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ECONOMY CRASHED $9.5BN FROM COVID THE impact of COVID19 on the Bahamian economy has been pegged at $9.5bn, according to a joint study by the InterAmerican Development Bank (IDB) and Economic Commission for Latin America (ECLAC). The “shocking” losses inflicted by both COVID and Hurricane Dorian reinforce the urgency for
By LEANDRA ROLLE Tribune Staff Reporter lrolle@tribunemedia.net
The Bahamas to become a “$15bn-$16bn” economy, warned Robert Myers, of the Organisation for Responsible Governance’s (ORG), yesterday, who said this nation rapidly needs “a 30-50 percent increase” in economic output as the twin disasters inflicted a total $13.1bn in economic losses and damage. Mr Myers said a combination of increased economic growth and “much more fiscal prudence” is needed. FULL STORY - SEE BUSINESS
DR HUBERT Minnis yesterday called on Prime Minister Phillip “Brave” Davis to “investigate” the reason why he was not invited to police Commissioner Clayton Fernander’s handover ceremony on Tuesday. “The Commissioner of Police was sworn in yesterday and many people, I’ve been told, were asking the question of why was I not (there),” the former Prime Minister said in the House of Assembly yesterday. SEE PAGE FIVE
IAN WINDER TO BE NEW CHIEF JUSTICE IAN Winder was yesterday named as successor to Chief Justice Sir Brian Moree who officially retires on August 4. The appointment will take effect on August 5. Justice Winder, who served as a partner at Davis & Co from 1998 to 2009, was described as having “demonstrated long-standing commitment to the rule of law, qualifications, experience and achievements”
that will be integral to improving the administration of justice in the best interest of The Bahamian people. A statement from the Cabinet office said: “Justice Winder served as a Justice of the Supreme Court since July 1, 2014, and as a judge of the Court of Appeal of the Turks and Caicos Islands since February 2, 2020. SEE PAGE TEN
- SEE PAGE EIGHT
MINNIS ASKS: WHERE WAS MY INVITE?
Full impact of crisis laid bare - including $2.4bn in lost wages By NEIL HARTNELL Tribune Business Editor nhartnell@tribunemedia.net
FRONT PORCH: A NEW MISSION FOR A NEW MONARCH
A SUMMER OF SPORT YOUNGSTERS take to the basketball court as part of one of many summer camps running across The Bahamas with children now out of school. See PAGE TWO for more photographs. Photo: Austin Fernander
‘I’M HERE ON MY MERITS’ By EARYEL BOWLEG Tribune Staff Reporter ebowleg@tribunemedia.net
NEWLY appointed Deputy Commissioner Leamond Deleveaux says it is “unfair” for people to assert his rise to the police force’s second-in-command came about in a bid to pacify him after being sidelined by the Minnis administration. Mr Deleveaux received his instrument of the office
ASSISTANT Commissioner of Police Leamond Deleveaux being sworn in by Governor General CA Smith. Photo: Austin Fernander of Deputy Commissioner yesterday - 24 hours after
the Royal Bahamas Police Force was handed over to Commissioner Clayton Fernander. Both men were among those who were directed to take vacation leave in 2019 and were later seconded to minor posts. Mr Fernander and Mr Deleveaux later filed a lawsuit against the government and they recently settled SEE PAGE FIVE
Nassau & Bahama Islands’ Leading Newspaper
‘SPEED UP SYSTEM ON DISASTER MISSING’
By LEANDRA ROLLE Tribune Staff Reporter lrolle@tribunemedia.net
EAST Grand Bahama MP Kwasi Thompson wants the government to consider allowing the Magistrate’s Court to hear missing persons cases “in circumstances of peril”, noting the need to make the death declaration process faster for affected families. SEE PAGE FOUR
STATESIDE: WE CAN SEE THE CRACKS
- SEE PAGE NINE
PAGE 2, Thursday, July 7, 2022
WOMAN, AGED 96, DIES OF COVID-19 OFFICIALS reported another COVID-19 related death yesterday. The victim, a 96-yearold woman, died on July 1. She was a resident of New Providence. This death, contained in the July 5th dashboard, brings the country’s COVID death toll to 821. Meanwhile, officials said there were 19 new COVID19 cases on Tuesday. New Providence accounted for 13 of the cases. There were also two on Grand Bahama, three on Cat Island and one in Abaco. Ten men and nine women were affected. As it stands, 50 people are in the hospital being treated for the virus – 49 are moderately ill and one person is in the Intensive Care Unit.
THE TRIBUNE
SCHOOL’S OUT FOR SUMMER
CHILDREN attending music,art, and sports summer camps yesterday. Photos: Austin Fernander
CLEAN-UP HELD IN BIMINI By LYNAIRE MUNNINGS lmunnings@tribunemedia.net
WATERKEEPERS Bahamas alongside 4Ocean hosted its second annual beach clean-up on Radio Beach, Bimini, where the event saw the removal of 1,500 pounds of garbage. Rashema Ingraham, executive director of WKB said this initiative promotes clean water while supporting a great cause. “This initiative is one of many that allows us to not only carry out our mandate of protecting the environment, but to partner with other organisations to support their worthy causes,” she said in a press release. WKB is a Bahamas registered non-profit organisation focused on community-based initiatives to ensure the waters of The Bahamas are safe for swimming, fishing, and drinking for future generations.
The organisation selected Radio Beach as it was considered the perfect location to promote clean water initiatives and advocate for healthier ecosystems. Alongside WKB and 4Ocean was a group of paddlers in an annual 80-mile paddle challenge, “The Crossing” - making their way to the Florida coast all to support The Piper’s Angels Foundation for Cystic Fibrosis, which raises awareness and supports families of those battling the debilitating disease. Local and international volunteers collected over 1500 pounds of trash within just one hour. “It was so wonderful to be back in Bimini working along with Waterkeepers and 4Ocean. The beach cleanup this year was a resounding success as we managed to collect 1,500 pounds of trash,” Travis Suit, founder and executive director of The Cross, said.
TEACHERS RESPOND TO GOVT By EARYEL BOWLEG Tribune Staff Reporter ebowleg@tribunemedia.net
BAHAMAS Union of Teachers president Belinda Wilson says a response has been sent to the government on its counter proposal regarding a salary increase for educators. She warned last month that it will not be business as usual in the upcoming Fall school semester if the government does not present an “acceptable” proposal for an increase of teachers’ salaries. Asked for an update on the matter yesterday, she told The Tribune: “The union sent the government a response to their counter proposal. We have some areas that are not yet agreed, and I await the government’s response.” During his 2022/2023
budget presentation in May, Prime Minister Philip “Brave” Davis told Parliament that salary increases were planned for teachers, adding that both educators and nurses were to receive retention bonuses. However, Mrs Wilson said that month the union will hold off on industrial action for one week, after revealing members have twice rejected counter proposals from the government as it relates to salaries for members. In a general membership meeting that month, the president explained the full proposal presented by the government to members, but they unanimously rejected that salary proposal. Another meeting held on May 24 saw 99 percent of BUT members vote to take industrial action, she said.
REPORT CARDS AVAILABLE TODAY
THE Ministry of Education, Technical and Vocational Training has announced that academic report card distribution resumes today between the hours of 9am to 3 pm. On June 22, the ministry said the distribution had been delayed for two weeks due to issues with the learning management system. To ensure a smooth distribution of report cards, the ministry advised parents to contact their child’s school to obtain specific details on the process. “Parents should consult the social media options made available by their
child’s school to confirm whether the school will distribute report cards in person or digitally,” the ministry said in a press statement yesterday. “The MOETVT remains committed to ensuring that parents are aware of their children’s academic progress. Should parents have any concerns regarding the child’s report card, they may follow up with their child’s school. “Again, the Ministry apologises to students, parents and all relevant stakeholders for any inconvenience caused by the report card delay.”
THE TRIBUNE
Thursday, July 7, 2022, PAGE 3
FNM members in Rawson Square yesterday.
Photo: Moise Amisial
FNM holds Rawson Square gathering over crime issues By LYNAIRE MUNNINGS lmunnings@tribunemedia.net THE Free National Movement and some of its supporters gathered outside the House of Assembly yesterday where they spoke out regarding the Davis administration’s response to crime. This comes as in the past seven months of this year there have been 75 murders, with about eight of them occurring last week alone. FNM leader Michael Pintard said the party showed up in hopes of improving
the quality of life for Bahamians. “We are interested in improving the quality of life here in The Bahamas,” he said. “Violence has a way of eroding gains we make in other areas. It has an impact on the quality of life over-the-hill in our communities throughout the country.” The FNM said they stand ready to partner with the government; however, they do not see a “sense of urgency”. “We do not hear or see efforts being made by this administration that signal that they see us in a crisis.
We believe that we have a crisis on our hands and all of us have a shared responsibility to help solve the issue,” Mr Pintard told the media. Mr Pintard urged the Davis administration to show Bahamians that they are on the same page. He said: “We need the various ministers to be on the same page and the problem with this administration is that different people are saying different things.” The leader of the opposition said the party fully supports the appointment of the new police
commissioner Clayton Fernander, however he called on the government to disclose the details of the lawsuit settlement. In attendance, alongside the leader of the FNM was party chairman Dr Duane Sands, deputy leader Shanendon Cartwright and party supporters. They wore black as a symbol of the lives lost due to crime. Dr Sands told reporters the FNM believes that more focus needed to be paid to the “suffering” Bahamian families are facing due to the crime in the nation. He said: “We believe that some focus is to be paid
to the suffering - to the challenge that Bahamian families are experiencing. Violence in The Bahamas has increased yet again, to the point where at the midpart of the year, June 30th, 2022, we have eclipsed 75 deaths. “If this continues at this rate, we will exceed the historic record of homicides in The Commonwealth of The Bahamas. Each of those victims is not only him or herself a loss, but the loss to families, loved ones, children, grandparents, aunts, and uncles, and in particular children.” This demonstration came
the day after Mr Cartwright released a statement on Tuesday calling on National Security Minister Wayne Munroe to disclose what the government plans to do regarding crime in the country. “We call on the minister of national security to update the nation on the state of crime fighting efforts, namely saturation patrols, increased surveillance, gang intervention, review of gang legislation and the mobilisation of the force to more effectively monitor gang hotspots,” he said in a press statement on Tuesday.
FNM FOUNDING MEMBER HOPES GIBSON WILL WIN LEGAL FIGHT FNM founding member Maurice Moore is hoping the outcome will be successful for Long Island MP Adrian Gibson when he faces the court in connection with numerous abuse of power allegations during his tenure as executive chairman of the Water and Sewerage Corporation. Mr Moore also believes Mr Gibson’s decision of whether to resign should come once the court has the final say in his trial. Mr Gibson was arraigned on 56 charges last month. While he faced 31 of his 56 charges alone, he along with the remaining six accused, faced a combined 101 charges. When contacted
ADRIAN GIBSON MP yesterday, Mr Moore said: “I would not attempt to pass any judgment on that matter. I am hoping he will be successful and he is cleared of those
matters.” “Matters really need the court. make its what the
like that you to leave before Let the court decision and court says he
should conduct himself accordingly.” There have been calls for Mr Gibson to resign as the MP for Long Island. Mr Gibson is alleged to have gained a financial advantage of more than $1m from contracts that were granted to Baha Maintenance and Restoration, and Elite Maintenance. It also alleged that he laundered the illicitly obtained funds by purchasing properties and vehicles. Mr Moore said there is a procedure set out for members of Parliament who are caught up in criminal matters. “The procedure is depending on the nature of his conviction,” he said.
He can be in Parliament for a length of time but depending on judgment passed it is determined at that point. When asked whether Mr Gibson should resign before his trial, Mr Moore said he feels that is a matter for Mr Gibson and the advice of his lawyers. “His lawyers may advise him as to what to do, his chances of being convicted on the charges or what (are)
his chances of being cleared on the charges.” He also said: “But I would not want to give any prediction at this time; let the matter be decided in court and based on that, a decision has to be taken at that time. I would not attempt to prejudge on a matter like that (because) that is a serious matter. I’d rather the court deal with that and make a decision,” Mr Moore said.
PAGE 4, Thursday, July 7, 2022
THE TRIBUNE
‘Speed up system on disaster missing’ from page one Speaking in the House of Assembly yesterday, Mr Thompson said nearly three years later, some families of missing Hurricane Dorian victims have still not had their loved ones declared dead and consequently received their death certificates. His comment came as members debated The Evidence (Amendment) (No 2) Bill, 2022. The proposed legislation will allow for people reported missing “in circumstances of peril” and have not been found in two years or more to be presumed dead by the courts. Mr Thompson said while he supports the amendment, he still believes there needs to be an easier and faster process for declaring those dead who disappear after perilous events. He pointed to the events that followed after Dorian, noting many families of victims whose bodies were never found after the storm are still seeking closure. As a result, he suggested other
courts, like the Magistrate’s Court be utilised to help speed up the process. Mr Thompson said: “If the coroner has dealt with circumstances where persons go missing and so on, couldn’t we also allow in these kinds of circumstances, allow a magistrate to deal with these kinds of matters.” “A magistrate obviously would be, in my view, quicker, and it would certainly be cheaper and more accessible to be the ordinary person in terms of dealing with the circumstances and a coroner already deals with these kinds of matters.” “So as opposed to leaving it with the Supreme Court, let’s see if we can look at giving the magistrate the jurisdiction to deal with situations of peril in your two-year amendment so, in your two-year amendment, allow the magistrate to be able to hear the evidence, the same evidence that a supreme court judge would. It would then allow the process to go through a bit quicker and it would allow the process to go through a bit less more expensive for persons to be able to deal with.” Responding, Prime Minister
Phillip “Brave” Davis said the concept that the Coroner’s Court could deal with all of the Dorian related deaths is a “fallacy”. “If you look at the act - the Coroner’s Act. First of all, the new Coroner’s Act was passed under your watch in 2011 which sort of modernized the whole concept - so a coroner is only engaged when you report a death, so you have to report a death,” Prime Minister Davis said. “Now, in the circumstances of peril, how are you going to report a death? Me and my family were together and had this Dorian catastrophe. We were separated. I went this way and I went the next way so all I’m doing is my family has being missing but since then, I have not seen them and I have not heard from them. “That is where the presumption comes in. That’s why when you look at the present law and it speaks to the seven years, it speaks on the count of not having heard from them in seven years so the only thing you could do is report a missing person but you can’t report a death and
the coroner’s jurisdiction is only triggered when you report that someone has died.” Mr Thompson later clarified that he was not “arguing that the Coroner’s Inquest was the right or wrong jurisdiction” to hear such matters. “The point I’m raising is the coroner has already dealt with some matters and the coroner is in the process of dealing with some matters,” he responded to Mr Davis. Mr Thompson then called on the government to define peril” and further questioned their rationale to reduce the timeframe in which a person can be presumed dead by the courts. “The next question is the law speaks to two years and I seek to understand the reasoning and the rationale for two years as opposed to one year or as opposed to three years,’’ he said. “For example, there were circumstances where I saw my loved one washed out to sea. I saw them where they were no longer with us. Should they have to wait two years? Why not six months? Why not in a time frame that it takes to
do a proper investigation.” “And then once proper investigation is done, then they are able to apply as opposed to having a strict two-year period. Again, we have no objection to the two years but my question is why two years and how did we land on two years and whether is circumstances that I could show and I could and I could prove, shouldn’t I be able to do it at an earlier period of time?” For his part, State Minister with responsibility for the Disaster Reconstruction Authority, Myles Laroda, who led the debate on the bill, recommended the legislation as a step in the right direction. “What this bill is seeking to do is necessary,” he added, “and.. the reality is that this bill has far reaching significance and consequences.” Hurricane Dorian struck The Bahamas on September 1, 2019 as a Category Five storm, killing at least 70 people in Abaco and Grand Bahama. Some 35 people have been reported as missing since Dorian’s passage, according to the Coroner Court’s list.
