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Volume:114 No.205, SEPTEMBER 15TH, 2017

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WEEKEND: OF GROWING UP ONADIPISCINING RAGGED ISLAND LOREM IPSUMMEMORIES DOLOR SIT AMET, CONSECTUTUR

RIHANNA ROCKS NYC Pages 14&15

Magical mem ories

Growing up on Ragged Island Interview,

pages 4&5

double

ta forever across allda plans

Income tax is NOT ruled out bealiv.com

from Septe mber 1, our plans are bette r than ever switch now and get doub le data forev er

Turnquest: IMF advice an option

By NEIL HARTNELL Tribune Business Editor nhartnell@tribunemedia.net THE Government has not ruled out implementing an income tax, the Deputy Prime Minister revealing yesterday: “We have to consider all options.”

K P Turnquest, who is also minister of finance, told Tribune Business there had been no internal discussions within the Ministry of Finance or wider government to-date on the possibility of introducing an income tax in The Bahamas.

DEPUTY Prime Minister K Peter Turnquest

He added, though, that the Minnis administration had “taken note” of this week’s recommendation by the International Monetary Fund (IMF) that it should consider a low-rate income tax to replace revenue that will be lost as import duty rates fall.

The Fund also suggested it would be a fairer form of taxation, and Mr Turnquest yesterday said that the Government wanted a tax system that was “progressive rather than regressive” to relieve the burden on lower income Bahamians.

“Certainly, we have to consider all options,” he said of the IMF’s income tax recommendation.

“However, to date no such discussion has been had by the Government, and we’ve not had that internal discussion in the Ministry of Finance. We take note of the recommendation by the IMF, and as we go forward we will be looking at adaptations that are necessary due to changes in trade patterns and international trade agreements.”

FULL STORY - SEE BUSINESS

RESIDENTS express their concern over styrofoam floating in the ocean in Bimini yesterday. See page 12 for more styrofoam pollution photographs.

Photo: Terrel W. Carey/Tribune Staff

STYROFOAM PROTEST AS RESORT WORLD CLOSES

By RICARDO WELLS Tribune Staff Reporter rwells@tribunemedia.net

RESORTS World Bimini operators have explained the temporary closure of the luxury resort in the wake of Hurricane Irma, insisting the extensive damage to the property’s marina is too “big a blow” to

address on the fly.

In interviews with the press Thursday, executives of both the resort and its development company contended that an immediate return to full operation was their main focus, but admitted issues being examined could result in a longer closure period.

Missy Lawrence, Resorts World Bimini president,

in an interview suggested the resort could re-open as early as September 27, but indicated that deadline depends on the resort’s ability to overcome “a lot of hurdles” in the interim.

The resort’s marina was extensively damaged by Hurricane Irma last week.

Mounds of Styrofoam were left floating in the ocean

near the floating dock as a result of the storm.

“We are trying really hard to get back to work. As I was telling the prime minister, we have a couple of goals. One, is to make sure the building is safe and everywhere we bring people in is safe,” Mrs Lawrence said.

SEE PAGE FIVE

CODE VIOLATIONS ADDED IRMA INSURANCE COVER TO HURRICANE DAMAGE ‘COLOSSAL WASTE’ - DAVIS

NASSAU

By DENISE MAYCOCK Tribune Staff Reporter dmaycock@tribunemedia.net

• • •

LRG. 1-TOPPING PIZZA 8 WINGS 2L PEPSI

PRIME Minister Dr Hubert Minnis expressed grave concern over the lack of enforcement of proper building codes in the con-

struction of houses that were severely damaged by a tornado in a Freeport subdivision.

Dr Minnis also said the government was successful in its hurricane response in SEE PAGE THREE

By AVA TURNQUEST Tribune Chief Reporter aturnquest@tribunemedia.net OPPOSITION Leader Phillip Davis yesterday called the $2.8m premium paid by the government to renew its Caribbean Ca-

25

$

(INCL. VAT)

SAUNDERS BEACH & PRINCE CHARLES SHOPPING CENTRE

TEL: 603-3333 | www.pizzahutnassau.com

Nassau & Bahama Islands’ Leading Newspaper

tastrophe Risk Insurance Facility policy a “colossal waste”.

Mr Davis told The Tribune the Minnis administration should have listened to its technical staff before SEE PAGE FIVE

PAGE 2, Friday, September 15, 2017

SOME of the damage to homes in Grand Bahama as seen yesterday.

THE TRIBUNE

Photos: Terrel W. Carey/Tribune Staff

THE TRIBUNE

Friday, September 15, 2017, PAGE 3

Tornado sounded like a 747 crashing

By RASHAD ROLLE Tribune Staff Reporter rrolle@tribunemedia.net THE sound heading his way was so forceful that Albert Rolle thought a plane was about to crash near his Grand Bahama home.

When he went to check, he was blown back inside, not by a plane but by the force of a tornado that roared though his house.

He has been left with many of his material possessions damaged or destroyed and with no food or means of transportation, he told Prime Minister Dr Hubert Minnis and the media yesterday.

The members of the government delegation there to assess Hurricane Irma’s damage struggled to find their footing in his house with items strewn all around.

The tornado – a minor one, according to Chief Meteorological Officer Arnold King – inflicted significant damage to a handful of the homes in the Imperial Park area of the island when it struck there Sunday.

Mr Rolle was with his 87-year-old mother at the time. The pair emerged uninjured, although Ms Rolle is said to have some lingering arm pain after using her arms to hold up the ceiling falling on her in their bathroom.

When Mr Rolle tried to get to his feet, he was knocked out by falling debris, he said, awaking later to see his roof gone.

“I heard like a 747 jumbo jet coming over for a crash landing,” the retiree said.

“I said, ‘what crash landing (when) the airport over there?’ It was dark and gloomy. I opened (the door) and looked around and I didn’t see anything (the first time). When I cracked that door (a second time), it bust me back. I tried to get back up (but) something fell, hit

ONE of the properties in Imperial Park, Grand Bahama, damaged by a tornado. me in my head and I blackout.”

Pointing Dr Minnis toward barely traversable areas of his house yesterday, Mr Rolle said: “Before you go, look through that area.

Please look so you could see what I been through.

Turn left. I want y’all see every corner of it. Don’t leave no stone unturned.”

Mr Rolle has been staying at the Royal Islander Hotel since the tornado made his house unlivable.

His time there ends on Saturday, however.

Grand Bahama Minister of State Kwasi Thompson said the Ministry of Social Services will put him and his mother in an apartment for several months.

Near Mr Rolle’s house, Ernestine McPhee spoke of a structure that suffered less severe damage, though she was critical of the way government institutions responded to their plight in the wake of the tornado.

“What is the purpose for NEMA?” she asked Dr Minnis. “Are they there to assist, to help you? Because

when they came Sunday it was just paper work and not one person offered to lift anything. I’m here a single mother with a double amputee son, I was not impressed with NEMA and I think they need some training in how to help people in these types of emergencies.

“I never gave so much information - (to) the police, NEMA, Social Services, so many different people. I was getting irritated. I think in emergencies we don’t need that,” Ms McPhee complained.

Photo: Terrel W. Carey/Tribune Staff “(Ministry of) Health was not there the way I thought it should’ve been,” she said. “It’s almost a week now and nobody still came to even assist and bring a trailer so we could put the battered things on it. I’m trying to secure it.”

Ms McPhee said she has homeowner’s insurance, however, and was hopeful she could get enough of a payout to repair her damaged roof.

She submitted claims last year in the wake of Hurricane Matthew as well.

“Would it be possible for NEMA or somebody to give me a generator please?” she asked Dr Minnis.

“We’ll check because you know there’s a demand for the whole country,” he told her.

