09282022 NEWS, SPORT AND BUSINESS

BRACED FOR HEAVY RAIN AND FLOODING

Grand Bahama awaits effects from Hurricane Ian, with homes still being repaired after Dorian

By DENISE MAYCOCK Tribune Freeport Reporter dmaycock@tribunemedia.net

AS Hurricane Ian barrels its way to the Gulf Coast of Florida, Grand Bahama residents can expect to experience strong winds, heavy rain, and flooding in low-lying areas.

Although the island is not

in any major threat, people are closely watching the forecast. Hardware stores are ready and stocked with hurricane supplies.

Grand Bahama, Bimini, Abaco, the Berry Islands and Andros should expect heavy rainfall, severe thun derstorms with dangerous lightning, gusty winds, and possible tornadic activity,

ADRIAN GIBSON’S LAWYER PUSHES FOR ANOTHER JUSTICE

By PAVEL BAILEY Tribune Court Reporter pbailey@tribunemedia.net

THE lawyer represent ing Long Island MP Adrian Gibson in his corruption trial continued to push for his case to be transferred to another justice.

Murrio Ducille, KC, submitted a recusal applica tion towards Justice Cheryl Grant-Thompson argu ing of public perception of political bias as the case proceeds.

While the King’s Coun sel emphasised that he does not believe Justice GrantThompson is not fit to preside over the case, he is more concerned of percep tion stating that the justice’s late husband Peter Bethel was a Progressive Liberal Party minister. Given that Gibson is a member of the Free National Movement, he felt another judge should hear the case.

The other defendants’

By LEANDRA ROLLE Tribune Staff Reporter lrolle@tribunemedia.net

ATTORNEY General Ryan Pinder said his min istry has received all of the necessary reports from agencies involved in con ducting investigations into the Exuma oil spill and is now preparing paperwork “to bring action”.

Mr Pinder was asked for an update into investiga tions on the oil leakage ahead of yesterday’s Cabi net meeting.

He said: “The Office of the Attorney General has collected all of the applicable reports from the agencies including the

police, the Port Department and from DEPP (Depart ment of Environmental Planning and Protection) and have gone through this in respect to potential liability.

“We’ve also done an analysis both on domes tic law as well as liability that would be connected to international conventions that we’re members of with respect to oil spills and have done an internal analysis on liability and we are now

EXPAT’S KILLER ‘TOOK KEYS AND LOCKED VICTIM’S DOOR’

By EARYEL BOWLEG Tribune Staff Reporter ebowleg@tribunemedia.net

THE person who killed a British expatriate in his western New Providence condo is believed to have taken his keys and locked the victim’s door, the com plex’s property manager told The Tribune.

Francois-Marie Bour que, who manages the condo association, also thinks the victim knew his killer.

Marcus Hinsbey, a Caucasian male, said to be in his early 60s, was discovered inside his con dominium with multiple lacerations to the body on

AG: MINNIS GOV’T ‘FAILED COUNTRY’ ON EU BLACKLIST

By YOURI KEMP Tribune Business Reporter ykemp@tribunemedia.net

THE Attorney Gen eral yesterday blamed the Minnis administration’s “fundamentally flawed” approach to complying with the European Union’s (EU) economic substance demands for landing The Bahamas on the bloc’s blacklist.

Ryan Pinder KC, speak ing ahead of the weekly Cabinet meeting, said the Commercial Entities (Sub stance Requirements) Act 2018 was woefully inadequate in address ing a key EU requirement to remain off its list of jurisdictions deemed non-cooperative on inter national tax matters.

ALICIA WALLACE: TRAFFICKING IS A PROBLEM TO UNDERSTAND AND TACKLE - TOGETHER - SEE PAGE EIGHT

ATTORNEY General Ryan Pinder.

parts of Nassau experiencing flooding due to the recent heavy rain, Works and Utilities

Alfred Sears said his ministry is committed to doing all it can to address the

as

ATTORNEY General Ryan Pinder.

Ministry prepares to ‘bring action’ over oil spill

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preparing the documentation to bring action.”

Some 36,000 gallons of diesel were spilled into waters off a bay at Exuma in late July as a vessel, contracted by Sun Oil, was off loading fuel to Bahamas Power and Light at George Town.

The leakage was said to have happened as a result of a “breach in the hose” that ran from the supply ship.

Following the incident, govern ment officials pledged that those responsible for the spill would “pay” after investigations had been completed.

“We’re operating under the guidelines and principles that the polluters pay and the polluter will pay.

“How much? Of course, we don’t even know that and I’m certainly not at liberty to go into that, but the polluter will

pay,” Environment and Natu ral Resources Minister Vaughn Miller told reporters in July.

When asked whether the gov ernment had any plans to tighten legislation geared towards pre venting similar mishaps in the future, Mr Pinder said that offi cials were pleased with what was in place now.

“Well, I think the legislation is in place,” he told reporters. “You

would’ve known shortly after coming to office that we updated the Merchant Shipping Act to bring it in compliance with inter national best practices.

“We are completing the regu lations under that legislation now so that we can bring it into force and once that’s brought into force, certainly that will provide an enhanced amount of level of oversight under the Merchant

Shipping Act which is the gov erning piece of legislation in this regard with respect to merchant shipping and the safety mecha nisms needed.

“Our environmental laws are pretty stringent, so I think we’re pretty good there and needless to say, we feel pretty comfortable about the existence of liability and damages.”

ADRIAN GIBSON’S LAWYER PUSHES FOR ANOTHER JUSTICE

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counsel elected to remain neutral on the issue.

Regarding this appli cation, prosecutor Eucal Bonaby said that as it is a small country any believed bias due to perceived political asso ciations is unavoidable. He further said that Mr Ducille cannot use the jus tice’s late husband as basis for recusal and objected to the request.

In rebuttal, Mr Duci lle once again stated that he does not think Justice Grant-Thompson is unfit or would not rule fairly, but that his move for the case to be transferred is on the basis of perception of bias.

The sitting MP for Long Island faces numerous

cheques and wire trans fers in connection with contracts awarded to Elite Maintenance and Baha Maintenance and Resto ration by WSC.

It is further alleged that he gained the money through bribery and then laundered it through the purchase of properties and vehicles, including those used in Gibson’s company in Long Island.

Gibson with his alleged co-conspirators — Elwood Donaldson Jr, WSC’s former general manager; Gibson’s cousin, Rashae Gibson; the MP’s former campaign manager Joan Knowles; Peaches Far quharson and Jerome Missick — all pleaded not guilty to the 98 charges in the matter Friday. These charges range from con spiracy to commit bribery, bribery, fraud, receiving and money laundering.

In the MP’s latest court appearance yesterday, Gibson along with three other co-defendants were placed in the defendants’ dock to which his counsel raised objection.

Justice Grant-Thomp son responded that Gibson was not singled out by being placed in the dock. She went on to say that the remaining two defendants not placed in but near the dock were only seated as such to adhere to court overflow protocols for cases with this many defendants. However the justice stated that she will be willing to consider logistics on defendants’ seating at a later date.

After informing Gib son’s counsel to submit official recusal papers to her office yesterday, Jus tice Grant-Thompson said that her ruling on the motion will take place at 11am on Thursday.

accusations of malfea sance linked to his time as executive chairman of the Water and Sewerage Corporation during the Minnis administration. Gibson is alleged to have personally accrued over $1.25m through a series of

ADRIAN GIBSON

THE SCENE of the oil spill in Exuma in July.

DECREASE

By LYNAIRE MUNNINGS lmunnings@tribunemedia.net

WITH gas prices under $6 for the first time since March, a well-known fuel retailer predicted that the prices will continue to decrease for the rest of the year.

Vasco Bastian, vicepresident of the Bahamas Petroleum Dealers Asso ciation (BPDA), says it is likely that gas prices will continue to decrease throughout the year once crude oil prices across the market continue to decline.

“If everything stays as is, in regard to crude oil declining, we might see this go up until the end of the year, but that’s only if crude oil continues to decline,” he told The Tribune yesterday.

Mr Bastian predicted that as a result of the crude oil price decline, the price of fuel at the pump will hit close to the $5 mark.

According to Mr Bastian, consumers are purchasing fuel more in comparison to previous months.

The price of a gallon of gas rose to almost $7 last month, with prices in the Family Islands surpassing that amount.

Gas prices in New Providence as of yester day were $5.96 per gallon at Rubis, $5.88 per gallon at Shell and $5.71 per gallon at Esso.

With Esso Service Sta tions significantly lower by comparison to compet itors, Mr Bastian said this is due to the “corporate” approach the petroleum retailer has taken.

He said: “Esso is tied to Exxon Mobil, which is the largest gas and oil refinery in the world. So, they’re able to buy their prices on the back end at a cheaper price and pass that savings on to the consumers here in The Bahamas.”

The reduction of gaso line prices will bring some relief to local motorists who have struggled to afford the taxing cost of fuel.

Mr Bastian encouraged motorists to keep their vehicles above a half tank if they are able to afford to do so.

“You always want to tell the motoring public that it’s best to top up your car, when it’s at the halfway mark, than to wait until the tank is empty,” he told this news paper yesterday.

“So, if you can afford it, when your car gets to half tank, go to your favourite gas station brand and top up your car, you would spend less.”

Bahamians in Florida prepare for Hurricane Ian

By LETRE SWEETING lsweeting@tribunemedia.net

BAHAMIANS living in Florida are bracing for the arrival of Hurricane Ian, which is heading their way.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has urged Baha mians living in Western Florida and Cuba to evac uate, exercise caution and pay close attention to the approaching storm.

Yesterday, some Baha mians said they feel adequately prepared.

Patrelle Major Cross, a Bahamian who is staying in Orlando, Florida with her husband and children said, like most Bahamians, hearing the word “hurri cane” brings some “initial panic”. Having all of the necessary information, supplies and being well prepared is what alleviates her worries.

“Like most, upon hear ing about Hurricane Ian, there was some initial panic, however, with prep aration and information, it helps to alleviate that fear. I’m no stranger to storms due to being from The Bahamas. Having said that, I do not take it lightly. I understand that things can change very quickly,” she said.

“Some of the things we are doing to prepare for the storm are things such as making sure we have ample water supply, food, such as canned goods and dry foods, an emergency kit, life vest, flashlights, candles, matches and sandbags and, of course, to the best of our ability some form of entertain ment for our kids. So, for the most part, we’re pray ing and hoping for the best,” Mrs Cross said.

Andira Ferguson-Min nis, another Bahamian also currently in Florida with her family, said she is also well prepared for Hurricane Ian, as they start collecting supplies each year, beginning June 1.

“My family and I, we’re not new to this, I actually begin my hurricane prepa rations in June. We do the best we can to keep up with supplies in the event that something happens. I think we’re adequately prepared for whatever happens,” she said.

“From June 1, we do let anything less than three cases of water in our household. In terms of canned goods, we make sure we are adequately stocked on canned goods from June 1 to November 30, whether we need it or not, we go and buy if we have used one of those

items,” Mrs FergusonMinnis said.

She echoed Mrs Cross’s sentiments about being familiar with hurricane and storm preparedness as a Bahamian, but added that hurricanes tend to be unpredictable.

“It’s actually a pretty good day, calm, it doesn’t seem like anything is hap pening. Growing up in The Bahamas, of course, we’re familiar with how to prepare and the things that you may or may not have access to. This is not my first hurricane in Florida. So we’ve actu ally been privileged to

not have to deal with loss of power, but you don’t know what to expect this go round,” she said.

Judith Strachan, who is in Daytona Beach, Flor ida, said she is also more prepared than worried as this is her second expe rience with a hurricane while being in the United States.

“I am feeling pretty calm. I got supplies like water, food, made sure my gas tank is full. I still have work, but other than that I feel fine. I’m not afraid or anything. I’m just feeling it out and seeing where it takes us, because right

now it’s starting to rain and stuff, but it isn’t bad or anything right now. The only thing I would be wor ried about is really floods and stuff, but for now, it’s fine,” she said.

“I’m in the Daytona Beach area, however I did hear that people in Tampa, they put out an evacuation order for them. So, it’s going to be worse over there.

“We’re going to feel something, but until then, I’m just going with the flow I guess. For right now we still have to come to work. I don’t know if anything will change. It

depends on the weather, I guess,” Ms Strachan said. All Bahamians in Florida with special diffi culties or concerns about the approaching storm are encouraged to call The Bahamas Consulate General in Miami at 786795-5826. And those in Cuba should contact the The Bahamas Embassy in Cuba’s emergency hotline at +53-7-206-9918. Bahamians are asked to keep an eye on local and international news sta tions for weather updates, or visit the National Hur ricane Centre’s website at nhc.noaa.gov.

Braced for heavy rain and flooding

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according to the Bahamas Department of Meteorology.

Total rainfall of four to six inches, and possible isolated amounts of up to eight inches are expected through Friday. Severe localised flooding is possible in low-lying and flood prone areas.

Some residents on Grand Bahama are still repairing homes damaged during Hurricane Dorian three years ago.

Kwasi Thompson, MP for East Grand Bahama, expressed concerns, particularly for those residents whose homes are still in need of repairs.

“I am very concerned with the weather that we are expected to experience,” he said on Tuesday. “Thankfully, we will not have a direct hit, but we are expecting to have very bad weather and a lot of rain.

“We are extremely concerned with those residents throughout Grand Bahama, but particularly those in East Grand Bahama who have not yet received necessary assistance.

“It is unacceptable that we have persons waiting for more than a year since the government was elected and have not yet received the assistance they were approved

KWASI THOMPSON

for.”

Mr Thompson said he has been visiting the communities in the east.

“As I do my walkabouts and go through the communities that is still the number one concern. There are still too many residents whose houses remain open, vul nerable to the elements.

“And so, we are hopeful the government will see a sense of urgency in ensuring that they bring immediate relief for resi dents in East Grand Bahama and throughout GB,” he said.

He urged residents to be care ful in their moving about. “We

urge them to begin to prepare and complete preparations on an urgent basis as best as they can in low-lying areas to move to higher ground in case there is flooding.”

Mr Thompson stressed that it is important that residents pay attention to the local weather channel, and credible news outlets.

Cleopatra Russell, director of communications at Grand Bahama Power, said they are pre pared and are closely monitoring Ian, which is expected to impact their sister company in Tampa.

“We are prepared; we have done necessary hurricane drills before the hurricane season came upon us and so we consider our selves prepared.

“Our sister company in Tampa, TECO (Tampa Electric Com pany) who came to our aid will be impacted and our thoughts and prayers are with them as they brace for a direct hit,” she said.

“Our system will be fine throughout (the event). There might be some outages, but our crew is available to address them when it is safe to do so.”

The foodstores or hardware stores have not experienced any rush for essential hurricane supplies.

At Kelly’s Freeport Ltd there

has been an increase in sales of basic hurricane supplies and building materials.

Lynne Fraino, Human Resources and Marketing Manager at Kelly’s, said storm preparation is an ongoing process and people need to be prepared.

“We want Grand Bahamians to be prepared for adverse weather conditions during hurricane season.

“Storm preparation is an ongoing process and Kelly’s will continue to stock the items our customers need to stay safe through storms,” she said.

James Rolle, store manager at Dolly Madison, said they are stocked up with lots of supplies and are ready to accommodate customers.

“We were prepared since June, and ready for the rush of cus tomers when there was some speculation that we could have been in the path of Hurricane Fiona, but she turned early,” he said.

Mr Rolle said in store are lan terns, tarps, generators, fuel for lamps and portable stoves, small gas tanks, First-aid kits, as well as after-storm items such as rakes and pickaxes.

“We want customers not to take any threat of bad weather lightly,”

he said.

“We are projected to experi ence the outer fringes of tropical weather and we want people to be prepared in case there is an outage,” he said.

Maudrey, a resident of Grand Bahama, is trusting that God will spare the island. “I have pur chased some supplies already,” she said.

“God knows we cannot take another hurricane because look at what Dorian did.”

In Bimini, residents had been experiencing some rain and windy conditions since early in the week.

“We have been getting some gusts of wind and rain on and off on Monday and Tuesday,” said one resident who appeared to be concerned.

Desiree Ferguson, Bimi ni’s Island Administrator, could not be contacted as she was off the island.

Last night, the Ministry of Edu cation announced that schools in Gran d Bahama, Grand Cay and Bimini will be closed today out of an abundance of caution in prepa ration for Hurricane Ian. Those islands are expected to feel tropi cal storm conditions over the next few days as Ian heads towards Florida.

WORKERS board up the windows of a 7-Eleven convenience store in the Ybor City district in preparation for Hurricane Ian as it ap proaches the western side of the state, in Tampa, Fla. (AP Photo/Phelan M. Ebenhack)

THIS GOES-East GeoCcolor satellite image taken at 10:10 p.m. EDT on Tuesday, and provided by the National Oceanic and Atmos pheric Administration (NOAA), shows Hurricane Ian over the Gulf of Mexico. (NOAA via AP)

45-day deadline to survey people in unregulated developments

By LEANDRA ROLLE Tribune Staff Reporter lrolle@tribunemedia.net

WORKS and Utilities Minister Alfred Sears revealed yesterday that he has given ministry offi cials who are a part of a special committee investigating irregu lar communities in the country a 45-day deadline to review and survey people living in the unreg ulated developments.

Once all of the necessary data has been collected, commit tee members will have another 15 days to get back to the min ister with recommendations on how to deal with the illegal developments.

“I have given the Ministry of Works a very strict direction,” Mr Sears said yesterday. “Under the building control regula tion, dilapidated buildings and buildings which are inconsistent with the code, there is the legal authority to give notice and even to demolish.

“In the case of these large

irregular communities, you’re talking about a more complex situation and I have directed, and I disclose now that the min istry constitutes a committee to look at irregular communities in Abaco, which I saw myself as I drove from the airport, and that is what prompted me to ask the ministry to review it.”

His comments come amid heightened calls for the gov ernment to address the issue of shanty towns in the country due to an increasing number of illegal communities springing up, par ticularly on the island of Abaco.

North Abaco MP Kirk Cor nish recently told The Tribune he wanted the government to create a special task force to deal with the matter, saying the number of reported shanty towns on the island was “alarming”.

While acknowledging the con cerns of Abaco residents, Mr Sears said he has also received reports of people building on commonage land in Eleuthera.

This led him to personally

assess the site with local officials last week.

“I met with the chief counsel, Mr Robert Roberts, the Span ish Wells district, and I also met with Mr Ivanhoe Sweeting, the chairman of the Spanish Wells commonage committee and I, after speaking with them, they were kind enough to accom pany me and to give me a guided review of that community.

“They indicated that these structures were not authorised by the commonage.

“Then Mr Scott Sawyer who is area engineer for Eleuthera indicated that approvals for the structures were not obtained from the Ministry of Works so I’ve asked the ministry to con stitute a committee under the leadership of building control.”

Mr Sears said the committee will involve other key ministries such as immigration and health and added the group has been tasked with collecting important data from the residents living in these illegal communities.

“I’ve given them a date cer tain by which to get back to me with a complete background of the demographic of these com munities, not only in Eleuthera and Grand Bahama, but through out our Commonwealth and to provide options and recommen dations, I will take that to cabinet so that we can have a rational, multi-dimensional response.”

He continued: “I’ve also asked that the legal counsel in the Min istry of Works, advise me of the extant matter, which is in court, so that we have the benefit of the guidance from the Supreme Court because as we move, we have to move in a very rational, compassionate, but also, we have to uphold the rule of law and that is what we intend to do.”

As for the deadline given to the committee, the minister said: “The date is 45 days by which to assemble, review, survey and then upon the collection of the data, about 15 days to prepare the policy options and recommenda tions and to have that to me so that I can take it to Cabinet.”

Mr Sears said it was important for the government to deal with the issue of shanty towns because “we can’t be kicking this tin down the road.”

“We have to address it in a comprehensive way.

“It may also involve the assis tance of multilateral agencies dealing with refugee matters and so on. So, it’s a complex matter, but it’s one that we are dealing with.”

‘Ministry addressing flooding issues’

By LEANDRA ROLLE Tribune Staff Reporter lrolle@tribunemedia.net

WORKS and Utilities Minister Alfred Sears said his ministry is addressing flooding issues at Carlton Francis Primary School after photos showing stu dents walking through floodwater to enter the school’s premises circulated online this week.

Many concerned par ents took to social media to express outrage over the issue, calling for something to be done.

And in Pinewood, an area with a longstanding flood ing problem, Mr Sears said the plan is to install a new well as a pilot project that will be later implemented in other areas.

Speaking to report ers yesterday, Mr Sears

tacted ministry officials immediately after being alerted to the situation. He added that he was also

being addressed.

“I saw those pictures myself,” he said before going to yesterday’s

retary) and to Director Hutchison, to Mr Henry Moxie and Mr Francis Clarke at the ministry and

I received today from Mr Moxie that it’s not only Carlton Francis, but also CV Bethel where you have potted water and the only way you can get through is by a vehicle or by taking off your shoes and walking through the water so I’m advised that that’s being addressed now based on what I would have received from Mr Henry Moxie.”

Mr Sears also went on to explain the root of the country’s flooding chal lenges, saying the problem is largely a result of our buildings being constructed on wetlands.

He said this is why it’s so important for the country to review its building codes and ensure that it is consist ent with rational land use policy.

“The challenge we have in The Bahamas, and this is why we’re reviewing the land use policy, is that many of our structures were built on wetlands and in building on wetlands, you have a lot of concrete, you have side walks, and therefore the natural flow of the water has been prevented and you have the potting of water in areas where people have to walk or drive and so on.

“So, as we review our building code, and for those of you who would have joined us last week in the presentation, you know, we have a consultancy with Mott MacDonald and that that consultancy is to review the building code, look at best practices, benchmark it internationally so that as we move forward, we could (move) more effectively and ensure that building is consistent with a rational land use policy.

“And even as we build, we have to build with more resilience because we are in a new normal and that is hurricanes with up to 180 miles an hour wind with tidal surge over the land over 20 feet.

