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VOLUME:116 No.163, AUGUST 20TH, 2019

HO US E & 16 THE PEOPLE’S PAPER: $1

HEALTH: AFRICAN ANCESTRY LINK TO MEN’S CANCER PAGES

‘BPL’s neglect will be fixed’

Minnis surprise at real condition of ageing power plant

By RASHAD ROLLE Tribune Staff Reporter rrolle@tribunemedia.net PRIME Minister Dr Hubert Minnis said Bahamas Power and Light’s woes constitute an “emergency situation” and blamed this on “more than 20 years of neglect”.

Former Deputy Prime Minister Frank Watson, who had responsibility for the Bahamas Electricity Corporation during the second Ingraham administration, challenged that characterisation yesterday,

SEE PAGE TEN

US TRIO GIVE UP $27K TO WALK FREE THREE Americans were spared a criminal conviction yesterday despite admitting to making a false declaration concerning $27,000 in cash when they tried to leave the country on the weekend.

However, Senior Magistrate Carolyn Vogt-Evans ordered that the $27,136 Kerrville, Texas natives Garrett Keiser, Allison Mobley and Victoria Morris had in their possession be forfeited to the Crown.

SEE PAGE TWO

insisting the problem has never been nearly as bad as it is now.

Dr Minnis toured BPL’s Baillou and Clifton Pier plants on Sunday and expressed surprise yesterday at the dated, decaying equipment he observed.

He also pledged the government will use all of its resources to fix the power generation problems.

“I was not cognizant of the challenges,” Dr Minnis told reporters while touring the University of The Bahamas.

SEE PAGE FIVE

Lloyd said interruptions in energy - as the prime minister has indicated - is a crisis and a deep concern to everybody. He said education officials may have to seek alternative arrangements for some schools in light of the constant load shedding.

“We are just going to have to manage it,” said Mr Lloyd.

SEE PAGE FIVE

PETER YOUNG: THE GROWTH OF THE NANNY STATE

By NICO SCAVELLA Tribune Staff Reporter nscavella@tribunemedia.net

‘SCHOOLS WILL JUST HAVE TO MANAGE’

By RIEL MAJOR Tribune Staff Reporter rmajor@tribunemedia.net

THE frequent power cuts carried out by Bahamas Power and Light can have a “negative effect” on schools once they reopen in a few weeks, according to Minister of Education Jeff Lloyd.

Speaking to reporters at a Ministry of Education conclave yesterday, Mr

HOME

TAREA’S TRIUMPH MEET your new Miss Bahamas Universe: Tarea Sturrup. Representing Grand Bahama, Tarea beat out her fellow ten contestants to be crowned queen at the Atlantis Theatre on Sunday night. She will compete at the 68th edition of the international Miss Universe pageant in December. The current Miss Universe, Catriona Gray of the Philippines, will crown her successor at the event.

Photo: Keval Williams Photography

SANDS’ PLAN FOR MAJOR NEW HOSPITAL

By AVA TURNQUEST Tribune Chief Reporter aturnquest@tribunemedia.net

HEALTH Minister Dr Duane Sands is eyeing a multi-million dollar transformation for public health that would see the government embark on a public-private partnership to lease-to-own new health facilities over a 20-year period.

Officials say it is just one of many proposals

AN ARTIST’s impression of the proposed project. submitted to the government as it seeks to upgrade and optimise local

healthcare services.

However, The Tribune understands a proposal from Medistar Corp, a leading medical real estate development firm, has become the front-runner.

Previously, Dr Sands had said he was in discussions with leading US health provider Johns Hopkins from which a number of senior executives had toured several facilities in Nassau.

Nassau & Bahama Islands’ Leading Newspaper

SEE PAGE THREE

POACHERS THREAT TO ECONOMY

By DENISE MAYCOCK Tribune Freeport Reporter dmaycock@tribunemedia.net MINISTER of Agriculture and Marine Resources Michael Pintard expects to meet with officials in the Dominican Republic in a matter of weeks to address the serious issue of illegal poaching by Dominicans in Bahamian waters.

He stressed illegal poaching is a “massive concern” and that efforts are underway to determine its impact on the national economy on an annual basis.

SEE PAGE SIX

TWO DEAD IN MIDNIGHT ATTACK TWO men were reported dead last night in an attack that took place at about midnight.

The incident took place at Maple Street in the Pinewood Gardens area.

Police were still on the scene as The Tribune was going to press.

The deaths take this year’s homicide count up to 57, according to Tribune records.

PAGE 2, Tuesday, August 20, 2019

THE TRIBUNE

VICTORIA LYNN MORRIS, left, and Allison Denise Mobley, accused of making a false declaration.

Photos: Terrel W Carey/Tribune Staff

US trio give up $27k to walk free from page one

GARRETT RICHARD KEISER, accused of making a false declaration.

Moments earlier, the three Americans had each pleaded guilty to making a declaration to a US Border Control officer that they were not carrying over $10,000 in cash when in fact they were carrying some $17,000 more.

They were also charged with failing to declare the $27,000. Keiser pleaded guilty to that charge, while Mobley and Morris pleaded not guilty. As a result, the prosecutor, Sergeant Kendrick Bauld, withdrew that

charge against the latter two.

The incident took place on Sunday at Lynden Pindling International Airport (LPIA) as the trio sought to leave The Bahamas.

According to reports, shortly after 4pm on the date in question, the trio presented themselves to a US Border Control officer at LPIA and failed to declare the true amount of money in their possession.

The officers conducted a search of the three and recovered $27,136 cash.

Yesterday, their attorney

Ian Cargill asked that a conviction not be recorded against his clients, but the money instead be confiscated and they be subsequently discharged.

Sgt Bauld did not object to the request.

The magistrate consequently granted Mr Cargill’s request, and ordered the three to be turned over to the Department of Immigration, whose officers will make the decision as to whether they are to be escorted out of the country or allowed to leave freely.

MAN ACCUSED OF SCAMMING $40,000 FROM BANK ACCOUNTS

By NICO SCAVELLA Tribune Staff Reporter nscavella@tribunemedia.net

A 25-YEAR-OLD man was remanded to prison yesterday over allegations he stole over $40,000 cash from a woman’s two bank accounts as part of an online banking scam earlier this year.

Andre Spence Jr denied allegations he stole $44,500 from Elizabeth Lim’s Scotiabank and Commonwealth Bank accounts in June when arraigned before Senior Magistrate Carolyn Vogt-Evans.

The Sandpiper Drive resident also denied conspiring with another man, 27-yearold Samuel Kemp, sometime

between June 19 and July 4 to commit the acts.

It is alleged that on June 19, 20 and 21, Spence and Kemp stole $1,500 on each day from Ms Lim’s Scotiabank account. He is alleged to have committed the offences with Kemp, according to court documents.

It is also alleged that on

July 2, 3 and 4, Spence and Kemp stole $15,000, $10,000 and $15,000 respectively from Ms Lim’s account at Commonwealth Bank.

Given Spence’s not guilty pleas, the matter was adjourned to October 1 for trial. Bail was denied and he was remanded to the Bahamas Department of Correctional Services in the interim.

He has a right to apply to the Supreme Court for bail.

Last month, Kemp was charged with stealing and laundering $40,000 from Commonwealth Bank and $4,500 from Scotiabank between June and July.

The prosecution claims Kemp stole $4,500 from Ms Lim’s savings account between June 19 and June

21. Another $40,000 was allegedly taken between July 2 and July 4.

Kemp pleaded not guilty to all 12 charges brought against him and was denied bail. However, he has the right to apply for bail at the Supreme Court.

Kemp was remanded to BDCS until October 1, when he is set to stand trial.

THE TRIBUNE

Tuesday, August 20, 2019, PAGE 3

Sands’ plan for major new hospital from page one In February, Dr Sands told The Tribune Johns Hopkins had expressed interest in exploring the merits of a strategic “Nation Health Services Agreement” with the Bahamas to create a Caribbean Centre of Excellence.

Yesterday, Dr Sands said talks with John Hopkins were focused on collaboration related to safety and quality.

“The Johns Hopkins proposal has nothing to do with building a building, or financing a facility,” he said.

“It’s about quality health care, it’s about standards, it’s about safety. They are related but they are as night is to day.”

News of significant upgrades in health services had previously been limited to three areas at the Princess Margaret Hospital: a new emergency room, maternal child health facility and a radiology tower.

“A proposal has been made to consider more than the above,” said Dr Sands.

“That doesn’t mean that we are minded to nor are we committed to any particular idea.

“Bear in mind we would have made a commitment to the Bahamian people in our 2017 (FNM) manifesto.”

The expansive Medistar proposal, seen by The Tribune, outlines terms that see the firm front all pre-development costs of the project.

They would be responsible for all financing and equity required for all facilities. The facilities, which range from a new maternal child health facility to the replacement of the Rand Hospital in Grand Bahama, would be financed, developed and owned by Medistar but operated and maintained by the Ministry of Health, or under a management and operations company selected by the ministry.

Currently private rooms at the Princess Margaret Hospital are managed by a consortium of local physicians knows as The Physicians Alliance Ltd. Dr Sands said the Physicians Alliance is not involved in the project under discussion.

Dr Sands stressed no commitments have been made to any party, adding another US-based company SYMX Healthcare Corporation has also submitted a proposal.

“We have been actively looking at public-private

partnerships for major capital works to the tune of $200m to 300m, and a smaller project for the Rand (Memorial Hospital).

We’ve been working on it for a year and I think we’re getting closer to having something that we can actually present,” he said.

“We’ve had proposals presented, we have made no commitments. We are going to now review the proposals and, armed with a financial proposal, look at the feasibility of moving forward.”

Public Hospitals Authority chairman Julian Rolle confirmed yesterday his body was reviewing a proposal from Medistar but also looked at a number of “unsolicited proposals” concerning healthcare upgrades. Mr Rolle maintained deliberations were in the “very early stages”.

