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T R I B U N E 2 4 2 . C O M

Biggest And Best!

Volume: 123 No. 197, Tuesday, September 8, 2026

THE PEOPLE’S PAPER: PRICE–$1

SEARCH ON FOR MISSING FAMILY Plane vanished off Andros while returning to US after Bahamas holiday

By LEANDRA ROLLE Tribune Chief Reporter lrolle@tribunemedia.net A MASSIVE search effort is underway for an American family of four whose aircraft went missing in waters off North Andros yesterday while returning home from a holiday in Great Harbour Cay. The passengers were travelling aboard a US-registered Piper PA-34 aircraft, N212ML, from

Great Harbour Cay to Opa-locka, Florida, when the aircraft encountered problems.

The Miami Herald identified the passengers as pilot Mario Lamar, his wife, Lili, and their two grandchildren, Sofia Sosa and Christian Sosa, and reported that they were returning home after spending their holiday at their vacation home in Great Harbour Cay. MISSING - SEE PAGE FIVE

JUNKANOO SEASON KICKS OFF WITH $900K IN SEED FUNDING Sands pushes for early FNM convention THE PILOT of missing airplane Mario Lamar pictured with his wife Lili, and grandchildren (inset) Christian and Sofia Sosa

By EARYEL BOWLEG Tribune Staff Reporter ebowleg@tribunemedia.net THE Junkanoo season officially kicked off last night as the National Junkanoo Authority dispersed more than $900,000 in seed funding to groups and individuals across the country.

Approximately 26 groups

in the D category, 16 in the B category, eight in the A category, about five fun groups and several Family Island groups signed Junkanoo contracts outlining the terms and conditions for participation.

Family Island groups included those from SEED - SEE PAGE FOUR

By EARYEL BOWLEG Tribune Staff Reporter ebowleg@tribunemedia.net FREE National Movement (FNM) chairman Dr Duane Sands said he believes the party’s next convention should take place within a few months,

arguing that the October 2027 timeline is unreasonable and too far away.

Dr Sands made the comments while appearing as a guest on Our TV’s “On the Record” last week. He discussed the party’s defeat in the May general election and the way forward.

However, he stopped short of saying whether he believed Michael Pintard should remain leader.

“If you ask me whether the decision, initial decision, to have convention pushed back as far as October 2027 is a reasonable idea, in my opinion, no, it is not,” Dr

Sands said.

“Because I think it’s far too long and already I think the party is moving to adjust since the Central Council of the Free National Movement is the second highest body save convention. So, SANDS - SEE PAGE FOUR

LIGHTNING STRIKE KILLS R M BAILEY STUDENT

By LYNAIRE MUNNINGS Tribune Staff Reporter lmunnings@tribunemedia.net

EDUCATION Minister Chester Cooper and Director of Education Dominique McCartney-Russell speak to reporters yesterday.

FEAR swept through R M Bailey High School yesterday after a 16-yearold student was struck by lightning and killed on the school’s grounds, prompting distressed parents to rush to the Robinson Road campus to collect their children.

The tragedy unfolded shortly after 9am as severe weather moved through New Providence, leaving students and teachers

Nassau & Bahama Islands’ Leading Newspaper

shaken and triggering an outpouring of concern on social media.

The student, a Grade 11 pupil, was taken to hospital by Emergency Medical Services (EMS) after being found unresponsive with apparent burn injuries.

Police said he was pronounced dead at about 9.30am.

According to the initial police report, a security officer told detectives that she had searched the male STRUCK - SEE PAGE THREE

PAGE 2, Tuesday, September 8, 2026

THE TRIBUNE

Snack Attack gives 500 children school boost

By FAY SIMMONS Tribune Business Reporter jsimmons@tribunemedia.net

BACK-TO-SCHOOL preparations got a helping hand as 500 children received bags packed with school essentials, snacks and refreshments through the Rotaract Club of South East Nassau Centennial’s sixth annual Snack Attack.

The annual initiative was held in partnership with the club’s parent club, the Rotary Club of South East Nassau, as members worked alongside sponsors to provide children in various communities with items to support them as they returned to the classroom.

Each bag was filled with practical supplies, including a composition book and a pencil case containing pens, pencils, a ruler and a sharpener. The children also received juices, water and snacks, giving the initiative

both an educational and nutritional component.

In addition to the 500 bags distributed through the main initiative, approximately 20 bags were provided to Urban Renewal Kemp Road and another 20 to Urban Renewal Centreville, extending the reach of the programme to children participating in those community programmes.

The Snack Attack formed part of the Rotaract Club’s ongoing commitment to community service and youth development. By providing basic school supplies, the initiative helped give children useful resources for the school year while offering families additional support during the back-toschool period.

The programme was made possible through contributions from several local businesses and organisations. The Rotaract Club extended its appreciation to J-Co Trading Company

Ltd, Island Wholesale, Milo Butler Distributors, Bahama Blu, Bahamas Wholesale Agencies, the d’Albenas Agency and Caribbean Bottling Company for supporting the initiative.

The sixth annual event also highlighted the continued collaboration between the Rotaract Club of South East Nassau Centennial and the Rotary Club of South East Nassau. The clubs were represented by Trei Pinder, president of the Rotaract Club of South East Nassau Centennial, and Candice Hepburn, president of the Rotary Club of South East Nassau.

With 500 children receiving bags filled with school necessities, refreshments and snacks, the sixth annual Snack Attack provided practical assistance while reinforcing the importance of community partnerships in helping young people prepare for another year of learning.

Kelly’s Back-to-School Giveaway winners

By FAY SIMMONS Tribune Business Reporter jsimmons@tribunemedia.net AS students return to classrooms for the 2026–2027 school year, several young winners are heading into the new academic year with some exciting prizes to add to their back-to-school experience.

The winners were selected as part of Kelly’s House & Home’s annual Backto-School Giveaway, which gave families an opportunity to win prizes while purchasing school supplies for the new school year. Customers who spent $25 or more on school supplies were eligible to enter the giveaway, adding to the excitement for families as they completed their back-to-school shopping.

Six prizes were awarded during this year’s giveaway, including two

back-to-school gift baskets, two bicycles, an Acer Aspire laptop and a giant crayon stocking. For the winners, the prizes provided a memorable way to celebrate the beginning of another school year.

Beyond the excitement of winning, the giveaway reflected the anticipation that comes with preparing students for a new academic year. Back-to-school shopping is often an important part of getting students organised and ready to learn, giving them the supplies and materials they need as they return to the classroom.

The start of a new school year also brings new opportunities for students to learn, set goals and build on their achievements. With teachers preparing lessons and families making final preparations, students across the country are getting ready to take on another year of learning and growth.

THE TRIBUNE

Tuesday, September 8, 2026, PAGE 3

RM Bailey mourns student killed by lightning strike STRUCK from page one student and watched him walk away.

Shortly afterwards, the student was reportedly struck by lightning and became motionless.

The security officer then summoned the school’s resource officer, who attempted to render assistance and observed that the student had suffered burn injuries and was unresponsive.

EMS personnel subsequently arrived and transported the student to hospital.

Detectives later visited the school and interviewed the security officer as part of the investigation.

Police said they remain in contact with the school’s principal and the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology, which is assisting with the investigation.

As news of the student’s death spread, parents began making their way to the school, with some saying they were frightened for the safety of their own children.

One parent, Joyce Brown, said she learned about the incident while shopping for her son’s school uniform.

Ms Brown said she and her husband were at Janae’s Fashion when a woman told them that a child at R M Bailey had been struck by lightning.

“I said, ‘What?’ I couldn’t function anymore,” she said.

Ms Brown said the news immediately made her think about her own son.

“I am sad because it could have been my son,” she said. “And when they said it was a male, I everything I was doing, I just stopped. And I’m still anxious right now because it’s scary. It’s very scary, you know because like I said, it could have

ANTON BOWE

EDUCATION Minister Chester Cooper and Director of Education Dominique McCartney-Russell speak to reporters yesterday after a RM Bailey student was killed by a lightning strike.

Photos: Nikia Charlton

STUDENTS leave school aftera boy was tragically killed by a lightning strike. been my son. It could have been anybody.”

Ms Brown said she had not received a call from the school asking her to collect her son, adding that she understood the seriousness of the situation but believed

parents should have been contacted.

Her concerns were echoed across social media, where parents and members of the public questioned how the incident was communicated and expressed alarm over

the circumstances surrounding the student’s death.

Education Director Dominique McCartney, however, said officials first concentrated on helping students and staff cope with the trauma before releasing them.

She said the student’s homeroom teacher was particularly distraught and that counsellors were brought in to provide immediate support.

“Our children, and our team members are distraught,” Ms McCartney said.

She said students were not simply sent home immediately because officials wanted them to receive counselling before leaving the campus.

