07062021 NEWS

WOMAN & HEALTH TUESDAY

THE

BTS MEAL HIGH 89ºF LOW 79ºF

i’m lovin’ it!

Monday,

February

CARS! CARS!

8, 2021

The Tribune Established

Being Bound To

Swear To The Dogmas

1903

Of No Master

The Tribune

Volume: 118 No.153, July 6, 2021

L A T E S T

N E W S

tise Call

To Adver

-2351

601-0007 or 502

Starting at

$33.60

CLASSIFIEDS TRADER

ed

VAT includ

Established 1903

O N

T R I B U N E 2 4 2 . C O M

Biggest And Best!

THE PEOPLE’S PAPER: PRICE–$1

PILOTS PERISH

By RASHAD ROLLE Tribune Senior Reporter rrolle@tribunemedia.net FAMILY and friends are mourning the deaths of two former Royal Bahamas Defence Force marines who perished in a fiery plane crash

in Abaco yesterday.

Authorities have not officially revealed the identities of the men, but sources told The Tribune they are pilots Jason Allen and Lavan Paul.

Police said they received a report of the Treasure Cay,

Abaco plane crash shortly after 3.30pm yesterday.

“Upon arrival, officers discovered an airplane in bushes some distance away from the Treasure Cay Airport fully engulfed,” police said. “Initial enquiries revealed that the

airplane was observed taxing and a short time later smoke and flames were seen coming from the airplane. Additionally, two pilots were onboard the airplane when it crashed. Further checks were made and there were no signs of life onboard.”

Images of the scene told the story of the crash’s devastating impact, with parts of the plane strewn together in a jumbled mess.

One video of the crash posted SEE PAGE TWO

CAMPBELL: SEX SLUR APPALLED ME

By FARRAH JOHNSON Tribune Staff Reporter fjohnson@tribunemedia.net

SOCIAL Services Minister Frankie Campbell vehemently denied rumours circulating in a viral voice note, stating the defamatory claims of him impregnating the daughter of an alleged sweetheart.

He said the claim was not only untrue, but

embarrassing to him in his professional capacity.

Mr Campbell made the comments when he gave evidence during the trial SOCIAL Services Minister of Capprio Frankie Campbell.

Saunders.

Saunders is charged with intentional yesterday. libel after she was accused In the

Nassau & Bahama Islands’ Leading Newspaper

of recording a WhatsApp voice note alleging that Mr Campbell impregnated the daughter of an alleged sweetheart.

The recording was played in court

could also be heard saying “it is alleged” that Mr Campbell told the woman “not to kill the baby” and that his wife “broke up all the glass in their house” after she heard the news.

After asking “Is it true...I don’t know,” the person speaking in the audio also asserted that Mr Campbell was a “naughty boy”,

clip, a woman

SEE PAGE SEVEN

Pilots perish

PAGE 2, Tuesday, July 6, 2021

from page one to Facebook showed thick orange flames and black smoke billowing in the air.

Tourism Minister Dionisio D’Aguilar, who has responsibility for aviation, said the plane – an IAI 1124 Westwind N790JR – left the Dominican Republic on Friday for Treasury Cay. He said the plane was scheduled to fly to New Providence yesterday.

“I think they were going to refuel probably, or pick up some passengers, we’re not sure,” he said.

He said the Air Accident Investigation Authority will arrive in Treasure Cay today to investigate the crash.

According to Flightware. com, the plane was last owned by Transenergie Inc. Tributes to the men flooded Facebook yesterday evening.

“I love (you) my big brother (you) all I know Lavan Paul, wake up,” said the brother of Mr Paul in a public post.

A friend wrote on Facebook: “Lavan Paul taught me to live life to the fullest and don’t sweat the small stuff. He was always positive and happy. We made a hit song together, sailed the Bahamian waters together and played rugby. Don’t spend another day doing something you don’t love doing in the name of Lavan.

RIP brother.”

For her part, North and Central Abaco administrator Terrece Bootle-Laing said the weather in Abaco at the time of the crash was “terrible”.

“I would’ve driven to the end of the runway and they crashed some ways away from the runway, just about a quarter of a mile away,” she said. “That tells me the plane didn’t have a successful takeoff. Once the runway ended, it was only within a minute that I arrived to the site of their crash and was able to get a close vantage point.

“The weather was terrible, just terrible,” she added. “I don’t know if weather was a factor in the crash but we were under a thunder and lightning situation. This is a tragedy for Abaco. Abaco has had its share of not good news but we continue to be positive knowing all things work together for good. We give our sympathies to the families involved.”

She added: “It’s summer; persons would have known those persons at a close level because I gather that those persons frequented this area quite a bit. There are some persons who are expressing grief.”

In August 2020, a Piper PA32 Cherokee Six crash landed in waters off Treasure Cay after experiencing engine failure shortly after leaving the Treasure Cay Airport for Nassau. The pilot and four passengers survived in that incident.

THE TRIBUNE

THE TRIBUNE

Davis hits out at Minnis for election games

By RASHAD ROLLE Tribune Senior Reporter rrolle@tribunemedia.net PROGRESSIVE Liberal Party leader Philip “Brave” Davis said Prime Minister Dr Hubert Minnis has sought to confuse people about the timing of the next general election more than any other Prime Minister in the country’s history.

His comment yesterday came after Dr Minnis told people on Sunday to register to vote in the “shortest possible time”.

The comment reignited speculation that Dr Minnis is gearing up to call an early election.

“He is not engaging the public and/or the opposition party consistently in the way that has been happening in the past,” Mr Davis said yesterday. “At the very least every Prime Minister in modern days gave some indication that covers a three or fourmonth period as to when the election will be held.

“Very often they would give an indication and serve some notice that within

that three-month period we have to be ready for the election. In this case, all the Prime Minister is saying is that the election is not due until May 2022.

“What does that mean?

We should not be ready before then, or just be ready for that time? The Westminster system dictates some convention should be applied to the fixing of elections that would involve the leader of political parties. He doesn’t have to tell us the exact date but he could at least give a period because there are a lot of things a party has to do to ready itself for a general election.”

Mr Davis said Dr Minnis’ approach is especially jarring given the Prime Minister’s bold 2017 campaign promise to pass legislation implementing a fixed general election date in order to remove uncertainty from the process.

“Having again incited the minds of the Bahamian people on the election, it’s notable the uncertainty caused by what was

promised to be a thing of the past by this same Prime Minister,” he said. “He had the opportunity to fulfil his promise, but he never did it. He now doesn’t want to save himself by saying when he will call election.

“He is conducting himself in a way that suggests the election is going to be imminent, but denying that with his speech. He appointed a national coordinator from last September. I’m advised and verily believe that all of their political paraphernalia which were ordered are either in town or they’re away from town.

They’ve nominated almost all of their candidates so these are indications that elections are looming imminently, but he keeps pointing to May 2022 and democracy should not play out that way.”

While condemning Dr Minnis, Mr Davis did not commit to passing legislation for fixed election dates if he becomes Prime Minister.

He said: “Let me put it this way: that is something

that is a necessary initiative to deepen democracy in our country. What I would say at this time is that the challenges of our people are so overwhelming, an issue as fixed date of an election would not be high on my priority. High on my priority would be bringing relief to ordinary Bahamians who

Tuesday, July 6, 2021, PAGE 3

are suffering and in a lot of pain today.”

He added: “Whatever the Prime Minister’s plan is, people should go and get registered. I’m not going to get caught up in the games of whatever the Prime Minister is engaged in. We know the election is due and that Bahamians are suffering

and that they wish to have the matter of the election over sooner rather than later. In the minds of Bahamians, the government has lost its mandate. I’m not going to be distracted by the games they’re playing.

I’m focused on being ready for whatever time the election is called.”

MITCHELL SAYS CRUISE RULES RELAXATION ‘DISCRIMINATORY’

By EARYEL BOWLEG Tribune Staff Reporter ebowleg@tribunemedia.net

PROGRESSIVE Liberal Party chairman Fred Mitchell has called the government’s relaxation of travel visa requirements for cruise passengers out of Florida “discriminatory”.

“It is discriminatory,” the senator said when asked for comment. “And shows that the whole visa scheme is an ill-considered sham.

“The PLP will scrap it altogether and make sure that people who enter the country are COVID-free or fully vaccinated.”

He called the health visa a “bureaucratic nightmare” and a “double standard”.

“The people in Bimini complain for example that while the police are harassing them about curfew infractions, tourists ride up and down Bimini flagrantly ignoring the rules without let or hindrance,” he also said.

On Saturday, Tourism Minister Dionisio D’Aguilar announced the loosened restrictions at a ceremony celebrating the home port debut of Crystal Cruises’ Crystal Serenity ship.

The minister explained: “With cruises that initiate out of Florida, the government has loosened its restrictions somewhat by saying all of those passengers that commence or embark in Florida will not require a health visa on the condition that the cruise company, first of all, guarantees that if any of the

A CRUISE ship in port in Nassau on Friday. cruise passengers get symptoms or feel unwell that they are disembarked.”

He added that home porting cruises and their passengers are observing all of the travel health visa protocols.

Mr D’Aguilar, however, did highlight some positive cases anticipated, but also the protocol established.

“We’ve anticipated that there will probably be some positive cases and how that will work through. So that has taken many, many hours of discussion, but protocols have been established,” he said.

