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SPREAD THE WORD - IT WILL SAVE LIVES By KHRISNA RUSSELL Tribune Chief Reporter krussell@tribunemedia.net PRIME Minister Dr Hubert Minnis revealed last night that a deal has been inked for the delivery of substantial vaccine
supplies, giving The Bahamas the capacity to administer the shot to all who wish to receive it and urged those who have had to vaccinations to talk to those who have not to encourage them. SEE PAGE THREE
• VACCINATED ARE URGED TO EXPLAIN TO OTHERS WHY THEY TOOK JAB
• CURFEW EXTENDED TO 9PM IN GB AND NEW PROVIDENCE
• DOSES FOR EVERYONE WHO WANTS ONE WILL BE HERE IN MONTHS
• PUBLIC ASSURED NO MOVE PLANNED FOR MANDATORY INJECTIONS
•EMERGENCY ORDERS TO BE RENEWED AGAIN UNTIL NOVEMBER 13
JUDGE BACKS WATER FIRM AGAINST WSC ONE DEAD, By NEIL HARTNELL Tribune Business Editor nhartnell@tribunemedia.net
THE Water & Sewerage Corporation has been blasted as “the author of its own demise” over $644,000 in unpaid bills that resulted in water supply to central Eleuthera residents being cut-off for several days last October. Justice Indra Charles, in a scathing August 6, 2021, verdict found that the stateowned water supplier’s
WSC chairman Adrian Gibson. “silence and/or evasiveness” on how it planned to pay these debts gave Aqua Design little choice but to
cease supplying the Water & Sewerage Corporation’s customers from its reverse osmosis plant at the former US naval base. Suggesting that the Water & Sewerage Corporation’s inaction had “broken the camel’s back”, Justice Charles said the sums owed to Aqua Design would likely have continued to soar if the latter had not taken “such a drastic step” of shutting off water supply. FULL STORY - SEE BUSINESS
Nassau & Bahama Islands’ Leading Newspaper
MAN HURT IN AMBUSH
By EARYEL BOWLEG Tribune Staff Reporter ebowleg@tribunemedia.net A MAN is dead and another rushed to hospital after being shot off Marshall Road last night. Superintendent Michael Johnson, of the Criminal Investigation Department, told reporters on the scene SEE PAGE TWO
PAGE 2, Tuesday, August 10, 2021
THE TRIBUNE
OFFICIALS KEEP WATCH ON POTENTIAL TROPICAL STORM FORMATION OFFICIALS at the National Emergency Management Agency are closely monitoring one of two disturbances in the Atlantic Ocean, one of which could be in Bahamian waters by Wednesday. In a press release issued by the agency, NEMA Director Captain Stephen Russell said while disturbance number one – located 150 miles east of Barbados – had not developed into a tropical depression at the time of the release, there is a 70 percent chance of further development. Disturbance number
two, located several hundred miles east of the Lesser Antilles, has a zero percent chance of development. Disturbance one, Captain Russell said, was projected to move across the Lesser Antilles during the course of last night and into the Caribbean Sea, before traversing Puerto Rico and the Dominican Republic. NEMA officials project that it could be in Bahamian territorial waters by Wednesday morning. It is expected to clear The Bahamas by Friday evening. “While the system has
not developed into a tropical depression as yet, there is a 70 percent chance of this system further developing and so we want to put the entire Bahamas on alert that a system is approaching and that we are monitoring that system,” Captain Russell said. “We urge those persons who haven’t already done so, to complete their hurricane preparedness plans as we are now approaching the peak of the Hurricane Season which means that residents, homeowners, and business owners, etcetera, should have all
One dead, man hurt in ambush from page one
that the deceased appeared to be in his early 40s. The other victim is believed to be in his mid-20s. Supt Johnson said shortly after 7pm, police received information about two victims shot in an area off Marshall Road. “The police responded and met two victims on scene. One was deceased. The other person was taken to hospital via ambulance. EMS personnel checked the deceased person and found no signs of life,” he said. “The basic information that we received so far is that the time that I mentioned a dark coloured jeep pulled through this corner. Two males exited — one armed with a handgun, one armed with a rifle — and they opened fire on the victims.”
When asked about the condition of the person taken to hospital, Supt Johnson answered: “Well we know he was transported, he was stabilised before he left the scene and I would have officers going to the hospital to check on his condition.” Two vehicles, one of which had a broken window, were being processed by police nearby. Supt Johnson noted there was some damage consistent with gunshots to these vehicles. “We’re early in the stages of the investigation but we know the victims were on the outside conversing when this vehicle pulled up and these gunmen opened fire on them,” Supt Johnson said when asked if either the deceased or the victim occupied the vehicles. Asked about any concerns about high powered weapons being used in
such crimes, the officer added there is “always a concern” when any weapon is used. “That’s why we appeal to the members of the public. If you have any information about anybody who’s armed with this type of weapon please contact your local station or you can call Crime (Stoppers).” Police have not released the identity of last night’s victim but a relative said he is Dino Brown. This comes after a man was fatally shot on Saturday night in a yard on Odel Corner. Police are appealing to members of the public who may have information that can assist with this latest incident and other homicides to contact the Criminal Investigations Department at 502-9991/2, Crime Stoppers at 328TIPS (8477) or the nearest police station.
of their systems in place so that once the alerts, watches or warnings are issued to quickly secure properties and save lives and livelihoods as best as possible.” Local, regional, and global disaster managers and planners note that while the Atlantic Hurricane Season officially begins annually on June 1, the season “historically ramps up” in August – a month that has facilitated more named storms than any other month. “That is the reason why we see a series of waves coming off the coast of
Africa now. Some may or may not develop, but the active period is underway now,” Captain Russell added. Captain Russell said the country’s disaster management systems are on standby. “Additionally, we want to ensure that persons have a plan of action (disaster preparedness plan) to secure their properties, homes, businesses and families. If they are not comfortable in the area within which they reside (with regards to flooding, sea surge), that plan should include a
A BODY is taken from the scene last night.
list of shelters that are available in their various communities. “The ideal situation for all residents,” Captain Russell continued, “is to be prepared.” Meanwhile, leave for all members of the Royal Bahamas Defence Force has been cancelled effective immediately, except for those on secondment, sick leave or quarantine, special leave, approved international study leave or pre-retirement leave. Personnel are to report to their respective places of duty or their approved muster points.
Scene photos: Donovan McIntosh/Tribune Staff
DINO BROWN, who is said to be the victim of last night’s shooting.
A VEHICLE seemingly hit by bullets at the scene.
SUPT Michael Johnson speaking to the media last night.
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Tuesday, August 10, 2021, PAGE 3
Spread the word - it will save lives from page one Amid another surge in COVID-19 cases, he made an appeal for more residents to get vaccinated, so the country can emerge from the pandemic and fully open its economy. He also announced tighter curfews, which take effect tomorrow. Parliament will meet today instead of in September as was previously planned, when Dr Minnis will table a resolution seeking to extend the country’s Emergency Powers Orders for the “final” time. He said, once extended, the orders will come to an end at the latest on November 13. He revealed he will also table the draft Public Health Emergency Preparedness and Management Bill 2021 today for public consultation. This new bill will form the legislative framework for The Bahamas once this COVID surge dissipates and the emergency orders end. “It was the intention of my government, that depending on the state of the pandemic, we would move toward concluding the use of the Emergency Orders this month, and to transition to a new legislative framework as more Bahamians were vaccinated,” Dr Minnis said. “The surge in new cases, hospitalizations and deaths, has required us to temporarily adjust our plans in order to immediately save Bahamian lives and to protect our economy. My government has set a plan to further combat this wave and to transition the country to a new postEmergency Orders regime after this deadly surge subsides. “As a result of the arrival soon of new vaccine supplies, we will be able to begin the transition process
away from the Emergency Orders.” In terms of the curfew changes, for New Providence, Paradise Island and Grand Bahama, the curfew will be from 9pm to 5am as of Wednesday. As for mainland Exuma, mainland Abaco, North and South Eleuthera, including Harbour Island the curfew will be 10pm to 5am. While Dr Minnis again doubled down on his push for people to receive the vaccine, he gave insight into what the government’s vaccination campaign will look like in the coming days. This includes the opening of several vaccination sites, as well as acquiring large scale vaccine supplies. He did not say if this means additional brands of vaccines will be acquired or whether The Bahamas planned to stick with largely the Oxford-AstraZeneca brand. “I am pleased to announce tonight that we have concluded negotiations to bring in a substantial number of new vaccines,” Dr Minnis said. “Along with these new doses and the vaccine supply we already received, over the next few months we will have the capacity to vaccinate all Bahamians and residents who wish to receive the vaccine. “But let me be clear: COVID-19 will not just disappear. What our vaccine supply will do is allow us to give a significant percentage of our population protection. “This will in time lessen the likelihood that we will have large-scale surges that cause extremely high hospitalisations. In the coming days, I will have more to say about the expansion of our vaccination programme.” He continued: “As I have said to you before, this fight against COVID-19 is a partnership between citizens and the government.
PRIME Minister Hubert Minnis welcoming the third tranche of 33,600 AstraZeneca Covid-19 vaccines last week. Photo: Donovan McIntosh/Tribune Staff We are bringing in the vaccines needed to protect Bahamians. “We need each unvaccinated individual to come forward quickly to take the shots. In this recent wave you have seen how COVID-19 can harm or kill people of all ages. “We are losing young, middle aged and older Bahamians to this virus. Young, middle aged, and older Bahamians are in hospital fighting for their lives. With more vaccines about to be available to vaccinate a significant portion of our population I need you to get the shots so we can end the emergency phase of this pandemic together.” Dr Minnis urged vaccinated people to speak
to one or two people who are hesitant about the shot and encourage them to get vaccinated. Last week, The Bahamas received the third tranche of prepaid Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccines through the Pan American Health Organisation’s COVAX facility. As a result, first and second doses of the shot resumed on August 5. Since then, demand for this round of shots was from mostly people seeking to have their first doses, Dr Minnis said. “A total of 833 doses were administered on that Thursday in New Providence. On Friday, August 6th, 717 doses were administered. Over a period of
two days, a total of 1,550 doses were administered. “Over a period of two days a total of 1,550 doses were administered. Of that number, 65 percent of all shots administered were first dose shots. “A total of 1,110 doses of the vaccine were administered on New Providence and Grand Bahama today, of which 75 percent were first doses. This is great news. “Today, Monday, August 9, an additional vaccination centre opened on New Providence at the Church of God of Prophecy on East Street. “Over the next two days we are ramping up our vaccination programme, with the opening of
more centres across New Providence.” Today the vaccination centre at Baha Mar, now located in the lobby of the Melia hotel, will open and then on Wednesday, another centre will open at St Anselm’s Church Hall, on Bernard Road. By Wednesday of this week, with four vaccination centres opened in New Providence, and the Susan Wallace Community Centre on Grand Bahama, 2,050 doses of the vaccine per day will be administered. To date, The Bahamas has received a total of 129,296 doses of the COVID-19 vaccine. A total of 109,616 doses of the vaccine have been administered.
