There can be no certainty that an offer might ultimately be made for the company nor as to the terms on which any offer might be made.” MSC and its SAS affiliate now have until July 13, 2022, to make a formal offer or walk away.

PAGE 22, Friday, June 17, 2022

THE TRIBUNE

‘NO BREAK’: PROPERTY COVER TO STICK NEAR ALL-TIME HIGH

FROM PAGE 24

scientists, is indicating we can anticipate more of these super storms going forward.

That’s just the reality. I don’t think there’s a debate now, and that’s something international reinsurers are monitoring and watching very closely.

“We don’t expect any easing of reinsurance terms in the short-term because they are watching the same conditions we are. There’s just no scope at this time for

any consideration of rate reductions. We’re going to see these high property rates for some considerable time. That’s the reality of the situation.”

ICB, the carrier through which BISX-listed J.S. Johnson places much of its property and casualty insurance business, revealed in its just-released 2021 annual report that the Bahamian insurance industry’s share of the $1.89bn in total gross Dorian claims was just $48.5m.

The overwhelming balance of this loss was absorbed by the sector’s international reinsurers.

Bahamian carriers, given their relatively thin capital bases compared to the value of the risks they insure, have no choice but to buy massive quantities of reinsurance on an annual basis to ensure these are properly underwritten in the event of natural catastrophes such as hurricanes.

This dependence on reinsurers means these entities can largely dictate the terms and premium prices for property (hurricane) insurance coverage in The Bahamas. The need for reinsurers to recoup Dorian-related losses, which have even resulted in some players existing the market, thus reducing supply, is underpinning the continued pressure on premium costs for homeowners and businesses.

“Reinsurance capacity is being squeezed, with a number of international

reinsurers exiting the property and casualty market, sometimes worldwide and especially in the Caribbean,” Mr Duff confirmed to this newspaper. “That’s a fact we cannot deny and have to live with. Unfortunately, no one can expect a break on the cost of insurance. That’s just the reality customers have to accept.

“Our message to customers is that we’re entering into an era where super storms are going to be prevalent, and it’s incumbent on everyone to arrange insurance for their property.” Both businesses and residential properties upon which mortgages and other loan collateral are secured have to maintain insurance coverage as part of their borrowing terms.

As a result, there is unlikely to be a major dropoff in coverage or policy lapses despite the high premium prices. This, though, represents another extra cost for Bahamians already battered by COVID-19 and

now-soaring inflation. The latter represents another headache where property insurance is concerned because rising construction material prices are pushing up sums insured under property policies due to the increased cost of post-storm rebuilding.

“We’ve not seen any falloff at the present time,” Mr Duff told Tribune Business of property insurance coverage. “We have to be mindful of the fact The Bahamian economy is still recovering from Hurricane Dorian and from COVID, so disposable income is being squeezed, but so far we’ve not seen any significant drop-off, which is encouraging. I think the fact that Hurricane Dorian is still fresh in everybody’s mind is helping in that regard.”

He added that the Dorian-ravaged islands of Abaco and Grand Bahama would have seen the greatest hike in premium rates in 2021. “In the islands that were exposed to Dorian, they will have seen significant increases,” Mr Duff confirmed. “They will have seen double digit increases and possibly higher catastrophe deductibles.

“Everyone experienced double digit rate increases last year regardless of whether they were in New Providence or elsewhere, but those two islands would have increased by a higher double digit amount because of Hurricane Dorian. Our goal is to keep reminding our customers of the vital importance of maintaining coverage.

That’s where our focus will be, working hard on that, and hoping the economy starts to recover and income filters down.”

Expanding on this theme in ICB’s annual report, Mr Duff reiterated: “Another challenge for local insurers is that windstorm reinsurance capacity has become more difficult to obtain, and more costly, following the impact of the ‘super

storms’ of recent years.

This has caused original property rates to rise close to the highest they have ever been, and there is little prospect of the trend reversing any time soon.

“Against this challenging backdrop, ICB and our exclusive agents, J.S. Johnson and Company, intend to work hard to re-emphasise to customers the value of having an insurance policy that can protect a home or a business against the devastating effect of loss by fire or major hurricane.”

