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T R I B U N E 2 4 2 . C O M
Biggest And Best!
Volume: 123 No. 200, Friday, September 11, 2026
THE PEOPLE’S PAPER: PRICE–$1
DOMESTIC VIOLENCE UP MORE THAN 125% Domestic cases rise as police see sharp increase in sexual offence cases By EARYEL BOWLEG Tribune Staff Reporter ebowleg@tribunemedia.net DOMESTIC-RELATED cases more than doubled in the first half of the year, surging 125 percent to 825 reports, while sexual offences also increased by 13 percent, according to the Royal Bahamas Police Force’s mid-year crime report. The domestic figures represent a sharp acceleration
from last year, when 367 cases were recorded during the first six months of 2025, compared with 317 over the same period in 2024 — an increase of 16 percent. Several categories of domestic-related incidents recorded triple-digit increases this year. Domestic-related assaults rose 118 percent, from 94 cases to 205, while assaults with a deadly weapon ABUSE - SEE PAGE THREE
ARMED ROBBERIES JUMP 25% DESPITE OVERALL CRIME DECLINE By LEANDRA ROLLE Tribune Chief Reporter lrolle@tribunemedia.net MAJOR crime fell six percent in the first half of the year, driven by sharp declines in vehicle theft, shopbreakings and other property offences, even as armed robberies surged 25 percent and crimes against the person increased, according to Royal
Bahamas Police Force statistics. Preliminary figures covering January through June show 1,153 major crimes were recorded, down from 1,223 during the same period last year. The figures were published on the RBPF’s website rather than presented at a typical mid-year CRIME - SEE PAGE THREE
BAHAMA Rock employees gather outside the company’s Grand Bahama compound yesterday after walking off the job to press for government approval of a proposed expansion they say is needed to keep the plant operating and protect more than 80 jobs. Workers say about 84 employees face temporary lay-offs during an expected 60-day shutdown.
BAHAMA ROCK WORKERS CALL ON GOVT TO HELP SAVE JOBS By DENISE MAYCOCK Tribune Freeport Reporter dmaycock@tribunemedia.net WORK ground to a halt at Bahama Rock yesterday as employees walked off the job to press the government to approve a proposed expansion they say is needed to keep
the Grand Bahama plant operating and protect more than 80 jobs. The protest comes as Bahama Rock, owned by Martin Marietta, nears the end of its current dredging operations and prepares for a temporary 60-day shutdown that workers said will send about 84 employees home.
The company is seeking government approval to acquire and mine about 290 acres at the site of the former Bahamas Cement plant, but the proposal has faced concerns from nearby residents over blasting, dust and noise. PROTEST - SEE PAGE FIVE
MENTAL HEALTH SAFE HOUSES PLANNED FOUR YEARS AFTER ACT By LYNAIRE MUNNINGS Tribune Staff Reporter lmunnings@tribunemedia.net
MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF HEALTH OWEN WELLS
NEARLY four years after Parliament passed sweeping legislation to overhaul mental health care in The Bahamas, the government is preparing to buy two safe houses for people with severe mental health challenges living on the
Nassau & Bahama Islands’ Leading Newspaper
streets — but has given no clear timeline for when the facilities will open. Minister of State in the Ministry of Health and Wellness Owen Wells said yesterday that his ministry intends to seek Cabinet approval to purchase separate facilities for men and women, acknowledging that SAFE - SEE PAGE FOUR
PAGE 2, Friday, September 11, 2026
THE TRIBUNE
Rokers Point school renamed in honour of veteran educator Pembroke Ferguson
PRIME Minister Philip ‘Brave’ Davis speaks during an event for the renaming of Roker’s Point School to Pembroke E Ferguson Primary School yesterday in Exuma. THE Rokers Point Primary School was officially renamed the Pembroke E Ferguson Primary School during a ceremony in Exuma yesterday, honouring the late veteran educator who officials said dedicated his life to education and community service. Prime Minister Philip “Brave” Davis called the renaming a “special day”
for Exuma and praised Mr Ferguson for his decades of service to the education system. He said it was important to honour those who have made significant contributions to the country’s development. Mr Ferguson, who was born in Farmers Hill in 1908, spent 47 years in education. Throughout his career, he worked in several
islands, serving as head teacher in Crooked Island before becoming principal in San Salvador and later Exuma, his home. Beyond education, he served as a justice of the peace and an ordained minister. He was also a farmer who used his fresh produce to assist families in need. “Wherever he served, Mr Ferguson built communities,” Prime Minister Davis
said. Mr Davis said Mr Ferguson’s commitment was evident in the extra time he gave to his students, staying after school to help those who struggled and mentoring young teachers entering the profession. “In Mr Ferguson, we see a generation of Bahamian educators who understood that teaching was never confined to four was.
To teach was to serve. To educate wads to build a community and that is precisely why this renaming matters to us.” Education Minister Chester Cooper called the renaming long overdue and said he was grateful to recognise an icon. “As the children walk through the doors, some will ask who he was and we must tell them. Tell them
that he came from right here. Tell them that he did not begin with any advantage,” Mr Cooper said. “Tell them he worked, he learned, he taught and served,” he said. His son, Bishop Franklyn Ferguson, said the family was grateful for the honour. “We are rejoicing today because as many would have said that this was long overdue,” he added.
Domestic-related cases surge by 125 percent
THE TRIBUNE
ABUSE from page one increased 267 percent, from three cases to 11. Requests for assistance jumped 254 percent, from 35 to 124, while disturbances increased 200 percent, from 17 to 51. General domestic reports rose 173 percent, from 48 to 131, and grievous harm increased 133 percent, from three cases to seven. Cases of causing harm more than doubled, increasing 106 percent from 50 to 103, while threats of death rose 102 percent, from 42 cases to 85. Causing damage increased 74 percent, from 31 cases to 54. Harassment rose 54 percent, from 13 to 20, while threats of harm increased 38 percent, from 16 to 22. Two domestic-related murders were recorded during the first half of the year, compared with one during the same period in 2025. Attempted murders remained unchanged at one. Some categories
Friday, September 11, 2026, PAGE 3
declined. Fighting fell 25 percent, from eight cases to six, while threats of arson dropped 50 percent, from two to one. No domestic-related woundings were recorded, compared with one last year, while trespassing remained unchanged at two cases. The police figures also show sexual offences increased to 98 cases during the first six months of 2026, up 13 percent from 87 during the same period last year. Rape reports rose 12 percent, from 25 cases to 28, while unlawful sexual intercourse increased 19 percent, from 57 cases to 68. Attempted rapes fell 60 percent, from five cases to two. All 28 reported rape victims were female, and 24, or 86 percent, were younger than 36. Five rape victims, or 18 percent, were tourists, while three cases, or 11 percent, were classified as domestic-related. In ten cases, representing 36 percent, the victim knew the alleged
assailant. Police figures show all rape suspects were male, with 13, or 46 percent, younger than 36. Three suspects, or 11 percent, were tourists. The report cautioned that rape cases may involve multiple suspects. Of the 68 unlawful sexual intercourse cases, 63 victims, or 93 percent, were female and five, or seven percent, were male. The alleged assailant was known to the victim in 65 cases, or 96 percent, while 39 incidents, representing 57 percent, occurred at a residence. The increase in sexual offences reverses the decline recorded during the first half of last year. The 2025 mid-year report recorded 87 sexual offences, down 30 percent from 125 in the corresponding period of 2024. Rapes had fallen 24 percent, from 33 in 2024 to 25 in 2025, attempted rapes declined from six to five, while unlawful sexual intercourse fell 34 percent, from 86 cases to 57.
