Volume: 122 No. 177, August 8, 2025
Bahamian nazi sentenced to 20 years
By KEILE CAMPBELL Tribune Staff Reporter kcampbell@tribunemedia.net
A BAHAMIAN-born neo-Nazi has been sentencedto20yearsinaUSfederalprisonfor conspiring to attack power substations in the Baltimorearea.
Brandon Clint Russell, 30, appeared before a federal judge in Baltimore yesterday, where he was handed the maximum sentence under a conviction for conspiracy to damage an energy facility. The court also ordered a lifetime of supervised release, including electronic monitoring.
Pintard accuses Davis of misleading the public over country’s fiscal picture
Russell, a dual citizen of The Bahamas and the US, was found guilty earlier this year after prosecutorspresentedevidencehecoordinated with his girlfriend, Sarah Beth Clendaniel, to planaseriesofsniperattackstotargetthecity’s energygrid.
US District Judge James Bredar said Russell was the intellectual driver behind the plot, which aimed to cause mass disruption to a majority-black city. According to prosecutors, the pair intended to execute the plan during wintertomaximiseitsimpact.
“Thelawdoesnotpermitthat,”JudgeBredar said. “We do not change course in this country
BY DENISE MAYCOCK Tribune Freeport Reporter dmaycock@tribunemedia.net
FREE National Movement (FNM) leader Michael Pintard yesterday accused Prime Minister Philip “Brave” Davis of intentionallymisleadingthe public about the country’s fiscalpositionbyrepeatedly presentinginaccuratefinancial projections to paint a “rosy picture” that all is well.
being outlined in his written 2025-2026 Budget communication.
Mr Pintard’s comments came in response to Mr Davis’ strong denial that he ever projected a $135.4m fiscal surplus for April—despite the figure
Baha Mar donates $7.5k to Humane Society after recent break-in
By LYNAIRE MUNNINGS Tribune Staff Reporter lmunnings@tribunemedia.net
GOOD Samaritans have come to the rescue of the Bahamas Humane Society after a brazen break-in at thecharityonWednesday. Thieves broke in to the Humane Society building and stole thousands of dollars in cash from the property - leaving volunteers and
organiser frustrated that criminals would target an organisation that is trying tohelpthecommunity.
However, Baha Mar has now stepped in to help - donating $7,500 to the organisation. The donation, made through the Baha Mar Resort Foundation, matches the amount of cash reportedly stolen
“I never projected a surplus in April,” Mr Davis toldtheHouseofAssembly Wednesday. “And, in fact, this concept of the deficit in April was raised by the
man found guilty of unlawful sex
with teen boy
By PAVEL BAILEY Tribune Staff Reporter pbailey@tribunemedia.net
A 50-YEAR-OlD man who told officers that he and a teenage boy were lovers was found guilty yesterday of unlawful sexualintercourse.
Marlin Newton, 50, stood in shocked silence as a nine-person jury found him unanimously guilty of two counts of unlawful sexual intercourse with a 17-year-old boyinAugust2019. Justice Guillimina Archer-Minns presided over the trial, which heard testimony from doctors and police officers involved in the investigation.
Among the witnesses was Assistant Superintendent Arnold Strachan who played footage of Newtonsayingthatheand a 17-year-old boy were
BROKEN window at Humane Society where thieves broke in.
Killarney STEAM Camp aims to inspire kids in robotics,
technology, the arts and more
S.T.E.A.M. Camp kicked off with over 120 young minds from the Killarney constituency gathered at the New Providence Community Center to explore the worlds of robotics, clean tech, entrepreneurship, and more.
Cooper elected VP of UN World Tourism Organisation for Americas
“It is an honour to represent The Bahamas and the Caribbean at this level and I am committed to ensuring that our collective voice helps shape the future of global tourism policy and practice.”
DEPUTYPrimeMinisterChester Cooper has been elected Vice President of the United Nations World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO) General Assembly for the Americas region.
Theappointment,announcedin a press release yesterday, follows last week’s election, held during the UNWTO Regional Commission for the Americas session in Lima, Peru.
Mr Cooper, who is also the Minister of Tourism, will serve in the role for the remainder of the year.
The Bahamas previously held a vice presidency at the UNWTO General Assembly.
Reacting to his appointment, Mr Cooper described it as the result of strong regional partnerships and a shared vision for a more inclusive and resilient tourism sector.
“It is an honour to represent The Bahamas and the Caribbean at this level and I am committed to ensuring that our collective voice helps shape the future of global tourism policy and practice,” he said. The UNWTO General Assembly is the supreme decision making body of the organisation, responsible for electing officers, adopting policies and guiding the global tourism agenda.
KILLARNEY
Continued influx of Haitians driven by local employers, says Georges
By JADE RUSSELL TribuneStaffReporter
jrussell@tribunemedia.net
IMMIGRATION rights activistLoubyGeorgessays thecontinuedinfluxofHaitiansenteringTheBahamas illegally is driven by local employers and developers whopersistinhiringthem.
Mr Georges, a private immigrationconsultant,said he believes there are more legal than illegal migrants in the country. He noted the widespread assumption that all Haitian migrants are undocumented, but acknowledged that many stillchoosetoenterillegally rather than follow proper immigrationprotocols.
Hemadethecommentsin responsetoquestionsabout public frustration over illegal migration during an interview on Beyond the Headlines with guest host Sancheska Brown on Wednesday.
Mr Georges described migration as being driven by both “push and pull” factors. He said many are fleeing dire conditions in Haiti, while being drawn to The Bahamas by the promiseofeconomicopportunity.
“Whyaretheynotsailing
towards Cuba? Why are they not sailing towards Jamaica? They are sailing, but not in the numbers that they’re coming this way, becauseofeconomicopportunities,” Mr Georges said, referringtoillegalmigrants.
“These people are economic migrants looking for jobs. The reality is, though, when they get here, most likely they are finding jobs. Theyarebeinghired.”
Haiti’s worsening conditions— marked by political instability, escalating gang violence, widespread poverty, and a lack of effective governance — have forced many of its citizens to seek betterlivesabroad.
The Davis administration’s Unregulated Communities Task Force hasrecentlyresumedefforts to demolish shanty towns, issuing 30-day eviction notices to residents. Media visits to these communities in the past have shown thattheyarepredominantly occupied by Haitians, some ofwhomarelegalresidents, undocumented migrants or Bahamiancitizens.
These areas are often considered health and safety hazards, lacking basic infrastructure such as
running water, electricity andsanitation.
Mr Georges was asked about the resistance from some residents to leave these unregulated communities. He suggested they would not be living thereiftheywerenotbeing hired by local developers and construction companies. While not excusing the issue, he acknowledged that many migrants are employed in construction acrosstheislands.
He cited Abaco as an example of how demand for labour increases economic migration. Before it was destroyed by Hurricane Dorian in 2019, The Mudd in Marsh Harbour was one of the largest Haitian shanty towns in The Bahamas.
Mr Georges said most of The Mudd’s residents were employed, though he couldnotconfirmtheirlegal status.
He reiterated that Haitian migrants could choose to flee to countries like the Dominican Republic, Cuba or Barbados, but many still selectTheBahamasasthey weigh their options in desperate search of economic relief.
Activist says Bahamas immigration laws remain strict and officers are
By JADE RUSSELL
DESPITE Free National Movement (FNM)
leader Michael Pintard’s claims that the immigration system has become broken and corrupt under the Davis administration, immigration rights activist Louby Georges insists the country’s immigration laws remainstrict.
Speaking on Beyond
with guest host Sancheska Brown on Wednesday, Mr Georges, a private immigration consultant, said he has personally witnessed the strength of the country’s immigration laws. He noted that, as a consultant, he has submitted applications on behalf of clients to the department, many of which were refused for variousreasons.
Mr Georges also praised thepersistenteffortsofthe
Immigration Department anditsenforcementunits.
“They’re interdicting. They’re arresting. They’re going into the restaurants where they suspect that migrants may frequent, the food stores or variety stores that they think that migrants may frequent,” Mr Georges said, referring toImmigrationunits.
He encouraged the public to observe immigration operations at Lynden Pindling International
50-year-old man told court he and teen boy were lovers
“lovers”.
Thedefendantwasheard saying he took care of the complainant, cooked for him, and looked after his well-being.
Airport (LPIA), noting that officers are actively denying entry to individuals and sending them to thedetentioncentre.
“With the resources and personnel that they have available. And what I have personally seen and continue to hear on the ground, they are doing theirjob,”hesaid.
He added that immigration officers carry out nationwide searches aroundtheclock.
‘doing their job’
In July, FNM leader Mr Pintard accused the Davis administration of enabling a “broken, politicised and corrupt” immigration system.Hepledgedthatan FNM government would overhaul immigration laws, tighten enforcement, and restore public trust through a national plan to secure The Bahamas’ borders. Mr Pintard claimed illegal immigration threatens national security and
public services, alleging— without evidence—that undocumented people are being issued official documents and that thousands of permit applications remainunresolved. However, Prime Minister Philip “Brave” Davis has since pushed back againstthecriticism,insisting The Bahamas is not facing an immigration crisis and highlighting his administration’s record of over15,000repatriations.