Mr Duff was backed by ICB’s chairman, Bruce Fernie, who wrote: “Returning to Hurricane Dorian, the total market insured loss from the hurricane is estimated at around $1.89bn ($48.5m after reinsurance recoveries) according to the 2020 annual report of the Insurance Commission. In dollar terms, this makes Dorian by far the costliest hurricane event in Bahamian history.

“Property rates have increased significantly over the last 12 to 18 months in response to the record claims pay-out from Dorian as insurers and reinsurers seek to restore their profitability. With concerns over global warming and the advent of the super storm, it is hard to imagine that we will see, any time soon, a softening in the underwriting approach of international reinsurers towards the provision and pricing of catastrophe cover.

“In the short to medium-term, demand for reinsurance windstorm capacity throughout the Caribbean region is expected to outstrip supply, and the cost of reinsurance capital will likely remain high. Unfortunately, for our customers this translates to a continuation of the current high level of premium being charged for windstorm cover.”

THE TRIBUNE

Friday, June 17, 2022, PAGE 23

AIRLIFT ‘BANE OF EVERYONE’S LIFE’ FROM PAGE 24

and schedules were vital if Family Island tourism is to prosper.

Urging the Government to help “accelerate” the build-out of airport infrastructure and technology, Mr King-Hew also urged The Bahamas to straighten out its pre-clearance facility in Fort Lauderdale.

Asserting that this had been “messed around with for two years”, he said the pre-clearance experience was “magic” and “you are treated like a superstar” but too often persons are having

to navigate a crowded airport terminal.

“We have to be candid about the terrible state of the airports,” Mr KingHew said, singling out San Andros in particular. With no covered area where passengers can wait for their flights, they either have to wait in a taxi or “cluster” inside the Customs and Immigration office - especially if it rains. Addressing these issues, he added, would help give Andros the airlift it requires.

Lee Quittner, vice-president of marketplace for Tropic Ocean Airways,

backed Mr King-Hew by agreeing that “pre-clearance in Fort Lauderdale will be a game changer. It will open up things for us nicely”. He added that “the biggest opportunity” was to try and get ahead of pent-up travel demand and provide the “five-star experience” travellers are seeking in an environment impacted by post-COVID pilot and plane shortages.

Chad Chorney, the Bahamas programme director for US-based Yellow Dog Flyfishing Adventure, a travel agency, identified “reliable and consistent air

and flight services” as being among the top challenges in clients getting to The Bahamas - especially the Family Islands.

With flights and routes cut during the pandemic, he added: “I hope that bounces back and increases going forward..... Right now we’re seeing an increase in air fare prices. That’s a concern to some folks with rising fuel costs, but hopefully that’s alleviated.”

Cheryl Bastian, owner of Swains Cay Lodge, told the conference that freight challenges were compounding airlift woes. “One of the

issues is getting our freight in,” she said. “While our freight providers are pretty good with what they have to work with, it’s pretty concerning when they can’t get it in and expenses are escalating. That’s creating significant challenges and expenses for the bottom line.”

A lack of airlift availability, and challenges in getting guests in and out of Andros, represented a further challenge, Ms Bastian added, as she called for Mangrove Cay Airport to be designated as an international port of entry. The

THE WEATHER REPORT

5-Day Forecast

TODAY

ORLANDO

High: 94° F/34° C Low: 74° F/23° C

TAMPA

SATURDAY

SUNDAY

MONDAY

TUESDAY

Partly sunny and beautiful

Mainly clear

Mostly sunny and pleasant

A couple of showers in the morning

A t‑storm in spots in the morning

A t‑storm in spots in the afternoon

High: 86°

Low: 77°

High: 87° Low: 78°

High: 88° Low: 77°

High: 87° Low: 78°

High: 88° Low: 77°

AccuWeather RealFeel

AccuWeather RealFeel

AccuWeather RealFeel

AccuWeather RealFeel

AccuWeather RealFeel

AccuWeather RealFeel

97° F

86° F

99°-87° F

99°-86° F

97°-86° F

99°-84° F

The exclusive AccuWeather RealFeel Temperature® is an index that combines the effects of temperature, wind, humidity, sunshine intensity, cloudiness, precipitation, pressure and elevation on the human body—everything that affects how warm or cold a person feels. Temperatures reflect the high and the low for the day.