National Reported Crimes All Bahamas • Mid-year 2026 vs 2025
Major crime falls six percent in first half CRIME from page one press conference. Crime declined in every region, with the Family Islands recording the largest reduction at 23 percent. Major crime fell ten percent in Grand Bahama and the Northern Bahamas and three percent in New Providence. Property crime declined nine percent, from 961 incidents during the first half of 2025 to 847 this year. However, crimes against the person increased from 262 to 279. Although murders and attempted murders declined, increases in armed robbery, rape and unlawful sexual intercourse contributed to the rise. Murders fell 14 percent, from 44 during the first half of last year to 38 this year. New Providence accounted for 29 killings, Grand Bahama six and the Family Islands three. Police reported an overall homicide clearance rate of 58 percent. People between 18 and 45
accounted for 79 percent of homicide victims, while retaliation, drug activity and personal conflict accounted for 45 percent of known motives. “Based on preliminary figures,” the report said, “homicides were more likely to occur on a Friday than any other day of the week.” The Southeastern Division accounted for 16 percent of homicides. Firearms were used in 28 killings and males accounted for 95 percent of homicide victims. While killings declined, armed robberies rose sharply, increasing 25 percent from 76 incidents during the first six months of last year to 95 this year. The Southwestern Division accounted for 24 percent of armed robberies. Police said the
Crime declined in every region, with the Family Islands recording the largest reduction at 23 percent. offences were most likely to occur on Saturdays and peaked between 8pm and midnight, with firearms remaining the weapon most frequently used. Twenty-seven vehicles were taken during armed robberies, and police recovered 63 percent of them. Male victims accounted for 72 percent of armed robbery cases. Robberies that did not involve firearms fell marginally from 32 to 31. Some of the steepest reductions were recorded among property offences. Vehicle theft declined 45
MID-YEAR 2026 CRIME REPORT: SUMMARY OF KEY STATISTICS
percent, from 236 incidents during the first half of 2025 to 129 this year. Nissan vehicles, including the Note and Cube, remained the most frequently targeted and accounted for 57 percent of stolen vehicles. Police recovered 53 percent of all stolen vehicles. Shopbreakings fell 28 percent, from 140 cases to 101, while housebreakings declined 16 percent, from 87 to 73. However, stealing increased from 394 incidents to 430. Tools, cash, mechanical parts, building supplies and cellular phones were among the items most frequently stolen.
Stealing from vehicles also increased, from 92 incidents last year to 122 this year. The statistics also reveal the scale of police enforcement activity during the six-month period. Officers conducted 77,028 stop-and-search profiles throughout The Bahamas, along with 17,368 field check patrols and 4,186 road checks. Police also executed 1,993 arrest warrants and 1,894 search warrants. A total of 7,503 people were arrested for major and minor offences, with 5,827 charged and brought before the courts, representing a 78 percent
charge rate. Police seized 129 firearms and more than 3,000 rounds of ammunition, resulting in 408 arrests and 106 charges. ShotSpotter technology detected 481 gunshot incidents. The RBPF also reported 2,602 charge returns, including 1,847 counts resulting in convictions. Another 364 counts were discharged by the courts, 342 were withdrawn by virtual complainants and 42 ended in acquittals after trial. Seven counts were discharged because the defendants had died.
PAGE 4, Friday, September 11, 2026
THE TRIBUNE
Mental health safe houses planned nearly four years after Act passed SAFE from page one provisions of the Mental Health Act dealing with safe houses have still not been brought into force. The Act was passed in 2022 to replace legislation dating back to 1969 and was promoted as a major reform of the country’s approach to mental illness, including stronger protections for patients, expanded access to treatment and standards for mental health services. Speaking at the World Suicide Prevention Day Symposium and Orange Alert Day 2026, Mr Wells said parts of the legislation remain outstanding. “There are portions that are currently in force now,” he said, “and portions that we have to bring into force. Specifically, from my address today, what we have to
MINISTER of State in the Ministry of Health Owen Wells speaks during a Word Suicide Prevention Day Symposium held at Hillview Seventh Day Adventist Church yesterday. Photos: Nikia Charlton bring into force is the one on safe houses.” Mr Wells said his
ministry would take a proposal to Cabinet “very shortly” seeking approval
to purchase the facilities. “We are currently in the process now,” he said. “Very shortly, my ministry will be bringing a paper to the cabinet so we can purchase these safe houses where people who suffer from these mental difficulties they will have a safe space, as I would have mentioned in my speech.” However, Mr Wells did not say when the Cabinet paper would be submitted, when the properties could be purchased or when either facility is expected to begin operating. He said the government intends to use the safe houses to accommodate people with mental health challenges who are living on the streets. “You would see around the country,” Mr Wells said, “people who we all deem to have some mental challenges just on the street.” The government, he
said, wants to obtain secure spaces where those people could be housed. “So what we are looking to do is get these safe spaces for them and move them in there,” he said, “and they’ll be secure, the public will feel secure, so that’s something that we’re looking to do very shortly.” The announcement comes amid longstanding questions about the implementation of the Mental Health Act. In September 2024, then Minister of Health and Wellness Dr Michael Darville acknowledged that the legislation had not been fully implemented despite the government previously presenting it as a central part of its response to the country’s mental health challenges. Two months later, Free National Movement Senator Michaela Barnett-Ellis criticised the delay, arguing that timely implementation and enforcement of the legislation could have helped prevent two high-profile crimes. She accused the government of having “sat on it” for more than a year. When the legislation was debated in Parliament in 2022, Prime Minister
Philip “Brave” Davis said it was intended to expand mental health resources and ensure people received appropriate care and treatment within their communities. Dr Darville also pointed at the time to rising homelessness and mental suffering, saying the legislation was intended to move The Bahamas towards community-based treatment and stronger protections for people with mental illness. Mr Wells yesterday described the Act as among the most comprehensive in the region. The proposed safe houses would also come against a longstanding shortage of specialised accommodation for homeless people, including those experiencing mental illness. The Tribune reported earlier this year that Great Commission Ministries had struggled for decades to secure land for a dedicated homeless shelter. Its founder, Bishop Walter Hanchell, has said many people living on the streets also suffer from mental health challenges. The organisation’s proposed 100-bed Hope City shelter has stalled amid a dispute over Crown land.
Six suicides recorded this year as attempts rise to 37 By LYNAIRE MUNNINGS Tribune Staff Reporter lmunnings@tribunemedia.net SIX people have died by suicide or in suspected suicide cases in The Bahamas so far this year, according to police figures and The Tribune’s records, as the country marked World Suicide Prevention Day yesterday amid continued concern over suicide and mental health. Royal Bahamas Police Force midyear statistics recorded four suicide deaths through June, down from eight during the same period in 2025. Police also recorded 37 attempted suicides, up from 32 a year earlier. The Tribune’s records include two additional suspected suicide deaths reported on June 1 and July 23, bringing the newspaper’s tally of suspected cases to six. Three of the four suicide deaths recorded by police involved men and one involved a woman. Three occurred in New Providence and one in Grand Bahama. The victims ranged in age from 18 to 60, with one male death recorded in each of the 18-30, 31-45 and 46-60 age groups. The female victim was between 31 and 45. The figures came as health officials, counsellors and advocates gathered for the World Suicide Prevention Day Symposium and Orange Alert Day under the theme, “Changing the Narrative for Men and Boys: Breaking the Silence, Building Hope.” Minister of State in the Ministry of Health and Wellness Owen Wells pointed to findings from The Bahamas’ 2025 Global
School-based Student Health Survey, which found that 15.6 percent of boys surveyed had seriously considered suicide, 16.2 percent had made a suicide plan and 14.7 percent reported attempting suicide. “That is roughly one in seven boys surveyed reporting a suicide attempt,” Mr Wells said. “I want us to sit with that for a moment. Roughly one in seven.” Mr Wells said traditional messages that boys should “be strong” and avoid showing emotion can make it harder for them to seek help. He urged families, schools, churches, sporting organisations and workplaces to create environments where boys and men feel safe discussing their mental health. Mr Wells said the Ministry of Health and Wellness is working to expand access to community-based mental health services and strengthen early intervention through primary healthcare clinics, schools and communities. Suicide survivor Terry Miller also shared his experience with substance abuse, hopelessness and suicide attempts, telling attendees that he once reached a point where he believed death was preferable to living. “When you reach a point where death is an escape,” Mr Miller said, “that death is a better option than living, that's no place. That's no comfortable place to live.” Mr Miller said his substance abuse and mental health struggles became increasingly severe during the late 1970s and early 1980s.
