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Volume: 123 No. 170, Wednesday, July 29, 2026
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PMH RULED NEGLIGENT IN NEWBORN BABY’S DEATH
Court rules hospital’s lack of monitoring led to baby’s fatal injury By RASHAD ROLLE Tribune News Editor rrolle@tribunemedia.net A SUPREME Court judge has found Princess Margaret Hospital negligent in the death of a newborn girl after staff failed to monitor the baby and her mother for 27 critical minutes before an emergency caesarean section. Acting Justice Raynard Rigby KC ruled in favour of
Widline Guillaume, whose daughter, Elizabeth Lundy, died on August 2, 2022, just over two hours after she was born. The judge found that the hospital and obstetrician Dr Agatha Foulkes-Mackey fell below the required standard of care by failing to monitor Ms Guillaume and her baby between 4.10am and 4.37am as she waited to enter the operating theatre. NEGLECT - SEE PAGE THREE
BOYS FROM VIRAL SCHOOL VIDEO RECONCILE AND WORK TOGETHER THESE photos show the dilapidated state of the PMH maternity ward and pediatric infants ward at the time of the incident.
By KEILE CAMPBELL Tribune Staff Reporter kcampbell@tribunemedia.net TWO boys at the centre of a viral bullying incident at CH Reeves have reconciled and are now working side by side in the same summer employment programme following an intervention involving their families, police and Families
of All Murder Victims. The video, widely circulated on social media recently showed a 13-yearold boy surrounded by students who repeatedly urged another boy to attack him. The teenager insisted he did not want to fight before eventually running from the group. RECONCILE - SEE PAGE TWO
Fired WSC superintendent loses $1m bid over major conflict of interest By NEIL HARTNELL Tribune Business Editor nhartnell@tribunemedia.net A FORMER senior superintendent at the Water & Sewerage Corporation yesterday lost his bid for near-$1m in damages for wrongful and unfair dismissal after a “damning” investigation revealed he personally profited from “a major conflict of interest”. Findings from an internal audit revealed that Trevor Roberts, a 38-year veteran who rose from semi-skilled
labourer when he joined in 1982 to senior superintendent for road reinstatement, had a “personal affiliation” with - and was allegedly the “true” owner of - multiple third-party contractors who he ensured received maintenance and other business from the Corporation. The investigation revealed that the address for many of these contractors was the same as Mr Roberts’ home, and that he had seemingly used his SEE BUSINESS FOR STORY
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ADRIAN GIBSON
PAGE 2, Wednesday, July 29, 2026
THE TRIBUNE
Parents of autistic children overwhelmed and fearful due to limited resources By KEILE CAMPBELL Tribune Staff Reporter kcampbell@tribunemedia.net THE Ministry of Education, Science and Technology will establish a national autism registry as parents and guardians warned that gaps in education, therapy and post-school support are leaving families overwhelmed and fearful for their children’s futures. At a town hall meeting at Stephen Dillet Primary School, parents described years of struggling to secure assessments, school placements, therapy and support for their children, while facing costs that some said had pushed families to the breaking point. One mother said the absence of services after students leave school had left some parents terrified about what would happen to their children after they died. “I have met parents who tell me, ‘I pray to God my child dies before me, because I don't want to leave my child here because there are no resources,’” she said. “When your child reaches the 12th grade, that's usually the happiest day in their parents' life, but when you have a special needs child, that's your worst day, because you don't know where your child is gonna go, you don't know who's gonna keep your child.” The meeting was held in collaboration with Resources and Education for Autism and Related Challenges. The grandmother of a fiveyear-old child on the autism spectrum said she followed the Ministry of Education’s procedures but encountered repeated obstacles while trying to enrol her grandchild in school. She said public clinics turned the family away because of the child’s age, and calls were not returned
“I have met parents who tell me, ‘I pray to God my child dies before me, because I don’t want to leave my child here because there are no resources.’” - Parent at Autism Town Hall meeting
A PARENT speaks during a Ministry of Education, Science and technology Town Hall meeting on Autism on Monday. Photo: Chappell Whyms Jr after an online application was submitted, leaving her feeling as though she had been given “the runaround”. The grandmother said she eventually relied on government contacts to find help but questioned why families should have to use personal connections or seek assistance through a minister’s constituency office. Although her grandchild was now doing well in a programme, she said many parents could not afford private services or leave their jobs to provide full-time care. “I made that sacrifice for my daughter, for my grandchild to benefit, and in reality, a lot of parents can't afford the programs,” she said. “If I went and I followed the proper procedures that the ministry asked me to do, why aren't you calling us back? Where do you want the kids to go? I have to wor a nine to five.” Speech pathologist Alicia Thompson urged the government to make greater use of qualified Bahamian professionals, saying children continued to face lengthy waits for services despite trained specialists being
available. Mrs Thompson said she returned to The Bahamas after earning her undergraduate degree in 2013, expecting opportunities with the Ministry of Education and the Public Hospitals Authority. However, she said she went months without being hired and could not fully practise because she required professional supervision. The experience drove her from the field for a decade before she returned to complete her master’s degree. “So, in a country where I wanted to help people who had the same issues as my parents, I was limited, and I had a degree that cost thousands of dollars that I could not use because there was no one to oversee me,” she said. University of The Bahamas student Reginald Wells, who has special needs, also attended the meeting. Although he graduated from senior high school as a top honours student, he has been unable to pass English and mathematics and cannot complete his degree in culinary and hospitality studies. A guardian said it took
a year and a half to secure an assessment for Mr Wells because the family could not afford the $2,500 cost. “We are stuck. We can't move forward, so he cannot graduate with a degree,” the guardian said. “All the effort and the time that we have spent - years. It took me a year and a half to get an assessment to get him into UB. I didn't have the $2500 to assess him.” Another father said his family had spent thousands of dollars on therapy and schooling for his son and questioned whether greater regulation was needed to prevent families of children with special needs from being charged more. “Everywhere my son is born has cost me 1000s, me and my wife 1000s of dollars, even down to the schools,” he said. “As soon as the schools find your child is special, they find a way to charge you extra.” He said insurance often covered only a limited number of therapy sessions, leaving parents to absorb the remaining costs. “It's killing us,” he said. “What about the parents that
don't have it at all?” The father also questioned why Bahamian families should have to leave the country to obtain affordable treatment. “I don't think I should uproot my whole family to go to Canada where the care is free,” he said. “Why don't we have it here?” Deputy Prime Minister and Education Minister Chester Cooper said he had instructed ministry officials to prepare a white paper outlining what would be required to establish the national autism registry. “This is not a talking shop. This is not a commission, and therefore I anticipate that within four weeks, after consultation with the Attorney General's Office, the Ministry of Health and other stakeholders we will begin in earnest the process of implementation,” Mr Cooper said. Director of Education Dominique McCartney-Russell said work on the registry had already begun. She said it would help the ministry determine how many students on the autism spectrum were enrolled in public schools. The ministry also plans to introduce its first formal special education diploma programme, with the first
graduates expected in 2027, and expand special education services in Grand Bahama, Eleuthera, Long Island and Harbour Island. Mrs McCartney-Russell said the ministry had spent the past four years expanding special education services, including conducting a needs assessment, partnering with Barry University to train 14 teachers at the master’s degree level and hiring more than 40 special education teachers. She said there were now more than 120 special education teachers across the public school system. Mrs McCartney-Russell acknowledged that Beacon School in Grand Bahama was oversubscribed and that onsite support was limited on some Family Islands. “We hear you, parents. Earlier identification, shorter and better coordinated referral pathways, continued teacher training, increased specialist capacity, which I would say we are struggling with, stronger access for family islands, and improved transition planning,” she said. Mr Cooper said early intervention remained one of the ministry’s principal priorities and that access to services should not depend on where a child lived. “A child's future should never depend on the island where that child happens to live,” he said. He also said the government’s responsibility did not end when students graduated. “Autism is a lifelong journey,” Mr Cooper said. “Young people need opportunities to continue learning. They need access ti technical and vocational education. They need pathways into employment. They need opportunities for entrepreneurship, independent living, and meaningful participation within their communities.”
BULLIED TEEN GETS ATTACKER A SUMMER JOB AFTER RECONCILIATION RECONCILE from page one FOAM founder and president Khandi Gibson said the boys and their parents met at the Grove Police Station yesterday, where a conflict-resolution effort was arranged with the
support of senior officers. The teenager seen trying to avoid the confrontation subsequently asked Ms Gibson to offer the other boy a place alongside him in FOAM’s “Our Community Matters” junior workforce programme. “The funniest thing about
it is, the little boy who was actually getting bullied - and he still called him his friend — he said ‘Ms Gibson, you can’t give my friend a job where I work at FOAM too?’” Ms Gibson said. “I am saying to myself, this boy just try fight him
and he had to beak off running and he asking for a job for him.” Ms Gibson accepted the request. Both boys are now receiving hands-on workplace experience, a weekly stipend and lunch through the programme. “You should see those two working together today. They’re like nothing ever happened,” she said. The boys answer telephone calls, greet customers and assist with other tasks at FOAM’s headquarters. Ms Gibson said the incident demonstrated the capacity of children to forgive and the value of intervening before disputes escalate. “I said that’s why the Bible tells us, unless we become as these little ones, we can’t enter the kingdom of God, because little children are forgiving,” she said. Ms Gibson became involved after seeing the video online and asking the public to help her contact the teenager’s family. “I was disturbed about the video, and I asked if anybody knew this young man’s parents to please have them reach out to me because I would like to personally get him ready for school,” she said. “We have other people who saw the video and didn’t do anything. But God just tell me, ‘Man, I have to step in. I can’t be seeing something like that and don’t intervene.’” After several people provided contact information, Ms Gibson reached out to Genal Bodie, the boy’s mother, on Saturday night and met the family the following morning. She offered the teenager a place in one of FOAM’s two summer youth initiatives. One is a summer camp featuring arts and crafts, Mathematics, English, gardening, field trips and guest speakers. The other is the junior workforce programme, where participants work from 10.30am to 2pm. The teenager chose the
TWO teens reconcile after being seen in a video in a bullying incident during summer school. workforce programme. Later that Sunday, Lorenzo, the father of the other boy involved in the confrontation, contacted Ms Gibson. She learnt that Ms Bodie had gone to the Grove Police Station and proposed a joint meeting involving both families. “I said I want to have a joint meeting at the Grove Police Station because these are young boys,” Ms Gibson said. “I don’t want them to throw their life down the drain. We just ned to come and have a meeting.” Senior officers at the station assisted with the meeting, which brought together the boys and their parents in an effort to resolve the conflict. The other boy’s father agreed to the employment arrangement and took his son to FOAM’s
headquarters yesterday morning. Ms Gibson said the pair worked together despite the hostility captured in the video only days earlier. She gave special thanks to the Grove Police Station’s senior team, led by Chief Superintendent Christlyn Skippings, for accommodating the meeting and allowing her to lead the conflict-resolution effort. Ms Gibson said police indicated that they intended to identify the other boys seen in the recording and arrange another roundtable meeting with their families. Ms Gibson said she hoped the intervention would become an example of how communities can confront conflict before it worsens. “Let’s start the trend somewhere,” she said.
