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Volume:114 No.158, JULY 11TH, 2017

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HEALTH: LOVE AND FITNESS CHALLENGE FOR ENGAGED COUPLES

‘Blame PLP over new junk threat’ THE Minister of Finance has blamed the Christie administration’s efforts “to hide the true extent” of the Bahamas’ fiscal crisis for Moody’s threat to downgrade this nation to ‘junk’ status.

K Peter Turnquest told Tribune Business he had no regrets about his frank 2017-2018 Budget statement, which revealed that the newly-elected Minnis administration was seeking to borrow $722m - the majority of which is to cover the $500m deficit it inherited from the previous fiscal year.

Moody’s last week cited

By KHRISNA VIRGIL Deputy Chief Reporter kvirgil@tribunemedia.net

POLICE shot a man after he allegedly attempted to attack officers with a box cutter during routine patrol on Marcus Bethel Way over the weekend.

According to authorities, when officers attempted to arrest the man for an outstanding criminal warrant, SEE PAGE THREE

FACES OF THE FUTURE

Moody’s warns of downgrade risk

By NEIL HARTNELL Tribune Business Editor nhartnell@tribunemedia.net

POLICE OPEN FIRE AS MAN ATTACKS OFFICERS WITH KNIFE

these revelations, together with poorer fiscal consolidation prospects, as the key factors behind its decision to place The Bahamas’ sovereign creditworthiness on review for another potential downgrade.

The move comes as little surprise, given that the rating agency had indicated in a previous June 5 statement that it had been spooked by the Budget’s nine-figure revisions to estimates made just two months earlier.

Should Moody’s act, The Bahamas will have lost its ‘investment grade’ credit rating - and been downgraded to ‘junk’ status’ - by both major rating agencies within a seven to eightmonth period.

FULL STORY - SEE BUSINESS

DOING BUSINESS WILL COST US MORE AND SCARE OFF INVESTORS

By RASHAD ROLLE Tribune Staff Reporter rrolle@tribunemedia.net

AS Moody’s prepares to review the Bahamas’ creditworthiness following the Minnis administration’s revelations about the country’s fiscal condition, former Central Bank Governor James Smith warned that a downgrade to ‘junk’ status would raise the cost of borrowing, increase the current costs of debt servicing and potentially scare off investors.

Meanwhile when questioned about the looming

review and possible downgrade yesterday, Prime Minister Dr Hubert Minnis would only say the government “must exercise fiscal prudence” in the way it runs the country’s affairs.

Moody’s, which declined to downgrade this country’s bond and issuer ratings earlier this year even though Standard & Poor’s did so in late 2016, said in a statement last week its decision to review this country’s Baa3 rating was prompted by official remarks that the country’s “fiscal position SEE PAGE SIX

YOUNGSTERS join the crowds at Clifford Park on Sunday to watch the cultural show in celebration of the Bahamas’ 44th year of Independence. See pages eight to 11 for more pictures.

Photos: Shawn Hanna/Tribune Staff

SIMPLE STEPS TO BRING BILLS DOWN

By NICO SCAVELLA Tribune Staff Reporter nscavella@tribunemedia.net

FORMER Bahamas Electricity Corporation Executive Chairman Leslie Miller on Friday regretted the recent spike in electricity costs, calling on the Minnis administration to “do what is necessary” to lower the price of power.

Mr Miller told The Tribune the government should “stop reinventing the wheel” on the matter, claiming that the best course of action would be

to consult its predecessors, himself included, on how to arrest the situation rather than continuing to “burden the Bahamian people with these outrageous damn BEC bills”.

Mr Miller’s comments came a day after Works Minister Desmond Bannister said that while it is unfortunate that consumers have seen a significant increase in their Bahamas Power and Light (BPL) bills, the government cannot continue to absorb the utility provider’s expenses.

Mr Bannister told The Tribune that BPL has a “huge legacy debt” and unfortunately the cost will have to be passed on to the public “directly or indirectly”.

Mr Bannister’s statements came after the Central Bank of The Bahamas revealed that BPL’s fuel charge increased by 8.3 per cent to 13.7 cents per kilowatt hour (kWh) on a monthly basis, and by 49.7 per cent when compared to May 2016.

SEE PAGE SIX

GOVT RAISES STATUS FOR NOTTAGE FUNERAL

By RASHAD ROLLE Tribune Staff Reporter rrolle@tribunemedia.net

THE Minnis administration has increased the government’s budget for the official funeral for Dr Bernard Nottage from $10,000 to $50,000, the Cabinet Of-

fice announced yesterday, while explaining why the former member of Parliament will not be given a state funeral.

The official funeral will be held at St Agnes Anglican Church at 11am on Friday.

In a statement released

Monday evening, seemingly in response to criticism that Dr Nottage was not afforded a state funeral, the Cabinet Office explained that state funerals are reserved for governors general and prime ministers, serving or

Nassau & Bahama Islands’ Leading Newspaper

SEE PAGE 12

CAMPAIGN PLEDGE STAYS OFF AGENDA

By KHRISNA VIRGIL Deputy Chief Reporter kvirgil@tribunemedia.net

DESPITE announcing intentions to seek the public’s consent through a referendum on instituting term limits for the prime minister, a recall system for non-performing members of Parliament and an independent Constituencies Commission and Electoral Commission, the Minnis administration has not decided on a timeline for this exercise, how it will be executed or what it might cost taxpayers.

According to Prime Minister Dr Hubert Minnis yesterday, Cabinet has not yet discussed this aspect of the Free National Movement’s (FNM) plans. The prime minister said he was unable to say at this time when this SEE PAGE FIVE

THE TRIBUNE

Tuesday, July 11, 2017, PAGE 3

POLICE HUNT FOR SUSPECTS AFTER TWO MEN ARE SHOT

By KHRISNA VIRGIL Deputy Chief Reporter kvirgil@tribunemedia.net

THE CASINO building at Resorts World Bimini.

Resorts World targeted by environment protest

By RASHAD ROLLE Tribune Staff Reporter rrolle@tribunemedia.net PROTESTS are planned in Bimini this week to object to developments on the island that some residents believe lack transparency and are destructive to the environment.

The protests will take place Wednesday and Friday.

The main target of the residents’ ire appears to be RAV Bahamas/OPAC and its partner the Genting Group, which have invested heavily in the island, mainly through Resorts World Bimini.

In a letter from Bimini residents to Prime Minister Dr Hubert Minnis, residents complained that nothing has been done to protect Bimini’s marine habitats.

“The resort has created an influx of visitors to the island, but at the expense of the people,” the letter noted. “The number of visitors to Bimini is greater than the island can handle sustainably, creating negative impact on the local natural resource.

“The vacuous promises laid out in the mitigation measures dating back to phase one of this development are still unfulfilled.

And Mr Capo has never been held accountable.”

The residents said they want clarification on how much Crown land Gerardo Capo has received and what would be the legal implications for his development of land on the North Bimini Marine Reserve and the East Wells area if a marine protected area (MPA) is approved.

They want environmental impact studies and reports related to the project to be made public.

“The people of Bimini are waiting with bated breath having heard promises of ‘It’s the People’s Time,’” the letter said, re-

ferring to the Free National Movement’s campaign slogan. “We have valued your statements of zero tolerance on corruption. Talk is widespread of hope that this government is really wanting to make a difference and unmask 20 years of secret, under the table deals that have stolen crown land from the people.

“We are now facing a critical tipping point in the history of this island’s ecosystem and our future livelihood.”

The protests, which are being organised as land and sea demonstrations, are being hosted by Save the Bays, an environmental group.

POLICE OPEN FIRE AS MAN ATTACKS OFFICERS WITH KNIFE from page one

he wielded a box cutter, resulting in police shooting him. Police did not say whether any of the officers were injured during the confrontation.

