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Tuesday, sepTember 8, 2026

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Fund manager faces wind-up on ‘highly negligent’ claims

BY NEIL HARTNELL TRIBUNE Business Editor nhartnell@tribunemedia.net A BAHAMAS-BASED fifth-generation family office, whose roots trace back to Royal Bank of Canada’s (RBC) longest-serving president, is facing a winding-up petition over regulator concerns it has been “highly negligent” in managing investor assets.

The Securities Commission, via legal documents seen by Tribune Business, is urging the Supreme Court to place Holdun Family Office (Bahamas) in judicial-supervised liquidation after its investigation allegedly revealed the financial services provider was valuing investment funds it managed “based on assets that did not exist”.

The Bahamian capital markets and investment funds regulator, in its August 31, 2026, winding-up petition also claimed that Holdun, which is based at the Albany Financial Centre in south-western New Providence, had charged clients “unjustifiable” fees for the investment funds it managed while also using investor assets to make loans to a company owned by one of its directors who was unnamed.

The move for court-supervised liquidation comes after three investment funds managed by Holdun - the Holdun Income Fund, Holdun

Securities Commission moves on Holdun’s courtsupervised liquidation Alleges fund values boosted by phantom assets and fees ‘unjustifiable’ Provider: Action ‘not beneficial’ amid fraud, loans to director company claim Innovation & Technology Fund and Holdun Opportunity Fund - were themselves all subjected to separate winding-up proceedings over the past 18 months. The latter two are in court-supervised liquidation in The Bahamas.

The Securities Commission, noting that none of the three funds have been able to repay investors what they are owed due “to their deteriorated financial position and illiquidity”, is further alleging that the liquidators for both the Holdun Innovation & Technology Fund and Holdun Opportunity Fund have made “prima facie findings of apparent fraud”.

While no further details were provided in its filings, the Securities

‘Something’s not adding up’ over $1bn debt rise on Budget surplus

BY NEIL HARTNELL TRIBUNE Business Editor nhartnell@tribunemedia.net A BAHAMIAN economist yesterday asserted that “something’s not adding up” with the Government’s finances as she questioned how the national debt could increase by more than $1bn in a year when the Government is still forecasting a $32.7m Budget surplus.

Therese Turner-Jones, who from 2017 to 2021 served as general manager for the Inter-American Development Bank’s Caribbean group country department, told Tribune Business that “the lack of transparency is mind boggling to me” given that there should not be such a huge gap or disconnect between the annual fiscal deficit, or surplus, and the increase in both direct government and the national debt.

The Central Bank, in its 2026 second quarter economic report, revealed that the national debt had increased by $1.071bn during the 2025-2026 fiscal year to breach the $13bn mark at $13.17bn. The increase featured a $697m jump in the Government’s direct debt, plus a $373.5m year-over-year surge in contingent liabilities that represent repayment guarantees provided on behalf of loss-making state-owned enterprises (SOEs).

However, despite the significant jump in the national debt, the Davis administration’s April 2026 fiscal report pegged the deficit - which measures by how much the Government’s spending exceeds revenues in a specific Budget year - at just $121.2m. That sum is far removed from the extent to which the national debt, which is largely fuelled by the annual deficits the Government has incurred every year since Independence, has risen for 2025-2026.

Several observers suggested the disconnect could be due to the Government, under the public sector’s modified cash-based accounting, depositing the proceeds of borrowings in the bank with the result they do

BORROW - See Page B5

BY FAY SIMMONS TRIBUNE Business Reporter jsimmons@tribunemedia.net

Top executive warns food industry’s expansion appetite curbed

A PETROLEUM retailer yesterday warned there is no clear sign gas prices will fall from their present $7 per gallon before year-end due to continued oil market volatility as the Middle East conflict rumbles on. volatile global oil markets could keep prices unpredictable through the final quarter of the year.

Extra $4.5m VAT cost raises tax rate to ‘35% of operating profit’

GAVIN WATCHORN

BY NEIL HARTNELL TRIBUNE Business Editor nhartnell@tribunemedia.net THE REVISED VAT treatment of uncooked groceries will hike the cost of reinvesting in its stores by 10 percent, AML Foods top executive is warning, forcing it to “pivot” while dampening the food distribution industry’s appetite for expansion.

Gavin Watchorn, the BISX-listed food retail and franchise group’s president and chief executive, warned that the increased costs imposed by the Government’s tax policy change will only worsen the “tremendous inflationary pressures” faced by Bahamian consumers at a time when spiking oil and fuel

CEASE - See Page B4

Vasco Bastian, vice-president of the Bahamas Petroleum Retailers Association (BPRA), said gasoline prices are holding near the $7 mark and and the industry has no clear indication they will ease soon due to unpredictable external events.

Speaking to Tribune Business, Mr Bastian said while he is hopeful that motorists will enjoy some relief before the Christmas holidays, it is unclear if Iran-US tensions

will be resolved before that time.

“Everything going on with these oil prices in The Bahamas is solely based on what’s going on in the United States of America in regards to that whole war and that Strait [of Hormuz]; whether it’s opening back up or not opening back up, allowing ships to come through,” he said. “That has a direct correlation on how our prices are going to be in The Bahamas, especially into this last quarter of the year.”

Mr Bastian’s comments come as US motorists face record-high Labour Day gasoline prices, with the national average reaching about $4.14 per gallon amid continued

CABBAGE BEACH FENCE

$10k ‘relocation letter’ causes more Cabbage Beach upheaval

BY ANNELIA NIXON TRIBUNE Business Reporter anixon@tribunemedia.net FURTHER confusion and uncertainty arose yesterday over future public access to Paradise Island’s Cabbage Beach after some vendors received a letter allegedly offering them $10,000 to relocate.

Dis We Beach, a group that has been advocating on behalf of beach users and vendors, called on the Government and Four

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AML Foods faces 10% reinvestment cost increase from VAT ‘exempt’ move

Commission’s winding-up petition claims that, as a result, Holdun’s management are “no longer fit and proper” to carry on financial services business or “manage client assets prudently”.

“The Commission has identified material deficiencies in Holdun Family Office (Bahamas) operational activities, financial stability and governance, giving rise to significant regulatory concerns and posing risks to investors, market integrity and the reputation of the jurisdiction,” the Bahamian regulator blasted in its winding-up petition.

“By reason of these deficiencies, the Commission is concerned that Holdun Family Office and/or its management are no longer fit and proper to carry on regulated activities or to manage client assets prudently. The deficiencies also include Holdun Family Office’s demonstrated failures in the proper management and prudent decision-making concerning the investment funds for which it acted as investment manager.

“The company’s management of those funds has been marked by serious governance and regulatory failures, including the unauthorised surrender of a fund licence, the transfer of a regulated fund’s operations outside the jurisdiction without the requisite regulatory approval and the

Dealer: No sign of $7 gas prices easing up

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Seasons Ocean Club Residences developer to clarify conflicting claims surrounding Cabbage Beach, including whether vendors are being offered $10,000 to sign letters requesting relocation and what guarantees, if any, they would receive to return.

However, there is no evidence to suggest the purported letter is authentic or that either has any connection to it.

ACCESS - See Page B4

Group’s top-line up 3% despite $40m sales loss on Old Trail fire prices due to the Middle East conflict are impacting every stage of the grocery supply chain.

Affirming that the Davis administration’s move to treat the elimination of VAT on uncooked foods as ‘exempt’, rather than ‘zero rated’, is forecast to increase the Solomon’s and Cost Right operator’s annual expenses by $4.5m, he told shareholders in the group’s just-released 2026 annual report that AML Foods’ “effective taxation rate” has risen to equal 35 percent of operating profits.

Urging government policymakers to understand that the VAT change will have the opposite effect of what the Davis administration intended by increasing

EATING - See Page B5 disruption to global energy markets from reduced oil tanker traffic through the Strait of Hormuz.

He added that the volatility in international markets has made it difficult to predict the direction of prices locally.

“It’s been very volatile. I pray to God that this can just level off,” Mr Bastian said.

“But, for now, it just seems like one minute it starts trending downwards, and then it goes back up, and it’s just so unpredictable at this point. I wish the prices could really go down, to be honest.”

Mr Bastian explained that higher fuel prices also put pressure on retailers because

ENERGY - See Page B2

PAGE 2, Tuesday, September 8, 2026

THE TRIBUNE

Briland plagued by fresh water woes

BY FAY SIMMONS TRIBUNE Business Reporter jsimmons@tribunemedia.net HARBOUR Island residents and small business operators say continued water woes are forcing them to absorb mounting costs, disrupting commerce and threatening to undermine the island’s tourism-driven economy.

Ms Roberts, who works at a hotel and also operates a small home-based cooking business, said her household has been without water for about five days after returning from vacation, leaving her storage tank dry and she is unable to prepare food for sale.

“We're not coping really well now. It's been a really rough period with this water. This water is a big problem, and it needs to be solved,” she said. “I cook from home. I do a little cooking three times a week, and I need water. I can't cook without it.”

Ms Roberts said the disruption has meant she has been forced to spend heavily on bottled water for cooking, cleaning and other household needs.

“Sometimes every day I spend over $50 just for water, and I honestly feel that's not nice, especially if I'm cooking. That's twice a day. You have to buy water

because I need a lot of water,” she said. “That $50 is cutting into the profit that I would have made.”

Another Harbour Island resident, who asked not to be identified, said their area had also gone four days without water, describing the situation as “punishment” and lamented that residents were being left to cope on their own.

“We still don't have water. We haven't had water in my area now for four days. No one is saying anything,” the resident said.

“They're giving you updates just saying, ‘Okay, water will be disrupted, water pressure will be low.’ But I live in an area where we hardly have water. I live on a hill, so what they always tell us is we're going to be the last to get water.”

The resident said the latest disruption was part of a recurring problem in which water can return for short periods before disappearing again. “This happens. You get running water for one week straight, and after that one week straight, nothing,” the resident said.

The water woes are also creating additional household expenses, with the anonymous resident noting they spent $72 on prepared food for her family because they were unable to cook.

“Today, I had to go and buy

four or five plates of food. I can't cook. How could you cook with no water? That was $72 and, on top of that, you have to purchase water today to keep clean,” the resident said.

The resident said the cost of living on Harbour Island is already high, with unreliable water adding another expense.

“You pay to live in Harbour Island. You have to have a generator. You have to pay for water. You have to pay for the gas in your generator. You just have to pay to live in Harbour Island. It's totally insane,” the resident said.

The disruption has also spilled into the new school year, with Harbour Island All-Age School telling parents on Friday it could not safely continue the school day because there was no running water in the building and asking them to collect their children.

Ms Roberts said the situation is particularly difficult for households with children and elderly family members. “We have kids.

My mom is old. We have babies living here. We have little kids. Now it's time for school tomorrow. No clean uniforms,” she said.

She said residents were concerned about another school disruption if water service did not return. “If the water doesn't come on

today, school will be cancelled again tomorrow,” said Ms Roberts.

The impact is also being felt by businesses that depend on the island’s tourism industry.

Ms Roberts, who works at a hotel, said guests are asking staff when the water will return and some visitors have indicated they cannot remain if the problem persists.

“I work at a hotel. When I'm serving my guests, they're asking, ‘What's the problem with the water?

When is the water coming back on? If it's not on by this time, we have to leave’.

That's not good,” she said.

She warned that the problem could become more damaging as tourism activity picks up. “Tourists are coming, and tourists have been leaving because they have their homes.

They have Airbnbs. They can't stay because there's no water,” Ms Roberts said.

“It's a bunch of businesses that would have made money from those same people. We're not making that money.”

The anonymous resident said their own business, which they declined to identify, also depends on water.

“My business operates on water. I can't do anything.

Nothing. We are grounded,” the resident said.

Protected Areas Fund confirms its new chair THE Bahamas Protected Areas Fund (BPAF) has confirmed Marcus J. S. Cheetham as its new Board chair with effect from July 1, 2026.

The Fund, in a statement, said Mr Cheetham has more than 30 years’ experience in technology operations and leadership.

He is founder and president of Southworth Consultants, a Bahamian technology firm established in 2000.

Before founding Southworth, Mr Cheetham served as a senior network engineer with another local firm. His expertise includes private, public and hybrid cloud infrastructure, digital transformation, enterprise technology and disaster recovery. He also served on the Hewlett Packard Enterprise Digital Transformation Council for the Caribbean, providing regional perspectives on the technology solutions businesses need to succeed.

Mr Cheetham joined the Bahamas Protected Areas Fund Board in March 2023 as treasurer. BPAF said he helped develop its corporate engagement strategy, with emphasis on strengthening and refining its Internet presence.

He also played a key role in the negotiation and execution of the Bahamas Project for Marine Conservation with the Government of The Bahamas and The Nature Conservancy, an initiative that established a long-term financing mechanism for marine conservation in The Bahamas.

BPAF added that, as a member of its executive committee, Mr Cheetham has also helped to strengthen its governance by using his private sector networks to attract additional expertise and participation.

Born in Nassau, Mr Cheetham was educated in The Bahamas and Quebec, Canada. He has served as a director and coach in rugby and soccer in The Bahamas, and has raised funds to give young athletes opportunities to travel and compete internationally, including in Spain and the UK.

