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TEEN GIRL ACCUSED OF THREE MURDERS
18-year-old also charged with three attempted murders and string of firearm and robberies - in just one week By PAVEL BAILEY Tribune Staff Reporter pbailey@tribunemedia.net AN 18-year-old woman was remanded to prison yesterday after being charged with three murders, three attempted murders and a string of firearm and robbery offences stemming from a series of killings and other crimes last week.
Diamonique Webster is accused of taking part in three separate murders within about 20 hours between August 21 and 22, as well as an armed robbery and an alleged shootout with police. She appeared before acting Chief Magistrate Ancella Evans on three TEEN - SEE PAGE FIVE
JUDGE SAYS HOMEMAKER’S Vendors protest over Cabbage Beach fence ROLE EQUALS BREADWINNER FREE Town MP Lincoln Deal speaks with protesters at Cabbage Beach over a fence erected near Four Seasons yesterday.
By KEILE CAMPBELL Tribune Staff Reporter kcampbell@tribunemedia.net
A FENCE erected across part of Cabbage Beach this week will be removed after vendors who have worked there for decades warned that it threatened businesses they rely on to raise families, pay mortgages and put children through school.
The Ministry of Tourism described the developer’s decision to erect the fence as “regrettable” and said the Department of Environmental Planning and Protection had intervened. The ministry said it had previously met the developers to discuss their plans and understood that a site walkthrough would take place before proposed works proceeded so their impact on vendors could be assessed.
Instead, vendors said they arrived at the Paradise Island beach and found workers erecting the fence without being told how they would continue operating. Once the fence is removed, the ministry said discussions will continue among the developers, DEPP, affected vendors and ministry officials BEACH - SEE PAGE THREE
By RASHAD ROLLE Tribune News Editor rrolle@tribunemedia.net A SUPREME Court judge has reinforced that homemakers must not be treated as making a lesser contribution to a marriage than breadwinners, as she divided more than $400,000
in property between a divorced Grand Bahama couple. Justice Constance Delancy said a matrimonial partnership can operate through a division of labour and courts should not discriminate between the RULING - SEE PAGE FOUR
Govt drops 31 Cuban teachers amid US pressure over labour By LEANDRA ROLLE Tribune Chief Reporter lrolle@tribunemedia.net THE Davis administration will not renew the contracts of 31 Cuban teachers ahead of the new school year, while the recruitment of Cuban medical personnel remains on hold amid continuing talks with US officials over the
status of Cuban healthcare workers in The Bahamas. The decisions mark the latest changes involving Cuban workers as the administration navigates US concerns about Cuba’s overseas labour programmes. Health and Wellness Minister Dr Michael Darville told The Tribune yesterday that negotiations with
US officials over Cuban healthcare professionals are continuing and said officials will meet Cuban Ambassador Juan Carlos Marcof Sánchez on Monday to discuss the way forward. However, The Tribune understands that the Public Hospitals Authority has also not extended CUBANS - SEE PAGE FOUR
Nassau & Bahama Islands’ Leading Newspaper
HEALTH Minister Dr Michael Darville.
THE TRIBUNE
Friday, August 28, 2026, PAGE 3
Ministry backs vendors in Cabbage Beach fence dispute BEACH from page one on “the appropriate way forward”. The ministry said it has “zero tolerance for the economic displacement of Bahamians whose livelihoods depend on participation in the tourism economy” and reminded the developers of their commitment to compensate affected vendors and ensure Bahamians benefit from economic opportunities generated by the development. The dispute erupted as vendors feared the enclosure would leave too little room between the fence and shoreline for their stalls, chairs, umbrellas, rental equipment and customers, particularly when the tide rises. Ishmael Sutherland, 50, has worked at Cabbage Beach for 32 years and said vendors had previously been assured they would be accommodated after the adjoining property was acquired for a proposed Four Seasons development. “We wouldn’t be able to rent nowhere,” Mr Sutherland said. “We wouldn’t be able to work.” He said vendors regularly move equipment farther inland to prevent it from being taken by the sea and feared the fence would prevent them from using that space. Mr Sutherland said they
had been told that vendors who wanted to relocate would be offered different locations, while those who wished to remain would retain access to the beach. He said they also understood that vendors would be compensated for business lost during construction. Twenty-two vendors operate at Cabbage Beach, according to Mr Sutherland, with some employing additional workers. “This is our business. This is our livelihood,” he said. “We got children. We got to take care of.” He said the vendors’ association planned to seek urgent discussions with the developers and would pursue the issue through lawyers and formal channels. For Varnell Tamika Williams, 49, the dispute concerns a livelihood she has depended on since childhood. “We born here. We live here. We make this beach,” Ms Williams said. “I help make this beach. I’ve been on this beach when I was a little girl. I raised my three daughters off this beach.” She said vendors use their earnings to meet mortgages, rent, school fees, vehicle expenses and ordinary household costs, meaning any disruption would also affect their families, employees and other businesses. “Our families live off the
