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Volume: 123 No. 203, Wednesday, September 16, 2026

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AG ADVANCES FOI RULES AFTER 14YRS OF DELAYS Govt launches consultation more than a decade after Freedom of Information Act was passed into law

By KEILE CAMPBELL Tribune Staff Reporter kcampbell@tribunemedia.net MORE than 14 years after Parliament first passed freedom of information legislation, The Bahamas is still waiting for a fully operational system for accessing government records, with the Davis administration only now consulting on regulations intended to put the machinery for requests, reviews and appeals in place.

The Office of the Attorney General announced on Monday that consultation has begun on the Freedom of Information (General) Regulations, 2026, one of four pieces of proposed legislation released for public comment.

The latest step comes more than nine years after the current Freedom of Information Act received assent in March 2017. Its predecessor was passed in FOIA - SEE PAGE FIVE

NEW BILL PUTS LEGAL DUTIES ON FAMILIES CARING FOR ELDERLY

By LYNAIRE MUNNINGS Tribune Staff Reporter lmunnings@tribunemedia.net RELATIVES responsible for older people could be legally required to provide them with food, safe housing and healthcare — and in some cases collect them from hospital after discharge — under

sweeping proposed legislation that would impose new duties on families, caregivers and professionals.

The Older Persons Rights, Protection and Care Bill, 2026, which is out for consultation, would also require doctors, nurses, police officers and other ELDERLY - SEE PAGE THREE

BAHAMAS Department of Crrections Commissioner Doan Cleare speaks during an empowerment seminar at St Paul Baptist Church yesterday.

Photo: Chappell Whyms Jr

Corrections considers electronic watches to monitor parolees

By KEILE CAMPBELL Tribune Staff Reporter kcampbell@tribunemedia.net THE Bahamas Department of Corrections is considering watchstyle electronic monitors for inmates released under the proposed parole system, with Commissioner Doan Cleare saying the devices would be

less conspicuous than ankle bracelets and allow parolees to return to workplaces without being visibly identified.

Mr Cleare said the proposed parole legislation would require electronic monitoring and that officials were examining technology similar to devices being used in Jamaica.

“You don't want anybody to work

in an environment and people seeing them walking around with the bracelet on their feet,” Mr Cleare said.

He also claimed the watches being considered could detect marijuana or other drugs through the wearer’s skin.

About 50 inmates currently work MONITOR - SEE PAGE FOUR

FNM explores legal action over National Investment Fund

By LEANDRA ROLLE Tribune Chief Reporter lrolle@tribunemedia.net FREE National Movement leader Michael Pintard said he has sought legal advice on whether the government’s handling of the National Investment Fund breached criminal, statutory or constitutional law and what action could

be taken to force disclosure of how hundreds of millions of dollars moved through the fund.

Mr Pintard said the FNM has instructed attorneys to examine the government’s management of the NIF and advise on possible legal remedies, but clarified that the party has not yet decided to launch a court challenge.

The move follows confirmation from Central Bank governor John Rolle that the NIF’s Board of Governors has never formally convened, despite government fiscal reports showing hundreds of millions of dollars moving into and out of an account bearing the fund’s name.

ACTION - SEE PAGE THREE

Nassau & Bahama Islands’ Leading Newspaper

FNM LEADER MICHAEL PINTARD

PAGE 2, Wednesday, September 16, 2026

THE TRIBUNE

Union demands action over leaks, mould, rodents at UB

By LEANDRA ROLLE Tribune Chief Reporter lrolle@tribunemedia.net

THE Union of Tertiary Educators Bahamas has demanded immediate action over leaking classrooms, mould and rodent infestations at the University of The Bahamas, questioning what became of $25m the union said UB’s president claimed was received for campus improvements.

UTEB said the conditions are undermining the teaching and learning environment and accused the university of failing to resolve longstanding problems despite repeated assurances that repairs and upgrades would be carried out.

“If significant funding has been received for campus improvement, the University community deserves to see meaningful results,” UTEB said. “Promises and assurances are not enough.

There must be visible progress, clear timelines, and

accountability for how these resources are used.”

The union called on UB’s president to account for repairs completed, work that remains outstanding and progress made following the reported $25m injection.

It also called on the university’s board of trustees to scrutinise how resources have been used and ensure promised improvements are delivered.

“Failure to act in the face of persistent and known deficiencies risks the Board itself being accused of complacency,” UTEB said.

UB acknowledged the union’s concerns yesterday and pledged immediate and sustained action to ensure its classrooms, facilities and workspaces are safe and functional.

The university said remediation work is continuing at its Oakes Field Campus, with priority being given to problems affecting the health, safety and day-today experience of students, faculty and staff.

UTEb demands the University of The Bahamas take action of leaking classrooms, mould and rodents.

UB said reported concerns are being assessed and necessary repairs and remediation carried out.

The university said faculty may temporarily move classes to hybrid or remote instruction when work affects classrooms in use.

“The University is maintaining close attention to conditions across its facilities and responding to concerns as they arise,” UB said.

The institution also said it is advancing a broader infrastructure improvement programme supported by government funding.

“This investment is enabling the renovation of bathrooms, completion of roofing projects and upgrades to student residences,” UB said. “Further work is planned to improve the university’s residential experience and modernize laboratories and technology-enabled learning spaces.”

UTEB said the latest complaints include structural concerns in the university’s business and culinary blocks, where classrooms reportedly leak during significant rainfall.

The union said water entering classrooms can

interrupt instruction, damage equipment, create slip hazards and raise electrical safety concerns.

“A leaking classroom is not an acceptable learning environment,” UTEB said.

It also called for an internal investigation into reports of mould and rodent infestations.

The complaints revive concerns raised last year when UB employees protested over what they described as mouldy classrooms and buildings.

“The University of The Bahamas is the national university,” UTEB said.

“Its facilities should

reflect the importance of its mission and the value placed on its students and faculty.”

“Our students came to UB to learn,” the union said, “not to leave classrooms because they are leaking, sit in excessive heat, or worry about mould and rodents.”

UTEB called for immediate inspections, repairs to leaking classrooms and laboratories, mould assessments and remediation, alternative classroom arrangements where necessary, continued cleaning and maintenance and consultation with the union.

THE TRIBUNE

Wednesday, September 16, 2026, PAGE 3

Pintard seeks NIF legal advice ACTION from page one The National Investment Funds Act places responsibility on the board to open and maintain the fund’s bank account with a recognised financial institution and provides for agreements with institutions holding its assets to be entered into by the board.

Mr Pintard said the opposition wants its attorneys to determine whether any laws were breached, what penalties could apply and what legal options are available to obtain information about the fund.

“The government has done a horrible thing with respect to its responsibility in managing scarce resources,” he told The Tribune yesterday. “However, knowing that is one thing. Being advised by the experts on the kinds of actions that must now be taken is what we are pinning down in in this in the instructions through an attorney.”

Mr Rolle told Mr Pintard in correspondence dated September 10 that although his appointment to the NIF board took effect from June 30, 2025, the board

had never been formally convened to deal with any matter.

In an earlier letter, Mr Rolle confirmed that the Central Bank has maintained an account in the name of the National Investment Fund since July 2025 but said the bank played no role in transactions and that details would have to come from the Ministry of Finance.

Government fiscal reports showed the NIF held $265.3m at the end of December 2025 but just $200,000 at the end of March, a reduction of about $265.1m. The government previously said the fund was used to support its airport infrastructure programme, although its fiscal report did not detail where the money went.

Prime Minister Philip Davis has previously said the money was allocated towards airport works, including projects at New Bight, Arthur’s Town and Governor’s Harbour.

The controversy widened during the 2026/27 Budget process when Finance Minister Michael Halkitis disclosed that about $700m in excess borrowing receipts had also been transferred

to the NIF rather than used for deficit financing. Mr Pintard subsequently questioned the legal authority for that transfer.

Against that backdrop, Mr Pintard contends that transactions undertaken through the fund since July 2025 were unlawful because the board that the Act assigns key responsibilities to never convened.

“They have misled the House of Assembly, and they have outright lied to the public about the establishment of this fund, the movement of funds in it, the movement of funds out of it etc,” Mr Pintard said yesterday. “They’ve broken the law.”

Mr Pintard said the FNM has also written to the Auditor General and acting treasurer seeking their involvement.

The calls for scrutiny extend beyond the opposition.

Organisation for Responsible Governance executive director Matt Albury said the public should receive regular reports explaining how its money is being managed, the government’s investment strategy and how the fund is performing.

