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VOLUME:117 No.179, AUGUST 13TH, 2020

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LEADING US BY THEIR EXAMPLE The Tribune witnesses police officers defying restaurant lockdown rule

By TRIBUNE REPORTER DESPITE Emergency Powers Orders that prohibit the opening of restaurants in New Providence, people - including Royal Bahamas Police Force officers - have been patronising a popular eatery on the island.

When The Tribune arrived at Getaway Restaurant and Lounge yesterday in the Golden Gates Plaza we witnessed police officers arriving at the eatery and leaving with bags of food.

Before this a police vehicle with several officers inside was seen leaving

Getaway with food. At one point, The Tribune entered the local eatery and ordered several dishes and a few drinks which the employee was happy to serve.

The menu included fried pork chop, fried chicken, fish fingers either to be served with French fries or salad. Several dinners were also available. Liquor and other alcoholic beverages were also seen displayed on the restaurant’s wall.

However, it is not clear whether the beverages were on sale.

SEE PAGE TWO

TRADERS’ ANGER AS SOME FIRMS CARRY ON WORKING

By NEIL HARTNELL Tribune Business Editor nhartnell@tribunemedia.net

A BAHAMIAN businessman yesterday revealed he has reached “boiling point” over the “inequality” that is allowing some competitors to open amid the COVID-19 lockdown while he and others remain closed.

Ben Albury, Bahamas Bus and Truck’s general manager, said his “frustration level is through the roof” as his firm and other Bahamas

Motor Dealers Association members are closed while other auto parts, tyre repair/ replacement, battery and service providers continue to operate.

Confirming the BMDA is seeking permission to reopen for curb side, delivery and electronic orders, Mr Albury said it was as if his company and others “are the only idiots obeying the law” as set out in the latest emergency powers order.

FULL STORY - SEE BUSINESS

ONE of the officers The Tribune saw using The Getaway Restaurant and Lounge yesterday

VIRUS FORCES CLOSURE OF GOVT OFFICES AS CASES PASS 1,000

By RASHAD ROLLE Tribune Senior Reporter rrolle@tribunemedia.net THE Bahamas reached the grim milestone of more than 1,000 confirmed COVID-19 cases yesterday as government offices continued to shut down after exposure to the virus.

The forty-seven new cases include a single-day record 40 for New Providence. There were also five cases confirmed on Cat Island, one on Abaco and one on Exuma. New Providence has recorded 144 confirmed cases in the last week.

Cabinet Office announced that the Ministry of Health headquarters on Meeting Street was shut down for deep cleaning and

THE MINISTRY of Health headquarters on Meeting St sanitisation after officials learned that a staff member there tested positive for the virus. That person had not been to work since July 28.

“The Ministry of Health has initiated contact tracing to determine the level of exposure to employees and visitors to the buildings,” the statement said.

The ministry is expected to

reopen on Monday. Deputy Chief Medical Officer Dr Delon Brennen said in lieu of the closure health officials will connect virtually rather than face-to-face.

Cabinet Office also announced that the administrative building at the northern compound and the security office of the Ministry of Public Works were closed for cleaning and sanitisation.

Meanwhile, the Public Hospitals Authority announced in a statement that yesterday at 12 its corporate offices, including buildings A and B, were closed for deep cleaning and sanitisation with operations to resume at 9am on Monday.

Nassau & Bahama Islands’ Leading Newspaper

SEE PAGE THREE

Obituaries and your Weekend section will be published in The Tribune tomorrow

PAGE 2, Thursday, August 13, 2020

THE TRIBUNE

CORONAVIRUS CRISIS from page one Other patrons included men and women of different age groups.

A buzzer at the door, however, restricted how many people could enter the business at one time.

Some patrons happily exited the bar with several plates of food wrapped in clear plastic bags, while others had nothing to disguise their purchase from shoppers on the busy street.

Still, there were a few customers who brought their own ecofriendly bags to disguise their purchases.

However, for the most part, customers appeared to be wearing a mask as they entered the business establishment.

Earlier this month, Dr Minnis announced a strict “two-week minimum” lockdown in the country, closing all non-essential businesses and restaurants in an effort to curb the rapid spread of COVID-19.

Apart from new Emergency Powers Orders making it illegal to open restaurants, the prime minister specifically said in his August 3, 2020 national address that “there will be no curbside takeaway dining or retail” other than what was mentioned for hardware stores.

Under the orders, people are allowed to access grocery stores and water depots during the lockdown only three days a week.

The businesses are open on Monday, Wednesday and Friday from 7am to 5pm for the general public and Saturdays from 7am to 1pm for essential workers only.

Exemptions have since been made for Abaco and Grand Bahama due to ongoing reconstruction efforts on those islands.

Normal commercial activity has also been resumed on Mayaguana, Inagua, Crooked Island, Acklins, Long Cay, Long Island, Rum Cay and Ragged Island.

Still, this is not the first time the prime minister has

The Tribune witnesses police officers defying restaurant lockdown rule

ONE of the officers The Tribune saw using The Getaway Restaurant and Lounge in the Golden Gates Plaza yesterday along with members of the public.

placed the country under a full lockdown and implemented the COVID-19 restrictions to contain the COVID threat.

However, the new measures seem to be stricter than previous lockdowns, as most of the commercial sector has been ordered shut. For example, takeaway and curbside dining has been prohibited as well as most of the retail sector, except for hardware stores.

Despite the restrictions, several businesses have still been found in breach of Prime Minister Dr Hubert Minnis’ COVID-19 orders.

In April, for example, businessman Jonathan Ash was fined $7,000 for selling alcohol at Made Men Sports Bar in breach of the emergency orders.

The 35-year-old pleaded guilty to the charges of violating the national curfew and operating a non-essential business.

At the time, Magistrate Rolle-Davis labelled his actions a “blatant disregard for the law”.

Editorial View - Page 6

THE TRIBUNE

Thursday, August 13, 2020, PAGE 3

CORONAVIRUS CRISIS

By RASHAD ROLLE Tribune Senior Reporter rrolle@tribunemedia.net LAWYER Wayne Munroe is representing 21 people who are suing Prime Minister Dr Hubert Minnis for matters related to the state of emergency and COVID-19 regulations.

In a lawsuit filed yesterday Mr Munroe asked the Supreme Court to make an order quashing the criminal complaints against those people who have been charged and convicted of breaching the Emergency (COVID-19) orders.

The lawsuit calls for an order quashing the conviction of “any plaintiff convicted of breach of the” orders as well as any criminal complaints concerning such people.

It seeks “an order that the fines paid by the plaintiffs convicted of breaches of the Emergency (COVID-19) order and the Emergency (COVID-19 Pandemic) order be returned to the Plaintiffs” and “an order that the defendants do pay damages to the plaintiffs for

Munroe leads legal bid to erase COVID convictions breach of their fundamental rights guaranteed by the constitution.”

The 21 plaintiffs include Charles Johnson, Dave Nixon, Rashanda Miller, Petter Rolle, Jason Rolle, Shivago Davis, Kevin Hutchinson, Ramone Rolle, Phillip Rolle, Fabian Davis, Meia Charlton, Anthony Rolle, Timel Wilson, Kishna Bodie-Williams, Nebat Brent Williams, Glenda Simms, Giovanni Sawyer, Eldon Kelley, Sandra Ferguson, Henry Rolle and Jenson Brown.

“The plaintiffs have all been residents in the Commonwealth of The Bahamas from at least February, A.D., 2020 to the date of this writ,” the lawsuit says.

“As a result, they have each been subject to both

proclamations of a state of emergency, the extension of both states of emergency, the provisions of both regulations purportedly made pursuant to the Emergency Powers Act and the orders made by the first defendant purportedly pursuant to the regulations.”

The plaintiffs are seeking a declaration that in the circumstances that existed when the Governor General issued a state of emergency proclamation and when Parliament voted to extend the state of emergency, no state of emergency within the meaning and contemplation of Article 29 of the Constitution existed in The Bahamas.

The lawsuit says “in the circumstances” the

LAWYER Wayne Munroe is representing 21 people

emergency regulations made by the Governor General “were made in excess of jurisdiction granted to him by the Emergency Powers Act.” It further says: “In the circumstances obtaining at the time that all of the orders made by the first defendant, purportedly pursuant to the Emergency (COVID 19) Regulations, 2020, were made, insofar as they purport to create criminal offences, create arrestable offences, or effect private contractual rights, they were ultra vires the Emergency (COVID 19) Regulations, 2020 and/or did not meet the requirement of being reasonably justifiable as set out in Article 29(2) of the constitution.”

Virus forces closure of govt offices as cases pass 1,000

THE CECIL Wallace-Whitfield Centre on Cable Beach from page one The authority said: “The PHA implemented its COVID-19 response plan yesterday when the positive result was reported.

The Ministry of Health Surveillance Unit has initiated assessment and contact tracing and all national

COVID-19 protocols are being followed to ensure the health and safety of staff.”

The temporary office closures came after the Cecil Wallace-Whitfield Centre on Cable Beach, which houses the Office of the Prime Minister and the Ministry of Finance, closed after a worker there tested positive for COVID-19.

Prime Minister Dr Hubert Minnis, Deputy Prime Minister Peter Turnquest and Education Minister Jeff Lloyd have all voluntarily self-quarantined out of an abundance of caution after the buildings in which they work were exposed to the virus.

Editorial View - Page 6

FATHER FINED FOR GETTING WATER FOR HIS CHILDREN

By FARRAH JOHNSON Tribune Staff Reporter fjohnson@tribunemedia.net A 29-YEAR-OLD man who claimed he violated the national curfew because he was trying to get water for his children was fined $500 yesterday. Wilmer Pierre appeared before Magistrate Samuel McKinney after officers found him on Cowpen Road around 1am on August 8.

He pleaded guilty to breaching the curfew, but said he only left his house because he and his girlfriend had run out of water at home and he and twin babies.

The court heard officers on mobile patrol in the Cowpen Road area observed a burgundy Nissan March car traveling east on the street. They then beckoned for the vehicle to stop and asked the defendant to exit the car.

When he did, the officers asked Pierre why he was outdoors during curfew hours. In response, he told them he was going by a friend. As a result, Pierre was informed he was in breach of the curfew and

was taken to the Carmichael Road police station.

In an interview with police there, he admitted to the offence. Still, he told the interviewing officers he only left his house to get “stuff for his kids”.

When given an opportunity to speak during the hearing yesterday, Pierre told the magistrate he shopped earlier this past weekend and had bought food and a generator for his family. He claimed these purchases only left him with $13 and said his family had run out of water that night. Pierre added he knew someone who sold water from their home, so he went there to buy some. He said

on his way back, he was stopped by officers. Still, he insisted the shop he went to wasn’t very far away since it was a “30 minute walk, but two minute drive”.

In response, Magistrate McKinney told Pierre he found “inconsistencies” in his reasoning for leaving his house that morning. He also said the defendant’s explanation gave him the impression he was going somewhere nearby to get the water when that was not the case.

As a result, Magistrate McKinney said the court could not accept Pierre’s explanation and fined him $500 or three months at the Bahamas Department of Correctional Services.

PAGE 4, Thursday, August 13, 2020

THE TRIBUNE

CORONAVIRUS CRISIS

Public losing confidence in Minnis, claims Davis PROGRESSIVE Liberal Party leader Philip “Brave” Davis said unfair application of emergency orders have caused the public to lose confidence in Prime Minister Dr Hubert Minnis.

“The orders appeared to us to be driven by political convenience and pressure rather than science,” he said in a statement yesterday.

“These decisions have also hurt the domestic economy, especially in services, transportation and retail merchandizing. We repeatedly asked how was it that selected restaurants were approved to provide curbside services when others were denied this economic opportunity.

“The government’s abandonment of the health asset expansion plan in support of National Health Insurance is a singular and significant reason for the health care capacity crisis we are now experiencing.

“We are faced with unemployment at or around fifty percent. Our national economy has all but stalled and is rapidly contracting.

The Bahamas is ranked at or near the bottom globally among countries in the category of rate of COVID-19 recovery.

“The government’s reopening policy was full of holes and mistakes and even as cases in the US and especially Florida began to skyrocket, the Competent Authority failed to adjust the country’s COVID

policies to reduce risks to Bahamians.

“Specifically, the government’s ill-advised 72 hours international travel policy with no COVID-19 test requirement led to a surge in positive COVID19 cases; this was confirmed

by PAHO health experts.

The surge also exposed the woeful shortcomings of our country’s health infrastructure.”

Mr Davis said lockdowns should be a last resort. He said the current lockdown is killing small businesses while causing pain and suffering.

“On the economic front, the government should be supporting the local economy by keeping sufficient cash flow moving through the economy,” he said.

He also reiterated his call for Dr Minnis to take more questions from the press rather than hide “behind national addresses.”

“In failing to answer the important questions on the minds of our people, he is undermining trust in his leadership, his office and the government. The consequences may be dire. The government must reverse course and use this time to upgrade hospitals and clinics, add testing capacity, and hire and train more contact tracers. They should regularly test all frontline workers, including health care workers, the police, defence and immigration officers,” said Mr Davis.

“We say again that the government should protect the frontline workers and their families by introducing legislation to provide compensation to frontline workers who are infected while at work. The government should take extra steps to prevent outbreaks where people are most vulnerable, as in nursing homes and long-term care facilities, and where families are living in crowded quarters.”

The Office of the Prime Minister last night issued a response Mr Davis’ statement. It read: “This is a time of extreme strain on all Bahamians. Families are hurting. Jobs are being lost. Businesses are fighting to survive. The government has had to borrow to ensure the country’s sustainability during the terrible economic shock because of COVID-19. This is a time when we should be coming together as one, not issuing false, misleading statements.

“The Leader of the Opposition’s statement released is sadly mostly fiction, and the same meandering thinking has led him to continuously flip flop as the Government put in place health measures to save and protect lives. He has been asked to attend meetings, offer suggestions and participate as a Bahamian leader, not as a partisan politician. Sadly, the only things we have

PROGRESSIVE Liberal Party leader Philip “Brave” Davis been able to count on from the Opposition are partisan politics and willful misinterpretation of hard facts.

“In this crisis the Leader of the Opposition has not demonstrated an interest in being involved in the hard work of governance. Leadership is about doing and working with others toward a common goal. The Leader of the Opposition has only been interested in attacking the Government of the Bahamian people for his narrow self-interest. In response to COVID-19, the government of The Bahamas has offered a comprehensive programme to provide for the health care, social care and economic recovery of The Bahamas.

“To boost the healthcare infrastructure to care for COVID-19 patients, the government repurposed the South Beach Centre, added capacity to the Princess Margaret Hospital and has partnered with the Doctors Hospital on Blake Road, where they

have repurposed part of the facility and capacity is also being increased.

“On Grand Bahama, the Cancer Society Building was retrofitted to house infectious diseases patients, including COVID-19 patients. In addition, a new unit is being constructed on the Rand Memorial Hospital site.

“On New Providence, the government is also making final preparations to utilise Poinciana Inn and Breezes Hotel to care for non-COVID patients to increase capacity at PMH. The east building of Breezes will be utilised as a National Response Facility to meet the needs of non-COVID-19, “low-medical-care” patients during the pandemic.

“Early in the pandemic, the government put in place the National Coordinating Committee for COVID19, a cross section of senior public officers, and representatives of industries, civil society, labour and the clergy. This committee

provided invaluable service to our country, and aided in the immediate reopening of every aspect of our country following the lockdown.

“Subsequently, the government established an Economic Recovery Committee to propose bold and specific plans for the medium to long-term economic needs of the country. The committee’s first recommendations were utilised during the formation of the 2020/21 National Budget; the government has approved and is implementing others since that time. This committee has been engaging in widespread public consultations and, as previously announced, will make its detailed recommendations in September.

“The Leader of the Opposition’s statement ignores the hard work of the Government in this extraordinary crisis. That he would issue a statement in these times absent of the facts, logic and commonsense is disappointing.”

By TANYA SMITH-CARTWRIGHT ts-cartwright @tribunemedia.net

around breaking the law to provide for them, so I would rather get this and call it a day. I don’t want to come off as ungrateful as that man on the video said, so I say, thank God for it.”

The government’s budget for the programme is $16m, but according to the Prime Minister back in June $1.4m was injected into the National Food Distribution Task Force since the public/private group was established to provide emergency food assistance for vulnerable Bahamians and residents affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.

The programme is 12 weeks in duration – June 1 to August 31.

NGO partners are funding 15 percent through donations to their organisations and the government is funding 85 percent of the costs.

Former hotel worker, Lillian Joseph, said she is happy to receive the food, but wishes it was more. “I am very happy and proud that the government help us in this way,” she said.

“I don’t know what I would do if I didn’t get this.

My friends were trying to tell me not to go for it, but they weren’t giving me nothing so I get my food and I am glad for it.”

Miriam Smith worked in a jewellery store downtown. She has not worked in months and has not received any assistance payments from NIB. She said it is very difficult to feed her family and puts the blame at

the feet of the government.

“Buju Banton said it’s not an easy road and who feels it knows it and I am living that now,” said Ms Smith.

“I am suffering. This government must really hate the people of this country.

That’s all I can say. They lock us up like animals for months, then let us out so we can get sick and then lock us up again. We can’t work. We can’t make any money. And, now they throwing food at us like we are paupers.

“The rich get richer in this country and the poor get poorer. I was on my little job and doing okay.

Mind you, I was not making that much money, but I was managing. Then everything shut down and now I am getting food from the government!! This is the worse point of my entire life. How you think this makes me feel? And, what they giving us, is not even all of that. It’s not what people are used to eating. I give up.”

During his contribution to the 2020/2021 Budget debate at Parliament, Prime Minister Dr Hubert Minnis touted the food distribution programme as one of the largest and most unprecedented programmes in the country’s history. He said it is a massive logistical program comprising the entire country and also one of the largest ever public/private social care initiatives in the history of The Bahamas, utilising a caring network of faith-based institutions and NGOs.

‘I’M USED TO WORKING HARD FOR WHAT I GET - THIS IS LIKE BEGGING’ MANY Bahamians who are recipients of the $1m a week National Food Distribution Programme say they are grateful, but others are expressing anger in having to rely on it in the first place.

In June when COVID-19 restrictions began to relax, the government implemented the National Food Distribution Task Force made up of public and private stakeholders.

Those who found themselves needing help with food, due to the COVID19 lockdowns and layoffs, signed up for the assistance.

Over 27,705 households have signed up for the program so far.

The Tribune spoke to some of the recipients and asked if the programme is benefitting them.

“This is a very depressing situation”, said Miranda Dorsette, a mother-of-three.

“I mean I realise they are trying to help us but this is like begging. I am used to working hard for what I get.

The food is okay, I guess, but the thought of having to be in a line to get it… the whole thing is humiliating to me. I am doing it because I can’t do any better right now.

“I am in a position where my children’s father is not assisting me in any way and I am in need. I can’t go

THE TRIBUNE

Thursday, August 13, 2020, PAGE 5

CORONAVIRUS CRISIS ORDERED TO

MAN CLAIMS HE CAN’T WALK AFTER VIRUS

By EARYEL BOWLEG Tribune Staff Reporter ebowleg@tribunemedia.net

A MAN who claims he’s been left unable to walk as a result of complications related to COVID-19 yesterday made an impassioned appeal for monetary assistance to survive.

“Right now I come from dialysis (and) I so hungry but I don’t know what I’m gonna eat,” 53-year-old Ricardo Mott told The Tribune.

“My job put me on halfpay, must be about four months ago, so we don’t have no food, no money coming in, nothing to put on the light, rent man call and every time he call we ask him to give us another two weeks but ain’t nothing at all coming in this house.”

Mr Mott believes he contracted COVID-19 while in hospital and insisting it happened “innocently”.

However, when asked to reveal the hospital he was referring to, Mr Mott

declined to name the facility. “I gone to the hospital because I was doing dialysis and when I come from dialysis one day I couldn’t walk... I couldn’t feel my foot.”

“So my wife came for me and they take me to the hospital. When I reach to the hospital, they had to take me out the car and put me in the wheelchair, and then they do the assessment with the temperature and all that.”