beach,” Ms Williams said. “Our money trickle down to everybody.” She stressed that the operators maintain business licences, pay National Insurance contributions, hold health-related documents and receive Ministry of Tourism identification. “We do this like this a normal job,” she said. Ms Williams criticised the lack of consultation before the fence appeared, saying even ministry officials with whom vendors regularly dealt could not initially explain what was happening. “Why y’all didn’t notify us?” she asked. “Why y’all didn’t say nothing?” She said simply removing the fence would not resolve vendors’ broader concerns about what will happen during construction. Ms Williams called for a temporary area where vendors can continue earning, assistance with their stalls and assurances that they will be able to return after the hotel is completed. “They need to come to the roundtable with us and ask us how best they could help us,” she said. Maurice Major, 53, said he has worked at Cabbage Beach for 31 years after inheriting a business established by his late mother, whom he described as one of the beach’s original vendors. He called on Prime
THE DEPARTMENT of Environmental Planning and Protection (DEPP) after a fence was erected near Four Seasons property at Cabbage Beach on Paradise Island yesterday. Photo: Nikia Charlton Minister Philip “Brave” Davis and Tourism Minister Glenys Hanna-Martin to intervene and referred to previous assurances that vendors would be allowed to remain. “Their land is within the four stakes up there,” Mr Major said. “They can do whatever they want to do up there, but they can’t own our beach.” “It’s a public beach,” he said. “This beach is not private. That’s what they have to remember.” Free Town MP Lincoln Deal also backed the vendors, saying they deserved
to be consulted and treated fairly in decisions affecting their livelihoods. “Cabbage Beach is in Free Town, but it is also one of our country’s most iconic public beaches,” Mr Deal said. “We must protect public access, respect Bahamian livelihoods and ensure that development never comes at the expense of our people.” Jet-ski operator Auderly Smith, 30, who said his connection to the beach dates to 2007, feared water-sports operators would also be affected if access to the shoreline were reduced.
“You see where the fence is?” Mr Smith asked. “See where the waterline is?” The Ministry of Tourism said development and Bahamian economic participation should not be treated as competing interests. “Environmental protection and economic opportunity can and must coexist,” the ministry said. “The way forward requires consultation, cooperation and a solution that protects the beach while safeguarding the livelihoods of Bahamians.”
Families of crash victims still in limbo for DNA results By EARYEL BOWLEG Tribune Staff Reporter ebowleg@tribunemedia.net
MORE than six weeks after the Independence Day plane crash killed ten people, grieving relatives
are still waiting to bury some of their loved ones and say they have been left with little information about DNA testing or when remains will be released. Anastasia Rolle, whose 16-year-old son Nicholas
Oliver Jr was killed in the July 10 crash, said her family had been told DNA testing would take four to six weeks and that the process would be expedited. She said she provided a DNA sample and waited,
BPL credits Grand Cay bills after three-week power outage By DENISE MAYCOCK Tribune Freeport Reporter dmaycock@tribunemedia.net BAHAMAS Power and Light has credited Grand Cay customers for their latest electricity charges after the community endured three weeks without regular power before electricity was restored on Wednesday night. BPL said it would expedite plans for a more resilient generation system on the cay, following weeks of delays involving repairs and the shipment of a replacement generator. The company confirmed that electricity was restored shortly after 8pm on August 26. The prolonged outage forced some residents to depend on portable generators at considerable personal expense and also affected water and telephone services. Little Grand Cay resident Craig Cephas, who had previously called for BPL to reimburse or credit residents for some of their fuel costs, said the company has now covered the latest charges on his electricity account. Mr Cephas said he had an outstanding balance of about $843 and new charges of nearly $600. BPL, he said, paid the new charges but left the previous balance outstanding. Although the credit did not come close to covering what he spent keeping a portable generator running, he welcomed the move. “I mean it's something,” he said. “It ain't as much as the amount of money I spent, but at least show like they care.” He said he had not expected BPL to reimburse residents for everything they spent on fuel but was
THE GENERATOR for Grand Cay being delivered. pleased the company had offered some relief. He estimated that he spent about $90 a day on fuel during the three-week outage — roughly $1,890. “That is money I don't have; it's gone,” he said. The restoration has brought a return to normal life for residents who had spent weeks coping without regular electricity. “You know what it means to be in your home with the AC on; it's more peaceful, and it's not as frustrating,” Mr Cephas said. “It's a big difference to what we've gone through on this island in the last three weeks.” He said residents were also relieved to have water and telephone services restored after they were affected during the outage. “To be honest, everybody is happy,” Mr Cephas said. Electricity was briefly interrupted again Thursday morning for about an hour, which he said was a scheduled shutdown while BPL crews carried out checks. BPL Northern Regional Manager Marvin Green acknowledged the frustration caused by the outage
and said the company’s attention is now turning to the reliability of Grand Cay’s electricity supply. BPL has been developing a longer-term generation solution for Little Grand Cay over the past two years, according to Mr Green. The project is intended to increase generation capacity, provide adequate backup power and improve security of supply. BPL also plans to visit Little Grand Cay to meet residents, hear their concerns and provide updates on plans to improve generation and reliability. Residents who believe appliances or other electrical equipment were damaged by power-related problems will be able to submit Customer Damage Claim Forms during the visit for consideration under BPL’s existing claims process. The company said it recognises the hardship caused by extended electricity outages, particularly in Family Island communities, and thanked residents for their patience while crews worked to restore the supply.