Medistar’s proposal - if adopted - would leave the government with a massive rental bill. Currently the vast majority of funds provided to the PHA are swallowed up on salaries leaving little for actual equipment and medicines.

The Tribune asked Dr Sands how he thought the government was going to find the money to pay the new rent it will face.

Dr Sands said Bahamians spend more than $400m a year seeking medical treatment in Florida. A new state-of-the-art facility here, he believes, will bring those patients back to The Bahamas.

Medistar CEO Monzer Hourani sent Dr Sands a technical proposal for development in the Bahamas on May 24, and a financial proposal was due on May 31. Yesterday, Dr Sands declined to discuss or reveal financial costs associated with the Medistar proposal, telling The Tribune it would soon be on its way to Cabinet.

The technical proposal from Medistar - intended “for study and discussion only” - follows several consultative meetings between Medistar, architectural and engineering firm Page and Bahamian government officials, including Dr Sands.

It details a maternal child health facility envisaged for PMH will require 600,000 square feet of new construction plus helipad, and boasts 372 potential new inpatient beds. The outpatient component, an integrated medical plaza, would be connected to the inpatient facility via a climate-controlled atrium and could include: a primary

TABERNACLE TAKEN IN RAID ON CHURCH THIEVES ransacked the St Cecilia Roman Catholic Church off Coconut Grove Avenue on Sunday night.

The church’s tabernacle was among the items stolen.

Robbers left mess strewn throughout the church after digging through draws and breaking the sanctuary’s glass door.

They tore donation boxes off the church’s walls and stole the money contained within.

The robbery reportedly took place during a more than three hour power outage in the area.

Monsignor Simeon Roberts said the church was

unable to hold mass yesterday. Instead, a service was held to pray for the robbers.

On Facebook, users decried the desecration.

“Sometime during the night, the darkness being compounded by the absence of electricity, our parish church was desecrated,” one user said. “I don’t know what to say.

The tabernacle is gone.

Catholics will know the implications of that. For the culprits, we pray, because they must not understand the gravity of their actions.

Human indecency knows limits.”

AN AERIAL view showing the possible area that could be affected by the Medistar proposal. care clinic; multi-specialty clinic; women’s centre clinic; cancer clinic; eye clinic; diagnostic imaging; outpatient rehabilitation; outpatient surgery; specimen collection; retail pharmacy; and food service, according to the proposal.

The preliminary overall size of the medical plaza is estimated at 130,000 gross square feet.

The proposal also anticipated the development of the following “additional ministry mandates”: a medical school; EMS facility; national blood bank, reference lab and coroner’s facility; a new home for the AIDS Secretariat inclusive of clinical and

research space and parking garage; PHA offices at PMH’s campus; the Rand Hospital replacement, and integrated medical plaza at the Rand; and a research and specialty medicine centre and school.

According to the proposal, the ministry would execute with Medistar a bankable long-term lease of 20 years or more, with appropriate project finance guarantees. It furthered the ministry would have the right to acquire the facilities by purchasing from Medistar at “fair market value at any time after the third year of operations”.

“The duration of the optimum lease term (most

beneficial to the economics of the transaction) will be mutually decided between Medistar and the government. At the end of the lease term all real estate, including all buildings and hospital facilities, will revert back to the government free and clear of all liens.”

In the preliminary proposal, Mr Hourani also expresses his interest along with Medistar - in developing a “major mixeduse, medically-aligned district” in Nassau.

“This is envisioned as a robust and vibrant destination development, initially suggested to be located between Nassau Harbour

and Princess Margaret Hospital, and may include market rate apartments, student housing, hotel, retail, restaurants, entertainment, medical offices and ample parking lot to support the district,” he says in the proposal.

Speaking to its industry record, Mr Hourani pointed to Medistar’s 45-year track record of developing healthcare facilities. He highlighted the Bay Area Regional Medical Centre in Texas as Medistar’s hallmark innovation. The hospital was designed and built to withstand hurricane winds of 225pmh, and withstood Hurricane Harvey in 2017.

PAGE 4, Tuesday, August 20, 2019

THE TRIBUNE

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

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Publisher/Editor 1903-1914 Kt., O.B.E., K.M., K.C.S.G., (Hon.) LL.D., D.Litt .

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

Published daily Monday to Friday

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Is there a plan for our children? ‘Not really’ AS the nation continues to struggle through the power problems affecting New Providence, there continue to be moments that make you realise how little prepared the government was for this.

It’s almost time for children to go back to school. It’s been one thing sweating through a long hot summer, it’s another again for children to be going to school with no idea of whether the power will stay on when they get there.

So what’s the government’s solution to this situation? “We are just going to have to manage it.”

Those were the words of Education Minister Jeff Lloyd yesterday. If that doesn’t sound comforting, then his next words will send a chill down the spine of parents that isn’t being provided by any air conditioning.

He was asked if there are any plans in place for public schools in the face of the ongoing load shedding, and his response was “not really”.

Not really? How safe can parents feel about leaving their children at school knowing that the ministry doesn’t have a plan?

Mr Lloyd admits if the power is off, then students can’t be inside – especially in those schools without adequate lighting from windows – and talked vaguely of using gyms and even the stadium, but what’s the plan to get them there? Are there buses for transport? Are parents going to be aware if their children are being taken off the school grounds? Will they have given permission?

If there aren’t facilities available, will parents have to turn around and come and pick their children up again? Goodness knows what disruption to parents’ working days that will bring.

And will facilities be fit for use by schoolchildren? Will they be safe? Perhaps the hurricane shelters might come into use in some cases – do they have generators for power and are they ready for use when schools begin?

For weeks now, we have seen BPL struggle to provide enough energy for the island – and that’s while the schools are closed for summer. We have heard the company talk of the new plant coming online in December – but what happens until then?

The ministry has seen this disruption continuing all summer – so why does it feel their best plan is to cross their fingers and hope? We suspect if parents were asked if they felt confident in leaving their children at school with power likely to blink off at any moment, they would use the same two words as Mr Lloyd: Not really.

When term starts, we would urge the ministry to make sure there is a plan. By day one.

A big project - and a big decision One area where there is a plan – several plans, it seems – is in the Ministry of Health, which is considering a new multimillion dollar hospital transformation.

No commitment has yet been made, says Health Minister Dr Duane Sands, but that doesn’t mean plans aren’t being discussed.

A proposal from Medistar would see them front the cost of the project but leave the government with a massive rental bill afterwards. How would the government pay that bill? Well, Dr Sands believes it would encourage Bahamians to stay here for treatment rather than going to spend more than $400m a year on medical treatment in Florida.

That latter part is a worthy goal – it would keep money in our economy, and it would mean facilities here for those not in a position to travel for treatment.

All that travel adds substantial extra costs, and that can be a barrier to those who need the treatment.

The government will face some big decisions as they continue to consider the future of healthcare here in The Bahamas – we hope they weigh them carefully, do their due diligence thoroughly on potential partners, and make the right choice for all Bahamians.

Disney project a done deal EDITOR, The Tribune.

WE saw some funny things, trying to be engineered earlier remember an NGO group wanting to have a hearing with Government, with their concept and they had no legal attachment or MOU or Agreement subject to approval, but they pushed and failed.

Suspect that it is the same NGO’s, who are trying again with this Petition?

Disney obtained Government approval – have

signed an HOA with the government and presumably have completed the purchase of the land, from the private owner...note private owner.

This is dun over with finished - approved, etc.

What to me is important is that we have to be assured that all, the retail except Disney Trade Marked material shops, are all operated

by Bahamians. Is the operation side of this destination resort, incorporated as a Bahamian company? If not why not? I want Business

License fees - VAT from the spend, as otherwise all we will get is maybe 3-400 employees. This should be the guidelines for all of these island cruise resorts, none excluded.

It concerns me that Virgins’ new boat carrying 2,700 passengers, will use Bimini beach north of Resort World. Got to ask, that is a lot of people on that small beach!

W THOMPSON, Nassau, August 1, 2019.

Is this any way to show respect?

EDITOR, The Tribune.

FROM my very earliest memory, two words that should evoke human compassion and Christian kindness are Widows and Orphans. By their very definition they suggest vulnerability and to some extent, weakness against the misfortunes and outrages of simply living, much less living alone.

And so I was a little surprised a couple of weeks ago when one of Violet Esfakis (circa 93+) children posted on social media that “someone” was breaking down one of the walls of her mother’s property. With a backhoe no less and against all protestations of the widow’s son Andrew. The

LETTERS letters@tribunemedia.net Police had been called and asked to intervene, but it seems such things as willful destruction of another’s property are not in the bailiwick of the RBPF. Next stop, I understand, was a report and appeal to the Department of Physical Planning in the Ministry of Works. Physical Planning did get involved and saw what was going on and determined that no Permit had been issued to anyone to excavate that site. They further issued a Stop Order to the operators of the equipment and told them that a permit to excavate was required. It seems that

it is an offence against the Conservation and Preservation of Physical Landscape Act to excavate without a permit.

Notwithstanding that, the excavation continued unabated on Monday of this week as if no order had been given to stop.

It seems that a high profile local Corporate Services provider owns this property and doesn’t give a tinkers damn about the Widow, who they are dispossessing. For people trying to offer financial services to Bahamians, one would have thought that bullying tactics such as this would be frowned on. Much less falling foul of the law.

MONKEEDOO Nassau, August 19, 2019

Your views on minimum wage WITH trade union leaders wanting a minimum wage increase to between $250-$300 per week, readers discussed the issue on tribune242.com.

SP asked: “How the hell does a person live on $210.00 per week? Even the proposed $250-$300 per week is not a livable wage in this country!

“Every time I hear people commenting that Bahamians steal too much, I wish they would put themselves in the average Bahamians shoes and try to figure out how to survive on $250.00 per week. I certainly couldn’t do it and wouldn’t want to try!

