07252017 BUSINESS.pdf

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TUESDAY, JULY 25, 2017

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CAREY LEONARD

DPM PETER TURNQUEST

Realtor urges revival of ‘Economic Citizenship’

By NEIL HARTNELL Tribune Business Editor nhartnell@tribunemedia.net A PROMINENT realtor has urged the Bahamas to again consider implementing an ‘Investor Citizenship’ programme, arguing that it will be “really beneficial” to the economy and local jobs.

Mario Carey, president and chief executive at Better Homes & Gardens MCR (Bahamas), told Tribune Business he was seeking to bring such an initiative “to the forefront” of the Minnis

MARIO CAREY

Wants to bring idea to Govt’s ‘forefront’ Carey: ‘Very strong demand is there’ To doubters: ‘What are we giving up?’ administration’s thinking.

“I still think there should be consideration for economic passports at a very high level,” Mr Carey said.

“I’ve been really trying to figure out how to lobby for that, and bring it to the forefront of this administration and show the benefits of economic citizenship.

“We know the demand is there as realtors. The demand for economic residency is there; very strong.

The Bahamas can attract clientele.”

He emphasised that an ‘economic citizenship’ initiative would not be an ‘Open Sesame’, throwing out Bahamian passports to all-comers, but a narrowlySee PG B3

Doctors’ chief calls MINISTER OVERRIDES SYSTEM for NHI ‘scrapping’ FOR NHI PATIENT EQUALITY

By NEIL HARTNELL Tribune Business Editor nhartnell@tribunemedia.net THE Medical Association of the Bahamas (MAB) president says he “can’t understand” why the Government is so reluctant to “scrap” the National Health Insurance (NHI) scheme and go back to the drawing board.

Dr Sy Pierre told Tribune Business that the Minnis administration seemed to be persisting with efforts to “stick a square peg in a round hole”, despite its criticisms of NHI as currently structured when in Opposition.

Warning that the Government was in danger of “throwing good money after bad”, the MAB chief said the Minister of Health’s confirmation that the scheme is presently wide-open to fraud and other financial abuses was “very concerning”.

“I can’t understand why they cannot listen to the professional people; the doctors, insurers and others, and scrap the system, let it go,” Dr Pierre told Tribune Business.

“It makes no sense. It’s absolutely crazy. I have already had this discussion with him [Dr Duane Sands, minister of health].

They seem to be soldiering on with the system, even though they said it was a mess before.

“They seem to like wanting to stick a square peg in a round hole,” the MAB chief continued. “Continuing to

Govt ‘sticking square peg in round hold’ Insurers: Secretariat breaching two Acts Minister: We’re in ‘hell of a Catch 22’

DR SY PIERRE throw good money after bad is not going to make the situation any better.

“For some reason, they’re trying to fight human nature, almost. By their votes, the Bahamian people expressed how bad things are, that they’re willing to tighten their belts and go through pain to get out of this [fiscal and economic situation’.

“If they came to the people and said ‘We can’t do it’, but will get the system together and provide a catastrophic care plan, I don’t think anyone would have a See PG B4

By NEIL HARTNELL Tribune Business Editor nhartnell@tribunemedia.net THE Minister of Health has been forced to increase the stress on “an already over burdened” public healthcare system to ensure equality for National Health Insurance’s (NHI) 25,000-plus beneficiaries.

Dr Duane Sands told Tribune Business he had signed an ‘executive order’ to ensure NHI patients can access secondary and tertiary level care within the public healthcare system, potentially adding to waiting times for vital treatments.

He argued that this had resulted from the Christie administration’s poor NHI planning, which had neglected the “parameters” for secondary and tertiary care and how this would be integrated with the Princess Margaret Hospital (PMH)

Issues directive for hospital care access Adds to ‘already over burdened’ public sector Blames poorlyplanned scheme for woes and Public Hospitals Authority (PHA).

Patients currently have to be seen by a doctor accredited with either the PHA or Department of Public Health before they can be referred to PMH for diagnosis and specialist care.

However, many NHI patients are outside this system because they are being seen by the estimated 50-60 See PG B4

GRAND LUCAYAN NATIONALISATION IS ‘NOT OUT OF BOUNDS’

By NEIL HARTNELL Tribune Business Editor nhartnell@tribunemedia.net THE Deputy Prime Minister yesterday did not rule out the Government ‘nationalising’ Freeport’s Grand Lucayan resort, after a prominent attorney said such action is “not out of bounds”.

K P Turnquest told Tribune Business that the Government was looking at “all options” for the property’s re-opening and/or sale, after this newspaper questioned whether it would

DPM does not rule out Govt buy Says ‘all options’ being explored Attorney says: ‘It’s that urgent’ be prepared to acquire the resort in a ‘worst case’ scenario.

His comments came after Carey Leonard, the See PG B2

Non-profit ‘stress’ over Govt’s grant demands

By NATARIO McKENZIE Tribune Business Reporter nmckenzie@tribunemedia.net THE Government was yesterday warned not to treat non-profit organisations “like businesses”, although a civil society advocate said the sector was not necessarily opposed to greater regulation.

Terry Miller, Civil Society Bahamas (CSB) director, who is also executive director of The

Civil Society chief notes turnaround ‘frustration’ Too many ‘hoops’, but not against regulation Bahamas Association for Social Health (BASH), said non-profits such as his, which relied heavily See PG B3

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THE TRIBUNE

BISX PRICES GO IN OPPOSITE DIRECTION TO GLOBAL INDICES LISTED share prices on the Bahamas International Securities Exchange (BISX) continue to move in the opposite direction to their global counterparts, with the exchange’s AllShare Index down 3.78 per cent for the half-year.

The Index, which only measures movements in stock prices, lost some of the gains experienced during its 7.67 per cent or near140 point appreciation during the same period in 2016.

For the first six months of 2017, it fell by 73.34 points to 1,864.87.

In contrast to the BISX All-Share Index’s decline, major market equity indices produced gains during the 2017 first half. The S&P 500 and FTSE 100 indices closed the period up 8.24 per cent and 2.38 per cent, respectively, while the MSCI Emerging Market Index was ahead 17.23 per cent.

Despite generally sluggish share prices, the combined value of equity and debt securities listed on BISX remained above $4.8 billion.

“As at June 30, 2017, the

market was comprised of 20 ordinary shares with a market capitalisation of $3.94 billion,” BISX said in a statement yesterday. “In addition, there were 13 preference shares with a market capitalisation of $327.25 million, and 19 bonds with a face value of $579 million.”

While equity trading volumes were down compared to 2016 first half levels, the exchange’s data showed that the total worth of shares traded over BISX was slightly higher than last year.

“Trading volume for the

six-month period January 1, 2017, to June 30, 2017, was 2,350,053 shares for a value of $15.487 million,” BISX said. “Trading volume for the six-month period January 1, 2016, to June 30, 2016, was 2,960,687 shares for a value of $15.451 million.

“Trading volume for the three-month period April 1, 2017, to June 30, 2017, was 1,354,166 shares for a value of $9.422 million. Trading volume for the three-month period April 1, 2016, to June 30, 2016 was 2,061,562 shares for a value of $8.113 million.”

As a result, BISX’s average daily trading volume was down from 23,590 shares to 18,328 shares year-over-year. However, the average daily value of shares traded rose from $122,922 to $123,532.

Colina Holdings (Bahamas), the life and health insurance holding company, was the 2017 first half leader for both volume and value of shares traded. It accounted for 33.7 per cent, or more than one-third, of all equities traded, and 29.8 per cent of the total value.

AML Foods was the

second most widely traded stock, accounting for 22.6 per cent of the total. Cable Bahamas and Commonwealth Bank produced 13 per cent and 11.3 per cent, respectively, of trading activity, with FOCOL Holdings accounting for 6 per cent.

When it came to value, Commonwealth Bank was second, accounting for 20.6 per cent of the total worth of shares traded during the 2017 first half. AML Foods came in third at 14.9 per cent, with FOCOL and Cable Bahamas in fourth and fifth spots, respectively.

the front-runner to acquire the Grand Lucayan from Cheung Kong Property Holdings, Hutchison Whampoa’s real estate arm.

Wynn signed a Letter of Intent (LOI) for the purchase in late April, and paid a deposit to prove its intent. However, this newspaper’s sources yesterday said little progress was being made towards closing a deal, despite social media reports that an agreement was close.

Among those also said to have looked at the Grand Lucayan are former Baha Mar developer, Sarkis Izmirlian, and ex-South Ocean investor, Roger Stein. Other parties said to be interested are Warwick Hotels and Resorts, the owner/operator of the former Holiday Inn on

Paradise Island, and a New York-based group.

However, time is rapidly running - if it has not already done so - to re-open the Grand Lucayan in time for the first half of the winter 2017-2018 season. Its continued closure means Grand Bahama has lost 59 per cent of its room inventory, and ability to attract new airlift, along with around 1,000 jobs.

Many Port Lucaya Marketplace tenants are increasingly fearful they will not survive, and there are ongoing concerns that Freeport and Grand Bahama will continue to de-populate as persons leave to seek work elsewhere.

It is almost 10 months since the Grand Lucayan and Memories closed in Hurricane Matthew’s wake, and the urgency of the situation was highlighted recently by Magnus Alnebeck, Pelican Bay’s managing director.

“It’s crunch time now,” he told this newspaper in a recent interview.

“I think that if parts of the Grand Lucayan are not open by the winter season unless something is open by the winter season - it’s going to be very hard to turn around.

“In the next two to three weeks, there needs to be a sale [of the Grand Lucayan] to be able to save this.”

Grand Lucayan nationalisation is ‘not out of bounds’ From pg B1 Callenders & Co attorney, said the “desperation” and “urgency” surrounding the Grand Lucayan’s continued closure may require the Government to undertake a ‘compulsory acquisition’ of the resort.

Mr Leonard, a former Grand Bahama Port Authority (GBPA) in-house counsel, told Tribune Business: “We are so desperate to have that hotel.

“It is such an integral part the economy and survival of Grand Bahama that I don’t think the Government of the Bahamas would be out of bounds to say: ‘This is what the hotel’s worth. “‘You’re asking too much. We’ll give you two months, and then we’ll pay for it via compulsory acquisition, give you what it’s really worth, then sell it ourselves’. I think it’s that urgent, quite frankly.”

Mr Turnquest did not deny a potential Government purchase of the Grand Lucayan when Tribune Business put this to him, after being informed this was among the Government’s “back stop”options he referred to at last week’s

Grand Bahama Chamber of Commerce luncheon.

“We’re looking at all options in that regard,” the Deputy Prime Minister said of Freeport’s ‘anchor’ resort property. “We have not ruled out any contingencies.

“It is critical to our restoring the economy of Grand Bahama, everyone recognises that, and it’s in everybody’s interests to get that property open and back in operation as quickly as possible.

“All parties at the table are cognisant of that, and are being as diligent and aggressive as we can to effect that.”

Mr Turnquest was responding after Tribune Business was informed that the Minnis administration was considering a government purchase, or having to sweeten a private deal with millions of dollars in subsidies, tax concessions and the like, as a ‘last resort’ to re-open the Grand Lucayan.

A Government acquisition of the Grand Lucayan would be fraught with difficulty, and the prospect will likely be greeted with

GRAND LUCAYAN horror by many observers especially those not living in Freeport or Grand Bahama.

Any purchase funded by the Bahamian taxpayer will likely add to the huge fiscal strain already imposed on the Public Treasury by a $7 billion-plus national debt and $300 million-plus annual deficits.

And, given the Grand Lucayan’s recurring annual losses, subsidies to cover this ‘red ink’ would also have to be included in every Budget. Such a purchase would also represent an expansion of government at a time when the Bahamas needs to shrink it - something the Minnis administration said it would seek to do.

Talk of ‘nationalisation’ will also bring back unhappy memories for many Ba-

hamians of the Hotel Corporation’s ‘heyday’, when the Pindling administration took control over much of the Bahamas’ hotel plant.