He recalled attempting suicide on Christmas Eve after becoming overwhelmed by feelings of shame, hopelessness and worthlessness. “I felt so horrible,” he said. “I felt so hopeless. I felt so useless. I felt so ashamed.” Mr Miller said that despite growing up in a Christian family and regularly attending church, he reached a point where he no longer believed his life was worth continuing. He said he took approximately 50 to 65 pills that night and prayed that he would not survive, but said he believed God intervened. Mr Miller also recounted another occasion when he reached what he described as a point of “pure hopelessness” and decided to take his own life. He said he was preparing to drop his daughter at school and take his wife to the airport when his wife unexpectedly asked him to take her to work first. Mr Miller said the change in plans prevented him from carrying out what he had intended to do while his daughter was in the car. Looking back on his experiences, Mr Miller said he now uses his testimony to encourage others who may be struggling and urged those attending to recognise the value of life despite its difficulties. “Life is going with you,” he said. “It is a wonderful, amazing experience, and it is a gift. And we have no right to take it because God gave it to us. This body is not our own; it belongs to Him.”
THE TRIBUNE
Friday, September 11, 2026, PAGE 5
Bahama Rock Workers: We are fighting for our jobs PROTEST from page one Employees gathered outside the company’s gate yesterday carrying placards highlighting Bahama Rock’s role in major developments, including Baha Mar, the harbour and Celebration Key. Kevin Evans, who has worked at the company for 19 years, said employees want the government and management to reach an agreement that would allow the expansion to proceed. “We are fighting for our jobs,” Mr Evans said. He said Bahama Rock has made significant contributions to Grand Bahama and the wider country. The stoppage also disrupted construction activity, with hauling trucks parked outside the plant unable to collect aggregate. One trucker, identified as JC, said he had been waiting since 7.45am to collect sand for a crew preparing to pour concrete. “I get paid by delivery,” he said. “My truck is a 20-ton, and I make ten runs a day, and it is affecting me; I make about $1,100. I want the gates open and (for the workers) to get back to work.” Other truckers who depend on the plant also couldn’t collect material for construction projects. For Bahama Rock employees, however, the immediate concern is what happens when the planned shutdown begins. Alvin Wilson, the lead in the electrical department who has worked at the company for 22 years, said workers were told they would be temporarily laid off for 60 days. “We just out here showing support for each other,” Mr Wilson said, “to see where our future and where we heading.” He said employees remain uncertain about what comes next. “We just want to know what’s going on,” Mr Wilson said, “because we really don’t know.”
BAHAMA Rock employees stand outside the comapny’s compound holding placards and calling for govt to intervene and save jobs. Photos: Vandyke Hepburn
“It will affect everyone, because everybody comes to work expecting an income. Everybody will be affected.” - Alvin Wilson
Mr Wilson said losing their income, even temporarily, would affect employees and their families.
“It will affect everyone,” he said, “because everybody comes to work expecting an income. Everybody will be
affected.” Arnetta Rollins, who has worked at Bahama Rock for 12 years, said the plant’s importance
extends beyond its employees because its aggregate is used in construction throughout The Bahamas. “Y’all foundation starts here with us,” Ms Rollins said. She said Bahama Rock supplies material used for roads, houses, hospitals, businesses and block manufacturing. “Without material,” Ms Rollins said, “how can we build low-cost homes, our roads, our hospitals?” The push by workers comes as some Eight Mile Rock residents have raised objections to the proposed expansion. At a Department of Environmental Planning and Protection town meeting on the project’s environmental impact assessment, residents complained that previous blasting operations had caused cracks in homes and raised concerns about dust and noise. Harold Williams, a Bahama Rock production employee of five years, said workers were not dismissing those concerns. “Besides being an employee, I’m a Grand Bahamian,” Mr Williams said. “I was born and raised here.” “By no means,” he said, “would I want any communities to be affected by what we are doing here.” Mr Williams nevertheless argued that Bahama Rock plays an important role in the country’s economic development, pointing to its supply of aggregate for operations and developments including the Freeport Container Port, Grand Bahama Shipyard and Celebration Key. “We provide the foundation that the country builds on,” he said. Mr Williams urged the government and company representatives to reach an agreement. “We just want the ministers and the government to sit down with our heads in the company,” he said, “and just come with some type of common ground, some type of agreement, some type of way forward.”
Lavado Cooper Jr, who has worked at Bahama Rock for about a year while studying law, said the uncertainty could be particularly difficult for young workers. Mr Cooper said he joined the company directly after school and relies on his earnings to help finance his education. He also questioned what the loss of the country’s largest aggregate supplier could mean for availability and prices. “When you close the biggest aggregate company in the Bahamas at large,” Mr Cooper asked, “where are we going to get the aggregate?” He warned that reduced supply could increase prices and ultimately affect Bahamians. Mr Cooper said Bahama Rock also contributes to the Grand Bahama economy, including about $5m annually in payments to the power company. “It’s basically a trickle down,” he said. “And at the end of the day, the persons getting hurt are the Grand Bahamians.” He also pointed to the company’s community initiatives, including providing laptops to public school students and helping improve parks. Workers said they want the government to balance residents’ environmental and community concerns against the economic importance of the operation. “We want to get it out to the public,” Ms Rollins said. “Let the public know. We need their support.” Bahama Rock is expected to temporarily shut down for 60 days while the government considers its proposed expansion and whether operations can continue beyond the company’s current dredging area. TJ Mackey, Bahama Rock’s general manager, declined to comment. Workers said management supports their action.