Residents also criticised the communication surrounding the disruptions, saying notices often come only after residents have already begun discussing the lack of water among themselves.

The anonymous resident said the uncertainty has taken an emotional toll.

“You don't know if you can use the bathroom. You don't know if you can wash.

You don't know nothing.

It's an emotional thing right now. It plays on your mind,” the resident said.

“The only thing you're thinking about when you're on the road is ‘I wonder if I don't have water when I go home?’”

The residents also questioned whether Harbour Island needs greater water storage capacity or more dedicated infrastructure to address its recurring supply problems Ms Roberts said she understands there are two large holding tanks on the island, but questioned why residents continue to experience unreliable supply.

The anonymous resident said Harbour Island needs a more sufficient water storage system.

“We need our own water tower here. The water reservoir and our water, we don't have sufficient,” the resident said.

The Water and Sewerage Corporation said the latest disruption was caused by unforeseen failures at its reverse osmosis plant beginning on Thursday, September 3, which disrupted water distribution to North Eleuthera, including Harbour Island and Spanish Wells.

It said a major power failure at about 3pm on Saturday resulted in a malfunction of the reverse osmosis plant’s main control systems. Operations teams worked to restore the plant’s operating parameters and software systems.

In its latest notice yesterday, Water and Sewerage Corporation said water supply had been restored to all areas of North Eleuthera after repairs and assessments were completed, with water restored to peripheral areas before full distribution was achieved.

The Corporation said area checks were being conducted to ensure the system had returned to normal operations. However, one of the Harbour Island residents interviewed for this story said Sunday evening that water had still not returned to their area. The Water and Sewerage Corporation subsequently said checks were being made in all areas.

SANY Motor Graders are classified as road machinery, which support roadway construction and infrastructure development projects with dependable equipment.

Stephen Litchfield, Equipment Services general manager, is pictured handing over the keys to Robert Garraway on seven dump trucks and one tractor head sold to BHM Company.

Bahamian heavy equipment provider adds new dealership EQUIPMENT Services says it has been appointed as the authorised Bahamas dealer for SANY, expanding access to the brand’s heavy equipment, parts, maintenance and service support.

The Bahamian equipment provider, in a statement, said its new dealership will provide local contractors, developers, transportation companies and industrial operators with access to reliable construction and industrial machinery, supported by local inventory, technical expertise and after-sales service.

Through its partnership with SANY, Equipment Services added that it will work closely with customers to identify equipment solutions that meet their specific operational requirements, while providing ongoing parts, maintenance and service support.

“We are extremely proud to be the exclusive provider of SANY equipment in The Bahamas,” said Stephen Litchfield, general manager of Equipment Services. “SANY is a respected global brand, and this relationship allows us to offer dependable, high-quality equipment backed by local service, parts and

Gas station operator says no fuel shortage concerns ENERGY - from page B1 dealers must purchase their fuel at elevated wholesale prices from Rubis, Esso and Shell (FOCOL Holdings) before selling it to consumers.

“We don’t like when prices are high. When prices are high, dealers are stressed, stressed and stretched,” said Mr Bastian. He also pointed to the increase in the regulated retail margin approved by the Government in 2024, adding that this has been critical to keeping retailers operating as their costs increased.

“We got our margin increase in October 2024,” he said. “And so October of this year will be two years since we got our increase.

We went from 54 cents, and we got the 25 cents inclusive

of that. So basically, it was like 23 cents, 24 cents. So we’re up now to like 77 cents.”

The Government approved a 25 cent per gallon increase for gasoline retailers in September 2024 after dealers complained that the existing fixed margin was no longer sufficient to cover rising operating costs. The last increase had been approved in 2011, taking the gasoline margin from 44 cents to 54 cents per gallon.

Mr Bastian said without the increase, some retailers may not have been able to remain in business. “If we hadn’t gotten that increase, I tell you no lie, these stations would have been shut down, shut down. No if’s or but’s about that,” he added.

“You might have had one or two that might have been

inventory. We look forward to supporting the continued growth of the construction and industrial sectors throughout The Bahamas.”

Equipment Services said the SANY product offering will include heavy duty trucks for construction, hauling and industrial operations, plus excavators for digging trenching, demolition and site preparation.

It will also provide road rollers, graders and paving equipment for infrastructure and roadway projects, in addition to loaders for material handling, loading and earth-moving applications. able to ride it out because of their facility with the bank and that stuff like that.”

Mr Bastian said retailers are continuing to closely manage their expenses as they wait to see where fuel prices go next. “I tell you, I say it again: Thank God we got our margin increase when we got our margin increase, because if we hadn’t, we would have been - this would have been crazy,” he said. “No telling where we would have been right now in this business, in this industry.”

Mr Bastian stressed, however, that consumers should not be concerned about a potential gasoline shortage, noting wholesalers and retailers have taken steps to maintain supplies.

“I want to tell the Bahamian people to rest assured there will never be a gas shortage in this country because all of the major wholesalers have added inventory, and the dealers continue to work with the wholesalers to make sure

SANY Dump Trucks are built for construction sites, infrastructure projects and industrial applications.

SANY Wheel Loaders are designed for efficient loading, transporting and material handling operations across various environments. that we all have gasoline at our various gas stations when they come to get service,” said Mr Bastian.

He added that retailers will continue to monitor international developments, particularly the situation affecting oil shipments,

and could seek further discussions if prices rise significantly.

“Hopefully, it doesn’t go any higher than this,” said Mr Bastian.

“But, if it does, we’ll look to sit down and start talking again on how we can deal with this assessment.”

THE TRIBUNE

Tuesday, September 8, 2026, PAGE 3

High-end boating still facing fees pressures

BY ANNELIA NIXON TRIBUNE Business Reporter anixon@tribunemedia.net HIGH-END boating demand remains under pressure from what a resort executive yesterday described as “excessive fees” even as Family Island hotels report encouraging Christmas and New Year bookings and signs of a stronger winter season.

Stephen Kappeler, managing director of Bimini Big Game Club Resort and Marina, said the continued absence of larger yachts is hurting the Bahamian tourism economy because these visitors are among the country’s highest-spending guests.

“The big thing that’s missing that stays this way is the boats over 60 [feet].

They’re not in The Bahamas. They’re not coming in any numbers at all,” Mr Kappeler said, attributing the decline to the higher fees imposed on larger vessels. “They’ve got money, but they’re just not going to pay it.”

Mr Kappeler said the Government’s failure to adjust mega yacht and large ship fees, along with charges such as fishing licence levies, is discouraging large pleasure vessels from visiting The Bahamas.

“They didn’t adjust the mega yacht fees,” he said.

“The large ship fees did not get adjusted. And they’re charging things like fishing fees and things like that.

These are pleasure boats coming with people who spend $7,000 a day. They’re not necessarily fishermen at all. It’s the wealthiest spender per capita.”

Mr Kappeler argued that the economic impact of losing these visitors extends far beyond marinas, as larger private vessels move between multiple islands and spend heavily on fuel, groceries, restaurants and other businesses.

“A cruise ship will come in and bring somebody who spends $30 a day on land,” Mr Kappeler said. “The private boaters will come in with their boat and a couple people on the boat, stay, buy gas, do whatever, spend up

to $400 a day. These people got serious money.”

He added that the larger boat segment accounts for about 30 percent of his business, although Bimini’s proximity to South Florida means the resort also attracts significant numbers of smaller vessels. The larger yachts, Mr Kappeler said, often clear into The Bahamas through Bimini before travelling onward to destinations such as Exuma, Harbour Island, Abaco and Nassau.

“Ironically we’re penalising them. They are the greatest spenders for all these Bahamian cash registers,” Mr Kappeler said.

“They’re buying the bread.

They’re going to the grocery store. They’re buying fuel in large amounts. They’re spending in the gift shops, in the restaurants, because they can.”

Despite concerns surrounding larger vessels, Mr Kappeler said demand for the upcoming Christmas and New Year holiday period is showing signs of strength. Bimini Big Game Club experienced its “best ever” Labour Day weekend

in about four years, he said, with virtually every room occupied for several nights and significant boating activity at the marina. He said demand for the New Year’s period, from about December 26 through January 2, is also strengthening.

“We are right now experiencing stronger demand for what we call New Year’s Eve week,” Mr Kappeler said. “That Christmas week is always a little tougher.

But it’s starting to pick up.

“This July and this August, we were ahead of last year’s July and August, but that’s because they just announced those fees. Now that they’ve been relaxed, it’s gotten small better. You know, there’s an increase.”

“We just need to see the relief for those bigger boats, and not charging them commercial fishing licence fees just because they’re big boats, just so all the pricing can be fair.”

Other Family Island operators are also reporting solid holiday prospects, although booking patterns vary by property. Molly McIntosh, a top management executive at Bluff

House Beach Resort and Marina in Green Turtle Cay, said bookings for the period immediately after Christmas through January 4 are slightly behind last year but remain strong.

“My first thought is that they’re not as good,” Ms Mcintosh said. “I think I’ve only got a couple rooms less just for that week, the day after Christmas until like January 4. I think we’re pretty well booked up.”

She said the property is currently closed for its annual maintenance period, with work underway on the pool, rooms and other areas.

The resort plans to increase marketing ahead of the holiday season through the Bahama Out Island Promotion Board and partnerships with smaller airlines. Ms McIntosh said the recent easing of the boating fees had produced a noticeable improvement in marina activity.

Harbour Island is also seeing strong holiday demand, with Juanita Percentie, proprietor of Tingum Village Hotel, disclosing that Christmas and New Year bookings are “good”

despite the current seasonal slowdown.

“Right now, it’s slow because it’s off season,” Ms Percentie said, pointing to rainy weather as one factor suppressing current travel demand. “But we’re looking good for the holidays.

Looking great.”

However, she said Harbour Island faces a different problem: Insufficient room inventory. “We don’t have enough rooms,” Ms Percentie said.

“Harbour Island has outgrown supply and demand. Our guests are unhappy sometimes because they can’t get in for the length of days that they want.”

In Andros, Small Hope Bay Lodge is also expecting a busy Christmas and New Year period. Operator Jeff Birch said the property is “busy for Christmas and New Years” as it typically benefits from demand from families seeking an all-inclusive holiday experience.

“It’s just that we’re a family all-inclusive,” Mr Birch said. “We’re a family resort, and I think families and people look for our ambience.”

grid work, Mr McKenzie said the plan had always been to transition to a Bahamian-led and operated Bahamas Grid, while the company would continue to use contracted forces to supplement its local workforce.

“We need to ramp up our local talent and skill and capability, but like I said again, we're going to augment that with contracted forces,” said Mr McKenzie.

He acknowledged that local technical resources were limited, and said Bahamas Grid would likely need to

look overseas for additional workers to expedite repairs.

“We do want to expedite the repair and the works that we need done, because local talent is somewhat limited. It's somewhat limited. It's a niche market,” Mr McKenzie said.

Asked whether Bahamas Grid would continue looking outside The Bahamas for that expertise, Mr McKenzie responded: “Oh yes. In order to get that skill.

The answer is yes.” That reliance on outside expertise is one of the issues Mrs Barnett-Ellis said she wants Bahamas Grid to address alongside the immediate repairs.

“And if they are bringing in this international expertise, what level of training is going on so that we can develop our own base of knowledge here in The Bahamas?” she asked.

Mrs Barnett-Ellis said she remained hopeful the latest intervention will help resolve the reliability problems affecting consumers, but described herself as “cautiously optimistic”.

“I like that Bahamas Grid is bringing in expertise. I wish it had been done much earlier, but it's better late than never,” she said. However, Mrs Barnett-Ellis said the public was still receiving information about the condition of the network “in bits and pieces”, which she described as frustrating.

Her concerns come as outages that have affected western New Providence increasingly appear to be spreading across the wider island.

“When I look at the reports from the weekend, it's becoming more and more island-wide,” said Mrs Barnett-Ellis. “It is becoming more, which is not very comforting. But at least now we know it's not just us.”

Bahamas Grid said the latest cable repair programme forms part of its continuing effort to build a more reliable and resilient electricity grid, and thanked the public for its patience and understanding as the work continues.

importantly, it has the potential to keep Bahamians away from their families, put Family Island travel beyond the reach of the masses, reduce tourist arrivals and adversely impact the economies of these islands.”

The Government has said it is reviewing the proposed fee structure with Island Airport Development Partners (IADP), the private operator for the three airports, and industry stakeholders. Dr Kenneth Romer, director of aviation, said the Government is seeking to balance the commercial sustainability of

the airports with affordability for Bahamian travellers, private aviation operators, commercial carriers and visitors.

“Any proposed fee structure must be reasonable, transparent and consistent with the country’s wider airlift and tourism objectives,” Dr Romer said.

The issue follows warnings from Bahamian aviation operators that the new charges are likely to be passed directly to travellers through higher ticket prices.

Aviation operators argued, the effect of passenger charges, airline fees, landing fees and other costs could

make the Bahamas less competitive against destinations such as the Dominican Republic and Turks and Caicos.

Charlotte Green, Coalition of Independents (COI) chairman in a public appeal to JoBeth Coleby-Davis, the minister responsible for aviation, argued that the increases could put domestic air travel further out of reach for ordinary Bahamians. She pointed to families travelling for medical care, to visit relatives and for business, arguing that inter-island air transportation is an essential part of life in The Bahamas.

