07072020 BUSINESS

business@tribunemedia.net

TUESDAY, JULY 7, 2020

$3.72 Treasurer blasts govt on financial resource failure By NEIL HARTNELL Tribune Business Editor nhartnell@tribunemedia.net THE Public Treasury’s top official blasted the government for failing to provide sufficient resources to improve financial management and cash flow. Eugenia Cartwright, the treasurer, in a memorandum that was revealed with yesterday’s publication of the government’s financial statements for the year to end-June 2017, said the Ministry of Finance’s “nonapproval of funding” had delayed the roll-out of the Treasury Financial Accounting system on Abaco. Pointing out that the island was (preHurricane Dorian) the government’s then-second highest revenue earner after New Providence, Ms Cartwright said the delay had hindered efforts to improve timely financial reporting and cash flow. And she warned that the Public Treasury’s training room equipment “no longer functions” with efforts to obtain financing for its replacement again falling on deaf ears at the Ministry of Finance. This was despite repeated requests from other government agencies to be trained in principles of sound financial management. Referring to training conducted for the heads of all government departments in Abaco, and revenue agency staff, Ms Cartwright wrote: “Both training sessions in Abaco were done in preparation for the roll-out of the Treasury Financial Accounting system in December 2016, which would have improved the timeliness of reporting and also the cash flow. “However, the nonapproval of funding from the Ministry of Finance to purchase the required hardware has delayed the implementation. It is unfortunate that special consideration was not given to this area seeing that Abaco is the secondhighest revenue generating island. We trust this will be resolved in this upcoming fiscal period.” Ms Cartwright added that the Public Treasury had for several years been receiving requests to provide training for ministries, departments and entities such as the Education School Board in areas such as cash receipts, payrolls and bank reconciliations. “As you have been made aware,” she said in her report to the Ministry of Finance, “our training room facilities need to be updated

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‘New boater obstacle’ in Customs check-out By NEIL HARTNELL Tribune Business Editor nhartnell@tribunemedia.net

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EW Customs “check-out” processes have created “another obstacle to encourage boaters not to visit”, the Association of Bahamas Marinas (ABM) chief blasted yesterday. Peter Maury told Tribune Business he had already received complaints from visiting boats and yachts after Customs implemented regulatory changes mandating that all vessels departing The Bahamas first obtain a “certificate of clearance” from the agency. The ABM president, arguing that it created further unnecessary red tape and bureaucracy, also challenged why Customs was imposing fees on exiting boaters for this certificate and associated vessel inspections when this was not provided for in the Customs Management (Amendment) Regulations 2020. Lamenting the government’s failure to consult the private sector, Mr Maury questioned whether the new procedure would aid The Bahamas’ battle

Rebuilding costs ‘skyrocket’ on Dorian labour shortages By NEIL HARTNELL Tribune Business Editor nhartnell@tribunemedia.net

ABACO’S labour shortages are causing postDorian reconstruction prices to “skyrocket” by at least 25 percent, the island’s Chamber of Commerce chief warned yesterday. Ken Hutton told Tribune Business that the government and wider Bahamas “need to pull out all the stops” to meet the island’s needs given that the lack of qualified contractors and skilled trades persons could

• Marinas chief blasts ‘clearance’ change • Challenges levying of pre-departure fee • US Independence activity down 40-50%

against drug and firearms trafficking plus illegal fisheries poaching given that criminals were unlikely to willingly present themselves to Customs before departing this nation’s waters. He argued that The Bahamas was effectively “penalising the law abiding and failing to catch the lawbreakers” through a procedure that took effect from July 1, which was just before the US Independence holiday weekend that is traditionally one of the busiest times for local marinas. Marlon Johnson, the Ministry of Finance’s acting financial secretary, told this newspaper that the “certificate of clearance” was designed to ensure all pleasure craft entering The Bahamas’ waters paid due cruising permit fees. Given that these are based on the time a vessel remains here, he argued that the procedure - passed by the House of Assembly as part of the recent budget debate - would enable the

government to accurately determine and levy the appropriate fee. Mr Maury, meanwhile, said Bahamian marinas over the weekend generally appeared to have received “50-60 percent” of the US Independence holiday business volumes generated pre-COVID-19. While acknowledging that “it’s by no means going to save the country”, the association president added that “at least it’s better than zero” - which was what the sector and entire country had to endure at the peak of the COVID-19 lockdown. While marinas will “not take profits to the bank”, Mr Maury said the weekend’s performance had been enough to suggest The Bahamas may enjoy an extended summer season (hurricane depending) with marinas able to earn sufficient to meet their obligations and stay in business until the peak season resumes in late November. Although “the flow of

A TOP insurer says Bahamian underwriters will find it increasingly difficult to survive “long-term” unless they diversify into other territories. Patrick Ward, Bahamas First’s president and chief executive, told Tribune Business in a recent interview that the increasing severity and frequency of hurricanerelated losses meant no property and casualty insurer could afford to have their “eggs in one basket”. He pointed to Bahamas First’s recent experience with Hurricane Dorian, and its earlier expansion into the Cayman Islands, as evidence of why risk diversification into other territories is becoming critical. The insurer’s recentlyreleased annual report shows that $3.719m in net

KEN HUTTON double the time taken to rebuild while “pricing out” many Bahamians. With skilled contractors saying they have client waiting lists of “about a year”, he argued that the sheer extent of Dorian’s devastation - and the required reconstruction - meant that the island needed an influx in the “hundreds” to speed up its rebound. Describing the recent controversy over the Baker’s Bay Golf & Ocean Club’s decision to bring in

135 Mexican construction workers as an example of this problem, Mr Hutton said The Bahamas had not choice but “to take a hit” for both that project and wider reconstruction efforts. He argued that Abaco needed Baker’s Bay to be restored and re-opened “as quickly and possible” given its status as the socalled anchor project for the Marsh Harbour area, having employed more than 1,000 Bahamians prior to Dorian and COVID-19.” Mr Hutton said that if this required bringing in specialist expatriate labour “that’s what we have to do”, adding that time is running out for “a decision to be made” on how Abaco’s workforce weaknesses are to be addressed. While the COVID-19 lockdown “never really halted” construction efforts on the Dorian-ravaged

• Bahamas First chief: Survival difficult in one market • Cayman affiliate slashed loss by $3.7m post Dorian

PATRICK WARD profits generated by its Cayman-based general and life insurance operations in the 12 months to end-2019 helped to cushion an $8.897m net loss in The Bahamas that was produced by Dorian’s record-setting claims. This reduced Bahamas

traffic has been good”, Mr Maury told Tribune Business: “We had a lot of complaints about the about the new Customs policies. Customs wants the boats to checkout with them to see if they have illegal ammunition and under-sized fish on board. “My point to the Customs officer was: ‘I’ve been alive for 50 years, The Bahamas has been here for 400 years. How many people have checked out with you with drugs, illegal crawfish, ammunition and alcohol on board?’ The answer was: None. “It’s not supposed to be a fee, but it’s a way for Customs to get money from them [boaters]. This is just another obstacle to encourage boaters not to come to our country. Stupid,” he added. “They don’t consult with the private sector. We have the answer under the ABM through the entry portal that they fill out, and Customs can get all that information, but they have to come back

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• Chamber chief: Prices spiking at least 25% • Best contractors have year-long waiting lists • Says do whatever it takes over Baker’s Bay

Insurers warned: Do not keep ‘eggs in one basket’ By NEIL HARTNELL Tribune Business Editor nhartnell@tribunemedia.net

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First’s group-wide net loss to some $5.08m, and Mr Ward told this newspaper: “It demonstrates how important it is to have a diversified portfolio..... “In a year when underwriting results in The Bahamas were significantly negatively impacted by Dorian, Cayman cushioned that and allowed is to have a much better result than if all our eggs were in one basket.” Mr Ward said both territories in which Bahamas First operates are highly unlikely to be struck by the same hurricane, and he added: “It worked out exactly as expected because of the fairly small level of correlation between The Bahamas and Cayman for the same loss to impact both territories.

“We felt it [the Cayman expansion] would be a counterweight like it is today when the results in The Bahamas are not so good and vice versa.” Asked how vital geographical risk diversification will be to Bahamian property and casualty insurers going forward, Mr Ward added: “It’s extremely important. “Over time I think it’s very difficult for insurance companies in markets like The Bahamas, where you have a high level of frequent catastrophic losses, to trade as a single market operator without having difficulties long-term.” Mr Ward, meanwhile, said Bahamas First had been able to prevent an

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island, the chamber president said the labour shortage was being worsened as many second homeowners were returning to the island seeking to rebuild with the re-opening of The Bahamas’ borders. He added that a lack of suitable worker housing was another dilemma for rebuilding efforts, although proposals for a “man camp” and forms of temporary accommodation are already coming from the private sector. “Many home owners have returned, both locals and second home, but the problem is there’s no labour here,” Mr Hutton told Tribune Business. “There’s a real shortage of labour, and exacerbating that is the shortage of housing to accommodate them. “I understand there are a couple of solutions; a man camp and temporary

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MICHELE FIELDS

Health insurer’s Bahamas exit to be ‘orderly’ By YOURI KEMP Tribune Business Reporter ykemp@tribunemedia.net REGULATORS yesterday said they expect a “very orderly wind-down” of a Bahamas-based health insurer as it readies to exit the market by December 2021. Michele Fields, the Insurance Commission’s superintendent, confirmed to Tribune Business that Generali Worldwide had given formal notice of its intention to cease doing business in The Bahamas and leave the jurisdiction. “Generali Worldwide have given us advice that they plan to leave the jurisdiction,” she said. “I think it will be over a course of a year, so they will not renew policies after a certain date. “Their policies are generally one-year policies, and so as policies expire they won’t renew them. This will be a very orderly exit from the market.” Generali executives declined to comment when contacted by this newspaper yesterday, but insurance industry sources confirmed it had notified both clients and the industry of its plans. Generali entered the Bahamian health insurance market in 2007 when it acquired the client portfolio previously owned by the former British American Insurance Company. That followed a management-led buyout of the latter that was spearheaded by now-opposition deputy leader, Chester Cooper. The underwriter, which focuses on group or employer-sponsored plans, has struggled to make major inroads into the market it competing against longentrenched competitors such as Atlantic Medical, Colina Insurance Company and Family Guardian. “They have notified their clients,” one insurance sector contact, speaking on condition of anonymity, said. “When they came into the market they bought British American’s portfolio, which was low, low level. “That portfolio had been losing money left, right and