Elder protection bill targets abuse, neglect and financial exploitation ELDERLY from page one professionals to report suspected abuse or neglect, create a specific offence of financially exploiting someone aged 65 or older and give courts broad powers to remove vulnerable older people from unsafe circumstances.

The legislation would extend protections beyond the existing framework, which already regulates residential care establishments and allows protection orders for domestic violence, including financial abuse involving household members and dependants.

Social Services also already operates a Senior Citizens Division and investigates complaints involving older people.

However, the proposed law would establish an elder-specific statutory regime reaching into private homes, family caregiving arrangements, financial management, hospital discharge, professional reporting and government investigations.

Under the bill, next of kin would have a general duty to help an older person achieve an appropriate standard of living and would be responsible for ensuring that an older person in their care has a safe living environment, adequate food and water, clothing and other essentials.

They would also be responsible for making necessary arrangements for supportive, preventive and curative healthcare as well as long-term and palliative care.

The bill defines next of kin as the nearest living relative by blood who is expected to assume responsibility for an older person’s care, support or decision-making when that person is unable to do so themselves.

One of the most consequential provisions deals with elderly patients discharged from public hospitals.

Where a next of kin had previously provided care or assistance and taken the older person to hospital, that relative would

have to arrange to collect the person from the ward after being notified of their discharge. If the hospital medically transports the person home, the relative would have to receive them.

The obligations would form part of a broader regime governing caregivers. Every caregiver would have what the bill describes as both a moral and legal responsibility to provide reasonable care, act in the older person’s best interests, avoid abuse and neglect, administer prescribed medication or treatment properly and operate only within the authority legally given to them.

The legislation would also introduce mandatory reporting requirements for professionals who encounter suspected elder abuse or neglect.

Doctors, dentists, mental health practitioners, nurses, patient care technicians, hospital administrators, social workers, police officers and people providing healthcare, welfare, education or religious services would have to immediately report circumstances where they know or reasonably suspect that an older person needs care and protection.

The duty would extend to anyone who, because of the nature of their work, owes a duty of care to an older person.

Failure to make a required report would be an offence. Intentionally making a false report or supplying false or misleading information would also be an offence.

Reports received by a social worker, police officer or manager of a residential care establishment would have to be passed to the relevant authority within 24 hours, even where the underlying information is confidential.

The bill would also place deadlines on Social Services that do not appear in the existing administrative system.

The department would have to investigate a complaint within 24 hours where emergency care and protection is required and within 72 hours in general care and protection cases.

Complaints could be made anonymously, and people reporting suspected abuse in good faith would be protected from civil and criminal liability, with their identities protected.

The proposal would also create protection officers — qualified social workers empowered to visit residences and registered residential care facilities, investigate complaints and enquire into the welfare of older people.

Financial abuse would be addressed through a specific elder-exploitation offence carrying penalties of up to a $50,000 fine, five years’ imprisonment, or both.

The offence would cover improperly or dishonestly using, controlling, withholding or benefiting from an older person’s money, property, pension, National Insurance benefits or other resources.

It would include theft, fraud and embezzlement; forging documents; coercing an older person into changing a will, transferring property, granting a power of attorney, taking on debt or making gifts; unauthorised bank withdrawals; and misuse of debit or credit cards.

Withholding an older person’s pension or social assistance without using it for their welfare, preventing them from accessing their own money, unlawfully disposing of their property, charging excessive caregiving fees and using deception, intimidation or manipulation for financial gain would also fall within the offence.

Although theft, fraud and financial abuse are already addressed elsewhere in Bahamian law, the bill would establish a specific framework dealing with exploitation of older people.

The existing Domestic Violence (Protection Orders) Act, for example, already recognises financial abuse where it occurs within covered domestic relationships.

Under the proposed regime, authorities could require a person suspected of exploiting an older person to produce receipts and records showing how the person’s money was spent. Police, the National

FREE NATIONAL MOVEMENT LEADER MICHAEL PINTARD “There should be regular reports to the people because this is their money on how this is being done,” Mr Albury said in a radio interview yesterday. “What’s the strategy

of how it’s going to be invested but also how is that performing?”

Governance advocates and banker Gowon Bowe have also called for an independent audit

of the NIF following the disclosures.

The Davis administration has said it will respond to the opposition’s concerns about the fund in Parliament today.

Insurance Board or another authority could investigate.

People formally authorised to manage an older person’s affairs would face additional accountability requirements.

The authorisation would have to be made freely and without coercion, be in writing and be witnessed by an independent person.

Anyone administering an older person’s benefits would have to use the money solely for that person’s welfare, including food, accommodation, clothing, medical and personal care, transportation and assistive devices.

They would also have to maintain receipts and records and give an accurate account of transactions when required, including to the executor or other legal representative of the older person’s estate after their death.

The bill would prohibit them from using the funds for their own benefit unless authorised by law or by an older person with decision-making capacity.

Courts would meanwhile acquire wide-ranging powers to intervene where an older person needs protection.

The older person, a social worker, a healthcare provider, a professional caregiver, or anyone with reasonable grounds to suspect protection is required could apply for care and protection orders.

In emergencies, a court could authorise removal of an older person from a location, prohibit their removal from accommodation, determine who can have contact with them, exclude a named person from their home and require medical, psychiatric or psychological examinations.

A social worker or police officer could also remove an older person from their residence without first obtaining a court order where the older person consents and immediate protection is considered necessary. The family would have to be informed and a court application made within 24 hours.

Where the older person does not consent, any person could apply to a court for an order authorising their removal to a place of safety.

A court could order an older person to remain in a place of safety for up to

six months and extend that period where circumstances justify it.

The bill would also prohibit abuse, neglect and abandonment of older people and impose additional requirements on residential care establishments.

The Bahamas has regulated residential care facilities under the Residential Care Establishments Act since 2004, including through licensing, inspections and statutory provisions concerning the protection and care of residents.

The new bill would add requirements for staff training in areas including nutrition, cardiopulmonary resuscitation, bedding and wound care. Managers or employees who abuse or neglect an older person could face a $50,000 fine,

five years’ imprisonment, or both.

The proposed legislation also sets out broader rights for people 65 and older, including autonomy over personal, financial and healthcare decisions and protection from improper interference with their property, income, pensions and benefits.

It would prohibit unfairly denying an older person access to public places, services and opportunities because of their age and expressly recognise their right to take personal risks in pursuing social participation and intimate and sexual relationships.

Government would also be required to develop and publish a National Older Persons Policy within 12 months of the law taking PROTECT - SEE PAGE FOUR

PAGE 4, Wednesday, September 16, 2026

THE TRIBUNE

Electronic watches proposed to track inmates on parole MONITOR from page one outside the prison without electronic tracking devices and must instead be physically monitored by correctional officers, he said.

Asked about concerns over tampering, Mr Cleare said interfering with a device would result in arrest. He said inmates fitted with the watches would be those considered suitable for reintegration into society.

“In other words, these are the best of the best that we are trying to release into society for reintegration,” he said, adding that “the board is comfortable with them”.

The electronic monitoring would form part of a conditional-release system under which inmates would have to complete rehabilitation, educational or vocational programmes before being considered for parole.

Mr Cleare said inmates approaching the final two to three years of their sentences would first be assessed by an internal parole unit based on their classification, sentence plan, training and programme completion.

“It is us, the department, who have to do the

BAHAMAS DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONAL SERVICES COMMISSIONER DOAN CLEARE assessment on the inmate,” he said, adding that the completed file “will go before the parole board, and that will determine whether if a person will go on parole or not”.

He stressed that parole would not be automatic.

The parole board could

impose conditions including curfews and drug testing, and Mr Cleare said a breach could result in the parolee being returned to prison to serve the outstanding portion of the sentence.

“If you don’t follow through on even one of those conditions,” he

said, the person could be returned to custody.

Mr Cleare said the proposed system would differ from the current arrangement because an inmate’s original sentence would remain in effect throughout the parole period.

He gave the example

of an inmate sentenced to ten years who could be considered for parole with two or three years remaining and serve that period under supervision in the community.

He contrasted that with the existing arrangement, saying a person sentenced to ten years can currently leave prison after serving about six years.

Under parole, he said, the full sentence would remain in force even if the inmate were conditionally released before it expired.

“Ten years is ten years,” Mr Cleare said.

The proposed system would also have separate internal and external parole functions.

Correctional officers would assess inmates and prepare their files before release, while parole officers would monitor them after they return to the community.

“So we have internal parole, and we have external paroles,” Mr Cleare said.

The Department of Corrections would also be required to help inmates secure employment before they are released.

“The prison will have to find a job for you,” Mr Cleare said.

