CARS! CARS!
WIN TWO BAHAMASAIR TICKETS: SEE FRIDAY’S AROUND DA ISLANDS
WEDNESDAY
The Tribune L AT E S T
HIGH 89ºF LOW 81ºF
N E W S
CLASSIFIEDS TRADER
O N
T R I B U N E 2 4 2 . C O M
Biggest And Best!
Volume: 123 No. 141, Wednesday, June 17, 2026
THE PEOPLE’S PAPER: PRICE–$1
ARSON DISPLACES FORTY RESIDENTS Police suspect woman started blaze after an altercation with partner By LYNAIRE MUNNINGS Tribune Staff Reporter lmunnings@tribunemedia.net A FIRE believed to have erupted from a domestic dispute destroyed a seven-unit apartment building on Infant View Road on Monday, displacing about 40 people and leaving a 39-year-old woman in police custody. The blaze gutted the upper apartments of the two-storey stone structure and left the lower units damaged by heat
and water. No injuries were reported. Police said officers from the Fire Services Department were alerted shortly before 3pm and dispatched three fire units to the scene. Firefighters arrived to find flames consuming the multi-unit building and worked to contain and extinguish the blaze before it spread further. Police said preliminary investigations revealed that a man and a woman believed to be ARSON - SEE PAGE TWO
Apartment buidling scarred by fire which police suspect set by a woman after an altercation with her partner. Photo: Nikia Charlton
Country about 300 teachers short Mitchell apologises ‘unreservedly’ to but too many parents ‘disengaged’ family of Claudia Edwards Bethel By LEANDRA ROLLE Tribune Chief Reporter lrolle@tribunemedia.net
EDUCATION Minister Chester Cooper.
EDUCATION Minister Chester Cooper yesterday rejected the long-running claim that Bahamian students are a “D average”, calling the label an “inaccurate and tragic mistake”
By LEANDRA ROLLE Tribune Chief Reporter lrolle@tribunemedia.net
while revealing that the country is about 300 teachers short across various disciplines. During his budget contribution, Mr Cooper said there is no “statistically possible” way to calculate a national average accurately, SHORT - SEE PAGE FOUR
FOREIGN Affairs Minister Fred Mitchell
FOREIGN Affairs Minister Fred Mitchell apologised “unreservedly” yesterday to Claudia Edwards Bethel’s family and estate, but declined to say whether the former senior immigration
officer who took custody of her under false pretences and raped her at his home while she was unlawfully detained was allowed to receive retirement benefits before leaving the public service. His statement came after APOLOGY - SEE PAGE THREE
OFFICIALS ‘UNDERESTIMATED POWER OUTAGE SEVERITY’ By EARYEL BOWLEG Tribune Staff Reporter ebowleg@tribunemedia.net ENERGY Minister JoBeth Coleby-Davis admitted yesterday that officials underestimated the severity of outages hitting residents and businesses so far this summer. Speaking outside BPL’s Big Pond substation, Mrs
Coleby-Davis said most of the recent outages stem from transmission and distribution upgrades that were supposed to be completed by the end of May, but were delayed by eight weeks after the murder of Pike employee Cody Castillo. The delay, she said, forced OUTAGE - SEE PAGE FIVE
ENERGY, Utilities and Aviation Minister Jobeth Coleby-Davis speaks to the media yesterday. Photo: Nikia Charlton
Nassau & Bahama Islands’ Leading Newspaper
PAGE 2, Wednesday, June 17, 2026
THE TRIBUNE
Woman in custody after dispute sparks fire displacing 40 people ARSON from page one in a relationship had been involved in an altercation before the fire. Witnesses reportedly saw the woman carrying a plastic bottle containing a brown liquid. At some point during or shortly after the dispute, flames were seen coming from a south-eastern apartment occupied by the woman, police said. She was later seen fleeing west along Infant View Road. The apartment complex contained seven units, although three were occupied by the woman’s relatives. Among those displaced was 32-year-old Robin Pierre, a mother of three who had lived in the building for 15 years and lost nearly everything just weeks before she is due to begin work as a nurse intern at Princess Margaret Hospital. “We lost money, and then we lost our clothing, our documents, our full essentials, our stove, fridge, our living room set, mattress, everything,” Ms Pierre told The Tribune yesterday. “We weren’t able to retrieve anything.” Ms Pierre said her family escaped unharmed, a fact she said outweighed the loss of their belongings. “I was making sure that none of my family members was injured or harmed, and then after learning of everybody, ended up coming out, I was ecstatic, you know, like nobody was harmed, nobody was hurt,” she said. “It was only material things that we lost, and that can be replaced. It’s gonna take some time, but at the end of the day, we will end up getting things back, but more importantly, life was quite fine
THE CHARRED remains of the apartment where police believe a woman set far to the building after an altercation with her partner. that, you know, everybody was quite okay.” Still, the fire struck at a pivotal moment for Ms Pierre, who recently graduated from the University of The Bahamas’ nursing programme and is scheduled to begin work as a nurse intern at PMH on July 13. “All my scrubs, all my nursing essentials got lost in the fire, so like the time frame is so fast approaching, like I don’t have anything now, so it put us back like ten steps backwards, especially me, because I am like the breadwinner in the family.
“My parents are senior citizens, they are old, and my mom has a medical issue, so you know I am the breadwinner, I provide everything, so I have to go now and figure out how we are going to get from point A to point B.” Ms Pierre said she is trying to remain steady for her family. “I have to stay strong for everybody, because if they see the head breakdown, then it’s like if the foundation breaks down, who else to hold?” she said. Ms Pierre said her family is now sharing a
one-bedroom home with relatives while awaiting assistance from the Department of Social Services. She said community members have begun donating groceries, clothing and other necessities. She appealed for public help, saying any donation would help her family
rebuild. A GoFundMe campaign established for her has a target of $5,500. Asked about the fundraising goal, she said: “I did that because I was being realistic with myself, because I don’t want to burden anybody. I just wanted some people to assist me on getting like my first and last and
Photos: Nikia Charlton security deposit, and also to be able to get some home essentials, such as a bed, bedroom set, even if it is second-hand,” she said yesterday. The owner of the building declined to comment on the fire, but said the property had been in the family’s possession since the 1980s.
