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VOLUME:117 No.198, SEPTEMBER 10TH, 2020

OFFICIA

CLASSIFIED TRADER: CARS, CARS, CARS & MORE CARS

INSIDE

Cheats abusing food handouts BACK TO THE BEACH

Families making multiple requests for help at sites to secure extra assistance

By TANYA SMITHCARTWRIGHT tsmith-cartwright@ tribunemedia.net NATIONAL Food Distribution Task Force chairman Susan Larson said there have been instances of “abuse” of the system, causing delays at distribution sites as officials try to verify legitimate requests.

“We do know of many instances of abuse and one of the reasons why there are delays at the distribution sites is because we are trying to ascertain the legitimacy of people standing in front of us,” Ms Larson

told The Tribune.

“We know that people will go to as many different distribution sites as they possibly can and try and get multiple parcels of food. We know that multiple people in the same household will try to trick the system and register as separate heads of households to try to give the impression that it’s different heads of households when they all are in the same house. We also know that people have turned around and tried to sell their food parcels.”

SEE PAGE FIVE

DECISION STILL PENDING FOR EXTENDING BENEFIT SCHEMES

By RASHAD ROLLE Tribune Senior Reporter rrolle@tribunemedia.net

DEPUTY Prime Minister and Minister of Finance Peter Turnquest said yesterday it is too early to say if the government will extend its unemployment benefits programme, expressing hope that reopening the tourism sector will return people to work.

Mr Turnquest revealed in the House of Assembly that so far the government has spent $15.4m to help self-employed people who do not ordinarily qualify for unemployment benefits

from the National Insurance Board. He said the government has also spent $37.9m to help unemployed people who exhausted their standard NIB benefit. In total, 35,593 people have benefited in some way from the government’s unemployment assistance programmes. NIB, meanwhile, has paid out “some $93.3m directly” to its beneficiaries, he said.

“Combined, these programmes have supported approximately 43,200 persons, and poured some $146.5m into the domestic economy,” he said.

SEE PAGE THREE

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SEE PAGE NINE

US EMBASSY PUTS CHINA EQUIPMENT OFF LIMITS

By KHRISNA RUSSELL Tribune Chief Reporter krussell@tribunemedia.net

A NEW United States regulation prohibits its embassy in Nassau from doing business with local companies that utilise equipment manufactured by certain Chinese manufacturers.

On June 30, the US designated two Chinese telecommunications firms as “national security” threats.

The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) designation means Huawei and ZTE are cut off from billions of dollars in US subsidies due to their close association with the Chinese Communist Party (CCP).

SEE PAGE THREE

SUSPECTED COVID CASE AT SCHOOL

FAMILIES are making the most of being able to go back to the beaches from 5am to noon - and giving youngsters a dip in the water after too long away.

Photo: Donovan McIntosh

THE Ministry of Education is investigating a suspected case of COVID19 at Columbus Primary School.

According to a statement released last night, the ministry was alerted to a possible case early yesterday.

SEE PAGE FIVE

JUDGE SLATES GOVT OVER SEWELL CASE STATESIDE

By TRIBUNE REPORTER

A SCATHING condemnation of the government has been delivered over its handling of its defence in the case involving an innocent Jamaican man unjustly held in detention for nearly ten years.

The Tribune reported yesterday how the Supreme Court had ruled in favour of Matthew Sewell who is claiming $27m in damages for the years he was kept

MATTHEW Sewell after being released in 2015. locked away.

In the Supreme Court judgment published this week, Judge Ruth BoweDarville catalogued a long

series of delays by the government’s defence team, accusing them of being “negligent”.

Mr Sewell’s action was taken against the Office of the Attorney General, Minister of Immigration, Commissioner of Police, Superintendent of Bahamas Department of Correctional Services, Director of Immigration and Officer in Charge of Carmichael

Nassau & Bahama Islands’ Leading Newspaper

SEE PAGE TWO

US POLITICS KEEPING IT IN THE FAMILY

SEE PAGE NINE

PAGE 2, Thursday, September 10, 2020

SUBMERGED VEHICLES PULLED FROM WATER

A TOTAL of 18 submerged vehicles have been removed from the area around McCleans Town Dock in Grand Bahama.

The vehicles - debris from Hurricane Dorian - were removed with help from Captain James Edgar Curling, president of Tycoon Waste Management Company Ltd, and Andrew Gaitor, of A&D Gaitor Heavy Equipment.

Captain Curling said: “As a mariner, I realize the danger these submerged vehicles could have on the many boaters who frequent this area.”

THE TRIBUNE

Katherine Smith, managing director of the Disaster Reconstruction Authority, said: “It’s been a long year, and there are many things that we had hoped to address within the first six months of the reconstruction and recovery efforts, but there are a lot of mitigating factors that caused us to be delayed…and Covid was one of those issues.”

Deputy Prime Minister Peter Turnquest, MP for East Grand Bahama, said the submerged vehicles posed a risk to navigation for boaters.

JUDGE SLATES GOVT OVER SEWELL CASE from page one Road Detention Centre.

During the case Mr Sewell’s defence team - led

by Fred Smith QC - had detailed the numerous occasions on which Mr Sewell had been arrested, accused of criminal offences and then released without any of the cases ever getting to court.

His final arrest, said Justice Bowe-Darville “was definitely a malicious act on behalf of the defendants, their servants and/or agents”.

As Mr Sewell’s case progressed through the court time and again the defendants failed to abide by deadlines set by the court.

The delays, said Justice Bowe-Darville “were all blatant failures on the part of the defendants”.

She continued: “The court finds that the defendants (by their counsel) were negligent in their conduct of this matter. They are guilty of contumelious delay in the prosecution of their defence.

“The chronology of the file shows that the defendants delayed from

inception... The history of non-compliance is unacceptable.”

Significantly the judge’s order also highlighted part of the case presented by Mr Sewell’s legal team that his ordeal was not unique and that there had been other similar cases which had been decided against the government which, through its actions, it continues to ignore.

She wrote: “The plaintiff’s submissions present many decided like cases in The Bahamas. It was the plaintiff’s firm position that ‘despite repeated judicial pronouncements and educational exposition of what the law is in relation to police and immigration powers of arrest and detention, the defendants, their servants and/or agents continue to brazenly flout the fundamental rights and freedoms and Chapter 3 of the Constitution with impunity and without executive censure...”

Attorney General Carl Bethel could not be reached for comment up to press time.

The court will resume on October 28 to rule on the level of damages to be awarded to Mr Sewell.

To advertise in The Tribune, contact 502-2394

THE TRIBUNE

Thursday, September 10, 2020, PAGE 3

Decision still pending for extending benefit schemes from page one Asked during a press conference whether there will be a continuation of the programmes, which end at the end of this month, Mr Turnquest said a final decision has not been made.

“At the end of September we will make some decisions based on the resources available,” he said. “At this point it’s a little early to make that definitive statement. The performance for the next month will determine what is available for us to extend the programme and we will make a decision at that time.”

He also said: “We anticipate that the economy is going to start to open at the end of this month. The tourism minister indicated that tourism will open on the 15th (of October) so by then we anticipate that with the loosening up of the economy that is already on the way that will relieve some of the pressure and as the tourism sector kicks in, more people will go back to work which will allow us to utilise the remaining resources that we have budgeted for this programme to go a bit further for those persons who may take a little bit longer to get back to the swing of things. “We will continue to do what we can to support Bahamians as best as we can through the various assistance programmes that are available, either through direct income support, through social services, through the feeding network or any of the other programmes that are available to the government. We will certainly ensure they are funded and do the best we can.”

Mr Turnquest also said the country’s foreign reserves are healthy.

“Notwithstanding the fact that we are five months plus into the near full shut down of our primary export sector - the international tourism market - our reserves remain at a fairly healthy $2.1 billion - equal to 38 weeks of import cover and close to levels at the start of the pandemic,” he said.

“The position of the Public Treasury is secure, and the viability of the Bahamian dollar and the exchange regime remain robust.

This government has a plan. It is working its plan.

And despite all the challenges, the viability of the Bahamian dollar and the exchange regime remains robust.

Although the situation is fluid, we are confident that we have enough reserves to take us through this difficult time until we fully reopen the tourism sector.”

The East Grand Bahama MP also said the government has increased its National Food Distribution Task Force allocation from $1m per week to $1.3m per week.

“Data from the Department of Social Services indicates that to date, approximately $11.9m has been disbursed through the task force to participating non-governmental organisations, who have been working tirelessly to assist those in need,” he said.

“The government rolled out the Tax Credit and Deferral Employee Retention programme at the Department of Inland Revenue which, in its first phase, allowed businesses with a turnover of $3m or more to receive a mix of VAT and business licence credits and deferrals for

DEPUTY Prime Minister Peter Turnquest in the House of Assembly yesterday. up to three months. In the second phase, which runs until October 2020, the Department of Inland Revenue extended the application to all qualified VAT registrants, which meant that once a company had a turnover of $100,000

or more, it could apply to receive these credits and deferrals. To date, some 80 businesses were approved under this programme and have received some $22.9m in tax credits and deferrals. This has translated into saving some 9,004

jobs within the domestic economy, as companies are required to spend the amount granted in credits and deferrals on payroll expenses.”

Mr Turnquest said the restrictions implemented to address the COVID-19

crisis caused revenue to come in at 77 percent of the budget projected for that period.

To address fiscal concerns, the government has enforced cuts of 20 percent across all ministries, he said.

ECONOMIC EMPOWERMENT ZONES TO BE EXPANDED

By RASHAD ROLLE Tribune Senior Reporter rrolle@tribunemedia.net

PRIME Minister Dr Hubert Minnis tabled an amendment in the House of Assembly yesterday to expand New Providence’s economic empowerment zone, which will allow Englerston and Montel Heights to now qualify for concessions.

He noted the zone is now “limited by Wulff Road (in the) south and Delancy

Street in the north.”

Explaining the composition of the zone, he said: “Nassau Street will still remain the western boundary and as you reach the roundabout at Poinciana then turn east on Poinciana and then south Rupert Dean Lane so as to include Black Village, leaving Tyler Street, subsequently traveling to Blue Hill Road, travel Blue Hill Road south to Independence Highway and then east along Independence Highway up to

the Marathon Mall junction, then west along Robinson Road up to Claridge Road, north along Claridge Road, Wulff Road and continue to the imaginary boundary extending Collins Wall thus encompassing Black Village, St Barnabas, and Englerston, inclusive of Montell Heights. Ridgeland Park also.

“These areas will now be tax free zones. The boundaries would also extend along East Hill Road thus including the old post office

so that as the new court complex is designed and developed on that particular property they would be able to take advantage of this tax free zone.”

He added: “This will follow also with inclusion of some sectors of Kemp Road, sectors of Fox Hill, Gambier and also sectors of Adelaide, the more depressed areas so as to help decrease their tax burdens and allow them to expand their homes, development, build houses etc,

all duty free. I think this would go very well especially for all of those in the inner city.”

The Economic Empowerment Zone programme was among Prime Minister Dr Hubert Minnis’ main promises in opposition as he pledged to improve the impoverished areas. Today, people in those communities can import materials for constructing, equipping and completing buildings without paying taxes if they qualify.

In June, Dr Minnis announced the plans to expand New Providence’s economic empowerment zone. At the time, he said 90 applications had been made under the Economic Empowerment Zone Act to date, 50 of which had been approved.

“This has resulted in a total of approximately $1.246m in business licence, customs duties and real property tax concessions being provided to these businesses,” he said in June.

US EMBASSY PUTS CHINA EQUIPMENT OFF LIMITS from page one

As a result of the move, companies in The Bahamas that provide services to the US Embassy in Nassau now have to disclose their manufacturers.

The manufacturers include Huawei, ZTE, Hikvision, Hytera, Dhaka and their subsidiaries and affiliates.

US Embassy Public Affairs Officer Daniel Durazo explained that this is not unique to The Bahamas.

“The 2019 National Defense Authorisation Act (NDAA) prohibits the US government from entering into contracts with entities (ie companies or service providers) that use telecommunications equipment, systems, or services

from Huawei, ZTE, Dahua, Hikvision, Hytera, or their subsidiaries and affiliates,” Mr Durazo told The Tribune.

“This NDAA rule applies to contracts made after August 13, 2020, and applies to State Department procurement in the United States and around the world, not only to the US Embassy in the Bahamas.”

The Tribune inquired about the rule after receiving a letter from the US Embassy in Nassau requesting it disclose equipment manufacturer information.

The letter read: “A new United States regulation has been implemented that potentially affects the US Embassy’s services provided by your company.

We are contacting you to ask if your company utilises

equipment manufactured from the following companies: Huawei, ZTE, Hikvision, Hytera, Dahua and their subsidiaries and affiliates…”

Its implications to entities throughout the country is unclear and the embassy was unable to say how many of these letters were distributed to local firms.

According to various US news agencies, Huawei and ZTE were deemed national security threats because of their ties to the Chinese Communist Party and China’s military apparatus.

Laws in China requiring Chinese telecom vendors to support the CCP’s intelligence services mean that the CCP could use Huawei and ZTE equipment to spy on or sabotage telecom networks around the world, it is feared.

TWO DEAD IN SEPARATE TRAFFIC INCIDENTS A MAN is dead after he lost control of his motorcycle on Tuesday.

Police said shortly before 10pm, a man was travelling east along University Commons Road in the northern lane on a Honda XR 650 motorcycle, when he lost control and hit a sidewalk.

The rider was transported to

hospital where he later died.

A day earlier, a 60-yearold man died after a traffic accident in Grand Bahama.

According to reports, shortly before 5pm Monday, a pink 2010 Mitsubishi Colt with three passengers and a cream coloured 2009 Honda Life with two passengers were extensively

damaged in the accident on Midshipman Road, east of Balao Road.

The drivers and passengers were transported to Rand Memorial Hospital for medical attention.

The driver of the Honda died shortly before 9pm.

Police are investigating both accidents.

Within the US, the CCP seeks to use the companies’ equipment to surveil US citizens and conduct largescale industrial sabotage, said FCC Commissioner Brendan Carr.

