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WHY HASN’T POND BOY’S FAMILY COME FORWARD?
By LYNAIRE MUNNINGS lmunnings@tribunemedia.net
A DAY after the body of a boy was discovered in waters of a pond near the Oakes Field Sports Centre Golf Academy, no one has come forward to claim the child or reveal his identity. Authorities believe the victim is of Haitian descent and between the ages of 10 and 12. Sergeant Desiree Ferguson, of the RBPF’s Public Affairs and Communications Department told reporters yesterday that police are appealing to members of the public to assist in identifying the victim. Officers returned to the scene of the discovery
ELEUTHERA SUFFERS AS PLANTS HIT BY OUTAGES
yesterday to make the appeal. “We are appealing to members of the public, particularly our Haitian community members to please help us in identifying who this deceased child may be,” she said. “We know that someone’s child is missing, we know that they may know who this child is in their community, so we’re asking them to assist us in officially identifying who he may be.” Press liaison officer chief superintendent Chrislyn Skippings clarified to reporters that young children discovered the victim’s body, as she previously told the press on Tuesday that golfers found the victim. SEE PAGE FIVE
By LYNAIRE MUNNINGS lmunnings@tribunemedia.net ELEUTHERA residents are dissatisfied about the inability of Bahamas Power and Light to provide uninterrupted service on the island. Yesterday, The Tribune spoke to two business owners on the island to understand how the issue has been affecting their establishments. SEE PAGE FIVE
CONVILLE’S PLAN FOR 450-CAR MULTI-STOREY WITH CONDOS By NEIL HARTNELL Tribune Business Editor nhartnell@tribunemedia.net
A PROMINENT doctor is asserting that his planned 15-storey parking garage and residential condo complex on Collins Avenue will “take Over-the-Hill developments by Bahamians to another level” if approved. Dr Conville Brown, principal of The Bahamas Heart Centre, Cancer Centre Bahamas and The Medical Pavilion Bahamas, said the development at the junction with Sixth Terrace seeks to cure parking and traffic congestion ills that
are undermining patient care, business opportunities and the area’s quality of life. Pointing out that the provision of adequate parking “is a challenge for most of our commercial properties” in New Providence, he added that the project will provide sufficient offroad spaces to ensure that “patients with critical illnesses” such as cancer, heart disease and kidney disease no longer struggle to access his facilities and those of other nearby physicians, or face long walks to do so. FULL STORY - SEE BUSINESS
RELIEF AS GAS PRICES START TO TUMBLE
By JADE RUSSELL jrussell@tribunemedia.net
SOME of the treasures put on show by the Allen Exploration team - with a museum showcasing what has been found from a sunken Spanish Galleon due to open on Monday.
A DROP IN THE OCEAN OF OUR SUNKEN TREASURES By YOURI KEMP Tribune Business Reporter ykemp@tribunemedia.net
THE TREASURE hunter salvaging the wreck of a sunken Spanish Galleon is set to open their museum on Monday, showcasing what they have found in Bahamian waters to date. Allen Exploration says their museum will tell, “the story of The Bahamas’ rich maritime legacy
for the first time”. The Bahamas Maritime Museum will “explore the themes set around The Bahamas’ sunken crown jewel: remains of the shipwrecked Spanish galleon the Nuestra Señora de las Maravillas (Our Lady of Wonders), lost off the northern islands on January 4, 1656,” said a company release. “The 891-ton Maravillas was part of the Tierra Firme (Mainland) fleet,
homeward-bound to Spain from Havana, Cuba, with royal and private consignments. Also onboard was a former Spanish cargo wrecked off Ecuador a year-a-half earlier. The Maravillas ended up colliding with its fleet flagship, hitting a reef 30 minutes later and sinking.” Allen Exploration has been salvaging the wreck since being given a
SEE PAGES TWO & THREE
Nassau & Bahama Islands’ Leading Newspaper
WITH a marked decrease in gas prices this week, petroleum retailers are hoping the reduction will continue. Effective yesterday, Esso Service Stations saw a fall in the price per gallon of gas from $6.96 to $6.66. Additionally, Rubis SEE PAGE FIVE
COMMONWEALTH
GOLD FOR ANDREWS
- SEE SPORTS SECTION
PAGE 2, Thursday, August 4, 2022
THE TRIBUNE
A drop in the ocean of
EMERALDS found by Allen Exploration.
A WINE bottle on show at the museum.
Chicken Wings W E N THE INTRICATE detail on a sword guard and, below, an emerald pendant and a gold bezoar stone.
6 Pc. Chicken Wings TM & © 2022 Burger King Corporation. Used under license. All rights reserved.
Nassau
DIVERS in action during the search and, below, the exploration fleet.
THE TRIBUNE
Thursday, August 4, 2022, PAGE 3
our sunken treasures from page one licence in 2020 under the Dr Hubert Minnis, Free National Movement administration. The licence was subsequently renewed by the Davis new administration upon coming into office. Allen Exploration is supposed to remit 25 percent of their salvage to The Bahamas government, with the company retaining 75 percent, something which has caused controversy as two sitting cabinet ministers have questioned the arrangement and openly requested a change in the percentage to favour that of the government of The Bahamas rather than the company. Nothing from the Maravillas will be sold and all will be held in a museum for the benefit of the general public, Allen Exploration promises. This claim too has come under criticism as a lawyer representing the government of Spain said any sunken treasure should be theirs despite Bahamian law not supporting their claim. The company said, “Allen Exploration is currently exploring a debris trail left behind by the Maravillas and uncovering remarkable finds. Alongside Spanish olive jars, Chinese porcelain, iron rigging, and gold and silver coins, the team has discovered a silver sword handle that belonged to the soldier Don Martin de Aranda y Gusmán. Three gold chains have been saved, as well as four pendants worn by members of the sacred Order of Santiago, a religious band of knights deeply active in Spanish maritime trade. All these finds are unique among the world’s three million shipwrecks. “The Maravillas is an iconic part of The
A REPLICA of the Maravillas at the museum and, right, Carl Allen with an amethyst. Bahamas’s maritime history,” says Carl Allen, entrepreneur, explorer, philanthropist and the founder of Allen Exploration. “The wreck of the galleon had a tough history: heavily salvaged by Spanish, English, French, Dutch, Bahamian and American expeditions in the 17th and 18th centuries, and blitzed by salvors from the 1970s to early 1990s. Some say the remains were ground to dust. Using modern technology and hard science, we’re now tracking a long and winding debris trail of finds. We’re delighted to be licensed by the Bahamian government to explore the Maravillas scientifically and share its wonders with everyone in the first maritime museum in The Bahamas.” Mr Allen added: “Ten Spanish salvage expeditions
brought up a huge chunk of the Maravillas’ treasure cargo. The galleon, though, was stuffed with contraband illegally greasing the palms of Spanish merchants and officials. Defrauding the Spanish Crown continued into the salvage years. Our archaeology is finding that most recovered coins were minted in Mexico. But the Maravillas didn’t officially
load coins in Mexico. Illegal contraband again raises its suspicious head.” A company statement added: “Allen Exploration’s team, made up of marine archaeologists, operations’ directors and local Bahamian divers, has plotted over 8,800 magnetometer targets across a search area measuring around 12 x 8 kilometers. The position
THE EXHIBITION at the museum. of every artifact is mapped from potsherds and iron hull fasteners to rigging, coins, ballast and high-status goods. The finds fit the profile of personal property that drifted miles away from the central wreck on broken sections of the wooden hull. “By mapping each type of find, AllenX is finally reconstructing the mystery of how the ship was wrecked and fell apart,” says project marine archaeologist James Sinclair. “This isn’t just forensic marine archaeology. We’re also digging into former excavations, working out what previous salvage teams got up to, where and why. So much data has been sadly lost from this ravaged wreck. AllenX’s respectful, science-led approach to the Maravillasis reversing former trends.” “The star finds from AllenX’s exploration so far are the Order of Santiago jewels. A golden pendant with the Cross of Santiago (St. James) at its center, just 3.5 centimeters long, was designed in the form of a scallop shell. The pendant is reinforced on its back edge by what is seemingly an Indian bezoar stone, famous in Europe for its powerful healing properties. “Scallops were picked up along the coast of Galicia and carried home by pilgrims who had visited the
shrine of Santiago de Compostela, one of Europe’s most important pilgrimage centers, built by King Alfonso III in AD 899. The Basilica of St James supposedly held the apostle’s bones. Knights of the Order of Santiago were charged since medieval times with protecting from attack the 800-kilometer pilgrim’s route stretching from the Pyrenees to Galicia. “A second golden pendant found on the Maravillas’ debris trail is oval in shape and 4.7 centimeters long. At its centre a gold Cross of St James overlies a large green oval Colombian emerald. The outer edge is framed by 12 more square emeralds, perhaps symbolising the 12 apostles. To these can be added the team’s discovery of a 5.3-centimeter majestic oval gold locket with an elaborate cross of St. James framed by swirling foliage incised on the back, and a tiny golden cross, probably fallen out of another pendant. All these artworks were crafted to an exquisite standard and are again unique among excavated remains, museum collections and portrait art.” Allen Exploration also said that they found 18 more wrecks while searching for the Maravillas and that there are “hundreds” more on the Little Bahama Bank and “thousands” spread all around The Bahamas.
DAVIS: GOVT CONSIDERS INQUIRY INTO BPL ISSUES By EARYEL BOWLEG Tribune Staff Reporter ebowleg@tribunemedia.net
PRIME Minister Philip “Brave” Davis yesterday said his administration is considering staging a number of official inquiries, among them one that will look into the affairs of Bahamas Power and Light Company. Following the swearing in of Ian Winder as Chief Justice, the Prime Minister was asked whether he was still minded to carry out a public inquiry into BPL and its controversial rate reduction bond. Responding, Mr Davis said: “There are a number of things that’s on the table and we’re looking into those matters now and the question is how far we take them. As you know we’ve been inquiring in another issue that we thought we needed some oversight and inquiry and those are continuing, and we’ll be making a decision.” Pressed further and asked if he was referring to a Commission of Inquiry at BPL, Mr Davis paused briefly and smiled before answering: “We are considering some inquiries. You would have heard me saying on a number of occasions where we’re unable through the inquiry... to get information. There are ways and means of advancing that inquiry to another level to ensure that persons are compelled to respond and to provide information that are necessary to come to conclusions as to what has happened. “What I am concerned about is not just what has happened, but I want to have recommendations from the inquiries as to how best we can shore up our democracy, to ensure transparency and accountability and that we understand that the pitfalls made by others by persons in government.” Mr Davis was asked to respond to criticisms his
administration has received from choosing not to make public legal settlements reached in certain suits against the government. Free National Movement leader Michael Pintard has called on the government to disclose the details of a lawsuit settlement concluded with two senior police officers, including the rationale behind the move. He was referring to suits filed by Clayton Fernander and Leamond Deleveaux. Both have now been appointed Commissioner of Police and Deputy Commissioner, respectively, in recent weeks under the Davis administration. They filed suit against the government in 2019 after they were asked to take their accumulated vacation leave that year. “What we have to
appreciate is there are matters that the government is going to be engaged which is sensitive,” Mr Davis said “… that it will not be made public particularly at this time. There are a number of issues that brought on suits against the government because of the conduct of the previous administration. “If we’re going to move to resolve those other matters to expose settlements in any form or fashion (it) may prejudice the ability to settle others and that’s why at this time we don’t intend to disclose those matters, but in time the records are clear. “There’ll be ways and means for them to get that information in due course and it will be. It’s just not at this time.”
PRIME Minister Philip Davis and his wife Ann Marie with Minister of Foreign Affairs Fred Mitchell and ambassadors yesterday. From left, Dr Dexter Johnson, Ambassador-Desginate to the Federative Republic of Brazil; Chris “Fireman” Brown, Ambassador at Large for Sports; Taran Spencer Mackey, Ambassador-Designate to the State of Kuwait; Sebastian Bastian, Ambassador-Designate for Central America; Joseph R Curry, Ambassador-Designate to The Holy See; William Wong; Ambassador-Designate to The Kingdom of Morocco. Photo: Austin Fernander
PAGE 4, Thursday, August 4, 2022
THE TRIBUNE
Pintard criticises ‘disconnected’ govt By LEANDRA ROLLE Tribune Staff Reporter lrolle@tribunemedia.net
FREE National Movement Leader Michael Pintard was critical yesterday of the government’s response to several social and economic issues plaguing the country. These included crime, the inflationary cost of living and the potential exit of a major investor on Grand Bahama. During a press conference at the FNM headquarters, Mr Pintard spoke to a wide range of topics of concern that he claimed was not being properly addressed by the Davis administration, which he said appeared to be “disconnected”. Topping the list of concerns was the looming closure of Grand Bahama’s Gold Rock, the supplier of precast, block and readymix concrete. Gold Rock’s owners, the Del Zotto family, announced last week that it planned to close its concrete-making business and Grand Bahama-based hardware store and furniture and home centre following an impasse with the Grand Bahama Port Authority (GBPA). While Prime Minister Phillip “Brave” Davis has implored Gold Rock’s owners to reconsider the decision, Mr Pintard said he believes more needs to be done by the government, noting it “was most inappropriate” for the leadership on Grand Bahama to
not alert the prime minister on what was happening in advance. He also said the timing of the group’s announcement couldn’t have come at a more inconvenient time considering the country is already in the midst of hurricane season and that many are still struggling with the high cost of living. “I reached out to the Prime Minister because unfortunately, he was not made aware of all of the relevant details,” Mr Pintard said. “He then got in contact with the company and this Tuesday, they were supposed to have addressed this particular issue,” Mr Pintard said. “I urge the Grand Bahama Port Authority and DevCO to tamp down
on the kind of statements that are being made as well as the family that runs this group of companies. Obviously, the conversation is not helpful to them sitting down and coming up with a reasonable resolution to this issue.” “It is clear that from the group of companies, government intervention is what is required, and I understand regrets have been expressed that no one reached out to them during this particular situation. What will be the impact on Grand Bahama? One, a number of families, more than 100 families, are likely to have the breadwinner, or a contributor to the finances of that family without a job. Secondly, there are other companies
in Grand Bahama that rely on these groups of companies and they too would be affected. He also said: “There are a number of very serious developments on the island that started and others that are about to start that rely on the products and services of this group of companies - those are likely to be affected especially since as you aware, there are already disruptions in the supply chain in the global market and The Bahamas has been affected. We will be affected even more.” “Furthermore, Grand Bahama’s economy we believe has the potential to rebound. This sends the wrong message by having this closure and many
residents and businesses are still trying to repair their homes and facilities.” The leader of the opposition spoke further to the economic hardships faced by many Bahamians, saying not enough assistance is being given out to struggling families. “There are many families who still are struggling to eat,” he said. “They refuse to remove the VAT out of breadbasket items, but at the same time, they stop providing vouchers for the most vulnerable families. “Now we know Bahamians would rather work (and) earn their money and buy their own food but until that day, a number of our residents still need help. So, the very programme that was helping Bahamians, this government, sullied the names of countless nongovernmental organisations that were helping us to meet the food insecurity in the country.” He also doubled down on his criticisms of the government’s lack of transparency as it relates to the issuance of contracts. “They are breaking the law each time they are issuing a contract and refuse to indicate to whom they have given the contract, what is the scope of works and what is the durations of the contracts and they have given out quite possibly hundreds of millions of dollars of contracts,” he said. As it relates to taxation, Mr Pintard said there needs to be widespread discussions “about what would be
COVID-19,” the Free National Movement Chairman said during a press conference yesterday. “The Prime Minister (Philip “Brave” Davis) then doubled down on that and said that it could be as early as in a very short time. It’s hard to understand how if the population is at 43 per cent (or) 169,000 people fully immunised and we need to get to 70 per cent and we are vaccinating 1,400 I think 1,390 people per week, how are we going to get to 70 per cent by the end of the year?” According to the government’s latest vaccine tracker, more than 170,000 people have been fully
vaccinated in The Bahamas to date, while more than 159,000 people have received their first dose. On Tuesday, Health and Wellness Minister Dr Michael Darville told reporters that the percentage of people vaccinated in the country represented “between 54 to 56 percent.” He also made an appeal for more people to get vaccinated, saying once the country meets its vaccination target and virus cases and hospitalisations remain low, officials “will be able to reduce or even remove the mask mandate.” The push for more vaccinations comes amid concern about the rapidly spreading
monkeypox virus, which has been deemed a global health emergency by the World Health Organisation. Yesterday, Dr Sands said there had not been enough “helpful” information provided by government to allay public fears surrounding the virus. “When we talk about monkey pox, there has been a shortage of information, helpful information to allay the fears and concerns of the general public,” he said. “There has been precious little discussion about how we are going to fix the broken hospitals in Grand Bahama and in Nassau. How are we going to fix the floors in the operating
room? How are we going to repair the broken-down equipment in our health facilities? How are we going to get nurses to staff beyond the critically low levels of nursing staff that we have now particularly in our ICU, emergency room, dialysis unit and other critical care areas. So, we have a health crisis, and this administration has refused to speak in any real terms about how they intend to fix it.” Dr Darville has previously said the government is in talks with the Pan American Health Organisation (PAHO) for the acquisition of the monkeypox vaccines, though he
could not give a date as to when the doses will arrive in country. “We have been working from day one with our partners at the Pan American Health Organisation. We are definitely in the community. We are presently starting consultations with those in the border, customs and immigration and some of our uniformed individuals. We are presently reaching out to high-risk groups in the tourism sector and so the list goes on and on and so we’re working very closely with PAHO and we realise that it’s important for us to stay on top of it,” he said recently.