THE TRIBUNE
Wednesday, June 17, 2026, PAGE 3
Gov’t issues apology to family of rape victim APOLOGY from page one the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council ruled on Thursday that the state was vicariously liable for Edwards Bethel’s unlawful detention and rape by former senior immigration officer Norman Bastian. The case will now return to a lower court for damages to be assessed. Mr Mitchell said the government accepts the ruling and condemned Bastian’s conduct. “We wish to make it clear that the government of The Bahamas does not in any way support or condone his unlawful conduct,” he said. Long Island MP Dr Andre Rollins, the opposition’s shadow minister for immigration, asked Mr Mitchell whether Bastian had been permitted to receive retirement benefits before his dismissal after the minister said Bastian had been retired from the public service in the public interest. Mr Mitchell did not comment. He said a multi-agency task force was established after the Davis administration took office to address oversight weaknesses within the security forces. “The work of that task force has already resulted in changes that strengthen the processes,”
he said. “The Minister of State will advance proposals shortly for consultation with all stakeholders. The officer, Norman Bastian, who perpetrated the wrong, has been retired from the public service in the public interest.” Mr Mitchell’s statement went further than Attorney General Wayne Munroe’s response on Monday. Mr Munroe acknowledged the Privy Council ruling and said the government would pay damages, but stopped short of apologising to Edwards Bethel’s family, saying “some things are more important than sorry.” Edwards Bethel, a Jamaican woman who had been married to a Bahamian citizen since 2010, was arrested during a December 13, 2014 police raid at the Twilight Bar along with a group of Jamaican women. Bastian lied to his superior to obtain custody of Edwards Bethel, falsely implying that a female immigration officer would accompany them. He then drove her around New Providence before taking her to his home, where he raped her, detained her overnight, sexually assaulted her and raped her again the following morning. Edwards Bethel died at Princess Margaret Hospital in May 2021, one day after giving birth to her fourth child, Emmanuel. She was 35. PLP CHAIRMAN AND FOREIGN AFFAIRS MINISTER FRED MITCHELL
Women United blasts lack of funds for violence commission WOMEN United has accused the Davis administration of weakening its own anti-violence law, noting that the recently appointed Protection Against Violence Commission has been left without a dedicated allocation in the 2026/27 budget. The group’s president, Lisa Bostwick-Dean, said the Draft Estimates of Revenue and Expenditure presented by the Ministry of Finance do not appear to contain an express allocation for the commission, the body created to drive the Protection Against Violence Act. When the bill was debated in 2023, Prime Minister Philip “Brave” Davis said the commission would help coordinate national support for victims, oversee implementation of a national strategic plan and have direct access to funds for community programmes. The commission was formally appointed with effect from February 1, 2026, and publicly announced on March 2, nearly three years after the law was gazetted. Its chair, Marisa Mason-Smith, later told The Tribune she expected the body to be fully established and operational by May, though it did not yet have a permanent office and was operating from the Ministry
mechanism for implementing the law — was not established until February 1, 2026. “This sequence of events — a law passed in 2023, the Commission established only on the eve of an election, and then left unfunded in the very first budget following that election — suggests a troubling lack of genuine commitment to using the tools in the Act to assist in the fight against violence,” Mrs Bostwick-Dean said. The commission is supposed to coordinate a national response to violence by linking government ministries, support service providers and community organisations. The law was designed to strengthen protections for victims of violence and create a framework for support services, including shelters, victim advocacy,
WOMEN UNITED PRESIDENT LISA BOSTWICK-DEAN of Social Services’ building. Women United said the apparent absence of funding in the first budget after the commission’s appointment raises doubts about whether the government intends to fully use the law’s
tools to confront violence. The group noted that the Protection Against Violence Act was passed in July 2023 and received Senate approval on August 2, 2023, but that the commission — which it called the central
data monitoring and coordinated assistance. Women United said Mrs Mason-Smith’s ability to fulfil the commission’s mandate would be “severely hampered” without money. The group said the commission is expected to develop a national strategic plan, coordinate support for victims, ensure adequate shelter provision and certify funding for community projects. It said the Act provides that the commission’s funds shall include money appropriated by Parliament, meaning the body cannot function properly without a budgetary allocation. “A Commission without funding is a Commission without capacity,” Mrs Bostwick-Dean said. “It cannot appoint advocates for victims. It cannot liaise with shelters. It cannot support service providers. It
cannot certify funding for community projects. It is, in effect, a shell.” Women United said violence against women and children remains a persistent crisis and argued that the commission is needed to deliver the multidisciplinary response the Act promised. The group called on the government to immediately identify where the commission is funded in the budget or, if it was omitted, to move money from elsewhere to properly resource it. Mrs Bostwick-Dean said the Davis administration’s Blueprint for Progress 2026 promised to “fully resource and operationalise the Protection Against Violence Act.” “That promise must be kept,” she said. “The women and children of The Bahamas deserve nothing less.”
PAGE 4, Wednesday, June 17, 2026
THE TRIBUNE
Minister calls ‘D average’ label inaccurate and tragic Short from page one even as he acknowledged the phrase has become part of the country’s vocabulary as an expression of public frustration with the education system. He said the Davis administration’s challenge is not simply to produce students who pass exams, but to develop citizens who can read, think critically, communicate effectively and thrive. “We have capable young people, many of whom an outdated system has not yet unlocked,” he said during yesterday’s budget debate. “So, we intend to stop grading only the students, and start grading the system that is meant to serve them, and we will be measured on whether we fix it.” His comments came as he outlined plans to strengthen the education system, backed by a $383.6 million recurrent allocation to the Ministry of Education. Mr Cooper acknowledged deep weaknesses, saying too many children are not reading at grade level, struggle with mathematics and leave
school without the skills employers need. He also said too many parents remain disengaged and uninterested. “But The Bahamas is capable,” he said, “We are not without talent, ideas or resources. What we must bring now is even more focus, more discipline, more urgency, more accountability, more engagement and more partnership. And a willingness to measure success not by speeches, not by photo ops, but by outcomes.” Mr Cooper said a key priority this year is strengthening the ministry’s ability to track graduation outcomes and workforce readiness. He said the ministry will continue to issue certificates and prepare students for careers, but stressed that the country must do more to produce citizens equipped to contribute meaningfully to national life. Among the reforms under consideration is the introduction of additional secondary school diploma pathways, set to begin in the 2027 academic year. Mr Cooper said the proposal supports the ministry’s
“So, we intend to stop grading only the students, and start grading the system that is meant to serve them, and we will be measured on whether we fix it.” EDUCATION MINISTER CHESTER COOPER goal of increasing graduation rates to 85 percent by 2030 and reflects international best practice by offering students multiple routes to success while maintaining high standards and a shared goal of secondary school completion. Under the plan, students would pursue diplomas aligned with their strengths,
interests and career aspirations. “We would be looking at three diploma pathways: an academic diploma with an honours distinction as well for exceptional academic performance,” he said. “A vocational diploma. And a special education diploma.” Mr Cooper also pledged to
confront teacher shortages. He said the ministry’s focus ahead of the new school year is ensuring schools are ready to reopen, with repairs completed and infrastructure problems addressed. He said the ministry must break the cycle of emergency summer repairs and
strengthen its in-house maintenance capacity. “Schools should not have to wait until June and then July for budget drawdowns to fix what breaks for September; stronger internal maintenance capacity and process is how we end that cycle,” he said. Mr Cooper also announced plans for a new Bahamas Technical and Vocational Institute campus, saying the institution has outgrown its current facilities and urgently needs a modern, purpose-built home. He said the government has identified 30 acres of land near Government High School as the proposed site and secured a $10 million financing facility to advance planning and design. “Our long-term vision is to create a world-class technical education campus that will serve thousands of students annually and become the centerpiece of technical and vocational education in The Bahamas. The full development of this campus is expected to represent an investment of approximately $250 million over several phases.”
