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Volume: 119 No.153, July 4, 2022

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POLICE SHOOT DEAD SUSPECT FLEEING SCENE OF ROBBERY

By LEANDRA ROLLE Tribune Staff Reporter lrolle@tribunemedia.net A MAN suspected of robbing another man was shot and killed by police early Friday afternoon.

Superintendent Audley Peters told reporters at the scene that shortly after noon, officers received reports of an alleged robbery in the Soldier Road area.

SEE PAGE THREE

Dorian families despair at long wait for death certificates for missing

By LEANDRA ROLLE Tribune Staff Reporter lrolle@tribunemedia.net NEARLY three years after Hurricane Dorian hit, some family members say they have still not received death certificates of relatives whose bodies were never found after the deadly storm.

For those families who have obtained the certificates, they say the process was a rather tiresome and costly one.

Abaco resident Emily Bethel, who lost both her aunt and uncle in the 2019 storm, said after more than two long years, she and her family were finally able to receive the documents late last month.

She said the family was initially told they would be contacted by the Coroner’s Court on how to get the important documents, but added that no one reached out to them.

SEE PAGE FIVE

MOREE LAMENTS DELAY FOR ‘CRITICAL’ NEW LEGISLATION

By EARYEL BOWLEG Tribune Staff Reporter ebowleg@tribunemedia.net

CHIEF Justice Sir Brian Moree says he’s disappointed the “critical” Court Services Bill has not yet passed in the House of Assembly.

He told The Tribune he’s aware the Davis administration supports the proposed bill in principle but they have a very “busy

legislative agenda and they haven’t yet gotten to it”.

However, he is of the view the bill should be “high priority” in the government’s considerations.

In January, Attorney General Ryan Pinder said the government was reviewing several key pieces of legislation, including the Court Services Bill, which it hopes to pass in Parliament SEE PAGE THREE

JUNKANOO BACK WITH A BANG

JUNKANOO Summer Festival returned at the weekend after a two-year hiatus due to the COVID-19 pandemic. See PAGE SEVEN for more photographs.

Photo: Austin Fernander

GB MEGA TOWER PLAN GIVEN THUMBS DOWN

BUDGET TARIFF CUTS ‘SHORT OF THE MARK’

THE government has rejected a bid to acquire the former Ginn sur mer project, which planned to

BAHAMIAN retailers have been left disappointed by tariff cuts that were “not as broad-reaching as we’d

By NEIL HARTNELL Tribune Business Editor nhartnell@tribunemedia.net

construct a 28-storey “iconic tower” modelled on Alexandria’s ancient lighthouse, with sources saying Kingwood International Resorts and its principals were notified late last month.

FULL STORY - SEE BUSINESS

By NEIL HARTNELL Tribune Business Editor nhartnell@tribunemedia.net

have liked”, adding: “Ten percent of something is better than 45 percent of nothing.”

Tara Morley, the Bahamas Federation of Retailers’ co-chair, hoped for further duty reductions.

FULL STORY - SEE BUSINESS

MURDER TOLL HEADS TOWARDS RECORD INSIGHT NO EXCUSES - JUST LOOK AT THE RISING NUMBERS

By LEANDRA ROLLE Tribune Staff Reporter lrolle@tribunemedia.net

THE country’s murder count is heading towards a new record after three more violence deaths towards the end of last week.

Including these three deaths the murder toll for far this year stands at 74, outpacing the same periods in both 2021 and 2020.

Statistics released by the Royal Bahamas Police force last year, there were

THE SCENE of Friday’s shooting on Essex Street.

60 murders recorded up to June 30, 2021, representing a 62 percent increase from the year before.

“There were 55 murders in New Providence, four in Grand Bahama and one in

the Family Island’s district with an overall solvency rate of 55 percent,” the report at the time said.

During the same period in 2020, 37 homicides were confirmed by police.

However, the murder count for this year now stands at 74, according to this newspaper’s records.

On Friday, a man was killed on Essex Street off Shirley Street. He was said to be in his late 30s.

SEE PAGE THREE

Nassau & Bahama Islands’ Leading Newspaper

SEE PAGE EIGHT

PAGE 2, Monday, July 4, 2022

THE TRIBUNE

LEARNING GROUP CUTS RIBBON ON BAHAMAS HUB

By LYNAIRE MUNNINGS lmunnings@tribunemedia.net

THE Global Learning Exchange (GLX) held a ribbon cutting ceremony for its new Bahamas hub on Friday.

The premises on Mackey Street at the Bahamas Institute of Business & Technology will serve as a base for operations for the GLX Bahamas programme.

According to senior vice president Duane Glader, GLX provides an arrangement for tuition and support services for Bahamians.

“Our concept is that we are an alternative for many students that would like to go study in the US or the UK and it costs a lot of money, or family situation or any number of reasons,” he said. “What we are offering is for students to go to world-class universities in the UK or US, study programmes that really interest them and, at the same time, it’s economically appropriate.”

Tanya Diiulio, director of strategic operations, said GLX caters to all learners from all walks of life.

She said: “Any learner that is looking to advance their knowledge base, whether that is the firsttime high school graduate that is going to college for the first time – who may not have the means to study abroad, who may not be old enough or mature enough, even if they have the means to leave the country to study.

“It’s the adult learner who is already in their career, who maybe wants to advance their skill set, which doesn’t always come in the form of a formal degree.”

Among those in attendance at the ribboncutting ceremony were Zane Lightbourne, Minister of State in the Ministry of Education and Technical and Vocational Training, and Dr Deswell Forbes, president of Bahamas Institute of Business and Technology.

TANYA Diiulio, director of strategic operations for GLX. Photos: Moise Amisial

THE TRIBUNE

Monday, July 4, 2022, PAGE 3

Murder toll heads towards record from page one His murder made three separate homicides less than 24 hours apart after two men were killed late Thursday.

Eight people have been killed since last Sunday.

Regarding Friday’s murder, the incident took place before 3pm when a man was shot dead while driving in the Shirley Street area.

“The information is that the vehicle was approaching the Shirley Street junction when another vehicle pulled up alongside of it and an occupant came on the side of that vehicle, hitting the driver and he succumbed to his injuries,” Police Superintendent Audley Peters told reporters on the scene.

THE SCENE of a shooting in the Washington Street area on Thursday night. Photo: Moise Amisial The killing came hours after two men were fatally shot in different communities Thursday.

In the first incident,

police said a man was standing on a sidewalk in the Washington Street area when he was approached by two armed men.

The men fired shots in his direction, fatally wounding him.

“Officers were dispatched (and) on their arrival, they

discovered an adult male lying face down on an eastern sidewalk suffering from gunshot wounds,” police said.

“The victim was examined by the Emergency Medical technician who visited the scene. They later determined that there were no signs of life.”

Police said a second shooting happened on Rupert Dean Lane the same night.

Responding, officers found a man slumped over at his home’s entrance in the area.

Police said he had been shot several times about the body by a lone gunman as he was approaching his home.

The killings come as police continue their investigations into a series of homicides this week.

One of those killings took

THE SCENE of a shooting by police officers on Friday off Soldier Road.

place in Grand Bahama, where a man was stabbed to death at a local bar on Wednesday.

The same day, a man was shot dead in the Pinedale area.

The murders followed a fatal stabbing and two shooting incidents that took place in New Providence between Monday and Tuesday.

The recent rash of homicides have reignited calls for more to be done to tackle the escalating crime rate in the country.

Last month, National Security Minister Wayne Munroe told parliament that there was an 18 percent overall rise in crime in the country.

According to Mr Munroe, many of the victims murdered this year were alleged offenders who had been released on bail.

Photo: Austin Fernander

POLICE SHOOT DEAD SUSPECT FLEEING SCENE OF ROBBERY from page one

“The police control room received a report that a person on Soldier Road was being robbed by a chap,” he said. “The police control sent out a description of that suspect and the officers responded.

“They came through Goggle Eye Road, which

is off Soldier Road, and while on Goggle Eye Road, they saw a chap fitting the description.”

He said after being stopped by police, the man “produced a firearm and engaged” officers.

He added that police, “being aware of the threat to their lives,” discharged their weapons, ultimately hitting the suspect.

Supt Peters said the man then ran a short distance away from officers, but later collapsed. A firearm was recovered shortly afterwards, he added.

“The emergency medical technicians came on scene and transported him to the hospital, still conscious,” the police press liaison officer continued.

“However, when he

arrived at the hospital, it was later discovered that he was pronounced dead upon arrival.”

Police said the coroner also visited the scene to be informed of the facts.

The identity of the deceased was not known up to press time.

However, police said the victim appeared to be in his mid-20s or early 30s.

“We will await an identification of the next of kin to determine this individual’s identity and so if anyone doesn’t see a relative home this evening, we will ask you to make a report at your nearest police station so that we can identify a suspect in this situation,” Supt Peters added.

Asked yesterday if the police involved were

wearing bodycams at the time of the incident, Supt Peters replied: “From all indications, that is the case.”

He also appealed for members in the community who may have information on the incident to contact police at 502-9991/2, Crime Stoppers at 328-TIPS (8477) or the nearest police station.

MOREE LAMENTS DELAY FOR ‘CRITICAL’ NEW LEGISLATION from page one to improve the nation’s judicial system.

The Chief Justice said he has stated publicly that he regarded the Bill as a “critical and transformative piece of legislation” and explained its necessity.

The Bill, if passed, is expected to allow the judiciary the ability to make its own decisions regarding how it spends its money among other things.

“In my view, it is absolutely necessary for this bill to be passed if we are going to fully accomplish our objectives within the judiciary,” Sir Brian said.

“The judiciary is not a government department.

It is not a ministry of the government. It is not an agency of the government.

Constitutionally, the judiciary is a co-equal, independent branch of government. There are only three branches of government under the Constitution - one is the executive, one is the legislative, one is the judiciary.

And the independence of the judiciary is critical to the rule of law and for the preservation of democracy.”

He added: “Now when we talk about the independence of the judiciary, there are many aspects of that.

There is what’s called decision making independence of the judicial officers. Well, that means that no one is

interfering with their decision making process and with their decisions and their discretion. That’s one aspect of judicial independence, which is important.

“Another aspect of judicial independence it’s called institutional independence and this is where the judiciary has some level of autonomy over its financial, administrative, and operational aspect so that the judiciary can be ran in a way where they do not have to go cap and hand to the executive or their own decisions with regard to spending money on certain matters which are deemed to be important for the judiciary can be vetoed. This is a very important aspect of judicial independence and the court services bill is specifically intended to address that.”

He acknowledged there will always be limitations and explained the judiciary will always have to be allocated its budget in the national budget through the Minister of Finance and “that’s perfectly accepted”.

“What we have been saying is that once the budget is allocated and it’s approved the judiciary then should have a large level of autonomy as to how it is going to spend those funds because it is the judiciary itself, which knows what is required. So, the Court Services Bill in my view is extremely important. I am disappointed that it was not

passed in 2021 and I am disappointed that it hasn’t yet passed in 2022.

“I have been in discussions with the Attorney General about the Bill. I was in discussions with the previous government who I think supported it in principle because the Bill was actually tabled in Parliament prior to the election.

I’m told that the current government supports the Bill in principle but they have a very busy legislative agenda and they haven’t yet gotten to it. I would say that I think that it is high priority piece of legislation. I think that it’s exceedingly important for the reform and modernisation of our courts and it is my sincere hope that this Bill will be passed shortly.”

Meanwhile, Sir Brian gave an update on plans for a new Supreme Court complex.

“Clearly, our plan for a new Supreme Court complex was severely compromised by the pandemic and the financial crisis that came in wake of the pandemic and that’s understandable. Every country in the world had to adjust its financial commitment and many, many projects, which were on the boards so to speak, had to be either suspended or were postponed and some of them were even cancelled,” he told The Tribune.

“So, our plan to start the construction on the

new Supreme Court complex was jeopardised by the pandemic and that’s understandable. It is a big project and it requires creative funding. So, we haven’t been able to take that project as far as I had hoped before Dorian and before the pandemic. Nevertheless, it remains an absolute priority for us in

the judiciary. We know that financially one has to be realistic about this.

“I have discussed this with the Prime Minister and with the Attorney General and in principle again I think they want for us to start to look at it again obviously when we come out of the pandemic and things begin to stabilise and the

financial condition of the country has improved. As soon as it becomes financially viable to do so, I think you’ll find we’ll go back to the plan to build a Supreme Court complex because that’s the ultimate solution and I’m sure that’ll be something which the new Chief Justice, my successor, will be looking at.”

PAGE 4, Monday, July 4, 2022

THE TRIBUNE

‘Squatters failed to comply with govt 14-day deadline’

By JADE RUSSELL jrussell@tribunemedia.net

NATIONAL Security Minister Wayne Munroe said some squatters have

failed to comply with his 14-day warning to vacate Crown Land.

After a recent National Pine Forest ride in the Carmichael Road area, it was discovered that a woman

and her family had been living there illegally in a school bus.

The minister had previously told reporters that the Department of Social Services was made aware of the

situation. He noted it would be up to the family to take the assistance that is available and that no one can force people to get help.

However, in an interview with The Tribune on Friday, Mr Munroe revealed that the woman found living in the bus has not been receptive to the warning to vacate.

“I understand Minister Obie Wilchcombe, his permanent secretary, and another member from Social Services were taken up there to have a discussion with her, Where she has refused to move,” Mr

Munroe said. “Where she has refused to move. So, when we get around to that section of the work that has to be done, a decision will have to be made about exactly how to approach it.”

Mr Munroe added that the Ministry’s position still stands for squatters to vacate Crown Land.

“She cannot live occupying and trespassing on anyone’s property, much less the property of all the Bahamian people,” Mr Munroe said.

The minister said officials will be in charge of executing the plan of clearing

illegal activities on Crown Land.

“At the end of the operation we intend to bring law and order to the areas in New Providence, Andros, Grand Bahama, and Abaco,” Mr Munroe said.

The minister said every operation will be different depending on the circumstances.

“In every area we find different challenges and assess the best way to address them,” the minister said. “An execution plan will come up for every area then there will be a matter of dealing with it.”

US NAVAL VESSEL HOSTS INDEPENDENCE DAY EVENT THE US Embassy in Nassau on Friday celebrated the 246th Independence Day anniversary of the United States aboard the US Navy Arleigh Burke-class guided missile destroyer, USS Lassen (DDG 82), while docked at Prince George Wharf.

US Chargé d’Affaires Usha Pitts and Admiral Daryl Caudle, Commander US Fleet Forces Command, jointly hosted the event, welcoming nearly 150 guests representing the government, business community, and civil society to the celebration.

After a flag ceremony conducted by the US Marine Corps Detachment at the Embassy, Mr Cooper talked about the close friendship between the United States and The Bahamas.

During his remarks, Admiral Caudle said: “Our common belief in the rule of law and democratic values are at the core of

our relationship, which makes The Bahamas one of our closest partners in the Caribbean.”

He assured guests of the United States’ commitment to a mutually beneficial relationship “at the highest levels.”

Upon giving closing remarks, Chargé Pitts celebrated The Bahamas’ embrace of democracy, one she described as “a system that allows citizens to speak openly about their values, decide what they stand for, and determine for themselves who they are.”

A generous spirit of community service was also on display before the event, as over 20 sailors from USS Lassen (DDG 82) — alongside 10 soldiers and pilots from the Rhode Island National Guard — spent the day volunteering at All Saints Camp on New Providence.

All Saints Camp provides services and shelter for people with HIV/AIDS

and other disabilities and illnesses. The service members made repairs and upgrades to camp facilities, including the kitchen, gazebo, and other common spaces. In addition, US Northern Command donated supplies totalling over $6,000, including small kitchen appliances and bed linens, through the Bahamian Ministry of Social Services and Urban Development.

The Rhode Island National Guard Adjutant General, Major General Christopher Callahan, volunteered alongside the sailors and soldiers before attending the reception onboard USS Lassen (DDG 82) later that evening.

