08192026 NEWS

CARS! CARS!

PUZZLER

WEDNESDAY

HIGH 92ºF LOW 82ºF

The Tribune L AT E S T

N E W S

CLASSIFIEDS TRADER

O N

T R I B U N E 2 4 2 . C O M

Biggest And Best!

Volume: 123 No. 184, Wednesday, August 19, 2026

THE PEOPLE’S PAPER: PRICE–$1

DON’T MAKE UNION BPL ‘WHIPPING BOYS’ BEWU head says no need to defend 90-hour overtime over four days

By KEILE CAMPBELL Tribune Staff Reporter kcampbell@tribunemedia.net BAHAMAS Electrical Workers Union president Kyle Wilson yesterday stopped an employee from explaining a 90-hour Christmas overtime record at Bahamas Power and Light, as he accused executive chairman Christina Alston of trying to make workers “whipping boys” for what he described as leadership failures at the company.

He insisted workers should not have to defend

BAHAMAS Electrical Workers Union president Kyle Wilson.

payments that passed through multiple levels of management approval.

Shop steward Wellington Porter, put on a week-long suspension for alleged gross misconduct, had begun attributing the extraordinary hours worked over Christmas to overlapping fuel operations involving an ocean tanker, coastal tankers and continuing fuel transfers when union president Kyle Wilson interrupted him.

“It was authorised and paid by multiple managers, UNION - SEE PAGE THREE

FAMILY MOURNS SLAIN TEACHER Relatives reject false AS ATTACKERS REMAIN FREE reports of mom’s death

By LEANDRA ROLLE Tribune Chief Reporter lrolle@tribunemedia.net

JILLIAN PINDER

THE family of murdered primary school teacher Jillian Pinder used her funeral on Friday to remember a devoted educator, loyal friend and woman of faith whose final days were

marked by gratitude even as questions surrounding her brutal stabbing remain unanswered.

Ms Pinder, 56, died on July 13, more than a month after she was attacked on June 4 by two men who allegedly held her at FUNERAL - SEE PAGE TWO

By LYNAIRE MUNNINGS Tribune Staff Reporter lmunnings@tribunemedia.net KATRINA Kelly’s family yesterday rejected a series of false reports circulating about the missing Eleuthera woman, including claims that her body had been found shot and

badly burned, as search efforts continued and relatives maintained hope that she would be found alive.

Keith Kelly, Ms Kelly’s uncle, said the family had received several unverified reports, including claims that her body had SEARCH - SEE PAGE FIVE

GOVT VOWS ‘FIRM RESPONSE’ TO TACKLE STRAY DOG CRISIS

By EARYEL BOWLEG Tribune Staff Reporter ebowleg@tribunemedia.net THE Ministry of Agriculture and Marine Resources is preparing to unveil what Minister Jomo Campbell described as a “hard and firm physical response” to the country’s stray dog problem, with measures also targeting illegal

backyard breeding and unlicensed pet ownership.

Mr Campbell said the ministry had already been working with the Bahamas Alliance for Animal Rights and Kindness, the Bahamas Humane Society and other stakeholders before the most recent dog attack.

He said the Animal STRAYS - SEE PAGE FOUR

A STRAY dog seen in Nassau.

Nassau & Bahama Islands’ Leading Newspaper

KATRINA KELLY

PAGE 2, Wednesday, August 19, 2026

THE TRIBUNE

Family seeks justice for slain teacher Jillian Pinder FUNERAL from page one knifepoint, told her that someone close to her owed them money and took her to an unknown location.

She was stabbed in the throat and left there, but later managed to drive into another vehicle, whose occupants helped her.

Ms Pinder was admitted to the intensive care unit, later discharged and then readmitted before she died.

No one has been arrested or charged in connection with the attack.

At her funeral, relatives and friends reflected on the woman they knew while the circumstances of her death

continued to hang over the family.

Her niece, Anna Capron, recalled Pinder’s concern for her relatives even while she was in hospital.

“Towards the end, even while she was in the hospital, she was thinking about family,” Ms Capron said. “She was so grateful for everyone that showed up for her. She said to me specifically, ‘Tell the family thanks.’”

Ms Capron said her aunt was the fun-loving relative who was always present and created lasting memories with her family.

“So, my dear family,” she said, “if Auntie Jill never got the chance to tell you

herself how grateful she was, know that she was grateful for each and every one of us.”

The attack has prompted continuing calls from relatives for those responsible to be brought to justice.

Pinder’s older sister, Judith Rahming, appealed publicly last month for answers.

“Lord, we are asking You for justice,” Ms Rahming wrote in a Facebook post.

“We pray that You would reveal everything hidden in darkness. Give investigators, our family, or someone out there a sign - something that leads to the truth and to the person responsible.”

Charliese Bevans,

FUNERAL held for slain teacher Jillian Pinder at Bahamas Harvest Church.

Pinder’s longtime best friend, tearfully reflected on a friendship spanning five decades and the mischievous experiences they shared as children.

She described Pinder as strong, protective and fiercely loyal.

Ms Bevans said her friend often remarked that although she had family, she had only a small number of people she considered trusted friends.

“I am humbled and I am

grateful to have been one of them,” Ms Bevans said.

She said Pinder found joy in simple expressions of affection and valued thoughtful gifts more than flashy possessions.

Relatives also remembered her dedication to her students at TG Glover Primary School and the role she played in her church community.

Keisha Taylor, Bahamas Harvest Small Group Sisters director, said Pinder

was more than a member of the group and had become a spiritual sister who played an important role in its life.

“She brought something different too our small group,” Ms Taylor said.

“She brought quietness, gentleness. She brought a different perspective.”

Ms Taylor described her as an intentional listener who could be counted on to show up when she was needed.

JILLIAN Pinder’s niece speaks at her funeral yesterday.

Charliese Bevans, Pinder’s longtime best friend tearfully reflects on their over five-decade friendship.

Scotiabank promises new ATMs amid Exuma cash access crisis SCOTIABANK says it is working with a telecommunications provider to make alternative cash machines available in Exuma after public access to its ATM at Sandals Emerald Bay was restricted, compounding months of complaints about limited banking access on the island.

The bank said it is also in discussions with its partner at Sandals Emerald Bay in an effort to reach a resolution over access to the machine.

The statement comes days after Exuma and Ragged Island MP Chester Cooper warned commercial banks over the deterioration of banking access on Family Islands and said he had been in direct discussions with Scotiabank chief executive Roger Archer about persistent ATM problems in Exuma.

Residents have faced sharply reduced access to cash after Sandals Emerald Bay restricted public use of the Scotiabank ATM on its property, while two other Scotiabank machines on Exuma had reportedly

been out of service for months.

Scotiabank yesterday acknowledged the notice restricting access to its machine at the resort.

“A local telecommunications provider is assisting with efforts to make alternative machines available and provide clients with broader access to our banking services,” the bank said.

Scotiabank did not identify the telecommunications provider, specify where the alternative machines would be located or say when they would become available.

It said it was also “actively engaging its partner to reach a mutually agreeable resolution as quickly as possible”.

Mr Cooper said last week that he had been assured by Scotiabank that the problems with its ATM network on Exuma would receive attention.

His intervention came amid broader concerns about the retreat of commercial banking services from Family Islands and the dependence of residents and businesses on a

small number of functioning cash machines.

The latest difficulty intensified when Sandals Emerald Bay moved to restrict public access to the ATM on its property. Exuma residents had already complained that Scotiabank’s two other machines on the island had been out of service for months.

The loss of easy access to the Sandals machine therefore further narrowed the options available to residents seeking cash.

Mr Cooper has previously pressed commercial banks over Family Island access and said discussions with Scotiabank were aimed at addressing the ongoing service problems in Exuma.

Scotiabank said it remained committed to providing convenient and reliable banking services through its nationwide ATM network.

“We regret any inconvenience caused,” the bank said, “and will continue to keep clients informed as the situation progresses.”

THE TRIBUNE

Wednesday, August 19, 2026, PAGE 3

Union boss silences worker over 90-hour BPL overtime record UNION from page one including Mr Davis, the director for energy supply,” Mr Wilson said.

When Mr Porter was pressed for further clarity about the 90 hours, Mr Wilson stopped him again.

“Porter, it’s not your job to defend your job. Stop defending your job,” Mr Wilson said. “Let them say you are a criminal.”

The records obtained by The Tribune do not identify Mr Porter as the employee who recorded the 90 hours over four consecutive days during Christmas week.

He was questioned about the entry during yesterday’s press conference as the union defended workers caught up in scrutiny of BPL’s overtime practices.

The exchange came as the union condemned BPL’s week-long suspension of Mr Porter, saying neither his suspension letter nor company officials explained the allegation or identified who was conducting the investigation.

“They can’t tell us who’s doing this investigation or what is going on with this investigation,” Mr Wilson said outside BPL headquarters after union executives met company officials.

“To me, this is all a corrupt deal,” he said, accusing BPL executive chairman Christina Alston of trying to make the union and workers “whipping boys” for what he described as leadership failures at the company.

Mr Wilson said union executives met BPL chief executive officer Toni

BEWU PRESIDENT KYLE WILSON Seymour, who issued Mr Porter with the suspension letter. Mr Porter said he had been ordered to attend the meeting to receive it.

Neither BPL nor the union disclosed what conduct was under investigation, although much of yesterday’s press conference focused on Mr Porter’s overtime. It was also unclear whether his suspension was with or without pay. Privately, sources confirmed to The Tribune that the suspension was related to the overtime issue.