RASTAFARIAN COMMUNITY UNHAPPY WITH MARIJUANA BILL DELAY By TANYA SMITHCARTWRIGHT tsmith-cartwright@ tribunemedia.net A RASTAFARIAN leader has expressed his disappointment in the delay of the much-promised Marijuana Bill being tabled in Parliament. Rithmond McKinney, High Priest of the local Rastafarian Bobo Shanti Tribe believes the delay involves the “elites” of society. For years, Rastafarians have fought for their rights to legally use marijuana as a part of their religious sacrament. Instead of having the right to smoke the known oplant, they say they are ostracised and arrested for carrying small amounts of the illegal drug. High Priest McKinney said the bill is very important to his community. “It is important to me and the Bahamian populous, in general, because so many of our young men are going through the court for small amounts of marijuana,” he said. “From what everybody is saying, the delay is basically from the elites getting themselves together and putting themselves in the right position. Then when the legislation is finally passed, lovers, friends and family will be in the right position to benefit from it. That is my personal take on it. “We know that during COVID and other situations might make it a little more difficult for the government to get together and make decisions. Last year when he (the Prime Minister) said he was going to table the Bill, he took four recommendations from the Marijuana Commission which was set up by the
government to give the government the opinion of the wider public.” The Rastafarian High Priest told The Tribune that he is hopeful the Bill will be tabled soon, but also pointed out that he felt Rastafarians should not only have the right to use marijuana for their sacrament, but they should also have a seat at the table where the proposed industry is concerned. “The Prime Minister took the four recommendations which was the medical, the sacrament of the Rastafarian, the expunging of records and releasing people from prison who were locked up for small amounts,” he said. “When the Prime Minister was on a trip to Abaco he declared that it’s only medical marijuana he would concentrate on in the Bill. So far we have not heard anything else about the sacramental rights that he said he would table. “We believe that when the House (of Assembly) opens in September that would be one of the first things on their agenda. We hope that it passes for the medical aspect. The people of The Bahamas needs to benefit from the medical cannabis part of it. At the same time the Rastaman is hoping that we get our sacramental rights also. “It is imperative that we do. We’ve been marginalized and disenfranchised for a very long time and now that the government is saying that this is something good and it is for medical use how come now you leaving the Rastamen out of their sacramental rights. Naturally the Rastamen want to be a part of the industry going forward different from their
sacramental rights. We feel as though we should be a part of it.” High Priest McKinney said the Prime Minister recently told Bahamians to be their brothers’ keeper so he
should look out for his Rastafarian brothers. In May, Attorney General Carl Bethel told journalists the government has been diligently working on the marijuana legislation and once approved by
Cabinet, a Bill will be introduced to Parliament before the end of the Budget year. That did not happen. Last year, Prime Minister Dr Hubert Minnis promised to have the Bill brought to Parliament by January of
this year. Many Bahamians interested in being a part of the industry were disappointed by the delay along with the Rastafarian community who would like the mentioned freedoms from this Bill.
PAGE 4, Tuesday, August 10, 2021
THE TRIBUNE
CLINICAL NURSE HAS REPORTEDLY DIED FROM COVID By TANYA SMITHCARTWRIGHT tsmith-cartwright@ tribunemedia.net
ANOTHER healthcare professional has reportedly died from COVID-19 while working on the frontline at Princess Margaret Hospital. Tribune sources said a trained clinical nurse, six months into her pregnancy, recently succumbed to the virus at the hospital which is now fully stressed from COVID-19 cases and an overflow of bodies in its morgue. The Tribune contacted PMH administrator, Nurse Mary Walker yesterday to officially confirm the COVID-19 death, but she would only say that the Public Hospitals Authority is “releasing a statement on the nurse’s death”. PHA managing director Catherine Weech, speaking to The Tribune while on holiday, confirmed that a
nurse had died, but did not say what the cause was. “First of all I know we had a nurse that died,” said Mrs Weech. “We lost a staff member and I cannot tell you what she died from as that would be confidential information. We are stressed and we are challenged considerably. “Secondly, our appeal and recommendation to the public is to follow the government’s advice, follow the international advice and let’s get vaccinated. That’s the only way we are going to fight this pandemic. Other than that, the health system will continue to be stressed.” Asked if working conditions and protection were satisfactory in terms of keeping staff safe from the virus, Mrs Weech indicated the government was doing its best in that regard. “Within the context of the government doing what it can from the point of view of PHA, we are trying,” she
said. “We are trying, but we need individual responsibility right now. We need persons to take individual responsibility. The more we have persons recognising that they need to do something to help the public health system the better it will be in the short term. “The government continues to obligate funding for the procurement of personal protective equipment. We have outfitted every ward, every clinic throughout the length and breadth of The Bahamas. We are doing all we can to secure our agents and that we are able to conduct the necessary screening test.” Despite the government’s push for people to get vaccinated, there are some even in the healthcare sector who are hesitant about the shot. Dr Weech was asked about the current number of health professionals who have received the vaccinations.
“I don’t have the data, unfortunately,” she said. “That’s the national programme. The rates are low nationally. At some point and time maybe a light bulb would come on. Some persons are even afflicted by the virus and once they get better they come out and they say they are still not going to take it (vaccine). So what do you do?” PHA recently issued a statement asking the general public to claim bodies of their families from the morgue as it was currently filled. The morgue currently has 245 bodies and it should only have 73. Dr Weech is making the same appeal. “We are appealing to the general public for those who have lost loved ones, to please come forward to make arrangements with morticians to move the bodies from the morgue,” she said. “That’s the only way that we would be able to clear things up and be
able to accommodate persons the way we need to be accommodating them. That’s an ongoing challenge and the public needs to help us there.” The Consultant Physicians Staff Association president, Dr Sabriquet Pinder-Butler, has repeatedly said there is a shortage of doctors and the system needs more. Mrs Weech begs to differ stating there are 600 doctors in the government system. “I don’t know that we are understaffed whereas doctors are concerned right now,” she said. “Each year we graduate doctors and no matter what that number is, the doctors expect that everybody will be hired. Each year we graduate all types of disciplines. They are not all going to work for the government. But the expectation is that once the government graduates them it is the responsibility of the public system to
engage them. “From that community of individuals, you will always get a call to hire everyone. I can tell you that we are hiring some of them. A set of the juniors will start this week, providing all their credentials are in. We are constantly getting this thing about being short of doctors. We are not short of doctors, we have almost six hundred doctors in the public health system. “Princess Margaret carries the lion’s share of that number. “If you have that many doctors, how can you then say we are short of doctors? We do have exposure rates. That means the doctors are out of office, but that is short lived. That is only 14 days. Now if you ask me if we are short of nurses, I would say, ‘absolutely.’ We are also trying to engage some nurses. That is the critical group right now that we need to hire – nurses and nursing support staff.”
DELTA VARIANT FEARS DRIVES VACCINATIONS By EARYEL BOWLEG Tribune Staff Reporter ebowleg@tribunemedia.net
IMMIGRATION Minister Elsworth Johnson.
IMMIGRATION MINISTER HAS CAUGHT COVID - WHILE MUNROE IS DISCHARGED By RASHAD ROLLE Tribune Senior Reporter rrolle@tribunemedia.net IMMIGRATION Minister Elsworth Johnson has confirmed he has tested positive for COVID-19. Mr Johnson, who is vaccinated against the virus, said he has mild symptoms. “I am truly grateful to God for His unmerited favour to my family and I,” he told The Tribune yesterday. “Stay safe, be careful, practice the protocols and get vaccinated. I am advised that my symptoms were mild because I am fully vaccinated.” This comes as attorney Wayne Munroe was discharged from Doctors Hospital yesterday amid his battle with COVID-19. “This morning I am happy to announce that I will be discharged from hospital,” Mr Munroe said in a statement. “Again I would like to thank the hardworking team at Doctors Hospital led by Dr Kevin Moss for the care I have received. I will continue my outpatient care at home in isolation until I have fully recovered.” Last week, Mr Munroe revealed he was admitted to hospital after his doctor grew concerned with his oxygen level. He told The Tribune: “I have a priest who is a doctor, Dr Roland Hamilton, and I let him take a rapid antigen test that came back negative. I took a PCR test the same time and Dr Hamilton came and tested
my oxygen level and said my oxygen level was 91 or something like that and so he felt that must be COVID despite the antigen test. “He asked us to get oxygen for our home. We did that. Over the course of the evening the oxygen was running out and the oxygen wasn’t what he liked so I was brought here and admitted here. “They did a CT scan of my lung. They say it is inflamed or something like that and that based on what they see, the treatment is drugs, steroids, that kind of thing. They’re not looking at (intubation) or anything like that,” he said at the time. Mr Munroe, the Progressive Liberal Party’s candidate for Freetown, has previously voiced his opposition to COVID-19 vaccines, stating he had no plans to get vaccinated. He recently told a local daily that despite his diagnosis, he still had no plans to get the shot. Meanwhile, former Deputy Prime Minister Cynthia “Mother” Pratt also told The Tribune last week she is doing better after her fight with the virus. She was discharged from the Kendall Regional Hospital in Florida last week and is expected to return home this week. She was in hospital for 11 days. “The medication had to set in and you had to do all these different tests and stuff like that,” she said. “Six different medical doctors were dealing with me and all of them had their portfolios.”
CONCERN about contracting the Delta variant was among the reasons residents turned up at Loyola Hall yesterday to get vaccinated against COVID-19. Last month, Dr Jairo Mendez Rico, a Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) virology advisor, said there is no evidence yet that the highly contagious Delta strain is in The Bahamas. However, due to the current surge in cases, deaths and hospitalisations, some in the healthcare field suspect the variant is here, but has not yet been detected. The Tribune spoke with several people who were at the vaccination site yesterday to get the jab. Hector Lightbourne said he is worried about the variant and also wants to protect his wife, children and others who are around him. “I understand that without the
vaccine you could die. The reason why I take it is because I don’t want to go down that road to get sick and decide you only have one choice,” the 54-year-old told The Tribune. “Right now while I’m healthy and alive, let me take it before I get sick and then decide I should have and when you sick, it ain’t no should have no more, it’s too late. I take it while I can to make myself safe and be healthy.” He knows a few people who had the virus, but thinks if they had been vaccinated, they may not have ended up in hospital. Valderine Adderley, 70, got her first dose out of caution due to the fast spread of the virus. She is also concerned about COVID variants and explained why she waited so long to get her shot. “I didn’t get it at that time because I wasn’t too sure of it. So after seeing a lot of people taking it and it seems like it’s helping so I decided to make up my mind that I will do it,” she said.