She said her son uses insulin and it must be kept cool.

Dr Minnis’ delegation also travelled to Bimini yesterday, an island that was also hit with a tornado on Sunday as Hurricane Irma churned towards Florida.

CODE VIOLATIONS ADDED TO HURRICANE DAMAGE from page one terms of evacuations of affected areas, but said a few errors were made. He pledged that in the future, things will be done better.

The prime minister and several members of his Cabinet traveled to the northern Bahamas on Thursday, first stopping in Bimini and then in Grand Bahama to inspect the damage caused

by Hurricane Irma.

He arrived in Freeport around noon, first stopping in the Imperial Park Subdivision where five homes were extensively damaged last Sunday. He also went to a house on Tamarind Street, and to the Imperial Gardens Apartment Building on East Beach Drive.

After talking with the affected homeowners and assessing the damage, Dr Minnis spoke with the media at the Pelican Bay Resort.

He said he and his team had observed that the hurricane straps in the damaged homes at Imperial Park had not been properly installed.

“Most importantly here in Grand Bahama, we viewed the area that was struck by the tornado and what was most evident is that a lot of the hurricane straps were not placed in properly. There were places in some straps for three nails, and only one was in place.”

He also reported that they had observed issues with the trusses as well.

“When we viewed and looked at the trusses we noticed that some might have been four inches thick and others were two inches thick,” Dr Minnis said.

“So what that points out to me is that we possibly have excellent (building)

codes, but our enforcement is not in place; we must improve on our inspection, and that is very serious.

“And it was essential for the Leader of Her Majesty’s Opposition (Philip ‘Brave’ Davis) to be here with us because he also noted the same problems. We came together as a team to move forward and to improve the infrastructure of our facilities,” the nation’s leader said.

Minister of Social Services and Urban Development Lanisha Rolle, Minister of Health Dr Duane Sands, Minister of Financial Services, Trade and Industry and Immigration Brent Symonette, Minister of Transport and Local Government Frankie Campbell, Minister of Tourism, Aviation and Bahamasair Dionisio D’Aguilar, State Minister for Grand Bahama Kwasi Thompson, and Grand Bahama MPs Michael Pintard, minister of youth, sports and culture; Pakesia Parker-Edgecombe, Fredrick McAlpine, and Iram Lewis, and various government department heads and officials, and the president of the Bahamas Christian Council Bishop Delton Fernander accompanied the prime minister in Grand Bahama.

In Bimini, Dr Minnis stated that they also noticed some damage to docks, homes, and foam floating in the water.

“Those are matters that we must investigate and see what may have contributed to it so that those events would not occur again,” he said.

“All of us will work together with NEMA; we have one job, and one purpose and that is to improve the lives of Bahamians and improve the quality of life

of Bahamians.

“It is a learning experience, and whoever is in power would have the responsibility to ensure that enforcements are there, and whoever is in power it is essential that they too know what are the issues so we can correct them moving forward.”

He stressed the importance of teamwork between the government, opposition, and various government agencies and department in times of natural disaster.

“What this has demonstrated is once we work together as a team we could make it happen,” he said.

‘Who would have thought as a team that The Bahamas as small as we are would succeed in evacuating individuals from throughout The Bahamas by airlift?

It’s never been done before, and we were first to go down in history to be successful.

“We would have made a few errors, and we would have noted that some things could have been done better, and believe me as we

move forward, it would be done better. And working together we will most certainly have a much powerful, strong, beautiful Bahamas,” he said.

On Monday, Dr Minnis

began his tour of the hurricane damaged areas in the southern islands of The Bahamas, which were hardest hit by Irma. He ended his tour with visits to Bimini and Grand Bahama.

Memorial Service

A memorial service for

EUGENE Winton PALACIOUS "Palash", will be held at

Christ the King Anglican Church, (Ridgeland Park West) on Friday 15th September at 6 pm

PAGE 4, Friday, September 15, 2017

THE TRIBUNE

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Pope criticises climate change doubters POPE Francis has sharply criticised climate change doubters, saying history will judge those who failed to take the necessary decisions to curb heat-trapping emissions blamed for the warming of the Earth.

Francis was asked about climate change and the spate of hurricanes that have pummeled the US, Mexico and the Caribbean recently as his charter plane left Colombia on Sunday and flew over some of the devastated areas.

“Those who deny this must go to the scientists and ask them. They speak very clearly,” he said, referring to experts who blame global warming on manmade activities.

Francis said scientists have also clearly charted what needed to be done to reverse course on global warming and said individuals and politicians had a “moral responsibility” to do their part.

“These aren’t opinions pulled out of thin air. They are very clear,” he said.

“Then they (leaders) decide and history will judge those decisions.”

Francis has made caring for the environment a hallmark of his papacy, writing an entire encyclical about how the poor in particular are most harmed when multinationals move into exploit natural resources. During his visit to Colombia, Francis spoke out frequently about the need to preserve the country’s rich biodiversity from overdevelopment and exploitation.

For those who have denied climate change, or delayed actions to counter it, he responded with an Old Testament saying: “Man is stupid.”

“When you don’t want to see, you don’t see,” he said.

Environmentalists sue to close coal mine More than 80 miners could be laid off from a central Montana coal mine in coming months after environmentalists successfully sued to halt its expansion, according to mine owner Signal Peak Energy.

US District Judge Donald Molloy last month blocked the company’s plans to mine a 176-million-ton federal coal reserve adjacent to the mine. Molloy criticised government officials for downplaying the mine’s potential climate change impacts and inflating its economic benefits.

Signal Peak President Bradley Hanson said in a court affidavit filed Monday that about 30 employees at the Bull Mountain mine north of Billings could run out of work by the end of October and another 50 workers could run out of work by next March.

The layoffs could be avoided if Molloy allows preliminary work within the federal leases to continue while the case is pending, Hanson said in the affidavit.

The affidavit was included in a request for the judge to modify his Aug. 14 in-

junction blocking the expansion.

A representative of one of the groups that sued to stop the expansion said Wednesday it would oppose the company’s request.

“There are fires burning across the state. There are super-hurricanes (in the Gulf of Mexico). Climate change is here, it’s now, it’s real,” said Anne Hedges with the Montana Environmental Information Centre. “We cannot continue to say we are going to ignore those impacts.”

Signal Peak faced a similar dilemma last year when state officials rejected a permit for the mine. The move came after Hedges’ group said mining would have long-term effects on underground water supplies used by farmers and ranchers in the area.

Layoffs were avoided when the two sides reached a deal that allowed mining to continue. But Hedges said the company subsequently failed to address the water quality issues and she now regrets the deal.

Attorneys for Signal Peak did not immediately return telephone messages seeking comment.

The preliminary work proposed by the company would remove about 170,000 tons of coal, which Hanson said could be stockpiled pending completion of an additional analysis of the expansion that Molloy had ordered.

“We believe that we can avoid the impacts that prompted the court’s order and, at the same time, preserve the jobs and the economic value of this mine,” Hanson said in the affidavit.

If the case drags on until 2019, Hanson said as many as 160 of the mine’s approximately 250 workers could face layoffs.

In his injunction order, Molloy said the Interior Department’s Office of Surface Mining must consider the environmental effects of shipping the fuel to customers in Asia and the greenhouse gases and other pollutants emitted when the fuel is burned to generate electricity.

Federal mining officials had claimed there would be no additional environmental impacts from burning more coal from Bull Mountain because its customers would simply go somewhere else if the expansion were not approved.

Courts in Colorado and Montana previously have issued similar rulings about greenhouse gas emissions from mine expansions. In those cases, the expansions ultimately were allowed to proceed following further environmental reviews.