The suspension comes amid intense scrutiny of BPL’s overtime practices after internal records obtained by The Tribune showed that three employees in the Fuel and Performance Department received a combined $601,295.16 in overtime between May 2025 and April 2026.

Two employees received more than $200,000 each, while individual monthly overtime payments

exceeded $20,000. One record showed an employee recorded as working 90 hours over four consecutive days during Christmas week.

The findings prompted BPL’s board to tighten overtime controls. The union subsequently instructed members to work only their normal hours, alleging the new policy had not been discussed with or shown to it and breached its industrial agreement.

The government previously described BPL’s annual overtime bill, which was approaching $20m, as unsustainable and said a review had identified unusual patterns and anomalies.

It said the new controls were not intended to prevent legitimate overtime or deny employees compensation, but to ensure the work was necessary, properly authorised and fully documented. It also said action would be taken against any employee, manager or director found responsible

for wrongdoing, negligence or failed oversight.

Mr Wilson yesterday called the focus on overtime and the action against Mr Porter a “red herring”, alleging workers were being used to divert attention from BPL’s operational and leadership problems.

He further claimed the controversy was intended to provoke the union into taking action that could then be blamed for electricity disruptions.

Mr Wilson insisted employees could not receive overtime payments without management approval and called on Director of Energy Supply Jeffrey Davis and other senior officials to explain their roles in the process.

“So if we are the crooks, then they are the getaway drivers, all in the same boat,” Mr Wilson said. “Why is Mr Porter and others being made whipping boys for the malfeasance taking place here?”

“He didn’t benefit from any scheme. He worked his hours,” Mr Wilson said of Mr Porter.

He said overtime payments passed through three to five levels of approval before reaching an employee and argued that any investigation into alleged malfeasance should extend to officials at the directorship level.

To date, BPL officials have not responded to The Tribune’s repeated requests for information about why the overtime was approved and by whom.

Mr Porter said his work in Fuel Performance and Special Projects involved

receiving fuel, transferring fuel from Clifton Pier to Blue Hills and dealing with ocean and Family Island tankers.

He said overlapping operations could continue for several days, particularly when workers had to manage tanker deliveries while transferring fuel elsewhere.

Mr Porter also alleged that he previously asked Mr Davis whether he should stop transferring fuel because of management concerns about long hours and overtime.

According to Mr Porter, Mr Davis told him he could not stop and had to continue pumping. Mr Porter said he asked for the instruction in writing, but Mr Davis declined.

Mr Wilson also called on BPL chief operating officer Anthony Christie to address the controversy, saying Mr Christie previously managed the department and would have been familiar with its operations and overtime practices.

The union president criticised Prime Minister Philip Davis’s national address on Monday, saying it failed to address what he alleged were continuing data breaches at BPL and across the government sector.

Mr Wilson said the Prime Minister had previously raised overtime concerns with him privately and that he had offered to help the government reduce the payments. He said he made a similar offer to Economic Affairs Minister Jerome Fitzgerald and invited him to tour the power plant to examine how operations

could be streamlined.

Mr Wilson also called for independent auditors to investigate his allegation that third-party contractors had received duplicate payments from BPL, saying the matter had been reported to the company’s auditing department.

He did not identify the contractors, amounts or transactions involved.

Mr Wilson further alleged that Mr Porter had signed a document as a witness in a bribery matter and that people named in the document were subsequently targeted.

He did not identify who allegedly offered or received a bribe, when the matter was reported or the status of any investigation.

No documents supporting the allegations were presented during the press conference.

Mr Wilson did not announce industrial action, saying the union preferred to use the Department of Labour, the courts and conciliation to resolve disputes.

BEWU previously filed a formal trade dispute over the overtime policy.

Although Mr Wilson denied that the union would deliberately disrupt electricity supplies, he did not rule out mobilising members if BPL continued to refuse negotiations.

BPL was contacted for responses concerning the reason for Mr Porter’s suspension, the management officials who authorised the disputed overtime and the union’s allegations of retaliation. No response was received up to press time.

FNM leader blames government MUNROE HITS BACK AT CARICOM CALL FOR CAMPAIGN FINANCE LAWS for $600k BPL overtime payouts

By LEANDRA ROLLE Tribune Chief Reporter lrolle@tribunemedia.net ATTORNEY General Wayne Munroe yesterday pushed back against calls for swift campaign finance reform, saying the administration must first determine what Bahamians want from such legislation and whether proposed restrictions would withstand constitutional scrutiny.

He questioned whether the public wants limits on individual political donations, greater transparency over the identity of donors, or equal spending limits supported by government funding.

His comments came after CARICOM election observers renewed calls for political parties to disclose their funding sources, limits to be placed on campaign spending and effective penalties established for vote buying and misuse of state resources.

The recommendations are contained in CARICOM’s final report on the May 12 general election, which also called for the Parliamentary Registration Department to be converted into an independent election management body.

Campaign finance reform has repeatedly been promised by the major political parties but never implemented. The Davis administration had said campaign finance reform was not a priority during its first term.

Mr Munroe said that after becoming attorney general, he asked what consultations had been carried out and whether anyone had first determined what type of campaign finance regime Bahamians wanted.

“You just don't come and say ‘let's grab some campaign finance laws’,” Mr Munroe said. “So if I

grab the part from the US and say we're limiting how much you can give the political party and well, oh goodness, this isn't constitutional and what is it that Bahamian people want with regard campaign finance?”

Referring to greater transparency over the identity of donors, individual political donations and equal spending limits, he said: “All of those are different things you can say. Whatever it is you come up with, the people in law reform and revision, they have to look at it and say, is this constitutional? If it is, yes, then we can structure this.”

Asked whether he would support foreigners being allowed to donate to political parties, Mr Munroe said the issue would also have to be examined against the Constitution.

“The question would be: Is there any discrimination between foreign and domestic?” he said. “The US Constitution may have discrimination between foreign and domestic and all of that, the drafters would look into when they determine whether we can do this in the Parliament with our constitution as it is.”

“If the answer is no,” Mr Munroe said, “then of course…you could do a constitutional referendum and be able to pass the law.”

CARICOM also recorded stakeholders’ allegations of vote buying and recommended effective penalties for vote buying and the misuse of state resources.

Mr Munroe disputed any suggestion that the country lacks penalties for vote buying, saying existing law already covers offences including treating.

“There is a real penalty called jail,” he said, “and you're disqualified from being a member of parliament, and you disqualified

from running. That's the law now but they seem to say that there is no law.”

CARICOM also recorded concerns surrounding the voters’ register and advanced polling, which some stakeholders viewed as deliberate efforts to influence the election in favour of the incumbent.

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

Mr Munroe questioned whether such a recommendation should rest on stakeholder perceptions rather than identified deficiencies.

“I have to go and read this report now,” he said, “because it doesn't sound as if they actually actually looked at primary facts. It seems as if they talked to stakeholders and said the stakeholders formed this view, so you should do this in response to it.”

Parliamentary Commissioner Harrison Thompson, however, welcomed the recommendation for greater independence, saying the issue has already been under consideration.

Mr Thompson told The Tribune that the department has been considering a proposed Electoral Commission bill since 2024 that would make it fully independent and said he hoped the process would be finalised.

He said the department already operates with some degree of independence, but the proposed legislation could address concerns about possible undue political influence.

“We have no difficulty with an independent parliamentary registration department,” Mr Thompson said. “We support that.”

To advertise in The Tribune, contact 502-2394

By RASHAD ROLLE Tribune News Editor rrolle@tribunemedia.net OPPOSITION Leader Michael Pintard last night accused Prime Minister Philip Davis of trying to distract Bahamians from the electricity crisis with revelations about extraordinary overtime payments at Bahamas Power and Light, saying the administration itself must answer for who authorised the spending.

Responding to Mr Davis’s national address on Monday, Mr Pintard dismissed the Prime Minister’s focus on BPL’s nearly $20m annual overtime bill as a “despicable distraction” and challenged him to account for persistent outages after almost five years in office.

Mr Davis had highlighted three employees in one BPL department who collectively received more than $600,000 in overtime over 12 months, including one record showing an employee claiming 18 hours on Christmas Day and 24 hours on each of the following three days. He announced tighter overtime controls, including greater scrutiny when a technical employee’s overtime exceeds 30 percent of base salary.

But Mr Pintard said management, the BPL board and executives appointed under the Davis administration were ultimately responsible for approving overtime.

“The question is: if there are problems with scheduling, whose responsibility is it,” Mr Pintard said, “and what penalties are going to be put in place to make sure that they do their job? Who will be held accountable?”

He said the overtime controversy was being used to divert attention from unreliable electricity supplies, the cost of living, wages and other issues.

“Even the overtime complaint — it’s framed like a crisis by the Prime Minister,” Mr Pintard said. “This is a despicable distraction.”

Mr Davis used Monday’s address to defend

FNM LEADER MICHAEL PINTARD

his administration’s energy reforms and lay out a timetable for generation and grid improvements. He said BPL’s system had been inherited in severe financial and physical distress and warned that outages would not disappear immediately while ageing infrastructure is replaced. He also outlined plans to reduce dependence on rental generation, bring liquefied natural gas into the energy mix and strengthen oversight of BPL spending.

Mr Pintard said Bahamians instead needed firm answers about when service would improve and who would be responsible for delivering those improvements.

