07032023 NEWS AND SPORT

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Munroe hits out over us trafficking report

US Dept of State should be ‘more respectful’ in future, says minister

By LYNAIRE MUNNINGS Tribune Staff Reporter lmunnings@tribunemedia.net

AFTER a US human trafficking report highlighted deficiencies in The Bahamas’ fight against human trafficking, National Security Minister Wayne Munroe said the Department of State should be “a bit more respectful” in future reports.

A recent US report said The Bahamas government

has fully complied with the minimum standards to eliminate trafficking.

However, it noted concerns over the government’s efforts to initiate prosecution, identify victims, provide investigative data, and protect vulnerable groups.

The US recommended the government be more inclusive of LGBTQI+ groups, Haitian and

Low vaccination rates spark fears over poL io

By LYNAIRE MUNNINGS Tribune Staff Reporter lmunnings@tribunemedia.net

HEALTH officials are alarmed by declining vaccination among children and fear the country is at risk of reintroducing polio and other deadly diseases.

“The Caribbean and The Bahamas used to be second to none in terms of vaccinations in the world,”

said Dr Eldonna Boission, a representative of the Pan American Health Organisation and World Health Organisation Bahamas and Turks and Caicos Islands.

“I used to be happy to boast about that, but even before COVID, vaccination numbers started to go down, and we are now at a level that puts us at risk

Bahamian historian gaiL s aunDers Dea D at 79

By RASHAD ROLLE Tribune News Editor rrolle@tribunemedia.net

TRIBUTES poured in over the weekend for Dr Gail Saunders, the pre-eminent Bahamian historian of her generation, who died on Friday at 79.

“As we approach the 50th anniversary of our nation’s independence, losing such an integral part of our heritage is poignant,” said Prime Minister

Philip “Brave” Davis.

“Gail Saunders was more than an accomplished

historian, archivist, and author. She was a beacon of light, a repository of wisdom, and a resounding voice in preserving and narrating our national story. Her life’s work was dedicated to ensuring that our history was not just accurately recorded but made accessible and meaningful to us all.”

Ms Saunders was director of the Bahamas National

TWO police officers were in hospital last night after being victims of a shooting.

The incident took place at Marshall Road - with both officers subsequently taken to hospital by private vehicle.

Police issued an alert about the incident to the media shortly after 11.30pm last night.

At the time of going to press, no further information was available - including the condition of the officers. Visit www.tribune242. com for the latest update.

of a shooting rBDf officer a LL egeDLy shoots wrong man at Bar

AN off-duty Defence Force officer reportedly shot the wrong person after getting into an argument with a group of men at a bar.

The victim is in hospital in critical condition.

Police said the incident happened shortly after 4am on Saturday at a bar on West Bay Street in the area of Saunders Beach.

The victim was a club patron when an argument occurred between a defence force officer and a group of men. The officer allegedly produced a handgun and fired gunshots at the men,

SEE page 5, 10, 11 SEE page four

t wo p oL ice in hospita L , victims

Pre-independence Beat Retreat held on Bay Street

Bahamas not at risk for malaria out Break as us reports cases

By JADE RUSSELL Tribune Staff Reporter jrussell@tribunemedia.net

THE Bahamas is not at risk of experiencing a malaria outbreak despite reports of cases in the United States, according to local infectious disease expert Dr Nikkiah Forbes.

Dr Forbes, the director of the National HIV/AIDS and Infectious Disease Programme at the Ministry of Health, spoke after the US Centres for Disease Control and Prevention reported five malaria cases on Monday – four in Florida and one in Texas.

Dr Forbes said malaria is not endemic to The Bahamas or the United States, even though cases may appear if a person travelled where the disease regularly occurs.

“If you have the mosquito present or in warmer climates where people get more exposed to mosquito bites and there’s more

mosquito activity, there is a possibility that it can be spread,” Dr Forbes said.

“In countries where it’s not endemic, that’s not a usual occurrence in the US or The Bahamas. But these things happen occasionally.”

Malaria is a life-threatening disease transmitted to people bitten by infected mosquitoes, according to the World Health Organisation. Symptoms include a high fever, muscle aches, fatigue, vomiting, and jaundice.

Asked how threatening malaria is to The Bahamas, Dr Forbes said: “For the general public here in The Bahamas, it is no risk at this time as it relates to those five cases in Florida and Texas, and we would have to continue to monitor the situation.”

Dr Forbes noted the last malaria outbreak in this country was in 2006 on Exuma. The US has not had local transmission of the disease since 2003.

Dr Forbes said the Environmental Health Department helps reduce the number of mosquitos.

“I will also say that our surveillance unit, at our Ministry of Health, we always keep an eye and try to be alert with these reports,” she said. “And so, yes, there has been messaging that has been sent out to clinicians and providers reminding them about the signs and symptoms of malaria.”

She also advised residents travelling to affected areas to see a healthcare provider first.

“Your healthcare provider can do screening and tell you what are the infectious disease risks,” she said. “And in that case, in places where malaria is endemic, we do recommend malaria prevention medication that people should take before they go to these places to reduce their chance of getting malaria.”

Prime Minister Philip ‘Brave’ Davis, and other government officials watched along with a crowd of people young and old as the RBPF and RBDF held their annual pre-independence beat retreat on Bay Street yesterday. Photos: Austin Fernander

Munroe hits out over US Trafficking report

stateless persons, and foreign diplomatic missions.

Additional recommendations included: “Increase efforts to investigate, prosecute, and convict traffickers; improve efforts to identify victims and refer them to services; reduce delays in court proceedings; ensure the process to find alternate housing for at-risk communities does not create additional vulnerabilities; include Haitian Creole and Spanish-speaking services on the trafficking hotline.”

Asked about the recommendations, Mr Munroe said the US should “assist more fulsomely”.

“They’ve given us recommendations. I picked up one of the recommendations, which is to provide designated housing for TIPS victims. That’s just one of their recommendations. It’s been one for eight years,” he said.

“They could see we just finished the Budget debate. They could see how we allocate our resources. They can see we’ve allocated resources for a safe house for victims of sexual offences. Just as they provide us tangible assistance in other areas, they could provide us tangible assistance in this area if they were so minded.”

The US reported concerns of non-government organisations, saying: “NGOs reported that although the country adopted appropriate laws and procedures, lowerlevel police, immigration officials, and labour inspectors did not implement them because of a failure to understand them, neglect, or complicity. Observers also noted some immigration officials may

have solicited Haitian migrants for bribes to prevent detention.”

In response, Mr Munroe said he would not tolerate such denigration of law enforcement officials.

“I am not impressed with secondhand hearsay attributed information,” he said. “If, in effect, you’re telling me that our officials do not understand them, please provide a concrete example of why.

“Saying that somebody tells you that is the equivalent of you telling me that you’re saying that Wayne Munroe is sexy because Wayne Munroe tells you Wayne Munroe is sexy. That is not a sensible way for countries to deal with one another.

“I would expect having seen this report - and I haven’t received it yetsome detailed reporting of who has said this, what is the information and exactly how it was proffered. I am not impressed that this is a State Department report.

I’m impressed when our friends assist us to point out factual shortcomings because that is the only way that we can address them, but as far as this reference is concerned, we have no clue which NGOs these are.

“And so, comments like this are really unhelpful, and we expect that our friends will seek to assist us, and we hold ourselves open to receiving that assistance. What I do not, as the minister of national security, hold myself open to, is accepting the denigration of law enforcement officials of this country based on hearsay from unidentified sources. Our service people deserve more and better than that, and I for one will not tolerate it.”

Pintard: under davis a dministration BPL has not Progressed

By LEANDRA ROLLE Tribune Staff Reporter lrrolle@tribunemedia.net

FREE National Movement Leader

Michael Pintard said the Davis administration has not built on the progress its predecessor made toward repairing generation woes at Bahamas Power & Light. His comment came after Works and Utilities Minister Alfred Sears warned there could be more load shedding this summer. Mr Sears said that while New Providence’s generation demand has never exceeded 263MW, peak summer load may exceed 270MW –– more than BPL can handle.

“When the Davis administration came to office, remember the summer of 2021, there wasn’t load shedding that was going on by BPL due to a lack of generation, and the reason was when they came to power, they met approximately

326MW of available generation, and that was a combination of the new station A that was built and then, of course, you had the additional complement of 270MW,” Mr Pintard said.

“So again, there was not a generation problem which directly rebuts the comments being made by Minister Sears. You would also recall in addition to the generation capacity that BPL itself had, you had an additional 56MW of rental generation, which was a combination of Sun Oil, I think it was roughly around 16MW, and then, of course, the Aggreko generators were 40MW.”

“This is what he met in place that he’s unable to dispute despite all the red herrings that he and the prime minister has raised.”

The FNM leader also highlighted several strategies the Minnis administration intended to follow, including transitioning from heavy fuel to cleaner fuel.

gLover- roLL e says Promotions

By LEANDRA ROLLE Tribune Staff Reporter lrrolle@tribunemedia.net

AFTER a protest involving public service workers demanding promotion, State Public Service Minister Pia Glover-Rolle said promotions for financial officers should be completed within three weeks.

Disgruntled officers protested for a second time in a month, calling for salary increases and promotions.

They were led by Bahamas Public Services Union (BPSU) President Kimsley Ferguson, who said last month that more than 100 employees are waiting for promotions. “They’re not begging for anything; they’re asking for what they rightfully deserve,” he said.

Mrs Glover-Rolle

for

financia L officers shouL d Be comPL eted within three weeks

acknowledged the group’s concerns in a statement on Friday.

She said 50 per cent of the workers’ files were reviewed, processed and forwarded to the Public Service Commission (PSC).

“As a result of these efforts, 50 per cent of these files are now complete, and letters are currently being drafted,” she said, adding the remaining promotions were approved and moved to the next step.

She said all letters are expected to be issued within two to three weeks.

Mr Ferguson was not optimistic about that timeframe when he spoke to reporters Friday.

“They’re saying three weeks now, but it was 16 months ago, and so we are concerned,” he said as BPSU members protested

outside the Treasury Department.

“We need something more definitive than that. We need to see what was presented on behalf of these persons.”

Mrs Glover-Rolle called for public servants to be patient, saying the process is long.

“The Ministry of Public Service would like to note that the formal process for promotions within the public service is comprehensive and requires a series of reviews and approvals to ensure that no errors are made,” she said.

“While teams are working as quickly as possible, the approval of promotions does take several weeks even under the best circumstances.”

“Considering the fact that a promotions backlog

has been growing for many years, there are hundreds of cases that are currently being reviewed. Public service officers across the country, including financial officers, have been waiting on what is due to them for a long time.”

“As the multi-year promotions backlog is being processed, in consideration of the size of the backlog, we ask public servants for their continued patience as we address each case. No group is more important than the other and no group should take priority over the other as we seek to address the concerns of the entire public service.”

“Our teams are working at an expedited pace to ensure that each and every public servant is able to receive the promotions they have earned.”

“The goal was to build an LNG plant as we transition to renewables,” he said. “The other part of that plan was looking at the Family Islands to create new ownership by letting renewables lead the way in power generation.”

“There was also a clear plan around the infrastructural development

in order to assist in stabilising the grid so that even when you get into the business of others, that is, citizens’ businesses generating power and feeding back to the grid, one of the knocks on why that didn’t happen was because of concern about the instability of the grid and the need to strengthen that.”

“Saying that somebody tells you that is the equivalent of you telling me that you’re saying that Wayne Munroe is sexy because Wayne Munroe tells you Wayne Munroe is sexy. That is not a sensible way for countries to deal with one another. “

FREE National Movement Leader Michael Pintard said the Davis administration has not built on the progress its predecessor made toward repairing generation woes at Bahamas Power & Light.

Parker re-elected president of Bar Association over Farquharson-Seymour

By LYNAIRE MUNNINGS Tribune Staff Reporter lmunnings@tribunemedia.net

KHALIL Parker was reelected president of the Bar Council on Friday.

Attorney Romona Farquharson Seymour had challenged him for the post.

Before the vote during the Annual General Meeting, Mrs Farquharson-Seymour sought an injunction from the Supreme Court to compel the association to provide a list of financial members.

However, Justice Neil Brathwaite refused her application and awarded costs to the Bar Association.

“In considering the existence or otherwise of a right to the list, I note that this is not a situation analogous to a general election, where procedures surrounding the promulgation and closing of a voter’s list are carefully set out,” Justice Brathwaite wrote.

“There are no such strictures in the regulations governing this election. Nor has any statutory or common law basis for the existence of such a right been provided. No suggestion has been made that the court should or could interpret the regulations in such a way as to infer the existence of such a right, and no challenge has been launched to the regulations themselves.

“I do not accept that such a list is necessary to assist with campaigning, particularly when the entire membership list is easily ascertainable, and those members are all potential voters who could conceivably become financial in time to vote.

“It is entirely possible

that a certain flexibility was deemed necessary to ensure the widest possible participation by professionals who generally

operate under severe time constraints. I am therefore not satisfied in all the circumstances of this case that any such ‘right’ to a

list exists, as to say that the existence of such a list is desirable or preferable is not the same as saying one must be provided.”

from page one

produced a handgun and fired gunshots at the men, resulting in the victim being shot multiple times even though he was not involved in the argument.

Police are also investigating the sudden death of a 24-year-old woman and the suspicious death of a 41-year-old man.

Police said a 24-yearold Colombian woman was taken to the Princess Margaret Hospital in an unresponsive condition shortly before 9pm on Saturday. Five Mexican men are assisting police with their investigation into the matter.

Meanwhile, police said that around 3.05am yesterday, a man was found unresponsive with head

injuries near a roundabout on Settlers Way and Coral Road. He was taken to the hospital, where he died of his injuries. Police said the man is a resident of Melbourne Crest, Hudson Estates, Grand Bahama. Authorities are also looking for a man responsible for shooting two men. Reports indicate that around 1.15pm on Saturday, the victims were outside a residence on Irish Spring Court off Plantol Street when a grey coloured Honda Stream pulled in front of the residence.