pending court case in September when more details are expected to emerge. During a press conference at the FNM’s headquarters yesterday, Mr Pintard was asked whether the party still stood behind the Long Island MP in light
of recent developments surrounding the case. He maintained Mr Gibson is still a member of the FNM family and as such, will receive as much moral support as necessary. “We made it very clear, Adrian is a member of our
family,” he replied. “We will give him the moral support required, we do not know the facts relative to his case, we are likely to find out in September, those statements are made available to his attorneys and of course, the general public will know what the facts are. “We’ll then further address the issue at that time. But in terms of moral support, we will give him and any member of our team all support as any parent would for a child that is facing significant challenges. We believe that the judicial system is a fair one. So, we are going to trust the process in terms of the judiciary, and we will give them the moral support, but we make no comments in any direction about whether or
not there is guilt or innocence in this matter and we’ve made that very clear.” There have been calls for Mr Gibson to resign as an MP as a result of the allegations. FNM founding member Maurice Moore told The Tribune last month he feels a decision should be made after the court makes its judgment in the case. “His lawyers may advise him as to what to do, his chances of being convicted on the charges or what (are) his chances of being cleared on the charges,” he said. “But I would not want to give any prediction at this time; let the matter be decided in court and based on that, a decision has to be taken at that time. I would not attempt to prejudge on a matter like that (because)
that is a serious matter. I’d rather the court deal with that and make a decision.” Mr Gibson will next appear in court on September 14. In June, Mr Gibson was arraigned in a a Magistrate’s Court with six others on corruption charges in connection with his tenure as executive chairman of the Water and Sewerage Corporation under the Minnis administration. The charges stem from Mr Gibson’s alleged failure to declare his interest in contracts awarded by the WSC. However, last month, Tanya Demeritte, one of Gibson’s co accused, took a plea deal and admitted her involvement in the alleged scandal. The deal requires her to testify against Gibson.
FNM leader Michael Pintard alongside party chairman Dr Duane Sands.
Photo: Moise Amisial
a better system of taxation than simply utilising VAT.” He added: “We know that there isn’t sufficient money available to accomplish the things that they (the government) have in mind and it’s made worse by inflation because now your dollar is not going as far as it would have gone even two, three years ago. “The government, however, has not been able to tell the population, where it is going to get the funds in order to finance the various initiatives that they have signaled that they will put in place - pay nurses and pay educators, to make sure that state owned enterprises are ran effectively and to build a new hospital in Grand Bahama and one in New Providence, to build various airports, including the one in in Grand Bahama that they’ve talked about quite a bit.” He continued: “And so, what we are saying is one of the steps that government should take right now because we need a holistic approach is they should begin to engage the private sector, and the experts who are available in finance in putting together a white paper on taxation so the public can know exactly how we are going to generate the required resources to pay for the various things needed by the Bahamian people.” Mr Pintard was also critical of what he viewed as a lack of a comprehensive plan to fight crime in the country.
‘HOW WILL GOVT REACH 70 PERCENT VACCINATION TARGET?’ By LEANDRA ROLLE Tribune Staff Reporter lrolle@tribunemedia.net
WITH the government hoping to have a 70 percent vaccination rate among the public by year’s end, Former Health Minister Dr Duane Sands yesterday questioned how health officials planned to reach that target given slow vaccine uptake in the country. “The honourable member for Tall Pines, the Minister of Health and Wellness said to the public that they imagine that we will get rid of the mask mandates when we reach 70 per cent of the population inoculated against
FNM TO ADDRESS GIBSON CASE ‘WHEN DETAILS EMERGE’ LEANDRA ROLLE Tribune Staff Reporter lrolle@tribunemedia.net
FREE National Movement leader Michael Pintard says the party will speak more to Long Island MP Adrian Gibson’s
THE TRIBUNE
Thursday, August 4, 2022, PAGE 5
Eleuthera suffers as plants hit by outages from page one Thomas Sands, chief executive officer of The Market Supermarket in Rock Sound, Eleuthera said the power outages are “daily and frequently”. Despite the establishment having a generator, Mr Sands said the power outages are still an inconvenience for the business. “It’s (generator) manual so someone has to come and turn it on,” he said. “If it happens in the middle of the night someone has to come and turn it on, and because it’s been such an extended period of time you must turn it on. You have sensitive equipment, so it doesn’t help to be turned on and off all the time.” Another business owner, Rosemary Thompson of both Rosey’s Creations and Publication and Thompson’s Seaside Villas in Palmetto Point, Eleuthera said she is dissatisfied with the lack of communication from BPL and said supply has been a “problem”. She said: “It’s understandable that there will be times you have power cuts, but this seems to be a regular occurrence because these last couple of weeks it’s been a problem. It would be better manageable if we were informed of the times they are going off, but I have not seen anything to say we are doing load shedding and this is the times it will be off or on.” Ms Thompson said the frequent power outages is an “issue”, therefore she is urging BPL to communicate with consumers the time period and reasoning for the power lost. Facebook users also expressed their frustration on this matter. One Facebook user said: “They send out planned times and power goes off an hour before the time listed. The point of a schedule should be so ppl (people) can at least be prepared and get stuff done.” “It’s a national disgrace,
get rid of BPL this is crazy and the summer is extremely hot. People have to suffer for this incompetent service,” said another Facebook user. Yesterday, Clay Sweeting, Member of Parliament for Central and South Eleuthera, said via his Facebook page that he is closely monitoring the matter in hopes of providing a resolution. “The Island of Eleuthera has experienced much discomfort over the past few months as it relates to intermittent power outages and in the past few days the outages have been extensive and unbearable,” he said on social media. “I have received many calls from concerned residents, the business community and second homes owners who are severely impacted by these unplanned outages.” Mr Sweeting assured residents of Eleuthera that he has spoken with the island manager of Bahamas Power and Light and brought it to the attention of Works and Utilities Minister Alfred Sears. “I assure the residents of Eleuthera, that I have spoken personally with the island manager of BPL, Mr Dean and has brought this to the attention of the Minister responsible for BPL, Hon Alfred Sears. Teams have been dispatched to address the concerns and every effort is being made to remediate the issues.” According to BPL, there are three power stations which it operates in Eleuthera- the Harbour Island Station, which services most of Harbour Island and the Hatchet Bay and Rock Sound stations, which are tied together, feeding the entire mainland. The Harbour Island site presently has 5megawatts of rental generation installed. Hatchet Bay has 15.28mw of generation installed, while Rock Sound has 5mw of generation installed. In a statement released yesterday, BPL said load shedding on the island is a result of the failure of two units.
The interruption at Hatchet Bay was due to the failure of a unit in Hatchet Bay, however, they are awaiting the arrival of parts for the unit by the end of the week. “The current shortfall of generation began with the failure of a unit in Hatchet Bay. Despite this unit being out of service, the spare capacity in the network allowed us to continue operating without any customers being impacted,” the statement said. “BPL awaits the arrival of the parts for the Hatchet Bay unit by the end of the week. Upon receipt of these parts, repair time is estimated to be completed within 24 hours.” The loss of generation last week Wednesday was due to mechanical failure at the Rock Sound station and one of the rental units in Harbour Island was taken out for service but unable to be restored, BPL also said. “On Wednesday, July 27, one of the rental units in Harbour Island was taken out of service by the rental contractor for routine service work. When those works were completed, the unit could not be returned to service. “On the same day, a unit at the Rock Sound station also experienced a mechanical failure. As a result of the loss of these additional two units, the Eleuthera Operation team began load shedding on Wednesday, July 27.” On Sunday July 31, 2022, a second unit at Rock Sound was offline due to mechanical issues. “On Sunday, July 31, a second unit at Rock Sound was forced offline due to mechanical issues. The Eleuthera team responded immediately to address the concern. This further reduced available capacity and resulted in a lengthy outage affecting South Eleuthera. Repairs to the unit were completed by 11.50pm on Sunday night and the area was restored,” the power provider said.
OFFICERS at the scene at Oakes Field Sports Centre & Golf Academy where the body of a boy was found. Photo: Austin Fernander
WHY HASN’T POND BOY’S FAMILY COME FORWARD? from page one
“Those children are from the nearby community and we suspect those children are between the ages of ten to 12. Young children yet again coming in the back of the pond area to take a swim, an area where they should not be,” she said. Chief superintendent Skippings said the police will ensure the children and their parents will be receiving counselling after this traumatic situation. When asked by reporters what will happen if the victim’s remains continued to go unidentified, Mrs Skippings said she is optimistic that the victim will be identified, however, if not the state will handle the burial of the child.
“If nobody steps forward then the state would have to take care of this particular incident and eventually the burial of this child, but I am going to remain optimistic that somebody will come forward,” she said. Social Services and Urban Development Minister Obie Wilchcombe said his ministry will work with police to quickly identify the victim and work with the family “It is our responsibility to work with the Royal Bahamas Police Force as quickly as possible to identify the youngster and speak directly with his family, but of course we are limited on what we can say given the circumstances,” Mr Wilchcombe said yesterday. “We are working with
the Royal Bahamas Police to reach out to determine the child’s family and to work with the family in getting over this very difficult situation.” He noted that this situation cannot be classified as child neglect, but rather children being adventurous. “I wouldn’t put this in a category of child neglect,” he also said. “I would put this in a category of these children are adventurous and we know if you are not supervising children they are likely to get into mischief. So, anything could have happened and we have to find out before we arrive to a conclusion. The social services minister urged adults to be more conscious of children as it is an “awesome responsibility” to care for them.
RELIEF AS GAS PRICES START TO TUMBLE from page one
Bahamas announced a reduction beginning today from $7.27 per gallon to $6.89 per gallon. Vasco Bastian, vice president of the Petroleum Retailers Association told The Tribune that once the cost of oil on the global market continues to decline, he sees the decrease of gas prices here continuing. The reduction of gasoline prices will bring some relief to local motorists who have struggled to afford the taxing costs of fuel. Mr Bastian explained that gas station operators
will also reap benefits. “It costs us a little less now to buy gas,” he said. “However, our concern still remains the same on being a highly regulated fixed margin business.” Mr Bastian said operators have continued to be in communication with the government about the high cost of gas and that discussions are moving in the right direction. He also insisted other operators are feeling optimistic about the current situation. “They’re continuing to have a level of optimism; I spoke with several of them. They are hopeful and they’re confident. We
believe that the current government will make it much more beneficial to all and sundry, the motorists, and dealers in time,” he said. The Bahamas Unified Bus Drivers Union has been among critics in the industry that has complained about fuel costs, making it hard for drivers to sustain a decent living while balancing the expense of fuel. Although the vice president of the petroleum retailers said he has not had much contact with the bus drivers he is open to speaking with them along with their president on the issue of gas prices.
PAGE 6, Thursday, August 4, 2022
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Tug of war over sunken treasure THE TREASURE of the Nuestra Señora de las Maravillas was lost under the waves of The Bahamas for more than three centuries – but on Monday, a museum will open to showcase some of the items found by underwater explorers. The Spanish galleon’s riches have prompted a tug of war over who gets to benefit from treasures in Bahamian waters. The rules under which Allen Exploration began their expedition required 25 percent of the salvage to be handed over to the Bahamian government. Not one, but two sitting Cabinet ministers have questioned that arrangement and want that percentage to favour The Bahamas rather than the explorer. The Spanish government might have a say too – with a US lawyer saying any sunken treasure from a Spanish ship should belong to the Spanish. The law does not support that claim – and has yet to be tested on the matter. The current arrangement saw the explorers granted a licence by the Minnis administration, and renewed by the Davis administration. But while there may be a discussion about whether The Bahamas is getting an adequate share, it would be helpful to put that in context. It would be good to know what the government has already received from this expedition – and any others under the same arrangements. What amount of money are we talking about? Put simply, show us the money. Allen Exploration, for its part, has said that none of the treasure from the Maravillas will be sold – and will be put on display. Again, it would be good to know what this means for income to The Bahamas. That’s not just an isolated question – the exploration team has found 18 more wrecks during their search for the Maravillas, while there are reportedly thousands more spread around The
Bahamas. From treasure ships to our treasury, it should be clear what income is being received and how it is being verified. That shouldn’t be a difficult thing to ask – it’s merely part of the government’s receivables. There should be no veil of secrecy over that. Once we know the sums we’re talking about, then we can have a clearer discussion about whether changing the ratio will bring us more – or less, if it drives off would-be exploration teams. We can also clarify who controls how these items are used after their recovery, whether The Bahamas has a say in how they are kept or sold, or whether it’s entirely in the hands of the salvage team. Delving into our accounts should not be more challenging than delving into the depths of the sea for treasure.