“We did not want to send our children home without saying something to them. We wanted them to leave here with some form of comfort, and so that’s what we did first,” she said.

Ms McCartney said parents then came quickly to collect their children, while staff were also allowed to leave.

She said C H Reeves, described as a sister school, was also allowed to dismiss students early because of the close relationship between the two school communities.

Other schools, she said, would be handled on a case-by-case basis depending on the circumstances.

Education Minister Chester Cooper visited the school and described the death as heartbreaking.

“We are all saddened and all in grief, heartbreaking, along with the team here and our family at the R M Bailey School,” Mr Cooper said.

He said he had spoken with the student’s aunt and guardian, who is also a teacher, and offered

condolences on behalf of the ministry, Prime Minister Philip “Brave” Davis and the government.

Mr Cooper said grief counselling was immediately arranged for students and teachers and would continue throughout the week for as long as necessary.

Ms McCartney said further counselling sessions were planned for today, with pastors, counsellors and other partners expected to assist.

A session will be held under the school’s pavilion, while another will be held at C H Reeves today. Individual counselling will also be available to students and staff who require additional support.

A memorial service is also being planned to allow the school community to honour the student and remember his life.

Prime Minister Davis, Opposition Leader Michael Pintard and other government officials also expressed condolences to the student’s family and school community.

The Ministry of Health and Wellness also urged members of the public to take precautions during thunderstorms, particularly as The Bahamas continues to experience changing and, at times, extreme weather conditions during hurricane season.

The ministry advised residents to seek appropriate shelter during thunderstorms and stay away from windows, doors and bodies of water.

It also warned people to avoid walking or driving through floodwaters and to exercise caution around coastal and marine areas when conditions become hazardous.

Long Islanders fed up with unreliable mailboats

By LEANDRA ROLLE Tribune Chief Reporter lrolle@tribunemedia.net SOUTHERN Long Island residents say they are fed up with unreliable mailboat services to the island, citing long waits in receiving essential goods, medication and other supplies needed for everyday life.

Erica Darville, a longtime Clarence Town resident, called the situation “ridiculous,” saying the reduced service is affecting residents and businesses.

She said the M/V Mia Dean Ltd, which services southern Long Island, used to make three trips to the island each month but now only makes two.

“It’s affecting everybody because that's our lifeline. Everything comes from Nassau,” she said, adding that this has been going on for the past three months.

Ms Darville, who also own a bakery store, said she has to be resourceful in finding ingredients when supplies run out.

“It frustrates me so much. Like people in Nassau, they be like well the stores just need to order extra.

You can't order extra lettuce, tomatoes, sweet peppers, and stuff. What they're gonna be? They're gonna be no good. That’s why you only get them week to week.”

The island is also serviced by another mail boat, the Island Link, but it primarily serves northern Long Island.

Residents cannot rely on it as a suitable alternative, as it also carries freight for Exuma.

One business owner, speaking anonymously, told The Tribune yesterday: “That can’t service the whole of Long Island plus Exuma.

Now at times, we get stuff on there but if anything goes missing, we don’t get compensated for it so it’s too risky.”

FILE photo of the M/V Mia Dean at dock at Potter’s Cay, Nassau.

Ms Darville, meanwhile, said people who need car parts to repair their vehicles are forced to endure long waits, while residents are unable to purchase groceries in large quantities because of the limited mail boat service.

The unreliable service has also affected residents who depend on medication and other essential medical supplies.

She said her daughter, who suffers from seizures, went without her prescribed medication for five days after her supply ran out because the mail boat did not arrive on time.

Ms Darville said the medication

is prescription-only and cannot be refilled until her daughter’s existing supply is nearly finished, making reliable mail boat service particularly important.

“Why does the Mia Dean still have a contract,” she said. “Cancel it ands give to somebody with a boat because we’ve been dealing with this for too long now.”

Their concerns are not new.

Residents have long expressed frustration over the quality and reliability of mail boat services.

When contacted yesterday, Long Island MP Dr Andre Rollins acknowledged the “deplorable

state” of mailboat services and said he was told by the minister the matter would be addressed at an upcoming public meeting.

“Unless there is a failure on the minister’s part to honour his commitment to rectify this matter in a timely fashion, I will not seek to level criticism at him that may prove premature,” Dr Rollins said, “However, the patience of residents and business owners in South Long Island is wearing extremely thin.”

Officials at M/V Mia Dean Ltd were contacted by The Tribune yesterday but had not responded up to press time.

REID WARNS GANGSTER LIFE LEADS TO PRISON OR DEATH

By JADE RUSSELL Tribune Staff Reporter jrussell@tribunemedia.net CRIME consultant Carlos Reid warned young men against staining their lives by committing murder or attempted murder, saying the lifespan of a gangster is short and even the biggest street boss is not untouchable.

Speaking to The Tribune, Mr Reid said a life of crime could ultimately lead to imprisonment or death. He said those who decide to leave that lifestyle behind cannot continue associating with the same people, places or destructive habits.

“Look around you, like even persons who were considered to be untouchable, people like head shooting them now,” Mr Reid said.

“The lifespan of a gangster, it ain't long.

You know even if you go to jail and they protect you for a little bit, we've seen it where so many people came out of jail and then end up like …. end up getting killed.”

Mr Reid stressed that “chief gangsters” have not been excluded from retaliation, adding that no one involved in a life of crime is safe.

The country has long struggled with gang violence, with rival gangs often involved in retaliatory attacks that have resulted in bloodshed and the deaths of innocent bystanders.

Asked about the possibility of criminals leaving gangs or abandoning a life of crime, Mr Reid said some former offenders have successfully made that choice.

He said many people have left the criminal lifestyle and become law-abiding citizens.

However, he said the process has been easier for some than others, with some former offenders continuing to face the consequences of their crimes.

Mr Reid said grieving families may not accept that a killer has decided to leave the gang lifestyle, adding that some relatives may seek revenge themselves.

“There are some persons like what got charged with murder, attempted murder, or something in that case,” Mr Reid said. “They gotta deal with not so much like the gang members, but family members, because when you done kill my brother, what you could tell me?”

Mr Reid emphasised that being associated with a particular crime can make a person a target for retaliation.

“If I did somethings to some people,” Mr Reid said. “Then people going to hold (a) personal vendetta against me.”

The Bahamas continues to grapple with gun violence and homicides.

Police and government officials have repeatedly warned the public to be cautious about who they associate with, particularly people on bail for murder or attempted murder charges.

Mr Reid reiterated that being connected to people involved in street activity can be deadly.

He said a person does not necessarily have to be involved in a crime to become a target, as attackers may target their loved ones if they cannot reach them directly.

Recalling his own dangerous past, Mr Reid said he knew he could not survive in the streets forever. He urged others to change their lives before it is too late, adding that they should get out while they can.

PAGE 4, Tuesday, September 8, 2026

THE TRIBUNE

2027 convention is too far away, says Sands SANDS from page one we made a determination of the process and the process was: let us do a post mortem evaluation of what went wrong. Let’s make sure that it’s objective.

“Let’s make sure that we’re not just talking to ourselves, but that we have other people that say, ‘Why I didn’t vote for the Free National Movement? Why I didn’t come out to vote?’

Because if you only have FNMs talking, then you have an echo chamber. So the idea was let’s get some objective information as we prepare for what I hope to be an early convention.”

Asked when he believes the convention should take place, Dr Sands said: “Within a few months.”

He stressed, however, that his personal position is subject to the authority of the party’s governing bodies.

“Understand that when you have the privilege of leading, as I do, and the CEO of the Free National Movement, my personal views are subject to the

directives of the Council of the Free National Movement. But once a decision is made by Council, that is what I speak,” Dr Sands said.

The Nassau Guardian previously reported that the FNM’s Leadership Council met Tuesday night at the home of former party leader Tommy Turnquest to discuss the party’s future.

The meeting followed former Prime Minister Hubert Ingraham publicly urging the FNM to “find someone who could win”, prompting a rebuke from Mr Pintard.

Mr Pintard said Mr Ingraham chose the wrong setting to raise questions about the party’s leadership, while maintaining that he believes he remains the best person to lead the FNM. Dr Sands, however, said he did not interpret Mr Ingraham’s comments as being aimed specifically at Mr Pintard.

“I don’t believe it was directed specifically — that this was a Pintard-specific message,” he said. “I think it is a message that says,

whomever you choose to lead, make sure that they bring whatever it is to the table that can get FNM supporters, disaffected PLPs, independents to vote in large numbers.”

Dr Sands also saw no contradiction between Mr Ingraham’s remarks and his public endorsement of Mr Pintard four months earlier, saying the former prime minister likely expected the FNM to perform better in the election.

Asked whether Mr Pintard should have resigned as leader following the defeat, Dr Sands said the FNM leader effectively placed his fate in the party’s hands.