A man got out of the car and fired gunshots toward the 32-year-old outside the residence, shooting him multiple times. Another man sitting on the porch was shot in both feet.

m a N a ND wOma N sEN t ENCED tO twO y E a Rs FOR $240k OF COC aiNE

By PAVEL BAILEY Tribune Staff Reporter pbailey@tribunemedia.net

A MAN and a woman were sentenced to two and half years in prison after being found guilty of bringing nearly $240,000 worth of cocaine into Lynden Pindling International Airport from Inagua last year.

Nerico Beneby, 24, and Duedanae Cox, 41, both of Matthew Town, Inagua, stood before Magistrate Samuel McKinney. They faced charges of conspiracy and possession of dangerous drugs with intent to supply.

Cox was arrested after police discovered 12 rectangular packages containing a total of 12 kilos or 32 lbs of

cocaine in her Nautica luggage bag on May 6, 2022. Cox also had $1,452 in her possession. The money was confiscated by authorities as it was suspected of being the proceeds of crime.

Beneby was arrested in Inagua and taken to Nassau in connection with this matter. According to police the drugs have an estimated street value of $240,000. Upon reviewing the evidence presented against them in their trial Magistrate McKinney found both defendants guilty of the crime. He then sentenced the pair to serve two and a half years at the Bahamas Department of Correctional Services.

m a N a CC us ED OF R ap E a ND bu R gla R y OF

78-y E a R - O l D Cat i sla ND w O ma N

By PAVEL BAILEY Tribune Staff Reporter pbailey@tribunemedia.net

AN OFFICER presented the knife suspected of being used in the 2021 Cat Island home invasion where a 78-year-old woman was allegedly attacked and raped, as the suspect stood trial on Friday.

Charles Lightbourne, 51, appeared before Justice Renae McKay on charges of rape, burglary, armed robbery and causing harm. Lightbourne allegedly broke into the elderly woman’s home in Cat Island at around 11pm on May 6, 2022. There he is said to have sexually assaulted the victim while armed with a knife. During this incident it is said he stole the victim’s $150 phone.

Following the attack a medical examiner noted that the victim had tenderness and evidence of bleeding in her vaginal area.

During his testimony Sgt Humphrey Bain detailed the defendant’s arrest for questioning at Smith’s Bay Dock at around 12.30pm on May 8 of that year.

After verbally identifying himself as an officer, Sgt Bain recalls Lightbourne asking him, “Sir, what I do?”

Upon a search of the defendant’s person Sgt Bain recovered a box cutter and a small silver coloured knife.

After these items were presented in court and entered into evidence, Lightbourne’s counsel pointed out that as the defendant worked on the dock it wasn’t uncommon for him to have those items on him.

During cross-examination SGT Bain said that he did not recall seeing blood on the defendant or on the items confiscated at the time of his arrest.

Detective Corporal Carlos Ingraham testified that he was the officer who took the suspect’s fingerprints and photographs at the CDU in Nassau on May 10, 2021.

When it came to sign the fingerprint sheet D/C Ingraham recalls that Lightbourne refused to do so and became hostile at that point.

After identifying the suspect in court in the prisoner’s box, the fingerprint sheet with Lightbourne’s name on it was officially shown and logged into evidence

The trial continues on June 4.

t w O m EN a RRE st ED FOR p O ss E ssi ON OF O v ER tw O p O u ND s OF ma R ijua N a i N gb

By DENISE MAYCOCK Tribune Freeport Reporter dmaycock@tribunemedia.net

GRAND Bahama law

enforcement officials arrested two men in Grand Bahama after the discovery of suspected marijuana.

A 61-year-old Freeport man and a 59-year-old male resident of Andros are in custody assisting police in their investigations.

Police reported that shortly before 3pm on Thursday, the Drug Enforcement Unit, Bahamas Customs, and the K9 unit conducted a joint operation that led to the discovery of drugs, and the arrests of two suspects.

Acting on a tip, officers went to the Freeport Harbour where the K-9 unit was deployed. During searches of the premises, the K-9 unit

alerted officials to a box. A man was observed collecting the box and getting into a silver coloured Nissan van. The vehicle was then intercepted by law enforcement officials who retrieved the box, which contained 2.5 pounds of suspected marijuana, with an estimated street value of $2,500. Investigations are continuing into the matter.

KHALIL Parker was re-elected president of the Bar Council on Friday.

Bahamian historian Gail Saunders dead at 79

many boards, including the National Art Gallery.

Archives from 1971 to 2004. She was president of the Bahamas Historical Society from 1989 to 1999. She authored or co-authored several books. Volume one and two of her books, “Islanders in the Stream: A History of the Bahamian People,” have been required readings among high school and college history students for years.

In 1968, she married Winston Saunders, a prominent educator, lawyer and playwright.

Former Attorney General Sean McWeeney said Ms Saunders left behind a rich legacy, especially with her work on slavery.

“Her ground-breaking academic research and writings about slavery in The Bahamas form an especially important part of her legacy,” he said. “This was a subject which had been glossed over, even trivialised in some cases, by historians who came before her.

“Dr Saunders changed all that. She put slavery front and centre, correctly treating it as the most defining experience in our development as a people.

“Of no less importance to her legacy was her pioneering work in putting the Department of Archives on a modern, professional footing, then guiding its growth for decades as executive director.”

Another former attorney general, Allyson Maynard Gibson, noted that Dr Saunders led the formation and opening of the Pompey Museum and served on

“Gail grew up in an apartheid-like Bahamas and attended Queen’s College at a time when it was making every effort to shed its racial discrimination shackles,” she said. “She could have easily decided to remain abroad after tertiary education in the United Kingdom. Her love of The Bahamas and being a member of families dedicated to public service, the Isaacs and North families, led her to return to The Bahamas, where she gave a lifetime of public service.

The University of The Bahamas praised Dr Saunders’ intellectual acumen and dignity.

“Throughout the years of our growth, Dr Saunders was a trusted resource and supporter, giving us the benefit of her expansive knowledge and wisdom,” UB said.

“In her last formal role with the university, she served as Scholar-in-Residence. At that time, she was conducting research on race and class relations, and in 2017, she published ‘Race and Class in the Colonial Bahamas 1880-1960’. She later continued her research work until Fall 2018.”

Ms Saunders was appointed a Member of the Order of Distinction in the 2019 National Honours for her exemplary service to The Bahamas.

• See PAGE 10,11 for Gail Saunders Insight

OperatiOn pOtcake returns with Objective tO spay Or neuter 3,200 cats and dOgs

OPERATION Potcake, an effort to spay or neuter dogs and cats around New Providence, will return in January for the first time in ten years.

The project will last 11 days, from January 17 to 28, and the objective will be to spay or neuter 3,200 animals.

Kim Aranha, president of the Bahamas Humane Society, sent The Tribune a press release announcing that Operation Potcake 2024 will feature an alliance among the Bahamas Humane Society, Baark and Animal Balance, with support from the Ministry of Agriculture and Marine Resources, Veterinary Medical Association of the Bahamas and the Ministry of Tourism.

“Operation Potcake is

back to help get a handle on the vast numbers of unwanted dogs and cats being born yearly, overpopulating the island of New Providence and causing so much suffering,” the statement said.

“Operation Potcake is an intensive spay and neuter programme taking place right here on New Providence. There will be four large clinics set up in the hot spots of the island where the most roaming dog population is located. It has been proven over and over again that spay and neuter is the only reliable method to reduce the animal population in a lasting manner.

“Animal Balance is the organisation that assisted in the first Operation Potcake in 2013. They

specialise in spay and neuter clinics for island nations. With their assistance, we will welcome medical teams who will come to The Bahamas to assist us in getting the numbers we need to in order to make a difference.

“There will be many ways that the general public can assist and help to make OP a success. We will need volunteers to help us with providing refreshments for all four teams, transportation of people and animals to and from clinics, help in the clinics, laundry, publicity, registrations, and many other tasks.

“If you are interested in being part of the solution and wish to help Operation Potcake, please contact operationpotcake242@gmail.

com and together we can decide what is best suited to your time and skills.

“January will be upon us in no time, and we want to make sure everybody who wants to participate and is able to, can sign up with us.”

TRIBUTES poured in over the weekend for Dr Gail Saunders, the pre-eminent Bahamian historian of her generation, who died on Friday at 79. “As we approach the 50th anniversary of our nation’s independence, losing such an integral part of our heritage is poignant,” said Prime Minister Philip “Brave” Davis.

OpERaTIOn Potcake will run in New Providence from January 17 - 28 with the objective to spay or neuter 3,200 cat and dogs.

The Tribune Limited

The woman who charted our history

HISTORY was important to Dr Gail Saunders. And Dr Gail Saunders was important to our history.

One of the foremost – probably the foremost – historian of our age, Dr Saunders passed away on Friday aged 79. The tributes to her were unstinting in their praise – but perhaps what was most striking was the number of people talking about what they had learned thanks to her. Not only was she important to people as a person, but Dr Saunders elevated the lives and knowledge of those around her.

Prime Minister Philip “Brave” Davis called her “a beacon of light, a repository of wisdom, and a resounding voice in preserving and narrating our national story”.

Dr Saunders did not just record what happened in our nation’s history but examined what it meant, and fundamentally helped to define our understanding of race and class in The Bahamas.

Her passing comes as we approach a landmark in history – 50 years as an independent nation.

In preparing for The Tribune’s own Independence supplement which will appear in Friday’s edition, we had been looking through our archives from the very first Independence celebration.

To mark that day, The Tribune published – as it has every year since – a special supplement. And one of the stories from that very first edition that we had been considering for inclusion this year was one from young Dr Saunders.

It was only fitting that we reprint it today instead, as a reminder of Dr Saunders and her work, and that she has not only catalogued our history, but is also a part of it. Her voice has helped to chart the path we have taken, and steer the way we still have to go. Her article, featured in today’s Insight, talks of how our country journeyed from emancipation to Independence. It talks of prejudice and discrimination, and the stumbles on the way to removing the legal hurdles to achieve equality.

It is too easy to think of history as an inevitable consequence. Dr Saunders helped to show the battle that it took to end slavery, and to remove social and racial divides. She shows the importance of using your vote, of taking up a democratic right that for too long many were denied.

Seeing the struggles of history also informs us of the need today to fight for what we believe in.

Others who have gone before us have fought for rights that must not be neglected – and the hurdles they overcame were far greater than many of us face today.

Listening to the voices of history shows us how far we have come – but close examination shows how hard it was to get here. In turn, for the future, it shows what we must live up to.

Dr Saunders was meticulous, and she was honest. She built the foundation for those historians who followed her.

May those who follow her live up to the impact she has made on The Bahamas – and may she rest in peace.

What is going on at BPL?

EDITOR, The

FIRST the government comes to the people and says we can expect to have higher bills because they paid a lot for fuel. Did they show what the prices were in the market when they bought the fuel and how this compared to prior prices? A lot of the global oil prices seem to have an inverse correlation to what the government is saying for parts of their time in office. Similarly at the pumps. Gas prices globally going down, but the dealers going up. They have their own OPEC, aye?

BPL warning of potential load shedding. Those Wastila engines didn’t pan out

like they expected because they are plugged into an old infrastructure. This is what they are saying. So, let’s see from September 2021 to now the engineers just figured that out? Really?!

Let’s be clear, an engineer straight out of university would have figured that out before the engines were installed. Do we believe the Wartsila engineers have no clue on their engines? We have to start asking critical questions and stop believing any nonsense we are told. Can a journalist, any journalist, find a couple

of logical questions to ask these guys when they start shoveling this stuff? We need to ask what is really going on. Who is benefitting from these “Ooops”? We can be sure this isn’t global oil pricing or the engineers from Wartsila and BPL being one step above playing with crayons to take almost two years to figure out the engine doesn’t plug into the old infrastructure. They should start the story “Once upon a time” and end “They lived happily ever after”.

FRUSTRATED CITIZEN

Nassau, July 1, 2023.

Being taken for a ride

EDITOR, The Tribune.

DURING the height of the COVID-19 pandemic merchants increased prices on numerous goods claiming that due to supply chain issues and higher shipping costs they were forced to sell the goods at a higher price. If you checked this was the story globally and there were a number of news stories that confirmed this issue.

Currently, we are no longer in the midst of a pandemic. I do not know if

the supply chain issue has been fully resolved. But, what I do know is that shipping costs have been reduced considerably. If you check the Income Statements of any major global shipping company you would clearly see their profits have dropped exponentially due to a significant drop in shipping prices. So, if the shipping costs which had skyrocketed has dropped significantly then why are the prices of goods in the food stores and drug

stores (toiletries) still at pandemic level prices? Did merchants forget their costs went down? Are they unaware that they have considerably more money left in their pockets?

Once again the poor, the working class and the middle class are being taken for a ride like the “Palm Sunday donkey.”

FRUSTRATED CITIZEN

Nassau, June 29, 2023.

Readers pay tribute to Dr Gail Saunders

READERS of www.tribune242.com paid tribute to Dr Gail Saunders following the news of her death.

Mandela said: “May her historian soul rest in peace. Thank you, thank you.”

ThisisOurs added: “This is a great loss for the country. Condolences to her family.”

TalRussell said: “RIP my ex Queen’s College classmate, Comrade “Sister” Gail --- You are still with us in spirit but unseen.”

Carltonr61 said: “I bought her books and spoke to her personally a few times, myself a creative writer. With her vast knowledge I wish I had, I prodded her to convert

historical fact, give it characters, scent, human passion then write a novel. She just loved history, directing me to Archives for research on Lucayans. Writer to writer, she was among the best.”

Sheeprunner 12 said: “Dr. Saunders deserves the highest Bahamian honour in the country & the title of Dame.