He said the department would no longer simply release an inmate at the

prison gate and that, once employment was secured, the parolee would be expected to remain on the job for the duration of the parole period.

Mr Cleare said the department has already begun training officers for the proposed system, with 20 officers having received training in Canada and additional officers undergoing or scheduled for overseas training.

The department intends to have more than 50 people trained in assessments and reporting as it prepares for both the internal evaluation of inmates and their supervision after release.

Officials are also continuing public education on the proposed legislation, with four town hall meetings planned for New Providence.

Mr Cleare said the first meeting will be held tonight at CR Walker and described the sessions as a refresher after similar outreach was conducted around the country about a year and a half ago.

However, he gave no timetable for when the parole legislation is expected to go before Parliament.

“That’s the question you have to put to the minister,” Mr Cleare said.

Prison holds 1,700 despite capacity for 900

By LYNAIRE MUNNINGS Tribune Staff Reporter lmunnings@tribunemedia.net THE Bahamas Department of Corrections is holding about 1,700 people in a facility designed for 900, with authorities deporting nearly 500 foreign nationals this year and referring scores of Bahamians for possible early release as they try to ease chronic overcrowding.

Commissioner of Corrections Doan Cleare disclosed the figures yesterday during a media tour of the Fox Hill facility, where he also said construction has begun on the long-awaited new correctional complex.

He said the department has been working with the Prerogative of Mercy Board to reduce the population, including by releasing and deporting foreign nationals held in connection with immigration matters.

Nearly 500 foreign nationals have been deported through the process this year, according to Mr Cleare, while close to 100 remained in custody at the time of the interview.

The department has also referred elderly and seriously ill Bahamian residents, along with some long-serving prisoners considered a low risk to society, to the board for possible early release.

Mr Cleare said about 150 to nearly 200 Bahamians have been considered

for early release this year, although only a fraction of the department’s recommendations may ultimately be approved.

“Now, the Prerogative Board of Mercy is very stringent,” he said. “You know, my department may send 50 or 60 per month, and the Prerogative Board of Mercy may only approve ten.”

Some of those being recommended have spent decades behind bars and exhausted the rehabilitation programmes available to them, he said.

“There are persons who were up there for 40 years, some for 45 years,” Mr Cleare said, “so we are, and there's nothing else the department can do for them. They have been in every course, they have been in every programme, and we deem them to be a non-risk factor to society.”

Mr Cleare also argued that prison resources should primarily be reserved for violent and aggressive offenders rather than people accused of minor offences or those suffering from mental illness.

“The little hawkers and the little vagrants, you know, most of them are mentally ill persons, and they shouldn't be channelled to us,” he said.

“They should be more or less channelled towards Sandilands.”

Meanwhile, construction of the new correctional complex has begun, with the project being carried

out in two phases.

The first phase involves building a new court complex containing an Appeals Court, Supreme Court and Magistrates’ courts, as well as 20 modular cells already purchased from the United States.

Once that work is completed, the existing remand court is expected to be demolished, and construction of the new prison will begin.

Commissioner Cleare said the complex will comprise 17 buildings rather than one large structure and that engineering work and drawings have already been completed.

Contractors have estimated construction of the new prison will take between 18 and 24 months, he said.

The existing facility has struggled with overcrowding for years. Government planning documents have said its maximum-security unit, built in the early 1950s for 244 inmates, has at times held about 800.

Commissioner Cleare

said he also wants prisoners to be trained and paid to work on construction of the new complex.

He said his initial request to the government was for about 100 residents to participate in

the project, with the work used as an opportunity to provide skills training rather than simply prison labour.

“I ask the government of The Bahamas to at least let us try to enlist

about 100 residents to assist in the construction,” he said, “and for them not to be said that they are working, but for them to be trained as they work and to be paid us to pay the salary.”

MINISTER of National Security Myles Laroda speaks during a BDOCS staff empowerment seminar at St Paul Baptist Church yesterday.

Photos: Chappell Whyms Jr

Elder protection bill sets family duties PROTECT from page one effect, with priority given to a National Dementia Strategy.

The Davis administration’s 2026-2030 National Health Strategy already calls for a national assessment of long-term care needs, development of a tiered system covering home, community and institutional care and expansion of home-care and telehealth services. The bill would put a broader series of obligations concerning older

people into legislation.

Those provisions include promoting day-care and home-based services, community nursing, assistive technology and a regulated transportation service for older people.

A designated liaison officer would also help older people navigate healthcare and other public services, including verifying medical appointments before inter-island travel where reasonably practicable and assisting when appointments are cancelled or rescheduled.

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THE TRIBUNE

Wednesday, September 16, 2026, PAGE 5

FOIA from page one

says right now.”

He said public bodies would also have to explain decisions to withhold or redact information and identify the exemption being relied upon.

“If it’s redacted, they have to defend why they redacted it,” Mr Aubry said.

“If it’s personal information then it, due to our privacy laws, can’t be shared. But if not, they have to be very specific about what conditions on the exceptions were being raised.”

Applicants dissatisfied with the response could pursue further review, ultimately taking a dispute to the Information Commissioner and then the Supreme Court.

Mr Aubry welcomed the decision to consult the public before the regulations are finalised.

“That’s a great step.

That’s a huge step,” he said. “People need to recognise that as a major step forward.”

But he acknowledged the protracted implementation of the law, saying progress had come incrementally despite the current Act having been passed in 2017.

Mr Aubry cautioned that completing the legislative framework would not, by itself, guarantee greater government transparency.

“Just passing laws, we realise, is not enough,” he said. “You’ve got to find a way for folks to get involved, and that’s what leads to more participation.”

Freedom of information system still not in place April 2012 but was never brought into force. The 2017 law repealed and replaced it, but only selected provisions were subsequently commenced — first in April 2017, another provision in March 2018 and another in May 2021.

The country’s first Freedom of Information Commissioner, retired Supreme Court Justice Keith Thompson, was not appointed until May 2021, four years after the current Act was passed.

Attorney General Wayne Munroe described the latest developments as “a long time coming,” as he encouraged the public to review the proposed regulations and submit feedback.

Asked whether Bahamians could expect the Freedom of Information Act to be fully implemented during the current administration, Mr Munroe pointed to a directive he received from Prime Minister Philip Davis and the commitment contained in the Speech from the Throne. He did not provide a timetable for full implementation.

The proposed regulations would establish the practical machinery for making freedom of information requests, including application procedures, response periods, internal reviews and the responsibilities of information managers across public bodies.

Separate proposed fee regulations set out charges for copies, certification and some forms of records, along with exemptions and waivers. The draft general regulations would also

ORAGANISATION for Responsible Government director Matt Aubry.

ATTORNEY General Wayne Munroe.

require applicants to provide government-issued identification when making a request.

Mr Munroe said the Freedom of Information Office sent the regulations to his office.

Newly appointed Information Commissioner Donna Newton and Assistant Information Commissioner Sally Ann Lockett Pratt met with him before Mrs Newton took up the post this month, he said.

He said Mrs Newton would be given time to settle into the position and advance the office’s work before advising the government on appointing a deputy commissioner.

Mr Munroe also sought to temper expectations about what the legislation would provide once operational.

“A lot of people have misapprehensions about the

remain in the public service and are still assigned to the relevant agencies.

Mr Munroe said officials would also consider how close those officers are to retirement before investing in training, with the Freedom of Information Office expected to advise him on the way forward.

He said the government decided to seek public feedback before the regulations are signed and tabled so proposed measures could be scrutinised and potentially amended.

The government’s official legislation website now lists both the Freedom of Information (General) Regulations, 2026 and Freedom of Information (Fees)

Freedom of Information Act,” he said. “Firstly, they think it makes all information available. That is not so.

You should read the Act.” The legislation provides a general right of access to records held by public authorities but contains exemptions.

Mr Munroe also said the Information Commissioner’s Office would not be the first stop for someone seeking a government record.

Requests would instead be made initially to the ministry, agency or other public body holding the information. Applicants could turn to the Information Commissioner’s Office if access is refused.

The government is also reviewing public officers previously identified to serve as Freedom of Information officers to determine whether they

Barnett-Ellis presses govt over 125% domestic surge

By EARYEL BOWLEG Tribune Staff Reporter ebowleg@tribunemedia.net OPPOSITION Senator Michela Barnett-Ellis has demanded that the government explain what is driving a 125 percent surge in domestic-related reports and publish a national strategy to tackle domestic and sexual violence.

Royal Bahamas Police Force statistics show domestic-related reports rose from 367 during the first six months of 2025 to 825 during the same period this year.