She said her daughter and her daughter’s husband — who were not vaccinated — both caught COVID-19. She said their sickness made her think about getting the jab. “My daughter was not too bad,” she recalled. “She had a little weakness, cold, headache. It wasn’t too bad, but her husband was worse than she was. He had weakness, headaches and fever. My daughter had a fever also. Otherwise, they got over it.” For Elric McKinney, the variant was not the motivation for him to get the vaccine. “Only reason I’m here is to make life less complicated on a day-to-day basis,” he said. “Going anywhere. Going to the restaurants. Restrictions. Not being vaccinated, it’s going to make it hard for everyone to do anything you need to do.” The US Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) notes on their website that the Delta variant is “nearly twice as contagious as previous variants”.
MOTHER QUERIES TESTING FOR KIDS By LEANDRA ROLLE Tribune Staff Reporter lrolle@tribunemedia.net A BAHAMIAN mother wants the government to revisit the age requirements of its mandatory testing policy for people travelling to The Bahamas after reportedly being told by numerous medical facilities abroad that COVID testing for children aged two is not offered. All travellers, including children aged two and over, are required to produce a negative COVID-19 test within five days of arrival to the country and also when travelling domestically from certain islands, according to the latest amendments to the COVID-19 emergency orders. The rule also applies to fully vaccinated people, who can either obtain a rapid antigen test or PCR test five days prior to arrival. Before the new changes were announced, only unvaccinated people who were 12 years and older were mandated to take a PCR test prior to arrival to The Bahamas. New Providence resident Kia Brown told The Tribune yesterday the new
change had left her worried about where she could get her two-year-old son tested. Mrs Brown said in the last week, she and her family had searched aggressively to locate sites that offered COVID testing for children under the age of three and had even visited at least 50 testing centres in the West Palm Beach, Florida area. However, the young mother said everywhere they went, the answer was always the same and no one could help. “Everywhere else, when I applied for testing and put his date of birth and address, they were like no it’s only three-year-olds and there’s no testing for twoyear-olds,” Mrs Brown said yesterday. “Everyone is doing testing three years and up. I even went to Walgreens, CVS, and they’ll tell you no because in making the appointments you’d have to put in your date of birth and instantly when I put in his date of birth, they put in a notice that said your child must be three years old.” Mrs Brown and her son are scheduled to return home on Friday after spending a month in the US for medical purposes. Not wanting to miss their
flight, Mrs Brown said the family had even contacted Bahamasair officials to see if an exemption would be made for her case. But, she claimed airline workers directed her elsewhere to get help. “It’s frustrating,” she said. “My husband and I called Bahamasair this morning and they directed us to call the health centre for the visa. They were so inconsiderate and then here it is, up to yesterday morning, their site was still saying two to 11 years old no testing, but when I looked this morning, they updated their website. “They gave my husband a health visa number and said call them and they may be able to direct us to a place that does it.” Mrs Brown said she and her family eventually tried their luck in Fort Lauderdale and were finally able to get assistance after one local testing site took exception to her son’s case. “I’m staying in West Palm (Beach) and I had to drive way downtown to Fort Lauderdale and I went and I told them that I brought my son and he’s not three and they just gave me an exception and I swabbed him myself. This was the only available place that had a
booking for today. Everyone else didn’t have any bookings until Wednesday,” she said. Asked what her next step would have been if she was unable to get her son tested in time, the mother replied: “I couldn’t return until I find some place for my child.” Describing her experience as a horrible one, Mrs Brown called for the government to reconsider the age requirements for its newly revised travel policy. “Like come on. You don’t put this on people who have already been off island and already are somewhere else. They need to do their research and see what’s going on around the world,” she said. In a recent interview with The Tribune, local infectious disease expert Dr Nikkiah Forbes explained that the changes to travel requirements fall in line with international travel protocols. “The changes also will fall in line with CDC recommendations with international travel. If you read the CDC guidelines, it says international travel is a risk for spreading COVID19 in light of emerging variant strains,” she said.
we are unable to share details on the number of cases. “However, we can confirm that the outbreak has been successfully contained and there have been no new positive cases since July 30. All workers are required to present a negative COVID-19 test and certify that they are free of any symptoms before returning to work. “All workers are also required to be symptomfree before receiving their first dose of the COVID19 vaccine. If they have previously tested positive, all workers must present a negative COVID-19 test in order to receive the first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine.” Additionally, he said all workers who were in isolation completed their mandatory quarantines.
As it stands, 242 workers, or approximately 60 percent of the total workforce, have received at least their first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine, and all workers regardless of vaccination status continue to follow the appropriate mask, social distancing, and handwashing guidelines. Mr Durazo said officials remain concerned about rising virus cases around the world and urged Bahamians to get vaccinated as soon as possible. “The embassy is concerned about the rise in COVID-19 cases in many parts of the world as the Delta variant continues to spread. We urge the Bahamian people to get vaccinated as soon as they are able, and to continue to follow COVID-19 prevention protocols.
“As we have throughout the pandemic, we will continue to support the government and people of The Bahamas in combating the spread of COVID-19 and sharing accurate information about the pandemic, vaccination efforts, and other public health guidance.” The US government has provided over $1.35m in direct COVID-19 assistance to The Bahamas – including respirators, diagnostic equipment, testing kits, PPE, mobile tents, and more. This is in addition to the two separate Rhode Island National Guard missions to help distribute COVID-19 vaccines to the Family Islands and doesn’t include ongoing assistance on disaster preparedness and response, Mr Durazo said.
US EMBASSY QUIET ON NUMBERS OF CONSTRUCTION SITE CASES By KHRISNA RUSSELL Tribune Chief Reporter krussell@tribunemedia.net
WHILE construction at the US Embassy’s new site resumed last week after suspected COVID-19 cases were reported, officials have declined to reveal the number of virus-related incidents tied to the ongoing project. Last month, the embassy’s public affairs officer, Daniel Durazo, confirmed that there had been “one or more suspected cases” of COVID-19 among private contractors. As a result, work was suspended, but resumed on August 2 after the situation had been contained. Asked to reveal how many of the workers tested positive, Mr Durazo said: “Due to privacy concerns,
THE TRIBUNE
Tuesday, August 10, 2021, PAGE 5
‘Niche marketing is the way forward for GB’ By DENISE MAYCOCK Tribune Freeport Reporter dmaycock@tribunemedia.net A SENIOR tourism official in Grand Bahama said they are focusing attention on niche markets to boost the island’s tourism sector. Steven Johnson, general manager of tourism on GBI, said Grand Bahama has Boating, Diving and Romance, and now they are looking to add the Fraternal sector to that list of niche markets. “Niche marketing is the way for Grand Bahama,” Mr Johnson said yesterday when contacted for an update on any new plans for tourism. He believes the fraternal sector is very lucrative and is confident such groups can fill hotels on the island. “The fraternal market can be a real boost for GB, and we are looking to launch it hopefully soon. It is lucrative and we would be the first destination with such a sector,” Mr Johnson said. “We are looking at the fraternity sector and putting together a step show where a lot of fraternities can come down and take part and fill the hotels, and take GB to the next
level,” Mr Johnson said. Mr Johnson indicated that steps are being taken to organise a Greek Fraternity Committee with all fraternities and to have a President and Vice president, and in 2023 look to host regional and national conventions in Grand Bahama. “We are not only looking at the traditional Greek fraternities, but also Honour Societies such as Phi Beta Kappa Society, but also Prince Hall Masons, and others to look at hosting conventions here in Grand Bahama,” “But the fraternal market… we are looking to launch hopefully soon. Grand Bahama needs a real boost and a lot of people have not seen a real step show. “We think the niche market is the way for Grand Bahama,” Mr Johnson said. Sports Tourism, he explained, is another sector in Grand Bahama that has grown and offers tremendous potential. However, due to the COVI9-19 pandemic a major Track and Field event that was planned for Grand Bahama in March 2022 has been pushed to March 2023. “It was expected
THE ADVENTURE of the Seas in Freeport Harbour in June and, right, Steven Johnson, who says niche marketing is the way for Grand Bahama. Main photo: Derek Carroll to attract many big are 1,400 rooms available Association’s board of universities such as the Uni- on the island. directors and membership versity of Kentucky and Ivy Two weeks ago, Acting meeting last month that the Leagues institutions, and Chairman of the Grand island’s occupancy rates are HBCUs (Historically Black Bahama Island Tourism about 30 to 40 percent. Mr Universities and Colleges). Board Ian Rolle described Rolle further reported that This event was being put the island’s performance as 80 percent of the island’s together by an organiser “dismal,” compared to New attractions and operators out of Houston, Texas,” Mr Providence and some of the are open for business, with Johnson said. other Family Islands. the remaining 20 percent Grand Bahama Island is He reported at the waiting for an increase in opened for tourism. There Bahamas Hotel Tourism activity on the island.
TWENTY PARTICIPANTS COMPLETE FULBRIGHT TRAINING PROGRAMME By DENISE MAYCOCK Tribune Freeport Reporter dmaycock@tribunemedia.net TWENTY participants completed the first Fulbright App Development Training programme in Grand Bahama. Senator Kwasi Thompson, State Minister for Grand Bahama, indicated “deliberate steps” are being taken to make Grand Bahama the “technology hub” of the country. He revealed some participants are already close to developing potential apps that could be sold on the market. It was also revealed some people would be eligible to receive funding from the Tech Grant Initiative to start businesses. “There are some persons who are already to a point where they can develop their own apps that can actually be put on the market and sold, and be used in different businesses or their own business, and that is extremely important,” he said. His remarks came during the closing ceremony of the
programme via Zoom on Friday. He commended all the participants on completing the course, despite the “tremendous challenges” of training during the COVID-19 pandemic. The programme was launched last month by the Office of the Prime Minister in Grand Bahama, in partnership with the US Embassy, and the Bahamas Technical and Vocational Institute (BTVI). The sixweek course was free – 13 enrolled in the beginner’s course and seven in the advanced course. Fulbright scholar Aaron Saunders, an American, was the facilitator. Mr Thompson told participants: “You made history today. We are proud of you, and I believe we can see some future Facebook and WhatsApp developers or Amazon developers created from this programme. Tremendous challenges of COVID-19 have unfortunately made things extremely difficult for everyone, and you have gone through the programme successfully.”