Newton said the complainant lived with him for a week and a half alongsidehiseight-year-oldson. He told officers the pair had done things before in the past, including kissing, and that the sex they had wasconsensual.
During her examination, she said she found an abrasion near the complainant’sanalarea.
After yesterday’s verdict, Newton was remanded to the Bahamas Department of Correctional Services (BDOCS). He will return to court on October 2 for the presentation of his probation report. GUILTY from page one
DrSheilaFerguson,who worked at the accident and emergency at PMH, duringthetimeoftheincident, testified she used a rape kit on the complainant the day after the allegedincident.
Foreign AFFAirs expressed ‘Full conFidence’ in oAs diplomAt neymour AFter corruption AllegAtions
By LYNAIRE MUNNINGS Tribune Staff Reporter
lmunnings@tribunemedia.net
THE Ministry of Foreign Affairs has expressed full confidence in Bahamian diplomat Chet Donovan Neymour after an international report claimed he is under investigation for corruption.
The statement came in response to an August 5 article by Centra News in Guatemala, which claims
Mr Neymour, Ambassador to the OAS, is reportedly under investigation for corruption and misuse of OAS funds. The article also includes corruption allegations against newly appointed Secretary General of the Organization of American States (OAS), Albert Ramdin and claims he and and Neymour are close allies. The report cites anonymous internal sources within the OAS.
Responding to the report yesterday, the minister said in a statement: “The Bahamas government wishes to assure the public, the staff of our various Embassies and Consulates, the International Organizations, and the community at large that we have the fullest confidence in Ambassador Chet Neymour and Secretary General of the Organization of American States (OAS) Albert Ramdin.”
the Headlines
IMMIGRATION rights activist Louby Georges.
Aranha: It makes up for the monetary loss and then some
during the burglary and is aimed at supporting the organisation’s recovery and continuedoperations.
BHS president Kim Aranha described the contributionasmeaningful.
“It’sabreathoffreshair.
It’sareasontosmileagain.
They were so quick on offering the donation. It’s just overwhelmingly kind. I cannot tell you how happy andtouchedIamthatthey reached out so quickly and it’s just wonderful,” she said.
Ms Aranha said while the donation offsets the immediate financial loss, the organisation now faces significant costs to increase security.
“Itcertainlymakesupfor
the monetary loss and then some. The law, you know, again, it’s hard to equate the loss, because it would make up for the loss, but it isn’t going to make up for all the things we have to putinplacetomakesureit doesn’thappenagain.”
AccordingtoMsAranha, two masked men entered the property at approximately1amonWednesday, bypassedapaddockofdogs without raising alarm, and broke into the administrative section of the main building.
No animals or people werehurtduringthebreakin, but “several thousand” dollarsincashwasstolen.
Videosandphotosshared with TheTribune showshattered glass, broken blinds, and scattered paperwork— evidence of the destruction
leftbehind Policehavenotmadeany arrests, but Chief Superintendent Sheria King said officers are pursuing active leads.
Addressing public criticism about the organisation’s handling of cash and storage practices, Ms Aranha said regular deposits pose safety risks, especially given recent violentincidents.
She emphasised that lawlessness is the bigger issue and called for the perpetrators to be caught andpunished.
“You know, people that keep saying that we should go and deposit money every day?,” she said. “Who are you going tosendout?Imean,somebody said this, people should take it home. Are
you nuts? And then have somebody waiting in the yard for you? There is no solution.There’stoomuch lawlessness, there’s your solution.Ihopetheycatch the guys, and I hope they spendalongtimeinjail.”
In a statement, Baha Mar Foundation chairman Robert Sands said the donation reflects the resort’scommitmenttothe community and the value of compassion—both for people and animals—in difficulttimes.
“The Bahamas Humane Society has been a lifeline for animals in need for over a century, and we are proud to support their recovery during this difficult time. It is our hope thatthiscontributionhelps them continue their vital workandinspiresothersto
People can make donationstotheBHSathttps:// www.bahamashumane.org/ donate/ • For
Russell and his girlfriend ‘planned to create their own bizarre utopia’
viaviolentoverthrow.”
Hesaidthatintheaftermath of the attacks, the couple planned to “create their own bizarre utopia populated by people who only look and think like theydo”.
MsClendaniel,whopreviouslypleadedguilty,was sentenced to 18 years in prison. Investigators said the two first met while incarcerated in separate facilities and later reconnected online, where they discussed their plans using
liquor
encrypted communication platforms. According to court filings, Ms Clendaniel had
expressed urgency in carrying out the plot due to her declining health and reportedly told a government informant that the plan would “permanently completely lay this city to waste”.
Russell did not speak during sentencing. He appearedincourtinprison attireanddisplayednovisibleemotion.
His attorney, Ian Goldstein, argued his client had no direct plans to travel to Maryland and said, “For MrRussell,everythingwas talk.” He also submitted
a letter from Russell’s mother, who noted his struggles after relocating to The Bahamas and described him as a young manfacingunresolvedpersonal challenges. He said hismotherbelievesRussell has been trying to fill the voidleftbyalargelyabsent father. In 2017, Russell was arrested in Tampa, Florida, after law enforcement discovered explosives and white supremacist materials in an apartment he shared with three other men, two of whom were founddead.
He later pleaded guilty to explosives charges and served five years in federal prison. He was released in 2021 and remained under supervised release at the timeofthelatestoffence.
The Tribune understands Russell has family members living in Grand Bahama and previously attended St Andrew’s School in eastern New Providence.
Several years ago, Russell co-founded the neo-Nazi group Atomwaffen Division, which is German for “atomic weapon”.
stores face new process for licensing focused on restricting proximity to schools and churches
By EARYEL BOWLEG Tribune Staff Reporter
LIQUOR stores will have to register through a newDepartmentofInland Revenue (DIR) online portal starting September 1 - with a renewed focus on ensuring such businesses are not close to schoolsandchurches. Registration is now mandatory nationwide and applies to both new and existing liquor businesses,withacertificateof registrationandabusiness licencerequired.
DIR acting director Shunda Strachan said applications are submitted via an online portal and the DIR is required to notify the public and conduct consultations as part of the process. The acting director said the consultation period for new businesses is approximatelytwoweeks.
The change comes through the insertion of Section 9A and the “Fifth Schedule” of the Business Licence Act, which outlines the registration requirements. Mrs Strachan warned that having a current licencedoesnotguarantee approvalforregistration.
She said: “The things that Inland Revenue is going to consider when we make the determination as to whether or not the registration certificate should be granted, we’re going to consider the concentration of liquor stores in the area that you’re trying to open the liquor storein.
“Of course, as I said before, proximity to schools and places of worship, the suitability of the premises and that’s a new thing. That’s something, while our sister agencies, Physical Planning and Ministry of Works, paid attention to the structure and the location, we now have this new thing calledthesuitabilityofthe premises.”
She said authorities are closelymonitoringtherise of drive-up or walk-up liquor services. She added whether a business must cease operations during theprocesswilldependon the specific circumstances outlinedintheact.
The DIR acting director explained numerous complaints about noise from liquor businesses near residential areas and will consider such issues during the registration process. Business owners will have the right to object to decisions or restrictionsimposed.
Mrs Strachan expressed concern over an “overwhelming amount” of liquorbusinessesinschool zones and near churches, admitting to being “stunned”bythefigures.
When asked if the process signals the start of a crackdown on drivethrough and takeout bars,shesaid:“That’show itsounds.”
Housing Minister Keith Bell announced in June that the government will amend the Business Licence Act to impose tighter regulations on the approval and location of liquor stores and bars — a problem flagged by the Urban Renewal Authority’sStreetLevelSurvey.
He said on one major commercial artery, there are 32 liquor establishments flanked by 73
Thiswasn’thisfirstrun-in with law enforcement. In 2017,policerespondedtoa 2017 double homicide at a Tampa apartment building and found Russell outside crying, dressed in military fatigues. One of his roommates had killed the other two,officialssaid.Duringa search of the house, police found a stash of highly explosive materials and a cache of neo-Nazi signs, posters, books and flags. Russell pleaded guilty to possession of an unregistered destructive device and improper storage of explosives.
abandonedbuildings.
The Department of Physical Planning issue a reminder in May stating that no commercial land use applications for liquor licences would be approvedwithinthespecified distance of protected sites.
Town Planning Committee chairman Keenan Johnson said that the policy is not new, but it had not been consistently applied due to limited publicawareness. It has been argued by sometheoversaturationof liquor businesses is due to a lack of enforcement and existing businesses may suffer because measures were not enforced by relevantagencies. Pressedonthisdilemma, Mrs Strachan answered:
“That’s a very good question — one not for me to answer. I’ll say this to you, the Department of Inland Revenue is reasonable. We’re reasonable in what we do. Let’s say, for instance, you already have aliquorestablishment,but we now deem your premises unsuitable, right? Your premises are not suitable, and so we’re not goingtoregisteryou.
“I don’t know what that’s going to look like. It probably will look like us, of course, going through a period of consultation. Can you amend your premises to make it suitable?
“But in any event, the DIR has strict guidelines to follow, which we will follow — we have no choice. Once we follow them,ifadecisionisgiven and it’s not a decision that the business owner can accept. There’s a whole processofappeal.”
