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‘Seba S eyeing run a S MP’
Former PLP MP gives ringing endorsement to webshop owner
By LEANDRA ROLLE Tribune Chief Reporter
lrolle@tribunemedia.net
WEBSHOP owner Sebas
Bastian is seeking the PLP’s nomination in Fort Charlotte, according to multiple Tribune sources. The move comes as the constituency’s MP, Alfred Sears, sidestepped questions yesterday about
supporting Mr Bastian’s political ambitions, while former MP and powerbroker Valentine Grimes Sr confirmed Mr Bastian’s interest in entering frontline politics and offered a ringing endorsement, calling him a top-tier candidate already being embraced across the party.
Education dirEctor finds suicide stats ‘shocking’
By JADE RUSSELL Tribune Staff Reporter
jrussell@tribunmedia.net
EDUCATION Director
RBDF braces for surge of Haitian migrants as instability increasing
By KEILE CAMPBELL Tribune Staff Reporter kcampbell@tribunemedia.net
“It’s not like my head is in the clouds,” said Mrs McCartney-Russell, acknowledging the mental health challenges among students. Still, she found the data surprising, as internal reports over the years
Dominique McCartneyRussell called the finding that one in five Bahamian teens have attempted suicide “shocking”, noting the Ministry of Education has logged only a handful of such incidents. She said students often hesitate to disclose their struggles to school officials.
THE Royal Bahamas Defence Force (RBDF) is ramping up border security in anticipation of a potential wave of Haitian migrants, as instability in Haiti worsens, and as migrants increasingly turn to motorised boats instead of traditional sailing sloops. Newly appointed Commodore Floyd Moxey outlined the Defence Force’s strategy yesterday, which includes deploying patrol vessels to the southern Bahamas to maintain what he called a critical
“presence and posture”.
The move comes as Haiti teeters on the brink of collapse. United Nations assessments, reported by the Associated Press, estimate that gangs now control nearly 90 percent of Portau-Prince. The escalating
Four in hospital after shooting
FOUR people were injured in a shooting in the Mason’s Addition area last night. Few details were released by police at the time of going to press, but officers reported that all four victims were alive and had been taken to hospital. Their condition was unknown, as were the circumstances of the incident.
police place cones to mark bullet casings at the scene of a quadruple shooting in Mason’s Addition last night.
dad killed in motorc Ycle accid E nt
By LEANDRA ROLLE Tribune Chief Reporter
lrolle@tribunemedia.net
KEVON Taylor, a 22-year-old father of two, had been counting down the days to celebrate his daughter’s first birthday. Instead, his family is now planning his funeral after he was killed in a tragic motorcycle crash in Exuma in the early hours of Monday morning.
“He was so excited,” said his mother, Alicia Coakley, speaking from New Providence yesterday. “All he talked about was the party. He even bought my plane ticket so I could be there.”
Their last conversation was on Saturday evening.
“He said, ‘Mommy, I paid for you to come over to the party.’ I told him, ‘Yeah, Kevon,’” she recalled, her
sebas Bastian seen at a recent PLP rally. Photo: earyel bowleg/Tribune Staff Reporter
Photo: Dante carrer/Tribune Staff
Promotion of over 300 immigration officers largest in dept history
By EARYEL BOWLEG Tribune Staff Reporter ebowleg@tribunemedia.net
A TOTAL of 340 immigration officers were promoted yesterday during a ceremony hailed as the largest in the department’s history — even as questions persist over the future of the department’s directorship.
The promotions, which spanned every level of the Department of Immigration, were celebrated by officials as a critical step toward modernisation and morale-building. Immigration Minister Alfred Sears emphasised the effort as part of broader reforms, describing the exercise as “the beginning of right-sizing” the department.
“This promotion exercise is not merely the handing out of titles. It is the restoration of dignity,” Mr Sears said, calling it “the formal recognition of service rendered and sacrifices made”.
Among those promoted were 28 chief immigration officers elevated to superintendent, 25 senior immigration officers advanced to chief immigration officer, one grade one officer promoted to chief immigration officer, 61 grade one officers promoted to senior immigration officer, two trainee immigration officers elevated to senior immigration officer, 147 grade two officers promoted to grade one officer, and 76 trainee officers advanced to grade two officer.
Immigration Director William Pratt, who returned to lead the department after the early retirement of Keturah Ferguson, 62, described the promotion process as unprecedented in his four decades of service.
“What we undertook was a deliberate and necessary process. It was rooted in succession planning,” he said, adding that the process was “mandated by the ministry, pushed by Minister Alfred Sears”.
“We understood that we were not just promoting for today, but preparing for tomorrow.”
Despite the focus on progress, the spotlight on Mr Pratt’s continued tenure has not dimmed. Now beyond retirement age, his reappointment stirred controversy among union officials. The Bahamas Customs Immigration and Allied Workers Union (BCIAWU) has filed a trade dispute over his role, challenging the legality of contract-based appointments at the senior level.
BCIAWU president
Deron Brooks has cited a 2021 Supreme Court ruling in the union’s favour, which found that immigration
officers should not be employed on contract.
Though the Davis administration has said Mr Pratt’s return is temporary, no definitive timeline has been given for his replacement.
At yesterday’s ceremony, he was formally introduced only as “Director of Immigration”, with no clarification on the duration of his role. Mr Sears gave no concrete answer when asked about the future of the directorship role.
Mr Pratt acknowledged that not all promotion letters have been released, as some cases are still under review by the Public Service Commission.
Recommendations, he said, can be made, but final approval rests with the Commission.
Mr Sears, meanwhile, assured officers that reviews for the 2023 and 2024 promotion cycles are ongoing. He acknowledged past delays in recognition.
“Promotions were long overdue, you told me,” he said. “Recognition was often withheld.”
“Too many of you wore unseen burdens.”
He reassured staff that the department is committed to fairness moving forward.
“For those colleagues in the Family Islands and New Providence, I want you to know through this live stream that the struggle continues, and though your names were not called today, we have already received inquiries, and those inquiries are being investigated.
“If you feel left behind, speak up. If you believe that you have been missed, come forward. This is not the final chapter. We will not stop until every officer is given their fairness, respect and the recognition that they deserve.”
Among those promoted were 28 chief immigration officers elevated to superintendent, 25 senior immigration officers advanced to chief immigration officer, one grade one officer promoted to chief immigration officer, 61 grade one officers promoted to senior immigration officer, two trainee immigration officers elevated to senior immigration officer, 147 grade two officers promoted to grade one officer, and 76 trainee officers advanced to grade two officer.
Immigration Director William Pratt, who returned to lead the department after the early retirement of Keturah Ferguson, 62, described the promotion process as unprecedented in his four decades of service.
“What we undertook was a deliberate and necessary process. It was rooted in succession planning,” he said,
adding that the process was “mandated by the ministry, pushed by Minister Alfred Sears”.
“We understood that we were not just promoting for today, but preparing for tomorrow.”
Despite the focus on progress, the spotlight on Mr Pratt’s continued tenure has not dimmed. Now beyond retirement age, his reappointment stirred controversy among union officials. The Bahamas Customs Immigration and Allied Workers Union (BCIAWU) has filed a trade dispute over his role, challenging the legality of contract-based appointments at the senior level.
BCIAWU president Deron Brooks has cited a 2021 Supreme Court ruling in the union’s favour, which found that immigration officers should not be employed on contract.
Though the Davis administration has said Mr Pratt’s return is temporary, no definitive timeline has been given for his replacement. At yesterday’s ceremony, he was formally introduced only as “Director of Immigration”, with no clarification on the duration of his role. Mr Sears gave no concrete answer when asked about the future of the directorship role.