“So there has to be build ing in a way that we’ve never built before in order to have the kind of resil ience in terms of the width, the height of the founda tion, what is done on the first floor, and so on.”

This comes as some com munities continue to be plagued with severe flood ing following heavy rainfall, among them Pinewood Gardens.

Yesterday, Mr Sears admitted that officials have not moved fast enough to execute some of its flood mitigation plans.

Part of the delay, he added, was due to a lack of funding.

However, he insisted that his ministry is committed to doing all it can to address the situation as soon as possible.

“This year we are under taking a number of new measures, one of which is to get up inventory of pumps in the ministry and I must confess in all candor that I’m a bit disappointed that is taking as long as it (has) because we have the Cabi net conclusion, and just getting the funding so that it could be done, there’s been some delay,” he said.

“But I am advised that a week ago that the pur chase order has been finally secured and the pumps should be coming in shortly.”

He said the ministry is also seeking to acquire “tiger dams” as a part of its mitigation strategy.

“That is where you have a significant amount of water that’s standing. It could be, with the use of the pumps, remove to another area in a container they call those tiger dams that can be established,” he also said.

“The third thing is the installation not only of the regular wells, but for Pinewood, we are pilot ing a new well and it’s 600 feet well in Pinewood, the intention is to pilot it as part of the Ministry of Works’ flood mitigation strategy in Pinewood and then to extend it in other areas eventually.”

He said officials will also seek to establish “as a pilot”, a new brick system for the community.

The minister continued: “That is some of the play grounds will be excavated, and a system installed beneath the playground or a parking lot area and the water will be channeled into that brick system for repurposing or redirection to the sea and the sur face will be the same, but you will have the culverts directing the water into the bricks system.

“This is a system devel oped in Holland. It’s used in many parts of the United States where you have flooding so these are some of the measures and what we call our flood mitigation strategy.

“That is we recognise that we can’t be doing the same thing every year and expect a different outcome so based on the techni cal advice, we looked at some of the best practices in other jurisdictions, and we are incorporating those measures into the flooding mitigation strategy.”

WORKS and Utilities Minister Alfred Sears.

FLOODING in New Providence yesterday.

Photo: Moise Amisial

Concerns raised over police shootings

By JADE RUSSELL jrussell@tribunemedia.net

RECENT policeinvolved killings in the capital have raised concerns about the status of Coro ner’s Court cases regarding these matters.

On Monday police shot dead a wanted suspect in Gamble Heights after he allegedly pulled a gun on officers.

This was the second fatal police-involved shooting in two days, as police said a teenager allegedly involved in an armed robbery was fatally shot on Saturday after pulling a gun on officers.

The frequency of fatal police-involved shootings in the country and the lack of public inquests to deter mine if they were justifiable is concerning to some.

Among them is Chris tina Galanos, who when contacted for comment yesterday, said while the shootings themselves were concerning it was even more troubling to her that inquests into these matters were not being conducted regularly.

“The Coroner’s Act actu ally mandates that every police killing ought to be followed by an inquest to properly investigate the proceeding, or the circum stances of the death,” Ms Galanos told The Tribune yesterday.

Two years ago, inquests

into police-involved shoot ings were initially delayed because of COVID-19. In April, National Security Minister Wayne Munroe confirmed that policerelated coroner’s inquests had not yet resumed as the director of public prosecu tions has yet to appoint a lawyer to marshal the cases.

The Tribune contacted officials over the past few days for a status update on inquests into police shoot ings, however, no one could give an update.

Yesterday Ms Galanos noted the court system has faced some challenges and perhaps more resources could be sent to the judiciary.

The attorney told this newspaper addressing police-involved killings is urgent because it affects the public’s confidence in the police force.

“What is going to happen is that the public confidence in the police force is going to whittle away where per sons are being killed by police officers, rightly or wrongly, because there are justifiable police involved killings. But that needs to be properly determined by a court. And if we don’t get down to doing that, sooner or later, the public confi dence in the police force and the court system is going to go down - is going to decrease. So, I think we need to act with a matter of urgency to get it up and

running.”

In August, Police Commissioner Clayton Fernander said officers have “the right to do what they have to do” when confronted with armed people who put their lives in danger.

He added that the police are not “in the business” of letting off “warning shots” in these situations.

In late August, police said a man was shot and killed when he produced a handgun and engaged the officers. At the time, police said officers from Opera tion Ceasefire responded to information about people with illegal handguns on a property on Miami Street, between Cordeaux and Bal four Avenues.

In April, a man wearing a bulletproof vest was shot by police when they responded to an armed robbery after 1am in the area of Delancey Street.

In January, a police officer shot and killed a Royal Bahamas Defence Force officer who allegedly “charged” at him and tried to disarm him.

Last year, 21 policeinvolved shootings were recorded, of which 13 were fatal.

The Tribune had previ ously reported that The Bahamas has one of the highest per capita rates of police involved killings in the world, with 11 recorded in 2017, 2018 and 2020.

EXPAT’S KILLER ‘TOOK KEYS AND LOCKED VICTIM’S DOOR’

FROM PAGE ONE

Monday morning. He was a technical accounts manager at the Cable Bahamas Group.

Mr Bourque said Mr Hinsbey had lived in the gated community for nine years; they both moved in within a couple of weeks of each other.

The last contact he had with Mr Hins bey was on Friday.

“We manage the homeowner’s associa tion so I prepared cheques and I had needed him to sign the cheques,” Mr Bourque told The Tribune.

He said they were part of a team of four that managed the property together.

Press liaison officer, Chief Superintendent Chrislyn Skippings said on Monday that around 10.30am co-workers alerted police that they had not heard from the deceased.

Mr Bourque remembered getting a call about his friend missing some meetings.

“His manager called me because I used to work with them at Cable Bahamas and he had missed a couple of meetings. She called me and she knew I live in the same complex so to go and check. So I went to ring the doorbell, knocked, called him - no answer or (anything). So I called her back and that’s when they sent the police.”

He explained Mr Hinsbey missing meet ings or work was “very unlike him”.

“Always there, you know. Always on time, everything – that’s why it was very sur prising and (worrying).”

CSP Skippings told reporters at the scene that police, along with the property man ager, breached the condominium occupied by the deceased and once on the inside dis covered the victim with multiple lacerations to the body.

Neighbours reportedly heard loud knock ing on Mr Hinsbey’s door early on Saturday.

There have also been claims that the door was locked when police came and his keys were not there.

“Yeah, so the person who did that left with keys, but they locked the door back because we had to break the door down to

get in,” Mr Bourque said when asked about the claim.

Asked if the incident made him rethink security measures in the gated complex, he said he thinks the victim knew his killer.

“Well we got good security and I think it was somebody he knew,” he said.

However, Mr Bourque said Mr Hins bey never said anything when asked if he had any trouble in his personal life or any complaints.

Asked how the community is taking Mr Hinsbey’s death, Mr Bourque admitted it was “very hard” and he was a “well liked guy”.

“It’s a little tough, especially for me,” he said.

Anyone with information on this killing is asked to call police at 502-9991/2

THE FNM LAMENTS NEW PROVIDENCE ‘BLOODBATH’

THE Free National Movement said it is concerned about the “bloodbath” occurring in New Providence and called on National Security Min ister Wayne Munroe to present the government’s comprehensive plan to combat crime.

In a statement issued yesterday, FNM Deputy Leader Shanendon Cart wright lamented the frequency of violent crime.

“As we approach the regretful milestone of 100 murders in our country in a single year, we are deeply concerned about the bloodbath occurring on the streets of the capital, while there seems to be no coordinated strategy by this administration to stem it,” he said yesterday.

“The harsh reality is while this government is somewhere trying to figure out what to do, the streets throughout the country seem to be drenched in the blood of more and more victims of violent crimes.

Just about every day and sometimes within hours, Bahamians are being alerted on social media of another murder, robbery or sexual assault taking place in one of our communities.

“The agonising cries from family members as the bodies of their loved ones are placed in wait ing hearses, are now all too familiar scenes being played out in real time. One year into governance the Bahamian people feel no more secure, despite the promises of the govern ment to deal with crime.

While we applaud the work of the new police com missioner, we question the efficacy of calling for judges to limit bail to those who have been repeatedly accused of crimes, but not yet brought to trial.”

The St Barnabas MP argued that this is a judicial, legislative and

constitutional issue that the “executive and Parliament must address”.

While the police are appreciated for putting their lives on the line to keep people safe and they applaud their work, Mr Cartwright added “we do not expect the commis sioner to stand alone calling for institutional change while the government fails to address it”.

“After a year the Baha mian people only see a deep commitment to optics by the government, but little in the way of deci sive action to deal with the increase in armed rob beries, assaults and gun crimes. What is the current strategy of the government in relation to prevention, detection, interdiction and enforcement of our laws?”

He continued: “When can families within our various communities begin to feel safe to leave and reenter their homes again? What assistance can be

given to business owners, especially those in Overthe-Hill communities to shield them from armed robberies and violent attacks? On behalf of the Bahamian people we are also asking the minister to present to the country his government’s comprehen sive plan to combat crime and what measures are they putting in place in regards to rehabilitation.”

He said while in oppo sition, the government “represented to the Baha mian people that they had all of the answers to address and combat crime.”

He added: “Well they are now the government with the full resources of the state at their disposal, we join with all Bahamians in waiting for the govern ment to emerge from their slumber and get the issue of crime under control. The police force is just one part of a larger machine dedi cated to law and order in our society.”

THE SCENE of the police shooting in Gamble Heights on Monday.

MARCUS Hinsbey

FNM Deputy Leader Shanendon Cartwright.

The Tribune Limited

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Three reasons Hurricane Ian poses a major flooding hazard for Florida – a meteorologist explains

(THE CONVERSATION)

Hurricane Ian strengthened into a major hurricane on Tuesday as it headed for Florida and was on track to bring dangerous storm surge to the coast and flooding rainfall to large parts of the state. Several areas were under evacuation orders.

After a slow start to the 2022 Atlan tic hurricane season, Ian formed in ideal conditions, with minimal vertical wind shear, which can tear apart a storm, and warm ocean surface waters providing fuel.

Forecasters expect Ian to remain a major hurricane – meaning Category 3 or higher on the Saffir-Simpson Hur ricane Wind Scale, with winds over 110 mph – as it heads for landfall in Flor ida, expected Wednesday. But the scale doesn’t take water risk into account, and flooding and storm surge are both major risks from Ian.

As a meteorologist living in Florida, I study tropical storms and hurricanes. Here are three reasons Florida is facing a high risk of water hazards this week.

• The rainy side of the storm Tropical systems are not perfectly symmetrical systems – one side is typi cally larger. With Ian tracking up the west coast of Florida, the peninsula is expected to be on the “wet” side of the storm. The part of the storm east of the centre of circulation generally has more cloud cover and more rain.

While Ian travels up the Florida coast, these outer bands will stretch over much of the peninsula and produce heavy rain for many locations, beginning as early as Monday night for South Florida and late Wednesday for northern parts of the state.

Some weather models are forecasting 15 inches or more of rain across a wide swath of the state.

Regardless of the landfall location, most of the Florida Peninsula will see effects from Hurricane Ian.

• Storm surge risk

As Hurricane Ian continues to track north, it will be pushing the waters of the Gulf of Mexico northward with it. This is storm surge, and it raises the water level, with waves on top adding to its destructive power.

The Gulf acts like a huge bathtub, and when strong storms enter into this region, they help lift up the water due to low barometric pressure. Baromet ric pressure has a direct influence on sea levels. When air pressure rises, sea

levels lower. However, lower barometric pressure lifts the sea.

Additionally, the storm’s strong winds will push the water in the same direc tion the storm is heading. Since land surrounds the Gulf of Mexico, there is nowhere for this water to go but inland.

Locations along a large part of the western Gulf Coast could see storm surge heights between 4 and 12 feet, depending on just how close Ian tracks to the coastline. The highest storm surge forecast as of Tuesday was from Sara sota to Fort Myers, with some of the highest risk near Port Charlotte.

Due to Ian’s northward track, por tions of the Big Bend and the Panhandle can expect to see some storm surge and coastal flooding, especially as the storm nears land. The Tampa Bay and Char lotte Harbor areas in particular should be monitoring Ian closely, especially if the centre of circulation makes a direct impact or remains just offshore.

Mandatory evacuation orders were already in effect Monday for parts of Hillsborough, Pinellas and Mana tee counties, and Hernando County had a voluntary evacuation order. As the expected point of landfall shifted southward, Sarasota County ordered evacuations. Residents were encour aged to check their evacuation zones and identify the closest shelters before the storm arrives.

• Size matters

Another factor to watch is Ian’s size. Size plays a key role in a hurricane’s impact.

A large hurricane, like Irma in 2017, will have more cloud cover and there fore more rain. Storm surge will reach a larger area with larger storms. If the storm is large enough, it could even gen erate storm surge on the eastern side of the Florida Peninsula, like Irma did along portions of northeast Florida.

A smaller storm, like Hurricane Andrew in 1992, is more of a wind storm and the impacts are in a smaller area. But as Florida saw with Andrew, wind damage can be catastrophic in these smaller systems.

It’s too early to tell how large Ian will get, but residents across Florida need to prepare for the risk of heavy rain, flash flooding, storm surge, isolated torna does and strong winds.

(This article is by Athena Masson of Flagler College for theconversation.com)

The gift of optimism

EDITOR, The Tribune.

Winston Churchill once said “a pessimist sees the difficulty in every oppor tunity, while an optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty”. Optimism reflects the belief that the outcomes of events or experiences will generally be positive. Optimists are likely to see the cause of failure or a negative expe rience as temporary rather than permanent, specific rather than global, and external rather than inter nal. In this way optimists more easily see the possi bility of change. Optimists have better, healthier out looks on life, living longer while putting all things under the light of obser vation, and study. They are less susceptible to the effects of illness, fatigue and depression. Optimists are better pain and health managers. Optimism often buffers the negative effects of illness, looking for a meaning in adversity.

What would you rather

be, an optimist or a pes simist, a person who sees limitations everywhere. The nurse in Emergency who sees patients who are going to get better and leave for home someday, or a nurse who sees only negativeness, depression and failure. An optimist can ever see the good in death, and understands that pain is how people’s bodies point out there is something wrong that needs to be fixed.

Are you the type of person who says “I hate this miserable job” or the person who declares how pleased that he/she has a job. A glass half full, or half empty right? Remem ber “that the darkness will end, and the sun will rise”(Victor Hugo). To be an optimist does not mean to be foolish, deluded or plain. Optimists centre their minds upon the mar vels of our world, seeing “the possible” instead of what maybe. Life maybe miserable, stressful and

pain filled, yet the words of Oscar Wilde say it all –“We are all in the gutter, but some of us are looking at the stars”.

An optimist does not worry about what they cannot control, but rather shifts their abilities and attitudes to what they can create. I have been of the opinion for quite some time that optimists are cre ators, inventors of change and betterment, while their cousins the pessimists can be stagnate, unsure and far too reserved towards action.

People are just that, People. Optimists and pessimists seem to com plement each other, just as a liberal’s opinions are bounced off the opinion of a conservative. Are we not all here to create, dream and extend a hand to one another?

STEVEN KASZAB Bradford, Ontario, September 26, 2022.

A job well done in first year in office

EDITOR, The Tribune.

Many Bahamians seem to believe that I, Ort land H. Bodie Jr., am or maybe an unconstructed and unapologetic member and supporter of the iconic Progressive Lib eral Party (PLP). I suspect that some of them may be correct. That, even if it were so, would never influence my financial or political acumen and judg ment. I call a spade a spade and fear only The Lord Jesus Christ and in a good way.

It has now been one year since the Davis administra tion was ushered in with him as Prime Minister. Within the first year of his government, all Bahami ans, except the dishonest and visually impaired, are able to see on the ground significant achievements. The country has reo pened for business after the administration, gener ally, but through the hard and innovative health and medical conditions led by my good friend, the Hon. Michael Darville (PLP-Tall Pines), Minister of Health & Wellness along with his professional teams in the industry.

Covid still lingers, but we seem to have a grip on it where related numbers of deaths from the same have decreased tremendously and for that we thank God. The economy is roaring, again, after being as quiet as Kitty for more than two dreary and long years of the mercifully dismissed Minnis regime. Bahamians who really want to work or start or expand a business are able to do so, again. Yes, I concur that access to non consumer loans for business purposes is vexing and a severe retard to the continued growth of the economy.

Some good news, how ever, is now being offered by any number of domes tic and internationally based fund raising entities who are registered and regulated by the relevant governmental ministries and commissions. Bahami ans with a well prepared business plan and some measure of self generated capital, are now able to crowd fund and buy mutual funds and other financial assets.

Tourism is humming along nicely. It has been reported that most of the larger hotel properties here in New Providence and the bulk of Family Island resorts/lodges have been booked out straight into

Progressive legislation, and quite a few others which I do not support, are now being drafted and moved to Bill form for sub mission to the legislative process.

The questions of citizen ship will require mature and sober thought based on multiple principles be they scriptural; economic; cultural; constitutional or moral, must be deter mined by registered voters in a National Referendum. Both a change of a mon archy to a republic and questions of citizenship must be placed before the electorate.

To do otherwise would decimate the trust that the people of The Bahamas has reposed in the Davis administration.

Yes, we are back, big time, as a nation. The hon eymoon is not yet over but the heavy lifting is about to begin.

The PM has now paid his respects to the late Queen he must now bring about the liberalization of Crown Land and the unshackeling of commonage land.

In opposition, the now PM was the most vocal MP supporting both meas ures. Now that he is primus inter pares, Brave MUST do what is right. Some say expectations but I say why not?

We are back no Baha mians, even the most misguided ones, must be left behind or marginalized. Brave, our beloved and visionary PM is on a roll.

If he plays his cards right, he could transform The Bahamas into an even more prominent position of the world stage.

Never mind the bray ing of the rudderless FNM and its putative leader, the Davis administration would appear to be doing the right thing.

Both the marital rape bill and that for cannabis should be shelved for now. There are more pressing economical and societal

issues that are debilitating the continued growth of The Bahamas. We are no longer, if we ever were, the fishing village envisioned by the late great and inscru table Hon. Arthur A.D. Hanna, my beloved ben efactor; friend and mentor.

Brother Hanna, may The Lord Jesus Christ, bless him also, was a true son of the soil. Midge, as he was fondly known, mentored and trained three Prime Ministers: the Rt. Hon. Hubert A. Ingraham, PC; the Rt. Hon. Perry Glad stone Christie and the now current Prime Minister, the Hon. Philip ‘Brave’ Davis, QC,MP.

My own first politi cal appointment was at the hands of Midge as a member of The Boy’s Industrial School, now the Simpson Penn Centre.

All in all, we as a nation are back and the good times are about to roll all over The Bahamas.

The days of doom and gloom are over.

A new refurbished inter national airport will be constructed in West End, Grand Bahama to ser vice that gem of an island while we await the ill-fated Grand Bahama Interna tional Airport to emerge from the ravages of Dorian and others before. West End is the easiest site and most viable and economi cally feasible to get up and running in the shortest space of time.

A National Health Care System is just around the corner. Multiple industrial and labour agreements have been signed off. Civil servants are getting what they feel reasonable and the Davis administra tion is trying to work with them without busting the national budget or debt.

An embryonic National Youth Service is also just around the corner. A new private hospital, a subsidi ary of the world respected and renowned Doctors Hospital is about to com mission a huge facility over in Freeport.

Thank you, Prime Min ister Davis and your stellar team on a job well done in your first year in office. There is much more work to be done and some of your cabinet appointees may need to be shuffled but, until then, in all things be the glory.

ORTLAND BODIE, JR. Nassau, September 20, 2022.

2023 if The Lord contin ues to tarry. Sandals, God bless that corporate citizen extraordinare, also, has just announced a multimillion dollar proposed expansion right here in The Bahamas. Several other developments, driven by DFI, throughout this beau tiful and wonderful nation of ours, are coming on stream.

THE NASA moon rocket slated for the Artemis mission to the moon rolls back to the Vehicle As sembly Building at the Kennedy Space Center Tuesday, in Cape Canaveral, Fla. The launch of the rocket was postponed due to the impending arrival of Hurricane Ian. (AP Photo/John Raoux)

NATIONAL LOGO COMPETITION

TALENTED Baha mian artists will have the opportunity to par ticipate in the country’s historic Golden Jubilee through the launch of the National Logo and Theme Concept Com petition, designed to showcase the work of creative graphic design ers and artists.

The challenge: to create the logo and develop a theme that will be used across all 50th independence celebra tions and win cash prizes.

“We want Bahamians to not only enjoy the 50th independence as spectators and citizens, but we thought it equally important for Bahami ans, especially those in the creative field, to have the chance to be a part of that history as well,” said Leslia Miller-Brice, chairman of the Inde pendence Secretariat.

To participate, design hopefuls must complete the online entry, and release forms using the QR codes provided on the Celebrate Bahamas social media pages.

There, they also will be able to upload mockups of their various concepts. The nationwide search will allow each par ticipant to enter as many ideas as they’d like into the respective competi tions. Those submissions will then be narrowed down to ten.

“We’ve commissioned a talented panel of graphic designers and communications special ists to help us choose the best of the best,” Mrs Miller-Brice said.

Once selected, the public will be given the chance to vote for their favourite concepts by way of the secretariat’s Celebrate Bahamas social media pages with the top three logo con cepts fetching prizes of $1,000, $500, and $250 respectively and the top three theme concepts with a prize of $500, $250, $100.

The competitions are now officially open and will close on October 10 at 11.59 pm.

“We are very excited to see our people really showcase their interpre tations of what the 50th anniversary of independ ence means to them. We are looking for interest ing use of symbolism and creativity in the overall concept,” Mrs MillerBrice said.

The contests are open to all Bahamian citizens and more than one sub mission is allowed.

If under 18, a legal guardian must complete the release form.

