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Volume: 118 No.184, August 20, 2021

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Okay folks, the race is on.

There’s one thing to decide

WHO DO WE TRUST?

By RASHAD ROLLE Tribune Senior Reporter rrolle@tribunemedia.net

PRIME Minister Dr Hubert Minnis announced an early election yesterday after Governor General Sir CA Smith dissolved Parliament, a step he said is needed to ensure the next administration has the mandate to address the major economic and health challenges ahead.

The election, scheduled for September 16, will let voters render a verdict on the Minnis

administration, which has faced such historic challenges as Hurricane Dorian and a pandemic.

“Your next government will have to make important decisions on rebuilding and renewing a postCOVID-19 Bahamas,” Dr Minnis said during a national address that came on the anniversary of his party’s first election victory in 1992.

“As a result of our country reaching the goal of securing the vaccines we need, it is now time for the Bahamian people to choose SEE PAGE THREE

UNIONS DANGLE NATIONAL STRIKE THREAT

By TANYA SMITHCARTWRIGHT tsmith-cartwright@ tribunemedia.net

THREATENING a national strike, union leaders came out in heavy support of the Bahamas Electrical Workers Union yesterday as its members walked off the job for the second time in less than two months.

BAHAMAS Public Service Union president Kimsley Ferguson.

Shortly after staff at Bahamas Power and Light

reported to work, they walked out to protest alleged poor treatment by management and an incomplete industrial agreement that expired four years ago.

Several unions came out to support the hundreds of workers who were outside BPL’s Blue Hill Road head office and they made it clear that the country SEE PAGE FIVE

14 MORE COVID-19 DEATHS CONFIRMED FOURTEEN additional people have been added to the nation’s COVID-19 death toll, according to data released by the Ministry of Health yesterday.

This means 330 people have officially died from the disease since the start of the pandemic.

Eleven of the newly SEE PAGE FOUR

ELECTION NOTICES FOR EVERY CONSTITUENCY INSIDE TODAY SEE 12-PAGE SUPPLEMENT

Nassau & Bahama Islands’ Leading Newspaper

PAGE 2, Friday, August 20, 2021

THE TRIBUNE

38,400 doses of J&J vaccine delivered

By EARYEL BOWLEG Tribune Staff Reporter ebowleg@tribunemedia.net

ABOUT 38,400 doses of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine arrived in the Bahamas yesterday.

Chief Medical Officer Dr Pearl McMillan said officials will now assess how to incorporate the one-shot vaccine into the schedule alongside Pfizer and Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccines.

“We anticipate we would have put out a schedule for the Pfizer (vaccine) and then we will be then now looking at how we can begin to incorporate the Johnson & Johnson into the roll out but definitely our focus is on getting persons to take the you know Pfizer vaccine which we are rolling out at many sites.

“We are continuing to offer the AstraZeneca at the Church of God site, but as it relates to the Johnson & Johnson that we anticipate will be incorporated into the schedule

but probably not today or tomorrow. So you will have to continue to listen out for when we begin to actually roll out the Johnson & Johnson,” she told reporters.

As for the Family Islands, she added the roll out of the second doses of AstraZeneca will begin in those communities and officials will then likely use the Johnson & Johnson vaccine, noting the one shot dosage will make it easier to cover the islands.

“If we are able to do one shot on a particular island and we’re done that makes it much easier for us, but I stay revert to what Consultative Committee as we have been guiding the whole roll out in a consensus way,” she said.

“We have a meeting later on today to begin to discuss the roll out so the public will know soon exactly what we’re doing.”

Last week, the country received Pfizer vaccines from the US government.

US Chargé d’Affaires Usha

Pitts said the second and third tranches of Pfizer vaccines will arrive in time to “keep the vaccination campaign running”.

Dr McMillan noted the challenges with rolling out the Pfizer vaccine to the Family Islands.

“The vaccine, the cold chain, you know that is important to any vaccine, must be taken into consideration as we do the rollout.

The Pfizer as we know has a specific cold chain requirement which might make it a little more difficult to actually roll that out on a family of islands but the consideration because we have the smaller coolers. I mean the consideration is there, but I would say the Johnson & Johnson as well as the AstraZeneca, the cold chain for those vaccines are what we are (going to) use for rolling out to our family of islands and that would make it a little easier for us to use those vaccines in the Family Islands, but that does not rule out Pfizer as a possibility.”

TOTAL CASES

TOTAL DEATHS

NEWLY CONFIRMED CASES

NEWLY CONFIRMED DEATHS

MINISTER of Health Renward Wells and Chief Medical Officer Dr Pearl McMillan with health officials and officials of UNICEF as they receive 38,400 doses of the Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine.

Photos: Racardo Thomas/Tribune Staff

16,962 330 WEDNESDAY

114 CASES

TOTAL TESTS

HOSPITALISED

NEW PROVIDENCE 99 GRAND BAHAMA 9 ABACO 2 EXUMA 2 ELEUTHERA 1 ANDROS 1

128,688 149

• A 41-YEAR-OLD WOMAN FROM ABACO ON AUGUST 17.

• A 69-YEAR-OLD WOMAN FROM NEW PROVIDENCE ON AUGUST 16.

• A 44-YEAR-OLD WOMAN FROM NEW PROVIDENCE ON AUGUST 16.

• A 46-YEAR-OLD MAN FROM NEW PROVIDENCE ON AUGUST 15.

• A 59-YEAR-OLD WOMAN FROM NEW PROVIDENCE ON AUGUST 15.

• A 48-YEAR-OLD WOMAN FROM NEW PROVIDENCE ON AUGUST 15.

• A 33-YEAR-OLD WOMAN FROM NEW PROVIDENCE ON AUGUST 15.

• A 71-YEAR-OLD MAN FROM NEW PROVIDENCE ON AUGUST 15.

• A 52-YEAR-OLD MAN FROM ABACO ON AUGUST 15.

• A 75-YEAR-OLD WOMAN FROM NEW PROVIDENCE ON AUGUST 14.

• A 44-YEAR-OLD WOMAN FROM NEW PROVIDENCE ON AUGUST 14.

• AN 84-YEAR-OLD WOMAN FROM NEW PROVIDENCE ON AUGUST 13.

• A 55-YEAR-OLD WOMAN FROM ABACO ON AUGUST 13.

• A 63-YEAR-OLD MAN FROM NEW PROVIDENCE ON AUGUST 13.

CASES IN ICU

16

RECOVERED

13,539

THE ARRIVAL of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine doses.

THE TRIBUNE

Friday, August 20, 2021, PAGE 3

Who do we trust? from page one who they want to lead them as we move toward vaccinating every Bahamian who wishes to be vaccinated.

Your next government will have key decisions to make in enacting post-pandemic public health legislation.

Your next government will have to make other key decisions to build on the robust economic growth started on our watch.”

Dr Minnis encouraged residents to continue following public health measures to curb COVID19 cases.

His announcement comes as virus cases overwhelm the healthcare system, with one Accident & Emergency consultant saying this week that Princess Margaret Hospital is bursting at the seams and needs additional resources. It also comes as the Minnis administration faces pressure from various unions to address their concerns over benefits and gifts.

In a speech last night, Progressive Liberal Party Leader Philip “Brave” Davis said the Minnis administration did not prepare well for the escalating COVID-19 crisis, adding: “Everywhere we look, we see chaos and collapse and crisis.”

“Our hospitals are stretched beyond capacity, affecting not just our ability to treat COVID patients but everyone else, too,” Mr Davis said.

“Our economy is stuck, with too many Bahamians still left out; for those lucky enough to have jobs, wages are often too low to keep up with the cost of living.

“We are seeing armed robberies in broad daylight, as desperation increases.

The same handful of wealthy families keep getting wealthier, while the doors of opportunity are slammed shut to everyone else.

“In the midst of this suffering and tragedy, the government is asking you for a new mandate. They are asking you for a vote of confidence,” Mr Davis said.

Some global leaders have recently gone to the polls early despite rising COVID-19 cases and have also faced criticism for doing so: just this week Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced an early election, and several Caribbean countries have done the same in the last year.

Buoyed by the Free National Movement’s internal approval rating polls which compare him favourably to Mr Davis, Dr Minnis has considered going early for some time now.

FNM insiders, however, acknowledge that a raging pandemic and elevated unemployment levels are unattractive circumstances to hold a general election.

Privately, many in the party are apprehensive about the

PRIME Minister Dr Hubert Minnis yesterday announcing the General Election - and, right, his wouldbe successor, PLP Leader Philip “Brave” Davis. move though some appear convinced that holding out until May 2022 would be no better for the party’s political fortunes.

To win, the FNM must reverse an unfavourable trend for incumbent parties: none of them have won re-election since the FNM did so in 1997 under former Prime Minister Hubert Ingraham. The last two elections, held amid double-digit unemployment rates, were not close: the PLP won 29 of 38 seats in 2012 and the FNM won 35 of 39 seats in 2017.

The stakes, meanwhile, could not be higher for Mr Davis who easily solidified power in the PLP after its near wipeout at the polls in 2017 despite the resistance of some in the general public to him. A former deputy prime minister and a major figure in the PLP for years, Mr Davis will enter the election with high name recognition and with much of the public’s opinions about him seemingly solidified, a fact

his opponents will try to exploit.

“We have a blueprint for stabilising the country’s finances, providing immediate relief to the suffering, revolutionising education and training for the 21st century, diversifying the economy and creating opportunities across the country,” Mr Davis said yesterday.

Under the slogan “It’s About Your Future,” the FNM is expected to maintain a brisk rally schedule.

It is unclear how their rallies will be held, but virtual rallies and drive-up events are currently under consideration. With a slogan “A New Day,” the PLP will hold virtual and driveup rallies, with traditional rallies unlikely, according to PLP Chairman Fred Mitchell.

In addition to COVID19 challenges and the ailing Bahamian economy, the next administration will face the significant challenge of arresting the country’s escalating debt,

which is projected to top $10b at the end of this fiscal year.

Financial expert Gowon Bowe said yesterday that Bahamians should not take seriously any political party that claims raising taxes will not be up for consideration by the next administration.

“Our fiscal debt and our fiscal performance is going to be the first thing that has to be stabilised,” he said. “We’re going to have to make decisions in relation to that; that impacts other things but the reality is we are very quickly running into fiscal headwinds.

We will have to present a very clear plan and that is going to mean taxation will follow, whatever form that is going to take. Now, more than any time in our history we need a very clear strategic direction.”

Police Commissioner Paul Rolle read a proclamation from the Governor General yesterday that said the new session of Parliament will be held on October 6, 2021 at 10am.

DOCTORS ‘OVERWHELMED’ - AND DISTRESSED AT ELECTION CALL

By KHRISNA RUSSELL Tribune Chief Reporter krussell@tribunemedia.net

PRIME Minister Dr Hubert Minnis’ announcement of a general election next month has distressed senior doctors who along with other medical workers have shouldered the burden of a COVID-19 induced near collapse of the nation’s healthcare systems.

Dr Sabriquet PinderButler, president of the Consultant Physicians Staff Association, said not only was the news ill timed, but it was “troubling” because both private and public facilities were already overwhelmed.

She said it was extremely “frightening” to come to grips with what now looks like an inevitable skyrocketing of COVID-19 cases in the lead up to Election Day on September 16.

Before Dr Pinder-Butler’s fears were laid bare, Chief Medical Officer

Dr Pearl McMillan told reporters that officials were hoping that people followed measures put in place to safeguard against contracting the virus.

“We would have to take into consideration those measures in order for us to keep the people safe and to keep safe as we do what is required for the country,” Dr McMillan said before the arrival of more than 38,000 Johnson & Johnson vaccines. “So, I anticipate that public health measures will continue to be followed.”

Still, knowing all that election seasons usually entails, the CPSA president said healthcare providers were gravely concerned.

This comes against the backdrop of industrial action for an eighth day impacting public health institutions. The Royal Bahamas Defence Force has also had to assign some of its chefs to work alongside Princess Margaret

Hospital’s kitchen staff to meet patients’ meal demands, confirmed RBDF Commodore Raymond King yesterday.

“We’ve seen in other countries that they’ve had elections and it caused insurmountable increases in COVID cases and we already cannot handle what we’re having happen right now,” Dr Pinder-Butler said in an interview with The Tribune.

“So, this is extremely concerning and frightening for us as a healthcare team knowing that we’re already more than beyond deep in the battle of what we’re having and trying to save lives and now we know that elections have been called and we know what tends to come along with that so it’s very concerning.

“At this point in time we are praying. We ask everyone to please do their best to try to stay safe. Avoid the crowds. Please wear your masks and please follow

the protocols because you know we’re really in a sad state.”

She continued: “I am very distressed. I think most of our healthcare workers are probably beyond distressed.

I know for me this is a reality that you never wanted to happen where your healthcare system is bursting at the seams. You cannot help as (many) patients as you would like to care for.

“You know that the private healthcare institution is also saying the same thing and they are having to choose who is going to be on a ventilator and all of these types of things and beyond that we have a country where we are separated by islands. So, people who need care, some of them can’t reach here because of what’s happening and we know outbreaks are happening.”

She added: “We’re having outbreaks in other places as well and when campaigning is going on and these things

happen, we have more people moving to these islands and we can’t provide the care needed.

“As a healthcare provider you never want to be in a situation as a doctor and I am sure nurses and everyone else don’t want to be in a situation where we can’t help people.

“Every day we know people are dying. We know people can’t access the care because we don’t have what is needed. So, to put ourselves in a potential situation for those numbers to go up that is troubling, deeply troubling.

“We live here and are in the community. We’re also dealing with all of these things simultaneously and trying our best to stay safe, but the numbers are overwhelming and now you’re talking about having elections and campaigning that we know tends to cause numbers to increase.

“That is not something

that we would welcome at all.”

She made an impassioned plea for people to follow health protocols. “I don’t know that this was the best time. I don’t think that it is.

“All those things considered when we’re seeing what we’re seeing now it is absolutely something that we are watching and definitely praying about.

“Again, I think because things have already gone forward, we ask again for the public to please use wisdom. Please do not get caught up in the campaigning. Be mindful of who is coming by your home, and we wouldn’t encourage people to be allowing strangers to come in their homes.

“It’s not safe. We know that perhaps we have (the) Delta (variant) here and that means it’s very easy for people to pass on the virus.

So, it is really not the most ideal time, all things considered,” Dr Pinder-Butler said yesterday.

PAGE 4, Friday, August 20, 2021

THE TRIBUNE

LINES for the Pfizer vaccine at the Kendal Issacs Gym yesterday.

Photo: Racardo Thomas/Tribune Staff

Rush for Pfizer vaccine as demand on the rise

By LEANDRA ROLLE Tribune Staff Reporter lrolle@tribunemedia.net

WITH demand for COVID-19 vaccinations continuing to climb, National COVID-19 Vaccine Consultative Committee Chairperson Dr Merceline Dahl-Regis said officials are now facing the challenge of meeting it as she appealed for more Bahamians to volunteer to assist with the country’s vaccination programme.

Dr Dahl-Regis spoke to reporters at the Kendal G L Isaacs Gymnasium yesterday as hundreds flocked to the newly opened vaccination site to receive their first dose of the Pfizer vaccine.

Last week, The Bahamas received its first batch of the Pfizer vaccine from the United States’ government, boosting the nation’s current supply to help defeat the third wave of the pandemic.

According to committee member Barry Rassin, over 400 people were expected to receive their first Pfizer doses yesterday, with more expected to be vaccinated

in the days ahead.

However, it is not clear how much of that figure comprised children, as youngsters aged 12 and older are now permitted to take the Pfizer shots once approved by parents.

“Today, we have 484 confirmed appointments,” he said. “Tomorrow (Friday) we have 704 so we always like to start the first day a little slower so we make sure everything is organised and everybody could be processed efficiently, but tomorrow we ramp up to 704 and continue forward like that.”

The public roll-out of the Pfizer jab comes after officials conducted a pilot phase on Monday.

Around 150 people received Pfizer shots in the pilot phase, 45 of whom were children.

Yesterday, Dr Dahl-Regis said the number of people who participated in the pilot phase was higher than expected. She said officials were able to learn several lessons from Monday’s exercise.

“We learnt that you need a very tight appointment

system, and you need number assignments because there is a thirst for the Pfizer vaccine,” she said.