“We cannot treat Huawei and ZTE as anything less than a threat to our collective security,” Mr Carr said back in June. “Nothing short of prohibiting subsidised Huawei and ZTE gear from our networks could address this serious national security threat.”

The designations ensure that federal subsidies for expanding wireless communication service across America cannot be used to purchase or support equipment from Huawei or ZTE. US Secretary of State Michael Pompeo has long warned of the risks of using fifth-generation wireless equipment from China’s technology companies. In addition, international consensus is growing that the security risks of using China’s technology are

unacceptable, according to reports.

Security concerns recently drove the government of Greece and major Canadian wireless communication providers to take steps toward eliminating reliance on Chinese telecommunication companies, including Huawei and ZTE. And numerous other countries, including the Czech Republic, Poland, Sweden and Estonia, have chosen trusted vendors over Huawei.

PAGE 4, Thursday, September 10, 2020

THE TRIBUNE

Minnis urges Junkanoo to stay on hold until virus subsides

By DENISE MAYCOCK Tribune Freeport Reporter dmaycock@tribunemedia.net

WHILE paying tribute to a deceased Junkanoo pioneer in Grand Bahama this week, Prime Minister Dr Hubert Minnis said he hoped the community would not organise future parades until the COVID19 threat subsides.

Dr Minnis extended condolences to the family of Bahamian surgeon and veteran Junkanooer Dr Philip Thompson, who died recently in Grand Bahama.

However, he urged the Junkanoo community not to rush anytime soon as it could be “very dangerous.”

While in Grand Bahama on Monday to announce an update on COVID19 emergency orders and easing of restrictions, Dr Minnis said: “I know that members of the Junkanoo community are agitated and are eager to go and to exhibit their skills by rushing. That could be very dangerous for our country.

“Philip Thompson was a very responsible individual and physician. If he was here, he would ask the Junkanoo community to not place the lives of themselves, Bahamians, and the

community in danger. I ask the Junkanoo Committee to wait until the time is right or until the pandemic is over.”

Although Grand Bahama is seeing a decline in COVID-19 cases, Dr Minnis expressed concern over those who continue to participate in “high-risk behaviour” and activities, such as parties, and festivals, etc.

Small social gatherings of a maximum of 10 are allowed, but he discouraged mass gatherings.

Due to the coronavirus pandemic, a decision was made in July to cancel

PRIME Minister Dr Hubert Minnis was speaking as he paid tribute to Junkanooer Dr Philip Thompson, pictured. all traditional Junkanoo parades, including the Boxing Day and New Year’s Day parades.

When contacted on Wednesday for an update, Dion Miller, chairman of Junkanoo Corporation of New Providence, said that nothing has changed.

He added that the Junkanoo community has seen a decline in donations from local companies, due to the financial strain brought on by the pandemic.

“The decision has already been made and the decision stands that there will not be any physical traditional parades this year on

Bay Street for Boxing Day and New Year’s holiday,” he said.

“We are still in the process of looking at some virtual experiences; we have nothing finalised in that regard yet; we are working with our partners and with the government to see if it is possible to make something happen that keeps everyone safe and promotes social distancing.”

According to the Junkanoo chairman, the decision to cancel the parades is supported by Grand Bahama stakeholders and Junkanoo groups and associations throughout the country.

“They were involved in those discussions, so everyone is under the same purview that there won’t be any Junkanoo this year, that includes New Providence, the Out (Family) Islands, Junior Junkanoo, etc.”

Mr Miller anticipates that by spring, some progress would hopefully be achieved regarding the virus, such as “a vaccination or some other therapies that would guard against it that would allow a better environment for us to go out and junkanoo, which we love to do.”

“We are looking at spring and the year 2021 with a lot

of optimism, and just praying it all works out,” he stated.

When asked whether they have encountered difficulty with sponsorship due to the pandemic, Mr Miller indicated that it has been a very challenging time for companies to donate.

“Every single entity has been affected or impacted due to COVID. Businesses had to shut down and decide whether they wanted to keep persons employed.

All sponsors and corporate sponsors of Junkanoo have been impacted. So, the funding is another element that just is not there this year to make those parades happen,” he explained.

According to the Junkanoo chairman, the average Junkanoo group needs about $250,000 to $300,000 to make those parades happen.

“Companies just don’t have that funding to invest in Junkanoo at this time, they rather put the funding into keeping their businesses afloat, and keeping employees employed.

“As junkanooers, we understand that, and corporate Bahamas and the government have been assisting us in putting on these parades for so many

years, so we accept that the financial situation that everyone is in around the globe, and we look to brighter days in the upcoming not too distant future,” said Mr Miller.

Asked whether they would be requesting assistance from the government as a result of the pandemic, he noted that before COVID during deliberations with the Prime Minister and the Ministry of Youth, Sports, and Culture, JCNP was anticipating that seed funding would be increased from the level given in previous years.

“COVID threw a big wrench into everything this year and so that could not come to fruition this year,” he added.

However, he revealed that JCNP has also requested some COVID relief from the government to further assist groups some of the debts incurred over the previous year, as well as assist their members who are out of work and need assistance.

“We have those requests before the ministry and the government, and we are awaiting word…on what they could do to further assist the Junkanoo community,” Mr Miller said.

RED CROSS HOTLINE HELPING PEOPLE DRIVEN TO THE BRINK

By EARYEL BOWLEG Tribune Staff Reporter ebowleg@tribunemedia.net

THE BAHAMAS Red Cross said it received more than 200 calls to the organisation’s support hotline in less than a month in August mainly related to those feeling financial stress or not having a job amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

Dr Bernadette Saunders, the Red Cross’ health and wellness coordinator, said she can get up 50 to 60 calls in a given day. She estimated have received calls from five people contemplating suicide since March but highlighted there are some who call the hotline

and may not open up to being suicidal.

“Some of them may not come outright and say ‘I’m going to kill myself,’ but you can hear it in their voice that’s where they’re headed,” she said.

“Quite a number who may not have (expressed suicidal intent) but you know you could see, hear from their frustration and their voice the unspoken, they have given up and are very depressed. . .”

She said some who have called the Red Cross have expressed “grave frustration” and worry about how they are going to feed themselves, pay their bills, take care of their family.

Becoming withdrawn,

losing their appetite and having a flat tone of voice are some signs of deep depression and possible suicidal intent, Dr Saunders said.

She added that a lot of the individuals who call the hotline are “fed up” because they’ve been given the “runaround” by agencies they have gone to seeking support.

Dr Saunders revealed many individuals also say they don’t have family members who can help them.

Yesterday, the Royal Bahamas Police Force posted a flyer on its Facebook page about spotting the signs of and helping a suicidal person. This comes

after an attempted suicide last Friday. A man was rescued by a concerned citizen when he drove his car off Montagu Ramp into the waters below.

The RBPF listed talking about suicide, seeking out lethal means, getting affairs in order, saying goodbye, and withdrawing from others as a few of the suicidal warning signs.

Then there is the sudden sense of calm mentioned as a suicide warning sign, which Dr Saunders said is associated with those persons “just being flat”.

“Suddenly there’s a calmness on the other end and that’s what we talk about when we talk about a flatness too,” she said.

In order to help a suicidal person, the RBPF suggested encouraging the individual to develop a prayer life as well as listening without judgment and offering hope.

The force advised not to promise confidentiality as a life is at stake thus there may be the need to speak to a mental health professional in order to keep a suicidal person safe. However, Dr Saunders noted promoting and stressing confidentiality is the main thing for those who operate the hotline as it assists with getting distressed people talking.

“Confidentiality is that you won’t share the information unless you get permission

from them,” she said.

“You tell them that whatever they tell you will be kept confidential but some information you would have to share with others to help them. ‘In order to assist you better I may have to share some of this information with others but I will inform you who I’m sharing it with before I do that.’

“Sometimes emergencies happen and you have to share the information in an emergency situation but you still have to inform the person….everybody has a right to (have) confidentiality.”

If you are in distress, you can contact the Red Cross’ hotline at 828-4121.

MOULTRIE NAMED CHAIR OF CONSTITUENCIES COMMISSION

By LEANDRA ROLLE Tribune Staff Reporter lrolle@tribunemedia.net

HOUSE Speaker Halson Moultrie has been appointed chairman of the Constituencies Commission

and Supreme Court Justice Deborah Fraser is expected to serve as its deputy chairman, it was revealed in

the House of Assembly yesterday.

Other committee members include Health

Minister Renward Wells, Agriculture and Marine Resources Minister Michael Pintard and Progressive Liberal Party Deputy Leader Chester Cooper.

The appointments were revealed by Speaker Moultrie in Parliament yesterday, who noted that committee members received their letters on Friday.

He said the move allows for the group to begin its work. However, he did not reveal when the commission is expected to meet.

The Constitution mandates that the Constituencies Commission review the number and boundaries of constituencies in The Bahamas at least every five years and report on whether changes should be made, such as creating additional constituencies or expanding or restricting existing ones.

Boundary changes proposed by former members of the Constituencies Commission in 2017 introduced a new constituency named St Barnabas and the renaming of the Montagu seat to Freetown.

There are currently 24 constituencies in New Providence; five constituencies in Grand Bahama; and ten in the Family Islands.

The nature of the commission’s work is largely a secret, as the law pertaining to it does not specify in detail how members should determine the way constituencies should be composed.

In the Speech from the Throne delivered shortly after the May 2017 general election, the Minnis administration promised to constitute an independent Electoral Commission and Boundaries Commission, introduce term

limits for prime ministers and introduce a system of recall for non-performing members of Parliament by referendum.

The government also promised campaign finance reform, however these pledges have not yet been delivered.

Asked about these unfulfilled promises by the media in July, shortly after Speaker Moultrie said the commission members had been selected but not yet named, Dr Minnis said the government still believed in its manifesto promises.

“The government still believes in trying to follow through with as much of the mandate that we have in our manifesto,” Dr Minnis told EyeWitness News in July. “Of course you know, we were thrown off by Dorian and we were also thrown off by the pandemic but we will still try to make up as much as possible.”

When asked if it was realistic to expect legislation on these promises, given that they require referenda, Dr Minnis told the media outlet: “I would have to sit down with Cabinet colleagues, we will look at the manifesto, see what we have not delivered on, what has been derailed, the delivery etc, and see what we can move forward with as quickly as possible.”

In January, Attorney General Carl Bethel told a local daily it was not likely that the government would implement a fixed election date during this term because the issue would become “extremely political” as the next general election nears.

Mr Bethel also pointed out that this would require a referendum.

THE TRIBUNE

Thursday, September 10, 2020, PAGE 5

190 health workers out of action because of COVID-19 exposure

By LEANDRA ROLLE Tribune Staff Reporter lrolle@tribunemedia.net

MORE than 190 healthcare workers have been taken out of the system due to COVID-19 exposure, Health Minister Renward Wells revealed in the House of Assembly yesterday.

He made the statements as he gave an update to Parliament on his ministry’s efforts to combat the COVID-19 threat. This comes as COVID-19 cases and deaths continue to climb.

The country has COVID19 case fatality ratio of 2.4 per cent, the health minister said.

According to data released by the Ministry of Health yesterday morning, 72 additional cases were confirmed on Tuesday while there were four more COVID-19 related deaths.

Last night, the ministry said 64 more cases were confirmed yesterday, pushing the nation’s tally to 2,721.

Mr Wells also revealed several planned measures to bolster healthcare services for patients in the country in response to the global crisis.

The measures include increasing hospital bed capacity, conducting more COVID-19 testing as well as bringing in more healthcare workers to aid in the country’s fight against COVID. According to the minister, 194 healthcare workers to date have been impacted

by COVID-19. This comes as nurses and physicians continue to struggle with exhaustion from the increasing amount of COVID cases.

“Our healthcare personnel are our most valuable resource in combating COVID-19. Surges in infection particularly expose us to shortfalls of healthcare providers due to illness,” he told the House of Assembly.

“At last count, there were 194 healthcare workers, inclusive of physicians, nurses and allied health staff, unable to deliver care, significantly impacting delivery of care to COVID and non-COVID patients.”

In an effort to resolve nurse shortage issues, the

HEALTH Minister Renward Wells in the House of Assembly yesterday. minister told reporters Tuesday that the government wanted to hire nurses from abroad to strengthen the country’s response against the pandemic.

Yesterday, Mr Well reiterated the government’s plans to hire additional nurses and 29 junior doctors.

“Our strategy to offset the shortfall thus far has been to identify and engage healthcare providers both within and outside of hospital settings whose workloads have been reduced due to the cancellation of elective procedures, outpatient visits, and the reduction of non-COVID-19 hospitalisations,” he said.

“We have also assessed the staff capacity to support the care of critically ill patients, particularly during this surge. Trainees, nurses, physicians, technicians, retirees and other support staff have all been co-opted to fill gaps across the healthcare workforce.

“Additionally, we have taken the decision to re-engage the 29 physician senior house officers (SHOs), who will immediately be added to the medical services capacity.”

Of the 2,721 cases recorded up to yesterday, 1,457 were active while there were 1,183 recovered cases.

New Providence has the country’s highest number of cases at 1,780, followed

by Grand Bahama at 591, according to the data.

Earlier yesterday, Mr Wells revealed that females account for 48 percent of all confirmed cases while males account for 52 percent. In view of the statistics, Mr Wells also noted that case identification testing, treatment, aggressive contact

tracing, and creating public awareness about COVID19 prevention tips remains at the top of his ministry’s priorities in the fight against the virus.

And in response to the rising cases in the country, Mr Wells also said officials have increased member capacity in its disease surveillance unit by adding 62 volunteers.

These volunteers, he said, will work alongside the 71-member team at the surveillance department and other re-assigned health care workers.

He also said that COVID-19 testing strategy has also expanded with testing priorities “clearly articulated to maximise use of scarce resources.”

“Thanks to the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO), the National Reference Laboratory (NRL) can run two sets of 96 samples per day if the samples are prepared with the requisite support,” he added.

“Staff at the NRL, with the help of newly hired staff, have worked arduously to eliminate the previously reported backlogs with sample turnaround time now back to 24 – 48 hours. Data validation is ongoing to ensure that we are well-aware of where we are in this wave.”