He said the government is committed to providing “upskilling initiatives” for Bahamians to take advantage of opportunities, to create employment and their own businesses. “That is the key component to rebuild our economy,” he said. “All the steps we are taking through Fullbright, BTVI’s summer programme that we just completed, BTVI and UB (University of the Bahamas) expanding their ICT programmes, these are steps we are taking deliberately and intentionally... to provide more opportunities for Bahamians. And this is at the heart of the GB Technology Hub Initiative,” he explained. The minister noted the concept for the app development programme was taken from the previously launched apiary programme which provided skills training, business development skills and assistance in funding to help people start their own businesses.
Mr Thompson commended Mr Saunders, who was recently appointed a Fellow at BTVI, to provide continued training and skills in app development at the institution. “We discussed a concept of bringing together these young people and those trained and creating a company similar to the apiary concept and, through his (Mr Saunders) connections in the US, to provide opportunities for these young people who have now been trained and that really is the purpose and success behind the GB technology hub initiative,” he added. “It is not just about bringing tech companies to GB but bringing technical skills and building human capacity in GB so we can export these skills, and so we have Bahamians who can work any place in the world and at any company in the world right from The Bahamas. That is the potential and success I see that this programme will bring,” Mr Thompson said.
PAGE 6, Tuesday, August 10, 2021
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Code red on worsening global warming EARTH is getting so hot that temperatures in about a decade will probably blow past a level of warming that world leaders have sought to prevent, according to a report released yesterday that the United Nations called a “code red for humanity”. “It’s just guaranteed that it’s going to get worse,” said report co-author Linda Mearns, a senior climate scientist at the US National Center for Atmospheric Research. “Nowhere to run, nowhere to hide.” But scientists also eased back a bit on the likelihood of the absolute worst climate catastrophes. The authoritative Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) report, which calls climate change clearly human-caused and “unequivocal” and “an established fact,” makes more precise and warmer forecasts for the 21st century than it did last time it was issued in 2013. Each of five scenarios for the future, based on how much carbon emissions are cut, passes the more stringent of two thresholds set in the 2015 Paris climate agreement. World leaders agreed then to try to limit warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius (2.7 degrees Fahrenheit) above levels in the late 19th century because problems mount quickly after that. The world has already warmed nearly 1.1 degrees Celsius (2 degrees Fahrenheit) since then. Under each scenario, the report said, the world will cross the 1.5-degree-Celsius warming mark in the 2030s, earlier than some past predictions. Warming has ramped up in recent years, data shows. “Our report shows that we need to be prepared for going into that level of warming in the coming decades. But we can avoid further levels of warming by acting on greenhouse gas emissions,” said report co-chair Valerie MassonDelmotte, a climate scientist at France’s Laboratory of Climate and Environment Sciences at the University of Paris-Saclay. In three scenarios, the world will also likely exceed 2 degrees Celsius (3.6 degrees Fahrenheit) over pre-industrial times — the less stringent Paris goal — with far worse heat waves, droughts and flood-inducing downpours unless there are deep emissions cuts, the report said. “This report tells us that recent changes in the climate are widespread, rapid and intensifying, unprecedented in thousands of years,” said IPCC Vice Chair Ko Barrett, senior climate adviser for the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. With crucial international climate negotiations coming up in Scotland in November, world leaders said the report is causing them to try harder to cut carbon pollution. US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken called it “a stark reminder”. The 3,000-plus-page report from 234 scientists said warming is already accelerating sea level rise and worsening extremes such as heat waves, droughts, floods and storms. Tropical cyclones are getting stronger and wetter, while Arctic sea ice is dwindling in the summer and permafrost is thawing. All of these trends will get worse, the report said. For example, the kind of heat wave that used to happen only once every 50 years now happens once a decade, and if the world warms another degree Celsius (1.8 degrees Fahrenheit), it will happen twice every seven years, the report said. As the planet warms, places will get hit more not just by extreme weather but by multiple climate disasters at once, the report said. That’s like what’s now happening in the Western US, where heat waves, drought and wildfires compound the damage, Mearns said. Extreme heat is also driving massive fires in Greece and Turkey. Some harm from climate change — dwindling ice sheets, rising sea levels and changes in the oceans as they lose oxygen and become more acidic — is “irreversible for centuries to millennia,” the report said. The world is “locked in” to 15 to 30 centimeters (6 to 12 inches) of sea level rise by mid-century, said report
co-author Bob Kopp of Rutgers University. Scientists have issued this message for more than three decades, but the world hasn’t listened, said United Nations Environment Program Executive Director Inger Andersen. For the first time, the report offers an interactive atlas for people to see what has happened and may happen to where they live. Nearly all of the warming that has happened on Earth can be blamed on emissions of heat-trapping gases such as carbon dioxide and methane. At most, natural forces or simple randomness can explain one- or two-tenths of a degree of warming, the report said. The report described five different future scenarios based on how much the world reduces carbon emissions. They are: a future with incredibly large and quick pollution cuts; another with intense pollution cuts but not quite as massive; a scenario with moderate emission cuts; a fourth scenario where current plans to make small pollution reductions continue; and a fifth possible future involving continued increases in carbon pollution. In five previous reports, the world was on that final hottest path, often nicknamed “business as usual”. But this time, the world is somewhere between the moderate path and the small pollution reductions scenario because of progress to curb climate change, said report co-author Claudia Tebaldi, a scientist at the US Pacific Northwest National Lab. While calling the report “a code red for humanity”, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres kept a sliver of hope that world leaders could still somehow prevent 1.5 degrees of warming, which he said is “perilously close”. Alok Sharma, the president of the upcoming climate negotiations in Scotland, urged leaders to do more so they can “credibly say that we have kept 1.5 degrees alive”. “Anything we can do to limit, to slow down, is going to pay off,” Tebaldi said. “And if we cannot get to 1.5, it’s probably going to be painful, but it’s better not to give up.” In the report’s worst-case scenario, the world could be around 3.3 degrees Celsius (5.9 degrees Fahrenheit) hotter than now by the end of the century. But that scenario looks increasingly unlikely, said report co-author and climate scientist Zeke Hausfather, climate change director of the Breakthrough Institute. “We are a lot less likely to get lucky and end up with less warming than we thought,” Hausfather said. “At the same time, the odds of ending up in a much worse place than we expected if we do reduce our emissions are notably lower.” The report also said ultra-catastrophic disasters — commonly called “tipping points,” like ice sheet collapses and the abrupt slowdown of ocean currents — are “low likelihood” but cannot be ruled out. The much talked-about shutdown of Atlantic ocean currents, which would trigger massive weather shifts, is something that’s unlikely to happen in this century, Kopp said. A “major advance” in the understanding of how fast the world warms with each ton of carbon dioxide emitted allowed scientists to be far more precise in the scenarios in this report, MasonDelmotte said. In a new move, scientists emphasized how cutting airborne levels of methane — a powerful but short-lived gas that has soared to record levels — could help curb short-term warming. Lots of methane the atmosphere comes from leaks of natural gas, a major power source. Livestock also produces large amounts of the gas, a good chunk of it in cattle burps. More than 100 countries have made informal pledges to achieve “net zero” human-caused carbon dioxide emissions sometime around mid-century, which will be a key part of the negotiations in Scotland. The report said those commitments are essential. “It is still possible to forestall many of the most dire impacts,” Barrett said. By SETH BORENSTEIN AP Science Writer
Pandemic trauma EDITOR, The Tribune.
SINCE the turn of the century, warnings have been given about the powerful effects of virus and influenzas. Such diseases have killed billions throughout human history. Black Plague, Spanish Influenza to name a few you may recognise. Various Governments have not ignored their powerful destructiveness, and established agencies to study, catalogue and research these viruses and their cures. Much has been done to understand these powerful predators and governmental responses have saved the lives of many in the past. Fast forward to the present day. In the past few years governments have been cutting the budgets of those agencies with the task above mentioned and yet I am sure the budgets of those trying to weaponize these diseases don’t have that same problem. Our attention has been on other things. The threat of virus pandemics continued to be out there, somewhere but certainly not in our neighbourhood. They appeared in Africa (Congo & Kenya) and Latin America (Brazil), but not in a part of the world where science and medicine reigned supreme. Well here’s hoping anyways that 2019-2021 and beyond have become pivotal points in history. Over a half a million people throughout the world have died, and millions have been effected with post COVID-19 syndrome. We truly do not know how those infected with this virus and then recuperating from it will be affected. Side affects, internal organ damage, psychological trauma will be studied carefully. So is there someone to blame here? Many say COVID-19 originated in China. Perhaps. Word is the Chinese had recognised this virus mid-summer of 2019. Like so many other governments, China certainly did not ignore this virus, and certainly did study and investigate it. What China did, like so many other nations across the globe, was protect its information and wait to see what would happen. Yes. every national government did the same thing, play the human game of “wait and see”. Did they prepare for the worst? Make or buy PPE and breathing apparatus, put their emergency medical teams on standby? Most did not, while a few like Singapore, Thailand and Israel did. Canada made the right moves also, purchasing PPE, and investing in the development of vaccines. We just ordered these items from the wrong manufacturer. China like so many other nations applied national self interest towards all their agreements. America, a supplier and manufacturer of vaccines also looked to its own self interest before other
LETTERS letters@tribunemedia.net nations. Would you expect anything else to happen? Small nations suffered, their citizens died so that those nations who produce these vaccines can re-open their economies before any other. What have I learnt about Humanity and how it responded to this pandemic? The Western concerns about individual freedoms of choice conspired against our collective rights to be safe and healthy. Controversy arose regarding mask wearing, health safety regulations, who should be vaccinated first, when should businesses closed be reopened. Selfish nations holding onto their vaccines, selfish individuals not recognising that safety regulations protected not just others but themselves too. Protests, violence and anti-masking practices became commonplace. How can someone get violent about wearing a mask you may ask? American exceptionalism became the word of the day. Like a child, adults refused to be concerned about the health of others, the safety of others. I was mocked, mostly by men many times for wearing a mask. The Right to Choose vs Human Life. Safety vs Perceived rights. The collective will not refuse an anti-maskers entrance into a hospital cause they have COVID-19. Self absorbed negativity ruled in many parts of the world. Trust of Governmental motivation became a battle cry. Many corporations made off like bandits during these pandemic times. The Pharmaceutical Corporations are talking booster shots now mostly because of the COVID variants. Grocery stores increased their prices drastically, while trying to say these price increases are due to escalating costs. Really! The drivers and many staff make the same pay as pre-pandemic. With the restaurants closed, many people bought food to cook at home. The packages became smaller, while the prices increased for no real reason. Costs have remained relatively the same during the pandemic. Grocery, hardware and department stores like Costco and Walmart increased their profits. Selfish nations, selfish individuals, selfish corporations seem to rule The West. Their influence upon our governments has been large and continual. Once they were declared essential Service Firms their ticket to “Profit City” was assured. The Leadership of our governments have shown an inability to make concrete decisions. This inability is sidestepped by their supposed reliance upon our medical experts who are said to be running this Pandemic Circus. Politicians fear making the
wrong or unpopular decision, so they passed this decision making onto medical bureaucrats who have steel plated pensions and total protection should they make the wrong decision. Remember all the senior homes with our senior citizens dying due to lack of protection during the beginning of this pandemic? The governments of the day passed into law legislation that protected managers of these homes, the government and its leaders from legal charges that may come up due to mismanagement, lack of care, wrongful treatment of our elderly. Here’s to looking out for Number One, right! Governments gave/lent money to many of their citizens, who were in need. Some nations did better than others. Strange how they show concern about the budget at a time of emergency, but not when they give themselves raises and bonuses. The have nots received some relief, but we will all have to brace ourselves for the oncoming taxes, revenue increases, revenue agency policy changes, etc. What they gave will be taken back and more. The Middle Class will get smaller, the working class poorer, the ill and diseased will have to wait for further funding and the rich have become richer. The super rich have offshore accounts banking trillions of dollars, while our governments will place all taxation burdens upon the middle class. The poor and working class services will certainly be adjusted to the Government’s benefit. Someone has to pay for their horrible mess. Why did the pandemic occur? Who really knows. “They” are not about to tell us the truth. The pandemic became a horrible thing for these reasons... Governmental officials either did not recognize the threat or did not act quickly enough. Governmental officials were not transparent, nor accountable for their actions. Secrecy was and still is a primary force of this pandemic’s development.(no real concrete information). Private Enterprises manipulated governmental actions to the private sector’s benefit. Profit motivated innovation, not empathy. Political competition among nations blocked any global effort for transparency and effectiveness. The EU-USA-CHINA screwed up. Smaller nations suffered their negligence, selfishness and greed. Can we learn from this living history? Yes indeed. What is money but a tool to benefit our citizens. Put the Corporate world in their place, and concentrate upon what is important. You and Me. The People. STEVEN KASZAB Bradford, Ontario, Canada. August 9, 2021.