MAN GETS TWO YEARS FOR SHOPBREAKING AND STEALING

By PAVEL BAILEY Tribune Court Reporter pbailey@tribunemedia.net

A MAN was sentenced to two years in prison yesterday after admitting to shopbreaking and stealing over $4,000 worth of solar lights and a mechanic’s equipment.

Tamicko McKinney, 38, faced Assistant Chief Magistrate Subu sola Swain on charges of stealing, shopbreaking and stealing from a shop.

Between August 25 and 26, McKinney broke into Uplift Auto

on Wulff Road and stole several items belonging to Solomon James that had a total value of $4,060.

Then between September 4-12, once again on Wulff Rd, McKinney stole three solar lights belonging to Christopher Edwards valued at $540.

In court the accused pleaded guilty to all charges.

Magistrate Swain sentenced McKinney to two years at the Bahamas Department of Correc tional Services for each set of theft charges.

THREE CHARGED IN CONNECTION WITH ELEUTHERA FIREARM SEIZURE

By PAVEL BAILEY Tribune Court Reporter pbailey@tribunemedia.net

THREE men were granted bail yesterday after they were charged in connection with a firearm seizure in Eleuthera.

Kayon Dean, 39, Cecil Ranger, 40, both of New Providence and Keino Johnson, 42, of Eleuthera, stood before Magistrate Kara TurnquestDeveaux. There they faced charges of possession of an unlicensed fire arm and possession of ammunition.

They were found by authorities

with a black and silver Springfield Smith & Wesson handgun on Sep tember 24 at Governor’s Harbour, Eleuthera. During their arrest, they were found with 12 unfired rounds of .40mm ammunition.

In court the trio pleaded not guilty to the charges. The magis trate granted each accused $7,500 bail with two sureties.

They are to be fitted with elec tronic monitoring devices and have sign in conditions imposed as a con dition of bail.

The trial in this matter is set to begin on November 30.

GGYA showcases how young people can get involved

SCORES of youths from private and public schools across New Providence flocked to SuperClubs Breezes last weekend to dis cover how they could get active, develop a skill and help the community through their participation in the Governor General’s Youth Award (GGYA).

GGYA, the local arm of the Duke of Edinburgh’s International Award, the world’s leading achievement award, offers young people the opportunity to gain three awards through four activi ties - volunteering, physical exercise, skills and an expedi tion. The latter is also called an adventurous journey, an overnight expedition by foot, bike, boat or other modes of approved travel.

“The goal was to introduce young people to activities they can do in order to pursue their bronze, silver or gold award,” said Jacquetta Light bourne-Maycock, GGYA’s national director.

“At the start of a new school year, we wanted to reacquaint our participants with traditional activities such as Boys Brigade, Girl Guide, Scouts, Rangers and Junior Achievement, and introduce them to new ones like Chinese dragon boat racing and Blue Angel Flight Experience, a flight school.”

The event held

opportunities for young people to engage in com munity service work with land and marine animals through Blue Lagoon Island, Bahamas Reef Environment Educational Foundation (BREEF) and Ardastra Wildlife and Conservation Centre.

GGYA participants were also able to sign-up for life-changing opportuni ties to help others through Hands for Hunger, The Dignified Girl Project and Bahamas Red Cross; and

help themselves by partner ing with HaLT, a non-profit that promotes a healthy life style under the auspices of the Cancer Society of the Bahamas.

“I was amazed by all the opportunities to get involved, especially the Dignified Girl Project, catering to those who are unable to buy femi nine products,” said Zahriya Reckley, a 12th grader at Jordan Prince Williams.

“You are more likely to see a volunteer group like that in America not the Bahamas, so

I volunteered my services to them. That’s going to be my community service.”

For CC Sweeting 12th grader Jenika Pierre, Hands for Hunger stood out.

“I helped out with them before, through my church when I was younger, but I stopped as my school sched ule got busier. I want to get active with them again. It feels good to give back,” she said.

The Scout Association of the Bahamas caught Carlton Tucker’s attention.

“I found it interesting. I want to join,” said the 10th grader at George O Fowler Apostolic Academy. “I think that and GGYA will help me in the long run, for life.”

One popular activity at last Saturday’s event was the Blue Angel Flight Experience, in which the business high lighted its flight simulators.

“Young people in grades 11 and 12 can come in and learn how to fly,” said Sheryl Carey, a ground instruc tor and pilot. “We teach the basic fundamental of flying and we can also provide ground classes for them to get their private pilot licence which could go towards GGYA’s skill-development component.”

Another newcomer to GGYA’s showcase, now in its second year, was the Baha mas Chinese Dragon Boat Association.

“It’s a 2,000-year-old ancient Chinese team-build ing water sport,” explained Kay-Kay Tong, the asso ciation’s founding president. “We need teens to be at least 14 years old and have some proficiency in swimming.”

In the meantime, GGYA’S

PAUL THOMPSON PAYS COURTESY CALL ON THE GOVERNOR GENERAL

PAUL THOMPSON, QPM, CPM, ACP Retired, presented a copy of his book ‘Policing in The Bahamas 1951 and Beyond’ to Governor General Sir Corneilus A. Smith during a courtesy call at the Office of the Governor General, yesterday. (BIS Photo/Letisha Henderson)

GEORGE O FOWLER, Apostolic Academy’s unit leader, and participants attend the GGYA Activity Showcase last Saturday.

GGYA participants sign up for Junior Achievement

GGYA participants are introduced to the country’s newest water sport, Chinese dragon boat racing.

Trafficking is a problem to understand and tackle - together

ON Saturday, Equality Baha mas hosted its sixth event in its CEDAW (Convention) Speaker Series, designed to increase understanding of the Con vention for the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimi nation against Women. On a monthly basis, an expert, usually from the CEDAW Committee, leads discus sion on one of the Articles of the Convention. At the most recent event, Corinne Dettmeijer, a Commit tee member from the Netherlands, made a pres entation on Article 6 which is focused on trafficking and exploitation of prostitution.

Dettmeijer noted there used to be three Ps impor tant to the conversation and action on trafficking.

There were prevention, protection and prosecution. There are now two addi tional Ps — punishment and partnership. She shared that there must be followthrough, and no step or concept is sufficient on its own. Where prevention and protection fail, there must be prosecution and that prosecution has little effect without punishment.

Partnership, the last of the five Ps, not only applies to agencies and sectors, but to countries and regions. “Fighting human traf ficking,” she said, “is not something that one country does [on] its own. It needs cooperation.” She added: “Traffickers don’t really respect borders.”

In the session, Dettmei jer referred to the Protocol to Prevent, Suppress and Punish Trafficking in Per sons Especially Women and Children which was adopted in 2000 and supplements the United Nations Conven tion against Transnational Organized Crime. Aligned with the five Ps, its stated purposes are to prevent trafficking in persons (with specific attention to women and children), protect and assist victims of trafficking, and promote cooperation among States.

Dettmeijer highlighted that, contrary to what we may assume, traffick ing does not necessarily involve the crossing of bor ders. Particularly useful is the definition of “traffick ing in persons” provided in

the Protocol. Article 3(a) defines it as “the recruit ment, transportation, transfer, harbouring or receipt of persons, by means of the threat or use of force or other forms of coercion, of abduction, of fraud, of deception, of the abuse of power or of a position of vulnerability or of the giving or receiving of pay ments or benefits to achieve the consent of a person having control over another person, for the purpose of exploitation. Exploitation shall include, at a minimum, the exploitation of the pros titution of others or other forms of sexual exploitation, forced labour or services, slavery or practices similar to slavery, servitude or the removal of organs.”

Once we understand what trafficking is, we need to pay attention to the people affected by it. It is critical we collect data, analyze that data and use it to develop interventions.

”What gets counted counts,” Dettmeijer said. In the Netherlands, they looked at the number of trafficking victims per 100,000 people. It was found that 257 of every 100,000 Dutch girls and 311 of every 100,000 Dutch girls between 12 and 17 years of age were victims of trafficking.

These numbers were then compared with the flu as an epidemic because, in the Netherlands, when 50 of every 100,000 people get the flu, it is considered an epidemic. This is an easy way for people to under stand how many girls are trafficked, not only in num bers, but proportions. The data itself, then, is not all that matters. It must be presented in a way that is easily understood and contextualized.

In its Concluding Obser vations following the 2018 report of The Bahamas, the CEDAW Committee expressed its concern about the low number of traffick ing cases taken to court and the lack of data on traffick ing of women and girls. It recommended The Baha mas build capacity of the judiciary, law enforcement, health workers and other professionals who need to be able to identify victims of trafficking and make proper referrals. It also recom mended the enforcement of

the Trafficking in Persons (Prevention and Suppres sion) Act and support it with appropriate resources. Its third recommendation is the government conduct a study on trafficking in women and girls to establish trends and the extent of it.

As with the other recom mendations made by the CEDAW Committee, we need to know these three recommendations, under stand how they would help us to address the issue, and be active citizens who call on the government to action them.

Our borders do not pro tect us from trafficking, nor does our citizenship. We do not have to be taken from one country to another to be trafficked. As the defini tion of the Protocol makes clear, there need only be an abuse of power on one end and/or vulnerability on another end.

Trafficking has to be dealt with, not only in legislation, but in policies, through the training of law enforcement officers, healthcare work ers, and social workers, and the collection, analysis, and sharing of data. Our next appearance before the CEDAW Commit tee is quickly approaching, though delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. We have work to do to come

into compliance with the Convention, and there is no time like now to begin that work.

The full recording of the CEDAW (Convention) Speaker Series on Article

6 with Corinne Dettmeijer is available on the Equality Bahamas YouTube channel.

It can be directly accessed at tiny.cc/cedaw6recording.

The next session, on Arti cles 7 (public and political

RECOMMENDATIONS

1. Ask for what you need. We sometimes fail ourselves by choosing not to ask for help. We may do this because we don’t want to admit that we don’t have it all together, we don’t want to inconvenience or bother anyone else, or we are afraid of our request being denied. It can be difficult to push past these barriers we impose on ourselves. It is important to remember that we are all interdependent, and we all have a need for the care of another human being.

Give people the opportunity to show up for you. Give yourself permission to verbal ize your needs and receive help from loved ones. Sure, they will be unable or unwilling to help from time to time, but that is not in your control. It is okay to ask for someone, or even multiple people, to support you. The people who love you will be happy you asked and it will make them feel good to be able to meet your needs. Think of it as a win-win. You get what you need, and they get a self-esteem boost.

2. Remember that two things can be true, and more than one action may be required. It is possible to recognize that a specific action needs to be taken now, and to acknowledge it is unfair, inconven ient and the result of systems of inequality

life) and 8 (representation), led by CEDAW Committee member Nicole Ameline (France) will be held on Saturday, November 5, at 10am. Register for the vir tual event at tiny.cc/cedaw7.

and oppression. There are times when, for expedience, we do what we have to do to get by and to do so quickly. This does not mean we cannot challenge the systems and practices we have to operate within.

For example, there was a request for financial assistance for a person who needed to present a passport to a new employer. Someone gave the money, and others challenged this requirement, noting it is both unfair and unnecessary as there are other, less costly ways to verify a per son’s citizenship and right to work in the country.

Someone noted the person who just got a job is probably not in a position to chal lenge the requirement. This is all true. The person was better off getting support in acquiring a passport to avoid delays in starting the new job, and we will all be better off when we successfully challenge this requirement and change the way employers verify identity and right to work.

A passport should not be required of anyone who is not crossing borders. We should not excuse bad systems, but we also should not expect the people marginal ized by them to change them on their own. Some of us are better placed to do that, and we all need to step up.

BAM! NASA SPACECRAFT CRASHES INTO ASTEROID IN DEFENCE TEST

By MARCIA DUNN AP Aerospace Writer

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. (AP) — A NASA spacecraft rammed an asteroid at blistering speed Monday in an unprece dented dress rehearsal for the day a killer rock men aces Earth.

The galactic slam occurred at a harmless aster oid 7 million miles (11.3 million kilometres) away, with the spacecraft named Dart plowing into the space rock at 14,000 mph (22,500 kph). Scientists expected the impact to carve out a crater, hurl streams of rocks and dirt into space and, most importantly, alter the asteroid’s orbit.

“We have impact!” Mis sion Control’s Elena Adams announced, jumping up and down and thrusting her arms skyward.

Telescopes around the world and in space aimed at the same point in the sky to capture the specta cle. Though the impact was immediately obvious — Dart’s radio signal abruptly ceased — it will take as long as a couple of months to determine how much the asteroid’s path was changed.

The $325 million mission was the first attempt to shift the position of an asteroid or any other natural object in space.

“As far as we can tell, our first planetary defence test was a success,” Adams later told a news conference, the room filling with applause. “I think Earthlings should sleep better. Definitely, I will.”

NASA Administrator Bill Nelson reminded people earlier in the day via Twit ter that, “No, this is not a movie plot.” He added in a prerecorded video: “We’ve all seen it on movies like “Armageddon,” but the real-life stakes are high.”

Monday’s target: a 525foot (160-metre) asteroid named Dimorphos. It’s a moonlet of Didymos, Greek for twin, a fast-spinning asteroid five times bigger that flung off the mate rial that formed the junior partner.

The pair have been

orbiting the sun for eons without threatening Earth, making them ideal save-theworld test candidates.

Launched last November, the vending machine-size Dart — short for Double Asteroid Redirection Test — navigated to its target using new technology developed by Johns Hop kins University’s Applied Physics Laboratory, the spacecraft builder and mis sion manager.

Dart’s on-board camera, a key part of this smart navi gation system, caught sight of Dimorphos barely an hour before impact. “Woo hoo!” exclaimed Adams, a mission systems engineer at Johns Hopkins.

With an image beaming back to Earth every second, Adams and other ground controllers in Laurel, Mary land, watched with growing excitement as Dimorphos loomed larger and larger in the field of view along side its bigger companion.

Within minutes, Dimorphos was alone in the pictures; it looked like a giant gray lemon, but with boulders and rubble on the surface. The last image froze on the screen as the radio transmis sion ended.

Flight controllers cheered, hugged one another and exchanged high fives. Their mission complete, the Dart team went straight into cel ebration mode. There was little sorrow over the space craft’s demise.

“Normally, losing signal from a spacecraft is a very bad thing. But in this case, it was the ideal outcome,” said NASA programme scientist Tom Statler.

Johns Hopkins scien tist Carolyn Ernst said the spacecraft was definitely “kaput,” with remnants possibly in the fresh crater or cascading into space with the asteroid’s ejected material.

Scientists insisted Dart would not shatter Dimor phos. The spacecraft packed a scant 1,260 pounds (570 kilogrammes), compared with the asteroid’s 11 bil lion pounds (5 billion kilogrammes). But that should be plenty to shrink its 11-hour, 55-minute orbit

around Didymos.

The impact should pare 10 minutes off that. The anticipated orbital shift of 1% might not sound like much, scientists noted. But they stressed it would amount to a significant change over years.

“Now is when the sci ence starts,” said NASA’s Lori Glaze, planetary sci ence division director. “Now we’re going to see for real how effective we were.”

Planetary defence experts prefer nudging a threaten ing asteroid or comet out of the way, given enough lead

time, rather than blowing it up and creating multiple pieces that could rain down on Earth. Multiple impac tors might be needed for big space rocks or a com bination of impactors and so-called gravity tractors, not-yet-invented devices that would use their own gravity to pull an asteroid into a safer orbit.

“The dinosaurs didn’t have a space programme to help them know what was coming, but we do,” NASA’s senior climate adviser Kath erine Calvin said, referring to the mass extinction 66

million years ago believed to have been caused by a major asteroid impact, vol canic eruptions or both.

The non-profit B612 Foundation, dedicated to protecting Earth from asteroid strikes, has been pushing for impact tests like Dart since its founding by astronauts and physicists 20 years ago. Monday’s feat aside, the world must do a better job of identifying the countless space rocks lurking out there, warned the foundation’s executive director, Ed Lu, a former astronaut.

Significantly less than half of the estimated 25,000 near-Earth objects in the deadly 460-foot (140-metre) range have been discovered, according to NASA. And fewer than 1% of the mil lions of smaller asteroids, capable of widespread inju ries, are known.

The Vera Rubin Observa tory, nearing completion in Chile by the National Sci ence Foundation and U.S. Energy Department, prom ises to revolutionise the field of asteroid discovery, Lu noted.

Finding and tracking asteroids, “That’s still the name of the game here. That’s the thing that has to happen in order to protect the Earth,” he said.

PROTOTYPE ELECTRIC AIRPLANE TAKES FIRST FLIGHT

MOSES LAKE, Wash. (AP) — A proto type, all-electric airplane took its first flight Tuesday morning in central Washington state.

The Seattle Times reports that if the Federal Aviation Administration eventually certifies the small airplane to carry passen gers, it could become the first all-electric commercial airplane.

The plane, built by startup Eviation, was built to carry nine passengers and up two pilots and took off from Moses Lake, Washington, at 7:10 a.m. Tuesday. The plane landed eight minutes later.

The company’s goal is to show such elec tric planes are viable as commuter aircraft flying at an altitude of about 15,000 feet (4,572 metres).

The plane, designed by engineers in Wash ington state and Israel, is powered by 21,500 small Tesla-style battery cells.

STATES GET FINAL OKAY TO BUILD HIGHWAY EV CHARGING NETWORK

By HOPE YEN Associated Press

WASHINGTON (AP) — Attention, potential car buyers in the US: New electric vehicle charging stations are on their way to highway locations near you.

All 50 states received final approval Tuesday to begin construction on a first nationwide network of EV charging stations that places one roughly every 50 miles (80 kilo metres) along interstate highways, part of the Biden administration’s plan to spur widespread adoption of zero-emission cars.

The Transportation Department said it had OK’d EV charger plans from a last set of 17 states, triggering the release of $1.5 billion in federal funds to all jurisdictions nationwide — or $5 bil lion over five years — to install or upgrade charg ers along 75,000 miles (120,000 kilometres) of highway from coast to coast, with a goal of 500,000 EV chargers nationwide.

Plans for the other 33 states and the District of Columbia were approved earlier this month.

By year’s end, driv ers could start seeing expansions and upgrades to existing highway EV stations in states such as California, Colorado, Florida and Pennsylvania that now feature at least four fast-charger ports, enabling EVs to fully recharge in about an hour.

Construction of new EV charging locations could begin by next spring.

ALICE, an all-electric airplane designed and built by Eviation, takes off in Moses Lake, Wash., for its first flight Tuesday. (Ellen M. Banner/The Seattle Times via AP)

IN this image made from a NASA livestream and taken from the Double Asteroid Redirection Test spacecraft, asteroid Dimor phos is seen as the spacecraft flies toward it, Monday. (ASI/NASA via AP)

THIS illustration depicts NASA’s DART probe, foreground right, and Italian Space Agency’s (ASI)

LICIACube, bottom right, at the Didymos system before impact with the asteroid Dimorphos, left. (Steve Gribben/Johns Hopkins APL/NASA via AP)

By MONIKA SCISLOWSKA, JAN M. OLSEN and DAVID KEYTON Associated Press

WARSAW, Poland (AP) — Denmark said Tuesday it believed “deliberate actions” by unknown perpetrators were behind big leaks, which seismologists said followed powerful explo sions, in two natural gas pipelines running under the Baltic Sea from Russia to Germany.

European leaders and experts pointed to pos sible sabotage amid the energy standoff with Russia provoked by the war in Ukraine. Although filled with gas, neither pipeline is currently sup plying it to Europe.

“It is the authori ties’ clear assessment that these are deliberate actions -– not accidents,” Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen said.

But she added that “there is no information indicating who could be behind it.” Frederiksen also rejected the sugges tion that the incident was an attack on Denmark, saying the leaks occurred in international waters.

The incident overshad owed the inauguration of a long-awaited pipeline that will bring Norwegian gas to Poland to bolster the continent’s energy independence from Moscow.

The first explosion was recorded early Monday southeast of the Danish island of Bornholm, said Bjorn Lund, director of the Swedish National Seismic Network. A second, stronger blast northeast of the island that night was equivalent to a magnitude-2.3 earth quake. Seismic stations in Denmark, Norway and Finland also registered the explosions.

Hurricane Ian strikes Cuba as Florida braces for winds, floods

By CRISTIANA MESQUITA and CURT ANDERSON Associated Press

HAVANA (AP) — Hur

ricane Ian tore into western Cuba as a major hurricane Tuesday and left 1 million people without electricity, then churned on a colli sion course with Florida over warm Gulf waters amid expectations it would strengthen into a cata strophic Category 4 storm.

Ian made landfall in Cuba’s Pinar del Rio prov ince, where officials set up 55 shelters, evacuated 50,000 people, rushed in emergency personnel and took steps to protect crops in the nation’s main tobacco-growing region.

The U.S. National Hur ricane Center said Cuba suffered “significant wind and storm surge impacts” when the hurricane struck with top sustained winds of 125 mph (205 kmh).

Ian was expected to get even stronger over the warm Gulf of Mexico, reaching top winds of 130 mph (209 kph) as it approaches the southwest coast of Florida, where 2.5 million people were ordered to evacuate.

Tropical storm-force winds were expected across the southern pen insula late Tuesday, reaching hurricane-force Wednesday — when the hurricane’s eye was pre dicted to make landfall. With tropical storm-force winds extending 140 miles (225 kilometres) from Ian’s centre, damage was expected across a wide area of Florida.

It was not yet clear pre cisely where Ian would crash ashore. Its exact track could determine how severe the storm surge is for Tampa Bay, said Uni versity of Miami hurricane researcher Brian McNoldy. Landfall south of the bay

could make the impact “much less bad,” McNoldy said.

Gil Gonzalez boarded his windows with plywood Tuesday and had sandbags ready to protect his Tampa home. He and his wife had stocked up on bottled water and packed flash lights, battery packs for their cellphones and a camp stove with a large propane burner as they prepared to evacuate.

“All the prized pos sessions, we’ve put them upstairs in a friend’s house and nearby, and we’ve got the car loaded,” Gonzalez said. He added: “I think we’re ready.”

