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VOLUME:114 No.160, JULY 13TH, 2017

THE PEOPLE’S PAPER:$1

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Dorsett held in bribery probe KENRED DORSETT, pictured at the PLP memorial event for Dr Bernard Nottage on Tuesday.

Photo: Shawn Hanna/ Tribune Staff

By SANCHESKA DORSETT Tribune Staff Reporter sdorsett@tribunemedia.net

FORMER Environment and Housing Minister Kenred Dorsett was taken into police custody yesterday and is assisting the Royal Bahamas Police Force with a bribery investigation connected to the New Providence Landfill, The Tribune understands.

Attorney Wayne Munroe, QC, who said he is representing Mr Dorsett, claimed last night the police investigation is centred around allegations that $80,000 to $100,000 was al-

STAFF SENT HOME FROM HELLHOLE HEADQUARTERS

By RICARDO WELLS Tribune Staff Reporter rwells@tribunemedia.net

WORKERS at the General Post Office were forced off the job early yesterday by a failed air-conditioning unit and a leaking ceiling due to a broken pipe, according to Bahamas Public Services Union (BPSU) President John Pinder.

Mr Pinder said despite assurances by the government, conditions at the East Hill Street facility were now “more hazardous” than ever before and in need of

immediate intervention.

He told The Tribune: “You just can’t make this stuff up. The employees have been as patient as they could be. As if the rats and termites weren’t enough, the air conditioner went bad. As if that wasn’t enough, a pipe in the ceiling came loose and now the building is leaking. What more can you demand of people in that sort of environment? The building is literally falling down all around them.”

SEE PAGE SIX

legedly exchanged in connection with work done by a heavy equipment operator to move debris from the landfill following a massive fire at the site in March.

The attorney told The Tribune that Mr Dorsett voluntarily went to police for questioning. It was unclear up to press time last night if the former Southern Shores MP would remain in police custody overnight.

Mr Munroe questioned the basis of the police investigation, which he called a “witch hunt” saying the allegations involved could SEE PAGE THREE

‘DISCLOSURE THREE’ MAY GO UNPUNISHED CEO SWITCH

By AVA TURNQUEST Tribune Chief Reporter aturnquest@tribunemedia.net PUBLIC Disclosure Commission Chairman Myles Laroda yesterday distanced himself from the government’s pledge to prosecute non-compliant parliamentarians, telling The Tribune it is possible no penalties will be exacted.

Mr Laroda maintained that the hardline position taken by the new administration has made a significant impact on the culture of non-compliance that plagued the commission, despite a public outcry

for “a pound of flesh”.

“I can’t say because I’m not there and I’m only one voice,” Mr Laroda said, when asked the fate of the remaining three delinquent MPs. “The other two (PDC) members could decide otherwise. We have always been led by consensus.

You’ll have to look at all of the circumstances to see.

Mr Laroda continued: “I don’t have no special knowledge or anything but the prime minister did say in their manifesto that they would amend the (Public Disclosure) Act. We don’t know what the new

amendments would be so I think that would be getting ahead.”

When contacted yesterday, Mr Laroda said the remaining two members of the three-person commission had not yet been appointed, adding that he expected to convene a meeting next week once it had been fully constituted.

He suggested that if delinquent MPs become compliant during that period, there may be no need to turn over names to the Attorney General’s Office for prosecution.

SEE PAGE SIX

US CUSTOMS GRAB NASSAU DRUG BOAT

By SANCHESKA DORSETT Tribune Staff Reporter sdorsett@tribunemedia.net

UNITED States Customs and Border Protection officials in Miami, Florida, seized 150 pounds of cocaine on Tuesday on a vessel that originated from The Bahamas.

When contacted for comment, Chief Superintendent Samuel Butler, head of the Drug Enforcement Unit (DEU), said officials in the capital have received little

THE BOAT detained in Florida. information about the incident and he is unclear if any of the passengers were Bahamian.

According to the Miami Herald, four crew members

Nassau & Bahama Islands’ Leading Newspaper

SEE PAGE FIVE

SPARKS BTC JOB FEARS

By KHRISNA VIRGIL Deputy Chief Reporter kvirgil@tribunemedia.net THE departure of Leon Williams as CEO of the Bahamas Telecommunications Company has reignited fears of staff cuts, according to Bahamas Communications and Public Officers Union President Bernard Evans as he branded the parent company, Cable & Wireless Communications, as “unstable” and devoid of any regard for BTC’s employees.

In an interview with The Tribune yesterday following the news that Mr Williams was leaving the telecommunications provider, Mr Evans said there were “absolutely” fears among workers of job security.

The BCPOU chief said the only thing that would surprise him would be if CWC presented BTC executives with short and longterm sustainable plans, along with the assurance of job security. The last time employees of BTC were sent home was in 2015.

SEE PAGE SIX

PAGE 2, Thursday, July 13, 2017

ATTENDEES at the memorial to Dr Bernard Nottage at Kendal Isaacs Gymnasium.

Photos: Shawn Hanna/Tribune Staff

THE TRIBUNE

REMEMBERING DR NOTTAGE THE BAHAMAS Association of Athletics Association held a memorial service yesterday in tribute to Dr Bernard Nottage.

THE FAMILY of Dr Bernard Nottage sharing some laughter at humorous comments made in tributes.

ATTENDEES at the tribute service including BAMSI president Godfrey Eneas, above left.

MARCO City MP and Minister of Youth, Sports and Culture Michael Pintard is pictured with Pauline Davis, IAAF council member.

IRAM LEWIS, Central Grand Bahama MP; Shonel Ferguson, Fox Hill MP; Timothy Munnings, director of Sports and Wellington Miller, president of the Bahamas Olympic Committee.

THE TRIBUNE

Thursday, July 13, 2017, PAGE 3

Minnis unveils ‘smart’ vision

By SANCHESKA DORSETT Tribune Staff Reporter sdorsett@tribunemedia.net

priority projects and programmes.

“I imagine a day, when Bahamians on every major PRIME Minister Dr Hu- island and cay can perform bert Minnis yesterday an- health assessments from his nounced his government’s or her home with a medical intention to launch several professional in the capital technology driven pilot pro- via a smart device and an grammes, including a new internet connection. In the emergency management development of our Nationalert system, al Health Inthe installation ‘I imagine a day, surance (NHI) of free Wi-Fi when Bahamians programme, the in public parks integration of on every major and spaces and medical records ‘pay as you go’ island and cay can throughout the electricity me- perform health healthcare systres. tem will be critDuring his assessments from ical in healthhis or her home care delivery presentation at the Global with a medical and outcomes.

Symposium I imagine a day of Regulators professional in when a young 2017, Dr Minnis the capital via Bahamian said the initia- a smart device mother using tives will create an app on her a “smart and and an internet smart phone, connected” Ba- connection.’ books an aphamas, under a pointment for new “Be Smart Bahamas” her child at the healthcare initiative which will be facility of her choice and “crucial” to his administra- the child’s records will be tion achieving its goals. available when she shows Dr Minnis said a signa- up for her visit. At the conture government project clusion of the doctor’s visit, coming this month will be a medical prescription will the introduction of a “Cen- be forwarded electronically tre of Government Ap- to the pharmacist,” Dr Minproach” which will provide nis said. up to date information to “The Bahamas experihim and his senior Cabinet enced two major hurricanes ministers on the status of in the last two years and so

PRIME Minister Dr Hubert Minnis addresses attendees at the opening ceremony of the Global Symposium for Regulators held in the Imperial Ballroom of the Atlantis resort.

Photos: OPM Media Services to enhance hurricane pre- Bahamas will introduce paredness we will launch two measures, firstly we are a pilot programme called working to have Wi-Fi serAlert Bahamas. This is a vices in the parks and pubnational emergency warn- lic spaces within the inner ing system that will pro- city with a view to free Wivide national alerts through Fi in certain communities,” email and text messages. Dr Minnis said.

Can you imagine, if a hur“I am happy to announce ricane or catastrophic event that free Wi-Fi has been passes through our coun- introduced in one of our try, a warning system be- parks in Fox Hill and in my ing utilised using the street own constituency Gambier. lighting system that will We are presently looking at continue to flash warning extending our Wi-Fi prothe public that disasters are gramme through all govcoming? So once our na- ernment operated parks. tionals recognise and see We are also seeking to pithe flashing throughout the lot smart metres to enable country, that would serve as prepaid electric metering a warning that a disaster is in various communities, so coming.” that consumers can better The nation’s leader also monitor their electricity ussaid the government has age and top up when needlaunched a free Wi-Fi pro- ed in a similar way as they ject in two communities manage their cell phones.” in New Providence and is Dr Minnis also said his looking to expand this to government has allotted “all government operated significant funding for piparks.” loting a technology pro“The government of the gramme for preschools.

DORSETT HELD IN BRIBERY PROBE from page one

be made against anyone, and claimed investigators could show no proof of their claims.

“He [Mr Dorsett] was contacted to come in and so we went to see the police at the Central Detective Unit and they questioned him with matters surrounding the dump fire,” Mr Munroe told The Tribune, saying he was authorised by his client to release this information.

“Remember when there was a dump fire, the government called for anyone to come with heavy equipment and so a gentleman made an allegation stemming from then and that issue.

“When we sat down with the police, all they said was the allegations stemmed during an unspecified time, between March and April, involving between $80,000 to $100,000. This guy [who is giving information to police] is making these accusations but they could show no evidence of money being exchanged, no wire transfers, we were not shown any documents or any cheques,” Mr Munroe claimed.

“I do not think these men know what they are doing.

This new administration seems to be on a witch hunt.

They won, they beat the PLP bad and now they need to get to the business of governing the country.