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HE Central Bank is gaining powers to appoint “a statutory administrator” over failing or “unsafe” banks, Parliament was told yesterday. K Peter Turnquest, pictured, deputy prime minister, unveiling a threestrong package of Bills to strengthen the financial services regulatory regime, said the legislative reforms were designed to better protect depositors and the wider financial system from the threat posed by poorlyrun financial institutions on the verge of collapse. He said the reforms, as laid out in the Central Bank of the Bahamas Bill 2020 and Banks and Trust Companies Regulation Bill 2020, were based on recommendations made by the International Monetary Fund (IMF) in its last reviews of The Bahamas’ financial sector that were carried out in 2012 and 2019. And they also bring The Bahamas into line with international best practice as set out by the Financial Stability Board (formerly the Financial Stability Forum) following the 2008-2009 global financial crisis, Mr Turnquest

THE Central Bank’s digital currency will be made available nationwide by the 2020 third quarter’s close, the deputy prime minister said yesterday. Unveiling reforms to the financial services regulatory regime in the House of Assembly, K Peter Turnquest said the Central Bank of The Bahamas Bill 2020 will usher in further modernisation of the country’s domestic payments system. “The Central Bank Bill provides a framework for both the issuance and regulation of a Bahamian Central Bank digital currency,” Mr Turnquest

the resolution authority to address systemic and other issues where an institution might be facing imminent failure, the Central Bank ultimately proposed an

administrative approach to resolution,” Mr Turnquest said. “The administrative approach, while protecting the interest of depositors, preserves the rights of shareholders and creditors to seek legal redress if, following an adverse review by an independent valuer, they remain of the view that the resolution process caused them unreasonable losses.” The deputy prime minister said the Central Bank of The Bahamas Bill establishes the regulator as “the sole resolution authority” for failing bank and trust company licensees, while also giving it the power to create “bridging entities” that would temporarily manage the assets of troubled institutions during their work out. The Bahamas has substantial recent experience with bank bailouts/rescues as a result of the Bank of The Bahamas saga. With two bailouts, requiring government support of $100m and $167.67m, respectively; a $40m “rights issue” that had to be totally taken up by the Public Treasury; and continued annual outlays of around $2.5m to fund

the Bahamas Resolve vehicle’s interest payments to the bank, rescuing Bank of The Bahamas can conservatively be estimated as having cost taxpayers well north of $300m and counting. The reforms unveiled yesterday are designed to limit such future taxpayer exposure, Mr Turnquest said. He added that the “substantive provisions” dealing with the Central Bank’s enhanced intervention ability are contained in the Banks and Trust Companies Bill. “For expediency of financial stability and protection of depositors, resolution of failed financial institutions would follow an administrative process with the Central Bank empowered to prepare a resolution plan and to appoint a statutory administrator to oversee the recovery or liquidation of the entity if it is determined by the Central Bank that the entity has engaged in unsafe practices in such a manner that weakens the bank’s condition, threatens depositors’ interest or dissipates bank assets,” Mr Turnquest said. He added that the costs incurred by the statutory

administrator will be borne by the subject bank, who will have the ability to carry on or discontinue its operations; stop or limit payment of the institution’s obligations; remove all offices or directors; preserve and safeguard assets; and oversee a recover plan or the bank’s sale/merger. The “bridging entity” referred to by Mr Turnquest would operate in similar fashion to the Bahamas Resolve special purpose vehicle (SPV), which played a key role in the Bank of The Bahamas bail-out. Such an entity would be licensed for two years, with its life able to be extended for a further three. The Central Bank will thus be able to own shares in a troubled bank through such a “bridging entity” for up to five years, with the latter used as a vehicle to dispose of assets and liabilities as the statutory administrator sees fit. The Banks and Trust Companies Bill also allows the statutory administrator to transfer the troubled bank’s assets, rights and liabilities to a specially-incorporated asset management vehicle.

Sand Dollar available on a national basis by the end of the third quarter this year.” The Bahamian digital dollar is currently being trialled on both Exuma and Abaco ahead of its planned national roll-out. The testing phase is understood to have been somewhat delayed by the COVID-19 pandemic and associated lockdown, but the initiative is seen as key to improving financial inclusion and transaction certainty. “The Central Bank of The Bahamas Bill further opens up participation in domestic payments and settlements to non-banks such as credit unions, MTBs (money transmission businesses) and payment services firms,” Mr Turnquest added. “These will all be permitted to maintain settlement accounts at the Central Bank and be equipped to direct their own payments

through the ACH (Automatic Clearing house) and RTGS (Real Time Gross Settlement System).” Mr Turnquest added that the Central Bank of The Bahamas Bill also included reforms that seek to improve governance arrangements between the government and the regulator. These involve “more stringent provisions” on the Central Bank’s short-term lending to the government and public sector - a sharp contrast to the present regime, where “no comprehensive balance sheet limits currently exists”. Mr Turnquest said: “Short-term advances and other forms of credit would be capped at 30 percent of the estimated revenues of the government, and always subject to market interest rates. “To be clear, this constrains the bank’s capacity

to lend to amounts that are significantly below the peak exposures of the mid-point of the last decade, while leaving just modest headroom for bridge financing in the current economic environment. “By extension, it maintains the weight of the domestic debt management strategy on borrowing from non-Central Bank resources.” The Central Bank of The Bahamas Bill will also provide a governance framework for the management of the dormant account funds, which are the inactive deposits placed under the regulator’s control. This will oversee how the funds are to be invested, and the provisions for the return of dormant funds subsequently claimed by their beneficial owner or transferred to the treasurer. Turning to the Protection

of Depositors (Amendment) Bill, Mr Turnquest said this widens membership in the Deposit Insurance Corporation (DIC) to include credit unions so that their depositors are protected up to a maximum of $50,000. He added: “To optimise flexibility around adequacy of funding for the scheme, the DIC would be authorised to vary the premium rate for coverage based on prescribed criteria including a member financial institution’s risk profile, and to borrow from the government to satisfy claims obligations.” “With regard to the safety and soundness of member institutions, the DIC would also be empowered to delegate rights to the Central Bank to undertake supervisory examinations, specifically, on the former’s behalf.”

Legal reforms tighten ‘failing’ bank oversight BY YOURI KEMP | TRIBUNE BUSINESS REPORTER YKEMP@TRIBUNEMEDIA.NET

said yesterday. “Given the impact that a failed institution could have on financial stability, together with the need for swift intervention by

Digital B$ rolled-out nationally by Q3 end By NEIL HARTNELL Tribune Business Editor nhartnell@tribunemedia.net

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added. “The Sand Dollar, as the instrument has been called in the pilot phase underway, will provide for an interoperable digital payments infrastructure. “It will permit all supervised domestic institutions to provide digital financial services on a nationally integrated platform. In so doing, it would promote accelerated outcomes for inclusion and access to financial services, and would offer a platform for domestic FinTech (financial technology) innovations. “With intensive work underway on the technology infrastructure, and attention to key matters of regulations now in sharp focus, the Central Bank is preparing to make the

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Tuesday, July 7, 2020, PAGE 3

Tour providers fear COVID exposure By YOURI KEMP Tribune Business Reporter ykemp@tribunemedia.net FAMILY Island tour providers yesterday said they fear being exposed to COVID-19 as business levels range from non-existent to 50 percent of pre-pandemic levels. Glenrick Rolle, owner/ operator of Glenrick’s Water Taxi Services on Bimini, told Tribune Business: “Things are good, but this Florida crowd has me scared. It has me a little scared and I have to use my common sense now and try to protect myself.” He added that the COVID-19 virus is an “invisible thing”, and someone may become infected and not realise it for up to a week after coming into contact with a carrier. However, Mr Rolle said he had eight tours booked yesterday, and added: “I could do a little more but my capacity is only 15 per trip, and I don’t want to carry more than that. “As far as the people coming, we have to deal with them, but it is just

Health insurer’s Bahamas exit to be ‘orderly’ FROM PAGE ONE

centre, and as soon as their [BAF Financial’s] noncompete clause was over they re-entered the health market with a more suitably-priced health product.” The source suggested that Generali had managed to clean-up the portfolio it

that we have to protect ourselves. So everyone has their masks on and we try to social distance as much as possible, and just hope for the best and pray for the best.” Mr Rolle said all tourismrelated operators on Bimini are running at 50 percent volumes compared to what they had pre-COVID-19 and “maybe less than that during the week. That’s 50 percent on the weekends”. He added: “It doesn’t matter what we say; the prime minister has a tough decision. He has to balance the economy and the health, and I wouldn’t want to be in his position.” Yan Turnquest, owner/ operator of Yan Turnquest Fishing/Tour Charter, said of the re-opening: “We need it, but in one way it’s good and in another way it’s bad. “This downturn has impacted me a lot. I do tours and stuff for tourism, and I haven’t had any since March, so it’s on the down slope. We have to do our safety protocols for everybody. Like I said, it is good and it is bad, but we hope everybody follows

the rules. A lot of people were calling, but no one has confirmed. I am hoping that things will pick up soon.” Mr Turnquest said most of his business comes from persons visiting various places on Long Island. “I get Canadians and some Europeans, and a few from the United States,” he added. “I have some natives booked in for the Independence weekend, but I have no foreigners booked in. I had a booking for July 8, which was a drop-off to Georgetown, Exuma, but they cancelled and told me that they were going to fly instead. But I haven’t had anything else booked otherwise.” Sharon French, manager of the Eleuthera Outdoor Centre, in an e-mailed response said: “The virus has had a tremendous impact on our business. Every tour we had cancelled in a two-day time span, going from the busiest month we ever had to a dead stand-still. “We have found new ways and implemented new procedures to make sure our guides and our guests are safe.”

inherited, and had sought to attract clients by offering deep premium discounts, but there appeared to be little interest from Bahamasbased rivals in acquiring it ahead of the company’s planned December 2021 departure. They added that remaining health insurers seemed to be waiting for Generali clients to come to them, adding that the company seemed to be an ill-suited fit for its new parent, Utmost Worldwide, an

insurance-based investments product provider, which acquired the former’s global operations in 2018. Utmost’s latest published financial statements, for the 12 months to year-end 2018, showed that Generali’s Bahamas business generated $3.209m in net profits that year based on $29.422m worth of gross premiums. That represented an improvement on the prior year’s $286,000 net loss on the back of $25.965m in gross premiums written.