“What exactly will Bahamians see at the end of this energy reform?” he asked.

“Because right now, what they are seeing are promises of improved service, but extended blackouts.”

He pointed to outages in Grand Cay, Abaco, Eleuthera, New Providence and other islands and said the consequences extended beyond inconvenience for people who rely on refrigeration for medication or electricity-powered medical equipment.

Mr Pintard also questioned the results of what he described as more than $430m spent on electrical infrastructure over the past three years.

“Where has the money gone,” he asked, “and why

are the results worse, not better?”

The Opposition leader seized on Mr Davis’s declaration that “the buck stops with me”, arguing that it also meant accepting responsibility for BPL’s condition.

Mr Pintard said Mr Davis had held direct responsibility connected to BPL either as prime minister or deputy prime minister for close to 14 years.

“If the buck truly stops with him,” he said, “so does the responsibility for the mess that BPL is in.”

Mr Pintard also ridiculed the timing of an outage during the Prime Minister’s address, saying the lights went out before Mr Davis finished speaking about energy reform.

“That moment captures what so many Bahamians feel every single day,” he said, “the frustration, the helplessness, and the loss of confidence across our country.”

Mr Davis had said the reforms represented the most difficult infrastructure challenge The Bahamas had confronted in 50 years of independence and argued that the objective was a more reliable and less expensive electricity system capable of supporting economic growth.

Mr Pintard rejected the administration’s assurances.

“You are in the chair,” he said. “Fix it.”

Govt to unveil new measures targeting illegal dog breeders PAGE 4, Wednesday, August 19, 2026

STRAYS from page one Control Board met as recently as Monday as officials continue work on what he described as a “plague of stray dogs”.

“In the very near future, I think as early as next week,” Mr Campbell said, “we will be inviting the press back to the ministry, not for speeches, but to show them exactly what tangible work has been done.”

He declined to disclose details of the initiative ahead of its announcement but said the ministry was taking firm steps.

“We will be in a position to present to you our hard and firm physical response to not just the stray dog attacks,” Mr Campbell said, “but to the illegal backyard breeding, unlicensed pet ownership, and the whole gamut that surrounds animals and animal control in the country.”

He said the ministry was working to modernise and overhaul the sector.

Mr Campbell thanked staff in the Animal Control

Unit and other stakeholders involved in the effort, including the Bahamas Humane Society, BAARK and the Royal Bahamas Police Force.

He said the forthcoming initiative would amount to a combined response that “actually has teeth”.

“We’ll be taking steps to be able to actually hold persons physically accountable,” Mr Campbell said, “for the mishandling of pets that causes this plague of stray dog attacks.”

The comments come after a series of serious dog attacks.

Nine-year-old American Beau Brattain was mauled about 100 times by dogs while holidaying in Bimini.

His relatives later launched a GoFundMe campaign to help cover medical care, rehabilitation, travel and other recovery expenses.

Ms Trelles said the family may need between $2m and $4m for his medical expenses, depending on the extent of therapy and reconstructive

THE TRIBUNE

AGRICULTURE and Marine Resources Minister Jomo Campbell treatment required.

Dog owner Harrington Rolle was subsequently charged in connection with the attack and sentenced to 12 months in prison.

Rolle, 34, admitted charges of negligently causing grievous harm, permitting a dangerous dog to be at large, and being the owner of a dangerous out-of-control dog that caused harm to a person in a public place at his arraignment before Acting Chief Magistrate Ancella Evans in New

PAC PROBES $663,000 IN NO-BID PRE-ELECTION VOUCHER CONTRACTS THE Public Accounts Committee has questioned representatives of two companies as it presses ahead with an investigation into more than $663,000 in no-bid building material voucher contracts awarded by the Davis administration shortly before the May 12 general election.

Representatives of Premier Importers and Contractors’ Direct, which operates several entities including Do it Centre in Grand Bahama, have appeared before the committee as it examines how the vouchers were procured, distributed and financed.

According to the April 2026 public procurement report, the two contracts were worth a combined $663,436.99 and were awarded without competitive bidding.

The Free National Movement said in a statement yesterday that the

committee met again as part of its continuing review of the administration’s role in financing what the party described as an “eye-popping number” of pre-election vouchers.

Contractors’ Direct has already submitted much of the documentation requested by the committee, while Premier Importers has been asked to provide outstanding documents needed for the review.

The PAC has also received evidence from John Nixon, the government consultant responsible for procuring the vouchers.

The FNM said details of Mr Nixon’s evidence could not be publicly disclosed at this stage.

The committee is expected to recall Chief Procurement Officer Carl Oliver for further questioning.

Financial Secretary Simon Wilson is also scheduled to appear,

along with another senior government official who received vouchers.

The investigation is expected to examine whether proper procurement procedures were followed in the awarding of the contracts and how the vouchers were ultimately distributed and financed.

The FNM said the committee remained grateful for the cooperation of witnesses who have appeared and supplied information as it works through the evidence.

It said the PAC ultimately intends to produce a comprehensive report for the public.

The committee comprises Marco City MP Michael Pintard, East Grand Bahama MP Kwasi Thompson, Killarney MP Michela Barnett-Ellis, Nassau Village MP Jamal Strachan and West Grand Bahama MP Kingsley Smith.

To advertise in The Tribune, contact 502-2394 GENERAL MANAGER DESIGNATE A supervised financial institution is seeking to employ a suitably qualified and experienced professional for the position of General Manager – Designate.

The successful candidate will work alongside the current General Manager for a period before formally assuming the position. Please visit PWCCUL.com for the full Job Description, including the responsibilities and qualification requirements. Applications should be submitted to board@pwccul.com no later than 5:00 pm, Friday August 21, 2026.

Only shortlisted applicants will be contacted.

POTCAKES roam a street in New Providence.

Providence.

Last month, 66-year-old Kemp Road resident Don Smith was hospitalised

after being mauled by a pack of dogs.

His daughter, Carmetta Butler, said he was

crossing the road when he encountered a group of about ten dogs, allegedly including four pit bulls.

Nightclub owner held liable for security guard assault

By RASHAD ROLLE Tribune News Editor rrolle@tribunemedia.net A HARBOUR Island nightclub owner has been held liable for an assault by his security officers that left a patron with a serious hip injury requiring replacement surgery, after the defence presented no evidence and took no further part in the trial.

Justice Cheryl Bazard KC ruled that Devon Sawyer, proprietor of Daddy D’s Nightclub, was vicariously liable for the unlawful assault on Hudson McClean on February 19, 2022.

Mr McClean suffered a right transcervical neck of femur fracture and later developed post-traumatic osteoarthritis. An orthopaedic surgeon told the Supreme Court that he now requires a total hip replacement to regain functional movement without pain.

Although Mr McClean succeeded on liability, the court rejected much of a $290,000 special damages claim because receipts, invoices or other documentary evidence did not support expenses and past lost earnings.

The Registrar will assess damages for his injuries, future hip replacement and loss of future earnings.

The court also awarded Mr McClean his legal costs.

The case arose after Mr McClean visited Daddy D’s while socialising with two American visitors he had met earlier that evening.

According to his evidence, he was standing at the bar speaking with Sawyer when two security guards approached him from behind. He recalled being struck from behind by one of the guards and later waking on the ground outside the nightclub in severe pain.

He was subsequently taken from Eleuthera to New Providence and treated at Princess Margaret Hospital, where an X-ray revealed the fracture.

Mr Sawyer had denied the allegations in his defence, claiming Mr McClean was the initial aggressor and that Mr Sawyer acted in self-defence after Mr McClean allegedly wielded a weapon in an attempt to strike him.

The defence also maintained that security officers never physically attacked Mr McClean and were merely attempting to separate the men and prevent the confrontation from escalating.

Mr Sawyer claimed Mr

McClean's behaviour was fuelled by excessive alcohol consumption and alleged that he later sought a $40,000 settlement over the incident.

But none of those assertions was supported by evidence at the trial.

Mr Sawyer's attorney, Devard Francis, appeared at the November 11 hearing without his client or witnesses and informed the court that he had not prepared skeleton arguments.

He subsequently left after the court advised that the trial would continue.

As a result, Mr McClean and his witnesses gave evidence without cross-examination, and no evidence was called for Mr Sawyer.

Justice Bazard stressed that Mr Sawyer's absence did not automatically entitle Mr McClean to judgment and that the court was still required to scrutinise his evidence and determine whether he had proved his case on the balance of probabilities.

She ultimately accepted Mr McClean's account.

The judge found that the men who assaulted him were employed as security officers at Daddy D’s and that their duties included maintaining order, controlling patrons and intervening in disturbances.

Applying the legal test for vicarious liability, she found that the assault was sufficiently connected to the activities Mr Sawyer had assigned to the security officers.

Justice Bazard found on the balance of probabilities that the nightclub's security personnel unlawfully assaulted Mr McClean and that Mr Sawyer was legally responsible for their conduct.

The court also considered Mr Sawyer's earlier criminal conviction arising from the incident.

A certificate of conviction showed that Sawyer was arraigned in Magistrate's Court in April 2022 on a causing harm charge.

He initially pleaded not guilty but changed his plea in October 2022 during a summary trial and was convicted.

He was fined $500 or faced six months in prison in default. The fine was paid.

Justice Bazard said the conviction did not itself determine the civil case because the criminal prosecution and civil proceedings involved different causes of action and legal issues.

Liability in the civil proceedings therefore had to

be decided on the evidence placed before the Supreme Court.

