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Volume: 123 No. 182, Monday, August 17, 2026

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FEARS GROW FOR MISSING MOTHER

Family suspects foul play nine months after brother, 23, was fatally stabbed

By PAVEL BAILEY Tribune Staff Reporter pbailey@tribunemedia.net

MISSING Katrina Kelly (left) with her cousin Loretta Cash-Pierre. Ms. Kelly disappeared last Tuesday after getting into a car with three unknown men.

AFTER another weekend of power outages across parts of New Providence and the Family Islands, Prime Minister Philip Davis will address the nation tonight on the ongoing challenges at Bahamas Power and Light (BPL) and

concerns over the utility’s reliability.

His address comes amid a bruising summer for BPL which has struggled to provide reliable electricity amid repeated outages and mounting public criticism over disruptions to electricity supplies.

In Grand Cay, residents DAVIS - SEE PAGE FOUR

MISSING - SEE PAGE THREE

CARICOM ELECTION REPORT FLAGS XENOPHOBIC RHETORIC

PM Davis to address nation amid worsening BPL crisis

By LEANDRA ROLLE Tribune Chief Reporter lrolle@tribunemedia.net

FEARS are growing for the safety of Eleuthera entrepreneur Katrina Kelly whose family fear foul play after she disappeared last Tuesday night after reportedly leaving her Bluff home with three men.

Ms Kelly, an assistant manager at Pink Sands hotel, who also operates a car rental business, was last seen by her 11-year-old

daughter between 9pm and 10pm getting into a vehicle outside their residence.

Her disappearance is particularly devastating for her family as last year her 23-year-old brother, Ashantio Clevorn Johnson, a Bahamas Department of Correctional Services trainee officer, was fatally stabbed at Blu Ice Restaurant and Bar. His birthday would have been last Wednesday.

By RASHAD ROLLE Tribune News Editor rrolle@tribunemedia.net

PRIME MINISTER PHILIP DAVIS

CARICOM election observers have warned that xenophobic rhetoric targeting Haitians may have discouraged some Bahamians from voting in the 2026 general election, while stakeholders also raised allegations of vote-buying, partisan use of state resources and attempts to

influence the electoral process in favour of the incumbent.

The regional mission also called for the Parliamentary Registration Department to be made independent of government after some stakeholders alleged problems with the voters’ register and advanced polling were deliberate attempts to influence the election in favour of the incumbent.

ELECTION - SEE PAGE FOUR

Bahamasair flight lands safely after gear failure

By LEANDRA ROLLE Tribune Chief Reporter lrolle@tribunemedia.net A 35-MINUTE Bahamasair flight from Abaco to New Providence stretched to nearly two hours on Friday after a problem with the aircraft’s primary landing gear forced the crew to circle near the capital before using an alternative system to land safely.

The ordeal left at least one passenger praying and fearing the worst as the aircraft repeatedly approached Lynden Pindling International Airport without its landing gear coming down.

Flight UP136 had departed Marsh Harbour on Friday morning and was preparing to land in New Providence when the ORDEAL - SEE PAGE FIVE

STOCK image of a Bahamasair plane.

Nassau & Bahama Islands’ Leading Newspaper

PAGE 2, Monday, August 17, 2026

THE TRIBUNE

Families gather to honour 10 victims of fatal plane crash

By LEANDRA ROLLE Tribune Chief Reporter lrolle@tribunemedia.net A MONTH after a Flamingo Air plane plunged into bushes near San Andros airport, relatives of the ten people killed gathered on Friday to remember lives cut short — a pilot who died doing what he loved, entertainers whose music brought people together and young people whose families said they still had plans and dreams ahead of them.

The memorial service at Bahamas Faith Ministries International, hosted by The Bahamas Christian Council, honoured Da Pond band members Giovanni “Geo” McKenzie, Rashad Storr, Mateo Winder, Toniquea Gilot and Tra’vis Johnson; veteran entertainer Melvin Henfield; Andros natives Quintin Myers and Macaro Rolle; pilot Franklyn Cambridge; and 16-year-old Nicholas Oliver Jr. They died on July 10 after their Flamingo Air aircraft crashed near San Andros airport.

Relatives delivered tributes through video messages during a service

marked by hymns, prayers and emotional reflections.

In a message read by organisers, Captain Cambridge’s parents said their son had been drawn to aviation from childhood, often asking for toy planes as gifts, before building a career that spanned nearly three decades.

“Elton, as he was fondly known, had over 27 years of flying experience,” his parents said, “during which time he availed himself of many opportunities to become more certified in aviation techniques, policies, and procedures.”

They said one of his favourite sayings was: “Falling doesn't make you a failure. Staying down makes you a failure. Don't ever give up.”

“He died doing what he loved most in the world,” they said.

Archbishop Dr Elton Major and Reverend Dr Michelle Major remembered their son, Henfield, as an entertainer whose talent could transform a room and leave lasting memories.

“While DJ Fresh's music may have stopped here,” they said, “his song plays on in our stories, in our

FAMILY and friends gfathered at a memorial service at hosted by the Bahamas Christian Council at Bahamas Faith Ministries on Carmichael Road on Friday.

Photos: Nikia charlton laughter, in every beat that reminds us of it.”

Tamara Myers broke down in tears while remembering her brother, Quintin Myers, as a source of laughter and energy in the family.

She said he still had plans for his life, including a summer cruise he had been eagerly anticipating. Before his death, he had bought a

car and purchased his ticket for the trip.

“He had so many aspirations that I think he never even got to realize,” Ms Myers said, “and I think a lot of people are going to miss that bubbly energy in Quinton.”

She described him as the person who brought the family together.

“He was the glue for the family,” she said. “He changed the room and connected all of us in such a special way.”

Shandera McKenzie-Nottage remembered her brother, Giovanni McKenzie, through a poem she wrote titled “A Moment of Silence”.

“A moment of silence

for the friend who became family to so many,” Ms McKenzie-Nottage said, “the encourager, the listener, the steady one, the quiet spring that held others together without ever asking who was holding him.”

Prime Minister Philip “Brave” Davis told the families that they were not alone in their grief.

“Each has gone on home too soon,” Mr Davis said.

“10 seats, 10 families.”

He urged mourners not to allow the circumstances of the crash to overshadow how the victims had lived.

“Their final journey does not define their lives,” he said. “We honor them for the happiness they brought to others, the work they performed, the friendships they nurtured, and the love that they shared.”

Opposition leader Michael Pintard also urged those gathered to preserve the victims’ legacies while making the most of their own lives.

“And so I encourage all of us, as I encourage myself,” Mr Pintard said, “that we have to suck some joy out of this life every single day because we have no idea when it is our last.”

