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NO VOTE LIKELY IF QUARANTINED Ministers signal voters may miss ballot to stop possible COVID spread By LEANDRA ROLLE Tribune Staff Reporter lrolle@tribunemedia.net NATIONAL Security Minister Marvin Dames suggested yesterday that people in quarantine for COVID-19 exposure may not be allowed to vote in the upcoming general election. However, he said a decision has not yet been finalised as the government is still being guided by health officials. The issue of voting for those quarantined has been a heavily discussed topic
in recent weeks as many fear preventing such voters the ability to take part in elections could lead to disenfranchisement. According to the Parliamentary Elections Act, registered people are allowed to vote as a special voter in the advanced poll under certain circumstances, including illness or infirmity. However, such people would have to write to the parliamentary commissioner for a special voter certificate, though it is not
THE country’s top infectious diseases expert has warned The Bahamas needs “to get a handle” on a worsening COVID-19 situation, as officials confirmed 25 new COVID-19 deaths and 196 new cases over the past two days. This means 52 COVID-19 deaths have been confirmed
BUSINESSES CLOSED FOR ANNIVERSARY OF DORIAN
ABACO’S Chamber of Commerce president yesterday pleaded with the next administration to make rebuilding its sea port an “absolute priority” as the island closes down today to remember Dorian’s victims. Ken Hutton said only government offices and banks will be open today. FULL STORY - SEE BUSINESS
SEE PAGE THREE
over a three-day period. Twenty-seven deaths — which took place between July 16 and August 23 — were reported on Monday. Yesterday, Dr Nikkiah Forbes, director of the National HIV/AIDS and Infectious Disease Programme at the Ministry of Health, said there will be more deaths as the virus surges in the country. SEE PAGE FOUR
- SEE PAGE EIGHT
By NEIL HARTNELL Tribune Business Editor nhartnell@tribunemedia.net
SUPER VALUE SETS TARGET FOR STAFF TO VACCINATE
25 MORE DEATHS AS SURGE POWERS ON By KHRISNA RUSSELL Tribune Staff Reporter krussell@tribunemedia.net
ALICIA WALLACE: THE REALITIES OF VIRTUAL LEARNING
By TANYA SMITHCARTWRIGHT tsmith-cartwright@ tribunemedia.net
SINGING FOR SHAUNAE POPULAR local comedian Jaquay ‘Das Quay’ Adderley (left) celebrates Shaunae Miller-Uibo’s Olympic gold with his first hit song “GAP”. See full story in this Friday’s Weekend.
CABINET OFFICE BUILDING DEMOLISHED IN WEEKS By NEIL HARTNELL Tribune Business Editor nhartnell@tribunemedia.net THE GOVERNMENT has given the go-ahead to “demolish and level” the Cabinet Office building in Rawson Square - as well as the Adderley Building to which it is linked. The demolition is forecast to last between six to seven weeks, with workers presently removing asbestos from the Churchill
THE CABINET building is due to be demolished. Building that contains the existing Cabinet Office. Michael Maura, the chief executive of Nassau Cruise
Port, revealed the news to Tribune Business yesterday. He said the site will become a temporary green space and parking area for government employees prior to the construction of a new Cabinet Office location. He spoke as he said a US institutional investor “has set a pretty aggressive bar” for other lenders to match by supplying Nassau Cruise Port with $40m towards construction financing. FULL STORY - SEE BUSINESS
Nassau & Bahama Islands’ Leading Newspaper
SUPER Value Food Store chain has called on its staff to be fully vaccinated by the end of September or take a weekly negative test. In a memo dated August 26 and sent to all staff, Super Value’s president Debra Symonette warned workers about the dangers SEE PAGE TWO
TECHNOLOGY: FRUSTRATION OF LINKING PHONES TO VEHICLES
- SEE PAGE NINE
PAGE 2, Wednesday, September 1, 2021
THE TRIBUNE
THE SUPER Value store in Golden Gates.
Photo: Racardo Thomas/Tribune Staff
Super Value sets target for staff to vaccinate from page one of the Delta variant and urged them to get vaccinated. Workers were also told anyone who breaks quarantine will be fired. “We are encouraging all staff to be vaccinated,” the memo said in part. “There have been so many more new cases and deaths, that tourists have been advised not to travel to The Bahamas
and Bahamians have been advised to be careful travelling abroad. “We estimate that less than 30 percent of our staff have been vaccinated and we have set an ambitious goal to have all staff take their first shot by the end of August and be completely vaccinated by the end of September. In the interest of your safety and the interest of the company, our customers and the country we expect your full
cooperation. “There is a new ‘Delta plus’ variant that spreads 60 percent faster and is more contagious than the (old) ‘Delta’ variant. In order to save your life, keep the economy going and avoid a permanent lock down, all employees should get vaccinated immediately,” the memo notes. Local officials have not confirmed if the Delta variant is in the country, but they suspect it is
given the current surge in COVID-19 cases and deaths. The Delta plus variant has been recorded in some parts of Asia and experts say it may be more infectious than the original Delta variant. Since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic here in The Bahamas, 18,268 cases of the virus have been recorded after 129 new cases were added to the dashboard on August 29. So far 396 people have
died from the virus and 20 other deaths are under investigation. Because of the high numbers of COVID-19 cases recorded, the US Centers for Disease Control has issued a level four travel warning against The Bahamas. Level four indicates, “do not travel”. The memo from the Super Value president continued: “Please ask your head cashier if you need assistance
making your appointment. Any employee that breaks quarantine will be dismissed. “After September any employee that is not completely vaccinated will have to take a negative test weekly.” The Atlantis resort on Paradise Island is also asking staff to get vaccinated or if not, they will have to pay for their own weekly COVID-19 tests beginning this month.
DOCTORS HOSPITAL ‘OVERRUN’ WITH COVID-19 PATIENTS By KHRISNA RUSSELL Tribune Chief Reporter krussell@tribunemedia.net DOCTORS Hospital is “overrun” with COVID-19 patients and continues to be pounded from the requirements of care required for people with the virus, according to its chief executive officer, Dr Charles Diggiss. “It’s been very serious (and) very severe consistently over the last ten days,” he told The Tribune yesterday. The influx of cases has meant that the private hospital has had to get creative with where it houses virus patients. He said: “Doctors Hospital with COVID took on a very specific mission to negatively pressurize as many spaces as we could and what we found as we moved from surge to surge is that the virus and the severity of the disease continues to be ahead of us. “What we did not anticipate is that our capacity
would be overwhelmed so what that means is that the entire hospital would need to be a negatively pressurized space for us to meet the challenges and requirements of COVID. “Sometimes we end up having to put patients in areas and barrier off those areas even though where the patients themselves may locate may not itself be a negatively pressurized area but we continue to take every opportunity to negatively pressurize our patient care spaces.” Negative pressure rooms, also called isolation rooms, are a type of hospital room that keeps patients with infectious illnesses, or patients who are susceptible to infections from others, away from other patients, visitors, and healthcare staff. Asked if the hospital was out of space, he said: “Doctors Hospital being out of space is a message that is trying to appeal to the public to understand that
we have been overrun with the treatment of COVID patients. “We continue to be overrun with the treatment of COVID patients, but we find space when we have to find space.” Dr Diggiss said it has also come down to deciding who will get ventilators and, on some occasions, there are none available. However, he noted that the hospital will not remove patients from ventilators to accommodate others who may also need the breathing machine. “I think it’s really important for the public to appreciate that of the almost 20 lets say 19 ventilators available that 17 of them may be working and available at any point in time and of those 17, 13 of them in the health system may be committed to taking care of COVID patients. “That means that at any point in time the number would fluctuate for obvious reasons because in this
business that we are in it’s a very dynamic one. Patients come on or come off.” He continued: “We are realistically talking about three or four ventilators available or as happens on some days one available or as happens sometimes in a moment none because the last one has been used. So, we do have moments when there’s no ventilator available and then we pivot out of those moments because of the dynamics of healthcare. “Things do not stay the same from moment to moment and so a ventilator may be freed up if a patient gets better or the patient even dies. “So, these are the realities of what we do and so we’ve seen unfortunately much more of a challenge on our ventilators recently and it’s not uncommon over the last two weeks especially to see that our ventilators have been occupied daily up to 13 or 14 ventilators occupied per day, which is only giving us
two or three available.” While it wrangles with these issues, Dr Diggiss said officials there are looking at how to remedy staff shortages. “We continue to try to get the retired nurses to see whether they would return working in the non-COVID space so that our regular nurses who are working in the COVID space could be freed up for that. Fortunately, we’ve had some good responses from our healthy retired and fit willing to work nurses and so I must give them a commendation. Thank you so much for stepping back into the fight. “We continue to try to get nurses from out of The Bahamas. This is quite a fight because COVID has become so significant and a draw on nurses worldwide that the campaign in the United States to draw nurses is so strong that it’s not a fair fight when it comes to offering whatever the United States decides
to offer so that it can get through this particularly difficult time. “So, unfortunately we may continue to lose our nurses to attrition to the United States specifically or other areas where they also have shortages.” He said there must be a continued effort to ensure nurses on staff are taken care of. “We also have to take care of any healthcare worker dealing with the front line. We just have to support them. When there is a break for them to take a step back and avoid burnout and fatigue then we have to continue to support them (and) give them counsel when they need it. “So, those are the strategies. We continue to look whenever healthcare providers are available especially like I say in the space of nursing and nursing related and respiratory therapists we continue to look out for them,” Dr Diggiss said.
THE TRIBUNE
Wednesday, September 1, 2021, PAGE 3
No vote likely if quarantined
from page one clear if the rule also applies to people suffering from COVID-19. When asked for an update on whether those in quarantine or COVID19 positive people will be allowed to cast their ballots on Election Day, Mr Dames — who has responsibility for elections — said the rules for quarantining people are quite clear. “Would you like to have a COVID positive voter next to you? What does quarantine mean?...Quarantine is quarantine,” he said before going to a Cabinet meeting. “If someone has COVID
and they’re in quarantine, they’re quarantined for a reason... I mean look, you have people who are incarcerated on Election Day, you have people who are hospitalised on Election Day. You have people who are out of the country on Election Day and they may be registered voters, but they can’t vote because of the circumstances and so, we’ll see.” Health Minister Renward Wells was also asked about his ministry’s views on allowing people in quarantine to vote. He said it is the position of health officials that such people should not be allowed to vote on the basis that it could
potentially lead to further COVID spread. “From the Ministry of Health’s standpoint, we’re taking the position that they probably will not be able to vote,” Mr Wells said. “But again, as I’ve always said that has to come from the Prime Minister via the cabinet of The Bahamas, but there are recommendations in that regard by health personnel... Think about it now, how are you going to let someone who is in quarantine and who has the potential to affect other persons to go out into a polling station?” Mr Wells said officials will be on high alert for people seeking to break quarantine rules for the
purpose of voting if it has been decided they will not be allowed to vote. “The COVID police along with the surveillance unit of my ministry have an idea as to who is supposed to be in quarantine… because remember those persons who are a part of the COVID police and a part of surveillance are probably going to vote in the early poll so on Election Day they’re going to be able to monitor,” the health minister added. The advanced poll is on September 9, seven days before Election Day. With high COVID-19 numbers being recorded daily, it is conceivable people could be in
quarantine during both events. Last week, Wayne Munroe, the Progressive Liberal Party’s candidate for Free Town, called on the government to follow the lead of its Caribbean counterparts when determining how people in quarantine can still vote. He said it’s important for officials to ensure voters are not left disenfranchised this election cycle. However, Mr Dames stressed yesterday not every registered voter will be able to cast their ballots this year. “You’re never going to have 100 percent voting on Election Day,” Mr Dames continued. “No country
could boast of that unless it’s a country that’s designed that way and so we have to accept the fact that those persons who are able to vote on Election Day should be encouraged and come out to vote. “We have been a country — we continue to boast of our percentages during Election Day and I don’t expect that will change in any way. Bahamians love Election Day. They love voting and so we should all be excited.” It is not clear how many people are currently in quarantine, but the numbers are likely to be in the thousands with some 3,093 COVID-19 cases said to be still active as of August 29.