“What these things open up, and the FNM doesn’t understand this, is if anyone can make an allegation against any minister at any time with no proof – that is a dangerous precedent. So anyone can say ‘between this amount of time, I gave someone between $80,00 to $100,000,’ that sets a dangerous precedent. What now stops someone who had a meeting with the present prime minister from doing the same thing? In the other cases, there was at least a trail that could be followed. This is a classic case of a witch hunt. The problem with a witch hunt is, the same people who started off as the accusers, end up as the accused.”

He also said: “The same things they are looking at about him, by next week someone could make a similar allegation against the present prime minister or any one of his ministers, with the same measure of proof and they could be where Mr Dorsett is now, in custody,” Mr Munroe told The Tribune. “So if someone is to stand up and say something — without more (proof) — I expect the po-

lice will be arresting every serving Cabinet minister if a member of the public were to do that and that is how silly these fellows are.”

Earlier yesterday, The Tribune contacted several high high-ranking police officers for comment, including Senior Assistant Commissioner of Police Stephen Dean, and Officer-in-Charge of the Central Detective Unit (CDU)

Chief Superintendent Solomon Cash, who both said they “knew nothing about the incident” in question.

Mr Dorsett, an attorney, represented Southern Shores from 2012 to May of this year.

He is a former vice-chairman of the PLP and served on the board of the Education Loan Authority in the first Christie administration.

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MAN SERIOUSLY HURT IN STABBING A MAN is in hospital with serious injuries following a stabbing incident on Tuesday evening in Freeport.

Inspector Terecita Pinder reported that the stabbing happened shortly before 8pm in the area of Frobisher Drive. She said the victim was at a residence when

he was stabbed multiple times to his body by someone wielding a knife.

He was transported to the Rand Memorial Hospital where he was seen by a doctor and is listed in serious condition.

No arrest has been made and police are investigating the matter.

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PAGE 4, Thursday, July 13, 2017

THE TRIBUNE

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

LEON E. H. DUPUCH,

SIR ETIENNE DUPUCH,

jrolle@tribunemedia.net

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

Publisher/Editor 1919-1972 Contributing Editor 1972-1991

EILEEN DUPUCH CARRON,

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

Published daily Monday to Friday

Shirley & Deveaux Streets, Nassau, Bahamas N3207 TELEPHONES

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The Emperor is naked and the cupboard is bare FOR THE first time Bahamians have been told the truth. No matter what they have heard over the years — particularly in the past five years under a PLP government — their Emperor is bare. Yes, dear reader, like the foolish Emperor in the delightful Hans Christian Anderson fairy tale, our Emperor is stark naked. And it took the FNM – like the little boy in the fairy tale – to awaken the people to the fact that they had been lied to. Indeed their emperor was not decked out in fancy clothes, but was parading in his vanity with not a stitch of clothing on - like our Public Treasury, he was naked.

And now the FNM are being berated by members of the PLP for telling the truth. If only they had kept their mouths shut, Moody’s rating agency might not have been alerted to the fact that the defeated PLP government had left The Bahamas in a dire financial crisis, so bad in fact that the FNM will have to borrow $722m, mainly to pay inherited bills.

As late as August last year former PLP Minister of State Michael Halkitis said his government anticipated that Baha Mar would be open this year in time for Moody’s August visit and reassessment.

“If all goes well,” he said, “and it’s open and people are contributing to the economy. I’m sure Moody’s would be able to look at that. So hopefully we have seen an end of these sorts of downgrades. That is our hope.”

Since the arrival of the FNM government, Bahamians have a more transparent view of the facts, and Mr Halkitis’ hope seems just that – a vain hope.

Unfortunately, with the recent announcement by Baha Mar that it is failing to meet another opening deadline - for the want of deck chairs —there will be nothing with which to blind-side Moody’s this time. Although, a section of Baha Mar is meant to be open —“open” as interpreted by the PLP — everyone who goes to Baha Mar to have “a look around” can find no guests.

However, on its next visit Moody’s might be so impressed that for once they are being told the whole truth, and if the FNM can present them with a solid plan to pull the country back from the dangerous precipice, then Moody’s might be willing to give us a reprieve to enable government to start an upward movement towards fiscal recovery – after all the FNM only inherited this confusion about two months ago.

Even PLP chairman Bradley Roberts is unable to grasp the problem. With the typical PLP approach that entertainment for the people comes before serious business, Mr Roberts is berating the FNM for taking an official delegation to the CARICOM meeting in Grenada, where they will be introduced to their Caribbean counterparts with whom they will be engaged over the next five years, rather than spending more money on Independence celebrations. The PLP could never get their priorities right — big parties always seem to move into first place over serious business.

However, after this delegation to CARICOM, we expect such delegations to be reduced to a minimum in the future. Bahamians are no longer going to tolerate another globe-trotting Fred Mitchell.

Mr Mitchell has taken issue with the Minnis administration for publicly blaming the Christie government for handing over a Treasury so financially troubled

that it would attract Moody’s attention for early review of the country’s Baa3 credit rating for a downgrade. After all Standard & Poor’s Christmas gift to The Bahamas in December was a downgrade to “junk” status. This reflected the country’s worsening economic and fiscal condition. Moody’s on the other hand — obviously convinced that the opening of the much heralded Baha Mar would turn the economy around — was obviously satisfied to take a wait-andsee position.

However, once the FNM won the government on May 10, saw government’s financials — which are still being examined —and decided to tell the Bahama people the truth, politicians like Fred Mitchell took fright.

“In our parliamentary debates, the leader of the opposition, our MPs and senators tried to warn the FNM, stop talking down this economy,” said Mr Mitchell. “We thought it reckless to borrow nearly a billion in their first week in office. We said the only reason for the less than promised fiscal performance was Hurricane Matthew. Moody’s affirms that fact.”

If Moody’s affirmed that fact alone, they were certainly gullible, there were too many missed calls and failures by the PLP government before the devastation of Matthew. Matthew was just the last straw and even the aftermath of that was ineptly managed by the former government.

During the budget debate, Exuma MP and opposition finance spokesman Chester Cooper attacked Mr Turnquest’s budget presentation for sending the wrong message to investors and the rating agencies with talk of $722m in new borrowing — most of it to pay off unpaid bills.

“Mismanagement and corruption by the PLP figured nowhere in what Moody’s had to say. Those were FNM propaganda lines. Now look what you’ve done,” complained Mr Mitchell as he tried to lay the missteps of his government at the feet of the FNM. But the Bahamian people have advanced from the days of Pindling when they were lulled into a comfortable sleep of “don’t worry, be happy” leave it all to “Papa”.

They are no longer prepared to continue blindly, leaving it all in the hands of “Papa”.

Obviously by their own admission, the PLP have for years been painting a rosy economic picture in the House of Assembly — now it would seem it was mainly to keep the credit rating agencies at bay.

The new government has arrived and decided to tell Bahamians the whole truth.

The future will be no grand party. To return this country to economic stability, there will have to be much belt tightening, hard work and — above all — a unified people with a common goal.

It was a question of continuing the lies to the Bahamian people to keep the credit agencies at bay – or face the truth and prepare for the fall-out. To continue the lies, leading Bahamians to believe that there would be a comfortable future with nothing to worry about would have spelt doom for our country.

We shall be far better off for a Moody’s representative to come, reassess the situation, be told the full truth, be shown a sensible plan for rebuilding and ask for a grace period to stabilise our country – to achieve this the full understanding and co-operation of the Bahamian people will be necessary.

Back to the old routine EDITOR, The Tribune.

Pre-May 10, 2017, we were very used to sirens and out-riders and speeding official cars –were we not promised that that would stop?

Well, West Bay head-

ing in the city proximity of Xavier’s School this morning about 12 noon, all kinds of noise and a flash-by, by a black car with DPM license plates…oops Dr Minnis ya boys are misbehaving!

It took 51 days for sirens and crazy driving to re-ap-

Miller wrong over BPL EDITOR, The Tribune.

The Tribune dated June 19th, reads “Miller blames power outages on the hiring of ‘foreigners’ – Former Bahamas Electricity Corp (BEC) Executive Chairman Leslie Miller has blamed the frequent power outages at Bahamas Power and Light (BPL) on the former administration’s decision to hire ‘foreigners’ to run the power company rather than allow Bahamians to ‘fix the problems’.”

With all due respect, Mr Miller, when you were in charge of BEC as Executive Chairman and being in this position, you should have known the background and history of the power outages and blackouts. Mr Miller, it is not fair for you, and certainly untrue that you blame Bahamas Power and Light for the power outages.

The blackouts or load shedding cannot be blamed on BPL in any way because we as Bahamians have experienced these problems for the past 50 years. BPL just came to The Bahamas to help out and alleviate these problems. Remember Mr Miller, BPL came to The Bahamas under the former government and still there is no solution in sight.

If you disagree with the former government for bringing in BPL over BEC’s local management team then say so, but do not blame BPL for the blackouts which ex-

LETTERS letters@tribunemedia.net isted long before they came to The Bahamas.

Mr Miller, I wrote a letter concerning the blackouts.

I did not know how long or when they started, so I did research into this vexing and frustrating problem. You can read the letter printed in The Tribune on November 24, 2016, pages 22 and 23, and you will see what I found. Go online, tribune242.com concerning blackouts and power outages. The headline of my letter reads “Power issues that plague our nation”.

In The Nassau Guardian dated January 6, 1973, it reads, “Loadshedding a thing of the past, says Prime Minister Lynden O Pindling. ‘I am here, I think, to pay tribute to what must be a success story,’ said the Prime Minister, despite what he called the big ‘boo boo’ that was made in the purchase of the Fair-BanksMoore equipment that contributed to much of the electricity crisis that occurred during the years 1967, 1968, 1969 and part of 1970.”