Bahamas Grid’s expat worker reach ‘raises more questions’

BY FAY SIMMONS TRIBUNE Business Reporter jsimmons@tribunemedia.net AN OPPOSITION MP yesterday said Bahamas Grid Company's move to bring in international cable repair specialists to solve legacy underground faults “raises more questions than it answers” about the state of New Providence’s energy network.

Michaela Barnett-Ellis, the Killarney MP, questioned why the legacy faults identified by Bahamas Grid were not dealt with earlier as part of its wider grid modernisation programme, particularly after more than $130m was earmarked for foundational upgrades.

“I think, honestly, the statement raises more questions than it answers because the statement

referred to legacy faults.

And the question is: Why were these not dealt with at the beginning of the contract or simultaneously as we have been going through all of this?” said Mrs Barnett-Ellis.

Bahamas Grid said on Sunday that it was leveraging its professional network and global partnerships to bring in a team of cable repair specialists to accelerate system normalisation and strengthen grid performance.

The company said the immediate work involves repairing a series of legacy underground cable faults across the network, with excavation and repairs expected to cause temporary traffic disruptions in some areas.

The latest work follows Dareo McKenzie, Bahamas Grid’s chief executive,

disclosing last month that the company has completed its foundational grid upgrades and invested more than the $130m initially associated with the programme, although he declined to provide an exact figure because it is pursuing additional financing.

Mr McKenzie said the completed foundational work was only part of the broader effort required to modernise the electricity network, with further opportunities for improvement already identified.

The need for additional technical expertise also comes as Bahamas Grid works to build its local capacity. Asked last month whether the company would seek another strategic partner following the exit of Pike who served as a sub-contractor providing construction services for

Opposition senator voices airport fee rise fear for Bahamian travel

BY ANNELIA NIXON TRIBUNE Business Reporter anixon@tribunemedia.net HIGHER air fares and additional fees risk undermining The Bahamas’ tourism growth by forcing visitors to weigh the cost of travelling to this nation against competing Caribbean markets, industry executives have warned.

Patrick Harrington, chief executive and managing partner of Exuma’s Peace and Plenty resort, said the country’s dependence on air and sea transportation makes the cost of access fundamental to its tourism competitiveness.

“The reality is, the country is a set of islands which means the only way people can get there is by air or by sea,” Mr Harrington said.

“They can’t drive there. And we know the vast majority of the people who are coming are coming by air.”

His comments come amid proposed new and increased fees at Georgetown, Exuma, North Eleuthera and Governor’s Harbour airports from January 1, 2027, which would add $66 directly to the cost for international passengers and $33 for domestic travellers before existing Government charges are included.

Mr Harrington said air fares to the Family Islands are already high and influencing visitors’ destination choices. He pointed to American Airlines fares between Miami and Georgetown, Exuma, which he said have reached $1,700 to $2,000 round-trip for a weekend despite the flight being only about 45 minutes.

Even where lower fares are available, he said, a $500

to $600 round-trip ticket represents a significant cost before a visitor has spent a dollar in the Bahamian economy.

“If you’re talking about adding, potentially for international flyers, another $130 or $150 in fees on to an already expensive air fare, undoubtedly that’s going to cause visitors to look elsewhere or to look for places where they can drive in the United States,” Mr Harrington said.

He argued that policymakers should consider the wider economic activity generated by affordable access and travel. “The reality is, if it is made cost effective for passengers to get to The Bahamas, whatever that fee is… let’s say the fee is $60, $120, people most likely are going to spend $50 to $100 times that on their vacation, on their trip in The Bahamas,” he said.

Mr Harrington warned that if higher travel costs lower demand, hotels will have to consider discounts, promotional packages or lower room rates to remain competitive. “If it turns out that people are going to other destinations, then we would be forced to do that,” he said.

However, Mr Harrington added that Family Island hotels have less room to absorb higher travel costs through rate reductions because of their elevated operating expenses.

“Unfortunately we have very high operating costs of operating on an island, especially in the Out Islands,” he said. “So there’s only so much room where we can reduce rates before the business is no longer profitable.”

Mr Harrington said the issue is particularly important for Exuma as the island enters what he believes could be a period of increased tourism investment and growth. He welcomed the construction of the new Georgetown airport terminal, saying the project should benefit Peace and Plenty and the wider Exuma economy by creating the capacity to accommodate additional flights and passengers.

But he cautioned that infrastructure improvements will not deliver their full economic potential if the cost of reaching the destination becomes too much.

“There’s more interest and more exposure of the Bahamian Out Islands,” Mr Harrington said. “So I think there are more visitors who want to come, but if they see extremely high air fares, that’s going to dampen that growth.”

Senator Arinthia Komolafe, Opposition spokesperson for energy, utilities and aviation, similarly warned that the proposed increases could compound the high cost of Family Island travel, reduce tourist arrivals and weaken the economies of the affected islands.

She said the proposed $66 international, and $33 domestic, charges would come on top of existing government taxes, levies and fees, potentially bringing the combined charges to $105 for international passengers and $70 for domestic passengers.

“The proposed increase in aviation fees will only make a challenging situation worse and potentially impact our competitiveness as a tourist destination,” Mrs Komolafe said. “More

MICHAELA BARNETT-ELLIS

PAGE 4, Tuesday, September 8, 2026

THE TRIBUNE

Commission says three separate funds unable to repay investors CEASE - from page B1 placement of funds under court-supervised winding-up proceedings.”

The Securities Commission added that, taken together, this adds up to a “continuous conduct pattern that raises significant concerns regarding the company’s fitness and capacity to carry on regulated activities” in compliance with Bahamian law. The two sides are now understood to be awaiting a date from the Supreme Court for a hearing of the winding-up petition, which is likely to be forthcoming imminently.

Christina Rolle, the Securities Commission’s executive director, could not be reached for comment before press time last night. Tribune Business also sought a response from Brendan Holt Dunn, Holdun Family Office’s chief executive, and Holdun itself, but no official reply or response was received.

However, well-placed sources speaking on condition of anonymity because they were not authorised to speak publicly, yesterday said Holdun was seeking to work with rather than against the Securities Commission. They added that it had already decided to exit the fund management business, and instead seek a banking licence, which had

been communicated to the Bahamian regulator, and ensure Holdun remained in operation.

Holdun traces its origins back to the late Sir Herbert Samuel Holt, a Canadian industrialist, engineer and financier who, in 1908, became the Royal Bank of Canada’s (RBC) president and chief executive, serving until 1934 in that capacity.

However, Tribune Business reported last year how the $113m Holdun Innovation and Technology Fund - one of the three to attract the Securities Commission’s attention - was placed into court-supervised liquidation amid concerns that some of its investments were linked to an “illegal gambling syndicate” and “unlicensed betting exchange”. Investors in the fund had also complained that Holdun was not honouring redemption requests to pay out what they were owed.

Mr Dunn and Germaine Bullard, Holdun’s chief operations officer, met the Securities Commission on March 2, 2026, to discuss the way forward and continued operation of the investment funds, at which time they announced their intention to exit this business.

However, the Securities Commission took a different approach. “The Commission is of the view that the managers have either been unwilling or

unable to resolve matters which led to the respective funds being placed into winding-up proceedings by regulatory action,” its winding-up petition said.

“Consequently, the regulatory winding-up of Holdun Family Office is the most prudent and appropriate recourse.”

It reiterated that, due to the winding-up of the three investment funds, “the Commission became gravely concerned as to Holdun Family Office’s fitness, propriety and capacity to continue carrying on regulated activities, and as to its ability to manage funds and client assets in a prudent, compliant and orderly manner”.

Ms Rolle, in a July 1, 2026, letter warned Holdun that the Securities Commission planned to suspend its registration for 30 days and petition the Supreme Court for its winding-up under the Investment Funds Act 2019.

The provider was given seven days to reply.

Mr Dunn replied on July 8 , 2026, reasserting Holdun’s plans to exit the investment funds business, surrender its licence and undertake an “orderly” voluntary liquidation of that aspect of its business.

“On the basis of the information presently available, Holdun Family Office respectfully submits that a court-supervised winding up under section 131 of the

Investments chief says Gov’t not behind ‘relocation’ offer ACCESS - from page B1 “I think the onus is on the Ministry of Tourism and the Government to clear up whatever rumours are circulating,” Dis We Beach said.

“Is the developer offering packages for relocation, and with what guarantees? Is the beach closing, or will the beach remain open? There’s too many speculations happening about this one situation. One side or the other needs to come out, and they need to say what is what to the public.”

The group said the conflicting information has left vendors and Bahamians relying on hearsay rather than official information. Its concerns centre on claims that vendors are being

asked to sign letters seeking relocation in exchange for $10,000.

Alexis Lloyd, one Cabbage Beach vendor, said: “They just need the people’s signature. But the letter, they giving them $10,000 if they sign it… Some people already signed that.” A video circulating among the vendors also shows a man telling them that signing the letter would allow them to request relocation and receive $10,000 from the Four Seasons Ocean Club Residences developer.

“Let’s be clear, the beach isn’t closing,” the man said, while also claiming public access to the beach was guaranteed because the Government now owned part of the access

arrangement. A vendor questioned why a fence had been erected on the beach, only to be taken down after public outcry, if access was guaranteed.

The Government, meanwhile, said it has not issued the letter or provided any alleged payments.

Phylicia Woods-Hanna, its investments director and Bahamas Investment Authority (BIA) head, said: “If there’s no signatory printed on it, then there’s no way to authenticate that letter. If it’s addressed to the minister, that wouldn’t have been circulated. That wouldn’t have been generated. We haven’t generated any letter from the Government side.”

Investment Funds Act 2019 would not be necessary or proportionate in Holdun Family Office’s case,” Mr Dunn wrote.

“Nor would such course of action be beneficial to the interest of all those involved, and would incur unnecessary expenses and not be the best use of judicial time. Holdun Family Office instead proposes to surrender its licence and complete an orderly voluntary winding up of the corporate entity, subject to such reporting and oversight as the Commission considers appropriate….

“For any avoidance of doubt, nothing in this letter should be taken as an admission of breach, liability, or regulatory non-compliance, and Holdun Family Office reserves all rights while continuing to engage constructively with the Commission.”

This, though, did not appease the Securities Commission. Ms Rolle, in a July 14, 2026, letter, responded: “A voluntary wind-up would be incongruent with the current circumstances of this matter…. There remains an ongoing investigation into Holdun Family Office emanating from clients’ allegations, and from Holdun Family Office’s activities which led to the court-supervised winding up of the two funds that are currently under the court’s supervision.

“In other words, matters giving rise to the funds’ winding-up under the court’s supervision are inextricably linked to Holdun Family Office’s activities and so, in the Commission’s estimation, Holdun Family Office’s winding-up must follow the same course of action. Given the foregoing, the Commission is unable to agree to a voluntary winding up or a process that takes Holdun Family Office outside of a court-supervised process.”

The Securities Commission, in its late August winding-up petition, alleged that Holdun had “effected an unauthorised and/or incomplete surrender” of its licence for the Holdun Income Fund before transferring parts of its investment portfolio and operations to the Cayman Islands. Tribune Business reported in June this year how that fund has now been placed in court-supervised liquidation in the Cayman Islands.

“The company has demonstrated a consistent failure to properly manage and administer the assets of the Funds entrusted to its care,” the Securities Commission said of Holdun generally, “with such deficiencies manifest in its repeated failures to satisfy investor redemption requests in a timely manner, or at all, to the detriment of investors and in contravention of the standards expected of a regulated investment fund manager….

“In addition, the Commission notes that a principal issue arising in relation to Holdun Opportunity Fund

was the material alteration of and/or deviation from its investment strategy, resulting in exposure to high-risk investments without proper disclosure to, or informed consent of, investors.

“These actions were taken to the clients’ detriment. The Commission notes that the mentioned deviation heavily contributed to the deterioration of the funds’ liquidity position, resulting in the inability to satisfy redemptions as they fell due,” the Bahamian regulator added.

“In the course of its investigation, the Commission obtained information giving rise to significant concerns about the operation and administration of the funds managed by Holdun Family Office. The information includes transactions with the funds’ assets in a manner that was, at the least, highly negligent.

“The activity also involved calculating fund net asset values (NAVs) based on assets that did not exist, charging management fees from the funds in circumstances where such charges were unjustifiable, and making loans to companies beneficially owned by a director - some of which had ceased operations so were in no position to repay those loans.” The Securities Commission added that its probe is ongoing.

Bahamian accountant James Gomez and Noreen Taylor, managing partner and partner at Ecovis Bahamas, respectively, have been proposed as Holdun Family Office’s liquidators.

She added that the Ministry of Tourism has remained in communication with the affected vendors and is working to facilitate alternative locations for them. “We’ve been in constant communication with the vendors,” Mrs WoodsHanna said.

“I can’t speak to any funds. The Government isn’t distributing any funds, so I cannot speak to any funds. All I know is that the Ministry of Tourism, the minister, is working diligently to make sure that the accommodations are made at alternate locations across New Providence for the vendors, so that they are not disadvantaged.”

