09272016 business

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 27, 2016

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IT miss exposes NHI to ‘US-fraud levels’

By NEIL HARTNELL Tribune Business Editor nhartnell@tribunemedia.net A well-known physician yesterday warned that the National Health Insurance (NHI) scheme could be exposed to “US-style fraud levels”, after the Government admitted the necessary IT system will not be ready for its January 2017 launch.

Dr Duane Sands, the FNM senator, told Tribune Business it would be impossible to protect the Bahamian taxpayer, and obtain ‘value for money’, without a proper information technology (IT) system providing the required “checks and balances”.

He was speaking out after the Government’s own NHI secretariat, in a document

Govt admits technology not ready for January 2017 Sands: $124m ‘free for all’ without such safeguards Public insurer bid deadline pushed back to Nov 7 obtained by Tribune Business, admitted that a full IT infrastructure will not be ready for the $100 million primary care phase’s planned early 2017 roll-out.

The secretariat’s 11-page

Dr Duane Sands document, Frequently Asked Questions, sought to address numerous concerns raised by the Bahamian medical community, including when the necessary technology “to collect data on patient visits/risk profiles” would be in place.

In response, the NHI Secretariat admitted: “The IT infrastructure requirements are defined, and NHI is in the process of procurement and implementation of the system.

“However, it is expected that the full system will not be in place for the launch of NHI, and as a result a limited-function interim solution is being procured to support the launch.”

It is unclear what is meant by a “limited-function interim solution”, but the document acknowledged physician concerns that a health information management system was “essential for NHI to be successful”.

In reply, the Secretariat said: “The IT system being designed will easily integrate with other existing See pg b4

Accusations fly over Exuma ‘crushed’ AG’s Sandals move by BTC problems

By NEIL HARTNELL Tribune Business Editor nhartnell@tribunemedia.net Trade union allegations that the Attorney General “misled” the Bahamian people over the Sandals ‘nolle prosequi’ were yesterday met with counter-claims that the criminal prosecution was intended as a mere “bargaining chip”.

Obie Ferguson, the Trades Union Congress (TUC) president, told Tribune Business that Allyson Maynard-Gibson and her officials had suggested there was “no obstacle” to a private prosecution of Sandals Royal Bahamian and its top executives when he met with them in late July.

He implied that the Attorney General performed a complete ‘u-turn’ on this position within 18 days by directing the magistrate’s court to discontinue the action, a move that he yesterday described as “a serious breach of trust” for the 600 terminated Sandals workers.

And Mr Ferguson also took issue with Mrs Maynard-Gibson’s inference that the two ongoing Supreme Court cases, involving Sandals Royal Bahamian and the Bahamas Hotel, Maintenance and Allied Workers Union (BHMAWU), played a key role in her decision.

The TUC president told See pg b5

Union accuses minister of ‘misleading’ public But hit by claims criminal case was ‘bargaining chip’

Allyson Maynard-Gibson

Obie Ferguson

By NATARIO McKENZIE

Tribune Business Reporter

nmckenzie@tribunemedia.net

Communications woes are threatening to “crush” Exuma’s economy, with the island’s business community urging the Bahamas Telecommunications Company (BTC) to fix a situation becoming “increasingly worse”.

The situation is said to have resulted in hundreds of thousands of dollars being lost by Exuma businesses, due to cancellations and the inability to process credit card payments.

The Exuma Chamber of Commerce, in an August 5, 2016, letter to BTC chief executive, Leon Williams, said residents “for quite some time” have been suf-

Island losing business via communications outages ‘Unethical’ if BTC can’t provide services advertised Tourists reducing visits in absence of Internet fering from “extremely poor” telecommunications services.

“While the overall service has been poor and See pg b4

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Bahamas urged to ‘immediately’ seek 50-60 tax partners

By NEIL HARTNELL Tribune Business Editor nhartnell@tribunemedia.net A prominent QC yesterday urged the Bahamas to “immediately” begin the process of seeking out automatic tax information exchange partner countries, arguing that it needed to seal 50-60 such agreements by the 2018 deadline.

Brian Moree QC, senior partner at McKinney, Bancroft & Hughes, told Tribune Business that the Bahamas should not wait to pass the enabling legislation, and accompanying regulations, to deliver on its international commitments.

He recommended that the Government start sending out “invitations” to other countries, in a bid to initiate automatic tax information exchange agreement negotiations, within the next two weeks - a timeline that coincides with when the draft legislation should be released for industry/public consultation.

See pg b5

QC: Start negotiating process ‘in next two weeks’ ‘Very dangerous’ for Bahamas to be blacklisted Legislation to be released in seven-10 days

Brian Moree

Bahamas targeting 200 Florida firms for boost

By NEIL HARTNELL

Tribune Business Editor

nhartnell@tribunemedia.net The Bahamas is targeting its main $2 billion trading partner for an economic boost via a joint ChamberGovernment trade mission that will meet with some 200 businesses today.

Edison Sumner, the Bahamas Chamber of Commerce and Employers Confederation’s (BCCEC) chief executive, yesterday told Tribune Business that Florida was the “logical” choice for the first ‘Doing Business in the Bahamas’ forum.

Chamber-Govt partner for US mission Team-up may provide template for other missions Mr Sumner said the forum was focused on achieving the private sector’s, and the Government’s, key objectives of attracting quality foreign direct investment See pg b4

PAGE 2, Tuesday, September 27, 2016

THE TRIBUNE

BFSB chief in call for ‘bold measures’

Pictured front row (from L to R): Antoinette Russell, Latonia Symonette-Tinker, Khrystle Rutherford-Ferguson, Darnell Osborne, Tanya McCartney, Hope Strachan, Keva Ingraham-McPhee, Laverne Thompson, Zelma Wilson, Paula Adderley, Paul Davis. Pictured Back Row: Patrick Feuz, Andre Souza, Michelle Neville-Clarke, Myles Culmer, Shameka Fernander, Niekia Horton, Yolande Julien, Fareda Sands, Zelpha Davis.

The Bahamas Financial Services Board’s (BFSB) chief executive has called for “bold measures” and “much-needed innovation” in response to the new regulatory climate confronting the sector.

Tanya McCartney outlined the key focus areas for the BFSB at its 2016 annual general meeting (AGM), held on September 15 at the British Colonial Hilton Hotel.

She said the organisation was focusing on strategic development; maintaining the Bahamas’ profile as a leading international financial centre (IFC); collaboration with key stakeholders and member engagement.

Ms McCartney said the continually evolving global financial services market “provides the impetus for much-needed innovation”.

She added: “As we look at differentiating ourselves as an international financial centre, there are some bold steps that must be taken to respond to the changing operating environment.

“These initiatives will require the support of industry stakeholders and the active support of policymakers to bring about changes.”

Priority reforms identified by Ms McCartney included the use of technology to transform channels for delivering financial services, plus residency and Immigration policy/process reform.

An improved ‘Ease of Doing Business’, together

with public sector reform to create a ‘business friendly environment’, and a review of the Bahamas’ tax structure, was also called for.

Hope Strachan, inister of financial services, emphasised the need for private sector and Government collaboration at a time when the financial services industry wss under attack.

“Never before has this collaboration been more important as we face the onslaught that has been launched against the Bahamas financial services industry from our detractors,” she told the meeting.

Ms Strachan added: “Never before has there been a more compelling reason for Government and the private sector to band together to fight for the survival of our financial services industry, indeed for our very way of life, given the thousands of people who depend on the industry for employment.”

BFSB members elected the Board of Directors for the 2016-2018 term. Company directors elected include: Michelle NevilleClarke, Lennox Paton; Myles Culmer, BDO Advisory Services; Paul Davis, Higgs & Johnson; Zelpha Davis, UBS Trustees (Bahamas); Khrystle Rutherford-Ferguson, Fidelity Bank (Bahamas); Shameka Fernander, Old Fort Financial; Patrick Feuz, Julius Baer; Niekia Horton, Lombard Odier & Cie; Brian Jones, Deltec Fund Services; Yolande Julien, Glinton,

Sweeting O’Brien, Keva Ingraham McPhee, SIS Solutions; Antoinette Russell, Credit Suisse Trust; Andre Souza, Arbitral Securities; Laverne Thompson, MMG Bank & Trust; Michele Thompson, Ernst & Young; and Zelma Wilson (KPMG).

Elected as representatives of their respective professional industry associations were: Ivan Hooper, Association of International Banks & Trust Companies in the Bahamas; Fareda Sands, Bahamas Association of Compliance Officers; Paula Adderley, the Bahamas Bar Association; Emmanuel Komolafe, Bahamas Insurance Association; Darnell Osborne, Bahamas Institute of Chartered Accountants; Anthony Stubbs, Bahamas Investment and Securities Business Association; Carla Sweeting, Bahamas Real Estate Association; Cherise Cox-Nottage, Chartered Institute of Arbitrators; Robert Turnquest, CFA Society of the Bahamas; Cecil Ferguson, Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners; and Ian Jennings, the Clearing Banks Association.

Ms McCartney and Latonia Symonette-Tinker, consultant to the Ministry of Financial Services, serve as permanent directors.

The new Board will elect the chairman, vice-chairmen, treasurer and secretary of BFSB at its October meeting.

Pictured at AIBT’s recent 40th anniversary celebration are (L-R): Jan Mezulanik, deputy vhair; Bruno Roberts, co-chair; John Rolle, Governor, Central Bank of the Bahamas; Antoinette Russell, AIBT past chair; Ivan Hooper, co-chair; Jean-Marc Fellay, treasurer.

Banks Association unveils new Board The Association of International Banks and Trust Companies (AIBT) has marked its 40th anniversary by announcing a new slate of directors and officers.

With effect from yesterday, Bruno Roberts, of The Private Trust Corporation, and Ivan Hooper, from The Winterbotham Trust Company, will serve as co-chair-

men of the AIBT Board.

They will be joined by Jan Mezulanik, Pictet Bank & Trust, who will serve as deputy chair, and JeanMarc Fellay, Julius Baer Bank & Trust (Bahamas), who will serve as treasurer.

Credit Suisse Trust’s Antoinette Russell, following her just-completed term as chair, will continue to serve as a director alongside Da-

vid Thain, Amber Bank; Christian Coquoz, Ansbacher (Bahamas); Fabrizio Tuletta, BSI Overseas (Bahamas); Christine Russell, Corner Bank (Overseas); Shira Newbold, Intertrust Bahamas; Dominique Lefevre, Societe Generale Private Banking (Bahamas); Daniel-Marc Brunner, Syz Bank & Trust; and Bernard Sechaud, UBS (Bahamas).

THE TRIBUNE

Tuesday, September 27, 2016, PAGE 3

Derek Newbold, senior manager of business development for the Grand Bahama Port Authority (GBPA) and Invest Grand Bahama (IGB), speaking at the 13th Annual Abaco Business Outlook.

