07232025 NEWS by tribune242

VICTIM’S SISTER:

‘PEOPLE SO COLD’

Relative of man who was run over twice says he has long recovery ahead

By LYNAIRE MUNN I NGS

Tribune Staff

Reporter

lmunnings@tribunemedia.net

A MAN who was struck in a hit-and-run, then rolled over by a second vehicle in an incident captured on a viral video, has suffered a broken spine, four fractured ribs, a broken leg, punctured lungs, and internal bleeding. He has been identiﬁed as 29-year-old Winchester “Chester” Robinson. The incident has sparked public outrage, but as of Tuesday, no one has come forward to take responsibility. His sister, Shonda Robinson, said he remains in critical condition and may require multiple surgeries. “One of the doctors said that he’s going to be in there a little while,” she said. “Surgery-wise, we could only pray. He’s broken up. He’s in critical condition.

RIGHTS GROUP: GIVE UPDATE ON ‘degrading’ video by officers

By DEN I SE MAYCOCK

Reporter

Tribune Freeport

dmaycock@tribunemedia.net

HUMAN Rights Bahamas is demanding an update into the Royal Bahamas Police Force’s handling of a disturbing incident involving a detained woman, after National Security Minister

Wayne Munroe conﬁrmed that the viral video of the woman defecating on a police station ﬂoor violated force policy. The rights group condemned the treatment captured in the video as “inhumane” and

By NEIL HARTNELL Tribune Business Editor nhartnell@tribunemedia.net

ATLANTIS last night

conﬁrmed its Coral Towers complex will “temporarily close” after August 17 for what union leaders suggested

will be an eight-week period due to a “signiﬁcant dropoff” in bookings. Vaughn Roberts, the Paradise Island mega resort’s executive vice-president of administration and strategic initiatives, in an e-mail response to Tribune Business

inquiries conﬁrmed the move although he provided few other details while suggesting it was consistent with actions taken in prior years during the slower part of the tourism calendar.

Govt moving ahead on proposed Junkanoo bill despite JCNP protest

By RASHAD ROLLE Tribune News Editor rrolle@tribunemedia.net

THE Davis administration says it will move ahead with consultations on a National Junkanoo Authority bill, despite the Junkanoo Corporation of New Providence

suspending all activities in protest over what it calls a rollback of self-governance and an attempt to centralise control.

The JCNP, which has managed New Providence’s major Junkanoo parades since 2004, voted

THE family of Shadrack Stuart says it is facing nearly $17,000 in costs to retrieve his body from Haiti, after the Bahamian man was killed in a suspected drug operation earlier this month. From paying locals to pull Stuart’s body from the sea, to morgue fees and inter-island transport, the family claims they have been left to manage the process alone, with no ﬁrm assistance from Bahamian ofﬁcials.

Public parks in disrepair despite $7m overshoot of authority’s budget

By JADE RUSSELL Tribune Staff Reporter jrussell@tribunemedia.net

FREE National Movement Senator Maxine Seymour is calling for transparency from the Bahamas Public Parks and Beaches Authority after it exceeded its 2024/2025 budget by $7m despite reports of deteriorating public parks across New Providence.

The Tribune visited several recreational sites, including Flamingo Gardens Park, Goodman’s Bay, McKinney Park, Saunders Beach Park, Silver Gates Community Park, and Southern Heights Park yesterday. In some cases, the conditions were dire. In others, the parks appeared fine.

At Flamingo Gardens Park, playground equipment was visibly dilapidated. A slide had collapsed, leaving only the tunnel entrance behind; a gaping hole posed a serious safety hazard. Swings hung loosely from rusted steel frames, while children played amid broken structures.

Benches were in disrepair, with chipped wood, protruding nails, and in some cases, entire seating areas missing. Trash, including plastic bottles and food containers, was strewn across the grounds. The sports facilities were equally degraded.

Cracked pavement made the tennis, volleyball, and basketball courts hazardous to use. Fencing around the tennis

court was rusting and deteriorating.

Ten-year-old children were seen turning away from swings with missing or broken seats. One young girl told The Tribune she had hoped to play but found the swing unusable.

Rashad Amahad, a tennis coach who frequently uses the Flamingo Gardens court, called the park a “safety hazard”.

“The cracks in the pavement can cause injury,” he said. He also cited scattered pieces of heavy iron and said the country should do better, especially considering the millions allocated for parks and beaches.

“The overall infrastructure could be significantly improved,” he added.

Mr Amahad further noted that the lights at Tom “The Bird” Grant Park in Yellow Elder have been out for more than three years. He said he had previously raised concerns about nighttime safety with the authority but received no response.

The authority was allocated $24m for the 2024/2025 fiscal year but spent $31m between July 2024 and March 2025.

For the new fiscal year starting July 1, the government has increased its

allocation to $29m.

Despite the significant overspend, executive chairman of the Authority McKell Bonaby has yet to publicly address the issue. The Tribune made several attempts to contact Mr Bonaby for comment, but he could not be reached.

The Nassau Guardian also reported on deteriorating park conditions this week, citing South Beach Park on Bougainvillea Boulevard as having shattered tiles, broken urinals,

and unusable restrooms.

At Goodman’s Bay Park, The Tribune observed stained swings, torn baby seats, and exposed nails.

Senator Seymour emphasised the public’s right to safe, clean communal spaces, whether for exercise, children’s recreation, or relaxation.

She said she has encountered unhygienic restrooms and crumbling equipment in public parks.

“He’s the director of Public Beaches and Parks, and he needs to be the one to clarify for the public where the excess $7m went,” she said.

“If it’s on a justifiable expense, then that’s fine, let us know. But it’s our money that was spent. As far as I can see, I don’t know where it was invested, because the beaches of our island and the parks on our island do not reflect that an excess of $7m was spent.”

A PLAYGROUND in disrepair in Flamingo Gardens Community Park yesterday. Photo: Dante Carrer/Tribune Staff

Baby’s medical records ‘vanished’ during mom’s ten-year ﬁght for justice

By LEANDRA ROLLE Tribune Chief Reporter lrolle@tribunemedia.net

A MOTHER whose newborn baby was left severely disabled after a botched delivery at the Princess Margaret Hospital has broken her silence about the emotional and ﬁnancial toll of a near-decade-long battle for justice, detailing how her marriage suffered and key medical records mysteriously vanished before they ﬁnally won $3.6m in their negligence case.

In an exclusive interview with The Tribune, the mother, who has asked to remain anonymous, revealed how she initially blamed herself for the tragedy when in reality the doctor who she had trusted since she was 18 years old was to blame for a catalogue of errors that left her son suffering from cerebral palsy, epilepsy, and other neurological impairments. Today, aged 12, he cannot speak or care for himself, is fed through a tube, and requires around-the-clock care. She and her husband’s ﬁght for justice was made harder by the fact that no Bahamian doctor was prepared to testify against Dr Gregory Carey, who delivered their son. Added to that, his medical records mysteriously disappeared for a year, only being recovered after the mother and her husband threatened legal action.

Supreme Court Justice Lorein Klein ruled that Dr Gregory Carey’s mishandling of the delivery led to the child’s injuries and awarded the family one of the largest medical negligence payouts in Bahamian history: $3,648,239.70.

The family relocated to Canada in 2023 to access better care and schooling. They left behind a newly built home and careers — hers in banking, his in accounting. Now 41, the mother works as a collections ofﬁcer, while her 46-year-old husband is studying for a double bachelor’s degree. Their son attends a special needs school and is making progress.

“We had to leave everything behind to come here to try and give our son a better life, because there literally is no schooling

“As long as he’s fghting, mommy and daddy will always fght.” - Mother

A STOCK image showing a baby in hospital care. A mother speaks of her ten-year battle for justice after a doctor botched the

debilitating disabilities.

for him because he’s in a wheelchair and he still has pampers,” the 41-year-old mother said, recalling the struggles of caring for him in The Bahamas. She added that her son remains in good spirits and expresses emotions through sounds, a marked improvement from his early years.

“As long as he’s ﬁghting, mommy and daddy will always ﬁght,” she said. They have since welcomed a daughter, now six, delivered via C-section without complications.

The mother recalled how she had trusted Dr Carey since she was 18. She said what hurt most was that he never apologised, not even after joking during the delivery that it was his “most tough” and that they were “trying to mess up his record”.

“I was blaming myself,” she said, adding: “Never once did he apologise. Never once did he humble himself.”

The trauma strained their marriage. After their son was born, her husband was unemployed, and the family juggled a mortgage, utility bills, and constant medical appointments. Their legal journey, which began in 2015, was fraught with delays. Court dates were postponed repeatedly. Their son’s medical ﬁle at Princess Margaret Hospital went missing for a year and was only recovered after they threatened legal action. Even then, critical documents, including the heart rate monitor strip, were never found.

No Bahamian doctor would testify against Dr Carey, the family said, forcing them to rely on a physician in Florida. “Nobody cares whether y’all are friends. Justice should prevail,” the mother said. “Everybody just didn’t want to touch it with a tenfoot pole.”