“It was very clear that he felt that his fate was not predetermined; that he thought it only appropriate, given the circumstances, that the party determined whether or not they would wish him to carry on or not,” he said.

Dr Sands was less definitive when asked whether Mr Pintard should lead the FNM into the next general election.

“Can he? Yes, he can,” he said.

FNM CHAIRMAN DR DUANE SANDS Asked whether he should, Dr Sands replied: “That’s a different question.”

He acknowledged that uncertainty over the party’s leadership could make Mr Pintard’s job more difficult, but said the FNM leader continues to carry out his duties.

“He carries on because he’s a soldier. He carries on because he has a

phenomenal and abiding love for this country,” Dr Sands said.

On the FNM’s election defeat, Dr Sands said several factors were responsible, including the party’s inability to get enough supporters to the polls.

“I think there are many different reasons why we were not successful,” he said. “One, I think a number

of persons did not feel inclined to come out and vote, and you know when you have an inability to get out the vote, you suffer.”

Meanwhile, Dr Sands said Deputy Leader Shanendon Cartwright remains part of the FNM’s wider leadership and has a platform to speak on national issues despite not being appointed to the Senate.

New Junkanoo Authority takes charge as 2026 season begins SEED from page one Eleuthera, Grand Bahama, and Central and North Andros.

Junkanoo seed funding remains unchanged, with A groups receiving $40,000 and B groups receiving $20,000.

The Junkanoo Authority was created after the National Junkanoo Authority of The Bahamas Bill was passed in March 2026. However, it was not fully established until its members received their instruments of appointment and held their first meeting approximately three weeks ago.

Prior to the bill’s passage, a dispute between the government and the Junkanoo community escalated last

October when the government transferred oversight of the 2025 Junkanoo parades from the Junkanoo Corporation of New Providence (JCNP) to the National Junkanoo Committee (NJC).

The JCNP previously likened the bill to an attempt to centralise control and roll back the organisation’s self-governance.

In her remarks, Culture Minister Leslia Miller-Brice said expansion efforts would focus on making Junkanoo accessible year-round through schools and tourism, beyond the traditional parade dates.

She noted that the ministry has begun gathering information on the sustainability of Junkanoo and the condition and needs of

Junkanoo shacks.

“As we enter another season, let it also be one marked by respect and responsibility. Let us compete fiercely but respectfully. Let us celebrate loudly but safely.

Let us look out for one another and be our brother’s keeper. Let us protect our children and our young people.

“Let us respect our groups, our officials, and the people who work behind the scenes. And when the competition is over, let us remember that while we may rush under different banners, we all carry the same culture.”

She added that organisations that have historically played a role in Junkanoo remain an important source of knowledge, including the

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THE JUNKANOO Authority presented seed funding to Junkanoo groups at an event last night headed

by Culture Minister Leslia Miller-Brice.

Photo: Chappell Whyms Jr JCNP. “Those organizations have done a fantastic job.

I think we stand on their shoulders,” Mrs Miller-Brice said.

She said the ministry wants to collaborate with those organisations and benefit from the lessons they have learned over the years.

“It’s important for us to feed from them, to learn from them, and to gain the wealth of knowledge that they’ve gained over this time,” she said.

“To those persons who were a part of those organizations, we welcome the collaboration. Mr. Dion Miller, he is a part of the National Junkanoo Authority, and so he will be there to guide us, to help us, just to ensure that any mistakes that they would have made in the past, moving forward, that those same mistakes will not be made again.”

National Junkanoo Authority chairman Dr Christopher Curry confirmed that members received their appointment letters about three weeks ago and that the board has since held two meetings.

“We want to be financially viable, and of course, we work closely with the ministry and our minister to pull this event off,” Dr Curry said.

“We had to get contracts collaboratively done with the ministry and with our authority, so that the Junkanoo season could be launched tonight, and so of course we’re moving forward very fast. But of course, being prudent with what we do as an

authority,” he said.

The ministry has also sought input through two surveys: the National Junkanoo Cost, Sustainability, and Economic Impact Survey and the Junkanoo Shack Location Survey.

Dr Curry said officials have established subcommittees to oversee various responsibilities, begun developing an annual budget and taken steps to strengthen the authority’s financial viability as a government entity.

He added that the authority has also started the process of establishing a management team and completed a strategic plan for the 2026–2027 fiscal year.

An election will be held this week to determine which Junkanoo group representatives will fill six seats on the Management and Planning Committee.

Two delegates from each Junkanoo group will participate in the initial planning stages of the parades, with the first session scheduled for Friday.

JCNP chairman Dion Miller holds a statutory seat on the authority. He said this would be the first year the National Junkanoo Authority is fully operational.

Mr Miller said: “The Junkanoo Authority manages Junkanoo as a whole in The Bahamas. As it pertains to the role of the JCNP, the NJC, those particular individual roles will fall away, and under the banner of the Junkanoo Authority, so they’ll be similar. Where they’ll have different committees, such

as parade, rules, etc.”

“All of those structures will remain the same, just not under the banner of a JCNP or anything in that regard. So the Junkanoo Authority will be the umbrella, and everything else will fall under that umbrella.”

Despite last year’s tensions, Mr Miller appeared ready to put the disagreements behind him. He said collaboration and communication with the minister have been “stellar”.

Pressed on whether the JCNP’s powers had been diminished, he said: “It is what it is”.

Mr Miller continued: “My focus now is moving forward, moving Junkanoo forward, united, and to push the culture forward.

So any grievances that would have occurred in the past is in the past. My focus now as the chairman and as someone who’s on the authority is to move the culture forward.”

Dr Curry confirmed the board attempted to include all statutory members in its first two meetings, but Mr Miller did not attend because he did not receive the communication.

Dr Curry said he has since spoken to Mr Miller and assured him that minutes from the previous meetings would be provided.

Mrs Miller-Brice added the failure to notify Mr Miller was not malicious and that the matter had been addressed.

“Definitely, it was not intentional, but I made sure that the challenge was corrected, now he’s pulled in, and now we’re ready to work,” she said.

THE TRIBUNE

Tuesday, September 8, 2026, PAGE 5

Search underway for American family after aircraft goes missing off Andros

AMERICAN pilot Mario Lamar and his wife Lili above and their grandkids Sofia and Christian Sosa pictured below.

The US-registered Piper PA-34 aircraft belonging to Mario Lamar.

MISSING from page one Relatives said they last heard from them via a text message saying they were on their way home.

However, the family became concerned after hours without contact.

The pilot was described by relatives as an experienced, well-trained captain, while the aircraft was said to be in good condition and equipped with all necessary safety gear.

Police said the fiveseater aircraft departed shortly after 11am and lost contact with air traffic control about 13 miles west of Andros.

Flight data shows the aircraft circling near Red Bay, North Andros, before losing altitude.

The Royal Bahamas Defence Force, Bahamas Air Sea Rescue Association and US Coast Guard were notified of the missing aircraft and joined the search.

The Tribune was also

told that local fishermen assisted in the operation.

However, initial searches of the aircraft’s last known position in waters off the west coast of North Andros yielded no results up to press time last night.

Police later suspended their search due to deteriorating conditions and said efforts resumed after conditions improved.

However, Lieutenant Darius Adams, the RBDF’s public relations officer, told The Tribune last night that the Defence Force’s search efforts would continue through the night.

He said teams were slightly delayed in starting the operation because of bad weather and that seas remained choppy, but the conditions would not deter them.

“We have another flight that’s going out first light,” he said. “Family friends have another boat coming out of Florida that is coming to also assist with the rescue and they also

LANDSCAPER SHOT DEAD AFTER LEAVING SCHOOL A MAN in his early 40s was shot dead in Adelaide yesterday moments after leaving a primary school where he had been working as a landscaper.

Press Liaison Sheria King said Adelaide Primary School went into “emergency lockdown” with about five students and ten members of staff and administration still at the school at the time of the incident. She said that none were in danger.

Police received a call reporting the shooting on Richard Drive around 3.15pm.

The victim had reportedly just left the school when he

was shot. Residents in the area reported hearing gunshots before finding him lying on the side of the road.

“I was advised from personnel from the school that the students at no time were in jeopardy or was in danger. The persons from the school also stated that they went into emergency lockdown,” CSP King said.

Relatives who gathered at the scene were overcome with emotion, with one girl screaming: “My daddy, my daddy.”

Police were unable to say whether the victim was known to them or what may have prompted the killing.

Photo: Dr Harold Munnings had somebody that was also here in The Bahamas that got another vessel to go out there as well.”

Police said locating the aircraft and its occupants remained a priority and promised to provide updates as they become available.

Family members, meanwhile, are appealing for the public’s help, saying they desperately want their loved ones home.

PAGE 6, Tuesday, September 8, 2026

THE TRIBUNE

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Govt can’t manage what it does not know it owns THERE is a basic principle of good management: an institution cannot properly protect, maintain or make productive use of assets it cannot fully identify.