Bull Mountain is a major employer in central Montana. As much as 95 per cent of its coal has been exported in past years, to South Korea, Japan and the Netherlands, according to court filings in the case.

By Matthew Brown of the Associated Press

Ragged Island will rebuild EDITOR, The Tribune.

THE people of Ragged Island and its descendants will not abandon their home in it’s time of need.

Many have seen the pictures and the videos that have come from the island, which are devastating. In the wake of Hurricane Irma a massive cleanup has to be undertaken, and there will have to be a period of rebuilding. Ragged Island has withstood the test of time for hundreds of years and will continue to do so.

Where are the mobile homes that Island Luck and Sebas Bastian donated after Hurricane Joaquin in 2015?

Is it not possible for some emergency housing to be sent there to house essential persons to help with the clean up? Once the clean up has been carried out, people will return to their properties. They will repair

or rebuild with assistance from the government or by the sweat of their brow.

There is no possibility of Ragged Island being depopulated. I read with dismay the comments that suggested that it was too expensive or too much work to rebuild the island. We will prove the naysayers wrong.

Like a phoenix from the ashes, Duncan Town, Ragged Island will rise again.

Many do not know the historical significance of our island. They may not know that our ancestors have plied the seas for generations trading salt with Cuba and Haiti and returning with produce and rum to sell in New Providence, or that Horace A. Wilson, my Great-Great Grandfather, was the first agent for Bacardi in the Bahamas.

They may not know that Cuban MIG fighter jets flew over and fired their guns at

Duncan Town, and sank the HMBS Flamingo in its waters during the Cuban Incident on 10 May 1980.

The Ragged Island Range has produced many notable Bahamians. Families from there make up the strong fabric of the Bahamas. Family names like Bridgewater, Curling, Hepburn, Lockhart, Maycock, Moxey, Munroe, Pintard, Wallace, Wilson and others spring from that rock. We may not be a huge number of people but we are powerful and determined, and when we are of one mind; there is no stopping us.

‘We are out to build a new Ragged Island, So come on now there’s work to be done.’ Please help us to rebuild our island or politely move out of the way.

NATALYIA WALLACE Nassau, September 13, 2017.

Living in Dirty Gulch EDITOR,The Tribune.

AS a young boy growing up in the 1980’s, I absolutely loved watching Sesame Street.

One of my favourite pastimes was running home from school in time to catch my favourite programme, back in the glory days of ZNS and analog television, when TV would sign on at exactly 4pm.

Sesame Street is undoubtedly one of the greatest, if not, the greatest children’s educational programmes in the history of television.

For almost fifty years, this staple of PBS have taught generations of children, myself included, basic fundamentals of learning to help them succeed in life, as well as provide good laughs.

Sesame Street taught a young me many things that have stuck with me to this day.

Besides the usual ABC’s and 123’s and how to recognise shapes and colours, I also learned many important life lessons: sharing and being kind to others.

Why you shouldn’t waste water. Look both ways before crossing the street, and only with trusted people from your family. Wash your hands before you eat, and always cover your mouth and nose when you cough and sneeze to avoid spreading germs.

Sesame Street was extremely creative in the way it got its message across to its young audience, usually with animation, beautiful and memorable songs (that many of us who grew up

LETTERS letters@tribunemedia.net watching still sing to this day, admit it), and with humorous skits with its world famous Muppets. Who can forget Kermit the Frog and his often hilarious “lessons”, which were almost always interrupted by either Cookie Monster or Grover?

One particular Muppet skit that I now find myself remembering was one about littering. Set in the Old Wild West in the days of cowboys and Indians, the skit, titled “Dirty Gulch”, serves as a cautionary tale.

It starts with an old, bearded cowpoke sitting on the steps of the General Store, observing the residents of Dirty Gulch as they go about their day. As they do, they throw all of their trash on the ground, without a care in the world.

Disgusted, the old cowpoke shakes his head, then begins to sing: “There used to be an old town out on the Western Plains...

They called it “Dirty Gulch! And this how it got its name...”

Eventually,the town became so dirty that the townspeople couldn’t help but notice. They decried that it was “the yuckiest place that I have ever seen!”

Yet despite this, they continued to litter and dump without a care. Finally, a heroic sheriff, named McClean (pun obviously intended) arrived, riding on a cow (because Sesame

Street), and began cleaning up the filthy town – whilst encouraging the townspeople to do the same, and to keep it clean. Soon, Dirty Gulch had to change its name.

Flash forward to 2017, and the fictional, Old West town of Dirty Gulch has, sadly, become reality. Nassau has become “The Dirtiest Town In The West.”

That’s putting it mildly.

Nassau, and nearly all of New Providence, is filthy.

Like the residents of Dirty Gulch, Nassauvians throw their garbage anywhere and everywhere except in garbage bins. They toss their trash out of car windows.

They dump rubbish in any open space. Not even the beaches are safe.

Much like the people of Dirty Gulch, Nassauvians complain about the trash and dirt, but do next to nothing about it.

Dirty Gulch’s problem was solved by a bovine riding crusader who not only rolled up his sleeves and got to cleaning, but encouraged the residents to do their part as well.

Sadly, there are no Sheriff McCleans coming to save this modern day Dirty Gulch called Nassau. We must each decide to become our own McCleans, rather than relying on outsiders to do it for us. Until we break free of our apathy, Nassau will remain “The Dirtiest Town In The West”.

CONCERNED CITIZEN Nassau, September 14, 2017.

THE TRIBUNE

Friday, September 15, 2017, PAGE 5

Styrofoam protest as Resort World closes from page one She added: “Environmentally, of course, we are deeply concerned just like everyone else is deeply concerned, and if you go out there today you will see my minimal team that I have here is trying to do everything that they can do to help with the remediation and then the RAV team has been instrumental in putting some buoy curtains out there to stop the pull out and we are 100 per cent concerned.

“I think September 27 is a goal date. We have a lot of hurdles to overcome. Not necessarily in this building as you can see, water intrusion here was not too bad, we have to do some mould remediation because it got warm.

“We have to get supplies back, frankly our fresh supplies are ruined. Everything spoiled. We were without electricity for a while and we can’t bring employees back until that change is corrected and we can feed them and house them correctly.”

Additionally, Rafael Reyes, president of RAV

RAFAEL REYES, president of RAV Bahamas Bahamas, Resorts World Bimini’s developer, said the resort is in the process of assessing the property.

Mr Reyes stated: “Sometimes things appear like they are fine and then when you dig into it a little bit further, you realise that there (are) other integrity issues that need to be addressed.

So we are in the process of doing that now.”

The government conducted a tour of Bimini and the Resorts World property yesterday to ascertain the extent of damage on that island.

Tourism Minister Dionisio D’Aguilar, who was present for the tour, said he was concerned at the level of damage, but said he was hopeful that operators could resolve their matters in a timely manner.

“It is concerning but I understand why,” Mr D’Aguilar told reporters when questioned about the resort’s closure.

He added: “Obviously it is concerning that it is going to take as long to open up, however, they have to do their assessments. They have to receive substantial damage to their docks.

They are a boating hotel primarily. They are one and a half hours from Miami.

“A lot of people like to come there on their pleasure yachts, park and come in and take advantage of the hotel. So they probably feel until they get that component of their product up and running and fully operational it is probably better for them to stay close and sort that problem out first.”

Resorts World commissioned its 305 room Hilton resort in early 2016, capping off its mega weekend, casino getaway resort scheme.

DAMAGE in Bimini, above and below.

Photos: Terrel W. Carey/Tribune Staff

‘ALLOW PETS TO BE TAKEN TO HURRICANE SHELTERS IN FUTURE’

BAHAMAS Humane Society’s general manager Percy Grant hopes Bahamians will one day be allowed to take their pets with them to hurricane shelters.