“Secondly, we saw groups of individuals and children with large families and so we hope to change our physical set up because it takes longer to do families than it does for individuals, recognising that some people have to return to work. So what you see this morning is we’re trying very hard to keep an appointment system although there are walk-ins and exceptions.”

Dr Dahl-Regis also said there is a need for more manpower to help with the booking of vaccine appointments.

“We hope to have volunteers from all agencies come and assist us because we do need more people to help others make their appointments and that’s where we were short today,” she said.

“We don’t have the personnel to say you walk up, let me make an appointment before you leave. Right now, we are really compromised in that domain.”

14 MORE COVID-19 DEATHS CONFIRMED from page one recorded deaths are from New Providence and the patients ages range from 33 to to 84-years-old.

Seven of the New Providence deceased cases were women and four were men. The deaths occurred between August 13 to 16.

The other three deceased cases are Abaco residents: a 41-year-old Abaco woman who died on August 17; a 52-year-old Abaco man who died on August 15; and a 55-yearold Abaco woman who died on August 13.

The Ministry of Health also said 114 new cases were recorded on

August 18. Ninety-nine of those cases are in New Providence.

The country now has 16,962 confirmed COVID19 cases, however, only 2,961 are active.

Health officials said 149 COVID-19 patients are in hospital while 16 of those cases are in the Intensive Care Unit.

Dr Dahl-Regis said all appointments for the Pfizer vaccine this week have been booked out.

She noted a team will be in Grand Bahama today to work on vaccine logistics ahead of the vaccine’s arrival, and also to locate another vaccination site on the island.

As it relates to when vaccinations will resume on the Family Islands, Dr DahlRegis said the committee is still working to finalise those plans.

Dr Dahl-Regis said there has been high interest in vaccinations for some islands like Abaco, but stressed that having to constantly dispatch COVID-19 vaccines to the Family Islands is proving to be difficult.

“We also have a great demand for Abaco and we are meeting this afternoon at 2 o’clock to see how we are going to accommodate all the needs and the demand for the vaccines,” she said.

“We had a supply problem before but now we have a demand (issue).

We have to figure out how we’re going to (accommodate) demand because we really want as many people to have the vaccine quickly and we need more resources to do it.

“So, the advance team goes down on Friday and… so we hope the transfer of knowledge will run smoothly so that when we start in Grand Bahama on Saturday and Sunday that we won’t have to spend a day of training,” Dr DahlRegis added.

She said officials are

trying to avoid having to re-vaccinate people with another first shot due to the fact that they weren’t able to get their second shots in the recommended time frame.

When The Tribune visited the gymnasium, many Bahamians said concern about contracting the virus was among the reasons they showed up.

Others said their preference for Pfizer as opposed to the AstraZeneca shot helped influence their decision to finally get vaccinated.

“There are a huge number of persons who I’ve spoken to in the community who had a little scepticism about the AstraZeneca vaccine and, of course, I don’t know if social media added to that, but, of course, persons were waiting to get the Pfizer vaccine like myself and we’re more comfortable,” said Lindbergh Smith.

For 12-year-old Vikita Richardson, it was about keeping herself safe.

“I wanted to keep myself safe today from the COVID-19 and I wanted to make sure that if I do get the COVID-19 vaccine that I don’t get the worse side of it and I won’t die and all of those things,” she said.

The seventh-grade student was accompanied by her mother, Amy Rahming who had already been vaccinated. Many young children were seen lined up at the site with their parents.

Ms Rahming said she feels more at ease about her daughter’s safety, especially with the new school year approaching, noting that masks “are simply not

enough”.

“The risk (of the vaccine) pales in comparison to the benefits,” she said.

The young mother also gave this message for parents who may be hesitant in allowing their children to get vaccinated.

“I would say do your research,” she said. “Speak to your child’s paediatrician or general practitioner and ask as many questions as you possibly can, the research and the information is there online.

Credible sources are online.

Do your research and if you have to pray about it, pray about it.”

Some people said there were some kinks in the vaccination system that still needed to be ironed out.

“There were three young ladies that were here very early and they were told that if they didn’t have an appointment that they couldn’t be served and they left and they are very frustrated over the process so I’m hoping that they can iron out a lot of administrative issues and the bureaucracy that’s related to vaccine,” one man said.

“No one should leave here unvaccinated. If a person shows up here, they ought to be vaccinated. It shouldn’t matter if they have an appointment or not.”

The National COVID-19 Vaccine Consultative Committee is seeking to fully vaccinate 60,000 people over the next six weeks.

At last report 51,150 people have been fully vaccinated in the country while 68,323 have received one dose.

HEALTH WORKER SICK-OUT GOES INTO EIGHTH DAY

By EARYEL BOWLEG Tribune Staff Reporter ebowleg@tribunemedia.net

WITH yesterday marking the eighth day of a staff sick-out affecting public

health services, Health Minister Renward Wells said officials are in discussions

with unions.

The Public Hospitals Authority said Princess Margaret Hospital (PMH) continues to experience limited staffing and expected delays in services.

“The Sandilands Rehabilitation Centre (SRC) continues to experience staff call-ins; services are challenged, however, patient care and services continue uninterrupted,” PHA said.

Speaking on the sidelines before the arrival of the Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccines, Mr Wells said discussions are ongoing.

“We have a union that is currently taking actions so to speak that is the Bahamas Public Service Union.

The other unions that are the nurses, doctors, the junior doctors and the consultant physicians union, we’re talking with them as well to ensure that we are always on board collectively together, working together to expand and deliver the kind of requisite healthcare for the Bahamian people,” he said.

“As you know when I became minister we hired

some 32 SHOs (senior house officers).

Doctors who (are) coming on board. We put 29 of those into PHA’s hospital stream; the others were placed in the Department of Public Health. Since that time, we have now on board, I think, 40 plus individuals, interns, as well at PMH to be able to assist.

“We’ve also hired some 65 RN nurses. We have some 20 plus TCN nurses that we brought into the system. In addition to that, we have another 40 nurses who have come out of the University of the Bahamas’ nursing programme who are now a part of the Department of Public Health PMH’s system, so we’ve been doing what we needed to do to augment both the doctors and nurses... We’ve also brought in some, probably about 15, new porters to be able to assist on the side of the support staff inside the Department of Public Health as well as PMH and PHA.” The sick-out involves workers who have reportedly not received honorariums for work during the pandemic. Mr

Wells has come under fire as his driver and personal assistant were awarded the honorarium, while some in the healthcare system were not.

Although he asked the two staffers to return the $1,158.40 to the government, Progressive Liberal Party chairman Fred Mitchell said the minister should do the “honourable thing” and resign.

When asked for comment about the controversy and calls for him to resign, Mr Wells replied: “I think I would’ve spoken definitively on that subject. I’m not going to go back over that again. I think I would’ve very clearly articulated the circumstances and how I would’ve liked to proceed and proceeded. So, as I said before on Tuesday, what is on the record as I’ve spoken will remain on the record.”

The minister had previously said that he had made no recommendations about who should receive the honorarium and those who received it were recommended by a select committee within the Ministry of Health.

THE TRIBUNE

Friday, August 20, 2021, PAGE 5

Unions dangle national strike threat from page one should brace itself for a national strike where unionised workers show their strength by withdrawing their service.

Kimsley Ferguson, president of the Bahamas Public Services Union, was the first to hint of a strike.

“I am here in support and solidarity with my brothers and sisters of the greatest constituency which is the workers of this country,” he said. “There has been a rippling effect of what is happening in relation to the issues that concern the workers of this country. The government’s dismissive attitude towards addressing the issues that concern workers of this country.

“This morning we are very concerned. Based on the landscape of things, we are looking at something that’s going to be a collaborative effort coming shortly, where the entire workforce of this country will come together and there are some things that will be brought to a screeching halt in an effort to get the attention to those persons who can address the concerns that we have had.

“I’m wondering whether or not this is the same Prime Minister that indicated that the PLP handled the labour movement in a strange way.

I don’t know what the attitude is now because we can’t seem to get an audience with the ministers or permanent secretaries with a view to address the workers’ concerns in this country. It is going to be a surprise shortly. It’s going to be a surprise. You are going to open a gift.”

Asked what he thought of a general election being called at a time like this, Kyle Wilson, BEWU president, said outstanding matters should have been resolved first.

“Based on the uncertainty I think if we are at the table, we should try to clarify those matters before we move forward with

THE BPL workers protest held in June. a national election,” Mr Wilson said.

“The people should be given that much respect.

The people are voters and if you take a test out here with these employees you would find that about 90 percent of them gave the government of the day the opportunity to be in office.

“You look around you today and tell me if you think it’s wise to go into a general election with the people in an angry uproar.

I can only tell my members to do what’s in their best interest. If they think it’s in their best interest for more of the same then go ahead.

“BPL workers will not return to work until we hear from management.

If I don’t smell something good cooking in the kitchen we are not going back. We want our contract and we want the contract now.

Enough is enough.”

Mr Wilson said BPL’s

staff across the country walked off the job because they are not adequately protected against COVID, their industrial agreement needs to be finalised and signed and because they are generally not respected by executive management at the power company.

Also on present to support the BEWU members, Bahamas Utility Services and Allied Workers Union president Dwayne Woods said his union is experiencing the same issues.

“It’s a crying shame to see where BPL was and where they are today,” he said. “The government must do something to bring this to a head. What is happening at BPL today is being duplicated over at Water and Sewerage. So we beg and plead with the stakeholders to intervene immediately.

“It’s BPL today and we will soon join them tomorrow. Before this becomes a

Photo: Donovan McIntosh/Tribune Staff ricochet effect on the government, please step in.

They should have been to (an) election by now.”

Nurse Amancha Williams, president of the Bahamas Nurses Union, said it’s time for a change.

“We are not worrying about the date of the election, what we want is for them to resolve the issues now,” she said. “We are calling all the Bahamian people in the Commonwealth of The Bahamas today to say it is time for a change. If you are going to sit home and complain, then keep your mouth closed.”

She added: “We need to get out on the streets and find the Prime Minister and bring him off his throne.

He needs to come off that throne. We are in a serious predicament. Can you imagine if the lights suddenly go off? Or the water goes off? Or the country shuts down? We need to take our Bahamas back.”

Going further with the possibility of a national strike, Stephen McPhee, president of the Bahamas Educators Managerial Union, said he too stands with BEWU. “I can tell you on the 30th when school is expected to open, with no plan and no discussions with the unions, there will be a surprise,” he said. “‘I couldn’t come to work today, Mr Employer, because I had no light and no water.’ Your manager could not show up in a mashed up shirt and no water to bathe.

“So when you treat these people like they don’t matter, you are doing the same thing to us and our families.”

BPL issued a statement addressing the staff’s withdrawal of service, calling it “illegal industrial action”.

“BPL takes exception to the illegal industrial action, especially given the pressure placed on

our customers by the COVID-19 pandemic,” the statement noted.

“BPL is an essential service, and the other essential services – police, doctors, water and sewerage – all rely on BPL in order to serve their functions. This action by the BEWU places them at risk, as well as those of our customers who are undergoing at-home care.

“Negotiations for a new industrial agreement (IA) between BPL and the BEWU have been conducted in good faith over the course of months, even as BPL continues to follow the terms of the IA, which expired in April 2018.

“We wish to assure customers that, while we cannot guarantee an uninterrupted power supply, we have contingency plans in place, particularly during this time of great public health need around the country.”

ACCUSED ‘FIRED SIX WARNING SHOTS’ SAYS POLICE OFFICER

By FARRAH JOHNSON Tribune Staff Reporter fjohnson@tribunemedia.net

PROMOTION EXERCISE AT IMMIGRATION DEPARTMENT THE Department of Immigration recently held its first Promotion Exercise Ceremony of the year.

The ceremony at the agency’s Mount Royal House headquarters comprised a total of 23 officers and two civilian staff members receiving letters of promotion, reclassification, and, or confirmation.

Photos: Dept of Immigration

A MAN fired six warning shots after a police officer tried to arrest him for pulling out a gun in a packed nightclub, a court was told.

Corporal 3219 Patrick Rolle said he was at Prime Time nightclub on October 12, 2019 when he heard a commotion going on near the DJ booth.

He said when he went to the area to investigate, some patrons who knew him as an officer pointed out Deon Burrows who he claimed was standing up with a firearm in his hand.

Burrows, who is currently on trial before Magistrate Samuel McKinney, denies the allegation.

When Cpl Rolle gave evidence, he said on the night in question he saw Burrows with a “short” firearm that looked like a pistol.

“The firearm was clutched in his right hand and he was holding it down to his side,” he said. “The club was welllit and there was no obstruction to my view. I approached him and said: ‘You don’t need to carry on like this in the club.’”

Cpl Rolle said he then invited Burrows outside to “have a conversation”.

He said once they left the club, he identified himself as an officer and told the accused not to move.

“When I said ‘Police, stop!’ he raised his hand with the firearm and I heard five to six loud bangs and saw sparks coming from the gun,” the officer testified.

“He then ran along Recovery Way but (as he fled) a police bus approached and engaged him, then I heard several more shots discharged.”

Cpl Rolle said when he caught up to the scene, he saw uniformed officers watching Burrows, who was lying on the floor about four feet away from the firearm that he saw him with in the club.

Yesterday, Burrows was not represented by an attorney. When he was given an opportunity to cross-examine Cpl Rolle, he asked the officer if he could remember what he was wearing that night.

When he said that he could not, Burrows asked Cpl Rolle how he was able to identify a firearm in his hand if he was not even sure what he had on.

The accused also noted that most nightclubs are not well lit, and said he found it strange that Cpl Rolle would suggest differently.

The case continues on September 16.

PAGE 6, Friday, August 20, 2021

THE TRIBUNE

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It’s not just a vote, it’s the country’s future WHO do you trust?

That’s the question our front page headline asks today, and it’s a question that voters must find an answer to.

Who do you trust with the future of our country?

On one side is the incumbent party, the FNM. On the other, their predecessors, the PLP. The DNA seems to be struggling to find its voice so it’s really about the two traditional rivals right now.

The FNM is running on its record since winning the 2017 election. It has had monumental hurdles to face, that would have challenged any government. First there was Hurricane Dorian, and then the even greater storm of the COVID-19 pandemic.

In his national address yesterday, Prime Minister Dr Hubert Minnis indicated that securing enough vaccines for the country played a key role in his election decision.

“As a result of our country reaching the goal of securing the vaccines we need, it is now time for the Bahamian people to choose who they want to lead them as we move toward vaccinating every Bahamian who wishes to be vaccinated,” he said.

That is indeed a notable achievement – just ask any government around the world still struggling to get enough vaccination doses for its citizens.

But the FNM has fallen short in other ways. The much-touted marijuana reform dragged on for years and hasn’t made it to the finishing line in Parliament before the election. Freedom of Information wasn’t implemented in time. Then there are the promises that seem to have gone nowhere at all – campaign finance reform, for example, which should have been a priority long before another election came close.

There have been other problems – the much-touted Oban deal that seemed not to have been properly investigated was an early embarrassment, the Grand Lucayan sale has dragged on and on, and did little amid opposition to the Bahamas Petroleum Company’s oil drilling.

In the FNM manifesto in 2017, the first item on the checklist was to introduce term limits for Prime Ministers.

That has never seemed to be a priority. The second item was to introduce a system of recall for non-performing Members of Parliament. Not a whisper has been heard on that. Other promises too have gone by without being fulfilled.

The government can’t complain that it didn’t have the votes – it had an overwhelming majority.

Which brings us to the Opposition.

The FNM had that overwhelming majority because of how tired the Bahamian public was of the Christie administration. The PLP has Christie’s deputy as the would-be Prime Minister, in Philip “Brave” Davis, and former Foreign Minister Fred Mitchell as the party chairman and the candidate for Fox Hill. What marks this PLP out as any different from the one people were so tired of? It’s hard to see any difference.

Throughout the pandemic, the PLP has offered criticisms but few solutions.

They seem to have been in favour of fewer restrictions – yet not offered much guidance on how they would curtail the spreading infection instead. Today we report 14 new deaths from COVID-19 in the latest data from the government – dealing with the pandemic will be the number one priority of whoever wins the election. Who will do that best?