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PAGE 6, Friday, September 11, 2026
THE TRIBUNE
The Tribune Limited
PM: Don’t campaign on perception and now complain
NULLIUS ADDICTUS JURARE IN VERBA MAGISTRI “Being Bound to Swear to The Dogmas of No Master”
LEON E. H. DUPUCH,
Publisher/Editor 1903-1914
SIR ETIENNE DUPUCH,
Kt., O.B.E., K.M., K.C.S.G., (Hon.) LL.D., D.Litt . Publisher/Editor 1919-1972 Contributing Editor 1972-1991
RT HON EILEEN DUPUCH CARRON,
C.M.G., M.S., B.A., LL.B. Publisher/Editor 1972-
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Do not force GB into a false choice THE dispute over Bahama Rock’s proposed expansion must not be reduced to a choice between protecting jobs and protecting communities. The country needs both. Bahama Rock has announced that aggregate and limestone production will cease on September 18, with 69 hourly employees temporarily laid off for 60 days beginning September 21. The company says its existing limestone reserves are nearing depletion and continued operations depend upon gaining access to the 515-acre former Bahamas Cement Company property. That announcement requires urgent attention. These 69 employees have mortgages, utility bills and families to support. Grand Bahama can ill afford another interruption in economic activity, particularly one that could affect far more than the workers directly employed by the company. Bahama Rock supplies materials used in concrete, roads, homes, hotels, marinas and other developments throughout The Bahamas. Industry representatives have warned that an extended shutdown could force businesses to import more aggregate, increasing construction costs. Those concerns are legitimate. But so are the concerns of residents in Eight Mile Rock and surrounding communities. Residents have raised questions about blasting, noise, environmental damage and the possible effect of quarrying on their homes. Some say previous blasting caused cracks in buildings. These claims have not been conclusively established, but they cannot be dismissed simply because an economically important company wants to expand. Nor should impending layoffs be allowed to short-circuit the environmental review. Bahama Rock denies using its workers as a bargaining chip and says the shutdown reflects the exhaustion of its present reserves. That explanation deserves fair consideration. Yet the timing inevitably places enormous pressure on the Government and affected communities to accept the proposed expansion quickly. The Government must resist both paralysis and haste. It should immediately convene Bahama Rock, the Department of Environmental Planning and Protection, the Department of Labour, the Grand Bahama Port Authority, construction-sector representatives and affected residents. The objective should be to establish what
can lawfully and safely be decided before the temporary layoff period expires. A clear timetable is essential. Bahama Rock deserves to know when its applications will be determined and what additional information, if any, is required. Residents deserve access to the non-confidential environmental findings and a proper explanation of how their concerns will be addressed. If expansion is technically possible, approval should carry enforceable conditions. Independent structural surveys should establish the present condition of nearby properties before additional blasting begins. Vibration and noise should be continuously monitored, with results made publicly available. Operating hours, blasting limits and environmental protections should be clearly prescribed. The company should also be required to provide a credible compensation mechanism, backed by adequate insurance or a financial bond, for any damage independently determined to have resulted from its operations. If the project cannot satisfy reasonable environmental and community-safety standards, the Government should say so promptly and work with the company to identify another lawful source of material. Uncertainty should not be allowed to continue until workers and the construction industry bear the consequences. Meanwhile, Bahama Rock should explain what financial support will be available to affected employees during the 60-day interruption. The Government should help workers access temporary placements and income assistance where necessary. There must also be a national contingency plan for construction materials. Government and industry should assess existing inventories, alternative domestic sources and the cost and availability of imports before shortages appear. Economic development cannot proceed by silencing communities. Environmental regulation cannot operate so slowly or opaquely that businesses and workers are left without answers. Grand Bahama should not have to choose between 69 livelihoods and the safety of its residents. The task of responsible government is to bring credible evidence, firm regulation and genuine consultation together, and find the fairest sustainable path forward.
EDITOR, The Tribune. “MR Prime Minister, You Cannot Campaign on Perception and Then Complain About It There is something almost wonderfully ironic about the Progressive Liberal Party (PLP) discovering, at this particular moment, that perception can be an uncomfortable thing. Prime Minister Philip “Brave” Davis has now found himself responding to questions surrounding a photograph involving Warren “Spy” Ellis, the Abaco man who was recently murdered, and PLP North Abaco MP Kirk Cornish. To be absolutely clear: a photograph does not prove a relationship, criminal conduct or political wrongdoing. Nor should anyone pretend that it does. But that was not the question. The question was about perception. And that distinction appears to have escaped the Prime Minister. Mr Davis reportedly rejected suggestions of a personal relationship with Ellis and argued that politicians, operating under the Westminster system, are obliged to represent their constituents and may therefore find themselves photographed with people they would not otherwise associate with. Fair enough. But if the Prime Minister wants to explain the photograph, he should explain the photograph. What he should not do is chastise the media for asking about the perception created by it. Because, Mr Prime Minister, your party has spent years understanding exactly how powerful perception is. In fact, political campaigns are built on it. Prime Minister Davis did put his face on every candidate campaign poster because photographs are constitutionally required. he did it because he knew that the perception of “Safe with Brave” and the association that it created was needed to drag many of them across the “finish line”. The candidate. The party. The message. The leader. And the PLP certainly understood that principle during the 2026 campaign. So, when the public sees a photograph involving a government MP, a PLP campaign shirt and a man who has subsequently been
LETTERS letters@tribunemedia.net murdered amid reports of his history of criminal allegations, it is perfectly legitimate for journalists to ask what the photograph means. Again: a question is not an accusation. Perception is not proof. But perception is also not irrelevant. And that brings us rather neatly to another issue concerning this administration: transparency. In January 2024, PLP Chairman Fred Mitchell— who was also Foreign Affairs Minister—was asked about the government’s approach to the Freedom of Information Act. His response was remarkably blunt: “We oppose this Freedom of Information Act idea.” He went on to dismiss FOIA as essentially bureaucratic, expensive and disconnected from what he considered the country’s more pressing problems. That position was particularly awkward because the PLP’s own 2021 Blueprint for Change promised to fully implement the Freedom of Information Act as part of its commitment to greater accountability and transparency. So, we have an interesting political equation developing here. The government wants to control information. The Prime Minister wants to control the questions. The Chairman has previously questioned the value of giving Bahamians greater access to information. And now, when journalists ask an uncomfortable question about perception, the problem apparently becomes the question. How convenient. Perhaps the Prime Minister should remember that he does not get to decide which questions are legitimate simply because he does not like where they lead. That is rather the point of having a free press. And if the government’s position is that there is absolutely nothing to the photograph, then surely the easiest response is to answer the question clearly and move on. Instead, we get a lecture about Westminster government, representation and the fact that politicians take photographs with people.
Nobody suggested otherwise. The question was whether the photograph creates a perception. And here is the deliciously inconvenient part: The PLP spent years creating perceptions for political purposes. Perception of leadership. Perception of competence. Perception of progress. Perception that the PLP represented change. Perception that Philip Davis was the man to lead The Bahamas. The Prime Minister cannot spend millions of dollars and thousands of campaign images constructing a political perception and then suddenly discover that perception is an illegitimate subject when the image becomes inconvenient. That would be like a restaurant advertising the smell of freshly baked bread and then becoming offended when somebody asks whether there is actually bread in the kitchen. You created the perception, Mr Prime Minister. Now you have to live with it. And nobody is asking the Prime Minister to prove that a photograph means something sinister. They are asking him to explain what it means. There is a very important difference. The Bahamian public is perfectly capable of understanding that a photograph does not constitute evidence of a crime. But the public is also perfectly capable of looking at a photograph and asking questions. And politicians who believe in accountability should welcome those questions rather than attempting to lecture the questioner. After all, Mr Prime Minister, if the answer is as simple as you suggest, why does the question seem to be causing so much difficulty? Perhaps the problem isn’t the photograph. Perhaps the problem isn’t even the perception. Perhaps the problem is that, for once, the perception isn’t being controlled by the people who created it. And that, Mr Prime Minister, is what happens when you spend your political career selling perception: Eventually, somebody else gets to interpret the picture.” ADRIAN RAMSEY Nassau, September 6, 2026.