“These cannot become numbers we simply report every six months,” Mrs Barnett-Ellis said in a statement.

While acknowledging that greater willingness among victims to come forward, improved record-keeping or changes in how incidents are classified could partly explain the increase, Mrs Barnett-Ellis said the scale of the rise required a government response.

“An increase of this magnitude cannot simply be noted and filed away,” she said. “The government must tell the Bahamian people what is driving these numbers and, more importantly, what it intends to do about them.”

Sexual offences also increased during the first half of the year, with police recording 98 cases, up 13 percent from 87 during the same period in 2025.

Rape reports rose 12 percent, from 25 to 28, while unlawful sexual intercourse increased 19

FNM SENATOR MICHEL BARNETT-ELLIS percent, from 57 cases to 68. Attempted rape reports fell from five to two, a 60 percent decline.

Mrs Barnett-Ellis also highlighted police findings that the alleged assailant was known to the victim in 96 percent of reported unlawful sexual intercourse cases and that more than half of those incidents occurred at a residence.

“This reminds us that sexual violence is very often not about a stranger lurking in the darkness,” she said. “The danger can come from someone known and trusted by the victim.”

Mrs Barnett-Ellis said the response could therefore not be limited to policing after an offence and must include prevention, early intervention, protection and support.

She called for the government to assess what is driving the surge in domestic-related reports and publish its strategy for reducing domestic and sexual violence.

Mrs Barnett-Ellis also called for greater funding for shelters, counselling,

legal assistance and other services intended to allow victims and their children to leave dangerous situations safely.

She urged greater emphasis on prevention and early intervention, including age-appropriate education about consent, healthy relationships, recognising abuse and how children and young people can safely seek help.

Mrs Barnett-Ellis also called for a review of how domestic and sexual violence cases move through the justice system, from the initial police report through investigation, prosecution and the courts, to identify delays and gaps that could leave victims vulnerable.

She said authorities should regularly publish more detailed statistics showing not only how many incidents are reported, but how many are investigated, prosecuted and ultimately determined by the courts.

Mrs Barnett-Ellis also called for continued efforts to challenge attitudes that place responsibility on victims, including questions about what a woman was wearing, where she was, whether she had been drinking or why she did not leave an abusive situation sooner.

“Eight hundred and twenty-five domestic-related reports in six months should cause all of us to ask what is happening in our homes and communities and what we are going to do differently,” she said.

“The statistics are the warning. Our response must now match the urgency of that warning.”

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Regulations, 2026 among its recent proposed measures.

Organisation for Responsible Governance executive director Matt Aubry said the regulations were an important part of establishing how members of the public could seek information and challenge refusals.

Public authorities would generally have 30 days to respond to a request, he said, while a request submitted to the wrong government body could be transferred to the appropriate agency, potentially triggering another response period.

“During the legislation, we talked about this being too long,” Mr Aubry said, “but that’s what the law

PAGE 6, Wednesday, September 16, 2026

THE TRIBUNE

The Tribune Limited NULLIUS ADDICTUS JURARE IN VERBA MAGISTRI “Being Bound to Swear to The Dogmas of No Master”

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Publisher/Editor 1903-1914

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RT HON EILEEN DUPUCH CARRON,

C.M.G., M.S., B.A., LL.B. Publisher/Editor 1972-

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School repairs require proper inspection EACH year, as the reopening of public schools approaches, considerable attention is placed on whether repairs will be completed in time.

That concern is understandable.

Parents want schools ready, teachers need functional classrooms and students should not lose instructional time because work has continued beyond the summer break.

But completing repairs on time is only part of the responsibility.

Those repairs must also be completed properly and independently inspected before contractors are paid and students return to the classroom.

Recent concerns about maintenance work at public schools should prompt the Ministry of Education to examine how repairs are commissioned, supervised and certified.

The question should not simply be whether the work was done, but whether it was done safely and to an acceptable standard.

Every year, the Government spends substantial sums repairing roofs, electrical systems, plumbing, bathrooms, windows, doors, fans and other fixtures across dozens of campuses.

This is a difficult exercise.

Many public-school buildings are old, the summer repair period is short and the country’s geography makes it more expensive and complicated to deliver materials and skilled labour to the Family Islands.

Unexpected problems are also often discovered only after work begins.

That context deserves fair acknowledgement. No government can rebuild every ageing campus in a single summer, and no inspection system can guarantee that equipment will never fail.

However, these challenges make proper supervision more important, not less.

A contractor’s assurance that work has been completed should never be the final word. Repairs involving electrical wiring, ceilings, fans, railings, roofs and structural components should be examined by qualified inspectors who were not responsible for performing the work.

Those inspectors should certify that the repairs comply with the contract, meet relevant safety standards and are suitable for use.

No final payment should be made without that certification.

The Ministry should introduce a standard inspection checklist for every public school. It should cover electrical installations, ceiling fixtures, fire alarms, extinguishers, emergency exits, stairways, railings, windows, playground equipment, plumbing, water quality and visible structural concerns.

Each principal should receive a signed report setting out what was inspected, what defects were discovered, what work was completed and what remains outstanding.

Teachers should also be given a clear process through which they can report concerns after a school reopens. They spend each day inside these buildings and are often the first to notice a loose fixture, leaking roof, exposed wire or deteriorating railing.

Those reports should enter a central maintenance system and be assigned according to risk. A potentially dangerous defect cannot be treated in the same manner as peeling paint or a damaged cupboard.

Urgent concerns should have firm response deadlines and should remain visible in the system until they are resolved.

The Government should also publish basic information about its annual school-repair programme.

The public does not require every technical detail, but it should be told which contractors were hired, the general value of the work, what each contract covered and whether the repairs passed inspection.

Transparency would protect both the Government and reputable contractors.

Not every complaint means that work was defective. Contractors should have an opportunity to respond and correct legitimate problems. However, companies that repeatedly perform substandard work should not continue receiving public contracts simply because they submit the lowest bid or can promise the quickest completion.

Procurement decisions should consider previous performance, workmanship, safety compliance and whether contractors corrected defects without demanding additional public money.

Where recently completed work fails because of poor installation or inadequate materials, the contractor should be required to repair it at no further cost to taxpayers.

Ultimately, school maintenance must become a year-round responsibility rather than a crisis managed during the final weeks of summer.

Every campus should have a preventive-maintenance schedule and a regularly updated record of its condition. That would allow the Ministry to address smaller problems before they become expensive failures or safety hazards.

The Government deserves credit for the extensive work required to open schools each year. But the standard of success cannot be measured only by whether the gates opened on the first morning.

A school is not ready simply because the contractors have left.

It is ready when the work has been checked, the classrooms are functional and parents can be confident that their children are entering a properly maintained and independently inspected environment.

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Do BPL and MOW live in same country as us?

EDITOR, The Tribune.

SOMETIMES the biggest problems in The Bahamas do not require complicated solutions, multimillion-dollar studies, foreign consultants or years of planning.

Sometimes they simply require somebody to get in a truck, drive around, identify the problem and fix it.

That raises a serious question: Do the executives at BPL and the Ministry of Works live in the same country as us?

Every evening, thousands of Bahamians drive the streets of New Providence. We see the streetlights that are out.

We see roads sitting in darkness. We see intersections, corners and residential areas where several lights in a row are not working.

If ordinary citizens can see it, why can’t Bahamas Power and Light?

BPL does not need to wait for hundreds of residents to call and report individual streetlights.

The solution could be incredibly simple.

Once night falls, have dedicated BPL teams drive through New Providence - street by street, community by community, main road by main road. Write down every streetlight that is not working, record its location and create a repair list.

The following morning, dispatch repair crews by area and start fixing them. One team takes the west. Another takes the east. Another works through the south or central areas. Complete one section and move to the next. Then repeat the inspection regularly.

Within weeks, BPL could have an accurate picture of the streetlight situation across New Providence without waiting for the public to tell them where every problem is.

Streetlights are not just cosmetic. They affect road visibility, pedestrian safety, security and the overall appearance of our communities.

LETTERS letters@tribunemedia.net The same common-sense approach should apply to our roads.

Anyone who regularly drives around New Providence knows how quickly small potholes can become large ones.

Yet many of these problems could be dealt with before they become major road repairs.

The Ministry responsible for our roads could have two or more dedicated pothole teams whose job every Monday morning is simple: drive the roads and repair what they find.

And the executives should not have to take anyone’s word for it. The executives at BPL and the Ministry of Works can hop into those same trucks and spend a day riding with a field team.

They can see the dark streets, failed lights, potholes and road conditions firsthand. Sometimes one day on the road with the people doing the work can reveal more than a dozen meetings behind a desk.