Dr Carlton Chambers, a consultant orthopaedic surgeon at Princess Margaret Hospital, testified that he treated Mr McClean after the incident and recommended a total hip replacement.

Dr Chambers said the surface of the hip socket was worn out and that without surgery Mr McClean would not regain functional movement without pain.

The judge accepted that the assault caused the injury and the subsequent need for replacement surgery. She said Mr McClean had suffered a significant right hip injury and continued to experience reduced mobility.

Mr McClean had sought $290,000 in special damages, including $5,000 for an air ambulance, $45,500 for home care, an estimated $80,000 for hip replacement surgery and $155,000 for lost earnings.

However, Justice Bazard said special damages must be strictly proved.

The air ambulance claim was rejected because no proof of payment was produced. Although the court accepted that Mr McClean had received care from his grand aunt while recovering, the claimed home-care costs were also rejected because there were no receipts, invoices or payment records.

The court similarly rejected his claim for $155,000 in past lost earnings because there was no documentary evidence establishing what he earned before the assault.

Mr McClean testified that he had worked intermittently building cabinets and installing tiles.

Justice Bazard accepted that his earning capacity had been adversely affected and said the Registrar should assess damages for loss of future earnings.

She also awarded damages for the future hip replacement, although Dr Chambers had not provided a price for the operation because its cost could only be determined closer to the time of surgery.

The judge said Mr McClean remains unable to work in cabinet building and tiling, which require substantial mobility, and found that his earning capacity had been reduced.

Judgment was entered for Mr McClean, with damages to be assessed and costs awarded in his favour.

THE TRIBUNE

Wednesday, August 19, 2026, PAGE 5

Family remains hopeful as search for mother continues SEARCH from page one been found with a gunshot wound and was badly burned.

He said police confirmed that Ms Kelly had not been found and that an inspector told him shortly before yesterday’s interview that investigators had found nothing to substantiate the claims, some of which circulated on social media.

“When it first came out yesterday, we all were together yesterday by the house, by my sister’s house,” Mr Kelly said. “We all were there, and all of a sudden, somebody sent something to the phone and said they saw a gun. They found a body with a gunshot to the head and badly

burned, that was a lie.”

He said another report circulated later that night and was also false.

“They say something like, she was found at Preachers Cave; that was a lie,” Mr Kelly said.

Rewards totalling up to $52,500 are being offered for information that could help find the woman, including $50,000 from the Fox Foundation.

Search efforts continued yesterday in the Current Island area, particularly in the channel, where a diver was expected to search the surrounding waters.

Mr Kelly said relatives remained in contact with police and were frustrated by the continued circulation of false information.

“If anything would have

been found, we would have known first because we were there,” he said. “Even if we weren’t there, a lot of us were there yesterday evening. Same thing, you see: a lot of us were there, and yet we could still find these things circulating throughout. I don’t understand why they would do it.”

He appealed to those spreading the reports to stop.

“They need to stop,” Mr Kelly said. “They need to stop. Whoever it is, they need to stop it.”

Ms Kelly, an assistant manager at Pink Sands Hotel who also operates a car rental business, disappeared from her Bluff home last Tuesday night.

Her 11-year-old daughter

Family of missing Andros man offers $2,000 reward for answers

By EARYEL BOWLEG Tribune Staff Reporter ebowleg@tribunemedia.net THE family of missing Andros resident Antonio “Doe Doe” Bastian is offering a $2,000 reward for information that could help find him as his disappearance stretches beyond a month and his sister says she now fears he may be dead.

Mr Bastian, 45, was last seen on July 13 walking along the Queen’s Highway between Love Hill and Fresh Creek.

His family became alarmed when he failed to return home the following day.

After waiting 48 hours, relatives reported him missing to police on July 16.

His sister, Hanna Mott, said yesterday that relatives and members of the Andros community have continued searching in vain for Mr Bastian.

Ms Mott said the disappearance has devastated their mother, who has cried nearly every day since her son vanished and continues to leave food for him in the hope that he will return.

“When she eat, she hardly eat,” Ms Mott said. “When she eats, she leaves some food for him just in case he’s coming back home.

She eat breakfast, she leave some for him.

She eat piece of bread, she leave a piece for him.”

But while their mother continues to hope for his return, Ms Mott said the length of time her brother has been missing has left her fearing the worst.

“I feel like he’s gone,” she said. “I feel like they probably knock him and didn’t meant to knock him down hard. They probably dump somewhere, and he just linger, and he just finished die.”

Ms Mott expressed disappointment with the response from police in New Providence and said she believes officers in Andros need additional resources to assist

ANTONIO ‘DOE DOE’ BASTIAN with the investigation and search.

Mr Bastian had been travelling to see a doctor before his disappearance, according to his sister.

Ms Mott previously said her brother experiences episodes of “seeing things”, receives injectable medication and had been treated at Sandilands Rehabilitation Centre.

She said he had been making good progress since leaving the facility and earned money by washing cars.

Mr Bastian is described as having a dark brown complexion, standing 5ft 6in tall and having a slim build.

The Tribune sought comment from the Royal Bahamas Police Force but received no response up to press time.

previously told The Tribune that Ms Kelly left between 9pm and 10pm after saying she was going to drop off friends and pick up food.

The girl later saw three dark figures get out of a vehicle and speak with her mother before Ms Kelly left with them. She did not recognise the men, and Ms Kelly has not been heard from since.

Police issued a missing-person poster on Friday as family and friends circulated appeals and information about the search.

Relatives have previously expressed fears that Ms Kelly may have been the victim of foul play or could be held against her will.

Her cousin, best friend and godsister, Loretta Cash-Pierre, said the family initially did not become alarmed because Ms Kelly had previously stayed away from home, particularly around the anniversary and birthday of her brother, Ashantio Clevorn Johnson.

Johnson, 23, a Bahamas Department of Correctional Services trainee officer, was fatally stabbed at Blu Ice Restaurant and Bar last year. His birthday would have been last Wednesday.

Mrs Pierre said Ms Kelly normally told relatives when she planned to be away and would reassure them that she was safe.

Concern increased when

KATRINA KELLY Ms Kelly failed to collect her mother from the airport after her return from the United States and stopped responding to messages.

Mrs Pierre said she provided police with Ms Kelly’s electronic devices and information concerning people who had rented a white Nissan Cube connected to Ms Kelly’s car rental business.

Despite their fears, Mr Kelly said the family remained hopeful that Ms Kelly would be found alive.

“I just want her to know if she’s seeing this, we are there looking for her,” he

said. “Yes, we want her to come home. Yes, we want to see her alive. We want to know that she is alive.”

He said Ms Kelly’s mother was struggling to cope with her daughter’s disappearance while still grieving the loss of her son.

“She’s right there. She’s trying to hold up,” Mr Kelly said. “She’s even said to me. ‘I know she’s alive.’”

The family is urging anyone with information to contact police and is appealing to the public to stop spreading unverified reports about Ms Kelly’s whereabouts as the search continues.

PAGE 6, Wednesday, August 19, 2026

THE TRIBUNE

The Tribune Limited 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-

Published daily Monday to Friday

Shirley & Deveaux Streets, Nassau, Bahamas N3207 TELEPHONES News & General Information Advertising Manager Circulation Department Nassau fax Freeport, Grand Bahama Freeport fax

(242) 502-2350 (242) 502-2394 (242) 502-2386 (242) 328-2398 (242)-352-6608 (242) 352-9348

WEBSITE, TWITTER & FACEBOOK www.tribune242.com

@tribune242

tribune news network

Power, promises, and the real test for BPL ELECTRICITY (or the lack thereof) has become one of the early defining issues of this administration.

For many Bahamians, discussions about generation capacity, substations, transmission loops and underground cable failures are less important than simply having reliable, consistent and affordable power.

After another difficult summer of outages, Prime Minister Philip Davis delivered a national address on energy Monday night that attempted to answer that question by outlining both the scale of the challenge and the government’s long-term strategy for reform.

The challenge is to separate emotion from evidence. There is no question that the state of the electricity sector is unacceptable.

After the administration has been in office for nearly five years, the Bahamian people are justified in expecting greater reliability than they are currently experiencing.

However, it is also important to acknowledge that the electricity crisis did not begin in 2021.

THE SAD, CRUMBLING STATE OF BPL The prime minister’s address laid out a troubling picture of the system his administration inherited.

According to his figures, Bahamas Power and Light was carrying approximately $600 million in liabilities, while engineers estimated that another $500 million in critical upgrades was needed simply to prevent the collapse of the country’s electrical infrastructure.

More than 60 percent of generation equipment in New Providence required replacement, while the figure in the Family Islands was closer to 80 percent. Some equipment was so old that replacement parts were no longer being manufactured.

That does not excuse the present situation, but it does provide important context.

Too often, political debate in The Bahamas encourages us to believe that every problem began with the current administration and can be fixed within a single electoral cycle.

The government’s separation of generation from transmission and distribution, the establishment of Bahamas Grid Company, the construction of new substations, the installation of stronger transmission infrastructure and the development of Family Island microgrids represent significant structural reforms rather than temporary fixes.

That does not mean the reforms have been completed. Clearly, they have not.

But it does suggest that the government deserves an opportunity to finish the work it has started.

At the same time, supporting reform does not mean ignoring legitimate criticism.