Mr Pratt acknowledged that not all promotion letters have been released, as some cases are still under review by the Public Service Commission. Recommendations, he said, can be made, but final approval rests with the Commission.
Mr Sears, meanwhile, assured officers that reviews for the 2023 and 2024 promotion cycles are ongoing. He acknowledged past delays in recognition.
“Promotions were long overdue, you told me,” he said. “Recognition was often withheld.”
“Too many of you wore unseen burdens.”
He reassured staff that the department is committed to fairness moving forward.
“For those colleagues in the Family Islands and New Providence, I want you to know through this live stream that the struggle continues, and though your names were not called today, we have already received inquiries, and those inquiries are being investigated.
“If you feel left behind, speak up. If you believe that you have been missed, come forward. This is not the final chapter. We will not stop until every officer is given their fairness, respect and the recognition that they deserve.”
Officers cheer on their coworkers as they recive their promotions during the Department of Immigration’s promotion exercise held at Transformation Ministries International yesterday. Photo: chappell Whyms Jr
Young Exuma dad killed in motorcycle accident
voice trembling.
Just after 1am on Monday, police say Taylor collided with another vehicle in the Farmer’s Hill area. He was found on the ground with visible injuries and was pronounced dead at the scene.
Only hours earlier, he had attended a Junkanoo rush-out before heading out with a friend.
His long-time partner, Branique Forbes, who lives in New Providence, said she knew something was wrong when she saw the friend’s WhatsApp status pleading for an ambulance. Repeated calls went unanswered.
When she tracked Taylor’s phone, it was near the local clinic. Moments later, his parents confirmed her worst fear.
“I just want my best friend back,” she said through tears.
Ms Forbes said their relationship was close and loving. “No regrets,” she said. “But I do wish he made it home.” Her last message to him was a plea for caution: “I said, ‘Well, go home safely babe.’ He was on the bike, and I didn’t want him texting while riding. He said, ‘Okay.’”
Their son is still too young to understand what’s happened, but she is determined that his father will not be forgotten.
Ms Coakley, grieving her eldest child, said he was “the life of the party,” a devoted son who never gave her trouble. “I had him at 18,” she said.
“Anybody could ask and I would say, ‘Kevon gone be the one to take care of me in my old days.’ To know him was to love him.”
After moving to Exuma post-pandemic for work, Kevon had recently hinted at returning to Nassau. “Mommy,” he told her, “if I get a good job in August paying what I make now, I coming back home to live.”
He dreamed of owning a home and raising his children in a stable environment.
“Everybody loved him,” his mother said. “My baby. I don’t know what to do. I don’t know what to say.”
Taylor’s death brings the national traffic fatality count to 38 for the year, according to The Tribune’s records. from page one
Delayed
“Everybody loved him,” his mother said. “My baby. I don’t know what to do. I don’t know what to say.”
court decision has man ‘financially and emotionally impacted in a bad way’
By LYNAIRE MUNNINGS Tribune Staff Reporter lmunnings@tribunemedia.net
A MAN involved in a years-long employment dispute says he has been left financially devastated and mentally drained after waiting nearly a year for a ruling because the judge who heard the case moved on without delivering a judgment.
Dwight Williams, 52, told The Tribune his life has been upended since September 2024, when his Industrial Tribunal case concluded. Ten months later, he remains without a decision despite being told
during the final hearing that a ruling would be issued within two months.
Adding to the confusion, Mr Williams recently received a court summons requiring him to appear in late June, only to be informed days later that the notice was sent in error. A formal letter from the Tribunal’s president, Indira Demeritte-Francis, then confirmed that the matter had been handled by Magistrate Carolyn Vogt-Evans, who had been temporarily appointed as a Tribunal vice-president. She has since returned to her original post, without issuing a decision.
“Mrs Vogt-Evans is not a member of the Industrial Tribunal and does not come under my leadership,” Ms Demeritte-Francis wrote in a July 3 letter seen by The Tribune. “I have no control over the discharge of her duty, nor am I responsible for her actions, or rather in this case, her inaction.”
She further noted that she had raised the issue with Chief Justice Ian Winder and had also written to him about another unresolved case involving the same judge.
Mr Williams, however, says the offer of a rehearing is unacceptable given the emotional and financial toll
the initial proceedings took on him.
“I’ve been trying to get some type of information from them for months, and now they’re telling me the court case may have to start over again,” he said. “That is just too much.”
The dispute dates back to 2022 when Mr Williams, a former employee of an entertainment company, was accused of sexual harassment by a co-worker. He claims the allegations were false and that he defended himself by calling witnesses — including people named in the complaint — who disputed the claims under oath.
“They tried to throw a sexual harassment case on me, and I adamantly denied it because I know it wasn’t true,” he said. “The people they mentioned in the emails that would have made the complaints, I brought them to court as my witnesses, and they said, ‘No, that don’t go like that.’”
He said the unresolved case has left him unemployed and deeply in debt, with his mental health deteriorating.
“Sometimes, you know, you’re trying to get these bills paid and it has me emotionally and financially impacted in a bad way,” he said.
“I’ve been here for two and a half years now. When you reach a certain age, you don’t get those jobs like that again. The nature of the case was very horrific, and that could even be stopping you from getting another job. Since I won the case, I just need them to actually deal with the case, because now my constitutional right has been breached.”
Chief Justice Ian Winder confirmed yesterday that the decisions in Mr Williams’ case and another are now “with the Tribunal to be delivered to the litigants,” describing the delay as “unfortunate.”
Kevon Taylor
‘Sebas eyeing run as MP’
However, prominent businessman Mr Bastian did not respond to The Tribune’s calls and requests for comment last month.
A potential political bid by him is likely to spark sharp public interest.
Mr Grimes, Fort Charlotte’s long-time representative from 1977 to 1992 and one of the party’s trustees, confirmed he has spoken to Mr Bastian and senior party officials about his ambitions.
“The reception to him throughout the length and breadth of the party has been very good at all levels,” he said.
Mr Grimes was careful not to link Mr Bastian’s political ambitions to any specific seat, but noted that he lived in Fort Charlotte for many years and has “done a tremendous amount of social work, not only in Fort Charlotte, but throughout The Bahamas.”
“He seems to be a person with his heart in the right direction and wants to assist in making The Bahamas better,” he added.
For his part, Mr Sears
refused to say yesterday whether he supports Mr Bastian as his successor and walked away from the line of questioning.
Mr Bastian’s name has emerged in a crowded field of potential candidates for the PLP’s Fort Charlotte nomination, which reportedly includes Senator Barry Griffin and Bahamas Association of Athletic Associations President Drumeco Archer. Mr Grimes said he has heard of about seven people eyeing the seat –– “all great people who are prepared to offer themselves”.
Former Bain and Grants Town MP Travis Robinson is the frontrunner for the FNM’s nomination in that constituency.
Mr Bastian currently serves as The Bahamas’ non-resident ambassador to Central America and has built a wide-ranging business empire, founding numerous companies across gaming, media, real estate, construction, and electric vehicle sales. He is best known as the co-founder of Island Luck, one of the country’s largest gaming operations.
Before the legalisation of the industry, he operated the company as the largest and most prominent webshop in the booming underground gambling scene. As the sector came under increasing public and governmental scrutiny, he emerged as a key figure advocating for regulation rather than eradication.
He is also the head of Brickell Management Group, which recently announced plans for a $510m development in western New Providence.
His entry into frontline politics could present legal complications. Under the Gaming Act, Cabinet ministers and their immediate relatives are prohibited from holding gaming licences.
Mr Grimes noted that Mr Bastian would likely require legal guidance.
“Because he is in gaming, there may be some legal requirements that may have to be fulfilled and he would take the advice of his attorneys,” he said.
