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MONDAY, JULY 20, 2020

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‘Body blow’ for tourism restart By NEIL HARTNELL Tribune Business Editor nhartnell@tribunemedia.net

HE tourism industry’s revival has suffered “a body blow” by the continued Atlantis and cruise industry uncertainty, a Cabinet minister has conceded, as commercial travel to the US was yesterday cut-off. Dionisio D’Aguilar, minister of tourism and aviation, told Tribune Business that The Bahamas’ efforts to restart its major industry had fallen “victim” to the inability of its largest visitor source market to bring the COVID-19 pandemic under control. Acknowledging that this nation’s fate was “tied hook, line and sinker” to that of the US, which provides 82 percent of its tourist market, Mr D’Aguilar said Atlantis had simply decided it was “too risky” to re-open on July 30 given the ongoing surge in COVID-19 cases in Florida, Texas and other states that provide a

• Bahamas’ falls ‘victim’ to US COVID surge • Atlantis, cruise industry in further delays • Minister denies borders opened too soon

ATLANTIS PARADISE ISLAND significant percentage of its customer base. The Paradise Island mega resort on Friday opted for “an extended closure” until the health risks subsided, its move coming just days after the US Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) extended its ‘no sail’ order on the cruise line industry until September 30, 2020 (see other article

US travel shut down ‘low-risk proposition’ By NEIL HARTNELL Tribune Business Editor nhartnell@tribunemedia.net THE government’s move to close The Bahamas’ borders to all commercial transportation from the US was yesterday branded “a lowrisk proposition” by the Chamber of Commerce’s chief executive. Jeffrey Beckles, pictured, told Tribune Business the decision to cut-off much of this nation’s largest tourist market was “painful but absolutely necessary” to prevent

Arawak Cay just 25% recovered pre-new closure By NEIL HARTNELL Tribune Business Editor nhartnell@tribunemedia.net

ARAWAK Cay vendors had only recovered 25 percent of their pre-COVID business volumes prior to yesterday’s decision by the prime minister to shut the popular Fish Fry destination

DIONISIO D’AGUILAR

the further explosion of COVID-19 cases in The Bahamas. He added that the timing of the prime minister’s action, less than three weeks after The Bahamas reopened its borders to international travel, will minimise any reputational and other fall-out given that it coincides with the slowest part of the tourism season. Arguing that Dr Hubert Minnis was right to place the nation’s health above the economy, with the former

SEE PAGE 5 a second time. Rodney Russell, the Arawak Cay Association’s president, told Tribune Business that restaurants and stall holders now need “a bigger bounce back” following Dr Hubert Minnis’ move to order another lock down until better social distancing measures and other COVID19 protocols can be enforced. “Some members were trying to keep staff working so they could keep food on their tables, but the government is bigger than us and they have the arbitrary power,” Mr Russell said. “We have to comply otherwise we will be fined and arrested, and people will say the business people at Arawak Cay are greedy.

SEE PAGE 7

on Page 1B). The final blow to any lingering hopes of a swift tourism recovery was dealt yesterday evening when the prime minister announced the suspension of all commercial flights and passenger vessels between The Bahamas and US, with effect from Wednesday, July 22, in a bid to contain the renewed

COVID-19 outbreak on New Providence and Grand Bahama. “Once again we are a victim of the events that are unfolding in our number one market, which is the US,” Mr D’Aguilar told Tribune Business. “That is not lending itself to further expanding the opening of the tourism sector in The Bahamas given our economic dependency on the US for our foreign visitors. “We continue to be a victim of what is happening in the US, and our major hotels that rely on that market are unfortunately being impacted by that. Our fate is tied to what happens in the US, and until that gets sorted our largest hotel properties are so concerned they don’t want to risk

SEE PAGE 6

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Bay Street sees 80% income loss extended longer By NEIL HARTNELL Tribune Business Editor nhartnell@tribunemedia.net

EIGHTY percent of the spending that kept Bay Street afloat has dried up via a cruise industry shutdown just extended to October 1, the Downtown Nassau Partnership’s (DNP) cochair has revealed. Charles Klonaris told Tribune Business he does not foresee the sector’s return much before November’s Thanksgiving holiday at earliest after US health watchdogs pushed their ‘no sail’ order out a further two-and-a-half months. Speaking after the Centres for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) move, Mr Klonaris predicted that some merchants will fall “victim” to downtown Nassau’s protracted shutdown of at least sixand-months and “be unable to survive”. And he warned that many of those who did reopen were likely to do so with much-reduced staffing levels, as they aligned costs

CHARLES KLONARIS with shrivelled revenue streams and/or found they could sustain their operations with fewer workers. “It’s gone way beyond what most people anticipated,” Mr Klonaris told this newspaper of the COVID-19 pandemic, “and for the city of Nassau I would say tourists generate 80 percent of consumer spending. “It’s going to be a very difficult time in how people cope between now and November. It’s a very difficult and serious situation. I don’t think anyone has an answer in terms of having

SEE PAGE 7

PAGE 2, Monday, July 20, 2020

THE TRIBUNE

EXUMA COMPANIES EYE ROAD PROJECT SPIN-OFFS EXUMA businesses are hoping a project to upgrade ten miles of the island’s roads will provide a much-needed boost to the economy and employment amid ongoing COVID-19 struggles. Caribbean Pavement Solutions (CPS), a Bahamas Striping Group of Companies affiliate, has booked hotel rooms and already hired local subcontractors as it readies to carry out infrastructure improvements awaited by all island residents. The project’s start comes at a critical time for Exuma’s economy. Record-breaking increases in COVID-19 infections in many US states, and especially key tourist source markets such as Florida, yesterday prompted the prime minister to suspend international commercial flights and sea travel between The Bahamas and the country that provides 82 percent of this country’s visitors. “The shutdown sent everyone into a tailspin. Tourism did a nosedive “From then to now we’ve just had one [guest] here or one there...for the most part we were at two percent

AS Caribbean Pavement Solutions (CPS) prepares to overhaul ten miles of road on Exuma, the company has signed contracts with several small businesses and made commitments to others. Pictured from left: CPS’ president, Atario Mitchell; local Exuma contractor, Damien Cox; and CPS’ managing director, Dr Allen Albury. occupancy,” said Dwight Hart, owner of Exuma Palms Hotel, a 12-room guest house which boasts the Club YOLO Grill and Hookah Bar. “Now, with Caribbean Pavement Solutions coming onboard, and with us being their housing location, it’s a life-saving event. They will occupy ten rooms.” Based on a twomile stretch of beach in Mount Thompson, Exuma Palms plummeted to “zero business” after its last guest departed on March 21. Occupancy picked up over the Independence holiday

weekend as closed beaches in New Providence sent more affluent Bahamians to nearby Family Islands. Still, it was not nearly enough business for Exuma Palms to offset months of closure. Caribbean Pavement Solutions (CPS) will arrive on Exuma next month. “The spin-off is tremendous,” said Mr Hart, whose property provides employment for ten persons. “For instance, we are increasing the amount of food we’re ordering since we know now we have a certain amount of people

EXUMA PALMS HOTEL, owned by Dwight Hart, pictured, is one of the businesses expected to enjoy some economic spin-offs from Caribbean Pavement Solutions’ road improvement project next month. we’re going to feed every to erect the concrete base day. We’re transitioning and loading ramps for Carfrom weekly ordering to a ibbean Pavement Solutions’ month’s supply at a time, asphalt plant, plus install so our volume is increas- the plumbing work and ing. That translates into create the necessary ponds. revenue for some other “Coronavirus took a big business.” toll on everything and eveExuma-based contractor, rybody. It is going to take Damien Cox, added: “It time to roll back into what means we’re going to put it was before,” said Mr food on our table for that Cox, who has been in busimonth. Pay a little bills, do ness for 11 years. “I can use a little grocery shopping, more work, but I’m happy buy one or two school items to have this.” and get caught up on bills “It just makes sense for allowed to slide over the Exumians to do some of three-month lockdown. the prep work, particuMr Cox, who leads a team larly the jobs that require of five men, and his com- heavy equipment, like the pany, Cox Construction, site clearing for the asphalt were awarded the contract plant,” said Caribbean

Pavement Solutions’ president, Atario Mitchell. Pointing to the contract his company signed earlier this month with Exuma Fencing (EF), Mr Mitchell said it is “cost effective, expedient and just good business” to hire locals. An EF spokesperson confirmed that “in short order” it would begin erecting a perimeter fencing around six acres of land near Exuma’s community hospital. Using 20 workers to create two distinct sections, EF expects the job to take “no more than two weeks”. It is the company’s first fencing project post-lockdown. “I know what it’s like to be a small business owner uneasy about the future,” said Mr Mitchell, whose company was birthed ten years ago from a $5,000 government grant. “Once we’re on the ground next month, the community will see and feel our presence at restaurants, gas stations, convenience stores and patronising other small businesses.”