The man was taken to hospital where he is detained in stable condition under police guard, authorities said.

The incident happened on Saturday shortly after 1pm.

Last Wednesday, Senior Assistant Commissioner of Police Stephen Dean

warned criminals “not to challenge the police” hours after an armed suspect was shot by officers following a high-speed car chase in New Providence.

The drama unfolded shortly after 1am on July 5 off Carmichael Road and ended near the Sidney Poitier Bridge on East Bay Street. Police said two armed men opened fire on officers, prompting an exchange of gunfire.

The injured suspect was taken hospital under heavy police guard.

In May, police were also forced to shoot a teenage

suspect after the victim along with three other suspects allegedly executed a brazen daytime robbery at QVS Pharmacy in the Seagrape Shopping Plaza.

At the time, the Ministry of Education confirmed the dead boy was a tenth-grade student from R M Bailey Senior High School.

That incident marked the

second time police were involved in a fatality in less than a week.

Several days earlier in May, a man was shot dead by police after a car chase and shootout in Pride Estates.

Those matters were referred to Coroner Jeanine Weech Gomez for investigation.

POLICE are appealing to the public for help in finding the suspects responsible for two separate shooting incidents that left two men in hospital over the weekend.

According to a report from police, the first incident happened when four men, sitting in a vehicle behind a building on Key West Street, were approached by two men, armed with a hand gun, who shot one of the men before fleeing on foot.

The injured man was taken to hospital where he is detained in serious condition.

This incident happened shortly after 4pm Saturday.

In another incident, which occurred about two hours later, a man was standing in front of a bar on Dunmore Street when he was shot by a man armed with a handgun. The gunman fled on foot.

Police said the victim was taken to hospital, where he remains in stable condition.

Officers also arrested several people over the weekend for drug related offences.

Police said officers assigned to the Mobile Division were on mobile patrol at Leeward Isles East when they conducted a search of a man who was acting suspiciously.

Upon searching the man, police said they found a quantity of marijuana in his pos-

session. It happened shortly before 10pm on Saturday.

He was taken into custody and is expected to appear in court early this week to be formally charged.

In another incident, officers assigned to the Selective Enforcement Team executed a search warrant on a home at Eden Street in Yellow Elder Gardens.

A woman who was wanted in connection with a 2016 drug seizure in Grand Bahama was arrested.

There were also several arrests Friday for possession of dangerous drugs believed to be marijuana.

In the first incident, around 6am, police said Drug Enforcement Unit (DEU) officers on operation at Hibiscus Street, executed a search warrant on a home where they uncovered just over one pound of marijuana.

A woman and two male occupants of the home were taken into custody in connection with the discovery.

Around 6.30am, DEU officers carried out a search warrant on a home at Spikenard Road. Eight pounds of marijuana were uncovered, leading to the arrest of a woman and two men.

In the final incident, DEU officers executed a search warrant on a home at Moncur Alley where just over two ounces of marijuana were discovered.

As a result, a woman and two men who were inside the home were taken into police custody.

PAGE 4, Tuesday, July 11, 2017

THE TRIBUNE

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Leave Montagu Beach and Park alone THE desire to create greater visitor experiences and boost the local economy by opening new entrepreneurial opportunities is a worthy goal and has its rightful place in the planning and zoning of islands like New Providence that welcome millions of cruise and stayover guests a year. But that rightful place is not Montagu Beach.

The 1200-foot long stretch of sand and beach, playground and green space enjoyed by Bahamians and visitors every day, numbers that swell to hundreds on weekends and holidays, must be respected as a park and public beach and not subjected to crass commercialisation.

Neighbours in Free Town have every right to complain when the quiet lifestyle they bought into as Bahamians in a middle class Bahamian neighbourhood turns into a setting with a frenzy of loud music and wild partying with loud speaker volume that must send shudders down the spine of hearing specialists. Their concern is with events. Our concern goes deeper and extends to the overall, long-term vision for Montagu.

There are places in our nation that must be respected and reserved for the breathing room they offer. In a densely populated city like Nassau with its overcrowded, hot inner city, open spaces that give the people a place to breathe are even more important. They allow us to be us. They are a place where families can enjoy each other, where children can run free, where all of us can enjoy the wind in our hair, the sun on our face, the warmth of the water in one of the last few public beaches on the island. In a nation where there is too much violence, it is a space of peace.

The long-serving mayor of Charleston, South Carolina, Joe O’Reilly, recognized this. Often asked why he repeatedly and steadfastly refused to sell the most valuable piece of land in the city despite outrageous offers and instead used it as a massive open park with a circular fountain children could play in and run through, he said, “Because the people need a place to dream.”

There are many places where conch stands and pop up souvenir shops can operate and sell goods. But there are only a few places where the Bahamian people can breathe and dream and Montagu is that last one of those in the eastern district, easily accessible from Fox Hill, Seabreeze, Free Town, Pinedale and other areas of the city, a cool retreat and respite from the suffocating sweltering summer sun.

Montagu did not always offer the beauty and tranquility it does now.

In the first decade of this century, Montagu ramp as it was known then was crowded with boats, trailers and stands of fishermen selling conch, crawfish (in season) and fish. There was no fresh running water. Flies covered freshly caught fish and conch shells lying in heaps. The smell was nauseating and those who braved the smell and the sights to buy fish had to tolerate the dogeat-dog competition among fishmongers trying to lure customers to their table.

Arguments that often escalated to fights among those cleaning the catch or trucks and boats trying to manoeuvre for space on the ramp added to the tension. Sharp

fillet knives were never far away. Cuss words flew. Along the street, traffic jams were constant. Every time a trailer tried to cut across East Bay to back up and haul his boat from the crowded ramp, traffic stood still. Horns honked. People shouted. It was all in vain. They could vent all they wanted, but there was no escape.

In about 2010, Loretta Butler-Turner, Member of Parliament for what was then the constituency of Montagu, took it upon herself to resolve the untenable and intolerable situation. She called together a Montagu Redevelopment Steering Committee with local community-minded leaders – Dr Davidson Hepburn, Diane Phillips, Malcolm McKay, Sandra Cooke, Larry Roberts, Larry Phillips and Clay Saunders – and charged them with finding a way to salvage Montagu. The toughest challenge would be what to do in providing for the fishermen to whom Montagu ramp with all its faults, its crowding, unsanitary conditions, nearly impossible juggling of tables and boats and trailers, its hot tempers, was still home. It was the way they made their living and if you counted all the trickle down livelihoods from those who fished to those who sold to those who cleaned to those who delivered ice, there were probably close to 90 or 100 livelihoods at stake.

The committee did a yeoman’s job.

For nearly a year, they conducted traffic studies, interviewed fishermen, engaged the services of a coastal engineering company to assess what it would take to save the beach from erosion and accrete sand. They cleaned up the area across the street that behind the low pink wall of the former Montagu Hotel property lay a hidden dump laden with the rotting and rotten trash of decades. They looked at options for possible relocation of fishermen and their stands. They photographed the conditions as they found them and held town hall meetings that attracted standing room only crowds.

In the end, they recommended the expansion of Montagu, the full redevelopment of the park, the relocation of fishermen and their stands slightly to the west on a paved surface with fresh water, the creation of a park with adequate parking, rest rooms, grassy areas, playground and lighting. They had managed to garner most services during the study period for free, including the report from a Florida coastal engineering company that might have cost thousands. Then came the difficult part, finding funding, It was shortly before the 2012 elections and the FNM was eager to show results on several fronts, among them, Montagu.