Mrs Strachan said the department is finalising procedures and will begin publishing registration notices and seek public feedback by September, aiming to get ahead of the 2026registrationperiod.
The registration fee is $100 for liquor stores and $50 for other establishment such as bars and restaurants. For new businesses, registration must be completed 90 days before applying for a liquorlicence.
A DONATION of $7,500 was made through the Baha Mar Resort Foundation to the Bahamas Humane Society matching the amount of cash reportedly stolen during their recent burglary. dothesame,”hesaid.
more, see Kim
A MUGSHOT taken of Brandon Russell.
Abaconians frustrated by overflowing dumpsite
By KEILE CAMPBELL Tribune Staff Reporter kcampbell@tribunemedia.com
A long-neglected dump site in cherokee Sound, Abaco, is sparking growing frustration among residents who say piles of construction debris are now nearly spilling onto the highway.
Several residents who spoke to The Tribune yesterday said the issue has persisted for nearly 20 years, with no clear answers from either local or central government about who is responsibleforitsclean-up.
Photos shared with The Tribune show mounds of waste piled high, edging dangerously close to the roadside.
“local government says it’s not their responsibility, central government says it’s not their responsibility, the Ministry of Health says it’s not their responsibility. So whose responsibility it is?”
said one long-time resident, who asked not to be named.
“I said listen, all the other dumps... have been given to contract. Why don’t we do cherokeelikethat?”
Residents blame the worseningconditionsonincreased dumping linked to a nearby propertyexpansion. It is claimed subcontractors have been bringing multiple large dumpsters to the site, dumping landclearing and construction materials—despite the site
being designated for householdwasteonly.
Residents say they want immediate solutions and are recommending that the site be bulldozed regularly—at least two or three times a year—with costs covered by centralgovernment. they also believe private developers, especially those whose projects generate large volumes of waste, should contribute financially tothesite’smaintenance.
and South Abaco and current chief councillor for the Abaco cays, told The Tribune that while dump site oversight legally falls under local government, the core issue is the lack of proper fundingtomanageit.
“that would be the easiest thing,” said linda lowe, another resident, “just have itpushedbackquarterly,with thefundingcomingfromcentralgovernment.”
Jeremy Sweeting, the Free national Movement’s (FnM)candidateforcentral
“Waste management, garbage collection and site management does come under local government,” Mr Sweeting said. “But local government is not properly funded. central government — the PlP government — needs to provide more funding for local government so that they can properly manage these transfer stations, these waste managementsites.”
He said the situation in cherokee Sound reflects a
broader issue of uneven support across Family Island communities.
“onthecayswhereIserve, private businesses contribute becausethegovernmentonly covers household waste,” he said. “If you’re a commercial entity — like a resort or developer — you’re supposed to help contribute to the maintenance of these sites.”
He also noted that the lack of clear action has been especially frustrating for residents, who are also grappling with water shortages and inadequate medical services — issues he says reflect broader neglect by central government.
“these people need help,” MrSweetingsaid.
Man acquitted of charge of raping his 14-year-old grandniece
By PAVEL BAILEY Tribune Staff Reporter pbailey@tribunemedia.net
A JURY acquitted a man accused of raping his 14-year-old grandniece in courtyesterday.
the 59-year-old male, whose name is being withheld to protect the identity of the minor, appeared before Justice neil Braithwaite as his trial for two counts of unlawful sexual intercourseconcluded.
Prosecutors alleged he had unlawful sexual intercoursewiththeminortwice on their family property in May2021. the complainant reportedly told her mother of the alleged assault sometime in June but could only do so throughtext. the complainant’s mothertestifiedshenoticed her daughter had become withdrawn in a two-week span after the alleged incidents and had started to wearboysclothing.
the mother’s suspicion was further aroused when she noticed the defendant beingnicertothecomplainantandgivinghercash.She was also allegedly offered cashbythedefendant.
However, detective Inspector Jewel gray testified that during a
confrontation between the defendant and the complainant, the defendant denied having sex with the girl, saying he doesn’t rape women and claimed she washisniece.
He also denied allowing her into his home and alleged she fabricated the accusations because of her reputation with other men intheneighbourhood.
the defendant claimed he saw the complainant enter a house with a man and remain there for about 30 minutes on the day of one of the alleged assaults. He said he intended to report the incident to the complainant’s mother but alleged the girl got to her first.
He also reportedly described the complainant as “a hot one” and claimed shehadofferedherbodyto him.
lyle Moore, a friend of the defendant, testified the accused had a generous spirit and would often counselthecomplainant.
Justice Braithwaite highlighted an inconsistency in the complainant’s testimony, noting she initially said she visited the defendant’shousetwice,thenlater saidshewentthreetimes.
Marianne cadet representedtheaccused.
FNM candidate for Central and South Abaco, Jeremy Sweeting, stands next to the ‘long-neglected’ dump site located near Cherokee Sound in Abaco.
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Kudos to Baha Mar Foundation
TOOoften,thereissomuchnegative newstoreportthatitisabreathoffresh airtobeabletoreportsomethingundeniablypositive.
Well done to Baha Mar for stepping up to the plate and helping out the BahamasHumaneSociety.
The Baha Mar Foundation was as touchedasanyofuswhenhearingabout the utterly disgusting break-in at the societythisweek.
Criminals smashed open a window, forced their way into the property and made off with thousands of dollars in cash.
The Bahamas Humane Society is an undeniable positive force in The Bahamas. Its only purpose in existence is to make the lives of animals better and by extension those of the rest of us in society.Itseekstopreventsuffering,itseeks to ensure animals are not abandoned to roamaroundourstreets,anditseeksto find loving homes for those poor cats and dogs and sometimes other animals thatneedthem.
Who could possibly look at that organisation and think to themselves, you know what, I’m going to go and stealsomemoneyfromthem.
Yet that is what some scoundrels decided – in they went, took some money and off they go. We very sincerely hope that they will not go far beforethepolicetaketheminhand.
The aftermath of that left the society shortofmoneyandlookingatthedebris leftbytheintruders.
Step forward Baha Mar. The foundationdonatedenoughtocoverthemoney that was taken – and more than that, promised to give a helping hand with fixingthedamagethatwasdonetoo.
In today’s Weekend section, Bahamas Humane Society president Kim Aranha in her weekly column recounts thetraumaoftheweek–alongwiththe happyendingthankstoBahaMar. Itisnotoverthere.Thesocietywillbe looking at how it can improve security to ensure this does not happen again –andthatwillcostsomemoneytoo.
For all of those who felt outraged by criminals breaking into a charity and stealing from a group that only tries to help, perhaps this is a moment to dig into pockets to support. You can do so at the society’s website at https:// www.bahamashumane.org/donate/ - or perhaps you might make a more personal visit to the thrift shop there, open Wed-Fri from 11am-3pm and Saturdays 10am-2pm. Pick up a book. Pick up something for your home. Spend a few dollars. It all helps. Donations are also welcomedtothethriftstore.
All praise to the Baha Mar Foundation for making sure that criminals did not win. But perhaps the rest of us can help the society with the rest of the recovery.
To the Bahamas Humane Society, we applaud the work you do. Don’t let the criminalsputyouoff.
• A small note of amendment to yesterday’s editorial. We misspoke when saying that Shanendon Cartwright, the FNMdeputyleader,wassuspendedafter it was ruled that he misled Parliament and then refused to apologise. Rather, the ruling was that comments he made suggesting South and Central Andros MP Leon Lundy had misled Parliament wereunsupportedandunwarranted.Mr Cartwright certainly refused to apologise–butwecertainlydo.
Wake upthe truth isn’t bias
EDITOR, The Tribune.
I WRITE about the attack on the Fourth Estate, the deprivation of thinking, and the lack of a firestorm from the Third Estate on this issue. The recent accusations by the governing party of “media bias” are not just ironic—they are a dangerous distraction from a far greater betrayal of the public trust. For too long, the state-owned and publicly financed media have operated as a propaganda arm of the ruling elite, aggressively pushing a singular, self-serving narrative while dismissing facts as “bias.” This isn’t journalism; it is mind-poisoning masquerading as news.
The governing party demands apologies from an independent media for reporting uncomfortable truths, yet they have weaponized the state-controlled media to suppress dissent by framing opposition views as unpatriotic. They have flooded public discourse with uncritical praise of
leadership, sabotaging citizens’ ability to evaluate our nation’s trajectory through evidence and not spin.
This is not about bias. It isabouttruth. There are three perspectives in any democracy: the government’s view, the opposition’s view, and “the truth”. The media’s sacred duty is not to placate politicians, but to arm citizens with verifiable facts. When the state media exists solely to launder the image of those in power, it doesn’t serve democracy, it buries it. The result? Stunted progress, broken trust, and a nation stumbling blindly while leaders’ parade in imaginary robes ofcompetence.
The Bahamian public demands an apology—not from journalists, but from this administration. An apology to citizens for the continued weaponization of ZNS media to manipulate public opinion while vilifying truth-tellers as biased to evade accountabilityandprioritisingparty interests over national
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Pintard must wield political axe
EDITOR, The Tribune.
progress.
