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VOLUME:116 No.132, JULY 4TH, 2019

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DON’T BLAME BPL (But just this time as illegal dumper caused total island blackout)

By KHRISNA RUSSELL Deputy Chief Reporter krussell@tribunemedia.net

ILLEGAL dumping within close proximity to a Bahamas Power and Light transmission pole was yesterday blamed for an island-wide blackout, which impacted New Providence on Tuesday.

It caused volt lines to clash into each other thereby imposing a major fault on the transmission network.

Works Minister Desmond Bannister made the revelations yesterday in the House of Assembly, as he insisted the incident had nothing to with BPL nor its historic generation and transmission issues.

The incident could have very easily resulted in the illegal dumper being tragically “fried” Mr Bannister

said, had he gone any closer to the electricity pole.

“At approximately 11.45am, New Providence experienced an island-wide outage that was not caused by our historic generation or transmission challenges.

Specifically it was caused by someone who appears to have been engaged in illegal dumping,” the Carmichael MP told the House yesterday.

“Power in New Providence is facilitated by 132,000 volt lines between Clifton and Blue Hills Power Stations. These lines are located along easements that facilitate access.

“It is clear that yesterday a heavy-duty vehicle that was engaged in illegal dumping within the easement came too close to one of the transmission poles.

SEE PAGE THREE

...AS FIRMS STILL FUME OVER SUMMER CHAOS

By FARRAH JOHNSON

BUSINESS owners and residents say they are frustrated with the constant power outages in New Providence that have cost them customers and household appliances.

Locals in the Palmdale and Over-the-Hill areas told The Tribune the continuous power cuts have made working and living in the summer heat completely unbearable.

Tony Miller, whose brother owns Centreville Food Market, told this newspaper that the outages have damaged the food store’s freezers and computers.

“There’s nothing that can

WHO YOU LOOKING AT, KID?

be done about it because they say they’re having generator problems, but it affects us because it turns off everything,” he said.

“It’s a good thing we have generator but it’s costly. If it doesn’t cost you one way, it costs you another way.”

Mr Miller said the power cuts have also affected the store’s transformer which was worth over $10,000. “(The transformer) is what transfers the light from when BEC go out to the generator. (The power outages) knocked it out... plus the computers and freezers. Nobody paying back for it and that’s a problem - a big problem.”

SEE PAGE THREE

YOUNGSTERS got to handle guinea pigs yesterday - the one in the picture is called Darwin - as part of Ardastra Zoo’s Summer Camp programme. The zoo runs a regular summer camp bringing youngsters closer to animals. Dylan Bethel, pictured left, said: “We had to train the guinea pigs to respond when we called.”

Photo: Terrel W Carey Sr/Tribune Staff

‘NIGHT MY WIFE SET FIGHTING CRIME WILL DAUGHTER ON FIRE’ COST SOME FREEDOMS

By NICO SCAVELLA Tribune Staff Reporter nscavella@tribunemedia.net

A MAN fell asleep with all three of his children by his side, only to wake up the next morning to discover that his schizophrenic wife had taken the youngest one and set her on fire at the behest of “demons”, jurors heard yesterday.

Sergeant Tamika Gibson testified she was told how

Phillipa Marshall took her one-year-old daughter Philicia Marshall away to another room, poured gasoline on her and set her ablaze while her husband Isaac Marshall and two sons slept soundly.

Sgt Gibson said when she arrived at the Marshall’s Faith Gardens residence on the morning in question, she noticed Philicia had no SEE PAGE NINE

By MORGAN ADDERLEY Tribune Staff Reporter madderley@tribunemedia.net

DAYS after more than a dozen people were shot while attending a birthday party in Montel Heights, Bahamas Christian Council president Delton Fernander said residents must give up some “freedoms” so law enforcement can stem crime.

While predicting police

would soon implement sweeping searches and road checks, Bishop Fernander asked the public to be receptive to law enforcement being a “bit more aggressive”.

He spoke during a National Crime Council meeting, where it was noted a state of emergency was recently implemented in Jamaica to fight crime, with SEE PAGE TWO

BAHAMAS NOT READY FOR A WHITE PM

By AVA TURNQUEST Tribune Chief Reporter aturnquest@tribunemedia.net

FORMER Cabinet minister Brent Symonette yesterday suggested the country was not ready for a white prime minister as he reiterated his call for a national discussion on race and wealth in politics.

“I think if I had run as leader of the FNM there would have been a barrier, if I tried to run as PM,” he told this newspaper. “But

BRENT SYMONETTE I’m Bahamian. You see the backlash against my resignation and all the comments,

maybe The Bahamas isn’t ready for it yet.

When asked whether he wanted to prime minister, Mr Symonette said “absolutely not”, noting he had witnessed the toll it took on his father, the country’s first premier.

The St Anne’s MP also told The Tribune he did not consider wealth distribution to be an issue as the same disparity existed throughout the world.

Nassau & Bahama Islands’ Leading Newspaper

SEE PAGE SIX

STATESIDE SUPREME COURT PLAYS BOTH SIDES OF TABLE

SEE PAGE EIGHT

PAGE 2, Thursday, July 4, 2019

THE TRIBUNE

FIGHTING CRIME WILL COST SOME FREEDOMS, WARNS BCC from page one law enforcement patrolling the streets armed with highpowered weapons.

When asked if the like should be implemented in The Bahamas, Bishop

Fernander replied: “I don’t want to ever be perceived to be telling them (the government) what to do, but I’m speaking from a point that I know that’s what they’re going to do, if that makes sense. That’s what they’re going to do.

“I’ll leave that for the commissioner of police and the minister to say what they’re going to do. I am saying that as a citizen…

I’m saying that it is the natural approach… we have to give room for this. We as a nation have to give up some

of our freedoms so that we can quell this. Because if we don’t quell it, it will fester into something that will be much harder to quell now that we know it’s starting.

I’m saying, there has to be massive presence in areas.

“And not just designated

hot areas. It’s going to be an intrusion into our freedom, into our moving about and being able to flow and take your lunch hour break.

You think you’re going into McDonald’s and coming right back to the office, but there might be a massive check. You can’t get upset because that massive check - because it’s for our benefit.

“We are a shipping corridor and anybody has heard... it’s impossible to check every crate. It’s impossible to check every cargo. And so let’s be real: massive amounts of weapons are out there. And I’m saying to us, we’ve got to allow the paramilitary forces we have to do what they do best.

“They have intel, they know some stuff we don’t know. We’ve got to allow them to be a little bit more aggressive and they’re going to have to do some searches and they’re going to have to impede some of our free flow…My point being: you have task force and agencies, you have groups that have been tasked to do certain things.

All of them will not be as nice, all of them will not be as courteous. Because their job is to deal with the worst in our society. And I’m saying, Jamaica did it, they got a certain result.

We don’t want to get there.

So we got to do it early. So that we can get that same result in our country. I’m just asking that as a country we take the cerasee (bitter medicine) now so that we can quell the cold later.”

Bishop Fernander also decried the caliber of weaponry currently in possession of criminals.

“Any bullet that can pierce concrete wall is not a 9mm or the like’,” Bishop Fernander said. “If you can sit in your house, and I’m not talking about sheetrock and wooden houses. If you are in a concrete building and a weapon that is used (can fire) …through concrete, and ends up lodged

DELTON FERNANDER up two rooms further in your house, tells you that the caliber of weapon being used on our streets is military grade.

“Unfortunately, this new desperate-to-be-in-charge crew is not concerned about casualties. They’re not thinking through that a 10-year-old got shot twice….and all of the other (victims) are important too,” he said, referring to those injured during the Sunday morning shooting in Montel Heights.

“But you’re talking about vulnerable people in our society who were just out having a good time.

So sometimes it feels like we’re moving quickly in the wrong the direction and it should just heighten our effort to do something.

Hence that’s where I’m at right now: that we need to do something.”

In interviews with The Tribune earlier this week, residents of Ethel Street in Montel Heights said they have been left “traumatised”, “frightened” and “angry” following Sunday’s horrifying mass shooting.

The tight-knit community was rocked by the incident, with relatives noting seven of the gunshot victims were relatives.

According to police, ten of the victims were female and four were minors — the youngest of which is just ten-years-old. There were no fatalities.

Editorial View - Page 4

THE TRIBUNE

Thursday, July 4, 2019, PAGE 3

BPL not to blame as country hit by island-wide blackout... from page one The impact caused the 132,000 volt lines to clash into each other thereby imposing a major fault on the transmission network.

The result was that generation at both stations tripped offline, thereby causing a total island wide outage.”

He continued: “Initial assessments on the network in preparation to restart the generators very quickly identified the Clifton Pier – Blue Hills line as the circuit which initiated the outage event. A follow up patrol

by our line crews to ascertain the cause of the trouble located the damaged pole and dumped debris within our wayleaves, just east of Coral Harbour Road. The remainder of the line was checked and confirmed to be healthy by the team.”

Mr Bannister said once the impacted circuit was isolated, operations teams began the process of restoring the reminder of the network.

The first generator was put back online at the Blue Hills Power Station within 20 minutes of the outage, energising the network and the first set of customers

WORKS Minister Desmond Bannister were restored shortly thereafter, he said.

After two hours, 85 percent of customers had been restored. However the minister said at this point there

was a delay in the restoration process while teams worked to restore the final generator and the remaining customers.

He said the final generator was restored at 4.03pm and all impacted by the island-wide outage were restored at 5pm.

A further outage was experienced in the Soldier Road area as a primary substation had to be isolated to rectify a high voltage cable termination.

He urged the general public against the practice of illegal dumping. “While we were all inconvenienced

yesterday, we are thankful that power was restored as quickly as possible. However this incident could have ended very tragically for the truck driver had this vehicle impacted that pole just inches from the actual point of impact and accordingly I am obliged to warn persons not to engage (in) this type of illegal conduct as they could be taking their lives into their hands,” Mr Bannister said yesterday.

This comes as Acting Prime Minister K Peter Turnquest said on Tuesday generators were on the way to Nassau from Grand

Bahama to assist with the ongoing power generation situation.