DARVILLE: $50M IN UNBUDGETED DEBT WHEN I TOOK OFFICE By EARYEL BOWLEG Tribune Staff Reporter ebowleg@tribunemedia.net
HEALTH Minister Dr Michael Darville said yesterday that upon taking office he found about $50m in unbudgeted debt in his ministry. The minister made the comments while speaking at the Inter-American Development Bank and the United Nations Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean’s release of a report on the impact the pandemic had on The Bahamas. “The national response to COVID-19 caused the Ministry of Health around $120m,” Dr Darville said. “Our record determines or demonstrates a direct cost to the PHA of about $88.6m and the Ministry of Health just over $31.5m. The government’s 2021/2022
MINISTER of Health and Wellness Dr Michael Darville. supplementary budget had to move very quickly - we had no resources. I don’t like to talk about what I found, but when I came into office, I found about $50m of unbudgetted debt at the Ministry of Health and Wellness. My job as
minister is just trying to pay the debt. We were so challenged that we couldn’t even get resources. “There were limited medications in our facilities - still have challenges. And so, while I’m catching up on the unbudgetted debt, I have to be able to supply what needs to be done. The government in its 2021/2022 supplementary budget reflects revised expenditure to our agencies to $271.1m of recurrent. PHA received $223.5m, NHIA received $45m, and the Ministry of Health and Wellness and the Department of Public Health had $28.6m and there was a budget of $36.6m on the capital side. “The reason I want to speak about that is because I have been in discussion with the IDB. In our possession in the last 10 months, there has been two IDB loans and an IDB grant somewhere in
the vicinity of about $65m and it is there to help our COVID response to begin to introduce new policies to improve our digital platforms and also to improve our infrastructure throughout the Family Islands.” He added that The Bahamas spent $17.8m to execute several strategies aimed at suppressing the virus. Foremost in the strategy was that 64 percent of the total sum spent was for the protection of frontline workers, PPEs. “I want to say, and to put on record, I want to thank all the countries around the world as well as all those agencies that came to our needs, still coming to our needs, to provide essential PPEs. The frontline workers was a cost of $11.4m. This was supported by the timely donations through PAHO and other philanthropic groups and private citizens in our country that
came to our aid,” the minister explained. The remainder of the $17.8m was spent on three main purposes - one of them being timely testing, according to the minister. “You see we talk about evidence-based testing medicine and if we were looking at what was going on around the world free testing was paramount and it was demonstrated that where we are to where we are today is directly related to having access to testing free of charge so that they can get a better understanding of their status and can execute the responsibility of self-quarantine and isolation,” Dr Darville said. The minister highlighted the country’s free testing programme as “value for money”. “It was important for us to implement this tool along with a vaccination programme to ensure that
any Bahamian throughout the Commonwealth of The Bahamas if exposed or if concerned with symptoms can have access to free testing which was on a digital platform and red flagged.” “So, we were able to look into the country, through rapid antigen test through our digital platform to red flag and those individuals went to our contact tracing and we had to improve the contact tracing capability. These effects resulted in 32,000 RT-PCR cases being advised to isolate. The Ministry of Health tracked 50,000 contacts, investigated 2,000 clusters of infections throughout our Family Islands. He stated that for The Bahamas the third wave was of the longest duration, goes on record as having up to about 42 percent of patient caseload in the hospital, with the highest human cost.
MAN TELLS COURT HIS STOLEN BIKE WAS ON SALE ON FACEBOOK By PAVEL BAILEY Tribune Court Reporter pbailey@tribunemedia.net
A MAN yesterday told a Magistrate’s Court that after his motorcycle was stolen, it was later placed on Facebook for sale. Romano Bien-Aime, 20, represented by Attorney Sydney Dorsett, is on trial before Magistrate Kendra Kelly for allegedly stealing and receiving the motorcycle. Between the night of October 28 and the early morning of October 29, 2021 Bien-Aime is alleged to have stolen the complainant Anthony Powell’s $4,000 red and white Honda CRF-250 motorcycle. During his testimony Powell told the court that after his bike was stolen, he found the defendant advertising the stolen bike on Facebook. After notifying the police of his intention to meet up with the suspect to reclaim the vehicle, officers from Carmichael Station escorted him to the meetup point on East Street South on December 15. Once there in the parking lot of Bien-Aime’s place of work, Morley asked to take the vehicle for a test drive. It was only after the suspect hot-wired the bike for him and Morley drove off that officers arrested Bien-Aime at the scene. Once Morley identified the defendant in court,
he went on to say that the bike was in much worse condition after the theft. In addition to some of the lights being removed, Morley told the court that since turning the vehicle off for police inspection that day, he has not been able to restart it. During cross-examination Mr Dorsett asked if Morley ever saw the thief the night the motorcycle was stolen to which he said no. Dorsett also called into question why someone would sell a stolen bike from their place of work only for the claim to be dismissed as speculation by both the prosecution and the magistrate. Although Morley could not recall to Mr Dorsett the exact details of the Facebook advertisement, he did confirm he only knew the defendant, who he identified in court, from the bike sale. In Sgt 2986 Anwar Rolle’s testimony the officer spoke of how on the same day the bike was recovered he and another officer conducted an official Record of Interview (ROI) with Bien-Aime. During this interview, the accused admitted to using a Facebook handle to sell the bike and that he indeed did try to sell the bike to Morley. Bien-Aime after denying allegations of stealing the bike went on to say
that he had come into possession of the bike through a man called “Jay” who he also says he doesn’t know. The defendant further claimed that he only got the bike the same day he says “the real owner” came to buy it back. This contradicts BienAime’s girlfriend’s written statement on the matter where she says he had the bike for about two weeks. Attorney Dorsett objected to the ROI his client signed being entered into evidence on the basis that his client did not have legal counsel at the interview nor was he allowed to alter his statements therein after the fact. Prosecution called this a futile objection, as Sgt Rolle confirmed that police did not coerce Bien-Aime into giving an interview and informed him of his right to legal representation at the time, to which he then declined. The ROI was then logged into evidence. In Mr Dorsett’s crossexamination of Sgt Rolle, he suggested that it was untrue that there was a variance in time between when his client received and tried to sell the bike on December 15. He further asked the officer if he knew who stole the bike to which he responded no. Bien-Aime’s case was adjourned to August 17 for prosecution to close its case.
THE TRIBUNE
Thursday, July 7, 2022, PAGE 5
from page one
‘I’m here on my merits’ the matter under the Davis administration. However, the details of the settlement, including the amounts awarded, have not been made clear. There have been questions surrounding the timing of settlement and the appointments. Yet, Mr Deleveaux asserted that he was qualified for the role and added that he is committed to serving the Bahamian people. “I don’t know anything of that. I’ve qualified myself,” he said following his swearing-in at Governor General Sir Cornelius Smith’s office. “I came up through the ranks from constable straight to Assistant Commissioner before attaining this post and so it would be unfair for anyone to say anything else otherwise. “And so all of the other side chatters, I don’t know a thing of those, but I’m here to serve and the Bahamian people (and) police officers will see me for who I am. The Bahamian people, that’s what I’m here for. I’m about service. My whole life has been centred around service and I intend
to continue to (serve) the Bahamian people until the very last day.” Although the Minnis administration justified moving the officers as a way to reduce outstanding vacation days, the officers believe the administration simply wanted to sideline them.
Asked how he felt overcoming the ordeal to become Deputy Commissioner, he answered: “It always feels good when through the struggles you end up coming out on top. And so, I am very humbled by the love and respect shown to me and my family by the public and certainly
by the media. “The media kept calling me, checking, getting updates from us and so I am really humbled. I will continue to be humbled, but I would also like to thank the police officers of the Royal Bahamas Police Force for their prayers, their love and also the Bahamian public.”
Mr Deleveaux also insisted there has been no political interference with the work of the force under the Davis-Cooper administration. He noted the recent Water and Sewerage Corporation investigations, which led to the arraignment of Long Island MP Adrian Gibson on a laundry
list of charges. “I’ll give you an example,” he said. “All of you are aware that I was the person in charge of (the) Water and Sewerage investigation and during that investigation we went through more than 500,000 pages of documents and not one single day was there any political interference by any politician. “Our position is clear. We investigate, we follow the leads and then we go on. So far as political interference, I don’t see it. For the major investigation that I’ve conducted there was not one single political interference. I’ve said it over and over, repeatedly. I’m a police officer. That was the job that I chose - not a politician. I have no interest in being a politician. I’m simply a police officer to do the people’s business.” Mr Deleveaux explained his role is to assist the Commissioner and he will be there to consult to help him and to “take the force to the next level.” “As you know Mr Paul Rolle recently retired... and so we’re going to build on those things that he’s had. Of course, carry out Mr Fernander’s agenda,” he said.
brother died not knowing the future of his career with the police force after he was forced into vacation by the former administration in 2019. Although the Minnis administration justified the vacation policy by citing fiscal measures, the officers believed the administration simply wanted to sideline them. Yesterday, Dr Minnis congratulated Commissioner Fernander in his new role and wished him the best. Mr Fernander’s appointment to the post comes at a time when the country has experienced what appears to be an increase in violent crime. Yesterday, Dr Minnis renewed his calls for the government to address the escalating crime rate. “The level of crime and violence in New Providence is alarming. Last week, there was killing after killing and shooting after shooting. New Providence appears as if it is a gunman’s town with the Davis administration appearing clueless as to how to address the problem.” He also took aim at recent comments from National Security Minister Wayne Munroe who told a local daily that Bahamians should brace for more police-involved shootings. Dr Minnis said he was “shocked” when he read what Mr Munroe said. “What the Minister of National Security is saying is that essentially is nothing can be done. We must ask the question, has he given up and demonstrated that
he is unable to handle the situation,” he said However, Fort Charlotte MP Alfred Sears rose on a point of order, accusing Dr Minnis of “misconstruing” what the Mr Munroe had said. Later in the House of Assembly, Mr Munroe responded to the opposition’s criticism of the government’s response to crime. “It’s really rich for persons to talk about an escalation in crime
when a strategy of saturation patrols is hampered because you didn’t buy the police cars and so to go on patrol, they have to take patrol cars from the stations. In ten months, we have ordered the cars and they are arriving, and they have started to arrive,” Mr Munroe said. Mr Munroe said he also found it amusing that Dr Minnis “had the gall” to congratulate the new Commissioner, considering his
alleged actions toward him. “He has the gall to congratulate Clayton Fernander being appointed Commissioner of Police and that is just amazing and mindboggling. It is as if they’re erasing the history that on March 21, 2019, then Assistant Commissioner Fernander would’ve been in charge of crime, having been responsible for leading the team that reduced murders to its lowest level and brought
crimes to its lowest level. He was then unceremoniously sent to first on leave and then to the Ministry of Health of all places - and this is at a time when Killarney says we were facing security problems. We were facing security problems, but you sidelined the Assistant Commissioner of Police who presided over the massive reduction of crime that that administration took credit for,” Mr Munroe said.
ASSISTANT Commissioner of Police Leamond Deleveaux being sworn in by Governor General CA Smith yesterday. Photo: Austin Fernander
MINNIS ASKS: WHERE WAS MY INVITE? from page one
Dr Minnis continued: “Besides being bed ridden with COVID, it seems to be a lack of breakdown of communication because I have not received any invitation and I have not known of such an event until yesterday and this has been a chronic problem and I’ve asked the Prime Minister to investigate that matter because in the past, this was all done by Cabinet.” Dr Minnis said he was told the distribution of invitations have now fallen under the remit of the Office of the Prime Minister. “For some reason, I have been left off such list. Former Prime Minister (Hubert) Ingraham was present. Former Prime Minister (Perry) Christie was present and only myself was absent in not receiving an invitation. So, it was not that I didn’t want to be there, but besides my illness and I could not be there, an invitation was not received.” Mr Fernander and other senior police officers were forced to take accumulated vacation leave and then seconded to minor posts in 2019, under Dr Minnis’ administration. Commissioner Fernander was sworn in as the ninth Commissioner of an independent Bahamas during a special ceremony at the Royal Bahamas Police Force headquarters. At one point in the ceremony, Mr Fernander fought back tears as he recalled that both his father and
PAGE 6, Thursday, July 7, 2022
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THE TRIBUNE
PICTURE OF THE DAY
NULLIUS ADDICTUS JURARE IN VERBA MAGISTRI “Being Bound to Swear to The Dogmas of No Master”
Publisher/Editor 1903-1914
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Publisher/Editor 1919-1972 Contributing Editor 1972-1991
EILEEN DUPUCH CARRON,
C.M.G., M.S., B.A., LL.B. Publisher/Editor 1972-
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Twin disasters of COVID and Dorian WE ALL knew that COVID-19 had inflicted a hammer blow to the Bahamian economy. The scale of that impact is still only now becoming clear. A new report by the Inter-American Development Bank and the Economic Commission for Latin America reports the costs of COVID to the Bahamian economy as high as $9.5bn. And that’s just one of two economic disasters in quick succession. Paired with the impact of Hurricane Dorian, the economic loss and damage comes to $13.1bn. That total sounds huge – because it is. It’s bigger by nearly a fifth than our forecast gross domestic product for the entire 2022-23 fiscal year. It’s bigger than the entirety of our national debt at the end of March this year by around ten percent. Those costs come at a national level – but they also come at a personal level. The same report says that Bahamian workers lost an estimated $2.4bn in wages between 2020 and 2023, affecting about 14.7 percent of the workforce. More than 80 percent of that is in the tourism sector – as you’d expect with lockdowns and no tourists coming to the country to spend their money. But it goes beyond to other sectors too. An unemployed hotel worker doesn’t have money to spend on gas. A furloughed resort manager doesn’t have money to go to a restaurant. Landlords find themselves without overseas tenants and with locals unable to make rent. Swathes of workers who thought they had money they could depend on now struggle to find money for their children’s schooling. The flow of cash through the economy to all the many different businesses suddenly stalls, and we all feel the effects. Everyone knows someone who was directly affected, even if you were lucky enough to avoid the direct impact yourself. Now we can indulge in wishful thinking and hoping over what we could have done with that money if we’d had it, and how we could be in a better position if that was the case. We don’t. It’s a bomb blast to our economy that will reverberate down the years. Indeed, the IDB says we will never recover that loss. We may get back to where we were beforehand, but we can’t make up for the loss in those years. What we can’t do is write such a loss off as a one-off occurrence. Prior to COVID, there had been a feeling in some quarters that we had been lucky not to have had a pandemic for a long time. That doesn’t mean it will be another long period before another virus threatens our health and our economy – and in the ideal world, we should be better prepared.