‘FINAL APPROVALS’ NEAR FOR DISNEY CRUISE PROJECT IN ELEUTHERA By KHRISNA RUSSELL Tribune Chief Reporter krussell@tribunemedia.net DISNEY Cruise Line’s Eleuthera project is in the final approval stages, Prime Minister Dr Hubert Minnis announced last night, adding its Environmental Impact Assessment is under review. He also announced that land has been selected for the establishment of a housing subdivision for Bahamians in Eleuthera at a cost of $10,000 for single family parcels of land and $15,000 for multi-family lots. While he made the announcement for Central and South Eleuthera at a rally last night, Dr Minnis took a swipe at Progressive Liberal Party leader Philip “Brave” Davis, saying he and his party “ruined” the country. He said if they elect Mr Davis, Bahamians would “bring back the same lousy government” from a previous Christie administration. “I want to update you tonight on the Disney project,” Dr Minnis said during the drive-in rally last night. “After a series of consultations and town hall meetings with the people of South Eleuthera you overwhelmingly agreed to one of the biggest Family Island developments in our history. “The Disney project is a $400m investment in a cruise terminal and island resort getaway. “The project is being built on private land that Disney purchased from a private group. It is one of the largest investments ever in the history of Eleuthera. The project is in its very final stage by the government.
“The developers have completed the Environmental Impact Assessment and the Environmental Management Plan is now being reviewed by the Department of Environment Protection and Planning. “As part of this process an independent third-party review of the Environmental Management Plan is being carried out by the international firm Black & Veatch. “The Environmental Impact Assessment and the Environmental Management Plan are being carried out with great care and diligence at a cost of approximately $6m and once the environmental management review process is completed Disney and the government will proceed to a groundbreaking ceremony.” Dr Minnis said the Heads of Agreement with Disney requires that 80 percent of the labour force must be Bahamian. Through this clause, he said the majority of the workers would be from Eleuthera. Regarding the government’s housing initiative in Eleuthera, he said there was a need for housing and that is why the Free National Movement committed to doing the same on the island as is being done in New Providence. “We’ve already identified land here in Eleuthera to create a subdivision for you Eleutherans with all the bells and whistles and each lot will be sold to you to build homes in terms of single family $10,000 per lot with roads, water, lights and everything. For those who want multipurpose lots, duplexes
and other investments those lots will be sold to you for $15,000. “In addition to this you will be able to bring in all the materials duty-free. All your equipment, refrigerator, stoves, duty-free and in addition to the housing complexes within such subdivisions we would ensure that there is a pre-school for your children.” In his criticism of Mr Davis, Dr Minnis said more and more Bahamians were questioning how the Cat Island, Rum Cay and San Salvador MP ever became leader of a political party. “We all thought all (of) them old PLPs from the 80s were no longer in front line politics. We all thought we had to put those dark days behind us when those types of PLPs embarrassed The Bahamas in front of the world. But somehow Brave was able to take over the PLP. “It is our job in this election to make sure Brave does not take over our country. The PLP is out, we must keep them out. The Bahamas has improved so much since 1992 when we took our country back from men like Brave.” Dr Minnis further said his administration was embarking on a major upgrade to the healthcare infrastructure with the sum of $100m to be invested during the next 18 months throughout the country. Additionally, he said there was capital works planned for Eleuthera and Spanish Wells, Harbour Island Lower Bogue and Governor’s Harbour. A new clinic will also be built in Rock’s Sound. For his part, Works Minister Desmond Bannister promised two new bridges for the island.
PRIME Minister Dr Hubert Minnis at the FNM drive-in rally at the Carnival grounds in New Providence last week. Photo: Racardo Thomas/Tribune Staff
CULMER DENOUNCES POLITICAL ADS TARGETING DAVIS FREE National Movement chairman Carl Culmer Sr has denounced political ads being shared on social media that paint Progressive Liberal Party leader Philip “Brave” Davis “in a less than favourable light.” In a statement issued yesterday, Mr Culmer said the ads have not been commissioned nor authorised by the Free National Movement. “We condemn and repudiate all such attacks against any person and/or party vying for office during this highly charged political season,” Mr Culmer said. “While I unequivocally maintain that Brave Davis and the PLP do pose a grave threat to good governance and transparent fiscal responsibility, the FNM
has absolutely no need to levy nasty personal attacks against the opposition or any other political opponent. “This administration is proud of its accomplishments to date and has a record upon which we firmly stand.” He listed several things the Minnis administration accomplished since winning office in 2017. The accomplishments include solving landfill issues and dump fires in New Providence; incorporating renewable energy into the country’s power grid; stabilising power generation and reducing consumer electricity bills by some 40 percent. He said the Minnis administration approved approximately $70m for
disbursement to small and medium sized businesses through the Small Business Development Centre. Other accomplishments include significantly expanding educational opportunities for all through universal preschool initiatives, along with free tuition for qualifying students at UB and BTVI; implementing sweeping fiscal legislation to improve levels of transparency with regard to government expenditures; eliminating business license fees for micro-businesses and firsttime business owners; digitizing government services, eliminating the need for long lines and cash transactions. He also said the government implemented
sweeping land reform initiatives, granting Crown land to scores of Bahamians, providing serviced lots in new subdivisions, and is developing an 83-acre community for young professionals. “We have no need to run a nasty campaign because our record speaks for itself. The FNM has steadily improved the Bahamian society even in the midst of a pandemic and in the wake of a monster storm. We have remained accountable to the Bahamian people, and we have a record to stand on,” he said. He said Bahamians can visit ourfnm.org to read more about the Minnis administration’s accomplishments.
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PAGE 4, Wednesday, September 1, 2021
THE TRIBUNE
25 more deaths as surge powers on from page one “We’re still very much seeing an increase in the number of cases,” she said. “We still have a large number of cases every day and the healthcare system is under a tremendous amount of pressure because of that and all of the COVID care sites are extremely full and above capacity. “At Princess Margaret Hospital we’re above capacity and it’s very challenging and that’s exactly the problem when you have a surge with a virus like COVID because if it’s spreading exponentially, spreading a lot, there is going to be a tremendous increase in the number of cases above the capacity that the healthcare system can manage. “So, that does get challenging because we know that we see an increase in the number of deaths when we are above the capacity of the health system to manage. “In addition, we have to be concerned about things like variant viruses where more people are hospitalised now with the Delta variant. A recent study came out in the last week that indicated that people
NIKKIAH FORBES who have the Delta variant, that more of them end up in the hospital and so it is challenging, and we really need to take all precautions to mitigate the surge. “Personal responsibility, following the public health precautions (and) getting vaccinated is what we need to do because we really do need to mitigate what’s
happening.” Asked whether officials now had confirmation that the Delta variant was the predominant strain of the coronavirus infecting people, Dr Forbes said she was unsure if testing results had come back. However, she said given that Delta is the dominant strain around the world it
Graveside Service For Hilda Lillian Charlton, 76
of #45 Montgomery Avenue, Flamingo Gardens and formerly of Abraham’s Bay, Mayaguana will be held at Lakeview Memorial on Thursday, September 2nd, 2021 at 11:30 a.m. Officiating will be Reverend Charles Young, Pastor, United Christian Cathedral.
Left to cherish her memories are her sons: Chief Petty Officer Perez Rolle, Force Chief Petty Officer Pedro Rolle (Anja), Sheldon Gibson, Gerard Ramsey & Fred Ramsey (Tommika); daughters: Portia Gibson & Registered Nurse Melony Dean (Owen); grandchildren: Fritz Sejour Jr., Onise, O’shanique, Owen Jr. & Omari Dean, D’Angelo (Jessie), Periska & Terrel Rolle, Sheniquer Rolle-Forbes (Jhare), Kristavio, Rashede, Crystal, Jarae, Pedro Jr., Paige & Peyton Rolle, Gerard Jr., Jamaal, Aaliyah & Alicia Ramsey, Tommiko, Tarjnique, Fraron, Miracle, Fredesha, Rache & Fred Ramsey Jr.; great grandchildren: De’Angelo, D’Jinae, D’Ante, Jessica & D’Angelo Jr. Rolle, Kaylissa & Janaee Forbes, Rihanna Curry & Ayden Pratt; sisters: Mrs. Lottie Williamson, Mrs. Blanche Deveaux, Ms. Bernice Charlton & Minister Dr. Ethlyn Deleveaux; sisters-in-law: Mrs. Ruth Charlton & Mrs. Rozenda Charlton; brothers-in-law: Mr. Elton Williamson & Mr. Franklin (Frank) Deveaux; nieces: Eulean Charlton, Catherine Thompson, Dorinda Humes, Ingrid Major, Barbara Peterson, Bernadette Pratt, Nursing Officer II Prescola Rolle, Tomico Thompson, Patricia Staten, Rachael Dean, Aretha Dorsette, Deborah & Nurse Valderine Charlton, Pamela, Tara, Annishka, Vernice & Latoya Charlton, Laverne Charlton, Siobhan Charlton-Johnson, Vynaska T. Charlton-Corriere, Vynique Charlton-Andrews, Kendra Deveaux, Keisha Rolle, Lynette Charlton, Samana Rolle, Sherice Munroe, Margo Munroe, Shekera Forbes, Katherine Garvey, Laverne Williams-Sewell & Sharon Strachan; nephews: Clurston & Hilroy Charlton, Franklyn, Thomas, Perry, Dennis, Quinton, Naasson, Edvardo & Michael Charlton, Stanford Charlton, Police Sergeant Walter Charlton, Yule, Jacquan, Jefferson, Jeff Jr. & Javaughn Charlton, Winston Moss, Anthony, Pastor Keith, Clinton, Sean & Kerrington Moss, Brenton Sr., Zalman, Vincent & Winston Charlton, Stefan Deveaux, Troy & Lebraun Charlton, Captain Jed & Captain Shawn Munroe, Jamaal Clarke, Police Sergeant Terrance & Police Sergeant Jeffrey Williamson, Nowell Williams & Pastor Franklin Charlton; numerous grand and great grand nieces & nephews; cousins: Richard, Leslie, Ralph & Kermit Williams, Gladys Hall, Angela Colebrooke, Hilda Forbes, Charlotte Williams, Edith McKinney, Myrtle Johnson, Enid Roberts, Evelyn Pratt, Police Reservist Leslie Brown, Victor & Herbert Brown, Remilda Cartwright, Bengy & Gartland Charlton, Reverend Irene Charlton, Flora Virgil, Gloria Charlton, Menerva Gray, ASP Prince Charlton & Reverend Arthur Charlton; the clergy: Reverend Charles Young & Family, and the family of The United Christian Cathedral, Bishop Albert Hepburn & family, Reverend T. G. Morrison, Senior Pastor, Zion Baptist Church & Mrs. Royann Morrison & family, Reverend Reginald & Mrs. Lillian Charlton & family, The Zion Baptist Church Family, Abraham’s Bay, Mayaguana; special family & friends: Melberth Charlton, Mrs. Irene Thompson & family, Brad & Jennifer Braynen, Debbie Flowers, Tangerina Dorsette, Helen Fritz & family, Ruth Smith & family, Dimple Charlton & family, the entire Mayaguana Community, The family of the late Cassie McPhee, Mary Rahming, Ruth Stuart, Caroline Longley, Donald Ramsey, Herbert Ramsey Jr., Brenda Moss & family, Sheila Moss & family, Lerice Moss & family, Ellis Major & family, Ivan Peterson & family, Dewitt Pratt & family, Luther Rolle & family, Derek Thompson & family, George Staten & family, Retired Senior Assistant Commissioner of Police Stephen Dean & family, Nadene Charlton & family, Florence Charlton & family, Susan Charlton & family, Darrel Garvey & family, Dorothy Williamson & family, Natasha Williamson & family, Anzlo Strachan & family Persis Charlton & family, Retired Chief Superintendent Sidney Deveaux & family, Maud Adams & the Deveaux family, Josephine Parker & family, Cheryl Charlton & family, Alvin Sewell, Ivy Charlton & family; special thanks: Nursing Officer II Prescola Rolle, Nursing Officer Sister Patrice Solomon, Staff Nurse Joyann McCoy, Nurse Bailey, Nurse Fox & Mrs. Thelma Rolle-Fernander Viewing will be held in the “Serenity Suite” at Restview Memorial Mortuary and Crematorium Ltd., Robinson and Soldier Roads on (TODAY) Wednesday from 10:00 am to 6:00 pm.