Drowning The story of the boy found drowned in a pond by the Oakes Field Sports Centre Golf Academy is terribly sad, compounded by the news that as yet no one has come forward to identify him. Authorities believe the boy is of Haitian descent, and while it is speculation, there is concern that perhaps the family does not come forward because they may not have the documentation to prove they are here legally. That could risk deportation away from any further family members here. We would hope that the Haitian embassy and representatives from churches or the Haitian community might serve as a bridge to establish the boy’s identity, and allow his body to be buried. This was a tragedy, but the least we can do for his family is ensure that he rests in peace.
Please lift the mask mandate EDITOR, The Tribune.
DEAR Bahamas Government: We are begging you to please lift the unnecessary and ineffective mask mandate that is still burdening our people and our nation. Mask mandates are dictatorial and authoritarian. For those that would like to wear a mask they are welcome to do so. However, forcing everyone else, particularly our school children, to wear masks all day long is wrong, unhealthy, controlling, and quite frankly silly. Do you know we are one of the only countries (perhaps the only) in the world still forcing our citizens to wear masks? Even the CDC admits that masks are ineffective and do nothing to stop transmission and there are now countless studies which compare school districts which support the same. And for those who are concerned, if they indeed find themselves more comfortable wearing a mask, then by all means that’s fine. Have you seen some of the research papers coming
out of the US and other countries showing the amount of bacteria, e-coli, and other disgusting virus particles that were found in the masks of school-aged children after the end of a seven-hour school day? You would be shocked to know what is being inhaled into your children’s lungs through these masks (which are not intended to be worn for long periods of time in any context!). Not to mention the thousands of people flying into our country coming from airports, cities, and flights that have NO MASKS on; only to enter our country, stay in their hotels, lobbies, stores etc, all with the freedom of not being mandated to wear a mask there either (and rightfully so!) yet, you and I, we Bahamians, and our poor children, many of them who will be returning to school in a few weeks, are forced to wear these disgusting facial diapers on our mouths all day?! This is total hypocrisy. We are being enslaved in our own country, and for what? Having just spent weeks in various other countries in the world ALL
of them have dropped their ridiculous mandates and moved on. People are free to move, breathe God’s fresh air, and make personal decisions about mask wearing for themselves. The Bahamas needs to get with the programme. If you want to wear a mask, wear one. If you don’t want to wear one you shouldn’t be forced to wear one, especially our school age children who we already know have virtually zero risk of any real threat from COVID. Please, we ask of our Government and Ministry of Health, let our people breathe again - our clean, fresh, God-given air to which we have the Godgiven right to inhale and exhale without restrictive masks. After all, why would anyone want to put back into their body the very same toxic air which God designed our bodies to dispose of. It makes no sense. None. Drop the mask mandates. FREEDOM FOR OUR CITIZENS Nassau, August 2, 2022.
A MAN looks at the lava flowing on Fagradalsfjall volcano in Iceland yesterday, which is located 20 miles southwest of the capital of Reykjavik and close to the international Keflavik Airport. Authorities in Iceland say the volcano in the southwest of the country is erupting just eight months after its last eruption officially ended. Photo: Marco Di Marco/AP
Why must seniors visit NIB? EDITOR, The Tribune. GREETINGS and thank you for allowing me this very small space in your daily newspaper to alert the reading public of this unfair practice by NIB regarding senior members of the public and what is being demanded, causing them to be physically challenged, is unacceptable, if I may? I am a senior citizen having retired twenty years ago, after working for twenty-five years for law enforcement or the Royal Bahamas Police Force. Incidentally, I am an August born and, therefore, had to be verified early enough, so that the information reaches the accounts department in a timely fashion to be posted, etc. This created pressure for me and I wasn’t able to sleep Monday, 01/08/2022, worrying about having to get out early enough and with all of my Bahamas Government documentation in my possession. As faith would have it, I arrived at NIB-Wulff Road a little after 10am and went to the security window to announce the reason for being there? I was then given a Retirement benefit form, like the one I filled in eleven months ago and
LETTERS letters@tribunemedia.net compiled – then added my name to the listing, placing me next of five individuals. After an half hour the names of two Creole folk were called and they went in – up to- 1:30am I was still awaiting my name to be called. And guess what, people coming in were not from my country, wanting to do business with the Bahamas social assistance office, the lady in front of me, Creole and as I got up to leave the one seeking to assume my seat, you guessed it, Creole also. What am I saying? There is no doubt that people are human beings and have rights in some places, but foreigners to my country and on the scale, I see them everywhere, on the jitney bus and on Saturday, trying to get a bus into downtown, a friend of mine catching the same bus, when she saw what was happening, said to me – keep quiet because we on the Haitian bus and see all of these Haitians riding the bus, that true, how did we get like this? Editor, wherever I try to obtain service, usually I am
either behind Haitian or Jamaican nationals - and the Jamaicans have no respect for their mouths, would curse you stink as we say in Bahamian slang - whatever is happening in those Caribbean countries, the Commonwealth of The Bahamas ought not to have picked up the tab when so many countries of the world have real money. The Bahamas has no money, our government has to borrow money to run the budget of our country. These countries can do better, they are just pulling us right down in the mud, like them - bit by bit and piece by piece but surely, evidently so. I do not know what the Bahamas Department of Immigration is doing, but it seems to me that some believe that The Bahamas is for sale to the highest bidder? You just cannot have them a law enforcement arm of our national security, selling work permits in the same building where enforcement is taking place and the deportation section all mixed into the fray - is unacceptable. FRANK GILBERT Nassau, August 2, 2022.
Breast feeding week celebrated EDITOR, The Tribune.
EACH year worldwide August 1 to 7 is celebrated as Breast Feeding week. The theme for this year advocates for us to “Step Up For Breastfeeding: Educate and Support.” The Midwives Association of The Commonwealth of The Bahamas (MACB) continues to encourage mothers throughout The Bahamas to “step up” and Breastfeed. We would also like to encourage Midwives and Nurses to elevate our education to mothers and families, bringing awareness of the importance and value of breastfeeding. We must support ourBreastfeeding Association and their initiatives.
The World Health Organization recommends exclusive breastfeeding for the first six months of life, followed by continued breastfeeding with the appropriate complementary foods for up to two years and beyond. They also recommend early and uninterrupted skin-to skin contact, rooming-in and kangaroo mother care which significantly improve neonatal survival and reduce morbidity. The MACB support these initiatives and encourage Midwives here in The Bahamas to initiate breastfeeding as soon as possible after birth, within the first hour after delivery. Education to our mothers and families is important. Midwives, as
skilled professionals must continue to promote, educate, establish and support exclusive breastfeeding, highlighting the benefits especially as the world is faced with the COVID 19 pandemic. One of the important benefits is that, breast milk contains a variety of components that help protect babies from infection and disease. The MACB take this opportunity to encourage Midwives, who are trained and skilled in the management of breastfeeding to: “Step Up For Breastfeeding: Educate and Support.” ANDREA NOTTAGE President The Midwives Association of The Commonwealth of The Bahamas
THE TRIBUNE
TWO FINED OVER MARIJUANA FIND By PAVEL BAILEY Tribune Court Reporter pbailey@tribunemedia.net
AN AMERICAN and another man were both fined yesterday after admitting to separate marijuana drug charges. Matthew Assini, 52, of Englewood, Colorado, represented by attorney Ryszard Humes stood before Magistrate Samuel McKinney on a charge of possession of dangerous drugs. At around 4pm on August 2 at Lynden Pindling International Airport, Assini was apprehended by police over suspected drugs. After being taken to the Airport Police Station authorities there found three grams of Indian Hemp in a grey pouch inside Assini’s carry-on bag. The defendant admitted to the offence during his police interview, where he stated he takes the drugs to cope with pain from a shoulder replacement and that he forgot it was in his luggage. Assini said he was unaware that weed was illegal in The Bahamas. The defendant pleaded guilty to the charge in court. During Mr Humes’ plea of mitigation, he stated his client is an insurance broker and father who was only in The Bahamas on vacation for a week. After citing that Assini has no priors in this jurisdiction and is remorseful for actions, Mr Hummes asked that his client be spared a custodial sentence. He further said that with the defendant’s early plea of guilt that the
quantity of drugs found in Assini’s possession should be permissible given the circumstances. In view of this, Magistrate McKinney imposed a $300 fine or a one-month prison sentence on Assini. The other man, Rontaray Tony, 19, of Joe Farrington Road, was represented by Attorney Ian Cargill. He also stood before Magistrate McKinney on a possession of dangerous drugs charge. On August 1 in New Providence after being pulled over by police in his vehicle for suspected drugs Tony was found with 20 grams of Indian Hemp on his person and in his car. In the subsequent police interview after his arrest, the defendant said the drugs were for his personal use. He pleaded guilty to the charge. As part of Mr Cargill’s plea of mitigation, he cited that his young client, who has no priors, cooperated with authorities in this matter and pleaded guilty at the earliest opportunity to spare the court’s time. In view of this and the fact a prison sentence would jeopardise Tony’s employment, Mr Cargill asked that the court be as lenient as possible in its sentencing. Magistrate McKinney then bound Tony to keep the peace for one year, failing which would result in him receiving a $500 fine or risk a two-month sentence at the Bahamas Department of Correctional Services.
MAN IN LAND FRAUD CASE By PAVEL BAILEY Tribune Court Reporter pbailey@tribunemedia.net
A MAN was granted $7,000 bail yesterday for alleged fraudulent distribution of Crown Land acquisition letters to two churches for five acres of land. Glenroy Bain, 48, stood before Senior Magistrate Carolyn Vogt-Evans on nine fraud charges. These include three counts each for possession of false documents, uttering a false document and fraud by false pretences. Sometime between June and July 2021, Bain was allegedly found in possession of and uttered three false documents, all three of which were fake Ministry of Finance acquisition of Crown Land letters which he knew were not genuine. Two of these letters dated June 14 and 22, 2021, were granted to Pastor Ellis Livingston Peet Jr c/o of Spirit
of Life Ministries and Rickeno Raymond Moncur c/o of Word of Life Kingdom Ministries respectively. Both of these letters were written to reportedly grant each church use of five acres of Crown Land. The third letter of acquisition granted land to Stephanie Jewel Allen-Rolle and Antwaun Azan Rolle. Bain is further accused of defrauding Stephanie Rolle of two payments of $450 from Spirit of Life Ministries in June of that year. A third $450 payment from Life Kingdom Ministries was also obtained from Mrs Rolle during that time. The defendant pleaded not guilty to all charges. Bail was granted at the sum of $7,000 with two sureties. He is expected to sign in at South Beach Police Station every Sunday by 7pm. He was also warned not to interfere with any witnesses in this matter. The trial was adjourned to October 7.
SUSPECT ACCUSED OF ATTACK ON MAN WITH PROSTHETIC LEG By PAVEL BAILEY Tribune Court Reporter pbailey@tribunemedia.net
A MAN was granted $6,000 bail yesterday in relation to allegedly causing grievous harm and damage to a man with a prosthetic leg. Henly Hepburn, 39, stood before Senior Magistrate Carolyn Vogt-Evans on one charge each of grievous harm and damage. On August 1 at Cable Beach Manor Road, Hepburn, allegedly caused grievous harm to Mario Fawkes. The defendant is further accused
of intentionally causing damage to Fawkes’s carbon fibre and titanium “ABC” prosthetic leg, valued at $6,582.35. Hepburn pleaded not guilty to both charges. Hepburn was initially granted bail at $9,000 with two to three sureties. However, after the defendant raised concerns over bail payment, the bail was reduced to $6,000. Under the conditions of his bail, Hepburn must sign in at Carmichael Road Police Station the last Sunday of each month. Hepburn’s trial is set to begin on November 2.
BAIL DENIED IN FIREARM CASE By PAVEL BAILEY Tribune Court Reporter pbailey@tribunemedia.net
A MAN was remanded to prison yesterday after being found with an unlicenced firearm and ammunition. Lorenzo Wilson, 26, represented by Attorney Alex Morley, appeared before Chief Magistrate Joyann Ferguson-Pratt on charges of possession of an unlicensed firearm and possession of ammunition. On July 29 in New Providence, Wilson was reportedly found by police with a black Smith & Wesson .40 pistol with the serial number erased. He was further found in
possession of 15 live rounds of .40 ammunition. Wilson pleaded not guilty. The prosecution objected to bail on the basis that Wilson had a previous conviction of a similar nature. He previously served an 18-month sentence for a firearm conviction dating back to April 19, 2016. Mr Morley said his client is not a flight risk and would not interfere with any witnesses should he be granted bail. The Chief Magistrate went on to deny Wilson bail but informed him of his right to reapply for it before the Supreme Court. Until then, he was remanded to prison. His trial will commence on December 8.
Thursday, August 4, 2022, PAGE 7
Wilchcombe ‘to meet’ church on marital rape By EARYEL BOWLEG Tribune Staff Reporter ebowleg@tribunemedia.net
SOCIAL Services and Urban Development Minister Obie Wilchcombe said he intends to meet with church leaders this month to the discuss the issue of marital rape. The minister said he called church leaders and suggested dates for the meeting. “We’re putting together (an) agenda now,” Mr Wilchcombe told reporters yesterday. “We’re meeting with the Attorney General’s Office because all the stakeholders have to be included in our meetings and we’re planning that now together a meeting with all matters pertaining to child protection as well.”
Asked to reveal what amendments will be made regarding marital rape, he said: “It all depends on the dialogue. All depends on where our respective stakeholders are. Where we’re likely to go will depend on their involvement because we’re not going to arrive at a conclusion until we ensure there is across the board
support.” Pressed for a timeline of when the meeting will occur, Mr Wilchcombe said: “Yes, we’re going to meet during the course of this month”. In June, Bahamas Christian Council president Bishop Delton Fernander said the church will support efforts by government to tighten the law to provide protection against rape for spouses in the period between legal separation and divorce. Mr Fernander added it was the clergy’s understanding that martial rape frequently occurs during that time and the church would stand behind tightening the law to ensure there are penalties for this kind of abuse. However, he admitted at the time that the church remains generally divided when it comes to marital rape.
However, in June Mr Pinder said the government wanted to advance legislation on the issue by the end of summer. Yesterday, Mr Davis was asked to respond to criticisms that he and Mr Pinder were not on the same page regarding this matter. “That don’t mean we’re not on the same page,” Mr Davis said. “I’m focused on the matters I said I’m focused on. The Attorney General has his job, and he has a mandate as well. Citizenship is on our legislative agenda. He’s focusing on that and when he is ready to bring it to me then we’ll decide the time. “At this time, I’m more focused on helping the least among us and trying to relieve the burden of our people.