“So the cruise companies must guarantee that anyone who presents with symptoms or tests positive is immediately disembarked and returned to the United States by medical evacuation. All of the guests are either fully vaccinated or they receive a PCR test on the date of embarkation that obviously has a negative result.

“So with those protocols in place, guaranteeing to medically evacuate them out of the country and to follow the protocols to disembark them from the ship, the guarantee that

Photo: Donovan McIntosh/Tribune Staff everybody is vaccinated or anybody over the age of ten has received a negative PCR test on the date of embarkation, the government said ‘okay, you don’t need to do the health visa’.”

Attorney and the PLP’s election candidate for Freetown Wayne Munroe, QC, also criticised the decision to loosen restrictions for Florida cruise passengers yesterday.

“Well, we were told that this was all to mitigate the spread of COVID-19 which is to say, to prevent somebody coming into The

Bahamas with COVID-19,” Mr Munroe told The Tribune yesterday.

“The fact that you put a burden on them (cruise lines) to move somebody who is infected means that you are admitting that there will be people who enter the country infected.”

He added: “By waiving it… it really makes a lie of their justification. They told us that you know you could travel to the US. You just present a negative test to the ticket counter and they verify it and then they let you go, but they

said the ticket agent wasn’t …qualified and they needed to be scrutinised.

Well, now the thousands of people coming by cruise just don’t require a travel visa.”

PLP Leader Philip Davis previously called the travel visa “an unnecessary tax imposed by the FNM government on Bahamian families and businesses when they can least afford it”.

The PLP has vowed to end the travel health visa system if the party wins the next election and the programme is still in place.

LEWIS TO MEET ARTISTS OVER INDEPENDENCE ROW

By LEANDRA ROLLE Tribune Staff Reporter lrolle@tribunemedia.net

AFTER concerns were raised by several Bahamian performers about this year’s Independence Day celebration, Minister of Youth, Sports and Culture Iram Lewis said he plans to meet with local artists to address their issues.

Mr Lewis spoke after a number of Bahamian performers wrote to the chairman of the Independence Secretariat, Mark Humes, voicing their concerns with this year’s celebration.

The group is upset that event organisers allegedly left out a mixture of top local secular acts in favour of a more Christian theme, among other things.

The artists noted while

they support the overall theme, they also feel the event could be inclusive of secular artists as well.

“As you are aware, due to the pandemic, this past year has been challenging for entertainers, and employment has dropped to an all time low,” the letter said. “We look forward to the festivals and the independence celebrations for regular employment and an opportunity for us to showcase our talent.

“Hence, it has come as a surprise and extremely disconcerting to discover that this year’s celebration will not be using the top secular and gospel performers.

Adding insult to injury, we are told that the songs being used are not locally written or produced material. Is this saying that our material is not good enough

to celebrate our own independence?

“While we support the idea in giving thanks to God for His blessings over the past year, we believe that this could have been accomplished with songs and performances by the top local gospel and secular artists in a very artistic fashion and to the satisfaction of the general Bahamian public,” the letter also stated.

Yesterday, Mr Lewis told reporters he has been made aware of some of the artists’ concerns and plans to meet with the relevant parties to rectify the problems where possible.

He told reporters yesterday: “I’ve seen the reports on social media and I’ve also gotten some calls so as an administration and as a government as we’ve

been doing to ensure the welfare and the wellbeing of Bahamians are protected and whatever corrections needs to be had if any, we’ll seek to inquire and how we can ensure that those who feel that they have been disenfranchised will be embraced.

“There is one entertainer in particular who called me and he asked to have a meeting and I told him to bring all, to bring everybody. I’ve made it a point to listen to all stakeholders and every aspect of my ministry — Youth, Sports and Culture — and I’ve not met with all the federations and various entities yet, but it is my goal to meet with all to hear their concerns and to address them as necessary because again, we want to facilitate, we want to open doors and ensure that we

maximise our potential in all areas.”

In a recent interview with The Tribune, Mr Humes admitted this year’s celebration will be more Christian oriented.

Explaining the rationale behind the decision, he said officials wanted to do something different this year from previous years, where, he said, a heavy focus was placed on “secular” acts.

“One aspect of who we are is rooted in our religious belief — we’re a Christian nation. So, this is the aspect, we’re paying homage to that aspect of who we are as Bahamians this year in the celebration,” Mr Humes said when contacted last week.

“We’ve done secular. Had secular – highlighted it for the last four years. I think at least one year we can pay reverence to who we are as

a people, Christian people – a Christian nation… I really hope people don’t take offence to the fact that you know we want to be able to do that at a time like this and pay reverence to God.” Asked if the music will be locally written or produced material, he explained the songs being used are “universal” religious songs with a message.

“What we’re doing this year is nothing new (or) unusual. So I hope people don’t try to frame it as something against Bahamian culture…When we look at the songs we sang before when we go to our churches, these aren’t Bahamian songs either. When you go to the Methodist church, there aren’t many Bahamian songs that we sing, but they’re all songs that we embrace.”

PAGE 4, Tuesday, July 6, 2021

THE TRIBUNE

Why aren’t more health workers taking vaccine?

By KHRISNA RUSSELL Tribune Chief Reporter krussell@tribunemedia.net A PUBLIC Hospitals Authority official has lamented vaccine hesitancy as an ongoing challenge for the healthcare sector, telling The Tribune more healthcare workers should want the jab having witnessed the effects of COVID-19.

While confirming a nurse attached to Princess Margaret Hospital’s maternity ward recently tested positive for the virus, PHA managing director Catherine Weech suggested that spread may be less of an issue if more health workers were vaccinated.

She was contacted yesterday after Bahamas Nurses Union President Amancha Williams claimed on Sunday that five nurses at the hospital were out sick because of COVID-19.

According to Ms Williams, two of those nurses were in hospital battling illness, while three were in quarantine. She said these nurses are assigned to the maternity ward.

She also said a nurse at Sandilands Rehabilitation Centre also died recently from the coronavirus.

Ms Weech said protocols were followed, in response to the BNU’s assertions.

“I know that one nurse tested positive on the (maternity) ward, and we followed the same protocols any time that we have a case where we have an exposure on the ward,” Ms Weech said yesterday.

“We reduce all new admissions until we’re able to settle the population

that’s in the ward from any new persons coming in and getting exposed and then we test them periodically.

“That’s the protocol that we follow.”

Asked if all new admissions received COVID-19 testing, she said: “We do try to ensure that all patients coming into the hospital are tested before being placed on the ward, but you have to remember five-days is when the true story is told.”

Ensuring new patients are tested is not the only challenge, Ms Weech said.

“You do know also that we are struggling with healthcare providers who are hesitant to take the vaccine?

“We are still trying to get 70 percent of the population vaccinated, until such time as healthcare workers get vaccinated - that would be brilliant if we get to that point - but I don’t think that we will because there is too much negative information out there.

“They are part of the general community. We can’t look at them and say they are different from others who are making the same decision. You would think that as healthcare workers they would, but they are not.

“You would think that persons who work with and see how these patients are coming in and they are.

Today we have numbers of patients in our emergency room; the numbers aren’t going down, they are increasing. They see them and know them and know the negative outcome. In some cases some of their

TOTAL CASES

TOTAL DEATHS

NEWLY CONFIRMED CASES

RECENT CONFIRMED DEATHS

12,889 251

own colleagues have lost their lives. (So, you would think that) they would (get vaccinated) right, but they are not. I just don’t know what to say.”

In May, Health Minister Renward Wells revealed that less than 50 percent of healthcare workers had received the vaccine.

He said among all healthcare workers, clinical and non-clinical, 2,626 of 5,771 workers or 45.5 percent had been vaccinated.

It is likely by now that the number has increased.

On Sunday, Ms Williams voiced her concern over COVID-19 infections among nurses.

She said the nurses are pretty much on their own or the burden is on their families as their insurance is not the best.

Last year, a number of nurses died after being exposed to COVID-19.

The union had an issue with the length of time the government was taking to compensate the families of the fallen nurses.

It is unknown if they were ever paid.

“We have five nurses out at PMH with COVID,” Ms Williams said Sunday. “Two of them are in hospital.

They don’t have the best health insurance so their families have to deal with them. The air conditioner was off down there for four weeks.

“I keep saying bacteria, the spread of viruses, everything grows in heat.

Body fluids are passing from one person to the next in that kind of environment, especially when you have no windows to

A 43-YEAR-OLD New Providence man has become the country’s latest victim of COVID-19.

His death on July 4 pushed the nation’s death toll to 251.

Health officials also said eight new cases of the coronavirus were recorded

on Sunday, bringing the confirmed case count to 12,889. The new cases are all in New Providence.

On Friday, July 2, health officials recorded four earlier COVID deaths. These patients were all New Providence women who died on June 10, June 24,

June 26 and June 30. The victims were between 51 to 78 years old.

Meanwhile, the latest data from the Ministry of Health says that 59 people are in the hospital with COVID-19, with two of them in the intensive care unit.

open up to allow the air to circulate.”

The union president indicated that those nurses recently afflicted with the virus are very ill. It is also unknown how many of the nurses are vaccinated against COVID-19.

“The nurses are sick,” she said. “One is really, really not well. She is at Doctors Hospital. She is not well. We had a nurse (from Sandilands Rehabilitation Centre) that died. . .last week Thursday. We

are having a memorial service this week. She will also be buried this week. I haven’t heard the minister say anything about that.

Why didn’t he talk about that?