but has received no further communication. “Me and my family need closure,” Ms Rolle said. “It's like after it happened, like everyone gone silent after.” She said she had expected by now to be able to lay her son to rest. “My son is gone and there's nothing being said,” Ms Rolle said. “Everyday, it's like a pain every day. I don't know what to think. It's really driving me crazy, honestly.” The families of Macaro Rolle and Giovanni “Geo” Mckenzie have been able to bury their remains. Their bodies were among the few that remained intact following the crash. For other relatives, however, the wait continues. Ms Rolle said the uncertainty over her son’s remains has compounded her grief. She said she has relied heavily on prayer and has not returned to work because she is struggling emotionally. “I cry a lot,” she said. “I always having pain in my stomach. It’s a lot. Looking at pictures, I post them all the time.” Tameka Barrett, whose identical twin sister
Toniquea Gilot was among those killed, said her family is not seeking to rush the process but wants to know what is happening. She said her family initially did not know the remains had been sent to the United States for DNA testing and later learned from another affected family that they had been returned to The Bahamas. “How can you send the bodies out and not tell the families exactly what is going on?” Ms Barrett asked. She said relatives would be better able to accept the delay if officials explained the process and gave them some indication of how much longer they might have to wait. “We don’t know anything,” she said. “So that’s the problem. We just sitting here in limbo with no information at all.” Ms Barrett also criticised what she described as a lack of contact and sensitivity from officials and others involved after the crash. “No government official has reached out,” she said. “The airline, the mortician, after they did the DNA test
— no one has reached out to the families.” She said even an expression of sympathy from officials would have meant something. “No one, even to say condolences, nothing,” Ms Barrett said. The uncertainty has been particularly painful for Ms Barrett because of the close relationship she shared with her identical twin. “Emotionally, this is so hard,” she said. “I don’t have no words for this. That’s my twin sister. Literally, we’re identical twins. I’m heartbroken. I don’t have no words.” Ms Barrett, who lives in North Carolina, said she and her sister communicated every day and that her daughter continues to ask about her aunt. She also blamed negligence for her sister’s death and said the lack of communication since the crash has made coping with the loss more difficult. Health and Wellness Minister Dr Michael Darville said the matter is with the Coroner’s Office and that he would check on an update.
Contracts for 31 Cuban teachers cancelled PAGE 4, Friday, August 28, 2026
CUBANS from page one
contracts for Cuban medical workers except those with legal status or who are married to Bahamians. The medical discussions remain unresolved as 31 Cuban teachers prepare to leave The Bahamas after learning this week that they will not be re-engaged. The Ministry of Education confirmed the decision yesterday, acknowledging that some of the teachers wanted to return but stressing that re-engagement was never guaranteed. The ministry said the affected teachers would be given sufficient time to conclude their personal affairs before leaving the country. “Our priority continues to be the recruitment and engagement of qualified Bahamian educators,” the ministry said. “Those efforts have been extremely fruitful, and to date we have engaged a significant number of new Bahamian teachers for the public school system. Recruitment remains ongoing.” The developments come against sustained pressure from the United States over Cuba’s international labour
programmes. The US has described Cuba’s overseas labour programme as forced labour, alleging that the Cuban government uses coercive measures to control workers deployed abroad and takes most of their earnings. Cuba has rejected those allegations. Last year, the US expanded visa restrictions targeting officials it said were connected to Cuba’s overseas medical programme. The Davis administration subsequently ended its contractual arrangements with Cuba’s state-run medical recruitment agency and sought instead to employ Cuban healthcare professionals directly if they wished to remain in The Bahamas. Those arrangements have yet to be finalised as discussions with US officials continue, and recruitment of additional Cuban medical personnel has been suspended. Foreign Affairs Minister Fred Mitchell declined yesterday to say whether US concerns influenced the administration’s latest decisions. The decision involving
THE TRIBUNE
teachers has meanwhile drawn criticism over how the Cuban educators were informed and concerns about possible staffing gaps. A Cuban teacher, speaking anonymously, said the teachers learned their contracts would not be renewed during a meeting at Breezes shortly after arriving in The Bahamas. Central Grand Bahama MP Frazette Gibson said the teachers should have been given advance notice and raised concerns that their departure could disrupt existing programmes. She said the Cuban teachers worked in specialised areas including welding, agriculture and other technical disciplines. The Ministry of Education acknowledged concerns about possible staffing shortages but said Bahamian teachers remain its first priority. Where vacancies cannot be filled by qualified Bahamians, the ministry said it would consider recruiting foreign teachers to meet those needs. “We remain grateful for the service provided by all educators who have contributed to our public education system,” the ministry said.
HEALTH AND WELLNESS MINISTER DR MICHAEL DARVILLE
Judge rules homemaker’s role equal in $400k divorce split RULING from page one spouse who earns the household income and the spouse whose contribution is principally
domestic. The ruling came in ancillary proceedings following the breakdown of a marriage that lasted about 14 years and produced no children.