NOTICE

BRANDENBURG INTERNATIONAL LIMITED Prime Minister Perry G. Christie visits the Invest Grand Bahama booth during the Abaco Business Outlook in Marsh Harbour. Pictured is the Prime Minister with the Invest Grand Bahama Team. L to R: LaShawn Dames, business services manager, GBPA; Mr Christie; Derek Newbold, senior manager of business development for GBPA; and Glendia Sweeting, business development officer, GBPA.

Port drives Freeport ‘free trade’ interest The Grand Bahama Port Authority (GBPA) sought to boost interest in Freeport’s ‘free trade zone’ model with its business development manager’s address at the Abaco Business Outlook conference.

Derek Newbold said: “‘Leveraging the Free Trade Zone of the Bahamas For economic diversification and empowerment’ was the title of my presentation.

“It spoke to the value and benefits they provide to countries that employ them

as a mechanism for job creation, investment attraction and economic diversification.

“Freeport is the free trade zone of the Bahamas, and it is up to all of us to leverage the opportunities that exist within Freeport for the advancement and betterment of our country.”

Ian Rolle, the GBPA’s president, said he was pleased with feedback received as a result of GBPA’s participation at the Abaco Business Outlook event.

“The Business Outlook events hosted by TCL have a reputable history of assembling the most dynamic platform of industry experts to share their advice on the economic outlook for the country,” said Mr Rolle.

“Now in its 25th year, TCL events throughout the country continue to provide sound information giving insight into key areas of our country’s economy.

“We need this now more than ever, given the state and competitiveness of economies worldwide. The

Industry promoting language education The awards ceremony for the Towards a Bilingual Bahamas (TABB) pilot programme was held on Friday, September 23, at the Ministry of Education.

The event was attended by more than 100 guests and included teachers, students, faculty, ministry officials, and representatives/sponsors from the financial services industry. Participants in TABB from various Family Islands were represented as well.

Towards a Bilingual Bahamas (TABB) is a pilot programme initiated by the Bahamas Financial Services Board (BFSB) in partnership with Rosetta Stone, and is co-hosted by the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology, and the Ministry of Financial Services.

This programme is cosponsored by private sector partners – members of BFSB and the Association of International Banks and Trust Companies (AIBT), as well as BFSB member professional industry association representatives who supported this initiative attended.

TABB is committed to providing Bahamian high school students with the opportunity to acquire proficiency in French or Spanish, makimg them more competitive in the international job market.

Tanya McCartney, BFSB’s chief executive, said: “Studies have found that speaking two or more languages is a great asset to the cognitive process.”

Three students received full scholarships for both the Spanish and French immersion programmes. Spanish students spent three weeks in Costa Rica, while French students spent two weeks in Quebec, Canada.

Testimonials were given in Spanish from students who participated in immersion programmes in Costa Rica. The Old Bight High School in Cat Island was the recipient of the top performing high school award.

Plans are now underway for

TABB’s second year.

Sponsors included The Winterbotham Trust Company, Windermere Corporate Management, Association of International Banks & Trusts (AIBT), Callenders & Co, Bahamas Institute of Chartered Account-

ants (BICA), CFA Society of the Bahamas, Julius Baer Bank & Trust Bahamas, Bahamas Association of Compliance Officers (BACO), and the Insurance Institute of the Bahamas (IIB)

Legal Notice

NOTICE INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS COMPANIES ACT (No. 45 of 2000)

HORIZON ENERGY INVESTMENTS LIMITED In Voluntary liquidation

“Notice is hereby given that in accordance with Section 138 (4) of the International Business Companies Act (No. 45 of 2000), HORIZON ENERGY INVESTMENTS LIMITED is in Dissolution.”

The date of commencement of dissolution is the 23rd day of September, 2016.

Mr. Petrov Vladimir Stanislavovich, Kostromskoy pr., Bld. 3, Apt. 34, Saint-Petersburg, Russian Federation Liquidator

Legal Notice

NOTICE INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS COMPANIES ACT (No. 45 of 2000)

BRAVERA DEVELOPMENT LIMITED In Voluntary Liquidation

“Notice is hereby given that in accordance with Section 138 (4) of the International Business Companies Act (No. 45 of 2000), BRAVERA DEVELOPMENT LIMITED is in Dissolution.”

The date of commencement of dissolution is the 19th day of September, 2016.

ROCKWELL LTD., 25 Mason Complex Stoney Ground, The Valley, British Anguilla Liquidator

Abaco event was a first for GBPA, and indeed an excellent opportunity to further educate the country about Freeport, the ongoing work of GBPA and the many benefits of Freeport as the free trade zone of the Bahamas.”

Notice is hereby given that IN ACCORDANCE WITH Section 138 (8) of the International Business Companies Act 2000, BRANDENBERG INTERNATIONAL LIMITED has been dissolved and struck off the Register according to the Certificate of Dissolution issued by the Registrar General on the 13th day of September, A.D., 2016.

Dated the 21 day of September, A.D., 2016 _____________________________ Dartley Bank & Trust Limited Liquidator

PAGE 4, Tuesday, September 27, 2016

Bahamas targeting 200 Florida firms for boost From pg B1 (FDI); creating export opportunities for Bahamians; finding joint venture partners for Bahamians; and diversifying the economy.

The forum is a publicprivate sector partnership (PPP) between the Chamber and the Prime Minister’s Office, in collaboration with the US Embassy in Nassau and the US Department of Commerce’s Florida office.

“We’re going over to talk to 200 businesses in that area about doing business in the Bahamas, and trying to get foreign investors

to look at the country as a sound, viable investment for them,” Mr Sumner told Tribune Business.

“The purpose and outcomes expected are to attract good quality investment to the Bahamas...

Considering that we support the Florida economy quite substantially, it makes logical sense. If we want to look for investment partners for the Bahamas, that area should be the first stop.”

Khaalis Rolle, minister of state for investments, is accompanying Mr Sumner on the Florida trip, together

IT miss exposes NHI to ‘US-fraud levels’ From pg B1 health information management systems.”

Dr Sands, though, told Tribune Business that a nationwide, properly functioning NHI primary care phase was “impossible” without a fully implemented IT system.

He added that it also exposed the Government’s long-planned healthcare reform to potential fraudulent activity by both healthcare providers and patients, as there was no way to validate claims submitted by the former or the latter’s doctor visitations.

“It’s going to be an interesting roll-out if we don’t have an IT infrastructure to make it work,” he said.

“Without a robust IT system, how do you know who is providing what service to

whom, and how often.

“It becomes an honour system from the patient point of view and the physician point of view. While I believe that most physicians are honourable men and women, not all are, and you’re opening up opportunities for the level of Medicare and Medicaid fraud that exists in the US. “For the large part,” Dr Sands added, “you’re saying you’re not going to have the appropriate checks and balances to do what you need to do properly.

“They’re [the Government] going to spend $124 million in a whim and a prayer, quite merrily, to get this thing done.”

The Christie administration has allocated $100 million from the Government’s Consolidated Fund (exist-

Exuma ‘crushed’

by BTC problems From pg B1

inconsistent at best, the real challenge, faced on a daily and ongoing basis, is the lack of acceptable Internet access,” the Chamber said.

“Residents and businesses have, over a period of time, and on many occasions, expressed their concerns and level of frustration about same, both to the local office as well as headquarters. Promises have been offered and made for better service, but to-date there have been no improvements and, in fact, services have become increasingly worse with more users being added each month.”

The Chamber said developments such as the pending new Exuma International Airport; the November opening of a five-star resort on Stocking Island; the February Point development; and the $200 million eco-friendly resort project set for the Exuma Cays demand a complete overhaul of the island’s communications infrastructure and needs.

“Exumians are not asking for modern day conveniences – just modern day globally-acceptable necessities in terms of communications,” the Chamber said.

“The current business model being employed by BTC in Exuma, of charging their customers for services they know they cannot deliver, is both unethical and illegal. If BTC is not prepared to invest in Exuma, we believe a public statement should be made to that effect and immediate options should be considered for providing acceptable, modern-day Internet to the residents of Exuma.”

Stephen Miller, the local government representative for Staniel Cay, said he along with a group of concerned citizens had also written to BTC, lodging a formal complaint over the problems.

“We actually sent out some letters lodging official complaints to BTC about maybe two weeks ago,” he said. “We wanted to get a response from BTC to at least let us know that they are trying to rectify the service in the cays.

“For the past several months we have been having outages. Even before that the service was sporadic, where even when you were getting service it was not of any quality- a lot of dropped calls, and some-

times the Internet is up and down.

“There are times the services are down for two to three days; no phone, no Internet, no communications with the outside world.

That’s how it has been for the past couple of months.

We were out for three to five days a few days ago,” he added.

“We need better service because we are paying our money like anyone else.

This situation has created a lot of challenges, not only for residents but businesses in the cays. You’re not getting the service you are supposed to get, and then you’re not getting any compensation for all of these disruptions.”

THE TRIBUNE

with chairman vice-chairman, Michael Maura; the Abaco Chamber of Commerce’s president, Vado Bootle Sr; and two US Embassy officials.

Apart from touring the Port of Miami, the Bahamian delegation will be involved in a series of one-on-one meetings with Florida-based businesses interested in conducting commerce with, and in, the Bahamas.

“There seems to be very keen interest from the business community in south Florida in looking for opportunities in the Bahamas,” Mr Sumner added, suggesting that the number of companies set to meet with the Bahamian delegation may “balloon” beyond 200.

Hotel and tourism development, information technology (IT) and maritime-related industries are among the sectors that the Bahamian delegation will focus on, Mr Sumner said.

“It’s all about establishing and strengthening trade ties,” he told Tribune Business, pointing out that the Bahamas and Florida did some $2 billion worth of commerce annually.

Mr Sumner said some 45 per cent of the Bahamas’ US imports were food items and groceries, with a further 25 per cent involving construction and building materials, meaning that two categories of goods accounted for 70 per cent of this nation’s physical imports.

He added that the ‘Do-

ing Business in the Bahamas’ forum was also likely to establish a template for similar trade missions to other parts of the US, plus Canada and Central and Latin America.

“It falls in line with the Chamber’s policy of expanding trade opportunities for Bahamian businesses looking to expand their footprint and do business abroad,” Mr Sumner said.

“It’s a forerunner of these missions going forward, looking for partnerships and ways to diversify the economy, as well as giving us opportunities to expand the economy through Bahamian partnerships with foreign investors.”

Mr Sumner said he, together with representatives from the Bahamas Devel-

opment Bank, Ministry of Finance, Prime Minister’s Office and the Government-sponsored venture capital fund, had recently attended the Small Business Association of the Americas forum from September 8-9, in a bid to “find ways to grow and develop our small and mediumsized enterprises (SMEs)”.

He expressed hope that “at least 20 businesses” from the Bahamas would attend the Florida Trade and Cultural Expo, set for October 19-20, where they would be able to network and hold one-to-one meetings with civic and business leaders from among the 300 companies attending.

ing tax revenues) to fund NHI’s primary care phase, plus a further $24 million to cover catastrophic illnesses during the initial roll-out.

Medicare and Medicaid, the US federal government programmes that finance healthcare for the elderly and low income earners, respectively, are both afflicted by fraud that has reached astronomical levels.