Mr Mott said he was in

hospital for about three weeks before a doctor called his wife with conflicting results.

“So the doctor call my wife and tell her ‘Ricardo have one negative and one positive’. He call her back and probably in two hours say I have two positives.”

The husband and father said he tested positive for the virus on April 10.

He was then transferred to another hospital where he said the virus affected him “so bad”.

In fact, Mr Mott said two months of memories are “blank” from his mind. He recalled being “close to death’s door”.

Although discharged from hospital, Mr Mott said medical bills are mounting and it worries him.

He said he does have medical insurance but it will soon expire due to expenses he racked up in hospital and other places - claiming he was charged $2,000 per day to receive medical help.

Thompson calls for public to take health warnings seriously

By DENISE MAYCOCK Tribune Freeport Reporter dmaycock@tribunemedia.net FOLLOWING criticism over the COVID-19 response on Grand Bahama, Minister of State for Grand Bahama Kwasi Thompson assured that government is working aggressively in the ongoing fight against the spread of the coronavirus.

Describing the situation in Grand Bahama as “very serious,” he stressed that in order to overcome the virus Grand Bahamians must be united and supportive of each other and health officials.

“We are aware of the public’s concerns and fears which should not be politicized,” he said on Wednesday, as Grand Bahama has now recorded some 439 cases.

“We are all at risk and we are all in this fight together. Ultimately, how each individual member of our community behaves is critical to determining the country’s outcome. The situation in Grand Bahama, as we have been saying for some time, is very serious.

It cannot be understated that our numbers are not yet at an acceptable level and the public must take the health warnings and restrictions seriously,” Mr Thompson said.

Minister Thompson indicated that Grand Bahama has been particularly challenged due to Hurricane Dorian, which destroyed the Rand Memorial Hospital.

“Unprecedented is an understatement when describing the plethora of challenges the island have experienced. Our island was ravaged by Hurricane Dorian in September 2019, resulting in more damage to an already weakened, ageing structure (Rand Memorial Hospital). Construction workers are working feverishly to the complete rebuilding of the hospital. The Prime Minister has announced that $21 million has been allocated for the Rand Memorial Hospital,” he said.

He indicated that the island will have a “new Rand Memorial Hospital” in September when work is expected to be completed.

“Contrary to

MINISTER of State for Grand Bahama Kwasi Thompson

Photo: Tim Aylen/SURGE Media

critics, construction of a new COVID-19 Center on property was started several months ago and should be ready for occupants in a few weeks,” he said. While this will not be a new hospital it most certainly will be a new Rand Memorial Hospital.”

He said that the public is further advised of the following: • The Grand Bahama Health Services COVID19 Task Force follows the national protocols for testing and contact tracing that are based on international guidelines.

• Testing in Grand Bahama is systematic, targeting specific groups (symptomatic and asymptomatic) utilizing expanded testing • The Government quarantine site is being utilized to quarantine/isolate all persons who do not meet the criteria for home quarantine/ isolation. During the recent tropical storm

Isaias, persons at risk for COVID-19 were cared for at the Government facility.

• The Cancer Association has been utilized for COVID-19 patients since the beginning of the second wave. The center has 6 negative pressure rooms that can accommodate 6-12 patients and an additional 10 beds.

Minister Thompson pointed out that only COVID-19 patients or persons under investigation are currently housed there, and that clinical inpatient services are managed at two off-site locations.

“The public is assured that the Government of The Bahamas is working diligently with relative agencies to address all COVID-related challenges,’’ he said.

“Our nation’s response ought not be politicized, as it is vital that we stand united against this giant foe. The Prime Minister has consistently offered an olive branch to the

Opposition who recently had the opportunity to meet with and ask any questions to the top medical officials however, many of the issues raised in their public statement were not raised to the health officials.

“Our intent is to do the best with what resources we have and to identify solutions for all deficiencies encountered.

The pandemic is our collective problem and our collective responsibility. We take this opportunity to commend the Grand Bahama COVID-19 Task Force and all the frontline doctors and nurses who are working above and beyond to keep our island safe.

“The Government of The Bahamas continues to move swiftly and aggressively as the situation develops globally and here at home. We ask the public to continue to follow protocols issued by health officials to help minimize the spread of COVID-19” he said.

as a case on the island.

She said officials still plan to work and carry out their duties while under quarantine.

“The office will be closed until further notice and so as best as we can, only emergencies, we will assist people electronically from remotely. Most of our undertaking in business can be done electronically which is a good thing,” she added.

“We also have another office in the north and so once they reach out to me or some assistance, pretty much we can facilitate what I need to do and what staff need to do electronically.”

The administrator’s office is located in the government’s complex in the Marsh Harbour area. It was used as a shelter for hundreds of Dorian victims during and after the deadly storm.

To this day, the complex is still being used to house government agencies to assist storm victims on

the island. However, due to the Prime Minister’s COVID-19 orders, only essential workers under certain agencies are currently working from the complex.

Asked yesterday if the entire government complex would need to be cleaned due to possible COVID-19 exposure, Mrs Bootle-Laing replied: “Not necessarily because the worker is a temporary (staff) and they were substituting for a permanent staff and so it is just after the public health team to link the movement through information from the individual, link their movement throughout the government complex and that is what they have undertaking to trace what department they would have dealt with and what environment they would’ve worked in .”

Meanwhile, Central and South Abaco MP James Albury added that officials would have to be guided by health professionals in

order to make a decision on the matter.

He told The Tribune: “The government complex houses just about all of the government offices in Abaco so what we’re doing now is that I will be in touch with the health team including the health administrator and his team on the ground.”

He added: “We’re going to go by their recommendations based on what should be done so based on their recommendations is what all the officers will end up following but as of now, there hasn’t been.. non-essential offices have been closed so not all of the offices are open as of now anyhow but we will following the advice of the health team once they make those recommendations.”

In the meantime, Mr Albury is urging locals who may be displaying some COVID-19 symptoms or have recently been in close proximity with a positive case to contact the relevant authorities.

TEN STAFF IN QUARANTINE IN ABACO AFTER BEING EXPOSED TO COVID-19

By LEANDRA ROLLE Tribune Staff Reporter lrolle@tribunemedia.net

NORTH and Central Abaco Administrator Terrece Bootle-Laing and around 10 of her staff are in quarantine on Abaco after being exposed to COVID19 earlier this week.

The administrator told The Tribune yesterday she and her colleagues were placed on a two-week quarantine after an employee at the office tested positive for the virus.

This, she said, has also sparked the closure of the Administrator’s Office in Central Abaco until further notice. “We had a temporary staff (member) in office who is confirmed positive so as a result of that, we have had to close the office for deep cleaning and self-quarantine of staff to be monitored,” she told The Tribune. “We’re in the process of identifying a contractor who can assist us with the deep cleaning exercise.

“…Currently, we have at least 10 of my staff in quarantine.”

She added that she was also in quarantine.

“We kind of expected that should someone present themselves who would’ve had any feelings whether in the workplace or business dealings with us, that would’ve been the result.”

The employee, Mrs Bootle-Laing said, was temporarily employed at her office. She also said the worker is currently being treated in New Providence.

However, Mrs Bootle-Laing could not say whether the patient was in hospital in the capital.

According to the latest COVID-19 dashboard, the Abaco chain now has 30 confirmed cases, making it the island with the fourth largest number of COVID19 cases. Two new cases were recorded on the island by health officials on Tuesday.

Mrs Bootle-Laing said the worker was recorded

COMPENSATE FOR ATM THEFT

By FARRAH JOHNSON Tribune Staff Reporter fjohnson@tribunemedia.net A 30-YEAR-OLD man who stole nearly $10,000 from a ScotiaBank ATM machine last month was ordered to compensate the local bank or risk spending a year behind bars.

Travis Seymour was accused of stealing $4,040 from a ScotiaBank Bahamas Limited ATM machine located at Super Club Breezes Resort and Spa on July 28. The prosecution further alleged Seymour stole another $5,400 from the same ATM machine two days later on July 30.

The court was told a ScotiaBank employee went to the Financial Intelligence Unit to report that someone had stolen two large sums of money sometime between July 28 and 30.

Police were able to identify the defendant as the culprit from video footage they obtained of the incident.

According to the prosecution, Seymour eventually turned himself into the Grove Police Station. In an interview with officers there, he admitted to the offences.

Seymour’s counsel claimed someone had sent the defendant “codes,” so he went to the ATM machine to see if they were “valid”. She insisted her client was extremely remorseful for his actions and noted he cooperated with the investigation since he turned himself in to a police station.

As a result, after accepting Seymour’s guilty pleas, Magistrate Samuel McKinney fined him $1,000 for stealing. He further ordered the defendant to compensate ScotiaBank $9,440.

$1.5K FINE FOR THREATENING TO KILL HIS EX

By FARRAH JOHNSON Tribune Staff Reporter fjohnson@tribunemedia.net A 33-YEAR-OLD man who last week threatened to kill his ex-girlfriend was fined $1,500 in a Magistrate’s Court yesterday.

Brandon Fisher appeared before Magistrate Samuel McKinney after he was accused of making death threats to his ex-girlfriend on August 5.

The prosecution said on August 10, the woman told police Fisher had called her to ask if she was having sex with anyone else. She said she reported the matter because the defendant also threatened to kill her during the phone call.

During the hearing, Fisher pleaded guilty, but insisted he only committed the offence because he was “angry at the time”.

In response, Magistrate McKinney told Fisher that issuing death threats were a serious offence that could not be taken lightly. As a result, he fined the defendant $1,500 or one year at the Bahamas Department of Correctional Services.

FINED OVER STOLEN CAR

By FARRAH JOHNSON Tribune Staff Reporter fjohnson@tribunemedia.net A MAN who bought a stolen car he could not produce a bill of sale for was fined $1,500 yesterday by Magistrate Samuel McKinney.

Phillip McCartney, 37, was charged with dishonestly receiving a stolen $15,000 Toyota Mark sometime between October 28, 2019 and August this year.

The court heard the car was stolen from its original owner from a bar on Baillou Hill Road. In an interview with officers, McCartney said he had purchased the vehicle for $3,500 and had a $1,500 balance to pay off.

During the hearing yesterday, McCartney pleaded guilty to the offence and was fined $1,500.

PAGE 6, Thursday, August 13, 2020

THE TRIBUNE

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Why do some get to show such blatant disregard?

THE news that there were another 40 cases of COVID-19 in New Providence yesterday means it looks increasingly likely that the national lockdown will be extended.

But is everyone playing by the same rules?

The Tribune was told of a restaurant that was opening its doors and serving customers – despite the lockdown rules preventing such activity.

Surely not, we thought, the police would close such a place down quickly if that were the case.

Well, our staff went to investigate Getaway Restaurant and Lounge yesterday – and not only were police not closing it down, they were among its customers!

People were happily coming in and out of the restaurant, ordering their food and heading out with their packages.

Is it really one rule for everyone?

What special preference does that restaurant get? We are not aware of any special exemption granted to this business. Why do officers not only fail to enforce the law but happily support the rules breakers with their custom? If that restaurant can open, why can’t the others?

How much have you missed your favourite restaurant food during this lockdown – and do you think it’s fair that you’ve been going without while others have happily been disregarding the lockdown regulations?

As for the police officers, they know the rules, they know that restaurants are not exempt.

Where else is opening and being ignored by the officers meant to enforce the rules? Is that why we had another 40 cases yesterday, because the lockdown is not being enforced properly?

If it is not safe for these premises to be open, then no premises should be open – just as the order requires. If it is safe, then they should all be open. Goodness knows businesses could do with the custom.

This makes us think back to the case of Jonathan Ash, the businessman fined for selling alcohol at a bar in breach of the emergency orders and whose actions were described as a “blatant disregard for the law”.

This is exactly the same – and not just on the part of the business, but for those officers who shopped there rather than shutting it down.

It is simply not good enough.

Virus brings a domino effect SHOULD we need an example of why the lockdown is necessary, we need look no further than the string of government offices suddenly shutting their doors.

The Ministry of Health yesterday announced it was shutting down for sanitisation after a staff member tested positive. The Ministry of Public Works soon followed. The Public Hospitals Authority joined the club too.

This comes after the Cecil WallaceWhitfield Centre closed down after a

worker tested positive. That houses the offices of the Prime Minister and the Finance Minister, who is also the Deputy Prime Minister. The Education Minister has also self-quarantined after being exposed.

Office after office in the senior ranks of government forced to close because of the continuing spread of the virus.

Yesterday was a single-day record for the number of cases in New Providence.

We’d best get used to this if we don’t use this lockdown to stop the virus dead.

An inspirational leader in waiting EDITOR, The Tribune WOULD you kindly permit me some of your valuable space in your prestigious newspaper to share my thoughts on the Hon. Shanendon Cartwright.

I firmly believe that he is an inspirational leader in waiting. He continues to demonstrate his leadership during a crisis starting with his powerful budget communication recently on the honourable House of Assembly, that succinctly articulated some long-term possibilities for diversifying the economy, both in tourism and a possible multi-billion dollar agriculture concept carried by the local newspapers.

Shanendon Cartwright has shown outstanding leadership and innovation in his constituency of St. Barnabas, reflected in his grocery assistance programme to convincing local stores to offer major discounts to his constituents to personally serving ice cream in his constituency. I believe strongly that he has demonstrated his national leadership ability and he is a compassionate, forward, visionary thinker with his

out of the box concepts and he is the epitome of a hard worker in politics with outstanding representation that definitely deserves re-election.

As a keen observer of local and international politics , I have heard the constituents of St. Barnabas brag with pride of his care and attention and his political acumen. As a matter of fact his popularity in his constituency crosses political lines, in that PLP’s, DNA’s and Independents have been singing his praises as not only a force to be reckoned with at the constituency level, but nationally.

Persons are amazed at his passion and boundless energy with regards to delivering for the good people of St. Barnabas and many have openly said that they wish that they were in his constituency. To borrow a phrase – “that is powerful!”

In my mind, no other political figure currently on the scene, has engendered the admiration, inspiration and confidence from a cross-section of our society from the small man to those in corporate Bahamas. A unifying figure he is, who is unpretentious and not

faking it. Some say he is a hybrid of the greatest assets of the two former Prime Ministers , with the compassion of and inspiration of Sir Lynden Pindling and the just get it done dogged, proactive and responsive work ethic of Hubert Ingraham. We wonder why he has not been elevated to the cabinet, but we assume that internal politics might be the reason.

Personally, I have become a little disenchanted with local politics with all of its shenanigans, so my thoughts on Mr. Cartwright have been well considered and deliberated.

I take this seriously enough to put pen to paper which is something I don’t do.

Finally, the Hon. Shanendon Cartwright, has been flying under the radar, but in the trenches making a difference in the lives of the people of St. Barnabas and he has shown to be in politics, but not of politics.

It’s obvious that he cares deeply about people and he is not faking it. He is the real deal!

WILLIAM BURROWS Nassau, August 12, 2020.

Funds needed in quick time for rental help EDITOR, The Tribune WE would like to commend the Government of the Bahamas for the work of the National Food Distribution Task Force, which has impacted the lives of thousands of needy Bahamians in search of food in the COVID-19 pandemic. Those among us that are most vulnerable have been targeted to receive assistance to the tune of 1 million dollars per week. While this feat is quite admirable, thousands of unemployed Bahamians have been unable to pay their rent, mortgages, bank loans and other commitments.

Many landlords have been unable to meet their financial obligations and quite a number of tenants have been evicted from their apartments, while others have been served with notices and are on the verge of eviction for non-payment.

The number of homeless persons in New Providence is growing daily as a result of the high unemployment rate. This is creating severe stress and hardship on

LETTERS letters@tribunemedia.net many families. Our people are suffering.

Parents have a challenge just finding food for their children at home while at the same time being given the runaround by government agencies.

We recommend that the government make funds available for rental assistance as soon as possible. The problem of homelessness could evolve into a major social ill if it is not dealt with now. What is really needed at this time is a stimulus package that will take care of the people and boost the economy.

A 2 billion dollar package will go a long way over the next two years while our tourism industry is generating no income for the government or for workers in the industry.

We cannot allow our people to continue to suffer in these challenging times.

We recommend that 50% of the food budget be used for rental assistance. Also

small business loans and grants should be made available to existing businesses and new businesses that will focus on manufacturing plants factories and food production. This will stimulate our fragile economy. Our leaders must be intentional and act quickly to reduce the effect of the global recession that is being forecast and ensure that the basic needs of every Bahamian is met.

Emergency Shelters should be acquired or constructed for homeless families and street people.

Taxes should be reduced on the poor and middle-class.

The high cost of living and doing business in the Bahamas must be reduced. The practice of price gouging in this pandemic should be severely punished and the Price Control Commission should be more proactive and not be so silent. We also must strengthen consumer protection laws.

BISHOP WALTER S HANCHELL Chairman, Citizens For Justice Bahamas, Nassau, August 11, 2020.

Insulted by this trash talk EDITOR, The Tribune I MUST, outrightly, disclose that I myself have neither been informed nor benefitted by a personal read concerning “conduct” and its “code” – as expounded upon, evidently, in 1955 England, the Lord High Chancellor, Viscount Kilmuir, at the time the highest ranking judicial officer in Britain (see The Graduate’s Letter- to- Editor, The Tribune of Monday, August 10th, 2020). I have not had the privilege yet. However, I suspect that what must be a settled, prevailing course of direction on “conduct” and its “code”, within the given legal context, is caught up in the missionary tenor and tone the letter-writer (Graduate) presents.

And that, for me, exemplifies and evidences why the written (Native) organic Westminster Constitutional Vision and Architecture (in its global application) has its Privy Council and highest court within The State’s Supreme Court – where Sovereignty, Independence, and Meanings must find the highest protection. Within the peculiar (Covering) Westminster Constitutional State, where base values are of undergirding quality, requiring of us a response, Justice Dame Joan Sawyer is at home! For “home” means something. Being “home” evokes and influences “conduct” of coherent (not coded) standard. I know, being the compatriot that I am.

So I find it utmostly

insulting and objectionable when “trash talking” is the term used by the Graduate to reference any statements she makes when expressing her views. She has not moved out of her lane in any sense. Moreover, her conduct is tolerably cultural.

Bahamians understand her.

She is acceptable too. Quite likely, if I support the political party of the PM or even the PM himself, I would not be in agreement with her.

But she is who she is, both locally and professionally.

Therefore, for all the right reasons, I am prepared to listen, and respectfully to hear her out.

GLADYS (Brown) MANUEL Nassau, August 10, 2020.

THE TRIBUNE

Thursday, August 13, 2020, PAGE 7

By DENISE MAYCOCK Tribune Freeport Reporter dmaycock@tribunemedia.net THE Disaster Reconstruction Authority has spent $30 million to date in debris removal on Grand Bahama and Abaco, Minister of State for Disaster Preparedness Iram Lewis said yesterday as he announced the continuation of “intensified” debris clean up here on the island, in partnership with two major private entities in Freeport.

With an active hurricane season forecasted, he stressed that DRA wants to ensure that debris is removed from all settlements and communities in Grand Bahama.

“We are again in the middle of a very active hurricane season and prior to Isaias, we recognize there was still a lot of debris in communities in GB, in the government areas and private subdivisions. We started to intensify our program to ensure we get the debris removed so they will not be projectiles, and DRA, with its partners, will continue until all debris is removed.”

As a result of the partnership with Grand Bahama Port Authority and Sanitation Services, Mr Lewis indicated that tremendous headway has been made in debris removal since Hurricane Dorian.

He noted that Grand Bahama and Abaco are still declared as disaster zones.

The minister indicated that they had initially received a proposal of $100m from foreigners to remove debris out of the country, but instead decided to hire Bahamian contractors at a cost of some $30m.

“In GB, we are still a disaster zone as well as Abaco.

In GB, we are pleased to be able to partner with the GBPA deputy director and the City of Freeport manage Troy McIntosh, and Lou Carroll, of Sanitation Services. Without their partnership, we would not have realized the level of success that DRA has seen today,” said Minister Lewis.