There is still no solution in sight after 50 years, so Mr Miller do not blame BPL. In The Tribune dated January 25, 1973, it reads “The Prime Minister recently claimed it would be a ‘thing of the past’ but load shed-

ding again after trouble at Blue Hill Plant. Ever since Prime Minister Lynden O Pindling declared 20 days ago that load shedding was a ‘thing of the past’ BEC has been doing just that load shedding.”

Mr Miller, it seems that BEC cannot meet the demands of the public. Mr Miller, load shedding has been going on for many years, don’t you think the Bahamian people deserve better than this after suffering the awful heat for the past 50 years? This is a disgrace and it’s a crying shame. I say again, it seems BEC cannot meet the demands of the public. Old generators are unpredictable. Get rid of the old generators and give BEC new generators and new equipment and put a stop to load shedding and power cuts once and for all, and put an end to this awful nightmare.

Mr Miller, you are wrong in blaming BPL. Anyone else who blames BPL are wrong also. Blackouts, load shedding, power outages have been going on for the past 50 years. Mr Miller do your research as I have done and you will see what I have reported here is correct.

Mr Miller, may Almighty God continue to bless and protect The Bahamas and its people is my sincere prayer.

TONY G ZERVOS Nassau, June 27, 2017.

Politicians and VAT EDITOR, The Tribune.

SOMETIMES it is by far the best for politicians to stay away from speaking on subjects. Seemingly they do not have an accurate understanding or opinion on.

A year plus with VAT, and still the average person has not a clue, how much VAT we actually pay, and what is the comparison to pear. As I commented to a Customs Duty, we paid prifriend on May 11th, 2017… or to VAT. All businesses who you really think too much have a turn-over of over will change?

Was not too far wrong! $100,000.00, are liable to charge VAT at 7.5%.

The container ship arW. THOMPSON rives at Arawak Cay…inNassau, stantly there is a 7.5% VAT June 30, 2017. charge - if the business is us-

ing a VAT operator for Customs Brokerage a further 7.5%. If they use a trucker who is a VAT operator. Oh, yes a further 7.5% - to the business warehouse and out to retail a further 7.5%.

So in the process of importing - say a can of tuna, there might not be any Customs Duty, but you are paying 3x7.5%, on the landed costs of that can of tuna or 22.5%. Many items where Customs Duty is still applicable, that multiplier is equal to the old Customs Duty average of 30-35%.

What the Consultants did not recognise is that seemingly the shipping invoices for assessment for Customs Duty and applicable VAT

were or might not have been true and correct. In other words the invoices were deliberately priced below actual true purchasing value.

When the wholesaler billed out to the retailer, his price used the correct costs of the item, causing an appreciable increase in the costs of merchandise and, of course, why the estimate, original, of the total potential VAT that will be collected to increase from plus minus $680m to over $1.2 billion. You see the problem? It is all about education!

W. THOMPSON Nassau, June 29, 2017.

THE TRIBUNE

Thursday, July 13, 2017, PAGE 5

‘I was victim of hit and run and police won’t give me a report’

By AVA TURNQUEST Tribune Chief Reporter aturnquest@tribunemedia.net

THEO J SAUNDERS

TWO months after he was allegedly hit by a truck during the Bahamas Junkanoo Carnival Road Fever March, a 24-year-old man has claimed he has been unable to obtain a police report concerning the matter.

Theo Saunders claimed he has recurring headaches and total numbness in his right leg from the knee down, but is unable to seek legal recourse due to the stalled report.

Mr Saunders, an unemployed father of a year-old girl, claimed a truck from a local gaming house knocked him down as he watched the road march on May 6, but alleged operators of the vehicle continued on with the parade.

“I was proceeding north up Nassau Street and [a web shop] vehicle, they were entertaining the crowd so they were swerving in the road and they ran up behind me. They never waited to get any information, they fled the scene and finish enjoying themselves,” he claimed.

Mr Saunders, a march spectator, said at the time he did not recognise the company representative who allegedly got out of the vehicle and spoke with him briefly while he lay on the ground.

The Tribune has withheld the name of that person because they could not be reached up to press time.

When contacted, a spokesperson for the web shop in question said: “We are not aware of it [the incident] as we have not received any legal documents or notification of legal action.”

Mr Saunders admitted

he did not reach out to the company because he was advised he would need a police report to bolster his claim. He expressed frustration and claimed he has been repeatedly turned away by officers at the Traffic Division.

Mr Saunders said: “[The representative] said ‘don’t worry we gone give you this money, just get up.’ I was like really? I just get hit, and you just telling me this random amount of money and I get off the floor? I couldn’t move, after that the crowd got so thick I never saw when the vehicle moved.

“I remember getting hit and being on the floor. But people who was out there watching said the vehicle was still on the parade so obviously it wasn’t no concern to them. I don’t even know if the vehicle ever stopped, I just know he came on the side of me and offered me money. He never brandished no cash, he just shouted this figure,” he claimed.

Mr Saunders told The Tribune that he waited on the ground for more than an hour before an ambulance weaved its way through the crowds to take him to hospital.

“The initial injury diagnosis when they examined me at PMH (Princess Margaret Hospital) was polytrauma,” he said. “When I got hit, the right side of my body was completely dead, I could move it but I had no feeling, and to this day I have no feeling from my right knee go down. I hit my head as well, and I have off and on headaches.”

Attempts to secure a comment from the Royal Bahamas Police Force’s Traffic Division were unsuccessful up to press time.

SOME of the packages of suspected drugs which were concealed behind cans of Junkanoo Punch.

US CUSTOMS GRAB NASSAU DRUG BOAT from page one of a fishing vessel were apprehended after US Customs and Border Protection officials seized the drugs during a routine inspection.

The boat, named the Wes Win, was one of two arriving from Nassau that was flagged for a regular inspection at the RMK MerrillStevens Shipyard at 881 NW 13th Avenue, The Miami Herald reported.

When officers boarded the boat, they found about

70 blue bundles of the drugs nestled behind plasticwrapped Junkanoo Punch soda cans.

According to The Miami Herald, the drugs ended up weighing about 150 pounds.

No drugs were found on the other boat.

Officers interviewed at least five people, including one who was underage, and four adults were detained.

The names of those apprehended were not released.

The drugs have an estimated street value of $1.8m.

Investigations continue.

MAN ACCUSED AFTER 1,200 ROUNDS OF AMMUNITION SEIZED

By LAMECH JOHNSON Tribune Staff Reporter ljohnson@tribunemedia.net

A MAN was remanded to prison yesterday after he was charged in the Magistrate’s Court on almost a dozen firearm related offences.

Silas Patrick Thompson,

33, stood before Chief Magistrate Joyann FergusonPratt facing five counts of possession of ammunition, five counts of possession of ammunition with intent to supply and importation of ammunition stemming from a recent seizure of more than 1,200 rounds of ammunition in Bimini on June 23.

According to initial police reports, shortly before 7pm, while on routine patrol in South Bimini in the area of a marina, officers searched a blue and white 22ft unregistered vessel docked at that marina and discovered more than 1,200 rounds of assorted ammunition in a compartment.

It is alleged that Thompson was found in possession of 494 rounds of 9mm ammunition, 50 rounds of .357 ammunition, 250 rounds of .40 ammunition, 50 rounds of .44 ammunition and 391 rounds of .45 ammunition without holding a special licence or certificate authorising him to possess these

PAIR FACE COURT OVER ATTEMPTED MURDER

By LAMECH JOHNSON Tribune Staff Reporter ljohnson@tribunemedia.net

A MAN and a juvenile appeared in Magistrate’s Court yesterday facing multiple criminal charges, including attempted murder.

Dwight Lloyd, 23, and his 17-year-old co-accused stood before Chief Magistrate Joyann FergusonPratt facing two counts of attempted murder, two counts of possession of a firearm with intent to endanger life and a count of each of attempted armed robbery and possession of an unlicensed firearm.

It is alleged that the pair, being concerned together on Wednesday July 5, attempted to kill Corporal 535 Rolle and Constable 3896 Newbold.

They were also accused of possession of a firearm with intent to endanger life. It is alleged they used a 9mm Taurus pistol to put the lives of the police officers in danger.

It is also alleged that the pair attempted to rob Antonio Denor of a 2007 Honda Accord valued at $8,000 on the same day. They were also accused of being in possession of the 9mm pistol without holding a licence to possess the weapon.

Lloyd and the teen, who cannot be named because he is under age, were informed that they would be allowed to enter a plea to the allegations when they are formally charged before a Supreme Court judge.

The case is scheduled to be transferred to the higher court on August 18 through

the presentation of a voluntary bill of indictment.

They were remanded into custody, but can apply

to the Supreme Court for bail.

items.

It is further alleged that he was found in possession of the ammunition intending to supply them to another. He was also accused of imported the 1,235 rounds of assorted ammunition into the Bahamas.

Thompson pleaded not guilty to the 11 charges and

is scheduled to stand trial on October 11.

He was remanded to the Department of Correctional Services in the interim.

However, he has the right to apply for bail in the Supreme Court.

He has retained attorney Ian Cargill to represent him against the allegations.

PAGE 6, Thursday, July 13, 2017

‘DISCLOSURE THREE’ MAY GO UNPUNISHED from page one

“We are at a point where there is only three people and right now what I think it’s shining a light. Now the public has become aware, they read about it in the papers. Now they start to demand accountability, (prosecution or penalties) there are those who want a pound of flesh but that day (of non-

compliance) is at its end, and maybe this situation we will never go back to where people think it’s okay to just disregard the law.”