A US Government Accountability Office (GAO) report estimated that $60 million, or 10 per cent, of Medicare’s annual $600 million budget was lost to fraud in 2014. Media reports suggest that the situation at Medicaid, which has a $415 million annual budget, is not much better, with estimates suggesting that the two programmes could be losing a combined $98 million annually to financial crime.

Explaining how NHI could suffer a similar fate in the absence of a proper IT system, Dr Sands told Trib-

une Business: “If you show up to a doctor’s office, there is no way to verify that Suzy Smith is John Doe, and Dr Sands is supposed to be treating John Doe, not Suzy Smith.

“How, in the absence of such an IT system, will you make sure that the people’s money is appropriately spent, unless it’s supposed to be a free for all? I can’t see it working any other way.

“There’s no way you’re going to get a nationwide IT system set up, check it out and debug it between now and January. No way. It is totally impossible. I hope they understand they are playing with sensitive, clinical, patient data.”

Few in the Bahamian healthcare industry are likely to be surprised that NHI will not have a fully functioning IT system in place by the target January rollout, given that there is just over three months left until the planned launch.

“The road to hell is paved with good intentions,” Dr Sands added on the IT system. “You may as well not waste time putting in place something to save the people’s money.

“It’s a free for all. Let everyone go to the doctor.

Then you don’t have to pretend that you’re managing this system. There’s no way you can manage it. Imagine trying to audit this system in the absence of properly maintained records.”

Other core elements of the NHI plan are also behind schedule, including the selection of a private company to manage the proposed public insurer, Bahama Care.

Bids were supposed to have been submitted this month, but the Government’s own NHI website has now confirmed the deadline has been extended until November 7 - less than two months before the primary care phase’s roll-out.

This suggests that, like

the IT system, the NHI public insurer will not be created, or operational, in time for the roll-out.

“After carefully reviewing requests for an extension from registered and potential bidders, the Government of the Bahamas has agreed to extend the deadline for the acceptance of bidder proposals,” a Government notice said.

“Accordingly, all proposals must be submitted on or before 3pm on November 7, 2016. The Government is seeking to select the best qualified company to manage the public insurer, and the best choice to provide Bahamians with quality services that will enable the provision of modern, affordable and accessible health care services.

“The Government of the Bahamas is confident that the extension will not impact the roll out of phase two of NHI Bahamas, which is enrolment.”

Mr Miller continued: “We want a response from BTC to at least let us know that they are doing something; just let us know. They should be aware that we are having these problems because they have to send people in to correct them.

The telephone and Internet service is terrible.

“Most of the businesses rely on the Internet for their credit card machines.

A lot of money is being lost because of this. People have had to cancel trips here because we have a lot of dignitaries and executives who come over, and they have to stay in contact with their offices back home.

“The service here, this year in particular, has been horrendous. I have never seen the service this bad.

This area is buzzing and busy. If there is more strain on the system because of that, then whatever needs

to be done we plead with them to do it.”

Another concerned resident told Tribune Business via e-mail: “BTC has failed us (Internet and phones) since late May. Even when the system is fully operational, which is sluggish at best, we are experiencing intermittent outages of both services that last several days at a time.

“Bahamian customers and business owners are forced to use cellular data (if that even works) just to continue to do business. This is economically crushing us out here.”

Grant Anderson, general manager at the Sandalsowned Fowl Cay, told Tribune Business: “The BTC network issues have caused a negative impact on both our operation and the quality of service that we offer to our guests.

“The phone and data ser-

vices are inconsistent and can go out for days at a time.

While our guests come to the islands to disconnect, the need to be in a position to stay in touch with their business interests, family and loved ones.”

A petition has also been launched over the issue, garnering roughly 300 signatures. “We as signatories reach out to you to express our united opinion in your failure to render marketed communication services, as purchased, to the Central Exumas, and specifically, Farmers Cay, Great Guana Cay and the Black Point Settlement, Staniel Cay and the surrounding Cays,” the online petition said.

“I’ve decreased the amount of time I spend at my home on Staniel Cay over the past few years as essential services become more and more undependable,” said one petitioner.

Another noted: “We must have cell and Internet connection while visiting the Exumas because we conduct business while cruising. Because of the poor and undependable service, we have curtailed our cruises to the Exumas until better service is available.”

Another petitioner said: “The service that BTC is providing us in the central Exumas is unacceptable.

I have experienced up to three days with no communication whatsoever. This is not only appalling; it is dangerous.”

Inquiries on the matter

by Tribune Business were acknowledged by BTC representatives yesterday, but no formal response was forthcoming up to press time yesterday.

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COMMONWEALTH OF THE BAHAMAS IN THE SUPREME COURT Commercial Division IN THE MATTER OF

INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS COMPANIES ACT, Ch. 309 (as amended by the International Business Companies (Winding Up Amendment) Act, 2011) AND BHP INTERNATIONAL MARKETS LIMITED (In Compulsory Liquidation) NOTICE TO CREDITORS TO PROVE DEBTS NOTICE is hereby given to any creditor of the above named Company in compulsory liquidation that it is (they are) required to submit to Anthony S Kikivarakis, the Official Liquidator, Proof(s) of their respective debt or claim against the above named Company by sending to the Official Liquidator on or before October 31, 2016. Such Proof(s) may be in the form prescribed at Form 24 of the Companies Liquidation Rules, 2012 stating a creditor’s name, address, particulars of debt(s) or claim(s), documentation to prove debt(s) or support claim(s), and any entitlement to priority. Any creditor wishing to be provided by the Official Liquidator with a form may contact the Official Liquidator, at No 10 Caves Professional Centre, Caves Village, West Bay street, P.O. Box SP-64133, Nassau, NP, The Bahamas, telephone: (242) 327-0399, email: info@kikivarakis. com, requesting the same.

Dated 21st day of September 2016 ANTHONY S KIKIVARAKIS Official Liquidator

THE TRIBUNE

Tuesday, September 27, 2016, PAGE 5

Bahamas urged to ‘immediately’ seek 50-60 tax partners From pg B1 Faced with an OECDinspired media onslaught, Mr Moree warned that the Bahamas could ill-afford to be ‘blacklisted’ by either this organisation or the European Union (EU), as this would be “extremely dangerous” for the financial services industry’s health.

With both the Organisation for Economic Co-Operation and Development (OECD), a front for the G7/G-20 nations, and the EU threatening such action, Mr Moree urged the Bahamas to respond proactively and ‘get ahead’ of the timelines for implementing its Common Reporting Standard (CRS) obligations.

“In my view, the Bahamas should not wait until the enabling legislation has been passed to send out invitations to countries to become information exchange partners under the CRS,” Mr Moree told Tribune

Business.

“This process should start immediately; within the next two weeks. Because we have chosen the bilateral route, an approach approved by the OECD itself, the process has to begin as soon as possible.”

The well-known QC implied that doing so would be the best possible defence to charges by The Economist magazine, and International Consortium of Investigative Journalists (ICIJ), that the Bahamas is a rogue, uncooperative nation that is singlehandedly undermining global efforts to crack down on so-called “tax dodgers”.

The international media attacks appear to have the blessing, if not the full support, of the OECD, which is trying to build enough pressure to force, or bounce, the Bahamas into abandoning its chosen bilateral approach to CRS implementation in favour of the

Accusations fly over AG’s Sandals move From pg B1 Tribune Business that the union’s ‘unfair dismissal’ action was only filed with the Supreme Court on August 19, some four days after the Attorney General signed the ‘nolle prosequi’, making it impossible for this to be a factor in her decisionmaking.

He also argued that the Sandals’ Judicial Review, challenging the very basis of the union’s existence, should not have been a factor either, because it was against the Registrar of Trade Unions (director of labour) - not the union.

Mrs Maynard-Gibson declined to comment when contacted by Tribune Business yesterday, saying she did not wish to add to her previous public statement on the matter.

However, sources close to the Government’s position said it was highly unlikely, if not impossible, that the Attorney General and her officials would have given an opinion on a potential Sandals criminal prosecution to Mr Ferguson.

“The Attorney General’s

Office does not advise the private sector on its legal business,” one source, speaking on condition of anonymity, said. They added that Mr Ferguson, as an attorney himself, should not need legal advice.

Pointing out that Mrs Maynard-Gibson did not need to explain, or give a reason, for the ‘nolle prosequi’ decision, the source emphasised that she was within her legal and constitutional rights to act as she did.

Suggesting that the Sandals’ Judicial Review was reason enough for Mrs Maynard-Gibson to act, they echoed the explanation given by Sandals’ attorney, Wayne Munroe QC, that the criminal prosecution was tantamount to an “abuse of the judicial process”.

Mr Munroe last week explained that litigants could not initiate a matter in a lower (magistrate’s court) when it was already before a higher authority in the shape of the Supreme Court - an established legal precedent that he argued applied

Global stocks drop ahead of first US presidential debate LONDON (AP) — Stock markets around the world fell sharply Monday as investors turned their attention to the U.S. presidential race and the first televised debate between Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump. Oil prices rose amid some speculation that the OPEC oil cartel will discuss a possible production freeze.

KEEPING SCORE: In Europe, France’s CAC 40 fell 1.7 percent to 4,413 while Germany’s DAX was down 1.5 percent at 10,465 Britain’s FTSE 100 was 1.2 percent lower at 6,822.

U.S. shares were also set to fall at the opening bell, with Dow futures and the broader S&P 500 futures down 0.5 percent.

THE DEBATE: Clinton and Trump will confront each other face-to-face for the first time in Monday night’s prime-time presidential debate. A record television audience is expected for the high-stakes showdown, which could go some way to determining who wins November’s election.

ANALYST TAKE: “The first televised debate marks the point where Trump vs Clinton will be even more unavoidable than it already is, and therefore has reminded the markets that Brexit, U.S. interest rates and China’s economic slowdown aren’t the only macro issues out there to worry about,” said Connor Campbell, an analyst at Spreadex.

TURKEY DOWNGRADE: Turkish stocks took a battering after Moody’s downgraded the

country’s credit rating into junk status to account for a series of shocks to the economy that included bombings and an attempted coup. The Istanbul 100 stock index was trading 3.9 percent lower at 76,610 points. The country’s currency, the Turkish lira, also took a hit. The dollar is up 0.7 percent at 2.9874 lira.

OIL HIGHER: In con-

multilateral route.

Switching to the latter would force the Bahamas to exchange tax information automatically with ‘all-comers’, as opposed to individual countries that approach it on a bilateral basis.

The OECD’s tax policy head, Pascal Saint-Amans, also broke cover in an interview with Spanish newspaper, El Mundo, in which he threatened that the G-20 would place the Bahamas on a ‘blacklist’ in 2017 if it did not bow to the multilateral CRS approach.

To counter such threats, Mr Moree told Tribune Business that the Bahamas needed to send ‘invitations’ to all 27 EU member states, plus other OECD members and major countries that would have an interest in automatic tax information exchange with this nation.