Mr Davis last night talked of “chaos and collapse and crisis” everywhere we look. While he’s right when he says “our hospitals are stretched beyond capacity”, and “our economy is stuck”, he offers no solution. He talks of “armed robberies in broad daylight” as if we didn’t see high murder rates throughout his time as Deputy Prime Minister.

While the first priority for any incoming government will be the pandemic, there are many more things to be tackled. There is the prospect of taxation reform, with international pressure for change and a mountain of debt to be paid off. The economy needs to be revived, and crime remains a constant problem. We still feature in international reports on corruption, and transparency is more talked about than delivered.

It won’t be an easy task for any government – or an easy choice for voters.

So back to our original question – who do you trust? The parties have just a few weeks to convince you.

Rental assistance EDITOR, The Tribune.

NAVIGATING one’s way through the sweltering heat of hardship is no easy undertaking. An unduly harsh economic climate, reduced work hours and the myriad of uncertainty that surrounds and assails the poor and marginalised in this country can be daunting.

The conditions listed above, all sent me running to Social Services for cover and for rental assistance. And now, almost six months later, I’m hopefully nearing the final stretch of a dark tunnel awaiting rental assistance!

There’s a policy in place, I understand, where an entity informs the landlord that the monies have been deposited on his bank account; while there are no simultaneous heads up given to the tenants!

If it’s good for the goose, should it not also be good for the gander who made application in the first place?

Is Social Services operating under the illusion that all landlords are decent, caring and conscientious business people looking out only for the good of his fellow man? I say a thousand times no!!

Some landlords are unscrupulous, manipulative

overbearing and calculating individuals. We all hear the stories!

Social Services needs to take off its shades, remove the blinders, open their eyes and take a good look around.

Are you telling me you believe some landlords won’t take that money and deny that they have received it? And those at the top might tell you that they have no way of knowing whether or not the landlord has received his payment as yet? And all the while they’re sucking their tenants dry.

They might even tell you to follow up with your case worker to see if the receipt of transaction has been passed on the case worker who is already overwhelmed with a hundred other cases and may barely remember your name.

Marvin Gaye said it best when he asked: “What’s going on?”

This seemingly outrageous and slow-moving covert policy seems to lack checks and balances and might be tantamount to “whistling Dixie” in the dark. I believe the system will eventually lead to frustration, madness and mayhem; and a complete and utter distrust of the system may not be entirely out of the question.

If the landlord is paid what amounts to two- or three-months’ rent? Don’t you think the tenant needs the period of reprieve to “catch himself”? The same person who deposits the said funds to the landlord’s account ought to be competent enough to walk and chew bubble gum at the same time! That is to say send an email or a text to the tenant once the funds have been deposited.

In June, I was told that the funds were approved and ready for my landlord, but no one could say when it would be deposited to his account. But in the same breath they would say, if you’re evicted tell us quickly!!I Can understand and appreciate that bit of advice, but there are also other things I can understand and appreciate as well.

I will forever have “much good things” to say about Social Services and “it’s great staff” but my tune unfortunately on rental assistance and its “one-way street” will always end on a very sour note. Hopefully, someone is listening and that person does not have an aversion to other points of views.

CHUCKY EVANS Nassau, August 13, 2021.

Anniversary of FNM’s 1992 victory EDITOR, The Tribune.

I CONSIDER former Prime Minister Hubert Alexander Ingraham to be the greatest political leader in the annals of modern Bahamian history.

If Sir Lynden Pindling is the Black Moses, then Ingraham is the Black Joshua, who led The Bahamas into the land of Canaan, where true democracy along with its attendant freedom of speech and expression, evident in the opening of the airwaves, resides.

Clint Watson’s Beyond the Headlines on ILTV, 100 JAMZ, Jones Communications Network, Guardian Radio, BCN TV, Island FM, Peace 107.5 FM and other private media houses, all owe their existence to Ingraham, who had the progressive foresight to end the decades-old monopoly held by the Broadcasting Corporation of The Bahamas.

Ingraham’s aim of cleaning up the tarnished image of The Bahamas, while bringing in foreign investors, resulted in the advent of Atlantis on Paradise Island, Bah Mar on Cable Beach and a slew of other multimillion dollar foreign direct investments throughout The Bahamas. Both Ingraham and his former law partner, Perry Christie (Centerville), were fired from the Pindling Cabinet in 1984 for voicing their disapproval of the Progressive Liberal Party (PLP) subsequent to the 1984 Commission of Inquiry.

Both successfully ran as Independents in the 1987 general election, which was held on June 19, 1987.

The FNM, led by Sir Kendal G L Isaacs, who served as attorney general under the United Bahamian Party in 1963, decided against fielding candidates in North Abaco and Centerville, which insured that the two erstwhile PLP MPs would be re-elected to Parliament. The PLP would win, shockingly, 31 of the 49 seats; the FNM 16. Five years, two months later, on a Wednesday, which was August 19, 1992 – during

LETTERS letters@tribunemedia.net the Quincentennial celebrations of Christopher Columbus’s discovery of San Salvador and the New World in 1492 – the FNM would win 33 seats; the PLP 16. Ingraham would join the FNM in 1990, becoming leader after the untimely death of Sir Cecil WallaceWhitfield. He was about 44 and energetic. His audacity in openly challenging the “Chief” caught thousands of Bahamians completely off guard. Derisively nicknamed the “Delivery Boy”

by Pindling, his former political mentor, Ingraham’s charisma was a welcome change to FNMs accustomed to the benign, laissez faire attitude of Isaacs.

Many FNMs took issue with Isaacs for not challenging the results of the 1987 election. He would be appointed acting governor general in 1992, being privileged to read the speech from the throne. The substantive governor general, Sir Clifford Darling, did not participate in the opening of Parliament. Many FNMs, feeling wronged by the outgoing PLP administration, balked at the idea of having Sir Clifford read the speech from the throne.

The political wounds of these FNMs was still fresh.

I am convinced that had Ingraham had his way, Sir Clifford would’ve fulfilled his duties as governor general. Ingraham showed political maturity by allowing Sir Clifford to remain in his post as governor general until January 1995, when he was succeeded

by Sir Orville Turnquest.

Ingraham vowed to end state sanctioned political victimization, which was new to the Bahamian people, accustomed to the tribal practice, dating all the way back to the Bay Street authorities.

If I recall correctly, the FNM’s election theme was deliverance. Its campaign Manifesto was breathtaking and progressive.

Pushing the election date two months beyond the constitutionally allotted five years, Pindling was accused on engaging in stalling tactics in order to avoid the inevitable. Truth be told, the general election in 1992 should’ve been held in June, not August. In an August 21, 1992 article written in The New York Times, it was said that FNM strategists had opined that Pindling made the “fundamental error by scheduling the vote during the summer, when college students traditionally return from studies overseas.” Obviously, the young voting demographic were not old enough to appreciate the significance of Majority Rule Day or the achievement of Independence from Great Britain. The issue dogging The Bahamas in 1992 was the lack of employment opportunities.

Pindling would hold on to his South Andros seat until his retirement in 1997. PLP heavyweights such as Sir Clement T. Maynard, A.D. Hanna and Milo Butler Jr. were among the many shocking political casualties of the historic 1992 general election. If my memory serves me correctly, one of the ZNS TV13 panelists on election night was the late Norman Solomon, who gave an accurate assessment of the stunning results. In my opinion, the August 19, 1992 general election is one of the most important dates on our secular calendar. In fact, I think it is more important than Independence Day. I have stated before that Sir Randol Fawkes had bandied with the idea of independence years before the PLP wrested control of the government from the Bay Street oligarchs in 1967. I consider that day in August of 1992 to be when The Bahamas was providentially afforded a much needed reset, made possible by a national treasure named Hubert Alexander Ingraham.

KEVIN EVANS Freeport, Grand Bahama.

August 18, 2021.

THE TRIBUNE

Friday, August 20, 2021, PAGE 7

Man admits unlawful sex with boy aged 15

By DENISE MAYCOCK Tribune Freeport Reporter dmaycock@tribunemedia.net

A 39-YEAR-OLD man who admitted to having unlawful sexual intercourse with a 15-year-old boy was sentenced to four years in prison yesterday by a Grand Bahama magistrate.

Allan Bain, of Pinehurst Drive, South Bahamia, appeared before Deputy Chief Magistrate Debbye Ferguson where he pleaded guilty to having unlawful sexual intercourse with a minor of the same sex, aged 15 years.

The incident happened between July 1 and August 16.

According to evidence presented by the prosecution, Bain had known the minor when he lived in New Providence before the teen had relocated to

Freeport with his mother.

Prosecutor Inspector Anthony Sawyer said evidence obtained by police indicated that Bain had sex with the virtual complainant on three occasions at his residence in South Bahamia.

The prosecutor told the court that during an interview with police in the presence of a social worker, the minor said that he regarded Bain as a friend and stayed at his house in mid-July after being put out.

Inspector Sawyer said the accused was interviewed by police under caution and admitted to the offence.

He was subsequently arrested by police and charged.

Bain was not represented by counsel and elected a summary trial.

He admitted to Deputy

Chief Magistrate Ferguson that he was gay.

“I know the minor for quite some time from Nassau,” he said.

Bain also told the court that he was not in an “exclusive” relationship with the minor.

Bain said that he was only intimate with the minor for the period in question and that he did not know the virtual complainant’s date of birth.

“I know he was young,” he stated.

Deputy Chief Magistrate Ferguson convicted Bain, but did not impose the maximum possible sentence of five years imprisonment.

“I am deducting one year because of your forthrightness with the court,” she said.

She informed Bain that he has a right to appeal her decision.

ALLAN Bain outside court yesterday.

COUPLE PLEAD GUILTY TO CHILD CRUELTY CHARGES

By DENISE MAYCOCK Tribune Freeport Reporter dmaycock@tribunemedia.net

A COUPLE accused of child cruelty were arraigned on various serious childabuse related charges in the Freeport Magistrate’s Court yesterday.

The woman and her businessman fiancé, both

of Freeport, appeared in Court One before Deputy Chief Debbye Ferguson. Neither was represented by counsel.

The 38-year-old motherof-three, was charged with making a false report to the police. It is alleged that on August 7, at Freeport, she knowingly made a false report of a missing

person.

She was also charged with cruelty to children. It is alleged that between July 1 to July 30, at Freeport, she neglected and abandoned the minor aged 15 years in a manner that likely caused unnecessary suffering that resulted in him being assaulted while he was in her care.

The mother was also charged with mandatory reporting of the abuse of a child. It is alleged that between July 1 and August 16, at Freeport, she failed to report the abuse of the 15-year-old minor to the proper authority.

She pleaded guilty to all the charges.

Her fiance, 41, of Bahama

20-YEAR SENTENCE UPHELD FOR MAN WHO SHOT HIS VICTIM IN HEAD IN NIGHTCLUB

By FARRAH JOHNSON Tribune Staff Reporter fjohnson@tribunemedia.net THE COURT of Appeal has affirmed the 20-year prison sentence of a man convicted of fatally shooting another man nearly five years ago.

In October 2016, Thomas Christopher Hield was shot in the head during an argument outside Berry’s nightclub in Abaco. According to court documents, people who witnessed the shooting said the victim was shot by someone sitting in a silver coloured Honda.

Lorenzo Pritchard,

along with the driver of the vehicle, were later charged with murder. However, Pritchard was found not guilty of murder and was instead convicted of manslaughter.

He recently appealed his conviction and sentence on the grounds that his conviction was unsafe and unsatisfactory, and his sentence was too severe.

Justices Sir Michael Barnett, Jon Isaacs and Milton Evans yesterday dismissed his appeal after ruling there was “no merit” in the grounds of appeal advanced

by Pritchard.

“The appellant alleges that the judge summed up

the issue of provocation to the jury wrongly,” Justice Isaacs stated. “I have had regard to the judge’s summing up and I am unable to agree with the appellant’s assessment of her performance.”

Justice Isaacs added that the panel also concluded the judge’s sentence was not unduly harsh after reviewing the circumstances of the case.

“The appellant also complains that the sentence imposed upon him is unduly severe. By imposing a sentence of twenty years as of March 21, 2019, and by taking into account the remand time of about two

years and five months, the sentence imposed by the judge was twenty-two years and five months.”

He continued: “I am satisfied that the sentence she imposed cannot be regarded as unduly harsh in the circumstances of this case. The sentence does not fall outside of that generous ambit within which disagreement may arise as to the appropriate sentence for manslaughter by provocation. There is no merit in the grounds of appeal advanced by the appellant.

In the premises, the appeal stands dismissed. The conviction and sentence are affirmed.”

Farms, was charged with causing harm.

It is alleged that on July 30, at Freeport, he unlawfully and intentionally caused harm to the woman’s son.

He was also charged with cruelty to children. It is alleged that between July 1 to July 30, he ill-treated and assaulted a minor who was

in his care.

He pleaded guilty to both charges.

After hearing very lengthy submissions presented to the court by both accused, Deputy Chief Magistrate Debbye Ferguson stood the matter down and deferred sentencing to Friday at 10am.

To advertise in The Tribune, contact 502-2394

Death Notice For

Jonathan Philip Newton, 79

OFFICER FOUND MARIJUANA BLOCKS WHILE LOOKING FOR STOLEN BUILDING SUPPLIES

By FARRAH JOHNSON Tribune Staff Reporter fjohnson@tribunemedia.net

A POLICE officer testified yesterday of finding four packages of marijuana in a man’s home after conducting inquiries for stolen building supplies in his area.

Anton Thompson was arrested after officers found four packages of Indian hemp stashed in a beer box

in his residence on March 28.

When he first appeared before Magistrate Samuel McKinney, he denied the allegations and the matter was adjourned for trial.

When Corporal 3536 Mark Roker took the stand yesterday, he said he and his partner were in the Eneas Street community conducting inquiries in reference to stolen building materials when they noticed a

yard with multiple wooden structures.

He said when they entered the property, he noticed three slabs of roofing materials in front of one of the structure’s doors. He said when he went to the porch, he noticed the front door was slightly ajar and observed Thompson sleeping on the floor.

Cpl Roker said after he woke him up, he informed him of their search and

began his investigation. The court was told that when officers opened and searched a Guinness box in the corner of Thompson’s residence, they found the marijuana packages. Cpl Roker said when they questioned the accused, he said he was a skilled carpenter and “stumbled across the drugs” when he was working.

The case continues on September 13.

ABACO MAN ACCUSED OF MURDER ATTEMPT

By FARRAH JOHNSON Tribune Staff Reporter fjohnson@tribunemedia.net AN Abaco man was charged in the Magistrate’s court yesterday with

attempted murder.

Casteio McDonald, 34, appeared before Chief Magistrate Joyann Ferguson-Pratt after he was accused of trying to kill Ludwig Cartwright on

August 13.

The Cooper’s Town native was not required to enter a plea and the case was adjourned to December 1 for service of a voluntary bill of indictment.

In the meantime, McDonald was denied bail and remanded into custody.

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

of Market Street, Nassau, The Bahamas died at the Princess Margaret Hospital on Friday, August 13, 2021.

He is survived by his children: Bequesa Albury, Clarence Newton, Raymond Newton, Vanwright Newton, Timothy Cooper, Malderine Horton, Carlson Newton, Philippa Newton, Cathesia Newton, Demica Newton, Yaphet Newton, Stephanie Newton, Sabina Newton and Jonathan Newton,; numerous grand and great grandchildren, numerous nieces and nephews and a host of other relatives and friends.

Funeral arrangements will be announced at a later date.

PAGE 8, Friday, August 20, 2021

THE TRIBUNE

POLICE Commissioner Paul Rolle, in his capacity as Provost Marshall, announcing the dissolution of Parliament yesterday.

Photo: Racardo Thomas/Tribune Staff

Grab your popcorn, the race has started THIS week, the outgoing Speaker of the House presided over his first and last “open parliament,” and the proverbial election bell got rung. Let’s get started.

BRINGING DOWN THE HOUSE

I knew this week would be one for the history books.

When Speaker Halson Moultrie hyped up an event in the square that promised to give voters a chance to express their “concerns” about the current state of the nation, I grabbed my pen and popcorn.

Surely this was just a sneaky way to have prospective voters lambaste his former FNM colleagues hours on end, right?