Florida Gov. Ron DeSan tis urged people to prepare for extended power out ages, and to get out of the storm’s potential path.

“It is a big storm, it is going to kick up a lot of water as it comes in,” DeSantis told a news con ference in Sarasota, a coastal city of 57,000 that could be hit. “And you’re going to end up with really significant storm surge and you’re going to end up with really significant flood

events. And this is the kind of storm surge that is life threatening.”

Hundreds of residents were being evacuated from several nursing homes in the Tampa area, where hospitals were also moving some patients. Airports in Tampa, St. Petersburg and Key West closed. Busch Gardens in Tampa closed ahead of the storm, while several Orlando-area theme parks, including Disney World and Sea World, planned to close Wednes day and Thursday.

NASA rolled its moon rocket from the launch pad to its Kennedy Space Center hangar, adding weeks of delay to the test flight.

Ian’s forward movement was expected to slow over the Gulf, enabling the hur ricane to grow wider and stronger. The hurricane warning expanded Tuesday to cover roughly 220 miles (350 kilometres) of Flor ida’s west coast. The area includes Fort Myers as well as Tampa and St. Peters burg, which could get their first direct hit by a major hurricane since 1921.

Forecasters said the storm surge could reach 12 feet (3.6 metres) if it peaks at high tide. Rainfall near the area of landfall could top 18 inches (46 centimetres).

“It’s a monster and then there’s the confusion of the path,” said Renee Correa, who headed inland to Orlando from the Tampa area with her daughter and Chihuahua. “Tampa has been lucky for 100 years, but it’s a little scary now.”

Kelly Johnson was pre paring to hunker down at her home two blocks from the beach in Dunedin, west of Tampa. She said she would escape to the second floor if sea water surges inland, and had a genera tor ready in case she loses power.

“I’m a Floridian, and we know how to deal with hurricanes,” Johnson said. “This is part of living in paradise — knowing that once in a while these storms come at you.”

Forecasters warned the hurricane will be felt across a large area as it plows across Florida with an anticipated turn northward.

Flash floods were possi ble across the whole state, and portions of Florida’s east coast faced a potential storm surge threat as Ian’s bands approach the Atlan tic Ocean. Parts of Georgia and South Carolina also could see flooding rains into the weekend.

Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp pre-emptively declared a state of emer gency Tuesday, ordering 500 National Guard troops to be placed on standby to respond as needed.

As the storm’s centre moved into the Gulf, scenes of destruction emerged in Cuba’s world-famous tobacco belt. The owner of the premier Finca Robaina cigar producer posted photos on social media of wood-and-thatch roofs smashed to the ground, greenhouses in rubble and wagons overturned.

“It was apocalyptic, a real disaster,” wrote Hirochi Robaina, grandson of the operation’s founder.

State media published photos showing water flow ing through the town of San Juan y Martinez. The western provinces of Pinar del Rio and Artemisa were completely without power.

Local government sta tion TelePinar reported heavy damage at the main hospital in Pinar del Rio city, tweeting photos of collapsed ceilings, toppled trees and debris flung about its property. No deaths were reported.

At the White House, President Joe Biden said his administration was sending hundreds of Federal Emer gency Management Agency employees to Florida and sought to assure mayors in the storm’s path that Washington will meet their needs. He urged residents to heed to local officials’ orders.

“Your safety is more important than anything,” he said.

FALLEN utility poles and fallen branches line a street after Hurricane Ian hit Pinar del Rio, Cuba, Tuesday. Ian made landfall at 4:30 a.m. EDT Tuesday in Cuba’s Pinar del Rio province, where officials set up shelters, evacuated people, rushed in emergency personnel and took steps to protect crops in the nation’s main tobacco-growing region. (AP Photo/Ramon Espinosa)

Archer to run for president

By BRENT STUBBS Senior Sports Reporter bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

When the Bahamas Association of Athletic Associations holds its election of officers in November, incumbent Drumeco Archer says he intends to seek another four-year term in office as president.

No date has been final ised as yet, but Archer said he will be run ning. There are reports that at least three other persons, including imme diate past president Rosamunde Carey, former executive Dawn John son and Bahamas Association of Certified Officers (BACO) presi dent Ray Hepburn are all expected to throw their names in the hat.

Looking back at his tenure in office, Archer

said it was quite an unusual one.

“We were in the midst of COVID-19 and in the midst of a lockdown, but still we were able to manage in the process in that we never stopped working,” Archer said. “Track never shut down, except for a very short time.

“We celebrated the idea that we were probably the only sport that estab lished our own protocols that resulted in not one single case of COVID-19 being transmitted during the worst of times. I think that’s an amazing reporting to the Bahamian people and to the membership.”

Even when some of the COVID-19 restrictions were relaxed, Archer said the Bahamas was able to achieve two medals at the Olympic Games in Tokyo, Japan and the junior ath letes were able to shine at their international competitions.

JIMMY BUTLER: ‘SERIOUSLY, I’M HERE ALL THE TIME’

By BRENT STUBBS Senior Sports Reporter bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

SMALL forward Jimmy Butler, calling himself the greatest domino player in the world, said he’s excited to be back in the Bahamas with his Miami Heat teammates for the start of their five-day training camp.

Butler, centre-forward Bam Adebayo and veteran forward Udonis Haslem were among the players who addressed the media during the completion of day one of their training session yesterday in the Convention Centre at Baha Mar.

“This is special. So many good people here who I can now call my family and my friends,” said the 6-foot, seven-inch player. “Seri ously, I’m here all the time. I love the people here. I’m so glad that the Miami Heat organisation and our people are here.”

The Heat is using this opportunity to prepare for the National Basketball Association’s pre-season

that starts against the Min nesota Timberwolves on October 4 and the regular season October 19 against the Chicago Bulls.

While head coach Erik Spoelstra was visibly miss ing from the first day of practice because of the birth of his daughterRuby Grace Spoelstra - on Monday, the session was conducted by assis tant coach Chris Quinn. Spoelstra is expected in town today.

Miami got a chance as well to introduce some of its new faces, includ ing first-round pick Nikola Jovic and two-way contract players Marcus Garrett and Darius Days.

For the regulars, includ ing Butler, the trip will be used as an opportunity for him to spend some time with his daughter and to play some dominoes.

“Nobody,” said Butler, when asked if there’s any body on the Heat’s team that can compete against him in dominoes. “I’m the

SEE PAGE 15

DRUMECO ARCHER

“I know people look at results, but I look at results in a progressive way,” Archer saiod.

“I believe we are devel oping a programme that is sustainable and the Gov ernment of the Bahamas has committed to working

in concert with the federa tion to pinpoint athletes all throughout the archipelago to identify athletes outside of New Providence for the future development of the sport.”

While he admitted that his team of executives has done some things that have never been achieved before, he’s not concerned about who is expected to challenge his leadership during the elections.

“When you are deal ing with a large amount of people, you will always be politically charged,” said Archer, who also ran, but lost his bid for the Free National Movement’s seat in the 2021 General Elections.

“One of the things I don’t do is discuss individu als. If you want to ask me anything about the sport, I’m prepared to take that on. But what I would say is there is a strong focus on creating a new sports

economy that will have a direct benefit for track and field and its coaches.”

If re-elected, Archer said he will introduce a plan to reward coaches for putting in the work and achieving some level of success.

“There will be a shift. Either you are on board as we try to grow our pro gramme, or you will move on,” Archer said.

“So, what I’ve done in four years is to speak to coaches and our stakehold ers. I don’t know what it is to campaign because if I’m at the track every day, trying to resolve issues, you would be able to judge me on my contributions.”

Once the elections are over, Archer said the fed eration will be heading into a new direction and he’s hoping that he will be given the opportunity to serve once again so that he can set the stage for the revi talisation of the sport going forward.

HURDLER SHAMAR SANDS’ BRONZE MEDAL UPGRADED TO SILVER

By BRENT STUBBS Senior Sports Reporter bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

TWENTY years since his achievement, Shamar Sands had his 2002 World Junior Championships bronze medal in the men’s 110 metres hurdles upgraded to the silver after Chinese athlete Shi Dongpeng was stripped of his medal because it was discovered that he was too old.

The decision to strip Dongpeng of the medal came over the weekend in an announcement that revealed that 11 cases at championships held between 2001 and 2013

UB TO HOST ITS FIRST EVER CROSSCOUNTRY MEET THIS WEEKEND

UNIVERSITY Athletics is expected to host the first UB cross-country meet this weekend at the Queen Eliz abeth Sports Centre.

The meet will include a course between one to four kilometres.

The open division will run the four-kilometre course through the sports centre. The under 17-divi sion will run 3 kilometres. The under-15 and under-13 divisions will tackle the two kilometre course and the under 11-division will hit the one kilometre course.

University of The Baha mas athletics director Kimberley Rolle said she is excited about the meet that is expected to become an annual event.

“We are well known in the community for what we do in track and field and a part of the athletic agenda is to expand our cross-country

Puerto Rico reaches first World Cup quarterfinals

By DOUG FEINBERG AP Basketball Writer

SYDNEY (AP) — Puerto Rico is headed to the quarterfinals of the women’s World Cup for the first time.

Mya Hollingshed scored 29 points and Arella Guirantes added 18 to lead Puerto Rico to the 92-73 win over South Korea yes terday on the final day of pool play.

Puerto Rico (2-3) scored the game’s first 18 points, including 10 by Holl ingshed, and never looked back. The team secured the final spot in the quarterfi nals that begin Thursday.

“My shot was fall ing,” Hollingshed said. “I looked up and they hadn’t scored yet.”

After the final buzzer sounded, the Puerto

Rican players were danc ing and celebrating their accomplishment.

In other games yester day, the US routed Bosnia and Herzegovina 121-59;

China beat Belgium 81-55; Canada topped Mali 88-65; Serbia edged France 68-62. Australia defeated Japan

Veteran Iguodala re-signs with Warriors for 19th NBA season

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Andre Iguodala rode his Peloton bike a couple of times last week and took note that “I ain’t in that bad of shape.”

Now, he will see how that translates back onto the basketball court again.

By JANIE MCCAULEY AP Sports Writer ANDRE Iguodala (AP)

After seriously ponder ing retirement all summer and all but deciding his playing days were done, the 38-year-old guard and forward is coming back for a 19th NBA season after signing with Golden State on Monday. The deal is for the veteran minimum and Iguodala was set to travel to Japan with the team yester day for a pair of preseason games this weekend against the Washington Wizards.

“The way information travels so fast now it’s like

you almost forget what we just did. We’re still the champs and it runs all the way until we’re not the champs, I don’t know if it’s 300 days or 600 days, but just basking in it because when you’re going to look back like 25 years from now you’re going to wish you embraced it a little bit more.”

Iguodala heard encour aging words from Stephen

Curry, Draymond Green and Jonathan Kuminga this summer about one last hurrah, and the 2015 NBA Finals MVP called it “a little bit of a rollercoaster” coming to his decision.

“I had jumped back and forth like two times, and it’s literally exhausting to jump back and forth, like alright I’m in and then I worked out like two times and I was like ‘for what?’” said Iguodala, who has a pro duction company and his own podcast.

What sold him on one more season was a meet ing with Warriors Vice President of Player Health and Performance Rick Celebrini, who met with Iguodala and established a plan to keep him healthy and balance playing time with proper rest and

MIAMI Heat’s Jimmy Butler poses for a photo during the NBA basketball team’s Media Day in Miami on Monday. (AP Photo/Wilfredo Lee)

UNITED States’ Brionna Jones shoots as Bosnia and Herzego vina’s Jonquel Jones attempts to block during their women’s Basketball World Cup in Sydney, Australia, yesterday. (AP Photo/ Mark Baker)

IFILL JR IS NEW CHAIRMAN OF NATIONAL SPORTS AUTHORITY

By BRENT STUBBS Senior Sports Reporter bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

THERE’S been a slight change in the top of the ladder at the National Sports Authority with deputy chairman Grafton Ifill Jr now replacing Greg Burrows, who previously served as the chairman.

Minister of Youth, Sports and Culture Mario Bowleg confirmed the changes made about two weeks ago, indicating that there was a need at this time based on the direction that his minis try is heading.

“We talk about devel oping the Family Island facilities and we have rede ployed Mr Burrows to help with the development of those facilities in the Family Islands,” Bowleg said. “I think that project needs someone who can spear head that, particularly as we

move towards the return of the Bahamas Games next year.”

Bowleg said Burrows, who began his tenure in office with the restructure of the softball fields at the Baillou Hills Sporting Com plex for the hosting of the recent Babe Ruth Carib bean Tournament in July, will now have the respon sibility of developing the facilities in the Family Islands.

“The transition should move smoothly. The board is empowered to do their job and they will continue to do that,” Bowleg said. “It was never an individual thing, but a board thing. The board is still there and they will continue to do what they are empowered to do.”

Having visited Grand Bahama for the staging of the North American, Central American and

GRAFTON Ifill Jr

Caribbean (NACAC) Track and Field Champi onships in August, Bowleg said there are some propos als for the improvement of the Grand Bahama Sports Complex and Burrows will be engaged in that aspect as a part of his redeployment.

“I’m presenting a paper soon to the government

of the Bahamas for review on the improvement of the facilities that come under the NSA and those that exist in Grand Bahama and the Family Islands, which Mr Burrows will now over see,” Bowleg stated.

One of the projects that will fall under Ifill’s jurisdic tion as the new chairman of the NSA will be the com pletion of the new national baseball stadium.

According to Bowleg, all plans are going ahead for its completion at the end of November.

The Bahamas Baseball Association has already revealed that they are looking at hosting an inter national tournament in December to coincide with the opening of the facility.

Ifill Jr, a former sprinter whose son Grafton Ifill III holds the distinction of being one of the few ath letes to defeat Jamaican

sensation Usain Bolt as a junior athlete, said he wel comes the opportunity to serve in his new capacity.

“Since January of this year, I was asked to serve as the assistant chairman to Greg Burrows,” Ifill said. “Since that time, the coun try has been awarded the bid for the hosting of the 2023 CARIFTA Games to coincide with our 50th anni versary of Independence.

“I’m also serving on the bid committee for the return of the 2024 World Relays and that proposal is expected to be submitted by the end of this week. So, there is a lot of work and my major focus right now is the development of our facilities.”

With a competent board in place, comprising of per sons who have been around sport for a while, Ifill Jr said they will engage a number of sub-committees to assist

in the operation of the vari ous projects on the horizon.

Board members include Bahamas Olympic Com mittee president Rommel Knowles, Tim Munnings, representing the Ministry of Youth, Sports and Culture, Felicia Albury from swim ming, Margaret ‘Muggy’ Albury from volleyball, Kevin Farrington, a former police officer and now an attorney-at-law and Nicola Pratt, a sports enthusiast.

“With this team, I think we can meet the objectives established by the ministry and the Government,” said Ifill Jr, who will remain in office until the Minister of Sports at the time deems it necessary to replace him.

“We have a lot of work to do and so I’m looking forward to working with the board members and the management and staff of the NSA to make things happen.”

UB MINGOES MEN’S SOCCER TEAM DROPS TWO MATCHES TO FORT LAUDERDALE EAGLES

TAMARAC, Florida — The University of The Bahamas men’s soccer team dropped two games over the weekend to The Uni versity of Fort Lauderdale Eagles over the weekend.

The Mingoes lost the first match Friday 5-0 and came back Satur day with a 3-0 loss.

Assistant head coach Alex Thompson said the team was missing a few key players for vari ous reasons who could have made a huge impact on the team.

“We did have some players really step up and solidify places on the team and it’s a lot to look forward to going back home to the local league,” he said. “The freshman got battle-hardened and

SHAMAR

FROM PAGE 11

that were investigated by the Athletics Integrity Unit.

Nine were overage ath letes with falsified entries, including five from Saudi Arabia and two underage athletes.

“While this step has corrected some historic wrongs, age manipulation continues to be a concern in athletics, and the AIU is actively investigating more recent allegations of this nature,” AIU chairman David Howman said.

Age manipulation in international sports has been a long-standing problem.

FIFA acknowledged in 2010 that cheating with overage players has been

the vets got sharpened in certain positions.”

UB 0, Fort Lauderdale 5 (Friday)

The Mingoes started the match off strong against The Eagles but a weak middle left the side vulnerable.

The Eagles scored on an easy pass in the 16th minute and never looked back with another score just three minutes later to end the half up 2-0. In the second half, The Mingoes were a bit more defensive but The Eagles were still able to score in the 66th, 68th, and 78th minutes of the match.

Offensive production was a big factor in the match. The Eagles

widespread in youth teams from Africa. Years after the 2000 Sydney Olympics, China was stripped of a bronze medal in women’s team all-around because of an underage athlete.

At the 2002 World Junior World Championships in Kingston, Jamaica, Sands clocked 13.67 seconds to trail Dongpeng, who got the silver in 13.58 and Ameri can Antwon Higgs, who claimed the gold in 13.42.

While Higgs remains with the gold, Sands was moved up to the silver and Rich ard Phillips of Jamaica, who was fourth in 13.90, will be elevated to the bronze position.

For 37-year-old Sands, who has since stopped running track after he graduated from Auburn

took 23 shots with 15 on goal while the Mingoes only had five total and two on goal.

The Eagles were more aggres sive as well as the side racked up 13 fouls compared to six for The Mingoes.

The Mingoes keepers had to work hard as well with 10 saves on the day.

UB 0, Fort Lauderdale 3 (Saturday)

The Mingoes came out very slow in the match and allowed The Eagles to go up 1-0 on an unassisted goal in the 10th minute.

The defence kicked in for The Mingoes and the team was able to hold The Eagles off for the half

but offensively they only had one shot in the first half.

In the second half and The Min goes down 1-0, The Eagles went to a very passive style of play essentially keeping the ball from UB. The Eagles though still capi talised on shots and scored in the 53rd and 76th minutes to win 3-0.

The Mingoes ended the match with only three shots and only one on goal while The Eagles had 19 shots and seven of them on goal.

Thompson said the match came down to three key points. “It came down to concentration, attitude, and effort,” he said.

“Unfortunately we were the team that made the most mistakes. Three mistakes in particular led

to three goals for them and that made the difference in the game.”

Thompson added the team was in a much better position in this match compared to the first one but the ball was just not getting in the net.

“It was a much better showing from the guys as we changed up the game plan a bit and they car ried out the instructions more or less but we were just unlucky on the attacking end and need to pay more attention to detail on the defensive.”

The Mingoes now move to the Bahamas Football Association season that starts for them at Roscow R.L. Davies pitch against Renegades FC at 7pm Friday.

went back down memory lane thinking about it after I got the notice.”

Although it’s something that he will cherish with his family, Sands said he’s just happy to be able to achieve the medal, even though it’s upgraded from the bronze he actually got at the time.

Sands’ elevation was cel ebrated on the local front.

Mike Sands, the former president of the Bahamas Association of Athletic Associations and the cur rent president of the North American, Central American and Caribbean (NACAC), said it’s signifi cant for the region because Sands is a part of NACAC and so they are delighted that both he and Phillips will be rewarded for their efforts 20 years later.

And BAAA president Drumeco Archer said the sport is such a strange one in that many years later, World Athletics could still correct the errors that was made in the sport.

“He’s now going to be awarded the silver medal. There’s some things about the sport that we have to pay close attention to and age limit is something that I thought would have been an easy catch,” Archer said.

“Suffice it to say, it was a human error.

“We all make mistakes, but it’s good when those mistakes are corrected and many years later, the mis take is corrected and he’s now being recognised as the silver medallist on the World Junior Champion ship on that day.”

HURDLER Shamar Sands.

University and is now working as an analyst for Mercedes Benz Corporate office in Atlanta, Georgia, said he gladly accepts the silver medal.

“World Juniors was one of my most memorable track experiences apart from going to the Olym pics,” said Sands, who participated at the 2008 Olympics in Beijing, China.

“I think that experience was very unique because it was in Jamaica and it had that Caribbean flair. “It was my first major international

meet, so I hold World Jun iors very near and dear to me.”

When he got the news from fellow Bahamian track mate, now agent/ coach Dominic Demeritte, who had informed him about the decision in an article posted, Sands said he was surprised.

“Twenty years later, I am now a silver medallist and not a bronze medallist, I can’t believe it,” he stated. “World Juniors was a very special meet because it was a very special team. So I

UB TO HOST ITS FIRST EVER CROSS-COUNTRY

FROM PAGE 11

element,” she said. “I think it is important that we display at the university level what we have to some of the recruits that we have been able to attract and this will also give us a great way to see what’s out there in terms of cross-country talent.”

Rolle added that it is important to promote crosscountry in the island nation.

“Everyone is so con nected to track and field but you barely hear anything about cross-country,” she said. “I thought it important when head coach Ednal Rolle expressed the interest in starting something along the cross-country line that we can make it big in the community. We will do it

well so that we can set the bar for others that follow. We’re hoping that as a result of what we do there are more cross-country meets out there.”

Head coach Ednal Rolle said he’s excited for the meet to start as it’s the first of its kind for the university.

“The course is a very challenging course through out the sports centre and we are keeping everything in one area so that coaches can be on the course and cheer the athletes on,” he said. “We want this to be a fun-filled event along with being a competitive one as we look to invite col leges and universities in the future.”

Meet starts 7:30am Satur day at Thomas A Robinson National Stadium.

Andretti Bain named assistant coach

By BRENT STUBBS Senior Sports Reporter bstubbs@troibunemedia.net

BAHAMIAN Olympic quarter-miler Andretti Bain is back at his alma mater at Oral Roberts University, but this time as an assis tant coach of the Golden Eagles’ track and field/cross country staff.

Head coach Alick Musukuma made the announcement yesterday, revealing that Bain’s main responsibilities will include recruiting and evaluating talent.

“We are proud to have Andretti Bain as a part of the track and field/cross country programmes,” Musukuma said. “We are rebuilding the programmes and need someone like Andretti to be on board.