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PAGE 4, Tuesday, July 7, 2020

‘New boater obstacle’ in Customs check-out FROM PAGE ONE

and check out with Customs. It’s another way for Customs to bill them.” Mr Maury said he “already has boats being charged” a fee for the certificate of clearance, and added: “It’s happening now. One officer said they’re not going to inspect the boat for free. It’s amazing. “I asked them what’s the point, and they said it’s to watch out for things like illegal guns, ammunition and fish. I said: ‘You really think the guys poaching are going to be checking in with you?’ “They’re penalising the people that are not breaking the law but are not catching those who are breaking the law. We’re making the law-abiding come in, check in and pay more. That is going to cause them to go to the Caribbean and other countries that are welcoming them instead of us,” the Association president continued. “Our slogan should be: Welcome to The Bahamas; we’ll make your life horrible’. That’s Customs’ way to solve the country’s ammunition and border problems. They’re going to bill Customs fees, get overtime and do whatever else they do. People have already had to pay but it doesn’t say anything about fees. “I asked an officer why he

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was charging them when no fee is mentioned. He replied that it was free for locals only. When I asked how much non-Bahamians pay, they replied that it depends on the officer.” The Customs Management Act’s newly-altered regulations mandate that boats entering The Bahamas on a temporary cruising permit “shall not depart” without the vessel applying to Customs for a “certificate of clearance”. Failing to comply can result in a maximum $5,000 fine upon conviction. The vessel is required to declare any firearms and ammunition present, along with all imported goods and the duty paid on them. Details on the boat are also required. Mr Johnson said Customs “has full rights” to board and inspect any vessel in Bahamian waters, and added: “The legislation was updated to require persons leaving The Bahamas to report when they do so. It requires a vessel to clear The Bahamas on departure and apply for a certificate of clearance. “I know one of the reasons for this is that the pleasure craft fee depends on time spent in The Bahamas. For us to adjudicate that properly, and keep track of their movements, they need to declare that and bring it up with Customs.” Mr Johnson said he was unaware of any fee being charged, adding that the implementation and operational details were left to Customs. Dr Geanine Moss, the Customs comptroller, did not return this

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newspaper’s e-mail seeking comment before press time last night. Mr Maury, meanwhile, said the marina industry had been sufficiently encouraged by the US Independence weekend to believe it can ride out the remainder of 2020 even though many boats came in briefly to pick up guests and provisions before heading out to sea. “It wasn’t massive; we might have been at 50-60 percent for most marinas. At least is was half of what it was in previous years,” he told Tribune Business. “It’s by no means going to save the country but in the same instance it’s nice that there’s some business happening. “It makes you feel better after three months of nothing. It’s not near where we’ve been in past years, but at least it’s better than zero. If the weather stays good and we have no hurricanes, the season could extend into some of the hurricane months, which is badly needed. “This sure means we can keep our heads above water; we have a good chance of that. We’re not going to bank anything or take profits to the bank, but we will be able to pay our utility bills, bank bills and employee bills and ride through.” Mr Maury voiced optimism that The Bahamas’ boating market will gain more confidence to travel if the country stays storm-free and avoids any resurgence of COVID-19 infections. Acknowledging that the surge in new Florida cases was “alarming”, he added: “I’m hoping we keep our borders open and protocols in place. If there’s a steady flow for the next couple of months I think we’ll be OK until the end of the year.”

Insurers warned: Do not keep ‘eggs in one basket’ FROM PAGE ONE attempted penetration of its IT system at the height of the COVID-19 lockdown without any sensitive client data being compromised. “It was one of those phishing e-mails,” he revealed, “but fortunately it didn’t get beyond that point of coming through as an e-mail and causing some disruption in the e-mail and some of our servers. “As we said in the annual report, we were able to catch it in time so that it didn’t cause complete disruption, and we were able to ensure no sensitive client date was seen or taken.” Bahamas First said in its annual report that it had managed to “prevent the complete shutdown” of its information technology (IT) system when intruders attempted to penetrate it. It reassured thousands of Bahamian insurance customers that no private financial information or personal details were obtained by the hackers, adding that the episode illustrated how the increasing postCOVID-19 reliance on

technology and IT systems will need to be matched by cyber security upgrades. Noting it had invested heavily in developing its digital platform for delivering products and services in both The Bahamas and the Cayman Islands, Bahamas First told its shareholders: “The issues that have emerged in the aftermath of the COVID-19 spread, and the operational complexities for businesses such as ours, have highlighted the need for this investment. “Ironically, as we adjust our business practices to accommodate more remote transactions and working capabilities, it has also highlighted the need to heighten our awareness and investment in cyber security.” The insurer added: “We experienced first-hand the unauthorised intrusion into our network by an outside source during the height of the lockdown period in The Bahamas but, fortunately, we were able to prevent the complete shutdown of our business and, just as importantly, protect clients’ personal information and sensitive data. “The world as we know it

has fundamentally changed in recent times, but with every challenge comes an opportunity, and we shall do our best to explore the ones within our reach.” Bahamas First Holdings suffered a more than $11.5m year-over-year bottom line reversal for the 12 months to end-December 2019 as Hurricane Dorian turned the prior year’s $9.277m profit into a $2.376m total comprehensive loss. Net losses stood at $5.08m, but a $1.95m gain on the value of its land and buildings, coupled with a $799,433 increase in the value of its securities and other investments holdings, helped to cut the former figure by more t than half tom produce the comprehensive bottom line result. Bahamas First’s annual report revealed that it incurred some 2,250 claims, worth more than $300m in gross settlement payouts, as a result of the Category Five storm’s direct strike on Abaco and Grand Bahama. The bulk of these losses will have been picked up by the Bahamian underwriter’s international reinsurance partners.

Chinese diplomat derides UK’s move to offer HK citizenship LONDON Associated Press THE Chinese ambassador to Britain accused Prime Minister Boris Johnson yesterday of meddling in China’s affairs by offering citizenship to three

million people from Hong Kong following the imposition of a national security law. Ambassador Liu Xiaoming defended his country’s new national security law against accusations it’s aimed at eroding Hong Kong’s considerable

17th June, 2020.

autonomy and curbing dissent. Liu pointed out that the UK handed control of the city that was a British colony for more than a century back to Beijing in 1997. “This move constitutes a gross interference in China’s internal affairs and openly tramples on the basic norms governing international relations,’’ the ambassador said of the British citizenship offer, adding that the Chinese side has expressed “its great concern and strong opposition’’. Johnson introduced the new visa and citizenship route for certain Hong Kong residents last week after deciding China had committed a “clear and serious breach” of the Sino-British Joint Declaration that set out the transition when Hong Kong was returned to China. Johnson’s Downing Street office also urged China not to interfere if Hong Kong residents who are eligible to reside and seek citizenship in the UK want to come and said the government was “also reviewing extradition arrangements with Hong Kong’’.

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Rebuilding costs ‘skyrocket’ on Dorian labour shortages FROM PAGE ONE

housing that may be in the offing. I’m hopeful those will come online sooner rather than later. There was very little rental housing in Abaco before the storm. It’s made a bad situation worse.” Mr Hutton, who works for a hardware supplier, said building materials prices had remained steady throughout the reconstruction effort to-date. Yet he reiterated: “The cost of labour here is skyrocketing

Tuesday, July 7, 2020, PAGE 5 at the moment when you can find it. It’s gone up significantly. “When there’s a labour shortage the price of construction goes up, and Bahamians might be priced out of the market as second home owners return. “I’ve heard talk of numbers [for construction costs] from $500 per square feet to $1,000 per square feet. I’m sceptical of $1,000, but pre-Dorian they were at $350-$400 per square foot. Now it’s up to $500 per square foot. A 1,000 square foot home is about $500,000, which is ridiculous.” Mr Hutton warned that this “new reality is about to rise” as The Bahamas re-opens its borders to international travel. “We need labour, but labour

that can be afforded by the average Bahamian,” he told Tribune Business. “In terms of the good contractors, they’re talking of waiting lists of about a year right now. There’s a lot of people walking around calling themselves contractors, but they’re not, which is frightening. “If there’s shoddy work, they’re going to disappear. There’s no recourse for shoddy workmanship. That’s another thing that can happen in the disaster zone, where it’s rebuilt worse than it was before. There are some issues we are trying to address or are being addressed as best as possible,” Mr Hutton added. “We need hundreds of people up here. There’s so

much to be done; years of work to be done. I’ve said it before; I don’t think there’s enough labour in the country to do what needs to be done in the timeframe that it needs to be done. “It could take six to seven years versus three to five years unless it’s dealt with. A decision has to be made to pull out all the stops to get Abaco back up and running as quickly as possible and do whatever is necessary.” Mr Hutton said the recent controversy over Baker’s Bay’s importation of Mexican construction workers epitomised the challenges and dilemmas facing the island’s rebuilding efforts. “It remains an anchor project,” he added of Discovery Land Company’s

Great Guana Cay-based property, which has pledged to invest $400m in its rebuilding over the next two to three years. “We need to get Baker’s Bay operational as quickly as possible because it provides over 1,000 local jobs and the spin-off into the local economy is tremendous,” Mr Hutton told this newspaper. “They brought in 135 Mexicans. Going back to the labour shortage, I think Baker’s Bay needs to do whatever it needs to do to get back open and moving as quickly as possible. If that means we need to take a hit and bring in labour, that’s what we have to do. “But we need to get that property back up and running. I’m looking at the

restaurants, hospitality, marina, the shore excursions. It has a huge impact for locals and we need to get that back, that employment, which was over 1,000 Bahamians when it was operational.” Mr Hutton also voiced concern over Bahamas Power & Light’s (BPL) ability to keep electricity flowing amid constant blackouts that were affecting every part of the island even as more and more customers are restored to the grid. “The biggest issue going forward is ensuring we have the generation capacity to power everyone coming on line,” he explained. “I don’t know what they currently have available but we are going through blackouts right now.”