Unfortunately, before the so-called “open parliament” got started, the real parliament got closed.

Commissioner of Police Paul Rolle (dressed in the crispest, starchiest khakis I’ve ever seen), in his role as Provost Marshal, made his way to Parliament

A Comic’s View

By INIGO ‘NAUGHTY’ ZENICAZELAYA

Square. Reading the words of the Governor-General, he announced that Sir Cornelius had prorogued parliament.

That’s right, mere moments before Moultrie and Co put on what may have certainly been a show for the ages, Doc Minnis shut down that potential super-spreader event.

And as the crowd later dwindled, so did Moultrie’s last chance to “throw a blow” at his one-time leader, Prime Minister Minnis.

Halson is running as an independent candidate in Nassau Village, but his chances do not look good.

How will history judge his performance as an MP and as Speaker? There were great expectations

when he first donned the robe. But many will argue, justifiably, he did not live up to them.

We may never know the details of exactly how, when, and why Moultrie stopped rocking with Doc, but we do know that Wednesday was likely his last time in the House in an official capacity.

Moral of the story? Even as Speaker, you can’t fight City Hall.

RING DA BELL

Halson Moultrie wasn’t the only person for whom Doc had a surprise in store.

After weeks (if not months) of speculation, PM Minnis finally “ring da bell.’’

It was funny watching the past 48 hours play out on

Death Notice For Valerie Dorothea Thompson, 69 of Green Turtle Cay, Abaco, passed on peacefully at her residence on Tuesday, August 17, 2021.

She is survived by 1 daughter: Stephanie Charlton; 5 grandchildren: Quitel, Tanisha, Quinton Jr. Stephon and Tamara Charlton; 3 great grand children: Amariah Albury-Charlton, Drayden Charlton and Damarion Jones, Green; 3 sisters: Susan Maureen Gibson and Sarah Roberts; aunts, uncles, nieces, nephews, grand nieces, grand nephews, God children, and a host of other relatives and friends.

Funeral arrangements will be announced at a later date.

social media.

When the parliament was prorogued on Wednesday, Progressive Liberal Party (PLP) supporters immediately cried out for the Prime Minister to name the election date. When the PM obliged, dissolved parliament, and named an election date, PLP supporters immediately cried out that they didn’t get enough warning beforehand.

For the first time in our history, we have a permanent voters’ register. One outcome of this reality is that persons who failed to register before the parliament dissolved now find themselves on the outside looking in.

They will not have an opportunity to mark a ballot this go around. What that will mean for the upcoming general elections remains to be seen.

What I do know is that now is not the time to complain. The race to the finish line will be a sprint, not a marathon. And in case you missed it, the bell has been rung and they are off!

HOUSE speaker Halson Moultrie after Parliament was prorogued.

Photo: Donovan McIntosh/Tribune Staff

THE TRIBUNE

For Whom the Bell Tolls

Friday, August 20, 2021, PAGE 9

By Diane Phillips THERE is a particular line in the novel For Whom the Bell Tolls that goes like this: “The world is a fine place and worth fighting for and I hate very much to leave it.”

The Spanish Civil War story on which the book is based is brutal but the underlying message is hauntingly clear – the desire to hold on to life erupts like an internal volcanic explosion, growing fast and furious when the possibility of losing it stares you in the face and you know you have one

chance before the church bell tolls for you, taking you from all you loved, fought for, risked your life for, to carry you home.

Yesterday, Dr Hubert Minnis rang that bell himself, not for being called home, but setting the stage for the political fight of his life. No one doubts he knows the depth of the battle, though he may feel history is on his side. In 2017, he outwitted an attempted coup for leadership of

the FNM once before, demonstrating political mastery.

It feels like a million years ago when troubles seemed so minor by comparison to what we face today. This time Minnis is not fighting a few dissenters. He is battling to remain commander in chief in a local regiment to wage war against a disease that in less than two years has turned the world as we once knew it upside down.

The question voters will have to answer is a straightforward one.

It’s the same question football

teams and school board districts and corporations large and small every day ask: Is he the best person for the job or can someone else do it better?

Of course, there will be other discussions that will rage and range from ‘Why now, did he want to avoid an open sitting of Parliament?’ to ‘Did the news of the nurses’ sick-outs and the hospitals on verge of collapse drive the decision?’ If so, taking a chance and getting re-elected, he will feel entitled to introduce stricter measures, closer to the New Zealand model where one new case was cause for a national three-day lockdown.

If he is not re-elected, the whole situation will be someone else’s problem and he can say he did all he could to balance economic survival with essential health needs.

I was out of the country yesterday on a family medical matter, far from the minute-by-minute news, the dozens of opinions, the

analysis of pundits and predictors. Just viewing it at a slightly greater distance, knowing that in The Bahamas we are patient about standing in line when we shouldn’t be and impatient when it comes to governing. In The Bahamas, I know that we are more likely to vote people out than vote them in.

In The Bahamas, we forgive those who trespass against us, including our own kin, but we have little forgiveness in our hearts for those who don’t do right by us or we think don’t do right by us in a position of power.

We have a right to question what about those who did not have a chance to register. Well, the signs were there for months if we had paid enough attention. We have a right to ask what happened to Freedom of Information, and promises of transparency and accountability. And if we vote because of those things, we are doing what responsible voters do, consider the issues, the system and make the best decision.

But if we cast our votes based on the lack of a cure

for COVID-19 and its impact on a country still reeling from the insidious, ever-changing and evolving disease that has stolen too many lives and left too many families in emotional and financial turmoil, then we are the fool for whom the bell tolls. We know far less about this disease than we know of it. The science changes and the recommendations about safety protocols change as data is collected, research expands, more options become available.

Voters have a right to judge the FNM administration under the leadership of Dr. Hubert A Minnis on a myriad of matters and weigh the good and the bad, or the achievements and disappointments, but no one in either major party or any of the splinter parties that are likely to form a coalition and could well end up surprising everyone should be judged on the slaughter that COVID19 has wreaked on The Bahamas. In this, we are not alone and all of us need to find the strength and humanity to come together as one, even in the heat of the political season.

PAGE 10, Friday, August 20, 2021

MAN SURRENDERS AFTER CLAIMING TO HAVE BOMB NEAR US CAPITOL

By ERIC TUCKER, MICHAEL BALSAMO, COLLEEN LONG and MICHAEL BIESECKER Associated Press WASHINGTON (AP) — A North Carolina man who claimed to have a bomb in a pickup truck near the U.S. Capitol surrendered to law enforcement after an hourslong standoff Thursday that prompted a massive police response and the evacuations of government buildings in the area.

Authorities were investigating what led the suspect, identified as 49-year-old Floyd Ray Roseberry, to drive onto the sidewalk outside the Library of Congress, make bomb threats to officers and profess a litany of antigovernment grievances as part of a bizarre episode that he live-streamed for a Facebook audience. Police later searched the vehicle and said they did not find a bomb but did collect possible bombmaking materials.

The standoff was resolved peacefully after roughly five hours of negotiations, ending when Roseberry crawled out of the truck and was taken into police custody. But even in a city with a long history of dramatic law enforcement encounters outside federal landmarks, this episode was notable for its timing — Washington remains on edge eight months after the insurrection at the U.S. Capitol — and for the way the suspect harnessed social media to draw attention to his actions in the hours before his arrest.

Authorities who spent hours negotiating with Roseberry — he held up handwritten signs through his driver-side window — were continuing to dig into his background Thursday evening. They did not reveal any details about a motive, and no charges were immediately announced.

Investigators had been speaking with members of Roseberry’s family and learned that his mother had recently died, Capitol Police Chief J. Thomas Manger said.

“There were other issues he was dealing with,” the chief said, without providing specific details.

But social media appeared to offer its own clues.

As police continued negotiations, video surfaced of Roseberry on Facebook Live inside the truck, which was stuffed with coins and boxes. He threatened explosions, expressed hostility toward President Joe Biden, profanely warned of a “revolution” and laid bare a series of grievances related to U.S. positions on Afghanistan, health care and the military.

Roseberry’s ex-wife, Crystal Roseberry, said she had seen images of the man in the standoff at the Capitol and confirmed to The Associated Press that it was her ex-husband.

She said she had never known him to have explosives, but he was an avid collector of firearms.

Videos posted to Facebook before the page was taken

down appear to show Roseberry at a Nov. 14 Washington rally attended by thousands of Trump supporters to protest what they claimed was a stolen election. One video appears to be filmed by Roseberry as he’s marching with a crowd of hundreds of people carrying American flags and Trump flags and shouting “stop the steal.”

Thursday’s incident began around 9:15 a.m. when a truck drove up the sidewalk outside the library. The driver told the responding officer he had a bomb, and he was holding what the officer believed to be a detonator. The truck had no license plates.

Kelsey Campbell, a student at the University of Wisconsin-Madison visiting Washington as part of a class trip, said she and another student encountered Roseberry around 9:20 a.m. outside the nearby Supreme Court building. Campbell said he was with his truck, which was parked next to the sidewalk, and was holding a large stack of dollar bills.

“He said, ‘Hey, call the police, tell them to evacuate this street, and I’ll give you all this money,’” Campbell recounted to The AP. “I said, ‘No!’ and he threw the money at us and we started running.”

Campbell said she and the other student saw some police officers standing nearby. They told the officers what happened, and the officers then went to confront Roseberry.

The standoff brought the area surrounding the Capitol to a virtual standstill as police emptied buildings and cordoned off streets as a precaution. Congress is in recess this week, but staffers were seen calmly walking out of the area at the direction of authorities.

By Thursday evening, authorities had finished searching the vehicle and determined the area to be safe after not finding an explosive.

The nation’s capital has been tense since the Jan. 6 insurrection at the Capitol, when thousands of supporters of then-President Donald Trump stormed the building as Congress was gathered to certify the results of the presidential election.

A day before the riot at the Capitol, pipe bombs were left at the headquarters of the Democratic National Committee and the Republican National Committee in Washington. No one has been arrested yet for placing the bombs.

The RNC, not far from where the truck was parked Thursday, was also evacuated over the threat. A spokesman for the DNC said its headquarters, which is located farther away from the truck’s location, was put under lockdown, but that lockdown has been lifted.

Thursday’s incident marked the third time in as many weeks that federal and military law enforcement authorities had to respond to attacks or possible threats in the Washington area.

Officials are also jittery over a planned rally in September.

THE TRIBUNE

US struggles to speed Kabul airlift due to Taliban, chaos

By ROBERT BURNS, MATTHEW LEE, and LOLITA C. BALDOR Associated Press WASHINGTON (AP) — The United States struggled Thursday to pick up the pace of American and Afghan evacuations at Kabul airport, constrained by obstacles ranging from armed Taliban checkpoints to paperwork problems.

With an Aug. 31 deadline looming, tens of thousands remained to be airlifted from the chaotic country.

Taliban fighters and their checkpoints ringed the airport — major barriers for Afghans who fear that their past work with Westerners makes them prime targets for retribution. Hundreds of Afghans who lacked any papers or clearance for evacuation also congregated outside the airport, adding to the chaos that has prevented even some Afghans who do have papers and promises of flights from getting through.

It didn’t help that many of the Taliban fighters could not read the documents.

In a hopeful sign, State Department spokesman Ned Price said in Washington that 6,000 people were cleared for evacuation Thursday and were expected to board military flights in coming hours.

That would mark a major increase from recent days. About 2,000 passengers were flown out on each of the past two days, Pentagon spokesman John Kirby said.

Kirby said the military has aircraft available to evacuate 5,000 to 9,000 people per day, but until Thursday far fewer designated evacuees had been able to reach, and then enter, the airport.

Kirby told reporters the limiting factor has been available evacuees, not aircraft. He said efforts were underway to speed processing, including adding State Department consular officers to verify paperwork of Americans and Afghans who managed to get to the airport. Additional entry gates had been opened, he said.

And yet, at the current rate it would be difficult for the U.S. to evacuate all of the Americans and Afghans who are qualified for and seeking evacuation by Aug. 31. President Joe Biden said Wednesday he would ensure no American was left behind, even if that meant staying beyond August, an arbitrary deadline that he set weeks before the Taliban climaxed a stunning military victory by taking Kabul last weekend.

It was not clear if Biden might consider extending the deadline for evacuees who aren’t American citizens.

At the airport, military evacuation flights continued, but access remained difficult for many. On Thursday, Taliban militants fired into the air to try to control the crowds gathered at the airport’s blast walls. Men, women and children fled. U.S. Navy fighter jets flew overhead, a standard military precaution but also a reminder to the Taliban that the U.S. has firepower to respond to a combat crisis.

There is no accurate figure of the number of people — Americans, Afghans or others — who are in need of evacuation as the process is almost

IN this photo provided by the U.S. Marine Corps, civilians prepare to board a plane during an evacuation at Hamid Karzai International Airport, Kabul, Afghanistan, Wednesday.

(Staff Sgt. Victor Mancilla/U.S. Marine Corps via AP) entirely self-selecting. For example, the State Department says that when it ordered its nonessential embassy staff to leave Kabul in April after Biden’s withdrawal announcement, fewer than 4,000 Americans had registered for security updates. The actual number, including dual U.S.-Afghan citizens along with family members, is likely much higher, with estimates ranging from 11,000 to 15,000. Tens of thousands of Afghans may also be in need of escape.

Compounding the uncertainty, the U.S. government has no way to track how many registered Americans may have left Afghanistan already. Some may have returned to the United States but others may have gone to third countries.

At the Pentagon, Kirby declined to say whether Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin had recommended to Biden that he extend the Aug. 31 deadline. Given the Taliban’s takeover of the country, staying beyond that date would require at least the Taliban’s acquiescence, he said.

He said he knew of no such talks yet between U.S. and Taliban commanders, who have been in regular touch for days to limit conflict at the airport as part of what the White House has termed a “safe passage” agreement worked out on Sunday.

“I think it is just a fundamental fact of the reality of where we are, that communications and a certain measure of agreement with the Taliban on what we’re trying to accomplish has to occur,” Kirby said.

Of the approximately 2,000 people airlifted from the airport in the 24 hours ended Wednesday morning, nearly 300 were Americans, Kirby said. U.S. lawmakers were briefed Thursday morning that 6,741 people had been evacuated since Aug. 14, including 1,762 American citizens and Green Card holders, according to two congressional aides.

Although Afghanistan had been a hotspot for the coronavirus pandemic, the State Department said Thursday

that evacuees are not required to get negative COVID-19 results.

“A blanket humanitarian waiver has been implemented for COVID-19 testing for all persons the U.S. government is relocating from Afghanistan,” the department said. Medical exams, including COVID-19 tests, had been required for evacuees prior to the Taliban’s takeover of Kabul, which added extra urgency to efforts to get at-risk Afghans out.

Additional American troops continued to arrive at the airport. As of Thursday there were about 5,200, including Marines who specialise in evacuation coordination and an Air Force unit that specialises in emergency airport operations.

Biden has authorised a total deployment of about 6,000.

Hoping to secure evacuation seats are American citizens and other foreigners, Afghan allies of the Western forces, and women, journalists, activists and others most at risk from the fundamentalist Taliban.

Will U.S. troops go beyond the airport perimeter to collect and escort people? Austin suggested on Wednesday that this was not currently feasible.

“We don’t have the capability to go out and collect large numbers of people,” he told reporters.

Austin added that evacuations would continue “until the clock runs out or we run out of capability.”

Afghans in danger because of their work with the U.S. military or U.S organisations, and Americans scrambling to get them out, also pleaded with Washington to cut the red tape that has complicated matters.

“If we don’t sort this out, we’ll literally be condemning people to death,” said Marina Kielpinski LeGree, the American head of a nonprofit, Ascend.

The organisation’s young Afghan female colleagues were in the mass of people waiting for flights at the airport in the wake of days of mayhem, tear gas and gunshots.

AID FLOWS A BIT MORE QUICKLY INTO HAITI; CHALLENGES REMAIN

By MARK STEVENSON and EVENS SANON Associated Press

LES CAYES, Haiti (AP) — Relief for the victims of a powerful earthquake and tropical storm began flowing more quickly into Haiti on Thursday, but the Caribbean nation’s entrenched poverty, insecurity and lack of basic infrastructure were still

Graveside Service For Christina Evelyn Pratt, 39

will be held at Woodlawn Gardens Cemetery, Soldier Road on Saturday, August 21, 2021 at 2:00 pm. Officiating will be Rev. D. W. Dorsett. Interment will follow.