Just as the trial was gaining traction, the assigned

Family claims they have had no help from government dealing with matter

Body from page one

“They asking for money for everything,” said Stuart’s wife, Lloyann Stuart. “We had to pay ourselves to some Haitian people just for them to get my husband body out of the sea and treat his body.” She said the body was initially left floating in the water before someone contacted the family. “When they showed them, they just left them just like that, in the water, floating,” she said. The family was asked to send “a couple $100” to get the body removed and taken to a morgue. She said another $2,500 was reportedly requested to secure a death certificate and paperwork,

followed by a demand for $4,500 to transfer the body to Port-au-Prince for embalming. With airfare estimated at around $10,000, the family says the overall cost is spiralling.

“When they asking for all this other set of money just to deal with the body and the paperwork before we get the money for the plane, it’s just so much,” Mrs Stuart said. She described the ordeal as devastating –– emotionally, ﬁnancially, and logistically. “It’s hard. It’s hard now. We just trying to do what we could do, and having no money like that is really rough,” she said. She said the family has reached out to Bahamian ofﬁcials for support but received no clear answers.

“No one is calling us,” she said. Meanwhile, they worry that time is running out.

“My husband’s body just decaying, and there’s no freezer like that to keep the body,” she said.

Mr Stuart was one of three Bahamian men who died off the coast of Haiti in an incident believed to involve a maritime drug operation. Footage circulated online showing injured men and bodies adrift at sea. Relatives conﬁrmed Mr Stuart’s identity through those images.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has acknowledged difﬁculties in getting timely updates from Haitian ofﬁcials. The full circumstances of the men’s deaths remain under

judge was replaced. Dr Carey’s legal team frequently requested documents, causing more delays. It took four years, rather than the six months the mother expected, for a verdict.

“This is unacceptable to be treated this way in our own country, and this is a child. This is a minor child who cannot stand for his self,” the mother said. “This case should have been given priority, as per our laws.”

Still, the family never doubted they had a strong case. They had waited three years after marriage before trying for a child, and the mother described her pregnancy as healthy and uneventful — until August 5, 2012, when she went into labour at PMH’s private ward.

Efforts to administer an epidural failed, but she said all seemed well until Dr Carey told her to push. She struggled, and he told her she wasn’t pushing hard enough. Her husband,

alarmed by her exhaustion and an unusual beeping from the foetal monitor, asked for a C-section. Dr Carey reportedly refused, saying it was too late.

Another physician, Dr Harold Bloomﬁeld, was eventually called in and delivered the baby with forceps at 11.45am. The child was born unconscious, with the umbilical cord around his neck. He was resuscitated and placed in the NICU.

A neurologist later warned, “Y’all in for a long haul,” citing a brain bleed.

A nurse told the mother she had never seen a case so severe: “Mama, don’t let this go.”

At ﬁrst, the couple hoped the damage was minimal.

But their son missed milestones and began suffering seizures. “The doctor in the hospital, they downplayed it, like nobody really wanted to tell us how the magnitude of it,” the mother said. They waited two years

before ﬁling a lawsuit, saving money in the meantime. The claim was lodged in 2015, one week before the statute of limitations expired.

Since relocating to Canada, the mother says the family is ﬁnally stable.

“It’s been a blessing. We’re doing the best we can,” she said, adding they want to establish a foundation to help families in similar situations.

To other parents, they offer one message: “Don’t be afraid to go after your doctor,” the father said. “Fight for your child. Fight for your loved ones.” Attempts to contact Dr Carey were unsuccessful. He has denied wrongdoing, claiming he was properly trained and suggesting the child’s injuries may stem from developmental abnormalities. Justice Loren Klein rejected that argument, citing inconsistencies in Dr Carey’s notes and testimony.

delivery of her son leaving him with lifelong

Man suffered a broken spine, four fractured ribs, broken leg, punctured lungs, and internal bleeding

He’s talking to us, and that is good, but he’s in severe pain.”

A video of the incident, recorded on Thursday night along Soldier Road, shows Mr Robinson walking alone before being hit by a vehicle. As he lay motionless in the road, a second car rolled over him. A third vehicle stopped but offered

no help. Ms Robinson said her brother has schizophrenia. She said he was walking his usual route to another sister’s home in Kennedy Subdivision when he was struck near the Scotia Bank and a nearby Chinese restaurant. She said the family has requested footage from surrounding businesses and a nearby streetlight camera that is pointed at the area. She said the family

visited the scene and the Road Trafﬁc Department, noting that several cameras, including one on a nearby pole and others at the Chinese restaurant and Brown’s Auto, should have captured the incident.

Mr Robinson’s absence was ﬁrst noticed early on Friday when he failed to return home. A police report was ﬁled, and relatives checked Princess Margaret Hospital but were

told no one by his name had been admitted. About an hour later, police called to conﬁrm he was there.

Ms Robinson said the police have not yet called them back to provide an update on the investigation.

She said watching the video left her stunned.

“I try to replay the video in my mind over and over,” she said. “That ﬁrst impact was just speechless. Then the second car ran over him.

Investments and Aviation Chester Cooper declared Monday’s demolition, and those achieved prior, as steady progress towards the goal of restoring Downtown Bay Street to become more attractive, and better represent its historical importance.

Funeral Service For

Deonte Donavon Burnside, 25

of Cassandra Close, Golden Gates #2, New Providence, Bahamas will be held on Thursday, July 24, 2025, 11:00am at Bible Truth Ministries, Martin Close off Cowpen Road, New Providence. Offciating will be Pastor Ellison Greenslade assisted by other Ministers of the Gospel. Cremation will follow.

He will always be fondly remembered by his loving mother & father: Shenique D. Ferguson and Devon Burnside; adopted father: Christopher Williams Sr.; brothers: Devonte’ Burnside, PC Chavez Smith, Christopher Williams Jr., Devon Jr., Darvin, PC Devaughn, Donnavon and Daron Burnside; sisters: Devonya, Destinee, Skyler & Lachontae Burnside; grandparents: Prophetess Julia Johnson, Drexel Sr. & Janet Burnside; aunts: Min. Michelle Knowles, Cheniqua Ferguson-Duncombe, Deandra and ASP Gina Burnside; uncles & spouses: Leonard (Theresa), Shoan (Delores), Delano Sr. (Gina) Johnson, Antone and Drexel Jr. (Monique); cousins & Spouses: Devon (Chrystal), Javon (Krystal), Travon and Juji Knowles, Trevor (Keianna), Azia, Deandra, Delano Jr., Deneko, Deangelo, Delano Johnson III, Antone Ferguson Jr. and Santannha Rolle, Dominica & Dominique Beneby, Deshana & Savannah Burnside, Delroy & Leron Stuart, Deshannon Lightbourne and Drexil Burnside, Jr.; grand uncles & spouses: Philip (Lynn) of Chicago), George (Diane), Wellington (Marilyn), Vernal, Albert (Virgilee) Smith; grand aunts & spouses: Overseers Donna (Andrew) Huyler and Shernita Smith; grand cousins & spouses: Keira Charlow, Jaleah, Javon Jr., Javonya and Roscoe Knowles, Ka’marii, Brianna, Deangelo Jr., Tarja, Deneko Jr. Johnson, Rhonda & Philip Smith Jr. of Detriot Michigan, Shanrisha Cox, Apostle Vanessa Glinton, Pastor Samantha & Leon Cox, Georgette Gittens (Rashad), Shelina Smith, Min. Tia Miller (Devon), Rolinda Canter, Kenya Johnson, Pastor Dr. Sherkera (Dr. Winton) Sears, Min. Denrelio (Adama) and Denero Williams, Sabrina, Anasticia, Albert Smith Jr., Athenna Butler, Ivaneccia Smith and Laselle Nottage, Dr. Min. Ruby (Ben) Brown, Hazel and Gary Mackey, Lloyd, John Jr. (Sandra), Monique, Vanderine, Dornell and Dwight (Tenisha) Innis, Raquel Sipplia, Pastor Kevin (Zeaky), Ingrid and Aniska Knowles (Florida), Min. Deborah Mackey, Giovanni, Keira, Keisha, Kedra Mackey and Raquel & Woody Woodside; other relatives and friends: Pastor & Lady Greenslade and The Bible Truth Ministry Family, Apostle C. J. & Lady Tercita Miller, Pastor Marva Thompson and Fully Committed to God Praying Ministry, Whole Amour Ministries Family, Erica Golding, Janell Brown, Idamae Lewis & Family, Evelyn Rolle & Family, Iva Butler & Family, Isabell Cunningham & Family and Domino’s Pizza (South Beach) Andre Thompson, Tyler Smith, Ton I. Ramsey, Shawnae, Kendesia and Seandera Wright, Le Bronne Baccus, Dominic Brice, Rodger Rolle, Jada Munroe and Adrianna Mortimer and staff & management (Edith Nottage) of McDonald’s Palmdale, staff & management of AML Head Offce, management & staff of Marco Pizza, Bernard Road, C.O.I. Executive Team for Elizabeth Constituency, Computitle Ltd, Mr. & Mrs. Dion Williams and other numerous relatives and friends.

If your name has been inadvertently omitted, please forgive us as it was not intentional, we ask for your continuous support in prayers.