“It is unfair and hypocritical to grossly underpay people, forcing them to supplement income by stealing to survive meagerly, then

condemn them for stealing.

Business owners are the real thieves with their huge houses, rental apartments, high-end cars, yachts, and expensive clothing, and excessive travel, stealing from the staff by underpaying them to support lavish lifestyles!”

Islandboy242 had this to say: “It doesn’t always end well. Minimum wage goes up and so does the cost of everything else.”

DDK said: “Let the Government, their cronies and the numbers houses subsidise the minimum wage if

an increase is deemed necessary. There soon won’t be any jobs on offer by the average Bahamian business, most of which are struggling to keep their doors open, having been taxed to death by successive Bahamas governments and having been crippled by high global prices to boot. The economy is stagnant and a further recession is looming. These greedy unionists do not care one iota about the survival of business, only lining their own pockets and paying lip service to those they represent, much like government.”

John posted this comment: “Obviously this is just to excite emotions and rile up workers to false expectations. And unions are famous for doing this to garner support. Of course

government is entertaining this idea right now because they know the disaster the 12% VAT increase has created. Minimum wage was increased by 60% just recently and to increase another 45% would double the minimum wage in less than ten years. The average increase in salaries and wages is under 10%.”

After Prime Minister Dr Hubert Minnis toured Bahamas Power & Light’s plants on Sunday and declared unreliable power in New Providence a “crisis” for Bahamian families, JackArawak had this to say: “If a stitch in time saves nine, by my estimate, BEC has about 27 stitches to take. A little late Minnis, ship done sailed.”

Chucky said: “Could have huge generators here

in a day from Florida if they wanted. Obviously it’s not enough of a crisis to bother.”

Moncurcool1 posted this: “The problem BPL is facing now in New Providence, Grand Bahama faced 10 years ago. Abaco faced the same issue before the new plant was built. What a lot of people really do not understand, is that the equipment at BPL in New Providence is extremely old. The new plant that is coming on stream will deal with all of those issues.”

And Geostorm had this to say to his fellow commenters: “I dare any of you above, if you think you can do a better job fixing our country, to take a shot at leadership, run for office! It’s pretty annoying to read every day how

the government needs to do this or the government needs to do that and this one is incompetent or the next one is incompetent.

“For God’s sake people, you cannot fix 40 years worth of neglect, abuse and corruption in two years! I don’t care who is elected, putting the Bahamas on a path of success, will not be achieved in two or even five years. What makes it even harder is our mindset as a people. We would rather argue and degrade people if they do not represent our party colours instead of doing our part in contributing to our country’s success.

We are our own worst enemies, all we do is complain and criticise.”

• Don’t miss your chance to join the debate on tribune242.com.

THE TRIBUNE

Tuesday, August 20, 2019, PAGE 5

Power cuts hit children’s centre

By MORGAN ADDERLEY Tribune Staff Reporter madderley@tribunemedia.net CANCELLED therapy sessions, frustrated clients, and autistic children who have their crucial routines disrupted — these are effects of Bahamas Power and Light’s consistent loadshedding exercises that Carla Gibson experiences every day.

Ms Gibson is the owner and director of the Renee Oneil Centre for Child Development & Research (ROC), an applied behaviour analysis (ABA) therapy centre for children with special needs or other behavioural challenges.

Ms Gibson’s sevenstaff complement includes therapists who work with children in daily one-onone and group sessions as well as a special needs teacher.

“My business has been really impacted by BPL,” Ms Gibson told The Tribune. “I’ve had to cancel sessions, I’ve had to send staff home.

“We are a small business so I can’t afford a generator. But because of the kind of work that we do - our therapy is really involved it can get very hot and very uncomfortable very fast.”

When asked how the outages have affected the children she works with, Ms Gibson replied: “Not only is it important for them to have their therapy on a consistent basis, most of the

CARLA GIBSON, third from right, with staff of the Renee Oneil Center for Child Development and Research. clients that we service are children with autism and for children with autism, having a consistent routine is extremely important.

“So when we have to cancel services at the last minute or when we have to cut a session short, a lot of our clients get upset because that’s not the routine that they’re used to.

So it causes them to miss critical sessions but it also disrupts their regular routine, which can spill over into many other areas of their life — that frustration that they feel when their routine is disrupted.”

Ms Gibson also detailed

the financial impact of the load-shedding exercises.

“The outages have impacted me financially because like I said, if it’s off for too long and it’s just too hot, then I have to cancel a session. And I have to send therapists home. And if I have to cancel a session and send therapists home I still have to pay them. So that’s money that we’re still paying out but we’re unable to collect because we can’t deliver the therapy.”

She said her team members also provide at-home therapy to clients. Some of these sessions have been cut short due to power cuts

creating uncomfortable conditions.

“And I can’t charge the parent for an entire session, that’s not their fault,” she said.

Purchasing a generator, Ms Gibson noted, would only exacerbate these financial issues.

“When I first moved into our building, I thought about a generator. But we have recently done some renovations and those renovations went over budget much more than we planned, so we just don’t have that excess cash. I’m thinking more strongly about it now because of

how bad the outages have gotten.

“But thinking about getting a generator and being able to afford it is a different thing.”

Ms Gibson, though only 28, described the outages this summer as the worst she’s experienced. She added there have been times when electricity has been shut off for five hours.

Meanwhile George Lindsey, owner of Lindsey’s Convenience on Nassau Street, said he is going to have to spend about $6,000 to purchase and install a generator large enough to facilitate his store.

“I have two (generators) but they’re small,” Mr Lindsey said. “They can’t run this.”

However, this additional expense comes as the outages are causing him to lose “a hell of a lot of money,” he told The Tribune.

In addition to dry goods, he sells sandwiches and baked goods – things he cannot heat up to sell if the electricity goes out.

“If the current off, then I doomed,” he said. “That’s the bottom line.”

Alex Reckley, owner of Principal Convenience, also underscored the negative impact the outages have had on his business.

“It certainly has impacted us negatively,” Mr Reckley said. “We’ve been off for extremely long periods of time and it has affected the ability to be able to sell the cold stuff, which is

generally in our freezer and in the coolers.

“Things like ice cream and soft popsicles, they just melt on you…And then you either have to give them away or sell that at a significantly reduced price. But it has been very, very difficult.

“And to be closed for most of the time or to be open without any electricity, you would certainly lose a lot of business. Because a lot of things that you need electricity for that you are unable to do once there is no power.”

Unfortunately, unlike Mr Lindsey, purchasing a generator is something Mr Reckley cannot currently consider.

“I can’t afford the generator at this particular time,” he said. “So it’s something that I think based on the frequency with which BPL goes off, that is absolutely necessary nowadays. But for the time being I didn’t make the preparation to deal with that. It’s not going to be easy. They don’t come cheap.”

Mr Reckley, at age 72, echoed Ms Gibson’s remarks that this summer is the worst the outages have ever been.

“I have never, ever in my life experienced light going off every single day.

There is no day where I can say there is a relief. Three hours, sometimes it goes more than three hours. But it’s never been like this.

Never, never, never,” Mr Gibson said.

‘BPL’S NEGLECT WILL BE FIXED’ ‘SCHOOLS WILL JUST from page one

“We would read quite a bit about ‘oh the technology being archaic’ but when you see it for yourself then you have a better understanding. Can you imagine in the nerve centre, or the operational centre, they’re still using floppy disk? We are now in the technological era, those are things that needs to be corrected and those are things that they are correcting.

“So we’re looking at more than 20 years of neglect and now we’re correcting those problems and we’re going to correct those once and for all. We’ve had similar problems with the dump and now we’re correcting that. Energy must be corrected and we will place all our energy, all our resources to ensure that we have not only short-term solutions, but that we have permanent solutions so you won’t experience this problem and your generation moving forward (won’t experience it either),” Dr Minnis said.

Mr Watson, nonetheless, said BEC made profits up to when the second Ingraham administration left office in 2002. BPL is a subsidiary of BEC.

He said the company has done a poor job maintaining its equipment and cited the 2003 decision of the first Christie administration to lower electricity rates as the genesis of BPL’s current problems. Michael Moss, executive chairman of BEC during the last Ingraham administration, has argued similarly. Although electricity rates were restored under his watch, he has said the damage was already done by then. The company’s legacy debt issue has prevented it from funding necessary upgrades.

Although power cuts have angered customers for decades, Mr Watson said: “I can’t think of anything during my period that was nearly as bad as today, nothing.”

The Nassau Guardian reported yesterday that BPL chairman Dr Donovan Moxey has said the company could not afford to buy more rental generators to meet this summer’s demand.

Asked if BPL requested additional funds from Cabinet earlier this year to buy more generators, Dr Minnis did not answer directly.

“Whatever BPL needs, BPL will get,” he said. “What we’re

experiencing today is an emergency situation as far as I’m concerned and yes the government has a budget but this is an emergency and the government will have to use all its resources and talent and move resources around but this must be fixed and this will be fixed.”

Some have criticised Dr Minnis for not commenting on the generation woes earlier than he did. His first public comment came last week in a press statement.

BPL has been carrying out daily load shedding since June 19. Dr Minnis defended his silence yesterday, saying: “You and I know you speak when you get the facts. You analyse, you accumulate, you get all the necessary data, and when you get all those facts and are comfortable with the facts, then you speak out. You do not speak prematurely because when you do that, you have to retract.”

Some officials have shied away from using the word “crisis” to describe BPL’s predicament.

For his part, the prime minister yesterday sought to distinguish between a genuine energy crisis on the island and crisis as felt by residents and businesses.

HAVE TO MANAGE’ from page one

“I’m satisfied that the executives at BPL have indicated to us that things are getting better every single day and we are looking forward to the day that I believe it is somewhere along November, December and this will all be finished and a new power plant will be on stream.