Mr Turnquest said a fire in May at BPL’s Bimini facility that damaged two engines exacerbated challenges.

When this happened he said two engines which were being utilised in the capital were sent to Bimini to assist with issues there.

BPL has been grappling with generation issues this summer and began load shedding on June 19. Officials have said the situation will not likely improve until this fall.

LIKE many, businesses in the Palmdale area suffered power outages yesterday.

Photo: Terrel W Carey Sr/Tribune Staff

...but firms still fume as they have to pick up the pieces from page one

Sidney Knowles, owner of Knowles Upholstery Supplies, said while his business has not experienced a “great volume” of power cuts compared to other places, it has still been affected.

“One day it kind of paralysed us for five hours because it went off and never came back on. It got so bad in here I basically had to close the shop and leave,” he said.

“I would say this summer has been worse than it has in the last two summers which have been almost perfect...but still it does paralyse you when it goes off and it shouldn’t happen. I’m not trying to make excuses for it.”

Tracey Godet, manager of Donald’s Furniture, said she is “extremely frustrated” because it seems as

if the store loses electricity “every two minutes.”

“I have to thank God I have a generator, but that does not satisfy the fact that every two minutes you’re disrupted by the current going off,” she said.

She added that power in the furniture store usually goes off “at least twice a week,” and insisted that the outages have been occurring “too much” in recent times.

“I don’t care if they turn off the businesses in the night. (They should) turn off the businesses in the night (and) leave people (electricity at) home on because that’s where people are (and) they’re miserable in the house.”

“They’re not home in the day so they should switch it around,” she said.

The owner of Darlingshire Small Business Services, who only gave his surname, said the power outages have slowed down

work productivity in his store.

“It’s hot outside. What we had to do was leave the door open and work couldn’t take place,” Mr Darling said.

“It’s really difficult to have to deal with it on a daily basis, then you have to go home and the same thing occurs.”

Mr Darling said his power usually goes off about two to three hours a day and added that other areas across the street from him usually suffer a similar, if not worse fate.

Business owners were not the only people voicing their frustrations. The Tribune also spoke to a number of residents who said they are trying their best to cope with the situation.

A resident of Bain and Grants Town said the constant outages mostly affect him during the night because he finds it difficult to sleep in the humidity.

“They need to just step it up... get the generators working, run the system properly and just continue to maintain it so we wouldn’t have too much worries about when the power going off or how long it’s going to be off for,” the resident said.

John Rolle, who resides in Mason’s Addition, added: “I don’t feel good about the power outage because it’s summer and everybody feeling the heat. When you pay your bill you expect to get quality service.”

Another Mason’s Addition resident also told the paper that she had to throw away a number of household appliances that were destroyed by the power cuts.

“Power was just off for me a couple hours ago...I hope it does not get any worse than this. If it does get worse plenty people will die in this heat,” she said.

BPL has been load shedding since June. The company apologised last week over the issue.

BPL chairman Donovan Moxey at the time called it an anomaly as he said it was unacceptable that there had been widespread load

shedding, grossly inconveniencing thousands of paying customers.

The company has also said those whose appliances have been damaged by the power cuts should fill out a claim for potential reimbursement.

PAGE 4, Thursday, July 4, 2019

THE TRIBUNE

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

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C.M.G., M.S., B.A., LL.B. Publisher/Editor 1972-

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The issue of race in The Bahamas IS THE Bahamas ready for a white prime minister?

That was the thought on the mind of now former Cabinet minister Brent Symonette yesterday as he talked to The Tribune.

“I think if I had run as leader of the FNM there would have been a barrier, if I tried to run as PM,” he said, “But I’m Bahamian. You see the backlash against my resignation and all the comments, maybe The Bahamas isn’t ready for it.”

Race is often the elephant in the room in The Bahamas. We know it’s there, but as a society in The Bahamas we don’t talk about it like we should.

It’s not just race that would count against Mr Symonette, as he acknowledges – his father being a part of the Bay Street Boys, the white elite of the United Bahamian Party, carries with it plenty of resentment from voters.

In the current landscape of Bahamian politics, there is no white person of the seniority of Symonette who might be considered a challenger to Dr Minnis so the question for the moment is rhetorical – though the issues it raises are not.

If Mr Symonette wonders whether he was viewed through a different lens by some because of his race – despite having won election to Parliament repeatedly - well then so does many a black Bahamian too. As he notes, prejudice doesn’t end there but can be found against the Haitian community, the Indian community, the Chinese

community. Even within the black Bahamian community there are debates over light skin and dark skin and which will get you further in life.

The roots of such prejudice stretch back further in some cases than others – but tell anyone who experiences bias that someone else has it worse and you’ll receive no thanks. Nor should you.

There is no conclusion drawn by Mr Symonette – nor by this column. It is too big a question for that.

But for every one who is deterred by prejudice, our nation suffers a disservice.

When Dr Hervis Bain designed the Bahamian flag, he included the colour black. Some old white Bahamians were angered by the lack of white to represent them but the colour does not only represent the skin colour of the people.

It represents the strength of the people, and that knows no colour, no origin, but a people rising together.

We should strive to ensure we don’t live in a country where anyone thinks someone is better than them or worse than them, where no one is favoured or impeded because of the colour of their skin. Is that wishful thinking? Likely so, but we should strive nonetheless. It is in the attempt that we show our strength, not in the sureness of our success.

We said this column would draw no conclusion – rather we will raise a question instead, for you, the readers, and it is this: Where do we go from here?

Christian Council, help bridge the gap WE APPLAUD the Bahamas Christian Council for speaking up on the issue of crime – and for calling for more to be done in order to tackle it.

When Bishop Delton Fernander says, “If we don’t quell it, it will fester into something that will be much harder to quell now that we know it’s starting” and we agree – though we fear the starting point was long ago.

He calls for massive police presence in areas, and so do we. His words, about an intrusion into our freedom, will cause discomfort – but not as much discomfort as we feel when we bolt our doors and hide away at night.

So we support the council’s enthusiasm as they call for more searches, more police responses to intelligence and more.

We also called for more community involvement with the police and we would say this to the churches – you can be a voice that can reach people the police cannot, your voice can speak to communities that the police cannot.

Help the police to cross that bridge – encourage people to call the police, the authorities, if they know where these high-powered weapons are. Together, let’s take these weapons out of our society.

Sorry Nassau and the ghetto EDITOR, The Tribune “ON the Island” was originally “created” after news of the May 9, 2019 double homicide in White’s Addition off Kemp Road -- the morning after the double murder at Potter’s Cay. While I did not witness the White’s Addition shootings, I was on the Queen’s College campus and heard the gunshots and the wails of grief that followed.

The ongoing violence in Nassau is nothing short of tragic, especially for the truly innocent, particularly children who are traumatised sometimes physically and, always, psychologically. The horror.

The devastation.

The agony. To what end??

“Violence merely increases hate...Returning violence for violence multiplies violence, adding deeper darkness to a night already devoid of stars.

Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that.”

Martin Luther King Jr. On the Island (Apologies Presley and

to Elvis songwriter

Mac Davis for the unfortunate circumstances that led to the adaptation of their 1969 song, “In the ghetto.”)

As the sun shines On a warm and sunny Nassau mornin’ A poor little baby child is born In Nas-sau (In Nas-sau)

And his mama cries ‘Cause if there’s one thing that she don’t need It’s another hungry mouth to feed In Nas-sau (In Nas-sau)

People, don’t you understand The child needs a helping hand Or he’ll grow to be an angry young man some day?

Take a look at you and me Are we too blind to see Do we simply turn our heads, and look the other way?

Well, the world turns And a hungry little boy with a runny nose Plays in the street as the trade wind blows In Nas-sau (In Nas-sau)

And his hunger burns So he starts to roam the streets at night And he learns how to steal, and he learns how to fight In Nas-sau (In Nas-sau)

Then one night in desperation A young man breaks away He buys a gun, shoots a man Tries to run, but he don’t get far And his mama cries

As a crowd gathers ‘round an angry young man Face down on the street with a gun in his hand In Nas-sau (In Nas-sau)

And as her young man dies As the sun shines On a warm and sunny Nassau mornin’ A poor little baby child is born In Nas-sau (In Nas-sau)

And his mama cries (In Nas-sau) (In Nas-sau) (Aah-aah) NASSAU VIOLENCE Nassau July 2, 2019

Cannabis a control issue EDITOR, The Tribune

THE Cannabis conversation we are having right now in The Bahamas is all about control.

Cannabis was grown widely throughout the United States until the 1930’s, when the decision was made by private business entities that it was a threat to the bottom line of the oil, nylon, wheat, cotton, paper/wood, and pharmaceutical industries, just to name a few. After all, anyone and everyone at that point in time could grow Cannabis and sustainably live outside of the centrally established system of economic control.

Harry Anslinger was appointed to beat the drums of racial mistrust in the US to gain support for the resulting anti-Cannabis campaign and once that effort was successful he then took the fight to the UN. Being the world superpower that it is, the US influenced the UN to adopt the Schedule I listing of Cannabis, Without any scientific reasoning for or proof of Cannabis’ alleged “danger” to society. (Proof that we somehow now require to get it off that listing).

Meanwhile, the propaganda of anti-Cannabis campaigns over the next decades clearly confused the populations of the world and set up a system where the national participants pledge their loyalty to protect and reinforce the very parts of the system that prevent them from thriving.

The result was that trillions of dollars have been made from the separate industries created from READERS have been posting reactions to the stories making the news this week on tribune242.com.

After PLP Leader Philip “Brave” Davis criticised the government’s investment in the ShotSpotter technology following the mass shooting in Montel Heights on Sunday, John had this to say: “The murders and shootings have been going on for over a decade. Haven’t yet heard a government say they will go in the communities and

LETTERS letters@tribunemedia.net prohibition of Cannabis since the 30’s. What is interesting though is that the US right now is poised to federally legalise Cannabis to protect their interests.