Many Bahamians are familiar with port visits

by US navy ships, which customarily use their port visit as an opportunity to conduct humanitarian outreach and volunteer at local organisations.

OCEAN FOUNDATION MEETS MINISTRY AN organisation devoted to support oceans has begun work to extend to The Bahamas.

The Waitt Foundation took part in a meeting with the Bahamas Ministry of the Environment and Natural Resources at the United Nations Ocean Conference in Lisbon, Portugal, from June 27 to July 1.

Ted Waitt was among the foundation’s representatives at the meeting.

The Bahamian delegation was led by Minister of the Environment and Natural Resources Vaughn Miller.

Other delegates included

Basil McIntosh, Minister of State, Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources and Jerome Fitzgerald, senior policy

advisor in the Office of the Prime Minister.

Efforts are being made to extend the foundation’s reach in The Bahamas.

THE TRIBUNE

Monday, July 4, 2022, PAGE 5

Dorian families despair at long wait for death certificates for missing from page one The family took matters into their own hands after a friend told them how she got her family members’ certificates last year.

This comes as the Davis administration prepares to debate legislation that will allow for people reported missing “in circumstances of peril” and have not been found in two years or more to be presumed dead by the courts.

The change is expected to come into force through the Evidence (Amendment) Bill 2022.

Prime Minister Phillip “Brave” Davis is expected to speak more on the issue when the House of Assembly meets on Wednesday.

“I had to make a lot of steps,” Mrs Bethel said of the process, “and to get it, I had to travel to Nassau and if people are going specifically for this, they are going to have to go to the Coroner’s Court to get the report which they should get pretty easy like I did.”

“But after I got the report, they told me that I had to go to a lawyer to get an affidavit made up which they hadn’t been doing before because there had been some fraud with some of the family members getting the death certificate.

“So, I had to go to a lawyer to see whether they would

THE DUKE and Duchess of Cambridge at the Marsh Harbour Memorial Gardens earlier this year where they unveiled a new plaque in honour of Hurricane Dorian victims - but many family members are still waiting for death certificates for storm victims. be able to assist me and I able to get the documents families of Dorian victims date or a time for when they had to explain everything to free of charge thanks to a who cannot afford to travel (plan to distribute) them?” to the capital. them. I sat in their office for kind attorney.

Hurricane Dorian struck Mrs Bethel said the “Not everyone has ways The Bahamas on Septeman hour and half for them to do the two affidavits for lawyer told her she would and means to a family or ber 1, 2019 as a Category my aunt and uncle and I got also be willing to assist relative who could help Five storm, killing at least facing similar them as far as getting into 70 people in Abaco and them and I went to the regis- families Nassau and money is so Grand Bahama. trar’s office and presented it situations.

However, the Dorian sur- tight now for many people,” to them and received those Some 35 people have vivor said she believes the she added. “So why don’t been reported as missing death certificates.”

Lawyer fees could be up government should tem- they have a government since Dorian’s passage, to $250 or more to get an porarily set up a special official who can bring these according to the Coroner’s affidavit, according to Mrs office in Abaco and Grand Coroner reports from the Court’s list.

Bethel, who said she was Bahama to specifically help Coroner’s office and give a Many relatives testified

about their efforts to find those who were missing during inquests into their presumed deaths last year.

At the end of last year’s inquest, then-Coroner Jeanine Weech-Gomez declared 22 victims who were reported as missing as dead. Four of those victims’ bodies were positively identified by police through DNA analysis.

She ruled that drowning was the likely cause of all their deaths and advised family members of missing victims to request a death certificate for their loved ones at the registrar general’s department after receiving her written ruling.

The Tribune reached out to some of those families yesterday to see whether they had received their loved ones’ death certificates.

Some said they had not, while those who did, described the process as quite difficult.

Family members said they had to use their connections to get the death certificates after being given the constant “run around”.

“That paper brought closure to the family,” said a relative of one of the missing victims, who asked to remain anonymous. “But the hell I had to go through to get the paper. I had to go to Nassau on several occasions at my own expense to make that happen.”

AGRICULTURE NON-PROFIT SUPPORTS FOOD EFFORTS AS Bahamian families continue to grapple with the increasing cost of living, a leading agriculture-focused non-profit has thrown its support behind recent calls for greater efforts to improve food security in The Bahamas.

In a country where almost 90 percent of the food consumed is imported, Agricultural Development Organisation (ADO) executive chairman Philip Smith said the time for action is now.

“As inflation rates increase, food security becomes even more of a concern for us in The Bahamas,” he said in a press statement. “It is important now more than ever that we not only speak about food security, but also take steps that move us towards being a more food secure nation.”

Food security has been at the forefront of national discussion in recent years, with crisis after crisis highlighting the urgent need to reduce The Bahamas’

annual food import bill of more than $1bn.

Calling last week for serious steps to be taken to meet that objective, The Bahamas’ representative for the Caribbean Agricultural and Research Development Institute (CARDI), Dr Shelley Bridgewater pointed to agricultural empowerment as a key in increasing the country’s food security.

Launched just six months ago with a $1.1m donation from Bahamas-based FTX, ADO has already become a driving force, committed to working with the government and various sectors of society to support agricultural development for greater food independence.

“At Agricultural Development Organisation, we are dedicated to assisting existing farmers with market access and funding while inspiring others to become farmers,” Mr Smith said.

“We have already started to inject funds into key sectors of the industry and are

going to continue to assist where, after much research, we believe our investments will bring about the greatest results for food security throughout The Bahamas.”

Both major governing party administrations have stood firmly behind a game-changing policy that encourages hotels, restaurants and food stores to source 40 percent of all food locally. Toward that end, ADO is aiding farmers with technology and methodology to boost output and plans to work with BAMSI, BTVI and other agencies engaged in beefing up the agricultural sector.

ADO has already donated more than $500,000 to various initiatives to help bolster food security in The Bahamas.

Those donations include a $300,000 donation to the Bahamas Feeding Network (BFN) for funding of its food parcel initiative; a $197,000 donation to the Church Commercial Farming Group to seed broad-based backyard

farming; and most recently, a $50,000 donation in supplies to aid farming programmes at 21 government schools spread across six Bahamian islands.

In addition, according to Mr Smith, ADO operates with a full-time staff of three. There is a powerful

board of directors that includes the Minister of Agriculture and Marine Resources Clay Sweeting, 13 committees, each with a specific role and a steering committee that includes Sysco Bahamas President Karen Casey, FTX Capital Markets President Ryan

Salome, Royal Caribbean International President & CEO Michael Bayley, Deltec Chairman Jean Chalopin, Foundation Director Dr Ana Everette, developer Jason Kinsale, PR executive Diane Phillips and the chairman in his capacity.

PAGE 6, Monday, July 4, 2022

The Tribune Limited

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Blood on our streets, silence from our leaders WHEN it comes to the topic of crime, and especially the ongoing spike in murders the country is experiencing, there are three stories to particularly pay attention to in today’s Tribune.

First, there are the latest three murders that take the death toll for the year to 74. That total came up after three deaths in less than 24 hours – two on Thursday and one on Friday.

That total of 74 has come up in half a year. The record number of murders in a year was in 2015, when 146 murders occurred. We are on course at present to match or exceed that bloody total.

So how did we get here? Well, that’s where the second story today comes in.

In today’s Insight section, Malcolm Strachan lays out the history of the nation’s murder totals – and, worse, the politicisation of those tallies.

He points out the days when current Prime Minister Philip “Brave” Davis, championed the placing of billboards listing the total number of murders under the FNM under the claim of “We cannot hide the truth.”

No billboards when he came into office last time as Deputy Prime Minister, of course. No billboards now.

It’s not down to one side or the other, of course – under the last administration when numbers dropped during COVID lockdowns, claims were made that those measures had nothing to do with the drop. Only, of course, once the measures were lifted, back up went the numbers.

So there are no billboards now – but you know what else is missing? Any kind of voice being raised as we sit on this track towards a record number of killings to say enough is enough, something must be done.

With a half-year total pointing us towards a possible record tally, where is the address by the Prime Minister to say what his government is going to do about it?

Where is the incoming Police Commissioner, Clayton Fernander, to spell out how his leadership will make a difference?

Where is the Minister for National Security, Wayne Munroe, to address the deadly toll on our streets?

For that matter, where is the leader of the Opposition, Michael Pintard, to hold the government to account and demand better?

What do we, the public, even know of the government’s plans to tackle this current gang war-led wave of violence?

We hear talk of results on Shotspotter, but that only tells police when a gun has been fired, rather than being a shot stopper that prevents it being fired in the first place.

We know many of these communities where violence occurs are the same ones over and over again, so where are the aggressive patrols of those areas so that criminals know if they pull a trigger, police are only moments away?

What about the talk of CCTV, ideally linked up to live monitoring in a control room so that officers can be directed to the scene of any crime or, better, to stop suspect vehicles and individuals before the crime takes place?

Why, more to the point, are we not hearing more about what needs to be done to stop this bloodshed? Have we become so accustomed to the violence that we just don’t care enough any more?

One of the areas of concern pointed out recently by the Prime Minister was a backlog of cases that he described as “astronomical”, adding that he felt the system was near collapse.

Mr Davis called on courts to “step up” in regards to hearing murder cases – and yet, his National Security Minister, Mr Munroe, played that down saying trials are more efficient now because of new rules. So which is it? Collapse or improvement?

Perhaps a clue to the priorities of the government lies in the third story in today’s Tribune to take note of.

Despite Mr Davis identifying a problem with court backlogs, Chief Justice Brian Moree points out that the Court Services Bill has not yet passed in the House.

Justice Moree said the Davis administration supports the bill, but they have a very “busy legislative agenda and they haven’t yet gotten to it”.

Haven’t gotten to it. A system near collapse and they haven’t gotten to it.

Murdered bodies piling up on the streets and they haven’t gotten to it. Just as our nation’s leaders on all sides haven’t gotten up to speak out on the subject.

We face the prospect of the bloodiest year in our nation’s history – and it looks like no one cares.

FISHERMEN compete in the Brotola Fishing Contest at Las Toscas beach, Uruguay, yesterday. More than 500 fishermen competed in the contest.

Photo: Matilde Campodonico/AP

Guns, guns and even more guns EDITOR, The Tribune I REMEMBER the days in years gone by that the only weapon that a Bahamian policeman carried on his person was a “billy” strapped around his waist.

Guns were unheard of, but the wooden “biily“ was certainly the weapon of protection and discipline!

Because the United States, which built itself into the great nation that we see today had, in its beginning, to depend on the farmer and his rifle to protect its citizens because there was no standing arming, each farmer was the owner of a gun. And when the cry went out for help, the farmer and his rifle appeared. However, as the great nation grew, the lowly farmer and his gun were no longer needed, however they were not forgotten – the farmer and his right to a gun were even written into the Constitution of the United States.

It is this right that has now grown to haunt us, yes, even here in the Bahamas.

According to America’s constitution‘s Second Amendment – “A well regulated Militia, being

LETTERS letters@tribunemedia.net necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed.”

And that right wasn’t infringed, even to the point of creating a threat to us here in the Bahamas, where recently the death or injury of Bahamians at gunpoint is now making the headlines. I recall many years ago in the United States when a father, who always slept with a gun in his bedroom, heard strange noises in the wee hours past midnight. Instinctively he reached for his gun and fired. When he went to investigate, he found he had killed his teenaged son, who had returned home past curfew, and was climbing through the window to try to avoid his father’s wrath. Despite similar stories, gun ownership is written into the American constitution as a God-given right.

I recall hearing several years ago that there was an occasion — there

might have been many, but I only heard of one — that a baby’s coffin passed through Bahamas Customs.

I don’t know at what point it was discovered that there was no infant’s body in that coffin — it was filled with guns!

Several years later I was discussing our growing gun problem with a young man.

I refused to believe what he was telling me about the ease of getting a gun.

He then offered to prove it to me. I gave him a certain number of dollars (it’s been so long ago that I don’t remember the sum, but it would not have been much). Off he went and a few hours later he was back with a gun, which the next morning had to be turned over to the police with an explanation.

As long as the United States makes the over-thecounter purchase of a gun so simple, the Bahamas will always have a major problem.

It is now up to us to do all in our power to get this problem under control.

A WORRIED CITIZEN Nassau.

July 1, 2022.

Settlement questions EDITOR, The Tribune.

CERTAIN questions linger as a result of the settlement of a case brought by the incoming Commissioner of Police and Another against the Attorney General and others.

Firstly, the timing of the settlement. Was it done at this time so that the incoming Commissioner would not de facto be suing

himself?

Secondly, it is not unusual for private citizens to include non disclosure clauses in settlements, but Is this appropriate in cases involving the public interest and the public purse?

Also since we hear so much about transparency why can’t the taxpayers know how much they are paying for settling this matter.

Thirdly, as previous

reports had indicated that the present Minister of National Security was counsel for the litigants, was a Notice of Change of Attorney filed? We wouldn’t want a conflict of interest claim to rear its ugly head.

Inquiring minds would like to know.

JEANNE THOMPSON Nassau, July 1, 2022.

THE TRIBUNE

Monday, July 4, 2022, PAGE 7

SCENES from the return of the Junkanoo Summer Festival after a two-year hiatus due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Photos: Austin Fernander

MONDAY, JULY 4, 2022

THE STORIES BEHIND THE NEWS

No excuses, just look at the numbers - and they keep on rising

By MALCOLM STRACHAN THE highest murder count The Bahamas has ever recorded was 146 in 2015 – as of Friday, with the first six months of the year having passed, the total stood at 74. If we keep on that rate, the country will be setting an unwanted new record.

Last month, National Security Minister Wayne Munroe acknowledged the high levels of crime, saying there had been an 18 percent overall rise in crime in the country.

Much of the focus of discussion has been on two areas – talk of an ongoing turf war between gangs,

and the number of alleged offenders who have been murdered while free on bail.

The increase has been building – last year by the end of June there were 60 murders, a 62 percent increase on the year before, although the effects of the COVID lockdown should be noted in that context for the previous year. And now we have seen another rise.

The murder count has long been a part of Bahamian politics. In 2012, the PLP infamously posted billboards around New Providence saying “Under the FNM government 490 plus murders”.

A staunch defender of those billboards was the

current Prime Minister, Philip “Brave” Davis, who said in opposition at the time: “We cannot hide the truth. Are we about hiding the truth? Are we going to be concerned about the impression that the truth gives? The only way we can get rid of these things is to address the issue.

“The fact is that there were more than 490 murders in this country (since 2007 until 2012). We cannot run away from that.”

Once the PLP arrived in office, however, Mr Davis, then the Deputy Prime Minister, complained that crime had the country “under siege” and criticised the media for “flaming this fire of discontent”.

OFFICERS at the scene of one of the country’s latest murders this weekend.

Photo: Austin Fernander

He said in 2014: “We are an angry society. We need to calm our most vicious tendencies to lash out at everything and everyone.

This type of behaviour has not been made easier by the fact that we have a media and other forms of social communications which seem to take delight in flaming this fire of discontent.”

He didn’t specify how the media was doing this – but this was even before the record year in 2015 of 146 murders.

Despite that, in 2017, the then National Security Minister, Dr Bernard Nottage, somehow claimed the country was made safer for Bahamians, despite a murder count

CHANGING hands - the incoming Police Commissioner, Clayton Fernander, with his predecessor, Paul Rolle. Commissioner Fernander takes up the post this week.