That ill-fated period was ended when the Ingraham administration was elected in 1992 and decided to exit the hotel business, realising its seasonality and high operating costs made it an extraordinarily difficult business to be in.

Another downside is the negative messages that will be sent to other foreign investors by the use of ‘compulsory acquisition’, which could cost the Bahamas the FDI inflows it desperately needs to grow GDP and reduce unemployment.

Tribune Business earlier this year revealed that the Canadian-based real estate developer, the Wynn Group, had emerged as

THE TRIBUNE

Tuesday, July 25, 2017, PAGE 3

MIXED NON-PROFIT REACTION TO REGISTRAR GENERAL DEMANDS

By NATARIO MCKENZIE Tribune Business Reporter nmckenzie@tribunemedia.net NON-profit organisations yesterday gave mixed reactions to the Registrar General’s demand that they produce their financial statements, with some saying they had “nothing to hide” and others arguing it would be easier to “windup”.

Leslie Vanderpool,the Bahamas International Film Festival’s founder and executive director, told Tribune Business: “We’re a non-profit organisation and we are receiving funds from private individuals and also government. If we have to disclose, we have nothing to hide.

“We have been involved in what we do since 2004, and if we need to give some transparency I’m 100 per cent for it. We are also demanding transparency from the Government, so I have no issue with it. It depends on how much digging they want to do. Obviously, some of the people who

have given anonymously, I wouldn’t want to disclose that, but I would be happy to give all of the financial statements that I have.”

Hundreds of non-profits, including churches and environmental groups, have been given 14 days, or two weeks, from July 19 to comply with the Registrar General’s Department request under the Companies (Non-profit Organisations) Regulations 2014 to produce their audited financial statements. Other records requested by the Registrar General include: the organisation’s purpose, objective, and activities; and identity of persons who control or direct the activities of the organisation, including senior officers, directors, and trustees.

One organisation that appears not to be included, though, is the Coalition to Protect Clifton Bay, otherwise known as Save the Bays, which filed two ongoing Judicial Review actions with the Supreme Court challenging the Registrar General’s Department’s actions.

Realtor urges revival of ‘Economic Citizenship’ From pg B1 focused programme targeting as few as 30-50 ultra high-end investors with the means and desire to start businesses in this nation.

Mr Carey said the criteria to qualify for ‘Investor’ or ‘economic’ citizenship could involve the purchase of property worth a minimum of $5 million, something that would generate immediate, significant Stamp Duty and VAT flows for the cash-strapped Public Treasury.

He added that qualifying investors would also have to live in the Bahamas as their primary domicile, invest a minimum sum here, and establish a business or businesses employing a specific number of Bahamians.

As a result, Mr Carey said the benefits from an ‘economic citizenship’ programme would extend far beyond just the initial real estate purchase, helping to grow GDP plus generating local employment and recurring tax revenues.

“The US is number one in the world [for economic citizenship],” he added. “It shows they’re smart enough to attract people, but why aren’t we?”

Investor and economic citizenship programmes are nothing new, but the idea frequently runs into highlevel political resistance due to fears of a backlash from the Bahamian public over fears that their birthright is being given away.

The idea was floated as recently as 2014 by Sean McWeeney, a key adviser to then-prime minister Perry Christie, who urged the Bahamas to “join the bandwagon” and target the world’s wealthiest individuals, something that could have “the most transformative effect” on the economy.

Addressing the 2014 Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners (STEP)

Caribbean conference, Mr McWeeney said the programme would offer select investors permanent residency with a “guarantee” of Bahamian citizenship once strict criteria were met.

These conditions included fulfilling commitments to take up residence in the Bahamas, and invest in its economy, with a ‘high bar’ set for the investment dollar value that would be required.

“Any country that sells citizenship without extracting commitments for residency and investment is likely to be shot down,” the noted QC added. “We’re not going to be mass marketing to anybody. We’re not interested in getting thousands and thousands of people under such a programme.”

This mirrors Mr Carey’s suggestion, but Mr McWeeney’s suggestion was never taken up by the Christie Cabinet, with ministers at the time seeking to distance themselves from the idea.

Ryan Pinder, former minister of financial services, said the Bahamas lacks the “social maturity” to accept an Investor Citi-

The Registrar General’s now-vastly expanded demands appear to be almost identical to those made of the Coalition to Protect Clifton Bay. However, the Coalition’s action argues that the only time the Registrar General can demand financial statements and records is if it believes the non-profit is “assisting terrorism financing”.

Some observers are likely to interpret the Registrar General’s July 19 notice as a response to Coalition to Protect Clifton Bay charges that it was being singled out by the demands for financial disclosure, which were made under the former Christie administration. Tribune Business was referred by the Registrar General’s Department to the Attorney General’s Office when it attempted to obtain comment yesterday.

Carl Bethel QC, the attorney general, could not be reached before press time.

Meanwhile, Bishop Walter Hanchell, president of Great Commission Ministries (GCM), told Tribune

Business he had no problem with the requirements as long as non-profit organisations were given certain benefits.

“I saw the notice in the newspapers concerning the Government regulating churches and civic organisations,” he added. “I really don’t have a problem with regulation as long as there are benefits such as tax-free status and assistance through funding and other initiatives.

“With regards to the financial statements, I still believe it’s not a problem to be accountable if you are using public funds. We get small funding from the Government for some of our programmes, but we provide them with an annual financial statement.

We have nothing to hide.”

Bishop Hanchell added: “With the amount of things happening in this country, the Government should reach out more to these non-profit and civic organisations to help with the social programmes, which they are doing now and getting no funding for.

“Regulation is fine but it should also give organisations some incentive to initiate programmes to help lower crime and poverty.

As a non-profit we know how much of a struggle it is to stay open.”

But Cindy Pinder, vicepresident of the Abaco Fly Fishing Guides Association (AFFGA), told Tribune Business: “As is typical with the Government, the requirement is redundant.

If I recall correctly, in order to be given non-profit status in the first place we had to file paperwork with the Government regarding the organisation’s purpose, objective and activities, and provide officer and director information and the source of our prospective income.

“If an applicant meets the government criteria as a non-profit, what difference does it make how much money they make or receive? If the Government wants to base nonprofit status on financials, why don’t they just change the requirements legally instead of arbitrarily?”

She added: “It was in-

zen programme that would aim to attract the world’s wealthiest individuals to this nation and supply a major economic boost.

He added that the Bahamas’ politically-charged environment, where many persons were swayed by emotions and nationalism, rather than pragmatism, were major obstacles to the initiatives embraced by many other nations.

“The social maturity in some jurisdictions might be challenged by this concept,” Mr Pinder said.

Some in the private sector also argued that Bahamian citizenship was a privilege, not a right, and not something that could or should be bought. They added that the Bahamas’ current permanent residency products, when married with certainty over the process and timelines, provided sufficient options to attract high net worth individuals and families to these shores.

Mr Carey recalled for Tribune Business how he was informed by Fred Mitchell, former minister for foreign affairs and immigration, that an Investor Citizenship programe would never happen under the Christie administration.

“I was in a meeting with Fred Mitchell with some Asian clients, and he looked at me and said it would nev-

er happen,” the realtor told Tribune Business. “That it would never happen under this administration.”

Mr Carey said the Bahamas should not target the same market as St Kitts and Nevis, which had set the bar and investment threshold too low, and instead focus on the “ultra high-end” investor capable of making an economic difference.

The ultimate goal would be to attract investors of the same calibre as the Izmirlian family and Joe Lewis, and become major investors in the domestic economy, creating hundreds of jobs for Bahamians.

“That’s the market the Bahamas should target,” Mr Carey told Tribune Business. “Ultra high-end.

Not St Kitts and Nevis, where you sell yourself short. It’s really beneficial to the Bahamas.

“What are you really giving up? Think about it.

A lot of Bahamians say us realtors are selling out the country to foreigners, but without foreign dollars what else would we have? What else do we want? You can’t survive just on tourism; it’s not going to happen.”

Non-profit ‘stress’ over Govt’s grant demands From pg B1

on government subsidies, were “challenged” to provide all the necessary information to receive such funding.

“We have been in the process for the last two weeks trying to get everything in place to get our grant,” he said. “This has been causing us some stress. They have been asking for TIN numbers, legal trading name and all kinds of other information.

They’re treating non-profits like a business.

“You go to the Ministry of Social Services, which is our first line, and they say you need ‘A’. Then you go elsewhere and they tell you you need B,C,D and E. The turnaround is frustrating and the lack of response from the civil service is why Civil Society Bahamas has been trying to get some funding for a symposium so that they can understand our challenges and we can

teresting to read that Save the Bays is feeling picked on because a few months ago, I thought the same thing after receiving an email from AFFGA’s counsel stating that he had received a notice regarding non-profits needing to file financials for the first time ever [because of the two contentious years during the promulgation of the flats fishing regulation.]

“If the Registrar can only request financials from non-profits that are engaged in terror financing, according to the Act and regulations, I suspect we will withhold the information, too, in solidarity with other non-profits until a time that the Act is changed by Parliament.

“In addition to being a non-profit, we are also all volunteer. There are no paid positions and our dues are inexpensive. Since dues and donations are our only source of income, it would probably be easier to wind-up our company than to have to comply with even more government requirements.”

understand their dynamics.”

Mr Miller added: “Most of us are challenged financially, and when that government grant comes, while it may only be a small percentage of our Budget, we look forward to it. But when the time comes you find out that we have more hoops to jump through.

“It is unfair to us and shows a lack of respect. I think that the Government should have met with all the entities who rely on government grants and outline the process step by step. From week to week, pray we can find enough money to fund our salaries. When they put these demands on us they have to see what is reasonable.”

Mr Miller told Tribune Business that CSB has been pushing for a Civil Society Organisation Bill. “We are not against regulation, but we want to be considered separate from the for-profit organisations,” he added.

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THE TRIBUNE lic healthcare network and infrastructure by enabling more Bahamians to access treatment in the private sector.

“If the waiting list for cardiology or urology diagnosis is several months, what happens to those lists if hundreds or thousands of patients enrolled by NHI are added to it, but we’ve not built in the capacity to deal with them?” Dr Sands asked.

“The present roll-out of NHI has done exactly what we anticipated it would do; increase the over-burdening of an already overcrowded healthcare system.”

Dr Sands told Tribune Business that had he taken no action, NHI beneficiaries could have effectively

been given ‘second class status’ when compared to patients referred for secondary and tertiary care via the normal channels.

This could have resulted in them waiting longer, and being given a lower priority.

“What I have done is issue a directive to allow patients seen by NHI clinicians to enter the public healthcare system for diagnosis and consultation without having to see a Department of Public Health or PHA physician first,” the Minister confirmed.

“Otherwise a patient seen by a private NHI doctor, having been identified with a problem, would have no means of referral. They would have to see a PHA physician first.”

Bahamian medical professionals confirmed that the issue had been causing increasing concern in the healthcare industry prior to Dr Sands taking action.

Dr Sy Pierre, the Medical Association of the Bahamas (MAB) president, told Tribune Business that the problem was resulting in the “duplication of services” - again, the very thing NHI was supposed to avoid.

He explained that Dr Macumba Miller, head of the Bahamas Doctors Union (BDU), which represents junior doctors in the public healthcare system, had informed him that the government-run clinics immediately prepared and referred patients diagnosed with serious ailments to

PMH. Yet under NHI, this was viewed as “specialist care”, with the clinics unable to perform the preparation/referral function for patients enrolled in the scheme.

Dr Sands told Tribune Business that the confusion, and his action in overriding the system, could have been avoided had the Christie administration properly planned and thought-out NHI’s structure and operations.

“The road to hell is paved with good intentions,” he said. “Had this thing been carefully thought-out, considered and appropriately planned, we would not be having these problems.”

visits and how many hospitalisations,” Dr Pierre said.

“This is how you manage compliance, how you manage physician performance.

“For those gaming the system, they can basically do all sorts of billings presently with no checks and balances.”