May Deonte’ Soul Rest in Peace.

Viewing will be held in the Celestial Suite at Restview Memorial Mortuary and Crematorium Limited Robinson and Soldier Roads, New Providence on Wednesday from 10:00am to 5:00pm and at the church on Thursday from 9:30am until service time.

I just can’t believe people are so cold. The dogs came out and even they looked concerned. If they could help, they would have. “You didn’t even stop. You hit him from behind. You had to know. You didn’t look in your mirror? You didn’t call anyone? He was in the light. You saw him.”

Originally from Abaco, the Robinson family was displaced by Hurricane

Dorian and has since lived in New Providence. They say they want accountability for what happened.

“Chester doesn’t sleep out,” Ms Robinson said. “He’s not like that. We’ve been living here since Dorian, and he always comes home. I don’t understand how someone could hit him and just leave him there.”

Police have not issued a statement on the matter.

the continuing effort to revitalise Downtown Nassau, the overnment conducted a demolition of the Austin Levy Building on East Bay Street on Monday. The Levy Building formerly housed the Bahamas Agricultural and Marine Science Institute (BAMSI) as a produce distribution centre. Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Tourism,

Photos: Dante Carrer/Tribune Staff

JCNP ‘does not agree with or accept proposed bill’

SUSPENDED from page one

unanimously on Monday to suspend all Junkanoorelated activities, including Emancipation Day events, practices, rush-outs, and side parades, until further notice. The JCNP said the decision followed a special meeting of leaders from registered A, B, and D Division groups, held in response to the introduction of the National Junkanoo Authority of The Bahamas Bill, 2025.

In a letter on Monday to Minister of Youth, Sports and Culture Mario Bowleg, the JCNP said: “We do not agree with, or accept the proposed Bill as presented.” The letter said the move to establish a new authority was “puzzling”, adding: “Why the government would wish to reverse the decision made in 2004, after 21 years of self-determination, harmony and success?”

The JCNP also warned that “members of one particular JCNP member group that are currently in a legal dispute with another JCNP member group have openly said through numerous publicly circulated voice notes and writings on various social media platforms, that they through their personal affiliations and connections with officials in the highest levels of government are in the process of destroying the JCNP, to the point of offering members of the JCNP jobs affiliated with the proposed body”.

The remarks appear to allude to the long-running and now legally entangled dispute within the Valley Boys Junkanoo group, which has fractured into two rival factions. One side, the “World Famous Valley Boys”, is led by Brian Adderley. The other, the “Way Forward Valley Boys”, is headed by Trevor Davis, the brother of Prime Minister Philip Davis. The feud has

played out in the courts and on Bay Street.

The “World Famous” faction was ofﬁcially deregistered as a non-proﬁt in April after the Registrar General struck its name from the register, following a Supreme Court ruling that the group’s name was too similar to the original and

could mislead the public.

Meanwhile, the rival “Way Forward” secured a March judgment afﬁrming their right to use the Valley Boys name.

Under the proposed bill, the new National Junkanoo Authority would consist of 15 members appointed by the minister. These include representatives from the JCNP, the National Junkanoo Committee, the Grand Bahama Junkanoo Corporation, the Family Island Junkanoo Corporation, various government agencies, cultural institutions, and one person deemed most representative of persons involved in Junkanoo music. Ten additional members would serve in an ex ofﬁcio capacity. The authority would be empowered to regulate all Junkanoo parades held under the aegis of the government, administer prize money and seed funding, issue licenses and approvals, and set national rules. It would control a new National Junkanoo Fund, funded through parliamentary appropriations, ticket sales, donations, and revenue-generating activities, and have the authority to borrow money, own property, and establish forproﬁt subsidiaries. It would also absorb the functions of the now-defunct National Junkanoo Committee and operate local committees across the islands.

“degrading”, and said authorities must account for how long the woman was held and whether she was denied access to a toilet. It called on the police and Immigration Department to provide a transparent report on what occurred inside the New Providence police station where the incident happened.

The video, which was filmed on a personal device and not an official body camera, shows a halfnaked Caucasian woman begging for a bathroom and ultimately defecating on the floor as off-camera officers appear to mock her. Racial slurs were exchanged during the incident, which has sparked public outrage.

“She is seen clearly making claims that amount

to inhuman, humiliating and degrading treatment,”

Human Rights Bahamas said in a statement, stressing that all people in state custody must be treated with dignity, regardless of nationality or origin.

Mr Munroe conﬁrmed the video breached RBPF standards, noting it was not ofﬁcial footage but an unauthorised recording. He emphasised the seriousness of the breach and the police’s obligation to treat all detainees with dignity.

The matter is being investigated internally by the police.

Sergeant Leonard Ramsey, of the Public Affairs and Communication Department, said yesterday that the investigation is ongoing and pledged that ﬁndings will be made public. Asked whether any ofﬁcers had been suspended or placed

on administrative leave, he said: “I can’t speak to that, it is not to my knowledge right now.”

The police have not named the station involved or said whether any ofﬁcers have been formally disciplined.

Attorney Christina Galanos previously called the treatment of the woman “dehumanising” and warned of possible legal consequences for the RBPF. “It is not only a violation of her constitutional rights, but it reﬂects a total lack of professionalism and failure to de-escalate a situation involving a vulnerable person,” she said.

The woman has since been released.

HRB warned that failure to provide answers will damage public trust in law enforcement.

“The state cannot remain silent in the face of such an incident,” it said.

Despite the JCNP’s strong pushback, the government said it will not pause the legislative process. In a statement yesterday, the Ministry of Youth, Sports and Culture said: “The government has a constitutional responsibility to ensure its future is

secure, its reach expanded, and its potential fully realised. We will move forward with the public consultation to establish the National Junkanoo Authority. We do so with conﬁdence, conviction, and an open hand ready to engage all stakeholders who want to see Junkanoo ﬂourish for generations to come.

“It is regrettable that the JCNP has chosen to misrepresent the intent of the government and politicise a process that is rooted in transparency, consultation, and national development.”

“Junkanoo belongs to the Bahamian people not to any single group or island.”

The government emphasised that the proposed authority would include representatives from Grand Bahama and the Family Islands and said this would be “the ﬁrst time” the governance model offers that kind of national inclusion. “This is not being forced upon the community, nor developed in isolation,” the statement said.

The JCNP, meanwhile, encouraged Junkanooers and the public to continue supporting community celebrations during the suspension and emphasised its commitment to “protecting the legacy and integrity of Junkanoo.”

JUNKANOO shack empty as the Junkanoo Corporation of New Providence suspended all activities in protest over what it is calling a rollback of self-governance and an attempt to centralise control.

LEADER of the Way Forward Valley Boys Trevor Davis during a Junkanoo practice last year.

The Tribune Limited

NULLIUS ADDICTUS JURARE IN VERBA MAGISTRI

“Being Bound to Swear to The Dogmas of No Master”

LEON E. H. DUPUCH

Publisher/Editor 1903-1914

SIR ETIENNE DUPUCH, Kt., O.B.E., K.M., K.C.S.G., (Hon.) LL.D., D.Litt .

Publisher/Editor 1919-1972

Contributing Editor 1972-1991

RT HON EILEEN DUPUCH CARRON, C.M.G., M.S., B.A., LL.B.

Publisher/Editor 1972-

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Do the crime, pay the f ne

EDITOR, The Tribune.

PERHAPS, I am guilty of that malady of conﬂating things which ought not be connected. It seems a fairly common enough ailment these days, not just here in The Bahamas, but also to large numbers of folks near and far around the world.

@tribune242 tribune news network

Dangerous political and cultural moment

THERE is a saying – particularly in the US but elsewhere too – that warns not to touch the third rail in politics.

The third rail in real life of course is on the railways – the high voltage line in some systems that will electrocute you if you touch it. In politics, that rail is an issue not electrically charged but so politically charged that any politician who dares approach it will suffer an electoral shock.

In the US, withdrawal of social security beneﬁts has often been referred to in such a way, but other topics too such as abortion or race issues.

Here in The Bahamas, is Junkanoo a third rail in our own politics?

The government has put forward a new bill that will create a National Junkanoo Authority.

In response, the Junkanoo Corporation of New Providence (JCNP) has voted unanimously to suspend all Junkanoo-related activities.

Now for many of us that may seem a distant prospect, with the main parades all the way off at the end of the year –but Junkanoo is a year-round tradition, with side parades and rushouts happening frequently. There was one at the Independence celebrations. Emancipation Day in August was scheduled to have events. Not now.

To know what is going on here and some of the frustrations that are bubbling under, you do not have to dig deep.

The split in the Valley Boys sent ructions through the Junkanoo community. That led to two Valley Boys groups –though arguments over who gets to use that name have embroiled the groups themselves, the courts, parade organisers and more.

The World Famous Valley Boys group is led by Brian Adderley. The Way Forward Valley Boys group is led by Trevor Davis, brother of the prime minister.

Whether true or not, there appear to be fears of political intervention in a Junkanoo community that has long policed itself.

We do not need to tell you how passionate Junkanooers are. Many of you share that passion. Many of you have been in the shacks, preparing costumes, attending band practice, working on choreography, building the banners, brainstorming the ideas for each theme, caring and working your hardest to make your group shine.