“She almost single-handedly established the formal

history of this country. She built a lasting legacy while the politicians muddied our national reputation.

“May she rest in peace.”

Alan1 added: “Dr. Gail Saunders served for several years as President of The Bahamas Historical Society as well as her work as Director of the Archives. She brought many historians from The Bahamas as well as other Commonwealth countries to address the members at the monthly meetings of the Society. She made a tremendous contribution to The Bahamas and will be really missed by all who knew her over the years.”

• Join the conversation at www.tribune242.com.

A CAKE being cut on Friday on board the USS Wasp during its visit to Nassau at a ceremony to mark both US Independence celebrations but also 50 years of partnership between the US and The Bahamas. In attendance were US Chargé d’Affairs Usha Pitts, Governor General CA Smith and Prime Minister Philip “Brave” Davis.

Photo: Moise Amisial

After Watson move, are there other positions in Davis’ administration needing a shuffle?

By Tyler McKenzie

WITH Independence almost upon us, it has been a time of taking stock – looking back over our 50 years and establishing our progress as a nation.

Is it also a time perhaps for our Prime Minister, Philip “Brave” Davis, to be taking stock of the progress of his administration? Who has performed well, who has underperformed, who has shone, who has disappeared? In short, is it time to consider a reshuffle?

Of course, Mr Davis has already carried out one shuffle of his pack – sending his press secretary, Clint Watson, packing to become general manager of the Broadcasting Corporation of The Bahamas. There has been surprisingly little commotion over such a decision. In theory, the corporation should be independent politically, free to interrogate the leadership of the day with impunity.

Choosing the person who has just been advocating for the administration and defending it against such interrogation to go and run the whole show – regardless of who that individual is – raises questions of the potential to unduly influence such independence.

Imagine if the US president or the UK prime minister sent their spokespeople off to lead PBS or the BBC respectively. Imagine any nation taking a partial member of their administration and appointing them to lead a de facto impartial news service.

Now, I know, some of you will read this and say well ZNS has always been used as a political football by parties of every colour – but it does not mean we should let such things pass without examination.

This is without even examining the merits of Mr Watson – it is about the post, not the individual – although it is interesting to see how lauded Mr Watson was as he departed his previous post.

The press release announcing his departure talked of him having “served with distinction” and “building a robust press architecture from the ground up”. That overlooks to some extent the hard work done by Anthony “Ace” Newbold under the Dr Hubert Minnis administration in establishing and building the facility Mr Watson in turn got to use. But then again Dr Minnis sidelined much of the good work done at the outset there.

Mr Watson was said to have “played a critical

role in building the firstever full-time Press Office in the OPM, a pioneering move” and his “many initiatives have transformed the way that the government communicates with the media and the public, helping to make this administration the most transparent in Bahamian history”. For that he deserves credit and a good deal of it.

However, we still don’t have answers over why exactly a new prison is going to cost double, we can’t find an answer on how many taxi plates have been issued, no one can find their way to say which of our Parliamentarians couldn’t be bothered to comply with the law on disclosures and a host of other issues – but sure, most transparent in Bahamian history, boast away.

The statement went on, talking about Mr Watson as “innovative and visionary” – which begs a question. If Mr Watson is so good, why is the Prime Minister getting rid of him? Perhaps it might be that Mr Davis had to come and correct statements made by Mr Watson one too many times – but if Mr Watson really is everything the OPM says he is, you would think they would want him right where he is, close to the Prime Minister.

If Mr Davis’ corrections of Mr Watson did play a part in any move, then perhaps some ministers might want to watch out for any potential reshuffle.

The Minister of National Security, Wayne Munroe, has spoken out on a number of occasions only for Mr Davis to have to come out and make a follow-up statement.

In the past few weeks alone, the Minister of Labour and Immigration, Keith Bell, has had a calamitous run. First, he decided to rise in the House to take potshots at the new cruise port, at which Mr Davis himself had spoken at the opening. Mr Bell called the new cruise port deal the worst ever in history, though his figures were quickly countered. It seems inelegant to say the least to come along and shout down the port that your own Prime Minister attended the opening of, and which your Deputy Prime Minister, Chester Cooper, has applauded for what it will do for the country.

Speaking of inelegant, Mr Bell then stumbled into a row over his administration of a citizenship oath at a funeral as seemingly a personal favour for the deceased individual, granting citizenship to the man’s wife and children.

By his own admission, this was unorthodox, and the best that the OPM seems to have been able to come up with is that well, no laws were broken but don’t do it again. If it’s not illegal, why can’t he do it again? Saying stop doing that is as close to an admission of wrongdoing as this administration has perhaps made.

Then there is the Minister of Transport and Housing, who cannot seem to find the figures for how many taxi plates have been issued. Perhaps they slipped down the back of a filing cabinet, who knows? JoBeth

Coleby-Davis had her own long investigation after an incident involving police too, that somehow seemed to take far longer than such a small incident witnessed by police officers would seemingly warrant.

The Minister of Works, Alfred Sears, has faced questions over whether he misled Parliament, presided over some highprofile delays such as the Village Road scheme, and now has admitted that BPL might make our summer a misery with load shedding again. Is he vulnerable in a reshuffle? Or is he the victim of circumstance, particularly with regard to BPL? The buck has to stop somewhere.

Then there are the invisibles – considering how much stock the Prime Minister puts on climate change, it is surprising how little we hear from the Minister of Environment, Vaughn Miller. Surprisingly, Minister of Social Services Obie Wilchcombe is not as prominent as he has been in the past. There are others who have excelled, however –Chester Cooper has made the most of his Tourism post, Glenys Hanna Martin is a dependable Education Minister, Clay Sweeting has outshone his role in Agriculture, Michael Halkitis has been solid and uncontroversial at Economic Affairs (though the gas station owners might disagree). Pia Glover-Rolle has done well as the Minister of State for the Public Service, perhaps enough to earn a promotion to a senior ministry? That is not taking into account the back bench MPs who might say they should get their shot.

Certainly if Mr Davis wants to consider a reshuffle, there is food for thought. And if this administration does indeed want to be known for its transparency, then first on the chopping block should be those who cannot give straight answers.

Former Press secretary, now General Manager of the Bahamas Broadcasting Corporation, Clint Watson. In light of this move, are there other moves that the Davis Administration ought to make?

Emancipation: A milestone in Bahamas history

Emancipation was a beginning; Independence will be a continuation of this process

T HE PASSING of Dr Gail North-Saunders has been keenly felt in The Bahamas. One of our nation’s foremost historians, the news comes at a time when The Bahamas is celebrating a historic moment. Hers is a voice that has helped us understand where we have come from and, in so doing, better navigate where we are going. Fifty years ago, as The Bahamas was being born anew, her voice was guiding us then too. In the Independence supplement to mark that occasion, she wrote about the path from emancipation to Independence.

One note we should make - language and its use have changed over the years, particularly with regard to race. We reprint her article here, as it was then, without alteration, and readers should note that it is in the wording from 50 years ago, from an important moment in our history.

By D. Gail Saunders

BY an Act of Parliament in 1834, slaves were declared apprentices, slave owners were compensated and provisions were made to transform a Slave Society as smoothly as possible into a free community. Freedom was not complete; the former slaves still had to work for their former masters and personal freedom was limited; former slaves could still be punished (indeed the whip was occasionally used), and were not allowed to sit on a jury or hold any office except very minor posts.

It was the Emancipation Act of 1838 which was to come into effect on August 1 of that year, which gave the former slaves full freedom. The apprentices were “released and discharged of and from the then remaining and unexplained term of their apprenticeship and (to) be forever after freed from all and every duties, obligations and services of the said Act of Parliament (1834) and the Act of the General Assembly imposed upon them and from all pains and penalties … (2 Vic 1 Cpt.1)

PASSED QUIETLY

Emancipation day passed quietly; no riots, bloodshed or disorder. No great

rejoicings took place and even at Nassau, although Emancipation Day was “hailed with joy” by the Apprentices, there was “no noise or tumult”. Instead all places of worship were unusually packed with the liberated class and “singing was unusually lively”, so reports a Methodist Missionary.

This very orderly transition out of legal slavery foreshadowed the slowness of change to come.

Theoretically the former slaves were free men; they enjoyed freedom of punishments, freedom to leave the abodes and plantations of their former masters and cultivate their own land; freedom to choose the type of work they wished.

In short they could exercise freedom in their own interest. However, it was a formal type of freedom and for a long time although legally the whole basis of Society was changed by the 1838 Act, real change was to be very slow.

In fact the Act did not alter immediately the structure of the Society as there still existed ruler and ruled, white and black, landowners and labourer. Politically, socially and economically the former slaves were still at a great disadvantage and only time would

change their position. The former slaves had little political rights or social and economic opportunities and therefore continued “to be the nearly passive instruments of economic exploitation by their former masters” (W. K. Marshall).

GENERAL POVERTY

Positively speaking the former slaves and apprentices had freedom of movement. They could choose their own work and leave their former masters and employers. However, this was not in the majority of cases practical. The Bahamas at Emancipation was in an advanced state of economic decay. There was general poverty and insecurity, even for many former slave owners.

The cotton plantations because of the chenille bug and poor soil had for the most part collapsed; salt, another staple, was declining, and wrecking, which was practised was to be stopped by the construction of lighthouses in the 1850s, 1860s and 1870s.

There was little or no paid employment and many of the former slaves took to subsistence farming where land was available.

Unfortunately land tenure was very confused. Many owners did allocate land to their former slaves

Funeral Service for Mrs. Pauline Victoria Wells, 57

of Gray’s, Long Island who died at the Princess Margaret Hospital, Shirley Street, Nassau, on Saturday, 24th June, 2023, will be held at St. Theresa’s Anglican Church, Gray’s, Long Island, The Bahamas, on Thursday, 6th July, 2023 at 12:00 noon.

Officiating will be The Venerable Archdeacon Keith N. Cartwright, assisted by Father Berkeley Smith. Cremation was held.

She was predecased by her Parents, Burton and Eunice Wells; her Brother, Paul Wells and her Sister, Debbie Ann Kemp and Brother-In-Law, Addison N. Cartwright, Jr.

She is survived by one Daughter, Destiny Wells-Major Brothers, Deral (Esther), Dennis (Crystal), Ricky Wells And Anthony Wells (Natasha); Sisters, Kathleen Cartwright and Rosalie Wells-Fawkes; Brother-In-Law, Christopher Kemp; Aunt, Rosalie Harding-Ellam; Nephews, Andrew, Deral Jovan, Adam, Dorian and Jared Wells; Nieces, Darelle, Anna, Victoria, Rickia and Nathalia Wells, Sophie-Rose Fawkes and Yasmin Kellowan (Devon); Grand Nephews, Leander Newton and Aidan Bain; Grand Nieces, Deja Wells And Ellianna Constantakis; Cousins, Clint and Jason Harding, Durward, Roland, Rodney and Nasio Knowles Kathlyn Ferguson, Brenda Wert, Janice Maura, Jennifer Knowles, Margaret Fox, Andrew, Dennis, Alton, Marie, Carol and Melanie Fox, Jerome, Scott, Jeffrey, Ricardo, Shane, Reginald and Jeremy Harding, Marita and Sharon Lowe, Karen Darville, Janet Knowles, Connie HardingCartwright, Stephen Lowe, Sandra Key and Marsha Harbers, George and Andy Albury, Barbara Cassidy, Cheryl Sawyer, Pauline Wong And Ruie Symonette. Special Friends: Sandy Carroll, Joei Fox, Madeline Smalley, Cheryl and Janet Wells, Ingrid Knowles, Michelle Knowles, Catherine Carroll, Rosemary Knowles, Dominique Knowles, Barbara Dorsett, Eleanor Gill, Charlene Knowles, Amarylis Knowles, Muriel KnowlesCartwright, Bonita Moree, Pamela Moree, Golda Fox, Chacara Deveaux, Alexia Cartwright, Penny Berkley, Pearline Wells, Minivie Mcintosh, Dr. Justine Knowles, Dr. Gabi Pena, Kayvan Doreus, Carl Feucht, Bernard Knowles, Jonas Berkley, Wildrac Dorvil, Eugene Moree and a host of other family members and friends too many to mention.

Special Thanks to the team of Doctors and Nurses at The Princess Margaret Hospital Especially, Drs. Creary and Wright, Dr. Justine Knowles and Dr. Gabi Pena also to The Doctors Hospital Paramedics namely Ricky Clairveaux, Lauriel Colebrooke and Rianna Sweeting.

Arrangements by Kemp’s Funeral Home Limited.

but a large area of land had poor or worked-out soil and much of the land had unsure title. The system of quit-rent tenure (land leased from the Crown) did not succeed as rents were often not paid and land reverted to the Crown.

NO GUIDANCE

Freed negroes were not given much instructions and guidance in their new status and had little idea of

the most modern methods of farming. Most people on the Out Islands lived slightly above starvation level and hardly yielded enough crops for export.

Among the few exceptions to the land problem as the Sandilands Estate in eastern New Providence which was divided up in 1849 and allotments sold to the residents of the settlements. In Exuma Lord John Rolle deeded his

extensive lands to his slaves and their descendants in Commonage.

On the whole, however, because of insurmountable economic difficulties, the Bahamas’s former slaves were thwarted in their struggle to build up their own farms while a peasant economy was being enjoyed in the sugar islands in the South. The former slaves untrained in any skill

Official medallion of the British Anti-Slavery Society

for the most part, remained poor and the power structure basically the same.

Power was founded on ownership and therefore the negroes remained almost as subordinate to their masters as when they were slaves and apprentices.

STATUS AND POWER

It must be said that many of the former masters were also poor. Little money was available. However they had social status and political power. The former slaves had neither.

Economically the blacks were dependent; in the 1880s they were still very much bound to the Nassau merchants (who were mainly white) by the often iniquitous “Truck System” where the black people were hired out and paid in kind instead of cash.