“The DRA has ventured in areas that we are not even responsible for such as private subdivision, but as a government, it would have been very reckless for us to have debris sitting in areas that pose a threat to citizens.”

The Grand Bahama Port Authority, which manages some 23 private subdivisions in Freeport, has estimated that their cost in debris cleanup is “in the million.”

A DEBRIS removal project between the Disaster Reconstruction Authority, the Grand Bahama Port Authority and Sanitation Services, is currently taking place in Grand Bahama to remove debris from Hurricane Dorian.

Photos: Lisa Davis/BIS

$30m debris clearout starting to look good Said Mr McIntosh: “It is still being tallied, it is in the million I can tell you.

It is much larger than we spent with Matthew when we would have spent half a million (dollars). We have passed that six months, ten months ago.”

He noted that, through their service provider Sanitation Services, some 25,000 truck-loads (100,000 tons) of debris had been removed and transported to the landfill, since early September.

Lou Carroll, general manager of Sanitation Services, estimates that the disposal of 100,000 tons of debris would have cost $2m to 3m, but rates were reduced to bring the cost down.

Minister Lewis said that the entire island is in a better state and asked residents to keep their communities clean and to report indiscriminate dumping.

McIntosh and Carroll hailed the partnership with the government as a huge success in returning the

island to some normalcy, and look forward to a continued partnership.

“We want… to thank the minister for partnering with us to ensure private subdivisions are cleaned and debris removed. We know it has been a challenge for some developments within those areas, and so when

he asked to partner with us, it was something that we welcomed.

“We thank you for this partnership it goes a long way and hope it is the beginning of many to come where we are able to with more help and assistance to see our city green and pristine as we move forward in

trying to bring GB back to the garden city as we know it,” said McIntosh.

With construction underway on Grand Bahama, Mr McIntosh stressed that GBPA and LUSCO are not responsible for the removal of construction debris. He said residents are responsible and should

ensure that contractors add it as part of their services to have debris taken to the landfill and discarded the right way.

Mr Carroll also noted that in addition to debris from Dorian, they are also seeing an increase in debris during COVID-19 pandemic.

“Since COVID-19 came around and a lot of folks have been asked to stay at home and many have decided to clean their yards and get stuff off their property, and we found that the quantity we have seen is 10 times more than what we normally get,” he said.

“We (Sanitation Services) would never be where we are today without DRA and GBPA. So, I think Freeport, in general, should be very thankful for the partnership we had over the last several weeks. It would have taken us months,” he said.

Mr Carroll believes that in another week or so GB should be “very close to normal”.

ALUMNI WORRIED OVER FUTURE OF UB NORTH

By DENISE MAYCOCK Tribune Freeport Reporter dmaycock@tribunemedia.net

THE Grand Bahama Chapter of the University of the Bahamas Alumni Association is concerned over the uncertainty surrounding the future of the UB North, specifically the completion of a new campus at a downtown location in Freeport.

Following last year’s devastation at the $12m campus in East Grand Bahama due to Hurricane Dorian, UB has been relocated at a temporary location in Freeport.

However, rumours of a proposal to discontinue operations in Grand Bahama has caused some distress among faculty, staff, and students. There were talks of converting the tertiary institution in Freeport to a virtual campus.

The Board of the Alumni Association in GB has now come forth seeking clarity as to the fate of UB North.

“Many rumours have recently plagued social media and news outlets concerning the uncertain future of the University of The Bahamas-North campus and its students,” the association wrote in a recent letter addressed to the UB President Dr Rodney Smith.

The association further said: “While we acknowledge President Smith’s statement to rebuild our local campus, we are no longer pacified by vague promises.”

“We have long awaited the realization of an autonomous campus, only to experience continuous delays towards this goal pre and post-Dorian’s landfall.

This has compelled us to believe that individuals from the OakesField campus are limited in their comprehension and experience in regard to UB-North and therefore cannot be expected to rationally advocate for our beloved campus,” the association wrote.

The association questioned Dr Smith concerning the possession

of insurance money from Dorian’s destruction of the campus in East Grand Bahama.

The association’s board also questioned Dr Smith about the status of those funds.

The Board also wants to know: when a projected date will be provided for the completion of the new UB-North campus, with all the amenities and space to support growth, in a downtown location; will the university implement an autonomous governing body consisting of Grand Bahamians from the business and educational fields with the new campus, so that the campus can be responsible for general expenditure and its own growth? If not, then when? And will there be an introduction of degree programs exclusive to UBNorth that are suited to the needs of the Northern Bahamas?

The association said UB-North has produced many outstanding alumni who continually make invaluable contributions to the community, locally and internationally.

“With the anticipation of our esteemed future alumni, we the board of the Grand Bahama Chapter of the University of The Bahamas Alumni Association along with the support of our fellow alumni, seek clarity from the authoritative powers that be to the state of the future of UB-North.

“Over the years, the institution has evolved from providing certificate courses to granting full degrees. The student body at UB-North has grown from full-time workers seeking parttime educational opportunities to including full-time students from every corner of The Bahamas who want to pursue full-time programs and experience true college life at home or close to home. Consequently, UB-North has had the privilege of serving a diverse student body with multiple educational ambitions

THE UN north campus, as it was and career objectives. As alumni of this distinguished institution, we understand the importance of obtaining a tertiary education conveniently on the island we call home. UB-North is a fundamental artery to the heart of the Grand Bahamian community. Just how the vena cava supplies the heart, UB-North has supported the Grand Bahamian community as it sustains the pulse of creativity, professionalism, and opportunity that pumps hope and life through our students to the community and subsequently its economic stability.”

In a letter in response to the board’s concerns, Dr Smith said the “UB North campus is a vital part our the university system”.

He explained that the global pandemic has further compounded matters in GB. “We value and appreciate the hard work, commitment, and resilience of its faculty, staff, students, and alumni, he said.

“While plans were well underway to rebound from the devastation of Hurricane Dorian, we certainly did not expect that a global pandemic would follow on its heels to further compound

the financial and emotional toll that Hurricane Dorian left in its wake. Consequently, Covid19 has brought with it a new set of associated restrictions and fiscal ramifications,” Dr Smith explained.

With regards to the rumours, he said: “As I did in my response to the UB-North community…

I wish to reiterate that much of what you have heard has been speculation and rumour-mongering concerning University of The Bahamas-North.”

Dr Smith stated that the rebuilding of UB North remains a priority, indicating that preliminary work has already started, through the leadership of VP of UB North Dr Ian Strachan.

“Moving forward, we will continue to thoroughly envision and plan for a new campus that will meet the needs of the University community and those it serves. A part of this involves the acquisition of a new site and carefully solidifying the financial support that will be required,” he explained.

He pointed out that they must now build a campus that can withstand the inevitable forces

of hurricanes that can be even stronger than Dorian.

On the question of the insurance money, President Smith indicated that the University does not have in its possession all of the insurance money yet.

“While we expect a substantial payout, it will by no means be sufficient to fund the entire rebuilding of a newly envisioned downtown campus. As stated earlier we will have to secure additional financial support and engage in extensive fundraising,” he explained.

Additionally, he noted that based on the UB Act and the current governing structure of the institution, there are no plans for the establishment of an autonomous governing body for UB-North. He however supports a semi-autonomous campus within the larger University System, with the recognition of a Standing Committee of the Board for UBNorth, followed by establishing an advisory board of some kind.

Dr Smith said there are plans to introduce degree and certificate programs that will be exclusive to UB-North. He stated that his position remains focused on making UB-North the business and technology incubator of The Bahamas.

“Thorough reviews are being conducted, aimed at curtailing expenditures, stimulating more revenue generation, and improving overall financial and fiscal health. All of this is happening as the institution is still determining the operational changes that it must adopt in this COVID-19 environment.

Although a number of proposals and recommendations have been submitted, including those from students, faculty, staff, unions, and alumni - nothing has been finalized as COVID-19 remains unpredictable and calls for us to be flexible in our decision making,” he said.

PAGE 8, Thursday, August 13, 2020

I

N The Netherlands, new daily coronavirus infections are currently back to “roughly half their level at the peak of the pandemic.” The French Prime Minister said he is trying to avoid another lockdown amid a “worrying increase” in cases.

Countries large and small, rich and poor, developed and developing, are experiencing a resurgence of the first wave of the virus, which remains a galloping danger and lurking threat for even countries that enjoyed initial success at the outbreak of the pandemic.

Governments are learning valuable lessons, often at a high cost, on how to address community spread, and the need for stricter enforcement of health measures, especially in jurisdictions in which many still do not and will never take the threat seriously unless they are personally infected or affected.

After 102 days with no new COVID-19 positive cases, New Zealand’s largest city, Auckland, with a population of approximately 1.7 million, reported four new confirmed cases and four cases under investigation.

Prime Minister Jacinda Adern imposed an immediate lockdown of the city, with little warning to residents. Despite the hue and cry from people around the world, including here at home, about supposed inadequate warnings for lockdowns, it is essential to impose these as quickly as possible.

Such rapid lockdowns help to prevent people from quickly moving from one locale to another, potentially spreading the virus, as happened when a good number of Grand Bahamians fled for other islands as a lockdown was about to be instituted.

Human nature is such that human beings quite often panic, with little to no consideration or thought as to how their actions might affect others. Just as there is herd immunity, there are also stampedes by herds and sometimes mass hysteria, such as the initial mass panic in many countries at the outset of the pandemic, when scores of people were hoarding groceries and toilet tissue.

THE TRIBUNE

We fight as hard as we can but there is no escaping the darker side of human nature FRONT PORCH

BY SIMON The Urban Dictionary online has coined the term, “herd stupidity”: “A form of indirect protection from rational thinking that occurs when a large percentage of a population has become immune to using their brains, whether through group think or mainstream media influence.”

DUBIOUS The notion that most humans are mostly rational actors who can be appealed to through polite persuasion is dubious in the best of times. During crises, the irrationality quotient rises, as does the degree of magical thinking and reckless behaviour.

Policy experts and government officials would be highly negligent if they fail to recognise and plan for the fallibility, gullibility, stupidity, ignorance, selfabsorption and diabolical selfishness within human populations.

There is no amount of education or encouragement that will persuade some people of the facts or reality of a given matter.

Some people will never understand the need to wear masks or to practice physical distancing. Others will go on hosting or attending Airbnb or other parties.

Only strict enforcement will help to arrest the spread of the virus.

Conspiracy theories and superstition are the order of the day during placid times.

In times such as these, they go into overdrive.

One of the conspiracies, believed by quite a number of young people, who do not read much and who are wholly informed by fatuous, vacuous and fake media posts, is that Bill Gates - who warned of a global pandemic years ago and who is spending billions of his own fortune fighting disease is helping to perpetuate COVID-19 in order to sell vaccines. Ignorance has long been a deadly barrier to fighting human diseases.

Until there is a vaccine, the COVID-19 virus will continue to pose a danger, even to a country like New Zealand, a rich, developed nation geographically isolated in the South Pacific.

New Zealand has a small population and a considerably more diversified economy than most countries in the Caribbean, most of which are wholly dependent on tourism from the United States, where the COVID-19 pandemic rages like an unprecedented Category 5 hurricane hovering over and relentlessly devastating everything in its path.

The pandemic is so virulent in the US that the

NZ Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern during a press conference in Wellington, New Zealand yesterday after authorities found four cases of the coronavirus in one Auckland household.

White House is considering temporarily barring US citizens and legal residents from entering the country as one measure to address the continued spread of cases.

The proposal would be aimed at those infected or suspected of being exposed to COVID-19. While the measure may or may not be implemented, it is a sign of how the most powerful country in the world is in a desperate state.

COMPLIANCE The American Academy of Paediatrics and the Children’s Hospital Association report a 90 percent increase in the number of COVID19 cases among children in the last four weeks.

The Vice-Chair of the Academy’s Paediatrics Committee on Infectious Diseases, Dr. Sean O’Leary recently told CNN: “We’ve had 90 deaths in children in the US already, in just a few months. Every year we worry about influenza in children, and there are roughly around 100 deaths in children from influenza every year.”

New Zealand was highly praised for its initial aggressive response and will likely get any new outbreak under control as quickly as possible. It has imposed among the strictest lockdowns in the world of any democratic nation and utilised an expansive system of contact tracing. During the current lockdown except for essential workers, New Zealanders will once again have to work from home.

Most schools will be closed.

Public facilities, including bars and restaurants, will be closed and gatherings limited to 10 people.

While many in New Zealand also became weary and frustrated by the initial strict and comprehensive lockdown some months ago, most residents complied and most practiced the various health measures.

Countries in which residents have been more disciplined have fared better in the pandemic.

The current resurgence of the virus in The Bahamas is mostly the result of slackness, indiscipline and irresponsibility on the part of Bahamians, some of whom continue to tout the mantra of freedom, while being highly irresponsible in their behaviour.

The choice of New Zealand to keep its borders highly restricted is not a choice many other countries could emulate, including tourism-dependent countries like Greece, Spain, France and other European nations, with economies more diversified than Caribbean economies like Jamaica and The Bahamas.

The Bahamas was initially on a list of countries exempt from a 14 days self-isolation quarantine for inbound arrivals to the United Kingdom.

The Independent reported: “All inbound arrivals to the UK have been subject to 14 days’ self-isolation since 8 June, with the only exceptions being those coming from destinations deemed ‘lowrisk’ by the government’s Joint Biosecurity Centre.

“However, even countries previously exempt from quarantine can be removed from the list without warning, as was the case with Spain, Luxembourg, Belgium, Andorra and the Bahamas. “… Speculation has been rife that France could be taken off the quarantine exemption list any day now, leaving thousands of holidaymakers in a difficult position.”

Anthropologist Wade Davis writing in Rolling Stone observed: “Never in our lives have we experienced such a global phenomenon. For the first time in the history of the world, all of humanity, informed by the unprecedented reach of digital technology, has come together, focused on the same existential threat, consumed by the same fears and uncertainties, eagerly anticipating the same, as yet unrealised, promises of medical science.

“In a single season, civilisation has been brought low by a microscopic parasite 10,000 times smaller than a grain of salt.

COVID-19 attacks our physical bodies, but also the cultural foundations of our lives, the toolbox of community and connectivity that is for the human what claws and teeth represent to the tiger.”

While the COVID-19 virus has showcased the courage, dedication, ingenuity and humanity of many, it has also exposed the veneer and fragility of human civilisation, as well as the nauseating and contemptible behaviour by some who have sought to use this period to pursue their personal, including political, agendas to vent their resentments and employ their dark stratagems.

A pandemic requires a certain social solidarity. History will record those who demonstrated a commitment to a greater common good and those who could not rise above themselves and their paralysing grievances and unquenchable ambitions.

THE TRIBUNE

D

ID the selection on Tuesday of Kamala Harris as Joe Biden’s 2020 running mate surprise you?

It had seemed in recent weeks that Biden would select a black woman as his vice president, and much recent speculation centred around two accomplished women born to equally accomplished parents.

The differences between Susan Rice and Kamala Harris are significant, though, and it says here that Biden made the right choice. Rice, much more a child of privilege than Harris, has no campaign experience. One could imagine her as chief of staff in a Biden administration, or perhaps as a special friend and counsellor a la Valerie Jarrett for Barack (and Michele) Obama.

There will doubtless be speculation about her as Secretary of State, too.

Harris, as we learned during the Democratic nomination debates in the spring, is a brawler. This is often sought by presidential nominees, who hope the dirty political infighting can be handled by the junior person on the ticket, leaving the “presidential” high ground for the top nominee.

Sometimes this works.

George H W Bush performed this job for Ronald Reagan well during the 1980 and 1984 campaigns.

Dan Quayle, a callow junior senator from Indiana, didn’t do so well for Bush 41 in his own 1988 presidential run, but he won anyway. Similarly, Al Gore was not a gifted scrapper for Bill Clinton, but again, Clinton won twice anyhow. When Gore’s turn to top the ticket came in 2000, he chose Connecticut senator Joe Lieberman as his running mate. That was not a success.

Dick Cheney, on the other hand, proved to be a skilled, cynical battler for Bush 43. That brings us to Biden, who was better than most and not as skilled as others in the second banana role.

Some Democrats are eagerly awaiting the October 7 debate showdown between Harris and Mike

Thursday, August 13, 2020, PAGE 9

Harris is a huge boost to Biden’s ticket as Trump looks ever more desperate

DEMOCRATIC presidential candidate Joe Biden and his running mate Kamala Harris arrive to speak at a news conference at Alexis Dupont High School in Wilmington, Delaware yesterday

STATESIDE with Charlie Harper Pence, and the White House is reportedly anxious about it, but Pence clearly won his debate with Tim Kaine in 2016. Virginia senator Kaine, misunderstanding his role and misplacing his normally mild-mannered

personality, turned into a feckless and unconvincing attack dog and failed to dent Pence. If Harris enters the ring pugnaciously and wildly swinging at Pence, she could experience the same fate.

The current US President, meanwhile, continues to self-immolate. Donald Trump acts every day now as if he is searching, with very limited success so far, for lines of attack against Biden and for lines of defence for his failing stewardship of the US. Nothing he says sticks to Biden especially, and scepticism persists about him and his shrinking base of support.

The history books may well chronicle the closing days of Trump’s first term in office as an ironic example

of someone with achievements about which to boast and yet an inability to articulate them. In focusing his snark on Biden and Democrats instead, Trump gives more evidence every day that he is unfit to continue in office.

Trump supporters like South Carolina senator Lindsay Graham who have for years been propping up Trump with their craven apologies and slavish obeisance have not yet begun to desert the President’s sinking ship. And veteran lawmakers like

Senate majority leader Mitch McConnell still probably hope for a downturn in Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg’s fragile health so he and Trump can name yet another anti-abortion conservative to the nation’s highest court.

Public figures like McConnell and Graham are staying with Trump for now. So too are determined House Republican congressmen Jim Jordan of Ohio and Devin Nunes of California. These characters, and their numerous congressional allies, seem to have no limit to their allegiance to tired, disproven story lines from years ago.

In fact, one major plus from Biden’s decision not to name Susan Rice as his running mate is that we are spared yet more obsessive blather about fault for the “betrayal at Benghazi,” when the US ambassador to Libya was murdered

by Arab terrorists and for which Republicans scored significant political points four years ago against Hillary Clinton, who was Secretary of State at the time of the assassination in Benghazi. Rice took plenty of heat for the tragic episode, too, and would have prompted as Biden’s nominee a revival of that familiar Republican narrative.

If Joe Biden’s choice of Kamala Harris was not surprising, neither was it disappointing. Biden was almost compelled to choose a black woman, and he may have selected the ablest, most experienced fighter from among those reported to be the frontrunners.

AMATEURS SHUTTING DOWN AS THE PROS COMPLETE SEASON

LOOKING over the American sports landscape, it’s not too surprising that while golf, soccer and the four major professional sports are trying to complete regular seasons and televised playoffs, amateur athletics is in the process of shutting down for the fall.

There was an announcement this week that the Big Ten, which has actually grown in recent years to 14 teams and commands a huge national TV following, will not play football in 2020. With that revelation, the signs may be unmistakable that college sports are heading for a significant hiatus. Coaches, officials, administrators, players, fans and TV executives are all bemoaning the reality that the coronavirus renders playing an intensely contact sport like football in current conditions irrational to the point of being dangerous. But that doesn’t change the reality.

Internal politics in some states, especially in the South, may delay sensible decisions for a period, but the fact remains college football players are still unpaid amateurs and that it is unfair and unreasonable to expect them to expose themselves to serious health dangers for the sake of glorifying the universities they represent.

Pro sports are another matter. The PGA tournament inaugurated the delayed US golf major season with a riveting competition on a public course in misty San Francisco over the weekend. American professional soccer teams have been playing. The NBA continues to prepare for its muchanticipated playoff season in its “bubble” in Orlando.

The NHL, with perhaps the best model of all, is staging playoff seeding games in a different, more expansive bubble in Toronto, the home of hockey in North America and maybe the world.

Meanwhile, the Toronto Blue Jays will be playing their home games this season in a hastily improved minor league stadium in Buffalo, New York.