was probably here in the country. “We do know that Delta variant is the predominantly circulating strain worldwide and, in our region, and we also know that COVID is easy to spread across borders and with variant strains it’s quite easily spread and so there is no reason to think that Delta wouldn’t be here, especially as we continue to see this uptick in cases. “It’s what you do. The public health measures help protect against the Delta variant too and the vaccines you do have some significant protection against it.” Dr Forbes said there is also concern about continued mutations of the coronavirus. The Lambda variant was first identified in Peru in August 2020 and according to the World Health Organisation cases with the variant have now been identified in 28 countries. Dr Forbes said: “There are other variants that are emerging. As a matter of fact, there was yet another variant identified yesterday (apart from Lambda). “Scientists are studying to see what that means. Is
it going to be more infectious and if there will be any impact on vaccine coverage? “As long as COVID is spreading worldwide or anywhere the virus can change and mutant virus or variant viruses can cause things like strains, and it will become more contagious, and more people get sick. “So, we need to get a handle on this.” The new deaths mean there have now been 406 people lost to COVID-19. The deaths reported in the update on August 29 took place between July 16, 2021, and August 23. On July 16 and on July 30, three Grand Bahama women ages 52, 59 and 68 died. On August 4, a 46-yearold New Providence woman lost her battle with the virus. Three days later on August 7 a man, 48, and a 77-year-old woman died. On August 8 a man from Grand Bahama died. He was 54-years-old. On August 10 another woman from Grand Bahama died. She was 63. And then on August 13 a 66-year-old woman’s life was claimed by the coronavirus.
August 18 saw two deaths – a 67-year-old man from New Providence and a man, 91, from Grand Bahama. Four more deaths occurred involving Grand Bahamians. They were two women on August 20 ages 54 and 65 and women ages 78 and 36 on August 23. Then, in the latest update for August 30, a further ten deaths were confirmed as taking place between August 24 and August 27. On August 24, a 55-yearold woman from New Providence died. Then, on August 25, there were three deaths all in New Providence. Two women aged 27 and 47 died and a 43-year-old man. On August 26, there were four more deaths, three from New Providence - a 27-year-old woman and two men aged 57 and 65, and a 70-year-old woman from Mayaguana. Then, on August 27, two women died, a 60-year-old from New Providence and a 68-year-old from Long Island. The total number of confirmed cases has now reached 18,335 since the start of the pandemic. A total of 170 people are presently in hospital, with 12 in intensive care.
By LEANDRA ROLLE Tribune Staff Reporter lrolle@tribunemedia.net
New Providence, one from Mayaguana and one from Long Island. Yesterday, Mr Wells said since issuing several appeals to the public for the collection of human remains, many families have stepped up to claim their loved one’s bodies. However, he said there are some people who are still waiting until current COVID restrictions have been relaxed to collect their family members in order to host a proper funeral service. “Bahamians, we as a people like to memorialise our dead with the greatest of respect,” Mr Wells said. “And so, with the protocols in place and a reduction of who can actually be at the funeral and those circumstances, a lot of Bahamians are sort of holding off because they’re looking for the opportune time and we’re just encouraging them.” Asked if the government is considering taking matters into their own hands if the situation does not improve, Mr Wells suggested officials may be forced to take action, which could include conducting their own burial exercises once permission has been granted by family members. “There are a number of ways we can do it,” he told reporters yesterday when asked about the issue. “We can call the particular funeral homes where there are already arrangements with family members so that they could speed up the process. We can put it out again to the general public that they need to come and
collect their loved ones. “The government has in the past and also in circumstances because we do have some infants who are in the morgue and folks have not necessarily come back to claim them. This would’ve been in the process of birth and the child died and you would’ve had miscarriages and we considered those bodies as well. “So we’re looking at ways as to how we can address the circumstances, but we have had an uptake of persons coming in now to collect their loved ones,” Mr Wells added. “The measures that we’ve used in the past (is what) we’re seeking to use now.” This comes as the third wave of the COVID19 crisis in the country intensifies. Yesterday, Mr Wells reiterated that officials are relying on vaccinations and public adherence to the health measures to bring rising cases under control. He said yesterday: “I do believe by the end of September, and I personally believe even before the general elections we’re going to see a reduction in the numbers. We’ve seen it fluctuate and so we may see some numbers going down even before that time…. And at the end of the day, as long as we continue to vaccinate, we will get over this.” Mr Wells also admitted that additional recommendations by health officials have been put forward to Cabinet, but he did not disclose what those recommendations included. He only said they are being reviewed.
‘WE’RE LOOKING AT MORGUE STRAIN’ HEALTH Minister Renward Wells said the government is looking at several options to alleviate the strain on public hospital morgues which continue to operate beyond capacity as the country grapples with a surge of COVID-19 related and non-related deaths. Mr Wells said overcrowding has forced officials to increase its capacity at the facilities. “We expanded the morgue capacity,” he said. “We have some more freezers, mobile freezers that’s dealing with the amount of deceased persons that we do have. It is not at crisis level now but we’re observing it and as the Bahamian people come in and collect their loved ones for burial, it keeps it balanced because they’re moving persons out as others become deceased.” Mr Wells spoke as health officials recorded another 15 COVID-19 related deaths on August 29, which occurred between July 16 to August 23, and a further ten were recorded on August 30, occurring between August 24 and August 27. This is in addition to the 27 new deaths confirmed on Monday, which happened “over a period of five months from April 16 to August 24”, according to health officials. Twelve of the deceased victims reported on August 29 are from Grand Bahama, while the remaining three are New Providence residents. Of those reported on August 30, eight are from
‘NO OUTBREAK AT PRISON’ By LEANDRA ROLLE Tribune Staff Reporter lrolle@tribunemedia.net
NATIONAL Security Minister Marvin Dames said there is no outbreak of COVID-19 at the Bahamas Department of Correctional Services. “I don’t know of any outbreak,” he said when asked about the issue yesterday. “I think I was informed of a particular case that occurred outside of the prison and I’ll get the full facts when I get an update from the Commissioner.” Mr Dames said he was told that some officers had to quarantine after being exposed to the positive case but was unable to say how many prison officers in total are currently in isolation. He said: “I mean don’t
forget now, a lot of these persons are not residing at the prison and so they’re going to interact with people every now and again and persons with COVID they have to do the right thing. “Being in quarantine is not bad. I think it’s good and when you recognise that persons would’ve been in the presence of others who had COVID, you have to take the necessary precautions to ensure that you don’t have an outbreak.” The minister also said since the start of the pandemic, the number of infections at the correctional facility has been relatively low and added that officials intend to keep it that way moving forward. “I think the prison ought to be commended for the
work that the commissioner and his officers have done to date. I mean when COVID first started during the beginning of last year, you heard of these massive outbreaks in prisons around the world and we have been able to keep our numbers at a minimum and that’s our intention moving forward.” It is not clear when the vaccine rollout will take place at the prison, however, Mr Dames told reporters yesterday that officials are still working on plans in regard to the matter. According to the government’s latest vaccine tracker, 91,967 people have received one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine while 57,593 people have been fully vaccinated.
THE TRIBUNE
Wednesday, September 1, 2021, PAGE 5
‘Progress being made’ to rebuild after Dorian By TANYA SMITHCARTWRIGHT tsmith-cartwright@ tribunemedia.net
THE chairman of the Disaster Reconstruction Authority says while work is moving slowly, progress is being made to rebuild storm torn communities in Grand Bahama and Abaco. John Michael Clarke spoke to The Tribune yesterday, on the eve of the second anniversary of Hurricane Dorian’s landfall in The Bahamas. The monster storm touched down on Abaco on September 1, 2019 as a Category 5 hurricane before barreling toward Grand Bahama. It left massive devastation and death in its wake. He said the DRA is just moving out of the recovery phase of the disaster and conceded that reconstruction has not yet begun in earnest. “There are two ways to look at this,” he said. “If you are driving in a car and the car can only go five miles per hour, you’re driving at a slow rate, but because you are in the car, you are making progress. If you’re waiting on that person who’s driving the car
JOHN MICHAEL CLARKE, chairman of the Disaster Reconstruction Authority. to bring something that you need urgently, they will be driving too slowly for you. “So on one hand it is quite possible for you to be making progress, but at the same time that progress, unfortunately, may not be at the rate that is required to let the end users feel satisfied about it. It is not unique to this disaster. “That is the framework
for every disaster. Let me put this into context. The business of the DRA is reconstruction of disaster zones. And, reconstruction happens after a recovery phase. We are just coming out of the recovery phase. “Reconstruction has not been done in earnest as yet. It isn’t a case where you say, ‘Well it’s been two years and reconstruction is at this
point.’ Reconstruction can take us as long as we as a country are able to commit the time and resources in building back a more resilient Grand Bahama and Abaco.” The DRA chairman said the groundwork has been laid for reconstruction to take place, but how long will that effort actually last will depend on a number of factors. “As far as reconstruction works, the DRA started with working with some recovery projects and the primary projects were temporary housing which was the dome and small home repairs programme and modular homes in Sweeting’s Cay,” he said. “The domes and modular housing were temporary housing solutions and they were not reconstruction project solutions. They were solutions put in place to help people get to a point to reconstruct their homes. “The small home repair projects were for those who had moderately and minor damaged homes to get to a place of restoration. So those projects were recovery projects. “Then you had the big recovery project and that
was debris management and clean up. Last year we finished following the Department of Environmental Health Services and the Ministry of Works, we completed the community clean up … all the roads and streets. We set up a debris management site and we put contractors on the site to continuously manage the debris.” This, the chairman said, was done throughout the mainland both in Abaco and Grand Bahama and in the cays. He said the debris on those sites measured some 3.5 million cubic yards and had to be sorted and reduced so that project was extended another 12 to 24 months. “Another recovery project would have been schools done through the Ministries of Works and Education, the restoration at the Rand Memorial Hospital – the $21 million that was spent in that restoration effort – the minor repairs to the clinics and medical facilities throughout Grand Bahama and Abaco,” he said. “We are in the process of doing some marine clean up and then of course the Small Business
Development Centre provided economic assistance to small businesses in both Abaco and Grand Bahama. “The recovery and the way to recovery in these two islands is facilitated by the exigency orders that the government put in place since the passage of Hurricane Dorian where the disaster zones remain dutyfree and VAT-free.” He also mentioned the $3m Abaco centre which is expected to be the standard for all storm shelters locally. Outside of hurricanes, this building is set to be a community centre. Premier Importers is the developer of the Abaco Centre and the general contractor is FDS Construction. He said he expects the contractor will begin the foundation for the centre this month. Aside from the Abaco Centre, there is also the Central Pines housing development where the DRA is building houses in increments of five. The first five houses are currently under construction and scheduled to be completed sometime between September and October. This project is being funded by donors.