“Now in a lot of these schools like Uriah McPhee and Stephen Dillet, these are air-conditioned facilities.

If there is no air-conditioning the students can’t be inside so that certainly is going to have an impact.”

When asked if there were any plans in place for public schools in light of the ongoing load shedding, Mr Lloyd said, “not really” because the space needed to accommodate that many students is not easily available. He added we “just have to go through it”.

He said: “It seems as if the practice is to two to three hours a loss of power on a given day so that can be managed. If it’s twice a day or more than that, that’s going to be a problem. We will have to look and see how will manage it. We will have to

see alternative arrangements.

“In 2017 when we had the situation to Stephen Dillet, we were able to use the Wesley Methodist Church…that worked out fairly well for us. Of course, you know we have the gyms and some facilities at the stadium so all of those things are being contemplated but we hope we will never have to come to that.”

Bahamas Union of Teachers president Belinda Wilson also expressed her concerns relating to the constant power cuts.

Mrs Wilson said: “BPL is not a reliable service so if we are going to rely on technology then what are the alternative energy producing avenues that we are going to use for our schools and that’s a major concern for us.”

On Sunday, Prime Minister Dr Hubert Minnis toured BPL’s plants in a private visit and declared unreliable power in New Providence a “crisis” for Bahamian families.

The media was not told of the visit in advance. The first notification to the media was in the form of a latenight press release, and there was no opportunity to put questions to Dr Minnis at the time about BPL’s problems.

PAGE 6, Tuesday, August 20, 2019

THE TRIBUNE

DOMINICAN fishermen detained for poaching last year.

Poachers threat to economy from page one

MICHAEL PINTARD, Minister of Agriculture and Marine Resources.

Photo: Terrel W Carey Sr/Tribune Staff

The Bahamas National Trust has described poaching by commercial fishermen from the Dominican Republic as “the greatest single threat to Bahamian seafood resources”.

Mr Pintard believes the country has suffered “substantial” losses to its economy due to illegal poaching based on previous vessels that have been interdicted in Bahamian waters.

“It (poaching) is a massive concern, and we are now in the process of commencing a study to see what the loss is to the national economy on an annual basis due to poachers in the south, and sport fishermen and poachers in the north from the US. “But, we know that it is substantial based on the vessels we have interdicted with the volume of various variety of marine products,” he said.

Mr Pintard said the Royal Bahamas Defence Force has beefed up its fleet and substantial investments have been made by

successive governments to acquire new vessels.

Additionally, he indicated that government has just approved a multi-million dollar deal to purchase drones to monitor Bahamian waters.

“There will be two types – close-range and longrange drones – to monitor our waters. That is going to be quite significant in helping beef-up presence of the defence force in the southern Bahamas. We are doing it in Inagua, and the intention is to do the same in Ragged Island,” the minister said.

Mr Pintard said officials are working closer with neighbouring countries to crack down on poachers.

He reported the most recent interdiction has landed more than 100 poachers in prison, convicted with the largest two fines and incarceration in the history of country occurred in the last year.

“We are very proud of that. That would not have been possible if we did not have closer relationships with neighbouring countries. That is unheard of in the past, so that is a significant leap forward,” he said.

“We are also talking with officials from the country where poachers are coming from, and so, we have been in contact regularly with the American Embassy, and the Dominican government. And week after next, I expect to be having discussions in the Dominican Republic with officials concerning how we can better collaborate on (addressing the issue of) poaching,” he said.

Mr Pintard said that the Department of Marine Resources is also committed about strengthening enforcement efforts in The Bahamas.

“We have gotten Cabinet approval to hire 37 new fisheries officers throughout The Bahamas. It is the largest single hire in the Department of Marine Resources, and so the government is clearly committed to strengthening enforcement efforts.

“We are also going to introduce additional marine protected areas, where we believe fisheries stock need to be protected so that we can get heightened number to sustain the species,” he added.

13 HAITIANS HELD BY IMMIGRATION IMMIGRATION officials apprehended 13 Haitians - seven males and six females - during an operation conducted by the Department of Immigration’s Enforcement Unit.

Led by Chief Immigration Officer Harold Thurston, this operation commenced at approximately 5.30pm Friday and was carried out in the central and eastern districts of New Providence.

The group was escorted to Carmichael Road Detention Centre for further investigation and processing. Six people were committed to the detention facility for various immigration offences including

illegal landing. They are expected to appear in court sometime this week.

In a separate incident on Sunday August 18, officers of the Grand Bahama Enforcement Unit executed a search warrant at approximately 9am at the Riviera Towers, Freeport which resulted in the arrest of 11 foreign nationals for various immigration offences.

The group consisted of six Indians, four Brazilians and one Haitian who were found to have breached the Immigration Act. They are expected to answer charges of illegal landing and overstaying in court this week.

FOUNDERS CRACHAD LAING, Elena Sinelnikova, Rhonda Eldridge and Felix Stubbs.

Photo: Azaleta Ishmael-Newry

TECH CAMP FOR HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS NEARLY 100 high school students will get hands on training to develop their own tech-based startup as the 6th annual Hack<IT> Bahamas STEM camp began this week.

The five-day camp is hosted at St Andrew’s School and is open to private and public school students in grades 9-12.

This year marks the sixth for Hack<IT> Bahamas. Since its inception, nearly 500 students throughout the Caribbean have participated in programs designed and executed by STEMBoard and its partners.

“We are hoping this year’s camp proves to be yet another outstanding experience for our students,” says Aisha Bowe, Bahamian-American

aerospace engineer and founder of STEMBoard.

“We are honored to partner with so many amazing companies that understand our vision for the future young people of the island,” Ms Bowe said.

“With support from the Ministry of Education and ALIV, we are able to create a program that provides the fundamentals of technology and entrepreneurship to allow our students the opportunity to create innovative projects that showcase the genius that lies within The Bahamas.”

With a focus on developing a technology-based startup, the camp will give attendees the opportunity to

apply their knowledge to an issue of social impact within the Bahamas and compete for a cash prize.

Students will compete for a grand prize at a closing competition and awards ceremony at 10am on Saturday, August 17. The event is open to the public.

Sponsors of Hack<IT> 2019 include ALIV, The Ministry of Education, Bahamas Power and Light Company Ltd (BPL), The Utilities Regulation and Competition Authority (URCA) and the Caribbean Bottling Company, Pizza Hut, Dairy Queen and PricewaterHouse Coopers.

For more information on how to support Hack<IT> Bahamas 2019, visit www. bahamascamp.com.

THE TRIBUNE

Tuesday, August 20, 2019, PAGE 7

PRIME Minister Dr Hubert Minnis and Bain Town MP Travis Robinson conducted a walkabout of the University of The Bahamas with UB president Dr Rodney Smith. Photo: Shawn Hanna/Tribune Staff

Homeowners to be paid to take in university students

By RASHAD ROLLE Tribune Staff Reporter rrolle@tribunemedia.net THE University of The Bahamas has enacted Prime Minister Dr Hubert Minnis’ vision of paying rent to homeowners who accommodate university students in their homes, UB president Dr Rodney Smith said yesterday.

During his budget communication in June and during his speech at the Free National Movement’s Torchbearers convention on Friday, Dr Minnis called on UB to establish a housing registry so the government could give homeowners in New Providence $500 for every Family Island student

BUT president Belinda Wilson.

they accommodate.

Dr Smith said a meeting with senior UB administrators was called to materialise the PM’s vision soon after he made his initial comments in the House of Assembly.

“We now have a form that people can go on our website and register their homes and we will come out and inspect their homes,” he said. “We have certain criteria that must be met. The students or the students’ parents will sign the lease agreement with the landlords and we will actually pay the landlords directly for those Family Island students.”

Dr Smith spoke to reporters after he led the prime minister on a tour of UB

during its opening day of classes for the semester.

Dr Minnis used the tour to highlight the government’s Tertiary Grant Programme which expands free access to college education for Bahamian students by reducing the criteria for maintaining the grant.

Students who receive a 2.0 grade point average can now get full financial coverage for their tuition and compulsory fees.

Dr Minnis met with students, many of whom are recipients of the grant.

“What was interesting,” he told reporters after the tour, “was to see the amount of students taking advantage of the grant.

In one particular class, all

Photo: Terrel W Carey Sr/Tribune Staff

WILSON: TALKS ON AGREEMENT FOR TEACHERS NEXT MONTH

By RIEL MAJOR Tribune Staff Reporter rmajor@tribunemedia.net

BAHAMAS Union of Teachers officials are expected to resume negotiations over a new industrial agreement with the Ministry of Education next month, according to BUT President Belinda Wilson.

Speaking to reporters on the sidelines of a Ministry of Education conclave yesterday, Mrs Wilson said the new industrial agreement is moving “slowly, but steadily.”

She said: “We have been to the table about four times and we would have completed our last session in June. “. . .And, we will resume on September 18, but I’m saying…that we are very far

from the financial aspect of our agreement because we are only on cursory matters now. We have 70 clauses and we maybe on clause 10 so I foresee us getting to the matter sometime in October and November.”

Education Minister Jeff Lloyd also said negotiations are ongoing.

Mr Lloyd said: “That’s now at the Ministry of Finance so they’re working out the money, that’s the big part. Everything is about the money and I mean they have their (little) issues.”

In January, The Tribune reported that the union’s proposed industrial agreement featured a 20 percent pay increase over three years among other demands.

Teachers, Mrs Wilson insisted at the time,

deserved this raise as they serve in a profession that requires a bachelor’s degree prior to permanent employment at the entry level.

The union leader said a higher cost of living is another reason why teachers needed a raise.

Back then, Mr Lloyd also said the ministry was working on a counterproposal.

However, he said, BUT’s demands had to be contextualised with the requests of other unions, adding that for too long issues like these have been one-sided.