“The pragmatic reality is that we’re probably going to have to ask every member of the EU to enter into negotiations for the automatic exchange of information as a starting point,” he explained.

“There’s no reason to delay that process; the issuance of invitations to par-

ticipate in negotiations with us. We don’t have to wait for passage of the enabling legislation.

“By 2018, when the Bahamas has committed to starting the automatic exchange of tax information regime, we need 50-60 countries signed up on bilaterals.

These have to be major countries, including the OECD members, the EU members and other large jurisdictions,” Mr Moree continued.

“That will show the OECD and international community that we are serious about our bilateral commitments.”

Targeting EU members states could also ‘kill two birds with one stone’ where the Bahamas is concerned, given that the European Commission recently ‘red flagged’ this nation on two out of three criteria employed to measure how cooperative countries are on fiscal transparency.

The EU is also threatening to ‘blacklist’ countries that fail to meet its desired standards come 2017, and Mr Moree said it was critical for the Bahamas and its financial services industry

to escape any national or international ‘blacklists’.

“It would be extremely dangerous for the Bahamas to be on any blacklist of any member of the EU,” he told Tribune Business.

“It seems to me the best answer to our critics is to get these four steps [to implementation] in place on time, start negotiations on time, and have 50-60 bilaterals signed up on day one, based on our commitments. That is a process we have to focus on, and have to deliver on.”

Mr Moree explained that there were four “different stages” involved in the Bahamas meeting its CRS automatic tax information exchange commitment, starting with the passage of the enabling legislation through Parliament.

This includes the Automatic Exchange of Financial Account Information Bill, accompanied by regulations bearing the same name, which Mr Moree said should be issued for industry consultation either later this week or early next. The Ministry of Finance’s guidance notes are also due to be circulated for comment within the next seven to 10

days.

Mr Moree added that the Bahamas was also “well on the way” with stage two, which involves selecting the legal basis for the automatic exchange of tax information.

He explained that this nation has opted to use Tax Information Exchange Agreements (TIEAs), which will take the form of “two templates”. The first will “upgrade” the Bahamas’ existing TIEAs that facilitate the exchange of information upon request, while the second will be applied to new partner countries.

These TIEA ‘templates’, and the Competent Authority Agreement, making the Ministry of Finance’s financial secretary the designated exchange contact point, are also due to be circulated for industry consultation within the next seven to 10 days.

The third and fourth stages, Mr Moree added, involve the implementation of the information technology (IT) infrastructure to facilitate information exchange, and putting in safeguards to protect the security/confidentiality of data exchanged.

to the Sandals matter.

The Government source suggested the issue went even further, and that the Attorney General could not allow the BHMAWU and its officers to abuse the judicial process by “using the criminal courts as a bargaining chip”.

They alleged that the union subsequently conceded as much, implying that the criminal prosecution was merely for leverage, and to strengthen its negotiating position, by trying to force Sandals Royal Bahamian to the bargaining table.

Not surprisingly, Mr Ferguson did not see it that way.

“We met with the Attorney General on July 28, 2016,” he told Tribune Business. “I think we met with her, the director of legal affairs, the deputy director of legal affairs, and others.

“The Attorney General, along with her team, said that they saw no prohibition on any initiated private prosecution against West Bay Management, trading as Sandals.”

Mr Ferguson said Prime Minister Perry Christie had directed himself and the labour movement to meet with the Attorney General to address both the Sandals situation and other trade

union grievances.

“The Prime Minister recommended that we meet with the Attorney General to see whether or not we the union and the Attorney General - can find a position of law that will allow him, the Prime Minister, to enter the discourse from the public interest point of view,” the TUC president added of the Sandals situation.

Mr Ferguson added that the BHMAWU also had “a problem” with Mrs Maynard-Gibson’s public statement on the two existing legal cases involving the union and Sandals.

“She is attempting to give the Bahamian public the impression that there was an action filed by the union prior to August 15,” he told Tribune Business.

“On August 19 is when we filed an unfair dismissal action. What she is trying to say to the public is that this writ was filed before August 15, and that was the basis on which she signed the nolle.

That cannot be right, as the writ filed by the workers was filed on the 19th.

“The point I’m trying to make is that she is misrepresenting the facts, and the information she gave is not accurate, not correct. The writ was filed on the 19th,

some four days after she signed the nolle. It is totally inaccurate to suggest this writ was part of her consideration prior to signing the document on August 15.”

Mr Ferguson said Mrs Maynard-Gibson even asked him for a copy of the unfair dismissal writ “a week or so” after it had been filed.

As for the Judicial Review, Mr Ferguson said the Attorney General had ignored the BHMAWU’s 2001 certification of registration; its August 2009 recognition as the bargaining agent for Sandals Royal Bahamian’s non-managerial

staff; and the February 2011 ruling from the Privy Council that upheld the latter position.

Although Sandals is challenging the very basis for the union’s legal existence on different grounds, Mr Ferguson told Tribune Business: “If she had examined the situation properly, she would have realised the basis on which she issues the nolle is flawed, baseless, vexatious and has absolutely no merit.

“We say she ought to apologise to the 600 workers, to the workers of the Bahamas and the Bahamian people.”

trast to stocks, oil prices have bounced higher at the start of the new trading week as investors monitor a meeting of oil producers in Algiers over the coming days. Ministers from OPEC are expected to meet later this week on the sidelines of the International Energy Forum. The main New York rate was up 58 cents at $46.47 a barrel.

ASIA’S DAY: Japan’s benchmark Nikkei 225 edged down 1.3 percent to finish at 16,544.56. South Korea’s Kospi slipped 0.3 percent to 2,047.11. Hong Kong’s Hang Seng lost 1.6 percent to 23,303.62, while

the Shanghai Composite fell 1.8 percent to 2,980.43.

CURRENCIES: The euro rose 0.3 percent to $1.1263 while the dollar fell 0.5 percent to 100.45 yen.

Angelique Romer is no longer employed with

Island Luck Web Café and is NOT authorized to conduct any business on behalf of the Company.

NOTICE

IN THE ESTATE OF JAMES EMMANUEL FORBES late of Sandford Drive in the Western District of the Island of New Providence one of the Islands of the Commonwealth of The Bahamas, deceased.

NOTICE is hereby given that all persons having any claim or demand against the above Estate are required to send the same duly certified in writing to the Undersigned on or before the 28th day of October, A.D. 2016, after which date the Executrix will proceed to distribute the assets having regard only to the claims to which she shall then have had notice.

AND NOTICE is hereby given that all persons indebted to the said Estate are requested to make full settlement on or before the date hereinbefore mentioned.

MERIDIAN LAW CHAMBERS Attorneys for the Executrix Chambers, P.O.Box N-168, East Bay Shopping Center, East Bay Street, Nassau, Bahamas.

EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY EXECUTIVE ASSISTANT Qualified persons are invited to apply for the position of Executive Assistant in a mid-size hotel.

Job Summary Provides administrative support to the General Manager.

Duties and Responsibilities:

· · · · · ·

Investigate Guest Complaints.

Maintain Filing System Control Company Stationery Supplies Supervise Messenger Coordinate licensing and inspection of company vehicles.

Take and transcribe minutes.

Skills/Qualifications: · Excellent verbal and written communication skills required. · Microsoft Office skills required. · Self motivated with strong analytical and problem-solving skills.

Interested persons should apply in writing via e-mail address: recruitment.humanresources@outlook.com

PAGE 6, Tuesday, September 27, 2016

THE TRIBUNE

US stocks slide as banks tumble on Deutsche Bank worries

NEW YORK (AP) — U.S. stocks slumped Monday, and banks took the biggest losses. Deutsche Bank plunged as investors worried about the financial health of Germany’s largest bank. Pfizer pulled drugmakers down after it announced it won’t break up into two companies.

Stocks fell for the second day in a row. Banks

were hurt by a drop in bond yields, which means lower interest rates and smaller profits on loans. Consumer companies fell as home improvement retailers were affected by a slowdown in sales of new homes.

European banks tumbled after the German magazine Focus said Deutsche Bank won’t get a government bailout if it asks for one. Its

COMMONWEALTH OF THE BAHAMAS

IN THE SUPREME COURT Commercial Division IN THE MATTER OF

2016/COM/bnk/00038

INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS COMPANIES ACT, Ch. 309 (as amended by the International Business Companies (Winding Up Amendment) Act, 2011) AND BHP INTERNATIONAL MARKETS LIMITED (In Compulsory Liquidation) NOTICE TO CREDITORS TO PROVE DEBTS NOTICE is hereby given to any creditor of the above named Company in compulsory liquidation that it is (they are) required to submit to Anthony S Kikivarakis, the Official Liquidator, Proof(s) of their respective debt or claim against the above named Company by sending to the Official Liquidator on or before October 31, 2016. Such Proof(s) may be in the form prescribed at Form 24 of the Companies Liquidation Rules, 2012 stating a creditor’s name, address, particulars of debt(s) or claim(s), documentation to prove debt(s) or support claim(s), and any entitlement to priority. Any creditor wishing to be provided by the Official Liquidator with a form may contact the Official Liquidator, at No 10 Caves Professional Centre, Caves Village, West Bay street, P.O. Box SP-64133, Nassau, NP, The Bahamas, telephone: (242) 327-0399, email: info@kikivarakis. com, requesting the same.

Dated 21st day of September 2016 ANTHONY S KIKIVARAKIS Official Liquidator

report, published Friday, cited “government circles” as its source.

“There’s some stress in the banking industry there, and questions about whether governments have the will to step in,” said Steve Chiavarone, associated portfolio manager for Federated Investors.

The Dow Jones industrial average lost 166.62 points, or 0.9 percent, to 18,094.83.

The Standard & Poor’s 500 index fell 18.59 points, or 0.9 percent, to 2,146.10. The Nasdaq composite dropped 48.26 points, or 0.9 percent, to 5,257.49. Stocks are coming off two weeks of solid gains, and the Nasdaq set all-time highs twice last week.

Focus’ article, published Friday, also said the German government won’t help the Deutsche Bank by intervening with U.S. officials who want it to pay $14 billion to end an investigation into its sale of mortgage-backed securities. The bank’s U.S.-listed shares tumbled 90 cents, or 7.1 percent, to $11.85. The stock is down 51 percent this year.

Other banks also tumbled. Goldman Sachs took the largest loss among Dow stocks and sank $3.65, or 2.2 percent, to $161.48.

Citigroup shed $1.26, or 2.7 percent, to $45.89.

Bond prices rose. The yield on the 10-year U.S. Treasury note fell to 1.58 percent from 1.62 percent.

That also affects banks, as lower bond yields mean

people pass the New York Stock Exchange. Stock markets around the world fell sharply yesterday, as investors turned their attention to the U.S. presidential race and the first televised debate between Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump. (AP Photo) lower interest rates and smaller profits on lending.

Stocks overseas also weakened. The DAX in Germany dropped 2.2 percent and France’s CAC 40 fell 1.8 percent. In Britain, the FTSE 100 was down 1.3 percent. Japan’s benchmark Nikkei 225 edged down 1.3 percent. South Korea’s Kospi slipped 0.3 percent and Hong Kong’s Hang Seng lost 1.7 percent.