Similar concerns arose after the last general election, when some speculated that Seabreeze MP Leslia
Miller-Brice was bypassed for a Cabinet post due to her husband’s ties to the gaming industry. The Gaming Board has
Wilson: Govt spending nears $250m on national security projects
By KEILE CAMPBELL
Tribune Staff Reporter kcampbell@tribunemedia.net
NEARLY a quarter-billion dollars in national security projects are in motion this fiscal year, according to Financial Secretary Simon Wilson, who spoke at a high-level conclave on Monday focused on improving financial accountability in government operations.
Among the capital investments: a $90m prison and court complex, $100m in Defence Force upgrades, $80–$90m for new fire trucks, and $60–$70m for a police administrative centre.
“There is no perception of bureaucracy,” Mr Wilson said in relation to the procurement of goods and services for the ministry. “The reality is, the law accommodates fast-track or confidential procurement because there are goods and services that, for various reasons, cannot be made public.”
The Ministry of National Security’s MultiAgency Financial Accounting Conclave, held at SuperClubs Breezes, drew senior officers, procurement specialists, and finance officials from across the sector to tighten controls and improve interagency coordination.
Mr Wilson warned that fragmented decision-making, not red tape, is the real threat to efficiency.
“Too often we make decisions in silos,” he said. “We don’t see how one agency’s decision affects another.”
Sessions covered procurement compliance, fraud prevention, budgeting cycles, and an update on the Oracle Fusion Cloud system meant to streamline financial processes.
“There is no perception of bureaucracy. The reality is, the law accommodates fast-track or confidential procurement because there are goods and services that, for various reasons, cannot be made public.”
SebaS baStian
Financial Secretary Simon WilSon
RBDF braces for surge of Haitian migrants as instability increasing
violence and breakdown of public institutions have raised alarms across the Caribbean, particularly in countries along key maritime migration routes, including The Bahamas.
Reuters has reported a shift in migration methods, with Haitian migrants increasingly using motorised vessels instead of the traditional wooden sailboats. This evolution points to more organised, sustained efforts to leave the country.
Geographically positioned as a gateway between Haiti and the wider region, The Bahamas has become a frontline state in what regional leaders see as both a humanitarian emergency and a transnational security threat.
In June, the United Nations confirmed that six RBDF officers are among the 991 international personnel deployed to Haiti, alongside forces from Jamaica and Belize, as part of a growing multinational mission.
To date, The Bahamas has committed 150 Defence Force officers to the multinational security mission, with deployments occurring in staggered rotations. The officers are tasked primarily with maritime patrols along Haiti’s coastline, supporting efforts to intercept illegal arms, drugs, and prevent unauthorised departures.
Operating under noncombatant rules of engagement, their role centers on stabilising maritime zones and supporting port security without direct
confrontation, as part of broader CARICOM and United Nations-backed stabilisation efforts. Back home, the RBDF is deploying both air and sea assets to monitor marine activity and intercept unauthorised vessels.
Commodore Moxey emphasised the urgency of these efforts, citing a recent incident where a motorised boat from Haiti made landfall in the Turks and Caicos Islands.
“This is a new method — they’re using motorised boats now, not sailing sloops like in the 90s or 2000s,” he said. He added that just two weeks ago, RBDF officers intercepted a similar vessel carrying approximately 50 to 60 migrants.
The shift in tactics has forced the RBDF to recalibrate its response, focusing on early detection and deterrence. Intelligence suggests that organised smuggling networks may be operating beyond Bahamian waters, deploying smaller boats toward the islands.
The Defence Force is also preparing for possible search and rescue missions, should maritime journeys become life-threatening.
Earlier this year, thenCommodore Raymond King noted a 37 percent decline in migrant apprehensions in 2024. But he warned that shifting regional conditions could drive numbers back up. In June, the Department of Immigration confirmed that twelve Haitian nationals were convicted in Magistrate’s Court in New Providence for illegal entry.
RBDF Finalising plans to a DD 62-met Re pat Rol vessel to st Rengthen BoRDeR secuRity
By KEILE CAMPBELL Tribune Staff Reporter kcampbell@tribunemedia.net
THE Royal Bahamas Defence Force (RBDF) is finalising plans for a new 62-meter offshore patrol vessel that will serve as its flagship, part of a broader modernisation strategy aimed at strengthening border protection and curbing illegal activities at sea. Speaking at a multiagency finance workshop, newly appointed Commodore Floyd Moxey said the proposed vessel is intended to boost national security efforts, including the fight against human trafficking, illegal fishing, and drug smuggling. He emphasised the ship’s strategic role in enforcing territorial sovereignty.
In the last four months, the RBDF has also expanded its capabilities with the addition of four new safe boats, each to
be stationed in Abaco, Grand Bahama, Inagua, and Ragged Island, key locations for maritime surveillance.
Commodore Moxey noted that smugglers and poachers are adapting to enforcement tactics by operating just outside Bahamian waters and deploying smaller vessels to slip past patrols.
He said in response to recent reports of foreign vessels near Bahamian fishing zones, especially amid the closed crawfish season, the RBDF has stepped up patrols on the Great Bahama Bank. These increased operations aim to deter illegal fishing ahead of the season’s August 1 reopening and protect local marine resources.
He said, although no arrests have been made, he believes the heightened patrol presence is already serving as a deterrent.
Royal Bahamas Defence foRce commoDoRe floyD moxey
The Tribune Limited
NULLIUS ADDICTUS JURARE IN VERBA MAGISTRI
“Being Bound to Swear to The Dogmas of No Master”
Publisher/Editor 1903-1914
Picture of the day
LEON E. H. DUPUCH
SIR ETIENNE DUPUCH, Kt., O.B.E., K.M., K.C.S.G., (Hon.) LL.D., D.Litt .
Publisher/Editor 1919-1972
Contributing Editor 1972-1991
RT HON EILEEN DUPUCH CARRON, C.M.G., M.S., B.A., LL.B.
Publisher/Editor 1972-
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Who will step up for Haiti?
THE problems facing Haiti continue to spill over to affect the wider region –ourselves included.
It is all the more saddening as we approach our own Independence celebration – considering how Haiti led the way to independence all the way back in 1804, throwing off its French colonial overlords and becoming the first free black republic in the world.
To see such a pioneer now locked in a seemingly endless cycle of gang rivalry is heartbreaking. For ourselves, one of the most immediate effects is that the Royal Bahamas Defence Force is on the alert once more.
With the country becoming even more unstable – if that is possible – the RBDF warns of a possible surge of migrants, this time using motorboats rather than the more familiar sloops.
Last week, the UN warned that gangs have gained near total control of the capital, Port-au-Prince, and said authorities are unable to stop the escalating violence.
A senior officer said Southern Haiti, which had previously been insulated from the violence, “has seen a sharp increase in gang-related incidents”, while in the east, “criminal groups are exploiting land routes, including key crossings like Belladere and Malpasse, where attacks against police and customs officials have been reported”.
What does all this mean? For citizens, trade routes have been cut off. The price of cooking fuel and rice is soaring. People were already starving. This makes it harder still.
Then there is the increase of sexual violence. Some gangs have been reported to be using rape as a weapon. There is no sign of a political solution, and the police are overwhelmed.
Even with the police there is a concern – with “a worrying number of extrajudicial killings… with suspected gang members often summarily executed”.
Last year, there were reportedly 281 summary executions by police units, including 22 women and eight children. All of this comes at a time when The Bahamas has had officers on the ground. We have been part of the multinational force led by Kenyan officers. We pray they are as safe as such a situation can allow.
In yesterday’s Tribune, our regular columnist Sir Ronald Sanders warned of the “de facto regime of terror” affecting Haiti. He said that multinational force is largely confined to barracks, noting:
“Starved of funding and operating without a clear mandate to use force, their capacity to confront the gangs is essentially non-existent.”