That principle applies as much to the Government as it does to any private business.

An Inter-American Development Bank assessment has found that public entities in The Bahamas do not consistently maintain comprehensive registers, inventory systems or supporting documentation for capital assets. This limits the Government’s ability to identify what it owns, determine its value and assess the country’s overall public-sector net worth.

The finding deserves attention because public assets belong ultimately to the Bahamian people.

They include government land, administrative buildings, schools, clinics, vehicles, heavy equipment, docks and other infrastructure acquired over many years with public money.

Without complete and accurate records, assets can deteriorate unnoticed, disappear from inventories, remain uninsured or sit unused while taxpayers finance replacements or rent private facilities.

This should not become another political contest over which administration allowed the problem to develop. Weak public-sector record-keeping has existed for decades and responsibility cannot credibly be assigned to one government alone.

The Davis administration also deserves credit for recognising that improvement is necessary. The Government requested the IDB’s assistance, and reforms already underway include implementation of an enterprise resource planning system and a modernised public-finance framework.

The Public Finance Management Act, passed in 2023, was another important step towards stronger accountability.

But laws and new computer systems will matter only if ministries and public corporations consistently record, update and verify the information placed within them.

The Government should begin by establishing a single national register covering major public assets.

Every ministry, department, agency and state-owned enterprise should be required to submit standardised information identifying what it owns, where each asset is located, its estimated value, physical condition and the official responsible for it.

That register should distinguish between assets being actively used,

those requiring repair and those which are vacant, abandoned or suitable for sale, lease or redevelopment.

An annual physical verification exercise should then confirm that listed assets still exist and remain in the stated condition. The Auditor General should be empowered and adequately resourced to test those records independently.

Not every detail should be released publicly.

Information involving police facilities, defence assets and other sensitive infrastructure may require protection.

However, a public version of the register should identify major government properties, their general use and the agencies responsible for them. Bahamians should be able to see whether valuable land and buildings are serving a public purpose.

Better records would also improve policy decisions.

Before the Government constructs or leases another building, it should be able to determine whether an existing property can be repaired or repurposed. Before purchasing new vehicles or equipment, it should know what is already available elsewhere in the public service.

Accurate valuations are equally important for insurance and disaster planning. After a hurricane, the Government should not have to begin by trying to determine what facilities existed, what they contained or whether they were adequately covered.

A reliable asset register could also support economic development.

Unused public land might accommodate affordable housing, community facilities or properly structured partnerships with the private sector. But such decisions should be transparent and based on verified information rather than incomplete files or institutional memory.

This reform will not capture the public imagination in the way a new road, hospital or school might. Yet it is part of the foundation required to manage all of those investments responsibly.

The IDB’s findings should therefore be treated as an opportunity, not simply an embarrassment.

The Government has already accepted the need for stronger systems. It should now establish measurable deadlines, publish its progress and ensure that the national register remains current after the initial exercise is completed.

Before asking taxpayers to finance more assets, the country should know what it already owns, what those assets are worth and whether they are being properly used.

International Literacy Day - Words are not enough EDITOR, The Tribune.

SEPTEMBER 8, marks the 60th anniversary of International Literacy Day, but one of our most urgent literacy challenges is no longer simply whether people can read the words before them.

It is whether they can interpret, question and properly use what they read.

A person may be able to read a prescription label without understanding the instructions, scan a contract without grasping the obligations or repeat something circulated on WhatsApp without knowing whether it is true. Children may read an entire passage aloud yet struggle to explain what it means.

Reading the words is not the same as understanding them.

In an age of social media, artificial intelligence, online scams and information overload, comprehension is essential for navigating daily life. It affects how we manage our health and finances, participate in democracy, protect ourselves online and make decisions for our families. Literacy today must include the ability to interpret information, consider its source and apply sound judgment.

The responsibility, however, does not rest

LETTERS letters@tribunemedia.net only with the reader.

Institutions, professionals, leaders and individuals must also communicate in ways people can understand.

Too often, technical language, jargon and big words are used to sound knowledgeable or important. A message has not succeeded simply because it sounds impressive. If the people who need the information cannot understand it, communication has failed.

Plain language is not about speaking down to people or removing substance. It is about making important information clear, accessible and useful. Whether we are explaining public policy, medical advice, financial products or something as simple as an everyday instruction, we should always consider our audience and do our best to be understood.

UNESCO’s theme for this year, “Literacy for people, the planet and prosperity,” should therefore prompt us to look beyond literacy rates and ask harder questions about comprehension. Are our children

learning to think about what they read? Do adults who struggle have somewhere to seek help without embarrassment?

Are those entrusted with sharing important information, making it unnecessarily difficult to understand?

I have championed literacy for many years because it is fundamental to individual opportunity and national development. The work begins with each of us.

Read with a child, help an adult find support without shame, question information before sharing it and replace jargon with language people can understand. Schools, workplaces, government agencies and other institutions must also make comprehension a priority. The true measure of literacy is not simply what we can read but what we understand, and what that understanding empowers us to do.

So, as we mark this important global milestone, remember while reading gives us access to information, our national progress and prosperity depend on us comprehending it.

Reading to understand.

MAXINE V SEYMOUR Citizen Nassau, September 7, 2026.

A legislative agenda wish list EDITOR, The Tribune.

IN a few short days, Parliament will reconvene for a new legislative session, The second consecutive Davis Administration, of course, laid out its core agenda during the Speech from The Throne by the Most Honorable Dame Cynthia ‘Mother’ Pratt, our most competent and beloved Governor-General. Broad policy was laid out, now the heavy lifting and fulfillment start.

I would urge the PM to make a dew adjustment to the leadership of the dominant PLP in the House of Assembly. The Senate, in my opinion, is okay. While All PLP Leaders for Government Business in that place have proven up to the mettle , adjustments will have to be made.

The Hon Zane Lightbourne (PLP-Yamacraw), our erstwhile Minister of the Environment, has emerged this term as the fiercest advocate and defender of the administration agenda in the legislative halls of The House of Assembly. He is quick witted; an excellent orator , along the lines of the late great and deeply lamented, Sir Lynden Oscar Pindling, Minister Lightbourne, clearly, Always enter debates well prepared and researched .

In the thrust and parry of debates and disruptive nonsense, he is quick to rise and strike back with authority and pure logic.

In fact, I have witnessed, with my own Two (2) eyes where he rebutted Opposition members (the handful that may dare to rear up and spew unadulterated shaving cream, instantly and called into question the logic or relevancy of their remarks or contributions. He makes an excellent Leader of Government Business.

The Bahamas Power & Light Company, in its different incarnations over the years, has long been

an Albatross around the collective necks of All Bahamians but especially the ones who live right here In New Providence.

In recent years, under all administrations, BPL has grown into an almost unmanageable and seems, at times, to have a clear and logical workable plan of action. No, I am Not blaming anyone or any administration for the current sad state of affairs down there.

It is now time, however, for the PM to maybe consider placing the Hon Sebas Bastian (PLP-Fort Charlotte), Minister of Technology, et al, into BPL. He has long been a trail blazer. As a University graduate in this area and as an innovator/ specialist in the internet; telecommunications and managerial skills, I dare say that there would be noticeable improvements and delivery of services.

No, again, I am not asking the PM to ‘shuffle’ the cabinet, at this juncture, but too much rides on the fulfillment of the contents of The Speech from The Throne. Individuals with new mindsets were elected in May, 2026 on the PLP side so there is No Shortage of talent within the cabinet and/or front bench of that iconic party.

Legislatively, there is an urgency to liberalise Crown Land, especially in the Family Islands, Land grants in New Providence would be difficult, if not impossible. Back to the Islands should be adopted by this enlightened and benign administration. With this liberalisation, I also urge the PM to; increase benefits under NIB; Roll out a workable and sustainable, fiscally, National Health Insurance Scheme. Medical costs are just Too High for uninsured Bahamians, a dray load of them according to public statistic.

The PM is also encouraged to either ‘encourage’ The Central Bank &

The Ministry of Finance to set up a mechanism whereby ordinary Bahamians would be able to invest in Savings Bonds, in multiples of B$ 50:00; a Hundred Dollars etcetera at at least 5% annually; move and pass progressive labor and labor related legislation: remove VAT on electrical bills: charge a larger percentage annual on electrical usage by dealers and clients of electrical vehicle owners; modernise and reduce the unnecessary difficulties faced by lay persons, who are then ‘forced’ to hire a lawyer at exorbitant fees, in some cases, or exit the legal system worst off than when they went in.

I am happy beyond words that Mr Charles Sealey has been selected and appointed as the new Managing Director The Public Hospital Authority by the PM and Minister Michael Darville, Minister of Health & Wellness, MP. This bodes well for the literal revolutionisation of the Real & Affordable health care and availability to All Bahamians! Mr Sealey might ‘look’ or even be ‘young’ like me, But he brings a wealth of experience; professionalism and management which, in my view were sorely lacking hitherto.