Pandemics are a less common occurrence – but hurricanes are a fixture of our lives here in The Bahamas. Robert Myers, of the Organisation for Responsible Governance, said that the country needs to have a “30-50 percent increase” in its economic output and “much more fiscal prudence” in order to be able to deal with such disasters. Essentially, the suggestion is that our economy should have a buffer built in to cope with sudden multi-billion dollar losses. The long-standing scale of our deficits show we are a long way from that. But should the burden of such costs fall only upon ourselves? That’s one of the talking points for Prime Minister Philip “Brave” Davis as he takes his case to international conferences, pointing out that we are not a major generator of climate change gases, but we disproportionately feel the effects of climate disasters. The idea is that the nations who are greater polluters should offer compensation to smaller nations that feel the effects of that pollution, including in the increasing effects of storms such as Hurricane Dorian. We can say with some certainty – and no little trepidation – that Hurricane Dorian will be far from the last major storm to affect our nation. But can we say we will be ready for it – in preparation for the physical damage or in anticipation of the economic damage? That is the buffer zone our economy needs – and which we are a long way from achieving.
Boris Johnson There is an old British television show called “Yes, Prime Minister” based around a fictional 10 Downing Street and its occupant, the leader of Great Britain. One of his advisors, a seasoned civil servant by the name of Sir Humphrey, famously says: “To lose one Cabinet minister may be considered misfortune, but to lose two looks like carelessness.” The current occupant of 10 Downing Street, Prime Minister Boris Johnson, seems to have been excessively careless yesterday. In a flurry of resignations yesterday which saw national broadcasters place a running total at the bottom of their screens, 44 people resigned from Mr Johnson’s government, from ministers to parliamentary secretaries and more. One more was sacked for good measure. Mr Johnson has been staggering from one scandal to another for some time – but now faces a complete collapse of trust from his own party. As stubborn as he may be, he is surely done this time.
FIREFIGHTERS burn vegetation while trying to keep the Electra Fire from reaching homes in the Pine Acres community of Amador County, California, on Tuesday. Photo: Noah Berger/AP
The road ahead EDITOR, The Tribune.
WITHIN a matter of days we will be celebrating our 49th year as an Independent nation - The Commonwealth of The Bahamas. On the 10th July, 1973 the Union Jack flag was lowered for the last time in our newly minted nation. Well do I recall the momentous event at Fort Charlotte. Many of those who are about to celebrate would not have been born and, alas, countless others, would have passed on to Eternity. The Lord, however, has been merciful to us. While we, as a people and a nation have achieved much, there is still much more that will need to be done as we continue our trek into the Promised Land. Sir Lynden, our late great and dearly missed ‘Founding Father’, along with his then colleagues in the public arena started the ball rolling, so to speak. Under his administrations we evolved from a relatively small ‘fishing village’ country to the mover and shaker that we are rapidly becoming under the New Day Davis administration. In the interim to Brave’s ascendancy, we had Messrs Ingraham; Christie and Minnis. Sir Lynden ushered in many of the societal; infrastructure and economic advances which we continue to enjoy to this very day. Affordable housing and brand new middle class subdivisions were conceptualised and built under his watch. Brother Ingraham, a then PLP Chairman and Minister within Pindling’s administration was instrumental in all of this, God bless his soul. Brother Christie, God bless him also, did some ‘good’. Brother Minnis came along, unexpectedly, and tried to do some ‘good’ but, in my view, he fell dead short of the mark. The real heavy lifting and final preparations for the inevitable entry into the Promised Land, is the lot of the Hon Philip ‘Brave’ Davis, QC, MP our Bahamian version of the Biblical Joshua. It was that same Joshua to whom The Lord said: ‘Moses My servant, is dead. Now rise up and
LETTERS letters@tribunemedia.net go over this Jordan, with all the people to the land which I will show thee.......’ Joshua 1v1-2 (KJV) In the 9th month of the year 2021 Mr Davis and his party was elected to high office. The Bahamas has never been the same since. One is almost able to see, feel and touch the meaningful and pivotal administrative and political changes been wrought by the Hon Prime Minister and his stellar team, whether you are an FNM; a PLP or anything else in between. Almost every Bahamian who is able-bodied and wants a job is able to find one, albeit it might not be exactly what he/she wants, but he/she should be able to put bread on the table. Wannabe business entrepreneurs, despite the inherent inability to readily access capital, are able to find opportunities now that the economy is back in business. The way forward must dictate that the administration will find ways and means to encourage the banking industry to pay realistic rates on savings accounts. It has been alleged that the regular commercial banks are pulling in record profits and that Bahamians actually are charged a fee by banks merely to maintain an account at their institutions. I would urge the administration to offer reasonably priced bonds, say in multiples of B$25.00; B$50.00 and B$100.00 to regular Bahamians @ 5% or above per annum. This would be a win/win situation. The administration would be able to raise much needed revenue for critical projects, such as National Health Care and to prop up the National Insurance Board, etc. Bahamians would be encouraged to actually save on a consistent basis. Attention is being paid to the eventual development and implementation of the long awaited National Health Service. I have no doubt that the Hon Dr Michael
Darville (PLP-Tall Pines) and his qualified team at the Ministry of Health & Wellness, will get it right in short order. Once cabinet would have approved the scheme it will then be presented to parliament for debate and eventual passage. The ravages of Dorian and hurricanes even before her arrival would have decimated pockets of the national economy and an unknown number of persons actually lost their lives. The advent of the lingering pandemic did not help, but it has been a teachable experience. The tourism market is rebounding nicely and if the upward trend continues coupled with the anticipated opening of the Prince George Redevelopment Project in another year or so will be the icing on the cake. Multiple spin off opportunities will come on stream for visionary and hard working Bahamians. I submit that the long forgotten days when one could command two and more jobs, depending on stamina and work ethics, are just across the bar, so to speak. Crime and inflation will have to be dealt with going forward. They are both vexing and debilitating to national growth and productivity. There are no quick fixes and the Davis administration would be well advised not to offer quick fixes or pie-in-the-sky solutions. All stakeholders should be brought onboard in a national forum. Invite everybody inclusive of opposition forces. If they come, they come, but at least invite them. The former PMs should also be invited and make presentations. Where many see insurmountable ‘giants’ I am of the view that PM Davis sees opportunities to truly take a wide awake populace into the long anticipated Promise Land. The Jews of old took forty years. We have been lurching from pillar to post for almost forty-nine long years. Is it not time that we arise and go across this Jordan? Congratulations Bahamas! We are almost there. ORTLAND H BODIE, Jr Nassau, July 6, 2022.
Bahamas Dept of Immigration EDITOR, The Tribune. ANYTIME I see all of these people and the frequency numbers, I admit that it causes me to panic. As in anything, if you have a lot of children, you
would have to expend more energies, shout more and discipline even more...and the coffer would have to have more in it... these were just laws of nature, you cannot do more with less, unless Father God steps
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in and places His Miraculous enabling hand out to you, otherwise it will not happen. If you were the Bahamas Department of Immigration, responsible for the entire Commonwealth of The Bahamas that means all of the land and sea coasts you have superintendence for. The next point, to do this you must have the human capital to carry out this function adequately. And the Director of Immigration has to ensure that he has what it will take to address this mandate. And from where does he get this help in economic financial enabling? I believe the Parliament of the Commonwealth of The Bahamas has a chief role to play. And if given the realities of the situation, the parliament falls short of projections, then
what? But as a director you must, or ought to know what it would take for the Bahamas Department of Immigration to police the entire land and sea coasts of this Commonwealth otherwise, you are not fit for that Office, period. What am I saying? For a country that boasts a population of 350,000 people...and over 100,000 foreigners in the land on work permits, is problematic. We have in excess of 200,000 give or take illegal immigrants we suspect in the land. We, being retired law enforcement officers, estimate of those numbers there is another dynamic attached - and it has to do with the viable young enough females among the group of illegals, who were having babies twice a year adding to the problem, but nothing is being said about this
category and many have been here for better part of 10,15, and 20 years. And to have between 15-20,000 females dropping these unwanted individuals to the furtherance of the problems must be addressed as a matter of urgency. Now, you cannot tell me that the duties of the Bahamas Department of Immigration were being served with a skeleton complement of only 400 officers? I call on the Hon Prime Minister Philip “Brave” Davis to visit this threat to the national security of the Bahamas even if it means that you demolish the Immigration Department and re-establish a joint task force comprising the Royal Bahamas Defence/Police Forces to staff and the new Royal Bahamas Immigration Service (R.B.I.S).
You cannot tell me that for the last two decades those with oversight for that Department were doing so in fairness to the country? Also adding to this disheartening episode while we sympathise with the decayed or decaying economic and financial conditions in some of the Caribbean countries and have helped them as a Christian nation what we cannot do is allow them to overrun the country to the extent that we end up in the state they’re now in? For we must leave The Bahamas, our country, for the next generation of Bahamians unborn and to do so in a state that they can reasonably carry on, is our duty and responsibility, I think. FRANK GILBERT Nassau, July 6, 2022.
THE TRIBUNE
Thursday, July 7, 2022, PAGE 7
Davis defends minister over cop assault claim LEANDRA ROLLE Tribune Staff Reporter lrolle@tribunemedia.net PRIME Minister Phillip “Brave” Davis yesterday defended Housing and Transport Minister Jobeth Coleby Davis after Killarney MP Dr Hubert Minnis called for an update into investigations concerning allegations made against the Elizabeth MP. In May, Mrs ColebyDavis was accused of assaulting a Royal Bahamas Police officer with her vehicle during a Carnival event. She has repeatedly denied the allegations. Yesterday, Dr Minnis said: “It is also important for Commissioner Fernander to update the country soon on the investigation of the member for Elizabeth. A serious allegation was levelled against the member by a police officer. The police staff association issued a strong statement on the matter. Bahamians are
curious as to the outcome of this investigation. It is important that it be concluded in a proper and timely fashion.” Works and Utilities Minister Alfred Sears rose on a point of order, calling the remarks “improper”. “I’m surprised that a member of his tenure would use his parliamentary power to infringe upon the privilege of another member because what this honourable member is seeking to do is making on the floor an allegation of criminal wrongdoing and the honorable member knows better,” he said. Dr Minnis was asked to withdraw his comments, however he refused to do so, insisting that he was only making an inquiry. “I’m asking for an inquiry as to how advanced we are with investigations. That is important,” the Killarney MP added. Rising on a point of order, Mr Davis said: “As far as I’m aware, my inquiries told
‘WE MUST HAVE INDEPENDENT BODY TO PROBE CORRUPTION’ By JADE RUSSELL jrussell@tribunemedia.net
A GOVERNANCE reformer yesterday echoed calls for the establishment of an independent body to vet matters of alleged corruption as the Michelle Reckley case has failed to be heard in the courts. Matt Aubry, the Organisation for Responsible Governance’s (ORG) executive director, stressed the importance of transparency along with having things done in a timely manner when handling cases of alleged maladministration. In 2019, former Urban Renewal Deputy Director Michelle Reckley was arraigned on 21 charges relating to allegedly defrauding the Urban Renewal Small Homes Repairs programme in Grand Bahama of over $1.2m. The former Urban Renewal director was arraigned in 2019, but the trial has yet to begin. Prosecutors continue to be stumped as to which magistrate will try the case. The case was first assigned to Magistrate Ambrose Armbrister. But due to the COVID-19 pandemic the matter, like many other cases, did not proceed. Magistrate Armbrister then resigned in 2020 and the file was sent to the Chief Magistrate for assignment. When the case was repeatedly declined by other magistrates, Chief Magistrate Joyann Ferguson-Pratt decided to preside. But on May 16, 2022, when the trial was set to begin, the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) asked Ferguson-Pratt to step down over accusations that she had visited Reckley
in the cell block at the Magistrates Court Complex and prayed with her. Magistrate FergusonPratt denied the allegations, and on May 18, Acting DPP Franklyn Williams withdrew the recusal application and apologised to the magistrate for the allegations. When asked about there still not being a magistrate for the alleged corruption case against Mrs Reckley, Mr Aubry responded that it is imperative to have a system that deals with, appropriately investigates and prosecutes such matters. The ORG director noted the importance of having an independent body to receive and vet matters of alleged corruption. “It then creates the perception that this is above any potential political agenda or conflict within the systems. That’s really key, so when we think about doing this it’s important that we look at the fact that it doesn’t just sit with the police or judiciary, but that it’s integrated across all our systems. And that The Bahamas is seen as the place where we manage and deal with this as best as possible. There’s a lot of benefit I think that comes to use from that kind of perception.” After the necessary steps of investigating and processing matters have been done, Mr Aubry encouraged people to come forward if there is information that is useful. ORG hopes to come up with solutions to the challenges affecting accountable governance in The Bahamas. As time progresses, the organisation hopes to ensure the officials placed in authority are keeping the best interest of the people in mind.
MAN ACCUSED OF GUN ATTACK By PAVEL BAILEY Tribune Court Reporter pbailey@tribunemedia.net
A MAN was denied bail yesterday for alleged assault with a handgun. Dennis Mather, 31, appeared before Senior Magistrate Derence A Rolle Davis on a charge of assault with a deadly weapon. On May 3 in New Providence, Mather is accused of assaulting Audie
Murphy-Cooper. He pleaded not guilty to the charge. While the accused was denied bail in court, he was informed of his right to apply for it again through the Supreme Court. Until bail is granted, Mather will be remanded to the Bahamas Department of Correctional Services. The accused’s trial is set to commence on August 29 or 30.
me that whatever he (Dr Minnis) is now promoting to be an investigation was never an investigation. I understand there was something what I call for my purpose what is the execution of my duties, nothing more than an interior inquiry to determine if there was any truth or otherwise before they move to investigate and that’s where it lies and if he wants to know, he just needs to go to the police to find out … nothing more or less. “I’ve spoken with the minister and I’m satisfied of her explanation to me and to others. I’m not on social media like others but I was privy to a social media photograph of what’s supposed to be the incident. It appeared to me that a police (officer) was moving another police (officer) and was chastising him from what I saw on the video.” “The fact that nothing has happened tells me that nothing has happened,” he also said.
HOUSING and Transport Miniser Jobeth Coleby-Davis.