“The Attorney General is focusing on our legislative agenda and he will then bring forth those legislations we think we need to put forward and we will deal with it at that time” The government had stated in the past it intends to bring legislation to allow both Bahamian men and women to pass on citizenship in any circumstance. Currently, children born outside of the country to a married Bahamian woman and a foreign man are not automatically granted Bahamian citizenship and thus must apply to receive it. Bahamian men who have children with foreign women out of wedlock also cannot automatically pass on citizenship to their children.
OBEDIAH WILCHCOMBE
FIXING CITIZENSHIP ‘STILL ON AGENDA’ By EARYEL BOWLEG Tribune Staff Reporter ebowleg@tribunemedia.net
PRIME Minister Philip “Brave” Davis maintains that fixing citizenship issues remains on his administration’s legislative agenda. His assurance comes despite he and Attorney General Ryan Pinder appearing to have differing views on how it will be prioritised this term. Previously, Mr Davis has said the priority for him is to relieve the suffering and mental anguish of Bahamians through stabilising the country’s finances. He also asserted he will not raise his expectations for the end of the year but those things are under review.
PAGE 8, Thursday, August 4, 2022
THE TRIBUNE POLICE at the scene of the a shooting in Fleming Street in which four-yearold Kenton Seymour Jr was killed. Photo: Austin Fernander
Good habits help reduce crime AMID the surge in violent crime and gang retaliation, some Bahamians suggest law-abiding citizens need not worry that gang members are killing each other. The argument is the former are doing the country and the police a favour. This is a dangerous, superficial and unethical argument. It is a part of a Wild West mentality where such violence may become normalised. We can easily become immune to the suffering of others when we are not directly affected. How would those who argue such a viewpoint feel if they or a member of their family was struck or killed in the crossfire of a gangland retaliation? The recent death of fouryear-old Kenton Seymour Jr demonstrated just how base is the suggestion that gangs are doing the residents of New Providence a favour by engaging in retaliatory violence that might do great damage to innocents. The toddler, Kenton, was headed out for ice cream with his parents in the heat of summer, a treat beloved by children and adults. The car he was in was struck by a stray bullet. A child who barely knew life lost his. One of the unstated premises of the “let them kill each other” argument is that such violence occurs mostly among a supposed lower economic class, with their lives worth less than those who are comfortably middle class or wealthy. In our highly performative Christian nation, where we clutch our Bibles with fervour, and often view the Creator as merciless,
draconian and retributive, some may believe gang members are unworthy of God’s redemptive grace and our humanity. There are those who require incarceration, including long-term. But a young man who becomes immersed in a gang culture comes from a familial and social context. Such a young man is not simplistically “a bad boy”.
DYSFUNCTION
There is more to his story and to the broader narrative of social dysfunction in the urban culture of New Providence and other high crime jurisdictions in the region where guns are ubiquitous and hope for a better future often scant. There continues to be considerable angst and heated discussion of the causes and responses to violent crime in a modern Bahamas besieged by high levels of violence and anti-social behaviour and
various crises of social culture. Much of the crime commentary is trite with endless clichés and vague notions of crime abatement. Some are wedded to a boot camp mentality while others believe hectoring and preaching loudly is a serious crime prevention strategy. The Christian Council’s ritual exhortations on crime often seem unimaginative. Even as governments have rightly allocated more resources to the courts, the police and related measures, still underfunded are broader-scale social interventions which have been shown to reduce crime in the medium- and longer-term. The most successful social intervention programmes involve intense efforts to redirect, mitigate or change the habits and mindsets of those who may be disposed to or become involved with criminal conduct because of various circumstances. Many of those who are inalterably criminallyminded will not be deterred except by good policing and/or incarceration. But there are many others internationally whose lives have been transformed by initiatives not yet seriously tried in The Bahamas. Over the years, various youth programmes have been discussed but never implemented. These include the Upward Bound programme, which has proven highly successful in other countries and recalled in several columns. The Summer School for Boys, a programme based on the successful Afro Reggae youth initiative in
Brazil, a Youth Development Centre, among others have been recommended in this column and by others. Collectively, such initiatives may prove comprehensive and farreaching. What these programmes have in common is helping to directly address the habits and behaviour of those who commit the overwhelming majority of crime: young men.
CULTURAL CHANGE
Social and cultural change, for good or ill, concern habits and patterns of behaviour which flow from value sets. Gang members and members of the Boy Scouts both have sets of values, rites of passage, rituals, norms, shared objectives and an esprit de corps. So what makes for the differences between a potential boy scout and the member of a criminal gang? We are creatures of habit, and at the heart of our culture of violent crime are various crises of culture fuelling, reinforcing and arming mostly young men in a conveyor belt of successive cohorts ready to take up the drug trade, gang membership and weapons for many years to come. Cultural habits and practices showcase the lived values of a given society. The mouthing of values is not the same as adhering to them. While we adhere to the concept of monogamy in law and in Christian rituals, sociologically, we are a de facto polygamous society. While clerics will judge
the morality of such a discrepancy between words and practices, the sociologist is more interested in understanding the social realities and habits involved in such a gap, or chasm, depending on the society. There are positive and negative social mores and norms, the study and analyses of which are critical in areas ranging from public health to marketing products to addressing criminal behaviour. To better understand the sociology as well as the social psychology of crime in the modern Bahamas is to appreciate our social habits and cultural patterns. Also, there are certain relatively recent crises of culture helping to fuel violent crime. These crises include the emergence of the drug and gangland culture of the 1970s and 1980s. Human habits are a complex matter, rooted in a collaboration of biology and moral imagination. 12-Step programmes speak to this collaboration and what it takes to arrest addictions and reform habits. Virtues and vices are essentially habits.
SLACKNESS
In our behaviour in public spaces and public gatherings, we often exhibit a culture of entitlement and slackness sometimes accompanied by rudeness and disrespect for authority. Consider the foul mouths and vulgar cursing by many school kids in public with easy references to the genitalia of another’s mother, and language many adults would never utter. Whereof were such habits formed? Consider also the shameless ease with which some Bahamians invade the private spaces of others. A friend recalls how a patron of an after-hours club illegally dismantled the chain to her property in order to park. For decades, many straw vendors refused to pay certain fees, contributing to
the Straw Market becoming run down and derelict, while gleefully selling counterfeit goods, even while clinging to a Bible. Why such poor public habits? And yet, why have we historically demonstrated the habit of high voter turnouts during a general election? More so, Bahamians are generally not cigarette smokers. Why? Why do many Bahamians seem to observe the signs for handicapped parking, while others breezily ignore the law? Why are we eager to help others by faithfully buying cook-out and raffle tickets? Before seatbelt laws were passed at home, Bahamians generally buckled up when overseas. Once the laws were finally enforced, there was an extraordinary increase of the number of motorists buckling up; many of the very same people reticent to wear seat belts prior to enforcement. Why the quick change of habit? In addressing social decay and a certain culture of criminality it is necessary that we better understand the culture of slackness and entitlement that has been encouraged by many leaders over the past several decades. It is a form of cultural decay that has reinforced incivility, a breakdown of the most basic values of social life and mutual respect, and a slew of bad habits contributing to criminal enterprise itself or an acceptance of such conduct. There is a broad variety of effective programmes in other jurisdictions which we can apply in The Bahamas to cultivate, mitigate and arrest certain habits by those tempted to or involved in gang violence. Sadly, over the course of decades, no government has adopted successful programmes like Upward Bound or other intensive and immersive youth diversion programmes? Alas, we are good at saying the right things while dramatically failing to put talk into lifesaving action.
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THE TRIBUNE
Thursday, August 4, 2022, PAGE 9
You have to play close attention to follow how this game is being played THE notion of outside manipulation of American elections is now part of the contemporary political lexicon, thanks to the shenanigans of Vladimir Putin and Donald Trump’s amateurish but successful 2016 presidential campaign. Much has been written about the Russian disinformation campaigns against the US and Western European democracies over the past decade, and historians recall that such propaganda and sly manipulation has been a key tenet of Russian foreign policy for the past 100 years. But there’s a newer and different kind of political manipulation now underway in the US as the country moves within 100 days of the next general election on November 8. Naturally, the outsized figure of Trump is central to this new phenomenon, which involves the Democratic Party systematically intervening in Republican primary elections to tip the scales in favour of candidates whose embrace of Trump’s 2020 election lies or other far-right conspiracy theories may make them unelectable in a general election. The roots of this strategy are probably to be found in 2010, when the Republicans were poised, as they have long seemed to be this year, for a big triumph at the polls in the first election after a Democrat won the White House two years earlier. A dozen years ago, the Tea Party was a big factor in GOP support around the country. A grassroots movement based, as Trumpism largely also is, on the disaffection of what Hillary Clinton infamously derided as the “deplorables” and Barack Obama ridiculed as “gun-carrying, Bible-thumping” innocents, the Tea Party was unleashed by yet another Republican rebuke of a new Democratic President – in this case, Bill Clinton, in 1994. By 2010, the Tea Party had gained enough steam that “mainstream” Republican candidates had to be very wary indeed to avoid primary election challenges. Some of these establishment GOP candidates were very popular and were headed to almost certain victories in their Senate campaigns that year – provided they could fend off Tea Party-supported challengers. Pundits in Washington still cite one glaring example of how Tea Party zealotry upset such calculations in a memorable race. In Delaware, a true-blue state that has supported Joe Biden for many decades, the GOP 2010 was set to nominate the state’s former Republican governor and only congressman, Mike Castle. A fixture in Delaware politics for nearly as long as Biden, Castle enjoyed widespread popularity as the rare politician whose stature transcended party politics. The Democrats knew they would lose this Senate seat. Then Christine O’Donnell entered the GOP primary contest. A former statewide candidate sometimes compared with former Alaska governor Sarah Pallin, O’Donnell was defiantly anti-establishment. Here’s what the Delaware Republican Party chair said as O’Donnell’s challenge to Castle neared its end: “Is Christine O’Donnell actually this unhinged from reality? Or is she simply a liar, whose total lack of respect for Delaware voters leads her to deliberately and repeatedly deny the clear facts surrounding her many personal and professional failures? She’s not a viable candidate for any office in the state of Delaware. She could not be elected dog catcher.” O’Donnell, endorsed by the Tea Party, won the GOP nomination anyhow. Then a bland Democratic county executive, Chris Coons, trounced her in the general election. Coons remains in the Senate today. The Democrats
STATE Rep Stephanie Clayton, D-Overland Park, reacts on Tuesday at the Overland Park Convention Center in Kansas to election returns on an abortion referendum. Kansas voters on Tuesday protected the right to get an abortion in their state, rejecting a measure that would have allowed their Republican-controlled legislature to tighten abortion restrictions or ban it outright. Photo: Evert Nelson/The Topeka Capital-Journal via AP There is now wide- declare his candidacy two spread speculation that months or so before this the former President will November’s elections, he actually soon end the will give the Dems a potenlong period of teasing his tial boost. With President supporters and declare Joe Biden’s approval rathis intention to run for ings still at depressingly low President for a third time. levels and the economic Many observers think this hardships of a continuing announcement could come epidemic of inflation disruptas early as next month, with Charlie Harper and will be designed to ing voters’ sense of economic well-being, the overall odds is still pretty good – well cement Trump’s position remember this race. They years. for November should still as the strong front-runner Hogan disparaged Cox as over 50 percent. The nitalso recall the 2012 Senate strongly favour the GOP. race in Missouri. Then, a “QAnon whack job,” but picking by pundits who for the GOP nomination But if this election turns in an election still over Democratic incumbent sen- Cox nevertheless received claim he sometimes waits ator (and current MSNBC support from a surprising until a favourite emerges to two years away. Such are on the popular view of the former the realities of contempo- twice-impeached pundit) Claire McCaskill source: the Democratic offer an endorsement will rary American presidential President instead of the looked vulnerable in her re- Party. The Democratic sagging incumbent, watch Governors Association be lost on those who just politics. election bid. But if Trump does indeed out. Missouri is a pretty deep earmarked over a million look at the overall record. red state, and the GOP had dollars to broadcast an ad two strong contenders to listing Cox’s far-right creoppose her. They also had dentials that was designed make him more Todd Akin, a congress- to man who was the Tea Party appealing to the GOP’s favourite. He prevailed in conservative base ahead of the primary, and then said the primary. This was a big win for Cox and the endurthis: Akin, who was a strong ing strength of Trump’s abortion opponent, was endorsements, but a sure asked during a local TV loss for the Republicans in interview whether he sup- November. Numerous news sources ported allowing abortions for women who have been have reported similar tacraped. He answered that tics were used to help “from what I understand pro-Trump candidates win from doctors, such preg- gubernatorial primaries in nancies are really rare.” Illinois and Pennsylvania. He added: “If it’s a legiti- In Pennsylvania in parmate rape, the female body ticular, the Republican has ways to try to shut that candidate is now given almost no chance in his conwhole thing down.” Akin’s phenomenal blun- test against a popular state der, both on factual and Attorney General. Yesterday, most of the political grounds, quickly spread throughout the headlines went to a Kansas country. He wound up get- referendum on abortion ting trounced by McCaskill, rights, in which nearly whom most observers had three-fifths of voters in a rated as the most vulner- profoundly red state cast able incumbent senator their ballots essentially in seeking re-election in 2012. favour of women’s reproAccording to published ductive rights and against a reports, McCaskill spent restrictive law passed by the over $2m of her own cam- state legislature. Kansas, paign funds promoting home of former Trump Akin’s candidacy during his administration Secretary of State and current unofficial successful primary run. During that campaign, presidential candidate Mike there were allegations Pompeo, has not voted for that Democrats were a Democratic presidential paying for campaign ads candidate since 1964 and that tried to boost Akin is widely regarded as proover his better qualified foundly red in its political primary election rivals. make-up. So this result reaffirms Now, this practice is numbers suggestmuch more widespread, poll as GOP candidates spout- ing Americans disagree ing Trump’s Big Election strongly with the Supreme Lie earn his endorsement Court’s recent overturning but don’t measure up to of the 1973 Roe v Wade rivals on election day. decision by returning the The Dems are allegedly issue of abortion rights to meddling in GOP pri- the states for resolution. mary politics again, this It may be a sign of trouble time to promote Trump’s ahead in November for the allies as easier targets in GOP. But also on Tuesday, November. Trump-backed For instance, Dan Cox, several a far-right state legisla- candidates prevailed in tor who has embraced Michigan primary elections, Trump’s 2020 election lies, including for governor, and prevailed in the Maryland candidates running with Republican gubernatorial Trump’s endorsement in primary last month. Cox Arizona appear to have will be the heavy under- prevailed also. It’s still really unclear dog in November, which suits the majority Demo- what will happen in Novemcrats very well indeed. ber and beyond for the While Maryland is a deep Republicans. Trump is still blue state, two of its most supposedly the dominant, recent governors have most popular figure in the been Republicans includ- party, and his real batting ing the incumbent, Larry average in helping to secure Hogan, who is contemplat- primary election victories ing a presidential run in two for his endorsed candidates
STATESIDE
PAGE 10, Thursday, August 4, 2022
SANDY HOOK CONSPIRACIST ADMITS IT WAS NOT A HOAX AUSTIN, Texas Associated Press
CONSPIRACY theorist Alex Jones testified yesterday he now understands he was irresponsible to declare the Sandy Hook Elementary School massacre a hoax, and he now believes it was “100% real.” Speaking a day after the parents of a six-yearold boy killed in the 2012 attack testified about the suffering, death threats and harassment they’ve endured because of what Jones has trumpeted on his media platforms, the Infowars host told a Texas courtroom that he definitely thinks the attack happened. “Especially since I’ve met the parents. It’s 100% real,” Jones said before the jury began determining how much he and his media company, Free Speech Systems, owe for defaming Neil Heslin and Scarlett Lewis. Their son, Jesse Lewis, was among the 20 students and six educators who were killed in the attack in Newtown, Connecticut. Heslin and Lewis said Tuesday that an apology wouldn’t suffice and that Jones needed to be held accountable for repeatedly spreading falsehoods about the attack, which was the deadliest school shooting in American history. They are seeking at least $150m from the trial, which is in its second week.