Is it any wonder we face a surge of people seeking to leave the nation? No food. No freedom. No hope. No refuge from violence. No prospect of change. No election. There is no easy solution to all of this, that is clear. If there were, it would have been solved long ago. This is a bonfire long in the building.
That does not absolve anyone of responsibility for seeking such a solution. Indeed, for those nations closest to Haiti, it is a matter of self-preservation. It is the quandary of the firefighter seeing a house burning – you cannot let the flames spread to the adjoining houses.
Letting crime and gangs run out of control in Haiti is an open invitation to those gangs to spread their actions to other nations – to sell guns and drugs to raise money, to foster human trafficking networks to take advantage of those in desperation.
Dealing with such a huge task must be a collective effort – but that depends on collective will. Is there enough determination to face such a mammoth undertaking? There seems little sign so far.
The people of Haiti are crying out in need. Who will answer?
Why can we still not feed ourselves?
EDITOR, The Tribune.
I READ in the press that more trade has been approved with the Dominican Republic for the supply of certain agricultural products to “lower food prices in the country”. The article states that we will be importing the same crops that BEFORE Independence, Bahamians were able to supply the country with: ie bitter (sour) oranges, pineapple, lime, avocado, banana and plaintain!
How can it be that in this, our 52nd anniversary year of Independence, we still cannot feed ourselves?
What has happened to the “teach a man to fish” policy that complements
the gubment’s often touted UN Sustainable Development Goals for food security in our country if we are still depending on imports instead of ensuring that we can feed ourselves? Make it make sense! To add insult to injury, one month later since my last Letter to the Editor, I am submitting this fourth addition to my now renamed serious “Golden Joke” debacle which, after several years of empty promises and $24m of our hard-earned tax dollars, has not an egg in sight nor the promised new feed mill to show for it!
Many hardworking local chicken entrepreneurs have to purchase feed from
Make every effort to help our kids
EDITOR, The Tribune. I READ with utter dismay and trepidation the statistics concerning various serious aspects afflicting the youth of this nation. The tragedies read like a litany: inclination toward suicide, attempted suicide and large numbers obtaining and consuming alcohol and dangerous drugs.
This is reminiscent of the late 50s and early 80s, when Dr Wyonna Pratt, Stephen Plakaris and myself set up Operation Hope. It was a 24-hour walk-in and/or call-in service for those involved with illicit drugs. Parents or individual users themselves could call in at any hour day or night. I recall one night, at two in the morning, a parent called me about her son in the ghetto using drugs and asked if could go and bring him home. She knew where he was, but was afraid to go there to get him.
private distributors at a higher cost to feed their chickens that they have raised on their own without gubment’s Golden Joke assistance, since it is also alleged that whatever little feed is imported to the gubment facility is distributed on a “who ya know - friend, family, and lover” basis. This is a total national disgrace! We, the people, need to demand better and demand accountability for this unconscionable waste and disrespect! This is Independence week and election comin’speak up Bahamas!
PAM BURNSIDE New Providence July 7, 2025.
In my then-foolish bravery, I went and as I approached the area, the main man met me, called me by name and asked with a number of expletives what I wanted. I simply said I came to get …… His response was “Take him, but don’t come the ** back here.”
The president predicament of our young people has gone under the radar for far too long. I am glad the perils they face have been exposed and this nation must now deal with them head on. I call upon the Prime Minister and the Government to immediately create an advocacy forum to deal
expeditiously and professionally with the plight facing our youth today.
The number of young persons not only contemplating suicide, but actually attempting it, is mind boggling! The vast numbers involved in early and potential sexual activity are astronomical. The lack of discipline among the youth is beyond belief.
In 1963 - when I was vice-president of the Bahamas Union of Teachers, a guidance counsellor and teacher of French at Queen’s College - I was asked by the then Director of Education to organise the national youth contingent on Clifford Park for the early morning Independence Celebrations. Children were literal angels then. It took only Mary Nabb, then member of the Union, and a few other teachers to organise thousands of students, private, public and those from the family of islands. Those angels did us and the nation proud with their order, discipline, singing voices and all that made that occasion memorable. I pray God that we can get back to the good old days of national grace, discipline and beauty in action. I know we can, but we cannot allow the demons among us to carry the day!
The promiscuous, dangerous sexual habits of the youth today must be addressed. Many young girls of school age end up prematurely terminating
their education; many of them bear children before they are even 18years old – some, even for their own fathers, or their mothers’ boyfriends! What a plague on our nation.
When I was principal of Grand Bahama Catholic High, now Mary Star of the Sea Catholic Academy, depending on how serious the intention of such young girls was to finish their education, I allowed them to come back to school after bearing a child.
I also allowed this facility for those from other private and public schools, to such an extent that we were labeled: THE MOTHER SCHOOL! To this very day, I do not regret it - neither did my board or the Catholic Diocese at the time. Our motto for the nation, now after so many years of education, should be that no child is to be left to stagnate in perdition. All resources necessary should be expended to resurrect our youth and place them on a glorious and national path towards adulthood. It has to be more than just schools. There should be established a dynamic, comprehensive system, fully funded and staffed to bring back the beauty, grace and Christ-likeness to all our children. As Jesus says: “Suffer pray (…not beat) the little children (of all ages) to come unto me, for of such is the Kingdom of Heaven.” Are we about the admonition of Jesus?!
JOSEPH DARvILLE Freeport
July 4, 2025
Have a cool, fun, interesting, amazing photo? Have it featured here in The Tribune’s picture of the day! Email your high quality image to pictureoftheday@tribunemedia.net
The naTional bird of The Bahamas, the pink flamingo. Photo: edrick Krozendijk
Education director finds suicide stats ‘shocking’
show few documented suicide attempts — a disparity she attributes to students’ discomfort in opening up to teachers or administrators.
Her comments followed the release of the third Global School Health Survey, which examines issues facing Bahamian youth, from substance use and sexual health to mental well-being and community support.
The report found that teen outcomes have declined in two-thirds of the 54 indicators tracked since 1998. Among the most alarming: 20 percent of teens have attempted suicide, and nearly 25 percent have contemplated it.
Conducted by the Ministry of Health and Wellness with PAHO support, the survey polled over 2,200 students aged 12 to 18 across 35 public and private schools on eight islands.
Mrs McCartney-Russell
By PAVEL BAILEY
Tribune Staff Reporter pbailey@tribunemedia.net
AN American tourist was granted $10,000 bail yesterday after being accused of injuring another man during an altercation aboard a vessel in Harbour Island, Eleuthera, last week.
Aiden Grossman, 25, of Miami, Florida, was
By PAVEL BAILEY Tribune Staff Reporter pbailey@tribunemedia.net
A 36-yEAR-OLD man was placed on 12 months’ probation yesterday after admitting to threatening someone with a BB gun over the weekend.
Antonio Thompson
said the survey’s anonymity gave students space to be honest about their mental health and welcomed the opportunity it provided for them to express themselves.
“Sometimes students are not honest with their teachers,” she said. “We have to also provide more opportunities where students feel like they have a safe space to be that honest, as they were in that survey.”
She said the ministry has launched mental health initiatives but acknowledged calls from students and teachers for stronger support systems.
“We have began focusing on mental health because our students have said to us that we needed to have more mental health programmes,” she said. “So they may not have said to us that they were struggling with those things, with suicidal ideation. But they have certainly said to us more mental health
programmes need to be in our schools.”
Mrs McCartney-Russell said the ministry has tracked incidents over the years, typically reported by a team member or school principal.
“We’ve had where it has been a handful of attempted cases,” she said, noting that these typically result in counselling for both student and parent.