Bahamians must wake up from the “mind porn” of social media and stop scrolling past the decay, searching for temporary pleasures. When leaders parade naked of ideas, integrity, or solutions, we must “shout it.” We must continue to support our independent media and demand that ZNS Broadcasting be reformed or dismantled. We must refusetobegaslit.
The emperor was naked and it was time for the media to speak truth to power. If the Prime Minister has no clothes, the media must say so and the peoplemustinsistonit.
Enough is enough. The truth isn’t “bias”—it’s the lifeline democracy bleeds out without. To all independent media that practice real journalism without loyalty to a politicalparty,continuetoshout it. Citizen Concerned for Truth.
B AZZAN JOHNSON Freeport,GrandBahama August3,2025.
LIKE a skilled surgeon wielding a scalpel, opposition’s leader Michael Pintard, with pinpoint precision, is performing a long overdue political surgery on the Free National Movement (FNM). In political circles it is called purging, and is practiced by the leaders of organisations and heads of governments worldwide. Purging is the removal of persons or groups who might be perceived as threats or who are disloyal or disagreeable with the leadership of an organisation. It is a means of quelling revolts, while gaining and maintaining party control, and is not tobeconfusedwithstifling political dissent. Pintard is performing a soft purge, where persons are not kicked out of the party, but are denied a nomination or are asked to step asideintheupcominggeneralelections. According to news reports,formerprimeminister Dr Hubert Minnis was asked to stand down and accept an elder statesman role within the party, but he turned down the request. And of course there are others who are being gently nudged aside. In the Bahamian vernacular we often say “get rid of the trouble makers or loose cannons, and keep them at arm’s length”. There are persons within the (FNM) who are alive with mischief. These are agents of chaos and division who refused to abide
by the decisions made by the party’s leadership because of narrow personal interests or selfishness. As a side note; when Abraham Lincoln became president of the United States (US), he pulled all of his opponents and detractors into his cabinet in an attempt to quiet them. We do not practicethatbrandofpolitics in the Bahamas. Our political opponents and detractors usually end up on the political scrap pile where more often than not, they die an untimely political death- but I digress. Some crew members who became aware of the purge jumped the (FNM’S)ship;otherscried “foul”, and others still, whose support for Pintard is barely lukewarm, or who were caught with their hands in the proverbial sand are asking “well what did I do?” This is a bold move by Pintard in an attempt to calm the political waters within the party because selfishness, anger, and bitterness, have erupted to the surface more so in recent times. What we are witnessing in the party is controversy wrapped in chaos, and Pintard is intent on uniting the various factions within the party into a formidable force in time for the next general elections. Pintard knows fully
well that there are persons within the upper echelons of the party who are working overtime in an attempt to derail his leadership. These are persons who bathe in the politics of resentment and deceit. He also knows that the (FNM’s)shipwouldnotbe steadied until and unless he succeeds in bending the curve of events in his favour. Simply put, he must root out the mischief makers and put his personal brand on the party. Some of Pintard’s critics and detractors are crying “foul” and are asking “whether the end justifies the means”, while the silent majority of party faithfuls seem to be cheeringhimon. Being perceived as inclusive and as a consensus builder, with an open tent policy, is always good for politics; but there are times when one has to weigh the odds and do what has to be done. Pintard does not need me to advise him; but I only wish to say that longevity in politics requires some degree of ruthlessness, as demonstrated by one or two of our former prime ministers. And Pintard must be prepared to wield the political axe whennecessaryinorderto keep those with runaway ambitions in check, and if he hopes to remain the master of his own political house.
ZEPHANIAH BURROWS Nassau, August4,2025.
TWO of one man’s best friends, Zara(left) and Armani.
Photo: Gregory Hall
Pintard: PM trying to create hype on surplus, but country is challenged
member for east Grand Bahama that he continues to repeat. We are not denying it’s a deficit. We’re not denying it. There was a deficit,” said MrDavis.
However, as previously reported by The Tribune, Mr Davis, while presenting the 2025-2026 Budget in May, praised April’s revenue performance and projected a $135.4m surplus.
TheMinistryofFinance has since confirmed that April ended with a $2.1m deficit—asignificantdiscrepancy. officials later explained that the initial figure was based on preliminary estimates and was revised during the standard Treasury reconciliationprocess.
In a live Facebook post, Mr Pintard questioned the prime minister’s credibility, particularly regarding his budget pronouncements.
“The prime minister
By PAVEL BAILEY Tribune Staff Reporter pbailey@tribunemedia.net
AS the criminal trial of Long Island MP Adrian Gibsonandotherscontinued yesterday, an auditor at the Water and Sewerage Corporation (WSC) testified that the records for a water tank painting project were “badly” done.
Dian Saunders-Adderley, WSC’s assistant general manager, made the comments during cross-examination by defence attorney Damian GomezKC.
Mrs Adderley said the objectiveofherinvestigation was to see if projects were properly approved and managed. She also assessed if the benefits outweighedthecosts.
She further said her audit investigated vendors with payments in excessof$500,000.
She said a project that totalled $603,000 was badly managed, accordingtoherreport.Shealso admitted to raising her eyebrow at the corporation’s water tank painting project.
Mrs Adderley claimed that the records for the million dollar projects weredone“badly”.
She was also critical of boardminutes.
Mrs Adderley said she went to the Baillou Hill Project and saw work and paintingwasbeingdone.
She told Mr Gomez the project had to be
continues to tell untruths to the Bahamian people,” he said. “Either he does not have proper recollection of the facts when he says them at first, or he is
approved for payment changes.
Mr Gomez noted a job jacket spoke to a phase oneofpaintingonetank.
He pointed out that the words “Winton” and “Baillou Hill Low Level” were crossed out in this document.
While she acknowledged he was correct, Mrs Adderley argued the price had not been crossedout.
She disagreed the remaining tanks had not been painted, but agreed the project referred to two tanks at Winton and threeatBaillouHill.
Mrs Adderley agreed the creation of the job jacket was the responsibility of the engineering department.
Adrian Gibson, former executive chairman of WSC, has been on trial since November 2023 alongside Mr Donaldson Jr, former general manager, Joan Knowles, Peaches Farquharson, and Jerome Missick. The charges relate to contracts awarded during Gibson’stenure.
The defence team includes Mr Gomez, Murrio Ducille KC, Geoffrey Farquharson, Raphael Moxey, Ian Cargill, Ryan Eve, and Bryan Bastian.
Meanwhile, representing the Crown are Director of Public Prosecutions Cordell Frazier, Cashena Thompson, Karine MacVean, and RashiedEdgecombe.
By PAVEL BAILEY Tribune Staff Reporter
A 35-yEAR-oLD man was granted bail yesterday after he allegedly assaulted and wounded someone with his truck in the Berry Islandslastweek.
Huberto Miller was arraigned before Chief Magistrate Roberto Reckley on charges of assault with a dangerous instrumentandwounding.
He is accused of using hisHyundaiPortertruckto assault Randy Colebrooke onAugust2atJohnWinder Causeway in the Berry
Islands. During the incident, Colebrooke was also allegedlywounded. Miller pleaded not guilty after electing to have his matter heard in the Magistrate’sCourt. He was granted $5,000 bail with one or two sureties. As part of his bail conditions, Miller was warned not to interfere withthecomplainantorany witnesses.Hemustalsosign in at his nearest police stationeveryFridayby6pm.
The case was adjourned to November 17 for mention. Inspector Deon Barr servedastheprosecutor.
intentionally misleading us.”
The opposition leader also questioned how the government could go from projecting a $135m
surplus to ending with a deficit, calling the confusion both “embarrassing” and“dangerous.”
“Again, it is because the Prime Minister is
intentionally trying to create hype around how well they are doing, when in fact we are challenged as a country. And when the facts come out, the facts show we are not doing as well as he projectedwewoulddo.”
Mr Pintard further criticised Mr Davis for attacking the media and opposition whenever he is challenged on discrepanciesorinaccuracies.
He argued that the country’s situation is not as the prime minister portrays it, pointing to ongoing shortages in public hospitals and clinics, unpaid vendors, and the suspension of critical medicalservices.
“If you have a surplus, how is it that the hospitalandclinicareina‘pop down’ state? If you have all this money, why are localcontractorsinGrand Bahama in the small homes repair programme not being taken care of?” heasked.
When pressed about the prime minister’s
discrepancies yesterday, officeofthePrimeMinisterpresssecretaryKeishla Adderley declined to comment directly, instead emphasising that the administration has been focused on lowering the country’s deficit and improvingtheeconomy.
Shesaid:“Iwillnotadd to what the prime minister has said or to take away from anything that hehassaid.“
Mr Pintard, meanwhile, said Bahamians deserve a government that is honest about the challenges facing the country, not one that paints “a rosy picture” to win re-election.
“The words of a prime minister must be precise, credible and based in facts. When they aren’t, the consequences are serious,” he said in a statement. “And let me say this plainly: this wasn’t an isolated incident. This is part of a pattern of financial recklessness, public statementsanddishonesty.”
FNM LEADER MICHAEL PINTARD
Opportunities come with new challenges
Ihavesaiditsomany timesbefore,“eleutherais booming”. New developments are rising, tourism is thriving, and opportunities are growing across the island. But beneath that surface growth lies a deeperchallenge,onethat threatenstheveryfoundation of our communities andlocaleconomy.
