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FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 3, 2021
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Bahamas in ‘dire straits’ without urgent reforms By NEIL HARTNELL Tribune Business Editor nhartnell@tribunemedia.net ANTI-CORRUPTION campaigners yesterday warned that mere political promises will not cut it as The Bahamas faces “dire and irreversible circumstances” unless the next administration adopts urgent reforms. The Organisation for Responsible Governance (ORG), issuing a call to action for all candidates seeking to become MPs at the upcoming September 16 general election, urged them to commit to policies that would deliver the “transparent and accountable governance” that The Bahamas desperately needs to rebuild its economy and society in the wake of COVID-19 and Hurricane Dorian’s devastation.
• Anti-corruption group: ‘Promises won’t cut it’ • Urges all election hopefuls to commit to change • ‘Sub-standard governance’ worsened by COVID Asserting that this is no time for empty words and rhetoric, the six-page “open letter” identified a series of policies the group said should be priorities for the next administration as it urged: “ORG stresses the
obvious to all candidates: Promises sound good, but solid plans lead to meaningful, inclusive and positive growth.” Matt Aubry, ORG’s executive director, told Tribune Business that the intention behind publishing the letter
ADRIAN FOX.
COVID delays Island Luck co-founder’s US sentencing MATT AUBRY was to “create a dialogue that starts to move from promises to a plan”. He explained that the group was trying to drive political candidates to commit to implementing reforms
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Super Value: We won’t break law on COVID tests By NEIL HARTNELL Tribune Business Editor nhartnell@tribunemedia.net SUPER Value’s newlyappointed president yesterday promised it will not make employees pay for weekly COVID-19 tests if this is deemed to violate the law. Debra Symonette told Tribune Business that the 13-store chain, which also trades under the Quality Supermarkets brand, had yet to determine whether it would pay for these rapid antigen tests or if it would require unvaccinated staff to do so.
“This company hasn’t made a decision as to whether they’re [employees] are going to pay or not,” she affirmed. “What we’ve decided to do is wait until the end of September, which is the deadline given for employees to get vaccinated. We specifically said they’re going to have to take the test, but didn’t say they have to pay. “That is when we will make them do the test, and decide whether to make them pay. Hopefully it will be cleared up by then because if it’s not lawful we won’t do that. The labour people said they are
Airport bidders called on to give credentials By NEIL HARTNELL Tribune Business Editor nhartnell@tribunemedia.net THE Government will require interested bidders on airport upgrades collectively worth near $400m to present their credentials by September’s second week, its top aviation official revealed yesterday. Algernon Cargill, director of aviation, told Tribune Business that the Government is holding a pre-qualification phase for its Grand Bahama International and Family Island airport private-public partnerships (PPPs) in an effort to separate qualified bidders from those that lack the qualifications and track record to succeed. “The request for qualification notice will be issued by the second week of September,” he affirmed,
ALGERNON CARGILL “where we pre-qualify the bidders and qualify them for the Request for Proposal (RFP) phase. This project is independent of the election. We are proceeding because this is a government initiative, not a political initiative.”
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AML targeting slash to $6.8m shrinkage By NEIL HARTNELL Tribune Business Editor nhartnell@tribunemedia.net AML Foods is targeting an improvement in inventory shrinkage during its current 2022 financial year after failing to achieve the anticipated reduction
during the 12 months to end-April 2021. The BISX-listed food retail and franchise group, in its 2021 annual report, revealed that shrinkage for that year was equivalent to almost 4 percent of
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looking into it, so hopefully they will come back and let us know.” Super Value earlier this week was revealed to have written to all employees informing them that if they were not vaccinated by September 30 they would have to take weekly rapid antigen tests to confirm they were free of the COVID-19 virus. Mrs Symonette, in an August 26, 2021, memorandum wrote: “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.... After September any employee that is not
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• Adrian Fox tested positive for virus August 31 • Judge puts hearing back 30 days to October 15 • US travel protocols block September 15 date By NEIL HARTNELL Tribune Business Editor nhartnell@tribunemedia.net A CO-FOUNDER of the Island Luck web shop chain has persuaded a US federal court to delay his sentencing by 30 days because he has become ill with COVID-19. Attorneys for Adrian Fox, in a September 2, 2021, letter to Judge Denise Cote had initially requested that sentencing be put back by 28 days until October 13, 2021, as their client’s illness meant he would not be able to comply with US COVID entry guidelines in time for the original September 15 hearing.