As Hurricane Harvey headed toward Texas last month, images and stories emerged of people travelling to shelters with their pets in tow, refusing to leave their animals behind. Bahamians evacuating southern islands this month and New Providence residents staying at shelters couldn’t do the same when Hurricane Irma hit.

“I’m looking forward to a time when people can take their animals with them to shelters designed to allow it,” Mr Grant said. “During Hurricane Katrina, lots of people died because they didn’t want to leave their pets. As people become more sensitive about animal rights, they are gravitating to the things that are loyal to them like their animals.”

Despite a ways yet to go,

Mr Grant described a country that is evolving in how it cares for animals faced with threatening storms.

“This time, what was unique is because of the attention paid to the Humane Society by the government for the first time, people responded well,” he said. “We were fully involved. We were invited to emergency meetings at the prime minister’s office and because of the awareness that was created we had to turn away so many people because we only could take in so many pets.”

More than 100 animals, brought by their owners, stayed at the Humane Society during Hurricane Irma, including about six belonging to residents who evacuated the southern islands.

This was on top of the organiasation’s normal population.

“You could imagine how tight we were,” Mr Grant said.

“I think Bahamians have

now said, ‘what are we going to do with our animals?’

The sensitivity is different now. People are accepting, saying ‘I love my dog, I love my cat and I don’t want anything to happen to them.’”

Now, the Humane Society is working with the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) and the Veterinarian Association to complete assessments of islands like Ragged Island and Acklins which were hardest hit by Irma. They have already got food supplies for animals to them.

In the case of Ragged Island, from which Prime Minister Dr Hubert Minnis has urged residents to evacuate until it can be rebuilt, Mr Grant said the Humane Society is open to conducting a mass evacuation of animals that remain on the island.

“Is anyone going to be there to feed the animals?” he asked.

“Food has already been

IRMA INSURANCE COVER ‘COLOSSAL WASTE’ - DAVIS from page one renewing the tropical cyclone policy, and scoffed at reports the government intended to renegotiate the payouts from the Caribbean disaster insurance facility.

“It’s just a mad shop folly,” he said, “when you ignore historical facts and good advice. You should have listened to your technical staff. And you don’t pay and then re-negotiate, where is that done? You negotiate and come to an agreement that’s favourable in the first instance, and then you pay.”

Mr Davis continued: “(Prime Minister Dr Hubert) Minnis claimed that we missed getting a payout for Matthew. We still (disagree with that statement).

He said he would table the letter (from CCRIF), he hasn’t done it yet. What we left in place, which was still open (with CCRIF), was our agitation about how unfair the process was, particularly for the Bahamas.

“This year for the first time they introduced (the ADC), and what that is, is if you are a member and they see that you had losses they’ll give you some pennies. Irma didn’t trigger the policy at all,” he said.

“This is a colossal waste and you get $234,000 and you bragging on that.”

K Peter Turnquest, the deputy prime minister and minister of finance, told Tribune Business on Wednesday the government wanted to revise the payout “trigger points” with the CCRIF by dividing the Bahamas into zones, to maximise the potential insurance payout following a major hurricane.

CCRIF announced on Tuesday that it would make a total of US$29.6m to six Caribbean governments affected by Hurricane Irma under their TC policies, with the Bahamas and Haiti receiving payments as a result of a new feature.

The new feature, Aggregate Deductible Cover (ADC), was introduced in

this policy year as a means to help members when modelled losses do not trigger a payout despite observed losses on the ground, the statement explained.

According to CCRIF, the Bahamas will receive US$234,000.

Mr Davis said: “The first thing you want to remember is that this CCRIF, that was started in 2007 and we used to pay around $900,000 in premium. We realised its threshold to receive any benefits were such that we could never ever benefit.

Once that realisation came to the fore, we had a committee formed by our government that included the Met Office people, finance people, the port people, and a couple other agencies to review this whole thing to determine whether it was prudent to continue.”

He added: “They said it was not prudent to continue, because of the nature of our country it’s very unlikely that we’ll ever be able to benefit from the insurance, hence we discontinued.”

deployed there. There are plans for the southern islands but I want the Vet As-

sociation to be involved to inoculate and give booster shots. If nobody will be

there, then whatever is left we’ll try to get them off the islands.”

Career Opportunity Scotiabank (Bahamas) Limited is seeking the services of a

Real Estate Manager – North Caribbean Position Summary: The Real Estate Manager is responsible for ensuring that projects are completed in accordance with the Bank’s plans and requirements within approved budgets and established schedules, as well as for developing and applying facilities management services for the Bank’s premises. He/she will be required to work closely with Architects, Consultants, Contractors, Landlords, Developers, Authorities having Jurisdiction, Legal Counsel, Real Estate Brokers and Appraisers, Asset and/or Property Managers, Local/Regional and Executive Offices, Business Support and Branch Management. He/she will be required to source, cultivate and manage a network of internal/external contacts to determine industry trends in order to provide timely information and recommendations to senior management. This role is based in The Bahamas but requires travel to other assigned countries.

Key Accountabilities for this role: • • • • • •

At least 5 years of real estate experience.

Strong construction management knowledge and experience.

Demonstrated expertise in project management for real estate projects.

Strong facilities management knowledge.

Engineering or architectural background would be considered an asset.

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®Trademark of The Bank of Nova Scotia, used under licence (where applicable).

PAGE 6, Thursday, September 14, 2017

THE TRIBUNE

Mitchell: No impropriety in foreign missions

By KHRISNA RUSSELL Deputy Chief Reporter krussell@tribunemedia.net

FORMER Minister of Foreign Affairs Senator Fred Mitchell.

FORMER Foreign Affairs and Immigration Minister Fred Mitchell was adamant yesterday there was no “legal impropriety” committed by anyone the day after audits noted there had been “excessive” overtime pay and “exorbitant” spending at some Bahamas embassies and foreign missions in various countries.

Several audit reports were tabled in the House of Assembly on Wednesday looking into operations of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ offices abroad highlighting apparent loose protocols.

“I am laughing my head off at the nonsense and the preoccupation with matters that are de minimis in the larger scheme of the issues we face, looking for dirt where none is to be found and in the process sullying the names of good people,” Senator Mitchell said in a statement yesterday, after he was asked to respond to the findings of the audits.

“The matters in the auditor general’s report are all matters for the technical officers to explain. Ministers don’t approve overtime for drivers or bills for events.

Assuming, for example, that the figure is correct, overtime of $46,000 over three years, the auditor general will have to show why that is even worthy of note.”

He continued: “My advice to date is that there is no legal impropriety on the part of the driver or the ambassador or anyone else for

that matter.

“I am advised also that all of these matters in the report were put to the permanent secretary who has now decamped to the United Nations in a new job, prior to her leaving for New York. It is for her to explain and the present minister.

“I am advised also that there were answers provided by her to the satisfaction of the auditor general.

I would suggest to you also that the auditor general’s report is simply a snap shot of what he saw on the day he visited and matters could easily have been explained and resolved afterwards.”

An audit of the Bahamas Embassy in Washington, DC said the ambassador’s chauffeur was paid $46,883.13 in overtime during a three-year period from 2014 to 2016 and at the Bahamas Consulate General’s office in DC the messenger/driver received overtime amounting to $21,534.92.

Auditors said at the same embassy in DC, officials paid a company $22,484 for an event, but the entity did not perform the duties which were agreed upon.

“During our review, we noted that the Embassy of the Bahamas, Washington DC, executed an agreement for service to be provided by an entity,” Auditor General Terrence Bastian said in an audit conducted for the period January 1, 2014 to June 30, 2016.