Little attention was paid to the development of social services. Popular education which should have been given top priority, received scant attention. Private schools existed for the elite and although the Board of Education was established in 1835, it only provided for primary education.

Moreover, schools were not numerous enough to accommodate the Bahamian population and many children never attended school. The public schools were to suffer for many years to come from the lack of qualified teachers, inadequate buildings, poverty and an apathetic attitude by the Government.

Health and welfare services hardly fared better and the legacy of this neglect is still being felt today.

MORE

DISCRIMINATION

It seemed that prejudice was accentuated and

discrimination increased. The former slave now nominally free was more of a threat to his former master. The white minority still dominated in all spheres of life and the negro remained in “social limbo”.

One historian goes so far as to say “Indeed, emancipation increased racial prejudice; with slavery gone, colour criteria took on greater importance in West Indian Society, not less.” – (D Lowenthal).

The distance between white, brown and black widened as social integration had different meanings for the three groups. The coloured wanted acceptance by whites, the blacks wanted self esteem and a share of the material and social benefits and the whites wanted the blacks and coloured to remain docile and passive and retain the status quo.

In the 1940s whites still dominated all Caribbean governments; in the Bahamas this was still true until 1967. In 1887 Magistrate Powles caused an uproar and near riot when he sentenced a white man to a month in jail. Two years previously, five black men were fined at Harbour Island for entering the Methodist Church by the door reserved for whites.

ANTI-DISCRIMINATION

Sir Etienne Dupuch’s 1956 Resolution in the House of Assembly against discrimination illustrates that racial discrimination was very real and that Emancipation had been but a small step in bridging the social and racial bridge in Bahamian Society. Political freedom for the former slaves was a myth. The white man retained his former power controlling the local legislature which

gradually gained strength during the nineteenth century.

A few rich, educated or more influential men of colour were elected quite early into the Bahamian House of Assembly. In fact by 1834, four men of colour sat in the Lower House.

However, power was founded on land ownership and a narrow elective franchise.

The Bahamas fared better than many West Indian islands franchisewise. In 1864, 5,949 registered voters out of a population of 35,287 voted in the Bahamas, while in Jamaica, in the previous year, 1,482 voted out of a population of 540,000. However there is no way of knowing the proportion of whites to blacks in the electorate.

The lack of property and high property qualifications kept a vast majority of the freed slaves from voting, let alone holding office. The ballot was a special privilege. Those who voted were often intimidated by the rich and influential and the secret ballot was not introduced into New Providence until 1940 and extended to the Out Islands the next year. It was not until after the General Strike of 1958 (a rumbling of the events to come in the 1960s) that property qualification and plural voting were abolished.

It was no coincidence that most of the largest number of the electorate were situated in constituencies with a predominance of whites. In 1864 less than a third of the population of the Bahamas lived in New Providence. By the end of the nineteenth century it had become almost half.

Still New Providence with its large black population,

many well educated, still elected only eight members to the Assembly.

Indeed, the constituency boundaries were to be one of the first problems tackled by the new black government in 1967.

BLACKS DENIED

The former slave owners and their descendants who were mostly white wielded almost unchallenged political power from Emancipation until the 1960s. The vast majority of blacks were denied for the intervening years regular means of political expression. The white oligarchy governed in its own interests and resisted attempts to loosen the grip.

Indeed it perpetuated its own rule and can be held

responsible for whatever backwardness in political, social and cultural development, is evident today.

This white minority control only increased the frustrations and resentment of the black population and in spite of the peaceful political revolution in the Bahamas in the 1960s, there still exists undying suspicions and even hatred between local blacks and whites.

QUIET REVOLUTION

Emancipation gave the former slaves theoretical freedom, but was just the beginning of a long hard struggle.

Emancipation well into the nineteenth century was not complete as it was clear that the former slave

owners intended to keep the majority of blacks in subordinate social, political and economic positions. Full participation of the majority of the population took a very long time and there was to be a long period of stagnation in the Bahamas.

Perhaps, because of the lack of economic resources and the dependence on external events the process was slower in the Bahamas than in the larger sugar islands.

The evolution or ‘quiet revolution’ as it has been called, was to be won without bloodshed.

Emancipation was a beginning; Independence will be a continuation of this process.

Dr Gail SaunDerS as photographed by Duke Wells for The Bahamian Project.

Independence evokes thoughts of our uniqueness

THERE are approximately two trillion galaxies in the universe. The Milky Way galaxy houses Planet Earth and over 100 billion stars including the sun. To give this an accurate sense of scale, just consider that over one million Earths could fit into the sun. Now it’s easy to appreciate that despite how self-absorbed we all are, the truth is whether we’re a large nation or a tiny island, we are but a speck of dust in an infinite planetary system.

Breaking it down further makes looking at the big picture even more interesting. Earth is divided into the northern, southern, eastern and western hemispheres, regionally separating the 195 countries of our planet. The Bahamas ranks number 178 when countries are listed by population, which is equivalent to 0.01% of the world population. And yet, on a planet of near eight billion people, particularly in sports, we have out-performed other countries on so many levels.

This month, as we celebrate our 50th independence from external rule and mark our national sovereignty, I thought it best to reflect on where we are as a nation by asking my patients over the past week what Independence means to them. These are their remarks.

Each one suggested that to adequately describe how significant this moment is, we must first understand who Bahamians are. Through this column, over the years I’ve come to realise that we are the strongest and most resilient people in the world who, even when touched by tragedy, rise up and give God

thanks for our infinite blessings. Never taking ourselves too seriously, we are united by laughter and the wisdom of our elders and we defend our nation’s character with concrete solidarity to any and all foreigners who dare to ridicule us.

Our lives revolve around the family unit, in particular mothers and grandmothers who can take a one-person meal and feed an entire neighbourhood. Elders are celebrated and church is a priority but so is rum punch and beer. We grew up believing that ocean water and bush medicine can cure our bodies while a hot meal enjoyed with family and neighbours cures the soul. Here, anyone you meet is potentially a relative so saying good morning to a room full of strangers or hailing someone on the street is the norm.

In The Bahamas, neighbourhood gossip is more entertaining than a movie and despite our notoriously slow ‘island-time’ pace, a hot piece of news will travel the island with lightning speed. We refuse to believe we have an accent but distinctly know another Bahamian when we hear them speak. The entire island vibrates to the music of Junkanoo as the cowbells and drums tell the story of our people, our struggles and our desires. We distrust our

politicians and have a boiling disdain for our electricity provider. Surrounded by water and ravaged by several hurricanes we can switch to panic mode in a fraction of a second. During COVID-19, one rumour of a lockdown shared on social media could send the entire country into a nervous frenzy.

Bahamians have won Grammys and Oscars and Olympic gold medals. We’ve travelled to the depths of the ocean and a Bahamian rocket scientist will soon travel to space. We’ve excelled in acting, singing and in sports like basketball, baseball, boxing, sailing, tennis and track and field. The world looks at us in amazement wondering how we can do so much with so little. My patients suggest that it’s our lack of access that drives us to work harder and make do without. One such patient stated that independence for him was a celebration of all our accomplishments. We did spectacularly on our own, removed from foreign rule and external protectorate, and we proved to the world that we are fully capable of governing our own affairs without outside interference.

Another patient echoed the sentiments of several others that Independence shows how far we’ve come. In the past 50 years, we’ve

By Dr Kenneth D Kemp

built two billion-dollar hotels, a world class cruise port, airports, constructed highways, built new schools and expanded the public hospital. Bahamians can now be found in almost every corner of the world and our islands are home to world leaders, royalty, celebrities and some of the greatest minds on the planet.

Interestingly, one patient mentioned that our independence made him think about what we lost. He was alluding to the fact that The Bahamas has had between 73 to 146 murders annually over the past decade. A small number in comparison to other nations but he laments over a time years ago when you could leave your doors and windows unlocked without fear of thievery or death. That world no longer exists. In this new world, a week’s worth of grocery for a family of four costs far more than twenty dollars while real estate has seen record-breaking inflation.

Despite this and with more and more Bahamians travelling abroad to seek higher education and work opportunities, patients have told me that independence for them means that they can now travel without facing overt racism. Although a spark of it still exists in several forms and several nations, and may

likely never be extinguished, some patients suggest that the world has improved in their eyes and they simply don’t face the same level of persecution as their grandfathers did when travelling outside the country.

Independence for me is a celebration of our culture, preserved meticulously throughout the years, and taking time to reflect where we are and where we want to be. In The Bahamas, one family is often racially intermixed with blacks and whites and we’re either neighbours or co-workers with Europeans, Greeks, Indians and Chinese. I personally have patients from over 42 different countries proving that in our 50 years of independence, we’ve become a melting pot of peoples and cultures. I believe we’ve become a better nation because of this diversity.

An older patient reminded me that independence also showcased to the world how unique we really are. The Bahamas is one of the only places on the planet where you can find pink sand beaches. It has the world’s deepest blue hole, the third largest barrier reef and the third largest wine cellar in the world (boasting 250,000 bottles from 400 winemakers in 15 countries). As an independent nation we control our own economy and govern our natural resources, at one point enjoying the third highest per capita gross domestic product (GDP) in the western hemisphere.

Every patient agreed that this independence is particularly special and a milestone that deserves to

be celebrated. And for those nearing their life journey’s end, they were simply happy to be alive to share in this moment, recalling vividly the anxiety and pride felt by all when, as the Union Jack was lowered, a then Prince Charles on July 10, 1973, handed over the documents to our independence, ending 300 years of British sovereignty.

The universe may be infinite and the world population may be in the billions but in 50 years, we’ve learned

The Bahamas is among the greatest and most beautiful countries on planet Earth. We can compete with anyone, anywhere and anytime. May we always pledge to excel through love and unity as our national anthem dictates. And as we reflect during this year’s independence, perhaps we can also give thanks to our fellow countrymen who’ve taken their talents to the world stage and our men and women leaders who persistently fight to showcase that without a shadow of a doubt, through prayer and anthem, it is indeed now and forevermore better in The Bahamas.

This is The KDK Report.

Nicknamed ‘The Prince of Podiatry’, Dr Kenneth D Kemp is the founder and medical director of Bahamas Foot and Ankle located in Caves Village, Western New Providence. He served as the deputy chairman for the Health Council for five years and he currently sits on the board of directors for the Princess Margaret Hospital Foundation in his role as co-vice-chairman.

CARICOM at 50: there is still hope

JULY 4, 2023 marks the 50th anniversary of the signing of the Treaty of Chaguaramas, the foundational document that brought the Caribbean Community and Common Market (CARICOM) into existence. With high hopes and lofty ambitions, the heads of government of the four largest independent Caribbean countries at the time embarked on a journey towards regional integration. They were later joined, to varying degrees of commitment, by 10 other countries.

Reflection on the past five decades reveals that CARICOM has fallen short of its initial promises and failed to deliver the deep and meaningful integration that was envisioned, leading to the often-repeated phrase, “CARICOM and CARI-GONE.”

While CARICOM experienced some initial success,

World View

By SIr rOnALD SAnDerS

establishing institutions like the Caribbean Development Bank and making progress in trade, its history has been characterized by sporadic bursts of activity followed by prolonged periods of inaction. This inconsistent pattern has eroded confidence and faith in the CARICOM project among various sectors of Caribbean society.

Nevertheless, the fact that CARICOM’s framework continues to exist is a testament to the enduring belief in the benefits of regional integration. No government

dares to withdraw from it, fearing a popular backlash from within its own population.

Despite the revision of the CARICOM Treaty in 2001, which aimed to establish a Single Market and Economy (CSME), progress towards these goals has been painfully slow. The establishment of a Customs Union, let alone a Common Market, remains unrealized.

The lack of a comprehensive regional economic framework has hindered the potential for genuine free trade, cross-border

company establishment, and the free movement of labour — a vision that once excited the people of CARICOM.

By 2011, the CSME had effectively stalled, with little progress made in advancing regional integration. In 2022, CARICOM leaders acknowledged that trade barriers, particularly nontariff barriers, were major obstacles to the development of a regional market for agricultural produce, as well as inter-regional transportation. The inability to overcome even these challenges, especially air transportation, which suffered as a consequence of closed borders during the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic, highlights the significant capacity that CARICOM states have yet to collectively build.

Comparatively, the countries of the European Union (EU), which embarked on integration efforts around the same time as CARICOM, have made significant strides. The EU expanded its membership, established a single currency, dismantled border barriers, and empowered a central Commission to make decisions collectively for all member countries. In contrast, CARICOM has limped along, burdened by inadequate implementation of decisions, mistrust among leaders, institutional decline, and a weak and underfunded Secretariat.

Numerous reports and commissions have carefully examined CARICOM’s failures and offered recommendations for improvement. The 1992 West Indian Commission’s seminal work, “Time for Action,” led by Caribbean luminary, Shridath Ramphal, called for the establishment of a Caribbean Commission similar to the European Commission. Despite the acceptance of some recommendations, crucial proposals regarding governance structures, including the creation of a Caribbean Commission, were largely ignored.

In 2016, the Jamaican government commissioned a review of its relations with CARICOM, headed by Bruce Golding. The commission recommended explicit provisions in the CARICOM Treaty to enforce member states’ obligations and ensure timely implementation of decisions. Yet, once again, these recommendations were largely disregarded,

further highlighting the challenges of implementing meaningful reform within CARICOM.

In 2021, a CARICOM Commission on the economy revived discussions on regional integration. It suggested that interested member states should proceed with integration, leaving the door open for others to join at their own pace. However, this report, like its predecessors, has not spurred the necessary action.

The dominant characteristic of CARICOM has been the jealous retention of sovereignty by individual governments. In their international bargaining, CARICOM governments have achieved success only when they act together. But there is no established machinery for joint relations with external powers and agencies. Thus, ad hoc collective activities have produced beneficial results, but these have been spectacular exceptions, not the consistent rule.

