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VOLUME:117 No.176, AUGUST 10TH, 2020

HO US E & 12 THE PEOPLE’S PAPER: $1

SPORT: BAHAMIAN SPRINTER IMPRESSES IN JAMAICA

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We need to stay resolute PM warns lockdown must continue as another death recorded and cases rising

• Long-term elderly filling beds at PMH to be moved out and into new facility

• Southern Bahamas going back to normal after zero infections

• Changes to food aid programme to better target help for needy

By RASHAD ROLLE Tribune Senior Reporter rrolle@tribunemedia.net PRIME Minister Dr Hubert Minnis announced the relaxation of lockdown restrictions for southern islands yesterday while disclosing efforts to add an additional 80 beds to the frontline fight against COVID-19.

His national address came as

the country recorded 20 additional cases of the virus for a total of 898 and one additional death, pushing the count to 15. Health officials did not provide details about the latest death. The latest cases include 15 on Grand Bahama and five on New Providence.

Dr Minnis said moving forward, COVID-19 patients will be treated SEE PAGE THREE

WAR OF WORDS OVER COURT APPOINTMENT INSIGHT

By RASHAD ROLLE Tribune Senior Reporter rrolle@tribunemedia.net PROGRESSIVE Liberal Party leader Philip “Brave” Davis says he opposes the recent appointment of Supreme Court Justice Carolita Bethel to the Court of Appeal.

His statement yesterday drew rebuke from Attorney General Carl Bethel who accused him of launching a “highly politicised attack aimed at the constitution

SUPREME Court Justice Carolita Bethel itself and the learned justice of appeal personally”.

Justice Bethel’s

appointment, which took effect on August 6, is the first Mr Davis has publicly opposed this term. He said there should be a “more open and transparent process” of appointing judges.

As rumours swirled over Justice Bethel’s impending appointment in June, the Bahamas Bar Association wrote to Prime Minister Dr Hubert Minnis lamenting that calls “for open, fair and transparent process

Nassau & Bahama Islands’ Leading Newspaper

SEE PAGE FIVE

WE’RE IN A WAR AND WE’RE LOSING

SEE PAGE EIGHT

PAGE 2, Monday, August 10, 2020

THE TRIBUNE

CORONAVIRUS CRISIS

STUDENTS STAYING FOCUSED ON THEIR GOALS

By EARYEL BOWLEG Tribune Staff Reporter ebowleg@tribunemedia.net

SOME Bahamian students are not letting the COVID-19 pandemic derail their college plans.

Eighteen-year-old Kianté Stuart left the country in mid-July in preparation for the start of her junior year later this month at Hastings College in Hastings, Nebraska.

The communications major was placed in a 14-day quarantine upon her arrival. Despite the pandemic and uncertainty over the disease, she said a deciding factor for her to go back to the United States

was her school’s willingness to be flexible with students.

“So the process for international students was a bit different. We had to quarantine for 14 days at an on-campus facility where they provided food, medicine, everything that we needed for that period,” she said.

Ms Stuart said Hastings College designed a flexible hybrid system where some classes will be held online and others will be done face-to-face. There is also have an option to work fully remotely. The junior has three of her five classes in person and two are online.

Last week, the Ministry of Education advised

students planning to study abroad this year to instead consider distance learning, local tertiary schools or enrolment deferral until 2021 amid global uncertainty due to the pandemic.

Asked why she didn’t consider University of The Bahamas, Ms Stuart expressed the desire to study abroad while highlighting the experiences she had during her first year.

She added: “I just wanted to have the experience living in a dorm, living on campus, college parties — all of that and I don’t regret that decision because in my first year of college I did pretty good for myself. I secured a job working with

international admissions. I was on the senate. I got to travel to the states for the media in my first year.”

Meanwhile, 17-yearold Sierra Farrington had planned to study in the United States this year, but due to challenges with funding and getting a student visa those plans have changed.

The US Embassy in Nassau has again suspended visa services due to the country’s two-week national lockdown.

“After temporarily offering limited student visa appointments on July 29, student visa services are once again suspended as a result of

the two-week national lockdown announced on August 3. We will resume routine visa services as soon as possible, but are unable to provide a specific date at this time,” the US Embassy announced recently.

The teen will now start school at UB this semester, but she explained she won’t be able to study the major she intended to undertake at the University of the Ozarks in Clarksville, Arkansas.

“So the major that I had chosen when I applied to UB was early childhood education and when I applied to University of the Ozarks I planned to major in business administration

but with a minor in theatre and psychology,” she said.

“Basically, teaching was always sort of a backup plan for me….It would’ve been a safer option for me to choose early childhood education than for me to choose anything else and at the time when I filled in my application for UB I honestly didn’t know what it is that I truly wanted to do.”

She did reach out to UB and tried to change the major, but was told it was too late and she would have to wait until the following semester to change.

Still she hopes to transfer the credits when she does enrol in the US next year.

households have registered for assistance, representing more than 110,000 people across the length and breadth of our country,” he added.

Dr Minnis also said the government has established a contact tracing command centre at the Melia hotel.

The centre will be manned by public health experts with support from the surveillance unit, the National Health Insurance programme, other government ministries and private partnerships, including Aliv.

“This centre will strengthen the surveillance unit’s ability to identify new cases and contacts and to intervene with appropriate measures. Health officials

anticipate an increase in the number of new cases over a short period of time.

A decrease in new cases is anticipated once all new cases and contacts have been identified.”

Amid recent concerns about the sufficiency of personal protective equipment for healthcare workers, Dr Minnis said he has been assured that there is enough PPE in the country.

“The inventory of PPEs is monitored daily,” he said.

“Key personnel within the Supplies Management Agency identify the quantities of each specific stock on hand; the amount distributed to each public healthcare site; as well as the

quantity of new supplies received at our warehouses. I am advised that any temporary shortages within wards or units when they occur, are short-lived as the Supplies Management Agency uses a top-up system that facilitates restocking as soon as inventory reaches a pre-determined level.”

The prime minister also said he will meet with leaders of the Bahamas Nurses Union, Consultant Physician Staff Association and the Bahamas Doctors Union on a more regular basis to consider their concerns and advice.

This comes after doctors and nurses walked off the job over safety concerns

and adequate PPE. Lab technicians at PMH also left their posts briefly last week to voice frustration about PPE supplies.

Last night, Dr Minnis also addressed those who are not complying with safety protocols or have sought to downplay the threat of the disease.

“Unfortunately, here at home as in other countries around the world, it seems there are always some contrary souls who, for their own reasons, simply refuse to co-operate. Some of them may be educated but they do not have much mother’s wit,” he said.

“Some even go so far as to minimise the threat.

Some try to undermine

and mischaracterise our efforts. Some try to sow the seeds of dissension at a time when we so desperately need national unity. Some who really ought to know better, have attempted to undermine the steps we have taken in our efforts to control the spread of COVID19, including curfews and lockdowns.

“But I only ask of them to consider whether, in these circumstances, it is worth it to undermine public health and put at risk the very lives of their fellow citizens. Because it is to protect public health and save Bahamian lives that we have mandated curfews and lockdowns,” he said.

Minnis: $1m a week for food task force

By RASHAD ROLLE Tribune Senior Reporter rrolle@tribunemedia.net

PRIME Minister Dr Hubert Minnis said $1m is being provided to the National Food Distribution Task Force each week to help people who need food during the COVID-19 crisis.

He said the task force will register people into three categories based on their needs: most vulnerable, moderately vulnerable and least vulnerable. The groups will be helped weekly, every other week and once a month respectively, he said.

“To date, 27,705

FAMILY ISLAND RESIDENTS GET TOGETHER TO HELP EACH OTHER

BRILAND Aid workers and volunteers removed over 50 derelict vehicles and 50 tons of garbage and debris from Harbour Island.

FAMILY Islanders have felt the economic pressure of COVID-19 since the borders initially closed in March—the start of the high tourism season.

In North Eleuthera, the joining of forces with neighbours and ex-pats, and their collective sheer will has kept them afloat.

For clerical assistant, Mykell Higgs, life was “tough” before all travel was stopped. Now, with tightened travel regulations, Ms Higgs is once again the sole breadwinner for a family of 10, including six children.

Buying groceries, paying a mortgage, and other bills with less than $2,000 a month quickly became a strain while living on an island that is 90 percent reliant on tourism. So, when a community-led charitable group offered the Higgs

family food, water, and monetary assistance, they were overjoyed.

“I was proud. I was impressed. I was like, ‘Wow, everyone’s working together,’” Ms Higgs said.

“I don’t think I would’ve made it if it wasn’t for them, to be honest.”

Briland Aid was formed

by Bahamian residents and second homeowners, who combined their resources to create over 70 jobs and assist those feeling the domino effect of the global pandemic.

Directors Mark Dowley and Arki Busson joined other second homeowners to raise over $1 million to pay salaries for cleanup and restoration efforts, and much needed everyday essentials.

Over 2,500 whole chickens, 1,700 Christmas hams, and 2,200 gallons of water

are delivered weekly to homes as far as Gregory Town. The community, along with local teams from the Ministry of Works, removed 50 derelict vehicles and over 50 tons of garbage and debris.

“All Arki and I did was help set up a structure for people to help themselves,” said Mr Dowley about his involvement in forming Briland Aid. “I am in awe of how people have rallied around each other and pitched in. The infectious energy created by Brilanders for Brilanders is one of the most gratifying things I have ever experienced.

“At the end of the day, it’s about one word and one word only—community, and in a community, people help each other.”

To donate or learn more about Briland Aid’s initiatives, visit brilandaid.org.

THE TRIBUNE

Monday, August 10, 2020, PAGE 3

CORONAVIRUS CRISIS

Lockdown must continue, says PM

PRIME Minister Dr Hubert Minnis speaking yesterday

Photo: OPM Communications

from page one

accommodations to enable us to both further protect this vulnerable group while making critical bed space available at PMH.” He said the east building of the SuperClubs Breezes resort will be used as a National Response Facility to meet the needs of nonCOVID-19 ‘low medical care’ patients during the pandemic. The facility will accommodate employees attending to patients on one floor and clinical and management operations on the other floors.

Breezes has asked the government to cover only utility costs, Dr Minnis said.

“The relocation from the Princess Margaret Hospital of boarders and the establishment of the National Response Facility off-site, will make available more beds so that COVID-19

at the South Beach Clinic, Princess Margaret Hospital and Doctors Hospital Health System in west New Providence. Those facilities will deal with mild to moderate presentations of the disease and moderate to severe presentations respectively.

The existence of boarders at PMH has challenged bed resources, Dr Minnis said.

“The regrettable practice of leaving of elderly family members in the emergency department at PMH after they no longer require hospitalisation, has given rise to recurrent long-term boarders,” he said. “Many of these patients have comorbidities that make them particularly vulnerable to viral infections. They

should not be in proximity to highly trafficked areas frequented by those with communicable diseases.”

Dr Minnis said to care for the boarders, $491 is spent for each person every day–– or $6 million per year.

He said the Public Hospitals Authority has sought alternate accommodations for relocating boarders as Princess Margaret Hospital nears capacity.