Just last week, I spoke with two business owners. One in the north and the other in the south of eleuthera. Both had built successful, respected businesses in their communities, one in hospitality and the other in construction. Both were deeply passionate about their work and committed to the communities they call home, and both had recently made the difficult decision to close their doors. Not because demand had dried up. Not because they lacked drive,passion,orvision.In fact, their businesses were thriving; they just could not find enough consistent and reliable support to keep things running.
The challenge wasn’t a lackofopportunity;itwas the growing difficulty of finding the right people to sustain and scale their operations. They shared a similar frustrationandstatements: Business is growing, opportunitiesexist,butwe just can’t find the people to keep going at it anymore.Thatrealisationwas sobering and made me thinkabouttherealityand evolutionofeleutheraand all of our family islands.
Because while eleuthera is experiencing a boom, beneath the surface, there is a growing strain on the people and systems meant to power that growth. These challenges aren’t unique to any one business or sector, but they are being felt across the island. even among older generations who have built their lives and livelihoods here, the question looms: Whowillcarryitforward?
The lack of succession planning and workforce readiness threatens the very future of our locally rootedenterprises.
The talent and housing crisis behind the boom
There is no doubt that eleutheraisonthemove.
From new hotels and
By
Keyron Smith
restaurants, farms, and construction projects, the signs of economic momentum are everywhere. But growth on paper means little if businesses can’t find the talent to meet demands, or if that talent can’t find aplacetolive. every day across eleuthera, restaurants reduce their operational hours because they can’t staff the kitchen or dining room. Contractors turn down projects because they don’t have enough skilled tradesmen. Schools, businesses and resorts struggle to fill vacancies because housing is limited or too expensive. Local entrepreneurs, people deeply rooted in their communities, are walking away from opportunities because they struggle to find or retain the support theyneed.
This isn’t just an inconvenience; it is a reality check for all of us. It is not an isolated experience, but something that is happening island-wide andacrossthecountry. Why Family Islands feel it more
On a family island like eleuthera, the effects are intensified.Wedon’thave a large pool of people to draw from. every skilled worker counts, and every small business matters. When two unrelated entrepreneurs, fromoppositeendsofthe
island, make the same decision to shut down because they can’t find staff, it is more than a coincidence.Itisasignal, and one that we cannot affordtotreatasbusiness asusual.
The housing strain that’s choking progress even when willing workers apply, the housing challenge presents a dealbreaker. affordable rental options are extremely limited, and propertypricesarerising. Many skilled professionals, young families, and working individuals are being forced to leave the island, or are unable to accept jobs in different settlements, simply because there isn’t availablehousing. and this is not just affecting individuals. Small and medium-sized businesses that cannot provide housing options find themselves unable to recruitorretaintalent,no matter how competitive the offer. This bottleneck is slowing down progress across the board, from hospitality and agriculture to healthcare and education and unless addressed, it threatens to halt eleuthera’s growth altogether.
This is not an unsolvable problem, but also not an overnight fix. It requires urgency, investment, and coordination acrosssectors.
1. Scale up training and soft-skills development
We must invest in the development of our people—especially our young people—through education and training in key areas like construction trades, tourism, agriculture, and entrepreneurship. Institutions like the Centre for Training and Innovation (CTI) are already playing a vital role, but more support and partners are needed to meet the growingdemand. equally important is the focus on soft skills: communication, conflict resolution, reliability, customer service, and leadership. In many cases,itisthesesoftskills that determine whether or not someone can truly thrive in the workplace. even with technical expertise, a lack of soft skills can prevent individuals from sustaining long-term success on the job.
2. Tackle housing head-on
We need innovative, accessible housing solutions such as workforce rental units, duplexes, mixed-income developments, and rent-to-own models. These should be developed near economichubsandsupported by government incentives and private sector partnerships. Perhaps we should also consider how banks can reduce barriers to facilitate the development of more housingopportunities.
3. Support local businesses
We must rethink our approach to supporting local businesses. This means offering targeted grants, relief, and technical assistance to entrepreneurs grappling with hiring and retention challenges. at the same time, local entrepreneurs must be willing to engageintraining,takeon responsibility, and meet the necessary requirementsforaccessinggrants, loans,andreporting.
We should also recognise and uplift those who are investing in training andupskillingtheirteams. These are the businesses thataretryingtodothings right—andtheyneedour help to stay open, stay resilient,andgrow.
4. Make growth inclusive
Success isn’t just about what is being built. It is also about who benefits. We must ensure that economic development includes meaningful
opportunities for local residents, from students to professionals returning home. The frustration and fatigue I heard last week from those two business owners is not rare; it is a growing issue, and unless we respond boldly, we will lose more than just businesses. We will lose opportunities, talent, and the chance to shape eleuthera’s future on our terms. We can’t let the boom be one-sided. We can’t build an economy thatleavespeoplebehind. This is our moment to invest in our people, to fix the systems that are faltering, and to ensure that eleuthera’s rise, and the rise of all Family Islands, is sustainable, inclusive, and resilient. Some may feel that it is already too late, but it is not. We must act now by coming together to create more housing solutions andinterventionsthatcan keep pace with the growing demands of progress anddevelopment.
• Keyron Smith is the president and chief executive officer at the One Eleuthera Foundation and Centre for Training and Innovation. Established in 2012, the One Eleuthera Foundation (OEF) is a non-profit organisation located in Rock Sound, Eleuthera. For more information, visit www. oneeleuthera.org or email info@oneeleuthera. org. The Centre for Train- ing and Innovation (CTI) is the first and only postsecondary, non-profit education and training institutionandsocialenterprise on Eleuthera. CTI operatesastudenttraining campus in Rock Sound, Eleuthera, with a 16-room training hotel, restaurant and farm. For more information about CTI’s programmes email: info@ oneeleuthera.org
KEYRON SMITH - President and CEO of One Eleuthera Foundation and CTI of One Eleuthera Foundation
PRIME Minister Philip ‘Brave’ Davis first to break ground as he stands with Housing Minister Jobeth Coleby-Davis, Central and South Eleuthera MP Clay Sweeting, Senator and Attorney General Ryan Pinder and other ministry officials at the site of the new Ocean Hole Subdivision in Rock Sound, South Eleuthera.
Photo: Elizabeth Bryan
KITCHEN building under construction in Eleuthera.
Photo: Steel Bahamas
GROUNDBREAKING of the Ritz-Carlton Reserve.
Photo: Marriott
Six seconds is all it takes
Six seconds. That’s all it takes for stress to leap from being an emotional response to something you feel you cannot manage or control to becoming an enemy of your body. Six seconds – less time than it took you to read that sentence. in those fleeting seconds, the stress factor has silently taken over your cells, subsumed you inwaysthat,ifyoustopped to think about it, would only stress you more. it has evolved from a buildup of tension or a feeling of being overcome, overwhelmed, over-anythinged except what you want to be to being a slow, creeping, marauding predator and you are its innocent prey. Mind you, not all stress is bad. There are volumes of material about how good stress can prompt you to act quickly, react to a trigger, make a flightor-fight decision, move at a speed you did not know you could, utter words of wisdom you did not know youpossessed.
But long-term, chronic stress is a killer. Those same powerful fight-orflight reactions push you into overdrive, clenched fists at the ready, teeth at thereadytogrind.Chronic stress dresses you in a hard shell, as if you were wrapped in metal, your body stiffened and ready for a fight, your mind on highalert. With chronic stress, instead of an occasional dose of hormones like cortisol, you are producing constant shots of it, pumping and interfering with the functioning of your hippocampus, the area of your brain where memories are stored and retrieved. And you need those memories. You use them without realizing their importance every time you make a decision. Stress impacts not just the gray matter we think is important but the white matter that fills up the rest ofthespace. Friend or Foe Friend or foe, stress is part of our lives. We live in a world where we are forced to make decisions every minute. Will we get it right or wrong? Will we meet our financial obligations that never seem to be satisfied or our children’s demands and needs that deserve our attention? Will we complete our work on time, keep up the housework, make a healthy or tasty dinner?
Thesmallestmistakewhile wearepreparing,fiveminutes too long in the oven ontoohighaheat,andthe chicken is overcooked and dry. it is so hard to get it right all the time, yet we never stop worrying that wearegettingitwrong. it’s no wonder we are stressed. No wonder our bodies are telling us in a hundred ways to stop it. No wonder our bodies react with all the symptoms they can throw at us – headaches, high blood pressure, depression, systemic inflammation, irritable bowel syndrome, shortness of breath or rapid breathing. No wonder our central nervous and endocrinal systems punish us. We’ve been punishing them for too long, shoving all this stress at our bodies, our cells, our physical being whenweassumedallalong that it was a mental thing, something we were doing toourheadandminds.