After all, the Cannabis economy has begun and if they don’t federally legalise the “petrodollar” will plummet in perceived value like a rock. (Anything oil can do, Hemp can do better, sustainably and without harming the environment).

This is just a snapshot of what is happening in the global background behind this Cannabis conversation.

There is a whole lot more.

Now, here we are in these times, in this region, making motions to reverse the selfserving decisions made against a plant which it is so powerful in its versatility that it singlehandedly represents economic freedom, stability, and sustainability.

Meanwhile, those presently in power globally already have started rallying around and are making billions privately. All while we small island states continue to talk about what we perhaps could do.

There is no way that regional government bodies are so fragmented or disassociated that we collectively could not have figured out by now that we can dominate the global Cannabis Industry.

We have the unique situation of being island states. We are the ones who will face the brunt of climate change. We now have a resource in Cannabis that can truly unite our energies and reinforce

try rescue the young men.

Or fund an agency to to do.

To meet with them, to talk with them, to assist them, to identify the underlying causes of these killings.

The only way to stop the killings and the murders is to identify what and who is causing them.”

our economies, effectively making this region (and all small island states for that matter) self-sustainable.

Yes. It is feasible.

Self-Sustainability.

It is sad that most small island governments are extremely hesitant as to whether they should decriminalise Cannabis, all while simultaneously pretending to not be aware that the plant genus can feed, clothe, shelter, medicate, and provide energy for our people.

Our People We claim to love our own, but the way our governments treat us sometimes leaves much to be desired.

But I digress...

Again, this Cannabis conversation is a global one about control. Watch the G20 summit closely. Trust that they will be discussing behind closed doors how to manage the upcoming Cannabis economy and maintain their economic dominance. (One that they wave in front of all of our faces whenever they have these summits).

My opinion on what we should do? Decriminalise completely from a small island state perspective and work the resulting industries intelligently and strategically. This conversation is way beyond persons smoking a joint or two. This is about power on a global level.

In unity there is strength and right now we definitely need both.

To borrow a phrase from a young man (Mdeez Knight) who has recently departed this life: Less talk, more action.

YORICK BROWN Nassau June 28, 2019 Deputy Prime Minister Peter Turnquest stressed the importance of “comfort and security” in the wake of reports the government will spend $9,000 a month to rent a home for new Governor General CA Smith.

That prompted this response from Joeblow: “Why swear him in if accommodations were not yet ready for him to occupy on the Hill? . . . and the waste begins again, or rather, continues!”

THE TRIBUNE

By KHRISNA RUSSELL Deputy Chief Reporter krussell@tribunemedia.net AN Auditor General’s report has said there was inadequate monitoring of Royal Bahamas Police Force reservist hours, which increased the risk of officers being paid for hours they did not work.

At the same time, Auditor General Terrance Bastian said sample testing found officers failed to log sign-in and sign-out their times during shifts to indicate minimum required hours or overtime hours.

These findings, among others, were revealed in an audit report on the accounts of the Royal Bahamas Police Force for the period January 1, 2017 to December 31, 2018.

“We noted during our sample testing that RBPF reservist officers’ hours were managed manually with a sign-in and sign-out log, which is signed off on by the supervising superior on a weekly basis to indicate hours of work to be compensated for,” the report noted.

“A manual sign-in sheet which is not adequately controlled, increases the risk of hours not worked by reservist officers being submitted for payment to payroll office.

“Reservists are paid an hourly salary with a maximum number of valid hours worked for 150 hours per month, which is honoured by the RBPF. The need to properly monitor hours worked by reservists is imperative to operations to allow for appropriate compensation of employees by confirming that hours paid for are worked by RBPF officers.”

Auditors also said it was

Thursday, July 4, 2019, PAGE 5

Audit report finds poor monitoring of reservist hours

evident time logs were not being adequately filled in and officers had not been signing fuel logs.

“Officers are compensated for 173.34 hours each monthly pay cycle regardless of hours worked.

Leading practise and RBPF protocol indicates that employees should be compensated for hours worked as set out in both the employment enlistment papers and Chapter 321 A, Employment Act of the Bahamas 2002.

“The need to properly monitor hours worked is imperative to operations to allow for appropriate compensation of employees by confirming that hours paid for are worked by the RBPF officers, in addition to appropriate compensation overtime.”

In their response, management of the police force said in the absence of an automated system, the commanding officer of each station, division, or department is mandated to oversee the daily number of hours worked by each reserve.

AUDITOR General Terrance Bastian Additionally, management said the shift supervisor has the responsibly of verifying and signing the officer in and out on a daily basis. Following this the time sheets are forwarded to the officer in charge of the station, division, or department, at the end of every month.

He subsequently signs and stamps the time sheets and forwards them on to the reserve office and sends to

the pay office for further checks and balances and then to the Public Treasury for payment.

There were also issues when it came to documentation for procurement disbursements made.

Of a sample of 25 payments made across five selected vendors, it was found that in 11 instances there was no documentation to substantiate the expense or evidence

supporting approval. Additionally, there were two instances where invoices were provided but did not have approval and another where there was approval but no invoice.

This report also noted that there was weak RBPF vehicle asset protection.

“We performed walk through procedures of the force garage process and procedures for RBPF vehicles identified as operable

and inoperable, and noted ineffective authorisation and review policies to properly maintain and track vehicles which are operable, in addition to timely repair of those vehicles which are inoperable, but considered fit for repair.”

The report recommended use of automation for updating, tracking and maintenance of vehicles.

In its response, management said fleet management software would be implemented this week to better track vehicles.

The Auditor General’s Department also reviewed the RBPF welfare fund and noted that despite there being $190,000 coming in to the fund annually, they had been provided with insufficient information to review it.

The fund is managed at the discretion of the police commissioner and its intended use is to provide assistance for officers and their families in the form of service awards, personal loans, widower support and other social related assistance.

‘SEXUAL OFFENCES COURT COULD HAVE DISRUPTIVE IMPACT’

By MORGAN ADDERLEY Tribune Staff Reporter madderley@tribunemedia.net

JUSTICE Bernard Turner yesterday expressed concern that the establishment of a sexual offences court could have a “disruptive impact” as legal counsel may already have matters scheduled for other courts.

Speaking during yesterday’s session of the National Crime Council, Justice Turner also said judges undergo sensitivity training to deal with these kinds of matters.

Justice Turner was also asked his views on the establishment of the sexual offender’s registry. While he declined to comment specifically, he noted communities have an “obligation to protect themselves” without “unnecessarily stigmatising particular persons”.

Speaking to reporters following his remarks at the meeting, Justice Turner also said the work toward implementing a technological case management system for the Supreme Court is “ongoing”, adding a report is expected by October.

When asked if he thinks there should be a specific court to deal with matters of sexual assault, Justice Turner said: “You’re talking about the sexual offences court… We as judges undergo sensitisation training in respect of dealing with these kinds of matters.

“And (there are) laws which are in in place in respect to the types of questions we can ask the virtual complainant. And the anonymity of the virtual complainants in sexual offenses matters, all of those things we address in every court setting. But there has been discussion about a sexual offences court.

“We haven’t gotten there as yet in respect of the reality of our resources and space for establishment

JUSTICE Bernard Turner of such a court, and…also the reality of the fact that sexual offences matters, those persons if they have counsel, those same counsel are involved in other matters.

“There are criminal defence attorneys, who when they come to court to set a trial date, will indicate that they are booked until 2022…To move all of these sexual offences matters to a particular court, it will have a disruptive impact because of the fact that those same attorneys who may be representing those defendants are also scheduled before other courts,” he continued.

“And one of the balancing acts which we always have to do is that as we have these eight courts in New Providence and one Supreme Court in Grand Bahama hearing criminal matters, that there is a limited amount of attorneys who practice at the defence bar and challenges exist in terms of scheduling dates and times to accommodate their schedules.”

In January, Attorney General Carl Bethel said officials would be pushing for the opening of a sexual offences court during the 2019 legal year to address the “egregious” delay of those matters which have contributed to the long backlog of cases in the court system.

Last month, the government published draft regulations for a sex

offender registry on its website.

Regarding his views of such a registry, Justice Turner replied: “Judges don’t comment on the wisdom of legislation, we only rule on the constitutionality of legislation.

“And so to comment on whether that is wise or even whether it is constitutional in advance of a matter being brought before the court is not something that (I will do).”

He continued: “Societies and communities have an obligation to protect themselves and to be aware of potential dangers without unnecessarily stigmatising particular persons for various motives. Complaints could be made for a variety of reasons, which may be motivated by fact or motivated by malice.

“And so it’s important to be able to differentiate between what it is a legitimate concern and what may be an ulterior motive generating a complaint about a particular person. And in all of those matters you have to be discerning and wise… Because that kind of thing could be useful, it could also be destructive if you’re not very discriminating in its application and in its use.”

Justice Turner also spoke to a case management system for the Supreme Court.

“The work of the consultants in respect of providing a roadmap for the implementation of an Information technology case management system for Supreme Court, and the judiciary generally, is ongoing. We expect a report

by October, and we have received now several preliminary reports in certainly the aspects of the work which has been completed.”

Justice Turner added weekly meetings are held to receive updates regarding the consultants’ work.

“We confidently expect

PERUVIAN DIES FROM INJURIES

By DENISE MAYCOCK Tribune Freeport Reporter dmaycock@tribunemedia.net A 35-year-old male Peruvian man died in hospital this week following serious injuries he sustained in a hit and run traffic accident in Freeport on June 30, police reported yesterday.

According to police,

the accident occurred last Sunday in the East Sunrise Highway area, involving a black Honda Civic which was travelling east on East Sunrise Highway and failed to stop and colliding with the pedestrian.

Police and paramedics were called to the scene and the injured man was taken to Rand Memorial

Hospital, where he was seen by a doctor who listed his injuries as serious.

ASP Terecita Pinder said the victim died shortly after 7am on Tuesday. She added police have located the vehicle and the 26-yearold driver who is a resident of Grand Bahama and that investigations are continuing in the matter.

that at the end of the exercise that we would have a useful roadmap as to some of the challenges as to our present workflow processes but also a roadmap as to

how we might effectively implement a case management system.