Hanna-Martin urges focus on local tourism spending By LEANDRA ROLLE Tribune Chief Reporter lrolle@tribunemedia.net THE Bahamas welcomed nearly five million visitor arrivals in the first four months of this year,
period in 2019 and a 13.9 per cent rise compared to last year. Foreign air arrivals also grew, rising by 5.5 per cent over the same period in 2018 and by 4.3 per cent compared to 2025. On spending, she said estimates place cruise passenger expenditure between $85 and $150, compared to an average of about $2,700 per stopover visitor. “In other words, 80 per cent of visitors come via cruise and contribute approximately 20 per cent to tourism spending. I do not think the case can be made any stronger than what these stark figures expose.” She said more must be done to encourage cruise passengers to spend beyond controlled areas and engage with the broader economy. She added that discussions will soon begin with industry stakeholders and cruise lines to improve spending patterns and convert cruise visitors into
“The question we must keep asking is, how much value each visitor generates, and how much of every tourism dollar stays in the local economy.” Tourism Minister Glenys Hanna-Martin revealed yesterday, as she urged a shift in how tourism success is measured. Mrs Hanna-Martin presented the latest figures in the House of Assembly yesterday, while stressing that growth in arrivals does not automatically translate into greater prosperity. She said between January and April, the country recorded 4.9 million visitors by air and sea across all islands — an 88 per cent increase over the same TOURISM MINISTER GLENYS HANNA-MARTIN
future stopover tourists. “Many destinations have learned that increasing arrivals does not on its own increase prosperity,” she said. “The Bahamas already attracts high-spending visitors, so the work before us is to maximize local capture of that spending.” “The question we must keep asking is, how much value each visitor generates, and how much of every tourism dollar stays in the local economy.” She said the goal is to increase visitor expenditure, length of stay, repeat visitation and the proportion of tourism revenue retained within The Bahamas. The strategy, she added, is built on five pillars, including tourism yield and economic retention, airlift and connectivity, climate-resilient tourism, and digital tourism leadership. She also pledged a stronger focus on workforce development, saying too many Bahamians remain under-represented in high-income tourism positions. “It is insane and that must change and it will change,” she said.
Minister blames delayed upgrades and heat for severe BPL outages
THE TRIBUNE
Wednesday, June 17, 2026, PAGE 5
OUTAGE from page one
BPL and Bahamas Grid Company to continue critical infrastructure work during a period of extreme heat, leaving parts of the grid strained while some circuits are taken offline for upgrades. “We didn’t expect it to be as bad,” she said. “As I stated, the heat that we’re experiencing in these months are normally in August, September, which means this work would have been finished. Sometimes we can’t tell. “One of the challenges that we’ve experienced over the past few weeks is the inconvenience of the outages at different times in different areas. In my budget communication, I explained that most of the outages are attributed to the upgrades, and one part of it is the fact that we are actually working in a time that was not a part of our project timeline. Our project timeline had us slated to be completed by the end of May. Unfortunately, the incident that occurred with Pike employee had us delayed by eight weeks, and because of that, we are now having to complete our upgrades in a time period that also have extreme heat. What we’re seeing is some of our circuits has to be offline for the work, the upgrades to be completed.” Mrs Coleby-Davis said many areas that would normally be supplied by two circuits are now operating on one, worsening the impact of high temperatures she said are typically felt in August and September but are now being experienced in May and June. She said the project is 95 percent complete and officials expect “another few weeks” of work. She warned residents to expect
ENERGY, Utilities and Aviation Minister Jobeth Colbey-Davis with BPL and Bahamas Grid officials visit a new substation being built to be ready for the summer yesterday. Photos: Chappell Whyms Jr “some inconveniences” over the next few weeks, but said the disruptions are part of building a more reliable power system that can better withstand future incidents. Her comments came hours after the Ministry of Energy acknowledged in a statement the frustration and inconvenience residents and businesses have faced because of recent outages, particularly during the summer months. The ministry said the system has enough power to meet demand, but ongoing transmission and distribution upgrades have forced portions of the grid to operate in an unusual configuration while critical infrastructure work continues. “Some parts of the grid are currently being supplied by fewer circuits than usual, and during times of high demand and extreme heat, that reduced capacity puts extra strain on the system. It’s much like plugging too
many appliances into a single circuit at home. The electricity is there, but the path delivering it is pushed beyond its normal limits,” the statement said. Mrs Coleby-Davis gave a similar explanation, saying some outages result from system overloads rather than insufficient generation. “When we have planned outages, we provide that detail early on, but then there are instances where, as I stated in my communications today to the public, where you would have a system overload,” she said. “That does not mean that we don’t have generation capacity. What that means is the system has too much power coming at one time and then that causes it to, like you say in your home, the breaker tripped and what we have to do is to reduce the load to bring those areas back online, and we hope that it is continued to be minimized.” Officials said significant progress has been
Coleby-Davis dodges questions on plane with expired documents By EARYEL BOWLEG Tribune Staff Reporter ebowleg@tribunemedia.net AVIATION Minister JoBeth Coleby-Davis walked away from reporters yesterday without saying whether the government would investigate how a plane carrying 11 Bahamians, including a man later indicted in a US drug conspiracy case, was able to fly despite expired documentation. Her refusal to answer made her the latest Davis administration official to avoid questions arising from matters brought into public view by US authorities after Jonathan Gardiner was arrested and indicted in the United States the day after the aircraft ditched into the sea off Florida. The aircraft, a Beechcraft 300 King Air twin-prop registered in Panama as HP-1859, was forced to ditch into the sea on May 12 after departing Marsh Harbour, Abaco, for Freeport. Captain Rafael Barcenas, managing director of the Civil Aeronautics Authority of Panama, confirmed the aircraft’s documentation expired on June 4, 2025, and said it should not have been flying after that date. Asked on the sidelines of an event how the aircraft was able to fly if its documents had expired last year, Mrs Coleby-Davis said: “I'll have to get further details from Civil Aviation.”
Asked whether the government would investigate, she stepped back and did not answer. Meanwhile, Free National Movement leader Michael Pintard welcomed news that the Royal Bahamas Police Force’s (RBPF) had started an investigation into the plane crash and the ‘disturbing allegations’ of drug dealing in the House of Assembly with an unnamed politician. “It is disappointing that neither the RBPF nor the Ministry of National Security saw fit to notify the public that these matters were under active investigation with a formal statement,” said Mr Pintard. “At a time when the reputation of our democracy is under challenge, there can be no acceptable reason for anything less than full and proactive transparency. “We note that the Minister of Foreign Affairs called these matters a “nothing burger” and “gossip,” with the Speaker of the House adding that the allegations were “malicious” and “frivolous.” Clearly, the Police disagree.” Capt Barcenas could not confirm reports that the aircraft belonged to Gardiner, a convicted drug trafficker who was among the passengers rescued along with pilot Ian Nixon by the crew of a US military helicopter and flown to Melbourne, Florida. He said Panama
investigates such matters, but faces obstacles. “Panama carries out the investigations but with little success given the little collaboration.” The day after the rescue, Gardiner, known as “Player,” was arrested by US authorities and indicted on drug smuggling conspiracy charges in connection with a three-year drug conspiracy operation centred on The Bahamas. According to the US Drugs Enforcement Agency, Gardiner allegedly had three phones and a cross-body bag containing about $30,000 in Bahamian currency. The Aircraft Accident Investigation Authority initially said it had received preliminary information about the May 12 incident involving the Beechcraft 300 King Air, which crashed off the coast of Florida near Vero Beach. US Coast Guard and US Air Force search and rescue teams found all 11 occupants about 50 nautical miles northwest of Vero Beach. Three passengers reportedly suffered minor injuries. The AAIA said the incident appeared to have occurred outside Bahamian territorial waters and that relevant authorities had been notified, including Panama as the state of registry and the United States as the state of design and manufacture.