THE TRIBUNE

Tuesday, July 7, 2020, PAGE 7

Treasurer blasts Uber buys Postmates, ups govt on financial delivery game in $2.65bn deal resource failure SILVER SPRING Associated Press

FROM PAGE ONE as the equipment no longer functions and we have not been successful in achieving funding from the Ministry of Finance from the same. “We again call upon you to address the matter, and trust you will approve the funding so that we can proceed with these training requests without delay. Despite the inoperability of the equipment in our training room, we

were able to carry out two training sessions for the newly-recruited Family Island administrators. Ms Cartwright said the Public Treasury had been informed that the timeline for the introduction of accrual-based accounting across the government had been adjusted, and added the latter’s financial statements were “95 percent compliant” with International Public Sector Accounting Standards (IPSAS).

UBER has widened its reach in the fiercely competitive delivery market by acquiring Postmates in a $2.65bn all-stock deal, the company said yesterday. The acquisition enables the ride-hailing giant to increase its delivery offerings at a time when the global pandemic has suppressed customers’ desire for rides while boosting home delivery needs. While Uber’s meal delivery business, Uber Eats, has mostly focused on restaurants, Postmates delivers a wider array of goods including groceries, pharmacy items, alcoholic drinks

Chord Holding Ltd.

(In Voluntary Liquidation) Notice is hereby given that the above-named Company is in dissolution commencing on the 23rd day of June, 2020. Articles of Dissolution have been duly registered by the Registrar. The liquidator is (Amicorp Bahamas Management Limited, whose address is Bahamas Financial Centre, 3rd Floor, Shirley & Charlotte Street, P.O.Box N-4865, Nassau, Bahamas).

LEGAL NOTICE

NOTICE

Amsterdam-based Just Eat Takeaway.com ended up nabbing Chicago’s Grubhub in a $7.3bn deal. Uber was reportedly seeking to team Grubhub with its Uber Eats business. The food delivery sector is undergoing a major consolidation this year and more is expected. The number of people using food delivery services is on the rise because of the coronavirus pandemic, but customers tend to jump around from service to service depending on where they can find the best deal. Some restaurants are already leaving the platforms, saying the commissions — which can top 30% — are too high.

PUBLIC NOTICE

INTENT TO CHANGE NAME BY DEED POLL

INTENT TO CHANGE NAME BY DEED POLL

The Public is hereby advised that I, KENDRICK THOMAS VALENTINO WILLIAMS SHERMAN of Eastern District, New Providence, Bahamas, intend to change my name to KENDRICK THOMAS VALENTINO WILLIAMS. If there are any objections to this change of name by Deed Poll, you may write such objections to the Deputy Chief Passport Officer, P.O.Box N-742, Nassau, Bahamas no later than thirty (30) days after the date of publication of this notice.

The Public is hereby advised that I, SHAKARA LARRIMORE of Golden Gates #2,P.O.Box CB-13706 Nassau, The Bahamas, mother of RAQUON RASHAD ROLLE A minor intend to change my child’s name to RAQUON ORMAND ROLLE If there are any objections to this change of name by Deed Poll, you may write such objections to the Deputy Chief Passport Officer, P.O. Box N-742, Nassau, Bahamas no later than thirty (30) days after the date of publication of this notice.

LEGAL NOTICE

LEGAL NOTICE

NOTICE

NOTICE

Dated this 7th day of July, 2020

AMICORP BAHAMAS MANAGEMENT LIMITED LIQUIDATOR

before the Postmates deal. Grubhub and its subsidiaries had just under 23% of the US meal delivery market, according to May figures from Second Measure, a data analysis company. Postmates had about 8% of the market. “We really believe that the market is much bigger than, let’s say, the traditional delivery players,” Khosrowshahi said. “We look at groceries as a category, there’s a lot of hot food being delivered, we look at essentials as a category that we are going to go after as well.” Last month, Uber lost out in a bid for Grubhub, which would have made it the dominant US food delivery service. But

PUBLIC NOTICE

LEGAL NOTICE

NOTICE

and party supplies. “The vision for us is to become an everyday service,” said Dara Khosrowshahi, CEO of Uber, in a conference call with investors yesterday. “Postmates is a great step along that vision. Anyplace you want to go, anything you want delivered to your home, Uber is going to be there with you, and we think these everyday frequent interactions create a habit, create a connection with customers. Uber and its Uber Eats food-delivery division will gain ground against DoorDash, which controls about 44% of the US meal delivery market. That’s compared with Uber Eats’ 23% share

Sleeping Dragon Ltd.

Gomensoro Ltd.

(In Voluntary Liquidation)

(In Voluntary Liquidation)

Notice is hereby given that the above-named Company is in dissolution commencing on the 8th day of June, 2020. Articles of Dissolution have been duly registered by the Registrar. The liquidator is (Amicorp Bahamas Management Limited, whose address is Bahamas Financial Centre, 3rd Floor, Shirley & Charlotte Street, P.O.Box N-4865, Nassau, Bahamas).

Notice is hereby given that the above-named Company is in dissolution commencing on the 11th day of June, 2020. Articles of Dissolution have been duly registered by the Registrar. The liquidator is (Amicorp Bahamas Management Limited, whose address is Bahamas Financial Centre, 3rd Floor, Shirley & Charlotte Street, P.O.Box N-4865, Nassau, Bahamas).

Dated this 7th day of July, 2020

Dated this 7th day of July, 2020

AMICORP BAHAMAS MANAGEMENT LIMITED LIQUIDATOR

AMICORP BAHAMAS MANAGEMENT LIMITED LIQUIDATOR

J. Industries Limited (In Voluntary Liquidation) Notice is hereby given that the above-named Company is in dissolution commencing on the 11th day of June, 2020. Articles of Dissolution have been duly registered by the Registrar. The liquidator is (Amicorp Bahamas Management Limited, whose address is Bahamas Financial Centre, 3rd Floor, Shirley & Charlotte Street, P.O.Box N-4865, Nassau, Bahamas).

Dated this 7th day of July, 2020

MARKET REPORT www.bisxbahamas.com

(242) 323-2330

MONDAY, 6 JULY 2020

(242) 323-2320

ALL SHARE INDEX: CLOSE: 2,098.42 | CHG: 2.85 | %CHG: 0.14 | YTD: -133.18 | YTD%: -5.97

AMICORP BAHAMAS MANAGEMENT LIMITED LIQUIDATOR

BISX LISTED & TRADED SECURITIES 52WK HI 4.20 22.65 2.00 1.79 2.50 7.00 6.75 5.47 8.59 4.50 6.16 12.77 3.64 5.10 10.88 8.44 16.99 4.25 9.40 15.21

52WK LOW 3.15 20.91 0.67 1.79 1.67 5.50 5.39 2.00 5.32 3.62 5.60 11.05 2.53 2.20 8.00 7.10 13.04 3.20 8.00 13.90

PREFERENCE SHARES ########## ########## 1000.00 1000.00 1000.00 1000.00

1.00 10.00 1.00

1000.00 1000.00 1000.00 1000.00

1.00 10.00 0.90

SECURITY AML Foods Limited APD Limited Benchmark Bahamas First Holdings Limited Bank of Bahamas Bahamas Property Fund Bahamas Waste Cable Bahamas Commonwealth Brewery Commonwealth Bank Colina Holdings CIBC FirstCaribbean Bank Consolidated Water BDRs Doctor's Hospital Emera Incorporated Famguard Fidelity Bank Focol Finco J. S. Johnson Bahamas First Holdings Preference Cable Bahamas Series 6 Cable Bahamas Series 8 Cable Bahamas Series 9 Cable Bahamas Series 10 Colina Holdings Class A Fidelity Bank Class A Focol Class B

CORPORATE DEBT - (percentage pricing)

June 17th, 2020

52WK HI 100.00 100.00

52WK LOW 100.00 100.00

115.92 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 102.00

104.79 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00

SYMBOL AML APD BBL BFH BOB BPF BWL CAB CBB CBL CHL CIB CWCB DHS EMAB FAM FBB FCL FIN JSJ BFHP CAB6 CAB8 CAB9 CAB10 CHLA FBBA FCLB

SECURITY Fidelity Bank Note 22 (Series B) + Bahamas First Holdings Limited

SYMBOL FBB22 BFHB

Bahamas Note 6.95 (2029) BGS: 2015-1-3Y BGS: 2014-12-5Y BGS: 2015-1-5Y BGS: 2014-12-7Y BGS: 2015-1-7Y BGS: 2014-12-30Y BGS: 2015-1-30Y BGS: 2015-6-3Y BGS: 2015-6-7Y BGS: 2015-6-30Y BGS: 2015-10-3Y BGS: 2015-10-7Y

BAH29 BG0203 BG0105 BG0205 BG0107 BG0207 BG0130 BG0230 BG0303 BG0307 BG0330 BG0403 BG0407

BAHAMAS GOVERNMENT STOCK - (percentage pricing)

LAST CLOSE 3.17 17.43 1.62 1.63 1.67 6.00 6.68 2.76 5.32 3.85 6.16 11.26 3.06 5.10 9.72 8.44 14.50 3.84 8.97 15.20

CLOSE 3.17 17.43 1.62 1.79 1.67 6.00 6.75 2.76 5.32 3.85 6.16 11.26 3.10 5.10 9.83 8.44 14.50 3.84 8.97 15.20

CHANGE 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.16 0.00 0.00 0.07 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.04 0.00 0.11 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00

############ ############ 1000.00 1000.00 1000.00 1000.00 1000.00 1000.00 1000.00 1000.00 1.00 1.00 10.00 10.00 0.90 0.90 LAST SALE 100.00 100.00

17,000 2,000

4,000

0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00

CLOSE 100.00 100.00

CHANGE 0.00 0.00

107.31 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00

0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00

107.31 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00

VOLUME

EPS$ 0.239 0.932 0.000 0.000 0.070 1.760 0.369 -0.438 0.140 0.184 0.449 0.722 0.102 0.467 0.646 0.728 0.816 0.203 0.939 0.631 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000