PAGE 8, Thursday, July 7, 2022
THE TRIBUNE
A NEW MISSION FOR A NEW MONARCH
BRITAIN’s Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Charles. THE helmeted Britannia figure, a Corinthian-like female warrior armed with a trident and protected with a shield, is the personification and symbolic representation of Great Britain and the now defunct British Empire. She personifies the militaristic and conquering spirit of the relatively small island nation in the North Atlantic that came to dominate many regions and continents. This included: most of North America, much of Africa, many Caribbean islands, Belize in Central America, Guyana in South America, Australia, New Zealand, the Indian subcontinent, islands in the Pacific and nations in the Middle East and Southeast Asia. In 1532, King Henry VIII was the first to declare England an empire. His successors granted royal charters to private interests to exploit and conquer India, swathes of Africa and various colonies in North America. “It was the Victorian era, with the Queen as empire’s anointed matriarch, that laid the groundwork for the [so-called] civilizing mission
of the Empire”, which was often an excuse for brutal repression. At its apogee, the empire of colonies, dominions, mandates, protectorates and territories was the largest in human history and for a century the pre-eminent global power. Along with other European colonisers, it enslaved millions of Africans between the 15th and 19th centuries, transporting them to misery and their deaths on plantations in the Americas and the Caribbean. Just over a decade into the 20th century the Empire consisted of 23 percent of the world’s population with over 400 million people. By 1920 it covered 24 percent of the Earth’s landmass. During the course of its imperial might and reach, Britannic Rule left an indelible and mixed cultural, constitutional, linguistic and legal legacy, which endures.
CONQUEST
UK Prime Minister, Boris Johnson, in what seemed a fit of his reflexive and often unthinking braggadocio,
Photo: Jane Barlow/Pool via AP encapsulated Britannia’s conquering zeal: “I cannot help remembering that this country over the last 200 years has directed the invasion or conquest of 178 countries – that is most of the members of the UN.” The British Monarch played an essential role in empire as described in a revealing guest essay for The New York Times entitled, “The Imperial Fictions Behind the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee”, penned by Harvard professor Caroline Elkins. In her essay, Elkins describes the pernicious effects of British colonial rule: “After Britain waged some 250 wars in the 19th century to ‘pacify’ colonial subjects, a contested though coherent ideology of liberal imperialism emerged that integrated sovereign imperial claims with a huge undertaking to reform colonial subjects, often called ‘children’. Britain’s discerning eye judged when the ‘uncivilised’ were fully evolved. “If Britain’s civilising mission was reformist in its claims, it was brutal nonetheless. Violence was not just the British Empire’s midwife, it was endemic to
the structures and systems of British rule.” Professor Elkins explains: “Colonial officials and security forces wanted their infantilised subjects to see and feel their own suffering, to know that it was deliberate and purposeful. British officials had a term for this: the ‘moral effect’ of violence. “British security forces deployed ever-intensifying forms of systematic violence, making empire look like a recurring conquest state. A well-oiled repressive machinery emerged, directed from London and transferred from one imperial location to the next by colonial officials and security forces.” During her long reign, Queen Elizabeth II did not and seemingly could not more fully acknowledge this brutal history. Because of personal regard for her as a likeable and dutiful monarch, who witnessed the independence of many former colonies, she was perhaps given a pass by some on the role monarchy and empire played in the brutalisation of various peoples. When Charles becomes the monarch there will not be the same level of regard. He will have to contend with a Britain, Commonwealth and world more intent on greater acknowledgment of and increasing demands for reparation and restitution for centuries of slavery and colonialism.
APOLOGIES
Ritual apologies for slavery and colonial conquest are necessary but insufficient. The recent expression of “deepest regrets” by King Phillipe of Belgium to the people of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) for his country’s depraved and violent colonial rule in the African nation was not a formal apology. Phillipe did not formally apologise for Belgium’s atrocities and the murderous legacy of King Leopold II between 1885 to 1908, vividly chronicled in Adam Hotchchild’s, “King Leopold’s Ghost: A Story of Greed, Terror and Heroism in Colonial Africa.” Likely circumscribed by the Belgian Government, fearful of legal repercussions and demands for reparations, Phillipe only went so far. Leopold’s ghost still haunts the DRC and Belgium in myriad ways. Belgium has formally apologised for the role it played, along with the United States, in the 1961 killing of independence leader Patrice Lumumba, whose body was dismembered and his remains dissolved in acid.
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A continent away, begin- developing countries and at ning in the 19th century, the same time causes a clithousands of Indigenous mate crisis today? We had Canadian children were wealth taken from us and taken against their will and now we’re facing the conthat of their parents from sequences of that wealth their communities and impact on the earth’s clifamilies. They were sent to mate. It is wrong.” Christian-run residential Ms Mottley spoke of schools, where all manner Haiti, “perhaps the most of abuse occurred. Canada egregious example there was still a British colony at is.” The Haitian Republic the time. was forced to pay unsusDozens of the schools tainable customs’ duties to were run by the Anglican France for many years after Church – of which the Brit- independence, bankrupting ish Monarch is the head Haiti and unjustly retarding – until 1969. Hundreds of its development. unmarked graves have been What reparations might discovered of those who look like should be debated were separated from their by different countries and families. regions. While it is up to the This past May, the heir British Government and to the British throne and others, such as the Anglican his wife visited Canada. Church, to enter into diaHe acknowledged the pain logue and negotiations on and suffering of Indigenous restitution and reparation, families and communities: what role might Charles as “I know that our visit the future monarch play in here comes at an important this dialogue? moment – with General Indigenous and ‘As we look to acknowledgnon-Indigement of the our collective nous peoples past and ritual across Canada future, as one apologies will committing to people sharing seem patreflect honestly one planet, we ronising and and openly on insincere withthe past and must find new out restitution to forge a new ways to come to and reparation. relationship for At CHOGM, terms with the the future. climate change “I have darker and more was a core greatly appre- difficult aspects issue, and ciated the will continue of the past: opportunity to be so. Just to discuss with acknowledging, over 30 Comthe Governor reconciling monwealth General the members are vital process of and striving small states. to do better. reconciliation Twenty-five in this country It is a process are classified as – not a one-off vulnerable to act, of course, that starts with climate change. but an ongoing listening.’ While commitment these counto healing, respect and tries contribute little to understanding.” our ever warming planet, Last month, Prince they remain vulnerable to Charles addressed the the climate crisis, largely 54 leaders of the Com- caused by larger nations, monwealth of Nations in including those of former Rwanda. Addressing the colonisers. heads in Kigali, Charles Prince Charles has continued a theme he spoken consistently on has spoken of on sev- the urgency of addressing eral occasions, including climate change and envithe ceremony in Bridge- ronmental degradation. town marking Barbados What role might he play as becoming a parliamentary the monarch in pressing for republic. assistance for smaller states to build greater climate resilience and adaptation in our quest to survive as He pledged that the nation-states? In Kigali, the Prince of Commonwealth must “find new ways to acknowledge Wales also spoke of condevelopment our past. Quite simply, this stitutional is a conversation whose and change: “I want to say clearly… that each time has come. constitutional “As we look to our col- member’s lective future, as one people arrangement, as republic sharing one planet, we must or monarchy, is purely a find new ways to come to matter for each member terms with the darker and country to decide.” It is embarrassing for more difficult aspects of the past: acknowledging, rec- Great Britain, in a country, onciling and striving to do world and Commonwealth better. It is a process that more decisively reckoning with the legacies of slavery starts with listening.” What must Britain hear and colonialism, as well as and understand? Genuine reparations and environdialogue on colonial his- mental justice, to still have tory must include a fuller the British monarch as head acknowledgment of the of state. In his CHOGM remarks, past. But acknowledgment is more than recognition. he appeared to be nudging It must also include restitu- these countries to become tion and reparation, both of republics. It is likely that Britwhich must be more clearly ain would prefer countries like The Bahamas, to become defined. Earlier this year, Bar- republics as soon as possible. Regrettably, embarrassbados Prime Minister Mia Mottley, Chair of Caricom’s ingly, The Bahamas may Prime Ministerial Com- only move toward repubmittee on Reparations, lican status because the pressed: “We have to also former coloniser and the recognise that when our future monarch – rather Bahamian leaders countries became inde- the pendent, there was no and people – realise it is development package left time for us to grow up for us to finance education, and to become less colohealthcare or any of these nised in our minds and constitutionally. issues. To demonstrate his “com“But when the slaves were emancipated, £20m mitment to healing, respect was paid to slave owners and understanding”, Prince and then by reason of a Charles, as heir to the four-year apprenticeship throne and future monarch, scheme, another £27m of has an extraordinary historical responsibility and free labour was given.” “We have to ask our- obligation to exemplify selves, can we accept that these aspirations and values the Industrial Revolution on vital issues such as repawas financed by the blood, rations, climate change and sweat, tears and money of racial and economic justice.
PLEDGE
THE TRIBUNE
Thursday, July 7, 2022, PAGE 9
We can see the cracks – but haven’t they always been there? N
ATIONAL Days. Independence Days. Canada had its special day last Friday. We have ours coming up this weekend – and a very special 50th one to look forward to next year. The US stumbled through its own Fourth of July on Sunday. On an occasion meant to be a celebration of national pride, it’s pretty difficult to remain optimistic about the US these days. There were – of course – several sensational shootings around the US over the weekend, most notably at a Fourth of July parade in one of Chicago’s northern suburbs, and in Philadelphia. At the same time, the dispiriting hangover of the Supreme Court’s decisions continues to loom over the optimism of many millions of Americans, as there is mounting evidence the nation’s ultimate legal arbiter has lost its essential objective impartiality. Maybe we should have seen this coming, because it’s been building for a long time. Maybe it all began with the assassination of President John F Kennedy in 1963 – for as yet definitively unspecified reasons that have spawned a whole cottage industry of conspiracy theory explanations but for which no clear explanation exists even today. That assassin’s bullet extinguished what was probably, in hindsight, an ephemeral faith in JFK’s youthful national pride and exuberance. We will never know what this young prince might have accomplished. His unintended successor, Lyndon Johnson, presided over five years of dramatic, stupendous developments. The wrenching, misguided and stubbornly wrongheaded part of LBJ’s legacy was the exponential, explosive expansion of the Vietnam War, quietly and accurately called ‘the American War’ in Vietnam. That distant war, fought at one point by 500,000 American troops, many of them conscripts, divided the country so profoundly that the resulting social fissures and distrust of government remain today. But Democrat Johnson also rammed through Congress a series of civil rights and voting rights bills that empowered American minority voters and ensured federal support for enforcement of
these newly reinforced rights and freedoms. As a revived American nativism seems to be strengthening its hold on an obdurate and grimly unified minority of American voters, a unifying theme is resistance to and resentment of LBJ’s landmark legislative victories of nearly 60 years ago. Plagued by the massive unpopularity of the war in Vietnam which would ultimately claim 57,000 American lives, Johnson did not seek re-election in 1968. Richard Nixon, a mysterious Republican from California who had been Dwight Eisenhower’s Vice President for eight years but who remained an enigma to most voters, and who squandered an inviting chance to be President in 1960, captured the presidency in 1968 instead. Sensing the undercurrent of opposition even
“...Observers of the US Supreme Court now worry that a North Carolina-based case accepted for review in the court’s upcoming term is particularly ominous.” then to LBJ’s social reforms, Nixon steered the Republican Party onto its present course of favouring states’ rights and, as black, brown and immigrant numbers rose over the decades in melting-pot America, minority white rule. All the current Republican shenanigans over voting rights for minorities and immigrants flow from Nixon’s ‘Southern strategy’ of subtly favouring racist and nativist tendencies in the broadly conservative American body politic. At the heart of it all is the old axiom that the end justifies the means. The end is the indefinite continuation of white, largely male-dominated rule in the US. The means are today’s voting rights machinations and codeworded racism. Nixon, who died in 1994, would have been pleased indeed to witness the mid-term US election
results in 2010. In an election held just two years after the dramatic election of America’s first and only black president, the GOP notched an astounding triumph. Before that election, Democrats fully controlled 27 state legislatures and Republicans just 14. Nine were divided. But after widespread GOP victories in 2010, the Republican Party was able to direct legislative redistricting in many states. Within just five years and after two elections under the new maps cleverly redrawn by Republicans, the GOP fully controlled 30 legislatures and Democrats just 11, with nine still split. That’s an unprecedented gain of 32 percent in five years. This Republican legislative advantage in the states persisted through the 2020 elections, including in states that, in terms of statewide general elections, are very closely divided between Democrats and Republicans. Prime examples of such states are exactly the ones that swung the 2016 presidential election to the GOP: Michigan, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin. According to a published analysis by the Associated Press, for example, Republicans drew Michigan legislative districts after the 2010 census and created such an advantage for their party that the GOP could continue to maintain control of the closely divided state’s lower legislative body. Democrats in Michigan won the governor’s race and every other major statewide office in 2018 but could not overcome legislative districts gerrymandered by Republicans. Similarly, observers of the US Supreme Court now worry that a North Carolina-based case accepted for review in the court’s upcoming term is particularly ominous. The case, an appeal of that state court’s overturning of a congressional redistricting plan approved by the GOP-controlled state legislature, is based upon a legal theory that holds that state legislatures have near-total control over elections law. If the US high court rules in favour of the plaintiffs, it might be possible for Republican-controlled state legislatures to overturn the popular vote in their
Faith and the ballot box
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HERE’S a relatively new emphasis on an enduring concept in American political life. That concept is Christian nationalism, and it returned to the forefront of US political discourse when some members of the January 6 mob that assaulted the US capitol carried crosses or invoked the name of Jesus. The strong support afforded to ex-President Donald Trump by many in the American evangelical and other religion-based movements was often cited as a key element in his base of support. He reciprocated by adopting many of their core positions. This pushed religious people of many faiths much closer to the epicentre of the political morass that presently hobbles the US. And it has made villains of some religious groups in the eyes of many in the American left. A recent opinion columnist in the New York Times said the following about Christian nationalism: “It is a mistake to imagine that Christian nationalism is a
social movement arising from the grassroots and aiming to satisfy the real needs of its base. It isn’t. This is a leader-driven movement. The leaders set the agenda, and their main goals are power and access to public money. They aren’t serving the interests of their base; they are exploiting their base as a means of exploiting the rest of us.” Ironically, as fewer Americans identify themselves to pollsters as affiliated with an organized faith, conservative-leaning courts and judges are issuing decisions that continue to blur church-state lines, and to politicize religion. We see the virtual identification of religions with state-exercised political power in such countries as Russia, Iran and Saudi Arabia among others. America has no state religion. But the absence of a state religion does not preclude the rise of the sort of religious nationalism in the name of which many wars have been fought, much political power has been achieved and consolidated, and many have died.