He said the country needed to move to a point where accountability is also factored into union negotiations. Nonetheless, he said, the raise could only be considered as far as the country’s finances allowed.

the students were taking advantage of it. Previously, many of the students were part-time but now most of the students are full-time meaning there were many students that could not afford it and they are more than happy and delighted that they’ve brought the GPA down giving everybody a chance. As I’ve said before, ‘A’ students do not make the leaders. Individuals that know they have certain deficits work very hard to overcome that deficit. You find that they are usually hardworking, go-getters who are very focused and in many instances those individuals are determined and they’re the ones that become

future leaders and CEOs in their communities because they’re very, very focused and they don’t take anything for granted.”

Dr Smith said most of UB’s students are grant recipients, though he could not say exactly how much. He said the grant has caused an uptick in the number of full-time students enrolled at the university.

“Most of our students used to be part time students,” he said, “now it looks as if most of our students are going to be full-time students. Ninety to 95 percent of our incoming class, over 1,500 students, are full time students.

We have seen an increase

in enrollment in Grand Bahama and Nassau. If I were to estimate, we normally bring in about 1,200 freshmen for the year. This year we brought in more than 1,500 students and we’re still counting. Our capacity for new students is 1,700.”

Dr Smith also teased plans to expand UB’s infrastructure. Soon, he said, the university will break ground to construct a new residential facility that will add 1,000 beds to the campus, create a five-level parking deck, a 500-seat cafeteria, retail facilities and additional classroom space. He said the plans have been in discussions now “for many years”.

MDEEZ - FROM THE

PAGE 8, Tuesday, August 20, 2019

THE TRIBUNE

BLEACHERS TO MONTEGO BAY O

N THE very day Davon Alistar “MDeez” Knight was scheduled to light up the stage at Sumfest in Montego Bay, Jamaica, he was laid to rest. The festival was to be widely broadcast throughout the Caribbean with a live stream available for fans around the world.

This premier summer festival for Jamaica was held on July 19 and featured a superstar reggae line-up including Buju Banton, Beres Hammond, Etana, Protoje, Chronixx, Beenie Man, Bounty Killa, Spice and so many others. It would have been a proud moment for MDeez.

Having a Jamaican father and having spent many summers in the birthplace of reggae, he must have

been keenly anticipating this event. His father lived in an area where some of the reggae stars were born, such as Elephant Man. There was a recording studio in the neighbourhood, so the young Davon had lots of exposure to music.

Mdeez was on the cusp of international stardom and was about to start a 12-week, multi-country tour this summer, according to his close friend and manager, Luval “Big L” Culmer. The tour was due to make stops in various cities in Canada, the United States and Jamaica. Sadly, on the date of the tour launch MDeez was laid to rest at Abundant Life Bible Church.

One of the things he was to do when he returned from his tour, was to sit

Funeral Service For

Raymond Gilbert, 74 affectionately called “Rico”

a resident of Cactus Street, Garden Hills II, who died on Tuesday, August 6th, 2018 at the Princess Margaret Hospital, will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Friday, August 23rd, 2019 at St Agnes Anglican Church, Baillou Hill, Grants Town. The Right Rev’d Drexel W. Gomez assisted by Rev’d Canon Warren Rolle will officiate. Interment will follow in the Old Trail Cemetery, Abundant Life Road.

Predeceased by his parents: Lorenzo and Nencha Gilbert; brothers: Edward “Parker Boy” and Arnold Gilbert.

Precious memories will linger in the hearts of his sister: Stephanie Storr; brother: Woodro “Woody” Lowe; Nieces: Adriane and Vernencha Gilbert of Miami, Florida, Marlene Gilbert, Celeste (Leonard) Cleare, Natasha Storr, Kizzy Vickey and Dominique Gilbert and Makeisha Gibson; Nephews: Arnold Jr. (Marissa) Gilbert, Alvin and De-Angelo Storr, Woodron Lowe, Torin and Perez Gilbert, Lorennzo Gilbert of Tampa, Florida and Aarieano Gilbert of Tampa, Florida; Special friend: Francis St, Ford of Tampa, Florida; Grand-nieces: La-Shantae Cleare, Sea-Shy Palmer, Marsha St. Fort of Tampa, Florida, Khadejaha Gilbert and Aniya Storr; Grand-nephew: Liam Storr; Great grand-niece: Ra-Liyah Cleare; Family and friends include: Louise (Bertram) Taylor, Rosalie Johnson and family, Dianne (Henry) Gibson and family, Fredericka (Don) Nottage, Marva, Catherine, Gwen Saunders and family, Matthew Gordon and family, Patricia Capron and family, Evangelist Carolie Wilson and family, Ivy Minnis and family, Nancy Hanna and family, Annemae Armbrister and family, John Adderley and family, Larry and Dale Davis and family, Jerry and Dennis Moxey and family, Haywood Thurston, Tommy Hurston, Mel Davies and The Fish House Staff family, Tony Rolle, the Baker and Newbold Street families, the Market Street family, the Andros Avenue family, the Bimini Alley family, Hard Rock Alley family, the Hepburn Alley family, Geraldine and family, Clara Nottage and family, Wellington and Albertha Hall and family, Nikita and Delcita Austin and family, the Holbert family, the Wilson family, the McDonald family and the Beneby family.

Relatives and friends may pay their last respects at THE CHAPEL OF MEMORIES THE NEW COMMONWEALTH FUNERAL HOME, INDEPENDENCE DRIVE on Thursday from 10:00 a.m.-6:30 p.m. and at the church Friday from 10:00 a.m. to service time.

down and have a Face to Face with me, sharing all the highlights of a summer that he expected would take his career to the next level. He sent me a Whatsapp message in April, sending pictures of one of the charitable gestures he did with a group of friends.

He was giving away grocery items and clothing to those in need. This was something he did regularly.

I replied to him letting him know how proud I was of him and I looked forward to interviewing him later in the year. Instead, he became the focus of this posthumous tribute as I visit Jamaica with my eldest daughter Malia.

I grew up in the Eastern area of New Providence.

MDeez and I are “in set”, as they say. We are in the same age bracket and we interacted many times at parties and events as teenagers. Back then, in the 1990s, the “East-side” crew consisted of young people who grew up anywhere from Fox Hill eastward.

Many of them had dreams of becoming musical artists.

I can remember hanging out at the park where lots of talented youngsters would freestyle to rap, reggae and dancehall.

Dancehall was in its glory days then, with Buju and his “Bogle”, Shabba Ranks and his “Trailer Load of Girls” and so on.

The East-side boys were good! Many of them had undeniable talent. They could spit out fresh lyrics in a heartbeat as we sat on the bleachers with a big “boom box” to play music.

We were the set who experienced the transition in media. One time ago we would purchase the latest hits on cassette, until they were replaced by CD; hence our boom boxes were upgraded to ones with CD players.

Many of the children out East were considered privileged, so you could bet that someone would have their hands on the latest stereo equipment and music. While the dreams of stardom were many, only a few pushed through beyond our days hanging out at the park. MDeez followed it through his entire life and

became a success at it. He was not just a singer and entertainer, but also a writer and producer.

“We lost an icon with ‘Deez, his life was about advancing the culture of music here,” said Culmer, adding that no matter where he went, “he was beloved by the people”.

“He was a giant to us and his love, energy and passion are MDEEZ, a rising irreplaceable.” star in Bahamian MDeez’ music, who died murder came after being stabbed mance, I as a shock to in June. invited him many, includto join the ing CEO of line-up for Downsound Festival Night Entertainment and 1. I was particupromoter of Reggae larly happy to provide Sumfest, Josef Bogdanovich, who was eagerly an opportunity for a Bahaanticipating the arrival of mian artiste with Jamaican the Bahamian entertainer roots, as it is my philosophy to the Jamaican stage. that it is our music that is When Mdeez performed the unifying element in our songs like “Love is”, “Bad region.”

But MDeez was more Company,” “TKO” and than just about music, “Hard Times”, he put his all into it. Search him on although his deep commitYoutube or social media to ment to it made it seem witness his performances like nothing else mattered. that reveal the passion he Family was important to had for his work. A sense- him. He was also a sucless argument with a tenant cessful entrepreneur and led to his stabbing death a cheerful giver. He had a just three weeks before heart for people, including my brother, Theo. More Sumfest.

“I am extremely sad- than once, when Theo dened by the loss of a needed help, MDeez was talented musician in such a there for him. He took senseless act of violence,” him in like a brother and Bogdanovich said in a press for that I will always be grateful. release to the media.

“There are so many “The Sumfest family wishes to let MDeez’s things I admire about Deez, family and other loved ones especially his devotion to know that we share in their family, friends and those grief and deeply regret that he would call brothers,” he will not be performing at said Ian “Bigg E” Cleare, a friend-turned-brother. the festival.”

“His love and intentions According to Bogdawere honest and true. You novich, he learned about MDeez after a friend of only had to call and he his, pointed him out as one would be there. Another of the rising reggae acts in quality I admire about my brother is his dedication The Bahamas.

“I followed up on his rec- – not just to the people ommendation and looked around him or his music, at one of MDeez’s videos. but to anything he set his Impressed by his perfor- mind and heart to. If Deez committed to something,

he went after it with all his might. He once said to me, ‘E, I want my shows to be full of energy. I want to be able to bounce around on stage and sing my lyrics without losing my breath’.

So we came up with a plan.

We decided every day he should run on the treadmill at a moderate speed while singing his lyrics. Sure enough, every morning for almost a year, I would wake up to that iconic voice coming through the window. I am talking about awe inspiring, unparalleled dedication. It was the kind that made you want to help and support even if you felt like being lazy… it was an infectious fire.”