“An assessment team comprised of representatives from nursing, care management and hospital administration is examining sites to determine their suitability as a care centre for PMH’s 33 boarders,” he said. “The Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Social Services will make the final necessary assessments and recommendations on

OFFICIALS PROBE 3 COVID DEATHS

By RASHAD ROLLE Tribune Senior Reporter rrolle@tribunemedia.net

HEALTH officials are investigating three potential COVID-19 deaths as the country recorded 69 confirmed cases of the virus on Friday, a new single-day record.

Health Minister Renward Wells said during Friday’s Ministry of Health press conference: “With increasing hospitalisation the country must brace itself to experience more deaths from COVID-19.”

As of Sunday, 15 people have died from the disease, with one additional death recorded. Twenty new cases were also announced yesterday, bringing the nation’s count to 898, with 777 active cases and 104 recovered cases.

On Friday, Chief Medical Officer Dr Pearl McMillan also revealed that at least 30 healthcare workers have tested positive for the virus in the second wave so far. “This 30 has exceeded the number that we had in

the first wave,” she said.

“All healthcare facilities, including the Princess Margaret Hospital, Sandilands Rehabilitation Centre, community clinics throughout New Providence and the Rand Memorial (Hospital) have been impacted.”

This comes as healthcare workers have protested over workplace safety amid the pandemic and access to personal protective equipment.

Dr McMillan added: “Our healthcare system capacity is challenged to respond to this steep rise in cases and persons under investigation. Our acute care units as well as hospital beds are about to exceed capacity.”

She also said the number of new confirmed cases declined by 40 percent last week compared to the week before.

“We stress a cautious optimism as we look at that, what appears to be a decrease as the coming week will reveal a more instructive picture,” she said.

The National Reference Laboratory is averaging 150 COVID-19 tests a day, but there are three times that number of samples being collected. Officials are working on clearing the backlog.

“Such demand is stressing our capacities in the lab,” Dr McMillan said.

Meanwhile, a new Emergency Powers Order released Friday evening indicated that grocery stores will now be open to the general public on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays from 7am to 7pm. The stores will operate from 7am-6pm on Saturdays for essential workers.

On Abaco, gas stations will be open between 6am and 7pm for refuelling generators; non-governmental organisations will be opened for the production and provision of water and food distribution during that time; and restaurants using takeaway and curbside services will be open from Monday to Friday between 6am to 7pm.

patients can be more easily accommodated at PMH,” he added. “Doctors Hospital West is also increasing its bed capacity to help address the need.”

Meanwhile, Dr Minnis said normal commercial activity will resume on Mayaguana, Inagua, Crooked Island, Acklins, Long Cay, Long Island, Rum Cay and Ragged Island effective 5am today because health officials have not recorded any suspected COVID-19 activity on those islands for at least two weeks.

He said a travel-related swab from San Salvador is pending test results even though that island has no confirmed case of the virus.

Travel will be permitted between islands that have been reopened; travellers will not require a COVID19 test.

Dr Minnis also said food store access will be expanded on islands currently under lockdown.

Food stores will be open until 7pm on Monday, Wednesday and Friday and until 6pm for essential workers on Saturday.

Dr Minnis addressed Grand Bahama residents directly after the lockdown there was extended recently

until at least August 19.

He said health officials have said “the COVID-19 outbreak there is still not under control. In fact, it is very grave.

“I beg you in Grand Bahama, please, give the process more time. We have beaten this before, and can do so again, together.”

Editorial View - Page 6

PAGE 4, Monday, August 10, 2020

THE TRIBUNE

CORONAVIRUS CRISIS

$50,000 DONATION FOR LEND A HAND NON-PROFIT group Lend a Hand Bahamas has received a $50,000 donation from Kiril Sokoloff of Lyford Cay, which will be “matched dollar for dollar”.

Mr Sololoff donated the same amount in June to jumpstart the non-profit’s food relief efforts. Lend a Hand Bahamas said the donation will help enhance vital food security.

“I have a deep and continuing commitment to the Bahamas and have donated funds in various ways to help its people and its economy,” Mr Sokoloff, pictured, said. “Today, there is an urgent need to feed those Bahamians who have been hardest hit by the COVID pandemic and its resulting job losses. I am reaching out

to others who will match my gift of $50,000 to Lend A Hand Bahamas - an organisation now assisting over 30,000 individuals on a weekly basis with food assistance.

“A direct and measurable way we can contribute to the community at this time is by feeding people who don’t have any other means. The indigence is real, the need is great, the contributions so appreciated by the destitute people receiving this nourishment.

Please join me - the time is now,” he said.

The non-profit’s founder and chairman, Lucas Metropulos, said there has been a “huge increase” in the need for food in the areas of Nassau the group serves.

Nurses getting burnt out, says union chief

By FARRAH JOHNSON Tribune Staff Reporter fjohnson@tribunemedia.net BAHAMAS Nurses Union president Amancha Williams said some nurses are burnt out and discouraged from volunteering their services due to the way health officials are organising the country’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Mrs Williams said nurses are willing to work, but are tired of the way they have been treated during the course of the outbreak.

Her statement came days after several doctors, nurses and technicians at Princess Margaret Hospital walked off the job due to COVID19 safety concerns.

And last week, health officials confirmed 23 people at the Sandilands Rehabilitation Centre (SRC) had tested positive for COVID-19. Mrs Williams first broke the news about the SRC cases to a local media outlet hours

before health officials made the announcement.

According to the Public Hospitals Authority, the patients at SRC’s male ward caught the disease after a staff member who worked across three wards at the institution tested positive for the virus.

While Mrs Williams could not say if more people at SRC or in one of the hospitals have tested positive for the virus in recent days, she said those who took the test since the new cases were announced are expected to get their results sometime this week.

When asked if there was heightened anxiety among patients and staff due to the new cases, she added: “I think that the only anxiety comes when the staff is not aware of the policy that is implemented by the institution and the institution does not state their policy.”

Mrs Williams said there was a lack of information regarding the protocol of employee health

and what would happen if a worker got exposed to the virus.

“The Centre for Disease Control and Prevention and World Health Organisation is a guideline, but what policy your institution wants the nurses, doctors or any ally healthcare work to follow is really important in disseminating the information to your staff on what is the guideline and the policy that you’re going to implement in your institution,” she said.

“Persons need to know the steps and they need to be familiarised so they wouldn’t have any doubt in their mind. Information removes doubt and adds concrete and sound information.”

Mrs Williams insisted this was needed so people did not have to “guess” if and when the institution they were working at was going to test them and the reason behind the test in the first place.

“Another challenge

that just recently came up that I received a call from the prime minister about, is the fact that he is saying he does not have any volunteers to work in a particular area,” she continued.

“They have a group of nurses that are presently working in the area right now, but these nurses are being overworked and they’re burnt out.”

Mrs Williams said Dr Minnis asked the union and the “relevant person” to attend a meeting to discuss ways they could move forward to ensure nurses are able to work in the particular area.

Still, she said the “relevant person” said they did not have the authority to attend the meeting so it never took place.

“So what we’re having now is that nurses out of the clear blue are told to report to the emergency room and they will get their mandate on where they’re going to be working then. So they’re pulling the nurse that’s working in the regular ward out and putting them over to a particular area without any notice. Most of them just had a day’s notice.”

Mrs Williams said one of the reasons nurses aren’t willing to volunteer is because in March, a nurse from SRC rendered her services as a volunteer to PMH during the first surge of

COVID-19 but was never paid overtime.

“It was said in the meeting with the prime minister it was a glitch in the Acustaff system that caused the nurse not to get paid. So a group of them were discouraged so now they are not volunteering their service to come to PMH,” she explained.

“Another grouping worked a shift the Nurses Union disagreed with, that should never be implemented in an institution.

The world system also states that this shift is a slavery shift that will cause the nurse to be burnt out, sickened and easily prone to making mistakes and become overwhelmed, which can cause them to make poor decisions in managing critical patients.

They chose that system and they burnt out the nurses so now they are just trying to recover.

“The nurses want to work but they’re tired of how they are being treated,” she said. “Can you imagine spending two weeks in a ward with no air condition?

The majority of the air condition is not working, not even in SRC. “...We say to our minister, you come in to bring peace, solve issues and bring about unity. You did not come to spark a war or fight because the healthcare system does not need wars. What we need is a man with vision

and a heart that is governed

by God.” During a Ministry of Health press conference on Friday, newly appointed Health Minister Renward Wells said health officials have met with the nurses and doctors union as well as the Consultant Physician Staff Association.

He said they have all agreed to “meet regularly and clarify channels of communication” to ensure all of the appropriate personal protective equipment is available for all medical workers to carry out their duties safely.

“As a government, we are doing what is necessary to improve your environments to ensure that you are safe,” he said.

“The supplies are there. It is imperative, therefore, these supplies get to the frontline in sufficient numbers so that every member of the health team is safe.

We understand your reservations and fears. That is why we have responded by locating a place for you to quarantine, self-isolate, or simply to rest away from your families to ensure your families’ safety. The government, by our actions, is committed to ensure the safety of all of our workers on the frontline. We implore you to always use universal precautions to engender safe environments for yourselves and your patients,” he said.

THE TRIBUNE

Monday, August 10, 2020, PAGE 5

WAR OF WORDS OVER COURT APPOINTMENT

from page one

of judicial appointments” have not been prioritised.

Mr Davis said in a statement: “I learned to my dismay that earlier this week Carolita Bethel had been appointed a justice of appeal.”

He said he had “several consultations” with Prime Minister Dr Hubert Minnis about the issue during

which he indicated there was “opposition,” adding: “I did not think the consultations were complete.”

Mr Davis, pictured, in a subsequent statement said there are four more senior Supreme Court judges who were passed over to make way for Justice Bethel’s appointment.

They include judges Estelle Gray Evans, Bernard Turner, Indra Charles and Vera Watkins.

Mr Bethel said Mr Davis’ “statement is unfortunate and appears to seek to besmirch not only the process of appointment, but also to besmirch the learned justice of appeal.

This is unworthy of a

person holding the constitutional office of leader of the opposition.”

Mr Bethel added: “As to the process of appointment, the leader of the opposition is aware that all the mandates of Article 99 of the Constitution were strictly adhered to. The learned justice of appeal has held ‘high judicial office’ as a Supreme Court justice [Article 99(2)(a)] for many years, and has fully satisfied

Public urged to be prepared for hurricanes

By FARRAH JOHNSON Tribune Staff Reporter fjohnson@tribunemedia.net

WEATHER officials are urging the public to remain prepared during the 2020 Atlantic Hurricane Season as the number of predicted systems continue to increase in what experts say is as an “above-average” season.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) recently updated this year’s hurricane forecast, revealing the possibility of 19 to 25 named storms, of which seven to 11 are expected to develop into hurricanes, including three to six major ones. This is a notable increase from preseason forecasts, which predicted 16 named storms, eight hurricanes and four major hurricanes.

Yesterday, Deputy Director of the Department of Meteorology Basil Dean told The Tribune NOAA’s hurricane prediction upgrade did not come as a surprise.

“The numbers are pretty high because we expect a very active season and perhaps a record breaking (one) if things pan out,” he said.