That way, there will be no nettlesome international travel restrictions to impact the movement of major league baseball teams.

The 28 teams not named the virus-ravaged Marlins or Cardinals have already completed 30 percent of their schedules.

And then there’s the NFL, the giant of them all.

Teams have opened their training camps and preparations are ongoing for the scheduled opening of the season in September. There will be no exhibition games, a loss likely to be mourned by a very few. The feeling is growing, though, that football commissioner Roger Goodell is trying to draw to an inside poker straight in insisting that playing a regular NFL season under the shadow of a ferocious pandemic is realistic.

Things are different in Europe. Fans across the continent are excited about the annual Champions League tournament that pits league champions and other worthy qualifiers against each other. The virus has dictated a different format this year, but the winner will still justifiably be crowned champion of Europe.

Defending champions Liverpool have been knocked out already, as have English compatriots Chelsea and Tottenham.

Only Manchester City remains from the UK. Spain (Barcelona and Athletico Madrid), Germany (Bayern Munich and RB Leipzig) and France (Paris St. Germain and Lyon) all have two entries in the final eight, along with Italian Cinderella team Atalanta.

The Italians, from Bergamo in the Lombardy Alps, play in a tiny stadium that seats only 22,000 people. This is Atalanta’s

first appearance at this stage of Europe’s championship tourney. Much bigger rival teams from nearby Milan and Turin are sitting on the sidelines this week watching their underfinanced neighbours outshine them.

The first round of the single-elimination knockout phase started yesterday and continues today through Saturday. The most-anticipated quarterfinal match occurs tomorrow, with Barcelona squaring off against streaking Bayern. Man City faces Lyon on Saturday.

The Barca-Bayern match features the incomparable Argentine Lionel Messi against Poland’s indomitable Robert Lewandowski, probably the world’s current hottest striker.

The tournament, whose games are all being played in Lisbon, concludes August 23.

OHIO State players celebrate the team’s 34-21 win over Wisconsin in the Big Ten championship NCAA college football game in Indianapolis last year

PAGE 10, Thursday, August 13, 2020

THE TRIBUNE

FOR PEOPLE WAITING ON VIRUS AID, NO NEW RELIEF IN SIGHT WASHINGTON Associated Press

AMERICANS counting on emergency coronavirus aid from Washington may have to wait until fall. Negotiations over a new virus relief package have all but ended, with the White House and congressional leaders far apart on the size, scope and approach for shoring up households, re-opening schools and launching a national strategy to contain the virus.

President Donald Trump’s top negotiator, Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin, tried to revive stalled talks yesterday,

but House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer dismissed the “overture,” saying the Trump administration is still refusing to meet them halfway. Congressional Republicans are largely sitting out the talks. “The White House is not budging,” Pelosi and Schumer said in a joint statement.

With the House and Senate essentially closed, and lawmakers on call to return with 24-hours notice, hopes for a swift compromise have dwindled. Instead, the politics of blame have taken hold, as the parties head into August focused on the presidential

nominating conventions and lawmakers’ own reelection campaigns. Trump said the Democrats are “holding the American people hostage”.

All indications are talks will not resume in full until Congress resumes in September, despite the mounting death toll, surpassing 161,000 in the US, and more than 5 million people infected.

For Americans, that means the end of a $600 weekly unemployment benefit that has expired, as has a federal ban on evictions.

Schools hoping for cash from the federal government to help provide safety measures are left

empty handed. States and cities staring down red ink with the shattered economy have few options.

Trump’s executive actions appeared to provide a temporary reprieve, offering $300 in jobless benefits and some other aid. But it could take weeks for those programs to ramp up, and the help is far slimmer than what Congress was considering. More than 20 million Americans risk evictions, and more are out of work.

Mnuchin and White House chief of staff Mark Meadows briefed GOP senators privately.

But congressional Republicans,

who have left the negotiating largely to Democrats, seem satisfied there is enough money still available from previous aid packages, for now.

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell put in motion the procedural steps to recess, possibly Thursday. The House is already gone. Because McConnell has such cool support from his ranks for any bill, Democrats are trying to push the White House to go bold. They want to maintain the $600 jobless benefit and provide nearly $1 trillion to the states and cities, nonstarters for the White House.

PRESIDENT REVERTS TO SEXIST AND RACIST WAYS WASHINGTON Associated Press

KAMALA Harris and her husband Douglas Emhoff, right, applaud Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden and his wife Jill Biden yesterday

Biden and Harris team up and attack Trump WILMINGTON, Delaware Associated Press JOE Biden and Kamala Harris delivered an aggressive one-two attack on the character and performance of President Donald Trump yesterday as they made their election case for the first time as running mates.

Biden, a 77-year-old white man, embraced the significance of naming the first black woman to a major party’s presidential ticket, but he also focused on other attributes Harris brings to the ticket. He hailed the California senator, the 55-year-old former prosecutor who a year ago excoriated Biden on a primary debate stage, as the right woman to help him defeat Trump and then lead a nation facing crises in triplicate: a pandemic, wounded economy and long-simmering reckoning with racism.

Harris, Biden declared at a high school gymnasium in his hometown of Wilmington, Delaware, is “smart, she’s tough, she’s experienced, she’s a proven fighter for the backbone of this country.”

“Kamala knows how to govern.

She knows how to make the hard calls. She’s ready to do this job on day one,” he said.

Reflecting the coronavirus pandemic, both candidates came onstage wearing protective masks in a high school gym with relatively few in attendance, not in a hall filled with cheering supporters as would normally be the case. Both spoke without masks but did not physically embrace.

Biden praised her experience vigorously questioning Trump administration officials in the Senate, and highlighted the historic nature of her pick, noting she’s the daughter of immigrants from India and Jamaica.

“This morning, all across the nation, little girls woke up - especially little black and brown girls, who so often feel overlooked and undervalued in their communities. But today, today, just maybe, they’re seeing themselves for the first time in a new way,” Biden said.

Harris sat feet away from Biden, listening with her protective mask off. Taking the stage after him, she flicked at some of the gender critiques she’d faced throughout the Democratic primary, saying she was “mindful of all the ambitious women before me, whose sacrifice, determination and resilience makes my presence here today

even possible.” She then launched into an attack on Trump, lambasting him for a lack of leadership on the coronavirus pandemic.

“This is a moment of real consequence for America. Everything we care about — our economy, our health, our children, the kind of country we live in — it’s all on the line,” she said.

Biden and Harris showed clear affection toward one another, with Biden calling her an “honorary Biden” and Harris offering an emotional tribute to his son Beau, whom she was friends with when both served as attorneys general.

Biden seemed overcome with emotion as Harris spoke of Beau, who died in 2015, as “the best of us” and a man who modeled himself after his father.

She signaled that she’ll offer a vigorous defense of Biden’s qualifications on issues of race and civil rights, though she made headlines for assailing him for his past opposition to federally mandated bussing during a primary debate last year.

Noting his own vice presidency under President Barack Obama, she said he “takes his place in the ongoing story of America’s march towards equality and justice” as the

only person “who’s served alongside the first black president and has chosen the first black woman as his running mate.”

In any other presidential election, vice-presidential picks are greeted with adoring throngs, and Harris, given her profile, almost certainly could have expected an even more enthusiastic welcome to the ticket. Yesterday, about 100 supporters stood outside the gymnasium waving signs prior to her arrival, with no hopes of being allowed inside.

Harris was considered a favorite throughout Biden’s search, and she’s been a regular surrogate campaigner and fundraiser for him since he became the presumptive nominee.

They’ll nonetheless have to paper over differences exposed during the primary campaign, from Harris’ initial support for a singlepayer health insurance system and the Green New Deal to her deeply personal debate-stage broadside against Biden over his opposition to federally mandated busing to integrate public schools in the 1970s.

Harris a huge boost to Biden’s ticket as Trump looks ever more desperate - Page 9

AN overzealous prosecutor trying to hide her crime-fighting past — who is also weak on crime. The most radical pick for vice president ever — but too moderate to energise progressive Democrats.

President Donald Trump’s campaign is struggling to define California Sen. Kamala Harris, the newly announced running mate for Democratic rival Joe Biden.

And without a clear message, Trump has reverted to his usual playbook, resorting to sexist and racist attacks. He has repeatedly called Harris “nasty” and has leaned into appeals that appear stuck in a fictionalised version of the 1950s.

With Trump lagging in the polls less than 90 days before the election, his team faces a pivotal choice.

Do they attempt to fire up their own base and scare off moderates by painting Biden and Harris as radical socialists? Or do they aim to depress enthusiasm among the Democratic base by arguing Biden and Harris are opportunistic and insufficiently liberal?

Biden and Harris can’t be both. But that hasn’t stopped Trump and his allies from trying to make the incongruous portrayals stick. “Clearly, Phony Kamala will abandon her own morals, as well as try to bury her record as a prosecutor, in order to appease the anti-police extremists controlling the Democrat Party,” senior campaign adviser Katrina Pierson said in the Trump’s campaign’s first statement responding to the news.

During his Fox News program, host Sean Hannity called Harris the “most radical running mate ever.”

At the same time as it echoed that messaging, the Republican National Committee also sought to frame her as insufficiently liberal, gleefully declaring: “liberals revolt against Biden, Harris ticket.”

TRIO CHARGED WITH THREATENING WOMEN IN SINGER R. KELLY CASE NEW YORK Associated Press

FEDERAL prosecutors yesterday announced charges against three men accused of threatening and intimidating women who have accused R&B singer R. Kelly of abuse, including one man suspected of setting fire to a vehicle in Florida.

A longtime friend of the indicted singer offered to pay a victim $500,000 to keep her from cooperating in Kelly’s prosecution, authorities said, while a manager and adviser of Kelly threatened to release sexually explicit photographs of a woman who sued Kelly.

A Kelly defence attorney said he had “no involvement whatsoever” in any attempt to silence witnesses.

The Grammy-award winning musician has pleaded not guilty to dozens of state and federal sexual misconduct charges in Illinois, Minnesota and New York.

The charges range from

SINGER R. Kelly sexual assault to heading a racketeering scheme aimed at supplying Kelly with girls. Kelly also is accused of having unprotected sex with a minor in 2015 without disclosing he had herpes.

Prosecutors described a third man accused of intimidating witnesses as being related to a former Kelly publicist. They said Michael Williams, 37, of Valdosta, Georgia, travelled to Florida in June and set fire to an SUV parked outside a residence where one of Kelly’s victims was staying.

Williams also conducted internet searches for “the detonation properties of fertilizer and diesel fuel, witness intimidation and witness tampering and countries that do not have extradition with the United States,” authorities said in a news release.

“The men charged today allegedly have shown that there is no line they will not cross to help Kelly avoid the consequences of his alleged crimes — even if it means re-victimizing his accusers,” Peter Fitzhugh, special agent in charge of the Homeland Security Investigations in New York, said.

Also charged were two Illinois men with ties to Kelly. His longtime friend, Richard Arline Jr., 31, is accused of offering to pay off a woman he believed had “too much” incriminating information against Kelly.

Donnell Russell, 45, of Chicago, is charged with harassing a Kelly victim and her mother after the unidentified woman filed a lawsuit against Kelly.

THREE DEAD AFTER TRAIN DERAILS LONDON Associated Press

THREE people were killed and six others injured yesterday when a passenger train derailed in northeast Scotland after heavy rain and flooding hit the area.

The train driver was believed to be among the dead, British Transport Police said. The Rail, Maritime and Transport union said that the train conductor was also believed killed.

Six people were hospitalised, but their injuries are

not considered serious.

Images from the scene show that several cars of the four-carriage train had left the tracks and one had tumbled down an embankment. Smoke was seen billowing from the wreck.

Air ambulances and coast guard helicopters came and went as the rescue operation unfolded.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson said a police investigation aims to find out what caused the derailment and ensure “nothing like this happens again”.

“As I understand there was about a month’s worth of rainfall in a very short period which undoubtedly aggravated the problem there,” he added.

Torrential rain had caused flooding and travel disruptions in Scotland, and Network Rail Scotland tweeted warnings of a landslip affecting services in the area.

It was not clear how many people were on the train, an early morning ScotRail service from Aberdeen to Glasgow.

SPORTS SECTION E

THURSDAY, AUGUST 13, 2020

Rolle named deputy director of athletics

By RENALDO DORSETT Tribune Sports Reporter rdorsett@tribunemedia.net

B

ahamian administrator Jermaine Rolle has been appointed to a major post at an NCAA Division I programme.

Rolle was named the Deputy Director of Athletics for the University of Wisconsin Green Bay Phoenix, with responsibilities for “compliance and student-athlete service.”

The Phoenix compete in the Horizon League and fields six men’s teams, eight women’s teams, and one coed NCAA sanctioned sport (cross-country skiing).

“I am thrilled to be joining the Phoenix. I’d like to thank Chancellor Mike [Alexander], AD [Charles] Guthrie and the search panel for providing me this opportunity and having the confidence that I’ll be an asset to Green Bay

athletics. I was highly the Minot State Beavers, impressed with the also a D-II programme, search panels’ enlightenwhere he served as the ment on the culture and associate director of athsupportive environment letics for Compliance at Green Bay. I look and Student Life. forward to hitting the “Green Bay Athletics ground running and servis pleased to welcome ing the student-athletes, Jermaine to the Phoenix coaches and University family as Deputy AD,” community to the best of said Guthrie. my abilities.”

“Jermaine is highly According to the regarded as being ROLLE Phoenix Athletic proficient in NCAA Department, Rolle will compliance and is wellhead all aspects of D-I and Horizon known across the country for his League rules and regulations. He integrity and valour in providing will also work alongside the Stu- an exceptional student-athlete dent Athlete Advisory Committee experience.

(SAAC) and sports oversight in “While Jermaine’s focal point cross country, golf, nordic ski and will be on the compliance and swimming and diving. student service operations of Rolle previously served as the department, he will be a key assistant director of athletics for member of our small but mighty compliance for the Holy Family leadership team and will be University Tigers which featured counted on to make many of the 14 D-II teams. He then moved to day-to-day decisions.”

The Phoenix has been widely recognised for the success of their women’s basketball programme. From 2008-2013 season, the Phoenix had the third highest winning-percentage in the NCAA Division I with a 175-21 mark, trailing only Connecticut and Stanford. The Phoenix has the fifth-most wins in Division I during that same stretch.

The Phoenix entered the 2017–18 season on a string of 40 consecutive winning seasons, with only Tennessee having a longer such streak in women’s college basketball. They have also won or tied for the Horizon League regular-season championship since 2000, the longest active streak in Division I NCAA women’s basketball. They have been to the NCAA tournament 18 times, advancing to the second round five times and to the Sweet 16 once. The men’s basketball programme reached the NCAA Tournament in 2016.

Decision Day for Ayton and Suns

By RENALDO DORSETT Tribune Sports Reporter rdorsett@tribunemedia.net THE outcome of Deandre Ayton and the Phoenix Suns’ potentially historic run at the NBA playoffs will be decided tonight on the penultimate day of the NBA’s seeding games.

A seven-game win streak thus far has brought the Suns’ record to 33-39 (No.10), tied with the No.9 Memphis Grizzlies (33-39) and 0.5 games behind the No.8 Portland Trail Blazers (34-39).

Ayton is averaging 15.6 points and 9.6 rebounds per game in the NBA restart.

All three teams will be in action today in their final of the eight seeding games. The Suns will face the Dallas Mavericks while the Grizzlies will face the Milwaukee Bucks.

Both games tip off at 4pm. The Trail Blazers will close out their schedule against the Brooklyn Nets at 9pm.

Phoenix will need to win, but will also need some help with losses from other teams to reach the playin game.

A Suns loss or a Grizzlies win would eliminate Phoenix from playoff contention, because Memphis holds the tiebreaker.

If the Suns and Grizzlies both win, it would require a Portland loss for Phoenix to get in.

The No.8 vs No.9 play-in game is scheduled for August 15.

If the No.8 seed wins they will advance to the playoffs and if No.9 wins, the teams will play a second game on August 16 to decide who advances to the playoffs.

“We can finally look at it. It’s our next step. We know that we’re not totally in control of our fate but we put ourselves in a good position.

Nobody would have guessed the Phoenix Suns would be in this position,” said Suns head coach Monty Williams.

“We’re not going to change our approach. I think that would be a mistake on our part. I think our guys need to have the same focus. We’ve always tried to implement championship practices and film sessions and have a high level of focus so that we don’t have to change.”

CONCACAF: FIRST ROUND DRAW SET TO BE HOSTED AUGUST 19

By RENALDO DORSETT Tribune Sports Reporter rdorsett@tribunemedia.net THE preliminary draw has been set as CONCACAF continues to reveal its restructured qualification process for the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022.

The first round draw, featuring 35 member federations, will be hosted August 19 in Zurich, Switzerland and streamed live on FIFA.com The Bahamas will be placed in “Pot Five” along with Aruba, Turks and Caicos Islands, US Virgin Islands, British Virgin Islands and Anguilla.

Pot One includes El Salvador, Canada, Curaçao, Panama, Haiti and Trinidad and Tobago. Pot Two will feature Antigua and Barbuda, Guatemala, St Kitts and Nevis, Suriname, Nicaragua and The Dominican Republic. Pot Three features Grenada, Barbados, Guyana, St Vincent and the Grenadines, Bermuda and Belize. Finally, Pot Four includes St Lucia, Puerto Rico, Cuba, Montserrat, Dominica and The Cayman Islands.

The Qatar 2022 qualification will feature three rounds vying for three anda-half World Cup spots.

The First Round (30 teams) will feature CONCACAF teams ranked 6-35 based on the FIFA/CocaCola rankings as of July 16, 2020.

The Bahamas is currently ranked No. 30 based on

SEE PAGE 12

BALLIN’ BY DA BEACH TO HOST VIRTUAL BASKETBALL CAMP

By RENALDO DORSETT Tribune Sports Reporter rdorsett@tribunemedia.net

PHOENIX Suns’ Deandre Ayton looks to pass against the Oklahoma City Thunder during the second quarter on Monday, August 10, 2020, in Lake Buena Vista, Florida. Today, four teams - Portland, Memphis, Phoenix and San Antonio - will finally decide which two clubs get spots in the play-in series to determine the No. 8 seed in the West playoffs.

(Mike Ehrmann/Pool Photo via AP)

NEW OLYMPIC WEBSITE TO BETTER SERVE ATHLETES AND FANS THE Bahamas Olympic Committee (BOC) launched its new website today, aiming to keep pace with a technologically advanced world in order to better serve athletes and sport supporters.

BOC President Romell Knowles pointed out that BahamasOlympicCommittee.org was in need of an overhaul, as the original website was more than a decade old.

The revamped website features a modern look and enlists a series of technology tools to advance Olympism in The Bahamas.

“We are attempting to make use of the type of media that a modern audience demands,” said Knowles.

“So people who visit the site will notice that it is rich in graphics and other audio/visual media.

“We need to remain progressive in advancing our messages, which will give the athletes the messages

PAGE 14

they need and the platform they deserve in order to meet their goals.

“Finally, we are doing this to make it easier for the entire nation to follow Team Bahamas because every single person has a part to play in our national success.”

Through an agreement with the International Olympic Committee, a feed from the Olympic Channel has a permanent home on the latest version of the BOC’s website.

Year-round, 24 hours per day, viewers are able to tune in to the Olympic Channel through the Bahamas-based website.

This allows audiences to keep track of events and the Olympic movement around the world in addition to following local athletes, Knowles said.

He also pointed out that the new

BahamasOlympicCommittee. org is a launching pad for all the BOC’s social media platforms.

He said the BOC will place more emphasis on making use of tools such as Twitter, Facebook, You Tube and Instagram to reach the audiences who have become accustomed to gathering news and information through social media.

Although the site is virtually brand new, featuring a large amount of new material, the executive committee of the BOC maintained one original component of BahamasOlympicCommittee.org.

The comprehensive history of the BOC - a composition by the late Sir Arlington Butler while he served as president of the BOC remains on the site.