Governing in the shadows EDITOR, The Tribune. THERE is a troubling lack of transparency which has seemingly engulfed the first and now this second Davis administration. This present administration seems content to rest in the bosom of secrecy, having a strong propensity for governing in the shadows. The government’s mantra seems to be “we won, the people voted for us(true), so we don’t have to answer to any one”. During its first term, there were unmistakable signs that arrogance was beginning to creep into the psyche of this administration. Question and answer sessions were willfully scratched from the House of Assembly’s agenda. Questions put forth by the official opposition Free National Movement (FNM) were met with vague assurances or outrightly ignored. Phrases like “we’ll get back to you” or “the minister is not prepared to answer the question at this time “became all too familiar. Then, there was the purported sale of the hotel in Grand Bahama, where 120 million dollars were supposed to have been deposited in the bank. Further, there was a deal surrounding the Grand Bahama airport. Yet still, there was the lack of disclosure on the amount spent during our 50th independence celebrations; and in
addition, the owners of Bahamas Grid Company (BGC)still remain a mystery. These and much more were all warning signs, or the canary in a coal mine. The government seems even more embolden to flex its political muscle this time around. It recently came to light that about 700 million dollars of taxpayer’s money was allegedly transferred into the public investment fund, and the process might not have been duly constituted or legally set up. In-spite of being questioned over and repeatedly by the official opposition and some others, there is not accounting for the taxpayer’s money: but the people’s right to know should override any and all political considerations. The government knows that its greatest support comes from ordinary Bahamians who are at the lower end of the economic scale; and it perhaps reasoned that persons in this bracket are less interested in the technical side or the inner workings or governance but are more focused on making ends meet from day to day. For most of these persons, it’s party first, and in their eyes, the government can do no wrong. There is no public outrage. Except for a few personalities on guardian radio, and a sprinkling of others who call in, it is business as usual. And so, the government adopts
a flippant and dismissive attitude, believing it is answerable to no one. But this is setting a dangerous precedent. This is how autocratic or dictatorial regimes are born. Transparency and accountability, which are not unreasonable demands, should be the gold standard for all governments. The greatest currency in politics is “trust”. Transparency strengthens “trust”, and people should be able to trust their government to do what is right. When transparency is absent, suspicion fills the gap. Love him or hate him, the legacy of Sir Linden Pindling is that he is regarded as the architect of the modern Bahamas. Love him or hate him, the legacy of former Prime Minister Hubert Ingraham is that he is credited with bringing transparency and accountability to governance, along with the opening up of the airwaves. If this Davis administration refuses to embrace a culture of open-ness and transparency, or fails to shed the robe of secrecy, and does not reverse course, time and history might reward Prime Minister Davis with a tarnished legacy which could over-shadow all the good he might have done. But there is still time. ZEPHANIAH BURROWS Nassau, September 5, 2026.
THE TRIBUNE
Friday, September 11, 2026, PAGE 7
Advocate calls for charges after dog thrown to ground By EARYEL BOWLEG Tribune Staff Reporter ebowleg@tribunemedia.net AN ANIMAL welfare advocate called for a woman to be charged with cruelty after video appeared to show her grabbing a dog from a porch and throwing it to the ground following a confrontation with members of an animal welfare group. Bahamas Humane Society advocate Kim Aranha said the footage left her “sick to my stomach” and argued that the apparent incident, which Bahamas Alliance for Animal Rights and Kindness said occurred on August 7, should result in prosecution. “I hope they charge her with animal cruelty,” Mrs Aranha said. “It's on tape. There's no reason why she shouldn't be charged.” BAARK described the incident as “horrific and deeply disturbing” and said it occurred after its team returned dogs to the area following a spay and neuter exercise. In footage of the confrontation, a woman could be heard repeatedly shouting, “I don’t give a (expletive) you record,” as a man told her: “You have to spay your animals.” The man later asked:
“You gonna take care of that dog?” The woman walked towards a home and said, “carry him back with you,” before appearing to grab a dog from the porch and throw it towards the ground. “The behaviour witnessed was a form of animal cruelty,” BAARK said, “and is a heartbreaking reminder of why the protection of animals and enforcement of animal welfare laws are so important.” The organisation said the episode followed a spay and neuter exercise that began on August 5, when a man stopped a BAARK van and asked its team to collect two dogs from his property on St Charles Vincent Street. BAARK said the man provided the address and gave its team permission to enter the property. While there, workers noticed another dog underneath a parked car on the roadway. The organisation said the animal had no collar and was not on anyone’s property, so the team took it to the clinic along with the other two dogs. The animals underwent procedures and were returned to the area on August 7. “It was then that a disturbing incident occurred,” BAARK said. “The dog seen in the video went onto
A CRUISE visitor was warned and discharged yesterday after admitting to indecently assaulting a 36-year-old woman he brought on the voyage earlier this week. Christophe Hody, 47, of Belgium, indecently assaulted the woman inside their room aboard MSC
Seashore around 2am on September 7. Hody and the complainant had spent the previous night drinking before returning to their room. While there, the complainant took medication for a headache and fell asleep. She reportedly awoke after feeling a strange sensation near her private area and accused Hody of sexually assaulting her.
a porch, where a woman approached, grabbed the dog and threw it to the ground while angrily carrying on.” BAARK said it has received no response from Ministry of Agriculture officials about the incident captured on video. Mrs Aranha said the footage raised wider concerns
The complainant then fled the room and alerted authorities. Tourism police were notified when the ship docked at the Nassau Cruise Port and officers processed the scene. Hody pleaded guilty to indecent assault before Deputy Chief Magistrate Shaka Serville. He told the court that he had brought the complainant on the trip and paid for
Teen accused of shooting at man on Baldwin Avenue gets bail By PAVEL BAILEY Tribune Staff Reporter pbailey@tribunemedia.net A TEENAGE male was accused of shooting at a 39-year-old man on Baldwin Avenue last month. Prosecutors allege the 17-year-old, whose name is being withheld because he is a minor, shot at Turan Pratt while Mr Pratt was
walking on August 28. The teenager elected to have his case heard in the Magistrate’s Court and pleaded not guilty to possession of a firearm with intent to endanger life before Senior Magistrate Algernon Allen Jr. He was granted $5,000 bail with one or two sureties. Under the terms of his
bail, the teenager must sign in at the Nassau Street Police Station every Monday and Friday by 6pm and obey a daily residential curfew from 9pm to 7am. He returns for trial on November 11. Inspector Timothy Bain prosecuted the case. Dr K Melvin Munroe represented the accused.
MAN ORDERED TO PAY SHOTGUN LICENSING FEES By PAVEL BAILEY Tribune Staff Reporter pbailey@tribunemedia.net A MAN was granted a conditional discharge after failing to pay the licensing fees for his shotgun in New Providence last week. Theophanis Smith, 41, was found with a black Maverick pump-action shotgun and one round of
birdshot on September 8. Smith pleaded guilty to possession of an unlicensed shotgun and possession of ammunition before Senior Magistrate Algernon Allen Jr. Magistrate Allen granted Smith a conditional discharge and ordered him to pay the outstanding licensing fees for the shotgun.
If he fails to do so, Smith faces a $2,500 fine or six months in prison for the firearm offence. He also faces an additional $2,500 fine or 30 days in prison for the ammunition offence if he defaults. Smith returns to court on October 30 for a report on his payment. Inspector Timothy Bain prosecuted the case.
DEFENDANT GETS BAIL OVER ALLEGED CAR THEFT By PAVEL BAILEY Tribune Staff Reporter pbailey@tribunemedia.net A MAN was accused of stealing a car from Lynden Pindling Estates last month. Prosecutors allege Deon Green, 28, and accomplices stole a black 2014 Honda Accord belonging to Toryen
Russell on August 28. The vehicle is valued at $10,000. Green has a similar history, having been accused of a separate car theft in 2024. He pleaded not guilty to stealing before Senior Magistrate Algernon Allen Jr. Green was granted $5,000 bail with one or two
vulnerable people were living in the home, Social Services should investigate. She said the dog appeared shocked after being thrown but quickly returned to the woman wagging its tail, which she said reflected the forgiving and loyal nature of dogs. Mrs Aranha also pointed to animal cruelty as a
her ticket. Hody said they shared a bed and acknowledged that both had been intoxicated. However, he claimed he was only being affectionate
and believed the complainant had consented. Hody had spent the previous several days in police custody. After reviewing the
evidence, Magistrate Serville warned and discharged him for the offence. Inspector Cordero Farrington prosecuted the case.
A MAN film from his vehicle captures a woman throwing a small dog from her porch.