“We got off to a hot start which set a record in that we’ve had nine named storms up to the first of August. That’s the first time that’s ever happened, so that one is actually in the history books. The main thing is at this time of the year we generally encourage our citizenry to remain vigilant and focused on the season because we’re approaching the peak which is still in front of us.

NEMA director Stephen Russell “We’re looking at the middle of September and with that said, looking at the fact that we’ve already had nine named storms, it is reasonable to believe we can double that moving forward as we head into the peak of the season,” he added.

Mr Dean said it was not likely for the country to be “out of the woods” until the official close of the season. Still, he said there have been instances when tropical cyclones and hurricanes form outside of the expected timeframe.

He insisted “preparedness was the key” and urged the public to continue their day-to-day routines with that factor in mind.

“As we go into the peak, we want you to ensure all those pre-hurricane precautions have been taken care of,” he said.

“And when we speak about pre-hurricane precautions, we’re talking about the necessary repairs to your roof if you have issues with leaks, if you have fractured windows you want to ensure those are

taken care of and repaired and if you don’t have hurricane shutters, you want to ensure you have them.

If you cannot afford shutters, then plywood is just as good.”

Asked whether he believed Bahamians were taking the warnings seriously based on the preparations they made for Hurricane Isaias, he added: “I think they are.

Generally speaking, just riding around the island of New Providence and seeing the long lines at the food stores and the service station, it means that people are listening to our message and that is always good.

“But it’s not just about listening,” he furthered. “You have to also apply what is in the message because a forecast is only as good as the actions that you take in order to secure your properties to save lives. So we’re asking persons once again to pay attention and listen carefully to all the information that is given. The key is preparedness, nothing beats preparedness.”

In a statement last week,

NEMA director Stephen Russell also encouraged people to “do their part in getting prepared, remaining vigilant and being ready to take action when necessary.”

“The Atlantic Hurricane Season officially starts June 1 and ends November 30,” the statement read. “In pre-season predictions on April 2, 2020, meteorology experts revealed an above-average season of 16 named storms, eight hurricanes, and four major hurricanes. They also posted significantly heightened probabilities for hurricanes tracking through the Caribbean and hurricanes striking the US coastline.

“However, met experts have noted that the formation of tropical cyclones is possible at any time, as illustrated by the formations of tropical storms Arthur and Bertha on May 16 and 27, respectively, marking the sixth consecutive year with preseason systems.”

According to the release, early activity continued into June, with Tropical Storm Cristobal becoming the earliest third named storm on record when it formed on June 2. In July, tropical storms Edouard, Fay, Gonzalo, Hanna and Isaias also ranked as the earliest fifth, sixth, seventh, eighth and ninth named storms, all forming during the month of July.

“As a tropical storm, Isaias entered the Southeast Bahamas on July 31, it later became a Category One hurricane and moved up the Bahama Island chain.

It exited The Bahamas on August 2. Assessments are being done,” NEMA said.

the constitutional qualification for appointment as a justice of appeal.

“The prime minister, in accordance with Article 99(1) of the Constitution, duly consulted with the leader of the opposition.

His statement can only be viewed as a highly politicised attack, aimed at the constitution itself, and the learned justice of appeal personally.

“Similarly, the learned

justice of appeal has never been accused of any ‘misbehaviour’ or ‘inability’ in the performance of her judicial responsibilities throughout the decades of her service to the judiciary and the Bahamian people.”

Justice Bethel is the wife of attorney Ferron Bethel, a member of Bahamas Power & Light’s board and one of five lawyers Dr Minnis appointed Queen’s Counsel earlier this year.

FORMER Bahamas Power and Light chairwoman Darnell Osborne

I’VE NOT BEEN CONTACTED OVER BPL PROBE, SAYS OSBORNE

By RASHAD ROLLE Tribune Senior Reporter rrolle@tribunemedia.net

FORMER Bahamas Power and Light chairwoman Darnell Osborne says she has not been contacted concerning a promised investigation into what caused the collapse of BPL’s board when she led the team in 2018.

Mrs Osborne was controversially removed from the board in August 2018 along with former directors Nicola Thompson and Nick Dean as relationships between them and other board members deteriorated.

Prime Minister Dr Hubert Minnis promised the matter would be investigated. He told reporters in April 2019 his government had signed a contract with an international firm to probe the affair.

Details of that investigation have been scarce and officials have never publicly revealed the name of the firm which was hired.

“There has been no contact from anyone as it relates to any investigation into BPL,” Mrs Osborne told The Tribune. “The same thing is true as far as other former directors are concerned as well.”

Mrs Osborne said she would expect to be contacted if an investigation is happening.

“If you are investigating anything to do with allegations, you would certainly expect that the people who are involved, particularly

the former chairman, would be contacted. I don’t know what they are investigating,” she said.

Current BPL chairman, Dr Donovan Moxey told The Tribune an investigation is ongoing.

“Where it is I don’t know,” he said. “It’s up to the investigators who received their mandate from the Office of the Prime Minister. BPL is not controlling it. We are accommodating their requests.”

Dr Moxey said investigators are “constantly and consistently” requesting documents from BPL officials.

“We cooperate fully, 100 percent,” he said.

A trial relating to the board’s disintegration is scheduled for January, 2021.

Mrs Osborne, Mr Dean and Mr Thompson claim in lawsuits that they were wrongly removed contrary to the provisions of the Electricity Act. Attorney Alfred Sears is representing the trio. They are suing for $1,164,933.33 in special and exemplary damages after efforts to settle the matter outside court failed.

At the time of the controversy, Minister of Works Desmond Bannister said the old board members were at odds on critical issues facing BPL. Mrs Osborne, Mr Dean and Mrs Thompson called his claims “untrue, inaccurate and misleading” and said political interference was to blame.

PINTARD RELAUNCHES BACKYARD FARMING

By DENISE MAYCOCK Tribune Freeport Reporter dmaycock@tribunemedia.net

AGRICULTURE and Marine Resources Minister Michael Pintard relaunched the government’s backyard farming initiative on Friday, distributing 1,500 backyard kits here on Grand Bahama.

This came a day after the announcement of an extension of the island’s lockdown for another two weeks to August 19, to control the spread of the coronavirus infections on Grand Bahama.

Additionally, Mr Pintard revealed plans to launch community gardens throughout the island, in partnership with Grand Bahama’s four other MPs. Land will be identified and cleared in each of the five constituencies to grow community gardens.

Mr Pintard said these initiatives are part of the food security programme, which is important, especially due to the global coronavirus pandemic.

“Again, we are in a difficult period and we believe that the potential for disruption in the food supply is

real, given COVID-19…,” he said.

According to Mr Pintard, of the 1,500 kits assembled at the Department of Agriculture in Freeport, 100 will be distributed to each of the island’s five MPs, and the remainder to churches, NGOs, and others.

He believes that “the revitalised” backyard farming programme will not only help the country in terms of its expenditure on food imports, but will also benefit residents.

“We believe it will enhance our ability to save money on our food bill, but also assist a number of persons in growing their farming operation as well. This is going to be accompanied by two other programmes: the distribution of a variety of seeds also on the island as a separate part of our backyard and community farming programmes. We have many more seeds that supply a minimum of 1,000 households,” Mr Pintard said. “. . .We don’t believe that MPs are the only conduits by which kits should be distributed, and we want to make sure we have 1,000

MICHAEL Pintard relaunching the Backyard Farming Programme on Friday. kits, plus 1,000 additional seed packages distributed, through partnership with churches, NGOs, and others,” he said.

In terms of the community gardens, Mr Pintard said people will be clearing properties for community gardening in every constituency, and will also be partnering with

local government on that initiative.

West Grand Bahama and Bimini Pakesia Parker Edgecombe expressed appreciation for the kits, which will be distributed in her constituency. “It is important for us to promote food sustainability. I know with the crisis we are going through many are asking

about food security. What Mr Pintard and his ministry have been able to do with this initiative and this programme, is to (encourage people) to grow your own food and not spend so much at the supermarket,” she said.

Central Grand Bahama MP Iram Lewis said he has been a strong advocate for

backyard farming. “I was happy when the minister decided to partner with us to take backyard farming to the next level where we form cooperatives in the community by having community gardens. All MPs have identified an area in their constituencies for these community gardens.”

Mr Lewis said a major anchor garden has been identified on South Mall Drive where there will be a seedling nursery and a production area, and weekly farmers’ market.

Tutorial videos and workshops for those interested in backyard and community gardening is available on the ministry’s website.

Anthony Hutcheson will also provide lectures and tips on how to plant and care for the garden.

PAGE 6, Monday, August 10, 2020

THE TRIBUNE

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No sign of lockdown easing anytime soon CARRY on as we are – that’s largely the message from Prime Minister Dr Hubert Minnis yesterday.

There were glimmers of hope, however. A number of islands where there have been no cases in two weeks had restrictions lifted, showing we can get back to a more functional society once we suppress the current numbers of COVID-19 infections.

But for the day-to-day life of many, it’s much the same as it was last week. There have been a couple of tweaks – slightly longer hours of opening for food stores, and allowing store staff to restock on the days between opening, but that’s about it. It’s hold the course in the meantime.

And just as there were glimmers of hope, there were bad signs too. There were 69 new cases on Friday, 48 on Saturday and 20 yesterday. The number of hospitalisations went up, too, with 35 people now in hospital with the virus. There was also one more death – although that was notable by its absence from the Prime Minister’s speech and the Ministry of Health press release, so details about that are sparse. We mourn every victim of this pandemic, and send our condolences to the family and friends of this latest victim.

One of the reasons for the lockdown is to give the healthcare system the opportunity to prepare for new cases – and this was one of the most notable areas of Dr Minnis’ speech yesterday.

Princess Margaret Hospital has long had a difficulty with long-term patients being left on wards because they have nowhere else to go to. Boarders, they are called, and one of the moves to increase capacity at the hospital to deal with COVID-19 patients is to move these boarders out to private facilities. In truth, this probably should have been done a long time ago, and keeping these people at the hospital has had

a significant cost – around $6m a year according to Dr Minnis. The pandemic has sharepened the need for that space, and so here we have a solution, at least for now.

The east wing of the Breezes hotel is also to be used to accommodate nonCOVID-19 “low medical care” patients from Princess Margaret Hospital.

These moves, along with changes at Doctors Hospital West, will create room for around 80 more beds. Add to that efforts to allow the Cancer Society Building in Grand Bahama to house COVID-19 patients, and a new unit under construction at the Rand Memorial and it would seem we are making use of the time the lockdown may give us. We hope so many beds will not be needed – but we fear they might.

Health officials say they expect numbers to go up in the short term – and those numbers will not drop until all cases and contacts have been identified.

All told, it wasn’t good news from the PM’s speech – and we might as well prepare ourselves for the likelihood that we might spend the whole month in this lockdown. Grand Bahama has already had its lockdown extended, and there’s nothing to indicate that New Providence won’t follow.

We can beat this, however. We have before. We just have to remember that the virus cannot spread if we keep our distance.

The ones we miss the most are the ones we put most at risk when we don’t follow the guidance put in place to keep them safe.

Don’t be the one who takes a virus home to your loved ones. Keep your distance. Wear your mask – over your mouth and nose and not your chin, it’s useless there. Wash your hands regularly and thoroughly. And stay home.