To advertise in The Tribune, contact 502-2394
made at the Fire Trail Road substation, where a new transformer has been installed and crews are completing cable installation and commissioning work expected to finish within four days. Once energised, the substation will operate with two transformers,
increasing capacity, improving load sharing and strengthening reliability for customers in the area. BPL Executive Chairman Christina Alston described the Big Pond substation as a “historic” and “world-class” facility and said the total package of work is worth about $130 million. “You really don’t need another substation like this. This is a monumental substation, as you can see, it takes up a lot of space. We will have several of the most important lines, the transmission lines that
serve this particular island will come through this particular substation,” she said. “What that does for us is, if there is an anomaly, lightning, a weather event, what will happen is the switches at this substation will open up and it will redirect power flow. When we talk about reliability, that is what you want for this system to do. So we’re breaking up several transmission lines, so that we can redirect power flow to make sure that we keep the reliability on the island up and running.”
PAGE 6, Monday, Wednesday, June 17, 2026
THE TRIBUNE
The Tribune Limited NULLIUS ADDICTUS JURARE IN VERBA MAGISTRI “Being Bound to Swear to The Dogmas of No Master”
LEON E. H. DUPUCH,
Publisher/Editor 1903-1914
SIR ETIENNE DUPUCH,
Kt., O.B.E., K.M., K.C.S.G., (Hon.) LL.D., D.Litt . Publisher/Editor 1919-1972 Contributing Editor 1972-1991
RT HON EILEEN DUPUCH CARRON,
C.M.G., M.S., B.A., LL.B. Publisher/Editor 1972-
Published daily Monday to Friday
Shirley & Deveaux Streets, Nassau, Bahamas N3207 TELEPHONES News & General Information Advertising Manager Circulation Department Nassau fax Freeport, Grand Bahama Freeport fax
(242) 502-2350 (242) 502-2394 (242) 502-2386 (242) 328-2398 (242)-352-6608 (242) 352-9348
WEBSITE, TWITTER & FACEBOOK www.tribune242.com
@tribune242
tribune news network
Are women really any safer today? THE case of Claudia Edwards Bethel, who died while waiting for justice after she was raped by a senior immigration officer, has understandably seen a notable response from the public. But in the years since her detention in 2014 and the subsequent assault, have we really committed to treating women any better or affording women better access to protection and justice? One of the significant talking points during the first term of Prime Minister Philip Davis was the issue of gender violence. A Gender-Based Violence Bill was proposed, that would have sought to protect women from abuse and violence. In February 2022, then Social Services Minister Lisa Rahming said: “In July 2012, at that time the government of The Bahamas has participated in the United Nations entity for general equality and empowerment of women. They committed at the time that they were going to bring together this Gender-Based Violence Bill, from 2012, at that time the Christie administration.” Mr Davis was Deputy Prime Minister at the time, so the topic will have been familiar to him as he took office with the word “Deputy” being removed for him to sit in the top chair. However, the Gender-Based Violence Bill changed – and became instead a Protection Against Violence Bill. In July 2023, as the House of Assembly passed the altered bill, several women’s rights groups and leaders criticised the legislation, saying the bill they supported was more comprehensive than the one that was passed. Speaking about the legislation, Mr Davis said it would be a turning point, adding: “After the passage of this bill, we will need to make a tremendous effort to generate and allocate resources to hold training sessions and to update our systems and processes to meet our goals.” He said the legislation would establish the Protection Against Violence Commission, which would treat victims and “have access to justice without unnecessary delays and impediments”. It is now three years on from that moment – and the second term administration of Mr Davis is being criticised after the latest Budget has left the Protection Against Violence Commission without any funding allocation. The commission was only finally appointed in February of this year, with Marisa Mason-Smith as the chair. She said she expected the body to be fully operational by May, though it did not have a permanent office. Now here we are in June, a month past that operational date, and there is no specific funding allocated for the commission to do its work. Lisa Bostwick-Dean, president of Women United, was doubtful of how seriously the government is taking the legislation or its enactment. She said: “The sequence of events – a law passed in 2023, the Commission established only on the eve of an election, and then left unfunded in the very first Budget
following that election – suggests a troubling lack of genuine commitment to using the tools in the Act to assist in the fight against violence.” She added: “A Commission without funding is a Commission without capacity. It cannot appoint advocates for victims. It cannot liaise with shelters. It cannot support providers. It cannot certify funding for community projects. It is, in effect, a shell.” Such a commission is certainly a long way from being able to make the “tremendous effort” the Prime Minister referred to following its passing in the House. Domestic violence continues to be a major challenge in our society. Too many women are affected by violence, rape and even murder. Too many children are being raised in hostile environments where their mothers live in fear and have nowhere to go. The case of Claudia Edwards Bethel – and the long slow journey to justice that she was unable to see come to fruition after she died of COVID-19 in 2021 after giving birth to her fourth child in hospital – shows the challenge women have in finding justice from violence committed even by strangers. The challenge of proving abuse in the home is an even higher bar for women to be able to pass. The very laws that first seem to have been watered-down to a lesser bill and then not funded at all show the level of priority being given to such protection. Are women any safer now than when Claudia was raped? Would such a crime not happen today, or would we repeat the same cycle all over again? If we pass laws, we should mean them. We should not simply pay lip service to such legislation. A simple explanation ought to be forthcoming. If there is no funding, how can the bill prevent such violence? If not now, then when?
Kudos to Mitchell In yesterday’s Tribune, we noted the reluctance of Attorney General Wayne Munroe to apologise for the violence that was suffered by Claudia Edwards Bethel, despite a Privy Council ruling that also held the government responsible. Credit then to Foreign Affairs Minister Fred Mitchell, who apologised unreservedly to Claudia’s family, and went on to say that the government “does not in any way support or condone [her attacker’s] unlawful conduct”. There was a call for an apology after the Privy Council ruling, and Mr Mitchell has done the right thing. Where others fight shy of speaking up, Mr Mitchell is to be applauded for saying sorry. We appreciate him taking the time to say so, and we hope Claudia’s family take some sense of vindication for the acknowledgement that what happened was very, very wrong.
Stop spraying poison EDITOR, The Tribune. THE government must stop spraying that chemical spray in the air in this country to kill mosquitoes. The drivers slowly drive through neighborhoods in trucks and fill the air with a horrible smelling chemical. It fills your house quickly. Closing the windows does not help. It smells like poison. here are natural sprays that can be used that won’t hurt humans, bees or other insects. How do they know if this
spray is not contributing to the high rate of cancer in this country? If it is, the government can be sued because they are the ones who ask for it to be sprayed in our neighborhoods. Bees are very important for pollination and the growing of food. Bahamian environmentalist need to get involved. Tests need to be done on this spray to see if it contains cancer-causing agents. How does it affect humans, pets and bees?