Put the necessary road-repair material and equipment on the truck and send the crews out. Do not wait until a pothole becomes large enough to damage somebody’s tire, rim, suspension or vehicle.

See a small hole?

Repair it. See a large one? Repair it properly.

See another one fifty feet down the road? Repair that one too. Keep moving.

Imagine two dedicated crews doing this every Monday, week after week, across New Providence. They would not catch everything in one day, but over time they would create a continuous maintenance system rather than allowing minor road damage to grow into major problems.

This is basic preventative maintenance.

Anyone who owns a house, vehicle, boat or business understands the concept. A small leak is cheaper to repair than major water damage.

A small mechanical problem is cheaper to correct than a destroyed engine. A small pothole is easier and cheaper to repair than a section of road that has completely deteriorated.

Government infrastructure should be treated the same way.

The public should not have to constantly complain before basic maintenance happens.

Government agencies should be looking for problems before citizens have to report them.` We often hear about budgets, manpower, equipment shortages and long-term infrastructure plans. Those things matter. But they should not become excuses for ignoring simple improvements that could be made with the resources already available.

Not every solution has to be complicated.

A BPL truck driving Nassau at night recording failed streetlights is simple. Dedicated road crews driving Nassau every week looking for potholes is simple. Creating zones, assigning teams, keeping records and following up is simple.

Simple solutions can solve major problems when they are carried out consistently.

Bahamians are not asking for perfection overnight. We are asking to see basic problems identified and addressed before they become worse.

Sometimes good governance is not about announcing another major initiative. Sometimes it is simply about seeing a problem, putting a team in a truck, and fixing it.

CYRIL CARTWRIGHT Nassau, September 10, 2026.

National wounds deep, but there is still hope EDITOR, The Tribune.

EVEN though the wounds are cut deep, there is always hope for a person whose faith and hope are and can with proper and devoted can be kept alive.

As I reflect this Wednesday morning, a profound melancholy settles over me, contemplating the unfulfilled promise of my homeland, the Bahamas.

Nearly sixty years of independence have passed, yet we seem to have drifted so far from the radiant future that once seemed within our grasp.

Our trajectory has been tragically diverted by a series of critical failures: a visionless leadership, fueled by unchecked greed and petty spite, and the insidious practice of divisive politics that has splintered our country/ society.

This systemic neglect extends to a tragic failure to develop and equitably distribute our abundant natural wealth, which has been compounded by an inability to transcend narrow political differences that have been among our citizenry.

This has deeply wounded our national development, stifling the potential of both our human capital and our environmental bounties.

Instead of fostering an environment in which all, or at least the vast majority of our people, could prosper and appreciate the communal value of sharing and providing

mutual support, instead we have witnessed a devastating “brain drain.”

Many of our most talented and skilled citizens, disheartened by the lack of opportunity and recognition, have been compelled to seek brighter prospects on foreign shores, leaving a void that speaks volumes of our systemic failings.

The heartache intensifies when I recall the inspiring words of our national anthem, penned by our revered native son, Timothy Gibson. The verses, that were meant to be our guiding star, speak of lofty aspirations: “Lift up your head to the rising sun, Bahama land; March on to glory, your bright banners waving high. See how the world marks the manner of your bearing!

Pledge to excel through love and unity. Pressing onward, march together to a common loftier goal; Steady sunward, tho’ the weather hides the wide and treacherous shoal.

Lift up your head to the rising sun, Bahama land, ‘Til the road you’ve trod lead unto your God, March on, Bahama land.”

Yet, how bitterly ironic do these calls for unity and collective striving sound against the backdrop of decades marred by mostly incompetent leadership and deliberate divisiveness by those who were chosen to unite us.

Those entrusted with our nation’s destiny, often fully aware of a more noble path, chose instead to navigate us through

treacherous currents of disunity, betraying the very spirit of our foundational pledge.

The weight of these reflections is immense, stirring a profound grief over the divergence between our nation’s rich potential and its current state. To witness nearly sixty years of independence, which for the most part has been shadowed by a consistent pattern of self-serving governance, economic disparity, and the stifling of collective ambition, is indeed heart-wrenching.

The sting of persistent political fragmentation, the short-sightedness that impedes true growth, the painful inequity in resource distribution benefiting a select few, and the continuous hemorrhaging of our brightest minds — these are not mere policy failures; they are wounds inflicted upon the soul of our nation.

Such deep sorrow is born from an equally deep love for the Bahamas, for its people, its culture, and its inherent beauty.

Despite the prevailing stagnation, the very act of acknowledging these profound shortcomings, and the shared yearning for a more just and prosperous future, serves as a testament that the spirit of a better, unified Bahama land remains vibrantly alive within its people.

DR DONALD M McCARTNEY Freeport, Grand Bahama September 10, 2026.

PAGE 8, Wednesday, September 16, 2026

THE TRIBUNE

Alicia Wallace

Reparations movement is rooted in the pursuit of freedom and justice LAST week, excerpts from the press statement by The Bahamas National Reparations on the upcoming visit by the British Crown were shared in this space. As it seemed to have been the first time some people became aware of the Committee, I invited the Chair of the BNRC, Niambi Hall Campbell Dean, PhD, to answer a few questions to help the public to understand the Committee and its work.

What is The Bahamas National Reparations Committee (BNRC)? How is it related to and engaging with the CARICOM Reparations Committee?

The BNRC is a committee convened by the Government of The Bahamas in 2013 to carry out the local mandate of the larger CARICOM Reparations Commission (CRC) and, as such, is a member of the CRC. The CARICOM Reparations Commission is described on its website as “a regional body created (in 2013) to establish the moral, ethical and legal case for the payment of Reparations by the Governments of all the former colonial powers and the relevant institutions of those countries, to the nations and people of the Caribbean Community for the Crimes against Humanity of Native Genocide, the Trans-Atlantic trafficking in enslaved Africans and a racialised system of chattel Slavery.”

How is the BNRC advocating for reparations?

What are your activities?

Our advocacy has multiple forms and is both external and internal.

In our call for external reparations, we have engaged in letter-writing campaigns, social and traditional media campaigns, and hosted seminars, conferences, talks, historical tours, and school campaigns. We have travelled internationally to help shape calls for reparations throughout the region, Africa, and the United Nations. Locally, we are focused on issues such as land reform, which outlines ways in which

our local governments can loosen the shackles of colonization from our governmental systems.

What is the legal basis for the demand for reparations?

From a layperson's perspective, the basic legal claim is that slavery is a crime now and it was a crime then. In the words of Panashe Chigumadzi, rapporteur for the African Union committee of experts on reparations, “a crime does not rot.”

What is the future that the BNRC imagines for The Bahamas, with reparations paid?

Our ultimate goal is a future in which our systems are free of impeding legacies of enslavement and colonialism. Reparations are not merely an exchange of funds. They are an attempt to right a wrong, and at the core, we are calling for a systemic change in the way that the world is structured that has resulted in the demise of our climate and environments. A land in which all are educated to the truths of who they are and economically, physically, and spiritually free to exist as their true selves.

What compels people to join the BNRC? Reparations as a movement that has long and deep roots in our communities with Rastafari as the first unified voice to call for them but our ancestors have been advocating for reparations from the moment of our capture. I think reparations speaks to the natural desire for people to be free and speaks to a desire for justice and that this is why people do this work.

You can learn more about the Committee and join our efforts by following us on Instagram at @242reparations, on Facebook at Bahamas Reparations Committee, or emailing us at bnrc242@ gmail.com Thank you to the Chair for her responses. I encourage all Bahamians and residents of The Bahamas to follow the BNRC on social media and to

Reparations... are an attempt to right a wrong, and at the core, we are calling for a systemic change in the way that the world is structured that has resulted in the demise of our climate and environments.

A land in which all are educated to the truths of who they are and economically, physically, and spiritually free to exist as their true selves. support its activities.

THE GENOCIDE OF PALESTINIANS CONTINUES Though media coverage has waned, the genocide by “Israel” against the Palestinian people continues.

Macklemore, on Ed Sheeran’s US Loop Tour, gave a short speech between songs on September 4. In

Massachusetts governor proposes improved postpartum healthcare after Lindsay Clancy trial

By LEAH WILLINGHAM Associated Press NEW parents in Massachusetts should receive better support and postpartum care, Gov. Maura Healey said Tuesday, following the high-profile murder trial of Lindsay Clancy who, her attorneys

argued, was suffering from unresolved postpartum psychosis when she killed her three children in 2023.