The former couple accumulated three properties with a combined appraised value of $409,427 during the marriage. The husband was the
principal breadwinner while the wife largely remained outside the formal workforce, maintaining the home and assisting with the couple’s rental properties. Justice Delancy said: “A matrimonial partnership may operate through a division of labour.” Where each spouse contributes within the role undertaken, she said, the court should not discriminate between the person who earned the income and the person whose contribution was principally domestic. The judge ordered the woman to transfer her interest in the matrimonial home, Lot 90 in the Grand Bahama East Subdivision, to her former husband within 60 days. The man was ordered to transfer two other properties, Lots 171 and 14 in the same subdivision, to his former wife within the same period. He must also pay her $1,000 a month for six months beginning September 30. Lot 90, which includes the matrimonial home and a separate rental unit capable of generating about $500 a month when occupied, was appraised at $209,646. Lot 171 was valued at $92,007 and Lot 14 at $107,774, placing their combined value at $199,781. An equal division of all three properties would have amounted to $204,713.50 for each party. Justice Delancy said equality was the appropriate yardstick for assessing the distribution, while stressing that the court’s ultimate obligation was to reach a fair outcome after considering all the circumstances. The woman had worked as a teacher’s aide before the marriage and relocated to Grand Bahama after marrying. She said her husband discouraged her from working and told her he could provide
more than she earned as a teacher’s aide. She said she cooked, cleaned, maintained the yard, ran errands, supervised work on the properties and helped manage and collect rental income. The man disputed preventing her from working and said he encouraged her to find employment and tried to involve her in business opportunities. Justice Delancy did not resolve that dispute entirely in either party’s favour. She said what was clear was that, for a substantial part of the marriage, the husband was the principal wageearner while the wife performed the principal domestic functions and assisted with the rental properties. The judge said the husband’s earnings provided the household’s main financial support and contributed to the acquisition, construction and preservation of the properties. The woman, meanwhile, principally served as homemaker, cooking, cleaning, maintaining the home and yard, performing errands and helping to manage the rental properties. The woman, 57, had no employment income at the time of the proceedings and claimed sciatic nerve and back pain affected her ability to work. Justice Delancy did not accept that she was medically incapable of employment, saying no medical evidence supported the alleged back condition and her testimony did not establish total incapacity. However, the judge said the woman’s lengthy absence from formal employment and the need to re-establish herself economically could affect her immediate earning prospects. The husband, 52, earned
$4,137.96 a month and was in the stronger income position. Medical evidence showed he had significant visual impairment in his right eye, which could detect only light. Justice Delancy said that impairment was relevant to the security and potential duration of his future employment, but did not justify giving him a greater share of the matrimonial assets simply because he had a disability. The woman had sought $2,500 a month from her former husband until she obtained employment. The man opposed the request, arguing among other things that she had refused work and business opportunities and had not produced evidence supporting a need for $2,500 a month. The court found that he had created opportunities for her to establish a business outside the home and that she refused to do so. The final order nevertheless required him to provide $1,000 a month for six months. A fourth property, Lot 89, was excluded from the matrimonial estate. The woman argued that payments had been made towards its purchase during the marriage, but the man denied ownership and produced a conveyance showing that title was vested in his niece. Justice Delancy said that, “Whatever suspicions may arise from the circumstances surrounding that transaction,” the recorded owner was a third party who was not before the court and there was insufficient evidence to find that either former spouse held a legal or beneficial interest in the property. Each party was ordered to keep vehicles registered in his or her name and bear his or her own legal costs.
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THE TRIBUNE
Friday, August 28, 2026, PAGE 5
Teen remanded over three murders and police shootout TEEN from page one counts of murder, three counts of attempted murder, three counts of possession of a firearm with intent to endanger life, three counts of possession of an unlicensed firearm, two counts of possession of ammunition, armed robbery, abetment to armed robbery, stealing and receiving. Prosecutors allege Webster and an accomplice shot and killed Kimbo Guerrier, 51, outside an apartment complex at Soldier Road and Baillou Hill Road around 4pm on August 21. Guerrier was found
lying face down with multiple gunshot wounds. The suspects allegedly fled east along Soldier Road in a white Japanese-model vehicle. Hours later, around 3am on August 22, Webster and accomplices allegedly robbed the Shell gas station at Baillou Hill and Carmichael Roads while armed with firearms. They are accused of stealing $1,582.25 from employee Raquel Clarke before fleeing in a white Japanese-model vehicle. About four hours later, prosecutors allege Webster and accomplices ambushed Samuel Pascal, 52, as he arrived at his apartment on Joe
Farrington Road. Pascal was allegedly shot as he attempted to flee. His body was later found inside the apartment with multiple gunshot wounds. The suspects allegedly escaped west along Joe Farrington Road in a silver SUV. Webster is also accused of participating in the killing of Eric Stuart, 36, around noon that day while he was landscaping on the eastern side of Fire Trail Road. Prosecutors allege Stuart was shot and killed before the suspects fled north in a white Japanese-model vehicle. Later on August 22, police tracked a vehicle
carrying Webster and three males to Allen Close in Pride Estates. Prosecutors allege the suspects opened fire on officers, leading to an exchange of gunfire. Webster allegedly tried to kill Constable Leon King, Able Seaman Raynaldo Pinder and Marine Seaman Lerecus Armbrister during the confrontation. The suspects’ vehicle sustained extensive damage, while the three men allegedly escaped by jumping over a fence. Webster was later found hiding beneath a bus and arrested. Authorities allegedly recovered a black Smith &
Wesson Springfield pistol, a green and black Tactical Omni hybrid rifle, a black Cali multi DB15 rifle, eight .40 rounds and one .223 round. Webster also faces charges stemming from the alleged theft of a white 2014 Nissan Cube belonging to Oddesia Sands on July 19. The vehicle was valued at $4,500. She pleaded not guilty to stealing and receiving and elected to have those charges tried before the magistrate. Webster was not required to enter pleas to the remaining charges, which will proceed to the Supreme Court through a voluntary bill of
indictment. She was denied bail on the stealing charges and was advised of her right to apply to the Supreme Court for bail on the indictable offences. Webster was remanded to the Bahamas Department of Correctional Services until February 18, 2027, when the voluntary bill of indictment is expected to be served. Her theft trial is scheduled for February 25, 2027. Before she was taken into custody, Webster was allowed a brief moment with relatives in court. She and her mother both broke down in tears. Sergeant Vernon Pyfrom prosecuted the case.