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Record amount of seaweed choking Caribbean shores SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico Associated Press
NEAR-RECORD amounts of seaweed are smothering Caribbean coasts from Puerto Rico to Barbados, killing fish and other wildlife, choking tourism and releasing stinky, noxious gases. More than 24 million tons of sargassum blanketed the Atlantic in June, shattering the all-time record, set in 2018, by 20 percent, according to the University of South Florida’s Optical Oceanography Lab. And unusually large amounts of the brown algae have drifted into the Caribbean Sea. A raggedy carpet of vegetation recently surrounded an uninhabited island near the French Caribbean territory of St. Martin that is popular with tourists, forcing officials to suspend ferry service and cancel kayaking, paddleboarding and snorkeling tours. The normally translucent turquoise waters around Pinel Island turned into a prickly yellowish-brown slush. Oswen Corbel, owner of Caribbean Paddling, said he had to close his St Martin business on July 22 and doesn’t expect to reopen until late October. He estimated he has lost at least $10,000. “Maybe I should give up... Sometimes I think I should go into the
LAKES Beach is covered in sargassum in St Andrew along the east coast of Barbados last month. Photo: Kofi Jones/AP mountains and herd sheep, climate change, and nitro- levels of hydrogen sulfide but this is what I know to gen-laden fertilizer and gas emanating from the do,” he said. “What’s next? sewage that nourish the huge rotting clumps of seaWe had Hurricane Irma, algae. weed. The gas, which smells “This year has been the like rotten eggs, can affect we had COVID, we had the sargassum, and now worst year on record,” said people with breathing probI’m pretty scared of global Lisa Krimsky, a university lems such as asthma. researcher with Florida Sea warming.” The Biden administration Scientists say more Grant, a program aimed at declared a federal emerresearch is needed to deter- protecting the coast. “It is gency after the US Virgin mine why sargassum levels absolutely devastating for Islands warned last month in the region are so high, the region.” of unusually high amounts She said large masses of but the United Nations’ sargassum clogging Caribbean Environment of seaweed have a severe machinery at a desalination Program said possible fac- environmental impact, with plant near St Croix that is tors include a rise in water the decaying algae altering struggling to produce water temperatures as a result of water temperatures and the and meet demand amid a pH balance and leading to drought. declines in seagrass, coral In addition, the US and sponges. Virgin Islands’ electricity “They’re essentially generating station relies on being smothered out,” ultra-pure water from the Krimsky said. desalination plant to reduce The “golden tide” also emissions. The loss of such has hit humans hard. water would force the govThe concentration of ernment to use a type of algae is so heavy in parts of diesel fuel that is more the eastern Caribbean that expensive and in limited the French island of Guade- supply, officials said. loupe issued a health alert Chuanmin Hu, an in late July. It warned some oceanography professor communities about high at the University of South
Florida who helps produce the seaweed reports, said sargassum levels for the eastern Caribbean were at a near-record high this year, second only to those reported in July 2018. Levels in the northern Caribbean are at their third-highest level, he said. Experts first noted large amounts of sargassum in the Caribbean Sea in 2011, and the problem has occurred practically every year since then. “We don’t know if this is a new normal,” Krimsky lamented. Sargassum in moderation helps purify water and absorb carbon dioxide and is a key part of the habitat for fish, turtles, shrimp, crabs and other creatures. It is also used in fertilizer, food, biofuel, construction materials and medicinal products. But it is bad for tourism and the environment when too much accumulates just offshore or on beaches. “This is the worst we’ve ever seen it for sure,” said Melody Rouveure, general manager for a tour company in the Dutch Caribbean territory of St Maarten, which shares an island with St Martin. “It did ruin my personal beach plans.” On Union Island, which is part of St Vincent and the Grenadines, the seaweed invasion has forced some resorts in recent years to close for up to five months. Masses of sargassum also have strangled the Caribbean’s fishing industry. It damages boat engines and fishing gear, prevents fishermen from reaching their vessels and fishing grounds and leads to a drop in the number of fish caught. Barbados, where the beaches are piled with reddishbrown seaweed, has been hit especially hard.
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THURSDAY, AUGUST 4, 2022
Russell, Page 17
Antoine Andrews wins gold in 110m hurdles By RENALDO DORSETT Tribune Sports Reporter rdorsett@tribunemedia.net
A
ntoine Andrews continues his season of milestones and made Bahamian track and field history with a gold medal, recordsetting performance in the 110 metre hurdles at World Athletics U20 Championships. Andrews ran a time of 13.23 seconds last night, lowering his own national record and setting a new U20 world-leading time this season at the Pascual Guerrero Olympic Stadium in Cali, Colombia. Andrews highlighted day one for team Bahamas with
his then record setting time of 13.36 in heat three of the opening round. His time surpassed the mark of 13.38 set by Shamar Sands in 2009 and the junior national record of 13.67 set by Sands in 2002. Less than 24 hours after setting the record, he returned to produce the fastest qualifying time of the field in the semi-final. He won the second of two semifinals in 13.39. In his last appearance at the World U20 Championships in 2021 in Nairobi, Kenya, Andrews ran 14.08 to finish no.23 overall in the field. “I came from far, I never doubted myself, always
ANTOINE ANDREWS trusted my capabilities and my strengths,” he said after the record-breaking run.
“I just have to stay relaxed, keep my composure, use my experience from last year and just go out there to have fun.” Javonya Valcourt ran a personal best of 54.89 in the semi-final of the women’s 400m. Her time placed her eighth in first semi-final and no.22 overall. In the opening round, Valcourt was fifth in heat three in 55.31 to finish as one of the next fastest qualifiers. “I think I did fine. My strategy was to really get out, hold it on the backstretch, then use my arms to carry myself down. It feels really good to represent my country and to be able to make it to this level.”
Wanya McCoy advanced to the semi-finals of the mens’ 200m and eventually finished seventh in the third of three semi-finals. His time of 21.23 ranked no.20 overall. He ran 21.38 to finish third in heat one of the opening round to secure an automatic bid. McCoy’s time ranked at no.24 headed into the semis field, led by 100m champion Letsile Tebogo of Botswana, who set a new championship record with his time of 19.99 in the heats. “My strategy was to attack the curve and let the magic happen on the straight away,” he said. “It didn’t happen how I wanted to but I still made it to the
Donald Thomas ends up 4th in high jump Shaun Miller Jr 10th overall in his global international debut By BRENT STUBBS Senior Sports Reporter bstubbs@tribunemedia.net BIRMINGHAM, England — Donald Thomas came that close to getting back on the podium in the finals of the men’s high jump yesterday at the 2022 Commonwealth Games. On day three of the track and field competition at the Alexander Stadium, Thomas got left off the podium with a fourth place finish with a height of 7-feet, 3 ¼-inches or 2.22 metres, while Shaun Miller Jr made his global international debut with 6-10 ¾ (2.10m) for 10th place overall. Thomas, the 38-year-old Commonwealth Games champion in 2010 in New Delhi, India, was looking forward to rebounding from his disappointing 11th place at the World Championships in Eugene, Oregon two weeks ago. But it just wasn’t his day to get back on the podium. “It is what it is,” said Thomas, who is nursing an
SEE PAGE 16
FOURTH BEST IN WORLD: Donald Thomas came close to getting back on the medal podium at the Commonwealth Games yesterday, ending up fourth overall in the men’s high jump final.
TENTH BEST IN WORLD: Shaun Miller Jr made his global international debut, finishing in 10th place overall in the men’s high jump final at the Commonwealth Games yesterday.
semi-finals so I just have to work on it.” Shimar Bain finished seventh in heat three in a time of 52.88 and did not advance at no.32 overall. The heat produced five qualifiers, the most of any in the series, led by Ismail Nezir of Turkey in 51.25, Dhanuka Mudiyanselage of Sri Lanka in 51.41, Sonny Gandry of France in 51.53, Ricardo Ganz of Italy in 51.96 and Azzam Bakr of Saudi Arabia in 52.16. Paige Archer and Shatalya Dorsett failed to advance in the women’s 100m. Archer ran 11.33 to finish fourth in heat three, no. 33 overall and Dorsett was eighth in heat six in 11.94 to place no.44 overall.
BAHAMAS ATHLETES GET SET FOR CYCLING, TRACK AND FIELD TODAY BIRMINGHAM, England — With swimming joining judo, boxing and triathlon as completed disciplines at the 2022 Commonwealth Games, Team Bahamas will continue action in track and field and cycling today. Kendrick Thompson will start the men’s decathlon, competing in the 100 metres, long jump and shot put in the morning session and the 400m to round out the first day of competition. Tynia Gaither and Denisha Cartwright are both listed to be back for the start of the women’s 200m heats, but Gaither is leaving for Poland and Cartwright wasn’t sure if she would compete. The highlight for Team Bahamas will come in the men’s long jump final when LaQuan Nairn will be the seventh of 12 jumpers on the runway. He has already predicted that he will win the gold and break the Bahamian national record. The two-man team of Felix Neely and Lorin Sawyer will also begin their competition in the individual time trials on the road, starting at 7:01 am EST. Neely will be the ninth competitor on the road and Sawyer will go 38th. There are a total of 57 competitors expected to line up to compete. Friday’s events Kendrick Thompson will complete the final day of competition in the men’s decathlon with the 110m hurdles, discus and pole
SEE PAGE 19
PAGE 12, Thursday, August 4, 2022
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65TH ANNUAL CARIBBEAN AMATEUR GOLF CHAMPIONSHIP
BAHAMAS LADIES 5TH IN RACE FOR GEORGE TEALE TROPHY, MEN 6TH FOR HOERMAN CUP By RENALDO DORSETT Tribune Sports Reporter rdorsett@tribunemedia.net FOLLOWING the opening round of competition at the 65th Annual Caribbean Amateur Golf Championship (CAGC), Team Bahamas is in fifth in the race for the George Teale Trophy (ladies) and sixth for the Hoerman Cup (men). The ladies’ team of Ashley Michel and A’Marie Smith shot 177 (+33) on day one.
Individually, Michel shot an 87 to rank no.11 in the field while Smith is tied at 13 with a score of 90. The men’s team of Sebastian Iberri, Horace Miller, Richard Gibson Jr, Heathcliffe Kane, Lynford Miller and Nolan Johnson tallied 326 (+38). Iberri was the top performer on day one with a round of 75 which placed him in a four-way tie for no.11. Miller shot 83 to tie for 33rd, Gibson and Kane both shot
84 to tie for 35th, while Miller shot 86 and Johnson 87 for 40th and 42nd respectively. The Turks and Caicos Islands Golf Association (TCIGA) is hosting the event in Providenciales, at the Royal Turks and Caicos Golf Club. Other participating teams include the hosts, Barbados, Cayman Islands, Dominican Republic, Jamaica, Puerto Rico, Trinidad and Tobago, and the US Virgin Islands.
The ladies’ team standings are led by Jamaica (157, +13), followed by Puerto Rico (159, +15), The Dominican Republic (160, +16), Barbaros (170, +26), The Bahamas, and Turks and Caicos (182, +38). The Cayman Islands and Puerto Rico are tied atop the men’s leaderboard with a score of (293, +5), followed by The Dominican Republic (296, +8), Jamaica (300, +12) and Trinidad and Tobago (317, +29).
Barbados and Cayman Islands trail The Bahamas, tied for seventh at (337, +49). The CAGC is the region’s premier event. It is played both as an individual stroke play event and as a country team competition with the Hoerman Cup for the men’s and the George Teale Trophy for the ladies. Also, there is The Arthur Ziadie Trophy for the men’s and ladies’ combined scores.
Jonquel Jones’ double double helps Sun rout Mercury 87-63 UNCASVILLE, Conn. (AP) — Alyssa Thomas posted her second tripledouble in less than two weeks, Jonquel Jones added 10 points and 10 rebounds and the Connecticut Sun beat the Phoenix Mercury 87-63 on Tuesday night. Thomas, who recorded the franchise’s first tripledouble in a win over the Minnesota Lynx on July 22, finished with 10 points, 12 rebounds and 10 assists. The No. 4 pick overall in the 2014 draft, the 6-foot-2 Thomas is just the fifth WNBA player with multiple triple-doubles and joined Candace Parker (Chicago Sky) and Sabrina Ionescu (New York Liberty) as the only players
with more than one this season. Natisha Hiedeman had 16 points to lead seven Connecticut players scoring in double figures, It’s the 12th time in league history that many players have reached double-digits in the same game. Connecticut has done it three times. Phoenix took a 13-8 lead when Shey Peddy scored with 3:44 left in the first quarter but the Mercury went scoreless for the next 7-plus minutes minutes. Brionna Jones made a layup to open the scoring in the second quarter and give Connecticut (2110) the lead for good at 15-13. Hiedeman made a 3-pointer to make it 42-30
with 7:50 left in the third and the Sun led by double figures the rest of the way. The Mercury (13-18) have lost back-to-back games to fall a game behind the Dallas Wings (13-16) for sixth in the WNBA standings with less than two weeks remaining in the regular season. New York, the Los Angeles Sparks, the Atlanta Dream and the Minnesota Lynx (11th) are all within a game of Phoenix. DiJonai Carrington and DeWanna Bonner scored 12 points apiece, Brionna Jones scored 11. Skylar Diggins-Smith and Sophie Cunningham scored 15 points apiece for CONNECTICUT Sun forward Jonquel Jones (35) blocks a shot attempt by Phoenix Mercury guard Phoenix and Kaela Davis Diana Taurasi (3) during a WNBA basketball game on Tuesday night in Uncasville, Conn. added 10. (Sean D Elliot/The Day via AP)
CeeDee Lamb set to be No. 1 as injuries mount for Dallas receivers By SCHUYLER DIXON AP Pro Football Writer OXNARD, California (AP) — CeeDee Lamb says he’s ready to be the No. 1 receiver for the Dallas Cowboys. He probably wasn’t thinking he’d be the only one. Lamb resembles the last man standing a week into training camp after free agent pickup James Washington broke a foot, and with Michael Gallup declaring he won’t be ready for the opener as he continues to recover from knee surgery.