“Andretti has done amazing things for ORU as he is the only track and field athlete to win an NCAA Indoor and Outdoor Cham pionship and an Olympic silver medal in the same year, 2008. This will inspire other alumni to see that the ORU track and field/cross country programmes are going to be great.”

Bain, a 36-year-old grad uate from St John’s College who excelled in both the 400 and 400m hurdles, will

still be allowed to continue his health and fitness pro gramme he established here at home while work ing remotely with the track programme in Tulsa, Oklahoma.

“This is a position that allows me to remain in Nassau because of my other business interests,” Bain said. “We were able to work it out where I can travel as often as I’m needed or my schedule allows, so I’m probably looking at travel ling every six to eight weeks for as few days.”

Bain was inducted into ORU Hall of Fame in 2014 after he finished as the most decorated track athlete in the Golden Eagles’ programme his tory, including earning the the programme’s first national championship, winning the 400 metres at the 2008 NCAA Indoor Championships.

Later that year, Bain cap tured the title in the same event at the 2008 NCAA Outdoor Championships.

During his career at ORU, Bain was a threetime All-American, 11-time conference champion and a nine-time Summit League Athlete of the Week.

After his career with the Golden Eagles, Bain went on to win a silver medal as

a member of the Bahamas 4x400 metre relay team in the 2008 Olympics.

“This is something that I’m looking forward to doing,” Bain said. “Truth be told, I’ve matured and grown a lot during my time at ORU, so I’ve experi enced the good and the bad.

“There were a lot of bad and a lot of tough times before the NCAA Cham pionships, so understanding what my journey was, my mission is just to try and create more opportunities

for the student-athletes, who are currently attend ing ORU and those who we will be recruiting.”

Through his job, Bain said he’s hoping that he can make an impact on the lives of the next generation of athletes to compete for the Golden Eagles. He noted that he’s passionate, just like he was as a student ath lete, about the programme at ORU.

And while he knows that there will be a lot of interest from athletes to compete

for the Golden Eagles, Bain said he has to stress to them that nothing is given, but rather it is earned.

“I know the standard that ORU has and I know the standard that I have,” he said. “Before I’m looking at their athletic talent, I’m looking at their character as student-athletes. They have to fit into ORU because ORU is a special place.

“ORU is a place that is focused on body, mind and soul and you can’t just be about track and field.

Spiritually you have to be connected, socially and ethically, you have to be connected, educationally you have to be connected and then the talent is what we look at.”

Like any other school, Bain said there are standards that the stu dent-athletes must first attain and he will take the opportunity to sit with the Bahamas Association of Athletic Associations and the prospective athletes in outlining the criteria they are looking for.

“If you match the crite ria and the standards that ORU is looking for, then of course you get a scholarship to Oral Roberts Univer sity,” Bain said.

“I would love to see Bahamians there. So that

is my goal. I know what it did for me and for my other Bahamian buddies, but, at the same time, there is a standard. It has to be earned, it can’t just be given.”

Aside from taking on this new role as an assistant coach, Bain is still actively involved in motivational speaking.

He said he’s eager to juggle all of the roles he has as well as spending time with his family as a husband and a father.

After tearing his Achil les in 2017 and although most of the doctors have prescribed that he won’t be able to run again, he’s defied the orders and has been working to getting back on the track.

“Through me being off the track, trying to rehab my Achilles, not taking track and field as my main priority at this point, it’s amazing how these other opportunities just open up for me,” he said.

“So my message to a lot of the athletes is that some times you believe an injury is a setback, but everything happens for a reason and you just have to trust the fact that God has a purpose in our lives and if we con tinue to do our part, he will take care of the rest.”

Four young Bahamian sailors ready for Optimist South American Championships

THE Optimist South American Championships kick off on October 8 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil with the top Optimist sailors from around the world with an age restriction of 8-15 years old competing.

This week long major international junior sailing event is held annually at different venues around the South American continent and this year the young participants are lucky to be sailing out of the spectacu lar Rio de Janeiro Yacht Club.

Four Bahamians will be travelling to this event next week to represent the Bahamas following their participation in the Fidelity Bahamas Optimist National Championships, which takes place October 1-2 in Montagu Bay.

Team Bahamas com prises of 14-year-old Eliza Denning, 15-year-old Zane Munro and 12-year-old Patrick Tomlinson, who all train with Lyford Cay

Sailing and 14-year-old Norman Cartwright, who sails with The Bahamas National Sailing School.

These extremely accom plished young sailors are all high in our junior national sailing rankings and have all recently taken part in other international events including the Optimist World Championships in Turkey and the Optimist European Championships in Denmark.

There will be 21 nations represented at The South American Championship with 165 children currently registered on the entry list.

Competition will be stiff, but Team Bahamas is an incredible group of chil dren who are extremely dedicated and passionate about their sport and all four are extremely proud to be representing The Baha mas on the international arena again this year. Stay tuned for more news on the Optimist National Cham pionship this weekend,

YANKS BEAT JAYS

By The Associated Press

AARON Judge walked four times and stayed at 60 home runs, one shy of Roger Maris’ American League record, as the New York Yankees clinched the AL East title by beating the Toronto Blue Jays 5-2 last night.

The Yankees cele brated their 20th division championship, tied for sec ond-most with the Dodgers behind Atlanta’s 21, but not home run history.

New York (95-59) secured a first-round bye and home-field advantage in the Division Series.

Judge lined out in his first at-bat and then drew four straight walks in his sev enth straight game without a home run.

The Yankees have eight games left in the regular season for Judge to tie or break the AL mark set by Maris in 1961.

Despite the loss, Toronto (87-68) maintained its place atop the AL wild-card standings.

Gleyber Torres had three hits and drove in three runs to back Jameson Tail lon (14-5), who pitched 7 1/3 sharp innings, allowing two runs and five hits. He’s 4-0 in five career starts in Toronto.

José Berríos (11-7) allowed five runs and nine hits in 5 1/3 innings, losing his second straight outing after a six-start unbeaten

FIDELITY BAHAMAS OPTIMIST NATIONALS ALL SET FOR MONTAGU BAY THIS WEEKEND

graciously sponsored by Fidelity Bank. And coming up in November, The

TO CLINCH AL EAST, JUDGE STUCK AT 60 HOME RUNS

streak. His ERA rose to 5.37. Berríos reached 1,000 career strikeouts.

BRAVES 8, NATIONALS 2 WASHINGTON (AP) — Ronald Acuña Jr. hit a pair of solo home runs and Atlanta beat Washington, extending its winning streak to four games and moving into a first-place tie in the NL East with the New York Mets.

Orlando Arcia also homered and Michael Harris II had a two-run triple for the Braves, who caught the Mets when they lost 6-4 at home to Miami. Both teams have seven games remaining, including a head-to-head three-game series beginning Friday in Atlanta.

With the win, the Braves (97-58) are guaranteed the No. 2 playoff seed in the National League if they finish ahead of the Mets.

Victor Robles homered and Luke Voit had two doubles for the last-place Nationals (53-101).

Collin McHugh (3-2) pitched 1 1/3 scoreless innings for the win. Paolo Espino (0-8) retired the first 10 Braves batters before giving up four runs and five hits.

CUBS 2, PHILLIES 1

CHICAGO (AP) — Marcus Stroman pitched seven innings of four-hit ball, and Yan Gomes hit a tiebreaking double in the

seventh inning, lifting Chi cago over Philadelphia.

The Phillies’ magic number to clinch a National League playoff berth is stalled at eight after their third straight loss. The Cubs (68-86) won for the sixth time in seven games.

Stroman (5-7) struck out six and lowered his ERA to 2.50 over his last six starts.

Rookie Christopher Morel

homered in the third inning for Chicago.

Ian Happ led off the sev enth with a single through the middle of the infield off Connor Brogdon (2-2). With two out, Gomes poked a double into the right field corner, scoring Happ.

Bryson Stott walked to start the sixth. After Kyle Schwarber and Rhys Hoskins struck out, Bryce

Harper hit a deep drive that grazed off the outstretched glove of a diving Morel in left-center, scoring Stott for the Phillies’ only run.

PIRATES 4, REDS 1

PITTSBURGH (AP)

— Miguel Andújar hit a tie breaking three-run double in the seventh inning, leading Pittsburgh past Cincinnati.

Andújar’s hit snapped a 1-all tie and came in his second game with the Pirates. The designated hitter was claimed off waiv ers from the New York Yankees on Sunday.

The Pirates loaded the bases with one out on a single by Oneil Cruz and walks to Bryan Reynolds and Jack Suwinski by Buck Farmer (2-2). Andújar then hit a long drive off the top of the bullpen door in leftcenter field, clearing the bases.

Wil Crowe (6-10) pitched two scoreless innings of relief. David Bednar worked the ninth for his 18th save in 22 chance as the Pirates won for the third time in four games.

The Reds, who have lost five of six and 15 of 19, got two hits each from Kyle Farmer and Mike Siani.

TWINS 4, WHITE SOX 0

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Matt Wallner hit a tworun homer, Bailey Ober had a career-high 10 strike outs and Minnesota beat

Chicago. Ober (2-3) threw a career-high 7 1/3 innings, allowing just two hits.

Wallner, the rookie out fielder from nearby Forest Lake, hit his second homer in his 11th career game and first at home. Jose Miranda added three hits for Minnesota.

Lance Lynn (7-7) gave up four runs on 10 hits in fiveplus innings for Chicago. White Sox interim manager Miguel Cairo was ejected following Wallner’s homer.

Chicago struck out 14 times in the game.

TIGERS 4, ROYALS 3

10 INNINGS

DETROIT (AP) — Harold Castro singled in the winning run with two outs in the 10th inning after tying it with a two-run single in the eighth in for Detroit.

Tucker Barnhart bunted pinch-runner Ryan Kreidler to third and Anthony Mis iewicz (3-2) intentionally walked pinch-hitter Eric Haase.

Riley Greene struck out, and the Royals decided to walk Javy Báez to pitch to Castro with the bases loaded. He hit a soft grounder up the middle to win it.

Alex Lange (6-4) earned the win.

Kansas City took an early 2-0 lead on a homer by Hunter Dozier, his 10th in 32 career games at Com erica Park.

Nassau Yacht Club is also hosting The Optimist North American Championships, which will bring hundreds of young sailors and their entourage into Nassau from

all corners of the world for the largest ever sailing event in the country.

FOUR Bahamians will be travelling to the Optimist South American Championships next week to represent the Bahamas following their participation in the Fidelity Bahamas Optimist National Championships, which takes place October 1-2 in Montagu Bay.

ANDRETTI Bain displays his awards from ORU.

THE TRIBUNE Wednesday, September 28, 2022, PAGE 13 YANKEES’ Aaron Judge celebrates the team’s 5-2 win over the Toronto Blue Jays yesterday in Toronto. (Nathan Denette/The Canadian Press via AP)

Fastest growing racquet sport finds a place in Bahamian sun

IT is a game called “Pick leball,” yet it has nothing to do with pickles. The sport is a hybrid of ping pong, bad minton and tennis, and very approachable for players of all kinds. On Saturday past the success of the first formal organised Pickleball tournament at Palm Cay went a long way toward making the game a house hold name in The Bahamas.

Played with a hard, rec tangular racquet and a whiffle ball on the equiva lent of a tiny tennis court, Pickleball’s popularity around the world has sky rocketed recently. In the Bahamas, the game is cer tainly not as well-known yet as its racquet sport cousins, but it has quickly become a magnet for players of all ages and skill levels for two very good reasons: 1) It’s

less physically taxing than tennis or squash, and 2) It’s still competitive and fun.

The round-robin tourna ment on Saturday featured 16 “picklers” on teams com prised of one male and one female, with rotating indi vidual pairings throughout.

Players received one point for each match they won, and the finals featured the two men and two women with the most points.

Minister of Youth, Sports and Culture Mario Bowleg joined in the fun as well, and even took to the court himself to find out what the game was all about.

“I am delighted to be a part of introducing Pickle ball to a wider audience,” the minister said. “With minimal start up costs, we are eager to witness its suc cess in schools across The

Bahamas. The opportu nity to grow the sport and community is a benefit to everyone.”

One of the tournament’s organisers, Kelly Ann Meade, was pleased with the success of the inaugu ral event. “Everyone had a great time,” she said.

“It’s so incredibly excit ing to be part of the very first Pickleball tournament in the Bahamas, and this is just the beginning. Kim Kooskalis - my co-organiser for the tournament - and I want to send a huge thank you to all those who played,

as well as to our sponsors, Jimmy’s Wines and Spirits and Pink Octopus.”

While still in its infancy here, Pickleball has already found a host of enthusias tic participants who gather regularly to play the game.

More tournaments are in the cards for the future and organisers have already begun the process of estab lishing a formal federation.

And the winners of the inaugural tournament on Saturday? Diane Chea and Peter Dupuch, along with runners-up Danielle Van Wynen and Michael Clarke.

MLB PLAYOFF PRIMER: THINGS TO KNOW AS POSTSEASON NEARS

By DAVID BRANDT AP Sports Writer

MAJOR League Base ball’s postseason has a little more heft this season.

The playoffs are rapidly approaching, with the final regular season games set for October 5. The postsea son begins two days later with a field of 12 teams — up from last year’s 10 — and includes a best-of-three

format for the opening wild-card round.

An expanded postseason could lead to some spicy early postseason matchups.

San Diego’s newly acquired slugger Juan Soto against the defend ing World Series champion Braves?

Ageless star Albert Pujols and the Cardinals against Bryce Harper, Kyle Schwarber and the Phillies?

Both are possibilities depending on results in the season’s final week.

MLB’s new wild-card format is similar to the one currently used in college baseball for the NCAA Super Regional round: The three games will be sched uled on three consecutive days from October 7-9 at the higher seed’s field. The first team that gets two wins advances. After that, the

playoffs will be business as usual. The division series will be best-of-five, while the league championship series and World Series will be best-of-seven.

• Here’s a little more information about base ball’s bulked-up postseason: WHAT’S NEW IN BASEBALL’S WILDCARD ROUND?

The best-of-three wild card format is a change

from the sudden death onegame format that’s been in place since 2012.

Six teams each from the American League and National League will qualify for the postseason, including the three division winners in each league.

The three wild-card teams in each league will be the teams with the best record that didn’t win their division.

The top two teams with the best records in each league will get a bye and don’t have to play in the wild-card round.

Those four teams get a few days of rest. Right now, that would be the Astros and Yankees in the American League and the Dodgers and Mets in the National League.

The wild-card round will feature four series: The No. 6 seed will play at the No. 3 seed in both the AL and NL. The No. 5 seed will play at the No. 4 seed.

WHY ARE THE PLAYOFFS STARTING LATE?

October’s postseason festivities will bleed into November before a cham pion is crowned.

That’s mostly because of the sport’s labour strife that resulted in a work stoppage over the winter. It delayed the beginning of spring training and pushed the regular season back about a week.

Baseball players and owners salvaged the usual 162-game season, but to do that, they had to move opening day from March 31 to April 7.

Some of the games origi nally scheduled for the first week of the season were moved to the end, meaning a season that was originally scheduled to end on October 2 instead ends on October 5.

Hence, a late start to the playoffs.

WHAT HAPPENED TO BASEBALL TIEBREAKER GAMES? Game No. 163 is one that lives in baseball lore.

Those days are gone.

If there’s a tie for one of the playoff spots, math ematical tiebreakers will be used instead of an extra game. The first will be the head-to-head record between the two teams involved.

If that can’t handle the stalemate, the team with the best intra-divisional record will win the tiebreaker.

If that doesn’t work, the process continues with more and more convoluted solutions until a resolution is reached.

It’s unlikely tiebreak ers will be needed in the American League, but keep an eye on the National League.

The Braves and Mets are locked in a tight race for the NL East, while the Brewers and Phillies are in a battle for the final NL wild-card spot.

WHO ARE THE FAVOURITES?

Great question.

The Los Angeles Dodg ers have been dominant all season with a lineup that includes Mookie Betts, Trea Turner, Will Smith and Freddie Freeman. They could top 110 wins this season during the final week.

Over in the Ameri can League, the Houston Astros have already topped 100 wins as well. They’ve got a loaded lineup that includes Jose Altuve, Alex Bregman and Yordan Alva rez, along with potential AL Cy Young winner Justin Verlander.

New York’s teams should figure into the mix as well. The Yankees were cruising for much of the season — led by star Aaron Judge’s 60-homer campaign — but have just a 30-31 record since the All-Star break. The Mets have one of the league’s deepest pitching staffs, with two aces on top in Jacob deGrom and Max Scherzer.

Bucky Dent’s homer for the Yankees in 1978. Matt Hol liday’s game-winning run in the 13th inning for the Rockies in 2007.

MINISTER of Youth, Sports and Culture Mario Bowleg speaks about the future of Pickleball in The Bahamas with tournament director Ricky Chea.

RICK Hazelwood returns a Pickleball shot while teammate Diane Chea looks on. The very first Pickleball tournament in The Baha mas was held on September 24 at Palm Cay.

CHAMPIONS and runners-up of the first Pickleball tournament in The Bahamas, and their prizes: L-R, runners-up Michael Clarke and Danielle Van Wynen, tournament champions Diane Chea and Peter Dupuch.

PARTICIPANTS in The Bahamas’ inaugural Pickleball tournament, held on Saturday, September 24 at Palm Cay.

Frank Rutherford Close to be named in his honour

By BRENT STUBBS Senior Sports Reporter bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

AS he was reflecting on having the Frank Ruther ford Close named in his honour, Bahamian icon Frank Rutherford said he owes a great debt of grati tude to his former coach Neville Wisdom for his achievement as the first Bahamian to win an Olym pic medal in track and field.

During a conference call on Monday at Arawak Homes where it was revealed that the newest subdivision on Prince Charles Drive where 21 lots of single-family homes and multi-family duplexes will be constructed, Wisdom, a former Minister of Youth, Sports and Culture, was ecstatic that Rutherford is finally getting his just due.

The 57-year-old Ruther ford earned the Bahamas’ first Olympic track and field medal when he captured the bronze in the men’s triple jump in Barcelona, Spain in 1992.

An emotional Wisdom recalled how he was suspended along with Rutherford and quartermiler Pauline Davis at the 1989 Central American and Caribbean (CAC) Games in Puerto Rico for leaving the Games Village and stay ing in a hotel.

As the first two profes sional athletes in track and field, Wisdom said they were embarrassed for trying to “do something good” for the country by isolating themselves to prepare to compete in their events at the games without all of the distractions.

Wisdom, who at the time was the coach of the two athletes from the Bain Town Flyers Track Club, noted that after their sus pensions, Rutherford became the first Bahamian to win an Olympic medal in track and field in the men’s triple jump, Davis became the first Bahamian to win a gold medal in track and field and he (Wisdom) went on to become the Minister of Sports.

“God works in mys terious ways,” Wisdom acknowledged. “I want to congratulate you. You held

HEAT

FROM PAGE 11

best in the world, so ...” Butler, who signed with Miami on July 6, 2019 via a sign and trade with the Philadelphia 76ers in a fourteam trade, said he will be in streets of Nassau play ing dominoes. He warned the public that he’s “here” and is willing to take on any challengers.

All jokes aside, Butler, spotting a new hair style, said the Heat’s line-up should be an interesting one this year, despite the fact that they lost one of their top defenders in PJ to the Philadelphia 76ers during the off-season.

“I’m comfortable. I have a good group around me to allow me not to worry about anything,” he said. “We got some shooters and we have some really good players.”

The 33-year-old Butler, who averaged 21.4 points with 5.9 rebounds and 5.5 assists per game, said he’s confident that the Heat can be a contender for the NBA title this year after they fin ished as the top seed in the Eastern Conference, only to lose out to the Boston Celtics in the Conference Finals.

On his new hair style, Butler said he’s just being himself.

“I like it. I’m going to keep it,” said Butler, who has grown dreadlocks. “I might shave my face again. I might have half of my face shaved.”

Haslem, the oldest active player in the league at age 42, is now entering his 20th consecutive season with the Heat, whom he began his campaign with in 2002.

Haslem is the only player who has participated in all three training camps Miami conducted here, the first

your head up high during very difficult times.

“The challenges you went through as a result of poli tics and even the politics in sports, but at the end of the day you persevered and I am proud of you, my brother.

“As I told you when you started with Lyndon Sands, the road is difficult. You never made a junior (national) team, but you persevered.”

Before going on to win the first Olympic medal in Barcelona, Rutherford also earned a bronze - the Baha mas’ first World Indoor Championships in 1987 in Indianapolis, Indiana, the same year and venue that he got a bronze at the Pan American Games.

Wisdom saluted him for his athletic prowess and now for his national achievement by having a subdivision named in his honour.

The legendary Ameri can sprinter/long jumper, Carl Lewis, who inspired Rutherford to become the historic triple jumper that he became, said his friend, with whom he works with at their alma mater at the University of Houston, deserves the accolades being bestowed upon him.

“There’s an old saying that you can’t make the big shot unless you take it,” said Lewis, who did just that, winning nine Olympic gold medals, one Olympic silver medal and 10 World Championships medals, including eight gold during a career that spun from 1979 to 1996.

Lewis, 61, said he was so appreciative of Rutherford bringing him to the Baha mas to witness and enjoy the culture of the Bahamas, but now every Bahamian will get the opportunity to remember him because of the naming of the subdivi sion in his honour.

“I am proud of you Frank,” said Lewis, who is now working with Ruther ford’s daughter Alexis Tilford-Rutherford, now in her freshman year at the University of Houston. “Your story will continue to be told because people will get a chance to recog nise who you are because of your name being placed on the subdivision.”

Retired Hall of Fame National Basketball Asso ciation’s superstar Hakeem ‘the Dream’ Olajuwon, who played from 19842002 with the Houston Rockets and the Toronto Raptors, lauded his close

friend Rutherford for the achievement.

“I think it’s well deserved,” said Olajuwon, who is listed as one of the 50 greatest players in the NBA, although the 59-yearold centre is a native of Lagos, Nigeria. “I think it’s a good motivation for the future generation.”