“These air condition systems have been out of service for a while, it’s just worse now that the summer has rolled in. I would say they have been out for about two months.”

The union president said the air conditioning system

is unreliable as one day it comes on and the next day it is off for periods as long as three weeks.

She said it must be extremely uncomfortable to work in such an environment and also to be a maternity patient who has just had a C-section.

In a statement issued on Sunday, hospital officials acknowledged issues with PMH’s air conditioning system, adding that progress is underway regarding its repair in several wards.

HEALTH Minister Renward Wells. of vaccine doses from the World Health Organization led programme so far, while 20,000 doses were donated by the Indian government in March.

However, due to limited supply, the Minnis administration has had to seek help from its neighbouring countries to acquire more vaccines until the next batch arrives.

“We got 5,000 doses from Antigua and Barbuda of which, when we receive our tranche and our doses from COVAX, we will give back to Antigua and Barbuda, “ Mr Wells told reporters.

“And so with St Vincent and the Grenadines, there is a discussion of the 20,000 (doses) and once we would’ve received our tranche, we would return those doses to the various Caribbean countries from which we would’ve gotten.

“And we are supposed to get our doses of AstraZeneca from the COVAX Facility on July 22 so I believe the PM would’ve also spoken to that, but so in lieu of that we’re also looking to secure some vaccines for others as well.”

On Friday, Dr Minnis said the country would

receive 33,600 doses from COVAX on July 26.

The move comes as the country’s vaccination rates are steadily increasing, with nearly 96,000 shots administered to Bahamians and residents to date.

Yesterday, Mr Wells assured Bahamians that the government’s vaccination campaign will continue and added that officials are also in negotiations to source different COVID19 vaccine brands into the country.

He said: “We’re also on two different tracts to receiving Pfizer one through CARPHA, the Caribbean region because the prime minister and his other Caribbean colleagues have been in direct negotiations with the United States and the US will be donating vaccines through the region to CARICOM and we’re looking forward to those being Pfizer.”

Asked how many vaccine doses will be donated by the US, the minister replied: “Well, right now we’re not exactly sure as to how many doses we would be receiving but right now in the Bahamas, in the country we can receive and store in our public health sector at least 100,000 doses of Pfizer.

“We have cold storage for it and we’re looking

to increase that amount very, very soon (and) over the next ten days, we will be receiving the storage facility that can hold up to 300,000 doses.”

Yesterday, the minister also addressed concerns surrounding the new Delta variant, which is said to be more infectious.

In recent weeks, the country has seen an increase in virus cases and hospitalisations, with total infections now at 12,889 as of Sunday.

Of this count, 812 cases are still active.

Mr Wells said while officials believe it is likely that COVID-19 variants are in the country, they are not certain if the Delta strain has been detected.

He said his ministry is still waiting to receive test results of the samples sent abroad for confirmation.

However, he contended that health officials are “well-positioned” to handle the spike in cases now that vaccinations are underway.

Asked if the government is still hoping to end the emergency orders come August even with the new threat, Mr Wells said the government will be guided by the health officials on the matter.

He said: “We have spoken to the fact that we are being led by their

healthcare team and their recommendations, but here is what I’ve always said, before the second wave, we didn’t have the kind of opportunities that we have now and what so that opportunity? We know that the vaccine that we’re using, the AstraZeneca, Pfizer, Moderna, these vaccines have been proven effective against all five of the variants of concern so all the Bahamian people have to continue to do is vaccinate so whether the Delta variant comes or the Delta variant doesn’t come— and we have said it’s not a matter of if but when—as long as we continue to vaccinate our people, we will be safe because even if they catch COVID in that kind of environment, the vaccinated people, it is proven that they have not been hospitalised and they experience mild symptoms.”

The Health Minister said the more Bahamians get vaccinated, the more we can open up the country.

He said: “As you can see, we have been relaxing the health protocols in regards to those who are vaccinated and so I think the Bahamian people could look forward to – based on the health team’s recommendation – us moving into a much more open environment.”

units in the PMH. The statement appeared critical of Nurse Williams for going public on matters pertaining to the air conditioning systems and said she is given updates on the repairs of the same.

“To provide clarity following statements made by the nursing union president regarding the issue of nonfunctioning air conditioning in the postnatal, female medical I and male medical I and II; the male medical II ward has been closed and gutted for approximately two years and the other areas mentioned have either been repaired or are progressing,” PHA’s statement said in part.

“The union president was invited to receive and (has)

been receiving updates on the progress of repair works.”

Yesterday, Ms Williams took issue with the statement and chided health officials, stating that two years is a long time for repairs to be done to a place which is in desperate need of beds for its patients.

“I was not talking about their male wards … their medical and surgical wards,” she said. “Their surgical ward they know quite fine what does not have air conditioning. They have proven to the people of The Bahamas that it takes two years to fix a ward. It shows how long it takes to get things fixed in PMH. To have a ward gutted for two years, how come it has not

been fixed as yet?

“You have patients waiting to get beds and there is no bed space. Why does it take so long for a ward to be fixed? Explain that?

They have exposed themselves even more in that statement.”

Also upset about the PHA statement claiming she gets updates about the air conditioning repairs, Ms Williams feels PHA is being disingenuous because she actually requested those updates.

“They mentioned the Nurses Union, why?” she asked. “Because I stand out on their door (steps), I call them all day, ask any other union president. I am the one who meets with them.

I don’t let these people sit

down on what it is to be done for the people. I am out there fighting for the people.

“They said they give me updates. Ask them, why do they give me updates?

Because I requested an update. They didn’t give me an update because they wanted to give me an update. I requested it.

They don’t check for us.

They have no respect for us. We are demanding that these things be done. Ask the other unions how often they meet with PHA to discuss anything.

“There is stuff going on and happening and no meetings because they have no respect for the unions. They are acting like they obliged me with those updates.

That’s not so. I ran behind them to get those updates.”

In an interview with The Tribune on Sunday, Ms Williams mentioned that five nurses are currently out sick with COVID and that another one had died from the virus. The Tribune reported that the nurse who died was from Freeport, Grand Bahama.

However, the nurse was actually from Nassau and was employed at the Sandilands Rehabilitation Centre.

Ms Williams said that she was in Freeport, Grand Bahama attending a meeting with union members at the time when she was informed of the nurse’s death. The Tribune apologises for the error.

SUNDAY

8 CASES

NEW PROVIDENCE

TOTAL TESTS

108,898

8

HOSPITALISED

59

• A 43-YEAR-OLD NEW PROVIDENCE MAN WHO DIED ON JULY 4.

CASES IN ICU

2

RECOVERED

11,740

NEW PROVIDENCE MAN IS LATEST VICTIM

GOVT ‘IN TALKS’WITH CARIBBEAN COUNTRY FOR 20K DOSES

By LEANDRA ROLLE Tribune Staff Reporter lrolle@tribunemedia.net

HEALTH Minister Renward Wells said yesterday the government is currently engaged in talks with another Caribbean country to secure additional 20,000 vaccines to shore up its vaccine supplies, as officials await shipment for the remaining doses of the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine from the COVAX Facility.

This comes after Prime Minister Dr Hubert Minnis revealed on Friday his administration had engaged in a vaccine exchange programme with Antigua and Barbuda for 5,000 doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine.

The doses have already been collected, according to Dr Minnis.

Yesterday, Mr Wells said similar discussions are being held with officials in St Vincent and Grenadines for the acquisition of 20,000 doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine.

He added the country will have those doses returned to its Caribbean counterparts when it receives its third batch of vaccines from the COVAX Facility later this month.

The Bahamas has already received 67,200

NURSES CHIEF: WHY DO PMH ISSUES TAKE SO LONG TO RESOLVE?

By TANYA SMITHCARTWRIGHT tsmith-cartwright@ tribunemedia.net THE president of the Bahamas Nurses Union has chided public health officials for the length of time it takes to address issues within Princess Margaret Hospital.

Nurse Amancha Williams said a recent statement from the Public Hospitals Authority about air conditioning units has exposed the management of PMH for its tardiness in getting work done.

On Sunday, the PHA released a statement that updated the public about the state of repair work on faulty air conditioning

THE TRIBUNE

Tuesday, July 6, 2021, PAGE 5

4,000 approved for funding from DRA

BY DENISE MAYCOCK Tribune Freeport Reporter dmaycock@tribunemedia.net NEARLY 4,000 approved homeowners on Grand Bahama and Abaco have been assessed and funded through the Disaster Reconstruction Authority’s Small Home Repair Programme.

The DRA continues to prioritize available resources to both those islands following the devastation caused by Hurricane Dorian in September 2019.

“The DRA recognizes that the needs within the communities of Abaco and Grand Bahama are pressing, and we are methodically prioritizing the work and maximizing the available resources to ensure that the islands of Abaco including the Cays and Grand Bahama are fully reconstructed,” it stated in a recent press statement.

To date, 3,735

homeowners met the criteria to receive assistance and were assessed and funded through the Small Home Repair programme.

Approved homeowners had to be Bahamian; the house had to have been

destroyed in Dorian and had not received insurance, and homeowners had to show proof of home homeownership.

In Abaco, DRA provides technical assistance and management for the

reconstruction of the Leonard Thompson International Airport and the Treasure Cay International Airport demolition projects.

Temporary housing is also being provided by

DRA in the form of 100 mobile homes and 70 domes. There is also continuous development of the 800-person hurricane shelter, which will double as a community center in Central Pines, Abaco. Construction is also underway on five of 42 homes, in Central Pines, Abaco.