Home Depot and Lowe’s sank after the government said sales of new homes fell almost 8 percent in August.

That followed a big jump the month before. While sales of new homes have risen over the last year, there simply aren’t a lot of houses on the market.

Home Depot shed $2.34, or 1.8 percent, to $125.45 and Lowe’s fell $1.54, or 2.1 percent, to $70.81.

Pfizer, one of the largest drug companies in the world, traded lower after it said it will not split into two smaller companies.

Some of its investors had supported that plan in the hope it would bolster the value of their stock and accelerate growth, but lately

the Viagra maker has been signaling that it probably wouldn’t break up. Its stock fell 62 cents, or 1.8 percent, to $33.64.

Oil prices bounced higher as investors monitor a meeting of oil producers in Algeria. Benchmark U.S. crude rose $1.45, or 3.3 percent, to $45.93 a barrel in New York. Brent crude, the international benchmark, rose $1.46, or 3.2 percent, to $47.35 a barrel in London.

Oil exploration companies rose the most. Transocean climbed 42 cents, or 4.6 percent, to $9.52 and Noble Energy added 60 cents, or 1.8 percent, to $33.62.

Specialty chemicals maker Chemtura climbed after it agreed to be bought

by Germany’s Lanxess.

Lanxess is paying $33.50 per share for Chemtura, a 19-percent premium, and the companies valued the deal at $2.5 billion.

Chemtura stock gained $4.46, or 15.8 percent, to $32.64.

Several companies started the week with deal news.

CBOE Holdings, the parent company of the Chicago Board of Exchange, will buy

stock exchange operator Bats Global Markets. The companies valued the deal at $3.2 billion, or $32.50 in cash and stock per share of Bats. Bats stock jumped 20 percent Friday as investors hoped that a deal was imminent, and it fell $1.45, or 4.6 percent, to $30.35. CBOE stock lost $3.71, or 5.3 percent, to $66.59.

Casual clothing retailer Lands’ End skidded after the departure of its CEO. Federica Marchionni left Dolce & Gabbana to join Lands’ End less than two years ago but was unable to stop a decline in sales.

Lands’ End stock lost $2.54, or 14.1 percent, to $15.46.

The dollar slid to 100.34 yen from 101.09 yen. The euro rose to $1.1255 from $1.1231.

Gold edged up $2.40 to $1,344.10 an ounce. Silver dipped 21 cents to $19.60 an ounce. Copper stayed at $2.20 a pound.

In other energy trading, wholesale gasoline gained 3 cents to $1.40 a gallon.

Heating oil rose 4 cents, or 3 percent, to $1.45 a gallon.

Natural gas added 4 cents to $3 per 1,000 cubic feet.

Europe bank head calls markets ‘resilient’ after Brexit vote

FRANKFURT, Germany (AP) — The president of the European Central Bank says both markets and the economy have been “resilient” in the wake of Britain’s vote to leave the European Union.

But Mario Draghi cautioned members of the European Parliament in Brussels on Monday that the long-term effects of the breakup “will be much more difficult to foresee.”

Draghi says much will depend on how long it takes

Britain to negotiate a new relationship with the bloc that covers future trade conditions and other matters.

He added that “the longer the uncertainty about the outcome lasts, the more relevant the consequences will be.”

The EU treaty gives Britain two years after giving notice of its departure to work out a new deal. The British government has said it won’t give notice until next year.

MARKET REPORT MONDAY, 26 SEPTEMBER 2016

t. 242.323.2330 | f. 242.323.2320 | www.bisxbahamas.com

BISX ALL SHARE INDEX: CLOSE 1,945.98 | CHG -0.04 | %CHG 0.00 | YTD 122.03 | YTD% 6.69 BISX LISTED & TRADED SECURITIES 52WK HI 4.25 17.43 9.09 3.50 4.70 0.18 8.30 8.50 6.10 10.60 15.50 2.72 1.60 5.80 9.00 11.00 8.25 6.90 12.25 11.00

52WK LOW 2.47 17.43 9.09 3.15 1.77 0.12 6.09 7.25 5.50 7.00 13.05 2.25 1.27 5.55 6.00 9.85 6.12 5.75 11.80 10.00

PREFERENCE SHARES 1000.00 1000.00 1000.00 1000.00

1000.00 1000.00 1000.00 1000.00

1.00 106.00 100.00 106.00 100.00 105.00 100.00 10.00 1.01

1.00 105.50 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 10.00 1.01

SECURITY AML Foods Limited APD Limited Bahamas Property Fund Bahamas Waste Bank of Bahamas Benchmark Cable Bahamas CIBC FirstCaribbean Bank Colina Holdings Commonwealth Bank Commonwealth Brewery Consolidated Water BDRs Doctor's Hospital Famguard Fidelity Bank Finco Focol ICD Utilities J. S. Johnson Premier Real Estate

SYMBOL AML APD BPF BWL BOB BBL CAB CIB CHL CBL CBB CWCB DHS FAM FBB FIN FCL ICD JSJ PRE

LAST CLOSE 4.06 15.85 9.09 3.50 1.96 0.12 6.47 8.50 5.83 10.40 14.00 2.41 1.55 5.80 8.77 10.95 8.25 6.60 11.93 10.00

CLOSE 4.06 15.85 9.09 3.50 1.96 0.12 6.47 8.50 5.83 10.40 14.00 2.37 1.55 5.80 8.77 10.95 8.25 6.60 11.93 10.00

CHANGE 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 -0.04 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00

CAB6 CAB8 CAB9 CAB10 CHLA CBLE CBLJ CBLK CBLL CBLM CBLN FBBA FCLB

1000.00 1000.00 1000.00 1000.00 1.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 10.00 1.01

1000.00 1000.00 1000.00 1000.00 1.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 10.00 1.01

0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00

SECURITY Fidelity Bank Note 17 (Series A) + Fidelity Bank Note 18 (Series E) + Fidelity Bank Note 22 (Series B) +

SYMBOL FBB17 FBB18 FBB22

LAST SALE 100.00 100.00 100.00

CLOSE 100.00 100.00 100.00

CHANGE 0.00 0.00 0.00

Bahamas Note 6.95 (2029) BGS: 2014-12-3Y BGS: 2015-1-3Y BGS: 2014-12-5Y BGS: 2015-1-5Y BGS: 2014-12-7Y BGS: 2015-1-7Y BGS: 2014-12-30Y BGS: 2015-1-30Y BGS: 2015-6-3Y BGS: 2015-6-5Y BGS: 2015-6-7Y BGS: 2015-6-30Y

BAH29 BG0103 BG0203 BG0105 BG0205 BG0107 BG0207 BG0130 BG0230 BG0303 BG0305 BG0307 BG0330

115.24 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00

115.12 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00

-0.12 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00

Cable Bahamas Series 6 Cable Bahamas Series 8 Cable Bahamas Series 9 Cable Bahamas Series 10 Colina Holdings Class A Commonwealth Bank Class E Commonwealth Bank Class J Commonwealth Bank Class K Commonwealth Bank Class L Commonwealth Bank Class M Commonwealth Bank Class N Fidelity Bank Class A Focol Class B

CORPORATE DEBT - (percentage pricing) 52WK HI 100.00 100.00 100.00

52WK LOW 100.00 100.00 100.00

BAHAMAS GOVERNMENT STOCK - (percentage pricing) 115.92 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00

113.70 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00

VOLUME

359

VOLUME

EPS$ 0.304 1.351 1.086 0.220 -1.134 0.000 0.185 0.551 0.508 0.541 0.528 0.094 0.166 0.510 0.612 0.960 0.650 0.703 0.756 0.000

DIV$ 0.090 1.000 0.000 0.160 0.000 0.000 0.187 0.260 0.200 0.360 0.610 0.060 0.040 0.240 0.275 0.000 0.280 0.120 0.640 0.000

P/E 13.4 11.7 8.4 15.9 N/M N/M 35.0 15.4 11.5 19.2 26.5 25.2 9.3 11.4 14.3 11.4 12.7 9.4 15.8 0.0

YIELD 2.22% 6.31% 0.00% 4.57% 0.00% 0.00% 2.89% 3.06% 3.43% 3.46% 4.36% 2.53% 2.58% 4.14% 3.14% 0.00% 3.39% 1.82% 5.36% 0.00%

0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000

0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000

0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0

0.00% 0.00% 0.00% 0.00% 6.25% 6.25% 6.25% 6.25% 6.25% 6.25% 6.25% 7.00% 6.50%

INTEREST 7.00% 6.00% Prime + 1.75%

MATURITY 19-Oct-2017 31-May-2018 19-Oct-2022

6.95% 4.00% 4.00% 4.25% 4.25% 4.50% 4.50% 6.25% 6.25% 4.00% 4.25% 4.50% 6.25%

20-Nov-2029 15-Dec-2017 30-Jul-2018 16-Dec-2019 30-Jul-2020 15-Dec-2021 30-Jul-2022 15-Dec-2044 30-Jul-2045 26-Jun-2018 26-Jun-2020 26-Jun-2022 26-Jun-2045

MUTUAL FUNDS 52WK HI 1.99 3.90 1.92 167.58 138.35 1.45 1.67 1.55 1.09 6.94 8.65 5.92 9.94 11.15 10.46

52WK LOW 1.67 3.04 1.68 164.74 116.70 1.39 1.60 1.50 1.03 6.41 7.62 5.66 8.65 10.54 9.57

FUND CFAL Bond Fund CFAL Balanced Fund CFAL Money Market Fund CFAL Global Bond Fund CFAL Global Equity Fund FG Financial Preferred Income Fund FG Financial Growth Fund FG Financial Diversified Fund FG Financial Global USD Bond Fund Royal Fidelity Bahamas Opportunities Fund - Secured Balanced Fund Royal Fidelity Bahamas Opportunities Fund - Targeted Equity Fund Royal Fidelity Bahamas Opportunities Fund - Prime Income Fund Royal Fidelity Int'l Fund - Equities Sub Fund Royal Fidelity Int'l Fund - High Yield Fund Royal Fidelity Int'l Fund - Alternative Strategies Fund

NAV 1.99 3.90 1.92 167.58 136.68 1.45 1.67 1.55 1.09 6.94 8.65 5.92 9.59 11.15 9.57

YTD% 12 MTH% 2.33% 4.05% 3.34% 6.09% 1.63% 2.99% 3.41% 5.18% 2.95% -0.58% 2.51% 3.84% 2.48% 4.47% 2.20% 3.79% 5.03% 3.89% 4.05% 8.28% 5.93% 13.53% 2.73% 4.73% 3.97% -3.53% 2.96% 4.33% -4.26% -6.22%

NAV Date 31-Jul-2016 31-Jul-2016 27-Jul-2016 30-Jun-2016 30-Jun-2016 31-Aug-2016 31-Aug-2016 31-Aug-2016 31-Aug-2016 31-Jul-2016 31-Jul-2016 31-Jul-2016 31-Jul-2016 31-Jul-2016 31-Jul-2016