Mr Laroda continued: “I think people are paying attention, I think the days where you just didn’t do it or nothing happens, no consequences, or just accepted that people will act in a particular way, are over. The new administration has tak-

en its stance, but the public position is they’re not going to accept this type of behaviour. There is a new desire for transparency, you can’t just have a law there and not follow it.”

On June 6, Press Secretary Anthony Newbold told the media that Prime Minister Dr Hubert Minnis had given former and sitting parliamentarians three weeks to file disclosures or

face the court for breaking the law.

Present and former parliamentarians and senators, along with senior public officers, are required to submit their disclosures to the PDC by March each year.

The law specifies that persons in breach could face a fine of $10,000, or two years in prison, or both, or confiscation of land if land is involved.

At the time, Mr Newbold said the deadline affected more than 20 MPs, adding that the number of parliamentarians that did not disclose for the entire five years was “not less than six.”

The July 3 timeline set by Dr Minnis for the files to be sent to the Office of the Attorney General expired last week.

Yesterday, Mr Laroda

THE TRIBUNE

reiterated Mr Newbold’s warning that the PDC will widen its scope to include senior civil servants, who are also required to file by law, but generally do not comply.

“The next thing will be the senior civil servants,” Mr Laroda said. “It’s not only that they don’t do it but there is a small percentage that think they have a right to antagonise the process.”

CEO switch sparks BTC job fears from page one During this restructuring exercise, 148 workers lost their jobs, Mr Evans said.

Despite no mass layoffs in the past two years, Mr Evans said Mr Williams’ removal has been a reminder of CWC’s commitment to its stakeholders “across the pond” no matter if these promises might impact hardworking Bahamians.

Mr Williams’ tenure at BTC will end tomorrow, The Tribune has been informed.

A majority stake in BTC was sold to CWC for $210m in 2011. Since then, Mr Evans said it has been apparent to the union that the parent company’s modus operandi is a revolving door of a high turnover of heads in executive positions.

“On average everyone is shocked, but not surprised (at Mr Williams leaving),” Mr Evans said yesterday when he was contacted.

“The only surprising thing is the abruptness in which it happened.

“To see someone new has been the norm ever since BTC was privatised. We see people coming in and out all the time. It’s a revolving door. This is one of the things that we tried to guard against and that we warned of. This is not a stable company.”

Asked if there were in-

BTC CEO Leon Williams, whose tenure is due to end tomorrow. pleasing shareholders. They have no concern and no compassion for workers at all. We’ve seen it happening in the Caribbean.

“This has nothing to do with what Williams did or didn’t do. In fact there are absolutely fears there will be more layoffs.

dicators of the change in BTC’s leadership, Mr Evans said it was expected.

“This is just their modus operandi. We told them that CWC would only own BTC for a while because there was no stability.

“Now that they have sold, this is only a matter of

“This has happened three times. Can it happen again?

Of course it can. We won’t be surprised if it does happen.”

He continued: “They have always found ways to downgrade. It is all about dividends and not so much about the customers or the services to customers or the

staff. This is all about what they promise.

“So we are absolutely fearful. The only thing that would surprise us if they are able to say everyone will be okay and that they have long-term and short-term goals.

“But as it stands this

seemingly ad hoc management system and changes in philosophy has made us accustomed to these sudden changes. But our members are suffering as they do what they want to do.”

Progressive Liberal Party Chairman Bradley Roberts added yesterday that he remained “shocked” and “surprised” by CWC’s decision to replace Mr Williams.

He defended the twotime CEO, saying: “He did a fantastic job in leading the company throughout the competition period while the parent company projected that BTC would lose a large share of its business.”

Mr Roberts said BTC’s ability to hold its own despite a new competitor in the market was the result of Mr Williams’ ingenuity and foresight.

Mr Williams is set to be replaced by an all-Bahamian duo. Dexter Cartwright, a BTC board member and former finance director for Cable & Wireless Communications’ C&W Networks, will become interim chief executive while Andre Foster, a former Cable Bahamas executive, will step into the newly-created position of chief operating officer.

He played a key role in launching Cable Bahamas’ Coralwave internet product when it was launched several years ago.

STAFF SENT HOME FROM HELLHOLE HEADQUARTERS from page one “There is no way to get any kind of work done in that building and it is now time for the government to step up and fix this issue now.”

Last week, Mr Pinder told The Tribune that post office employees have worked four-hour shifts for nearly a year, resulting in a significant back up in mail delivery.

The former Christie administration had started efforts to have the main post office relocated to a new building off Tonique Williams Darling Highway by the end of May, however, according to Mr Pinder, the Free National Movement administration stopped those plans and is considering moving the post office

to the Town Centre Mall.

Last year, Mr Pinder threatened industrial action if the Christie administration did not immediately move employees from the “unsanitary” General Post Office on East Hill Street.

At the time, he said his members were forced to work in a mould-infested building with rats and termites and a leaking ceiling.

Mr Pinder maintains that since that time, issues at the facility haven’t improved, but have got worse.

Mr Pinder yesterday also called on institutions that depend on the General Post Office to issue important or time sensitive documents to clients, to work directly with the post offices’ sub stations to ensure that those important documents are delivered on time.

“I’ve asked the post office

if this would be possible, they said it would be if businesses and institutions sort their mail properly. This is a crisis and I know that this can affect how some persons pay their bills.

“But until we can get the post office operations in another building, this is the best we can do. So if you know that any package or document is en route to you through the post office, do all you can to track them down or go directly to the source to get them,” he added.

Mr Pinder said workers will return to the post office tomorrow for their normal shift in anticipation that the situation has improved. If things are not bearable, he said, the employees will return home.

It is unclear if any mail was damaged or destroyed from the leaking pipe.

Exciting opportunities available for local hair stylists to work in luxury service industry Stylists must: • Have completed & passed certificate of hairdressing & cosmetology with a minimum of 1200 hours of coursework under such a certification program.

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Interested candidates should submit resumes to lcshumanresources@outlook.com.

No phone calls please.

THE TRIBUNE

Thursday, July 13, 2017, PAGE 7

‘Enact laws to save Bimini’s environment’

By NICO SCAVELLA Tribune Staff Reporter nscavella@tribunemedia.net

TWO prominent environmental activists were yesterday up in arms over plans for the further expansion of a key development in Bimini, as they called for the Minnis administration to enact legislation to legally protect that island’s marine habitats.

Fred Smith, director of Save The Bays (STB), and Sam Duncombe, founder of reEarth, both stressed the importance of marine protected areas amidst concerns that Resorts World Bimini (RWB) is allegedly seeking to add a water park and golf course at the expense of the island’s mangroves.

Mr Smith, when contacted by The Tribune, criticised successive administrations for not enacting legislation that would allow for the legal preservation of marine protected areas (MPAs), particularly in Bimini.

Mr Smith, QC, also railed against the “abomination” that is “unregulated developments” in the Bimini islands, calling such foreign direct investments “parasites” that merely end up amounting to a “rape of the environment and local rights”.

This, Mr Smith charged, is all the more reason why the implementation of the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) is crucial, as he called for the Minnis administration to “tell the people what the true position is when it comes to north Bimini”.

Mr Smith’s statements came as frustrated residents in Bimini reportedly plan to hold a march and flotilla protest on Friday against

present and future major developments that threaten the sanctity of that island’s mangroves and marine habitats.

However, the main target of their frustration appears to be RAV Bahamas/OPAC and its partner the Genting Group, which have invested heavily in the island, mainly though RWB. Residents in Bimini have demanded clarification on how much Crown land former Bimini Bay developer 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 also want environmental impact studies and reports related to the project to be made public.

When contacted yesterday on the issue, Mr Smith submitted that Bimini’s issues with foreign direct investments is a prime example of “central government treating the Family Islands as if they are colonies of Nassau” without “any regard for the local residents”.

Bimini, he said, is thus “the supreme example of how a development should not happen in The Bahamas”.

“You have a casino there, none of the taxes go to the Bimini district council,” he added. “We don’t know all of the tax exemptions, but doubtless they have VAT exemptions or stamp duty exemptions, customs duty exemptions, business license exemptions. This is the problem.

The people of The Bahamas don’t get a preview of the secret deals that are created in the Office of the

A PHOTO provided by the Bimini Blue Coalition showing the silt spreading from the dredger off Bimini during operations there in 2014.

Prime Minister.

“And the developments don’t form part of the organic growth of a community like Bimini. It is like a parasite on the environment. It’s a gated community, private roads. Bimini looks like a ghetto, there’s been unfortunately no infrastructure improvement, they haven’t dealt with waste management, water, power.

“This model of development is the worst possible for The Bahamas. So I am very supportive of the residents now expressing their dissent and their criticism of whichever government is in power for failing to protect the environment.”

Mr Smith also criticised the “lip service” paid by successive governments to the legal preservation

ACTIVISTS CALL FOR ANTI-CORRUPTION TASKFORCE PLAN

By AVA TURNQUEST Tribune Chief Reporter aturnquest@tribunemedia.net

HOLDING Prime Minister Dr Hubert Minnis to his word over his recent pledge to “brutally confront” corruption, a group of civil society and industry lobbyists have proposed a multisector Anti-Corruption Task Force to combat the problem.

The proposal underscored the need to fight the country’s culture of complacency towards corruption and cronyism as a status quo ingrained in government operations over subsequent administrations.

It proposes widespread collaboration between civil society, private industry, government and the media in its bid to navigate a path to sustainable shift towards public service transparency and accountability.

“The long-term aim of an ACT,” the proposal read, “would be to inform, affect and monitor the process toward the prevention and eradication of high level corruption in government through research, public education and reform.

“The task force should be comprised of a crosssection of stakeholders and be charged with compiling key components of existing reports while also gathering new data to present to the government along with recommendations. ACT will work collaboratively with government to commit to a series of actions that will lead to successful anti-corruption reform.”