THE TRIBUNE
Tuesday, August 10, 2021, PAGE 7
MARIJUANA FOUND IN US MAN’S HOME AND BOAT By FARRAH JOHNSON Tribune Staff Reporter fjohnson@tribunemedia.net POLICE recovered a quantity of marijuana from an American man’s boat and home earlier this month, a court was told. Officers arrested 64-yearold Michael Goodwin after they found $240 worth of hashish oil in his home along with a glass jar filled with marijuana oil on his boat on August 6. Goodwin pleaded guilty to four counts of possession when he appeared before Senior Magistrate Derence Rolle Davis. The prosecution said around 10.50am, officers, acting on information, went to the marina near East Bay Street. The court was told that when they arrived, they visited a 50-foot Trawler High Grey white vessel and spoke to Goodwin, who was the boat’s captain. After informing him his boat would be
searched, officers checked the vessel’s cabin where they found a red and white box with marijuana and hashish in the ceiling. Goodwin was subsequently arrested and taken to the Central Police Station. The court was told officers, acting on additional information, then went to his residence where they found another clear container with marijuana and hashish oil in a dresser drawer in his room. The prosecution said when the accused was questioned, he claimed the drugs on his boat were found by his kids who discovered it on Normans Cay beach. He also admitted having knowledge of the drugs that were found in his home. After accepting his guilty pleas, Magistrate Rolle Davis fined Goodwin $3,000 or six months in prison. He also ordered the accused to leave the country at his own expense once the fine was paid.
PAIR BEHIND BARS AS THEY WAIT BAIL RULING By FARRAH JOHNSON Tribune Staff Reporter fjohnson@tribunemedia.net
TWO men who claimed they stabbed a third man in self-defence were yesterday remanded to prison pending their bail hearing. Jarod Scott, 22, and James Pratt, 20, were arrested in connection with the stabbing of an Eastern Road man on August 7. The men were charged with grievous harm when they appeared before Magistrate Shaka Serville. The court was told that around 8.18pm on the night in question, Sergeant 1790 Russell received reports of the victim requesting police action after being stabbed multiple times. The prosecution said after an investigation was launched, Scott and James were cautioned and arrested. When they were questioned in police custody, they both owned up to the offence. When further investigations were conducted, an officer visited Princess Margaret Hospital where he showed the complainant a 12-man photo line-up and the man identified both defendants. According to prosecutors, the victim’s hospital form indicated his injuries were serious and could possibly be fatal. Yesterday, Scott told the magistrate that he and the complainant had had an argument on the day in
question. He and Pratt were walking when the complainant drove past and started jeering at them. Scott said when he responded to the man, he turned his car around and attempted to knock him down with it. He also alleged that at one point the victim got out of his car to confront him. Pratt also told the magistrate that he had also received threats from the complainant during a previous disagreement and was only trying to protect himself during the altercation. After listening to their explanations, Magistrate Servile said the accused were suggesting they were in fear of their lives when they acted. As a result, he recorded two not guilty pleas on their behalf. Before the question of bail could be considered, Sergeant Vernon Pyfrom objected on the grounds that the complainant was still hospitalised and his condition was uncertain. As a result, Magistrate Serville said he would defer the determination of the defendants’ bails to August 16 to give the court an opportunity to get an update on the victim’s condition. Scott and Pratt were remanded to the Bahamas Department of Correctional Services until that time.
MAN ACCUSED OF ABDUCTING TEEN By FARRAH JOHNSON Tribune Staff Reporter fjohnson@tribunemedia.net
A 45-YEAR-OLD man who denied abducting a teenage girl who was reported missing was yesterday granted bail ahead of his trial. Marvin Beneby appeared before Senior Magistrate Derence Rolle Davis
charged with the abduction of an unmarried person after prosecutors alleged he abducted a 16-year-old girl sometime between July 5 and August 5. During his hearing yesterday, he pleaded not guilty to the offence and the matter was adjourned to October 27 trial. Beneby was granted $5,000 bail in the interim.
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COVID-19 ambassadors have been put in place across the country.
COVID ambassador saw ‘red flag’ on test By FARRAH JOHNSON Tribune Staff Reporter fjohnson@tribunemedia.net A COVID-19 ambassador yesterday testified of noticing a red flag on the COVID test of a man who was attempting to travel earlier this year. Joseph Wallace Whitfield was arrested after he was accused of attempting to travel with a fraudulent Doctor’s Hospital health system negative COVID-19 RT PCR test on March 31.
He denied possessing and uttering a forged document when he first appeared before Magistrate Samuel McKinney and the case was adjourned for trial. When Jennifer Bonaby gave evidence during the proceedings, the COVID ambassador said she was stationed at the domestic terminal at Lynden Pindling International Airport (LPIA). She said when Whitfield approached her desk around 6.05am, she asked him to show her his health visa, ID as
well as his negative COVID test. She said when he presented the required travel documents, she noticed a “red flag” on the COVID test. Ms Bonaby said this prompted her to take a photo of the document and send it to a nurse at Doctor’s Hospital. She said “moments later” the medical professional called her back with her “findings” which prompted her to contact the Airport Police Station. The case continues on September 15.
PAGE 8, Tuesday, August 10, 2021
THE TRIBUNE
Striving for a healthier future in our own back yard I
N a world where more and more people are getting sick and the cost of imports are steadily rising, the chairman of the Bahamas Agricultural and Industrial Corporation (BAIC), Bishop Gregory Anthony Collie, is calling on Bahamians to invest in farming as one of the keys to a healthier, wealthier future for the country. The COVID-19 pandemic has had many effects, among them, a rise in cottage industry, as more people are becoming entrepreneurs and coming up with innovative ways to provide goods and services necessary for the “new normal”. In this way, BAIC should be considered one of the vital government agencies for people to connect with. It is mandated to stimulate, facilitate and encourage the development of agriculture in The Bahamas; to process the produce of agriculture; and to market the produce of agriculture within or outside the country. Bahamians seem to be responding well to the times. The produce exchange located at BAIC Headquarters on Old Trail Road, and the Farmer’s Market of Gladstone Road have seen a good increase in patrons looking for fresh, home grown produce.
Farming The next step, according to Bishop Collie, is for a major increase in Bahamians adopting the farming lifestyle as a means of self-sustenance. As for him, agriculture is “in the blood”. His maternal grandparents, Earnest Brice of Long Island and Beatrice Brice of Exuma. made their home in Mount Thompson, Exuma where they created a thriving onion farm. The young Gregory grew up with opportunities to spend time in Exuma with his grandparents, learning how to farm and appreciating the value of what can come from the ground. In those days, he said, Exuma was the onion capital of The Bahamas, and many families grew onions on a scale large enough for export to the United States and other parts of the region. Back then, he said, different Bahamian islands would specialize in a specific agricultural product for export. Eleuthera was known for pineapples, for example, and Cat Island for tomatoes. He recalls learning that Sir Sidney Poitier’s parents, farmers from Cat Island, gained exposure to the United States because they were not only exporting tomatoes there, but visiting there as well. Many opportunities abound from investing in agriculture, he said, and it would be good to see even more Bahamians take on the challenge to farm on a commercial level. “Today, you don’t even have to spend all day in
the sun to farm,” Bishop Collie urged. “There are new, innovative and technologically advanced ways of farming including greenhouses, container farming and so much more. This allows you to provide more produce locally and even provide them outside of their regular season.” As current chairman of BAIC, he said: “I love the challenge of helping to reduce The Bahamas’ import bill. There are so many things that we import that we can grow. In the past, we have paid a disservice to agriculture, but the recent pandemic has brought it home. It has given us all the time to reflect, and to consider how we would sustain ourselves in the event we could not import.” He also has heritage from Acklins Island and there, a thriving cascarilla project – The Pine Islands Project – stands as a beacon of the kind of agricultural industry and commerce that can be repeated throughout the country. His grandfather Theo Collie, and grandmother Anita Heastie, relied on the land and sea, enjoying the quintessential Bahamian lifestyle. His father, Henry Collie, was born in Morant Bay, Acklins, where he lived before moving to Nassau where he met Lean Brice, Greg-
“Decide your goals and set your plan. As a young person, I did my best to stay out of bad company and away from negative influences. Your circumstances do not have to define your level of success. Look at where I grew up. Choose to stay focused on your dreams, and attach yourself to the right people.” Bishop Gregory Collie ory’s mother. Even though he grew up on Quintine Alley just off East Street, the values of his grandparents on both sides and their love for the land have inspired him to promote agriculture, which he continues to do today. His cousin Anita is one of those leading the charge for the Pine Islands Project in Acklins. He pointed out that major global companies like Campari and Mary Kay cosmetics rely on the cascarilla plant as one of the raw materials for their products. With the implementation of
RIGHT AND BELOW RIGHT: Bishop Gregory Collie BELOW: Bishop Gregory Collie and his wife, Stephanie, at their church, First Holiness Church of God. BOTTOM: BISHOP COLLIE, second from right, signing a memorandum of understanding between BAIC and the Small Business Development Centre to help more Bahamians on a quest for entrepreneurship.