Additionally, the DRA continues to support tablet distribution for primary and high school students in Abaco, support of fire victims in Cooper’s Town, Abaco providing bulldozers for firefighters in and around Central Abaco.

There is also an ongoing collaboration with several entities such as BPL, BTC, Cable Bahamas, The Grand Bahama Port Authority, The Grand Bahama Utility Company, Ministry of Education, Ministry of Health, and Ministry of Works.

The DRA noted that the COVID-19 pandemic did impact its ability to raise funds.

DRA took over from

HOME CONSTRUCTION TO START IN CENTRAL PINES WITHIN the next few days, the Disaster Reconstruction Authority will start construction of five homes in Central Pines, Abaco, one of the island’s popular housing subdivisions.

In a statement released on Sunday, the DRA said it is confident that the Central Pines development will assist with increased demand for housing in Abaco.

The project will include a mixture of three-bedroom/ two-bathroom, two-bedroom/

one-bathroom and one-bedroom/ one-bathroom homes. Each lot is approximately 8,000 square feet.

The homes will be located within walking distance of the Abaco Centre, which will be the island’s hurricane shelter and community centre capable of housing nearly 1,000 people during an emergency.

“Lot and building pad preparation for the first five homes are expected to be complete in seven business days,” said Wendell Grant II, DRA project manager. “The construction of the homes will

immediately follow.”

DRA officials plan to work with Abaco-based companies for phase one of the project. This phase involves construction of the five homes within three to six months.

Abaco-based SIX A’s Construction is one of the project’s contractors. Carl Archer, the company’s CEO, said their immediate focus is smoothing the ground at the project site so that surveyors could do their work.

“There is a great need for housing in Abaco right now and the

project will really, really help residents with that as well and enhance Abaco in moving forward to some type of normalcy,” he said. “I applaud and appreciate this effort by the government.”

The DRA is responsible for the site preparation, design and infrastructure. It will also ensure home construction meets the country’s building codes. DRA representatives will further collaborate with the project’s donors, who are providing partial funding to build close to 40 homes.

the Ministry of Works and the Department of Environmental Health Services in February 2020.

Through continued collaboration with UNDP and the Department of Environmental Health Services, it has successfully spearheaded Abaco and The Cays’ cleanup and the central stockpiling of that debris in both Spring City and Treasure Cay. Bahamian companies were used almost exclusively in the cleanup and debris removal exercises.

The majority were residents on the islands of Grand Bahama and Abaco.

“As a matter of policy and practice, the DRA endeavors to prioritize contracting companies within the specific Disaster Zone (Abaco & Grand Bahama) to execute our projects within the Zone,” the statement said.

DRA continuously peruses donations in their development office to supplement the government’s funding in these very trying fiscal times. DRA has reacted to the pressing needs of the Abaco community and has deployed qualified technical support to live in that community and address the very unique needs of The Abacos,” it read.

Feedback from key stakeholders within the declared Disaster Zone Communities of Abaco and Grand Bahama is welcomed. Persons are invited to connect with DRA on social media or to call us directly in Grand Bahama at 352-9111 or Abaco at 699-1450 or email them at info@drabahamas.org.t

POLICE FORCE GOES CASHLESS IN GRAND BAHAMA

By DENISE MAYCOCK Tribune Freeport Reporter dmaycock@tribunemedia.net

AFTER going cashless in New Providence, the Royal Bahamas Police Force has extended the initiative to Grand Bahama and will no longer accept cash from citizens.

Assistant Superintendent Stephen Rolle said people applying for various records from the RBPF will now have to pay through either third-party vendors,

with a debit or credit card in office, or pay online through MyGateway.gov.bs.

He said this will make the process easier and more efficient.

“The government saw fit to do business more efficiently with the citizens of the Bahamas. And it helps to alleviate the loss of revenue for the government,” ASP Rolle said.

The RBPF, in conjunction with the Ministry of Finance, launched the cashless system on July 1.

This means that clients who want to apply for a character reference, traffic record and reports, firearm license and renewals, and a fingerprint card, can no longer use cash to pay for these records.

Once paid online, he said the agency would receive a notification and the record would be processed.

Clients will then get an invoice, SMM, or email informing them that the record is ready for collection.

ASP Rolle said persons may proceed to the agency to collect their record and must take the documentation they supplied, along with their invoice.

Persons who do not have access to the internet may use third-party vendors, he said.

“You can enter an agency with your documents and apply. You will be given an invoice to take a third-party vendor of your choosing, such as Omni, Sun Cash, or Cash and Go. “Produce

the invoice and pay cash to that vendor. Once you pay cash at the vendor, you will receive a message via SMM or email informing you that the record is ready for collection,” he explained.

“No record will be processed unless it is paid for in advance. We are urging members of the public to please take advantage of the app. It is very userfriendly and helps speed the process when applying for records,” he said.

ASP Rolle said all

foreigners must apply in person at the agency for all records.

He noted that in person payments must be made by credit and debit card only.

“When applying in person, there will be absolutely no cash exchanged at any of the agencies… when applying for the various records, including re-applying for character reference or fingerprint card, as well as traffic record and reports, and also for firearm license or renewals,” he said.

PAGE 6, Tuesday, July 6, 2021

THE TRIBUNE

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

LEON E. H. DUPUCH,

SIR ETIENNE DUPUCH,

jamaaltheartist@gmail.com

Publisher/Editor 1903-1914 Kt., O.B.E., K.M., K.C.S.G., (Hon.) LL.D., D.Litt .

Publisher/Editor 1919-1972 Contributing Editor 1972-1991

EILEEN DUPUCH CARRON,

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

Published daily Monday to Friday

Shirley & Deveaux Streets, Nassau, Bahamas N3207 TELEPHONES

News & General Information Advertising Manager Circulation Department Nassau fax Freeport, Grand Bahama Freeport fax

(242) 322-1986 (242) 502-2394 (242) 502-2386 (242) 328-2398 (242)-352-6608 (242) 352-9348

WEBSITE, TWITTER & FACEBOOK www.tribune242.com

@tribune242

tribune news network

Hesitancy among our health workers IN yesterday’s Tribune, we reported on the concerns of nurses with a number of workers sick with COVID, and one having recently died. Those are valid concerns indeed – so why is it that in today’s Tribune, we hear that there is a hesitancy within healthcare workers to take the vaccine?

Catherine Weech, the managing director of Princess Margaret Hospital, said yesterday that spread of the virus might be less of an issue if more health workers were vaccinated, and with so many healthcare workers on the frontline in the fight against COVID-19, it is alarming to think that so many are open to exposure.

The head of the nurses union, Amancha Williams, was speaking out this week about the fears of nurses, talking about problems with air conditioning and warning that “bacteria, the spread of viruses, everything grows in heat.

Body fluids are passing from one person to the next in that kind of environment, especially when you have no windows to open up to allow the air to circulate”.

Wind back to December last year, however, and Ms Williams, was expressing her own hesitancy about vaccinations – saying it should not be mandatory for nurses to take the jab, and saying: “My advice is to give it a year. Make the rest of the world test it and bring it to your country.”

By that reckoning, we would still have months to go before we would be taking our first jabs.

Taking a look at the statistics in the US, it has been reported that 99.2 percent of deaths there in June were people who had not received their vaccination.

So if the numbers are showing such an increased likelihood of survival if you have had your vaccination, why are so many health workers so wary of getting their shots?

Ms Weech said: “We are still trying to get 70 percent of the population vaccinated, until such time as healthcare workers get vaccinated – that would be brilliant to get to that point – but I don’t think we will because there is too much negative information out there.

“They are part of the general community. We can’t look at them and say they are different from others who are making the same decision. You would think that as healthcare workers they

would, but they are not.”

You could sense the exasperation as Ms Weech concluded with “I just don’t know what to say”.

There is a lot of misinformation out there – so listen to reliable sources, not ones that can’t be confirmed, and don’t share things blindly that could be misleading. Some complain about those who post pictures after receiving their vaccinations, but that helps to normalise the process and show that people you know, people around you are putting their faith in science and not random Facebook accounts.

Look again at those statistics from the US and think. That vaccination could save your life.

Abaco ambition You have to feel for Matt Winslow.

His $90m project in Abaco was supposed to reinvigorate the area. He had all the approvals… and then came Hurricane Dorian.

The storm blasted his property just as it did the rest of Abaco. Playing his part to help, he allowed his land to be used as a temporary dumping site for debris from the storm. The debris piled up, and up, to reach several storeys high.

His calls to the Disaster Reconstruction Authority (DRA) to remove the waste has yet to produce any action, however, so the debris remains there.

And now he has run into another challenge, with up to 200 squatters on his land and the government and government authorities declining to help after the ruling on demolition of shanty towns last month.

You can understand when he says “frustration has reached a peak”.

Admirably, Mr Winslow says that his project is “less important than rebuilding the community”, but he does point out it will bring jobs, and millions of dollars. It will help rebuild the economy – and that will help rebuild the community.

He should also be entitled to answers from the DRA over why he can’t get a helping hand after he offered one of his own.

So we hope the authorities can offer that hand – and Elbow Cay can look forward to another part of their economic revival.

Say no to PLP EDITOR, The Tribune.

ARE you aware that many FNM supporters have been ousted from the FNM in the past three decades and counting? We are called FNMs in exile, or FNMiEx for short. Some among us are in voluntary exile from the party, and others have been forced in to the situation by forces loyal to Pindling’s most illustrious PLP protégé at that time.