“You may or may not appreciate that we have instituted several case

management systems in the judiciary in the past. And they have worked to varying degrees of success, as some would say, not to an unacceptable degree.”

PAGE 6, Thursday, July 4, 2019 from page one “Any country in the world you can use the ratio that ten percent of the population controls 90 percent of the wealth,” he said.

“The Progressive Liberal Party used this in 1967.

They said ten percent of the population controlled 90 or 80 percent of the wealth.

And ten percent of the population is white, and the two comments ran together and you see what happened.

“The wealth in The Bahamas is controlled by the people who control it.

You’ve got me, you’ve got Franklyn Wilson, you’ve got Tiger Finlayson, some very successful lawyers and bankers and doctors, that’s what it is. So let’s have that discussion.”

Mr Symonette pointed to the backlash surrounding his resignation from Cabinet that took effect July 1, and legacy accusations of conflict of interest levelled by the Progressive Liberal Party, as evidence the country needed to reconcile whether there was a place for “people who might have a couple dollars” in public life.

He also underscored his intent to become a “very strong member of the back bench of the FNM”.

Mr Symonette referred to himself as one of the last “boogeyman” of Bay

THE TRIBUNE

Bahamas is not ready for white PM, says Symonette SIR ROLAND SYMONETTE Street, a sarcastic knock at the moniker “Bay Street Boys” given to the ruling white elite of the United Bahamas Party, led by his father Sir Roland Symonette during the late ‘50s and ‘60s.

“We keep talking about the Bay Street Boys, let’s go down Bay Street and see who’s there. I’m the last one, there’s a D’Albenas around but he’s not… there’s some Kellys but they’re not in frontline business.

“You walk down Bay Street and you see the many jewellery stores, see the number of non-Bahamians who are working in those

stores but we don’t have a problem with that.”

When it was pointed out that the number of foreign labourers in the downtown area was predicated by the issuance of work permits, Mr Symonette countered “there are no Bahamians coming forward and registering for those jobs”.

“Some people try to say it’s a question of racism.

This isn’t a question of racism, this is a question of race. You can see a backlash in some areas against the Haitian community, you see a backlash against the number of Indians you see on Bay St, you see a backlash about the number of Chinese that are here.”

Mr Symonette spoke to his personal experience in politics during an interview at his private office on East Bay Street. He said he did not feel he was treated unfairly in public life but did suggest there had been greater scrutiny of his personal finances than his colleagues.

However, he told reporters his issues were

irrelevant as his time in Parliament, which began as a senator in 1987, was coming to an end.

“I don’t want my feelings to dominate the conversation,” he continued.

“My feelings are very clear that I’m a Bahamian.

Once I declare my interest, once I’m not involved in it, there should be no reason why someone like myself couldn’t enter active politics.

“If you’re saying I can’t, then at some point you’re precluding anyone else from doing that. I think that’s the discussion we have to have and that has other meanings to.”

Mr Symonette pointed out that frontline politics has largely been populated by lawyers, and questioned whether attorneys should be precluded based on their clientele.

“Matter of fact I can think of one who sits right in Parliament right now who had some very serious clients,” he added.

The accusations of conflict of interest largely concern

his familial ties to Bahamas Hot Mix - his children’s trust holds around “nine percent or 10 percent” of the company, but also its significant shares in a number of prominent businesses and services like CIBC. The company was formed in the early ‘80s, he said, when a young man came into his office with an idea and no capital. Mr Symonette said he and four other groups each put up $100,000 to form Bahamas Hot Mix because they had a need for its services.

“If you look in the papers there is a list of shares in companies, I think there are ten or 20 of them,” he said.

“I have shares in 80 percent of them. So does that mean the government can’t do business with CIBC because Brent Symonette children’s trust owns five shares?”

He pointed to an incident when the government opted not to lease a property from a public company because he was a two percent shareholder, and noted he was not included in Cabinet discussions over

Lighthouse Point because he had financially backed plans to purchase the property and turn the area into an international preserve.

“So where does this end?” he said.

“If Franon Wilson wanted to come into politics, is that okay for him?” Mr Symonette said, “because he’s of a different race. He lives on Eastern Road, same place I used to. And Sebas (Bastian)?

“At some point I think we need to have this discussion because what this message is sending to a lot of people is, are we saying the House of Assembly or service in government is not a place for people who might have a couple dollars, or who might be in business? So are we limiting to people who are not in business?”

He added: “Let’s say my son or my daughter want to enter politics, are they going to have the same legacy issues that I’m going to have?”

Editorial View - Page 4

GOVT UNDECIDED OVER CITIZENSHIP ANOMALIES

By AVA TURNQUEST Tribune Chief Reporter aturnquest@tribunemedia.net

THE government is still undecided on whether it will correct “anomalies” regarding the transference of citizenship through legislation or to leave it for a referendum, according to Law Reform Commissioner Dame Anita Allen.

Public consultation on the draft Nationality, Immigration and Asylum Bill, 2018 ended last week with no submissions from the Christian Council or the

Haitian League of Pastors.

There are still concerns about lack of equality between men and women in the transference of citizenship, and the right to abode permit for children born in the Bahamas to foreign parents.

Dame Anita told The Tribune she felt the consultation period went “very well”.

“It is a shame,” she said, “but you know we did consult with the opposition, with the Senate, with the Bar Association, with the law professors at the

University of the Bahamas, UNHCR, the Anglican diocese, the Jamaican Hummingbirds, the Chinese Bahamian Association.”

She continued: “Former Prime Minister Hubert Ingraham, we met with Fred Smith, the tourism board, the Hotel and Tourism Association. Also we got written responses from a number of groups, ORG, Capital Bank, also the BFSB (Bahamas Financial Services Board).

“I think we got enough.

And a lot of people did respond via media. I

thought the consultations went very well.”

The commission will now compile feedback to redraft the bill and resubmit to Cabinet.

Former Immigration Minister Brent Symonette had previously indicated his desire to get the bill before Parliament when it returns from its summer recess in September. He has since resigned from the post, effective July 1.

Dame Anita said the commission was still being guided by this timeline.

“The government still hasn’t determined exactly what ought to be in the bill so they wanted to hear from the public,” she said.

“Those comments that we think are relevant and would improve the bill we are definitely going to include them, and then we intend to do a memo to Cabinet in relation to all of the feedback that we have gotten so that if there is anything we have decided not to put in, and they wanted to be put in, they would let us know. “We’re in the process of collating all of that information,” she said.

The bill was released to the public in April.

“I think the issue of those anomalies, citizenship anomalies which came up on the first referendum in relation to making men and women equal in relation to passing citizenship,” Dame Anita said, “those issues are coming up. That is going to be a decision we are going to have to make.

DAME ANITA ALLEN “Whether we correct those anomalies by legislation or leave it for a referendum - I emphasise that if they are corrected (by legislation), they will not be constitutional rights but rights under the Nationality Act and another government or Parliament will be able to change them.

“We got a lot of feedback in relation to the right of abode that we proposed for children born in the Bahamas to foreign parents and there are some difficulties where you have parents who are illegal here and the child is born here who is a minor, what to do about the child. The child can’t reside in The Bahamas alone so we had proposed only children who have legal guardians, and who have someone to take care of them would be able to get the certificates of abode.”

She continued: “There are some big decisions that have to be made in relation to those persons and we will see how it goes.”

Yesterday, Mr Symonette

said he would have preferred greater feedback on the bill.

“When we do the first reading in Parliament that might cause some issues . . .and I would sincerely hope people between now and then would get their feedback in. There are some far-reaching provisions.”

Prominent issues flagged

by Mr Symonette included the right or entitlement to citizenship and the length of work permits.

“There is a seven year provision (for work permits) in the bill,” he said, “I think we should look at that and see whether the same value or rating applies to a landscape person as opposed to an international banker. Those are issues we need look at.”

Mr Symonette said he also felt there needed to be provisions that addressed the administrative function of the Immigration Department, but noted this could be achieved with a regulations bill.

“How immigration works and timelines, and why do you need a $10 stamp on an application. Some of that small minutiae that needs to be cleaned up. And the role of the director of immigration. He’s also the head financial officer and those issues. So do you bring that outside of the director of immigration, so there is control and checks and balances. There’s a lot more of that, but that may come in an immigration regulations bill.”

THE TRIBUNE

Thursday, July 4, 2019, PAGE 7

THE BAHAMAS Unified Bus Drivers Union strikes, as bus drivers from different routes park in the old city market parking lot in Market Street.

Photos: Terrel W Carey Sr/Tribune Staff

By RIEL MAJOR Tribune Staff Reporter rmajor@tribunemedia.net JITNEY drivers withdrew their services yesterday after government officials failed to meet with the Bahamas Unified Bus Drivers Union before their July 1 deadline.

Frederick Farrington, BUBDU president, told The Tribune their demonstration yesterday was just “the tip of the iceberg and a full-fledged strike” may occur in the near future if their concerns aren’t heard.

Mr Farrington said: “We put (our concerns) out there and said we would give the minister one month to meet with us (to discuss) our issues within the industry.

It seems like the minister has pushed the union aside actually, it seems like he is not union friendly.

“The minister seems to focus a lot on the pilot project and is listening to paid consultants instead of sitting down with the union who are the actual voice and ears for the drivers.

“We (withdrew) services from each route - like 90 percent of buses,” he said, which means about 80 to 90 bus drivers took part in the protest.

“We are going to (withdraw service) all day because we realise that the

Jitney drivers cut back on services and warn a full strike could be next minister isn’t in town, but this day has already been set for this withdrawal of service.”

He added: “With this union once we put things in motion there is no turning back. We are going to give him the opportunity when he gets back in town to speak with us or else, we will set a next date and it’ll be a full fledge strike.”

Minister of Transport Renward Wells is currently out of the country on government business.

Meanwhile, the union president said he has addressed the lack of proper bus stops with Minister of Works Desmond Bannister and Mr Wells but claimed nothing has been done.