Dallas’ first-round pick two years ago, Lamb is the only healthy receiver on the roster with a touchdown catch in the NFL. And owner/general manager Jerry Jones said Tuesday he didn’t see that changing soon. “I look strictly at this time in training camp as an excellent time for these young guys to see an opening and see a chance to really get on this roster,” Jones said. “We’ve already been looking ahead and we were going to have trouble cutting our numbers at receiver. Because we like
the way some of these guys are starting to show.” The offseason trade of Amari Cooper to Cleveland in a cost-cutting move cleared the way for Lamb to be Dak Prescott’s top target. A few days into camp, Lamb said he was prepared to be the focal point, and his game wouldn’t change. After an injury that is likely to sideline Washington into October, Lamb’s answer wasn’t much different. “I don’t think that changes anything as far as the focal point,” said Lamb, who led the Cowboys in catches (79) and yards receiving (1,102) last season. “Losing a guy like that is always tough.” The Cowboys signed Washington after the 2018 second-round pick by Pittsburgh had four seasons of modest numbers with the Steelers. He was viewed as a veteran presence as much as anything. With Washington out for the rest of camp, and headed back to the Dallas area for surgery, the Cowboys still don’t seem inclined to fill the void in experience — for now. “I think you’ll definitely see these young guys improve with these opportunities, particularly once you get past the install phase,” coach Mike McCarthy said. “As far as veterans and understanding what’s going at each and every position, player acquisition is constant. So if we go that way, it’s to be determined. But it’s not a focus of mine.” Lamb made a point of noting soon after arriving at camp that he was still close to the youngest receiver in the group (he’s 23) even
DALLAS Cowboys defensive end Tarell Basham, right, pretends to sign wide receiver CeeDee Lamb’s jersey while signing autographs for fans during opening day of NFL football training camp on Saturday, July 30, 2022, in Oxnard, California. (AP Photo/Gus Ruelas) though he’s going into his third season. He said he’s good either way on adding a veteran. “I’m never against having help but I like my young guys here now,” Lamb said. “I want to see what they can do in the heat of battle and then we got Tampa in September (season opener). There’s only one way to find out.” Noah Brown is the nextmost experienced receiver — and the oldest at 26, three months older than Washington — but has just 39 catches for 425 yards in five years since the Cowboys drafted him in the seventh round. Second-year player Simi Fehoko has had some bright spots in the first
week of camp, and rookie third-round pick Jalen Tolbert could end up starting. Former TCU speedster KaVontae Turpin, trying to make an NFL roster four years after his college career ended following his arrest in a domestic violence case, became a more intriguing option with Washington’s injury. “We talk about growth. We talk about depth and develop. Here it is. This is what it’s all about,” McCarthy said. “Each and every team that I’ve been a head coach of there’s always some level of projection and growth that has to occur.” NOTES: The Cowboys might have a tight end shortage as well after rookie
Jake Ferguson injured a hamstring early in practice Tuesday while Jeremy Sprinkle was already sidelined with a sore Achilles tendon. McCarthy said he didn’t think either injury was long term. ... Dallas hired a new vice president of communications in Tad Carper, who held a similar role with the Cleveland Cavaliers for two decades. Carper replaces Rich Dalrymple, who retired in February a few weeks before a report that the Cowboys paid a $2.4 million settlement to four members of the team’s cheerleading squad. They accused Dalrymple of watching them undress in their locker room during a 2015 event at AT&T Stadium.
PAGE 14, Thursday, August 4, 2022
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Sri Lankans missing, Thompson-Herah By COURTNEY WALSH Associated Press BIRMINGHAM, England (AP) — The Sri Lankan team has asked its athletes and officials at the Commonwealth Games to turn in their passports after three members went missing. The nation, which is experiencing a major economic crisis, confirmed late yesterday that a wrestler, a judoka, and a judo coach have disappeared from one of the Commonwealth Games villages housing athletes and officials. Sri Lankan team spokesperson Gobinath Sivarajah told The Telegraph in India that Birmingham police are investigating the absence of the three members. “We have asked all athletes and officials to submit their passports to our respective venue officials in all the villages after the incident,” he said. “The police are investigating and the three cannot cross the UK borders. What has happened is really unfortunate.” At the 2018 Games on Australia’s Gold Coast, almost one-third of the Cameroon team went missing after the event. Rwanda’s weightlifting coach also fled during a
toilet break at the host stadium. It was reported at least 230 athletes and officials lodged applications for protection visas in Australia after the event, but the majority were denied. Sri Lanka, which picked a 161-strong contingent for the 2022 Games, had a silver and two bronze medals — including Yupun Abeykoon’s third place finish in the men’s 100-metre final yesterday — after six days of competition. Olympic champion Elaine Thompson-Herah added a Commonwealth Games gold medal in the 100 metres to her résumé. She won the women’s final in 10.95 seconds, holding off Julien Alfred of St Lucia and Daryll Neita of England, to claim Jamaica’s first gold medal of the meet.
JAMAICA’S ELAINE THOMPSON-HERAH, right, races to win gold in the 100m final in the Alexander Stadium at the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham, England, yesterday. At left is Saint Lucia’s Julien Alfred, who finished second and England’s Daryll Neita, second left who finished third. (Mike Egerton/PA via AP) “I’m grateful. I’m happy to get my first title,” said Thompson-Herah, who won the 100-200 double at the 2016 and 2020 Olympics but hadn’t previously won
TEAM Scotland swimmers pose after winning the bronze medal in the Men’s 4x100 metres medley relay final at the Sandwell Aquatics Centre in Birmingham, England, yesterday. (AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth)
an individual medal at the Commonwealth level. “I came fourth in the 200 four years ago, and so to move up to a gold, I’m super excited.”
Kenya’s Ferdinand Omanyala won the men’s 100 title in 10.02 seconds, with 2018 champion Akani Simbine of South Africa getting silver and
Abeykoon getting bronze. Former world champion Katarina Johnson-Thompson won the heptathlon for
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KENYA’s Ferdinand Omanyala celebrates as he wins gold in the 100m final in the Alexander Stadium at the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham, England, yesterday. (AP Photo/Alastair Grant)
ALI’S The greatest of ‘The Greatest’ ‘RUMBLE IN THE JUNGLE’ BELT SELLS FOR $6.1M
Boxing legend Muhammad Ali was the first man to win the world heavyweight championship three times. He redefined the sport with his blend of power, grace and quickness.
Professional record: 56 wins, 5 losses Lost world heavyweight title fight
DALLAS (AP) — Muhammad Ali’s championship belt from his 1974 “Rumble in the Jungle” heavyweight title fight was sold at auction on Sunday for $6.18 million. The winner of the heated competition for the belt was Indianapolis Colts owner Jim Irsay, according to Heritage Auctions in Dallas. In a tweet Sunday, Irsay confirmed he acquired the belt for his collection of rock music, American history and pop culture memorabilia that is currently touring the country. The belt will be displayed on August 2 at Chicago’s Navy Pier and on September 9 in Indianapolis. “Proud to be the steward!” Irsay tweeted. “After several hours of watching two bidders go back and forth over this belt, this proved to be a battle worthy of the Rumble itself,” Chris Ivy, Heritage’s director of sports auctions, said in a statement. The 1974 fight was one of boxing’s most memorable moments. Ali stopped the fearsome George Foreman to recapture the heavyweight title in the African nation of Zaire. Ali won the fight in a knockout in the eighth round.
Won world heavyweight title Successful title defense
First world heavyweight title Bobbing and weaving, Ali defeats Sonny Liston in Miami, winning the world heavyweight title at age 22. (AP Photo) “The Rumble in the Jungle” Uses “rope-a-dope” to knock out George Foreman in Zaire, recapturing the heavyweight championship. (AP Photo)
Stripped of title, suspended after refusing to be drafted into military Joe Frazier Ken Norton
“Thrilla in Manila” Defeats Joe Frazier in the Philippines in a brutal fight Ali later described as “the closest thing to dying” he had experienced. (AP Photo/ Kenichi Mori) Third title
Leon Spinks Larry Holmes
First retirement
Wins a rematch with Leon Spinks in New Orleans, becoming the first man to win world heavyweight title three times. (AP Photo)
Retired after loss to Trevor Berbick SOURCES: BoxRec; AP reports
AP
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Thursday, August 4, 2022, PAGE 15
wins gold at Commonwealth Games THOMPSONHERAH FROM PAGE 14
England, returning to the top of the podium at a major international meet for the first time in three years. And 31-year-old Eilish McColgan of Scotland drew great support from the crowd at Alexander Stadium when setting a new meet record of 30 minutes, 48.60 seconds in the women’s 10,000. Her mother Liz Nuttall won gold medals in the event in the 1986 and 1990 editions of the Games. Australian swimmer Ariarne Titmus concluded a superb individual meet when edging emerging Canadian star Summer McIntosh in a thrilling 400meter freestyle. Titmus, who beat U.S. star Katie Ledecky in the event at the Tokyo Olympics, completed a set of golds in the 200, 400 and 800. The 15-year-old McIntosh announced herself a star of the future at the world championships in Budapest in June and had won the 200 and 400 individual medleys at Birmingham. World champion Ben Proud claimed his third straight Commonwealth Games gold medal in the 50-metre freestyle and was delighted to succeed in front of a home crowd in 21.36 seconds. Sam Short’s sensational swim to claim the 1500metre freestyle continued Australia’s rich tradition in the endurance race. The 18-year-old Short won in 14:48.54, three seconds clear of Northern Ireland’s Daniel Wiffen. Field hockey is moving into the medal rounds, with India edging Canada 3-2 to set up a women’s semifinal against Australia. Weightlifter Junior Periclex Ngadja Nyabeyeu was in tears after claiming Cameroon’s first gold medal of these games in the men’s 109-kilogram division with a tally of 361 kilos (796 lbs).
“It’s big, very big for me, for my family. I was crying because it was too much for me, too much to take in,” he said. The weightlifting venue was also the scene for Pakistan’s first gold medal in Birmingham, with Muhammad Nooh Dastgir Butt setting Commonwealth Games records to win the over 109-kilogram category. A full games cycle was completed when New Zealand’s Sam Gaze defended the gold medal he won in 2018 in mountain biking with a convincing victory at Cannock Chase Forest. Australia led the medal standings after six days of competition with 46 gold and 123 overall, but host England was closing the gap with 38 gold and 103 in total. Canada moved into third place with 16 gold medals and 57 in total, with New Zealand slipping to third place with 16 gold and 36 overall. Scotland moved into fifth place ahead of South Africa with its seventh gold medal, and India was in seventh place with five gold medals and 18 overall.
JAMAICA’s Elaine Thompson-Herah celebrates after winning the Women’s 100m final, in the Alexander Stadium at the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham, England, yesterday. (Mike Egerton/PA via AP)
JAMAICA’s Elaine Thompson-Herah crosses the line to win gold in the women’s 100m final during the athletics in the Alexander Stadium at the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham, England. (AP Photo/ Manish Swarup)
A LOOK AT BUYERS AND SELLERS FROM BUSY MLB TRADE DEADLINE By NOAH TRISTER AP Baseball Writer THIS is quite a time to be a season ticket holder for the San Diego Padres. Great weather, a jewel of a ballpark — and perhaps the most exciting lineup in baseball for the near future. The Padres landed the biggest prize of this year’s trade deadline — and maybe at any year’s deadline — when they acquired outfielder Juan Soto, a 23-year-old superstar who isn’t due to become a free agent until after the 2024 season. To get him, they had to send six players to Washington, including several of their top recent prospects. It’s a massive move for an organisation that has never won a World Series — but now adds Soto to a team that has Fernando Tatis Jr, Manny Machado and Yu Darvish. San Diego also traded for closer Josh Hader this week. • Here’s a look at the biggest buyers and sellers at this year’s deadline, and how they’ve reshaped their futures. BUYERS San Diego Padres (60-46, second NL wild card) Acquired: OF Juan Soto, 1B Josh Bell, LHP Josh Hader, 2B Brandon Drury, C Cam Gallagher, LHP Jay Groome. Traded: LHP MacKenzie Gore, SS C.J. Abrams, OF Robert Hassell III, OF James Wood, RHP Jarlin Susana, 1B Luke Voit, LHP Taylor Rogers, RHP Dinelson Lamet, 2B Esteury Ruiz, LHP Robert Gasser, SS Victor Acosta, OF Brent Rooker, 1B Eric Hosmer, 2B Max Ferguson, OF Corey Rosier. Analysis: It was going to take a big offer to pry Soto loose from the Nationals, and the Padres always made
some sense as a destination. They had enough attractive prospects to make the deal happen — and because they were already postseason contenders, adding Soto can benefit them even if he only stays through 2024. Bell brings power to the lineup as well. Philadelphia Phillies (5548, third NL wild card) Acquired: RHP Noah Syndergaard, RHP David Robertson, OF Brandon Marsh, 2B Edmundo Sosa. Traded: C Logan O’Hoppe, LHP JoJo Romero, OF Mickey Moniak, OF Jadiel Sanchez, RHP Ben Brown. Analysis: Chasing their first postseason berth since 2011, the Phillies added help in the rotation, the bullpen, the infield and the outfield. Philadelphia moved on from Moniak, the top pick in the 2016 draft. Seattle Mariners (56-49, second AL wild card) Acquired: RHP Luis Castillo, LHP Matthew Boyd, C Curt Casali. Traded: SS Noelvi Marte, SS Edwin Arroyo, RHP Levi Stoudt, RHP Andrew Moore, LHP Anthony Misiewicz, RHP Michael Stryffeler, C Andy Thomas. Analysis: Speaking of postseason droughts, the Mariners haven’t qualified since 2001, and they approached this deadline with a sense of urgency, sending three of their top prospects to Cincinnati for Castillo. Boyd had some good moments in Detroit but didn’t pitch at all this year for San Francisco because of elbow problems. New York Yankees (7035, first place in AL East) Acquired: RHP Frankie Montas, RHP Lou Trivino, OF Andrew Benintendi, OF Harrison Bader, RHP Scott Effross, RHP Clayton Beeter.