THE TRIBUNE
Wednesday, July 29, 2026, PAGE 3
Supreme Court Judge rules Princess Margaret Hospital negligent after unmonitored baby dies NEGLIGENT from page one He concluded that the lack of monitoring caused the injury to the baby and was fatal. “I find therefore on the balance of probabilities that the failure to monitor the mother and baby in the period between 4.10am and 4.37am was negligent and the Defendants fell below the standard of care,” Justice Rigby said. He ordered that damages be assessed by the Registrar of the Supreme Court and directed the defendants to pay Ms Guillaume’s legal costs if the parties cannot agree on an amount. The ruling followed a three-day trial in June involving competing expert evidence about whether Elizabeth died from oxygen deprivation or an undetected congenital heart condition. The judge accepted that the baby probably died from perinatal asphyxia, the cause recorded on her death certificate, rather than a congenital heart defect. Ms Guillaume arrived at PMH late on August 1, 2022, at 39 weeks and three days pregnant. She was admitted to the public maternity ward after reporting contractions and cramping. She began pushing at about 2.05am. Dr Azaria Clare assessed her at about 3.30am, and Dr Foulkes-Mackey arrived shortly before 4am. The doctors decided to perform an emergency caesarean section after labour failed to progress. Ms Guillaume reached
the operating theatre entrance at about 4.10am. However, she did not enter the theatre until 4.37am while hospital staff awaited the result of a COVID-19 test. The test result was received at 5.10am, the incision was made five minutes later and Elizabeth was delivered alive at 5.20am. Justice Rigby found no unreasonable delay in the doctors’ decision to perform the caesarean section or in carrying it out once that decision was made. He said Dr Clare and Dr Foulkes-Mackey acted promptly and did all they could to get Ms Guillaume into the operating theatre. However, he drew a sharp distinction between the timing of the surgery and the failure to monitor the baby while Ms Guillaume waited outside the theatre. The judge said a heartrate deceleration recorded shortly before the decision to perform the emergency procedure showed some sign of foetal distress and made continued monitoring necessary. “The T1 deceleration occurred immediately prior to the decision for an emergency caesarean and perhaps aided in the decision,” he said. “This fact too led me to conclude on the evidence that the Defendants fell below the standard of care by not monitoring the patient and baby in the period of 4.10am to 4.37am.” Justice Rigby said no evidence was presented about the baby’s condition during that interval. He said the hospital was responsible for
ensuring some form of monitoring continued, particularly because doctors knew Ms Guillaume had to wait for a COVID-19 test before surgery could begin. The judge rejected the explanation from defence expert Dr Paul Ward that handheld monitors were not always available because of limited hospital resources. “There was no compelling evidence led by the Defendants why no monitoring was conducted on the baby between 4.10 am and 4.37 am,” Justice Rigby said. “Dr Ward’s explanation of there being no handheld monitoring devices is not adequate in the circumstances.” He said the decision to carry out an emergency caesarean section itself required closer supervision of the mother and baby. “Given the decision to have an emergency caesarean section, I deem it incumbent on the Hospital to ensure that there was some form of monitoring,” he said. The judge found that Elizabeth had shown signs of distress before the operation. He said cardiotocography records showed a T1 deceleration at about 3.30am. Although the full set of records was not placed before the court, he concluded that the available evidence showed “some signs” of foetal distress. Justice Rigby also relied on evidence that Ms Guillaume had undergone an ultrasound about two months before the delivery that showed no foetal abnormality, adequate amniotic fluid and good
fetal tone, movement and respiration. “Given that the signs were that baby Elizabeth was healthy at 30 weeks, I find on a balance of probabilities that lack of monitoring in the 30 minutes window caused the injury to the baby which was foreseeable in the circumstances,” he said. He said the failure was fatal. Elizabeth initially received Apgar scores of seven and eight at one and five minutes after delivery. However, her condition deteriorated rapidly as she was being transported from the operating theatre. Nursing notes said she became much paler, developed cyanosis in her face, hands and feet and required an immediate transfer to the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit. Medical staff began chest compressions and a resuscitation effort, but the baby died later that morning. Justice Rigby criticised the absence of evidence about what happened to Elizabeth after her delivery. “It is startling that no evidence was led at the trial of the monitoring of baby Elizabeth after her delivery,” he said. The court received no detailed evidence about the steps taken to monitor her vital signs or the care administered before she was rushed to intensive care. The judge said the limited information before the court raised more questions than answers, particularly because the baby’s condition changed shortly after she received relatively
strong Apgar scores. He also criticised the failure to perform an autopsy, saying both experts agreed it would have assisted in determining the cause of death. Dr Ward argued that Elizabeth probably died from a congenital heart condition that had not been detected before birth. However, claimant expert Dr Carlos Athlestan Chase said the baby died from perinatal asphyxia caused by oxygen deprivation. Justice Rigby preferred Dr Chase’s evidence. He said Ms Guillaume’s medical records did not show that she had a congenital heart defect and referred to a normal cardiovascular examination during her pregnancy. “Although the Court may have been greatly assisted by the evidence of Nurse Cartwright and Dr Inniss, the Paediatrician on duty on the early morning of 2 August 2022, and their lack of appearance before the Court was unfortunate, however on the totality of the evidence before me, it seems probable, and I so find, that baby Elizabeth died from perinatal asphyxia,” he said. Justice Rigby also expressed disappointment that important material was not produced during the trial. He said guidelines from the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists and the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists were extensively discussed but were never placed into evidence. The hospital’s COVID-19
protocols were also not produced, despite the COVID test contributing to the period Ms Guillaume spent waiting outside the operating theatre. The judge said the failure to call Nurse Cartwright, the attending paediatrician and the doctor who signed the death certificate was also unhelpful because each could have provided critical evidence. He further criticised both sides for taking the dispute to trial without attempting settlement or mediation. The amended claim sought $10,950 in special damages, including medical fees, medication and funeral expenses. Justice Rigby said the claim was not exorbitant and described the case as well suited for mediation. “This case is an ideal one for mediation,” he said. “A qualified mediator would more likely have led the parties to a sensible compromise.” Robert Dupuch Carron, who served as deputy chairman of the Public Hospitals Authority when the incident involving the baby occurred, described the matter as tragic and said he was distraught that it took so long to resolve. Applauding the decision of Justice Rigby, Mr. Carron said “in many cases - like his own son - justice is never served”. While detailing the progress made under the former Chairman, Mr Julian Rolle, he saluted the significant efforts of the PHA’s current Chairman, Mr. Andrew Edwards, to reduce the likelihood of similar incidents occurring again.
PARENTS DEMAND SWIFT PAYMENT AFTER DOCTOR LOSES $3.6M APPEAL By LYNAIRE MUNNINGS Tribune Staff Reporter lmunnings@tribunemedia.net THE parents of a severely disabled boy have called for the swift payment of a $3.6m damages award after the Court of Appeal unanimously upheld a finding that obstetrician Dr Gregory Carey negligently managed the child’s delivery at Princess Margaret Hospital. The court dismissed every ground of Dr Carey’s appeal, finding that the Supreme Court judge was entitled to conclude that his use of two assisted-delivery methods fell below the required standard of care and caused the catastrophic neurological injuries suffered by the child, identified only as TK. His parents, who have pursued the case for more than a decade, said they hoped the ruling would finally end the legal battle and allow them to meet their son’s lifelong needs. “As the parents of a severely injured child who was robbed of a fair chance at life, we his parents have been trying to seek justice for TK for over a decade,” they said. “We're happy that the Appeal Court judges unanimously ruled in our favor, as did the Supreme Court.” TK, who will celebrate his 14th birthday next week, was born in August 2012 after what the Court of Appeal described as an uneventful pregnancy that rapidly descended into a medical emergency. Dr Carey initially attempted to deliver him with a vacuum extractor before switching to Wrigley’s forceps. When neither method succeeded, consultant obstetrician Dr Harold Bloomfield was called and completed the delivery. TK was born unconscious and was not breathing. His skin was blue, his umbilical cord was wrapped around his neck and he had a poor APGAR score. He was resuscitated and transferred to the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, but had already suffered severe injuries.
Several weeks later, he was diagnosed with West syndrome. He was subsequently found to have Lennox-Gastaut syndrome, cerebral palsy, epilepsy, microcephaly and other serious neurological conditions that left him permanently disabled. The Court of Appeal said TK was in a vegetative state by the time of the Supreme Court trial. His parents urged Dr Carey to bring the matter to an end before their son’s birthday and warned against further delays. “At this point, we just want this whole process to be over with as quickly as possible and we are hoping that there will be no further delay or stalling tactics which clearly shows a lack of empathy, consideration and concern for the well-being of the incapacitated minor who is being impacted the most,” they said. “We would like payment to be made swiftly so that we can continue to take care of our beloved son's lifelong needs. TK celebrates his 14th birthday next week and we hope that Dr Carey will see fit to now end this and have this settled before TK's 14th birthday.” The appeal centred on whether the trial judge was wrong to find that Dr Carey’s attempts to use the vacuum extractor and forceps fell below accepted medical standards and caused TK’s injuries. The appellate judges found no basis to interfere with those conclusions. “The trial judge correctly approached the issue of medical negligence by determining whether the appellant's conduct fell below the standard expected of a reasonably competent practitioner,” the court said. “Expert evidence was relevant to that assessment, but the trial judge was entitled to evaluate the reasoning, reliability, and consistency of the expert opinions rather than accept any opinion without scrutiny.” The court upheld the trial judge’s decision to prefer the evidence of
TK’s medical experts over the expert called by Dr Carey. It said the weight attached to expert evidence depended on the strength of the reasoning and its consistency with the facts, rather than whether the expert practised in The Bahamas or elsewhere. The Supreme Court found that the vacuum delivery failed because the suction cup repeatedly detached, not because the machine was defective. It also found that attempts to use forceps while the baby’s head was improperly positioned contributed to the injuries. Dr Carey had argued that the vacuum extractor was defective and that any failure should have been attributed to faulty hospital equipment. The Court of Appeal rejected that argument. “The trial judge correctly
rejected the contention that any alleged deficiency in hospital equipment relieved the appellant of responsibility,” the court said. “The evidence supported the conclusion that the issue concerned the appellant's use of the available equipment and the decisions made during the delivery.” The original judge found that TK remained trapped in the birth canal for too long and suffered oxygen deprivation and brain damage during the prolonged delivery. The judge concluded that Dr Carey’s treatment “did not meet the standards expected of a physician skilled in the field of obstetrics with a significant practice in that area.” The Court of Appeal also rejected the argument that the trial judge failed to properly determine
what caused TK’s injuries. “The trial judge properly addressed causation and was entitled to reject the alternative explanations advanced by the Appellant,” the court said. “The conclusion that TK's injuries resulted from the negligent management of the delivery was supported by the evidence.” The appellate court said Dr Carey attempted the delivery for about 25 minutes before summoning Dr Bloomfield. “Eventually, the appellant called for the assistance of Dr Bloomfield who delivered TK soon after he arrived. But there was no cry nor a sound from TK,” the judgment said. “TK was delivered unresponsive with a flat line and a poor APGAR score. His skin was blue with an umbilical cord wrapped around his neck. He was
quickly resuscitated but by then had sustained injuries.” The judges also dismissed Dr Carey’s complaint that the nearly five-year delay in delivering the Supreme Court judgment rendered the ruling unsafe. “Although delay in delivering judgment was undesirable, it did not render the judgment unsafe,” the court said. “The judgment demonstrated a proper engagement with the evidence, and no prejudice or error arising from the delay was established.” The Court of Appeal found no reason to disturb the approximately $3.6m damages award and concluded that Dr Carey’s grounds of appeal largely challenged findings of fact and credibility that the trial judge was entitled to make.