Healey proposed providing free home visits by nurses to all parents with newborns as well as updated regulations governing mental health screening of new mothers.

“To every mom who has struggled with her mental health before, during or after pregnancy, I want you to know we see you — I see you,” Healey said during a visit to Boston’s Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center.

“We need to talk more openly about this,” said Healey, who signed a

it, he said, “A big part of the reason why I wanted to do this tour in the first place is so I could stand up in stadiums like this and say two words that are very near and dear to my heart: ‘Free Palestine.”

On September 5, Macklemore spoke directly to Jewish people in the audience. He said, “Criticism of Israel, criticism of apartheid, being against

maternal health law in 2024 that expanded access to doulas, midwives and birth centres, and required insurers to cover postpartum depression screenings.

Both sides agreed that Clancy killed her three children, then tried to take her own life by jumping from a second-floor window. The Massachusetts mother is now paralyzed from the waist down. Her attorneys argued she could not be held criminally responsible because of postpartum psychosis, while prosecutors said she should be found guilty because evidence indicated she knew what she was doing was wrong.

A mistrial was declared when jurors could not reach a unanimous verdict.

Healey, a Democrat, said she plans to ask state lawmakers to approve $2 million for a program aimed at offering home visits to all families welcoming the roughly 68,000 newborns in Massachusetts each year. No families would be required to participate, but those who do can have a nurse visit and answer questions about feeding, sleep, and caring for a new baby. The nurse would also monitor mothers’ postpartum health, as well as screen for depression and other mental health concerns.

This would be the first state investment in a federally funded program that

genocide in no way is a criticism of you. My message is for peace, love; for all human beings to be treated with dignity, respect and equality.”

His comments, predictably, resulted in backlash as his pro-Palestinian position was intentionally conflated with antisemitism. Some organizations took to social media to complain about Macklemore saying, “Free Palestine,” and pretending to feel unsafe (beyond the threat that the rest of the world will see what “Israel” is doing and rise up to stop the genocide).

Recording artist Pink shared one such post, faced criticism, and doubled down, citing her own “fear” as a Jewish mother.

On September 14, Macklemore announced that he was dropped from Ed Sheeran’s tour. In his Instagram post, he said, “Last Monday, in the middle of all the media attention surrounding Pink and what I said at MetLife, Ed told me that Robert Kraft called him. We were scheduled to play Gillette Stadium later this month, which is owned by the Kraft Group. Ed told me that Kraft said I would not be allowed to perform in his stadium. Ed also told me that Kraft had rallied some of the other stadium owners and collectively they gave him an ultimatum: If Macklemore stays on the tour, you will not be allowed to play in our venues.”

It is not surprising that Ed Sheeran decided to side with genocide while pretending to that “neutral” is a real position that can be held in a case like this. There are only two positions—for the end of genocide and liberation of all peoples, and for the continuation of genocide to the benefit of colonizers and capitalism.

The wealthy are trading the lives of marginalized people to amass more wealth through the control of resources on the lands they devastated and strip of their peoples. It is not even surprising when considering that Ed Sheeran and Macklemore are or

were friends. Relationships do not matter to people whose primary goal is to be and remain wealthy. For them, there is no price that is too high.

In his post, Macklemore noted that a pro-Palestine position can cost money, brand deals, and relationships. He, however, opened his statement by clearly stating that he is not a victim in this situation. “I am not a victim.

Ed Sheeran is not a victim.

Pink is not a victim. We have careers, money, opportunities, safety, and audiences around the world. Whatever consequences any of us face for what we say, we get to go home to our families. The victims are the Palestinian people.”

There need not be any sympathy for Macklemore.

He knew the risk, and he knew that it was more important to take a stand than to be silent on an issue that now needs more people to speak up to as many other people as possible. He, as he stated, has the resources he needs and can return to his family unscathed. This pop culture moment is a lesson in organizing.

KEY TAKEAWAYS This incident is a reminder that power and wealth always find ways to work together to protect themselves. Kraft wasted no time in calling on other people with similar interests in taking action to remove Macklemore from the stage while forcing Ed Sheeran to side with them and against the Palestinian people. It is an illustration of what happens all over the world to coerce people into silence and inaction.

It is also a demonstration of the requirements of organizing—recognizing shared interest, building partnerships on that basis, and moving boldly to take collective action. This is the kind of organizing and power building that will get us to reparations, and it is the reason The Bahamas National Reparations Committee and the CARICOM Reparations Commission exist.

Support their work.

MASSACHUSETTS Gov. Maura Healey speaks at the 2024 Democratic National Convention on August 22, 2024, in Chicago.

Photo: Paul Sancya/AP currently provides nurse visits to about 3,000 families each year, Healey said.

Healey also proposed a $250,000 investment in the Massachusetts Child Psychiatry Access Program for Moms and directed the Massachusetts Department of Public Health to update state regulations on perinatal mental health screenings to identify concerns during and after pregnancy.

Giving birth can be one of life’s most joyous experiences, Healey said, “but it’s also one of the most challenging.”

“For new mothers, it can be exhausting, isolating and overwhelming,” she said.

Massachusetts has long been a national leader in expanding access to health

care, with one of the lowest uninsured rates in the US Its landmark 2006 health care law, which sought near-universal coverage, became a model for key parts of the federal Affordable Care Act. Yet maternal care gaps remain. Mental illness, including substance use disorder, was the leading underlying cause of death for pregnant women and new mothers in Massachusetts from 2019 through 2024, accounting for 38%, according to the state’s maternal mortality review committee. The panel also concluded that 85% of those deaths were preventable and more than half occurred between seven days and one year after giving birth.

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THE TRIBUNE

Wednesday, September 16, 2026, PAGE 9

Tech CEOs call for AI regulation. Trump and Congress are not rushing to act

By STEVEN SLOAN and MARY CLARE JALONICK Associated Press THE technology industry’s increasingly urgent warnings about the potential harm of artificial intelligence are slamming into political intransigence in Washington, offering a fresh test of the federal government’s willingness and ability to confront what may become a defining issue of the era.

President Donald Trump is leading the opposition to recent calls by tech leaders seeking greater government oversight, including Anthropic’s Dario Amodei, OpenAI’s Sam Altman and xAI’s Elon Musk.

The president dismissed efforts to limit the technology on Monday as a “conspiracy.” Other leading Republicans including Vice President JD Vance have expressed caution. House Speaker Mike Johnson has largely deferred to the White House.

Democrats, meanwhile, are pressing for a more robust response, convening in private on Tuesday in the House to discuss AI. Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., is hosting his colleagues for a briefing with experts on Wednesday. Top candidates on the ballot this year such as Sen. Jon Ossoff of Georgia are pressing for sweeping action in Washington. And former President Barack Obama is encouraging those with White House aspirations to develop a “very clear plan” to address AI concerns.

The contrasting responses illustrate a yawning disconnect emerging between a tech sector warning of

AI’s existential threats to humanity and a federal government often struggling to accomplish basic functions under the weight of intense partisanship and election-year pressure.

“The signals we’re receiving from our political leaders are not representing an understanding of the crisis that I think we are in fact in,” said Max Stier, the president and chief executive of the nonpartisan Partnership for Public Service. “Delay is going to prove very costly.”

There are notable exceptions to the partisan divide.

Sen. Josh Hawley, R-Mo., opened an investigation last week into OpenAI for its artificial intelligence system hacking into another AI company on its own. And, speaking at a Washington AI conference on Tuesday, Trump ally Steve Bannon embraced overlapping views with Sanders on the issue.

“We have to rise above it,” Bannon said. “This is a hinge in history.”

Congress and the White House have responded to past crises Congress and the White House have managed to respond swiftly to past crises and the intensifying AI debate is emerging as a new referendum on whether they can do so again.

During Trump’s first term, his team worked with Democrats in control of Congress to stabilize the economy as federal agencies worked to produce a vaccine to combat the COVID-19 pandemic.

As the economy teetered on collapse in 2007 and 2008, President George W. Bush’s Republican administration teamed with congressional Democrats to inject money

THE OPENAI logo is displayed on a cellphone with an image on a computer monitor generated by ChatGPT’s Dall-E text-to-image model, Dec. 8, 2023, in Boston.

Photo: Michael Dwyer/AP into the financial system.

But Congress has long been reluctant to regulate the technology industry.

The Biden administration called on lawmakers to develop policies after a 2023 executive order on AI oversight, which Trump rescinded soon after returning to office. As the technology has progressed at a rapid clip, Congress has refrained from imposing rules or funding ways for people to successfully adjust to the potential changes from AI. A bipartisan working group on artificial intelligence formed by then-Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer released a report in 2024 recommending the US spend at least $32 billion over the next three years to develop artificial intelligence and implement safeguards around it. But there was little follow up.