However, the judge in the southern New York district court granted Mr Fox an additional two days until October 15, 2021 according to documents obtained by Tribune Business. “Defendant Adrian Fox respectfully requests that his sentencing be adjourned for 28 days (until October 13, 2021). The [US] government has informed defense counsel that it assents to this request,” his attorneys wrote. “Mr Fox, who lives in The Bahamas, was scheduled to travel to New York on September 15, 2021, for a Rule 11 hearing followed immediately
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Businesses must ensure that ‘no child left behind’ W
hen businesses support schools and the educational system through various public-private partnership (PPP) opportunities, it helps produce a better educated workforce. Whether it is internships, incentive programmes or gifts to schools, these gestures better prepare students to enter the workforce following graduation. The obvious benefit is better-trained employees for businesses to hire and an educated citizenry. Today, the needs that schools have (public and private) are so much greater. Remote teaching and virtual learning has become the mainstay for our students and teachers, but despite being in this position for more than 16 months, there are many who have still not made the safe adjustment and transition. The roads are still crowded with students during normal school hours when classes are in full swing; truancy numbers have likely risen to unprecedented levels; teachers still struggle on connecting with parents and students in the virtual space; and administrators are grappling with trying to manage in this new age. Now, more than ever, businesses who have transitioned into the ‘technology world’ must provide
the assistance and support that our educational system so desperately needs. This column today focuses on some of the ways Bahamian companies can lend a hand. 1. Donate computers (new and refurbished) Besides desks, textbooks and chairs, computer systems and tablets have become the most valuable school supplies. Struggling parents are often not able to supply their children with this necessary resource. Businesses can certainly assist by providing refurbished or new computers for the children of their employees and local communities. 2. Encourage your staff to become involved Research tells us that students do well when parents are involved. Companies should encourage staff to be a part of their children’s school lives through literature, incentive programmes and training initiatives. Attending PTA (parent/ teacher association) meetings; meeting periodically with teachers and school administrators; and having a presence in school life at special assemblies should all be allowed and encouraged by the employer.
3. ‘Award the A’s’ programme As a means of promoting excellence, employers should gather the report cards of employees’ children and celebrate publicly those who have performed well. Assistance and counselling may be given to those children who either have no reports to show, or where the reports are below the school’s standards. Either way, everyone wins when we applaud the diligent and give help to the struggling. 4. Be a part of the virtual experience The virtual classroom affords so many great opportunities to take the classroom beyond where it has been. All businesses should offer their technical support and professional expertise to periodic visits into the virtual classroom. Nothing brings the learning alive more than the hands on-experiential words and demonstration of the trained professional. 5. Create a comfortable ‘hotspot’ zone and safe space for students With hundreds of homes without electricity, and hundreds more without Internet connectivity, virtual learning becomes impossible for literally thousands of students. Perhaps it is time to become creative and set up a parking lot, pavilion
IAN FERGUSON and spare room classrooms for our children who would normally be roaming the streets without access to the virtual platform provided by the Government. Our mantra has to become ‘no child left behind’. • NB: Ian R Ferguson is a talent management and organisational development consultant, having completed graduate studies with regional and international universities. He has served organsations, both locally and globally, providing relevant solutions to their business growth and development issues. He may be contacted at tcconsultants@ coralwave.com.
Insurer hires new office manager for Freeport CG Atlantic Medical & Life has hired 25-year sales and marketing veteran, Denise M Adderley, as office manager and account executive for its Freeport office. “We are pleased to welcome Denise Adderley to our team. We are confident that she has the requisite skills to take our Freeport office to the next level and make a significant impact on the insurance industry as a whole,” said Annastasia Francis, vice-president of Atlantic Medical Insurance, which trades as CG Atlantic Medical & Life. “Denise has a wealth of sales and marketing experience in hospitality and telecommunications, with a concentration in communications, strategic planning, research, client relationships, customer service and business development. So we look forward to the seeing how she will
DENISE M ADDERLEY lead our Grand Bahama team in delivering exemplary customer service and expanding the client base with our premiere products and service offerings.” The CG Atlantic group includes Atlantic Medical Insurance trading as CG Atlantic Medical & Life; Security & General Insurance Company trading as CG Atlantic
General; Nassau Insurance Brokers and Agents trading as CG Atlantic Agents; and Coralisle Pension Services (Bahamas) trading as CG Atlantic Pensions. “I am pleased to join the CG Atlantic Medical & Life team and partner with an organisation where people come first. And, in my case, we are putting Grand Bahamians first,” said Mrs Adderley. “This has been a benchmark throughout my professional life as I always seek to offer services to enrich the lives of my community members and bring convenience to their day-to-day operations.” Raised in Grand Bahama, Mrs Adderley joined Aliv in Grand Bahama in October 2016 and was instrumental in setting up initial operations and managing the corporate sales team. She later
transitioned to senior program and business developer. Prior to that, from 2014 to 2016, Mrs Adderley served as the Bahamas director of sales and marketing for Blue Diamond Hotels & Resorts, which was owned by Canada-based Sunwing. She was responsible for all sales and marketing programmes and initiatives for Memories Grand Bahama Beach and Casino Resort. She was also responsible for promoting all Blue Diamond brand properties throughout the Caribbean. Mrs Adderley has also served as director of marketing services at the Grand Bahama Island Tourism Board for 21 years, directing and collaborating on major tourism projects. She is also a two-term director of the Grand Bahama Chamber of Commerce.
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SCOTIABANK BOOSTS MOBILE APP AFTER 61% USAGE RISE By NEIL HARTNELL Tribune Business Editor nhartnell@tribunemedia.net SCOTIABANK yesterday said it has added new features to its Scotia Caribbean Mobile App following a 61 percent increase in customer use of digital banking channels during the COVID-19 pandemic. “We have seen a huge increase of 61 percent in the use of our mobile and online banking channels over the past 18 months, which we are sure is partly due to the ongoing COVID-19 restrictions on in-person branch visits,” said Na-amah Barker, Scotiabank (Bahamas) director of retail banking. “We are very pleased to introduce these added features to our mobile app as we aim to make the digital banking experience even safer and more convenient than before.” Scotiabank said some of the app’s latest upgrades include: * A redesigned flow for ease of use, which helps customers conduct transactions faster. For example, customers can better search their transfer recipients to facilitate a third party transfer. * Transferring funds to loan accounts. Customers can now transfer funds from their deposit account to their loan account to make a pre-payment (for up to two future payments). * Transferring funds to another customer’s loan account. Customers can now transfer funds from their deposit account into another Scotiabank customer’s loan account.