OUTRAGEOUS OVERTIME PAYMENTS One of the most controversial revelations from the prime minister’s address involved outrageous overtime expenditures at BPL. The disclosure that the company spent approximately $20 million

on overtime in a single year immediately raised serious questions.

Even more startling was the revelation that three employees in one department reportedly received more than $600,000 in overtime over a 12-month period, while one employee allegedly claimed 90 hours of overtime over four consecutive days.

The response from Bahamas Electrical Workers Union President Kyle Wilson was equally forceful.

His argument was straightforward.

Employees respond when they are called. Workers do not approve overtime requests. Management does.

His criticism raises an important question.

HOW HAVE SUCH PRACTICES CONTINUED? If these overtime practices existed for years, why were they permitted? The Prime Minister appeared to acknowledge that this was not solely a worker problem. He described it as a failure of management, controls and oversight that stretched across multiple administrations. He specifically praised the overwhelming majority of BPL employees as skilled and dedicated Bahamians who continue working during storms while others are sheltering in their homes.

It would be unfair to turn a handful of examples into an indictment of every line worker, technician and employee at BPL. At the same time, it would be equally irresponsible to dismiss $20 million in annual overtime as insignificant. The union may also have a point if BPL employees have to work extraordinary hours because the system demands it. Clearly, we all can agree that no individual can safely work 24 hours a day for multiple days while performing dangerous technical duties that affect public safety.

This should not become a battle between management and labour.

Instead, it should become an opportunity to examine staffing levels, maintenance practices, scheduling procedures, overtime approvals and accountability throughout the organization.

The government’s decision to implement new overtime controls, including reviews when technical workers exceed specific thresholds, is a reasonable first step.

But BPL’s challenges are far bigger.

There are no quick fixes.

The temptation is to search for a single villain whenever a crisis emerges. The truth is that this crisis was decades in the making.

Everyone who managed, operated, financed or postponed difficult decisions over many years contributed to the situation we face today.

The Bahamian people should continue demanding results, as well as transparency and accountability.

BPL’s Board should also recognize that genuine reform takes time.

The government has presented a strategy. Now it must deliver.

Because whatever explanations may be offered, and however accurate those explanations may be, the ultimate measure of success will be that the lights remain on.

Nations destiny shaped by leader’s ethical compass EDITOR, The Tribune.

THE foundation, fundamental strength, and ultimate trajectory of any nation are inextricably woven into the moral and ethical fabric of its leadership and the active conscience of its people.

When those entrusted with governance deviate from a steadfast commitment to public service, prioritising self-enrichment, narrow partisan interests, or the mere retention of power, the very foundations of societal trust begin to erode.

I want the leadership and people of the Bahamas to be aware that, throughout history and as echoed in perennial wisdom, a country’s vitality and resilience consistently reflect the integrity of its governing bodies.

When a systemic compromise of core moral and ethical tenets is at the apex of power, it inevitably triggers a downward spiral, fostering widespread decay across all societal strata in a country, as has become the case in the Commonwealth of the Bahamas.

It is imperative that the Church, as the moral voice, find its moral voice and condemn the immoral actions of the government of the Bahamas because the entire country is in a downward spiral…The people of the Bahamas must stand in moral indignation to save themselves, families, and the nation…

The ripple effects of unprincipled leadership are profound and profoundly damaging in the following: (1) The Perversion Of Justice And The Rule Of Law: Legal systems, designed as the ultimate arbiters of fairness and protectors of the vulnerable, are gradually twisted into instruments of the powerful.

This leads to a selective application of justice, where impunity shields the corrupt and well-connected, while ordinary citizens face

LETTERS letters@tribunemedia.net the full, often harsh, force of the law. This duality breeds a deep-seated cynicism, shattering faith in institutions and undermining the very concept of an impartial rule of law.

Economic Entrenchment And Widespread Disparity: Instead of cultivating a landscape of equitable opportunity and innovation, venal governance redirects national wealth into private channels, choking off legitimate enterprise through pervasive cronyism and discouraging both domestic and foreign investment.

The inevitable outcomes are spiralling inequality, chronic economic stagnation, capital flight, and a marked decline in the overall quality of life for the vast majority of Bahamians.

The Fragmentation Of Social Cohesion: A culture of widespread corruption fosters a pervasive sense of distrust and apathy. Citizens lose confidence not only in their elected officials but also in public services, collective endeavors, and even in each other.

This pervasive breakdown of trust makes unified action incredibly challenging, transforming civic engagement into disengagement and nurturing a climate of suspicion that tears at the social fabric.

However, the populace is not merely a passive recipient of these consequences.

Societies often inadvertently contribute to their own decline through: Moral Inertia And Passive Complicity: Driven by fear of reprisal, the allure of minor personal advantages, or simply a profound sense of disengagement, citizens may tacitly accept corruption, thereby normalising it and allowing it to fester and expand without challenge.

Uncritical Allegiance: An unquestioning loyalty, frequently ignited and sustained by populist demagoguery or a severe deficit in critical civic discourse, can embolden corrupt leaders, allowing them to consolidate power and operate without genuine accountability.

Ultimately, the destiny of any society is not solely dictated by those in authority, but is forged in the crucible of its collective conscience and the vigorous engagement of its citizens.

A genuine societal renaissance begins only when a community, with unwavering resolve, elevates integrity, transparency, and the common good above personal gain, political expediency, or divisive partisanship.

This necessitates an informed and vigilant citizenry, prepared not only to demand ethical governance but also to embody and uphold shared values actively, thereby laying the groundwork for a truly just, prosperous, and resilient future.

I chose to end this post with two popular historical myths. (1) The portrayal of Emperor Nero as a tyrannical matricide “fiddling” while Rome was on fire; and (2) Marie Antoinette is often misquoted as saying “Let them eat cake” when told peasants lacked bread.

In reality, this phrase was penned by Jean-Jacques Rousseau long before her time as queen, and she never uttered it.

Nonetheless, despite the origins of the above mythical tales, it seems to me that, like the Bahamas, the two tales raise the question: Which of these mythical tales best portrays the present leadership of the Commonwealth of The Bahamas?

DR DONALD M MCCARTNEY Freeport, Grand Bahama August 12, 2026.

FNM must not start civil war over Rollins EDITOR, The Tribune.

THE late Spanish American philosopher George Santayana once wrote that “those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it.” Free National Movement supporters would do well to heed this timely warning. The FNM came out of the May 12 General Election with just eight seats, winning only two seats on New Providence, Free Town and St Anne’s. At this juncture in its history, the party is somewhat diminished in the eyes of thousands of naysayers.

The manner in which the FNM lost on May 12 is concerning to this writer.

I cannot recall FNM candidates since 1992 failing to recoup their election deposits in the capital. Yet it happened on May 12. The loss was humiliating. It can be attributed to a number of factors. The one key factor, I believe, which contributed to such a dismal showing by the FNM, was the constant infighting between the faction that supports FNM Leader Michael Pintard and the one backing Dr Hubert Minnis.

I witnessed the defection of staunch FNMs to the Progressive Liberal Party.

In many instances, these former FNMs were card carrying members who were a part of the organisation for decades. This group of defectors represented the core of the FNM. They were the base. It was this group the FNM could depend on for those much-needed votes on Election Day. We

cannot only factor in these former FNM hardliners. We must also include their families and those within the sphere of their influence.

We’re talking about hundreds of key supporters who abandoned the FNM for the PLP. I spoke to one of them who was a rabid FNM and was closely connected to the current and former leadership. I was shocked to see his opposition to the party he had labored, toiled and fought for. This FNM civil war was started over the question of Minnis and his alleged plot to regain control of the FNM. This protracted civil war badly weakened the FNM. Now there appears to be some within the FNM who are now attempting to start up another civil war.

Only this time the target is Long Island MP Dr Andre Rollins. These individuals remind me of the late US Vice President Dick Cheney and former US President George W Bush, both of whom were labeled warmongers for their part in the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq. Over the weekend prominent FNM Kevin Harris printed a lengthy write-up on Facebook explaining his opposition to Rollins becoming FNM Leader. It was a preemptive strike at the Rollins camp in the event the Long Island MP decides to throw his hat into the leadership race at the FNM convention scheduled for late 2027.

The Harris write-up was petty and unnecessary. It was another ill-advised example of a prominent FNM airing the party’s dirty

laundry in public. And of course, I couldn’t help but noticed PLPs posting laughing emojis to the Harris post. They are enjoying this latest round of FNM infighting. Rollins has not publicly expressed a desire to run for FNM leader. Yet he’s the victim of friendly fire. Why would Harris feel the need to post such a verbose write-up opposing the idea of the Long Island MP wanting to run?

The attack on Rollins was unprovoked. I am convinced that the FNM is its own greatest enemy.

Rollins is scandal-free. He is bold. He is still relatively young. He is an accomplished professional. He is articulate. And he is experienced. Rollins once led the National Development Party as a young political firebrand with fresh ideas on moving the country forward. The only issue his naysayers have is that he was erratic while serving as MP for Fort Charlotte between 2012 and 2017. I’ll take that over allegation of him misappropriating funds of cutting deals with his campaign generals every day of the week and twice on Sundays. If Rollins chooses to contest the FNM leadership contest, I have absolutely no issue with that. The FNM is a democratic political organisation. FNMs must not start another civil war if they hope to regain the trust of the Bahamian people.

KEVIN EVANS Freeport, Grand Bahama August 17, 2026.