Also sharing in the announcement were Bahamas Association of Athletic Associations’ pres ident Drumeco Archer and North American, Central American and Caribbean (NACAC) president Mike Sands.

Archer, who consid ers Rutherford to be his big brother, recalled how they spent time training together. He also noted that Rutherford took him on his first international trip to compete when he was intro duced to the University of Houston, but because of the cold weather, Archer opted not to go there.

Years later, as fate would have it, Archer said he got the opportunity to view the achievement of Rutherford, which led to the Bahamas winning a medal at every Olympiad since his accom paniment in 1992.

And Sands, credited with being one of the motivators

for Rutherford, said he remembers serving as the manager for the Olympic team when Rutherford accomplished his feat.

He noted that they were late in heading to the sta dium and had to force chef de mission - the late Arling ton Butler’s driver - to take them to the stadium.

Following his accom plishment, Sands said he and Rutherford enjoyed what they thought would be a quiet dinner in Bar celona, but they were interrupted by so many per sons who took the time out to congratulate Rutherford and the Bahamas on the achievement.

Also expressing his sen timents was Alexander Cartwright, the president of the University of Central Florida, who was a former school-mate of Rutherford at LW Young High School. They also attended school together with Davis and Lavern Eve.

Cartwright, who holds a doctorate in electrical and computer engineering from the University of Iowa, said Rutherford’s accomplish ment is one that should be lauded and there’s no better way than to do it with his name on the new subdivision.

PUERTO RICO REACHES ITS FIRST WORLD CUP QUARTERS

71-54. FIBA held a draw for the quarterfi nals matchups Thursday, announcing Puerto Rico will face Canada. In other matchups, the US plays Serbia, China meets France and Australia plays Belgium.

The Puerto Rican play ers and coaches hope advancing to the quar ters will provide some joy to the island that’s been ravaged by Hurricane Fiona. They won for the first time in the coun try’s history earlier in the tournament.

“Making history now for us, with what our country is going through right now with Hurricane Fiona. It’s monumental and I hope that it brings some joy to the country and that’s all we want to do, through basketball bring some joy,” said Tayra Melendez.

The team was winless in its three games at the 2018 World Cup, losing by an average of nearly 28 points. The team wasn’t even supposed to be in the tournament, but was given a spot when Russia wasn’t allowed to compete following its invasion of Ukraine.

“It means a lot with everything going on on the island,” Hollingshed said. “With everything they are dealing with, we’re playing for more than ourselves. I know everyone’s excited and encouraging us.”

South Korea had a scary moment when Yebin Yoon went down on the court, injured after missing a layup. After a few minutes of being looked at by team train ers, she was taken to the locker room. She didn’t return to the game.

US 121, BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA 59

Kelsey Plum scored 20 points, Chelsea Gray added 16 and the United States women routed Bosnia and Herzegovina to break the team record for consecutive wins at the World Cup.

The victory was the 27th in a row in World Cup play for the Ameri cans, who haven’t lost since the 2006 semi finals against Russia. The US won 26 in a row from 1994-2006 lead ing up to that game. The Soviet Union holds the World Cup record with 56 straight wins from 1959-86.

The Americans (5-0) won their pool games by an average of 46.2 points and never trailed in any. Nikolina Elez scored 19 points to lead the 0-5 losing side, which was playing in its first World Cup.

CHINA 81, BELGIUM 55

Li Meng scored 16 points and China clinched the No. 2 seed in Group A with its win over Belgium.

two in 2013 and 2016 at the Atlantis resort on Paradise Island.

“It’s very important to be here again. The Baha mas has been great to us. I’m part Bahamian. I love coming over here,” said Haslem, who attended the University of Florida. “It’s like family. We’re very close.

“The people here sup port us throughout the season. They might not get a chance to come and see us play, but it’s great for us to come here and get this per sonal experience with us. We appreciate them, know ing that they are supporting us, so we want to give them that love back.”

The 6-9 power forward, who dismissed Butler’s claim of being the best in the world in dominoes, noting that he beat him before and he would beat

him again, said his teammates keep him going.

“Every year, there’s always a new crop of guys coming in and they are hungry for knowledge and for opportunities,” Haslem said.

“I know it seems like a long time ago, but it hasn’t been that long. I was one of those guys, searching for knowledge and searching opportunities to be great.

“Every year we have those guys come through here and they respond to me and I’m able to help them reach their goals so as long as I can keep play ing and God gives me the strength, I’m going to keep playing.”

While dominoes is a side thing for Butler to do, Haslem said he intends to visit one of his favourite spots as he hangs out at the

McKenzie’s under the foot of the bridge and “enjoy the culture and enjoy the people.”

Adebayo, the 6-9 centre out of the University of Kentucky, said this is his first trip to the Bahamas since his playing days in AAU. He said he’s look ing forward to spending the time bonding with his team-mates.

After averaging 19.1 points, 10.1 rebounds and 3.4 assists per game last season as he completed his fifth season in the NBA, he said he’s looking for ward to making a difference for Miami this year with the team that they have assembled.

However, he said he was a little concerned about his dog he left at home with the Hurricane Ian heading to Florida this week. Nonethe less, he said he will make

China (4-1) led 50-45 late in the third quarter before a 19-5 run span ning the periods broke the game open. Wang Siyu had five points during the run. Belgium never threatened after that.

Kyara Linskens scored 14 points and Julie Vanloo added 13 for Belgium (3-2), which was playing without star Emma Meesseman, who injured her left calf in the previous game and is out for the rest of the tournament.

the best of his trip here and he’s not even going to entertain Butler about beating him in dominoes on the plane ride from Miami. The Heat will hold closed session practices through Thursday and will stage a mini-scrimmage game on Saturday where they will entertain the Bahamian public at Baha Mar before returning to Miami for the start of the pre-season.

FRANK RUTHERFORD, far left, with some of the young athletes he mentors on Harbour Island, Eleuthera.

BAM ADEBAYO, the 6-9 centre out of the University of Kentucky, in action during training camp at Baha Mar yesterday.

Photos by Austin Fernander/Tribune Staff

UDONIS Haslem

JIMMY Butler

Roadmasters’ Cunningham finishes Berlin Marathon, gets set for Chicago on October 9

MICHAEL Cunning ham, one of the country’s top Roadmasters competi tors, lowered his personal best time by 18 minutes as he competed in the Berlin Marathon on September 25.

Cunningham, participat ing in one of the six major marathons in the world, finished in 78th place in his age group category and in the process qualified for the prestigious Boston Marathon.

Cunningham stated that the conditions were perfect for his lifetime achieve ment as Eliud Kipchoge went on to break his own world record with a time of 2hrs 1 min 9 secs. The

event attracted more than 41,000 competitors.

Through the Bahamas Roadmasters Club, which serves as the vice presi dent, Cunningham said he was able to prepare himself for his latest feat in Berlin.

The businessman and chartered accountant, who is also an active member of his church, said he had to find the time to train at 4:30am in the morning and maintains a healthy food regimen.

Cunningham’s next event is the Chicago Mara thon on October 9 when he will travel along with 21 members from the Baha mas Roadmasters Club to compete.

NBA camps open, some go abroad, Spurs plan a trip to Uvalde

By TIM REYNOLDS AP Basketball Writer

GREGG Popovich and the San Antonio Spurs know they cannot erase the pain that the residents of Uvalde, Texas have felt since May 24.

They can, however, con tinue reminding the city of 16,000 people that they’re not forgotten.

The Spurs are plan ning what they’re calling a community impact event in Uvalde on October 8; details are still being final ised, but it seems likely the entire team and Popovich will be making the 85-mile trip from San Antonio to the place where 21 people — 19 of them students — were killed at Robb Elementary School by a gunman four months ago.

Popovich, a five-time champion coach during his Spurs tenure and the NBA’s all-time leader in coaching wins, has spoken out often about his desire for tougher gun control laws. He also spoke at an event in Uvalde in June, and the Spurs are one of many teams who have pledged support for the community.

The NBA previously announced the formation of the “Sport for Healing Fund,” created to provide “long-term support for the Uvalde community by creating and investing in trauma and healing-cen tered care for youth and families.”

The NBA, along with the Spurs, Dallas Mavericks, Houston Rockets and the

NHL’s Dallas Stars, made the initial contributions to the fund, which will look to connect with children through sports and building safe places like community outdoor play areas.

PRESEASON CHAMPS

Golden State was the best team in the post season, as proved by the Warriors winning their fourth NBA title in the last eight years. They were the best team in the preseason, too. That’s rare.

The Warriors went 5-0 in preseason games last season. They became just the second team in 26 years to win an NBA champion ship after having the best preseason record. The other team on that list was ... the Warriors, in 2016-17.

Golden State was one of five preseason unbeatens last year, with Dallas, New York, Chicago and Sacra mento all going 4-0.

Most training camps around the NBA started yesterday. This season’s NBA preseason slate of games starts Friday in Saitama, Japan — a 6am Eastern, 3am Pacific, 7pm local time start between the Warriors and the Wash ington Wizards. It’s the first of 70 preseason games on the schedule.

The league is going to 10 places that don’t have NBA teams -- Saitama; Seattle; Edmonton; Tulsa, Oklahoma; Las Vegas; Greensboro, North Caro lina; Ontario, California (35 miles from Los Ange les, the home of the Clippers’ G League team);

Montreal; Birmingham, Alabama; and for the first time, Abu Dhabi, for a pair of matchups between Atlanta and Milwaukee.

Also on the schedule — two non-NBA teams, the Adelaide 36ers of Aus tralia (they’ll play Phoenix and Oklahoma City) and Maccabi Ra’anana of Israel (they’ll play the Clippers, Portland and Oklahoma City).

The Clippers will be the home team for the two games in Seattle, one against Portland, the other against Maccabi Ra’anana.

Seattle, of course, has NBA history, and hopes of more when the NBA gets around to expansion. It’s also near where Clip pers owner Steve Ballmer has an estate. “I haven’t been there since I played in 2008, I think it was,” Clippers coach Tyronn Lue said. “Just to go back there and Mr. Ballmer, kind of see his offices and how he lives ... I’m excited to go there.”

Washington and Atlanta do not have a true home game on their preseason slates; the Wizards will be called “home” for one of the games in Saitama against the Warriors, and the Hawks are the desig nated home team for one of the games in Abu Dhabi against the Bucks.

And for whatever this is worth — let’s be real, it’s preseason, so not much — Chicago has the league’s longest active preseason winning streak. The Bulls have won seven consecu tive exhibitions, one more

than Golden State and New York.

On the other end of that spectrum: Portland, which has dropped seven consec utive preseason games, the longest such streak in the league.

HITTING THE ROAD Most teams are hold ing training camps at their home facilities, but a few are already hitting the road for their first trips of the season.

Denver is headed to San Diego for camp. Houston is going to McNeese State in Lake Charles, Louisiana. The Los Angeles Clippers will open practice in Las Vegas, at UNLV.

Philadelphia is holding camp at The Citadel in Charleston, South Caro lina. Portland headed south to Santa Barbara, Califor nia and workouts at UCSB.

Perhaps the two most ambitious trips, though, are the ones by Toronto and Miami. The Raptors took a five-hour flight from Toronto to Victoria, British Columbia for their camp.

And the Heat were in the air for only 35 min utes, but passports were required. Miami is holding camp in Nassau, Bahamas, about 185 miles away from the team’s home.

REMEMBERING RUSSELL

The NBA celebration of Bill Russell’s life will

IGUODALA

PAGE 11

recovery. Iguodala played 19.5 minutes over only 31 games last season because of an array of injuries from a bulging disk in his lower back, a neck injury and a knee that required draining multiple times.

“If he had not mapped out that plan I wouldn’t have been as comfortable,” Iguodala said. “I think that’s what kind of sealed the deal.”

He rejoined the War riors last season following two years with Miami and became a key presence as the Warriors captured another title, saying Monday, “I really just play for the joy of the game.”

“Just makes my job so much easier because we have so many young guys and they need coach ing, they need mentoring. Andre’s the best there is with that,” coach Steve Kerr said.

“And he loves working with the younger guys. As a player he sort of makes everything work because he knows exactly where he

continue all season, and beyond. And the feelings about Russell obviously stretch well past Boston, too.

Case in point: Toronto. Raptors guard Fred VanVleet paid tribute to Russell before his team left for training camp, saying “it’s hard to find a better icon and a better ambas sador for the game and just for humanity.”

“It’s hard to put into words what exactly he meant,” VanVleet said. “Just an incredible human being and a guy that defi nitely needs to be held up in the highest respect until the end of time.

“He had an incredible journey, an incredible life and meant so much to so many people.”

KEY DATES

All camps were open yesterday; the Wizards, Warriors, Bucks and Hawks could start earlier because of their looming international travel for pre season games.

Preseason games go through October 14.

Teams can have up to 20 players on their roster during training camp, but must cut down to 17 (which includes a maximum of two two-way players for each team) by 5pm Eastern on October 17.

The regular season starts October 18.

WITH FAR MORE OFFERINGS FOR FANS

By TIM REYNOLDS AP Basketball Writer

THE NBA unveiled a reimagined app yesterday, with the league saying it will help bring fans closer to the game by offering better streaming options and access to more high lights as close to real-time as possible.

The app is more than two years in the making, with plans for the project starting in earnest about a month before the NBA’s pandemic shutdown in March 2020. It uses arti ficial intelligence to give fans the sort of content they would want, whether watching a game from inside an NBA arena or anywhere else.

It’s the latest element in the NBA’s direct-toconsumer strategy. The league’s by-subscription offerings — NBA League Pass and NBA TV — are integrated into the app, with higher video quality and improved streaming latency part of the selling points. Alternate streams, including additional camera angles and betting-focused streams, will also be part of the app’s viewing offerings. Some language options will also be included.

The price of League Pass has also been slashed, down to $99.99 and $129.99 for the full season depend ing on level of package purchased. It’s also now available as a monthly subscription.

“At the core of eve rything we do is our live game experience,” NBA Vice President of Next Gen Telecast Sara Zuckert said. “And that’s something that we’ve been rethinking from the ground up. We’re pleased to be able to bring all of that together into one cohesive experience for fans who are watching on the new platform.”

The app has new ways for fans to see stats and highlights, tapping into all corners of the content eco system — taking some of what is provided by broad casters, content creators, teams, players, even fans, and packaging it for app users quickly. It also show cases the rapid movement toward vertical video, like what’s on Instagram and TikTok.

Among the other highlights of the app: behind-the-scenes access to players and teams; access to postgame news conferences after all games; new shows, including a seven-episode look at Golden State’s run to last year’s title called “Gold Blooded” and nar rated by Warriors veteran Andre Iguodala; and the ability to view to hundreds of archived NBA games.

needs to be and so he makes every lineup click and then if he’s not on the court he’s teaching these young guys the same thing. So Andre’s a really crucial part of our whole programme, thrilled that he’s back.”

Iguodala plans to look for his shot more regularly, even in a lineup featuring star Splash Brothers Curry and Klay Thompson.

“I need to score more, I’m actually looking for ward to that,” Iguodala said.

Curry and the others can’t wait to see it after fig uring Iguodala’s career was done after beating the Celt ics for the title in June.

“He’s planting his flag now, which I think for him is a healthy way for him to approach this year, know ing he’s giving everything he’s got,” Curry said.

“The point of him coming back, there’s a lot of talk about him being the mentor first, that’s kind of the nar rative a little bit.

“But he’s not coming back if he doesn’t think he can play and contribute, whether it’s 10 minutes, 20 minutes. Big game creep ing up, maybe even more, playing consistently maybe in the second half of the season.

“He’s not here to be a coach first, player second.”

WARRIORS guard Klay Thompson pos es for a photograph during media day in San Francisco.

GOLDEN State Warriors guard Klay Thompson poses for a photograph during an NBA basketball media day in San Francisco on Sunday.

(AP Photos/ Godofredo A Vásquez)

“That’s mainly our goal,” he confirmed. “So that what we’re seeing is not only a more streamlined pro cess but that it’s as open as possible to build the trust of folks to participate. There has to be the dis closure of information so that the Government can make effective decisions on expenditure. If they favour local contractors, they get information on how these bids are determined.

“The opportunity with the Public Procurement Act is really to invigorate a broader base of small, medium and micro enter prises to participate in government contracts and processes. They need to trust that it’s worthwhile to go through the process, to respond and participate in bids.”

The Government recently announced that it has upgraded its electronic pro curement portal, and it has urged vendors and mer chants to register so that they can be informed ofand participate in - contract bids and awards that might suit them.

The Public Procurement Act, passed by Parliament under the former Minnis administration and brought into effect on September

1 last year, just two weeks before the general elec tion, was intended to bring greater transparency and efficiency to the millions of dollars awarded in public sector contracts annually by having the process held out in the open.

The winning bidders, contract award and amount also have to be made public - something the Davis administration has yet to do at all after one year in government. The legisla tion was also designed to prevent cronyism, nepotism and the awarding of con tracts to political favourites rather than based on ability, thus generating improved value for money for Baha mian taxpayers and cutting out corruption and wastage.

However, the Davis administration has argued that the legislation is overly-bureaucratic and cumbersome, which has ensnared simple purchases in red tape and added to costs and inefficiency. It also pointed out that the accompanying regulations and guidance notes, and multiple other require ments needed to give the law effect, were never put in place.

“Components of The Bahamas’ current Public Procurement Act detail modern features such as

online pre-registration of vendors, established gov ernment procurement criteria and processes by amount, regular reporting of awarded contracts and the development of a Pro curement Committee for open multi-sector oversight of significant contracts,” ORG said yesterday.

“As the Government seeks to amend the legisla tion for swift and efficient governance, it is essential that accountability and transparency are upheld to engender public trust and competition in gov ernment contracts. To support the process of revi sion, ORG will benchmark regional legislation and global standards as well as offer recommendations for consideration.”

As for the Freedom of Information Act, Mr Aubry yesterday called on the Government to advance the “pilot” initiative announced late last year involving ten different public sector agen cies. Little has been heard since, and he suggested this was not happening “as quickly as it could” with the result that public interest and “momentum” is at risk of being lost.

“This announcement was a significant step forward for the Freedom of Infor mation Act regime in The

Bahamas and was met with positive public response,” ORG said. “ORG acknowl edges that full enactment of Freedom of Informa tion Act systems can take time. However, in order to meet the public’s expressed interest in gaining access to publicly held information, ORG recommends that efforts be accelerated so that this trial phase is open by the end of the year.”

As for the Public Dis closures Act, Mr Aubry said The Bahamas “has an opportunity to again be an innovator in the Caribbean” by reforming a law that was a first for the region when it was initially enacted in 1976. “We’ve done some benchmarking, and have identified some opportuni ties to strengthen it, digitise it and bring it forward in a way that the public can review it.”

Noting that MPs and senior public officials had frequently been found noncompliant in the disclosure of their wealth, both via income as well as assets and liabilities, Mr Aubry said this mainly related to the failure to meet filing deadlines. “It’s just not hap pening in the timeframe prescribed by the Act,” he added, suggesting that making the process elec tronic via online filings would be the “modern” response to making the pro cess easier, more efficient and transparent.

“The existing public disclosure regime in The

Bahamas was pioneering for its time in a regional con text,” ORG said. “In its 46 years since passage, compli ance with the law has been uneven. ORG’s account able governance committee has benchmarked the Act and noted areas which, if amended and modern ised, may benefit the Act’s anti-corruption function and provide more acces sibility, accountability and transparency.

“For example, creating an online platform for indi viduals to complete their declaration can encour age more public officials to comply with the law. Digitised processes tend to reduce cognitive overload and make processes acces sible. Moreover, this online platform can be furnished with mechanisms for the public to monitor and assess individuals who have suc cessfully completed their declaration.

“ORG sees digitisation, greater transparency and accessibility, behavioural science and strengthening the integrity of adminis trative structures as key opportunities regarding this law. Effectively amending this legislation can allow the administration to continue in the ethos of innovation that took place in 1976.”

Assessing the bigger pic ture, Mr Aubry told Tribune Business of the Govern ment’s legislative agenda: “If we get it right, it really creates a pathway to a more sustainable and productive

Bahamas. It opens the opportunity where we can really start manage and equalise the external forces coming at us...

“We’ve got to invest in making sure systems and governance are as clear, accountable and trans parent as possible as that process opens the door to so much opportunity, eco nomic and social. A lot of these legislative issues have been in check for a while because we’ve been spend ing a lot of time over the last four years adjusting to external pressures, compli ance and benchmarks set by multinational regulators.

“By following through and pushing on some of these items we see a focus on long-standing issues, and putting more focus and attention on long-standing issues is critical. If we keep getting caught up in the cycle of responding to crisis after crisis, we won’t make the progress we need.”

Mr Aubry said an Integrity Commission, Ombudsman and Land Use Planning were just some of the other advances that could flow later if the Gov ernment fully executes on its present legislative agenda. “That will open up opportunities that can move us into a more positive sense of governance where citizens feel and see the impact in their daily lives,” he added.

High Ht.(ft.)

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AG: Minnis Gov’t ‘failed country’ on EU blacklist

FROM PAGE A24

set to be affirmed next month - until some time in 2023 at earliest.

Mr Pinder’s comments contradict assertions by Kwasi Thompson, former minister of state for finance, that the Minnis administra tion had already approved plans to address the EU’s concerns.

“The former FNM administration approved enhancements to the eco nomic substance reporting system prior to the 2021 election, which this current administration was advised by the technical adviser to follow through with to ensure that The Bahamas received a favourable rating by the international taxa tion standard setters. Why did the Government not proceed with the former administration’s planned upgrades which were approved by the technical staff?” the ex-minister said.

Separately, other sources speaking on condition of anonymity, confirmed that the former Minnis

administration had been aware there were weak nesses with the database of economic substance information that had been reported electronically by local companies.

This newspaper under stands that a New Zealand company, which created the electronic portal through which these details are submitted, had been reengaged by the former administration to make the necessary upgrades and address the EU’s con cerns. However, well-placed sources have questioned whether the work was completed or brought to a conclusion under the Davis administration.