FUNERAL HOMES ‘EXTREMELY BUSY’ IN GB By DENISE MAYCOCK Tribune Freeport Reporter dmaycock@tribunemedia.net FUNERAL homes in Grand Bahama have been busy, especially in the past month because of the increased COVID-related deaths on the island. Bertram Pinder, of Russell & Pinder Funeral Home, reported that they have seen more deaths on the island. “We have been extremely busy,” he said. “It has definitely increased in the last month, six weeks, especially. We have gotten quite a few, mostly COVID-related deaths.” Mr Pinder — who has been in the funeral business for many years — said his staff have to be cautious when handling bodies they receive. “We are busier than normal, and we try to treat each body as if it is
COVID-positive because sometimes you don’t know until you get the documentation,” he said. He stated families are unable to see their deceased loved ones until the funeral. “Because they are not able to see them in the hospital when we get a body, they want to see it. COVID protocols allow graveside services only, which has been the norm,” Mr Pinder said. He encouraged persons in the community to get vaccinated. Health officials have said there have been no recorded deaths of fully vaccinated people with the virus. Bernadette Bartlett, of Restview Memorial Mortuary, also reported that it has been hectic. “We have been getting more calls related to COVID deaths,” she said. “It has been busy, but the hardest thing is that
so many families are not able to have the traditional funeral for their loved ones. “That has been very hard on families, not being able to have church funerals anymore,” she said. Due to COVID-19 protocols, a graveside service is only allowed for one hour and is limited to only 30 people. Ms Bartlett said these restrictions are difficult on large families. She also noted that the onehour does not allow for some traditional funeral readings to take place. Jamal McSweeney, of Yager Funeral Home, also reported an increase and said they are taking precautions. “We are also seeing an increase in calls of COVID deaths. We take the COVID protocols seriously, and we wear PPEs when dealing with the body, and conduct proper sanitisation,” he said.
‘PASS BILL SO CANDIDATES CAN BE PROPERLY SCRUTINISED’ By EARYEL BOWLEG Tribune Staff Reporter ebowleg@tribunemedia.net A GOVERNANCE reformer has said the Integrity Commission Bill should be passed to allow for an independent body to be able to scrutinise and vet the disclosures of election candidates. Matt Aubry, the Organisation for Responsible Governance’s (ORG) executive director, said the bill proposes to set up a commission to look at and receive any claims or concerns related to disclosures, conflict of interest or corruption. The bill was tabled in 2017 with the Ombudsman Bill, but they were never debated or passed. The validity of disclosures filed by election candidates have come under question after their financial declarations were gazetted by the Parliamentary Registration Department this week. In 2017, officials from the Parliamentary Registration Department and Public Disclosure Commission said they were not responsible for verifying the data put forward by candidates, insisting that responsibility lies with other government agencies. East Grand Bahama candidate and Kingdom Government Movement leader Kevin King declared
his net worth as $53,129,820, with the bulk of this figure coming from securities, making him the wealthiest person on the list of election candidates according to his disclosures. Yet, he evaded questions from The Tribune on Monday to clarify his net worth. Meanwhile, several incumbent candidates declared net worths which showed their finances had increased since they last ran for office in 2017. More than 55 millionaires are on the list of election candidates. Mr Aubry said the level of change that people are looking for is a more open environment—one where information is provided not just once but on an ongoing basis. He pointed to the Integrity Commission Bill that would have established this independent body to scrutinise these disclosures. “So as people come into public office, that initial declaration is going to be used and tracked by a group that will ensure that any issue that comes up and trends that are noted that they can be looked at and vetted….So that process is again another benefit this bill would bring forward and it builds trust and it brings more comfort,” he said. “This disclosure at the onset of election and this disclosure ongoing once
someone has been elected they should be looked at, tracked, understood. Clearly folks that are going towards office in our current scenario trends towards those who have more resources and that doesn’t necessarily mean anything negative.” He highlighted the limitation of the Parliamentary Registration Department in verifying disclosures. “If you look at the Parliamentary Registration (Department), their skill set is and what they’re looking to do - verifying these pieces of information is not what they’ve established or step up to do structurally,” he said. “If The Bahamas establishes the Integrity Commission, through legislation, as the body to annually receive and review disclosures by elected officials, it would make sense to incorporate the verification and vetting of disclosures by candidates seeking election as well. “In this way the process can be similar and can be sufficiently reviewed and tracked over the period of the elected officials service. This can ensure consistency, openness and accountability at the level that the public deserves. The only requirement for this is the passage of the Integrity Commission Bill with adjustment to include this provision.”
Graveside Service For Kathy Nicole Williams, 53
of Blair Estates will be held at Woodlawn Gardens on Thursday, September 2nd, 2021, 11:00 a.m. Officiating will be Melvin Grant, Senior Pastor, The Remnant Tabernacle of Praise. Kathy was predeceased by her parents: Kermit & Doreen Williams & Brother: Dwight Williams.
Among those cherishing the memories of this phenomenal woman; sisters: Karen Hawkins, Kayla Rahming, Kim Rahming, Wendy Williams & Agatha Williams; brothers-in-law: Vincent Hawkins, Cleveland Rahming & Craig Rahming; nieces and nephews: Candice Hawkins, Vincent Hawkins Jr., Harold Rahming, Carriss Rahming, Reshann Rahming, Renee Rahming, Darlene Dean, Nicoya Smith, Keeshan Fowler, Tamal Beneby; grand nieces & nephews: Rasheed Brown, Tyrese Rahming, Carlexia Rahming, Dior Stubbs, Mekhi Rolle & Royale, Turan Taylor, Tamaiya Beneby, TaQuinn Beneby, Tariq & Tacoy Carter; aunts & uncles: Erma Williams, Pastors Winston & Parnell Barker, Donna Williams, Lynn Wright, Anthony and Phillippa Williams, Althea Ferguson, Kendal Farquharson, & Minister Mable Farquharson, Pastor Arnold & Arlene Farquharson, Glenn & Hazel Farquharson, Ednol Farquharson, Robert Farquharson, Rev. Dr. Philip & Dr. Prescola Williamson, Cleomie Ferguson; cousins: Jensen & Anne Farquharson, Derick & Angie Farquharson, Charles & Darlene Williams, Mark Saunders, Chef Eldred Saunders, Keith & Deidre Sands, Gary & Anastacia Williams, Theresa Deleveaux, Debra Deleveaux, Andrea Deleveaux, Sonia Deleveaux, LaTasha Martin, Charles & Shannan Martin, Samantha Barker, Elwood & Tamara Bonimy, Ricardo Williams, Brenda Deveaux, Latina Bain, Tekoya Johnson, Tenova & Tarah Wright, Kermit & Romana Ferguson, Joycelyn & Dr. Ezekiel Stubbs, Anthony & Pamela Ferguson, Alson & Michelle Ferguson, Christine Ferguson, Linda & Simeon Brown II Esq., Vernique & Bishop Woodley Thompson, Steven Ferguson, Shenamae Ferguson, Dorcus Moss, Insp. Kelsey & Tanya Farquharson, Patrick & Schakeria Farquharson, ASP. Christopher & Tanya Farquharson, Sgt. Mario Farquharson, Pamela Farquharson, Insp. Sherico & Thelma, Paulette, Dorinda Farquharson, Pastor Claudine Farquharson, Cora & Kendrick Clarke Sr., Wayne & Patrina Farquharson, Warren & Gayle Farquharson, Pastor Erold Jr & Dr. Tracy Farquharson, Dr. Carnille Farquharson, Cleora Farquharson, Carlene Farquharson Esq., Rico & Dr. Yonia Farquharson, Renata Farquharson, Tyrone Farquharson, Michelle Farquharson, Talia & Cecil Willliams, Gary & Francine Farquharson, Carlese & Winston Henry, Zania & Irvin Arthur, Von, Renee Farquharson Esq., Shannon & Dianne Williamson, Lashanda & Sherrod Dorsette, Nolanda, Rashad, Kendra, Rolessa, Robert Jr., Deno, Kerah, Patrice, Shandera, Tanya, Kayla Farquharson, Prescott & Crissonda Williamson, Philip Jr. & Phyllcia Williamson, Patrina & Joseph Johnson, Gregory & Teresa Ferguson, Dennis Ferguson, Zelma Ferguson; numerous relatives & close friends: Rev Cedric Farquharson & Family, Children of the late Harris & Annie Collie, Raymond Farquharson & Family, Charles Farquharson & Family, Karen Golab, Sonia McIntosh-Chaplin, Jacqueline Smith, Flossie Cooper & Family, Shante Knowles, Stacey Williams, Maedale Woodside, Brickell Stuart, class of GHS 1985, Lynette Bain, Lavaughn Bland, Deone Wilson, Dominca Daleney, Cryshan Mather, and staff of the ECG Department of Princess Margaret Hospital, Deaconess Catherine Storr & Family, Muriel Williams & Family, Donna Dean, Verdie Kriz & Family, Valentine Farquharson & Family, Verlyn Scavella and Family, Marilyn Saunders & Family, Sheila Ferguson & Family, Doris Bridgewater & Family, Edna Ijeoma & Family, Hubert Fowler & Family, Retired Superintendent of Police, Jaciel and Daphne Williams & Family, Portia & Steve Barnett & Family, Ginger & Lennis Rahming & Family, Melonie Strapp, Nicola Strapp-Smith, Life Ministries Inc, Pastor Melvin Grant & Sister Donna Grant, officers and members of the Remnant Tabernacle of Praise Church Family in particular The Usher Board and Women’s Ministries. Viewing will be held in the “Serenity Suite” at Restview Memorial Mortuary and Crematorium Ltd., Robinson and Soldier Roads on (TODAY) Wednesday from 10:00 am to 6:00 pm.