THE TRIBUNE

Monday, August 17, 2026, PAGE 3

Family fears foul play after Eleuthera entrepreneur vanishes MISSING from page one Police released a missing-person poster for Ms Kelly on Friday.

Ms Kelly’s young daughter spoke to The Tribune with her family’s permission. She said her monm had said she was going to drop off friends and pick up food.

The girl said she later looked outside and saw three dark figures get out of a car and speak with her mother before Ms Kelly got into the vehicle with them and left.

She said she did not recognise the men and her mother did not say who had picked her up or who she planned to drop off.

Ms Kelly has not been heard from since.

Her relatives initially did not become alarmed because she had gone away for periods before, particularly around the anniversary of her brother’s death and birthday.

Loretta Cash-Pierre, Ms Kelly’s cousin, best friend and godsister, said Ms Kelly would sometimes isolate herself around such dates but normally told relatives how long she would be gone and reassured them that she was safe.

Mrs Pierre said this time was different.

She said Ms Kelly owned a car rental company and that a white Nissan Cube connected to the business was also missing.

Mrs Pierre claimed the

people who arrived at Ms Kelly’s home on Tuesday night were in a white Nissan Cube they had allegedly rented from her and were returning.

She said Ms Kelly knew the people who rented that particular vehicle because it was her personal car and she only rented it to people she knew well.

Mrs Pierre said she has since provided police with information about the people who rented the vehicle.

The family suspects foul play and fears Ms Kelly may be being held against her will.

“I’m afraid right now,” Mrs Pierre said.

“Eleuthera is supposed to be a safe place where you let your hair down.

These kind of things don’t happen in Eleuthera.”

She said relatives began to realise something was wrong on Wednesday when Ms Kelly failed to collect her mother from the airport after she returned from the United States.

Mrs Pierre said her own concern deepened on Thursday when Ms Kelly had still not responded to a message she sent on Tuesday.

That same day, other relatives and friends, including Ms Kelly’s 18-year-old daughter, began contacting her because they also had not heard from her.

Mrs Pierre said police have been helpful and that she handed over Ms Kelly’s electronic devices to

KATRINA KELLY

her to handle calls relating to the missing-person search.

Ms Kelly’s 11-yearold daughter said the past several days have been stressful.

Although her mother had stayed away for days at a time before, she said Ms Kelly would usually contact family or friends.

Mrs Pierre said Ms Kelly was in good health before her disappearance.

Despite the family’s growing fears, she said relatives are holding on to hope that Ms Kelly will be found alive.

investigators.

She also claimed that about two weeks before the disappearance, Ms Kelly posted a status referring to problems with people failing to pay for a rental.

Mrs Pierre said the disappearance has devastated Ms Kelly’s parents, who are still grieving the death of their son last year.

She said Ms Kelly’s father “can’t take it” and is struggling with his daughter’s disappearance so soon after losing his son.

Mrs Pierre said Ms Kelly’s mother was also overwhelmed and asked

Sister says jealousy led to Fire Trail Road murder

By LEANDRA ROLLE Tribune Chief Reporter lrolle@tribunemedia.net THE sister of a 30-yearold father of two gunned down on Fire Trail Road East last week believes jealousy and envy may have driven the killing and is convinced her brother knew his attacker.

Abdul Zidor, who had an eight-year-old child and a six-month-old baby, was shot dead on Wednesday night after a gunman wearing a black hoodie approached his car and opened fire as he tried to flee.

His older sister, Daphnee Sera, said video footage shown to her by police left her believing the gunman specifically targeted Zidor.

Ms Sera, 32, said the footage showed her brother sitting in his newly purchased car with a friend when a person ran across the road towards him and began firing.

Zidor ran, but the gunman pursued him and, according to his sister, “finished him off.”

“That was terrible,” Ms Sera said of watching the footage.

She said the family believes jealousy and envy

not bother,” she said. “If you have a wybe with him, he rather squash it so like y'all don't have no lingering beef.”

Daphnee Sera was in Eleuthera when her brother was killed.

She said she was lying down at her cousin’s home when Zidor’s girlfriend called her with the news.

“She was like, ‘Sister, sister, sister, they kill him for me’,” Ms Sera recalled. “And I was like, ‘What?’ She said they kill Abdul and I scream my cousin's name.”

She said she became inconsolable and returned to New Providence the following day.

Zidor’s killing has dealt another blow to a family still mourning a cousin who was killed last year.

“Everybody take that ABDUL Zidor pictured with his child. may have motivated the killing, pointing to her brother’s drive to make money and his recent purchase of two vehicles.

“He was a hustler,” Ms Sera said. “That's what they didn't like.”

She said Zidor had bought one vehicle and planned to repair its transmission before giving it to

the mother of his child, then bought another vehicle — the one he was in when he was killed.

Ms Sera described her brother as someone who avoided prolonged conflict and preferred to settle disagreements rather than allow them to escalate.

“Everybody who knew him personally knew he do

Infant dies after allegedly falling inside swerving car A TEN-MONTH-OLD girl died early Friday after allegedly falling from the front seat of a car when the driver swerved to avoid another vehicle on Prince Charles Drive.

Police said the infant had been travelling unrestrained in the front seat of a 2013 Nissan Versa shortly before 3.45am when the driver allegedly made the sudden manoeuvre, causing her to fall to the floor of the

vehicle.

The man, who police said was the boyfriend of the child’s mother, later took the infant to her mother in Nassau Village.

According to police, the pair fed the child before noticing that she appeared to be in distress.

They then took her to hospital.

Medical personnel told police the infant arrived unresponsive and bleeding

from the mouth.

She was rushed to the trauma unit, where several medical professionals attended to her.

Police said the child sustained bruising to the left side of her face and head, as well as a fractured femur.

Despite efforts to save her, she was pronounced dead at 4.16am.

Police are investigating the circumstances surrounding the infant’s death.

hard and everybody trying to cope as best as we can cope because that just hit us suddenly,” Ms Sera said. “I literally just stopped crying.”

She and her brother were the closest of eight siblings and had grown up together before losing their mother more than a decade ago.

Daphnee Sera said they remained in frequent contact and that her brother regularly spoke about wanting to ensure she and his children were taken care of.

“He was very family-oriented,” she said.

The day before Zidor was killed, Ms Sera said the siblings were on a video call with another brother, laughing and joking.

She described him as bubbly, someone who enjoyed making people laugh and getting on her

nerves.

“Everything like he don't take nothing serious?” she said. “He loved to get off and get on people's nerves especially mine.”

Ms Sera said she was particularly proud that her brother had turned his life around after getting into trouble with the law in his 20s.

She said he served a oneyear prison sentence for drug offences but stayed out of trouble after his release.

“From the one time he went to jail,” Daphnee Sera said, “that was it.”