PAGE 4, Wednesday, July 29, 2026
THE TRIBUNE
Furloughed Flamingo Air workers seek jobs as airline’s future dims By LEANDRA ROLLE Tribune Chief Reporter lrolle@tribunemedia.net
FURLOUGHED Flamingo Air employees are searching for new jobs and considering launching their own businesses as uncertainty deepens over whether the airline will resume operations following last month’s fatal crash. Workers told The Tribune they were relying largely on savings while awaiting further word from the airline, whose Air Operator Certificate was temporarily suspended after one of its aircraft crashed near San Andros Airport on July 10, killing all ten people on board. Thirty-five employees were furloughed after the suspension, pending the outcome of the investigation. One employee said she was waiting to receive unemployment assistance from the National
A FLAMINGO Air plane on the tarmac. Insurance Board. “We haven’t received anything yet. We were just filling out forms and getting
our documents,” she said. Although the suspension has left workers in limbo, some said they were using
the uncertainty to consider new career paths. “I’m quite fine. I’ve actually been looking into
avenues to do my own thing so I don’t know if this is the avenue here,” one employee said.
Another worker said she had not yet secured alternative employment and remained unsure about the airline’s future. “I have not found a job as yet,” she said. “We’re trying to figure out what’s going on.” The employees said they had received no further updates from Flamingo Air but remained hopeful that the carrier would eventually return to service. Before the fatal crash, Flamingo Air had been involved in at least 14 publicly documented accidents and safety incidents over the past two decades. Energy, Utilities and Aviation Minister JoBeth Coleby-Davis previously said she could not explain why the airline’s certificate had not been suspended earlier despite those incidents. Aviation authorities expect to publish a preliminary report on the July 10 crash on or before August 10.
GOVT SIGNS $17M CONTRACT TO REPAIR FOUR RBDF PATROL SHIPS By LYNAIRE MUNNINGS Tribune Staff Reporter lmunnings@tribunemedia.net THE government has signed $17 million in contracts to repair and retrofit four Royal Bahamas Defence Force vessels, a move National Security Minister Myles LaRoda said will strengthen the country's maritime security and return key patrol ships to active service. Mr LaRoda said the repairs are essential as The Bahamas works to protect its 100,000 square miles of territorial waters from poaching, illegal migration, and other maritime threats. Mr LaRoda said the repair programme will cost $17 million, noting that HMBS Rolly Gray is expected to return to The Bahamas before the end of the year. At the same time, the remaining vessels will undergo more extensive
work. “The Rolly Gray should be back home before the end of the year. The Arthur Dion Hanna, I think, is the largest of the fleet,” he said yesterday on the sidelines of an event. “The repair time is around 75 weeks, I think, and the Cascarilla is around 55 weeks. So we are talking about completely retrofitting some of the navigation systems. The electrical systems are obsolete, so you're going to have ships coming back that are like new." The contracts cover repairs to HMBS Arthur Dion Hanna, HMBS Rolly Gray and HMBS Cascarilla, which are currently in the Netherlands, and HMBS Lawrence Major, which will undergo repairs at Cotecmar Shipyard in Colombia. The agreements were signed during a ceremony in the Netherlands on July
HMBS Rolly Gray entering the Defence Force Base on 26 July 2017 with 190 Haitian migrants onboard. They were apprehended in two separate apprehensions during the past several days. Photo: Marine Seaman Kyle Smith/RBDF 22 by Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of National Security Bridget Hepburn and Bastin Kubbe, Regional
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Manager for the Caribbean at Damen Services. During the ceremony, Mr LaRoda said the repair
programme reflects the government's commitment to strengthening border protection, enhancing
national security, and restoring the operational readiness of the Defence Force fleet.
THE TRIBUNE
Marina owners slam GBPA over ‘misleading’ stop-work order By DENISE MAYCOCK Tribune Freeport Reporter dmaycock@tribunemedia.net THE new owners of Port Lucaya Marina have accused the Grand Bahama Port Authority of giving a “vague and misleading” explanation for halting demolition work, warning that the three-day shutdown has already disrupted the project and is likely to drive up costs. Glyine Delancy, managing director of Bahamaland Waterways, said the company had complied with the permitting process, paid all required fees and submitted requested documents before demolition began. The work has been suspended since Friday after the GBPA issued a stopwork order. “This is the third day that work is not being executed which means that we are definitely going to have cost overruns,” Mr Delancy said. Executive Marine Management, the contractor carrying out the demolition, brought specialist workers to Grand Bahama for the project, which was expected to take four to six weeks. “EMM had people brought in because this is a special project. They have to house them, feed them, and they flew them in,” Mr Delancy said. “So, therefore, with the delays, we are going to more than likely borne this expense, which is not fair to us.” GBPA Deputy Director and City Manager Troy McIntosh said on Monday that the stop-work order was issued because the demolition was unsafe and the developer had not provided required documentation from DEVCO, which holds the seabed lease for the marina. Mr Delancy rejected that account and said the GBPA had failed to identify any specific deficiency that justified stopping the project. “That explanation is incomplete and misleading,” he said. “These important facts were not mentioned in the Port Authority public statement, nor did the Port Authority identify any specific documents, technical deficiency, safety concerns, engineering problem, or environmental issue that would justify the stoppage of work.” He said the explanation also raised questions about the GBPA’s regulatory role and its private interests. “The public was basically given a vague statement that the documentation was
GLYLINE DELANCY, managing director of Bahamalands Waterways, which owns Port Lucaya Marina Ltd, holds a receipt for permit payments made to the Grand Bahama Building and Development Department for demolition work at the marina. Photo: Vandyke Hepburn incomplete,” Mr Delancy said. “But this raises more serious questions that the Port Authority did not address. The apparent conflict of interest between its regulatory role and its private interest needs to be addressed.” Mr Delancy said Executive Marine Management applied for permission to demolish the marina on July 13 and later revised the application at the request of the GBPA’s Building and Development Department. The company then received an invoice for $4,206.40 in demolition permit fees, inclusive of VAT. Mr Delancy said $3,850 was paid on July 20 and the remaining $356.40 on July 22. The company emailed the GBPA the following day to confirm payment, and the authority acknowledged receiving the funds on July 24. “To my knowledge and to the general public knowledge, the building and development department customarily issues a permit number by close of business or the following day once payment has been received,” he said. “We did that. We've done that. We therefore cannot understand why the permit was not issued.” Mr Delancy said the dispute went beyond whether a demolition permit had been issued. “This matter is simply not about a demolition permit,” he said. “It raises deeper questions.” He said the recorded lease identifies DEVCO as the landlord and Port Lucaya Marina Limited as the tenant, with
IMMIGRATION DEPORTED 62 HAITIAN NATIONALS AMID A CRACKDOWN ON OVERSTAYING THE Department of Immigration continued its deportation exercises yesterday, repatriating 62 Haitian nationals on a chartered Bahamasair flight from Lynden Pindling International Airport. The group comprised 48 men and 14 women and was accompanied by eight immigration officers. Minister of State for Immigration Darron Pickstock said the operation forms part of the government's intensified crackdown on immigration violations. He said overstaying remains one of the most common offences and warned that the ministry is taking a zero-tolerance approach. “We just want to emphasise the importance of employers ensuring that they have renewed their employees’ work permit on time,” he said. “The major issue is that we’re seeing
overstays whether its overstaying your visitors’ visa or just overstaying when your work permit is not renewed.” He committed the department to being firm, but fair as he addressed concerns about officers’ handling of persons of interest. It came after a businessman claimed on Facebook that his female employee of Jamaican descent was “dragged” from work and treated unfairly by immigration officers earlier this week. The employee alleged that she was shoved onto an immigration bus and intimidated by a female officer who gestured as though she would hit her. In a statement last week, the ministry declined to comment on any specific allegation, but said members of the public should be assured that every complaint is treated with the utmost seriousness.