PAGE 6, Wednesday, September 1, 2021
THE TRIBUNE
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Why is there no plan for the quarantined? A DEBATE is stirring over whether people in quarantine will be able to vote in the election. It was always likely that calling an election during a surge in COVID-19 cases would raise all kinds of issues – and here we are. National Security Minister Marvin Dames yesterday suggested that those in quarantine will not be allowed to vote, a position echoed by Health Minister Renward Wells, who said health officials believe those in quarantine should not be allowed to vote on the basis that it could potentially lead to further spread of the virus. It is a particularly frustrating discussion to have in the immediate aftermath of nomination day, which saw closelypacked groups of supporters dancing, hugging and failing to follow social distancing protocols. Mr Wells himself shrugged off the nomination day crowds, saying that the day “has passed now”. It’s a nightmare for healthcare considerations. We want people to be safe, and we want to stop the spread of the virus. At the same time, you don’t want to deprive people of their rights as citizens to play a part in choosing the next government. How many will have seen the crowds going out dancing on nomination day or packed together on trucks and decide to break quarantine and go and vote anyway? They shouldn’t, they put others at risk by doing so – but that’s the problem with others setting a bad example. We should have seen this coming. Neither the pandemic nor the election date has come as a surprise to the government. Prime Minister Dr Hubert Minnis chose this date – in the middle of a surge he knew was happening. Proxy votes or
postal votes could have been discussed and debated, for example, to ensure people were not disenfranchised. There are good things that have been done in preparation – such as expanding the categories of people who can take part in advanced voting. And there are good points that have been raised, such as doctors cautioning not to have people dip their fingers in the same ink as is traditional. But as it stands we have no solution for those in quarantine – or those who will be in quarantine by the time of the vote. Because it is those who come into contact with people in the coming days who will still be in quarantine on election day. In the meantime, try and protect yourself. If you haven’t done it yet, get your first vaccination. If you’re able to get your second, then you can be fully vaccinated by the day of the vote. That will help your safety, your health, and continue to reduce the spread of the virus. This debate about quarantined voters is far from over – and there seems little appetite to search for solutions.
An historic farewell
The Cabinet Office building is to be demolished. As a building, it has long had its troubles, but it is also part of our history, with decisions made in those walls that shaped our nation. Demolition is to take up to seven weeks, the end of the offices spanning the end of one government and the start of its successor. The landmark will soon be gone. Mark it well before it vanishes, and remember the achievements of our history.
Pandemic expectations EDITOR, The Tribune. WE ARE now in a fourth wave of this horrible pandemic. We are told that most of those in hospitals with COVID-19 are not vaccinated, and others who have been vaccinated. The variants are driving our population to distraction. The Province’s Business sector has been carrying on, doing business in a safe and managed manner. There are many questions being asked by the public with regards to our health and safety. 1. How will the unvaccinated affect the opening of the economy? Will there be another closure? 2. How can we be expected to visit entertainment, sporting and cultural/ festival events safely? 3. Do those unvaccinated have a responsibility to get vaccinated? 4. Will the opening of our schools carry with it a threat of super spreading events? The Provincial and municipal authorities in Canada tell us that there is a minor threat of COVID in our schools, so long as the staff and 12-years-old plus students are vaccinated. This directive was given in my opinion way too late in the summer. The authorities seem to have allowed businesses to develop their own policies to the management of their functional safety and operation. The establishment
of a COVID Passport/ certificate in Ontario is a possibility. Our Provincial Government continues with its on the fence attitude towards public health and safety. Encouraging the population to wear masks and get vaccinated. Their COVID Medical Club of @ 500 “specialists” are being disbanded. It seems The Ford Government has set an agenda for itself, then using so-called medical specialists as agents of good or bad news, diverting any blame or error from the administration and placing it onto others. Our Provincial government has been on the re-election trail all along. The administrations’ decisions regarding the protection of seniors, school children, and those working in essential industries have suffered because of this government’s inaction, indecisiveness and tainted public policy. Our Premier may have allowed his attitudes towards the protection of Ontario’s Corporate Business Sector to influence his public health policy and support of Industry Management who were under attack due to their mismanagement of various industries such as Senior living Centres and Meat packers to name a few. How can Ontarians go
to the theatre, see the Blue Jays or Raptors, or enjoy a busy festival safely when someone who sits beside us, stands behind us, or walks along side us could be infected with COVID? I have spoken to friends who have travelled by plane, and I can assure you their blood pressure and stress levels were not stable. I visited our ill grandma, and must say when the little children ran around us, I too cringed. I simply don’t know where or when my family will be safe. So long as our neighbours refuse to be vaccinated, this “fear of the possible” will exist. I have had to eject customers from my place of business because they apparently cannot read the signs posted saying “No vaccination No Entry”. This is not a joke. I know of friends and neighbours who have died from this virus and have had their health damaged for a long time to come. I don’t know what I will do when some one will again verbally assault me while I go to the bank, or make rude commentary while I stand in line at the grocery store because I wear a mask. Perhaps September will be a better month for us all. STEVEN KASZAB Bradford, Ontario. August 29, 2021.
The scourge of disinformation EDITOR, The Tribune. IF THE Bahamas and other nations were to be honest to themselves, COVID-19 could have been handled far better than today. The only reason for this disaster is not only placing political interests above human lives, but a military-style disinformation campaign against healthcare experts by other people or organisations willing to extend the pandemic and create more chaos to meet financial goals and gain more power. First it was defying lockdown mandates in the first few months of the pandemic, which eventually ruined recovery efforts at the end of Summer 2020 and made lockdowns less effective in the long run. Secondly, the vaccination rates plummeted thanks to further efforts from anarchist type groups on social media who falsely portray themselves as doctors and healthcare experts. These efforts have further set recovery efforts back and have also made restrictions worse in other countries like Australia. It’s clear that these activities aren’t random, isolated incidents of internet pranksters but rather multiple groups of people
LETTERS letters@tribunemedia.net willing to create more unnecessary suffering and destabilise economic growth. This style of mass disinformation is very similar to the tactics employed by military intelligence services during the Cold War and in other places and now various groups on the internet has learned to inflict the same level of damage to nations by means of deception and exploiting uneducated citizens for their own agendas. What’s more tragic is that the major social media platforms has consistently failed to combat the problem, and they even allow them to exist to spread their lies until they decide to remove them. Facebook, WhatsApp, Twitter, Instagram, Tik Tok and new right wing social media platforms are the grounds where disinformation campaigns are born and where they spread to society at large. Now the question is: How do we stop this in the Bahamas? The answer is that we’re out of options to negotiate for these organisations to stop spreading these lies, and it is the time for action
against the social media platforms who gave them the ability to run free. The Bahamas has allowed itself to be on the losing end of negotiations for decades, but it isn’t too late to stop disinformation from reaching the Bahamas. The government must give an ultimatum for the owners to either set up a national firewall to remove political groups from being accessed in the Bahamas or if these conditions aren’t met within a year, all social media platforms will be forever banned from this country until further notice. People may think these measures are draconian, but the level of damage inflicted on the pandemic recovery efforts is too high to risk these groups to spread propaganda in the Bahamas, which will make our restrictions and lockdowns worse. The Western world has already allowed itself to be deceived by military disinformation campaigns by rogue groups and social media should have never allowed themselves to be used as political pawns, but we must be the ones to change this tide and show them that we’re better than this. AMMAKA RUSSELL Nassau, August 31, 2021.
Farewell, AD Hanna EDITOR, The Tribune. TODAY is a sad day in The Bahamas as we laid to rest one of our national heroes and icons, the late Hon Arthur Dion Hanna, Sr. I wish to extend my sincere condolences not only to the Hanna family but to the entire country as we witness not only the death of one of our founding fathers but the end of an era. However, it is also a sad day for another reason. As our country is facing the dreaded COVID Virus which is taking the lives and health of so many of our people and is undoubtedly the worst crisis to face our country in living memory,
instead of Bahamians pulling together to fight this dreaded enemy we are deeply divided and fighting each other instead of this disease. The division is exacerbated by the fact that we face a general election in the next few weeks, and we are busily criticising everything that is being done to fight the virus, and spending more time complaining about the removal of Election posters instead of encouraging our people to take steps to protect themselves. As a result we hear people rejoicing that a new government may rid us of the very things that have been put in place to protect us, namely
masks, social distancing and vaccines. Our political directorate should be uniting in urging people to try and save their lives and the lives of those around them. But they are too busy trying to get elected and thereby spending too much time trying to bring down their opponents. I can only hope that people will see and recognise what is important and leave the politicians to their games. However. I fear, to paraphrase the Bard, that Common sense has fled to savage beasts and man has lost his reason. JEANNE THOMPSON Nassau, August 26, 2021.
THE TRIBUNE
Wednesday, September 1, 2021, PAGE 7
Marine guilty of pulling gun on his ex-girlfriend By FARRAH JOHNSON Tribune Staff Reporter fjohnson@tribunemedia.net A ROYAL Bahamas Defence Force officer was convicted of pulling a gun on his former girlfriend and her new lover yesterday and has been ordered to pay $5,000 to avoid spending 18 months behind bars. Police said Demeko Simms waved a black and silver coloured gun in the faces of his ex-girlfriend and her current boyfriend when he showed up her residence unannounced last year. Although he denied two counts of assault with a deadly weapon during his trial before Magistrate Samuel McKinney, he was
convicted of the offences at the close of his case. When Sergeant 3216 Percy Patton took the stand in July, he said he facilitated a meeting with Simms and the male complainant the day after the incident was alleged to have taken place. Sgt Patton said during the meeting, the man stated that Simms pointed a black and silver handgun at him while he was at his girlfriend’s Key West Street residence. Sergeant Jewel Gray also met with Simms and his ex-girlfriend. She said during their meeting, the woman said she was at home with her boyfriend when Simms came there “unannounced”, produced a firearm and threatened to kill her.
Meanwhile, the evidence of the defence was that Simms’ ex-girlfriend invited him to her house on the night in question. When Simms testified on Monday, he also claimed his ex told him her boyfriend pressured her to press charges and that she did not intend for the situation to escalate the way it did. After listening to witnesses from both sides, Magistrate McKinney said the court “accepted the evidence of the complainants over the evidence of the defence”. He noted that when Simms’ ex-girlfriend testified, she said she was outside her residence when the accused arrived uninvited. He added that based on Simms’ and his
ex-girlfriend’s testimonies, it was clear that although the woman asked him to leave, he still followed her inside her apartment. Magistrate McKinney said because of this, Simms’ entry could be considered unlawful. “The court considers that in cross-examination it was suggested that you never entered her residence,” he said. “But yesterday when you gave evidence you admitted entering the residence (showing) inconsistency in your defence.” Magistrate McKinney said another inconsistency he found was the fact that Simms said that he and his ex-girlfriend were not in a relationship at the time of the incident.
He said: “The court has to consider her evidence that suggests there was not an existing relationship between you all (that would justify) you showing up to her residence. You suggested you went there to catch her in the act, but if the relationship was over why would you still be interested in catching her?” Magistrate McKinney said in view of those facts, he found that the prosecution had proven their case beyond a reasonable doubt. As a result, he convicted Simms of both counts. Simms is represented by attorney Bjorn Ferguson. He asked the magistrate to be lenient as his client was a RBDF officer who had served the country as
a marine seaman for three years. However, Magistrate McKinney said that a person who swore to serve and protect should be held to a higher standard. He also told Simms that given his level of training and experience as a uniformed officer, he should have known when to use a firearm. As a result, he fined him $5,000 or 18 months in prison. He also placed him on probation for 18 months and warned him not to interfere with any of the witnesses involved in his case. Magistrate McKinney said if he failed to stay out of trouble within that time frame, he would be sentenced to six months in prison.