House Speaker Halson Moultrie tabled the reports in the House of Assembly.

“The event was scheduled to take place on August 3, 2013. Retainer fees

in the amount of $22,484 was paid.

“The entity did not perform the duties as agreed; hence a demand letter raised in 2013 seeking a refund.”

Mr Bastian recommended the ministry refer the matter to the Attorney General’s office in order to pursue legal options.

The audit further made note of the approval of $68,600 to pay educational allowance to an officer.

While at the time of the review, the cheque had already been issued to the officer, Mr Bastian said receipts confirming payment of school fees were not provided.

It also noted a security deposit for a residential rental for an officer of $3,800 had not been returned, despite the officer executing a new lease on a residence in the amount of $4,250 monthly.

And at the Permanent Mission to the United Nations New York, over a period of two years July 2014 to June 2015 and July 2015 to June 2016 a total of $28,291.34 was spent to accommodate the hosting of diplomatic and promotional events including receptions to colleges and universities attended by Bahamians.

Auditors also had challenges confirming whether long distance phone calls were official or private.

They made the same observation regarding telephone calls for phones attached to the Bahamas Consulate General Office in New York, at embassies in Port-au-Prince, Haiti and in Havana, Cuba.

HENFIELD: HAND SPY BILL TO HUMAN RIGHTS ASSOCIATION

By RASHAD ROLLE Tribune Staff Reporter rrolle@tribunemedia.net SENATOR Ranard Henfield, head of the We March protest movement, is urging the Minnis administration to give the Grand Bahama Human Rights Association power over the so-called “Spy Bill” before having it tabled in Parliament.

Attorney Fred Smith, head of the GBHRA, has called the Interceptions of Communications Bill a “political suicide bill”.

“I personally haven’t seen the Bill but I’ve discussed it with the deputy prime minister and Fred Smith,” Mr Henfield said yesterday.

“I take the Grand Bahama Human Rights Association’s lead because they’ve been concerned about it.

During my meeting with the Deputy Prime Minister (K Peter Turnquest), I requested that rather than have the Bill tabled, provide it to the GBHA and let them take lead with it.

If they have an issue with it they would express it properly and make recommendations. The deputy prime minister seemed receptive to that and he will speak with the attorney general about it.”

Earlier this year, The Tribune revealed how the Christie administration quietly tabled the Interception of Communications Bill in

February.

After pushback, the Bill was withdrawn.

The We March movement came out strongly against the Christie administration’s Bill.

“If they pass this Bill, we won’t ever be able to organise another march or protest,” the group said earlier this year.

However, a planned protest against the Bill was cancelled after it was pulled.

In response to the Bill’s revocation, Mr Henfield, in a Facebook post, said in February: “While this may seem like a victory for all of us that spoke up, stood up and are prepared to march, let us not for a moment think the government will not try and bring this Bill up again before elections or after elections if they win.

Stay ready to apply even more pressure if they refuse to take our suggestions and amendments over the next few days.”

Critics have said the We March organisation is aligned with the FNM. Its response to the controversial communications Bill will likely be compared to how it handled the Progressive Liberal Party’s decision to propose the bill.

The legislation proposed by the Christie administration sought to create a “single legal framework” that would have allowed

the commissioner of police to obtain a warrant from a judge to intercept and examine a person’s communications from telecommunications operators, internet providers and postal services for a period of three months.

This would have been done in the “interest of national security,” which was defined in the Bill as protecting the country from “threats of sabotage, espionage, terrorist acts, terrorism or subversion”.

The legislation called for the “interception of all communications networks regardless of whether they are licensed as public or not”.

Intercepting, among other provisions, would have included the use of a “monitoring device,” physically viewing/inspecting the contents of any communication and diverting any communication from its intended destination, the Bill notes.

When this was revealed in February, the GBHRA condemned the plan, saying the proposed Bill would have impeded civil liberties.

The Christie administration withdrew the legislation and lost the May general election.

Attorney General Carl Bethel has said a revised form of the Bill is among the early Bills the Free National Movement intends to table in Parliament.

THE TRIBUNE

Thursday, September 14, 2017, PAGE 7

Murderer has appeal dismissed

By NICO SCAVELLA Tribune Staff Reporter nscavella@tribunemedia.net A CONVICT sentenced to nearly 40 years in prison for fatally shooting a man at a convenience store in 2012 has had his appeal dismissed by the country’s second highest appellate court.

Clarence Smith had contested his 38-year sentence on eight grounds of appeal, ranging from his concerns over a delayed adjournment of the trial, to issues over the admissibility of video surveillance footage into evidence.

However, in a ruling in late August, Court of Appeal Justices Dame Anita Allen, Jon Isaacs and Stella Crane-Scott, unanimously rejected all of Smith’s submissions, consequently affirming the conviction and sentence in the process.

On May 18, 2015, Smith was convicted of the murder of Khanaochi Knowles before then Supreme Court Justice Roy Jones and a jury. He was sentenced to 38 years in prison on August 13, 2015, to take effect from the date of his conviction.

According to the evidence produced at the trial, Knowles was standing in front of a shop on Rock Crusher Road smoking a cigarette around 8.20pm when two armed men wearing hooded jackets ambushed him.

He was shot 16 times. As Knowles ran into the store and tried to shut the door behind him, his assailants pursued him.

There were no eyewitnesses to the shooting but the incident was captured on the store’s security camera.

After viewing the surveillance footage, Knowles’ girlfriend, Latavia Paul, and Sergeant 2586 Jamaal Evans, identified Smith and co-accused Thorne Duncan. Ms Paul picked out both men during separate identification parades.

According to the ruling, Smith denied the police’s allegations of murder in a record of interview. He did not testify at trial, and the case put on his behalf through the cross-examination of witnesses was that the quality of the video was so poor it was impossible for any person to cor-

rectly identify anyone on it, whether they were familiar with the person identified or not.

Smith appealed his conviction by notice filed August 13, 2015, as amended on June 21, 2017. The appeal was heard on June 22 and 29 and July 3 of this year.

One of Smith’s core submissions, which actually were two submissions intertwined, was that, coupled with the trial judge erring in law when he failed to direct the jury adequately on the issue of identification, the judge erred in law when he allowed the video surveillance recording to be admitted into evidence.

Regarding the latter, Smith questioned the admissibility of the surveillance tape recorded by the cameras at the convenience store where the incident allegedly happened, as well as the evidence of Ms Paul and officer Jamal Evans who after viewing the tape, allegedly identified Smith as one of the assailants who they saw enter the convenience store and shoot the deceased.

And regarding the issue

of identification, the Court of Appeal judges noted that in the matter in question, two kinds of evidence existed: the identification by the two witnesses who viewed the videotape of the alleged crime, and the identification which the jury was asked to make for themselves from that video recording and the still photographs made by the police.

However, after referring to the relevant case law and other factors, Dame Anita noted that the trial judge “emphatically warned the jury of the special need for caution in relying on evidence alone,” and that she is “satisfied that the jury were adequately, and properly directed.”

She further said that it is “clear that the process of identification by video recording or photographic evidence is different from witness identification, and each call for a different form of direction to the jury, which the learned judge in this case skillfully combined”.

Thus, she said that the ground had “no merit, and fails”.

Another of Smith’s sub-

missions, according to the ruling, was that the trial judge erred in law when he adjourned the trial for a total of seven days without keeping the jury together and making proper provisions for preventing them from communicating with anyone on the subject of the trial.

According to the ruling, the reasons for the adjournment were said to be because a juror had an important appointment on a Wednesday, the judge was not available on a Thursday and Friday, and on the following Monday, one of the counsel involved in the trial was not available.