The grouping behind the ACT proposal includes: The Organisation for Responsible Govern-

ance (ORG), Citizens for a Better Bahamas (CBB), ReEarth, Civil Society Bahamas, Rise Bahamas, and The Abaco Chamber of Commerce.

The proposal suggests that the task force be comprised of 15 to 20 members chosen by a peer selection process.

“Every sector is better regulated when it is accountable to another,” said ORG Engagement Coordinator Terneille Burrows. “This is the essence of checks and balances. By opening up the responsibility of fighting corruption to other sectors, we create transparency and expand our collective ability to hold those in positions of power or responsibility accountable.

“This principle has been frequently reinforced in anti-corruption recommendations of standard setters such as the World Bank, United Nations, Transparency International and Organisation of American States,” she continued.

“Furthermore, such collaborative task forces have produced results for regional peers such as Trinidad and Jamaica. If we want a stronger, more effective anti-corruption environment, as the prime minister has endorsed, we must seek multi-sector, collective action.”

The task force will draw from existing reports and country-specific recommendations, and investigate the practices of anticorruption bodies like the Office of the Auditor General; Public Disclosure Commission; Public Service Commission; Police Service Commission; and the Judicial and Legal Ser-

vice Commission.

Lemarque Campbell, chairperson of CBB, said: “Anti-corruption is an urgent issue. Consecutive governments have acknowledged a need for accountability and transparency and, more poignantly, we see a level of scepticism of government displayed by the people.

“These are reasons enough to act immediately, however, given the deputy prime minister’s recent declaration that anti-corruption legislation will be a top priority when Parliament reconvenes, it is more critical than ever that we begin to research and develop best practices and infrastructure to fight corruption,” he said.

“That is the intent of this proposed ACT outline, which provides not only steps for its own implementation, but a path to the establishment of the muchpromised anti-corruption agency.”

In the short-term, the task force’s activities would focus on training and public awareness-building, with legislative amendments and new legislation, along with anti-corruption training for law enforcement set as midterm goals.

Ultimately, the ACT proposes a long-term goal of holding a referendum to address relevant constitutional amendment requirements.

It also calls for the modernisation of official rules and procedures like: General Orders; the code of ethics for ministers and parliamentary secretaries; and the procedure manual governing the business of the House of Assembly.

of marine protected areas throughout The Bahamas, further bemoaning the uncertainty surrounding “what government agency is or isn’t conducting any monitoring of the dredging or construction” associated with major developments.

“For instance, we don’t have an Environment Protection Act (EPA), the BEST Commission doesn’t exist in law, there’s no environmental protection agency that has any regulatory teeth, nobody is monitoring what is or isn’t happening in north Bimini,” he said.

“And what has happened-I visited there recently, it is nothing less of a rape of the environment and local rights.

“Bimini, north and south is a unique environment, and to ruin it just so that

a suburb of Miami can be developed there…If you go up the western shore there has been horrendous erosion. In fact, there’s hardly any beaches left where they once were, they’ve had to build all these horizontal walls, and the paradise they came to exploit is ironically fast disappearing.

He added: “Both the FNM and the PLP have for decades been promising to create all of these marine protected areas. And we thought that (former Environment Minister Kenred Dorsett) had enacted legislation to preserve the north Bimini marine protected area. But it seems that that was not the case, and we don’t know what the position is.”

Meanwhile, Ms Duncombe called on the gov-

ernment to “do a better job of actually protecting what is ours” and for it to “steer developments the way we want them done, not the way they want them done”.

“For years now, we’ve been promised that marine reserve in Bimini would be implemented, so that is the key message: we want the marine reserve implemented,” Ms Duncombe told The Tribune. “That will put a stop to any further developments on top of the mangroves in Bimini.

She added: “We’re not anti-development, we just want that when developments take place they are not severely impacting any kind of marine life, and essentially when you rip out mangroves you are diminishing entire areas (for) new (species) of fish.”

PAGE 8, Thursday, July 13, 2017

THE TRIBUNE

Walkabout seeks to tackle crime in Yellow Elder area

By RICARDO WELLS Tribune Staff Reporter rwells@tribunemedia.net IN a continued effort to strengthen community links, senior police and Urban Renewal officials yesterday partnered with area representatives on walkabout in the Yellow Elder and Millennium Gardens communities.

Described as areas of crisis over the last decade, the communities have experienced aspects of a renaissance in community development and youth initiatives being spearheaded

by Urban Renewal and associations.

In March, the community of Yellow Elder was devastated by the murders of two teenage boys, whose bodies were discovered on a dirt road in the community.

Francilda Cargill, a retiree who has called Yellow Elder home for most of her life, said the community isn’t the centre of turf war

CLINT CONLIFFE, president of the Yellow Elder Crime Watch Association, speaking yesterday.

ROYAL Bahamas Police Force officers speaking to residents as part of a walkabout to increase public visibility and to ascertain crime concerns.

Photos: Shawn Hanna/Tribune Staff

as described by some, but rather a neighbourhood locked in a drug battle between misguided youth.

“Drugs — it isn’t a turf

see them with my own eyes selling drugs.”

She added: “I talk to them, and I tell them about the law and warn them, that is what I usually do. I warn them and talk to them because I have two sons and grandchildren.”

When asked about the presence of police in the area, Mrs Cargill said she has always been impressed by the attitudes displayed by officers. She said despite their best efforts, however, the lack of true parenting has led to a crisis no number of police interjection can resolve.

“I will say it like this, parents. It goes from the home, you have to, y’all that have children, bring your children up in the right way.

Scolding them (will not) kill them.

“If you see a child bring something home and know that you didn’t buy that for him, let him take that back, you see. It is the home,” she said. “(Police) are trying to help, but if (parents) don’t correct them in the home, (then crime is the result).

“If a child takes something from a next child and carry it home and the parents enjoy it, one night they bring the money home and want (the parents to) enjoy it; if you don’t tell your children that it is wrong, then how you expect for Nassau or the Bahamas to? It comes from the home.”

Since March’s tragedy, police have strengthened their partnership with the Yellow Elder Community Association (YECA).

Vice-president of YECA Nevolia Johnson and Presi-

war — drugs,” she said, seated on her front porch Wednesday.

“This one selling drugs, the next one selling drugs; I

NEVOLIA JOHNSON, Yellow Elder Crime Watch Association vice-president. dent of YECA’s Crime Watch Unit Clint Conliffe joined police for Wednesday’s walkabout.

The pair said it was important for them to join police officials yesterday to show a more united front to members of the Yellow Elder and Millennium Gardens communities.

The two men said their presence over the last several months has aided greatly in crime prevention efforts in the various neighbourhoods that make up the area.

In addition to crime watch, YECA facilitates various social initiatives and programmes throughout the community.

Praising the partnership on display Wednesday, Senior Assistant Commissioner of Police Stephen Dean called for the model to be duplicated throughout the island.

“Working with community organisations, that is the approach that we look for, establishing crime watch groups in these communities,” Senior ACP Dean said. “People have to assist

OFFICERS, above and below, during the Yellow Elder walkabout.

in policing their communities and we think that what you see in Yellow Elder with the combination of the crime watch groups and we also have religious leaders and the police officers, this can be a model that can be duplicated in some communities in New Providence.

“People want to feel that they can go to the beach.

People want to feel that they can go to the food store. People want to feel that they can come in areas such as Yellow Elder to visit family members and feel safe, they don’t have to be looking over their shoulders.”

Senior ACP Dean added: “You know we ride around in the cars a lot of times, but this one on one, this personal touch, it is reaping some great results. And I can tell you that our officers are on the ground and are up and about, this is not just a Wednesday walkabout.

“The commanders and the respective divisions are on the ground, everybody is following our police mandate in our policing plan. So, while we have a group doing this approach to crime—the preventative, speaking to people and gathering intelligence—we have an operations group who is seeking out those persons wherever they live.

So, a number of persons are in prison as a result of these operations that we are doing.”

Yesterday’s walkabout marked the fourth in as many weeks.

Senior ACP Dean said more walkabouts are planned for other communities.

THE TRIBUNE

Thursday, July 13, 2017, PAGE 9

PAGE 10, Thursday, July 13, 2017

THE TRIBUNE

GALLERIA TO REOPEN FREEPORT CINEMA AFTER TEMPORARY CLOSURE

By DENISE MAYCOCK Tribune Freeport Reporter dmaycock@tribunemedia.net

GALLERIA Cinemas in Freeport will be reopening on Thursday after a temporary closure, The Tribune has learned.

A notice circulating on social media reportedly indicated that the establishment was permanently closing its Freeport (Galleria 5) location.

When The Tribune visited the establishment on Wednesday, a lock smith

was on site repairing a lock to the glass entrance doors.

This newspaper spoke with an employee who confirmed that the cinema had closed temporary but was reopening Thursday.

The economic climate on Grand Bahama is not well

and a permanent closure would mean the loss of the island’s only movie theatre.

A local film producer had expressed sadness over the reported closure on social media.

“As someone fully immersed in the national

film and television industry, I am deeply saddened to hear of the closure of RND Galleria Cinemas Freeport. This closure is particularly troubling as it was the island’s only movie theatre, leaving local artists with no distribution

platform to showcase their work,” the local producer wrote.

The Tribune attempted to reach management of Galleria Cinemas in Freeport and New Providence, but efforts proved fruitless up to press time.

Nurses in Grand Bahama told that existing Act will be repealed

By DENISE MAYCOCK Tribune Freeport Reporter dmaycock@tribunemedia.net YOUTH, Sports and Culture Minister Michael Pintard told nurses in Grand Bahama there will be a repeal of the existing Nurses and Midwives Act to ensure proper re-classification and recognition of the different professions in their field.