N

almanac

E

W

ABACO

S

N

High: 84° F/29° C Low: 77° F/25° C

7‑14 knots

S

High: 89° F/32° C Low: 76° F/24° C

7‑14 knots

FT. LAUDERDALE

FREEPORT

High: 89° F/32° C Low: 78° F/26° C

E

W S

E

W

WEST PALM BEACH

N

| Go to AccuWeather.com

TONIGHT

High: 96° F/36° C Low: 81° F/27° C

High: 88° F/31° C Low: 76° F/24° C

MIAMI

High: 90° F/32° C Low: 77° F/25° C

4‑8 knots

KEY WEST

High: 88° F/31° C Low: 81° F/27° C

Statistics are for Nassau through 2 p.m. yesterday Temperature High ................................................... 88° F/31° C Low .................................................... 77° F/25° C Normal high ....................................... 87° F/31° C Normal low ........................................ 74° F/23° C Last year’s high ................................. 91° F/33° C Last year’s low ................................... 76° F/24° C Precipitation As of 2 p.m. yesterday ................................. 0.01” Year to date ............................................... 25.73” Normal year to date ................................... 11.36”

ELEUTHERA

NASSAU

High: 86° F/30° C Low: 77° F/25° C

Forecasts and graphics provided by AccuWeather, Inc. ©2022

High: 84° F/29° C Low: 76° F/24° C

N

High: 85° F/29° C Low: 77° F/25° C

N

S

E

W

4‑8 knots

S

4‑8 knots

ANDROS

Shown is today’s weather. Temperatures are today’s highs and tonight’s lows.

The higher the AccuWeather UV IndexTM number, the greater the need for eye and skin protection.

tiDes For nassau High

Ht.(ft.)

Low

Ht.(ft.)

Today

10:55 a.m.

11:25 p.m.

2.7 3.4

5:03 a.m. ‑0.4 5:00 p.m. ‑0.4

Saturday

11:55 a.m. ‑‑‑‑‑

2.6 ‑‑‑‑‑

5:58 a.m. ‑0.3 6:00 p.m. ‑0.1

Sunday

12:21 a.m.

12:56 p.m.

3.2 2.6

6:54 a.m. ‑0.1 7:03 p.m. 0.1

Monday

1:18 a.m.

1:59 p.m.

3.0 2.6

7:50 a.m.

8:09 p.m.

0.0 0.3

Tuesday

2:17 a.m.

3:02 p.m.

2.8 2.7

8:45 a.m.

9:15 p.m.

0.0 0.5

Wednesday 3:15 a.m.

4:01 p.m.

2.6 2.7

9:39 a.m. 0.1 10:20 p.m. 0.6

Thursday

2.4 2.8

10:30 a.m. 0.1 11:19 p.m. 0.6

4:12 a.m.

4:56 p.m.

sun anD moon Sunrise Sunset

6:20 a.m. Moonrise 8:02 p.m. Moonset

11:36 p.m.

9:37 a.m.

Last

New

First

Full

Jun. 20

Jun. 28

Jul. 6

Jul. 13

SAN SALVADOR

GREAT EXUMA

High: 85° F/29° C Low: 77° F/25° C

High: 85° F/29° C Low: 79° F/26° C

N

High: 85° F/29° C Low: 77° F/25° C

E

W S

LONG ISLAND

tracking map

High: 86° F/30° C Low: 78° F/26° C

H

uV inDex toDay

CAT ISLAND

E

W

lodge proprietor also called on Androsians to become more involved by developing activities for visitors to experience while on the island.

Jeff Birch, the resident family manager for Small Hope Bay Lodge, described the “acquisition of middle management at an affordable price” as being among his greatest challenge. He added the cost involved in finding someone with “the ability to maintain the business at the level you want”, and enticing them to move to Andros, was “significant”.

4‑8 knots

MAYAGUANA High: 87° F/31° C Low: 81° F/27° C

Shown is today’s weather. Temperatures

CROOKED ISLAND / ACKLINS

are today’s highs and tonight’s lows.