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FREEPORT’S CUSTOMS SWITCH RELATIVELY SMOOTH THUS FAR By YOURI KEMP Tribune Business Reporter ykemp@tribunemedia.net
FREEPORT-based importers and Customs brokers yesterday said they have yet to experience any major issues with the justimplemented Electronic Single Window (ESW) for clearing goods. Speaking just over 24 hours after the ESW, known as Click2Clear, was brought into operation on Grand Bahama, they said the transition had been relatively smooth thus far and was a welcome relief from having to clear import shipments manually throughout August following the failure of Customs’ previous Electronic Customs Automated Services (eCas) system. Tony Adderely, managing director of Expert Customs Brokers in Freeport, told Tribune Business: “Let me put it this way: Everything that they wanted to put into effect is in effect. This is just the second day and I imagine that like anything else when there is a new roll-out of something there may be a few glitches. “They [Customs] will satisfy them with the people they have at the IT group. They’ve been very good at assisting and trying their best to make it work. With some of the people attached to the IT branch, I have known them for a while and they are pretty good people. So I’m hopeful that once it is up and running some things are going to be reasonably adjusted.”
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Friday, September 3, 2021, PAGE 3
Avoid ‘Junkanoo and sports team’ politics By YOURI KEMP Tribune Business Reporter ykemp@tribunemedia.net BUSINESS owners yesterday warned against adopting “a Junkanoo and sports team” approach to politics as they prepared to review the Free National Movement’s (FNM) justreleased manifesto. Dwayne Higgs, WHIM Automotive’s general manager, said he expected to have reviewed the governing party’s general election campaign platform by the time the Bahamas
Motor Dealers Association (BMDA) holds its next meeting where the contents will likely be discussed. “When we get together we have people from all sides of the spectrum with different opinions, which is good and the way it should be. You should be able to have different opinions,” he added of the BMDA meeting. “I just wish we would stop taking a Junkanoo and a sports team approach to politics, because that’s what we do. We pick a side and we rail against the other person just because they are on the other side.
There’s no reasoning and there’s no logic. There’s no debate on the issues; just a very high school and immature approach.” Upset with petty name calling and finger-pointing during election season, Mr Higgs said this had become more “mild” as the campaign wears on. Yet he argued that such behaviour only panders to the “lowest common denominator”. Mr Higgs added that he had not read a “revolutionary” party platform since the FNM’s 1992 general election manifesto, but promised he will read the
2021 version in the coming days. Gregory Sherman, owner/operator of G.S. Landscaping Company & Property Management, told Tribune Business that the Free National Movement was the “better of two evils” when it came to deciding who should be the next Bahamas government. He said: “Everything is going good with me. Things are a lot better than what I expected, and when the dust is settled and when you ask sensible thinking Bahamians, you will realise that they feel that the FNM is the better of two evils. If
we want stability, and if we don’t want constant allegations being perpetrated all over social media, then they are the party to go with.” Adding that he has not read the recently-published FNM manifesto, Mr Sherman said he will assess it over the weekend and digest what is being proposed for a second term under the leadership of Dr Hubert Minnis. Other business owners contacted by Tribune Business said they have not read the FNM’s manifesto and declined to comment until they have done so.
US COVID downgrade may hit tourist bookings By YOURI KEMP Tribune Business Reporter ykemp@tribunemedia.net THE Bahamas Hotel and Tourism Association’s (BHTA) president yesterday said the nation’s recent COVID ‘downgrade’ by US health authorities is likely impacting bookings as the industry heads into its slowest period. Robert Sands told Tribune Business there was “no question” that The Bahamas’ return to so-called ‘level four status with the US Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), recommending that Americans do not travel because of the high level of COVID-19 cases in this nation, would have some effect on forward bookings - especially group bookings. However, he added that he largely agreed with the assessment by minister of tourism, Dionisio D’Aguilar, that the Bahamian tourism industry had enjoyed a “very impressive” rebound from the global pandemic with July’s air arrival numbers - as measured by The Bahamas’
of business: Number one, back to school; number two, the height of the hurricane season; and number three, the pandemic. So all of these things are at play at this particular point and time this year.” “What really we’ll be looking at is that there is
no question that the reclassification to ‘level four’ is having some impact on bookings, forward bookings and, in particular, group bookings. We will have to see how that really pans out on a month-to-month basis going forward.”