Dr Pierre spoke out just before the Bahamas Insurance Association (BIA) yesterday further increased the pressure on the Government over its decision to correct NHI’s ills, rather than start all over again.

The BIA, in its latest statement, argued that the NHI Secretariat was operating illegally as an unlicensed insurer by assuming the functions that would be performed by the scheme’s RHAs. The RHAs are supposed to be the public insurer, BahamaCare, and private health insurers who would be contracted by the NHI Authority to pay doctors’ bills, adjudicate claims, monitor physician performance and standards, and prevent fraud and waste.

Yet with neither the NHI Authority nor any RHA in place, the BIA argued that the NHI Secretariat is

breaching both its own Act and the Insurance Act by filling the vacuum.

“The BIA contends that the NHI Secretariat, acting on the premise that it can function as the NHI Authority (which has not been formally constituted), may have illegally taken on, among other things, the functions of an RHA as defined in Section 26 of the NHI Act,” the Association said.

“This would violate the NHI Act and, as the Secretariat would be carrying on insurance business, is also a violation of the Insurance Act.” Once insurance industry source, speaking on condition of anonymity, told Tribune Business that the NHI scheme was “really, really mixed up” due to the Secretariat performing numerous, conflicting functions.

They explained that this meant patients and NHI medical providers had no recourse for complaints, such as those likely to have been made over doctor non-payment.

“In the absence of a proper regulatory structure, there is nowhere to go

if patients have issues. Who do they go to?” the insurer asked. “That’s the conundrum and dilemma we find ourselves in. This is very unusual.”

“Had an insurance company failed to make payment, a complaint could have been filed with the Insurance Commission who has the legal power to investigate the complaint and to direct the company to resolve it,” the BIA said.

“The insurer in question could also have been sued for breach of contract. Under these circumstances, where the payments themselves violate law, the affected medical providers may not have any legal redress available to them.”

The insurance industry source also questioned whether the NHI Authority Board, and its members, will seek “indemnification” from the Government when appointed if they have to ratify actions that had no basis in law.

“What dangerous precedent are we setting?” they asked. “You do something outside the law, and then get it approved? We have to uphold the rule of law. We know something’s wrong and we need to fix it.

“The Minister is being very frank and honest in saying things were done unlawfully, but the challenge is: Do we continue perpetuating this illegality, or address it?”

Dr Sands, in a recent interview with Tribune Business, conceded that he and the Government were in “a hell of catch 22 situation” regarding NHI’s legal standing, and the former administration’s actions in launching the scheme.

“We had a choice,” he said. “We could have stopped it [NHI] cold.

That’s what the pious among us said we should do.

“We’ve made a decision otherwise; to move as quickly as possible to get this thing operating properly, acknowledging there can be fraud and abuse and so forth. I can fume and pout that we’ve been put in a situation, but it doesn’t change it.”

Dr Sands added that “stopping NHI cold” would negatively impact persons who had left jobs to join the NHI Authority, plus private doctors who had signed contracts to provide medical services in good faith.

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dependence and our energy security interests.”

He would not speculate on any possible EU retaliation should European businesses be hurt by U.S. sanctions.

“We in the European Union will have interests in this discussion and we expect this interest to be addressed by the ongoing pre-legislative process” in the United States, Schinas said.

His comments came despite senior Republicans saying Saturday that revisions to the package have resolved fears that the sanctions could have unintentionally complicated Europe’s access to energy resources outside of Russia.

FED WILL LIKELY FOCUS ON LOW INFLATION BUT LEAVE RATES ALONE

Minister overrides system for NHI patient equality From pg B1 private doctors registered as primary care providers under the scheme.

As a result, Dr Sands said it was necessary for him to sign a “directive” permitting these patients to access secondary and tertiarylevel care within the public healthcare system without first being seen by a PHA or Department of Public Health-accredited doctor.

“One of the challenges we’ve had is what to do with NHI patients who, identified as having problems at the primary care level, have

to be referred somewhere to where these problems can be addressed,” Dr Sands told Tribune Business.

“At this time, NHI patients do not have tertiary care coverage or benefits.

These patients have to be referred back to the public healthcare system. They join the line at a point in the system, and exacerbate an already over burdened and overcrowded system.”

The Minister said this was precisely the opposite effect of what NHI was intended to do - reduce the burden on a struggling pub-

Doctors’ chief calls for NHI ‘scrapping’ From pg B1 problem with that.”

Dr Pierre questioned what NHI would give Bahamians that they were not already receiving, given that all citizens and legal residents currently enjoy access to healthcare via the public sector.

“If we’re going to have NHI, let’s have it for something we don’t have, such as a catastrophic care programme,” he added.

Questioning why the Bahamas was forging ahead with another expensive social initiative, despite being confronted with a second ‘junk’ downgrade, Dr Pierre said NHI-style financing schemes had produced unintended consequences whenever they were implemented.

He argued that they often became an unsustainable financial drain on a government’s finances, or resulted in reduced quality of care, waiting times and the rationing of treatments.

“NHI has never worked anywhere else on a large

By MIKE CORDER Associated Press BRUSSELS (AP) — European Union officials are “activating all diplomatic channels” to press home their concerns that looming U.S. energy sanctions against Russia could affect Europe’s energy supplies, a spokesman said Monday.

U.S. lawmakers are scheduled to consider the sanctions package as early as Tuesday, and the bill could

scale,” Dr Pierre told Tribune Business. “It’s economic absolutes. If you cap the cost of care, you will have increased demand and a reduced supply of physicians.”

He said the MAB and its members had warned the former Christie administration that NHI was exposed to fraud and other forms of corruption without the necessary “checks and balances”, especially a comprehensive, scheme-wide IT system.

Without this, and the scheme’s regulated health administrators (RHAs), being in place, the MAB chief confirmed that it was impossible to verify the accuracy of medical bills submitted by participating doctors.

He added that it was also possible for two doctors to treat the same patient, and even submit billings for treatments never rendered or medications that were not prescribed.

“You have to look at outcomes, how many patient

be sent to President Donald Trump before Congress breaks for the August recess.

The measures are aimed at punishing Moscow for meddling in the presidential election and its military aggression in Ukraine and Syria.

EU member states Germany and Austria have criticized the penalties, saying they could affect European businesses involved in piping in Russian natural gas.

In a joint statement last month, Austria’s Chancel-

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lor Christian Kern and Germany’s Foreign Minister Sigmar Gabriel cited a section of the sanctions bill that calls for the United States to continue to oppose the Nord Stream 2 pipeline that would pump Russian gas to Germany beneath the Baltic Sea. European Commission spokesman Margaritis Schinas said Monday that the EU’s executive arm is “following this process with some concern regarding the European Union’s energy in-

By MARTIN CRUTSINGER Associated Press WASHINGTON (AP) — The Federal Reserve has already achieved one of its two mandates: With the unemployment rate at just 4.4 percent, the Fed has essentially maximized employment.

It’s the Fed’s other goal — price stability — that’s stayed persistently out of reach.

Inflation has been edging further below the Fed’s 2 percent target. Problem is, too-low inflation tends to slow consumer spending, the U.S. economy’s main fuel.

Many consumers delay purchases if they think the same price — or a lower one — will be available later.

Low inflation will likely be a key discussion point when the Fed holds its latest policy meeting this week.

The central bank has raised its benchmark interest rate twice this year, but no one expects another hike when its meeting ends Wednesday.

And unless inflation picks up, some analysts foresee no further rate increase this year.

Fed Chair Janet Yellen deepened the uncertainty earlier this month when she sounded less sure about her position that a slowdown in inflation this year was due to temporary factors. Yellen conceded that Fed officials were puzzled by recent developments. Her remarks lifted financial markets as investors interpreted her words to suggest that the Fed might slow its pace of rate increases.

“In the past, Yellen was pretty confident that inflation would come back, but that is now in doubt,” said Sung Won Sohn, economics professor at California State University-Channel Islands.

Over the past 12 months, the inflation gauge the Fed monitors most closely has risen just 1.4 percent, according to the latest data.

That’s down from a 1.9 percent year-over-year increase in January. In part, it’s why some economists say they suspect the Fed may be keeping its rate increases on hold, waiting to see if inflation in coming months rebounds from its current slowdown.

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C) In the case of Guidance Counselor, Master’s degree in Counseling or bachelor’s degree with minimum of three (3) years relevant work experience.

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THE MARRINER S. Eccles Federal Reserve Board Building in Washington. When the Federal Reserve ends its latest policy meeting Wednesday, July 26, 2017, it may hint at two key questions: Might persistently low inflation lead the Fed to slow its interest-rate hikes? And when will it start to shrink its balance sheet, a process that will likely elevate long-term borrowing costs over time? (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik, File)

THE TRIBUNE

Tuesday, July 25, 2017, PAGE 5

EUROZONE GROWTH PROJECTIONS REVISED UP BY THE IMF

By PAN PYLAS Associated Press

LONDON (AP) — The International Monetary is more optimistic about the economy of the 19-country eurozone after a run of elections saw populist politicians defeated.

In an update to its April projections published Monday, the IMF revised up its growth forecasts for many eurozone countries, including the big four of Germany, France, Italy and Spain, after stronger than anticipated first quarter figures.

Germany, Europe’s biggest economy, is projected to grow by 1.8 percent, up 0.2 percentage point on the previous estimate, while France is forecast to expand 1.5 percent, up 0.1 percentage point. Projections for Italy and Spain have been revised higher by a substantial 0.5 percentage point.

The two are now expected to grow by 1.3 percent and 3.1 percent, respectively. All four are also expected to grow by more than anticipated in 2018.

Overall, the IMF expects the eurozone to expand by 1.9 percent this year, 0.2 percentage point

more than its previous projection.

That’s just shy of the IMF’s 2.1 percent forecast for the U.S. but slightly ahead of Britain’s, whose projected growth rate was revised down by 0.3 percentage point to 1.7 percent following a weak first quarter that raised concerns about the country’s economy ahead of its exit from the European Union.

The IMF’s slew of upgrades comes amid rising confidence in the eurozone’s outlook following a series of elections that saw populist politicians defeated, most notably in France, where Emmanuel Macron defeated the far-right candidate Marine Le Pen in May’s presidential election.

“On the upside, the cyclical rebound could be stronger and more sustained in Europe, where political risk has diminished,” the IMF said in a statement accompanying its new forecasts.

The IMF’s update came as a survey pointed to a modest slowdown in the eurozone in July as the region struggled to keep up the fast pace of its recent upturn.

Financial information firm IHS Markit said Monday that its purchasing managers’ index for the region fell to a six-month low of

A TOURIST shelters from the sun near the Colosseum in Rome, Sunday, July 23, 2017.

Italy is gripped by drought as the summer heat continues with no sign of rain.

(AP Photo/Andrew Medichini)

55.8 points in July from 56.3 the previous month.

Despite the modest retreat, the indicator pointed to one of the strongest expansions seen in the past six years, with quarterly growth at a still-healthy 0.6 percent, down only slightly from the 0.7 percent signaled for the second quarter. Official secondquarter figures are due at the start of August.

Chris Williamson, the firm’s chief business economist, says it’s “too early to know for sure whether the economy has merely hit a speed bump or whether the upturn is already starting to fade.”

The evidence, he says, points

Global shares mixed as attention turns to Fed meeting

By YURI KAGEYAMA Associated Press TOKYO (AP) — Global stock markets mostly fell on Monday as investors turned their attention to the U.S. Federal Reserve meeting later in the week.

KEEPING SCORE: France’s CAC 40 was flat at 5,121 while Germany’s DAX shed 0.4 percent to 12,191. Britain’s FTSE 100 lost 1 percent to 7,382. U.S. shares were also set to drift lower, with Dow and S&P

500 futures both down 0.1 percent.

FED FACTOR: The monetary policymaking body of the Federal Reserve wraps up two days of meetings Wednesday.

At June’s meeting, Fed officials raised the central bank’s key interest rate for the third time in six months.