VOLUME

DIV$ 0.170 1.260 0.020 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.260 0.000 0.000 0.120 0.220 0.720 0.434 0.060 0.328 0.240 0.540 0.120 0.200 0.610 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000

P/E 13.3 18.7 N/M N/M N/M N/M 18.3 -6.3 38.0 20.9 13.7 15.6 30.4 10.9 15.2 11.6 17.8 18.9 9.6 24.1 0.00 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0

YIELD 5.36% 7.23% 1.23% 0.00% 0.00% 0.00% 3.85% 0.00% 0.00% 3.12% 3.57% 6.39% 14.00% 1.18% 3.34% 2.84% 3.72% 3.13% 2.23% 4.01% 0.00% 0.00% 0.00% 0.00% 0.00% 6.25% 7.00% 6.50%

INTEREST Prime + 1.75% 6.25%

19-Oct-2022 30-Sep-2025

6.95% 4.00% 4.25% 4.25% 4.50% 4.50% 6.25% 6.25% 4.00% 4.50% 6.25% 3.50% 4.25%

20-Nov-2029 30-Jul-2018 16-Dec-2019 30-Jul-2020 15-Dec-2021 30-Jul-2022 15-Dec-2044 30-Jul-2045 26-Jun-2018 26-Jun-2022 26-Jun-2045 15-Oct-2018 15-Oct-2022

MATURITY

MUTUAL FUNDS 52WK HI 2.31 4.40 2.10 198.39 168.29 1.69 1.85 1.77 1.24 8.34 10.26 7.08 12.15 12.71 10.81 10.00 8.98 11.79

52WK LOW 1.67 3.30 1.68 164.74 116.70 1.64 1.77 1.72 1.07 6.41 7.62 5.66 8.65 10.54 9.57 9.88 8.45 11.20

FUND CFAL Bond Fund CFAL Balanced Fund CFAL Money Market Fund CFAL Global Bond Fund CFAL Global Equity Fund Leno Preferred Income Fund Leno Growth Fund Leno Diversified Fund Leno Global USD Bond Fund Royal Fidelity Bahamas Opportunities Fund - Secured Balanced Fund Royal Fidelity Bahamas Opportunities Fund - Targeted Equity Fund Royal Fidelity Bahamas Opportunities Fund - Prime Income Fund Royal Fidelity Int'l Fund - Equities Sub Fund Royal Fidelity Int'l Fund - High Yield Fund Royal Fidelity Int'l Fund - Alternative Strategies Fund Colonial Bahamas Fund Class D Colonial Bahamas Fund Class E Colonial Bahamas Fund Class F

NAV 2.31 4.39 2.10 192.52 145.55 1.69 1.81 1.77 1.07 8.30 9.90 7.08 11.27 12.71 10.23 N/A 8.31 10.01

YTD% 12 MTH% 1.04% 3.87% 0.61% 2.93% 0.50% 2.50% -1.34% 2.23% -12.71% -5.79% 1.88% 3.90% -2.26% 2.49% 0.76% 3.56% -11.03% -8.03% -0.45% 8.36% -3.20% 11.46% 2.10% 5.15% -6.17% 3.54% 2.92% 5.55% -4.66% -3.81% N/A N/A -10.90% -4.30% -18.80% -12.00%

MARKET TERMS

17th June, 2020

BISX ALL SHARE INDEX - 19 Dec 02 = 1,000.00

YIELD - last 12 month dividends divided by closing price

52wk-Hi - Highest closing price in last 52 weeks

Bid $ - Buying price of Colina and Fidelity

52wk-Low - Lowest closing price in last 52 weeks

Ask $ - Selling price of Colina and fidelity

Previous Close - Previous day's weighted price for daily volume

Last Price - Last traded over-the-counter price

Today's Close - Current day's weighted price for daily volume

Weekly Vol. - Trading volume of the prior week

Change - Change in closing price from day to day

EPS $ - A company's reported earnings per share for the last 12 mths

Daily Vol. - Number of total shares traded today

NAV - Net Asset Value

DIV $ - Dividends per share paid in the last 12 months

N/M - Not Meaningful

P/E - Closing price divided by the last 12 month earnings

TO TRADE CALL: CFAL 242-502-7010 | ROYALFIDELITY 242-356-7764 | COLONIAL 242-502-7525 | LENO 242-396-3225 | BENCHMARK 242-326-7333

NAV Date

31-Mar-2020 31-Mar-2020 27-Mar-2020 31-Mar-2020 31-Mar-2020 31-May-2020 31-May-2020 31-May-2020 31-May-2020 31-May-2020 31-May-2020 31-May-2020 31-May-2020 31-May-2020 31-May-2020 31-Mar-2020 31-Mar-2020 31-Mar-2020

PAGE 8, Tuesday, July 7, 2020

THE TRIBUNE

BODY AND MIND

TACKLING THE COUNTRY’S CHILDHOOD OBESITY PROBLEM

NEW FREE PROGRAMME SEEKS TO HELP OVERWEIGHT KIDS AND THEIR PARENTS By JEFFARAH GIBSON Tribune Features Writer jgibson@tribunemedia.net

It is an unfortunate fact that many Bahamian children are struggling with being overweight and are facing health issues and bullying as a result. And the parents of these kids are not having an easy time of it either. To help combat the negative impact childhood obesity can have on families, a local certified fitness instructor has designed a free programme to help kids get back on track. This healthy lifestyle change programme will run from July 6 to August 10 and will take an holistic approach to teaching kids about fitness and nutrition. Demetrius Clarke will focus on getting children to understand that fitness can be fun and healthy foods can be tasty. He will also be adhering to the Ministry of

Health’s dietary guidelines with his programme. “With my background in social science education and military discipline background, I will help children overcome the hurdles that prevent them from being successful in the area of health: boosting their self-esteem, building self-confidence, motivating them to go beyond ‘can’t’, and helping them to develop discipline and a winner’s attitude,” he told Tribune Health. “Being in the military for 12 years, I have always been fascinated with the psychological aspects of dieting and fitness,” he says on his Facebook page. Mr Clarke, who is also a bodybuilder, nutritionist and life coach, said he was moved to launch the programme after learning of the

startling obesity statistics in the Bahamas. “I decided to launch it because we have a high rate of obesity and borderline diabetes in our country, especially among our youths between the ages of 13 and 16. I always had a passion for helping others and coming out of COVID-19 with the added stress they may have encountered, I wanted to make sure they have a programme to help and an instructor with an ear to listen,” he said. A 2016 report by the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations (FAO) and the Pan American Health Organisation (PAHO) estimated that nearly 70 per cent of the Bahamian population is overweight. Obesity is on the rise throughout Latin America and the Caribbean, except for Haiti, the

THE RIGHT MOVES TO GET FIT

SEANEÀ BOWE, founder Caribbean Fever

By ALESHA CADET Tribune Features Reporter acadet@tribunemedia.net

When it comes getting physically fit, never take the easy way out, says Seaneà Bowe, founder of the Caribbean Fever dance and fitness brand. “Working out is just not only to look good, but it is a part of improving your physical wellness which contributes to a healthy active lifestyle,” she said. “When participating in a fitness programme, always remember that it is easy to put on weight and harder to lose weight. Therefore, never give up so quickly. Keep pushing and work hard for what you want. Anything good does not come easy, you must work for it. If you want results, consistency is key.”

FAO reported, and is particularly prevalent among women and children. The Panorama of Food and Nutrition Security in Latin America and the Caribbean noted that close to 360 million people – around 58 per cent of the inhabitants of the region – are overweight, with the highest rates observed in the Bahamas (69 percent), Mexico (64 percent) and Chile (63 percent). But finding a solution to reduce these alarmingly high numbers can be difficult “Parents with obese kids don’t have it easy at times,” said Mr Clarke. “One actually expressed she had to move her kid to another school because (her daughter) was being bullied about her weight. What really attracted my attention on the matter was when she said her daughter would

To help people stay consistent during the recent quarantine and lockdown period due to COVID19, Ms Bowe recorded videos and different workout challenges to post on Facebook, Instagram and YouTube. “Also, I was able to host Zoom workouts and weekly challenges through WhatsApp to keep my fitness group active. In my opinion, even though we were on lockdown, there were many individuals who became aware of themselves and committed to exercising, practicing proper eating and continuously strengthening their immune system. In addition, I had the opportunity to present virtually to the

Independence Church of God youths,” she said. With her Caribbean Fever brand, Ms Bowe said she strives to create an environment which is comfortable and therapeutic for the body, mind and soul. She achieves this by allowing people to express themselves freely through dance. Growing up, she said, she always had a passion for sports, mainly track and field and softball. This led her to pursue a Bachelor of Science degree in Athletic Training at Barry University in 2015. She furthered her studies to complete two certification courses in Exercise Therapy and Fitness Nutrition at

the International Sports Science Association (ISSA). “During my years at Barry University I had the opportunity to work with different high school sports teams as an intern. It was an amazing learning experience. In addition, I was the captain of the Caribbean Student Association dance team. I was able to sharpen my leadership skills during the time of leading the team. After graduating, I became a part of the planet fitness gym team and joined a fitness group called Reggae fit in Miami, Florida as a dance fitness instructor,” said Ms Bowe. In August 2017, she returned to the Bahamas to share her passion for dance and fitness.

FITNESS instructor Demetrius Clarke come home and just eat as a way to cope with the bullying,” he said. He added: “Those struggling with their kids’ weight are encouraged to implement small changes and be patient with their kids.” “I would encourage the parents to exercise with their kids and make eating healthy fun, learn to be patient with them in this matter, because it takes a psychological toll on their self-esteem, and personal and social life,” he said. For more information, contact info@bodiesbyclarke.com. Her Caribbean Fever programme includes indoor and outdoor fitness services. For indoors, she offers aerobic dance classes which allow participants to learn different cultural dances. For outdoors, she offers water aerobics, a low-impact exercise class that is conducted in a pool. “The water aerobics class is beneficial for everyone, especially those that have difficulties performing exercises on land. The water helps to decrease pressure and pain associated with movement of the body joints such as ankles, knees, hips and the spine,” she said. Ms Bowe also offers circuit training, a high-intensity workout based on a series of exercises performed in a cycle that targets different muscle groups with a short period of rest in between. The circuit usually includes a mix of cardio exercises, plyometric and strength exercises. Additionally, she is also a personal trainer and offers oneon-one classes. She said she enjoys teaching people about the importance of proper body positioning, body awareness when exercising, and guiding them on path to eating healthy. “The best part of my field is hearing a client rejoice about their progress. It is a pleasure to be in the field that I am in and knowing you can help the best way possible. The virtual platform seems to be a great approach which will allows individuals to work out in the comfort of their home while also staying safe. It’s a creative way of keeping up with clients and potential clients. In addition, it also broadens the idea of how I could attract and reach people on the other islands and around the world and not limit my services in Nassau,” said Ms Bowe.