To advertise in The Tribune, contact 502-2394

THE TRIBUNE

Wednesday, August 19, 2026, PAGE 7

Man charged in hit-and-run Bail denied for man accused that injured elderly cyclist of breaching bail for 166 days

By PAVEL BAILEY Tribune Staff Reporter pbailey@tribunemedia.net A MAN was accused of seriously injuring an elderly cyclist after allegedly knocking him down with his vehicle on East and Young Streets last week.

Prosecutors allege Ricardo “Ricky” Farrington, 60, seriously injured Parnell Green after striking him with his vehicle while Mr Green was on his way to work as a security

guard on August 10.

Mr Green reportedly lost consciousness after being knocked from his bicycle and suffered lacerations to his forehead and arm.

When he regained consciousness, an ambulance called by a bystander had arrived. Farrington had allegedly fled the scene before then.

Farrington was not required to enter a plea to causing dangerous harm before Senior Magistrate Algernon Allen Jr.

He was informed that the matter would proceed to the Supreme Court by way of voluntary bill of indictment.

Farrington’s bail was set at $9,000 with one or two sureties. He is to be fitted with a monitoring device and must sign in at the Southern Police Station every Monday, Wednesday and Friday by 6pm.

Farrington returns for service of the VBI on December 15.

Inspector Timothy Bain prosecuted the case.

By PAVEL BAILEY Tribune Staff Reporter pbailey@tribunemedia.net A MAN accused of breaching his bail conditions on armed robbery charges for 166 days was remanded to prison yesterday.

Prosecutors allege Christopher Cartwright, 26, failed to sign in at his local police station for 166 days between March 1 and

August 15.

Cartwright was on bail on pending charges of armed robbery and attempted armed robbery.

Although he initially pleaded guilty to violating his bail conditions before Magistrate Abigail Farrington, a not guilty plea was entered after he did not accept the facts of the case.

Reserve Inspector Deveaux, the prosecutor,

objected to Cartwright’s bail, citing the seriousness of the alleged offence and the risk that he could reoffend if released.

Cartwright argued that he would comply with any new bail conditions imposed on him.

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

Cartwright returns for trial on December 8.

Suspected human remains found Bail denied for man accused in a bushy area in Grand Bahama

of faking Bahamian passport

By PAVEL BAILEY Tribune Staff Reporter pbailey@tribunemedia.net A HAITIAN national was accused of fraudulently obtaining a Bahamian passport and National Insurance Board smart card.

Prosecutors allege John Doe, also known as “Gaulthier Sinea”, 39, uttered a forged NIB smart card bearing the name Sinea at the Passport Office on September 24, 2024.

He allegedly fraudulently

obtained a Bahamian passport bearing the name Sinea on September 30, 2024.

The defendant is further accused of uttering the allegedly fraudulent passport at the National Insurance Board in an attempt to obtain an NIB smart card on October 24, 2024.

Doe pleaded not guilty to charges of possession of a forged document, uttering a forged document, fraud by false pretences, possession

of a false document, uttering a false document and attempted fraud by false pretences before Senior Magistrate Raquel Whyms.

Sergeant 2257 Wilkinson, the prosecutor, objected to bail, arguing that the defendant posed a flight risk because he had no strong ties to the community.

Doe was remanded to the Bahamas Department of Correctional Services until he returns to court on August 21.

Squatter accused of attacking apartment owner with cutlass

By PAVEL BAILEY Tribune Staff Reporter pbailey@tribunemedia.net A MAN was accused of trespassing in a woman’s West Street apartment and assaulting her with a cutlass last weekend.

Prosecutors allege Daquille Missick, 32, was found living in Raquel Chea’s apartment without her permission sometime between 12.50pm and 1.10pm on

August 16.

When Ms Chea confronted Missick and asked him to leave, he allegedly became irate.

Missick is accused of assaulting Ms Chea and Neville Styles with a cutlass.

He pleaded not guilty to trespassing, unlawful entry and two counts of assault with a deadly weapon before Magistrate Abigail Farrington.

Missick’s bail was set

at $7,000 with one or two sureties. Under the terms of his bail, he must sign in at the Nassau Street Police Station every Friday by 7pm.

He was also warned not to contact any witnesses in the matter or risk having his bail revoked.

Missick returns for trial on September 15.

Reserve Inspector Deveaux prosecuted the case.

SUSPECTED human remains were discovered in a bushy area in Grand Bahama yesterday.

According to a preliminary police report, shortly before noon, a man called contacted police after discovering what appeared to be a human skull while walking through a bushy

shortcut leading to East Mall Drive.

Officers responded and were directed about 30 feet into the bushes, where they observed what appeared to be a human skull.

A subsequent search of the surrounding area led to the discovery of additional

remains believed to be human.

Detectives processed the scene before the suspected remains were collected and transported to Rand Memorial Hospital.

Police said a pathologist will examine the remains as part of the investigation.

PAGE 8, Wednesday, August 19, 2026

THE TRIBUNE

Alicia Wallace

Black hair and self expression

What do the words “groomed” and “neat” really mean?

AS schools start to reopen, the hair debates—that only focus on black children’s hair—have started once again. Every school year, we go through the same nonsense, as schools attempt to police children’s blackness, in this majority black country.

It doesn’t go without notice that the schools that do not engage in this antiblack discrimination are the most expensive and have the most immigrant white children. Many Bahamians would like to believe and/ or pretend that we live in a post-racial society—one without racial discrimination and racial prejudice, and in within which race is not a determinant of social, political, or economic outcomes.

This is absolutely false.

Racism exists in The Bahamas, due in part to the commitment many people have to ignoring it.

St. Andrew’s International School shared photos of its Head Boy and Deputy Head Boy, wearing braids and twists, drawing commentary about the relationship between hair and academic performance. Wearing natural hair, braids, twists, and other black hairstyles clearly does not prevent students from learning.

Laziness and bullying In defence of the archaic and arbitrary rules set by the Ministry of Education, Education Director Dominique McCartney-Russell said they are intended to “ensure that the focus is on the academic and not on any other issue.”

She continued, “We believe that these standards assist with the development of a positive learning environment, and that's what we maintain for all of our 40,000 children.”

In 2025, children’s photos were posted on social media by CC Sweeting Junior High School, comparing them to “hoodlums” before they were

people—especially people in positions of power— whiteness is accepted as the standard. Straight hair, or hair with very few or very loose waves or curls, is considered appropriate. People with other hair textures are expected to use any means, including chemicals that have been proven to be health risks, to achieve the appearance of straight or closetostraight hair.

Black girls are expected to have their hair, when straightened by chemicals or heat, slicked black with severity, while white girls and boys can have fly-aways and may not even use a brush or comb. White girls can take their hair down and pull it into ponytails throughout the day without the level of “neatness”

There’s nothing wrong with afros. There’s nothing wrong with twists.

Schools need not be oppressive spaces.

the real world that children already inhabit.

Schools can build confidence. They don’t have to tear it down. Schools can celebrate diversity.

They don’t have to force children to “blend in.”

Schools can adapt to the needs of the children

they’re supposed to serve. They can be spaces full of excitement and joy. They can make it easy for children to express themselves, even as they wear the uniform and follow reasonable

There’s nothing wrong with twist-outs.

Photo: heyykazz/pexels

There’s nothing wrong with locs.

There’s nothing wrong with boys having two, three, four, five, or 15 inches of hair. There’s nothing

They don’t need to be institutions that children hate.

There’s no need for them to be of a design and practice that’s dreaded by those enrolled. Schools can be liberatory spaces. They can help children to see their own potential and move toward it, equipping them with knowledge—along with the skills for acquiring and applying knowledge— and an under-

guidelines. They can minimize the harmful activation of children who are looking for ways to show people who they are when the safer ways have been ruled out. They can normalize natural hair.

They can create environments where afros, braids, twists, and locs are ordinary choices and looks that don’t draw any more attention than any other hairstyle.

Hair need not be a battleground.

Respectability politics need not be central to school life. The system of education need not be designed to train children out of their creativity, separating them

from their dreams, and relegating them to a class of rule-following workers who don’t unionize, don’t protest, and don’t vote because they do not see the point or live in fear of consequences. It starts with self-expression.

Whether or not it’s convenient, children are people too, and they live in this world now. The way we treat them today is a primary determinant of the future ahead of us all.

Recommendations 1. These Heathens by Mia McKenzie. “Where do you get an abortion in 1960 Georgia, especially if your small town’s midwife goes to the same church as your parents?

For seventeen-year-old Doris Steele, the answer is Atlanta, where her favorite teacher, Mrs. Lucas, calls upon her brash, wealthy childhood best friend, Sylvia, for help.” Feminist Book Club, hosted by Equality Bahamas and Poinciana Paper Press, is meeting to discuss These Heathens at 6pm.

The book is short enough that you could read or listen to it today and join the conversation at Poinciana Paper Press, 12 Parkgate Road.

2. Feminist Book Club.

Are you still working toward your reading goal for 2026?

Are you struggling to choose books to read? Join Feminist Book Club for a great set of books, curated by the members, to read, think about, and discuss. From time to time, the authors join the conversation and bring more insight into the stories, the characters, and the reasons the books exist. The book selected for September is Katabasis by R. F. Kuang.

The publisher says, “Two graduate students must put aside their rivalry and journey to Hell to save their professor’s soul—perhaps at the cost of their own.”

One reviewer said, "Some books are too magnificent to simply be described— they must be devoured and savored slowly to fully appreciate their brilliance.