Efforts to obtain comment from the Four Seasons Ocean Club Residences developer before press time were unsuccessful.

The developers are Access Industries, the existing Ocean Club’s owner, Florida-based real estate developer, Two Roads Development, and the highend Four Seasons resort brand Dis We Beach, though, questioned why vendors have become caught in

a dispute involving the Government and a major developer. “I think, from our perspective on behalf of Dis We Beach, these vendors didn’t need to be embroiled in this discussion to begin with,” the group said. “They didn’t have to be a part of this at all to begin with because these two entities are two Goliath corporations and government. So you have a Goliath developer, you have a Goliath government coming against the small business owner, which seems entirely unfair.”

The group suggested the Government and developer could resolve the access issue without placing the burden on small businesses.

“The Government could buy the land from Access [Industries], or Access could open up another entrance for the beach,” it said.

The dispute has also raised questions about what constitutes a legally-protected public access route to Cabbage Beach. In a social media post, Dis We Beach questioned who the man spreading the letter was speaking on behalf of, and his claims that the

Government now owns the access road and that public access is guaranteed throughout construction, noting that it had not seen official documentation confirming those assertions.

The group also pointed to the developer’s plans for access during construction, which it said provides for access to shift between the eastern and western boundaries, with disruptions expected, before a permanent 15-foot-wide access path is established.

Dis We Beach further questioned reports that only ten kiosks would be provided for 27 vendors once the project is completed, and whether any relocation arrangement would guarantee vendors’ ability to return.

The group said the Government and developer should jointly provide clear answers on whether the beach will remain accessible throughout construction, where members of the public will enter, whether restrictions or security controls will be imposed, and whether the promised access is legally protected and permanent.

THE TRIBUNE

Tuesday, September 8, 2026, PAGE 5

Ex-top Finance official voicing fears on ‘off-book’ Gov’t spend BORROW - from page B1 not show up as spending.

They added that borrowings could also have been placed with the multiple special purpose vehicles (SPVs) that the Government has had an increasing liking for since the last Christie administration was in office.

Ms Turner-Jones, telling this newspaper that The Bahamas’ national debt and fiscal position is “concerning”, said of the Central Bank report and the Government’s 2025-2026 fiscal projections: “Something’s not adding up… You cannot run a surplus and build your debt at the same time.”

She was not alone.

Marlon Johnson, the Ministry of Finance’s former acting financial secretary under the Minnis administration, in a post on social media, said of Tribune Business’ report on the Central Bank data: “What was the calamity that caused the national debt to grow by $1bn for the fiscal year ending this past June? How can we still be talking about surpluses when central government debt increased $700m during that fiscal year?

“If the surplus/deficit is not in broad alignment with the surge in central

government debt, then that means we are having substantial spending taking place off-book. And also likely outside of approved parliamentary appropriation. If this is so, any such spending would be illegal and unconstitutional.”

Ms Turner-Jones, though, told Tribune Business that the $1bn national debt expansion was likely to have been driven by an increase in government guarantees for SOEs plus borrowing from the likes of the Central Bank itself, which had provided more than $290m in advances to the Davis administration for the first nine months of the 2025-2026 fiscal year.

“They are running large accruals to local suppliers, so people are not getting paid on time,” she added.

“Businesses are delivering services and goods to the Government and not getting paid. The payables are very large.

“It’s not adding up. I would say it’s probably not on the central government side. They are guaranteeing state-owned enterprise debt. It could be BPL, it could be Water & Sewerage, it could be the Public Hospitals Authority (PHA). It could be those contingent liabilities added on.”

Ms Turner-Jones questioned why the Government has yet to publish the final fiscal numbers for the 2025-2026 fiscal year, which will confirm whether it has attained its surplus forecast or slipped into deficit, when the debt figures have already been released.

She added that The Bahamas’ debt-to-GDP ratio should ideally be 60 percent or lower but, according to the Central Bank, this stood at almost 75 percent at endJune 2026 compared to 74.2 percent just two years earlier.

“I wouldn’t start to say it’s an unsustainable debt level yet, but it becomes problematic because with all the revenue collected you have to allocate more for debt service,” Ms Turner-Jones said, adding that she is also concerned that yields on outstanding external Bahamas sovereign foreign currency bonds, representing the interest rates demanded by investors, remain relatively high compared to other Caribbean countries.

“I’m concerned. I think the rating agencies, which have given us a stable outlook, are going to be screaming and everyone needs to pay attention.

There’s $1bn in additional debt. What do we have to

Gov’t urged to recognise polices worsening cost of living pressure EATING - from page B1 business costs, with these rises ultimately passed on to Bahamian families through higher grocery prices, he added that the impact may also force AML Foods to “pivot in how and where we want to invest”.

Mr Watchorn pledged that the BISX-listed food group is doing its part to ease cost of living pressures, having increased entry-level salaries for employees by 15 percent and investing almost $30m in constructing its Grand Bahama distribution centre and Cost Right’s Nassau store re-opening.

“Both of these investments will allow us to source in larger quantities and lower our cost of goods,” he told investors.

However, Mr Watchorn said efforts to combat inflation and pricing pressures took a blow when the Government opted to treat the elimination of VAT on all uncooked goods from April 1, just prior to the general election, as ‘exempt’ rather than ‘zero rated’.

This has meant means food stores, as well as pharmacies, gas stations and any business that sells uncooked produce will no longer be able to recover VAT they themselves pay on all input expenses related to these items. As a result, if uncooked foods account for 60 percent of a company’s inventory, they will be unable to regain or ‘net off’ 60 percent of the VAT paid

on their light, water bills and other expenses.

Such VAT changes also apply to food distributors and wholesalers, and Mr Watchorn wrote: “Recently there have been several changes in government policy that have had a significant impact on our company, including the classification of grocery items as VAT exempt rather than zero-rated.

“The impact of these policy changes is expected to increase AML Foods’ operating costs by up to $4.5m annually, while increasing the costs of reinvesting in our business and in new stores by 10 percent.

Our effective taxation rate will now be approximately 35 percent of our operating profits.” For AML, those operating profits stood at $16.546m for the year to end-April 2026 which, based on that percentage, works out to $5.971m in dollar terms.

“These changes have happened at a time when tremendous inflationary pressures and increased costs on freight, insurance, energy costs, rent and other expenses are continuing to increase the already-high cost of doing business in The Bahamas,” Mr Watchorn said.

“Local service providers and wholesalers have shared with us their increased costs of doing business, and grocery retailers are experiencing a steady pattern of cost

increases, further compounding the pressures on the grocery retail industry.

“We hope that policymakers recognise that there are many factors that contribute to the rising cost and complexity of doing business, as these ultimately impact the affordability of groceries for Bahamian consumers.

While we believe that these policy changes were not intended to discourage investment, unfortunately their cumulative impact is likely to have that longterm effect on our industry,” he warned.

“We will continue to seek growth opportunities, but the impacts of these policy changes may ultimately result in pivots in how and where we invest, and how we operate our businesses, as we ensure that we strike the right balance between serving and supporting our communities and partners, while being the best stewards of our shareholders’ capital.”

Looking back at the previous year, Mr Watchorn said AML Foods had still managed to grow its topline for a 15th consecutive year despite the loss of its Solomon’s and Cost Right stores at Old Trail Road due to the devastating fire that occurred on April 14, 2025. Total sales for the year to end-April 2026 jumped by $5.9m or almost 3 percent to hit $208.9m as the BISX-listed food retail and

US issues sanctions on Turkish bank that it calls a ‘critical financial lifeline’ for Iran

By FARNOUSH AMIRI and ANDREW WILKS Associated Press THE Trump administration announced Friday that it has imposed sanctions on a Turkish financial institution as part of its latest effort to sever “critical financial lifelines” for the Iranian government.

The actions against Golden Global Yatirim Bankasi Anonim Sirketi come after Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent last week launched “Operation Economic Outcast, “ Washington’s new effort to isolate already heavily sanctioned Iran from its remaining trading partners to try to get it to capitulate to U.S. demands after more than six months of war.

The Treasury Department accused the Turkish bank and its entities of being established to enable Iran’s efforts to transfer oil revenues from China to Turkey, where they could then be converted to cash and gold.

It also said the institution

“knowingly offered” banking services to Iranian financial entities, including those already sanctioned by the U.S. government in 2022 for funneling Tehran’s oil sales. Bessent, who had told The Associated Press earlier this week that another bank would face economic penalties, said financial institutions with ties to Iran will “continue to find out the hard way that we are serious about Operation Economic Outcast.”

“While we hope no more banks will need to be sanctioned, that ultimately depends on how quickly the international community comes to its senses and ceases support of the murderous Iranian regime,” he said in a press release Friday. “We know who you are, we know where you are, and we will continue to take action together with our allies and partners until we have buried the head of the Iranian snake.”

But so far, the goal to force those that still do business with Iran to cut

off financial ties or face U.S. retaliation has fallen flat, with promises of an “economic D-Day” for a group

show for it? What was it spent on? Was this the best use of taxpayer money?

“The debt is coming at a cost, an increasing cost, and the more we borrow the higher the cost becomes.

When the sovereign rating changes, like in a downgrade, it doesn’t just affect the sovereign’s borrowing; it affects everyone’s borrowing. Interest rates, for example, may go from 4 percent to 5 percent. The rating of the country affects everyone’s borrowing, not just the sovereign borrower.

Everything becomes more risky.”

The 8.8 percent yearover-year increase in The Bahamas’ national debt to $13.17bn is likely to fuel questions about the extent of pre-election spending, as well as the seeming disconnect between the size of the debt surge and seemingly much-lower annual GFS deficit. The latter, which is supposed to measure the net increase in the Government’s debt, as well as by how much its spending exceeds tax/revenue income, stood at only $121.2m at end-April.

The more than $1bn jump in the national debt came despite a slight drop in the Government’s direct liabilities during the three months to end-June 2026. “For the

quarter ended-June 2026, the direct charge on the Government fell by $7.1m (0.1 percent) to $12.466bn while, on an annual basis, it grew by $697m (5.9 percent),” the Central Bank confirmed.

“The Government’s contingent liabilities increased by $358.7m over the review quarter, and by $373.5m year-on-year, to $703.4m.

Consequently, the national debt, inclusive of contingent liabilities, rose by $351.6m (2.7 percent) over the three-month period, and by $1.071bn (8.8 percent) on an annual basis, to $13.17bn as at end-June 2026.

“As a ratio to GDP, the direct charge decreased by 0.2 percentage points on a yearly basis to 70.7 percent at end-June. However, the national debt-to-GDP ratio increased to an estimated 74.7 percent from 72.8 percent in the second quarter of 2025.” The latter indicator was also ahead of the 74.2 percent national debt-to-GDP ratio at the 2024 mid-point, while total public sector debt - having fallen from 76.6 percent to 75.2 percent at the half-way mark in 2025 - is now back up to 77.3 percent of GDP. Much of the contingent liability increase is related to the borrowings that the Government guaranteed

for its $280m Grand Bahama Power Company acquisition and working capital, plus its liquefied natural gas (LNG) energy reforms and Public Hospitals Authority (PHA) in the months leading up to the general election.

However, the Central Bank report will likely reignite Opposition questions as to why the Government’s direct net debt has increased by almost $700m when the fiscal deficit at end-April 2026 - with just two months left in the fiscal year - was shown as $121.2m. And the re-elected Davis administration, as late as end-June 2026, was forecasting a $32.7m Budget surplus for 2025-2026, albeit reduced by some $42.7m or more than 50 percent from the original $75.5m target.

The surplus, if achieved, should mean the national and direct government debt decreases rather than goes up by a much higher amount. The Opposition has already charged that the Davis administration has been using the National Investment Fund to hide the scale of government borrowing and debt, placing borrowed funds into this rather than the Consolidated Fund, which enables it to treat these monies as equity rather than debt.

franchise group targets a $300m top-line by 2030.

“Despite the loss of over $40m in annual revenues from our Old Trail location, we recorded a 3 percent increase in sales for 20252026, our 15th consecutive year of sales growth,” he added.

“Our relentless focus on improving customer experiences, increasing the selection and availability of relevant items and expanding our products and services to new markets has resulted in increased weekly customer visits and basket size…. We determined immediately after the fire that we would remain committed to growth, and that we would not allow that event to define us or to derail our ambitions.”

Mr Watchorn said AML Foods had opened three stores within the past 16 months, including the former Prime Island Meats & Deli on Exuma and the ex-Captain Bob’s Seafood in Harbour Island.

The latter was acquired for $682,000 and re-opened under the ‘Harbour Island Markets’ brand in May, with the also re-named Eleuthera Markets rounding off the the three to give the group nine food stores in New Providence, Grand Bahama and the Family Islands.

Looking ahead, the AML Foods chief said the renovated Prime Island Meats & Deli, now known as Exuma Markets Hooper’s Bay, is set to open during the current second quarter of the group’s present 2027 financial year.

“Our expanded Cost Right Nassau store is due to open in the Spring of 2027.

These new and remodelled locations will allow us to expand our great customer experience to other communities throughout The Bahamas,” Mr Watchorn added. AML Foods also in July 2026 acquired the land and building for its Exuma Markets Georgetown outlet at a cost of $2.85m excluding VAT, legal and other costs.