PUBLIC NOTICE ROBERT SANDS health travel visa - down just 14 percent compared to 2019 levels. Moving forward, Mr Sands said consideration must be given to the fact that the period from early September to Thanksgiving includes the “historically slow months” when assessing the sector’s performance. It has yet to be determined how uncertainty associated with the COVID-19 pandemic, and
US travel advisories, impact stopover visitor numbers moving forward. Mr Sands said: “There are two things at play here. September, October and November are traditionally a soft three months of the year. So you will see some business fall off, and the question will be in comparison to other years. “There are normally some other events that also contribute to the level
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PAGE 4, Friday, September 3, 2021
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Bahamas in ‘dire straits’ without urgent reforms FROM PAGE ONE in a way that was effective and could be benchmarked by agreeing to timelines for this to happen. Obtaining agreement from individual candidates, Mr Aubry said, would help to ensure their party was also committed if they won the Government on September 16. And he added that ORG’s letter was also designed to create a ‘road map’ for Bahamian voters to hold politicians to account by requesting details on when, and how, reforms designed to benefit the Bahamian people will be enacted. The administration that takes office on September 17 will govern at a pivotal time for The Bahamas given the twin economic and fiscal crises that the country faces post-COVID and Dorian. Mr Aubry argued that The Bahamas “doesn’t have that luxury” of pushing vital reforms “down the road” any longer, and that words must now be replaced with urgent, focused and determined action to address long-standing weaknesses. Noting that many of the reforms identified in ORG’s letter had been kicked around and debated for at least two administrations, he said that “being listed in one party’s manifesto is not enough” given the extent of
the problems faced by The Bahamas. “The Bahamas finds itself at a critical juncture, and failure to achieve significant progress in the next administration can result in dire and irreversible circumstances. The needs of the political parties and the politicians must not eclipse the greater needs of the nation of The Bahamas,” ORG charged in its letter. “ORG stresses the obvious to all candidates. Promises sound good, but solid plans lead to meaningful, inclusive and positive growth. The Bahamian public deserves plans for change that are specific, measurable, achievable, realistic and anchored within a believable timeframe. This commitment to transparency and accountability can be the difference between a shortterm electoral victory, and the longer-term sustainability and success of the nation.” Turning to the reforms it had listed, the group added: “The actions identified represent difficult but necessary steps forward that exist outside of a political agenda. ORG will continue to encourage Bahamian citizens to hold their candidates accountable, and offers the issues and actions highlighted in this letter for use by the public as
benchmarks for each aspiring Member of Parliament and Senator over the next five years. “We will continue to educate and engage with citizens to increase their responsible involvement in governance, including what they should expect of their elected officials and how to distinguish between an unrealistic idea and a sensible strategy.” Many of the policies detailed by ORG have been debated, identified and suggested by successive administrations, or are included in the major parties’ 2021 campaign manifestos. They include adopting the National Development Plan, largely shelved by the Minnis administration, as the “apolitical” road for guiding comprehensive reform something the Progressive Liberal Party (PLP) has committed to. Full enactment of the Freedom of Information Act, and passage of the Integrity Commission Bill and Ombudsman’s Bill, which are all issues dear to ORG, are also listed. The group is also calling for a Public Service Act “that more clearly distinguishes the oversight and management roles between ministers and senior government officials”, while also establishing performance-based benchmarks for civil servants. Fixed election dates; term limits for Prime Ministers; campaign finance reforms; and an independent Boundaries Commission are some of the pledges made by previous administrations but never delivered upon, with ORG also calling for passage of a Patient’s Rights Bill. The group’s economic reform plans largely called for the next administration to follow through on initiatives that are either
in play or have long been discussed, such as energy reform (talked about for at least 15-16 years); development of a National Land Use Plan; and committing “to a publicly available plan to reduce the burden of State-Owned Enterprises (SOEs on the public purse with clear benchmarks and timelines”. It also suggested that the next government “link unemployed persons receiving National Insurance Board (NIB) and other government benefits with opportunities to upskill and perform volunteer service with community-based not for profits and faith-based organisations”. Mr Aubry told Tribune Business that ORG’s “open letter” was intended to obtain commitments from aspiring political leaders to “specifically identify priorities and actions”. Should they be elected, and their party win the Government, this would “accelerate” momentum for change. He added: “The hope is they become a key item in their playbook and reminder of what needs to be done. “There’s a lot in progress. The encouraging thing is many of these things are in the works, and they may have been in the works for the last two administrations. They should be things that are realistic, achievable and bring results in the short to medium-term. “Any group that gets in and which is committed to these, hopefully in a short time they will show obvious demonstrable change that shapes where we go in the future.” Mr Aubry said many of these ideas had already been vetted and approved by the likes of the Chamber of Commerce; Bahamas Bar Association; Civil Society Bahamas; the National Development Plan and Economic Recovery Committee (ERC).
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NOTICE is hereby given that LAWENS LUCIEN, of Marsh Harbour, Abaco, The Bahamas applying to the Minister responsible for Nationality and Citizenship, for Registration Naturalization as a citizen of The Bahamas, and that any person who knows any reason why registration/naturalization should not be granted, should send a written and signed statement of the facts within twenty-eight days from the 27th day of August, 2021 to the Minister responsible for nationality and Citizenship, P.O. Box N-7147, Nassau, New Providence, The Bahamas.