WASHINGTON Nationals’ Juan Soto hits a three-run home run during the second inning of a baseball game against the Philadelphia Phillies, on June 19, 2022, in Washington. The San Diego Padres acquired superstar outfielder Juan Soto from the Nationals on Tuesday, August 2 in one of baseball’s biggest deals at the trade deadline, vaulting their postseason chances by adding one of the game’s best young hitters. (AP Photo/Nick Wass) Traded: OF Joey Gallo, LHP Jordan Montgomery, LHP Ken Waldichuk, LHP JP Sears, RHP Luis Medina, 2B Cooper Bowman, RHP Chandler Champlain, LHP T.J. Sikkema, RHP Beck Way, RHP Hayden Wesneski. Analysis: Considering what Seattle gave up for Castillo, the Yankees probably feel pretty good about landing Montas, who had a 3.18 ERA in 19 starts this year for Oakland. Benintendi and Bader give New York more outfield options, although the latter has been dealing with foot problems. Minnesota Twins (54-49, first place in AL Central) Acquired: RHP Jorge Lopez, RHP Tyler Mahle, RHP Michael Fulmer, C Sandy Leon. Traded: RHP Yennier Cano, LHP Cade Povich, LHP Juan Rojas, RHP Juan
Nunez, RHP Ian Hamilton, SS Spencer Steer, 3B Christian Encarnacion-Strand, LHP Steve Hajjar, RHP Sawyer Gipson-Long. Analysis: Lopez and Fulmer can help Minnesota’s bullpen, and Mahle has been solid over the past couple months for the Reds. And none of the Twins’ top AL Central rivals did anything all that special at the deadline. SELLERS Washington Nationals (36-69, last place in NL East) Traded: OF Juan Soto, 1B Josh Bell, SS Ehire Adrianza. Acquired: SS C.J. Abrams, OF Robert Hassell III, LHP MacKenzie Gore, OF James Wood, 1B Luke Voit, RHP Jarlin Susana, 2B Trey Harris. Analysis: It’s one thing to trade a star for prospects.
It’s another to give up a generational talent who was under team control for another couple years. If Soto’s career proceeds as expected, there may always be questions about whether the Nationals tried hard enough to keep him. That said, Washington received plenty in return. Hassell immediately becomes the team’s top prospect, according to MLB Pipeline. Abrams and Gore are both top-six draft picks who made their big league debuts this year. Cincinnati Reds (42-61, third place in NL Central) Traded: RHP Luis Castillo, RHP Tyler Mahle, OF Tommy Pham, 2B Brandon Drury, OF Tyler Naquin, LHP Phillip Diehl. Acquired: SS Noelvi Marte, SS Edwin Arroyo, RHP Levi Stoudt, RHP
Andrew Moore, 2B Hector Rodriguez, RHP Jose Acuna, SS Spencer Steer, 3B Christian EncarnacionStrand, LHP Steve Hajjar, SS Victor Acosta, C Austin Romine. Analysis: The Reds cashed out with Castillo, acquiring Marte and Arroyo, who are ranked as the No. 17 and No. 92 prospects by MLB Pipeline. Cincinnati now has six of the top 100. Oakland Athletics (3966, last place in AL West) Traded: RHP Frankie Montas, RHP Lou Trivino, C Austin Allen. Acquired: LHP Ken Waldichuk, LHP JP Sears, RHP Luis Medina, 2B Cooper Bowman, RHP Carlos Guarate. Analysis: The 24-yearold Waldichuk was the top prospect the A’s received. He was excellent at Double-A this year and has posted a 3.59 ERA in 11 starts at Triple-A. Baltimore Orioles (53-51, 1 1/2 games behind third AL wild card) Traded: 1B Trey Mancini, RHP Jorge Lopez. Acquired: RHP Seth Johnson, RHP Chayce McDermott, RHP Yennier Cano, LHP Cade Povich, LHP Juan Rojas, RHP Juan Nunez, OF Brett Phillips. Analysis: The Orioles were in a tricky spot, because although they’ve been rebuilding, they’re also surprisingly in contention for a wild card after two good months. Trading Mancini wasn’t the sentimental move, but he can become a free agent after this season, so a breakup might have come soon anyway. Lopez was Baltimore’s closer, but its bullpen has been very good this year and may be able to withstand his departure.
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Tynia Gaither 7th in 100 final By BRENT STUBBS Senior Sports Reporter bstubbs@tribunemedia.net BIRMINGHAM, England — Shaking off the disappointment of her false start in the semi-finals of the World Championships in Eugene, Oregon two weeks ago, Tynia Gaither put together two solid races yesterday for a seventh place finish in the women’s 100 metres at the 2022 Commonwealth Games. After getting her “wake up call” in the first round heats on Tuesday, Gaither powered her way to a third place finish in the last of three semi-final heats at the jam-packed Alexander Stadium in 11.17 to advance to the final with the seventh best qualifying time. She returned in the final a little over an hour later and had to settle for seventh in 11.23 as Jamaican Elaine Thompson-Herah took the gold in 10.95 with St Lucia’s Julien Alfred snatching the silver in 11.01 and Daryll Neita getting some hometown glory for England with the bronze in 11.07. “It was one of my better starts for this meet, so I’m
THOMAS FROM PAGE 11
injury he sustained from the beginning of the season. “I came here to perform and I gave it my best, but I finished short so I’m disappointed. “I had a few bars that I feel could have stayed up there, but that goes with the game. That’s high jump. “I just have to get a clean sheet and some clean clearances and jump over the bar. Unfortunately, the bar was falling and I fell short.”
happy with it,” said Gaither, who has some flashes of Eugene on her mind. “It’s been a little tougher mentally with the blocks, so I’m just trying to be a little cautious ever since it happened. Maybe holding it a little too long, but it will get better.” The 29-year-old Bahamian national record holder got a good start to go with the field at the crack of the gun. The race got away from her in the middle of the straight away, but she was able to regain her composure and stormed back to get into it. It was just a little too late. “I just wanted to trust my strength and to go out there through the rounds and
SEVENTH BEST iN WORLD: Tynia Gaither put together two solid races yesterday for a seventh place finish in the women’s 100 metres in the jam-packed Alexander Stadium at the Commonwealth Games. Jamaican Elaine Thompson-Herah took the gold in 10.95 with St Lucia’s Julien Alfred snatching the silver in 11.01 and Daryll Neita getting some hometown glory for England with the bronze in 11.07. make it happen,” Gaither in both the day and night enter the 100m as she will in Grand Bahama from said. “We’ve been training sessions to help propel the leave Birmingham today for August 19-21. athletes on. Poland where she’s sched“I’m going home. I can’t to get through the rounds.” While she originally was uled to run in a 200m and in wait,” insisted the Grand And for the first time, Gaither said she was aston- scheduled to run just the Hungary before she comes Bahamian native. “Got to ished by the crowd of 30,000 200m here, on her arrival home to compete in the do something for Grand fans that filled the stadium Gaither made a change to NACAC Championships Bahama.”
Thomas, the 2007 world champion at the World Championships in Osaka, Japan, had to watch as New Zealand’s Hamish Kerr took the gold with just 7-5 (2.25m), while the sliver went to Australia’s Brandon Starc with the same height on more knockdowns. The bronze medallist was India’s Tejaswin Shankar with 7-3 1/4 (2,22m) on fewer knockdowns than Thomas. With the crowd of 30,000 inside the stadium cheering, Thomas said he felt good being in the atmosphere
with a good crop of jumpers, one of them being Miller Jr, whom he credited for a great start to his senior campaign. “It’s a good experience for him. He’s a young guy with a lot of potential,” Thomas said. “He has a lot of upside, so he just has to stay motivated and continue to train. It felt good to have another high jumper out there with me, so that was good.” For 21-year-old Miller Jr, he was delighted to get his first taste of competing in the big leagues.
“The crowd was nice and everything. I felt like I had a lot left in me, so obviously I’m disappointed with the 2.10m,” he said. “I was just tired with the jumps. I just couldn’t get through them like I should. “On my last try, they had the clock running and I had to go quickly so I would not lose my try. “Usually this stops the competition before the race, but the guy moved the cone and I was walking back when one of the guys touched me that I was on the clock.
“I had about 20 seconds left and I had to go jump quickly.” It could be described as a “rookie” mistake, but Miller Jr said he had an awesome time competing with Thomas against some of the top jumpers in the world. He said he just missed not having his parents May and Shaun Miller Sr, his big sister Shaunae Miller-Uibo and his coach Ronald Cartwright here to watch him perform. “These are some of the guys who I look up to and
now to be out here with them is just mind blowing,” he said. “I just have to continue to train, trust in God and I will be back here bigger and better.” Miller Jr is not sure when he will compete again, but Thomas is expected to get some attention to his injury and hopefully be ready to compete at the NACAC Championships in Grand Bahama from August 18-21. “I got to do something for the home crowd,” said the native of Grand Bahama.
COLUMN: TEMPTATION OF SAUDI CASH AT LIV IS IN PRIZE FUND By DOUG FERUSON AP Golf Writer PAT Perez said having a chance to be part of the Saudi-funded LIV Golf series was like winning the lottery. He wasn’t far off. Perez didn’t mince words — he rarely does — when explaining his reason for joining. It was a chance to play less and get paid more. He even was seen at a welcome party in Oregon wearing a button-down shirt with prints of $100 bills, still not enough of them to reflect what he’s making. It wasn’t the signing bonus, either. Perez made his debut at Pumpkin Ridge last month. He shot 6-over 222 and tied for 29th in the 48-man field with no cut. And then on Sunday at Trump National in New Jersey, Perez posted a 5-over 218 to tie for 31st. Those two events brought him $1.804 million. Perez played 21 years on the PGA Tour and only twice earned more than that for an entire season. He made $304,000 on his own. The other $1.5 million came from being on the winning team, led by Dustin Johnson and Patrick Reed, which paid $750,000 per player. Now consider that Perez still has five more LIV tournaments left this year, and perhaps 14 cash grabs next year unless he gets relegated, however that works. This is the real payoff for players who have defected from the PGA Tour, and especially those who have not made it to the big leagues — such as the younger brother of Brooks Koepka (Chase) and U.S. Amateur champion James Piot — and who probably never will. The signing bonus is an attention-getter.
THE “4 Aces” team celebrates with champagne after winning the team competition during a ceremony after the final round of the Bedminster Invitational LIV Golf tournament in Bedminster, N.J., on Sunday. From left to right, Pat Perez, Talor Gooch, Patrick Reed and Dustin Johnson. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig) There have been unconfirmed reports of Phil Mickelson getting $200 million, Johnson receiving $150,000 and others like Koepka and Bryson DeChambeau also in the nine-figure range. All of those figures are trumped by what Greg Norman said was “somewhere in that neighbourhood” of $700 million to $800 million offered to Tiger Woods. The difference is that Woods turned it down. He also never entertained a $3 million appearance fee for the Saudi International when it was part of the European tour schedule three years ago. The signing fees for the biggest names represent
generational wealth, and it proved to be more valuable than their word. It’s why Koepka one week was trying to rally PGA Tour loyalists to come up with a strong message and the next week was the latest addition to LIV Golf. It’s why Henrik Stenson signed a contract that pledged full support to the European tour as the next Ryder Cup captain and then changed his mind four months later to join the rival league. Not to be overlooked is how prize money — $25 million for each event — can pile up quickly. After just three events, LIV Golf has produced 17 millionaires from earnings alone.
Branden Grace leads the way at nearly $6.7 million. In three events. Along with a signing fee the Daily Telegraph reported at about $50 million, Stenson cashed in quickly inside the ropes. He won at Trump National, his team finished second and the Swede walked away with $4.375 million for one week. And there’s more of that to come. As long as Saudi Arabia’s sovereign wealth fund has money to burn — $405 million in prize money for 14 events next year, not to mention a signing bonus for players who are lucky to even get invited to the party — players will be cashing
in. Sure, a majority of the players are beyond their peak years — pre-Champions Tour is how Rory McIlroy adeptly phrased it —and it’s reasonable to assume they won’t be putting as much effort into their games because they’ve already been paid. But then, just as fire can’t get enough wood, those chasing money can’t get enough. And there is money to be made, even for those who already have been paid handsomely. Johnson went from a tie for 24th at the U.S. Open to a tie for third at LIV GolfPortland. He went from a tie for sixth at the British Open to a runner-up finish at LIV Golf-Bedminster.
The two majors paid him $620,349. The two LIV Golf events paid him nearly $3.1 million. Including his two team wins, Johnson already has pulled in $5.212 million in his three appearances at LIV Golf events. In his 12 starts on the PGA Tour, he made $2.3 million. It’s like that lower on the food chain, too. Carlos Ortiz of Mexico has played two LIV Golf events. He was runner-up to Grace in Portland and finished fourth on Sunday at Bedminster. His team finished third both times, and that adds to $3.425 million for two weeks — 108 holes — of work. That’s nearly $1 million more than his best season on tour. It also is 44% of his career PGA Tour earnings from 160 tournaments Ortiz has played (including 68 times he missed the cut and received nothing but free golf balls, a courtesy car and access to player dining). Talor Gooch has played all three LIV Golf events and joins Johnson as the only players to finish in the top 10 at all of them (Gooch’s best finish is a tie for sixth). He has walked off with $2.823 million — that’s $17,425 for each hole — including his contributions to the winning team. The LIV earnings — signing bonus excluded — amount to 31% of his career PGA Tour earnings from 118 tournaments over the last five years. As long as the money is there — regardless of the source or the purpose — temptation won’t be too far behind. Still to be determined is whether money can buy respect and admiration, if that even matters any more.
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Thursday, August 4, 2022, PAGE 17
Alonzo Russell powers way into 400m semi-final By BRENT STUBBS Senior Sports Reporter bstubbs@tribunemedia.net BIRMINGHAM, England — Despite not feeling 100 percent, Alonzo Russell was able to muster enough energy to power from behind down the home stretch to earn a lane in the semi-final of the men’s 400 metres at the 2022 Commonwealth Games. As the first Bahamian athlete to compete on day two of the track and field competition before a jampacked 30,000 seating at the Alexander Stadium yesterday, the Grand Bahamian native emerged out of the fifth of seven heats with a third place finish in 48.41 seconds. That enabled the 30-yearold national championship runner-up to claim 15th place overall to ensure his spot in the semi-finals on Friday when he will run out of lane nine in the last of three heats when the first
two in each heat and the two fastest times will book their ticket to the final on Sunday. “It was rough because I’m battling the flu right now,” said Russell, who is in his third appearance at the games. “I am just taking it one round at a time and hope that I can come back in two days (one to be exact) and advance again. But it’s been rough.” Running out of lane four in his heats, Russell got left coming out of the first curve, but started to make up some ground on the
back stretch. As he came off the final curve, he was in fifth place, but negotiated his comeback on the home stretch for the third place. Zambia’s Muzala Samukonga had already built up enough real estate to surge out front as the heat winner in a personal best of 44.89 with Jamaica’s Jevaughn Powell taking the second spot in 48.14. While Samukonga had the fastest qualifying time, Powell was pegged at number eight. With the crowd cheering loudly for everybody, Russell said he was motivated a little more in staging his comeback. “I was kind of surprised. The race was amazing. There were a lot of people out here for a morning session, compared to the World Championships,” Russell said. “The crowd was just so much bigger. It was amazing.” At the World Championships two weeks ago in Eugene, Oregon, Russell
didn’t compete in the 400, so he’s hoping to take advantage of this opportunity here, regardless of how he feels physically. “I hope to go for a personal best. That’s the goal,” said Russell, who has done a lifetime best of 45.25 on June 26, 2019 at the Bahamas National Championships at the Thomas A Robinson National Stadium. In analysing his environment here, including the games village at the University of Birmingham, he indicated that he couldn’t ask for anything better. “Everything here is pretty good, so I shouldn’t have any problems accomplishing my goal,” he summed up. If he achieves his goal and he advances again, Russell will be in the final to be contested on the final day of competition on Sunday at 5:45 am EST. He also has two silver medals from the games on his résumé,
ALONZO Russell leaves the track after his heat in the 400 metres at the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham, England, yesterday. having ran on both the 4 x 400m relay teams at the Gold Coast, Australia in 2018 and in Glasgow, Scotland in 2014. However, he’s still looking for his first final in the
individual 400m at a major global competition. He is the lone competitor for the Bahamas in the onelap race in the absence of Steven Gardiner and Shaunae Miller-Uibo.