RAGGED ISLAND High: 85° F/29° C Low: 81° F/27° C

GREAT INAGUA High: 87° F/31° C Low: 79° F/26° C

N

H

High: 85° F/29° C Low: 79° F/26° C

E

W

E

W

N

S

S

7‑14 knots

7‑14 knots

marine Forecast ABACO ANDROS CAT ISLAND CROOKED ISLAND ELEUTHERA FREEPORT GREAT EXUMA GREAT INAGUA LONG ISLAND MAYAGUANA NASSAU RAGGED ISLAND SAN SALVADOR

Today: Saturday: Today: Saturday: Today: Saturday: Today: Saturday: Today: Saturday: Today: Saturday: Today: Saturday: Today: Saturday: Today: Saturday: Today: Saturday: Today: Saturday: Today: Saturday: Today: Saturday:

WINDS NE at 7‑14 Knots SW at 4‑8 Knots NE at 4‑8 Knots S at 4‑8 Knots ENE at 3‑6 Knots S at 4‑8 Knots E at 7‑14 Knots ENE at 6‑12 Knots NNE at 4‑8 Knots SSW at 4‑8 Knots NE at 7‑14 Knots NW at 4‑8 Knots NE at 4‑8 Knots SSE at 4‑8 Knots NE at 7‑14 Knots NE at 4‑8 Knots E at 6‑12 Knots S at 6‑12 Knots E at 6‑12 Knots SE at 6‑12 Knots NE at 4‑8 Knots S at 4‑8 Knots E at 7‑14 Knots S at 4‑8 Knots NE at 4‑8 Knots S at 4‑8 Knots

WAVES 3‑6 Feet 2‑4 Feet 0‑1 Feet 0‑1 Feet 1‑3 Feet 2‑4 Feet 1‑3 Feet 1‑3 Feet 2‑4 Feet 2‑4 Feet 1‑3 Feet 1‑2 Feet 0‑1 Feet 0‑1 Feet 1‑3 Feet 1‑2 Feet 1‑3 Feet 1‑2 Feet 2‑4 Feet 3‑5 Feet 0‑1 Feet 0‑1 Feet 1‑3 Feet 1‑2 Feet 0‑1 Feet 1‑2 Feet

VISIBILITY 10 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles 7 Miles 10 Miles 8 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles 9 Miles 6 Miles 8 Miles 10 Miles 7 Miles 10 Miles 8 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles 8 Miles 10 Miles 7 Miles

WATER TEMPS. 84° F 83° F 86° F 87° F 83° F 85° F 84° F 84° F 85° F 86° F 86° F 87° F 85° F 86° F 84° F 84° F 84° F 84° F 83° F 84° F 85° F 86° F 84° F 84° F 84° F 85° F

business@tribunemedia.net

FRIDAY, JUNE 17, 2022

$6.97

$7.39

$6.97

NASSAU CRUISE PORT

‘Train’s left station’: MSC eyes cruise port’s owner

By NEIL HARTNELL Tribune Business Editor nhartnell@tribunemedia.net NASSAU Cruise Port’s $300m transformation will not be disrupted by a shipping giant’s interest in acquiring its controlling shareholder, its chief executive asserted yesterday, adding: “That train

• ‘Business as usual’ for $300m transformation • Shipping giant mulls offer for 49% controller • No change to berthing policy, fees if deal

left the station a long time ago.”

Michael Maura told Tribune Business it was “business as usual” at Prince George Wharf from both an operational and construction perspective while Mediterranean Shipping Company (MSC) weighs up whether

SEE PAGE 21

Bahamas must get youth for ‘leg up’ on Caribbean

By NEIL HARTNELL Tribune Business Editor nhartnell@tribunemedia.net THE BAHAMAS was yesterday urged to start a youth movement so it can grow - for “generations to come” a flats fishing industry likely to have expanded far beyond its $141m economic impact in 2010.

Bonefish lodge owners and specialist flats fishing travel agencies told the Andros Business Outlook conference that “the most critical issue”

impacting the sector’s future prospects is the aging guide population and lack of more youthful replacements to carry on this tradition.