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responsibility for maintaining the marina and related facilities. Litigation over the lease remains before the courts, but Mr Delancy said no final judgment had terminated it. “We acknowledge, however, the court proceedings concerning the lease and the marina's historical condition remain pending,” he said. “However, no final judgment terminating the lease has been issued. And that's an important fact because the lease is still in existence.” Bahamas Land and Waterways has owned the marina for just over three months. Mr Delancy said the demolition was considered an emergency measure intended to protect the public from the deteriorating structure. “We've only had this marina for a little over three months, and we are seeking fit to undertake what we deem an emergency demolition undertaken to protect the public,” he said. He said the pending court case did not remove the responsibility to address safety risks at the site. “The court case does
not remove the immediate duty of those exercising authority over the site or demolition to act reasonably to public safety and also to protect the public from the ruins,” Mr Delancy said. “The matter is in court, and it's being litigated. We do have a responsibility to maintain the facility. And right now it is a hazard to all.” Mr Delancy said the company maintained an amicable relationship with the GBPA and did not believe the authority was deliberately trying to block the redevelopment. However, he said the dispute had again exposed questions about the authority’s dual roles. “However, it does draw into question its regulatory role and its interest,” he said. “So, therefore it has to be questioned.” Mr Delancy said Bahamaland Waterways had not yet met with DEVCO but intended to request meetings with both DEVCO and the GBPA to resolve the impasse. “We just need to come together with both companies and get this sorted so that we could move forward with this venture,” he said
Wednesday, July 29, 2026, PAGE 5
American boy, 9, airlifted to US after Bimini dog attack A NINE-YEAR-OLD American boy was airlifted to the United States after suffering serious, potentially life-threatening injuries in an attack by several dogs while on a beach in Bimini yesterday morning. According to police, the incident occurred shortly before 10.30am on Tuesday near a business establishment. A woman caller contacted the Alice Town Police Station to report that the child had been attacked by several dogs. Officers responded to the scene, where they met the boy and his mother. The child was taken to the Bimini Community Clinic, where he was treated for multiple bite wounds to his right thigh, right arm, left leg, face and head. Medical personnel classified his injuries as serious and potentially life-threatening. The boy was airlifted by the US Coast Guard for further medical treatment shortly after 12pm,
according to police. He was reportedly accompanied by his father. Initial investigations indicate the child had left the apartment where he was staying around 10am to collect sand from a nearby beach when he was attacked by several dogs. During the incident, an unidentified dark-complexioned man reportedly intervened, chasing the dogs away before leaving the area. The child was then able to return to the apartment and alert his mother. Police said they have identified the owner of the dogs, who is assisting investigators in locating, securing and removing the animals. The investigation is ongoing. Police are appealing to anyone with information to contact 911, 919, the nearest police station or Crime Stoppers at 328-TIPS (8477).
PAGE 6, Wednesday, July 29, 2026
THE TRIBUNE
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Justice and closure delayed in PMH rulings TWO separate stories in today’s Tribune – but one common theme: negligence. In two court rulings, medical practitioners have been held to account. In the first, Princess Margaret Hospital (PMH) has been found to be negligent by the Supreme Court in the case of the death of a newborn girl in 2022. In the second, an even older case, the Court of Appeal has dismissed a challenge by an obstetrician for negligence in the delivery of a boy left severely disabled, again at PMH. That birth was all the way back in 2012 – the boy will be 14 years old next week. It is little wonder that the parents are calling for the award of $3.6m in damages to be paid as swiftly as possible – after all, how much longer should victims of injustice be left to wait?children In the case of the little girl’s death, PMH staff were found to have failed to monitor the baby and her mother for 27 minutes before an emergency caesarian. The girl, Elizabeth Lundy, died just over two hours after she was born. The court ruled that the lack of monitoring caused the injury and was fatal. The judge also criticised both sides in the case for not going to mediation to attempt a settlement, saying the case was “an ideal one for mediation. A qualified mediator would more likely have led the parties to a sensible compromise”. It might also have brought the matter to a speedier resolution. No speedy resolution was in sight either for the parents of the disabled boy, known only as TK, with the case lasting longer than a decade. TK’s parents spoke of the desire for “this whole process to be over with as quickly as possible”, adding that they hoped “there will be no further delay or stalling tactics which clearly shows a lack of empathy, consideration and concern”. For TK, the financial award might have made a big difference growing up – helping to pay for the medical needs he has faced as a result of the negligence that put him in that situation. As we can personally attest, there can be no joy at the outcome of the case. Just a sense of closure that allows the family to look forward rather than to be caught up in an endless cycle of waiting for justice. Sadly, like in the case of Aidan Roger Dupuch-Carron and the families of dozens of other children whose lives have been unnecessarily taken away before they’ve even had a change to begin, doctors go
back to their same old routines without having to face any consequences. Adding injury to insult, long delays in our justice system are commonplace. More than a decade of waiting for justice should be impossible. As we have noted in this column time and again over the years as people have been forced to wait so long, the old maxim holds true – justice delayed is justice denied. It is tragic that people are left to wait so long – in no way can that be called justice. Then there are the questions over what lessons we can learn from these cases. The judge in the case of baby Elizabeth’s case signalled one way – making sure that avenues for mediation are explored where that can deliver an outcome. There are other things to consider though – such as the Public Hospitals Authority ensuring that doctors have a current valid license and medical malpractice insurance In this fashion, families who go through such tragedies can be certain they will receive some form of compensation should an unexpected outcome confront them. We sincerely hope these rulings bring some semblance of closure to the families concerned. For the pain, suffering and heartache one experiences cannot be understood; unless, of course you have been there. All the same, no award can ever truly be enough to make up for the loss of a child through the negligence of others.
Praise for two police officers A word of praise for Police Constable 4233 Smith and Woman Police Constable 536 Bain. The two officers were offered a $70 bribe to overlook traffic offences by a man stopped without a valid driver’s licence or third-party insurance last week. They rightly said no. They also did the right thing when he offered to go to a bank to get more. The officers stuck to their duty, arrested the man – and yesterday he was fined $1,500. Earlier this year, an officer went viral after being caught on camera saying “it can’t be obvious” after stopping a tourist. It would be wonderful if officers doing the right thing could go just as viral as an officer doing the wrong thing. We applaud them for their service – and for upholding both the letter and the character of the law.
The example our forebears left for us EDITOR, The Tribune. IT is both sad and detrimental that the modern foundational Bahamian values and community spirit of our past are too often overlooked. This erosion is regrettable and for the most part has been lost in the political dust of our lives. We must actively endeavor to rekindle the flames of these vital proper lessons. By at least attempting to embody these principles and lessons in our daily lives and make a genuine effort to share them with the members of younger generations through simple acts, we can restore our cherished heritage. It is with a profound sense of sadness and a heavy heart that I continue to observe the current downward trajectory of our beloved Bahamas. A disquieting shift seems to have occurred within our national consciousness, where the relentless currents of political discourse and the actions of our leaders among themselves appear to have assisted in the eroding the foundational virtues upon which our society was built. We seem to have lost sight of the fundamental importance of speaking truth with unwavering integrity, extending genuine respect to every fellow Bahamian, and upholding the timeless tradition of mutual assistance that was once the very bedrock of our communities, a legacy
EDITOR, The Tribune. THE right of every sovereign nation to determine who enters its borders is fundamental to its existence. As Bahamians, we must never apologise for expecting our immigration laws to be respected and enforced. This is not an act of hatred, prejudice, or xenophobia. It is an act of national responsibility. International reports indicate that the United States is moving to end Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for certain groups of migrants. The operative word is temporary. Temporary protection was never intended to become permanent settlement. Decisions made by other nations regarding their immigration policies are their sovereign right, just as protecting The Bahamas is ours. The Bahamas is a small island nation with finite land, limited resources, and infrastructure that is already under tremendous strain. We have long struggled with illegal immigration, and
many Bahamians believe our country has yet to regain full control of this challenge. Against that backdrop, we cannot afford to become a destination for those who have no legal right to enter or remain in our country. This is not a statement against Haitians or any other nationality. Every nation deserves respect, and every human being deserves dignity. However, compassion must never come at the expense of a nation’s security, sovereignty, or the rule of law. A country that fails to protect its borders ultimately fails to protect its people. Therefore, I call upon the Minister of Immigration, the Royal Bahamas Defence Force, the Department of Immigration, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Royal Bahamas Police Force, and every agency entrusted with safeguarding our nation’s borders to remain vigilant and prepared. If regional migration pressures increase, The Bahamas must respond decisively, lawfully, and
proactively to prevent illegal entry and to uphold our immigration laws without fear or favor. Our message should be clear: The Bahamas welcomes lawful visitors and those who enter through the proper legal channels. However, our borders are not open to illegal immigration, and our immigration laws must be enforced consistently and fairly. Protecting our borders is not inhumane. It is not discriminatory. It is not unchristian. It is the responsibility of every sovereign nation. We owe it to future generations to preserve the security, identity, and stability of the only country we call home. The Bahamas belongs to the Bahamian people, and defending our sovereignty is not only the government’s duty—it is a national responsibility that belongs to us all. A CONCERNED BAHAMIAN CITIZEN Nassau, July 28, 2026.
letters@tribunemedia.net so admirably demonstrated by our forebears. It is indeed a challenging time when one feels their nation has veered off course, forsaken its cherished values, and allowed the powerful bonds of unity, so emblematic of past generations, to fray. This transformation is deeply concerning, manifesting in several critical ways: 1) Fractured Political Landscape: The political arena, instead of serving as a forum for constructive dialogue and national cohesion, frequently appears to be a source of deepening division, driving wedges between citizens rather than fostering collective purpose. 2) Erosion of Mutual Respect: Consequently, the inherent kindness and consideration that once characterized interactions between neighbors and compatriots seem to have diminished, replaced at times by indifference or even animosity. 3) Waning Community Solidarity: The robust spirit of collective support and spontaneous helpfulness, where individuals instinctively rallied to assist one another, is regrettably fading, leaving more and more Bahamians to navigate life’s challenges in isolation.
DR DONALD M McCARTNEY Freeport, Grand Bahama July 28, 2026.
Reluctant to celebrate Jones over her LGBTQ views EDITOR, The Tribune. GRAND Bahama native Jonquel Jones is arguably the most successful Bahamian female professional basketball player in history. I read in one of the dailies that the New York Liberty Center recorded 22 points and 13 rebounds for the team coached by Teresa Westherspoon in a recent WNBA All Star Game at the United Center in Chicago before an audience of over 19,000. Jones’s accolades are impressive. She was named the All-Star Game MVP. She won the Commissioner Cup and was WNBA Finals MVP and WNBA MVP. At this rate, if the WNBA has a hall of fame honors, she would receive first ballot hall of fame votes. She has cemented herself as one of the greatest WNBA players to ever play the game of basketball. It would have been a tremendous honor to celebrate this highly
accomplished Grand Bahamian. But after I saw US magazine reports of Jones affirming the LGBTQ lifestyle, even to the extent of talking about the matter of same-sex marriage, it gave me cause for concern. Look, I have nothing against Jones as a human being. Like the rest of us, she is an image bearer of God and is loved unconditionally by Him. But I am looking at this sensitive subject through the prism of a biblical worldview that says that mankind must conform to the moral standards of God set forth in the Christian Bible. The Ten Commandments are as relevant today as they were when they were first engraved on two tablets of stone by Yahweh on Mount Sinai 3,500 years ago. Antinomianism is a heresy. God is holy. I am not condemning Jones. But growing up in The Bahamas, she is well aware of the biblical injunctions against the LGBTQ
lifestyle. My apprehension in celebrating her publicly can easily be misconstrued by young, impressionable minds that I affirm her proLGBTQ position. There seems to be a cross pollination of her LGBTQ views and her professional basketball career, using the latter as an avenue to promote the former. It is difficult to separate the two. Hence, my reluctance to celebrate her as a great basketball player who has excelled on the international stage. In a country that is becoming increasingly secularised, I know it is taboo to say that homosexuality is sin. But it is. And it will be judged. True, I might be accused of homophobia. I love gay people. But I hate the sin, because it will bar them forever from the presence of their loving Creator on Judgement Day. KEVIN EVANS Freeport, Grand Bahama July 28, 2026.