JUDGE UPHOLDS SHIVER’S BAIL DESPITE MONITOR COMPLAINTS By PAVEL BAILEY Tribune Staff Reporter pbailey@tribunemedia.net FORMER Georgia beauty queen Lindsay Shiver, who is accused of conspiring with two men in Abaco to kill her husband in 2023, had her bail upheld by a Supreme Court justice yesterday after prosecutors alleged her monitoring device had been malfunctioning for 126 days. The prosecution had applied to have Shiver’s bail revoked for allegedly failing to comply with the conditions of her electronic monitoring. The application was dismissed by Senior Justice Cheryl Grant-Thompson. Justice Grant-Thompson found that Shiver had called in while the device was malfunctioning, as requested by monitoring company Migrafil. The court found that Shiver did not pose a flight risk and had complied with her bail conditions. However, Justice
Grant-Thompson told Shiver that she must adhere to the terms of her bail and contact Migrafil when requested. Addressing Shiver’s complaints about the monitoring device, Justice Grant-Thompson said it would be replaced that day with a slimmer, more comfortable device. She said she hoped the replacement would resolve Shiver’s concerns as well as the “tortured history of malfunctioning”. Justice Grant-Thompson said the device was not a fashion statement but was designed to track the accused. She said telephone calls to the monitoring company alone would not suffice and that electronic monitoring would remain in place. Shiver’s trial is scheduled for later this year. Before the court’s decision, defence attorney Terrel Butler said her client contracted norovirus in May. Despite being placed in medical isolation, the defence said
Shiver had attempted to attend a device servicing appointment in Florida on May 22 as requested. The defence submitted that Shiver had reported that the device was malfunctioning and photographed it. Ms Butler maintained that Shiver had complied with the terms of her bail and willingly provided tracking information. She also said electronic data and a medical certificate showed that Shiver was in compliance. Ms Butler argued that it would be contrary to justice to revoke her client’s bail because of technical problems with the device and asked the court to dismiss the application. Prosecutor Karine MacVean, however, said Shiver’s device had been malfunctioning since last December and continued to do so for 126 days before it was serviced in May. Ms MacVean argued that Shiver had failed to comply with her bail conditions.
Mechanic charged in Christmas Eve murder in Yellow Elder By PAVEL BAILEY Tribune Staff Reporter pbailey@tribunemedia.net A MAN was accused yesterday of a fatal Christmas Eve shooting in Yellow Elder. Prosecutors allege Keimon Newbold, 32, shot and killed Christopher Mott Jr, 25, on December 24, 2025. Mott was found dead inside his red Nissan Cube with multiple gunshot wounds at the intersection of Graham Drive and
Lime Street around 7pm that night. Newbold also allegedly attempted to shoot and kill Tyrese Johnson that night. Newbold, a mechanic at the Beaches and Parks Authority, has two young daughters. He was not required to enter pleas to murder and attempted murder when he appeared before acting Chief Magistrate Ancella Evans. Newbold was informed that the matter would
proceed to the Supreme Court through a voluntary bill of indictment. He was advised of his right to apply to the Supreme Court for bail. Newbold was remanded to the Bahamas Department of Correctional Services until February 18, 2027, when his voluntary bill of indictment is expected to be served. Sergeant Vernon Pyfrom prosecuted the case. Levan Johnson and Alphonso Lewis represented Newbold.
LINDSAY Shiver standing outside court with Terrence Bethel in 2024. The prosecution said Shiver was contacted again in April to have the device serviced but did not comply with the request. Ms MacVean said Shiver attributed her inability to do so to childcare responsibilities and the distance between her and the service site. The prosecution asked the court to revoke Shiver’s bail and remand her to the Bahamas Department of Correctional
Services until trial. In response, the defence said Shiver had not attempted to abscond and had appeared in court that day. Shiver, Terrance Bethel and Faron Newbold Jr, 29, were charged with conspiracy to commit murder. They allegedly plotted to kill Shiver’s husband, Robert Shiver, on July 16, 2023. Authorities discovered the alleged plot after seizing a phone while investigating another
crime in Guana Cay. Last year, Shiver was granted bail and allowed to return to the United States under strict monitoring conditions. In 2024, Shiver briefly lost her bail after prosecutors alleged that she had left Alabama on multiple occasions in breach of a court order. A representative of Migrafil previously testified that multiple monitoring devices used by Shiver had malfunctioned.