The most illustrious Pindling protégé at the time, seized control of the FNM by political demagoguery and skulduggery in the late 1980s. Pindling’s most illustrious protégé claimed at the time among other things, that he had received the blessings, and last will and testament to take over as FNM party leader – directly from the deathbed of the dying FNM chief, Cecil Wallace Whitfield.. If only a dead man can talk.

SLOP’s most illustrious protégé, brought along in the FNM – his band of political spies, goons and hackers from the PLP – with the specific intention of creating a satellite PLP party out of the FNM’s groundswell; something which pleased his most illustrious mentor,

Sir Lynden Oscar Pindling – SLOP – because it continued the PLP corrupt political reign of The Bahamas for another fifteen years!

Add the ten years tenure of vomit-Christie, and we have had fifty years of dishonorable PLP governance in The Bahamas, and are about to close the book on five more years of more of the same tasteless PLP political jive at the expense of – and via the FNM. How scandalous!

The illustrious PLP heir and his unmerciful PLP gang had to suppress the core of the FNM, and so they embarked on a vicious and malicious campaign of political victimization, intimidation and cannibalism. They forced a great lot of faithful FNM soldiers in to exile – who are committed to the causes of anti-corruption, fiscal discipline, the maintenance and protection of personal liberty and freedom for all Bahamians, and a Bahamas that’s fitting and welcoming for the future generations and guests.

We exiles are now ready to move back into the FNM, and take our party from the grips of the arrogant and politically incestuous

Pingdom PLP clan that controls it right now. The FNM, and Bahamian people generally, deserve an FNM government committed to FNM ideals, like a government of national unity, justice, and a taste of the pie for all – through continuous quality education and training of every Bahamian.

Away with maynardism and the all-for-me-baby-ism mentality in the leadership ranks of the FNM. Down with PLP control at the FNM’s wheel.

Yes, we FNM-Exes are about to return to our beloved Texas, the FNM. When we get there, we will chase the wickedly disguised and no-good PLPs posing as FNMs – out of our Mackey Street hub, and direct them west on Farrington Road – where the PLP headquarters is located.

It’s time for a genuine FNM government – led by real FNMs. The Bahamas deserves change for the better; not more of the same. Say no to PLP. Dennis Dames of FNMs in exile.

DENNIS DAMES Nassau, July 2, 2021.

Pastors rent to numbers house boys EDITOR, The Tribune.

SOME weeks back I saw a missive penned by a group of pastors that expressed disapproval of the appointment of a web shop gaming mogul by the Free National Movement government to a diplomatic post. The missive was a reminder of the Bahamas Christian Council’s (BCC) well coordinated opposition to web shop gaming in the lead-up to the 2013 gaming referendum. While the then Progressive Liberal Party government would eventually ignore the results of the referendum by legalizing web shop gaming in 2014, history will prove that the church and its Vote No campaign are right. Gambling is a manifestation of fortune telling. Its addiction is as potent as the addiction Hustler and Penthouse causes among porn addicts. Consequently, the evangelical church’s belief that gambling is demonic is indeed valid. This is underscored by gambling patrons incessantly perusing through the pages of The Best Darn Pick 3, Cash 3, Play 3 Strategy, which supplements their dreams about numbers. The Vote No camp is well aware of Satan’s stealth strategy in utilizing deceptive

LETTERS letters@tribunemedia.net measures. Indeed, Irenaeus of Lyons said in his Against Heresies that error is craftily decked out in an attractive dress. I believe that the church’s opposition to web shop gambling is being undermined by a group of businessperson who are pastors, who either understand the significance of their decision and don’t care, or are just spiritually insensitive. I know of a few who have rented store and office spaces to two prominent web shop franchises.

How can you look at your congregation with a straight face and preach against gambling on the pulpit, while you are profiting from the proceeds of the industry via rentals?

Surprisingly, the clergymen are of the Pentecostal tradition – a tradition that places much emphasis on separation from the worldly system. These individuals are not from any of the mainline denominations which are routinely scorned

by Pentecostal Christians for their apparent spiritual inertia. The Bible says in 1 Peter 4:17 that judgment must begin at God’s house.

The church cannot preach morality to the secular community if its lifestyle mirrors that of the world.

I will not divulge the name of the island these pastors are located on for obvious reasons. Still, very few observers have not failed to miss the glaring hypocrisy of the business transaction between them and the numbers boys.

Small wonder tens of thousands of Bahamians (including Christians) have ignored the anti-gambling message given by the BCC and have continued squandering away their hard earned money playing Cash 3 and Play 4. If the church is going to mount an effective strategy against web shop gaming and its attendant gambling addiction, then it will need to present a cohesive message to the Bahamian people, which entails its clergymen, who are landlords, not renting to the web shop franchises.

The BCC and the Vote No camp, before they can continue their anti-gambling campaign, must first deal with those members who are helping to facilitate web shop gaming.

KEVIN EVANS Freeport, Grand Bahama, July 4, 2021.

Destination Bahamas?

EDITOR, The Tribune.

I HAVE operated travel agencies in the Maine and eastern Massachusetts area for many years.

Over all this time The Bahamas has been a popular destination for our clients.

It was easy to book people there and convenient air connections. However since the pandemic our business to your country has drastically reduced. The Bahamas has become one of the most difficult countries for entry regulations.

Your Health Visa must be abolished if we are to see any increase in bookings to The Bahamas. It is too cumbersome and requires too many hassles for the tourists. When we have to advise prospective visitors about the Visa they nearly

all say to book them elsewhere. Most people simply do not have the time or will to complete the forms and pay the fees when we can easily send them to nearly all other southern countries without any hassles.

I was shocked to read in The Tribune this past few days that the Health Visa has become a money making operation for firms associated with the Government. It is not just for “health safety” reasons.

Surely this is a deception to the travel industry.

The Tourism Minister and staff who have implemented these measures must face a stark reality.

Compared to the past when there were far fewer countries with developed tourist facilities today there is far more choice for visitors and

far more flights offered.

If The Bahamas wants to stay competitive it must make it far easier to enter and the major current detriment to bookings which is the Health Visa must end now. Clients simply do not understand why they cannot just show proper proof of full vaccination at the airport check in and be then given their boarding pass. Our agents hear this every day so we are forced to book them to more welcoming destinations. In my agencies The Bahamas has now fallen to the lowest in bookings. I have always liked The Bahamas so I hope things will change immediately.

DAVID J MEYERS Portland, Maine, USA

THE TRIBUNE

CAMPBELL: SEX SLUR APPALLED ME from page one

congratulated the minister for having a “bitty” (a young girl) and stated they were not surprised by the rumours because Haitian men were known to “go with their own daughters”.

Saunders maintains her not guilty plea during her trial before Magistrate Samuel McKinney.

When Mr Campbell took the stand yesterday, he said he received information of the voice note going around by several people who sent it to him via WhatsApp. He insisted the contents of the recording were “untrue” and said he was “hurt and annoyed” by the claims, as he had “spent a significant part of his adult life protecting the vulnerable and marginalised” in society and “speaking out against gender-based violence and the protection and upliftment of women and girls” in his present ministry.

“I was most appalled as the father of three beautiful daughters and the grandfather of a beautiful granddaughter, at suggestions that I would have had sex with them,” he told the court.

“In my professional capacity it’s most embarrassing having had the privilege to represent the Bahamas as part of the United Nations speaking out against matters such as these.

“Since this I have been the butt of many unpleasant jokes and subjected to ridicule and embarrassment.”

The court was told that Sergeant 1492 Dale Strachan was the officer in charge of the Digital Forensic and Investigation Unit at the time of the incident.

When he testified, he said he had received a complaint from Mr Campbell on April 12. He said after talking with the minister, he spoke with two witnesses and extracted one WhatsApp voice note of a male voice and another audio of a female voice.

Sgt Strachan said as a result of the information received, he interviewed Saunders who was informed that she was suspected of posting a WhatsApp voice note defaming Minister Campbell’s character.

“While in the interview I asked Saunders a series of questions. Some she answered and some she said no comment,” he said. “At

the end of the interview she refused to sign.”

Sgt Strachan said when Saunders was questioned in custody, he played the voice note and she “acknowledged it was her voice” in the recording.

“I further asked her about the comments in the voice note and (whether) she verified them before posting. She said no, she got the information from other Facebook posts.

“I also asked her about the name of Mr Campbell’s sweetheart mentioned in the voice note (and) about the young lady who was (allegedly) pregnant for him. She said she had no information on who the sweetheart was.”

The officer said when he asked Saunders if the information she posted served the public’s interest, she declined to comment.

He said after further investigation, Saunders returned to the Central Detective Unit on April 25, where she was formally charged with libel.

Saunders is represented by attorney Maria Daxon.

During her cross-examination of Mr Campbell, she noted that the word “alleged” was used throughout the WhatsApp recording.

When she asked Mr Campbell to identify how many times he heard the word in the clip, he said about four times. However, he stated that in his view, he was “satisfied” that the person in the recording was not making allegations.

“In my mind she could have said ‘It is alleged’ a million times. Once she said she ‘is not surprised’ and ‘why did you do that,’ it is beyond alleged. (She) told a malicious lie in her voice note,” he said.

Mrs Daxon then followed up by asking the minister if he had any extra-marital affairs and whether he had a son. In response, Mr Campbell said when he mentioned his daughters, he spoke about them in “context” because of the allegations that Haitian men dated their daughters.