“I want to thank the team of BOC executive officers who

worked diligently over a period of several months to design the website, gather its material, and forge the partnerships that brought it to reality,” Knowles said.

“Our secretary general Derron Donaldson and his team of Clarence Rolle and Dorian Roach did an amazing job, and the site will have ongoing transformation as it will be a dynamic and evolving work.”

Knowles said the BOC could not have produced the website without the significant and generous contributions of Team Bahamas supporter and resident of The Bahamas, Andrew White, whose business network assisted with substantial resources.

He also acknowledged the meaningful contributions of Integrated Business Solutions and 5Oceans Partnership.

BALLIN’ By Da Beach Basketball Camp continues its effort of engaging with its participants virtually amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

The organisation will host a virtual basketball camp, August 24-28, via Zoom.

The camp is open to both boys and girls ages 5-19 and is free to all registered participants - all that is needed is reliable internet access and a basketball.

Registration is open at BBFbasketball.com/VBC while interested persons can contact the organisation at 429-7170 for more information.

The camp promises to feature “five days of high quality training from some of the Bahamas’ best national team, college and high school coaches.”

Day one will be led by the University of the Bahamas Mingoes men’s basketball head coach - Bacchus Rolle; day two features Bahamas senior men’s national team head coach and Golden State Warriors assistant coach - Chris Demarco; day three will be led by Under17 Skills Challenge assistant coach - Sanchez Moss, day four features the University of Houston Cougars Assistant Director for Player Development - Mikhal

SEE PAGE 12

PAGE 12, Thursday, August 13, 2020

THE TRIBUNE

ANALYSIS: 31ST SERENA-VENUS MATCH HERALDS RETURN OF TENNIS

By HOWARD FENDRICH AP Tennis Writer WELL, this sure is a fine way for tennis to herald its return after the pandemic-caused hiatus: Serena Williams vs. Venus Williams.

The siblings meet each other for the 31st time when they take the court at a WTA tournament in Kentucky today.

“It’s so special,” Venus said.

“Here we go again.”

It’s a chance for the two former No. 1-ranked women and owners of 30 Grand Slam singles titles between them (23 for Serena; seven for her older sister) to gauge where their games are following about six months away from the sport — and a chance for tennis fans to remember what they’ve been missing while the tours were suspended because of the coronavirus. “I haven’t played in forever, so I want to play the

best players,” Venus said with a laugh, then added: “And I think I got my wish in playing Serena.”

So what if there are no spectators allowed at the hard-court event because of the coronavirus outbreak?

So what if it’s happening at a low-key, brand-new tournament, where traffic can be seen driving back and forth on a street behind the court?

And so what if it’s merely in the second round, rather than with a trophy at stake?

Sure, all in all, this will be a far way from the sorts of stages that have hosted these two stars in the past, including nine Williams vs.

Williams matchups in Grand Slam singles finals, including four in a row from 2002-03.

Serena leads the rivalry 7-2 in those contests, and 18-12 overall.

“I feel like I always play Venus in every single tournament, first or second round,” Serena said

after needing to put together a comeback to beat 60th-ranked Bernarda Pera 4-6, 6-4, 6-1 in her opening match in Kentucky and first anywhere since February. “So that’s annoying.”

Actually, it’s been nearly two full years since the sisters’ last meeting, a third-rounder at the 2018 U.S. Open that Serena won 6-1, 6-2.

What both they and others should remember is that there is no way to know how many more of these there will be. Venus, after all, turned 40 in June. Serena turns 39 in September.

As the August 31 scheduled start of the US Open approaches, this match is a chance for the two of them to test themselves and the changes they’ve been making.

These are not two people who seem as if they’re ready to stop competing any time soon.

Serena has switched to a smaller racket head in 2020 because,

she explained, “I wanted more control.”

She was not at her best at the outset against Pera, even getting pushed to the precipice by falling behind love-40 at 4-all in the second set after dropping the first.

But Williams steadied herself to grab that game, beginning a run in which she took eight of nine.

Venus, meanwhile, used the long break in action to alter her service motion and forehand, which both looked in good shape during her much easier first-round victory in Kentucky, 6-3, 6-2 over former No. 1 and two-time major champion Victoria Azarenka.

“I used this offseason — forced offseason — to just reevaluate what I really wanted out of my game.

“You got time to make a few tweaks here or there and that’s what I did,” said Venus, who faced only one break point and saved it against Azarenka. “I’m quite

happy with it. Obviously the more matches I play, the better I’ll get.”

Tennis is only just taking its initial steps back, starting with a women’s tournament on clay in Palermo, Italy, last week, and two events this week. The men still haven’t resumed; that is supposed to happen next week.

Soon enough, if all goes well amid the pandemic, there will be Grand Slam competition in less than three weeks. But for now, there is Serena vs. Venus, a reminder of what big-time tennis feels like.

“I’m going to definitely be watching, if I’m not practicing or anything,” said 16-year-old American Coco Gauff, who grew up admiring the Williams sisters and beat Venus at Wimbledon last year and the Australian Open this year. “This could be the last time they play. I don’t know. But we always say that — and then they end up playing each other again.”

COCO GAUFF, 16, BEATS NO. 2 SEED TO REACH LEXINGTON QUARTERS LEXINGTON, Ky. (AP) — American teenager Coco Gauff overcame some shaky serving yesterday to beat No. 2 seed Aryna Sabalenka 7-6 (2), 4-6, 6-4 and reach the Top Seed Open quarter-finals with her third career victory over a top-15 opponent.

The 16-year-old Gauff hit 10 double-faults and was broken seven times.

“I guess,” she said afterward, “everything was an ‘A’ but the serving.”

She was able to hang in there with steady baseline play against the hard-hitting Sabalenka, who had 14 double-faults, including four in one game.

It was a topsy-turvy match that lasted nearly three hours and featured a

bit of confusion when Gauff and her father, Cori, got into a discussion with the chair umpire about what sort of coaching is allowed under adjusted rules the WTA put in place recently.

Of more concern to Gauff was the way she was starting off points in her service games.

At one point, she implored herself: “I’ve got to make the first serves.

Come on.”

Gauff’s plan after dropping the second set?

“Just to stay calm and composed,” she said in an on-court TV interview afterward, “and making her play balls.”

That worked.

Sabalenka is ranked 11th, behind only No. 9 Serena

Williams among the women entered in the hard-court tournament that is the first professional tennis event in the United States since the start of the coronavirus pandemic.

Gauff is No. 53 but should now return inside the top 50.

Next up for her is a match Friday against No. 8 seed Ons Jabeur, who produced 10 aces while eliminating Olga Govortsova 3-6, 6-2, 6-4. Govortsova had been seeking her first WTA quarterfinal since 2014.

The other quarterfinal on that side of the draw will be Marie Bouzkova against Jennifer Brady, who beat No. 6 seed Magda Linette 6-2, 6-3 in Wednesday’s last match.

CORI “Coco” Gauff returns to Slovenia’s Polona Hercog in a women’s singles match during day five of the Wimbledon Tennis Championships in London on July 5, 2019. Gauff overcame some shaky serving yesterday to beat No. 2 seed Aryna Sabalenka and reach the Top Seed Open quarterfinals with her third career victory over a top-15 opponent.

(AP Photo/Ben Curtis)

BALLIN’ BY DA BEACH TO HOST VIRTUAL BASKETBALL CAMP WITH ZOOM FROM PAGE 11 McLean, and the camp will close out on day five with U-17 Skills Challenge head coach and CSA Basketball Founder Marvin Henfield.

The schedule from 10:30-12:30 will include skills and drills, themed video fundamentals, mental skills training, leadership development, building basketball

IQ and fundamentals in action.

With its traditional camp cancelled for the summer, BBDB partnered with Global College Access to host the “Student Summer Success Series” - sponsored by the University of the Ozarks.

The series included nightly Zoom sessions, featuring university presidents, athletic directors, coaches and college admissions

leaders. Geared toward high school students, student-athletes, parents, coaches, guidance counsellors, and educational stakeholders, all sessions were free of charge.

BBDB was created by Jurelle Mullings in 2010 when she saw a need to place a greater focus on the development of women’s basketball at the youth level.

She is also the coordinator of the

Student-Athlete Resources and Support (STARS) Programme in the Ministry of Education.

Since 2010, the camp has featured hundreds of underserved, aspiring student athletes.

In addition to the camp, the organisation also hosts a Recruitment Exposure Showcase to aid aspiring players in their college recruitment process. “Our mission is to take a personal interest

in every basketball player and coach to help them become game changers on and off the court.

Our vision is to build a movement of passionate basketball players by delivering excellence through the game. Our vision inspires us in our daily work. We create a diverse, collaborative, encouraging environment where teamwork and openness are the cornerstones.”

CONCACAF: FIRST ROUND DRAW SET TO BE HOSTED AUGUST 19 FROM PAGE 11 the aforementioned rankings. The draw will feature six groups of five teams in a single round robin format.

Each team will play every other team in their group once, playing a total of four matches - two home and two away.

At the end of the first round the six group winners will progress to the Second Round. The second round (six teams) will be played between the group winners from the First Round in a home-and-away in a direct elimination format.

The three winners will progress to the Final Round. The final round (eight teams) of the qualifiers will feature the three winners from round two and teams based 1-5 on the FIFA rankings.

The top three teams will advance to the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 and the fourth placed team will qualify for the FIFA Intercontinental Playoff, scheduled to be played in June 2022.

The Bahamas returned to regional competition at the senior men’s national team level last year in the CONCACAF Nations League and emerged as the top group team in League C, Group B. The Bahamas finished as group winners with 10 points, and earned a berth in both League B and the 2021 Gold Cup qualifiers.

THE TRIBUNE

Thursday, August 13, 2020, PAGE 13

NFL, UNION AGREE TO EXTEND DAILY CORONAVIRUS TESTING

By JOSH DUBOW AP Pro Football Writer THE NFL extended daily coronavirus testing for players and staff until further notice even though the positive test rate from the first two weeks of camp has been less than one per cent.

Under the original agreement between the league and the NFL Players Association, players and staff needed three negative tests in a four-day period before they could report to the facility and then daily testing for the next two weeks.

If the positive rate from that first stretch of daily testing was below five per cent, the plan had been to shift to testing every other day.

But the league and the union decided yesterday to extend that period as they use more rapid onsite testing and as contact increases when padded practices start around the league next week.

“I think the bottom line is we’re continuing to learn a great deal from our testing results,” said Dr Allen Sills, the league’s chief medical officer. “I think that given the protocol changes that we recently made, as well as the use of this additional point of care technology and the recognition that we’re about to go into more of team-based activity during training camp, that we and the Players Association together felt it was prudent to extend the daily testing.”

Sills reported that there were 53 new positives out of 2,840 tests of players upon arrival, which works out to 1.9 per cent. The rate of new positives for all staff upon arrival was at 1.7 per cent.

Since then, the league has conducted 109,075 tests through Tuesday with 0.46 per cent of all tests coming up as positive and 0.81 per cent of players testing positive.

“I think we were pleasantly surprised at how few positive tests we had,” Sills said of the initial results.

“I think since that time, that positivity rate that I gave you reflects the fact that our teams have done, and our players, staff and coaches have done, a terrific job of staying uninfected.”

Sills said some of those positives tests could be false positives or reflect people who previously had coronavirus and still test positive for it.

While some players have been on the reserve/COVID-19 list for more than two weeks, Sills said he has no reports of anyone having any player having serious complications.

Sills said the league is monitoring any heart problems for players who test positive.

There have been reports of several college football players contracting myocarditis, inflammation of the heart muscle, after getting coronavirus.

The protocols the NFL has with the union already require heart tests for players who have tested

positive before they are allowed to return.

“I think they’re important and ongoing conversations when players have tested positive about what those screening tests mean and what’s the best way to rule out any of those complications,” Sills said.

“So it is something we’ll continue to monitor.

“I think one of the opportunities that we will have will be to contribute our data as we’ve done all these evaluations and look at that group as a whole and see what we’ve learned and what the outcomes have showed us, because that’s obviously an important issue right now for all of the sports medicine world,” Sills added.

CUBS BEAT INDIANS 7-2 TO MATCH THEIR BEST START SINCE 1970

By TOM WITHERS AP Sports Writer

Remaining East matchups all set: Heat-Pacers, Celtics-76ers

By TIM REYNOLDS AP Basketball Writer LAKE BUENA VISTA, Florida (AP) — The Eastern Conference playoff field is set, and the final day of the regular season will bring a preview of a first-round matchup.

Indiana’s win over Houston yesterday set what had been the last two unknown series on the East bracket.

No. 3 Boston will play No. 6 Philadelphia in a meeting between longtime rivals, and the Pacers are now locked into an East opening series against the Miami Heat — with the potential of those teams

playing nine times in a span of 10 games. Miami beat Indiana on Monday.

The teams meet again Friday in the seeding-game finale for both clubs, then face off in Game 1 to begin a best-of-seven series early next week.

That means, for just the second time since 2011, teams that end the regular season against one another will open the postseason against one another. The last time it happened was 2016, when Cleveland faced Detroit.

“It’s good to know that we play them,” said Heat coach Erik Spoelstra, who learned of Indiana’s win over Houston about

90 minutes prior to Miami’s start time against Oklahoma City on Wednesday night. “Just need to figure out what uniform we’re wearing.”

That will be decided Friday. The Heat-Pacers winner will be the No. 4 seed, and have the right to be declared the “home” team for Games 1 and 2 of the series.

Miami lost to the Thunder last night, sitting most of its regulars much of the game and wasting a 22-point fourth quarter lead.

Heat lead the season series with Pacers, 3-0.

“We’ve got to match Miami’s energy,” Indiana’s Edmond Sumner said.

“That’s a team that’s going to play hard for 48 minutes.”

It’ll be the first Heat-Pacers series since they met in three consecutive postseasons — 2012, 2013 and 2014, with Miami winning all those. The only other playoff matchup between the clubs was in 2004, with Indiana winning that one.

The Celtics have defeated the 76ers in each of their last four postseason series. Philadelphia’s last time ousting Boston was in 1982.

The other East matchups were known previously: No. 1 Milwaukee plays No. 8 Orlando, and No. 2 Toronto plays No. 7 Brooklyn.

DECISION DAY ARRIVES FOR SUNS, BLAZERS, GRIZZLIES AND SPURS

By TIM REYNOLDS AP Basketball Writer

LAKE BUENA VISTA, Florida (AP) — A team is going to reach the Western Conference playoffs with a losing record for the first time in 23 years, which ordinarily would not be exciting news.

This year, it’s the talk of the NBA. And the race has come down to the last possible day.

Today, four teams — Portland, Memphis, Phoenix and San Antonio — will finally decide which two clubs get spots in the play-in series to determine the No. 8 seed in the West playoffs.

Portland and Memphis control their fates, while Phoenix and San Antonio must win and get help.

The regular season ends Friday, but all four of the West playin contenders wrap up play and decide matters today.

“We can finally look at it,” Suns coach Monty Williams said. “It’s our next step. We know we’re not totally in control of our fate, but we put ourselves in a good

position. Nobody would have guessed the Phoenix Suns would have been in this position when all of this started.”

The Suns are 7-0 at the season restart, the darlings of the NBA bubble — but finishing the seeding games at 8-0 doesn’t even guarantee them a play-in spot. Phoenix plays Dallas in a 4pm game, the same time as a matchup between Memphis and Milwaukee.

San Antonio faces Utah at 6:30pm, and Portland plays Brooklyn at 9pm. In potentially bad news for the Spurs — who are bidding to be the first team in NBA history to make 23 consecutive playoff appearances — the Mavericks, Bucks and Nets are all locked into their various postseason spots and have nothing at stake.

“The way things have been down the stretch for these games, as tight as it’s been, it’s been pretty exciting,” Portland coach Terry Stotts said.

Memphis guard Ja Morant, when asked by ESPN last month if the play-in tournament format was fair, said “honestly, I don’t think

so.” That’s when the Grizzlies had a 3-1/2 game lead on Portland for eighth place; that lead is all gone now.

Portland goes into the final day of the West race a half-game up on Memphis, which is technically ninth because it holds the headto-head tiebreaker with 10th-place Phoenix. San Antonio, in 11th, is also just a half-game back of Portland. “Just got to out there and perform,” Spurs forward Keldon Johnson said. “We’re going to wake up Thursday and we’re going to be ready to go. We’re definitely going to leave it all out on the court. No doubt in my mind.”

The play-in series between the eighth- and ninth-place teams after today’s games begins Saturday; the No. 9 team must win Saturday and Sunday to advance, the No. 8 team has to win just once.

At stake: A matchup with the Los Angeles Lakers in a West firstround series.

THE RECORDS Even if the NBA counts the play-in games toward a team’s

overall record, the best winning percentage that any of the four teams would take into the playoffs and Game 1 against the Lakers is .480. The last time a team made the West playoffs with a record below .500 is 1997, when three teams — Minnesota, Phoenix and the Los Angeles Clippers — all pulled it off.

WHAT MIGHT HAVE BEEN Phoenix had a one-point loss to Portland and a pair of two-point losses to San Antonio this season.

Depending on how today goes, those heartbreakers - a two-point loss to the Spurs December 14, the one-point loss to the Blazers was December 16, and the other twopoint loss to the Spurs January 20 — might be the ones that got away.

LATE SLIDE Yesterday was the first time in 201 days — 60 during the actual season, the other 141 coming when games were halted because of the suspension caused by the pandemic — that the Grizzlies did not wake up in eighth place.

CLEVELAND (AP) — Kyle Hendricks pitched six strong innings in his first appearance against Cleveland since Game 7 of the 2016 World Series and Anthony Rizzo homered, leading the Chicago Cubs to a 7-2 win over the Indians last night to match their best start in 50 years.

Hendricks (3-1) didn’t have much trouble with the slumping Indians, who came in batting a major league-worst .192.

He allowed one run and seven hits and handled everyone in Cleveland’s lineup but Franmil Reyes, who got three hits.

The Cubs are 12-3 in their first season under manager David Ross, matching the club’s start after 15 games in 1970.

Rizzo homered in the third off Carlos Carrasco (2-2), David Bote drove in two runs and Kris Bryant connected for a 430-foot shot as the Cubs swept the two-game interleague set.

Hendricks hadn’t faced the Indians since November 2, 2016, when he started the dramatic finale as the Cubs beat the Indians in extra innings to clinch their first Series title since 1908.

The right-hander is as efficient now as he was four years ago. He threw 65 of his 90 pitches for strikes without a walk.

Carrasco was pulled in the fifth after a shaky, seven-walk outing over 4 1/3 innings.

The right-hander struggled with his control from the outset, but he was able to work around two, twowalk innings without giving up any runs.

He did allow a pair of singles to start the fifth before striking out Willson Contreras, who smashed his bat in the dirt near home plate and was immediately ejected. Reliever Oliver Perez came in gave up a sacrifice fly to Jason Heyward before Bote’s two-out single made it 4-0.

It’s been a tough few days for the Indians.

They’re still sorting through the situation with starters Mike Clevinger and Zach Plesac, who broke team rules and COVID-19 protocols when they left the team hotel in Chicago last weekend and risked exposure to the virus.

Manager Terry Francona did not say if the players have yet been tested.

PAGE 14, Thursday, August 13, 2020

THE TRIBUNE

PSG stages late comeback to oust Atalanta, reach CL semis

By ROB HARRIS AP Global Soccer Writer LISBON (AP) — After a night of frustrating misses, Neymar finally found a way to come through for Paris Saint-Germain.

The world’s most expensive player helped set up two late goals as PSG staged a stoppage-time comeback to beat Atalanta 2-1 yesterday in the Champions League quarter-finals.

Relief for the Brazilian, who has often been criticised for failing to lead the big-spending French club to Europe’s most coveted trophy. Agony for Atalanta, which had been so close to reaching the semi-finals in a remarkable Champions League debut season.

The Italian club on a modest budget had led through Mario Pašalic’s curling strike in the 27th minute.

But Neymar set up Marquinhos for the 90thminute equaliser and was involved in the build-up to Eric Choupo-Moting’s winner in the third minute of stoppage time.