PRISON SENTENCE FOR VOYEURS ‘TOO HARSH’ By FARRAH JOHNSON Tribune Staff Reporter fjohnson@tribunemedia.net THE Court of Appeal has quashed the six-month prison sentences imposed on two men who watched a woman have sex through one of the windows of her home. Robin Jeantil and Rechard Charles were charged with trespassing and voyeurism after they went on the woman’s premises in Abaco without her permission on June 6. According to court documents, while there, the men “surreptitiously” observed the woman “engage in explicit sexual activity” at her Elbow Cay residence. During their arraignment, the men admitted to both offences and were each fined $50 for trespassing and remanded into custody for six months for voyeurism. Jeantil and Charles appealed their sentences
on the grounds that some “material irregularity” substantially affected the merits of their case. They further argued that the magistrate erred when she “proceeded to conviction and sentence” without giving them an opportunity to make a plea in mitigation. On Monday, Justices Maureen Crane-Scott, Milton Evans and Carolita Bethell quashed the appellants’ six-month sentences and replaced them with a $300 fine. In their judgment, delivered by Justice Crane-Scott, the panel said after reviewing the circumstances of the case, they agreed that the sentences handed down to Jeantil and Charles were too harsh. “As is well known, a sentence is unduly severe if it falls outside the range of sentences which the sentencing judge, applying his mind to all the relevant factors, and having regard to like cases, could reasonably
consider appropriate,” she said. “The offence of voyeurism is undoubtedly a serious offence involving an invasion of privacy. However, the mitigating factors in this particular case outweighed the aggravating factors. Accordingly, the imposition of a six-month custodial sentence on these appellants, who were both young men of previously good character, was not only severe, but unduly severe. “We accordingly quashed the custodial sentences and substituted a fine of $300 on each appellant to be paid in 14 days, or in default, imprisonment of three months. As we stated on July 15, 2021, we would ordinarily have imposed a fine of $350 for the offence. However, we reduced the fine to $300 to take account of the time which the appellants had already spent in custody relative to the (now quashed) six-month custodial sentence which had been imposed.”
CROCUS SACK HAD MARIJUANA INSIDE, OFFICER TELLS COURT By FARRAH JOHNSON Tribune Staff Reporter fjohnson@tribunemedia.net AN officer found a crocus sack of marijuana in the backseat of an ex-convict’s car two years ago, a court was told. Alicio Roker was charged with dangerous drug possession with the intent to supply after officers alleged they had found four taped packages of Indian hemp in his car in 2019. He denied the allegation when he first appeared before Magistrate Samuel McKinney and the matter
was adjourned for trial. When Inspector Harry Butler gave evidence yesterday, he said he and a team of officers went to Fire Trail Road after receiving a tip. He said when they arrived, they observed a burgundy coloured Nissan Cube parked in an open lot. Inspector Butler said he then observed the driver, who was later identified as Roker, getting out of the car before looking in the direction of his police vehicle and walking away. He said he then approached the accused
and searched him with negative results. He said when he and his partner took Roker back to his car, they noticed a crocus sack that contained four taped packages of marijuana sitting in “plain view” on the backseat. Inspector Butler said when his partner questioned Roker, the accused told him he got the drugs on credit because he had just come out of jail and was trying to get back on the streets. He was subsequently arrested. The case continues on September 10.
Graveside Service For Rev. Sybil Deveaux, 82
of Sherwood Drive will be held at Woodlawn Gardens on Thursday, September 2nd, 2021 at 11:00 a.m. Officiating will be Bishop Moses Johnson, (Administrative Bishop Church of God), Bishop Dennis Lafrenier (Pastor Emeritus), Pastor Brian Rolle (Greater Chippingham Church of God), Rev. Alfred Josey (Nephew) & Rev. Mechelle Rolle. Sybil is predeceased by her husband: Eric Deveaux; children: Craig and Denise Deveaux; parents: Bishop P.H. Patton and Dorene Patton (Minus).
Sybil is survived by her children: Rev. Eileen Johnson and Dr. James Johnson, Eric Deveaux Jr, and Janica Deveaux; grandchildren: James II (Toya), Jeron and Jaden Johnson, Shikira (Desmond) Bain and Eryn Deveaux, Sasha (Decosta) Pennerman and Danielle Deveaux; J’Vente, J’Mia, and Jamon Deveaux; greatgrandchildren: James III, Timothy, Shaniyah, Shiloh, J’Leah; siblings: Rev. Alfred E. Patton, Dorothy Bethel-Collins; sisters-in-law: Iva Beckford, Margaret Patton, Lena Patton, Desereen Patton-Nygard; brother-in-law: Dr. Thomas Bastian, O.B.E; nieces and nephews: Ann Ellis, Brenda Patton-Bowe, Iva-Jean McIntosh, Kendal Patton, Roderick Patton, Jeffrey Patton Fredericka Thomas, Lorraine Dawkins, Peter Patton; Robrette Patton, Emil Patton, Ravon Patton, Vonett Jones; Jacqueline Johnson; Alice Josey, Alfred Josey, Eric Josey, Kendlyn Williams, Glenn Josey, Dwayne Josey, Verona Seymour, Roger Josey, Detris Fernander; Daphne Herkley, Antoinette Douglas, Marcia Patton, Edward Patton, Simeon Patton and Karen Patton; Constance Gore, Mark Patton; Shantia Bethel, Andrew Bethel, Leazona Bethell-Bennett, Demeatria Edgecombe; Deborah Lightbourne, Ingrid Bethel, Bridgette Barrett, Leotha Wilkinson, Kevin Wilkinson; godchildren: Min Rose Campbell, Kendlyn Williams, Demeatria Edgecombe, Hylee Pratt, Georgette Jennings and Patricia Rolle; cousins: Rudolph, Jenny, Patsy and Audley Minus; Bernard Minus, Keith Minus, Dorothy Jane Minus-Jones, Antoinette Minus, Jackie Minus, Dee Minus; Lisa Swanson; Kayla Alleyne, Kendal Alleyne and many loving family and friends: Patton, Minus, Deveaux and Johnson families Patsy, Rudolph, Jenny and Audley Minus; Ethan Miller, Keith Hinzey, Michealla Francis, Megan Francis, Marcus Ferguson, Warren Neymour, Troy Neymour, Gaynell Neymour-Johnson, Keith Neymour, Carlton Neymour, Dexter Neymour and Shantel Hepburn, Jepther Stubbs; sister-in-law: Family of the late Miriam Smith, Rosemary Williams (California) and family, Family of the late Bernice Wilkinson, Family of the late Inez Williams, Seifert family, Children of Gloria and Arlington Cartwright, Jen Cartwright, Aniska Cartwright, Family of Arthur and Marina Hepburn, The Russell family of St Andrews Beach Estates, Sophia Barnett, Sophia Hanna, Donnell Smith, Tyronne and Jackie Perpall, Darlene Sands, Antonia Miller, Kino and Tiffany McCartney, Darlene Sands, Ernest & Patsy (Burrows) Houston, Patricia Rolle, Bahamas Fast Ferries, Callendars and Co. Church Family: National Overseer of the Church of God: Bishop Moses and Rev Cynthia Johnson, Greater Chippingham Church of God, Pastor Brian and Min Joy Rolle, Bishop C. Dennis and Delcina Lafrenier (Pastor Emeritus), The Council and members of Lighthouse Fellowship Church of God, National Secretary: Bishop Carlton and Min. Genesta Stuart and the East St. Cathedral Church of God family, National Treasurer: Bishop Joseph and Rev. Andrea Smith, Bishop Donnie Storr and the Western District Family, Bishop Victor Johnson and the Eastern District family, Former Pastors: Bishop John N. and Prophetess Jennie Humes, Bishop Samuel and Esther Mortimer, Bishop Kas and Pamela Brozozog, The family of Bishop Samuel Pinder Bishop Bobby Holmes (Maryland), Rev. Valerie Clanton (Virginia), Rev. Sybil Jones (Virginia), Rev and Sis Turner, Rev. Darville, Rev. Mechelle Rolle, Rev. Arlington Hanna, Mary Young, Roniel and Flexie Jones, Curlean and Ervin Fernander, Rev. Deborah Johnson, Rev. Andrew Hunter, Bridgette Hunter, The Neymour Family, The Minns family, Dorothy Burrows, Luther Burrows, Rolle family, Miller family, Johnson family, Bradley Rolle, Min Laurel Butler and the National Widows Ministry, Dec. Ethel Butler and Family, Min. Hazel Pinder and family, Rev. Clover Pratt, Rev. Edna Lopez, Dec. Berthamae Ferguson, Rev. Shirley. Smith, Rev. Marilyn Brown, Rev. Earnal Cleare, Rev. Katherine, Rodgers, Rev. Princess Smith, Dec. Walkes, Dec. Saunders, Dec. L. Johnson, Mother Edna Ferguson and family, Gail Newbold-Munroe, Joshua Johnson, Dr. Willis & Yvette Johnson, Angel Nixon, Tamika Campbell Neighbors of Sans Souci, Sands family, C. B. Moss, PS Joshua Sears, Luther Smith, Demeritte family, Brown family, Neely family, Sears family, Cooper family, and Rolle family. Special thanks to: Doctor’s Hospital West, Dr.Frederick Smith, Dr. Jason Thompson, Clinical Psychologist Delano Rolle, Prince Charles Medi Center, and many others to whom we are very grateful for their love and support. Viewing will be held in the “Serenity Suite” at Restview Memorial Mortuary and Crematorium Ltd., Robinson and Soldier Road on (TODAY) Wednesday from 10:00 am to 6:00 pm.