Tributes at his funeral also came in from people like his aunt Margaret Burrows, godsister Turkessa Mackey, childhood friend Audwyn Scavella and his beloved wife, Leshann Knight. He was predeceased by his father, David Knight. He is survived by his mother, Cheralie Mortimer, daughter Eden Knight, sisters Shauna Knight and Whitney Smith, and a host of other family and friends.

This is one of those instances where the phrase “Gone Too Soon” frequently seen on T-Shirts honouring the deceased would seem so appropriate.

The good thing is, the messages of love, non-violence, camaraderie and love of country that he wanted to leave with this world will live on through his music.

THE TRIBUNE

Tuesday, August 20, 2019, PAGE 9

MAN JAILED AFTER ADMITTING HAVING DRUGS WORTH $111,000

By NICO SCAVELLA Tribune Staff Reporter nscavella@tribunemedia.net

CHRISTOPHER MORTIMER, who admitted possession of dangerous drugs with intent to supply.

Photo: Terrel W Carey/Tribune Staff

A MAN was sentenced to almost two years in prison yesterday for admitting to being caught with over $100,000 worth of marijuana he planned to distribute to others last week.

Acting Deputy Chief Magistrate Subusola Swain sentenced Christopher Mortimer to 20 months in prison concerning the $111,000 worth of drugs he was caught with on August 15.

According to prosecutor Sergeant Lincoln McKenzie, sometime around 9.50pm on the date in question, a team of officers, acting on information and armed with a search warrant, went to a house at Mt Tabor Estates.

When the officers arrived and encountered Mortimer, they showed him the search warrant and told him he was suspected of having dangerous drugs and firearms and that a search would be conducted of himself and the premises.

Sgt McKenzie said Mortimer then told the officers that some drugs were in a burgundy and green suitcase somewhere on the premises. When the officers searched the suitcase, they found four brown taped packages containing marijuana.

Mortimer was subsequently arrested.

The officers continued to search the premises, Sgt McKenzie said. He said the officers went to a wooden shed, where they found two white

crocus sacks that contained six brown taped packages containing marijuana lying in “plain view”.

The officers subsequently took Mortimer to his white Toyota Tundra truck. Once there, one of the officers looked underneath the rear seat, where he found one brown paper bag and a black backpack containing marijuana.

Mortimer subsequently told the officers that all of the drugs in the house and the vehicle belonged to him. He was ultimately taken to the Central Detective Unit (CDU), where he gave a statement under caution in which he again admitted that the drugs were his.

Sgt McKenzie said the Crown was seeking a custodial sentence of no less than 18 months.

In mitigation, his attorney Ian Cargill said his client, who owns a Jet Ski business and dive company, was remorseful, hence his cooperation with police during the investigative stage.

Mr Cargill also said his client is married and a father of four children, ages two, six, eight, and 11. However, Mr Cargill said his wife has a “terminal illness” and can’t work, thus making him the sole provider for his family.

Thus, Mr Cargill asked the court to consider giving Mortimer a custodial sentence between 12 to 14 months.

However, the senior magistrate sentenced Mortimer to 20 months and ordered the drugs to be destroyed.

Groper: Six years? Man, they don’t like me in the prison

By NICO SCAVELLA Tribune Staff Reporter nscavella@tribunemedia.net SERIAL groper Sidney Cooper was sentenced to six years in prison yesterday for grabbing a teenage girl’s buttocks and shoving her to the ground when she tried to retaliate.

Magistrate Samuel McKinney sentenced the 43-year-old to six years for groping and causing harm to the 18-year-old moments after her mother stopped to drop her off at work on June 12.

“Six years?!” Cooper exclaimed in response. The magistrate had previously indicated that his sentence would be doubled since it was his third conviction for the same offence in as many years.

Magistrate McKinney also ordered that Cooper receive psychiatric intervention while serving his prison sentence because he seemingly “cannot control assaulting females in the public”.

To that, Cooper said: “Man, your worship, they don’t like me in the prison so I ain’t ga get no help.

You saying that, they ain’t ga see me (sic).”

Cooper has claimed his victim flaunted her buttocks at him, which he suggested provoked him as he had just come out of prison and hadn’t seen a woman for some time prior to the incident.

“I feel like it’s some kind of plot against me,” he said. “I feel like someone set that woman up and line that woman up to do what she do. Because she wasn’t fixing her skirt, your worship. She had her whole skirt lift up in the road. And I just come out of jail.”

Yesterday marked the third time Cooper has been convicted of the same offence, according to the magistrate. He recently finished serving at 18-month sentence for groping a female officer on March 29, 2016.

Then, on August 9, while the present matter was still underway, and in open court, he groped another female officer as she walked past him.

During trial, Cooper was notably vulgar. He lewdly taunted the victim, her mother and a female officer as evidence was being led about how he groped the girl and ran away laughing

while her mother gave chase.

When the victim’s mother took the stand, Cooper called her a “big (expletive)” and likened her to a snake. When she completed her evidence and was walking out of court, he shouted: “That’s a fat *** though.”

When the female officer who arrested him took the stand, and reluctantly recounted how he told her how “sweet” she looked, the man shouted out: “All the time, all day!”

And when that officer left the court, Cooper told her: “Don’t worry, you next though. I been watching you a little while now. You next. Yeah, baby.”

The victim’s mother said on the date in question, she was on Victoria Avenue headed on to Shirley Street, and in the process of dropping her daughter off for work. She said when she pulled the car to a stop, her daughter got out and proceeded to fix her clothes.

Meanwhile, the mother said she looked down for a “split second” for her daughter’s bag on the floor of the passenger’s side.

The mother said as she did so, she noticed Cooper on the opposite side of the road coming towards her daughter, whose back was to him; she was facing the car as she fixed her clothes. The mother said when the man reached where they were, he took his took his two hands and grabbed her daughter’s buttocks.

The mother said her daughter spun around and tried to lunge at her assailant in a bid to hold him, but Cooper in turn pushed her, causing her to fall to the ground.

The mother said Cooper subsequently walked away briskly from them.

She said she then put the car in park, got out and started to go after him whilst yelling: “You touched my daughter!”

She said upon seeing her coming after him, the man’s brisk pace turned into a run, and he fled towards Bay Street from Victoria Avenue. She said while she chased him, Cooper kept looking back and laughing at her.

The mother said she continued to give chase, and before long Cooper jumped a wall in the area.

She said because of what

she was wearing, she was unable to jump the wall, so she decided to go around it.

The mother said while she pursued her daughter’s assailant, she continuously yelled: “You groped my daughter, you touched my daughter!” She said her ranting caught the attention of various people in the area, who in turn joined her in chasing Cooper.

The group subsequently chased the 43-year-old east on Bay Street. She said the chase ultimately came to a stop at a tree opposite the Rum Cake Factory, which the man had scrambled into to evade capture.

Once she had caught up with the group, the mother said she observed a number of spectators recording the incident. She said she then told them to call the police.

About 10 minutes later, the police arrived.

Constable Sharain Brown testified that at around 8am on the date in question, she got a call from the Tourism Police Station about a disturbance near the Rum Cake Factory. As a result, she said she and another officer went to that location.

She said when she got there, she observed a few people standing around on the side of the road, and others who were gathered around a tree. She said some of the bystanders pointed out a man in the tree, and told her how he had groped a woman a few blocks back.

P/C Brown identified Cooper as the man she saw in the tree. She said she and her colleague ordered the man to come down, which she said took a few minutes.

When he came down, P/C Brown said he was handcuffed for safety.

A few minutes later, P/C Brown said a lady approached her and told her partner that the man she handcuffed moments prior assaulted her. P/C Brown said she noticed that the woman making the complaint had swelling and blood to the right side of her face.

As a result, P/C Brown said she cautioned and arrested Cooper in reference to causing harm and indecent assault.

The prosecutor, Inspector Philip Davis, questioned P/C Brown if Cooper said anything when she cautioned him. However, P/C

Brown appeared hesitant to answer the question.

Upon being prodded by

the prosecutor, P/C Brown revealed Cooper told her “Officer, you look sweet”

at which point in court he shouted: “All the time, all day!”

PAGE 10, Tuesday, August 20, 2019

THE TRIBUNE

Is the nanny state taking over?

A

NOTHER fascinating debate being aired during my wife’s and my extended summer visit to England was about the balance between civil liberties and state intervention in people’s lives.

In Britain, personal liberty is increasingly under assault by those who believe in a form of coercive paternalism. This involves official finger-wagging by a busybody government and often self-appointed pressure groups telling people what to do. They claim that dictating how people should conduct their lives - and forcibly restricting their daily activities in the process - is justified for the public’s own welfare and for the greater good of society as whole.

Termed in Britain the “nanny state”, this is roughly defined as over protectionism by central authorities that interfere unduly and fussily with personal choice and responsibility.

Believing as I do in personal liberty, to me not only is individual choice, responsibility and accountability important but people should also be able to go about their own business without hindrance by the state or by pressure groups as long as their activities do not harm others. This is the basis of the libertarian approach.

Such issues were famously addressed and debated by English philosophers John Locke

The Peter Young column (1632-1704) and (much later in the 19th century) John Stuart Mill who in his work “On Liberty” contended people should be both “autonomous” and free as well as self-creating and self-assertive in order to be happy.

This also raises questions about the doctrine of the tyranny of the majority when a democratically elected government can make decisions – often in accordance with what is determined to be public opinion - benefitting the interests of the majority without regard for the rights or the welfare of the rest and which might also override the interests of the minority.

However, in a democracy, the rulers and the ruled are essentially the same people so that, while fulfilling their role of good governance, the

extent of the rulers’ authority over ordinary people is always subject to debate.

To some, notions of liberty are idealistic and unrealisable in a world of human frailty and man’s reprehensible capacity for wrongdoing and evil. For society to function properly there has to be law and order together with rules and regulations, personal discipline and constraints on human action. Reckless or dangerous behaviour must be curbed because of its effect on innocent people. The alternative is anarchy, which even the anarchists themselves do not like in practice.