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“A lot of the work has been done. It’s really how we ensure the execution,” he added. “It requires some very clear short-term action.” Praising the PLP for pledging to introduce anti-corruption legislation within 100 days of taking office, the ORG executive director said it would be even stronger if the specific Bills were detailed along with timelines for their passage, and how they would be vetted and consulted upon with the wider public. This, Mr Aubry said, was how promises were converted into “a more specific plan” that will allow Bahamians to hold their leaders to account. “They cannot sit in a queue too long or you will miss the opportunity,” he added. “The election is crucial, but the day after is even more important. We want to be thinking about after this moment in time: What happens after the election?” Pledging that ORG and other like-minded groups will “be at the doorstep” of the new government “the day after the election to identify and prioritise key issues”, Mr Aubry said: “By publishing this our hope is that it creates a dialogue that starts to move from promise to plan.... “It’s a particularly complex and challenging environment, and no one would have expected a double crises would be something the Government would have to contend with but we’re in the position where that’s current and the failure to address some governance challenges has put us in a more difficult place. “The lack of movement on these long-standing governance, economic and education issues has been further compounded, and cannot be pushed down the road any longer,” he added. “We have to set a course, which will not be quick and easy, but one we have to follow through to a longterm solution. “We cannot keep tacking this way and that, and have to deal with the waves that come, but it has to be understood, achievable and
supported. This is an important time to see where we’re going to go, and hopefully it levels off if not improves. Down cannot be an option.” Calling on the election candidates “to publicly commit to actionable, realistic and sustainable reform on areas that have long prohibited the forward development and progress of The Bahamas”, ORG said this was “vitally necessary to achieving a thriving Bahamas where accountable and transparent governance allows every citizen, business and group a meaningful say in decisions that affect their future while being provided equal access to opportunities”. It added: “Despite acknowledgement of the need for improvement in accountability, transparency, effectiveness and efficiency in governance by subsequent administrations, there remains significant long-standing issues. “While ORG acknowledges that some progress has been made, the status quo in governance and politics has not been able to sufficiently address these problems and has, in fact, created massive inefficiencies by perpetuating sub-standard governance practices. “The ‘behind closed doors’, ultra-political environment that has prevailed for years does not support the creation and completion of modern, open, inclusive, data-driven, long-term solutions and policies which are necessary for the positive and sustainable future of The Bahamas.” Solving these issues that “plague” The Bahamas, ORG said, “should not be seen simply as issues to be solved as part of a partisan agenda. They affect every segment of the nation, and their resolution will require commitment, action and sacrifice from all who call The Bahamas home regardless of party affiliation”.
NOTICE
NOTICE is hereby given that TONY OLISTE ABSOLU, of Flamingo Garden, P. O. Box CR-5603 Nassau, The Bahamas applying to the Minister responsible for Nationality and Citizenship, for Registration Naturalization as a citizen of The Bahamas, and that any person who knows any reason why registration/naturalization should not be granted, should send a written and signed statement of the facts within twenty-eight days from the 27th day of August, 2021 to the Minister responsible for nationality and Citizenship, P.O. Box N-7147, Nassau, New Providence, The Bahamas.
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Friday, September 3, 2021, PAGE 5
Super Value: We won’t break law on COVID tests FROM PAGE ONE completely vaccinated will have to take a negative test weekly.” Tribune Business previously reported that the Health and Safety at Work Act forbids employers from imposing any financial “levy” on staff to ensure they comply with this law’s stipulations. The Act’s section nine effectively bars companies from requiring non-vaccinated staff to pay for COVID-19 tests out of their own salaries. The section states that “no employer shall levy or permit to be levied on any employee of his any charge in respect of anything done or provided in pursuance of any of the provisions of this Act”. While employers can
still require non-vaccinated worker to take regular tests, the law seemingly requires the company - and not the employee - to cover the costs associated with this. Concerns have also been raised that requiring workers to pay for their own weekly tests amounts to unilaterally varying the terms and conditions of a worker’s employment, which is forbidden by law, while the $22.50 cost of a rapid antigen test could push minimum wage workers below the statutory minimum for $210 weekly take home pay if they - not the company - have to cover the cost. While the National Tripartite Council, the body that deals with all
labour-related matters in The Bahamas, met yesterday it did not come to a consensus position on whether employers can, or cannot, mandate that unvaccinated employees pay for their weekly COVID-19 tests from their own pockets. Robert Farquharson, vice-chairman and chief operations officer for the Council, told Tribune Business: “We had a very good meeting today. We had an excellent discussion, and think we can come to a conclusion. We’ll reconvene and hopefully conclude it by then.” However, Peter Goudie, the employers’ representative on the Council, was slightly less optimistic. “There was nothing
decided. I’m just not sure what’s going to happen,” he said. “Nothing was decided today. All we did was review our plans for the future, of which we have plenty of projects.” Mr Farquharson yesterday confirmed there has been “a significant increase” in inquiries from Bahamian workers as to whether their employers can require them to pay for weekly tests. Some of the largest Bahamian employers are the subject of these concerns, and he said he expected the issue to boil over into litigation “in the very near future”. Atlantis warned unvaccinated staff will have to pay for a weekly rapid antigen test to confirm they are infection free with
effect from September 1, while the University of The Bahamas has now mandated that anyone entering the school’s campuses and facilities must show proof of being fully vaccinated or present a negative COVID19 rapid antigen test with effect from Monday. Persons who are unvaccinated but seek entry to UoB’s campuses must have a rapid antigen test result taken within 72 hours. The university said this refers to faculty, students, staff, alumni, vendors and members of the public, and anyone seeking entry as of September 30 must show proof of full vaccination. Darrin Woods, the Bahamas Hotel, Catering and Allied Workers Union
(BHCAWU) president, previously told Tribune Business “the Government cannot sit idly by and let employers willy nilly” make testing mandatory for unvaccinated staff when it was its responsibility to enforce the Health and Safety at Work Act. “There’s no requirement in law for someone to take a COVID test for employment,” he said. “If I am already employed with you, you cannot change my terms and conditions of employment without me agreeing to do so....They cannot use your job as leverage. That’s not somewhere for me to work, and you are causing me to work under duress.”