Or at least i never really stopped to think about what stress was doing to the part of me that doesn’t show up in a mirror, the inside, until i read the six
By Diane Phillips
second comment in a book byMelRobbins.Thebook is called The Let Them Theory and it was a gift from my older daughter who was trying very hard to tell me something, bless herheart. if you don’t know who Mel Robbins is, you might want to meet her. She’s pretty amazing and very accessible. Her podcasts in 194 countries educate, inform and tickle your laugh button all at once. She’s a best-selling author, an in-high-demand speaker and yet a woman in many ways who every woman can identify with, the Erma Bombeck of relatable people for the 21st Century. Brilliant, down-to-earth, imperfect, a woman who threatened tobarhermotherfromher wedding because she did not approve of her choice of husband. They’ve been
married for decades now and Mom is his greatest fan. She’s a mother who confesses to juggling between spoiling her children because it was easier than reasoning with them and screaming at them (before she started listening to her own advice). in other words, she’s just like us, putting the part about a huge success story aside for a moment. Flawed and stressed. But unlike most of us, she decided to learn about it and how to handle it without using the same old prescription that everyone else says in endless best-selling epochs of guidebooks on how to beat stress. From massage to meditation, essential oils to cool cloths and hot yoga, experts tells us a hundred ways we can beat stress. Every time i hear or read those words,
irevoltandmystresslevel increases. What do you mean, beat stress? Find a broom and slap stress around until it whimpers and wanes, and you win. it fades.Youmoveon. StreSS changeS your cellS
Only you don’t move on. Stress is not something that happens and goes away. it clings. it changes your cells, making them age faster. it adds to the wrinkles (the really bad news for us women over 40 already stressing about how many wrinkles we saw staring back at us as we brushed our teeth this morning and glanced at the glass thing above the sink that we once thought was a good idea to place there).
it’s hard to say how much of our stress is relatedtoworkasopposed to what happens in those hours when we are not on the job. But studies have shown that more than half of all workers worldwide arelookingforanotherjob or actively watching for job openings and opportunities. That gives us some sort of idea. Nor do we know how much our dash to be the best and get to the front of the line even in a job we enjoy does to our stress level. The smile on our face in meetings can belie the turmoil in our minds. We just never
think about how something that feels so mental manages to work its way into our cells, causing themtoageprematurely.
Given that Robbins traipses across the globe never failing to win over a crowd while maintaining a solid marriage, motherhood, community engagement, answering to a demanding business and business partner and writes books and podcasts in the 25th hour of every day, she knows a thing or twoaboutstress.
Actually, she probably knows as much about stress as anyone ever needstoknowsowhenshe sayssixsecondsfrommind to changes in the cellular structure of your body, i sit up and listen. i am not trying to beat stress with a broom. i am going to follow her advice and let it roll off my shoulders little by little by letting go, little by little by little by little. if my husband, who is semi-retired, wants to stay in bed for an extra hour when i leave for work, i will be okay with that. i am only responsible for where i am going inthathour,notwhatheis doing. if someone neglects to invite me to an event or the launch of a new product, i will not take it personally. They have a life and i probably would nothavegoneanyway.ido not need to worry about
everythingaroundme,just what i can manage at that timeandthetimeiwishto accountfor.
This is not a matter of ducking responsibility, but accepting responsibility for yourself instead of yourself and the world around you. You can’t tell a child to calm down and expect that they will because you said so. But you can stoop down to their level and explain carefully to them why they cannot have that Lego set they wanted you to buy before they threw a tantrumandthrewthemselves on the floor of the store and you almost bought the Lego to save the embarrassment of a spoiled child acting out. Let them scream. Let you do what you need to do, which is to handle the situation like the adult and parent you are and if they fail to listen to your reasoning about why they cannot have the Lego set, so be it. You have tried. Chances are, they will calm down without your having to use those words and a situation that could have been immensely stressful, aging those cells once again, is ameliorated.
You cannot beat the stress out of life. Stressors will always be there. But you can decide to shed it by “letting them”. Thank you, Mel Robbins. i’ll give itatry.
Funeral Service for
Death Notice For
Patrick Eugene Rahming, 56
of#4Pratt’sLaneoff Mackey Street, New Providence, Bahamas died on Monday, 14th July, 2025 at the Princess Margaret Hospital. He is survived by his granddaughter: Nyria Thurston-Rahming; siblings: James, Carolyn and Barbara Rahming, Minister Idella (Wilbert Sr.) Bennett and Yevette Weech, Tyrone “Acre” Strachan and Dorothy Johnson; and a host of other relatives and friends including: Cesserine Whyte.
Funeral arrangements will be announced at a later date.
Leon “Leo” Dwight Ferguson Sr., 72
a resident of #12 Egret St., Nassau East Estates, will be held at St. Agnes Anglican Church, Baillou Hill Road, on Wednesday, 13 August, 2025 at 10:30 a.m. Officiating will be The Venerable Archdeacon Keith Cartwright, assisted by Fr. Howard Bethel. Cremation follows
Leo was predeceased by his parents Amos James Ferguson Sr. and Elizabeth Rose Ferguson, his brother Glenroy and Wenzel Ferguson and his loving wife Judy Patricia Ferguson.
His legacy lives on in his, children: Christa Ferguson-Munroe (William), Nikkita Rahming, Vanessa Huyler and Leo Jr.; Adopted sons: Chad Rolle, Warren Wilson and Pastor Nathaniel Rolle; Grandchildren: Taneisha, Takera and Tamia Munroe, Evelyn, Justice and Sunsett Knowles; Great Grandchildren: Janiyah and Kaiden; Brothers: Amos Jr, Wayde, and Alfred (Bernice) Ferguson; Sisters: Sandra (Beauregard) Kelly, Jestina Ferguson and Sheila Brown; Uncles: Weston (Eliane), H.E. Lowell and Philip (Linda) Mortimer and Edward Williams; Aunts: Anne (Tracy) Whitehead and Delores Mortimer; Sisters-in-law: Patricia and Sandra Ferguson; Brother-in-law: Alphaeus (Teresita) Forbes; Nephews: Kevin, Marvin (Indira) and Ricardo Ferguson, Kelson (Beverley) Deleveaux, La’Vaughn and Alfred Ferguson Jr., Ryan and Ryan and Rashaan Forbes and Tamar Poitier; Nieces: Shonette Ferguson, Raquel Carrol, Antonia (Andrew) Miller, Tamara (Arien) Rolle, La’Shanta Smith, Audra Gibson, Wendia and Evol Ferguson, Nashetta Evans, Katiemae Ferguson, Shacara Ferguson-Dames, Wenzena and Nicole Ferguson, Taisha (Deniro) Lloyd, Alyssa, Takeisha and Faleesha Forbes. Numerous Grand Nieces and Nephews including but not limited to: Kevaughn, Kourtni, Sahara and Summah Ferguson, Ardyn and Araya Rolle, Layla and Jaya Smith and Ro’Vari Armbrister. Cousins including Laurence, Julius, Brenneth and Berkley Chisholm and families, Nancy Mejias, Jackie and Garth Bethel, Stephanie & Esther Joy Sargent, Julie Wilson, Rev. Edna Lopez, Francita and Lofton Neely, Dianna and Coleman Andrews, Dedrie and Bursil Woods, Delora Moncur, Dr. Dellareece Woods-Isaacs, Roy Ellis, Derek Gilbert, Pam (Capt. Wolf) Palacious-Seyfert, Dr. Terika Chisholm-Smith, Cheryl, Rosemarie and Marina, Deveaux, Patrick, Celeste, Karen and Neil Williams, Cornel (Beverley), Lester Jr. (Paulette) Denise & Kendall (Sonia) Mortimer, Cheryl Neely, Gina Mortimer-Storr, Ulric, Sean, Dwayne & Ronnie, Capt. Sylvester (Andrea) Rollins, Maxine Rollins and Debra Pinder, the children of the late Lillian Audley Humes, Averil, Kenneth. and Claire Mortimer, Olivia Saunders, Ulrica Missick, Ivis Zonicle-Segura, Eden and Charles Zonicle, Tracy & Terry Whitehead. Extended Family: Isadell Ferguson-Howells, Cora, Mallory, Wellington Ferguson and Sterling Humes. Numerous friends including Hon. Leslie Miller, Eric Maynard (his little brother), Edward and Yvette Lockhart, Evelyn Rolle, Brian Hassan, John Forbes and Brendan Foulkes, The Venerable Archdeacon Keith Cartwright, Rev. Father Howard Bethel, The Pastoral Care Team, Ken O’Brien, Addington Godet The office staff, Ms. Clarke and the entire membership of St. Agnes Church, Rev. Father Scott Brennen and the members of St. Ambrose Church, Evanette McPhee Cheryl Bethell, Mark, Elvis & Glenroy Cartwright. Marco Rolle, Freeman Deveaux and Anthony Greene.
Friends may pay their last respects at Demeritte’s Funeral Home, Market Street, from 11-5:00 p.m. on Tuesday & on Wednesday at the church from 9:30 a.m. until service time
Netanyahu says Israel plans to take over all of Gaza in bid to destroy Hamas
TEL AVIV
Associated Press
Prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu said
Thursday that to destroy Hamas israel intends to takefullcontroloftheGaza Strip and eventually transfer its administration to friendly Arab forces, as the Security Cabinet discussed a widening of its 22-month offensive.
expanding military operations in Gaza would put the lives of countless Palestinians and the roughly 20 remaining israeli hostages at risk while further isolating israel internationally. israel already controls aroundthreequartersofthe devastatedterritory.