She described Zidor as someone who tried to help others and make people smile.

His death pushed the country’s murder count to 48 for the year, according to The Tribune’s records.

PAGE 4, Monday, August 17, 2026

THE TRIBUNE

CARICOM urges independence for Parliamentary Registration Dept ELECTION from page one The findings are contained in CARICOM’s final report on the May 12 election, which nevertheless concluded that the poll was peaceful and transparent and that the results reflected the will of Bahamians.

Among its more striking findings, the mission said stakeholders criticised xenophobic rhetoric directed at the Haitian community and people of Haitian descent, including reported scapegoating over crimes involving identity-document fraud.

The report said such narratives, including some attributed to one of the parties contesting the election, had stoked fear among affected communities and could potentially discourage voters, particularly young voters of Haitian descent, from exercising their franchise.

CARICOM recommended stronger measures to ensure minority communities, particularly people of Haitian descent, can vote in a safe and inclusive environment, including targeted public education and initiatives encouraging respectful campaigning.

The mission also recorded allegations of vote buying and the use of state resources for partisan purposes as stakeholders complained about substantial spending by the major political parties.

Concerns were yet again raised about gaps in requirements for disclosing interests in government contracts and the absence of campaign finance legislation.

CARICOM did not find that vote buying had occurred and did not identify which parties were the subject of the allegations.

But it recommended legislation requiring political parties to disclose their funding sources, imposing limits on campaign

Preople standing in line to vote in Grand Bahama in this year’s general election. spending and establishing effective penalties for vote buying and misuse of state resources.

The mission itself said the size of campaign billboards and banners varied noticeably between the governing party, opposition and independent candidates and that its observations confirmed reports of substantial financial resources being spent on the election.

Beyond campaign conduct, the report raises broader questions about the independence and preparedness of the machinery responsible for running Bahamian elections.

CARICOM recommended converting the Parliamentary Registration Department into an independent election management body with legal and operational safeguards against political influence.

The department currently falls under the Ministry of National Security for administrative purposes.

The report said the need for an independent elections body emerged repeatedly during stakeholder consultations.

Some stakeholders argued that the PRD’s reporting relationship with a government ministry could create the potential for undue political influence over its decisions, particularly during elections.

Some also expressed the view that problems with the voters’ register and advanced polling were

deliberate attempts to influence the election in favour of the incumbent.

They also complained about an attempted movement of advance-poll ballot boxes to the Parliamentary Registration Department on May 5 without what they considered sufficient notice.

The report also referred to perceptions of political alignment and potential government influence over staff recruitment at the PRD. CARICOM did not endorse claims that the election was manipulated.

Indeed, the mission ultimately praised the PRD’s administration of Election Day, saying voters were able to cast ballots peacefully, polling workers performed professionally and police maintained law and order.

It concluded that the election result reflected the will of the people.

But the report records significant concerns about the voters’ register before polling day.

Stakeholders alleged that foreign nationals appeared on the register with fraudulently obtained voter identification cards and passports, and complained about inadequate address verification for new voters.

They also raised concerns about the PRD’s perceived failure to meet the statutory deadline for issuing the voters’ register and purported administrative errors that left registered people off the list.

The number excluded was reportedly in the thousands.

Other voters were allegedly assigned to incorrect polling locations.

CARICOM recommended stronger address verification, biometric checks to reduce duplicate or fraudulent registrations and regular audits of the voters’ list.

Advanced polling also attracted criticism.

Stakeholders reported long lines, lengthy waits and multiple constituencies being placed at single polling locations.

They also complained about the purportedly illegal extension of voting hours and insufficient arrangements for elderly voters, pregnant women and people with disabilities.

The report said the compressed election timetable may also have limited the PRD’s ability to complete preparations, including comprehensive training of polling workers.

CARICOM wants the department to operate year-round, with continuous worker training and earlier logistical planning.

The Boundaries Commission was also drawn into the report.

Some stakeholders questioned the recent constituency delimitation exercise, including whether demographic data justified some of the changes.

CARICOM recommended reinforcing the commission’s independence to ensure constituency boundaries are drawn fairly, transparently and impartially.

The report also records dissatisfaction with the media environment during the campaign.

Stakeholders said the governing party and main opposition received free airtime on state media while smaller parties and independent candidates apparently did not.

They also described a

general perception of limited media impartiality, with several outlets viewed as aligned with the two major parties.

The mission was further told that ownership of at least one major media outlet was linked to an election candidate.

CARICOM recommended election regulations guaranteeing state-media airtime for smaller parties and independent candidates and impartiality rules for media outlets backed by monitoring and enforcement.

The Parliamentary Registration Department was also criticised for poor communication.

Stakeholders complained that information about the voters’ register, polling locations and advanced-poll procedures was late, inconsistent or unclear.

The report pointed out that during the 2026 election period, the PRD’s website still prominently featured information from the 2021 election and contained minimal updates about the current poll.

CARICOM recommended sustained voter education and more timely publication of electoral information.

The report also highlighted a sharp fall in voter participation.

Turnout was 66.4 percent, compared with an average of 88 percent in previous Bahamian elections, which the mission described as relatively low.

That was despite growth in the voters’ register from 194,494 people in 2021 to 209,264 this year. Stakeholders also complained that political parties’ engagement with young people was symbolic rather than substantive and warned that limited youth participation could deepen disengagement from democratic institutions.

CARICOM’s assessment of Election Day itself was far less critical.

Its teams observed 317 of the 322 polling divisions across New Providence and Grand Bahama and found most polling stations opened on time, had adequate supplies and had sufficient police presence.

There were some inconsistencies, including polling divisions where voters’ fingers were not checked for ink and differing practices over whether thumbs were inked before or after voting.

The mission said those inconsistencies did not disrupt voting.

It found no evidence of campaigning or attempts to influence voters within 100 yards of polling stations and concluded that the counting of ballots was conducted in accordance with the law.

The PLP won 33 of the 41 House of Assembly seats and the FNM won eight.

Neither the Coalition of Independents nor any independent candidate secured a seat.

The result was broadly accepted, although Coalition of Independents leader Lincoln Bain later pursued an election challenge in Pinewood.

The report said the COI filed petitions involving Pinewood and Fort Charlotte in June, citing alleged polling irregularities in Pinewood and concerns that newly elected Fort Charlotte MP Sebastian Bastian held government contracts that were not properly disclosed under constitutional requirements.

The 12-member CARICOM observer mission was led by Saint Lucia Chief Elections Officer Herman St Helen and met with Prime Minister Philip “Brave” Davis, FNM leader Michael Pintard, Mr Bain, independent candidate Hubert Minnis, Police Commissioner Shanta Knowles, Parliamentary Commissioner Harrison Thompson and representatives of civil society and the media.