That goal meant PSG returned to the last four of European football’s elite after a 25-year absence.

“I never thought we’d be back home tomorrow,” Neymar said. “At every moment, we just went for one thing: progress to the last four.”

The substitutes helped transform PSG’s fortuntes — first with Kylian Mbappé’s arrival with 30 minutes remaining and then Choupo-Moting 20 minutes later.

“When I came on I thought I can’t lose,” said Choupo-Moting, whose high, diagonal pass reached Neymar on the left flank in the 90th minute.

The Brazilian’s scuffed shot was turned in by Marquinhos.

Atalanta was stunned, PSG re-energised.

It was another run by Neymar that unpicked a tiring Atalanta before feeding Mbappé, who squared across for Choupo-Moting to slide the ball over the line.

It was a painful collapse for Atalanta, ending an improbable run in a season when the team’s home city of Bergamo had been among the hardest hit regions of Europe from the coronavirus.

The lack of access to the stadium could not deter Atalanta fans flying from northern Italy to the Portuguese capital, even if it was just to cheer for the fleeting moments when the team bus passed beneath them.

They will have another chance next season. A second consecutive thirdplace finish in Serie A gives Atalanta a return ticket the Champions League.

“At this moment, it’s quite painful,” Atalanta midfielder Marten de Roon. “Tomorrow, I will be proud of our team and club but at this moment I feel disappointment. “ The pandemic meant the quarter-finals are not being played home and away as usual but as single games in neutral Lisbon with no second chances.

“It was a crazy game, a tough game and opponents,” Choupo-Moting said. “I think we showed till the last moment that we believed in ourselves. It wasn’t easy because we had some good occasions that unfortunately we couldn’t score.”

The Cameroon international came on to replace the struggling Mauro Icardi, who managed just a single off-target shot.

At least Neymar was getting in sight of goal more often, but scuffed several good chances in the first half — including a glaring miss in the third minute.

CYCLING ROAD WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS IN SWITZERLAND CANCELLED

By GRAHAM DUNBAR AP Sports Writer

PSG’S MARQUINHOS, centre, celebrates with teammate Thilo Kehrer, left, after scoring his team’s first goal during the Champions League quarter-final match against Atalanta at Luz stadium in Lisbon, Portugal, yesterday.

(David Ramos/Pool Photo via AP) Receiving possession on the halfway line, the Brazilian ran half the length of the pitch and had only goalkeeper Marco Sportiello to beat but skewed the ball wide of the post.

And it took a sprawling save by PSG goalkeeper Keylor Navas to keep out Hans Hateboer’s downward header.

But Navas was beaten in the 26th minute.

Duvan Zapata’s pass caught PSG defender Presnel Kimpembe and fell to Pašalic, who curled into the roof of the net for his 12th goal of the season.

Once again, PSG looked to Neymar to find a way back into the game.

Once again, he missed, dragging a shot wide and looking like a player who has only had two competitive games since March due to the pandemic ending the French league.

Even a free kick from Neymar lacked any pace and was easily saved.

And when right back Hans Hateboer gifted Neymar an opening in the 42nd with a sloppy back pass, the forward could only strike wide.

Mbappé was only introduced for the final half hour.

Mbappé just recovered from an ankle injury, but he was also frustrated in front of goal.

Still, the star duo of Neymar and Mbappé still made their impact by acting as the support cast, creating the goals that kept PSG on course for a first European Cup to add to this season’s domestic trophies.

“We’ve already won four titles this season but the most important is this one,” Choupo-Moting said.

“We really believe in ourselves and we did it today.

Everybody knows we have top quality individuals, but we wanted to show it also as a team. It’s a big step today against a very good opponent. Respect to Atalanta, but I’m very happy we did it.”

GENEVA (AP) — Cycling’s road world championships in Switzerland next month were cancelled yesterday after a government ruling on mass gatherings during the pandemic was extended until October.

However, cycling’s governing body said it still hoped to find a new host for the event on the same dates of September 20-27.

Swiss organisers of the championships, which were supposed to be centred around Aigle where the International Cycling Union (UCI) is based, said they could not continue within a federal limit of 1,000 people for major events.

The decision followed the Swiss federal council extending the limit into a seventh and final month until October 1 amid rising numbers of coronavirus infections in the Alpine nation.

Easing the rules in October helps Switzerland’s two major sports leagues, soccer and ice hockey, which warned that their clubs need bigger crowds to survive financially. They can look to a new season now with more fans, likely facing mandatory orders to wear masks at stadiums, though with none from away teams allowed.

The new guidance came too late for cycling’s first road worlds in Switzerland for 11 years, and follows the ice hockey worlds in May also being cancelled.

The UCI will now search for a new host for the worlds, likely in Europe, on the same dates allocated in a congested calendar that aims to reschedule the major stage races and most one-day classics within three months.

DREAM TEAM TURNED 1992 OLYMPICS FROM CONTEST INTO CORONATION

By JIM LITKE AP Sports Writer EDITORS — With the Tokyo Olympics postponed for a year because of the coronavirus pandemic, The Associated Press is looking back at the history of Summer Games. Here are some of the highlights of the 1992 Barcelona Games, where the “Dream Team” — a squad of NBA pros allowed in for the first time — predictably turned the competition into a coronation.

—They didn’t stop with the record books. Just for good measure, they rewrote the Olympic motto, too.

Swiftest.

Highest.

Strongest.

Ever.

The NBA players who made up the “Dream Team” at the 1992 Barcelona Olympics will be remembered as perhaps the greatest collection of talent in the history of sport.

Led by Michael Jordan in his prime, flanked by allarounders Magic Johnson and Larry Bird, and filled out with eight other players who wound up in the Hall of Fame, the squad was put together to avenge USA Basketball’s worst-ever finish — a bronze medal — at the Summer Games in Seoul just four years earlier.

They did, in the most dominating, celebritystudded fashion imaginable and along the way, helped make hoops a truly global game. The Dream Teamers dined with royalty, toured the area’s nude beaches, lit up Monte Carlo’s casinos and nightclubs and still had enough energy left to pose for pictures with the teams they’d just crushed, wide smiles all around as dignitaries and assorted hangers-on rushed to crowd into the frame.

Simply put, no other nation, nor any combination

THIS August 8, 1992, file photo shows, from left, USA’s John Stockton, Chris Mullin, Charles Barkley and Magic Johnson rejoicing with their gold medals after beating Croatia 117-85 at the Summer Olympic Games in Barcelona.

(AP Photo/John Gaps III) of the 11 other nations competing for gold in 1992 had even a puncher’s chance.

“We didn’t come there to try and make world peace,” Karl Malone recalled in an interview with GQ.com.

“We came there to win the gold medal and bring it back home and say to the other countries, ‘Now you’ve had our best.’”

Or maybe not.

The Americans were accused of bullying opponents, but in truth they saved their best performances for the team’s trash-talking, closed-door scrimmages. In a candid moment years later, Jordan described one of those fierce intrasquad skirmishes as “the best game I ever played in.” Johnson confirmed an embarrassment of riches that the rest of the world couldn’t match, saying he had so many good scoring options on a typical fast break that “I didn’t who to throw the ball to!”

The Dream Team’s average winning margin was 44 points. Croatia was the only

team that made them sweat, and only for a few minutes in the first half of the gold medal game. Edging out to an early 25-23 lead, the Croatians were soon enough overrun and wound up pleading with some of their U.S. counterparts by game’s end not to pad the winning score.

The final ended mercifully, 117-85, with the most memorable moment of the night provided during the medal ceremony when Jordan, determined to show loyalty to his own sponsor, Nike, draped a flag over one shoulder to cover the Reebok logo embroidered on the chest of the U.S. team’s official uniforms.

NOT THE ONLY HIGHLIGHT For all the hoopla, the Dreamers weren’t the only must-see TV the 1992 Summer Games produced.

Native son and paralympic archer Antonio Rebollo made certain of that during the opening ceremony,

lighting the tip of his arrow with the Olympic torch, then firing it across the night sky to ignite the giant Olympic cauldron set atop the far rim of the stadium.

No lighting of the flame, in previous games or the three decades since, has ever matched it as spectacle.

A GOOD OMEN Rebollo’s feat was an auspicious start for the first Summer Olympics since the end of the Cold War, laden as it was with political dramas large and small. For starters, there were threats to disrupt the games by the Basque separatist group ETA, which carried out deadly attacks in the region only a year earlier as part of a longstanding campaign for independence from Spain’s federal government.

But there was plenty of tension on the international scene, too.

The dissolution of the Soviet Union prompted Baltic nations and former members Estonia, Latvia

and Lithuania to field their own teams for the first time in six decades, while the remaining dozen former Soviet republics — including Russia — competed as the Unified Team and edged out the United States for top spot on the medal table with 45 golds and 112 total.

Following reunification of East and West, Germany sent a single team for the first time since the 1964 Olympics and finished third. Back, too, for the first time since 1960 was South Africa, banned from eight successive Summer Games because of its government’s apartheid policies.

The breakup of the Yugoslavian republic, on the other hand, led to the firstever Olympic appearances of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia and Slovenia.

WALK, DON’T RUN The Games’ most inspirational moment was provided by British runner Derek Redmond, who tore

a hamstring and hit the deck nearing the halfway point of a 400-meter semifinal.

Determined to finish the race, Redmond got back on his feet and struggled with each step until — seemingly out of nowhere — his father, Jim, turned up at his side.

“It has been the only time in my life I could shout and swear at my dad,” Redmond said recently. “He just said, ‘We’ll finish this together.’ He got me from a hobble to a walk.”

The elder Redmond, who’d slipped out of the stands and onto the track unnoticed by officials, wrapped an arm around his son’s waist and the two navigated the final 100 yards together. They crossed the finish line to a standing ovation from 65,000 spectators and millions more looking in on television.

TRY THAT ON ICE The Unified Team’s Vitaly Scherbo won four gold medals in a single day, five in individual events and six total in men’s artistic gymnastics. That performance tied U.S. speedskater Eric Heiden’s record for five individual golds in a single Olympics (equaled by U.S. swimmer Michael Phelps in 2008).

NOTABLE FIRSTS The host country nabbed its first-ever Olympic running gold when Fermin Cacho won the 1,500meters. Judoka Yael Arad won Israel’s first medal of any color, a silver, 20 years after 11 of her countrymen were massacred by the Palestinian terrorist group Black September at the 1972 Summer Games in Munich. A total of 169 nations were represented at the Barcelona Games and for the first time since those 1972 Games, there were no boycotts.

PAGE 16, Thursday, August 13, 2020

THE TRIBUNE

Further lockdowns ‘point of no return’ FROM PAGE 20 Agreeing that the first COVID-198 lockdown was needed, the Crowe (Bahamas) partner told this newspaper: “When you go through a second one, and realise how difficult it is for the economy, the economic threat is as big as the virus threat. To me, the virus is the short-term threat, but the economy and social is the long-term threat. We have a $1.3bn fiscal deficit....

“If we go into a third or fourth lockdown, it will cause clients to consider whether to remain in business. I am concerned about a next lockdown. This one hopefully they will ride through, but any other lockdown or restrictions on will be problematic.

“We need what is called an exit strategy put forward; what the government’s plans are. The bigger threat is how do we open our economy and come up with very

Super Value chief: Covid vulnerable must remain home FROM PAGE 20

people with issues step aside, and that the able bodied soldiers fight through COVID-19 and rebuild the economy.

“Stay out of it and let the able bodied go out there and practice the sanitising, practice the social distancing wearing the masks, and really I don’t think there’d be a problem if we did that. The problem is just one percent of the country practices social distancing. I had to shout to people to get away from me.”

Elderly persons, and those with pre-existing noncommunicable diseases such as diabetes, hypertension, heart disease and respiratory illnesses, are considered to be more susceptible to life-threatening COVID19 infection because their immune systems are weaker.

While some observers may feel there is merit

innovative measures to avoid another lockdown. We’re at the point of no return.”

Mr Christie said The Bahamas, like virtually every other nation, is due to COVID-19 just “a step away” from officially entering arguably its steepest ever recession, which is defined as two consecutive quarters of economic shrinkage or contraction (the virus struck with just two weeks of the 2020 first quarter left).

Yet he argued that the Bahamian economy has been struggling ever since the turn of the century, with the unemployment rate in double digits - above ten percent - for 18 of the past 19 years, and annual GDP or economic growth remaining stubbornly below 1.5 percent every year for two decades.

This, Mr Christie argued, showed The Bahamas was “getting less returns from tourism” even before COVID-19’s arrival, highlighting the need for it to follow its competitors by diversifying

into other industries and enacting reforms such as the digital economy, improved public service and lower energy costs.

“I think the business community realises they don’t know who is advising the competent authority, but they have to take into account this is just as much an economic threat as it is a health problem,” the Crowe Bahamas partner added.

“To me, right now I respect the virus, and we understand there’s a real virus threat, but we have to realise The Bahamas is not in a good position to survive economic lockdowns and the closing down of businesses. There’s got to be a balance to it.

“We’ve got to look at this as more of an economic threat now, and how we manage the health threat in relation to that. We don’t need to resort to these lockdown methods any more because that’s going to result in irreparable damage to the economy, social and mental

health. Too often in The Bahamas we say cancel, halt and certainly don’t appreciate the impact this has on the economy.”

Mr Christie argued that the government could afford to ease restrictions, and allow more businesses to operate with the necessary COVID-19 health protocols in place, because in his estimation at least 90 percent had shown themselves to be in full compliance.

“I think we are discounting that,” he said. “I travelled to Andros and they were very compliant, all wearing masks and only a certain amount of people allowed to come into the business. They’re very vigilant of the health threat.”

Meanwhile, Philip Galanis, the HLB Galanis managing partner, told Tribune Business that the ongoing COVID-19 fallout will “create havoc” for businesses and thousands of Bahamians given that no sign of economic recovery was likely to emerge until

to Mr Roberts’ suggestion that these groups remain at home as much as possible, enforcing it would likely be impossible. They would also be vulnerable to catching the virus from younger family members, and experience worldwide has shown that younger, “able bodied” persons are not necessarily immune from COVID-19’s worst effects.

Mr Roberts, meanwhile, confirmed he had requested that food store opening hours be extended - a wish the government granted at the weekend. The prime minister, in his national address on Sunday, said food stores are permitted to open from 7am to 7pm on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays, as opposed to the previous 5pm close, and from 7am to 6pm on Saturdays.

The initial Saturday closing had been 1pm. “The hours they had given us were far too short,” the Super Value president explained. “We normally open for 96 hours per week. They gave us about 32, and we asked for 52 or 54,

Specifically, we asked to go from 5pm to 7pm.”

Tribune Business calculations show the government initially allowed food stores to be open for 36 hours per week, but the extensions have increased this to 47 hours total. Mr Roberts said Super Value learned of the change too late on Saturday to remain open until the new closing, and instead used the opportunity to restock.

“It’s going to be a lot smoother,” he added of the extended hours. “The cashiers and managers described the short hours as panic. We just couldn’t manage the short hours. To stretch it to four days, 7am to 7pm and 7am to 6pm, makes a lot more sense.

“If we are open for four days and closed for three it allows us restock on the three days that we’re closed.

There were too many lines and it was too difficult to keep social distancing. That’s what we were worried with.

Shorter hours tender to cluster people together instead of social distancing.”

Commercial landlords urged: Set out strategy through year-end 2020 FROM PAGE 20 international visitors coming in. How do we get them through to Christmas, as Christmas has historically been the strongest part of the retail season.

“What we have suggested to landlords,” Mr Morley added, “is they extend through August what they offered in June and July for concessions, and then for September, October and November start reducing those concessions each month to a point in December where there’s maybe no concessions but, at the same time, be open-minded in case we have further shutdowns during that period.

“You’re trying to keep the

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ALL SHARE INDEX: CLOSE: 2,096.79 | CHG: 0.02 | %CHG: 0.00 | YTD: -134.81 | YTD%: -6.04 BISX LISTED & TRADED SECURITIES 52WK HI 4.10 22.65 2.00 1.79 2.50 6.00 6.75 5.47 8.59 4.50 6.16 12.77 3.64 5.49 10.88 8.44 16.99 4.25 9.40 15.21

52WK LOW 3.13 20.91 0.67 1.79 1.67 5.40 5.39 2.00 5.05 3.62 5.60 11.05 2.71 2.64 9.60 7.10 13.04 3.20 8.00 13.90

PREFERENCE SHARES 1.00

1.00

1000.00 1000.00 1000.00 1000.00

1000.00 1000.00 1000.00 1000.00

1.00 10.00 1.00

1.00 10.00 0.90

SECURITY AML Foods Limited APD Limited Benchmark Bahamas First Holdings Limited Bank of Bahamas Bahamas Property Fund Bahamas Waste Cable Bahamas Commonwealth Brewery Commonwealth Bank Colina Holdings CIBC FirstCaribbean Bank Consolidated Water BDRs Doctor's Hospital Emera Incorporated Famguard Fidelity Bank Focol Finco J. S. Johnson

SYMBOL AML APD BBL BFH BOB BPF BWL CAB CBB CBL CHL CIB CWCB DHS EMAB FAM FBB FCL FIN JSJ

Bahamas First Holdings Preference Cable Bahamas Series 6 Cable Bahamas Series 8 Cable Bahamas Series 9 Cable Bahamas Series 10 Colina Holdings Class A Fidelity Bank Class A Focol Class B

BFHP CAB6 CAB8 CAB9 CAB10 CHLA FBBA FCLB

CORPORATE DEBT - (percentage pricing) 52WK HI 100.00 100.00

52WK LOW 100.00 100.00

115.92 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 102.00

104.79 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00

SECURITY Fidelity Bank Note 22 (Series B) + Bahamas First Holdings Limited

SYMBOL FBB22 BFHB

BAHAMAS GOVERNMENT STOCK - (percentage pricing) Bahamas Note 6.95 (2029) BGS: 2015-1-3Y BGS: 2014-12-5Y BGS: 2015-1-5Y BGS: 2014-12-7Y BGS: 2015-1-7Y BGS: 2014-12-30Y BGS: 2015-1-30Y BGS: 2015-6-3Y BGS: 2015-6-7Y BGS: 2015-6-30Y BGS: 2015-10-3Y BGS: 2015-10-7Y

BAH29 BG0203 BG0105 BG0205 BG0107 BG0207 BG0130 BG0230 BG0303 BG0307 BG0330 BG0403 BG0407

LAST CLOSE 3.40 17.43 1.62 1.79 1.67 6.00 6.75 2.99 5.10 3.79 6.10 11.26 2.50 5.30 9.95 8.44 14.30 3.99 8.97 15.20

CLOSE 3.40 17.43 1.62 1.79 1.67 6.00 6.75 2.99 5.10 3.79 6.10 11.26 2.48 5.30 10.01 8.44 14.30 3.99 8.97 15.20

CHANGE 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 -0.02 0.00 0.06 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00

1.00 1000.00 1000.00 1000.00 1000.00 1.00 10.00 0.90

1.00 1000.00 1000.00 1000.00 1000.00 1.00 10.00 0.90

LAST SALE 100.00 100.00

CLOSE 100.00 100.00

CHANGE 0.00 0.00

107.31 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00

107.31 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00

0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00

VOLUME

0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00

EPS$ 0.239 0.932 0.000 0.000 0.070 1.760 0.369 -0.438 0.140 0.184 0.449 0.722 0.102 0.467 0.646 0.728 0.816 0.203 0.939 0.631 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000

VOLUME

DIV$ 0.170 1.260 0.020 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.260 0.000 0.000 0.120 0.220 0.720 0.434 0.060 0.328 0.240 0.540 0.120 0.200 0.610 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000

P/E 14.2 18.7 N/M N/M N/M N/M 18.3 -6.8 36.4 20.6 13.6 15.6 24.3 11.3 15.5 11.6 17.5 19.7 9.6 24.1

YIELD 5.00% 7.23% 1.23% 0.00% 0.00% 0.00% 3.85% 0.00% 0.00% 3.17% 3.61% 6.39% 17.50% 1.13% 3.28% 2.84% 3.78% 3.01% 2.23% 4.01%

0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000

0.00% 0.00% 0.00% 0.00% 0.00% 6.25% 7.00% 6.50%

INTEREST Prime + 1.75% 6.25%

19-Oct-2022 30-Sep-2025

MATURITY

6.95% 4.00% 4.25% 4.25% 4.50% 4.50% 6.25% 6.25% 4.00% 4.50% 6.25% 3.50% 4.25%

20-Nov-2029 30-Jul-2018 16-Dec-2019 30-Jul-2020 15-Dec-2021 30-Jul-2022 15-Dec-2044 30-Jul-2045 26-Jun-2018 26-Jun-2022 26-Jun-2045 15-Oct-2018 15-Oct-2022

MUTUAL FUNDS 52WK HI 2.34 4.41 2.11 198.39 168.29 1.69 1.85 1.77 1.24 8.34 10.26 7.08 12.15 12.71 10.81 10.00 8.98 11.79

52WK LOW 2.11 3.30 1.68 164.74 116.70 1.64 1.77 1.72 1.07 6.41 7.62 5.66 8.65 10.54 9.57 9.88 8.45 11.20

FUND CFAL Bond Fund CFAL Balanced Fund CFAL Money Market Fund CFAL Global Bond Fund CFAL Global Equity Fund Leno Preferred Income Fund Leno Growth Fund Leno Diversified Fund Leno Global USD Bond Fund Royal Fidelity Bahamas Opportunities Fund - Secured Balanced Fund Royal Fidelity Bahamas Opportunities Fund - Targeted Equity Fund Royal Fidelity Bahamas Opportunities Fund - Prime Income Fund Royal Fidelity Int'l Fund - Equities Sub Fund Royal Fidelity Int'l Fund - High Yield Fund Royal Fidelity Int'l Fund - Alternative Strategies Fund Colonial Bahamas Fund Class D Colonial Bahamas Fund Class E Colonial Bahamas Fund Class F

NAV 2.34 4.41 2.11 196.40 163.60 1.69 1.81 1.77 1.07 8.30 9.90 7.08 11.27 12.71 10.23 N/A 8.93 11.27

plan as fluid as possible under the circumstances but, at the same time, giving tenants a longer term plan as it relates to concessions. You can say that nothing is cast in stone, but you have to keep working with tenants. You cannot afford to lose tenants.”