PAGE 8, Wednesday, September 1, 2021
THE TRIBUNE
Identifying the realities of virtual learning for our children By Alicia Wallace
THE return to the virtual learning environment is difficult for many parents and students. The last school year was difficult, barely transitioning from in-person teaching to the virtual learning environment. Parents must face several challenges at once. Their children need to have properly functioning devices and internet access at a minimum, and some may need tripods or other stands to keep devices an appropriate height. They need safe, comfortable work spaces to lay out books and supplies and write. Their spaces need to be appropriately lit and separate from other areas bustling with different kinds of activities that could be distracting to them and others in their classes. For younger students, there is a need for supervision to ensure they are paying attention and safely using devices as well as the need for technical assistance to manage muting and unmuting, using chat features, adjusting cameras, sharing work and reconnecting to the internet after dips in service. Supporting virtual
learning is not as simple as setting up a device and handing it over to the student. Lesson plans have to change to suit the virtual environment. It is not helpful to force activities planned for in-person school into the online learning space. It may work for some activities, but this is not what it means to transition or adapt to the demands of virtual school. Teachers need to engage students in different ways. It is more difficult to keep their attention, provide demonstrations and assess students’ understanding
and comfort level with the material. It is not as easy to see to read visual cues. It is also challenging to maintain control of the class as students may become distracted by other tabs and windows on their devices or activities in their physical spaces. In homes with multiple students, it is even more difficult to create environments conducive to learning. Who is capable of working independently in a more private space like their bedroom? Who can share a common space like the dining room without aggravating or distracting each
other? How many head- friends every day? How sets are in the house? Who do you think we can try can use noise-cancelling to make up for the time headphones? How will the you miss playing together? break times of two or more What was the hardest thing children be handled in one about virtual school last household? How will par- year, and what can we do to ents, working from home, make it easier now? participate in meetings with If you are working from their children speaking at home while your child is unpredictable times? Is the engaged in virtual learning, workplace making changes talk about your own expeto accommodate parents rience. What was it like for and guardians who share you when you had to transiworkspace with their chil- tion to working from home? dren and may need to offer What made it easier? What a system at any given time? are you going to do differThe switch to virtual ently now that you know learning is not affecting stu- what it is like? What do you dents alone. Their entire do when you are tired of households looking at the have to shift ‘It is not helpful screen? How to accommodo you deal date them. to force activities with boredom? The internet planned for inWhat kinds service will not person school of things did be the same. other people Meal times into the online do in the house will not be the learning space. while you were same. Electric- It may work for trying to work ity and grocery that upset you? bills will not be some activities, What is the same. best way for but this is not Even the what it means others in the dynamhouse to let ics between to transition you know they people in the or adapt to the need your help, household and how much demands of change based time do you on the amount virtual school.’ think you will and quality of need before time they spend together. If you can respond to them? they are constantly negotiThere is no reason to preating limited space, quieting tend everything is fine, to others or being quieted, hide the fact we are strughaving to ask for help for gling, or to avoid talking give help often, or feeling about issues we know will as though they are receiv- arise. ing more or less attention, One of the best things it will affect their relation- we can do as we navigate a ships and behaviour in ways situation we cannot control that they did not anticipate. is to recognize the eleIt is not enough to have a ments that are within our brief conversation about control, and that includes the academic expectations communication and relafor the school year. tionships. When children There need to be con- know parents are having versations about the way a difficult time too and this form of education is are identifying ways to affecting the students and deal with it, they have a the people around them. model for doing the same. We may not be able to They can name the issues change the circumstances and come up with healthy for the foreseeable future, coping mechanisms, even but we can have conversa- if they are unable to find a tions that help everyone solution. Where they have to better prepare for what trouble finding ways to is ahead by being honest cope, adults can help them about what they think it will to come up with Iieas. be like, what they look forIt is also possible, then, ward to most, what makes for parents to talk to teachthem nervous, the support ers about the concerns they they think they will need, have and those raised by and what they would like their children in order to done to make things more come up with plan to avoid comfortable. certain issues, recognize If your child is attend- when there is distress, and ing school virtually, ask take action to help the chilquestions that will help dren through it. you to understand their In the same way, open experience. How do you conversations about the feel about not seeing your stressors and complications
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of the pandemic and how they are affecting work life. Employers need to intentionally create space for employees to raise concerns, share their challenges, offer solutions and support one another without fear of judgment or retribution. For example, someone working from home with children in virtual school can share that their youngest child has a break from 10:00 to 10:15, so that is not the best time to have meetings. Someone may share their concern that their internet package is not sufficient for the amount of time spent in video calls. An employer can share their observations about productivity and output. There can be space for redistributing tasks, developing internal support systems, moving to a more flexible schedule, and trialing many different ways of conducting work in ways that are responsive to the needs of employees while reaching targets. Communication needs to be a consistent activity we are excited about engaging in, becoming stronger and more effective each time. It is not a sign of weakness to talk about what we are facing, how we may be affected, and changes we need to make in order to do better than just “making it.” It is a strength to be able to assess ourselves and our situations, hear about other people’s, and find ways to move forward. We spend too much time and energy guessing what others are thinking and the reasons for their behaviour. We are all better off when we can trust each other enough to be honest about vulnerabilities and exercise the kind of thinking and teamwork that leads to the identification of systems and practices to sustain collective forward movement. What have you assumed lately? What questions can you ask to get clear answers? What are you prepared to share, and what are you prepared to hear? How can you support the people in your space as you all navigate this challenging environment? The pandemic is not ending any time soon. We are not yet at the peak of the third wave. Our work and school circumstances are not likely to improve in the near future. For those who have not already done so, it is time to get real about where we are, recognize we are interdependent, and open up conversations about what we can do to help each other (and ourselves) along. Ask the questions you keep trying to answer for yourself, listen without judgment to what people need you to know, resist the urge to correct or argue about people’s perspectives, and focus on addressing the concerns that come up. Plan for collective success.
THE TRIBUNE
Wednesday, September 1, 2021, PAGE 9
SURVEY: OWNERS ARE FRUSTRATED WHEN LINKING PHONES TO VEHICLES By TOM KRISHER AP Auto Writer
RAM TRUCKS NO.1 FOR FEWEST PROBLEMS
DETROIT (AP) — Automobile quality rose last year, but glitches in pairing smartphones with infotainment systems frustrated owners more than anything, according to a large U.S. survey of auto owners. For the first time, a brand from Fiat Chrysler, now Stellantis, ranked No. 1 for having the fewest problems. Ram trucks finished first, followed by another company brand, Dodge, according to the annual survey by J.D. Power. Lexus, Mitsubishi, Nissan, Kia, Genesis, Hyundai, Jeep and Chevrolet rounded out the top 10 brands. Smartphone connections, mainly linking Android Auto and Apple CarPlay to automobiles, was this year’s top problem. It beat voice recognition as the survey’s No. 1 gremlin for the first time since 2011.
RAM pickup trucks pictured in Littleton, Colorado. Ram trucks ranked No.1 for having the fewest glitches in the U.S. survey of auto owners.
Connection Automakers have been trying to link phones to cars for more than a decade, yet the problem persists, said Dave Sargent, J.D. Power’s vice president of automotive quality. Now it’s the connection to make the Apple and Android systems show up on the vehicle screens, he said. “People see that their phone works fine by itself, but when they come to connect it to the vehicle, go through the Wi-Fi system, that’s where the problems exist,” Sargent said. Consumers quickly blame their vehicle, but tech companies are part of the problem and should share some of the burden in solving it, he said. About one-third of vehicles on the market in the U.S. have the ability to link to Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, and the problem is pervasive with all manufacturers, Sargent said. Auto and tech companies point the finger at each other, and the consumer is caught in the middle, Sargent said. Operator error isn’t the problem
because all the owners are doing is trying to connect, not use any of the features, he said. “I’m sure the industry will get it figured out, and in a couple years’ time, it will work better,” Sargent said. Mass market brands such as Ram continued to outperform luxury brands in the annual survey, largely because they don’t have as much glitch-prone technology as the pricier vehicles, Sargent said. Only pickup trucks were included in the Ram score, he said, because the brand’s other vehicles are commercial vans that largely aren’t sold to consumers. Owners reported 128 problems per 100 Ram trucks during the first 90 days of ownership, the survey found. Dodge owners reported 139 problems. The average among all 33 brands counted in the survey was 162. Another Stellantis brand, Chrysler, ranked last, with 251 problems per 100 vehicles. It was followed by Audi, Volkswagen, Volvo, Alfa Romeo, Land Rover,
Acura, Mercedes-Benz, Subaru and Mazda in the bottom 10. For most of the survey’s 35 years, the former Fiat Chrysler brands performed poorly in the annual survey, which in the past had been dominated by Japanese brands. But some of the Stellantis brands have improved steadily during the past decade, Sargent said. Last year Dodge tied for first, and Ram was tied for Third.
Controls Sargent said the company has worked hard to increase quality, putting controls in its factories so new models come out with few major problems. The Dodge brand also benefitted from having older vehicles in its lineup, giving the company time to go back and fix problems, he said. The Chrysler brand, though, had trouble with the quality of its Pacifica minivan, bringing down its
score. Nissan’s Maxima full-size car got the highest score of any individual model, with just 85 problems reported per 100 vehicles. The Initial Quality Study found that new vehicle quality improved 2% over 2020 levels, but the rate of increase is slowing. It had been 3% over the past decade. For the second year, the survey included a score for Tesla, the world’s top electric car maker. The company had 231 problems per 100 vehicles, an improvement from last year but still poor. J.D. Power said the brand can’t be ranked against others in the survey because unlike other manufacturers, Tesla doesn’t allow J.D. Power to survey owners in 15 states where an automaker’s permission is required. The score was based on surveys from owners in 35 states. The survey, taken from February through July, was based on 110,827 responses from people who bought or leased new 2021 vehicles, J.D. Power said.
ROBOTIC VEHICLE FIRM PLANS TO PUT FACILITY AT VEGAS SPEEDWAY By KEN RITTER ASSOCIATED PRESS LAS VEGAS (AP) — A robotics company that produces driverless vehicles for grocery, pizza and prescription deliveries said Thursday it intends to spend $40 million to put a manufacturing facility and test track in the Las Vegas area. Nuro, a firm founded in 2016 and based in Mountain View, California, announced it will build the manufacturing plant for the company’s nextgeneration autonomous vehicle in North Las Vegas and its closed test track at the nearby Las Vegas Motor Speedway. Gov. Steve Sisolak and U.S. Sen. Jacky Rosen joined Nuro co-founder Jiajun Zhu to announce the project, which in March received about $170,500 in tax abatements over 10 years from the Nevada Governor’s Office of Economic Development.
A SELF-driving Nuro vehicle. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin, File) Zhu pointed in a statement to partnerships his company has with pizza giant Domino’s, supermarket owner Kroger and delivery company FedEx, and operating in California’s Silicon Valley, Houston and the Phoenix area. “We are now able to invest in the infrastructure
to build tens of thousands of robots,” he said. Sisolak, a Democrat, pointed to a company promise that a $10 million capital investment will create 250 skilled tech-sector jobs during the next decade in southern Nevada. The remaining $30 million investment would go toward
long-term leases at the manufacturing and testing sites. Sisolak said the project could generate $2.2 billion in total economic value over 10 years. “It’s one thing to introduce new jobs to the state — and it’s another thing to introduce high-quality careers to our community,”
Sisolak said. Nuro is privately held and headed by Zhu and Dave Ferguson, two engineers in Google’s self-driving Waymo car project. The company received National Highway Traffic Safety Administration authorization in February 2020 to test up to 5,000 of its R2 autonomous robots delivering pharmacy items in Houston and groceries in Scottsdale, Arizona. The vehicles have package compartments, four-wheels, no pedals and no steering wheel. Nuro said it intends by next year, with help from Los Angeles-based truck and bus builder BYD North America, to produce its third-generation autonomous vehicle at the Las Vegas facility. It said the 80-acre (32.4-hectare) project will include the first end-of-line manufacturing facility for autonomous delivery vehicles in the United States.
TECHTALK GRANTS AWARDED FOR FARM ROBOTS, ENERGY STORAGE IN MAINE AUGUSTA, Maine (AP) — A pair of companies in Biddeford and Wiscasset have each received $250,000 grants through the Maine Clean Energy Innovation Challenge. Farmhand Automation, in Biddeford, is developing batter-powered farming robots to help farmers transition away from gas- and diesel-powered equipment. Peregrine Turbine Technologies, in Wiscasset, is developing turbine engine technology to store renewable power from solar and wind, making it available 24-7. “Innovative companies across Maine are leading the transition to a clean energy future,” said Democratic Gov. Janet Mills. The Maine Clean Energy Innovation Challenge, announced by the governor on Earth Day, aims to support companies with products or technologies that reduce carbon emissions, increase renewable energy and grow Maine’s clean energy economy. It is a joint initiative of the Maine Technology Institute and the Governor’s Energy Office.