When Mrs Daxon attempted to ask Mr Campbell if he “ever had a sweetheart”, Magistrate McKinney overruled the question and said the defence could not go on a “fishing expedition”.

“This is not an inquiry, this is a trial,” he told Mrs Daxon. The matter resumes on August 4.

‘PAY PEOPLE BACK AND $3K FINE’

By FARRAH JOHNSON Tribune Staff Reporter fjohnson@tribunemedia.net A 44-YEAR-OLD businessman who accepted money from two different clients without performing the services he agreed to carry out was yesterday fined $3,000 and ordered to pay back the people he inconvenienced.

Eric Darling was arrested after he stole $9,000 from Shawn Sturrup in September 2020, which he had custody of by reason of service.

The prosecution said the accused also stole $6,100 from Donna Stubbs sometime between February and August of last year, which he also had access to by reason of his service.

During his arraignment before Chief Magistrate Joyann Ferguson-Pratt yesterday, Darling pleaded guilty to the offences.

The court heard on June 1, Mr Sturrup, the manager of a truck services company, received an invoice via email in the amount of $10,000 from Darling’s company, HBS Systems, for an eight-kilowatt solar and wind system. Mr Sturrup said he wired the $9,000, which he received from a government grant, to HBS system with an agreement that Darling’s company would commence work immediately upon receipt of the cash. However, the prosecution said no work has commenced to date.

The court was told the accused was later arrested and cautioned.

In an interview in police custody, he acknowledged receiving the $9,000, but

ERIC DARLING said his service was supposed to be completed by July. Nonetheless the prosecution said an investigation led to Darling’s secretary, who produced an email conversation the accused had with Mr Sturrup highlighting that the work should have been completed in April.

In the second case, the prosecutor said Ms Stubbs and her husband paid $6,100 in February 2020, but the woman never received any supplies. In his police interview, Darling said he shipped the equipment, but the court heard to date, the woman has not received the solar panel system from his company.

After listening to the facts, Magistrate FergusonPratt said she could not endorse or condone Darling’s actions. As a result, she fined him $1,800 for count one and another $1,200 for count two. She also ordered Darling to repay both complainants the money they gave him.

She said if he failed to do so, he would be remanded into custody for two months.

TEENAGER IS CHARGED WITH MURDER

By FARRAH JOHNSON Tribune Reporter fjohnson@tribunemedia.net

A TEENAGER was charged with murder and attempted murder in the Magistrate’s Court yesterday.

Mario Cuffe, 19, appeared before Chief Magistrate Joyann Ferguson-Prat charged with the shooting death of Gladstone Francis on June 24.

The prosecution said the accused also attempted to murder Savanna Francis that day.

According to initial police reports, sometime after 9pm, a man and a woman were at a residence located on First Street, Coconut Grove when a

light-coloured vehicle pulled up and an occupant discharged a firearm in their direction injuring them.

Both victims were taken to the hospital by a private vehicle, where the male later died. The female was said to be listed in serious, but stable condition.

Due to the nature of the offences, Cuffe was not required to enter a plea and the case was adjourned to November 30 for service of a voluntary bill of indictment (VBI).

In the meantime, the accused was denied bail and remanded to the Bahamas Department of Correctional Services.

He has a right to apply to the Supreme Court for bail.

Tuesday, July 6, 2021, PAGE 7

19-YEAR-OLD Mario Cuffe. Photos: Racardo Thomas/Tribune Staff

PAGE 8, Tuesday, July 6, 2021

THE TRIBUNE

Remembering ‘Sir Coaks’ who put Bahamians front and centre A

S The Bahamas gears up to celebrate another Independence anniversary, I wanted to take the time to take a look back in history at the man who helped to organise our very first Independence celebration cultural extravaganza.

Very much like today, as we hear local Bahamian artists making the call for an authentically Bahamian celebration event, Dr Livingstone Coakley –- who served as Minister of Education and Culture at the time – agitated for the right to ensure the celebration was truly Bahamian. It turned out to be the most successful and memorable Independence cultural event in Bahamian history.

When others suggested big American entertainers and other foreign talent to join the show, Livingstone’s daughter Jannifer told me he pushed to see an all Bahamian cast put their greatness, pizazz, cultural dynamics and patriotism on full display. And what a celebration it was!

Even though it occurred before I was born, it was one I could remember my mother (who became Miss Bahamas that year) and my Aunt Mavis Bowe (nee McCartney-Smith) talk about. It was Aunt Mavis who influenced me greatly during my formative years with her love of Bahamian culture. She loved to entertain and her home was always full of great Bahamians, cultural and political giants, who would talk about their country with much fervour and pride.

Jannifer Thurston (nee Coakley) would speak of her father’s house in this way.

Growing up with him opened her eyes to many things that have impacted her positively today. Livingstone Coakley was a gentleman, a scholar, a nation builder, Parliamentarian and a loving husband and father.

His jovial personality and love for life brought many to his Imperial Park mansion.

There, he often entertained local and international guests. His children Douglas and Melbourne (deceased), Zenovia, Theodore and Jannifer were all exposed to the greatness of their father and the grace of their mother, Marietta Coakley (nee Armbrister). Jannifer did a month-long Facebook tribute to her father leading up to Independence. People from far and near responded with love and admiration for the man affectionately called “Sir Coaks”.

DR LIVINGSTONE COAKLEY, MP

Dr Livinstone Nathaniel Coakley, CBE, JP, former Cabinet Minister and Member of Parliament, was born at Simms, Long Island, on April 3, 1925. In those days expectant mothers in Exuma travelled to Long Island to have their babies with the assistance of a midwife. There, Amos and Armenia Coakley, residents of Georgetown, Exuma, welcomed their bundle of joy, the first of two surviving children.

He was found to be ambitious and driven from an early age. He would walk some 30 miles to an after-school tutor three days a week to improve his studies. At the age of 12, while attending George Town Public School, he became a class monitor, a title bestowed on the brightest and best students, to be the teacher’s assistant.

The seed of a love for education was planted in the young Livingstone because of this. He found a passion for sharing knowledge and empowering others, a trait which lasted him a lifetime.

Livingstone went on to further his studies in New Providence. He attended the Agricultural Department, Windsor Farm; DW Davis Evening Institute; and the Bosfield Johnson Institute.

He went on to gain more knowledge in America. He studied both at Northeastern University in Boston, Massachusetts and the University of Miami in Florida.

During World War II, Livingstone served as a Sergeant and an Educational Instructor for the Bahamas Battalion. After the war, he became an assistant teacher at the Eastern Senior School, then Principal of the Glinton Public School in Long Island. He provided private tutoring for ambitious students and he even opened his home for the students who lived far away to board there, rather than make the long trek he did as a boy.

After a time, he returned to Nassau and got into the field of finance, putting his Bachelor’s of Science Degree in Economics and Accounting from Northeastern University to good use.

He worked as an Assistant

ABOVE: Livingstone and Marietta Coakley with their children Douglas, Melbourne, Zenovia Theodore and Jannifer.

BELOW: HRH Prince Philip seated next to MP Livingstone Coakley at an Independence celebration.

Manager of Centraland Limited, then Assistant Accountant for Sassoon Banking. He later accepted a position as Principal of Jordan Prince William High School, which he enjoyed for a time before becoming an Assistant Secretary at the Ministry of Finance.

In 1967, the era of Majority Rule, the Progressive Liberal Party first took the reins of Government and named Livingstone Chairman of BaTelCo. In 1968, he won a major victory and became the Member of Parliament for Exuma and the Ragged Island constituency for 19 years. He was well-loved for it. He fully enjoyed not only representing his people in Parliament, but going above and beyond to help as many as he could and make a difference in

their lives.

As a Cabinet Minister, Livingstone held various portfolios, including the Ministry of Works; Education and Culture; Tourism; Health; and Labour, Youth, Sports and Community Affairs. As Minister of Works, he focused on the construction of schools and the availability of public utilities throughout the country. He is said to be the longest-serving Minister of Education, and he worked to improve the standard of education for the Bahamian people. He motivated locally trained teachers to seek further education. Among them is Dr Leon Higgs, former President of the College of the Bahamas, who alludes to Minister Coakley’s benevolence in giving him the full scholarship he

THE COAKLEYS meet Queen Elizabeth. needed to achieve his academic dreams.

Livingstone also facilitated tertiary programmes locally, including a Bachelor’s Programme through Nova University and the University of Miami.

He took great pride and joy in being able to assist in pulling off the 1973 inaugural cultural show for Independence, attended by Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Phillip.

The best in Bahamian talent came together to pull off a breathtaking series of performances.

The Clifford Park Performance was a musical and cultural display entitled “Pages from Bahamian History”. The Bahamas Independence Secretariat was responsible for the entire Independence celebrations of 1973. The chairman was George Smith (my Aunt Mavis’ former husband and father to her daughter, Gena), who was the Parliamentary Secretary in the Office of the Prime Minister. He was also a long-serving MP for Exuma.

He was assisted by Harold A Munnings, who was the Co-ordinator.

The Independence celebrations also had an Advisory Council, and Premier Lynden Pindling was the Chairman. Many talented Bahamians were given the chance to head committees for the Independence celebrations. These included Clement Bethel for Folklore and Music; Hervis Bain, Patrick Rahming and James Rolle for Arts and Crafts; Bishop Michael Eldon for Poetry, Essay and Drama; Horace Wright for the Float Parade and Gus Cooper for Track and Field. The government spent $2 million on the celebrations.