Photo: Moise Amisial

that surpassed the previous came to fighting crime. It Ingraham administration. mentioned crime just three Taking a look at the times – saying it would raw statistics, the number “commit to enhancing of murders has been on a crime fighting methodologeneral upward trajectory gies in our aggressive war since 2005. That year saw against crime”, and that it 13.8 murders per 100,000 would “ensure the necespeople, but from there sary reforms are executed the curve has gone up and for a safe Bahamas” as up. well as strengthening The COVID lockdown border protection, increassaw the biggest drop – with ing investment in murders at their lowest community policing, intropoint in 15 years during ducing “research-based the lockdown. analysis and Both the out- ‘No one wants policies on coungoing Police tering anti-social to open the Commissioner, behaviour, vioPaul Rolle, and newspaper lence and crime”, the then-Minis- and read again and establishter of National ing partnerships Security, Marvin of murder between various Dames, sug- after murder. bodies, includgested that was ing education No one wants thanks to the establishments. hard work of to see the Specific measofficers rather effect these ures to tackle than anything increased crime else. Mr Dames deaths have in Abaco were said: “There is no on families, on also promised. empirical study communities.

Last month, to suggest how Minister of much curfews or The question National Security lockdowns would is, what do we Wayne Munroe have impacted do about it?’ reported crime our (crime) this year was up numbers.” by 18 percent, Meanwhie, Com- and murders by 26 percent, missioner Rolle said in but painted it as compaJanuary 2021 of the sug- rable with crime rates in gestion that COVID the region, saying: “Like restrictions played a part: our regional counterparts, “I could answer that with there has been a high rate one word… nonsense.” of violence, particularly He added: “That has homicides committed with nothing to do with COVID. firearms.”

I never saw COVID gone He talked of “narrowing out and lock nobody up economic and educational and I ain’t see COVID on opportunities” being to patrol. We were out there.” blame, and an “ongoing turf And yet, once the lock- war”. down lifted, here we are on In terms of solutions, pace towards a record year however, he offered few of deaths.

– and the most signifiNo one wants that. No cant effort so far has been one wants to open the talk of pressuring the US newspaper and read again to stop the flow of guns of murder after murder. No to The Bahamas. Again, one wants to see the effect looking to elsewhere in the these deaths have on fami- region to stop our problies, on communities. lem. Aside from that, what The question is, what do are we doing – apart from we do about it? The Com- hiring Rodney Moncur missioner may be on his to go knock on doors and way out, but he would pre- ask people not to kill each sumably say that it’s the other? same officers working hard The evidence is thin now as it was in 2020. on the ground of a major Indeed, just last week, effort. he was talking up the highSo as the new Commisranking police officers he sioner takes post this week, had return to the force after he will do so in the middle being sent on leave during of a surge in murders the the Minnis administration. likes of which have not Presumably their return been seen in a number of strengthens the force, which years. is why he resisted their He will also do so with being put on leave in the an administration that has first place. One of those, not been forthcoming with Clayton Fernander, will solutions to the current become the new Commis- spike in killings. sioner tomorrow.

Good luck, CommisThe PLP’s Blueprint for sioner Fernander – you will Change ahead of its elec- have your work cut out for tion to office was notably you, but for all our sakes, it light on detail when it is vital you succeed.

EMAIL: insight@tribunemedia.net

INSIGHT

MONDAY, JULY 4, 2022 PAGE 9

Spoonful of sugar WORDS matter. Repetitive encouragement can strengthen a child who’s lost their way but a solitary negative comment, by contrast, can incarcerate that same child in a prison of self-doubt forever. Words, over time, can also begin to lose meaning. The word Diabetes some 20 to 30 years ago evoked intense worry among patients and their loved ones. Today it’s become so commonplace, especially here in The Bahamas, that it’s no longer taken as seriously as it once was.

Patients often recount, when asked about their medical history, that they have ‘a little bit of sugar, but nothing serious’. But in today’s world, we now know patients who refuse to acknowledge the gravity of their Diabetes diagnoses will likely develop and succumb to various complications like kidney and heart disease, nerve damage, impaired circulation, blindness, even amputation and all too frequently, an untimely death.

The patient featured in today’s report has always known how serious her condition was and has been exceptionally proactive in her prescribed treatment protocol. At today’s routine visit, she recounts her life story in hopes that someone may find peace in their own struggles. Her husband gave her the nick-name Sleeping Beauty, so for this report we’ll refer to her as Aurora.

In the late 1980s, Aurora worked for one of the hotels here in Nassau. It was her first full time job and she loved her independence. It was the first time in her life she truly felt free and the joy radiated through her eyes.

Eventually she caught

By DR KENNETH D KEMP

the attention of a young chef named Philip at the hotel and every day he’d comment on how beautiful she looked, how nice she smelled and the fantastic way she brushed her hair.

Aurora didn’t take him seriously at first because she was positive that he was saying the exact same thing to every girl at the hotel. So every day she’d smile with him, tell him to be serious for once in his life and when Philip yelled out that he was serious, she’d just laugh and walk away.

Then one day, when Philip didn’t show up to work she realised how much she missed seeing him. So, the next day that he approached her, she said ‘yes’. He hadn’t even asked a question yet but he knew instinctively what the ‘‘yes’was for; she’d finally agreed to go out with him.

Philip quickly became her best friend. They felt like two halves of the same puzzle piece that fit together perfectly and even their worst days together, which were few and far between, were better than their best days apart. They made each other laugh without ever really saying much and it was the kind of laughter that hurt in your stomach and jaw but made your heart feel warm and safe.

They dated for one year before getting married.

Even after they were married, every Saturday, they went on a date that lasted

from breakfast to dinner, spending quality time together discussing their dreams for the future. They eventually had children and life, for a while, seemed like a fairytale. But during the Christmas holidays, Philip began vomiting blood. At first he attributed it to gas, but it occurred multiple times so Aurora became concerned and insisted he get evaluated by his doctor as soon as an appointment became available.

Philip smoked one pack of cigarettes daily since the age of 16 and he also smoked cigars regularly so his doctor suggested an endoscopy be performed.

During an endoscopic exam, a long thin camera is passed through the mouth and down the throat.

Aurora prepared herself for the results of his test, praying that no matter what, they’d fight it as a family and be together for as long as possible. The news was devastating. Philip had end stage esophageal cancer and because he refused chemotherapy and radiation, doctors predicted he’d only live for another year and six months.

Aurora had to be a pillar of strength for her husband and children. She told them that no day had ever been promised to any of them, pointing out she could get hit by a truck and die tomorrow, urging them to remember the power of prayer. Her Christian faith carried her through

many difficult times and she relied on it constantly at this point.

Aurora made the decision to quit her job - a job she loved because it made her feel fulfilled - so that she could stay home to take care of her ailing husband. As Philip’s health deteriorated, she tended to his every need, bathing, feeding and reading to him. They could no longer spend Saturdays together dining at different venues but Aurora often joked as she blended his food daily that he just wanted to find a way to spend more time with her without spending any money.

At no point did she regret doing it or feel like it was a sacrifice or a burden. Philip was her husband and an incredibly loving and caring man who was hard working, loyal, funny and kind. So she was more than happy to be with the father of her children every day.

During this time, Aurora was diagnosed with Diabetes but ignored her own health to focus on her husband. One thing at a time, she told herself. Over the next year, Philip lost over a hundred pounds and became completely bedridden. Then one night, he began choking. Aurora suctioned and cleared his throat just as the hospital nurses had taught her. A few minutes later he began choking again. Afraid, she called for an ambulance.

Philip was admitted to the

hospital and the following day he died – one year, six months and one day after his diagnosis. Aurora and Philip had been married for 35 years.

While still in mourning, or in part because of it, Aurora’s blood sugar levels spiked considerably. Her son, who she encouraged as a child repeatedly with positive, uplifting words, began to fill in for his father having seen the devotion his mother gave to him throughout their marriage.

He now takes her to all her doctor’s appointments knowing she had neglected her health for so long and as the years go by, she becomes more and more appreciative of the love and care he’s bestowed upon her.

She now has irreversible nerve damage in both feet, making them numb to pain.

If she steps on something and develops a foot wound, it could threaten her life if it became seriously infected.

Knowing this, her son checks her feet regularly.

Aurora has also developed extensive damage to her eyes from glaucoma, retina damage and cataracts. She has five percent vision in one eye and 10 percent in the other. Her son has not only become the guardian of her health, he’s also become her eyes, assisting her with whatever she needs done, making her life infinitely easier.

Dame Julie Andrews, in her iconic 1964 role in

the Disney classic, Mary Poppins, taught us that a spoonful of sugar helps the medicine go down. Unfortunately too many spoonfuls of sugar has resulted in a global proliferation in Diabetes cases, most notably in small Caribbean nations like The Bahamas. The take home message that Aurora wanted to share with everyone is that you cannot delay treatment of your health, no matter the reason.

She also shared that despite her challenges, she gives God thanks every day.

She’s grateful for her blessings because her life could be so much worse than it is right now. She encourages everyone to stay positive and to put God first in all things and through all challenges.

At the end of her visit, I escort Aurora back to the waiting area where she schedules her next appointment. As she leaves, smiling and grateful for the opportunity to spend time with friends, she wishes everyone well until we see each other again. Then as her devoted son helps her into their car and they drive off together, you can’t help but appreciate that children are our greatest legacy. It’s the source of Aurora’s immense, palpable joy and what continuously gives her the strength to smile.

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

Princess Diana of Wales “A SPECIAL DAY”

Remembering Our Best Friend GEORGE’S WORKSHOP

PAGE 10 MONDAY, JULY 4, 2022

By ERIC WIBERG IN THE 1960s, an American woman returned alone to remote Acklins Island to commune with her dead husband who crashed there in World War II. But which of some ten airmen from three planes was he on, and can we verify as much with living witnesses?

In May of 2013, a team of volunteers working on my book U-Boats in The Bahamas voyaged from Crooked to Acklins islands, where they approached a community leader, the Rev Newton Williamson, and asked him about his recollections of World War II. However, while they hoped he would address the rescue of the 48 American sailors from SS Potlatch, he immediately pointed east, towards Mayaguana and the Plana Cays and replied “Plane went down someone down there. She came here, just to look at the place where the plane went down – maybe it gave her some kind of comfort. It went down between here and Plana Cays. Very sad.

To give her some comfort.”

As often happens, this comment was branded an outlier, perhaps a tall tale, not relevant to the sailors’ rescue, and it wasn’t even made a footnote to our study. Until 2022 when, due to the discovery of a B-26 bomber in shallow water off Cable Beach, Nassau, further scrutiny confirmed that indeed, three US airplanes crash-landed on Acklins and adjacent Castle Island, and others were wrecked in the immediate vicinity. Rev Williamson was right, just as Capt Edward Lockhart was right about witnessing a huge amphibious airplane driving right into the trees of Great Ragged Island, and shopkeeper Ancil Pratt was right about a German U-Boat passing on the surface within sight of Clarence Town, Long Island.

The rest of us just weren’t listening properly.

When historians fail, to paraphrase Rev Donne in 1624, “every man is a piece of the continent, a part of the main; if a clod be washed away by the sea, Bahamas is the less.”

We pass over an eye-witness account at our own peril; they are leading us to unseen treasures. Which plane was the woman mourning crew from?

While an untold number of aircraft crashed in the vicinity of Acklins in World War II – primarily on the long flight between Florida and Borinquen, Puerto Rico, there are three primary targets where aircraft were left in the sea and soil of

Acklins or Castle Island, we know of three that touched ashore, and will focus on them.

On September 4, 1942, (just weeks after the RAF opened Windsor Field in Nassau), a US Army Air Force pilot named Ginter and colleagues were flying from Mitchell Field New York to the Caribbean when the aircraft experienced an engine failure. They made an emergency (“forced”) landing off Acklins Island.

The likely result, since no deaths were reported and no aircraft landed ashore, was that Ginter navigated the plane into some of the hundreds of square miles of shallows in the Bight of Acklins, the men deployed their inflatable boats to make it to shore.

Once ashore, the American aviators would have contacted locals who reached District Commissioner Brown on Fortune Island. The commissioner usually sent his able second-in-command HV Wiley to arrange their repatriation. That was usually done via Allied airplane, highspeed boat, amphibious plane or even airship from either Naval Air Station or Naval Operating Base Georgetown, Great Exuma or NAS or NOB Guantanamo, Cuba. Their Douglas B-18A medium bomber was given hull #2539 and USAAF #37-539; little else is known. We know this because Allied aviators, navy and merchant sailors washed ashore on virtually every major island in The Bahamas in World War II. On the morning of February 19, 1943, Captain Libby of the USAAF was piloting a Douglas A-20 Havoc (model B-DL, #412931, MSN #5261), from Memphis Tennessee to the Caribbean on the first legs of its journey to the Soviet Air Force in the USSR. His was the lead plane out of six others that day, on the shorter leg from Homestead Air Force Base in Florida to Borinquen, Puerto Rico.

Over the Crooked Island Channel and within sight of Acklins, the new aircraft was stricken with an engine failure.

At 12.40pm, Libby was forced to land in the marshy interior of small and remote Castle Island, off the southwestern tip of Acklins, not far from the 112-foot lighthouse built in 1827, injuring one of the crew. Witnessing the crash of their leader, the other six aircraft returned to Homestead, where they reported to Major Bondurant. He in turn informed the RAF in Nassau and initiated rescue efforts. At the time the northern Bahamas fell in the US Gulf

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INSIGHT

EMAIL: insight@tribunemedia.net

STORIES UNCOVERED FROM THE GLOBAL CONFLICT WHICH TOUCHED OUR SHORES The men bailed out before the plane crashed and parachuted to earth, the pilot, probably being the last to bail, landing further away than the others. A communique reads “An Army B-26 en route to Borinquen Field from Morrison Field [now Palm Beach Airport] crashed in the vicinity of Castle and Acklins Islands.”

Immediately the US Navy in Florida, Exuma and Cuba initiated a search, as did the two large RAF bases on New Providence.

That afternoon, an amphibious plane with tail number PSP 34P3 was sent from the US Navy’s NOB Great Exuma to find the men.

They were airborne at 4.05 pm and returned at 8.05 pm to search at Crooked and Acklins islands for the four crew of the missing B-26.

At 5.45pm that evening, the rescuers landed in Pompey Bay, on the central western, or sheltered coast of Acklins, about 20 miles north of the southern tip, and 120 miles east of Georgetown.

On arrival, they learned the pilot had become separated from the others, secured a boat ride from a local fisherman, and made it to Pompey Bay, which is inside the sheltered bight, near the island’s de facto capital of Spring Point. It being evening, the rescue pilot from Exuma left a note and an emergency kit for the stranded pilot, who was frantically looking for his three other crew, promising to return the next day.

Indeed at 6.35am the following morning, a different amphibious plane, this one numbered PSP 34P9, left Georgetown and landed in the waters off Pompey Bay at 8.30am. The fresh crew met and retrieved the pilot, then carried him 20 miles southwest to Jamaica Bay, which is a few miles west of Salina Point. They landed on the water and found the co-pilot and two other crew of the missing aircraft, who were wading in water with their dinghy and waving shirts to attract attention on shore.

The rescue plane then took all of them aboard and took off by 10.30am. About two hours later, at 12.35 pm, they landed back at base and released the entire B-26 crew safely to the care of the dispensary. It ended well for them, they were taken to a US base nearby, then transported by US Coast Guard rescue craft to Guantanamo Bay. An aura of mystery, of uncertainty, hangs over

FROM top, a Douglas B-18 Bolo medium bomber of the type that crashed in Acklins; a Douglas A-20 Havoc similar to one that crashed in February 1943; a Patrol Sea plane from Squadron VP-34 was based in Georgetown, Exuma; and a crashed B-26 Marauder.

Sea Frontier, and southern a ship off Inagua reportBahamas was part of the ing that a crashed aircraft Caribbean Sea Frontier, had been sighted on Castle and so the former requested Island.” Searchers verified assistance from the latter. that the aircraft seen had The US Navy dispatched been lost previously. Sadly, the submarine chaser USS the 110-foot rescue craft SC-696 to Castle Island SC-696 was dive-bombed from their large Naval by German aircraft during Operating Base (NOB) in landings in Palermo, Italy Guantanamo, Cuba. The less than six months later. sub chaser, which has been Along with sister ship built less than a year ear- SC-694 it was sunk with lier in Daytona Beach, was heavy loss of life. on its long route from Key The war was not finWest to Italy. ished with quiet Acklins, The wreckage of this air- either. Almost exactly two craft was so prominent that months later, on April 7, it was still visible from ships 1943, a medium range B-26 and airplanes at least seven Marauder bomber of the months later. On September USAAF with four men 20, 1943, Captain O’Neil also wrecked roughly three reported in Miami that after miles away, just east of the a flight from Puerto Rico southern tip of Acklins. that a “plane had landed on Castle Island in a marshy spot, with its wheels down.