Cruise visitor discharged after indecent assault plea By PAVEL BAILEY Tribune Staff Reporter pbailey@tribunemedia.net
about animal welfare in The Bahamas. “How can you behave like that to basically a defenseless creature,” she said, “and if she does that with a dog, then my next question is, ‘Oh please God, tell me she doesn’t have children or an elderly person in the house.’” Mrs Aranha said that if
precursor to other forms of violence. “It made me feel sick to my stomach,” she said, “because I know that she’s not the only person who behaves like that, and I know that there are hundreds of dogs out there being treated like that.” Mrs Aranha said it was depressing to see such incidents continue, but stressed that the behaviour shown in disturbing videos did not represent all Bahamian animal owners. “It’s so depressing to see this is still happening in our country,” she said. “You know, it makes me unbelievably sad.” She said many Bahamians treat their animals well but those examples receive less attention than videos depicting mistreatment. “We only see the horrible videos,” Mrs Aranha said, “and that of where animals are being mistreated, and we do need to address them.” BAARK said its spay and neuter programme is intended to reduce the number of unwanted animals born on the streets and prevent suffering. The organisation said it is also working with the government to strengthen animal-protection laws and enforcement in The Bahamas.
sureties and was fitted with a monitoring device as a condition of his release. He must also sign in at the Fresh Creek Police Station every Monday, Wednesday and Friday by 6pm. Green returns for trial on November 20. Inspector Timothy Bain prosecuted the case.
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Funeral Service for Alicia Anoush Johnson-Spence, 51 of #15 Venice Bay Road, New Providence, Bahamas will be held on Saturday, 12th September, 2026 at 10:00 a.m. at Golden Gates Native Baptist Church, Lobster Avenue, Golden Gates #1, New Providence. Officiating will be Pastor Alonzo Hinsey Jr. assisted by Rev. Dr. Alonzo Hinsey Sr. Interment will be held at Lakeview Memorial Gardens, John F. Kennedy Drive. She will always be remembered by her loving Husband: Andre Spence; Sons: Andre Jr. Spence and Andron Spence; Daughter: Alyssa Campbell; Grandchildren: Skylar Spence, Emerald Spence and Ariyah Spence; Mother: Gloria Johnson; Mother-in-law: Frances Whylly; Father-in-law: Clinton Whylly; Brothers-in-law: James Spence, Alvin Spence, Edmund Miller and Dave Nottage; Brothers: Andrew Johnson, Brent Johnson, Bennett Johnson, Greg Johnson, Robert Johnson, Glen Johnson, Thomas Johnson, Luther Johnson and Bernardo Johnson; Sisters: Sheila Smith, Joy Nesbitt, Sharmaine Munnings-Woodside, Shirley Leadon, Shirley “Peggy” Francis, Carmen Johnson, Deborah Butler, Genevie Johnson, Paula Johnson, Willamae Glass, Verdelltina Johnson, Valderine Johnson, Marcella “Tiny” Johnson, Brenda Johnson, Ann Johnson and Hildamae Johnson; Sisters-in-law: Hillary Spence, Aneka Nottage and Taneequa; Nephews: Craig Sawyer, Arnold Jr., Arnaldie Nesbit, Arnold “Blue Boy” Nesbitt, Savino Rahming, Clarence Smith Jr., Brent Johnson II, Bennet Johnson Jr., Alexander Roberts, Kamari Johnson, Andrew Johnson Jr., Deangelo Johnson, Devon Butler, Lennox Johnson, Adrian Moxey II, Robyn, Ryan, Dr. Tamal Carroll, Ron Leadon, Shawn Leadon, Paul Carroll Jr., Elbert Ellis, Greg Johnson, Renaldo Johnson, Glenroy Marshall and Fredo Munnings; Nieces: Gail Sawyer, Cutell Miller, Jasmine Johnson, Arnoldlicia Green, Lathese Neely, Latia Nesbitt, Latica Munnings, Synida Johnson, Alyssa Johnson, Brittany Johnson, Benisha Johnson, Bene’t Johnson, Keisha Johnson, Charlese Johnson, Samika Butler, Laneisha Leadon, Latisha Leadon, Shanel Johnson, Raven Johnson, Vivette Bain, Keisha Bain, Perline “Princess”, Carron Ellis, Paulina, Pershara, Yvonne, Perica Carroll, Christine, Rosalie Adderley, Anita Turnquest, Greneka Johnson, Iesha Johnson, Diamond Johnson, Fredina Marshall, Alicia Marshall, Valene Marshall, Coya Marshall, Dorinda Marshall and Kaylisa Marshall; Grandnieces: Shanquel, Javey, Erika Robinson, Lyric Anderson, Aleigha Davis, Rachel, Dr. Celeste Adderley, Imani, Nia Walker, Amelia, Antonya, Antonique Turnquest, Khloe Lockhart and Aliandria Neely; Grandnephews: Aramandize, Javardo Green Jr., Javari Green, Tyler Sawyer, Brent Johnson III, Blake-Mason Petit, Emery Curling, Isreal, Khalil Rolle, Daniel, Donovan Lockhart, Copelin Jr., Liam and Lucas Carroll; Other Relatives: Cargill Hinsey, Leon Hinsey, Donte Spence and Justin Spence and numerous other relatives and friends. Viewing will be held in the Celestial Suite at Restview Memorial Mortuary and Crematorium Limited, Robinson and Soldier Roads, on Friday from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. and at the church on Saturday from 8:30 a.m. until service time.
PAGE 8, Friday, September 11, 2026
THE TRIBUNE
Moxey defends RBDF response despite family criticism By JADE RUSSELL Tribune Staff Reporter jrussell@tribunemedia.net ROYAL Bahamas Defence Force Commodore Floyd Moxey yesterday defended the force’s response to the plane crash that killed an American family of four, saying he was satisfied with its search and rescue efforts even though relatives ultimately found the victims themselves. The family was killed on Monday when their US-registered Piper PA-34 aircraft, N212ML, crashed in waters off North Andros while travelling from Great Harbour Cay to Opalocka, Florida. The victims were pilot Mario Lamar, his wife, Lili, and their grandchildren, Sofia Sosa and Christian Sosa. Their relatives found the victims near Red Bays, Andros, on Tuesday after organising their own search teams and appealing publicly for assistance amid frustration with the official response.
Commodore Moxey offered condolences to the family but said he was satisfied with the joint search involving the RBDF and its international partners. He said an aircraft belonging to one of the RBDF’s international partners had been within five nautical miles of the area where the plane was believed to have gone down on Monday, but was forced to retreat because of bad weather. The RBDF conducted aerial surveillance on Tuesday but did not locate the aircraft or its passengers. Relatives later found one of the victims. “A civilian — one of our own family members — was the person who located our loved one,” the family said, “and had to bring their deceased relative onto their own boat.” The family said at the time that neither Bahamian authorities nor the US Coast Guard was searching the waters. About an hour later,
ROYAL Bahamas Defence Force Commodore Floyd Moxey speaks with the media yesterday. Photo: Nikia Charlton relatives confirmed that the remaining passengers had also been found dead. The family credited relatives and Andros residents with assisting in
the search, but said family members ultimately located their loved ones and brought them aboard their own vessels. RBDF officials
appeared to respond to the criticism on Tuesday, saying an aerial search had been conducted for “a few” hours before receiving support from the US
Coast Guard. Commodore Moxey said RBDF personnel had also been aboard the family’s boat at some point during the search. He did not directly reject the family’s criticism, but stressed the force’s continuing efforts following the crash. The RBDF is still trying to locate the aircraft. The family, meanwhile, said it is working with the US Coast Guard to bring the victims’ bodies home and has asked for privacy as relatives mourn. Mr Lamar and his family had been returning home after spending their holiday at their vacation home in Great Harbour Cay. The 80-year-old pilot had more than four decades of flying experience and was also an attorney. Christian Sosa, 22, was a recent graduate who specialised in marketing and worked as a freelance photographer, according to his LinkedIn profile. Sofia Sosa, 28, worked as a neonatal physician assistant at a medical centre in Miami.