GRAND CAY RESIDENTS CALL ONGOING POWER OUTAGES A NIGHTMARE DAVIS from page one were hit by another wave of extended power outages after enduring a seven-day outage last week.

Although power was restored to the island early Tuesday, residents

said the supply remained inconsistent.

The island was plunged into darkness again Thursday night and has remained without power since, forcing many residents to rely on generators to keep essential appliances running.

Residents who spoke

to The Tribune yesterday said this is the worst they’ve ever seen it.

“We spend like $40 a gas per day. Some residents spend maybe more because their generators may be bigger,” the resident said. “A lot of people are frustrated about it.”

The ongoing outages

are affecting residents’ quality of life while also disrupting their back-toschool preparations.

Barry, another longtime resident, described the situation as a “nightmare”.

He said he spends about $150 a day on gasoline to power three households — his rental property, his own home and his stepmother’s house.

He said the island has been welcoming many tourists, but he recently had a cancellation after the visitors heard about the ongoing power problems.

“We have so much tourists that love this place but you can’t blame them because they want to be comfortable. The power situation has put us in a chokehold.”

BPL initially blamed the prolonged interruption on a major mechanical failure of the island’s existing generator.

The power company had expected a replacement generation unit to provide relief, but said over the weekend that the unit requires repairs and testing before it can be deployed.

Grand Cay was not the only Abaco community to experience power disruptions.

In Guana Cay, BPL attributed outages to two separate cable faults, including one subsea fault in the southern part of the island.

Yesterday, BPL said repairs to the subsea fault have been completed, but restoration work on an underground cable fault in North Guana Cay was still ongoing.

The utility company also reported outages in Dundas Town yesterday evening, though no cause had been identified up to press time.

Meanwhile, in New Providence, residents in certain communities also endured outages over the weekend.

Planned outages were reported in Cowpen Road, Faith Gardens, Golden Gates and Carmichael Road to facilitate system upgrades.

BPL attributed other disruptions to tripped feeders, tree-trimming exercises and other planned events to prevent system overloads.

The sustained failures also comes amid internal fighting at BPL, with unions opposing a new overtime policy they say breaches their contract.

The Tribune exclusively reported last week that three employees in the fuel and performance department collectively received more than $600,000 in overtime between May 2025 and April 2026.

The Davis administration has said it spends about $20m a year on overtime, calling the excessive overtime fees “unacceptable” and “unsustainable.”

It has since introduced new rules that would cap planned overtime, subject employees who repeatedly hit overtime limits to management review and require senior scrutiny when overtime exceeds specified proportions of a worker’s salary.

The Bahamas Electrical Workers Union has responded by filing a trade dispute and instructing workers to work to rule —working only their normal or standard hours of work until further notice.

THE TRIBUNE

Abaco flight circled 2 hours due to landing gear issues ORDEAL from page one problem developed.

Bahamasair said the crew activated the aircraft’s alternative landing gear system and emergency response protocols were put in place as a precaution. The flight landed safely and no emergency assistance was required.

Abaco resident Jade Adderley, who was travelling with his wife and six-year-old son, said he first became concerned when he did not hear the landing gear deploy.

He said the flight had been uneventful until the aircraft began its approach to New Providence.

“The nose went down and he went to land,” Mr Adderley said, “but we went back up in the air again.”

He said the aircraft circled and made another approach, but the landing gear still did not come down.

Mr Adderley said that was when fear began to set in.

“A lot was running through my mind in the air for like an hour and 45 minutes,” he said.

He said he prayed as the plane

remained airborne and thought about a recent aviation tragedy in Andros.

“Yes, I was praying. I was praying,” Mr Adderley said. “As long as I was in the air, we probably were good but thinking about the tragedy that happened in Andros, I say, ‘Lord, you mean it’s how we go’.”

His six-year-old son was asleep during part of the ordeal.

“And when I look at my son,” Mr Adderley said, “he ain’t live his life yet.

My son is six so I was very concerned and afraid at the same time.”

He said other passengers appeared to be sleeping or occupied and he eventually told his wife what he believed was happening.

Mr Adderley said the aircraft continued circling and travelled

BUT ISSUES PAY ULTIMATUM WEEKS BEFORE SCHOOL STARTS

By LEANDRA ROLLE Tribune Chief Reporter lrolle@tribunemedia.net BAHAMAS Union of Teachers (BUT) president Belinda Wilson has given the government “a few days” to submit a revised salary proposal as negotiations over a new industrial agreement remain unresolved just weeks before the new school year.

Her comments came after the union and the government reached an impasse following a threehour meeting last week.

Mrs Wilson said all outstanding items have been agreed upon, except for the financial matters.

She said the government continues to submit the same salary counterproposal despite repeated rejection by the union, calling the approach unacceptable.

“The government's posture is a take it or leave it,” she said. “They are not negotiating in good faith on the finances, and so we did not take it.”

“The government also backpedaled on the duration of the agreement clause, but again, 90.5 per cent of you already voted for the BUT to accept a three-year agreement.”

The impasse marks the latest escalation in negotiations between the two sides, which have been ongoing since earlier this year.

Officials have declined to disclose details of either the government’s offer or the union’s demands.

A mediator is scheduled to be at the next session.

Mrs Wilson said the union is giving the Davis administration “a few good days” to respond. She added that most surveyed members have voted in favour of taking industrial action.

“Stay tuned for our next update. Stay tuned for our next move,” she said.

Government officials have declined to discuss negotiations in the media, but said they remain committed to finalising an agreement that benefits all parties involved.

farther out to sea before returning for another approach.

The plane eventually landed safely, where passengers were met by emergency vehicles, including ambulances and police vehicles.

Mr Adderley said the pilot later informed passengers about the problem and explained what had happened.

“God was good,” he said.

He also praised the Bahamasair crew and the team at LPIA for handling the incident smoothly and professionally.

Bahamasair said in a statement on Friday that the aircraft experienced an issue with its primary landing gear while preparing to land.

The airline said the crew responded by activating the alternative landing gear system and notified the relevant authorities as a precaution.

Emergency response protocols were activated, although Bahamasair said assistance was ultimately not required.

The airline said the aircraft was subsequently repaired and returned to service.

Monday, August 17, 2026, PAGE 5

JADE Adderley gets off a Bahamaasair plane that landed safely after developing landing gear trouble.

PAGE 6, Monday, August 17, 2026

THE TRIBUNE

The Tribune Limited

BPL overtime is more than a distraction

NULLIUS ADDICTUS JURARE IN VERBA MAGISTRI “Being Bound to Swear to The Dogmas of No Master”

LEON E. H. DUPUCH,

Publisher/Editor 1903-1914

SIR ETIENNE DUPUCH,

Kt., O.B.E., K.M., K.C.S.G., (Hon.) LL.D., D.Litt .