All hatches were open, and there were no signs of life about.” O’Neil diverted considerably to verify this intelligence by circling the area several times and observing closely from an altitude of only 300 feet.

Bahamian telephone services also received messages from passing ships “that a signal was intercepted from SUBMARINE chaser USS SC-696 rescued the A-20 crew.

CASTLE Island Light this case. If all the men survived, who was the widow mourning? Was the memory of surviving the ordeal so vivid, either positively or negatively, that she was compelled to revisit as though in his shoes? Widows and widowers of the war that killed three percent of humankind have said they would give their entire lives since, families included, to spend a day with lost ones.

How can the island’s tall light house have been manned all those decades since, with folks living on the small island, without the aircraft being more widely documented? Many accounts by yachtsmen and others corroborate that an aircraft lay wrecked on Castle Island, including by author and artist Bill Johnson. Indeed, on a visit to Castle Island with a constable in 2000 I too recall – vaguely – seeing wreckage and a white wooden cross, and being told that a plane had crashed there long ago.

Perhaps because of the proliferation of small planes lost in The Bahamas, many of them private and foreign, and some in illicit trades, we have become accustomed to – even nonchalant - about air crashes and ship wrecks.

Yet is seems that now is an opportune time to start unearthing and studying them while witnesses and wreckage are still with us, and because the technology and infrastructure has never enabled us as it does now; Google Earth, for example, allowing us to fly like drone pilots over our own islands looking for traces of these wrecks, matching documents with terrain.

We may never know precisely which aviator the woman was mourning in the fashion of Meryl Streep in The French Lieutenant’s Woman that day when Newt Williamson encountered her. We may not even solve whether it was a World War II casualty or an accident afterwards. We know she went there; we know there were three air wrecks in the war which physically left remnants in Acklins and Castle Island.

We know after a stumble a decade ago that Rev Newton Williamson, who with his cousins Clemese, Hewitt, Elva, Denza, Cox, Remilda Williamson, discovered and fed 48 shipwrecked and starving Americans a few months before, and with the help of Wilmore Bain, Rev Capt Samuel Albert Collie, and HV Wiley buried sailor David Parson, that many thousands of Bahamians have first-hand experience witnessing this global war.

Now is the time to ask them about it. Now is the time to record their voices on iPhones and have them transcribed in seconds on an app. Who knows; it might lead you to an airplane near your home, as it did for me.

And there are over 150 others in our archipelago.

EMAIL: insight@tribunemedia.net

INSIGHT

MONDAY, JULY 4, 2022 PAGE 11

Dust off the Commonwealth Secretary-General elections MUCH has been written in the Caribbean media about the contest surrounding the post of Commonwealth SecretaryGeneral that was decided on Friday, June 24, at an election in Kigali, the Capital of Rwanda.

Many statements and claims were made that require clarification, particularly as some of them convey misleading impressions.

One of these claims is that relations between CARICOM countries that supported one or other of the two rival female candidates, are now irreparably harmed. No credence should be given to that assertion. This is not the first time that the Caribbean has had rival candidates for international posts. Indeed, in 2015 the region had rival candidates for both the posts of Commonwealth Secretary-General and Deputy Secretary-General of the Organization of American States (OAS). In the latter case, it was Belize and Guyana.

Once the elections were concluded and a candidate was chosen by all the members of the two organisations (not just the Caribbean states), CARICOM governments continued in their intergovernmental relations, focussing on the issues of government for which they were elected. Exactly the same thing will happen again.

The other fallacy associated with the Kigali election is that CARICOM had to agree on a single candidate.

In reality, every Commonwealth country has the right to field a candidate. Jamaica was under no obligation to support the British Baroness, who is a member of the British Parliament (on leave). Like every other Commonwealth country, Jamaica had the intrinsic right to field or support the candidate of its choice.

CARICOM countries may have an obligation under the CARICOM Treaty to co-ordinate their foreign policy positions, but none to harmonise them. Jamaica had no duty to support a candidate proposed by any other country if in its own deliberate judgement, it felt there was good reason to support another.

There is ample precedent for this, set in 2015, when, although the majority of CARICOM countries had settled on the candidate of Antigua and Barbuda (me) for the post of Commonwealth Secretary-General, the Dominica government insisted on inserting the candidature of the British Baroness and member of the British Parliament because she was born in Dominica.

Jamaica ought not to be pilloried, in this instance, for doing what others have done with impunity in the

BARONESS Scotland pictured in Kigali, Rwanda. She will retain the post of Secretary-General.

World View

By SIR RONALD SANDERS

past – that is to maintain the candidacy of the person it favoured.

Allegations have also been made that the Jamaica Foreign Minister, Kamina Johnson, was the choice of the British Government, and that Jamaica was encouraged to field her candidature at the behest of the British Prime Minister, who had made his disapproval of Scotland well-known.

It appears to be forgotten that, in 2015, the British Baroness, Patricia Scotland, was not only chosen by the British Government but her candidature was openly promoted and advanced by every British agency throughout the Commonwealth.

In any event, at the contest in Kigali, at which Scotland received 27 votes to Johnson’s 24, a deep schism was revealed in the Commonwealth.

Scotland clearly does not command the support of almost half of the Commonwealth members, notably the main financial contributors to the organisation – Australia, Britain, and Canada – all

of which have reduced their financial contributions over their concern with Scotland’s stewardship. Scotland has been elected to serve out the two remaining years of a four-year term into which she drifted, because the COVID-19 pandemic prevented a Heads of Government meeting.

The Kigali contest was not won by Scotland. It was won by Africa which put all its votes behind her for a simple reason – Africa plans to field a candidate for the job in 2024. Had Kamina Johnson been elected, it would have been for a four-year term, ending in 2026 with the possibility of another term to 2030.

Africa was not about to wait.

In part, this was why Kenya was persuaded to withdraw the candidature of Energy and Petroleum Minister, Dr Monica Juma, which its President Uhuru Kenyatta, announced in August 2021. It was brought to Kenya’s attention that Dr Juma might end up only with finishing the 2020 to 2024 term that

COVID-19 allowed Scotland to start. It was better for Africa to leave the British Baroness in place as a lame duck Secretary-General until 2024, when Dr. Juma could look forward to at least a 4-year term, with the possibility of a further four years, giving her the post until 2032.

The election of an African candidate in 2024 is now almost a foregone conclusion, especially as, at Kigali, two more African states – Gabon and Togo - were admitted to membership, creating a bloc of 21 states.

Even if Africa does not agree on a single candidate, what is certain is that the candidates for the post will all come from Africa.

Based on the “turn” notion, which seems to have

become wrongly embedded in the minds of some governments, rather than choosing the best person for the job based on their qualifications and commitment, the Caribbean will not be considered for the job of Secretary-General until other regions have had a turn.

With Europe, Asia, and the Pacific ahead of the Americas (Canada/Caribbean), it could be 2056 until anyone from the Caribbean might be considered.

But even then, it could be Canada which hasn’t held the post since 1965.

Caribbean countries must dust off the election of the Commonwealth SecretaryGeneral and concentrate on working, through the councils of the Commonwealth, on making the organisation

relevant to their own people, and meaningful to the peoples of the world.

The big issues remain: poverty and unemployment, climate change, inequality, access to financing and development. The Commonwealth confronted these problems in the past; it must be fashioned to do so again.

• Responses and previous commentaries: www. sirronaldsanders.com The writer is Antigua and Barbuda’s Ambassador to the United States of America and the Organization of American States. He is also a Senior Fellow at the Institute of Commonwealth Studies, University of London and Massey College in the University of Toronto.

PAGE 12, Monday, July 4, 2022

THE TRIBUNE

‘Several’ dead in mall shooting COPENHAGEN, Denmark Associated Press A GUNMAN opened fire inside a busy shopping mall in the Danish capital yesterday, killing several people and wounding several others, police said.

A 22-year-old Danish man was arrested, Copenhagen police inspector Søren Thomassen told reporters, adding there was no indication that anyone else was involved in the attack, though police were still investigating.

Gun violence is relatively rare in Denmark.

Thomassen said it was too early to speculate on the motive for the shooting, which happened in the late afternoon at Field’s, one of the biggest shopping malls in Scandinavia and located on the outskirts of the Danish capital. When the shots rang out, some people hid in shops while others fled in a panicked stampede, witnesses said.

“It is pure terror. This is awful,” said Hans Christian Stoltz, a 53-year-old IT consultant, who was bringing his daughters to see Harry Styles perform at a concert scheduled for Sunday night near the mall. “You might wonder how a person can

EMERGENCY services at the Field’s shopping centre after a shooting, in Copenhagen, Denmark, yesterday.

Photo: Olafur Steinar Gestsson/Ritzau Scanpix via AP do this to another human being, but it’s beyond … beyond anything that’s possible.”

Thomassen gave no specific casualty count beyond saying several people were dead and several wounded.

He said the suspect was an “ethnic Dane,” a phrase

typically used to mean someone is white.

Danish broadcaster TV2 published a grainy photo of the alleged gunman, a man wearing knee-length shorts and a tank top and holding what appeared to be a rifle in his right hand.

“He seemed very violent

and angry,” eyewitness Mahdi Al-Wazni told TV2.

“He spoke to me and said it (the rifle) isn’t real as I was filming him. He seemed very proud of what he was doing.”

Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen said the Scandinavian country had

been hit by a “cruel attack”.

“It is incomprehensible.

Heartbreaking. Pointless,” she said. “Our beautiful and usually so safe capital was changed in a split second.”

Images from the scene showed people running out of the mall, and TV2 posted a photo of a man being put on a stretcher. After the shooting, an enormous contingent of heavily armed police officers patrolled the area, with several fire department vehicles also parked outside the mall.

Laurits Hermansen told Danish broadcaster DR that he was in a clothing store at the shopping center with his family when he heard “three, four bangs. Really loud bangs. It sounded like the shots were being fired just next to the store.”

The shopping center is on the outskirts of Copenhagen just across from a subway station for a line

that connects the city center with the international airport. A major highway also runs adjacent to the mall.

Organisers called off the Harry Styles concert, which had been scheduled at the nearby Royal Arena, by order of police.

On Snapchat, Styles wrote: “My team and I pray for everyone involved in the Copenhagen shopping mall shooting. I am shocked. Love H.” The royal palace said a reception with Crown Prince Frederik connected to the Tour de France cycling race had been canceled. The first three stages of the race were held in Denmark this year. The reception was due to be held on the royal yacht that is moored in Soenderborg, the town where the third stage ended.

In a joint statement, Queen Margrethe, her son Crown Prince Frederik and his wife, Crown Princess Mary, said: “We do not yet know the full extent of the tragedy, but it is already clear that more people have lost their lives and that even more have been injured.”

The situation calls for unity and care,” they said in a statement.

The shooting came a week after a mass shooting in neighbouring Norway, where police said a Norwegian man of Iranian origin opened fire during a LGBTQ festival, killing two and wounding more than 20.

Though the number of victims in Copenhagen on Sunday was unclear, it appeared to be the worst gun attack in Denmark since February 2015, when a 22-year-old man was killed in a shootout with police after going on a shooting spree in the capital that left two people dead and five police officers wounded.

VIDEO SHOWS OHIO POLICE KILL BLACK MAN IN HAIL OF GUNFIRE AKRON, Ohio Associated Press

A BLACK man was unarmed when Akron police chased him on foot and killed him in a hail of gunfire, but officers believed he had shot at them earlier from a vehicle and feared he was preparing to fire again, authorities said.

Akron police released video yesterday of the pursuit and killing of Jayland Walker, 25. The mayor called the shooting “heartbreaking” while pleading for peace and patience from the community.

It was not yet clear how many shots were fired by the eight officers who were involved in the shooting, but Walker sustained more than 60 wounds. An attorney for Walker’s family said Walker was on the ground while officers continued to fire.

Demonstrators marched through the city and gathered in front of the Akron justice centre after the video was released.

NAACP President Derrick Johnson said in a statement that Walker’s death “was murder. Point blank”.

Officers attempted to stop Walker’s car early on Monday for unspecified traffic and equipment violations, but less than a minute into a pursuit the sound of a shot was heard from the car and a transportation department camera captured what appeared to be a muzzle flash coming from

the vehicle, Akron Police Chief Steve Mylett said.

That changed the nature of the case from “a routine traffic stop to now a public safety issue,” he said.

A few minutes later, the car slowed and Walker emerged from the stillmoving vehicle wearing a ski mask and fled on foot, police said. A handgun, a loaded magazine and a wedding ring were found on the seat and a casing consistent with the weapon was later found at the point where officers believed a shot came from the vehicle.

After an unsuccessful attempt to use stun devices, the foot chase continued to a parking lot, at which point a crescendo of bullets can be heard. Mylett said he has watched the video dozens of times and Walker’s actions are hard to distinguish, but a still photo seems to show him “going down to his waist area” and another appears to show him turning toward an officer. He said a third picture “captures a forward motion of his arm”.

“Each officer independent of each other related that they felt that Mr Walker had turned and was motioning and moving into a firing position,” he said.

Mylett said an officer firing at someone has to be “ready to explain why they did what they did, they need to be able to articulate what specific threats they were facing... and they need to be held to account”.

SIX KILLED BY GLACIER CHUNK

ROME Associated Press

A LARGE chunk of an Alpine glacier broke loose yesterday and roared down a mountain in Italy, sending ice, snow and rock slamming into hikers on a popular trail on the peak and killing at least six and injuring nine, authorities said, warning that the toll might climb.

A local Civil Protection official, Gianpaolo Bottacin, was quoted by the Italian news agency ANSA as providing the toll, but stressing that the situation

was “evolving” and that there could be perhaps 15 people missing.

In late evening, the National Alpine and Cave Rescue Corps tweeted a phone number to call for family or friends in case of “failure to return from possible excursions” to the glacier.

Rescuers were checking licence plates in the parking lot as part of checks to determine how many people might be unaccounted for, a process that could take hours, Corps spokesman Walter Milan said.

SPORTS PAGE 13

MONDAY, JULY 4, 2022

Otabor wins gold in javelin

By BRENT STUBBS Senior Sports Reporter bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

T

he Bahamas will return home from the inaugural Caribbean Games in Baie-Mahault, Guadeloupe, with a total of four medals, inclusive of a gold from strongwoman Rhema Otabor and three silver from quarter-miler Megan Moss, hurdler Oscar Smith and judoka Daniel Strachan.

The Caribbean Games, a mini version of the Central American and Caribbean Games, was designed for competitors under the age of 23.

Otabor, coming off her All-American fourth place finish at the NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships in May, led the way for Team Bahamas when she picked up the only gold medal in the women’s javelin with a

TEAM BAHAMAS NETS THREE SILVER MEDALS

RHEMA Otabor

OSCAR Smith

MEGAN Moss

distance of 175-feet, 1-inch or 53.38 metres.

In establishing a new Caribbean Games record as the first competitor to win the event, Otabor was no match for the rest of her competitors.

The nearest throw to her impressive feat was Cuba’s Marianaily Silva with 124-6 (37.96m). Jamilet Bautista of the Dominican Republic got the bronze with 122-2 (37.25m).

Moss, a NCAA semifinalist and national 400m runner-up to champion Shaunae Miller-Uibo, had to settle for the silver in the women’s 400m after she ran 52.53, which was just shy of her personal best of 52.35. Fiordaliza Mendez of the Dominican Republic took the gold in 51.31.

Suany Rodriquez of Cuba got the bronze in 53.70.