THE TRIBUNE

Tuesday, July 7, 2020, PAGE 9

PAINLESS NERVE STIMULATION TO TREAT OVERACTIVE BLADDER

PERCUTANEOUS tibial nerve stimuation (PTNS) is a low-risk, non-surgical treatment for overactive bladder. Overactive bladder and urinary incontinence/leak affects thousands of Bahamian men, women and children. It is characterised by the frequent urge to urinate that cannot be delayed, by frequent voiding, frequent nocturia, of nighttime urination, and urge urinary incontinence/leak. The urge and frequent need to urinate often sadly controls the lives of sufferers of overactive bladder. Bladder function is regulated by a group of nerves at the base of the spine, the sacral nerve plexus. Stimulating these nerves through gentle pain free stimulation can significantly reduce overactive bladder symptoms. Percutaneous tibial nerve stimulation (PTNS) is a proven, FDA approved, innovative neuromodulation technique used in most First World countries to

effectively treat an overactive bladder. It involves stimulating the tibial nerve at the back of the ankle with a painless acupuncture type fine micro sterile needle connected to a painless low voltage emitting electrode, that stimulates the lower back sacral nerves that control bladder and pelvic floor function. This nonsurgical electrical stimulation is provided within the urologist office in outpatient procedures. The advantages of PTNS are that it is an in-office procedure with rare side effects, and it allows patients to be free of daily medications like anticholinergics that may have multiple negative side effects. PTNS provides sustained highly effective relief of overactive bladder symptoms for up to 12 months. The improvement in the quality of life of an overactive bladder

suffer can be profoundly positive with the treatment of posterior tibial nerve stimulation. Overactive bladder and urge urinary incontinence are traditionally treated with firstly behavioural modifications and medications, primarily anticholinergic medications that unfortunately have many side effects such as dry mouth and constipation and dementia in the elderly. A newer drug, Mirabegron, is efficacious in treating overactive bladder, with few side effects, but is it is an expensive medication. Minimally invasive bladder scoping with Botox bladder injections is a very well tolerated management for overactive bladder that provides effective relief for an average period of 12 months. The innovative minimally invasive procedures of both PTNS

and Botox instillations are readily available in the Bahamas through Urology Care Bahamas. Do not let your bladder control your life and rob you of your happiness. Modern advances in urology are readily available in the Bahamas with the potential of having an overactive bladder sufferer void urine every four to six hours instead of every 15 minutes. It could potentially change your life from darkness to light. Do not let embarrassment or fear keep you from seeking treatment for your bladder issues. You are far from alone; over 33 million Americans suffer from overactive bladder. Confidential, compassionate and comprehensive advanced modern urology care awaits you. • Dr Greggory Pinto is a board certified Bahamian urologist and laparoscopic surgeon. He has

Learn to read food labels HEALTH COACH ETHAN QUANT, OF ELITE WELLNESS SOLUTIONS, HAS SUCCEEDED IN HIS WEIGHT LOSS JOURNEY AND NOW WANTS TO SHARE HIS METHODS WITH THE BAHAMAS IN AN EFFORT TO FOSTER A CULTURE OF WELLNESS AND CONQUER THE OBESITY EPIDEMIC.

I remember I was well into my healthy, wellness and fitness journey when I was actually introduced to reading food labels. Never before in my life had I read food labels. I don’t remember ever seeing my parents or other family members read food labels. I had a general idea of what I wanted to eat once I looked at the front of the package. However, once I did start reading food labels I was amazed

Dr Greggory Pinto trained in Germany, South Africa and France, and is a member of the European Association of Urology. He can be reached at the OakTree Medical Center, #2 Fifth Terrace and Mount Royal Avenue. Call (242) 322-1145-7.

ETHAN QUANT

HEALTH COACH

to see what I was actually putting in my body. One of the first things I realised was that a lot of the time what’s on the food label isn’t exactly what is shown on the front of the package. See, the front of the packaging is all about marketing. It’s supposed to get you to want to buy, that’s why they have bright colours and use very descriptive words in big bold fonts. It does feel funny at first, but reading food labels helps you to choose the foods with nutritional values that you and your family need. This helps greatly in making healthy choices before purchasing food items.

Of course this begs the question, “How do you read food labels?” The serving size is a great place to start. Compare the serving size on the package to the size of your meals. Don’t make the mistake of thinking something with 100 calories is describing the entire package when it’s actually describing only one serving of that package. The nutritional facts table gives you the amount of calories and nutrients in the package. Calories give you the amount of energy you get from each serving. Check out the % daily value which range from 0% to 100%. With 5% or lower, that serving will only give you a little of a

particular nutrient. Whereas, a 15% or more daily value will provide you with a lot of a nutrient per serving. Food labels allow you to see exactly what is inside each package by showing each of the ingredients in their respective amounts. They’re also normally listed in order, with ingredients with a higher amount listed first. So how do you know what nutrients to look for? As a general rule, you want to choose food with more of nutrients like iron, vitamin A, calcium, fibre and vitamin C. And try to consume less cholesterol,

saturated fat, sodium, fat and trans fat. Make your comparisons between different items, then make your selection. Remember that proper diet and nutrition is essential to living a healthy and fit life. Reading food labels is a great way to help keep your diet on track with your health goals. If you want help navigating this or any other aspect of your health wellness and fitness journey, please feel free to reach out to me directly. • Health coach Ethan Quant, of Elite Wellness Solutions, has succeeded in his weight loss journey and now wants to share his methods with the Bahamas in an effort to foster a culture of wellness and conquer the obesity epidemic.

she said. “Right now, that is what we do in our own lives and in our own homes, continuing to do the things we know work (exercise, healthy eating habits, good quality and adequate sleep, staying connected with friends and loved ones), and letting go of the things that don’t. I encourage people to focus on what opportunities may lie during this time.” Because running is easy to do, requires no specialised equipment and can be done inside or out, it can be one of the most

efficient and effective methods of protecting ourselves from stress and anxiety. Here are key facts to know about running and stress relief. 1. Running releases endorphins The feel-good neurotransmitters interact with your brain to reduce perceived pain and trigger positive feelings that can mimic the effects of morphine. 2. Group running can promote social wellness Positive interactions with others can help us feel better about ourselves and ward off depression. That’s one advantage of supportive group running programmes like Moms on the Run, which bring together likeminded women who want to initiate or improve running skills while having fun at the same time. Members often use their workout time to catch up on each other’s lives, vent about their daily challenges and support each other’s fitness journeys. Others prefer to run safely and quietly with their groups while listening to music or inspirational podcasts, concentrating on moving, breathing and sweating as a way of releasing the day’s concerns. 3. Running need not be time-consuming Most people can obtain significant relief from anxiety by

running five times a week for a minimum of 30 minutes each time. Frequent runs are more important to your mental health than long runs, though both can be beneficial. 4. Running teaches our bodies to handle stress Because strenuous activity mimics the bodily responses produced by anxiety, it shows our bodies how to manage anxiety without getting overwhelmed, according to the APA report. 5. Running can improve our sleep Studies suggest running and other regular exercise can help produce healthier, more restful sleep and reduce insomnia, leaving you more able to cope with life demands in the daytime. 6. Running provides a sense of accomplishment The discipline and routine of running can act as a form of selfcare by raising our confidence and giving us a sense of control in an uncertain world. “Prioritising selfcare practices like exercise can result in a cascade effect of other healthy habits, like eating nutritiously, socialising with others and getting a good night’s sleep,” reports the APA. “All that can improve depression symptoms.”

Feeling stressed? Here are six ways running can address today’s anxiety If you’ve ever experienced that almost Zen sense of calm just after a workout, you understand the positive effects exercise can have on your mental health. By now, most people know about the physical health benefits achievable through running and other fitness activities. But in these mentally and emotionally taxing times, it’s more important than ever to understand how exercise can help control the stress and anxiety we feel in response. “It may seem counterintuitive that exercise, a form of physical stress, can help the body manage general stress levels,” said the American Psychological

THE UROLOGY DOCTOR IS IN...