Similarly, a bipartisan bill on internet safety for children

has repeatedly stalled.

“We never do anything until we have a holy heck moment,” said Sen. Mark Warner, a Virginia Democrat and former technology executive.

Lawmakers in both parties agree more guardrails are needed, but even narrow attempts at regulation have fallen apart and a certain skepticism has set in.

“Have we gotten election security done?” asked Sen. Rick Scott, R-Fla. “Did we balance a budget? Oh, did we pass a budget? See, what have we gotten done? So you think we’re going to get AI done?”

Ossoff cast the AI debate as an example of Washington’s inability to tackle anything big.

“What fills us with dread is the crushing weakness of our politics against the massive stakes of our times,” he said during a Sunday reelection rally in Athens, Georgia.

A renewed sense of urgency for government oversight

Trump emerges as a roadblock

There are some signs of renewed urgency.

After the tech leaders called for greater oversight on Saturday, Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., said he spoke that night with Sen. Amy Klobuchar, D-Minn., about a “path forward” on legislation they’re working on.

“You don’t want to stifle innovation, but I think you also want to make sure that the more advanced threats can be mitigated and there’s a capability and place to do that,” he said.

“I also think,” he added, “that there is a way in which Congress can put guardrails around those types of more consequential threats without, in any way, harming our ability to stay ahead in the AI race.”

Sen. John Kennedy, R-La., said he plans to offer a so-called kill switch measure on Wednesday that would require developers to have the capacity to shut down their systems if needed. It would need the Senate’s full support to advance.

“AI is becoming an issue, particularly in the last few days,” he said.

But with a dwindling calendar ahead of the November election, any fast movement on legislation seems unlikely. In the House, Johnson seemed downbeat on the prospect of a legislative response, calling instead for Trump to summon AI leaders for a meeting to resolve concerns.

“The reflex of legislative bodies is to cover things up with red tape and hyper regulation,” he said.

And any legislation that emerges would require Trump’s support, which appears unlikely at the moment.

“All I can tell you is my own perspective on this,” said Hawley, who has introduced bipartisan legislation requiring federal tracking of AI safety concerns tied to national security, civil liberties and labour protections.

“We need to protect working people. We need to protect kids online. We need to protect folks who are threatened by data centres.”

“We also need to make sure,” he added, “these frontier models are not going to blow up the internet and/or the world.”

For veterans of past crises, the congressional inertia is baffling.

“Earth to Washington: You’re pushing an open door,” Rahm Emanuel, Obama’s chief of staff in the wake of the financial crisis and a potential 2028 presidential candidate, said in an interview. “In my entire time of public service, I’ve never had an industry or a CEO ask for regulation and oversight.”

Rep. Don Beyer, a Virginia Democrat who is a leader in the Congressional Artificial Intelligence Caucus, said Congress is “capable” of passing stronger AI rules.

He said he thinks there’s sufficient support for multiple bills, including a bipartisan measure that would establish guardrails for AI models and another that includes the kill switch provision.

“It’s very much a leadership issue,” Beyer said as the House is poised to adjourn at the end of the week and not return until after the elections.

Anthropic researcher resigns with warning about the dangers of AI development

By KAITLYN HUAMANI AP Technology Writer AN Anthropic researcher said he is resigning from the company over concerns the artificial intelligence firm and its competitors are not acting responsibly in AI development, echoing concerns raised inside and outside of the industry about the technology’s potential to elude human control.

Jacob Coxon, who said he spent three years doing research at both Anthropic and OpenAI, said Tuesday on the social platform X that the two AI companies are more focused on beating each other and global competitors in developing the most advanced model possible than they are on safety.

OpenAI and Anthropic caused a stir this summer when they announced, about a week apart, that their models had broken

out of testing environments and obtained unauthorized access to real computer systems. The announcements prompted concerns about models going rogue and carrying out other, more harmful tasks. Both companies said at the time they were pausing some evaluations while they put more monitoring measures and guardrails in place.

The technology’s rapid development has led some in the U.S. as well as global leaders to call for a more cautious approach.

U.N. human rights chief Volker Türk urged countries this week to put “cast-iron guarantees in

place around the safety and security of AI before it is too late.”

In his social media posts, Coxon said Anthropic and its chief rival OpenAI “are racing straight to self-improving superintelligence and gambling with our lives.” He warned that some working on AI development believe it could threaten human life by the end of the decade.

“Do not underestimate the power of this technology,” he continued. “These will soon be superhuman systems that can hack anything, revolutionize any field overnight, and acquire real power and resources. We have all witnessed the progress in each of these domains, and progress is not slowing.”

His posts reached more than 100 million people overnight.

Coxon is not the first AI insider to publicly raise such concerns. Both Anthropic and

OpenAI have seen high-profile resignations in recent years that were tied to safety concerns. Two current Anthropic employees also responded to Coxon’s post in agreement.

Sen. Bernie Sanders, a Vermont independent who has called for AI safeguards and regulation, agreed with Coxon’s concerns and said he would soon introduce legislation to pause AI development and ban superintelligence.

“The very people building this technology admit that it could threaten the future of humanity,” Sanders said Wednesday on social media.

AI companies themselves have at times highlighted the technology’s threat to humanity, which sceptics have seen as part of a push to make their products seem all-powerful. Coxon said

the fears he outlined in his post are not a “marketing stunt.”

Coxon did not respond to messages seeking comment.

Anthropic and OpenAI did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

Anthropic has long pitched itself as the more responsible and safety-minded of the leading AI companies, ever since its founders quit OpenAI to form the startup in 2021. The company recently said it was taking action to “prioritize safety over speed when the two are in tension.”

Anthropic and OpenAI are each ramping up for buzzy initial public offerings and locked in steep competition with each other. They’re also each on a mission to outpace the development progress of Chinese AI companies, a race the Trump administration has been keen on winning.

PAGE 10, Wednesday, September 16, 2026

THE TRIBUNE

World News

Ed Sheeran’s tour in trouble after opening acts drop out in solidarity with rapper Macklemore

By MARK KENNEDY AP Entertainment Writer ED Sheeran’s tour of North and South America was plunged into chaos Tuesday when four of his supporting acts abruptly quit in solidarity with the rapper Macklemore, who was dropped for making pro-Palestinian comments onstage.

Hours after Sheeran posted on social media about Macklemore’s ouster and attributed the decision to the tour’s promoters, Irish acts Aaron Rowe and Beoga, the Danish band Lukas Graham, and Finneas posted on Instagram that they were leaving the tour.

Rowe and Lukas Graham would have been replacements for Macklemore on Sheeran’s remaining US dates, while Beoga had been performing several songs — including some the Irish folk band co-wrote — with Sheeran around the middle of each set. Finneas, who is Billie Eilish’s brother and musical collaborator, was due to tour with Sheeran in South America later this year.

“Artists must not be silenced when they speak up for the oppressed,” Finneas said on Instagram. “I have decided to withdraw from my upcoming tour dates with Ed Sheeran. I stand with Palestine and its people.”

Pressure mounts on Sheeran The moves by his fellow artists put enormous pressure on Sheeran, who has

MACKLEMORE performs at Austin City Limits Live during the South by Southwest Music Festival in Austin, Texas on March 17, 2023.

Photo: Jack Plunkett/Invision/AP tried to avoid politics and taking a side in the Gaza conflict, arguing that his fans don’t come to his shows to hear politics.

Rowe and Beoga each cited their country’s history in their statements explaining their decision.

“We are Irish people who understand colonialism. As founding members of the Irish Artists for Palestine movement, we are committed activists for justice and will continue to be,” Beoga said.

Rowe called Sheeran a friend and said the British singer-songwriter changed his life. “But as Irish people we know all too well about

genocide, forced famine and violent occupation,” he said, adding that he couldn’t “stand by and allow billionaires to use their position of power to silence the rightful voices of those who speak up.”

Meanwhile, Lukas Graham, the band that had hits with “Mama Said” and “7 Years,” expressed gratitude to Sheeran and called it “a difficult decision.”

“Money doesn’t give you the right to own the conversation. Nobody’s bank balance should decide who gets to speak or which suffering we’re allowed to acknowledge,” the band posted, seemingly referring

to billionaire Robert Kraft’s role in Macklemore’s removal from the tour.

Emails seeking comment were sent to Sheeran and the tour’s promoter, the Messina Touring Group.