We should not be knowingly killing bees if we care about our environment and farming. They should not use that spray. Find an environmentally friendly, chemical free spray. Stop exposing the nation to harmful chemicals. Do not expose the Bahamian people to poison and act like it’s no big deal. NO MORE POISON IN THE AIR Nassau, June 14, 2026.
Public Service not a tool for victimisation EDITOR, The Tribune. THE Bahamas Public Service is a vital institution for the nation’s efficient, non-political government and progress. The Public Service of the Bahamas faces a deeply rooted and persistent problem: the complex and often harmful entanglement between political allegiance and career advancement and the delivery of fairness and efficient service for its internal and external clientele. This widespread issue has become especially pronounced since the era of Majority Rule, often means that career trajectories within government are influenced more by perceived loyalty to the ruling political party—be it the Progressive Liberal Party (PLP) or the Free National Movement (FNM)—than by merit, competence, and dedication to all of its clientele…be it to the government, and the people both external or internal… The evolution of The Bahamas’ Public Service marks and made a significant transition from its colonial origins to its current role as the administrative backbone of an independent nation. This change is more than just a change in name; it Must reflects a fundamental transformation in its structure, operational philosophy, and core mandate to serve the Bahamian people and the government of the Bahamas. During its colonial days, the public service mainly functioned as an extension of imperial power. Its structure was rigidly hierarchical, often staffed at senior levels by expatriates whose primary loyalty and directives came from London. Decisions were primarily driven by Crown interests or to support the economic aims of local merchant elites, rather than to promote broad national development. With independence in 1973, a profound shift took place. The service adopted a Bahamian-led Westminster model, quickly localising administrative and leadership roles previously inaccessible to citizens. This process, known as “Bahamianisation,” was not merely a personnel change but a redefinition of purpose, empowering commissions to uphold higher standards of conduct and service delivery. Its reach expanded significantly beyond New Providence, extending essential government functions and opportunities across the scattered Family Islands—a logistical and human resource challenge that strengthened national unity and accessibility. For years, the Public Service grappled with deep-rooted operational inefficiencies, caused by inherited colonial administrative practices, underinvestment in infrastructure, and rapid post-independence expansion. These issues manifested as delays in staff confirmations, complicated promotion procedures, and reliance on outdated
LETTERS letters@tribunemedia.net paper-based filing systems that hampered responsiveness and transparency, often damaging public confidence. Recognising these systemic issues, the Ministry of Labor and the Public Service has led comprehensive reforms to modernise the institution. Updates to the Public Service Act and General Orders are addressing current workforce needs, including flexible and remote work policies to improve agility and worklife balance. Progressive measures such as expanded paternity leave and mental health support demonstrate a commitment to staff well-being. Modernised pension schemes and ongoing salary reviews aim to attract and retain talented public officers in a competitive labor market. Amidst these structural and cultural changes, one core principle remains central: political neutrality. Public servants are bound by strict ethical guidelines and laws designed to ensure they serve the state and citizens, not any political party. This impartiality is vital in a democracy, protecting public trust and ensuring fair service delivery, far removed from colonial loyalty to the Crown. The ongoing challenge is balancing tradition with innovation to keep the Public Service a resilient and responsive engine for national progress. Over the decades, this environment has forced public servants to develop nuanced and often self-protective adaptability. What is known as “professional loyalty shifting” goes beyond mere opportunism; it is a sophisticated survival tactic. Individuals navigate a delicate landscape, adjusting their public stance and affiliations to protect their livelihoods and career prospects within a highly politicised system. This behavior is often rooted in experiences of political victimisation, such as blocked promotions, arbitrary transfers, or dismissals based on suspected political loyalties. Such practices form an unspoken code within the public sector. This code rewards conformity and strategic alignment, discouraging independent thinking, objective analysis, and merit-based performance. The consequences are serious: weakening institutional memory, stifling innovation, and shifting focus from national goals to partisan interests. Ultimately, this undermines governance, diminishes the fairness and quality of public services, and erodes citizens’ trust in institutions. Since 1967, Bahamian politics have seen fierce contests between the PLP and FNM, often bringing these issues to the surface. Each change of government can create an atmosphere of uncertainty, with review processes for roles and personnel sometimes seen
as politically motivated rather than merit-based. For dedicated professionals, proving loyalty or demonstrating political flexibility has become an unofficial requirement for career stability and advancement, leading to a troubling dependence of professional fate on perceived political allegiance. Fixing this deeply ingrained and harmful cycle needs a comprehensive reform approach. It involves establishing strong, legally enforceable safeguards against political interference, and implementing transparent, independent processes for hiring, promotion, and retention. Equally important is a cultural shift within the public sector—one that promotes professionalism, upholds high ethical standards, and prioritises service and national interests above partisan loyalties. Open and inclusive national dialogue on these issues is essential to strengthen democracy and develop an impartial, resilient, and effective public service that can serve all Bahamians fairly, regardless of political affiliations. I wish to, end on a personal note, I entered the Public Service in 1963. Back then, the “service” was governed by a strict set of rules known as the General Orders. I recall, as a very young teacher, making the mistake of writing and sending that letter to the Director of Education. The letter was returned to me with a note directing me to send it through the proper channel, that is, via the headmaster. In truth, the Bahamian Public Service today is not what it was in its early days, or when it first commenced, during the colonial period under Great Britain. There was, indeed, a clear chain of command. Today, even junior public servants can communicate directly with senior officials, including the Prime Minister or any Minister, without the senior public servants being aware. Furthermore, there are junior officers who sometimes tell senior officers what they intend to do. Additionally, politicians who receive such letters often forward them to senior public officers for action instead having returning the correspondence to the sender so that it can be sent to senior public officer can deal with the matter. Now, it also behooves senior officers never to allow matters to be allowed to become out of control that a situation that could have resolved. become put of control… Finally, I can remember twice in my professional life that the Public Service was used as a tool of victimisation in 1977 and in 1998, and I thought that I stood alone…But I know that I was vindicated, and now know that I was never alone. DR DONALD M McCARTNEY Freeport, Grand Bahama June 14, 2026.
Let’s fix the rules, not just the people EDITOR, The Tribune. THE more things change, the more they stay the same. Every few years, we hear the same story. Somebody stole. Somebody lied. Somebody abused their power. Then things quiet down. New people come in. And a few years later, we’re back arguing about the same thing. If you watch the House of Assembly, it’s the same pattern. Lots of finger-pointing. Not much talk about how to fix the actual rules. We spend time asking “who did it?” but not enough time asking “why was it so easy to do?”
The problem isn’t just “bad people.” The problem is weak systems. When things are done in secret, when rules change depending on who you know, and when nobody is checking the books, people will take advantage. That’s how you get corruption, drugs moving through our ports, illegal immigrants, and people smuggling. Same weak rules, different crime. It happens with any government, any time. It’s not about one party. The same weak rules are also why crime keeps going up in our streets. When people see that the law doesn’t apply to everyone, they stop
believing in it. Why follow the rules if the big man doesn’t have to? We can’t just lock people up and expect crime to stop. We can’t just fire one person and expect corruption to stop. We have to change how things work. Make the process open. Check the books. Make the rules the same for everybody. Until we change the rules, Parliament will be in a constant debate about corruption. God bless The Bahamas ANTHONY PRATT Nassau, June 14, 2026.