However, the Court of Appeal ruling stressed that the seven days Smith referred to actually comprised four business days, as well as a Saturday and a Sunday. Further, Dame Anita said that in order to succeed in overturning a conviction on the basis of a break in the trial, one would have to show that the break was inordinate; that there was prejudice to the appellant as a result, and that this “irregularity substantially affected the mer-

its of his case”.

Ultimately, Dame Anita said Smith’s ground “must fail,” stating that she was not “in the least concerned that such a break in the case was an irregularity which resulted in the appellant having an unfair trial”.

Other grounds of appeal Smith included the reasonableness of the verdict – that his conviction was unreasonable and not supported by the evidence, as well as the verdict being unsafe or unsatisfactory in light of the circumstances of the case.

However, Dame Anita wrote: “For my part, I have no reasonable doubt about the conviction of the appellant for murder, not even a lurking doubt about it. The jury saw and heard the witnesses as they gave evidence; the jury saw the incident as it unfolded on the videotape; were able to play it over if they needed to; and had clear directions as to the law to be applied.

“In the premises, and for all of the above reasons, I would dismiss the appeal, and affirm the conviction and sentence.”

‘I WOULDN’T HAVE GIVEN RIDE TO MAN IF I’D KNOWN HE WAS A MURDER SUSPECT’

By NICO SCAVELLA Tribune Staff Reporter nscavella@tribunemedia.net A WOMAN testified yesterday how she would have never taken one of two men accused of the 2014 murder of Blair Estates resident Andre Cartwright to hospital had she known the gravity of the matter of which they are accused.

Shecoya Davis, taking the witness stand before Justice Renae McKay, said she had no idea of the nature of the situation when she drove Tiano D’Haiti to the emergency room during the early morning hours of October 28, 2014.

She said the decision to take D’Haiti to hospital was largely impulsive in nature, and was made after Kevin Andrews, D’Haiti’s coaccused, allegedly knocked on her door and asked her to take D’Haiti to the Princess Margaret Hospital.

“If I had known, I would’ve never, ever even drove my car to the hospital with him,” she told the court.

According to Ms Davis, sometime between the late hours of October 27, 2014 and the early morning hours of October 28, 2014, she heard a knock on her door at her Pineyard Road residence. She said she had gone to a nearby Canton House takeaway restaurant for food just hours before, and had since been at home relaxing.

Ms Davis said the house was in darkness at the time of the knock. When she asked who it was knocking, she heard the reply: “This me, bey.”

When she turned on the house lights, she realised it was Andrews, who asked her to take D’Haiti, who was injured, to the hospital.

After noticing D’Haiti’s condition, Ms Davis said she quickly jumped in her car and left for PMH with D’Haiti and Andrews. Andrews, she said, did not accompany them to the hospital, instead getting off somewhere on Fox Hill Road.

While continuing to rush D’Haiti to hospital, Ms Davis said she told D’Haiti while somewhere on Shirley Street: “Y’all need to stop doing (expletive)” to which there was no reply.

Later on in the ride, however, she claimed D’Haiti told her that if asked anything pertaining to him, she should say that she picked him up from Carmichael Road.

The two eventually made it to the hospital, where she said D’Haiti asked her to walk him inside, a request she said she honoured.

Another witness, Dr Dervin Kemp, a senior house officer at PMH, told the court that upon examining D’Haiti on October 2014, the accused was found to have sustained a gunshot wound to his left lateral chest.

Yesterday’s proceedings marked the close of the Crown’s case against D’Haiti, of Thompson Lane, and Andrews, of Montell Heights, in connection with Cartwright’s murder in 2014. Kendra Kelly and Destiny McKinney appear for the Crown.

D’Haiti, represented by Jairam Mangra, is accused of murder and attempted armed robbery, while Andrews, represented by Murrio Ducille, is accused of murder, attempted armed robbery and burglary.

According to initial reports from police, Cartwright, 44, was at his Blair Estates home around 1.40am with his mother and father on the morning in question, when men kicked in the door of the house.

When he heard the noise, the deceased got his licensed shotgun and went to investigate, police reported. He encountered the suspects, one of whom was armed with a handgun, police said.

There was a brief exchange of gunfire, which resulted in the victim being shot multiple times. He died at the scene. One of the suspects was also shot, however, initial reports from police said he and the other suspects escaped in a silver coloured Honda Accord.

The trial continues on Monday at 11am.

DRUGS DISCOVERY A 22-YEAR-OLD Bahamian woman was taken into custody after she was found in possession of a quantity of dangerous drugs at the Lynden Pindling International Airport (LPIA) on Wednesday.

According to police, around 6.30am, the was woman traveling to the United States, when US Customs and Border Protection officials detained her at the United States Pre-Clearance Departure Lounge at LPIA. Authorities allegedly uncovered two packages containing just over two pounds of cocaine concealed in shorts underneath her dress. The woman was handed over to police and is expected to appear in court this week to be formally charged.

TIANO D’HAITI, front, outside court previously.

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PAGE 8, Friday, September 15, 2017

THE TRIBUNE

Mitchell skating on thin ice R

ECENTLY, PLP Senator and former Fox Hill MP Fred Mitchell has come under harsh criticism, in the dailies, the talk show circuit and of course social media.

FEISTY FRED It seems lately Mr Mitchell is on thin ice socially.

Mainly for his post election pro PLP “we aren’t done yet” rhetoric, and “don’t give up the fight” rants.

Throw in his constant playing of the blame game, the race card and finger pointing at the likes of previous FNM administrations, QC Fred Smith, Dame Joan Sawyer, the media, QC Fred Smith, the present FNM administration, QC Fred Smith, social media, and did I mention QC Fred Smith.

It’s comical how Mr Mitchell somehow holds QC Fred Smith responsible, for all of the discomfort and failings in his life.

Obviously, Mr Mitchell is spin doctoring, and deflecting with his recent remarks in his feigned attempts at keeping the PLP relevant.

SHOCKED AND AWED So, while I was having my usual Facebook glance the other day, I came across a video release from Mr Mitchell that was posted on the Politics in Review page on Facebook.

After watching, I must agree with Mr Mitchell in certain aspects of his com-

mentary.

Yes, if there is a heightened crime element in a particular constituency, with extenuating circumstances, then yes, I agree an intensified police presence is required.

Additional officers must be integrated into the existing ranks of the police station in that area, to help quell the spike in violent crimes.

However, I’m sure residents of Bain Town, Kemp Road, Nassau Village, Pinewood just to name a few of the other hot spot areas for violent crimes, feel the same way.

Now here’s the quandary, is there enough manpower on the RBPF to accolades all areas at once effectively?

The jury is still out in that one.

Which brings me to the second point of agreement with Mr Mitchell, the FNM at this moment doesn’t have an effective crime strategy in place, and seem to be dragging their feet coming up with one.

Or was the only crime strategy the FNM prepared was for corruption?

THE IRONY OF IT ALL Now what I do find comical, is the fact that Mr

Mitchell seems to be in denial about all the atrocious acts of violence, especially gang related homicides, that occurred over the past five years, in the same constituency while he was MP. Also very laughable in this whole saga, is that the PLP had no effective plan nor strategy for crime either.

The murder rate over the past five years during the previous PLP administration, tells the sordid tale.

Yet Mr Mitchell seems not to recall those figures.

Maybe it’s temporary amnesia?

So sadly, in this instance Peter is no better than Paul.

Now, bearing that in mind, perhaps less finger pointing and more collaboration from the current Government and Her Majesty’s Loyal Opposition moving forward, will be the catalyst to an effective plan to combat crime, effectively.

SMOKE AND MIRRORS After reading a story in Thursday’s Tribune, regarding audits looking into the operations of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ embassies, consulate general offices and a permanent mission, the results are stag-

FRED MITCHELL gering, rife with “excessive” overtime pay, “exorbitant” spending and uncollected revenue, among a myriad of other irregularities.