Explaining how the $28.6m insurance proceeds, including $5.4m in business interruption insurance, from the Old Trail fire were used, AML Foods said: “Fiscal 2026 included $28.4m of insurance recovery proceeds, partly deployed into $12.1m of BGRS (Bahamas Government Registered Stock or bond) investments, $10.2m of property, plant and equipment additions and $2.9m for the acquisition of Prime Island Meats & Deli.”

Franklyn Butler, AML Foods chairman, told investors: “We advanced the recovery of our Cost Right Nassau store, continued to invest in our distribution network and e-commerce capabilities, expanded and enhanced our customer loyalty programmes, and reinforced our commitment to serving communities throughout the Family Islands.

“The execution of these strategic investments have created a stronger, more efficient business, and positions AML Foods for sustained growth as we work toward our plan to achieve revenues of $300m by 2030.

“The operating environment, however, continues to present challenges, and increasing operating costs

and policy changes continue to place additional pressure on our business.

We hope policymakers will continue to recognise the many factors that increase the cost, and reduce the ease, of doing business, as these ultimately impact the affordability of groceries for Bahamian families.”

AML Foods itself, in summing up the industry outlook, said: “The grocery industry in The Bahamas is operating within an increasingly complex regulatory environment. Changes in taxation, Customs procedures, consumer protection and other regulatory obligations can require retailers to respond within relatively short implementation periods.

“For large grocery operators, regulatory changes can have a disproportionate operational impact, requiring modifications to systems, processes, product classifications, pricing, reporting and internal controls.

Regulatory compliance, therefore, represents both a financial and operational risk.

“Looking ahead, the group will need to remain responsive to an evolving regulatory landscape, maintaining strong tax governance, effective internal controls and flexible technology platforms capable of accommodating changes efficiently.

Continued engagement with regulators and industry stakeholders will also be important to ensure that new requirements are implemented effectively, while minimising unintended operational impacts and preserving the intended benefits for Bahamian consumers.”

of countries that could include China and India quickly turning into warnings and negotiations with Iran’s trading partners.

Bessent had previously told reporters that he wanted countries to have an opportunity to shift away

from Iran before it was too late in a bid to avoid upending the global financial system. The Trump administration’s reluctance to penalize major trading partners that still do business with Iran was on display last week when the U.S. took

steps to limit an Egyptian bank’s operations in the United Arab Emirates but stopped short of imposing sanctions. The U.S. also has resumed military strikes in recent days, prompting Iranian retaliation in the region.

Legal Notice International Business Companies Act (No. 45 of 2000)

Primetime Fund Ltd. (the “Company”)

In Voluntary Liquidation Notice is hereby given that, in accordance with Section 138 (4) of the International Business Companies Act, (No.45 of 2000), Primetime Fund Ltd. (the “Company”) is in Dissolution. The date of commencement of the Dissolution is the 4th September, 2026. WND LIMITED is the Liquidator and can be contacted at Winterbotham Place, Marlborough & Queen Streets, P.O. Box N-3026, Nassau, NP, The Bahamas. All persons having claims against the above-named Company are required to send their names, addresses and particulars of their debts or claims to the Liquidator before the 5th October, 2026.

WND LIMITED Liquidator

NOTICE TY Investments Ltd. Incorporated under the International Business Companies Act, 2000 of the Commonwealth of The Bahamas.

Registration number 211322 B (In Voluntary Liquidation) Notice is hereby given that the above-named Company is in dissolution, commencing on the 7th day of September A.D. 2026.

Articles of Dissolution have been duly registered by the Registrar. The Liquidator is MR. PAULO YOSHI TAKEUTI, whose address is R das Camelias, 435 RES 20, Zona 40, CEP: 87060-288, Maringa, PR, Brazil. Any Persons having a Claim against the above-named Company are required on or before the 7th day of October A.D. 2026 to send their names, addresses and particulars of their debts or claims to the Liquidator of the Company, or in default thereof they may be excluded from the benefit of any distribution made before such claim is proved.

Dated this 7th day of September A.D. 2026.

PAULO YOSHI TAKEUTI LIQUIDATOR

PAGE 6, Tuesday, September 8, 2026

THE TRIBUNE

The poorest in the US can’t find housing even as low-income units sit empty A PERSON sweeps outside during the grand opening of the Rose on Colfax, a new affordable housing community with a co-located childcare center in the East Colfax neighborhood, Jan. 24, 2024, in Denver.

Photo:David Zalubowski/AP

By CLAIRE RUSH Associated Press MATHEW Davis, who lives in a homeless shelter in Austin, Texas, would love an apartment of his own. But with the little money he makes donating blood plasma, even a $450-a-month tiny home with no running water and a communal bathroom would be a stretch.

Meanwhile, over 4,500 units the city classifies as affordable — nearly 16% — sit empty.

“I don’t make enough money really to afford anything,” Davis, 49, said of the few hundred dollars he earns a month. “I just keep trying to swim uphill.”

The poorest people in the U.S. face the most acute shortages of affordable homes.

But the majority of low-income housing financed in recent years is for those earning 50% of an area’s median income or above, according to a survey of state housing agencies.

Some cities are now seeing an uptick in vacancies as rents for these units approach market rates. The result: Apartments designated as affordable sit empty because the poorest of the poor cannot afford them.

Meanwhile, some people are forced into homelessness and others into desperate circumstances to pay for housing they can’t afford.

The poorest have few housing options There are only about 4 million affordable rental units available for the country’s 11 million extremely low-income renter households, according to the National Low Income

Carbon credit financing emerges as Africa’s biggest bet for expanding clean cooking NAIROBI, Kenya Associated Press EVERY morning, Mary Kavutha prepares breakfast for her two young children using an induction cooker in her Nairobi home. Two years ago, the businesswoman relied on a charcoal stove that filled her kitchen with smoke and cost about $1.15 in fuel each day.

Today, she says, for 80 cents in electricity tokens she can cook several meals.

“It cooks much faster, and is much safer because I have young children,”

Kavutha said. “With charcoal there was always smoke in the house. Now I can cook indoors comfortably, and I spend much less.”

Nearly 1 billion Africans still rely on charcoal or firewood for everyday cooking.

The International Energy Agency (IEA) estimates that household air pollution from these fuels contributes to about 850,000 deaths annually on the continent.

Like millions of other Africans, Kavutha switched not out of climate concerns but because the stoves are affordable since

Housing Coalition’s most recent annual report.

These are people with annual incomes either below the federal poverty guidelines — just under $16,000 for a single-person household — or 30% of the median income in their area, whichever is higher.

They comprise about a quarter of U.S. renter households, and include many people working lowwage jobs, seniors and those with disabilities living on fixed incomes.

About three-quarters of extremely low-income renter households pay over half their income on rent and utilities, the report said, leaving little leftover for other necessities.

Yet homes set aside for these renters were only about 12% of the affordable housing units financed in 2024 by the Low-Income Housing Tax Credit — a federal program providing tax credits to developers in exchange for keeping rents low for at least 30 years, according to figures from

they are underwritten by carbon credit financing, which allows clean cooking companies to raise capital against future revenues from emission reductions.

Clean cooking companies are betting that carbon finance, long criticized over concerns about the credibility of some projects, could become Africa’s most important tool for expanding cleaner household energy and reducing pressure on forests.

towards clean cooking technologies.

More than 30 governments in countries accounting for about 80% of Africans who still lack access to clean cooking have introduced 121 new clean cooking policies since the Paris climate summit in 2015, the energy agency said.

Clean cooking is not a luxury, but an everyday necessity affecting every household, Tanzanian President Samia Suluhu said after co-hosting an IEA conference on clean cooking in Dar es Salaam earlier this year. That followed the African Union’s Dar es Salaam Declaration on Clean Cooking, adopted by 30 governments last year.

Africa is moving faster to adopt clean cookstoves In June, the IEA announced Africa had secured $900 million in new financial commitments

the National Council of State Housing Agencies.

The majority are for those earning at least 50% of an area’s median income, or AMI. In Austin, that’s a single person earning roughly $47,000 a year, as compared with an extremely low-income person earning under $28,000.

The program has financed nearly 4 million affordable units nationwide since its creation 40 years ago. But some experts say it’s inefficient — and more costly than housing vouchers.

“It’s enormously complex and bureaucratic, and it raises the cost of construction enormously because the rules are so complicated,” said Chris Edwards, an economist at the Cato Institute, a libertarian think tank, who told Congress the program’s complexity “spawned” an industry of law and accounting firms just to administer it.

“If you’re going to subsidize affordable housing, you should give the money directly to tenants,” he said, referring to housing vouchers.

Other experts say the two programs work together

well because properties built with the tax credit are required to accept vouchers — while landlords of market-rate apartments in many states are not.

Still, there’s a major federal funding shortfall: Experts estimate only onein-four eligible families ever receive vouchers. Vouchers can help the poorest pay for housing that’s targeted to higher income groups, but the waitlist can be yearslong.

Some affordable housing developers say that without vouchers, it’s not economically feasible to provide units for extremely low-income people.

True Ground Housing Partners, an affordable housing developer in the Washington, D.C., area, gives an example: A unit for those earning 60% of the area’s median income — nearly $70,000 a year — brings in $1,715 per month in rent. But after $1,575 in mortgage and operating expenses, only $140 is left.

“The math does not lie,” said president and CEO Carmen Romero, noting that an extremely low-income person would pay only half that rent.

Carbon financing is making clean cooking affordable

“Investors provide upfront capital that subsidizes the retail price of our stoves. In return, they receive revenue from carbon credits generated as households reduce their use of charcoal, wood and other polluting fuels,” he said.

Carbon finance has transformed what was once an expensive clean-energy product into one that millions of low-income households can afford, said Peter Scott, founder and CEO of BURN, which makes eco-friendly cookstoves.

“The only way clean cooking is going to scale on the continent is through carbon project finance,” Scott said. “Governments earn revenue and customers get a product they would never have been able to afford without that subsidy.”

The Nairobi-based firm said it has distributed more than 7.3 million cookstoves in 11 African countries.

“Our biggest innovation is not the stove itself, but the financing behind it,” Scott said. “Without that financing, many families cannot afford to switch.”

An efficient biomass stove that would normally retail for about $40 can cost customers as little as $5 after carbon subsidies.

More expensive induction cookers are financed through carbon credits and short-term pay-as-you-go plans that spread payments over several months.

Credit markets are still under scrutiny The industry has adopted strict standards and more sophisticated measuring of emissions, including Bluetooth monitoring, digital verification and real-time usage data to address criticism of carbon credits.

Critics of the approach say relying too heavily on carbon credits to finance clean cooking is still risky.

In one setback, the Kenyan clean cooking firm Koko Networks, hailed as a poster child of Africa’s green transition, closed in February after failing to win a government letter of authorization to sell carbon credits.

Carbon money can help but should not be the foundation of the transition, said George Mwaniki, WRI Kenya representative and head of Air Quality for WRI Africa.

The problem, he said, is that carbon finance generally comes after the investment required to put cleaner cooking equipment into households.

NOTICE

NOTICE

NOTICE is hereby given that I JEFFREY JESPERE of Comfort Street, New Providence, 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 8th day of September, 2026 to the Minister responsible for nationality and Citizenship, P.O. Box N-7147, Nassau, New Providence, The Bahamas.

NOTICE is hereby given that MYRIAM FERGUSON of Forbes Street, Nassau Village, New Providence, Bahamas is 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 twentyeight days from the 8th day of September, 2026 to the Minister responsible for nationality and Citizenship, P.O. Box N-7147, Nassau, Bahamas.

NOTICE

NOTICE

NOTICE

NOTICE is hereby given that MILANDA MOSELUS of P.O. Box N-3331, #761 Pennsylvania Ave., Fort Launderdale, Florida, United States of America is 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 2nd day of September, 2026 to the Minister responsible for nationality and Citizenship, P.O. Box N-7147, Nassau, Bahamas.

NOTICE is hereby given that RODLINE LAZARD of P.O. BOX N5165, Fairview Heights, St. Vincent Road, New Providence, Bahamas is 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 2nd day of September, 2026 to the Minister responsible for nationality and Citizenship, P.O. Box N-7147, Nassau, Bahamas.

NOTICE is hereby given that I DEIVIDSON MUNNINGS of Acacia Avenue, #13 Pinewood Gardens,New Providence, 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 8th day of September, 2026 to the Minister responsible for nationality and Citizenship, P.O. Box N-7147, Nassau, New Providence, The Bahamas.

NOTICE

NOTICE

NOTICE

NOTICE is hereby given that I DIEULA SIME of Cowpen Road, New Providence, 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 twentyeight days from the 1th day of September, 2026 to the Minister responsible for nationality and Citizenship, P.O. Box N-7147, Nassau, New Providence, The Bahamas.

NOTICE is hereby given that JESSICA CHERY of Rosewood Street, Pinewood Gardens, New Providence, Bahamas is 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 twentyeight days from the 1st day of September, 2026 to the Minister responsible for nationality and Citizenship, P.O. Box N-7147, Nassau, Bahamas.