KASHMIR SPELLS TROUBLE IT IS also interesting to watch developments in another current international hotspot that could even lead to war between the two nuclear-armed nations of India and Pakistan. This is the disputed territory of Kashmir which both claimed at the time of India’s independence in 1947. It was partitioned without testing public opinion through a plebiscite with the result that each now only rules part of it.

Earlier this month, India revoked the special status of Indian-administered Kashmir in its constitution. This means the removal of guaranteed special rights of autonomy enjoyed by the Muslimmajority state. Hindu-majority India regards it both as a state of India itself

and part of the larger region of Kashmir.

India’s action has been described as the most far-reaching political move in relation to the disputed region during the last 70 years, with the practical absorption of this part of Kashmir by India.

That is unacceptable to Pakistan.

This dispute has bedevilled the relationship between the two countries since 1947 and they have already gone to war three times over the issue. It has become explosive once again and this has attracted widespread attention because both are nuclear powers and the danger of a new armed conflict that could escalate out of control and affect the rest of the world is that much greater.

What times we live in.

According to a recent study, the UK is apparently one of the worst nanny states in terms of the extent of its controls. But restrictions like compulsory seat belts in vehicles and protective helmets when using motor bikes have become accepted over the years because they are so obviously in the interests of the wearers themselves.

Similarly, the smoking ban works since few want to breathe in smokefilled air in confined spaces like restaurants.

Curbs on excessive alcohol consumption are nothing new since restricted opening hours in pubs have been in place for many years – the famous “last orders please” at the end of the evening that only encourages people to slurp down that extra beer to beat the clock!

But the paternalist lobby is never satisfied. One result is plain packaging for cigarettes and a ban on tobacco advertising. Then there is the new so-called sugar tax designed to force drinks manufacturers to lower the sugar content of their products on the grounds that too much sugar is bad for the health and causes obesity.

Reportedly, it is hard to assess how that is working, but what about other socalled “sin taxes” involving, for example, too much salt or fat. The question now is where does all this lead to?

While it is the function of the state to prevent people from harming others, should this really be extended to stopping them harming themselves (leaving aside issues like suicide and euthanasia)? How far should the state seek to narrow individual freedom and responsibility?

In the UK, people have become dependent on the state in many ways; for example, the old age pension and free medical treatment and, of course, the government is responsible for their and the nation’s security. Those who advocate paternalistic central authority claim it is reasonable to use the government’s power to persuade people to make better choices about their health and safety, not least because they may become a charge on the taxpayer through use of the National Health Service.

The do-gooders, however, are going further and delving into corners of

everyday life. So, nowadays train passengers on reaching their destination are instructed by a disembodied voice in the carriage to step off the train carefully and be sure to take all their personal belongings with them, as if one would not do that of one’s own accord. Similarly, while on a platform awaiting a train, one is told over a loudspeaker that because of the hot weather one must be sure to drink sufficient water to remain hydrated. Has it come to the point that people do not know when they are thirsty?

If adults are treated like children, they will start acting like them. But, in order to survive in a tough and unforgiving world, adults need to be self-reliant rather than depend too much on a well-meaning but over protective state.

Where does it all end, indeed? The answer surely lies in creating a sensible balance between necessary rules and guidance for the benefit of all and unacceptable levels of intrusion.

In the words of the 17th century English author, John Donne, “no man is an island”. No one is entirely self-sufficient and can survive on their own without the help of others.

So there is a limited role for the nanny state. But there is growing evidence that people in Britain are

HONG KONG ON THE BRINK THE continuing demonstrations in record numbers in the former British territory of Hong Kong are now into their eleventh consecutive weekend, and the situation has captured the attention of the world’s media.

What started as a peaceful and popular protest movement against the Hong Kong government’s proposed law allowing extradition of criminal suspects to mainland China has developed into a full blown violent confrontation. There are now demands for greater democratic freedoms, including electoral reform, for the territory’s seven million residents and to preserve the freedom to live without control by the mainland.

The escalating violence of the protesters, many of whom seem to be young people who will be most affected as Chinese encroachment grows, led to occupation of the international airport and the temporary forced closure of one of Asia’s most important transport hubs. The protestors also surrounded mainland China’s office and its flag was desecrated.

The local police have been criticised for their vigorous reaction and alleged strongarm tactics and, predictably, the Beijing government has reacted aggressively by calling the demonstrators terrorists and condemning their violent activities as vandalism. As a show of force, troop carriers and paramilitary forces have been ostentatiously brought up to the Hong Kong border.

Since its independence from Britain in 1997, Hong Kong has been technically part of China but operates as a semi-autonomous region – one country, two

A PROTESTER waves a Hong Kong colonial-era flag as others march along a street in Hong Kong on Sunday.

Photo: Vincent Yu/AP systems. Under the SinoBritish Joint Declaration of 1984, the treaty guaranteeing for 50 years Hong Kong’s freedoms and way of life, Britain is committed to monitoring implementation of its terms. But, in practice, there is little it can do in face of China’s increasingly aggressive stance, with the Foreign Ministry in Beijing recently condemning UK efforts to bring pressure on the territory’s Chief Executive as unacceptable interference since it no longer had jurisdiction or any right of supervision over Hong Kong.

Moreover, China has accused the West of orchestrating events there which it sees as a serious challenge to its authority. So fears are growing of direct Chinese military intervention and a possible repeat of the disastrous and bloody events of Tiananmen Square in 1989 that left many dead.

Occupation of Hong Kong and likely bloodshed would provoke a strong international reaction and would inevitably damage Chinese companies’ access to the outside world as well as affecting the trade talks with the US. But the chances of China’s intervention are increasing.

THE TRIBUNE

Tuesday, August 20, 2019, PAGE 11

A CARIBBEAN reef shark. Until now, sharks have had to be tagged at the surface - which can be traumatic for the sharks and change their behaviour.

Shark tagged underwater for first time by scientists

By BEN LEONARD Tampa Bay Times THE deep sea may be the largest ecosystem in the world, but to Dean Grubbs it’s more like exploring deep space.

Scientists know very little about either, said the Florida State University ecologist.

Grubbs’ team is trying to change that, and they’ve made one giant leap for marine biology: They figured out a way to tag deep-sea sharks in their natural habitat — using a submarine.

No longer will researchers have to tag sharks on the surface. The tracking technique will help researchers twofold: They’ll be able to better understand the food chain, and they’ll find out if tagging sharks at the surface actually traumatizes the species, disrupting their behaviour.

“It’s one of those bucket list sort of things for a deep sea biologist,” said Grubbs, an elasmobranch ecologist with the Florida State University Coastal Marine Laboratory. Elasmobranchs are sharks, skates and rays.

“All of my work with deep sea animals has been at the surface, bringing them to me rather than me

A BLUNTNOSE sixgill shark is seen in this still image taken from video. For the first time ever, an OceanX team led by Florida State University ecologist Dean Grubbs with help from the Cape Eleuthera Institute tagged a shark in the deep sea, using a submarine and a spear gun outfitted to tag a bluntnose sixgill shark.

Photo: OceanX/One Big Wave going to them. This was a once in a lifetime chance.”

Grubb’s team from OceanX and the Cape Eleuthera Institute made their mark on scientific history off the coast of the Bahamas on June 29. They tagged a bluntnose six-gill shark, a deep-sea shark that has changed so little over hundreds of millions of years that it is essentially a living fossil.

The team took a research

submarine down to a depth of about 1,800 or so feet, then laid in wait on the ocean floor with tuna, hoping that would lure the sharks toward the sub.

Grubbs has tagged close to 20,000 sharks in three decades, but he said this was the first time one had ever been tagged by submarine.

His research started by exploring whether bluntnose six-gills ensnared in

GBPA summer students: (front, from left) Zaneko Jones, Kaleel Solomon, Ariyanne Kelly, Abigail Simms, Tara Neily, David Major Jr and Daz Bright (back) Arianna Cooper, Dacacia Russell, Ariah Rolle and Jemonique Barnabie.

PORT AUTHORITY EXPERIENCE FOR STUDENTS

By DENISE MAYCOCK Tribune Freeport Reporter dmaycock@tribunemedia.net THE Grand Bahama Port Authority’s summer student employment programme has provided a number of students with the opportunity to gain “valuable” hands-on experience in a corporate environment.

The programme runs from May to August each year, and includes three, four-week long sessions for high school and university students.

According to a press release, GBPA began the programme with the intent to create a structured environment where young people are able to learn valuable information from top business professionals.

Dr Telina Smith, GBPA human resources manager, said they are pleased to be able to mentor the youth

and future leaders of Grand Bahama.

She said the interns gain exposure in the work environment, and develop soft skills such as communication, teamwork and interpersonal skills.

Dr Smith noted that over the past decade approximately 1,000 students have been employed through the programme.

“Each year, we are privileged to have such dynamic individuals join our work family during the summer period,” she said.

Lauren Ritchie, a returning summer intern, was excited to be apart of the programme again. She said that she has enjoyed working at the GBPA. “Every summer here presents a new and exciting challenge for me,” she said, “and I am excited to be a part of a programme that treats summer students like

valuable members of the company staff.”

She said while most summer internships tend to give students insignificant work, GBPA gave them “real hands-on experience and the responsibility to actually share their bright ideas and enact real change within the company and community.”

Meanwhile, Spencer Graham, a first-time summer intern, said: “Being here has truly opened my eyes to all of the contributions that GBPA makes in Freeport and the Grand Bahamian community at large. The experience has been very valuable and the skills learned so far will be greatly beneficial.”

The company said it looks forward to continuing the programme in the future, and hopes the 2019 students left feeling enriched after the time spent there.

commercial fisheries’ nets can survive the stress of getting caught, then getting thrown back. The sharks do survive, his research found, but their normal pattern of going to shallow water at night and diving deeper during the day was disrupted for several days.