The Fed also announced plans to start gradually paring its bond holdings later this year, a move that could cause long-term rates to rise. Over the last few

weeks investors have focused what the European Central Bank will do as the European economy continues to improve.

U.S. POLITICS: A flurry of tweets from U.S. President Donald Trump, complaining that Republicans were failing to fully support him as they struggle to deliver on health care legislation, underscored the disarray in Washington amid investigations into alleged Russian interference in the 2016 election

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to the former, with the economy “hitting bottlenecks due to the speed of the recent upturn.”

He noted that forward-looking indicators, such as new order inflows, suggest further robust growth. As a result, job creation is “booming” as companies seek to expand to meet demand.

The survey is likely to inform the ECB’s deliberations as it mulls when to start reining back its monetary stimulus. Last week, ECB President Mario Draghi sought to be neutral, worried that any indication of any change of course could lead to the euro currency surging. More clarity is expected in the autumn.

and possible connections to Trump’s campaign.

THE QUOTE: “Investors continued to take into account Trump’s political setbacks including expanded investigation into his transactions regarding his Russian connections and limited progress in the health care bill,” says Zhu Huani, Singapore Treasury Division of Mizuho Bank, of the U.S. political uncertainties.

IMF’S FORECASTS: The International Monetary Fund cut its growth forecasts for the U.S. and Britain It cited a weaker first quarter for the countries’ downgraded outlook as well as political issues, such as President Donald Trump’s difficulty in getting legislation passed. The cuts contrast with an upgrade for the 19-country eurozone, which has seen growth pick up markedly this year.

ASIA’S DAY: Japan’s benchmark Nikkei 225

Much will depend on inflation. The chief purpose behind the ECB’s stimulus efforts, which has involved slashing interest rates and buying 60 billion euros ($69 billion) a month in bonds at least through the end of the year, is to get inflation up to its goal of just below 2 percent. In the year to June, the annual rate of inflation was 1.3 percent.

Monday’s survey suggested that inflation pressures eased in July, which may reinforce Draghi’s belief that there isn’t “any convincing sign of a pickup in inflation.”

The ECB meets next to decide on policy on Sept. 7.

lost 0.6 percent to finish at 19,975.67. Australia’s S&P/ASX 200 slipped 0.6 percent to 5,688.10.

But South Korea’s Kospi inched up nearly 0.1 percent to 2,451.53. Hong Kong’s Hang Seng added 0.5 percent to 26,8406.83 while the Shanghai Composite index gained 0.4 percent to 3,250.60. India’s Sensex added 0.7 percent to 32,259.28, while shares in Southeast Asia were mixed.

ENERGY: Benchmark U.S. crude dropped 6 cents to $45.72 a barrel in electronic trading on the New York Mercantile Exchange.

It sank $1.15 to $45.77 a barrel on Friday. Brent crude, the standard for international oil prices, fell 27 cents to $48.04 a barrel in London.

CURRENCIES: The euro rose to $1.1646 from $1.1639. The dollar slid to 110.77 yen from 111.55 yen late Friday in Asia.

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A WOMAN walks past an electronic stock indicator of a securities firm in Tokyo yesterday. Asian shares mostly slid Monday, with Chinese benchmarks countering the trend, as market attention turns to the U.S. Federal Reserve meeting later in the week.

(AP Photo/Shizuo Kambayashi)

BRITISH Prime Minister Theresa May leaves 10 Downing Street in London. May called a snap election in a bid to strengthen her hand in EU negotiations. (AP Photo/Matt Dunham)

IMF CUTS BRITISH GROWTH FORECAST AFTER WEAK FIRST QUARTER LONDON (AP) — The International Monetary Fund has revised down its 2017 growth forecast for the British economy following a weak first quarter that suggested the country’s exit from the European Union was starting to weigh on consumers and businesses.

In an update to its April forecasts, the IMF lowered its 2017 growth forecast by 0.3 percentage point to 1.7 percent following weaker than anticipated first quarter figures. During the first three months of the year, the British economy expanded by only 0.2 percent, lower than any other Group of Seven economy.

In contrast, the IMF upgraded its forecasts for Europe’s main economies, such as Germany and France.

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PAGE 6, Tuesday, July 25, 2017

THE TRIBUNE

TRUMP SAYS UPCOMING HEALTH VOTE IS GOP’S CHANCE TO KEEP VOW

By ALAN FRAM Associated Press

WASHINGTON (AP) — A peeved President Donald Trump browbeat Republican opponents of his party’s reeling health care bill Monday, asserting that his predecessor’s signature overhaul has meant “death” and saying the Senate’s planned faceoff vote is their chance to keep their pledge to repeal it.

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said he’d call a vote Tuesday on beginning debate on the legislation. While a victory on that initial but crucial roll call seemed an uphill climb, some Republicans expressed a new optimism that it would prevail — though the measure’s ultimate fate still seemed gloomy.

McConnell, R-Ky., said he’s “made a commitment to the people I represent” to undo President Barack Obama’s health care overhaul, in what seemed a pointed reminder to Republican senators that they’ve made the same vow.

McConnell did not describe precisely what version of the GOP legislation senators would be voting on, though No. 2 House GOP leader John Cornyn of Texas said later that Republicans would discuss that at a private lunch before the vote. That omission has caused confusion and frustration among some Republican senators.

At the White House, Trump lambasted Democrats who helped enact the 2010 health care law and uniformly oppose the GOP attempt to scrap and rewrite it.

“They run out and say, ‘Death, death, death,’” Trump said, with a backdrop of families that he said

PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP, accompanied by Vice President Mike Pence, Health and Human Services Secretary Tom Price, and others, speaks about healthcare, yesterday, in the Blue Room of the White House in Washington. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon) have encountered problems getting affordable, reliable medical coverage because of Obama’s statute. “Well, Obamacare is death. That’s the one that’s death.”

Some Democrats have said the GOP repeal effort would lead to death for patients who lose coverage. The nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office has said various versions of the legislation would mean more than 20 million Americans would become uninsured by 2026.

But Trump focused many of his remarks on GOP senators. McConnell is nursing a slim 52-48 majority and the possible absence of Arizona Sen. John McCain, who’s battling cancer, which would mean two GOP defections would sink the measure.

“For Senate Republicans, this is their chance to keep their promise. Over and over again, they said,

FROM left, Energy Secretary Rick Perry, Health and Human Services Secretary Tom Price and Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke walk across the South Lawn of the White House yesterday, before boarding Marine One to join President Donald Trump for the short flight to nearby Andrews Air Force Base, Md. Trump is traveling to Beaver, W.Va. to speak at the 2017 National Scout Jamboree. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon) ‘Repeal and replace, repeal and replace.’ But they can now keep their promise,” Trump said.

At least a dozen Republican senators have pub-

licly opposed or criticized the legislation, more than enough to kill it. That’s forced McConnell to step back twice from anticipated votes and to revise his

bill in hopes of mollifying unhappy moderates and conservatives.

Moderate Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, remained opposed to beginning debate on any option McConnell has revealed so far, and other Republicans remained uncommitted.

But senators and aides said talks were underway on issues including potentially giving states more leeway on using federal funds to help people losing Medicaid coverage.

“I think we’re going to proceed to debate,” Cornyn said, though he acknowledged about McCain, “It would help if he’s here.”

McConnell’s measure would uproot much of Obama’s law, eliminating its tax penalties on people not buying policies, cutting the Medicaid health care program for the poor and providing less generous health care subsidies for consumers.

Complicating McConnell’s task, Ohio GOP Gov. John Kasich said it would be a mistake for the Senate to move ahead Tuesday “and force a one-sided deal that the American people are clearly against.”

Kasich’s stance could make it harder for wavering Sen. Rob Portman, R-Ohio, who’s criticized the measure’s Medicaid cuts, to back the legislation.

Yet in one possible sign of progress by leaders, Portman said it’s “not as important to me” to know what bill McConnell would move to if the Senate votes to begin debate.

Kasich panned the bill for a lack of “bipartisanship, transparency or open dialogue.” In a statement, the 2016 GOP presidential contender said Congress should take no action on recrafting the nation’s health

care system until it can “step back from political gamesmanship and come together with a workable, bipartisan plan.”

Yet Portman and other undeclared Republican senators were also being pounded by the White House.

“Republicans have a last chance to do the right thing on Repeal & Replace after years of talking & campaigning on it,” Trump tweeted earlier Monday.

Trump’s contentious tone toward his own party underscored the high stakes as he tries avoiding the specter of Republicans sinking one of his top priorities.

Characteristic of his scattershot effort on his party’s health care drive, Trump also spent the morning tweeting insults at Democrats, the news media and his own attorney general, Jeff Sessions, about their handling of investigations into his 2016 campaign’s possible collusion with Russia.

Late in the day, Trump used an appearance at the National Scout Jamboree in West Virginia to issue a threat, perhaps in jest, against his health secretary, Tom Price. Saying that Price “better get” the votes to begin debate on the legislation, the president said, “Otherwise, I’ll say: Tom, you’re fired.” He also told the crowd it “better get” West Virginia Republican Sen. Shelly Moore Caputo, who has expressed reservations about the GOP bill, to vote for it.

In comments highlighting GOP tensions, Rep. Blake Farenthold, R-Texas, said it is “absolutely repugnant” that Republican senators aren’t following through on campaign promises to repeal Obama’s law.

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forecast for global growth unchanged from an April forecast, partly because the United States is unlikely to get much help from tax cuts and higher spending.

In a report out Monday, the IMF kept its expectation for worldwide economic growth at 3.5 percent this year. But it now forecasts 1.9 percent growth for the 19 countries that use the euro currency (up from 1.7 percent in April). The fund expects Japan to grow 1.3 percent (up from the previously expected 1.2 percent) and China to expand 6.7

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percent (versus 6.6 percent).

The U.S. economy is expected to grow 2.1 percent, down from the 2.3 percent expected in April when hopes were higher for tax cuts. The Trump administration has vowed to restore U.S. growth to 3 percent a year through a combination of deregulation, tax cuts and infrastructure spending. But the tax reductions and spending program have been stalled by political discord.

The IMF releases its World Economic Outlook

report in April and September or October and publishes updates in January and July.

The fund found that confidence and stability have returned to the eurozone, which was rocked by a debt crisis in the aftermath of the Great Recession of 2007-2009. Spending, investment and exports are up in Japan. Government stimulus is boosting China’s economy, which had steadily decelerating since 2010, but economists worry that subsidized growth isn’t sustainable.

THE TRIBUNE

Tuesday, July 25, 2017, PAGE 7

US STOCK INDEXES MIXED AHEAD OF BUSY EARNINGS WEEK

By STAN CHOE Associated Press

TRADER Sal Suarino works on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange yesterday. Stocks are off to a mixed start on Wall Street as declines in health care and consumer-focused companies outweigh gains in other parts of the market. (AP Photo/Richard Drew)

Russia calls for tighter compliance with oil output cuts MOSCOW (AP) — Major oil producers need to show greater discipline in sticking to output cuts aimed at raising the price of crude, Russia’s energy minister said Monday.

OPEC and several nonOPEC states like Russia decided last year to rein in output, but prices have fallen below $50 a barrel in recent weeks amid concerns about higher production in the U.S., which was not part of the deal, and some countries’ lack of discipline in enforcing the cuts.

Following a meeting of OPEC and non-OPEC countries in the Russian city of St. Petersburg on Monday, Alexander Novak said complained that “some countries are not yet fully implementing” the cuts.

“Despite the high level of compliance with the agreement, we insist on all countries fulfilling their obligations 100 percent,” he said, in comments reported

by Russian state news agencies.

RUSSIAN Minister of Energy, Alexander Novak, attending a news conference after a meeting of the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries, OPEC, at their headquarters in Vienna, Austria. Major oil producers need to show greater discipline in sticking to output cuts aimed at raising the price of crude, Russia’s energy minister said yesterday. (AP Photo/ Ronald Zak, File) Novak added that he would be open to tighter monitoring of output, and a possible extension of the cuts beyond their scheduled end in March 2018.