“Earlier this year in February we sat down with Minister Bannister in reference to the lack of bus

stops in which the union had identified over 100 bus stops that were misplaced or damaged and never put back in place. (The minister) said fine, once we bring a proposal, they would see that those bus stops are in place,” he said.

“We wrote the proposal and sent a copy to the controller of road traffic and we also sent one to the Ministry of Works. I sat down face to face with Mr Wells in reference to the bus stop issue and all parties agreed that they would resolve the issues but today they haven’t avail.”

Rudy Taylor, BUBDU vice-president, said the bus drivers want and deserve a proper busing system.

Mr Taylor said: “It’s important to be here today (to show) solidarity is number one and then of course we all have one

common goal which is to try better the system. It’s affecting everybody at least all of the drivers and because of this what we want to do is try and better the system.

“We aren’t trying to go against the government but we want the government to work along with us so we can better the system.

We aren’t trying to hold the government hostage, but we can’t the government to hear or pleads and cries so that all matters can be addressed, and we all be victorious in a win-win situation.”

Elliotte Williams, bus driver, said the sector has been neglected for many years and enough is enough.

Mr Williams said: “The bus drivers has had enough, and we are ready and as you see we are showing our togetherness and we will not back down, and

BUBDU president Frederick Farrington. we want answers. The bus stops are inadequate at this time and the road conditions right now put us at a disadvantage whereas the police ticket us at whim.”

Gina Adderley, another bus driver, said the government needs to value workers in the sector as

they “keep the island going.”

She said: “The people will tell the government what happened today because so many buses (withdrew services) from different routes.

We have to be one and the government has to hear us.

“I was driving here this morning and I saw so many people on the road and that was so sad to see them on the road and I couldn’t pick them up.”

Mr Farrington said the union wants to discuss police officers ticketing bus drivers when there are inadequate bus stops, the repair or replacement of bus stops, a pay increase for bus drivers and the implementation of uniforms.

The Bahamas Unified Bus Drivers Union represents more than 200 of 300 bus drivers that operate in New Providence.

PAGE 8, Thursday, July 4, 2019

THE TRIBUNE

Supreme Court plays W both sides of the table

ITH all the furore over the first Democratic candidates debates and President Trump determined to interject himself into today’s Washington DC Fourth of July extravaganza, the American Supreme Court has been mostly pushed off the front pages.

But the end of this year’s court term last week revealed unpredictable decisions from the nation’s highest tribunal that will have repercussions in the near and long term.

First, the court clearly rejected a Trump administration argument that adding a citizenship question to the 2020 American census was not motivated by the political desire to depress immigrant, largely Latino voter count. At one point or another, the Departments of Justice, Treasury and Commerce had gotten involved in this transparent charade and the court deserves credit for unmasking and rejecting it.

But in a separate decision, the court also rejected the notion the courts have standing to intervene to redress the imbalance created when partisan state legislatures gerrymander congressional districts to the advantage of the party in control of a state legislature.

This decision overturned several lower court

STATESIDE with Charlie Harper decisions which had given hope to voter rights advocates, liberals, moderates and even some libertarians across the country. It means that distorted districts created by state house politicians will persist, at least in the short run and that black voters particularly will still be grouped in one district in order to dilute their electoral impact in others.

The gerrymandering decision, which gives a distinct advantage to Republicans in all relevant states except Maryland, was taken along familiar ideological lines, and included Chief Justice John Roberts voting with the conservatives.

Roberts had voted with the liberal justices to tip the balance on the census question. This extends a tendency for the court’s

leader to try to avoid the impression his court has become just another political tool for a Republican president and politicians.

In 2012, for example, Roberts also sided with liberals on the court when he voted with them to preserve the Affordable Care Act (“Obamacare”) from legal challenges by conservatives and Republicans. But in 2010, he weighed in on the side of corporate and other large political donors, and notably GOP majority leader Mitch McConnell, in the Citizens United case.

Roberts has made it plain that he resists the politicization of his court. But he is a conservative, and when he isn’t concerned about appearances and impartiality, he can probably be counted on to vote that way.

AND SO THE DIRTY TRICKS BEGIN THE New York Times is now reporting evidence that suggests we ain’t seen nothin’ yet in the department of 2020 election political dirty tricks. They are reporting that: Trump operatives have already created a website superficially resembling Joe Biden’s official campaign website. They have filled the mock website with all sorts of material making fun of Biden, pictured right, and criticising him.

Trump supporters have tried to boost several of Biden’s less conspicuous

rivals since the Democratic debates, including Andrew Yang, Marianne Williamson, Tulsi Gabbard and Bill de Blasio.

Most ominously, several anonymous accounts have been set up questioning the American-ness of California Senator Kamala Harris, who post-debate polls show gained the most support from the debates. Harris, an American citizen born in Oakland, California, is the daughter of a Jamaican father and Stanford University economics professor and an Indian mother who is a physician.

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WITH one big exception, the long-awaited 2019 NBA summer free agency period is finished. That exception is this year’s NBA Finals MVP, Kawai Leonard. The Toronto Raptors forward has reportedly spoken with both the Los Angeles Clippers and Lakers, in addition to the champion Raptors.

He may reveal his decision today.

If Leonard stays in Toronto, the champs will look strong enough to defend their title next season. If he goes to the Lakers, he will join LeBron James and Anthony Davis to form perhaps the most formidable Big Three in modern NBA history.

Choosing the Clippers would turn that young team into a Western Conference title threat.

Most of the other teams have largely wrapped up their free agent activity.

Altogether, NBA teams committed $3 billion to players over the length of their new contracts.

Here are the most significant developments from this week’s free agency so far: Philadelphia 76ers: They surprised most observers and stole valuable, versatile veteran Al Horford from the Celtics after he opted out of his contract and became a free agent.

They are also expected to sign star Ben Simmons to a mammoth new deal, and resigned Tobias Harris.

Boston Celtics: Their big move was to sign free agent Kemba Walker, who returns from Charlotte to New England where he won an NCAA championship with UConn in 2011.

Brooklyn Nets: Their moves had the New York headline writers hustling.

They persuaded Kevin Durant to commit to them, in addition to Kyrie Irving.

Durant had led the Warriors to a couple of NBA titles, and Irving had

NBA FINALS MVP, Kawai Leonard. teamed with James to win one in Cleveland. Adding two such mega stars to a rising young team made everyone sit up and take notice.

Milwaukee Bucks: They re-signed two of their key players to return to a team that won 60 games and posted the best record in the NBA in 2018-19. Khris Middleton and Brook Lopez are returning, and the Bucks will be strong again.

Miami Heat: They added Jimmy Butler from the 76ers in a four- team trade transaction that could well propel them back into the playoffs next season.

Portland Trail Blazers. They were proactive in signing their star guard Damian Lillard to a big new four-year contract extension even though he has

two years left on his current deal.

Dallas Mavericks. The team signed 23-year-old Latvian centre Kristaps Porzingis to a large new contract extension, wiping out his restricted free agent status.

Golden State Warriors. They re-signed Klay Thompson to a new max contract to keep the Splash Brothers (Thompson and Steph Curry) together for several more years. They also traded for D’Angelo Russell from the Nets.

The Kings, Pelicans, Jazz and Knicks were all very active in the market, but their signings or trades seemed less momentous.

Once Leonard decides where he will play, the league can let out its breath and wait for the start of training camp in a couple of months.

THE TRIBUNE

Thursday, July 4, 2019, PAGE 9

CANCER SOCIETY STEP CLOSER TO HOSPICE GOAL THE Cancer Society of the Bahamas has moved one step closer towards achieving its objective of completing the hospice wing of its Cancer Caring Centre, having been gifted the sum of $50,000 by Commonwealth Bank.

The gift represents an annual installment of the bank’s ten year commitment of $500,000 to the group.

The building project has been an objective of the Cancer Society for many years as it seeks to continue to provide a place of refuge and comfort for ailing Bahamians from around the country, living with or affected by the scourge of cancer.

Statistics place the Bahamas in the top 20 countries around the world with astronomical incidences of cancers, the largest numbers presenting being breast and prostate cancers, according to a press release from the bank. It is noted that early detection vastly increases the survival rate and provides greater options for treatment.

Commonwealth Bank has an extensive corporate giving programme including scholarships, humanitarian relief, youth development, health initiatives, sports and education.

L-R DENISE TURNQUEST, Commonwealth Bank, COO, Dr. Williamson Chea, Cancer Caring Centre. Rochelle Wilkinson, Mr Raymond Winder, Commonwealth Bank President & Director

Husband recalls night wife set their daughter on fire from page one skin on her arms, hands and legs and that Marshall was getting the baby dressed to take her to the hospital.

The evidence came during Marshall’s trial over allegations she caused her daughter’s death by means of unlawful harm.

Prosecutors allege the 41-year-old doused her child with gasoline and set her alight in December 2017 at her Faith Gardens home after ‘hearing voices’.

The child died in February 2018 after having been cared for at Princess Margaret Hospital (PMH).

Taking the witness stand before Justice Bernard Turner yesterday, Sgt Gibson, a police prosecutor formerly attached to the Carmichael Road Police Station, said at around 2.23am on December 28, 2017, she was on mobile patrol with another officer when she received information from police control room. As a result, the pair proceeded to a home in Faith Gardens.

Upon arriving at the residence and gaining entry, Sgt Gibson said she observed five people in the front room. Mr Marshall and his two sons, ages seven and three, were seated on the couch. Marshall was seated on the floor, attempting to put a pink sweater on Philicia, who was lying on a tan blanket next to her.

At that point, Sgt Gibson said she noticed the baby did not have any skin on her arms, hands or legs.

However, she said the child was not crying. The officer said she also saw a burnt diaper as well as a burnt, yellow onesie near the young child.

Sgt Gibson said Mr Marshall told her—in his wife’s presence—that at around 10.30pm on December 27, he fell asleep on the floor with his three children next to him. He said he awoke around 2.50 the following morning, and when he did, realised his daughter was no longer on the side of him.