Publisher/Editor 1919-1972 Contributing Editor 1972-1991

RT HON EILEEN DUPUCH CARRON,

C.M.G., M.S., B.A., LL.B. Publisher/Editor 1972-

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Invest in Bahamians before it’s too late A FORECAST from some of Wall Street’s top economic analysts has predicted that spending on infrastructure for artificial intelligence could reach $1.2 trillion each year. As we go about our daily lives and the regular problems that form political talking points, we ought to be aware there is a bigger picture – and AI is something we need to be ready for, whether we like it or not.

One of the changes between the current administration and the first term of Prime Minister Philip Davis is the creation of the Ministry of Innovation and National Development – with Sebas Bastian at the helm as minister.

Previous administrations have paid various amounts of lip service to the idea of national development. A National Development Plan has existed over the years, with various levels of commitment to actually implementing it. A long-time vocal champion for the plan has been Gowon Bowe, the CEO of Fidelity Bank, whose earnest dedication to ensuring we actually commit to a pathway forward comes from an expert who recognises the need to plan for what comes ten or 20 years ahead of time.

Some of the revelations in the digital space, however, are increasing the pace of that change – and increasing the need to make preparations for those changes right now.

Mr Bastian warned last week that some of the changes in the digital space could threaten our political independence itself.

Speaking to the Rotary Club of Southeast Nassau, he said independence is no longer enough of a guarantee that a country will have meaningful control over its affairs.

How independent are we if all of our systems are dependent on a small handful of companies?

A move to digital government sounds great, moving away from the backrooms full of paper, until we find ourselves paying out – not taxes to a faraway government, but fees and subscription services to a faraway corporate giant.

As he said, “the next form of colonialism may not arrive with soldiers”.

We are already dependent in some ways on the whims of companies who decide whether or not to make certain services available in our region.

For some, people use virtual private networks to access services otherwise unavailable – itself depending on yet another company outside our shores.

Mr Bastian warned that digital colonialism begins “wherever convenience becomes dependency”.

This was not just a warning of some kind of digital democratic apocalypse – but rather a call to arms to make sure that the structures we put in place are those that we can control.

Mr Bastian posed that as a balancing act – keeping authority where appropriate including the ability to change to different providers as we choose.

He said this balance was “open, but not exposed; connected, but not captured; partnered, but never powerless”.

One area he pointed out was underwater communications cables carrying the bulk of global internet traffic – and warning that any single failure should not be able to “isolate our people or paralyse our economy”.

Alongside that protection, there are significant opportunities ahead for The Bahamas from the use of AI – with a number of Bahamian companies at the forefront of such activities.

This is not the eye-rolling use of AI that has become familiar on social media for cliched writing, seemingly identical flyers for events or transforming your

picture into something more glamorous or amusing. Rather, this is finding ways to even the landscape when it comes to competing globally. It is finding solutions to local problems without having to resort to international giants.

At an AI event last month, Bahamians spent the day creating their own apps from scratch – coming up with solutions in a day to local problems. It probably comes as no shock to find that many of those in attendance were looking for ways to quickly report the many potholes on our roads so they can be fixed – but other solutions included in the fields of healthcare, tourism, charity giving and more.

Other Bahamians are finding their own way of providing solutions using AI – and the bigger picture will be if we can place ourselves at the forefront regionally of such advances, making our expertise essential to others. Then perhaps we can open the door to others coming to us – and perhaps setting up business here too.

Some of these changing aspects of the world around us will involve being nimble enough to create the legislation that will regulate the landscape we are operating within. Legisatively, we have seen in the past with financial regulations how that can be a long journey within a global structure to ensure we are not hit by blacklists – it seems likely indeed that we will face similar international negotiations to avoid a digital divide.

Mr Bastian sounded the right note when he said we need to develop our own skills, highlighting the danger of simply buying technology if we have no one to operate, repair, adapt or secure it. He said: “A nation cannot outsource what it never learned to do.”

It is the right discussion for the new ministry to be having – as long as we make sure it does not turn into a talking shop.

The National Development Plan was an excellent idea that gathered dust on a shelf. There is no time for any digital development plan to gather dust. If we are to lead the way, we need to move fast.

Air safety concern Another air safety incident on Friday is a reminder of the concerns that were already simmering after the Independence Day plane crash.

There have been a number of recent incidents - and the latest, a problem with the landing gear of a Bahamasair flight from Marsh Harbour to Nassau will do nothing to alleviate concerns of passengers.

The air crew on the Bahamasair flight - by the looks of things - did exactly as they were supposed to, landing the plane safely using back-up systems. Crucially, no one was harmed.

The plane itself was repaired and returned to service within a day - which seems surprising speed.

It is a reminder, though, of the necessity of ensuring rigorous maintenance and regular safety checks to ensure the air fleets in our nation are up to the job.

There is no room for lax standards in the air. It is an unforgiving environment where the slightest thing wrong can be deadly. Your car engine has a problem?

You’re stuck by the side of the road. Your plane engine has a problem? Good luck.

So this latest incident should remind our fleets to be thorough in their maintenance - but also mean a question mark hangs for our officials over what measures they should be taking to review what our airlines are doing right - and wrong.

ONE of the advantages of being the oldest and most established daily newspaper is that, every now and then, history has a way of reminding us that today’s controversy is often yesterday’s unresolved problem wearing a different suit.

The latest revelations that the overtime at Bahamas Power and Light (BPL) is approaching $20 million are startling.

Three employees in a single department reportedly received more than $600,000 in overtime over a 12-month period.

There were individual overtime payments of more than $20,000 in a single month, with one employee on a base salary of roughly $77,000 reportedly receiving more than $216,000 in overtime.

While the headlines have focused on the size of the overtime payments, there is a danger that the national conversation becomes far too narrow.

The real question is why the system allowed it to happen.

The Bahamas Electrical Workers Union (BEWU) argues that the focus on overtime is a distraction from the wider failures affecting the electricity sector, particularly the continued outages that have frustrated residents and businesses throughout the summer.

The average consumer does not care whether a power failure originated at BPL or Bahamas Grid Company.

They do not care which entity is responsible for generation and which is responsible for transmission and distribution.

They care that their lights are off.

They care that their groceries are spoiling and that they are sitting in sweltering homes in the middle of August.

However, it would be wrong to dismiss the overtime issue as nothing more than a distraction.

An organisation spending $20 million annually on overtime while simultaneously struggling to provide reliable electricity is not

experiencing two separate problems.

It is experiencing one very large, unsustainable structural tumour.

After all, overtime does not approve itself.

Someone authorised those hours, reviewed those reports, and approved those expenditures.

Someone should have also been monitoring those budgets.