In his obituary, these Independence celebrations are listed among his pride and joy of achievements, along with hosting the Carifta Games, and the establishment of the College of the Bahamas in 1977.

In 1987 when he retired from politics, during the Queen’s birthday honours, Livingstone was awarded the CBE - Commander of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire. He

LIVINGSTONE and his daughters at a banquet where he was honoured for serving Jordan Prince William High as Principal. has been given honorary Doctor of Laws and Doctor of Commerce degrees by Northeastern University and Fort Lauderdale College, respectively. His professional memberships include associate and Licentiate (1 and 3), the College Preceptors; and the International Society of Accountants, Washington. He has fellowship membership in the Society of Professional Teachers, London, and the Association of Accountants and Auditors, Nassau.

He served as The Bahamas’ non-resident High Commissioner to five Commonwealth countries in the Caribbean, including Antigua and Barbuda, Barbados, Grenada, Guyana and Trinidad and Tobago between July 1987 and August 1992.

The L. N. Coakley High School in Exuma was named in his honour.

In her father’s tribute, Jannifer pointed out that her father was able to achieve so much because of her mother: “It was she, as a young mother with two infant sons, who encouraged my dad to pursue his formal education in Boston while she held down the family. She was always there to be his support. I can’t tell you the number of times daddy would call home and say, ‘Marie, I’m bringing a couple people by’. Anyone who knew my dad, knew that meant a party! With no complaints, she would jump in the kitchen and knock up a feast... with the kitchen assistant (that would be me) helping to serve. I could go on all day, but I just want to conclude by saying, thank you, Heavenly Father, for choosing Livingstone and Marietta to be my Earthly caretakers!”

THE TRIBUNE

AFTER writing last week about the then upcoming clash between England and Germany at the European football championships, the extraordinary events of recent days demand a return to the subject today.

It is hard not to gloat over England’s famous victory on Tuesday against its traditional footballing rival by a healthy two-goal margin to reach the quarter-finals of the competition. The whole of Britain has been celebrating and some are now going so far as to say that beating Germany was one of the great moments in the nation’s recent sporting history.

Then, on Saturday at the Olympic Stadium in Rome, a dominant England overwhelmed a good Ukrainian side with an emphatic 4-0 score line to move into a semi-final against Denmark. This will be played tomorrow at Wembley Stadium in London, the scene of England’s triumph over Germany in the final of the 1966 World Cup. The other semi-finalists are Italy and Spain and the final will be on 11 July.

After more than half a century of footballing defeat and despair at the hands of the Germans, the joy of defeating them WHATEVER people may feel about the rift between Prince William and Prince Harry following the latter’s decision to drop out as a working member of the Royal Family and move to California, most will surely hope the brothers can achieve some form of reconciliation. They are said to have had a strained relationship after a couple of years of rows over Harry’s wife Meghan and her alleged bullying of staff which is now under formal investigation - together with her own claims of racism and being abandoned by Buckingham Palace staff.

Some people have labelled this a feud, with Harry saying the two are now on different paths.

But observers will have been disappointed if they were looking for drama at last week’s low-key unveiling by the brothers

Tuesday, July 6, 2021, PAGE 9

The Peter Young column on home soil has been amazing amid scenes of jubilation and partying into the night not seen for a long time. The icing on the cake was the later stunning victory over Ukraine that put England into a semi-final of a major football competition for the first time for 25 years, with a high quality of football - six goals in the last two matches and, thanks to a strong defence and an outstanding goalkeeper, without conceding a single goal during the course of the tournament.

England’s 1966 World Cup victory set the seal on the so-called ‘Swinging Sixties’ in Britain. This was seemingly a golden period in the life of the nation, signifying the end of traditional unwanted restraint in society – together with class consciousness and division going back to the Victorian era – and the beginnings of greater social freedom throughout the land.

Fast forward to the present when, throughout Britain, millions of people of all races and creeds are sharing in the excitement and satisfaction of supporting the national team and revelling in its success. Britain is a multi-racial nation and proud of it. United in a sense of euphoria, people’s interest in the national team’s fortunes induces a welcome spirit of solidarity and unity in a display of patriotism and love of country that strengthens social cohesion.

In advance of the championships, the England manager, Gareth Southgate, penned an open letter to football fans explaining his players’ sense of pride in representing their country. But patriotism remains a dirty word among the socalled metropolitan elite who shamelessly seek to

conflate it with nationalism which means something quite different; namely, the ugly side of allegiance to one’s country based on a belief of superiority that can result in aggression towards other countries.

What football surely shows is that, despite the accusations of Black Lives Matter and of woke zealots about racial division and discrimination, most people cherish the history of their country – regardless of its accepted blemishes – and appreciate and support what it stands for today.

What is more, just take a look at the racial diversity of the current English team with its mixed race makeup. The realisation that all of these players have reached the pinnacle of their sport irrespective of their different backgrounds surely does more to bring about racial harmony than endless lectures about critical race theory and supposed unconscious bias.

On a broader front, even though such a connection can seem far-fetched, it is interesting to link pride in the national team and the new sense of optimism with other positive developments in the country such as its imminent release from more than a

TIME TO KISS AND MAKE UP, BOYS of a statue in London in memory of their beloved mother, Princess Diana, on what would have been her 60th birthday. It must have been encouraging for those who wish The Queen and her family well to see William and Harry put aside any personal animosity at the small private ceremony and join together in paying tribute to their mother.

This was to celebrate her life, to honour her memory and to ensure that her role in support of humanitarian causes and her place in history will be remembered by future generations.

The ceremony was attended by Diana’s immediate family and lasted about an hour. Reportedly, the Princes wanted

AS THE US PACKS UP AND GOES HOME, WHAT NEXT FOR THE AFGHANS? AFGHANISTAN is in the news again following the early withdrawal last week of US and other NATO countries’ troops.

President Biden had recently announced that they would be gone by September, the anniversary of the 9/11 attacks on the US in 2001.

The withdrawal brings to an end the nation’s longest war in history which cost nearly 2,500 American lives.

Backed by close allies like Britain, the US invaded Afghanistan in late 2001 in response to the 9/11 attacks with the objective of dismantling the terrorist organisation al-Qaeda which had perpetrated them. This was partially achieved by later killing Osama bin Laden, the mastermind of al-Qaeda’s operations.

The US-led combat mission was declared over by 2015 but large numbers of troops remained to train and assist Afghan security forces who were battling – as they continue to do – against the socalled insurgent forces of the Taliban. The Bagram Airfield base, which was the centre of US military activity for 20 years, has

Wonderful as all this is, however, people ask why it is seen as being important in a wider sense.

Last week, I suggested international football is more than just what happens on the field of play.

The power of the game to move an entire nation should not be underestimated. In so many countries, including Britain, people’s fascination with it –- as a truly global sport –transcends the game itself.

Far from being a trivial pursuit of trying to kick a ball into a net with your opponents attempting to stop you, in the overall grand scheme of things football matters because the game dominates the thinking, hopes and dreams of millions of ordinary people almost worldwide.

They support and associate themselves with teams at the club level as well as their national side as a symbol and reflection of their country’s identity and culture, so that a close relationship develops between football and the idea of nationhood. The fortunes of these teams are important in the everyday lives of so many to the extent that success or failure can determine the national mood.

For example, historians say

been vacated and military equipment removed.

But, reportedly, a security contingent will remain in order to protect US diplomats and to help keep Kabul international airport open.

Some critics are now saying there has been no definitive ending to the Afghan war - no surrender, no peace treaty, no final victory and no decisive defeat.

So, what will happen next?

Most observers believe that, once foreign forces have left, Afghanistan will deteriorate into a deeper civil war, with an emboldened Taliban, which already controls large swathes of the country, coming out on top.

There is insufficient space today to analyse this further. But, as the country faces the bleak prospect of continuing conflict within its borders, the sad fact is that, even after the expenditure of so much blood and treasure, to all intents and purposes the Western powers’ 20-year mission achieved relatively little – and, even allowing for the difficult and challenging circumstances, ultimately it may be judged by history to have been simply a colossal failure.

to avoid the limelight. So there were no speeches but a joint statement was released saying, in part, that ‘Our hope is this statue will be seen forever as a symbol of her life and legacy. We remember her love, strength and character – qualities that made her a force for good around the world, changing countless lives for the better’. The sculptor of the larger-than-life statue, Ian Rank-Broadley, is well known for designing the Armed Forces Memorial at the National Arboretum in Staffordshire in the West Midlands of England.

He is also responsible for the image of The Queen that has appeared on all coins in the UK and the

Commonwealth since 1998.

The eight-foot bronze sculpture is in the Sunken Gardens created at the request of King Edward VII in 1908 at Kensington Palace which had been Diana’s home. The informal statue, designed to reflect what Diana was like in her short life, shows her with her arms around two children with another little boy behind her. According to reports, it was intended to show – with these ethnically diverse children – her friendly and gregarious nature; and, in the words of a spokesperson for Kensington Palace, it represents the ‘universality and generational impact of the Princess’s work’. It is

said that, being unhappy in her personal life, Princess Diana felt an instinctive affinity with others who were suffering in one way or another and was always ready to comfort them.