As it had so many times in the past, Atlantis came to the rescue. The price tag was never made public but is believed to be between $1.6 and $2m, Putting a price tag on a park is one thing and Atlantis deserves the public’s thanks. Putting a price tag on a place where the people can breathe and dream is another. Leave Montagu alone or develop it in a way that maximises use of Fort Montagu and leaves the park, green space and beach the natural treasure it is, a peaceful oasis of tranquility and beauty for the Bahamian people.

Who are the debtors?

EDITOR, The Tribune

MERRIAM-WEBSTER defines “nebulous” as relating to, or resembling, a nebula. And a “nebula” is defined as any of numerous clouds of gas or dust in interstellar space. That is precisely the understanding that I get when reading your Friday front page headline “No escape from soaring bills” and I suppose Mr Bannister means BPL/BEC cannot escape although that is not particularly clear because the average consumer in this country cannot escape from other soaring bills all around.

Mr Bannister goes on to say that Government cannot keep subsidising BPL. Now that’s a

mouthful because, on the face of it, he seems to say that they are unable to generate power at even a break even rate.

But Mr Bannister did not fall off a turnip truck and like the rest of us he has been in this country a long time and must have heard the stories circulating on sip-sip and other social media, of various and sundry people and institutions that owed BPL massive amounts of money and just had not paid, because they were on a list of special cases not to be turned off.

In some cases, important people had meters removed and replaced with fresh new ones so the debt could be lost.

I don’t think anyone has a problem with paying what it

legitimately costs to produce electricity, but a lot of people have a problem paying for legacy debt that they don’t even know, and are not being told, how it arose in the first place.

Please publish a list of Debtors, Mr Bannister, including the Government of the Bahamas if it is on that list. Let us know why these debtors have not yet been prosecuted and dealt with. You are no better than the previous politicians if you think that airy fairy nebulous declarations are going to flush anymore in The Bahamas. That bus broke down on May 10th 2017.

BRUCE G. RAINE Nassau, July 8, 2017.

Where’s the beef on NHI? EDITOR The Tribune.

THE discussion around the proposed NHI scheme brings to mind the nowiconic Wendy’s television commercial in which three elderly ladies were served a hamburger. Admiring the “big, fluffy bun” on the outside, they opened the bun to find a burger so small that one of them exclaimed, “Where’s the beef?”

The Government’s planned National Health Insurance (NHI) scheme seems to beg a similar question, that is: “Where’s the value?”

When in Opposition, the present Government bombarded the media constantly, pointing out the inadequacies of the proposed NHI programme: poorly planned, inadequately funded, ill-suited for our health care needs, etc.

Bahamians may be forgiven for believing that once elected, the new Government would take steps to retrench and rethink its approach to health care.

It seems inexplicable that now that they are no longer in the Opposition, members of this Government not only want to continue with an NHI funded primary care programme but also expand the programme to include specialty care. This at a time when by its own admission, “the cupboard is bare”!

Let me be clear: the physicians of The Bahamas are committed to the provision of quality health care for all Bahamians.

We welcome any fiscally sustainable plan that will achieve this, but the current plan does not meet that criteria.

However, since the Government seems determined to move forward with an NHI scheme in some form – along with the inevitable

LETTERS letters@tribunemedia.net increases in taxation that this will bring to bear – the important question to address is: How can NHI best provide value for the Bahamian people?

To arrive at an answer we must first acknowledge two truths.

First, the NHI scheme in its present form provides absolutely nothing not presently available in the public health sector.

Yes, it is true that our public health care system is beset by management issues, excessive red tape and misuse of resources. However, upwards of 90% of the health care needs of Bahamians are accessible – right now through the public healthcare system.

The proposed NHI scheme will not add a single service, test, screening or care opportunity that is not presently available to the Bahamian public.

So why add millions of dollars of additional debt, new layers of bureaucracy and opportunities for mismanagement for a service that presently exists?

Second, even the most ardent collectivists have abandoned the idea that National Health Insurance can provide the amenities made available by private health insurance.

There are ample examples around the world to debunk this theory. So the discussion of an NHI scheme attempting to equal the amenities of private insurance is a moot point.

With the above in mind, what is the best way forward for National Health Insurance?

If we are going to have a

National Health Insurance with its accompanying increase in taxes (which almost always happens) why not use this money to provide needed medical supplies and services that have to be paid for out-ofpocket in the public service.

That is, NHI would fund such things as vascular grafts for patients on dialysis, comprehensive cancer care, pacemakers, paediatric heart surgery, extended care including rehabilitation for stroke victims, etc.

NHI for services not presently available in the public sector will enhance our healthcare service, fully utilise our present infrastructure, add minimal debt, remove the need for cookouts to fund medical care and would receive buy-in from all stakeholders, especially physicians.

So to answer the question, “NHI, where’s the value?”… The value is in providing medical services that are urgently needed but not presently available.

If we must move forward with this concept, let it be in a way that truly benefits Bahamians and adds value to our standard of living.

Hopefully, this government will listen to and execute the plans of our exceptional professionals and not go searching the globe for foreign consultants.

Or worse, attempt to implement some ill-conceived, harebrained scheme meant to gain political traction but instead causes incalculable suffering for the Bahamian people.

SY COOLIDGE PIERRE, MD President, Medical Association of the Bahamas Nassau, July 8, 2017.

THE TRIBUNE

Tuesday, July 11, 2017, PAGE 5

Roberts: Why spend money on trip but not on Independence celebrations?

By RASHAD ROLLE Tribune Staff Reporter rrolle@tribunemedia.net

sources. On the other hand, he took a huge delegation with him to Grenada. His heart is not in the PROGRESSIVE Liberal right place.”

Party Chairman Bradley The budget for the 44th Roberts yesterday unfa- independence annivervourably contrasted the sary was slashed by about Minnis administration’s $900,000, placing the budgbudget cut for et at an estithe recent inde- ‘They cut (the) mated $100,000 pendence celafter the Chrisbudget for ebrations with tie administrathe cost of a independence tion spent about trip a govern- that embraced $1m in 2016 and ment delegation $1.1m in 2015. all the people took to Grenada Despite the for the Carib- of The Bahamas cut, the tradibean Commu- because (Prime tional Clifford nity’s heads Park tattoo drew of government Minister Dr positive reviews Hubert Minnis) from many Bameeting.

“I’m waiting said they lacked hamians who to find out expraised its proactly how many resources. On duction. people (went on the other hand, The exact size the trip),” Mr he took a huge of the Minnis Roberts said. administration’s “They cut (the) delegation delegation to budget for inde- with him to Grenada is not pendence that Grenada. His clear. Although embraced all in addition to the people of heart is not in Dr Minnis, The Bahamas the right place.’ those who went because (Prime on the trip inMinister Dr Hubert Min- cluded his wife Patricia nis) said they lacked re- Minnis, Foreign Affairs

PLP chairman Bradley Roberts.

Minister Darren Henfield, Education Minister Jeffrey Lloyd, CARICOM ambassador Reuben Rahming, director general at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Sharon Brennen-Haylock, policy advisor to the Prime Minister Joshua Sears and

an unidentified number of security guards among others.

While in opposition, the Free National Movement (FNM) repeatedly criticised former Foreign Affairs and Immigration Minister Fred Mitchell and

former Prime Minister Perry Christie for their travel expenses.

At one point, Dr Minnis described their traveling habits as “extravagant.”

He demanded that the former prime minister inform Bahamians about the cost

of the administration’s travel.

After officials in the Christie administration went on a trip to Rome and London, Dr Minnis said in the House of Assembly in 2014: “I demand that the prime minister keep his public pledge to provide an accounting for his extravagant international travel during which he treated an excessively large delegation to a tour of Rome and London.”

Last month, Mr Henfield said the Ministry of Foreign Affairs would restructure itself to eliminate unnecessary spending, especially on travel.