The International Energy Agency has estimated that compliance with the OPEC output cut fell to 78 percent

in June, from 95 percent the previous month.

Beyond high U.S. output, oil prices have also been pressured by production increases in OPEC members Libya and Nigeria, which have exemptions from the cuts due to political instability.

NEW YORK (AP) — Stocks mostly fell on Monday, and broad-market indexes inched modestly backward at the start of a busy week of corporate earnings reports and a meeting of the Federal Reserve.

Technology stocks, though, added to their big gains for the year and helped push the Nasdaq composite to another record.

The Standard & Poor’s 500 lost 2.63 points, or 0.1 percent, to 2,469.91 after nine of the 11 sectors that make up the index logged losses. It marks the first three-day losing streak for the index in a month, though it’s still within a fraction of a percent of its record.

The Dow Jones industrial average fell 66.90 points, or 0.3 percent, to 21,513.17.

The Nasdaq composite rose 23.05 points, or 0.4 percent, to 6,410.81.

The Nasdaq is up 19.1 percent this year, nearly double the rise for broadermarket indexes as investors have massed into technology stocks in their search for strong growth as the global economy remains sluggish.

Amazon.com and several other big-name tech companies are set to release their second-quarter results in coming days, part of a busy week where more than a third of S&P 500 companies are due to report.

Expectations are high: Analysts forecast tech stocks in the S&P 500 will report 16 percent growth in earnings per share, according to S&P Global Market Intelligence. That’s up from a forecast of 10.9 percent growth a month ago. And companies will need to follow through on the expectations to justify the big moves their stock prices have already made.

“The group did have a strong start to the year, and there are some questions about how long tech can continue to rally,” said Ann Miletti, senior portfolio manager at Wells Fargo Asset Management. “Overall, what we’re believing to be true is that second-quarter results are going to come in, in general, better than expected. But the second-half outlook is the most important thing, and we’ll see.”

The International Monetary Fund on Monday held its forecast for global economic growth this year

steady at 3.5 percent, but that masks some movements underneath. It raised its forecast for economic growth in Europe, Japan and China. But it also cut its outlook for the United States on the assumption that politicians in Washington won’t be as helpful for growth as earlier expected.

The Federal Reserve’s policymaking committee begins a two-day meeting on Tuesday, following its decision last month to raise short-term interest rates for the third time since December. The central bank also announced plans to start gradually paring its bond holdings later this year, a move that could cause rates to rise. Most investors expect the Fed to hold rates steady at this week’s meeting and possibly raise them one more time this year.

Investors in recent weeks have questioned whether the European Central Bank will begin to tap the brakes on its own stimulus for the economy.

Monday’s steepest loss in the S&P 500 came from Hasbro, which sank $10.95, or 9.4 percent, to $105.00 despite reporting strongerthan-expected earnings for the latest quarter.

PAGE 8, Tuesday, July 25, 2017

THE TRIBUNE

In Google vs. the EU, a $2.7B fine could just be the start

THE GOOGLE logo at the company’s headquarters in Mountain View, Calif. Google parent Alphabet is taking a $2.7 billion write-down to cover a large fine EU antitrust enforcers assessed in June 2017. While the search giant can shrug off the cost, uncertainty lingers over its ability to operate freely on the continent going forward. (AP Photo)

By RYAN NAKASHIMA Technology Writer SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Google’s parent company Alphabet can easily afford the $2.7 billion writedown it’s taking to cover a big antitrust fine in Europe.

But it might find it harder to shrug off the rest of the European regulatory assault that’s headed its way.

In June, a European Commission ruling slapped down Google for abusing its market dominance in search by unfairly directing visitors to its comparison shopping service, Google Shopping, to the detriment of its rivals. The regulators not only imposed a huge fine, they also insisted that Google change the way it provides search results in Europe.

Alphabet is still mulling an appeal of that ruling, which could take years to get through the European Court of Justice. And that case is only the first of several such investigations that have embroiled Google across the Atlantic, a situation that raises uncertainty about its ability to operate freely on the continent going forward.

On Monday, Alphabet Inc. reported second-quarter earnings of $3.52 billion, down 28 percent from $4.88 billion a year earlier; that figure includes the effect of the $2.7 billion European fine. Adjusted earnings were $8.90 per share, below the $10.26 analysts were expecting, according to FactSet. Revenues rose 19 percent to $20.9 billion after subtracting commissions it paid out, right on par with expectations.

Alphabet shares dropped more than 3 percent in after-hours trading, to $966.

MARKET REPORT MONDAY, 24 JULY 2017

t. 242.323.2330 | f. 242.323.2320 | www.bisxbahamas.com

BISX ALL SHARE INDEX: CLOSE 1,866.49 | CHG 0.01 | %CHG 0.00 | YTD -71.72 | YTD% -3.70 BISX LISTED & TRADED SECURITIES 52WK HI 4.38 17.43 9.09 3.60 2.41 0.13 6.50 8.60 6.00 10.60 14.49 2.52 1.60 6.00 10.00 11.00 10.00 6.90 12.51 11.00

52WK LOW 4.01 17.43 8.19 3.50 1.47 0.12 3.80 8.40 5.83 10.05 10.00 2.18 1.50 5.80 8.75 8.56 8.00 6.35 11.93 10.00

1000.00 1000.00 1000.00 1000.00

900.00 1000.00 1000.00 1000.00

PREFERENCE SHARES

1.00 106.00 100.00 106.00 105.00 105.00 100.00 10.00 1.01

1.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 105.00 100.00 100.00 10.00 1.01

SECURITY AML Foods Limited APD Limited Bahamas Property Fund Bahamas Waste Bank of Bahamas Benchmark Cable Bahamas CIBC FirstCaribbean Bank Colina Holdings Commonwealth Bank Commonwealth Brewery Consolidated Water BDRs Doctor's Hospital Famguard Fidelity Bank Finco Focol ICD Utilities J. S. Johnson Premier Real Estate Cable Bahamas Series 6 Cable Bahamas Series 8 Cable Bahamas Series 9 Cable Bahamas Series 10 Colina Holdings Class A Commonwealth Bank Class E Commonwealth Bank Class J Commonwealth Bank Class K Commonwealth Bank Class L Commonwealth Bank Class M Commonwealth Bank Class N Fidelity Bank Class A Focol Class B

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

52WK LOW 100.00 100.00 100.00

SYMBOL AML APD BPF BWL BOB BBL CAB CIB CHL CBL CBB CWCB DHS FAM FBB FIN FCL ICD JSJ PRE CAB6 CAB8 CAB9 CAB10 CHLA CBLE CBLJ CBLK CBLL CBLM CBLN FBBA FCLB

SECURITY Fidelity Bank Note 17 (Series A) + Fidelity Bank Note 18 (Series E) + Fidelity Bank Note 22 (Series B) +

SYMBOL FBB17 FBB18 FBB22

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

BAH29 BG0103 BG0203 BG0105 BG0205 BG0107 BG0207 BG0130 BG0230 BG0303 BG0305 BG0307 BG0330 BG0403 BG0405 BG0407

BAHAMAS GOVERNMENT STOCK - (percentage pricing) 115.92 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00

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

MUTUAL FUNDS 52WK HI 2.07 3.95 1.96 170.77 146.34 1.49 1.67 1.58 1.10 6.99 8.54 6.15 10.52 11.46 10.46

52WK LOW 1.67 3.04 1.68 164.74 116.70 1.43 1.64 1.54 1.04 6.41 7.62 5.66 8.65 10.54 9.57

LAST CLOSE 4.26 17.43 9.09 3.60 1.47 0.12 4.00 8.60 6.00 10.45 10.01 2.58 1.55 6.00 9.75 8.10 9.75 6.90 12.50 10.00 1000.00 1000.00 1000.00 1000.00 1.00 100.00 100.00 100.40 100.00 100.00 100.00 10.00 1.01 LAST SALE 100.00 100.00 100.00 108.52 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00

CLOSE 4.27 17.43 9.09 3.60 1.47 0.12 4.00 8.60 6.00 10.45 10.01 2.54 1.55 6.00 9.75 8.10 9.75 6.90 12.50 10.00

CHANGE 0.01 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 -0.04 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00

1000.00 1000.00 1000.00 1000.00 1.00 100.00 100.00 100.40 100.00 100.00 100.00 10.00 1.01

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

CLOSE 100.00 100.00 100.00

CHANGE 0.00 0.00 0.00

108.64 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00

0.12 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 0.00 0.00

FUND CFAL Bond Fund CFAL Balanced Fund CFAL Money Market Fund CFAL Global Bond Fund CFAL Global Equity Fund FG Financial Preferred Income Fund FG Financial Growth Fund FG Financial Diversified Fund FG Financial 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

VOLUME 1,995

26,000 1,000 22,100 8,383

4,199

VOLUME

NAV 2.07 3.95 1.96 170.77 146.34 1.49 1.64 1.58 1.07 6.92 8.03 6.15 10.52 11.46 10.01

EPS$ 0.444 0.932 -0.510 0.383 -0.340 0.000 -0.760 0.587 0.190 0.540 0.570 0.102 0.455 0.753 0.763 0.330 0.830 0.600 0.697 0.000

DIV$ 0.080 1.000 0.000 0.210 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.300 0.220 0.360 0.570 0.060 0.060 0.290 0.450 0.000 0.340 0.140 0.620 0.000

P/E 9.6 18.7 N/M 9.4 N/M N/M -5.3 14.7 31.6 19.4 17.6 24.9 3.4 8.0 12.8 24.5 11.7 11.5 17.9 0.0

YIELD 1.87% 5.74% 0.00% 5.83% 0.00% 0.00% 0.00% 3.49% 3.67% 3.44% 5.69% 2.36% 3.87% 4.83% 4.62% 0.00% 3.49% 2.03% 4.96% 0.00%

0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000

0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000

0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0

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

INTEREST 7.00% 6.00% Prime + 1.75%

MATURITY 19-Oct-2017 31-May-2018 19-Oct-2022

6.95% 4.00% 4.00% 4.25% 4.25% 4.50% 4.50% 6.25% 6.25% 4.00% 4.25% 4.50% 6.25% 3.50% 3.88% 4.25%

20-Nov-2029 15-Dec-2017 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-2020 26-Jun-2022 26-Jun-2045 15-Oct-2018 15-Oct-2020 15-Oct-2022

YTD% 12 MTH% 1.92% 4.53% 0.82% 2.80% 0.95% 2.49% 3.95% 3.95% 6.77% 6.77% 1.45% 4.17% -1.59% 0.17% 0.49% 2.72% 1.29% 2.00% -1.08% 1.77% -5.96% -3.05% 1.90% 4.59% 7.24% 11.96% 2.77% 3.88% 3.94% 4.69%

NAV Date 30-Jun-2017 30-Jun-2017 30-Jun-2017 30-Jun-2017 30-Jun-2017 30-Apr-2017 30-Apr-2017 30-Apr-2017 30-Apr-2017 31-May-2017 30-May-2017 30-May-2017 30-May-2017 30-May-2017 30-May-2017

MARKET TERMS BISX ALL SHARE INDEX - 19 Dec 02 = 1,000.00 52wk-Hi - Highest closing price in last 52 weeks 52wk-Low - Lowest closing price in last 52 weeks Previous Close - Previous day's weighted price for daily volume Today's Close - Current day's weighted price for daily volume Change - Change in closing price from day to day Daily Vol. - Number of total shares traded today DIV $ - Dividends per share paid in the last 12 months P/E - Closing price divided by the last 12 month earnings

YIELD - last 12 month dividends divided by closing price Bid $ - Buying price of Colina and Fidelity Ask $ - Selling price of Colina and fidelity Last Price - Last traded over-the-counter price Weekly Vol. - Trading volume of the prior week EPS $ - A company's reported earnings per share for the last 12 mths NAV - Net Asset Value N/M - Not Meaningful

TO TRADE CALL: CFAL 242-502-7010 | ROYALFIDELITY 242-356-7764 | FG CAPITAL MARKETS 242-396-4000 | COLONIAL 242-502-7525 | LENO 242-396-3225

Why Europe Is Upset After a seven-year antitrust probe, the European Commission concluded that Google stifles the ability of rivals like Yelp to compete.