This inclination to maintain decision-making power at the national level has hindered progress. Bureaucrats, too, have perpetuated this culture of nationalism, often prioritizing their countries’ interests over collective regional welfare.

Consequently, CARICOM has struggled to implement regional decisions effectively and act in unison, hampering its ability to achieve its objectives.

The Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ) serves as a notable example of this contradiction. Established in 2001 to replace the British Privy Council as the region’s final court of appeal, the CCJ has struggled to gain the full support of member states despite the demonstrated high quality of its jurisprudence. Some countries have been hesitant to embrace the CCJ due to concerns over losing sovereignty and fear of political interference. As a result, the region has been unable to unify under a single legal system, preventing the CCJ from fulfilling its potential as a symbol of Caribbean unity and independence.

The consequences of limited integration have been significant for CARICOM countries. Research conducted by the International Monetary Fund (IMF) indicates that deeper regional integration could bring substantial economic benefits. By reducing

non-tariff barriers and trade costs, CARICOM countries could stimulate trade, restructure their economies, and generate net employment gains. Integration would also allow member states to tap into global value chains, attract foreign investment, and enhance their economic potential. The failure to seize these opportunities has come at a cost to the region’s development and prosperity.

As CARICOM reaches its 50-year milestone, new challenges face each of its member states that none can manage effectively alone. Among them are the impact of climate change including more frequent and intense disasters; new pandemics for which they are ill-prepared; increasing transnational crime; gang violence and the spread of deadly weapons; and narrowing windows to much needed development funds. All of these developments require more integration, not less.

CARICOM needs a renewed commitment from member states to prioritize collective interests over narrow national concerns. This shift in mindset should be accompanied by concrete actions, such as the removal of remaining trade barriers, harmonization of regulations, and the establishment of effective governance mechanisms that can enforce regional decisions.

CARICOM must also invest in revamping its institutions, providing them with the necessary expertise, authority, and resources to drive the integration agenda forward. Enhanced regional cooperation and coordination, with a focus on effective implementation and enforcement, will be vital to restoring confidence and generating tangible benefits for the people of the Caribbean.

Hopefully, 50 years of lessons will not go unlearned. The vision of a fully integrated Caribbean, where borders are irrelevant, and collective strength prevails, can still be realized.

Responses and previous commentaries: www. sirronaldsanders.com

(The writer is Antigua and Barbuda’s Ambassador to the United States and the Organization of American States. The views expressed are entirely his own. Responses and previous commentaries: www.sirronaldsanders.com)

Low vaccination rates spark fears over polio

of having the reintroduction of some diseases that we have not seen for a very long time and potential spread, and this could be a real big problem.”

After PAHO and the WHO hosted an event Friday to promote vaccines, Dr Boission told reporters childhood immunisation has been far below the 95 per cent goal.

“I’m saying that The

Bahamas is at risk of reintroduction of polio and other diseases right now because the vaccination rates have gone way down below 95 per cent, and until we get them back up to 95 per cent, we are at risk,” she said.

“We’ve been doing this for a long time. We are all vaccine babies. All of us here have been vaccinated. We had our childhood vaccinations.

“I’m far from being a baby, I’m still here healthy,

and I don’t have any of those diseases that the vaccines prevented me from getting, so they are very safe, and you really need to get your kids vaccinated. You do not want them to get polio, which there is no cure for, or measles, mumps, rubella, tetanus, or pertussis. These are all serious diseases that can make your kids severely ill or even kill them. Do not be afraid.”

Acting Chief Medical

Officer Dr Philip Swan said the COVID-19 pandemic affected vaccine uptake in two ways: access to vaccines was reduced during lockdowns, and hesitancy spread among people amid debate about taking the COVID-19 vaccine.

“The risk is real,” he said. “As mentioned earlier, we have source markets where our tourists come from. In some of those areas, there have been pockets of these

DRA inspects septic tA nk pRoject in sweeting’s cAy, gB

By DENISE MAYCOCK Tribune Freeport Reporter dmaycock@tribunemedia.net

DISASTER Reconstruction Authority Alex Storr has taken exception to those who say the organisation is ineffective, insisting they are working hard.

Mr Storr and a team from DRA travelled to Sweeting’s Cay at the weekend to inspect the completion of a septic tank project for 17 residents to receive occupancy certificates for their homes.

“We have a number of projects on our table,” stressed Mr Storr. “We are hard at work; I saw someone in the House of Assembly dare to say the DRA has done nothing and is not working.

“But from we came into office we had clean up the monumental mess that we met, restructuring the authority, and then properly planning the projects and overseeing those that were in progress.”

The need for septic tanks on Sweeting’s Cay was one of the first issues that the DRA was notified about when Mr Storr took office.

Mr Storr said logistics was a huge challenge that caused delays.

“It took a while to plan and facilitate, and I would say it was a year in the making, but now we have completed it,” he said.

He said residents who

relocated to mainland Grand Bahama or other islands can start moving back home.

Mr Storr said residents can now have some normalcy after Dorian.

After the storm in 2019, many Sweeting’s Cay residents received assistance from NGOs to rebuild their homes, however they could not get electrical supply because they could not get an occupancy certificate due to the lack of proper septic systems that were damaged after the storm.

The DRA was notified of the problem and hired a contractor, Board House Supplies, to carry out the project.

During the project, he said one of the major challenges was difficulty in getting supplies on the island.

“On the ride over, the channel is very shallow, but with the help of the contractor, we got the septic tanks here. We had a resident that canvassed the area to see who needed septic tanks and the list was provided.”

Mr Storr said the DRA’s work is ongoing and any resident on Sweeting’s Cay who is still in need of assistance should contact the office.

The DRA is working with NGOs to facilitate repairs in Grand Bahama and Abaco.

According to Storr, several contracts have been signed for home repairs which should begin shortly on both islands.

“We are in the process of demobilising the Debris Management Sites on Abaco - that is a major environmental win to able to take those sites, dismantled them, and have that land cleared.”

Mr Storr noted they are also building an allpurpose shelter to serve Abaco.

“We unfortunately found out many things the DRA did prior to us coming to office and we had to fix the

problems, and the project is now going on quickly and we should be finished by the end of the year,” he said. The chairman encouraged people who are aware of issues to notify the DRA so the problems could be addressed. “In Abaco, there was a derelict vessel in the city centre for two years after Dorian and when persons brought it to us, we had it removed,” he said. At least 50 home repairs are going on now in Abaco, and there will be more in the coming weeks, said a DRA official.

f la G raisin G ceremonies held throu G hout Grand Bahama to mark the road to 50

By DENISE MAYCOCK Tribune Freeport Reporter dmaycock@tribunemedia.net

Flag-raising ceremonies were held on Friday throughout Grand Bahama in celebration of the 50th anniversary of Independence. In Freeport, the ceremony was held at the Harold DeGregory Government Complex. Residents of East End attended the ceremony in High Rock. In West End, Senator Kirkland Russell told the gathering that the Bahamas’ flag connects all Bahamians.

“This flag represents all of us,” said Mr Russell. He noted that in 1973 the representatives of West End (Warren Levarity) and East End (Maurice Moore) were a part of Majority Rule which was pivotal to The Bahamas’ Independence.

Bahamians dressed in their national colours at government and business offices.

once-forgotten childhood vaccine-preventable illnesses like polio, like measles.

“If our children are not vaccinated, the chances are, if one of the adults who works in those communities interacts with someone with the disease, they could transfer the virus home to their household. If we have pockets of individuals not vaccinated, there’s nothing to protect that group, and the disease then flies like wildfire. We

could see school closures happen again if we do have outbreaks like polio and measles.”

Dr Swan could not say what the current vaccination rate is among children, saying health officials are trying to determine this.

According to the WHO, the pandemic saw immunisation levels decrease in over 100 countries, leading to rising outbreaks of measles and polio, among other diseases.

By RASHAD ROLLE Tribune News Editor rrolle@tribunemedia.net

THE Davis administration is considering introducing a one-off holiday to mark the 50th anniversary of CARICOM, with Latrae Rahming, director of communications in the Office of the Prime Minister, saying a decision on this is “imminent”.

“The decision on whether The Bahamas will observe or make a holiday for the 50 years of CARICOM has not been decided as yet, but it is a matter that has been discussed at CARICOM heads level,” he said yesterday.

Tomorrow is the 50th anniversary of CARICOM.

During the 44th Regular Meeting of the CARICOM Heads of Government, held in The Bahamas last month, members declared July 4 a national holiday for all member states.

However, only Antigua and Barbuda, Grenada and St Kitts and Nevis have announced a one-off holiday to mark tomorrow’s anniversary.

Barbados will observe a holiday on July 31, with Bajan Prime Minister Mia Mottley reportedly saying a July 4th date would have been too early.

The Treaty of Chaguaramas, which established CARICOM, was signed by Barbados, Jamaica, Guyana and Trinidad and Tobago leaders on July 4, 1973.

Prime Minister Philip “Brave” Davis recently ended his term as CARICOM chairman.

Highlights of his tenure included visits to The Bahamas from Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and US Vice President Kamala Harris.

gB M A n ‘not guilty’ of RA pe with a 16-year-old Girl

By DENISE MAYCOCK Tribune Freeport Reporter dmaycock@tribunemedia.net

ARTHUR Damien

Brown was unanimously acquitted of the rape of a minor on Friday in the Supreme Court.

A jury of four men and five women delivered a not guilty verdict shortly after 3pm.

Justice Andrew Forbes thanked the jurors for their service. He then told Brown, 54, that he was free to leave.

Brown, a resident of Grand Bahama, was charged with having unlawful sex with a 16-year-old girl without

her consent on September 30, 2018, in Marsh Harbour, Abaco.

Erica Culmer-Curry, of the Attorney General’s Office, prosecuted on behalf of the Crown. She was assisted by Ashley Carroll and Sean Smith. Defence counsel Ernie Wallace was pleased with the outcome.

“I think it was a just verdict because the prosecution brought a case in which they had no forensic evidence, and really ought not to have brought this case,” he said. Mr Wallace said his client feels good about the outcome.

HEALTH officials are alarmed by declining vaccination among children and fear the country is at risk of reintroducing polio and other deadly diseases. “The Caribbean and The Bahamas used to be second to none in terms of vaccinations in the world,” said Dr Eldonna Boission, a representative of the Pan American Health Organisation and World Health Organisation Bahamas and Turks and Caicos Islands. from page one

Govt contemplates one-off holiday for 50 years of caricom

DISASTER Reconstruction Authority Alex Storr and a team from DRA travelled to Sweeting’s Cay at the weekend to inspect the completion of a septic tank project for 17 residents to receive occupancy certificates for their homes.

Photo: Vandyke Hepburn

THE BAHAmAS Flag is raised in Freeport on Friday.

Photo: Vandyke Hepburn

SPORTS

By MICHAEL MAROT AP Sports Writer

INDIANAPOLIS (AP)

— Katie Ledecky easily won the 1,500-metre freestyle at the U.S. national championships on Saturday in Indianapolis, giving her at least three more chances to add to her world championship gold medal collection.

Laquan Nairn gets win, Charlton 4th

By BRENT STUBBS Senior Sports Reporter bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

In their preparation for the Bahamas Association of Athletic Associations’ National Track and Field Championships this week, Commonwealth Games champion and silver medallists Laquan Nairn and Devynne Charlton turned in some credible performances over the weekend.

Competing in two separate Wanda Diamond League meets, Nairn picked up a victory in the men’s long jump in Lausanne, Switzerland, on Friday, while Charlton had to settle for fourth place in the women’s 100 metre hurdles in Stockholm, Sweden, yesterday. The duo were the only two Bahamians who competed in the two meets heading into the World

Championships in Budapest, Hungary, from August 16-27.

The 27-year-old Chalton, the Bahamian national record holder at 12.46 seconds, has already surpassed the qualifying standard of 12.78 for Budapest.

She clocked 12.85 on Sunday as she trailed world record holder Tobi Amusan of Nigeria, who won in 12.52.

Sarah Levin of Ireland was second in a personal best of 12.73, while Pia Skrzszowska of Poland was third in 12.78.

Meanwhile, the 26-yearold Nairn topped the field in Lausanne with a season’s best leap of 26-feet, 7 1/4inches or 8.11 metres on his third attempt. He’s now pegged in the top 30 in the world.

“I’ve been preparing for this competition for two

SEE PAGE 16

The 26-year-old Ledecky posted the sixth-fastest time in history, finishing in 15 minutes, 29.64 seconds — more than 28 seconds ahead of second-place finisher Katie Grimes.

Ledecky qualified for the Americans in all four events she competed in this week, but announced she would not compete in the 200 free later this month in Fukuoka, Japan.

“I just really enjoyed it last year, being able to focus on the mile,” said Ledecky, whose 19 golds at worlds are the women’s record. “I’m still training for the 200 to throw down on that relay.”

Caleb Dressel did not make the team.

He failed to qualify for the “A” final in his fourth and final event of the week, the men’s 50 free.

Dressel, who won five gold medals at the Tokyo Olympics, had not competed at a high-level meet since withdrawing suddenly at last year’s world championships in Budapest, Hungary, because of health reasons.

Dressel was tied for 22nd with a time of 22.72 seconds in his preliminary heat but acknowledged he was satisfied with the results after his long layoff. He didn’t finish higher than third in any event.

“I’m doing good right now, very indifferent about my results,” he said.

SEE PAGE 16

CAC Games: Bahamas water polo team splits the first two matches

By BRENT STUBBS Senior Sports Reporter bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

THE Bahamas water polo team split their first two games over the weekend as they began competition in the 24th Central American and Caribbean Games in San Salvador, El Salvador.

Team Bahamas, coached by Laszlo Borbely, suffered a 27-2 trumping from Mexico yesterday in their second game played.