We will also have to deal with crime and punishment. Fully automated courts are badly needed with appropriate facilities and Jurists; staff and the general public. All courts and complexes Must have generators so if we need to bring a Supplementary Budget to finance the same, let’s do it and do it Now. As the late musical duo, McFadden & Whitehead used to sing, ‘There aren’t no stopping us now...we are on the run.’ To God then, in all things, be the glory!!

Jr

ORTLAND H BODIE, Nassau, September 3, 2026.

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THE TRIBUNE

Tuesday, September 8, 2026, PAGE 7

Visa fraud trial delayed after two accused fail to appear

By DENISE MAYCOCk Tribune Freeport Reporter dmaycock@tribunemedia.net THE trial of four people accused in an alleged visa fraud scheme was again adjourned in Freeport Magistrate’s Court on Monday after two of the accused failed to appear, leaving the prosecution frustrated as a witness travelled from Florida for the third time to testify.

Clevette Simmons and Margaret Matthew were absent, while Gonessa Joseph and Mark Rolle, who are also charged in

the matter, were present.

Simmons, who works with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in New Providence, was reported to have been admitted to hospital. Matthew’s attorney, Ernie Wallace, submitted a medical certificate stating that his client was unfit from September 3 to 10.

The case involves allegations that the four conspired to defraud people seeking assistance with visa applications, including a church-linked effort to bring a Haitian pastor, his wife and

their eight children to The Bahamas. The family allegedly paid $14,000 but never received the visas.

The trial began on January 26 before Magistrate Charlton Smith. The Haitian family is among multiple alleged victims in the case.

Prosecutor Superintendent Veron Rolle expressed frustration over the repeated delays, noting that witness Guerda Monestine paid for a round-trip ticket to travel from Miami to The Bahamas for the proceedings for the third time.

“The only person who suffers, Your Worship, is the prosecution,” Supt Rolle said, warning that continued delays could eventually result in the matter being dismissed.

Magistrate Smith said he was also concerned about the repeated medical excuses, noting that Matthew had previously been reported hospitalised.

“I’m always concerned when a sick certificate appears just at the start of trial,” the magistrate said, while acknowledging that some medical certificates are genuine and must be

accepted at face value.

Supt Rolle said Matthew’s latest certificate was obtained on Friday, shortly before the trial was due to begin on Monday.

Mr Wallace defended his client, saying Matthew, 60, had been seriously ill for several months and had suffered a heart attack and stroke. He said she also has a serious diabetic condition and is under the care of internal medicine specialist Dr Stubbs.

Mr Wallace said he could not say whether Matthew would recover sufficiently to attend the

trial or other matters before the court in which she is charged.

Joseph told the court that Matthew is her mother and had suffered a stroke while in police custody. She said her mother could no longer walk and also has a heart condition.

Three prosecution witnesses who appeared in court were ordered to return when the trial resumes on November 9 and 10 at 10am.

Matthew also faces an alleged housing fraud matter scheduled for October 13, 14 and 15.

Murder accused faces trial Three-year prison sentence for over 80 alleged bail breaches two firearms and ammunition

By PAVEL BAILEY Tribune Staff Reporter pbailey@tribunemedia.net A MAN with an upcoming murder trial was accused of breaching his bail conditions for 80 days over the past six months.

Prosecutors allege D’Javon Johnson, 39, failed to sign in at his local police station on 80 days between March 2 and September 2.

Johnson was on bail for murder for his alleged involvement in the fatal

stabbing of Nicartha “Twin” Murphy following an argument in the parking lot of a business on East Street South and Cox Way on July 10, 2019.

Johnson was also reportedly stabbed and injured during the incident. Both men were taken to hospital for treatment, where Murphy was later pronounced dead.

Johnson pleaded not guilty to violating his bail conditions before Magistrate Abigail Farrington.

He also indicated to the court that his Supreme Court trial was set for the same day as his arraignment before the Magistrate’s Court.

Reserve Inspector Deveaux, the prosecutor, objected to bail, citing the serious nature of the offence and the risk to public safety.

Johnson was remanded to the Bahamas Department of Correctional Services until his bail breach trial on September 21.

By PAVEL BAILEY Tribune Staff Reporter pbailey@tribunemedia.net A MAN was sentenced to three years in prison after admitting to having two guns and 51 rounds of ammunition in his home on Oxford Drive last week.

Kristen Meadows, 36, was found with a black Austrian Glock 22 .40 pistol, a black Glock 26 9mm pistol, 38 rounds of 9mm ammunition, 13 rounds of .40 ammunition, three black 9mm magazines, a black .40 magazine and a black and silver auto sear during a

police search of his home at 3pm on September 3.

The items were reportedly found in a transparent plastic bag.

Meadows and accomplices allegedly stole a burgundy Nissan Note belonging to Nathan Quant on September 1.

The stolen vehicle was valued at $6,000.

Meadows was charged with possession of an unlicensed firearm with intent to supply, possession of ammunition with intent to supply, possession of ammunition, five counts of possession of a component

part of a firearm and stealing.

While Meadows pleaded guilty to the firearm charges before Senior Magistrate Algernon Allen Jr, he pleaded not guilty to the stealing charge.

Meadows was sentenced to three years at the Bahamas Department of Correctional Services for the firearm charges.

He returns for trial on the car theft charge on November 20.

Keevon Maynard represented the accused.

Inspector Timothy Bain prosecuted the case.

was in bed in New Providence on September 5.

The defendant pleaded not guilty to indecent assault before Magistrate Abigail Farrington.

Gilbert was granted $6,000 bail with one or two sureties. Under the terms of his bail, the defendant must sign in at the East Street South

Police Station every Friday by 6pm.

He was warned not to interfere with any witnesses in the matter or risk having his bail revoked.

The defendant returns for trial on November 16.

Reserve Inspector Deveaux prosecuted the case.

Two men accused of stealing $5,000 vehicle at gunpoint Man accused of groping teen girl while she was sleeping

By PAVEL BAILEY Tribune Staff Reporter pbailey@tribunemedia.net

TWO men were accused of stealing a car at gunpoint on Charles Vincent Street last week.

Prosecutors allege Lomark Stubbs, 22, and Devonte Douglas, 22, while armed with a handgun, robbed Winston Mitchell of his white 2010 Nissan Bluebird Sylphy as he was parked in front of a friend’s residence waiting to take

him to work at 4am on September 1.

The two men had reportedly exited a grey Toyota that pulled up beside the complainant before the robbery. They allegedly fled the scene in the stolen vehicle, heading north.

The stolen vehicle was valued at $5,000.

The defendants were not required to enter a plea to armed robbery before Acting Chief Magistrate Ancella Evans.

The accused were

informed that their matter would proceed to the Supreme Court through a voluntary bill of indictment (VBI).

They were advised of their right to apply for bail through the Supreme Court.

The accused will be remanded to the Bahamas Department of Correctional Services until their VBIs are served on October 9.

Corporal Moultrie prosecuted the case.

By PAVEL BAILEY Tribune Staff Reporter pbailey@tribunemedia.net A MAN was accused of groping a 15-year-old girl while she slept last week.

Prosecutors allege Merachem Gilbert Jr, 21, inappropriately groped the teenage girl’s breast and buttocks while she

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PAGE 8, Tuesday, September 8, 2026

THE TRIBUNE

Ivoine Ingraham • Facing Reality

Unions, fair treatment, and strikes

when the country becomes the bargaining chip negotiating table and no influence over the dispute.

The elderly miss medical appointments. Students lose valuable instructional time.

Small businesses lose customers and revenue. Families struggle to access essential public services. Tourists rethink their travel plans.

Investors begin questioning whether the country is stable enough for future business.

The damage extends far beyond the negotiating room.

Yet these consequences often receive little attention from those calling for industrial action. Instead, the public is repeatedly told that the inconvenience is necessary, that sacrifice today will lead to justice tomorrow.

But whose sacrifice is it?

It’s usually not the union leadership that bears the greatest burden.

It’s the single mother unable to renew important documents because government offices are closed. It’s the patient whose procedure is postponed. It’s the hourly worker whose income disappears because businesses affected by the disruption reduce operating hours. It’s the small entrepreneur who cannot afford another week

paralyze a nation. The responsibility should include recognizing that every day of disruption has real human and economic conse-

of economic uncertainty.

These people are rarely considered when slogans are shouted through megaphones or when headlines announce another nationwide shutdown.

One has to ask whether the broader national interest is sufficiently considered before these decisions are made.

No reasonable person disputes that workers have a legal and moral right to strike. That right exists because it provides employees with leverage when negotiations fail. However, rights also come with responsibilities.

The responsibility should include carefully considering the impact on innocent citizens.