The report, she said, underscores the need for a multi-agency strategy. She confirmed the Ministry of Education is working with the Ministry of Health on a national response plan.
She also revealed that an advisory board will review the Health and Family Life curriculum to better reflect the challenges students face today.
Nearly 28 percent of teens reported persistent sadness and hopelessness, and 26 percent said they often felt lonely — more than double the 11
percent reported in 1998. Sleep loss due to worry rose from 14 percent in 2013 to 20 percent in 2023. Self-harm without suicidal intent jumped from 10 percent in 1998 to 27 percent in 2023.
Substance abuse was also a concern: 74 percent of teens had tried alcohol, up from 32 percent in 1998. Fewer than half of sexually active teens (47.7 percent) used a condom
during their last encounter — despite broad awareness about STI prevention. Dr Moxey noted this gap may be contributing to the rise in STIs reported by the National HIV/AIDS Programme.
Man accused of importing 16 guns and more than 3,000 rounds of ammunition
arraigned before Senior Magistrate Shaka Serville on a charge of causing dangerous harm. Prosecutors allege that on July 2, Grossman physically assaulted Benjamin Johnson, striking him about the face and body during a confrontation aboard the ship. The victim reportedly sustained injuries as a result.
appeared before Magistrate Lennox Coleby on a charge of possession of an imitation firearm with intent to cause fear.
Prosecutors said Thompson threatened Keyvard Lockhart with a black Powerline BB gun on 5 July in New Providence. The defendant pleaded
Grossman pleaded not guilty to the charge.
Bail was set at $10,000 with one or two sureties. As a condition of his release, he must also wear an electronic monitoring device.
Grossman’s trial is scheduled to begin on November 5. Inspector Cordero Farrington is prosecuting the case.
By PAVEL BAILEY Tribune Staff Reporter pbailey@tribunemedia.net
A 35-yEAR-OLD man was remanded to prison yesterday after being accused of importing 16 firearms and more than 3,000 rounds of ammunition into The Bahamas last month.
Arsenio Ferguson appeared before Chief Magistrate Roberto Reckley on 77 counts of firearm importation, six counts of ammunition importation, and a single count of importing dangerous drugs.
guilty and accepted the facts of the case, expressing remorse for his actions. He was sentenced to 12 months’ probation. Failure to comply will result in a six-month prison term.
Assistant Superintendent of Police Lincoln McKenzie served as the prosecutor.
t welve-month probAtion for m A n A dmitting to thre Atening someone with A bb gun BPL: Technicians investigating cause of fault that lead to
By LYNAIRE MUNNINGS Tribune Staff Reporter lmunnings@tribunemedia.net
BAHAMAS Power and Light (BPL) said power has been fully restored in parts of New Providence following a series of weekend outages that left customers without electricity for several hours, fueling public anxiety over potential blackouts as temperatures soar and summer energy demand peaks. The utility provider said the first outage occurred around 3pm Sunday when a vehicle collided with a high-voltage pole on Marathon Road, damaging a 33kV transmission line. The incident tripped a feeder and disrupted service to several communities, including Palmetto Village, Village Road, Montagu, Bernard Road, and Williams Lane. BPL said crews responded immediately and restored service by 4.10pm. Hours later, a second and unrelated disruption hit the system at 10.16pm when multiple Soldier Road feeders at the Blue Hills Power Station unexpectedly tripped offline. BPL attributed this fault to a gas circuit breaker malfunction tied to a phase-to-ground cable issue. Power to affected areas was restored by 11.10pm. According to BPL, while the two outages stemmed from separate causes, one external and one internal, the combined impact may have contributed to wider instability across the grid. Full restoration
to all impacted customers was completed by 12.30am Monday.
Technicians are continuing to investigate the technical fault at the Blue Hills station to prevent future occurrences.
Though BPL has not confirmed whether the incidents were related to load shedding, the timing has heightened concern. The company faces ongoing scrutiny over its capacity to manage summer electricity demand — a period historically marked by rolling blackouts due to strained generation capacity.
Frustrated customers took to social media following the outages, voicing fears that this summer could bring another wave of prolonged and unpredictable power cuts.
He also faced additional charges of possession of an unlicenced firearm, possession of ammunition, and two counts of possession of component parts.
Ferguson’s alleged accomplice on the latter four charges, R’hanee Cleare, 37, was arraigned last week.
Prosecutors allege Ferguson imported 24 packages of marijuana — valued at $198,400 — on
June 26. The next day, he allegedly brought in a cache of weapons, including seven 9mm pistols, a Ruger .357 revolver, a .38 revolver, an AK-9 pistol, a black Glock 19, a black Colt rifle, a KELTEC SUB 2000 .40 pistol, a ROCK ISLAND Armory pistol, and another unspecified firearm. He is also accused of importing an assortment of firearm components, magazines, and the following ammunition on June 27: 3,081 rounds of 9mm, 865 rounds of .223, 837 rounds of 7.62, 50 rounds of .38, 143 rounds of 300 BLK, and 240 rounds of .40 calibre. The firearms and ammunition were reportedly concealed inside household appliances in a vehicle that was intercepted by police in western New Providence. Some of the weapons are said to be “ghost guns,” firearms without serial numbers that are difficult to trace. Ferguson and Cleare were allegedly found in
possession of a black and brown FN Herstal Belgium pistol, 41 rounds of 5.7x28mm ammunition, a firearm magazine, and a black auto sear on June 29 in New Providence. Ferguson pleaded not guilty to the possessionrelated charges but was not required to enter a plea for the importation offences at this stage.
The case will proceed to the Supreme Court through a voluntary bill of indictment. Ferguson was informed of his right to apply for bail in the higher court. He will remain in custody at the Bahamas Department of Correctional Services until his possession trial on September 29. His VBI hearing is set for December 4.
Before being taken into custody, Ferguson was allowed a brief moment with family members present in court. Devard Francis represented the accused. Inspector Deon Barr served as the prosecutor.
Bahamas: An alcoholic society
It has been recently announced, but no news, that alcohol use among teens has reached “crisis levels”, according to a senior official at the Ministry of health and Wellness. Well, blow me down with a feather. It has also been said that from the sampling of interviews, more than one in every five of our young are suicidal, which is devastating. We are not as concerned about our children, their behaviour, friends, and activities as we were in the past. If the past has produced some dark periods and many fatalities, what can be expected these days when the children are giving directives to the parents and when slackness is the order of the day? the law is too relaxed, because bars and wholesalers sell to minors every day, and there are no serious repercussions for their actions. alcohol has been legalised, even though it is dangerous. People get pissy drunk, kill or do something dumb, then blame it on the rum, and we should give them some consideration. But the cheap rationalisation is that all would be well if you drank in moderation. Moderation is relative; what is okay for one person may be too much for another. the same rum that people were chased in the bushes for making moonshine before is now legal. No one can police whether anyone has had enough to drink. Bars sell rum to customers even if they are on the floor or passed out. It is all about the bottom line, not the
FACING REALITY
By Ivo I ne Ingraham
patron’s well-being. there is a bar almost in the church. the authorities couldn’t care less; otherwise, they would not have granted the licence in the first place. the Bahamas, often seen as the alcohol consuming capital of the world, is in the grip of an alcohol addiction that we too usually dismiss as social drinking. But the truth is, many of us drink every day, go to work drunk, drink on the job, go home drunk, and are unable to fulfil our roles as mothers or fathers in our various responsibilities and capacities, which is not just a personal struggle, but a societal crisis that we must confront. at the Lignum Vitae Unit of the sandilands Rehabilitation Centre, we determined that anything that alters the mind is a drug, ie cigarettes, cigars, alcohol, marijuana, cocaine, and even overthe-counter medications.