Gabriel Sastre and Dominic Demeritte scored the two goals for Team Bahamas.

Mexico took control of the game from the first quarter when they produced seven goals before Team Bahamas got its first goal in the second quarter, which saw Mexico add five more.

Mexico extended its lead to 15-1 with eight more in the third and they got seven more in the fourth as Team Bahamas got their final goal.

On Saturday, Team Bahamas got started with an impressive 10-9 nipping of Centro Caribe Sports as Joshua Gibson came through with half of the goals, netting two in the

first quarter and one each in the second and third.

Nicholas Wallace-Whitfield, with one goal in the second and a pair in the third, helped out with three, while Garbiel Sastre added

a goal in each of the first and second for his two for Team Bahamas.

Centro Caribe Sports made a gallant comeback after trailing 10-6 at the end of third.

Despite holding Team Bahamas scoreless in the fourth as they rallied from a 9-6 deficit, Centro Caribe Sports got third goals in the fourth to fall short by one. Team Bahamas also

completed competition in sloop sailing on Saturday.

In the snipe class, the team of Jaqueline Frode and Paul de Souza finished in fifth place with 5.00 points.

Puerto Rico took the victory with one point, while Cuba had two teams that came in second and third with two and three points, while Mexico was fourth with four points.

Joshua Higgins was 10th overall with 10 points in the men’s IIca 7 class, which saw Spain take the gold, followed by Puerto Rico and Aruba with the silver and bronze respectively.

Also on Sunday, Team Bahamas got started in archery, losing 151-136 in the mixed compound team competition.

The team is comprised of Leron Rolle and Rachel Taylor-Brown. They are also competing in the men and women compound individual competition this week.

SEE PAGE 16

MONDAY, JULY 3, 2023

TEAM Bahamas’ water polo squad began competition on Saturday. It is scheduled to run until Friday, July 7.

LAQUAN NAIRN, of The Bahamas, in action. He picked up the victory in the men’s long jump in a Wanda Diamond League meet over the weekend.

DEVYNNE Charlton had to settle for fourth place in the women’s 100 metre hurdles in a Wanda Diamond League meet in Stockholm, Sweden, yesterday.

WINNER: The United States of America’s (USA) first-seeded Benjamin Willwerth (left) got the win over the second-seeded Cruz Hewitt

from Australia in the boys 18 singles.

Bahamian tennis players finish

ITF tourney as the runner-ups

By TENAJH SWEETING Tribune Sports Reporter tsweeting@tribunemedia.net

AFTER five days of competition at the National Tennis Centre, six new champions were crowned for the International Tennis Federation (ITF) J30 Junkanoo Bowl Tournament.

The competition started with 22 Bahamian juniors combined against competitors from 11 different countries. Ultimately, out of 22 Bahamians there were only two remaining on the final day of competition this past Friday.

Doubles

The only Bahamians to advance to the finals were the duo of Jackson Mactaggart and Jerald Carroll.

The doubles team battled against Tommy Rainyn and double crown winner Benjamin Willwerth.

Ultimately, The Bahamas’ final remaining tennis junior players came up short against the United States of America’s doubles team in two sets 6-4, 6-0. Carroll talked about the team’s final match and their overall experience at the ITF J30 Junkanoo Bowl tourney.

“It was good competition that we were playing. It gave me good experience and helped me to get better with my doubles partner so it was just fun in general,” he said.

The doubles player added that the tournament was fun because it was good to meet new people who spoke different languages and to get exposure to other good players.

Mactaggart, Carroll’s doubles teammate, talked about how it felt to be the final remaining Bahamians in the tournament.

“It feels good, we worked hard, we got some preparation in from the nationals last week. We look forward to coming back and doing better next time,” he said.

He added that he prefers the international competition because it is a wider variety of players which

helps them to prepare for other tournaments. Overall, he said it was fun and was happy about the doubles competition because tournaments do not usually have those matches.

The USA won all the other areas of competition including the girls’ doubles.

The team of Natalie Oliver, who won a double crown for her singles and doubles wins, and Alexandra Wolf wrapped up Kaya Baker and Gianna Graci. In set one, the duo won 6-4. After the initial set, they solidified the championship win with 6-3 in set two.

The doubles team turned in a dominating showing all tournament. They defeated The Bahamas’ Saphirre Ferguson and Sierra Rodgers 6-0, 6-0 in round one.

In the quarterfinals, Italy’s Nicole Ballotta and the USA’s Maria Fernanda Luzuriaga suffered the same fate. In the semis, the duo once again powered through the competition, dropping Jessica McLean and Annika Warkentin of the USA 6-1,6-0.

Singles The USA’s Oliver claimed her second victory of the day in singles action against Korea’s Dain Lee in a final that required three sets for the win.

Oliver took down Lee in the first set 7-5. However, set two was all Lee who quieted Oliver with 6-4.

Ultimately, Oliver stepped it up in the final set, running away with the win (6-1).

Similar to Oliver, the USA’s Willwerth secured his second victory of the day in a competitive final. He came into the match as the top seed and matched up against the secondseeded Cruz Hewitt from Australia. Willwerth proved why he came in ranked as the top seed, he opened set one 6-1. Hewitt mounted a comeback in set two of three, dropping the USA singles competitor 7-5.

However, Willwerth completed his quest to victory in the third set, winning 6-1 for the singles championship. Next up for the

Bahamas Lawn

Association’s (BLTA)

be

start of

WIMBLEDON: WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW BEFORE PLAY BEGINS TODAY

WIMBLEDON, England

(AP) — Novak Djokovic begins his bid for a fifth consecutive title at Wimbledon and eighth overall at Centre Court today.

Djokovic also will be trying to add to his men’srecord 23 Grand Slam singles titles — he broke a tie with Rafael Nadal by winning the French Open last month — and become the first player to collect 24 in the Open era.

Oh, and then there’s this: The 36-year-old from Serbia is halfway to the first calendar-year Grand Slam in men’s tennis since Rod Laver won all four majors in 1969.

Djokovic faces Pedro Cachin, a 67th-ranked

Argentine making his Wimbledon debut.

The reigning women’s champion is Elena Rybakina, who won her first Slam trophy at the All England Club.

She’ll open play on Tuesday against American Shelby Rogers.

Top-ranked Iga Swiatek, who won her fourth major championship at the French Open, debuts today against Zhu Lin.

One significant change: Players from Russia and Belarus are back at Wimbledon.

They were banned by the All England Club a year ago because of the attack on Ukraine launched by Russia, with the help

of Belarus, in February 2022, but the tournament reversed course now even though the war continues.

So No. 7 men’s seed Andrey Rublev, a Russian, and two-time Australian Open champion Victoria Azarenka, a Belarusian, are among those on today’s schedule.

Also slated to play on Day 1: Five-time Wimbledon champion Venus Williams, who is 43 and appearing at the tournament for the 24th time.

She meets 2019 semifinalist Elina Svitolina, who recently returned after taking time off from the tour to have a baby, at Centre Court.

WHEN ARE TODAY’S MATCHES?

Play begins on most courts at 11am local time, which is 6am EDT; that’s when Rublev will play Max Purcell on No. 3 Court, and Azarenka will take on Yuan Yue at Court 15, while No. 4 seed Jessica Pegula goes up against Lauren Davis at No. 2 Court in an all-American matchup.

Action at No. 1 Court begins at 1pm local time, which is 8am EDT, and the first match there is Swiatek-Zhu.

Centre Court is the last arena to get going, at 1:30pm local time, 8:30am EDT. That is when Djokovic-Cachin is set to start.

Williams-Svitolina follows, meaning it could begin around 4pm local time, 11am EDT.

HOW TO WATCH WIMBLEDON ON TV

— In the U.S.: ESPN, Tennis Channel

— Other countries listed here.

BETTING GUIDE

Not surprisingly, Djokovic is a heavy favourite for the men’s title, listed as a minus-190 money-line pick before play begins, ahead of Alcaraz at plus-370, according to FanDuel Sportsbook.

No one else is really given much of a chance, so there are big payouts offered on some other top men, such as Jannik Sinner

at plus-1,900 or Daniil Medvedev at plus-2,300.

Young American Sebastian Korda is next at plus-3,600. Swiatek, who never has been past the fourth round at Wimbledon, is listed as the women’s favourite at plus-290, followed by Rybakina at plus-500 and Aryna Sabalenka at plus-500.

Two-time champion Petra Kvitova is at plus-1,000, Coco Gauff at plus-1,400 and 2022 runner-up Ons Jabeur at plus-1,500.

Looking at today’s matches, Svitolina (minus220) is favoured against Williams (plus-180).

Tennis

NTC will

the

tennis for

the Bahamas Golden Jubilee Games on Friday, July 7. Individuals are asked to come out and support the men’s singles matchups which get underway at 9am.

NATALIE Oliver and Alexandra Wolf of the United States of America (USA) were victorious in the girls doubles at the International Tennis Federation (ITF) J30 Junkanoo Bowl Tournament. Photos: Tenajh Sweeting

BOYS SINGLES

(right)

THE UNITED States of America’s (USA) Tommy Rainyn and Benjamin Willwerth claimed victory in the Boys 18 Doubles at the International Tennis Federation (ITF) J30 Junkanoo Bowl Tournament.

THE BAHAMAS’ Jerald Carroll and Jackson Mactaggart were the runner-ups in the boys 18 doubles.

The heart of champions

CAC Games: Bahamas water polo team splits the first two matches

FROM PAGE 14

Today, competition will start for track and field with national record holder Kendrick Thompson and past national record holder Ken Mullings starting the first five events of their two day decathlon competition.

Also expected in action will be Anthaya Charlton in the semifinal and possibly the final of the women’s 100m, while Shaun Miller Jr and Klye Alcine in the final of the men’s high jump.

While the decathlon will wrap up on Tuesday, NCAA champion Rhema Otabor will be contesting the final of the women’s javelin. The only other member of Team Bahamas, Tamara Myers, will be in action in the final of the women’s triple jump on Wednesday.

It’s the same day that the Bahamas Association of Athletic Associations will start its National Championships that will wrap up on Friday at the Thomas A Robinson National Stadium. All of the athletes are expected back for the nationals, with the exception of Myers.

The Bahamas has already completed competition in boxing and swimming during the first week of the games with Lamar Taylor getting the first two medals with a gold and national record in the 50m backstroke and a bronze in the 50m freestyle.

KATIE LEDECKY QUALIFIES

FOR

4TH WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS

FROM PAGE 14

“There’s kind of like, ‘what just happened?’ but then also totally understanding what just happened.”

The top qualifier in prelims, Ryan Held, also won the evening final, finishing in 21.50 seconds — just ahead of Jack Alexy (21.63)

Two US Open records also fell at the IU

Natatorium on Saturday night.

Kate Douglass set a new mark in the women’s 200 individual medley with a time of 2:07.09, beating out Alex Walsh (2:07.89). And Bobby Finke cruised to a victory in the men’s 800 free in a record 7:40.34 — nearly eight seconds faster than second-place finisher Ross Dant.

In the two other events on the final night of the meet, Carson Foster beat Shaine Casas in the men’s 200 IM while Abbey Weitzeil held off Gretchen Walsh to win the women’s 50 free.

Foster was clocked at 1:56.19 and Casas at 1:57.47.

Weitzeil finished in 24.00 seconds while Walsh posted a 24.31.

weeks,” said Nairn, who would have to ranked in the top 16 in order to be invited to Budapest, if he doesn’t make the standard.

“Last year I came last in the Oslo Diamond League, so it’s amazing for me to be able to come first.”

After he opened with 24-4 ¼ (7.42m) and followed with 25-7 ¼ (7.80m), Nairn took he took the lead on his third attempt and maintained it the rest of the way. It was his only mark over 26-3 (8.0m), but it didn’t matter because his nearest rival Militadis Tentoglou of Greece did 26-5 ¾ (8.07m) for second.

“Before the competition, I had my whole mindset changed and that helped me to jump further,” Nairn said.

He finished the competition with his final three jumps of 25-1 ¼ (7.65m), 23-10 ¼ (7.27m) and 24-4 ¼ (7.42m), but he was never in any danger of relinquishing his top spot.

Although he has a lifetime best of 26-11 ¾ (8.22m), Nairn has not yet surpassed the qualifying standard of 27-0 ¾ (8.25m) for the World Championships, but he’s expected to be make the trip on an invite, based on his world rankings as World Athletics completes the field for the championships. Now,

KATIE Ledecky reacts after winning the women’s 1,500-metre freestyle at the U.S. nationals swimming meet, Saturday, July 1, 2023, in Indianapolis. (AP Photo/ Darron Cummings)

on his way back home this week, Nairn is scheduled to compete in the Nationals from Wednesday to Friday at the Thomas A Robinson Stadium before he goes through his final stages for the Worlds.

“I will continue working hard for the Budapest World Championships and I aim to get a medal there,” Nairn said.

After qualifying for the finals at the Commonwealth Games last year, Nairn made the bold prediction that he would win the title.

Two days later, he came back in the final and lived up to his expectations. Can he do the same in Budapest? Only time will tell.

GO TEAM BAHAMAS: Shown, from left to right, are Lamar Taylor, Emmanuel Gadson, Luke-Kennedy Thompson, Rhanishka Gibbs, Zaylie-Elizabeth Thompson and coach Camron Bruney.

HEART OF CHAMPIONS: Team Leukemia/Epilepsy wrapped up Team Autism/Sids to become the first ever 13-and-under champions at the I-BAP All Star series.

SEE THE FULL STORY IN TUESDAY SPORTS

CHARLTON FROM PAGE 14

Jonquel scores eight points in 81-66 win over Storm

SEATTLE (AP) — Breanna Stewart had 20 points, eight rebounds and six assists, Courtney Vandersloot added 18 points and 12 assists and New York beat Seattle yesterday.