And now here comes a new authority,

made up of members appointed by a government minister, to regulate all Junkanoo parades held under the government’s purview. The authority would deal with licences, rules, and more.

With the wrangle over the Valley Boys ongoing both in the community and in the courts, trust is at a premium.

In response to the JCNP’s protests, which include claims about voice notes and social media posts suggesting there are efforts to destroy the JCNP, the government has pushed back – hard.

The government has said the JCNP has “chosen to misrepresent the intent of the government” and adding: “Junkanoo belongs to the Bahamian people not to any single group or island.”

JCNP is one such single group –that does not sound like conciliatory language. It should be reiterated that the JNCP’s vote was unanimous. Groups in the past have spoken out strongly about their support for their JCNP.

Imagine all that passion for the craft of Junkanoo, united behind the JCNP – and united in opposition to the government plan.

With an election looming, does the government really want to pick a ﬁght with the leaders, members and supporters of Junkanoo groups? Is the government willing to touch that third rail?

The government insists this is not being forced upon the Junkanoo community – even as it disregards the protests of the biggest Junkanoo organisation in the country.

And all this is for what? The advantages have not been clearly explained – with some mention of how elsewhere concerts have been integrated as part of the event. Is that what Junkanooers want or is that what tourism ofﬁcials want, to create more of a destination package for visitors?

Collectively, we should all want the best for Junkanoo. It is such a vibrant part of our culture. It is such a fundamental part of our being for so many.

But what is that best? And how can we make sure the decisions that are taken are for the beneﬁt of all, and not just for some?

This is a dangerous political moment – but more than that, it is an important cultural moment. Is Junkanoo something for the government to control, or the people?

Right here, right now, I am hearing a spirited exchange of opinions on the topic of “Michael, the archangel” and his damage to that famous statue of Christopher Columbus at Mount Fitzwilliam. In my opinion, this is not a subject worthy of contentious debate. If you do the crime, you do the time.

At face value, that might appear to be taking a position of accepting the dastardly horriﬁc legacy brought about by Columbus, and the long list of European pillagers who followed in his wake. Far from it, I stand ﬁrmly with all those who condemn in the strongest terms all who were active or complicit in the maniacal, genocidal onslaught brought about by those European colonial exploits.

In some ways, it’s history. We can’t undo what’s already been done. What we can and should do is take the best advantage of the realities of the world as it exists now in this 21st century.

Tourism is indisputably the major contributor to the Bahamian economy and way of life. Europeans, in the main, (from the US, Canada, the EU, etc) represent the vast majority of the Bahamian tourism industry product. A majority of these Europeans maintain a certain devotion to Christopher Columbus, and while some of us may hold a certain irreverence for that historical personality, established historical relics and monuments ought not be removed or destroyed in emotional responses to

what transpired in the distant past. Sensible, pragmatic marketing strategies would no doubt beneﬁt the treasury of The Bahamas, without contaminating the psyche of the local Bahamian populace. Unless, of course, we are guilty of that dictum about walking and chewing gum at the same time.

Call to mind, if you will, the claims of the Taliban’s destruction of ancient Afghanistan statues and pre-Islamic relics. Other claims of Napoleon’s efforts to disﬁgure the faces of the Sphinx in Egypt are indications of a certain psychosis - cutting off one’s nose to spite one’s face. Fortunately, by contrast, the present-day Egyptian people have seen the cultural and ﬁnancial advantages of preserving the pyramids, along with innumerable artifacts from their pre-Islamic past. Has that preservation and promotion caused intelligent Egyptians of today to diminish their faiths and various religious beliefs?

With a quick reference to that consistent fallacy that The Bahamas is a Christian nation, could anyone justify all those popular painted images of that historical ﬁgure (the Saviour) which are prominently portrayed in churches, homes, and just about everywhere as a true/accurate portrait?

From another angle, think about this for about, say, 60 seconds. To have an enhanced recreation of a Tiano/Arawak village at San Salvador (leaving the Cat Island claim aside for now), along with a replica of one of those ships from that maiden voyage, could do wonders for tourism there. Wouldn’t the Bahamian population there be overrun with tourists eager to have that unique experience of walking in the footsteps of their hero; founder of the New World? Small, “out island-style” hotels/guest houses, as well as air and sea transportation, plus souvenirs and culinary delights as spin-off business could reap huge ﬁnancial beneﬁts.

It’s just a thought, but when anyone goes to Google and checks out the number of cities, streets, and other signiﬁcant references to Columbus all around the world, it might be convincing that facts might be one thing, but fame is quite another.

In conclusion, Bahamians can ﬁnd more than enough things to become engaged with conversationally, as well as actively. But, if we wish to seek out the negative aspects of misplaced associations still vividly around us, we could engage in a list of House cleaning remedies. Among them (on a short list), would be that once-broken Mace. What is that a symbol of again? Queen Victoria’s gleaming statue still gazes over our main harbour - a few blocks away from her very own street. And historically, there is so much dirt from her reign still swept under her gown tail, that “Michael, the archangel” might need a bulldozer to drive downtown for that one.

Michelangelo’s paintings of the creation scene garnered wide acceptance and no substantial efforts to question it in any way. His famous statue of David may or may not resemble that king who sent Uriah to his death on the battleﬁeld, but nevertheless has found unanimous acceptance. Going further along on this tangent will not sway the followers of “Michael, the archangel” - kill the dead Columbus again!

MB July 22, 2025.

Let us focus on reducing poverty

EDITOR, The Tribune.

I AM the most optimistic Bahamian, living or dead or yet, perhaps, to come. The Bahamas just celebrated 52 years of independence; thanks be to God! We have yet, however, to cross over The Jordan and into The Promised Land. Yes, countless Bahamians, especially the black and Conchy Joe ones, have merged into the middle classes. A handful may even have acquired large amounts of real estate; investment portfolios and huge cash reserves. The bulk of you all, however, form what is referred to as ‘the working poor’. Indeed, it is written in The Bible: ‘The poor are always with you’ Poverty is a debilitating phenomenon which has long plagued The Bahamas and other nations. Let us, at this juncture, concentrate on poverty in this challenged but wonderful country. What is poverty? Classical Economists and Sociologists have long referred to poverty as: ‘When one is unable to meet their basic financial requirements’, in a nut shell. I too, among other things, am a trained

economist. With your leave, Editor, please allow me to flesh out my views on the pervasive poverty which permeates the majority of our people. While minimum wage is on the law books no sensible Bahamian can or should expect the average minimum wage earner to be able to discharge his/her regular debts and expenditures on a few hundred dollars and spare change. Most residents here in New Providence, where 65% of Bahamians reside, are minimum wage earners, where they are lucky enough to actually have a job. By the time the regular deductions, such as rent; groceries; fuel for one’s vehicle if she/he has one; insurance; clothing; utilities and recreational, they are as broke as a church mouse(with all due respect) As a result, the majority of Bahamians do not have one cent to rub against another. They are then obliged to seek side hussles; petty crime and simply begging. I am sure that The Social Services Department is at its capacity when it comes to servicing the realistic needs of its clients. Most churches, where The

Spirit of God resides, are also stretched to their limits insofar as charitable assistance and donations are concerned.

Poverty here in The Bahamas, I submit, has become institutionalised in a very bad way. Many have become dependent on handouts and the flambay. The personal initiative and motivation of tens of thousands of ordinarily good people, have been destroyed big time. Gloomy but not the end of the world. Our politicians and policy makers, by and large, have long meant well but they seem, in most cases, to be clueless as to discern able solutions. For 52 years, wealth creation; income equality and the reduction of poverty to the irreducible minimum have evaded them and as a result, Joe Blow Bahamian is the same today as he/she was yesterday. If the current PM is, the Joshua of old reincarnated, as I postulate, he knows just what he has to do within the next 12 months maximum.

ORTLAND H BODIE, JR Nassau, July 21, 2025.

PICTURE OF THE DAY

Photo: Timothy Roberts

Appeals court rules expulsion of two members from BLTA ‘unconstitutional’

By RASHAD ROLLE Tribune News Editor rrolle@tribunemedia.net

TWO former members of the Bahamas Lawn Tennis Association (BLTA) have won a legal battle against the organisation, with the Court of Appeal ruling that their expulsion was unconstitutional and that a pivotal annual general meeting held by the BLTA in 2021 was invalid.

The ruling reverses a 2023 Supreme Court judgment that had dismissed the claims of Kenwood Kerr and Bjorn Ferguson,

both of whom were deemed to have lost their BLTA membership over unpaid dues. The appellate panel found that the association failed to follow its own procedures for terminating memberships and did not provide the men with the constitutionally required written notice.

That misstep, the court concluded, meant that the pair never ceased to be members and therefore had full legal standing to challenge the actions of the association, including the legitimacy of the March 2021 AGM, which

was convened virtually via Zoom and used to usher in a new constitution.

The court also found that the association’s latestage attempt to raise the issue of standing only at the end of the trial was procedurally ﬂawed.