$300,000 patrol boat to target illegal charters By JADE RUSSELL Tribune Staff Reporter jrussell@tribunemedia.net A NEW nearly $300,000 patrol vessel will be used to target illegal charters, unlicensed vessels and other maritime offences as the government moves to tighten enforcement in a sector that generates more than $544m in revenue. The 36-foot Fluid Patrol Cabin 36 was dedicated yesterday at the Royal Bahamas Defence Force’s Harbour Patrol Unit for use by the Maritime Revenue Unit, which brings several government agencies together to enforce maritime laws, protect the country’s borders and collect revenue. Minister of Finance Michael Halkitis said the unit is addressing longstanding problems including illegal foreign charter operations, unregistered and unlicensed vessels and unpaid dock and vessel registration fees. Its operations have also led to seizures involving improperly imported vessel vehicles, contraband tobacco products and the illegal movement of heavy equipment. Director of the Maritime Revenue Unit Captain Bertram Bowleg said previous enforcement exercises have uncovered vessels that failed to clear Customs and Immigration, as well as illegal charter and fishing operations.
DIGNITARIES and officials gather at the Harbour Patrol Unit for the official dedication ceremony of the Fluid Patrol Cabin 36, a new 36-foot patrol vessel for the Ministry of Finance Maritime Revenue Unit. Photos: Nikia Charlton Some vessels were also found with illegal firearms and drugs. “Even some instances where we did land-based operations,” Captain Bowleg said, “drugs were found in homes, weapons were found in homes.” The government is intensifying enforcement of the maritime industry amid concerns over revenue losses. Mr Halkitis said the new vessel represents an investment in both border protection and revenue enforcement. “This vessel represents a critical investment in the protection of our maritime
borders,” he said, “and the strengthening of our national revenue systems.” Mr Halkitis said it also demonstrates the government’s determination to protect the country’s resources and ensure maritime commerce complies with national regulations. The vessel, valued at just under $300,000, can carry up to 20 people and has an operational load of 4,647lbs. It is powered by twin Mercury Marine 300 engines and has a 130-gallon fuel capacity. Members of the RBDF, Customs Department, Port Department and Immigration Department attended
yesterday’s dedication. Captain Bowleg said the Maritime Revenue Unit
was established in May 2023 and includes the Ministry of Finance, Royal Bahamas Police Force, RBDF, Immigration, Customs, Port Department, Department of Inland Revenue, Department of Marine Resources and National Insurance Board. He said its first revenue fortification exercise was conducted in Bimini during United States Independence Day celebrations and resulted in more than $10m being collected over several days. Captain Bowleg said subsequent exercises have generated millions of dollars in revenue. During the 2025/2026 Budget debate, the government tabled legislation formally establishing the Ministry of Finance’s Maritime Revenue Unit, which Prime Minister Philip “Brave” Davis said was already operating
within the ministry. The legislation was intended to strengthen oversight and enforcement of maritime activities, including the collection and management of revenue from areas such as mooring and licensing fees. Mr Davis said at the time that the measure would create greater uniformity in maritime regulation and ensure revenue is directed to Family Island local governments. Captain Bowleg said the Act has empowered the unit to coordinate during emergencies, conduct training, collect fines and penalties, enforce maritime laws and provide services including mooring management and base removal. He said the unit’s most recent port operation was conducted around February or March last year.
THE TRIBUNE
Friday, September 11, 2026, PAGE 9
Diane Phillips
Two who changed lives
both gone in one week and we weep for ourselves
ON the exterior they could not have been more different: she--almost-blonde, articulate, delicate of build, but strong of mind and voice, fiercely determined fighter through public speaking and the publishing world to shake up a world that slumbered in inequality among the sexes. He, a black man of average height, slight pouch, little interest in fashion, warm eyes that looked right into you, a fatherly figure, soft-spoken and kind. She was American, he was Bahamian, and though their paths probably never crossed, they were more alike than looks or lifestyle could have predicted. Her name was Gloria Steinem. He was Neville Wisdom. They both changed the world. And they both died this week, leaving the world a slightly sadder place for the loss, but in a better place for their having lived. Remembering Gloria Gloria Steinem was sheer inspiration. In a decade when men looked at brilliant women like Bella Abzug-who fought for equal rights--and dismissed much of what she said because she wasn’t physically attractive enough, Gloria was beautiful. She brought glamour to a movement that should have been accepted on its merit, but probably benefitted from her appeal. Men didn’t mind listening to her so long as she kept looking pretty. And she took that hook and ran with it – speaking her mind day after day, fighting for rights and equal pay, marching, holding placards and
drumming up support. When she started Ms. Magazine, she transformed publishing forever. Before GS and Ms., magazines for women featured recipes and tips on how to
of the women’s movement, head of the National Organization for Women (NOW) in my area. My then-husband led consciousness-raising groups for men in our living room. (He did have one or two good traits, may he rest in peace.) Gloria was an inspiration to all of us, and I shall never forget how she could motivate and inspire, as she did me. When
soft compared to the real heroes like Gloria Stenem, Bella Abzug, and Shirley Chisholm, who I had the privilege of introducing when she became the first black woman to run for the American presidency. They were the early heroes who paved the way for our female leaders of today – women like Leslia-Miller Brice and Pia Glover-Rolle and JoBeth Coleby-Davis and Lisa Rahming and Michaela Barnett-Ellis, any one
it so she didn’t get a whipping while watching for the boys who were chasing her from
but it was her relationship with the coach that was the glue that held her together throughout her life. I saw Pauline, my adopted daughter, minutes after she got the news. She was crying almost uncontrollably and collapsed into my arms. “I just talked to him for more than an hour last night,” she wept. “An hour. He never said anything … I didn’t know . . .how can this happen..my heart is so heavy now. I miss my Coach Dad. He made me believe that impossibly is not part of my vocabulary.”
AP Photos:Richard Drew and Harvey Georges, File Photo:Tribune File
bake the perfect chocolate cake or make the bed faster so you could have more time with the little ones. I look back and shudder at the thought that a new vacuum cleaner was once considered a luxury holiday present. The first cover of Ms. featured Wonder Woman flying through the air like Superman and the headline “Wonder Woman for President.” It dared to suggest that women earn money for housekeeping. I was an active member
she passed away last week at the age of 92, memories of how she inspired me to keep up the fight for equal rights came flooding back. Those were early days, days when the fight was often bitter and unrewarded, when we were jeered and booed and rejected, but we knew what we were fighting for was right and we didn’t give up. Paved the way for Pia and Leslia and a female PM one day soon I fought hard. I spoke up, but my voice was
of whom could one day be prime minister of The Bahamas. I wish I could have thanked Gloria, my inspiration, while she could have heard my voice and I would have reminded her of the day just talking about women’s rights took guts. You gave so much, you will never know. Oh, Neville, thank you for Pauline Two days after GS died, The Bahamas lost an unsung hero, Coach Neville Wisdom, the man who gave us Pauline Davis. What a team they were, the unassuming man who saw something in her and asked her family permission to train her. They must have approved or just didn’t bother to refuse and he began picking her up--with another prospective track athlete--in the dark, 4 or 5 in the morning, driving them to Goodman’s Bay, watching how they ran, coaching, constantly coaching. He had to do a lot to fix Pauline’s run. She had learned to run sideways, carrying buckets of water from the public pump in Bain Town home without spilling
My heart is so heavy. I miss my Coach Dad. He made me believe that “impossibly” is not part of my vocabulary. --Pauline Davis behind, eager for a quick grab if they could get it of this girl who developed too early. He fixed her run well enough for the youngster from the most humble beginnings to become the first in nearly every hurdle she climbed – the first Bahamian to bring home two Olympic Gold medals, the first black woman and first Bahamian to serve on the World Athletics Council, a post she maintains in an honorary status for life now. Her list of firsts and achievements is so long it demands a story of its own,
She was crying too hard to go on. I continued to hold her as he had held her in his heart, and she in his, a special place that only a few of us will ever have the privilege of fully feeling. Maybe, Pauline, he thought you were okay now. He would not have left you if he wasn’t sure you could manage on your own. Just remember him for what he gave you – the belief in yourself -- and those long runs on the beach before the sun ever rose.