Vandersloot had her fifth double-double, and her seventh game with at least 10 assists, this season. Sabrina Ionescu scored 13 points and Betnijah Laney finished with 10 for New York (11-4).

Jonquel Jones contributed eight points, two assists and two rebounds in 23 minutes on the floor.

Jewell Loyd, who went into the game leading the league in scoring at 25.7 per game, led Seattle (4-11) with 27 points.

Ezi Magbegor added 12 points and Sami Whitcomb and Kia Nurse scored 10 points apiece.

New York finished with a season-high 16 steals — including five by Stewart and four by Vandersloot — and had 29 assists on 33 made field goals.

SKY 89, FEVER 87

INDIANAPOLIS (AP)

— Courtney Williams hit the go-ahead jumper with 18.1 seconds to play and finished with a season-high 28 points and eight assists as the Chicago Sky beat the Indiana Fever 89-87 yesterday.

Elizabeth Williams added 17 points, nine rebounds and six assists for Chicago (8-9). Marina Mabrey also had 17 points and six assists, and Kahleah Copper scored 15 points on 6-of-10 shooting.

Emre Vatansever, named Chicago’s interim coach and general manager on Saturday, won his first game at the helm for the Sky.

Vatansever took over for James Wade, who joined the coaching staff of the NBA’s Toronto Raptors.

NaLyssa Smith led Indiana (5-11) with 27 points, on 11-of-16 shooting, and eight rebounds. Kelsey Mitchell added a seasonhigh 26 points.

WINGS 89, MYSTICS 72

ARLINGTON, Texas

(AP) — Satou Sabally and Teaira McCowan each had a double-double, and Arike Ogunbowale scored all her 17 points in the second half to help Dallas beat shorthanded Washington.

SABONIS, CLARKSON GET DEALS DONE WITH KINGS AND JAZZ, SAY SOURCES

By TIM REYNOLDS AP Basketball Writer

All-NBA center Domantas Sabonis wasn’t a free agent this summer. And he won’t be for the next few summers, either.

Sabonis has agreed to a four-year contract extension with the Sacramento Kings, one that will keep him signed through the 2027-28 season, a person with knowledge of the talks confirmed Sunday.

Sabally scored 27 points with 15 rebounds and McCowan added 10 points and 11 rebounds. Natasha Howard scored 13 points for Dallas (8-8).

Ariel Atkins led Washington (9-7) with 18 points, including 15 in the first half.

Brittney Sykes scored 15 points and Tianna Hawkins added 10 points and 10 rebounds. The Mystics were without Elena Delle Donne (ankle), Shakira Austin (hip), and Kristi Toliver (foot).

DREAM 112, SPARKS 84

COLLEGE PARK, Ga.

(AP) — Rhyne Howard hit six 3-pointers and finished with a career-high 43 points on 14-of-20 shooting to help Atlanta set its single-game scoring record.

Allisha Gray scored 15 points and Nia Coffey 13 for the Dream (7-8).

Howard made 9 of 12 from the field and scored 25 points before halftime — a franchise record for points in the first half and the most points scored by a WNBA player in a half this season.

Nneka Ogwumike led Los Angeles (7-10) with 25 points. Dearica Hamby scored 18 with eight rebounds, Auzra Stevens added 13 points and nine boards, and Zia Cooke scored 11 points.

ACES PULL AWAY FOR 98-81 VICTORY OVER LIBERTY IN THE FIRST MEETING OF STAR-STUDDED WNBA TEAMS

LAS VEGAS (AP) —

Kelsey Plum scored 18 points and the Las Vegas

Aces routed the New York Liberty 98-81 in the first meeting between two of the top teams in the WNBA.

It was the seventh consecutive win for the Aces (14-1), who have been nearly unstoppable this season on offence, averaging nearly 93 points a game.

All five of the Aces starters scored in double figures, with A’ja Wilson putting in 16 while Jackie Young and Candace Parker each added 15.

Chelsea Gray had 14 points and six assists, including a few highlight reel ones.

The Aces pulled away in the second half to run away with the much-hyped first matchup between the teams who made the biggest moves in the offseason, with the defending champion Aces signing Parker and Alysha Clark. The Liberty added Breanna Stewart, Jonquel Jones, Courtney Vandersloot and Kayla Thornton.

New York (10-4) trailed 49-42 at the half, but Las Vegas scored the first 11 points of the third quarter to blow the game open and extended the advantage to 18.

Stewart scored 16 points and Jones added 13 for the Liberty, who had their four-game winning streak snapped.

MERCURY 85, FEVER 63

PHOENIX

(AP) —

Brittney Griner scored 22 points, Diana Taurasi had 17 points and six assists, and Phoenix beat Indiana to snap a six-game losing streak.

It was the first win for interim coach Nikki Blue, who took over after Phoenix fired Vanessa Nygaard

The Mercury only scored 62 points against Dallas on Tuesday in Blue’s debut. Brianna Turner added a season-high 11 points for Phoenix (3-11). The Mercury had a season-high 28 assists on 34 made field goals. Sophie Cunningham (concussion evaluation) and Moriah Jefferson (ankle) did not play in the fourth quarter. Kelsey Mitchell scored 15 points for Indiana (5-10), which lost its third straight after back-to-back losses against Las Vegas.

NaLyssa Smith had 10 points and nine rebounds, and rookie Aliyah Boston added six points and nine rebounds.

LYNX 99, STORM 97 (Overtime) SEATTLE (AP) — Napheesa Collier made a go-ahead jumper with 1.8 seconds left in overtime and Minnesota beat Seattle to spoil Jewell Loyd’s first career 40-point game. After rookie Diamond Miller made a layup to tie

it at 97-all with 11.2 seconds left, Minnesota appeared to intentionally foul Loyd — with a foul to give — but the ball bounced off her foot with 7.6 seconds left. Collier faked a handoff to Kayla McBride at the 3-point line and drove the right side of the lane

for a step-back shot. Collier finished with 31 points, eight rebounds, six blocks and five assists. It was her second straight 30-point game after scoring 33 in a 104-93 victory over Seattle on Tuesday. McBride and Miller each scored 19 points for Minnesota (6-9). Dorka

Juhasz had 11 points and eight rebounds. Loyd made 15 of 35 field goals and 7 of 8 free throws to finish with 41 points for Seattle (4-11). Sami Whitcomb made five 3-pointers and scored 22 points, and Ezi Magbegor had 16 points and 16 rebounds.

The extension includes a raise on his salary for this coming season to nearly $31 million, and his salary for the four subsequent years will average about $47 million, said the person, who spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because the team has not announced the signing.

The total value of the deal is about $217 million. ESPN first reported the agreement on Saturday night, and The Sacramento Bee subsequently confirmed it as well.

It was part of a bigspending start to free agency this summer: Counting free agent deals that have been struck, signings of this year’s rookie class and extensions, NBA teams have combined to hand out more than $3 billion in contract value since Friday night. Sabonis would have been in line to hit the free agent market in the summer of 2024, but the Kings ensured that won’t be happening. He’s a huge part of the Kings’ current surge; the team made the playoffs this past season for the first time since 2006 and has the entirety of its starting five — Sabonis, De’Aaron Fox, Kevin Huerter, Harrison Barnes and Keegan Murray — coming back.

Sabonis is a three-time All-Star who averaged 19.1 points and a leaguehigh 12.3 rebounds per game this past season, earning the All-NBA nod for the first time.

Utah was finalizing an extension for guard Jordan Clarkson on Sunday as well, a second person told the AP on condition of anonymity because it had not been signed. It will have a total value of $55 million over the next three years, the person said; Clarkson had opted into a contract that would have paid him $14.3 million this coming season and now will average about $18.3 million over three years.

Clarkson averaged a career-high 20.8 points for the Jazz this past season, and the extension will push his on-court earnings well past $100 million for his career.

Also Sunday:

— Miles Bridges signed his $7.9 million qualifying offer from Charlotte for this coming season, a source told AP after the agreement was first reported by ESPN. Bridges missed all of this past season after he was charged with domestic violence in the summer of 2022. He eventually pleaded no contest and is serving three years of probation. The NBA gave Bridges a 30-game suspension earlier this offseason, but added that because Bridges missed the entirety of 2022-23, 20 of those games are considered already served.

— Eric Gordon agreed to a contract with the Phoenix Suns, a source told AP after the agreement was first reported by The Athletic. Gordon is a career 37% shooter from 3-point range, and is entering his 16th NBA season.

LAS Vegas Aces guard Kelsey Plum, left, New York Liberty forward Jonquel Jones (35) and Aces forward A’ja Wilson (22) reach for the ball during the first half of a WNBA basketball game in Las Vegas.

LAS Vegas Aces forward A’ja Wilson (22) shoots a layup past New York Liberty forward Jonquel Jones (35) during the second half of a WNBA basketball game in Las Vegas. (Photos: Steve Marcus/Las Vegas Sun via AP)

NEW York Liberty forward Kayla Thornton (5) is fouled by Las Vegas Aces guard Jackie Young (0) during the first half in Las Vegas. (Steve Marcus/Las Vegas Sun via AP)

Streaking Braves beat Jazz and Marlins 6-3 to complete sweep

By CHARLES ODUM AP Sports Writer

ATLANTA (AP) —

Spencer Strider knew better than to panic when facing an early two-run deficit.

With the Atlanta Braves’ bats backing him, Strider had good reason to remain confident on the mound.

Ozzie Albies’ two-run homer in the fifth gave Atlanta the lead and the Braves charged back to beat the Miami Marlins 6-3 yesterday for their 16th win in 17 games.

“It just gives you confidence you don’t have to be perfect,” Strider said of the Braves’ offence, which outscored the Marlins 29-7 in the three-game sweep.

“Having an offence like we do should make you more confident. ... It’s unbelievable what our offence is capable of doing. Like today, we fell behind, but I just knew if I could just keep us in the game long enough, we’re going to come through, and we did.”

The Braves won their eighth straight to extend their lead over secondplace Miami in the NL East

CHISHOLM JR LEAVES GAME WITH LEFT OBLIQUE SORENESS

to nine games. Atlanta has won 10 in a row at home and 23 of 26 overall.

“It’s huge. It’s still early in the season, but they’re all big games,” Strider said. “We try to show up every game and try to just kind of be as level-headed as we can. We kind of think of the first half as practice for the second half anyway. We like where we are and we’re doing a good job of treating each day as its own certain task.”

Travis d’Arnaud’s tworun homer off Andrew Nardi in the eighth extended Atlanta’s lead to three runs.

Luis Arráez drove in two runs with two hits, lifting his batting average to .389. Arráez gave Miami a 2-0 lead with a double that drove in Jonathan Davis in the second inning. Arráez added a run-scoring single in the seventh to trim the Braves’ lead to 4-3.

Strider (10-2) stuck out nine while allowing six hits and three runs, two earned, in 6 2/3 innings. Raisel Iglesias pitched a perfect ninth for his 14th save in 16 chances.

The Braves’ 23-3 stretch includes nine straight series wins against such teams as Cincinnati, Minnesota, Arizona and the New York Mets. The Marlins were coming off a sweep of Boston before falling to 1-9 this season against Atlanta.

“We went into a lot of series against some really good teams playing really well,” said Braves manager Brian Snitker. “They don’t get caught up in all that. They’re about today’s game.”

Strider struck out five consecutive batters before Albies bobbled a grounder by Davis with two outs in the seventh for an error. Strider left the game after walking Jacob Stallings, and

Davis scored on a single by Arráez off A.J. Minter. Orlando Arcia’s homer in the second gave Atlanta its first run.

Michael Harris II singled to lead off Atlanta’s threerun fifth. Harris stole second, moved to third on catcher Stallings’ throwing error and scored on Sandy Alcantara’s wild pitch. Acuña walked and scored on Albies’ 20th homer, which barely cleared the right-field wall.

ALCANTARA LETDOWN

Alcantara (3-7) allowed four runs on five hits and two walks in five innings. The 2022 NL Cy Young winner’s ERA rose to 4.93.

He is 0-2 against the Braves this season.

39 AND COUNTING

Ronald Acuña Jr, a distant second behind Arráez in the NL batting race, had two hits, lifting his average to .336. Acuña stole two bases, giving him a careerbest 39. He had 37 steals in 2019.

The Braves, who scored 11 first-inning runs in the first two games of the series, left the bases loaded in the first when Marcell Ozuna ended the inning with a groundout.

TRAINING

ROOM Marlins designated hitter Jazz Chisholm Jr left the game with left oblique soreness.

Chisholm appeared to show discomfort after striking out in the sixth. Yuli Gurriel pinch-hit for Chisholm in the eighth. ... Stallings was back in the lineup after missing Saturday’s game with a shin injury sustained on Friday night.

UP NEXT

Marlins: LHP Braxton Garrett (4-2, 3.53) is scheduled to face St. Louis RHP Miles Mikolas (4-5, 4.44) in tonight’s opener of a home series.

Braves: Atlanta opens a three-game series at Cleveland tonight as RHP Bryce Elder (6-2, 2.44) puts his NL-leading ERA on the line against RHP Gavin Williams (0-0, 2.84).

OHTANI AND TROUT HOMER TO LEAD ANGELS PAST DIAMONDBACKS 5-2

ANAHEIM, California

(AP) — Shohei Ohtani and Mike Trout went deep in the same game for the 30th time, Mickey Moniak provided the go-ahead homer and the Los Angeles Angels beat the Arizona Diamondbacks 5-2 yesterday despite 12 strikeouts by Zac Gallen.

Reid Detmers (2-5) struck out nine and allowed two runs in six innings. It is the fifth straight game the left-hander has fanned at least eight and allowed two or fewer runs. He’s the first Angels pitcher to do that since Nolan Ryan in 1972-73.

Carlos Estévez pitched the ninth for his 21st save.

Carson Kelly homered for the Diamondbacks, who were held to four hits.