“Locus standi is a threshold issue that must be raised and determined at the earliest possible opportunity,” the judgment read. “To do otherwise deprives the opposing party of the ability to respond appropriately and the court of the opportunity to address the matter properly.”

While the appellate judges accepted that a virtual AGM could, in principle, be valid under the BLTA’s constitution, they upheld the trial judge’s conclusion that the speciﬁc meeting in question was improperly convened.

The association had failed to include key information in its notice to members, such as the names of retiring ofﬁcers and open positions, contrary to its own constitutional Article 12. That omission, the court said, undermined the

transparency and integrity of the meeting and rendered any decisions taken there invalid.

As a result, the court declared that the constitution adopted at that meeting is void. The BLTA must now return to its pre-2021 governing framework, and any actions taken under the invalid constitution, such as ofﬁcer appointments or structural changes, may be open to challenge.

The court was also critical of the BLTA’s handling of damages. During the original proceedings, the

association had claimed reputational harm and sought punitive damages against the appellants, arguing their legal action had caused embarrassment and disruption. The appellate court dismissed those claims outright, saying that the BLTA had failed to prove any such harm and had not even ﬁled a proper counterclaim. “No basis in law or fact was established for these claims,” the court said.

Costs were awarded to the appellants in full, both for the original trial and for the appeal.

Man sent to jail for 105 days for bail violation while on trial for murder

By PAVEL BAILEY Tribune Staff Reporter pbailey@tribunemedia.net

A PRISON doctor testi-

ﬁed on Monday that he saw no evidence of police abuse during his medical examination of a man on trial for armed robbery in connection with a 2017 webshop heist.

Dr Timothy Providence gave evidence in the trial of 41-year-old John Demeritte before Justice Franklyn Williams.

Demeritte allegedly stole $2,000 from the Bet Vegas webshop on May 28, 2017, while armed with a shotgun. He also allegedly robbed Onette Dean of $215 in cash, along with her handbag and passport during the same incident.

Dr Providence said he examined Demeritte on March 6, 2018, one day after the accused was

remanded to prison. He testified that Demeritte claimed he had been beaten by police six days prior, saying that officers punched him in the body, struck him with a bat, and choked him with a fish bag placed over his head. However, Dr Providence told the court that he saw no visible injuries during the examination. He did not prescribe any medication.

He said that if Demeritte had been beaten with a bat, he would have expected to see contusions or jagged lacerations, but observed none. He described Demeritte as being “well” during the examination. Under cross-examination by defence attorney Levan Johnson, Dr Providence acknowledged that injuries may not always be visible depending on the force of the impact. He said he

would not expect to see contusions six days later if minimal force had been used.

He told the court he could not recall how many times Demeritte said he was hit with the bat, and agreed with Mr Johnson that all signiﬁcant details should have been noted in his report.

Dr Providence also could not recall how long the examination lasted.

When Mr Johnson suggested that his client had mentioned suffering a cracked tooth, Dr Providence said there was no mention of that in his report.

He told prosecutors he observed no signs of respiratory distress and said Demeritte’s eyes were not bloodshot.

T’Shura Ambrose and Betty Wilson are prosecuting the case.

30 MONTHS JA IL FOR POSSESSION OF GUN A ND A MMO

By PAVEL BAILEY Tribune Staff Reporter pbailey@tribunemedia.net

A MAN was sentenced to 30 months in prison after admitting to possessing a ﬁrearm and 33 rounds of ammunition last week.

Wayne Morgan, 35, was arraigned before Magistrate Lennox Coleby on charges of possession of an unlicenced ﬁrearm and possession of ammunition with intent to supply. Morgan was reportedly found with a black Sig Sauer pistol and 33 rounds of 9mm ammunition in the Fox Hill area on July 17.

He pleaded guilty to both charges. Magistrate Coleby sentenced Morgan to 30 months at the Bahamas Department of Correctional Services. Assistant Superintendent of Police Lincoln McKenzie served as the prosecutor.

By PAVEL BAILEY Tribune Staff Reporter pbailey@tribunemedia.net

A MAN awaiting trial on multiple counts of murder and attempted murder has been remanded to prison for 105 days for breaching his court-imposed curfew.

Kervon Stewart, 26, appeared before Senior Magistrate Kara Turnquest Deveaux for violating the conditions of his bail.

Stewart was previously released on bail in connection with two murder charges and three counts of attempted murder.

He is accused, along with others, of fatally shooting Renaldo Nairn as Nairn stood outside a residence on Rosewood Street in Pinewood Gardens on July 16, 2020. Prosecutors also allege that Stewart tried to kill Antonio Pratt, Lamar Wilchcombe, and Travis Stuart during the same drive-by shooting. In a separate incident, Stewart is accused of shooting Jamesley Zamar while he was in his car on Baillou Hill Road on March 27, 2022. According to reports, police found

Zamar slumped over in his small grey vehicle with gunshot wounds on Palm Tree Avenue, where he had crashed into a fence.

While on Supreme Court bail for these offences, Stewart reportedly failed to comply with his residential curfew for 105 days between January 1 and July 7.

The defendant pleaded guilty to the breach. He will remain in custody at the Bahamas Department of Correctional Services until his sentencing on October 6. Sergeant Johnson served as the prosecutor.

ACCUSED OF C AUSING FATA L TR A FFIC ACCIDENT

By PAVEL BAILEY Tribune Staff Reporter pbailey@tribunemedia.net

A MAN was granted bail yesterday after being accused of causing a fatal trafﬁc accident on Taylor Street that left one man dead in March.

Michael Coleby, 57, was arraigned before Senior Magistrate Shaka Serville on a charge of vehicular manslaughter.

Coleby allegedly drove dangerously westbound on Taylor Street when he caused the death of Earl Curry around 1.55pm on March 6. The victim later succumbed to his injuries. Coleby was not required to enter a plea and was informed that the matter would proceed to the Supreme Court by way of a voluntary bill of indictment (VBI). He was granted bail for $8,000 with one or two sureties. As a condition of his release, he must sign in at the Carmichael Road Police Station every Tuesday and Thursday by 7pm. Coleby is expected to return to court for service of the VBI on October 24.

SANDALS Royal Bahamian hosted top-selling travel advisors representing regions of the United States and Canada in a meeting to discuss consumer and technology trends throughout the travel industry to better optimise sales efforts for the Caribbean region. Ministry of Tourism, Investments and Aviation (MOTIA) executives were in attendance and delivered remarks for the industry update. In the group photo, Bahamas director general of Tourism, Latia Duncombe is pictured centre, along with Unique Vacations executive vice-president of sales and industry relations Gary C Sadler (centre right), and Sandals/Beaches executive team, July 18, 2025 at Sandals Royal Bahamian, Cable Beach. Photos: Kemuel Stubbs/BIS

Real action needed to assist families

N ATIO N AL Family

Week started on July 19 and ends on July 26.

I t reportedly has the theme of “Uplifting and Strengthening Family Ties”. O n Sunday, July 20, the Department of Gender and Family A ffairs partnered with the anti-rights group that hides behind religion to host what they called the “First National Marriage Recommitment Service” with the theme “Honouring the Covenant, Strengthening the Family”.

T he event, promoted by Civil Society Bahamas, framed as a national event, was held at a church, continuing the discriminatory practice of the Department of Gender and Family A ffairs. Rather than using these national days/ weeks and any accompanying budget to promote churches and spread Christian fundamentalist practices, the government could actually be attentive to the state of families today and assess the needs of families throughout the country.

I f the government is serious about prioritising families, it needs to get

By Alicia Wallace

to work. Families in T he Bahamas are in desperate need of support. Here are seven practical actions for the government of T he Bahamas to take in service to families and, by extension, the people of T he Bahamas: 1. Expand family planning resources and services. People are not obligated to have children. Still, there is significant pressure, particularly on young married couples, to have children. For many, it is an expectation, regardless of the goals people have and the ways having children would affect them. Even when people have a child, they can experience the added pressure to have another child so that the one child could have a playmate and learn not to be “selfish”.

People find ways to convince family members

and friends who enjoy being childfree to have children, including presenting children as an appropriate form of insurance - someone to “take care of you”, which is certainly not guaranteed. People need to be educated on the realities of parenthood before they make the decision to become parents. T hey need to be exposed to the financial and nonfinancial costs. T hey also need to know the details of allowances. For example, many people do not know that they are not entitled to paid maternity leave more than once in a three-year period until they are pregnant with their second child. Family planning services should include financial information, legal information, and guidance on personal ambitions and decisions that include

education, career, and lifestyle choices. T here must also be readily available contraceptive methods.

2. Promote and increase access to parenting classes. Parenting is, in most cases, not “second nature.” I t is a learned skill. While people do “learn on the job”, keeping a human being alive and healthy is not an appropriate form of training. From the basics like changing diapers and making formula and testing the temperature to making the home safe for toddlers and age-appropriate non-violent forms of discipline, people who are considering having children and people who already have them need information and the opportunity to share their thoughts, fears, and practices and get feedback. Beyond what happens in the home, parents and people considering parenting need to learn ways to navigate difference in opinion and parenting style with family member and friends who may have significant contact with their children. Uncomfortable conversations can be easier to have with preparation.