Dr Nelson Clarke’s
Fourteen Basic steps to Recovery rehab program laid the framework. step One was admitting the problem, step two was seeking help, step three was avoiding People, Places and things that were drug-related. the first few steps started me on the journey to recovery. there is no other way out; there was no compromise that if you did drugs in moderation, it would be more manageable. You were only fooling yourself that it was okay if you only did it on weekends and in the confines of your home. I am proud to say that I
have not had a drink since my discharge in 1985. It is a decision, discipline, raising your self-esteem, and not doing things to be accepted in social groups or as a habit. Bahamians have a high tolerance for rum. We drink to celebrate the baptism of an innocent child, introducing the poor child to an atmosphere of rum consumption. We marry off our precious daughter, some inebriated at the ceremony. at funerals, the largest crowd is outside drinking rum while the good man is eulogised, not to mention the repass, where people who did not
The law is too relaxed, because bars and wholesalers sell to minors every day, and there are no serious repercussions for their actions.
even attend the funeral are present. We use the funeral to finish disrespecting the man who, many times, did not fraternise with most of the people present. We don’t need an excuse; we only need the rum. after a hard day’s work, on the way home, we stop at our favourite “watering hole” and have a few with the boys, which turns out to be many. We abandon our fatherly responsibilities and drink until our families are asleep. then we drag ourselves home, unable to do anything. the strength of the family is a father having time to interact with an impressionable son, the security of a daughter feeling safe with her father’s presence, and the mother feeling secure with her husband at home.
Our children are watching all of this. they notice and see the chaos developing, and there is no father figure at home to provide the steel to solidify the family.
the son wanders away, and the daughter finds solace in an older man. thus, the broken family’s chaos originates in the consumption of rum.
Our children watch while we dress up for our socalled social events, but return talking with a slur and staggering. the frustrated children have no one to talk to. they are confused because outsiders exploit them, knowing the dilemma, so they suffer in silence. they want the pain to stop, but we don’t call a spade a spade; the family deteriorated because of our culture and traditions, and we see nothing wrong with it because it is accepted.
We have abandoned our children, hustling to be socialites. We have ignored our children when they need us most while trying to fit in with the Joneses. We avoid staying home to
pay attention to our kids, who are clamouring for our attention.
Because our self-esteem is so low, we are busy striving to be accepted in specific organisations that take us away from our families, and we are perfecting pretending. Our children are left to raise themselves; they gravitate to whoever pretends to care. the confusion is why they want to take the shortcut home.
We ask, why are there so many suicide attempts? the answer is that the parents have no time for the children and are too busy trying to be who they are not.
We all have sinned, and we are not judging, but the reality is that the family is in trouble, and the country deteriorates because we close our eyes and ignore it, but we think it is funny. the solution is not in the bottle, but in strengthening our families and faith. When we spend quality time with our families, listen to each other, and communicate openly and honestly, we can identify and address concerns before they lead to destructive behaviours. trusting in God’s guidance and the strength of our family bonds can help us prevent our loved ones from seeking solace in harmful substances.
Face reality, wise men do not look for happiness in a bottle; please don’t fool yourself, it is the figment of your imagination when you say you can handle the rum. time has shown that rum consumption has destroyed lives more than any other drug known to man, and many have been killed while driving under the influence. so, how could it be a good thing?
When we focus on the family, we will save our precious children. Make it your priority, and communication is paramount.
Importance of foreign aid
InternatIonal or multilateral assistance is frequently subject to controversy, but provision of special bilateral aid by richer countries to poorer ones has always been a matter for special debate.
the whole issue is back in the news again with the formal closure on July 1 of the US agency for International Development known as USaID. For many years, the US has been the major world provider of humanitarian and developmental aid. as USaID has now been shut down after 60 years of operation since its creation by President Kennedy, the function of providing aid to other countries has been merged with the US State Department which has taken over the running of aid programmes.
Some six months ago, I wrote in this column about the then new President trump’s plans to overhaul the US overseas assistance programme as part of his push to shrink the federal government. I also examined briefly what Britain
The Peter Young column
did in the aid field. now that USaID has been dismantled and actually closed down, I want to revert to this controversial subject today.
Because of long-standing concerns about claims of poor administration and lack of accountability in USaID as well as corruption and waste, trump made clear his intentions
about the agency early in his administration. already, there have been substantial cuts, and aid funding has been frozen and then heavily cut back. reportedly, more than eighty per cent of existing programmes have been cancelled and large numbers of staff have been laid off. Self-evidently, this has been to the detriment and inconvenience of many recipients.
Secretary of State Marco rubio has said that america’s assistance in future will be targeted and limited and will “focus on empowering countries to grow sustainably”. Inevitably, the decision to terminate USaID has created huge uncertainty about new plans to spend foreign aid money already appropriated by the US Congress for the current fiscal year. the White House’s ruthless action has also attracted a great deal of criticism from bodies like amnesty International who are assessing the impact of foreign aid cuts in a number of countries; and, most
Submarine deal up for review
altHoUGH there has been little real publicity about it, reports have appeared in the UK media that the 2021 aUKUS agreement is currently under review by the trump administration. even though at the time of its signing the tripartite – US, UK and australia – aUKUS security pact was described as a defence alliance that was in the best interests of all three partners and of the Indo-Pacific region as a whole, people now say that it is reasonable for any incoming administration to look critically at its predecessor’s recent international deals and, in particular, to look at a major defence project of this sort. But in trump’s case this has almost become a compulsion as the White House seeks to ensure that everything aligns with his “america First” policy.
aUKUS is a multi-billion dollar agreement to supply nuclear-powered submarines to australia that will replace its existing ageing diesel-electric ones, with their shorter range, and to co-operate in building other ones in australia itself.
While President trump is seeking to persuade australia to increase its defence spending, it is said that this is the country’s biggest defence deal in its history. Its purpose is to deter and counter China’s growing presence in the Indo-Pacific region amidst, in particular, rising tensions in the South China Sea.
the deal provides for three to five US nuclear submarines to be sold to australia in the foreseeable future while such new design vessels are being built in australia with design and materials and other co-operation from Britain. UK ship builders are due to deliver their first aUKUS-type submarine to the royal navy by the late 2030s, and despite delays already, it is estimated that australia’s first aUKUS submarine built at a shipyard in South australia should be “in the water” in the early 2040s. With the Pentagon in the throes of the review, it is significant that US lawmakers, both republicans and Democrats, have sent a joint letter to the defence secretary urging the government to recommit to the aUKUS deal on the grounds that it is in the US interest to use it to deter Chinese aggression. Commentators say that, most recently, support for aUKUS in Congress has grown considerably and they note that legislation to enable it to proceed has already been passed. However, there is said to be scepticism in the Pentagon about the project and its benefits for america. Moreover, the Senate armed Services Committee has been warned recently that US shipyards are not building sufficient nuclearpowered submarines for the country’s own immediate defence needs, and that, if there turned out to be a
recently, there has been a lengthy study published in Britain’s prestigious and influential medical journal, the lancet. the latter suggests that over the past two decades US aid has saved millions of lives and that substantial cutbacks of american assistance, not least addressing HIV/aIDs, malaria and tuberculosis, could reverse decades of progress in global health, particularly in low and middle-income countries.
While claiming that it could also result in an additional 14 million deaths around the world by 2030, this study concludes that such cuts could have consequences comparable to a global pandemic or major armed conflict, leading to a humanitarian crisis. Unsurprisingly, such apocalyptic claims and the alarming figures used seem to be causing widespread and deep concern, though to the layman they appear excessive.
It may be worth noting that before the creation of USaID in 1961 the US Congress had passed the Foreign assistance act. research shows that american foreign assistance was fragmented across various government departments. But, although technically separate from the State Department, USaID’s activities were apparently considered to be part of the official foreign policy of the US government.