the project, Bishop Collie says Acklins Islanders will have an opportunity to create by-products instead of just selling the raw material, which they have done for decades. On June 18 Agriculture and Marine Resources Minister Michael Pintard announced that the Government had approved the grant of 105 acres of land to the Acklins Islanders Cooperative Society to be used to grow cascarilla trees and to construct a processing plant for the extraction of essential cascarilla oil. One hundred acres of the land is in Hard Hill and another five acres is located in Spring Point. This land acquisition is part of the component of the Pine Islands Project which is focused on “Sustainable Livelihoods” for cascarilla bark cultivation and processing of cascarilla oil in Acklins and Crooked Islands. This is one of six activities in the cultivation and processing of the cascarilla bark in the “Development and Promotion of Sustainable harvesting of cascarilla” The Pine Islands Project is funded through the Global Environment Facility of the United Nations along with the Government of the Bahamas and in-kind contributions from various agencies. In addition to agriculture, industry is also a vital part of the BAIC mandate. The corporation seeks to assist in the creation and development of commerce and industry in The Bahamas; and to expand and create opportunities for Bahamians to participate in the economic development of the country. BAIC is
a one-stop-shop agency, ready to assist small business persons with business plans, research, sourcing funding, business advice/ counseling, implementation and follow-up. As an encouragement for the development of business in the Family Islands, start-up capital through small business window loans from The Bahamas Development Bank (BDB), The Bahamas Entrepreneurial Venture Fund, and the grant of Crown Land are available to Bahamians. Bishop Collie is encouraged by the Blue Project, presented by BAIC General Manager Rocky Nesbitt. The BLUE Project stands for: “Building a Lean Uniformed Eco nomic Network”. The plan, amongst other things, includes the introduction of KPI software to ensure the corporation is able to track, analyze and create timely reports within the Agri-business and Industrial sectors. This part of the project is already underway. The increase in
entrepreneurship in The Bahamas is also encouraging for Bishop Collie, who took the same path in his youth and maintained a successful business for some time. After graduating from Highbury High, the young Gregory got a job in a company then known as the House of Sales. He started out cleaning the floors at that company, and worked his way up to management. For some, that would have been good enough, but his ambitious drive and entrepreneurial spirit made him push all the way to owning one of their retail outlets. “You have to be focused and know what you want out of life,” he advised.
Dreams “Decide your goals and set your plan. As a young person, I did my best to stay out of bad company and away from negative influences. Your circumstances do not have to define your level of success. Look at where I grew up. Choose to stay focused on your dreams, and attach yourself to the right people. As a young person you have to be willing to take good advice from those who have made it where you want to go. “Be teachable, be trainable, be diligent and stay focused.” All while climbing up the ranks of the House of Sales, Gregory sought higher education. He earned an Associate of Arts in History, but he also took up studies in education as he was
training to be a teacher. After earning his degree at the College of The Bahamas, he eventually went on to earn a certificate of higher learning in Law from the University of Huddersfield, a certificate in Alternative Dispute Resolution from the University of Windsor, Canada, as well as a certificate in Paralegal Legal Studies from the Institute of Legal Executives. With this experience, Bishop Collie served as President and Secretary of The Public Managers Union. He is also a former Assistant General Secretary of the Trade Union Congress, a member of the Bahamas Real Estate Association and he is a licensed Broker/ Appraiser. He is most notably the former Senior Manager of Compliance at the National Insurance Board, where he was employed for 26 years. Bishop Collie is also a singer/songwriter and former lead vocalist of the ‘Soulmakers’ group. Although now defunct, the Soulmakers were once a hit, having travelled not only through The Bahamas, but also throughout the United States with a steady following. Today, Bishop Collie, a husband, father and Justice of the Peace, is the Senior Pastor and Bishop of First Holiness Church of God, located in Bamboo Town and Young Husband Avenue, Freeport Grand Bahama. This, he considers his highest calling, and one which allows him to inspire, encourage, and uplift lives through the word of God.
THE TRIBUNE
Tuesday, August 10, 2021, PAGE 9
IT HAS been called the worst civilian atrocity in Europe since the Second World War and the darkest page of modern European history. In July 1995, in Srebrenica in the state of Bosnia – part of the former Yugoslavia – over 8,000 people, mainly Muslim men and boys, were rounded up and executed by Serbian forces. These killings were recognised as “a genocide” by the International Court of Justice in 2007 and the leading perpetrators were subsequently convicted at the UN International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY) as war criminals and were sentenced to life imprisonment. This terrible atrocity should surely be a lesson to the world and to people in Europe in particular. So it is welcome news that now, at the time of its 26th anniversary, publicity is being given to a new film about the massacre which has received high praise and has already been nominated for an Oscar. With a Bosnian screenwriter and director, the film is entitled “Quo Vadis, Aida?” (Where are you going, Aida). It tells the story of a schoolteacher employed by the United Nations peacekeeping force at their base in Srebrenica to help communications between UN officials and Bosnian Muslim leaders as the town is about to fall to forces from the neighbouring republic of Serbia and Montenegro. The female interpreter is well placed to witness what happens. The UN peacekeepers are unable to stop the fighting and are largely limited to distributing humanitarian aid. They also fail to protect the thousands of Muslims sheltering in its so-called UN “safe area” which has been overrun by the Serbs. The disregard of the local UN force, which is mainly Dutch, for the thousands of civilians seeking protection was widely condemned later as scandalous and shameful. Critics say this powerful film is a brilliant depiction of the horror of the Srebrenica atrocity through the eyes of the interpreter who is overwhelmed by shock and disbelief. It is said to be an impressively convincing production but without glorifying violence which often happens in traditional war movies. The director claims its purpose is to shed light – for the benefit of a global audience – on what happened in order to bring home to people the suffering of war so as to ensure it will never be forgotten or allowed to be repeated. Another aim is to remind as many people as possible that this act of genocide against huge numbers of unarmed, half starving people abandoned by the
UN took place in the heart of Europe (a 40-minute flight from Vienna and less than two hours from Berlin) and in front of European eyes after all the post-Second World War cries of “never again”. It is also designed to counter the denials – continuing to this day – by Serbs both in Serbia and in Bosnia itself that the atrocity really happened at all. It is well known that historically the Balkans has been a region of political instability and turmoil. It has been dominated by nationalism and it came as no surprise that Yugoslavia split up into its constituent parts after the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991 and the end of the Cold War, to the extent that by 1992 it no longer existed as a country and war erupted. By then, the Yugoslav republics of Slovenia and Croatia had sought greater autonomy from the Yugoslav federation and were recognised by Germany while another republic, Bosnia and Herzegovina, which was predominantly Muslim, also declared independence. This was resisted by neighbouring Serbia and led to the Bosnian war. The EU considered the way to ensure peace in the region was to recognise the independence of these new republics while the US chose to support a stable federation. But Brussels declined to intervene diplomatically or militarily to stop the killing – apart from an arms embargo in 1993 – and historians now say the disintegration of Yugoslavia was bottom of the then European Community’s list of priorities (the EU was not created until 1993). Nor did Britain want to become involved even though this violent crisis was happening within the borders of the European Community and NATO. Meanwhile, the UN placed troops on the ground but tried to remain neutral in a politically fraught situation. In such circumstances, those same historians suggest the path embarked upon by the rest of Europe in 1991 reached its inevitable destination on 11 July, 1995 in Srebrenica. The situation overall was not resolved until the Americans stepped in. The NATO bombing of the Serbs – including of Belgrade itself – followed, and the US-brokered Dayton Accords ended the war later that year. The failure of the international community, and specifically the EU, to take any real action at an early stage in relation to events in Bosnia and the wider Yugoslavia was considered by many to be shocking and discreditable. Srebrenica was seen as a day of darkness when Europe betrayed its own values. With the
benefit of hindsight, perhaps, it is now claimed that at the beginning European leaders could have brought together Yugoslavia’s constituent republics and told them directly that war on the continent of Europe would not be tolerated and that they must figure out how to reconfigure the territory of Yugoslavia peacefully. It was thought this might have worked since the then President of the European Commission, Jacques Delors, said at the time the European Community was already perceived as a major power – not just an economic one – which had teeth and could impose its will. It is ironic the EU is now saying Bosnia and Herzegovina is a part of common European history and the future of the country and the whole of the western Balkans lies in the EU. It is seeking Bosnia’s agreement to follow the European idea and road to development and to promote reconciliation, dialogue and co-operation. That all sounds fine, but the sad fact is the EU failed to stand up and be counted when it mattered most – and it must, indirectly, share the blame and shame for the terrible events in Srebrenica a quarter of a century ago.
ACCORDING to reports, the current wildfires in Greece have created an unprecedented situation with damage and destruction happening by the minute. Following the country’s worst heatwave and drought in three decades, strong scorching winds have also contributed to the conditions for forest fires that have created a nightmare summer as the inferno rages out of control. This has forced the evacuation of thousands of people amid widespread devastation. These fires together with others in Turkey and in countries in southern Europe like Italy which have been experiencing heatwaves and droughts – as well as California which is suffering from what is reportedly the sixth largest fire in its history – are said to be tied to climate change and global warming. That is hardly surprising, with scientists saying July was the worst month on record for wildfires around the world – and the new report by the UN’s Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) published yesterday contains what has been termed the starkest warning yet about the future while the world is hit by record heatwaves, wildfires and flooding. With all this at the top of the world’s news agenda, those concerned will be looking forward with eager anticipation to the climate summit meeting called COP26 in Glasgow
in Scotland during November. At that gathering world leaders will try to agree measures to slash carbon emissions and thereby delay or even halt the threat posed by climate change and global warming. The UK will want to show itself as a world leader in the climate change fight and emphasise Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s declared commitment and drive to reach net zero carbon emissions by 2050. But, against this background, it is unfortunate the minister whom he appointed to run COP26, Alok Sharma, has been widely criticised in the UK media for jetting around the world in order to prepare for the summit. Reportedly, he visited some 30 countries without quarantining or isolating on return in accordance with COVID-19 rules. The accusation is that in this coronavirus crisis there is “one rule for us and another for the privileged few”. But the answer is, of course, that, since he has been conducting official business, he comes under the exemptions for Crown servants, without which it would become all but impossible generally to conduct government business overseas. Nonetheless, the optics are not good. What is more, there is a certain irony in excessive air travel around the world – thereby creating an unnecessary carbon footprint – by a government minister to talk about climate change. In response to the media outcry, Mr Sharma claims
he has regular virtual meetings via Zoom but that personal relationships are important in trying to build consensus in deciding the COP26 agenda and bringing pressure on other countries to commit to reducing carbon emissions. However, apparently some people are doubtful about this ex post facto justification of such travel during the pandemic and about the usefulness of these brief visits when there are ambassadors – and high commissioners in Commonwealth countries – in the field able to fulfil such a function. The countries concerned will be well aware that British diplomats are carrying out instructions from London so they have the authority and credibility to engage in a regular dialogue with the leaders concerned – and they can provide the necessary continuity during the run-up to the November summit in persuading and cajoling countries that are dragging their feet on carbon emissions. So Mr Sharma is under fire on both fronts. Without knowing the details, it is hard to comment with any certainty. But jetting around the world in such a manner opens the government to unwanted criticism. Perhaps the minister’s staff could have handled this issue with greater care. As public relations people invariably say – it’s not what actually happens that is important but what people think happens. So, how things are presented makes a huge difference.