3. I mplement a liveable wage. Families need enough money to meet their basic needs. Minimum wage is not sufficient for rent, utilities, grocery, insurance, transportation, and incidentals, much less school uniforms, books, field trips, and medication. O ne of the most stressful parts of family life is the mental gymnastics of using too little money to cover all of the necessities. T his is not a struggle that has to exist. Poverty does not have to exist. T here is an unequal distribution of wealth. Businesses are taking advantage of workers, paying them far less than their value, and this is sanctioned by the government through its refusal to implement a livable

wage. No one should work full time and not have enough money to cover their basic expenses. No family should suffer while people hoard wealth.

4. I ncrease access to and efficiency of social assistance.

Unemployment and underemployment remain issues in T he Bahamas. T here are people, employed and unemployed, who are not paid enough money to cover shelter and food.

T hey should not be left to figure it out on their own, leading to people sleeping in cars, being undernourished, and relying on specials at fast food restaurants. Social assistance needs to be easier to understand and access, and it needs to be adjusted to align with the current cost of living.

5. Expand public childcare services. Many families have to decide whether someone will miss a day of work to care for a child, or the child has to be left with a family member, friend, or neighbour whose suitability for childcare may not be ideal. During school breaks, there are very few options for childcare. Most camps and other activities for children are priced as luxury services. T here is a need for both free, affordable, and sliding scale childcare. A government that cares about the health, safety, and wellbeing of children ensures that care is available to them, regardless of the time of year and their age.

6. I mplement the fourday work week. Between the time spent in traffic getting to and from work and the long hours spent at work, people are tired when they get home to their families. T he best part of the day, along with the highest level energy, goes to work. A t home, it is time to eat, do all that is necessary to facilitate work the next day, and rest. Parents are left with little or no time

to spend with their children. Couples have little or no time to spend with one another. Everything revolves around work, and work consumes the day. T he five-day work week was not popular when it was presented, so we need not look for popularity in the proposal for a four-day work week. I t has been successfully tests in other parts of the world, resulting in a range of benefits. T here is no reason not to explore the option of working less hours and spending more time with loved ones.

7. A mend the Employment A ct to include paid parental leave for both parents. Maternity leave of three months is insufficient and does not align with other. T he I nternational L abour

O rganization, in Recommendation 191, encourages 18 weeks of maternity leave, and even this is a low bar considering the average healing time for birthing parents, the developmental stages of babies, and the point at which daycares accept babies which is not before six months. T here is no allowance for paternity leave in the law. T his means men have do not have dedicated time to not only bond with their babies, but to support the mothers who are healing from a significant medical/surgical event. Parents need to be supported with paid time off following the birth of a child.

Rather than hosting events for photo opportunities and solidifying relationships with religious misleaders it expects to do its bidding during election season, the government of T he Bahamas needs to demonstrate its commitment to families. “Family Week” is of little use to families unless the government actually takes action to support them. T he needs are many. L et there be action to meet them.

Recommendations

1. All Fours by Miranda July. This book is described as “an irreverently sexy, tender, hilarious, and surprising novel about a woman upending her life”. The main character is a 45-year-old artist who decides to drive from Los Angeles to New York City, leaving her husband and child at home. She checks into a motel only 30 minutes away instead. She is on a search for freedom, but it is a secret. She keeps up the charade of a road trip while creating a temporary home for herself at the motel and indulging in a completely different life. A reviewer said All Fours has “really interesting commentary on parenting, monogamy, the institution of marriage, pooled wisdom, menopause, and sexuality”. All Fours is available in hard copy, ebook, and audiobook formats. It is the August 2025 selection for Feminist Book Club, hosted by Equality Bahamas and Poinciana Paper Press. Join the book club at tiny.cc/fbc2025.

2. Participate in Feminist Standards for Governance. Equality Bahamas is facilitating workshops on nine thematic areas including health, education, and social service, identifying national issues and working toward solutions. These sessions are taking place at Poinciana Paper Press, 12 Parkgate Road. The next session is today at 6pm. Register for sessions and sign up for updates at lu.ma/ feministstandards.

MINISTER of Social Services Myles Laroda accompanied by Bahamas Christian Council president Delton Fernander at the official launch of National Family Month on July 15. Photo: Chappell Whyms Jr

Coldplay kiss camera saga tells us a lot about privacy in public places

By WYATTE GRANTHAM-PHILIPS Associated Press

WHEN the “KissCam” at a Coldplay concert landed on a couple who tried (but failed) to duck out of the spotlight, the internet immediately got to work.

In hours, the clip was just about everywhere. Endless memes, parody videos and photos of the pair’s shocked faces filled social media feeds. Online sleuths rushed to identify who was on camera. Artificial intelligence and software company Astronomer eventually confirmed that its CEO and chief people officer were in fact the couple in the video — and announced the CEO’s resignation over the weekend.

The incident’s fallout has, of course, generated conversations about business ethics, corporate accountability and the repercussions that conﬂicts of interest among leadership can cause. But there are also broader implications at play in our increasingly online world — about the state of potentially being visible everywhere you go or tracked through “social media surveillance.” Experts say it’s more and more common for moments that may have been intended to be private, or at least reserved to a single physical venue, to make their way online and even go global today.

So in the era of lightningfast social sharing and when cameras are practically inescapable, does being in public hold any expectation of privacy anymore? Is every experience simply fodder for the world to see? It’s no secret that cameras are ﬁlming much of our lives these days.

From CCTV security systems to Ring doorbells, businesses, schools and neighbourhoods use ample video surveillance around the clock. Sporting and concert venues have also ﬁlmed fans for years, often projecting playful bits of audience participation to the rest of the crowd. In short, the onscene viewer becomes part of the product — and the center of attention.

And of course, consumers can record just about anything if they have a smartphone in their pocket — and, if it’s enticing to other social media users, that footage can quickly spread through cyberspace. Ellis Cashmore, proposes that the rapid fame of last week’s KissCam moment probably answers a question many have been asking for years: “Is the private life still what it was? And the answer is, of course, there’s no such thing as the private life anymore,” he notes. “Certainly not in the traditional sense of the term.”

“I’m not sure that we can assume privacy at a concert with hundreds of other people,” adds Mary Angela Bock. “We can’t assume privacy on the street anymore.”

Some version of the KissCam has long been a staple at big events — from timeouts during sports games to romantic songs played by artists at their concerts. It’s easy to miss, but most venues have signs to inform the audience that they could be ﬁlmed during the event. What’s been different in more recent years, experts note, is how quickly those moments can travel beyond the physical space where they actually unfold.

That isn’t only limited to what shows up on a jumbotron. Sometimes it only takes

one person in the crowd to capture any interaction on their phone and post the video online — where it can zip around the world.

“It’s not just the camera,” Bock says. “It’s the distribution system that is wild and new.”

Then there’s the second ring of exposure — what happens after the video or photos spread.

Experts point to growing instances of social media users rushing to publicly identify, or dox, the people captured on camera — much like how quickly the internet committed to ﬁnding those involved in the Coldplay moment, for example. The LinkedIn pages belonging both to Astronomer’s now-former CEO and chief people ofﬁcer remained disabled on Monday, and The Associated Press could not reach either for comment.

But it isn’t limited to company executives. Beyond someone simply spotting a familiar face and spreading the word, technological advances — including AI — have made it easier and faster overall to ﬁnd just about anyone in an online post. This can happen with videos and photos shared on social media each day, even if it doesn’t go viral, experts warn.

“It’s a little bit unsettling how easily we can be identiﬁed with biometrics, how our faces are online, how social media can track us — and how the internet has gone from being a place of interaction, to a gigantic surveillance system,” Bock says. “When you think about it, we are being surveilled by our social media. They’re tracking us in exchange for entertaining us.”

And of course, such moments can also impact

people who were not actually on camera. As easy as it can be to be identiﬁed online today, the internet is notorious for cutting a broad swath or not always getting it right. That sometimes produces harassment of individuals not actually involved.

At last week’s Coldplay concert, for example, many social media users speculated that a third person seen near the two caught on camera was another Astronomer employee — leading to swarms of posts targeting her. But the company later conﬁrmed that she was not at the event and said no other employees were in the video circulating online.

For the now-viral moment, “we can talk about what’s right and wrong, and whether they deserved it,” says Alison Taylor, a clinical associate professor at New York University’s Stern School of Business. Still, it’s a “very frightening thing to get a lot of abuse and harassment online,” Taylor notes. “There are real human beings behind this.”

It’s hard to think that these kind of viral moments will ever go away — and there are few legal restrictions to stop users from sharing clips of interactions recorded from anything from a concert to the street widely online. But on an individual level, Bock says it can be helpful to “think before you share” and question whether something’s really accurate.

“Social media has changed so much,” Bock says. “But we really have not, as a society, caught up with the technology in terms of our ethics and our etiquette.”

Russian

lawmakers

pass a bill punishing online searches for information deemed to be ‘extremist’

Associated Press

Russian lawmakers on Tuesday approved a bill that punishes online searches for information that is deemed “extremist,” the latest move by government authorities in their relentless crackdown on dissent.