This is one of them—a spellbinding blend of enemies-to-lovers romance and dark academia fantasy, featuring a mind-blowing journey through hell, where every level embodies sins like pride, desire, greed, wrath, and tyranny, alongside the infamous City of Dis.” Get your copy of the book and join the discussion on Wednesday, September 19 at 6pm. Register at tiny.cc/fbc2026.

forced to have haircuts without their parents’ permission or presence. This was a disgusting, demoralizing act that upset many people who saw or heard about the post.

It’s easy to see how children learn to become bullies.

Adults, as authority figures, don’t seem to know the difference between discipline and abuse, and often display their cruelty as a point of pride. This incident should have prompted a review of the rules related to hair and the actions that would be appropriate for school administrators to take when rules appear to be breached.

Do not aspire to whiteness “Groomed” and “neat” are words that are often thrown around in conversations about black hair. There is no common understanding of these terms. This is a result of racism, anti-blackness, and the centering of whiteness. For far too many

required of black girls.

What is the meaning of “groomed?” Is it that a comb or brush was used? Is that the hair is straight, or appears to have been manipulated in the attempt to look straight? Is that the hair must give in to gravity?

What is the meaning of “neat?” Is it that there are no fly-aways? Is it that there are no shorter pieces falling out or not quite fitting into the ponytail in the front, at the sides, or at the back?

Anti-black racism is at the root of hair rules. White boys are not limited to one inch of hair at any school. Black boys are limited to one inch of hair. Why is the length of black girls’ hair limited, and not the length of white girls’ hair? Why do these differences exist? Is one type of hair more groomed than the other? Is one type of hair more neat than the other?

Who decided that? What’s it based on?

wrong with girls having braids down their backs.

The primary concern should be the health and wellbeing of children, both at school and at home. If there are signs that they’re in unhygienic conditions, there should be interventions that centre their health and dignity, never causing shame or drawing the attention or judgment of other students.

Black hair, to be clear, is not a threat to anyone’s health or education. It’s beautiful, it’s fun to style, and maintaining it—not altering it for respectability—is to be encouraged, particularly in this United Nations Second Decade for People of African Descent and during the work of the CARICOM Reparations Commission and The Bahamas National Reparations Committee to build the legal case for reparatory justice.

Schools or prisons?

standing of their environment and the role they play in shaping and transforming it.

Schools can help children to see and embrace their individual differences and bridge the gaps between them so they can learn to be in community.

Schools can spark, encourage, and nurture creativity.

They can make connections between the curriculum and

Photo: Kweisiblaq/pexels

Photo: superr/pexels

THE TRIBUNE

Wednesday, August 19, 2026, PAGE 9

OpenAI launches ChatGPT for Teens, promising a more age-appropriate chatbot

By BARBARA ORTUTAY AP Technology Writer

A FLOCK Safety license plate reader is seen along a public road, Thursday, Oct. 16, 2025, in Houston.

AP Photo/David Goldman, File

Flock announces changes amid backlash over its license

By SARAH RANKIN and CLAUDIA LAUER Associated Press

RICHMOND, Va. (AP) — Flock Safety, the surveillance technology company increasingly under scrutiny from lawmakers from both parties, civil liberties advocates and citizens across the U.S., announced Thursday that it is making changes to its platform intended to quell privacy concerns and address documented abuses of its system by some members of law enforcement.

The company operates a vast nationwide network of automated cameras that record the license plate numbers and other characteristics of all passing vehicles every day. Thousands of law enforcement agencies in 49 states can search and share Flock's data across jurisdictions to aid their investigations.

Police have credited the technology as an important crime-fighting innovation that has helped locate missing people and track suspects in violent crimes. But some critics say its pervasiveness amounts to unconstitutional warrantless mass surveillance. Dozens of cities and agencies have nixed their relationships with Flock amid concerns that the data can be accessed for immigration enforcement or used in unauthorized tracking, after a flurry of examples surfaced of law enforcement officers misusing the technology for personal searches.

CEO says changes will drive accountability In an interview, Flock CEO Garrett Langley said many of the product changes will make what were once optional guardrails mandatory for its users to implement by Jan. 1.

Among them: All law enforcement customers will have to implement an audit tool that's intended to flag abnormal search behavior. When the system detects abnormal behavior, the user would be locked out pending an internal review, the company said in a description of the changes provided ahead of Thursday's announcement.

Flock, which says its customers own the data that the cameras record, is also shortening the standard data retention window from 30 days to seven. It said it will allow data to be preserved for

longer when it is evidence tied to a case number.

Law enforcement users will now also be required to enter a code from their records management system tying each search to a specific case before it is run, something Langley said civil liberties advocates have long been calling for.

Overrides for emergencies would be automatically flagged for review, the company said.

Customers will also be allowed to decide which offense types — such as homicide or arson — outside agencies can search their data for, which would allow a customer to block outside searches related to immigration enforcement, the company said.

Langley said that change will give individual cities and departments control to use the system in a manner "consistent with community values."

Critics say updates still leave room for abuses, supporters urge balance Critics of the company reacted skeptically to the changes, which they said appeared designed to address the growing bipartisan anger about the cameras but could still leave room for police to abuse the system.

The American Civil Liberties Union said in a blog post that the shortened evidence retention window could be "a step in the right direction," but it characterized the other changes as "retreads" of inadequate safety measures.

Robert Frommer, a senior attorney at the Institute for Justice, a public interest law firm that's led closely watched litigation over the technology, called the changes "window dressing" from a company in "panic mode."

"This is window dressing that doesn't address the fundamental problem, which is that police officers are the ones deciding who and when to search, and that should be done by judges with real warrants," he said.

Andrew Guthrie Ferguson, a professor at the George Washington University Law School whose scholarship has focused on policing, big data surveillance and the Fourth Amendment, said Thursday's shifts were "better than the opposite" but called for further scrutiny of the technology in the form of "sustained democratic engagement with the

rules and judicial checks on access at a minimum."

Ferguson said he's been surprised to see the "growing community backlash" against Flock specifically, given that the technology isn't new and other companies sell it as well. But Flock and the movement against it have "captured people's sense that maybe they don't want to be surveilled all the time," he said.

More than 50 agencies or jurisdictions have canceled, suspended or rejected a contract or deactivated their cameras since the beginning of the year, according to a tracker maintained by DeFlock, a grassroots group formed to track the use of license plate reader technology and push back against it.

Cameras around the country have also been vandalized.

In Congress, Republican representatives filed at least two bills aiming to restrict the use of the technology in July.

Ian Adams, an associate professor of criminology at the University of South Carolina currently working on a Flock-related research study, said many of the concerns raised about how the company's data can be used are not new concerns in law enforcement.

"Anyone with policing experience could have reasonably foreseen that what have been termed as 'curiosity searches' by officers, searches for private reasons not related to police work, were going to be a problem this technology faced," he added, noting that other technologies and platforms like the FBI's Criminal Justice Information had faced those issues.

Law enforcement experts said it's a common tension of "policing in a democracy" — balancing useful technology that officers say helps solve and prevent crime with the community's interest and right to privacy.

"It's a balancing act. A community has a legitimate interest in how information is used, but it also has a legitimate interest in the effectiveness of a police department in preventing crime," said Chuck Wexler, executive director of the Police Executive Research Forum, a Washington-based nonpartisan think tank. "I think a balance can be struck, but it's more likely to come from department policy than company changes."

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — OpenAI is launching a version of ChatGPT designed for teenagers — the first generation to grow up with artificial intelligence — who are already using it for schoolwork, questions about daily life and even companionship.

The San Francisco-based company says ChatGPT for Teens, which launches Tuesday, is tailored for kids aged 13 to 17 with stronger protections including content restrictions around things like suicide, self-harm and romantic or sexual chats. It also provides homework and study support designed to help students learn rather than spit out answers and school essays.

The idea is to guide teens toward healthy AI use in an age-appropriate environment, the company said.

“We want to treat teens like teens, which means that we have to make sure that we’re showing up with the right developmental stage when we’re not either talking down to them or treating them like kids, but we’re also making sure that they’re not exposed to material that they shouldn’t be exposed to,” said Ann O'Leary, vice president of global policy at OpenAI.

Discord halts livestreams in Brazil after watchdog cites child safety failures

By ELÉONORE HUGHES and MAURICIO SAVARESE Associated Press RIO DE JANEIRO (AP) — Discord, the popular platform for gamers to communicate online, said on Monday it suspended its livestreams in Brazil after criticism that it failed to protect children and adolescents. The move takes place in the wake of a suicide case.

Brazil's government under President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva and the country's Supreme Court have tried to regulate the use of the internet by minors, with mixed results so far, at a moment when countries, including Australia, Canada and Indonesia, are undertaking similar efforts.

The decision comes after Brazil's national agency of data protection ordered the suspension last week. The U.S.-based company added it is in conversations “to seek a solution that allows us to reestablish those resources for our users in Brazil.”

Berkshire Hathaway boosted stake in Alphabet, homebuilders in the second quarter

By ALEX VEIGA AP Business Writer Berkshire Hathaway is increasing the size of its stake in Google's parent company and beefing up its holdings in homebuilders, according to the conglomerate's latest snapshot of its investment portfolio.

The Omaha, Nebraska-based company also continued to pare its stake in financial companies and a number of other stocks in the April-June quarter, according to a regulatory filing filed late Friday.