BAHAMIAN AIDS FOCUS OVER COMPLIANCE RISKS A BAHAMIAN compliance professional was part of a panel that examined the growing risks created by operating and supply chain changes enforced by the COVID-19 pandemic. Cheryl Bazard, pictured, featured in the discussion led by Risk Assisting Network + Exchange (RANE), which has offices in New York, Boston, and Washington. Its Insight Series seeks to provide business leaders across all industries with strategies and knowledge on emerging risk issues. When COVID-19 first hit, most companies were focused on continuity. Cyber, data privacy and compliance issues were not necessarily given as much attention, as employees quickly scrambled to remote work. They sometimes used personal computers, USBs and personal clouds to store company information. Now, companies are grappling with how to tighten controls again. “We weren’t relaxing during the pandemic, but the adherence to standard compliance practices were not as rigidly applied.” said Mrs Bazard, one of three panelists. “Regulators across the globe were a bit flexible early on, given the circumstances,

but as the return to some sense of normalcy resumes, they are now enforcing adherence in order to avoid a breakdown of local and international standards.” The principal of the law firm, Bazard & Company, said compliance must continue to be seen as a “know” department and not a “no” department. She advised professionals listening in on the webinar to use this time to their advantage, understand where their clients are headed and get to “know” them and their business better. Mrs Bazard, the founding president of the Bahamas Association of Compliance Officers (BACO), said that while many governments rushed to prop-up collapsing economies and provide cash-starved companies with financial assistance, the risk of corruption increased. As a result, there needed to be a closer look at the flow of funds from these programmes. Craig Moss, executive vice-president of the Arizona-based Ethisphere, an institute which advances ethical business practices, echoed similar sentiments. “People under business pressure can lead to corruption issues,” he said. “An increase in fraud

– bribery, corruption, theft, information loss – is more likely to happen in this present environment,” said Stephen Martin, a partner in StoneTurn, a global advisory firm that assists companies and government agencies on regulatory, risk and compliance issues, together with investigations and business disputes. Making the situation worse, said Mr Martin, compliance budgets are frequently cut during difficult financial periods with a negative impact for monitoring and oversight of a remote workforce. Drawing on more than 20 years of experience, the attorney advised companies to pay attention to data and use this time to overhaul their risk assessment processes. Since less oversight of third parties are common during economic crisis, Mr Martin recommended aggressive accounting to avoid employee fraud and workers’ misuse of company assets. “Customers are paying attention to how you dealt with your employees during this crisis. Those who react well get the gold star of approval from their clientele,” said Mrs Bazard, who added that social media provides the platforms for praise and criticisms.

THE TRIBUNE

BAY STREET IN 80% SALES HIT

By YOURI KEMP Tribune Business Reporter ykemp@tribunemedia.net

THE few Bay Street stores that remain open say sales have plunged by 80 percent as the cruise industry’s return was further delayed until October 1 at earliest. Several merchants questioned how long they will be able to survive on minimal income, given that fixed costs such as rent and utilities must still be paid, after the US Centres For Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) last week extended the ‘no sail’ order it has imposed on the cruise ship industry from July 24 until September 30, 2020. George Mousis, general manager of the Athena Café, told Tribune Business: “I don’t know how much longer we will be able to make it like this. Rent has to get paid, this and that. Oh boy.” Acknowledging that the cruise lines may return even later than October 1, Mr Mousis said: “I see what’s going on in the States with their spike. Even look at us.

NASSAU Cruise Port. Hopefully it doesn’t get out of hand.” The CDC, explaining the rationale for its decision, said the congested conditions on board cruise ships had proven to be a perfect breeding ground for COVID-19 from the outset of the pandemic. Between March 1 and July 10, the CDC said data showed more than 2,900 cases of COVID19 emerged from cruise ships, resulting in over 30 deaths. “These cases were part of 99 outbreaks on 123 different cruise ships,” the CDC said. “During this timeframe, 80 percent of ships were affected by COVID19. As of July 3, nine of the 49 ships under the ‘No Sail Order’ have ongoing

or resolving outbreaks. According to US Coast Guard data, as of July 10, 2020, there are 67 ships with 14,702 crew onboard.” Mr Mousis, while lamenting the missing cruise passenger business, added: “Thank God on Friday we had a great turn out of locals, but every day is different. Some days are slower, some days are busier. Bay Street is like a ghost town now; even the banks are gone from here. “FirstCaribbean’s Bay Street branch is temporarily closed, RBC isn’t there right now. There is Scotiabank, but they are going cashless and I guess they don’t have much staff on. All of the other establishments around here are pretty much closed.”

“But anyhow we have to try and make it,” Mr Mousis said, acknowledging that police officers have started ticketing persons parking in Bay Street’s taxi driver spots, further putting a damper on attempts to attract locals to his restaurant. He added: “Business is starting to pick up a bit, but obviously it is not like what it was. We just have to hold on and ride this storm out, but for how much longer, because by the time October comes something else may happen by then or before then?” Edward Robinson, owner/operator of Bonneville Bones, said: “I don’t feel one way or the other about it [the extended cruise ship shut down] because I can’t do anything about it. We do have some customers coming in and we do plan to keep it open. Downsizing happened as a result of people finding other jobs, added Mr Robinson, and he said: “We are down about 80 percent in sales at our downtown store.”

RESTAURANT DELIGHT ON ‘A LEVEL PLAYING FIELD’ By YOURI KEMP Tribune Business Reporter ykemp@tribunemedia.net

RESTAURANT owners have voiced delight that they are now “on a level playing field” after the Government last week gave the entire sector permission to open for an extra hour. Roberta Garzaroli, Graycliff Company’s general manager, told Tribune Business: “We’re happy that everyone is on a level playing field. Now if the time could be extended to 10pm and the curfew would start at 11pm, then all of our clients will be even happier.” And Jacques Carlino, owner/operator of the Blue Sail Bar & Grill, added: “We’re happy. Every little bit helps. The one comment I would say is that 9pm with a curfew of 10pm makes it very tight. That was my first inclination. It is wonderful now that it is 9pm, but if you have 9pm and by the time people get out, let’s

say to close up, it is tight for the staff so it is not so much better than 8pm “It’s better, and I am grateful for everything we get, but I think it would be nice to even extend the curfew to 10.30pm for the persons who have to clean up the restaurant. Just give them a half an hour more.” The Prime Minister, via a change to the Emergency Powers (COVID-19 Pandemic) order, gave permission for all restaurants to open for an extra hour until 9pm. However, they can only operate with 50 percent of their indoor dining capacity and must enforce proper social distancing requirements. Arawak Cay vendors, though, were still prohibited from allowing indoor customers. They were still restricted to curb-side and takeaway, plus outdoor dining, only for that to be taken away last night with the Prime Minister’s decision to close both Fish Fry and

Potter’s Cay. The restaurant opening hours extension came after it was revealed that the Myers Group’s fast-food and other restaurant franchises had been given permission to remain open until 9pm, while virtually all other businesses were still shuttering by 8pm. The permission granted to the Myers Group, and its Kentucky Fried Chicken, Burger King, Dunkin Donuts and Anthony’s Caribbean Grill brands, to remain open until 9 pm sparked Progressive Liberal Party (PLP) accusations of preferential treatment and double standards by the government over how long businesses can remain open prior to the 10pm curfew. Still, Tribune Business understands that many businesses have been closing at 8pm to give their staff sufficient time to “cash out” and get home before the 10pm curfew starts. Mr Carlino added: “It is

FEDERAL RESERVE EXPANDS LENDING PROGRAM TO NONPROFIT GROUPS WASHINGTON Associated Press

THE Federal Reserve has opened one of its lending programmes to nonprofit groups, including hospitals, educational institutions, and social service organisations. The Fed said on Friday that its Main Street Lending Program, which is

targeted to mid-sized businesses and can lend up to $600bn, will soon extend credit to nonprofits with at least ten employees and endowments of less than $3bn. The central bank needs to finalise the legal details before loans to nonprofits can be made. Under the programme, banks make loans to borrowers that meet the Fed’s

criteria, and the central bank then purchases 95% of the loans to reduce the risk to the bank and enable it to engage in more lending. It’s the first time since the Depression that the Fed has lent directly to companies. Main Street’s goal is to lend to businesses that were successful before the pandemic struck but are now struggling.

a bit tight for the staff to clean up after the end of the day, especially now with the clean up taking longer. You want to clean up good and sanitize.” He said one of his employees became stranded at work recently when they were trying to leave the restaurant at 9.45pm, only to be told they could not move. Mr Carlino said his lawyer had to call someone in authority to help his employee leave the premises. Mike Cahill, general manger of Spritz Restaurant & Bar, said of the opening hours extension: “This is brilliant. It gives us an extra hour’s business. We have been closing at the time we had to close at 8pm. It will definitely be a huge increase in revenue for me, because most of our business is done between 7pm and 11pm.”