If workers were called in to respond to emergencies, system failures and staffing shortages, they should be compensated.

But if a department has become so dependent on overtime that employees are routinely working extraordinary numbers of hours over an extended period, then management has a responsibility to intervene.

The government says the current overtime system is unacceptable and unsustainable.

The managerial union says the existing reporting mechanisms should have identified the problem much earlier.

The workers’ union says chronic understaffing and operational failures are forcing employees to work excessive hours.

Former Works Minister Desmond Bannister says management challenges are at the heart of the issue.

If everyone agrees that there is a problem, then the focus should shift from political arguments to practical solutions.

For example, if BPL is spending $20 million annually on overtime, why has there not been a comprehensive workforce analysis?

How many additional technicians, engineers, mechanics, electricians and specialists could have been hired for that amount of money?

How many apprentices could have been trained?

Where is BPL’s succession program to reduce dependence on a small number of highly specialised employees?

An essential utility cannot build its operations around institutional knowledge held by a small group of people.

It is also worth remembering that this debate did not begin yesterday. Former BPL executive chairman Leslie Miller raised concerns about overtime more than a decade ago.

At the time, annual overtime reportedly stood at approximately $12 million.

Truth be told, this is a longstanding problem that successive administrations have failed to solve. That reality does not excuse anyone.

It simply reminds us that meaningful reform will require more than a strongly worded statement.

If the Davis administration wishes to deliver on its promise of “Choosing Progress,” then acknowledging that a $20 million overtime bill is unsustainable is a first, small step.

Mandatory authorisation, monthly reviews, overtime caps and additional documentation are all reasonable reforms.

At the same time, the government must be careful not to allow this debate to deteriorate into a public confrontation with the very employees responsible for keeping the country’s electricity system functioning.

The Bahamian people need accountability.

They also need the lights to stay on.

Those two objectives are not mutually exclusive.

The truth is that consumers are far less interested in labour disputes, overtime policies and corporate restructuring than policymakers may realise.

They simply want an electricity system that works.

That remains the standard by which every decision at BPL, Bahamas Grid Company and the Ministry of Energy will ultimately be judged.

And until reliable power becomes the norm rather than the exception, every controversy, whether it involves outages, contracts or overtime, will continue to point to the same unavoidable conclusion: that the real problem is how BPL itself is managed.

CONCERNED CITIZEN Nassau, August 16, 2026

Reconstruction and recriminations EDITOR, The Tribune.

THE generations which ushered in the rapid development and phenomenal growth of the black and ‘poorer; white Conchy Joes, inclusive of most of us, thanks be to God, as a nation, we now need to cross over into The Promised Land.

The late great and deeply lamented, Sir Lynden Oscar Pindling, long time representative for South Andros back in the day, was a man of vision and the ability to convince the unwashed masses that the best days of our country were yet ahead of us, as they are, even to this very day, was unmatched.

Thanks largely to the former indomitable Rt Hon Hubert A Ingraham, we have emerged further along the long and winding road to national development. Brother Christie, God bless him, merely marked time to lay the embryonic

LETTERS letters@tribunemedia.net foundations for the then Hon. Philip ‘Brave’ Davis, M, QC, later KC, to become undisputed Leader of a unified PLP. Some stupid person ask the equally stupid question if the Hon Frederick Audley Mitchell (PLP=Fox Hill) is the power behind the throne, whatever that means, behind the so-called throne within the PLP. I do not ‘speak’ for Prime Minister Davis but I have held as I have long done, the position that Minister Mitchell is the ideological and pragmatic philosopher of the iconic PLP. He was the singular force behind the most outstanding success of the PLP, to date ate PLP. Allow me, post haste, to say, that for Minister

Mitchell to have secured a second, massive, consecutive term, effortlessly, for PM Davis and the PLP. No Other National PLP Chairman has Ever done that.

Now that the PLP is back in office, the PM should know exactly what has to be done. I will not go into all of the progressive proposals but we are in good hand.

To get out of the woods, I would urge the enlightened PM to remain, steadfast as we get out of the morass inherited from successive administrations over which he may have minimal input or say.

Recriminations and the Let us move to reconstruct The legacy issues, like BPL; W&S am of Yes Brother Mitchell Is the power behind the PLP throne and, yes, All I want is simply dow they qil x.

Jr

ORTLAND H BODIE, Nassau, August 13, 2026.

THE TRIBUNE

Monday, August 17, 2026, PAGE 7

Jury acquits man accused of setting his relatives on fire

By PAVEL BAILEY Tribune Staff Reporter pbailey@tribunemedia.net A MAN was acquitted on Friday of attempting to murder his grandmother and uncle after prosecutors accused him of setting them on fire during a heated dispute at Gibbs Corner in 2023.

Ricardo Richardson wept silently in the prisoner’s dock as an eight-member jury unanimously found him not guilty of two counts of attempted murder.

The jury also returned

not guilty verdicts on alternative charges of causing dangerous harm to each relative after deliberating for more than two hours.

Justice Guillimina Archer-Minns told Richardson he was free to go, provided he had no other matters before the court.

Richardson had been accused of setting fire to his uncle, Emile Humes, and his grandmother, the late Magnolia Moxey, then 74, following an argument on November 27, 2023.

He denied throwing gasoline on either relative,

claiming his uncle accidentally caught fire when gasoline ignited in mid-air.

Prosecutors maintained that Richardson deliberately doused his relatives with gasoline and set them on fire following an argument.

Mr Humes testified that his nephew set him on fire after the two argued over removing Richardson’s dogs from the yard of the house.

He said he had made a police complaint about the dogs and that his mother was afraid of them.

Mr Humes alleged

Richardson threw gasoline on him twice while his back was turned and he was near his mother on the family porch.

Richardson, however, claimed the argument concerned his grandmother being left by his uncle to live at the house, which he described as abandoned and in dire need of repair.

He told the jury that during the heated argument his uncle threatened to burn down the family home after Ms Moxey died.

Richardson claimed his uncle accidentally

set himself on fire while attempting to throw gasoline at him, saying the fuel and its canister ignited in mid-air. He said he avoided the flames by jumping back.

Richardson also claimed he rushed to his grandmother’s aid after his uncle, while ablaze, fell on her and caused her to catch fire. He said he used his shirt to put out the flames on Ms Moxey and took her to hospital.

Mr Humes suffered burns to 80 to 90 percent of his body and was placed in a medically induced coma for five weeks while being

treated.

Ms Moxey suffered burns to her hands, chest and legs.

Defence attorney Walton Bain argued in his closing address that the prosecution’s evidence was weak, vague and inconsistent.

Prosecutors countered that Richardson’s account was nonsensical and alleged he had constructed his version of events from evidence presented during the trial.