THE TRIBUNE
Wednesday, June 17, 2026, PAGE 7
Accuser denies fabricating Moxey touts GB rebound rape claim over owed money By KEILE CAMPBELL Tribune Staff Reporter kcampbell@tribunemedia.net A WOMAN who accused a man of rape told a Supreme Court jury yesterday that he threatened her with a firearm, choked her and sexually assaulted her after offering her a ride to work in March 2023. The complainant, Lyndie Milien, testified through a Creole interpreter before Justice Jeanine WeechGomez and identified Kennedy Ingraham in court as the man she said raped her after taking her to a property in Coral Harbour. Defence attorney Sonia Timothy-Knowles challenged her account, alleging the encounter was consensual and that Ms Milien fabricated the rape claim after Ingraham refused to pay her $250. Ms Milien denied those allegations throughout cross-examination. She told the court she left her Fire Trail Road home on March 20, 2023, and travelled by bus to Bacardi Road, where she left her one-year-old child with a caregiver before heading to work at Solomon’s Fresh Market in Old Fort Bay. She said Ingraham, who was 40 at the time, stopped and offered her a ride. Although she initially got into the back seat, she said he told her to sit in the front. Ms Milien said they spoke about her child and work before Ingraham drove to a property in Coral Harbour and asked her to enter a building. She
said she refused and stayed in the vehicle. She testified that he later returned from the house with what appeared to be an immigration jacket before threatening her with a firearm. Ms Milien alleged that Ingraham climbed over from the driver’s side of the vehicle, pinned her down and sexually assaulted her. She said she asked for a condom before he allegedly responded, “I'm going to give you another child.” Ms Milien testified that Ingraham told her he would kill her if she refused to have sex with him. She said she begged him not to kill her because she had a baby. She said he later dropped her near Fresh Market. She told jurors she recorded the vehicle’s licence plate number and later reported the matter to police. Ms Milien said she struggled to explain what had happened when she first arrived at a police station because she could not communicate effectively in English. She said she tried to use gestures before she was taken to the Criminal Investigation Department on University Drive. She testified that she later accompanied police officers to the area where the alleged assault occurred and identified a residence shown in photographs during the trial as the property where Mr Ingraham had taken her. She also identified photographs of a vehicle and a tattoo she said belonged to her attacker. Asked whether she
recognised the man in the dock, she pointed to Ingraham and identified him as the person who raped her. During cross-examination, Ms Timothy-Knowles questioned Ms Milien’s ability to identify the Coral Harbour property, noting that she had only been there once before returning with police. Ms Milien insisted she recognised the residence and pointed it out in photographs shown to the jury. Ms Timothy-Knowles suggested that Ms Milien had met Ingraham before and that he had previously given her rides. The attorney further suggested that Ms Milien and Ingraham had arranged to have sex and that she expected payment. Ms Timothy-Knowles put to Ms Milien that she fabricated the rape allegation after Ingraham refused to pay her $250 and that she tore her own shirt after the encounter. Ms Milien rejected those claims and denied that the sexual encounter was consensual. She also denied defence suggestions that Ingraham never had a firearm, never choked her and never covered her mouth. The allegations stem from an incident prosecutors say occurred on March 20, 2023. Ingraham was charged later that month after police alleged he offered Ms Milien a ride before taking her to a Coral Harbour property and raping her.
Construction worker dies after fall from work site roof beam By LYNAIRE MUNNINGS Tribune Staff Reporter lmunnings@tribunemedia.net A CONSTRUCTION worker in his mid-20s has died after falling from a roof beam at a construction site just south of Prince Charles Drive, and the Ashley Furniture Store, police have confirmed. The deceased has been identified as Rednel Joseph. Police said Joseph was walking along a roof beam when he fell and suffered fatal injuries. His mother, Susie St Claire-Joseph, who was at the scene, said his death could have been prevented with proper safety equipment. “If he had something secure around his waist, he wouldn’t have fallen,” she said. Ms St Claire-Joseph said her son did not have children and had been the primary caregiver for his father, who had undergone three surgeries. She said he was also working to raise rent money, having been unable to pay since the 9th of the month.
but skips resort details By DENISE MAYCOCK Tribune Freeport Reporter dmaycock@tribunemedia.net GRAND Bahama Minister Ginger Moxey gave Parliament an upbeat account of Grand Bahama’s economic rebound on Monday but offered no new details on two of the island’s most consequential unresolved projects: the Grand Lucayan resort and Grand Bahama International Airport. Ms Moxey told the House of Assembly that Grand Bahama has recovered, rebuilt and is being revolutionised, citing more than $3.5 billion in investments and projects she said are transforming the island. However, her budget contribution did not answer key questions about the government’s plans for the Grand Lucayan or the future of the airport, two projects Opposition MPs have repeatedly pressed the Davis administration to explain. East Grand Bahama MP Kwasi Thompson asked Ms Moxey about the status of the Grand Lucayan project and when workers will be paid. Ms Moxey said the property remains central to wider tourism redevelopment efforts, hotel room inventory and Freeport’s economy, but she did not provide details on the immediate plans for the resort. She also highlighted ongoing work at the Grand Bahama International Airport, describing the facility as critical to tourism, transportation and investment. Although she said redevelopment efforts remain on track, she did not provide a timeframe or specific details on the work. The omissions came less than a week after Central Grand Bahama MP Frazette Gibson accused the government of leaving the public in the dark about the Grand Lucayan. “The country still does not know what the government intends to do on the Grand Lucayan,” she said during her budget contribution last week. “The matter is still shrouded in confusion and secrecy.” Ms Gibson also asked when outstanding wages and benefits would be paid to former Lucayan Renewal Holdings employees. She pressed the government for updates on efforts to attract a development partner for the Grand Bahama International Airport and questioned when preclearance service would be restored. During Monday’s debate, Ms Moxey highlighted several major developments, including the $600 million Celebration Key cruise destination, which has opened and is moving into a second phase of development. She said the $450 million MSC Cruise Port development is progressing and that the $348 million Royal Caribbean development at Xanadu Beach continues to advance. She also pointed to the Freeport Health Campus, which is under construction, and
GRAND BAHAMA MINISTER GINGER MOXEY Doctors Hospital, which she said is nearing completion. She said another dry dock has arrived at the Grand Bahama Shipyard, with more expected to strengthen the island’s maritime sector. She said construction is underway on the Innovate 242 business incubator and that Liwathon has acquired South Riding Point and reinvested in the property. Ms Moxey said visible improvements can be seen in downtown Freeport, while Island Impressions, a cultural attraction at the Grand Bahama Arts and Crafts Centre, is moving toward launch. She said work on the Fishing Hole Cultural Village will begin soon, preliminary work is underway for the reopening of West Sunrise Highway, and the acquisition of the International Bazaar and Royal Oasis property is nearing completion. She said the Afro-Caribbean Marketplace and Logistics Centre remains in the project preparation phase. Ms Moxey also said progress continues at the University of The Bahamas North campus, adding that Phase One is complete and Phase Two is expected to be fully functional by the fall 2026 semester. Earlier in the sitting, Ms Gibson questioned Ms Moxey about a reported $60,000 allocation for a youth club initiative after the minister said Agritech cadets are halfway through their year-long training programme and that the Young Innovators Club will begin an engagement tour of schools and youth organisations in September. Ms Moxey said she did not know what Ms Gibson was referring to.