Bed shortages was also another issue the minister addressed in his speech yesterday. The matter has been a bone of contention for many, specifically healthcare workers, due to an influx of COVID-19 patients.

However, since the start of the pandemic, Mr Wells said nearly 100 beds have been added to the healthcare system to increase its acute care bed capacity.

He said four additional beds have been added to PMH’s Legacy Unit for COVID-19 patients, increasing capacity there to eight.

Meanwhile, at South Beach Urgent Care and Referral Centre, bed capacity stands 16.

According to Mr Wells, there are also 16 beds for infected patients at the Cancer Association of The Bahamas (CAB) building in Grand Bahama and seven beds at the Grand Bahama Health Services system.

At Doctors Hospital, there

NEW PROVIDENCE STILL HOTSPOT WITH 55 NEW CASES SIXTY-FOUR additional COVID-19 cases were recorded yesterday, bringing the total to 2,721, according to the Ministry of Health.

There are 1,780 confirmed cases in New Providence; 591 in Grand Bahama; 95 in Abaco; 54 in Bimini; 23 in Exuma; 16 in Inagua; 15 in the Berry Islands; eight cases each in Cat Island, Eleuthera and Long Island; seven in Acklins; five in Crooked Island and three each in Andros and Mayaguana. There are 105 confirmed cases

with “locations pending”.

Of the newest cases, 55 are in New Providence, two in Grand Bahama, three each in Crooked Island and Inagua while there is one new case in Mayaguana.

Earlier yesterday, officials said 72 cases had been recorded on Tuesday along with four COVIDrelated deaths.

The deaths include a 46-year-old New Providence woman, who died on August 31; a 71-yearold New Providence woman who died August

26; a 61-year-old Exuma man who died on August 30 and a 63-year-old New Providence woman who died August 26.

An additional nonCOVID related death was also confirmed in Tuesday’s data.

“This reduces the number of deaths under investigation to ten, increases the non-COVID related deaths to eight, and the death toll now stands at 63,” the ministry said. Officials said 13,971 tests have been completed to date.

are 22 beds at its west location and an additional five beds being used by positive COVID patients at Doctors Hospital on Collins Avenue.

Meanwhile, as it relates to Breezes, the Bamboo Town added: “Sixteen patients can be accommodated on

the first floor with capacity for additional rooms on the second and third floors.”

The hotel’s east wing has been identified as a national response facility to accommodate non-COVID low medical care patients.

Mr Wells said while

officials have significantly improved bed capacity at the PMH through the transfer of boarders to other living accommodations, they continue to explore other avenues to get more beds for urgent and acute care purposes.

CHEATS ABUSING FOOD HANDOUTS from page one

Her comments came when she was contacted by this newspaper about complaints of dry food and items lacking nutritional value in packages given out by the National Food Distribution Task Force. In response, Ms Larson said a food crisis is not the time to get into the dietary preferences of the Bahamian populace.

The food assistance programme was implemented in June of this year due to job losses and financial strain related to the COVID-19 pandemic. The programme was set to end on August 31, but has been extended because of the demand.

“We have been getting the same thing over and over and we are just tired of it,” said a recipient of the programme, who did not want to be named.

The recipient said she was speaking on behalf of other people in the programme as well.

“It’s a bunch of starches,” the recipient added. “No nutritional value. Why can’t we just get vouchers to buy what we need to eat? A lot of this stuff is just being thrown away. If we had vouchers we would buy specifically what we need.”

Ms Larson told The Tribune that vouchers would be ideal to distribute more widely, but the reality of it is that it is just not favourable economically.

“Generally, food parcels are much more cost

ROTARY District 6990 Assistant Governor Billy Jane Ferguson (left) and Rotarian Welbourne Bootle preparing food parcels for distribution earlier this year. effective than a voucher,” she said. “The reason for that is because food parcels are based on discounted wholesale prices. So wholesalers are being as generous as they possibly can be to the food task force in selling pallets of product to the zone leaders at discounted prices over the wholesale prices.

“A food crisis is not the

time to really get into the dietary preferences of our population. We consulted with the Ministry of Health when we were designing the food parcels. There is a beauty in giving somebody a voucher and letting them go to a store and buying what they want. There is no disputing that. However, the economics are far more in favour of parcels than

they are vouchers.”

According to Ms Larson, the food parcels include protein, starches, vegetables, cream, sugar and oil so that people can make meals out of the products.

In defending the nutritional value of these packages, she said the assistance programme was really designed for those in dire need.

“As far as the nutritional value of the parcels themselves is concerned, most people don’t realise exactly who the task force was designed originally to help,” she explained. “We were tasked with helping the most vulnerable in this country and to help the most vulnerable we had to take into consideration several things.

The most vulnerable don’t often have refrigeration and if they do it’s very intermittent. And, it’s very costly for them. In some instances the most vulnerable don’t have electricity or choose not to turn it on because they cannot afford it.

“So there is very little value in giving the most vulnerable fresh product that they are going to struggle to keep in a safe manner.

Those are considerations that people perhaps haven’t really mulled over. So we have designed a food parcel first of all, based on consumption patterns.”

The food assistance programme for New Providence is set up in four zones.

They are as follows: West New Providence – Hands for Hunger; Nassau City – Lend a Hand Bahamas; North East New Providence – Bahamas Feeding

Network and South East New Providence – Bahamas Red Cross.

The food distribution recipient said those who had a problem with what was being distributed to them compared what various zones got and they seemed to differ. Ms Larson refuted this claim.

“Every zone leader is working to try to provide the same thing,” she said.

“That was one of the core principles of the task force, is that it didn’t matter where you were living, you would be getting a comparable food parcel, as someone living in another area and also on another island.

“Throughout the past 12 to 14 weeks, different entities would donate things to us. For example, just this morning, I told all of the zone leaders that somebody has donated 30 pallets of bottled water to the task force. So next week you will see a bunch of bottled water show up in our parcels. And, when those things are donated to us, of course we gratefully accept them and incorporate them on an ad hoc basis into parcels as those donations were made to the different zone leaders.”

Ms Larson noted it would be the preference of the task force to include more fresh products, but because of the in-home conditions of the “most vulnerable” it cannot be done.

Over June, July and August, the task force has distributed over 252,000 food parcels and nearly 35,000 vouchers.

SUSPECTED COVID CASE AT SCHOOL from page one

“In accordance with the environmental guidelines document, the Ministry of Education reported the matter to the Ministry of Health and Environmental Monitoring and Risk Assessment Division of the Department of Environmental Health Services,” the statement noted.

“The recommended protocols from those entities were immediately followed in addressing the situation.”

Education officials said the relevant unions were also notified of the suspected case. Contact tracing, in collaboration with the Ministry of Health, will now be conducted if necessary, the Ministry of Education said.

The Department of Environmental Health will advise on how cleaning and sanitisation will take place and give the all clear for staff to return to work.

Public schools do not reopen for students until October 5, however it is reported teachers and other support staff went to work on Monday.

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PAGE 6, Thursday, September 10, 2020

THE TRIBUNE

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Taking food out of the mouths of those in need WE know that many people in The Bahamas are suffering incredible hardship because of the economic effects of COVID-19.

It’s been said before that around one in four people are receiving food assistance – and the report in today’s Tribune of the number of calls to the Bahamas Red Cross support hotline only highlights even further how many are being driven to the brink.

“Some of them may not come outright and say ‘I’m going to kill myself, but you can hear it in their voice that’s where they’re headed,” said Dr Bernadette Saunders, the Red Cross’ health and wellness coordinator.

So it is doubly alarming in our lead story today to see that while so many are genuinely in need, there are those who are exploiting the system for more than their share.

The National Food Distribution Taskforce has been hard at work trying to deliver food packages to people in need – and yet they have seen many instances of abuse.

Some are having different people in a single house register as heads of the household so multiple people can go and collect aid. Others have tried to sell their food parcels. Others go to as many distribution sites as possible to get food.

The people who suffer for this are those in the most need. As taskforce chairman Susan Larson says, “One of the reasons why there are delays at the distribution sites is because we are trying to ascertain the legitimacy of people standing in front of us.”

Every food parcel costs money to provide – and at the best of times there is only so much money to go around.

At times like this, people draining the system for perhaps their own profit are literally taking food from the mouths of others.

To those in need, you have our every sympathy for what you are going through. To those exploiting a system set up for those in need, where is your heart? Where is your compassion for your fellow Bahamians?

The simple truth of the economic effects of this pandemic is that tomorrow you could be the one in need. You could be the one needing that food parcel to feed yourself and your children.

Show some care for your fellow men and women.

To quote US president John F Kennedy, ask not what your country can do for you – ask what you can do for your country.

The taskforce can always use a few more volunteers – perhaps those with idle hands needing purpose can ask what help they can give, not what they can take.

Too soon to say If the people on the breadline are the picture of the economy at the ground level, then Minister of Finance Peter Turnquest’s speech yesterday was a look at the bigger picture.

How do things look for the weeks ahead? Well, sadly, it seems it’s too early to say.

Mr Turnquest didn’t rule out an extension to the unemployment benefits programme, while hoping the tourism sector will start taking people back on ahead of the country’s planned reopening.

The rest was in large part an accounting of where money is going, and how much has been spent.

If Mr Turnquest is preparing us for more borrowing to keep the country going, he wasn’t telling, but some of the signs are there. The country’s foreign reserves remain healthy, he says, while ministries have been ordered to make 20 percent cuts across the board as the government tightens its belt with lower revenues.

The end of September is when Mr Turnquest says big decisions will have to be made. Until then, Mr Turnquest says “we will continue to do what we can to support Bahamians as best as we can”.

Small comfort for many – but a sure sign of the times we are in.

Roadblocks for visitors to Bahamas EDITOR, The Tribune.

THE Minister of Tourism outlined steps towards reopening the vital tourism sector. However, when reading the remarks, it does not appear to be very welcoming for prospective visitors. I wonder if anyone who is designing the harsh requirements for entry has ever consulted with travel agents or visitors themselves.

I have been attempting to come again from Canada to visit friends and family in Nassau for some months.

However, Air Canada cancelled service when the borders were closed and the requirements make it almost impossible for Canadians and others to complete in the time frame set out.

Tests were to be no older than ten days old. This has now been reduced to five days. How can anyone take a COVID-19 test, await

two days for a written result, scan it to Nassau for your new “Health Visa”, await two days or more for authority to travel and then take a flight or flights if a connection is required and be in Nassau in five days?

Who is dreaming up these measures? COVID-19 test centres are not retail stores found on every street.

In Canada, the ten provincial governments are solely responsible for health care and administer the tests in some cases.

They have far more important health problems to solve than taking valuable time to give tests to people who may want to travel overseas.

Frankly, most Canadians simply do not have time for all the hassles involved in coming to The Bahamas.

There are far too many other places to go without the expense and problems set by Bahamians.

Most people want to do sightseeing and move around the place they have come to visit. They will not want to be in quarantine or any other name your authorities are calling it.

Even worse, they are being asked to pay for another test after 14 days.

People are not booking and the airline flights have been severely reduced from Canada. Is it any wonder with all the roadblocks?

If I did not have connections with Nassau, I would not bother to come.

The Bahamas has always been a favorite destination for Canadians.

However, unless changes are made soon there will be a drastic reduction in visitor numbers. Lost in all of the ongoing measures is any common sense.

ALAN MALCOLM Nanaimo, British Columbia, Canada,

More risk for displaced Bahamians EDITOR, The Tribune.

PLEASE allow me a space in your column to share with you and your readers what I consider a very serious emerging issue that has already impacted residents of The Bahamas and may have devastating effects if not addressed.

The impact of Hurricane Dorian and recent passage of Hurricane Isaias has brought this issue to the fore. This issue is a lacuna in international humanitarian law that impacts Internally Displaced People (IDPs), who are forced to migrate out of their home country following events like a natural disaster. Unlike asylum seekers, refugees or migrants, international organisations like UNHCR have no jurisdiction to provide assistance to IDPs who fall within this “unique category”.

My research shows however, that UNHCR has been assisting and advocating to enlarge its mandate to include this “unique category”. What can The Bahamas do to help IDPs in this “unique category”?

LETTERS letters@tribunemedia.net According to the Internal Displacement Monitoring Centre (IDMC) thematic report, Displacement in Paradise, about 5,000 people in The Bahamas were forcibly displaced following Hurricane Dorian in September, 2019.

Although these people became IDPs, most of them were able to be transported to other islands within The Bahamas or to other locations on the island of their home.

They were categorised as IDPs because they were forced to move from their homes but remained within the territory of their home country under the jurisdiction of the Government.

For your general information, in 2019, there were 45.7 million IDPs globally (IDMC 2019).

Following the passage of Hurricane Dorian about 600–700 people who were forcibly displaced in The Bahamas were temporarily accepted into the United

States.

These IDPs were in a tentative situation because of the lacuna in international humanitarian law mentioned earlier. With all of that said, what should The Bahamas do to adequately support IDPs following displacements caused by future natural disasters?

In my view, Bahamas Government policymakers and civil society organisations should include in their natural disaster recovery plans, the possibility of IDPs being forced to migrate to neighbouring countries.

As such, this issue should form part of The Bahamas’ Foreign Policy.

Furthermore, The Bahamas’ Government and civil society organisations should take deliberate and immediate action to build the necessary capacity in humanitarian aid and disaster management to assist and support current and future IDPs. These will be excellent ways to prepare to help ourselves.

KEAN A SMITH Nassau, August 23, 2020.

Zimbabwe still in crisis EDITOR, The Tribune.

IT IS painful that the Zimbabwean situation has worsened and the social and economic crisis of the Zimbabwean is continuing daily. It shows very clearly that Zimbabwean president Emmerson Mnangagwa have failed to improve the economic conditions of

Zimbabwe.

The shortages of foreign currency continue and the banks have no cash at all.

Inflation in Zimbabwe is going up weekly and the rate of unemployment is increasing rapidly. The ATMs in Zimbabwe have no cash and Zimbabweans are continually pushed to extreme poverty.

Food shortages continues to affect millions of Zimbabweans. President Emerson Mnangagwa has failed Zimbabweans and should retire, removed or resign to cut the continuous economic crisis.

KUDZAI CHIKOWORE United Kingdom, September 8, 2020.