He also assured them that under the new administration and the leadership of Health Minister Dr Duane Sands, they can expect improvements in the working conditions and wages of nurses.

“The director of nursing is already under instructions to examine the working conditions of nurses to see where there are opportunities to improve those conditions and improve remuneration,” he said at the installation ceremony for the Nurses Association of the Commonwealth of the Bahamas (NACB) Grand Bahama Branch last Thursday.

MINISTER of Youth, Sports and Culture Michael Pintard.

Mr Pintard, who delivered the keynote address, commended nurses for their work in healthcare.

He said the nursing profession is the largest organised workforce in the world, and is the biggest subset of the healthcare sector.

“I commend nurses for leading the way in transforming health care, not just in Grand Bahama, but by extension working with

Photo: Terrel W. Carey/Tribune Staff

national leaders to improve healthcare in The Bahamas,” Mr Pintard said.

He recognised NACB President Paulette Cash and incoming chairperson of the Grand Bahama branch Therell PintardSmith as competent leaders who are passionate about achieving improvements for nurses and the nursing profession.

Mr Pintard said those in

the health profession, nurses, in particular, should be better compensated for the important work and role they play in healthcare.

“It is high time to begin to think how do you provide not merely a stipend, but more for those who are working on a regular basis to change a profession that really deals with life and death issues,” he said.

“We are grateful to you

for the work you are doing tirelessly. The Minister of Health Dr Sands is a diligent and relentless advocate for nurses, and has no difficulty asking for the maximum resource to ensure the health care system is improved.”

The MP for Marco City also talked about the importance of continued education for improvement of healthcare.

He urged nurses participating in seminars and symposiums at home and international conferences abroad to share their knowledge with others when they return.

Mr Pintard encouraged the NACB to seek government financing to allow greater numbers of nurses the opportunity to attend international conferences.

He also suggested the association put in place a core group of writers who can assist it in writing grant proposals for projects so they can access capital from various agencies.

Sandra Coleby, acting

director of nursing, also addressed the nurses, encouraging them to continue to lobby and participate in leadership in negotiation courses.

“Even if you have to spend a few dollars out of pocket, it is certainly worth it,” she said.

The incoming nursing executives are Therell Pintard Smith, chairperson of NACB Grand Bahama Branch; Tameisha Munnings, treasurer; Kellyander Morris, secretary of the Grand Bahama branch of NACB; Paulette Bain Dean, assistant treasurer, and Elsie Hepburn, assistant chairperson.

Elected to serve on various committees are Terez Romer, chairperson of public relations; Natalea Nesbeth-Rolle, chairperson of standards and ethics; Leona Cartwright, chairperson of education and research; Lyndette Curtis, chairperson of membership; and Ashnell Missick, chairperson of the socio-economic committee.

READERS RESPOND TO THE NEWS STORIES OF THE WEEK READERS on tribune242.com have been giving their opinions on the stories making the news this week.

After it was revealed that the amount of money miss-

ing at Bahamas Power and Light has reached nearly $7m, Socrates said: “No surprise here at all ... if there is one, it’s that all the corruption that we all know has existed for decades is finally

coming to light ... what, if anything, will be done about it is another story.”

TalRussell had this to say: “Again, I can argue this audit will not have served its purpose if in the long run only the smaller fish are exposed. The $1 million that will be spent on the BPL (BEC) forensic audit will be worthless in the face of accusations that there is no way you can steal $7 million without the criminal complicity of high ups of the corporate and political ladder. I shall believe the $1 million forensic auditing fees were well spent - but only after I get to see who, if anyone, gets arrested, charged and tried (for) tiefing the people’s $7 million.”

Union leaders said they were “taken aback” after BTC confirmed that chief executive Leon Williams is leaving the communications provider, prompting ThisIsOurs to ask: “Taken aback? That’s weird, most people were trying to figure out how he stayed so long.

Christie forced him on them and they been trying to replace him for some time.”

DaGoobs said: “He’s had a long run, at times apparently furled by politi-

cal relations. My memories are that he initiated a high priced, call dropping cellular service that became BTC’s lifeblood and it has taken 20 plus years and mobile competition for us to finally see lower prices and better cellular service from BTC. The fibre to the home is overdue although I gather that Flow TV needs some work to become a viable competitor to Cable Bahamas. At least he made sure their services are national – you can’t say the same thing about the competition.”

After members of the Official Opposition accused the Minnis administration of triggering Moody’s looming review of the country’s credit rating, Birdiestrachan offered this: “If the Bahamian economy does not grow, it will be very sad. So far the FNM government has no plans to grow the economy . . .

Their honeymoon will be very short and many will

rue the day they voted for them. They have no vision . . . BAMSI, College of the Bahamas and many others were visionary ideas of the PLP. We shall all see what the FNM will do.”

Sheeprunner12 wondered: “Are these senior PLPs aware that their statements are really exposing the blatant, reckless, and corrupt actions & gross mismanagement by the previous Christie government?? They are further damaging an already radioactive PLP brand.”

And In The Tribune’s latest online poll, we asked readers who they thought was to blame for the impending Moody’s review.

At the time of going to press, 90 per cent of those voting thought the Christie administration was responsible, with 10 per cent blaming the current government.

The poll is still open, so don’t miss your chance to vote and join the debate on tribune242.com.

THE TRIBUNE

Thursday, July 13, 2017, PAGE 11

Dealing with dementia

“If you find yourself dealing with a relative with dementia, chances are you will need help,” Phyllis Logan.

D

EMENTIA. This term tends to bring a sense of dread to us all; an increasingly common condition that wreaks havoc on the sufferer and their families.

It is not really a specific illness, it is a description of a group of conditions that show a marked decline in mental activity particularly in memory and general cognitive abilities. The commonest form of dementia is Alzheimer’s disease. It is unclear exactly what causes this to occur but some form of interaction between our genetics and environment is the best we can say for the moment. There are no proven environmental causes and age seems to be the major link to the likelihood of developing the problem;

as we are living longer this can explain why we see dementia more often than in the past.

Our brains are truly amazing organs with hundreds of billions of cells accounting for trillions of connections in the brain.

Dementia represents complex death and destruction of these brain cells, usually beginning slowly and continuing relentlessly leaving an emptiness where a vibrant personality once stood.

There are many other forms of dementia with very different causes. Vascular dementia can occur with mini strokes caused for example by uncontrolled hy-

pertension; it accounts for about ten per cent of cases and can often be diagnosed by imaging techniques.

Dementia with Lewy bodies can occur on its own or with Alzheimer’s disease. It has similar memory difficulties but is associated with sleep disturbances, visual hallucinations, tremors and difficulties walking.

This form of dementia has similarities to the dementia sometimes seen in Parkinson’s disease.

Frontotemporal dementia as the name suggests affects the frontal and temporal lobes of the brain; this creates severe personality changes and speech difficulties. It tends to start at

a slightly younger age and used to be called Pick’s disease named after Arnold Pick a professor of psychiatry in Prague.

Creutzfelt Jacob disease is a rare fatal brain disease caused by a malfunctioning prion that rapidly destroys the brain, it cannot be transmitted from person to person but the nerve tissue is infectious and could potentially be transmitted by use of surgical instruments.

It gained notoriety in the eighties when there was an outbreak of “mad cow disease” in the United Kingdom; the use of brains of dead cows in animal feed was blamed and whilst spread does not seem to occur by eating beef, the ingestion of brain or spinal cord tissue could cause the human variant Creutzfelt Jacob disease to occur.

Huntington’s Chorea (a rare genetic disorder), hydrocephalus (caused by

a buildup of fluids in the brain) and Wernicke- Korsakoff syndrome (caused by thiamine deficiency associated with alcoholism) can all show severe forms of dementia.

There does not seem to be a clear pathway to prevention and as numbers continue to rise, how can we manage dementia? The medications available are limited in that they seem to help memory in the early stages but not as the condition advances. The major personality problems are sometimes treated with major tranquillisers but these increase cardiovascular risks, so pills and potions are very limited in the ability to help.

As the illness advances at least the patient is spared some of the suffering as they become blissfully unaware of what is happening.

The family however are put in an unbearable position as they see the person they

love sitting in front of them but no longer there.

The management of someone with dementia often falls to the family; whilst the geriatric hospital and some homes for the aged do stellar work there are not enough beds and waiting lists and frustration is often the reality. Therefore, read as much as you can; avoid confrontation, do not take bizarre insults personally and learn to distract. I have learnt so much about the history of the Bahamas from people who do not know what they had for breakfast but tell me fascinating stories from 50 years ago.

• Dr Mike Neville is a forensic psychiatrist who has practised for more than 40 years in the Bahamas, working at the Sandilands Rehabilitation Centre, the prison and in private practice. Comments and responses to mneville@ tribunemedia.net.

ZONTA CLUB OF NEW PROVIDENCE RAISES $10K FOR RANFURLY HOME

FROM left, president of the Zonta Club of New Providence Claudine Farquharson; Ranfurly Home administrator Alexander Roberts; president of the Ranfurly Home Alexandra Maillis-Lynch.

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THE Zonta Club of New Providence recently raised and donated $10,000 to assist in the construction of the country’s first transition home at the Ranfurly Home for Children.

The donation was part proceeds from Zonta’s ‘Tapas N Jazz’ event. The ZCNP – in partnership with the Ranfurly Home – hosted the evening of fun and elegance earlier in the year to help generate muchneeded funds to help get the non-profit children’s home further to their target of building transition homes.

“This opportunity to partner with the Ranfurly Home in their mission to construct a transition home for young adults is in keeping with our mandate to empower and advance the status of women and children,” said ZCNP President Claudine Farquharson. “So we were delighted to be a part of such a worthy venture and we look forward to continuing our support for this cause.”