“We do not have to attend every meeting that takes place across the globe,” Mr Henfield said at the time.

Anthony Newbold, the prime minister’s press secretary, has said that a policy of the new government is that people who attend foreign workshops and conferences must, upon return, file a report about the event or be barred from statefunded trips.

CAMPAIGN PLEDGE STAYS OFF AGENDA from page one will be brought up on Cabinet’s agenda.

He said to speak now on the issue would reveal Cabinet business.

In May, in the Speech from the Throne, the Minnis administration outlined plans for a planned referendum on the various issues.

The last two referenda held in this country were not successful as both votes–the gaming referendum of 2013 and the constitutional referendum of 2016 –under the

former Progressive Liberal Party (PLP) government failed.

The Christie administration spent $1.2m on the 2013 gaming referendum. The constitutional referendum was also estimated to cost the public purse around $1. 57m.

The four bills, which promised to bring gender equality to the country’s Constitution, were overwhelmingly rejected by voters at the polls on June 7, 2016.

Only three constituencies across the country voted by consensus to approve any

of the four gender equality bills proposed.

And fewer than half of eligible voters, 46.66 per cent of them, participated in this constitutional referendum.

In Bain and Grants Town for instance, turnout was 34.01 per cent and in Englerston turnout was 37.01 per cent.

In the Family Islands, turnout was generally lower than in New Providence. Only 26.92 per cent of eligible Long Island voters participated in the referendum, the lowest in the country. Former leader of the Official Opposition

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Loretta Butler-Turner represented this area at the time.

In the gaming referendum held on January 28, 2013, out of 38 constituencies only three returned a majority “yes” vote.

Nationally there were 48,012 “no” votes for the question on regulating web shops and 30,767 “yes” votes, and 46,961 “no” votes for the creation of a national lottery question and 32,170 “yes” votes.

Officials said voter turnout was also extremely low in this process.

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PAGE 6, Tuesday, July 11, 2017

THE TRIBUNE

DOING BUSINESS WILL COST US MORE AND SCARE OFF INVESTORS from page one

was weaker than previously estimated” and the “government’s debt ratios will continue to worsen over the coming years.”

The country now faces a downgrade of its creditworthiness to “junk” status.

Moody’s had expected that the government’s debt ratios would stabilise this fiscal year.

Currently, the government’s debt/GDP ratio is an estimated 72 per cent of GDP.

During its review, Moody’s will assess the government’s fiscal consolidation plan.

“In addition to the proposed expenditure and revenue measures that the government will seek to implement to reduce the fiscal deficit, Moody’s will assess measures to address the rising sovereign risk posed by contingent liabilities stemming from the broader nonfinancial public sector, which a stock of debt representing over 17 per cent of GDP, of which about half carries an explicit government guaran-

tee,” Moody’s noted.

Mr Smith, who served a minister of state for finance in the first Christie administration, said while Moody’s might decide to give the new administration a chance to implement its plans, it will be very difficult for the government to persuade the credit rating agency not to give the country a downgrade.

The consequence of a downgrade, he said, is that it will be costlier for the state to do business.

“Every outstanding debt we have now will cost you

more,” Mr Smith said.

“Many of them are adjustable rates tied to rating agencies. So, if they say we’re at junk status, you’re going to pay junk interest rates.”

Mr Smith said Moody’s likely interpreted revelations during the budget debate as evidence that it missed important information when it last assessed this country’s fiscal condition and declined to downgrade the country’s rating.

“They have a reputation to manage,” he said. “They already published projections and now you’re tell-

ing them ‘oh you guys got it wrong.’ That has a lot of implications. The government, by publicising these things in such a dramatic fashion, is forcing them to take a second look; ordinarily they would’ve waited to see what the new government proposes and implements. A downgrade would mean it would be much more difficult to get inward investments and more expensive to get loans. It’s sending a signal to the world that our economy is not stable and not growing.”

In February, when it

last assessed the country, Moody’s spared The Bahamas a downgrade but warned that if the government’s commitment to fiscal prudence diminishes, the country’s credit rating could be lowered.

The Christie administration was in office at the time.

Moody’s currently rates The Bahamas’ sovereign creditworthiness at ‘Baa3’ with a stable outlook, keeping it at one notch above ‘junk’ status following a previous downgrade in August 2016.

Simple steps to bring bills down from page one In a statement, BPL explained that an increase in bills for the month of May was also caused by its reliance on engines at the Blue Hills Plant, which uses more expensive fuel than the Clifton Power Station.

Mr Miller, who served as executive chairman of BEC – later to become BPL - until late 2015, lamented how there has been “no discernible change” in BPL’s functionality since the Minnis administration came to office. He said the government should try reaching out to the relevant former government officials for advice.

“It’s a new government now, they got to get themselves together, and sit down (with) those who were there before,” Mr Miller said. “…

No one ever consults the fellas who were there before to say, ‘well what is the situation?’ Everybody comes in there believing that they’re a genius, and that’s a problem, and they listen to most of the foolishness that the people go and tell them, instead of really trying to get some objective views from those who would’ve been there who had a plan.

“But it’s up to (the government). They in charge so whatever decision they make we got to live with, whether it’s right or wrong.

Just hope that it’s in the best interest of Bahamians.”

Mr Miller also said the onus is on Mr Bannister as the new “decision maker” for the utility provider to “get the people around him who could give him sound advice (on how) to decrease the cost of electricity for everybody”.

Mr Miller added “simple, basic economics” could reverse BPL’s woes.

“You go with the most efficient engines that is out there, you go and put up the 128 megawatts of power at Clifton, or Blue Hills, wherever they want to put it,” he said. “That alone is going to save you about $100m in fuel costs, that’s how you get rid of the legacy debt.

“You pay down the legacy debt (with) the savings that you have and you pass 50 per cent of that savings

onto the local consumers.

That’s what we had in mind.

We had all the experts from all around the world. They were getting the engines out of Germany, and we had everything together. (Former Prime Minister Perry Christie) decided he wanted something else.

“Now this group got to decide what they want,” he added. “They could go back to the drawing board and start from scratch and you got to go down that same road again, and not a damn thing is going to happen.

Someone’s got to decide to bite the bullet, and do the right thing by bringing in all those people who could make a contribution.

“Failure to do so, they going right back to square one, and we’re going to be suffering this summer.”

Meanwhile, Works Minister Desmond Bannister said yesterday there are also “a number” of internal “troubling” issues at Bahamas Power and Light Company Ltd needing explanation.

While he would not go into detail, Mr Bannister said he intends to be “fully transparent” in the measures he takes once executives of the electricity provider explain to him why certain decisions have been made.

In an interview with The Tribune yesterday, the Carmichael MP said some serious decisions will have to be made regarding power generation and how BPL’s legacy debt will be retired.

Asked whether it was the government’s intention to review the agreement with American company PowerSecure International to manage BPL, Mr Bannister said it was “unfair” to raise issues regarding this in the press.

However, when the same question was put to Minister of Finance K Peter Turnquest, he suggested the contractual agreement would be reviewed saying: “We are looking into all agreements and contracts to ensure they are in the best interest of Bahamians going forward.”

When contacted later by this newspaper about BPL’s issues, Mr Bannister said: “The troubling thing (from

LESLIE Miller pictured during his time as BEC chairman. the onset) was the fraud and why certain decisions have there is indication that it’s been made. gone back many years.

“I intend to be fully trans“There are a number of parent in what I do,” he issues that have concerned added, in response to quesme and I prefer to give them tions over whether these isthe opportunity to answer sues would be made public. those things rather than He continued: “The Bathem seeing it in the media hamian people have a right and not being able to look to know how their money me in the eye and tell me was spent. That is impor-

tant to me. Had I not been the minister, I would want to know.”