COVID delays Island Luck co-founder’s US sentencing FROM PAGE ONE by a sentencing hearing. Two days ago, however, Mr Fox tested positive for COVID-19.” A copy of the positive COVID-19 PCR test result produced by the 52 year-old Mr Fox on August 31, 2021, was attached to the letter sent to Judge Cote. The test and analysis were shown as having been performed by East Bay Street-based Access Bahamas Medical Laboratories, with the physician named as Nadia Gilbert. Pointing to current Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) guidelines on entering the US, Mr Fox’s attorneys added: “Since it cannot be known how long it will take before Mr Fox is symptomfree and can be cleared for travel, the defense respectfully requests that the court allow ample time by adjourning the combined Rule 11 and sentencing hearing for 28 days, until October 13, 2021.” The Island Luck cofounder was due to be sentenced on one count of helping to operate a vessel in US waters “in a grossly negligent manner”, which endangered the lives of other unidentified persons. This resulted from him reaching a plea bargain with US authorities that dropped the human smuggling offences he was initially charged with. Papers filed with the southern New York federal court on March 25, 2021, revealed that Mr Fox and attorneys for the US Justice Department reached their plea agreement just months after the Island Luck co-founder’s bid to have decade-old human smuggling charges against him thrown out completely was rejected by Judge Cote. Michael Herman, an assistant US government attorney, in a letter informing the judge of the plea bargain, wrote: “Since the court issued its decision on January 27, 2020, denying Fox’s motion to dismiss the indictment on speedytrial grounds pursuant to the fugitive disentitlement doctrine, the parties have continued to discuss a pretrial disposition of this matter. “In May 2020, the parties reached an agreement in principal, as part of which Fox has agreed to plead guilty to a one-count superseding misdemeanour information charging him with aiding and abetting the grossly negligent operation of a vessel pursuant to a plea agreement with the government.” Given the relatively minor count he is pleading guilty to, it is highly possible that Mr Fox will avoid any US jail sentence, which marks a major reversal from as recently as January 2020, when Judge Cote branded him a “fugitive” from US justice after dismissing his bid to have the federal authorities’ case thrown out.
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The Island Luck cofounder had previously argued that the human trafficking charges should be dismissed because the US government’s near 10-year failure to launch extradition proceedings against him had breached his “right to a speedy trial” - an objective he has now achieved through the plea bargain. He was charged in a sealed April 4, 2010, indictment that was subsequently revealed three months later after his alleged co-conspirator, fellow Bahamian citizen, Mario Bowe,
was arrested by US law enforcement. Bowe, the son of the late Sir Lynden Pindling’s confidant, Felix “Mailman” Bowe, ultimately pled guilty in September 2010 and was sentenced to 33 months in prison in early 2011. He is understood to have been released from prison and returned to The Bahamas, but Mr Fox had remained outside the US judicial system’s reach ever since until now. The pair were initially accused of masterminding a three-year human
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smuggling operation that involved bringing Chinese and other migrants into the US, arranging “transportation and safe houses” for them in The Bahamas while they waited to travel to New York Via Miami. However, Mr Fox’s attorneys had earlier challenged their client’s labelling as “a fugitive” on the basis that he had never “set foot” in New York or the US when committing the alleged offences. “The government has done nothing to bring Fox to justice other than reject
every one of his efforts to negotiate a voluntary selfsurrender,” they blasted. “The government had a constitutional duty to extradite Fox yet took no steps to do so for over nine years. It has offered no excuse for this apparently flagrant violation of Fox’s constitutional rights.” Mr Fox was Sebas Bastian’s 50/50 partner in Island Luck’s rapid expansion prior to the industry’s legalisation, regulation and taxation by the former Christie administration. He has remained in the
public spotlight through the charitable activities of his Fox Foundation, which has previously financed an extensive neighbourhood clean-up in the Kemp Road area/Freetown constituency. The foundation traditionally holds an annual Christmas block party and gift/food giveaway for residents in the same area, but switched its giving to a beautification project in 2019 just prior to the COVID-19 pandemic.
THE TRIBUNE
Friday, September 3, 2021, PAGE 11
Airport bidders called on to give credentials FROM PAGE ONE With a $200m investment likely required for the “comprehensive redevelopment” of a Dorian-ravaged Grand Bahama International Airport (GBIA), and the six Family Island airports selected for the PPP needing a combined $160m-$170m, the combined airport enhancement project could involve a $370m capital injection making it one of the largest infrastructure projects this nation has ever seen. The total is not far shy of the $409.5m investment at Lynden Pindling International Airport (LPIA), with the figures confirmed by Mr Cargill. “We’re estimating that Grand Bahama will be $200m, but that is coming through the PPP so we don’t know yet,” he said, pegging the six Family Island airports at between $160m-$170m. The PPPs could last for up to 30 years.