That’s a different standard than in the U.S., where regulators tend to step in only when consumer prices go up due to monopolistic power.

Europe’s top antitrust regulator, Margrethe Vestager, says Google “de-

nied other companies the chance to compete on the merits.” Google says it’s giving consumers what they want: product listings with pictures and prices, saving them the trouble of repeating a search on another site.

How Much Google Could Hurt It’s unclear how constraints on its behavior could affect it, but 33 percent of Alphabet’s revenue — roughly $8.5 billion in the latest quarter — came from the region it calls Europe, the Middle East and Africa.

Beyond the fine, Alphabet faces a penalty of up to 5 percent of its average daily turnover if it doesn’t give equal treatment to rival comparison shopping services in Europe by late September. It’s up to Google to figure out how to do so.

“These things tend to hobble a company’s behavior even if there isn’t a decision,” says Jonathan Taplin, a former professor at University of Southern California and author of “Move Fast and Break Things: How Google, Facebook and Amazon Have Cornered Culture and Undermined Democracy.” ‘‘I don’t think it’s the end, I think it’s the beginning.”

Google’s previous offers to the commission to change its search results were rejected. That’s why it’s confusing trying to predict what a solution would look like, says Mark Ballard, head of research for Merkle, an ad agency that represents Gap, Crate&Barrel and other big online ad spenders.

How Google Could Skate By Plenty of observers believe Google won’t be unduly harmed by Europe’s decision.

New technologies — like voice search — could make shopping listings mostly irrelevant, argues Martin Utreras, vice president of forecasting at eMarketer.

“It’s not like they have complete control of the market in any case.” And companies still fond of the search giant will still likely spend money with it, no matter how results change, Ballard adds.

PUBLIC NOTICE INTENT TO CHANGE NAME BY DEED POLL The Public is hereby advised that I, TAMICA MARILYN SEARS of Nassau, New Providence, The Bahamas intend to change my name to TANICA MARILYN SEARS. 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 publication of this notice.

Summer Adoption Specials

Bahamas Humane Society Adult Dogs - $5 Puppies - $25 Adult Cats - $5 Kittens - $25 Adoption hours: 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday to Friday; 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday

THE TRIBUNE

Tuesday, July 25, 2017, PAGE 9

B O DY A N D M I N D

BAHAMIANS ASKED TO GO ‘DUNKING FOR POLIO’ FOLLOWING last year’s success, the Rotary Club of New Providence will once again be hosting “A Dunking for Polio” in aid of the international service organisation’s mission to end polio.

The event takes place this Saturday at Arawak Cay from 12noon to 6pm and all members of the public are invited to take part. There will be hamburgers, hot dogs and drinks on sale. All proceeds are in aid of club funds and the Rotary Foundation. The general public is encouraged to come out and help the organisation to end polio worldwide once and for all.

Poliomyelitis (polio) is a

Rotary hosts fundraiser to eradicate disease worldwide highly infectious viral disease, which mainly affects young children. The virus is transmitted by personto-person, spread mainly through the faecal-oral route or, less frequently, by a common vehicle (for example contaminated water or food) and multiplies in the intestine, from where it can invade the nervous system and can cause paralysis.

Initial symptoms of polio include fever, fatigue, headache, vomiting, stiffness in the neck, and pain in the limbs. In a small proportion

of cases, the disease causes paralysis, which is often permanent. There is no cure for polio, It can only be prevented by immunisation.

Polio still exists, although cases have decreased by over 99 per cent since 1988, from an estimated more than 350,000 cases to just 37 reported cases in 2016. This reduction is the result of the global effort to eradicate the disease. Today, only three countries in the world have never stopped transmission of polio – Pakistan, Afghanistan and Nigeria.

Despite the progress

achieved since 1988, as long as a single child remains infected with poliovirus, children in all countries are at risk of contracting the disease, said Rotary. The poliovirus can easily be imported into a polio-free country and can spread rapidly amongst unimmunised populations. Failure to eradicate polio could result in as many as 200,000 new cases every year, within 10 years, all over the world.

According to end polio. org, since1985 Rotary has led the battle against polio, and kept the pressure on as worldwide cases plummeted from 350,000 per year to several hundred.

“When India went off the list of endemic countries in 2012, we took one more step toward eradicating a human disease from the earth for only the second time in history. Now, Rotary and its partners are this close to making that dream a reality,” the international organisation said.

“We are close to eradicating polio, but we need your help.”

Rotary International, the world’s first service club organisation, is made up of 33,000 clubs in more than 200 countries and geographical areas.

Its members form a global network of business, professional and community leaders who volunteer their time and talents to serve their communities and the world.

Rotary’s motto, ‘Service Above Self’, exemplifies the humanitarian spirit of the organisation’s more than 1.2 million members.

Strong fellowship among Rotarians and meaningful community and international service projects characterise Rotary worldwide.

BAHAMIANS were not afraid to get wet at last year’s “Dunking For Polio”.

The price of convenience It’s all about convenience. We all live busy, stressed-filled lives where everything has to happen fast. Most of us opt for a quick and convenient fast food meal rather than patiently preparing and enjoying a healthy home-cooked meal. We rather order stuff online and have it delivered to us the next day than sourcing for locally made products. We prefer to purchase our kale wrapped in plastic at the grocery store rather than planting, growing and harvesting it in our gardens. But what is the price we are paying for convenience?

Disposable items made of plastic certainly play a major role when it comes to making our life more convenient, but there is actually nothing quick or convenient about the complete life cycle of a plastic object. It spends only a fraction of its existence serving its purpose, while the rest of its life is spent being a nuisance. Plastic is harming animals, the environment and us. But how do we stop the plastic madness? Unfortunately, reusing and recycling are not the solution.

We need to reduce and refuse instead. Think about refusing the drinking straw that restaurants automatically bring. Or try to reduce the amount of plastic you bring into your home by saying no to red party cups, plastic bags, picnic cutlery and so on.

It may seem difficult at the beginning, but surely it is possible to find ways to reduce our dependence on plastic, and reducing is simpler that you think!

Our planet is in trouble and it is up to us to make sure our kids have a planet that can nurtures and supports them. In order to do that we all must chip in. We all must start making changes in our daily routines that add up to big impacts. Here is a list of items that you can easily avoid every day and will make a big difference for your health and our environment.

1. Plastic food wrap Evidence suggests that heat makes chemicals in plastic storage boxes and bottles leach into food and drink. Cancer Research UK is now warning that cling film should not be allowed to touch the food it is covering during microwaving. The chemical causing most concern is bisphenol A (BPA), which is widely used in plastics manufacture. In the body it mimics the effects of female sex hormone oestrogen. Labora-

As New Providence continues to feel the effects of the recurring fires at the landfill, as well as a general increase in litter throughout the island, columnists Laura Paine and Julia Tomlinson will take turns in hopefully inspiring readers to do their part in reducing the country’s waste. This week, Laura offers practical tips on how to reduce the use of plastic in your everyday life.

Good To Know

Laura Paine tory studies have also linked BPA with breast and prostate cancer and early sexual development in women.

Alternatives? Opt for glass jars, glass food containers, parchment paper, fabric bowl covers, stainless steel food containers or simply a bowl with a plate on top. And for your children’s lunch box? Containers made from non toxic stainless steel are antibacterial and don’t leach chemicals.

2. Straws Do we really need a straw every time we have a drink? We use straws for around 20 minutes before we toss them away, which is a very quick lifespan for an item that will be on the planet forever.

Plastic straws made the top 10 items picked up on beach cleanups. In US alone, 500 million straws are used every single day.

Most straws today are made from a petroleum-based plastic called polypropylene, they are not biodegradable and can’t be recycled.

The simplest way you can eradicate straws from your life is to just stop using them: • If you don’t need a straw, don’t use one. If you really need one buy a reusable straw that you can keep in your purse.

• Start asking for no straw when you are served food and try to encourage restaurants and bars to avoid automatically handing

straws out with every drink.

3. Disposable pens Pens, too, are made from plastic and this means that it will take hundreds of years for a single discarded pen to decompose.

Now, when you add 105 billion pens used and discarded per year from the American population alone, you are looking at polluted groundwater and soil. Let’s consider numbers: • Each pen is approximately 5.5 inches long • Multiplied by 100 billion = 8,680,555 miles • The circumference of the earth at the equator is 24,900 miles • 100 billion pens laid end to end would circle the earth 348 times So, what is an environmentloving individual with a liking for pen and paper to do? Well, consider buying a refillable stainless steel pen. It will cost you only a few dollars and will last you for years.

4. Disposable razors Consider these reports from Shave.com: “Brand leader Gillette, an American-based company, has its razor handles manufactured in China while the blades are made in Sweden….this means that at any time container-loads of parts to make up a variety of branded and unbranded razors are being sailed and flown around the planet, clocking up some serious mileage. That all requires the use of fossil fuels to transport them, as well as the energy needed to manufacture the various components.

“Plastic injection moulding, the process used to produce the various components such as the cartridges, razor handles and carriers for the lubricating strips, is an energy-rich process that puts a high demand on our planet’s natural resources. The manufacture of razors, therefore, is not a particularly sustainable one and

MANY plastic products are used for only a few minutes, but they remain with us for decades, and in some cases, centuries. has a considerable impact on the ecology of the planet.”

In the US alone, it is estimated that there are around two billion razors disposed. The sad thing is that they are designed in such a way that they can no longer be used again.

But a good shave doesn’t have to come at the cost of the environment: consider using recyclable razors instead. You just have to change the blade and still be able to use the same razor for a long time. You may also try electrical shavers, they will have the same effect when you shave but you can use them over a very long period of time.

5. Party plastic Kids’ parties are a ton of fun and make great memories, but they can also be extremely wasteful affairs. Just consider the several bags of trash you probably collect after everyone goes home.

Eliminating disposable dishes, cups, forks, etc. is a major way to reduce party waste. These items are certainly convenient: you don’t have to wash them and you can get Spiderman and Batman plates that your children will love.

But this is so bad for the environment. How can you eliminate plastic? Here some tips: • Disposable plates, cups and cutlery – Buy a set of reusable

hard plastic cups and plates, plus any extra cutlery you need. Items that survive the day can be reused again and again at future parties.

In alternative you can buy compostable plates and cups. The won’t be colourful but they will degrade quickly and completely after use.

• Juice – Avoid juice boxes and opt instead for juice in cans.

Collect the cans at the end of the party and drop them in one of the Cans for Kids blue containers located in different locations around New Providence.

• Water – Avoid plastic water bottles. You can use a five-gallon water bottle with a dispenser. Provide paper cups and a cooler full of ice to go with it.

• Party bags – Instead of a plastic bag filled with unhealthy snacks and more plastic, consider giving out a colouring book with pencils or homemade muffins in a paper bag. Be creative!

The most effective way to reduce waste is to not create it in the first place. So consume less and refuse more often. And don’t forget to share your journey with your friends and family. The more friends you convince, the more people will begin using environmentally friendly products in their everyday lives, and that is how we change the world.

PAGE 10, Tuesday, July 25, 2017

THE TRIBUNE

Hope rising Over the past decade, there has been a steady rise in the cases of children being diagnosed with autism and other developmental delays.

Although many theories have been published, the cause for this remains unclear. While medication and therapy intervention play a big role in reducing the hardships that come with these disorders, most parents are still left with more questions than answers. In this new Tribune Health column, Yanique Smith, director of the Therapy Learning Centre, aims to open up a dialogue with parents and teachers, and offer practical advice gleaned from first-hand experience of working with affected children.