Transition homes are

needed for children who would have lived in the Ranfurly Home but have to move out of the facility as they come of age. President of the Ranfurly Home Alexandra Maillis-Lynch said not many children who live at the orphanage have the back-up of family and security to help them ease into responsibilities associated with adulthood.

In the past, she said, it has proven to leave many of the children susceptible to bad influences.

“A transition home would give them that stopgap for two years where they would abide by certain rules that would go with the home and they will learn what it is to be an adult in the right situations that allows them to feel that they’re a part of a family,” she said.

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PAGE 12, Thursday, July 13, 2017

THE TRIBUNE

There is too much political interference in doing business

YOUR SAY to respect the HCA. Less

By FREDERICK SMITH QC Government focus on the

minutiae of Freeport will HE Government free up Cabinet time and has a unique op- energy and hundreds of portunity to res- millions in taxes to be spent urrect the Phoe- elsewhere in The Bahamas. nix of Freeport from the Thus far, illegal and over ashes of political red tape centralised control has stiand recession. This will re- fled growth; it has simply quire political courage to not worked. Thus, it is in adopt a paradigm shift in the interest of Government foreign investment policies and the Bahamian taxpayer in Freeport and Grand Ba- to do everything possible hama. References to Free- for the HCA to succeed! port throughout this paper Take as an example, the includes Grand Bahama. ease by which foreigners For Freeport to suc- originally invested under ceed, Government should the HCA and when land trust the GBPA to be the sales were the economic One Stop Shop Licensing powerhouse of developAuthority for Bahamian ment. and foreign investment unI arrived in Freeport der the Hawksbill Creek in 1976. GBPA and other Agreement. References to developers promoted inGBPA include DEVCO. ternationally. There were History reveals that Free- hundreds of sales agents. port boomed between 1955 Charters from Europe to 1968 when foreigners brought thousands treated freely invested. at the airport to drinks and The post 1969 require- glossy brochures; buses ment for forscooped them eigners to be The FNM away with dozens subjected to of realtors saliarbitrary, secre- government vating to sell as tive, delayed needs to ride they were toured and often du- the May 10 Red around the Magplicative (someic Gardened City times corrupt) Tsunami on its and then wined approvals

by Red Salami and and dined and politicians at the a dream! not flounder in sold OPM, NationBefore they deal Economic a quagmire of parted days later, Council, Baha- Red Tape. most prospects mas Investment had entered into Authority and contracts; and the Investment Board has some had resold for a quick caused the economic con- profit! The Magic City’s stipation afflicting Freeport Goose laid Golden Eggs. and The Bahamas gener- Combined sales were in the ally. $30 to $40m annually.

It is futile to promote The late 1970s was a mibusiness abroad yet when it raculous resurgence after a arrives to frustrate it. ten-year recessionary hiaThe FNM government tus resulting from the 1st needs to ride the May 10 collapse of Freeport after Red Tsunami on its Red Sa- Sir Lynden’s catastrophic lami and not flounder in a “Bend or Break” speech; quagmire of Red Tape. the breach of the HCA with It is good governance the 1968 Immigration Act,

T

FNM leader Dr Hubert Minnis - now the Prime Minister - on the campaign trail in Grand Bahama. the illegal OPM licensing interference (for both foreign and Bahamian licensing approvals) and the 1973 Commission of Enquiry.

From the 1980s, Freeport’s economy again collapsed because of illegal Exchange Control interference imposed by the PLP under Sir Arthur D Hanna and the 1982 Immovable Property Act made property worthless. Sales dropped to derisory levels. The developers closed shop. The treasury lost millions in taxes and thousands drifted

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from Freeport again.

Under “Bahamianisation” most foreign realtors, appraisers, lawyers, accountants, etc, had been replaced by Bahamians. Ironically, these Bahamian professionals were thereby deprived of the opportunity of succeeding as the expats had.

Property Sales financed development of infrastructure. The service charges financed Lucaya Service, GB Service, Tamarind and Princess Realty etc.

LUSCO alone had over 800 Bahamian maintaining the City. Before the constricting immigration and foreign investment laws and policies agents made commissions; lawyers made fees; the treasury made stamp duty; GBPA made license fees; architects were busy; land surveyors were busy; contractors became busy resulting in a mini construction boom.

Save for a brief period after 1992 when the FNM Government allowed greater autonomy to GBPA as the One Stop Shop, and immigration and investment controls were relaxed, Freeport has remained in the economic doldrums since the late 1990s.

In my “experienced” view, what is needed is respect for the model that has repeatedly worked. Let me spell it out; the Hawksbill Creek Agreement.

More Control Less Growth Less Control More Growth When there was less control between 1955 and 1968 Freeport and Grand Bahama boomed.

After imposing abusive immigration controls in 1968, OPM licensing from 1969, Bend or Break, Exchange Control and the Immovable Property Act, Freeport rapidly and steadily declined.

From 1992 when the FNM relaxed controls Freeport had a mini boom.

From 2002, the PLP imposed strict controls and Freeport languished.

From 2007, the world economy faltered and despite the FNM slightly relaxing controls Freeport declined.

From 2012, the PLP set out to destroy the HCA and wrest regulatory control from GBPA. Strict controls were imposed with the GB Incentives Act 2016, resulting in an exodus of business from Freeport and a ghost town!

The simple lesson is; More Control Less Growth.

Less Control More Growth.

The FNM should adopt policies that succeeded rather than failed.

What is critically needed is respect for the HCA and greater flexibility in immigration policies.

Allowing free market forces to root, along with

the benefits of the HCA, the infrastructure and attractive environment will seduce foreigners to invest in Freeport. Thousands of Bahamians will gain opportunities for business and jobs.

I am not suggesting a hands off approach by Government. Rather, I urge adherence to the HCA by Government, GBPA and the Licensees. The business of Freeport should be left to GBPA under the HCA. Government should deal with BIG PICTURE items and hold GBPA accountable for their obligations under the HCA. The Government should ensure that GBPA promotes the hell out of Freeport! It’s that simple. It will cost the government and taxpayers less. The expense of running a city will be that of GBPA. Opportunities for profit by all the Licensees will be legion. The economy will boom.

Currently, GBPA does little, if any promotions abroad, because when investors come, they are strangled in red tape. There is simply too much arbitrary political interference, uncertainty and difficulty in doing business in Freeport.

Likewise with the development companies. If unhindered property sales could happen again – Freeport would see a boom.

Currently, it is a waste of time and money to promote foreign investors. I have experienced this first hand hundreds of times in smaller investments and a few times with some large, at times BILLION dollar investors Time for a Paradigm Shift in Foreign Investment With its promise to make Freeport succeed, Government has the responsibility and opportunity to make a quantum shift in the investment policies.

If it courageously changed the investment environment, there would be a boom in sales; construction; restaurants; the services industry; tourism; industrial development and thousands of good jobs!

They should stop Government restricting Bahamians and Foreigners openly, transparently and easily doing business.

Exchange Control and Immigration will have to be dramatically relaxed. We will grow if we open our doors and welcome foreigners as permanent citizens of our economy. Until then, we will remain a flaccid and anemic economy.

Restricting Bahamians and Foreigners openly doing business together chokes free enterprise, and ironically restricts opportunities for Bahamians.

Doing the same old tired thing by having Govern-

ment operate the OPM in Freeport and still requiring Exchange Control, Investment Board, NEC, BIA, Business licenses and secret Heads of Agreement approvals will continue to strangle business.

I urge the Government to let the regulatory agencies do their jobs as set forth in the laws passed

by Parliament. Resist the temptation to control and interfere at every minute level! Cabinet should focus on the bigger picture of good governance and planning, not whether or not Mr. Foreigner should get a permit to buy land in Freeport, build condominiums and a marina in a joint venture with a Bahamian; or not! Let GBPA deal with that. That is their lawfully delegated area of expertise under the HCA. Why should the NEC, BIA, IB or BEST be involved?

GBPA has a master planned Freeport. It has a Building and Planning department. As for the environment, GBPA has comprehensive Environmental

By Laws that are waiting for Government approval. This can be done overnight!

Freeport would boom because when investors come they would be able to do business easily and quickly.

The banks, etc, would also have to help to make doing business easier (it has become almost impossible there as well!)

This would even attract businesses from Nassau to do joint ventures with existing Freeport Licensees and investing foreigners..

The GB Incentives Act 2016 will be be repealed.

Negotiations will quickly ensue between Government, GBPA and the Licensees for very attractive tax incentives to do business in Freeport . I was very much involved in this process in 1992 which led to the Freeport 1993 Act resulting in an environment for the subsequent mini boom.

This can be a ready-made success story if the foreign investment paradigm is dramatically changed.

The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again, but expecting different results.

I urge the Government to courageously take a dramatically different approach! After all; what can it lose?

My advice to the FNM Government, is to really incentivise Bahamians and foreigners to invest in Freeport and Grand Bahama.

Make business sure and easy in Freeport, as was intended by the Hawksbill Creek Agreement. Work with GBPA, the Licensees and the District Councils (in GB) to promote the hell out of Freeport and Grand Bahama both domestically and internationally.

THE TRIBUNE

Thursday, July 13, 2017, PAGE 13

THE ROYAL Oasis property in Grand Bahama.

Photos: Denise Maycock/Tribune Staff

The derelict face of Grand Bahama

By DENISE MAYCOCK Tribune Freeport Reporter dmaycock@tribunemedia.net AS one drives through Freeport, derelict and dilapidated buildings stick out like a sore thumb in the city’s landscape, and once iconic landmarks have lost their lustre.