Monday, July 20, 2020, PAGE 3

NIB: Over 7,000 jobless benefit claims ‘stalled’ THE National Insurance Board (NIB) is urging more than 7,000 approved unemployment benefit (UEB) claimants to verify they are still jobless so that payments can be released. The social security system, in a statement, said these benefits - which are paid through its V3 system - were now held up due to non-verification of the claimant’s continued unemployment. Revealing that it has now paid out more than $71m in unemployment benefits related to COVID-19 layoffs to more than 34,000 claimants, NIB said the stalled payments represent the final few weeks of their unemployment benefit. Claimants are normally required to present their unemployment (B81) cards to NIB every four weeks after an interview at the Department of Labour, so that they continue receiving benefits. However, given the need for physical distancing during COVID-19, NIB has altered the verification approach to include emailed confirmations of continued unemployment. To expedite the verification process, NIB said it will be taking three approaches to enable benefits claimants to have their payment streams restored. It explained that they can continue to register/ verify with the Department of Labour’s jobseekers website (https://jobseekers.

bahamas.gov.bs/). Upon registration, claimants must select the ‘UEB verification’ option on the unemployment benefit dropdown box at the bottom of the form. The Department of Labour will e-mail a listing of all unemployment verification clients on a daily basis for NIB to update the payment streams. Benefits claimants may also continue to register/ verify with the Department of Labour for an Unemployment Card (B81). The Department of Labour will forward their information to NIB to release payment. And NIB will also be contacting employers, where possible, to confirm the continued lay-off status of stalled claims. NIB also urged employers to informing it of employees who have returned to work by emailing returntowork@nib-bahamas.com, and by promptly submitting the electronic Microsoft Excel contribution (C10) forms to contributions@ nib-bahamas.com. The social security system added that a smaller number of claims were also stalled because contributions were paid by their employers past the date of their last day at work. When contributions are posted for a claimant in this cases, the system requires a manual verification to confirm that the person is not gainfully employed.

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PAGE 4, Monday, July 20, 2020

THE TRIBUNE

Beekeepers gain help over Dorian recovery By DENISE MAYCOCK Tribune Freeport Reporter dmaycock@tribunemedia.net BEEKEEPERS on Grand Bahama have received $20,000 in grant funding from the government to help rebuild their apiary businesses in Hurricane Dorian’s wake, a Cabinet minister said. Senator Kwasi Thompson, minister of state for Grand Bahama, said approval has been granted for a full $300,000 renovation and upgrade at the Ministry of Agriculture Building in downtown Freeport to accommodate the GB Beekeepers Cooperative Society and its 17 members. He added that the apiary

owners suffered major devastation last September when Dorian destroyed their beehives and products. “That was a major setback for the young entrepreneurs, and the government has decided through the Office of the Prime Minister to provide a small business grant for $20,000 for the Beekeepers Cooperative Company because we recognise a number of these young people, with individual businesses, were part of the cooperative,” Mr Thompson said. He added that the government was also providing a location at the Ministry of Agriculture Building to house the cooperative. Work on the

SENATOR Kwasi Thompson annouces government help to rebuild apiary businesses on Grand Bahama. property is expected to start in the next two weeks, and should be completed by fall. “Once completed, it would serve as their home base to sell their wares and build their industry,” the minister added. Michael Pintard, minister of agriculture and marine resources, said the government was also looking at making land accessible to apiary entrepreneurs. “The Ministry of Agriculture has made several commitments with respect to the apiary industry. We fully intend through a lease arrangement to enter into an agreement with the apiary association so they will able to set up their operation,” he said. Mr Pintard said the

location identified at the Ministry of Agriculture building will be one of several sites, including the Bahamas Agricultural and Industrial Corporation (BAIC) complex, for them to sell their products. The government, he added, is also ensuring that these and other local Bahamian producers are supported by the Bahamian business community. “We encourage members of the tourism sector to embrace products being produced. Government has recently agreed that 40 percent of all agricultural products that are going to be sourced by wholesalers, retailers, hotels and other agencies presently importing those items, they must

now get 40 percent of those from local producers,” Mr Pintard said. He added that government agencies which spend on agricultural products are also now mandated by Cabinet to spend 75 cents of every dollar with Bahamian producers. “So this has just exploded on the market for agriculture producers in general, and apiary producers or businesspersons. We are pleased to be a part of this initiative to help provide space immediately, and land in the not too distant future, and also sponsor a series of online courses that can further help develop the sector,” Mr Pintard said. Iram Lewis, minister of

state for disaster preparedness, management and reconstruction, said of the beekeepers: “They encountered a major disaster as a result of Dorian, and minister Pintard at the Ministry of Agriculture is providing a resilient structure that will go a long way in putting them in a resilient environment.” Tyrie Moss, chairman of the GB Beekeepers Cooperative Society Ltd, said: “We had individual businesses in our cooperative who lost everything - not just businesses, but homes. And with the strain on the government resources, you have lived up to and continue to work with us, and we greatly appreciate it.”

South Andros resort in November return By YOURI KEMP Tribune Business Reporter ykemp@tribunemedia.net A SOUTH Andros resort has joined a 500-member luxury hotel association as it readies for a November 1 opening following renovations underway amid the COVD-19 pandemic. Wilfried Vincent, general manager of the Tiamo

Resort, confirmed to Tribune Business that the property has joined the Relais & Chateaux association. He said: “For the guests this means a dream will be fulfilled. When you look at the Relais & Chateaux it is all world-class for the restaurant, so I hope it will be well received next year with the first Relais & Chateaux brand

in The Bahamas.” Relais & Châteaux is an association of individuallyowned and operated hotels and restaurants, with more than 500 members in 60 countries. “For the marketing of the Relais & Chateaux brand, it is a very high-held brand with very high-end luxury restaurant services,” Mr Vincent added. “It is top

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Office Relocation Notice We wish to advise our valued clients and stakeholders that Lombard Odier & Cie (Bahamas) Limited will be relocating our local office from Goodman’s Bay Corporate Centre to Lyford Cay House effective August 3rd, 2020. Please note that our telephone numbers and email contacts remain unchanged.

Lyford Cay House

Thank you for your continued support and we look forward to seeing you at our new address: Lombard Odier & Cie (Bahamas) Limited Lyford Cay House 3rd Floor P.O. Box N-4938 Tel: 302-2100 Western Road New Providence Bahamas

quality, with the best service and a product like an a-la-carte menu, fresh food every day from the farms on the island and the sea. It’s a very broad clientele from around the world. “On August 1 we will officially have the sign in front of the resort. Unfortunately we cannot open because the business is very tricky, but for us it is not a big problem because we are doing renovations and we will be ready to open on November 1.” He continued: “We already started our renovations now because the resort has been closed from the end of March, so it will

be a brand new hotel from November 1. From March 25, due to the pandemic, we closed the resort with 100 percent cancellations. “We refunded a lot of bookings. It was terrible for our repeat guests, especially during spring and now for summer. Our clientele are from Europe; central and eastern Europe was locked down. Now the problem is from the US, as Europeans don’t want to cross and transit to the US. So I decided to re-open on November 1 for a new season and fingers crossed. I hope we can find a real solution for The COVID-19.” Mr Vincent added: “We

are on-site now with seven persons. We never go outside of South Andros, and have not left South Andros since March. We started out renovations slowly. This week we will start to refurbish all of our swimming pools as well as add new technologies in rooms, like tablets for the guests, because there is no more paper due to COVID-19 regulations. “This is going to be a step-by-step. It is not possible to tell you all of what we have planned because I won’t share the surprise when it’s done at the reopening date on November 1.”

THE TRIBUNE

US travel shut down ‘low-risk proposition’

FROM PAGE ONE now firmly tied to the latter’s success, Mr Beckles said: “It’s a low-risk proposition. Look at the season we’re going into now. It’s a net-net. To close the borders now is less of a risk because we’re going into the slower season. “If we’re going to take a risk, we’re taking it at the best possible time. We’re in a rather quiet part of the season on some fronts. We have to take the initiative now to protect the greater good. It’s painful but necessary. It’s absolutely necessary.” The prime minister, in his national address yesterday, indicated he would not hesitate to reimpose restrictive measures that shut down economic activity to protect lives and the Bahamian healthcare system from becoming overburdened by a surge in COVID-19 cases. “The world will be in this cycle of opening up, reviewing community spread, and tightening up again for quite some time. You must be prepared for this. The Bahamas must be prepared for this,” Dr Minnis warned businesses and residents. “We are trying to get Bahamians back to work and to promote economic activity, while also limiting the spread of the virus. We are trying to open parts of our economy and our society, while promoting and requiring health measures to protect lives. “I understand the frustration and the disappointment of many Bahamians and residents that may ensue as we re-implement certain restrictions. But as a country we have to do what is right and necessary. If we do not take these measures now, we will pay a higher and deadlier price later.” Many have blamed the recent local surge in COVID-19 infections on Bahamians travelling abroad following the July 1 border re-opening and then bringing the virus back with them. Mr Beckles said the prime minister’s move emphasised “the level of attention that has to be paid to the impact of this virus. “It’s critical that we all understand that the best way out of this, and to get through this, is going to be increased cooperation,” he added. “Realistically, we cannot afford for their to