“This is why the PPP is so important,” the aviation chief added. “It’s a cash flow from these airport projects which will service the debt. We want world-class, best-in-class operators to manage these airports efficiently and reduce the cost to the Bahamian taxpayer, with little contribution - minimal - from the Bahamas government. “This is tied to the Government’s strategy of marketing each island based on its own strengths, which is why it is important to have flagship gateways that work. We’ve had almost 200 inquiries, and we expect to get a lot of interest based on the questions we’ve received and persons who continue to contact us. “We’re very confident that the process will be successful based on the number of inquiries received in the market briefing, and the inquiries we continue to receive. There’s a lot
of interest in this project locally and internationally.” Mr Cargill said RFP documents will only be issued to groups and bidders that satisfy the pre-qualification process, adding that the former were now being finalised. Besides Grand Bahama, the six Family Island airports included in their own separate package are Exuma, North Eleuthera, Abaco, Long Island, San Salvador and Great Harbour Cay. Construction work on Exuma’s $65m transformation has already begun, while the $15m worth of upgrades to Great Harbour Cay are “almost finished”. Mr Cargill said a recommendation had been supplied to the Cabinet as to the winning contractor for the $15m Deadman’s Cay revamp, and work was expected to start soon. He also confirmed that four of these airports Abaco, Exuma, North Eleuthera and Long Island
- require the Government to compulsorily acquire land from private owners to facilitate these works and expansion. “That is in the final stages,” he said of the purchases. “The Acquisition of Land Act clearly allows the Government to do that. That’s already been approved by the Cabinet and that process is continuing.” The Government is also, Mr Cargill added, “in the negotiating stage” with RF Bank & Trust over the $140m financing line it will provide for the airport upgrades. “We’re finalising all those agreements now,” he said. Jim Lew, managing director of LeighFisher, the aviation consultants hired by the government to develop the private-public partnership (PPP) process for outsourcing the airports to private developers/managers, previously said the financing for the six Family
Island airports will be separate from that for Grand Bahama International Airport. With the North Eleuthera and Exuma airport revamps estimated to involve $65m each, the $10m price tags for San Salvador and Abaco, as well as $18m for Long Island and $15m for Great Harbour Cay, take total projected capital investment costs to $183m - well above the $140m-$150m to be raised by RF Bank & Trust. As for Grand Bahama, Mr Lew had urged potential bidders to focus on the future and “upside value” that can be unlocked by outsourcing the airport’s management and redevelopment to the private sector. Acknowledging the massive damage inflicted by Hurricane Dorian, and that all repairs to-date are only temporary, Mr Lew said “significant investment” is required by the successful
bidder on both “the ground side and the air side” to not only rebuild Grand Bahama International Airport but make it sufficiently resilient to withstand future natural disasters. He added that “around $200m” is needed to “replace the facilities and ground infrastructure to capture the growth sorely needed at this site”. This was reiterated in the accompanying project information memorandum, which added: “The airport suffered extensive damage during Hurricane Dorian in 2019. “An FBO (fixed base operation) building was repurposed as a temporary terminal. A comprehensive site-wide redevelopment solution (around $200m) is required to replace damaged facilities, unlock commercial potential, and operate the airport as a profit centre.”
AML targeting slash to $6.8m shrinkage FROM PAGE ONE its $174.898m annual sales - placing this at around $6.821m. Shrinkage refers to product that is lost to internal theft, or goes off, before it reaches consumers, and the Solomon’s, Cost Right and Domino’s Pizza operator revealed that “over-ordering” of perishable goods was partially responsible for the failure to hit reduction targets. “Shrink performance for the year did not improve as expected and was 3.9 percent of sales,” AML Foods told shareholders. “Several factors impacted our shrink levels including over
ordering in our perishables department. “Management has implemented several tools to better align purchases with forecasted and historical sales data. We have continued our focus on this area, and expect to see an improvement in shrink in the upcoming year.” Despite failing to meet shrinkage expectations, the group still enjoyed an improvement in gross margins compared to prior years. “Gross profit margin percentage for the 12 months ended April 30, 2021, increased for a third consecutive year to 30.8 percent compared to 30.7 percent for the year
ended April 30, 2020, and 30.6 percent for the year ended April 30, 2019,” AML Foods added. “Within our food distribution division, customer habits continued to trend toward larger basket sizes but lower shop frequency. Compared to 2020, transaction counts decreased by 16 percent while average spend increased by 23 percent. Overall, our food distribution segment recorded sales of $168.1m, an increase of $3.7m or 2.2 percent over prior year. Food distribution sales accounted for 96 percent of total sales.” However, AML Foods said its Domino’s Pizza
division was impacted more heavily than the rest of its business by COVID19 lockdowns and other restrictions. “Our franchise division sales struggled during the year amidst the various lockdowns and reduced operating hours as imposed by the Government throughout the year,” it added. “For the majority of the year, our Domino’s locations operated on reduced hours and there were periods of extended closures, particularly during the month of August 2020 when the operations were closed for the entire month. This had a significant impact on our franchise
division’s performance, and sales decreased by $1.3m or 15 percent for the year ended April 30, 2021.” AML Foods added that it also managed to reduce its annual utilities spend by $0.9m for the year to endApril 2021, aided by a 9 percent reduction in energy usage. Looking ahead, and beyond its Exuma Markets purchase and securing a new store site in Freeport, the group said it was looking at another eastern New Providence location and was “exploring opportunities for additional sites”. “While the Government has provided various support for individuals including stimulus
packages, we expect that the short to medium-term outlook will impact customer spend especially within our value brands,” AML Foods said of the COVID-19 fall-out. “It is more important now than ever that the company looks for ways to provide better value to our customers during this time of downturn within our economy. We continue to believe in driving the best possible value in our product offerings, building supplier relationships and looking for ways to protect our supply chain from any foreign currency risks that may arise.”