Commercial landlords provided many tenants with significant rental discounts during the first COVID-19 lockdown in a bid to retain them, with cuts of up to 50 percent the most common for businesses that were forced to close. Those that were allowed to remain open received smaller discounts.

“The overall objective is to retain and keep tenants,” Mr Morley reiterated. “I don’t think any landlord can afford

result of this.”

Mr Galanis added that the current lockdown as “beginning to impact on people’s emotions”, with the term “COVID fatigue being bandied about”. He said: “People are getting very tired of it. The problem we’re facing is that no one seems to have a specific plan to get us out of this, and that is causing a tremendous amount of angst and anxiety.”

Predicting that the present lockdown will last at least until month’s end, given that there has been no let-up in the number of positive cases, Mr Galanis contrasted The Bahamas’ predicament with that of the British Virgin Islands (BVI), which currently is COVID-19 free.

He added that his HLB counterpart in BVI, via a Zoom conference, had informed him that island’s borders were shut until at least September 1, with travel by residents and visitors barred both ways.

to lose a tenant because any loss of rent will be greater than the concession given to keep them there.

“That’s something we have been stressing to our landlords all along. All the properties we manage, it’s a careful balancing act but the key objective is to keep the tenant in there.”

Mr Morley added that tenants needed to work with landlords as much as the latter worked with them, adding that they needed to be open and honest about their company’s financial performance and position and not exploit the situation to extract undue rental concessions.

“I would hate to have a landlord taken advantage of by a tenant,” he said.

To advertise in The Tribune, contact 502-2394

MARKET REPORT WEDNESDAY, 12 AUGUST 2020

year-end 2020 at earliest.

“What we are seeing here is the huge mistake of allowing people to leave for 72 hours and come back without testing and an enforced quarantine,” Mr Galanis said. “As a result of that, you are going to see businesses continue to suffer cash flow problems and start to - if not completely terminate employees - then furlough them.

“There is going to be a reduction in the level and volume of business, and the impact is undeniable at this time. We’re not looking at any real rebound until the end of the year, and that is going to create havoc for businesses and households.

“Many people don’t know where their next meal is going to come from.

Many live pay cheque to pay cheque, putting a tremendous strain on national resources and the public finances. We will see a tremendous downturn as a

YTD% 12 MTH% 2.13% 4.00% 0.91% 2.59% 1.04% 2.39% 0.65% 2.50% -1.88% 3.33% 1.88% 3.90% -2.26% 2.49% 0.76% 3.56% -11.03% -8.03% -0.45% 8.36% -3.20% 11.46% 2.10% 5.15% -6.17% 3.54% 2.92% 5.55% -4.66% -3.81% N/A N/A -4.20% 0.20% -8.60% -2.90%

MARKET TERMS

BISX ALL SHARE INDEX - 19 Dec 02 = 1,000.00

YIELD - last 12 month dividends divided by closing price

52wk-Hi - Highest closing price in last 52 weeks

Bid $ - Buying price of Colina and Fidelity

52wk-Low - Lowest closing price in last 52 weeks

Ask $ - Selling price of Colina and fidelity

Previous Close - Previous day's weighted price for daily volume

Last Price - Last traded over-the-counter price

Today's Close - Current day's weighted price for daily volume

Weekly Vol. - Trading volume of the prior week

Change - Change in closing price from day to day

EPS $ - A company's reported earnings per share for the last 12 mths

Daily Vol. - Number of total shares traded today

NAV - Net Asset Value

DIV $ - Dividends per share paid in the last 12 months

N/M - Not Meaningful

P/E - Closing price divided by the last 12 month earnings

TO TRADE CALL: CFAL 242-502-7010 | ROYALFIDELITY 242-356-7764 | COLONIAL 242-502-7525 | LENO 242-396-3225 | BENCHMARK 242-326-7333

NAV Date

30-Jun-2020 30-Jun-2020 26-Jun-2020 30-Jun-2020 30-Jun-2020 31-May-2020 31-May-2020 31-May-2020 31-May-2020 31-May-2020 31-May-2020 31-May-2020 31-May-2020 31-May-2020 31-May-2020 30-Jun-2020 30-Jun-2020 30-Jun-2020

CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE IN THE LIVES OF THE CHILDREN AT RANFURLY

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For more information visit: www.ranfurlyhome.org Please “Like” us on Facebook Ranfurly Home for Children, Mackey Street P.O. Box 1413 Nassau, Bahamas 242-393-3115

THE TRIBUNE

Thursday, August 13, 2020, PAGE 17

Tourism chief hopes for rebound over next year

By YOURI KEMP Tribune Business Reporter ykemp@tribunemedia.net THE Ministry of Tourism’s director-general says she is “cautiously optimistic” that The Bahamas’ main industry will rebound within the next 12 months as fourth quarter bookings are “surprisingly strong”.

Joy Jibrilu, speaking during a webinar on the boating industry, said: “When we started looking at market research in April at the onset of lockdowns, and when COVID-19 was declared a pandemic, at that time we saw the indicators were that by the third quarter of this year and on to the fourth quarter, and definitely into 2021, a rebound was expected and

JOY JIBRILU anticipated in the travel and tourism industry.

“In fact, it was expected that there would be a quicker rebound following COVID-19 than any other previous pandemic or global crises, and the reason is people just now feel as if they have the right to travel

and they want to travel.”

Ms Jibrilu added: “If we look at The Bahamas, indicators are actually quite positive - which is surprising in the circumstances - from our source markets in North America. People are interested in traveling to The Bahamas, and if we look to bookings for our fourth quarter, they are quite strong; surprisingly strong.

“So by 2021, all things being considered, and having a handle on the COVID-19 and until a vaccine has come about, we feel that we can expect a relatively cautious rebound in the next 12 months.”

Ms Jirbilu said there was a 33 percent decrease in stopover arrivals, and an 11

percent decrease in cruise arrivals, during the 2020 first quarter. This, combined with the COVID-19 lockdown lasting for most of the second quarter, led to an overall 67 percent decrease in stopover arrivals in 2020 first half.

Joe Dargavage, managing director of Harbour Island’s Romora Bay Resort and Marina, said boating market interest in The Bahamas remained high despite the recent falloff due to The Bahamas’ changed border policies and the arrival of peak hurricane season.

“I had a very positive conversation with the president of one of our major charter brokerage firms,” Mr Dargavage said, “and.....he told

me they are 100 percent behind The Bahamas. They understand that governments have tough decisions to make, and he assured me that their company just in the last few weeks booked over $2m worth of charters just in The Bahamas. That’s a good sign from the charter and brokerage market.”

The Romora Bay chief continued: “In terms of marinas, as we all know, before COVID with just that six months coming out of post-Hurricane Dorian damage and terrible carnage in both Abaco and Freeport, we felt we had moved a long way going into January. So many great marinas had already been opened.

“You have to realise that

95 percent of The Bahamas were unaffected by the hurricanes. I think most people understand that message now, but there is nothing wrong with saying it again. When the borders first opened on July 1, occupancy was very very good; it was nearly 100 percent in most of the major marinas for the first two weeks.

“That has dropped dramatically in the last week, and now I can say in Harbour Island the occupancy is zero at the two marinas.

It’s hurricane season, and occupancy is not just about COVID-19. Once we had a hurricane scare a number of vessels also left, and that happens every year around this time.”

‘Boiling point’ struck on COVID open inequality FROM PAGE 20 [the BMDA] asked to be able to operate as we were before with curb side, delivery, What’s App and e-mail orders, adhering to the same health protocols and measures to an even greater extent.

“Yet we see a number of places open and functioning, competitors, with no interference. If you drive around there’s a number of them operating; parts, tyres, service. I’ve had customers call me saying that they need parts, and have to go to another place to install it for them, and I said I can’t because we’re not allowed to be open.

“It seems the BMDA and its members are the only idiots obeying the law as law-abiding citizens and businessmen.... It’s really getting to the point of frustration. It’s really frustrating. We’re obeying the rules and no one else is obeying the rules.”

The Bahamas Bus and Truck chief said the parts and services elements of auto dealers’ operations, and transportation in general, should be treated as an “essential service” because they were vital to keeping vehicle fleets belonging to food stores and water depots on the road amid the lockdown.

“We had government offices contacting us for essential parts, and we had to turn them away,” Mr Albury added. “It’s unbelievable. I don’t understand the government’s approach.

It seems certain people are able to function as they

Govt agency closures ‘drag commerce down’ FROM PAGE 20

It just drags down the economy. It’s a huge contributor to the further slowing of the economy. And the government doesn’t get the revenue.

“If a mortgage closes, there’s stamp duty on it, and on a conveyancing there’s VAT. The government could continue to earn revenue but is not going to because its agencies are not functioning.”

Any revenue is likely to be delayed or deferred until the present shutdown is over. However, Mr Leonard argued that the government needs to “rethink” its maximum lockdown strategy given that most other countries had opted for curbs “not as extreme as ours”.

This, he added, was why the present strategy was “hurting the most”.

The Callenders & Co attorney said COVID-19, and the emphasis on digital and remote work, had only added to the urgency with which the government needed to roll-out information technology (IT) across all agencies and ensure staff were adequately trained.

“The government has a problem with a number of

please, and others are shut down.

“It’s such a backwards approach. There’s no rhyme or reason. There’s no logic.

It doesn’t make any sense.

We’re at a very high point of frustration. I don’t know what to do at this point.”

Mr Albury voiced fears that Bahamas Bus and Truck was in danger of losing many long-standing customer relationships that the company had spent years building up due to the fact it was complying with the COVID-19 lockdown while others were not or had been granted exemptions. And he warned that the opening “inequality” was “building animosity” in many quarters.

“It’s really getting to a boiling point,” he told Tribune Business. “The uneven way it’s being done, I don’t see how much longer we can take it. There’s an easy business model that allows us to function and be safe. They [the government] seem intent on destroying businesses that have been built up over a generation. It’s unbelievable that they’re conducting themselves the way they are.

“They seem to be on a different run. There’s no regard for the small man or business. If they’re going to lockdown everybody, and everybody is in the same boat, I can understand that and go along with it. We will all do our part. But to have certain people obeying the law, and other people consistently breaking the law and operating with impunity, I can’t swallow that.

“It’s going to come down

to a point where we decide to break the law like everyone else, or continue doing what we’re doing. It doesn’t make any sense. None of this makes any sense. I can tell you right now the frustration level is through the roof. I’m really at the point where I don’t know what to do.”

Rick Lowe, the BMDA’s secretary, yesterday confirmed to Tribune Business that the association’s reopening request had been sent to the Prime Minister’s Office on Tuesday.

He backed up Mr Albury’s concerns by naming two auto-related service businesses that appeared to be open as normal, adding that members wanted to reopen “like a bunch of our competitors. The list goes on”.

This newspaper decided against naming the companies involved, but Mr Lowe said: “It really leaves you in a bind.” He added that he had to go into his dealership’s offices yesterday to obtain emergency vehicle parts for Royal Bank of Canada and Bahamas Wholesale Agencies (BWA), highlighting the importance of keeping critical services vehicles on the road.

“Essential services need their vehicles; they need parts,” Mr Lowe added.

“This is part of what we suggested. The workers still classified as essential businesses need their cars and parts.

“We just have to figure out a way to live with COVID-19. I don’t know what else to do but you

agencies not working,” he said, “as over the years both governments have used the civil service as a jobs programme and people have been employed not so much for their ability as their connections.

“Over the evolution of time a number of those individuals moved up the ranks of the civil service, so to speak, but the civil service now requires a higher degree of IT savvy. Those people were never trained because of that, and they’re having problems implementing IT because they’re getting push back. When you add in COVID-19 you have a dysfunctional government.”

“The government must

have a serious rethink on how we lockdown and how we can keep the economy going,” Mr Leonard continued. “A lot of this lands at the feet of the inability of government departments.

You’ve got to use IT with COVID-19, and they’re getting push back from those persons who have never been computer savvy.

“They cannot operate the equipment, they don’t know how to do it, and they are not prepared to learn. After all, they were not hired because of their ability; they were hired because of their connections. I’m not blaming the present government.

It’s something they inherited, but they have to deal with it.”

NOTICE NOTICE is hereby given that MICHEL NOVELET GORDON, Lady Slipper Avenue #2, N10261, Nassau, New Providence, The Bahamas is applying to the Minister responsible for Nationality and Citizenship, for Registration Naturalization as a citizen of The Bahamas, and that any person who knows any reason why registration/naturalization should not be granted, should send a written and signed statement of the facts within twenty-eight days from the 6th day of August 2020 to the Minister responsible for nationality and Citizenship, P.O. Box N-7147, Nassau, New Providence, The Bahamas.

cannot keep shutting people down. A business is not a money pit that can keep paying, paying, paying without sales.

“It’s discouraging and is becoming quite depressing actually. You have staff who are dependent on the company. If every time there’s a spike in cases there’s going to be a lockdown, we’re in trouble.”

Mr Albury, meanwhile, questioned whether the government was in touch with reality, adding that “the misery index is through the roof” with at least 40 percent of the Bahamian workforce estimated to be unemployed and 110,000 persons - more than one out of every four Bahamians receiving food assistance.

“They don’t grasp it. They

don’t feel what the common man feels. They haven’t taken a salary cut and continue to feed their families,” he added. “We were promised science and metrics, and I don’t think what we’ve seen up to this point has been decided by that. It’s been decided by knee jerk and reactionary measures, not proactive ones, which are taken day-by-day and minute-by-minute.

“The prime minister is far detached from the reality of what’s going on. The solution can’t be to lock everybody down. The virus is here and is not going anywhere. It cannot be a blanket approach. The government has got to become a lot more innovative and creative.”

The Bahamas Bus and

Truck chief called for businesses with online ordering, purchasing and payment capabilities, plus those offering drive through and take away functions, to continue to operate to preserve at least some economic activity during the pandemic.

And, while his dealership had paid staff throughout the COVID-19 crisis to-date, he said he did not know “what will happen” if the lockdown is extended beyond next Tuesday, August 18. Mr Albury said the economic and mental health fall-out, plus the increase in domestic, sexual and other forms of abuse, would likely be “the real epidemic” facing The Bahamas over the long-term.

PAGE 18, Thursday, August 13, 2020

THE TRIBUNE

PETROLEUM DEALER: LIKE IN ‘DESERT WITH NO WATER’

By YOURI KEMP Tribune Business Reporter ykemp@tribunemedia.net

A PETROLEUM dealer yesterday described the COVID-19 restrictions on customers entering gas stations as akin to going into “a desert with no water”.

Vasco Bastian, owner/ operator of the Esso station at East Street and Soldier Road, told Tribune Business: “There is no revenue from the inside. Absolutely zero, or very minimal. I think that if people are allowed to go inside bank lines and social distance, they should be able to come inside gas stations and social distance.

“If they can go into the

food stores and social distance, then there is no reason why they can’t come into the gas stations to use the ATM machine or to get that cold drink. Tell the prime minister I said to please help us. Please help us. We are in the wilderness and in the desert, and there is no water in the desert. Can he please help us? Whoever is advising the prime minister does not love small and medium-sized businesses, and does not love petroleum dealers.”

With gasoline and diesel per gallon marks-ups fixed, gas station operators typically earn higher margins on non-price controlled products that they sell in the service station itself. This,

How to get corporate websites up to speed YOUR website’s home page is the first impression you will make on any visitor. You may have the most visually-appealing website with absolutely mind-blowing content, but if the site takes too long to load your users will not stick around long enough to view it.

Slow speed can affect customer satisfaction.

While it can be tempting to go “all out” and inundate visitors with as many widgets and graphics as possible, slow websites drive away potential business and prevent the company from being found on

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With that in mind, here are seven quick wins, together with the easiest, most inexpensive and quickest implementations to improve your website’s loading speed.

The most obvious solution for speeding up your

though, has been taken away from them through the bar on customers entering the station amid the latest COVID-19 lockdown.

Mr Bastian added “A lot of the restaurants are closed, so the gas stations have hot-dogs and patties and different household items. Let the people come inside and we will make sure they sanitise their hands properly. We are following the strictest protocols established by the government and the competent authority, so there is no reason why we shouldn’t allow people to come inside.

“There is absolutely zero business. Zero business. Whoever is advising the prime minister, the

prime minister needs to come and talk to us in the petroleum industry instead so we can give him good advice. They are giving him bad advice. Tell the prime minister that whoever is giving him advice, they want to make sure that they see the back of him in 2022. Tell him I said that. Quote me.”

Mr Bastian continued: “Whoever is giving the prime minister advice don’t love him. The petroleum dealers love him, and come and talk to us. If you don’t want to talk to the rest of them, then come and talk to me. I only want what’s best for the Bahamian people. That’s the point I always make.

“Quote me, I am not

scared. Whether it is PLP, FNM or DNA. Whoever is advising the prime minister on small and medium-sized businesses definitely want to see his back in 2022. You can’t treat the small man like this and expect to come back to the small man a couple of years later and say I support you and I need your vote.”

Mr Bastian nevertheless said he should be “fine” because none of the products in his store is at risk of spoilage. He added: “We have coolers, but things like pasties and patties and all of the other stuff, we can control that and monitor that.

“All of the other beverages and canned goods will

website is to have the most bandwidth available to you.

According to research, 80 percent of your site’s loading time will be spent downloading components such as images, style sheets and scripts. These elements take a lot of time to load, so the more components there are on a page, the slower it will be. Basically, the simpler the website, the faster it will be.

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NB: Columnist welcomes feedback at deedee21bastian@gmail.com

sit on the shelf until the competent authority tell us we can open back our businesses to the general public to allow people to come in. If all the restaurants are closed, Arawak Cay is closed, if KFC is closed, if Bamboo Shack is closed and everything else is closed, and people come to the gas station, they can get a little hot dog or a hot pattie and a fresh pastry.