Tylah Murray, Khaula Reid and Cephia Pinder-Moss represented the prosecution.

Bail revoked for murder suspect Man accused of defrauding two after missing police check-ins women in fake apartment scheme

By PAVEL BAILEY Tribune Staff Reporter pbailey@tribunemedia.net A MAN awaiting trial for a 2021 fatal shooting on Second Street was remanded to prison after allegedly breaching his bail conditions for 77 days.

Prosecutors allege Vanton Sturrup, 25, failed to sign in at his local police

station for 77 days between February 13 and August 10.

Sturrup was on bail on pending charges of murder and attempted murder.

He is accused of the fatal shooting of Lucksom Veus and the attempted murder of Nelson Miller in Coconut Grove on December 2, 2021.

Sturrup pleaded not guilty to violating his bail

conditions before Magistrate Abigail Farrington.

The prosecutor objected to bail, citing the serious nature of the alleged offence and the risk to public safety.

Sturrup was denied bail and remanded to the Bahamas Department of Correctional Services.

He returns for trial on September 2.

54-YEAR-OLD MAN KILLED IN TRAFFIC ACCIDENT

By PAVEL BAILEY Tribune Staff Reporter pbailey@tribunemedia.net A 54-YEAR-OLD man died after a two-vehicle collision on Fox Hill Road South on Saturday night.

Police said the crash occurred shortly after 11pm and involved a burgundy 2002 Nissan March and a silver 2015 Nissan Note.

Officers and Emergency Medical Services personnel found the man unresponsive inside the Nissan March, which had extensive front-end damage.

EMS examined him and found no signs of life.

The Nissan Note also sustained extensive damage to its front end.

Its female driver was examined at the scene

before being taken to hospital for further treatment.

Police said their initial investigation indicates that the woman was travelling north on Fox Hill Road while the man was travelling south.

It is alleged that the male driver crossed over or deviated into the western lane, resulting in the collision.

The investigation is continuing.

CRUISE WORKER SUSPECTED SUICIDE ATTEMPT

By PAVEL BAILEY Tribune Staff Reporter pbailey@tribunemedia.net A 29-YEAR-OLD Kenyan man was hospitalised in serious condition on Saturday after allegedly ingesting a cleaning chemical aboard a cruise ship in a case of suspected suicide.

Police said they were alerted shortly after 12.30pm by a ship official that the man had allegedly swallowed a chemical

substance and needed medical attention.

Emergency Medical Services transported him to hospital, where police later spoke with the attending physician.

The man was admitted in a sedated condition and was unable to communicate.

Arrangements were being made to airlift him to the United States for further treatment.

According to the preliminary investigation, the man

had asked for a cleaning chemical, reportedly accessible from the kitchen area, to clean his work area.

The substance was provided to him in a plastic cup.

Police said he was seen vomiting shortly afterwards and required emergency medical attention.

Investigators processed the scene and identified the chemical substance suspected of being ingested.

The matter remains under investigation.

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By PAVEL BAILEY Tribune Staff Reporter pbailey@tribunemedia.net A MAN was accused on Friday of defrauding two women of $4,100 through an alleged fake apartment scheme last month.

Prosecutors allege Denar McKenzie, 40, defrauded Aliayh Albury of $2,000 by false pretences on July 9 in New Providence.

McKenzie is also accused

of defrauding Gwendolyn Hinds of $2,100 by false pretences on July 3.

He allegedly collected money from both women on the pretence that it would pay for an apartment that did not exist.

McKenzie pleaded not guilty to two counts of fraud by false pretences before Senior Magistrate Kendra Kelly Burrows.

Sergeant Vernon Pyfrom, the prosecutor, did not

object to bail but requested that conditions be imposed.

McKenzie was granted $5,000 bail with one or two sureties. Under the terms of his bail, he must sign in at the East Street South Police Station on the first Monday of every month.

He was warned not to interfere with witnesses or risk having his bail revoked.

McKenzie returns for trial on October 23. …

Jamaican man, 66, accused of assaulting 15-year-old girl

By PAVEL BAILEY Tribune Staff Reporter pbailey@tribunemedia.net A 66-YEAR-OLD man was accused on Friday of indecently assaulting a 15-year-old girl earlier this month.

Prosecutors allege Orville

Ramdas, of Jamaica, inappropriately rubbed between the girl’s legs on August 2 in New Providence.

Ramdas pleaded not guilty to indecent assault before Magistrate Abigail Farrington.

He was granted $7,000 bail with one or two

sureties. Under the terms of his bail, Ramdas must sign in at his local police station every Friday by 7pm.

He was also warned not to interfere with witnesses or risk having his bail revoked.

Ramdas returns for trial on November 25.

PAGE 8, Monday, August 17, 2026

THE TRIBUNE

PM opens renovated social services hub for thousands

By LYNAIRE MUNNINGS Tribune Staff Reporter lmunnings@tribunemedia.net MORE than 4,000 people who rely on government assistance will be able to access Social Services, gender and family affairs, temporary shelter services and the Protection Against Violence Commission from one renovated Horseshoe Drive facility.

Prime Minister Philip “Brave” Davis on Friday officially commissioned the V B Munnings Building, now home to the Department of Social Services, Department of Gender and Family Affairs, Temporary Shelter Unit and Protection Against Violence Commission.

The cost of renovating the building, which has served New Providence residents for more than four decades, was not disclosed.

The centre will provide assistance including food, shelter, burial and rent support through ProMIS, while bringing several agencies serving vulnerable residents

under one roof.

Mr Davis said the centre serves people during some of the most difficult periods of their lives, including mothers seeking help to feed their families, people with disabilities, families facing housing problems and young people in need of support.

He said the Davis administration’s investment in Social Services was intended to create a system that helps people through difficult circumstances, provides stability and enables them to move forward.

“Our work remains guided by one principle,” Mr Davis said, “a government, at its best, should meet people where they are, and help them get where they should and wish to be.”

The Prime Minister said placing the agencies in the renovated facility would allow government services to be more coordinated and responsive.

He highlighted ProMIS, which allows people to apply for social assistance, and the National School

PRIME Minister Philip ‘Brave’ Davis along with Social Services Minister Barbara Cartwright cut the ribbon on Social Services new VB Munnings Building on Horseshoe Drive, joined by other govt ministers and officials.

Photos: Nikia Charlton Breakfast Programme.

He also referred to proposed amendments to the Persons with Disabilities Equal Opportunities Act and the work of the Protection Against Violence

Commission under the Protection Against Violence Act 2023.

Social Services Minister Barbara Cartwright said the renovation was part of a broader effort to improve

the ministry’s facilities, operations and delivery of services.

“Yes, it is a newly renovated building,” Ms Cartwright said, “but the steps towards today have been intentional and deliberate.”