PAGE 6, Friday, August 28, 2026
THE TRIBUNE
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The delusion of not knowing when to go THERE is a particular danger in political leadership when confidence hardens into delusion and a leader becomes unable—or unwilling—to recognise when his time has passed. Michael Pintard now appears to have reached that point. Yesterday the FNM leader insists he remains the best person to lead the party, despite having presided over three significant electoral defeats: the West Grand Bahama and Bimini by-election, the Golden Isles by-election and, most decisively, the May general election. That general election left the Free National Movement shattered. The party won only eight of the 41 seats. Its chairman and deputy leader were defeated, while the Progressive Liberal Party achieved the first consecutive general-election victory by a governing party since 1997. Leaders cannot claim every success while assigning every failure to someone else. At some stage, the record must belong to the person in charge. Mr Pintard has now been given three opportunities to demonstrate that he can broaden the FNM’s appeal and lead it back to government. Three times, the electorate has answered. Yet rather than undertaking the sober examination such defeats demand, he has declared himself the party’s best remaining option. Best according to whom? Certainly not the voters who rejected the party under his leadership. Nor, apparently, former Prime Minister Hubert Ingraham, whose presence and endorsement Mr Pintard welcomed and needed on the campaign trail to lift the party’s chances in the final weeks of their campaign. Mr Ingraham’s recent message could hardly have been clearer when he told FNM’s, “your job is to find someone who could win.” Mr Pintard’s response has not been one of introspection but rebuke. But this was not surprising. As an elder statesman within the party, Mr Ingraham has the right to advise his party on the realities it has so-far failed to confront.
The question is not whether Michael Pintard can win. So far, he has demonstrated overwhelming that he cannot. His conduct since the defeat also raises concerns about whether the promised review was ever intended to produce genuine renewal. Rather than opening the organisation to competing voices, Mr Pintard appears to have consolidated allies in influential positions while limiting the stage to potential rivals. In light of Mr Pintard’s pronouncements yesterday, the decision not to place the FNM’s deputy leader Shanendon Cartwright in the Senate deserves particular scrutiny. A Senate appointment would have given him a national platform from which to question the Government, develop his public profile and demonstrate his readiness for greater responsibility. Why would a party seeking to rebuild deny its own deputy leader of such an opportunity? Why would political newcomers like Rick Fox, who has proven to be a champion of political self-sabotage be elevated over the organization’s own deputy leader? This is now a dangerous moment for the FNM. A healthy democracy requires an effective Opposition capable of challenging the Government, developing credible alternatives and presenting itself as a government-in-waiting. FNM supporters must therefore pay close attention. The line in the sand has been drawn. On one side is a leader insisting that only he can rescue the party he has repeatedly failed to lead to victory. On the other is the difficult work of renewal. That work will require men and women of substance who are prepared to place the institution above personal ambition, restore internal democracy and allow new leadership to emerge. Knowing when to go is not weakness. Sometimes it is the final act of service a leader can offer. Mr Pintard should consider whether that moment has arrived.
Bahamas needs tax system exchange, not new tax EDITOR, The Tribune. THE debate over income tax in The Bahamas is often framed as a choice between remaining “tax-free” and becoming a high-tax country. This is misleading. The Bahamas is not tax-free. Bahamians already pay various taxes, including VAT, customs and excise duties, property taxes, departure taxes, stamp duties, business license fees, National Insurance contributions, and numerous government charges. The real question is whether our current system collects revenue fairly and efficiently while supporting affordability, homeownership, investment, and economic growth. By this standard, the existing structure needs significant reform. The Bahamas should consider a comprehensive overhaul of its tax system: introducing carefully designed personal and corporate income taxes only in exchange for legally enforceable reductions in consumption, import, turnover, and transaction taxes. This must be a true exchange, not merely an additional layer of taxation. Currently, our system primarily taxes individuals when they consume, import, operate a business, purchase property, or complete a transaction. In FY2024/25, VAT generated approximately B$1.44 billion, while taxes on international trade and transactions produced about B$872 million, according to the Central Bank of The Bahamas. While these taxes are administratively convenient, convenience does not equate to equity. Lower-income households spend most of their earnings on essentials like food, electricity, rent, transportation, and clothing, while wealthier households can save and invest a larger portion of their income. A consumption-heavy tax system places significant pressure on those with the least financial flexibility. Customs duties also increase the landed cost of essentials such as food, construction materials, vehicles, machinery, replacement parts, and productive equipment. VAT is then applied to these already inflated prices. Businesses pass these increased costs on to consumers through higher prices. This situation contributes to the affordability crisis in The Bahamas. In a genuine tax-system reform, every proposed income-tax measure should be accompanied by a published schedule that clearly identifies which existing taxes would be reduced, repealed, or restructured. The reform could include a progressive personal income tax with a substantial tax-free allowance; a corporate income tax on net profits that replaces the current business licence tax on gross turnover; lower duties on essential goods and productive equipment; targeted VAT relief or refundable credits for lower-income households; and