That’s where the submarines come in.

If sharks were tagged in their natural habitat instead of enduring the trauma of being reeled onto a boat and tagged, would they still behave erratically? When the team gets the data back in a couple of months, they hope to be able to answer that question.

Grubbs toyed with the idea of tagging via submarine as early as 2009, but funding didn’t materialize until 2018 thanks to OceanX. That is the ocean exploring initiative founded by Ray Dalio, the billionaire who runs the world’s largest hedge fund, Bridgewater Associates.

The team made two dives, first in August and later in February, before the successful deep-sea shark tag in June.

Grubbs worked with OceanX engineers to develop a spear gun that could be mounted and fired from the front of a research

submarine. The researchers installed two spear guns and loaded each with satellite tracking tags and a dart to anchor them to the shark’s thick musculature.

Then, researchers dove down to about 1,800 feet with bait strapped to the submarine to lure the sharks into position. But they learned that getting the sharks into the right position isn’t easy.

Eventually, the researchers figured out how to do it: park on the ocean floor with a wall or rock to the left of the submarine, forcing the shark to come from the right, giving them a better chance to safely tag them.

In their last chance to tag the sharks on the June mission, Gavin Naylor, programme director of the Florida Programme for Shark Research, hit the mark. A roughly 13-foot long male six-gill shark popped up right in position.

About 30 seconds later, Naylor successfully tagged it.

“When the target appears in front of the laser, you squeeze the trigger,” Naylor said. “It doesn’t take much skill.”

The shark didn’t react aggressively, Naylor said, and actually appeared curious about the sub. After tagging it, the shark swam

away, kicking up a lot of dust.

“It was quite magical. I would have been delighted just to see the different types of plankton,” Naylor said. “To see a . . . six-gill shark exploring the sub was probably the most exciting thing I’ve ever done in my life.”

Researchers know very little about bluntnose sixgills, Grubbs said. Tooth fossil records for six-gill sharks date back to at least 200 million years ago.

“The first time I caught one it was as if I caught a T-Rex just because they’re so old,” Grubbs said. “In reality, T-Rex wasn’t even on the scene yet when these guys showed up.”

The tagging likely marks the end of Grubbs’ project involving six-gill sharks.

Once the temperature, depth, and light level data comes back from the tags, he and his team will likely write a research paper based on the tagging of dozens of sharks.

“A lot of people might think we’re meddling (by tagging),” Naylor said.

“There should be very little detrimental affect on the shark but there is a huge gain that we get from understanding the life cycles of these animals in deep water.”

PAGE 12, Tuesday, August 20, 2019

THE TRIBUNE

LEADER SEEKS TALKS AMID HONG KONG PROTESTS HONG KONG Associated Press

HONG Kong’s leader says she’s setting up a “communication platform” to resolve differences in the city after months of antigovernment protests.

Chief Executive Carrie Lam also said Tuesday a fact-finding study will look at the causes of the protests and the police response to them.

The movement held a massive but peaceful rally on Sunday after earlier protests had been marked by violence. Lam and other officials have conditioned dialogue on the protest movement remaining peaceful.

Lam’s comments fell short of the protesters demands, including for her resignation and an independent inquiry into what they say was police brutality.

US TESTS MISSILE AFTER TREATY END WASHINGTON Associated Press THE US military has conducted a flight test of a type of missile banned for more than 30 years by a treaty that both the United States and Russia abandoned this month, the Pentagon said.

The Pentagon said it tested a modified groundlaunched version of a Navy Tomahawk cruise missile, which was launched from San Nicolas Island and accurately struck its target after flying more than 500 kilometers. The missile was armed with a conventional, not nuclear, warhead.

The missile would have violated the Intermediaterange Nuclear Forces (INF) Treaty of 1987, but both US and Russia withdrew on August 2.

EMERALD GARNER, left, the daughter of chokehold victim Eric Garner, joins Rev Al Sharpton, right, founder of the National Action Network, for a news conference after NYPD Commissioner James O’Neill announced his decision to fire NYPD officer Daniel Pantaleo for the 2014 death of Eric Garner.

Photo: Bebeto Matthews/AP

Police fire officer involved in Eric Garner choking death NEW YORK Associated Press AFTER five years of investigations and protests, the New York City Police Department yesterday fired an officer involved in the 2014 chokehold death of Eric Garner, the black man whose dying gasps of “I can’t breathe” gave voice to a national debate over race and police use of force.

Police Commissioner James O’Neill said he fired Daniel Pantaleo, who is white, based on a recent recommendation of a department disciplinary judge.

O’Neill said he thought Pantaleo’s use of the banned chokehold as he wrestled with Garner was a mistake that could have been made by any officer in the heat of an arrest. But it was clear Pantaleo had broken department rules and “can no longer effectively serve as a New York City police officer”.

“None of us can take back our decisions,” O’Neill said, “especially when they lead to the death of another human being.”

The decision was welcomed by activists and Garner’s family, but

condemned by the head of the city’s largest police union, who declared that it would undermine morale and cause officers to hesitate to use force for fear they could be fired.

“The job is dead!”

Patrolman’s Benevolent Association President Patrick Lynch said at a news conference, standing in front of a police department flag hung upside down.

His voice cracking with anger, Lynch called Pantaleo an “exemplary” officer and called for union members to participate in a no-confidence vote on the mayor and commissioner.

“It’s absolutely essential that the world know that the New York City Police Department is rudderless and frozen,” he said. “The leadership has abandoned ship and left our police officers on the street alone, without backing.”

Pantaleo’s lawyer, Stuart London, said he would use legal appeals to try to get the officer reinstated. He has insisted the officer used a reasonable amount of force and did not mean to hurt Garner.

Mayor Bill De Blasio, speaking at City Hall, said he hoped the

decision would let the city, the department and Garner’s family move forward.

“Today, we are finally seeing justice done,” the Democrat said. “Today will not bring Eric Garner back, but I hope it brings some small measure of closure to the Garner family.”

Garner’s death came at a time of a growing public outcry over police killings of unarmed black men, which sparked the national Black Lives Matter movement.

Video of the confrontation between Garner and the officers trying to arrest him for selling untaxed cigarettes drew outrage and was viewed millions of times online.

The footage showed Garner, 43, and Pantaleo lurching against a glass storefront window and then falling to the pavement. Quickly, Garner, who weighed about 400 pounds (180 kilograms), appeared distressed gasping, “I can’t breathe,” at least 11 times before he fell unconscious.

Weeks later, protests erupted in Ferguson, Missouri, over the fatal shooting of 18-year-old Michael Brown.

Throughout the fall

of 2014, demonstrators chanted “I can’t breathe” as they marched against police brutality in multiple US cities.

When a state grand jury on Staten Island declined to indict Pantaelo in December of that year, protesters poured into the streets by the thousands, venting frustration that criminal charges against officers using deadly force remained rare, even with video evidence.

Then, a few days before Christmas, a man upset about the Garner and Brown cases fatally shot two New York City police officers as they sat in their cruiser in Brooklyn.

Those killings, in turn, gave fire to the Blue Lives Matter counter-movement, with police union officials arguing that the heated rhetoric against officers was making them unsafe. Some officers began turning their backs on de Blasio at funerals.

Federal authorities kept a civil rights investigation open for five years before announcing last month they would not bring charges.

City officials had long insisted that they could not take action until criminal investigations were complete.

EPSTEIN CHANGED WILL TWO DAYS BEFORE DEATH IN CELL NEW YORK Associated Press

JEFFREY Epstein signed a will just two days before he killed himself in jail, new court records show, opening a new legal front in what could be a long battle over the financier’s fortune.

Court papers filed last week in the US Virgin Islands list no details of beneficiaries but valued the estate at more than $577m, including more than $56m in cash.

The existence of the will, first reported by the New York Post, raised new questions about Epstein’s final days inside the Metropolitan Correctional Center, where he was awaiting trial on federal sex trafficking and conspiracy charges.

Epstein signed the document August 8. Less than 48 hours later, he was found dead in his cell, prompting an investigation that has cast a harsh light on staffing shortages at the Manhattan detention center.

Prosecutors on Monday moved to dismiss the indictment against Epstein but have said they are considering charging others with facilitating his alleged abuse of dozens of girls.

The filing of the will, meanwhile, had been closely followed by lawyers representing women who claim they were sexually abused by Epstein

JEFFREY EPSTEIN when they were teenagers and recruited into his residences to provide him massages.

Several attorneys vowed to go after his assets even if the will had named beneficiaries, as Epstein’s death means there will be no trial on the criminal charges against him. One woman filed suit against the estate last week, claiming Epstein repeatedly raped her when she was a teenager.

“Give his entire estate to his victims. It is the only justice they can get,” one of those lawyers, Lisa Bloom, wrote in an email. “And they deserve it. And on behalf of the Epstein victims I represent, I intend to fight for it.”

Former federal prosecutor David S Weinstein, who is now in private practice in Miami but not involved in the Epstein case, said states

and US territories have certain timeframes within which to make a claim against someone’s estate.

“There are certainly going to be a lot of lawyers involved,” Weinstein said.

“It’s not going to be over any time soon.”

A hedge fund manager who hobnobbed with the rich and famous, Epstein owned a Caribbean island, homes in Paris and New York City, a New Mexico ranch and a fleet of highprice cars.

Epstein had more than $112m worth of equities, according to the will, and nearly $200m in “hedge funds & private equity investments”. Among the properties that will be subject to appraisal and valuation are his collection of fine arts, antiques and other collectibles.

As part of his 2008 plea deal to Florida state charges, Epstein made undisclosed financial settlements with dozens of his victims. It’s unclear how those settlements might affect any claims made on his estate.

William Blum, an attorney for Epstein’s estate, said in a statement to The Associated Press that any debts or claims against the estate will be “fairly administered.” He said the document was Epstein’s original last will.