Girl Scouts' first cookies for dogs will go on sale in January
THIS Aug. 19, 2026 image provided by Girl Scouts of the USA shows their cookies for dogs – dubbed Patch Pals. By DEE-ANN DURBIN AP Business Writer
Man's best friend is getting some love from the Girl Scouts. Girl Scouts of the USA said Tuesday its first cookies for dogs will go on sale in January. The blueberry muffin-flavored cookies were developed with Bark, a New York-based seller of dog treats and toys. The cookies, dubbed Patch Pals, will only be sold online. Also joining the Girl Scout cookie lineup in January are Sparkables, the
organization's first allergy-friendly cookie. The crunchy oatmeal cookie, which has chocolate chips and colored sprinkles, was developed with New Jersey-based Partake Foods. Sparkables are made in a facility designed to avoid nine major allergens, including eggs, milk, peanuts, wheat, tree nuts and sesame, the Girl Scouts said. They will also be sold online only. The Girl Scouts didn't say how much the new cookies will cost. Cookie prices vary by region, but typically ranged from about $6 to $7 per box.
Girl Scouts of the USA said the new cookies were inspired by scouts who wanted to ensure that more people – and pets – could participate in the cookie program. The Girl Scouts have sold cookies as a troop fundraiser since 1917. The organization now sells around 200 million cookies annually. Local dates vary, but the Girl Scout cookie season generally runs from January to April. Patch Pals and Sparkables will be sold alongside longtime flavors like Thin Mints, Samoas and Tagalongs.
PAGE 10, Friday, September 11, 2026
THE TRIBUNE
World News
Why Mexican cartels are increasingly using car bombs and other explosives By MARÍA VERZA Associated Press
MEXICO CITY (AP) — Drug cartels across Mexico are increasingly turning to car bombs, explosives-laden drones and improvised explosive devices, a trend that could further strain Mexico's already tense relationship with U.S. President Donald Trump, who has repeatedly threatened military action against the cartels. The latest incident occurred Sunday night outside a police station in Ojocaliente, a town in the north-central state of Zacatecas, about 360 miles (580 km) northwest of Mexico City. No one was killed, but the explosion of 200 kilograms (440 pounds) of explosives injured 11 people and damaged more than 60 homes in the city center, Mexico's security chief Omar García Harfuch said Friday during a visit to Zacatecas with President Claudia Sheinbaum. So far this year, Zacatecas has recorded 23 attacks involving explosives, including six involving cars or motorcycles packed with explosives, state Attorney General Cristian Paul Camacho said. The Jalisco New Generation Cartel, or CJNG, and the Sinaloa Cartel have
fought for years over control of Zacatecas. Here's what to know about why the car bombings are raising concern in Mexico, even though their scale remains far below the violence seen in countries such as Colombia. Car bombs are rare in Mexico but have been used in the past Victor Manuel Sánchez, a University of Coahuila professor who has tracked car bombings in Mexico in recent decades, said an early period of such violence included a 1994 attack in Guadalajara by the Tijuana Cartel targeting Sinaloa Cartel co-founder Ismael "El Mayo" Zambada, who was later convicted in the United States.ww More recently, he said the Jalisco New Generation Cartel has increasingly used explosives as it expands its reach across Mexico. Authorities have attributed two recent bombings in the centers of small cities to the group: one in Michoacán in December that killed five people and Sunday's attack outside a police station in Zacatecas. The CJNG is among the Mexican criminal organizations designated as foreign terrorist organizations by the Trump administration.
The use of explosives is relatively recent Mexican cartels began using explosives more extensively about five years ago, dropping POLICE stand outside a municipal police station damaged after a car bomb exploded overnight in Ojocaliente, them from Zacatecas state, Mexico, Monday, Aug. 31, 2026. drones to AP Photo/Eduardo Pesci attack security forces or rival groups "It is all a bad devel- also draw attention and can killed eight people and and burying explosive opment in Mexico," said be used to pressure author- wounded dozens. Three into negotiations, years later, gunmen set devices in the ground to Vanda Felbab-Brown, an ities organized crime expert at particularly when criminal fire to a casino in northern defend or control territory. In 2023, roadway bombs the Brookings Institution, groups feel under siege. Mexico, killing 52 people. planted by drug cartels in a U.S. think tank. "We are The Trump administraCalling it cartel violence, the western Jalisco state facing steady intensification tion's designation of eight not terrorism killed six people and injured of violence," she said. "This Mexico has long resisted Mexican cartels as foreign another 14. A month later, certainly greatly intensifies terrorist organizations — the military acknowledged the atmosphere of fear and describing cartel violence and its use of that framework as terrorism, in part because the growing threat and retaliation." Sheinbaum said Friday of concerns that the desig- to justify military action — released its first figures, has made the terminology saying it had seized about that the nationwide decline nation could invite foreign in killings was clear evi- intervention and hurt more consequential, particu2,800 explosive devices dence that the government tourism and investment, Fel- larly as the legality of such nationwide over the previstrategy against cartels was bab-Brown said. actions is challenged in the ous 4 1/2 years. working. Another official argument United States and abroad. The following year, is that terrorism generally Pérez Ricart cautioned authorities deactivated Car bombs to spread fear involves political or ideo- against applying counnearly 3,200 explosive Experts say cartels use car logical aims, while cartels devices in Michoacán state bombs to intimidate rivals are primarily motivated by terterrorism strategies to organized crime. "The alone. In 2025, an explo- and authorities, pressure the profit. answer to terrorism is sive device there killed government and spread fear Still, civilians have been the disappearance of the eight soldiers in one of the among civilians. deliberately targeted. In deadliest such incidents in Carlos Pérez Ricart, an 2008, grenades thrown into enemy," he said, while in the Mexico. Authorities have international studies pro- crowds celebrating Inde- drug trade the adversary is not released more recent fessor at Mexico's CIDE pendence Day in Morelia, not simply an armed group university, said car bombs the capital of Michoacán, but an entire illegal market. nationwide figures.
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Friday, September 11, 2026, PAGE 11
Entangled Islands: Ireland and the Caribbean STUDENTS of Xavier’s Lower School participated in a cultural exchange celebrating the historical connections between Ireland, The Bahamas and the wider Caribbean. Ireland’s Ambassador to The Bahamas John Concannon and National Art Gallery of The Bahamas photographer Ridge Alcira delivered remarks, while four-time World Champion Irish dancer Kait Rock joined students for a traditional Irish dance demonstration. The event formed part of activities surrounding the opening of “Entangled Islands: Ireland & The Caribbean.” Photos: Shawn Hanna
PAGE 12, Friday, September 11, 2026
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Candlelight vigil honours UB student Daphaney Maxine
FAMILY, friends, teammates and schoolmates gathered for a candlelight vigil last night to remember Daphaney Maxine, a 20-year-old University of The Bahamas nursing student and athlete from Abaco who was found unresponsive in her university dorm. Those attending shared memories of Ms Maxie as they mourned her death and comforted one another. Photos: Nikia Charlton