Pineridge MP Fredrick McAlpine, who recently spoke out on the issue in Parliament, believes the buildings should be imploded because they are an “environmental hazard” and an eyesore to residents and visitors.

The MP was referring to the closed 900-room Royal Oasis Resort property, Casa Bahama, and the International Bazaar in Freeport.

In his contribution to the budget debate in Parliament, Rev McAlpine said that something should be done about these derelict properties and questioned whether the taxes and relevant fees are paid up.

“We urge the relevant authorities local and national, to step in and get something done as it relates to these properties,” he said.

Freeport - once known as the ‘Magic City’ - is in a state of decline. The magic is gone, and now hope rests in the hands of the newlyelected Minnis administration to turn things around.

Freeport’s decline began in 2004 when the former Royal Oasis Resort and Casino closed because of significant storm damage. The closure had a severe domino affect on the surrounding businesses and stores.

Landmarks, such as the red Tori gate at the International Bazaar no longer attracts visitors and is now a magnet for vagrants. The water fountain at the Ranfurly Circus roundabout has been shut off. And Casa Bahama – the tallest building in Freeport – has been vacant and decrepit for many years.

Irish based Harcourt Development Group acquired Royal Oasis for $33m in 2007 but has yet to find partners or an investor that could revive the 427-acre resort property which is now a crumbling eyesore.

Rev McAlpine said: “The people in Grand Bahama want to know how much longer we are going to look at these derelict monstrosities of buildings in the centre of our island. It’s an eyesore for residents and visitors alike. The International Bazaar is virtually no more, with a bunch of empty, dilapidated buildings.

“Please give consideration to opening the road and getting the developers and owners to implode the buildings, they have become environmentally hazardous to the community,” he added.

The MP said the properties don’t have to be replaced with hotels again.

In downtown Freeport, Rev McAlpine also pointed out other buildings devaluing the island, including the dilapidated Professional Business Plaza, Savoy Building, Parker Building and Rolle’s Furniture Store, which he said are all in the centre of downtown and the heart of Pineridge.

“These buildings have

THE RED Tori gate at the International Bazaar, above, and Casa Bahama, below.

THE CASINO at the Royal Oasis Resort. devalued the very nature and beautification of the island,” he said.

“Compared to what we were used too, Grand Bahama is filthy. The place has become ghettoized if there is such a word,” he said.

The FNM administration has pledged to also focus its

attention on revitalising the tourism product in Freeport, once it has reached a deal on the sale and reopening of the Grand Lucaya Resort property, which is a matter of urgency for the government.

Minister of State for Grand Bahama Kwasi

Thompson said that their second priority would involve revitalising iconic properties, such as the International Bazaar, the Royal Oasis, and Xanadu Beach Resorts.

The government, he said, intends to be working closely with the present property

PAGE 14, Thursday, July 13, 2017

THE TRIBUNE

THIS Nov 10, 2016, aerial photo released by NASA shows a rift in the Antarctic Peninsula’s Larsen C ice shelf. An iceberg has now broken off, it is reported, weighing 1 trillion tons.

Photo: John Sonntag/NASA via AP

Iceberg the size of Trinidad and Tobago breaks off from Antarctica

By DANICA KIRKA AND MALCOLM RITTER Associated Press

ONE of the biggest icebergs ever recorded, a trillion-ton behemoth more than seven times the size of New York City, has broken off of Antarctica, triggering disagreement among scientists over whether global warming is to blame.

The event, captured by satellite, happened sometime in the past few days when the giant chunk snapped off an ice shelf.

While such “calving” of icebergs is not unusual, this is an especially big one. It covers an area of roughly 2,300 square miles (6,000 square kilometers), more than twice the size of Luxembourg and about the size of Trinidad and Tobago. Its volume is twice that of Lake Erie, according to Project MIDAS, a research group based in Britain.

It broke loose from the Larsen C ice shelf, which scientists had been monitoring for months as they watched a crack grow more than 120 miles (200 kilometers) long.

Scientists say global warming has caused a thinning of such shelves, but they differ on whether the latest event can be blamed

on climate change.

The iceberg is considered unlikely to pose any threat to shipping. And since the ice was already floating, the breakup won’t raise sea levels in the short term, the project said in a statement.

But it removed more than 10 percent of the ice shelf, and if that eventually hastens the flow of glaciers behind it into the water, there could be a “very modest” rise in sea level, the project said.

Two other Antarctic ice shelves, farther north on the Antarctic Peninsula, collapsed in 1995 and 2002.

That sped up the slide of glaciers, which contributed to sea-level rise, David Vaughan, director of science at the British Antarctic Survey, said in a statement.

“Our glaciologists will now be watching closely to see whether the remaining Larsen C ice shelf becomes less stable than before the iceberg broke free,” he said.

Eric Rignot, a glaciologist at the University of California, Irvine, said the breaking off of the iceberg “is part of a long-term major loss of the ice shelves in the peninsula, progressing southbound and resulting from climate warming.”

But Swansea University glaciologist Martin O’Leary, a member of the

MIDAS project, called it “a natural event, and we’re not aware of any link to humaninduced climate change.”

And a spokeswoman for

the British Antarctic survey said there’s not enough information to say whether the calving is an effect of climate change, though

there’s good evidence global warming has caused thinning of the ice shelf.

As for any danger to navigation, scientists said the ice-

berg will probably break up and its pieces will circle Antarctica for years or decades rather than drifting northward into shipping lanes.

TRUMP FAMILY TURNS TO FRIENDLY FACES FOR INTERVIEWS AMID RUSSIA SCANDAL NEW YORK Associated Press

LIKE his son the night before, President Donald Trump sought out a friendly face in the media Wednesday with the news still dominated by talk of Donald Trump Jr’s meeting with a woman tied to Russian leaders who offered campaign dirt on Hillary Clinton.

The president was interviewed in the White House by Pat Robertson, the 87-year-old founder of the Christian Broadcasting Network. It was his first non-Fox News Channel interview in several weeks.

Robertson did not ask about the story involving the president’s son, a spokesman said. It seemed to be on the president’s mind, since he told Robertson that he doubted reports that Russian President Vladimir Putin would rather see him as president than Clinton. In the overture his son had received for the meeting last summer, Trump Jr was told that Putin supported his father’s candidacy.

Trump also spoke Wednesday to Reuters, telling the news agency that he wished he had asked Putin whether he was actively supporting his candidacy

when the two heads of state met last week. “It’s really the one question I wish I would have asked Putin: Were you actually supporting me?” Trump said.

Wednesday’s White House briefing was off camera, led by Sarah Huckabee Sanders. She was asked why the president had not had any public appearances in three days, and said he will appear at a news conference in France on Thursday.

Fox News Channel’s Sean Hannity reached just under 2.9 million viewers for his interview with Trump Jr on Tuesday, the most-watched program in a busy night on cable news, the Nielsen

company said. That is 8 percent above his season average.

The show was a soft landing spot for the young Trump; Hannity has repeatedly described himself as an opinion host and not a journalist, and preceded the interview by outlining stories critical to Democrats that he claimed were unjustly ignored by a mainstream media that has “zero credibility”.

Hannity missed opportunities. When Trump complained about how the story had slowly unfolded over four days in The New York Times, he didn’t ask whether Trump could have sped things up by being more forthcoming.

Hannity walked Trump through a description of how last summer’s meeting with Natalia Veselnitskaya took place. His interview’s enduring value may be in putting Trump on the record on several points, saying the meeting offered little of value, that there were no follow-up emails or meetings, he didn’t fill in his father about it, that he felt it didn’t represent collusion and that he’d cooperate fully with a special prosecutor looking into the Trump team’s dealings with Russia.

Hannity said he’d asked Trump “every question I could think of”.

Although Trump supporters in the media had their defenses ready, there were signs that not everyone on Trump-friendly media were buying the talking points that the latest revelations were an overreaction from a hysterical media.

In a statement about his son, President Trump praised his “transparency”

DONALD Trump Jr is interviewed by host Sean Hannity on his Fox News Channel television programme on Tuesday. in releasing the material.

Fox News Channel anchor Shepard Smith reported that President Trump had praised his son’s “transparency” in releasing an email exchange about last summer’s meeting, noting wryly that “transparency is something that normally happens prior to learning somebody else is about to document-dump you.”

While on Monday Fox’s Eric Bolling said the story “was an insult to nothingburgers,” several commentators subsequently suggested that it would be wrong to dismiss the story.

“We shouldn’t get in front of our skis, either calling it a ‘nothing burger’ or collusion,” said commentator Meghan McCain, on the Fox midday show “Outnumbered.”

Former White House press secretary Ari Fleis-

cher, just named Monday as a regular Fox contributor, said that where he doesn’t think the story provided evidence of collusion, he said it was “deeply incompetent.”

“When you get someone from a foreign government saying they want to be involved in an election, the reaction should be ‘no, thank you,’” said Fleischer, making a “hands-off” gesture with his arms. He said, “I wouldn’t have taken the meeting,” and that it shows the difference between people experienced in politics and those who aren’t.

Another organisation in Rupert Murdoch’s media empire, the New York Post, published a blistering editorial on Wednesday saying, “we see one truly solid takeaway from the story of the day: Donald Trump Jr is an idiot.”

THE TRIBUNE

Thursday, July 13, 2017, PAGE 15

COUNTRY singer Tim McGraw on the Hogfish down in Exuma in this post shared from his Instagram account, thetimmcgraw

MICHAEL OSBORN, who said: “Got a nice one on our way to San Salvador today. 20 miles off great exuma is alive with all sorts of marine life. The next 50 miles was heavy weeds.”

LOCAL gal June with her personal best 7lb grey ghost.

LOCAL young guns Leon, Jules and Spencer on the fish near Nassau.