Vacant Position: Finance and Administration Manager The body of a construction worker identified as Rednel Joseph is removed from the scene of an industrial accident yesterday. Photo: Chappell Whyms Jr “He died in a horrible way,” she said, adding that those who hired him should have provided proper equipment. Royal Bahamas Police Force Press Liaison Chief Superintendent Sheria King said officers responded after receiving an alert shortly before arriving at the scene, where they found that the man had fallen from a beam under construction. She extended
condolences to the family and urged workers in outdoor industries to take precautions during the hot summer months, including staying hydrated and exercising caution during construction, repairs and tree trimming. When asked whether the deceased had been provided with proper safety equipment, Ms King said she could not provide that information.
To advertise in The Tribune, contact 502-2394
Description The Finance and Administration Manager is a professional who provides oversight and guidance to Rentokil initial Finance and Human Resource staffing while liaising with the General Manager and Regional Managers for the oversight of the Branch. Responsibilities • To manage the accurate and timely preparation, review and submission of the Monthly Management Accounts (MMA) pack- including reliable Next Month and YTG forecasting for set KPIs of Portfolio, Revenue, PBT, Capital Expenditure, State of Service (SOS) and Operating Cash Flow. • To manage the effective functioning and performance of the Finance, Credit Control, IT and HR functions for the business. • To manage the successful delivery of set Collections, Days Sales Outstanding (DSO) and Cash targets of the business. • To ensure that adequate internal controls are in place and functioning within the business. • Adherence to Rentokil Initial’s chosen financial reporting requirements; currently International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS), Rentokil Initial’s internal audit standards and key controls. • Responsible for the filing of financial statements, tax and VAT in accordance with local legislation • To be the key liaison with the Internal and External Auditors of the Business • To review, maintain and improve where applicable the set Business Process Flows and Finance related policies in the Business. • To effectively communicate with the General Manager and Regional Finance Manager on all financial matters as is required under the Company Policies. • Manage the entire employee lifecycle by implementing and maintaining systems related to recruitment, on boarding, case management, staff communication, staff exit management etc. Requirements • First Degree in Finance, ACCA or equivalent accounting qualifications • A minimum of eight (8) years’ experience at management level or similar role • Computer literacy – Excel, Word and PowerPoint; Google Shets • People leadership experience with multi-team responsibilities • Ability to read and interpret accounting and financial reports • Good presentation & communication skills across all levels (written/verbal/non-verbal)
HOW TO APPLY
Email your resume and cover letter to Jknowles@cibains.com or drop off to the attention of Mr. Jerome L. Knowles at Confidence Insurance Bahamas Agency LTD. Shirley and Church Streets.
Remuneration/ Benefits • Competitive salary, pension, and medical plan • Career opportunities • Training • Working for an international company Please apply via website https://apply.workable.com/rentokil-initial/j/B79C95690F
PAGE 10, Wednesday, June 17, 2026
THE TRIBUNE
World News
Iran says the deal to end the war with the US requires Israel to withdraw from Lebanon By JON GAMBRELL, SAM METZ and SAMY MAGDY Associated Press IRAN’S top diplomat said Tuesday that the tentative deal to end the war with the United States would require Israel to withdraw from Lebanon — a condition Israel has already rejected and that could sink the agreement, leading to the resumption of all-out war. The deal, which is between the US and Iran, has not been made public, and officials have sometimes offered contradictory interpretations of what is in it. While Israel is not party to the agreement, it is part of the war after joining the US in launching strikes on Iran on Feb. 28. Israel has also fought the Iran-backed Hezbollah militant group in Lebanon and seized large swaths of that country. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said Israel’s continued occupation of southern Lebanon would violate the deal. “Without the withdrawal of Israeli forces from the territories they occupied during this war, the war has not fully come to an end,” Araghchi said. A US official, who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss outlines of the agreement, has said the deal does not call for an Israeli withdrawal. And Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Monday that Israel would remain in Lebanon “as long as necessary.” The negotiations to end the war have been plagued by such disagreements before, leading to a prolonged but uneasy ceasefire that has failed to develop into a permanent end to hostilities and has left the Strait of Hormuz, a crucial waterway for the world’s energy supplies, effectively shut. In other developments, Switzerland’s foreign ministry said the signing ceremony for the deal will take place Friday at the Bürgenstock resort near the city of Luzern. Ministry officials said Tuesday that the
still exchanging fire but at a “significantly reduced level,” UN spokesperson Stephane Dujarric said Tuesday. Many questions loom ahead of ceremonial signing
A MAN who returns to his village following the announcement of an initial ceasefire agreement between the United States and Iran, flashes victory sign as he stands on the rubble of his destroyed house in Nabatiyeh town, southern Lebanon, yesterday. Photo: Hussein Malla/AP location was proposed by Pakistani and Qatari mediators, along with the US and Iran. Iran’s call for an Israeli withdrawal from Lebanon complicates any deal Pakistan has said the deal called for an end to military operations, including in Lebanon, as Iran long insisted. But Araghchi’s call for an Israeli withdrawal adds a new wrinkle. It puts Israel into a dilemma as it tries to degrade Hezbollah’s military capabilities without undermining an agreement championed by its most important ally, the United States. Israel invaded southern Lebanon after Hezbollah fired missiles across the border during the first week of the war. Since then, it has expanded its military footprint to levels unseen in decades and struck targets deep inside Beirut. Though Hezbollah has been weakened, it retains the ability to strike Israel, leaving open questions about the effectiveness of Israel’s campaign. As of Tuesday evening, Netanyahu had not seen the memorandum of understanding between the US and Iran, said a person familiar with the situation, who spoke on
condition of anonymity to discuss closed-door details. Another person, who also spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss private conversations between Israel and the US, said Israeli officials have not asked US negotiators for the memorandum. Netanyahu’s office did not immediately respond to a request for comment from The Associated Press. The White House declined to comment on whether Netanyahu or Israeli officials have reviewed the agreement. The Israeli ambassador to the US, Yechiel Leiter, told NPR that while Israel does not know the details of the deal, the apparent inclusion of Lebanon is “unnecessary and unhelpful.” The extent of Israel’s strikes have at times opened a public fracture between its leaders and US President Donald Trump, who told reporters Tuesday that he was “not happy with the way Israel has handled themselves with Lebanon and with Hezbollah.” “It just goes on forever,” he said of Israel’s strategy. Israeli strikes in Lebanon have killed nearly 4,000 people, including hundreds of civilians, and displaced more than 1 million. “Israel’s fighting Hezbollah too long, and too many people
are being killed,” Trump said. Lebanese government welcomes prospects for a ceasefire Israel and the Lebanese government have entered into their own US-mediated direct negotiations, of which Hezbollah was not a part. Those talks have yielded several announced ceasefires that were never implemented on the ground. Lebanese officials initially tried to keep Lebanon separate from the US-Iran negotiations, not wanting to be seen as beholden to Iran, but they have since welcomed the announcement that the deal to end the US-Iran war would include a ceasefire in Lebanon. Araghchi’s latest comments appear to match the understanding of two regional officials with direct knowledge of the interim deal. The officials, speaking to AP on condition of anonymity to discuss the closed-door negotiations, said it would require Israel to leave nearly all the territory it occupies in Lebanon, minus a few hilltop points along the border seized earlier. The officials say Iran insisted the accord include Lebanon in the last days of the negotiations. The UN peacekeeping force in Lebanon known as UNIFIL reported that Israel and Hezbollah are
Lebanon is only one of several major questions hanging over the ceasefire ahead of the planned ceremonial signing. The agreement is meant to provide a meaningful truce in a monthslong war that has killed thousands across the Middle East, including the top leaders of Iran’s theocracy, and raised the prices of fuel, food and other basic goods far beyond the region. The agreement provides for the “immediate” opening of the Strait of Hormuz and the lifting of the American naval blockade of Iranian ports, according to a senior US official who spoke to reporters Monday on condition of anonymity to discuss outlines of the agreement. Pakistani officials who helped broker the agreement also described plans for the simultaneous lifting of Iran’s closure of the strait and the US blockade. The United States and Iran will then begin 60 days of negotiations over Iran’s nuclear program and the potential lifting of sanctions, Pakistani officials who helped broker the interim deal said, speaking on condition of anonymity about the unpublished text. The pact also includes the possibility of releasing Iran’s frozen funds and a $300 billion fund to help rebuild Iran if Tehran meets certain benchmarks, senior US officials told reporters Monday.