TOP PAID iPHONE APPS: 1. Minecraft, Mojang loons TD 6, 2. B Ninja Kiwi otSchedules, 3. H HotSchedules eads Up!, 4. H Warner Bros. eom5. G etry Dash, RobTop Games AB rue Skate, 6. T True Axis rocreate Pocket, 7. P Savage Interactive Pty Ltd onopoly, Marma8. M lade Game Studio lague Inc., 9. P Ndemic Creations 10. Bloons TD 5, Ninja Kiwi
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PAGE 10, Wednesday, September 1, 2021
TWO KILLED IN STORM ROAD COLLAPSE LUCEDALE, Mississippi Associated Press
TWO people were killed and at least ten others were injured late Monday when seven vehicles plunged, one after another, into a deep hole where a dark, rural highway collapsed as Hurricane Ida blew through Mississippi, authorities said Tuesday. Heavy rainfall may have caused the collapse of twolane Mississippi Highway 26 west of Lucedale, and the drivers may not have seen that the roadway in front of them had disappeared, Mississippi Highway Patrol Cpl Cal Robertson said. The George County Sheriff’s Department received the first call at about 10:30pm. Robertson said some of the vehicles ended up stacked on top of each other as they crashed into the abyss, which opened up in a rural area without street lights. Ida dumped as much as 13 inches of rain as it blew through Mississippi, the National Weather Service said. “You can imagine driving at night with heavy rain coming down,” Robertson said. “It’s just nothing but a wall of water, your headlights kind of reflecting back on you.” State troopers, emergency workers and rescue teams responded to the crash site about 60 miles (96 kilometers) northeast of Biloxi, to find both the east and westbound lanes collapsed. Robertson said the hole removed about 50 to 60 feet of roadway, and is 20 to 30 feet deep. George County Sheriff Keith Havard told the Sun Herald that the sheriff’s department received a 911 call from a man whose car had plunged into the hole. “He said he was driving and all of a sudden he wasn’t driving anymore,” Havard said. “He didn’t understand what had happened. I can’t imagine anyone would.”
THE TRIBUNE
Biden defends end of ‘forever war’ WASHINGTON Associated Press ADDRESSING the nation, a defensive President Joe Biden on Tuesday called the US military airlift to extract more than 120,000 Afghans, Americans and other allies to end a 20 year war an “extraordinary success”, though more than 100 Americans and thousands of Afghans looking to leave remain. Twenty-four hours after the departure of the last American C-17 cargo plane from Kabul, Biden vigorously defended his decision to end America’s longest war and withdraw all US troops ahead of an August 31 deadline. “I was not going to extend this forever war,” Biden said in an address from the White House State Dining Room. “And I was not going to extend a forever exit.” Biden has faced tough questions about the way the US went about leaving Afghanistan — a chaotic evacuation and spasms of violence including a suicide bomb that killed 13 American service members and 169 Afghans. He is under heavy criticism, particularly from Republicans, for his handling of the evacuation, though it successfully airlifted more than 120,000 people from Kabul airport. But he said it was inevitable that the final departure from two decades of war would be difficult with likely violence, no matter when it was planned and conducted. “To those asking for a third decade of war in Afghanistan I ask, ‘What is the vital national interest?’” Biden said. He added, “I simply do not believe that the safety and security of America is enhanced by continuing to deploy thousands of American troops
PRESIDENT Joe Biden speaks about the end of the war in Afghanistan from the White House yesterday. Photo: Evan Vucci/AP and spending billions of dollars in Afghanistan.” In addition to all the questions at home, Biden is also adjusting to a new relationship with the Taliban, the Islamist militant group that the US toppled after the September 11, 2001, attacks, and that is now once again in power in Afghanistan. The last Air Force transport plane departed Kabul one minute before midnight Monday, raising questions about why Biden didn’t continue the airlift for at least another day. He had set Tuesday as a deadline for ending the evacuation and pulling out remaining troops after the Taliban took over the country. In a written statement on Monday, Biden said military commanders unanimously favored ending the airlift instead of extending it. He said he asked Secretary of State Antony Blinken to coordinate with international partners to
hold the Taliban to their promise of safe passage for Americans and others who want to leave in the days ahead. Blinken put the number of Americans still in Afghanistan at under 200, “likely closer to 100”, and said the State Department would keep working to get them out. He said the US diplomatic presence would shift to Doha, Qatar. Jake Sullivan, Biden’s national security adviser, said Tuesday of the effort to get remaining Americans out: “It’s just that it has shifted from a military mission to a diplomatic mission.” On ABC’s “Good Morning America”, he cited “considerable leverage” over the Taliban to complete that effort. The closing hours of the evacuation were marked by extraordinary drama. American troops faced the daunting task of getting final evacuees onto planes while also getting themselves and some of their equipment out, even as they monitored repeated threats — and at least two actual attacks — by the Islamic State group’s Afghanistan affiliate. A suicide bombing on August 26 killed 13 American service members and some 180 Afghans. More died in various incidents during the airport evacuation. The final pullout fulfilled Biden’s pledge to end what he called a “forever war” that began in response to the 9/11 attacks that killed nearly 3,000 people in New York, Washington and rural Pennsylvania. His decision, announced in April, reflected a national weariness of the Afghanistan conflict. In Biden’s view the war could have ended ten years ago with the US killing of Osama bin Laden, whose al-Qaida extremist network planned and executed the 9/11 plot from an Afghanistan
sanctuary. Al-Qaida has been vastly diminished, preventing it thus far from again attacking the United States. Congressional committees, whose interest in the war waned over the years, are expected to hold public hearings on what went wrong in the final months of the US withdrawal. Why, for example, did the administration not begin earlier the evacuation of American citizens as well as Afghans who had helped the US war effort? House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy, R-California, on Tuesday described the Biden administration’s handling of the evacuation as “probably the biggest failure in American government on a military stage in my lifetime” and promised that Republicans would press the White House for answers on what went wrong. “We can never make this mistake again,” McCarthy said. A group of Republican lawmakers gathered on the House floor on Tuesday morning and participated in a moment of silence for the 13 service members who were killed during the suicide bomber attack last week. They also sought a House vote on legislation from Rep Mike Gallagher, R-Wisconsin, which among other things, would require the administration to submit a report on how many Americans remain in Afghanistan as well as the number of Afghans who had applied for a category of visas reserved for those who were employed by or on behalf of the US government. The GOP lawmakers objected as Rep Debbie Dingell, D-Michigan, gaveled the House into adjournment and then gathered for a press conference to denounce the administration.
JEOPARDY PRODUCER OUT OF ROLE LOS ANGELES Associated Press
MIKE Richards is out as executive producer of “Jeopardy!”, days after he exited as the quiz show’s newly appointed host because of past misogynistic and disparaging comments. Richards is also no longer executive producer of “Wheel of Fortune,” according to a memo to staff that was confirmed by Sony Pictures Television, which produces both of the shows. “We had hoped that when Mike stepped down from the host position at Jeopardy! it would have minimized the disruption and internal difficulties we have all experienced these last few weeks. That clearly has not happened,” Suzanne Prete, an executive with the game shows, said in the memo.
PUERTO RICO PUTS LIMIT ON ALCOHOL SALES SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico Associated Press
PUERTO Rico’s governor yesterday announced new restrictions to fight a rise in COVID-19 cases, including closing certain private businesses and banning alcohol sales after midnight. Social activities such as concerts, weddings, birthdays and anniversaries also will be banned during those hours, and people will be required to wear masks outside if there is a crowd of 50 or more. In addition, elective surgeries that require the use of intensive care units will be prohibited. The measures will be in effect September 2-23 and affect businesses including restaurants and theatres.
TWO firefighters monitor the Caldor Fire burning near homes in South Lake Tahoe, California, on Monday.
Photo: Jae C Hong/AP
FIREFIGHTERS BATTLE TO PROTECT LAKE TAHOE SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, California Associated Press
A HUGE firefighting force gathered yesterday to defend Lake Tahoe from a raging wildfire that forced the evacuation of California communities on the south end of the alpine resort and put others across the state line in Nevada on notice to be ready to flee. The streets of the popular vacation hot spot, normally filled with thousands of summer tourists, were all but deserted after rapid growth of the Caldor Fire forced a mass evacuation of South Lake Tahoe on Monday and triggered hours of gridlocked traffic. The motel parking lots that line the town’s main artery were empty. At an evacuation centre in Nevada, Lorie Major said she had packed a bag in preparation to leave and was at the grocery store when she got the alert on her phone. “I had to tell myself: ‘OK, Lorie: Get it together. It’s time to go,’” she said Tuesday from the Douglas County Community & Senior Center in Gardnerville, Nevada. She put on headphones, turned on the Grateful Dead’s “Fire on the Mountain” and walked home to an
empty apartment complex already vacated by neighbors. She and her mini Australian shepherd, Koda, took a 20-mile taxi ride from her South Lake Tahoe apartment to a hotel in Minden, Nevada. Pushed by strong winds, the Caldor Fire crossed two major highways and burned mountain cabins as it swept down slopes into the Tahoe Basin. More firefighters arrived just after dark Monday, and many were dispatched to protect homes in the Christmas Valley area, about ten miles from the city of South Lake Tahoe. Thick smoke prevented air firefighting operations periodically last week. But since then, nearly two dozen helicopters and three air tankers dumped thousands of gallons of water and retardant on the fire, fire spokesman Dominic Polito said yesterday. The National Weather Service warned of critical fire weather conditions through Wednesday due to strong gusts, very low humidity and extremely dry fuel. As flames advanced toward South Lake Tahoe, residents just over the state line in Nevada faced evacuation warnings. Nevada Gov. Steve Sisolak on Monday declared a state of emergency, citing the high risk that the
California fire would burn into his state. At a news conference Tuesday in Carson City, which is about 20 miles from the fire, he said there was no timeline for when evacuations might be ordered. He noted that ash was falling on his jacket. “I’m standing here and I’m getting all ash particulates on my jacket, even,” the governor said. “This is serious, folks. This is extremely serious.” Casino regulators were monitoring operations at the four largest gambling properties in Stateline, the Nevada town adjacent to South Lake Tahoe, said Kelly Colvin, audit chief for the Nevada Gaming Control Board. Gambling has been significantly curtailed as staffing is limited due to mandatory evacuations in California, board analyst and spokesman Michael Lawton said. Hotels are housing evacuees and fire crews. In all, Harrah’s, Harveys Lake Tahoe Casino, the Hard Rock and Montbleu Resort have more than 2,200 hotel rooms. Evacuation shelters at community centers in Carson City and Douglas County were at capacity, officials said Tuesday. Additional sites were open at a park in Carson City, the Reno Sparks Convention
Center and a rodeo event center in Dayton and Lyon County fairgrounds in Yerington. At the senior centre in Gardnerville, people had their temperature checked and answered questions about the coronavirus before entering a gymnasium of cots set up by the Red Cross. Outside, evacuees who had stayed in tents sorted through ramen noodles and plastic bags of clothes and keepsakes. The threat of fire is so widespread that the US Forest Service announced on Monday that all national forests in California would be closed until September 17. “We do not take this decision lightly, but this is the best choice for public safety,” Regional Forester Jennifer Eberlien said. More than 15,000 firefighters were battling dozens of California blazes, including crews from Utah, Washington, Wisconsin and West Virginia, said Mark Ghilarducci, director of California’s Office of Emergency Services. Crews from Louisiana had to return to that state because of Hurricane Ida, he said. Only twice in California history have blazes burned from one side of the Sierra Nevada to the other, both this month, with the Caldor and Dixie fires, Porter said.