Stick to what you know and don’t deal in rumour EDITOR, The Tribune THERE’S a video on YouTube and Facebook of a Gulf stream G650ER leaving the Lynden Pindling International Airport several days ago. According to Business Insider, a Gulf stream G650 costs $65 million – out of the financial reach of 99.9 percent of Bahamians. Rumours have circulated throughout the country among alarmed Bahamians that the jet is owned by American billionaire Bill Gates. They have concluded, without ironclad evidence, that the billionaire had visited The Bahamas in order to distribute vaccines for the COVID-19 outbreak.

Interestingly, neither The Nassau Guardian nor The Tribune reported this.

Their silence tells me that there’s no merit to this unsubstantiated rumour.

Gates has a net worth of $105.6 billion, according to Wikipedia. He built his immense wealth through his technology company, Microsoft, which was founded in 1975 in Albuquerque, New Mexico, by him and the late Paul Allen.

As a philanthropist, along with his wife, Melinda, Gates heads the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, which aims, among

other things, to “harness advances in science and technology to save lives in developing countries,” through its Global Health Division. If nothing else, the wealth of the alleged atheist Gates and Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg, who once identified himself as an atheist but is now dabbling with Buddhism, poises an insurmountable obstacle to the TBN prosperity gospel that has pervaded the Bahamian church since Nassau got cable television in 1995 or thereabouts. In October of 2019, the Gates Foundation, along with The John Hopkins Center for Health Security and the World Economic Forum, hosted an event dubbed Event 201 in New York City, aimed at discussing the issue of global pandemic preparedness. Some conspiratorialists in the United States and The Bahamas have alleged that the Gates Foundation is behind the current COVID-19 pandemic, aimed at population control. Gates is reported to be a supporter of eugenics -- a word coined by Sir Francis Galton, cousin of Charles Darwin, in 1883.

Eugenics was carried to its logical conclusion

by Planned Parenthood founder, Margaret Sanger.

The abortion industry in

the United States is motivated by eugenics. Since 1973 – the year of the Roe vs Wade Supreme Court ruling, 44 million abortions have been carried out, with 19 million being black babies. This means that despite African American women making up approximately 14 percent of the childbearing population, as if 2011, a disproportionate number of black babies are being systematically murdered.

And with the Bahamian population being 85 percent black, Gates’ alleged presence in The Bahamas would undoubtedly sound the alarm among conspiratorialists. Bahamians are mainly traditionalists, who value human life, notwithstanding the nearly 1700 murders committed in our country since 1999. But as I have mentioned above, there is simply no rocksolid evidence that these troubling stories are true concerning Gates. May I suggest to Bahamians that they stick to the two dailies to get their news, rather than getting it from unaccountable gossipers on social media.

KEVIN EVANS Freeport, Grand Bahama, August 7, 2020.

Madam Justice is out of order with her views EDITOR, The Tribune IF Joan Sawyer was just an ordinary retired senior citizen she would be well within her remit to wax eloquent on any subject her heart desires.

But she is, actually, Madam Justice Dame Joan, retired former Chief Justice and former President of the Court of Appeal. You just can’t get more blue legal blood coursing through your veins than that.

She has a well-deserved state pension and all the benefits of privilege befitting the high offices she once held. But she has a political bee in her bonnet and it stings whenever she mounts her high horse.

The Judge is known for favouring talk shows. And it is here that she has at times been the proverbial bull in a china shop because of her belligerence and apparent abandonment of judicial temperament.

As a general rule the canons of judicial conduct inside and beyond the courtroom apply to both sitting and retired judges.

When she headed the third branch of government Dame Joan largely stayed in the legal lane and left politicking to the politicians. But with her wig and scarlet robes long decommissioned, she apparently feels she can flip a switch and erase her

LETTERS letters@tribunemedia.net time as head of the judiciary. There is a code of conduct for sitting judges that has, till now, been largely observed by retirees from the bench. In 1955 England, the Lord High Chancellor, Viscount Kilmuir, at the time the highest-ranking judicial officer in Britain set out what became “the Kilmuir Rules” to guide sitting and presumably retired judges.

The basic tenet of the rules was that so long as a judge keeps silent his reputation for wisdom and impartiality remains unassailable. He went even further saying it would be inappropriate for a judge to be associated with talks or anything which could fairly be interpreted as entertainment.

Dame Joan went on a talk show and ripped apart the actions of the government and the Prime Minister in placing us under lockdown again, or as she called it, house arrest.

She heaped scorn on the PM accusing him of acting outside the powers of the Constitution, although it is likely that in a real court of law she might not have carried so flagrant a brief.

She conveniently forgot

that, in a real court, subject matter experts (like public health officials) would be called to explain to the court that a pandemic was a real emergency with lifeand-death consequences for the same people whom the Constitution was drafted to protect.

She conceded that emergency powers were legal, but when the government actually exercised that power to protect citizens she equated that action to martial law. But she was too clever by half.

Dame Joan must realize that she must seek a balance between the right to speak her mind and her duty to do so in a manner to preserve the dignity of the high office she once held.

It is incumbent upon her to always uphold the impartiality and independence of our judiciary, sitting or retired.

Trash talking her way through tough legal matters in the height of the surge in COVID-19 cases may be good for the ratings of the radio station that invited her to speak, but it is counter-productive and a slight to the fine women and men who serve as judges and to all officers of the court.

Madam Justice, you are out of order.

THE GRADUATE Nassau, August 9, 2020.

Freezing toads unethical EDITOR, The Tribune I READ your article about the authorities’ “battle” with cane toads and how they could be “humanely euthanised”.

I was astonished to see the suggestion to put the live toads in plastic bags and freeze them. Globally, modern veterinary guidelines now rule that “cooling then freezing” is ethically unacceptable. The argument against “cooling then freezing” however rests upon a hypothesis rather than specific empirical data. The hypothesis

is that temperatures low enough to induce ice-crystal formation in peripheral tissues are nonetheless high enough to allow painful sensations to travel through peripheral nerves and reach the brain, which in turn is warm enough to register those sensations as painful. The plausibility of this scenario depends upon the temperatures at which ice crystals form relative to the temperatures at which nerves and brains cease to function; and on the magnitude of thermal differentials within an animal’s body during rapid

cooling. One can argue this hypothesis as there is no proof yet and the cane toads sitting in people’s freezers won’t tell.

In any event, any killing method of animals should be left to responsible persons and not published in a daily newspaper, especially in a country where most of the people are hysterical when they see a tiny frog sitting a mile away on a tree.

SUSANNE ROLLE-TIEDEMANN Nassau, August 7, 2020.

THE TRIBUNE

Monday, August 10, 2020, PAGE 7

Cocaine addict charged with rape and burglary

By FARRAH JOHNSON Tribune Staff Reporter fjohnson@tribunemedia.net A 55-YEAR-OLD man who said he broke into people’s homes and stole their belongings to support his “crack cocaine” addiction was arraigned on Friday on a string of burglary charges and accused of rape. He will appear before the chief magistrate next week for sentencing.

Charles Pennerman, also known as Charles Forbes, was accused of breaking and entering a woman’s West Bay Street home during the first week of February. The prosecution said he stole $121 in cash and a silver Mac laptop which was valued at $1,000.

During his hearing before Chief Magistrate Joyann Ferguson-Pratt on Friday, Pennerman owned up to the allegations brought against him. Still, he said, he only committed the offences because he was suffering from a drug addiction that “caused him to do things he shouldn’t”.

According to the prosecution, the owner of the home told officers an unknown person broke into her residence through her kitchen window sometime between February 5 and 6 and stole a laptop and a sum of cash.

The court was told that the police visited the residence a short time later and dusted for fingerprints. Pennerman was arrested sometime in August in connection with the crimes.

When they tested his fingerprints at the Central Detective Unit, the

officers discovered they matched the ones that were found at the crime scene. During an interview with police, Pennerman said he might have committed the offences because he was trying to get money for drugs.

On Friday, Pennerman was also charged with burglary, rape and stealing in relation to a string of incidents he was accused of committing over the span of five years.

The prosecution alleged Pennerman broke into a home on Auster Lane between January 29 and 30 of 2015 to steal $10,000 worth of property from a woman.

They further alleged he broke into a Garden Hills Estate home sometime between February 14 and 15 that same year.

In March 2015, Pennerman was accused of breaking into a home on Constitution Drive and stealing a $300 watch. Around that time, he was also accused of breaking into another residence in Chippingham and attempting to rape a 21-year-old woman while there.

In 2018, Pennerman was accused of breaking into another home on Constitution Drive and raping a 22-year-old woman.

On January 6, 2019, Pennerman was accused of burglarising another Constitution Drive home.

During October of that same year, he was further accused of breaking into a Charlottesville residence to steal a $500 leather bag.

Most recently, it is alleged Pennerman broke into another woman’s home on Constitution Drive on August 4. It is also

CHARLES Pennerman outside court. Photos: Terrel W Carey Sr/Tribune Staff

alleged he assaulted Police Constable 3724 Dorsette that same day and resisted his arrest.

During the hearing, the defendant was not required to enter a plea to the charges and the cases were adjourned for service of voluntary bills of indictment (VBIs) for November 4,11 and 18.

When given an opportunity to speak, Pennerman told the magistrate he had been using “crack cocaine” for 30 years and had tried to quit and admit himself to the Sandilands Rehabilitation Centre (SRC) on two occasions, but was not successful.

Pennerman added he was “tired (of) using drugs” which placed him on the “wrong course” and said the last time he was convicted, a judge ordered him to attend drug counselling, but he was never admitted to SRC. He insisted he could become a “better person” if he got the help he needed. He added he was willing to plead guilty to all of the charges brought against him to get it all behind him.

As a result, Magistrate Ferguson-Pratt deferred the sentencing for the housebreaking and stealing charges to which Pennerman pleaded guilty on August 13 to see how the court could facilitate getting the defendant help for his drug addiction, as well as give the prosecution an opportunity to find out if they would be able to expedite the proceedings.

In the meantime, Pennerman was remanded to the Bahamas Department of Correctional Services.

PAIR DENY CHARGES OF ASSAULTING GIRLS, AGED 13 AND 11

By FARRAH JOHNSON Tribune Staff Reporter fjohnson@tribunemedia.net

DERECK Colebrooke outside court on Friday

A 31-YEAR-OLD man who was accused of indecently assaulting two minors has been granted bail ahead of his trial.

A 28-year-old woman, who was accused of failing to report the allegations of abuse to police, was also released on bail prior to the proceedings.

The prosecution alleged Dereck Colebrooke indecently assaulted a 13-year-old girl sometime during the month of June and an 11-yearold girl on July 30. He was further accused of assaulting the 13-yearold sometime between July 29 and 30.

During his hearing before

SINGER FINED FOR MAKING THREATS AGAINST POLICE

By FARRAH JOHNSON Tribune Staff Reporter fjohnson@tribunemedia.net

A LOCAL singer who posted a video making death threats against police officers and calling for the government to be overthrown was fined $450 on Friday.

Kenneth Williams, 38, appeared before Deputy Chief Magistrate Andrew Forbes charged with causing public terror and using violent and obscene language. The prosecution argued that Williams used threatening and violent language on an electronic media to cause terror on August 6.