Mr Pinder yesterday seemed to confirm that the portal, and implementation of the reporting require ments, is what has sparked The Bahamas’ latest ‘black listing’. Yet one contact had confirmed: “A plan had been left in place to upgrade that substance reporting database. There were some issues; they couldn’t do the interrogatories of that

database as they needed to. The Minnis administration had left a plan in place to do the upgrades.”

‘Economic substance’ is a test that requires com panies to show they are doing real, legitimate busi ness in a jurisdiction and are not merely brass plate, letterbox fronting compa nies acting to shield taxable assets and wealth from their home country authorities. The Commercial Entities (Substance Requirements) Act 2018 requires all com panies conducting “relevant activities” to confirm they are carrying out real busi ness in The Bahamas via annual electronic filings.

Tribune Business revealed earlier this week that the Prime Minister signed three letters prom ising the European Union (EU) that The Bahamas would address - within the required deadline - the very concerns that have resulted in the country’s imminent ‘blacklisting’.

These letters, signed over a six-week period between December 15, 2021, and

January 26, 2022, pledged that The Bahamas would resolve the issues over “economic substance” and tax reporting. Given the “fundamental flaws” in the economic substance report ing mechanism and portal, it is thus unclear why The Bahamas would promise the deficiencies would be addressed within deadline unless the amount of work required was misjudged.

The Davis adminis tration’s promises are detailed in a February 2, 2022, report by the Code of Conduct Group - which oversees the bloc’s socalled “international tax co-operation” initiative - to the EU Council’s general secretariat. It discloses that it warned The Bahamas on December 13, 2021, about its concerns with several aspects of this country’s taxrelated regulatory regime and called on the country to make “a political commit ment” to resolve them to its satisfaction.

The Bahamas responded, according to the EU report, within 48 hours by pledging

to make good any deficien cies within the required timeline. These signed com mitments by Mr Davis were deemed strong enough to merit The Bahamas avoid ing the EU’s tax ‘blacklist’ when its Council met in late February 2022, with this nation placed on its so-called ‘grey list’ of coun tries that warranted further monitoring to see if they lived up to their pledges to address these deficiencies.

Mr Pinder, meanwhile, said he was “disinvited” from the consultative com mittee formed by the former administration in 2018 to assist with the crafting of the Commercial Entities (Substance Requirements) Act - an action he deemed as political.

Many Bahamians, espe cially those in the financial services industry, are likely though to want an end to the political fighting and blame game, and for the focus to instead be placed on ensuring The Bahamas escapes the EU blacklist in the swiftest possible time and at minimal cost.

‘MUST WORK WITH DEVELOPERS WHO LOVE US’

FROM PAGE A24

International Airport (LPIA), said The Baha mas had to look beyond the financial and economic aspects of tourism to ensure that the country and indus try sustains for future generations.

“We have a finite resource. A finite resource that is a very fragile resource, and everything that involves tourism is frag ile,” he added. “We have to make a very quick transi tion to the mindset that our environment affects all of us. Every single Bahamian.

“Every single Bahamian is important, and we have to invest in that. I don’t want my children and grandchildren to lose out on the things that I enjoy. One accident is all it takes. We have to be very cautious in how we progress from here.”

DOW

TO 2022 LOW AS

FEARS

By DAMIAN J. TROISE AND ALEX VEIGA AP Business Writers

STOCKS fell sharply worldwide Friday on wor ries an already slowing global economy could fall into recession as central banks raise the pressure with additional interest rate hikes.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 1.6%, clos ing at its lowest level since late 2020. The S&P 500 fell 1.7%, close to its 2022 low set in mid-June, while the Nasdaq slid 1.8%.

The selling capped another rough week on Wall Street, leaving the major indexes with their fifth weekly loss in six weeks. Energy prices closed sharply lower as traders worried about a possible recession. Treasury yields, which affect rates on mort gages and other kinds of loans, held at multiyear highs.

European stocks fell just as sharply or more after preliminary data there sug gested business activity had its worst monthly contrac tion since the start of 2021.

Adding to the pressure was a new plan announced in London to cut taxes, which sent U.K. yields soaring because it could ultimately force its central bank to raise rates even more sharply.

The Federal Reserve and other central banks around the world aggressively hiked interest rates this week in hopes of undercutting high inflation, with more big increases promised for the future. Such moves put the brakes on economies by design, in hopes that slower purchases by households and businesses will deflate inflationary pressures. But they also threaten a reces sion, if they rise too far or too quickly.

Besides Friday's discour aging data on European business activity, a separate report suggested U.S. activ ity is also still shrinking,

though not quite as badly as in earlier months.

"Financial markets are now fully absorbing the Fed's harsh message that there will be no retreat from the inflation fight," Doug las Porter, chief economist at BMO Capital Markets, wrote in a research report.

U.S. crude oil prices slid 5.7% to their lowest levels since early this year on wor ries that a weaker global economy will burn less fuel. Cryptocurrency prices also fell sharply because higher interest rates tend to hit hardest the investments that look the priciest or the most risky.

Even gold fell in the worldwide rout, as bonds paying higher yields make investments that pay no interest look less attractive. Meanwhile the U.S. dollar has been moving sharply higher against other curren cies. That can hurt profits for U.S. companies with lots of overseas business, as well as put a financial squeeze on much of the developing world.

The S&P 500 fell 64.76 points to 3,693.23, its fourth straight drop. The Dow, which at one point was down more than 800 points, lost 486.27 points to close at 29,590.41. The Nasdaq fell 198.88 points to 10,867.93.

Smaller company stocks did even worse. The Rus sell 2000 fell 42.72 points, or 2.5%, to close at 1,679.59.

More than 85% of stocks in the S&P 500 closed in the red, with technology com panies, retailers and banks among the biggest weights on the benchmark index.

The Federal Reserve on Wednesday lifted its bench mark rate, which affects many consumer and busi ness loans, to a range of 3% to 3.25%. It was at virtu ally zero at the start of the year. The Fed also released a forecast suggesting its benchmark rate could be 4.4% by the year's end, a full point higher than envi sioned in June.

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THE NEW York Stock Exchange is seen, Friday, Sept. 23, 2022, in New York. Stocks tumbled worldwide Friday on more signs the global economy is weakening, just as central banks raise the pressure even more with additional interest rate hikes.

Photo:Mary Altaffer/AP

‘Unprecedented’ 200% private aviation growth

FROM PAGE A24

in The Bahamas, and we anticipate further growth in the coming months,” Mr Bowe said. “Initially there was some doubt as to what would happen after COVID, but the new administration hit the ground running....

“Initially I must say it was a little difficult. There was a lot of doubt, but we’ve seen such a rapid growth, particularly in the corpo rate aviation sector, we have determined that we ourselves have to some how meet the needs of this sector with stakeholders at the airports and around The Bahamas. We have to meet the demands of what is expected by our high-end visitors to The Bahamas.”

Providing an insight into this growth, Mr Bowe said private aviation arrivals to The Bahamas have tripled although he did not give any figures or say what period he was comparing this to - whether pre-COVID or 2021. “In my industry we’ve probably seen about a 200 percent growth in arrivals,” he disclosed.

“We have definitely seen an increase as a result of the [COVID] restrictions being lifted. This increase was almost instantane ous. It was very difficult for spontaneous arrivals.

We had the health travel visa in place, and some persons found that very dif ficult, particularly with the 1 percenters. Any means of documentation is always a challenge for them.

“They’re going to go to a destination where it’s not required. As an example, Cancun does not require anything. The Dominican Republic does not require anything. You can go to those destinations without any COVID protocols, so it was a definite plus when we decided to lift those restrictions.”

The private aviation industry, together with yachting and boating, was among the first tourism seg ments to rebound from the global pandemic and lead the industry’s recovery. Mr Bowe said the volume of visitor arrivals has been spread throughout the year, extending even into what has traditionally been tour ism’s slower months, which has enabled the industry to better cope with the increase.

Describing August num bers as “unprecedented”, he indicated that a similar trend was seen for June and July, which the Jet Nassau chief described as “quiet months” in the tourism cal endar. He attributed at least part of the growth to fami lies pooling resources to

DOWNTOWN ART DISTRICT PLAN TO PUT MIAMI, NEW YORK ‘SECOND’

LEGAL NOTICE

N O T I C E

EXXONMOBIL EXPLORATION AND PRODUCTION BRAZIL (POTIGUAR WEST) LIMITED

N O T I C E IS HEREBY GIVEN as follows:

(a) EXXONMOBIL EXPLORATION AND PRODUCTION BRAZIL (POTIGUAR WEST) LIMITED is in dissolution under the provisions of the International Business Companies Act 2000.

(b) The dissolution of the said Company commenced on the 23rd day of September 2022 when its Articles of Dissolution were submitted to and registered by the Registrar General.

(c) The Liquidator of the said Company is Daniel A. Bates, of 22777 Springwoods Village Parkway, Spring, Texas 77389, U.S.A.2

Dated the 28th day of September, A.D., 2022

HARRY B. SANDS, LOBOSKY MANAGEMENT CO. LTD. Registered Agent for the above-named Company

LEGAL NOTICE

N O T I C E

EXXONMOBIL EXPLORATION AND PRODUCTION BRAZIL (GUANXUMA) LIMITED

Creditors having debts or claims against the above-named Company are required to send particulars thereof to the undersigned c/o P.O. Box N-624, Nassau, Bahamas on or before 25th day of October A.D., 2022. In default thereof they will be excluded from the benefit of any distribution made by the Liquidator.

Dated the 28th day of September, A.D., 2022.

Daniel A. Bates Liquidator

22777 Springwoods Village Parkway Spring, Texas 77389 U.S.A.

LEGAL NOTICE

N O T I C E

EXXONMOBIL EXPLORATION AND PRODUCTION BRAZIL (GUANXUMA) LIMITED

N O T I C E IS HEREBY GIVEN as follows:

(a) EXXONMOBIL EXPLORATION AND PRODUCTION BRAZIL (GUANXUMA) LIMITED is in dissolution under the provisions of the International Business Companies Act 2000.

(b) The dissolution of the said Company commenced on the 23rd day of September 2022 when its Articles of Dissolution were submitted to and registered by the Registrar General.

(c) The Liquidator of the said Company is Daniel A. Bates, of 22777 Springwoods Village Parkway, Spring, Texas 77389, U.S.A.2

Dated the 28th day of September, A.D., 2022

HARRY B. SANDS, LOBOSKY MANAGEMENT CO. LTD.

Registered Agent for the above-named Company

share the cost of private jet charters, while those who could afford it were using the sector to send their chil dren on spring and summer breaks rather than employ ing the commercial airlines.

Besides COVID-related health and safety con cerns, Mr Bowe suggested time and “convenience” were also motivating this demand as wealthy visitors and clients wanted to avoid the long lines endured by commercial airline passen gers at airports worldwide - not just in The Bahamas.

“In our sector, we’ve seen that growth. How long it’s going to last I don’t know, but I hope it’s going to last a long time,” he added. “Private aviation arrivals’ expenditure far exceeds any of that of tourism arriv als, and we want to take advantage of that. We’ve worked closely with hotels in communicating what these guests are looking for. We see the need for quite a bit of improvement in our industry here.

“The Bahamas is a very expensive destination, and we must exceed their expectations and, in many cases, I don’t think we do that. Going into other des tinations, based on what individuals are paying, we have to step up our game.”

Mr Bowe described the key challenges facing private

FROM PAGE A24

about 20 Bahamians to be in that shared space.”

He explained that those entrepreneurs and micro businesses will be focused on providing authentic Bahamian products and experiences in retail, tours and excursions. These will range from visitors being able to design their own straw bags or make jewellery from fish scales to “sip and taste” experiences and tours that showcase the country’s

aviation as “infrastructure and also properties”.

He explained: “During the peak periods, clients finding [hotel] rooms that meet their level of expec tation is a challenge. It seems that everyone wants to travel on the same day, the weekends, and we don’t have that many high-end properties.”

The Four Seasons Ocean Club, Atlantis, Baha Mar and Albany were identified as having suitable rooms for private aviation clients, and the Jet Nassau chief added: “When you look at the rooms, those are not that many rooms. If we really want to increase our numbers, we first have to improve our infrastruc ture and make it easier for people to get to The Bahamas.”

Suggesting that The Bahamas is presently “miss ing out on big” private markets, such as South America and Turkey-Cen tral Asia, because it lacks a significant presence in those areas where there has been growth in both the number of millionaires and their earnings, Mr Bowe said delays during LPIA “peak periods” where planes are waiting for gates to become available is also a challenge.

Crediting Dr Kenneth Romer, acting director of aviation, and his Ministry

history and culture. “The visitor wants a multiplicity of experiences,” Mr Ferguson added.

However, the Tourism Development Corporation chief conceded that to entice cruise passengers and other tourists east of Rawson Square, the area’s visual appeal is in need of marked improvement and this is where the murals come in with the ministry working alongside cultural ambassa dor, Jamaal Rolle, and other local artists.

LEGAL NOTICE

N O T I C E

EXXONMOBIL EXPLORATION AND PRODUCTION BRAZIL (POTIGUAR WEST) LIMITED

Creditors having debts or claims against the above-named Company are required to send particulars thereof to the undersigned c/o P.O. Box N-624, Nassau, Bahamas on or before 25th day of October A.D., 2022. In default thereof they will be excluded from the benefit of any distribution made by the Liquidator.

Dated the 28th day of September, A.D., 2022.

Daniel A. Bates Liquidator

22777 Springwoods Village Parkway Spring, Texas 77389 U.S.A.

of Tourism team for work ing to resolve this, he explained that waiting for between 30 minutes to an hour to exit an aircraft after it has landed, and a simi lar duration spent clearing Immigration, meant private aviation clients could expe rience up to a two-hour delay before reaching their hotel.

“It’s the same in most places, but we have to improve our product,” Mr Bowe said. “There are ways to solve that. That first impression is always a last ing impression. That’s what I always tell my team; when they meet a plane they have to wow them. I don’t want anyone to leave our facil ity without being wowed. When they go out that main terminal I want them to be wowed. That infrastructure and experience, we have to make it happen.”

The Bahamas avoided a major hit to its private avia tion business earlier this year when Customs post poned the roll-out of its Click2Clear border clear ance and entry system for the sector. “We had some warning they were going to introduce this. Not much warning, but some warn ing,” Mr Bowe said.

“The response was immediate; a barrage of questions, a barrage of comments. You had pilots

Referring to the Tourism Entrepreneurship Centre as having “given birth” to the murals initiative, Mr Ferguson said: “When we go ahead and start to direct visitor traffic east of Parlia ment and Rawson [Square], we obviously have to work on the aesthetics; what cur rently exists in that space.”

Promising that the neces sary transformation will be achieved, he added: “We’ve seen some of the render ings. It’s just going to be a different level. The art dis tricts that you’ve seen in New York, Miami, Atlanta and other places are going to come second to what we provide in this space.”

The Bahamas, and down town Nassau, arguably have a long way to go to match the dedicated art districts possessed by many major US cities. And many observers will likely be sceptical that The Bahamas can achieve such lofty ambitions given that efforts spanning several decades have yet to produce the promised revival of Bay Street and its surrounding areas.

Mr Ferguson, while acknowledging that down town Nassau’s current condition will not “change on a dime”, revealed that the murals are just the first step in ideas to create a much bigger and longer-lasting art district in the area. “We know this is not going to change on a dime,” he told the webinar. “We know this

attempting to work on Click2Clear for four hours. They were like: ‘Charles, we’re not going with this. We’re going to Jamaica, we’re going to Cayman. It’s just too tedious’.

“Customs decided in our sector in Nassau to post pone Click2Clear. One, they didn’t have the man power, and two, they didn’t have the server capacity to deal with the traffic coming into Nassau. I don’t know if it’s going to be revisited, but there was international uproar when they came out with this Click2Clear,” he added.

“Corporate travel is cor porate travel for a reason. People spend a lot of money for convenience. Any time you put speed bumps and hurdles on this type of sector” it creates concerns. “People have choices. You have to make it easy for them to select you,” Mr Bowe said.

He praised Dr Romer and Chester Cooper, deputy prime minister and minister of tourism, invest ments and aviation, for being in constant contact with the private sector to see how they can facilitate its growth and address any thing holding it back.

not going to be the end of all our woes relating to the vexing 30-plus years that the east of downtown Nassau has been, but it’s a start.”

Asked whether the Min istry of Tourism’s plans involve attracting persons to live in downtown Nassau once again, Mr Ferguson replied: “We have identified some possible spots for resi dential areas on the second and third floors areas of [buildings]. There’s a little small hotel we’ve looked at exploring in that area as well.

“We recently had a con versation around creating a specific art district where artists would live in resi dence and, while in that space, share their art with cruise ship passengers. These are ongoing conversa tions, ongoing projects, like the parking dilemma. That’s a large part of the problems downtown.”

However, before pur suing these goals, Mr Ferguson said he was focused on getting the Tourism Entrepreneurship Centre properly established and functioning first, adding that downtown Nassau’s revival must take place in stages.

Describing The Bahamas as “the trend setter in the region” in prior decades, when other Caribbean coun tries sought to learn from its success, he added that the country “may somehow have dropped the ball on this” by taking more than three decades to bring a Tourism Development Corporation from concept to reality as an entity charged with manag ing the tourism product and its development.

Revealing that it is cur rently pursuing some 20 different projects, Mr Fer guson said one involved training Bahamians to become American Life guard Association-certified lifeguards. Out of 280 appli cants, some 150 were approved to take the train ing course and some 84 have now become certified.

“Of the 84 we took through, a little over 40 of them are already employed,” he added. “In fact, a number of them are employed with the cruise lines, beach resorts and we’re looking forward to many of them trained in the future being brought on as beach guards.” Mr Ferguson said he wanted to partner with the Public Parks and Beaches Authority to have these persons hired as life guards at public beaches.

Calling for tourism indus try players to cease “going back to silos and doing they’re own thing” when it came to issues affecting the sector’s overall develop ment, and exit “the vacuum they’re operating in cur rently”, Mr Ferguson said collaboration was critical.

He reiterated that opera tors needed to set aside competitive hostilities and “the little petty stuff that we have going on sometimes”, and help make decisions that advance both The Bahamas and its people.

$60M GLASS WINDOW BRIDGE IS BAHAMAS ‘NIAGARA FALLS’

By YOURI KEMP Tribune Business Reporter ykemp@tribunemedia.net

THE PROPOSED $60m Glass Window Bridge replacement in North Eleuthera could become the Bahamian equivalent of a Niagara Falls-type tourist attraction that gen erates recurring revenue to finance its maintenance.

Alfred Sears KC, min ister of public works and utilities, told a Town Hall meeting called to discuss the new bridge propos als that the Government was exploring a variety of funding mechanisms to finance the new structure. While no decision has been taken over imposing a toll fee on vehicles that cross it, he added that there was interest in a public-private partnership (PPP) model for the bridge’s construction and maintenance.

The Government is also speaking to the Caribbean Development Bank (CDB) about securing debt financ ing for the project, and Mr Sears said: “Within the next two months we should have a funding pathway and then, of course, we will move on the procurement. Once the funding is in place we will announce a date.”

Turning to the pos sibilities of making the replacement bridge into a tourist attraction, with viewing platforms and other amenities, he added: “What is being proposed is an opportunity to monetise the bridge for the people of

Eleuthera. In other words, attractions for which people would pay and you will have a stream of revenue coming into the entrepre neurs in Eleuthera, and also a stream of revenue coming in that will answer the ques tion about maintenance.

“It is not only a look out point. We are approaching this project as an enter prise where the people who live in Eleuthera would have the same opportuni ties that the people in the south would have with the Disney project, but it would be more significant than Disney because this project would be owned by Bahamian people - entre preneurs, performers and culinary artists.

“Eleuthera is one of the places in the Common wealth of the Bahamas where development is taking place very rap idly. It is one of the most unique communities in our country; it is the fifth largest economy within the Commonwealth of the Bahamas. We have some of

the wealthiest industrialists with homes in Eleuthera. We also have booming Bahamian business resorts throughout Eleuthera.”

Mr Sears added that the Glass Window Bridge will also provide a hub, or focal point, where Bahamian vendors and entrepreneurs can sell their goods to visi tors. He said the project “can build opportunities for Bahamian businesses, Bahamian entrepreneurs to showcase the imagina tion of the Bahamian crafts persons, also to showcase the culinary skills as well as the extraordinary culi nary dishes of Bahamian cuisine”.

Lambert Knowles, prin cipal of Engineering and Technical Services, who is heading the engineer ing and design team for the Glass Window Bridge replacement, said that when preparing the slideshow for the Town Meeting all he could think about was comparisons to “Niagara Falls” and the famed water falls on the US-Canada

MARITIME OFFICIALS IN PM MEETING

OFFICIALS from the Bahamas Maritime Author ity (BMA) and Bahamas Ship Owners Association met with the Prime Minis ter on Monday to discuss issues impacting the sector.

JoBeth Coleby-Davis, minister of transport and housing, was also present for a meeting that was part of Bahamas Maritime Week celebrations. The discus sions focused on areas such as the industry’s status as the third highest revenue generator in the Bahamas; its outreach programme that trains dozens of mari time cadets, providing scholarship opportunities for Bahamians interested in the sector; and the BMA being the largest sponsor of the cadets initiative.

The Association’s focus is on creating the highest-quality ship reg istry - not just the largest, but one that attracts the best partners with leading business and envi ronmental practices, and generates increased reve nue and jobs for Bahamians in the industry.

JITNEY DRIVERS ‘DISAPPOINTED’ OVER GAS PRICE RELIEF WAIT

FROM PAGE A23

has been forgotten by poli cymakers as “everyone is getting their deals signed off on but us. The gov ernment is even bragging about how they are sign ing these agreements with these various groups, but not us, and we are out here still battling with the same problems we had before the pandemic that the pan demic made worse.