The responsibility should include exhausting every reasonable avenue before resorting to measures that

the message appears to be: "If we do not get what we want, everyone must suffer."

Whether intended or not, that perception breeds resentment. Even among people who may initially support workers' demands, sympathy begins to fade when they themselves become victims of the dispute.

History has shown that economies are fragile. A single week of widespread disruption can cost millions in lost productivity.

International investors pay attention to labour stability when deciding where to invest. Tourists notice countries repeatedly affected by strikes. Businesses considering expansion think twice when uncertainty becomes routine. The irony is that workers themselves eventually feel these economic consequences.

Reduced investment

remarkably observant.

They learn far more from what adults do than from what adults say. If we expect young people to value cooperation, patience, and mutual respect, then our national means institutions—including govfewer ernments, employers, and jobs. unions—must demonstrate Slower those same values. ecoLeadership should never nomic be measured solely by one's growth ability to mobilize supporters. True leadership is demonstrated by the ability to resolve conflict without unnecessary casualties.

Sometimes the strongest Photo: Amusa/pexels leader is not the one who means less government rev- calls the strike. Sometimes enue. Less revenue limits the strongest leader is the the government's ability to one who prevents it. improve wages, infrastrucThis responsibility does ture, healthcare, education, not rest solely with unions. and social services.

Governments must negoIn the end, everyone pays. tiate honestly and avoid Perhaps the greatest disap- allowing disputes to fester. pointment lies in the example Employers must recognise being set for future gener- workers' legitimate concerns ations. Every day we teach before frustration reaches a children about conflict res- breaking point. Good-faith olution. We encourage them bargaining requires honesty, to communicate respect- transparency, and mutual fully. We tell them to listen respect from every side. before reacting. We remind However, unions also have them that compromise is not an obligation to recognize weakness but maturity. We that they are not accountable ask them to solve disagree- only to their members. When ments peacefully. We teach their actions have national them that shouting louder consequences, they owe a does not necessarily make measure of accountability to them right. the wider society that ineviThen they watch adults. tably bears the cost.

They see public disputes This is especially true in escalate into national crises. small nations, where the They witness threats before economic ripple effects dialogue. They observe of prolonged industrial positions harden rather than action can be severe and Mascola/pex

els

quences.

Unfortunately, it often seems that these considerations become secondary.

Instead,

soften. They learn that if enough pressure is applied, everyone else can be forced to endure hardship until one side wins.

Is this really the lesson we want to pass on?

Children are

Photo: Tyler

WORKERS' right to organize is one of the great achievements of modern democracy. Unions have historically fought for fair wages, safer working conditions, reasonable hours, pensions, and benefits that many workers take for granted today.

Without unions, countless employees would have remained vulnerable to exploitation by employers with little accountability. That history deserves respect.

But respect for the role of unions does not mean that every action taken in their name should escape scrutiny.

An uncomfortable but necessary question must be asked whenever a nationwide strike or prolonged industrial action threatens to cripple a country: Are unions always acting in the best interests of their members, the nation, or are some decisions influenced more by the ambitions and egos of those leading them?

This is not an attack on organized labour. It’s a call for reflection.

Too many instances have seen negotiations seem less about finding common ground and more about winning at any cost. When grievances escalate into nationwide disruptions, one begins to wonder whether the objective remains to achieve fairness or to demonstrate power. Somewhere between legitimate advocacy and political theatre, the interests of ordinary citizens often become collateral damage.

Every worker deserves fair treatment. Every employer has a responsibility to negotiate in good faith. Governments must also honour commitments and engage sincerely with organized labour. But fairness is a two-way street. Wanting better wages and improved working conditions is understandable; demanding them without regard for the country's economic realities is another matter altogether.

Leadership requires balancing competing interests.

It’s easy to rally supporters by promising to fight until every demand is met.

It’s far more difficult to recognize when compromise serves everyone better than confrontation.

What is perhaps most troubling is how quickly entire nations can become bargaining chips.

When transportation stops, schools close, hospitals reduce services, ports cease operations, or government offices grind to a halt, it’s not only employers or governments that suffer. It’s ordinary citizens—people who have no seat at the

long-lasting. One prolonged shutdown can erase years of progress, discourage investment, weaken public confidence, and create hardships that linger long after the dispute has been settled.

No victory at the negotiating table should come at the expense of a nation's longterm wellbeing.

Perhaps it’s time to rethink how labour disputes are resolved. Could mandatory mediation be strengthened before strikes are called?

Should independent arbitration play a greater role in essential public services?

Should there be clearer thresholds for industrial action when an entire country's economy is at stake?

These are not unreasonable questions. Neither workers nor governments should possess unlimited power.

Balance is the cornerstone of democracy.

At the heart of every dispute should be one simple principle: How do we achieve justice without unnecessarily harming innocent people, especially innocent children?

That question deserves more attention than it currently receives.

The old saying reminds us that "calmer heads prevail." It has endured because it recognises a timeless truth: emotion may win the moment, but reason builds the future. Perhaps our national conversations need more calm and less confrontation. More listening and less posturing. More solutions and fewer ultimatums.

A country should never become a battlefield where ordinary citizens are caught in the crossfire of disputes they did not create. They deserve leaders—whether in government, business, or organized labour—who recognize that leadership is not about proving who has the greatest power. It’s about exercising that power responsibly.

The strongest societies are not those that never disagree.

They are those that know how to disagree without tearing themselves apart. That’s the example our children deserve to inherit. That’s the leadership our country deserves.

And perhaps that’s the question every union leader, government official, and employer should ask before the next confrontation begins: Are we fighting for justice—or are we simply fighting to win?

But we should never sacrifice our future in the process.

UN and Red Cross step up call for international rules on 'killer robot' weapons systems

By JAMEY KEATEN Associated Press

GENEVA (AP) — The United Nations and the International Committee of the Red Cross on Tuesday ratcheted up a joint call for countries to adopt bans and restrictions on use of autonomous weapons systems — often known as "killer robots" — warning that "the risks have intensified."

Building on an initial appeal three years ago and international talks on the issue for years, the appeal stops short of calling for a blanket ban, but notes that such weapons systems are being developed — though the U.N. and Red Cross haven't confirmed their use on the battlefield.

The organizations said, however, that civilians need to be protected for when that day may come.

"We are now dangerously close to crossing a moral red line: The autonomous targeting of humans

by machines," said U.N. Geneva spokesperson Alessandra Vellucci, reading a joint statement by U.N. Secretary-General António Guterres and ICRC President Mirjana Spoljaric.

"Today, we renew this call with even greater urgency," the statement said. "The fundamental concerns remain unchanged, but the risks have intensified."

The two international organizations say the development of weapons technology at "record speed" has strained the international rules system, and widened the gap between technological capacities and regulatory constraints.

"Autonomous weapons systems are not part of a distant future — a race toward greater autonomy in weapons systems is already well underway," the joint statement said.

The call comes as negotiators are set to meet in Geneva in November on ways of strengthening the

existing Convention on Conventional Weapons, with the U.N. and ICRC saying the conference "offers the clearest path available" to move toward binding legal rules on the use of such autonomous systems.

The yearslong effort to rein in the use of autonomous A UKRAINIAN FP-1 long-range attack drone is launched at an undisclosed location in weapons systems has Ukraine, Sunday, Aug. 16, 2026. struggled to produce limits. The new push AP Photo/Efrem Lukatsky, File comes against the evacuations, because of Ukraine's "Scientists and engineers backdrop of drones and other technologies used in need to preserve manpower amid developing these systems have conflicts as diverse as the Rus- the growing prevalence of drones. themselves raised the alarm," the Kyiv is now seeking to scale up organizations said. "When the sia-Ukraine war, the Middle East, Sudan and others. armed robotic systems to reduce architects of this technology are Ground robotic vehicles have the pressure on increasingly out- calling for limits, states cannot so far been used on the Ukrain- numbered infantry by equipping afford to remain passive." ian battlefield primarily to ferry them with firing power, but those "This year must mark a turning supplies to infantry and carry out efforts have been limited so far. point," the statement said.

THE TRIBUNE

Tuesday, September 8, 2026, PAGE 9

World News

Jamaica takes its case for reparations for Britain's role in slavery to King Charles III

By DANICA KIRKA Associated Press

LONDON (AP) — Jamaica is taking its campaign for Britain to pay reparations for the ravages of the trans-Atlantic slave trade to King Charles III. Using legal traditions that stretch back to the early days of the British Empire, Jamaica petitioned the king on Monday to refer a series of questions about slavery, and the U.K.'s responsibility to pay damages, to a committee of the Privy Council, which serves as the highest court for former colonies that retain ties to the British legal system.

While the petition is formally addressed to the king, Charles has no personal say on whether it will be referred to the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council, and he will act on the advice of the government.