Maintenance failure EDITOR, The Tribune.
Uphold humanity and protect borders
LETTERS
However, amidst this concern, there lies a profound wellspring of hope and guidance. We must consciously choose to reconnect with our roots, drawing strength and wisdom from the enduring principles and unwavering spirit of resilience passed down by our ancestors. Their unwavering commitment to family, community, and national welfare offers a potent blueprint for our present challenges. The path forward, though demanding, begins with conscious, individual actions. By committing ourselves to small, yet powerful, acts of unity – choosing to engage with honesty, treating every individual with inherent dignity, and actively seeking opportunities to extend a helping hand to those around us but not robbing them of their spirit of independence– we can begin the vital work of restoring the vibrant tapestry of our community spirit, one person, one interaction, one shared endeavor at a time. The true strength and future of our Bahamas lie in our collective willingness to rekindle these essential flames of truth, respect, and solidarity.
I STOPPED by just to highlight several matters that I have found to be not only out of character, but quite different from what we in the past have become acquainted with. Earlier today I loaded myself onto a public service jitney route #08. And whilst enjoying the ride, as the driver got on Poinciana Drive, the decay was very obvious, buildings that normally were painted, faulty materials replaced, has not been done in decades encompassing structures on both sides. But editor, as the jitney reached the former BATELCO (now BTC) building, I couldn’t believe my eyes, the neglect, state, decay and wondering how might the workers fare? Surely, the question of mould spores is a definite possibility? In its glory days, this particular site was a gorgeous place to visit and to do business but now that they BATELCO (total Bahamian ownership-side has been scrapped), and the other entity being a Caribbean group, as I understand it of the fray has gone away, retention partial Bahamian
ownership, in a deal that many of the moral majority claimed didn’t do justice to the Bahamian people, now water under the bridge? The Bahamian moral majority still harbors malice with that sale and it shows. All across the country we have projects where the country has not gotten the numbers fit for our public treasury, but why? Last week, I asked what kind of a country is the Commonwealth of The Bahamas? Doest factor into the debate heavily, for it shows what the percentages of whatever category was about, what, does matter? If you have an unacceptably high number on welfare, makes it a welfare state; a certain percentage makes it a progressive state, but what we ought to be trying to shun is having a criminal state? As I see it, do we have small Japanese cars’ state? Occupied by these unemployed Bahamians, and what might the percentage be, does it matter? I am curious, and I do believe that the directorate of the police force does have a problem with all of these small cars, many were the transportation used in the commissioning of
crimes of all brands, and the custom taxes derived from their importation, does it matter, should a moratorium be pursued to curtailed the influxes? In conclusion, there is a social problem invading our street, in particular the downtown main shopping district, so many homeless people interact with tourist from begging alms, nuisance in their lack of proper hygiene, to searching out meagre portions of scraps contained in trash bins, among others. My question to the authorities is the following: The Sandilands Rehabilitation Service (SRC), do we have a problem with the numbers, could this be why the street wanderers were what they are? What is the total number of patients that that place was constructed to accommodate? Father God is not pleased with the high levels of homeless people wandering in the town, these disenfranchised (entitled to the social institutions to treat them), but not carrying out their mandates, why though? FRANK GILBERT Nassau, July 28, 2026.
THE TRIBUNE
Wednesday, July 29, 2026, PAGE 7
Court of Appeal upholds kidnapper’s 18-year sentence By LYNAIRE MUNNINGS Tribune Staff Reporter lmunnings@tribunemedia.net THE Court of Appeal has upheld the convictions and prison sentences of Mark Anthony Rolle, ruling that the evidence of a single eyewitness was sufficient to support his convictions for armed robbery and kidnapping despite his claims that he had been wrongly identified. The Court of Appeal dismissed Mr Rolle's appeal against both his convictions and sentences, finding that the trial judge properly directed the jury on the dangers of mistaken identification and that the verdict was safe. Mr Rolle was convicted by a jury of armed robbery and kidnapping in connection with the July 22, 2022 abduction of Coral Harbour Food
Store owner Vashti Glinton. He was sentenced to 18 years' imprisonment for armed robbery and six years for kidnapping, with the sentences to run concurrently. His appeal challenged both the convictions and the sentence, arguing that the identification evidence was unreliable because Ms Glinton was the only witness to identify him, that there was no forensic or other independent evidence linking him to the crimes, that the police photo identification procedure was irregular, that his alibi defence had been undermined by the trial judge and that the 18-year sentence was manifestly excessive. According to the judgment, Ms Glinton was opening her Coral Harbour business shortly after 6.25am on July 22, 2022 when she felt a gun pressed against
her side. A gunman ordered her not to move before forcing her into her Ford F-150 truck, where another man drove the vehicle away. During the ordeal, she handed over $700 in cash and was forced to write a cheque for $3,000 after her captors discovered she did not have an ATM card. She was later taken to a dirt road, bound with duct tape and abandoned in nearby bushes before eventually freeing herself and seeking help. Police later arrested a woman who attempted to cash the cheque, and Mr Rolle was subsequently charged with the offences. Ms Glinton later identified him during a police photo lineup. The appellate judges noted that although Ms Glinton was the only witness to identify Mr Rolle,
the case was one of visual identification that had been properly left to the jury to assess. The court found Ms Glinton had ample opportunity to observe her attacker during an ordeal lasting about an hour. It noted that she remained in close proximity to him, often faceto-face, in broad daylight, and consistently maintained that although he wore a cloth mask, it repeatedly slipped below his nose, allowing her to observe his facial features. The judges also pointed to her detailed description of the gunman, including his clothing, hairstyle, eyes and what she described as a distinctive wide nose. During cross-examination, she maintained that she deliberately studied her attacker because she hoped to survive and later identify him.
The court said there was no evidence that her observations had been significantly obstructed and noted that she identified Mr Rolle in the photo lineup within minutes despite all participants wearing similar cloth masks. Addressing Mr Rolle's complaint that there was no forensic or corroborating evidence, the Court of Appeal ruled that corroboration was not legally required in the circumstances. It said the trial judge had correctly instructed jurors on the burden and standard of proof, the dangers of mistaken identification and the absence of independent corroboration before leaving the issue of reliability to the jury. The appellate court also rejected arguments that the trial judge failed to follow the well-known Turnbull
guidelines governing visual identification evidence. Instead, it concluded that the jury received appropriate warnings about the possibility that an honest witness could still be mistaken and was directed to carefully consider factors such as lighting, distance, duration of the observation and the witness's opportunity to view the offender. On sentencing, the court acknowledged that the trial judge had wrongly treated Mr Rolle's continued assertion of innocence and lack of remorse as aggravating factors. However, it concluded that this error did not affect the overall sentence because the seriousness of the offences, including the use of a firearm during the kidnapping and robbery, justified the 18-year prison term. .
Man fined $1,500 after offering Jury acquits 50-year-old man police $70 bribe to two officers of unlawful sex allegations By PAVEL BAILEY Tribune Staff Reporter pbailey@tribunemedia.net A MAN was fined $1,500 after admitting that he offered two police officers $70 to overlook traffic offences on East Street South last week. Terrance Wright, 27, was driving a white Ford Taurus without a valid driver’s licence or third-party risk insurance at about 2.30pm on July 23. After police stopped
him, Wright offered Police Constable 4233 Smith and Woman Police Constable 536 Bain $70 to avoid being cited for the offences. He also offered to go to a bank to obtain more money to avoid being taken into custody. Wright pleaded guilty before Senior Magistrate Algernon Allen Jr to two counts of bribery, driving without a valid driver’s licence and driving without third-party risk insurance. He apologised and said
he had made a mistake. Magistrate Allen described the offences as serious and said Wright had attempted to undermine police officers through bribery, conduct the court could not condone. Although Wright claimed a previous causing harm charge had been dropped, prosecutor Sergeant 3004 Forbes said he had paid a fine for that offence. Wright was fined $1,500 or faced 60 days in prison.
Bail denied for man accused of Eastern Road break-in By PAVEL BAILEY Tribune Staff Reporter pbailey@tribunemedia.net A MAN accused of breaking into an Eastern Road home and stealing more than $3,000 worth of property was remanded to prison yesterday. Prosecutors allege that Jamaal Taylor, 29, and several accomplices broke into Jeffrey Barnhill’s home on June 13 after damaging a
wooden door and lock. They allegedly stole property valued at $3,188, including televisions, electronics, computers, a security system and assorted kitchen and gardening appliances and tools. Taylor pleaded not guilty before Senior Magistrate Algernon Allen Jr to housebreaking, stealing and damage. Prosecutor Sergeant 3004 Forbes strongly objected
to bail, citing public safety concerns and Taylor’s previous convictions, including a 2017 firearm conviction. Despite Taylor’s objections, Magistrate Allen denied bail and remanded him to the Bahamas Department of Correctional Services. Taylor was informed of his right to apply to the Supreme Court for bail. He returns to court on October 30.
Man jailed for three years after high-speed police chase By PAVEL BAILEY Tribune Staff Reporter pbailey@tribunemedia.net A MAN caught with a loaded pistol after a highspeed police chase ended in a crash was sentenced to three years in prison yesterday. Tarrio Knowles, 33, failed to stop after officers caught him speeding in a white Suzuki Alto on Cowpen Road at about 10.20pm on
July 20. Police pursued Knowles until his vehicle collided with another vehicle on Golden Isles Road and overturned. Officers recovered a black Glock 19 9mm pistol loaded with nine rounds from the vehicle. Knowles was treated at Princess Margaret Hospital for injuries suffered in the crash. He pleaded guilty before
Senior Magistrate Algernon Allen Jr to possession of an unlicensed firearm and ammunition. Magistrate Allen sentenced Knowles to 36 months at the Bahamas Department of Correctional Services for the firearm and 18 months for the ammunition. The sentences will run concurrently. Sergeant 3004 Forbes prosecuted the case.