Families of hostages held in Gaza fear an escalation could doom their loved ones, and some protested outside the Security Cabinet meeting in Jerusalem. Former top israeli security officials have also come out against the plan, warning of aquagmirewithlittleadded militarybenefit.
An israeli official had earlier said the Security Cabinet would discuss plans to conquer all or parts of Gaza not yet under israeli control. The official, speaking on condition of anonymity pending a formal decision, said that whateverisapprovedwould be implemented gradually to increase pressure on Hamas.
israel’s air and ground war has killed tens of thousands of people in Gaza, displaced most of the population, destroyed vast areas and caused severe and widespread hunger. Palestinians are braced for furthermisery.
“There is nothing left to occupy,” said maysaa al-Heila, who is living in a displacement camp. “There isnoGazaleft.”
At least 42 Palestinians were killed in israeli airstrikes and shootings across southernGazaonThursday, accordingtolocalhospitals.
A new escalation could deepen Israel’s isolation
Asked in an interview withFoxNewsaheadofthe
Security Cabinet meeting if israel would “take control of all of Gaza,” Netanyahu replied: “We intend to, in order to assure our security, remove Hamas there, enable the population to be freeofGaza.”
“We don’t want to keep it. We want to have a security perimeter,” Netanyahu said in the interview. “We want to hand it over to Arab forces that will govern it properly without threatening us and giving Gazansagoodlife.”
The Security Cabinet, which would need to approve such a decision, began meeting Thursday evening, according to israeli media, and it was expected to stretch into the night. israel’s military chief of staff, Lt. Gen. eyal Zamir, warned against occupying Gaza, saying it would endanger the hostages and put further strain on the military after nearly two years of war, according to israelimediareports.
Hamas-led militants abducted 251 people and killed around 1,200 in the Oct. 7, 2023, attack that triggered the war. most of the hostages have been released in ceasefires or other deals but 50 remain inside Gaza, around 20 of them believed by israel to bealive.
Almost two dozen relatives of hostages set sail from southern israel towards the maritime border with Gaza on Thursday, where they broadcast messages from loudspeakers.
Yehuda Cohen, the fatherofNimrodCohen,an israeli soldier held in Gaza, saidfromtheboatthatNetanyahu is prolonging the war to satisfy extremists in his governing coalition. Netanyahu’s far-right allies want to escalate the war, relocate most of Gaza’s population to other countries and reestablish Jewish settlements that were dismantledin2005.
“Netanyahu is working only for himself,” Cohen said.
Palestinians killed and wounded as they seek food
israel’s military offensive haskilledover61,000Palestinians, according to Gaza’s Health ministry, which does not say how many were fighters or civilians. The ministry is part of the Hamas-rungovernmentand staffed by medical professionals who keep and share detailedrecords.
The United Nations and independent experts view the ministry’s figures as the most reliable estimate of casualties. israel has disputedthemwithoutoffering atollofitsown.
Ofthe42peoplekilledon Thursday, at least 13 were seeking aid in an israeli military zone in southern Gaza where UN aid convoys are regularly overwhelmed by looters and desperate crowds. Another two were killed on roads leading to nearby sites run by the israeli-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, an American contractor, according to Nasser Hospital, which received the bodies.
GHF said there were no violent incidents at or near its sites on Thursday. There was no immediate comment from the israeli military. The military zone, known as the morag Corridor, is off limits to independent media.
Hundreds of people have been killed in recent weeks while heading to GHF sites and in chaotic scenes around UN convoys, most of which are overwhelmed by looters and crowds of hungry people. The UN human rights office, witnesses and health officials
say israeli forces have regularly opened fire toward the crowds going back to may, when israel lifted a complete21/2monthblockade. The military says it has only fired warning shots when crowds approach its forces. GHF says its armed contractors have only used pepper spray or fired into theaironsomeoccasionsto preventdeadlystampedes. Israel and GHF face mounting criticism
DoctorsWithoutBorders, a medical charity known by its French acronym mSF, published a blistering report denouncing the GHF distribution system. “This is not aid.itisorchestratedkilling, “itsaid.
mSF runs two health centres very close to GHF sites in southern Gaza and said it had treated 1,380 people injured near the sites between June 7 and July 20, including 28 people whoweredeaduponarrival. Of those, at least 147 had suffered gunshot wounds — including at least 41 children.
mSF said hundreds more suffered physical assault injuries from chaotic scrambles for food at the sites, including head injuries, suffocation, and multiple patients with severely aggravated eyes after being sprayed at close range with pepper spray. it said the casesitsawwereonlyafraction of the overall casualties connected to GHF sites; a nearby red Cross field hospital has independently reported receiving thousands of people wounded by gunshotsastheysoughtaid.
“The level of mismanagement, chaos and violence at GHF distribution sites amounts to either reckless negligence or a deliberately designed death trap,” the reportsaid.
GHFsaidthe“accusations are both false and disgraceful” and accused mSF of “amplifyingadisinformation campaign” orchestrated by Hamas.
The US and israel helped setuptheGHFsystemasan alternative to the UN-run aid delivery system that has sustained Gaza for decades, accusing Hamas of siphoning off assistance. The UN denies any mass diversion by Hamas. it accuses GHF offorcingPalestinianstorisk theirlivestogetfoodandsay it advances israel’s plans for furthermassdisplacement.
A new leAdership Appointed in hAiti As gAngs threAten to overthrow the government
PORT-AU-PRINCE Associated Press
A WeALTHY businessman on Thursday became the head of Haiti’s transitional presidential council tasked with restoring order in the troubled country as a top gang leader underscored the challenges facing the nation by vowing to overthrowthegovernment.
Laurent Saint-Cyr’s appointment at the council’s heavily guarded office in the capital, Port-au-Prince, wherecriminalgangscontrol 90% of the neighbourhoods, marked the first time that members of Haiti’s private sector serve in both the rotating presidency and the post of prime minister, two positions that share the country’sexecutiveduties.
Saint-Cyr had his start at a local insurance company while Haiti’s current prime ministeroncerananinternet firm.
“Our country is going through one of the greatest crisesinallitshistory,”SaintCyr said as he was sworn in. “it’s not the time for beautifulspeeches.it’stimetoact.”
Hours earlier, a powerful gangfederationthathaslong denounced Haiti’s oligarchs threatened to overthrow the government, and gunfire erupted in parts of the capital.
inavideopostedonsocial media, Viv Ansanm gang leader Jimmy Chérizier — betterknownas“Barbecue” —warnsresidentstogivehis armed group free passage through neighbourhoods to reachthecouncil’soffice.
“PeopleofHaiti,takecare of yourselves and help us … inthebattletofreethecountry,” Chérizier says, wearing a bulletproof vest and with an automatic rifle slung aroundhisshoulder.
A UN-backed mission led by Kenyan police said in a statement that officers thwarted potential attacks by around-the-clock patrols and by boosting the number of armed forces in certain neighbourhoods and around criticalinfrastructure.
“Armedgangshadplotted to disrupt national stability and render the country ungovernable,”itsaid.
Saint-Cyr thanked all national and international actors who have helped Haiti, as well as the private sector, which he called the engineofthecountry’seconomy. He noted that while he’s from the private sector, he would serve all people equally.
Saint-Cyr previously served as president of the AmericanChamberofCommerce in Haiti and of the country’s Chamber of Commerce and industry. He’ll be working with Prime minister Alix Didier Fils-Aimé, a one-time president of an internet company in Haiti and also a former president of the country’s Chamber of Commerceandindustry.
Saint-Cyr said security was a priority. He called on the armed forces to intensify their operations and on international partners to send more soldiers, offer moretrainingandhelpboost a mission lacking resources andpersonnel.
“We must restore state authority,” he said. “The challenges we face are certainly linked to insecurity, but they also are the result of our lack of courage, a lack of vision and our irresponsibility.”
He questioned what was preventing the government from offering services Haitians deserve, including health and education. “mister prime minister, assume your responsibilities!”hesaid. meanwhile, 58 organizations from countries that include the United States in a letter to Saint-Cyr accused the council of violating its legal obligations to Haiti’s womenandgirls.
“Collective rape is endemic,” they said, noting that sexual violence has surged as gangs persist in their rampage. The organizations also accused Haiti’s government of being “completely absent” at shelters where rape survivors need basicservices.
A growing number of peoplehavegrumbledabout Haiti’s private sector leading the country. Some of Haiti’s wealthy elites and powerful
politicians have long been accused of financing and armingdozensofgangs.
“The elites have always wanted power, and they have always wanted to controlHaiti,andnowthey’rein control,” said marline JeanPierre, a 44-year-old teacher whobravedgunfiretovisita friend at a hospital in downtownPort-au-Prince.
She said she has lost hope that things will change, accusing former council presidents of making promisestheydidn’tkeep.
“Nothing really happened,” she said. “Young womenarebeingraped,familiesarebeingdismantled.” However, dozens of Haitians wearing white T-shirts and clutching signs emblazoned with Saint-Cyr’s photograph gathered outside the council’s office to supporthim.
Skirmishes broke out hourslaterbetweensupporters and those who opposed Saint-Cyr.
“even though he’s a mulatto with good hair, he’s Haitian,” one supporter said of Saint-Cyr, who is part of thecountry’ssmallandpowerful lighter-skinned elite —asisFils-Aimé.