Last year, Bahamas Electrical Workers Union President Paul Maynard said BPL would need to spend an estimated $800m to properly outfit the utility provider and guard it from consistent power generation issues.

In this regard, Mr Bannister said funding new equipment is a task for BPL’s new board of directors.

“There are going to be a whole lot of things to do for this new board,” Mr Bannister said. “The minister doesn’t directly run BPL, the board does. A new board has not been appointed yet. Even though I wanted them in place last week, hopefully they will get to be in place this week and they will get to start making those decisions that are important to the Bahamian people because we are relying on them to make some critical decisions for us.

“We are going to have to do some things in terms of power generation. The only question is what formula we are going to use and how are we going to make it happen?

“The question is who is going to be our partners?

How we going to retire the legacy debt and then how are we going to generate power?

“Those are critical issues that have to be discussed,” Mr Bannister said.

Last week, Mr Bannister said while it is unfortunate consumers have seen a significant increase in their BPL bills because of “faulty machinery,” the govern-

ment cannot continue to absorb the cash strapped utility provider’s expenses.

At the time, he told The Tribune that BPL has a “huge legacy debt” and unfortunately the cost will have to be passed on to the public “directly or indirectly.”

He was responding to the Central Bank of The Bahamas’ monthly report which revealed BPL’s fuel charge increased by 8.3 per cent to 13.7 cents per kilowatt hour (kWh) on a monthly basis, and by 49.7 per cent when compared to May 2016.

In a statement, BPL explained an increase in bills for the month of May was also caused by its reliance on engines at the Blue Hills Plant, which uses more expensive fuel than the Clifton Power Station.

Mr Bannister said he understands “times are hard” but whether Bahamians understand it or not, either “you pay BPL directly or you pay through our taxes”.

It has been previously reported that four BPL employees were suspended and one person terminated pending an investigation into theft at the power company.

According to a source close to the matter, the employees were accused of “orchestrating an elaborate scheme,” that allegedly involved fake companies and forged cheques.

The Tribune also understands that at least one bank employee was also allegedly involved in the plot and is being investigated.

The amount of missing money from BPL has now ballooned to around $4m, The Tribune understands.

THE TRIBUNE

Tuesday, July 11, 2017, PAGE 7

Man spared conviction after apology for threat to senator

By LAMECH JOHNSON Tribune Staff Reporter ljohnson@tribunemedia.net A MAN who threatened to knock out a senator in a heated exchange over damage to the senator’s car offered an apology to the public official in Magistrate’s Court on Friday.

Raymond Martin, 27, appeared before Magistrate Carolyn Vogt-Evans on Friday facing a charge of threats of harm, contrary to Section 203 of the Penal Code.

It was alleged that Martin, on Wednesday, July 5, threatened Ranard Henfield intending to put him in fear of unlawful harm.

Martin pleaded guilty to the charge.

The We March Bahamas leader, who was appointed to the Senate in May, was not present in court for the arraignment.

Martin’s lawyer, Bernard Ferguson, asked the magistrate to be lenient with his client who did not waste the court’s time and had made a mistake.

Magistrate Vogt-Evans asked Martin to explain what happened.

The tow-truck driver said: “I was employed to tow his car from one location to the next.

“He implied there was some damage on it and he called the office that I work for alleging that his car had been damaged and from what I heard, he also claimed I was being rude.”

“What’d you tell him?” the magistrate asked.

“I told him he carrying on like a lil’ woman, like

a lil’ sissy. He told me he wasn’t paying for the job. I told him I’d report him to the police,” Martin said.

Martin said the car was placed back on the wrecker and the two continued to have an exchange.

“He paid the fee but said he would do more than that and I told him I would knock him out,” Martin added.

“You didn’t think of calling and asking your boss for instructions?” the magistrate asked.

Martin said he wasn’t thinking clearly during the

situation.

“Next time call the office and ask for instructions.

You were confrontational and I could understand your concern, but as a young black man in this country, in this day and age, you have to think. You are only doing your job. If there is an accusation of damage, you take it up with your boss.

You were out of line,” the magistrate said.

“I’m trying to show you where you didn’t need to get in an exchange with him. He was entitled to call

the office if he felt you damaged his car,” the magistrate added.

“Is there anything else you’d like to say?” Magistrate Vogt-Evans asked.

“I feel like I could have dealt with the situation a lot better. At the time, I wasn’t thinking straight and I if I could see him, I’d apologise.

I do apologise,” Martin said.

The magistrate, satisfied by his expression of remorse for his actions, said she would not issue a conviction, but instead discharged him with a warning.

DNA LEADER SAYS LEGAL ACTION MUST BE TAKEN AGAINST MEMBERS OF FORMER ADMINISTRATION

By NICO SCAVELLA Tribune Staff Reporter nscavella@tribunemedia.net

DEMOCRATIC National Alliance Leader Branville McCartney has criticised the Minnis administration for failing to take action against former government officials over allegations of impropriety, calling on the government to “sue” some members of the former Christie administration if criminal charges cannot be filed.

Mr McCartney said “some legal position” has to be taken against some former officials, as he charged that “there ought to be consequences” for persons whom he said “were negligent in the way they governed this country and dealt with the Bahamian people’s money”.

The former Bamboo Town MP said even if the Minnis administration is unsuccessful in these proposed court matters, be they criminal or civil, it will still “bring to the Bahamian people’s attention and those culpable for it, and ensure that they stay out of politics”.

Mr McCartney also said he is “concerned” that the Minnis administration has “backtracked” on some of the “big promises” it made on the campaign trail, especially those relating to the controversial Baha Mar documents, as well as the introduction of a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA).

Mr McCartney also criticised the Minnis adminis-

tration’s budget presentation, saying it “has failed to show how this economy will be stimulated” and grown.

Mr McCartney’s comments, particularly those calling for the prosecution of some former government officials, were in response to comments made by the Minnis administration on its position towards alleged impropriety on the part of the former administration.

Attorney General Carl Bethel has said his office will investigate any allegations brought to its attention, however he told reporters in June he did not think any claims of bad governance raised in the House of Assembly warranted criminal prosecution.

For his part, Mr McCartney said there should be some accountability for alleged corruption.

“We have the government saying now there’s no criminal activity, or there’s no criminal element in what has happened,” Mr McCartney said. “Well, look, you got to find some legal position to deal with those persons who did this to our country and to the Bahamian people.

“Sue them if you can’t find a criminal charge. Sue them. They were negligent in the way they governed this country and dealt with the Bahamian people’s money. And even if you’re not successful, either through criminal matters or civil matters, it will bring attention to what was going on, the facts of what was going on.

MAN ACCUSED OF SNATCHING PURSE SAYS HE IS A SANDILANDS PATIENT

By LAMECH JOHNSON Tribune Staff Reporter ljohnson@tribunemedia.net A MAN appeared in Magistrates’ Court on Friday accused of being the suspect behind an attempted purse snatching.

Stanley Sinclair, 37, stood before Chief Magistrate Joyann Ferguson-Pratt facing the charge of attempted robbery which was brought under Section 339 (1) of the Penal Code.

It is alleged that he, on Wednesday, July 5, attempted to rob Rosalie Williams of her handbag.

The accused, who had no lawyer, was asked if he wanted the case to be heard

in Magistrate’s Court or Supreme Court.

Sinclair elected the former and pleaded guilty to the charge. “I’m a Sandilands patient,” Sinclair told the magistrate.

The chief magistrate decided to adjourn the matter pending verification of Sinclair’s claim, and to be certain that he did not want to change his plea.

She asked police prosecutor Sgt Timothy Saunders to make the necessary inquiry with the Sandilands Rehabilitation Centre.

Sinclair was remanded into custody at the Department of Correctional Services until his next court appearance on July 14.