Association. “But the right kind of stress can actually make the body more resilient. Many experts believe routine exercise is as powerful in treating anxiety and mood disorders as antidepressants.” Licenced psychologist and coach for women’s running program Moms on the Run Anshan Moore Eckard stresses the importance of channelling our stress into healthy avenues when life starts to seem overwhelming. “It is really important to focus on the things we can control,”

PAGE 10, Tuesday, July 7, 2020

THE TRIBUNE

THE BAHAMAS’ HIDDEN VICTIMS Damage control essential for children with parents behind bars Individuals who commit crimes and are incarcerated are not the only ones serving time, says psychologist Dr Valerie Knowles. Children do not often figure into public debates about incarceration, but with a prison population hovering at around 1,700 inmates means the Bahamas potentially has thousands of children silently facing their own unique set of challenges. “Having a judicially involved parent can negatively impact a child’s emotional health. Their ordinary stresses can be complicated by stigma and ostracism. There may be enduring emotional stress. In a small community, such as ours, children of the alleged perpetrators may have to interact closely with the victims, and with the family and friends of the victims,” said Dr Knowles, a behaviour management specialist. “For some, there is overwhelming shame and powerlessness. There is a daily struggle to remain emotionally strong. One young man noted that he hated the fact that his mother gave him his father’s name. Now, through no fault of his, he feels needlessly burdened and angered by the shame of his father’s alleged public criminality. Watching the news report of the crime scene, seeing the alleged victim of his father in a body bag and hearing the family’s screams were too much for him.” In the nation’s justifiable zest to fight crime, the award-winning psychologist cautioned key stakeholders – police, corrections and probation officers, social

workers, teachers and counsellors – against becoming desensitised to the trauma of parental judicial involvement which extends far beyond the prisoner. “Witnessing an arrest may be traumatic. Seeing the parent shackled in the media may be traumatic. Hearing unfounded, sensationalised stories about what happens in prison may induce anxiety and anger,” said Dr Knowles. “From the moment a police vehicle pulls up in the yard to the moment the incarcerated person is released from custody and becomes fully reintegrated, the best interest of the involved children should be considered in the decisions made. Effort should be made to recognize and respond to the traumatic elements that are involved.” Social dislocation resulting from income lost is one of these traumatic elements. Children whose parents are incarcerated could have such an experience, she warned, if the family’s income and quality of life hinged upon a parent’s illicit activities. “The loss of income from legitimate work impacts the family in the same way as loss of income from criminal activity. For the child this is not a moral issue. What the children know is that the rent has not been paid. There is no food in the house and the electricity is off. They may even have to relocate to more critically deprived and uncomfortable living situations.” Dr Knowles added: “The disruption and deprivation of

PSYCHOLOGIST Dr Valerie Knowles income loss is not easier because the money originated from an illicit source. The family may have been clueless as to the source of the income. Imagine the buildup of powerlessness, anger, shame and resentment over a period of time.” Still, not all children experience parental incarceration in the same fashion. What could be humiliating for some, might be a badge of honour for others. In the case of the latter, criminality is a justified response to an “unjust” system. “There are some subcultural community spaces where imprisonment is considered the natural, valued consequence to a

flamboyant, high risk and lucrative lifestyle. The child of the ‘fallen soldier’ receives respect from those who glorify the parent’s reputation and perceived contribution to the subcultural group,” Dr Knowles explained. “In this group, the more daring the crime, the greater the accolades. Undeniably, both sets of children, the glorified and the vilified, are vulnerable to adverse behavioral effects.” To assist with the child’s wellbeing Dr Knowles suggests helping children of judicially involved parents to clarify thoughts and feelings on events as they unfold, release themselves from blame and shame, and assist them with dismantling, where possible, the elements of negativity in their environment. Adequately preparing them for the prolonged nature of legal system involvement is also crucial. This helps the children to avoid placing their own life goals on hold while waiting for the parent’s judicial process to be completed. “Help them to identify triggers and learn positive coping strategies. The sight of a police car, a flashing light, movies, stories, birthdays, celebrations, some topics of conversations may trigger anxiety. Damage control is essential,” Dr Knowles advised. “It is expected that children who have an incarcerated parent may experience hardship. Yet there are those who manage well. These are the children who have a strong, positive, emotional relationship with the judicially involved parent. They have been

able to separate their negative feelings about the parent’s criminal behaviour from their positive feelings of the parent as a human being. These children recognize that wrongdoing has been committed and punishment has been exacted but they can still see the good in the parent. They visit the imprisoned parent and tolerate the exposure well.” Dr Knowles pointed to one case of a child who visited her father regularly during his 10-year sentence. The child, now an adult, possesses fond memories of being allowed to visit and interact with her father during his incarceration. Visitation, in this case, made his imprisonment easier to bear for the family of nine children. None of the children possess a criminal record to date, she reported. “In contrast, there are children who do not cope well. In response to parental incarceration, they self-destruct. Some try to harm themselves and some act out their feelings in destructive ways,” said Dr Knowles. Then, there are parents who do not cope well either. For many reasons, they do not want to be visited by their children. “While the crime of the perpetrator may offend us, let us remain committed to identifying and responding to the needs of the children of judicially involved parents in the best ways possible,” said Dr Knowles. “They need our help too.”

Mother-of-three fulfils dream as the ‘Clean Queen’ By ALESHA CADET Tribune Features Reporter acadet@tribunemedia.net

“Clean Queen” Donnell Reckley

While many people may look down on housekeeping and custodian jobs, the old proverb says: “Cleanliness is next to godliness”. And leading psychologists say cleaning may actually be a good exercise to improve your mental health. Donnell Miller has no time for negative attitudes towards her profession. She knows it can be the key to her success. Ms Miller operates a onewoman business called Clean Queen Housekeeping Services and she told Tribune Woman starting her own company has been one of the most liberating things she’s ever done. “I’ve always had the desire and passion to clean. As for the drive and motivation, it didn’t really come to me until last year while working as a custodian. Before I created Clean Queen Housekeeping Services, I worked for some truly awful bosses. The good thing is that by working with bad managers I learned a great deal about what a good manager should do.

“I am much harder on myself than any boss would be. When you are responsible for the lives of so many people, it drives you to be your best. When I’m not working, I almost feel guilty. I have nothing in common with lazy people who blame others for their lack of success. Great things come from hard work and perseverance, no excuses,” said the single mother-of-three. But even with her work ethic, she admits starting her own company was challenging. However, it has all been proven to be worth the hassle and stress, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic. Ms Miller said she never had to fear losing her job like so many others did. And she’s come a long way from being a troubled young woman to now being a responsible businesswoman. She said she always wanted better for herself and wanted to make a positive impact on those around her, but didn’t quite know how to achieve this until she she started her own business. Reinforcing her belief that she made the right decision in starting Clean Queen is the positive feedback from her clients. “Elaine Woodside, one of the sweetest human beings I have

ever came across once said to me, ‘You could see you love cleaning and have an eye for detail, you surely remind me a lot of myself.’ Her words, along with the doubt of former colleagues, family members and former friends pushed me and gives me even more of a fire to start (by business),” she said. “I officially started the business in October of 2019, and one of my most memorable client experiences would be providing a service to a client who had just recently come out of surgery and couldn’t clean or wash for herself. Her smile and gratitude was much more warming than money,” she said. Ms Miller’s Clean Queen Housekeeping Services offers meal preparation, dusting, sweeping, mopping, ironing, and washing. “My main goal is social change and financial success. Currently I’m a one-woman team, so going forward I would like to expand to a 10 female and male team,” she said. In the meantime, Ms Miller is also keeping up-to-date with new cleaning products and methods on the market.

THE TRIBUNE

Tuesday, July 7, 2020, PAGE 11

THE WEATHER REPORT

5-Day Forecast

TODAY

ORLANDO

High: 91° F/33° C Low: 76° F/24° C

TAMPA

TONIGHT

WEDNESDAY

THURSDAY

FRIDAY

SATURDAY

Partly sunny with a thunderstorm

A t‑storm in spots in the evening

Sunshine and patchy clouds

Partly sunny

Partly sunny

Some sun with a t‑storm possible

High: 90°

Low: 79°

High: 89° Low: 78°

High: 90° Low: 80°

High: 90° Low: 80°

High: 91° Low: 80°

AccuWeather RealFeel

AccuWeather RealFeel

AccuWeather RealFeel

AccuWeather RealFeel

AccuWeather RealFeel

AccuWeather RealFeel

100° F

87° F

101°-87° F

103°-90° F

103°-90° F

103°-89° F

High: 91° F/33° C Low: 80° F/27° C

The exclusive AccuWeather RealFeel Temperature® is an index that combines the effects of temperature, wind, humidity, sunshine intensity, cloudiness, precipitation, pressure and elevation on the human body—everything that affects how warm or cold a person feels. Temperatures reflect the high and the low for the day.

N

almanac

E

W

ABACO

S

N

High: 87° F/31° C Low: 82° F/28° C

4‑8 knots

S

WEST PALM BEACH High: 91° F/33° C Low: 78° F/26° C

4‑8 knots

FT. LAUDERDALE E

W

FREEPORT

High: 92° F/33° C Low: 80° F/27° C

N

S

E

W

High: 90° F/32° C Low: 75° F/24° C

MIAMI

High: 94° F/34° C Low: 79° F/26° C

3‑6 knots

KEY WEST

High: 92° F/33° C Low: 85° F/29° C

ELEUTHERA

NASSAU

High: 90° F/32° C Low: 79° F/26° C

Forecasts and graphics provided by AccuWeather, Inc. ©2020

High: 87° F/31° C Low: 82° F/28° C

N

High: 87° F/31° C Low: 81° F/27° C

N

S

E

W S

6‑12 knots

tiDes For nassau Low

Ht.(ft.)

10:11 a.m. 10:34 p.m.

High

2.5 3.2

4:20 a.m. 4:13 p.m.

0.0 0.0

Wednesday 10:58 a.m. 11:18 p.m.

2.5 3.0

5:04 a.m. 5:00 p.m.

0.1 0.2

Thursday

11:45 a.m. ‑‑‑‑‑

2.5 ‑‑‑‑‑

5:48 a.m. 5:47 p.m.

0.3 0.5

Friday

12:01 a.m. 12:32 p.m.

2.9 2.5

6:31 a.m. 6:36 p.m.

0.4 0.7

Saturday

12:46 a.m. 1:22 p.m.

2.7 2.4

7:14 a.m. 7:28 p.m.

0.5 0.9

Sunday

1:31 a.m. 2:12 p.m.

2.5 2.5

7:58 a.m. 8:23 p.m.

0.6 1.0

Monday

2:20 a.m. 3:04 p.m.

2.4 2.5

8:43 a.m. 9:20 p.m.

0.6 1.0

Today

Ht.(ft.)

sun anD moon Sunrise Sunset

6:26 a.m. 8:04 p.m.

Moonrise Moonset

10:21 p.m. 8:38 a.m.

Last

New

First

Full

Jul. 12

Jul. 20

Jul. 27

Aug. 3

ANDROS

SAN SALVADOR

GREAT EXUMA

High: 88° F/31° C Low: 82° F/28° C

High: 87° F/31° C Low: 82° F/28° C

N

High: 89° F/32° C Low: 82° F/28° C

E

W S

LONG ISLAND

tracking map

L

The higher the AccuWeather UV IndexTM number, the greater the need for eye and skin protection.

CAT ISLAND

E

W

4‑8 knots

Shown is today’s weather. Temperatures are today’s highs and tonight’s lows.