The filing was timed to coincide with the anniversary of the day in 1781 when the Liverpool-registered ship Zong set sail from West Africa with 442 enslaved Africans on board. When water supplies ran low on the way to Jamaica, the crew decided to throw 132 men, women and children overboard, calculating that it would be more profitable to file an insurance claim for the lost "property" than to sell their weakened and dehydrated captives for a reduced price.

The massacre helped speed the abolition of slavery but it wasn't quick Publicity about the Zong massacre helped fuel the campaign to end slavery in the British Empire. Britain abolished the slave trade in

1807, but it wasn't until Aug. 1, 1834, that the enslavement of human beings was outlawed.

"In relation to the wrongs that were done, we want answers," Jamaican Culture Minister Olivia Grange told The Associated Press on Sunday before a church service in south London, the first in a series of events scheduled around the filing.

"Once we get those answers, then our attorneys, our lawyers, will determine what the next move is," she added.

Jamaica is a leader of the effort to get Britain and other European nations to apologize for their role in the trans-Atlantic slave trade and pay reparations, both for the enslavement of individuals and for the continuing impact on their descendants around the world. Jamaica said the Caribbean Community, which includes 23 states from the Bahamas to Guyana, endorsed the petition.

The king has spoken out on the wrongs of slavery Although he has stopped short of endorsing reparations, the king has repeatedly expressed his personal commitment to addressing the historic wrongs of slavery.

In a 2024 speech to leaders of the Commonwealth, the voluntary association of countries that succeeded the British Empire, Charles said that the "most painful aspects of our past continue to resonate."

"None of us can change the past," he added. "But we can commit, with all our hearts, to learning its lessons and to finding creative ways to right inequalities that endure."

Buckingham Palace said

JAMAICA’s Minister of Culture, Gender, Entertainment and Sport, Olivia Grange, attends a service, in London, Sunday, Sept. 6, 2026.

AP Photo/Alberto Pezzali

Monday that it has been working closely with the governor-general of Jamaica, the king's representative on the island who is appointed on the advice of the Jamaican government, to ensure the petition is "properly lodged.''

While acknowledging that slavery was "abhorrent," the British government has so far rejected demands for either an apology or reparations.

When the United Nations General Assembly in March passed a resolution endorsing reparations as a "concrete step" toward addressing the wrongs of slavery, the U.K.

JAMAICA’s Minister of Culture, Gender, Entertainment and Sport, Olivia Grange, right, attends a service, in London, Sunday, Sept. 6, 2026, for the “remembrance, justice and repair” before filing a petition to refer three specific questions about trans-Atlantic slavery to the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council.

On the Bayeux

abstained. That was partly because the U.K. believes in the internationally recognized legal concept that the law governing any event is the law of the relevant time, British representative James Kariuki told the U.N. "There is equally no duty to provide reparation for historical acts that were not, at the time those acts were committed, violations of international law," he said.

Jamaica is taking a political campaign to the courts Jamaica's petition is an effort to expand the political campaign for reparations into the legal realm, Grange said.

The petition asks the Judicial Committee to rule on three questions: — Was the forced transport of African people to Jamaica and their subsequent enslavement illegal because it was contrary to English common law?

— Were the forced transport and enslavement of African people crimes against humanity for which the U.K. bears responsibility?

— Does the U.K. have an obligation to "provide a remedy" to the people of Jamaica for the forced transport and enslavement of their

ancestors?

The procedure could boost support for a Jamaican republic even if rejected Craig Prescott, an expert on constitutional law and the monarchy at Royal Holloway, University of London, said the move was "quite clever" because it seeks to use an obscure constitutional procedure to address one of the biggest issues in Jamaican society.

The right of British people to petition the crown with grievances about the administration of justice stretches back to the Norman conquest of England in 1066, when the king was considered the "fountain of justice throughout his Dominions," the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council says on its website.

Jamaica's petition is based on an 1833 law that made the committee the highest court for civil and criminal appeals in the British Empire. When the Empire became the Commonwealth of independent nations after World War II, the committee retained that role for the countries that maintain their legal ties to the U.K. Prescott expects the petition to be referred to the

Judicial Committee, where a panel of U.K. Supreme Court justices will review it and make a ruling.

But, he said, the justices are usually very cautious about granting such petitions because they sidestep standard legal procedures.

"I think, at the very least, the board will look at this with a skeptical eye, not because of questions of whether slavery is wrong or right or otherwise, but just this is a very peculiar legal procedure that is sort of just one on the statute books that rears its head from time to time."

But rejection of the petition could still be a win for Jamaica.

Prime Minister Andrew Holness has announced plans to sever ties with the British crown and transform his country into a republic.

"It does raise the question of why have a head of state who really does not share the positions that are widely held in Jamaica," Prescott said. "If those residual links (to Britain) don't deliver an answer that is what they're looking for in Jamaica, then you might be looking at severing those links."

Memorial Service for

Glen Leland Holden, 74

of Yorkshire Street, will be held at 12:30 p.m. on !ursday, September 10th, 2026 at New Providence Community Centre (NPCC), Blake Road. Officiating will be Pastor Brooks Russell.

Glen was preceded in death by his Wife: Dianne Smith-Holden.

He leaves behind his beloved daughter, Tafadzwa Holden; his grand children: Hakeem Baiyewu Jr. and Hasaan Baiyewu; his siblings: Craig Holden, Carol Halpin, Mark Holden; his brothers and sistersin-law: Anne Holden, Tom Halpin, Heather Holden, Betty Von Hamm, Glen Knowles, Requel Stuart, nieces and nephews, The staff and faculty of The University of The Bahamas, and many other relatives, friends, and loved ones, notably Fintan Sheehan and Donique Adderley who will remember him fondly.

The 70-meter-long Bayeux Tapestry is displayed during a press preview at the British Museum in London after returning to England, following a historic agreement between the UK and France, Monday, Sept. 7, 2026.

AP Photo/Kin Cheung

Cremation will be held.

May His Soul Rest in Peace!

PAGE 10, Tuesday, September 8, 2026

THE TRIBUNE

World News

Charismatic candidate propels German far-right party to victory after giving it a friendly face

By GEIR MOULSON Associated Press

BERLIN (AP) — Ulrich Siegmund, a charismatic 35-year-old who gave the far-right Alternative for Germany a friendly face and combined promises of a better future with a touch of nostalgia, has led the party to its strongest showing yet.

The party surged to a resounding victory in Sunday's regional election in the eastern state of Saxony-Anhalt, but fell just short of a majority as it seeks to form the first far-right state government since World War II. Siegmund's face was everywhere in posters for Alternative for Germany, or AfD, in a campaign whose motto was "everything is possible." At campaign events, supporters — some of them wearing T-shirts bearing his image — queued at length for a selfie and a few words with the candidate.

Although his party is known for its pro-Russian and anti-immigration positions and other radical stances, Siegmund has avoided making extreme statements and presents himself as a man of the people.

But while that appeals to voters who might otherwise be put off by AfD, he is also uncompromising, insisting after the election that the party won't "throw

our positions overboard for past. He said during the cam- — notably with campaign the Simson family, whose coalitions." paign that voters want "the rides on Simson mopeds, Jewish ancestors were exproSiegmund studied business old, safe Germany back." which were produced in the priated by the Nazis in the 1930s and management fled to the and used to U.S. sell air freshThe eners. But he party's is no politiregional cal novice: branch after a brief in Saxoperiod as ny-Anhalt a member is one of of the several center-right classified Christian by the Democratic domestic Union of intelligence current agency as Chancellor a proven Friedrich right-wing Merz when extremist he was group. younger, he Siegjoined AfD. mund was He has a particbeen a lawipant at maker in a 2023 the state meeting in legislature Potsdam in Magdeat which a burg for 10 prominent years and the member co-leader of of the AfD's parextremist liamentary CO-leaders of Alternative for Germany party, or AfD, Alice Weidel, right, and Tino Chrupalla, left, Identitarian group there and top candidate for the Saxony-Anhalt state elections Ulrich Siegmund, center, attend a press Movement since 2022. conference in Berlin, Germany, Monday, Sept. 7, 2026.

He built a AP Photo/Ebrahim Noroozi presented his "remsocial media igration" following vision as a critic of Born on Oct. 25, 1990, east. On Sunday, he arrived for deportations of immirestrictions imposed during weeks after German reuni- at the polling station in his grants — a gathering that the COVID-19 pandemic.

Alongside his image fication, he also has catered hometown of Tangermuende drew large protests when it came to light a few as a young and energetic to lingering nostalgia for on one of the machines.

AfD's use of the mopeds months later. Siegmund was politician, Siegmund has fre- life in communist East Gerquently harked back to the many among some voters has drawn criticism from removed as head of the state

legislature's social affairs committee, though he disputed any wrongdoing and said his presence didn't mean an endorsement.

During a recent television debate, incumbent state governor Sven Schulze was asked whether Siegmund is a right-wing extremist.