The court heard that the defendant was arrested in connection with a video he posted on social media where he made death threats toward the police. In the footage, Williams could be heard saying “Kill the police” and “let’s overthrow the (expletive) government”. During an interview with police, Williams admitted to uploading the video and was subsequently charged with the offences.

During the hearing, he was represented by attorney Tamara Taylor-Storr.

She told the magistrate her

client was remorseful for his actions and insisted the offence he committed was “out of character for him”.

She also said Williams had gotten “caught up” after watching racist videos on television and had become “overwhelmed by (the) racist actions” of some law enforcement officers. Mrs Taylor-Storr also said when Williams’ spoke about “overthrowing the government” in the video, he was trying to tell people to “stop complaining” because they wouldn’t be able to.

After accepting Williams’ guilty plea, Magistrate Forbes noted there were a number of adults who felt they could “engage in diatribe” on social media without recognising the consequences of their words. He also said Williams’ actions were serious because he is a public figure and people who follow him could potentially “take his words to heart and find it necessary to act on them”.

As a result, he fined Williams $300 for causing public terror and another $150 for using violent language. If Williams fails to pay the fines, he will spend three months at the Bahamas Department of Correctional Services.

VICTIM CRITICAL AFTER SHOOTING A MAN is in hospital after a shooting in Yellow Elder Gardens early on Friday. Shortly after 7am, the victim was in his vehicle on Graham Drive when a man driving a black Toyota Passo approached and shot him, police said. The victim managed to drive himself to hospital. He is in critical but stable condition.

Deputy Chief Magistrate Andrew Forbes on Friday, Colebrooke denied the allegations and the case was adjourned to November 25 for trial.

On Friday, he was arraigned with Jaydon Pierre, who was charged with failing to report the abuse of the 11-yearold on July 30. She also denied the charge and had her matter stood down for trial on the same date.

In the interim, Colebrooke was released on $5,000 bail while Pierre was granted $1,500 bail.

Colebrooke was also banned from having direct contact with any of the parties involved in the case before there was a judgment. He was further restricted from residing in the physical residence of any of the complainants.

JAYDON Pierre outside court on Friday

EMAIL: insight@tribunemedia.net

By MARKUS HECTOR WE ARE living in a crisis of uncertainty. In just a few months, we have seen the world go into lockdown mode in the face of an historic pandemic, causing serious impact to the global economy and upturning each of our lives. And as Bahamians know too well, this has happened less than a year since Hurricane Dorian, The Bahamas’ worst natural disaster ever, destroyed the beautiful islands of Abaco and Grand Bahama.

In times like these we face many obstacles, which we never imagined just a few months ago. But we need to make the best of it and use this as an opportunity to reflect on our priorities.

INSIGHT

MONDAY, AUGUST 10, 2020 PAGE 9

Shell’s message: Our ability to invest remains dependent on the timely closure of current negotiations with BPL and the government strategy is to thrive during the “energy transition,” and we see natural gas playing an important role during the transition to a lower carbon world. Seen from this environmental perspective, it’s important to note that LNG used to generate electricity in The Bahamas will produce lower CO2 emissions compared to the heavy fuel oil and diesel used in today’s generation; it will also improve local air quality by emitting fewer particulates.

Given The Bahamas’ geographical location, energy from renewables like the sun or wind is an opportunity – especially in the Family Islands – to contribute to global efforts to reduce CO2 emissions. And natural gas is an excellent partner with renewables.

Texas is an example of where natural gas complements solar and wind to provide reliable power around the clock. Shell invests in both onshore and offshore wind projects across the US. In the state of Texas, Shell’s Brazos wind farm can provide enough energy to power around 48,000 homes. In May 2020, we acquired a fast-start, natural gas power plant in Houston, which complements the intermittent energy generated from wind and solar plants, in a cost-effective way.

Shared Vision At Shell, we believe our priorities are closely aligned with those of The Bahamas.

Our shared vision includes providing reliable, affordable, cleaner and sustainable electricity to the residents and businesses on the island of New Providence.

This will play an important role in the government’s endeavours to modernise the energy sector, which is critical for national economic development.

Looking at the challenges and opportunities in a postCOVID world, our power project may now be of even greater importance.

As a global energy company, Shell is using technology and innovation to help build a sustainable energy future. Shell’s purpose is to power progress together by providing more and cleaner energy solutions to the world. Our natural gas-to-power project in The Bahamas fits within this strategy as a transformative investment in the island’s energy infrastructure. Our ability to invest in the construction of an affordable liquefied natural gas (LNG) terminal, and our purchase of the new power plants, remains dependent on the timely closure of current negotiations with BPL and the government.

Future

Project As currently designed using industry standards, this project will produce the majority of power generation for the entire island of New Providence for decades to come. It will be made up of two joint ventures – the “Terminal Company” to operate the LNG terminal, receiving, storing, and re-gasifying the LNG, and the “Power Company” to generate electricity, which will be sold to Bahamas Power and Light (BPL) for transmission and distribution. Both Power Co. and Terminal Co. are expected to be majority owned by Shell; current plans include the balance of the former held by BPL and the latter by other Bahamian investors.

Direct foreign investment will likely be key to the islands’ economic recovery and this includes infrastructure projects like

THE BAHAMAS Power and Light head office. ours. A world-class LNG power plant will also help provide fuel price stability for the private sector’s long-term planning. Businesses like the important hospitality sector need predictability and not volatility as they compete in the tourism industry. These leaders of economic growth in The Bahamas are dependent on an energy system that reliably provides electricity to keep hotel rooms cool, casinos well-lit and marinas berthing cruise ships.

If this project is sanctioned, Shell aims to

develop and hire Bahamian staff for the power plant and terminal, and we’ll work with our local partners to set up appropriate training and recruitment programs.

In fact, the government and Shell are discussing provisions around local hiring as part of the Heads of Agreement, with a target of 80 percent Bahamian staff after construction. The project also aims to purchase goods and services from local suppliers during construction and operations, helping to stimulate the local economy.

We can expect that a modernised energy infrastructure will benefit Bahamians who live on New Providence by providing reliable and affordable power to their homes. Our state-of-the-art plant will run efficiently. It will also be designed to be resilient. For example, we have included additional equipment in its design, to ensure it can withstand the brute force of natural disasters like Dorian: the backbone infrastructure of the terminal and power plant is being designed and

would be built to withstand a Category 5 hurricane.

We applaud BPL’s recent fuel hedging strategy for electricity generation over the next 18 months. The LNG-to-power project would provide a highly competitive LNG price as compared to the current hedged fuel price, resulting in an overall attractive “allin” power price to BPL. At Shell, we strongly support the goals of the Paris Agreement to limit the rise in the average global temperature well below 2° Celsius. A key part of our

Looking forward, I am confident this project will help Bahamians meet key priorities; it can bring significant benefits to the national economy and reliability to energy customers along with environmental advantages. Much has changed since we first signed the “Memorandum of Understanding” for this project in late 2018, especially in the last few months. But our priorities have not. We remain committed to working side by side with Bahamians to build this shared vision together, even in these times of uncertainty.

Markus Hector is the General Manager for Market Development in Shell Energy, developing and operating Natural Gas, Power and Environmental Products businesses in Shell. He has been involved in the Bahamas LNGto-power project since its beginnings in 2018.

PAGE 10 MONDAY, AUGUST 10, 2020

by PRATHIT MISRA Second Secretary of the High Commission of India, Kingston, Jamaica CORONAVIRUS cases are nearing 20 million globally with around 8,00,000 deaths. Hundreds of thousands of COVID-19 cases are still being reported daily from all corners of the world including from the Caribbean region and South Asia, despite the best efforts of countries to curb this pandemic.

India’s response to COVID-19 has been timely, effective and comprehensive. Contrary to the perception that India has a high cumulative figure of COVID cases, the ratio of positive cases and deaths per million remain much lower than the global average. India has shown a robust recovery rate of over 65 percent with more than 1 million recoveries. Active cases remain around 33 percent, while the fatality rate at 2.1 percent is lower than the world average of over 5 percent. All this has been done within the framework of a democratic, federal polity through extensive consultation and coordination at all levels that called for an extraordinary political and administrative effort.

More than a million stranded Indians have already returned safely under the world’s largest repatriation exercise and 50 Indians have also returned from The Bahamas with the efforts of the Indian diaspora and the support provided by the US Embassy in The Bahamas.

India’s Strategy: India’s COVID strategy rests on three pillars: testing, contact tracing and strict containment measures. India had taken early and decisive steps in the initial stages of the pandemic, which ensured a low death and high recovery rate. Indigenously developed digital tools such as the ‘Aarogya Setu’ app are being widely used to predict emerging hotspots in India.

INSIGHT

EMAIL: insight@tribunemedia.net

Imagine this: 600,000 COVID tests a day and a $300bn economic stimulus package

A PORTION of the 10,000 bed hospital in New Dehli.

COVID testing has been scaled up to 0.65 million tests per day with an aim of daily 1 million tests in the next few days. India has conducted more than 20 million tests so far, making it one of the largest testing exercises undertaken anywhere in the world. COVID testing kit price has also fallen substantially with the ramping up of domestic manufacturing capacity.

India’s tracing strategy also involves widespread serum surveys to evolve a comprehensive picture of the country’s pandemic situation. Indian labs have also started coordinating

data and clinical management experience to study long-term side effects and recovery complications in COVID-19 patients and evolve appropriate medical protocols and rehabilitation programmes.

Since the start of the pandemic, India has also scaled up its health infrastructure, including hospital beds and Intensive Care capacity. Innovative methods are being adopted on a war-footing as community centres and hotels have been converted to COVID care facilities. Oxygenation equipment and ventilators have been procured in large

volumes and the armed forces, public and private sectors, non-governmental and voluntary sectors have pooled resources and facilities. As an example, a 10,000-bed facility was created in Delhi within the space of a week in a joint government-civil society operation.

The supply of PPEs and masks in India was not adequate in the early stages of the pandemic. But, in a few months, India has become a PPE manufacturing hub by re-purposing manufacturing units and stepping up output. Our healthcare professionals, doctors, nurses, paramedics and technicians have held the line in the face of daunting odds and at personal risk to themselves.

The pandemic has also unleashed an unprecedented humanitarian and economic crisis that India has worked to tackle proactively. To protect both lives and livelihoods, India has launched food security projects worth $14 billion in March which aim to ensure nutrition for the most vulnerable sections of the society. India has also

launched a $300 billion stimulus package in May, which includes a range of policy reforms and financial support programmes to aid economic growth and empower citizens amid the pandemic.

International Cooperation: It was not just domestically that India expeditiously ramped up its efforts. India’s timely supply of medicines and other medical equipment to more than 150 countries were in response to an urgent call for tackling the global pandemic.

The medical consignments have already arrived in most of the Caribbean and Latin American countries and are expected to arrive in The Bahamas in short order. The export of these medicines is now fully opened up as part of our commitment to keeping global supply chains open and free. Given the massive ramping up of PPE production, it should now be possible for India to also export testing kits to interested countries.

Premier Indian medical research institutions have also been providing clinical management guidance and expertise through the virtual mode to hospitals in partner countries and over 800 medical professionals have already participated globally. Invitations have also been extended to the relevant stakeholders in the Bahamas for participation in such online courses.