Woman fights off attempted abduction on Prince Charles A 54-year-old woman fought off an attempted abductor while walking along Prince Charles Drive on Monday morning. The victim told police she was walking east around 6.30am when a blue Suzuki Swift pulled alongside her.
Police said an unknown man grabbed her by the hand and attempted to pull her into the vehicle. However, she managed to break free, escaping unharmed. She immediately alerted police, and the matter remains under investigation.
By PAVEL BAILEY Tribune Staff Reporter pbailey@tribunemedia.net A 50-YEAR-OLD man broke down in tears yesterday after a jury unanimously acquitted him of sexually assaulting his girlfriend’s 11-year-old daughter in 2024. Anthony Bain bent over and cried in the prisoner’s dock after the nine-member jury returned a not guilty verdict on a charge of unlawful sexual intercourse following less than an hour of deliberation. Still choking back tears, Bain thanked Justice Jeannine Weech-Gomez after she told him he was free
to go. Prosecutors alleged that Bain had sexual intercourse with the complainant while they were alone at a home on Williams Lane sometime between August 1 and August 25, 2024. At the time, Bain lived with the complainant’s mother, who was his girlfriend, and her four children. During the trial, the complainant testified that Bain removed her clothes near a bed before they both lay naked on it. After taking time to compose herself, she alleged that he then had intercourse with her. Bain denied the
allegation and testified that he was working on the day of the alleged incident. He claimed the complainant fabricated the allegation because he disciplined her with a belt. Bain said he had never beaten her to cause harm and claimed other relatives had also disciplined or scolded her. The court also heard that the complainant had attempted to run away from home before the allegation was made. Danielle Kemp and Stanley Rolle represented Bain. Valentino Bowe and Erica Ingraham prosecuted the case.
PAGE 8, Wednesday, July 29, 2026
THE TRIBUNE
Alicia Wallace
Artificial Intelligence for over 40s What exactly should we be worried about?
INEVITABILITY is a sales pitch that’s consistently made for artificial intelligence. Proponents try to scare everyone into getting on board, and doing so quickly, to avoid being left behind. As artificial intelligence increases in ubiquity—seemingly in use by everyone, everywhere, at all times—it becomes harder to believe that we can keep choosing not to use it. The “artificial intelligence is inevitable” argument is a way to get us to give up and simply stop resisting it, regardless of the cost. Even people who try to make distinctions and set boundaries for use admit that issues with it persist, and it’s having a detrimental impact on education, creativity, and human development. In her guest essay for The New York Times, designer and brand strategist Debbie Millman posits that people over the age of 40 are “ready” to use artificial intelligence. She warns of the loss we suffer when younger people who have not had certain educational and professional experiences simply use technology to produce their work, skipping the difficult parts that not only show us who we are, but help to make us who we are. “We have been so quick to treat access to new technology as an inevitability that we have failed to question whether every powerful tool should be placed in the hands of every developing mind the moment it becomes available,” she said. Millman shared a story from the classroom. Students were given guidelines for the use of artificial intelligence and signed a contract agreeing to the terms. They were permitted to use artificial intelligence for research, but not in the place of their own thinking processes and original writing. They were given reminders of the terms, especially when it was time to produce their theses, since it was expected that they would “wrestle with language, evidence, doubt and the responsibility of making an argument they can confidently stand behind and defend.” Still, it was found that some students used artificial intelligence in ways that were not aligned with the agreement. Millman doesn’t believe the students were trying to be deceptive. When confronted, they admitted to using artificial intelligence, but said it was to “augment and synthesize” their writing. “I found their use of the word “augment” especially revealing because it allowed the act to appear smaller than it was; it made the intervention of AI in their work sound cosmetic and clerical, when what was actually being altered was the student’s relationship to struggle,
authorship and accountability,” Millman said. In her essay, Millman highlighted the importance of the discomfort that comes with creating. Staring at the blank page, struggling with ideas, finding out what we
of their own interior lives and fail to hone their actual intelligence.” We are already in an intel-
have chosen to turn to artificial intelli-
think, and putting it on the page is a part of becoming. She
Photo: Magda Ehlers/pexels
Photo: Ron Lach/pexels
separates the confusion everyone experiences before processing ideas and developing thoughts from failure, noting that people who do not learn to process on their own are, and will be, incapable of distinguishing the two. The debate on artificial intelligence, particularly with regard to educational institutions, has put significant focus on cheating. Millman suggests that the cheating that arises from artificial intelligence may not be the most detrimental effect. “The more profound risk is that young people will use artificial intelligence to bypass the development
lectual crisis. People are less willing to think. We may have previously thought that the issue was contained, limited to particular areas. “We need more media literacy!” we thought. “We need to teach critical thinking skills!” we insisted. We were not wrong, but that wasn’t the full picture. Many people don’t seem to want to read between the lines or beyond the headlines. Many people don’t seem to want to think at all. Many want, and have come to expect, information spoon-fed to them. People of varied backgrounds and professions
gence to avoid thinking, whether or not they think they are saving time. The simplest tasks are being outsourced to machines— which, we must not forget, deplete natural resources, destroy the environment, steal the work of human beings, and make errors— from recipes that could easily be found online or requested from a person to technical papers that could be written with the support of available research and human resources for interviews and feedback. The repeated choice to use artificial intelligence is making it a go-to even for people who know
better than relying on such a “tool,” knowing the results will be subpar and the practice will lead to decreased interest in engaging with people, being creative, and trying and learning as a result of the effort. Millman suggests that the loss for individuals and the collective experience as a result of artificial intelligence is worse for the young because they have not had the experience of being confused and unsure, working through it, and getting better at thinking and creating through the process of thinking, sharing, and being assessed. “Before a person asks a machine to write for them,” she said, “they should know what it feels like to write from the depths of their own uncertainty and identity. Before a person lets a machine imitate their voice, they should have endured the long, uneven, often humiliating process of acquiring one.” Recommendations 1. Children of Blood and Bone by Toni Adeyemi. This first book in a trilogy for young adults quickly grew in popularity, read and enjoyed by people beyond the target audience of the genre. The film adaptation will be released in January 2027, so there is some time for those who have not yet read the book to catch up. The book, as all readers know, is always better than the movie. In this case, there is some controversy. The author recently distanced herself from the film adaptation, but she has not given an explicit reason. She, of course, stands by the book. One reviewer said, "It
is always risky to step into a book as hyped as this one, but I, for one, think it very much deserves it. A compelling, exciting plot, a completely non-white cast of characters, AND a thoughtful consideration of race, skin colour, and prejudice... impressive, to say the least. Though that cliffhanger is EVIL. How will we cope until the next book?” 2. Join Feminist Book Club. Hosted by Equality Bahamas and Poinciana Paper Press, Feminist Book Club is reading These Heathens by Mia McKenzie. The publisher says it is “a funny, poignant story about Black women’s obligations and ambitions, what we owe to ourselves, and the transformative power of leaving your bubble, even for just one chaotic weekend.” Feminist Book Club will meet at Poinciana Paper Press, 12 Parkgate Road on August 19 at 6pm to discuss the book. In her review, Author Roxane Gay said “There is a lot to love in We Heathens, set in 1960s Georgia. Mia McKenzie captures the voice of Doris, her protagonist beautifully as a young woman who rarely gets to make decisions for herself and when a beloved teacher takes Doris to Atlanta for an abortion, she starts to realize she can make her world bigger on her own terms if only she will allow herself. What I really enjoyed was how much this novel centered women in a time when women’s choices were often constrained by so many factors beyond their control. There is a depth of character to the principals that makes it easy to lose yourself in these words.” Register to join Feminist Book Club: tiny.cc/fbc2026. 3. Paper & Pour is “a relaxed summer afternoon of art, books, and matcha” at TERN Gallery, Mahogany Hill, Western Road. It begins with a book swap. So show up with gently used books and get ready to browse the books others bring. There is no limit to the number of books you can add to the pile, and no limit to the number of books you can take away with you. This is a great way to refresh your bookshelves. Mark your calendar—August 1, 11am to 3pm. Email info@ terngallery.com for more information.
In a German forest, 2 brothers keep the ancient tradition of charcoal burning alive By MATTHIAS SCHRADER Associated Press
HASSELFELDE, Germany (AP) — Immo Feldmer carefully tipped smoldering charcoal into a tall mound of earth to kick off the ancient tradition of coal burning. The inside of the mound was tightly stacked with beech wood which smolders for weeks until it's been turned into charcoal — a craft that's been practiced in the Harz mountain region in eastern Germany for hundreds of years. “We are making charcoal in traditional earthen kilns, just as it was done here in the Harz Mountains over 1,000 years ago,” Feldmer told The Associated Press in a recent interview as he stood between the mounds in the middle of the Harz forest near the small town of Hasselfelde. Feldmer and his brother Sascha took over the Harzköhlerei Stemberghaus business of producing charcoal from their father. They also have a handful of workers as the smoldering wood inside the mounds needs to be attended to and carefully watched day and night so it won't start catching fire and burn down to useless ashes. Once covered in earth, the beech wood — which is known for its high density and the high temperatures it creates once it's been turned into charcoal — burns from top to bottom with the help of air holes. The charcoal is then swept clean of soil, and when it has cooled down, it's packed into 10-kilogram (22-pound) bags for sale.
Charcoal production was essential for mining ore in the Harz Mountains. To extract valuable metals such as silver, lead, copper, and zinc from the hard rock, the ore was crushed and then smelted in a furnace using intense heat. The extremely high temperatures required could only be achieved using charcoal. Over the centuries, hundreds of families in the Harz region earned their living as charcoal burners. These days ore is no longer mined there and only a few coal burners are left in Germany. The Feldmers mostly sell their charcoal to people using it for barbecues at home. “Our charcoal is, first and foremost, made from pure beech wood,” Feldmer said, adding that most of the charcoal sold at hardware stores in the country is imported and made of “mixed woods, scrap wood, and waste wood so it can be produced cheaply.” As Feldmer and his brother would not be able to live from the coal burning business alone — they produce around 40 tons annually — they've also opened a museum about the history of coal burning, a small store and a restaurant where guests can get local specialties including steaks grilled over homemade birch charcoal. Though the craft of char burning has essentially died out in Germany, Feldmer hopes that his family will keep the tradition alive. “Of course, we hope ... that our business here will be taken over by our children, that it will continue to operate, and that the traditional craft of charcoal burning will be preserved here," he said.