CEO Greg Abel, who took over from Warren Buffett at the start of the year, agreed in June to make a $10 billion stock investment in Alphabet, expanding on the stake that Berkshire started to build last fall.

In the second quarter, Berkshire picked up roughly 48.1 million shares in Alphabet, bringing its total shares in the tech giant to roughly 106 million. That stake was valued at about $37.76 billion as of June 30, according to the filing.

Taiwan briefly slows its mobile internet to textonly speed as part of defense drill

By JOHNSON LAI and HUIZHONG WU Associated Press TAIPEI, Taiwan (AP) — For 30 minutes, the internet in parts of Taiwan crawled.

The slowdown Thursday for people in the capital, Taipei, and six other cities and localities was part of the last phase of the island's annual Han Kuang exercises, military drills that began last week and aim to model a response to a possible Chinese military invasion.

Telecommunication operators slowed mobile web traffic to 256 Kbps, making it difficult to exchange anything other than texts. Usually, residents can access 5G in major cities.

PAGE 10, Wednesday, August 19, 2026

THE TRIBUNE

World News Trial for Meta begins with states arguing its platforms preyed on vulnerability of young brains

By BARBARA ORTUTAY and KAITLYN HUAMANI AP Technology Writers META is once again on trial over dangers its platforms may pose to children.

It is once again arguing that it works tirelessly to keep them safe.

A pivotal trial for the parent company of Instagram and Facebook kicked off in a California federal court Tuesday, with four states seeking billions of dollars in damages as well as fundamental changes to how Meta runs its platforms.

A jury will decide whether the states’ attorneys general have made their case that the tech giant designed its apps to “hook the users, hold them for as long as they can, harvest their data and hide the truth from the public,” as Megan O’Neill, a deputy attorney general for the California Department of Justice, put it in her opening statement.

California, Colorado, Kentucky and New Jersey were among the 29 states that sued the tech giant in 2023 over child safety and privacy — the other 25 will go to trial later. The company also faces lawsuits in state courts, including one underway in Tennessee.

The lawsuit accuses Meta of contributing to the youth mental health crisis by knowingly and deliberately designing features that addict children to its platforms and hides these harms from the public.

It also argues that Meta routinely collects data on children under 13 without their parents’ consent, in

Meta attorney highlights company work on safety

LENNON Torres of Heat Initiative holds a banner with names of young people who advocates say died as a result of social media outside the Ronald V. Dellums Federal Building and US Courthouse on yesterday in Oakland, Calif.

Photo: Noah Berger/AP violation of federal law.

The company has defended its safety record and said it has a strong case.

States argue Meta exploited research on child development O’Neill laid out the states’ case for the eight jurors during opening statements in federal court in Oakland, California.

“You’re going to hear that Meta knew a lot about kids’ brains,” O’Neill said.

This includes how they are constantly seeking rewards, how they are sensitive to social feedback and “how they are still developing their ability to control impulses the way adults do.”

Meta, she said, researched these vulnerabilities and talked about how it could

change Instagram to respond to them. “ ‘The young ones are the best ones’ is a title of a Meta study we are going to show you,” she said, telling jurors that for Meta, “kids are the product.”

Meta, O’Neill said, also knew that kids under 13 were using its products even though they were banned from it, and “failed to take the simplest most obvious steps to keep them off.”

For instance, she said, when Meta found that someone on Facebook was under 13, it would disable the person’s Facebook account but not their connected account on Instagram.

The states called as their first witness former Meta executive Arturo Béjar,

who worked as an engineering director at Facebook from 2009 to 2015, attracting wide attention for his work to combat cyberbullying. He returned from 2019 to 2021 as a contractor to work on safety issues.

Béjar said that, contrary to Meta’s statements, the company’s research on safety issues was not being used to improve products.

For example, regarding eating disorder content, Meta’s engineers “had very good ideas on how to make it better” so that users, especially young ones, would not be exposed to it.

“But once it was reviewed, it got whittled down to a little pebble that didn’t make a difference,” he said.

Meta lawyer Paul Schmidt laid out his case beginning with what is not disputed in the trial — that even though kids under 13 are not supposed to be on its apps, some lie about their ages; that some teens struggle to manage their time; and that some people post “negative content” on Facebook and Instagram.

But he said he will focus on the work Meta does to make its platforms safer and share information with the public.

“Much of this lawsuit is about the government attorneys and their witnesses saying in trying to improve, we’d do it a little differently,” Schmidt said.

“In talking about how to improve, we disagree with how you talk about it. It’s meaningful, and the evidence will be meaningful, these efforts Meta has taken to improve.”

US District Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers in Oakland is overseeing the proceedings, which are expected to last six weeks with testimony from Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg and other executives and former employees. Gonzalez Rogers, appointed to the bench by President Barack Obama in 2011, has overseen a bevy of complex, high-profile cases involving Big Tech. These include Elon Musk’s lawsuit against OpenAI and its founders as well as Epic Games’ lawsuit against Apple over its app store.

If Meta loses the trial, the court would have wide discretion over the size of

any financial penalty. Meta has said if it loses, the case could leave it liable for damages amounting to $1.4 trillion, but legal experts say anything close to that amount would be unlikely.

Meta faces thousands of lawsuits, angry parents The trial is the latest in an avalanche of lawsuits against Meta Platforms and other social media companies including Google’s YouTube, TikTok and Snap, over arguments that their platforms harm young people, illegally collect their data and are deliberately designed to addict them.

As the trial began, child safety advocates and parents who trace their children’s deaths to social media harms gathered outside of the courthouse Tuesday. Many parents held photos of their late children as they spoke to reporters outside, at times speaking through tears.

Several parents held a banner with the names and ages of children who died from social media-related harms. It was several feet long.

Mary Rodee, whose son Riley Basford died by suicide at age 15 after being sextorted on Facebook Messenger, was among the parents and said she had helped write the names.

They have had to add 39 new ones to the banner since March, she said.

“It’s not just a banner,” Rodee said. “Every name that I wrote on there is a promise that these children will never be forgotten and that their stories will force accountability where silence once reigned.”

THE TRIBUNE

Wednesday, August 19, 2026, PAGE 11

Scotiabank donates to church to celebrate 70th anniversary AS Scotiabank continues to celebrate 70 years of service in The Bahamas, more than 100 team members and their families gathered at Bahamas Harvest Church for a special service of praise, worship and thanksgiving.

The service provided an opportunity to reflect on the Bank’s seven decades in the country, honour those who helped build its legacy and give thanks for its employees, clients and the wider Bahamian community.

Roger Archer, Vice President and Country Head, Scotiabank Bahamas, described the anniversary as a proud and meaningful milestone for the institution.

“Seventy years gives us an opportunity to pause, look back with gratitude and say thank you,” said Archer.

“We give thanks for the leaders who had the vision to bring Scotiabank to The Bahamas, for those whose shoulders we stand on, for our current team, for our clients and for the Bahamian community that we love and cherish.”

Archer said the anniversary also represents an opportunity to look ahead with confidence.

“As we move into our

next chapter, we remain committed to being our clients’ most trusted financial partner and to supporting the continued growth and development of The Bahamas,” he said.

“We want our presence to continue making a tangible difference in the lives of people, institutions and communities.”

As part of the service, Scotiabank presented a $5,000 donation to Bahamas Harvest Church’s Guardian Angels Programme, which is a charitable programme that supports orphaned children and the guardians caring for them.

Scotiabank team members also contributed personally, collectively donating an additional $1,300 to the programme.

“Over the last seven decades in The Bahamas, we have always believed it is important for us to give back,” Archer added.

“Whether through youth initiatives, supporting those in need or investing in programs that help build stronger communities, we want our presence to make a difference. The Guardian Angels Programme is providing meaningful support to children and families who

SCOTIABANK Executives presenting $5000 donation to Pastor Erica Moxey & Pastor Mario Moxey for their Guardian Angels Program. need it, and we are pleased that both Scotiabank and our team members were able to contribute.”

Pastor Mario Moxey of Bahamas Harvest Church said the support will help the Guardian Angels Programme to continue meeting the everyday needs of children and families facing difficult circumstances.

“The value of a gift like this goes far beyond dollars and cents because it tells these children and families that they are not isolated and that there is a community of people who care for them,” said Moxey.

“The programme was born during the pandemic

SCOTIABANK choir.

when we became aware of children who had lost parents and were being cared for by guardians who also needed support. Scotiabank’s gift helps us assist with schooling, monthly sustenance and the basic care of these families. We are extremely grateful to

Scotiabank for this demonstration of compassion and corporate citizenship.”

Scotiabank’s 70th Anniversary Committee selected Bahamas Harvest Church for the team service because of the church’s commitment to community outreach and the impact of its Guardian Angels Programme.

Scotiabank’s choir also played a special role in the service, leading the congregation in worship and performing a musical selection.

Scotiabank first established operations in The Bahamas in 1956 with a single downtown Nassau branch. The church service forms part of a year-long series of activities commemorating the Bank’s 70th anniversary and celebrating the employees, clients, community partners and generations of Bahamians who have contributed to its journey. As Scotiabank marks the milestone, the Bank continues to support initiatives across The Bahamas focused on youth, education, culture and community development.

Ready to head back to school

THE TRIBUNE

PHOTOS: SHAWN HANNA

PAGE 12, Wednesday, August 19, 2026

PARENTS were out shopping with their children for back-to-school essentials at RM Bailey Park, as families made preparations ahead of the new school year. Young shoppers browsed for school supplies, clothing and other necessities.