Gallen (10-3) tied his season high for strikeouts and was one off a career best.

The right-hander came into the game tied for fifth in the NL with only seven homers allowed, but allowed two in a game for the second time this season.

Ohtani hit his 31st of the season in the eighth inning with a 454-foot solo shot to right field off a slider by Kyle Nelson. It was his sixth homer during the Halos’ seven-game homestand.

CARDINALS 5, YANKEES 1 ST. LOUIS (AP) — Jordan Montgomery beat New York for the second time since they traded him last summer, pitching St. Louis past Gerrit Cole and the Yankees, who completed a disappointing 3-3 trip.

On a day Yankees manager Aaron Boone was ejected for the fifth time this season, Montgomery (6-7) allowed an unearned run, two hits and three walks in 6 2/3 innings. He held New York hitless until Gleyber Torres doubled with two outs in the sixth.

With the Cardinals ahead 2-1, Brendan Donovan hit a two-run homer in the seventh off Jimmy Cordero.

New York split a sixgame trip that began in Oakland against the major league-worst Athletics and ended at the Cardinals, who are last in the NL Central.

Cole (8-2) allowed two runs and in five innings with two walks and five strikeouts.

ROYALS 9, DODGERS 1

KANSAS CITY, Mo.

(AP) — Nicky Lopez matched a career high with four RBIs, Maikel Garcia and Bobby Witt Jr. drove in two runs apiece, and Kansas City beat Los Angeles to finally wrap up a series win.

The Royals had been winless in their past 12 series to tie the secondlongest stretch in franchise history.

Brady Singer (5-7) allowed one run on three hits and four walks over seven innings.

Tony Gonsolin (4-3) took the loss, allowing four runs on six hits in 3 2/3 innings. The only offense the Dodgers mustered came in the fourth inning, when J.D. Martinez drew a leadoff walk and advanced on a single by David Peralta. Miguel Vargas followed with a sacrifice fly to deep center field.

REDS 4, PADRES 3

CINCINNATI (AP)

— Pinch-hitter Tyler

Stephenson broke an eighth-inning tie with a two-run homer that sent Cincinnati past San Diego.

Spencer Steer also had a two-run homer and rookie Andrew Abbott struck out a career-high 12 in 7 2/3 innings as the Reds remained tied with Milwaukee atop the NL Central.

Ha-Seong Kim and Fernando Tatis Jr. hit back-to-back homers in the eighth to tie it 2-all as the Padres lost for the 10th time in 13 games.

Lucas Sims (2-1) earned the win. Tom Cosgrove (1-1) took the loss.

RED SOX 5, BLUE JAYS 4 TORONTO (AP) — Alex Verdugo hit a tiebreaking home run in the ninth inning and Boston beat Toronto to complete a three-game sweep.

Verdugo’s sixth home run came on the first pitch thrown by Blue Jays closer Jordan Romano (3-4). Verdugo stood at home plate to admire his 415-foot drive into the stands behind the visitor’s bullpen in right field.

Jarren Duran went 5 for 5 with four doubles and Rafael Devers reached base five times and drove in two for the Red Sox, who have won three straight following a season-high five-game losing streak. Boston is 7-0 against Toronto this season after losing 16 of 19 meetings in 2022.

Red Sox right-hander Chris Martin (2-1) worked one inning for the win and left-hander Joe Jacques finished for his first career save.

TIGERS 14, ROCKIES 9 DENVER (AP) — Javier Baez and Jake Marisnick each hit a grand slam and Detroit went deep five times to beat Colorado.

It was the first time the Tigers hit two grand slams in a game since May 15, 2009, when Brandon Inge and Ryan Raburn cleared the bases against Oakland.

The Tigers clinched the three-game series and won for the 10th time in 17 games after starting the season 27-39.

The five home runs matched the Tigers’ total from their previous four games and accounted for all 14 runs. Kerry Carpenter, Jake Rogers and Spencer Torkelson also homered for the Tigers.

NATIONALS 5, PHILLIES 4 PHILADELPHIA

(AP) — Stone Garrett hit a grand slam, Jeimer Candelario added a solo shot and reliever Kyle Finnegan pitched out of late-inning jams that helped Washington beat Philadelphia.

The Nationals took two of three from the defending National League champions and finished a solid 6-3 on a nine-game, 10-day road trip. The worst team in the NL East, they won series against Seattle and San Diego on the trip and have won seven of 11 overall.

Nick Castellanos hit his 12th homer of the year, connecting off Trevor Williams (5-4) into the right-field seats for the 1-0 lead in the first. Bryce Harper singled and J.T. Realmuto then crushed a two-run shot that made it 3-0.

Williams settled down and tossed five innings in a game interrupted by a 23-minute rain delay.

ORIOLES 2, TWINS 1

BALTIMORE (AP) — Minnesota closer Jhoan

Duran forced in the tiebreaking run when he hit rookie Jordan Westburg with a pitch in the eighth inning, enabling Baltimore to stop a four-game skid.

The Orioles had gone 20 straight innings without a run and were poised to be swept for the first time this season before coming back from a 1-0 deficit in the eighth.

Duran struck out Gunnar Henderson before successive singles by Adley Rutschman, Anthony Santander and Aaron Hicks tied the score.

After an intentional walk loaded the bases, Duran (2-3) plunked Westburg with a fastball to give the Orioles their first lead in the three-game series.

Cionel Pérez (2-1) worked a perfect eighth inning and Félix Bautista struck out the side in the

ninth for his 22nd save in 27 chances.

MARINERS 7, RAYS 6

SEATTLE (AP) -- José Caballero was hit by a pitch from Jason Adam (2-2) to force in the tiebreaking run, and Seattle erased an early five-run deficit in a win over Tampa Bay.

Eugenio Suárez and Tom Murphy homered for the Mariners (40-42), who took two of three games from the top team in the American League. Seattle’s bullpen held the Rays without a hit over the final three innings. Andrés Munoz (1-1) got the win and Paul Sewald earned his ninth save.

Randy Arozarena and Isaac Paredes homered for the Rays.

GUARDIANS 8, CUBS 6 (10 INNINGS)

CHICAGO (AP) — Josh Naylor hit a two-run single in the 10th inning and Cleveland regrouped to beat Chicago after All-Star closer Emmanuel Clase blew a four-run lead in the ninth.

Aaron Civale pitched three-hit ball over six innings after the start of the game was delayed nearly two hours by rain. Andrés

Giménez homered in the third and scored the goahead run in the 10th.

Giménez opened the inning as the automatic

runner on second base and moved up on Amed Rosario’s single.

A groundout by José Ramírez left runners on second and third before Naylor drove them in with a single up the middle against Adbert Alzolay (1-4) to put Cleveland back on top 8-6.

Sam Hentges (1-0) retired all three batters in the bottom half, sending the Cubs to their sixth loss in seven games.

WHITE SOX 8, ATHLETICS 7

OAKLAND, Calif. (AP)

— Jake Burger hit his 18th home run of the season and Chicago avoided a threegame sweep.

Zach Remillard added a two-run single and Eloy Jiménez had a pair of RBI singles as the White Sox finished a seven-game trip 3-4.

Brent Rooker homered for Oakland hours after being named an All-Star. Chicago jumped on A’s starter Paul Blackburn (1-1) for five runs in the third inning. He gave up five runs on six hits in five innings, striking out five and walking four.

ASTROS 5, RANGERS 3

ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — Chas McCormick lined a tiebreaking triple with two outs and the bases loaded in the eighth inning, and Houston hung on to beat Texas.

McCormick’s oppositefield hit over a racing Adolis García into the right-field corner came an inning after Aroldis Chapman made his Texas debut with two strikeouts in a scoreless inning.

After Nathaniel Lowe followed Corey Seager’s leadoff double in the eighth with a homer to get Texas within a run, but Houston’s José Altuve led off the ninth with his second homer of the series.

BREWERS 6, PIRATES 3 PITTSBURGH (AP)

— William Contreras hit a go-ahead, three-run homer in the third inning, and Milwaukee beat Pittsburgh to win its third straight series.

Colon Rea (5-4) won his second straight start, allowing two runs and five hits in a season-high 6 2/3 innings. With runners on second and third in the fifth, he retired Andrew McCutchen on an inning-ending groundout.

Elvis Peguero allowed Josh Palacios’ RBI double in the eighth, and Devin Williams retired three straight batters for his 17th save in 18 chances.

Milwaukee (45-39) won seven of 10 on its trip and remained tied with Cincinnati for the NL Central lead.

LOS Angeles Angels’ Shohei Ohtani, right, hits a solo home run as Arizona Diamondbacks catcher Gabriel Moreno, centre, and home plate umpire Doug Eddings watch during the eighth inning of a baseball game yesterday in Anaheim, California. (AP Photo/Mark J Terrill)

MIAMI Marlins’ Jazz Chisholm Jr hits a single during the first inning of a baseball game against the Atlanta Braves yesterday in Atlanta.

(AP Photo/Alex Slitz)

Bahamian sailors make waves at Optimist Worlds

By TENAJH SWEETING Tribune Sports Reporter tsweeting@tribunemedia.net

FIVE sailors from The Bahamas journeyed to Costa Brava in Girona, Spain, for the 2023 Optimist World Championships.

The event was hosted by the International Optimist Dinghy Association (IODA) June 15-25.

The top five sailors from each country are selected to compete and this year there were 257 sailors from 57 different countries.

Martin Manrique, head coach of the team, talked about the experience of the young sailors at the World Championships.

“The overall experience was mixed feelings, it was amazing to break the record of Bahamian sailors and a great feeling of validating all the hours and hard work we have been doing in the past years,” Manrique said.

However, he added that it was a bit frustrating because they were unable to sail as much as they wanted to because the conditions at the beach did not allow for them to go sailing during three of the eight days scheduled for competition.

Team Bahamas consisted of Finley Mckinney Lambert, Patrick Tomlinson, Jude McCarroll, Mary Jac Nash and Eliza Denning.

Lambert was the first Bahamian ever to make the gold fleet at the Optimist World Championships. He placed 35th overall out of 250 participants in the competition.

Tomlinson, the current Bahamian national champion for sailing, finished 21st in bronze and 146th overall. McCarroll came out 59th in the emerald fleet. The team’s head coach had high praise for the fivemember group.

“The performance of Finley was great but not a

surprise, both him and the rest of sailors on the team are great sailors, super fast and with the best boat handling techniques on the fleet. “We sail only on fleets of 10-15 sailors while other countries sail with approximately 250 on every regatta,” Manrique said.

The coach added that they knew it could go both ways but they were happy that he was mature enough to handle the situation.

Although the result may seem as a surprise, they knew how much he trained for it and it was also a team effort on all fronts.

The girls also turned in brilliant performances in the first time ever the fivemember team has included female sailors.

Denning capped off the world championships regatta in 47th place for the silver fleet and came in 110th overall. Jac Nash ended her first time appearance on the world team - 48th on the bronze fleet and 173rd overall.

Manrique was pleased with the efforts of the girls and said it’s especially exciting to see them competing at this level for the first time. He added that he appreciated the increased respect and recognition from other teams who have witnessed their remarkable improvements.

With sailing now well underway as the country’s national sport, the sailors will be on the waters once again, this time in Antigua and Barbuda July 2-9 for the 2023 North American Optimist Championships (OptiNams).

The event was previously hosted in Nassau last year.

Also, the sailors will put their talents on display for the sailing sporting discipline at the Bahamas Golden Jubilee Games starting on July 8 at Montagu Bay.

TEAM Bahamas sailors in Costa Brava in Girona, Spain, for the 2023 Optimist World Championships. The event was hosted by the International Optimist Dinghy Association (IODA) June 15-25.

GORUNDSTAFF prepare the covers at the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club in Wimbledon, London, Britain, ahead of the championships starting tomorrow, on Sunday, July 2, 2023.

(John Walton/PA via AP)

WIMBLEDON: WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW BEFORE PLAY BEGINS TODAY

FROM PAGE 15

2022 RUNNER-UP NICK KYRGIOS IS OUT

Nick Kyrgios pulled out of Wimbledon the night before the tournament’s start, citing a wrist injury, a year after he reached his first Grand Slam final at the All England Club. His withdrawal was announced by Wimbledon last night and Kyrgios wrote about it on social media.

GET CAUGHT UP AT THE ALL ENGLAND CLUB

What you need to know about Wimbledon, the year’s third Grand Slam tennis tournament:

— Novak Djokovic is pursuing more history, and his self-belief is a big part of his success

— Iga Swiatek succeeds everywhere else. Can she win Wimbledon?

— Aryna Sabalenka no longer wants to talk about the war in Ukraine

— Women’s tennis is working toward equal pay at more tournaments

— Frances Tiafoe is the first African-American man in the Top 10 in nearly 15 years

— Facts and figures about Wimbledon, including a look back at 2022

TEST YOUR TENNIS KNOWLEDGE

Try your hand at the AP’s Wimbledon quiz.

THE NUMBER

TO KNOW

11 — Number of Grand Slam titles won by Novak Djokovic since turning 30, the most by a man or woman in the Open era (which began in 1968).

Serena Williams is next on the list with 10, followed by Rafael Nadal with eight and Roger Federer with four.

THE QUOTE TO KNOW

“Last year, I felt a lot of pressure here, because I was No. 1.” — Iga Swiatek, who still leads the WTA rankings, on her thirdround exit at Wimbledon in 2022, ending a 37-match winning streak.

UPCOMING SINGLES SCHEDULE

— Monday-Tuesday:

First Round (Women and Men)

— Wednesday-Thursday:

Second Round (Women and Men)

— Friday-Saturday:

Third Round (Women and Men)

— July 9-10: Fourth Round (Women and Men)

— July 11-12: Quarterfinals (Women and Men)

— July 13: Women’s Semifinals

— July 14: Men’s Semifinals

— July 15: Women’s Final

— July 16: Men’s Final