At least two COVID vaccines being developed

by Indian companies have reached the human trial stage. Once developed, India will be happy to share its benefits with other countries, including in the Caribbean region, to contain the COVID-19 crisis.

Even in these difficult times, India’s role as a dependable and responsible country in reaching out to its friends around the world has been widely acknowledged. India is being seen as a bridge between the developed and developing world in the healthcare and pandemic response space. It has facilitated the two-way flow of information, products and expertise.

Global crises call for global responses.

The COVID crisis has highlighted the fact that no country, however powerful, can tackle this crisis alone.

What is required is global cooperation in knowhow and resources, research and information sharing. India has tried to do this as best as it could and will continue to assist countries across the world in containing the COVID pandemic.

India hopes this crisis will soon be behind us and we will emerge united and stronger from it, in the spirit of the teachings of Indian ancient texts which promote ‘Vasudheva Kutumbakam’ or ‘The World is one family’.

Private Graveside Service for

Shirley Lucilla Gomez (née Cartwright), 79

of Corlett Road, Nassau, N. P. and formerly of Berry’s, Long Island will be held on Friday, August 14, 2020 at 10:30am, at St. Agnes Anglican Church Cemetery, Nassau Street. Officiating will be Archdeacon the Venerable Keith Cartwright.

She was predeceased by her husband, Frederick Gomez, her parents, Clifton and Alvara Cartwright and her sister, Agnes Cartwright.

She will be fondly remembered by Her Sons: Keith, Humphrey, Jerome, Warren and Marco Gomez; Daughters: Patrice Miller and Shantel Hield; Brothers: Matthias and Simeon Cartwright; Sisters: Jelva and Eugenia Cartwright; Aunts: Joanna Allen and Mavis and Annie Pratt; Son-in-Law: Leonardo Miller Sr.; Daughters-in-Law: Elaine, Jean, Jennifer and Kimberly Gomez; Grandchildren: Avery, Raven, Keitra, Catherine, Marco, Samantha, Aidan, Arianna, Peyton and Anthony Gomez, Leonardo Miller Jr. and Kentley Hield; Step Grandchild: Janae Thompson; Great Grandsons: Greyson and Kyrie Gomez; Brother-in-Law: Patrick Gomez; Sisters-in-Law: Jeanie, Jacqueline and Linda Gomez and Clarice Cartwright; Nephews and Nieces: Monique Lewis, Clifton, Daniel, Bernadette, Laverne and Barbara Cartwright, Tanya Hudson, Inga Clarke, Catrice Storr, Catrina Munroe and Caniel Cartwright, Kurtz, Mark and Kressville Ritchie, Kenny Stewart, Craig Gomez, Paul Gomez, Nickola Dawkins, Natalie Pache, Michelle Moxey, Lisa Moncur, Subrenna Higgs, James Gomez, John Gomez, Donna Johnson, Lisa Gomez, Monique Bethel, Felicia Rolle-Adams, Calae Rolle, Tiffany Pratt, Jayson Gomez, Alicia Gomez, Mary Clarke and Bentley Collie; Numerous cousins including: Roderick and Veronica Pratt and family, Dorothy Roberts and family, Brenda Lewis and family, Patricia Thompson and family, Deborah Sands and family, Dolly Ferguson and family, Margaret Major and family, Charlotta Rahming and family, Colona Burrows and family, Rev. Paulette Cartwright and Coleman Darville and family and Lifelong Friend, Lulamae Greaves and family; Other Relatives and Friends including: The Cartwright, Pratt, Major and Martinborough familes of Long Island and New Providence. The Gomez family, Lulamae Greaves and family, Anita Cooper and family, Charlotta Rahming and family, Tyrone, Dion and Stacy Peterson and their families, William and Dorothy Godet and family, Colona Burrows and family, the Duncanson and Cooper families and Coleman Darville and family. Special thanks to her caregiver, Terrah Saunders and her doctor, Gertrude Holder.

Friends may pay their final respects at Butlers’ Funeral Homes & Crematorium, Ernest and York Streets on Wednesday, August 12, 2020 from 1:30p.m. until 4:00p.m.

PAGE 12, Monday, August 10, 2020

THE TRIBUNE

DONORS DEMAND CHANGE BEFORE MONEY TO REBUILD BEIRUT BEIRUT Associated Press

WORLD leaders and international organisations pledged nearly $300 million in emergency humanitarian aid to Beirut in the wake of the devastating explosion, but yesterday warned that no money for rebuilding the capital will be made available until Lebanese authorities commit themselves to the political and economic reforms demanded by the people.

Over 30 participants to the international conference offered help for a “credible and independent” investigation into the Beirut explosion, another key demand of the Lebanese crowds who took to the streets Saturday and Sunday.

In Beirut, two Lebanese

Cabinet ministers, including a top aid to the premier, resigned amid signals that the embattled government may be unraveling in the aftermath of the devastating blast that ripped through the capital.

The blast killed 160 and wounded 6,000, raising public anger to new levels.

The resignation of Information Minister Manal Abdel-Samad, in which she cited failure to meet the people’s aspirations and last week’s blast, was followed by a swirl of reports that other ministers were also resigning.

Late yesterday, Environment Minister Demanios Kattar resigned, calling the ruling system “flaccid and sterile.”

He stepped down despite closed-door meetings into the evening and a flurry of phone

calls between Prime Minister Hassan Diab and several ministers following Abdel-Samad’s announcement. The political haggling had appeared to put off more resignations, and a Cabinet meeting is planned Monday.

If seven of the 20 ministers resign, the Cabinet would effectively have to step down and remain in place as a caretaker government.

Maha Yahya, the director of the Beirut-based Carnegie Middle East Center, said the discussions clearly point to backroom deals that seek to put together a new government that’s acceptable to domestic and international powers, as well as the angered public.

The current government “really has been a lame duck,” she said, unable to undertake any reform

PEOPLE climb a police barrier during anti-government protests yesterday or show independence in a highly divisive political atmosphere.

“Even the ministers are deserting the sinking ship.”

As the political negotiations took place, protesters converged again on the parliament areayesterday afternoon, setting off another night of violent demonstrations. Hundreds of protesters clashed with security forces, attempting to breach the heavily-guarded parliament.

Security forces responded with tear gas and chased the protesters in the streets of downtown, in a smaller repeat of scenes from the night before.

The protesters blame the ruling elite for the chronic mismanagement and corruption that is believed to be behind the explosion in a Beirut Port warehouse.

Hundreds of tons of highly explosive material were stored in the waterfront hangar, and the blast destroyed hundreds of buildings.

CATASTROPHIC OIL SPILL HITS MAURITIUS THOUSANDS of volunteers in Mauritius are racing to contain a catastrophic oil spill swamping its pristine ocean and beaches yesterday. The bulk carrier MV Wakashio has been seeping fuel into a protected marine park boasting unspoiled coral reefs, mangrove forests and endangered species, prompting the government to declare an unprecedented environmental emergency.

Attempts to stabilise the stricken vessel, which ran aground on July 25 but only started leaking oil this week, and pump 4,000 tonnes of fuel from its hold have failed, and authorities fear rough seas could further rupture the tanker. Prime Minister Pravind Jugnauth said response crews had managed to slow the leak for now, but were bracing for the worst as the cracks have grown.

Alarm in Europe as US tops five million cases ROME Associated Press WITH confirmed coronavirus cases in the US yestrday hitting five million, by far the highest of any country, the failure of the most powerful nation in the world to contain the scourge has been met with astonishment and alarm in Europe.

Perhaps nowhere outside the US is America’s bungled virus response viewed with more consternation than in Italy, which was ground zero of Europe’s epidemic.

Italians were unprepared when the outbreak exploded in February, and the country still has one of the world’s highest official death tolls at over 35,000.

But after a strict nationwide, 10-week lockdown, vigilant tracing of new clusters and general acceptance of mask mandates and social distancing, Italy has become a model of virus containment.

“Don’t they care about their

health?” a mask-clad Patrizia Antonini asked about people in the United States as she walked with friends along the banks of Lake Bracciano, north of Rome. “They need to take our precautions. ...

They need a real lockdown.”

Much of the incredulity in Europe stems from the fact that America had the benefit of time, European experience and medical know-how to treat the virus that the continent itself didn’t have when the first COVID-19 patients started filling intensive care units.

More than four months into a sustained outbreak, the US reached the 5 million mark, according to the running count kept by Johns Hopkins University. Health officials believe the actual number is perhaps 10 times higher, or closer to 50 million, given testing limitations and the fact that as many as 40% of all those who are infected have no symptoms.

With America’s world’s-highest death toll of more than 160,000,

its politicised resistance to masks and its rising caseload, European nations have barred American tourists and visitors from other countries with growing cases from freely traveling to the bloc.

France and Germany are now imposing tests on arrival for travellers from “at risk” countries, the US included. “I am very well aware that this impinges on individual freedoms, but I believe that this is a justifiable intervention,” German Health Minister Jens Spahn said last week.

Hard-hit Spain, France, Britain and Germany have seen infection rebounds with new cases topping 1,000 a day, and Italy’s cases went over 500 on Friday. Some scientists say Britain’s beloved pubs might have to close again if schools are to reopen in September.

Europe as a whole has seen over 207,000 confirmed virus deaths, by Johns Hopkins’ count.

In the US, new cases are running at about 54,000 a day — an

immensely high number even when taking into account the country’s large population. And while that’s down from a peak of well over 70,000 last month, cases are rising in nearly 20 states, and deaths are climbing in most.

In contrast, at least for now Europe appears to have the virus somewhat under control. “Had the medical professionals been allowed to operate in the States, you would have belatedly gotten to a point of getting to grips with this back in March,” said Scott Lucas, professor of international studies at the University of Birmingham, England.

“But of course, the medical and public health professionals were not allowed to proceed unchecked,” he said, referring to President Donald Trump’s frequent undercutting of his own experts.

Trump’s frequent complaints about Dr. Anthony Fauci have regularly made headlines in Europe, where the U.S. infectious-disease expert is a respected figure.

ISRAELI TO MAKE $1.5M GOLD MASK MOTZA, Israel Associated Press AN Israeli jewellry company is working on what it says will be the world’s most expensive coronavirus mask, a gold, diamondencrusted face covering with a price tag of $1.5m.

The 18-karat white gold mask will be decorated with 3,600 white and black diamonds and fitted with top-rated N99 filters at the request of the buyer, said designer Isaac Levy.

Levy, owner of the Yvel company, said the buyer had two other demands: that it be completed by the end of the year, and that it would be the priciest in the world. That last condition, he said, “was the easiest to fulfill.”

He declined to identify the buyer, but said he was a Chinese businessman living in the United States.

BRAZIL’S 100,000 DEATHS FROM COVID-19 RIO DE JANEIRO Associated Press BRAZIL surpassed a grim milestone of 100,000 deaths from COVID-19 on Saturday night, and five months after the first reported case the country has not shown signs of crushing the disease.

The nation of 210 million people has been reporting an average of more than 1,000 daily deaths from the pandemic since late May and reported 905 for the latest 24-hour period.

The Health Ministry said there had been a total of 3,012,412 confirmed infections with the new coronavirus — death and infection tolls second only to the United States. And as in many nations, experts believe that both numbers are severe undercounts due to insufficient testing.