THE TRIBUNE

Thursday, September 10, 2020, PAGE 7

BACK TO THE BEACH

BAHAMIANS making the most of the beach yesterday after regulations allowed people to return to the seaside from 5am until noon.

Photos: Donovan McIntosh

Curfew breaker who gave fake name to officers is fined $750

By FARRAH JOHNSON Tribune Staff Reporter fjohnson@tribunemedia.net A MAN who last month gave police a fake name when he was arrested for being outdoors during curfew hours was fined $750 yesterday.

Officers arrested Quincy Edgecombe after they found him near Windsor Lane around 3.05 am on August 20.

The court was told officers on mobile patrol in that area observed Edgecombe running in the eastern direction and became suspicious of him. When they beckoned for him to stop

and questioned him, he told them his name was Simeon Hanna and said he was on the street because he was going to buy a pack of cigarettes. When asked if he was aware of the curfew, Edgecombe said yes.

He was subsequently arrested and taken to a nearby station.

There the defendant was interviewed under the name Simeon Hanna.

When questioned, he told officers when he tried to contact the COVID-19 hotline to get permission to leave his house, the number rang off the hook. The prosecution said when further inquiries were made, it

PROBATION FOR BREAKING WINDSHIELD

By FARRAH JOHNSON Tribune Staff Reporter fjohnson@tribunemedia.net

A 41-YEAR-OLD man was placed on a year’s probation and ordered to compensate another man after he broke his windshield with a rock last week.

Fred Ramsey appeared before Senior Magistrate Derence Rolle-Davis after he was accused of causing $500 worth of damage to Ricardo Decius’ 2009 Teana on September 2.

The court heard Mr Decius, who was riding with his brother and another occupant that day, was traveling east on Wulff Road. The prosecution said as he approached JBR Hardware Store, Mr Decius’ brother noticed the defendant walking and pointed him out as a person who was responsible for stealing some items.

As a result, Mr Decius pulled into the Wulff Road

police station. As he was doing so, he heard a loud crashing sound and realised that Ramsey had thrown a rock at his windshield. Mr Decius then gave chase, but Ramsey managed to run into the police station. He was subsequently arrested for damaging the complainant’s car. During his interview with police, Ramsey said he was walking from work and admitted to throwing rocks at Mr Decius’ vehicle. Still, he claimed the complainant and his passengers were also throwing pears at him during the ordeal.

During the hearing yesterday, Ramsey admitted to the offence. After accepting his guilty plea, Magistrate Rolle-Davis placed him on 12 months’ probation and ordered him to pay for the damage to Mr Decius’ car. He warned him if he failed to do so, he could risk spending five months in prison.

DEPORTATION ORDER FOR HAITIAN MAN

By FARRAH JOHNSON Tribune Staff Reporter fjohnson@tribunemedia.net A SENIOR magistrate yesterday ordered a Haitian man to be deported after he pleaded guilty to entering the country illegally.

Wilbert Forestan, 39, was charged with illegal landing after he was accused of entering the country without leave of an immigration officer on August 16.

He pleaded guilty and was fined $1,000 or three months in prison. However Senior Magistrate Derence Rolle-Davis suspended the fine so that Forestan would not be required to pay it unless he tried to return to the country after his deportation.

The court heard when immigration officers questioned the defendant, he told them he arrived in the country on a Haitian sloop although he could not recall the exact date he left

Haiti. The court heard the defendant never attempted to make an application to have himself regulated in the country and was staying with a female cousin and her family who lived in a residence off Fire Trail road.

Speaking through an interpreter yesterday, Forestan told the magistrate he had no money and asked to be deported back to Haiti. He claimed he was not working and was looking for an opportunity to return to Haiti because he had four kids and a crippled mother living in the country.

Yesterday, he was also charged for violating the curfew. He pleaded guilty to that charge as well and was fined $500 or one month in prison. Magistrate Rolle-Davis also suspended that fine to ensure Forestan would not have to pay it if he doesn’t return to the country.

was revealed that Simeon Hanna was actually Quincy Edgecombe.

After pleading guilty during a hearing before Senior Magistrate Derence Rolle-Davis, Edgecombe was fined $250 for violating the curfew and $500 for deceiving two police officers. If he fails to pay the fines, Edgecombe will spend six months at the Bahamas Department of Correctional Services.

In a separate incident, a 24-year-old man appeared before Magistrate RolleDavis after he was charged for cursing at and assaulting a police officer.

Tyrone Jolly was accused

of behaving disorderly, using obscene language, resisting arrest and assaulting Corporal 3569 Brown on September 7.

The prosecution said around 3pm that afternoon, Cpl Brown was on mobile patrol in the East Street area when a woman flagged down his patrol car and gave him certain information. In an attempt to make inquiries regarding the woman’s claims, the officer then approached a darkskinned male who identified himself as Tyrone Jolly.

The court heard when Cpl Brown attempted to take a marijuana joint he noticed in the defendant’s hand,

he pulled away then began screaming: “You think I will let y’all lock me up for one (expletive) joint? Y’all done kill my cousin, I ain’t going with y’all.”

After his outburst, Jolly was warned to cease from using obscenities, but he persisted. The prosecution said when Cpl Brown attempted to handcuff him, he also resisted violently.

When given an opportunity to speak during the hearing, Jolly said he had a few drinks that day and had gotten into a verbal altercation with his sister and her boyfriend because she had called him “broke”. He claimed

the incident escalated and they began cursing one another out, so his mother flagged down a police car.

He also said he was smoking the marijuana joint because he was extremely stressed.

After listening to his explanation, Magistrate Rolle-Davis told the defendant he believed he found himself in court because of his drug use.

He said he would defer his sentence for a month to give Jolly an opportunity to quit smoking and told him if he failed the drug test when he returned on October 9 there would be consequences.

PAGE 8, Thursday, September 10, 2020

FROM antiquity flows the moral wisdom of Cicero (106 BCE – 43 BCE), the Roman politician cum statesman, a prolific writer and orator. The renowned prose stylist and ancient philosopher bequeathed: “Gratitude is not only the greatest of the virtues, but the parent of all of the others.”

And The Buddha imparted: “A noble person is mindful and thankful of the favours he receives from others.”

Gratitude is an act of humility and more. It is a form of mindfulness, an attitude, a habit and discipline, a posture, an energy, a source of light. Gratitude is more than an expression of thanks for a favour received. It is like a muscle toned by exercise and practice, atrophied by disuse.

A friend recounts the story of an older friend whose mother committed suicide when the latter was in his 20s. The latter often recalled his life struggles and dark moments when light was sometimes scarce, dim and only flickered.

But the older man was not paralysed by his demons, weaknesses and struggles. He was saved by many graces, including the grace of gratitude, an inexhaustible appreciation for his many blessings and for the gift of life itself.

He came to appreciate that it is not our foibles, faults and faltering which finally define us. It is our

capacity to transcend and learn from our vulnerabilities which makes us more empathetic, humane and humble. Gratitude is a form of transcendence.

He often mused of his relationship with his creator: “The Old Man, [his moniker for God], has been good to me!” he constantly proclaimed. From his gratitude flowed a wellspring of generosity.

The spirit of gratitude and its companion virtue, generosity, help us to unshackle the chains of self-absorption, self-pity, navel-gazing and egotism and its many conceits. Both of these virtues are geared toward others. They help to arrest our fixation with the myopic and narrow worlds which we inhabit.

THE TRIBUNE

The joy and grace of gratitude The most grateful people do not spend endless hours consumed by the selfishness of negativity, endlessly recounting what is supposedly wrong and what needs to be fixed.

REFLECTION

The frenzied bitching, whining, whinging, complaining and moaning that is the daily delight of many on social media chat groups is a form of selfishness, especially by those who rarely propose solutions and ideas to address the matters of which they lament ad nauseum.

In 2018, then 29-year-old Elliot Dallen, from Cardiff, Wales and who lives in London was diagnosed with adrenocortical carcinoma,

Doctors Hospital REDUCES PRICE OF RT-PCR COVID-19 TESTING FOR DOMESTIC TRAVEL

“a rare disease in which malignant (cancer) cells form in the outer layer of the adrenal gland.”

With little time left to live he offered a parting reflection published some months ago in the UK Guardian newspaper. Five months onward he is still alive and has published another commentary entitled: “At 31, I have just weeks to live.

Here’s what I want to pass on.”

Mr Dallen offered a list of what he believes are among the most essential life lessons. At the top of his - gratitude.

“First, the importance of gratitude. During my worst moments – the shock of cancer diagnosis, the mental lows and debilitating symptoms of chemotherapy – it was difficult to picture any future moments of joy, closeness or love.

“Even so, at those times I found comfort in remembering what I have: an amazing family, the friends I’ve made and times I’ve shared with them, the privilege of the life I’ve had.”

It is bewildering and sad to listen to the rant of negativity and ingratitude of those who are privileged, especially those with financial means. Such ingratitude has been even more disappointing during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Some who have so much are fixated on what they don’t have, never truly satisfied by the luxuries, money and other privileges they possess. They are

fundamentally, sadly, incapable of the spirit of gratitude that is often an antidote for our constant, endless desire for even more material things which in the end will never satisfy.

A friend ran into the late Kate Seiler before she returned to live in Canada a few years ago. Asked how she was doing, Kate beamed, with a twinkle in her eye and joy in her voice: “My legs hurt and I have all sorts of pains! I’m great.”

Not only was she filled with a sense of generosity. She was also one of the more generous people this columnist and others had the privilege of knowing.

The months before he died Monsignor Preston Moss had the same sense of joy, an exuberant gratitude for his life and his ministry.

GENEROSITY

In an essay entitled, “Gratitude – Parent of All Virtues”, authors Alex Wood, Stephen Joseph and Alex Linley describe the psychological effects of gratitude.

“Multiple studies now suggest that people who feel more gratitude are much more likely to have higher levels of happiness, and lower levels of depression and stress. However, many personality traits are related to levels of mental health, so what is it that makes gratitude unique?

“The first reason that gratitude may be an important personality trait is

because it seems to have one of the strongest links with mental health of any personality variable.”

Mr Dallen offers two other life lessons, both of which are about generosity and turning outward away from one’s own pain and struggles, including battling to live.

“Fourth, do something for others. Against the backdrop of COVID-19, Black Lives Matter and the desperate attempts of migrants to cross the Channel, my thoughts really turned to those who have not had my privilege – whether that’s by virtue of socioeconomics, ethnicity or the country I was born in. I always try to remind myself of this.

“Fifth, protect the planet – I can’t leave this off because it’s so important. I’ll be gone soon, but humanity will still be faced with the huge challenge of reducing carbon emissions and saving habitats from destruction.

“In my time here, I’ve been lucky enough to see some natural wonders and understand how precious they are. Hopefully future generations will be able to say the same. But it will take a massive collective effort.”

An author once enthused: “Vent about your joy not just about your problems.” This simple mantra encapsulates the spirit of gratitude, which may bring tremendous peace even in our most difficult days.

In coordination with the Office of the Prime Minister and recognizing the critical importance of inter-island travel to the economy of The Bahamas, especially in the family islands, Doctors Hospital has agreed to absorb a reduced price for RT PCR COVID-19 tests when requested for the purpose of domestic travel.

ST. FRANCIS XAVIER CATHEDRAL

The new price will be $120.00 plus VAT. Applicants will be required to complete a digital form at www.doctorshosp.com and show proof of travel prior to receiving a travel card indicating their test status.

Saturday Vigil for Sunday – 6:00 p.m.

Sunday – 8:30 a.m. and 11:00 a.m.

Monday through Friday – 7:00 a.m. only

All travel cards will be available within 24 - 48 hours for physical collection at Doctors Hospital's drivethrough facility at Blake Road.

Please note that the pricing for non-domestic travel related testing is under review and may be subsequently adjusted to provide additional accommodations to Bahamians.

Travelers can access the new test form at 8:00 a.m. Thursday September 10 2020.

Details on availability and logistics will be available on our website at that time. w w w.doc torshosp.com I (242) 302-4600

Resumption of Mass – 5th September, 2020

Parishioners are advised that our Mass schedule has resumed.

Upon entering and leaving the Church, parishioners are reminded that we must practice social distancing.

We must also wear a cloth mask and sanitize our hands. ***************************************** Gatherings All non-liturgical gatherings are suspended.

Reminder The 2020 Catholic Archdiocesan Annual Appeal is in progress. All parishioners are encouraged to give a sacrificial gift. Thank you to those persons who have contributed to the 2020 Appeal.

PAGE 10, Thursday, September 10, 2020

THE TRIBUNE

How the humble blouse got women out to work

By SUZANNE ROWLAND PhD candidate, University of Brighton As more people are encouraged to head back to the office, they will be swapping their home wear for their work wear. One staple of the working wardrobe has particularly interesting roots – the humble blouse, which gained prominence around the turn of the 20th century thanks to new manufacturing techniques.

Worn with a plain skirt, the blouse became a fashion essential in the wardrobes of working and socially active women across the British class spectrum.

Clerical workers, suffragettes and members of the royal family all began to proudly wear them.

The blouse and skirt provided a more comfortable way of dressing than the tight bodices and bustle skirts of the late Victorian period. At the start of the twentieth century, the Edwardian blouse was elaborate and decorative.

The blouse of the 1910s was much simpler in style and shape.

As my research on blouse manufacturing in the 1910s shows, during this period, the blouse was developed as a factory-produced commodity. Designers created loose-fitting garments sized proportionately, as with men’s shirts, by the collar.

Sizes ranged from 13 to 15 inches, and included half sizes. Ready-made blouses were created from natural fibres including cotton, linen, silk or wool, or fibre blends like flannelette.

Before this, most women made their own blouses or purchased custom-made ones from a dressmaker so this period was a turning point.

From 1909 the first artificial silk was introduced to the blouse market by textile giant Courtaulds.

Made from a blend of cotton and wood-pulp viscose, artificial silk blouses offered women the glossy lustre of silk in a practical blouse able to sustain repeated washing.