Chad Chorney, the Bahamas programme director for US-based Yellow Dog Flyfishing Adventure, a destination management firm, said developing younger fishing guides was critical to this nation maintaining its “leg up” on Caribbean rivals as their expertise was vital to the quality of experience enjoyed by visiting anglers.

Airlift ‘bane of everyone’s life’

By NEIL HARTNELL Tribune Business Editor nhartnell@tribunemedia.net ANDROS has exceeded last year’s total stopover visitors by 66.5 percent in just the first four months of 2022, it was revealed yesterday, despite airlift woes being “the bane of everybody’s life”.

Dr Kenneth Romer, the Ministry of Tourism’s deputy director-general and acting director of aviation, told the Andros Business Outlook conference that the island appeared set for “a banner year” after attracting some 5,626 air arrivals during the period to end-April 2022.

Disclosing that Andros received “a fraction less than 1 percent” of all air arrivals received by The Bahamas in 2019, when a record 1.8m stopovers arrived on these shores pre-COVID, he added: “We need to change that narrative.”

While the pandemic’s lockdowns and related travel/border restrictions dropped stopover visitors to just 1,982 in 2020, they bounced back to near preCOVID levels last year at 3,378. And, for 2022, Dr Romer said this number has jumped by two-thirds in only four months to beat 2021’s full-year total.

“So Andros is already among the leaders in terms of overall foreign air

arrivals,” the aviation chief.

“I believe this year, 2022, is going to be the banner year... I believe we are climbing, taking flight, with opportunities for growth in air travel.”

Andros’ niche tourism sectors, such as diving, snorkelling, bird watching, eco-tourism and flats and bonefishing will likely have helped spur this increase, together with the pent-up demand for travel post-COVID and a desire by many vacationers to explore more remote destinations.

However, Dr Romer, who was moderator for the Andros Business Outlook’s panel discussions, earlier had to listen while hotel operators and airlines listed multiple concerns and complaints relating to airlift into the island - the sector that falls under his watch.

Michael King-Hew, chief executive and director for Kamalame Cay Private Island Resort and Residences, said simply: “Airlift is the issue. It is the constant issue and bane of everybody’s life...We either do a good job or a terrible job.”

Pointing out that the cancellation of fully-booked flights left passengers, who have already checked out of their resorts, with nowhere to go, he added that reliable, consistent flights

SEE PAGE 23

“Perhaps the most critical issue that I can see is ensuring you have guides for generations to come,” he revealed.

“The times I have been in The Bahamas, I can probably count on one hand the number of guides that I have met under 30 years of age as an arbitrary number.

“The Bahamas is very fortunate that it has a rich history and culture of fly fishing guides. There’s second and third generations guides.

There’s a history and culture there. Obviously, Charlie

Smith, but you don’t see a lot of young guides coming forward and that’s going to be critical in years to come as you look to build this industry and maximise the industry to bring guests to The Bahamas to fish.”

Confirming that Yellow Dog was willing to work with the Bahamas Agricultural and Industrial Corporation (BAIC) to help develop the latter’s certified training courses for fishing

SEE PAGE 20

$6.13

‘No break’: Property cover to stick near all-time high • Insurer: ‘No scope’ to reduce costly premiums • Set to remain high for ‘some considerable time’ • Dorian fall-out still ‘fresh’ enough to halt lapses

By NEIL HARTNELL Tribune Business Editor nhartnell@tribunemedia.net A BAHAMIAN insurer yesterday warned “there’s just no scope for a break” on property insurance prices that are “pretty close” to all-time highs following double-digit percentage increases last TOM DUFF year.

Tom Duff, Insurance Company of The Bahamas (ICB) general manager, told Tribune Business that Hurricane Dorian’s collective $1.89bn blow for the insurance industry, combined with forecasts that such “super storms” will become increasingly frequent and the reduction of reinsurance capacity as firms exit the market, mean that Bahamian businesses and homeowners will have to live with high premium rates “for some considerable time”.

Asserting that there was little property owners can do, he explained: “All the information we’re getting, first of all from the

SEE PAGE 22