Historians say that in
Washington there has always been a bipartisan approach to foreign aid and overwhelming Congressional support for it. reportedly, after the end of the Second World War and the success of the Marshall Plan in helping to rebuild the shattered economies of european countries, President truman decided in 1949 to capitalise on this by delivering humanitarian and developmental assistance more widely to underdeveloped economies by exporting american skill and funding. at first, this was concentrated on global health, economic development, democratic governance and education. Gradually, it evolved from capacity - building to helping with a range of basic needs including food security. It was also decided that humanitarian financial assistance should be given to countries suffering from natural disasters.
US foreign assistance is seen as the exercise of socalled soft power, and it is interesting to note that it is a very small fraction of the federal budget. Various studies show that aid is given to people in poorer countries to help them after crises or to lift them out of poverty. assistance is also given to support security as well as economic and political development. It provides funding for longterm development but, as already noted, also provides emergency help when
disasters occur or war breaks out.
In my last article, I mentioned that when, in 2012, the British prime minister of the day, David Cameron, was pressing for his country to commit formally to spending 0.7 per cent of its national income on overseas aid, he spoke of the moral obligation for better-off countries to tackle poverty and child mortality in the world and to help those suffering, particularly for reasons beyond their own control. But all assistance had to be linked to Britain’s foreign policy objectives, since it made no sense to be giving taxpayers’ money to a country with which – for one reason or another – the UK might be in conflict. In 2020, Britain put this into practice by formally bringing aid under the umbrella of foreign affairs through creation of the current joint department of the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development office. through now placing aid under the aegis of the State Department, trump has acted similarly. as already noted, trump’s policy on aid has resulted in immediate severe cutbacks. But, as circumstances change in the future, many will hope that in the longer term the US will not step back permanently from being the world’s largest and most generous donor that it has become since 1945.
Spotlight on Tibet
shortfall, it is almost certain that there would be no sales to australia. Meanwhile, there have been suggestions that the UK parliament might also wish to review the aUKUS deal. against this background, it was interesting to read recent comments by John Bolton, a former US ambassador to the United nations and national security advisor to trump during his first term. He has said that any downsizing – or, ultimately, cancellation – of aUKUS would be catastrophic in sending the wrong message to China.
He has spoken of the short-sighted view of some in Washington who consider the US has insufficient resources and capacity to deal with problems all around the world. that might be true, he said, but the problem of China was a major one that had to be faced up to now. So the country’s existing capacity should be concentrated on China and, as necessary, increased to enable it to do this effectively. What is now being said is that the shipyards themselves in the US, like the Groton submarine yard in Connecticut, need to increase production. the Pentagon’s review of aUKUS will now surely be awaited with some concern by all involved. Whatever its recommendation, few would dare to predict the ultimate decision to be made by the president himself.
It IS a fair bet that not many people follow developments in the remote, mainly-Buddhist country of tibet. With a population not far short of four million, it is situated between China to its east and India to the south. Historically an independent country, it was annexed by China in 1950 and is now governed as the tibet autonomous region.
Suddenly, it is in the news because of the 90th birthday of the exiled Dalai lama, who, as the leader of tibetan Buddhism, is the spiritual figurehead of the country and symbol of its resistance. the celebrations of this significant milestone in the Himalayan town of Dharamshala, which is home to the tibetan government-inexile, were reported to be lavish with performances
by dance troupes, clanging cymbals and bagpipes. they were said to be the culmination of a week of prayers and thanksgiving for the leader’s long life and his selflessness and compassion in guiding the tibetan diaspora in their struggle for autonomy and resistance to Chinese domination.
For his part, the Dalai lama assured his followers that he was in good physical shape and described himself as “a simple Buddhist monk”. It was important, he said, to work for material development but what mattered was to focus on achieving peace of mind through cultivating a good heart and showing compassion to others.
the Dalai lama also confirmed plans for a suitable person to take over
from him in due course. this would be opposed by China which labels him “a separatist” and insists that any successor must adhere to Chinese law and be approved by Beijing which wants tibet to integrate fully with China.
tibet’s spiritual leader has been an iconic world figure for so long that his 90th birthday is likely to be inherently newsworthy anyway. But, at the same time, one cannot help thinking that this has also hit the headlines partly because Hollywood star, richard Gere, was present at, and participated in, the celebrations. reportedly, he chairs the International Campaign for tibet and is himself a practising tibetan Buddhist. Fame can, indeed, take people down many and various paths.
The Los Angeles-class fast-attack submarine Annapolis pulls alongside Diamantina Pier at Fleet Base West in Rockingham, Western Australia, on March 10, 2024. Photo: MC2 Kaitlyn eads/US Navy
ATTendAnT monks help Tibetan spiritual leader the Dalai Lama wear a ceremonial hat as he presides over an event celebrating his 90th birthday according to a Tibetan calendar at the Tsuglakhang temple in Dharamshala, India, Monday, June 30, 2025. The Tibetan leader’s birthday falls on 6 July according to the Gregorian calendar, which is used in most parts of the world.
Photo: Ashwini Bhatia/AP
Ship attacked in Red Sea afte R bulk ca RR ie R sinking claimed by y emen’s Hout H i rebels
By JON GAMBRELL Associated Press
A LiberiAnfLAgged cargo ship came under fire on Monday in the red Sea, with two security guards on board reportedly hurt and two others missing in an assault that came after Yemen’s Houthi rebels purportedly sunk another vessel in a similar attack.
earlier, the Houthis said they attacked greek-owned bulk carrier Magic Seas, also Liberian-flagged, with drones, missiles, rocket-propelled grenades and small arms fire on Sunday, forcing its crew of 22 to abandon the vessel.
The two attacks and a round of israeli airstrikes early Monday targeting the rebels raised fears of a renewed Houthi campaign against shipping that could again draw in US and Western forces to the area, particularly after US President donald Trump’s administration targeted the rebels in a major airstrike campaign.
The attacks come at a sensitive moment in the Middle east, as a possible ceasefire in the israel-Hamas war hangs in the balance, and as iran weighs whether to restart negotiations over its nuclear program following American airstrikes targeting its most sensitive atomic sites
during an israeli war against the islamic republic in June. Also, israeli Prime Minister benjamin netanyahu was to meet with Trump on Monday at the White House. Ship attacks strike red Sea
The private security firm Ambrey reported the latest attack on Monday night in the red Sea, offering the details on the two hurt and two missing security guards. it said the vessel had been
heading north toward the Suez Canal when it came under fire by men in small boats and by bomb-carrying drones. The security guards on board had opened fire in the attack.
“The vessel’s engines had reportedly been disabled and Ambrey observed that the vessel had started to drift,” the firm said.
There were no other immediate details on the attack, which also was acknowledged by the british military’s United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations, or UKMTO, center. The Houthis’ al-Masirah satellite news channel noted the attack, but the rebels didn’t claim the assault.
However, Moammar aleryani, the information minister with Yemen’s internationally recognized government that opposes the Houthis and is based in southern Yemen, said the rebels had also carried out the second attack. The Houthis control the northern half of Yemen and its capital, Sanaa.
The US military’s Central Command said it was aware of reports of the attack, but declined to comment further.
Sunday’s attack on the Magic Seas, another bulk carrier heading north to egypt’s Suez Canal, happened about 100 kilometres (60 miles) southwest of the port of Hodeida, Yemen, which is held by the Houthis. That’s the same area of the attack Monday night.
The UKMTO first said that an armed security team on the vessel had returned fire against an initial attack of gunfire and rocket-propelled grenades, though the vessel later was struck by projectiles. The UKMTO said the ship was taking on water and its crew had abandoned the vessel. They were rescued by a passing ship, it added.