Trump later said the United States would not “invest” funds in Iran. Regarding the timeline, regional officials who spoke to AP about the deal said the release of frozen Iranian assets would be tied to Tehran implementing the deal. Gulf Arab states also have pledged to inject billions of dollars in Iran’s economy, they added, speaking on the condition of anonymity to discuss the negotiations. US officials have not yet explained how they see the agreement addressing Iran’s nuclear program, including who will be in charge of verifying that Iran is in compliance and who will destroy or remove highly enriched uranium believed to be buried under nuclear sites that were badly damaged by US strikes last summer. Iran has agreed to discuss ways to possibly “dilute or remove” the uranium, the regional officials said. However, it remains unclear whether Tehran would agree to that, particularly with hard-liners opposing to giving it up. Trump said he’s open to sending the emerging agreement to the US Congress for review. Speaking on the sidelines of the Group of Seven summit in the French Alps, Trump said, “I like the idea, send it to Congress please.” He added, “I mean who wouldn’t approve it.” Republicans on Capitol Hill say they want Trump to provide more information about the agreement, with some expressing scepticism that the deal can deter Iran from pursuing a nuclear weapon.
Rain along the Gulf Coast could become first named storm of the Atlantic hurricane season
THIS GOES-19 GeoColor satellite image provided by NOAA, shows a storm system forming along the Gulf coast of Texas, yesterday. Image: NOAA/AP By DAVID FISCHER Associated Press A CLUSTER of storms along the Gulf Coast could become the first named tropical storm of the 2026 Atlantic hurricane season, the National Hurricane Center said. The storms threatened to bring heavy downpours that could lead to dangerous floods across southern states including Texas and Louisiana. The system was centered Tuesday afternoon about 55 miles (85 kilometers) south-southwest of Corpus Christi, Texas, according to a hurricane center advisory. National Hurricane Center director Michael Brennan said meteorologists are expecting the system to strengthen, possibly into a tropical storm by early Wednesday. But coastal areas could experience tropical storm conditions this week, even if the system doesn’t officially get a name, Brennan said. “The main hazard with these types of systems is largely the flooding from the heavy rainfall,” Brennan said. “And we could see potentially life-threatening flash and urban flooding across the Texas coast eastward into central Mississippi through
Thursday. Prolonged rainfall may extend the flood threat into the weekend.” Tornadoes were possible from the upper Texas coast across southern Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama and the Florida Panhandle, forecasters said. The storm’s maximum sustained winds were around 30 mph (45 kph) Tuesday, just shy of the 39 mph (63 kph) needed to be named a tropical storm. The system had a 70% chance of forming into a tropical cyclone over the next two days, the hurricane center said. Houston, where a World Cup match between Portugal and the Democratic Republic of the Congo is scheduled for Wednesday, has been under a flood warning since Monday. The stadium is covered, and no plans have been announced to move or reschedule the match. By Thursday, the storms could drop 4 to 8 inches (10 to 20 centimeters) of rain, with isolated totals of a foot (30 centimeters) in coastal areas. A tropical storm watch was already in effect from Sargent, Texas, to Morgan City, Louisiana. Rough surf could cause rip currents along the Gulf for the next couple of days.
THE TRIBUNE
Wednesday, June 17, 2026, PAGE 11
Atlantis spectacular promises glitz and glamour for entire family
POMP, SNOW and CIRQUEumstance (PSC), is a new spectacular production that blends the wonder of cirque, the glitz of Broadway, and the magic of film into an unforgettable experience for the entire family. Taking place at the Atlantis Theatre later this year, the limited-run residency will serve as a centerpiece of Atlantis’ 2026/27 holiday programming, captivating guests with awe-inspiring performances, breathtaking artistry, and immersive holiday enchantment. The show features an impressive cast of world class international performers and distinctive artists from around the globe adorned in showstopping costumes, performing breathtaking and gravity-defying circus acts, illusions, and unforgettable musical storytelling performances. Audiences will experience an engaging theatrical LED environment where PSC animation interacts with the live show, seamlessly blending real and visual worlds into an action packed interactive and high-flying adventure. The all-new holiday stage show is based on the popular POMP, SNOW and CIRQUEumstance storybook series and television special, which follows the whimsical journey of three best friends, Pomp, Snow, and Cirqueumstance, as they study music, magic, and circus arts at a secret university before sharing their remarkable talents and heartfelt holiday messages with the world. PSC was created by acclaimed Broadway director and producer Neil Goldberg, after selling his world-renowned Cirque Dreams entertainment brand to Cirque du Soleil. PSC has captivated audiences through award-winning books, toys, animation, television and live entertainment experiences. “Our mission is to deliver high-quality and high-value family content to audiences around the world,” said Goldberg. “Partnering with Atlantis Paradise Island allows us to expand that mission through extraordinary live performances at a world-class destination renowned for experiential family vacations.” The addition of PSC underscores Atlantis commitment to bringing world-class productions to The Bahamas. “Entertainment has always been central to the Atlantis experience, and we are continually evolving our offerings to create unique and memorable moments that can only be found at Atlantis Paradise Island,” said Audrey Oswell. “From immersive marine encounters and world-class dining to exclusive live productions, Atlantis is defined by experiences guests cannot find anywhere else. POMP, SNOW and CIRQUEumstance continues that legacy, bringing together the magic of cirque, Broadway-style spectacle, and holiday wonder in a truly unforgettable production for our guests and their families.” POMP, SNOW and CIRQUEumstance tickets are available in both General Admission and Premium seating options, with Premium tickets priced at $100 per person and General Admission tickets starting at $35 for children and $70 for adults (exclusive of VAT). The show runs from November 29, through January 8.
PAGE 12, Wednesday, June 17, 2026
THE TRIBUNE
SAINT JOHN’S COLLEGE celebrates
MILESTONE
2026 graduating class shines bright at auditorium ceremony
Photos: Chappell Whyms Jr