Mr Marshall got up and started searching for his daughter. His search led him to one of his son’s rooms, where he not only found his wife, but also his daughter, who was lying on his son’s bed with her skin “falling off”.

Sgt Gibson said Mr Marshall told her he observed a burnt pillow and red blanket on his son’s bed. Sgt Gibson said Mr Marshall told her that when he asked his wife what had happened, she did not respond.

Sgt Gibson said as a result, she immediately cautioned Marshall, who in turn told her demons told her to kill herself and her daughter. Sgt Gibson said Marshall told her that she threw gasoline on the toddler and lit her afire.

After cautioning and arresting Marshall, Sgt Gibson said she made checks of a northern bedroom where a red, carshaped children’s bed was situated. And on the bed, was a burnt pillow and a burnt, red blanket.

Moments later, an ambulance arrived and took Philicia to the hospital.

Marshall, meanwhile, was transported to the Carmichael Road Police Station and booked.

Detective Sergeant Donna Barr, attached to the Central Detective Unit (CDU) testified how Marshall refused to answer any questions about what led to her daughter suffering burn injuries when she interviewed the woman months after the incident, and almost two months after Philicia had died.

According to Det Sgt Barr, on February 10, 2018, she received information concerning a complaint made by Mr Marshall about Philicia, who was in the Children’s Ward at the Princess Margaret Hospital. Her mother, meanwhile, was detained at the Sandilands Rehabilitation Centre (SRC).

As a result of the information received, Det Sgt Barr said she made a number of routine checks at PMH to ascertain the medical condition of Philicia.

She also conducted checks at the SRC to ascertain her mother’s medical condition.

Det Sgt Barr said while at the CDU on February 15, she found out that Philicia had died. The senior officer said sometime around 11am the following day, she visited the Rand Laboratory at PMH and observed Mr Marshall identify Philicia’s body as that of his daughter.

On April 6, 2018 Det Sgt Barr and another officer escorted Marshall and her

attorney, Bjorn Ferguson into an interview suite at CDU. In response to a question put to her by Mr Ferguson in cross-examination, the interview came after Marshall was released from the SRC. Det Sgt Barr said she received certain documents from SRC officials prior to conducting the interview.

She said once in the interview suite, she identified herself and the other officer to Marshall and informed her of the reason

for the interview. She said she subsequently asked Marshall various questions pertaining to her personal information, such as her date of birth, address and occupation.

According to the officer, Marshall answered those questions, giving her full name as Phillipa Arnette Marshall and listing her occupation as housewife.

However, Det Sgt Barr said when she asked Marshall about the events that led to the injuries Philicia

sustained, the woman stated that she wished not to answer those questions.

And neither did Marshall want to sign the record of interview, Det Sgt Barr said.

Det Sgt Barr said she ultimately ended up charging Marshall. She added that throughout the interrogation process, Marshall appeared calm, aware of what was taking place, and did not hesitate to answer the questions she did.

The case continues.

PAGE 10, Thursday, July 4, 2019

THE TRIBUNE

Every dog has its day, but it’s not the Fourth of July

By CHRISTINE CALDER Assistant Clinical Professor of Behavior, College of Veterinary Medicine, Mississippi State University THE Fourth of July can be a miserable day for dogs.

The fireworks make scaredycats out of many canines.

That’s because dogs, like humans, are hardwired to be afraid of sudden, loud noises. It is what keeps them safe.

Some dogs, though, take that fear to the extreme with panting, howling, pacing, whining, hiding, trembling and even selfinjury or escape. And, unlike humans, they don’t know that the fanfare on the Fourth is not a threat.

Dogs hear the fireworks and process it as if their world is under siege.

How a dog responds to noises may be influenced by breed, with German shepherd dogs more likely to pace, while border collies or Australian cattle dogs are more likely to show their fear by hiding.

While we veterinarians don’t know exactly why some dogs are afraid of fireworks and others not, many dogs that react to one noise often react to others. Therefore, early intervention and treatment are essential in

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protecting the welfare of these terrified dogs. Here’s how you can protect your dog from fireworks.

• Take your pet to the vet. If your dog is afraid of fireworks, the first step is to have your veterinarian evaluate him or her, especially if your dog’s noise sensitivity is relatively new.

One recent study found a link between pain and noise sensitivities in older dogs, indicating that muscle tension or sudden movements in response to a loud noise may aggravate a tender area on the body and thus create an association between the loud noise and pain, causing fear of that particular noise to develop or escalate.

• Create a “safe haven” in your home with a secure door or gate, preferably away from outside windows or doors. Close the blinds or curtains to reduce outside noises, and play some classical music to help reduce stress by creating a relaxing environment for your dog during the show. A white noise machine or box fan may also help reduce anxiety, along with a pheromone like Adaptil sprayed on bedding, a bandanna, a collar or from a diffuser plugged into the wall.

• Consider noise-canceling headphones such as

Mutt Muffs to muffle the sounds and further reduce noise sensitivities.

• Find a food your pet will love. This could be cut pieces of boiled chicken or squeeze cheese. Sit with your pet and feed him with each boom. You can also use a long-lasting fooddispensing or puzzle toy to release food continuously during the show. This is to help your dog make a positive association with the noises for the future.

• Consider anxiety wraps, fabric wraps that exert a gentle pressure on your dog’s body. These may help to lower heart rate and other clinical signs of fear and anxiety, operating on the belief that they swaddle a scared animal and thus calm its fears. These work best, however, in conjunction with a complete behavior treatment plan including medication or behavior modification, or both.

• When it comes to comforting your dog, the jury is still out. It is difficult, however, to reinforce an emotional response with comfort. Therefore, it is OK to pet your dog when frightened by a noise event so long as the dog appears to be comforted and not more distressed by the attention. theconversation.com

THE TRIBUNE

Thursday, July 4, 2019, PAGE 11

As Japan resumes its commercial whaling, what is the response?

A WHALE is unloaded at a port in Kushiro, in the northernmost main island of Hokkaido, on Monday. Japan is resuming commercial whaling after 31 years, meeting a longcherished goal seen as a largely lost cause.

Japan’s six-month notice to withdraw from the International Whaling Commission took effect last Sunday.

By SUI PHANG Research Fellow in Blue Governance, University of Portsmouth and PETER BRIDGEWATER Adjunct Professor, University of Canberra JAPAN recently left the International Whaling Commission (IWC) and has now caught the first whale in its waters since resuming commercial whaling, 33 years after a global ban came into effect. As a nonmember, Japan is no longer bound by the International Convention for the Regulation of Whaling (ICRW) – the rules that the IWC has used to manage whaling since 1946.

The IWC’s moratorium on commercial whaling has broadly been a success – whale populations have increased where whaling was the primary threat.

The humpback whale is one example of successful recovery, but species such as the northern right whale have never recovered from centuries of whaling and are in critically low numbers.

Outrage and despair greeted Japan’s decision to relaunch commercial

whaling in its waters, although the conservation status of many species may be unaffected. Still, Japan’s exit from the IWC is a worrying message to the international community at a time when collaboration on environmental issues is sorely needed.

Why has Japan left the IWC? Japan introduced a proposal at the IWC in 2018 which would allow it to restart commercial whaling.

This was voted down – the proposal that was approved in its place supported a shift in the commission’s goal towards banning all commercial whaling in perpetuity.

A permanent commercial whaling ban might sound like an ordinary step, but the IWC’s purpose since 1946 has been “the orderly development of the whaling industry”. The IWC has gradually pivoted to focus more on conservation and other threats to whales since then, but one of its founding goals was to support the whaling industry and the people it employed. As the whaling

industry has declined and attitudes towards whales have changed around the world, the IWC has changed too. Japan meanwhile has always been clear it wants to resume commercial whaling and is leaving the IWC because the moratorium was only meant to be temporary and lifted when whale populations could support whaling.

Japan isn’t the first country to leave the IWC because of frustration with its rules on commercial whaling. Iceland left in 1992 and rejoined in 2002 as a full member but with a reservation to the moratorium that allows it to commercially whale. Norway objected to the moratorium decision in 1982 and so kept its right to commercially whale while remaining a full IWC member.

A mixed outcome for whales For most whale species, the exit of Japan from the convention banning commercial whaling will have few consequences. Whale populations in the Southern Ocean are even likely

to benefit as Japan will lose its special research permit for scientific whaling in the region by leaving the IWC. Japan mostly took Antarctic minke whales (Balaenoptera bonaerensis) here, but this species is not considered endangered.

It’s a different story for whales found within Japan’s Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ). No longer bound by the IWC’s rules, Japan can harvest whales here under the right given by the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea but the number and species it will decide to take hasn’t been announced. One vulnerable population living in Japan’s EEZ which may be affected are common minke whales (Balaenoptera acutorostrata), which are genetically distinct and possibly number fewer than 5,500. It’s worrying this population hasn’t shown the same robust recovery seen among other minke whales.

Japan will want to prove to the world it can whale sustainably but the longterm future of whaling is uncertain. The market for whale meat in Japan peaked after World War II and is now a shadow of its former self. Although still eaten

in cultural ceremonies and a few localities in northern Honshu, consumption is around 40g per capita each year - about the size of a slice of ham. Whether Japan’s diminished appetite for whale meat will reduce its whaling efforts though remains to be seen.

A way forward?

Research by the IWC scientific committee has greatly advanced our understanding of whale ecology and how to address other threats to their survival, like pollution, bycatch and climate change. Japan’s exit from the IWC doesn’t threaten the organisation’s activities and every effort should be made to continue this important research.

But if the “International Whaling Commission” is to become a conservation organisation, then maybe its status as a whaling commission is outdated.

Countries could continue to work together on whale conservation by using the Convention on Migratory Species. This specifically targets the conservation of migratory species and their habitats, and would apply to

protecting whales. In fact, there is already a regional agreement between countries that’s focused on whale conservation.

Agreements made under this convention might be better able to deal with the diverse threats facing whales. A whale research programme focused on conservation – as opposed to a whaling research programme – made up of the IWC scientific committee and Japan might have fewer conflicts as their objective would be clearer.