A european Union antipiracy patrol in the region, called Operation Atlanta, said that 22 mariners had been on board the Magic Seas.
The United Arab emirates later Monday said that one of its ships from Abu dhabi Ports received the call to help on the red Sea and rescued the 22 people aboard the Magic Seas.
brig. gen. Yahya Saree, the Houthis’ military spokesman, claimed Sunday’s attack and said the rebels used missiles and bomb-carrying drone boats to attack the ship.
“Our operations continue in targeting the depths of the israeli entity in occupied Palestine, as well as preventing israeli maritime navigation in the red and Arabian Seas ... until the aggression on gaza stops and the siege on it is lifted,” Saree said.
The Magic Seas’ owners didn’t respond to a request for comment. Saree later said the vessel had sank Monday in the red Sea.
israeli strikes target Houthi-held ports The israeli military said that it struck Houthi-held ports early Monday at Hodeida, ras isa and Salif, as well as the ras Kanatib power plant. it released footage showing an f-16 launching from israel for the strike, which came after the israeli military issued a warning for the area. “These ports are used by
the Houthi terrorist regime to transfer weapons from the iranian regime, which are employed to carry out terrorist operations against the state of israel and its allies,” the israeli military said.
The israeli military also said it struck the galaxy Leader, a vehicle-carrying vessel that the Houthis seized back in november 2023 when they began their attacks in the red Sea corridor over the israel-Hamas war.
“Houthi forces installed a radar system on the ship and have been using it to track vessels in the international maritime arena to facilitate further terrorist activities,” the israeli military said.
The bahamas-flagged galaxy Leader was affiliated with an israeli billionaire. The ship had been operated by a Japanese firm, nYK Line.
The Houthis acknowledged the strikes, but offered no damage assessment from the attack.
israel has repeatedly attacked Houthi areas in Yemen, including a naval strike in June. both israel and the United States have struck ports in the area in the past — including an American attack that killed 74 people in April — but israel is now acting alone in attacking the rebels as they continue to fire missiles at israel.
israeli defense Minister israel Katz threatened to launch further strikes.
“What’s true for iran is true for Yemen,” Katz said in a statement. “Anyone who raises a hand against israel will have it cut off. The Houthis will continue to pay a heavy price for their actions.”
The Houthis then responded with an apparent missile attack on israel. The israeli military said that it attempted to intercept the two missiles launched by the Houthis, but they appeared to make impact, though no injuries have been reported.
Saree on Monday claimed to launch missiles and drones targeting israel in its attack.
Houthi attacks came over the israel-Hamas war
The Houthi rebels have been launching missile and drone attacks against commercial and military ships in the region in what the group’s leadership has described as an effort to end israel’s offensive against Hamas in the gaza Strip. between november 2023 and January 2025, the Houthis targeted more than 100 merchant vessels with missiles and drones, sinking two of them and killing four sailors. Their campaign has greatly reduced the flow of trade through the red Sea corridor, which typically sees $1 trillion of goods move through it annually. Shipping through the red Sea, while still lower than normal, has increased in recent weeks. The Houthis paused attacks until the US launched a broad assault against the rebels in mid-March. That ended weeks later and the Houthis haven’t attacked a vessel, though they have continued occasional missile attacks targeting israel.
The Liberian-flagged bulk carrier Magic Seas is seen in Ambelakia Bay, Salamis Island, Greece, Aug. 9, 2022.
Photo: nektarios Papadakis/AP
BTVI GraduaT es o V er 500 s T uden T s
More than 500 graduates of the Bahamas Technical and Vocational Institute (BTVI) celebrated a major milestone during the 2025 commencement ceremony, stepping confidently into the next chapter of their lives with certificates, diplomas, and degrees in hand.
The ceremony, themed “From Skill to Impact: Shaping Tomorrow’s Industries,” highlighted the diverse talents and hard work of graduates from a broad range of disciplines including Construction, Mechanics, Beauty, Fashion and Business Trades, Information and Computer Technology, electronics, and Media Technology.
These young men and women represent the future of The Bahamas’ workforce, equipped with practical skills and entrepreneurial spirit needed to meet the evolving demands of the nation’s industries.
Delivering the keynote address, Bahamas Power and Light Ceo Toni Seymour praised the graduates’ dedication and encouraged them to live boldly and purposefully as they apply their knowledge in real-world settings.
“It was a wonderful ceremony. I was pleased to bring the keynote address to encourage everyone to try and live up to their full potential, be courageous and be purposeful,” Ms Seymour said.
She also expressed excitement about the fresh talent emerging from BTVI, particularly those in electrical installation trades.
“It’s good to see a lot of young people getting into entrepreneurial trades, and BPL is excited about all of the new electrical installation graduates, and so we’re going to try and do some recruitment from the pool of graduates to see how they
can fit into our workforce,” Ms Seymour added.
For many graduates, the ceremony was both a celebration of their academic achievements and a powerful reminder of the responsibility they now carry to build, innovate, and inspire within their communities.
The presence of Minister of education Glenys Hanna Martin, Permanent Secretary Lorraine Armbrister, and Director of education Dominique McCartney-russell underscored the national importance placed on supporting skilled youth who will drive economic growth and development in The Bahamas.
As these graduates step forward, they do so not only with qualifications but with the confidence and commitment to turn their skills into tangible impacts—shaping industries and contributing to a brighter future for the nation.
Albany chefs treat future educators
In a heartwarming show of support for the next generation of Bahamian educators, a team of top chefs from the exclusive Albany resort served more than just delicious meals at the recent Future Teachers of The Bahamas Programme national Conference—they served inspiration.
Held under the theme “A Whole new World: envisioning education for the Future Bahamas,” the national conference brought together over 120 future educators and their mentors from 44 schools across the islands.
More than just a professional development event, it was a celebration of the teacher cadets’ dedication, potential, and passion for shaping the nation’s future.
These young aspiring teachers gathered not only to learn but to
build meaningful connections that will guide them in their journey toward becoming classroom leaders. The conference provided a space to envision their roles in transforming education across The Bahamas.
Coordinator of the Future Teachers Programme, Aldeca Colbrook, emphasized the deeper purpose of the day: “We have schools from both new Providence and the Family Islands represented, and today is about helping these cadets connect and grow.” She noted that the event wasn’t just about good food, it was also about professionalism, networking, and preparation for the important task ahead.
Adding a special touch to the day were the chefs from Albany, who prepared a mouthwatering
spread for the cadets and mentors. For the culinary team, the opportunity was more than a catering assignment. “Food is a gateway to the soul,” one chef shared. “You could always say good job or keep going, but we wanted to show our love, expression, and creativity through these dishes.”
Their flavourful creations did more than satisfy hunger—they uplifted spirits and reminded the teacher cadets that their efforts are seen and valued.
Beyond the savoury bites, the day served as a vibrant reminder of the invaluable role teachers play in shaping lives and how a single act of kindness can nourish not just bodies, but dreams. As one chef put it, “At some point, we’ve all sat in a classroom. This is our way of giving back—by
Governor General, Dame Cynthia ‘Mother’ Pratt welcomed Mrs. Vernencia Cooper-Johnson, Chairperson of the T. A. Thompson Junior High School Boys Club and students in a courtesy call at Government House on Thursday, June 19, 2025.
Photo: letisha Henderson/BIS
Kids engaged at Urban Renewal’s launch of Youth Achievers Club
A LAUNCH event was held yesterday for the Urban Renewal Authority Youth Achievers Club. The event was held at the Church of God Southwest Cathedral, on Carmichael Road. Minister of Housing and Urban Renewal Keith Bell delivered the keynote address. The launch seeks to empower and engage young people through programmes in academics, music, arts, sports, and mentorship.
Photo:Chappell Whyms Jr