Freeport’s Customs switch relatively smooth thus far FROM PAGE THREE He added: “With anything, we all learn. They will find some things that they will bring to the table, and I am sure we are going to do our best to be patient with them. We are all stakeholders in this. So if there is an issue, they will take note and, where possible, they will make the adjustments.” Stephanie Ferguson, general manager at Phoenix Brokerage and Shipping, added: “I have no issues thus far with the new Click2Clear system.” Ms Ferguson, who took advantage of the Click2Clear training in 2019, said: “None of my clients have been complaining thus far. Everything is straightforward. The only issue you have is with a tariff or something. That’s when you will see a change, but for the most part it’s straightforward.” Ms Ferguson said prior concerns that Click2Clear might violate the Hawksbill Creek Agreement with
requirements for monthly bonded goods sales reports have proven unfounded thus far. “Customs knows what they have to do in order to be aligned with the Port, but I don’t see where the differences are. A bonded entry is $10 and it’s still $10; it’s just the way you are inputting it,” she added. Brent Collins, Power Equipment’s chief executive, said he will have his first experience with the Click2Clear system next week, but the brokers he works with have mentioned nothing untoward about the system to-date. He added: “I have been registered with Click2Clear since 2019, so I don’t have any issues with it now to clear my personal items. I have a shipment that’s coming in next week, so I will see how it is going to play out but from my understanding it is the brokers who are going to be under the most pressure.”
Scotiabank boosts mobile app after 61% usage rise FROM PAGE TWO * Quick actions for credit card payments. Minimum payment, statement balance, outstanding balance and other options are now available. Several other actions are to be added soon, including optional alerts for missed credit card payments and declined and reversed transactions. * Customer information updates. Customers can now update and maintain their personal information such as their primary address, seasonal address and even employment information. The app also supports document uploads for address verification.
Additional features include: * Biometric sign in, through fingerprint recognition and face recognition. * Enhanced data encryption to keep customers’ financial information safe. * Multi-factor authentication that verifies customers’ identities, and notifications to keep them aware of their transactions. “We at Scotiabank, encourage our loyal and valued customers to take advantage of all that the Scotia Caribbean Mobile App has to offer,” said Ms Barker. For instructions on how to download the app, log on to https:// bs.scotiabank.com.
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PAGE 12, Friday, September 3, 2021
THE TRIBUNE
Ida-hit oil industry port sustains less damage than feared By MELINDA DESLATTE AND DAVID KOENIG Associated Press BATON ROUGE, La. (AP) — A critical port that serves as the primary support hub for the Gulf of Mexico’s deepwater offshore oil and gas industry sustained less damage from Hurricane Ida’s direct hit than initially feared and should be back to working operations “in the near future,” a port leader said Thursday. Ida knocked out Port Fourchon in Lafourche Parish and hobbled the oil and gas industry. But Chett Chiasson, executive director for the commission that operates Port Fourchon, said assessment teams were
surveying the damage and “it did not look as bad as I thought.” “The structures are still good, not all of them, OK, not nearly all of them. But the majority of them are still good, and we can get things back up and running,” Chiasson said at a livestreamed Lafourche Parish briefing on Ida response. “For the most part, they’re going to be able to get them up and running fairly quickly.” Chiasson had previously raised serious concerns about the extent of the port’s damage and the potential impact to the nation’s fuel supplies. He acknowledged Thursday that he “expected the worst” and was surprised
when the destruction was far less dire. Getting the port operational is integral to the nation’s fuel supply. Sami Yahya, an energy analyst for S&P Global Platts, said more than 90% of the U.S. Gulf oil supply goes through Port Fourchon. “We have to get things back up and moving for the energy needs of this country. We need them here, but the rest of the country needs it as well,” Chiasson said. News of betterthan-expected damage assessment at Port Fourchon was another sign that the industry was starting its rebound from Ida.
As Ida approached, refineries representing almost 15% of total U.S. capacity shut down. Some are already running at partial loads, and energy researcher IHS Markit forecast Wednesday that nearly half of them will be at full production within about 10 days. However, IHS estimated that nearly one-third of the affected capacity will be down for longer than three weeks. According to Interior Department figures, crews returned to about 100 oil and gas platforms in the Gulf between Tuesday and Thursday, out of 560 that are ordinarily staffed. “This is the first light at the end of the tunnel for recovery,” Yahya said.
“We were worried about companies being able to get workers back on the facilities.” Yahya said obstacles remain. Some helicopter companies haven’t resumed carrying oil workers to offshore platforms. Some of the oil workers might be unavailable because they are dealing with flooded or damaged homes. And Fourchon hasn’t yet returned to operations. The restoration of power is the key factor. Refineries use massive amounts of electricity to distill crude oil into products such as gasoline, jet fuel, diesel and heating oil. They also need power to run pumps that deliver the crude and ship
the finished goods through pipelines. Andy Lipow, president of Lipow Oil Associates in Houston, said flyover inspections of refineries didn’t show any significant damage or flooding. The biggest hurdle, Lipow said, will be getting power back. “The recovery process may be slow,” he said. “We’re still waiting for power to be restored to most of those refineries that shut down.” Lipow predicted that supplies of products such as gasoline will tighten in the Southeast and Mid-Atlantic states, and he predicted that East Coast motorists could see an increase of 5 cents to 10 cents a gallon.