She has left her memories in the heart and minds of her CHILDREN: Tyranique Sears, Christopher Pratt II and Shawniqua Carey; ADOPTED SON: Julio Deveaux; GRANDCHILDREN: Tareno Deveaux; SISTERS: Lisa & Evelyn Pratt; BROTHER: Dominique Pratt; FIANCÉ: Shorn Carey; NIECES: Alexus Newton, Nikita and Correga Pratt; NEPHEWS: Omar and Jamaal Etienne, Kevin Andrews Jr.; AUNTS: Beverly Brown, Dianna Stubbs, Judi-Ann Farrington, Shellie Pratt, Miriam Bowles, Vernice Butler and Mizpa Forbes; UNCLES: George & Steven Bowles, Rudolph Butler and Samuel Forbes; COUSINS: James, Garth, Stephen, Swanson, Kevin, Dwight, Anwar, Latia and Andrew Brown, Darnell Knowles, Darron, Travis and Nathaniel Pratt, Cherry, Terrance and Shanell Stubbs, Torrien Farrington, Inderia Minnis, Sandy, Craig, Sharell, Keila, Deon, Devon, Denykco, Demico, Denykca, Valencia, Brayzon, Domineko, Dalicia, Christal, Samantha, Ian, Cloyd, Jenniemae, Raqueria, Raunice, Blanche, Regina, Rudolph Jr., Sean, Prince jr., Phil, Phillippa,, Nel, Steve, Stevandre’, Stevina, Stevy, Shanel,Tiffany, Samuel, Kino, Le’shaun, Le’shanto, Walter, Prince, Johnaye, Sean Jr., Malaysia, Nevaeh, Mavardo, Arlinquia, Chardonnay, Megan, Rarjanae, Rjay, Rudesha, Shantia, Dylan, Kenroy Jr., Samjay, Petrinique, Alexandria, Alex,Danij’, Makaia, ,Garnet,Garlin, Genesis; OTHER RELATIVES AND FRIENDS: Dianne Tucker, Rochelle Strachan, Lisa and, Anastacia Solomon, Jeff Lloyd & Family, Celebrity Hair Loft Family, Mystique Boutique Family, Back to Health family, Tasha, Claudine, Samara Taylor & Family, Marcia Burrows & Family, Cardia Cox, Ashanti Ingraham, The Brown Family, The Cox Family, Shanique Bodie, Christina & Terrine Davis, Tamara Frazier, Shakera Mackey, Rakeisha Hall, Laura, The Mollie Street family, Roxanna Higgins and family, Prince & Parallel Boodle & family and Charine McDonald. Special thanks to Doctors and staff at Princess Margaret Hospital.

Friends may pay their respects at Legacy Memorial Mortuary, #20 Claridge Road on Friday from 10 am to 6 pm and at graveside on Saturday from 11 am until service time.

presenting huge challenges to getting food and urgent medical care to all those who need it.

Private relief supplies and shipments from the U.S. government and others were arriving in the southwestern peninsula where the weekend quake struck, killing more than 2,100 people. But the need was extreme, made worse by the rain from Tropical Storm Grace, and people were growing frustrated with the slow pace.

Adding to the problems, a major hospital in the capital of Port-au-Prince, where many of the injured were being sent, was closed Thursday for a two-day shutdown to protest the kidnapping of two doctors, including one of the country’s few orthopedic surgeons.

The abductions dealt a blow to attempts to control criminal violence that has threatened disaster response efforts in the capital.

Haiti’s Civil Protection Agency late Wednesday raised the number of deaths from the earthquake to 2,189 and said 12,268 people were injured. More than 300 people are estimated to still be missing, said Serge Chery, head of civil defense for the Southern Province, which includes the hard-hit small port city of Les Cayes.

The magnitude 7.2 earthquake damaged or destroyed more than 100,000 homes, leaving about 30,000 families homeless, according to official estimates. Hospitals, schools, offices and churches also were demolished or badly damaged.

The U.S. aid effort has been building since the initial hours after the earthquake. On Thursday, 10 U.S. military helicopters ferried in search and rescue teams, medical workers and supplies that had been pre-positioned in Haiti by the U.S. Agency for International Development after the devastating 2010 earthquake.

A Navy ship, the USS Arlington, was expected to arrive this weekend, said Adm. Craig Faller,

TEAM Rubicon’s disaster response members unload aid at the airport to take to the hospital where they are treating residents injured in the 7.2 magnitude earthquake in Les Cayes, Haiti, Thursday. (AP Photo/Fernando Llano) who oversees the military response as commander of Miami-based U.S. Southern Command.

“We’ve got the momentum now,” Faller said. “We’ve got the assets in place. We’ve figured out logistics.”

The U.S. government is still working with Haitian authorities and others to determine the extent of the damage and casualties. Faller said a U.S. Geological Survey assessment projected there could be more than 10,000 deaths.

One of the U.S. helicopters landed Thursday in Les Cayes with equipment, medicine and volunteers, including some from the aid group Samaritan’s Purse. Monte Oitker, a biomedical technician with the organisation, said volunteers were prepared to operate a self-contained hospital unit, capable of handling a variety of orthopedic procedures.

Distributing aid to the thousands left homeless could be more challenging.

Chery said officials are hoping to start clearing sites where homes were destroyed to allow residents to build temporary shelters.

“It will be easier to distribute aid if people are living at their addresses, rather than in a tent,” he said.

While some officials have suggested an end to the search for survivors so that heavy machinery can clear all of the

rubble, Prime Minister Ariel Henry appeared unwilling to move to that stage.

“Some of our citizens are still under the debris. We have teams of foreigners and Haitians working on it,” he said.

He also appealed for unity.

“We have to put our heads together to rebuild Haiti,” Henry said. “The country is physically and mentally destroyed.”

Tension over the slow distribution of aid has become increasingly evident in the area hit hardest by Saturday’s quake. At the small airport in Les Cayes, people thronged a perimeter fence Wednesday as aid was loaded into trucks and police fired warning shots to disperse a crowd of young men.

Angry crowds also massed at collapsed buildings in the city, demanding tarps to create temporary shelters after Grace’s heavy rain. Also in Les Cayes, 22 prisoners escaped from the jail after the quake hit, said National Police spokeswoman Marie-Michelle Verrier. International aid workers said hospitals in the worst-hit areas are mostly incapacitated, which is why many patients need to be moved to the capital for treatment. But reaching Portau-Prince from the southwest is difficult under normal conditions because of poor roads and gangs along the route.

THE TRIBUNE

Friday, August 20, 2021, PAGE 11

MOTHERS and babies participate in the global latch-on event.

MOTHERS JOIN IN BREASTFEEDING WEEK BREASTFEEDING mothers all over the world joined together for World Breastfeeding week this month under the theme: Protect Breastfeeding: A Shared Responsibility. Celebrations continue for the rest of the month.

In The Bahamas, the Bahamas National Breastfeeding Association (BNBA) held a week from August 1-7 filled with activities to celebrate and spread the word about breastfeeding.

One of the biggest messages from BNBA in the midst of a pandemic is it is safe for babies to breastfeed even if their mothers contract COVID-19, or even if they have been vaccinated. The virus has not been found in breast milk. However, if mothers do contract the virus, they should still wear a mask and sanitise hands regularly. Antibodies present in breast milk may aid in the battle against Covid-19 if an infant is exposed.

BNBA members took the time to talk about these and

other concerns of mothers during the Global Big Latch On Event, held at the Ministry of Health pavilion.

There, mothers breastfed at the same time as other mothers all around the world in a show of solidarity, according to Trineka Hall, BNBA President.

Breastfed babies have a reduced risk of noncommunicable diseases as adults, and are more likely to have a higher IQ, among numerous other benefits.

To spread the word, BNBA members made radio station appearances and visited local clinics to speak with antenatal patients preparing for the birth of their babies.

Other activities included a church service at Calvary Bible Church; luncheon at Green Parrot Restaurant; a ‘Babies do the cutest, darndest things” baby photo competition; a Breastfeeding Exhibition Corner for clinics and hospitals; and a closing church service at Maranatha Seventh Day Adventist Church.

Graveside Services For

Nadia Elizabeth Mcintosh, 40

a resident of Pinewood Garden, New Providence, Bahamas who died peacefully at her residence on Wednesday, August 4th, 2021. Graveside Service will be held at 11:00 am on Saturday, August 21st, 2021 at Old Trail Cemetery. Officiating will be Prophet D. Bastian assisted by other ministers of gospel.

Left to cherish her memories are her mother: Donna Johnson Higgins; step father: Wayde Higgins; sons: Terrance, Deonte, Isaac Jr.; daughters: Raynell, of London Ontario, Canada Tiaja, Allisa, Skyy; granddaughter: Brielle Carey of London Ontario, Canada; sisters: Josephine, Racheal, Charmaine, Lanique Morris, Tiffany (Deron) McKenzie, Louelle, Dakita, N’Quell, Anya, Gardiner, Anthea Thompson; brothers: Jason, Roberts, Denzil, Nathan, Darren, Darrio, Sharod, Harold (Alaslacia) Gardiner; grand mother: Anthea McIntosh, Louela Prescott; grandfather: James Ferguson; aunts: Jackie Lewis, Shelly, Selma, Deidre, Desiree, Sharmaine McIntosh, Sonja Gardiner, Joann Cambridge, Emeline Prescod, Morine Prescod, Dora Stephens of Miami, Fl, Christina Nairn, Dorine Taylor, Lavern Riley, Nicole Lafleur; uncles: Carrol, Leroy Toney, Croftin, Barry McIntosh, Whitfield Don Conover, Dwight Cambridge, John Stephen’s of Miami, Fl., Gregory Prescod, Stafford Evans; grand aunt: Sarah Williams; grand uncle: Oneal Williams; nieces: Dondesha, Shaniya, Sharina, Rina, Chassidy, A’mya Gardiner, Deranie, Rasheeda McKenzie, Danielle, Jasmine, Desirae Morris, Destiny, Deanya Clarke, Nyema Thompson Amyiah Gardiner; nephews: Donavin, Jaden, Aiden, Aakeem, Harrison, Justin, Jermaine, Jayquen, Tristan, Davanta Gardiner, Darren, Aaron Pennerman, Lamond Thervil, Jaden Morris, Alvin, Alexander Garland; grandniece: Shaquyla Davis; god sisters: Minister Simone Duncombe, Robin Lynes; god brothers: Rammmone Duncombe, Prophet Rashad Lynes. God son Christian Moura; numerous cousins & special friends including: Nurse Keshia Swaby, Nurse Shavon Peet, Nursing officer Ruth Burns; other relatives and friends including: Prophet Bastian & Lady Bastian of Rivers of living waters Ministry, Family Apostle Dellerese Williams &Healing hand Ministry family, Bishop A Samuel Rolle Peniel Worship Center, Pastor Linda Kamp Whitaker, Mcintosh Family, Simmons Family, Rev Wright 7 Family, Lavern & Family, Mr. & Mrs. Gibson & family, Dr. Tynes & Mrs. Tynes, Ruby & Glen Russell &family, Zelma& family Kendal Rigby &family, Sophie &family , Vanessa Kemp Nottage &family, Rico Oliver& family, Anderson street & family, Antoinette Russell & family, Isaac & family, Dr Holiday, Dr Gomez, Nurse Shelby Dorsett, and Trained Clinical Nursing class of 2018, & The Pinewood Gardens community..

Relatives and Friends may pay their last respects at Rest On Funeral Chapel, #19 Kenwood Street & Mt. Royal Avenue on (TODAY) Friday, August 20th, 2021 from 3:00pm to 4:00pm.

Daniel Joseph, 89

a resident of Wulff Road, New Providence, Bahamas and formerly of Saint-Louis-du-Nord, Haiti who peacefully died at Doctors Hospital on Thursday, 22nd July, 2021. Graveside Service will be held at 11:00 am on (TODAY Friday, 20thAugust, 2021 at Southern Cemetery, Cowpen Roads. Officiating will be Pastor Celesson St. Gerard assisted by other ministers of the Gospel.

Left to cherish his memories are his children: Françoise Dieujuste, Amelia Dieujuste, Oden Capita, Erline Capita; siblings: Willy Dieujuste, Marie Rose Dieujuste, Hermana Larose, Dany Dieujuste, Duvertan Louis; uncle and aunt: MoiMême Dieujuste, Alemaïde Dieujuste; nieces and nephews: Willy Dieujuste, Marie Rose Dieujuste, Ermana Dieujuste, Dany Dieujuste, Duvertan Louis, Hertha Louis, Thaël Désir, Renita Désir, Madserne Désir, Smith Désir, Marie Flerimond, Sergo Flerimond, Myriam Flerimond, Kendley Dieujuste, Frida Dieujuste; family and friends.

Funeral service has been entrusted to Rest On Funeral Chapel Ltd., #19 Kenwood Street & Mt. Royal Avenue.

Freda Dieujuste, 69

a resident of Wulff Road, New Providence, Bahamas and formerly of Saint-Louis-du-Nord, Haiti who peacefully died on Sunday, 25th July, 2021. Graveside Service will be held at 11:00 am (TODAY) Friday, 20thAugust, 2021 at Southern Cemetery, Cowpen Road. Officiating will be Officiating will be Pastor Celesson St. Gerard and assisted by other ministers of the gospel.

BNBA executives at Calvary Bible Church. From left, Coralee Wright, Chaplain; Tamica Gibson, Secretary; Debbie Munnings, member; Carlotta Klass, past Vice President; Linelle Thompson, Vice President; Trineka Hall, President; and Ampusam Symonette, member.

Left to cherish her memories are her husband: Rodrique Capita; daughters: Amelia Dieujuste, Francoise Dieujuste, Erline Dieujuste and Rodna Dieujuste; brothers: Willy Dieujuste, Danny Dieujuste, Duevertan Dieujuste; aunt: Marie-Rose Jocilien, Ermana Dieujuste; nephews: Michelange Larose, Rosnel Larose, Diondre Larose, Wilkens Dieujuste, Billy Dieujuste, Jean Rosny Latour, Giffry Alcira, Lenz Alexis; nieces: Lind Dieujuste, Jocelyn Jocilien, Nancy Jocilien, Jessica Alcria, Chantel Elusma; cousin: Kenel Dieujuste; family and friends.

Funeral service has been entrusted to Rest On Funeral Chapel Ltd., #19 Kenwood Street & Mt. Royal Avenue.

Manise Pierre, 82

a resident of Winton Meadows, Rugby Drive, New Providence, Bahamas and formerly of laTortue Haiti died at her residence on Tuesday, August 3rd, 2021. Graveside Service will be held at 11:00 am on Saturday, August 21st, 2021 at Southern Cemetery. Officiating will be Pastor Jacqueline Dorvil assisted by other ministers of gospel.

Left to cherish her memories are her sisters: Mercilia Pierre and Erzulia Pierre; brother: Merilus of Haiti; nieces: Adrienne Elmise, Mitchline, Marlene, Emilie, Lana (all of Miami) Savilia, Forida, Bazilia, Delia, Julieta, Isabelle, Ernita, Linda Marceline and Mimose; nephews: Junior, Fertil, Gesner, Luckner, Safaite, Dieula, OJay, Ender, Luke, Sammy, Errol, Brunel, (all of Miami) Nelson, Santley, Eligene, Willy, Farilien, Rony, Clavelle, Albury, Propere and Etienne; grand nieces: Madeleine, Marymae, Christine, Nadia, Vanessa, Tarana, Claudna, Shavandah, Cynthia, Ginah, Shanae, Fridline, Kisha, Tanya Tanisha, Angenard, Erica, Lyndisha, Makayla, Claudna, Wilneisha; grand nephews: Loubert, Basil, Wilner, Keven,Michael, Markenson, Adelphine, Wilfin, Gabriel, Valentino, Dwight, Tarano, Eric, Darville, Shaquille, Shavago, Shavann, Shamarr, Marc Edner; numerous great grandchildren; nephews and necies family and friends: Church Family Garden of Gethsemane, her Pastor, Jacquelin and Joseline Dorvil and friends Nozie.