MARKET TERMS BISX ALL SHARE INDEX - 19 Dec 02 = 1,000.00 52wk-Hi - Highest closing price in last 52 weeks 52wk-Low - Lowest closing price in last 52 weeks Previous Close - Previous day's weighted price for daily volume Today's Close - Current day's weighted price for daily volume Change - Change in closing price from day to day Daily Vol. - Number of total shares traded today DIV $ - Dividends per share paid in the last 12 months P/E - Closing price divided by the last 12 month earnings

YIELD - last 12 month dividends divided by closing price Bid $ - Buying price of Colina and Fidelity Ask $ - Selling price of Colina and fidelity Last Price - Last traded over-the-counter price Weekly Vol. - Trading volume of the prior week EPS $ - A company's reported earnings per share for the last 12 mths NAV - Net Asset Value N/M - Not Meaningful

TO TRADE CALL: CFAL 242-502-7010 | ROYALFIDELITY 242-356-7764 | FG CAPITAL MARKETS 242-396-4000 | COLONIAL 242-502-7525 | LENO 242-396-3225

NOTICE

NOTICE is hereby given that ROSMOND JOSEPH of Nassau, New Providence, The Bahamas, is applying to the Minister responsible for Nationality and Citizenship, for registration/naturalization as a citizen of The Bahamas, and that any person who knows any reason why registration/ naturalization should not be granted, should send a written and signed statement of the facts within twentyeight days from the 20th DAY of SEPTEMBER, 2016 to the Minister responsible for nationality and Citizenship, P.O. Box N-7147, Nassau, N.P., The Bahamas.

PUBLIC NOTICE

INTENT TO CHANGE NAME BY DEED POLL The Public is hereby advised that I, MARCHEL LOVINGSTION SAWYER a.k.a.

MARCHEL LOVINGSTON SAWYER of Abaco, Bahamas intend to change my name to MARSHALL LIVINGSTON SAWYER. If there are any objections to this change of name by Deed Poll, you may write such objections to the Chief Passport Officer, P.O.Box N-742, Nassau, Bahamas no later than thirty (30) days after the date of publication of this notice.

PUBLIC NOTICE

INTENT TO CHANGE NAME BY DEED POLL The Public is hereby advised that I, MAITLAND ANARD BROWN of Guinep Tree Street, Pinewood Gardens, P.O. Box SB-52749, Nassau, Bahamas intend to change my name to MAITLAND ONARD BROWN. If there are any objections to this change of name by Deed Poll, you may write such objections to the Chief Passport Officer, P.O.Box N-742, Nassau, Bahamas no later than thirty (30) days after the date of publication of this notice.

PUBLIC NOTICE

INTENT TO CHANGE NAME BY DEED POLL The Public is hereby advised that I, ASHARA MELISSA LYNETTE MAJOR mother of KHRISTOPHER GENESIS FORBES of #226 Jumbay Drive, Wellington Pinder Subdivision, Grand Bahama, Bahamas, intend to change my child’s name to KHRIS GENESIS MAJOR. If there are any objections to this change of name by Deed Poll, you may write such objections to the Deputy Chief Passport Officer, P.O.Box F-43536, Grand Bahama, no later than thirty (30) days after the date of publication of this notice.

THE TRIBUNE

Tuesday, September 27, 2016, PAGE 7

b o dy a n d m i n d

Alpha Phi Alpha’s blood drive ‘surpasses expectations’

By JEFFARAH GIBSON Tribune Features Writer jgibson@tribunemedia.net

T

he call for Bahamians to donate blood in order to save lives resulted in scores of people filling up the chairs during the Alpha Phi Alpha fraternity’s annual blood drive at the Mall at Marathon last weekend.

The Iota Epsilon Lambda chapter of the fraternity, in conjunction with the Princess Margaret Hospital Blood Bank, appealed to all potential donors to give blood. The group was determined to collect at least 30 pints of blood to help replenish the dwindling supplies.

“We know that there is a need for blood in the country, so every year we make it our aim to go out and get persons to donate blood,” said fraternity member Xavier Simms.

“This year, we partnered with Princess Margaret Hospital Blood Bank, and their staff came out willingly to assist us with this effort. We also have a health expo where we had medical and fitness professionals give their expertise to those who needed their assistance.”

Some of those professionals included the Bahamas Medical Centre Biometirc Station, Atlantic Medical’s Wellness Division, Wolf Fitness and others.

Mr Simms said the turnout for the blood drive was “excellent” and surpassed the organisation’s expectations.

The blood drive comes at very critical time when PMH Blood Bank is experiencing a serious deficit. Last year, 3,954 units were accepted at PMH, but 12,487 were needed.

Glenville Roberts, of the PMH Blood Bank, encouraged all those who can to donate.

“Some people need blood due to surgery, some people need blood because they are anaemic and we have been trying to get people educated on giving blood. The slogan that we use is, ‘Give Blood to Save a Life, Because the Very Next Life Could Be Yours’. So when you are giving blood you are helping people to sustain and live a longer life, and at the same time you are giving off the old to get the new,” he said.

A regular blood donor, Ianthe Kemp once again gave blood during the Alpha Phi Alpha event. She admitted that while she is intimidated by the needle, she knows that her donation can save a life, maybe even hers.

“There are people that are in need of it that is why I do it. I give blood every six months,” said Ms Kemp.

She also had some words of encouragement for those who may be nervous to donate.

“Some people are afraid of needles, but so am I. The needles do not hurt at all, and I am a very dramatic person. They make you feel very comfortable and it is over and done before you even know it,” she said.

The PMH Blood Bank is open Monday to Friday, from 8am to 8pm, and on Saturday from 9am to 4pm. Donors are required to eat a meal and then come in about 40 minutes later.

Blood Drive and Health Expo at the Mall at Marathon.

Potential buyers attend the “Whole Blends” launch

Blood Drive and Health Expo at the Mall at Marathon.

Leann Albury, consumer brands manager at Lowe’s.

Lowe’s introduces new hair care line to the Bahamas

By ALESHA CADET Tribune Features Reporter acadet@tribunemedia.net

Blends can be used on all hair types.

“When people think of Garnier they don’t think the products are for all hair types, but Whole Blends actually breaks that stigma and lets people know it’s for everyone,” she said.

“All hair has issues such as dryness, breakage, colour treatment (problems), and more, so Whole Blends is formulated for all these hair types. The avocado that we love to eat so much is actually good for the hair; the coconut oil that we love is also good, and so much more. I think health and wellness needs to be more of a priority for Bahamians and I am glad to see that there are a few persons that appreciate how important it is for us to move towards healthier and wholesome products. Outside of this, we just need to move towards a healthier lifestyle as Bahamians.”

Photos/Shawn Hanna

Lowe’s Wholesale Drug Agencies last week hosted a special event to launch a new line of hair care here in the Bahamas.

Held at Luciano’s of Chicago, the launch sought to introduce local consumers to Garnier’s new “Whole Blends” products, which include shampoos, conditioners, nourishing masks, refreshing sprays, smoothing oils, and more.

Leann Albury, consumer brands manager at Lowe’s, said these products are for the 25 to 49-year-old woman who is comfortable with who she is, strongly connected to her family and friends, finding happiness in experiences and memories.

“She is engaged, active and approachable. Tonight, we invited local buyers from retail stores and

we want to educate them on the benefits of the products and what they are used for. I want them to know that this is basically a good brand to take on. Nowadays, people are interested and catching on to natural, wholesome products, so I believe this is the answer.

We have products on display so our guests will be able to feel and engage in conversation with each other,” she said.

As the local distributors for Garnier, Ms Albury said it is Lowe’s responsibility to promote and launch the brand here in the Bahamas.”

“Whole Blends is all over television now, so what we are trying to do is keep up with that momentum,” she said.

Ms Albury said they hope that Bahamian women will see the ads on TV and then realise that they can purchase the products right here at home, and more importantly, understand that Whole

“Whole Blends” products on display during the launch at Luciano’s of Chicago.

PAGE 8, Tuesday, September 27, 2016

THE TRIBUNE

Atlantis’ Mandara Spa celebrates its Balinese roots Renowned yoga guru introduces ‘Healer Project’ to the Bahamas for spa’s 20th anniversary

O

ne of the world’s most sought-after healers, Guru Made Sumantra will visit Paradise Island in October for nearly three days of personal sessions as part of award-winning Mandara Spa’s 20th anniversary and in celebration of 15 years as a Bahamian entity.

“Guru Made Sumantra has been on a whirlwind international tour helping Mandara Spa celebrate two decades of bringing excellence in spa services at elegant resorts around the world, and we are thrilled that Paradise Island will be his last tour stop,” said Youlanda Deveaux, Mandara Spa’s regional vice president.

“His presence is a great honour for us, as he is a fifth generation Balinese Shaman healer. He has an art that makes you feel as though you are on a different plane, a sense of well-being, peace and strength.”

“We are happy to celebrate 15 years with Mandara Spa, as it is one of the many luxury offerings of The Cove,” said Cristian Sariego, senior vice president and general manager of The Cove Atlantis and The Reef Atlantis resorts. “We strive to offer our guests the best experiences and Mandara delivers on this excellence. We congratulate Mandara on their success and look forward

Guru Made Sumantra will visit the Bahamas next week

Cancer Society and RBC join forces to bring awareness to childhood cancer Leukaemia is the most prevalent cancer among children in the Bahamas, according to ongoing research.

The Cancer Society of the Bahamas came to this conclusion while working on the National Cancer Registry that, when finished, will ensure both private and public healthcare service providers provide data on persons with cancer.

Research has still not been able to conclude why children get cancer, but it is believed that five per cent is caused by inherited mutation of the genes.

Statistics regarding childhood cancer in the Bahamas are also limited and there are no screen-

ings for children, but the Cancer Society hopes to change all that with the help of the new registry, according to its programme coordinator, Melissa Major To observe September as Childhood Cancer Awareness Month, the Cancer Society partnered with the RBC Royal Bank, which recently hosted an informative session on the disease. In a one-hour session that covered everything from what cancer is, to treatment and preventative measures, RBC employees learned lessons that will hopefully reduce the number of cancer seen in the Bahamas.

Khalila Ambrister of the bank’s human resources department said in her opinion the session was “re-

ally good and very informative”.

“I wish the session had been longer, given the valuable information that was shared. Cancer is so prevalent in my family, but the info on childhood cancer really stuck with me,” she said.

Overall, in children less than 15 years of age, in the industrialised world, childhood cancer is listed as the fourth most common cause of death.

Ms Major encouraged RBC staff to pay careful attention to their children by taking their aches and pains seriously.

While there are no cancer screenings for children at the moment, screenings do exist for many adult cancers, including

The Mandara Spa is celebrating its 20th anniversary guests so exquisitely they forget to the future.”