Europe’s day of darkness when it betrayed its core values The Peter Young column
LEADING BY EXAMPLE - I THINK NOT
STEVEN Gardiner and Shaunae Miller-Uibo celebrating their gold medals.
GOLDEN SUPER STARS AT OLYMPICS AFTER offering in last week’s column best wishes to Team Bahamas for the then upcoming Olympics track and field events, what a pleasure it is today to write about the outstanding achievements of Steven Gardiner and Shaunae MillerUibo in winning gold medals in their respective 400 metre events, thus giving The Bahamas a clean sweep of the men’s and women’s 400s – a truly impressive accomplishment by any standards. As the reigning world champion since 2019, Steven Gardiner in his race pulled away from the rest of the field with 150m to go and secured a famous victory. All Bahamians will surely salute him for his magnificent effort.
Then, on Friday, came Shaunae MillerUibo’s success in retaining her 400m Olympic title from the 2016 Games in Rio de Janeiro. After her earlier hamstring scare, how satisfying it was for her countless admirers and supporters to see her striding to a comfortable victory ahead of a field that included the famous American athlete, Allyson Felix, who has become the most decorated female track and field star in Olympic history – and then the icing on the cake was that Shaunae also broke her own Bahamas national record. With their superb victories, both these top-class Bahamian athletes have made their country proud!
Graveside Funeral Service for SAMUEL BRUCE SMITH, 38 a resident of Commonwealth Blvd., Elizabeth Estates, will be held at St. Agnes Cemetery, Nassau Street, on Wednesday, August 11, 2021 at 10:00 a.m. Officiating will be Rev’d Fr. Atma Budhu. Fond memories will forever live in the hearts of his, Mother: Beverley Smith; Brothers: Sean Smith & Quincy Johnson; Sisters: Cynthia Fowler, Suzette Rolle, Monique, Shavonne, Annissa & Samantha Smith & Charmaine Thomas; Nieces & Nephews: Leading Seaman Kingsley Fowler Jr., PC 3409 Cynario Fowler, Sherique & Kinara Fowler, Denicia Rolle (Omar Armbrister), Denisha & Ian Edwards, PC 4062 Livingston Rolle (Ronisha Williams), Leandria Smith, Rondeno Rolle, Rondero & Carl Brice, Edvena Smith, Omar Ferguson, Ormanique & Javaine Smith, Xavier Clarke, Genea Coooper, Michael Reckley & Torian Gibson; Grand Nieces & Nephews: Paris Lightbourne, Deshae & Reshae Rolle, Rome McKenzie, Da’Liyah Longley, Liveah Rolle, Nia Edwards, Sinae Hart, Tiara Fowler, Germani Smith; Aunts: Maude Sturrup, Elizabeth Gibson, Miranda, Angela & Annie Smith, Ann Humes, Mathilda Woodside & Cleo Newbold; Uncles: Wilmore Taylor, George Sturrup, Kirkland, Philip, James & Thomas Smith, Chrispin Newbold Sr.; Cousins: Marvin & Mordell Sturrup, Linkcoya, Linkwood, Laudell & Lalique Ferguson, Jamie, Rashad, Takeem & Lakanz Sturrup, Shekia French, Rosale Taylor, Ruthell, Dominique & Devon McPhee, Denise (Harrison) Moxey, George, Kirkland, Jonathan, Georgina, Shantell, George Jr. & Jonathan Fawkes, LeFred Stubbs, Yvette & Carron Williams, Samantha, Christa & Chrishanda Newbold, Tiana Miller, Shamara, Candice, Tarae, Tamiya, Deanian & Jamie Smith, Sonja Gibson, Kendra & Kristie Miller, Hall, Chrispin & Eldridge Newbold, Durie, Davano, Dario, Patrick, Diahann, Netisha, Dwight, Malie & Dwayne Smith, Allan Bain, Andre Gibson, Leon, Suri, & William Miller, Jane Bain, Judy, Brenda, Tonya, Theresa, Marco & Roberto; Brothers-in-law: Kingsley Fowler Sr. & Perry Brice. Other Relatives & Friends: Martin family, Smith family, Eloise Major & family, Yvonne Brown & family, Keith Cleare & famiy, Martin Street family, Neil Marsh & family, Jacintha Edgecombe & family, Gizelle Watson & family, Tino Cash & family, Renaldo Albury & family, Josephine McKinney & family, David Capron & family, Shorette McDonald & family, Taylor family, McKay family, Adderley family, Yorick & Cassandra & family, Clo Bain & Gena Hanna & family, Eric & Sandra & family, Oliver family, Glinton family, Burrow family, Duncombe family, Rose Walker & family, Roberto Strachan, Kimsley Ferguson & family, Good Neighbour Charity Club, Elizabeth Estates family, the Community of Eleuthera, Fr. Delano Archer & family, Fr. Atma Budhu & family, the Ministry of Environmental Health & The Securities, Andrea Harris & family, Epiphany Church family, Marantha Church family, Virginia Capron & family, Dr. Dean Tseretopoulos & Lyford Cay Hospital staff & a host of other friends & relatives too many to mention. Friends may pay their last respects at Demeritte’s Funeral Home, Market Street, from 12-5:00 p.m. on Tuesday.
PAGE 10, Tuesday, August 10, 2021
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EPSTEIN ACCUSER SUES PRINCE ANDREW NEW YORK Associated Press
ONE of Jeffrey Epstein’s longtime accusers sued Prince Andrew yesterday, taking accusations that she has repeatedly publicly lodged against him, including that he sexually assaulted her when she was 17, to a formal venue. Lawyers for Virginia Giuffre filed the lawsuit in Manhattan federal court, where Epstein was charged criminally with sex trafficking a month before he
killed himself at age 66 in August 2019 in an adjacent federal jail where he was ordered to await trial. Giuffre has repeatedly made her allegations against Epstein, his onetime girlfriend Ghislaine Maxwell, and Andrew, but the lawsuit was the first time she has directly confronted Andrew in such a formal setting. It steps up public relations pressure on the prince, even if he remains beyond the reach of the courts. In a statement, Giuffre said she was “holding
Prince Andrew accountable for what he did to me”. “The powerful and rich are not exempt from being held responsible for their actions. I hope that other victims will see that it is possible not to live in silence and fear, but to reclaim one’s life by speaking out and demanding justice,” Giuffre said. “I did not come to this decision lightly,” she added. “As a mother and a wife, my family comes first — and I know that this action will subject me to further attacks
by Prince Andrew and his surrogates — but I knew if I did not pursue this action, I would be letting them and victims everywhere down.” In late 2019, Prince Andrew told BBC Newsnight that he never had sex with Giuffre, saying, “It didn’t happen.” He said he has “no recollection” of ever meeting her and told an interviewer there are “a number of things that are wrong” about Giuffre’s account, which alleges the encounter occurred in 2001.
BRITAIN’s Prince Andrew during the funeral of his father, Prince Philip, at Windsor Castle, England, on April 17, 2021.
Judge: Norwegian cruises can require proof of vaccination MIAMI Associated Press A FEDERAL judge has temporarily blocked a Florida law that prevents cruise lines from requiring passengers to prove they’re vaccinated against COVID19, saying the law appears unconstitutional and won’t likely hold up in court. The “vaccine passport” ban signed into law in May by Republican Gov Ron DeSantis fails to protect medical privacy or prevent discrimination against unvaccinated people, but it does appear to violate the First Amendment rights of Norwegian Cruise Lines, US District Judge Kathleen Williams wrote. In a nearly 60-page ruling issued late Sunday, the judge said Florida failed to “provide a valid evidentiary, factual, or legal predicate” for banning requirements that passengers prove they’ve been vaccinated. Norwegian has shown that suspending the requirement will jeopardize public health, potentially causing “super-spreader” events wherever passengers disembark, she wrote. Florida separately sued the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention seeking to block federal cruise ship vaccination requirements. The CDC lost on appeal, but then made its guidelines non-binding, and all cruise
THE NORWEGIAN Gem cruise ship docked yesterday at PortMiami in Miami. Photo: Wilfredo Lee/AP lines operating in Florida have agreed to keep following the CDC’s instructions on a voluntary basis, the judge wrote. The CDC’s current guidelines, in effect until Nov. 1, say cruise lines can sail again with confirmation that at least 95 percent of passengers and crew have been vaccinated, the judge noted. The plaintiffs are Surgeon
General Scott Rivkees and the Florida Department of Health. The state’s attorney, Pete Patterson, previously said the law’s aim is to prevent invasions of privacy and discrimination against passengers who don’t get vaccinated. DeSantis spokesperson Christina Pushaw said the state will appeal Williams’ ruling. “A prohibition on vaccine passports does
not even implicate, let alone violate, anyone’s speech rights, and it furthers the substantial, local interest of preventing discrimination among customers based on private health information,” the statement said. The pandemic has cost Norwegian more than $6bn to date by forcing the company to dock its entire 28-vessel fleet and send
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nearly 30,000 crew members home. Each canceled seven-day voyage would cost the company another $4m, the judge noted. The Norwegian Gem is set to depart from Miami on Sunday — the company’s first voyage from Florida since the pandemic halted its operations. More than 1,200 passengers have already booked tickets, promising to prove they’ve been vaccinated before boarding, the judge noted. “We want nothing more than to sail from Miami, the Cruise Capital of the World, and from the other fabulous Florida ports,” Frank Del Rio, president and CEO of Norwegian Cruise Line, said in a statement. “We welcome today’s ruling that allows us to sail with 100% fully vaccinated guests and crew which we believe is the safest and most prudent way to resume cruise operations amid this global pandemic, Norwegian said that if it can’t maintain its vaccination policy in Florida, it will have to cancel all voyages leaving from the state or allow unvaccinated passengers on board, and both options would cause significant financial and reputational harm. The entire business model of cruising depends on ships being able to cross federal, state, local and international jurisdictions
in days or even hours, and each of them have different laws, regulations, and protocols, the judge noted. Belize, the Bahamas, the British Virgin Islands and Honduras are among the foreign ports that require proof of vaccination to enter without quarantines or testing. This landscape of protocols is changing so markedly and frequently, especially as the delta variant becomes more widespread, that it’s “not only impractical, but also financially, legally and logistically onerous” for cruise lines to comply without documentary proof of vaccinations, the ruling says. The Florida law threatens fines of up to $5,000 per violation, but it fails to prevent discrimination or violations of medical privacy, since businesses can still discourage the unvaccinated in other ways, by posting “vaccinated customers only” signs, or by doing what some other cruise lines now do: They require onerous on-board COVID tests and banish unvaccinated passengers from on-ship activities and ports of call, the ruling says. As for privacy, Royal Caribbean punches a hole in the pass of unvaccinated patrons, and segregates them from others in the main dining room, the judge noted.