In the men’s 110m hurdles, Smith clocked 13.96

for his silver behind the Cayman Island’s Rasheem Brown, who won the gold in 13.72. The bronze went to Kenny Fletcher of Guadeloupe in 14.00.

And in the 90 kilogram in judo, Strachan picked up the silver. Jasmine Russell competed in the 57 kilogram division, but didn’t advance.

The other team members that competed for the Bahamas were Camille

Rutherford, who was fourth in the women’s 100m in 11.62, Adrian Curry, who was fifth in his heat in the preliminaries of the men’s 100m in 11.18, but not good enough for him to advance and Sherrod Carey, who got third in his heats of the men’s 400m in 48.26, but not enough to advance as well.

Felix Neely rounded out Team Bahamas’ participation at the games in cycling.

He was 15th in the time trials held on Saturday and 29th in the road race held on the final day of competition yesterday.

The nine-member team was led by chef de mission Dorian Roach, who also served as the coach for cycling. The track coach was Kennord Mackey and Oneysi Portorreal Pons was the judo coach.

The team doctor was Dr Rickey Davis and Jenna Gibson served as the physiotherapist.

Buddy helps Bahamas advance to 2nd round of FIBA World Cup 2023 Americas Qualifiers

JONQUEL SELECTED TO TEAM STEWART FOR WNBA ALL-STAR GAME

By RENALDO DORSETT Tribune Sports Reporter rdorsett@tribunemedia.net CONNECTICUT Sun star Jonquel Jones will play her fourth WNBA AllStar game as a member of “Team Stewart.”

Team Stewart, led by Breanna Stewart (Seattle Storm) and Sue Bird (Seattle Storm) will take on A’ja Wilson (Las Vegas Aces) and her Team Wilson co-captain Sylvia Fowles (Minnesota Lynx).

Wilson and Stewart were named All-Star captains after finishing atop the fan votes for the game. Fowles and Bird, two legends in their final WNBA seasons, join them for the game.

Jones was selected by Stewart to start alongside

SEE PAGE 14

NPSA OPENS FASTPITCH SEASON

By BRENT STUBBS Senior Sports Reporter bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

BUDDY BUCKETS: The Bahamas senior men’s national basketball team completed a sweep over the US Virgin Islands and advanced to the second round of FIBA World Cup 2023 Americas Qualifiers. Chavano “Buddy” Hield (7) led six Bahamian players in double figures en route to a dominant 97-80 win over the US Virgin Islands at the Sport and Fitness Center in St Thomas, Virgin Islands, on Friday, July 1.

SEE THE FULL STORY ON PAGE 14

AFTER a two-year hiatus as a result of COVID-19, the New Providence Softball Association opened its 2022 fastpitch season over the weekend with the new look Cybertech Blue Marlins and the veteran Sunshine Auto Wildcats getting off to an impressive start.

In Saturday night’s official opening night in the Banker’s Field at the Baillou Hills Sporting Complex, the Blue Marlins, formerly the Truckers with some young talent on their squad, stunned the defending champions C&S Hitmen 13-0 in an abbreviated men’s featured contest.

And just before they were awarded their championship rings from newly elected Bahamas Softball Federation president Jennifer Dotson-Isaacs for winning the 2018 national title, the Wildcats easily got by the RAB Operators 10-3.

During her address, Isaacs-Dotson said it was good to be back in the park

SEE PAGE 14

Agent: Williamson agrees Groenewegen pips Van Aert to win stage to 5-year, $193m extension 3 in photo finish

By BRETT MARTEL AP Sports Writer

SONDERBORG, Denmark (AP) — Dutchman Dylan Groenewegen overtook Wout van Aert and Peter Sagan at the line to win the third stage of the Tour de France in a photo finish while GROENEWEGEN Van Aert extended (AP) his overall lead yesterday.

Groenewegen got behind record seven-time Tour sprint champion Sagan’s wheel when he was battling with Van Aert, and found a gap to squeeze through and nudge his wheel over the line to win for the BikeExchange–Jayco team.

“I took a lot of wind and my legs were tired but I still had enough to sprint to the line,” Groenewegen said. “Wout van Aert always jokes, saying that if you are not sure of having won, you still claim the victory and you celebrate. That’s what I did (and) I understood I won from the sport directors screaming in the car.”

Groenewegen’s fifth Tour stage win came a day after Fabio Jakobsen’s first. Two years ago, Groenewegen was blamed for a heavy crash at the Tour of Poland that sent Jakobsen flying through roadside crash barriers. Jakobsen was put in an induced coma and needed five hours of surgery on his skull and face.

SEE PAGE 17

NEW ORLEANS (AP) — Zion Williamson’s lost season to injury and unusual absence from the New Orleans Pelicans during his recovery didn’t stop the club from betting big on their long-term future together.

The star forward agreed Saturday to a five-year, $193 million extension with New Orleans that has the potential to be worth as much as $231 million, Williamson’s agent, Austin Brown, told The Associated Press.

Classified as a maximum rookie extension under the NBA’s labour agreement, the deal sets the stage for the 6-foot-6, 280-pound,

NEW Orleans Pelicans forward Zion Williamson. (AP) high-scoring power forward to give an All-Star calibre boost to a squad that recently proved it could make the playoffs without him.

ESPN first reported the agreement, also citing

information provided by Brown, who is the codirector of CAA Sports’ basketball division. The Pelicans have not yet announced the extension, which under NBA rules cannot be signed until July 6.

The move signifies a desire by the 2019 No. 1 overall draft choice out of Duke to see how much his return could help a squad that improved dramatically late last season and made a surprisingly competitive playoff showing.

It is also a show of faith by the Pelicans in the injury-plagued Williamson, who has played a total of 85 games in his first three

SEE PAGE 15

PAGE 14, Monday, July 4, 2022

THE TRIBUNE

Bahamas senior men’s national basketball team sweeps USVI

By RENALDO DORSETT Tribune Sports Reporter rdorsett@tribunemedia.net THE Bahamas senior men’s national basketball team completed a sweep over the US Virgin Islands and advanced to the second round of FIBA World Cup 2023 Americas Qualifiers.

Chavano “Buddy” Hield led six Bahamian players in double figures en route to a dominant 97-80 win over the US Virgin Islands on July 1 at the Sport and Fitness Center in St Thomas, Virgin Islands.

The Indiana Pacers guard finished with 24 points, five rebounds, five assists and shot 5-11 from three-point range.

Kentwan Smith finished with 17 points off the bench, Franco Miller Jr had 16 points and five assists, Mychel Thompson had 13 points, Rashad Davis scored 12 and Travis Munnings finished with 10.

The 97 points scored by The Bahamas were their most ever in a World Cup qualifying game.

Hot shooting from beyond the arc and a defensive effort that dominated the turnover battle was ultimately the deciding factor, despite the USVI advantage on the boards.

Team Bahamas shot 16-40 from three-point range and had more makes than the USVI’s total

number of attempts. Five players had multiple three-point makes, including Hield (5-11), Smith (3-6), Thompson (3-5), Munnings (2-5) and Davis (2-4).

Bahamas also took advantage of 20 turnovers by the Virgin Islands and turned them into 26 points.

Thompson got the team out to a fast start with nine points in the first quarter. Both teams were eventually tied at 24 at the end of the first period.

Miller took control in the second quarter as the team surged ahead for good. His acrobatic save led to a Smith three and Miller made a three of his own to give the team its first double figure lead of the afternoon 44-34 at the 2:41 mark in the half.

They went on to outscore USVI 28-15 in the period while Miller led all scorers at the half with 12 points.

The Bahamas extended its lead to as much as 23 in the second half highlighted by a third quarter sequence where Smith and Davis combined for three consecutive three pointers on three straight possessions.

The Virgin Islands were led

by Walter Hodge with 18 points while Georgio Milligan posted a double-double with 17 points and 10 rebounds.

Minister of Youth, Sports and Culture Mario K. Bowleg, the

CHAVANO “Buddy” Hield led six Bahamian players in double figures en route to a dominant 97-80 win over the US Virgin Islands at the Sport and Fitness Center in St. Thomas, Virgin Islands, on July 1. immediate past president of the Bahamas Basketball Federation, expressed how the World Cup Americas Qualifiers takes The Bahamas to the world and provides talented athletes with exposure and a chance to get to the Olympics.

“Basketball in The Bahamas has grown over the years and now we know what is needed in terms of coaching. That is why we are so grateful to have additional coaches to our team, including coach Yolett, Chris Demarco as head coach and coach Mikhail

McLean. I fully support the work of the federation, its teams and coaches. One day, I will get to see our basketball team at the Olympics and have my dream come to pass.” he said. “On this day of National Pride, I ask every Bahamian to join me in celebrating tonight’s feat. This critical win gives Team Bahamas momentum heading into Monday night’s game, which will be played right here at home, against the Dominican Republic. I encourage all Bahamians to come out and cheer on our men’s national team.”

The Bahamas closes out the current window with tonight’s matchup against the Dominican Republic, hosted at the Baha Mar resort at 7pm.

Team Bahamas was drawn into Group C alongside Canada, The Dominican Republic, and The US Virgin Islands.

Canada leads the group at 5-0, The Dominican Republic is 3-2, The Bahamas is 2-3 and the USVI are eliminated at 0-5.

In November’s first window, The Bahamas suffered a 115-73 loss to Canada in the first game of a back-to-back in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic.

Canada took a decisive 113-77 win in the second game.

Team Bahamas split the pair of games in the second window in February. They won 86-76 over the US Virgin Islands and lost 90-65 to The Dominican Republic at the Palacio de los Deportes in the Dominican Republic.

Sixteen teams are competing in the Americas region, vying for seven spots.

The top three teams from each group will qualify for the second round of qualifiers.

In the second round, the 12 teams that qualified will be divided into two groups of six.

Subsequently, the three best teams from each group, and the fourth-placed team, will qualify for the World Cup.

NPSA

JONQUEL JONES

FROM PAGE 13 playing softball again and she pledged the support from her executive team in assisting newly elected president Dwayne Stevens and his executives in making the sport as vibrant as it was in the past.

The NPSA actually kicked off the season on Friday night as the Johnson Lady Truckers out-slugged the University of the Bahamas Lady Mingoes 17-12, while the Atlantis Titans took care of the Chances Mighty Mitts 14-6 in the men’s feature contest.

With the focus on the Babe Ruth Caribbean Baseball Championships at the Baillou Hills Sporting Complex this week, the NPSA will take a break and resume competition on July 14.

Blue Marlins 13, Hitmen 0 Right fielder Winston Seymour Jr had a good night at the plate, going 4-for-5, including a three-run in-the-park home run in a four-run second inning to extend their lead to 9-0. He also drove aa total of five runs and scored twice.

Stephen Russell Jr had a tworun homer to help fuel the 5-0 first inning that also saw Austin Hanna come through with a clutch tworun doubles before he finished the game with a 2-for-2 production with three RBI and a run scored.

Angelo Watson added a 2-for-4 night with three runs scored, Levaughn Ferguson was 2-for-2 with two RBI and three runs scored.

Thomas Davis got the win with three strike outs to go along with the two hits he surrendered.

“I was very proud of my guys.

Thomas (Davis) pitched a good game and the guys hit the ball very well. All of our plays were very well executed, so overall, I think we had an excellent game for our first game,” said Blue Marlins’ manager Marcus Pratt.

Pratt said once Cybertech stay injury free, they should be the team to win in the men’s division this year.

FROM PAGE 13

THE Sunshine Auto Wildcats were awarded with their championship rings on Saturday night.

Martin Burrows Jr, who relieved starter and losing pitcher Richard Bain Jr in the third, got the first of two hits for C&S in the second with one-out, while Bain Jr got the other in fourth with one-out as well, but they were both left stranded on base. “After a three-year hiatus without any practice, we did what we could do,” said Hitmen’s manager Darren Stevens. “Hats off to the Marlins. They put in the work and they deserve the victory.”

If history repeats itself, Stevens said he remembers losing the opening game to the Truckers, but his Hitmen still rallied back to win the title, so the road to the championship will still go through the C&S, who didn’t play ace pitcher Alcott Forbes and only got one-at-bat, a strike out from slugger Sherman Ferguson in a pinch hitting role.

Wildcats 10, Operators 3 Centre fielder Daria Cambridge got the celebrations started for Sunshine Auto with a 2-for-4 night at the plate with three RBI and a run scored, Thela Johnson-Stevens was 2-for-3 with two runs scored, third sacker Ciara Bowe made her debut going 1-for-3 with two RBI and a run scored and after first sacker Crystal Finley got two free passes on base, she added two more runs.

Johnson-Stevens tossed a two hitter, striking out three for the win on the mound.

“We came out with the same frame of mind as the last season to

get out early,” said Wildcats’ manager Anthony Bullard. “We have some new youngsters playing on our team after some of the veterans retired.

“Some of the ladies look a little rusty, but with Thela (JohnsonStevens) and Larikah (Russell) carrying the team, we will be okay.

We will still be the team to beat.

We’re going all the way.”

Right fielder Vanessa Sawyer had a hit and scored twice and Dorinda Knowles got a walk and scored the only other run for RAB before she got the loss on 10 hits and three strike outs.

Titans 14, Mighty Mitts 6 Marquel Pratt had a good season opener, going 3-for-3 with a pair of singles and a double, driving in three runs and scoring twice to lead Atlantis, who got a super pitching performance from Angelo Dillette, who threw a four-hitter with 11 strike outs.

Canton Chase was 1-for-2 with two RBI and three runs scored and Dillette, Marino Cartwright and Anthony Moss all scored a pair of runs.

Kenneth Curry was 1-for-3 with two runs scored and Michael Ingraham was 1-for-2 with a run scored.

Kayle Carey was tagged with the loss on five hits and as many strike outs.

Lady Truckers 17, Mingoes 12 Sisters Kendalia Turner, playing shortstop, enjoyed a 2-for-4 night at

the plate with two RBIU and three runs scored and Nia Turner, the catcher, was 2-for-5 with two RBI and two runs scored for the win.

Two other sisters, Sari Albury, who gave up five hits and struck out six for the win on the mound, was 1-for-5 with a RBI and run scored and first sacker Skai Albury was 1-for-3 with two RBI and a run scored.

Left fielder Latonia McPhee added a hit with a RBI and two runs scored and right fielder Sheena Taylor-Cox was 2-for-2 with two runs scored. Shortstop Adomya Rolle paced UB with a 2-for-4 night with three runs scored, second sacker Kenisha Kelly was 1-for-2 with three runs scored and catcher Sophia Cartwright was 1-for-4 with a RBI and a run scored.

Ramona Hanna got the loss on 12 hits and five strike outs.

Next playing dates: Thursday, July 14 7pm - Black Scorpions vs Johnson Lady Truckers (L) 8:30pm - Atlantis Titans vs Renegades (M) Friday, July 15 7pm - Chances Mighty Mitts vs C&S Hitmen (M) 8:30pm - UB Mingoes vs RAB Operators (L) Saturday, July 16 7pm - Black Scorpions vs UB Mingoes (L).

8:30pm - Atlantis Titan vs Cybertech Blued Marlins (M)

Nneka Ogwumike (Los Angeles Sparks) and Jackie Young (Las Vegas Aces).

The remainder of the team includes: Kahleah Copper (Chicago Sky), Skylar Diggins-Smith ( Phoenix Mercury), Jewell Loyd (Storm), Emma Meesseman (Sky) Arike Ogunbowale (Dallas Wings) and Alyssa Thomas (Sun).

Brittney Griner, who remains detained in Russia after her February arrest, has also been named as an honorary All-Star Game starter.

Jones finished with 11 points and five rebounds in the Sun’s 74-72 overtime win over the Washington Mystics last night.

The Sun completed a remarkable 17-point second-half comeback, the second-biggest comeback in a WNBA game this season.

Jones leads the Sun with averages of 14.9 points per game and ranks third in the league with 9.1 rebounds per game.