be less than a totally collaborative effort by every citizen and in every space we’re in. That’s how seriously it has to be taken. “The fact Atlantis has delayed its re-opening speaks to the serious impact this virus is having on economies around the world, and tourism-dependent markets like ours. We have Florida, a huge market for us, being inundated with cases. We cannot turn a blind eye to that. “The burden lies on all of us. It takes healthy people to have a robust, active economy. I think everyone would agree that the beating we took in the early months of the shutdown was not fun, so we have to comply with the orders put in place for our protection,” Mr Beckles continued. “The actions of the few impact the lives of the many, and that’s why we’re calling on Bahamians to hear the message, be more responsible and if you don’t have to travel there are benefits to be had from supporting local businesses in a safe environment.” Dr Minnis, meanwhile, imposed extra measures on Grand Bahama in response to that island suffering the worst increase inn COVID19 measures following the border re-opening. Domestic air and sea travel, as well as international, will be closed, with the Prime Minister warning that another lockdown may be imposed come Friday if there is no improvement. One business community source, speaking on condition of anonymity, yesterday told Tribune Business: “We cannot do another lockdown. If we do another lockdown we’ll never re-open. It’s very, very serious.” Carey Leonard, the Freeport-based Callenders & Co attorney, said Grand Bahama’s problems also stemmed from the relative lack of COVID-19 testing and contact tracing that was being conducted by the Ministry of Health. “As far as I’m concerned it will get worse,” Mr Leonard said. “Nassau is going to have the same problem sooner or later without proper testing and tracing. Then the only way to do deal with it is to keep locking people down all the time, and that’s the way to ruin a country’s economy... Opening up to the US made no sense at all.”

PUBLIC NOTICE

INTENT TO CHANGE NAME BY DEED POLL The Public is hereby advised that I, JENNIFER SUZAN BAIN, of #15 Lillian Court in the Bahama Reef Yacht & Country Club Subdivision, P.O. Box F40204, Freeport, Grand Bahama, Bahamas, intend to change my name to JENNIFER SUZAN HIELD. If there are any objections to this change of name by deed poll, you may write such objections to the Chief Passport Officer, P.O. Box N-742, Nassau, Bahamas no later than Thirty (30) days after the date of the publication of this notice.

NOTICE NOTICE is hereby given that BERLINE HERCULE of Charlotte Street, Nassau, Bahamas is applying to the Minister responsible for Nationality and Citizenship, for Registration Naturalization as a citizen of The Bahamas, and that any person who knows any reason why registration/naturalization should not be granted, should send a written and signed statement of the facts within twentyeight days from the 20th day of July, 2020 to the Minister responsible for nationality and Citizenship, P.O. Box N-7147, Nassau, New Providence, The Bahamas.

NOTICE NOTICE is hereby given that TTAHERAH NATAAJAH ADDERLEY of the Settlement of Sandy Point in the Island of Abaco, The Bahamas is applying to the Minister responsible for Nationality and Citizenship, for Registration Naturalization as a citizen of The Bahamas, and that any person who knows any reason why registration/naturalization should not be granted, should send a written and signed statement of the facts within twenty-eight days from the 20th day of July, 2020 to the Minister responsible for nationality and Citizenship, P.O. Box N-7147, Nassau, New Providence, The Bahamas.

Monday, July 20, 2020, PAGE 5

Change may be uncomfortable but we must embrace it

DEMONSTRATORS wearing masks. ACTIVTRADES WEEKLY By RICARDO EVANGELISTA www.activtrades.bs ALTERING habits isn’t easy, there is comfort in routine and change can be painful; we have all experienced, at various points in our lives, the disruption caused by it: the first day at a new school, a relationship break-up, changing jobs, etc. It’s normal to fear change, holding on to what is familiar, even if by doing so we sometimes hold ourselves back from moving on to bigger and better things. Familiarity can generate a false sense of security, so it is important to remain flexible and open minded, particularly when facing new challenges. Often, failing to adapt and evolve results in stagnation and decline. But if transformation is hard for individuals, it is even harder to manage at group level. Altering long-standing social habits normally requires state sponsored campaigns, often

supported by the imposition of penalties to those who refuse to comply. Altering collective behaviour is tricky. I’m old enough to remember the mid-80s, when the use of car seats belts became mandatory in my home country; my parents used to complain about it, saying it was uncomfortable and perhaps even dangerous, increasing the risk of becoming stuck and unable to abandon the vehicle in case of an accident. This may sound ludicrous today, but it took many drivers and passengers a long time to embrace this change and for the use of car seatbelts to become an almost automatic habit. Recently, I noticed something that reminded me of the seat belt story above: The use, or not, of face masks to minimise the risk of spreading and catching the coronavirus. This topic is becoming increasingly controversial. While many of us embraced the use of masks, when out in public, as a natural habit

that will help protect the user as well as everyone else around, others resist this change, arguing it is the result of collective hysteria and that making the use of such protective equipment mandatory infringes on individual freedoms. Without wanting to get into the politics surrounding this subject, I must point out that scientific advice is overwhelmingly in favour of using face masks, so I hope that, until a vaccine is produced, most of us will become accustomed to wearing a mask when out in public, with the same naturalness with which we fasten the car seat belt before driving. The coronavirus pandemic is the most momentous historical event since World War II.

In a relatively short period of time it forced transformations that affected individuals, businesses and governments. The psychological, cultural and economic impact of these changes has been enormous and it is natural for us all to feel unsettled. Humans are naturally inclined to resist change, but this is a time for flexibility. We must adapt our behaviour, embrace the challenge by listening to the experts and following government and scientific advice. The reward for the short-term discomfort of changing old habits will be the saving of lives, as well as livelihoods and, perhaps even a greener and more equal world will emerge, in the aftermath of this crisis.

MARKET REPORT www.bisxbahamas.com

(242) 323-2330

FRIDAY, 17 JULY 2020

(242) 323-2320

ALL SHARE INDEX: CLOSE: 2,090.12 | CHG: 0.54 | %CHG: 0.03 | YTD: -141.48 | YTD%: -6.34 BISX LISTED & TRADED SECURITIES 52WK HI 4.20 22.65 2.00 1.79 2.50 6.00 6.75 5.47 8.59 4.50 6.16 12.77 3.64 5.10 10.88 8.44 16.99 4.25 9.40 15.21

52WK LOW 3.13 20.91 0.67 1.79 1.67 5.40 5.39 2.00 5.05 3.62 5.60 11.05 2.71 2.31 8.00 7.10 13.04 3.20 8.00 13.90

PREFERENCE SHARES 1.00

1.00

1000.00 1000.00 1000.00 1000.00

1.00 10.00 1.00

1.00 10.00 0.90

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

CORPORATE DEBT - (percentage pricing) 52WK HI 100.00 100.00

52WK LOW 100.00 100.00

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

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

SYMBOL LAST CLOSE AML 3.13 APD 17.43 BBL 1.62 BFH 1.79 BOB 1.67 BPF 6.00 BWL 6.75 CAB 2.76 CBB 5.10 CBL 3.83 CHL 6.16 CIB 11.26 CWCB 2.49 DHS 5.10 EMAB 10.09 FAM 8.44 FBB 14.50 FCL 3.80 FIN 8.97 JSJ 15.20 BFHP CAB6 CAB8 CAB9 CAB10 CHLA FBBA FCLB

CLOSE 3.15 17.43 1.62 1.79 1.67 6.00 6.75 2.76 5.05 3.83 6.16 11.26 2.58 5.10 10.13 8.44 14.50 3.80 8.97 15.20

1.00 1000.00 1000.00 1000.00 1000.00 1.00 10.00 0.90

CHANGE 0.02 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 -0.05 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.09 0.00 0.04 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00

1,000 880 8,120

0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00

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

SYMBOL FBB22 BFHB

LAST SALE 100.00 100.00

CLOSE 100.00 100.00

CHANGE 0.00 0.00

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

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

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

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

BAHAMAS GOVERNMENT STOCK - (percentage pricing)

VOLUME 5,000 200

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

VOLUME

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

P/E 13.2 18.7 N/M N/M N/M N/M 18.3 -6.3 36.1 20.8 13.7 15.6 25.3 10.9 15.7 11.6 17.8 18.7 9.6 24.1

YIELD 5.40% 7.23% 1.23% 0.00% 0.00% 0.00% 3.85% 0.00% 0.00% 3.13% 3.57% 6.39% 16.82% 1.18% 3.24% 2.84% 3.72% 3.16% 2.23% 4.01%