Importantly, as fashion and design history academic Cheryl Buckley explains, by 1910 over half of all single women

A YOUNG woman in a modern blouse, a familiar part of workplace attire - but it was not always so, with the history of the blouse playing a key part in the history of women’s greater presence at work.

worked epaulettes SHOP workers wearing outand patch blouses in the Liverpool, side the pockEngland, store at Marks home. ets. The and Spencer Ltd, 1909.

A colwar also lection affected Photo: M&S Archive of four design or five through lightweight shortages blouses worn of materials with one plain which ultimately skirt, and sometimes led to simpler and less a jacket, formed an ideal decorative blouses. Metal working wardrobe for was diverted to the war busy typists, teachers and effort leaving hooks and shop workers. eyes in short supply, this resulted in wider use of buttons. In fact, by 1919 the most usual blouse fastening was a single button, which demonstrates the inventiveness of designers faced High demand for with scarcities of materials easy-to-launder, practi- and labour. cal blouses from these Despite shortages of newly workmaterials, profing women ‘By 1910 over iteering and offered fresh transportation moneymaking half of all single difficulties, opportunities women worked wartime condifor a range outside the home. tions enhanced of wholesale the blouse manufacturers. A collection trade.

High Even tradi- of four or five levels of tional hosiery lightweight employment in manufacturindustrial proers recognised blouses worn duction for the the economic with one plain war effort led value of skirt, and to an increase blouses. in disposFor 200 sometimes a able income years, jacket, formed amongst Leicester, in an ideal working workingEngland’s East class women.

Midlands, was wardrobe for These women the centre of busy typists, had money hosiery and teachers and to spend knit producfor the first tion. By the shop workers.’ time on new 1910s it had ready-made well-established networks fashion and, as The Drapof production and distri- ers’ Record reported, this bution, which helped its included “solid low-priced manufacturers embrace the blouses”. lucrative business of blouse For factories making making. blouses, this new market Leicester’s largest man- was an added bonus. ufacturer, N Corah & In July 1916, Corah’s Sons, known for football released an update on their jerseys, woollen swim- wartime activities which suits, stockings and vests, managed to be patriotic was an early adopter of while subtly reminding blouse making. By 1912 wholesale customers of the they employed an extra fit and finish of their St. 350 blouse makers at their Margaret label blouses: St. Margaret’s Works site, Although our large in addition to the 2,500 Blouse department has hosiery workers. been working for months As an industry equipped at high pressure on Army to manufacture knit- Shirts we can guarantee ted goods, it might seem to our customers the same surprising that Corah’s careful attention and perinvested in new factory fection in fit and finish that space and semi-skilled has always been the disworkers devoted to blouse tinguishing feature of “St. making. But, with high Margaret” blouses. demand for ready-made As the war drew to a blouses, and fast prof- close The Drapers’ Record its to be made, several of claimed that Leicester’s Leicester’s hosiery factories export trade was “resting eagerly began manufactur- with both eyes open” while ing blouses. drawing up plans to remind the world of its prominence in manufacturing.

Going forwards, the Leicester trade was said to be optimistic because the government’s heavy warBlouse making contin- time demands had enabled ued sporadically at Corah’s factories to install the latest during the first world equipment while overcomwar. In October 1914, ing frustrating technical weekly clothing industry difficulties. Unfortunately, trade journal The Drap- Corah’s foray into readyers’ Record reported that made blouse fashion was Leicester’s knit industries ultimately unsustainable. were working into the night When fashions changed to keep up with orders from in the 1920s in favour of the War Department. All of dropped waist, tubular shift Corah’s knitted underwear dresses, demand for readyand accessories were made made blouses tumbled available for the troops leading Corah’s to conwith the blouse department centrate once again solely making khaki shirts for the on knitted underwear and troops. sportswear.

Some military details

crept into blouse design • Originally published on through shoulder theconversation.com.

LUCRATIVE BLOUSE MAKING

WARTIME BLOUSES

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EXPLOSIVE WILDFIRES ACROSS CALIFORNIA STOKED

BY FIERCE WINDS

By MARCIO JOSE SANCHEZ and BRIAN MELLEY Associated Press SHAVER LAKE, Calif.

(AP) — Wildfires raged unchecked across parts of the western U.S. on Wednesday amid gusty and dry conditions, but forecasters said some weather relief was in sight that could help firefighters overwhelmed by the blazes.

In California, winds stoked unprecedented numbers of fires that have forced rescues and evacuations. In Washington, more acres burned in a single day than firefighters usually see all year. Fires also forced people to flee in Oregon and Idaho.

A temperature plunge of as much as 60 degrees (15 Celsius), caused by a dramatic intrusion of polar air, helped slow wildfires in Colorado and Montana.

“The significantly colder airmass is helping reduce critical fire conditions across the West, however most of West coastline and adjacent counties have Red Flag warnings in effect for part of today,” the National Weather Service said. A warning is issued when conditions combine to produce an increased risk of fire danger.

Relief Diminishing winds were possible by Thursday, “bringing some relief to the ongoing fires and fire weather threat,” forecasters said.

A massive cloud of smoke covered much of California on Wednesday, dimming the sun to an eerie orange glow over San Francisco.

About 125 miles (200 kilometres) to the northeast, winds fanned a huge fire in the Sierra Nevada foothills and forced authorities to order early morning evacuations and warn other residents to be ready to leave.

The area is not far from the town of Paradise, where 85 people were killed by a fire two years ago, and Oroville Dam, where failing spillways forced a massive evacuation in 2017.

On Tuesday, flames overtook 14 firefighters who had to deploy last-resort emergency shelters and destroyed a fire station in Los Padres National Forest on California’s central coast.

They suffered burns and smoke inhalation, and three were flown to a hospital in Fresno, the U.S. Forest Service said.

Chris Barth, a spokesman on the Dolan Fire, said the three hospitalised firefighters were stabilised, with one in critical and the other two in fair condition. Barth said the firefighters’ training and equipment had prevented a worse disaster.

Thursday, September 10, 2020, PAGE 11

BOOK: TRUMP SAID OF VIRUS, ‘I WANTED TO ALWAYS PLAY IT DOWN’

By KEVIN FREKING and ZEKE MILLER Associated Press

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump talked privately about the severity of the coronavirus threat even as he was telling the nation the virus was no worse than the seasonal flu and insisting the government had it totally under control, according to a new book by journalist Bob Woodward.

“You just breathe the air and that’s how it’s passed,” Trump said in a Feb. 7 call with Woodward. “And so that’s a very tricky one.

That’s a very delicate one.

It’s also more deadly than even your strenuous flus.”

“This is deadly stuff,” the president repeated for emphasis. His comments were recorded by Woodward, and audio has been released.

For the White House, the book serves as an unwelcome return to a focus on Trump’s handling of the pandemic just as he is trying to project that the virus is under control and as he is eager to see a return to normal activity leading up to the Nov. 3 presidential election.

Trump told Woodward on March 19 that he deliberately minimised the danger.

“I wanted to always play it down,” the president said.

“I still like playing it down because I don’t want to create a panic.”

Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden said the book shows Trump “lied to the American people.” He knowingly and willingly lied about the threat it posed to the country for months.”

“While a deadly disease ripped through our nation, he failed to do his job — on purpose. It was a life or death betrayal of the American people.”

“He had the information,” Biden said during a campaign event in Michigan. “He knew how dangerous it was.”

Trump addressed questions about downplaying the pandemic threat at the White House.

“The fact is I’m a cheerleader for this country. I love our country and I don’t want people to be frightened. I don’t want to create panic, as you say,” Trump told reporters. “Certainly, I’m not going to drive this country or the world into a frenzy. We want to show confidence. We want to show strength.”

The Washington Post, where Woodward serves as associate editor, reported

PRESIDENT Donald Trump speaks during an event on judicial appointments, in the Diplomatic Reception Room of the White House, Wednesday. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci) excerpts of the book, “Rage” on Wednesday, as did CNN. The book also covers race relations, diplomacy with North Korea and a range of other issues that have arisen during the past two years.

WHITE House press secretary Kayleigh McEnany speaks during a press briefing at the White House, Wednesday, in Washington.

(AP Photo/Evan Vucci) The book is based in part on 18 interviews that Woodward conducted with Trump between December and July.

“Trump never did seem willing to fully mobilise the federal government and continually seemed to push problems off on the states,” Woodward writes of the pandemic “There was no real management theory of the case or how to organise a massive enterprise to deal with one of the most complex emergencies the United States had ever faced.”

White House press secretary Kayleigh McEnany said the president’s words to the public were designed to express confidence and

calm at a time of major challenges.

“The president has never lied to the American public on COVID. The president was expressing calm, and his actions reflect that,” McEnany said.

She said Trump’s actions reflect that he took COVID-19 seriously. She noted that the president put in place travel restrictions with China on Jan. 31 and said that some Democrats had criticised the move.

McEnany said “the president never downplayed the virus.” But Trump himself told Woodward that he was “playing it down because I don’t want to create a panic.”

At times, Trump’s public comments suggested he was less interested in keeping people calm than in having them ignore the reality of the coming storm. “I think the virus is going to be — it’s going to be fine,” Trump said on Feb. 10 -- three days after telling Woodward

privately it was “deadly stuff” and more dangerous than the seasonal flu.

Trump aides and allies said at the time said Trump was aiming to prop up the economy with his rosy take on the virus throughout February, even as his administration took few concrete steps to prepare for the coming pandemic.

“There is damning truth that President Trump lied and people died,” said Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer of New York. Schumer said that when he thinks about how many people in his state died, “It just makes me angry.”

He added: “How many people would be alive today if he just told Americans the truth?”

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., said the president’s comments to Woodward showed weakness and a disdain for science.

“What he was actually

saying is, ‘I don’t want anybody to think anything like this happened on my watch so I’m not going to call any more attention to it,’” Pelosi said on MSNBC. Woodward’s book is his second on the Trump White House. The first, published in 2018, portrayed Trump in an unflattering light, and the president fumed at staff that he was not interviewed for it, according to former White House officials and Republicans close to the White House. They were not authorised to speak publicly about private conversations and discussed the matter on condition of anonymity.

Trump was convinced that if he had talked to Woodward, it could have led to a more favourable depiction in the book, according to the officials.

Trump had always held Woodward in high regard — he considered the journalist as the biggest star in the field — and told aides that he insisted on being interviewed if Woodward were to write again, the officials said.

Several Republican senators at the Capitol declined to comment on the new book, telling reporters they hadn’t yet read it, even when informed of key passages about the virus. “I just can’t, can’t comment on it,” Sen. Rob Portman, R-Ohio.

“Could we all have done things differently?

Yes, including Congress.

We were all a little slow to recognise the severity,” Portman added. _____ Associated Press writers Jonathan Lemire in New York and Alexandra Jaffe in Warren, Michigan, and Lisa Mascaro contributed to this report.

PAGE 12, Thursday, September 10, 2020

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SPORTS PAGE 17

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 10, 2020

Clippers beat Nuggets 96-85, take 3-1 lead

LOS Angeles Clippers’ Kawhi Leonard (2) is defended by Denver Nuggets’ Michael Porter Jr. (1) during the second half last night in Lake Buena Vista, Florida. Leonard finished an assist shy of his first playoff triple-double and the Clippers beat the Nuggets 96-85 in Game 4 to move a step closer to their first Western Conference finals. Leonard filled up the stat sheet with 30 points, 11 rebounds, four steals and two blocked shots. He has scored 30 or more points six times during this postseason.

(AP Photo/Mark J Terrill) SEE MORE NBA PLAYOFF ACTION ON PAGE 20

PAGE 19

Chisholm hits his first home run in the majors

By RENALDO DORSETT Tribune Sports Reporter rdorsett@tribunemedia.net

J

asrado “Jazz” Chisholm was searching for a breakthrough at the plate and it finally came in the first at bat of last night’s series finale against the Atlanta Braves.

Chisholm had his first major league home run, RBI, triple and multi-hit game in the Marlins’ 29-9 loss to the Atlanta Braves last night at Truist Stadium in Cumberland, Georgia.

He became the third youngest Marlins player to have a game with a home run and a triple. The only players to do it at a younger age were Giancarlo Stanton and Jeremy Hermida.

In his third start and second consecutive at secondbase, Chisholm had his most productive game offensively and finished 2-4 with two RBI and one run scored.

In the top of the fourth and facing the Braves’ Tommy Milone on the mound, Chisholm faced a 2-1 count and drove an 84 mph four seam fastball 403 feet to centrefield for his first MLB home run.

After a pair of sliders to go ahead 2-0 in the count, Chisholm got caught looking for a strike on an 84 mph four-seamer. Milone attempted to go to the same pitch again and Chisholm

MIAMI Marlins infielder Jazz Chisholm is shown during the eighth inning of a baseball game against the Toronto Blue Jays on September 1 in Miami. Chisholm had his first major league home run, RBI, triple and multi hit game in the Marlins 29-9 loss to the Atlanta Braves last night.

(AP Photo/Wilfredo Lee) responded with the solo shot. It was the same pitch Chisholm hit earlier in the game for a triple.

His homer was the first of three runs in the inning for the Marlins to trim the deficit 13-8. The Marlins surrendered tbose runs in the bottom of the fourth when a Freddie Freeman single ricocheted off Chisholm to score three runs and regain a 16-8 lead.

In his first plate appearance of the game, in the

top of the second inning, Chisholm faced a 1-1 count. On the next pitch, he drove an 87 mph four seam fastball to deep right centrefield, just over the outstretched arm of Ronald Acuna Jr. His first major league RBI scored Jorge Alfaro and the Marlins took a 2-0 lead. It would be a short lived advantage as the Braves responded with 11 runs in the bottom half of the inning to go ahead for

good. It was his second consecutive start at secondbase and third of his career thus far. He came into the game with just one hit in his previous 16 at bats before he recorded his first MLB multi-hit game.

The Marlins concluded with a 2-1 edge in the series but once again fell to .500 at 19-19 on the season.

They begin a seven-game homestand against the Philadelphia Phillies at Marlins Stadium in Miami, Florida.

‘RENO’ JOHNSON VS JAIME MUNGUIA TENTATIVELY SET FOR OCTOBER 24

By RENALDO DORSETT Tribune Sports Reporter rdorsett@tribunemedia.net A MUCH anticipated bout between Tureano Johnson and Jaime Munguia has a tentative date - October 24.