Statistics are for Nassau through 2 p.m. yesterday Temperature High ................................................... 90° F/32° C Low .................................................... 77° F/25° C Normal high ....................................... 88° F/31° C Normal low ........................................ 75° F/24° C Last year’s high ................................. 92° F/33° C Last year’s low ................................... 75° F/24° C Precipitation As of 2 p.m. yesterday ................................. 0.29” Year to date ............................................... 24.77” Normal year to date ................................... 14.94”

uV inDex toDay

High: 88° F/31° C Low: 81° F/27° C

6‑12 knots

MAYAGUANA High: 88° F/31° C Low: 82° F/28° C

Shown is today’s weather. Temperatures are today’s highs and

CROOKED ISLAND / ACKLINS

tonight’s lows.

RAGGED ISLAND High: 87° F/31° C Low: 81° F/27° C

H

GREAT INAGUA High: 89° F/32° C Low: 82° F/28° C

N

N E

W

E

W

H

High: 87° F/31° C Low: 82° F/28° C

S

S

7‑14 knots

8‑16 knots

marine Forecast ABACO ANDROS CAT ISLAND CROOKED ISLAND ELEUTHERA FREEPORT GREAT EXUMA GREAT INAGUA LONG ISLAND MAYAGUANA NASSAU RAGGED ISLAND SAN SALVADOR

Today: Wednesday: Today: Wednesday: Today: Wednesday: Today: Wednesday: Today: Wednesday: Today: Wednesday: Today: Wednesday: Today: Wednesday: Today: Wednesday: Today: Wednesday: Today: Wednesday: Today: Wednesday: Today: Wednesday:

WINDS SE at 4‑8 Knots S at 4‑8 Knots SE at 4‑8 Knots ESE at 4‑8 Knots ESE at 6‑12 Knots E at 6‑12 Knots E at 7‑14 Knots E at 7‑14 Knots ESE at 6‑12 Knots ESE at 6‑12 Knots SSE at 4‑8 Knots S at 4‑8 Knots E at 6‑12 Knots ESE at 6‑12 Knots E at 8‑16 Knots ENE at 8‑16 Knots ESE at 7‑14 Knots E at 7‑14 Knots E at 7‑14 Knots E at 8‑16 Knots ESE at 6‑12 Knots SE at 6‑12 Knots E at 7‑14 Knots E at 7‑14 Knots E at 6‑12 Knots ESE at 6‑12 Knots

WAVES 2‑4 Feet 2‑4 Feet 1‑2 Feet 1‑2 Feet 2‑4 Feet 2‑4 Feet 3‑5 Feet 2‑4 Feet 2‑4 Feet 2‑4 Feet 1‑2 Feet 1‑2 Feet 1‑2 Feet 1‑2 Feet 3‑5 Feet 2‑4 Feet 1‑3 Feet 1‑3 Feet 3‑6 Feet 3‑6 Feet 1‑2 Feet 1‑2 Feet 2‑4 Feet 1‑3 Feet 1‑3 Feet 1‑2 Feet

To advertise ALL your LEGAL NOTICES, call The Tribune’s Sales Department

502-2394

VISIBILITY 10 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles 7 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles 7 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles

WATER TEMPS. 87° F 86° F 89° F 89° F 87° F 87° F 85° F 85° F 87° F 87° F 86° F 87° F 89° F 89° F 84° F 84° F 86° F 86° F 85° F 85° F 88° F 88° F 86° F 86° F 87° F 87° F

SECTION B

‘MARRIAGE IS A MARATHON, NOT A SPRINT’

TUESDAY, JULY 7, 2020

FREE FACEBOOK EVENT FOR TROUBLED COUPLES

By JEFFARAH GIBSON Tribune Features Writer jgibson@tribunemedia.net How to get marriages plagued by “sweethearting”, financial stress and post-quarantine issues back on track will be the topic of the Marriage Marathon event this Friday. Those on the brink of separation, or those whose marriage problems have been exacerbated by the recent lockdowns due to the coronavirus pandemic, are being asked to take some free advice on board before they throw in the towel. This advice will come from couples from around the world and will be made available in a free Facebook event. Unique Couples, a marriage counselling resource by husband and wife Vito and Linda Patrick, is hosting this virtual conference because they believe “marriage is not a sprint, but marathon”. As they celebrate the country’s independence on July 10, Vito and Linda will also offer free help to couples seeking to improve their marriage. They will provide this content on Facebook live every hour from 10am to 3pm. “We are partnering with some dynamic married couples from around the world. We have five amazing sessions with couples committed to sharing their experiences and perspectives in order to help change the face of marriages,” Linda told Tribune Woman. The couple has also teamed up with Jason and Lovette Basden from Ontario, Canada. The event kicks off with their session, “10 Habits of a Successful Marriage”. They hope listeners will incorporate these habits in their relationship and see tremendous improvements. Ronald and Carol Nedd from Dallas, Texas will address “Money Matters in Marriage” as this is a perplexing problem that plagues many marriages, as financial stress leads to emotional stress.

TEEN TRACK AND FIELD ATHLETE IS FIRST RECIPIENT OF NEW SCHOLARSHIP With its abrupt ending, senior year didn’t shape up to be what St Augustine’s 12th grader Garryn Scott expected – recognition of her academic accomplishments at graduation, a long-awaited prom and the opportunity to repeat her

VITO and Linda Patrick of Unique Couples

“Infidelity...is a major social issue that many turn a blind eye to, but Linda and I will address this vexing problem during our talk...We are promoting the healthy marriage movement which we believe is important for our beloved country, the Bahamas.”

National High School Track and Field Championship win in the under 20 girls’ discus throw. However, Garryn’s silver lining came courtesy of the Lewis Foundation. The class of 2020 graduate is the first recipient of a new scholarship which covers the cost of tuition, room and board and textbooks for Bahamian students attending the University of Central Florida in Orlando. The scholarship is renewable up to eight semesters based on

UCF’s good academic standing requirements. “It was shocking to discover that I was chosen at first. I simply felt truly and profoundly blessed to have this unique opportunity,” said the 18-year-old who intends to pursue a biology degree. According to statistics from the American National Centre of Education, international students in the US are currently paying an average of $26,290 per year for undergraduate tuition, fees and boarding at public four-year institutions. The rising cost of higher education makes it difficult for many Bahamian students to study abroad without the financial assistance scholarships provide. “We want to express our gratitude for this opportunity because truly she didn’t think she would have been able to pursue this given the current state of the world. We are very excited and cannot wait. It’s rewarding to once again see her hard work pay off in a tangible way,” said Garryn’s mother, Yontalae Petty-Cash. With track and field practice five days per week, Garryn successfully balanced academic and athletic success throughout high school, maintaining a cumulative GPA of 3.78, an accomplishment which secured her placement on the principal’s honour roll list for six consecutive years. Last year, she won the top prize in the Department of Education and Nassau Institute’s Business Studies Unit Third Annual Economics Essay Competition.

“Parenting, as we have noted during the pandemic, has also been an issue families have struggled with, so Herb and Melissa Ford from Lima, Ohio will provide solutions during their talk on ‘Help! Married with Children.’ Marriages are constantly being attacked by one obstacle after another,” she said. “Couples who are negatively impacted have either decided to call it quits or are still struggling. The discussion on “Overcoming Obstacles: The Power of the Vow” will be led by Antoine and Deria Brown from Flint, Michigan.”

In 2019, Garryn was among eight female students chosen out of 50 nominees from across the Bahamas to be honoured by FEM STEM, a new non-profit organisation dedicated to educating, empowering and recognising girls in the areas of science, technology, engineering and math. The newly minted high school graduate hopes to become a paediatric ophthalmologist, an eye doctor for children, having herself worn glasses since she was a primary school student. “I want to help children who have the same problem as I do and are afraid. I want them not to feel overwhelmed when they visit the eye doctor,” said Garryn, who applied to UCF in March and received her acceptance letter on May 23. Shortly after, she was notified by the Lewis Foundation that she would be its first scholarship recipient. “I am aware, having gone through this process, what a rare gift it is to be afforded a full ride at a top university,” she said. “It gave me hope that my hard work throughout my entire high school years had not been in vein.” Lewis Foundation spokesperson Andrica Smith-Munroe hailed Garryn as “a phenomenal, multi-faceted young woman.” “Her academic prowess complemented by her athletic diligence make her exactly the kind of young person that the Lewis Foundation is passionate about. The University of Central Florida is an ideal institution to provide her with the tools for

And it’s no secret that the issue of infidelity plagues many Bahamian marriages and relationships, and this will certainly be addressed during the talk, Vito said. “Infidelity...is a major social issue that many turn a blind eye to, but Linda and I will address this vexing problem during our talk on ‘Sweetheart, Sidechick, Lover: How to keep them out of your marriage.’ We are promoting the healthy marriage movement which we believe is important for our beloved country, the Bahamas. This is a message we want our nation to spread to the rest of the world,” he said. Unique Couples is a resource started by the couple with one goal in mind: to build healthy relationships and stronger marriages. The Patricks, who hail from Grand Bahama and have been married since July 2003, wanted to provide fellow couples with daily inspiration and help for their marriages. This desire to help others rose after Vito and Linda found themselves at a crossroads in their relationship. “The strength of marriages and families is going to become a priority in our nation and we at Unique Couples are on a mission to help every married couple to grow stronger in their relationship,” said Vito. For more information, check out Unique Couples’ Facebook page or e-mail uniquecouplesrekindled@ gmail.com.

future success,” said Mrs Smith Munroe. “It is important to note that her field of study is a discipline much needed in our country. Our ultimate goal is to equip young people with knowledge and skill to catapult themselves further while significantly contributing to the betterment of the Bahamian society.” She added: “Garryn has expressed a desire to help others and use her discipline to better her country. The Lewis Foundation is so pleased to have an awardee that shares the same vision.” Although she will miss her family when she starts school in the Fall, Garryn is most excited about checking out UCF’s College of Medicine as well as its track and field teams. Representing St Augustine’s College last year at the National High School Track and Field Championship, Garryn placed first in the discus under 20 and came third in shotput. She had hoped to repeat her top finish this year. Her advice to 11th and 12th graders is to take school seriously. “After having been accepted to several top universities across the United States I know that it is almost entirely due to my academic performance.” she said. “High academic achievement throughout high school will open more doors and give you more opportunities than anything else can.”