THE US Supreme Court in Washington. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin)
state and shift its electors to the GOP candidate. This is of course one of the strategies employed by Republican operatives in their failed attempt to hijack the 2020 presidential election. Judges all over the country summarily dismissed such tactics. But what if they had been legal? Objectively, none of this portends the imminent end of American democracy. And when they get the chance, Democrats are
just as guilty as anyone else of trying to rig the game in favour of their candidates. There are all kinds of examples from all over the US of skullduggery by its two principal political parties. And complaints by the aggrieved about the impending demise of democracy in America are nothing new. Many of the current laments would probably not be even newsworthy were it not
for the existence of a ravenous cable network world that feeds from both the left and the right on every bit of incendiary “news” available to attract and keep viewers watching advertisers’ messages. But also, none of that means the US doesn’t face serious, critical, even existential issues as it celebrates its National Day. And history offers many examples of nations whose citizens ignored warning signs until they became powerless to resist them.
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IAN WINDER TO BE NEW CHIEF JUSTICE from page one
“He received his Bachelor of Arts (history and law) and LLM (corporate and commercial law) degrees from the University of the West Indies Cave Hill. “He was called to the bar of the Commonwealth of The Bahamas on May 12, 1995, and the Bar of the Turks and Caicos Islands on November 25, 2008. “Prior to his elevation to the bench, Justice Winder practised extensively at the public and the private bars.
He also previously served as a member of the full-time faculty of the Council of Legal Education – Eugene Dupuch Law School. “Justice Winder’s demonstrated long-standing commitment to the rule of law, qualifications, experience and achievements will be integral to improving the administration of justice in the best interest of the Bahamian people.” Sir Brian became Chief Justice on June 12, 2019, assuming the post after Chief Justice Stephen Isaacs died in office.
IAN WINDER
THREE FACE COURT ON FIREARM CHARGES THREE men were arraigned in court yesterday on separate firearm and ammunition charges. Orey Paul, 25, and Ringo Ellis, 24, both represented by Attorney Roberto Reckley, faced Senior Magistrate Derence A Rolle Davis on charges of possession of an unlicensed firearm and possession of ammunition. On July 4 in New Providence, the accused were arrested after they were found with a multi-coloured 9mm CPX-2 pistol with the serial number erased and five live rounds of ammunition. In court, Paul pleaded guilty to the offence while his co-accused Ellis pleaded not guilty to both charges. The magistrate sentenced Paul to 18 months at the Bahamas Department of Correctional Services
(BDCS). The charges against Ellis were officially withdrawn. The third man, Kerzner Hanna, 24, also faced Senior Magistrate Rolle Davis on charges of possession of an unlicensed firearm and possession of ammunition. On July 4 in New Providence, the accused was reportedly found with a black Smith & Wesson M & P .45 with the serial number erased and without a licence. Officers also said they found him in possession of three live rounds of .45 ammunition. Hanna pleaded not guilty to the charges. As there were no objections, $6,000 bail with one or two sureties was granted. Hanna’s trial is expected to begin on August 29 or 30.
TOURIST GUILTY OVER HEMP By PAVEL BAILEY Tribune Court Reporter pbailey@tribunemedia.net
AN AMERICAN tourist was discharged by a Magistrate’s Court yesterday after being found with Indian Hemp. William Hylton, 41, of New York, appeared before Senior Magistrate Derence Rolle Davis on a charge of possession of dangerous drugs.
On July 5 in New Providence, Hylton was reportedly arrested for being found with a half gram of Indian Hemp. In court, he pleaded guilty to the charge. Due to the relatively small quantity of drugs found in Hylton’s possession and his early plea of guilt, Magistrate Rolle Davis moved to discharge him of the offence with a caution.
Caves Village Premium Office Space for Lease Available November 1st 1,083 sq.ft. 4 offices, reception, conference room, kitchen $3,159 pm. Plus CAM and VAT Contact Mr. Sean McCarroll 327-1575 or 359-2957 Email: sean@mccarrollrealestate.com
THE TRIBUNE
Thursday, July 7, 2022, PAGE 11
ACTIVIST CONDEMNS BAHAMAS EFFORTS ON ENVIRONMENT By JADE RUSSELL jrussell@tribunemedia.net
AN environmental activist has described The Bahamas as being in an “embryonic stage” in terms of its enforcement of environmental laws. Sam Duncombe, of reEarth, said every administration elected in The Bahamas has failed to understand the importance of the country’s environment. She told The Tribune
there are laws that have been passed without the proper consultation and others that were not fully enforced. The environmentalist said the government simply does not do enough when it comes to properly protecting and maintaining the environment. Recently, it was alleged that a couple visiting the country were spotted poaching in the Exuma National Park, leading them to be deported
and fined. However, Ms Duncombe said if the case is true, then the punishment the tourist received was just a mere “slap on the wrist”. She said: “Whatever the maximum penalty is for that should be enforced because it needs to send a message, not only to them, but anybody that’s fishing in a national park. That you will be jailed, fined and you will be deported eventually. “Why is it that when the Dominicans and Cubans are
caught fishing in our waters the boat is confiscated and they’re thrown in jail, but because it’s not of the same level that the fishermen are doing it these guys are basically given a slap on the wrist and allowed to go?” In terms of the previous administration’s efforts of protecting the environment, Ms Duncombe criticised how the Minnis administration handled a Carnival Cruise ship’s dumping of sewage and 8,000 gallons of food waste in Bahamian
waters. Carnival pleaded guilty in 2016 to several charges related to pollution and falsifying records. The corporation paid a $40m fine and was placed on probation. The activist called the fine settlement a “joke” compared with the billions of dollars massive cruise ship lines such as the Carnival make. “We depend on our environment for tourism, which is one of the main things, in
terms of our livelihood. The fact that the government came out and said they were investigating it, but then everything went silent, I’ve called on them several times to find out what exactly has happened with investigating that,” she said. When asked what solution would be needed to enforce the environmental laws, Ms Duncombe responded: “The agencies and the police need to get together, to figure out each other’s role in this.”
British PM battles to stay as PM amid party revolt LONDON Associated Press BRITISH Prime Minister Boris Johnson battled to remain in office yesterday, brushing off calls for his resignation after three Cabinet ministers and a slew of junior officials said they could no longer serve under his scandal-plagued leadership. Johnson rejected demands that he step down during a stormy session of the House of Commons amid a furor over his handling of sexual misconduct allegations against a senior official. Later in the day, a delegation of some of his most trusted allies in the Cabinet paid a visit to the prime minister at 10 Downing Street to urge him to go, but he remained unmoved, Britain’s Press Association reported. The prime minister turned down suggestions he seek a “dignified exit” and opted instead to fight for his political career, citing “hugely important issues facing the country,” according to the news agency. It quoted a source close to Johnson as saying he told colleagues there would be “chaos” if he quit. The 58-year-old leader who pulled Britain out of the European Union and steered it through the COVID-19 outbreak is known for his ability to wiggle out of tight spots, managing to remain in power despite allegations that he was too close to party donors, that he protected supporters from bullying and corruption
BRITISH Prime Minister Boris Johnson leaves 10 Downing Street in London yesterday. Photo: Frank Augstein/AP allegations, and that he misled Parliament about government office parties that broke pandemic lockdown rules. He hung on even when 41% of Conservative lawmakers voted to oust him in a no-confidence vote last month. But recent disclosures that Johnson knew about sexual misconduct allegations against a lawmaker before he promoted the man to a senior position pushed him to the brink. In holding on to his office, Johnson is attempting to defy the mathematics of parliamentary government and the traditions of British politics. It is rare for a prime minister to cling to power in the face of this much pressure from his Cabinet colleagues. “He is now besmirching our democracy, and if he doesn’t do the right thing and go of his own accord, then he’ll be dragged out,” Scottish National Party leader Ian Blackford told the BBC. Many of Johnson’s fellow
Conservatives were concerned that he no longer had the moral authority to govern at a time when difficult decisions are needed to address soaring food and energy prices, rising COVID-19 infections and the war in Ukraine. Others worry that he may now be a liability at the ballot box. On Wednesday, members of the opposition Labour Party showered Johnson with shouts of “Go! Go!’’ during the weekly ritual of Prime Minister’s Questions in the House of Commons. Labour Party leader Keir Starmer mockingly said of the resignations surrounding Johnson, “Isn’t it the first recorded case of the sinking ship fleeing the rat?” More damningly, members of Johnson’s own Conservative Party — wearied by the many scandals he has faced — also challenged their leader. “Frankly… the job of the prime minister in difficult circumstances, when he’s been handed a colossal
mandate, is to keep going,’’ Johnson replied with the bluster he has used to fend off critics throughout nearly three years in office. “And that’s what I’m going to do.” Former Health Secretary Sajid Javid, who helped trigger the current crisis when he resigned on Tuesday night, captured the mood of many lawmakers when he said Johnson’s actions threaten to undermine the integrity of the Conservative Party and the British government. “At some point we have to conclude that enough is enough,” he told fellow lawmakers. “I believe that point is now.” Under party rules, another no-confidence vote cannot be held for another 11 months, but party members can change the rules. The 1922 Committee, a small but influential group of Conservative lawmakers, could decide as early as Monday whether to do that. Javid and Treasury chief Rishi Sunak resigned within minutes of each other over the latest furor. The two
Cabinet heavyweights were responsible for tackling two of the biggest issues facing Britain — the cost-of-living crisis and COVID-19. In a scathing letter, Sunak said: “The public rightly expect government to be conducted properly, competently and seriously… I believe these standards are worth fighting for and that is why I am resigning.” The resignations of some 40 junior ministers and ministerial aides followed on Tuesday and Wednesday. A third Cabinet official, Welsh Secretary Simon Hart, quit late yesterday, saying “we have passed the point” where it’s possible to “turn the ship around.” As Johnson dug in, critics accused him of refusing to accept the inevitable and of behaving more like a president than a prime minister by referring to his “mandate.” In Britain, voters elect a party to govern, not the prime minister directly. Former International Development Secretary Andrew Mitchell said late Tuesday that Johnson’s
time is finally up. “It’s a bit like the death of Rasputin: He’s been poisoned, stabbed, he’s been shot, his body’s been dumped in a freezing river, and still he lives,’’ Mitchell told the BBC. “But this is an abnormal prime minister, a brilliantly charismatic, very funny, very amusing, big, big character. But I’m afraid he has neither the character nor the temperament to be our prime minister.” The final straw for Sunak and Javid was the prime minister’s handling of sexual misconduct allegations against Conservative lawmaker Chris Pincher. Last week, Pincher resigned as deputy chief whip after complaints he groped two men at a private club. That triggered a series of reports about past allegations leveled against Pincher — and shifting explanations from the government about what Johnson knew when he tapped the man for a senior job enforcing party discipline.
SPORTS PAGE 12
By RENALDO DORSETT Tribune Sports Reporter rdorsett@tribunemedia.net eam Bahamas delivered several milestone performances at the 2022 Arkas Optimist World Championships. Craig Ferguson II was the top performer of the five-member group and highlighted the final day of sailing when he finished first among the silver fleet in race 11 of 12 at the event in Bodrum, Turkey. He finished ranked no.70 in the field of 276 sailors, with a net point total of 161. Ferguson sailed the first four races on day one in the red fleet. He finished 27th overall in race
one followed by a second place finish in race two, 39th in race three, and 24th in race four. He sailed races five and six in the green fleet, finishing 34th and 13th respectively. He concluded the competition with his final six races in the silver fleet where he produced four top-five finishes. He finished fourth in race seven, 27th in race eight, 22nd in race nine, fourth in race 10 and concluded with a third place finish in race 12. Team Bahamas also included Finley McKinney-Lambert, Patrick Tomlinson, Zane Munro, and Norman Cartwright. The team finished 31st overall among 54 teams in the Nations Cup Rankings with 3,835 points. Italy claimed the Jacobsen Trophy
Kaleb Barnett commits to Owls By RENALDO DORSETT Tribune Sports Reporter rdorsett@tribunemedia.net THE latest Bahamian prospect to enter the South Florida pipeline to gridiron success committed to a major Division I programme. Defensive back Kaleb Barnett announced his commitment to the Temple Owls football programme for the fall 2023 season. The Jackson Miami High product is reportedly the fifth high school prospect to commit to the Owls in the current recruiting cycle. Barnett was one of several Bahamian prospects to compete for Miami International Academy. Standing at 6’1” 185 pounds, Barnett is also a 100m sprinter who has turned in a time of 10.7 seconds. “My high school coach said I have a great wingspan for a corner. I’ll be able to stop and get a lot
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THURSDAY, JULY 7, 2022
Team Bahamas shines at Arkas Optimist World Championships
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Rojas,
of picks,” Barnett told OwlsDaily. “Coaches want me to play every position because of my athletic ability.” The Temple staff looks forward to Barnett’s athletic ability in the defensive backfield. “Coach Jules and coach Drayton said they like my speed,” Barnett said. “If I get beat on a route, I’m able to catch up very quickly. And my height for a high school cornerback is good, especially how I’m still growing. I’ll be able to play multiple positions on the field.” Both Florida International and Florida Atlantic were in the recruiting process for Barnett who also got an offer from Charlotte before he ultimately chose Temple. Barnett went on a pair of visits to the campus, including to the “Cherry and White” Game last April. “When you see him in person, you wouldn’t be
World Championship with 743 points. Munro was ranked no.75 overall through 12 races with a net point total of 176. His top performances in the silver fleet was a fourth place finish in race 11 and a fifth place finish in race seven. He began competition in the blue fleet (26th and 21st), followed by two races in the green fleet (12th and 24th) before a return to the blue fleet (47th and 12th). Tomlinson had a net point total of 389 to rank no.171, with a top finish of third overall in race 10 of the silver fleet. McKinney-Lambert had a net score of 407 to rank no.177. His race series was highlighted by a first place finish in race
10 of the silver fleet. Cartwright finished at no.213 in the field. He had a first place finish in the emerald fleet in race seven and a no.3 finish in race 12. The Arkas Optimist World Championships is of the most prestigious sailing tournaments organised by the International Optimist Dinghy Association (IODA). It was hosted by the Bodrumspor Sailing Club of Bodrum Municipality, with support of the Bodrum Municipality and in cooperation with IODA International Optimist Dinghy Association and the Turkish Sailing Federation, the 2022 tournament started with the participation of 283 athletes from 62 countries.
KALEB BARNETT, right, and Jules Montair, defensive backs coach at Temple.
able to tell he just started playing football, with how fast he’s grown since he’s been down here,” Barnett’s coach Olin Cushion told Owls Daily. “You could barely tell that he just started playing last year. It’s crazy.” Several other Bahamians in the Miami International Academy programme have received offers from programmes at both the NAIA and NCAA levels. Dwayne Lewis, a 6’3” 215 outside linebacker and defensive end, has fielded offers from Kentucky Christian Knights in the NAIA and Wagner Seahawks in the Northeastern Conference of NCAA Division I. Outgoing seniors Mazio Randall and Amarie Archer have committed to the Dodge City Community College Conquistadors football programme for the upcoming fall semester. Miami International Academy finished their
DEFENSIVE back Kaleb Barnett has announced his commitment to the Temple Owls football programme for the fall 2023 season. inaugural season 2-7 but it was highlighted by a 40-0 South Florida High
School Orange Bowl win over Palm Beach Christian Prep.