0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000

0.00% 0.00% 0.00% 0.00% 0.00% 6.25% 7.00% 6.50%

INTEREST Prime + 1.75% 6.25%

19-Oct-2022 30-Sep-2025

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

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

MATURITY

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

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

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

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

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

MARKET TERMS

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

YIELD - last 12 month dividends divided by closing price

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

Bid $ - Buying price of Colina and Fidelity

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

Ask $ - Selling price of Colina and fidelity

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

Last Price - Last traded over-the-counter price

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

Weekly Vol. - Trading volume of the prior week

Change - Change in closing price from day to day

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

Daily Vol. - Number of total shares traded today

NAV - Net Asset Value

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

N/M - Not Meaningful

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

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

NAV Date

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

PAGE 6, Monday, July 20, 2020

THE TRIBUNE

‘Body blow’ for tourism restart FROM PAGE ONE opening until the US gets a handle on the pandemic.” Mr D’Aguilar disputed suggestions that The Bahamas was too swift to re-open its borders, especially to US visitors and travel by Bahamians in the other direction, arguing that the country had been seeking to strike “the balance” between the health risks and preventing a total economic collapse. Acknowledging that many European states, and countries in the southern Caribbean, had chosen to not encourage travel by American tourists, he argued that The Bahamas’ near-total dependence on the US for more than four out of every five visitors meant it “did not have the luxury” to follow their lead at a time when COVID-19 had initially appeared to be contained in its northern neighbour. “The safest thing to do is nothing,” Mr D’Aguilar said. “At the time when we made the decision [to reopen the borders] in May/ June, Florida and Texas were not in the state they are now. As we have said over and over again, we’re trying to get the balance right and adjust as things unfold. “Everyone can armchair quarterback this decision, but we made one and as events unfold you make adjustments. The key is to make the right decision based on the information you have.... “Clearly, the longer we

take to open the tourism sector, the more impactful it is on our economy. Every delay is a body blow. Unfortunately we are in the throes and grip of a worldwide pandemic we cannot control, and that is continuing to have a deteriorating effect on our economy.” Atlantis, in confirming that it has now abandoned its fifth re-opening date, elected not to give a revised re-opening timeline. However, its website gives an indication of what it is thinking, as it informs potential guests that reservations booked from June 15, 2020, “can be cancelled at no charge up to 72 hours before your scheduled arrival” through to November 20, 2020. That indicates that the Paradise Island destination resort, widely regarded as the flagship brand and property for The Bahamas, is unlikely to reopen for several months until early fall - and possibly as late as the Thanksgiving holiday. The timing will depend heavily on when The Bahamas’ re-opens its borders to US travel and whether that market has COVID-19 under control. Audrey Oswell, Atlantis’ president and managing director, said in a weekend message to guests: “As we all adjust to living and operating in our new normal, one thing that continues to prove constant is change... “While our resort and incredibly professional team members are prepared and trained to welcome guests and ensure the health, safety and

well-being of every individual that walks through our doors, as you are aware, the variables surrounding the COVID-19 virus have not improved. The continuous rise in confirmed COVID19 cases in many of our key US markets has impacted our decision to reopen. “From the onset of the pandemic, the health and safety of our team members, guests and community is our highest priority. For this reason, we are extending Atlantis’ closure for the time being. While we are fuelled by the opportunity to welcome our guests back, we believe that remaining closed is in the best interest of public health at this time.” Ms Oswell said the decision to postpone had “weighed very heavily on our entire Atlantis team”. With Baha Mar, too, not scheduled to re-open until October 2020 at earliest, the move by its Paradise Island rival means that The Bahamas’ two largest resorts and private sector employers will be off-line for at least a further two-and-a-half months if not more. It will also result in the several thousand Bahamians who would have expected to return to work as part of Atlantis’ phase one re-opening having to remain on home on temporary furlough, resulting in continued pressure on the National Insurance Board (NIB) and government for income support and the payment of benefits. While the fiscal impact may be minimised to some extent because the

government’s 2020-2021 budget anticipated no tourism sector revenue contribution until November and the Thanksgiving holiday, the delayed re-opening will also depress purchasing power and disposable income among Atlantis employees. The “ripple effects” will thus be felt throughout the economy, with the move also likely to undermine what fragile business and investor confidence remain. Many other resorts and companies take their cue from Atlantis, and those which supply products and services to the property, and/or cater to their guests, may now be forced into cost cutting measures that include permanent staff terminations. However, Friday’s announcement from Atlantis may have made it easier for the prime minister to yesterday announce the closure of The Bahamas’ borders to international commercial flights travelling between this nation and the US. With both Atlantis and Baha Mar closed, along with other prominent properties such as Sandals Royal Bahamian and Club Med, the loss of business and any reputational damage will be minimised - especially since the move is occurring just as The Bahamas enters the slowest part of its tourism season. “International commercial flights and commercial vessels carrying passengers will not be permitted to enter our borders, except for commercial flights from

AUDREY OSWELL Canada, the UK, and the European Union. This will come into effect as of Wednesday, July 22, 2020 at midnight,” Dr Hubert Minnis said. “Bahamasair will cease outgoing flights to the United States of America, effective immediately.” Some may view the suspension as being more about preventing Bahamians travelling to COVID-19 hot-spots in the US. Private aviation, and boaters and yachters, will still be permitted to enter The Bahamas, which is likely to create some relief for the Family Island economies that have received a muchneeded boost from the tourism restart. Mr D’Aguilar, meanwhile, conceded that the COVID-19 crisis and

economic fall-out will last “probably longer than we thought it would”. He added: “Now nobody knows when it’s really going to be over. Everyone thought the summer would be when we get an abatement of the virus, but it seems like it’s spiralled out of control and we have not got to winter yet when people think it will get worse. “It’s a little disappointing that the situation in the US continues to head in the direction it is, and that is impacting the ability of the tourism sector to bounce back. The bottom line is that until certain states in the US get this pandemic under control, we’re going to continue to suffer sadly. I don’t care what business you’re in right now, you’re going to be impacted.”

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THE TRIBUNE

Monday, July 20, 2020, PAGE 7

Bay Street sees 80% income loss extended longer FROM PAGE ONE

ARAWAK CAY

Arawak Cay just 25% recovered pre-new closure FROM PAGE ONE

“We have to leave it up to the wisdom of the Prime Minister and his health team to ensure this pandemic does not spread in The Bahamas. I guess he may have information that I’m not aware of. It’s like a war and we all have to play our part.” Mr Russell lamented the fact that neither himself nor any vendor or member of the Association had been consulted, or asked to provide feedback and input, before the government took its decision to close Fish Fry again just weeks after permitting

YOUR

it to re-open - albeit with no indoor dining. He added that the key to determining how restaurants, vendors and their staff will be impacted by the latest shutdown lies in how long it lasts, with the effects felt far beyond their businesses. “How long we are shut down will determine how many of us bounce back,” Mr Russell told this newspaper. “Some have not bounced back yet from the previous shutdown. This is a bigger bounce back now. “The foreign fast food entities are rolling, no problem with them. The problem is with the local entities that take care of the fishermen and farmers. They sell fruits and fish to Fish Fry. All their businesses will stop as well. “All those persons will be affected as well, including the liquor merchant, the ice supplier and the liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) guy. When you close Fish Fry you only see Fish Fry, but what you don’t see and understand are all those other people who will be affected.” Mr Russell said he had

already been warning, and preparing, Association members to brace for hard months ahead as unemployment and reduced incomes stemming from the COVID19 pandemic were slashing consumer spending at the Fish Fry. “I think it’s going to be extremely hard come October. Some of us may not survive,” he said. “We’re expecting tough times to come based on what we’re seeing now. We only have Friday, Saturday and Sunday when there’s a little activity. Monday to Thursday, this place is quiet. Business is almost nil. “We are only running at 25 percent. We have got to about 25 percent, and that’s only on Friday, Saturday and Sunday provided there is no rain. We’ve lost 75 percent of our business. I am now at Arawak Cay, and as I look around I don’t see any business at all. I can seem some vehicles parked in a few places, but there are a lot of empty spaces. Nothing is happening today.”