NOTICE is hereby given that I ALBERTO SALOMON of #1 East Indianman Road, Freeport, Grand Bahama, 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 1st day of Septemeber, 2026 to the Minister responsible for nationality and Citizenship, P.O. Box N-7147, Nassau, New Providence, The Bahamas.

THE TRIBUNE

Tuesday, September 8, 2026, PAGE 7

Fuel prices at record Labor Day high in US thanks to Iran war and refinery issues

By JEFFREY COLLINS Associated Press IT’S never been more expensive in the U.S. to fill up the tank and take one last summer trip over the Labor Day weekend.

The average price of regular gas was $4.14 a gallon heading into the holiday, nearly a dollar higher than last year and well above the Labor Day weekend record of $3.82 from 2012, according to AAA motor club.

Nicole Collins planned to head from Philadelphia to South Carolina to visit friends, but she said her family has spent most of the summer close to home and not taking their typical weekend trips because driving has gotten so expensive.

“Gas is pretty high right now. It doesn’t help that we also have a baby, so we also have to pay for that,” Collins said outside a gas station in Claymont,

Delaware, where regular gas was $4.199 a gallon.

Prices shot up after the U.S. and Israel attacked Iran in February and have not settled down since.

Crude oil traffic through the key Strait of Hormuz has plunged, and Iran has refused to reopen the waterway.

“Everything points to the Iran war and the Strait of Hormuz,” said Tom Seng, a professor of energy finance at Texas Christian University.

Energy Secretary Chris Wright offered few specifics on when the nation’s drivers might see relief at the gas pump, acknowledging that prices are higher now than Labor Day 2025.

“Yes, they’re higher today, but we’re doing everything we can to push them down,” Wright said Sunday on ABC’s “This Week.”

The national average for regular gas prices is still

DIESEL prices are seen at a gas station as prices hit a record high in the U.S., Friday, Sept. 4, 2026 in Minneapolis.

Photo:Ellen Schmidt/AP well below the record of $5.02 a gallon set in June 2022.

But diesel is a different story: It hit a national average of $5.85 a gallon Friday, a record.

Party’s over for crypto scammers who went on a spending spree after a $240 million bitcoin theft

By MICHAEL KUNZELMAN Associated Press THEY pulled off one of the largest cryptocurrency thefts in U.S. history, duping a stranger out of bitcoin worth over $240 million.

They tried to hide their digital fingerprints, carrying out a sophisticated scheme to launder the proceeds.

And then the party started.

The scammers — a network of young men in their late teens or early 20s — celebrated the August 2024 heist by embarking on a wild spending spree. They purchased fleets of sports cars, flew on private jets, hired security guards and rented mansions in Miami and the Hamptons. An alleged ringleader, 22-yearold Malone Lam, spent over $569,000 in one evening at a Los Angeles night club.

Their bender lasted a month before FBI agents arrested Lam on charges that he organized a “social engineering” attack on the Washington, D.C., resident.

Lam, an eighth-grade dropout from Singapore, has a plea agreement hearing set for Tuesday. His conviction would be a capstone for the government’s investigation.

The charges against Lam and 17 others are an extreme example of an increasingly common form of cybercrime. Complaints of cryptocurrency investment fraud to the FBI rose by nearly 50% in 2025, while Republican President Donald Trump’s administration largely abandoned a regulatory crackdown on the volatile industry.

Last year, the Justice Department disbanded a unit dedicated to prosecuting crypto-related crimes.

Meanwhile, crypto companies that complained of unfair treatment during Democratic President Joe Biden’s presidency are enjoying the government’s hands-off approach under Trump, who took in roughly $1.2 billion from his crypto businesses in 2025.

Cybersecurity researcher Allison Nixon, who has spent years tracking The Com, an underground

subculture of young hackers united by the “insane amount of money” that crypto fraud can generate, advocates for more law enforcement resources to go after them.

“If we don’t seriously ramp up the resources to take these people down and do it faster, then it’s going to spread more and more,” she said.

Scammers nabbed millions though ‘social engineering’ heist A man identified as “Victim 7” in court filings was at home in Washington on Aug. 18, 2024, when his phone rang. The first caller identified himself as a Google representative inquiring about attempts to breach his account. A second, claiming to be from the Gemini crypto exchange, warned the man of a malware attack affecting his crypto wallet.

The callers manipulated the man into giving them access to his Google Drive and revealing security codes that allowed Lam to siphon off over 4,100 bitcoin, according to prosecutors.

They said Lam and his friends on the calls — Veer Chetal and Jeandiel Serrano — targeted the man because he was a wealthy, longtime crypto investor.

A private recording captured the moment when the friends realized how much money they just stole, according to a video posted by a well-known private investigator of cryptocurrency crimes who goes by ZachXBT. “Oh, my God! Bro, bro, I’m going to spaz out!” a voice on the video said.

Once they swiped the man’s savings, they used money laundering specialists to wash it through multiple exchange platforms and convert virtual currency into government-issued cash.

It wasn’t the first social engineering scam for the friends, who met in online gaming forums. They had teamed up on other multimillion-dollar thefts since late 2023 using a similar

THIS Justice Department grand jury superseding indictment against Malone Lam and his co-defendants is photographed Friday, Sept. 4, 2026.

Photo:Jon Elswick/AP

playbook, according to prosecutors.

This time, however, one of them made a costly mistake: Serrano failed to conceal his IP address when he created an account on a cryptocurrency exchange to hold nearly $30 million in stolen crypto, according to prosecutors. Investigators linked the IP address to a home in Encino, California, that Serrano was renting for $47,500 a month.

Trucks and other freight delivery systems use a lot of diesel, and that increased transportation cost is being passed on to consumers, whether at the grocery store or through package delivery services.

Lavish spending quickly drew attention Serrano was vacationing in the Maldives when investigators identified him as a suspect. Lam was in Los Angeles, where he and friends spent $4 million at nightclubs in one month, authorities say. Chetal gifted a Lamborghini to his parents and hid a duffel bag filled with $500,000 in cash in their laundry machine.

Word of their windfall quickly spread in crypto scammers’ circles. A week after the big score, Chetal’s parents were driving in Danbury, Connecticut, when several masked men cut them off, forced them

“It doesn’t really seem like there’s an end to it,” Collins said.

Gas prices typically drop as the summer driving season ends and refineries turn to making a cheaper winter blend.

But Seng said there are other factors this year even beyond the volatile situation in the Middle East that make future prices unpredictable. U.S. refineries are working at 98% capacity, many in the unusually harsh Texas heat. If there are problems there or a hurricane knocks some systems offline, prices will struggle to drop.

And it’s not just a Middle East problem. Ukrainian drone attacks on Russian refineries are squeezing diesel supplies. Chinese refiners are seeing declining outputs as well, said Matthew Metzgar, a clinical professor of economics at UNC Charlotte.

“There’s just less gasoline coming out of those refineries,” Metzgar said.

Wright, the energy secretary, said the Trump administration was taking steps to increase production and that the markets forecast lower prices in the coming months.

“If you look at the futures prices, if you wanted to buy today in bulk gasoline for two months out in November, it’s about $0.35 cheaper than it is today. So the marketplace thinks gasoline prices are going to move meaningfully lower,” he said.

Geopolitically, though, there is little a driver can do to knock down gas prices.

But using price apps can help save a little money, especially on long trips where gas by the interstate could be 10 to 15 cents per gallon more expensive than at stations a short drive down the road, Metzgar said.

out of their new car, beat Chetal’s father with a baseball bat, shoved the couple into a van and bound their hands.

The captors, from Miami, had intended to use Chetal’s parents as leverage for extorting him into giving up his share of the stolen crypto. But the ransom plot fell apart when witnesses notified police, who apprehended the carjackers.

The FBI showed up to search Chetal’s apartment in Brunswick, New Jersey, on Sept. 9, 2024, and found $37 million in stolen crypto in his possession. He agreed to cooperate with their investigation.

Lam was attracting attention, too, for spending hundreds of thousands of dollars a night at clubs and tossing handbags worth tens of thousands of dollars to women in the crowds. He also used stolen cryptocurrency to buy a $2 million watch and over 30 cars, including custom Porsches, Lamborghinis and Ferraris, according to the FBI. “This luxury lifestyle, of which so many young men and women could only dream, was just built on a foundation of fraud,” a prosecutor, William Hart, said during a recent sentencing hearing for a money laundering co-defendant.

THE TRIBUNE

Tuesday, September 8, 2026, PAGE 9

Despite men not trusting what they see online, some are letting social media drive their behaviours ARE men really influenced by social media?

A new Cleveland Clinic survey reveals that despite some men not trusting what they see online, they are letting social media influence their behaviours. The MENtion It Survey shows that 74 per cent of men, don’t trust health information shared by influencers, yet 39 per cent of them admit that they have tried a health or wellness trend after seeing it on social media.

The survey is part of Cleveland Clinic’s 11th annual MENtion It campaign,, which aims to encourage men to talk more openly about their health. This year’s survey examined men’s health in the age of social media trends and online influencers.

“So much about men’s health has been in the national conversation recently, including male fertility rates, testosterone replacement therapy, and the viral health-maxxing trends of everything under the sun,” said Petar Bajic, MD, director of the Men’s

Health Section at Cleveland Clinic’s Glickman Urological Institute.

“We wanted to get a better idea of the influence and emotional impact that social media can have on men and if it’s changing their health habits and attitudes.”

The national survey of over 1,000 US men found that 74 per cent rarely or never trust health information shared by influencers, yet 39 per cent admit they have tried a new diet or wellness trend after seeing it on social media.

The survey illustrated the idea that while social media can motivate men to improve their health, it can also fuel pressure and comparison. After seeing content on social media: • 73 per cent feel motivated to improve their health • 69 per cent feel concerned about their health • 44 per cent compare their body, fitness level or overall health to others on social media Additionally, the survey results highlight the potential danger in using the internet to replace seeing

a health care professional.

Two in 5 men (40 per cent ) say they attempt to self-diagnose based on information found on social media, and nearly one-third of men (30per cent ) use supplements or performance enhancers promoted on social media, which can be dangerous if the user is not seeing a medical professional to get a diagnosis and prescription.

When it comes to men’s health topics that have been trending in the news, the survey showed that myths about testosterone and men’s fertility are still very prevalent.

• Half of men (50 per cent ) don’t recognise that lifestyle choices can impact sperm quality • 28 per cent believe testosterone therapy can improve sexual performance • About a quarter of men (23 per cent) believe testosterone therapy could make men feel younger The survey also revealed misinformation surrounding negative lifestyle habits and their effects on men’s

Photo: pexels-andres-ayrton health. According to the survey, many men are unaware that the following lifestyle behaviours can affect sexual performance and/or cause erectile dysfunction: • 51 per cent smoking cigarettes or vaping • 62 per cent marijuana use

• 40 per cent obesity • 49 per cent poor exercise habits • 34 per cent consuming alcohol “We learned that American men are becoming more engaged in their health, but they're increasingly navigating a landscape shaped by social

media, misinformation and self-directed care,” said Dr Bajic. “We want to remind men that being proactive with your health by exercising and getting regular screenings, vaccinations and exams can help prevent many health problems or catch them in curable stages.”

Eleuthera Wellness partners with Island Luck to offer free prostate screenings Eleuthera Wellness Hospital and Clinics is teaming up again with Island Luck to provide free testing for men during Prostate Cancer Awareness Month which is observed in September.

This is the third year Island Luck has made free screening available on Eleuthera but this year is the the first time it will be available throughout the expanded Eleuthera Wellness network from Spanish Wells in the north to Rock Sound in the south as well as the flagship Eleuthera Wellness Hospital in Palmetto Point, the first hospital on a family island.

“We cannot overstate the importance of every man over the age of 40 getting tested on an annual basis for prostate cancer,” said Eleuthera Wellness founder and CEO Dr Arlington Lightbourne.

“Prostate cancer is one of the leading causes of death among men and is most common in older men, men with a family history of prostate cancer, but the positive news is that a prostate cancer diagnosis is not a death warrant – if detected early, it is nearly 100 per cent treatable with excellent, long-lasting remission results. The key is early detection.”

More than 1.5 million men are diagnosed with prostate cancer globally every year and according to medical experts in The Bahamas, two Bahamian men are diagnosed with the disease every week.

The country’s first prime minPhoto: magnific/ 9nong ister Lynden Pindling died of prostate cancer, and his death

DR LIGHTBOURNE a wake-up call to many, said Dr Lightbourne. He said that many men put off the testing because it once required an uncomfortable physical exam.

“Fortunately, a physical exam is no longer a mandatory part of the screening standards for prostate cancer, and we get critical information, including information about some aspects of general health, from a simple blood test,” said Dr Lightbourne.

That test checks for a protein antigen and the benefit of an annual exam for men is that it allows lab technicians and physicians to note yearover-year changes.

“All men experience a larger prostate as they age and there is nothing that necessarily indicates disease by an enlarged gland,” says Dr Lightbourne. “We need to work harder to help men understand that there is nothing to fear with the testing – the lab test is processed right here in Eleuthera – and if there is a an abnormal or concerning PSA level, appropriate confirmation tests are

then recommended to ensure correct diagnosis.

Early detection is the best way to produce the desired outcome and quite often the difference between a good, healthy life with continued activity or the outcome you do not want because you waited too long.”