Relatives and Friends may pay their last respects at Rest On Funeral Chapel, #19 Kenwood Street & Mt. Royal Avenue on (TODAY) Friday, August 20th, 2021 from 2:00pm to 3:00pm.

ANTOINE Munroe has been reinstated as president of the Disabled Persons Organization for a second term.

EXECUTIVE TEAM NAMED FOR DISABILITY GROUP THE Disabled Persons Organization (DPO) has installed its new executive team. The DPO is a cross disability non-profit organization founded in 1981 by the late Phillip Smith.

Antoine Munrie has been reinstated as DPO president for his second term.

“During this my second tenure, I wish to achieve more visibility for our organisation, showcasing the wonderful talent of our members, especially the youth,” he said.

“We have a very active, vibrant youth arm and we want the public and private corporations and businesses to see what we have to offer. Disabled persons have proven themselves effective in various sectors of society once given a chance. I also want to

be able to hire one or two people during this tenure.

In addition, I want to bring back the pillow making project. This was once a thriving project that members of the public greatly supported. We will bring this back and aim to hire at least ten people to fulfill this project.”

Other members of the new team include: Ashanity Armbrister, first vice-president; Abbie Munroe, second vice-president; Lester Ferguson, treasurer; Stephan Pitt, assistant treasurer; Rickia Pratt, secretary; Lecheka Minnis, assistant secretary; Sheri Fountain, director; Gary Ferguson, director; Brenda Charles, trustee; Troy Fisher, trustee; and Tyrone Johnson, public relations officer/chaplain.

Bill Watson Alusma, 47

a resident of Kemp Road, New Providence, Bahamas, formerly of Poet-de-Paix, Haiti who peacefully died at Princes Margaret Hospital on Thursday, 15th July 2021. Graveside service will be held at 11:00 am on Saturday, August 21st, 2021 at Cowpen Road Cemetery. Officiating will be Pastor assisted by other Ministers of Gospel.

Left to cherish her memories are his wife: Meliette Georges; daughters: Princess Alusma and Coresha, Alusma; sons: Marc Peguy Alusma, Billy Watson Alusma; brother: Inocent Alusma; sister: medilia Alusma; granddaughter: Naica Alusma; step daughter: Shiniqua Wilson, Kaylana Dieunica Alusma, Boss; Sheryl Thompson; Friends: Noel William, Sonia Williams, Shantel Boltle, Ketia Norvelus and his neighbors and relatives and friends.

Relatives and Friends may pay their last respects at Rest On Funeral Chapel, #19 Kenwood Street & Mt. Royal Avenue on Friday, August 20th, 2021 from 5:00pm to 6:00pm.

Death Notice For

Marie Mercie Desamours, 55

a resident of Marsh Harbor, Abaco Bahamas and formerly of Cap-Haitian Haiti died at Princess Margaret Hospital on Friday, August 13th, 2021.

Funeral arrangements are being handled by Rest On Funeral Chapel Limited and details will be announced at a later date.

Death Notice For

Almorose Borome, 102

a resident of East Street, 51 Toote Shop, Nassau Bahamas and formally of Borgne Haiti died at his residence on Sunday, August 15th, 2021.

Funeral arrangements are being handled by Rest On Funeral Chapel Limited and details will be announced at a later date.

SPORTS

PAGE 12, Friday, August 20, 2021

THE TRIBUNE

JETS’ DEFENSE LOSES LAWSON, LEWIS TO SEASONENDING INJURIES

By STEVE MEGARGEE AP Sports Writer

NEW England Patriots’ Kendrick Bourne can’t make the catch in front of Philadelphia Eagles’ Zech McPhearson during the first half of a preseason game yesterday in Philadelphia.

(AP Photo/Chris Szagola)

NEWTON, JONES STAR AT QB FOR PATRIOTS IN 35-0 ROUT OF EAGLES

By DAN GELSTON AP Sports Writer PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Cam Newton passed for 103 yards and a touchdown, Mac Jones threw for 146 yards and the New England Patriots routed the Philadelphia Eagles 35-0 last night.

Newton seemingly has a grasp on the starting spot and he took most of the first-team snaps in training camp and got the start in the second preseason game. Newton, the 2015 NFL MVP, was 8 of 9 and his only incompletion was a dropped pass.

Newton was signed last season to replace Tom Brady. He has no intention of getting replaced after one season by Jones.

Trying to leave no doubt he’s worthy of the No. 1 job, Newton rebounded from a sluggish preseason opener and had completions of 23 and 18 yards and hit Jakobi Meyers on a 28-yard touchdown pass for a 13-0 lead — against second-team defence.

Patriots coach Bill Belichick drafted Jones, out of Alabama, with the 15th overall pick in April’s draft, making him the first quarterback selected in the first round during Belichick’s 21-year tenure in New England. Jones was sharp in his extended play and he tries to push

Newton for the starting spot — or least show he’ll be an able backup.

He completed 13 of 19 passes and showed poised in the pocket and had good command of the offense.

At least the Patriots (2-0) got looks at their quarterbacks.

The Eagles (0-2) played without starter Jalen Hurts, a late scratch because of an unspecified illness (the Eagles said it was not COVID-19 related).

Hurts seemed fine when he danced on the field during warmups. He lost his chance to play with first-round pick DeVonta Smith.

Smith did not play in the preseason opener because of a knee injury but returned to limited action this week in drills. The Eagles moved up two spots in the first round to select the reigning Heisman Trophy winner with the No. 10 overall pick.

He caught two passes for 19 yards against the Patriots and looked healthy in his limited action. With Hurts out, the Eagles turned to Joe Flacco and he did little in his first preseason start. Flacco was 10 of 17 for 83 yards and one interception.

The Eagles and Patriots held two-day joint practices this week in Philadelphia.

The Eagles rested most of their starters and New England picked apart the backups.

Rhamondre Stevenson ran for a pair of 1-yard touchdowns and J.J. Taylor also had a 1-yard score.

Damien Harris added a 5-yard TD run and the Patriots ran away with this one early. The Eagles were booed off the field at halftime.

Quinn Nordin kicked a 24-yard field goal that made it 35-0.

KICK OUT Eagles K Jake Elliott sat out with an injured ankle. That left the Eagles without a kicker -- and they failed to convert on a third-and-three from the 9-yard line in the first half.

FASHION STATEMENT Eagles injured offensive lineman Landon Dickerson, a second-round pick, turned some heads when he showed up shirtless in overalls, wearing a cowboy hat and cowboy boots.

INJURIES Eagles TE Jason Croom was carted off the field with a knee injury ... Eagles S K’Von Wallace left with a groin injury. ... Patriots WR N’Keal Harry left with an apparent shoulder injury suffered when he dropped an open deep pass and crashed to the ground.

NEXT UP The Patriots finish the preseason August 29 against the New York Giants.

The Eagles wrap up the preseason August 27 against the New York Jets.

GREEN BAY, Wis. (AP) — New York Jets defensive end Carl Lawson will miss the season after rupturing his Achilles tendon in practice yesterday, a devastating loss for a team seeking to turn the corner under new coach Robert Saleh.

Backup safety Zane Lewis also suffered a season-ending knee injury.

Both players were carted off the field during yesterday’s joint practice session with the Green Bay Packers.

The Jets announced later in the day that Lawson had ruptured his Achilles tendon while Lewis had torn his patella tendon and sprained his medial collateral ligament.

The loss of Lawson will force the Jets to retool their defensive line under Saleh, who spent the past four seasons as the San Francisco 49ers’ defensive coordinator.

While the news on Lawson is a tough blow to the Jets’ defence, Saleh is no stranger to dealing with injuries and still being able to thrive. The 49ers ranked No. 5 in total yards allowed last season despite the losses of Nick Bosa, Solomon Thomas, Dee Ford, Richard Sherman and Ezekiel Ansah because of injuries.

Bryce Huff, an undrafted free agent last year out of Memphis, is the favorite to get an opportunity to replace Lawson as a primary pass rusher for the Jets.

Lawson signed a threeyear, $45 million contract with the Jets in March after totalling 20 sacks over his first four NFL seasons in Cincinnati.

He was having an outstanding training camp,

undoubtedly among the Jets’ top performers this summer.

His injury occurred during the Jets’ red-zone drills period while facing the Packers’ offence.

Lawson fell while rushing the passer and stayed down as trainers immediately raced to the defensive end.

The music playing over the speakers at practice was turned down as concerned teammates gathered around Lawson. He hopped up after a few minutes and was taken from the field on a cart.

The 23-year-old Lewis was entering his second season with the Jets and was making the switch from cornerback, the position he has played most of his career, to safety. He was having a solid transition with a good camp, intercepting three passes in team drills during camp.

Lewis played at the Air Force Academy and was the first Air Force senior to apply for — and receive — deferred service time. He went undrafted last year, but signed with Arizona and spent last summer with the Cardinals before getting cut late in camp. The Jets claimed him the next day.

He was among the Jets’ final cuts last year, but was signed to the practice squad, where he spent the season.

Lawson and Lewis weren’t the only Jets to get injured yesterday. Defensive lineman Sheldon Rankins hurt his knee and wide receiver Denzel Mims injured his hip.

The Jets said Rankin and Mims were both day to day with minor injuries.

This marked the second straight day that the Jets and Packers had joint practice sessions in advance of their exhibition game Saturday at Lambeau Field.

Thomas, Rahm open with 63s to share lead at Liberty National

By DOUG FERGUSON AP Golf Writer

JERSEY CITY, N.J. (AP) — Jon Rahm returned from a month off and played like he was never

gone. Justin Thomas took the advice of a 15-year-old and had his lowest score of the year.

Both opened with an 8-under 63 yesterday at The Northern Trust as the PGA

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Tour’s postseason began with no shortage of bizarre developments.

Rahm, who missed his chance at the Olympics because of what amounts to a false positive test result for COVID-19, expected a little rust in his game. It just didn’t show on his card. He chipped in for birdie, saved par on the next two holes and was on his way.

Thomas had benched his putter for bad behaviour after he spent too much of the year not seeing putts go in the hole. But during his junior event last week, a teenager asked why he wasn’t using his old putter.

“And I found myself defending myself to this 15-year-old,” he said. “I was like, ‘Why am I not using this thing?’ It’s not like I’m making a lot of putts with what I have. If you’re putting well, any of us can go out and putt with anything.”

He didn’t hole all of them, but enough to record nine birdies for his lowest round since a 62 last November in Mexico.

Bryson DeChambeau also made nine birdies. He was eight shots behind. His round of 71 was noteworthy because of the pars he made on No. 4 and No. 10. Those were the only pars he made all day. The nine birdies were offset by five bogeys and two double bogeys.

It was the first time in 10 years someone shot par or better with two pars or fewer.

Not to be overlooked was Dustin Johnson, one of the

JON RAHM, left, watches his shot off the 10th tee in the first round of play at the Northern Trust golf tournament yesterday at Liberty National Golf Course in Jersey City, N.J. JUSTIN THOMAS, right, watches his shot off the ninth tee in the first round of play.

(AP Photos/John Minchillo) most stress-free players in golf — at least he looks that way — who uttered words rarely heard: “Threw me for a loop.”

He was hitting drivers on the range, and hitting them well, right before teeing off when a few of them came off the club funny and another one sounded funny.

His driver cracked, and Johnson headed to the first tee with 13 clubs and one head cover for his 5-wood.

He had a spare 3-wood in the car — but no driver — and got that on the third hole. If that wasn’t enough, he decided on a putter switch at the last minute.

He still managed a 70.

Otherwise, there was a range of good golf in surprisingly strong wind off the Hudson River across from the Manhattan skyline.

Harold Varner III had a 66 in the morning, boosting his postseason chances.

He is No. 72 in the FedEx Cup standings, and only the top 70 after this week advance to the next tournament. With the points at quadruple value, some big movements are expected.

The six players at 67 included Adam Scott (No. 82), Robert Streb (No. 68)

and Mackenzie Hughes (No. 67).

British Open champion Collin Morikawa, the No. 1 seed, struggled to keep the ball in play and opened with a 74. Jordan Spieth at No. 2 opened with a 72.

Rahm has endured the strangest of times with COVID-19. He tested positive on the day he built a six-shot lead through 54 holes at the Memorial and had to withdraw, and then returned to win the U.S. Open for his first major.

And then after more negative test results than he can remember for the British Open — he tied for third at Royal St. George’s — he had two more negative tests prior to his departure for the Olympics before a positive result showed up. The next day, he took two more tests (both negative), but by then it was too late.

He returned from his bout with COVID-19 by winning a major. This is different. He never had a chance to win a gold medal because he never made it to Tokyo. But he wouldn’t mind the same result, which in this case would be a FedEx Cup title worth $15 million.

“I sure don’t want to have to rely on being pulled out of tournaments to be able to win one, let’s just say that,” he said.

Thomas knows putts that don’t fall is not the fault of the equipment, but something had to change, so he benched his putter at he U.S. Open.

Ultimately, it’s about getting the speed to match with the line of the putt, and he did that well for so much of the day.

He holed a 35-foot birdie putt for his first lead on the par-3 14th, gave it back with a poor chip, and then drove the 283-yard 16th green to set up a closing stretch of three straight birdies.

The day started with another development: Patrick Reed withdrew with a sore ankle, the second straight week he has had to withdraw.

Reed is No. 22 in the FedEx Cup, and there are only two tournaments left to qualify for the Ryder Cup. He is No. 9 in the standings, and only the top six automatically qualify.

The idea was to give it another week of rest and being ready for the next one.

SPORTS

THE TRIBUNE

Friday, August 20, 2021, PAGE 13

Butler pleased with progress of his Southwest Tennis Club MICHAEL Butler is pleased with the progress his Southwest Tennis Club has made in bringing more awareness of the sport to the Flamingo Gardens community.

While he held daily training sessions there, Butler hosted a successful Flamingo Gardens Tennis Invitational Tournament, sponsored by the Southwest Tennis Club of Carmichael, over the August Monday holiday weekend.

Cory Francis emerged as the men’s title winner over Alejandro Mesples, while Amber Stubbs took the ladies’ title over Vanessa Ferguson.

Julian Robinson and Kendolyn Dean captured the mixed doubles crown over Marcus Miller and Vanessa Ferguson. “We had an excellent turnout. The

enthusiasm was very high,” Butler said.

“We had people who normally play at different venues, so to have them come together and play against them for the first time was very exciting.”

Butler, however, said it was even more exciting for the Flamingo Gardens community because the residents got a chance to see some positive activity during the holiday weekend with some new faces participating.

The Southwest Tennis Club will be back in the Flamingo Gardens community over the weekend of August 28-29 with a doubles challenge for men and women.

Matches will begin on Saturday morning and conclude at 3pm on Sunday when the finals take place.

VANESSA Ferguson presents men’s champion Cory Francis with his award.

ORGANISER Mike Butler is flanked by women’s runner-up Vanessa Ferguson at left and champion Amber Stubbs at right.

MIXED doubles runners-up Marcus Miller and Vanessa Ferguson pose with champions MEN’s champion Cory Francis and runnerJulian Robinson and Kendolyn Dean, at right. up Alejandro Mesples.

MEDVEDEV ADVANCES TO QUARTERFINALS, OSAKA KNOCKED OUT MASON, Ohio (AP) — No Novak, no Roger, no Rafa doesn’t mean winning his second Western & Southern Open championship will be easy for top-seeded Daniil Medvedev.

He’s just making it look that way.

Medvedev, the 2019 champion and last year’s runner-up to Novak Djokovic, advanced to the quarterfinals of the U.S. Open tune-up event yesterday with a 6-3, 6-3 victory over Grigor Dimitrov.

“It was definitely a great level of tennis,” Medvedev said. “It was pretty hot for both of us. I saw Grigor struggling, so I figured that’s how it is. It’s the same for everybody. Our bodies are getting more used to the heat.”

Second-ranked Naomi Osaka wasn’t as lucky. In the second match of her first tour appearance since late May, Osaka sprayed balls all over the court in a 3-6, 6-3, 6-3 loss to No. 76 Jil Teichmann.

Osaka repeatedly punched her left thigh with her left wrist and talked loudly to herself, trying to get herself going, but she was impassive as she shook hands at the net with the giddy Teichmann.