In a tribute to COVID-19 victims on Saturday morning, the non-governmental group Rio de Paz placed

CROSSES and red balloons are placed in the sand on Copacabana beach in a demonstration organised by Rio de Paz to honour the victims of COVID-19 crosses on the sand on the famed Copacabana beach and released 1,000 red balloons into the sky.

“It’s very sad. Those 100,000 represent various families, friends, parents, children,” said Marcio do Nascimento Silva, a

56-year-old taxi driver who lost his children in the pandemic and joined the tribute. “We reach that mark (100,000) and many people seem to not see it, both among the government and our people. They are not just numbers but

people. Death became normal,” Silva said.

President Jair Bolsonaro — who himself reported being infected — has been a consistent skeptic about the impact of the disease and an advocate of lifting restrictions on the economy that

had been imposed by state governors trying to combat it. He has frequently mingled in crowds, sometimes without a mask.

Experts have complained of a lack of national coordination under Bolsonaro and scattershot responses by city and state governments, with some reopening earlier than health experts recommended.

“Administrative incompetence ruined our chance to have a good response to COVID,” said Miguel Lago, executive director of Brazil’s Institute for Health Policy Studies, which advises public health officials.

Many of Brazil’s 27 states have begun to reopen shops and restaurants, though responses have differed, as has the strain on the health system. While Brasilia has recorded almost 80% occupancy of its ICU beds, Rio de Janeiro’s occupation rate is now down to less than 30% in private hospitals.

THE MASK worth $1.5m

NZ’S 100 DAYS VIRUS FREE WELLINGTON, NZ Associated Press NEW Zealand yesterday marked 100 days since it stamped out the spread of the coronavirus, a rare bright spot in a world that continues to be ravaged by the disease.

Life has returned to normal for many people in the South Pacific nation of 5 million, as they attend rugby games at packed stadiums and sit down in bars and restaurants without the fear of getting infected. But some worry the country may be getting complacent and not preparing well enough for any future outbreaks.

SPORTS SECTION E

MONDAY, AUGUST 10, 2020

SEE PAGE 15

Velocity Fest: Sprinter Strachan races to 2nd, 3rd

By BRENT STUBBS Senior Sports Reporter bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

W

ith the Jamaican athletic scene turning to some sort of normalcy in the coronavirus pandemic, Bahamian sprinter Anthonique Strachan produced a couple of impressive results over the weekend in a series of Velocity Fest meets against some of the top female sprinters on the island.

In the last of a pair of meets yesterday at the National Stadium in Kingston, Strachan, now training in Jamaica with the Maximising Velocity & Power Track and Field Club, had to settle for third place overall in the women’s 200 metres.

In the last of three heats, Strachan improved her season’s best

to 22.67 seconds to trail Jamaica’s double Olympic champion Elaine Thompson-Herah, who powered home in 22.19 to surpass the previous world-leading time of 22.61 that Bahamian Olympic 400m champion Shaunae Miller-Uibo did last month in Florida.

Fraser-Pryce, competing in heat two, set the stage with her time of 22.57, but she had to settle for second place overall behind winner Thompson-Herah and ahead of third place Strachan.

The performances came one day after the fourth edition of the meets took place on Saturday when Strachan clocked 23.58 for her second straight victory in the half-lap race as she out-lasted Jamaican Samantha Curtis, who was second in 24.78. Strachan came back in the 100m and competed

against Fraser-Pryce and Thompson-Herah, her training partners from the MVP Club since she has been in Jamaica for the past few years.Fraser-Pryce, coming off her fourth World Championship 100m title last year in Doha, Qatar, won the second of the three century races in 10.87, producing the fastest time in the world for 2020, surpassing the previous best by Miller-Uibo in a personal best of 10.98 last month in Florida like she did in the 200m.

Thompson-Herah, the reigning Olympic 100-200m champion from Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, followed by taking the third heat in 10.88 for second place in the second fastest time.

Strachan, competing in the same race with Thompson-Herah, was third in 11.46 for fifth place overall.

“The 100 went better than I expected because I’m not really a 100-metre person,” said Strachan of Saturday’s races.

“In the 200, I ran into a head wind, but I was still pleased with the time.”

With the fact that she’s training with Thompson-Herah and FraserPryce, Strachan said she’s learning to run her races more controlled witbhout thinking too much.

The IAAF 2012 Rising Star athlete of the year after her double sprint triumph at the World Junior Championships said she gets to focus more on herself and is not fearful running against her rivals.

Earlier in the day, Fraser-Pryce ran in heat 2 where she posted the fastest time overall in 11.28, while Thompson-Herah took heat three in 11.41 for the 2nd fastest time.

Ayton posts double double, Suns win 5th straight in NBA Bubble

By RENALDO DORSETT Tribune Sports Reporter rdorsett@tribunemedia.net THE Phoenix Suns are the lone undefeated team at the NBA restart in Orlando, Florida.

The Suns improved to 5-0 at the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex with a 119112 win over the Miami Heat Saturday night.

Deandre Ayton posted his third double double in thefive-game stretch - 18 points and 12 rebounds.

“Coach Monty [Williams] built a culture in us in this bubble and throughout the whole quarantine,” Ayton said on ESPN’s The Jump.

“Just instilling sharing the ball playing for each other and playing as a unit when stuff don’t go our way.”

Phoenix began the restart to the regular season last among qualifiers in the Western Conference at No.13 and the second worst record among all teams invited to Orlando.

At 31-39, Phoenix is now two games behind the Memphis Grizzlies for the No.8 seed in the Western Conference playoffs. They are also just 0.5 game behind the Portland Trail Blazers for the No. 9 spot.

If the No.9 seed is more than four games behind the No.8 seed, No. 8 will make the playoffs. If they are fewer than four games behind, the teams will compete in a playin tournament for the final spot.

“I just think we had a group who wanted to come here and prove they were worthy of being here,” Suns coach Monty Williams said. “They heard a lot of stuff that was being said.”

The bubble has also represented an historic stretch for the team who is in the midst of its first five-game winning streak since 2014.

The Suns have scored wins over the Washington Wizards, Dallas Mavericks, the Los Angeles Clippers, and Indiana Pacers before beating Miami.

The remainder of the seeding schedule for the Suns includes matchups against the Oklahoma City Thunder (August 10), Philadelphia 76ers (August 11), and the Mavericks for a second time (August 13).

Suns General Manager James Jones discussed the development of Ayton on Arizona Sports’ Bickley and Marotta Show.

“He’s bouncing back from play to play. You can see he has some tough stretches and he bounces back. He had some great defensive possessions and he turns that into a great offensive possession.

He’s building on the, I say, basketball instances. A read or a coverage, he’s quarterbacking the backside of the defence,” Jones said.

“We always want more.

People always want more because you see his ceiling, you see his potential. If you take the long approach, every day, every game, every practice, getting him to be consistent, it’ll take care of itself.

“He’s learning how to pick his spots offensively and defensively. That’s something tough for big guys, because we ask the big guys to do the dirty work. We ask them to screen, we ask them to roll, we ask them to collapse the paint. We ask them to sacrifice and not touch the ball.”

HEAT’s Bam Adebayo (13) is fouled by Suns’ Deandre Ayton during the second half on Saturday night in Lake Buena Vista, Florida.

(AP Photo/Ashley Landis)

NCAA DECISION WILL AFFECT SEVERAL BAHAMIAN STUDENT ATHLETES

By RENALDO DORSETT Tribune Sports Reporter rdorsett@tribunemedia.net IN a decision that will affect several Bahamian student athletes, both NCAA Division II and Division III have cancelled their 2020 Fall championships.

The Presidents Council for each division made official announcements based on challenges stemming from the fallout of the COVID-19 pandemic.

NCAA fall sports include men’s and women’s soccer, football, field hockey and women’s volleyball.

“After reviewing and discussing the Board of Governors’ directives, the Division II Presidents Council made the difficult decision that holding fall championships in any capacity was not a viable or fiscally responsible option for Division II,” said Sandra Jordan, chancellor of South Carolina Aiken and chair of the council.

Division II will allow student athletes “to retain the use of a season of competition if their team completes 50 per cent or less of the sport’s Bylaw 17 maximum contests/dates of competition for the 2020-21 academic year. Additionally, student athletes who qualify for the season of competition waiver, or whose institutions cancel the sport season entirely, will receive an extension of their 10 semesters/15 quarters of eligibility, provided the student athlete was otherwise eligible for competition during the 2020-21 academic year.

The Division III Presidents Council reached the same decision due to “administrative and financial challenges.”

Tori Murden McClure, chair of the Presidents Council, said: “Looking at the health and safety challenges we face this fall during this unprecedented time, we had to make this tough decision to cancel championships for fall sports this academic year in the best interest of our student athletes and member institutions,” he said.

“Our Management Council reached the same conclusion. Moving forward, we will try to maximise the championships experience for our winter and spring sport student athletes, who unfortunately were short-changed last academic year.”

Marc Bircham confirmed as BFA’s new technical director

By BRENT STUBBS Senior Sports Reporter bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

FORMER Queens Park Rangers captain Marc Bircham, having dealt with a court matter that sidelined his trip here, is confirmed as the Bahamas Football Association’s new technical director.

He will fill a void left by Garry Markham last year.

Although the BFA had hoped to complete the deal in March, the outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic delayed the process then on his way here in May, Bircham was arrested by police in St Petersburg, Florida on suspicion of aggravated battery.

While it’s understood that Bircham has been cleared of all charges, he’s still not

in the country. But BFA’s general secretary Fred Lunn said they are eagerly looking forward to the arrival of the 42-year-old Londoner.

He will be coming on an initial two-year contract.

“He’s not physically here on the island. We’re just taking the right precautions and the direction of the government on when people can come into the country,” said Lunn of Bircham, who is still out of the country due to the Bahamas government closing the border as a result of the spread of the coronavirus pandemic.

“Even if he was here, he would be working virtually

by Zoom because we’re not allowed to actually go out and physically do any coaching. So with him not

being on the island does not affect us because we still can’t open up and play any games.”

According to Lunn, Bircham brings a vast knowledge and passion for the sport with a strong background in youth development based on his European experience as a former professional player for Queen Park Rangers (QPR) and youth development manager.

In his new role as technical director, his primary focus will be on developing grassroots and women’s football at all levels throughout the Bahamas.

Bircham will also guide the growth and development of football in the Bahamas across multi competitive platforms for

BIRCHAM youth, men and women’s national teams.

“He will be here to develop football in the country,” Lunn said. “He will be working with the Ministry of Sports and Ministry of Education and with our clubs. He will be working with the youth right up to the adult leagues.

“He has a large responsibility, but when you look at his credentials, you can see that he comes to us highly regarded in terms of developing programmes for coaches and players.”

By accepting the job, Lunn said they are confident that Bircham can come in and redirect the programme in the direction that the BFA needs it to go as they follow the guidelines as outlined by FIFA, the governing body for soccer around the world.

Lunn said Bircham will also have the opportunity to work with the men’s national team as they prepare for the CONCACAF Qualifiers for the FIFA World Cup QATAR 2022 during the window of October and November 2020.