The Athletic first reported that the promotional sides are nearing a deal that will solidify the logistics of the bout between the two middleweight contenders.

“A fight between Jaime Munguia and Tureano Johnson is being discussed for October on DAZN, sources tell The Athletic.

Would be the Mexican’s first test at 160 pounds.

Johnson, a tough, rugged gatekeeper, is coming off a stoppage win over Jason Quigley. October 24 is a potential date,” Mike Coppinger tweeted.

Munguia’s coach, Erik Morales, also confirmed with TUDN Radio that his fighter - the current WBO junior middleweight titleholder, is preparing to face Johnson next month.

October 24 will also feature Gervonta Davis against Leo Santa Cruz and in the world of mixed martial arts, the UFC will feature a lightweight title fight between Khabib Nurmagomedov and Justin Gaethje.

Both Johnson and Munguia fight under Golden Boy Promotions. The possible bout between the two has also been profiled on the promotional outlet’s web series “Fantasy Fights.”

Now sporting a 21-2-1 win-loss-draw record, Johnson is coming off a victory over the previously undefeated Jason Quigley

TUREANO JOHNSON on July 18 for the NABF middleweight title at the Fantasy Springs Casino in Indio, California. Just after

his win over Quigley, Johnson was ranked No.8 in the World Boxing Council and No.15 in the International Boxing Federation.

He first issued a challenge to Munguia in May via Twitter.

“Gots to keep the momentum,” Johnson tweeted, “Let’s bring on Jaime Munguia. Come and test the waters with a real Middleweight SHARK. Come for a swim.”

Munguia, 23, is undefeated (35-0, 28 KOs) and stopped Gary O’Sullivan in round 11 of his last fight on January 11.

Johnson was profiled by Golden Boy Promotions on his time spent during quarantine and made a clear statement on his intentions for his return to the ring.

“It’s not just Munguia, it’s any of the big boys out there. I am in the top 10,

I’ve been in the top 10 for quite a while. In recent times I’ve even been close to the number one ranking.

I deserve that opportunity, I believe I’ve gotten an unfair shake at many times but that’s just the way boxing is at times,” Johnson said. “Munguia, he was the junior middleweight champion, he did an

extraordinary job disposing of the champion at that time and he moved up to middleweight into my territory and claimed to be one of the best fighters there, well - fight the best fighters. You cannot think about going to the very top without going through levels. I believe that Munguia has to go through Tureano.”

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SUPPORT THE BLOOD BANK

Shavaul Butters all set for transfer SAVE A LIFE

By RENALDO DORSETT Tribune Sports Reporter rdorsett@tribunemedia.net SHAVAUL Butters will relocate to a new state to complete his senior season of high school basketball and prepare himself for collegiate recruitment in the class of 2021.

The Grand Bahama native will transfer to Elevation Prep in Fort Wayne, Indiana, after he spent last season with Aspire Academy in Louisville, Kentucky.

“Elevation Prep is a preparatory high school and postgraduate basketball academy,” according to its website. “Our mission is to provide our student-athletes with a holistic college experience to best prepare them for their careers

as collegiate athletes and beyond.”

Elevation partners with Lakewood Virtual School and local area colleges and universities to provide its student-athletes with an accredited academic experience.

Butters has begun to garner attention from major Division I basketball programmes and received his first offer of what is expected to be an active recruiting process this summer.

He was officially offered by the Austin Peay State University Governors. The Governors compete in the Ohio Valley Conference and most recently made the NCAA Tournament in 2016.

He has also received high interest from UNLV,

SHAVAUL BUTTERS Maryland, Eastern Kentucky, North CarolinaGreensboro and several others.

Butters, a 6’8” 210pound “stretch four” power forward, posted impressive numbers for Aspire Academy.

The only member of the roster to compete in all 33 contests last season, he led the team in

several statistical categories in his first year with the programme.

Butters led the team in total points (386 points), field goal percentage (57 per cent, 173-303), three point percentage (40 per cent, 19-48), and total rebounds (323). He finished 2nd on the team at 11.7 points per game and averaged a double double with 10 rebounds per game.

He shot 64 per cent from free throw and also finished with 32 total blocks, 28 steals and 35 assists.

His season was highlighted with 30 points, 21 rebounds and two blocks against Tennessee Prep last December at the Marshall County Hoopfest in Kentucky. In the classroom, Butters has a 3.0 GPA and a score of 20 on his ACT.

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PAGE 18, Thursday, September 10, 2020

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CANADIAN RIDER WOODS WINS STAGE 3 OF TIRRENO, TAKES LEAD

AUSTRALIA’s Caleb Ewan celebrates after crossing the finish line to win stage 11 of the Tour de France cycling race yesterday. (AP)

Tour de France: Ewan wins Stage 11 POITIERS, France (AP) — Australian sprinter Caleb Ewan secured his second stage victory at this year’s Tour de France in a chaotic dash to the finish yesterday that saw Peter Sagan penalised for barging a rival.

Sagan, squeezed up against barriers on the right-hand side of the finishing straight, made room for himself by leaning his left shoulder into Belgian rider Wout Van Aert.

The irregular move cost Sagan his second place behind Ewan.

The Slovakian was dropped back to 85th place.

Irish rider Sam Bennett was bumped up to second and Van Aert to third. Afterward, Van Aert

and Sagan had a sharp exchange of words.

“There wasn’t a gap and if you use your elbows to open it up, I think it’s completely against the rules,” said Van Aert, a two-time stage winner this year.

“It’s already dangerous enough and I was really surprised and shocked at the moment that I felt something,” he said.

“Really scared.”

In the race for the overall win, Primoz Roglic stayed safe on the rolling ride to Poitiers to keep the race leader’s yellow jersey.

The 167-kilometre (104mile) stage started on France’s Atlantic coast.

Ewan skirted Bennett in the last metres (yards) and threw his front wheel across the line.

“It was very, very hectic,” said Ewan. “Quite crazy.”

The 25-year-old Ewan, racing for the Lotto Soudal team, also won Stage 3 and three stages at his inaugural Tour last year.

Sagan’s relegation also cost him dearly in his hunt for the Tour’s green jersey, awarded to riders who collect the most points in sprints along the route and at finishes.

Losing second place cost Sagan 30 points and awarded them instead to Bennett.

Bennett and Sagan have been locked in a tight duel for that prize, repeatedly taking the jersey off each other.

Sagan has a record seven green jersey titles from previous Tours but is now

seeing Bennett get away from him, 68 points clear with few other opportunities for sprinters to shine before the final dash on the Champs-Elysees in Paris on September 20.

The last week and a half of the Tour will see riders who are chasing the overall title fighting to dislodge Roglic.

He has a lead of 21 seconds over second-placed Egan Bernal, last year’s champion, and is 28 seconds ahead of third-placed French rider Guillaume Martin.

Today, the remaining 161 riders will tackle the longest stage of this year’s route, a hilly 218-kilometre (135-mile) trek from Chauvigny to Sarran. That will be followed Friday by an

even tougher stage with a sharp mountain-top finish.

This gruelling course could prompt battles between the top contenders.

Given the challenges ahead, the pack largely took it easy yesterday before the final approach to Poitiers.

Matthieu Ladagnous, a 35-year-old French rider, punched on his pedals just moments after the stage start, immediately racing into the front.

But no one joined him in the breakaway, leaving him to ride alone for more than three hours and over 120 kilometres (75 miles) before he was then swallowed up by the pack with 43 kilometres (27 miles) to go to the finish.

SATURNIA, Italy (AP) — Powering up a climb so steep that bystanders gave riders helping pushes, Canadian racer Michael Woods won Stage 3 of the Tirreno-Adriatico yesterday and took the overall lead.

Woods, who will race alongside four-time Tour de France champion Chris Froome next season on the Israel Start-Up Nation team, was unbeatable on the final ascent up the Muro di Poggio Murella climb that preceded the uphill finish at Saturnia.

“Amazing work by my team, they really pulled a lot for me,” Woods said.

“Great teamwork and I finished it. Teamwork makes the dreams work.”

Woods left behind rivals including 2018 Tour champion Geraint Thomas on the 20 per cent gradient and summited alone.

Polish rider Rafal Majka managed to catch Woods on the twisty downhill on the other side. But on the rolling uphill that then followed to the finish, Woods outsprinted Majka to the line.

“The last climb, it was real hard,” said Thomas, who was 10th, 20 seconds behind Woods.

“Woodsy sort of kicked with 500 (metres/yards) to go and I was close to the limit there, I didn’t want to go all the way into the red.”

The 217-kilometre (135mile) stage started in Follonica.

Majka, who rides for the Bora-Hansgrohe team, is now five seconds behind Woods.

Wilco Kelderman of the Sunweb team is third overall, 26 seconds behind Woods.

RANGERS SNAP 6-GAME LOSING STREAK, BEAT ANGELS 7-1 ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — Lance Lynn pitched seven strong innings, Elvis Andrus homered and the Texas Rangers snapped a six-game losing streak with a 7-1 win Tuesday night over the Los Angeles Angels, who had won five in a row.

Lynn (5-2), the first major league pitcher to make 10 starts this season, struck out six, walked two and limited the Angels to one run on four hits. The right-hander had lost his previous two starts, allowing 10 runs (nine earned) — more than he had allowed combined his first seven starts.

Andrus put the Rangers ahead to stay with a solo shot in the second. They went ahead 3-0 with two unearned runs in the fourth on second baseman Matt Thaiss’ two-out error.

ATHLETICS 4, ASTROS 2, 1st game ASTROS 5, OAKLAND 4, 2nd game OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) — Yuli Gurriel hit a tiebreaking sacrifice fly in the seventh inning set up by an Oakland error, and Houston beat the Athletics to split a doubleheader and end a six-game losing streak.

In the opener, as ash from nearby wildfires fell inside the Coliseum, Khris Davis homered off previously unbeaten Zack Greinke to help the A’s win.

The split kept the AL Westleading Athletics 4 1/2 games ahead of second-place Houston.

The A’s played as the visiting team in Game 1. Robbie Grossman hit a go-ahead double in the sixth and Ramón Laureano added an RBI single for Oakland.

Davis hit a solo homer and RBI double in a rare start facing Greinke.

Greinke (3-1) allowed four runs and seven hits over six innings. He struck out six.

A’s starter Frankie Montas (3-3) gave up two runs on six hits in five innings. Liam Hendriks finished for his 11th save.

BLUE JAYS 2, YANKEES 1 BUFFALO, N.Y. (AP) — Gary Sánchez and the slumping New York Yankees lost their fifth in a row and fell for the 15th time in 20 games, again failing to get clutch hits in a loss to Toronto.

At 21-21, the Yankees are at .500 or worse in September for the first time since 1995.

Jonathan Davis homered in his first at-bat of the season and the Blue Jays won their third straight game, a day after beating the Yankees 12-7.

TWINS 7, CARDINALS 3, 1st game CARDINALS 6, TWINS 4, 2nd game ST. LOUIS (AP) — Matt Wieters hit 14 foul balls during a 19-pitch at-bat that finished with a flyout during a wild rally that sent St. Louis over Minnesota for a doubleheader split.

Josh Donaldson, Nelson Cruz and Miguel Sanó all homered, leading the Twins to a victory over the Cardinals in the first game.

Cruz also homered in the second game to tie him for the MLB lead with 15.

The Twins led 2-0 in the third inning of the nightcap before combining two singles, three walks and two hitters to score five runs.

Wieters, hit by a pitch from Randy Dobnak (6-3) earlier in the inning, came up with two outs and the bases loaded against reliever Caleb Thielbar. Wieters quickly fell behind 0-2 before eventually working the count full. He then fouled off nine straight pitches before flying out to center.

PHILLIES 6, RED SOX 5, 1st game RED SOX 5, PHILLIES 2, 2nd game PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Bobby Dalbec homered for his fourth straight game, his two-run shot in the sixth inning enough to help Boston beat Philadelphia and split a doubleheader.

Alec Bohm hit a two-out, tworun single in the seventh inning to rally the Phillies in the opener.

Dalbec homered in both games of the doubleheader, and the rookie first baseman has homered in five of his first nine career games. He’s the first Red Sox rookie to homer in four straight games.

Phillies reliever David Phelps walked Jackie Bradley Jr. on four pitches to open the sixth. Dalbec homered two pitches later for the decisive shot that sent the Phillies to a crushing loss as they head into a lengthy road trip in Miami.

Phelps (2-4) has allowed a homer in his last three appearances for the Phillies.

The Red Sox tacked on a run in the seventh to make it 5-2, and

Marcus Walden got the final two outs in the ninth for his first save.

GIANTS 6, MARINERS 5 SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Pinch-hitter Darin Ruf homered with one out in the seventh inning and San Francisco ended Seattle’s winning streak at six games.

Alex Dickerson and Mauricio Dubón also went deep for the Giants, who erased a 5-1 deficit to win for the seventh time in nine games.

First-year San Francisco manager Gabe Kapler had to use five pitchers to keep his club on a roll and got another big night from the offense.

NATIONALS 5, RAYS 3 WASHINGTON (AP) — Juan Soto drove in a run in his return to the lineup and Washington used strong relief pitching to beat Tampa Bay and sweep the twogame series.

After missing five games with left elbow soreness, Juan Soto was back in the lineup as the designated hitter. He drove in a run in his first at-bat with a groundout to third in the first. Soto finished 1 for 2 with two walks and a run.

The AL East-leading Rays had won or split their past 10 series before dropping both games against the Nationals.

TIGERS 8, BREWERS 3 DETROIT (AP) — Spencer Turnbull allowed three hits in six scoreless innings, and Detroit broke the game open with five runs in the fifth on their way to a victory over Milwaukee, the Brewers’ third straight.

Turnbull (4-2) struck out three and walked three for the Tigers, who pulled within one game of the New York Yankees for the final postseason spot in the American League. Jeimer Candelario homered and drove in four runs.

ORIOLES 11, METS 2 NEW YORK (AP) — Rookie Ryan Mountcastle hit a two-run homer, Rio Ruiz added a threerun shot as Baltimore hit four homers and cruised past the Mets.