NFL MAKES STRONG PUSH FOR FLAG FOOTBALL WITH EYE ON OLYMPICS By ROB MAADDI AP Pro Football Writer FLAG football will be played at an international, multi-sport event for the first time next week during the World Games in Birmingham, Alabama. The NFL may be the sport’s biggest cheerleader. “When we talk about the future of the game of football, it is, no question, flag,” NFL executive Troy Vincent told The Associated Press. “When I’ve been asked over the last 24 months, in particular, what does the next 100 years look like when you look at football, not professional football, it’s flag. It’s the inclusion and the true motto of ‘football for all.’ There is a place in flag football for all.” Vincent points to the growing number of men and women playing flag football globally. He’s encouraged that six states — Arkansas, Arizona, Florida, Georgia, Nevada and New York — have sanctioned flag football as a varsity sport in high school with 20 more states interested or in the process of piloting to get it sanctioned. Multiple NFL clubs support high schools in their respective states with helping fund the initiative. The Atlanta Falcons unveiled a girls flag wall in their stadium in May. The league says 450 schools, and more than 10,000 girls participate in flag football across the country. It was an important step when the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics declared women’s flag football as an emerging sport in 2020. The National Junior College Athletic Association did the same. “It’s a cost-effective sport feasible for all to play,” Vincent said. The NFL partnered with the International Federation of American Football to bring flag football to The World Games with an eye on the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles. “That’s the ultimate goal to make flag football an Olympic sport,” Vincent said. Sixteen of the world’s best flag football teams
SEE PAGE 14
Simona Halep gets back to semifinals in Wimbledon return By CHRIS LEHOURITES AP Sports Writer WIMBLEDON, England (AP) — In a roundabout way, Simona Halep is finally getting a chance to defend her Wimbledon title. And she’s picking up right where she left off. Halep won the title at the grass-court Grand Slam in 2019, but she missed a chance to play as reigning champion in 2020 because the tournament was cancelled amid the coronavirus pandemic. She then missed a second chance last year because of an injured left calf. “That was the perfect match of my life,” Halep said of her straight-set
ROMANIA’s Simona Halep returns to Amanda Anisimova of the US in a women’s singles quarterfinal match on day 10 of the Wimbledon tennis championships in London yesterday. (AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth) victory over Serena Williams three years ago. “Now I’m playing really well. I’m feeling confident that I feel the game the way I felt back then.”
The 16th-seeded Halep extended her winning streak at the All England Club to 12 matches
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Thursday, July 7, 2022, PAGE 13
Tiger Woods looking at British Open as an historic occasion By DOUG FERGUSON AP Golf Writer THE British Open is scheduled for Royal Liverpool, Royal Troon and Royal Portrush over the next three years. The Old Course at St Andrews typically is used every five years. That adds to the perspective of Tiger Woods playing this year. When he said Tuesday that “this is a pretty historic Open,” Woods just as well could have been talking about himself as the 150th anniversary of golf’s oldest championship. “I’m lucky enough to be part of the past champions that have won there, and want to play there again, and I don’t know when they are ever going to go back while I’m still able to play at a high level,” Woods said at the J.P. McManus Pro-Am in Ireland. “I want to be able to give it at least one more run at a high level.” Woods won in 2000 by eight shots to complete the career Grand Slam at age 24. He won again in 2005 to complete a different kind of slam. Each time Jack Nicklaus played a major for the last time, Woods won. He is 46 and still walking gingerly at times from his right leg and ankle being pieced back together following his February 2021 car crash outside of Los Angeles. Woods returned to play the Masters and PGA Championship, both times making the cut, though he withdrew after the third round at Southern Hills. He skipped the U.S. Open, though not necessarily by choice. “The plan was to play the U.S. Open, but physically I was not able to do that,” Woods said at Adare Manor. “There’s no way physically I could have done that. I had some issues with my leg and it would have put this tournament in jeopardy, and so there’s no reason to do that.” That he is even playing is remarkable considering the nature of his injuries, particularly the threat of having part of his leg amputated, which doctors were able to avoid. He has no idea how much longer he can play, or at least compete. Woods is unlikely to tee it up after the British Open until December, either at his Hero World Challenge in the Bahamas or what has become his fifth major, the PNC Championship with son Charlie. “If you asked me last year whether I would play golf again, all of my surgeons would have said, ‘No,’” Woods said. “Now if you say, ‘Play at a championship level,’ well,
GOLFER TIGER WOODS, of the United States, putting on the 3rd green during the JP McManus Pro-Am at Adare Manor, Ireland, yesterday. (AP Photos/Peter Morrison) that window is definitely not as long as I would like it to be.” PAIRINGS PARTY Branden Grace of South Africa, coming off a $4 million prize from winning the LIV Golf event in Oregon, was among those with LIV contracts who were added to the Scottish Open field. He joins Ian Poulter, Adrian Otaegui and Justin Harding, who won a temporary stay from European tour suspensions. Will that lead to awkward moments? Not really. The European tour put Harding and Otaegui as a twosome in the first tee time of the tournament, which starts Thursday. Poulter and Grace play as a twosome in the first group out Thursday afternoon. As for awkward, that might be found in the group of Collin Morikawa, Matt Fitzpatrick and Will Zalatoris. It was only a few weeks ago when Zalatoris played with Fitzpatrick in the final group at Brookline and missed a 15-foot putt on the last hole to finish one behind. OPEN RAILING The grand celebration of the 150th anniversary of the British Open coincides with a dispute between ScotRail and ASLEF, the union for train drivers. As a result, the R&A has contacted ticket holders to advise they travel to the Old Course by road or alternative public transport. Nearly 300,000 spectators are expect for the British Open next week. ScotRail has limited service because of the dispute.
U.S golfer Tiger Woods tees off on the 6th hole during the JP McManus Pro-Am at Adare Manor, Ireland, on Tuesday. It said trains between Edinburgh, Dundee and Aberdeen to Leuchars — the closest station to St. Andrews — would run every hour on tournament days. The R&A said it will increase capacity at parkand-ride facilities to cope with more cars. Travel time to the Old Course is likely to take a lot longer. “Due to circumstances out of our control, we have no choice but to urge fans to not travel by rail to The Open and to use alternative means of transport to get to and from St. Andrews next week,” said Johnnie Cole-Hamilton, executive director of championship at the R&A. “There is a risk that fans who travel by train may find
there are no services to get them home.” RYDER CUP RAMIFICATIONS Ryder Cup captain Zach Johnson illustrated why it will be difficult for Brooks Koepka, Dustin Johnson, Bryson DeChambeau — yes, even Talor Gooch — to be on the U.S. team a year from September in Italy. Johnson said last week at the John Deere Classic that to be one of six qualifiers or be considered for a captain’s pick, players must earn Ryder Cup points through the PGA of America, which requires being a PGA member. “The way that we’re members of the PGA of America is through the PGA Tour. I’ll let you
connect the dots from there,” Johnson said. There’s another way to look at it. One of the genius moves of Paul Azinger — the real “Captain America” when it comes to the Ryder Cup — was for the PGA of America to change its points system for 2008 so it was based on PGA Tour earnings. Players can’t get official PGA Tour money if the tour has suspended them for joining LIV Golf. As for captain’s picks, the Ryder Cup is now a competition between the PGA Tour and European tour. It’s hard to fathom why a captain would want someone who is part of neither. CASEY’S U-TURN Brooks Koepka isn’t the only player to change his opinion, just the quickest.
Paul Casey stood his moral ground in 2019 when he turned down the Saudi International. He was a UNICEF ambassador at the time, and Casey told the U.K.-based Independent he would be a hypocrite to sign a deal and get paid to play. “Anybody who says sport isn’t political, that’s rubbish. Sport is very political,” he said in March 2019. “I’m glad I took a stance, more so if it highlights the issues within the region.” Two years later, he was part of the Saudi International field, saying he was “open-minded and willing to learn,” that sport can lead to change and he had listened to the event’s commitment to change and its vision for the future. And now he is the latest to sign up for Saudi-funded LIV Golf league. His first LIV event will be at Trump National in Bedminster, New Jersey, at the end of the month. That gives LIV Golf another player in his mid-40s. STAT OF THE WEEK J.T. Poston was No. 99 in the world when he won the John Deere Classic, ending a stretch of six consecutive PGA Tour winners from the top 20. FINAL WORD “If you don’t want to be a part of this tour, which has given you so many opportunities to make a name and build a financial stability for your family and everything, then that’s fine. Just stay away and we’ll be fine without you guys.” — Billy Horschel, on players signing up for LIV Golf.
MORIKAWA CARING LESS ABOUT NO. 1 AND MORE ABOUT WINNING By DOUG FERGUSON AP Golf Writer NORTH BERWICK, Scotland (AP) — Collin Morikawa was one round away from reaching No. 1 in the world, staked to a fiveshot lead in the Bahamas and needing only to win. Seven months later, No. 1 feels like a mile away. Morikawa shot 76 in the final round last December and began the new year thinking so much about it that he started going in the wrong direction. He hasn’t won, and really hasn’t come particularly close until the U.S. Open last month. “I think that might have played a factor in how I was performing beginning of the year,” Morikawa said yesterday at the Scottish Open. “What I cared about was trying to get to No. 1 in the world.” He now is No. 4 but still so far from Scottie Scheffler that even wins at the Scottish Open and the British Open next week might not be enough to catch him. But that’s no longer his concern.
“I just want to get back in the winner’s circle. That’s what it was like since I’ve turned pro and it hasn’t changed,” Morikawa said. “But when you’re on the cusp of something and you’re so close to that, sometimes kind of jumps precedent to what you really need to focus on,” he added. This would be a good time to turn it around. Morikawa has fond memories of the Scottish Open, more from the experience than the result. He tied for 71st, but his taste of links revealed that he needed to change his irons. A week later, he was a British Open champion. “So if I had just shown up to The Open Championship last year, it probably just would have been a repeat of what I saw last year during this event, maybe hitting fairways and then missing every green, which is not the case for trying to win major championships,” he said. Different about this Scottish Open, which starts today, is the field.
U.S golfer Colin Morikawa playing the 9th hole during the JP McManus Pro-Am at Adare Manor, Ireland, on Tuesday. (AP Photo/Peter Morrison) This is the first example players who signed up for of the alliance between the the Saudi-backed LIV Golf PGA Tour and the Euro- series and won a temporary pean tour. The Scottish stay from the European Open counts for both tours, tour suspending them. They and the field is the strongest were added to the field, in the tournament’s his- going off in twosomes at the tory, with each tour getting front end of each side of the equal spots in the 156-man draw. field that features 14 of the Not everyone is happy top 15 in the world. Rory about that. McIlroy is the only one not “I believe they made playing. their bed,” Billy Horschel Well, the field is a little said. “They shouldn’t be more than 156 players. coming back over here to Ian Poulter and Branden play the DP World Tour or Grace were among four the PGA Tour. To say that
they wanted to also support the DP or PGA Tour going forward, while playing the LIV tour, is completely asinine in my opinion.” And not everyone cares, least of all Robert MacIntyre, the lefty from Oban and Scotland’s highestranked player at No. 102, out of the top 100 for the first time in nearly three years. These two tournaments are the highlight of his season — his national Open and the ultimate Open at St. Andrews. He was in no mood for any chatter about rival leagues or innuendos. “I’m here to try and win the Scottish Open, next week try to win The Open Championship. These two weeks are massive for my game and my career,” he said. “I have a chance the next few weeks to do something special and I’m not worrying about what’s going on.” The wind was ripping across The Renaissance Club on Wednesday, flags of the DP World Tour (commercial name for the European tour) and
FedEx Cup from the PGA Tour sharing space on the grandstands. “The weather today was fun. I don’t know if it would be as fun if it was a tournament,” Scheffler said. “I don’t know if we could have played this golf course if it was a tournament.” Scheffler is among several stars who have had all week to acclimatize. He arrived over the weekend to play Lahinch and Ballybunion before going to the J.P. McManus Pro-Am. Stepping off the plane and onto the tee, he noticed 100 or so people who came out to watch. “No stretching and warming up and right on the first tee and everyone is sitting there watching you,” Scheffler said. “We warned them starting the round, ‘You won’t be seeing what the No. 1 player looks like.’” It counts on Thursday, consecutive weeks of the best players in links golf, ending with the final major championship of the year at the home of golf.
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Clarke wins crash-marred Stage 5, Van Aert keeps Tour lead ARENBERG PORTE DU HAINAUT, France (AP) — Australian rider Simon Clarke won a crashmarred fifth stage of the Tour de France yesterday while Wout van Aert clung onto the leader’s yellow jersey despite coming off his bike. The big winner though was Slovenian rider Tadej Pogacar, who kick-started his bid to win a third straight Tour with a sensational ride over the cobbles to slash the gap to Van Aert to 19 seconds on a day where several of his rivals lost time. Pogacar had a broad smile as he crossed the line. “That was a really hard day. Quite stressful in the first part, and the second part was really tough. It was a lot of power on the pedals through the day, the cobbles were dusty and dangerous,” Pogacar said. “I’m just happy this day is over and I rode well. In the
end it was a really good day for me and the (UAE Team Emirates) team … I followed Jasper Stuyven in the end. He almost dropped me a few times, I struggled and I held onto his wheel. We came onto the front to take some seconds. I have to buy him a beer.” It was a first individual win on the Tour for Clarke, who was in tears after crossing the line. Clarke had won a team time trial in the race in 2013 and also two individual stages in the Spanish Vuelta. The 35-year-old Clarke, who rides for Israel–Premier Tech, sprinted to victory from the remnants of an early breakaway, edging out Taco van der Hoorn. “After the winter I had when I had no team, to then have Israel ring me up and say ‘we’ll give you that chance’ just gives you such a reality check to make the most of every opportunity.
All year this season, I’ve come out in every race swinging,” Clarke said. “I still can’t believe I got it on the line there. Taco was well ahead of me with less than 50 meters to go. I was cramping in both legs and I just lined up the biggest throw I could possibly do and I just prayed it was enough. I need to watch the replay, I still don’t quite believe it.” Edvald Boasson Hagen finished two seconds behind, at the end of the 157-kilometre (97-mile) leg from Lille Métropole to Arenberg Porte du Hainaut that went over some of the feared cobblestones that feature on the Paris-Roubaix one-day classic. American cyclist Neilson Powless just missed out on a podium finish but moved into second in the overall standings, 13 seconds behind Van Aert and just one second ahead of Boasson Hagen.