Japan’s exit from the IWC is a complicated issue beyond just whale conservation – it highlights the need for the international community to overcome disagreements. Asking why the IWC has succeeded and failed at different times can help us improve the way we work together on global challenges as after all, whaling is only one example of the many urgent and complex environmental issues that demand a global response. How well we work together determines more than just the fate of the world’s whales. theconversation.com

PAGE 12, Thursday, July 4, 2019

THE TRIBUNE

Liability issue blamed for long delay in Rubis gas leak report

By AVA TURNQUEST Tribune Chief Reporter aturnquest@tribunemedia.net A PERCEIVED liability issue was named as the controlling factor behind a year-long delay in the

release of a report into a 2012 Rubis gasoline leak that impacted Marathon residents.

A review of the delayed public disclosure of the Black and Veatch International report, commissioned

by the Christie administration in 2015, was tabled in the House of Assembly

by Minister of Environment Romauld Ferreira yesterday.

In a statement yesterday, Mr Ferreira accused the

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former administration of “hiding information from its people”.

“This crisis could have and ought to have been handled difficulty,” he continued.

“What contributed to the issue is a corrosive mindset that has emerged from the shadows. . . a mindset that says the people do not deserve to know information which would potentially save their lives.

“A myth that somehow the people and the government are different. The truth is the people and the government are one. We are Marathon and Marathon is us.”

He also said: “Tragedies of this nature make people feel like they do not count and that nobody cares.

Truth is you, you do count and we do care. Your interests are our interests.”

The report prepared by retired Justice Joseph Strachan noted the inter-agency response was beset with communication delays - one in particular that spanned nearly four months - and a lack of productive momentum on the part of the Office of the Attorney General, the Ministry of Environment and related agencies.

The report furthered while it was clear the need for expedition was appreciated by both entities, the process of managing the spill was prolonged.

“It appears that exposure to the Government to actual and/or perceived liability issues were controlling contributors to prior disclosure being, with the exception to the full content of the letter to Cable and Rubis, generally limited to BVI’s recommendations only,” the senior judge noted.

In Justice Strachan’s report, the gas leak is stated to have occurred in January 2013.

According to the BEST Commission, a leak of 12,000 gallons of unleaded gasoline at the service station at Robinson and Old Trail Roads occurred in late December 2012, and was reported ‪on January 19‬ of the following year to Rubis and the government.

However, both Rubis and station operator Fiorente Management stated in court documents that the leak

MINISTER of Environment Romauld Ferreira. first occurred on November 25, 2012.

In defence to litigation filed by Cable Bahamas, which operated a building nearby, former station operator Fiorente Management and Investments Ltd claimed Rubis officials did not investigate concerns over the fuel leak at its Robinson and Old Trail Roads service station for more than a month.

The former operator admitted that the escape of gasoline and hydrocarbon vapours into Cable Bahamas’ property was caused by corrosion in the pipework at Dispenser 5.

It was also confirmed that some 20,000 to 30,000 gallons had been discharged, adding that the figure was based on fuel output analyses conducted by station’s accountant following the discovery of the gas leak.

The Black and Veatch International report found that Marathon residents were possibly exposed to harmful chemicals, including cancer-causing benzene.

The report was completed on February 20, 2014, but it was only made public by the government the following year in April after residents demanded it be released.

Justice Strachan’s timeline was constructed through the use of emails, drafts of minute papers, and two minute papers showing timelines that covered the period July 2014 to April 2015. He also prepared a supplemental report, which was underpinned by two additional bundles of documents and included the Ministry of Environment’s spill timeline.

In his supplemental

report, Justice Strachan highlighted contributing factors: the absence of a shared, comprehensive and predetermined action plan for the management of a comparable inland gasoline spill; the need for, and belated production of, the Contamination Report and Remediation Plan of Rubis; the need for the delayed BVI report or purpose of critiquing the Rubis report; the effect of the inevitable lapse of unproductive time; the Cabinet invitation to the AG’s Office in early January 2014 to ascertain how spills are dealt with elsewhere and, further, to advise on specified matters.

Justice Strachan was appointed by the former Christie-led administration to conduct a “thorough” independent review into the cause of the delay in the release of the BVI report in May 2015.

In 2015, then-Attorney General Allyson MaynardGibson explained that while it was “obvious” that experts in the various branches of government were working hard on the issue, officials may have operated “in silos” rather than co-ordinating remediation efforts.

At the time, the Office of the Attorney General stated Justice Strachan’s review of the report by Black and Veatch International was intended to ensure future investigations were managed according to international best practices; as well as to ensure timely public disclosure.

The Tribune understands the claims brought against Rubis by Cable Bahamas and several residents have been settled privately.

THE TRIBUNE

Thursday, July 4, 2019, PAGE 13

UWI’S BERMUDEZ TO MAKE KEYNOTE SPEECH ROBERT Bermudez, chancellor of the University of the West Indies, will be the keynote speaker for a public discussion scheduled for July 15 at UWI House Restaurant on University Drive, Nassau.

Mr Bermudez, the university’s 6th chancellor and highest office-holder in the UWI system, will present on the theme: ‘‘UWI: One University, A Family of Graduates - Building Nations with a Global Impact.”

The event is geared towards students and alumni of UWI, and will also feature a panel discussion which will address challenges the university

ROBERT BERMUDEZ faces, as well as proposals and solutions that can help remediate various issues.

Mr Bermudez’s vision for the university outlines a keen sense of the mission, effectiveness, relevance and interdependence

of academia and the economy.

Working as an entrepreneur for over 40 years, Mr Bermudez has grown his family-owned business to a regional business throughout the Caribbean and Latin America. He has also served as chairman or board director for several other corporate bodies in Trinidad and Tobago and the Caribbean.

The chancellor is scheduled to visit the country from July 14-16. During his trip, he will also tour UWI’s Centre of Hotel and Tourism Management; Open Campus and School of Clinical Medicine and Research.

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THE 2019 CLASS OF LITTLE LEARNERS PRESCHOOL (East St Gospel Chapel)

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Lessons learned included: • How Do You Get Money?

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• Three Things You Can Do With Money • What Happens When You Add To Money?

• When I Grow Up Money Pledge

PAGE 14, Thursday, July 4, 2019

THE CHINESE Community Association of The Bahamas presented a cheque for $10,000 to the Summer Youth Programme earlier this week.

THE TRIBUNE

THE TRIBUNE

Thursday, July 4, 2019, PAGE 15

Prison escapee fails to overturn his 18-year sentence for armed robbery

By NICO SCAVELLA Tribune Staff Reporter nscavella@tribunemedia.net A FORMER prison escapee’s hopes at overturning his 18-year sentence for robbing a local jewellery store and two people at gunpoint of over $100,000 worth of cash and merchandise have been dashed by the Court of Appeal.

Appellate Justices Jon Isaacs, Sir Michael Barnett and Milton Evans unanimously agreed Mario Taylor should continue serving his sentence for robbing Michael Anthony Jewellers of $123,123 worth of jewellery.

Taylor, while at the store, also robbed William Malone of a wrist watch worth $1,000 and $500 in cash and Felicia Darville of a diamond bracelet, diamond ring, wristwatch and a silver and gold ring.

At trial the Crown had relied on Darville’s identification evidence along with a confession statement from the accused.

Taylor, meanwhile, gave sworn testimony and claimed that he did not rob anyone and alleged he was beaten by Officer Ranger to sign both his record of interview and statement.

Nonetheless, on October 3, 2017, the jury found him guilty 7-2 on all three counts of armed robbery.

He was later sentenced

to 18 years on each count minus the three years he spent on remand.

Taylor appealed both his conviction and sentence, asserting the former was both “unsafe and unsatisfactory”, and that the latter was “unduly harsh and severe”.

He also filed some eight other grounds of appeal.

However, the appellate judges said Taylor failed on all of his grounds. They further charged that the trial judge applied “all the proper principles” in arriving at his sentence, thus negating the assertion that the sentence is either too harsh or severe.

The appellate judges further noted armed robbery is a “serious offence” that carries the maximum penalty of life imprisonment. In Taylor’s case, however, the appellate judges said he did not receive anywhere near the maximum.

In August 2018, Taylor was sentenced to three years in prison by Magistrate Kara TurnquestDeveaux after admitting to a thwarted escape plot from the Bahamas Department of Correctional Services (BDCS).

Taylor admitted that sometime between the day he was convicted and August 3, 2018, he removed a piece of steel from a bathroom at the facility and moved it to his A-block cell.

He told the court he hid

the item in a section of the ceiling he had access to. He later added that over the course of two months, he used the steel to chip away at the ceiling while his cellmates were out in the yard.

Taylor, in agreeing to the details of his offences, admitted he used three buckets left in his cell to reach the ceiling. He also acknowledged he would hide his efforts using a curtain to prevent passing officers and prisoners from looking into his cell while he carried out his plot.

Taylor said once he was successful in creating an area to enter the roof, he did so on two occasions to hide a bag of clothes and to further attempt to cut into the facility’s metal roof.

He said he was unsuccessful in his attempt to carry out the latter.

In their discovery of the hole, prison officials said they also discovered a garbage bag with a rope made of cloth.

Taylor, who was committed to prison the year prior on the armed robbery conviction, said he had battled “personal problems” since being sentenced.

He explained his time in prison had been hard, suggesting medical issues with an aunt and other family matters have taken a toll on him, placing him in a frame of mind in which he “wanted to assist” his family.

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PAGE 16, Thursday, July 4, 2019

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FRENCH TEACHER The successful candidate will have: - Masters degree or Bachelor's degree and relevant professional development courses - Teaching certification and credentials required - Native or bilingual proficiency in French - A minimum of 2 years experience working with upper elementary and middle school students - Strong communication skills Send us a resume and cover letter explaining why you are a match for this school by Friday 12 July 2019 to jobs@lcis.bs.