The bill passed by the lower house, the state Duma, moves to its all-but-certain endorsement in the upper house and then goes to President Vladimir Putin to be signed into law.

The legislation punishes what it describes as “deliberately searching for and accessing extremist materials” online. First-time offenders face a fne of up to the equivalent of $64.

The offcial defnition of extremist activity is extremely broad and includes opposition groups like the anti-Corruption Foundation, created by the late opposition leader alexei navalny, and the “international LGBT movement.”

it’s not clear how authorities will track down violators. Offcials and lawmakers said ordinary internet users won’t be affected and only those who methodically seek outlawed content will be targeted. They didn’t explain how the authorities would differentiate between them.

some observers have suggested the information would likely come from internet providers or social media platforms, and police also could randomly check the search history of cellphones or computers.

The new legislation also contained a ban on advertising of virtual private network services and fnes for VPn resources that fail to comply with government regulations, but stopped short of banning their use. it did list the use of a VPn as an “aggravating circumstance” in case of other violations of the law. Russians widely use VPn services for access to banned content, but authorities have sought to tighten restrictions, trying to close the loopholes. The state communications watchdog has increasingly used technology to analyse traffc and block specifc VPN protocols.

The Russian authorities have ramped their multipronged crackdown on dissent after sending troops into ukraine in February 2022. since then, online censorship and prosecutions for social media posts and comments have soared. Multiple independent news outlets and rights groups have been shut down, labelled as “foreign agents” or outlawed as “undesirable.” Hundreds of activists and critics of the Kremlin have faced criminal charges.

The new legislation has sparked broad public criticism. The Duma, which unanimously supports most government initiatives, was markedly divided in Tuesday’s vote, with 306 backing the measure, 67 voting against it and 22 abstaining. among those who opposed the bill were some members of the Communist Party, Just Russia and the liberal new People party who usually follow the Kremlin’s wishes.

Liberal politician Boris nadezhdin, who sought to challenge Putin in last year’s presidential election but was denied a spot on the ballot, told reporters outside the state Duma that he opposed the new legislation. “it creates real problems for tens of millions of people,” he said. nadezhdin’s aide, Dmitry Kisiev, who picketed the parliament building with a poster likening the legislation to the world of George Orwell’s dystopian “1984,” was quickly rounded up by police, who also detained several reporters covering the protest. Even some pro-Kremlin fgures have criticized the bill, arguing it would make it impossible for them to track down and defect comments by Kremlin critics.

Margarita simonyan, head of the state-funded RT channel, has spoken against the legislation, questioning how her media group could “investigate and bring to shame” anti-Kremlin outlets “if we are forbidden to even read them.” and Yekaterina Mizulina, whose group safe internet League has frequently reported dissenters to authorities, also strongly condemned the new bill, arguing it would make it impossible for her group to monitor “extremist communities” on the web.

CHRIS Martin of Coldplay performs in Navi Mumbai, Saturday, January 18, 2025.

Photo: Rajanish Kakade/AP

Godfather of heavy metal, Ozzy Osbourne, dead at 76

Associated Press

OZZY Osbourne, the gloomy, demon-invoking lead singer of the pioneering band Black Sabbath who became the throaty, growling voice — and drugand-alcohol ravaged id — of heavy metal, died Tuesday, just weeks after his farewell show. He was 76.

“It is with more sadness than mere words can convey that we have to report that our beloved Ozzy Osbourne has passed away this morning. He was with his family and surrounded by love. We ask everyone to respect our family privacy at this time,” a family statement from Birmingham, England, said. In 2020, he revealed he had Parkinson’s disease after suffering a fall.

Either clad in black or bare-chested, the singer was often the target of parents’ groups for his imagery and once caused an uproar for biting the head off a bat. Later, he would reveal himself to be a doddering and sweet father on the reality TV show “The Osbournes.”

The Big Bang of heavy metal

Black Sabbath’s 1969 selftitled debut LP has been likened to the Big Bang of heavy metal. It came during the height of the Vietnam War and crashed the hippie party, dripping menace and foreboding. The cover of the record was of a spooky ﬁgure against a stark landscape. The music was loud, dense and angry, and marked a shift in rock ‘n’ roll.

The band’s second album, “Paranoid,” included such classic metal tunes as “War Pigs,” “Iron Man” and “Fairies Wear Boots.”

The song “Paranoid” only reached No. 61 on the Billboard Hot 100 but became in many ways the band’s signature song. Both albums were voted among the top 10 greatest heavy metal albums of all time by readers of Rolling Stone magazine.

“Black Sabbath are the Beatles of heavy metal. Anybody who’s serious about metal will tell you it all comes down to Sabbath,” Dave Navarro of the band Jane’s Addiction wrote in a 2010 tribute in Rolling Stone. “There’s a direct line you can draw back from today’s metal, through Eighties bands like Iron Maiden, back to Sabbath.” Sabbath ﬁred Osbourne in 1979 for his legendary excesses, like showing up late for rehearsals and missing gigs. “We knew we didn’t really have a choice but to sack him because he was just so out of control. But we were all very down about the situation,” wrote bassist Terry “Geezer” Butler in his memoir, “Into the Void.”

Osbourne reemerged the next year as a solo artist with “Blizzard of Ozz” and the following year’s “Diary of a Madman,” both hard rock classics that went multiplatinum and spawned enduring favourites such as “Crazy Train,” “Goodbye to Romance,” “Flying High Again” and “You Can’t Kill Rock and Roll.” Osbourne was twice inducted to the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame — once with Sabbath in 2006 and again in 2024 as a solo artist.

The original Sabbath lineup reunited for the ﬁrst time in 20 years in July for what Osbourne said would be his ﬁnal concert. “Let the madness begin!” he told 42,000 fans in Birmingham. Metallica, Guns N Roses, Slayer, Tool, Pantera, Gojira, Alice in Chains, Lamb of God, Halestorm, Anthrax, Rival Sons and Mastodon all did sets. Tom Morello, Aerosmith’s Steven Tyler, Billy Corgan, Ronnie Wood, Travis Barker, Sammy Hagar and more made appearances. Actor Jason Momoa was the host for the festivities.

“Black Sabbath: we’d all be different people without them, that’s the truth,” said Pantera singer Phil Anselmo. “I know I wouldn’t be up here with a microphone in my hand without Black Sabbath.”

Outlandish exploits and a classic look

Osbourne embodied the excesses of metal. His outlandish exploits included relieving himself on the Alamo, snorting a line of ants off a sidewalk and, most memorably, biting the head off the live bat that a fan threw onstage during a 1981

concert. (He said he thought it was rubber.)

Osbourne was sued in 1987 by parents of a 19-year-old teen who died by suicide while listening to his song “Suicide Solution.” The lawsuit was dismissed. Osbourne said the song was really about the dangers of alcohol, which caused the death of his friend Bon Scott, lead singer of AC/DC.

Then-Cardinal John J. O’Connor of New York claimed in 1990 that Osbourne’s songs led to demonic possession and even suicide. “You are ignorant about the true meaning of my songs,” the singer wrote back. “You have also insulted the intelligence of rock fans all over the world.”

Audiences at Osbourne shows could be mooned or spit on by the singer. They would often be hectored to scream along with the song, but the Satan-invoking Osbourne would usually send the crowds home with their ears ringing and a hearty “God bless!”

He started an annual tour — Ozzfest — in 1996 after he was rejected from the lineup of what was then the top touring music festival, Lollapalooza. Ozzfest has gone on to host such bands as Slipknot, Tool, Megadeth, Rob Zombie, System of a Down, Limp Bizkit and Linkin Park. Osbourne’s look changed little over his life. He wore his long hair ﬂat, heavy black eye makeup and round glasses, often wearing a cross around his neck. In 2013, he reunited with Black Sabbath for the dour, raw “13,” which reached No. 1 on the UK Albums Chart and peaked at No. 86 on the US Billboard 200. In 2019, he had a Top

10 hit when featured on Post Malone’s “Take What You Want,” Osbourne’s ﬁrst song in the Top 10 since 1989.

In 2020, he released the album “Ordinary Man,” which had as its title song a duet with Elton John. “I’ve been a bad guy, been higher than the blue sky/And the truth is I don’t wanna die an ordinary man,” he sang. In 2022, he landed his ﬁrst career back-to-back No. 1 rock radio singles from his album “Patient Number 9,” which featured collaborations with Jeff Beck, Eric Clapton, Mike McCready, Chad Smith, Robert Trujillo and Duff McKagan. It earned four Grammy nominations, winning two. (Osbourne won ﬁve Grammys over his lifetime.)

At the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremony in 2024, Jack Black called him “greatest frontman in the history of rock ‘n’ roll” and “the Jack Nicholson of rock.” Osbourne thanked his fans, his guitarist Randy Rhoads and his longtime wife, Sharon.

The beginnings of Black Sabbath

John Michael Osbourne was raised in the gritty city of Birmingham. Kids in school nicknamed him Ozzy, short for his surname. As a boy, he loved the Four Seasons, Chuck Berry and Little Richard. The Beatles made a huge impression.