The 2022 AT and T WNBA All-Star Game 2022 will be played in Chicago at Wintrust Arena on Sunday, July 10 on ABC. The weekend will also include a 3-Point Contest and Skills Challenge on Saturday, July 9 at 3pm on ESPN. Stay tuned.

Garland, Cavaliers agree to 5-year, $193 million extension

By TOM WITHERS AP Sports Writer CLEVELAND (AP) — Darius Garland’s rapid rise to elite NBA status is complete.

Cleveland’s All-Star point guard agreed Saturday to a five-year, $193 million contract extension, his agent Rich Paul of Klutch Sports told the Associated Press.

Garland’s deal is the largest in franchise history, and locks up a player the Cavaliers believe can get them back among the league’s top teams. The fifth overall pick in 2019, Garland

has quickly developed into one of the game’s best allaround guards.

Last season, he averaged 21.7 points and 8.6 assists in 68 games while helping the Cavaliers win 22 more games than the previous season.

The 22-year-old Garland has improved statistically each season, but beyond that, he has grown as a leader for a rising Cleveland team that just missed the playoffs last season.

He’s one of the team’s core pieces along with All-Star centre Jarrett Allen and forward Evan Mobley.

Garland agreed to the same deal that another elite young guard, Ja Morant of the Memphis Grizzlies, struck earlier in the week as the majority of the league’s offseason business began getting underway.

Garland’s extension begins in the 2023-24 season and, for now, would see him making just over $33 million in the first year and escalating steadily, all the way to $44 million in 2027-28.

If he makes an All-NBA team this coming season — meaning he would have to be selected as one of the

CLEVELAND Cavaliers’ Darius Garland (10) reacts to a basket during the first half of the team’s NBA play-in basketball game against the Atlanta Hawks on Friday, April 15 in Cleveland. Cavaliers All-Star guard Darius Garland has agreed to a five-year, $193 million contract extension with Cleveland, his agent Rich Paul said Saturday. Garland’s deal is the largest in franchise history.

(AP Photo/Nick Cammett) top six guards in the league, unless the league changes its voting structure before then — the numbers get

even bigger, going from “max” to “supermax.” In that scenario, Garland would start out making

$40 million in 2023-24.

In addition, he would be due almost $53 million in 2027-28.

THE TRIBUNE

Monday, July 4, 2022, PAGE 15

Analysis: NBA teams going all-in, and that’s what it takes

By TIM REYNOLDS AP Basketball Writer THE 2023 NBA playoffs are more than nine months away, and one thing is already clear.

There will be chaos.

The Minnesota Timberwolves grabbed a megaphone and announced that to the world when they traded multiple players and several first-round picks — one of them in 2029, which means that youngster is currently 12 and probably can’t dunk yet — to the Utah Jazz for Rudy Gobert.

And with that, Minnesota is officially added to a list of legit Western Conference title contenders.

There are solid arguments that can be made for no fewer than seven teams right now when debating who’ll represent the West in this coming season’s NBA Finals: defending champion Golden State, along with Phoenix, Dallas, the Los Angeles Clippers, Memphis, Denver and Minnesota are all on that list.

Remember, at least three of those teams won’t get past the first round next spring. At least three.

But give the Timberwolves credit for what they did, because this is the way of the NBA world now.

Organisations are either all-in or all-out.

Some team is about to send another massive package of players and picks to Brooklyn for Kevin Durant, unless the Nets somehow change his mind about wanting to be traded elsewhere. And that team

ZION

FROM PAGE 13 NBA seasons — and missed all of last season with a foot injury.

This spring, the Pelicans won two Western Conference play-in games before taking top-seeded Phoenix to six games in the first round of the 2022 playoffs.

They did so with a squad led by high-scoring wing Brandon Ingram, veteran guard CJ McCollum, center Jonas Valanciunas and a supporting cast of young players who blossomed under first-time NBA head coach Willie Green.

One season earlier, Williamson averaged a team-high 27 points and became a first-time AllStar during what was his lone NBA campaign that

— doesn’t matter which one — will instantly see its title hopes soar even higher by adding perhaps the most unguardable player in the game today. Durant is owed nearly $200 million for the next four years, is about to enter his 15th season (not including one missed for injury), will turn 34 this fall and teams are still lining up to bet it all to get him in their uniform.

“The ones who were locked in that gym with me know what it is, they know what I’m about,” Durant tweeted on Saturday, his first public comment since requesting a trade from the Nets. “If u haven’t been in there with me, ask around.”

Cryptic in some ways, clear in others. Durant wants more rings. In other words, somebody better go all-in.

That’s what it takes.

Golden State spent somewhere around $340 million this past season on a championship-winning roster, about half of it in salary and the other half in luxury tax. Sure, the Warriors are deep-pocketed.

But such is the price of doing business right now, especially in an NBA coming off a year where a record $8.9 billion in basketball related income was generated.

And the Timberwolves are the latest team to embrace that reality.

Gobert is owed $170 million over the next four seasons.

Karl-Anthony Towns is owed $295 million over the next six seasons, after guaranteeing most of that in an

was not mostly or entirely wiped out by injuries.

Williamson played in just 24 games as a rookie because of a preseason right knee injury (lateral meniscus). He played in 61 of 72 games in his second season. But he hurt his foot during the 2021 offseason while performing basketball drills with his stepfather, with whom he had previously entrusted his offseason training.

The Pelicans didn’t reveal the injury until the first day of training camp in September, saying they hoped he’d be ready to play by the regular-season opener on October 20. Williamson initially agreed with that timeline, which proved exceedingly optimistic. He wound up missing the entire regular season and playoffs.

extension that was struck a few hours before the Gobert trade happened.

Anthony Edwards, a star in the making, is on pace for a massive rookie extension next summer. Minnesota, a team that hasn’t won a playoff series since 2004, is swinging for the fences.

New owner Alex Rodriguez, he of the 696 career home runs, must be proud.

Someone is going to get Durant. It’s not reckless to think that Kyrie Irving could want a trade now as well, and if the Nets move Durant, they may as well move Irving instead of losing him for nothing next

summer. Imagine Irving reuniting with LeBron James, this time with the Los Angeles Lakers, trying to recreate what they did in 2016 when Cleveland got to celebrate a title. If Irving goes there, add the Lakers to that list of legit West contenders, too.

New Orleans will have things to say about the playoff chase. So should Portland, assuming Damian Lillard is Damian Lillard again, and there’s no reason to think that won’t be the case. And who knows what Utah will be without Gobert, especially with speculation now

surrounding whether the Jazz will choose to turn their roster remodeling into a complete teardown and trade Donovan Mitchell as well.

Keep in mind, moves are happening in the East, too.

Eastern Conference champion Boston significantly upgraded its depth by landing Malcolm Brogdon — another example of big spending, with $67.5 million and three years left on his deal — and Danilo Gallinari.

Miami, the No. 1 seed in the East playoffs this past season, is known to be in the Durant sweepstakes and Pat Riley is always, always, always looking for more stars. It wasn’t a freeagent move, but Atlanta believes it got better by trading for Dejounte Murray to play alongside Trae Young.

James Harden delivered his most significant assist as a 76er by opting out and giving Philadelphia the freedom to go get P.J. Tucker; Harden is now expected to sign a new deal in Philly, and that cements them as another contender.

Milwaukee spent to keep Bobby Portis, meaning most of the title-winning-core around Giannis Antetokounmpo remains intact.

Signings can’t even happen for a few more days. Training camps won’t start until late September.

The season doesn’t start until mid-October. And then it’s six more months until playoffs.

That’s when the big, bold and best moves of this summer might pay off.

Williamson also chose to spend a significant portion of the season away from New Orleans and the Pelicans. He chose to rehabilitate in Oregon, where his shoe sponsor, Nike, is based.

During that time, the Pelicans offered few updates on Williamson, any mention of whom was later conspicuously absent from Pelicans promotional material regarding season ticket renewals for the 2022-23 season.

No NBA player has declined a maximum extension of their rookie NBA contract, although the awkwardness between Williamson and the Pelicans led to speculation that Williamson might be the first.

But Williamson rejoined the team in March and

appeared emotionally invested in its playoff run, routinely engaging in celebrations of triumphant moments near the bench.

And when the season ended, Williamson said if New Orleans offered a maximum extension, he “wouldn’t be able to sign it fast enough.”

“It was a different feel this year. You saw it on the court,” said Williamson, who had a different coach in each of his first three NBA seasons. “We have a special group. I truly believe that.”

In late May, several weeks after the Pelicans season had ended, the club announced that Williamson had been cleared to engage in basketball activities without restrictions.

With Williamson sidelined and Green a rookie

head coach, the Pelicans started 1-12 last season.

But they steadily climbed into contention for a Western Conference postseason berth.

They had begun improving even before acquiring McCollum from Portland two days before the NBA trade deadline. McCollum helped them rally to clinch a ninth overall seed and a home play-in game.

The Pelicans defeated 10th-seeded San Antonio.

They then won a second play-in game over the Clippers in Los Angeles to advance to the first round of the playoffs against topseeded Phoenix.

New Orleans won twice in that series, which was tied at 2 games apiece before the Suns closed it out with consecutive victories.

BROOKLYN Nets’ Kevin Durant reacts during the second half of an NBA basketball game against the Indiana Pacers, Wednesday, January 5, 2022, in Indianapolis. Kevin Durant has requested a trade from the Brooklyn Nets, according to a person with direct knowledge of the seismic decision that undoubtedly will have teams scrambling to put together enormous offers for the perennial All-Star.

(AP Photo/Darron Cummings)

LAKERS COOL OFF HEAT, KINGS TOP WARRIORS AT CALIFORNIA CLASSIC SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Mac McClung scored 17 points in 16 minutes, Paris Bass added 15 and the Los Angeles Lakers opened the California Classic with a 100-66 victory over the Miami Heat on Saturday.

Scotty Pippen Jr scored 14 points and Cole Swider added 13 for the Lakers, who never trailed in the first summer league game of the season.

Also getting into the act for Los Angeles: Shareef O’Neal, the son of Shaquille O’Neal, who won three of his four titles as a member of the Lakers — and his fourth as a member of the Heat. Shareef O’Neal had six points and six rebounds in 16 minutes for the Lakers.

Javonte Smart scored 13 points for Miami, while Haywood Highsmith and Kyle Allman Jr each finished with 11. The Heat shot only 28% from the field.

First-round pick Nikola Jovic scored three points on 1-for-6 shooting for Miami.

The No. 27 overall pick signed his rookie contract earlier Saturday.

“We just didn’t get in a good rhythm,” Jovic said. “I think tomorrow will be a lot better.”

WARRIORS’ Stephen Curry and his son, Canon, watch the Warriors play against the Kings during a California Classic NBA summer league basketball game on Saturday. (AP) KINGS 86, WARRIORS 68 No. 4 pick Keegan Murray had 26 points and eight rebounds, leading Sacramento past Golden State 86-68 in the second game on Saturday.

The Kings announced shortly before the game that Murray had signed his rookie contract. He didn’t disappoint, making 10 of 14 shots from the floor, 4 of 5 from 3-point range.

“The confidence grew throughout the game and my teammates kept giving me the ball,” Murray said.

Neemias Queta scored 12 points and Alex O’Connell finished with 10 for the Kings. Elijah Brown, the

son of new Kings coach Mike Brown, got into the game toward the end for Sacramento.

Gui Santos scored 23 points for Golden State.

Payton Willis added 12 for the Warriors — who played with Stephen Curry, now a four-time NBA champion and the MVP of this past season’s NBA Finals, looking on from the stands.

UPCOMING The California Classic is one of the events preceding the NBA Summer League in Las Vegas, the one in which all 30 teams participate.

Only the Lakers, Heat, Golden State and Sacramento compete in the California Classic, which concluded yesterday with a two-game slate. Miami plays Sacramento and Golden State plays against the Lakers.

The Salt Lake City Summer League — featuring Memphis, Philadelphia, No. 2 pick Chet Holmgren and Oklahoma City, and host Utah — runs Tuesday through Thursday.

Summer League in Las Vegas opens Thursday night, with No. 1 pick Paolo Banchero set to play in the first game when Orlando takes on Houston.

A JULY 4TH, IN CUBA, NEXT FOR US BASKETBALL WORLD CUP TEAM

By TIM REYNOLDS AP Basketball Writer MIAMI (AP) — It has taken place at thousands of basketball games in Jim Boylen’s long career as a player and coach. Moments before a game begins, the two teams line up on the court for the traditional playing of the national anthem.

Often, it’s not overly memorable.

That won’t be the case today.

Boylen and a group of USA Basketball players and coaches will hear “The Star-Spangled Banner,” on Independence Day, in Havana — a place where few Americans have been and a place where the American anthem is likely not often heard.

The United States will play a World Cup qualifier game at Cuba tonight. The Americans started this twogame qualifying window on Friday with a win at Puerto Rico, then spent the weekend in Havana preparing for this matchup.

“I’ve never done something like this,” Boylen said.

“And that’s what we’ve told these guys. This group of guys, they chose to play these two games, on the road, in what I call enemy territory. And they decided to spend the Fourth of July, in Havana, when they didn’t have to do this.”

Relations between the US and Cuba have been strained for decades, although in recent months, President Joe Biden’s administration has announced plans to ease at least some of the tough economic sanctions that have imposed on the island nation.

The US is 30-1 all-time against Cuba in games at the senior men’s national team level, the loss coming in the 1971 Pan American Games.

But the last time the teams met in a World Cup qualifier was in November, and the game was closer than many could have imagined — the Americans having to rally in the final minutes for a 95-90 win. It was the first game of the 6-game, first-round qualifying window for both teams; the Americans (4-1) have since qualified for the second round and are on pace to make next year’s World Cup, while Cuba (0-5) has been eliminated and is playing only for pride today.

PAGE 16, Monday, July 4, 2022

THE TRIBUNE

WIMBLEDON LOOKAHEAD: NO ‘MANIC MONDAY’ AS NADAL, HALEP PLAY

MEMBERS of Team Bahamas’ under-12 girls team at the U12 ITF/Cotecc tournament in Santo Domingo.

WIMBLEDON, England (AP) — LOOKAHEAD TO TODAY There’s no more “Manic Monday” at Wimbledon, although there will be plenty of intriguing fourth-round matchups nonetheless.

Nick Kyrgios will be first out on Centre Court, trying to follow up his win over Stefanos Tsitsipas by beating American Brandon Nakashima, who has reached the fourth round of a Grand Slam for the first time.

Second-seeded Rafael Nadal will face Botic van de Zandschulp of the Netherlands later.

Simona Halep, the only former Grand Slam champion remaining in the women’s draw, faces fourthseeded Paula Badosa, also on Centre Court.

Amanda Anisimova tries to follow up her win over Coco Gauff by beating Harmony Tan, the Frenchwoman who ousted Serena Williams in the first round.

Before play on middle Sunday was introduced this year, the second Monday usually featured all 16 men’s and women’s fourth-round matches.

STAT OF THE DAY 35 — The number of Grand Slam tournaments it took for 34-year-old Tatjana Maria to reach her first quarterfinal.

QUOTE OF THE DAY “I hope I can come back ... one more time.” Eighttime Wimbledon champion Roger Federer on whether he will return to play at the tournament again after missing this year’s edition with an injury.

Bahamas under-12 boys team tie for third with Bermuda AT the U12 ITF/Cotecc tournament, the Bahamas boys and girls team did a remarkable job in representing the country last week in Santo Domingo.

The boys team faced the Dominican Republic in the semifinals match.

Noah Russell, who played the number two singles, lost 0-6, 0-6.

Patrick Mactaggart played the No.1 singles and lost in a competitive three-setter 5-7, 6-3, 4-6. This would be the only singles match Patrick would drop all tournament long.

In the doubles, Kingston Rees and Noah Russell played hard but lost 0-6, 3-6.

The boys would then face Bermuda to determine the 3rd and 4th positions.

Russell would play in the #2 position, he played well but lost 5-7, 2-6. Mactaggart had a strong performance winning in straight sets 6-2 6-3.