The Orioles won their fourth straight and improved to 20-21, moving within a half-game of the slumping Yankees for the second wild-card spot.

D.J. Stewart also homered for the third straight game. Cedric Mullins had an RBI triple as the Orioles won for the sixth time in eight games. Pat Valaika hit a solo homer.

PIRATES 5, WHITE SOX 4 PITTSBURGH (AP) — Pinchrunner Jason Martin scored the winning run on catcher Yasmani Grandal’s error in the bottom of the ninth inning as Pittsburgh rallied against the White Sox. With the score tied at 4-4, the Pirates loaded the bases with none out as Gregory Polanco and Josh Bell singled and Ke’Bryan Hayes walked.

Kevin Newman then laid down a bunt. Pitcher Jimmy Cordero fielded the ball and shoveled it to Grandal in attempt to get a force out at home plate, but Grandal dropped the toss and Martin, who ran for Polanco, scored.

CUBS 3, REDS 0 CHICAGO (AP) — Alec Mills pitched six sharp innings, David Bote drove in two runs and the Cubs beat Cincinnati.

Mills (4-3) permitted four hits, struck out six and walked three in his first win since Aug. 24.

Duane Underwood Jr. and Ryan Tepera each got three outs before Jeremy Jeffress finished the five-hitter for his sixth save.

Shogo Akiyama reached three times on two hits and a walk, but the fourth-place Reds lost for the third time in four games. They wasted another strong outing by Tyler Mahle (1-2), who struck out 10 in seven innings.

PADRES 14, ROCKIES 5 SAN DIEGO (AP) — Wil Myers homered twice, including San Diego’s seventh grand slam of the season, Austin Nola hit a three-run shot and Mike Clevinger was impressive in his home debut in a rout of Colorado.

The Padres, cruising toward their first postseason appearance since 2006, won their third straight and for the seventh time in nine games.

Myers hit his slam in the fiverun first inning and then homered leading off the seventh to match his single-game high of five RBIs. His 11th homer gave him his eighth career multi-homer game.

DODGERS 10, DIAMONDBACKS 9, 10 innings PHOENIX (AP) — Rookie Gavin Lux hit two homers, including a three-run shot in the 10th inning, and the Dodgers rallied from four runs down to beat Arizona.

In the decisive 10th inning, A.J. Pollock started on second base and advanced to third on Cody Bellinger’s fly ball to left.

Max Muncy was intentionally walked and Pollock scored on an error by Eduardo Escobar, who mishandled Chris Taylor’s grounder.

Lux followed with a towering homer that landed deep in the right-field seats and made it 10-6.

It was the 22-year-old prospect’s first multihomer game in the big leagues.

Arizona nearly fought back in the bottom of the frame. Christian Walker hit a two-run homer to make it 10-8 and David Peralta’s single brought home Escobar for a 10-9 margin.

Kenley Jansen (3-0) struck out rookie Wyatt Mathisen to end the 4-hour, 25-minute game.

The Dodgers bounced back from two straight losses and improved to 31-12 for the season.

The disappointing Diamondbacks lost for the 17th time in 19 games.

The Dodgers won despite leaving 15 men on base.

Yoan López (0-1) took the loss, giving up four runs, including three earned, in one inning.

ROYALS 8, INDIANS 6 CLEVELAND (AP) — Maikel Franco drove in the go-ahead run with a sacrifice fly in the eighth inning and had an RBI single in the ninth as Kansas City beat Cleveland to snap a seven-game losing streak.

Whit Merrifield hit a three-run homer and Cam Gallagher had an RBI double for Kansas City.

THE TRIBUNE

Thursday, September 10, 2020, PAGE 19

‘IT’S HOW YOU FINISH’: SERENA INTO US OPEN SEMIFINALS

By HOWARD FENDRICH AP Tennis Writer

NEW YORK (AP) — They were just two particular points from Serena Williams’ latest three-set comeback at the US Open, yet they were pivotal and consisted of the sorts of lengthy exchanges filled with athleticism and brilliance that in any other, non-pandemic year would be marked by thousands of folks rising to their feet for delirious roars and raucous applause.

She needed both of these points, one of which included a shot she hit lefthanded, to reverse a deficit that reached the scale of a set and a break after 45 minutes of her quarterfinal against Tsvetana Pironkova on a cloudy Wednesday in empty Arthur Ashe Stadium.

Williams needed both of these points during a fivegame, match-altering run — along with 20 aces, her most in a match in eight years — to end up on the right side of a 4-6, 6-3, 6-2 score after more than two hours to get to the semifinals at Flushing Meadows for an 11th consecutive appearance.

“It’s not how you start, it’s how you finish, right?”

Williams said.

Two more victories would allow her to claim a recordtying 24th Grand Slam singles title.

“In the beginning, I was a little fatigued, for whatever reason,” Williams said.

“Obviously I can’t do that if I want to keep winning, so I need to figure that out.”

How big an upset would this have been if Pironkova had held on? Not only is she not seeded at Flushing Meadows, she doesn’t even appear in the WTA rankings at all — this was her first tournament of any sort in more than three years, because she left the tour to become a mother.

“It’s unbelievable,” Williams said about Pironkova’s impressive return to competition.

“Wow. I couldn’t even do that.”

When the players stepped out onto the court, the stadium announcer — announcing for whom, exactly, was something of a mystery — referred to Pironkova, a 32-year-old from Bulgaria, as “Alexander’s mom” and then to Williams as “Olympia’s mom” during the pre-match introductions.

“It just shows me how tough moms are,” Williams said afterward.

“You play a match and you go home and you’re still changing diapers,” said Williams, whose daughter turned 3 September 1 and is a little older than Pironkova’s son. “It’s like a double life. It’s really surreal.”

The American, who turns 39 in less than three weeks, has won six US Open championships; she was the runner-up the past two years.

Williams last lost before the semifinals in New

SERENA WILLIAMS, of the United States, reacts during a match against Tsvetana Pironkova, of Bulgaria, during the quarterfinals of the US Open yesterday in New York.

(AP Photo/Seth Wenig) York in 2007, when Justine before defeating 15th- and squatted behind the Henin eliminated her in the seeded Maria Sakkari 6-3, baseline.

6-7 (6), 6-3.

The other came in a fourquarterfinals.

In Wednesday’s turna- deuce opening game of the Today, Williams will face Elise Mertens or Victoria round, the first key moment final set, and began with involved 24 strokes, the the right-handed Williams Azarenka.

It was in a 2012 match next-to-last a cross-court taking a page out of old against Azarenka at Wim- forehand by Williams from friend Maria Sharapova’s bledon that Williams last wide of the doubles alley, playbook by hitting a lefttopped 20 aces, producing and the last an on-the-run handed return of serve. squash forehand by PironkAnother 15 strokes fol24. with Williams The other women’s semi- ova that landed in the net. lowed, final today will be 2018 That gave Williams a break smacking a forehand passchampion Naomi Osaka vs. and a 5-3 edge in the second ing shot that Pironkova No. 28 seed Jennifer Brady. set. Williams raised her left volleyed into the net tape.

“That was intense,” WilWilliams also needed a fist as her husband yelled comeback and the maxi- from his front-row corner liams said. “I was just trying mum number of sets to get seat; Pironkova put a hand to do everything I can — through the fourth round on her knee, smiled ruefully whether righty or lefty.”

Pironkova dropped onto her back, chest heaving; she left so much sweat on the court that a ball person was beckoned to wipe it away with a towel.

That afforded Williams a third break point, which was converted for a 1-0 lead when Pironkova sent a forehand long.

“She definitely played like the champion she is,” Pironkova said.

Williams then only added to the lead, her strokes finding targets better the longer the match went on. Her serve was especially good, as it usually is.

In contrast, Pironkova began to have more trouble on the longer points that she dominated early; she won the first half-dozen that lasted 10 strokes or more before Williams found more success.

A couple of times, Pironkova drew Williams forward with a drop shot, then took the point with a perfectly arced lob.

“I tried everything,” Pironkova said.

But after compiling only five unforced errors in the first set, Pironkova had 21 over the last two.

Williams, in contrast, made 11 in the first set, just 13 the rest of the way.

“Definitely, the first set, I think I was in control of the match. I was doing all kinds of shots, and everything went ... my way,” Pironkova said.

“But, you know, I was expecting (that) it’s not going to last forever.”

MEDVEDEV INTO THE SEMIFINALS WITHOUT DROPPING SET SO FAR

By HOWARD FENDRICH AP Tennis Writer NEW YORK (AP) — Not only had 2019 runner-up Daniil Medvedev not dropped a set in this US Open entering his allRussian quarterfinal against long-time pal Andrey Rublev, but Medvedev hadn’t allowed more than four games in any set.

So when Rublev grabbed a sizable lead in the opening-set tiebreaker yesterday and three times was a single point from closing it, the moment felt momentous.

Turned out it was.

The No. 3-seeded Medvedev fought off that trio of

chances for No. 10 Rublev in the tiebreaker by reeling off five points in a row, and was on his way to a 7-6 (6), 6-3, 7-6 (5) victory to return to the semifinals at Flushing Meadows.

The only concern for Medvedev in the latter stages was whether his body would hold up -- he was dealing with cramps and needed his right shoulder massaged by a trainer in the third set -- but he did, indeed, hold on.

“It was tough at the end,” Medvedev said. “I felt like I could get in trouble.”

He took 51 of 57 points when his first serve went in, never faced a break point

and wound up with a 51-23 edge in total winners.

In all, through five matches, Medvedev has won 65 of his 68 service games, saving 6 of 9 break points.

It’s been 60 years since a man won this Grand Slam tournament without ceding a set; Neale Fraser did so in 1960 at the event then known as the US Championships.

A year after losing to Rafael Nadal in a five-set US Open final that lasted nearly five hours, Medvedev heads to his second career major semifinal.

He will face either No. 2 seed Dominic Thiem or No.

21 Alex de Minaur, whose quarterfinal was scheduled for later yesterday.

The other semifinal on Friday will be No. 5 Alexander Zverev vs. No. 20 Pablo Carreño Busta, who won quarterfinals Tuesday.

None of the remaining men has won a Grand Slam title. Medvedev vs. Rublev

pivoted in that first-set tiebreaker, which Rublev led 5-1, then 6-3.

But Rublev started losing points and then his cool, slamming his racket down during the change of ends at 6-all. Medvedev’s five-point, set-clinching run culminated with a 128 mph ace. In the second set,

Rublev leaned over and screamed and was given a warning for an audible obscenity, although he told chair umpire James Keothavong that he didn’t curse. At the changeover, Rublev told Keothavong, “You understand, beecause of your mistake, now they give me a fine?”

PAGE 20, Thursday, September 10, 2020

THE TRIBUNE

MERCURY BLOWS 22-POINT LEAD, RALLIES FOR WIN OVER SUN IN OT

Raptors top Celtics in double-overtime thriller

By TIM REYNOLDS AP Basketball Writer

LAKE BUENA VISTA, Florida (AP) — The Toronto Raptors faced a sizable early deficit. They trailed in the fourth quarter. And again in the first overtime. And again in the second overtime.

Exhausted and on the brink, the reigning NBA champions rose to the moment.

Next up: Game 7, for a spot in the Eastern Conference finals against Miami.

OG Anunoby — the hero of Game 3 with a buzzer-beating 3 — put the Raptors ahead to stay with a 3-pointer with just under a minute left in double overtime, Kyle Lowry got an acrobatic jumper to fall with 11.7 seconds left and the Raptors beat the Boston Celtics 125-122 in Game 6 last night.

“Game 7 to go to the Eastern Conference finals,” VanVleet said.

“All you can ask for is a chance.”

Lowry scored 33 points in 53 minutes for Toronto.

Norman Powell had 23, including a three-point play with about 39 seconds left and a pair of free throws to help finish it off.

Fred VanVleet scored 21 points for the Raptors, and Anunoby had 13 points and 13 rebounds.

Lowry was on his back, laying on the court, breathing fairly heavily and with his fists thrown high in the air when Powell had the three-point play. That’s about when he realised the Raptors weren’t flying home today.

“Thank you, Norm. ...

That was cool. We needed that,” Lowry said.

Jaylen Brown had 31 points and 16 rebounds for the Celtics, who had their starters on the floor — without a single sub — for the final 22-plus minutes.

Jayson Tatum had 29 points, 14 rebounds and

nine assists. Marcus Smart had 23 points, 11 rebounds and 10 assists, and missed a 3-pointer that would have tied it with about 3 seconds left in the second extra session.

“We had a lot of opportunities down the stretch and we didn’t take care of the all as good as we needed to,” Brown said.

“That’s fine. We’re heading into a Game 7. We feel good about ourselves.”

Daniel Theis had 18 points for the Celtics. Theis played 47 minutes — the other four Boston starters, Tatum, Smart, Brown and Kemba Walker (who was held to five points, in large part because of the boxand-one that Toronto used at times), all logged at least 50.

And tempers flared when it was over, everyone getting a few extra words in before Game 7 on Friday.

The numbers were ridiculous: Boston shot 44 for 100, Toronto 44 for 101.

“Great basketball game,” Boston coach Brad Stevens said.

Boston led 52-48 at the break, after both teams had no shortage of offensive struggles in the opening half. Toronto started 9 for 32 from the floor, then finished the half on a 9-for-15 spurt to build some momentum.

It carried over, with the Raptors taking their first lead of the second half on a six-point possession from VanVleet.

He was flagrantly fouled when Smart closed out too aggressively as he tried to land on a 3-point try, made all three foul shots, then connected on a 3 when the possession continued. He then got another 3 on the next Toronto trip down the floor, giving him a personal 9-0 run that took all of 38 seconds, and the Raptors were suddenly up 67-62.

With that, it became a chess match. The Raptors didn’t score a single point

in the final 4:24 of regulation. Boston led by three in the first overtime, four after back-to-back baskets to open the second OT — but couldn’t finish the champs off.“We’ll look at what we can clean up,” Stevens said. “Throw some ice on your legs and get ready for Friday.”

GAME 7 HISTORY The Celtics will be in a Game 7 for the 33rd time; they’re 23-9 all-time — but have lost four of their last seven ultimate games. The Raptors are 3-2 in Game 7s.