COVID VACCINES TO BE REQUIRED FOR US MILITARY WASHINGTON Associated Press
MEMBERS of the US military will be required to get the COVID-19 vaccine beginning next month under a plan laid out by the Pentagon yesterday and endorsed by President Joe Biden. In memos distributed to all troops, top Pentagon leaders said the vaccine is a necessary step to maintain military readiness. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said the mid-September deadline could be accelerated if the vaccine receives final FDA approval or infection rates continue to rise. “I will seek the president’s approval to make the vaccines mandatory no later than mid-September, or immediately upon” licensure by the Food and Drug Administration “whichever comes first”, Austin said in his memo, warning them to prepare for the requirement. The Pentagon plan provides time for the FDA to give final approval to the Pfizer vaccine, which is expected early next month. Without that formal approval, Austin needs a waiver from Biden to make the shots mandatory, and Biden has already made clear he supports it. Austin’s decision reflects similar moves around the world, as nations struggle with the highly contagious delta variant that has sent new US cases, hospitalisations and deaths surging. The concerns are especially acute in the military, where service members live and work closely together in barracks and on ships, increasing the risks of rapid
spreading. Any large virus outbreak in the military could affect America’s ability to defend itself. Austin warned that if infection rates rise and potentially affect military readiness, “I will not hesitate to act sooner or recommend a different course to the President if l feel the need to do so. To defend this Nation, we need a healthy and ready force.” Biden said he strongly supports Austin’s message to the force and the plan to add the COVID vaccine “to the list of required vaccinations for our service members not later than mid-September”. Biden said the country is still on a wartime footing and “being vaccinated will enable our service members to stay healthy, to better protect their families, and to ensure that our force is ready to operate anywhere in the world”. Austin’s memo was followed quickly by one from Army Gen Mark Milley, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. “The Secretary of Defense intends to mandate vaccinations for all Service members in the coming weeks,” said Milley, adding that the military’s medical professionals recommended the move. At the bottom of his message, Milley scrawled a handwritten note: “Getting vaccinated against COVID19 is a key force protection and readiness issue.” The decision comes a bit more than a week after Biden told officials to develop a plan requiring troops to get shots as part of a broader campaign to increase vaccinations in the federal workforce.
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FIREFIGHTERS yesterday battled a large blaze at the New Providence Landfill, nearly three weeks after tackling a massive fire at the city dump that burned for nearly a month. Officer in Charge of Fire Services, Chief Superintendent Walter Evans said the current fire is “not connected” in any way to the previous blaze and at this time officials do not know PRIME Minister what caused the fire. HowDr Hubert Minnis meeting ever Environment Minister Kendera Woodside, the mother of Kenred Dorsett told remurdered Eugene Woodside. he RASHAD porters at the siteBythat TribuneinStaff ROLLE suspected “sabotage” Three Reporter rrolle@tribun He said emedia.net Photo: Yontalay relation to the fire. after murder that days the Bowe team he “instructed” the struggle withpushed the country’s composure. THE the hugs and have Dr Minnis said of firefighters towords comforting the national violent crime into he felt the fam- Each citizen has of Prime ily’s spotlight yet “before a responsibilit blaze extinguished Minister Dr her pain remained and again, even pain. “What makes Hubert y our countries. Minnis and today and me feel has whatever information worse is that nomination day” “He ain’t even acute. Patricia we must bring Yes one most we see in Minnis couldn’this wife God,” Baha Mar’s live a life, certainly beforethe that forward. mother more than I feel for this the yard, of those These criminals my answer Mrs I can say.” questions Dr Minnis opening on Friday. that consumed “He’s a baby. Woodside cried. my years as a medicalI, during Mrs Minnis, live among us.” said he will Kendera shortly Woodside yesterday medical attention doctor, to ensure The blaze started breath right I could give my the family who emphasised she grieved is provided andfor as baby now just for after 3am Wednesday to her ance before that her appear- Mrs Woodside, who is year-old said officpregnant. Eugene, whoson, eight- my to be right here. They my them “You Chief Supt Evans was can political move, heart out my see the grieving not a take was killed four theago. fire body. ers expect to battledays to wear black called on women pain she’s going through,” and “This my “Why but daythese for at least another people ain’t he almost shoot only son. They in mourning one day this week said. “I assured her ing a “huge” tellthat somefor my daughter time today they he said the wind isme “As a mother, murder victims. (Friday) we too right now?” bringing my son and they inside (the medical will I’m factor. house) have she calling me. personnel all cried between What they with mothers because upon screams come to look do to my family? as SIX SEE PAGE Dr Minnis believe mothers I really after her because console the tried to What they do to us? would’ve delivered she’s nant. can family at their “Why they most of them said Mrs Minnis, who stop this,” her I have to make surepregbud Road home where Rose- live 29 years, ain’ carry me? I so they are closer to me knowing at times. “We have was tearful both and her unborn infant that was shot by Eugene they are my He’s a baby.” our sons who well and are former patients,” a stray bullet we cradle Tonio Woodside, Monday as Minnis, a gynaecologi on father, arrangemen we will also make Dr become from birth and as he did his homework. Eugene’s ts to make they consoled men we are st by fession, said. sure the as he struggled his wife even still with necessary medical “The messagepro- them. We have personnel we to speak with look after her to maintain must send to the entire and see her is the police Bahamas them. I think all women regular on can’t fight this wear black basis a should one alone. and of her and herto ensure the safety mourn what’sday this week unborn infant.” happening in SEE PAGE TWO PROGRESSIVE Liberal Party Chairman Bradley Roberts lashed out at his former party colleague Vincent Peet last night, accusBy NEIL HARTNELL ing the former North AnTribune Business so alarmed dros and Berry Islands MP Editor by the Caribnhartnell@tr bean Financial ibunemedia.n By RASHAD of being a “political enemy” Action Ta et ROL Fo pend-
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Revealed: on the eliteNames list and what they owe d
OH, AND THERE’S AN ELITE WATER LIST TOO
By AVA TURNQUES T Tribune Chief officials could Reporter aturnquest@ not be reached up tribunemedia to .net According press time. FOUR former to sources Progres- close to the sive Liberal Party Cabinet Monday Mr matter, as of ministers owed Wells has since more than paid $9,000 on $20,000 each his accounts at Bahamas with an outstanding Power and Light, balformer minister with one ance of some $8,600. The source for some $60,000 in arrears also said as ARNOLD as of July, of Monday according to FORBES a list obtained in talks withMr Forbes was by The Tribune. $62,023 to settle the the company The Credit and Collec- a three-monthbalance over tions Department period. Mr listing of Forbes, former MPs, senators PLP Mount and board Moriah MP, members was appointed for the period to Cabinet ending July in January that former 31, revealed and previously served 2015, State Minister chairman as the in the Ministry of the Bahamas Arnold Forbes of Works Agricultural and Industrial owed BPL Corporation. $62,023.14. Others on The list obtained the “do not Tribune contains by The disconnect” list are: former delin- Minister of Health quent accounts of six Perry Gomez, former Dr former PLP Cabinet minisPines MP Tall ters, two former Leslie Miller, PLP MPs, former Minister two private of one sitting entities, and Dr Danny Johnson, Youth former Cabinet min- Nassau Village ister: Bamboo MP Dion Renward Wells. Town MP Smith, former Tourism Minister Obie Mr Wells, Wilchcombe DR DANIEL , $9,277.07 and who owed former South Beach MP JOHNSON two separate $3,703.96 at Cleola Hamilton $24,413 $12,981.03 in locations - former Minister of and total – did not for Legal State want to comment Affairs Damian yester- Gomez. day, and the other former SEE PAGE EIGHT
CRUNCH DAY OVER
LESLIE MILLER $42,219
DR PERRY GOMEZ $24,498
RENWARD WELLS $12,980
WHO RUNS BPL
DION SMITH $9,275
By NEIL HARTNELL Tribune Business utility operator Editor nhartnell@tr ing to “walk is quite willibunemedia.n away” from et maximum $25m, five-yearit BAHAMAS BPL Light’s (BPL) Power & if themanagement contract board and hold a “crunchboard will administrati Minnis on with PowerSecur meeting” The meeting,wish it to go. with the outcome e today, be attended which will ical in deciding likely crit- executives by PowerSecure and their attorneys latter remains whether the from the US, is viewed as manager. Multiple Tribune CLEOLA as key to determining Business sources whether HAMILTON OBIE yesterday two sides will “kiss and the confirmed $6,118 make up” or WILCHCOMBE that the DAMIAN US FULL separate. $4,911 STORY - SEE GOMEZ BUSINESS NINE individuals $3,413 July. The sums named on the BPL “do HURRICANE not disconnect” do not include any payments list INSURANCE: made or furtherand the amount they owed at the end of debt incurred since that date. Are you Covered
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SOUTH ISLANDS ON MARIA ALER PUT T
By RASHAD ROLLE Tribune
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By AVA TURNQUES T Tribune Chief aturnquest@tr Reporter ibunemedia.ne t WATER and Sewerage Corporation Adrian Gibson Chairman yesterday confirmed the existence of a “do not list populateddisconnect” by scores of elites at the government owned utility provider as he pledged initiate a crackdown to on delinquent accounts. Mr Gibson told The Tribune the list” held “confidential 221accounts with a combined , total of $175,000 for ending June the period 2017. He said that he plans to direct the corporation to notify all persons owing excessive arrears to resolve debts or face disconnectio n. “There is dential list,” a list confiIsland MP said.the Long “In fact, I that all the would think over the last corporations year or two, and more particularly May of this in year, there has been tion paid toclose attenthat list by the managemen t with a view to changing the way those lists usually operate. “As it stands, this confidential list of persons has a number on it, and really and truly used to notify it’s being courtesy call persons by I can say too or letters. chairman of that as the the corporation I am going that all personsto direct excessive arrears owing who are SEE PAGE EIGHT
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