“I won’t say we’re going to protest; it’s just that we’re going to be making a statement and letting them know that the suffering is still here,” Mr Moxey con tinued. “Even though fuel prices have been reduced, they’re still high, plus there is still inflation for everyone.

“Inflation has hit every thing. A lot of things there are still crucial to our wellbeing, and so we really need some type of relief. I think we really need to look at the issue of the [fare] increases because we see everybody else getting things and we believe we deserve it as well.”

NOTICE is hereby given that FERNANDO LEBRON of Westwinds, New Providence, 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 twenty-eight days from the 28th day of September, 2022 to the Minister responsible for nationality and Citizenship, P.O. Box N-7147, Nassau, Bahamas.

NOTICE

NOTICE is hereby given that IMMACULEZE LOUIS AVELUS of P. O. Box N-7060, Fifth Street, Coconut Grove, New Providence, 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 twenty-eight days from the 28th day of September, 2022 to the Minister responsible for nationality and Citizenship, P.O. Box N-7147, Nassau, Bahamas.

border. “It costs $60 to go look at Niagara Falls. They are not cheap. To go on the one that wraps around the Grand Canyon is $120,” he added.

Suggesting that The Bahamas can do similar, and monetise the Glass Window Bridge as a tourist attraction in its own right, Mr Knowles added: “So the intention is that’s why we have the guard house and the bathrooms. What the architect has designed is, to enter the Glass Window Bridge parking lot, you would have to go through that facility, buy your ticket, buy the Glass Window Bridge models and souve nirs, and then you can go through the door and then you can park. That is the intention.”

Besides a park, the Glass Window Bridge will offer security, rest rooms, park ing, a location for food trucks to sell crafts and food, and topography with different elevation. Mr Sears confirmed. “This gives the opportunity to

monetise what will be a world attraction.”

Mr Knowles agreed. “Most certainly it will be an attraction. That’s why I said we moved the bridge after designing it, and we had to go back and move it again because of the blue hole and the cavity underneath the blue hole. We moved it over. We’re going to move it around the blue hole because we wanted it to be a part of the attraction,” he said.

The replacement bridge will be constructed 60 feet to the Caribbean sea side of the existing structure, thus moving it westward. “We also intend to have four foot shoulders on either side; four foot on the Car ibbean side and a larger shoulder on the Atlantic side. So the persons who want to walk and traverse the bridge to see the Glass Window Bridge from that area, they will have a larger walkway to go on,” Mr Knowles said.

Mr Sears told attendees: “Just so that you can have

a perspective I met some months ago with the PS (permanent secretary) and the parliamentary secretary, and with the representa tives of the Caribbean Development Bank. The bank has identified this project as a project that it has a very keen interest in funding. Interest has also been shown by the InterAmerican Development Bank (IDB) as well as pri vate investors and PPP proponents.

Construction on the replacement bridge is scheduled to begin in 2023 and last until 2026. No deci sion has been made to fund its construction and main tenance via a toll similar to the one levied on vehicles crossing the Paradise Island bridge, where the monies collected are used to repay the original financing.

It is unclear if there will be sufficient traffic volumes to generate the necessary revenue with the Glass Window Bridge, which is the only vehicle link between north and south Eleuthera. Mr Sears said the current one-lane bridge is “dangerous” and unable to facilitate the transport of freight from the north to the south side of the island because its carrying capac ity is only 12 tonnes.

The meeting was also attended by Clay Sweet ing, minister of agriculture, marine resources and Family Island affairs; island administrators; and repre sentatives of the Ministry of Works, Town Planning Board, the Bridge Author ity and local government.

NOTICE is hereby given that JESSICA BURNICE GLINTON of Freeport, Grand Bahama 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 twenty-eight days from the 21st day of September, 2022 to the Minister responsible for nationality and Citizenship, P.O. Box N-7147, Nassau, Bahamas.

ALFRED SEARS

CLAY SWEETING

$60M GLASS WINDOW BRIDGE RENDERING

PHOTO:Anthon Thompson/BIS

Gladstone Road off-ramps to ease business concerns

By YOURI KEMP Tribune Business Reporter ykemp@tribunemedia.net

A Cabinet minister yesterday said the Glad stone Road Improvement Project (GRIP) will incor porate “off-ramps” to facilitate access to busi nesses on both sides of what will become a four-lane highway.

Alfred Sears KC, minis ter of works and utilities, said ahead of the weekly Cabinet meeting that the $29m highway will also provide hard shoulders

for drivers to use in an emergency where they can pull-off to the side out of the traffic flow.

Several Gladstone Roadbased businesses had previously voiced concerns about being cut off from one side of the highway when the two-lane each way traffic flow kicks in, but Mr Sears said: “There will have to be shoulders, where if one encounters a diffi culty you will be able to get off of the highway.

“That is a feature of the work that will be done in the Gladstone Road area, and certainly the design work has been done also

for Carmichael Road. But, certainly, what you call offramps or shoulders.. for relief, for repair and some times for rest, someone can just pull off the highway and stop for a period of time for whatever reason.”

The Government has to acquire several pieces of property before the Glad stone Road expansion can occur, while squatters are also occupying some of the public land identified for road widening. Mr Sears said: “Those matters are being resolved.

“Once those are resolved, this will be a major project in terms of improvement

Bahamas takes investment, tourism drive to New York

NOTICE

Bahamas Electrical Utilities Managerial Union (BEUMU)

October 2022

E. Cobourne Sands Building Bahamas Power and Light Company Limited Big Pond Complex on Blue Hill Road and Huyler Street, New Providence

Agenda: Call to Order Prayer

Vote to Amend the Constitution Prize Giving

Important Updates on the Industrial Agreement General Update Adjournment

All Officers and Financial Members are asked to attend and to be on time.

Refreshments will be served

THE BAHAMAS will this week continue its tourism and investment promotional push in mar kets that generate more than one out of every six US visitors per year.

The Ministry of Tourism, Investments and Aviation, in a statement, said it will continue its global sales and marketing missions at venues across New York

of infrastructure, as well as the broadening of the road so that there could be a dual carriageway. It’s a major artery for southnorth travel, in terms of school and work and rec reation and so on. So it will improve the quality of life. We really want to con tribute to wellness in our country.” Pedestrians and bicycle traffic will also be able to traverse Gladstone Road.

As for the ongoing Vil lage Road redevelopment, which is now projected to be completed come Decem ber, Mr Sears said: “Village Road is nearing completion,

and New Jersey. Combined, these markets account for between 15 percent to 19 percent of US tour ist arrivals in any given year. Between January and August 2022, these two states accounted for 18 per cent of US visitors to The Bahamas from the US.

Chester Cooper, deputy prime minister and minis ter of tourism, investments and aviation, will lead a delegation that includes senior ministry execu tives to participate in multiple meetings. These will be held with potential

NOTICE

Entre Rios Capital Corp. In Voluntary Liquidation

Notice is hereby given that in accordance with Section 138(4) of the International Business Companies Act. 2000, Entre Rios Capital Corp. is in dissolution as of September 23, 2022.

International Liquidator Services Ltd. situated at 3rd Floor Whitfield Tower, 4792 Coney Drive, Belize City, Belize is the Liquidator.

Q U I D A T O R

fortunately, and we are cur rently engaged with two of the stakeholders, that is the Bahamas National Trust and Queen’s College, in order to build a roundabout right in the front of those two institutions.

“That will require acqui sition of some of the property from both stake holders. I’ve met with both - that is the Board members - of both institutions and we have had a very con structive exchange. This is the best option in terms of efficiency. Queen’s College is the largest school in New Providence and, therefore,

investors, corporate part ners, sports teams, film and arts agencies, trade part ners, meeting, conference and event planners and other stakeholders from across the tourism industry.

“We have only just begun the exploration into our various tourism markets as we focus on recapturing our market share and max imising the return on our investments,” Mr Cooper said. “These missions are not just a chance to pro mote our tourism product, but an opportunity for The Bahamas to reintroduce itself as the top destina tion for travel as we move towards the next 50 years of independence and growth and development of the tourism industry.”

there is a challenging traffic matters concern.

“You also have the BNT during its festivals. Again, major use of that road by patrons. So this improvement will improve the efficiency. It also will improve the quality of life because, right in the middle of the road, at eight feet below the road, a new set of electrical cables has been installed, as well as water mains and laterals to improve the delivery of electricity as well as water.”

Mr Cooper and Latia Duncombe, the Ministry of Tourism’s acting direc tor general, will also host sales and destination rep resentatives, hotel and industry partners and media influencers at gala events during the missions. Guests in attendance will be treated to a question and answer panel featuring the duo, who will highlight The Bahamas’ steadily growing tourism numbers and plans for the industry’s future development.

The global missions were launched in the Florida markets last month, and will continue through May 2023. In addition to major travel hubs throughout the US and Canada, the delega tion will also be heading to Brazil and the United Arab Emirates to bring Baha mian culture directly to key international markets across the globe and inspire travel to the destination.

LEGAL NOTICE

INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS COMPANIES ACT, 2000

SURPINA LIMITED Voluntary Liquidation

Notice is hereby given that in accordance with Section 138 (8) of the International Business Companies Act, 2000, the dissolution of SURPINA LIMITED was completed, a Certificate of Dissolution has been issued and the Company has therefore been struck off the Register. The date of completion of the dissolution was 31st May, 2022.

Amicorp Bahamas Management Limited Bahamas Financial Centre, 3rd Floor, Shirley & Charlotte Street, P.O. Box N-4865 Nassau, Bahamas

LEGAL NOTICE

INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS COMPANIES ACT, 2000

SOLEADO INC. Voluntary Liquidation

Notice is hereby given that in accordance with Section 138 (8) of the International Business Companies Act, 2000, the dissolution of SOLEADO INC., was completed, a Certificate of Dissolution has been issued and the Company has therefore been struck off the Register. The date of completion of the dissolution was 4th July 2022.

Amicorp Bahamas Management Limited Bahamas Financial Centre, 3rd Floor, Shirley & Charlotte Street, P.O. Box N-4865 Nassau, Bahamas

LEGAL NOTICE

INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS COMPANIES ACT, 2000

MIP INTERNATIONAl LTD. Voluntary Liquidation

Notice is hereby given that in accordance with Section 138 (8) of the International Business Companies Act, 2000, the dissolution of MIP INTERNATIONAL LTD., was completed, a Certificate of Dissolution has been issued and the Company has therefore been struck off the Register. The date of completion of the dissolution was 30th June, 2022.

Amicorp Bahamas Management Limited Bahamas Financial Centre, 3rd Floor, Shirley & Charlotte Street, P.O. Box N-4865 Nassau, Bahamas

‘Jesus has to walk on water’ for $4 gas

By YOURI KEMP Tribune Business Reporter ykemp@tribunemedia.net

A PETROLEUM dealer yesterday said “Jesus would have to walk on water” for prices to fall to $4 per gallon again with all three chains now selling below $6.

Vasco Bastian, the Baha mas Petroleum Dealers Association’s (BPDA) vice-president, told Trib une Business the continuing gradual decline of global crude oil prices - follow ing their spike earlier this year when Russia invaded Ukraine - is the major factor driving the cost reduction for Bahamian motorists.

“The secret is the price of crude oil on the global market, and government efforts and the wholesalers, in particular Esso, trying to keep the costs low so the motoring public can drive more,” added Mr Bastian, who is an Esso dealer.

Per gallon prices at Esso stations now stand at $5.71, having fallen from a peak of $7.39 in July. Prices

at Shell and Rubis are $5.88 and $5.96 per gallon, respectively.

Mr Bastian said that while the reduc tion is sustainable, prices may not drop much further.

He added: “We won’t see $4 gas by the end of the year, and I don’t want to predict even $4.99 or even $5.25, but we won’t see $4. If you see $4 a gallon, Jesus would have to come and walk on water.” The latter prices was achieved during COVID-19’s peak, when economies were locked down, resulting in reduced demand for oil and related petroleum products.

Crude oil prices last night stood at $78.5 per barrel on the West Texas Inter mediate (WTI) index and $86.27 per barrel on the Brent Crude Index, after peaking at over $130 in the immediate aftermath of the Russia-Ukraine conflict.

Mr Bastian said: “The Government came up in a major way. The Gov ernment made sure the taxes on fuel don’t go any higher. This is what the Government’s part was in this. Even though the gov ernment is the regulator

JITNEY DRIVERS ‘DISAPPOINTED’ OVER GAS PRICE RELIEF WAIT

By YOURI KEMP Tribune Business Reporter ykemp@tribunemedia.net

JITNEY drivers yes terday said they were “disappointed” that the relief package promised by the Government in July to help combat high gas prices has yet to materialise.

Harrison Moxey, the United Public Transporta tion Company’s (UPTC) president, told Tribune Business: “They never let

us know what the relief package was. They said the Ministry of Finance was looking at putting together a proposed package but we never received it.”

Joe-Beth Coleby-Davis, minister for transport and housing, told reporters ahead of a Cabinet meeting in early July that the Gov ernment would be offering unspecified relief packages to jitney drivers to help offset the rise in fuel prices. She added that details, and a final decision on what this relief would look like, were

it also oversees the indus try to make sure that these prices are held at a certain level, and they support the BPDA as well as corporate entities, ensuring that we get value for dollar and we get to keep our prices at a very low level.”

High gas prices impose tremendous pres sure on the petroleum industry’s business model because of dealers’ fixed margins that are pricecontrolled. The last time petroleum dealers enjoyed a margin increase was in 2011, when the Hubert Ingraham-led Free National Movement (FNM) gov ernment granted a 10 cent increase per gallon of gasoline to take it from 44 cents to 54 cents. A 15 cent increase per gallon of diesel was also allowed.

“We are still negotiating for a margin increase. That has not stopped. We are still waiting and hoping, and we haven’t disregarded that. We are just waiting for the market to level off. We are still in communication with the Government on the margin increase,” Mr Bas tian said.

supposed to have been forthcoming during the summer.

It is now autumn, and nothing has been issued yet. High fuel prices, com bined with COVID-related restrictions that capped passenger occupancy at 50 percent and the absence of a compensating fare increase, have handicapped the jitney industry since early 2020. Many driv ers either left the business or delayed putting their vehicles back on the road post-pandemic as it was unprofitable to do so.

Mr Moxey yesterday said he believes the sector

By NEIL HARTNELL Tribune Business Editor nhartnell@tribunemedia.net

THE BAHAMAS must “step our game” to sustain “unprec edented” growth that has spurred a 200 percent increase in private aviation arrivals, a prominent industry player urged yesterday.

Charles Bowe, general man ager at Jet Nassau, the major fixed base operator (FBO) at Lynden Pindling International Airport (LPIA), told a webinar to mark World Tourism Day that this nation needs to ensure such visitors are “wowed” from the time they arrive in The Baha mas given that their per capita spending exceeds all other tourist categories.

Describing private aviation’s main challenges as “infrastructure and properties”, he warned that New Providence lacks sufficient high-end hotel rooms to meet this market’s expectations during peak travels periods such as weekends and holidays. And congestion at LPIA, which sometimes causes up to two-hour delays before visitors arrive at their hotels, also under mines “first impressions” of the destination.

Mr Bowe also told the event, organised by TCL Group, that The Bahamas had escaped a potentially significant loss of private aviation business when Customs aborted plans to intro duce its Click2Clear system at the last minute following widespread “uproar” in the sector.

Asserting that the sector is highly competitive, with plane owners, pilots and charters able to choose from multiple destinations in the Caribbean, he added that The Bahamas must avoid “putting speed bumps and hurdles” in their way and make it as easy as possi ble to access the destination.

Consistent with this theme, the Jet Nassau chief hailed the Davis administration’s decision to elimi nate the health travel visa for placing The Bahamas on a com petitive ‘level playing field’ with rivals such as Cancun and the Dominican Republic which had long eliminated such protocols.

“It’s a fact that we’ve had signif icant growth in the aviation sector

AG: Minnis Gov’t ‘failed country’ on EU blacklist

By YOURI KEMP Tribune Business Reporter ykemp@tribunemedia.net

THE ATTORNEY General yesterday blamed the Minnis admin istration’s “fundamentally flawed” approach to complying with the European Union’s (EU) economic substance demands for landing The Bahamas on the bloc’s blacklist.

Ryan Pinder KC, speaking ahead of the weekly Cabinet meeting, said the Commercial Entities (Substance Requirements) Act 2018 was woe fully inadequate in addressing a key EU requirement to remain off its list of jurisdictions deemed non-coopera tive on international tax matters.

Hitting back at the Opposition’s assertions that the Davis admin istration “dropped the ball” in complying with the 27-nation bloc’s demands, and instead pointing the finger of blame at its Minnis pre decessor, he blasted: “They had three-and-a-half years to put in place a compliant regime of economic

substance reporting and failed to do it.

“They failed the country. They failed the financial services industry, and they really should be ashamed of themselves now trying to make this issue political since it’s squarely on their feet.” Mr Pinder argued

Bahamas ‘must work with developers who love us’

By NEIL HARTNELL Tribune Business Editor nhartnell@tribunemedia.net

THE Bahamas “must work with developers who love us” and “dis engage” with those motivated only by profits who have no interest in environmental preservation, tourism industry operators argued yesterday.

Karen Panton, the Bahamas Protected Areas Fund’s (BPAF) executive director, told a webinar to mark World Tourism Day that this nation should focus on attracting investors who place it and its people first.

Suggesting that developers and investors should be measured against their environmental, social and gov ernance (ESG) standards, both in selecting those permitted to enter The Bahamas and later holding them to account for their actions, she added that it was critical that they “make the required financial contribution to offset environmental impacts and losses”.

Addressing the TCI Group-organ ised event, Ms Panton said: “We must work with developers who are collaborative, and are interested in

advancing people and the protection of the environment of this country. We must work with developers who love us.

“As we continue on this path of valuing our nation, we may wish to disengage and avoid develop ers whose interests are only profit driven.” She reiterated that assess ing developers’ performance against their ESG standards was “an impor tant prerequisite for selecting” which investors should be allowed into The Bahamas.

Ms Panton was backed by Molly McIntosh, vice-president of the Bahamas Out Islands Promotion Board and general manager of Green Turtle Cay’s Bluff House Beach Resort, who said: “I agree with Ms Panton to encourage and recruit developers who have sustainability and our interests in mind.”

She cited Carl Allen, head of Allen Exploration, the licensed underwater salvage operation that is recovering sunken treasure and artifacts from a centuries-old Spanish galleon, as an example of such an investor through what he has done in reviving Walker’s Cay and supporting nearby Abaco communities.

that the Davis administration first became aware of the EU’s concerns with The Bahamas’ economic sub stance reporting late last year, which ties in with the December 13, 2021, letter sent from Brussels detailing the issues it had.

“We were notified of the noncompliance late last year. We gave our assurances that we would try to work with the EU. Clearly, with a fundamental flaw, it takes some time to fix and we were just unable to get over all of the hurdles in time [to address and avoid] the non-compli ant rating,” Mr Pinder explained.

“So what we’ve been doing is we’re going to have to put in place a new portal, a new reporting system to be compliant. We have a series of proposals in place now. We’re going through those and we will get them in place as quick as possible to try to rectify the situation.” Given the date, it is unlikely that The Bahamas will meet the EU’s demands and be removed from its ‘blacklist’ - a move

Downtown art district plan to put Miami, New York ‘second’

“Walker’s Cay is a good example,” Ms McIntosh said. “He’s just done a lot for the environment, a lot for the people, and a lot for the coun try. When they come in, let’s reward them as long as they’re good for the Bahamian people.

“People coming into make a quick buck, get some land really cheaply and do things that are not good for the environment, let’s stop them. Investing takes time, but that time will reward The Bahamas. We have to think of the future.”

Charles Bowe, general manager at Jet Nassau, the major fixed base operator (FBO) at Lynden Pindling

‘More productive Bahamas’ if we get legal reforms right

By NEIL HARTNELL Tribune Business Editor nhartnell@tribunemedia.net

GOVERNANCE

reformers yesterday argued that the Government’s planned upgrades to anticorruption, procurement and fiscal laws will set “a path to a more productive and sustainable Bahamas if we get it right”.

Matt Aubry, the Organi sation for Responsible Governance’s (ORG) exec utive director, told Tribune Business that the legislative

changes foreshadowed by the Davis administra tion would “open up the door to so much economic and social opportunity” if they deliver the improved transparency and account ability that has long been promised.

Speaking ahead of Parliament’s fall session beginning in earnest today, he and ORG said they were especially focused on advancing the promised Freedom of Information Act pilot phase as well as reforms to the Public

Disclosures Act and Public Procurement Act.

When it came to the latter, Mr Aubry told this newspaper that ORG was particularly concerned that the Davis administration’s plans to make the Act more efficient and userfriendly did not undermine the improved transparency that the existing legisla tion had ushered in when it came to bidding on, and the award of, government contracts.

By NEIL HARTNELL Tribune Business Editor nhartnell@tribunemedia.net

THE MINISTRY of Tour ism’s plans to transform downtown Nassau via crea tion of an “art district” will relegate similar spaces in New York and Miami to “second spot”, a senior offi cial pledged yesterday.

Ian Ferguson, the Tourism Development Corporation’s chief, told a webinar held to mark World Tourism Day that reviving the derelict properties east of Rawson Square and East Street could ultimately extend to developing an area where “in-residence” Bahamian artists display and sell their works to tourists and cruise ship passengers as well as a local market.

The first stage of this process, which is linked to the creation of the Tourism Entrepreneurship Centre’s small business incubator, is the “downtown mural pro ject” involving the use of artwork to both overhaul and cover-up the multiple

abandoned properties that continue to deteriorate and have resulted in the area becoming a long-standing eyesore.

Describing the Centre as the key element in the min istry’s first phase efforts to revitalise downtown Nassau, Mr Ferguson told the webi nar organised by TCL Group: “We say that this is the flagship because it is the provision of an incubatorstyle storefront for fledgling businesses within the tour ism industry. We’re creating entrepreneurial opportuni ties in the initial phase for

KAREN PANTON

RYAN PINDER KC

IAN FERGUSON