For the past 15 years, Manabout their own business,” dara Spa at Atlantis has been said Ms Deveaux. “A decade synonymous with success. It is and a half later, Mandara Spa home to nearly 200 staff, a win- continues to grow its name ner of numerous key industry on the island as an innovative awards, and an integral part of spa brand and company with a the resort’s luxury experience. unique and unparalleled depth On October 3 and 4, Guru of knowledge rooted in the Sumantra will perform sunBalinese tradition of healrise and sunset yoga classes at ing touches; superior service 8am and 6pm as well as energy standards; and advanced skinhealing sessions from 9.15am care products, treatments and to 5pm. On October 5, sunrise technology.” yoga will be held at 8am. All Tour sponsors include energy healing services and Coca-Cola, Dasani, Atlantis yoga healing class fees will Paradise Island and Pilates in subsidise The Healer Project Paradise. To learn more about tour with the remaining funds Guru Made Sumantra and being contributed to Guru Sumantra’s various foundations The Healer Project, visit www. madebymantra.com. To book a in Bali. session, call 363-3000.

“Our business is to treat breast, prostate and colon cancer.

Ms Major warned that there has been an increase in colon cancer diagnosis over the last year. This information stood out to Claudia Rolle, RBC risk manager.

“I was particularly interested in learning about the rates of colon cancer in the Bahamas. I also realise the importance of doing my own research and making my own decisions about how best to prevent the disease, especially when I think of my daughter and consider things like whether or not to give her the HPV vaccine.”

HPV, which stands for human papillomavirus, is a virus that is known to cause cervical cancer a vaccine is currently available for teenagers.

While the HPV vaccine might prevent cervical cancer, Ms Major also offered RBC staff other alternatives, including eating a healthy, balanced diet; maintain-

ing a healthy weight; staying physically active; drinking less alcohol; giving up smoking; protecting your skin from sun damage, and knowing your body.

These tips were particularly useful to Andia Delancy, manager of the RBC Mortgage Relief Programme, who said: “It’s inspired me to take a different approach to fitness goals, eating and my overall lifestyle, not just for me, but for my family. We can catch this before it starts with a lifestyle change if we become proactive rather than reactive.”

Ms Major applauded RBC for its efforts in bringing the message of cancer home.

“I find that when we partner with companies like RBC, it’s easy to bring our mission of education to life. Many people are afraid to even talk about cancer, but forums like this are especially rewarding,” she said.

Types and causes of hearing loss in children There are several types of hearing losses and many different reasons why a child could suffer from a hearing loss. Additionally, a hearing loss could be one that is temporary or permanent, range from a slight to profound loss, and may be in one or both ears.

The ear is divided into three main parts: outer, middle and inner ear.

The ability to hear is an extremely complex process beginning with the outer ear picking up sound that then travels to the middle ear. Vibrations from the eardrum and bones of the middle ear then sends the sound on into the inner ear, then along the auditory nerve and to the brain where the sound is finally deciphered into meaningful speech and environmental sounds that we are able to understand. This process of hearing is critical to our ability to understand the world around us and damage to any one part of the ear will result in a child not only having difficulties hearing but may also result in speech, language, and other learning and social delays.

Types of hearing loss Hearing loss that oc curs when the child is born is known as a congenital hearing loss. Congenital hearing losses are usually caused by genetic disorders, but can also be caused by other factors. If the hearing loss occurs after the child is born it is called an acquired hearing loss. An acquired hearing can result from any number of factors and may occur at any time during childhood. It may also get progressively worse as the child grows.

Congenital and acquired hearing loss will usually fall into one of three major categories of hear-

Have You Heard...?

• Malformations of the inner ear • Exposure to loud noise and/ or music

Treatment of sensorineural hearing loss in children

Dr Deborah Mackey-Nubirth ing loss: sensorineural hearing loss, conductive hearing loss, or mixed hearing loss.

Sensorineural hearing loss This is the most common type of permanent hearing loss and it affects the inner ear. It occurs when there is damage to either the tiny hair-like cells of the inner ear or to the auditory nerve.

When damage occurs it prevents or weakens the transfer of the auditory signals to the brain resulting in hearing loss.

Causes of sensorineural hearing loss in children include: • Infections like rubella (German measles), cytomegalovirus, or herpes, passed from mother to child during or at birth • Premature birth • Infections such as meningitis, mumps, scarlet fever and measles • Traumatic head injuries • Acoustic neuroma or other cancerous growths in the inner ear • Side effect from certain ototoxic medicines that damage hearing • Family history of hearing loss

There is no medical or surgical way to repair the damage to the inner ear hair cells or auditory nerve from this kind of hearing loss. However, depending on the severity of the hearing loss, successful treatment using hearing aids and/or cochlear implants is very possible.

Additionally, there are other types of assistive listening devices that work independently or along with hearing aids and cochlear implants to improve sound transfer in difficult listening environments, like the classroom. (To avoid further damage to your child’s auditory system, always ensure the fitting of any type of hearing aid or amplification device is done by a certified audiologist)

Conductive hearing loss This type of hearing loss occurs when an obstruction, damage, or deformity occurs in the outer or middle ear that prevents sound from travelling to the inner ear. In most cases, a conductive hearing loss is temporary and is one that can be corrected through medical treatment or surgical intervention. A conductive hearing loss is extremely common in children suffering from middle ear infections. Children who continue to have repeated bouts of otitis media may eventually sustain ear damage that results in a permanent, sensorineural hearing loss.

Causes of conductive hearing loss in children

Once hearing loss and its cause has been diagnosed, there are many avenues of treatment that can be explored.

• Fluid in the middle ear from colds • Middle ear infection • Allergies • Poor eustachian tube function • Perforated eardrum • Benign tumours • Impacted wax • Infection in the ear canal • Swimmer’s ear • Foreign body in the ear • Deformity of the outer ear, ear canal, or middle ear

Treatment of conductive hearing loss A conductive hearing loss can usually be treated with medicine, surgery, or a combination of both.

In some cases, when even after treatment a hearing loss still remains, a traditional hearing aid, or a bone anchored hearing aid that is surgically implanted, may be selected to improve the hearing as much as possible.

Mixed hearing loss This type of hearing loss is a combination of both the sensorineural hearing loss and the conductive hearing loss. It occurs when there is damage to the outer ear and/or middle ear as well as to the inner ear or auditory nerve. A portion of this hearing loss may be temporary while a portion is

permanent.

Causes of mixed hearing loss The causes of mixed hearing loss will be some combination of those listed for the other two types of hearing loss above.

Treatment of mixed hearing loss: Treatment options for mixed hearing loss depends on which type of loss is greater. If the conductive component is greater, surgical procedures and other medical treatments may be used. If the sensorineural component is greater, hearing aids or an implantable device may be the better option.

Remember, there is help for children struggling with hearing loss!

• For further information, or if you have any questions or concerns regarding your child’s hearing, call Dr Deborah Mackey-Nubirth at 356-2276 or 677-6627 in Nassau or 351-7902 in Freeport. Dr Mackey-Nubirth is a doctor of audiology at the Comprehensive Family Medical Clinic, Poincianna Drive (Wilmac Building).

E-mail dnubirth@yahoo.com for questions and comments.

THE TRIBUNE

Tuesday, September 27, 2016, PAGE 9

‘Dunkin’ for Boobies’ returns for third annual fundraiser this Friday GETTING an early morning soak by being dunked in tank of water might on any other occasion be a little unpleasant, but because in this case it’s to raise funds to promote breast cancer awareness, the DJs and personalities at Radio House don’t mind going “Dunkin For Boobies”.

Radio House is ready to kick off Breast Cancer Awareness Month this Friday morning with its third annual “Dunkin’ for Boobies” fundraising event, which last year raised more than $5,000. The group is hoping to exceed that amount this year.

There will be live broadcasts of the morning shows on 100 Jamz, Kiss 96 and Y98 from 6am until 10am right from the front of Radio House on Shirley Street, where passing motorists will be asked for donations in the fight against breast cancer.

With a $300 donation, a person can nominate their boss, manager, co-worker, or anyone for that matter, to be dunked in the dunkin’ tank that will be set up in the front of Radio House.

All proceeds from the event will be donated to the Cancer Society of the Bahamas. For more information, call 677-0950 or e-mail jjmckenzie@tribunemedia. net.

Radio House’s JJ McKenzie gets ready to dunk Franon Wilson of Sunshine Insurance at last year’s event. Photo/Valden Fernander

Be the light

beth Gilbert. She wrote the bestseller “Eat, Pray, Love.”

In this story she recounts a bus ride in the city of New York. She describes a tension in the bus amongst the passengers: fear, anger, depression and negative energy was displayed on their faces.

I’m sure everyone who boarded the bus felt it and adopted it. No one was smiling. No one dared to speak a word. Isn’t it easy to reflect on one’s life and look at all the negative issues surrounding it? We all have our set of problems, no matter how perfect it looks like from the outside.

I continued with Gilbert’s story. After a short while of silence and apparent tension so thick you could probably cut it with a butter knife, the bus driver decided to speak over the intercom: “Folks, I know you’ve had a bad day and you’re frustrated. I can’t do anything about the weather or traffic, but here’s what I can do. As each one of you gets off the bus, I will reach out my hand to you. As you walk by, drop your troubles into the palm of my hand, okay?

Don’t take your problems home to

your families tonight – just leave ‘em with me. My route goes right by the Hudson River, and when I drive by there later, I’ll open the window and throw your troubles in the water. Sound good?”

Can you imagine how powerful those words were to those people on the bus having a bad day?

I probably don’t need to tell you how those words changed the air on the bus, how many smiles were cracked or tears streamed down faces. Haven’t we all needed to hear similar words before?

The bus driver didn’t fix their problems, cure cancer or find the solution to world peace. He simply spoke from his heart and offered his many passengers some light in a very dark world.

If only for a few moments, we offered this kind of love, understanding, support and light to the people around us, the world would light up together. Hope would catch on like the plague, and people would realise that other people care. So if you need this bus driver in your life, tear this story out and hold it dear, reflect on it when you need to, and before go-

ing home tonight, be sure to stop off and throw those troubles in the ocean. What the world needs are more people willing to light it up. Now that’s power.

Love and hugs!

Do you have the capacity to change?

pacity.

It is all well and good to want to live an empowered life, but you must have the capacity to do so.

As such, by assessing or evaluating your capacity, you come to recognise that there are no limits to building your capacity.

In so doing you increase your ability to learn more, grow deeper and become a better master of your life.

Leader to leader, take time to assess your capacity to change and commit to increasing your capacity. Begin this process by embracing the words of the Serenity Prayer.

By learning to accept the things you cannot change and changing the things you can, you gain the wisdom to live an empowered life.

Yes, you can do it.

What do you think?

Most people think that power comes in some sort of big boom of light; a giant roll of thunder, something huge and substantial is needed to create this giant of a word – power. Truth is, power comes in all shapes and sizes, and it doesn’t have to be a giant affair of sorts, but a small gesture of kindness and truth can have the same effect on a person’s life as all the power in a strike of lightning.

There’s this underlying feeling that it’s not worth it unless power shows its force in a major big way for all to see. Go big or go home.