ROAD, SWEET ROAD Technically, home and road classifications still apply for record-keeping purposes in the bubble — so now, both teams are 0-3 “at home” in the series.

Game 7 will be considered a Toronto home game.

UP NEXT Game 7 is Friday.

BRADENTON, Florida (AP) — Skylar DigginsSmith scored a season-high 33 points, including a tying 35-footer at the end of regulation, Diana Taurasi added 28, and the Phoenix Mercury gave up a 22-point lead before beating the Connecticut Sun 100-95 in overtime last night.

Brianna Turner had 10 points, a career-high 21 rebounds, five assists and four blocks for Phoenix (13-8). The Mercury have won seven of their last eight games to pull within a halfgame of the fourth-place Minnesota Lynx.

Taurasi hit a 3-pointer — her fifth of the game — with 1:46 to play to break a 91-all tie and give the Mercury the lead for good. DigginsSmith added a jumper 55 seconds later and Taurasi made two free throws to cap a 7-1 spurt that made it 98-92 with 15.4 seconds to go.

DeWanna Bonner had 32 points and 10 rebounds and Alyssa Thomas added 18 points, 17 rebounds, five assists and three steals for Connecticut (10-11).

Second in the NBA in offensive rebounds at 9.7 per game, the Sun had a season-high 19 against Phoenix, including one by Thomas with 18.5 seconds left in regulation and the game tied at 84-all. But after Connecticut called a timeout, Kaila Charles threw the in-bound pass directly to the Mercury’s Shey Peddy and DigginsSmith made a layup.

Bonner answered with a 3-pointer to give and then forced Taurasi out of bounds before hitting two free throws to make it 89-86 with 3.4 seconds to go. Diggins-Smith hit a runner to force OT.

THE TRIBUNE

Thursday, September 10, 2020, PAGE 21

HELP! Picking NFL games is hard enough in a normal year

By BARRY WILNER AP Pro Football Writer PRO Picks has enough trouble finding winners, outright and against the spread, during a normal season.

Our job might be more difficult than what the players and coaches are going through without a true preseason, contact drills and cohesiveness.

Well, maybe not. But close.

So excuse us if we struggle out of the gate on our way to, hopefully, something competitive with last season’s record (see below).

It all starts tonight with the Texans at the Chiefs.

And, yes, with some fans (about 16,000, the hosts say).

So it will be loud enough, if not quite raucous at Arrowhead Stadium.

Andy Reid finally has his Super Bowl ring and Patrick Mahomes has a baseballtype contract. Kansas City also appears to have a solid enough defence to go with its speed-of-light attack.

“We’ve done everything we possibly can to keep practices as fast as we can, but there’s nothing like a game,” Reid says.

“You get a little bit of that in the preseason. It’s still not as fast as the regular season, but at least you’re able to go through those things and knock the wrinkles out. Whether it’s the play-calling or the game-day procedure or actually playing in the game as a player, you’re kind of able to knock things out and smooth the wrinkles.

So, we haven’t had that. I still think it’s going to be a good product.”

The Texans, meanwhile, rewarded their quarterback, Deshaun Watson, with a monster deal of his own, also well earned. But Watson doesn’t have his favourite target and, probably, Houston’s best player the past few years. Star receiver DeAndre Hopkins was traded to Arizona.

Houston, which held a 24-0 first-half lead in a playoff game at KC, is a 9 1-2-point underdog against the defending champions.

Things figure to be pretty sloppy — not just in this game but everywhere. Still ...

CHIEFS, 30-20

Nothing is more embarrassing than getting knocked out of a knockout pool in Week 1. We will start off with BUFFALO over the Jets.

Indianapolis (minus 8) at Jacksonville Are the Jaguars going to be as bad as most everyone thinks? At least for this week, we hope so.

BEST BET, COLTS, 27-16 Seattle (minus 1 1-2) at Atlanta Pro Picks really likes what the Seahawks are building, but this is a dangerous opening matchup.

UPSET SPECIAL, FALCONS, 21-20 Green Bay (plus 2 1-2) at Minnesota No home crowd could have a major impact here.

Or not.

VIKINGS, 23-17 Tampa Bay (plus 3) at New Orleans Tom Brady vs. Drew Brees is as spicy an opening

matchup as the NFL could have come up with. Go with the Cajun spice.

SAINTS, 26-20 Cleveland (plus 8 1-2) at Baltimore The Browns could prove a lot here with a win. Or a lopsided loss.

RAVENS, 22-20 Dallas (minus 3) at Los Angeles Rams Prime-time debut of Sofi Stadium — minus fans.

The Cowboys are more talented.

COWBOYS, 30-19 New York Jets (plus 6 1-2) at Buffalo Hard to pick J-E-T-S when they have no No. 1 W-R-S. BILLS, 20-9 Miami (plus 6) at New England Dolphins are the only AFC East team that bothers Patriots, and that was with Brady. Yet ...

PATRIOTS, 22-13 Arizona (plus 7) at San Francisco

We think the Cardinals will be lots of fun to watch in 2020. The 49ers will be, too.

49ERS, 30-27 Pittsburgh (minus 5) at New York Giants, Monday night Big Ben’s return near the Big Apple. Expecting big things.

STEELERS, 30-16 Tennessee (pick-em) at Denver (Monday night) The Titans could be the AFC’s third-best team and here’s a chance to show it.

TITANS, 22-20 Philadelphia (minus 6) at Washington If only the Eagles could stay healthy, it would be impressive how far they could get.

EAGLES, 17-13 Las Vegas (minus-3) at Carolina

The Raiders don’t do well on cross-country trips, but at least this one opens the season and is at a weak opponent.

RAIDERS, 21-16 Chicago (plus 3) at Detroit Matt Patricia needs another good start — the Lions actually had one last year (2-0-1).

LIONS, 14-13 Los Angeles Chargers (minus 3 ) at Cincinnati Joe Burrow hopes he can lead the Bungles back to being Bengals. Eventually he will.

BENGALS, 19-17 ___ 2019 RECORD Season Totals: 138-123-5 against spread, 158-106-1 straight up.

NAUGHTY’S NFL PICKS WEEK 1: Texans vs Chiefs Chiefs begin their title defence with a big win!

Chiefs 41 -27 Eagles vs Washington Football Team Eagles get defensive 31-13 Dolphins vs Patriots New QB in NE...same old results Patriots 24-17 Packers vs Vikings Say ‘Cheese’ Packers 31-20 Colts vs Jags Horse kicks cat!

Colts 27-17 Bears vs Lions Coin flip ... Bears 21-20 Raiders vs Panthers Year two of the Gruden era kicks off with a ‘W’ Raiders 24-17 Jets vs Bills Bills win early meeting in the battle for NY! Bills 27-14 Browns vs Ravens Ravens fly high to open the season.

Ravens 31-20 Seahawks vs Falcons ‘Hawks give Falcons the bird at home!

Seahawks 27-23 Chargers vs Bengals Chargers take advantage of a rookie QB experiencing growing pains.

Chargers 24- 13 Cardinals vs 49ers This is going to be a good one!

Niners at home 27-24 Bucs vs Saints The Brady era in TB starts off with an ‘L’ thanks to the Mike Evans injury!

Saints 31-27 Cowboys vs Rams How ‘bout them Cowboys! Did you expect otherwise from me?

Cowboys 38-31 Steelers vs Giants Steelers get back to being themselves.

Steelers 27 - 13 Titans vs Broncos Too much of Mr Henry!

Titans spoil opener for talented Broncos 24 - 20

PAGE 22, Thursday, September 10, 2020

THE TRIBUNE

CARIBBEAN ISLAND TAKES FIFA TO COURT TO JOIN WORLD SOCCER

Infantino urges Italy to allow fans back in soccer stadiums

By GRAHAM DUNBAR AP Sports Writer

By ANDREW DAMPF AP Sports Writer

GENEVA (AP) — The tiny Caribbean island of Bonaire’s soccer federation challenged FIFA at sport’s highest court yesterday seeking membership of the world governing body.

The Court of Arbitration for Sport said a video-conference hearing was held for Bonaire to appeal against FIFA’s decision last September to reject a membership application.

The court did not set a target date for a verdict.

Victory in the appeal would set Bonaire on course to become FIFA’s 212th member federation, which would give it access to funding of $6 million spread over each four-year World Cup period. Smaller federations can get $1 million more for travel and equipment costs.

FIFA declined to comment on the ongoing case.

Bonaire, with a population of 20,000 people north of Venezuela, was part of

the Netherlands Antilles that was dissolved 10 years ago. It is now formally part of the Netherlands with the status of a municipality.

The island’s national soccer federation joined regional confederation CONCACAF in 2013, which fulfills one of the requirements of applying for FIFA membership.

However, FIFA’s legal statutes also say that only a soccer body “responsible for organising and supervising football in all of its forms in its country may become a member association.”

The Dutch soccer federation has promoted the development of Bonaire soccer with FIFA. Bonaire’s national team plays in CONCACAF’s Nations League competition, and placed second behind The Bahamas in a three-team group last year.

Home games were played in nearby Curaçao.

Curaçao and another of Bonaire’s neighbours, Aruba, also have historic Dutch ties and are members of FIFA. They are set to begin their 2022 World Cup qualifying games in March.

FIFA’s most recent new members, Kosovo and Gibraltar, joined in 2016.

Gibraltar gained membership of European confederation UEFA and FIFA only after taking legal cases to CAS.

ROME (AP) — FIFA president Gianni Infantino met with Italian Premier Giuseppe Conte yesterday to discuss bringing back fans to soccer stadiums amid the coronavirus pandemic.

Infantino said it was the first of several meetings planned with government leaders.

“Obviously soccer without fans isn’t the same thing,” Infantino said.

“But health is the most important thing. We have to see what happens now during this period that we’re starting to live in contact with other people again.”

Italian soccer matches have been closed to fans since the country was ordered into a strict lockdown in March. After a three-month break, last season’s Serie A ended in August with all games played in empty stadiums.

The new season starts in 10 days.

Italy’s official death toll from the virus tops 35,000 -- the second highest in Europe after Britain. The confirmed number of cases in the country stands at more than 280,000.

The number of new daily infections has topped 1,000 for several weeks as Italy aggressively tests and traces people returning from vacation, especially hot spots like Sardinia.

“This is my first trip abroad postCOVID and it’s right to start from Italy, which suffered a lot. I also suffered a lot as an emigrant,” said Infantino, who is Swiss-Italian.

Over the weekend, Conte came out firmly against reopening stadiums to fans.

“As far as I’m concerned, going to the stadium means an inevitable gathering, not only in the stands

next June plus three other matches of the tournament, which was postponed to 2021.

RELIEF FUNDS FIFA has no immediate plans to expand on the $1.5 billion coronavirus relief plan it announced for world soccer earlier this year.

“For now we’ll stop there but if more is needed we’ll see,” Infantino said. “Even though Switzerland is the country of banks we don’t have a machine to print money.”

He added that relief plans are being focused on the women’s and youth sectors.

FIFA President Gianni Infantino addresses a meeting of European soccer leaders at the congress of the UEFA governing body in Amsterdam’s Beurs van Berlage, Netherlands on March 3.

(AP Photo/Peter Dejong) but for entering and exiting,” Conte said Saturday. “It’s absolutely inopportune.”

Italian Soccer Federation president Gabriele Gravina accompanied Infantino to the meeting at the premier’s palace.

Gravina said Conte was more concerned with getting children back to school this month but that the premier suggested he would then consider the question of soccer fans.

Also in Italy, the Stadio Olimpico in Rome is slated to host the opening game of the European Championship

FIVE SUBS The five substitution rule installed to lighten the strain on players amid the pandemic remains temporary.

“It will be applied until the end of this season,” Infantino said.

“Whether it will be applied or not in the future is something that we’ll have to analyse. For the moment it is a temporary rule. We have to speak with everyone and see. For now I think it has proven successful.”

Some domestic leagues, like England’s Premier League, have decided not to use five substitutes this season.

MESSI’S STATUS Infantino also addressed Lionel Messi’s decision to remain at Barcelona after the six-time Ballon d’Or winner previously announced he wanted to leave the club.

“Messi is of course an incredible player. He’s more than a player; he’s a big, big, big legend and Barcelona is his club,” Infantino said. “Finally they reached a conclusion then that’s certainly right for both of them, I would imagine. Let’s see what comes in the future.”

THE TRIBUNE

Thursday, September 10, 2020, PAGE 23

A MAN wearing a mask walks on a pedestrian bridge over the train tracks yesterday in Tokyo as a large display of Tokyo 2020 Olympics and Paralympics games are seen in the background.

(AP Photo/Kiichiro Sato)

Bach: Vaccines won’t be ‘silver bullet’ for staging Olympic Games LAUSANNE, Switzerland (AP) — Amid uncertainty about planning the Tokyo Olympics, IOC president Thomas Bach said yesterday that progress with vaccines and rapid testing for COVID-19 would not be the complete answer for staging the rescheduled games.

“They will not be the silver bullet but they can greatly facilitate the organisation of the games,” Bach said at a news conference after an International Olympic Committee board meeting.

While the Japanese public has been sceptical about the July 23 to August 8 games going ahead, Olympic Minister Seiko Hashimoto said this week “I feel we have to hold them no matter what.”

Bach declined yesterday to speculate on the Tokyo Olympics being held without fans in the venues as has become the global reality for sports in 2020.

“We don’t know how the world looks like tomorrow,” Bach said.

“So how can you expect from us to know how the

world looks in 320 days from today?”

He asked athletes to accept any demands made of them in travelling to and staying in Japan next year.

“Nobody can just look at him or herself and say ‘I do not want this’ or ‘I don’t think this is fair.’ You have to show solidarity there in order to fight the virus,” Bach said.

“If you need a quarantine to ensure a safe environment for all the participants of the games, then you need to go to quarantine,” he added.

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By BRENT STUBBS NELL Senior Sports Reporter

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KLAY’S STATUS UNCLEAR UNTIL THE WARRIORS ARE BACK TOGETHER

By JANIE MCCAULEY AP Sports Writer FRANCISCO SAN (AP) — The Golden State

PAGE 24, Thursday, September 10, 2020

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