The crisis started with Macklemore being dropped Sheeran weighed in on Macklemore being dropped after the rapper made pro-Palestinian comments onstage during their tour, saying the decision was made by the promoters alone. The British singer also said he refused to be drawn into a public discussion about the war in Gaza.

“Macklemore coming off tour was the promoter’s decision, it was not mine,” Sheeran wrote on Instagram on Tuesday. “I would never let down the fans who had made plans, nor would I abandon the touring crew and the other support acts and musicians who rely on me for work and to make a living.”

Sheeran’s statement came a day after Macklemore said he was kicked off the Loop Tour after exclaiming “Free Palestine!” during the Sept. 5 date at New Jersey’s MetLife Stadium while introducing his protest song “Hind’s Hall.”

“To all of my Jewish brothers and sisters, criticism of Israel, criticism of apartheid, being against genocide, it in no way is criticism of you,” he said during the concert.

Macklemore said Monday on Instagram that several US venues told the promoter they would prohibit him from performing as Sheeran’s opening act, rallied by Kraft, owner of NFL’s New England Patriots. His Kraft Group also owns Gillette Stadium, where the Patriots play.

In a statement Monday, Kraft said the decision to cancel Macklemore was a result of his recent comments “and a broader history of antisemitic rhetoric and imagery that we believe has been deeply offensive and hurtful to the Jewish community.”

Kraft’s representatives didn’t immediately respond to a Tuesday email seeking comment about the other

musical artists’ actions.

Sheeran says ‘I am not complicit’ A growing chorus of organizations and experts say Israel’s wartime actions in Gaza amount to genocide — an accusation Israel vehemently rejects.

Macklemore was scheduled to perform at eight of the 10 shows Sheeran has remaining on his stadium tour, which is scheduled to resume Saturday in Philadelphia. Ahead are stops at Gillette Stadium, Atlanta’s Mercedes-Benz Stadium and Indianapolis’ Lucas Oil Stadium.

In his social media post, Sheeran said he “spoke with the venues at length all week to try to build a bridge,” but that “the venue’s and promoter’s decision was final.”

He wrote that he tries to use his music to “bring people from all backgrounds and cultures together” and that while he has personal views about “this devastating conflict,” he chooses not to speak publicly because people who come to his shows “do not expect a political forum.” He added: “I am not complicit.”

“I respect Macklemore’s strength of purpose to stand up and shout for what he believes,” Sheeran added.

“However, there is room for multiple approaches to the same end: peace. I choose to use my fame and platform to be a place of safety and sanctuary, to maintain diplomacy and keep conversations open, not closed.”

NICK REINER AVOIDS DEATH PENALTY OVER HIS PARENTS’ KILLINGS BUT STILL FACES LIFE IN PRISON

By ANDREW DALTON AP Entertainment Writer HOLLYWOOD filmmaker Rob Reiner ‘s son will not face the death penalty on charges he fatally stabbed his parents after lying in wait at their home in Los Angeles late last year, prosecutors said Tuesday.

If convicted, the maximum sentence 33-year-old Nick Reiner could get is life without the possibility of parole, Los Angeles County District Attorney Nathan Hochman said at a news conference. Before reaching its decision, Hochman said

his office did a thorough review, including speaking to Rob and Michele Singer Reiner’s families and evaluating mitigating factors in Nick Reiner’s favour.

Nick Reiner, who briefly appeared at a court hearing Tuesday morning, has twice pleaded not guilty.

The death penalty had been on the table because of the lying-in-wait allegation, the fact that multiple people were killed, and the use of a knife, which is considered a dangerous weapon.

However, it’s been two decades since California’s last execution, and Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom

declared a moratorium on the practice in 2019.

Nick Reiner’s public defender highlights his mental illness Reiner’s attorney, Deputy Public Defender Kimberly Greene, said prosecutors made the right decision.

“Nick has a serious mental illness and a long history of struggling with self-medication. His circumstances are a tragic example of how difficult it can be for people experiencing significant mental health challenges to access and navigate the

treatment and support they need,” Greene said in a statement. “Nothing can undo the profound loss experienced by the Reiner family and those who loved them. Our hearts remain with the family.”

Nick Reiner was charged with first-degree murder on Dec. 16, two days after the stunning killings. Reiner’s former defence attorney, Alan Jackson, adamantly insisted that “pursuant to the laws of California, Nick Reiner is not guilty of murder.”

Jackson had to withdraw for undisclosed reasons

Nick Reiner appears during his arraignment on murder charges for the deaths of his parents, Feb. 23, 2026, in Los Angeles.

Photo: Chris Torres that he said were beyond his and the client’s control, and a public defender took over for him.

A grand jury indicted Reiner in July. The judge in the case was deciding whether to make public the transcripts of those secret grand jury proceedings, a move that would likely reveal many key details about the killings.

Hochman said his office will not oppose the transcripts’ release, but Nick Reiner’s siblings Jake and Romi Reiner were adamantly opposed, saying it would add to their trauma and harm.

At Tuesday’s hearing, Judge Sam Ohta said he will hear arguments on the issue next month.

Nick Reiner wants access to his trust fund Reiner has asked a different judge to force the release of money from a trust his parents set up for him when he was a child, so that he can rehire Jackson, a high-profile defence attorney whose clients have included Kevin Spacey and Karen Read.

The trustees overseeing the funds argue Reiner shouldn’t get them, but his lawyers argue that he is still innocent under the law and that the money would legally be his regardless of his parents’ deaths. Reiner is awaiting a ruling on the money.

Jackson has said he wants to return to the case.

Hochman said he does not expect a trial until

next year.

Hours earlier, Rob Reiner was honoured at the Emmys Rob Reiner received an emotional tribute at the Emmy Awards on Monday night. He won a posthumous Emmy for best guest actor in a comedy series for his role on “The Bear,” and was honoured by his friend and “Bear” co-star Jamie Lee Curtis.

“He was generous, kind and funny as hell, and a friend to all,” Curtis said. “And we all miss Rob and Michele and all those we lost this year.”

Nick Reiner was the second of Rob and Michele Reiner’s three children. He and his father co-wrote the script for the 2015 film “Being Charlie,” which was partly based on the son’s teenage struggles with addiction and homelessness.

Rob Reiner began as an actor, starring in the TV sitcom “All in the Family” as Michael “Meathead” Stivic, the liberal son-in-law to a much more conservative and bigoted Archie Bunker, played by Carroll O’Connor. Reiner won two Emmy Awards for the role.

He became a prolific director whose work included some of the most memorable and endlessly watchable movies of the 1980s and ‘90s.

His credits included “This is Spinal Tap,” “Stand By Me,” “A Few Good Men,” and “When Harry Met Sally…” during the wproduction of which he met photographer Michele Singer. They wed soon after and were married for 36 years.

THE TRIBUNE

Atlantis celebrates excellence:

Wednesday, September 16, 2026, PAGE 11

By EARYEL BOWLEG Tribune Staff Reporter ebowleg@tribunemedia.net ATLANTIS recognised employees from across its more than 6,000-member workforce yesterday during the resort’s 27th Amethyst Awards.

Over 100

have worked at the resort for more than 20 years.

Ms Oswell said Atlantis employees work across hotel operations, the marine water park, food and beverage, casino, engineering, golf, the water plant, security, landscaping, laundry, warehouse, human resources, legal, finance, IT,

marketing, entertainment and guest activities.

“Today we’re going to recognise a handful of you,” she said, “but every one of you whose name is mentioned today, and all of those that are here cheering them on, stands on a team, and every one of those teams stands on all of you.”

Awardee Winifred Munroe giving brief remarks to press at Atlantis Amethyst Awards held in the theatre.

Atlantis President Audrey Oswell giving brief remarks to press at Atlantis Amethyst Awards held in the theatre.

Photos: Nikia Charlton

Employees Honoured at 27th Amethyst Awards

More than 100 employees are nominated each quarter for recognition through the awards programme, which honours workers across the resort’s operations.

Atlantis President and Managing Director Audrey Oswell said the nominees reflected the breadth of the organisation, from relatively new hires to employees who

PAGE 12, Wednesday, September 16, 2026

THE TRIBUNE

Community Gathers to Celebrate Legacy of Former Minister

Neville Wisdom

Photos: Shawn Hanna FORMER Minister of Youth, Sports and Culture Neville Wisdom was remembered for his legacy and impact on the lives of many people during a memorial held in his honour at the Ministry of Youth and Sports yesterday. Speakers, including Minister of Youth and Sports Mario Bowleg, Olympian Pauline Davis and Henry Higgins, reflected on Wisdom’s life and contributions, while attendees also sang hymns in his memory.

M E M O R I A L