LETTERS letters@tribunemedia.net reduced transaction costs for first-time homeowners and qualifying residential developments. Personal income tax should not apply to minimum-wage workers, teachers, nurses, police officers, hospitality workers, ordinary civil servants, or struggling small-business owners. The tax-free threshold should be based on current household income and expenditure data, taking into account the different costs of living in New Providence, Grand Bahama, and the Family Islands. It should not rely on political guesswork. Tax rates above that threshold should increase gradually, with all thresholds indexed for inflation. Otherwise, ordinary wage increases could push workers into higher tax brackets without improving their purchasing power. The IMF has modeled a personal income tax that primarily targets the top 10% of earners in The Bahamas and estimates that this could eventually generate revenue equivalent to approximately 2% of GDP. This estimate does not necessarily indicate that the IMF’s preferred design is suitable for The Bahamas; however, it does demonstrate that meaningful revenue can be raised without putting every wage earner in the tax bracket immediately. A wage-only tax would be indefensible. Employees should not be taxed while wealthy individuals evade comparable tax liabilities through income derived from dividends, companies, rental properties, trusts, foreign entities, or other financial structures. Labor, business, rental, and investment income must be treated consistently, with safeguards in place for legitimate pension savings, primary residences, and ordinary family arrangements. Corporate tax reform is equally crucial. The existing business licence tax is based largely on turnover rather than profit. For example, a supermarket, contractor, fuel distributor, or wholesaler may handle millions of dollars in sales while retaining only a narrow margin after covering expenses such as wages, electricity, insurance, freight, and rent. Taxing gross turnover overlooks each business’s actual ability to pay. A well-designed corporate income tax should be applied to net profits after accounting for legitimate expenses. This approach ensures that profitable companies contribute more, while businesses facing genuine losses are not taxed as though revenue and profit were the same. If a corporate income tax is introduced, the general business-license tax on turnover should be abolished or significantly reduced. Maintaining both systems would perpetuate
existing distortions and impose additional accounting and compliance costs. Ministers should not be left to decide such changes. A Tax-System Exchange Act must be enacted, which would require a national tax-incidence audit, a statutory schedule of taxes that would be reduced or repealed, independent certification of the expected revenue effects, and an annual Tax Exchange Ledger. This ledger should disclose the amount of new taxes collected, the amount of existing taxation that was surrendered, and the income groups that ultimately bear the burden. The legislation must also establish measures for taxpayer confidentiality, cybersecurity standards, objection procedures, independent appeals, and penalties for the unlawful disclosure of financial information. Before implementation, it must clarify how the system will interact with the Hawksbill Creek Agreement, existing investment agreements, statutory concessions, trusts, foundations, and foreign-tax obligations, not after litigation begins. The absence of personal and general corporate income tax is an integral part of The Bahamas’ appeal for investment and residency. This competitive advantage should not be overlooked. High rates, unstable regulations, or intrusive administration could deter entrepreneurs, professionals, investors, and high-net-worth residents. Thus, tax rates must remain moderate, rules predictable, and administration professional. The Bahamas should compete by offering stability, robust infrastructure, legal certainty, skilled labor, proximity to North America, environmental quality, digital services, and attractive investment opportunities, rather than relying solely on the absence of income tax. The public should reject any income tax proposal that does not clearly identify the taxes it intends to replace. The government must disclose who will pay, what income will be taxed, which existing taxes will be reduced, how much net revenue will be raised, and how the results will be independently assessed. The choice is not merely between an income tax and no taxation; it is between the current expensive, consumption-heavy system and a potentially fairer structure that taxes economic capacity while decreasing the penalties imposed on consumption, business, investment, and homeownership. No legally binding replacement schedule should mean no income tax. Income Tax Requires a Legal Tax-Reduction Guarantee. C Allen Johnson, Exploratory Committee Member, Bahamas Economic Council. C ALLEN JOHNSON Freeport, Grand Bahama August 26, 2026.
Use cat-o’-nine tails on sex offenders EDITOR, The Tribune. THE Bahamas has a rape culture. Almost every weekday there’s a story or two in either The Tribune or The Nassau Guardian about a sexual assault on a female or a minor (or an elderly). Rape has become normalised in The Bahamas. It has become systemic. Women and children are not safe in this country. Too many Bahamian and Haitian men have adopted a male chauvinist mentality. The Progressive Liberal Party government has the legislative and executive authority to deal a death blow to the scourge of sexual crimes in this country. It must use it. Rape is barbaric. It is cruel. It is inhumane. It devalues the victim. The predator views the victim as an inanimate object to gratify his insatiable, evil lust. The victim is not
viewed as a human being with dreams and aspirations. The victim is not seen as an object of God’s affection. Not only is the victim violated. But her family as well. I have witnessed the devastating effects of rape. The victim is left with deep psychological and emotional scars that are hard to heal. The victim along with the family are left traumatised while the perpetrator goes on with his life. In some cases, society pays a heavy toll for the sex crime, as some victims venture into a life of rebellion, illicit drug use and prostitution. The state must now act. The rape pandemic has gotten completely out of hand. The government must now adopt a bullish, zero tolerance mindset in fighting back. I propose the use of the cat-o-nine tail in a public setting for rapists and child molesters.