BROTHERS Immo and Sascha Feldmer put charcoal into paper bags after weighing it at their traditional production site near Hasselfelde in Germany’s Harz, Germany, Thursday, June 18, 2026. AP Photo/Matthias Schrader
THE TRIBUNE
Wednesday, July 29, 2026, PAGE 9
eBay agreed to pay nearly $50 million to couple sent cockroaches, bloody pig mask By LEAH WILLINGHAM Associated Press
The OpenAI logo is displayed on a cell phone in front of an image generated by ChatGPT’s Dall-E text-to-image model, Dec. 8, 2023, in Boston. AP Photo/Michael Dwyer, File
For some, so-called 'Skynet Day' came too close to sci-fi after a rogue agent hacked into a startup By LAURIE KELLMAN and LINDSEY BAHR Associated Press TO BE fair, James Cameron did warn us. Long before OpenAI broke out of its test corral and hacked into Hugging Face, before the internet and Sam Altman were even born, Cameron wrote a screenplay about an autonomous artificial intelligence system that triggers a nuclear apocalypse. That system, "Skynet," was solidly science fiction — and, for its day, pure speculation. But four decades after it appeared in "The Terminator," it looks more like a forecast of the "unprecedented cyber incident" in which a rogue artificial intelligence system hacked into another AI company on its own. Cue "Skynet Day," the new shorthand for July 22, 2026, when real-life AI sent a chill around the world by learning and acting in ways its creators did not anticipate. For many, the moment recalled the instant in "Aliens" (also written by Cameron) when the xenomorph queen learns to use an elevator. Or when the "Jurassic Park's" velociraptors figure out how to open a door. Or the sequence in which the self-aware HAL 9000 reads the astronauts' lips and decides to kill them in "2001: A Space Odyssey." That one came out in 1968. Have we learned nothing since then? Those movies merely envisioned how people looking to make money or build power would drive technology forward — until it becomes self-aware, strategic and highly problematic for humanity. The question all along has been Frankensteinian: What if it breaks out? So far, slo-mo government offers little protection from the light-speed progress of AI. The U.S. Defense Department is rapidly accelerating its use of AI. Humanity can't even agree on whether and which guardrails are needed to rein in
rogue agents. To the contrary, people are marveling at the wonder of AI and snapping up its benefits, despite the risks to jobs,mental health, the balance of war and peace — and, potentially, humanity as we know it. In many ways, the future is now In what OpenAI said was the first-ever incident of its kind, an advanced AI model escaped its "sandbox" to the internet and used stolen credentials to break into the servers of Hugging Face. It was a told-you-so moment for researchers who had warned for years that the technology could pose an existential threat to humanity. Others said the moment was a warning that underscored the need for stronger AI defensive engineering. Either way, the breakout was widely considered a cautionary tale about the risks of uncontrolled AI. "Yesterday, as we huddled around our computers reading the report, I told the team to "remember this moment" as the first true AI safety incident," Logan Graham, head of Anthropic's Frontier Red Team, posted on X after it happened. Generative AI is growing so fast that government and evaluation systems are struggling to keep pace with the technology. Countries around the world are cobbling together their own laws, some conflicting. The technology was adopted by nearly 53% of the world's population in three years, faster than the spread of the PC or the internet, according to a study released this year by Stanford University. 'Skynet is coming' — well, sort of To be clear, the "Skynet" of the "Terminator" movies is not at hand. Those films begin with a self-aware military computer network that views humanity as a threat. In a bid for self-preservation,
"Skynet" sends an army of cyborgs designed to resemble humans back in time to assassinate resistance fighters. In the second film, the Terminator, played by Arnold Schwarzenegger, tells heroine Sarah Connor that "Skynet" goes online on August 4, 1997. "Human decisions are removed from strategic defense," he says. "Skynet begins to learn at a geometric rate." At 2:14 a.m. on August 29 — Judgment Day — the network becomes self-aware and launches an attack on Russia to provoke a counterstrike on the United States. Three billion lives are lost. That would have been 29 years ago next month if it had happened. And throughout sequels and spinoffs, the central theme is humans versus a world-spanning network of machines. It's unlikely that Cameron was actually ringing a warning bell the way, say, director Kathryn Bigelow tried to do with last year's nuclear weapon film, "A House of Dynamite." Legend has it that the idea for "The Terminator" started with Cameron suffering a food sickness-induced fever dream, not a premonition about AI. Why 'The Terminator' feels more and more realistic Anytime AI oversteps our comfort level, it raises the alarming question of who, or what, really controls our lives. For many, a world with machines in charge can be hard to imagine without movies and books and their sometimes prescient visions. See: "The Matrix," "Ex Machina" and "The Minority Report" for some of the many sci-fi takes on the perils of machines. Or dive deeper, into Philip K. Dick's 1968 novel, "Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?" It's an exploration of what it means to be human in the age of machines — and the basis for the 1982 film "Blade Runner."
But "The Terminator" franchise wields outsize influence over more than culture. The very title is real-world shorthand for technology's role in deciding who lives and who dies — and how the military should respond to any truly autonomous attacks. "I think the weaponization of AI is the biggest danger," Cameron said in an interview on CTV in 2023. "You have no ability to de-escalate." The real world offers several examples of technology and military policy coming uncomfortably close to "Terminator" imagery. Israel's use of AI in its recent wars mark a leading instance. In early 2021, it launched Gospel, an AI tool that sorts through Israel's vast array of digitized information to suggest targets for potential strikes. It also developed Lavender, which uses machine learning to filter out requested criteria from intelligence databases and narrow down lists of potential targets, including people. Lavender ranks people between 0 and 100 based on how likely it is they are a militant, an intelligence officer who used the systems told The Associated Press. The Israeli military says its analysts use AI-enabled systems to help identify targets but independently examine them together with high-ranking officers to meet international law, weighing military advantage against the collateral damage. For some, the revelation — and the death toll in Gaza after the Hamas-led Oct. 7, 2023, attacks on Israel — came too close for comfort to the kill lists of science fiction. "Well guys, Skynet is Here and its has a pleasant name (Lavender)," snarked one Redditor. Not quite — but "Terminator" terminology is so familiar to the masses that U.S. officials sometimes use it to frame the ethical debate around the military uses of AI. The conventional red line would be crossed, it seems, when humans play no role in AI targeting and killing.
BOSTON (AP) — eBay Inc. agreed to pay almost $50 million to a Massachusetts couple who said former employees of the company targeted them with threats and bizarre anonymous deliveries — including live insects, a funeral wreath and a bloody pig Halloween mask, according to settlement details released Tuesday. The parties reported reaching a tentative settlement in February as the case was headed to trial, but they were unable to finalize it. David and Ina Steiner asked a federal judge in June to restore the case to the trial calendar and reached a new settlement this month. The agreement with the Steiners, founders of EcommerceBytes, a newsletter covering the e-commerce industry, includes an additional $7 million in charitable donations, including to organizations supporting First Amendment rights. The settlement contains no confidentiality provision, allowing the Steiners to discuss the case publicly. Cheaper, open and intelligent: Chinese AI models gain ground, as they make inroads in the US By CHAN HO-HIM and MATT O’BRIEN Associated Press HONG KONG (AP) — China has a hot new product in the United States: artificial intelligence. San Francisco-based Raffi Krikorian, the chief technology officer at Mozilla, which runs the Firefox browser, switched to Chinese AI startup Moonshot’s Kimi K3 for many of his day-to-day activities within days of the new, powerful model’s launch more than a week ago. “It just seems snappier,” he said of K3, comparing it to the acclaimed and more expensive Claude Fable chatbot from San Francisco company Anthropic. Earlier, he had been using another high-performing Chinese model, Z.ai’s GLM-5.2, for routine tasks such as managing his calendar, documents and email. Krikorian is one of a growing number of Americans adopting Chinese AI systems, which are gaining ground around the world because they are more affordable and increasingly efficient. U.S. companies like cryptocurrency exchange Coinbase said they’re switching to Chinese AI models to help trim costs. Their popularity has frustrated some U.S. tech giants, but short of an outright ban, they’re likely to continue to appeal to independent software developers in the U.S. and elsewhere. SpaceX launches Starship on another test flight, this time with the most advanced Starlinks By MARCIA DUNN AP Aerospace Writer SpaceX’s mammoth Starship rocket blasted off Friday on another test flight stretching halfway around the world, this time releasing 20 of the most advanced Starlinks. Towering 407 feet (124 meters), Starship soared from the company’s base at the southern tip of Texas. NASA monitored the space-skimming flight, a critical step toward using the Starship as a lunar lander for moon crews. The hourlong journey ended with a splashdown so soft that the spacecraft remained afloat in the Indian Ocean as the SpaceX webcast drew to a close, drawing cheers from employees back at the launch site. Elon Musk’s SpaceX had replaced six of the 33 engines on the first-stage booster after some of them failed to ignite last week, resulting in a last-second launch abort. The previous Starship flight in May also experienced engine trouble, which prevented the booster from making a controlled return. This time, all of the engines fired at liftoff, but not enough of them lit back up for the booster’s return, causing it to descend too fast and slam into the Gulf of Mexico.