The most egregious error in all of this, came from Bahamas Embassy in Washington, DC. Where the ambassador’s chauffeur was paid $46,883.13 in overtime during a three-year period from 2014 to 2016.

But wait there’s more, during the same time frame, the Bahamas Consulate General’s office in DC, the messenger/driver received overtime amounting to $21,534.92.

Unbelievable, but true!!

I’d much rather hear what

‘Dread Fred’ has to say about this, than that tired political ‘victim’ angle he’s trying to sell.

(Editor’s note: See page six for Mr Mitchell’s response last night) THE ICEMAN As cold as ice, without fear of retribution Auditor General Terrance Bastian, must be commended for a job well done.

Keep digging, sir, I’m sure you will find much more.

Now to get that FOIA implemented properly, so all of Mr. Bastian’s findings can be revealed.

But alas, FIOA for the

time being seems to be another empty FNM campaign promise.

Until next week, be safe Bahamas.

• Inigo ‘Naughty’ Zenicazelaya is the resident stand-up comic at Jokers Wild Comedy Club at the Atlantis, Paradise Island, resort and presents ‘Mischief and Mayhem in da AM’ from 6am to 10am, Monday to Friday, and ‘The Press Box’ sports talk show on Sunday from 10am to 1pm on KISS FM 96.1. He also writes a sports column in The Tribune on Tuesday. Comments and questions to naughty@ tribunemedia.net

THE TRIBUNE

Friday, September 15, 2017, PAGE 9

SHANTELLE Beneby receives documentation covering the grand prize of a stay for two at Sandals Emerald Bay, Exuma, donated by Sandals Resorts International, from Murray Forde, club secretary. Under the terms of the prize, the winner has up to one year to use it.

Antique Auto Club wraps up first raffle DWAYNE Beneby happily receives Second Prize of a 50” Flat Screen Smart TV from Don Pinder, Immediate Past President of the Antique Auto Club

LISA Bailly receives the Third Prize of two Round Trip tickets from Bahamasair good for anywhere they fly from Murray Forde, Club Secretary

READERS WARY OF CALL FOR INCOME TAXATION AFTER the International Monetary Fund (IMF) demanded that the Government take “decisive fiscal consolidation” measures, and suggested the introduction of a low-rate income tax, readers gave their reaction on tribune242.com.

Proudloudandfnm said: “I will never live in a Bahamas that collects income tax. Our government is useless in everything but wasting or stealing our money.

No way would I ever live in this country with income tax. No way . . .”

Gbgal had this to say: “We are being overly taxed now!

We pay customs duty, VAT twice on whatever we bring in (the freight costs plus the paperwork costs), the National Ins, the property taxes, and VAT on everything else bought locally! The totals must be 40 per cent. If Income Tax would be a one time only tax, under 40%, and eliminating all these others, we might be less burdened. I wouldn’t grumble about a low sales tax around 3% for purchase of designated goods/services to be added for use in specific areas e.g. medical, education etc.”

Killemwitdakno said: “If VAT is repealed as promised.”

Ashley14 believed misappropriation of the funds was this problem: “They have to have money to operate and

improve the infrastructure.

The problem is often misappropriation of the funds.

They already have fees attached to everything. Even on tourism, they collect a fee on every tourist that comes in. What do they do with that money? On the hotel rooms they add a $35.00 fee every night your stay there. Where does this money go? Why can’t they even clean up the trash?”

There was this from GodSpeed: “The IMF is designed to lend more money to nations than they can afford to pay back then impose heavy taxation. Nothing surprising here. Next step is bankruptcy then they come in and steal everything.”

Islandboy242242 thought there was a lot to be fixed before income tax could be implemented: “If things worked properly, everyone was held accountable, money wasn’t being lost/stolen/ diverted here there and everywhere, and people got value for money then maybe; but there’s A LOTTTT more that must be fixed first. Having an income tax probably also means that The Bahamas needs to join in on the Totalization Agreements with the US IRS and other nations so that foreign residents can offset income taxes paid to country of residence vs

country of citizenship.”

Sheeprunner12 had this suggestion: “Our taxation model is a real unfair mess . . . we tax the bottom 60% of the citizens until their eyes bulge with VAT and other service fees and taxes . . . the rich and upper middle class can survive . . . But if all of the population was being taxed fairly by using a staggered income tax rate system – 25-15-10% for the three income brackets (over $100,000 - over 40K - over 20K) with 5% VAT and no other fees on gas, customs etc, it will earn far more Treasury income . . . and it will be more fair.”

Gotoutintime thought collection of income tax would be an issue: “Best of luck trying to collect income tax – People owe millions of dollars in Real Property taxes and that is not collected. Hell, some people don’t even pay their power bills and they don’t seem to have a problem!”

And in The Tribune’s online poll, we asked readers if they agreed with the IMF’s suggestion of an income tax.

At the time of going to press, just 22 per cent of those voting backed the idea.

The poll is still open, so don’t miss your chance to vote and have your say on tribune242.com.

AS part of the Antique Auto Club of The Bahamas’ 30th anniversary, members decided to hold a first ever raffle as part of its fund-raising efforts for this year’s selected beneficiary.

The business community was very supportive with generous donations of 15 prizes, the main draw being a four-day, three-night stay

for two at Sandals Emerald Bay, Exuma.

The draw was held at the Annual Antique Auto Show & Steak-out of the Kiwanis Club of Cable Beach.

Most of the prize winners were not present for the draw, but all were contacted by members of the club, prizes were presented and all 15 winners were very

pleased with their prizes.

Proceeds of the raffle are for the benefit of the Zion Children’s Home in Current Island, Eleuthera.

The club was founded in July 1987 by six men interested in the restoration and maintenance of vintage and special interest vehicles. The club now has a membership of almost 70 men and women.

THE TRIBUNE

Friday, September 15, 2017, PAGE 11

VOLUNTEERS from Equality Bahamas collected hurricane donations yesterday to distribute to those family islanders affected by recent Hurricane Irma.

Photo: Shawn Hanna/Tribune Staff

Bank offers $200,000 grant after storm THE Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) has pledged up to $200,000 in grant funds for emergency relief to assist The Bahamas after Hurricane Irma.

President of the InterAmerican Bank (IDB)

Luis Alberto Moreno has offered support to The Bahamas in the wake of the storm.

The IDB has pledged emergency grant funds of up to $200,000 to assist with food, water, shelter and basic human needs,

as well as an economic impact assessment grant of $100,000.

“On behalf of the InterAmerican Development Bank Group, I would like to express our institution’s thoughts and prayers for the Bahamian people and the

US OFFERS SUPPORT DESPITE BEING BATTERED BY IRMA ITSELF THE US Mission to The Bahamas is working together with the Bahamian government and the Bahamian people to respond in the aftermath of Hurricane Irma.

The US government provided The Bahamas and Turks and Caicos with satellite imagery to aid in recovery, and relief efforts. The information gained from the imagery has been helpful in directing resources to those most in need, according to a press release from the US Embassy in Nassau.

One day after Hurricane Irma devastated parts of the southern islands, the US Agency for International Development (USAID) awarded the Bahamas Red

Cross $100,000 to be used to purchase potable water, debit cards, cleaning supplies, mosquito bands and repellant, mattresses, bedding, towels, sheets, shipping boxes, garbage bags, pallet wrap, sealing tape, and other necessary supplies. The USAID’s Office of Foreign Disaster Assistance (OFDA) also chartered a flight to carry National Emergency Management Agency supplies on September 12 to Great Inagua, Crooked, and Acklins Islands.