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD): a complex, neurodevelopment disorder characterised by repetitive patterns of behaviour and difficulties with social communication. (National Institute of Neurological Disorders) It is spectrum disorder which refers to the wide range of functional levels that can occur in individuals with this condition. Early common signs of ASD include: • Little or no eye contact • No babbling by age one • No response to name • Loss of language and social skills previously acquired • Obsessive fascination with lights or spinning objects

Later indications of ASD include: • Repetitive motor movements such as flapping hands • Obsessive fascination with objects, toys or subjects, for example trains or waterfalls • Impaired ability to initiate or engage in conversations with peers • Impairment of imaginative play • Repetitive use of language

It is one of those moments a parent will never forget. Hearing the words, “Your child has autism”. Those words have struck fear in the hearts of many parents.

In today’s world, where the autism diagnosis is one in 68 people, for a parent to feel overcome with despair and uncertainty is normal

Off the spectrum

Yanique Smith and even expected. In my 13 years of working with parents of autistic children, a common thread that seemingly runs through each of their stories is the overwhelming feeling that they are alone in this and no one understands. A plethora of questions flood their minds. “Will my child ever be normal?” “Does this mean I’ll have to quit my job?” “What did I do to cause this?” “Why me?”

Hope: a feeling of expectation and anticipation; a feeling of trust. (Oxford Dictionaries) Autism is not a death sentence.

It does not mean that you are bound to a life of misery. And it certainly isn’t punishment for something you did or didn’t do.

Autism can affect any race or gender.

There’s hope. I know it may feel as though your situation is somehow different or worse than everyone else’s. But this couldn’t be further from the truth. Sure, no

two autism diagnoses are alike, but grief is grief and the pain associated with each diagnosis is shared. Yes, you’ve had some unbearable days and sleepless nights, but what I know for certain is that you are not alone.

Here in the Bahamas the cases of autism have risen in the past decade. The exact number is still undetermined, but there have been many institutions stepping forward to advocate for this condition. They provide strategies and support groups for parents affected by this disorder. Parents, I encourage you to seek out help from these places and become more informed on how you can better help your child with au-

“Autism is not a death sentence. It does not mean that you are bound to a life of misery. And it certainly isn’t punishment for something you did or didn’t do.

Autism can affect any race or gender.”

tism. Reach out to other parents for support. It lessens the load when you have someone there who “gets it”. It helps you breathe a sigh of relief when you have someone you can discuss the hard things with. Yes, travelling the same road is not the same as having the same journey. But at least you are not on the road alone.

Know that you are strong. You are tenacious. You are resilient.

And if you still feel afraid and alone, let this column be a source of refuge and encouragement for you. I may not know first-hand the difficulties you face, but what qualifies me to be a source of hope for you is the many years I’ve worked with and encouraged parents like you. I’m not saying that the journey will be easy.

Some days your strength may be depleted. But I know for sure that you are not alone. Hope is rising.

• Parents, teachers and other interested persons can send questions and comments to tutoringtherapy@gmail.com.

Information provided will remain confidential.

SCIENCE SAYS: HOT DOGS MINUS ADDED NITRITES MAY BE NO BETTER

By CANDICE CHOI AP Food Industry Writer NEW YORK (AP) — Backyard cooks looking to grill this summer have another option: hot dogs without “added nitrites.”

Are they any healthier?

Oscar Mayer is touting its new hot dog recipe that uses nitrite derived from celery juice instead of artificial sodium nitrite, which is used to preserve the pinkish colours of processed meats and prevents botulism. Kraft Heinz, which owns Oscar Mayer, says sodium nitrite is among the artificial ingredients it has removed from the product to reflect changing consumer preferences. The change comes amid a broader trend of big food makers purging ingredients that people may feel are not natural.

But nitrites are nitrites — and the change makes little difference — according to those who advise limiting processed meat and those who defend it.

Kana Wu, a research scientist at Harvard’s school of public health, said in an email that it is best to think of processed meat made with natural ingredients the same as those made with artificial nitrites.

Wu was part of a group that helped draft the World

OSCAR Mayer is touting its new hot dog recipe that uses nitrite derived from celery juice instead of artificial sodium nitrite, which is used to preserve the pinkish colours of processed meats and prevents botulism. (AP Photo/Candice Choi) Health Organisation report in 2015 that said processed meats such as hot dogs and bacon were linked to an increased risk of colon cancer. She notes WHO did not pinpoint what exactly about processed meats might be to blame for the link.

One concern about processed meats is that nitrites can combine with compounds found in meat at high temperatures to fuel

the formation of nitrosamines, which are known carcinogens in animals. It’s a chemical reaction that can happen regardless of the source of the nitrites, including celery juice.

But the US Department of Agriculture caps the amount of artificial nitrites that can be added to meats to prevent excessive use, said Andrew Milkowski, a retired Oscar Mayer scientist who consults for the

meat industry. Meat makers also add ingredients to processed meat like bacon that help block the formation of nitrosamines, he said.

Though the terms nitrates and nitrites are used interchangeably, the meat industry says it’s mainly sodium nitrite that companies currently use to cure meats such as hot dogs, cold cuts and bacon.

For Oscar Mayer hot

dogs, the packages now list ingredients like celery juice that has been treated with bacterial culture. That turns the naturally occurring nitrates in celery juice into nitrites that serve a similar purpose.

While the nitrites derived from celery juice are no better, the switch may nevertheless help address negative consumer perceptions, said Milkowski, who also teaches at the University of Wisconsin’s department of animal sciences.

The Centre for Science in the Public Interest agrees nitrites from natural sources aren’t that different from artificial nitrites in processed meats. But the group has cited the WHO report in calling for a cancer warning label on processed meats, regardless of how they’re made. It also says nitrite-preserved foods tend to be high in salt and should be limited or avoided anyway. The American Cancer Society also suggests limiting processed and red meat, citing a variety of reasons.

The meat industry has contested the WHO’s finding, saying it is based on studies that show a possible link but don’t prove a cause, and that single foods shouldn’t be blamed for cancer. Many health experts also say there’s no

reason to worry about an occasional hot dog or bologna sandwich.

And while natural preservatives may not make hot dogs any healthier, they fit with the growing preference for ingredients like celery juice that people can easily recognize.

“I think it’s a step in the right direction,” said Kristin Kirkpatrick, a dietitian at the Cleveland Clinic.

An interesting wrinkle worth noting is that federal regulations require processed meats without added nitrites or nitrates to be labeled as “uncured” and to state that they have no nitrates or nitrites added — except those naturally occurring in the alternative ingredient. That’s the language you’ll now find on Oscar Mayer hot dog packages, though the products previously only had added nitrites.

The meat industry has contested the required language of meat being “uncured,” because it says the products are still cured, albeit with nitrites derived from other ingredients.

• This Associated Press series was produced in partnership with the Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Department of Science Education.

Hints that lifestyle changes might guard against dementia

By LAURAN NEERGAARD AP Medical Writer WASHINGTON (AP) — Seek a good education.

Control blood pressure and diabetes. Get off the couch.

There are some hints, but no proof yet, that these and other lifestyle changes just might help stave off dementia.

A provocative report in the British journal Lancet Thursday raised the prospect that a third of dementia cases around the world could be delayed or even prevented by avoiding key risks starting in childhood that can make the brain more vulnerable to memory loss in old age.

A recent US report was much more cautious, saying there are encouraging clues that a few lifestyle changes can bolster brain health and that more research is critical.

Still, it’s never too early to try, said Lancet lead author Gill Livingston, a psychiatry

professor at University College London.

“Although dementia is diagnosed in later life, the brain changes usually begin to develop years before,” she noted.

Early next year, a $20 million US study will begin rigorously testing if some simple day-to-day activities truly help older adults stay sharp.

“We are in a frustrating position science-wise in terms of what are our options?” said cognitive neuroscientist Laura Baker of Wake Forest School of Medicine in North Carolina, who will lead the new study to find out.

In the meantime, Alzheimer’s specialists say there’s little down side to following some common-sense recommendations.

Consider physical activity, crucial for heart health.

“If in fact it should also improve the prospects for cognitive function and dementia, all the better,” said Dr Richard Hodes, director of the US National Institute on

Aging and an avid exerciser.

“Increased health of the body supports increased health of the brain,” Baker added.

Here’s the latest from this week’s Alzheimer’s Association International Conference on possible ways to guard your brain: Key Risks A Lancet-appointed panel created a model of dementia risks throughout life that estimates about 35 per cent of all dementia cases are attributable to nine risk factors — risks that people potentially could change.

Their resulting recommendations: Ensure good childhood education; avoid high blood pressure, obesity and smoking; manage diabetes, depression and age-related hearing loss; be physically active; stay socially engaged in old age.

The theory: These factors together play a role in whether your brain is resilient enough to withstand years of silent

damage that eventually leads to Alzheimer’s.

Does Changing These Or Other Lifestyle Factors Really Help?

Last month, the US National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine reported there’s little rigorous proof. That report found some evidence that controlling blood pressure, exercise and some forms of brain training — keeping intellectually stimulated — might work and couldn’t hurt.

Why? What’s good for the heart is generally good for the brain. In fact, high blood pressure that can trigger heart attacks and strokes also increases risk for what’s called “vascular dementia.”

And exercising your gray matter may bulk up the brain, whether it’s from childhood education or learning a new language as an adult. The more you learn, the more connections your brain forms, what scientists call cognitive reserve. Some US studies have suggested that generations better educated

than their grandparents have somewhat less risk of dementia.

Other factors have less scientific support. Studies show people with hearing loss are more likely to experience memory problems, and have speculated that it’s because hearing loss leads to depression and social isolation — or that the brain works harder to deal with garbled sound, at the expense of other thinking skills. But so far there aren’t studies proving hearing aids reverse that risk.

In fact, the strongest evidence that lifestyle changes help comes from Finland, where a large, randomized study found older adults at high risk of dementia scored better on brain tests after two years of exercise, diet, cognitive stimulation and social activities.

Hunting Proof Would those strategies help Americans, who tend to be sicker, fatter and more sedentary than Scandinavians? The Alzheimer’s Association is funding a study

to find out, with enrollment of 2,500 cognitively healthy but high-risk older adults to begin next year.

Want to try on your own?

They’ll test: • Walking — supervised, so no cheating. Wake Forest’s Baker puts seniors on treadmills at the local YMCA to avoid bumpy sidewalks. She advises exercise newbies to start slow — about 10 minutes a day for a few days — and work up to longer walks, and go with a buddy so it’s harder to back out.

• A diet that includes more leafy greens, vegetables, whole grains, fish and poultry than the typical American menu.

• Certain brain games and what Baker called an “intellectual stimulation barrage,” outings and other steps that keep people social, not sitting home on a computer, while they exercise their brains.

• Improving control of medical conditions like high blood pressure and diabetes that are toxic to the brain.

THE TRIBUNE

Tuesday, July 25, 2017, PAGE 11

How can you get unstuck?

Many of us have probably never actually been stuck in quicksand, but we can surely imagine that it must be a suffocating and paralysing experience. It is said that when stuck in quicksand, the more you wiggle, the deeper you sink. Nobody wants to be stuck in such a way.

Yet, whether your life is in a rut, you’re going through some identity crisis, or just feel like you’re living a life of serial monotony, feeling stuck is real and often difficult to navigate.

Like quicksand, where the more you wiggle the deeper you sink. It’s the same in life – every time you take one step forward it seems like you take 10 steps back right after.

We’ve all been there at one point or another, where we feel like we’re stuck on a treadmill. Although we are moving with haste, we’re going nowhere. And like the quicksand analogy, no matter how much we speed the treadmill up, nothing really changes; it’s still the same ole, same ole. What we want more than anything else is to find a way to get ourselves off of this treadmill and move towards living a more empowered life.

Having found myself at this particular intersection one, two, a few times, I know how disconcerting it can feel.

One of the key things that I came to appreciate is that feeling stuck in a rut is not uncommon. The best of the best of those whose achievements we admire have been there. So if you find yourself feeling stuck, you are not alone.