PAGE 10, Wednesday, July 29, 2026
THE TRIBUNE
World News France orders 4,000 more evacuated as fires displace a third of a million across southwest Europe By THOMAS ADAMSON, MARK CARLSON and EMMA DA SILVA Associated Press FRENCH authorities ordered 4,000 more people evacuated from tourist sites along its Atlantic coast on Tuesday, widening what may be France’s largest peacetime evacuation as returning heat threatened firefighters’ fragile hold on a vast wildfire west of Bordeaux. Fresh flames erupted later Tuesday near Grand Crohot, a popular Atlantic beach on the LègeCap-Ferret peninsula, local authorities said. A fleet of 23 planes and helicopters — up from 18 — dropped water and fire retardant as crews fought to keep the renewed flames from spreading. “The situation remains complicated. That’s clear. We’re not out of the woods,” Gironde prefect Sophie Brocas said. She said that about 60,000 residents who were evacuated as a precaution from Le Haillan and parts of Mérignac and Eysines outside Bordeaux’s ring road could return on Tuesday. No fires had broken out in the three areas, but residents were told to keep their mobile phones on and emergency bags packed. The opposing movements — thousands ordered out of coastal resorts while those returning told to be on the alert — underscored how precarious the fire’s hold remained. Across France and Spain, roughly 330,000 people
have been driven from homes and vacation sites by huge wildfires. Spain braced for its fourth heat wave of the summer, with several blazes still burning out of control, including the largest in its recorded history. Even so, Spanish authorities began lifting evacuation and stay-at-home orders for thousands of people after firefighters made progress overnight. The Gironde fire has burned an area four times the size of Paris and forced 220,000 people to evacuate. Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez has said it is “very likely” the largest civilian evacuation operation carried out in the country outside war. Evacuations don’t deter some vacationers The precautionary evacuation order covered campsites, holiday villages, tourist residences and leisure parks around the resort of Lacanau, Gironde regional authorities said. “We are at a point of fragility,” Eric Brocardi, spokesperson for France’s national firefighters federation, told the BFMTV broadcast network Tuesday. “We will continue attacking this fire despite the forecast rise in temperatures.” Even as nearby homes burned and authorities urged tourists to stay away, one family told Le Parisien newspaper it had gone ahead with its trip rather than forfeit a 4,000-euro ($4,558) holiday, while another group debated abandoning a vacation that had cost 650
euros ($741) each. A fire making its own weather At its most violent, the Gironde blaze created a gargantuan black thundercloud, electrified and lit from within. It generated lightning, violent winds and new fires beyond the original front. The phenomenon, known as a pyrocumulonimbus cloud, was the first recorded in France. France’s national weather service placed Gironde under a yellow heat warning beginning at midday Tuesday, forecasting inland temperatures of 33 to 35 C (91 to 95 F). More than 1,160 square kilometres (448 square miles) have burned across France this year, according to the Interior Ministry. Europe is the world’s fastest-warming continent, heating at more than twice the global average, according to the European Union’s Copernicus climate service. Western Europe recorded its hottest June on record, with extreme heat and widespread dryness contributing to the spread and intensification of fires in France and Spain, Copernicus said. Crews defend homes and cut firebreaks In Le Porge alone, west of Bordeaux, the municipal government said about 150 homes were destroyed. Officials warned that smouldering vegetation, rising temperatures and falling humidity could produce fresh outbreaks along the fire’s vast perimeter. Military engineers and forest-fire prevention crews
resumed cutting firebreaks early Tuesday. Authorities said crews had completed 103 kilometres (64 miles) of firebreaks. At least 110 firefighters have been injured, the prefecture said. Thousands return as second fire stops advancing In Landes, about 15,000 evacuees — roughly half of those displaced here — were allowed home after a separate wildfire stopped advancing. “The fire is fixed, which is good news in the Landes,” French President Emmanuel Macron said Monday evening. Regional authorities said that meant its advance had stopped and no new outbreaks had been reported. Those allowed back included residents of Sanguinet, Parentis-en-Born, Biscarrosse’s aviation village and a large campground. Several other neighbourhoods remained inaccessible. Authorities warned that the Landes fire was not extinguished. Residual hot spots, wind and drought could cause flare-ups, and surveillance and damping-down operations were expected to continue for days or weeks. Thousands begin returning in Spain Spanish firefighters made progress Tuesday, and authorities began lifting evacuation orders for at least 20,000 of the 79,000 people forced to flee over the weekend. Francisco Martín, the central government’s
representative in the Madrid region, said orders would be lifted in 10 towns, allowing about 20,000 evacuees to return home and ending stay-at-home orders for another 14,000 people. Residents of some villages in Ávila were also being allowed home, though authorities did not specify how many. Another 6,000 people could return after a smaller fire near Toledo was brought under control, while several thousand more went home in Castellón. Hundreds of firefighters backed by military emergency brigades and water-dropping aircraft continued battling several major wildfires. Smoke from the fires reached Madrid in recent days. Emergency services said residents in central and eastern districts could smell smoke and ash. Spanish Interior Minister Fernando Grande-Marlaska said Tuesday that nonstop work through the night left him “reasonably positive,” though officials warned that crews had only a brief window before extreme heat returned. Spain’s national weather service said the country was bracing for its fourth heat wave of the summer, with temperatures expected to exceed 40 C (104 F) in some areas. The government declared a national emergency over the fires. At least 13 people have died in wildfires in Spain this year, making 2026 one of the country’s deadliest fire seasons in decades. “I’ve been living in San Martín de Valdeiglesias for
20 years and I never thought I would see this,” said Estella Costales, an evacuated resident staying at a temporary shelter in Brunete, near Madrid. “It’s unfortunate, but I never thought I would see such destruction.” Surroundings of Madrid remain at risk The greatest concern was two large fires that had at times come close to merging into a single blaze in wooded hills about an hour’s drive west of Madrid. A fire in hilly, rural terrain in Ávila, west of Madrid, has become Spain’s largest on record, scorching more than 500 square kilometres (193 square miles), the government said. Local weather services in Ávila also shared images Tuesday of what they described as a pyrocumulonimbus cloud over the blaze. Spain has seen these fire-generated thunderstorms form at least twice during wildfires in recent years. “Look at how the valley is burned. Look at the houses, the people,” said David Gonzalez, a 48-year-old gardener who used his van to deliver supplies to firefighters in Ávila. “We are feeling a lot of anger and helplessness. It’s something inhuman,” he said. Fires have burned 1,530 square kilometres (590 square miles) this year in Spain, Ecology Minister Sara Aagesen said. Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez has called for a national pact to fight wildfires, saying climate change is making them worse.
THE TRIBUNE
Wednesday, July 29, 2026, PAGE 11
Woodcock Primary School students took the court following the unveiling of the transformed courtyard and participated in sports clinics hosted by The Buddy Hield Foundation, Team Bahamas and Disney Cruise Line.
Buddy Hield aboard the Disney Wish in Nassau, The Bahamas.
Disney expands Play Project to Nassau with new sports court at Woodcock Primary DISNEY Cruise Line has expanded its investment in youth sports and recreation in The Bahamas with the unveiling of the latest phase of its Play Project initiative at the Woodcock Primary School in Nassau. The newly transformed sports courtyard, developed in partnership with the Buddy Hield Foundation and ESPN's Take Back Sports, features a repaved basketball court, new hoops and a colourful mural by Bahamian artist Angelika Wallace-Whitfield. It is designed to provide students with a safe and engaging space for recreation while encouraging active play and teamwork. The Play Project was launched by Disney Cruise Line in 2024 alongside the opening of Disney Lookout Cay at Lighthouse Point. Since then, the initiative has reached nine schools
The purpose of this project is to give kids a more welcoming place to play, and this courtyard at Woodcock Primary School is built for exactly that. in Eleuthera and New Providence, creating more than 60,000 hours of play for more than 800 children. Disney said additional projects are planned for Abaco. Rena Langley, senior vice president of communications and public affairs for Disney Signature Experiences, said the programme
is intended to create lasting opportunities for children. "The purpose of this project is to give kids a more welcoming place to play, and this courtyard at Woodcock Primary School is built for exactly that," Ms Langley said. "The Play Project helps create opportunities for children to connect, build confidence and simply enjoy being kids. Disney Cruise Line is proud to celebrate this milestone with the Nassau community and our partners across The Bahamas." The opening ceremony brought together representatives from Disney Cruise Line, Woodcock Primary School, local officials, ESPN's Take Back Sports and nonprofit organisations, including love.fútbol and Good Sports. Bahamian NBA player Buddy Hield
Disney Cruise Line, in collaboration with The Buddy Hield Foundation, ESPN’s Take Back Sports and international nonprofit organizations celebrated the unveiling of a newly transformed courtyard at Woodcock Primary School as part of The Play Project.
Buddy Hield celebrated The Play Project’s new courtyard with Woodcock Primary School also participated in the event, hosting a basketball skills camp for students. Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Education Chester Cooper welcomed the expansion of the programme to New Providence. "Every child deserves the opportunity to thrive in an environment that nurtures their full potential," Mr Cooper said. "The expansion of The Play Project from Eleuthera to Nassau demonstrates the power of meaningful partnerships. We are grateful to Disney Cruise Line
for investing in spaces that promote healthy development, teamwork and lifelong learning for Bahamian children." Mr Hield said quality recreational spaces can have a lasting impact on young people. "Growing up in The Bahamas, I know firsthand how a positive place to play can change a kid's life. Hosting today's basketball skills camp is all about passing that gift forward," he said. "The Buddy Hield Foundation is thrilled to team up with Disney Cruise Line and our
collaborators on The Play Project here in Nassau, bringing worldclass athletic experiences directly to these kids, showing them that their dreams matter and their community is fully behind them." Disney Cruise Line said The Play Project forms part of its broader community investment in The Bahamas, which also includes support for schools, Junior Junkanoo, educational and cultural programmes, career exploration initiatives and efforts to address food insecurity.
Representatives from Disney Cruise Line, local leaders, Woodcock Primary School, ESPN’s Take Back Sports and nonprofit organizations, including love.fútbol and Good Sports, joined Bahamian NBA player Buddy Hield for the celebration.
PAGE 12, Wednesday, July 29, 2026
Ministry of National Security celebrates young talent at Cultural Connect Camp exhibition
THE TRIBUNE
THE Ministry of National Security yesterday hosted a Cultural Connect Camp exhibition, showcasing the creativity, talent and growth of more than 20 young people who took part in the summer programme. Held at the Nassau Village Community Centre, the exhibition celebrated the achievements of participants in the ministry’s Cultural Connect Camp. Organisers said the programme was designed to strengthen cultural awareness in a safe and engaging environment, exposing participants to Junkanoo, rake-and-scrape and other important aspects of Bahamian heritage. Activity coordinator Bennett Rahming said the initiative helps preserve traditions that risk being lost as older generations pass on. He told reporters yesterday: “Almost every year now, we have some popular rake and scrape artists leaving us, dying and moving on and so we think its something to continue moving The Bahamas on forward because a lot of stuff are dying.” “As the old people die, it feels as though the stuff is dying along with them and so what we are doing is trying to keep that vibe alive, that Bahamian culture alive in terms of rake and scrape.” PHOTOS: Shawn Hanna
Calling all High School Students
Every year in August, THE TRIBUNE publishes a popular Back to School supplement as a guide to the following academic year. In the supplement, we feature the profiles of high school students across the Bahamas and Family Islands. We want profiles from as many schools and students as possible to make this guide essential and informative.
Profiles must include
How to submit profiles
1. Name 2. Age 3. School 4. Grade 5. Parent name or names 6. Goals and aspirations, prizes won and honours awarded 7. Name of college they will be attending (if attending)
Email to back2school@ tribunemedia.net with ‘Back To School’ in the subject field and photos in .jpeg format.
Plus a suitable photograph in .jpeg format (graduation or any other image).
By post to Back To School, The Tribune, Shirley Street & Deveaux Streets, PO Box N-3207, Nassau. By hand to The Tribune office The deadline for the profiles is August 7th, 2026 @ 12 noon, and there is no cost involved. For any questions, please contact Tribune Features at 502-2373 or 502-2387 or 502-2411.
MINISTER of National Security, the Hon. Myles LaRoda, delivered remarks during the exhibition, which celebrated the programme’s efforts to promote national pride, cultural awareness and youth development through music, arts, storytelling and character-building activities.