Kyrgios wins 1st singles match since making Wimbledon final
OSAKA WINS HER 1ST MATCH SINCE MAY SAN JOSE, California (AP) — Four-time major champion Naomi Osaka won the first match she’s played since May, beating Zheng Qinwen 6-4, 3-6, 6-1 on Tuesday night at the Mubadala Silicon Valley Classic. Osaka hit 11 aces and saved 7 of 8 break points in the hard-court tournament that serves as a tuneup for the US Open. Osaka had not played anywhere since a first-round loss to Amanda
Anisimova at the French Open on May 23. The former No. 1-ranked player was bothered by her left Achilles tendon during that defeat, then cited that lingering injury when she pulled out of Wimbledon in June. Osaka won the US Open in 2018 and 2020. Next up for Osaka is Coco Gauff, who won her match 6-0, 6-1 over Anhelina Kalinina. Osaka leads their head-to-head series 2-1, including
a victory over Gauff at the 2019 US Open. Gauff was the runner-up at this year’s French Open. Another past champion at Flushing Meadows, 2019 winner Bianca Andreescu, lost Tuesday in San Jose, beaten 6-4, 6-2 by Shelby Rogers. In other first-round action, qualifier Elizabeth Mandlik won her WTA debut, defeating Alison Riske-Amritraj 6-3, 6-3, and No. 9 seed Veronika Kudermetova beat Camila Giorgi 7-6 (2), 4-6, 7-5.
VENUS WILLIAMS LOSES RETURN TO SINGLES PLAY WASHINGTON (AP) — Venus Williams lost to Canadian Rebecca Marino on Monday in her return to singles play after more than a year away, a defeat the seven-time Grand Slam champion chalked up to being rusty. Williams lost 4-6, 6-1, 6-4 in the first round of the Citi Open in Washington in her first singles match since last August. “I didn’t think I played well a lot of the times,” Williams said. “Just trying to shake off some rust. That’s just to be expected. All I can do is just play another tournament and play better.” Before the hard-court tune-up for the US Open, Williams last played singles in Chicago on August 23, 2021, when she lost to Su-Wei Hseih. Williams played mixed doubles with Jamie Murray at Wimbledon. Williams practiced with sister and former doubles partner Serena leading up to the tournament which is not routine for them. “I think it was a real thrill for the crowd to see us hit
VENUS Williams in action. together,” Venus said. “I think more than anything, it was just very exciting for the tournament.” In other action on the women’s side, top-seeded Jessica Pegula and former top-ranked Simona Halep advanced. Pegula beat fellow American Hailey Baptiste 6-2, 6-2. Halep defeated Cristina Bucsa of Spain 6-3, 7-5 after adjusting to a different surface following grass-court season. “I had a good run in Wimbledon, so it’s always tough to start,” Halep said. “But I’m really happy I won the match and I can play another match here.” On the men’s side, former No. 1 Andy Murray lost his
opening match 7-6(8), 4-6, 6-1 to Swede Mikael Ymer. Murray started cramping at the end of the first set and struggled to recover. “It was disappointing, obviously,” Murray said.” I thought there was some good tennis in the first set. After that, both of us were struggling a bit physically. The level of the tennis was not great.” Countryman Kyle Edmund defeated qualifier Yosuke Watanuki 6-4, 7-6(8) to win his first ATP Tour-level singles match since October 2020. Edmund, who was once the top-ranked Brit and climbed as high as 14th in the world, was out while recovering from three knee surgeries. During his rehab, Edmund pictured himself back on the court in moments like this. “There was long periods where I was just out, couldn’t play, didn’t pick a racket up. ... It just wasn’t fun at all,” he said. “These sort of matches or these events are something you imagine when you’re out.”
WASHINGTON (AP) — Nick Kyrgios beat American Marcos Giron at the Citi Open on Tuesday, the Australian’s first singles match since reaching the Wimbledon final. Less than a month since reaching his first Grand Slam final before losing to Novak Djokovic, Kyrgios defeated Giron 6-2, 6-3. It won’t help him get over falling short at Wimbledon, which has not been easy. But, winning more may boost his confidence. “That was like the golden opportunity I felt for me,” Kyrgios said of Wimbledon. “There are so many things I would have done differently I think now that I have digested that match, but I’m doing all the right things to put myself in that position again. I think I’m doing that, and my whole team is helping me achieve that goal.” Following a tradition he started when he won this hard-court tuneup for the US Open in 2019, he asked a fan where he should serve for match point and moved
on to face Tommy Paul in the round of 32. “I wish I had that experience when I was watching tennis matches,” Kyrgios said. “I think it’s just a cool experience for someone that’s paid money to come watch you play and potentially to go home with that memory.” Kyrgios is trying to move past the memory of losing to Djokovic at Wimbledon and bowing out in the first round of the Citi Open a year ago. It helps that he thinks he’s playing some of the best tennis of his career. “I’m having a great year,” he said. “I think if Wimbledon had points, I think I’d be around top 15, top 20 in the world. I definitely feel like I’m playing that level of tennis — if not top 10, top five at the moment.” Top-seeded Andrey Rublev advanced to the round of 16, beating Jack Draper 6-4, 6-2. In the women’s draw, Australia’s Ajla Tomljanovic beat American Sloane Stephens 6-1, 6-4.
PAGE 18, Thursday, August 4, 2022
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BAHAMIAN CHESS PLAYERS MAKE THEIR PRESENCE FELT AT 44TH OLYMPIAD THE Bahamas Chess Olympiad team landed in Chennai, India, on July 27 to compete in the 44th FIDE Chess Olympiad. The team attended the 44th FIDE Chess Olympiad Inauguration the evening of July 28 at Jawaharlal Nehru Indoor Stadium. The ceremony included stunning displays of Indian artforms and dance. India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi was on hand to officially welcome the players and bring remarks. Round 1 of the tournament began on July 29. The Bahamas Open Chess Olympiad Team has a total of 4.5 points going into Round 5. Round 1 the men faced the prominent team from Latvia comprised of a Grandmaster (GM), an International Master (IM) and a FIDE Master (FM). The Bahamas team lost all games in Round 1. In Round 2 CM Kendrick Knowles was the only team member able to secure some points, managing a draw against a Sri Lankan Fide Master (FM). Round 3 the Open Team of FM Cecil Moncur, CM Kendrick Knowles, WCM Polina
THE 44TH FIDE Chess Olympiad Inauguration included stunning displays of Indian artforms and dance at Jawaharlal Nehru Indoor Stadium. Karelina and Dr Kenville into Round 5. Round Lockhart won all their 1 the Female Team was games against Comoros. pitted against the highUnfortunately, the team ranking Chile Women’s fell to Ethiopia in Round 4, Team which comprised of losing all their games. two (2) Women Candidate The Bahamas Women’s Masters (WCM) and two Chess Olympiad team has (2) Women FIDE Masters a total of 5.5 points going (WFM).
THE Bahamas Chess Olympiad team at the 44th FIDE Chess Olympiad, in Chennai, India. Team Bahamas had a rough start playing against some strong nations in the first two rounds. The Bahamas lost all Round 1 games and all Round 2 games, where they faced up against South Korea. In Round 3, Nelissa Thomas secured the first win for the women’s team against a Women FIDE Master from Malawi. Trinity Pinder secured a
draw in Round 3 against a Malawian Women Candidate Master. Round 4 the Women’s Team had a full sweep win with Trinity Pinder, Nelissa Thomas, WCM Daijah Johnson and Jayla Cargill all winning their games against the Central African Republic. “Team Bahamas
had a rough start playing against some strong nations in the first two rounds,” said Elton Joseph, treasurer of the Bahamas Chess Federation and delegate to the The Chess Olympiad. “Players are learning valuable lessons and the juniors are really stepping up to the plate,” he said.
LEROY ROLLE WINS BRAND NEW 2022 KIA SUV IN BUD LIGHT BIG 3 PROMOTION ONE lucky Bud Light drinker is cruising the streets of New Providence in a brand new, fully loaded SUV all thanks to Bud Light. The country’s number 1 imported beer brand wrapped a major campaign which gave beer drinkers the chance to win a 2022 Kia Seltos as part of its Big 3 promotion. “As a brand we really wanted the opportunity to give back to our customers,” explained Nathan Arnett, Bud Light brand manager for The Bahamas. “Without their support we couldn’t have been the number 1 imported beer brand and so it was only right that we found a way to repay that support in a big way and so we came up with the Big 3.” For three months beginning this past April, Bud Light drinkers who purchased a Bud Light 3 pack from any Jimmy’s Wines & Spirits location, or any of the other 21 participating locations, could enter the drawing. More than 10,000 entries were received,
THE GRAND PRIZE: More than 10 thousand entries were received by Bud light drinkers hoping to win this 2022 Kia Seltos SUV.
JUST ROAD: Bud light’s BIG 3 promotion winner Leroy Rolle is ready to hit the road in his brand new, fully loaded Kia Seltos SUV. and on Saturday, July 16 at Jimmy’s Wines & Spirits’ Nassau street location during a live remote the grand prize winner was officially drawn – with Leroy Rolle announced as the winner. For 34-year-old Rolle, winning the new vehicle answered his prayer. “Winning this car is lifechanging,” said Rolle who explained he began swapping out his usual Guinness for a Bud Light once the promotion began.
“Once I saw the first sign for the giveaway I started buying Bud Lights basically every other day in hopes of upping my chances,” he said. In the end, Rolle’s consistency paid off with the winning ticket being purchased from Best Deal Wholesale Liquor’s Augusta Street location. “When I found out I won, I couldn’t believe it,” Rolle said. “To go from not having a car to having a brand new car overnight is
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A CELEBRATORY BUD LIGHT: Bahamian Brewery & Beverage Company executive marketing manager Wellington Seymour and Bud light brand manager Nathan Arnett, far right, with the winner of Bud light’s BIG 3 promotion Leroy Rolle, centre. (Photos courtesy of Ronnie Archer for Barefoot Marketing) the best thing in the world right now.” The SUV comes with a five-year warranty, a one-year service package, three-year rust proofing guarantee, licensing, registration, and a full tank of gas. “It’s been a pleasure planning this promotion,” said Arnett. “We did worry about getting the car here with all the issues with
shipping right now – but they got it done and it’s wonderful to have such a worthy winner who really embraced the competition.” With the Big 3 promotion behind them, Bud Light is already looking to its next major campaign - the 2023 Superbowl. Over the next few months, Arnett says Bud Light fans can expect details of that upcoming promotion to surface.
“Bud Light is the official beer of the Superbowl and so we’re excited about our upcoming promotions,” he said. “We plan to continue the trend of giving back to customers in a major way and each time will be bigger and better and we hope fans of Bud Light will continue to support our efforts to provide a quality product and superior experiences as well.
THE TRIBUNE
Thursday, August 4, 2022, PAGE 19
Lamar Taylor 7th in final of 50m freestyle
ATHLETES FROM PAGE 11
vault in the morning session and the javelin and 1,500m in the evening session. Also, World indoor silver medallist Devynne Charlton will begin her quest for a medal in the women’s 100m hurdles with the heats to advance to the final that will take place on Sunday at 5:25 am EST. Kaiwan Culmer will also compete in the men’s long jump in his bid to get into Sunday’s final. The top 12 competitors will advance to Sunday’s final at 5:25pm EST.
By BRENT STUBBS Senior Sports Reporter bstubbs@tribunemedia.net BIRMINGHAM, England — Seventh place in the final of the men’s 50 metre freestyle at the Commonwealth Games is not a bad position for Lamar Taylor to take away from his swimming experience here. As the first Bahamian male swimmer to compete in a Commonwealth final, Taylor gave it his best shot last night at the Sandwell Aquatic Center where he touched the wall out of lane one in 22.51 seconds. England electrified the crowd with gold and silver from Benjamin Proud and Lewis Edward Burras in times of 21.36 and 21.68 respectively. Canada’s Joshua Edwards was the recipient of the bronze in 22.02. Although he knew it would take a mammoth task to get on the podium, just making the final was a tremendous feat in itself for the 19-year-old Taylor, whose proud parents Gena and Lester Taylor were
LAMAR Taylor with his parents, Lester and Gena Taylor, after he placed 7th overall in the final of the 5O metre freestyle yesterday at the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham, England.
BAHAMAS Aquatics president Algernon Cargill congratulates Lester and Gena Taylor, the proud parents of Lamar Taylor (top). there to root him on in the stands. “I felt really good about my race. I really won’t take it as a loss or anything like that,” he said. “I felt every race I swum was for the experience, even though I
didn’t win or medal. These guys I’m swimming against are veterans and technically, I’m still a rookie. “So to make it to the final was a big, big accomplishment on my part. It was a good jump in my career.
“I felt it was a really good race. There are some things I have to work on now that I am going back home, like my start, competing under the water and my pull so I can get stronger.” Taylor said he gained a lot from his experience here and he knows he made the Bahamas proud. He said he will go back to the drawing board and get some work done with his local coach, Travano McPhee, so that at the next Commonwealth Games, he hopes to be on the podium. McPhee, who served as an assistant coach to head coach Andy Loveitt, said while they felt Taylor did an awesome job as the only member of the team to advance to a final, all of the other swimmers performed
at a very high level and they should be commended aswell. The other members were co-flag carriers during the opening ceremonies, Izaak Bastian and Lilly Higgs, brother and sister Luke-Kennedy and Zaylie-Elizabeth Thompson, Davante Carey, Katelyn Cabral and Rhanishka Gibbs, the youngest member at age 16. “This was an awesome opportunity to be able to swim with some of the top athletes in the world,” McPhee said. “They now know what they need to do to continue to progress.” The swim team will leave for London today where they will spend the day enjoying themselves before they head home on Friday.
KAIWAN CULMER And Alonzo Russell will be back for the semifinal of the men’s 400m. He will run in lane nine in the last of the three heats where the top two finishers in each heat and the next fastest losers will advance to Sunday’s final at 5:45 am EST. Saturday’s events Wrestling will take place for Rashji Mackey in the men’s 97 kilogram. Sunday’s event Cycling road race for Lorin Sawyer and Felix Neely at 7:30 am EST.