Top-ranked Ash Barty rolled through the first 10

NAOMI OSAKA, of Japan, serves to Jil Teichmann, of Switzerland, during the Western & Southern Open tennis tournament yesterday in Mason, Ohio.

(AP Photo/Darron Cummings) games of her match with like a quite convincing with a 6-4, 7-6 (5) win over was pushed by Lorenzo defending champion Vic- scoreline in the match, each Jessica Pegula.. Olympic Sonego to three sets before toria Azarenka in a 6-0, and every game had crucial champion and third-seeded prevailing, 5-7, 6-3, 6-4.

6-2 win to reach the wom- poits and I was able to win Alexander Zverev also Medvedev bounced back en’s quarterfinals. “I think most of those.” moved on, beating Guido up after a nasty fall early in sometimes the scoreline in Former tournament Pella 6-2, 6-3, while Roland the second set and went on tennis can fool you,” Barty women’s champion Karo- Garros-finalist and second- to close out the win. “You said. “Though it seemed lina Pliskova advanced seeded Stefano Tsitsipas can’t see this on video, but

my racket got between my legs and hit the back of my calf,” Medvedev said.

“I don’t know how that happens. I actually have a bruise on my calf. A bruise is a bruise. It’s nothing serious.”

The second-ranked Russian, the winner last week in Toronto, won when Dimitrov double-faulted on match point. Medvedev has been on the court for only 2 hours, 28 minutes while winning his first two matches in straight sets after a first-round bye.

Medvedev is the first player not named Djokovic, Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal or Andy Murray to crack the top two since July 18, 2005.

Injuries and other issues kept Djokovic, Federer and Nadal from competing this year.

While his matches have been short, Medvedev feels winning will go a long way.

“The more matches I can win in these two tournaments that are similar to New York, the more confidence you have,” he said.

“Confidence is the big key. It’s good coming there knowing that you’re capable of playing good. Now, I know it’s possible. A Grand Slam is a Grand Slam.

They’re tough. Opponents want to beat you. You hope you show your best tennis.”

OLYMPIC CHAMP KORDA SHARES LEAD AT WOMEN’S BRITISH OPEN CARNOUSTIE, Scotland (AP) — Nelly Korda’s sensational summer form is showing no sign of dipping.

Two weeks after winning a gold medal at the Tokyo Olympics, the top-ranked Korda began her bid for a second major title in two months by shooting 5-under 67 to share the first-round lead at the Women’s British Open yesterday.

Korda rolled in a 5-foot putt at No. 18 at Carnoustie for her eighth birdie of a round that also contained three bogeys in overcast, chilly but largely wind-free conditions over the links in eastern Scotland. She was later joined on 5 under

by Sweden’s Madelene Sagstrom, who has never recorded a top-10 finish at a major, and South Korea’s Sei Young Kim, a major champion last year and the No. 4.

The 23-year-old Korda is the new superstar of women’s golf, having climbed to No. 1 by winning the PGA Championship in June and followed that up by winning the Olympic golf tournament in Tokyo this month.

The American has four wins in 14 events in 2021 and said she has a “target on my back” for the last of the five majors.

“I try to take the mindset of every day’s a new day,” said Korda, who is a combined 87 under par for her last 21 rounds. “It doesn’t matter what my ranking is.

Everyone’s going into this

event prepared and wanting to win.

“That’s kind of like the mindset that I try to take into every event.”

The Women’s Open is her first event since the Olympics and she carried the momentum to Carnoustie, holing a left-to-right 20-footer for birdie at No. 3 — the first of three birdies in a four-hole span to immediately throw down the challenge to her rivals.

Korda, who wore bulky, oven-style mitts between shots at times during chilly morning conditions that contrasted with what she experienced in Tokyo, rebounded from her second bogey of the day, at No. 12, by making a downhill putt for birdie at the next and picked up another shot at the par-5 14th after reaching the green in two.

She finished birdie-birdie by hitting her approach close at No. 18 with an 8-iron from the center of the fairway.

“Very happy,” Korda said of her start. “Honestly, we didn’t have much wind today. It was very chilly in the morning — that was the only thing against us. Other than that, the wind kept calm and I took advantage of it.”

Korda has been on the road for six weeks, because of her appearances at the Evian Championship in France — the fourth major of the year, where she placed 19th — and then the

Olympics, where she had a one-shot victory.

“A little tired but I am going to give it my all these next three day, go home next week, and have one week at home. Sleep in my bed for the first time in six weeks — that will be nice,” she said. “And then Solheim and we start up again.”

The 77th-ranked Sagstrom was playing in a group containing European Solheim Cup captain Catriona Matthew, just behind Korda, and will have left a positive impression ahead of the naming of the six wild-card selections on Monday.

She birdied four of her first six holes and twice held a two-shot lead on her back nine. She kept her round going with some decisive par putts but couldn’t do so at No. 18 after finding a bunker to the right of the fairway off the tee. She hit out to leave herself a tough up-and-down for par, but leaked her par putt right.

“Of course I want to show off my game to her, I can’t deny that,” Sagstrom said of Matthew. “I mean, I’m playing well at the moment. Who knows where her mind is at right now?”

Kim is in the mix at another major having won one for the first time at the PGA Championship last year. She also finished third at the ANA Inspiration in April.

Her only dropped shot was at the par-4 15th, which she reached in the lead after making birdie at No. 14 to move to 6 under.

Georgia Hall of England, the 2018 champion, bogeyed the last to drop out of the lead and to 4 under alongside an unheralded playing partner in

21-year-old Scottish amateur Louise Duncan, who goes to Stirling University in Scotland.

“It was a ridiculous amount of fun, I wasn’t expecting that at all,” said Duncan, who made an eagle and four birdies. “I was so nervous at the start.

I was shaking and could

barely put the ball on the tee. To actually make contact and it go straight was a bonus.”

Former major champion Lexi Thompson was in a group at 3 under, while defending champion Sophia Popov chipped in for birdie at No. 1 on her way to shooting even-par 72.

PAGE 14, Friday, August 20, 2021

SPORTS

THE TRIBUNE

Stassi, Angels rally past Tigers, Cabrera stuck at 499 home runs DETROIT (AP) — Max Stassi hit a go-ahead, tworun homer in the eighth inning and the Los Angeles Angels overcame an eight-run deficit to beat the Detroit Tigers 13-10 yesterday.

Miguel Cabrera drove in four runs to help Detroit open a 10-2 lead after five innings. He had multiple hits for the first time since August 11, when he hit homer No. 499. He grounded out with a chance to reach the milestone and pull the Tigers within a run in the eighth, finishing the day 2 of 5.

Shohei Ohtani went 2 for 3 with two walks, two runs scored and a sacrifice fly for the Angels.

Mike Mayers (4-4) pitched a perfect seventh and Austin Warren earned his first save with two perfect innings.

Michael Fulmer (5-5) took the loss, giving up three runs on three hits and a walk in the pivotal eighth inning.

MARINERS 9, RANGERS 8 (11 INNINGS) ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — Ty France hit a two-run homer in the 11th inning and Seattle completed a three-game sweep of Texas after the Rangers forced extra innings with five runs in the ninth.

France went deep off Joe Barlow (0-1), who would have given up another homer if not for a spectacular inning-ending leaping catch by Adolis Garcia.

Joe Smith (2-1) walked a batter but benefited from an unusual double play when pitching a scoreless 10th. Paul Sewald worked the 11th for his sixth save in eight chances, though he gave up an RBI single to Brock Holt.

Mitch Haniger hit his 27th homer for the Mariners.

The big Texas ninth was capped by Jason Martin’s three-run homer with two outs off closer Diego Castillo, who suffered his fifth blown save in 20 chances.

YANKEES 7, TWINS 5 NEW YORK (AP) — Luke Voit had a two-run double in New York’s

LOS Angeles Angels relief pitcher Austin Warren (61) and catcher Max Stassi after the final out in the ninth inning against the Detroit Tigers in Detroit last night. The Angels won 13-10.

(AP Photo/Paul Sancya)

MIAMI Marlins short stop Jasrado “Jazz” Chisholm Jr tries to pitch back a ball hit by Atlanta Braves’ Austin Riley during the fifth inning on Wednesday in Miami. Riley got a base hit.

(AP Photo/Wilfredo Lee) four-run third inning and the Yankees beat Minnesota for their season-high seventh straight victory.

Voit gave the Yankees a 3-0 lead with a double down the left-field line off John Gant (0-1) and

then scored on a sacrifice fly by Anthony Rizzo.

Voit’s clutch hit came two nights after he drove in the

decisive runs in a doubleheader sweep of Boston.

Kyle Higashioka homered and started the

four-run inning with an RBI double. Giancarlo Stanton added a homer in the eighth.

Jameson Taillon (8-4) took a shutout into the fifth before allowing four straight one-out hits.

Jake Cave homered for Minnesota.

ATHLETICS 5, WHITE SOX 4 CHICAGO (AP) — Matt Olson slugged a goahead two-run homer, Matt Chapman added a solo shot and Oakland rallied past Chicago.

Sean Murphy also homered as the A’s avoided a sweep in their four-game series with AL Centralleading Chicago. Oakland ended a four-game skid and maintained its grip on the second AL wild-card spot.

Olson’s blast in the seventh off reliever Michael Kopech (3-2), his 31st this season, gave Oakland a 5-3 lead.

Cole Irvin (9-11) allowed three runs on seven hits in six innings. Lou Trivino allowed an unearned run in the ninth for his 20th save in 22 opportunities.

RAYS 7, ORIOLES 2 ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) — Brandon Lowe hit his career-high 29th homer, Shane McClanahan won his fourth straight start, and AL East-leading Tampa Bay handed Baltimore its 15th consecutive loss.

The Orioles also dropped 14 in a row from May 18-31.

The team record losing streak is 21 games, set at the beginning of the 1988 season. Tampa Bay has won 11 of 14.

Jorge López (3-14) became the majors’ first 14-game loser, allowing four runs, four hits, two walks and hitting a batter over two innings.

McClanahan (8-4) gave up one run and five hits in five innings.

ASTROS 6, ROYALS 3 (10 INNINGS) KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Aledmys Díaz singled in the go-ahead run in the 10th inning and Houston avoided a four-game sweep at Kansas City.

Díaz finished 3-for-4 with a double and two RBIs for the AL West leaders.

Houston added two more runs in the 10th on a bases-loaded walk by Chas McCormick and a sacrifice fly by Taylor Jones.

Ryan Pressly (5-1) worked a scoreless ninth for Houston. Christian Javier pitched a perfect 10th for his second save.

Wade Davis (0-3) allowed two hits and a walk in the 10th and did not record an out.

DIAMONDBACKS 6, PHILLIES 2 PHOENIX (AP) — Madison Bumgarner held Philadelphia to one hit in the first seven innings and Arizona completed a threegame sweep.

Bumgarner (7-7) went eight innings, giving up three hits and one run to help NL-worst Arizona finish 6-1 on its homestand.

He walked one, struck out five and hit two batters, throwing 105 pitches.

Bumgarner also had a broken-bat RBI single in the Diamondbacks’ fiverun seventh against Zack Wheeler (10-8).

Nick Ahmed and Josh VanMeter had two-run doubles in the inning.

REDS 6, MARLINS 1 CINCINNATI (AP) — Joey Votto hit a threerun homer, Luis Castillo pitched seven innings of one-run ball and Cincinnati beat Miami.

Votto’s 428-foot shot into the seats in right-center — his team-leading 27th homer — highlighted the Reds’ four-run fourth after Miami right-hander Nick Neidert (1-2) faced the minimum in the first three innings.

Castillo (7-12), averaging 97 mph on his four-seam fastball and sinker, allowed eight hits and struck out seven. Michael Lorenzen retired the Marlins in order in the eighth, and Tony Santillan did the same in ninth.

SPORTS

THE TRIBUNE

Friday, August 20, 2021, PAGE 15

BAHAMIAN recruiter Philip ‘Tappy’ Davis, far right, poses with Bahamian students at Webb School.

‘TAPPY’ DAVIS HELPS STUDENTS GET ENROLLED IN BOARDING SCHOOL

By BRENT STUBBS At Tallulah, Davis has Senior Sports Reporter assisted in getting 11 stubstubbs@tribunemedia.net dents enrolled. They are Denika Lightbourne, FOR the past five Devonte Allen, Veronaye years, former volleyball/ Charlton and Anfernee basketball player Philip Hanna - all 11 graders ‘Tappy’ Davis has served playing basketball, Ashton as a student consultant for Roache (baseball, grade boarding and day schools 8), Justin Smith (basketball Webb School in Bell grade 10), Caden Walker Buckle, Tennessee and and Davante Brown and Tallulah Falls School in Rohaje Pinder (baseball Georgia. grade 10) and Norman Bas“While my boys Philip tian (baseball grade 12). and Winston Davis were At Webb, Davis was attending boarding school, instrumental in assisting I always got calls from Deion Subaran, Justin Burother interested parents rows and Joey Lamb, who asking how they were doing are all returning basketball and asked if I was willing players going into grade 11. to assist them with their This year, Davis has been kids in applying to board- able to get 19 new and ing school too,” Davis said. transfer students to join the “The rest was history.“ trio at Webb School.

The list includes Tyler Miller (Grade 11 for softball), Rhema Collins Grade 11 Basketball, Sameeka Hepburn Basketball Grade 11, Sylvaugh Armbrister (Grade 11 for basketball), Rohan Davis (Grade 10 for soccer), Sairah Clarke (Grade 7 for tennis), William McCartney (Grade 8 for tennis), Jayden Rolle (Grade 9 for basketball), Benson Harris and Nathan Blackman (Grade 11 for football).

In addition, Darius Fraser (Grade 10 for basketball), Zion Deal (Grade 9 for basketball), Theon Missick (Grade 11 for basketball), Demitri Mills and Ashya Hosam; Sydney Kentish (Grade 9 for tennis) and Daniel McCoy

(Grade 9 for volleyball and basketball).

The Bahamian studentathletes at Webb School, which is now in its 152nd year, are among a list of 405 students representing 23 countries as well as 15 states in America.

Davis said he was just delighted to be in attendance this week as the student-athletes made their transition where they also got to meet Bahamian Sidney McPhee, the president of MTSU. “After sending my sons off to boarding school in the US to complete high school my family’s experience was excellent,” said Davis, in his reason for trying to get more Bahamians to get off to school.

CHASING THE TIDE

Alabama is No. 1 in preseason AP Top 25 again

BY RALPH RUSSO AP COLLEGE FOOTBALL WRITER

Another college football season will start with everyone chasing the Tide.

Alabama is No. 1 in The Associated Press preseason college football poll for fourth time in six seasons.

Coming off its sixth national championship under head coach Nick Saban, the Crimson Tide enters the 2021 season looking for new stars to emerge, but loaded with potential replacements for the record-breakers and early round draft picks who have moved on, including Heisman Trophy winner DeVonta Smith.

Alabama received 47 of 63 firstplace votes from the panel of sports writers and broadcasters. Oklahoma is No. 2 with six first-place votes, edging out No. 3 Clemson (also six first-place votes) by just 15 points.

Ohio State, which reached College Football Playoff championship before losing to Alabama last season, will start fourth after finishing last season No. 2. The Buckeyes received a first-place vote. Georgia received three first-place votes and rounds out the top five.

The 2020 Buckeyes were emblematic of a bizarre college football season played through the pandemic. Ohio State played only eight games after the Big Ten didn't start its season until late October.

Across the country, the season was riddled with postponements, cancellations and players and coaches missing games because of COVID-19. There was little nonconference play and none between Power Five conference teams.

The Buckeyes last season at No. 2, but because the Big Ten, Pac-12 and two other conferences had no plans to play in the fall, the AP decided only teams with schedules in place would be eligible to be ranked as a patch-work season began in September. Ohio State

and others were removed from the rankings only to reappear weeks later when their conferences reversed course and decided to play truncated seasons.

It was weird.

This season is expected to go on as scheduled, mostly back to normal. Fingers crossed.

One of the few normal parts of last season was the way it ended with Alabama on top.

Last year's Tide put a claim in as the greatest team of the Saban dynasty. Alabama went 12-0 against an all-Southeastern Conference regular-season schedule, plus playoff games against Notre Dame and Ohio State.