THE TRIBUNE

Thursday, July 4, 2019, PAGE 17

CHINA LASHES BACK OVER BRITISH REMARKS ON HONG KONG PROTESTS BEIJING Associated Press

CHINA’S foreign ministry lashed back yesterday at remarks

by Britain’s foreign secretary on the causes of recent anti-government protests in Hong Kong, saying the territory’s former colonial master had no right to weigh in on the city’s affairs.

Ministry spokesman Geng Shuang said that Jeremy Hunt appeared to be “basking in the faded glory of British colonialism and obsessed with lecturing others.”

Hunt said Hong Kong authorities should not use an outbreak of

vandalism in the legislative chambers by protesters on Monday night as a “pretext for repression.” He said the authorities need to “understand the root causes of what happened, which is a deep-seated concern by people in Hong Kong that their basic freedoms are under attack.”

Geng said Britain restricted Hong Kong’s democracy prior to the 1997 handover to Chinese rule and had no authority to discuss matters in the territory, despite the existence of a 1984 agreement that Hong Kong would retain its Western-style economic, legal and political system for 50 years. Hong Kong was under Britain’s rule for

155 years, during which it was run by a series of governors appointed by the British crown.

“The UK considers itself as a guardian which is nothing but a delusion,” Geng told reporters at a daily briefing on Wednesday. “It is just shameless to say that Hong Kong’s freedoms are negotiated for them by the British side,” Geng said.

China’s central government has voiced strong support for Hong Kong Chief Executive Carrie Lam and the city’s police force in dealing with the recent protests, which have highlighted doubts about the validity of its “one country, two systems” formula for

FOREIGN Secretary Jeremy Hunt .

governing the semi-autonomous Chinese region. The protests, which roughly coincided with celebrations of the 22nd anniversary of Hong Kong’s handover from British to Chinese rule, were originally sparked by a government attempt to change extradition laws to allow suspects to be sent to China for trial. Lam has shelved the bills but not agreed to scrap them altogether as opponents insist.

The extradition legislation has heightened fears of eroding freedoms in Hong Kong and given fresh momentum to Hong Kong’s pro-democracy opposition movement.

NAVY SEAL SENTENCED FOR POSING WITH DEAD IRAQ WAR CASUALTY

VOLCANO ERUPTION KILLS ONE MILAN Associated Press

SAN DIEGO Associated Press

ERUPTIONS from a volcano on the Sicilian island of Stromboli sent about 30 tourists jumping into the sea for safety with civil protection authorities said a hiker was killed yesterday. Molten material from the volcano ignited a series of fires.

One witness described “a violent explosion followed by a shower of glowing lapilli and lava material.” He added people barricaded themselves in houses or threw themselves into the sea.

Italy has three main active volcanoes: Etna on Sicily, Vesuvius near Naples and Stromboli.

A NAVY SEAL who was acquitted of killing a wounded Islamic State captive but convicted of posing with the corpse was sentenced by a military jury yesterday to a reduction in rank and four months of confinement.

A judge, however, credited Special Operations Chief Edward Gallagher with enough time already spent in custody to ensure he won’t be locked up.

Gallagher turned to his wife, shook his head and pretended to unpin his “anchors” — the insignia of a chief — and fling them across the courtroom. He then smiled and hugged her.

The sentence will not go into effect until it is approved by the commanding officer overseeing the court-martial.

Earlier, Gallagher addressed the jury that had acquitted him on Tuesday of murder, attempted murder

SMOKE billows from the volcano on the Italian island of Stromboli yesterday.

and other counts stemming from an incident during a 2017 deployment to Iraq.

“I put a black eye on the two communities that I love — the US Marine Corps and the US Navy — specifically the SEAL community,” he said.

He said he tried to lead by example but didn’t always succeed.

“I’ve made mistakes throughout my 20-year career — tactical, ethical, moral — I’m not perfect but I’ve always bounced back from my mistakes. I’m ready to bounce back from this,” he said.

The jury reduced Gallagher’s rank by one grade to petty officer 1st class and ordered his monthly pay cut by $2,697 for four months.

The judge then modified the sentence, capping the pay cut at two months and giving Gallagher 60 days’ credit for being held in overly harsh conditions before being tried and being deprived of treatment for a traumatic brain injury.

Harris chases black caucus WASHINGTON Associated Press

IN HER first conversation with Rep. Bobby Rush, a veteran member of the Congressional Black Caucus, Harris was explicit about what she wanted: his endorsement in the Democratic presidential primary.

Rush demurred, not yet ready to pick a side in the most crowded Democratic race in modern political history.

Still, Rush was impressed with Harris and watched her closely in last week’s debate. When she called again after the face-off, the Illinois congressman said he was ready to back her campaign.

Harris’ courting of Rush is a snapshot of the broader, behind-the-scenes effort underway to win over the 55 members of the CBC — a primary-within-theprimary for support of the nation’s most influential black lawmakers. It reflects both the increasing power of black leaders within the Democratic Party and the

importance of the communities they represent to those jostling to become the party’s White House nominee.

It also puts the CBC in the awkward position of having to choose between some of its own members — New Jersey Sen. Cory Booker and Harris, a California senator — and other longtime allies of the influential caucus, including former Vice President Joe Biden.

“It is beautifully uncomfortable to be in this spot,” said Rep. Emanuel Cleaver, D-Mo., who’s received calls for support since the debates from two top-tier candidates. It’s a departure, Cleaver said, from the years when “the CBC members had one choice and it was the person who had strong civil rights credentials.”

With seven months to go before the first primary votes are cast, most CBC members are still undecided, including powerful and influential lawmakers like Financial Services Committee Chairwoman

Maxine Waters of California, House Oversight Chairman Elijah Cummings of Maryland, Majority Whip James Clyburn of South Carolina and civil rights icon John Lewis of Georgia.

Those who have endorsed candidates have split chiefly between two: Harris and Biden, who has deep ties to the African American community. As of Wednesday, Harris had seven endorsements from CBC members and Biden had five. Booker had the backing of two CBC members from his home state of New Jersey.

Harris, Biden and others have been wooing CBC members through formal phone calls and in-person meetings, as well as casual conversation in the halls of Congress, according to interviews with lawmakers and their allies. Biden met with the CBC members on June 20 to discuss criminal justice policies. Harris and Booker have both attended some of the weekly CBC meetings in the Capitol.

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THE TRIBUNE

Thursday, July 4, 2019, PAGE 19

PHARMACHEM CONFIRMS FREEPORT JOB LOSSES

By DENISE MAYCOCK Tribune Freeport Reporter dmaycock@tribunemedia.net

PHARMACHEM Technologies has confirmed over 30 full-time workers and direct contractors were laid off at its facility in Freeport, but said the company will continue to inject over $20 million annually into the economy.

In a statement issued yesterday, the company stated it regretted having to make the difficult decision to reduce its current staff requirement by 28 percent, which represents 32 Bahamian full time employees and direct contractors, and 11 non-Bahamian fulltime employees during the period July - December 2019.

The company stated

the reductions were due to unexpected increases in construction costs and delays in the construction scheduled experienced to date.

“Notwithstanding this reduction, the company will still inject $25 million annually into the local economy by way of its ongoing operations,” the statement noted.

“The company is satisfied that the new modern manufacturing plant, when completed, will help to pave the way for a sustainable future for this site, and will fortify the continued contributions made by the company to the economy of Grand Bahama and the Bahamas at large.”

PharmaChem is a privately held Bahamian international business

HEALTH EXPERT CROSS IS HONOURED TO BE CHOSEN FOR LONG TERM CARE ROLE

By KHRISNA RUSSELL Deputy Chief Reporter krussell@tribunemedia.net

BAHAMIAN Patrelle Major Cross has been selected from a pool of thousands of healthcare professionals across the United States as a future leader in long-term and post acute care.

Mrs Cross, an administrator at Southland Health & Rehabilitation in Peachtree City, will represent the state of Georgia among 40 other long-term care professionals nationwide in the 15th annual Future Leaders of Long Term Care in America programme.

It is a yearlong initiative hosted by the American Health Care Association/National Centre for Assisted Living.

This distinction will give Mrs Cross the opportunity to have direct access to lobbyists, senators and other US government officials with a view to influence issues that affect seniors, especially those utilising assisted living facilities in the US. “I feel extremely honoured because I am among 41 people in the United States that was selected for this opportunity,” Mrs Cross told The Tribune of her achievement. “For one to represent Georgia, having been recommended by the state, is a complete honour. I’ve only worked in this profession for less than 10 years, eight years to be exact so this is an achievement.”

Mrs Cross, a wife and

PATRELLE Major Cross mother to two sons, said to reach this milestone it took “a lot of balance, support of a dedicated husband and family, along with amazing parents who travel from the Bahamas whenever there is a conference or event” that she has to attend.

Tony Marshall, president and CEO of the Georgia Health Care Association/ Georgia Centre for Assisted Living said: “Patrelle’s dedication to quality care and her strong leadership skills make her an excellent candidate for the programme.”

Mrs Cross has served as an administrator since 2011.

In 2017, she graduated from the GHCA/GCAL Georgia Leader Certificate programme, a programme designed to enhance the skills of participants to lead their centres to excellence and positively impact the LTPAC profession.

She is active within her community, and currently serves as a sub-committee chair on the Fayette County Chamber Council.

company that broke ground for the construction of its multi-product manufacturing facility in May 2016, which at the time, was projected to cost the company some $120 million.

More than 100 full time and direct contract employees had been hired to compliment its existing staff, and in addition to this,

the project itself has over 130 Bahamian construction workers who are currently employed on the construction site.

The company noted that as a direct result of the construction project alone, some $61 million has been injected directly into the local economy, with potentially as much as another

$37 million to be injected by the end of the project.

“This means that by completion, the local economy will have received an injection of some $98 million, which is a substantial portion of the total investment being made by PharmaChem in this project,” the statement said.

PharmaChem is a fine

chemical contract manufacturing organisation.

“We are proud of our dedicated and highly technical trained staff, 90 percent of whom are Bahamians.

We thank both former and active employees for their significant contributions to the success of PharmaChem,” the company noted.