“We are placed at a difficult

situation where we might be actually going into a tournament where we are not 100 per cent prepared physically, or mentally having an opportunity to train with the guys,” said Lunn of the team that will be coached

by Nesley Jean.

“The competition from some of those countries are much better than ours because they are allowed to travel.

“We’re a little at a disadvantage, but we’re hopeful that this will be worked out in another month or so for the national team to at least work outs and hopefully we can get all of football back in action.”

The Bahamas will be one of 30 teams in the new CONCACAF Qualifiers with three rounds for three and-a-half World Cup slots.

PAGE 14, Monday, August 10, 2020

THE TRIBUNE

Tiger Woods, and his back, have challenging schedule after PGA

By JIMMY GOLEN AP Sports Writer TIGER Woods doesn’t know how the strange, compressed schedule will affect him for the rest of the year.

Then again, no one else does, either.

“No one has ever experienced this, having a shutdown during the year,” Woods said as he looked ahead to the FedEx Cup playoffs that will be followed two weeks later by the US Open. “It is very different. This is unlike any other year that we’ve ever experienced in golf.”

Woods shot a 3-under 67 on Sunday in the final round of the PGA Championship to finish the tournament at minus-1 — 10 strokes behind leader Dustin Johnson as he waited to tee off. Woods will take next week off before the three-week stretch of the playoffs that begin outside of Boston on August 20; the US Open, which was postponed from June, will be two weeks after the tour championship.

Although the schedule is new for everyone, it will be a special challenge for Woods, who at 44 has a balky back and hasn’t played on back-to-back weekends since the President’s Cup in December.

“We’ve been training for that. Trying to get my strength and endurance up to that ability to making

Saturday, I felt like I would have been right there with a chance come today,” he said.

“It didn’t happen, but I fought hard, and today was more indicative of how I could have played on Friday and Saturday if I would have made a few putts early.”

TIGER Woods walks to the 12th green during the third round of the PGA Championship golf tournament at TPC Harding Park on Saturday, August 8 in San Francisco.

(AP Photo/Jeff Chiu) sure that I can handle that type of workload,” Woods said. “We’ll be pushing it hard to make sure that I can stay strong and have the endurance to keep on going.”

Woods struggled at TPC Harding Park for the first three rounds before putting together a solid round yesterday, when he was already out of contention.

He had five birdies and two

bogeys, including a 5 on the par-4 18th hole that left him signing for a 67. If only it had happened sooner. “If I would have made a few more putts on Friday early on, and the same thing with

NICE SHOT Byeong Hun An made the first hole-in-one of the tournament, landing his tee shot on No. 11 about 15 feet from the hole before it bounced a few times and rolled the last three feet.

Usually golfers figure out they landed an ace from the cheering galleries.

But with no spectators allowed at TPC Harding Park because of the coronavirus pandemic, it was the scream of a lone volunteer that got the message to An on the tee box 189 yards away.

He belatedly threw up his arms in celebration and had a chuckle with playing partner Sepp Straka.

“Judging by his reaction, it’s got to be,” Straka said.

Tiger Woods was one group ahead of the twosome and had just teed off on No. 12; he missed the commotion while concentrating on his drive.

But he had a chance to catch up with An later in the round. “We got a chance to say congratulations to Ben,” Woods said.

“And he owes a round to all of us.”

BAHAMAS GOLF FEDERATION PROFILES

TYSON, 54, TO RETURN FOR EXHIBITION MATCH AGAINST JONES JR CARSON, California (AP) — Mike Tyson is coming back to boxing at age 54.

The former heavyweight champion will meet fourdivision champion Roy Jones Jr in an eight-round exhibition match on September 12 at Dignity Health Sports Park.

Tyson became the youngest heavyweight champion in history when he won the title in 1986 at age 20 and for a time was the most feared fighter in boxing.

But his career became littered with distractions and he hasn’t boxed since 2005 after losing his second straight fight.

He has occasionally teased a return with workout videos and it’s finally scheduled to happen.

Jones, 51, won titles in the middleweight, super middleweight and light heavyweight before moving up to win the heavyweight title in 2003, becoming the first former middleweight champion to do so in 106 years.

The event will air on pay-per-view and the social media music platform Triller. Further matches on the card and musical entertainment will be announced in the coming weeks.

THE TRIBUNE

Monday, August 10, 2020, PAGE 15

MORIKAWA DELIVERS A GREAT SHOT IN QUIET MOMENT TO WIN PGA

By DOUG FERGUSON AP Golf Writer SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Collin Morikawa delivered a shot that will go down as one of the best in a major that hardly anyone witnessed, setting up an eagle on the 16th hole yesterday that carried him to the most quiet PGA Championship ever.

In the first major without spectators, Morikawa finished with a bang.

He was among seven players tied for the lead on the back nine at Harding Park, as wild as any Sunday in a major. Morikawa chipped in from 40 feet on the 14th hole to take the

lead, and then he ended it with one swing.

On the 294-yard 16th hole, Morikawa hit driver that hopped onto the green and settled 7 feet below the cup.

He made it for eagle and was on his way. Morikawa closed with a 6-under 64, the lowest final round by a PGA champion in 25 years, and took his place among the young stars taking over golf.

Just over a year ago, he was finishing up his degree at nearby California, one of several heralded college players ready to rule.

Now he has three victories, including a major, by beating a world-class lineup

on the public course in San Francisco.

Dustin Johnson never got anything going.

Brooks Koepka turned out to be all talk in his bid for a third straight PGA Championship.

Tiger Woods was long gone before the leaders even teed off.

This major was up for grabs until one swing on a hole along the shores of Lake Merced, where the tee was moved up to tempt players to drive the green or pay the price if they missed in the trees to the right or the hazard to the left.

Morikawa never hesitated. The swing was never more pure.

COLLIN Morikawa reacts as the top of the Wanamaker Trophy falls after winning the PGA Championship golf tournament at TPC Harding Park yesterday in San Francisco. TOP: Morikawa hits from the fairway on the second hole.

(AP Photos/Jeff Chiu)

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PAGE 16, Monday, August 10, 2020

THE TRIBUNE

HAYWARD SCORES 31 AS CELTICS EDGE MAGIC IN OVERTIME LAKE BUENA VISTA, Florida (AP) — Gordon Hayward hit three free throws with 2:29 left in overtime, and the Boston Celtics beat the Orlando Magic 122-119 yesterday for their third straight victory.

The Celtics hadn’t scored in overtime until Hayward went to the line after being fouled by Nikola Vucevic.

His free throws put Boston up 115-114 as the Celtics scored 10 of the first 15 points in overtime.

Hayward finished with 31 points and Jayson Tatum scored 29, including the tying basket with 4.2 seconds left in regulation.

Jaylen Brown had 19 points and 12 rebounds, and Brad Wanamaker had 10 points.

Boston came in locked into the No. 3 seed in the East after Toronto’s win over Memphis earlier yesterday. The Celtics now are 4-2 inside the bubble.

The Magic also already had a playoff berth clinched despite losing three straight.

Vucevic led Orlando with 26 points and 11 rebounds. Terrence Ross had 18 points and Markelle Fultz 16 off the bench. Gary Clark added 15 points, D.J. Augustin 12 and James Ennis III 10.

The Magic led by as much as five twice in the final 5:14, the last on a 10-footer by Vucevic with 48 seconds left.

Tatum hit a 3-pointer, Daniel Theis blocked a shot by Augustin, then Tatum scored again to tie it at 112.

Tatum blocked a 3 by Ross with 2.1 seconds left, and Hayward missed a long heave that bounced off the backboard to send the game into overtime.

The Magic hit five of their first 10 3s and led by as much as seven in the first quarter before Boston pulled within 29-28 by the end of the quarter.

Brown, who was 0-of-3 shooting in the first quarter, scored 11 in the second as the Celtics were ahead 55-51 at halftime after leading by as much as eight.

Boston led 87-86 at the end of the third quarter.

TIP-INS Magic: Already without Jonathan Isaac who tore his left ACL a week ago, they were without a pair of starters with F Aaron Gordon missing his second straight with a strained left hamstring and F Evan Fournier out with an illness. G Michael CarterWilliams missed his third game with an injured left

foot. The Magic went 0-3 against Boston this season.

Celtics: This was Hayward’s second game this season scoring at least 30 points. He had 39 on November 5 at Cleveland.

G Kemba Walker had his minutes restriction eased a bit. It didn’t help his shooting as he missed all five shots in the first half and had one point. He finished with four points on 1-of-9 shooting. He did play 31 minutes. ... The Celtics now are 2-3 in overtime games this season.

UP NEXT Magic: Play Brooklyn Tuesday. Celtics: Play Memphis Tuesday.

SPURS BEAT PELICANS 122-113 TO IMPROVE POSTSEASON CHANCES LAKE BUENA VISTA, Florida (AP) — Gregg Popovich and the San Antonio Spurs helped their playoff chances. Zion Williamson might have to wait another year for his postseason debut.

DeMar DeRozan scored 27 points, Rudy Gay added 19 off the

bench and the Spurs wasted much of a 20-point, second-half lead before hanging on to beat New Orleans 122-113 yesterday and hand a big blow to the Pelicans’ postseason hopes.

Dejounte Murray scored 18 for the Spurs.

Derrick White added 16 before leaving early in the third quarter with a bruised knee.

JJ Redick scored 31 points with a season-high eight 3-pointers for New Orleans, which got 25 from Williamson and 17 from Brandon Ingram. The Spurs — bidding to

become the first team in NBA history to make 23 consecutive playoff appearances — moved past idle Phoenix into 10th place in the West, percentage points behind Portland for the No. 9 spot that comes with a berth in the play-in series next weekend.

‘BUDDY’ AND KINGS OUT OF PLAYOFF CONTENTION LAKE BUENA VISTA, Florida (AP) — Austin Rivers scored a career-high 41 points off the bench and the Houston Rockets used a big third quarter to pull away and cruise to a 129-112 victory over the Sacramento Kings last night.

Rivers made six 3-pointers as Houston improved to 4-1 at Disney on a night the Rockets played a second straight game without Russell Westbrook, who has a bruised right quadriceps.

James Harden added 32 points, eight rebounds and seven assists for Houston.

The Kings fell to 1-5 in the bubble after being eliminated from playoff contention earlier yesterday when Portland beat the 76ers. Sacramento’s playoff drought is now 14 years, which is the longest active streak in the NBA. De’Aaron Fox had 26 points for the Kings.

The Rockets were up by 24 early in the fourth quarter when Sacramento used an 8-0 run to cut the lead to 97-81 with about 9 ½ minutes remaining.

Rivers made two free throws after that before the Kings used a 7-2 run, with 3s from Bogdan Bogdanovic and Buddy Hield, to make it 102-88 with about 8 minutes to go. Houston got back on track after that, using a 11-4 run to push the lead to 113-92 with less than 5 minutes left.

RAPTORS 108, GRIZZLIES 99 (AP) — Pascal Siakam scored 26 points to help Toronto prevent Memphis from clinching a spot in the Western Conference playin series. Norman Powell scored 16 points and Kyle Lowry added 15 for the Raptors, who clinched the No. 2 seed in the Eastern Conference and their fifth consecutive season with at least 50 wins.