SIX ON DRUG CHARGES GRANTED BAIL

By DENISE MAYCOCK Tribune Freeport Reporter dmaycock@tribunemedia.net THE six West End residents charged in connection with a major drug seizure in Grand Bahama last week were granted $9,000 bail following a hearing in the Supreme Court in Grand Bahama on Friday.

Arthur Stubbs Sr, 44; his wife Helena Stubbs, 41, along with their son, Arthur Stubbs Jr, and Naomi Woodside, 53; Ruth Woodside,53, and Silia Woodside, 25, appeared before Justice Petra Hanna Weekes.

Carlson Shurland represented the family.

Last week, police discovered $4m worth of suspected cocaine in a vehicle parked at a residence in West End and subsequently arrested the family of six who were charged with possession of dangerous drugs with intent to supply.

As a condition of bail, Justice Weekes ordered the six accused to report to the West End Police Station every Friday before 6pm.

Many West End residents turned out at the Garnet Levarity Justice Centre to support the family.

DNA leader Branville McCartney “The awarding of contracts, missing monies. It will bring to the Bahamian people’s attention and those culpable for it and ensure that they stay out of politics. No more coming back to the House of Assembly.”

He added: “In addition, this new government ought to move quickly to introduce anti-corruption legislation and to put in place the (FOIA). There’s no reason whatsoever why the (FOIA) should not be in place today.”

Turning his attention to

the Baha Mar documents, Mr McCartney said the government’s current stance on the issue warrants criticism, given that it had maintained an entirely different position in the lead up to the May 10 election.

In June, Mr Bethel said the documents relating to Baha Mar’s sale contained nothing “unusual” that would prompt the government to renegotiate its terms, despite the FNM’s suggestions on the campaign trail that the now unsealed Baha Mar documents may have been trou-

bling. Mr Bethel also said the agreement doesn’t infringe on Atlantis’ most favoured nation status.

Dr Minnis had previously said in Parliament that the heads of terms relating to Baha Mar’s sale was approved for release by the Supreme Court, before he tabled the agreement, which he said fulfilled a campaign promise.

However, Dr Minnis added that other “sensitive” documents relating to the sale remain under a court seal.

Still, Mr McCartney in-

sisted that the government has “backtracked” on its campaign promise regarding the documents.

“I still want the deal unsealed,” Mr McCartney said. “We don’t know what the deal is. The attorney general, I’m told, said he looked at it and he said ‘okay, it’s okay, there’s nothing wrong.’ But yet during the campaign trail they said it was one of the worst deals for the Bahamian people.

So now you’re going to say there’s nothing wrong?

“At least tell us what the deal is all about.”

PAGE 8, Tuesday, July 11, 2017

THE TRIBUNE

GOVERNOR General Dame Marguerite Pindling flanked by Commissioner of Police Ellison Greenslade, left, and Commander of the Defence Force Tellis Bethel at the Clifford Park Independence celebration.

Photos: Shawn Hanna/Tribune Staff A COMBINATION of The Royal Bahamas Police Force and the Royal Bahamas Defence Force, above and below, pictured during their march at Clifford Park on Sunday.

BAHAMIANS celebrating the country’s 44th year of Independence.

Memorial Service

Clifford Brian Rouse, 80

MARTELLUS Chipman performing a dance at the cultural show.

of Sandyport, West Bay Street, Nassau, The Bahamas, died peacefully at his residence, on Thursday, 6th July, 2017.

Mr. Rouse is survived by his wife, Brenda Rouse; son, Nigel Rouse; daughter, Melanie Rouse; grandsons, Oscar and Ethan Rouse; brother, Derrick Rouse; sisters Pam Carroll and Wendy Watts; daughter-in-law, Anna Rouse; brothers-in-law, Tony Carroll, Bill Watts and Phil Thomas; sisters-in-law, Barbara Rouse and Gill Thomas and many other relatives and close friends including, Lynn Grattan and family, Beryl King, Judy Ansell, Aidie Garner, Sonia Cartwright, members of the Bridge Club and Book Club, Dr. Turnquest and the team at Oncology Consultants together with Nurse Rolle and the team of nurses plus all absent overseas friends.

A memorial service for Mr. Rouse will be held at Chapel of Love, Kemp’s Funeral Home Limited, Palmdale Avenue and Bradley Street, Nassau, on Thursday, 13th July, 2017 at 2:00 p.m.

Reverend Bill Higgs will officiate.

In lieu of flowers the family request that donations be sent to The Cancer Society of The Bahamas, P.O. Box S.S. 6539, Nassau, in memory of Mr. Clifford Brian Rouse.

Arrangements Kemp’s Funeral Home Limited.

BAHAMIANS performing in dance, left, and a skit about the history of The Bahamas, right, at the cultural show on Clifford Park.

THE TRIBUNE

Tuesday, July 11, 2017, PAGE 9

Prime Minister’s Independence message FELLOW Bahamians and friends of The Bahamas, it is with a deep sense of pride and gratitude, in this my inaugural independence message as prime minister, that I extend a happy independence to Bahamians and friends everywhere.

Bahamian pride is evident at home and abroad, as our flags are prominently and proudly displayed in homes, on vehicles and at cultural festivals.

From Salina Point, Ack-

lins to Man-O-War, Abaco, from West End, Grand Bahama to Gambier Village, New Providence, Bahamians will celebrate independence with pride and devotion.

The theme for our 44th anniversary comes, in part, from an evocative strain in our national anthem, “Toward the rising sun: one God, one people, one Bahamas.”

This year’s theme encourages us all to “lift up

our heads” and to continue the journey that began at independence. It is a theme meant to inspire us to move steadily sunward under the guidance of God, recognising the value of unity and shared purpose as we continue to foster the common good.

Our country is blessed in so many ways. We thank Almighty God that the basic tenants of our democratic traditions have been maintained. Since 1973, we

THE ROYAL Bahamas Police Force during their parade at the cultural show.

have remained a peaceful and stable country where progress has been measured in social and economic advancement.

Though we are a people of diverse backgrounds, there is a common thread that runs through the Bahamian tapestry – our threads from Africa, Europe, the Caribbean, Asia and the Americas.

For decades, we have welcomed people from many countries who have em-

braced the distinctive ethos that gives life and energy to the Bahamian spirit.

Our independence celebrations from San Salvador to Ragged Island, from Eleuthera to Andros and throughout The Bahamas are wonderful occasions to renew our spirit and to display our national pride.

I urge us all to enjoy the various cultural displays and celebrations throughout our archipelago.

I extend greetings on behalf of my wife Patricia to Bahamians at home and abroad, including our diplomatic and other personnel who will also celebrate our independence with nationals from other countries.

May God continue to bless the Commonwealth of The Bahamas.

Dr Hubert Minnis Prime Minister of The Bahamas

RONNIE Butler during his musical performance at Clifford Park.

Photos: Shawn Hanna/Tribune Staff

PAGE 10, Tuesday, July 11, 2017

THE TRIBUNE

GOVERNOR General Dame Marguerite Pindling inspects the honor guard during the independence celebrations at Clifford Park on Sunday.

Photos: Shawn Hanna/Tribune Staff

DENZIL Rolle and friends performing at Clifford Park.

FLAG RAISED FOR GRAND BAHAMA CELEBRATIONS FLAG raising ceremonies were held in the three districts in Grand Bahama on Friday as part of the country’s celebrations for Independence Day. At 9am, all the local radio stations played the national anthem simultaneously.

Minister of Youth, Sports and Culture Michael Pintard and Minister of State for Grand Bahama Kwasi Thompson spoke at the Harold DeGregory Government Complex in Freeport.

Mr Pintard saluted those Bahamians who had the courage 44 years ago to obtain independence and “to govern their own affairs and sit at the international

table of the world as equal partners.”