CHOICE FOR THE FAMILY WWW.FACEBOOK.COM/JOYFM1019

the right balance between being locked down and opened up. It doesn’t look good now, it really doesn’t.” The CDC’s action, in extending a ‘no sail’ order that was due to expire on July 24, pushes the cruise industry’s sailing resumption back at least two weeks beyond the September 15 suspension it previously announced voluntarily through the Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA). “In line with CLIA’s announcement of voluntary suspension of operation by its member companies, CDC has extended its ‘no sail’ order to ensure that passenger operations on cruise ships do not resume prematurely,” the US regulator said. “Cumulative CDC data from March 1 through July 10, 2020, shows 2,973 COVID-19 or COVID-like illness cases on cruise ships, in addition to 34 deaths. These cases were part of 99 outbreaks on 123 different cruise ships. “During this timeframe, 80 percent of ships were affected by COVID-19. As of July 3, nine of the 49 ships under the ‘no sail’ order have ongoing or resolving outbreaks. According to US Coast Guard data, as of July 10, 2020, there are 67 ships with 14,702 crew onboard.” The CDC then made clear its concern that cruise ships are a floating breeding ground for COVID-19 to spread rapidly, especially given how congested they are at full occupancy and how frequently crew members and passengers interact

among themselves and with each other. “On cruise ships, passengers and crew share spaces that are more crowded than most urban settings,” the CDC added. “Even when only essential crew are on board, ongoing spread of COVID-19 still occurs. “If unrestricted cruise ship passenger operations were permitted to resume, passengers and crew on board would be at increased risk of COVID-19 infection and those that work or travel on cruise ships would place substantial unnecessary risk on healthcare workers, port personnel and federal partners (Customs and Border Protection and the US Coast Guard), and the communities they return to.” The local effect of the CDC’s order means a longer period with minimal to zero income for Bay Street and downtown Nassau merchants; tour operators, excursion and attraction providers; restaurants; taxi drivers; straw vendors; hair braiders and all others that rely on the cruise industry for their income and livelihoods. And that was before the prime minister yesterday announced that all commercial passenger vessels travelling between the US and The Bahamas will not be permitted to pass this nation’s borders. That will have minimal commercial impact at present, given the cruise industry’s shutdown, with the main effect likely to fall on the Balearia ferry service thought to have brought back many COVID-19 infected Bahamians from Florida. Mr Klonaris, meanwhile, said cruise industry-dependent businesses now face

having to hang on for even longer as a result of the CDC’s action. “The only encouraging thing is Global Ports Holding are moving ahead with the port development,” he told Tribune Business. “Then you have The Pointe and Margaritaville; I don’t know the timeframe for when they will be open, but it looks pretty close - maybe at the end of the year. You have the US Embassy well underway with the construction. “Those are some very positive points for the city, but how we cope between now and then, when these things come to fruition, will be very difficult. Everyone should try and keep going, but it’s a real conundrum,” Mr Klonaris continued. “I expect some of the businesses are not going to return. I think that’s going to be obvious. There are some that are not going to survive this shut down of the city. I don’t know what effect that will have on retail and office space, but it will have some effect, especially on leases that come up for negotiation in these difficult times. Hopefully those that do come through come through stronger than before.” Mr Klonaris said “just a handful of stores” were open when he walked down Bay Street last week, and added: “I just hope that by the end of the year, I wouldn’t say back to normal, but I would hope the city is functioning by 70 percent. “There will be those that won’t survive, but hopefully there will be a sufficient amount to revive the city and, by November, it will be a reasonably thriving city of Nassau. I don’t see it happening before November, and that’s a long shutdown. “It might be a lesson on how the industry depends on just one industry for survival. That’s a problem we may never get rid of. The banks moved out of the city, and they provided the high net worth individuals that supported the restaurants. Now the city is just tourist-oriented.”

PAGE 8, Monday, July 20, 2020

THE TRIBUNE

UAE’s Amal spacecraft rockets toward Mars in Arab world 1st TOKYO Associated Press A UNITED Arab Emirates spacecraft rocketed away today on a seven-month journey to Mars, kicking off the Arab world’s first interplanetary mission. The liftoff of the Mars orbiter named Amal, or Hope, from Japan marked the start of a rush to fly to Earth’s neighbor that includes attempts by China and the United States. The UAE said its Amal was functioning after launch as it heads toward Mars. Omran Sharaf, the project director of Emirates Mars Mission, told journalists in Dubai about an hour and a half after the liftoff that the probe was sending signals. Sharaf said his team now would examine the data, but everything appeared good for now. People cheered and clapped, with one woman with offering a celebratory cry common for weddings. Hope is set to reach Mars in February 2021, the year the UAE celebrates 50 years

IN this image made from MHI’s youtube channel, the H-IIA rocket with United Arab Emirates’ Mars orbiter Hope lifts off from Tanegashima Space Center in Minamitane, southern Japan today. Photo: MHI/AP since the country’s formation. said the probe has been suc- white kandora robes and It blasted off from the cessfully separated from the women in their black abayas Tanegashima Space Center rocket and is now on its solo watched transfixed as the on a small southern Japa- journey. The launch had been rocket lifted off. As its stages nese island aboard a delayed for five days because separated, a cheer went out from a group of Emirati men Mitsubishi Heavy Industries’ of stormy weather. H-IIA rocket, on time at 6:58 At Mohammed bin Rashid seated on the floor. They a.m. (2158 GMT Sunday) Space Center in Dubai, Emi- began clapping, one using his into the blue sky. Mitsubishi rati men in their traditional face mask due to the coronavirus pandemic to wipe away a tear. “It was great to see everything going according to schedule today. It looks like things are all on track. It’s a huge step in terms of space exploration to have a nation like the UAE taking that giant leap to send a spacecraft to Mars,” Astronomer Fred Watson said. “Being on route to a planet like Mars is an exceptional achievement.” A newcomer in space development, the UAE has successfully put three Earth observation satellites into orbit. Two were developed by South Korea and launched by

Russia, and a third — its own — was launched by Japan. A successful Hope mission to Mars would be a major step for the oil-dependent economy seeking a future in space, coming less than a year after the launch of the first UAE astronaut, Hazzaa Ali Almansoori. He spent over a week at the International Space Station last fall. The UAE has set a goal to build a human colony on Mars by 2117. “It sends a very strong message to the Arab youth that if the UAE is able to reach Mars in less than 50 years, they could do much more,” Omran Sharaf, the project director of Emirates Mars Mission, told The Associated Press yesterday as his colleagues prepared for the launch. The Emiratis involved in the programme also acknowledged it represented a step forward for the Arab world, the home of mathematicians and scientists for centuries before the wars and chaos that have gripped wide swathes of it in recent times. “So the region has been going through tough times in the past decades, if not centuries,” Sharaf said. “Now we have the case of the UAE, a country that’s moving forward with its plans, looking at the future and the future of region also.” For its first Mars mission, the UAE chose partners instead of doing it all on its own. “Developing a spacecraft is not easy even if there is ample funding,” said Junya Terazono, an astronomer at Aizu University. Emirati scientists worked with researchers at the University of Colorado Boulder, University of California, Berkeley and Arizona State

University. The spacecraft was assembled at Boulder and transported to Japan as the two countries looked to expand their ties with the rich and politically stable Middle Eastern nation. The Amal spacecraft, along with its launch, cost $200m, according to Omran Sharaf, the UAE project manager. Operation costs at Mars have yet to be divulged. Amal, about the size of a small car, carries three instruments to study the upper atmosphere and monitor climate change while circling the red planet for at least two years. It is set to follow up on NASA’s Maven orbiter sent to Mars in 2014 to study how it went from a warm, wet world that may have harbored microbial life during its first billion years, to the cold, barren place of today. Hope also plans to send back images of weather changes. Japan, a US ally, has already long collaborated in defense and space technology. Resource-poor Japan has traditionally kept friendly ties with Middle Eastern countries. In recent years, Japan has increasingly stepped up trade and defense ties with the UAE, and now seeks to expand its space business. Two other Mars missions are planned in the coming days by the US and China. The US plans to send a rover named Perseverance to search for signs of ancient life and collect rock and soil samples for return to Earth. Liftoff is targeted for July 30. China aims to explore Mars with an orbiter and rover to study the planet’s surface, and search for water and ice. This launch is set for around July 23. Japan has its own Mars mission planned in 2024.

THE TRIBUNE

Monday, July 20, 2020, PAGE 9

GM CEO expects virus to ebb, economic recovery by early 2021

GENERAL Motors Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Mary Barra. Photo: Paul Sancya/AP DETROIT Associated Press THE auto business used to be pretty simple. Crank out vehicles that people want to buy and collect profits. It’s gotten a whole lot more complicated since Mary Barra took over as CEO of General Motors in 2014. She has cut costs and streamlined management, closed factories and sold off money-losing operations in Europe, partly in preparation for the next downturn. Thanks to the coronavirus, it’s here. Barra talked with The Associated Press about steering GM through the crisis. Answers are edited for length and clarity. Q: Coronavirus cases are rising, and you’re going to cancel the third shift at a factory in Wentzville, Missouri, because you don’t have enough workers. Are you worried that factories could be shut down again? A: If you step back to March, and even before then, we had a lot of learnings from China, from Korea and the United States. We believe we do a very good job of keeping people safe by reducing the possibility that someone with COVID can enter our plants. And then all the work we do within the facilities to prevent the spread. We took time and we trained everybody. People understood that we’re working hard to keep the environment safe for them. One of the things we’re trying to do now is really encourage people to use those same protocols when they’re not at work. They’re wearing masks, they’re handwashing, hand sanitizer and that they’re social distancing. We feel that we’ve got a safe environment at work. At Wentzville, one of the things we do is screen. We are taking the precaution to say that you need to quarantine until we know that you don’t have the virus. I’ve been at ten plants since we started back up, and I’m continuing to go to plants. When I talk to people, they understand the protocol. To a person, they tell me I feel safer here than I do at the grocery store. Q: Does it concern you that states might go back to stay-home orders? A: We are watching everything very carefully. The conversation I’ve had with many different officials is they understand with the protocols that people are safe at work. I think we’re seeing steps being taken across many of these areas with lessons learned about