While prostate cancer is the fourth leading death from cancer behind lung, breast and colorectal, it is the second leading cause of cancer death for men in the Bahamas.

“We want to thank Island Luck for once again making these screenings possible without charge to men throughout Eleuthera – they can be a life-changer,” said Dr Lightbourne.

All Island Luck account holders with a valid ID and Island Luck card are eligible.

Men are urged to contact the Eleuthera Wellness Hospital or any Eleuthera Wellness satellite location to learn more or to schedule a visit. Contact 322-0224 by phone, or 470-WELL (9355)

by WhatsApp. Eleuthera Wellness Hospital maintains daily extended hours for urgent care, as well as 24/7 hours for emergencies and hospital admissions.

Walk-in urgent care and diagnostic services, including comprehensive laboratory testing, x-ray, ultrasound, CT scans, and other imaging services are available from 8am-6pm, including weekends and holidays.

PAGE 10, Tuesday, September 8, 2026

THE TRIBUNE

Hannah Foster-Middleton

When your jaw is hurting, don't forget to blame your neck

HAVE you ever woken up with a sore jaw, struggled to chew your breakfast, or heard an annoying clicking sound every time you opened your mouth?

Most people immediately assume the problem is in the jaw itself. Surprisingly, that's often only part of the story.

As physiotherapists, we regularly see patients who arrive complaining of jaw pain, headaches, facial tension, or difficulty opening their mouths. After a thorough assessment, we often discover that the neck is playing a much bigger role than they ever imagined.

The jaw and neck are so closely connected that it's almost impossible to treat one properly without considering the other.

Your Jaw and Neck Work as a Team The jaw joint, known as the temporomandibular joint (TMJ), is one of the most frequently used joints in the body. Every time you eat, yawn, talk, laugh, sing, or even swallow, it is hard at work.

What many people don't realise is that the muscles controlling the jaw are closely linked to those that support the head and neck. These muscles share nerves, blood supply, and movement patterns. When one area becomes stiff or painful, the other often follows.

Think of it like a suspension bridge. If one cable becomes tight or damaged, the tension spreads throughout the entire structure. Your head, neck, and jaw behave in much the same way.

Modern Life Doesn't Help Take a look around any coffee shop or airport and you'll see dozens of people with their heads bent over phones or laptops.

This forward head posture places enormous strain on the muscles at the base

of the skull and the front of the neck. Over time, the muscles that normally support good posture become weak, while others become tight and overworked.

As your head drifts further forward, the position of your jaw changes too.

The muscles responsible for chewing must work harder simply to keep the jaw aligned.

Many people then begin clenching their teeth without even noticing, especially during stressful periods or while concentrating at work.

It's a perfect recipe for jaw pain.

The Headache You Didn't Expect Neck problems often produce symptoms that don't feel like they're coming from the neck at all.

Tight muscles in the upper neck can refer pain into the jaw, temples, cheeks, ears and even behind the eyes. Some patients are convinced they have dental problems, sinus infections, or ear disease before discovering the real culprit is muscle tension higher up.

Likewise, irritated jaw muscles can contribute to headaches that seem to

Cancer vaccines could transform treatment and prevention – but misinformation about mRNA vaccines threatens their potential Dannell D. Boatman Assistant Professor of Cancer Prevention and Control, Health Communication Researcher, West Virginia University For the first time, an mRNA cancer vaccine has succeeded in a late-stage clinical trial, a significant advance that could reshape how cancer is treated. On Aug. 19, 2026, Moderna and Merck announced that their personalized vaccine, intismeran autogene, succeeded in reducing the recurrence of the skin cancer melanoma when combined with the immunotherapy drug Keytruda. While these results could open the door to a wave of cancer vaccines, misinformation about mRNA technology circulating since the COVID-19 pandemic could undermine its momentum before it reaches patients.

The progress toward vaccines to treat cancer has

been building for years.

Since the early 2000s, there have been over 120 promising clinical trials testing the use of mRNA vaccines to treat multiple cancer types, such as melanoma, brain, breast, lung and prostate cancer.

At the same time, misinformation about so-called turbo cancer began spreading widely on social media, with mainstream media outlets first reporting on it in late 2022. Turbo cancer refers to the false claim that COVID-19 mRNA vaccines cause unusually aggressive cancers.

As a researcher in health communication who monitors cancer-related conversations online, I have seen how quickly new misinformation can spread and the impact it can have on people’s health decisions. In the case of mRNA cancer vaccines, this false narrative

wrap around the side of the head.

Because these pain patterns overlap, identifying the true source requires a detailed assessment rather than simply treating wherever it hurts.

Stress Makes Everything Worse Stress has a remarkable way of settling into our bodies. Some people carry tension in their shoulders.

Others tighten their lower back.

Many unknowingly clench their jaw all day long. Night-time teeth grinding, known as bruxism, is especially common during stressful periods.

The jaw muscles can generate tremendous force while we sleep, leaving them exhausted and painful by morning.

When stress combines with poor posture and a stiff neck, symptoms often become much more persistent.

What Physiotherapists Look For A physiotherapy assessment goes well beyond simply examining the jaw.

We assess posture, neck mobility, muscle strength, breathing patterns, shoulder movement and how the jaw opens and closes.

could undermine public confidence in an important tool that may help prevent or treat cancer in the future.

Cancer research and mRNA vaccines Most people likely first heard about mRNA technology through COVID-19 vaccines, but scientists have been studying it for decades.

How mRNA vaccines work is by delivering instructions that prompt the body’s cells to make specific proteins. This process teaches the immune system how to recognize and attack those proteins. In cancer research, scientists can design highly targeted vaccines that train the immune system to find tumor cells and more effectively kill them without harming healthy cells.

One example of this potential comes from studies on glioblastoma, an aggressive brain tumor with few effective treatments. Researchers have found that a personalized mRNA vaccine can rapidly activate people’s immune systems against this type of brain cancer and improve survival.

The body of evidence that mRNA vaccines can transform how researchers harness the immune system to treat cancer is growing.

However, even the most promising medical advances can only improve health if people are willing to use them.

Rise of the ‘turbo cancer’ narrative “Turbo cancer” is a term often used by anti-vaccine advocates who claim – without credible evidence – that COVID-19 mRNA vaccines are causing unusually aggressive cancers.

Sometimes the jaw moves in a straight line. Sometimes it deviates to one side. There may be clicking, stiffness, reduced opening or muscle tenderness.

We also examine the upper cervical spine because even small restrictions in these joints can influence jaw mechanics.

Understanding how all these pieces fit together allows treatment to address the underlying cause rather than simply masking symptoms.

Treatment Isn't Just About the Jaw Physiotherapy treatment often combines several different approaches.

Hands-on manual therapy may help improve movement in both the neck and jaw. Gentle mobilisation techniques can reduce stiffness, while soft tissue treatment helps relax overworked muscles.

Exercise is equally important.

Patients may be taught posture correction exercises, deep neck muscle strengthening, jaw relaxation techniques, and stretching exercises for the surrounding muscles.

Simple changes in desk setup, computer height, and phone use can also make a

This inaccurate narrative has trickled into the mainstream news. In September 2025, a controversial U.K. cardiologist claimed that the COVID-19 vaccine contributed to the royal family’s recent cancer diagnoses, spurring immediate backlash from the medical community.

Although uncommon, some public figures and health professionals have claimed that the vaccines could cause cancer despite ample contradictory evidence, often by misinterpreting or misrepresenting studies.

Health misinformation can be described as false or misleading health-related claims shared with the public that are not supported by scientific evidence, are based on unverified personal stories or are opinions presented as facts.

For example, while tracking discussions about the HPV vaccine across social media platforms, my team and I found that safety fears, mistrust of authority and conspiracy claims were widespread online.

Vaccine misinformation accelerated during the COVID-19 pandemic, causing what researchers call an infodemic: the rapid spread of both accurate and false health information during a public health crisis. The COVID-19 infodemic made it harder for people to find trustworthy guidance and shaped public attitudes toward vaccines.

“Turbo cancer” reflects many of the same patterns and narratives as the COVID-19 infodemic.

In a social listening study, which involves systematically monitoring online conversations about different topics, my team and I observed countless posts about turbo cancer beginning in July 2023 and

remarkable difference over time.

Learning to recognise when you're clenching your teeth throughout the day is another valuable step toward recovery.

Breathing Can Play a Role It may sound unrelated, but breathing patterns influence neck and jaw tension more than most people realise.

People who breathe predominantly through their upper chest often overuse the muscles around the neck, shoulders and jaw.

Learning to breathe more efficiently using the diaphragm can reduce unnecessary muscle activity and help calm an overactive nervous system.

It's one of those small changes that often produces surprisingly large benefits.

When Should You Seek Help?

Occasional jaw clicking without pain is quite common and doesn't always require treatment.

However, it's worth seeking professional advice if you experience: · Persistent jaw pain · Difficulty opening or closing your mouth · Pain while chewing

continuing through early 2026. Many posts rely on emotionally compelling anecdotes, misinterpretations of animal studies, misuse of adverse events reporting and recycled myths that vaccines alter human DNA. Some posts also link rising cancer rates in younger adults to the COVID-19 vaccine. However, large population studies have found no increased cancer risk following vaccination.

None of these turbo cancer claims are supported by credible evidence. But on social media, repetition, personal stories and scientific-sounding language can make misinformation appear legitimate and help it spread quickly.

Cancer vaccine misinformation harms health At first glance, fringe claims such as turbo cancer may seem easy to dismiss.

But research shows that they can have real-world consequences, and cancer-related misinformation can be particularly consequential.

Inaccurate information about cancer treatment is common online, and researchers have shown that it influences patient decisions. When patients rely on unproven approaches instead of recommended therapies, their risk of death can increase substantially.

Clinicians are already seeing the effects of misinformation in routine care. Oncologists report having to address myths or misleading information that patients have encountered, though researchers do not yet know how common these conversations are across cancer care. mRNA technology is entering a pivotal phase in its development. Scientific

· Frequent headaches associated with neck stiffness · Ear pain without signs of infection · Regular locking of the jaw · Symptoms that continue for several weeks The earlier these problems are addressed, the easier they are usually to manage.

Looking at the Bigger Picture The human body rarely works in isolation. A painful jaw may actually begin with poor posture, muscle imbalance, stress, or reduced neck mobility.

Likewise, ongoing neck pain may contribute to jaw dysfunction.

Rather than chasing symptoms from one area to another, physiotherapists aim to understand how the entire system is functioning.

So the next time your jaw starts aching, don't be surprised if your physiotherapist asks you to move your neck before even looking inside your mouth.

The answer to your jaw pain might not be where you expect it to be.

Sometimes, treating the neck is exactly what the jaw has been waiting for.

progress is accelerating, but public understanding has not kept pace. Repeated exposure to misleading claims can erode trust in mRNA technology over time, increasing the likelihood that some patients will decline mRNA therapies in the future.

If misleading narratives such as turbo cancer continue to spread, they could complicate the future rollout of mRNA vaccines and limit their lifesaving benefits.

Keeping communication in pace with science Once misinformation takes hold of public understanding, changing its course can be difficult.

Research has consistently shown that proactive, transparent and persuasive communication can counter misinformation. It also shows that trust, once lost, is difficult to rebuild.

Medical innovations can save lives, but only if communication keeps up.

This means monitoring emerging misinformation trends on social media, addressing concerns early on, equipping clinicians to have effective patient conversations and designing public health messaging that builds public understanding of new medical technologies before they are widely introduced in the clinic.

Scientific innovation alone is not enough to improve health. Ensuring that the public can evaluate medical innovations like mRNA cancer vaccines based on evidence, rather than viral misinformation, is part of the scientific challenge.

The future of cancer care depends not just on scientific discovery, but on public understanding and trust.

THE TRIBUNE

Tuesday, September 8, 2026, PAGE 11

FILE - Dolly Parton performs on NBC's "Today" show in New York on May 13, 2014.

One shaped and delivered the language of feminism.

The other rejected the label but showed how feminism can be done: with a microphone dusted in rhinestones, and without apology.

Gloria Steinem and Dolly Parton embodied two towering versions of the same idea: that women should know themselves well enough to make their own choices about matters intimate and societal.

Their deaths eight days apart sent a double dose of grief around the world and across generations as many women (and some men) asked who would take their places at the forefront of women's rights.

Steinem, overtly political, went undercover as a Playboy bunny to deliver an exposé, founded Ms Magazine and spent the rest of her life urging women to support each other.

Parton, on the other hand, defined herself as a larger-than-life daughter of the American South who told stories with music and included everybody — but refused to play politics or call herself a feminist.

“Dolly taught us to dream big. Gloria taught us to speak up," wrote DeMond B Nason, a New York City singer.

“Both reminded us that a woman could walk into a world that told her who she was supposed to be — and simply decide to become something else.”

Animated by the same idea, even if they didn’t call it the same thing.

Parton didn't say so, but Steinem insisted more than three decades ago that the pair fit together under the same feminist flag.

“If feminism means each of us finding your unique power, and helping other women do the same, Dolly Parton certainly has done both,” Steinem wrote in 1987, when Ms Magazine named the singer one of its "Women of the Year."

Many shared the sense that Steinem and Parton belonged together.