Flog them in the presence of hundreds of curious onlookers. Demean the rapist. Embarrass them. Let them feel what they made their victims to endure. Potential rapists, while watching or hearing of the spectacle, would think twice about taking the innocence of a child or violating a young woman. Start making an example of these predators. There’s Scriptural warrant for the administering of corporal punishment of felons in Deuteronomy 25:1-3. In fact, in Deuteronomy 22:25-27, the death penalty for rape is prescribed: But if a man find a betrothed damsel in the field, and the man force her, and lie with her: then the man only that lay with her shall die: but unto the damsel thou shalt do nothing; there is in the damsel no sin worthy of death: for as when a man riseth against his
neighbor, and slayeth him, even so is this matter: for he found her in the field, and the betrothed damsel cried, and there was none to save her. I am not calling for capital punishment for rapists, although I wouldn’t object to it if the state decides to take such a drastic measure. I believe that the overwhelming majority of Bahamians, particularly women, would support the idea of corporal punishment for sex crimes. The government must ignore Amnesty International and the Privy Council. It must act in the best interest of this nation that is grappling with a violent rape culture. Enough is enough. We must protect our women and children. KEVIN EVANS Freeport, Grand Bahama August 18, 2026.
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THE TRIBUNE
Mother builds digital platform to help families with autism By JADE RUSSELL Tribune Staff Reporter jrussell@tribunemedia.net A GRAND Bahama mother who could not afford specialised programmes for her autistic son taught herself how to support him and is now building a digital platform aimed at helping Bahamian families facing the same gaps in special education services. Willinique Wilson-Smith, 25, known as Miss Spectrum on social media, began researching autism after her son Asheene, known as AJ, was diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder at two years old. Now four, AJ is non-verbal and is homeschooled by his mother, who provides his care around the clock. Mrs Wilson-Smith said she turned to homeschooling after finding that programmes were available but beyond what some families could afford. “There are programmes available,” she said. “Most of us were not able to afford these, and I was one of those parents.” Rather than allow the cost to determine what support her son received, Mrs Wilson-Smith began educating herself. “If I can't afford it,” she said, “it doesn't mean
I'm not going to be able to educate myself to help him as best as possible.” Her experience comes amid longstanding concerns about the availability of special education services in The Bahamas. Some families have travelled to the United States and Canada to have autistic children assessed. In July, the Ministry of Education revealed plans for a national autism registry. At a town meeting, parents and guardians raised concerns about limited therapy and support after children leave school, warning that families were being left overwhelmed and uncertain about their children’s futures. Mrs Wilson-Smith said Grand Bahama has schools offering special education programmes, but spaces are limited. She also identified a shortage of services providing early support to children diagnosed at very young ages. She said more special education teachers are needed, along with earlier identification, affordable assessments and therapies and less expensive services for families. Her own introduction to autism began after she noticed changes in AJ’s development. Mrs Wilson-Smith recalled watching her son regress, become
non-verbal, struggle to walk and develop repetitive behaviours. He would flap his hands repeatedly and could become frustrated when his routine was disrupted. She said she did not initially suspect autism, but wanted to understand what was happening. The diagnosis itself was not devastating, she said, because she comes from a family of educators accustomed to celebrating differences. “When I got that response in the doctor's office,” Mrs Wilson-Smith said, “I say, ‘Okay, great. Let me start to educate myself.’” Her days now revolve heavily around AJ’s care and education. Mrs Wilson-Smith, who provides babysitting services, begins his homeschool day by getting him dressed and preparing breakfast, followed by devotions and learning activities. Because AJ is non-verbal, she encourages him to communicate using picture cards and an augmentative and alternative communication device. She said she has heard her son call her “mummy” only once and hopes to hear it again when he is ready. “He hasn't said ‘mummy’ in years,” Mrs
WILLINIQUE Wilson-Smith and her four-year-old son Asheene (AJ). Wilson-Smith said. What began as an effort to help her own child has since expanded online. Using the name Miss Spectrum, she shares information about autism with Bahamian families, including guidance on managing meltdowns, understanding the spectrum and supporting autistic children. Mrs Wilson-Smith said she is also interested in pursuing a degree in
special education at the University of The Bahamas, if such a programme is available, so she can further help families struggling to find support. She is now preparing another project aimed at making educational resources more accessible. An animated subscription programme called STIM Pals is scheduled to launch next year and is intended to provide families with an affordable
WILLINIQUE WILSON-SMITH
online educational option. Its characters will address communication, sensory awareness, routines, emotions, inclusion, helping others, friendship and celebrating differences. Mrs Wilson-Smith hopes the programme can help Bahamian families who, like hers, have confronted gaps in available services and the cost of obtaining support.
ASHEENE ‘AJ’