maybe what worked well in reopenings and what didn’t. In Michigan now you see the requirement that people wear masks. I think you’re seeing steps being taken in more places. That allows the numbers to go back down and we start on the road to recovery. Q: Do you think auto sales are going to get back to normal anytime soon, in the US and globally? A: We are seeing a recovery. We think it’s going to be a relatively short-lived recession. But we have a long way to go because we went to a pretty low base. The new outbreaks do pose potential setbacks, but we’re hopeful that the US economy will be back to 90% of pre-pandemic levels early next year. There’s a lot of uncertainty. Q: After George Floyd’s death, you took a strong stance to fight racism. Usually companies don’t do this. In today’s politically charged atmosphere, are you worried about alienating some customers? A: We felt it warranted a very strong statement, but more than words: actions. That’s why we formed the Inclusion Advisory Board. And we’ll have our first meeting yet this month. I’m very proud of General Motors’ leadership in supplier diversity, dealer diversity. We have over a dozen employee resource groups. And so we look at all the work we’ve done, what we want to do now is build on that. We want to create an inclusive environment where everybody can bring their true self to work, because we believe that is what really empowers people and leads to the most engaged workforce. It’s hard to argue against wanting to create an environment where everybody can be themselves. Q: Tesla has said it has 400 miles of battery range on some of its vehicles. Is that within reach for for General Motors? A: A lot of the customer research we’ve done, we know 300 mile range is a sweet spot. With the flexibility of the Ultium platform, we have the capability to go higher than 300. We’ll be looking at what the value equation is for the customer.

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UNVEILING DORIAN VICTIMS MEMORIAL July 14th, 2020 10am Sir Jack Hayward Bridge SStG Speech

Each Anniversary of Independence, we honour our forefathers for their invaluable contribution to building this small, but great and proud Sovereign Nation, The Bahamas. But we have been through much over the past 10 months and in paying tribute to our founding fathers, we thought it fitting to honour and remember all those who were so cruelly taken from us by the most destructive hurricane ever recorded in our island, in our time. The unveiling of this monument is to commemorate all those who tragically perished on Grand Bahama in Hurricane Dorian; the 31 lives lost, those we laid to rest and those still missing. We’ve all been deeply affected by the devastation, and we have weathered many storms, but none in which so much human life was sacrificed. In a way this follows from the Ecumenical Church service we held at the Jubilee Cathedral, just before Christmas, with Reverend Dr. Lockhart, Bishop Godfrey Williams, Cecil Thompson and Lady Henrietta. All of us wanted to create a lasting Memorial, but there, and with other distinguished representatives of the clergy, we all agreed it should take the form of a Cross, yes – a symbol of pain and suffering, but also a symbol of Faith, Hope, Love and most importantly a symbol of Eternal Life. On behalf of the Grand Bahama Port Authority, I’d like again, to express our sorrow for all the families still mourning the loss of their loved ones, and for those who are still displaced, or struggling to rebuild their homes and lives. But where there is rebuilding, we are seeing a new freshness return - in other words, signs of rebirth and resurrection. Because Hurricane Dorian mainly affected us & Abaco only, we’ve sometimes felt isolated in our trauma. On top of this, we now share a new burden with everyone else on the planet, as we find ourselves in the middle of COVID-19, and at the mercy of this invisible virus. These last months have been unprecedented in the world as we know it. But we’ve not wavered and we will rise from this too. The Cross was designed and hand-crafted by artist by Jacqui Boss, who also created our striking Mural of the Four Relay Olympian Gold Medalists at Settler’s Way Roundabout. It was set by Rodney Davermand and I’d like to thank them both. In this Cross, we see the solid pillar of faith, balance and dignified strength. We also see in it, a gateway, an open interior to welcome the air and light inside itself. It’s a lovely metaphor for strength and gentleness, for belief and openness, and for resilience - not in holding back the forces of nature, but in allowing them to blow through us, and leave us standing. We see the Light on the Horizon to Infinity. In the demure decoration, we can see our famously beautiful Sea and Sky, in a mosaic of blues; a bright, clear and serene blue, with glimpses of a more stormy and serious facet, in the depth of the Navy Blue. The graduation of blues depicts the souls of the departed being carried by the Hand of God from the sea safely up to Heaven. So the light and the mosaic render this, not so much a mausoleum, as a mirror to the future. Independence is a time for reflection. When we remember how far we’ve come, we find the Will to go forward. And it is also right we should celebrate the many miracles of our survival – hundreds of lives saved, care and compassion, aid from our international friends far and wide. And in that vein, we sponsored the Grand Bahama Rebirth Committee led by Lechea Charles (a hurricane survivor), in a celebration of our local heroes at Port Lucaya Marketplace, when it reopened last October. So why is the monument right here? Well, the earliest rescue efforts on jet skis were from these bridges over the waterway. East of this bridge were those who were the most tragically hit. The cross is placed here so all who pass this way evermore, will have pause for thought. It stands small and humble, but proudly exposed to the elements, easily visible, and accessible to everyone. That was the objective. In the immediate aftermath of Hurricane Dorian, when the wind was still howling at a dangerous Cat 1, 75 - 95 mph, many of our gatekeepers left the safety their homes, and put their own lives at risk to save others. Who can ever forget the images of those heroic figures on jet-skis, on boats, in loaders, soaked to the skin, battling wind, rain and sea to rescue people they perhaps had never met before? It will forever be engraved on our hearts. Those heroes showed the world what it means to be part of OUR community. A true manifestation of Love Thy Neighbour. And CNN and the world, couldn’t believe their eyes. The courage, and spirit of these lion-hearted individuals filled us all with pride. Again I just want to say to them: What you did will never be forgotten. Thank you. Some of the incredible stories of survival and grief have been recorded in an exciting new book, just published, called “The Water Has Come” by Grand Bahamian author Keldra Pinder. And we have preview copies here today. Now let’s recognize and pray for those among us today who suffered the terrible loss of a child, little Omarion 7 years old, twins Aaron and Adam 3 year old, Matteo, Remelle, Philip, the loss of a beloved wife, husband, a mother or father, a sister or brother, some a whole family. Here with us, Donreka & Doneka Munnings, May Loise & May Dawn Cooper, Barry Thomas, Philip and Remilda Thomas, Raquel Smith, Franklyn Pinder, Pastor Israel Pinder, Pastor Jenese Pinder, Margaret Lang, Dorie Cooper, Howard Armstrong; this cross is for you and your families. And let’s also pause and reflect on the blessing of family, friends and community, and the soul of our churches. And the work of all Government, hospital and humanitarian organisations here. Those in uniform; the Police Force and the Defence Force. Let’s also remember our neighbors and relations in Abaco. I believe monuments such as these help to connect us even more powerfully. We know it’s through love and kindness to one another that we’ll see the promise of a brighter future. But I hope too, it will provide some closure to this turbulent chapter and give us renewed unity and hope, as we mark the 47th year of Independence. To quote; “Sometimes He parts the Sea for us, sometimes He walks on water and carries us through, and sometimes He just hushes the storm. Where it seems there is no way, He will make a Way—“ In closing, today, this Cross reminds us we stand shoulder to shoulder with the families that have lost their loved ones, and to remember those departed, far far too soon, and those still missing whom we may never see again in this life – May their Souls Rest in Peace! SStG

THE TRIBUNE

Monday, July 20, 2020, PAGE 11

CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE IN THE LIVES OF THE CHILDREN AT RANFURLY

he Ranfurly Homes for Children has been a safe haven for thousands of Bahamian children since 1956. The Home provides a safe, structured environment for children who have been orphaned, abused, neglected or abandoned. YOU can make a difference in the lives of the children at Ranfurly. With your support children can have nutritious food, warm beds and a safe environment where they can discover the joy of being children. For years the children living and learning at Ranfurly have made great social and academic strides. Their further development requires additional support in the form of a Transitional Home, planned for construction on the Ranfurly property. This residence will cater to teenagers and young adults who are beyond school age, but need accommodation while they find work and gain independence from the Home. We look forward to your continued support in this worthwhile endeavour.