“We can monitor it; we will only let in four at a time. When you go to the food store you get 200 to 300 people in the food store at one time. If he can shut down the gas stations, then monitor the food store and only allow for ten people at a time then.”

The Art of Graphix

BY DEIDRE M BASTIAN

ABOUT COLUMNIST: Deidre Bastian is a professionally-trained graphic designer/brand marketing analyst and certified life coach with qualifications of M.Sc., B.Sc., A.Sc. She has trained at institutions such as: Miami Lakes Technical Centre, Success Training College, College of The Bahamas, Nova Southeastern University, Learning Tree International, Langevine International and Synergy Bahamas.

BAHAMAS UPGRADES TECHNOLOGY TO BETTER PROTECT FISHING, FARMING

By YOURI KEMP Tribune Business Reporter ykemp@tribunemedia.net A CABINET minister yesterday said The Bahamas is investing in technologies to better protect its farmers and fishermen from the threats posed by foreign poachers and climate change.

Michael Pintard, minister for agriculture and marine resources, told an InterAmerican Development Bank (IDB) organised

webinar that drones, apps and “climate smart technologies” were among the developments that Bahamian producers must embrace to protect their industries.

“We must learn to build smart,” he said. “Whatever we do, the policies and the practices must reflect where we presently reside. In The Bahamas, we are in hurricane alley, so we expect to be struck more times than a number of other countries in the region.

“Therefore, climate smart technologies are very important to us, and we are spending more time looking at surveillance mechanisms that can help us have early warning systems. In the midst of lockdowns, we have ensured that farmers and fishermen are still able to go about their regular business.”

Mr Pintard added: “We have spent a tremendous amount of money in the last budget cycle, for example, on one, developing

an extensive drone system for which the Cabinet has approved a tremendous allocation.

“We have beefed up, for example, the Defence Force, because we understand that while climactic events affect the resources we have, we also have the issue of poaching which is a phenomenally difficult problem that requires regional cooperation between governments. It also requires us to have a stronger surveillance

MICHAEL PINTARD system in terms of technology as well as in vessels.

This is not just poaching from the south, but sportsfishers form the north.”

Mr Pintard said legislation is being developed to help guide the aquaculture sector’s development.

While its first duty is to “protect” the sector, it is also designed to “help built investment”.

He added that the government will also more closely monitor the international companies, researchers and education institutions who have conducted studies of Bahamian marine life and resources to ensure this nation obtains more benefits from their work.

“We should not be starting at ground zero after tragedies,” Mr Pintard added. “We should be looking at countries that faced similar challenges, and adopt and adapt the best practices they have employed. This is precisely why being a part of multinational organisations is extremely important because you have the benefit of lessons learnt from around the globe.”

Lauding the importance of international and

regional co-operation, Mr Pintard said The Bahamas participates on several international and regional bodies, including the United Nations’ Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) and Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture (IICA).

“There are some common problems that all of our jurisdictions face,” Mr Pintard said of the Caribbean.

“One of those problems is the scarcity in some cases, and absence in other cases, of insurance for our fisher-folk and for our agribusiness persons.

“Individual countries have struggled with a remedy to provide insurance, hence the regional approach to CRIF (Caribbean Catastrophe Reinsurance Fund) and other mechanisms is very important.

“Because if we are going to have confidence in the level of investment in the sector, persons must know they are able on the backend of an event, or in the case of COVID, on the back-end of loss of revenue due to shutdown of their businesses, that they are able to recover some income.”

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THE TRIBUNE

Thursday, August 13, 2020, PAGE 19

US budget deficit climbs to record $2.81tn SILVER SPRING Associated Press THE US budget deficit climbed to $2.81tn in the first ten months of the budget year, exceeding any on record, the Treasury Department said yesterday.

The nation’s budgetary shortfall is expected to eventually reach levels for the fiscal year that ends Sept. 30 more than double the largest annual deficit on record.

The federal government rang up a $63bn deficit in July, the department reported. That’s a relatively modest amount compared

to red ink that spilled in the spring months when the government tried to revive an economy that all but ground to a halt due to the coronavirus outbreak.

Last month’s deficit was sharply lower than June’s $864bn, in part because the government collected a record amount tax revenue in July — $563bn — after extending the filing deadline to July 15.

That extension allowed Americans more time to sort through the economic havoc wrought by the pandemic.

Outlays to the Small Business Administration, which doled out $511bn as

part of the Paycheck Protection Program in June, fell to about $26bn in July.

So far this budget year, government receipts total $2.82tn, off just 1% from the same period last year, Treasury officials said, crediting the “income replacement” provided by various government aid packages. In other words, unemployment benefits and other aid are still taxable.

Outlays so far this budget year total $5.63tn, a 50% increase over the $3.73tn at this point in 2019, with the vast majority of the extra spending related to fortifying the country’s economy in the wake of the

coronavirus pandemic.

Congress has already passed rescue packages totaling nearly $3tn this year, but Democrats and Republicans remain far apart on another relief bill, just as an expanded unemployment benefit of $600 per week expired on July 31.

President Donald Trump issued a series of presidential directives last weekend to prolong the extended unemployment benefits at $400 a week, with 25% to be paid for by the states. But it’s unclear how much of an economic boost the extension would provide, given the economic uncertainty

and funding that could run dry after five weeks.

Democrats in the House passed another bill with $3tn in aid, but the Republican-led Senate is pushing for a package closer to $1tn and did not bring the House bill up for a vote before going on August recess.

The Congressional Budget Office has forecast a $3.7tn deficit for this fiscal year as the country fell into a deep recession in February, ending a record expansion of nearly 11 years. The Trump administration is predicting that the economy will bounce back in second half of 2020, but many private forecasters

THE WEATHER REPORT

5-Day Forecast

TODAY

ORLANDO

High: 92° F/33° C Low: 76° F/24° C

TAMPA

FRIDAY

SATURDAY

SUNDAY

MONDAY

Sun and clouds, a t‑storm in spots

Mainly clear

Partly sunny; a shower in spots

Partly sunny

Mostly sunny and pleasant

Partly sunny, a t‑storm possible

High: 89°

Low: 80°

High: 89° Low: 79°

High: 89° Low: 78°

High: 89° Low: 78°

High: 90° Low: 77°

AccuWeather RealFeel

AccuWeather RealFeel

AccuWeather RealFeel

AccuWeather RealFeel

AccuWeather RealFeel

AccuWeather RealFeel

98° F

87° F

100°-89° F

101°-87° F

101°-87° F

102°-82° F

The exclusive AccuWeather RealFeel Temperature® is an index that combines the effects of temperature, wind, humidity, sunshine intensity, cloudiness, precipitation, pressure and elevation on the human body—everything that affects how warm or cold a person feels. Temperatures reflect the high and the low for the day.

N

almanac

E

W

ABACO

S

N

High: 87° F/31° C Low: 82° F/28° C

7‑14 knots

S

High: 91° F/33° C Low: 79° F/26° C

6‑12 knots

FT. LAUDERDALE

FREEPORT

High: 90° F/32° C Low: 82° F/28° C

E

W S

E

W

WEST PALM BEACH

N

uV inDex toDay

TONIGHT

High: 91° F/33° C Low: 78° F/26° C

High: 90° F/32° C Low: 81° F/27° C

MIAMI

High: 92° F/33° C Low: 80° F/27° C

6‑12 knots

KEY WEST

High: 90° F/32° C Low: 84° F/29° C

High: 89° F/32° C Low: 80° F/27° C

Forecasts and graphics provided by AccuWeather, Inc. ©2020

High: 87° F/31° C Low: 82° F/28° C

N

The higher the AccuWeather UV IndexTM number, the greater the need for eye and skin protection.

tiDes For nassau High

Ht.(ft.)

Low

Ht.(ft.)

Today

3:17 a.m.

4:02 p.m.

2.3 2.8

9:29 a.m. 0.9 10:32 p.m. 1.2

Friday

4:14 a.m.

4:57 p.m.

2.3 3.0

10:24 a.m. 0.8 11:28 p.m. 1.1

Saturday

5:11 a.m.

5:50 p.m.

2.4 3.2

11:18 a.m. 0.7 ‑‑‑‑‑ ‑‑‑‑‑

Sunday

6:04 a.m.

6:39 p.m.

2.6 3.4

12:20 a.m. 0.9 12:11 p.m. 0.5

Monday

6:55 a.m.

7:27 p.m.

2.8 3.5

1:08 a.m.

1:02 p.m.

0.7 0.3

Tuesday

7:44 a.m.

8:13 p.m.

3.0 3.7

1:54 a.m.

1:52 p.m.

0.4 0.1

Wednesday 8:33 a.m.

9:00 p.m.

3.2 3.7

2:38 a.m.

2:42 p.m.

0.2 0.0

sun anD moon Sunrise Sunset

6:43 a.m.

7:46 p.m.

Moonrise Moonset

1:28 a.m.

3:16 p.m.

New

First

Full

Last

Aug. 18

Aug. 25

Sep. 2

Sep. 10

CAT ISLAND

E

W

High: 87° F/31° C Low: 82° F/28° C

N

S

E

W

7‑14 knots

S

8‑16 knots Shown is today’s weather. Temperatures are today’s highs and tonight’s lows.

Statistics are for Nassau through 2 p.m. yesterday Temperature High ................................................... 90° F/32° C Low .................................................... 82° F/28° C Normal high ....................................... 89° F/32° C Normal low ........................................ 76° F/24° C Last year’s high ................................. 91° F/33° C Last year’s low ................................... 80° F/27° C Precipitation As of 2 p.m. yesterday ................................. 0.90” Year to date ............................................... 36.38” Normal year to date ................................... 21.86”

ELEUTHERA

NASSAU

are concerned that consumers will dial back spending as infections surge in states like Florida. Consumer spending drives the US economy, making up about 70% of all economic activity.

Last month, the government reported that the gross domestic product declined at a record 32.9% annual rate in the April-June quarter, as a resurgence of the viral outbreak pushed businesses to close for a second time in a number of regions.

ANDROS

SAN SALVADOR

GREAT EXUMA

High: 88° F/31° C Low: 82° F/28° C

High: 87° F/31° C Low: 82° F/28° C

N

High: 89° F/32° C Low: 82° F/28° C

E

W S

LONG ISLAND

tracking map

High: 87° F/31° C Low: 82° F/28° C

8‑16 knots

MAYAGUANA High: 88° F/31° C Low: 82° F/28° C

Shown is today’s weather. Temperatures are today’s highs and tonight’s lows.

CROOKED ISLAND / ACKLINS RAGGED ISLAND High: 87° F/31° C Low: 83° F/28° C

High: 87° F/31° C Low: 82° F/28° C

GREAT INAGUA High: 89° F/32° C Low: 82° F/28° C

N E

W

N E

W

S

S

10‑20 knots

10‑20 knots

marine Forecast ABACO ANDROS CAT ISLAND CROOKED ISLAND ELEUTHERA FREEPORT GREAT EXUMA GREAT INAGUA LONG ISLAND MAYAGUANA NASSAU RAGGED ISLAND SAN SALVADOR

Today: Friday: Today: Friday: Today: Friday: Today: Friday: Today: Friday: Today: Friday: Today: Friday: Today: Friday: Today: Friday: Today: Friday: Today: Friday: Today: Friday: Today: Friday:

WINDS SE at 6‑12 Knots SE at 6‑12 Knots SE at 7‑14 Knots ESE at 7‑14 Knots ESE at 8‑16 Knots ESE at 8‑16 Knots E at 10‑20 Knots ESE at 10‑20 Knots ESE at 8‑16 Knots ESE at 8‑16 Knots SE at 6‑12 Knots SSE at 7‑14 Knots SE at 8‑16 Knots ESE at 8‑16 Knots E at 10‑20 Knots E at 10‑20 Knots E at 10‑20 Knots ESE at 10‑20 Knots E at 10‑20 Knots E at 8‑16 Knots ESE at 7‑14 Knots ESE at 8‑16 Knots E at 10‑20 Knots ESE at 10‑20 Knots SE at 8‑16 Knots ESE at 8‑16 Knots

WAVES 2‑4 Feet 2‑4 Feet 1‑2 Feet 1‑2 Feet 2‑4 Feet 2‑4 Feet 3‑6 Feet 3‑5 Feet 2‑4 Feet 2‑4 Feet 1‑2 Feet 1‑2 Feet 1‑2 Feet 1‑3 Feet 3‑6 Feet 3‑5 Feet 2‑4 Feet 2‑4 Feet 3‑6 Feet 3‑5 Feet 1‑2 Feet 1‑2 Feet 3‑5 Feet 3‑5 Feet 1‑3 Feet 1‑3 Feet

VISIBILITY 10 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles 6 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles 6 Miles 7 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles 6 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles 5 Miles 10 Miles

WATER TEMPS. 86° F 86° F 87° F 88° F 86° F 86° F 85° F 85° F 86° F 86° F 85° F 85° F 87° F 87° F 85° F 85° F 85° F 85° F 85° F 84° F 87° F 87° F 85° F 85° F 86° F 86° F

business@tribunemedia.net

THURSDAY, AUGUST 13, 2020

$3.98

$3.98

‘Boiling point’ struck on COVID open inequality

By NEIL HARTNELL Tribune Business Editor nhartnell@tribunemedia.net

A

BAHAMIAN businessman yesterday revealed he has reached “boiling point” over the “inequality” that is allowing some competitors to open amid the COVID19 lockdown while he and others remain closed.

Ben Albury, pictured, Bahamas Bus and Truck’s general manager, told Tribune Business that this “frustration level is through the roof” as his firm and other Bahamas Motor Dealers Association (BMDA) members are shuttered while other auto parts, tyre

• Auto dealer: ‘My frustration is through the roof’ • Says BMDA ‘only idiots obeying’ closure order • Association seeks govt re-opening permission

repair/replacement, battery and service providers continue to operate without any restrictions.

Confirming that the BMDA this week wrote to

the Prime Minister’s Office (the competent authority), seeking permission to reopen for curb side, delivery and electronic orders, Mr Albury said it seemed as if his company and other association members “are the only idiots obeying the law” as set out by the government’s latest COVID-19 emergency powers order.

Arguing that there should be one set of rules for all, not two, Mr Albury said the appearance of preferential treatment was present in

other economic sectors and not just the auto industry.

He cited one fast-food restaurant chain as being open yesterday, even though the sector is supposed to be closed under the present emergency powers, querying how this was fair to its competitors.

Reiterating his previous call for a lockdown “level playing field” for all sectors and businesses, Mr Albury told this newspaper: “We’ve

SEE PAGE 17

Further lockdowns ‘point of no return’

By NEIL HARTNELL Tribune Business Editor nhartnell@tribunemedia.net

ANY further blanket COVID-19 lockdown could push the Bahamian economy past “the point of no return” and cause “irreparable damage” lasting for years, an accountant warned yesterday.

Kendrick Christie, a former Bahamas Institute of Chartered Accountants (BICA) president, told Tribune Business that the economic and social fall-out produced by the pandemic now represented a graver threat to this nation’s prosperity and well-being than the virus itself.

The Crowe (Bahamas) accountant and partner, emphasising that he was not downplaying COVID-19’s threat to health and life, said that while a sufficiently

• Accountant: Economic threat as grave as health • Warns of ‘irreparable damage’ from govt tactic • Businesses, households must brace for ‘havoc’

KENDRICK CHRISTIE

PHILIP GALANTIS

critical mass of businesses will “hopefully ride through” this current national lockdown any repeat would be “problematic” for both them and the economy’s longerterm well-being.

Calling on the government

to be more “innovative” and take “a risk-based approach” to combating so-called COVID-19 “hot spots” and case surges, Mr Christie said last weekend’s relaxation of the lockdown restrictions for the virus-free southern

islands (a case was subsequently detected on Inagua) indicated it had taken this message on-board.

However, he urged the government to develop and lay-out an “exit strategy” detailing how The Bahamas will move out of the present lockdown and deal with all potential COVID-19 scenarios moving forward.

This, Mr Christie said, would help eliminate some of the uncertainty plaguing the private sector and consumers, and provide a modest - but nevertheless badly needed boost of hope.

SEE PAGE 16

$4.03

$4.00

Govt agency closures ‘drag commerce down’

By NEIL HARTNELL Tribune Business Editor nhartnell@tribunemedia.net THE inability of the government’s key commercial agencies to function amid the COVID-19 lockdown is “dragging commerce down” and slowing what little activity remains, an attorney warned yesterday.

Carey Leonard, the Freeport-based Callenders & Co attorney, told Tribune Business that “to all intents and purposes” commercial legal activity in the city had been halted with the closure of its Registrar General’s Department office.

With mortgage and real estate-related work effectively shut down, Mr Leonard said that apart from a “further slowing of the economy” the closure was also impacting the government’s own meagre cash flow as VAT and Stamp Dutygenerating transactions were now being delayed.

“You may as well say it’s completely closed,” he told this newspaper. “We cannot file documents and we cannot do any searches.

Effectively, it means you cannot do any conveyancing transactions.

“The idea of working remotely from home doesn’t work if the government isn’t working. It’s fair to say, I think, that the legal profession’s commercial side to all intents and purposes has been shut down.”

Providing further insight into this impact, Mr Leonard added: “If there’s a banking transaction, where you’re loaning money to a business or individual, you have to make sure there are no additional liens or charges that have been placed on the property or business that you are dealing with as loan security.

“You now can’t do a mortgage with a business or individual because you cannot find out the current

CAREY LEONARD status [of the security]....

We often go and see the number of receipts showing what documents have been filed in the past week, and we can’t do that.

“How can you tell a bank to go ahead with this loan, whether it’s $100,000 or $1m? I would have to give a very qualified opinion.”

The Callenders & Co attorney also confirmed that the inability to lodge and record title deeds meant real estate purchasers would not have full security for their acquisitions, while title searches have also been halted for the time being.

As for the Companies Registry, Mr Leonard said that businesses and their attorneys will be unable to obtain certificates of good standing, which are required to obtain VAT Taxpayer Identification Numbers (TINs) and are often requested by multiple government revenue agencies as part of their compliance checks.

“Business comes to a halt. It’s very difficult for business to function and move forward,” he told Tribune Business of the consequences. “It just drags commerce down. If you were going to do a big order for Christmas, and need to borrow $250,000 to fund it, well good luck to you.

“There are key commercial aspects of government that must operate in order for everything else to work.

SEE PAGE 17

Super Value chief: Covid vulnerable must remain home

By NEIL HARTNELL Tribune Business Editor nhartnell@tribunemedia.net

SUPER Value’s president has suggested that all persons aged over 65, and those with pre-existing medical conditions, remain at home to facilitate the Bahamian economy’s COVID-19 re-opening.

Rupert Roberts, pictured, told Tribune Business that The Bahamas should focus on protecting those groups most at risk from the virus by permitting only “able bodied soldiers” to venture back to work with all the necessary health protocols in place.

Mr Roberts, who would be in that 65 years-old and

over age group, said: “I know they have to balance the medical with the economic. That’s a big job and hard to do, but I think everybody seems to be coming to the conclusion that to open the country up, have the over 65s step aside, and

SEE PAGE 16

Commercial landlords urged: Set out strategy through year-end 2020

By NEIL HARTNELL Tribune Business Editor nhartnell@tribunemedia.net A MAJOR property manager is urging commercial landlords to develop a “long-term plan” that tackles COVID-19 uncertainty by taking themselves and their tenants through to end-2020.

David Morley, Morley Real Estate’s president, told Tribune Business that while “nothing is cast stone” landlords needed to give their business tenants some idea of what to expect in terms of rent concessions and other incentives so that they, too, can plan their survival strategy.

“What we’ve been working on with our landlords is coming up with a longerterm plan,” said Mr Morley, whose firm manages around 40 commercial properties. “Originally, most of my landlords were operating on a month-to-month or two-month plan in terms of concessions.

“Now, what we’re discussing with some of our landlords, even prior to this lockdown is coming up with a plan that takes us through the remainder of 2020. We’re basically focusing on the local market because we’re not going to have much

SEE PAGE 16