“The achievement of independence in 1973 was an acknowledgment that we were to be the main architects designing our own future and managing the growth and development of our country. We accepted the challenge undergirded by the faith in God and confidence in our collective ability as a people,” he said.

Mr Pintard indicated the country had accomplished a great deal, despite many challenges.

He also said the Bahamas had made incredible contributions to the world by continuing to produce many

Rhodes scholars in the field of science, technology and medicine.

“Many of our scholars have sat international standard exams and have done better than others who hail from around the globe; we are as good as anyone else, anywhere else in the world,” he said. He also noted that Bahamians have also made significant achievements in sports.

“Our athletes have made a difference and made us proud and have made the world take note,” he said.

“As we raise the flag, we salute all nation builders on whose shoulders we stand. But we also ac-

knowledge there are many unrealised dreams that we have set and some issues that threaten the gains we have made thus far.”

Meanwhile. Mr Thompson said that the Bahamas is “the best country in the world”.

“We are privileged to live in the best country in the world, but even more so, we are privileged to live on the best island in the Bahamas – Grand Bahama,” he said.

“We have been challenged, but we are not giving up; we may have difficult times, but will not lose; We will continue to fight until the island is fully recovered,” he said.

MINISTER of Health Dr Duane Sands, above, and Minister of National Security Marvin Dames, pictured below with his wife, at the Independence celebrations.

A BAHAMIAN performs a skit about the history of The Bahamas during Clifford Park celebrations.

THE TRIBUNE

Tuesday, July 11, 2017, PAGE 11

SOME of the food, above and below, available to visitors to the National Pride Day events in Rawson Square.

Showing pride in the nation

By SYDNEI ISAACS Bahamas Information Services

BAHAMIANS of all ages gathered in Rawson and Parliament Squares on Friday for the National Pride Day celebration and flag raising ceremony.

With the House of Assembly and surrounding area adorned in the national colours, Governor General Dame Marguerite Pindling delivered remarks at the event.

She told those in attendance: “National unity is the awareness of a common identity and purpose among

SOME of the scenes from National Pride Day in Rawson Square, where Bahamian culture was on show to mark the country’s 44th Independence celebration.

Photos: Terrel W. Carey/Tribune Media

the citizens of a country.”

She also said: “Much more work remains to be done for nation-building is an endless task.”

In reference to the new generation of Bahamians, Dame Marguerite said: “They too must share in the process of continuing the building of our nation, and it is our duty to pass on to them the established values and principles of our nation.

“We must fully commit ourselves to maintain this precious land as a free and independent nation where we live together in love and unity.”

HAPPY 44 INDEPENDENCE BAHAMAS TH

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PAGE 12, Tuesday, July 11, 2017

THE TRIBUNE

THE BODY of Dr Bernard Nottage is received after being returned to The Bahamas on Friday.

Govt raises status for Nottage funeral from page one retired, and Cabinet ministers who die while in office.

For official funerals, the Cabinet Office noted, the government normally assumes costs up to a maximum of $10,000. In honour of Dr Nottage’s service to the country over the years, the Minnis administration has increased this budget.

The statement also said the government paid all the expenses related to Dr Nottage’s medical care in Florida and the repatriation of his remains to the Bahamas.

Monday’s statement also noted that Prime Minister Dr Hubert Minnis was in “close and frequent contact” with Dr Nottage’s wife, Portia Nottage, while the former MP was in hospital.

“The second tier of government funerals is the official funeral which is given to former Cabinet ministers and serving members of Parliament,” the statement noted. “The government covers funeral costs up to a maximum of $10,000 and the police and defence force

DR Nottage’s body is taken from Odyssey Aviation airport. provide an honour guard.

Lying-in-state takes place in the House of Assembly.

The church service is carried live on radio and may be recorded for future airing.

“The church service is attended by the governor general, the prime minister, Cabinet ministers and other parliamentarians and senior public officers. In recognition of Dr Nottage’s many years of public service in the area of politics and sports, the government decided to increase the funeral costs it would bear to a maximum of $50,000.00.”

The lowest tier of government funerals is the state

recognised service given to former members of Parliament, serving permanent secretaries and other high ranking public officers or civilians who have made invaluable contributions to the state, the statement added.

There will be a viewing of Dr Nottage’s body at the Progressive Liberal Party’s headquarters today, the Thomas A Robinson National Stadium on Wednesday and at the House of Assembly on Thursday.

Dr Nottage, 71, died on June 28 in a Florida hospital.

He had been airlifted to the US after spending three days in the Intensive Care

Unit at Doctors Hospital.

Dr Nottage’s body returned to the country on Friday in a large box. Grieving family members waited at Odyssey Aviation airport to greet him.

Yesterday, the Cabinet Office said the Cabinet secretary has issued a formal communication to Dr Nottage’s wife informing her of the government’s decision to have an official funeral and outlining all of the matters for which the government would be responsible.

“The National Events Unit of the Cabinet Office is working with Dr Nottage’s widow and other family members on the details of Dr Nottage’s official funeral. In the morning of Thursday, July 6, that unit met with Dr Nottage’s widow, brother, sister, sister-inlaw and Nottage’s rector to discuss pertinent logistical and protocol matters to be attended to prior, during and after the funeral service. Mrs Nottage chose St Agnes Anglican Church where they worshipped as the location for the funeral. St Agnes is also located in the constituency Dr Nottage represented for many

years. “...The Cabinet Office will continue to provide support and advice to the Nottage family during their period of bereavement.”

Dr Nottage is survived by his wife and their two sons.

The veteran politician was born in Nassau on October 23, 1945 to the late Bernard Nottage Sr and Olevia Nottage.

He received his training as a gynaecologist at the University of Aberdeen, Scotland, and The Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists.

An outstanding athlete in track and field, Dr Nottage was also a long-time president of the Bahamas Amateur Athletics Association (BAAA).

Over the course of his political career, Dr Nottage served as a Cabinet minister in one Pindling administration and two Christie administrations.

Dr Nottage was first appointed chairman of the National Insurance Board in 1982.

In the subsequent general election in 1987, Dr Nottage successfully contested the Garden Hills constituency.

In 1989, Dr Nottage was appointed minister of consumer affairs and then minister of education in 1990.

However, Dr Nottage later left the PLP to assist in the formation of the Coalition for Democratic Reform (CDR) and was elected leader of the third party in early 2000.

Dr Nottage unsuccessfully led the party into the 2002 general election.

In 2005, he returned to the then governing PLP and was afterwards appointed to the Senate.

Shortly afterwards, Dr Nottage was appointed minister of health and National Insurance by then Prime Minister Perry Christie.

In 2007, Dr Nottage was appointed leader of opposition business in Parliament and in 2012 leader of government business in Parliament. He served as minister of national security from 2012-2017.

Dr Nottage was defeated in the 2017 general election by 22-year-old Travis Robinson in the Bain and Grants Town constituency.

He was a member of the Anglican church community.

FIGHT ERUPTS AFTER DR BERNARD NOTTAGE MEMORIAL SERVICE

By KHRISNA VIRGIL Deputy Chief Reporter kvirgil@tribunemedia.net DESPITE the Progressive Liberal Party’s (PLP) state of mourning for the death of former National Security Minister Dr Bernard Nottage, a fight among party supporters erupted on Thursday night following a memorial service.

A video circulating on social media of the argument inside the PLP’s Bain and

Grants Town constituency office at Meadow Street shows two women in PLP t-shirts arguing and punching each other as attempts were made to separate them.

Some watching the fight could be heard in the room encouraging the women to continue assaulting each other.

A 30-second clip of the fight quickly made the rounds online on Friday, shocking some viewers and outraging others.