As the country prepared for Saint-Cyr’s swearing-in ceremony, Haitians posted a flurry of warnings about violence in hopes that people couldremainsafe.
“Those of you in the capital, you will hear gunshots both ahead of you and behind you. remain on guard!”onemessagestated.
Tripotay Lakay, a local news site, reported that one person was killed and another injured while driving into Port-au-Prince on Thursday, though it was unclear how that happened. A video posted on social media shows a woman’s bodyslumpedinthecar.
Heavy gunfire around downtown Port-au-Prince persisted on Tuesday afternoon, with local media reportingthatseveralpeople were wounded. Small explosions from police-manned dronesalsowereheard.
Violence also was reported in Kenscoff, a once peaceful farming area above thehillsofPort-au-Prince.
The UN-backed mission said it lost two armoured vehicles after they became trapped in trenches dug out by gangs. it said Kenyan policemen came under an attack with molotov cocktails but “courageously held their ground, inflicting significant damage on the assailants.” Three officers receivedminorinjuries.
Videos posted on social media show suspected gang members laughing and cheering as they surrounded one of the armoured vehiclesthatwaslatersetonfire.
“Come get it back if you can!” one gunman is heard jeering.
Apleaformoreofficers inareportreleasedThursday, the UN-backed mission noted that it has 991 personnel, far less than the 2,500 envisioned, and some $112 million in its trust fund — about 14% of the estimated $800millionneededayear. The mission said it has no air support for operations and that only 200 officers can be deployed at a time becauseofinsufficientequipment,includingvehicles.
The mission also noted thatthegovernmentremains fragile: “Partisan infighting within the transitional government has had the effect of paralysing the government and emboldening the gangs.”
Gangs in Kenscoff recently kidnapped eight people from an orphanage, includinganirishmissionary and a 3-year-old child. They remainmissing. Violence surged in the aftermath of the July 2021 killing of President Jovenel moïse,andongoingviolence has displaced more than 1.3 million people in recent years.
Atleast1,520peoplewere killed and more than 600 injured from April to the end of June across Haiti. more than 60% of the killings and injuries occurred during operations by security forces against gangs, with another 12% blamed on self-defence groups, according to the United Nations integrated Office in Haiti.
Palestinians rush to collect humanitarian aid airdropped by parachutes into Gaza City, northern Gaza Strip, yesterday. Photo: Jehad alshrafi/AP
Future Fun Learning Hub
YoutH CLub
The Bahamas Fly Fishing Industry Association (BFFIA) hosted its first fly-fishing summer camp, equipping participants with the knowledge, skills, and motivation to explore careers in the fly-fishing industry. The three-day camp was held in partnership with the Carmichael Urban Renewal of Flamingo Gardens where their Future Fun Learning hub Youth Club members participated.
“Born to the Flats” is a youth mentorship fly fishingexperiencethatprovided intensive learning sessions with some of the top anglers in The Bahamasaswellasaninstructor from the United States. Campclassesofferedintroduction to fly fishing and the marine environment; environmental awareness; fly tying, teamwork and leadership; and ownership and empowerment of our naturalresources.
Local experts guiding the youth included Lead Instructor Captain Shawn Leadon; Charles Johnson,
Theophilus Flowers, Joel Moxey. Austin Campbell, CeO of Community Fly Fishing and Allan Campbell of Denver, Colorado also brought their expertise to the programme, helping to make meaningful impressions on the campers.
“Born to the Flats” is about raising up young Bahamianstobecomestewards of our environment, leadersinourcommunities, and proud ambassadors of the fly-fishing tradition, born to this land, and born to lead,” BFFIA’s Director and Board Member Shawn Leadonsaid.
Thecampwastocaterto onlytwelvestudents.Buta few young men in the area saw the action in the park and walked into the centre askingtojoin.Bythecompletion of the camp, five Urban Renewal Police Officers, two civilian staff members, and 13 students completed this introductorycampforthefly-fishing industry.
The camp comes at a significant juncture in the development of the fly-fishing industry in The Bahamas. The hon Vaughn Miller, Minister of the environment and Natural Resources, is
spearheading a bold new direction for The Bahamas’ fly-fishing industry. While attending ICAST 2025, the world’s largest sport-fishing trade show, Minister Miller met with key partners, including the American Sport-fishing Association(ASA)andUS basedoutfittersandconservation leaders to advance a forward-thinking conservation and business developmentagenda.
Captain Leadon is encouraged, recognizing that at the start of the camp, students had very little awareness of the vast marine resources that the Bahamas is blessed with. Few knew that our nation boasts the world’s largest network of saltwater flats and the highest population of bonefish, the most blueholesintheworld,the third largest barrier reef system, extensive mangrove forests, vibrant coral reefs, and one of the most biodiverse marine ecosystemsintheregion.
Remarkably, not one participanthadevercaught a fish or was aware of the fly-fishingindustry.Leadon believes that the seeds of knowledge and hands-on experience planted during the camp have the power
to nurture a new generationofleadersinflyfishing.
“By raising awareness and building local capacity in anindustrylegallyreserved for Bahamians, we strengthen the foundation of this multi-million-dollar sector and ensure its sustainability for generations tocome”,hesaid.
he expressed heartfelt thanks to Carmichael Urban Renewal’s ASP Nathalie Ranger, Sergeant Kenisha Forbes-Bastian and their team for helping make the dream of more thanadozenyoungpeople areality.
rotarY CLub oF nassau sunrise
The Rotary Club of Nassau Sunrise successfully hosted its 6th Annual SunriseOpenCharityGolf Tournament on July 31, 2025. An event that not only showcased impressive swings but also underscored the club’s steadfast commitment to service aboveself.Thisyear’stournament raised vital funds tosupportthefightagainst human trafficking, aligning with the global observance
of World Day Against Trafficking in Persons held onJuly30.
Thisyear’sfocusbrought new urgency and purpose to the tournament. Tournament Director and Past
President Dr Sophia Rolle explained the intentional scheduling, linking the event’s mission with the international awareness day.
“This year’s tournament is particularly special,” said Dr Rolle. “By hosting the event just one day after World Day Against Trafficking in Persons, we are sending a strong message of solidarity. The funds raised will help support organizations on the front lines of this global fight right here in our own community.”
The tournament welcomed golfers from across the island and beyond who were eager to support the cause while enjoying friendly competition on the greens. This year’s top playersincluded:
Tournament Winners:
• Overall Champions: Nathalie Tynes and Tyesha Tynes (Mother andDaughterteam)
• Tied for Second Place: Richard Gibson & Dr
•
The Rotary Club of Nassau Sunrise extends heartfelt thanks to all sponsors, volunteers, and participants whose generosity made this year’s event a resounding success.
The hole-in-One Sponsor was TyreFlex Star Motors. Birdie Sponsors were New Providence ecology Park, Fidelity Bank and Kreston Bahamas. Par Sponsors were JS Johnson, Doctors hospital, Bahamas Wholesale Agencies, Tipsy Scoop, Woodside Insurance Brokerage and The Tribune. Food and Beverage Sponsors were BTC, Atlantis, British Colonial, Public hospitals Authority, Tropical Gyros, Summit Insurance and Caribbean WinesandSpirits.
The club also expresses sincere appreciation to all anonymous donors, community partners, and volunteers who contributed time, talent, and treasure to support this meaningfulcause.
RickyDavis;TiarDaja Gibson & Miranda Tucker
Third Place: Kenneth Gibson and Stephen Johnson
TOURNAMENT Winners from left: Overall champions Nathalie Tynes and Tyesha Tynes. Tied for Second Place: Richard Gibson & Dr. Ricky Davis; Tiar Daja Gibson & Miranda Tucker. Third Place: Kenneth Gibson and Stephen Johnson.
CAPTAIN Shawn Leadon taught campers about the vital role mangroves play.
CAPTAIN Shawn Leadon presenting Certificate of Participation to Inspector Ferguson. Also in the
photo is Sergeant Forbes-Bastian, ASP Nathalie Ranger and Camp Instructors Austin and Allan Campbell of Denver, Colorado.
Family Fun Day held by BDOCS at Bahamas Faith Ministries
The Bahamas Department of Correctional Services (BDOCS) Chaplaincy Department along with volunteers and families of residents held a Fair and Family Fun Day on emancipation Day holiday,August4,onthe church grounds of BahamasFaithMinistries.
Ann Marie Davis of the Office of the Spouse of the Prime Minister is a supporter of all of the initiatives of BDOCS, from raising funds for construction of the new prison facility to rendering support for the Simpson Penn Centre for boys and the Willie Mae PrattCentreforgirls. She is pictured enjoying the
senseofcommunityonthe fairgrounds.
Mrs Davis is shown with BDOCS chaplain, Rev Dr William Thompson (seated second left), BDOCS deputy commissioner Bernardette Thompson-Murray (seated right), and principal corrections officer Brendolph Butler
(standing right), along with assistant commissioners James Simmons, Stephanie Pratt, Monique Greenslade, Rolean Forbes, Foster Ferguson, and corrections sergeant Rudene Butler and corrections sergeant/assistant chaplainTeheranRolle.
Photos: Anthon Thompson/BIS