Feeling stuck in and of itself is not a bad thing. What matters is the degree to which you are working you way through this stuck state. Recognising the quicksand principle, you don’t want to panic and move without forethought. Doing so is a non-effective approach that may lead to you sinking deeper. What you need here is a plan.

This plan starts with creating a new, bigger, motivating vision for your life.

What do you ultimately want to do with your life is a great question to

Michelle Miller Motivationals

Michelle M Miller ponder. But before you can step off of the treadmill you must first have a reason to hit the stop button. Many people’s lives stay stuck on stop because they simply do not have a compelling reason to stop and reevaluate what they want for their lives. You cannot get what you want out of life if you do not create a vision of what you desire for your life.

It’s vision before goals and goals before strategy. You will move with more motivation and enthusiasm if you are moving towards something that matters to you most. Creating a mediocre vision of basic material achievements may move you for a minute, but life demands a whole lot more substance if you are going to live empowered.

Be willing to be honest with yourself about who you are and what you really want. Stop paying so much attention to other people’s stuff. Take time to do your life justice by finding more use for your life. Living a useful, productive life is really the ultimate adventure. It is filled with endless possibilities for you to explore and discover your fearlessness.

Such a life takes more than some surface-based assessment. A heartfelt self-assessment that goes into the depths of your perception is crucial

to breaking this cycle of being stuck.

This is where it gets tough. Taking action to make changes we want in life is usually where the road turns and only the brave make it through.

Like it or not, some people like being stuck. They enjoy being is this cocoon of comfort where they are not push to become more. And while this may be comfortable, it limits your potential. Blindly running in place, leads only to a life of continuous frustration.

Living empowered and fully engaged begins with understanding who you are now; not who you were yesterday or who you will be tomorrow, but who you are right now. Now is the point of power. Ultimately, nothing stays the same; everything moves. Life itself is about moving, growing and expanding. It’s about gaining a broader perception of yourself.

Getting unstuck is not about looking backwards, but rather looking inward and courageously moving towards becoming someone better. We live in an extraordinary time in which everything is possible. Access to this possibility gets easier when we take time to stop and pay attention; recalculating whether we are walking in our own shoes.

No matter how stuck your life may seem, today is a new day and you can choose to make a new choice about what you want for your life. You need only be willing to get inside your life to envision a new possibility.

Everything starts with you. You can reimagine your life at any point. It is this grander vision that will motivate you to live an empowered life. Yes, you definitely can do it.

What do you think? Send comments questions to coaching242@yahoo.com

• Michelle M Miller is a certified life coach, communication and leadership expert. Visit www.talktomichellemiller.com or call 1-888-620-7894; mail can be sent to PO Box CB13060.

THIS cover image released by Ten Speed Press shows, “Chasing Light: Michelle Obama Through the Lens of a White House Photographer,” by Amanda Lucidon. (Amanda Lucidon/Ten Speed Press via AP)

Book of Michelle Obama photographs coming in October NEW YORK (AP) — Books of Obama photographs will be in the news this fall.

A collection of White House pictures of Michelle Obama is coming out October 17, Ten Speed Press told The Associated Press last Tuesday. “Chasing Light” will feature 150 colour shots and personal commentary

by White House photographer Amanda Lucidon.

“Mrs Obama is a source of light and inspiration in my life,” Lucidon said in a statement issued through Ten Speed, a Penguin Random House imprint. “She

Dancing with heart From pg B12 title “Teen Miss StarQuest” and a $20,000 scholarship to attend the prestigious American Musical and Dramatic Academy.

The teenager’s love for dance emerged when she was eight years old. She joined the Just Dance Bahamas school and found that an interest in the performing arts had been awakened in her. Her first class with dance instructor Nonny Price sealed the deal and propelled her into taking her new-found talent more seriously.

Ms Price has been teaching Christa for six years now. She said she saw the spark of something special in Christa early on and trained her to turn that spark into a flame.

“I knew she had what it took to do this,” noted Ms Price. “At the time, her ability level was not there naturally, because she had not danced or been properly trained, but I saw the spark in her immediately.”

Christa took it upon herself to work extremely hard to perfect her dancing.

With intense training, she soon transformed herself into a skilled dancer.

“She’s done nothing but continue to expand her ability’s and she’s always practising,” said Ms Price.

As a teacher, she said she also admires the girl behind the dancer. Not only does Christa work hard to perfect her skills, but she is also conscious about her health and demonstrates a high level of confidence and respect, all things which Ms Price considers to be key ingredients to create a well-rounded dancer.

“She’s extremely humble and kind. She has a wonderful heart which will definitely take her a long way,” she said.

Ms Price said the other dancers in the group look up to Christa and she in turns Christa admires them.

Christa said she considers her fellow group members at Just Dance an inspiration and vital to the enjoyment she gets from dancing.

“Dancing with my group is really inspiring,” she said. “Our group is like a family and we push each other and inspire each other, they’re really great to have,” the teen said.

Christa’s favourite thing about dancing occurs when

her feet touch the stage and her body interprets the lyrics of a song and the sound of the music.

“I love performing and I like being on stage,” she said. “You kind of just forget about everything else in the world and it makes you feel really good.”

During the StarQuest International World Dance Finals, seven dancers from Just Dance Bahamas attended master dance classes and danced in different competitions, including solo and group performances.

Christa wowed the judges with her solo tap style routine to an a cappella version of “I Feel Good”

by Bobby McFerrin. Along with winning her title and scholarship, she was recognised by one of the master teachers with gift certificates to attend free classes at the Broadway Dance Centre in New York.

Christa’s grandmother expressed joy over the accomplishments Christa has made at such a young age.

“When she gets on stage and I see her perform, I cry every time,” she said.

“I just love watching her evolve and doing something with a passion.”

As Christa prepares to enter 11th grade at Genesis Academy, her future of performing professionally looks bright. She hopes to try out different areas of the performing arts in future, including acting and singing.

BAHAMIAN dancer Christa Russell is crowned “Teen Miss StarQuest” in Texas.

was a mentor to me and so many people around the world. The work she has done with young people, especially girls and underserved youth, has helped me realise that I want to spend my life helping others reach their fullest potential.”

“Chasing Light” arrives three weeks before “Obama: An Intimate Portrait,” a book of Barack Obama pictures by White House photographer Pete Souza.

Souza has built a wide following on social media by posting shots of Obama that contrast dramatically with images from Donald Trump’s administration.

SECTION B

TUESDAY, JULY 25, 2017

FINDING LIGHT IN DARK SPACES Abuse survivor shares her story

By JEFFARAH GIBSON Tribune Features Writer jgibson@tribunemedia.net

C

upboards have played an important role in Cheryl Ann Gajadhar’s life – they were the spaces which offered her refuge as a sexually abused and suicidal child.

And in the darkness of these cupboards, the Trinidad native found a ray of light, even in the midst of her pain and depression.

Today, the evangelist and author has found a new lease of life and, armed with her faith, is seeking to help other survivors of abuse and prevent abuse in the first place by recognising the warning signs.

Next week, she will be sharing more of her story when she takes part in a special conference at the Meliá Nassau Beach Resort. The event at which she will be speaking is the Mothers & Daughters Vessels of Honour Global Conference, scheduled for July 31 - August 5.

Cheryl Ann said she was five years old when the abuse began at the hands of her mother and the men she allowed into their home.

“I recall staying with my mother until the age of seven.

She would have different men that would come into our home and she gave them consent to do what they wanted,” the author told Tribune Woman.

“I remember she would have me crawl into her bed, not that she wanted to love me as her child, but so that her man, whoever it was, could put his hands all over me, molesting me. There are times I tried to get under my mother, who then pushed me off and told me I should behave myself.”

Cheryl Ann said her abusers were basically “any male person that came into the house”.

“I remember one night holding a white sheet over me and heard the loud boisterous voice coming into the room. I shook with fear and the moment I saw the figure in front door I started screaming and

“SAFETY TIPS: What Young Children Need to Know About Their Personal Safety” focuses on practical ways of protecting children from abuse.

‘THE Girl in the Cupboard’ is Cheryl Ann Gajadhar’s first book and offers a autobiographical portrayal of her life.

CHERYL Ann Gajadhar will be sharing her story of abuse at a conference in Nassau next week.

screaming,” she recalled.

The abuse lasted until Cheryl Ann turned seven and was taken away by authorities after a complaint was made to the police.

She was later placed in a Trinidadian children’s home where she continued her habit of hiding in cupboards for safety and solace. She would emerge some time later pretending that all was well again.

As with many victims of abuse, Cheryl Ann was emotionally traumatised, felt fearful, hated who she was, and ultimately felt unloved and uncared for by her mother, the one person whom she believed was placed on earth to protect her.

“When my mother came and the authorities handed me over to her again I was scared that I would be hurt again, because now she had a new man and always told me to call him daddy.

I never did and it angered her. I wanted to be really loved and held as a child needed to and not feel pain, hurt,” she said.

“At the age of 18 I ran away. My mother took me to the home of one she said was my aunt. I was not treated like her other kids, and I ran away and was walking the streets in the wee hours of the morning.”

Cheryl Ann shares a detailed account of the circumstances surround-

ing her abuse in her first book, entitled “Girl in the Cupboard”.

The book is an autobiographical portrayal of her life from childhood to adulthood, and the point where she was able to break free from the cycle of abuse.

“The turning point came when I realised that the only person who can heal and love the broken, confused traumatised, abused and trapped child that was in me, was Jesus.

He loves me so much and it really took me a long time to really realise that He was there all the time. At the tender age of 10 I accepted Jesus in my heart and I love Him so much,” she said.

Cheryl Ann found her faith, but leaving the children’s home and navigating through life on her own still presented a daunting challenge, eventually leading her to her lowest point.

“I remember attempting to take my life with 24 Paracetamol 500mg pills. I was rushed to the hospital after writing my suicide note and thinking I was never coming back to face all the abusers. The doctors fought for my life even though they said I was already bleeding on the inside, but again God (intervened). At the hospital I saw so many people fighting for their lives while I wanted out. I cried out to God, repented, and I even helped a lot of patients

Dancing with heart Bahamian teen wins $20,000 scholarship

By DANIELLE BARNES dbarnes@tribunemedia.net

14-YEAR-OLD CHRISTA RUSSELL

FOR many Bahamians, the love of dancing is ingrained in them. Whether we’re pointing our toes in dance class, getting down at every backyard party, or living vicariously through the Junkanooers parading down Bay Street, dance is embedded in our hearts and in our culture.

And this is certainly true for 14-year-old Christa Russell, whose passion for dance has not only brought her joy, but also won her a valuable scholarship and the recognition of professionals.

Christa recently returned from the StarQuest International World dance competition in Galveston, Texas, after winning the See PG B11

THE JUST Dance Bahamas hip hop group

that were there. God saved me. He is my inspiration and life and gave me the inspiration to write again and not die,” she said.

As a survivor of abuse, Cheryl Ann is passionate about speaking out against any kind of abuse of children. Following the publication of “The Girl in the Cupboard”, she wrote “Safety Tips: What Young Children Need to Know About Their Personal Safety”. This book is the fourth of Cheryl Ann’s published works and focuses on practical ways of protecting children from abusers.

“It was very important for me to share my information and life with the readers, because in my writing, I found it to be healing me. I was letting out. And in doing so it has been a therapy for me. I wanted my readers to know that all is well and all will be well with them, too, only if we just let go and let God in. I know that I am not the only one who has been through this, and by someone reading this they, too, can be healed and find some kind of comfort for themselves or their child/children,” she said.

“I want them to know that when they cry, I cry too. I was trapped, confused, bound and wanted to just cry out, not only for me, but for other trapped children out there. Now I feel so free again. I anticipate what is next in life for me and how I can live again and not die.”

Cheryl Ann is also an ordained prophetess and fellowships at Divine Encounter Ministry Internationally, Trinidad. She has written 15 books altogether, five of which have been published to date.

Those interested in hearing Cheryl Ann speak at next week’s conference can e-mail mothersndaughters2016@ gmail.com or call 456-1294 for more information.