She said the ministry had reviewed and reorganised its operations and retrained staff in preparation for the centre’s opening.

Ms Cartwright said representatives from the Tony Blair Institute and Sheltering Tree Consultants assisted the ministry with its transition and staff training.

She said the Department of Social Services would continue upgrading its facilities throughout the country and introduce new technology and workflows intended to make interactions with government more seamless.

The renovated building will also become the permanent home of the Protection Against Violence Commission, chaired by Marissa Mason Smith.

“The Commission’s work has started,” Ms Cartwright said, “and – now it has a home.”

She also credited former Social Services Minister Myles LaRoda with recognising the need to improve the facility for both members of the public and the public servants who work there.

To advertise in The Tribune, contact 502-2394 NOTICE OF APPLICATION (pursuant to section 23 of the Natural Gas Act, 10 of 2024, Statute Laws of The Bahamas) NOTICE is hereby given that RenugenPro Ltd. has made applications to the Utilities Regulation and Competition Authority (“URCA”) for licenses to: import liquefied natural gas (“LNG”) (commercial) and operate LNG terminals. The applications are made with the object of licensing and regulation of the Applicant’s activities for the import of LNG and the operation of LNG Regasification Terminals at (1) Cat Island (2) San Salvador and (3) Long Island. The applications can be inspected by appointment at the Applicant’s oSice at No. 138 Robinson Road, New Providence, The Bahamas. Any objections to the applications must be made on or before the 25th September, 2026 and shall be made by ASidavit and solemn declaration to be submitted exclusively to URCA’s oSice located at Frederick Street, Nassau, New Providence, The Bahamas.

Dated the 17th day of August, 2026 Italia C. Chambers Attorney for the Applicant No. 36 Nassau Street New Providence, The Bahamas

PAGE 14, Monday, August 17, 2026

THE TRIBUNE

World News

Ukraine launches one of its largest aerial attacks of the war, killing at least 6 people in Russia Associated Press UKRAINE launched hundreds of drones across Russia on Sunday, killing at least six people in one of Kyiv’s largest aerial attacks of the war.

Kyiv has stepped up its attacks on Russia this year, with longrange missiles and swarms of drones targeting military industries and energy facilities. It has also increasingly pummelled giant Wildberries depots, burning billions of dollars’ worth of merchandise belonging to the Russian online retail giant.

Those attacks have brought the war home to the Russian public nearly 4½ years into Moscow’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

Meanwhile, Ukraine also came under Russian attack, with drone strikes destroying homes and torching Kyiv’s landmark book market.

Russia’s Ministry of Defense said it had destroyed 822 Ukrainian drones overnight.

Some 600 drones were detected headed toward the Russian capital, Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin said, with a third of those destroyed over the Moscow region itself.

An 83-year-old man was killed after a Ukrainian drone hit a private home in the Moscow region, local Gov. Andrey Vorobyov said. He also confirmed that a Ukrainian attack had sparked a blaze at a Wildberries warehouse in the town of Podolsk.

A drone attack targeted three towns in Russia’s southwestern Rostov region, killing five people, local Gov. Yury Slyusar said. The attack, with more than 150 drones, damaged several homes and a railway station and sparked a forest fire.

Russian strikes kill 5 in Ukraine A Russian missile attack on Ukraine’s Kryvyi Rih killed

FIREFIGHTERS try to put out a fire at a city book market following a Russian missile attack in Kyiv, Ukraine, early yesterday.

Photo: Francisco Seco/AP two people and wounded 14 others, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy wrote on social media Sunday. He also said that one more person had been killed in the city of Sumy.

ArcelorMittal Kryvyi Rih, Ukraine’s largest steel producer, confirmed that one of its sites had been hit in a missile attack and that operations had been partially suspended.

Elsewhere, a man and a woman died when their home was hit by a Russian strike in Ukraine’s southern Zaporizhzhia region, said Ivan Fedorov, the head of the local military administration.

Russian attacks also sparked fires throughout the Ukrainian capital, Kyiv, wounding six

people. A blaze took hold at one of the city’s largest book markets, tearing through kiosks huddled close to the Pochaina metro station. Firefighters fought back the flames, which sent plumes of black smoke across the capital, and picked their way through rubble where the market’s crowded pavilions once stood.

“Wherever the Russians can reach with their ballistic missiles, they strike civilian infrastructure,” Zelenskyy said.

Russia’s Ministry of Defense said Sunday that it had targeted a metallurgical plant in Kryvyi Rih and several military-industrial sites in Kyiv, including a manufacturing facility for Ukraine’s Flamingo missiles.

The domestically produced missiles are increasingly key to Ukraine’s long-range attacks on Russia, with Zelenskyy announcing Saturday that Kyiv had used the weapons to attack a rocket research and production centre in Samara approximately 900 kilometres (560 miles) from the Ukrainian border.

NATO jet downs drone in Romanian airspace Romania’s Ministry of National Defense said Sunday that a Spanish Air and Space Force F-18 fighter jet shot down a drone that had entered Romanian airspace.

The drone’s entry into the NATO member’s airspace was detected by surveillance

systems at 4:44 a.m., the ministry said, about 24 kilometres (14.9 miles) north of the eastern city of Galati near the border with neighbouring Moldova. Moldova is a landlocked country between Ukraine and Romania.

A Spanish F-18 aircraft that was performing air policing duties “made radar contact with the target and received engagement approval,” the ministry said. “The drone was safely shot down by the F-18 aircraft at 05:01.”

The ministry later said that drone debris was also reported in the Black Sea around 10 a.m. on Sunday, about 1.5 kilometres (0.9 miles) from the coastal city of Constanta. Separately, another drone fragment was found on Sunday 1 nautical mile (1.85 kilometres) from Constanta.

Romanian officials did not specify the drone’s origin.

However, Moldova’s Ministry of Defense said Sunday that its Army surveillance systems had detected a Geran-type Shahed drone in Moldovan airspace, which entered from Ukraine and exited toward Romania.

The spate of drone incidents comes weeks after Romanian pilots shot down three drones over three days as Russia intensified attacks against Ukraine near the border. Since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, Romania has reported dozens of drone incidents, including some that have crashed and exploded on its territory.

Acting Foreign Minister Oana Toiu said in a post on X that the Spanish deployment in Romania was scaled up “at the request of Romania and NATO to bolster the Eastern Flank following prior drone incidents,” and that it was Spain’s fourth such deployment.

THE TRIBUNE

Royal Bahamas Police Force Career Fair

THE ROYAL Bahama Police force held a career fair on Saturday at the Police Training College for the public to learn about various career paths available with the RBPF. Photos: Chappell Whyms Jr

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Monday, August 17, 2026, PAGE 15