MEMBERSHIP PACKAGES Individuals, Families & Corporate Sponsors Children Helping Children - $5 (Individual children from ages 6 - 18) Individuals Helping Children - $50 (Individual adults 18 years and over) Families Helping Children - $100

CIRCLE of FRIENDS Silver: $1,500 - $2,499 Gold: $2,500 - $4,999 Platinum: $5,000 plus

OPPORTUNITIES • • • •

Invitations to Ranfurly events Assist with fundraising events Involvement with special activities Adults are eligible to join the Board after three months • Stay in touch with Ranfurly through website and newsletters

BENEFITS

• Personal fulfillment in knowing you are impacting lives • Ranfurly children’s appreciation and positive response • Continued support provides stability and constant care

For more information visit: www.ranfurlyhome.org Please “Like” us on Facebook Ranfurly Home for Children, Mackey Street P.O. Box 1413 Nassau, Bahamas 242-393-3115

PAGE 12, Monday, July 20, 2020

THE TRIBUNE

EU LEADERS EXTEND SUMMIT AS THEY HAGGLE OVER BUDGET, VIRUS BRUSSELS Associated Press

EUROPEAN Union leaders on Saturday extended their summit by an extra day in the hope they were finally closing in on a deal for an unprecedented 1.85 trillion euro ($2.1tn) EU budget and coronavirus recovery fund. A deal was still far off, but several key nations said negotiations were at least heading in the right direction despite anxieties that were running high after months of battling the pandemic. Heading into a balmy summer night, those tensions were showing when German Chancellor Angela

Merkel and French President Emmanuel Macron got up and walked out of a meeting with the socalled Frugal Four group of wealthy northern nations that want to limit grants and impose strict conditions on mostly southern nations that have suffered most from the pandemic. “A few people ran off,” acknowledged Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte, who is considered the leader of the Frugals. When asked if it was Merkel and Macron, he said: “Yes, precisely. So we didn’t get a breakthrough tonight.” The Franco-German alliance is seen as key to any major deal within the

27-nation EU. When asked what he thought, Rutte said: “They run off in a bad mood. We will continue tomorrow.” It was typical of two full days and almost two full nights of discussions by EU leaders, oscillating between raw irritation over how the huge sums should be spent and what strings should be attached and a glimmer of hope that somehow a deal could materialise — if not this weekend, then at least within a few weeks. “Things are moving in the right direction,” said Austrian Chancellor Sebastian Kurz. “It it is of course, as you would expect, a tough struggle, a tough negotiation,

but we’re moving in the right direction, and that is the most important thing.” Rutte showed some hope, too. “The fact that we continue talking shows we all have optimism. But if we will succeed, we have to wait and see.” The leaders are dealing with their toughest crisis in years, one that has burdened the bloc with its worst recession ever. The pandemic has sent the EU into a tailspin and around 135,000 of its citizens have died from COVID-19. The EU executive has proposed a 750 billioneuro fund, partly based on common borrowing, to be sent as loans and grants to

the most needy countries. That comes on top of the seven-year one trillion-euro EU budget that leaders were fighting over even before the virus slammed their continent. Despite the urgency and seriousness of the crisis, there were deep rifts between some richer nations in the north, led by the Netherlands, which want strict controls on spending, and struggling southern nations like Spain and Italy, which have been especially hit hard by the pandemic and are looking for as much help as they can get. Michel’s latest proposals reduced the proportion of grants in the rescue package

THE WEATHER REPORT

5-Day Forecast

TODAY

ORLANDO

High: 91° F/33° C Low: 76° F/24° C

TAMPA

TUESDAY

WEDNESDAY

THURSDAY

FRIDAY

Partly sunny with a thunderstorm

Partly cloudy with a thunderstorm

Periods of sun, a t‑storm in spots

Some sun with a shower

Some sun, a shower; winds subsiding

Clouds and sun, a t‑storm; breezy

High: 88°

Low: 78°

High: 88° Low: 77°

High: 89° Low: 77°

AccuWeather RealFeel

97° F

85° F

97°-84° F

98°-83° F

98°-84° F

100°-84° F

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

almanac

ABACO

High: 86° F/30° C Low: 82° F/28° C

8‑16 knots

High: 86° F/30° C Low: 80° F/27° C

7‑14 knots

FT. LAUDERDALE

FREEPORT

High: 87° F/31° C Low: 80° F/27° C

W S

WEST PALM BEACH

uV inDex toDay

TONIGHT

High: 95° F/35° C Low: 77° F/25° C

High: 89° F/32° C Low: 74° F/23° C

MIAMI

High: 89° F/32° C Low: 80° F/27° C

7‑14 knots

KEY WEST

High: 89° F/32° C Low: 80° F/27° C

High: 88° F/31° C Low: 78° F/26° C

High: 87° F/31° C Low: 82° F/28° C

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

tiDes For nassau Low

Ht.(ft.)

Today

8:08 a.m. 8:38 p.m.

High

Ht.(ft.) 2.6 3.4

2:23 a.m. 2:12 p.m.

0.3 0.0

Tuesday

8:55 a.m. 9:22 p.m.

2.7 3.5

3:07 a.m. 2:59 p.m.

0.2 0.0

Wednesday 9:43 a.m. 10:08 p.m.

2.8 3.5

3:51 a.m. 3:48 p.m.

0.1 0.0

Thursday

10:32 a.m. 10:55 p.m.

2.9 3.5

4:36 a.m. 4:39 p.m.

0.0 0.0

Friday

11:24 a.m. 11:44 p.m.

3.0 3.3

5:22 a.m. 5:33 p.m.

0.0 0.1

Saturday

12:18 p.m. ‑‑‑‑‑

3.1 ‑‑‑‑‑

6:10 a.m. 6:30 p.m.

0.0 0.3

Sunday

12:36 a.m. 1:16 p.m.

3.1 3.1

7:01 a.m. 7:32 p.m.

0.0 0.5

sun anD moon Sunrise Sunset

6:32 a.m. 8:00 p.m.

Moonrise Moonset

6:16 a.m. 8:18 p.m.

New

First

Full

Last

Jul. 20

Jul. 27

Aug. 3

Aug. 11

CAT ISLAND

High: 86° F/30° C Low: 81° F/27° C

8‑16 knots

8‑16 knots Shown is today’s weather. Temperatures are today’s highs and tonight’s lows.

Statistics are for Nassau through 2 p.m. yesterday Temperature High ................................................... 88° F/31° C Low .................................................... 79° F/26° C Normal high ....................................... 88° F/31° C Normal low ........................................ 75° F/24° C Last year’s high ................................. 91° F/33° C Last year’s low ................................... 75° F/24° C Precipitation As of 2 p.m. yesterday ................................. 0.00” Year to date ............................................... 28.00” Normal year to date ................................... 17.46”

ELEUTHERA

NASSAU

and raise the proportion of loans that would have to be paid back, in an apparent enticement for the Frugals. But the issue of how to track the rescue money remained the key sticking point, Rutte said. Michel proposed a measure that would stop short of allowing any country a veto on how governments spend the money and Rutte said that was still up for discussions Sunday. Kurz said major issues still under discussion include linking rule of law guarantees in EU nations to the allocation of funds to member states. Hungary has threatened to veto any such move.

ANDROS

SAN SALVADOR

GREAT EXUMA

High: 87° F/31° C Low: 80° F/27° C

High: 87° F/31° C Low: 82° F/28° C

High: 88° F/31° C Low: 80° F/27° C

W S

LONG ISLAND

tracking map

High: 87° F/31° C Low: 79° F/26° C

8‑16 knots

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

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

CROOKED ISLAND / ACKLINS RAGGED ISLAND High: 86° F/30° C Low: 81° F/27° C

High: 87° F/31° C Low: 81° F/27° C

GREAT INAGUA High: 89° F/32° C Low: 81° F/27° C

N E

10‑20 knots

8‑16 knots

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

Today: Tuesday: Today: Tuesday: Today: Tuesday: Today: Tuesday: Today: Tuesday: Today: Tuesday: Today: Tuesday: Today: Tuesday: Today: Tuesday: Today: Tuesday: Today: Tuesday: Today: Tuesday: Today: Tuesday:

WINDS E at 7‑14 Knots ESE at 7‑14 Knots E at 8‑16 Knots E at 7‑14 Knots ESE at 8‑16 Knots E at 8‑16 Knots E at 8‑16 Knots E at 8‑16 Knots E at 8‑16 Knots E at 8‑16 Knots E at 8‑16 Knots ESE at 8‑16 Knots E at 8‑16 Knots E at 8‑16 Knots E at 8‑16 Knots E at 8‑16 Knots ESE at 10‑20 Knots E at 8‑16 Knots E at 8‑16 Knots E at 8‑16 Knots ESE at 7‑14 Knots E at 7‑14 Knots E at 10‑20 Knots E at 8‑16 Knots E at 8‑16 Knots E at 8‑16 Knots

WAVES 3‑5 Feet 3‑5 Feet 1‑3 Feet 2‑4 Feet 3‑5 Feet 3‑5 Feet 4‑7 Feet 3‑6 Feet 3‑5 Feet 3‑6 Feet 1‑3 Feet 2‑4 Feet 1‑3 Feet 1‑3 Feet 4‑7 Feet 3‑6 Feet 3‑5 Feet 3‑5 Feet 4‑7 Feet 4‑7 Feet 1‑3 Feet 2‑4 Feet 3‑6 Feet 3‑5 Feet 2‑4 Feet 2‑4 Feet

VISIBILITY 6 Miles 6 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles 6 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles 5 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles

WATER TEMPS. 84° F 84° F 87° F 86° F 84° F 84° F 86° F 86° F 82° F 82° F 84° F 84° F 86° F 85° F 86° F 86° F 86° F 85° F 85° F 85° F 85° F 85° F 86° F 86° F 83° F 82° F