“Both believed in women: in our ability to decide who we are, make our own choices, take care of one another and shape the world around us,” wrote Swati Narayan in a column for American Kahani, an online news outlet for Indian and South Asian Americans.

Between Parton's death on August 25 and Steinem's on September 2, Ms

AP Photo: Charles Sykes/Invision, File

For feminists, the deaths of Parton and Steinem days apart deliver a double dose

FILE - Country singer Dolly Par ton appears at a rehearsal ses sion in Nashville, Wednesday, Novem ber 11, 1982.

AP Photo: Mark Humphrey, File

realities of a world that the superstar agreed was dominated by men. She wrote about teenage pregnancy, abortion and adoption in “Down from Dover.” She supported equal pay (See: “9 to 5,” the movie and the song). One of her most famous songs is called, “Just Because I'm a Woman.”

“People say to me, ‘Well, wasn’t it a man’s world back when you got in the business.’ I said, ‘It sure was, and honey, I had a ball,’” she said at a 2019 awards show. “I have never met a man that I didn’t like, and I’ve never met a man whose ass I couldn’t kick if he didn’t treat me with the right respect.”

She just didn’t use words like “oppression” or “patriarchy.” And unlike Steinem, Parton didn't endorse political candidates. Asked on CNN during the 2016 presidential campaign whether she preferred Republican Donald Trump or Democrat Hillary Clinton, she replied: "I think they’re both nuts."

Onstage at the 2017 Emmys, Parton dece at the American murred when fellow “9 FILE - Women's rights spokeswoman Gloria Steinem attends a news conferen to 5” costars Lily Tomlin 1973.

12, July York, New in office Union Civil Liberties AP Photo: Richard Drew, File and Jane Fonda took a thinly veiled shot at Trump. Parton pivoted to humor.

“They’re Lily and Magazine they’re Jane and I’m re-ran Steinem's essay Dolly," she said later. with an editor's note: “So they did their thing, “Steinem celebrated I did mine.”

Parton not only as a There's more than gifted songwriter and one torch-passer magnetic performer, but Feminism splintered as a shrewd businessperunder the pressure of son who transformed public policy debates femininity into a source over such issues as aborof humor and power — tion and the rejection of and used her success to Clinton in the 2016 eleclift up working women, tions, the rise of Trump poor communities and and the modern-day the mountain people of emergence of identity her native Tennessee.” politics.

The embrace wasn't Steinem's version of mutual, at least not feminism today is more FILE - Feminist Gloria Steinem speaks at a rally organised by publicly. And that, Parton aligned with Democrats Women's March NYC in New York on January 19, 2019. acknowledged, was by at a time when, at least design. for now, the country AP Photo: Kathy Willens, File “I don’t do politics. I has swung Republican. have too many fans on Steinem lived to see the both sides of the fence,” Supreme Court overturn she said in 2019 on “Dolthe 1973 ruling Roe “No, I do not,” she said believe in crucifying a ly Parton's America,” Radiv Wade, eliminating the whole group just because olab's podcast. “Of course," flatly, later explaining that constitutional right to aborshe did not want to be a few people have made she added, "I have my tion, a pillar of the 1960s associated with what she mistakes. To me when you opinion about everything, feminist movement she emviewed as political exsay just the word ‘feminist’ but I learned years ago bodied. The Equal Rights tremes even as she advois like, ‘I hate all men.’” to keep your mouth shut Amendment remains cated for women and their Parton was clear, though, about things.” unratified. And Americans opportunities. that her lyrics were inThe star was asked dihave yet to elect a woman “I do not like extreme tended to shine light on rectly whether she thought president. of herself as a feminist. things,” she said. “I don’t women’s hardships and the So if you're an opponent

of abortion rights or if you voted for Trump, can you still be a feminist in 2026?

And would you want to be called that in public or on social media? To the end, Steinem insisted it wasn't the label that mattered.

What counted as feminist was whether a woman knew herself well enough to make her own choices rather than be defined as the daughter or wife of a man.

But partisanship surfaced even in the ritual public mourning for the two women.

Parton's passing touched off an immediate expression of grief from sources ranging from Trump to her fans in the LGBTQ+ community. Trump ordered flags to be flown at halfstaff as a show of “respect” for her.

In contrast, there was no such rush to recognise Steinem beyond her liberal and centrist constituency, even from conservatives who had expressed respect for her accomplishments as an influential historical figure.

Their silence two days after Steinem's death contrasted with the outpouring of grief, thanks and respect for Steinem from leading figures on the left, particularly of her generation.

Hillary Clinton, who also saluted Parton, said Steinem's activism was built on optimism despite abundant roadblocks for women.

“The lived experience became much more real and applicable to our entire society when Gloria began to point it out,” Clinton posted.

For her part, Steinem said for years that she's using her torch to light others.

"If we each have a torch, there’s a lot more light,” she told the National Press Club in 2013.

Social media offered evidence that supporters of both women would pass it on. Liz Webster, an American hair and makeup artist living in Germany, called Steinem and Parton “two very different women who shaped the way I saw what a woman could be.”

“Feminism will never be just a word to me. The freedoms we have are incredibly new,” she wrote on Facebook. "So be the example. Use your freedom.

Protect it. And make damn sure the women coming after us have even more.”

SECTION D

TuESDay, SEpTEmbEr 8, 2026

Ellen Burstyn receives the golden lion for lifetime achievement during the 83rd edition of the Venice Film Festival in Venice, Italy, on Monday, Sept. 7, 2026.

AP Photo: Scott A Garfitt/Invision

LANA Hanna Levarity

Lana Hanna Levarity pursues a lifetime of learning

By CARA HUNT Tribune Features Writer cbrennen@tribunemedia.net LANA Hanna Levarity is the perfect example that learning has no expiration date. The retired educator recently completed two postgraduate degrees, proving that learning is a lifelong adventure.

After retiring in 2019, Mrs Hanna Levarity, a

former accounting educator, decided that she would continue her time in the classroom — this time as a student.

Throughout her life, her dedication to learning has been a foundational pursuit. From her early years in education to her successful career in the corporate world, she said: “I have always embraced the idea

that learning is a journey without end.”

It is why, even in retirement, she has remained committed to expanding her knowledge and honing her skills.

She recently completed two postgraduate degrees — an MBA in Finance and Sustainability and an LLM (Master of Laws) in International Business Law from Robert Kennedy College in

Dr Raquel BarrEdgecombe appointed as Interim Dean, Graduate Studies at UB Associate Professor Dr Raquel Barr-Edgecombe has been appointed as Interim Dean, Graduate Studies at the University of the Bahamas.

Dr Barr-Edgecombe steps into this role at a pivotal time for the University, as UB works to strengthen graduate education, raise academic standards and open more doors for advanced learning in service of national development.

She succeeds Mrs Remelda Moxey, who served UB with distinction for nearly three decades.

Over the course of her career, Mrs Moxey helped shape key areas of academic affairs and played a significant role in advancing the University's business, hospitality and tourism studies programmes, cultivating a strong academic community.

As Interim Dean, Dr Barr-Edgecombe will lead the administration and continued growth of UB's mgraduate programmes.

Her priorities will include strengthening programme quality and review, developing new graduate offerings that align with the University's strategic direction

and the country's needs, growing graduate student recruitment and retention, and reinforcing the systems that help students progress and complete their degrees successfully.

She will also work closely with faculty, fellow deans, and academic and administrative units to improve graduate student services, support sound academic planning, and ensure that policies and procedures continue to uphold high standards across all of UB's graduate programmes.

Dr Barr-Edgecombe brings a blend of academic leadership, institutional knowledge and hands-on experience in teaching, research, programme development and higher education administration.

She currently serves as a Faculty Trustee on the UB Board of Trustees, and her career at the University spans roles as lecturer, assistant Professor, associate professor, coordinator, Head of Department and Chair of the School of Education.

She earned her PhD in Educational Leadership and a Graduate Certificate in Higher Education

Administration from The University of South Florida, credentials that have further prepared her for academic leadership at the graduate

Dr Raquel Barr-Edgecombe

Zurich, Switzerland, in partnership with the University of Cumbria in the United Kingdom.

She admitted that balancing rigorous coursework with other commitments presented major challenges.

Yet she persevered, demonstrating determination and resilience.

Her academic pursuits also extend beyond the confines of traditional education. As an avid reader and researcher, she is constantly seeking out new ideas and perspectives to broaden her understanding of the world. Whether attending professional seminars, participating in online courses or engaging in self-directed study, she approaches each opportunity for learning with enthusiasm and curiosity.

Her pursuit of knowledge is not just about personal fulfilment and self-actualisation; it is also a strategic way to stay relevant and engaged in an ever-changing world. By actively embracing lifelong learning, she has been able to adapt to modern challenges and opportunities with confidence.

She hopes her journey serves as an inspiration to others who may be hesitant to embark on their own academic journeys.

“It is never too late to pursue our passions and achieve our goals, no matter where life may take us,” she said.

As she continues to chart her course in the years ahead, Mrs Hanna Levarity serves as a testament to the transformative power of education. Her journey is a reminder that the pursuit of knowledge is not just a means to an end, but a lifelong adventure that enriches the mind, body and soul. level. She also holds a Master of Science and a Bachelor of Science degree in Home Economics Education from Florida International University and an Associate of Arts degree in Economics from the former College of The Bahamas.

The University warmly welcomes Dr Barr-Edgecombe to this role and looks forward to her leadership in strengthening graduate education at UB.

At Venice, Ellen Burstyn reflects on playing Marilyn Monroe and a lifetime in movies

By LINDSEY BAHR AP Film Writer VENICE, Italy (AP) — Of all the roles Ellen Burstyn might have been offered in her 90s, that of Marilyn Monroe seemed fairly unlikely. But then one day Maggie Gyllenhaal came to her apartment to talk about a wild idea: What if she played Monroe at 100?

“It sounded like a good idea to me,” Burstyn told The Associated Press.

Their 17-minute short film, “Flesh Impact,” had its world premiere Monday at the Venice Film Festival, where Burstyn, 93, also received a Golden Lion for Lifetime Achievement.

Ellen Burstyn’s Marilyn Monroe moment Though Burstyn never met Monroe, who died at 36, there was overlap. They shared a massage therapist, who would tell stories about his late friend. He even told Burstyn that she was actually quite like Monroe, and lent her one of Monroe’s old books called “The Thinking Body,” which had some treasures like old receipts inside.

“I knew that she was not what she presented as her persona and that actually that’s a persona that she created,” Burstyn said. “She created the whole concept of Marilyn Monroe and played it.”

Once, she saw her in a nightclub and Monroe nodded at her.

“She was so startlingly beautiful and she caught my eye and … I felt that she recognized me,” Burstyn said. “I was very early in my career. And the fact that she recognized me, I just felt so honored and pleased.”

The Monroe short came about in somewhat unconventional fashion, through the luxury car company Genesis, whose chief marketing officer Amy Marentic approached Gyllenhaal about doing something around what would have been Monroe’s 100th birthday in June.

Gyllenhaal asked for a weekend to think about it, and landed on Marilyn, at 100, “doing basically the most vulnerable, one of the most vulnerable things I think an actor can do, which is audition, alone on a stage.”

Burstyn was the first actor she thought of.

“I just had this feeling maybe this is an opportunity for her to think about things in a new way,” Gyllenhaal said.

The two found that they shared a similar language and approach to the work.

“We are interested in the depth of what’s being revealed. And we both want to go there,” Burstyn said. “If we’re going to be doing anything, we’re gonna be doing it from there.”

The Gloria Steinem effect Though nothing has really changed very much in how Burstyn chooses roles over the years — she just wants to be moved or challenged — having a set populated largely by women was a far cry from how things were when she was starting out.

“When I first started working, which was 150 years ago, there were no women on the set. There were no women crew. There was no woman behind the camera. If a woman was on set, that meant that she was an actress,” Burstyn said in a news conference Monday. “Then, slowly, thanks to blessed Gloria Steinem who just died, the consciousness started to change.”

Burstyn is also in a feature film, Kornél Mundruczó’s “Place to Be” alongside Taika Waititi, that’s playing at the festival. She’s feeling “slightly overwhelmed” by the whole thing.

“I have been asking myself, why do I deserve this? What have I done? It’s a long career,” she said.

“And I finally came to it today that I wouldn’t have had this career without my training.”

Celebrating a long career Perhaps that is a bit modest for someone who has won an Oscar, for “Alice Doesn’t Live Here Anymore,” a Tony and two Emmys for her acting.

In her over 50 years in the business, she’s appeared in around 150 films and is a co-president of The Actors Studio. Burstyn even teaches acting classes occasionally, continuing the legacy of her mentor and acting coach Lee Strasberg.

“Her artistry, which could illuminate pain and everyday resilience with dignity, irony and courage, remains an absolute model of authenticity in performance and civic engagement within the craft of acting,” festival director Alberto Barbera said in a statement.

Sitting alongside Gyllenhaal the day before the big award, she described her outfit, a gown, and wondered if it was too much. Her director assured her it wasn’t: This was her day.

“I’m just really very happy to be here and very grateful to receive this award and grateful to this lady who put me in this interesting and deep and funny and wonderful movie,” Burstyn said.