STAGE winner Australia’s Simon Clarke reacts after crossing the finish line of the fifth stage of the Tour de France cycling race over 157 kilometres (97.6 miles) with start in Lille Metropole and finish in Arenberg Porte du Hainaut, France, yesterday. (AP Photo/Daniel Cole) The day saw several inci- when I thought it was nec- much in the back that I was dents and Van Aert was one essary to start moving not actually thinking about of the first to take a tumble up to the front I immedi- the jersey anymore,” he but his crash came as the ately crashed because of a said. riders were racing towards narrowing. Peter Sagan and Caleb the first of the 11 cobbled “I hurt myself a bit but Ewan were also involved sections. also I lost a bit of con- in incidents as nerves set in. He was able to get back fidence to go really in a Ewan’s crash came as he hit on and catch up with the fight for position, and it’s a a hay bale that had come peloton – although he shame because at that point loose from the barriers and almost went down again as I let down the other boys, that also affected Primož he clipped the wing mirror and I also was in the back Roglic, who has fallen more of his own team car. chasing instead of having a than 2 minutes behind his “In my opinion the roads good position on the cob- Slovenian rival. were way too dangerous, bles. So for me from then Thursday’s sixth stage is everyone expected some on it was a fight the whole the longest one of the race stress because of the cob- day.” and is a hilly 220-kilometer bles but then there was Van Aert admitted he route from Binche — in also a lot of narrowings and didn’t think he would still Van Aert’s native Belgium things on the road,” Van be in yellow. “It was a big — to Longwy. Aert said. “I didn’t want to surprise for me after the The race ends on July 24 take risks and the moment finish because I was so in Paris.
YULIMAR ROJAS, of Venezuela, competes in the qualification rounds of the women’s triple jump at the 2020 Summer Olympics on July 30, 2021, in Tokyo. (AP Photo/David J Phillip)
Shoe issue bars triple jump star Rojas from worlds long jump MONACO (AP) — Olympic triple jump champion Yulimar Rojas cannot compete in long jump at the world championships in Oregon this month because her qualifying leap was done in unapproved shoes. Track and field’s governing body World Athletics said yesterday that a jump by Rojas in Spain in June — which was long enough to qualify for the worlds — “was not a valid result as she
was wearing triple jump shoes which are not approved for long jump.” The soles of long jump shoes are allowed a maximum thickness of 20 millimetres, while the limit for triple jump is 25 millimetres. Rojas’ long jump in Spain measured 6.93 metres — a distance that would have taken a silver medal at the 2019 worlds. She was then prevented by
injury from competing again to get a valid qualifying mark, the governing body said in a statement. “We know this is disappointing for Ms Rojas and her legions of fans,” World Athletics said. “But we very much look forward to watching Ms Rojas compete in the triple jump,” the organisation added. The 26-year-old Venezuelan is the two-time defending
champion in triple jump and set two world records in the past year. Rojas set the outdoor record of 15.67 metres at the Tokyo Olympics last August and landed a 15.74 leap at the indoor worlds held in March at Belgrade, Serbia. The women’s triple jump final is scheduled July 18 at the worlds held in Eugene, Oregon, July 15-24.
FLAG FOOTBALL FROM PAGE 12
will compete for gold for the first time at The World Games kicking off Sunday at Birmingham’s historic Legion Field. Flag football is one of 33 sports in the programme at the Olympic-style, multi-sport event, following its inclusion by the International World Games Association in 2020. “We are thrilled to have flag football join the official sports programme at The World Games for the first time,” IFAF President Pierre Trochet said in a statement. “This is a milestone in the sport’s development and a fantastic opportunity to showcase flag as a truly world-class, international sport. The World Games are back in the United States for the first time since 1981. The United States men’s and women’s teams both pre-qualified for the tournament by winning gold at the 2021 IFAF Flag World Championships held in Jerusalem last December. A record 39 national teams across four continents competed. The remaining 14 teams earned their place through IFAF’s international qualifying process. Austria, France, Italy, Mexico and Panama also qualified men’s and women’s teams. Denmark and Germany have the remaining men’s teams. Brazil and Japan have the other two women’s teams. “This is not something that we dominate because it’s football, the national pastime in America,” Vincent said. “You watch these young ladies and men play in other countries. They come to play. It’s a transitional sport. It’s a cross-functional sport. The best flag players come from soccer, lacrosse, cricket because these are men and women who have tremendous agility. It’s a fast-paced game played in space. You don’t have to play it for years and years. You can develop. You can transfer those skills that you learned in soccer, lacrosse, cricket to flag football.”
BASEBALL UNION PROMOTES MEYER TO DEPUTY EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR By RONALD BLUM AP Baseball Writer NEW YORK (AP) — It appears Bruce Meyer will stick around to lead baseball players in the next round of collective bargaining in 2026. Meyer was promoted to deputy executive director of the Major League Baseball Players Association yesterday after leading the union’s negotiations during a 99-day lockout that ended in March. Meyer’s title is unusual for the union. Since Marvin Miller was hired as executive director in 1966, the only previous person to hold the deputy title was Tony Clark. He was promoted to the role from director of player services in July 2013 after union head Michael Weiner was diagnosed with a brain tumor. Clark took over
following Weiner’s death that November. “Under Tony Clark’s leadership the MLBPA has made great strides including on the business and collective bargaining fronts,” Meyer said “Our union is as strong as it has ever been.” The 61-year-old Meyer is a longtime sports law attorney and litigator. He spent 30 years at Weil, Gotshal & Manges before joining the NHL Players Association in 2016 as senior director of collective bargaining, policy and legal. Baseball’s union hired him in August 2018 as senior director of collective bargaining and legal. Rick Shapiro, who headed negotiations in 2016, left the union in July 2019. Meyer led the union through contentious and often acrimonious
MAJOR League Baseball Players Association Senior Director, Collective Bargaining & Legal,, Bruce Meyer answers a question at a press conference in their offices in New York, on March 11. (AP Photo/Richard Drew) negotiations to start the 2020 season following the pandemic, then headed strained talks during baseball’s ninth work stoppage, the first since the 1994-95 strike. This year’s lockout ended with an increase in luxury tax thresholds
(accompanied by a new highest tier of penalties), a boost in the minimum salary from $570,500 to $700,000, a new $50 million bonus pool for younger players, expansion of the designated hitter to the National League, 12 postseason teams instead of 10,
advertisements on uniforms starting next year, a balanced schedule that reduces intradivision play starting in 2023 and measures aimed to incentivize competition and decrease rebuilding, such as an amateur draft lottery. The five-year agreement expires in December 2026, making it likely negotiations will start that spring. In other moves yesterday, Ian Penny was promoted to senior adviser to Clark and Matt Nussbaum replaced Penny as general counsel, a move up from his previous role as deputy general counsel. Jeff Perconte was promoted to deputy general counsel from assistant general counsel. Penny, 58, joined the baseball union staff as a senior labour attorney in 2010 after working at the National Labor Relations
Board from 1988-2000 and the NHL union for a decade. He succeeded David Prouty as general counsel in 2017. Nussbaum, 44, was hired by the baseball union as assistant general counsel in 2011 after three years at the NHL union and was promoted to deputy general counsel in 2017. Perconte, 44, a former assistant U.S. attorney in Chicago, was hired by the union in 2017 as an assistant general counsel. Also, former pitcher Kevin Slowey was promoted to senior director of player services from director of player services, a role he had held since 2015. And former pitcher Chris Capuano was promoted to senior director of operations, business and strategy, up from the director of operations role he held since 2019.
THE TRIBUNE
Thursday, July 7, 2022, PAGE 15
All eyes on Banchero, as NBA Summer League all set to open today By TIM REYNOLDS AP Basketball Writer LAS VEGAS (AP) — In Las Vegas, there’s always a big show happening. Welcome to the stage, Paolo Banchero. He’s about to have his opening night. NBA Summer League starts today in Las Vegas, with Banchero — the nowformer Duke star forward who was the No. 1 pick last month — set to play in the opening game when the Orlando Magic take on No. 3 pick Jabari Smith Jr. and the Houston Rockets in the first contest of the 11-day showcase. “It’s great,” Banchero said yesterday as the Magic wrapped up practice in one of the two UNLV arenas where games will be taking place. “You know, I get to come out here, have all these people come watch, watch me put on a show. I love when big crowds are out, when all the cameras are out, that’s when I play my best. So, I’m looking forward to it and it’s going to be fun.” The crowds do come for these games; in 2018, Summer League set a total attendance record of 139,972 and in 2019, a perday average record was set of 12,199 fans. That’s all pre-COVID, of course, and the league is hoping this summer league — even with the pandemic still very much happening — is back to those sorts of numbers. And a glitzy matchup to get things started, two of the top three picks in the first game, seems fitting. “I want to feel like I played hard all week, no matter how long I’m there,
FORMER Duke star forward Paolo Banchero, who was the No. 1 pick last month in the NBA Draft, is set to play in the opening game of the NBA Summer League which starts today in Las Vegas. Banchero and the Orlando Magic take on No. 3 pick Jabari Smith Jr and the Houston Rockets in the first contest of the 11-day showcase. (AP Photo) no matter if I’m making shots, missing shots, I want to know that I was out there competing, out there listening, out there learning,” Smith said. “At the end of the day, all this is new to me.” He’s not alone there. For most players taking part over the next 11 days, this is new. Some have played in Las Vegas before, maybe in AAU games, or high school, or in college. A few have even participated in Summer League before — but there are some who are seeing Las Vegas for the first time as well. “I’m looking forward to walking around and seeing some things,” Miami rookie Nikola Jovic said. “When I have time.”
Every NBA team has a summer squad in Las Vegas, all set to play five games. The first four games for each team will go into standings that will determine which two will play on July 17 for a title, though the trophy can be viewed as an ancillary part of Summer League. Sacramento won Summer League last season; probably only the most ardent basketball fans know that. But moments stand out — such as No. 1 pick Zion Williamson of New Orleans ripping the ball away from New York’s Kevin Knox in the 2019 Summer League and getting a dunk. That play, people remember. Williamson didn’t finish that game because of a knee
injury, and the game itself ended eight minutes early because an earthquake struck 150 miles from Las Vegas but left the scoreboards at UNLV shaking to the point where officials weren’t sure if the contest could safely continue. New Orleans won. The outcome didn’t matter. Same goes for whatever will happen at UNLV starting tonight. A team will end up winning the title and get a trophy and T-shirts and hats on July 17, but it’s the moments — like the debut of a No. 1 pick — that tend to stand out. “I think Paolo is probably one of the most prepared individuals for that situation that have ever come
along in the NBA,” said Orlando assistant Jesse Mermuys, who will coach the summer league team. “His season at Duke, I don’t know if there’s much more pressure than that. And so, he’s already prepared. You can tell. His parents have done a great job with him.” Banchero has spent the last couple of weeks living out of a suitcase, getting to know new summer teammates — most of whom won’t be on the Magic roster when the real NBA season starts in mid-October — and starting to forge relationships with the Orlando veterans as well. Whatever happens tonight, it’s just a starting point.
AP SOURCE: HEAT, CALEB MARTIN AGREE ON 3-YEAR, $20.4M DEAL By TIM REYNOLDS AP Basketball Writer
CALEB Martin is coming off the best season of his career, and the Miami Heat are giving him three more years as a reward. Martin agreed to a three-year contract yesterday, one that will start with the forward making $6.5 million this coming season and be worth $20.4 million over the full three years, a person with knowledge of the agreement told The Associated Press. The person spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity because the Heat had not yet announced the signing of the deal. Martin is coming off his third NBA season, his first in Miami, and set career bests in a slew of categories. He averaged 9.2 points and 3.8 rebounds in 60 games with the Heat, shooting 51% from the floor. The Heat were 8-4 in games Martin started this past season, when Miami finished with the best record in the Eastern Conference and made the East finals. “I know who I am,” Banchero said. “I know what I bring. Whether I have a great game or a bad game, I’m never going to get too high, never going to get too low. I hold myself to high standards. So, really, in my head it’s just me vs. me. I’m not worried about what other people are doing. I’m not worried about what other people think. It’s just kind of how I see myself and whether I’m happy with how I played or not.”
Browns trade quarterback Baker Mayfield to Panthers By TOM WITHERS AP Sports Writer CLEVELAND (AP) — From being drafted first to dumped four years later, Baker Mayfield’s wild fouryear ride in Cleveland is over. The No. 1 overall pick in 2018, Mayfield was traded yesterday by the Browns, who moved on from the divisive quarterback months ago and finally sent him to the Carolina Panthers for a future draft pick. Mayfield, who was pushed out of his starting job amid the Browns’ pursuit of Deshaun Watson, is going to Carolina for a conditional draft pick in 2024 or 2025. The Browns are also paying $10 million of Mayfield’s $18.8 million contract for next season, a person familiar with the negotiations told The Associated Press. The person spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity because the trade can’t be finalised until Mayfield passes a physical. However, the trade was announced by the Panthers, who will host the Browns in the coming season’s opener — with Mayfield’s addition spicing up the matchup. Mayfield’s time with the Browns effectively ended in March when the team traded three first-round selections and six overall to the Houston Texans for Watson, who is facing a possible NFL suspension for violating the league’s personal conduct policy. Watson has been accused of sexual misconduct by two dozen massage therapists in Texas. Mayfield, who played most of last season with a left shoulder injury, felt betrayed by Cleveland’s move for Watson, demanded a trade and then had to wait until the Browns found a team both
CLEVELAND Browns quarterback Baker Mayfield walks on the field before an NFL football game against the Cincinnati Bengals, on, January 9 in Cleveland. Mayfield’s rocky run with Cleveland officially ended yesterday, with the Browns trading the divisive quarterback and former No. 1 overall draft pick to the Carolina Panthers, a person familiar with the deal told the Associated Press. (AP Photo/Nick Cammett) interested in him and willing to take on his salary. The 27-year-old will compete for Carolina’s starting QB job with Sam Darnold, who was taken two picks after Mayfield in 2018. The Panthers, who have not made the playoffs since 2017, have been searching for stability at the quarterback position ever since head coach Matt Rhule was hired in 2020. They also took a run at Watson before he chose Cleveland. Mayfield’s four years with the Browns included fewer memorable moments than distracting ones as he couldn’t end the team’s long search for a franchise QB. The stint was full of highs and lows, coaching changes, too much drama and not nearly enough wins. Former Browns general manager John Dorsey was enamored with Mayfield’s talent and swayed by his swagger chose the Heisman
Trophy winner from Oklahoma first despite other options, including Josh Allen and Lamar Jackson. Mayfield began his rookie season as Tyrod Taylor’s backup before coming off the bench in Week 3 and rallying the Browns to their first win in 635 days, a 21-17 victory over the New York Jets on national TV. Mayfield wound up passing for 3,725 yards and throwing 27 touchdown passes as a rookie, breaking the NFL record for a firstyear quarterback. For the first time in years, there was genuine hope for a floundering franchise that has had 32 starting QBs since 1999. However, Mayfield’s second season was a major setback for both him and the Browns. He threw nearly as many interceptions (21) as touchdowns (22) and seemed to be on a different page of the playbook than star receiver
Odell Beckham Jr. Cleveland went 6-10 and fired coach Freddie Kitchens after the finale. Mayfield also regularly squared off with commentators criticising his play and sparred with local reporters. His immaturity showed particularly on social media, where he often posted rebukes to his detractors. The 2020 season signaled a turnaround as Mayfield led the Browns back to relevance with their first postseason appearance since 2003. He thrived in first-year coach Kevin Stefanski’s offence after Beckham suffered a season-ending knee injury, throwing 20 TD passes and just three interceptions in his last 12 games. Mayfield directed a playoff win — the Browns’ first since 1994 — over the rival Pittsburgh Steelers on Janury 10, 2021, and came within minutes
of getting Cleveland to the AFC Championship a week later before losing at Kansas City. The resurgence triggered some Super Bowl predictions for the Browns in the 2021-22 season and speculation they would sign Mayfield to a long-term contract. Neither came close to happening. After dropping the hyped season opener to the Chiefs, the game’s outcome decided when Mayfield threw a late interception, he suffered a torn left shoulder labrum the following week while trying to make a tackle. The injury worsened when he was sacked by Houston’s J.J. Watt a few weeks later, and Mayfield never found his rhythm the rest of the season.