The most powerful offense in the country loses Smith, quarterback Mac Jones and running back Najee Harris, all first-round NFL draft picks, this year. The next wave of blue-chippers stepping into bigger roles includes running back Brian Robinson, receiver John Metchie and quarterback Bryce Young, a former five-star recruit from California who draws Kyler Murray comparisons.

Since the AP started the preseason poll in 1950, only 11 teams that started No. 1 also ended the season as No. 1.

Alabama was the last to do it in 2017. That was the middle season of three straight in which the Crimson Tide took the preseason top spot. The other two seasons (2016, '18) Alabama finished second to Clemson.

No program faces higher expectations than Alabama going into any college football season. The Crimson Tide is the only team in the country to start each of the last 13 seasons ranked in the top five.

And no program has been better at meeting those expectations: Along with the six national titles, the Tide has three more top-four finishes over the previous 12 years and has never ended a season ranked lower than 10th.

POLL POINTS • Alabama is now tied with Ohio State for the second-most preseason No. 1 rankings with eight.

Oklahoma has the most with 10.

• Only two teams have gone wire-to-wire as the No. 1 team during a season. Southern California was the last in 2004, with Heisman Trophy winner Matt Leinart. The first was undefeated Florida State in 1999, possibly the best team of the Bobby Bowden era. The Seminoles won two national championships and finished a record 14 consecutive seasons with a team ranked in the top five of the AP poll from 1987-2000.

Bowden died earlier this month at age 91.

• No. 8 Cincinnati of the American Athletic Conference is the first team from outside the Power Five leagues to be ranked in the preseason top 10 since Louisville started at No. 9 in 2012, the Cardinals' final season as a member of the AAC before joining the Atlantic Coast Conference. The defending AAC champion Bearcats have the best preseason ranking for a non-Power Five or BCS conference team since Boise State was No. 5 to begin 2011.

The Broncos out of the Mountain West finished that season No. 8.

• Sun Belt rivals No. 22 Coastal Carolina and No. 23 Louisiana-Lafayette are both ranked in the preseason poll for the first time. It's the first time the conference has had any teams ranked in the preseason.

CONFERENCE CALL No. 6 Texas A&M starts with its best preseason ranking since 1995 when the Aggies were No. 3. Coach Jimbo Fisher's team also gives the SEC three teams in the top six, joining Alabama and Georgia.

BREAKDOWN BY CONFERENCE SEC ........................ 5 (Nos. 1, 5, 6, 13, 16) Big Ten ........... 5 (Nos. 4, 12, 17, 18, 19) Pac-12 .......... 5 (Nos. 11, 15, 20, 24, 25) ACC ................................. 3 (Nos. 3, 10, 14) Big 12 .................................3 (No. 2, 7, 21) Sun Belt ............................2 (Nos. 22, 23) American .....................................1 (No. 8) Independent ..............................1 (No. 9)

“They were able to meet friends from the Middle East, Caribbean, US and the Far East. They were able to learn from each other about various cultures and spend time with families and friends from other countries during long breaks.”

Davis said after noticing the maturity of his sons, Philip, who is now in Canada and Winston, who is now at UNF in Jacksonville, he felt obligated to try and get as many studentathletes off to boarding school.

“In reference to sports, I always thought that the Bahamian student-athletes weren’t playing enough to compete against the American kids,” Davis reflected.

“For instance in the private schools, they only play eight to 10 basketball games whereas in the US they play 25-30 games in one season and depending on how far they make it in District and State they play more games.

“After the season ends in February, they go right into AAU ball in March where they play almost every weekend until the end of July,” Davis said.

“If these kids that attend schools in the Bahamas are looking to play at the next level they are at a disadvantage.”

Davis said he already has a waiting list of at least 20 families that are looking to send their kids off in August, 2022.

AP TOP 25 PRESEASON POLL No. 1 ALABAMA (SEC) Last season: 13-0, national champion Top games: vs. No. 14 Miami, Sep. 4 in Atlanta; at No. 13 Florida, Sep. 18; at No. 6 Texas A&M, Oct. 9.

Potential All-Americans: LT Evan Neal; OLB Will Anderson.

Outlook: Alabama must replace six first-round draft picks, including Heisman Trophy-winning receiver DeVonta Smith. But the roster is still loaded and the Crimson Tide remain the national title favorite.

No. 2 OKLAHOMA (Big 12) Last season: 9-2, No. 6 Top games: vs. No. 21 Texas in Dallas, Oct. 9; vs. No. 7 Iowa State, Nov. 20; at Oklahoma State, Nov. 27.

Potential All-Americans: QB Spencer Rattler; OLB Nik Bonitto.

Outlook: Rattler is Oklahoma’s latest Heisman contender at quarterback, and he’s surrounded by top talent. Defensive coordinator Alex Grinch’s unit improved dramatically last year, and another jump could help the Sooners finally get into the national title game.

No. 3 CLEMSON (ACC) Last season: 10-2, No. 3 Top games: vs. No. 5 Georgia, Sept.

4 at Charlotte, N.C.; vs. Florida State, Oct. 30; at South Carolina; Nov. 27.

Potential All-Americans: QB D.J. Uiagalelei; DT Bryan Bresee.

Outlook: Clemson must replace two NFL first-round draft picks in QB Trevor Lawrence and TB Travis Etienne. Uiagalelei filled in for Lawrence when he missed two games with COVID-19 last year. The defensive line could be the nation’s best.

No. 4 OHIO STATE (Big Ten) Last season: 7-1, No. 2 Top games: vs. No. 11 Oregon, Sept. 11; at No. 19 Penn State, Oct. 30; at Michigan, Nov. 27.

Potential All-Americans: WR Chris Olave; OT Thayer Munford.

Outlook: The big story for the Buckeyes is which one of three inexperienced quarterbacks will take over for Justin Fields. Whether C.J. Stroud, Jack Miller III or Kyle McCord win the job, they will be surrounded by an experienced and talented supporting cast.

No. 5 GEORGIA (SEC) Last season: 8-2, No. 7 Top games: vs. No. 3 Clemson, Sept. 4, at Charlotte, N.C.; at Auburn, Oct. 9; vs. No. 13 Florida, Oct. 30, Jacksonville, Fla. Potential All-Americans: DT Jordan Davis; QB JT Daniels.

Outlook: The offense was hurt by the loss of WR George Pickens to

a knee injury in spring practice, but Zamir White leads a deep group of running backs. Smart’s barrage of top-five recruiting classes means there are talented replacements for nine defensive players selected in the NFL draft.

No. 6 TEXAS A&M (SEC) Last season: 9-1, No. 4 No. 7 IOWA STATE (Big 12) Last season: 9-3, No. 9 No. 8 CINCINNATI (The American) Last season: 9-1, No. 8 No. 9 NOTRE DAME (Independent) Last season: 10-2; No. 5 No. 10 NORTH CAROLINA (ACC) Last season: 8-4, No. 18 No. 11 OREGON (Pac-12) Last season: 4-2, unranked No. 12 WISCONSIN (Big Ten) Last season: 4-3; unranked No. 13 FLORIDA (SEC) Last season: 8-4, No. 13 No. 14 MIAMI (ACC) Last season: 8-3, No. 22 No. 15 SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA (Pac-12) Last season: 5-1, No. 21 No. 16 LSU (SEC) Last season: 5-5, unranked No. 17 INDIANA (Big Ten) Last season: 6-2, No. 12 No. 18 IOWA (Big Ten) Last season: 6-2, No. 16 No. 19 PENN STATE (Big Ten) Last season: 4-5, unranked No. 20 WASHINGTON (Pac-12) Last season: 3-1, unranked No. 21 TEXAS (Big 12) Last season: 7-3, No. 19 No. 22 COASTAL CAROLINA (Sun Belt) Last season: 11-1, No. 14 No. 23 LOUISIANA-LAFAYETTE (Sun Belt) Last season: 10-1, No. 15 No. 24 UTAH (Pac-12) Last season: 3-2, unranked No. 25 ARIZONA STATE (Pac-12) Last season: 2-2, unranked

OTHERS RECEIVING VOTES: Oklahoma State, Ole Miss, TCU, Liberty, Auburn, North Carolina State, Michigan, Northwestern, Nevada, Boise State, Ball State, BYU, UCF, Houston, Boston College, West Virginia, UCLA, Army, UAB.

SPORTS SECTION E

FRIDAY, AUGUST 20,2021

Osaka, page 13

Rhema Otabor breaks junior national record in the javelin

By BRENT STUBBS Senior Sports Reporter bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

A

lthough she produced a junior national record, Rhema Otabor said she was a little disappointed in falling short of getting on the medal podium in the women’s javelin at the World Athletics’ Under-20 Championships.

On the second of the fiveday competition yesterday in Nairobi, Kenya, Otabor threw the spear 180-feet, 7-inches or 55.04 metres on her second attempt, which was just short of the bronze medal performance of 182-0 (55.48m) by Yiselena Ballar Rosa, of Cuba, on her fifth try.

Adriana Vilagos, of Serbia, won the gold with a world junior leading mark of 201-7 (61.46m) on her first attempt.

The silver went to Elina Tzengko of Greece with 195-6 (59.60m) on her sixth and final toss.

“I was a bit disappointed about not being able to make the podium considering how close I was to it,” said Otabor, who had a series of throws that included 156-2 (47.61m) on her first heave, 162-1 (49.42m) on her third, 150-4 (45.84m) on her fourth, 163-7 (49.86) on her fifth and 159-8 (48.67) on her sixth and final mark.

“Overall I’m still happy to place in the top five. I did feel that I could’ve done better, but I’ll just have to work harder for next time.”

The 18-year-old, the only member of Team Bahamas’ nine-member team in competition yesterday, said with her season now complete, she will return to Florida

International University where she will be focusing on trying to crack the 60-metre barrier to be more competitive next year.

Corrington Maycock, one of the members of Team Bahamas’ coaching staff at the championships, said Otabor had to endure a 40-minute rain delay and it got much colder, which put a dent into her plans going into the straight final event.

“We had to go back to scratch, but overall she did very well,” Maycock said.

“Right now we’re in preparation mode, trying to get her ready for the 2024 Olympic Games. She ended her junior campaign on a high note with a personal best, so I’m very happy for her.

“I’m just honoured that I was able to be here to help her. Now it’s on to her senior campaign and hopefully she will only get better as a result of what she did here.

“If the weather wasn’t so bad, I believe that she would have had an even bigger performance here,” he added.

Today on day three of the championships, national record holder Keyshawn Strachan will be competing in the final of the men’s javelin. He will be the fifth of 12 competitors in the field with a personal and season’s best of 236-7 (72.13m).

Also today on the field, Alexis Tilford-Rutherford will contest the qualifying rounds of the women’s long jump. With a lifetime best of 20-2 ½ (6.16m) Tilford-Rutherford will be the ninth of 10 competitors on the runway in Group B. The automatic qualifying standard is 20-10 (6.35m) or the top 12 performers

RHEMA OTABOR

ANTOINE ANDREWS

CARLOS BROWN

KEYSHAWN STRACHAN

LACARTHEA COOPER

LAMONT MOSS

WENDELL MILLER

TILFORD-RUTHERFORD

CAMILLE RUTHERFORD

will move on to the final on Sunday, the final day of the championships.

On the track, Antoine Andrews will compete in the heats of the men’s 110m hurdles. He will run out of lane three in the third of

four heats with a lifetime and season’s best of 14.01.

The first three finishers in each heat and the next four fastest losers will advance to the semi-finals today as well. The final is on Saturday.

Camille Rutherford and Lacarthea Cooper, coming off their semi-final and first round appearances in the 100m, will be back for the heats of the women’s 200m.

In the fourth of five heats, Rutherford will run out of

lane two with a PB of 23.42 and Cooper, with her time of 24.09, will be in lane nine in heat five.

The top four finishes in each heat and the next four fastest losers will advance to the semi-finals later in the day. The final will be ran on Saturday.

And in the men’s 200m heats, Wendell Miller and Carlos Brown, who both made it to the semifinals of the 100m, will be back in the heats of the men’s 200m. Miller, with his lifetime best of 20.61, will run out of lane six in the second of five heats and Brown, with his personal best of 21.16, will run out of lane seven in heat four.

Lamont Moss has also qualified for the 200m, but because Miller and Brown’s times were faster than his 21.27, they were awarded the two spots for Team Bahamas.

Only two competitors per country are allowed to compete in the championships, unlike the Olympic Games or World Championships where up to three are eligible.

The first four finishers in each heat of the men’s 200m and the next four fastest losers will move onto the semi-finals today as well with the final on Saturday.

Team Bahamas is being co-managed by Laketah Charlton and Sharon Gardiner with Bernard Rolle as the head coach, assisted

by Darron Lightbourne and Corrington Maycock.

The medical personnel are Dr Alvery Hanna, physiotherapist Michael Armbrister and COVID19 liaison officer Laura Charlton.

North American, Central American and Caribbean (NACAC) president Mike Sands is also attending the meet. He participated in the medal presentation for the women’s 3,000m that saw Kenya take the gold and silver with Ethiopia claiming the bronze.

Kristin Munroe climbs to No. 26 prospect for Los Angeles Angels

By RENALDO DORSETT Tribune Sports Reporter rdorsett@tribunemedia.net

SUN forward Jonquel Jones looks for a way around the defence of Lynx forward Damiris Dantas yesterday. (AP)

JONQUEL JONES SCORES 20, SUN BEAT LYNX 82-71 UNCASVILLE, Conn. (AP) — DeWanna Bonner scored a season-high 31 points and grabbed 11 rebounds as the Connecticut Sun beat the Minnesota Lynx 82-71 last night.

Bonner made 10 of 11 free throws — and Connecticut went 23 for 25 from the line — to help reach 30 points for the first time this season. It was her fifth double-double.

Jonquel Jones added 20 points and seven rebounds for Connecticut (17-6) despite being

in foul trouble. The Sun turned it over 17 times but outrebounded the Lynx 31-23.

Sylvia Fowles led Minnesota (13-9) with 18 points and 12 rebounds.

Layshia Clarendon added 15 points and Napheesa Collier scored 11.

Connecticut continues its five-game homestand on Tuesday against Las Vegas in a battle for sole possession of first place.

Minnesota lost backto-back games against Connecticut following an eight-game winning streak.

YOUNG Bahamian baseball players continue to progress and climb the ladder in the pipeline of their respective organisations.

After just nine games in the Dominican Summer League (DSL), Kristin Munroe has moved up to the No. 26 prospect in the Los Angeles Angels’ organisation.

The 17-year-old infielder, who signed in May and received his first minor league assignment in June, is hitting .240 with a .726 OPS, .406 OBP, two doubles, four RBI, seven runs scored, and four stolen bases. In his debut, Munroe went 3-4 with four RBI and scored two runs in a 14-0 win for his DSL Angels over the DSL Marlins on July 24. In his first plate appearance, he drove in

KRISTIN MUNROE, right, shares a special moment with Geron Sands, during his international signing with the LA Angels baseball team. his first pro RBI with his double to right field in the second inning. Munroe joins D’Shawn Knowles (No.11) on the club’s Top 30 Prospect List, according to MLB Pipeline.

Ian Lewis, the Miami Marlins’ No.29 ranked prospect in its pipeline, continues to produce for the club in the Florida Complex League (FCL).

In his last appearance, the 18-year-old infielder hit his third home run of the season in a 14-3 win over the FCL Cardinals on Wednesday night.

His three-run homer came in the eighth inning as a part of a six-run frame as the Marlins continued the rout.

Lewis has three multi-hit games on the season and

also hit a two-run home run in his FCL debut. Through 27 games, he is hitting .247 with a .795 OPS, with 23 hits - including six doubles and four triples, three home runs, 18 RBI, 18 runs, and two stolen bases.

Also in the Miami Marlins’ organisation, Steven Adderley progressed from the DSL to join Lewis in the FCL. Adderley, an 18-year-old outfielder who signed to the organisation in April, had just two DSL appearances, opening with an RBI double in his debut.

The FCL, formerly the Gulf Coast League and the Arizona Complex League (ACL), formerly known as the AZL, are rookie-level Minor League Baseball leagues that are the first rung on the minor-league ladder.

No team can have more than three players with four or more years of minorleague experience.

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