Inevitably, there have been raised eyebrows about the brevity of Harry’s rushed visit to the UK of one week that included a coronavirus quarantine period of five days. So, since he attended a charity event as well as the statue ceremony, the presumption is that he had little time to see either The Queen or his father, Prince Charles.

Harry is said to have found personal freedom. Others regard his so-called escape with his wife to California as a refusal to meet his

year of coronavirus pandemic restrictions – with the new Health Secretary quoted as saying COVID19 cannot be eliminated so we have to learn to live with it. Then there is the recent prediction by the OECD that Britain’s economy is set to grow by some seven percent this year together with the finding by the CBI (Confederation of British Industry) of a new surge in manufacturing output. Add to that, as just one example, a huge new post-Brexit investment in the UK by car giant Nissan and the picture looks rosier by the day – with a discernible change of the public mood.

‘The Lion Roars’ was one headline in the UK press last week. Can it be justified? Some say ‘yes’ because of England’s latest victories. But, on a broader front, only time will tell. As was shown in 1966, football has the power to unite a nation and create a mood of buoyancy throughout it.

So, what is for sure is that, if England beat Denmark tomorrow and then go on to lift the trophy as footballing champions of Europe, the boost to the country across-the-board will be incalculable – such is the influence of the ‘beautiful game’! obligations and duty as a senior member of the Royal Family.

It is sobering to realise that Diana’s sons are now about the same age as she was at the time of her death. Despite her shortened life, by common consent she won a place in the nation’s heart because of her gift for humanity, compassion and empathy.

Could it just be that the unveiling of a statue to honour her might herald a more cordial and peaceful time for the Royal Family after the recent friction generated by the Harry and Meghan controversy and the sadness of the passing of the Duke of Edinburgh?

All who honour The Queen and value her extraordinarily effective role as the longest serving monarch in British history will pray for reconciliation within her family.

PAGE 10, Tuesday, July 6, 2021

THE TRIBUNE

TROPICAL STORM ELSA TO HIT FLORIDA KEYS TODAY HAVANA Associated Press

TROPICAL Storm Elsa swept over western Cuba with strong rain and winds Monday, and forecasters said it would move on to the Florida Keys today and Florida’s central Gulf coast

by Wednesday.

The storm was moving over mainly rural areas to the east of Havana after making landfall

near Cienega de Zapata, a natural park with few inhabitants.

By late afternoon, Elsa’s maximum sustained winds had slowed to 50mph. Its core was about 45 miles southeast of Havana and moving to the northwest at 14mph.

Though the capital was expected to miss the brunt of the storm, many people in Havana were staying in place.

“For now, I staying at home. We have to wait for the night and see exactly what happens,” Aida Herrera, who lives next to the Malecon boulevard facing the sea, told The Associated Press.

Elsa had spent Sunday and much of yesterday sweeping parallel to Cuba’s southern coast before heading on to land, sparing most of the island from significant effects.

As a precaution, Cuban officials had evacuated 180,000 people against the possibility of heavy flooding from a storm that already battered several Caribbean islands, killing at least three people.

The US National Hurricane Center said the storm was expected to move back over the sea

by Monday night and then head for Florida. Tropical storm warnings were

posted for the Florida Keys from Craig Key westward to the Dry Tortugas and for the west coast of Florida from Flamingo northward to the Ochlockonee River.

Elsa was a Category 1 hurricane until Saturday morning, causing widespread damage on several eastern Caribbean islands Friday as the first hurricane of the Atlantic season. The storm

caused the deaths of one person on St. Lucia and of a 15-year-old boy and a 75-year-old woman in separate events in the Dominican Republic.

Elsa is the earliest fifthnamed storm on record and also broke the record as the tropic’s fastest-moving hurricane, clocking in at 31mph Saturday morning, said Brian McNoldy, a hurricane researcher at the University of Miami.

Rescuers search in rubble after demolition - but storm approaches SURFSIDE, Florida Associated Press RESCUERS searched through fresh rubble yesterday after the last of the collapsed Florida condo building was demolished, which allowed crews into previously inaccessible places, including bedrooms where people were believed to be sleeping at the time of the disaster, officials said.

But they faced a new challenge from thunderstorms that hit the area as Tropical Storm Elsa approached the state.

Three more victims were discovered in the new pile, Miami-Dade Assistant Fire Chief Raide Jadallah told family members, raising the death toll to 27 people.

Another 118 people remain unaccounted for.

The demolition late on Sunday was crucial to the search-and-rescue effort, officials said, and raised the prospect that crews could increase both the pace of their work and the number of searchers at the site, although the chance of finding survivors 12 days after the June 24 collapse has diminished.

“We know that with every day that goes by, it is harder to see a miracle happening,” said Maggie Castro, a firefighter and paramedic with the Miami-Dade Fire Rescue who briefs families daily.

Teams had been unable to access areas closest to the remaining structure because of its instability, Miami-Dade County Mayor Daniella Levine Cava said.

“Truly we could not continue without bringing this building down,” she said at a news conference.

Part of the existing debris pile was also helping to support the remaining structure, City of Miami Fire Rescue Captain Ignatius Carroll said. Rescuers were still holding out hope of reuniting loved ones.

“We continue to remain focused on our primary mission, and that is to leave no stone unturned and to find as many people as we can and to help bring either some answers to family and loved ones or to bring some closure to them,” Carroll said.

The newly accessible area includes master bedrooms where people were believed

RESCUE crews work at the site of the collapsed Champlain Towers South condo building after the remaining structure was demolished on Sunday, in Surfside, Florida, yesterday.

Photo: Lynne Sladky/AP to be sleeping when the The latest forecasts specialists to drill holes for No one has been rescued building collapsed, Florida showed the storm moving explosives needed for the alive since the first hours Governor Ron DeSantis westward, mostly sparing demolition. after the collapse. said.

South Florida, but the area “As a result of the conDuring the demolition, a “We will be able to access near the collapsed building tractor who brought it loud rat-a-tat of explosions every part of that pile, experienced thunderstorms, down, he did it in such a echoed from the structure. which they hadn’t been and the National Weather way that literally we actu- Then the building began to able to do up to this point,” Service issued a severe ally were back on the fall, one floor after another, DeSantis said. “I think it’s thunderstorm warning for original pile in less than cascading into an explosion going to move the pace. Miami Beach, which is just 20 minutes,” Jadallah told of dust. Plumes billowed into I think the momentum is south of Surfside. family members of those the air as crowds watched the very strong.”

Jadallah said rescuers missing earlier yesterday, scene from afar.

Crews could be seen planned to push through. drawing applause in a rare Some residents had climbing a mound of “Now that we don’t have upbeat moment for the pleaded to return to their debris at the site Monday an issue with the building, twice-daily meetings. homes one last time before alongside a piece of heavy the only time that we’re Rescuers hoped to get the demolition to retrieve equipment that was pick- stopping is lightning,” he a clearer picture of voids belongings, but they were ing up rubble. Jadallah said said. that may exist in the rubble denied. Others wondered rescuers focused on a stairWorkers immediately as they search for those about the pets left behind. well section, but inclement began clearing some of believed to be trapped Officials said they found weather hampered the the new debris after the under the fallen wing of the no signs of animals after search, particularly in a demolition, and the search Champlain Towers South. making three final sweeps, garage area that was filling resumed around midnight, Crews, however, have including the use of drones with water. Crews had to officials said. It had been found very few voids, Jadal- to peer into the abandoned pump out water. called off Saturday to allow lah said. structure.

POPE ‘ALERT AND WELL’ AFTER INTESTINAL SURGERY ROME Associated Press

POPE Francis was “in good, overall condition, alert” and breathing on his own yesterday, the Vatican said a day after the pontiff underwent a three-hour operation that involved removing half of his colon.

Francis, 84, is expected to stay in Rome’s Gemelli Polyclinic, which has a special suite reserved for popes, for about seven days, assuming no complications, Vatican spokesman Matteo Bruni said.

The Vatican has given few details about the procedure, but an Italian

newspaper reported, without citing sources, that surgeons began the operation laparoscopically but ended up having to operate with wider incisions after encountering unspecified complications.

Monday’s brief medical bulletin — which came more than 12 hours after the end of Sunday’s surgery and contained the first details from the Vatican — mentioned no such complications. The Holy See said the pope needed the procedure because of a narrowing of a portion of his large intestine that doctors say can be quite painful.

DIRECTOR OF SUPERMAN RICHARD DONNER DIES

FILMMAKER Richard Donner, who helped create the modern superhero blockbuster with 1978’s Superman and mastered the buddy comedy with the Lethal Weapon franchise, has died. He was 91.

Lauren Shuler Donner, his wife and producing partner, told the Hollywood trade Deadline that Donner died yesterday.

Donner gained fame with his first feature, 1976’s The Omen. A then-unheardof offer followed: $1m to direct 1978’s Superman.

Donner channeled his love of the character into making the film, repeatedly facing off with producers over the need for special effects that would convince the audience that a superhero could

really fly. In the title role, Donner cast Christopher Reeve.

The heads of Marvel Studios and DC Entertainment both worked for Donner when they were starting out.

Steven Spielberg, who produced The Goonies, said: “Dick had such a powerful command of his movies, and was so gifted across so many genres.

Being in his circle was akin to hanging out with your favorite coach, smartest professor, fiercest motivator, most endearing friend, staunchest ally, and — of course — the greatest Goonie of all. He was all kid. All heart. All the time.

I can’t believe he’s gone, but his husky, hearty laugh will stay with me always.”