Due to a rain delay, the match could not be completed, so Bermuda and Bahamas were both awarded 3rd place finishes.

The Bahamas girls team would end competition against Jamaica. In #2 spot Caitlyn Pratt lost 5 -7, 2-6.

The #1 Marina Bostwick lost 3 -6, 0-6. In the doubles Caitlyn Pratt & S’rae Rodgers were down 1-6, 2-5 when the match was suspended due to the rain.

Despite not recording a win the girls team was able to play some hard-fought matches and obtain good exposure and experience.

The Bahamas Lawn Tennis Association (BLTA) congratulates its boys team og Mactaggart, Rees and Russell and the girls team of Bostwick, Pratt and Rodgers, all of whom are newcomers to the international team representation.

“We thank the players and captains coach Artie Johnson and coach Sharon Greene for a good showing at the U12 team competition in Santo Domingo,” the BLTA wrote.

MEMBERS of Team Bahamas’ under-12 boys team at the U12 ITF/Cotecc tournament last week in Santo Domingo.

THE TRIBUNE

Monday, July 4, 2022, PAGE 17

STARS AND STRIPES CLASSIC: SAMSON COLEBROOKE 5TH IN 100M BOYS winners receive their medals at the time trials. RIGHT - Men’s time trials winners Kevin Daley, Lorin Sawyer and Lorenzo Carter.

National Independence Cycling Championships: Daley, Sawyer split titles

By BRENT STUBBS Senior Sports Reporter bstubbs@tribunemedia.net IN a fierce battle over the past two days, Spanish Wells’ Lorin Sawyer and Kevin Daley split the men’s time trials ands road race titles at the Bahamas Cycling Federation’s National Independence Cycling Championships.

After retaining his time trials crown on Saturday at Clifton Heritage Park, Sawyer got out-sprinted

by Daley in the gruelling 29-mile road race yesterday at the same venue.

Marla Albury was the open women’s champion in both the time trials and road race.

In winning the eight-lap men’s race, Daley pulled away from Sawyer on the home stretch to cross the line at the end of the eightlap race in two hours and 50.01 seconds.

Sawyer trailed in 2:50.01 in a showdown that resumed from the time trials the day before.

After recovering from a slight cramp that dropped him off a three-man pack out front on the final lap, Edward Bethel managed to get through the rest of the race for third place in 2:52.51.

“It was a good race. I knew that I had the speed, so if it came down to a sprint, I had a chance to win,” Daley said. “After we saw that Eddie (Bethel) got dropped, we went for it. I just decided to wait my time to strike.”

This is just the second year that Daley has been competing. The native of Jamaica said having been residing in the Bahamas for the past 20 years, he’s just waiting to get his citizenship papers so that he would be eligible to represent the Bahamas on the international stage.

He commended Sawyer, but noted that after he got so close to winning the time trials on Saturday, he was more determined to clinch the road race on Sunday.

He noted that Sawyer made him work for it.

FEMALE competitors collect their medals during the time trials.

The 38-year-old Sawyer, who owns a canvas shop, said he was just glad that he was challenged to defend his titles in both races.

“It was hard. Kevin made me work hard yesterday in the time trials. He pushed me to my limit and I came out with the win,” Sawyer said.

“He did it to me again today. We took it out for the entire race. So we were pretty much up front by ourselves with Eddie (Bethel) in there.

“But with one mile to go (in the road race), I tried to go for a break. I took off and pretty much got into a timed trials, but when I looked back, he was right there, so I knew I couldn’t do it. So I had to step back and wait for the sprint and see who was the better man. I couldn’t go with him when he did.”

Having been named to the Commonwealth Games team going to Birmingham, England in August, Sawyer said this was a good opportunity to get in some work to prepare himself.

“Kevin rode a very strong race, so it was good to have a competitor like that who pushed me to my limits,” said Sawyer.

“He came second yesterday and I came second today, but he deserved it and I deserved. We’re two strong competitors, so any given day, either one of us could win it.”

TOUR

FROM PAGE 13

Although Groenewegen was remorseful over the incident, he was banned from cycling for nine months by cycling’s governing body UCI. “My family supported me greatly after what happened,” he said. “My new team has put a lot of faith in me and a great train to lead me out. Every victory at the Tour de France is special.”

Three years after his last Tour stage win, the 29-year-old Groenewegen was open-mouthed and emotional as he put his hands over his head. The win was even more special since he crashed nine kilometres out and had to catch the peloton up.

Sagan was cross with Van Aert, meanwhile, muttering angrily and wagging his finger at him after they crossed the line because he found himself boxed to the right and close to the barriers. But there was no contact and Sagan even appeared to lean on Van Aert.

Van Aert picked up a six-second bonus and is now seven seconds ahead of Yves Lampaert and 14 ahead of two-time defending

Grand Bahamian Ayden Bain, who got second in the time trials in the boys 12-14 division, came back to win the divisional road race.

“It was good, but I just needed a little more water because I got dehydrated on the last lap,” said Bain, a student of Tabernacle Baptist Academy.

“The competition was good.”

Fellow Grand Bahamian Ellie Gibson, a student of First Class Education, won the boys 15-17 road race after he moved up from the 12-14 division where he won both the time trials and road race last year.

“It was good,” Gibson said. “I just tried to stay with the guys in front and don’t overtake. I expected to come second, but I prayed to God and he helped me to win. I just want to thank him.”

Federation president Roy Colebrooke said after two full days of competitive racing, they were able to complete what could only be described as one of the best nationals held in a long time.

“We just want to thank the family and friends who came out and cheered on their favourite cyclist,” Colebrooke said.

“It’s also noticeable about the amount of young kids who participated. That was also very encouraging and it’s very important that we continue to grow the sport

champion Tadej Pogacar in the standings. Pogacar’s rival Primoz Roglic, the 2020 Tour runner-up, is seventh overall and stayed nine seconds behind Pogacar.

The stage started in Vejle on the Jutland Peninsula and ended in Sonderborg in southern Denmark after 182 kilometres (113 miles) of flat racing. Groenewegen’s winning time was 4 hours, 11 minutes, 33 seconds. Pogacar and Roglic were nestled in the main pack with finishing positions irrelevant since they all got the same time.

“It’s been quiet for me today, even though flat stages are always nervous and can be dangerous,” Pogacar said. “I wasn’t affected by the crash in the finale. The first three days have gone well.”

Van Aert wore the leader’s yellow jersey for the Jumbo–Visma team after taking it for the first time on Saturday.

He also extended his lead in the green jersey contest for best sprinter.

Huge crowds packed the roadsides in sparkling sunshine as the Danish supporters wearing red and white turned out in force.

Proudly wearing the best climber’s polka-dot jersey he claimed

of cycling from strength to strength.”

• Here’s how they finished in the time trials on Saturday: Males 9-11yrs 1st Sibby Potter, 18:00 mins; 2nd Lauchlan Menzies - 19.12mins; 3rd Frazer Menzies 21.18mins; 4th Stafford Sweeting 24.14mins; 5th Thaddeus Knowles - 24.33mins; 6th Anthony Knowles 25.02mins; 7th Kendrick Cargill - 25.32mins.

Females 9-11yrs - 1st Paityn Burrows - 31.09mins Males 12-14yrs - 1st Malcolm Menzies - 31.35mins; 2nd Ayden Bain 33.09mins; 3rd Callum Pritchard 39.34mins; 4th Tristan Johnson 43.39mins; 5th Thomas Knowles - 45.09mins; 6th Brian Burrows - 45.38mins.

Females 12-14yrs - 1st Taylor Knowles - 54.13mins.

Males 15-17 - 1st Launy Duncombe - 34.50mins; 2nd Marron Musgrove Jr. - 35.17mins; 3rd Enea Gervasini - 35.50mins.

Females 15-17yrs - 1st Erin Pritchard - 37.49mins; 2nd Sienna Culmer-Mackey - 48.19mins.

Open Females - 1st Marla Albury - 50.33mins; 2nd Mary Gibbs - 51.08mins; 3rd Ilaria Gervasini 54.04mins; 4th - Lynn Pritchard 57.46mins; 5th - Sanchia Fitzmaurice - 59.02mins.

Masters Male - 1st Lee Gibbs - 44.12mins;

2nd - Robert Butler 51.11mins; 3rd Wayne Price - 52.02mins.

Senior 3 Males - 1st Theodore Williams - 47.24mins; 2nd - Devon Butler - 50.17mins.

Senior 2 Males - 1st Jeff Tynes - 50.12mins.

Senior 1 Males 1st - Lorin Sawyer - 38.37mins; 2nd Kevin Daley - 39.06mins; 3rd - Lorenzo Carter 42.03mins; 4th - John Cox - 42.32min.

• Here’s how they finished in the road race on Sunday: 9-11 boys – (two laps) – Sibby Potter – 37.42; LauchlanMenzies – 39.26; Fraser Menzies – 44.50; Lyall Menzies – 47.57; Stafford Sweeting – 47.59; Thaddeus Knowles – 50.29; Kendrick Cargill – 1:07.02.

9-10 girls – Paityn Burrows.

12-14 boys – Ayden Bain – 47.48; Malcolm Menzies – 47.49; Callum Pritchard – 57.52; Brian Burrows – 1:03.17; Thristan Johnson – 1:08.40; Nathaniel Adderley – 1:10.34; Thomas Knowles – 1:14.05; Khristian Wright – 1:20.45.

Boys 15-17 – (four laps) Ellie Gibson, 1:05.57; Barron Musgrove Jr, 1:05.58; Ora Gervasini, 1:05.59.

Girls 15-17 – (three laps) Erin Pritchard, 1:16.02.

Open women – (three laps) – Marla Albury, 1:06.25; Mary Gibbs, 1:07.02; Ilarla Gervasini, 1:19.33; Lynn Pritchard, 1:25.43.

Masters men – (five laps) – Lee Gibbs, 1:44.42; Kenta Roker, 1:44.43; Andrew Cates, 1:59.32; Robert Butler, 2:04.49; Wayne Price, 2:07.33; Adam Potter, 2:14.11.

Senior 3 men – five laps) – Allen Castillo, 1:59.13; Richard Horton, 2:04.53.

Senior 2 men – (eight laps) – Edward Bethel, 2:51.51; Jeff Tynes, did not finish.

Senior one men – eight laps) – Kevin Daley, 2:50.01; Lorin Sawyer, 2:50.02; John Cox, 2:55.56; Wes Albury, 2:57.57; Patrick Paul, 2:56.05; Lorenzo Carter, 3:11.08.

STAGE winner Netherlands’ Dylan Groenewegen, right, crosses the finish line ahead of second placed Belgium’s Wout Van Aert, wearing the overall leader’s yellow jersey, while Slovakia’s Peter Sagan, left, points and complains during the third stage of the Tour de France cycling race over 182 kilometres (113 miles) with start in Vejle and finish in Sonderborg, Denmark yesterday.

(AP Photo/Daniel Cole) on Saturday, Danish rider Magnus Cort, who was in the early breakway group on Saturday, pulled away to take a solo lead for 130 kilometers before being caught with about 50 kilometers left.

“I was a little bit surprised to find myself alone in the lead, but it was nice anyway,” Cort said. “I

got a big lead as soon as I broke away, but it was hard to keep the peloton at bay.”

Cort wasn’t upset about being caught, after a weekend he’ll never forget.

“I spent an amazing day out there, enjoying the crowds. I knew what to expect after what

AFTER missing the Bahamas Association of Athletic Associations’ National Championships last weekend, Samson Colebrooke proved his fitness level for the World Championships over the weekend.

Competing at the Stars and Stripes Classic at the Marietta High School in Marietta, Georgia, Colebrooke was the lone Bahamian who competed on Saturday.

He ended up in fifth place in the men’s 100m in a time of 10.32 seconds. He trailed the field that was led by Kendal Williams in first place in 10.09, followed

by Wu Zhiquiang in 10.29, Jsylan Mitchell in 10.30 and Chris Royster in fourth in 10.31.

Colebrooke, a graduate of Purdue University, has qualified for the World Championships in Eugene, Oregon, July 15-24.

He will be competing with national 100m champion Terrence Jones Jr from Grand Bahama.

The sprint duo are a part of a 12-member team named by the BAAA last week for the championships. The team is comprised of the following: Women’s team Anthonique Strachan (100/200m/4x400/ mixed medley relays); Shaunae Miller-Uibo (200/400m/4x400m/ mixed medley relays); TyNia Gaither (100/200m); Devynne Charlton (100m hurdles); Donneisha Anderson (4x400m/ mixed relay); Javonya Valcourt (4 x 400m/ mixed relays) and Janae Ambrose (4x400m/ mixed relays).

Men’s team - Steven Gardiner - 400m/mixed medley relay); LaQuan Nairn (long jump); Terrence Jones (100m); Samson Colebrooke (100m); Ken Mullings (decathlon); Donald Thomas (high jump); Alonzo Russell (mixed relay); Bradley Dormeus (mixed relay) and Wayna McCoy (mixed relay).

The management team consists of the following: Rupert Gardiner - head coach; Shaun Miller Sr - assistant coach and James Rolle jumps coach. Mabelene Miller manager; Dionne Britton - assistant manager; Cindy Dorsett - team doctor and Pharez Cooper - therapist.

we experienced yesterday, but it turned out to be even better because I was in the polka dot jersey,” he said.

“It was a perfect day. Lifechanging? For sure. The Tour de France is such a big race that it goes well beyond the cycling scene. Everything that happens here transcends the general public.”

Cort picked up more points over the three minor climbs — including the Hejlsminde Strand, the lowest of these at 40 meters above sea level — to keep the jersey until Tuesday.

He held up three fingers to celebrate with his home fans and then waved to them after the pack swallowed him up.

“These days have been a dream for me,” Cort said. “Huge, unbelievable. I never imagined them this way.”

Several riders fell on a cobblestone section with about 10 kilometers left but got back up to continue.

After a travel day, the riders will tackle five small climbs in the fourth stage on the route from the coastal city of Dunkerque to Calais. The race ends on July 24 in Paris.

PAGE 18, Monday, July 4, 2022

THE TRIBUNE

Sinner defeats Alcaraz, Maria ousts Ostapenko

By KEN MAGUIRE AP Sports Writer WIMBLEDON, England (AP) — Tatjana Maria pulled off another upset at Wimbledon to reach her first Grand Slam quarterfinal at the age of 34 after beating Jelena Ostapenko yesterday.

She’ll face not another high-seeded opponent but 22-year-old Jule Niemeier, who is making her All England Club debut, in an all-German showdown for a place in the semifinals.

Heading into the second week at Wimbledon, only two of the top 15 seeds remain in the women’s draw, which has just one Grand Slam champion — Simona Halep — left.

Maria eliminated 2017 French Open champion Ostapenko 5-7, 7-5, 7-5 on No. 1 Court in the fourth round after saving two match points in the second set against her 12th-seeded opponent.

“I always believed that at one point I can show what I can do,” said the 103rdranked Maria, who ousted

fourth-seeded Maria Sakkari in the third round.

“I’m happy that today, I mean, I came back when I was down, so I’m proud of myself.”

Top-ranked Iga Swiatek is also out of the picture, the two-time French Open champion having lost to Alize Cornet of France in straight sets on Saturday.

Halep is the last Grand Slam champion standing on the women’s side. The 16th-seeded Romanian won at Wimbledon in 2019 and at the French Open the year before that. She faces fourth-seeded Paula Badosa in the fourth round on Monday.

In the men’s draw, Jannik Sinner beat fifth-seeded Carlos Alcaraz 6-1, 6-4, 6-7 (8), 6-3 on Centre Court.

The 10th-seeded Italian will play either three-time defending champion Novak Djokovic or Tim van Rijthoven for a spot in the semifinals.

“For me, I didn’t expect it because I wasn’t playing so well on grass,” Sinner said of reaching first Wimbledon quarterfinal.

ITALY’s Jannik Sinner celebrates defeating Spain’s Carlos Alcaraz during a men’s fourth round singles match on day seven of the Wimbledon tennis championships in London, yesterday.

(AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth) Two American men were eliminated.

David Goffin of Belgium defeated 23rd-seeded Frances Tiafoe 7-6 (3), 5-7, 5-7, 6-4, 7-5 to set up a quarterfinal match against ninth-seeded Cameron Norrie, who advanced with a 6-4, 7-5, 6-4 victory over Tommy Paul.

The 97th-ranked Niemeier advanced by beating Heather Watson 6-2, 6-4 on Centre Court in just her second Grand Slam tournament. The German had eliminated second-seeded

Anett Kontaveit in the second round.

“I came here, I just wanted to win my first round after losing in Paris,” said Niemeier, who lost in the first round at Roland Garros. “Now, being in the quarterfinal in Wimbledon, I don’t know, I’m speechless. It just feels not real.

Yeah, I’m just so happy.”

Shortly before Roger Federer and other greats took part in a ceremony marking the centenary of Centre Court, Marie Bouzkova of the Czech

Republic reached her first Grand Slam quarterfinal by beating Caroline Garcia of France 7-5, 6-2 as the traditional day of rest on the middle Sunday at the All England Club is no more.

The 23-year-old Bouzkova will next face third-seeded Ons Jabeur, who advanced by beating Elise Mertens 7-6 (9), 6-4 to reach her second straight Wimbledon quarterfinal.

“There’s no reason why not to keep this going. Kind of believing in myself right now,” said Bouzkova, who withdrew from the French Open after testing positive for COVID-19. “Yeah, I just going to go all out again in the quarterfinals.”

Maria, the oldest woman left in the singles draw, said she’s been inspired by her two young daughters.

“I’m now in the quarterfinal of Wimbledon, so it’s really amazing for me,” she said. “This means also that you always have to keep going. Doesn’t matter how old you are, doesn’t matter how many kids you have, you just have to keep going and to believe in yourself.”

Roger Federer hopes to play ‘one more time’ at Wimbledon

By HOWARD FENDRICH AP Tennis Writer AUSTRALIA’s Nick Kyrgios reacts during his third round men’s singles match against Greece’s Stefanos Tsitsipas on day six of the Wimbledon tennis championships on Saturday. (AP)

TSITSIPAS FINED $10K, KYRGIOS $4K WIMBLEDON, England (AP) — Stefanos Tsitsipas was fined $10,000 by the All England Club, and Nick Kyrgios was docked $4,000 for actions during their wild third-round match.

The tournament announced the penalties yesterday, a day after Kyrgios beat Tsitsipas in four sets. Things got testy during the match — and there was more dislike for each other expressed during their news conferences.

Tsitsipas’ fine was for unsportsmanlike conduct; he twice was warned by chair umpire Damien Dumusois for ball abuse.

Two such code violations automatically result in losing a point.

Kyrgios lost money after Dumusois cited him for an audible obscenity. This was Kyrgios’ second fine of the tournament.

He was penalised $10,000 for spitting in the direction of a spectator he said was heckling him during a firstround victory.

WIMBLEDON, England (AP) — Roger Federer did make his way to Wimbledon this year, after all — not to compete, mind you, but to take part in a ceremony marking the centenary of Centre Court yesterday — and declared his intention to try to return in 2023 with a racket in hand.

“Just tried to be successful here and represent the sport well. I hope I did that,” said Federer, who won a men’s-record eight of his 20 Grand Slam titles at the All England Club and was greeted with a standing ovation. “And I hope I can come back ... one more time.”

Instead of the mandatory all-white playing uniform, Federer wore a dark suit and tie, his purple Wimbledon member’s badge pinned to a jacket lapel. The Swiss star, who turns 41 on August 8 and has been sidelined for a year by knee problems, was among more than two dozen winners of singles championships at the grass-court tournament who appeared in the main stadium during a 35-minute tribute to a stadium that opened in 1922.

“I’ve been lucky enough to play a lot of matches on this court. Feels awkward to be here today in a different type of role,” said Federer, who had participated in every Wimbledon since his main-draw debut in 1999. “But it’s great to be here with ... all the other

champions. This court has given me my biggest wins, my biggest losses.”

His last match anywhere came on July 7, 2021, when he lost at Centre Court in the quarterfinals to Hubert Hurkacz 6-3, 7-6 (4), 6-0.

Soon after, Federer had surgery to repair damage to his meniscus and cartilage in his right knee — his third operation on that knee in a span of 1 1/2 years.

Federer has said he plans to return to tournament action at the Swiss Indoors in October.

“Of course I’ve missed being here. I would have loved to be here. I knew walking out here last year, it was going to be a tough year ahead. Maybe didn’t think it was going to take me this long to come back.

But the knee has been rough on me,” he told the crowd. “I didn’t know if I should make the trip, but I’m happy standing right here, right now.”

The whole scene was, in some respects, an infomercial for the Grand Slam event itself. There were gauzy videos — three in all — quips from co-hosts Sue Barker and John McEnroe, performances by Cliff Richard, who used to help kill time by singing during rain delays (a thing of the past, now that Centre Court and No. 1 Court are outfitted with retractable roofs), and Freya Ridings, who sang the 2017 ballad “Lost Without You” while accompanying herself on a white piano placed on the grass near some front-row seats.

SERBIA’s Novak Djokovic and Switzerland’s Roger Federer speak during a 100 years of Centre Court celebration on day 7 of the Wimbledon tennis championships in London yesterday.

(AP Photos/Kirsty Wigglesworth) Past champions on hand included some still in the brackets this year, such as Novak Djokovic, Rafael Nadal and Simona Halep in singles, and Venus Williams in mixed doubles.

When it was his turn with the microphone, Djokovic joked: “Gosh, I feel more nervous than when I’m playing.”

The six-time winner was scheduled to be be out there on Centre Court in the fourth round later, which was unusual in its own right: This is the first time in history that the tournament was scheduled as a 14-day event, with play planned for the middle Sunday.

Previously, that was set aside as a day off, and only on four occasions — in 1991, 1997, 2004 and 2016 — did a backlog of matches created by too much rain lead organizers to add matches on that Sunday.

Andy Murray, whose 2013 Wimbledon singles trophy was the first for a British man in 77 years,

Angelique Kerber and Petra Kvitova were other active players present.

And there were big names from yesteryear, too, of course: Billie Jean King, Rod Laver, Chris Evert, Bjorn Borg — he and McEnroe, fierce rivals in the 1980s, hugged each other — Stefan Edberg and Goran Ivanisevic.

Also listed by the club as attending: the son of Leslie Godfree, who delivered the first serve in the first match at Centre Court in 1922, and the grandson of Algernon Kingscote, Godfree’s opponent that day.

Absent were three of the winningest players in tournament history: Martina Navratilova (who tested positive for COVID-19 and wrote on Twitter she was “gutted” to miss the occasion), Serena Williams and Pete Sampras.

Navratilova’s nine singles championships are a Wimbledon record; Williams, who lost in the first round last week, and Sampras, who retired in 2002, each won it seven times.

WIMBLEDON CROWDS DOWN 7% FROM 2019, 2ND-LOWEST SINCE 2007

By HOWARD FENDRICH AP Tennis Writer WIMBLEDON, England (AP) — If it seems as if there are more empty green seats in the stands at Wimbledon than usual this fortnight, that’s because there have been fewer spectators than usual so far.

Through the first six days of main-draw competition at the All England Club, official attendance was listed as 237,927. That is a decrease of 7% from the Week 1 total at the last pre-pandemic edition of the tournament in 2019, which was 256,808.

Removing the last two years from consideration — crowd sizes and ticket sales were limited during Wimbledon in 2021 because of concerns about COVID19, and the whole event was canceLled entirely in 2020 — the 2022 figure is the second-lowest since 2007 (when it was 221,521).

Those numbers are all through the first Saturday of the fortnight. This is the first time the All England Club expanded the planned schedule to a full 14 days by including the middle Sunday, which traditionally has been a day of rest. In the past, organisers decided to add competition on that Sunday on just four occasions — in 1991, 1997, 2004 and 2016 — after there was so much rain in the first week that they needed to scramble to ease a backlog of matches.

On Monday, when asked about prospects for attendance, All England Club CEO Sally Bolton said: “First year of permanent middle Sunday, so we are expecting a record crowd because of that. We’ve got that additional capacity for that day.”

But this year’s Day 1 of the tournament got things off to an inauspicious start, with an announced attendance of only 36,603 — down 14% from the 42,517 on Day 1 in 2019, and the lowest since 2007.

Hard to know, of course, exactly what accounts for the decrease. The coronavirus could be a factor; cases are rising in Britain and three of the top 20 men’s seeds withdrew after testing positive for COVID-19.

There are big names missing: Roger Federer was not in the field for the first time since 1998; the No. 1-ranked man, Daniil Medvedev, and other athletes from Russia and Belarus were barred from competing because of the war in Ukraine; Serena Williams lost in the first round. Inflation’s effects might make some people less inclined to spend money on tickets.

In 2016, there was so much rain in the early going that the first round, which is supposed to conclude on Tuesday, did not wrap up until Thursday. The attendance over the first half-dozen days that year was 236,173 — less than 1% below 2022 and the only non-coronavirus-affected total that has been lower since 2007.

MCLAUGHLIN PICKS UP INDYCAR VICTORY IN FRONT OF HIS PARENTS

By JENNA FRYER AP Auto Racing Writer LEXINGTON, Ohio (AP) — As Scott McLaughlin celebrated with his parents and Team Penske on the quaint victory podium at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course, a full-blown crisis raged across the paddock at Andretti Autosport.

McLaughlin picked up his second career IndyCar victory Sunday, his first with his parents in attendance after a 31-month separation because of the pandemic.

Wayne McLaughlin paced pit lane over the closing laps, while his wife, Diane, wiped away a tear as their only son crossed the finish line. It was one of the few celebrations at Mid-Ohio, where Chevrolet lost five cars to

malfunctions and the Andretti camp fumed over contact between its drivers.

Team owner Michael Andretti stormed away from Alexander Rossi’s pit stand after contact between Rossi and teammate Romain Grosjean knocked them both off course, and Andretti was later seen in a heated discussion with Rossi’s father.

Rossi is leaving Andretti at the end of the season to drive for Arrow McLaren SP. Rossi and Grosjean had repeated wheel-to-wheel contact and one of the bumps knocked the steering wheel out of Rossi’s hands, leaving him unable to turn as both cars went off course.

“What the hell is wrong with him?” Grosjean screamed.

Grosjean was less than pleased to later receive team orders to aid Rossi’s finish.

“What do you want me to do? Just block every- SCOTT McLaughlin one behind (AP) and not go ahead?” Grosjean asked.

Told that yes, Andretti Autosport expected Grosjean to hold up traffic to help his teammates, the Frenchman declined.

“Because Rossi put me in the wall, so I am not going to protect him,” Grosjean replied.

Grosjean was then informed of the stakes via team radio: “Rossi is not a lap down, you are.”

Rossi finished 19th, Grosjean was 21st and Colton Herta spun mid-race and finished 15th, best of the four-car Andretti fleet.

Rossi downplayed the drama after the race.

“Just a racing incident,” he said.

“He was on a softer tire and probably going to get around me, but he likes to do it fast and early. I had to test him there and obviously that’s unfortunate to tap into a teammate, but that’s the way it goes.”

Asked if he is racing Andretti drivers differently now that he knows he’s leaving the team, Rossi said no. “Of course not.

We’re teammates for Andretti

Autosport and trying to get the best result possible,” he said.

Tensions were far more at ease at Team Penske.

The team celebrated both the McLaughlin win and brilliant drive from Will Power from 21st to third and double podium for Chevrolet.

For McLaughlin, the win may go down as one of the most special victories of his career.

His parents finally were able to leave New Zealand in May to attend the Indianapolis 500 and booked their trip to maximise their visas, planning nine IndyCar races on their tour of the United States.

It took four to see their son drive his Team Penske entry to victory lane.

PAGE 20, Monday, July 4, 2022

THE TRIBUNE

It’s official: Paris Johnson, 17, signs with LA Dodgers

By RENALDO DORSETT Tribune Sports Reporter rdorsett@tribunemedia.net PARIS Johnson became the latest Bahamian prospect to enter the minor league ranks when he officially signed with the Los Angeles Dodgers organisation.

Johnson signed before a close knit group of friends and family at the Bahamas Harvest Church on John F Kennedy Drive on July 1.

“Dreams do come true.

This dream took hard work, dedication as well as the support of others. I have to thank God for giving me the skill and talent to play the game that I love,” said Johnson. “At the age of 5 I told my mother I wanted to be a professional baseball player, when I told her that she said ‘ok’ but she later told me that in her mind she was thinking, ‘this boy can’t be serious.’

“My parents have always been supportive of me. It is because of their actions and belief in my heart that I am able to pursue my dreams on the path to greatness.

Mom and dad, thank you for your sacrifices, your prayers and your continued encouragement, I appreciate every sacrifice you made to help me pursue my dreams.”

The 17-year-old prospect spent months on the recruiting and showcase circuit for FTB Baseball and training out of the Cressy Sports Performance and Fortuna Training Facility in Florida.

Johnson’s baseball journey began in the Freedom Farm Baseball League, but that journey took a drastic detour when he underwent UCL reconstruction (Tommy John) surgery. The 6’2”, 200-pound prospect rebuilt both his physical and mental strength to continue the pursuit of his baseball dream.

“Freedom Farm baseball is where it all started for me from T-Ball up to 15 and older. Max D academy is where I was given the opportunity to develop the fundamentals that I learned from all my coaches at Freedom Farm. Both of these organisations played a vital role in my development and I would like to take this time to thank them for all they did to help me prepare for this day,” he said.

“Special thanks to Cressy Sports Performance in West Palm Beach, Florida where I did not just get the opportunity to workout and train, but also it was there that many of my mentors helped me to build my confidence in my talent and in myself.

My mentors helped me to build my skills and my

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belief in me and my dreams.

As a I result I am now able to elevate to another level, not just physically prepared but mentally prepared to continue my pursuit and my dreams, which is to one day play in the Major Leagues.

Special thanks for Fortuna Training Facility and all the trainers who worked with me preparing me for my showcases.”

At Freedom Farm, Johnson played under coach Lionel Ferguson Jr from ages 13-15.

“When I think of Paris I think of a story of patience, hard work, consistency and resilience, he said.

“Someone who, despite the detours, the stop signs, and the closed doors, he along with his support system refused to accept no for an answer.”

At age 14 he said he witnessed transformation following his early struggles.

“Within a few months he went from being ready to quit the game for good to becoming one of, if not the most feared hitters, in our age division and eventually helping lead us to a championship,” Johnson said.

“Despite becoming this Freedom Farm ‘superstar,’ he maintained his demeanour, always quiet, humble, willing to listen and learn, willing to put the team before himself, but those are the special ones.”

Johnson became the fifth Bahamian to sign in the current International Signing Period following Ryan Reckley (San Francisco Giants), Cherif Neymour (Miami Marlins), Kashon Conliffe (San Diego Padres), and Toby Simmons (Miami Marlins).

“To the Dodgers organisation, thank you for accepting me into your family, for seeing the potential in me and for helping me to grow into it,” Johnson said. “I commit to always perform at my best on and off the field to represent this organisation well.”

Javier Camps, manager of international scouting for the Dodgers, said Johnson’s strong support system will be vital to his maturation process as he progresses through the minor leagues.

“I think the first word that comes to mind since I have been here is community. I always think of progress as not linear, but linear wavy. Hearing about his struggles and him developing throughout his career is something to keep in mind as you go throughout our system,” Camps said.

“Your’e going to have some struggles, but you have a community that supports you and knows who you are. That will be the most important thing, even bigger than baseball, but your baseball talent is what got you here so continuing to keep focusing on that.”

The Johnson family will have even more reason to celebrate in the not too distant future as Ayden Johnson, the younger of the two brothers, has already been linked to the Oakland Athletics organisation.