“They came from Liverpool, which was approximately 60 miles north of where I come from,” he told Billboard. “So all of a sudden it was in my grasp, but I never thought it would be as successful as it became.”

In the late 1960s,

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Osbourne had teamed up with Butler, guitarist Tony Iommi and drummer Bill Ward as the Polka Tulk Blues Band. They decided to rename the band Earth, but found to their dismay there was another band with that name. So they changed the name to the American title of the classic Italian horror movie “I Tre Volti Della Paura,” starring Boris Karloff: Black Sabbath.

Once they found their sludgy, ominous groove, the band was productive, putting out their self-titled debut and “Paranoid” in 1970, “Master of Reality” in 1971, “Vol. 4” in 1972 and “Sabbath Bloody Sabbath” in 1973.

The music was all about industrial guitar riffs and disorienting changes in time signatures, along with lyrics that spoke of alienation and doom. “People think I’m insane because I am frowning all the time,” Osbourne sang in one song. “All day long I think of things but nothing seems to satisfy/ Think I’ll lose my mind if I don’t ﬁnd something to pacify.”

The Guardian newspaper in 2009 said the band “introduced working-class anger, stoner sludge grooves and witchy horror-rock to ﬂower power. Black Sabbath confronted the empty platitudes of the 1960s and, along with Altamont and Charles Manson, almost certainly helped kill off the hippy counterculture.”

After Sabbath, Osbourne had an uncanny knack for calling some of the most creative young guitarists to his side. When he went solo, he hired the brilliant innovator Rhoads, who played on two of Osbourne’s ﬁnest solo albums, “Blizzard of Ozz” and “Diary of a Madman.” Rhoads was killed in a freak plane accident in 1982; Osbourne released the live album “Tribute” in 1987 in his memory.

Osbourne then signed Jake E. Lee, who lent his talents to the platinum albums “Bark at the Moon” and “The Ultimate Sin.” Hotshot Zakk Wylde joined Osbourne’s band for “No Rest for the Wicked” and the multiplatinum “No More Tears.”

“They come along, they sprout wings, they blossom, and they ﬂy off,” Osbourne said of his players in 1995 to The Associated Press. “But I have to move on. To get a new player now and again boosts me on.”

Courting controversy — and wholesomeness

Whomever he was playing with, Osbourne wasn’t likely to back down from controversy. He had the last laugh when the TV evangelist the Rev. Jimmy Swaggart in

1986 lambasted various rock groups and rock magazines as “the new pornography,” prompting some retailers to pull Osbourne’s album.

When Swaggart later was caught with a sex worker in 1988, Osbourne put out the song “Miracle Man” about his foe: “Miracle man got busted/miracle man got busted,” he sang. “Today I saw a Miracle Man, on TV cryin’/Such a hypocritical man, born again, dying.”

Much later, a whole new Osbourne would be revealed when “The Osbournes,” which ran on MTV from 2002-2005, showed this one-time self-proclaimed madman drinking Diet Cokes as he struggled to ﬁnd the History Channel on his new satellite television or warning his kids not to smoke or drink before they embarked on a night on the town. Later, he and his son Jack toured America on the travel show “Ozzy & Jack’s World Detour,” where the pair visited such places as Mount Rushmore and the Space Center Houston. Osbourne was honoured in 2014 with the naming of a bat frog found in the Amazon that makes high-pitched, batlike calls. It was dubbed Dendropsophus ozzyi. He also met Queen Elizabeth II during her Golden Jubilee weekend. He was standing next to singer-actor Cliff Richard. “She took one look at the two of us, said ‘Oh, so this is what they call variety, is it?’ then cracked up laughing. I honestly thought that Sharon had slipped some acid into my cornﬂakes that morning,” he wrote in “I Am Ozzy.”

Thelma Riley and Osbourne married in 1971; Osbourne adopted her son Elliot Kingsley, and they had two more children, Jessica and Louis. Osbourne later met Sharon, who became her own celebrity persona, when she was running her father’s Los Angeles ofﬁce. Her father was Don Arden, a top concert promoter and artist manager. She went to Osbourne’s hotel in Los Angeles to collect money, which Osbourne had spent on drugs.

“She says she’ll come back in three days and I’d better have it. I’d always fancied her and I thought, ‘Ah, she’s coming back! Maybe I have a chance.’ I had pizza hanging from my hair, cigarette ashes on my shirt,” he told the Los Angeles Times in 2000. They married in 1982, had three children — Kelly, Aimee and Jack — and endured periodic separations and reconciliations. He is survived by Sharon, and his children.

WASHINGTON Associated Press

THE Department of Justice wants to interview Jeffrey Epstein’s former girlfriend Ghislaine Maxwell, who was convicted of helping the ﬁnancier sexually abuse underage girls and is now serving a lengthy prison sentence, a senior ofﬁcial said Tuesday.

If Maxwell “has information about anyone who has committed crimes against victims, the FBI and the DOJ will hear what she has to say,” Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche said in a post on X, adding that President Donald Trump “has told us to release all credible evidence.” A lawyer for Maxwell conﬁrmed there were discussions with the government.

The overture to attorneys for Maxwell, who in 2022

was sentenced to 20 years in prison, is part of an ongoing Justice Department effort to cast itself as transparent following ﬁerce backlash from parts of Trump’s base over an earlier refusal to release additional records in the Epstein investigation. As part of that effort, the Justice Department, acting at the direction of the Republican president, last week asked a court to unseal grand jury transcripts from the case. Epstein, who killed himself in his New York jail cell in 2019 while awaiting trial, sexually abused children hundreds of times over more than a decade, exploiting vulnerable girls as young as 14, authorities say. He couldn’t have done so without the help of Maxwell, his longtime companion, prosecutors say.

The Justice Department had said in a two-page

memo this month that it had not uncovered evidence to charge anyone else in connection with Epstein’s abuse. But Blanche said in his social media post that the Justice Department “does not shy away from uncomfortable truths, nor from the responsibility to pursue justice wherever the facts may lead.”

He said in his post that, at the direction of Attorney General Pam Bondi, he has “communicated with counsel for Ms. Maxwell to determine whether she would be willing to speak with prosecutors from the Department.” He said he anticipated meeting with Maxwell in the coming days.

A lawyer for Maxwell, David Oscar Markus, said Tuesday in a statement: “I can conﬁrm that we are in discussions with the government and that Ghislaine

will always testify truthfully. We are grateful to President Trump for his commitment to uncovering the truth in this case.”

Two judges who will decide whether to release the grand jury transcripts, Paul Engelmayer and Richard Berman, noted in nearly identical orders Tuesday that the records can be made public only under special circumstances, and they said the Justice Department hadn’t provided them with enough information.

They gave the government until July 29 to explain why it wants the transcripts released and describe how much of the information has previously been made public. They also want to hear from Epstein’s victims and from Maxwell by Aug. 5 as to whether they oppose or support disclosure of the records.

SINGER Ozzy Osbourne performs during halftime of an NFL football game between the Los Angeles Rams and the Buffalo Bills in Inglewood, California, September 8, 2022. Photo: Ashley Landis/AP

FORMER girlfriend of Jeffrey Epstein, Ghislaine Maxwell. Photo: Rick Bajornas/AP

Ambassador visits island of Abaco promoting cooperation between China and The Bahamas

ON Saturday, Yan Jiarong, Chinese Ambassador to The Bahamas, visited Abaco attending the closing ceremony of Camp Inclusion Abaco with a donation. She also studied the development of agriculture and tourism on the islands and promoted relevant cooperation between China and The Bahamas.

Nanili Bethel, chairman of the National Commission for Persons with Disabilities, Stephen Wilson, Family Island administrator and other local ofﬁcials attended the activities.

Ms Jiarong spoke of China’s endeavors for people with disabilities and the people-centred development philosophy, emphasizing that China is willing to work with The Bahamas to build a community with a shared future for mankind that is fair, inclusive, and beneﬁcial to all.

Ms Bethel stressed that China’s donation reﬂects China’s consistent support for protecting vulnerable groups in The Bahamas, and believes that

China-Bahamas friendship will be better rooted in the hearts of the Bahamian youth. The atmosphere was warm with the young people keen to answer Ambassador Yan’s questions about China and take photos with her. Ambassador Yan also

Bowleg visits MYSC’s Camp LIT at Garvin Tynes Primary School

DURING his recent visit to his ministry’s Apprenticeship and Summer Camps, Minister of Youth, Sports and Culture Mario Bowleg interacted with campers and instructors at Camp LIT (STEM) held at Garvin Tynes Primary School. Joining him were Sandena Neely, head of Division of Youth; Dereka Deleveaux-Grant, acting director of of Culture; Chanda Roberts, youth officer and coordinator of Youth Apprenticeship Camps; Lauren-Ashley Heastie, youth officer and assistant coordinator of Youth Apprenticeship Camps; and youth officers of the Division of Youth. Camp LIT provides a holistic experience of education and fun time, as well as growth in faith, self-empowerment, for the young persons. Photos: Eric Rose/BIS

visited “Every Child Counts”, the special needs school for disabled students, held talks with local farmers and tourism ofﬁcials, and accepted interviews from local Bahamian media.

Photos: Chinese Embassy