In addition, on September 14, US Chargé d’ Affaires Lisa Johnson along with USAID/OFDA handed over relief supplies valuing over

$166,000 to NEMA. Royal Bahamas Defence Force (RBDF) marines supported the handover of the supplies, which included 300 rolls of plastic sheeting, 1,000 hygiene kits, 1,020 kitchen kits, 2,400 collapsible water containers and 1,500 blankets. The RBDF will deliver these relief supplies to the affected southern islands as well as to Grand Bahama and Bimini, the latter two which also experienced damage from Irma.

The US Mission will continue to work collaboratively with the government of The Bahamas in support of its efforts to bring relief to those severely impacted by Hurricane Irma.

BTC BRINGS RELIEF TO BIMINI

government, in the wake of Hurricane Irma,” said Mr Moreno in a statement on Monday.

He recognised the outstanding leadership of Prime Minister Dr Hubert Minnis and relevant government entities in pre-

paring for and managing the passage of the storm throughout the archipelago.

He noted the significant damage to communities and infrastructure in Ragged Island, Acklins, Grand Bahama, Bimini and Great Inagua.

“As a development partner, we want to reiterate the IDB’s long-term commitment to The Bahamas, and offer our collaboration to facilitate relief, assessment and reconstruction efforts in the aftermath of Hurricane Irma,” he said.

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If you have answered YES to the above questions, then please read on.

The Bahamas Maritime Authority is once again offering a scholarship to a young Bahamian, who is keen to train for an exciting and challenging career in the Maritime Industry.

The scholarship is inclusive of tuition, course materials, accommodation and travel. Commencing September 2018, the successful candidate will follow a 4-year degree programme at the State University New York Maritime College, New York, USA. Upon completion of the degree, the qualified officer will be expected to serve on board a Bahamian flagged vessel for at least 2 years.

Further information and application forms can be obtained from: Mrs. Katie Clarke, Assistant Director, Bahamas Maritime Authority, Shirlaw House, #226 Shirley Street, P. O. Box N-4679, Nassau, Bahamas;

CARE packages provided by BTC to hurricane victims in Bimini.

IN the wake of Hurricane Irma, BTC is helping to bring much-needed relief to communities on the island of Bimini.

The company’s CEO, Dexter Cartwright, and customer experience vicepresident Eldri Ferguson-Mackey along with volunteer teams comprised of BTC

employees and representatives of Our Grand Bahama (OGB) delivered food, water, tarps, portable stoves and other essentials to residents in Bimini as part of the efforts to bring relief to families and individuals impacted Hurricane Irma.

Website: www.bahamasmaritime.com OR Email: scholarship@bahamasmaritime.com Tel: +1-(242)-356-5772 Fax: +1-(242)-356-5889 Completed applications must be submitted in person or by post, with copies of academic certificates/transcripts and proof of Bahamian citizenship, no later than Friday, 29th September 2017. Qualified applicants will be contacted for interviews.

PAGE 12, Friday, September 15, 2017

THE TRIBUNE

STYROFOAM floating in the sea at Bimini.

Photos: Terrel W. Carey/Tribune Staff

‘Save Bimini’s environment’

By RICARDO WELLS Tribune Staff Reporter rwells@tribunemedia.net

JENNY COOK, spokesperson for Save Our Home, with Prime Minister Dr Hubert Minnis yesterday.

THE Bimini leg of the government’s Hurricane Irma assessment tour hit a small snag Thursday as a handful of residents used the visit to urge the Minnis administration to take the environmental threats on that island seriously.

The government’s tour of that island yesterday was greeted by various signs and placards that raised concern over longstanding threats, and equally alarming new threats, such as the damage suffered by Resorts World Bimini’s floating dock during the storm’s passage last week. The damage has left mounds of Styrofoam floating in the ocean near the resort.

The government delegation, which included both Prime Minister Dr Hubert Minnis and Opposition Leader Phillip ‘Brave’ Davis, was noticeably missing Environment Minister Romauld Ferreira and West End and Bimini MP Pakesia Parker-Edgecombe.

However, despite the absence of these two key stakeholders, representatives from the Save Our Home protest group took their concerns directly to Dr Minnis.

Jenny Cook, a spokesperson for the group, cornered Dr Minnis and detailed how decades of mismanagement and poorly sanctioned developments led to the destruction of 450 acres of mangroves along the coastline of northern Bimini.

Ms Cook stressed to Dr Minnis that flaws with RAV Bahamas/OPAC and its partner the Genting Group, led by Gerardo Capo, allegedly resulted in a critical environmental issue developing on the island.

She said: “Storm surge taking out people’s dock all along the bay and part of the bay, particularly up here, used to be a part of the protection area for the island but due to the resort (allegedly) ripping out 450 acres of mangroves we now have very little hurricane protection for the island.

“So a lot of people they

had a lot of surge damage; dock gone, homes flooded as a result of no more mangroves here. I am a part of Save Our Home for Bimini and we are trying to protect the island here. We are trying to get the marine protection area approved,” she added.

In a separate interview with The Tribune yesterday, both Mr Ferreira and Mrs Parker-Edgecombe acknowledged ongoing environmental issues on the island and noted the government’s intent to ensure the Styrofoam crisis is addressed in the short-term.

For her part, Mrs ParkerEdgecombe stated: “We are concerned and are trying to put the resources in place to address the issue. We are looking into this, and it is our hope that we can get this resolved soon, rather than later.”

Additionally, Mr Ferreira, an environmental attorney in his professional life, said while the immediate resolution in Bimini is critical, in the long-term the government must find a way to structure the legislative intricacies needed to adequately “protect and secure the sector”.

“There are so many legislative gaps that need to be filled in and we have to, it is mandatory that we do this as soon as possible. That’s why my reform talk is so important,” he contended.

“We’re looking at this from an impact on environment standpoint, which is great, but at the very same time you have to look at all the steps that leads to that end and find ways to address all these steps in a way that they guard against major issues,” Mr Ferreira added.

To further explain his sentiments, Mr Ferreira presented an analogy of a fuel spill at the BEC Clifton Pier power plant.

He claimed any spill reported at the plant would be treated, at the time of being reported, as an environmental issue.

However, he noted that at that point, the damage would be “already done” and “blame would be placed on a ministry that

STYROFOAM on the shore in Bimini.

could only clean up.”

Mr Ferreira said the legislative framework needed to police and aid in prevention, is split between several ministries and industry portfolios throughout the government and corporate Bahamas.

“The fuel belongs to someone, that’s an industry that is governed outside of the Ministry of the Environment. As you go down the line, there is so many other official spots that you would have to work through and address. And then with that, one has to be careful in how they manoeuvre these areas.

“What I want to do is to pull all of these sectors together to work from a central, environmentally friendly area. It continues to be my hope that this will be the Ministry of the Environment. But the first step will be drafting the essential, preliminary framework; then engaging all stakeholders inside and outside the government, and then finally bringing this working concept to Cabinet,” he concluded.

On Wednesday, Denver Stuart, a life-long resident of Bimini, insisted things on the island were set to go from bad to worse following Hurricane Irma, referring to slow clean-up response for the mounds of Styrofoam in Bimini’s waters.

He told The Tribune: “This has been a problem for days now. I’ve seen it since Sunday. As soon as you get out on the water you see the pieces of foam just floating around. This is not good because the birds are eating it, the fish are eating it and even the turtles are eating the Styrofoam.”

Mr Stuart said the people of Bimini have long been an environmentally conscious society that treat their surroundings as an extension of their homes.

“They’re supposed to layout a silk curtain to catch it from day one, but they didn’t,” Mr Stuart claimed.

“Now, it’s floating everywhere and it’s causing a big issue. This is an important marine area.”