Beckham forced his way off the roster — his father posted a video of Mayfield missing an open OBJ — and the Browns stumbled to a 8-9 finish and missed the playoffs. Mayfield sat out the finale and had surgery soon after. Browns general manager Andrew Berry said he expected Mayfield to bounce back as the team’s starter in 2022, but everything changed with the pursuit of Watson. In recent weeks, as Watson’s legal entanglement dragged on, there had been speculation the Browns could turn to Mayfield. But the quarterback recently said he didn’t think a reconciliation was possible. They were done with him long ago.
PAGE 16, Thursday, July 7, 2022
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Hampered Nadal gets past Fritz at Wimbledon, Kyrgios next By HOWARD FENDRICH AP Tennis Writer WIMBLEDON, England (AP) — Wincing from abdominal pain, unable to ply his customary relentless style of tennis, Rafael Nadal thought he might need to stop playing in the Wimbledon quarterfinals against Taylor Fritz. Up in the Centre Court stands, Nadal’s father was waving his arms, motioning to the 22-time Grand Slam champion to quit. Not surprisingly, perhaps, he didn’t listen. Nadal stayed out there, adjusted his service motion and his strategy — and figured out a way to win. With much of the crowd roaring and standing after Nadal’s best strokes, he twice erased one-set deficits against the 11th-seeded Fritz and emerged with 3-6, 7-5, 3-6, 7-5, 7-6 (10-4) victory yesterday to reach his eighth semifinal at the All England Club. “For a lot of moments,” Nadal said, “I was thinking, ‘Maybe I will not be able to finish the match.’” He did complete it, but said he couldn’t be sure whether he will be able to play Friday against Nick Kyrgios, a 27-year-old
Australian who earned his Grand Slam semifinal debut with a 6-4, 6-3, 7-6 (5) victory over Cristian Garin of Chile. “I don’t know exactly what I have. It’s clear something’s not right,” said Nadal, who will get tests today for an issue that first cropped up nearly a week ago but got much worse at 3-1 in the first set against Fritz. “I’m obviously worried.” The other men’s semifinal is Novak Djokovic against Cam Norrie. The women’s semifinals today are 2019 champion Simona Halep against Elena Rybakina, and Ons Jabeur against Tatjana Maria. Halep eliminated Amanda Anisimova 6-2, 6-4, and Rybakina defeated Ajla Tomljanovic 4-6, 6-2, 6-3. Nadal got to his 38th career major semifinal by denying what would have been a first such appearance for Fritz, who beat Nadal in the hard-court final at Indian Wells, California, in March. That ended a 20-match winning streak for Nadal, who was bothered that day by a painful rib injury. This time, the problem was a muscle in his stomach area, which had some
SPAIN’s Rafael Nadal reacts after winning a point as he plays Taylor Fritz of the US in a men’s singles quarterfinal match on day 10 of the Wimbledon tennis championships in London yesterday. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert) athletic tape. Nadal left the court with a trainer for a medical timeout while up 4-3 in the second set; Fritz paced around the baseline, waiting. A doctor gave Nadal some pills; the trainer tried to relax the muscle. “They can’t do much,” Nadal said. “Nothing can be
fixed when you have a thing like this.” When action resumed, Nadal clearly was compromised. It was hard not to think: Might he give up? Nadal acknowledged that went through his mind. Fritz did, too. “It definitely made me kind of think. I kind of
stopped being as aggressive,” the 24-year-old American said. “I feel like I let it kind of get to me a little bit.” He pretty much handed over the second set of what would become a 4-hour, 21-minute contest under a sky of slate clouds. After Fritz took the third set, his big serve got broken three times in the next. Nadal occasionally would watch a ball off Fritz’s orange racket fly by. Nadal couldn’t move the way he usually does. His trademark grunts of “Uhhhh!” were rare. He didn’t generate the usual zip on his serves, which dipped from a high of 120 mph to barely above 100 mph. He sought to end exchanges with a quickstrike forehand or a drop shot — sometimes with success, often not. But Nadal is not one who concedes easily. This was his 351st Grand Slam match and he has a total of three mid-match retirements at majors (against Andy Murray at the 2010 Australian Open, against Marin Cilic at the 2018 Australian Open, and against Juan Martin del Potro at the 2018 US Open). In all tour-level events, the totals are: 1,275 matches, nine retirements. “I hate to do it,” Nadal said. So he summoned his best for last, grabbing a 5-0 lead in the closing tiebreaker — the first-to-10, win-by-two format starting at 6-all in a fifth set is new to Wimbledon this year — and then five of the last six points. Fritz’s take on the tiebreaker? “Got destroyed,” he said. “Probably hurts more than any loss I’ve ever had,” Fritz said. “After the match was over, I was sitting there and I felt like crying.” Nadal extended his unbeaten mark in 2022
HALEP
FROM PAGE 12
and reached the semifinals for the third time by beating Amanda Anisimova 6-2, 6-4 yesterday on Centre Court. In the semifinals today, again on Centre Court, Halep will face Elena Rybakina in the second match of the day. The 17th-seeded Rybakina defeated Ajla Tomljanovic 4-6, 6-2, 6-3 on No. 1 Court in Wednesday’s other quarterfinal match. Third-seeded Ons Jabeur will play Tatjana Maria in the first semifinal match. They advanced by winning their quarterfinal matches on Tuesday. Halep is making her 10th appearance at Wimbledon. She is the only Grand Slam champion left in the women’s tournament, winning the French Open in 2018 before taking the title at the All England Club the next year. The match against Anisimova appeared to be as straightforward as her first four victories at this year’s tournament — all came in straight sets. But the 20th-seeded American broke Halep
Grand Slam matches to 19-0 as he seeks to add a trophy at Wimbledon to his triumphs at the Australian Open in January and French Open in June. For everything he’s accomplished, the 36-year-old Spaniard never has won the first three Slam titles of a season. Nadal, who won Wimbledon in 2008 and 2010, leads Kyrgios 6-3 head-to-head; they are 1-all at Wimbledon. In 2014, Kyrgios, then just 19 and ranked 144th, announced himself to the world by winning; in 2019, Nadal took the rematch after Kyrgios was at a local pub into the wee hours the night before. “I feel like that would be a mouth-watering kind of encounter for everyone around the world,” Kyrgios, never afraid of a little hyperbole, said about facing Nadal again. “That would probably be the most-watched match of all time.” Give Kyrgios credit for honesty on this matter, at least: Even he did not think this day ever would arrive. Kyrgios became the first unseeded and lowestranked man to get to the final four at the All England Club since 2008 by playing what, for him, amounts to a restrained and efficient brand of tennis against Garin. “I thought my ship had sailed,” Kyrgios said. “Obviously, I didn’t go about things great early in my career and may have wasted that little window.” Kyrgios, who is ranked 40th, has garnered more attention for his behaviour on and off the court than his skills with a racket in hand. His match against the unseeded Garin came a day after police in Canberra, Australia, said that Kyrgios is due in court next month to face an allegation of common assault stemming from something that happened in December. “I have a lot of thoughts, a lot of things I want to say, kind of my side about it,” Kyrgios said at his post-match news conference. “Obviously I’ve been advised by my lawyers that I’m unable to say anything at this time.” Worth noting, too, is how well Kyrgios has been playing. His serve, in particular, is among the best in the game, regularly topping 130 mph, and he pounded 17 aces against Garin while getting broken just once — in the very first game, at love. His big forehands are terrific, too, but little else is conventional about Kyrgios. One example: “I don’t have a coach,” Kyrgios said with a smile. “I would never put that burden on someone.” when she was serving for the match at 5-2. Anisimova then had three more break points when Halep again served for the match at 5-4, but the Romanian won five straight points to finish the match. “I feel like she played without thinking that she has something to lose, so every ball was really hard hit,” Halep said. “But I refused that she’s going to come at 5-all. Even if I was 0-40, I was hard a little bit on myself. I pumped myself. I served very well.” Next up for the Romanian will be Rybakina, a 23-year-old Kazakh who is playing at Wimbledon for only the second time in her career. She lost in the fourth round last year. Rybakina dropped her first set of the tournament but broke Tomljanovic early in the second and third sets. She finished the match with 15 aces. “I think that the key, of course, is my serve, aggressive game,” Rybakina said of her next match against Halep. “She’s a great champion. She’s moving really well, reading the game. I just try to do my best, focus on things which I can control: my serve, my shots, emotions.”
THE TRIBUNE
Thursday, July 7, 2022, PAGE 17
Inaugural Babe Ruth Region Caribbean Championships and Invitational starts today By RENALDO DORSETT Tribune Sports Reporter rdorsett@tribunemedia.net THE top national youth baseball programmes across the region are in the capital this weekend for the inaugural Babe Ruth Region Caribbean Championships and Invitational. Play begins this morning and continues through July 11 at the newly renovated Baillou Hills Sporting Complex featuring 12 teams across the U16 and U12 divisions. The 12U division features Bahamas (Host), Bahamas (Tournament), Puerto Rico, Cuba, Cayman Islands and Aruba. First pitch is at 9am with Puerto Rico against Cuba. At 11am Cayman Islands will take on Bahamas (Tournament), followed by Bahamas (Host) against Cuba at 1pm. Bahamas (Tournament) takes on Puerto Rico at 3pm and Bahamas (Host) concludes the day with a matchup against Aruba at 5pm. The 16U division will feature The Bahamas, St Maarten, Netherlands, Aruba, Puerto Rico and the United States. Aruba and St Marteen will open play at 9am followed by the Netherlands and USA at 11am and Aruba against Puerto Rico at 1pm. The Bahamas will take the field at 3pm when they face the Netherlands and the USA closes out day one against St Marteen. The 1pm and 3pm games will be broadcast live on Rev throughout the group stage. They will also broadcast the semifinals and medal games on
ON DISPLAY: The awards to be earned at the inaugural Babe Ruth Region Caribbean Championships and Invitational.
the final day. The opening ceremony will be the final event on day one, hosted at the Thomas A Robinson Stadium at 7pm with free admission. Play in the group stage continues from 9-5 for the following two days. The single game elimination round takes place on Sunday with Monday slated for gold and bronze medal games. Ticket packages for the event can be purchased at the NSA office at the Thomas A Robinson Stadium. Five day packages for adults are available at $65 for adults and $20 for children. Daily rates are $15 for adults and $5 for children. SuperClubs Breezes will be the Games Village for the visiting teams. Greg Burrows Sr, chairman of the National Sports Authority, also serves as the commissioner for Babe Ruth Baseball in the Caribbean. “My responsibility was mainly developing the brand in the region. The way I thought would be a good way to launch this brand was to host a
tournament during our Independence.” Javier Bowe serves as manager of the U12 Bahamas (Host) and Lionel Ferguson Jr will serve as manager of Bahamas (Tournament). Greg Burrows Jr will be the manager of the U16 team. Minister of Youth, Sports and Culture Mario Bowleg said the event is indicative of the current administration’s Sports in Paradise initiative. “We have to understand that the amount of money we invest in our youth determines the future of our nation. The little that we put into these events is not sufficient compared to the lives we save with these young men,” he said. “We have a lot of professional baseball players in our system. These U12 and U16 divisions, this is where they start. So the investment, we as a people, as a government. The Sports in Paradise brand is not about just having heads in beds, it is about giving exposure to our young people, giving them the opportunity to explore the world.”
PAGE 18, Thursday, July 7, 2022
THE TRIBUNE
Pitchers Thomas, Fernander victorious on the mound By RENALDO DORSETT Tribune Sports Reporter rdorsett@tribunemedia.net THE top Bahamian pitching prospects, Tahnaj Thomas and Chavez Fernander, took the mound this week in productive relief appearances in minor league baseball.
Thomas recorded his first save for the Altoona Curve while Fernander had a successful outing in his reassignment with the Western Michigan Whitecaps. Thomas finished with two strikeouts and did not allow a hit in 1.2 innings of the Curve’s 7-3 win over the Harrisburg Senators on
July 3. Through 21 appearances this season with one start, Thomas has gone 3-4 with one save in two opportunities. In 29.1 innings pitched, the 6’4”, 23-year-old right hander has 27 strikeouts and a 3.99 ERA for the Pitsburgh Pirates’ DoubleA affiliate.
He is currently ranked no.13 in the Pirates organisation, according to MLB Pipeline. Thomas had a season high four strikeouts in two innings of a June 11 win over the Reading Fightin’ Phils. He also had three strikeouts in two innings of an 11-5 win over the New Hampshire Fisher Cats on April 21 and got his first win of the season in the series finale against the Fisher Cats on April 24. He picked up his second win of the season in the current series opener against the Seawolves on May 3. Thomas was one of the club’s non-roster invitees to major league Spring Training in Bradenton, Florida last month. He spent last season at the High A level for the first time with the Greensboro Grasshoppers. In 16 appearances, all starts, he finished with a 3-3 record in 60.2 innings, with 62 strikeouts, an ERA of 5.19 and a 1.58 WHIP. Fernander was reassigned to the Detroit Tigers High A-affiliate, the West Michigan Whitecaps, on July 3 and made a relief appearance the following day in a 20-1 win over the Dayton Dragons. He struck out two of the three hitters he faced in a single inning. The 6’3” right-handed pitcher has fluctuated between Double A and Single A for most of the season. Fernander began the season with the Eerie Seawolves in Double A baseball but was assigned to the Whitecaps on May 3. He spent six games with the Whitecaps before he was recalled to the Seawolves. In six appearances with the Whitecaps he pitched nine innings with five strikeouts and gave up four runs
CHAVEZ FERNANDER
TAHNAJ THOMAS with a 1.22 WHIP. With the Seawolves he had a 1-1 record in seven appearances, nine innings, a 3.0 ERA and nine strikeouts with a 1.56 WHIP before he was once again reassigned to the Whitecaps last weekend.
Fernander spent the previous season with the Connecticut Tigers in the New York-Penn League in the 2019 season. In 11 appearances with eight starts, he went 2-2 with a 2.31 ERA and 33 strikeouts in 35 innings.