This prompted the Bain and Grants Town Branch of the PLP to release a statement “decrying” the fight.

“We deeply regret the circulation of a video of a conflict between individuals in our constituency office following last night’s (Thursday’s) memorial for Dr Bernard Nottage.” the brief statement noted.

“The conflict itself was not during the memorial, which was conducted peacefully and with due

reverence to the occasion.

This matter arose after the event ended and all the officials had left.

“The fight is bad enough and an insult to all that Dr Nottage stood for. The real injury is that someone would be so insensitive as to post and circulate such a video. Dr Nottage stood against violence of any kind and went to his death fighting for programmes to aid in conflict resolution.”

“Our branch further

commits itself to continuing his work in this area. We decry both the fight and the circulation of the video. We appeal to all to live in peace.

“Let our friend and brother Bernard Nottage rest in peace,” the statement added.

The former Bain and Grants Town representative died on June 28 in a Florida hospital, according to a statement from his family.

Dr Nottage, 71, was survived by his wife, the for-

mer Portia Butterfield, and their two sons.

In a statement, Dr Nottage’s family described him as “a husband, dad, papa, brother, uncle, godfather, friend and a Bahamian nationalist”.

The family expressed sincere thanks to everyone who “reached out” and thanked the management, staff and physicians at Doctors Hospital and the Cleveland Clinic in the United States “for the professional care rendered to him”.

ANTIGUA AND BARBUDA PM WELCOMES RELEASE OF VENEZUELAN OPPOSITION LEADER FROM PRISON ON Saturday, Antigua and Barbuda’s Prime Minister Gaston Browne welcomed the news of the release of Opposition leader Leopoldo Lopez from a Venezuelan prison over the weekend.

On Saturday Venezuela’s Supreme Court announced the release of the Venezuelan opposition leader, whose imprisonment has been the rallying cry for anti-regime demonstrations in Venezuela. Lopez, who has been in prison since early 2014, is now under house arrest having been removed from prison for health reasons.

He was charged with inciting anti-government protests.

“His release,” said Prime Minister

Brown, “should be regarded as a confidence building measure between the Government and opposition political parties in Venezuela in efforts to reinvigorate a dialogue between them that leads to a Venezuelan solution to the political impasse and economic and social difficulties facing the country.

“I urge all parties,” he said, “to seize this good faith measure to engage in the dialogue that is required in the interest of the people of their country, “I can reveal that, over the last few months, representatives of my government have engaged in quiet diplomacy with Venezuelan officials in promotion of confidence building measures, such as the release

from jail of Mr Lopez.

“In addition to conversations with Venezuelan representatives of the government and the opposition, our Ambassador to the Organisation of American States, Sir Ronald Sanders, also accepted a call last month from Lilian Tintori, the wife of Leopoldo Lopez.

“We believe in offering a helping hand to the parties and not in interference or intervention,” said the prime minister.

“My government regards the news of Mr Lopez’s release from prison as a positive step, particularly in light of the offer of CARICOM’s Heads of Government to play a mediating role if all the parties in Venezuela wish it.”

TWO ARRESTED AFTER DRUGS AND FIREARMS FOUND

By DENISE MAYCOCK Tribune Freeport Reporter dmaycock@tribunemedia.net

TWO men were arrested in Freeport after Drug Enforcement Unit (DEU) officers discovered drugs, firearms and ammunition at

a residence on July 5.

Inspector Terecita Pinder reported that DEU officers executed a search warrant on a home at Weddell Avenue. During a search of the house, they found a quantity of suspected marijuana, a pistol with three .9mm

rounds, a black Smith and Wesson pistol with eight .40 hollow tip rounds, one magazine containing .223 rounds and cash.

The men were taken into police custody and are expected to be arraigned in connection with the matter.

PAGE 14, Tuesday, July 11, 2017

A bad case of déjà vu for the Bahamas CCA

THE TRIBUNE

YOUR SAY

By MALCOLM J STRACHAN

IN a court filing last week, China Construction America (CCA) revealed what many Bahamians have been fearing for the past three years — that CCA is not currently in a position to complete Baha Mar on yet another schedule that the company itself established.

Last time, they blamed the original developer and said that too many “work order changes” caused the lengthy delay, an accusation that holds no water with experienced contractors and construction managers.

This time, they are blaming a company that will not sell them lounge chairs, claiming that they are unable to acquire different lounge chairs in the three and a half months before the completion deadline.

Who will they blame next?

This absurd excuse is yet another reason why Bahamians do not and should not trust CCA, and continue to balk at the false notion that Baha Mar and its potential economic benefits for The Bahamas can be entrusted to a company with such poor credibility and a track record of being unable to deliver for The Bahamas.

Bahamians remember that CCA is the same company that missed deadline after deadline to complete the project, blew through the budget that it created for the project, and relied on imported labour rather than employ Bahamian construction workers. All of these issues are to blame for the fact that the project still isn’t complete!

Beyond this, we have seen first-hand CCA’s willingness to engage in worri-

THE COURTYARD at Baha Mar. some practices with public officials.

Just a few months ago, CCA senior vice president Daniel Liu was exposed as engaging with former

Minister Jerome Fitzgerald over awarding contracts to his businesses, in a flagrant breach of Cabinet protocol.

What other misdeeds has CCA committed that we do

not yet know about? on-record work defects that CCA and its consistent have yet to be addressed. failures have directly cost In fact, CCA has already our country hundreds of admitted to using cheaper, millions of dollars in lost inferior materials during tourism revenues and in- the construction of certain creased unemployment parts of the resort. Hopefollowing the fully, this new mass layoffs at ‘CCA is the same FNM govBaha Mar in company that ernment is 2015. undertaking CCA’s ac- missed deadline the necessary tions have not after deadline safety inspeconly limited tions of Baha to complete the economic opMar, since we portunities for project, blew know that we all Bahamian through the cannot trust citizens, but CCA to build also have dam- budget that it a safe building aged our repu- created for the on its own. tation among project, and relied Does the important new governon imported international ment truly organisations, labour rather than intend to wait resulting in a employ Bahamian around for downgraded the next three construction international and a half credit rating for workers.’ months to see The Bahamas. if CCA will Perhaps the make good on only way that CCA could its word for the first time? cause further harm to Ba- CCA’s past actions clearly hamians would be some show that counting on CCA sort of catastrophe at Baha would be a mistake – now Mar. With its awful track is the time to say enough is record, it’s not surprising enough with CCA! Its empthat CCA’s construction has ty promises and continuous accumulated hundreds of failures have had tangible

negative affects on the lives of all Bahamians.

To end the damage, our new government must place a moratorium on the sale process until the public is able to properly review all documents associated with the sale of Baha Mar to Chow Tai Fook, importantly including the associated agreements with CCA and the bank and the government. Bahamians deserve to know the full extent of the previous government’s despicable concessions to the Chinese.

It is abundantly clear that CCA does not have our interests in mind, only those of Chow Tai Fook, the Export-Import Bank of China, and its cronies.

The completion of Baha Mar in a timely fashion for the benefit of all Bahamians should be the foremost priority for those working on the project.

For CCA, this is clearly not the case. And now is the time to turn that completion over to Bahamians, who, unlike CCA, have the proven commitment to the betterment of The Bahamas.

PAGE 16, Tuesday, July 11, 2017

THE TRIBUNE

• 2Pc. Thigh & Leg • 2 Spicy Strips • Coleslaw • Individual Fries • Biscuit • 22oz. Pepsi®

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THE Bahamian flag is pictured with a burst of fireworks as its backdrop following the cultural show at Clifford Park on Sunday, where a large crowd of Bahamians gathered in celebration of the country’s 44th year of Independence.

Photo: Shawn Hanna/ Tribune Staff