"I don't want to judge that as far as he personally is concerned, and I can't either," Schulze replied. "But I know who he surrounds himself with." The governor added that there were "very extreme people" in Siegmund's orbit.

AfD vehemently rejects accusations of extremism.

Last month, Siegmund said that "no one here needs to be afraid, quite the contrary.

Every honest person in Saxony-Anhalt will benefit from an AfD-led government."

Siegmund "manages to come over as likable, open, always smiling," said Wolfgang Merkel, a political science professor with the WBZ Berlin Social Science Center, adding that he avoids the often abrasive and overtly provocative or ideological language of some other prominent AfD figures.

"He is avoiding major conflicts at present; that doesn't have to mean that he is a moderate, or conservative. He isn't," Merkel said before the election. He said that "whether he can govern is something he still has to prove."

Norway seizes a Russian vessel in remote Arctic, drawing Putin's ire OSLO, Norway (AP) — Norwegian authorities seized a Russian vessel in the remote Arctic archipelago of Svalbard at the request of Ukraine, drawing a condemnation Thursday from Russian President Vladimir Putin, who compared it to "state terrorism."

A court in Norway ordered the seizure as part of efforts by Ukraine's state energy company Naftogaz to recover a $4.22 billion arbitration award. It stems from Russia's 2014 illegal annexation of Crimea and its seizure of Ukrainian energy assets, including gas fields and pipelines.

After Moscow's refusal to pay the 2023 award, Naftogaz has been petitioning national courts seeking orders to seize Russian commercial assets.

The vessel, Professor Molchanov, is used for commercial expedition cruises, including to Svalbard, which sits more than 800 kilometers (500 miles) north of the Norwegian mainland. It's known for its stunning snow-covered mountains, fjords and glaciers.

"This is another important step towards restoring justice for Russia's unlawful seizure of Naftogaz assets in Crimea," Naftogaz CEO Sergii Fedorenko said.

"Russia cannot evade responsibility simply by refusing to comply with an international arbitral award. We will continue to pursue Russian assets around the world."

Putin, speaking at the Eastern Economic Forum in Vladivostok, Russia, criticized the vessel seizure and

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy's warning to foreign airlines to avoid Russia because of Ukrainian longrange drone attacks.

Putin said such incidents "complicated" the prospects for future peace talks. He added that Ukraine's allies were "complicit in international terrorism" by remaining silent on the issues.

The Russian Foreign Ministry summoned Norway's ambassador to Moscow, Heidi Olufsen, to lodge a protest about the seizure of the vessel.

It said the ship belongs to Russia's state weather and environmental monitoring agency Rosgidromet and carried workers, scientists and cargo to Russian settlements on one of the islands in Svalbard.

Seizure of the vessel left Russian citizens and organizations there "effectively under a state of blockade," the ministry

Russian President Vladimir Putin sits prior to the plenary session at the Eastern Economic Forum in Vladivostok, Russia, Thursday, Sept. 3, 2026.

Vyacheslav Prokofyev/Sputnik, Kremlin Pool Photo via AP

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THE TRIBUNE

Tuesday, September 8, 2026, PAGE 11

4 selected for environmental scholarships

By Fay Simmons Tribune Education Reporter jsimmons@tribunemedia.net

DANIEL Longe

TARYN McKinney Lambert

JAYDEN Pratt

TREVAN Pyfrom

FOUR young Bahamians are preparing to take their environmental education beyond the classroom, gaining hands-on experience in marine science, conservation and career exploration as the 2026–2027 Bahamas Environmental Steward Scholars.

The four students were selected following an inspiring application process for the Bahamas Environmental Steward Scholarship (BESS), a partnership between the Bahamas Reef Environment Educational Foundation (BREEF) and The Island School. The programme combines academic learning with practical experience, giving young Bahamians the opportunity to develop their knowledge, leadership skills and understanding of the marine environment.

Daniel Longe of Summit Heights Preparatory School in Grand Bahama and Trevan Fernander of Saint Augustine's College in New Providence have completed a sixweek Summer Term at The Island School's Eleuthera campus. They will now undertake two-week internships with BREEF, where they will gain practical experience and a closer look at work in the marine and environmental fields.

Taryn McKinney-Lambert, an Aeon School student and Deep Creek Middle School alumna from Eleuthera, and Jayden Pratt, a 2026 graduate of CR Walker Senior High School and alumnus of BREEF's pilot Students for Environmental Action (SEA) programme, will complete a 100-day Fall Semester at The Island School before beginning four-month internships with BREEF. The experience gives students opportunities to learn through direct interaction with the Bahamian environment. Through BREEF and The Island School, scholars have worked with marine species and ecosystems including dolphins, flamingoes, queen conch and coral reefs, gaining practical knowledge that complements their classroom education.

Students at The Island School also conduct scientific research and learn to scuba dive, giving them an opportunity to explore the marine environment from a different perspective. The scuba certification and research experience can provide a foundation for

YOUNG BAHAMIAN AUTHOR PUBLISHES THREE-BOOK SERIES

By Fay Simmons Tribune Education Reporter jsimmons@tribunemedia.net

AT just 10 years old, Aleah Storr has already accomplished something many aspiring writers dream of — publishing her own series of children’s books.

The young Bahamian author recently published a three-book series, Jerry Stands Up!, Speak OUT Jake!, and Be KIND Jill!, using storytelling to encourage children to stand up for what is right, speak out when they see something wrong, and choose kindness.

Through her books, Aleah hopes to show other children that their voices have value and that they are never too young to make a positive difference.

Her journey as a young author began with a desire to share important lessons with children in a way that is both relatable and engaging. Each book centres on a different message, while collectively

encouraging young readers to think about how their choices and actions can affect the people around them.

Jerry Stands Up! encourages children to have the courage to stand up for what is right, while Speak OUT Jake! emphasizes the importance of using their voices when they encounter something wrong. Be KIND Jill! reinforces the simple but powerful message that kindness should always be a choice.

For Aleah, writing became more than an opportunity to create stories. It became a way to encourage other children to recognize their own ability to make a difference.

The young author’s accomplishment also highlights the importance of giving children opportunities to explore their creativity and develop their voices from an early age.

Writing can help students strengthen their communication skills, build confidence, develop their imagination and learn how

to express ideas. For Aleah, those skills have resulted in a published series with messages she hopes will resonate with children her own age.

She has also begun sharing her work with the wider community through a number of courtesy calls, giving her an opportunity to discuss her books and the messages behind them.

As a young Bahamian author, Aleah is demonstrating that age does not have to be a barrier to creativity or meaningful contribution. Her books encourage children not only to read, but also to think about the kind of people they want to be.

Whether it is speaking up, standing up for someone else or simply choosing kindness, Aleah wants young readers to understand that small actions can have a positive impact.

Her three-book series serves as a reminder that children have ideas worth sharing and voices worth hearing.

students interested in marine science, conservation, tourism, environmental engineering and other related careers.

The BREEF internship is tailored to each student's interests and future goals. A scholar interested in marine mammal research, coral restoration, environmental engineering or journalism, for example, can gain experience that helps them better understand that career path and the education required to pursue it.

BREEF also works with students as they consider their next steps after the programme, including applications to tertiary institutions in The Bahamas and abroad. The goal is to help scholars build on the experience they gain through BESS and continue developing their skills as environmental stewards.

Since 2008, 66 young Bahamians have participated in the BESS programme, with 90 percent of scholars going on to pursue related tertiary studies. Many former scholars are now working in environmental fields.

The programme has also evolved to provide greater flexibility for students. Recognizing that a traditional full-year programme is not practical for every student, BESS now offers summer modules that allow participants to complete the Summer Term and follow it with an internship at BREEF without requiring an extended commitment or college deferment.

Applications for the next cohort of Bahamas Environmental Steward Scholars open on September 15, 2026.

Applicants must be between 14 and 18 years old, be Bahamian citizens or eligible for Bahamian citizenship, and demonstrate an interest in leadership and environmental stewardship. Applications for the Summer Term close January 15, while applications for the Fall or Spring Semester close February 15.

The BESS programme is made possible through the support of The Island School, The Cape Eleuthera Foundation and donors in The Bahamas and abroad.

Through a combination of classroom learning, scientific research and hands-on experience, BESS gives young Bahamians the opportunity to explore their interests, develop practical skills and begin considering how they can contribute to the future of the country's marine environment.

PAGE 12, Tuesday, September 8, 2026

THE TRIBUNE

FNM Women’s Association Back to School meeting

THE SEPTEMBER edition of the FNM Women’s Association adopted the Back to School theme with many attendees wearing their Alma Mater’s uniform. The guest speaker was Senator Komolafe who spoke on the topic “Building your Self-care Report Card” as she encouraged women to prioritize themselves and cater to their spirit, mind and body while looking after others or experiencing challenging times.