Yes, that’s the ego talking. But the most memorable forms of power come, and hold the most significance, in the smallest of actions.

I was at the optometrist’s office the other day, and while waiting for my turn I picked up a popular magazine, albeit a very outdated edition, and began to flip through

Life is change. Change, therefore is our nature. However, having been raised to play it safe and conform to the status quo, many struggle to change themselves, even when it’s critical to their own empowerment.

I believe that the famous Serenity Prayer, authored by American theologian Reinhold Niebuhr, is a central ingredient for a sense of empowerment. You must have the capacity to accept the things you cannot change and be encouraged to change the things you can.

This is only possible, however, if you also have the wisdom to know the difference. So while many are hungry for some kind of change, they often haven’t taken time to assess their capacity to change.

In many instances they are waiting and looking out there for someone or something to change.

Then, and only then, will they live life in an empowered way.

This strategy is problematic

Bun In The Oven

Bianca Carter it.

I came across a short story by popular American author Eliza-

Michelle Miller Motivationals

Michelle M Miller right from the jump. Because change, the kind that really positively impacts your life, is not dependent on someone or something out there changing. Instead, the changes that make the differ-

A conversation with the queen From pg B10 girls’ evening and did tours around Nassau which created long-lasting memories,” said Cherell.

Above all, Cherell enjoyed formulating and executing her platform that focused on entrepreneurial empowerment for the youth and the disabled.

“I am a young entrepreneur, specialising in face painting, makeup artistry and jewellery design.

With this trade I have had the opportunity to work with five hearing impaired

young ladies and successfully trained them in the art of jewellery making,” she said. “They have all formed strong business ethics.”

She believes the Miss Universe Bahamas Organisation allows for selfdevelopment and personal growth, and their pageant is something any young woman should want to be a part of.

“I was afraid, and fear is normal, but I would tell young ladies to never let it hold you back. Strive for your full potential and do whatever you want to do

ence are those crucial changes you make within yourself.

The Serenity Prayer is clear. It starts with, “Grant me the serenity”. Having the serenity means that whatever changes you are seeking lie within you. You therefore must not only be the change, but come to accept that you indeed are the change. Just give that last sentence a minute to settle into your spirit.

We are often so burdened by feelings of not being good enough that it is not always easy to see ourselves in such a powerful light.

Having struggled early in my life with similar disempowering feelings, I totally understand this position.

I also know for sure that ridding yourself of such low self-esteem is almost impossible without some kind of self-empowerment intervention. This means that you must be willing to do the inner work to face your fears and fix your feel-

with your life,” she said.

Michelle Collie, national director of the Miss Universe Bahamas Organisation, said with limited amount of time to put it all together, acquiring the franchise this past April, the priority was on ensuring that the experience for the contestants was a positive and empowering one.

She said by the end of the pageant, they were all given something that take away.

“I believe the most important part of pageantry and life is perspective and attitude. It is so important to me that in any undertaking, from waking up and getting out of bed to whatever career aspirations and relationships you have, that you have the right attitude and perspective with which to deal with those things

ings.

As I learned to navigate my challenging circumstances, it became very apparent to me that something deep within me kept expanding. It was my capacity. Through the path of personal growth I consistently built my capacity to change and empower my life.

The only way you can truly experience the change that you desire is to build your capacity to change. The word capacity is defined as, “the total amount that can be contained or produced”.

This definition infers then that the more you increase your capacity. The more you can not only contain and produce, but also the more you can become. Capacity, in a nutshell, is everything. Everything that becomes anything does so because it has the capacity to do it. You are no different.

The challenge, however, is whether or not you know your ca-

every day – from the most simple to the most complicated,” said Ms Collie.

“It is also so important to me that we embrace and uplift each other, and oftentimes there is too much of the tearing down and not lifting up.”

Ms Collie, herself a former Miss Bahamas, said they had “10 of the most beautiful ladies” in this year’s pageant.

“People were talking about them all over the place; about the incredible selection. The judges did a phenomenal job, and with the production everything was where it supposed to be in terms of the transparency. As we move forward with Cherell going to the Miss Universe (competition) in the Philippines on January 30, we just want to

• Bianca Carter is a certified lactation counsellor and founder of Bun in the Oven.

For more information, e-mail her at info@babybunintheoven.com. Follow BITO on Facebook at babybunintheoven, and check out the BITO Blog every Monday and Thursday at http:// babybunintheoven.com.

Source: O Magazine, May 2016 Issue, “May we help you?” by Elizabeth Gilbert.

• Michelle M Miller is a certified life coach, communication and leadership expert. Visit www. michellemmiller.com; mail can be sent to PO Box CB-13060.

make sure that we are giving her the training that she needs in order to go over and perform her best, and also making sure that we garner the support as a nation, and making sure that we support our Bahamians,” said Ms Collie.

“To me, going to the Miss Universe contest is (like) one of our track and field athletes going to the Olympics. Everybody doesn’t see pageantry in that way, but we have the opportunity to use it as a very high profile opportunity for people to be curious about the Bahamas. I think (Cherell) is going to do very well just by going over there and being the best version of herself.

She is very good at walking into a room and stealing the attention.”

SECTION B

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 27, 2016

Traci Otey Blunt, a veteran marketing, communications, media, political, and public affairs specialist.

Cynthia Garrett, of Cynthia Garrett Ministries, teaches women how to walk with faith.

Her show airs on TBN around the globe.

Beverly Saunders, vice president of human resources for Cable Bahamas

Tai Beauchamp, an influencer, public speaker, media personality and entrepreneur.

Bahamas hosts international summit to empower all women

By JEFFARAH GIBSON Tribune Features Writer jgibson@tribunemedia.net

A

frica’s second richest woman, the daughter of TD Jakes, and some of the Bahamas’ most successful businesswomen will be in attendance at the first International Women’s Empowerment Summit (IWES) to be held here in Nassau next month.

Professional women from all walks of life will have the opportunity to inspire one another and exchange ideas on how to navigate successfully through the male-dominated business world during the summit.

IWES is a forum for women professionals and entrepreneurs from around the world to meet, inspire and learn from each other.

The inaugural event is being hosted by the Ministry

of Tourism in partnership with StartUp Woman, and in collaboration with UN Women.

Guest speakers will include well-known activists like Sarah Jakes Roberts, daughter of TD Jakes and pastor of One Church LA, and Ted Bunch, co-founder of “A Call to Men”.

The summit will take place from October 19 – 21 at Atlantis and is promises to feature “life-changing” activities, including eight panels.

The panels will include a session on the United Nations’ solidarity campaign called “HeForShe”, which has been gaining traction worldwide over the last two years.

Other topics include “Business as Unusual Women, Doing Business with Confidence”; “Wealth Creation and Economic Empowerment”; “Startup Women”; “Presentation is

Pastors Sarah Jakes Roberts and Touré Roberts

Everything”; “The Value of Educating a Woman”, and “The Balanced Woman”.

Some of the featured speakers will include Lauren Holowesko, director of The Island House; celebrity makeup artist Gabby Bernstein; fashion designer Amber Atherton, and Cheryl Tiegs, fashion model and designer.

IWES will also host the launch of the StartUp Woman initiative for the Bahamas – a new enterprise by the founders of WIE Network, which shines a spotlight on woman-owned SMEs in the UK, US, and now in the Bahamas. With the support of StartUp Woman Bahamas, six notable women will be invited to mentor six young Bahamians who aspire to one day be entrepreneurs.

Joy Jibrilu, Director General of the Bahamas Ministry of Tourism, said the summit is a gateway for

The Bahamas’ Lauren Holowesko, director of The Island House

Bahamian organisations, students and corporate groups to make create a retreat.

“I should stress that even though it’s called International Women’s Empowerment Summit, it is open to men,” she said.

“In fact, our first registrant was a male, so that speaks to the fact that all people feel they can learn from the speakers. On the UN Women’s panel, there’s a speaker coming from the United Nations and he’s a male. He works with UN Women and he will the featured speaker, and our closing panel is the UN Women’s panel. HeforShe is an organisaiton advocating on behalf of women, so it’s open to men and women,” she said.

Dawn Demeritte, senior executive of communications at the Tourism Ministry, said the summit offers something for every woman.

“The summit will be extremely beneficial for everyone who can attend because we’ve searched high and low for phenomenal women who have made an impact to share their stories, their lives and their trials and tribulations. Everyone that attends will be able to relate to at least one of the panel speakers and will be able to apply it to their lives, their business, their career or brand,” she said.

“Events such as IWES are needed to firstly show that the Bahamas is more than sun, sand and sea.

They’re also needed to support our people; let them know that we see what they are doing and assist in building a better Bahamas.

Lastly, they’re also needed to further develop the Bahamas through its women and to continue to inspire them to always strive to be better.”

Ms Demeritte said partic-

Dr Hyla Cass, one of the US’ foremost authors on the subject of integrative medicine.

ipants will be able to glean a great deal of information from the speakers.

“It is our hope that IWES inspires women to take a leap of faith and pursue their dreams. We have found the highest calibre and quality of speakers to share their stories and the obstacles they have faced to be where they are. There are some phenomenal Bahamian women on the panel who have come from nothing and have made their own path to get where they are. So whether attendees want to begin a business they’ve dreamed about for years or ask for that raise, we hope that this summit provides that boost needed to live the life they have always imagined,” she said.

For more information and to register for IWES 2016, visit bahamasiwesummit.com.

Folorunsho Alakija, a Nigerian businesswoman and the second richest African woman.

A conversation with the queen

By ALESHA CADET

Tribune Features Reporter

acadet@tribunemedia.net

At age 23, Cherell Williamson can finally say that she has conquered her shyness. And not only did she successfully overcome her natural timidness, she did it in a way that could not have been grander or more public.

Less than two weeks ago, the young entrepreneur stood in shock as her name was called out as the new Miss Universe Bahamas title holder.

“It took a while for the win to sink in for me and

Miss Universe Bahamas explains how she overcame her shyness to win the crown when it did it is such a great feeling to know that I worked for it and that I actually came through as the winner. I am into modelling, but pageantry wasn’t ever really my thing because I was shy, but I took the leap and was successful,” she said in an interview with Tribune Woman.

In addition to taking a leap of faith, Cherell also had her best friend, Miss

Universe Bahamas 2012 Celeste Marshall, to encourage her.

“She has been an inspiration to me. After sitting down with her she told me this is something I can only gain from; there’s nothing to lose. There have also been a few people that approached me about it and told me that if I continue to be shy then I am going to miss out on a great opportunity that can

potentially change my life,” she said.

The Queen’s College graduate further shared her thoughts on the experience, her favourite phase of the competition, and advice for young women like herself that may be hesitant.

“The sessions with the contestants were my favourite. Everyone got along and it felt like a sisterhood and not a competition. The board was always amazing and friendly, giving us experiences that we can walk away with and remember. We had style sessions, cooking lessons, a See pg b9

Cherell Williamson ushers in a new era of the Miss Universe Bahamas pageant with her recent win. Photos/Shawn Hanna